Daily Briefing — Nov. 22, 2021: South Carolina vs. UConn, 1 vs. 2

(All times in Eastern)

Watch List, Monday, Nov. 22 (UConn vs. South Carolina edition)

Must-watch

#2 UConn v. #1 South Carolina, Noon, ESPN (Battle 4 Atlantis)

Good games

#23 USF v. #9 Oregon, 2:30, ESPNU (Battle 4 Atlantis)

Also watchable

Villanova @ Penn, 7 p.m., ESPN+

Texas State @ Texas Tech, 8 p.m., ESPN+

Sickos games

None

Pac-12 or Big 10 on national television (or national streaming)

See Good Games

Sunday, Nov. 21 recap

#1 South Carolina, #9 Oregon: The Gamecocks beat the Ducks 80-63. South Carolina won the first quarter 27-14 and never looked back. Wing Zia Cooke led with a season-high 20 points on 6-9 shooting (2-3 3pt., 6-6 FT) with five assists, two steals, and no turnovers or fouls; big Laeticia Amihere scored a career-high 18 points on 6-10 from the field (6-7 FT) with seven assists and two steals against three turnovers; center Aliyah Boston had 16 points on 7-12 FG (1-2 3pt.), eight rebounds, three assists, and two blocks. Wing Chanaya Pinto and center Phillipina Kyei each had a game-high 12 points off the bench for Oregon on 4-7 shooting with two assists, and combined for 10 rebounds (five offensive from Kyei) and five turnovers; combo guard Maddie Scherr, playing point with the Ducks’ usual point guards injured, scored 10 points on 5-12 from the field (0-2 3pt.) with five assists, two steals, and four turnovers; point guard Ahlise Hurst notched 10 points on 3-7 FG (2-2 3pt.), three rebounds, and three steals; big Nyara Sabally reaggravated her knee injury during her career effort on Friday and did not play.

#2 UConn, #23 USF: The Huskies beat the Bulls 60-53. UConn had a 94.1% win expectancy with a 27-14 lead two minutes into the second quarter, but trailed USF by the end of the third quarter before winning the fourth quarter 15-8. UConn assisted on 19 of its 22 baskets. Husky point guard Paige Bueckers had a game-high 21 points on 8-16 shooting (3-10 3pt.), seven assists, and three turnovers; combo guard Azzi Fudd scored 18 points on 6-10 from three in 27 bench minutes; combo guard Christyn Williams notched 10 points on 3-8 FG (2-5 3pt.), five turnovers, and four fouls. Combo guard Elena Tsineke led the Bulls with 17 points on 7-20 from the field (2-4 3pt.), plus seven rebounds (four offensive), four assists, two steals, and just one turnover; combo forward Bethy Mununga had 15 points on 7-12 shooting (1-2 3pt.), eight rebounds, two assists, and two steals against three turnovers; point guard Elisa Pinzan scored eight points on 3-8 FG (2-4 3pt.) with six assists against just one turnover.

#3 Maryland, #6 Baylor: The Terps beat the Bears 79-76 in another early contender for “game of the year.” Maryland led by as many as 13 at the mid-third quarter, before Baylor used a +6 fourth quarter to come a three shy of overtime. The Bears held the Terps to 40% from the field and 30% from three, just the sixth time Maryland’s shot that poorly since 2019. The teams combined for an astounding 147 possessions.

Point guard Ashley Owusu led the Terps with 24 points on 9-23 shooting (6-6 FT), four rebounds and six assists; big Angel Reese had 17 points on 7-11 from the field, nine rebounds, and two steals in 19 minutes, her time limited due to foul trouble; wing Chloe Bibby scored 16 points on 5-of-12 from the field and 3-of-7 from three with five rebounds, two steals, two blocks, and three turnovers; wing Diamond Miller scored five points on 1-6 FG (0-2 3pt.) with four rebounds and two assists in 11 minutes, but reaggravated her sore knee and had to leave; off-ball guard Katie Benzan and big Faith Masonius were out with undisclosed illness. Baylor big NaLyssa Smith tied a career-high 30 points on 14-25 shooting (1-3 3pt.) to lead the Bears, adding 15 rebounds — one off a career-high; point guard Jordan Lewis finished with 29 points on 12-18 from the field (3-7 3pt.), five rebounds, and four turnovers; combo guard Sarah Andrews had 10 points on 4-14 FG (2-7 3pt.), six rebounds (four offensive), and a career-high eight assists against five turnovers.

