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Despite basketball’s constant evolution, talented bigs supporting the post never seem to go out of style, with many of women’s college basketball’s most famous players making their names in the paint area. ing.
Continuing with NCAA.com’s season preview for the 2023-24 women’s college basketball season, we present the sport’s top 10 10-point scorers in this article.
1. Angel Reese, LSU (23 PPG, 52.9 2PT%)
Reese’s dominant performance in the tournament (the Tigers forward averaged 21 points and an astounding 15 rebounds in six games) made him a ring-kissing star during LSU’s run to the 2023 national championship. It gave newly hooked viewers a glimpse into her dominance in women’s college basketball. past two seasons.
Reese, who finished ninth on the Big Ten scoring list as a sophomore, left College Park to join Kim Mulkey at LSU. Her lease exchange paid off beautifully, honing her incredible strength, athleticism and quickness, making her a near-unstoppable presence in the post. Reese, a Maryland native, averaged 9.4 free throw attempts in the 22-23 season, compared to Kaitlin Clark’s 7.5. More generally, Reese has been a standout in the advanced metrics community, ranking second among nearly 3,400 eligible players in PER (Player Efficiency Rating) and third in offensive win shares. ing.
Reese told NCAA Digital to “we’ll see this season” regarding her jump shot. This, combined with her lightning-fast post spin and devastating face-up game, will make Reese truly unguardable in her second season on the Bayou.
NEW SEASON: Check out our preseason top 25 rankings
2. Mackenzie Holmes, Indiana (22.3 PPG, 69.1 2PT%)
Despite the unassuming No. 54 emblazoned on his iconic Indiana uniform, Holmes was a standout for the Hoosiers both offensively and defensively, ranking fifth among players in the major conferences in scoring average. He entered the league and is taking almost two shots per game.
It’s all about substance for Holmes, who is in his fifth year in Bloomington. Holmes, who made just nine 3-point shots in the 2022-23 season, will be replaced by an almost unguarded arsenal of post moves and the ability to shut down and eliminate opponents in tight situations in the post. Brought to you by a tireless motor. Able to spin and score with either hand, Holmes also has a devastating hook shot as well as an underrated ability to fill transition lanes and score on the break.
With the Hoosiers, the defending Big Ten regular season champions, returning nine players from last year’s team, Coach Holmes hopes to return Indiana to Big Ten glory and get through the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament. .
3. Aaliyah Edwards, University of California (16.6 PPG, 58.8 2PT%)
A former five-star recruit who was fortunate to survive the injury plague that hit Storrs last season — Edwards was one of only two Huskies to play in all 37 games last season. The player took full advantage of his strengths and quickly progressed from a third scoring option to an all-league player. American candidate.
Edwards scored 20 points in a neutral-field win over Iowa and 25 points in a road loss to Maryland. Edwards, who starred early in nonconference college, became the Huskies’ go-to by the end of conference play. Winning the final nine games heading into the NCAA Tournament, where he was the leading scorer and double-digit field goal attempts, proved to be a decisive variable in the development of the college’s postseason. In weekend wins over the University of Vermont and Baylor University, Edwards shot almost automatically, making over 80 percent of his shots, but in the fateful Sweet 16 matchup against Ohio State, the Huskies lost by 73 points. Due to foul trouble, she only played 17 minutes. -61.
Edwards starts much of his offense from near the free-throw line, facing dead-eye mid-range jump shots and powerful dribble drives. With elite floor spacers Ajee Fudd and Paige Bueckers healthy for the Huskies, Edwards should enjoy space and spacing. The time has come to cultivate the painted parts from 2023 to 2024.
Follow us: Scores and statistics for all matches this season
4. Ayoka Lee, Kansas State (22 PPG, 56.3 2PT%)
Lee, who may have had the most notable performance in college basketball, scoring a women’s college record 61 points on just 30 field goal attempts against the University of Oklahoma in 2021, is at her wit’s end. His meteoric rise tragically ended in offseason surgery on both knees, causing him to miss all games. 2022-23 campaign.
Speaking at Big 12 Media Days, K-State coach Jeff Minty revealed that his star center is “about 85% healthy,” at least in the eyes of Minty’s fellow Big 12 coaches. Ayoka Lee was interpreted as being too wholesome. With a domineering frame at 6 feet 6 inches, Lee regularly attacks buried defenders with exceptionally quick decision-making in the post, usually with drop-step layups, deadly push shots, or Nowitzki-inspired shots. Rotate between fallaway jumpers that have received rations.
If Lee can return to anything close to his pre-surgery form, which saw him finish fourth in the nation in both PER and WSN, he would immediately re-emerge as an All-Conference and All-American candidate.
5. Alyssa Pirri, Utah (20.7 PPG, 62.1 2PT%)
Pili certainly has the most diverse shooting skills on this list so far, hitting an impressive 43 percent on 2.2 3-pointers last season, but her underwhelming Her competitive advantage propelled her to the Pac-12 Player of the Year award. . Pili is no stranger to this conference, playing her first three seasons at the University of Southern California, but her performance in Los Angeles regressed after a promising freshman campaign, leading to Pili’s field goal success in the 2021-22 season. The ratio was sluggish at 33.6%.
