The transfer portal has closed and the coaching carousel has stopped spinning in women’s college basketball. So, let’s look ahead to next season.
We won’t know official schedules for a while, but some big-time matchups have already been announced or determined.
TCU owes N.C. State a return game for a home-and-home series (that will be on Nov. 16, a source confirmed to SB Nation), South Carolina is due to travel to LSU this season — where they’ll see former Gamecock MiLaysia Fulwiley — and the Ally Tip-Off will return to Charlotte, though the teams involved haven’t been revealed yet.
While it’s difficult to find schedules online right now — many coaches are still working to add games and finalize their schedules — we do know a few key dates of some crucial clashes. Consider this to be a way-too-early look-ahead at the 2025-26 schedule, and circle your calendars for this handful of games.
UConn vs. Louisville: Nov. 4 (Germany)
The Huskies will begin defending their national championship in the Armed Forces Classic at Ramstein Air Base. Paige Bueckers is gone, but Final Four Most Outstanding Player Azzi Fudd and All-American Sarah Strong return, as do other key contributors like KK Arnold, Jana El Alfy, Caroline Ducharme, Ashlynn Shade and Ice Brady. The Huskies also added All-Big Ten forward Serah Williams from Wisconsin, who gives them more depth and another scoring threat in the frontcourt.
Jeff Walz’s Louisville will try to improve on its strong finish to the 2024-25 season, which ended with a second-round NCAA Tournament exit. Walz broke even in the transfer portal, losing three transfers and adding three. The incoming group includes one of the best players available in the portal in Laura Ziegler. At St. Joseph’s last season, she averaged 17.5 points, 10.4 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game. The 6-foot-2 forward from Denmark was also the only player in the country to average at least 17 points, 10 rebounds and four assists per game.
Tennessee vs. N.C. State: Nov. 4 (Greensboro, N.C.)
Greensboro won’t host the ACC Tournament next season, but it will kick off the college basketball season with a pair of teams that aim to have strong campaigns in two of the best conferences, the SEC and ACC. The historic coliseum should be close to capacity for this one, as it’s just an hour from Raleigh and three hours from Knoxville and brings together two passionate women’s basketball fanbases that typically travel well.
The Wolfpack will have a bit of a new look to them with Saniya Rivers, Aziaha James and Madison Hayes moving to the pro ranks, but a stellar guard-forward pairing in Zoe Brooks and Tilda Trygger return for Wes Moore. Tennessee added three solid players in the transfer portal in SMU’s Nya Robertson, LSU’s Jersey Wolfenbarger and UCLA’s Janiah Barker, who should help Kim Caldwell fill any holes heading into her second season at the helm of the Lady Vols.
South Carolina at USC: Nov. 15
Dubbed the battle of “The Real SC,” the Gamecocks will travel to Los Angeles to take on the Trojans in the first of a two-game series. USC will then play South Carolina in Greenville, S.C. in the 2026-27 season.
While it’s unlikely that JuJu Watkins will be featured in this matchup, it should tell us a lot about both teams. For South Carolina, this will be an early test for a reshuffled squad that brings back Raven Johnson, Chloe Kitts, Tessa Johnson and Joyce Edwards, but adds Ta’Niya Latson and Madina Okot. For USC, we’ll see how transfers Londynn Jones and Kara Dunn impact the squad, and if the Trojans are capable of contending without Watkins.
Texas vs. UCLA: Thanksgiving Weekend (Las Vegas)
This is just one matchup that will be part of a jam-packed multi-team event in Las Vegas. After debuting with a men’s tournament last year, the Players Era Championship will feature Duke, South Carolina, Texas and UCLA in a round-robin tournament, meaning each team will play three games, one each against the other teams in the field. Teams will also have the opportunity to engage in up to $1 million of NIL opportunities.
While Duke vs. South Carolina will be an intriguing matchup that will be a rematch of the Elite Eight this past season in Birmingham, Texas against UCLA will see two of the best frontcourt players in the sport face off against each other. Madison Booker is back to lead the Longhorns in her junior season, while Lauren Betts returns for her senior campaign at UCLA. Both will be trying to take their teams back to the Final Four, and this matchup could tell us a lot about the ceilings for the Bruins and Longhorns.
This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content.
