On3's preseason SEC women's basketball power rankings
The SEC has always been a powerhouse in women’s basketball, but it will be even more so now with the additions of Oklahoma and Texas. The Sooners and especially the Longhorns have a storied history in women’s basketball, which will only make the race to win the SEC even more competitive.
But don’t be surprised if you see some familiar faces – and teams – at the top of the SEC come NCAA Tournament time.
Here’s On3’s breakdown of the SEC heading into the fall.
1. South Carolina
Record in 2023-24: 16-0 (1st)
South Carolina is fresh off a national title and isn’t going anywhere. Entering her 16th season with the team, coach Dawn Staley returns nearly everyone from last year’s squad with the exception of star post player Kamilla Cardoso (14.4 ppg, 9.7 rpg), and she filled that spot via the transfer portal with 6-foot-4 Arkansas transfer Maryam Dauda (10.1 ppg, 6.3 rpg).
South Carolina returns sophomore MiLaysia Fulwiley (11.7 ppg) and adds No. 2 recruit Joyce Edwards, a 6-foot-3 forward, to a group of experienced veterans determined to stay on top. Staley didn’t have anyone enter the transfer portal, but the status of Ashlyn Watkins’ (9.2 ppg, 7.4 rpg) legal situation may impact the trajectory of the team – especially in its early non-conference slate. South Carolina also challenged itself this season, scheduling five of On3’s Top 25 teams during non-conference play.
2. Texas
Record in 2023-24: 14-4 (2nd in Big 12)
Health is key for the Longhorns, but assuming everyone is close to 100% by opening day, this is a team with legitimate title hopes. They return sophomore All-American Madison Booker (16.5 ppg, 5 rpg, 5 apg), who filled in for Rori Harmon (11.2 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 7.4 apg, 2.3 spg – 2022-23) as point guard when Harmon tore her ACL. Booker can now return to her normal position on the wing and Harmon, also an All-American honorable mention, is nearing full health.
Along with that, fifth-year coach Vic Schaefer added more veteran talent in Michigan transfer Laila Phelia (16.8 ppg, 3.6 rpg), a 6-foot guard who’s recovering from a non-basketball related eye injury, but is expected to be cleared by the season’s start. Guard play will be Texas’ biggest strength this season, and veteran Shay Holle (7.6 ppg) is considered the “glue” to the squad and will play a huge part in this team’s success, whether she starts or comes off the bench. Texas made the Elite Eight a season ago – and they have arguably even more talent this season.
3. LSU
Record in 2023-24: 13-3 (2nd)
The LSU Tigers will look different, but they still have a pair of veterans in guards Aneesah Morrow (16.4 ppg, 10 rpg) and Flau’jae Johnson (14.9 ppg, 5.5 rpg) in Baton Rouge. Without post player Angel Reese (18.6 ppg, 13.4 rpg), fourth-year coach Kim Mulkey will play a smaller lineup than she has in the past, but she added a few transfer additions to further bolster their guard play in Miami’s Shayeann Day-Wilson (11.9 ppg, 3.5 apg), Arizona’s Kailyn Gilbert (15.1 ppg, 5.3 rpg) and Mississippi State’s Mjracle Sheppard (5 ppg).
Mikaylah Williams (14.5 ppg, 4.9 rpg) is the third returning starter from last season, and 6-foot-6 center Aalyah Del Rosario (4.7 ppg, 3.5 rpg), isn’t yet at full health but could be key to taking this LSU team to the next level. Junior Sa’Myah Smith has also been cleared to play after suffering a knee injury that kept her off the court for most of last season.
4. Oklahoma
Record in 2023-24: 15-3 (1st in Big 12)
The Sooners return all five starters from last season and also have a big-time transfer addition who will make an impact from day one. Oregon State 6-foot-4 transfer Raegan Beers (17.5 ppg, 10.3 rpg) chose the Sooners over UConn, and there’s no overstating how huge that is for Oklahoma – both in size and talent.
Beers was one of the best forwards in the country and still has two seasons of eligibility, and fourth-year Sooners coach Jennie Baranczyk also returns a loaded core of co-Big 12 Player of the Year Skylar Vann (15.1 ppg, 7 rpg), Payton Verhulst (12.6 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 3.9 apg), Lexy Keys (8.4 ppg) and sophomore Sahara Williams (10.3 ppg, 5.4 rpg). This is a team full of experience and depth that’s looking to make their first Sweet 16 appearance since 2013.
5. Alabama
Record in 2023-24: 10-6 (4th)
The Alabama Crimson Tide return four of their top five leading scorers from a year ago, including Sarah Ashlee Barker (16.8 ppg, 6.3 rpg) and Jessica Timmons (11.2 ppg, 4.5 rpg). Aaliyah Nye (14.1 ppg) entered the transfer portal but ultimately decided to return to Tuscaloosa.