Pili, who proved an instant asset to the nation’s third-most efficient offensive line, transferred to Utah in the offseason, scored 27 points off the bench in the season opener against Idaho, and, as expected, remained in the league. He also earned a starting role in the game. season. With footwork that is nearly unparalleled at the college level, Pili can effectively spin to either side, take advantage of front coverage, and burn away eager defenders with silky reverse layups.
Even the Mountain Utes won their first Pac-12 regular-season title, and with Utah’s top six scorers returning to Salt Lake City Pili and others, it’s an unusual atmosphere heading into the 2023-24 season. is. ranked in the preseason AP top five for the first time in program history.
6. Elizabeth Kitley, Virginia Tech (18.2 PPG, 55.8 2PT%)
If Ayoka Lee is Nowitzki-esque, Kitley is the German giant on the court, right down to his patented fade-away, spindly kickouts and long blonde hair. Kitley, who works tirelessly from blocks to elbows, has a tendency to spin right after his post touch into his signature midrange fade, the kind of shot that at 6-foot-6 frame you can only hope it rims out. Otherwise, Kitley finished inside the top 50 in offensive rebounds, converting rare mistakes into points for the Hokies, who went 31-5.
Kitley, who announced his return to Blacksburg this offseason, named the Hokies ACC the preseason favorite in Thursday’s media poll, solidifying himself as a strong candidate for a return to the Final Four.
7. Desi Ray Young, UNLV (17.8 PPG, 59.4 2PT%)
During the ’90s, while Jerry Tarkanian and his powerhouse UNLV teams exercised cultural oppression in college basketball in Sin City, the women’s program simultaneously enjoyed similar success, with a 1990 AP poll Moving up to No. 2, Young’s strong post presence has put the modern-day Lady Rebels back on the map.
Young was a technically sound presence in the interior of America’s 19th-ranked offense, using excellent footwork and sharp pump fakes to create high-percentage chances. The double-double machine led the Mountain West in scoring, rebounding and field goal percentage last year, averaging five free throw attempts per game and shooting 75 percent.
Near elite defensively, Young led UNLV to an astonishing 31-3 record last season, including a perfect 18-0 record in the Mountain West, the first AP in more than 20 years. It helped him get into the rankings. Young, who returns to Las Vegas for a fourth year, will hope to lead the Rebels through the NCAA Tournament after suffering first-round exits the past two seasons.
8. Tayanna Jackson, Kansas State (15.2 PPG, 66.1 2PT%)
Despite missing out on the NCAA Tournament last season, it was still a remarkable season for Kansas, matching a program record with 25 wins en route to the WNIT title, and Jackson has a statistical connection to these historic wins. You can argue that gender is unquestionable — the Jayhawks had a 7.5 national win share last season when they finished sixth.
Jackson’s scoring output comes with surprising efficiency and a mediocre usage rate of 21%, demonstrating her dominance offensively as a source of offense. The Chicago-area native ranked second nationally in offensive rebounds and used her quickness and long arms to overcome box-out attempts and clean up the mess of her teammates. Jackson rarely attempts shots far from the rim, but her creativity with head fakes, impressive post arsenal, and strong rolls to the rim leaves her with plenty of good looks in the paint.
Jackson and his friends. There will be no doubt about Lawrence this season as the Jayhawks return their top four scorers as they look to make the NCAA Tournament.
9. Cameron Brink, Stanford University (15.1 PPG, 52.8 2PT%)
Brink is best known for his stingy defense, but he’s also one of college basketball’s elite offensive weapons, finishing 39th among all players last season with 24.9 points per 40 minutes. Brink’s wingspan, just shy of her 6-foot-4 height, makes her a tougher guard and forces overwhelmed defenders to commit a ton of fouls, highlighting a huge strength of her game. This feat was aided by her exceptional 85 percent clip at the charity stripe.
Brink’s incredible quickness makes him a tough guard in face-up situations, and the fifth-year player is a great passer with nearly two assists per game from the frontcourt. Brink, who started the year with his lowest preseason AP mark in nearly a decade, hopes to inspire confidence in his Stanford team with another strong performance this year.
10. Caitlin Young, Murray State (21.3 PPG, 56.8 2PT%)
Young, who finished with an underrated accolade in the Ohio Valley Conference, has been one of America’s best interior scorers over the past two seasons, scoring over 20 points per game with incredible efficiency in both seasons. Young is certainly a good fit for Murray State, which ranks within the top 100 in offensive rating and is a willing addition to the Racers’ movement-oriented offense, constantly fighting for open lines both around the basket and on the perimeter. -Young also stands out as a plus-3 -point shooter.
Young, who ranks 12th nationally in offensive win shares, is a versatile interior scorer who displays a versatile skill set in post-up scenarios, making smart cuts to the basket and at the free-throw line. Convert effectively. Despite taking a step back last season, Murray State has consistently competed at the top of the Ohio Valley Conference in recent years, and Young hopes to get the Racers back into postseason consideration.
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