The Daily Briefing Baylor Three-Point-Shooting Watch: 6-for-25, 24.-0% today; 25-for-97, 25.8% for the season (29th percentile per Her Hoop Stats).

#7 Stanford: 66-62 win over Gonzaga. The Bulldogs led by as many as 15 thanks to a 13-point Cardinal first quarter, though Stanford outscored Gonzaga by 13 in the middle half to fuel their recovery. Cardinal point wing Haley Jones did not play for an undisclosed reason, though was on its bench during the game; Stanford’s highest scorers both came off the bench: big Fran Belibi, with 14 points on 6-11 shooting in 19 minutes with four rebounds and no turnovers, and off-ball guard Hannah Jump, matching those 14 points on 5-of-11 from the field and 4-of-10 from three plus three assists and no turnovers; center Cameron Brink scored 12 points on 6-8 FG with six rebounds in 19 minutes, limited by a return to foul trouble; big Ashten Prechtel made her first career start, and finished with eight points on 3-6 shooting (2-5 3pt.), two assists, and two blocks; wing Lexi Hull had 11 points on 4-11 from the field, seven rebounds, and four steals while sitting only one minute. Gonzaga big wing Melody Kempton scored a game-high 16 points on 6-11 shooting with five rebounds and no turnovers; big Eliza Hollingsworth had a career-high 12 points on 5-8 FG and six rebounds off the bench; big wing Yvonne Ejim scored 12 points off the bench on 4-7 from the field (2-4 3pt.).

#12 Texas, #16 Tennessee: The Vols beat the Longhorns 74-70 in overtime. Texas had a 97.5% win expectancy with an 11-point lead and less than seven minutes to go, and still had a three-point lead with less than 30 seconds to go. It then allowed an offensive rebound off a missed Tennessee free-throw and a putback to tie the game. The Longhorns had 15 steals, contributing to the Vols’ 24 turnovers.

Tennessee was led by point guard Jordan Horston’s career-highs of 28 points and 15 rebounds on 11-22 shooting (1-2 3pt., 5-6 FT), plus three assists against eight turnovers; center Tamari Key had a triple-double with 10 points on 4-9 FG, 18 rebounds (six offensive), and 10 blocks, plus two steals against one turnover while intentionally fouling out; combo forward Alexus Dye had 13 points on 5-11 FG, six rebounds, and four blocks; combo guard Jordan Walker had 13 points on 5-11 from the field (2-3 3pt.), five rebounds, five assists, and six turnovers. Off-ball guard Aliyah Matharu led Texas with 27 points on 10-of-18 from the field and 5-of-11 from three, plus six rebounds and two steals; wing Joanne Allen-Taylor notched 11 points on 5-18 shooting (1-5 3pt.), four rebounds, and three steals; point guard Rori Harmon had 10 points on 3-16 FG (0-4 3pt.), eight rebounds (five offensive), 11 assists, five steals, and three turnovers.

#14 Iowa State: 96-55 win over Southern. The Cyclones shot 48.2% from the field and 47.1% from three. After setting a career-high last time out, off-ball guard Aubrey Joens once again set a new personal best, this time a game-high 21 points on 7-of-11 from the field and 5-of-9 from three with nine rebounds and just one turnover and foul; big wing Ashley Joens scored 16 points on 4-6 shooting (3-4 3pt., 5-6 FT); combo guard Lexi Donarski had 15 points on 5-11 FG (3-7 3pt.), four rebounds, and three turnovers; big Nyamer Diew scored a career-high 13 off the bench on 5-8 shooting (2-3 3pt.) with five rebounds and two blocks; center Izzi Zingaro — a top international freshman by Blue Star — scored eight points on 8-for-8 from the field and 0-for-1 from the field.

