espnW's preseason top 25

125

(1/1)

This edition of the Huskies isn't quite the overwhelming favorite to repeat as national champions as the 2010 team, but it's close. UConn has four legitimate All-American candidates, and Breanna Stewart, just a sophomore, is on the brink of becoming the next superstar in the game. The glue that Kelly Faris provided will be missed, but the Huskies have everything else. Even the prospect of playing a regional final on someone else's home court doesn't seem enough to keep the Huskies from a seventh consecutive Final Four.

119

(2/3)

The Blue Devils sport the country's best program that hasn't appeared in a Final Four in eight seasons. The team's five seniors, which includes All-American candidate and point guard Chelsea Gray, have reached the Elite Eight each of their first three years in Durham -- but fallen short of the game's showcase event. Joanne P. McCallie adds the nation's second-best recruiting class, led by shooter Rebecca Greenwell, to all that experience. Elizabeth Williams dominating consistently in the post could be the key to Duke's quest to reach Nashville.

109

(3/6)

It's hard to watch the Cardinal play and not simply stare at the constant activity of preseason player of the year candidate Chiney Ogwumike. The senior All-American has become everything that most thought she'd be -- and then some. Ogwumike would like nothing more than to start another Final Four streak in her swan song (a run of five in a row ended last spring). An offensive boost from point guard Amber Orrange, and help from newcomers Kailee Johnson and Erica McCall, would help that cause immensely.

108

(2/6)

Nationally, Alyssa Thomas has played in the shadows of Brittney Griner, Skylar Diggins and Elena Delle Donne for a couple of seasons. But Thomas' time is now. One of the best all-around players the women's game has seen in the last decade, Thomas hopes to have some more help this season after a snake-bitten roster in 2012-13. Brene Moseley and Laurin Mincy are back from ACL tears, and Lexie Brown leads a top recruiting class.

106

(3/8)

This might be the Lady Vols' best chance to get back to the Final Four for the first time since 2008. A healthy Andraya Carter, who missed all but seven games in 2012-13 with a shoulder injury, gives Tennessee the kind of talent in the backcourt unmatched in the SEC. That's largely because senior Meighan Simmons, one of the most explosive and creative scorers in the country, fills another guard spot. Ariel Massengale has plenty experience at the point, and combines with Carter to give coach Holly Warlick talented options. Tennessee has a big and versatile frontcourt, and looks to get even better with the addition of 6-foot-6 Mercedes Russell -- the top recruit to hit Knoxville since Candace Parker and the top high school player in the country last year.

96

(5/9)

Matthew Mitchell has built something special in Lexington, which is why the loss of program mainstay A'dia Mathies is not at all devastating. Kentucky is still at least the second-best team in the SEC and hopes to build on consecutive trips to the Elite Eight. The up-tempo, full-court defensive style remains, as will DeNesha Stallworth anchoring the middle. Mitchell has four returning starters, but it's the waves of talent that he runs at opponents that continue to be Kentucky's calling card.

95

(4/9)

Kayla McBride and Natalie Achonwa have been outstanding in their secondary roles during their first three seasons in South Bend. Now the Fighting Irish belong to them. Sophomore Jewell Loyd was a find a season ago. On a few select nights, she was Notre Dame's best player on a team that included Skylar Diggins. If incoming freshman Taya Reimer becomes what Loyd was last year, Muffet McGraw, once again, has her present and future.

92

(6/10)

The Cardinals' upset of Baylor in the regional semifinals last March was as big an upset as the sports world has ever seen. Their subsequent run to the NCAA tournament title game was just plain impressive. What happened at the hands of Connecticut on April 9 is almost immaterial. The catalysts to that March to remember are back as Louisville enjoys its one-year layover in the American Athletic Conference.

81

(5/14)

Coming off the most successful season in school history, the Bears will build around Brittany Boyd and Gennifer Brandon. Cornerstone Layshia Clarendon is gone, but there is plenty in coach Lindsay Gottlieb's cupboard to once again challenge Stanford in the Pac-12 and contend for a return trip to the Final Four. Depth will come from a highly regarded freshmen class, but additional production will need to come from an expanded role for junior forward Reshanda Gray.

