Power Shifts and Statement Wins: The New NCAA Women’s Hoops Power Five
The first month of the 2025–26 season has made one thing clear: if you’re tracking the national title race, you must keep your eyes on Washington, USC, South Carolina, UConn, and LSU. UConn is ranked first in the AP poll at 8–0, pouring in 89.6 points per game behind Azzi Fudd’s 18.5 points and do-everything freshman Sarah Strong, who leads the Huskies in rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks. LSU isn’t far behind at 9–0 and ranked fifth, and bludgeoning opponents with an NCAA-record streak of eight straight 100-point games and an offense averaging roughly 112 points per night. South Carolina, 8–1 and ranked third, remains a machine, while Washington, 21st ranked, and USC, 16th ranked, have emerged as west-coast disruptors with top 25 resumes built on balance and star power.
Husky Hunt: Washington’s Breakthrough and UConn’s Reloaded Dynasty
Washington has quietly become one of the most dangerous watch-them-now teams in the country. The Huskies are 8–0, averaging 74.2 points per game, with electric guard Sayvia Sellers putting up 19.1 points and 3.9 assists while shooting over 52 percent from the field, and wing Avery Howell adding 12.1 points and 6.9 boards as the heartbeat of Tina Langley’s system. They’ve done it while navigating early-season bumps, including guard Elle Ladine opening the year as day-to-day with an undisclosed injury, but without any reported season-ending losses to the rotation. On the other coast, UConn looks terrifyingly familiar atop the polls: Fudd is fully back as the top scoring option after years of stop-start injuries, while Geno Auriemma’s depth has allowed the Huskies to dominate even with key contributors Ice Brady and freshman Morgan Cheli expected back only around the new year. The takeaway: both Husky programs are winning big, and both still have another gear if they get fully healthy.
West Coast Reckoning: USC Without JuJu and LSU’s Offensive Avalanche
USC’s story starts this season with who isn’t on the floor. All-American guard JuJu Watkins is sitting out the entire 2025–26 campaign to recover from the ACL tear she suffered in last year’s NCAA Tournament, forcing Lindsay Gottlieb to rewire the Trojans’ identity. Freshman Jazzy Davidson has stepped into the void and blossomed into a stat-sheet monster, leading USC in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks for a 6–2 squad that still owns top 20 status. Down in Baton Rouge, LSU is the show everyone wants to see. Kim Mulkey’s Tigers are 9–0, and torching teams with Flau’jae Johnson averaging 17.1 points, 3.3 assists, transfer big Kate Koval averaging 7.9 rebounds, and chaos-engine guard MiLaysia Fulwiley averaging 4.1 steals per game. With no current injuries listed on recent game injury reports, LSU is operating at full throttle and resetting the bar for what an elite offense looks like.
Southern Steel: South Carolina’s Short-Handed Grit and March Outlook
If LSU is winning with overwhelming depth, South Carolina is winning through resilience. Dawn Staley’s Gamecocks are 8–1 and ranked third despite losing forwards Ashlyn Watkins and Chloe Kitts to season-ending ACL tears before conference play even began. Freshman Agot Makeer is in concussion protocol, trimming an already thin active roster to single digits for stretches, yet South Carolina still scores 88.3 points per game and defends at an elite level. Frontcourt star Joyce Edwards is averaging 18.8 points and 11.3 rebounds and has stepped into a featured role seamlessly, while point guard Raven Johnson, averaging 6.8 assists, controls tempo like a veteran. The big picture: In a landscape where UConn and LSU are piling up blowouts, and Washington and USC are building statement wins, South Carolina’s ability to stay in the title conversation while banged up might be the most ominous sign of all for March.
