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After a couple of games, some interesting trends have already are emerging in women’s college basketball.
Certain players are looking ready for the big stage, teams are making it clear they are contenders and others are already raising some eyebrows. Here are five observations from just a few days into the season:
In their debuts, a pair of freshmen stood out. Aaliyah Chavez of Oklahoma and Jazzy Davidson of USC both had very strong performances.
Chavez had 16 points, six rebounds, and five assists in the Sooners’ 84-67 victory over Belmont.
At 5-for-18, her shooting wasn’t great, but she went 5-for-6 from the line, stayed aggressive and impacted winning in other ways. For her first college game, Chavez showed why she was a top prospect and why Oklahoma is ranked No. 6 in the nation. She will undoubtedly get better, and that’s a scary reality for the rest of women’s college basketball.
In Davidson’s debut, she scored 14 points as a starter for USC, helping them win in dominant fashion 87-48 over New Mexico State. Davidson struggled from deep, going 0-for-7 from 3-point range, but she went 4-for-9 from inside the arc and her four assists were tied for the team-high.
It’s very early, but both Chavez and Davidson look ready for the pressure and responsibility that come with playing for top programs. Watching their progression this season will be a must for all basketball aficionados.
The top teams are very good
Put this in the “Well, duh!” category: No. 1 UConn and No.2 South Carolina look to be the cream of the crop.
The Huskies beat No. 20 Louisville, 79-66. That result could’ve been a lot worse, but Louisville made a run in the fourth to make the final score appear like less of a blowout. Sarah Strong looks to be the clear best player on the team. She flirted with a double double, scoring 21 points along with nine rebounds.
The Gamecocks took care of Grand Canyon with ease, winning 94-54. Ta’Niya Latson led the charge for South Carolina with 20 points, but Tessa Johnson was right behind her with 19.
These two teams appear to be on a collision course to play each other in the Final Four, or even meet again in the national championship game.
Enough with these blowouts!
It seems top teams take one of two routes when deciding how to schedule games early on: They embrace the challenge of playing a ranked opponent or schedule the weakest Division I (or even Division II or Division III) team possible.
I’m done watching teams embarrassingly beat teams that they have no business playing! Cal State Northridge beating Bethesda 103-13 is not something any of us need to witness.
Michigan State beating Mercyhurst 125-39 isn’t fun either. The same goes for Michigan beating Canisius 100-40. I understand, but things have gone too far. Hopefully, teams do this less and less moving forward.
Thanks to some teams taking the other option, we’ve gotten some good games already.
No. 9 NC State beat No. 8 Tennessee 80-77 in a thriller. Khamil Pierre hit the game-winning basket during the final minute and after a key defensive stop. Then, Zam Jones made a pair at the line to allow the Wolfpack to pull off the (slight) upset.
No. 16 Baylor upset No. 7 Duke 58-52 thanks to a big scoring performance by Taliah Scott and DariannaLittlepage-Buggs’ domination of the glass.
Basketball is supposed to be about competition. These teams didn’t shy away from that and fans benefited from it.
Not to jinx things, but, so far, players have stayed relatively healthy.
Hopefully, that remains the overall norm and we don’t see any big injuries. Players missing games will be inevitable, but as long as teams can play their preferred lineups for most of the season, and especially come spring, that’s all anyone can ask for.
During the first week, we’ve gotten away essentially scot-free. More of that please!
