Less than 100 days into the start of the 2022-23 women’s college basketball season, and while fall practice is still ahead, much of the offseason madness has been shaken off.
With a number of high-profile transfers and some major coaching changes, it seems poised to make the next campaign even more intriguing. I had a big setback last week.The August calendar has 11 key questions that seem poised to shape the next season.
Joens, Fudd, Freese
Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune/USA TODAY NETWORK; David Butler II/USA TODAY Sports; Sakuan Stimpson/IMAGO
1. Could the addition of Shayley Gonzalez help Texas return to the Final Four?
In each of Vic Schaefer’s first two seasons in Austin, the Longhorns fell to the Elite Eight. After freshman sensation Lori Harmon’s brilliant play last year, Texas entered the NCAA Tournament as the No. 2 seed, trailing the region’s No. 1 seed, Stanford, by one-half of him. Now in his second season with the program, Harmon is a legitimate All-American contender and arguably guaranteed to improve. Similar growth can be expected for sophomore forwards Aaliyah Moore and DeJonah Gaston. Additionally, guard Aliya Matar, the team’s leading scorer last season, is also back as a senior.
But perhaps there is no addition in the nation that Texas can prove to be as significant as adding Gonzalez. A three-time All-WCC First Team selection, Gonzalez averaged 18.3 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game last season. She helped BYU rank her 15th in the AP poll, ultimately carrying the Cougars to her 26-4 record and her NCAA Tournament berth. It remains to be seen how exactly she will fit into Texas’ backcourt, but if the Longhorns make it to the Final Four for the first time since 2003, Gonzales’ dynamic playmaking could very well make a difference.
2. What is UConn’s limit without Paige Bueckers?
The Huskies learned to play without a star guard last season. Bookers missed 19 games after tearing his anterior tibia plateau and lateral meniscus in early December. UConn went 15–4 as she was out of the lineup for nearly 12 weeks.But after Bookers persisted Season-ending ACL tear Last week, the group forced to jelly without her this time looks different than the group that overcame her absence last year. With all of them going pro, there will be pressure to produce for juniors Aaliyah Edwards and Nika Mule, as well as sophomores Caroline Ducharme and Aji Fudd.
How Fudd works is particularly important to UConn’s chances of success. Fudd, her No. 1 recruit in her class of 2021, showed offensive potential last year when her team’s elite eight scored 19 points in a win over North Carolina State. rice field. With Viewkers out of the lineup, she will routinely be the team’s top playmaker.UConn may still be a top 10 team nationally, but the 21st consensus National Player of the Year has been injured, the overall outlook has taken a hit.
3. After a busy offseason, can LSU replicate the success of 2021-22?
Hall of Fame coach Kim Mulkey led the Tigers to 26 wins in his first season in the program, even though the Tigers won only nine games in 2020–21.However, many important contributors, including sports illustrated Second Team All-American Guard Khayla Pointer departed and the roster became fluid. However, in Mulkey’s first full offseason, LSU appeared to have a facelift, adding four of his players to the transfer portal, including AP third-team All-American Angel his lease. Reese, who is 6-foot-3, averaged 17.8 points and 10.6 rebounds as his sophomore at the University of Maryland, and will soon be the centerpiece of Mulkey’s offense. If she plays like Poynter last year, and she plays like NaLyssa Smith, Diddy Richards, and Lauren Cox did during their recent tenure at Baylor, LSU will be a national remain a part of meaningful conversations.
4. Speaking of Reese, where does Maryland sit in the Big Ten hierarchy?
Brenda Freese and the Terrapins have never missed an NCAA Tournament since the 2009–10 season. And while they also entered the tournament last season, it was his first time in three years that the conference regular season and conference tournament titles were not included. Maryland then looked poised to rebuild after losing Reese, star guard Ashley Owusu (to Virginia Tech) and forward Mimi Collins (to North Carolina) to the transfer portal. Former Princeton star Abby Myers and her more experienced USF guard Elisa Pinzan are among his one of the program’s biggest picks at the Portal, both theoretically pushing Maryland into contention for his title in the conference. I was able to rewind. Additionally, guard Lavender Briggs, who joined mid-season from Florida but didn’t play due to injury, also provided offensive pop, averaging 16.7 and 6.3 points in 47 games with the Gators.
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5. Continuing the same question, can Owuss push Virginia Tech to the top of the ACC?
