LAS VEGAS — If you want to see high-quality women’s basketball, the Players Era Championship is the place to be. The four-team tournament features three of last year’s Final Four squads in No. 2 South Carolina, No. 3 UCLA and No. 4 Texas, as well as Team USA coach Kara Lawson’s Duke.
The tournament kicks off on Wednesday with UCLA vs. Texas, and South Carolina taking on Duke. The winners will play Thursday for the championship, while the losers will play in a third-place game. Here’s everything you need to know about the Day 1 matchups:
No. 3 UCLA vs. No. 4 Texas
Both the Bruins and the Longhorns picked up crucial additions in the transfer portal this offseason. For UCLA, former Utah standout Gianna Kneepkens brings her versatile scoring ability and 42.8 shooting percentage from beyond the arc. Against a long Texas defense, she will prove vital to opening up the paint for 6-foot-7 senior center Lauren Betts.
Handling Betts in the paint is no easy task. It takes multiple defenders to slow her down, so the Longhorns will need both Kyla Oldacre (6-foot-6) and Arizona transfer Breya Cunningham (6-foot-4) to step up.
Player to player, these teams match up relatively well. The Bruins are led by two senior point guards in Kiki Rice and Charlisse Leger-Walker. Rice has proved to be more of a scorer so far, notching 14 points per game and using her speed to get to the rim, while Leger-Walker thrives by setting up her teammates, averaging a team-high 6.0 assists per game. For Texas, floor general Rori Harmon is 14 assists away from setting the program’s all-time record. She’s flanked by two talented shooters in freshman Aaliyah Crump and sophomore Jordan Lee.
There will be talent at every position in this game, but earning a victory will come down to exploiting mismatches. Booker, a 6-foot-1 junior point forward, is unlike any other player in the game. Her ability to exploit smaller defenders and score in the midrange has fueled Texas since she set foot on campus. UCLA will have to find a way to contain her, both as a scorer and a passer, as most of the Longhorns offense runs through her.
For UCLA, it’s about playing through Betts and knocking down open shots. It’s nearly impossible to stop the senior with single-coverage defense, so Texas will have to send double teams. Then it’s the responsibility of guards like Kneepkens and Gabriela Jaquez to knock down shots. If UCLA shoots the ball at a high clip, then Betts will have room to work, which is dangerous for any opponent.
No. 2 South Carolina vs. Duke
It’s almost a foregone conclusion that the Gamecocks will advance past Duke. Not only are they deep and talented at every position, but South Carolina has been consistent to start the season. The team also returns players who have won a national title and played in multiple Final Fours, while also adding a dynamic scorer in Florida State transfer Ta’Niya Latson.
Duke, on the other hand, has struggled to start the season, going 3-3. An early loss to No. 16 Baylor was respectable, but the Blue Devils followed that by losing to a West Virginia team that only had five eligible players in the second half and then an unranked South Florida squad that is also 3-3. Duke started its season ranked No. 7 but has since fallen completely out of the AP top 25.
All that being said, this is actually a great opportunity for the Blue Devils. If they can find a way to hang around and put up a good fight against South Carolina, that will bode well for their confidence and place on the national scene going forward. But it won’t be easy to even stay close with this SC team.
Size is going to be a major issue for Duke, as South Carolina boasts multiple elite bigs. Sophomore forward Joyce Edwards is averaging 19.8 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game. She’s also able to score off the dribble and in the midrange. Meanwhile, 6-foot-6 true center Madina Okot is an excellent partner in the paint to Edwards, contributing a double-double in each contest with 13.3 points and 10.8 rebounds. Her defense has also been solid as she uses her strength and height, as well as quick hands to record 2.2 blocks and 1.0 steals per game. Duke will need a monster offensive performance from Toby Fournier and a team effort on defense to slow down South Carolina’s bigs.
Keep an eye on South Carolina’s 6-foot junior guard Tessa Johnson, who is putting up career highs in scoring, rebounds and assists. She was a breakout player during South Carolina’s title run as a freshman and continues to improve year by year. Johnson remains underrated nationally, simply because South Carolina’s depth impacts her numbers, but make no mistake, she is elite.
Meanwhile, Duke awaits the return of freshman point guard Emilee Skinner, the No. 4 recruit in the country. She’s played just two games this season and is dealing with an undisclosed lower body injury. If she plays, the 6-foot guard could provide a lift for the Blue Devils.
Meet your guide
