Category: NCAA Women’s Basketball

Hailey Van Lith’s redemption tour with TCU is already silencing the haters

It’s a bad time to be a Hailey Van Lith hater.

Hailey Van Lith has been balling since she transferred to TCU, and more people should be talking about it.

When Van Lith left Louisville, her decision to join Kim Mulkey and Angel Reese at LSU was lauded as one of women’s college basketball’s best transfer portal moves. On paper, it was program-changing. But reality painted a much different picture. Van Lith struggled in Mulkey’s system, and despite doing her best to work through it, her shortcomings were seemingly broadcast for the world to see. She became a meme and even a viral photo.

However, a second transfer to TCU — a move For The Win’s Mitchell Northam predicted would make the Horned Frogs a must-watch team — is already silencing Van Lith’s haters. She’s having a breakout season. In fact, the Washington native’s playing exactly the way we know she can.

Through eight games, Van Lith is averaging 19.9 points, 7.1 assists, and 5.5 rebounds. Along with players like Sedona Prince, she’s also helped TCU stay undefeated and earn a No. 9 ranking, its highest ever in an AP Top 25 Poll.

Van Lith showed flashes of her old self this past summer at the Paris Olympics when she and Team USA Basketball’s 3×3 team won bronze. But it seems that the change of scenery and support from head coach Mark Campbell has fostered an environment that’s allowed her to blossom again. As TCU’s social media team recently stated about its star guard, “What are they gonna say now?”

https://www.instagram.com/p/DC-5Hi8NL6p/?igsh=MWV0endoM3FlYzNsbg==

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UCLA women’s team beats Fresno State by 56 points

A massive blowout for UCLA.

The UCLA Bruins pushed their season-opening win streak to seven games after defeating Fresno State 97-41 on Saturday, as the #1 Bruins continue to impress with only one of their wins coming by single digits.

It was business as usual for UCLA in their second game in the 2024 Rainbow Wahine Showdown against the Bulldogs, dropping 97 points for the second straight game, the Bruins’ fourth game this year with at least 90 points. 

UCLA jumped in front 29-17 after the first quarter but in the second quarter, the Bruins turned off Fresno State’s faucet, as the Bulldogs’ offense experienced a dry spell, scoring only six points in the second period. Things didn’t improve too much for Fresno in the second half, scoring just 18 total points after halftime.

Junior center Lauren Betts etched her sixth double-double of the season, with 20 points and 12 rebounds. It wasn’t her most efficient game, with four turnovers and one assist while shooting 9-16 from the field. Junior guard Gabriela Jaquez continued her strong play off of the bench with 15 points on 7-9 shooting, for her third straight game in double-figures.

Junior guard Kiki Rice had her best game of the season, with the Wooden Award Watchlist member posting a season-high 15 points in just her fourth game of the season after coming back from a shoulder injury. Rice played 24 minutes and made six of her nine shots while adding six assists and three steals. 

The Bruins’ offense only problem on Saturday came at the free throw line, going 8-16 from the charity stripe, shooting at a higher percentage from the field (56%) than they did at the line. 

UCLA will end their Rainbow Wahine Showdown action on Sunday against host school Hawaii.

South Carolina wore Ring Pops and custom shirts during national championship ring reveal

This is fantastic.

Dawn Staley and South Carolina really celebrated their national championship with Ring Pops and “Ring Us” shirts, and in our opinion, that’s the only way to do it.

On Monday, South Carolina got the chance to continue relishing in its historic run last season. The Gamecocks reflected on an undefeated record and a national championship in the only way you should — with complete shenanigans.

Those antics included Ring Pops (because why not?!) and custom shirts that said “Ring Us” for the whole team. Pretty sweet, right? However, that’s not nearly as awesome as the team’s actual rings. South Carolina received two pieces of totally iced-out jewelry for winning the SEC Championship and their national title.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DDGQP_1x3eq/?igsh=cDBsMmE1ZHlqdzRh&img_index=1

https://www.instagram.com/gamecockwbb/p/DDHnNYms3wA/?img_index=10

(Feature image courtesy of ABC Columbia)

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Kim Mulkey wore a wild exotic pink tiger sweater during 100th win with LSU

Tigers for the Tigers.

Nobody wears an outfit quite like LSU coach Kim Mulkey, and her creation for her 100th win since landing in the bayou did not disappoint.

So, we need to apologize. We’ve been slacking our Kim Mulkey fit tracking for the last few weeks. (We know. We know. Sorry to disappoint.) Nevertheless, we’re up to speed now, and it’s just in time.

