South Carolina Tops 2026-27 Women's Hoops Rankings — SkimNews
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- South Carolina opens the CBS Sports 2026-27 Power Rankings at No. 1 as the national championship runner-up, with Dawn Staley assembling a roster with a lot of potential despite questions at point guard; Texas and LSU round out the top five.
- UConn starts No. 2 after Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd joined the Dallas Wings, with reigning Naismith Player of the Year Sarah Strong taking on a larger leadership role after resting this summer following Achilles soreness last season.
- USC cracks the top three as JuJu Watkins returns after a 19-month absence; the roster also includes 2025 Rookie of the Year Jazzy Davidson and ESPN's No. 1 player in the class of 2026, Saniyah Hall, whom Watkins helped recruit.
- UCLA, the reigning national champion, sits at No. 16 after every player who scored in the championship game graduated; Sienna Bettts is ready to build her own legacy after older sister Lauren Betts moved to the WNBA.
- Notre Dame makes the top 25 despite major roster turnover and only one returner, reigning Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Hannah Hidalgo; the team opens Sunday against Villanova in Rome.
- Oklahoma State is the biggest winner of the transfer portal, adding former Iowa State center Audi Crooks and former Florida guard Liv McGill, two players who were among the nation's top 11 scorers last season.
- Tennessee is a notable absence after not returning a single player who saw court time last season, with Kim Caldwell coming off her worst year as a coach; Clemson, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Illinois and Arizona State are the first five teams left off the rankings.
Why it matters: South Carolina takes the top ranking despite questions at point guard, while reigning champion UCLA falls to No. 16 after every championship-game scorer graduated. Notre Dame’s top-25 position rests on Hannah Hidalgo being its lone returnee, making roster continuity the clearest divider in CBS Sports' preseason order.
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