The women’s college basketball season is approaching. An offseason filled with transfer portals, coaching changes, and hiring buzz is over. With South Carolina and Stamford competing for the first and second seasons, the quest to see who will contend for the national title in Dallas begins his November 7th. Open AP VoteBut before the ball really tilts, let’s run through the 10 games we’re most looking forward to.
November 11: Villanova at Princeton
Is this a matchup between two Final Four favorites? No, but it features a pair of schools that might fit others. They beat Kentucky and future No. 1 pick Ryne Howard in the first round. When Ivy League player Abby Myers moved to Maryland, Princeton still recalled their next two leading scorers, guards Julia Cunningham and Cait Linchen. The Tigers’ backcourt could hit Villanova hard on Nov. 27 against Texas and he against UConn on Dec. 5. Meanwhile, Villanova’s senior forward Maddy Siegrist is ready to take home for many more seasons. Last winter, the Big East won him Player of the Year. A versatile scorer, she has been a regular in the conference since 2006. With her title she has backed a talented Wildcats team aiming to become the first team to win UConn.
William Howard/USA TODAY Sports (Boston); James Snook/USA TODAY Sports (Jones)
November 20: Stanford University, South Carolina
The defending champions Gamecocks aren’t taking it easy in the regular season. The non-conference slate has a preview of this potential title game, along with matchups against Maryland, UCLA, South Dakota, UConn, and more. For the Cardinals, two-time All-American Haley Jones is now their lead ballhandler, and her ability to create chances for herself and her teammates will be tested early against the Gamecocks. How South Carolina chose to defend the size of Jones and Stanford is one of the other interesting parts of this matchup. The last two meetings between these teams stretched into the final minutes of Q4, so expect another thrilling turn of events in mid-November.
December 1: North Carolina State University in Iowa
The Hawkeyes and Wolfpack have had high ambitions in March over the past few years, and this early-season matchup clearly shows where each program stands and where they need to grow. Led by star guard Kaitlyn Clarke, Iowa enters the season as the frontrunner to win the Big Ten title. A similar performance to last year would make him the conference champion again for the first time since 1992-93. Meanwhile, North Carolina State, where he was the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament each of the last two seasons, lost four of his starters to graduation. Still, junior guard Diamond Johnson, senior wing Jaquia Brown-Turner and senior center Camille Hobie will be back. Also joining transfer his guard Sanya Rivers, his third-place player in the 2021 class, North Carolina State has a talented and intriguing roster.
December 4: Notre Dame of UConn
Two of the country’s best sophomores (and players) meet on December 4 as all eyes must be on the backcourt battle between UConn’s Azzi Fudd and Notre Dame’s Olivia Miles . Both stood out in their college debut campaigns in her NCAA Tournament, where Miles became the first freshman in college basketball history to record a triple her double. UConn makes his 14th straight Final Four appearance, but guards are stiff Paige Bookers season-ending knee injury You could endanger that streak. Fighting He Irish has one of the most dangerous rosters in the country, and it’s no surprise to see them cement their status as title contenders in this.
January 8: Oregon vs. Arizona
We expect both the Ducks and Wildcats to be at or near the top of the Pac-12 title race as they enter this season. Oregon State has an experienced backcourt of all conference guards Te-Hina Paopao and Endyia Rogers, and a redshirted senior Sedona Prince patrolling the lanes, like any other big name in the country. Freshman guard Chance Gray should also be a factor. She was the seventh-highest recruit in the class of 2022 by espnW and the second-highest recruit in program history behind guard Sabrina Ionescu. The Ducks come in this season with her second-best class freshman in the nation, but Arizona also has freshmen coming to Tucson who could make a difference. Expect Maya Nagy, the sister of Nuggets center Zeke Nagy, to play a key role and bolster the team led by fifth graders Shaina Pellington and Kate Reese.
January 15: Texas, Iowa
In Texas coach Vic Shaffer’s first two seasons with the program, the Longhorns ranked in the Elite Eight.Now that they have added BYU guard Shaley Gonzalez via the transfer portal, they Attempt to reach the Final Four for the first time since 2003Gonzalez and sophomore guard Lori Harmon are one of the best duos in the country and could make a team that was ninth in ERA last season even more dangerous. The Cyclones have been an NCAA tournament team for many years, and with a strong core of Ashley Joeens, Emily Ryan and Lexi Donalski, their Big 12 title potential should come as no surprise.
February 2: Iowa, Maryland
This year’s Maryland team looks a little different Because Terrapins lost 5 players to the transport portal. However, the addition of Myers from Princeton and forward Brynei Alexander from Vanderbilt highlighted a group of key contributors, so coach Brenda Freese aggressively recruited new players. Add guard Lavender Briggs, who moved from Florida mid-last season but didn’t play for the Terps due to injury, and Maryland is poised to extend his 10-plus-year NCAA Tournament win streak. seems to be Frese has won six of his Big Ten titles in the past decade, and last year’s conference champion Iowa State is their biggest test in terms of bringing back another flag to College Park. It has become.
February 5: At UConn, South Carolina
Two Hall of Fame coaches with contrasting styles. His two most talented teams in the country, each competing for a national title each season. Need I say more? Plus, the timing of this matchup provides a great break from conference play.
February 16: Louisville at Notre Dame
The Cardinals may have lost star forward Emily Engstler to the WNBA, but First Team All-ACC guard Hayley Van Ris hopes to build on her stellar sophomore season and bring Louisville back to the Final Four. I am aiming. The key to doing that is putting together another strong defensive performance: Louisville was sixth in ERA last season.
February 27: Baylor, Texas
In the penultimate game of the season, the Bears head to the road to face the Longhorns. Coach Nikki Colin led Baylor to a 28-7 record in his first year at Waco, but this year’s roster includes Narissa Smith and Queen Egbo, who were top-five picks in the WNBA Draft, as well as a guard. of Jordan disappears from Lewis. However, Stanford’s Jana Van Gitenbeek, Missouri’s Aija Blackwell (who was second team in the All-SEC last season) and Kentucky’s Dreuna Edwards have high hopes. It is not surprising that the title of a conference is greatly influenced by
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