2018-19 women's college basketball primer

The 2018-19 women's college basketball season has already tipped off, and for the first time in what seems like forever, Connecticut is not the favorite to win it all. However, the Huskies won't be far from the top of the women's college basketball mountain — a spot currently being held down by reigning national champion Notre Dame.

While the Fighting Irish and Huskies are the class of the country at the moment, there are plenty of other talented teams and individual players to make this season an interesting one. We've also had one coaching milestone in the books through the first couple of weeks of the campaign.

There's obviously plenty of basketball to be played, so let's dive into what you should know about this season.

Can Notre Dame repeat?

It was last done by a team not named UConn in 2007 and '08, when Tennessee pulled off back-to-back national titles. The Irish certainly have the talent to repeat that feat, including senior forward Brianna Turner, one of the nation's top defenders who is back after missing last season with a serious knee injury. Add the 6-foot-3 Turner to a lineup that includes 2018 NCAA Tournament hero and "Dancing with the Stars" participant Arike Ogunbowale and Jessica Shepard, both off to hot starts already, and guard Jackie Young, and Notre Dame is stacked. Anything less than a second consecutive national championship would be a disappointment for the Irish.

So does UConn have a chance?

Of course, it's UConn. And maybe because the Huskies are doing the hunting instead of being hunted, some of the pressure is off. The truth is that Connecticut was an Ogunbowale late jumper away from possibly eliminating the Irish in last year's Final Four. Geno Auriemma is relying on a pair of returning All-Americans in the versatile Katie Lou Samuelson and forward Napheesa Collier. Guard Crystal Dangerfield appears set to take the next step in her budding career, while freshman Christyn Williams is one of the most talented freshmen in the nation. It's safe to say a 12th straight trip to the Final Four is in the cards for the Huskies.

Then it's a two-team race, right?

Not necessarily. Oregon, Baylor and, perhaps, Louisville hope to have a say in things. The Ducks, currently ranked third, reached the regional finals of the NCAA Tournament each of the last two years and expect to make this the season they earn that first Final Four berth. Oregon All-American Sabrina Ionescu has averaged 17.8 points, 10.3 rebounds and 7.8 assists during the team's 4-0 start. Kim Mulkey's Baylor Bears reached the Elite Eight in '18 and are also 4-0 and already beat a ranked team in Arizona State. All-American Kalani Brown and Lauren Cox continue to show why they could be the top post-duo in the country. Fifth-ranked Louisville, meanwhile, boasts a deep roster led by another All-American in Asia Durr, who is averaging 25.7 points through three games.

Don't sleep on ...

... Maryland. Brenda Frese's program has lost in the second round of the NCAA Tournament two of the last three seasons after reaching the Final Four in 2015 but is 4-0 to begin this campaign. The Terrapins' hot start was highlighted by a resounding 85-61 victory over then-No. 10 South Carolina on Sunday. They are led by forward Stephanie Jones, guard Kaila Charles and talented freshman Shakira Austin. Having Blair Watson back from injury is also a huge plus for the Big Ten favorites.

Which mid-major is worth watching?

Last season, we saw the Mid-American Conference have its moment in the sun with Buffalo and Central Michigan each crashing the Sweet 16 party. Both are expected to have solid seasons again, but we'll head over to the Missouri Valley Conference. That's were Drake is making some early noise with a 4-0 start and votes received in the AP Poll. Favorites to win a third consecutive MVC title, the Bulldogs have won 40 straight regular-season league contests and boast four players averaging at least 10.5 points through those four contests.

What is the most anticipated regular-season matchup?

That's easy: Dec. 2 in South Bend. UConn will visit the Irish and will be looking to avenge last season's heartbreaking overtime, Final Four loss. The game is obviously sold out and should give basketball fans a good idea of just how well the Huskies stack up against loaded Notre Dame, at least early on. Over the past 10 seasons, Connecticut has lost 14 times — eight of those defeats have come against the Fighting Irish.

Who is the best player in the country?

At the moment, it's Oregon's Ionescu. Already off to a strong start, Ionescu entered play this week with an NCAA-record 12 triple-doubles and needs one more to claim the all-time mark for both women and men. Louisville's Durr might be able to play in the WNBA right now, while Ogunbowale could be the most versatile player in the nation. Connecticut's Samuelson is tough from long range (47.5 percent from three-point range in 2017-18) and likely the best pure shooter in all of women's college basketball.

All hail C-Viv

One of the game's best coaches and greatest ambassadors of women's basketball in general, Rutgers' C. Vivian Stringer earned the spotlight when she recorded her 1,000th career victory earlier this month. The Hall of Famer is the fifth women's coach in Division I history to reach that milestone. The school did up the celebration in style with confetti, balloons and a video tribute. Even the governor of New Jersey, Phil Murphy, was on hand for the moment.

Never too early for an upset

The 2018-19 season is still in its infancy, but already we've seen some ranked teams go down. That includes previously 14th-ranked Georgia, which lost to both UCLA and Georgia Tech in a span of four days. Northwestern turned some heads with an 84-58 rout of then-No. 21 Duke, and perennial mid-major power Green Bay knocked off a Missouri squad ranked 16th at the time. Iowa State also beat then-No. 24 Miami, Fla., to win the Preseason WNIT title.

How about a Final Four prediction?

Isn't it kind of early? Never. Let's go with Notre Dame, UConn, Oregon and Maryland. The Irish and Huskies will meet again — this time for the national title. We can only hope the finish will be as exciting as their most recent postseason meeting.