-
Michael Voepel
UConn is accustomed to maintaining its stage of play throughout convention season no matter how little the Huskies could be challenged. This has been true within the outdated Huge East, the American Athletic Convention and the brand new Huge East. UConn focuses on competing and executing to a sure commonplace, even in lopsided video games.
However in February, the Huskies — who stay No. 6 in ESPN’s girls’s faculty basketball Energy Rankings — make their foray into the SEC, which supplies them an opportunity to assist their NCAA match résumé. On Thursday, they are going to face Tennessee (6:30 p.m. ET, ESPN), and on Feb. 16, they are going to meet South Carolina (1 p.m. ET, ABC). Each video games are on the street and may give UConn a style of what to anticipate in NCAA match play.
Nothing towards the Huge East, however the Huskies are in cruise management to date this season. They’re 12-0 in league play and have gained these convention video games by a mean of 33.7 factors. The closest any Huge East group has come to difficult UConn is Creighton, which fell by 11 factors at house on Jan. 25.
Up subsequent, first-year Tennessee coach Kim Caldwell and her up-tempo urgent system will attempt to make the Huskies uncomfortable and turnover-prone. And South Carolina, which misplaced its first eight matchups with UConn in a collection that dates to 2007, has gained 5 of the previous six conferences with the Huskies.
Among the many UConn fan base, the Huskies may win each sport by 50 factors and the curiosity would stay. However followers outdoors that bubble generally would possibly lose observe of the Huskies whereas they energy previous league foes. Now is an effective time to tune again into UConn.
Earlier rating: 1
The Bruins performed only one sport final week and had no drawback beating Minnesota (by 26 factors). Might they be challenged by Ohio State this week? UCLA hasn’t actually had any shut calls in Huge Ten play, so we’ll see how the Bruins deal with that if it occurs.
Subsequent seven days: vs. Ohio State (Feb. 5), @ Oregon (Feb. 9)
Earlier rating: 2
The Gamecocks beat Auburn on Sunday after they honored A’ja Wilson by retiring her jersey. South Carolina is on a path to its third consecutive good season in SEC play. In margin of defeat amongst convention foes, solely Tennessee (70-63) has come inside single digits of South Carolina. However the Gamecocks could have their second assembly of the season with Texas this weekend. The Longhorns shall be on the lookout for revenge after dropping by 17 factors at South Carolina on Jan. 12.
Subsequent seven days: @ Georgia (Feb. 6), @ Texas (Feb. 9)
Earlier rating: 3
Final week, we mentioned, “Maybe the 2 upcoming street video games may problem Notre Dame.” That did not occur. The Irish beat Virginia Tech by 16 factors and Louisville by 18. Notre Dame guard Hannah Hidalgo had a mixed 64 factors and 10 assists, as she continues to be an enormous issue within the Nationwide Participant of the 12 months race.
Subsequent seven days: vs. Stanford (Feb. 6), vs. Cal (Feb. 9)
Earlier rating: 5
Generally, the SEC can get a bit slowed down with protection. However the offenses took middle stage at LSU final week, with the Tigers beating Oklahoma 107-100. It was the primary time two SEC groups each topped 100 factors in a regulation sport. LSU adopted that with an 81-67 win over Mississippi State. Mikaylah Williams had an enormous week with a mixed 59 factors, going 11-of-20 from behind the arc, whereas Aneesah Morrow had a mixed 32 rebounds.
Subsequent seven days: @ Missouri (Feb. 6), vs. Tennessee (Feb. 9)
Earlier rating: 7
The Longhorns bought a harder battle from Missouri than anticipated however nonetheless gained by 9 factors. Then they did not go away something to likelihood at Texas A&M, successful by 20. Texas’ subsequent stretch may decide lots about its NCAA match seed, because the Longhorns will face 4 ranked groups in a row.
Subsequent seven days: vs. Vanderbilt (Feb. 6), vs. South Carolina (Feb. 9)
Earlier rating: 6
The Huskies may have gone sleepwalking and nonetheless beat DePaul and Butler final week. However as an alternative, they performed nicely, capturing higher than 50% from behind the arc in each video games. It must be enjoyable to see how UConn’s dynamic trio of Paige Bueckers, Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong will play in Knoxville, Tennessee, this week.
