Women’s college basketball fans are in for a treat on Thursday, with five huge games between some of the nation’s top teams. Here’s what to watch for in each matchup:
No. 14 Kentucky at No. 16 North Carolina: Can UNC contain Clara Strack?
When Kenny Brooks left Virginia Tech for Kentucky, he took point guard Georgia Amoore and center Clara Strack with him. Amoore got all the hype because the super senior led Virginia Tech to a Final Four in 2023, but when it comes to overall impact, Strack may be the most important player on the Kentucky roster. The 6-foot-5 sophomore is a force in the paint, using strength and finesse to finish around the rim while averaging 18.3 points and 11 rebounds per game. She’s also eighth in the country in blocks per game (2.9). Containing Strack is going to be a challenge for a UNC team that has inexperienced bigs. Senior Maria Gakdeng will likely take the primary assignment, but freshmen Ciera Toomey and Blanca Thomas will have to chip in. Plus, Kentucky’s other big Teonni Key — who happens to be a UNC transfer — is having a career season. It’s going to be hard for UNC to contend with both her and Strack.
Prediction: Kentucky 65, UNC 59
No. 10 Notre Dame vs. No. 4 Texas: Battle of the backcourts
Rori Harmon and Madison Booker of Texas and Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo and Oliva Miles make up two of the country’s top backcourts. Booker is technically a forward, but after running the point all last season when Harmon was injured, she has become a reliable option handling the ball. Notre Dame thrives when it creates chaos defensively and the Longhorn duo is hard to rattle. Harmon in particular is poised with the ball, boasting a 3 to 1 assist to turnover ratio. Meanwhile, Hidalgo is leading the country in steals with 4.57 per contest. If she can speed up Harmon, Texas could struggle to get its offense going. Her backcourt partner, Miles, is one of the country’s most creative guards, making impossible passes look easy and stuffing the stat sheet for 16.4 points, 6.9 rebounds and 6.4 assists per game. There will be talent all over the floor in this matchup, but the guards are going to steal the show.
Prediction: Texas 84, Notre Dame 80
No. 18 Ole Miss vs. N.C. State: Both teams in need of a big win
Both Ole Miss and N.C. State have played big competition so far this season, with Ole Miss facing USC and UConn, and N.C. State taking on South Carolina, TCU and LSU, but neither team has netted a win in those matchups. This is a realistic chance for N.C. State to get its first ranked win of the season and while the Wolfpack is no longer in the AP Top 25, it’s still a resume booster for Ole Miss. The Rebels, who typically have a balanced attack, will need someone to emerge as their catalyst in this game. Look for K.K. Deans, who had 19 points against USC and 17 against UConn, to have a big game. Meanwhile, N.C. State’s senior Saniya Rivers has yet to reach her potential, which is one of the things plaguing the Wolfpack. She’s an athletic guard who can create her own shot. Rivers should be averaging around 15 points per game, but instead she’s stuck at 9.9 per contest.
Prediction: Ole Miss 75, N.C. State 63
Hoops HQ's Top 25
Women’s College Basketball Top 25 Rankings
Eden Laase’s rankings for Week 11. Ohio State slides and three new teams move in.No. 8 Duke vs. No. 3 South Carolina: Can Jackson and Richardson score against SC?
Duke is coming off massive wins against two top-25 teams in Kansas State and Oklahoma and in both matchups, guards Ashlon Jackson and Reigan Richardson were unstoppable. Richardson had 16 against Kansas State and 35 against Oklahoma, while Jackson finished with 30 and 18, respectively. Both players shoot the three extremely well (Jackson is at 45.8 percent and Richardson’s at 42.9 percent), but putting up big numbers against South Carolina is a lot different than doing it against Kansas State and Oklahoma. The Wildcats and Sooners are talented teams, but neither has the same depth or athleticism as the Gamecocks. South Carolina will be able to throw multiple defenders at Duke’s shooters throughout the game, without much speed or athleticism dropoff, and that’s going to make getting into a rhythm a challenge. But if Jackson and Richardson go off again, they will be propelled into women’s college basketball superstardom.
Prediction: South Carolina 85, Duke 70
Stanford at No. 5 LSU: Can Stanford get back on top?
Stanford is getting votes in the current AP Poll, but the team isn’t at the caliber we are used to seeing from this program. It has been a season of transitions for the Cardinal after the program left the Pac-12, lost Cameron Brink to the WNBA and Kiki Iriafen to the transfer portal and saw record-setting coach Tara VanDerveer retire. New head coach Kate Paye knows exactly how to run this program after playing for VanDerveer and then serving on her staff for 17 years, but knowing what to do and actually making it happen are two separate things. A win over LSU would give this new-look squad legitimacy on the national scene and also serve as a boost before the Cardinal head into ACC play against some of the country’s top programs.
Prediction: LSU 80, Stanford 68