Veteran coach Kristy Curry also added a few pieces from the portal, including Ohio State transfer Diana Collins (3.0 ppg), Campbell forward Christabel Ezumah (12.4 ppg, 8.2 rpg) and Arkansas Pine-Bluff’s Zaay Green, who averaged 16.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 2.2 steals last season. The Crimson Tide haven’t made a Sweet 16 since 1998, but Alabama’s depth and experience at nearly every position will be their biggest strength this year to do so.
6. Ole Miss
Record in 2023-24: 12-4 (3rd)
Ole Miss returns a veteran core of Kennedy Todd-Williams (10.6 ppg, 4.9 rpg), Madison Scott (12.8 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 3.4 apg) and KK Deans (14.1 ppg, 3.9 rpg – 2022-23) – who’s coming back from a knee injury she suffered early last season. Leading scorer Marquesha Davis (14.0 ppg) was drafted by the New York Liberty this off season, which is a major loss for the Rebels, but there’s still plenty of talent to work with.
Entering her seventh year with the team, coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin also made an impact in the portal, adding UCLA’s Christeen Iwuala (3.7 ppg) Colorado’s Tameiya Sadler (5.5 ppg) and Arkansas Pine-Bluff transfer Starr Jacobs (18.1 ppg, 8.8 rpg), who last played in the 2022-23 season. This added depth will aid Ole Miss next season in a tough SEC conference as the Rebels look to make a fourth-consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance.
7. Tennessee
Record in 2023-24: 10-6 (5th)
New coach Kim Caldwell hit the transfer portal hard this off season and gave the Tennessee Volunteers a lot of depth to work with this season. But the player that will likely have the biggest impact is one that Tennessee returned – Jewel Spear (13.1 ppg, 4.4 rpg). The fifth-year guard was an All-ACC player at Wake Forest and continued to show star power last season at Tennessee as a full-time starter.
The Volunteers’ speed and athleticism set them apart amongst a talented SEC conference, and the likes of transfer additions Ruby Whitehorn (12.3 ppg, 5.6 rpg) from Clemson and Arkansas’ Samara Spencer (13.9 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 3.5 apg) provide proven and veteran talent. Talaysia Cooper (2.9 ppg – 2022-23), who transferred in from South Carolina and redshirted last season, also has a chance to start in the backcourt. There are a lot of moving pieces, but this is a team that’s going to play fast and really compete in the SEC.
8. Kentucky
Record in 2023-24: 4-12 (12th)
Former Virginia Tech coach Kenny Brooks took over this off season and brought All-American point guard Georgia Amoore (18.8 ppg, 6.8 apg) with him from Blacksburg. But beyond that, there’s still a lot of uncertainty on this roster. Transfer additions in Penn’s Jordan Obi (14.8 ppg, 7.7 rpg) and Oregon State’s Dominika Paurova (5.5 ppg) are both out indefinitely with injuries, and Charlotte point guard transfer Dazia Lawrence (18.2 ppg, 4.2 rpg) will likely have to play out of position, assuming she earns a starting role.
Clara Silva, a 6-foot-7 freshman center from Portugal, could also see big minutes from the jump. If she had played in the US, she might have been a top-10 prospect in the Class of 2024. At her height, she could be a formidable post threat in the SEC this season. The Wildcats haven’t made an NCAA Tournament appearance in the past two seasons, but hiring Brooks could be the change this program needed.
9. Vanderbilt
Record in 2023-24: 9-7 (6th)
Last season, Vanderbilt made the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2014 – and it’ll be looking to build on that success this year. The Commodores lose starting point guard Jordyn Cambridge (12 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 4.5 apg), who exhausted her eligibility, but they return 76% of their total production from a season ago. Leading scorer Iyana Moore (14.2 ppg), who earned All-SEC second-team honors, returns alongside 6-foot-4 post player Justine Pissott (6.8 ppg) and 6-foot-2 forward Khamil Pierre (8.9 ppg, 5.3 rpg).
Coach Shea Ralph, entering her fourth year with the program, also added top-10 freshman Mikayla Blakes, who has the talent to be a program-changing addition. The 6-foot guard can do a little bit of everything. She’s a facilitator who can shoot and defend at a high level. The Commodores also added veteran talent Leilani Kapinus (11.5 ppg, 6.8 rpg) from Penn State, who was also a terrific defender with the Nittany Lions.
10. Mississippi State
Record in 2023-24: 8-8 (8th)
Mississippi State added a lot of pieces via the transfer portal this off season, including four perimeter players: Kentucky’s Eniya Russell (10.1 ppg, 3,6 rpg), Oklahoma State’s Chandler Prater (9.5 ppg, 6 rpg – 2022-23), UAB’s Denim DeShields (13.4 ppg, 5.3 apg) and Georgia Southern’s Terren Ward (22 ppg, 9.1 rpg). But the biggest question is how all of these new pieces will mesh together.
