NCAAW: Betts, Watkins, Hildalgo or Paige for National Player of the Year?

Catch up on where things stands, and where things might be going, after another thrill-filled week of women’s college basketball action:

Who will be the National Player of the Year?

We’re about one month into conference play for most of the Power Four conferences, with a little more than one month to go before conference tournaments begin. Now is as good a time as any to assess the National Player of the Year race, which is defined by four favorites, but also features a few intriguing dark horses.

The case for UCLA’s Lauren Betts

The case for Betts is simple: She’s the best player on the best team. If the top-ranked Bruins run the table, it will be hard not to award Betts with the nation’s top individual honor, as her production and presence unlocks UCLA’s success. The junior center not only offers 21 points, 9.9 boards and three blocks per game, but she also demands constant, extra attention on both ends of the floor.

The case for USC’s JuJu Watkins

The results of the two matchups between the Trojans and Bruins (Feb. 13; Mar. 1) could determine if Watkins takes NPOY honors from Betts. While this season’s USC team is more talented than last year’s, the Trojans’ success still is highly dependent on Watkins—and she has consistently delivered. She’s putting up almost 25 points, 6.6 boards and 3.6 assists per game. Her offensive efficiency is up across the board, with improved shooting percentages and fewer turnovers, while she’s also increased her defensive activity.

The case for Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo

Hidalgo’s production—25.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 4.2 steals per game—remains astounding; however, in this nip-and-tuck NPOY race, that she has missed two games due to an ankle injury could be enough to keep her from collecting the trophy. Yet, if the sophomore guard’s gutsy bucket getting and gritty defense helps the Fighting Irish sprint through a tough ACC schedule undefeated, her resume will make her more than deserving.

The case for UConn’s Paige Bueckers

As with Hidalgo, missed time might dent Bueckers’ candidacy, as a knee sprain kept her out of two games. UConn also lacks a signature win, as the Huskies lost non-conference showcase games to Watkins’ Trojans and Hidalgo’s Irish, and, in contrast to the Big Ten or ACC, the Big East does offer the kind of marquee matchups that call for a Bueckers masterclass. Still, the redshirt senior guard is efficiently stuffing the box score with 19.6 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game.

The dark horses

According to most catch-all advanced stats, UConn freshman forward Sarah Strong is the nation’s most impactful player, leading the country in win shares (6.7) and box plus/minus (24.3). Her traditional stats are, likewise, fantastic, as she is averaging 17.6 points per game on 58.8 percent shooting, while also grabbing 7.9 rebounds and dishing 3.7 dimes. And she’s getting better—quickly.
Yes, Florida State has hovered around the outer edges of the top 25. And despite Sunday’s thrilling upset of UNC, the Seminoles still have some bad losses. But, it is impossible to ignore junior guard Ta’Niya Latson’s offensive production. The nation’s leading scorer makes 30-point games seem routine, as she averages 26.5 points per game. She’s also contributing 4.7 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game.

Aneesah Morrow also is putting up monster numbers. And her LSU team, despite coming off their first loss, remain first-tier contenders for the national title. Her 300 total rebounds are 57 more than the nation’s second-most prolific rebounder, while her per game average of 14.3 boards clears her closest competitor by more than a rebound. The senior forward not only owns the glass, but also scores 18.5 points per game.

The gals have been hoopin’

Enjoy some of the best efforts from the leading National Player of the Year candidates, as well as impressive outings from more under-the-radar stars from across the sport:

Bucknell sophomore forward Ashley Sofilkanich scored more than half of her team’s points on Wednesday night, and she did so without taking a 3-pointer. Behind Sofilkanich’s 44 points, Bucknell outlasted Colgate for the 71-67 overtime win. Sofilkanich’s scoring outburst tied the program’s single-game record; she also totaled 11 rebounds and five assists.

Utah senior guard Gianna Kneepkens almost messed around and got a triple-double on Wednesday. In the Utes’ 79-61 win over Kansas, she finished with 30 points, 10 boards and eight assists. Kneepkens remained on fire on Saturday, going 6-for-7 from 3 and scoring 32 points as Utah beat BYU, 81-76.

Paige Bueckers also flirted with a triple-double on Wednesday, posting 21 points, nine assists and eight boards as UConn routed Villanova, 100-57. Freshman forward Sarah Strong offered up another excellent effort as well, contributing 22 points on 80 percent shooting while also adding five assists, four boards, two steals and a block. Strong then was the driving force for UConn in their 72-61 win over Creighton on Saturday. The freshman phenom had a 26-point and 12-rebound double, along with five steals, four blocks and three assists.

Senior guard JJ Quinerly again exhibited her improving scoring prowess as West Virginia cruised past Arizona State, 89-59, on Wednesday in what was the 900th win in program history. Quinerly scored 29 points, including swishing three 3s. She also chipped in four assists and two steals. For more on Quinerly’s pro potential, be sure to revisit Eric Nemchock’s draft profile.

Here’s the evidence Lauren Betts added to her National Player of the Year resume last week. First, she dropped a 25-point and 13-rebound double-double in 28 minutes as UCLA handled Rutgers, 84-66, on Thursday. The junior center shot 75 percent from the field, while also swatting five shots. She was even better on Sunday, scoring a career-high 33 points, missing just one of her 15 field goal attempts. She also grabbed seven boards, dished four assists and blocked four shots as the Bruins bested Maryland, 82-67. Along the way, she scored her 1,000th-career point.

