-
Alexa PhilippouESPN
Which players have the potential to propel their respective programs to conference championships and deep NCAA tournaments this 2022-23 women’s college basketball season?
We’ve ranked the low-profile up-and-coming players who could have a breakout season. The list did not include players expected to be included in the upcoming Top 25 Player Rankings, which were finalized with input from ESPN’s MA Voepel and Charlie Creme. And transfers that could be on the verge of a breakout season with a new team – Kylie Watson, Taylor Jones, Taylor Soul, for example – were already among the top 30 transfers affected.
The following 10 players are potential X-factors that will determine how far the team will go in March or April of this year. They are players whose teammates have left and are hoping for more playing time, experienced starters whose importance is often underestimated, meeting a team’s needs or adding a new dimension to it. And by the end of the season, some of the players featured here could appear in the top 25 player rankings in the country, which are updated throughout the season.
The rankings were determined by a combination of what each player’s outstanding season meant for their respective teams and pre-season expectations for each program.
1. Aaliyah Edwards6-3, F, Jr., UConn Huskies
2021-22 Stats: 7.9PPG, 5.1RPG, 52.1FG%, 24.9MPG
As a senior on a team with a significant lack of college playing experience, especially in the aftermath of the 2020-21 National Player of the Year Paige BookersA season-ending ACL injury leaves Edwards with little choice but to have a breakout year if the Huskies want to return to their record-breaking 15th straight Final Four. Aji Fad When caroline ducharm Tasked with keeping things in the backcourt with the Bueckers out, it’s been a minute since UConn made an impressive post presence. Now, behind Edwards’s trademark tenacity and the opportunity to be given a fellowship post at Olivia Nelson Ododa’s graduation, is what many have envisioned since Edwards first arrived at Storrs. This is the perfect opportunity to make a leap forward.
2. Olivia Cochrane6-3, F, Jr., Louisville Cardinals
2021-22 Stats: 8.6PPG, 5.1RPG, 51.4FG%, 22.3MPG
Jeff Waltz’s squad is getting a new look after a flurry of transfers from last season, with the departure of three starters (Kiana Smith, Chelsea Hall and Emily Engstler).Starting alongside the stars as one of his two comebacks in his five hayley van lisCochrane is seen as consistently more productive as the Cardinals look to return to the Final Four for the second year in a row. , can Cochrane set his defensive tone internally and evolve into a bigger offensive threat as a junior? said he’s focused on staying in the best shape of his life and expanding his diversity.
3. hannah jump6-0, G, Sr., Cardinal Stanford
2021-22 Stats: 9.2PPG, 39.73FG%, 23.6MPG
In addition to graduating from Lexi Hull, Lacey Hull and Anna Wilson, Jana van Gitenbeek, the Cardinals are looking to replace North with 45% of their 3-point shooting from last season, which saw them reach back-to-back Final Fours, before Stanford fell to UConn in the national semifinals. Jumping, a 3-point ace shooting 3 to 39.7% or more each in seasons, is expected to be an even more reliable shooter for the Cardinals. Jump playing time has increased over the years in the program, from her 10.5 minutes per game as a freshman to 23.6 last year, up from 16.0, where she also earned her 13 starts. In particular, as one of her four senior her leaders on the team, Coach Tara Vanderveer asks Jump to perform as a consistent offensive threat alongside Star. hayley jonesfellow seniors, and Cameron Brink.
Four. Cheyenne Sellers, 6-2, G, So. , Maryland Terrapins
2021-22 Stats: 7.8PPG, 2.6APG, 41.6FG%, 26.5MPG
people are already expecting diamond mirror To do big things after a lot of players moved out of Maryland this offseason. This current Big Ten sixth Player of the Year adds freshmen from all conferences to the list. With five of Terps’ seven recurring contributors leaving last season (either on the WNBA or the transfer portal), Sellers has an outsized role as a sophomore with so many new faces at College Park. Not only could incoming transfers be hit-or-miss, Sellers had the third-most appearances on the team throughout his freshman season, starting 10 games, etc. , showed great potential. Additionally, she has stood out for her versatility as a big guard and her huge growth on the defensive side, leading Maryland with 56 her steals.
