The changing of the year is an exciting time for most people in general, but that's especially true for college basketball players. Most teams will begin conference play at the beginning of 2026, which means it's just about time to see what the 2025-26 season is really about to look like.
Non-conference play is an incredibly important part of the season. It affords teams the opportunity to really dig into their own metrics and performance, to record and rewatch as many games as possible, and to challenge themselves by playing teams they wouldn't otherwise meet. But conference play is when teams begin to dig into the nitty-gritty of the game, and when a lot of undefeated records start to fall.
There are 12 undefeated teams in women's basketball right now. That list includes TCU and Vanderbilt, as well as Alabama and Texas. It also includes the UConn Huskies, who seem determined to repeat their 2025 NCAA Championship win and have managed to decimate every team they've met along the way — so far.
The Huskies have great odds. The team kicked off the 2025-26 season with their best start since 2017-18 and are playing with a strong roster that boasts Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong. They also only have two ranked teams ahead of them: the Huskies will play No. 18 Notre Dame on January 19 and No. 23 ranked Tennessee on February 1.
The team also boasts the skills of transfer Serah Williams, who began to come alive in the final weeks of 2025 after Coach Geno Auriemma made it known that Williams needed to step up and do more for the team after they beat DePaul on December 7.
Though they're ranked No. 1 across the board, the Huskies do face a significant challenge from the Longhorns, who just battled their way through a tough non-conference schedule and appear focused on taking their run as deep as possible during the tournament. They have a lot of games to get through — they'll begin conference play on the road against Missouri before returning home to face Mississippi.
Conference play can also be a time for surprises. There are plenty of teams in the NCAA and this time of the year tends to bring out the best in those who are willing to fight for it. But the fact that those undefeated records will begin to crumble by mid-January is simply inevitable, something that makes the first two months of the year an exciting but also exhausting experience for nearly everyone involved.