On Sunday, as LSU marched to a resounding victory, Kim Mulkey was wearing tigers — neon pink tigers striped like candy canes. We’re not kidding. As Kim earned her 100th win with the program, she was fittingly wearing a wild exotic tiger sweater, and it’s so on-brand (and so awful) that it’s glorious.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DDDUzG-SPHO/?igsh=MXBybmNhaDNzdWcwMg==

https://www.instagram.com/p/DDDUcisBsML/?igsh=NWdpeWtvZml3aXJp

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Why JuJu Watkins’ mom still makes her signature bun for every game

Juju Watkins’ mom needs to drop the secret. The bun is always IMMACULATE.

Anytime USC sophomore sensation JuJu Watkins takes the floor, it’s hard to miss her signature high ponytail shaped into a bun. You might wonder how it ALWAYS looks so crisp without a hair out of place.

Here’s the answer: Her mom still does it for her every game.

This is what JuJu recently said when asked why her mom does her hair:

“The fact that everybody’s gonna know my mom does my hair after this…like, I’m getting so much backlash. Listen, this is all I’m gonna say: I’m working on it. I’m trying to get it like that. This woman has 18 years of experience. So, please. Relax. Chill on me for a second.”

It’s hard to replicate something that has CLEARLY been perfected with an ironclad process. So, her (not so) secret is safe with us. But we can’t wait for JuJu to try it on her own. We know the results would be tremendous.

@uninterrupted

JuJu Watkins shares her pregame routine with her mom ❤️ #StateFarmPartner #JuJuWatkins #basketball #USC #SierraCanyon

♬ original sound – uninterrupted

https://www.instagram.com/p/DC2G–hxqb8/?igsh=MTc4OTh5Z2Y5Zjk4cA==

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Why Dawn Staley and South Carolina’s stunning loss to UCLA isn’t concerning … yet

R-E-L-A-X.

On Sunday, South Carolina’s 43-game win streak came tumbling down, and the murmurs will start about whether this is the “end of an era” for head coach Dawn Staley and her squad. However, let’s not do that.

Watching UCLA steamroll South Carolina, it’s pretty easy to have a knee-jerk reaction and say, “Pack it up, Gamecocks. You’re done.” But, if you’ve been paying attention, this was inevitable. From the team’s season opener against Michigan until now, South Carolina has been skating along.

The Gamecocks escaped multiple matchups despite substandard shooting and being bullied by buckets from all over the court. Most teams didn’t have enough to compete with the Gamecocks down the stretch of games, and South Carolina’s signature pesky defense usually saved them. However, UCLA was different. As Dawn Staley said after Sunday’s shellacking, “We ran into a buzz saw today.”

However, I would be more concerned if this was March. It’s November, and the team has played just six games with a tweaked roster.

It must be considered that South Carolina is still working through the loss of former center Kamilla Cardoso and how to replace her defensive presence, ability to rebound, and paint production. You can’t readily recreate 6-foot-seven with 14 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks per game. Sania Feagin and Chloe Kitts are stellar, but they aren’t Cardoso.

Also, while South Carolina’s shooting woes have also extended across the team, plaguing standouts like Raven Johnson and Te-Hina Paopao (and fans are starting to question what’s also happening with MiLaysia Fulwiley), this is Dawn Staley we’re talking about. She’s one of the best coaches in college basketball and the queen of adjustments. Staley will figure it out.

If she doesn’t, I’ll happily be wrong. Feel free to yell and scream at me for my horrid analysis. But this isn’t concerning…yet.

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UCLA’s Lauren Betts sends direct warning to college basketball after Bruins upset South Carolina

Lauren Betts wants all the smoke.

UCLA’s win over No. 1 ranked South Carolina wasn’t a fluke, and Bruins center Lauren Betts says if you haven’t been paying attention, now would be the time to.

Let’s say the thing. It was not close on Sunday. From the opening tip to the final buzzer, UCLA commanded the floor and had an answer for everything the Gamecocks tried to do. The Bruins beat South Carolina on the boards (41-34), held four starters to under five points, and *checks notes* not a single starter went to the free-throw line. UGLY STUFF.

Furthermore, five UCLA players scored in double figures, including Londynn Jones, who was sensational from the line with five 3-pointers, and star center Lauren Betts, who had 11 points, 14 rebounds, four assists and four blocks. WHEW. Postgame, Betts raved about her team and how proud she was, but she also sent a direct warning to college basketball. “If you’ve been sleeping on UCLA,” Betts said.  “You need to stop right now.”

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DCxdg0_y85z/?igsh=MWdzdjZ0Y2kwYXcxbg==

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Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo, Olivia Miles cooked USC and looked like women’s college basketball’s best duo

The partnership between Hannah Hidalgo and Olivia Miles has raised the ceiling for Notre Dame.

All offseason long, a lot of folks around women’s college basketball offered the same concern when it came to Notre Dame’s outlook this season. The common question was that, while the Irish seemed to be incredibly talented on-paper, could Hannah Hidalgo and Olivia Miles coexist?