Green Bay grad forward Jasmine Kondrakiewicz poured in a career-high 31 points, while also grabbing seven boards, in the 75-62 win over Wright State on Thursday.

It’s been a rough season for Chicago State, with just two wins on the season. However, that second win came on Thursday with a flash of future promise, as freshman guard Aiyanna Culver scored 33 points. Standing just 5-foot-3, Culver earned 13 trips to the foul line, making 11 of her freebies. She also shot better than 55 percent from the field, as she did most of her damage inside the arc. The Cougars defeated Connecticut State, 84-77.

Senior forward Cordasia Harris captained Alabama State to the 68-62 comeback win over Prairie View A&M on Saturday with an authoritative double-double of 26 points and 19 rebounds.

Northwestern State charged back to nearly knock off Stephen F. Austin on Saturday, ultimately coming up short, 67-65. However, senior guard Mya Blake gave the Demons all she had, scoring a career-high 37 points, the most scored by a NSU player in almost three decades. Blake poured in the points from everywhere, making five 3s and 10 free throws. She also had seven boards and four assists.

Grad forward Yvonne Ejim once again was great for Gonzaga. On Saturday, she delivered a 29-point and 12-rebound double-double in the Zags’ win over Pepperdine, 81-53.

Ta’Niya Latson silenced the Carolina faithful on Sunday afternoon, hitting a crafty game winner to give Florida State the road upset of North Carolina, 86-84. The game-winning bucket gave Latson 25 points; the junior guard also had seven assists.

In another bit of clutch heroics, Madison Booker drained the game-winning basket before securing the game-sealing steal as Texas erased a late deficit to come back and beat Ole Miss on Sunday, 61-58. The sophomore forward had a 12-point and 10-rebound double-double for the afternoon, while grad big Taylor Jones led the Longhorns with 24 points.

The Pack is back? After a somewhat shaky start to the season, NC State appears to be finding their stride, winning five-straight ACC games. Leading the way has been the senior guard tandem of Aziaha James and Saniya Rivers. In Sunday’s romp over Virginia Tech, 85-57, James tallied 25 points, five boards, four assists and two steals, while Rivers, who notched her 1,000th-career point, scored 17 points and grabbed six boards.

Impactful injuries strike K-State, Maryland

Injury, unfortunately, will again sideline Kansas State super senior center Ayoka Lee.

In the Wildcats’ win over Arizona State on Sunday, Jan. 19, Lee exited just over four minutes before halftime and did not return. On Monday, Jan. 20, the team reported that she will be out indefinitely with a fractured bone in her foot, but indicated it is “probable” that she will return before season’s end. That assessment is somewhat more promising than what head coach Jeff Mittie shared after the game, when he suggested, “It’s not good.”

Throughout her five seasons in Manhattan, injuries have been about the only thing that have slowed down Lee, who is a superbly efficient low-post scorer. In hopes of protecting Lee from injury, Kansas State was playing her under 20 minutes per game, although she was still averaging 16 points per contest while shooting better than 65 percent from the field. In their first full game without Lee, the Wildcats, who has risen to No. 10 in the AP poll, lost at Colorado, 63-53. It was K-State’s lowest-scoring game of the season.

Maryland received even more unfortunate injury news, as junior guard Bri McDaniel will be out for the season after tearing her ACL in the Terrapins’ win over Minnesota on Jan. 14. The Terps’ super sixth player, McDaniel was contributing 10.6 points, 2.4 assists and 2.1 rebounds, along with intangible, tone-setting energy, in her more than 21 minutes per game.

The status of Shyanne Sellers also looms over Maryland. The senior guard exited the Terrapins’ game against Texas last Monday with a knee sprain and did not play against Ohio State on Thursday or against UCLA on Sunday. With no McDaniel and very limited minutes from Sellers, the Terrapins lost all three of those games, drubbed by the Longhorns, sunk by a second-half surge from the Buckeyes and overpowered by the Bruins.

A look ahead

It’s the time of year when unexpected upsets can occur, as teams are in the middle of long conference schedules all while beginning to turn their eyes toward March. Here are some of the most intriguing matchups:

Monday, Jan. 27

South Carolina vs. Tennessee (7 p.m. ET, ESPN2)

Thursday, Jan. 30

Oklahoma vs. LSU (7 p.m. ET, ESPN2)

Alabama vs. Kentucky (7 p.m. ET, SEC Network)

Iowa State vs. Kansas State (8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)

Minnesota vs. USC (10 p.m. ET, Peacock)

North Carolina vs. Cal (10 p.m. ET, ACC Extra)

Saturday, Feb. 1

Oklahoma State vs. West Virginia (12 p.m. ET, ESPNU)

Sunday, Feb. 2

Notre Dame vs. Louisville ( 12 p.m. ET, ESPN2)

USC vs. Iowa (1:30 p.m. ET, FOX)

Mississippi State vs. LSU (2 p.m. ET, SEC Network)

Minnesota vs. UCLA (3 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network)

TCU vs. Iowa State (4 p.m. ET, FS1)

Kentucky vs. Oklahoma (4 p.m. ET, SEC Network)