Every team not named UConn can be considered a relative long shot to win the 2026 women’s NCAA tournament.
The undefeated Huskies are overwhelming favorites to win back-to-back NCAA titles. And calling UConn an “overwhelming favorite” may be underselling just how short the odds are for the Huskies. Connecticut is -275 to win the national title at BetMGM. That’s the shortest odds of any team this decade.
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UConn enters the tournament 34-0 and has wins over Michigan, USC and Iowa this season. The Big East was one of the stronger conferences in women’s college basketball this season, but UConn didn’t even get a scare. The closest conference game the Huskies played came in a 14-point win at Villanova on Feb. 18.
Overall, UConn is outscoring its opponents by an average score of 89-50. Sophomore Sarah Strong is averaging 18.5 points and 7.6 rebounds a game, and senior guard Azzi Fudd is scoring just under 18 points per contest. But UConn’s greatest strength could be its depth. Eight different players average at least 6.9 point per game.
If you’re looking to wager on someone other than the Huskies, UCLA may be your best bet at +550. The Bruins are 31-1 and their only loss came to fellow No. 1 seed Texas all the way back in November. UCLA and star Lauren Betts enter the tournament on a 25-game win streak after winning the Big Ten tournament in dominating fashion. UCLA won all three of its games by double digits and demolished Iowa 96-45 in the championship game on March 8.
2026 NCAA women’s tournament favorites