UCLA captured the Big Ten Tournament title, then made a run to the Final Four last season for the first time in program history before falling to eventual champion UConn.
The Bruins enter the season with their sights set on going even further, possibly all the way to a national title.
UCLA is the Big Ten favorite with last year’s regular-season champion, Southern California, without injured star JuJu Watkins for the season. Big Ten preseason Player of the Year Lauren Betts, Kiki Rice and Gabriela Jaquez return as UCLA tips off its second season in the Big Ten.
Despite losing all four players in last season鈥檚 freshmen class to the portal, the Bruins appear to have gotten even stronger with the addition of Betts鈥� younger sister, freshman Sienna Betts, Utah transfer Gianna Kneepkens and Charlisse Leger-Walker, a Washington State standout who redshirted last season while recovering from an ACL injury.
鈥淚t鈥檚 cool to see all the talent we have on the floor. It鈥檚 mind-boggling,鈥� said Lauren Betts, who became the Bruins’ first first-team All-America last spring as a junior.
Even with a roster of top talent, Bruins coach Cori Close knows finishing atop the 18-team conference won鈥檛 be easy.
鈥淛ust look at the depth of the conference and the quality of the coaches,鈥� Close said.
A challenge to the Bruins is expected to come from Maryland. The Terps compiled a 25-8 record last season and tied Ohio State for third in the Big Ten at 13-5. The Terps have advanced to at least the Sweet Sixteen four times in five years.
Maryland returns key starters Kaylene Smikle, named to the preseason All-Big Ten team, and Saylor Poffenbarger along with top transfers Yarden Garzon 鈥� Indiana鈥檚 career leader in total 3-pointers (220) 鈥� and Oluchi Okananwa from Duke.
鈥淲e鈥檙e excited about what the journey鈥檚 going to look like ahead,鈥� coach Brenda Frese said.
Players to watch
Hannah Stuelke (Iowa); Olivia Olson and Syla Swords (Michigan); Grace VanSlooten (Michigan State); Jaloni Cambridge (Ohio State); Elle Ladine and Sayvia Sellers (Washington).
Top transfers
Kneepkens (UCLA/from Utah); Garzon (Maryland/Indiana); Okananwa (Maryland/Duke); Kara Dunn (USC/Georgia Tech); Londynn Jones (USC/UCLA); Kiyomi McMiller (Penn State/Rutgers); Avery Howell (Washington/USC); Aaliyah Guyton (Illinois/Iowa)
All that Jazz
USC, ranked No. 18 in the AP鈥檚 preseason poll, is faced with trying to replace Watkins. It won鈥檛 be easy, but highly regarded freshman Jasmine 鈥淛azzy鈥� Davidson is expected to have an immediate impact. The 6-foot-1 combo guard earned Gatorade Oregon Player of the Year honors three consecutive seasons and was a McDonald鈥檚 All-American.
鈥淪he can score. She can facilitate. She plays both ends of the floor,鈥� USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb said. 鈥淪he鈥檚 a really unique talent.鈥�
Fifteen is enough
The Big Ten men鈥檚 tournament will expand to include all 18 teams this season, but the women鈥檚 tourney will remain at 15. The decision comes after 12 Big Ten women鈥檚 teams 鈥� a March Madness record 鈥� qualified for the 2025 NCAA Tournament. Gottlieb led the charge against expansion, arguing that an early loss in an expanded conference tourney could destroy bubble teams鈥� chances of getting a tournament bid.
鈥淚 really want to commend the Big Ten that equity and equality don鈥檛 mean doing the same thing,鈥� Gottlieb said. 鈥淭heir ability to not have us do what the men are doing is actually very progressive. The men are just in a different spot. It鈥檚 not better for our entire conference to go to 18 right now.鈥�
Power conference
The Big Ten has six schools in the Top 25, a total topped only by the Southeastern Conference with eight teams. The Atlantic Coast Conference has five teams, the Big 12 four, and the Big East (No. 1 UConn) and Atlantic 10 each have one.
Major matchups
Fans will want to circle Jan. 18 on their calendars. That鈥檚 when Lauren Betts and UCLA welcome Maryland, which lost one conference road game last season, to Pauley Pavilion for a nationally televised contest and the lone regular-season meeting of the teams. Other big games include USC at UCLA on Jan. 3 and the rematch at the Galen Center on March 3 to close out the regular season; Michigan State hosting Michigan on Feb. 1, then traveling to Ann Arbor two weeks later; and Iowa hosting Ohio State on Jan. 25.
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