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There are plenty of matchups to look forward to in college basketball. For the women's side, the teams scheduled to face each other create much hype for fans watching.
On Saturday, four teams in the AP Top 25 have games to play, playing against teams looking to pull off upsets. On Sunday, 19 ranked squads will have contests to take care of, as four games will feature ranked teams facing each other.
Here are the five best women's college basketball matchups to look forward to this upcoming weekend.
Top 5 women's college basketball matchups to look forward to this weekend
5. No. 3 UCLA vs. Iowa (Feb. 23)
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Beginning the list of the best matchups is the game between the No. 3 Bruins and Hawkeyes.
UCLA enters the game with a 25-1 overall record, dominating the season as one of the best teams in the country. They average 79.2 points on 48.4% shooting (32.7% from beyond the arc), blowing out teams by 23.3 points per game. Lauren Betts leads the way with 19.7 points and 9.7 rebounds, while Kiki Rice follows with 13.0 points and 4.5 assists.
Iowa sees itself as the underdog despite having a homecourt advantage. They have an 18-8 record on the season, going 8-7 after 15 Big Ten matchups. They produce 74.5 points on shooting splits of 46.1% overall and 33.9% from downtown, beating teams by 8.8 points per contest. Lucy Olsen is the team's best player, putting up 17.8 points and 5.1 assists.
4. No. 25 Illinois vs. No. 4 USC (Feb. 23)
Any game featuring JuJu Watkins is worth watching, especially the ranked matchup between the No. 25 Fighting Illini and No. 4 Trojans.
Illinois is noted for being a defensively sound squad with a 21-6 overall record, limiting opponents to 60.1 points on 39.8% shooting (27.7% from downtown). Five players score in double-digits, having Kendall Bostic lead the squad with a double-double of 15.6 points and 11.1 rebounds.
USC is in the conversation for championship contention, boasting a 24-2 overall record while going 14-1 in conference play. They average 82.2 points on 44.7% shooting overall and 33.2% from the 3-point line, blowing out teams by 24.4 points per game. Watkins commands the unit with 24.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 2.2 steals, and 1.9 blocks.
3. No. 17 West Virginia vs. No. 10 TCU (Feb. 23)
Of the other ranked matchups on Sunday, the No. 17 Mountaineers and No. 10 Horned Frogs would present some intrigue.
West Virginia would be the supposed underdog in this game, having a 21-5 overall record, which includes an 11-4 showing in conference play. They are elite on defense, holding teams to 53.6 points on 38.4% shooting (29.1% from downtown). JJ Quinerly is the best scorer with 19.6 points, while Jordan Harrison is the best playmaker with 4.6 assists.
TCU has performed at a high level, with a 25-3 record to show for it. They produce 79.3 points on shooting splits of 47.7% overall and 37.3% from 3-pointers, blowing out opponents by 21.9 points per game. Sedona Prince, Hailey Van Lith and Madison Connor lead the Horned Frogs on offense with 50.4 points combined.
2. No. 7 LSU vs. No. 14 Kentucky (Feb. 23)
One of the SEC matchups features a showdown between the No. 7 Tigers and No. 14 Wildcats.
LSU has been dominant with a 26-2 overall record, breezing through the schedule as one of the best squads in the nation. They average 86.1 points on 45.9% shooting (33.3% from the 3-point line), blowing out teams by 22 points per game. Flau'jae Johnson leads the way with 19.5 points and 5.5 rebounds, while Aneesah Morrow contributes a double-double of 18.1 points and 14.4 rebounds.
Kentucky has performed well as a solid team in the SEC, having a 21-4 overall record that includes a 10-3 showing in conference play. They produce 77 points on shooting splits of 45.9% overall and 33.5% from downtown, beating opponents by 15.5 points per game. Georgia Amoore leads the way with 19 points and 7.1 assists, while Clara Strack puts up 15 points and 9.4 rebounds.
1. No. 1 Notre Dame vs. No. 13 NC State (Feb. 23)
Many eyes will be on this game as the best matchup on the list, seeing the No. 1 Fighting Irish and No. 13 Wolfpack.
Notre Dame stands on top of the AP Top 25 as one of the best teams in the country, boasting a 24-2 overall record with a perfect 15-0 showing in conference play. They dominate teams on both sides of the ball, averaging 86.5 points on 50% shooting (41.4% from downtown), with a winning margin of 26.8 points per game.
Hannah Hidalgo commands the unit with 24.6 points and 5.1 rebounds, while Olivia Miles follows with 16.6 points, 6.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds.
NC State would be the underdog but can put up a fight against the heavy favorites. They have a 21-5 record on the season with a 13-2 showing after 15 league matchups, putting up 77.2 points on shooting splits of 45.5% overall and 33.2% from the 3-point line with a winning margin of 12 points per contest.
Aziaha James leads the unit with 17.7 points and 4.8 rebounds, while Zoe Brooks comes next with 13.5 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.9 assists.
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