#17 Florida State: 76-53 win over Grambling. The Tigers led for most of the first quarter — which is good — and also had a five-point third quarter — which is not good. The Noles assisted on 21 of their 26 field goals. Wing Morgan Jones led Florida State with 25 points on 8-12 shooting (9-14 FT), two steals, and three blocks; center Valencia Myers had a 10-point, 10-rebound double-double with two assists, two blocks, and five turnovers. 

#18 Georgia Tech: 59-51 loss to Auburn, the projected second-worst team in the SEC, who’d opened its season with losses to Georgia Southern and Old Dominion, the latter by double-digits. The Yellow Jackets were 94.4% favorites, per ESPN’s win probability metric. Georgia Tech only shot 35.2% from the field and 18.2% from three, missed eight free-throws, and committed a combined 33 turnovers and fouls. Yikes.

Combo guard Honesty Scott-Grayson led the Tigers with 18 points on 5-14 shooting (4-8 3pt.), six rebounds, three assists, and three turnovers; big Aicha Coulibaly had 14 points on 6-13 from the field (0-3 3pt.), five rebounds, and four fouls. Point guard Lotta Maj-Lahtinen scored 12 points on 4-12 FG (1-4 3pt.) for Georgia Tech with six assists and five turnovers without ever sitting; center Nerea Hermosa had 11 points on 5-13 shooting, nine rebounds (four offensive),and three assists without a turnover; combo guard Eylia Love notched seven points on 3-6 from the field, five rebounds, and three turnovers while fouling out off the bench.

#19 Kentucky: 92-47 win over Winthrop, who Duke beat 95-39 to open the season. Make of that what you will. The Wildcats had 16 steals. Wing Rhyne Howard had a triple-double with 22 points on 8-16 shooting (4-8 3pt.), 10 rebounds (four offensive), and 10 assists, plus five steals and no turnovers in 28 minutes — just the second five-steal, no-turnover triple-double in the Her Hoop Stats era (since 2009); big Dre’una Edwards scored 20 points on 9-14 from the field (1-2 3pt.), with seven rebounds (four offensive); point guard Jada Walker had her third-straight double-digit scoring effort off the bench, with 10 points on 3-7 FG (2-4 3pt.), three rebounds, three assists, and three steals; off-ball guard Robyn Benton notched 14 points on 6-15 shooting (2-5 3pt.), three rebounds, five steals, and four turnovers.

#20 UCLA: 69-57 win over Virginia, a smaller margin of victory over the Cavaliers than UCF, USC, and James Madison. Do not make of that what you will; this Bruins team is in dire straits, and it doesn’t take private investigations to see they’re so far away from serious contention. (Get it? No? That band’s no longer relevant? Okay, moving on.)

The Bruins assisted on 20 of their 25 baskets. Point guard Charisma Osborne was out with a foot injury, and is considered day-to-day, reducing UCLA’s rotation to seven players; off-ball guard Natalie Chou had a game-high 20 points on 8-10 shooting (2-3 3pt.) and three turnovers; big IImar’I Thomas scored 19 points on 6-10 from the field (2-3 3pt.), with three assists, two blocks, and no turnovers or fouls; wing Jaelynn Penn notched 16 points on 6-16 FG (2-8 3pt.), five rebounds, and seven assists against five turnovers.

#22 West Virginia: 83-31 win over Radford — which, despite the Highlanders’ abbreviation, probably did not feel “rad.” Mountaineers point guard Kirsten Deans had a game-high 16 points on 5-11 shooting (0-4 3pt., 6-6 FT) and three turnovers and fouls; big Esmery Martinez had 12 points on 5-7 from the field, seven rebounds (five offensive), three assists, two steals, and one turnovers and no fouls in 15 minutes; wing A’Riana Gray scored 11 off the bench on 5-12 FG with nine rebounds and two assists; combo guard Jasmine Carson finished with 11 points on 4-5 from the field (2-2 3pt.) off the bench without a turnover.

