Is Duke the Best Women’s Basketball Program Without a Title?

Is Duke the Best Women’s Basketball Program Without a Title?
Fact Checked by Pat McLoone

The NCAA women’s college basketball season is in full swing and the sport is gaining eyeballs throughout the past year. So, it seemed like a good time to look at the best programs that have not yet won a championship.

BetCarolina.com – your source for North Carolina sports betting – went all the way back to 1982 to examine the programs with the most No. 1 seeds that never have cut down the nets. Here are the results:

Best NCAA Women’s CBB Programs Without a Title

This is information you won’t find on the many North Carolina sports betting apps that will enter the state next year when legal wagering commences.

RankProgram# of No. 1 Seeds
1Duke7
2Georgia4
T-3Virginia3
T-3Auburn3
T-3Vanderbilt3
T-3Louisville3
T-3Penn State3

MORE: Duke Basketball Odds

ACC Teams in Abundance on List

Three Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) made our list with Duke at the top with seven appearances as a top seed. The most recent was 2009. After easily disposing of 16th-seeded Austin Peay in the first round, ninth-seeded Michigan State shocked the Blue Devils, 63-49, in the second round. Virginia and Louisville each finished in a five-way tie for third with three.

Three Southeastern Conference (SEC) also made the list with the University of Georgia outdoing their conference counterparts, Auburn (3) and Vanderbilt (3), with four times as a top seed to finish second on the list. The Bulldogs last adorned the No. 1 moniker to the left side of their name in the bracket 23 years ago (2000), falling to second-seeded Rutgers, 59-51, in the West Regional Final in Portland, Oregon.

One Big Ten Conference member - Penn State - was among the five schools with three No. 1 seed bids, the last coming in 2004. Second-seeded Connecticut upended the top-seed, 66-49, in the East Regional Final in the friendly confines of Hartford, Connecticut.

Women's College Basketball Championship Futures

ESPN BET North Carolina lists its the top six favorites to win the 2023-24 national championship:

  • LSU +450
  • South Carolina +450
  • Connecticut +500
  • Iowa +750
  • UCLA +1000
  • Utah +1000

It remains to be seen if March Madness betting will be legal in the state for 2024. When it does launch, keep an eye on this site for the best North Carolina sportsbook promos.

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Author

Lou Monaco
Lou Monaco
Reporter/journalist

Lou Monaco had been East Coast Scene columnist for Gaming Today in Las Vegas since June 2019, covering the East Coast sportsbook scene with emphasis on NJ and PA. He also currently is a part-time writer for the high school sports department for NJ Advanced Media (NJ.com) in Iselin, NJ. Lou has over 30 years sports experience with previous stints at ESPN SportsTicker, Daily Racing Form and Oddschecker.

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