South Carolina remains one of the nation’s top contenders for the women’s basketball national championship — even after a recent injury setback to star forward Chloe Kitts. Oddsmakers in Las Vegas still see Dawn Staley’s squad as a powerhouse, but the betting lines have shifted slightly since Kitts went down.
📊 National Title Race Tightens After Kitts’ Injury
Before the injury, BetMGM listed the Gamecocks as the outright favorite at +250, just ahead of UConn at +260. After the news broke, the two teams swapped positions — with UConn now narrowly edging South Carolina in most sportsbooks. Meanwhile, UCLA, Texas, LSU, and Southern Cal all saw minor improvements to their odds, though none jumped ahead of the top two.
Here’s how the current championship odds stack up across major platforms:
BetMGM
- UConn: +250
- South Carolina: +290
- UCLA: +425
- Texas: +800
- LSU: +900
- Southern Cal: +1100
- Notre Dame: +2000
- Tennessee: +2500
- Duke: +3000
- Oklahoma: +3000
ESPN Bet
- South Carolina: +200
- UConn: +240
- UCLA: +550
- Texas: +1000
- LSU: +1000
- Notre Dame: +1600
- Southern Cal: +2500
- Oklahoma: +2800
- Duke: +2800
- Tennessee: +3300
FanDuel
- UConn: +240
- South Carolina: +280
- UCLA: +480
- Texas: +850
- LSU: +1000
- Notre Dame: +2000
- Southern Cal: +2000
- Tennessee: +2500
- Oklahoma: +3000
- Duke: +3000
Even with the slight dip in odds, South Carolina remains within striking distance of the top spot — a testament to the team’s depth and consistency under Coach Staley.
“You can’t count the Gamecocks out,” one Vegas analyst noted. “Even without Kitts, they have elite depth and a proven system that wins big games.”
🏆 Wooden Award Watch — Fulwiley Rising
In the race for the Wooden Award, Lauren Betts leads the pack, while South Carolina’s own MiLaysia Fulwiley continues to gain national attention. Fulwiley currently sits around +3500 to +4000 depending on the sportsbook, putting her within range of the elite contenders.
ESPN Bet
- Lauren Betts (+200)
- Sarah Strong (+290)
- Hannah Hidalgo (+475)
- Azzi Fudd (+1100)
- Madison Booker (+1200)
- Olivia Miles (+1200)
- Ta’Niya Latson (+1600)
- Raegan Beers (+2500)
- Flau’Jae Johnson (+2500)
- Toby Fournier (+4000)
- MiLaysia Fulwiley (+4000)
FanDuel
- Lauren Betts (+190)
- Sarah Strong (+260)
- Hannah Hidalgo (+440)
- Azzi Fudd (+1000)
- Ta’Niya Latson (+1200)
- Madison Booker (+1600)
- Olivia Miles (+1600)
- Mikayla Blakes (+1600)
- Flau’Jae Johnson (+2200)
- MiLaysia Fulwiley (+3500)
⚙️ SEC Championship Outlook
Within the SEC, South Carolina remains the co-favorite for a national title, sharing top billing with Texas according to BetMGM, both listed at +290.
SEC Teams’ National Title Odds (BetMGM):
- South Carolina (+290)
- Texas (+290)
- LSU (+800)
- Tennessee (+2500)
- Oklahoma (+3000)
- Kentucky (+6000)
- Ole Miss (+8000)
- Vanderbilt (+10000)
- Alabama (+20000)
- Arkansas (+50000)
- Mississippi State (+50000)
- Texas A&M (+50000)
Despite the odds movement, the Gamecocks are still very much in control of their destiny. If Kitts returns healthy later this season, South Carolina could easily reclaim the No. 1 spot on the betting board.
“This program is built for March,” said another analyst. “They’ve been there, they know how to win, and the oddsmakers know it too.”
