It's out with the old and in with the new in NCAA basketball. Dynasties like UConn and Tennessee have 19 national titles and appeared in six other finals in the last 40 years, but other teams are rising to the top as parity across programs increases. Schools are investing more in women's basketball, and top recruits now attend various schools nationwide. After ending the season unranked in 2022-2023, USC scored the number one MaxPreps recruit this year, JuJu Watkins. During last year's March Madness tournament, newcomers succeeded at the highest levels. LSU used its star-studded transfer class, including Angel Reese, LaDazhia Williams, Kateri Poole, and Jasmine Carson, to win a National Championship. For Iowa, people saw Caitlin Clark's greatness but didn't think the Hawkeyes would play in a National Championship. Another Final Four team, Virginia Tech, flew under the radar until the ACC Tournament when they defeated Louisville.

Increasing parity is how we grow the game. With more teams excelling, programs bring new fans to the sport by creating excitement. There are multiple who could win a national title this year, and March Madness is conducive to upsets and drama. We can't wait to go on this ride.