5 must-watch matchups during WBB opening week

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5 must-watch matchups during WBB opening week

Tessa Johnson | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Emmy Spersrud · FanSided

Mon, November 2, 2026 at 4:29 PM UTC ·

5 min read

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The NCAA women's basketball season kicked off with a bang on Sunday. Notre Dame's star guard Hannah Hidalgo put on a show, recording 32 points, 7 rebounds and 8 assists as the Fighting Irish defeated Villanova.

The action picks back up today with plenty of intriguing opening week matchups through the next several days. There's ample to look forward to as we embark on another electric season. South Carolina and UConn are atop the standings with lots to prove. It's never too early to discuss Player of the Year odds . Plus, this freshman class is almost guaranteed to catch your eye.

Here are five matchups you're not going to want to miss this week and a preview of each.

MATCHUP	DATE + TIME	HOW TO WATCH
Maryland vs. South Carolina	Monday, November 2 at 12:00 p.m. ET	ESPN
Oklahoma vs. North Carolina	Monday, November 2 at 2:30 p.m. ET	ESPN 2
UConn vs. Michigan	Thursday, November 5 at 6:30 p.m. ET	FS1
Kentucky vs. NC State	Sunday, November 8 at 3:00 p.m. ET	ESPN 2
South Carolina vs. North Carolina	Sunday, November 8 at 5:30 p.m. ET	ESPN

20 Maryland vs. 1 South Carolina

The Gamecocks have claimed the No. 1 spot yet again . But their first matchup might not be a walk in the park. Maryland's top scorer, Oluchi Okananwa, is back for her senior year and this time she acquired some help in the transfer portal. Forward Nunu Agara averaged 15.3 points and 8.7 rebounds with Stanford last season.

Forward Joyce Edwards will be the player to watch for South Carolina. She's entering her junior year as arguably the best shooter the Gamecocks have to offer. Additionally, keep an eye on forward Chloe Kitts, who is rejoining the South Carolina lineup after an ACL injury that kept her out all of last season.

21 Oklahoma vs. 12 North Carolina

This will likely be a tighter battle than Maryland vs. South Carolina. The Tarheels have gotten a bit of a revamp since getting booted in the Sweet Sixteen of last year's tournament. Four starters moved on, but head coach Courtney Banghart picked up some talent. Freshman center Noelle Bofia and transfer Achol Akot will help replace some paint presence. Senior Ciera Toomey is expected to lead as a program veteran.

On the other side, UNC will need to find a stop for Aaliyah Chavez. Chavez is entering her sophomore season after an award-winning first year. Sahara Williams has returned to Oklahoma for her senior season, giving this duo more time to cause some damage. They combined for over 30 points per game last season. However, the Sooners will have to make up for the loss of Raegan Beers.

2 UConn vs. 5 Michigan

Sarah Strong | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This will likely be the matchup of the week. It's still unclear what exactly head coach Geno Auriemma will do with the starting lineup. But one thing is for certain: Sarah Strong will be the leader of this squad. This is her first season without either Paige Bueckers or Azzi Fudd at the helm. Her first ranked outing in Michigan is no easy feat, either.

Olivia Olson and Syla Swords will headline the Wolverines. Last season, they averaged 33.5 points per game. Both guards are three-way threats - expect to hear these names a lot this season. For UConn, besides Strong, watch for how Jovana Popovic fits into a system full of players who have been together for a while. Seniors KK Arnold and Ashlynn Shade will be expected to keep things poised.

14 Kentucky vs. 25 NC State

Carla Strack | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Both of these squads have some returning star power from last season. For Kentucky, Clara Strack quickly proved herself as one of the best bigs in the NCAA. Last season, she averaged 16.9 points, 10.1 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game. She is joined by fellow senior Asia Boone, who averaged 10.1 points and 2.7 3-pointers per game. There are also three incredibly promising freshmen joining this squad who will be worth watching - Maddyn Greenway, Savvy Swords, and Emily McDonald.

NC State claimed the final spot in the AP Top 25 and they're likely looking to climb. Returning seniors Khamil Pierre and Zoe Brooks will be key in that. Last season, the duo combined for an average of 32.7 points and 16.6 rebounds per game. The Wolfpack picked up some talent in the portal as well, including Colorado's leading scorer from last season, senior Desiree Wooten.

1 South Carolina vs. 12 North Carolina

Ciera Toomey | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

A battle of the Carolinas! This will likely be a tougher matchup for South Carolina than Maryland - but also, it's unclear how this new North Carolina squad will look yet. Nonetheless, this is the perfect test for the Tar Heels to take on early in the season. Courtney Banghart has stressed wanting to break the Sweet Sixteen barrier and get the Heels further in the tournament. A matchup against the top team in the country will show her exactly what her squad is made of, and what they need to fix before it gets too late.

More Women's College Basketball news and analysis:

This article was originally published on www.fansided.com as 5 must-watch matchups during WBB opening week .

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