The Four Newcomers That Are Shaping the Big Ten Conference
UCLA, Oregon, Washington, and USC officially joined the Big 10 Conference on August 1st, 2024. The former PAC-12 members would face brand new competition, a true test of their skill and determination. The Big Ten is known for its women’s basketball, something made possible by former players like Lindsay Whalen, Rachel Banham, Kelsey Mitchell, Megan Gustafson, and Caitlin Clark. In 2025, a record 12 women’s basketball teams from the B1G 10 participated in the NCAA Tournament. The four new teams would have a lot to live up to. Almost two years later, they have definitely proved themselves worthy of a spot in this iconic conference.
Oregon and Washington Still in the Hunt for a Top Spot
In 2025, both Oregon and Washington placed in the middle of the conference standings. One year later, there have been some visible improvements, with Washington in seventh place and Oregon in 11th. Washington women’s basketball is led by Avery Howell, a transfer guard from USC. Howell has been everything the Huskies needed this year, averaging 13.3 points per game and eight rebounds. She led her team to their first ranked win since entering the Big 10, which came on January first against eighth-ranked Michigan. Oregon has gone 5-6 in the conference this year despite having a pretty solid team. Their top scorer is guard Katie Fiso, who averages 15 points per game. Oregon just acquired transfer Mallory Heyer from Minnesota, a talented player who has the potential to carry the Ducks farther next season. Both Oregon and Washington have the potential to be very dangerous in the coming years.
USC at the Top of the B1G 10 in Their First Season
In 2025, USC dominated the Big 10 and finished first in the conference. This was an impressive accomplishment for the Trojans as they had faced brand new opponents and atmospheres. Their top scorer was JuJu Watkins, who averaged 24.3 points per game. In the second round of the NCAA Tournament, Watkins tore her ACL, which prevented her from playing in the 2025-26 season. All hope was not lost for the Trojans, however, as they soon welcomed freshman Jazzy Davidson to their squad. Davidson has been the glue for the Trojans this season, averaging 16.2 points per game with a playing style very similar to Watkins. USC currently sits at 5-6 in their conference, a step down from last season, but the 2026-27 season looks promising with Watkins’ return. Teams in the B1G 10 should prepare to face off against a healthy Watkins-Davidson duo, along with many other talented players.
UCLA Is Setting a New Standard
The UCLA women’s basketball team currently sits at second in the AP Poll. At the top of the Big 10, they haven’t run into many issues this season. In 2025, UCLA claimed the Big 10 title in a win over USC, despite ending behind them in the Big 10 standings. Their 2025 season ended with a loss against UConn in the Final Four. One year later, forward Lauren Betts is looking to take her team all the way to the championship. Betts is a force in the paint and almost impossible to stop. She averages around 17 points per game with eight rebounds. Kiki Rice, head guard for UCLA, has been electric this season as another top scorer for the Bruins. UCLA has made a huge impact on the Big 10 Conference as more teams are looking to step up their game and challenge this talented group. They will be a fun team to watch in the upcoming NCAA Tournament and beyond.
