And then there were five.
The last remaining undefeated teams are the Big Ten’s UCLA (15-0), Maryland (14-0) and Ohio State (14-0); SEC LSU (17-0); and Georgia Tech of the ACC (15-0). Tennessee and Buffalo suffered their first losses of the season last week.
Maryland (against USC), Ohio State (at Michigan) and LSU (at Tennessee, against Vanderbilt) will not have an easy task staying in the group this week with ranked teams on the schedule. Georgia Tech’s games aren’t easy either, with Virginia Tech on Thursday and then a trip to Louisville on Sunday.
UCLA could be the only one remaining as its Big Ten season continues with a trip to Purdue on Tuesday and hosting Northwestern on Sunday.
UConn, South Carolina await injury news
With UCLA, Southern Cal, Notre Dame and Ohio State all recently returning key players, Connecticut and South Carolina now face the potential of playing without stars.
UConn’s injury cloud doesn’t appear to have completely cleared. After returning Azzi Fudd to the lineup following his mild knee sprain, Paige Bueckers left the third quarter of a blowout win at Villanova after colliding with a defender and twisting her left leg. This is the same knee she injured as a sophomore and suffered a torn ACL in August 2022.
Head coach Geno Auriemma said on SNY that he was “optimistic.” Let’s put it this way. He told reporters that, like Fudd’s injury earlier in the season, “it’s not the worst thing we could imagine.”
UConn (13-2, 4-0 Big East) hosts Xavier on Wednesday. The Big East schedule is lenient enough that the Bueckers can miss some games without the Huskies taking a major hit, but if it’s closer to the worst than the best, that diminishes UConn’s chances of winning a championship during the Bueckers’ tenure.
South Carolina forward Ashlyn Watkins left in the second quarter of the Gamecocks’ win over Mississippi State. She appeared to have injured her left leg on a layup and needed help off the court. Head coach Dawn Staley said there is no update on his status.
South Carolina (14-1, 2-0 SEC) has the depth to make up for time without Watkins, although the junior is a key asset off the bench, averaging 7.8 points and 6. 4 rebounds. She plays behind Chloe Kitts and Sania Feagin. Adhel Tac leaves the bench. The Gamecocks host Texas A&M and Texas this week.
As for the ascendants, UCLA (Lauren Betts), USC (Kennedy Smith) and Ohio State (Cotie McMahon) all added starters last month after absences due to injury. And Notre Dame graduate forward Maddy Westbeld, a four-year starter, played her first minutes in the team’s fourth win over a ranked AP team in five tries.
UCLA learns to win ugly
UCLA’s Big Ten opener against Michigan was notable not for the outcome — an 86-70 home victory despite Syla Swords’ career-high 30 points — but for what the coach- Chief Cori Close said immediately afterward.
“It wasn’t one of our better games,” Close said Wednesday. “We have a ton of talent, but we have to decide if we want to win individual games or if we want to be a championship team. And it’s a decision we must make immediately.
The Bruins led by seven entering the fourth quarter, a far different scenario from their average victory margin of 30 points. Although they pulled away in the final 10 minutes, Michigan’s 70 points, 27 field goals and 40.9 shooting percentage are the most of any UCLA opponent. The Wolverines “outplayed” UCLA, Close said, while the Bruins didn’t “win enough teamwork games.” She said she was happy they had their first Big Ten road trip to Indiana on deck Saturday.
“I think it’s going to force us to say: do you want to keep winning? » Said Close. “You better get your act together because if you go to Bloomington with that level of urgency and focus (shown against the Wolverines), we’re going to get beat.”
UCLA came through, 73-62, to remain undefeated even though Indiana became only the third team to shoot at least 40 percent against UCLA. Close credited her team for growth and maturity in being “ready to win lousy.”
The season’s higher numbers can be attributed more to UCLA playing higher caliber competition. Close was right to call out the concern now before it snowballs, especially since these teamwork games make or break teams in March. The Big Ten schedule will continue to challenge them, both on and off the field, as they visit all-new cities on the other side of the country.
Oklahoma’s turnovers will prove costly
Oklahoma teams under head coach Jennie Baranczyk have consistently shared the ball well. When the Sooners offense is going well, the ball jumps all around the court for quick baskets. And with the addition of 6-foot-4 center Raegan Beers, Oklahoma is grabbing more offensive rebounds to further fuel its top-five offense.
The style can also lead to a frenzy of turnovers, the biggest takeaway from the Sooners’ foray into the SEC. They broke a season record 27 times against Texas in a game slowed by 54 fouls. The Longhorns won 80-73 with forward Madison Booker and Oklahoma Beers largely left on the bench due to foul trouble. A few days later, the Sooners increased their season record to 31 against Tennessee. They turned it over nearly a third of the time (30.4 turnover percentage) in an 87-86 breakout.
Texas (15-1, 2-0) and Tennessee (13-1, 1-1) are two of the nation’s best at forcing turnovers and Oklahoma’s totals against them were in line with averages. Yet many of them were unforced and reckless. It almost cost them the game against Tennessee, who almost kept their undefeated season intact by turning over Oklahoma three times in the final two minutes.
Jewel Spear’s 3-pointer off a steal from Talaysia Cooper cut the deficit to 85-78, and Cooper scored a 3 and a layup off a steal to pull within two at 1:05. Tennessee was unable to capitalize on the final possession caused by an Oklahoma turnover with 10 seconds on the clock.
The Sooners (13-2, 1-1) can’t be that sloppy moving forward. Ole Miss, who they will face on the road Thursday, ranks third in opponent turnover rate behind West Virginia and Texas. SEC programs Vanderbilt and Auburn also rank in the top 30.
Games of the week
Texas (15-1, 2-0 SEC) at South Carolina (14-1, 2-0), Sunday at 1 p.m. ET (ESPN) — The top two teams in the NET rankings, Texas and South Carolina, will meet twice this season. in games that could ultimately determine SEC titles and NCAA No. 1 seed lines.
And three extras to add to the calendar, including two teams (Maryland, Tennessee) which could create a surprise:
Southern Cal (14-1, 4-0 Big Ten) at Maryland (14-0, 4-0), Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. ET (FS1)
Duke (12-3, 3-0 ACC) at North Carolina (13-3, 1-2), Thursday at 7 p.m. ET (ACCN)
LSU (17-0, 2-0 SEC) at Tennessee (13-1, 1-1), Thursday, 6:30 p.m. ET (SECN+)
Official AP Rankings
1.UCLA
2. South Carolina
3. Notre Dame
4.USC
5.Texas
6. LSU
7. UConn
8. Maryland
9. Ohio State
10. Oklahoma
11. TCU
12. Kansas State
13. Georgia Tech
14. Duke
15. Kentucky
16.Tennessee
17. West Virginia
18.Alabama
19. North Carolina
20. Michigan State
21. NC State
22. Utah
23. Iowa
24. California
25.Michigan
Yahoo Sports AP voting
1. Notre Dame
2.UCLA
3. South Carolina
4.Texas
5.USC
6. Maryland
7. UConn
8. Oklahoma
9. LSU
10. Ohio State
11. Georgia Tech
12. Kansas State
13.Tennessee
14. Duke
15. TCU
16.Kentucky
17. North Carolina
18. West Virginia
19.Alabama
20. Michigan State
21. Iowa
22. Utah
23.Harvard
24.Michigan
25. Vanderbilt
