Women’s College Basketball Futures: NCAA Championship Odds, Picks & Predictions

We are just a few weeks into the women’s college basketball season. We already have a new No. 1 team. After knocking off former No. 1 South Carolina and bringing the Gamecocks’ 43-game winning streak to an end, the AP has named UCLA the new No. 1 team in the nation.

After one No. 1 team falls and another rises, you’d expect a shift in the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship odds - and there has been a shift. But that doesn’t necessarily make a team more or less likely to win the title this year. Let’s take a look at the latest odds and picks to win the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship.

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NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship Picks & Predictions

The season doesn’t feel like it has been going by too fast, but we are already a few weeks in. The following table contains the preseason and latest odds.

NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship Odds

(Odds courtesy of BetMGM)

Team Preseason Odds Current Odds
South Carolina +160 +175
UConn +375 +350
USC +400 +600
Texas +800 +1000
UCLA +1300 +800
Notre Dame +700 +550
LSU +1600 +2200
Iowa State +5000 +8000
North Carolina State +3000 +3000
Oklahoma +25000 +5000

South Carolina's odds likely didn't change much following the loss because bettors knew it was just one game. Losing to UCLA is going to impact their ranking more so than their apparent ability to win the National Championship.

However, such a win does give bettors a reason to back other teams - like UCLA, whose odds rose from +1300 to +800. Notre Dame's hot start has led to more interest in betting on the Fighting Irish.

But who should you bet on?

NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship Picks & Predictions

I can’t tell you who you should bet on, of course. That’s a question every bettor must answer for themselves. But I can give you a few ideas.

Favorite: South Carolina (+175)

One loss is not going to shake my faith and belief in South Carolina's ability to run it back. The team is ridiculously talented and the roster is deep. Several bench players would certainly start if they were on other teams. Of course, losing by 15 points to another team is not a good look.

But it's good they lost already. Because of it, they'll have a chance to correct some mistakes before every game becomes essential. The loss will likely help in the long run.


Dark Horse: Notre Dame (+500)

Typically, I don't consider a team a dark horse candidate if their odds are not more than +1000. But I'll make an exception here because South Carolina and UConn are such dominant teams that the rest of the field could qualify as a dark horse. The Fighting Irish have one of the best offenses in the country on paper. However, the stats that paint that picture came primarily against soft opponents.

Are they that good or not? We'll find out in the days and weeks ahead, of course. Until then, we like them as a dark horse candidate until they prove they are either a contender or a pretender.


Longshot: Michigan State (+50000)

Michigan State is undefeated at 6-0 but not ranked. They do rank inside the top five in scoring offense and defense. That is likely due to an incredibly soft schedule to date, but I can get behind them for now. We'll have a better idea of who this team is towards the end of the year. Three of their last four 2024 opponents are currently ranked.


 

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