Miles, you might remember, led the way for Notre Dame at point guard in the 2022-23 season as it won the regular season ACC title. In the final game of that regular season, at Louisville, she suffered a right knee injury that required surgery to repair and sidelined her for all of last season. In her absence, Hidalgo, then a freshman, emerged and grabbed the reins for the Irish with both hands, earning an All-American nod, leading Notre Dame to an ACC Tournament crown and a Sweet 16 appearance, and established herself as one of the game’s rising stars.

Folks were asking the question about Miles and Hidalgo last March. Miles provided an answer back then. We should have listened to her.

“… No one is really ready for what’s about to happen. So, we’re kind of letting everyone talk, but it’s going to be really incredible when it actually happens.”

Against their toughest opponent so far of this season, Miles and Hidalgo gave fans the full experience of what their partnership can be and have quickly staked their claim as the best duo in women’s college basketball.

On Saturday, on the road against No. 3 USC in Los Angeles, Hidalgo and Miles were the best two players on the court as the Irish won 74-61. Hidalgo piled up 24 points, eight rebounds, six assists and five steals, while Miles stuffed the stat sheet with 20 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and three steals.

Their performance was historic. And that’s not hyperbole.

 


Miles swished 4-of-5 3-pointers, Hidalgo drew wild reactions, and Irish coach Niele Ivey danced in the locker room afterwards.

What Notre Dame proved on Saturday in its impressive win over a formidable opponent like USC is that Miles and Hidalgo have no problem playing together. Against the Trojans, they looked like the best backcourt in the country. Five games into the season, Miles is 10th nationally in assists (6.8) and is shooting a career-best 54.2 percent from 3-point land. Hidalgo meanwhile is sixth nationally in points per game (24.8) and second in steals (5.2).

The question for Notre Dame now is, can it get healthy and will it have enough depth to make a deeper run in March? Can the Irish get back to the Final Four for the first time since 2019, when it lost in Tampa in the final moments of the championship bout against Baylor?

Because what was wild about Saturday’s result is that Notre Dame beat USC by double-digits without All-ACC forward Maddy Westbeld and All-Big East transfer Liza Karlen. The Irish beat USC in their house comfortably without even being at full strength.

Getting Westbeld and Karlen back in the fold would raise the Irish’s ceiling. But even without them, it’s pretty high when the Miles-Hidalgo tandem is playing like this.

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Cori Close calls weekend of women’s college hoops ‘Final Four level’

A lot of talent coming to SoCal this weekend.

The defending champion and #1 team in the country, South Carolina Gamecocks visiting Pauley Pavilion and the #5 ranked Bruins this Sunday won’t be the only heavyweight battle this weekend in women’s college basketball, with #3 USC hosting #6 Notre Dame in what could be a preview of what’s to come in the NCAA Tournament in March.

Or at least that’s what UCLA head coach Cori Close suggested in her post-game press conference after the Bruins’ 101-52 win over Arkansas last Sunday. 

“It’s going to be an unbelievable atmosphere,” Close said of the top-five matchup against the Gamecocks. “I love it that the day before Notre Dame to play USC. It’s like Final Four-level basketball in November, in LA. How awesome is that?”

Close and the Bruins will certainly have their hands full on Sunday, with the Gamecocks having won 43 games in a row entering Sunday’s game. The last loss for South Carolina came in the Final Four back in 2023 against Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes, where Clark needed 41 points to hold off South Carolina 77-73.

It will be quite the collection of talent in Los Angeles this weekend, with both schools welcoming top-ten opponents with the Crosstown Showdown between the Bruins’ and the Trojans’ football teams right in between the two basketball games.

Juju Watkins documentary to premiere this Saturday

JuJu Watkins stars in a documentary for which she will also get a producer’s credit. The doc is the lead-in to the USC women’s basketball game vs Notre Dame.

Saturday will be a huge day for Trojan athletics on NBC. At 1 p.m. Pacific time, the network will air the USC women’s basketball team’s early-season top-five showdown with Notre Dame. Then at 7:30 p.m., NBC will also show the football team’s crosstown rivalry matchup with UCLA. Prior to the two games, NBC will also premiere a documentary on USC women’s basketball star Juju Watkins.

Entitled, “On the Rise: Juju Watkins,” JuJu herself both stars in and helps produce the series. It will follow Watkins’ journey from her time in high school through her freshman year at USC, when she immediately established herself as one of the top players in the country.

With the release of the documentary, Watkins effectively becomes the first college athlete to have a series about her while still in school. It will feature appearances by celebrities including WNBA legend Candace Parker, rapper 2Chainz, and former USC star Tina Thompson.

The first two episodes of “On the Rise: Juju Watkins” will air Saturday at noon Pacific on NBC. They will immediately lead into the showdown between the Trojans and the Fighting Irish. The remaining episodes will stream exclusively on Peacock.

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