It’s still early in the season, but on Sunday afternoon, we definitely got a taste of what could be a possible 2023 NCAA Tournament championship matchup when No. 1 South Carolina and No. 2 Stanford squared off. It was also preview of what’s to come this March — top teams battling it out over every last possession, rebound and shot until the final buzzer. There have been a lot of storylines to follow the past two weeks: Tennessee and Texas have struggled to find their footing, Iowa’s Caitlin Clark injured her ankle in the Hawkeyes’ loss to Kansas State, Angel Reese is thriving at LSU, and UConn’s Azzi Fudd has been on fire.
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So, let’s get into it. Here are my answers to 12 questions about women’s college basketball.
1. What is your overall takeaway from the South Carolina-Stanford game?
First, what a game! The hype leading up to this matchup was completely justified. Stanford initially jumped out to a 10-point first-quarter lead on the back of Cameron Brink, who finished with 25 points and five rebounds, displaying how much more aggressive she’s been at both ends of the floor so far this season. South Carolina struggled at times with Stanford’s height, but reigning Player of the Year Aliyah Boston (14 points and 13 rebounds) fought her way through it and came up big by tying the game at the end of the fourth quarter to send it to overtime.
The two heavyweights seemed destined to battle it out in a second overtime, but sophomore forward Kiki Iriafen mistakenly called timeout after snatching a rebound with five seconds left. The kicker? Stanford was out of timeouts. Had that not happened, we might have witnessed several overtimes. My overall takeaway is South Carolina and Stanford are the two best teams in the country, and it showed.
2. What’s the latest on Cailtin Clark’s injury?
Clark appears just fine. She scored 33 points and had five assists in Iowa’s win over Belmont on Sunday night. Clark tweaked her ankle in the waning seconds of the Hawkeyes’ one-point loss to Kansas State (now ranked No. 22) last week. She was listed as day-to-day, but she played the full game against the Bruins. It’s something to keep an eye on as the season progresses, but Clark seems intent on playing through it.
3. What mid-major team has impressed you the most?
There’s a lot of season left to play, but I really like what I’ve seen from Drake so far. The Bulldogs play excellent team basketball, with nearly five players averaging double-digits. They are 2-1 after taking Iowa to overtime in a loss and recently beating then-No. 22 Nebraska. College Insider currently has Drake ranked 10th in its mid-major top 25, but I expect the Bulldogs to move up this week. If they keep playing ranked opponents this tough, they might even break into the AP poll.
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4. Which transfers are standing out so far?
Angel Reese was the top transfer heading into this season. After leaving Maryland for LSU, Reese is thriving for the No. 12 Tigers. She’s averaging a career-best 23.2 points and 15.6 rebounds per game while shooting 62.7 percent from the field. Reese is currently tied for No. 1 in the nation with five consecutive double-doubles, alongside BYU’s Lauren Gustin and Eastern Kentucky’s Antwainette Walker. She’s quickly putting to rest any doubts about her embracing an active and aggressive role in the post.
Former Princeton guard Abby Meyers is also fitting in well with No. 14 Maryland. Through five games, Meyers is averaging 15.6 points and 6.8 rebounds. She’s the team’s second-leading scorer behind Diamond Miller. When Miller was out with a minor injury, Meyers led Maryland with 21 points in a loss to South Carolina. She’s been able to make a smooth transition, providing stability, scoring and added depth in the backcourt.
5. Which teams are you interested to watch when conference play begins?
Syracuse is 4-1 under new head coach, Felisha Legette-Jack. And leading scorer Dyaisha Fair is averaging 17.8 points per game. But this new Orange squad has yet to face ACC competition and, for former Buffalo players Fair, Georgia Woolley and Cheyenne McEvans, it’s a big jump from the MAC. Going up against Virginia Tech, Louisville and NC State isn’t going to be easy. But Legette-Jack has put together a formidable squad of mostly transfer players, and Syracuse staple Teisha Hyman has provided solid veteran presence.
No. 20 UCLA has started 5-0 with freshman standout Kiki Rice (11.7 ppg, 4.5 apg) and senior Charisma Osbourne (20.2 ppg) leading the way and providing consistency with depth in the backcourt. The Bruins are plowing through their non-conference schedule, most recently knocking off Tennessee. But the real litmus test will be when conference play begins, and UCLA faces off against top Pac-12 opponents like Stanford and Oregon. UCLA finished seventh in the conference last season.
