10 best women college basketball players for 2019-20

While the 2019-20 women's basketball season might not feature the level of individual star power we saw in 2018-19, women's college basketball is certainly not void of elite talent, especially in the Pac-12, which might be the toughest conference in the women's game.

That's certainly a reason the Pac-12 will be well-represented as we look at 10 players to watch heading into the 2019-20 women's college basketball season.

Chennedy Carter, Guard, Junior, Texas A&M

Carter returns as the nation's second-leading scorer at 23.3 points per contest last season, besting the 22.7 she averaged as a freshman. Carter, the 2019-20 SEC Preseason Player of the Year, will shoot it from just about anywhere in the gym. She's a career 36.8 percent three-point shooter but tends to come up big when the team needs her most. Perhaps most impressive, Carter has averaged 31.0 points in the NCAA Tournament during her first two seasons.

Kaila Charles, Guard, Senior, Maryland

The Terrapins are the best team in the Big Ten, but Charles is among the top players in the nation. Charles averaged 17.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists last season for Maryland. The Big Ten's Preseason Player of the Year was an honorable mention all-American by The Associated Press in 2018-19 and has scored more than 1,500 points and pulled down nearly 700 rebounds in her career. Now, Charles is hoping to take the Terps back to the Final Four for the first time since 2015.

Lauren Cox, Forward, Senior, Baylor

It was incredibly tough to watch Cox leave last season's national championship game with a knee injury. But the Bears held on to win their third national title, and the 6-foot-4 Cox is back and looking to help them attempt a repeat. The two-time Big 12 Defensive Player of the year and third-team AP All-American, Cox (13.0 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 3.7 apg and 2.6 blocks in 2018-19) should contend for national Player of the Year honors this season — as long as she can stay healthy.

Crystal Dangerfield, Guard, Senior, Connecticut

Dangerfield is just a solid, overall contributor on both ends of the court. She averaged 9.5 points last season but was playing with stars like Napheesa Collier and Katie Lou Samuelson — and it was still a career high. Dangerfield also averaged a career-best 4.1 assists and totaled 59 steals for the Huskies in 2018-19. She's expected to take on a bigger role this season, which is why she was tabbed co-Preseason Player of the Year in the American Athletic Conference.

Kiah Gillespie, Forward, Senior, Florida State

If the Seminoles are to challenge Louisville for the top spot in the ACC, they need Gillespie to be at her best while also receiving some support. The 6-foot-2 Gillespie, who averaged 16.2 ppg 9.3 rpg and made 53 three-pointers last season, has the ability to do it all. But if Florida State wants to make some real noise this season, it needs to get a team effort. That does not mean a special season isn't in the cards for Gillespie.

Ruthy Hebard, Forward, Senior, Oregon

One-half of the Ducks' potent one-two punch of talent, Hebard averaged 16.1 points and 9.1 rebounds last season while helping Oregon reach the Final Four for the first time in school history. She also shot 67 percent from the field. The 6-foot-4 Hebard could be a serious national Player of the Year contender and is regularly regarded as the top post presence in the country. She's totaled 1,798 points, 982 boards and blocked 111 shots as a Duck.

Sabrina Ionescu, Guard, Senior, Oregon

The best player in women's college basketball, the first-team AP All-American returned to school to help Oregon win a national championship. Anything less for Ionescu and the Ducks would be a disappointment. What Ionescu has been able to do in the women's game is truly special. In three seasons at Oregon, she's amassed 1,984 points, 792 assists and 756 rebounds. According to Oregon's official basketball website, Ionescu is in position to become the first woman in NCAA history to record 2,000 points, 1,000 assists and 1,000 rebounds for a career.

Aari McDonald, Guard, Junior, Arizona

The nation's top-returning scorer, the 5-foot-7 McDonald averaged 24.1 points in 2018-19. Though she might be small in stature, McDonald is non-stop at both ends of the floor. She's the Wildcats all-time single-season scoring leader (890 points) and was also honored by the Pac-12 for her stellar defensive play. Last season, McDonald helped Arizona win the WNIT. Now she's poised to lead the program to the Big Dance.

Beatrice Mompremier, Forward, Senior, Miami (Fla.)

The Baylor transfer has certainly found a home back in South Florida. She was named the ACC Preseason Player of the Year after averaging 16.7 points and 12.2 as a junior for the Hurricanes. She also shot 52.8 percent from the field. It was a big deal when Mompremier opted to return to college for her senior season, and Miami should obviously benefit as the program tries to contend for an ACC championship.

Megan Walker, Forward, Junior, Connecticut

Is Walker the Huskies' next breakout star? She appears to be heading that way. As a sophomore, the 6-foot-1 Walker averaged 12.1 points on 45.8-percent shooting and 6.7 rebounds. She also posted eight double-doubles on a team that featured some of the best established talent in the country. Along with Dangerfield and another strong recruiting class, Walker should be in position to help UConn's quest for its first national title since 2016 — and elevate her game in the process.