If the hope was that two weeks of basketball would provide a clearer picture of the hierarchy in women’s college basketball this season, that hasn’t been the case. In fact, most of my conversations since Nov. 6 features some variation of, “Wait, is Team X any good?”
Aside from South Carolina at the top — hold me back if you’ve heard of that one before — every other projected opponent took its lumps. As the Gamecocks run through their opposition, most teams around the country need some time to figure out new rosters and systems. Expect growing pains, like LSU and Virginia Tech incorporating new transfers, or Maryland and Indiana dealing with the graduations of WNBA first-round picks.
However, overall, the quality of play across the country was better than expected. But because of my regional biases, and the fact that this is the last year of the Pac-12 as we know it, these inaugural rankings will focus on the conference west in the middle of an epic going away party .
Almost Famous: Duke, Princeton, Maryland
Is Stanford’s frontcourt living up to its promise?
The Cardinal had an embarrassment of riches at the forward positions last season, but there are too many options for any individual player – other than Cameron Brink – to get enough run, especially since Stanford often goes small with Haley Jones in four. Now the rotation is shorter, and the main beneficiary is Kiki Iriafen, who thrives on a bigger minute load.
Carolyn Peck called Iriafen a mix of Chiney and Nneka Ogwumike with a dash of A’ja Wilson on Sunday’s Stanford-Duke broadcast, and while the praise may seem hyperbolic, Iriafen’s start has been remarkable. The junior is averaging 21 points and nine rebounds per game through four contests, blowing away his per-minute averages from the previous two seasons. The Cardinal are already a good paint offense in 2022-23, converting 63 percent of their shot attempts at the rim; Iriafen’s success rate so far has been almost impressive, as he has made 25 of 31 shots at the basket. Brink’s ability to space the floor as a shooter and a high-low passer allows Iriafen to work the room, and that frontcourt tandem is the main reason Stanford is undefeated despite receiving two strong opponent (Indiana and Duke) at Maples Pavilion to start the year .
One of the most confusing storylines of Stanford’s 2022-23 campaign has been the way the Cardinal have used (or perhaps, failed to use) Lauren Betts. The No. 1 recruit in the nation was a thought in Stanford’s rotation, averaging fewer than 10 minutes and getting DNP-ed twice, so it’s no surprise that Betts looked elsewhere for the rest of the his college career.
Betts’ move to Los Angeles clarified the frontcourt situation for the Cardinal, and it was also a boon for the Bruins. UCLA plays an active brand of defense, swarming ballhandlers and applying heavy ball pressure, but it can create openings on the side if the opponent is behind the defense, especially when the Bruins spend most of of the season without a traditional center on the court. That’s no longer an issue with Betts, who serves as an eraser in the paint, but more often prevents opponents from attempting shots around him. Opponents are taking less than 15 percent of their shots at the rim against UCLA, better than 97 percent of defenses, according to CBB Analytics.
What’s interesting is that Betts’ impact is actually more pronounced on offense. Through four games, UCLA is 38 points per 100 possessions better with Betts on the floor, with 25 of those points coming on offense. He works to seal off his defender so the Bruins can get him the ball inside, but when that doesn’t work, he’s a willing and effective screener who creates space for his guards to get to the basket. Against Princeton, Betts made all nine of his field-goal attempts through three quarters, but didn’t get off any shot attempts in the fourth as the Tigers did everything they could to deny him the ball. She responded by playing a pick-and-roll with Charisma Osborne, and while a defender stayed glued to Betts, Osborne had open jumpers and driving lanes.
Charisma Osborne and Lauren Betts combined for 4️⃣3️⃣ points to push No. 3 UCLA past Princeton at Pauley on Friday 😤
Highlights ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/OvAino7kdD
— Pac-12 Network (@Pac12Network) November 18, 2023
The most complete offensive player in the Pac-12
Iriafen, Brink and Betts brought the goods to start the season, and while the Utes are the first Pac-12 team to register a loss in 2023-24, that doesn’t diminish how good the reigning conference player of the year is. . The only way to stop Alissa Pili is by taking her off the court, because Pili can do everything on offense. He entered Sunday having made nearly 79 percent of his field goals on the season; his jumper was on point, an almost unfair complement to his good footwork in the post.
This reverse finish from Pili against Baylor high off the glass is difficult to understand in real time.
