The women's college basketball season is ramping up, and while many ranked teams have already suffered upsets early in 2026, the top four teams -- UConn, Texas, South Carolina and UCLA -- are holding strong and proving to be true championship contenders.
But that doesn't mean there isn't room for improvement, as even undefeated UConn and Texas have been close to their first losses. Geno Auriemma said the No. 1 Huskies "can get a lot better," and that is a sentiment Vic Schaefer, Dawn Staley and Cori Close have echoed.
Conference play won't be forgiving, particularly in the SEC and Big Ten, so the next two months will tell us a lot about who could take over in March. But before we get too ahead of ourselves, here are the main questions for each of the top contenders.
Can UConn stay undefeated?
We have been asking this question since the preseason, but it is certainly a topic worth revisiting because it is not an easy feat to accomplish. In the history of Division I women's basketball, only 10 national champions have lifted the trophy without a single loss -- and UConn has six of those perfect seasons.
The Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd duo is one of the best in the nation, but the team has depth, too. Freshman Blanca Quiñonez has emerged as another double-figure scorer for the Huskies. Jana El Alfy has found momentum after the holiday break, and Wisconsin transfer Serah Williams has been good enough to be in the starting lineup while still waiting for her true breakout game as a Husky.
KK Arnold has done a great job taking over as the starting point guard, but when she missed the game against Providence on New Year's Eve with a nose injury, the team still won by 37 points. While the Friars are not a ranked opponent, and UConn's uncharacteristic 21 turnovers certainly proved Arnold was missed, it was still impressive to get such a dominant victory without their quarterback.
Of course, the Huskies are not actually untouchable -- they almost got upset by then-No. 6 Michigan in November. But there is not currently a team in the Big East that looks like a real threat for UConn and the only ranked opponent they have remaining in the regular season will be Tennessee on Feb. 1.
Can the Texas offense stay strong against SEC opponents?
Nobody is questioning Texas's defensive prowess, and it's also undeniable that their offense is significantly stronger than last season. In fact, the Longhorns have one of the top scoring offenses in the nation, averaging 93.2 points per game on 52.1% shooting. They have also reached 100+ points in six games and currently have has six active players averaging at least nine points per contest -- led by POY candidate Madison Booker's 19.1 points per game. Schaefer considers Rori Harmon "the best point guard in the nation," and Texas has been benefiting from Jordan Lee's breakout season.
All that being said, Schaefer describes the SEC as "pure hell," so he is well aware that his team can't get too comfortable in the coming months. Texas already defeated South Carolina once this season, but that 66-64 win at the Players Era Championship was a tough battle the Longhorns survived thanks to a last-second shot by Rori Harmon. It was a quality win for sure, but that was Texas's lowest-scoring game this season. Their second-lowest scoring game was a 67-64 win over No. 15 Ole Miss, another SEC foe, on Jan. 4.
"Toughness comes in all forms. It's physical, it's mental," Schaefer said. ".... It's a win in the SEC. It's a ranked team again, but I think there's a lot of learning we can get from it."
In the coming weeks, Texas will need to prove that their offensive improvements were not just an early-season mirage.
Can South Carolina clean up the little things?
South Carolina is a tough team for anyone to face, but being consistent and taking care of the little things can make the difference between a win and a loss in March. The Gamecocks are shooting under 70% from the free-throw line, and those extra points could come in handy in close games such as the ones against Texas or Louisville.
Although they recently got a 74-63 win over Florida, it was hardly a smooth ride for Staley's team. The Gators were able to speed them up, which led to the Gamecocks shooting just 34.3% from the field and registering a season-high 21 turnovers. However, they did show fight in what Staley described as an "ugly" win and got a season-best 59 rebounds. It's also important to note they were playing without Ta'Niya Latson, who is day-to-day with an ankle injury.
"Sometimes you gotta grind it out and win a game no matter how it looks," Staley said.
Starters have to be specially locked in because although the South Carolina bench averaged 40.3 points per game last season, that production has dipped significantly to 17.4 bench points per contest.
Can UCLA stay consistent and aggressive?
The Bruins opened the season with a 77-53 win against San Diego State, but Close called out her team for a performance that was "flat all the way around." The Bruins played with more urgency after that one, but they still have some alarming lapses. UCLA's only loss this season was against Texas in a game in which the Bruins had seven turnovers and just 10 points in the first quarter. They had a players-only meeting shortly after, which helped them bounce back with a 30-point win against Duke.
The Bruins are fresh off an 80-46 victory against crosstown rival USC, but even that game had a shaky start with six turnovers in the first 10 minutes. After the game, Close referenced their December win over Ohio State and pointed out the Bruins gave up 21 points in that one due to mistakes, lack of effort or lack of focus. She has been challenging her team to play with more urgency and awareness.
"There is a difference between hard work and competing. There's an awareness. There is a dog in you," Close said. "There is a sense of urgency that has to happen. I want them to transfer hard work into competitive awareness and competitive fight. I think we are going in the right direction but I think that's still a journey that we need to go on. I think we gotta fight for a few more possessions."
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