As far as other teams, I’m more interested in watching conference play across the board. The SEC and Big Ten could prove to be the most competitive. As for the Big 12, Iowa State (4-0) and Kansas State (5-0) are rolling in nonconference play.
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6. Which player is living up to preseason hype?
Ever since UConn’s Paige Bueckers tore her ACL and announced she’d miss the 2022-2023 season, the spotlight has zeroed in on Azzi Fudd. Questions swirled. Is Fudd healthy? Can she remain healthy? Can she handle the pressure of being UConn’s go-to player? Will she thrive without Bueckers on the floor? I posed some of these questions myself. And the answer to all of them is, yes.
The BIG EAST Player of the Week!
32 PPG in two top-10 wins 👏 pic.twitter.com/qPGNlsEmNV
— UConn Women’s Basketball (@UConnWBB) November 21, 2022
Fudd is currently averaging 30 points on 54.8 percent shooting. She’s second in the nation in scoring and has led the Huskies to three straight wins, including a 32-point performance while playing all 40 minutes in a 91-69 victory over NC State. Fudd is proving to everyone that she is the player everyone expected her to be last season, that she’s completely healthy, and that this is her breakout season.
7. Who are your top five teams?
1. South Carolina
An impressive win over the tall trees of Stanford with Boston coming up big, as usual.
2. Stanford
The Cardinal lost their mental composure in the final minutes against the Gamecocks. Tough loss, tougher lessons.
3. UConn
The Huskies may still be figuring things out as a team, but Fudd knows exactly who she is.
4. Iowa State
Ashley Joens (25.5 ppg) is quietly having a career year so far for the undefeated Cyclones.
5. Ohio State
After knocking off then-No. 5 Tennessee in their first game of the season, the Buckeyes are 4-0.
8. What games are you looking forward to this week?
Missouri at No. 11 Virginia Tech
1:30 p.m. (ET) Wednesday
No. 8 North Carolina at No. 18 Oregon
5 p.m. Thursday, ESPNU
Iowa State at Michigan St.
7:30 p.m. Thursday, ESPNU
No. 3 UConn at Duke
6 p.m. Friday, ESPN 2 or ESPNU
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No. 9 Iowa at Oregon St
8:30 p.m. Friday, ESPNU
Reader Questions
9. Any updates on Aaliyah Gayles and her recovery?
Gayles was cleared to return to basketball in September, which is remarkable for someone who was shot 10 times in her arms and legs. The USC freshman and top-tier recruit has redshirted this season, and will continue recovering. She was involved in USC’s media day and posed for pictures with a the team. Her goal right now is to continue working out and getting stronger, as well as getting her bearings back on the court.
10. Who can beat Dawn Staley and the Gamecocks?
Going undefeated is hard. In the past 39 years, only four schools have recorded undefeated seasons — Baylor, UConn, Tennessee and Texas. The Huskies have done it six separate times. It’s not an easy feat, once or otherwise. But South Carolina has the potential. Knocking off Stanford was a key first step. And Staley has so much talent and depth at her disposal. Depending on its frontcourt evolution as the season progresses, UConn could give the Gamecocks fits. Then again, an unranked team could shock the nation like Missouri did last year and steal a win. Still, I wouldn’t be surprised if South Carolina keeps rolling and enters March without a loss.
11. What has happened to No. 23 Tennessee and No. 19 Texas?
The short answer is injuries. Texas is without its best player and floor general, Rori Harmon. And at times, the Longhorns look lost and frantic on offense without her. Harmon is a steady presence on the floor and was the second-leading scorer last season. Texas needs her back as soon as possible.
The Lady Vols are still trying to find their identity. With transfer Rickea Jackson (Mississippi State) and additional depth at guard, coach Kellie Harper is still trying to figure out the right rotation. Add in the fact that Jordan Horston missed a couple of games because of a leg injury, and the result is Tennessee’s 2-3 start.
12. If Cameron Brink forgoes her senior year and declares for the 2023 WNBA Draft, is she the No. 1 pick?
This is an excellent question, because if Brink goes pro it could throw off the draft in such a fun and exciting way. I still believe Boston is the hands-down No. 1 pick. And Lin Dunn and the Indiana Fever aren’t going to pass her up. But when it comes to the No. 2 pick, that’s where things could get interesting. The Minnesota Lynx will be looking to fill the void at center left by Sylvia Fowles, and Elizabeth Kitley is a true center who can fit that mold. My guess is Brink would go third to the Atlanta Dream, where her defensive game would fit in perfectly for head coach Tanisha Wright.
(Photo of Aliyah Boston: Greg Fiume / Getty Images)