74

(7/18)

The nonconference season will be about filling the leadership void created by the graduation of point guard Lindsey Moore. If that happens, the rest of the season will be about the Cornhuskers setting the pace in the Big Ten. Senior forward Jordan Hooper is one of the country's most productive offensive players. If junior Emily Cady and sophomore Rachel Theriot take that next step, so might Nebraska.

71

(8/17)

The excitement and renewed enthusiasm around the program inspired by the nation's top recruiting class was certainly dampened considerably by the news that long-time coach Sylvia Hatchell is battling leukemia. While Hatchell is away receiving treatment, Andrew Calder, Hatchell's assistant since 1986, takes over; he has vowed nothing will change. The talented freshmen, led by guard Diamond DeShields, will continue to push tempo, and ACC freshman of the year Xylina McDaniel will be counted on heavily to finish those possessions.

69

(9/15)

A new era dawns in Waco, and it's not just the departure of all-time great and the revolutionary Brittney Griner. Five of the Lady Bears' top six players are gone. Only senior All-American point guard Odyssey Sims is left to lead a group of freshmen and sophomores with the credentials to keep Baylor among the nation's elite. Alexis Jones (Florida's prep player of the year in 2012) will have more minutes and more freedom as a sophomore. She should be flanked by former AAU teammate Ieshia Small (Florida's 2013 player of the year) as Kim Mulkey introduces a much more perimeter-oriented attack.

69

(11/14)

The Sooners return four starters, but health might be more important than experience for this season. Somehow, Sherri Coale got her team to the Sweet 16 a year ago despite losing four players to season-ending injuries. Aaryn Ellenberg was of the healthy ones a year ago and nothing could have been more important. She will continue to be the key cog to a high-scoring offense. The senior from Las Vegas is one of the best deep shooters in the game. Fellow senior Nicole Griffin supplies most of the Sooners' size and needs to have a big year if Oklahoma is to return to the top of the Big 12.

60

(11/16)

Perhaps the rebuild in Baton Rouge under Nikki Caldwell has taken a little longer than some in Tiger country had hoped, but the trajectory definitely seems to be picking up steam. The offensive problems from recent seasons seem to be fixed; 6-5 senior Theresa Plaisance is an All-American candidate, Danielle Ballard is a legitimate perimeter threat, and freshman Rina Hill is potentially a top-flight point guard.

55

(11/19)

Karla Gilbert has played in the shadows of Danielle Adams and Kelsey Bone, but now the senior is the post presence in College Station and perhaps A&M's most important player. If Gary Blair's club is to come close to the 25-win season of a season ago, Gilbert will have to increase her scoring average. Who replaces Adrienne Pratcher at the point will also be important; Jordan Jones and Curtyce Knox are the candidates. Courtney Walker could be ready to break out as a sophomore and should be the Aggies' primary scorer. Help in that area could also come from juco transfer Achiri Ade.

55

(13/17)

Perhaps the most amazing part of the Flyers' 28-3 season in 2012-13 was that it was done with a roster that was so young. Four starters are back and Jim Jabir still only has one senior on the roster. It's a balanced team, but juniors Andrea Hoover and Ally Malott will lead the way. Someone will need to emerge as a replacement for point guard Samantha MacKay, who was a double-figure scorer and took care of the ball. Freshmen Celeste Edwards and/or Tiffany Johnson could be the answer. The schedule gets a little harder with Michigan State, Iowa and Vanderbilt, but Dayton could be even better come March than it was a year ago.

39

(14/NR)

The Spartans should be deeper than the seven-player rotation Suzy Merchant went with last season, but the style -- defense and rebounding -- should stay the same. Guard Klarissa Bell led the team in scoring and rebounding and is back for her senior season. Juniors Jasmine Hines and Becca Mills and senior Annalise Pickrel will handle much of the scoring load down low, but freshman guard Tori Jankoska could be a big boost to an offense that struggled last season. She was the top high school player in Michigan a year ago, averaging more than 30 points a game as a senior.

