Daily briefing — Nov. 12, 2021

Happy Friday, and welcome to the first installment of The Next’s Daily Briefing! Featuring a daily watch list and Yesterday’s Recap. Day 4 of college basketball is here, and with it the seasons’ first slate of Too Many Interesting Games To Watch Live!

Watch List, Friday, Nov. 12

Must-watch

No. 6 Louisville @ No. 22 Arizona, 4:30 p.m., ESPNU

No. 1 South Carolina @ RV South Dakota, 7 p.m., ESPNNEWS

“Good” games

RV South Dakota St. @ Mississippi St., 7 p.m., SECN

Also watchable

MTSU @ VCU, 6 p.m., ESPN+

No. 15 Tennessee @ UCF, 6 p.m., ESPN+

Villanova @ No. 4 Maryland, 7 p.m., B1G+

Columbia @ Davidson, 7 pm, ESPN+

Duke @ Dayton, 7 pm, ESPN+

Minnesota @ Arizona State, 9 p.m., Pac-12 Networks

Sicko games

Harvard @ UMass, 5 p.m., ESPN+

Pac-12 or Big 10 on National TV

See “Must-watch“

Yesterday’s Recap, Thursday, Nov. 11

#3 Stanford: 91-36 win over Morgan State. Center Cameron Brink had 0 fouls and 3 blocks in 17 minutes; off-ball guard Hannah Jump and wing Lexie Hull combined to go 6-8 from three with 6 assists against 5 turnovers; big Fran Belibi had a line of 12 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 2 stocks, against 1 turnover in 12 min; combo forward Kiki Iriafen — the consensus No. 17 recruit in the class of 2021 — played her first collegiate minutes and had 10 points on 3-5 shooting and 3 rebounds. The Bears were led by wing Adia Brisker’s 22 points (6-10 FG), 4 rebounds, and 3 steals.

#7 Baylor: 81-54 win over UT Arlington. The Bears shot 9-25 from 3 (36%!), with off-ball guard Ja’Mee Asberry’s 5-11 from deep leading the way. They were up only 6 at halftime, but won the second half by 21. Wing Starr Jacobs led the Mavericks with 14 points on 6-9 shooting and 4 rebounds.

#9 Iowa: 91-54 win over Samford. Center Monica Czinano had 20 points, with just 3 missed FG & 1 turnover. The Hawkeyes’ defense, worst in the country last year, held the Bulldogs to just 32.8% from the field.

#13 Kentucky: 98-56 win over North Alabama. Big Dre’una Edwards led with 27 points (12-18 shooting); wing Howard had 20 points, 10 rebounds, 3 steals, and 3 blocks; wing Treasure Hunt had as many offensive rebounds as she did missed shots (7); point guard Jada Walker — the consensus No. 57 freshman in the country — had 13 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists on 5-10 shooting. The Wildcats were up only 4 at halftime, but won the second half by 28. Wing Macey Lee led the Lions with 21 points and 11 rebounds.

#17 Georgia Tech: 72-45 win over Kennesaw State. Big Lorela Cubaj had 12 points, 15 rebounds, and 5 assists on only 7 attempts; combo guard Eylia Love scored 11 points on 5-9 shooting (1-6 FT). The Yellow Jackets shot only 40% from the field and 26% from three.

#21 USF: 72-37 win over Alabama State. Off-ball guard Sydni Harvey scored 22 points on 7-11 shooting (6-8 3pt); Memphis transfer center Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu had 14 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists on 6-9 from the field. The Bulls held the Hornets to just 21.6% from the field.

#23 Texas A&M: 92-32 win over Southern. The Jaguars shot just 19.1% from the field. Point guards/wings Kayla Wells, Jordan Nixon, and Destiny Pitts combined for 36 on 11-19 shooting (7-11 3pt), plus 9 assists against 6 turnovers. The backcourt trio, expected to be one of the elite position groups in the nation, has accounted for 45.8% of the Aggies’ scoring through its first two games, shooting 54.2% from the field and 55.6% from three with a 2:1 assist-to-turnover ratio.

#24 Virginia Tech: 75-38 win over Georgetown. Center Elizabeth Kitley scored career-highs with 34 points and 17 baskets (81.0% shooting); combo guards Aisha Sheppard and Georgia Amoore combined for 12 assists against 5 turnovers. The Colonials committed 16 turnovers to just 6 assists.

RV Georgia: 97-45 win over Gardner-Webb. Center Jenna Staiti had 16 points and 11 rebounds (including 6 offensive rebounds); point guard Que Morrison had 15 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists on 7-10 FG with 0 turnovers; wing Javyn Nicholson had 13 points and 12 rebounds. Off-ball guard Jhessyka Williams led the Bulldogs with 18 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 steals against 9 turnovers.

RV Notre Dame: 76-50 win over Western Illinois. Point guard Olivia Miles had 16 points, 11 rebounds — both career-highs — and 6 assists on 7-14 shooting against 3 turnovers; the Irish shot only 3-20 on threes. Off-ball guard Danni Nichols had 22 points on 8-17 FG for the Leathernecks.

RV Belmont, RV Ole Miss: The Bruins beat Mississippi 62-50. Belmont, led by point guard Destinee Wells’ 21 points and 6 assists (on 7-19 shooting, against 5 turnovers), raced out to a 12-1 lead and never trailed. Center Shakira Austin and former Bruin combo guard Angel Baker shot 6-19 for Ole Miss; wing Madison Scott had 16 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 steals against 5 turnovers.

Penn St.: 83-69 win over Rider. George Washington transfer center Ali Brigham, point guard Makenna Marisa, and off-ball guard Niya Beverly combined for 63 points (!!) on 71% from the field (!!!). Only one other Nittany Lion reached 5 points. Big Raphaela Toussaint led the Broncs with 21 points (8-15 FG) with 4 rebounds against 4 turnovers.

Mizzou: 76-70 win over Murray State. Big wing Aijha Blackwell had 19 points and 15 rebounds (7-11 FG); The Tigers and Racers were tied with 2:17 to go in the fourth. Wings Katelyn Young and Hannah McKay and off-ball guard Macey Turley combined for 54 points on 55.6% shooting for the Racers.

Auburn: 68-66 loss to Georgia Southern.

Fresno State: 71-62 win over Utah Valley. Point guard Haley Cavinder had a triple-double with 25 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists against just 2 turnovers.