The opening day of Division 1 women’s basketball is complete, and there is A LOT to cover. In this article we will look to cover the top storylines from yesterday’s games.
We have also posted a short podcast that covers all of this and more! Listen here: drive.google.com/file/d/19eaIrZ5xxtgqQsGR5F0ag6qIYXbFSnOC/view…
How About Those Freshmen?
We have all known that the 2023 class was special, but WOW. The freshmen came to play. Here’s a look at some of the notable freshmen performances from Day 1.
- Juju Watkins – USC
32 points | 6 rebounds | 5 assists
Juju was dominant from start to finish. She was in attack mode against one of the most aggressive defenses in the country. USC has got to be VERY excited about what the future holds with Juju leading them. - Milaysia Fulwiley – South Carolina
17 points | 6 steals | 6 assists
Milaysia was one of the most electric and explosive players throughout high school, and she displayed that style of play yesterday in her first collegiate game. Milaysia played like Milaysia. Out of all of the freshmen, she may have one of the highest ceilings.
- Hannah Hidalgo – Notre Dame
31 points | 3 steals | 4 rebounds
Hannah was awesome for the Fighting Irish. She prides herself on being impactful on both ends of the floor, and she consistently did that yesterday. Notre Dame struggled throughout the game, but with Hannah playing the way she is and the potential to get Olivia Miles back soon they should be very optimistic.
- Oluchi Okananwa – Duke
22 points | 12 rebounds
Oluchi wasn’t the most talked about Duke freshman going into the season, but she was yesterday. She set a freshman record for rebounds, and became the 7th Duke freshman to have a double-double in their rookie debut. If Duke can continue to get that kind of play out of Oluchi, they’re going to be a tough team to beat this season.
- Jailyn Banks – Belmont
22 points | 8 rebounds
Jailyn had an incredible college debut in a tough loss against Mizzou. She’s going to be a big piece for Belmont going forward as they look for another trip to the NCAA tournament.
- Mikaylah Williams – LSU
17 points | 4 rebounds
Mikaylah was the best player on the loaded LSU roster yesterday. She shot 50% from the field and was impactful on both ends of the floor. Despite a rough game, LSU has to be pretty excited about Mikaylah’s debut.
Is USC The Real Deal?
USC got an elite performance out of the freshman phenom Juju Watkins, but her supporting cast was impressive too. Rayah Marshall was undoubtedly the best frontcourt player on the floor yesterday. She finished with 18 points and 17 rebounds. McKenzie Forbes and Taylor Bigby also had great showings. They appear to be a team that has all of the pieces and the coaching staff to make a run come March.
Is Ohio State’s Loss A Cause For Concern?
The Buckeyes entered the season with Final Four aspirations and high expectations. Their suffocating and aggressive defense was present yesterday, but it wasn’t enough to beat USC. Their biggest issues were rebounding and 3-point shooting. USC played a zone and was able to hold the Buckeyes to 23.8% shooting from beyond the arc. Where’s Taylor Mikesell when you need her? USC also won the rebounding battle 43-28.
Jacy Sheldon had a great day with 28 points, 5 steals, and 4 rebounds. Taylor Thierry finished with 16 points. In order to get to where they want to be, Ohio State will need more from Celeste Taylor (Duke transfer) and Cotie McMahon.
The Gamecocks Made A Statement
There was talk before the season that South Carolina may be entering a rebuild year, and Dawn Staley and the Gamecocks had something to say about that. The backcourt of Te-Hina Paopao and Raven Johnson looked incredible in yesterday’s win. They are both elite facilitators and great decision makers, and they ran the show. We already mentioned Milaysia’s performance above, but it can’t be talked about enough. The Gamecocks guard play looked to really open up things around the basket for Kamilla Cardoso. Kamilla was DOMINANT. She has played in Aliyah’s shadow a little bit the past couple of years, but now it’s her time to shine. South Carolina looked like the best team in the SEC yesterday.
The Buffs Are Back
Colorado made the Sweet 16 last season, and yesterday they made sure to let people know that they’re back for more. They were led by their core of returners – Jaylyn Sherrod, Frida Formann, and Aaronette Vonleh. Colorado has big goals this season and they’re off to a pretty good start.
How Will LSU Respond?
LSU came in as the #1 team in the country and were defeated in their first game in the season. How will they respond? Facing adversity this early in the season can be the best thing to happen to a team, or it can cause issues.
LSU misses Alexis Morris. There appears to be a lack of continuity and organization on the offensive end, and it may be due to the lack of a true PG on the floor. They need a facilitator. In yesterday’s game 72.7% of Colorado’s field goal makes were assisted, while only 44.8% of LSU’s field goal makes came off of an assist. They will look to work through things and make adjustments before taking on #8 Virginia Tech at end of the month.