Third-year coach Sam Purcell returns leading scorer and 5-foot-10 guard JerKaila Jordan (16.2 ppg, 5.9 rpg) and full-time starter Debreasha Powe (8.9 ppg), who will both be leaders on this team. If Prater can return to full health by the season’s start after tearing her ACL last season, she should also be an impact player. Three of Mississippi State’s starters exhausted their eligibility, so there will be a lot of holes to fill this year.
11. Florida
Record in 2023-24: 5-11 (11th)
The Florida Gators bring in a talented freshman class that will likely make an impact from day one. Coach Kelly Rae Finley added No. 7-ranked Liv McGill, a 5-foot-9 guard out of Minnesota, as well as a pair of wings – No. 33-ranked Me’Arah O’Neal and Kylee Kitts (No. 25 in 2025 class who reclassified).
They’ll also return two of their top three scorers from a season ago in Aliyah Matharu (19 ppg, 3.7 rpg) and 6-foot-6 center Ra Shaya Kyle (12.4 ppg, 9.2 rpg). Laila Reynolds (7 ppg, 3.7 rpg), a sophomore who started 31 games last season, should continue to make a big impact this year as well. This is a well-balanced team with a good mix of veterans and newcomers.
12. Auburn
Record in 2023-24: 8-8 (7th)
The Auburn Tigers made a splash in the transfer portal, adding Arkansas’ leading scorer Taliah Scott (22.1 ppg), who is coming off a stellar freshman campaign. They also landed Texas’ DeYona Gaston (8.4 ppg, 4.2 rpg), a 6-foot-2 forward who brings a veteran presence and was named Big 12 Sixth Player of the Year last season. Those two additions are both likely to see extensive playing time and make a huge impact this season.
Auburn graduated its two leading scorers, but the Tigers return post player Taylen Collins (7.9 ppg, 6.3 rpg), a full-time starter who led the Tigers in rebounding and steals. Last year, Auburn was a strong defensive team and it’ll look to continue that trend this season while improving on the offensive side of the ball.
13. Georgia
Record in 2023-24: 3-13 (13th)
The Georgia Bulldogs return Asia Avinger (7.8 ppg, 4.4 apg), a capable facilitator, and fellow senior De’Mauri Flournoy (8.9 ppg), who ranked third on the team in scoring last season as a strong 3-point shooter. But they lost a lot of their core from a season ago.
Coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson, entering her third season with the program, added USC transfer Roxane Makolo (0.9 ppg) and Kentucky’s Nyah Leveretter (2.5 ppg) via the portal for the 2024-25 season, who will each help give a veteran presence. The Bulldogs recruiting class is strong too, with four top-100 recruits joining the program. Indya Davis (No. 67), Jamia Woolfolk (No. 71), Trinity Turner (No. 74) and Summer Davis (No. 96) will all step in this year with the hopes of bolstering Georgia’s offensive attack.
Last season was the first time since 2018 that the Bulldogs didn’t make the NCAA Tournament, and they’ll need their veterans to step up to make it back this year.
14. Texas A&M
Record in 2023-24: 6-10 (9th)
The Texas A&M Aggies lost Janiah Barker (12.2 ppg, 7.6 rpg) to the transfer portal – and it was a meaningful loss. But leading scorer Aicha Coulibaly (13.6 ppg, 5.7 rpg) will return for her final season of eligibility alongside impact players Lauren Ware (9.1 ppg, 7.9 rpg), Sahara Jones (6.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg) and Solè Williams (5 ppg).
They’ll also add freshman Taliyah Parker (#60) and a pair of transfers in LSU’s Janae Kent (1.6 ppg) and SMU’s Amirah Abdur-Rahim (11.3 ppg, 6.4 rpg), which will give Aggies’ coach Joni Taylor more depth and size.
15. Missouri
Record in 2023-24: 2-14 (14th)
The Missouri Tigers lost a lot this season. They lost leading scorer Hayley Frank (16.4 ppg, 6.4 rpg), who exhausted her eligibility, and Mama Dembele (10.2 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 6.5 apg, 3.3 spg), who ranked sixth in the nation in assists last year, to the transfer portal. But they return guards Ashton Judd (13.4 ppg, 6.4 rpg) and Grace Slaughter (11.5 ppg), along with a few notable portal additions.
They added 6-foot-4 Texas center Tionna Herron (1.5 ppg) and a few mid-major players that’ll give the Tigers more depth heading into the season. Missouri finished last in the SEC last year, and while the Tigers did a solid job of adding key pieces in the off-season, the conference got even stronger this year.
16. Arkansas
Record in 2023-24: 6-10 (10th)
The Arkansas Razorbacks finished 6-10 in the SEC a year ago, lost four starters to the transfer portal this off season and didn’t do nearly enough to fill those holes.
Coach Mike Neighbors added guard Izzy Higginbottom (22.2 ppg, 4 rpg, 3.7 apg), a transfer from Arkansas State who ranked ninth nationally in scoring last season and retained Carly Keats (6.1 ppg), who logged solid minutes in conference play but no one else on roster averaged more than four points per game last season for the Razorbacks.