The Posts preseason womens college basketball Top 25, Final Four picks

For all of the changes in women’s college basketball, it’s status quo at the top. South Carolina remains the sport’s preeminent program under Dawn Staley, and it will try to follow last season’s undefeated national title campaign with the school’s first repeat — which would make it four crowns in the past eight tournaments. In a season of widespread conference realignment and a new wave of talent ascending into crossover stars, following the departures of Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, South Carolina’s list of challengers appears to divide into two tiers. The biggest threats come from opposite coasts: UConn, featuring Paige Bueckers in her last dance, going for its first championship since 2016, an eternity in dog (Husky) years.And USC, led by megastar-in-waiting JuJu Watkins, which super-teamed its roster via the transfer portal. UCLA, Texas, Notre Dame and LSU (remember them?) make up the next rung of contenders. Those seven teams highlight The Post’s preseason top 25: The team to beat until proven otherwise.

Virtually all of the roster that went 38-0 a season ago returns, minus WNBA draft pick Kamilla Cardoso and potentially Ashlyn Watkins (suspended following a domestic violence arrest).MiLaysia Fulwiley is a human highlight reel in the backcourt, Joyce Edwards is billed as their next great freshman, and Dawn Staley — the most influential college coach in America, in any sport — makes it all work. Paige Bueckers going for that elusive national title will be captivating theater.

Fingers crossed the magnetic, do-everything-well guard stays healthy through the back-to-back college and WNBA seasons, after the presumptive No.1 pick turns pro in April.

She’ll get support from No.1 recruit Sarah Strong, transfer Princeton point guard Kaitlyn Chen and sharpshooter Azzi Fudd, who is due back from a torn ACL. The sophomore hype around phenom JuJu Watkins (27.1 points per game last season) and the addition of top transfer forward Kiki Iria...