RV* Georgia: 73-43 win over Alabama State. The Hornets were held to 10 or fewer points in three quarters. The Bulldogs committed 23 turnovers, but notched 11 steals and 18 blocks. Georgia combo guard Reigan Richardson — the consensus^{^} No. 32 freshman in the country — had the first double-digit scoring performance of her career, a game-high 16 points on 5-7 form the field (2-3 3pt.) with three blocks and no turnovers; wing Javyn Nicholson had a double-double off the bench with 13 points on 6-8 shooting and 13 rebounds (seven offensive), plus two blocks, in 15 minutes; point guard Que Morrison scored 10 points on 3-8 from the field (1-3 3pt.) with four assists and two steals; center Jenna Staiti had eight points (4-9 FG), five rebounds, two steals, and three blocks against two turnovers; combo guard Mikayla Coombs had two assists and three steals in nine minutes.

RV Michigan State: 71-68 loss to Fordham. The Spartans led by five in the mid-third quarter, but thanks to a 17-2 Rams run, very suddenly did not. Big Kaitlyn Downey and combo guard Anna DeWolfe each had a game-high 24 points for Fordham, with the former shooting 10-17 (4-9 3pt.) with six rebounds, two steals and three blocks, and the latter shooting 11-20 (1-5 3pt.) with four assists and six turnovers without sitting; point guard Asiah Dingle scored 13 points on 5-14 from the field with six rebounds (four offensive), five turnovers, and four fouls. Nia Clouden led Michigan State with 22 points on 7-13 FG (3-5 3pt.) with five rebounds and three turnovers; off-ball guard Alyza Winston had 13 points on 6-13 shooting (0-4 3pt.), four rebounds, and four turnovers; backup point guard DeeDee Hagemann notched 11 points off the bench on 4-8 from the field (1-2 3pt.), three assists, and four turnovers — the consensus No. 30 freshman is averaging 10.3 points off the bench on 57.9% true shooting, 2.0 steals, and owns a 2.11 assist-to-turnover ratio through five games.

RV Washington State: 73-59 win over Idaho. The Vandals led as late as 6:52 in the third — meaning from then on out, they were a -15 in about 17 minutes, or a -35 prorated to 40 minutes. Combo guard Johanna Teder led the Cougars with 13 points on 4-of-9 from the field and 3-of-7 from three (2-6 FT), plus five rebounds, three assists, and five turnovers; center Bella Murekatete notched a double-double with 12 points on 5-10 shooting and 10 rebounds (four offensive), with three blocks and three turnovers; combo guard Charlisse Leger-Walker had 12 points on 4-8 FG, eight rebounds, and four assists against four fouls.

RV Notre Dame: 94-35 win over Bryant. Held the Bulldogs to a total of 12 points in the middle two quarters. Big wing Maddy Westbeld had a game-high 19 points on 8-10 from the field, nine rebounds, and three assists against three turnovers; point guard Olivia Miles had a 14-point, 14-assist double-double on 7-14 shooting (0-3 3pt.), plus three steals against two turnovers; center Maya Dodson had eight points on 3-12 shooting, 12 rebounds (six offensive), three steals, and four blocks; off-ball guards Anaya Peoples and combo forward Sam Brunelle were out with an undisclosed injury; wing Sonia Citron made her first career start in Peoples’ stead, finishing with 13 points on 6-13 shooting (1-4 3pt.), three rebounds, two assists, and two steals; center Natalija Marshall scored 11 off the bench on 4-6 FG, with five rebounds, four assists, four steals, and two blocks.