Subsequent seven days: @ Tennessee (Feb. 6), @ Windfall (Feb. 9)
Earlier rating: 4
After a 13-point win towards visiting Minnesota, the Trojans had the unhealthy luck to play at Iowa the day Caitlin Clark‘s jersey was retired. That appeared to intensely encourage the Hawkeyes, who pulled off an surprising 76-69 victory. This won’t have been such a foul factor for USC, although. The Trojans are nonetheless projected as a No. 1 seed, and it may assist them to get a wake-up name after not dropping in additional than two months.
Subsequent seven days: @ Wisconsin (Feb. 5), vs. Ohio State (Feb. 8)
Earlier rating: 8
The Buckeyes beat Washington by 10 final week, and this week is their time to essentially make an announcement with a visit to Los Angeles towards two top-10 opponents.
Subsequent seven days: @ UCLA (Feb. 5), @ USC (Feb. 8)
Earlier rating: 11
The Wildcats are off to a powerful begin to the troublesome ending stretch of their SEC schedule: They beat ranked groups Alabama at house and Oklahoma on the street final week. Guard Georgia Amoore went 0-for-8 from 3-point vary in Kentucky’s lone SEC loss at Texas A&M on Jan. 23. Amoore was the precise reverse towards the Sooners on Sunday: seven of her 15 subject objectives had been 3-pointers, and she or he completed with 43 factors.
Subsequent seven days: @ Ole Miss (Feb. 10)
Earlier rating: 10
Final week, the Frogs bought an excellent win at a troublesome place for visiting groups: Iowa State. Subsequent up is the matchup with Kansas State that might assist decide who would be the Huge 12 champion; each groups are 21-2 total and 9-1 within the league.
Subsequent seven days: @ Kansas State (Feb. 5), vs. Texas Tech (Feb. 8), vs. BYU (Feb. 11)
Earlier rating: 12
With star middle Ayoka Lee out since Jan. 19 with a fractured foot, the Wildcats have been regrouping. They misplaced their first sport after Lee’s damage, to Colorado on Jan. 25. However they bounced again final week with an extra time win over Iowa State and a 27-point blowout of Kansas.
Subsequent seven days: vs. TCU (Feb. 5), @ Oklahoma State (Feb. 8)
Earlier rating: 15
Be careful for NC State, which returned to the Energy Rankings final week after 2½ months out. The Wolfpack then solidified their spot with Monday’s victory over Duke through which guard Aziaha James scored 36 factors and NC State did not let the Blue Devils management the tempo.
Subsequent seven days: @ Florida State (Feb. 9)
Earlier rating: 9
Duke moved up 5 spots within the Energy Rating final week, however its 89-83 loss to NC State on Monday dropped it again 4 spots. The Blue Devils had held eight consecutive opponents beneath 60 factors till the Wolfpack’s offense broke by way of towards them.
Subsequent seven days: vs. Clemson (Feb. 6), vs. Miami (Feb. 9)
Earlier rating: 13
The Sooners knew there could be a studying curve within the SEC, and they’re experiencing it. They’ve misplaced three of their previous 4 video games, nevertheless it’s arduous to punish them an excessive amount of within the Energy Rankings contemplating the standard of their opponents: LSU and Kentucky this previous week, and South Carolina on Jan. 19. Nonetheless, Oklahoma is aware of it wants higher protection and extra consistency from behind the arc.
Subsequent seven days: @ Ole Miss (Feb. 6), vs. Auburn (Feb. 10)
Earlier rating: NR
The Tar Heels have been out and in of the Energy Rankings since mid-January, however a profitable journey to the Bay Area final week, throughout which they beat Cal and Stanford, has them again in.
Subsequent seven days: @ Clemson (Feb. 9)
Earlier rating: 16
5 days after crushing rival Michigan by 30 factors, the Spartans had been stunned at house by a four-point loss to Oregon. They bounced again with a 14-point victory over Northwestern, which was sufficient to maintain them within the Energy Rankings. However February’s schedule has some actual challenges for Michigan State, together with a rematch with the Wolverines.
Subsequent seven days: vs. Michigan (Feb. 9)
Fell out: Maryland Terrapins