37

(16/21)

With reigning Big Ten player of the year Maggie Lucas and fifth-year senior Dara Taylor, the backcourt is set in State College. That alone will take Coquese Washington's team far. If it takes it all the way to a third straight Big Ten regular-season title will depend heavily on how Talia East and Ariel Edwards, a pair or 6-3 seniors, perform in an expanded role. Washington must also integrate eight new faces into the mix against a schedule that includes UConn, Notre Dame and Texas A&M, all before Christmas.

36

(10/NR)

Jim Littell has done one of the best coaching jobs in the country over the past two seasons, leading the Cowgirls through the tragedy of losing then head coach Kurt Budke and assistant Miranda Serna in a plane crash. Now Littell might have his best team since taking over. Senior point guard Tiffany Bias and junior forward Liz Donohoe are the foundation now that Toni Young is gone. Oklahoma State hopes that juco transfer Marisha Wallace, the preseason Big 12 newcomer of the year, replaces some of Young's production.

26

(18/NR)

Mainstays Chelsea Poppens and Anna Prins have departed, but the core of Hallie Christofferson, Nikki Moody and Brynn Williamson should be plenty to get Iowa State to a 10th straight NCAA tournament. Christofferson, one of the most versatile shooters in the country, will be asked to score more. How much the Cyclones challenge Oklahoma and Baylor near the top of the Big 12 might depend on the progress of a four-player recruiting class led by sharp-shooter Jadda Buckley.

18

(17/NR)

The Buffaloes are coming off their first NCAA tournament berth in a decade and the most wins in a season since 1996. The only disappoint in the surprising season was an opening-round NCAA loss to Kansas on the Buffs' home floor. The good news is there is plenty to continue to build upon. Top scorer Chucky Jeffrey has graduated, but every other contributor is back, including sophomore Arielle Roberson, who is already one of the Pac-12's best players. Brittany Wilson's primary job will be to get Roberson the ball, but the senior can also score. A little more production from 6-4 Rachel Hargis in the post would be a big boost.

17

(19/NR)

With Drey Mingo and Sam Ostarello gone, and no known frontcourt commodities to step in, the Boilermakers will be extremely perimeter-oriented. Seniors KK Houser and Courtney Moses will handle much of the load, but last year's Ms. Ohio Basketball, Ashley Morrissette, should be a major piece by the time Big Ten play arrives. All the size will come from players like 6-2 Liza Clemons and 6-4 Camille Redmon, who were even regulars in the rotation a year ago.

14

(21/NR)

The Mountaineers failed to find any consistency in their first season in the Big 12 a year ago, managing only 17 wins (they still made the NCAA tournament). Now four starters return and, perhaps more importantly, 6-4 senior center Asya Bussie, a preseason All-Big 12 selection a year ago, is back after suffering a torn ACL in October 2012. Christal Caldwell and Taylor Palmer are two more seniors who will provide plenty of scoring from the wing. As always, Mike Carey will make his team difficult to play against. A seventh NCAA tournament in eight years is likely.

10

(19/NR)

Defense was a strength for the Bruins a year ago when they won 26 games. It will have to be again in 2013-14, at least until coach Cori Close determines who will join Atonye Nyingifa as a reliable scorer. A trio of last season's starters must be replaced. Guards Nirra Fields and Thea Lemberger should be bigger contributors, and 6-3 juco transfer Luiana Livulo, a native of Portugal, should also provide a big lift. Perimeter shooting was already suspect when UCLA suffered a major blow in late-September: 3-point leader Kari Korver was lost for the season with a knee injury.

10

(20/NR)

Before the torch-passing takes place in Atlanta, coach MaChelle Joseph will be happy to have senior Tyaunna Marshall and freshman Kaela Davis on the floor together for one season. Marshall, an All-ACC defender, is one of the most well-rounded players in the nation. The 6-2 Davis, the No. 2-rated high school player, is the most highly regarded recruit in Georgia Tech history. Junior shooter Sydney Wallace completes the three-guard lineup that will have to supply most of the punch for the Yellow Jackets to stay near the top of the ultra-competitive ACC.