Welcome to the first Hoops HQ Women’s Fast Break, where our experts answer questions about the biggest storylines in women’s college basketball. Today’s panel includes Hall of Fame broadcaster Debbie Antonelli, HHQ senior women’s correspondent Eden Laase and contributor Dylan Manfre. Let’s run.
Unranked Michigan kept it close with No. 1 South Carolina before the Gamecocks eventually snuck away with a 68-62 victory. Is there reason to worry if you’re SC?
Antonelli: No. Zero. The best compliment I’m giving South Carolina right now is that they’re the same. They have incredible interior play that’s going to get better with Ashlyn Watkins coming back. They play through the post, their defense is long and athletic and their guard play is excellent. I’m not worried about them at all. They are still on course for the Final Four.
Laase: More than anything I came away from that game impressed with Michigan. I didn’t have many expectations for the Wolverines after they lost Laila Phelia to the transfer portal, but to play that close with the No. 1 team in the country to open the season takes guts and talent. As for the Gamecocks, I imagine they will come out against No. 9 NC State with a sense of urgency. It’s a veteran group, so coach Dawn Staley won’t need to say much to get them motivated.
Manfre: Not at all. South Carolina will do South Carolina things this year. I don’t want to revert to the “it’s the first game” trope, but some of the top teams around the country had their first game raise some eyebrows. Take No. 3 USC and No. 20 Ole Miss for example (see below). They both played close opening games that delivered the thrill we all love about women’s college basketball. South Carolina and Michigan did the same.
No. 3 USC opened with a win over No. 20 Ole Miss and No. 5 UCLA beat No. 17 Louisville. Who or what impressed you most from those games?
Antonelli: Ole Miss has a guard in KK Deans that can stretch the defense. The Rebels needed her shooting because they have an elite defense that can play in transition. They also have perimeter size, which many teams don’t. They impressed me with their defensive effort and I think they should have won the game. They didn’t execute their situation offense late in the game, but they’ll fix that.
As for USC, JuJu Waktins had 27 points and didn’t play to the standard that we are used to seeing. That gives me incredible excitement about what she’s going to continue to become in her sophomore season. She’s a #ticketsellingplayer.
Laase: I’m all in on Lauren Betts as an All-American and a potential Player of the Year. She was crucial to UCLA last during her sophomore season and she’s even better as a junior. The 6-foot-7 center had 18 points, 13 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 blocks in the win over Louisville. Betts is efficient around the rim (she made 75 percent of her attempts against the Cardinals) and she is a much-improved passer. Betts’ strong post play opened up opportunities for shooters and was happy to dish out assists. UCLA has a ton of talent, but she’s the key to everything they do. Where Betts goes, UCLA goes and that could be a Final Four.
Manfre: No. 20 Ole Miss’ defense certainly impressed me. Playing on foreign soil for your season opener means there’s a lot of eyeballs. With a revamped USC team with Watkins and Kiki Iriafen, USC lost a 15-point lead and Ole Miss was able to prevent USC from scoring more than 20 points in three of the four quarters. Ole Miss outscored USC in three of the four quarters too. Against one of the top teams, Ole Miss’ defense was something to certainly keep an eye on.
Last season we had a crew of freshmen that impressed early with JuJu Watkins, MiLaysia Fulwiley and Hannah Hidalgo. Is there a youngster that caught your eye in week 1?
Antonelli: Tajianna Roberts at Louisville. I thought she played exceptionally well, scoring 21 points against UCLA. Louisville is good. They won’t be sneaking up on anyone. I expect them to compete at a high level all year. And then Jaloni Cambridge from Ohio State is very impressive. I’m looking forward to watching her.
Last night, I watched Sarah Strong at UConn and she was excellent. She’s got a big, strong frame and she can play anywhere one through five and have success on the offensive end.
Laase: I love the strength of Kennedy Smith from USC. She battled with an Ole Miss team that excels at defense and attacked the rim with authority. Smith has a polish to her game that’s rare for even the most talented freshman. She slid into the starting lineup with players like JuJu, Iriafen and Talia von Oelhoffen with ease. Smith finished with 12 points and 7 rebounds against Ole Miss and played 37 minutes — the second most after Watkins. It’s clear that coach Lindsay Gottlieb expects a lot from her.
Manfre: Syla Swords, the freshman guard from Michigan, scored 27 in a two-point loss to South Carolina. Now against the defending champion, that’s pretty darn impressive for your first game. I think there will be a lot of impressive young players in the mid-major ranks too. One that catches my eye is Madison St. Rose at Princeton. She is stepping into a large leadership role as a junior now that Kaitlyn Chen transferred to UConn.
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If we’re going to finish what Caitlin Clark started, we need to get creativeWe’ve got two more big matchups this weekend with No. 11 Duke playing No. 18 Maryland and No. 1 South Carolina playing No. 9 NC State. What are you most looking forward to seeing in those games?
Antonelli: Last year was the first down season for Maryland and Brenda Frese. In her history she’s only had two seasons where she’s been below .500. Historically, Maryland is good and she has a Hall of Fame resume. But she has 10 newcomers and they are definitely going to have a major influence on whether this team succeeds or not. One of their few returners, Shyanne Sellers, might be one of the most underrated players in the nation. I’m looking forward to seeing how Maryland’s offense is tested by Duke’s defense.
Laase: Getting a Final Four rematch in the second week of the season has my college basketball heart bursting. The Gamecocks and the Wolfpack met last season with SC winning 78-59 on the way to a national title. This season I think NC State has the goods to challenge the Gamecocks. Saniya Rivers struggled against SC last season, so she will be hungry to prove herself. Plus, the addition of 6-foot-4 transfer Caitlin Weimar in the paint will help the Wolfpack defend South Carolina.
Manfre: As a Terp alum, I’ll be glued to Maryland-Duke. Head coach Brenda Frese always seems to field impressive teams even when players graduate or transfer. Sellers is taking a massive step forward as one of the premier players in the Big Ten and has even been on multiple WNBA Draft big boards. I’m excited to see the Maryland-Duke rivalry renewed from the Terps’ ACC days.
What’s one other thing across the women’s college basketball landscape that you think fans should keep an eye on this season?
Antonelli: I’m excited about the competitive toughness of the conference races. The reconstruction of conferences hasn’t been discussed a whole lot on the women’s side, but Texas and Oklahoma will have an impact on the SEC race and Texas and South Carolina play twice.
I also have a hot take, which is that Paige Bueckers will lead the country in scoring. Geno Auriemma has never had a player do that, but she averaged 21.9 points per game last season, and I think she is going to be more assertive. She could average 28 points per game.
Laase: I’m intrigued by TCU. The Horned Frogs have talent galore: Hailey Van Lith, Sedona Prince, Donovyn Hunter, Maddie Scherr and Taylor Bigby make up a crew of transfers eager to prove themselves at their new program. Individually, everyone can play. How they come together as a unit is in question and I can’t wait to watch the process.
Manfre: I think finding out which mid-major conference has the potential to be a two-bid league in March will be fascinating. My eyes point right to the Ivy league with Princeton and Columbia. Those who know me know I’m always watching the MAAC conference and seeing what type of four-or-five-way tie there is for fifth place. In general, there will always be fun storylines to come out of mid-majors. So as much as we watch the UConns, UCLAs, South Carolinas, let’s also follow the Villanovas, Princetons and Fairfields of the world.
