With the start of the college basketball season, the National Collegiate Athletic Association Women’s Division (NCAAW) has already made headlines, showcasing everything from broken records to unexpected upsets against Division III teams. Here’s a breakdown of everything that’s happened so far.
NC State kicked off its regular season with a top 10 matchup against No. 8 Tennessee. A week before the game, Tennessee’s head coach Kim Caldwell announced the dismissal of senior Ruby Whitehorn after being charged for a second time within 4 months. Although her first charges led to a suspension from the team for a month, Coach Caldwell said in a second statement that “It is my responsibility to protect the high standards of this historic program. In light of recent events, Ruby has been unable to reflect those standards, and I have made the difficult decision to dismiss her from our team.” (ESPN). Coach Caldwell also mentioned how the team would have to re-adjust without her. “It’s a sad situation; it’s a difficult situation. I feel bad for this current team that we have, and time will tell if it’s the right choice for this team. I have no doubt it’s the right choice for the team four or five years from now”.
During their matchup, NC State headed into the locker room down by 4. But in a recent turn of events, a sophomore transfer from Vanderbilt by the name of Khamil Pierre shone in her debut as a starter for NCSU,ultimately helping the team win. Pierre scored 21 points and 14 rebounds, recording her first double-double with the program. With her layup in the final minute and Zamareya “Zam” Jones hitting two free throws, the Wolfpack secured their win. Although NC State is 3-3 after losses to top 20 matches to No. 18 USC (University of Southern California) and No. 17 TCU (Texas Christian University), the next few matchups will hopefully secure some wins for their record.
Iowa State’s Audi Crooks dominated against the Valparaiso Beacons. Crooks set a program record with 43 points in just 20 minutes. Crooks extended her 71-game streak of scoring in double figures. Arizona transfer Jada Brown acquired her first career double-double and a career-high 10 assists. Iowa State begins its season 4-0.
A halftime scuffle led to a wild upset when West Virginia University played No. 18 Duke on November 14th. Jordan Wood (A player for the Duke’s) taunted Jordan Harrison at the end of the first half after blocking Harrison’s attempt to shoot. Words were exchanged, and players began to shove at each other. 5 Players from West Virginia’s bench came onto the floor, and although they did not push or shove, it led to each of their ejections. Overall, seven players in total were ejected from the game, including Wood and Harrison. As a result, West Virginia was only left with five players going into the second half. The mountaineers trailed 23-20 but climbed back to win 57-49. West Virginia coach Mark Kellogg said after the game, “I’m so proud of that group of five. I guess it’s one of those moments where you don’t really know what to say. But that’s as good a win as I’ve probably ever had.” (ESPNU). Duke falls out of the AP rankings in week 2.
Notre Dame’s junior guard Hannah Hidalgo put on a performance against Akron, winning 85-58. Hannah Hidalgo recorded an NCAA record of 16 steals and a school record of 44 points. Hidalgo scored 28 points in the first half of the game, giving Notre Dame a 14-point lead. Although Notre Dame won two more games by an average of 52 points, they fell three spots in the AP ranking.
Division III Scranton made headlines as they upset Pitt in an exhibition matchup. Scranton won the game 69-63, even though they were given a 0.1% chance to win. Scranton went into halftime with a 37-27 lead. Pitt made a comeback in the third quarter, scoring 23 points and holding Scranton to 7. Luckily, Scranton came back to win it all, thanks to their defensive effort and two free throws.]
This is only the start of the season, and we have already seen exciting matchups and standout performances. With the tournament ahead, teams will continue to compete in their conferences and secure their spots in the new postseason play.