Last year’s ACC winners, NC State, may take a step back from the conference following the departures of Elissa Cunane, Kai Crutchfield, Kayla Jones and Raina Perez. And Louisville, who made the Final Four after another great season, could regress as Emily Engstler headed to the WNBA, giving Virginia Tech the chance to win his first ACC crown. will open the way. Led by coach Kenny Brooks, the team has competed in the NCAA Tournament every year for the past two years, with the return of her two-time All-ACC First Team center Elizabeth Kitley for her senior season. Add in Owusu, who averaged 17.9 points and 5.6 rebounds for the season in Maryland, and the Hokies have a one-two punch that could make them one of the hardest teams to play in the conference.
6. What will Baylor look like after a slew of celebrities leave?
Nicky Collin’s first season coaching Baylor came to an abrupt end, with the Bears losing double digits at home to South Dakota in the second round of the Big Dance. NaLyssa Smith and Queen Egbo are both now on Fever, and guard girlfriend Jordan Lewis has also graduated and headed into the professional ranks. Colin’s program includes three of his top 75 high school players, including Aija Blackwell (the No. 2 rebounder in the nation last season) and Dreuna Edwards (his 16.8 points and double-double record in Kentucky). threats) highlights new additions to the program. But how the new group will come together remains a question.
7. Will this continuity propel Iowa State University to the best year in program history?
Bill Fennelly has coached the Cyclones for over 20 years, but the program reached Elite Eight only twice during his tenure. It’s no laughing matter that this year’s group will be his third team to reach that juncture. Possibly the first team in the history of the school to surpass it. Guards Emily Ryan and Lexi Donalski are 2022 Big 12 Defensive Players of the Year and could be the conference’s most influential backcourt (at both ends). Additionally, the return of star winger Ashley Jones, who has considered turning pro, makes the ISU a legitimate All-American contender. The trio are among the best in the nation and could help make this season at Ames particularly memorable.
8. Will Tennessee become South Carolina’s biggest SEC challenger?
Lady Volz will miss winger Ray Burrell, who is currently playing for the Sparks, but the program utilized a stocked transfer portal. Top scorer Jordan His Houston is looking to build on his season as a breakout junior who nearly doubled his scoring average (from 8.6 to 16.2). Among the players to watch is forward Jasmine Franklin, who averaged 14.9 points and 12.1 rebounds for Missouri State in 2021–22. Forward Jillian Hollingshead struggled at times as a freshman at Georgia, but was a McDonald’s All-American in 2021. Former Minnesota guard Jasmine Powell. The veteran talent was able to push the Gamecocks during last year’s campaign. Perhaps Tennessee will be South Carolina’s biggest test this winter.
9. Is there any reason why South Carolina should not be supported for re-election?
Speaking of the current national champions, the short answer to the aforementioned question is no. The replacement of star guard Destanni Henderson is certainly one of the program’s top priorities, but much of the Gamecocks roster remains otherwise intact, with last year’s Naismith Player of the Year Aaliyah Boston It is natural to assume that we will have another dominant season. While there are certainly other schools entering the season on an ongoing basis, South Carolina should enter the 2022–23 campaign as a winning team.
10. What’s in store for Texas A&M after the Gary Blair era?
In 32 years as a college head coach, Blair lost only two seasons. His 2014-15 campaign last year is one of them. Blair has been the coach of the Aggies since his 2003 season and has been in the tournament every season since 2005 until their last game on the sidelines. After his retirement, the school took over by poaching last year’s SEC Coach of the Year, Joni Taylor, from Georgia, who led the Lady Bulldogs to his fourth NCAA Tournament with six tries. and at school he compiled a record of 140–75. Just last week, she was named assistant her coach for the US Women’s National Team in her Cup ’22 Worlds. It remains to be seen what style of play Taylor will implement, but after a year of decline, the arrow is pointing upwards again at College Station.
11. What will Rutgers look like when the era of C. Vivian Stringer is officially over?
On the final day of April, the Scarlet Knights announced that Hall of Fame coach C. Vivian Stringer will officially retire after 50 years of coaching, 1,055 wins, four Final Fours and 28 NCAA tournament appearances. Did. Stringer said she’s been with the Rutgers since 1995 and didn’t coach the team last season, but she’s the first black coach in NCAA history to record more than 1,000 games in her career. , has left its mark on the program for a long time.
This season, former Penn State coach Coquise Washington will lead the Scarlet Knights to play at the newly named Jersey Mike’s Arena in honor of her predecessor. Washington won his Big Ten Coach of the Year award three times and led the Lady Lions to his four NCAA Tournaments during his 12 seasons at the university. Rutgers has only performed the big dance three times in the last decade. But regardless, how Washington follows up on the Hall of Fame induction remains to be seen.
More college basketball coverage:
• Bueckers injury hits UConn and sport
• Texas Tech’s WBB signs NIL deal for $25,000 per player
• 101 things that define the men’s offseason