RV Oklahoma: 93-72 win over Buffalo. The Bulls led 24-17 a few minutes into the second quarter, and promptly allowed a 11-0 Sooners run. Oklahoma combo guard Taylor Robertson had a game-high 27 points on a patently absurd 9-for-23 mark from three — a 56.3% true-shooting mark — a career-high-tying seven rebounds, and five assists against one turnover and foul; wing Madi Williams notched a 19-point, 12-rebound double-double on 8-16 FG (2-3 3pt.) with four offensive rebounds, five assists, and seven turnovers; off-ball guard Ana Llanusa finished with 16 points on 6-16 from the field (3-10 3pt.), four rebounds, three assists, and no turnovers; off-ball guard Skylar Vann had 12 points on 6-12 FG (0-2 3pt.), eight rebounds, and three steals off the bench. Big Summer Hemphill led Buffalo with 26 points on 10-22 from the field (2-5 3pt., 4-10 FT) and 12 rebounds (five offensive) for a double-double, plus two assists and blocks; point guard Dyaisha Fair had five points on 2-11 shooting (1-7 3pt.), five assists, and three turnovers.

Delaware: Wing Jasmine Dickey had her third-straight 30-point effort, this time leading the Blue Hens with 31 on 12-27 from the field (2-4 3pt., 5-7 FT), six rebounds (three offensive), and six turnovers; big Ty Battle had her fourth-straight double-double, with 15 points on 4-8 from the field and 7-8 from the line and 13 rebounds, plus two steals.

Western Kentucky: 96-59 win over Kentucky State. Became the first school in the Her Hoop Stats era to have 28 assists, 26 steals, and 21 turnovers in a game. Which doesn’t tell some story in and of itself — it’s just a lot of three things.

Blown Leads

Columbia: 66-56 double-overtime win over Georgetown. Had a 92.2% win expectancy with a 12-point lead near the end of the second quarter, and allowed a 14-2 Hoya run to tie by the end of the third. The game stayed close from there, until the Lions ripped off eight unanswered in the second overtime period.

DePaul: 78-75 win over Northwestern — which is pretty notable in and of itself. Peaked at 94.5% win expectancy with a 19-point lead after the first quarter. Trailed by the mid-third quarter while being outscored by 20 in the middle half by the Wildcats. Regained the lead in the mid-fourth, then trailed by three with under two minutes to go, but went on a 10-2 run thereafter.

Nebraska: 74-71 loss to Duke. Had a 96.2% win expectancy with a six-point lead and just over two minutes to go, and, despite a free-throw lane violation from Duke big wing Elizabeth Balogun, very much did not win. The Blue Devils themselves led by as many as 10 before allowing a second-quarter surge from the Tide. Alabama shot 53.8% from three, but committed 24 fouls, while Duke committed 22 turnovers. Off-ball guard Celeste Taylor led the Blue Devils with 21 points on 9-14 shooting (3-5 3pt.), four rebounds, three assists, two steals, and five turnovers. Off-ball guard Megan Abrams had a career-high 27 points on 10-18 from the field (3-5 3pt.), seven rebounds, and two steals for the Tide.

Portland State: 71-68 loss to Hawai’i. Had a 96.9% win expectancy with a five-point lead and less than two minutes to go. Somehow allowed a 13-5 Rainbow Wahine run in that span. Innovative stuff. Wing Amy Atwell led Hawai’i with a game-high 29 points on 11-19 shooting (4-8 3pt.) and six rebounds.

North Florida: 86-79 overtime win over FAU. Had a 97.1% win expectancy with an 11-point lead in the early fourth quarter, and allowed a 17-2 Owls run. The Ospreys opened overtime on a 7-2 to win, though, so all’s well that ends well, I guess. Center Jazz Bond had 31 points on 9-16 from the field (4-5 3pt., 9-10 FT), seven rebounds, three assists, two blocks, and four turnovers for North Florida; wing Rhetta Moore scored 21 points on 9-15 shooting (3-7 3pt.) with five rebounds, five assists, five steals, and no turnovers. FAU center Amber Gaston had a 25-point, 12-rebound double-double on 8-16 FG (0-2 3pt., 9-11 FT) with six offensive rebounds and three turnovers.

*Receiving Votes

^Consensus rankings are drawn from an aggregation of ESPN, Blue Star, Prep Girls, ASGR, and Prospects Nation