It’s actually solid defense, but Alissa Pili has angles and footwork down to a mastery
Like going back and forth on the top of the mirror? Who does that lmao
What a basket pic.twitter.com/WEIR3459yL
— Mark Schindler (@MG_Schindler) November 16, 2023
At a later date, we’ll examine the defensive improvements Utah needs to make and how it can stay afloat when Pili is in foul trouble. For now, it’s more fun to simply appreciate what a uniquely skilled offensive player Pili is.
Why the Buffs are in the national conversation
Conference play is just a few weeks away, and I’m already buzzing about the potential Pac-12 player of the year race. The league is full of dominant frontcourt players, but for two weeks, I couldn’t take my eyes off Jaylyn Sherrod. At 5-foot-7, he finishes 60 percent of his shots in the restricted area and gets there nearly five times per game. It takes a rare combination of speed and strength to get to the basket so often and so effectively, especially when his long-range jumper really isn’t there. Even when defenses pass Sherrod because he’s not a threat to come off screens, he can’t be corralled on his path to the hoop.
🌪🌪🌪@Jaylynsherrod // 💻 ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/hGOiyif8V4
— Colorado Women’s Basketball 🦬 (@CUBuffsWBB) November 19, 2023
What’s most impressive about Sherrod is his ability to adapt to any speed. Colorado is comfortable executing in the half court, whether that’s letting Sherrod dictate action from the top of the key or using its forwards as hand-off hubs at the elbows. Sherrod can also force the ball down opponents’ throats with his quickness in transition. Against LSU in the opener, the Buffaloes dominated in the open court, and against SMU Saturday, Colorado had to execute against a set defense. Both games resulted in comfortable wins.
The lone female wrecking crew of Notre Dame
From a fifth-year senior to a daring rookie, the state of guard play in college basketball is at an all-time high. It’s hard to believe that Hidalgo is in his first year at Notre Dame, as he leads the team on both ends of the floor like a seasoned veteran. Injuries to Olivia Miles and now Sonia Citron (even coach Niele Ivey was relieved to announce that Citron should be back in a few weeks) have given Hidalgo more responsibility for the Irish, but apparently – in his confidence – hopefully he’ll take on a bigger role regardless.
Hidalgo has been a one-woman wrecking crew for Notre Dame, and it’s fitting that the player who sealed the gold medal for Team USA at this summer’s FIBA U-19 World Cup with a steal brought a level of defensive prowess in South Bend . He’s averaging nearly seven takeaways per game — for context, 117 teams in Division I are recording fewer — and had a 12-steal night that tied the program record with fellow New Jersey fireball which is Marina Mabrey.
It’s confusing to see opposing teams try to carry the ball against his full-court pressure or go right to Hidalgo on defense without trying to screen the ball off. He has endless motor as a point-of-attack defender and tremendous instincts in help defense. Notre Dame is 22.1 points per 100 possessions better defensively only when Hidalgo is on the court, which seems like a misprint until you realize opponents are turning the ball over 11 percent more often in those minutes. Two weeks into his college career, Hidalgo might be the most exciting defensive playmaker in the country.
Doing everything 💪🔥 @HannahHidalgo #NCAAWBB x 🎥 @ndwbb
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) November 18, 2023
Is Iowa’s shot distribution an issue?
Monika Czinano attempted 10.6 field goals per game last season, with another 7.7 coming from McKenna Warnock. That’s about 18 shots per night that Iowa will have to reallocate for this season. The best result was Hannah Stuelke assuming most of that workload, but she only added four more tries per game. Sharon Goodman and Addison O’Grady added three more shot attempts to their averages, but that still leaves about eight goals per contest, and most of those are going to Caitlin Clark.
In theory, giving the best offensive player in the country more shots isn’t a problem, but Clark’s workload is a little too much for Iowa right now. And the reigning national player of the year admitted after the Hawkeyes’ loss to Kansas State that he needs to get better at getting everyone involved. Coach Lisa Bluder brought that point back when she said of her post players: “We have to have more faith in them.”
The magic Clark created with Czinano won’t be easily replicated, though Iowa seems to keep making one great post after another. But the only hope for that to happen is for Clark to at least give Stuelke, Goodman and O’Grady a chance.
(Photo by Te-Hina Paopao: Jacob Kupferman / Getty Images)
