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With conference play approaching its consequential close, let’s take a closer look at some of the tastiest games on Thursday’s slate, asking five key questions about the teams and players in action:
1. Will Notre Dame make another No. 1 statement?
Just a few hours after they jumped to No. 1 in the AP Top 25 poll, Notre Dame defended their status, with the Irish relying on their defense to defeat visiting Duke, 64-49.
Notre Dame, riding an 18-game winning streak, now heads to Miami to meet the Hurricanes (7 p.m. ET, ACC Extra). At 13-12 overall and 3-11 in the ACC, the Canes shouldn’t cause much trouble for the 23-2 Irish. Yet, the pressure of bearing that No. 1 ranking can do funny things, producing unexpected outcomes.
Nevertheless, with Hannah Hidalgo, Olivia Miles and Sonia Citron all putting together All-American-caliber campaigns for the Irish, it would be shock if their first conference loss came in Coral Gables.
2. Can Carolina confirm top-10 bona fides?
After a heroic down-to-wire win over in-state rival NC State on Sunday, North Carolina crept into the top 10 of the AP poll. That’s the high point for a Tar Heel team whose ranking has floated around the teens for much of the season. Thus, the same question about pressure that surrounds Notre Dame applies to UNC. Can they prove they are top-10 quality with a big win at Syracuse (6 p.m. ET, ACC Network)?
With the status of Alyssa Ustby uncertain after she departed Sunday’s game early with an undisclosed injury, the Heels will need another strong performance from ACC Player of the Week Reniya Kelly, the sophomore guard who led Carolina with 23 points on Sunday.
3. How big will South Carolina’s and LSU’s wins be?
You know head coaches Dawn Staley and Kim Mulkey will have their teams ready to play coming off losses.
For South Carolina, it’s time to re-start their home winning streak by inflicting pain on overmatched Arkansas (7 p.m. ET, SEC Network), showing the attention to detail and overall cohesion they lacked in Sunday’s blowout loss to UConn. LSU likewise hosts a SEC cellar-dweller in Georgia (9 p.m. ET, SEC Network). Sharper execution also will be a priority for the Tigers after they fumbled away a lead at Texas on Sunday.
Which team will put a bigger number on the scoreboard? Will the Gamecocks or Tigers win by a larger margin?
4. What does Mikayla Blakes have in store for her encore?
After setting the NCAA Division I women’s basketball single-game scoring record, there’s nowhere to go but down for Mikayla Blakes.
However, a road win at Oklahoma (7 p.m. ET, SECN+) would be a pretty solid outcome for a Vanderbilt squad that has been up and down in SEC play. While the Commodores have victories over ranked foes in Tennessee and Alabama, they had lost three-straight games before requiring overtime—and 55 points from Blakes—to escape Auburn, just 3-10 in conference play, with a win on Sunday.
5. Is Lauren Betts back for the Bruins?
Lauren Betts missed UCLA’s last game with a foot injury, resulting for a too-close-for-comfort win over visiting Michigan State on Sunday.
Thursday, UCLA hosts another ranked Big Ten opponent in Illinois (9:30 p.m. ET, BTN). If Betts is good to go, expect the Bruins to deliver a dominant win. However, if the National Player of the Year candidate again is out of the lineup, the visiting Illini, winners of eight-straight games, could challenge the Bruins. That said, making sure Betts is healthy for March is more important than a February Big Ten win, even if a loss would jeopardize UCLA’s chances of winning the regular-season conference championship.
Game information
No. 9 North Carolina Tar Heels (23-4, 11-3) vs. Syracuse Orange (10-15, 4-10)
When: Thursday, Feb. 20 at 6 p.m. ET
Where: JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse, NY
How to watch: ACC Network
No. 1 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (23-2, 14-0) vs. Miami Hurricanes (13-12, 3-11)
When: Thursday, Feb. 20 at 7 p.m. ET
Where: Watsco Center in Coral Gables, FL
How to watch: ACC Extra
Arkansas Razorbacks (9-18, 2-10) vs. No. 6 South Carolina Gamecocks (23-3, 11-1)
When: Thursday, Feb. 20 at 7 p.m. ET
Where: Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, SC
How to watch: SEC Network
Vanderbilt Commodores (19-7, 7-5) vs. No. 16 Oklahoma Sooners (19-6, 7-5)
When: Thursday, Feb. 20 at 7 p.m. ET
Where: Loyd Noble Center in Norman, OK
How to watch: SECN+
Georgia Lady Bulldogs (10-16, 2-10) vs. No. 7 LSU Tigers (25-2, 10-2)
When: Thursday, Feb. 20 at 9 p.m. ET
Where: Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, LA
How to watch: SEC Network
No. 25 Illinois Fighting Illini (21-5, 11-4) vs. No. 3 UCLA Bruins (24-1, 12-1)
When: Thursday, Feb. 20 at 9:30 p.m. ET
Where: Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles, CA
How to watch: Big Ten Network