Five. Sarah Puckett6-2, So., G/F, Tennessee Lady Vols
2021-22 Stats: 6.4PPG, 43.4FG%, 3.5RPG, 21.2MPG
Anticipation over Lady Vols – not just coming back Jordan Horston When Accumulation key However, it incorporates a number of big-time transfers, including Rickea Jackson. But if a Kelly Harper-led team wants to take on reigning champions South Carolina in his SEC and then break out of the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2016, having a shooter that can hit from the perimeter would be very helpful. Enter the packet that showed she can knock down big shots in big moments by hitting a go-ahead 3 to put Tennessee ahead of the Belmont in the second round of her NCAA Tournament with less than 20 seconds left. Puckett will need to improve on her freshman season accuracy from her 3 (29.9%) if she truly wants to take on the role, but despite her young age, she has already earned the trust of her teammates and Harper. And it seems.
6. Alyssa Usby6-1, G, Jr., Tar Heels, NC
2021-22 Stats: 12.9PPG, 8.6RPG, 44.5FG%, 31.8MPG
Rising star headline Deja Kelly Not only Ustby, Tar Heels returned 85% of last year’s score and is the second best mark in the ACC. A second team All-ACC pick to start most games since coming to Chapel Hill, Astby finished second to the Tar Heels while leading the team in both rebounds and steals as a sophomore. An excellent scorer. North Carolina is expected to be an ACC contender and fans will remember giving eventual champion South Carolina the toughest shot in the NCAA Tournament (69-61 loss). I’m here. This was his first Sweet 16 appearance on the storied program since 2015, but if Courtney Banghart’s group is to keep going in the right direction, Tar Heels has more than Kelly to help with it. players are needed.
7. Lauren Ware6-5, F, Jr., Arizona Wildcats
2021-22 Stats: 5.7PPG, 4.2RPG, 1.1BPG, 21.7MPG
Ware’s sophomore season with the Wildcats was a bumpy one as he suffered a dislocated kneecap in early December, missing over a month of gameplay. She started in all but one of her games in her 2021-22 season, making her one of three starters to return to Arizona. Kate Reese When Shaina Pellington, but admitted that at the time it was difficult, both physically and mentally, to come back from injury. No need to. .5 She is the tallest player on the team. Weah could help Arizona have more success in both her Pac-12 and her NCAA Tournament after a disappointing 2021-22.
8. Gabby MarshallG, 5-9 years old, Senior, Iowa Hawkeyes
2021-22 Stats: 6.8 PPG, 39.3 3FG%, 1.7 Artillery, 31.7 MPG
Iowa has the luxury of bringing back all five of its starters from the past two seasons. Kaitlyn Clark When Monica ChinanoSo where do the Marshalls come from? The pressure she can relieve from Clarke having to produce from the backcourt is helpful and she can take Clarke’s dime a lot from paint penetration. Marshall has been a strong 3-point shooter since arriving in Iowa. But if she can get close to her clip from her sophomore season (47.1% on 4.0 3-point attempts per game), Iowa might really be cooking. However, the team needs to play better defense if Iowa is to reach the Final Four for the first time since 1993. Marshall has led the team in each of the last two seasons with hA0073x, so she can spearhead that effort.
9. Camille Hobby6-3, F, Sr., Wolfpack, NC
2021-22 Stats: 5.1PPG, 2.6RPG, 47.7FG%, 12.2MPG
Elissa Cunane, one of the most awarded players in Wolfpack history, and three other starters from last year’s Elite Eight team (Raina Perez, Kai Crutchfield, Kayla Jones). But maybe it’s time for Hobie, who’s been waiting behind Kunan’s glow for the past three years, to shine. North Carolina State fans were quick to point out Hobie’s only career start with his career-high 19 points in his 9-14 shooting success against Virginia Tech in January 2021. increase. “I expect great things from her,” North Carolina State coach Wes Moore said of Hobie at ACC Media Day. It will work and she has proven herself.I have confidence in her.”
Ten. Liz Scott6-2, F, Sr., Oklahoma Sooners
2021-22 Stats: 6.6PPG, 47.6FG%, 4.5RPG, 15.1MPG
When Taylor Robertson, Maddie Williams When Ana Llanusa Back in the fold, the Sooners were able to easily build on last year’s successful campaign under then-first-year head coach Jennie Baranczyk. One obvious outside player who could help them take the next step is Scott, who started 24 of 33 games as a junior and had a game-winning shot against a top 10 team last season. She will have to avoid the foul trouble that was a problem last season, but if Scott can stay on the court, help the Sooners on the grass and make more of an impact on the inside. Oklahoma’s attacks have become more diverse and increasingly threatening.
