Women’s NCAA basketball: Five things we learned in opening week

Less than a week into the 2025-26 women’s college basketball season, we already have a sense of how some new faces are fitting into new places and how some standout players have settled back into familiar surroundings.

Defending national champion UConn has both. Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd, both huge during last season’s NCAA title run, led the way in the No. 1 Huskies’ 79-66 win over Louisville on Tuesday. And transfers Serah Williams and Kayleigh Heckel also appear poised to make an impact for UConn.

No. 3 UCLA, which reached the Final Four for the first time in the NCAA era last season, is off to a 2-0 start before a top-10 showdown with No. 6 Oklahoma on Monday. Joining returners Lauren Betts, Gabriela Jaquez and Kiki Rice in the starting lineup are Charlisse Leger-Walker, who missed last season with a knee injury after transferring from Washington State, and Gianna Kneepkens, who transferred this year from Utah. Both guards could be big contributors for the Bruins this season.

Olivia Miles, another big-name guard transfer, made her debut for No. 17 TCU on Thursday in an 82-43 win over North Carolina A&T. And guard MiLaysia Fulwiley, who transferred from South Carolina to LSU, was part of the Tigers’ 2-0 start.

No. 2 South Carolina and No. 16 Baylor took center stage Monday on Opening Day. Here’s a closer look at what we saw.

UConn looks like title favorite

Geno Auriemma called UConn’s season-opening win over No. 20 Louisville a “huge success,” and while it wasn’t a perfect performance — the Huskies allowed the Cardinals to cut the lead from 28 points to 10 in the fourth quarter — it showed why UConn is favored to repeat. The Huskies struggled from the 3-point arc (4 for 26), but dominated Louisville in the paint (50-18) and played with a pace that allowed them to throw the first punch. They led 25-9 after the first quarter and by 21 at halftime.

Fudd and Strong largely picked up where they left off in the Final Four. Strong (21 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 blocks, 2 steals) hit the most baskets when Louisville threatened to reach the numbers and continued to show why she is one of the most promising young talents in the country. Junior KK Arnold and USC transfer Heckel also impressed. But for the Huskies to be truly unstoppable, they could use more of Williams, a transfer from Wisconsin, and guard Ashlynn Shade. –Alexa Philippou

Hidalgo is Notre Dame’s singular star

While Hannah Hidalgo was Notre Dame’s best player during her first two seasons in South Bend, she was also surrounded by All-American level players such as Sonia Citron and Olivia Miles. The Irish’s ability to win did not rest entirely on Hidalgo’s shoulders. This is no longer the case.

This edition of Notre Dame is undoubtedly Hidalgo’s team, and that comes with great responsibility. The Irish will not succeed if they are not among the elite. While bigger tests will come later, Hidalgo was exactly that in Fairleigh Dickinson’s 98-52 loss on Wednesday. The 5-foot-6 junior set the tone, scoring 11 of Notre Dame’s first 19 points en route to a typical stat line of 27 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals. All five starters have scored in double figures, but Hidalgo is the driving force behind Notre Dame’s success. — Cream

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Hannah Hidalgo makes a great defensive play for a steal

Hannah Hidalgo makes a great defensive play for a steal.

Fulwiley apparently finds a good fit at LSU

Fulwiley seemed like a safe bet in South Carolina: yet another state native who would win titles for Dawn Staley and the Gamecocks. Indeed, she was part of the 2024 NCAA championship team as an exciting freshman. Last season, she had her ups and downs on a South Carolina team that lost in the NCAA finals. She transferred to rival LSU and has a chance to open a new chapter in the same conference.

The junior guard came off the bench for 21 points on 8-of-14 shooting Tuesday in a 108-55 season-opening win over Houston Christian. She followed with 6 points, 5 rebounds and 3 steals in 13 minutes in a 115-26 demolition of SE Louisiana on Thursday. Fulwiley and sophomore Kate Koval (who averages 7.0 points and 4.0 rebounds) are expected to be big transfers for LSU this season. The Tigers’ freshman class will also be key, supporting senior Flau’jae Johnson and junior Mikaylah Williams, LSU’s returning stars. — Voepel

Tennessee still struggles to re-enter the SEC elite

Before Tennessee upset eventual national champion UConn in a non-conference game in early February, last season’s edition of the Lady Vols struggled. They were able to beat the teams below them in the SEC standings, but worked to get over the hump against most of the schedule. Tuesday’s 80-77 loss to NC State looked a lot like that. A seven-point third-quarter lead vanished — as did the chance for a season-defining victory.

With the additions of top freshman Mya Pauldo (10 points) and one of the best players in the portal, Janiah Barker (15 points), as well as what appears to be an even better version of Talaysia Cooper (23 points), this could be a more talented Tennessee team than a year ago. But Tennessee will still have a hard time beating the SEC’s top teams if the shooting doesn’t drop (34.2% in the second half against NC State) and the Lady Vols fail to get their press going or dominate the offensive glass (NC State had one more offensive rebound). — Cream

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Tennessee Lady Volunteers vs. NC State Wolfpack: Game Highlights

Tennessee Lady Volunteers vs. NC State Wolfpack: Game Highlights

This is the year the Cyclones live up to expectations behind Audi Crooks

Iowa State coach Bill Fennelly didn’t mince words about how last season’s non-conference losses hurt his team’s perception.

“At the start of the season, people probably thought we were better than we actually were,” he said. “But at the end of the season they thought we were worse than we really were.”

Iowa State started last season ranked No. 8, but losses to Northern Iowa, South Carolina and Iowa knocked the Cyclones out of the Top 25, then a blowout loss to UConn rubbed even more salt in the wound.

Starting in February, however, Iowa State played well, with its only losses coming against the Big 12’s top two teams – TCU and Baylor – and then against Michigan in the NCAA tournament. Through it all, center Audi Crooks has been the reliable star, leading the Big 12 in scoring (23.4 PPG) and field goal percentage (60.5).

With two wins this season, Crooks is averaging 24.5 points and 8.0 rebounds while shooting 70.5%. Fellow Addy Brown is at 8.5 points, 9.5 rebounds and 7.0 assists, while transfer guard Jada Williams is at 13.0 points and 4.5 assists. The No. 14 Cyclones don’t have big-name non-conference opponents this season, like UConn and South Carolina, but they have a chance to build plenty of confidence and wins before reaching the Big 12 campaign. — Voepel