The NCAAW season has already seen a ton of movement at the top of the mountain, as teams have fallen to the valley while others have capitalized on there being more room in the upper echelon of the country. As conference play approaches, here is where the top-six teams stand heading into Decemeber.
1. South Carolina (7-0)
The Gamecocks' dominance over tanked teams continued when they were able to stave off an upset against No. 15 UCLA on Nov. 29. Senior Aliyah Boston was a game-time decision after injuring her foot vs. Hampton and still put up 18 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks. After beating the Bruins, South Carolina now has a 16-game win streak over ranked opponents. Unless something happens to Boston's foot and she misses extended time, the Gamecocks are going to continue to look down at the rest of the pack.
2. Stanford (8-1)
If it didn't have to run into South Carolina early in the season, Stanford would be undefeated. The Cardinal have a nice balance of youth and experience on the roster with senior Haley Jones and junior Cameron Brink leading the charge. They have a whopping 48.9 net rating this season and will enter every matchup from here on in as the favorite.
3. UConn (5-0)
The Huskies continue to bulldoze their opponents this season despite the loss of Paige Bueckers and Ice Brady. Azzi Fudd is enjoying one of the best sophomore offensive seasons in recent memory, averaging 25.6 points while cashing in on 40.5% of her 8.4 three-point opportunities per game. When opponents fight through screens and game plan around stopping her, Fudd's teammate have stepped up. Nika Mühl's defense and ability to open up the Huskies' offense has been huge with the losses of Bueckers and Brady. UConn isn't dropping off anytime soon.
4. Indiana (7-0)
There's a case to be made for Ohio State in this spot but the brilliance of Grace Berger and Mackenzie Holmes is what puts the Hoosiers over the edge. Berger injured her ankle during what is now the infamous ballroom tournament over Feast Week and is out indefinitely but listed as day-to-day. That could change the Hoosiers' rank by next week but as of right now, the duo of Holmes (20 points per game) and Berger (10 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.8 assists).
5) Ohio State (6-0)
The Jacy Sheldon experience has been everything it has cracked up to be as the senior is averaging 6.8 steals per game, which shockingly enough leads the nation. Sheldon is surrounded by some of the best shooters in the country which has led to them averaging 94 points per game. They lost some senior talent last year but it hasn't stopped them from being one of the best teams in the country. The Big Ten has become one of the more competitive conferences but the Buckeyes are right there at the top.
6) North Carolina (6-0)
One of the best stories of the 2022-23 season so far has been the rise of UNC. For the first time in over 15 years, they have cracked the top-ten. Now, they are proving they can stay there. They beat Iowa State and Oregon during Feast Week by getting to the rim at will. Teams are going to have to find a way to slow them down in transition which they have yet to prove to be able to do so far. Defensively, they have a 74.2 defensive rating through six games which ranks in the 94th percentile this year.
On the way down: Louisville
Louisville has really missed the presence of Emily Englster, who was drafted in the first round of the 2022 WNBA draft. The defensive edge the former Cardinal brought them as been missed and there is only so much Hannah van Lith can do to propel the team against the best of the best.
On the way down: Tennessee
As head coach Kellie Harper said recently, the team is hurting. Expectations were high heading into this season after Rickea Jackson joined Jordan Hurston and Tamari Key from last year's team. The results haven't been pretty and a once highly-regarded Tennessee team is still searching for answers before the start of December.
Follow Us
Subscribe