South Carolina’s loss resets the women’s basketball national championship race

LOS ANGELES — Ahead of this weekend’s doubleheader of No. 6 Notre Dame at No. 3 USC and No. 1 South Carolina at No. 5 UCLA, all four coaches preached the importance of these games for the growth of women’s basketball. Scheduling marquee contests early in the season keeps the sport’s momentum flowing.

In the near term, however, the most important takeaway from blowout wins by the Fighting Irish and the Bruins wasn’t the enthusiasm college basketball generated in Los Angeles or even the amount of WNBA decision-makers on hand. Rather, the weekend served notice that the national title race in 2024-25 warrants a major reset.

It was only fair that the Gamecocks were the preseason favorites to win the national title. Despite the difficulty of repeating, they returned all but one rotation player from last season’s undefeated championship squad, and they have the talent, depth and institutional knowledge to win.

But after watching Notre Dame take down USC and UCLA deliver a convincing victory against South Carolina, the Irish and Bruins appear closer to achieving South Carolina’s 2023-24 formula than the defending champs themselves — a sentiment Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley felt after their loss.

“That was beautiful basketball by UCLA,” she said. “I’m on the opposite side of it, but you can’t help but to love up on it because it was fluid on both sides of the ball.”

“The work that’s done in the dark will always come to the light. “ – Londynn Jones on upsetting South Carolina#NCAAWBB x @UCLAWBB pic.twitter.com/7obz4HrrH8

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) November 24, 2024

As the Gamecocks transition from losing their fulcrum in Kamilla Cardoso, the Bruins have arguably the most dominant big in the country in Lauren Betts. Every scouting report starts with how to contain the 6-foot-7 post, who has become more composed, stronger and better conditioned as a junior.

The Irish stars are on the opposite side of the positional spectrum, but their dual point-guard look with Olivia Miles and Hannah Hidalgo is also unique and similarly challenging to defend.

Beyond those stars, the roster construction in South Bend and Los Angeles resembles that of the title-winning Gamecocks, combining returning veterans with dynamic freshmen and an impact transfer. The Irish have Miles, Hidalgo and Sonia Citron forming their core, joined by Liatu King (and eventually will have Liza Karlen) from the portal along with freshman center Kate Koval making an immediate impact as a rim protector. The Bruins also have five returners, led by Betts, plus transfers Timea Gardiner and Janiah Barker and freshman point guard Elina Aarnisalo.

That mix of experience and new blood has been energizing for Notre Dame and UCLA. King fills in a physicality gap for Notre Dame and is also an outlet at the end of possessions to get her own shot. Out West, Betts called Aarnisalo the Bruins’ most underrated player with her skills as a ballhandler and creator, as well as holding up defensively in her first year.

“I thought Elina did a really great job,” Staley said. “It was fun watching her on film. I was hoping that she would come off the bench and not get as many minutes, but she’s the one that was really, really impressive.”

Stylistically, both the Irish and Bruins resembled the title-winning Gamecocks with their emphasis on defense. They disrupt in the half court — Notre Dame with its speed and UCLA with its size — to suffocate opponents early and force them to play catch-up throughout.

“This group is a really great defensive team,” Notre Dame coach Niele Ivey said. “I’m really happy with the defensive effort and knowing that we set the tone with our defensive intensity.”

Combine that defense with some surprisingly good shooting from long range — USC wasn’t prepared for Miles’ explosion from beyond the arc and Staley said South Carolina’s staff did not anticipate UCLA lighting it up on 3s — and these two burgeoning title contenders have the offensive profile South Carolina put forth a year ago, too.

HANNAH HIDALGO TODAY 🔥

• 24 POINTS
• 8 ASSISTS
• 6 REBOUNDS
• 5 STEALS

NOTRE DAME WINS ☘️ pic.twitter.com/VPAXRVwcqK

— Women’s Hoops Network (@WomensHoops_USA) November 23, 2024

It isn’t just in Los Angeles that title contenders are popping up. UConn, Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas State have looked impressive in the early going, and many of those teams will face each other in the next month with an opportunity to make a statement before the conference play starts.

“We have a lot of teams that can make a good case for how to be No. 1, and I think that’s a great testament to our game,” UCLA coach Cori Close said. “There’s a lot more parity than there used to be.”

That parity starts at the top, where there is no longer one superpower reigning over the rest. This South Carolina team isn’t the same one that wrecked through the opposition a year ago, and other squads are rising to fill the power vacuum.

UCLA was just the first to take down these Gamecocks, but there are weaknesses in South Carolina’s shot selection and decision-making that other teams will attack. After a full season of one team occupying the top spot in the rankings, expect more shake-ups throughout this season. For as good as the Bruins and Irish looked in their weekend wins, many talented teams around the country can have their moment on any given day.

“This is what we usually do to teams, it doesn’t feel good when you’re on the receiving end of it,” Staley said.

(Photo of Janiah Barker: Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)