Top 4 conference contender teams feat. Hannah Hidalgo's Notre Dame, Dawn Staley's South Carolina and more 

Conference play is right around the corner and this is the most exciting part of the 2024-25 women's college basketball season. This is where the real frontrunners rise to the occasion, step up to the plate, and move closer to a possible 2025 NCAA Tournament bid.

The nonconference play had the favorites in the Power 4 conferences — ACC, Big 12, Big Ten and SEC — spreading their wings and moving to the top of the team standings.

Here are four teams considered frontrunners in the Power 4 conferences.

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Top 4 conference contender teams in 2024-25 women's college basketball season

#4. Kansas State

Kansas State (13-1, 1-0 in Big 12) has lived up to its preseason hype winning its first 13 of 14 games to move to first place in the Big 12 standings. The Wildcats are second in the conference in offense (86.1 points per game) and first in points allowed (49.9 ppg).

Ranked No. 12 in the AP weekly poll, the Wildcats boast an unstoppable presence in Ayoka Lee. The 6-foot-6 fifth-year senior has averaged 17.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game in only 19.1 minutes of action.

She's backed up by Serena Sundell, who has posted excellent all-around numbers while performing the playmaking chores for the Jeff Mittle-mentored Wildcats. The 6-foot-2 Sundell has averaged 12.6 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 7.1 apg and 1.1 spg.

Kansas State is scarily deep with five other players averaging at least 8.1 ppg. They've won their initial Big 12 assignment against Cincinnati 76-59 to send a warning.

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#3. South Carolina

South Carolina (11-1) has yet to start its conference action but is deemed the top favorite to win the SEC regular season and tournament double for the third straight year. With a deep lineup composed of Chloe Kitts, Te-Hina Paopao, MiLaysia Fulwiley, Tessa Johnson, Raven Johnson and No. 2 freshman Joyce Edwards, Dawn Staley's team is tough to guard inside and outside.

The Gamecocks moved on from the setback against UCLA, which broke its 43-game winning streak and is on track to another successful defense of the SEC title.

The conference regular season will be tougher compared to last season as No. 2 South Carolina is expected to face tough competition from No. 5 Texas, No. 6 LSU, No. 9 Oklahoma, No. 15 Tennessee, No. 16 Kentucky, No. 20 Alabama, No. 25 Ole Miss and unranked Mississippi State.

The Gamecocks are 4-1 against Top 25 teams in nonconference play so they're ready to face what the rest of the SEC will offer this season.

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#2. Notre Dame

Notre Dame (10-2, 1-0 in ACC) is scary on both sides of the court. Teams could pick their poison on which Fighting Irish team would beat them in a given night. It could be a defense-minded team that could force turnovers, get defensive rebounds and block a lot of shots or it could be an offensive buzzsaw that can shoot the lights out with tons of firepower on their hands.

Hannah Hidalgo and Olivia Miles share the scoring and playmaking chores while Liatu King and five-star freshman Kate Koval operate on the inside for the Niele Ivey-coached squad. Hidalgo averages 25.8 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 3.8 apg and 4.3 spg while Miles has an all-around tally of 17.2 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 6.7 apg and 1.8 spg.

King is Notre Dame's double-double machine with averages of 13.3 ppg, 11.4 rpg, 1.5 apg and 2.5 spg while Koval is their shot-blocking menace, norming 3.5 rejections per outing to go along with 7.9 ppg and 8.2 rpg.

Sonia Citron, Cassandre Prosper and Liza Karlen have also taken turns leading the Fighting Irish this season. Notre Dame could be scarier if the injured Maddy Westbeld returns to action.

Their victories against top-five squads UConn, Texas and USC have tabbed them as favorites to win the ACC title and possibly go deep into the 2025 NCAA Tournament. The Fighting Irish have sent a message to their conference mates, taking out Syracuse by 31 points in their regular season debut on Dec. 8.

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#1. UCLA

UCLA (12-0, 1-0 in Big Ten) has run over the field in 11 of its first 12 games, beating opponents by at least 11 points. This includes a 15-point beatdown of defending champions South Carolina and an 11-point win over Washington in its Big Ten regular-season opener.

The only drawback in UCLA's nonconference conquests is their lack of competition. Aside from wins against ranked teams Louisville and South Carolina, the Bruins had few challenges along the way.

Eight players have averaged at least 7.3 points for the Bruins, proving their deep lineup. Lauren Betts is the focal point of the UCLA offense, averaging a double-double of 19.8 ppg and 10.0 rpg.

Kiki Rice, Gabriela Jaquez, Janiah Barker and Andrea Dugalic offer a ton of assistance to Betts that they will need badly when conference action goes into full swing. They will have their second Big Ten game against a more formidable Nebraska team on Sunday.