South Carolina early 2026 NCAA women's basketball title favorites - ESPN

With its loss to UConn in the women's college basketball national championship game, South Carolina failed in its bid to claim back-to-back titles but is the initial favorite to return to the summit in 2026.

South Carolina opened at +450 to win next season's NCAA women's basketball tournament, the shortest odds of any team, according to ESPN BET lines. USC came in next at +500, followed by UConn at +600.

LSU, Notre Dame and Texas tied for the fourth-best opening odds at +750, with Final Four participant UCLA rounding out the top seven at +850 before a steep dropoff to the next team, Tennessee (+2200). Early line movement shortened the Bruins to +750, while lengthening several other teams near the top of the board.

The women's game is benefiting from an abundance of star power, which is both boosting betting handle and providing a more competitive environment.

«We're excited that the handle is up on women's basketball,» Caesars Sportsbook college basketball trader Patrick Berbert told ESPN. «We anticipate it staying that way based on what we're seeing with the players wanting to come back for extra years and really build star teams where they are able to put out great Final Fours.»

Coming off the national championship, UConn will be losing superstar Paige Bueckers to the WNBA draft, where she is expected to be selected No. 1. However, the Huskies will maintain a top-three spot in the odds with freshman Sarah Strong and senior Azzi Fudd, who abstained from the draft, coming back to Storrs.

Fudd isn't the only potential WNBA prospect coming back to college ball. LSU's Flau'jae Johnson and Notre Dame's Olivia Miles both announced they will return next season, with the latter making the shocking declaration that she is