While No. UConn’s struggled from beyond the arc but the Huskies won 79-66 against No. 20 Louisville. Sarah Strong, Azzi Fudd and the rest of the team were in their normal routines. But KK Arnold’s start to her junior year deserves special mention. South Carolina and Texas improved their offensive game this offseason. This was evident in both teams’ season openers. While teams like Duke, Baylor and Texas struggled to make shots. We haven’t yet seen all the top teams on court, but the first few days of play have revealed some winners and loser. Winner: KK Arnold for UConn as their starting point guardKK. Arnold had one of her best halves in college and proved she was ready to assume the Huskies’ starting point guard position. She was technically ready two years ago, when she was the Huskies’ starting point guard due to injury. Arnold played off the bench in the last season. But now that Paige Bueckers will be playing for the WNBA next year, Arnold is embracing a larger role.
Bueckers was impressed by Arnold’s performance. She had 13 points, seven boards, two assists, and three steals.Bueckers said, “Just the intensity and passion that she has always played with,” during an ESPN interview. “I was thrilled for her to be the leader of the team. She has learned from Nika Muhl, from me and from Kaitlyn. “She is doing a fantastic job as the team’s point guard. She has learned from Nika (Muhl), she has learned from me, and she has also learnt from Kaitlyn Chen.
MiLaysia Fulwiley wins her LSU debutAlthough Fulwiley may not have earned the role of starting point-guard yet, she should gain confidence as she moves forward with her new team. The South Carolina transfer scored 21 points and had seven steals as the Tigers defeated Houston Christian 108-55.
She played in only three games with Dawn Staley during her two-year tenure, but there were some positive moments that demonstrated her potential. Kim Mulkey, LSU’s coach, said that she is already known for being a very energetic and athletic athlete. To get the best out of her, it will be important to continue to encourage her to grow and to find consistency.Mulkey commented after the game, “I remember when I played, that word’spark-plug’, and I hated to hear it because I sat on the bench for 2 years.” “Oh, she’s just a spark-plug.’ Well, okay, I can be a spark-plug, but when do I get to be the engine?” MiLaysia’s talent and skill are better than a spark plug. So I am very careful how I use this with her. We have to make sure that she is a complete player and not just a player who comes off the bench or plays in spurts. It’s good that she is very unselfish. I have a team that is also very unselfish.”
Loser: UCLA’s FocusDespite a 77–53 victory against San Diego State on Saturday, the No. The Bruins were disappointing on both ends of the court. UCLA got off to a slow and unproductive start. They only managed 12 points in their first quarter. The team managed to pull away in the end, but Cori close wants more from her athletes as they prepare to take on one of the most difficult non-conference schedules.
Close stated, “It was flat on all sides.” “I didn’t believe that we were defensively focused …. It’s a great wake-up-call, and a reminder that if we don’t adhere to little championship standards and habits each day, anything is possible. I don’t believe we performed to our full potential in either direction.”While we will need to be stronger as a team, Monday was a day with some highlights. Lauren Betts, a top candidate for the Player of Year award, led UCLA to victory with 21 points. She shot 9 of 12 from the field. Gabriela Jaquez was another highlight for the Bruins. She did it all and ended the night with 15 on 6-10 shooting, a game high 11 rebounds and five assists. Six Texas players reached double figures. Jordan Lee led the team with 21 points and a 64.3% field-shooting percentage. Schaefer expects her to make a huge jump in her sophomore season. She made three of Texas’s seven 3-pointers. This was an area Texas struggled in last season. Madison Booker scored 18 points for the team, while shooting 54% on the floor.
Breya cunningham scored 16 points, she was 7-of-7 from the field. She also had 8 rebounds and three blocks. Kyla oldacre shot 7 of 7 and scored 17 points off the bench. Aaliyah crump, a freshman, scored 16 points on her debut in college. Bryanna preston, a sophomore, also had 16 points. This is a new career-high for her.
Duke and Baylor offense: Loser No. Our first matchup in the top 25 of the season was 16 Baylor. Both teams struggled to make shots. Duke shot just 29% and lost by 58-52. Baylor shot 31.7% on the field, which is not much better. Blue Devils’ fourth quarter was especially tough, as the team failed to score a field goal for the first four minutes. They were eventually outscored 15-9.Kara Lawson, Duke’s coach, said after the game that it had been a tough game. “We just struggled to score especially in the second halves …. It was disappointing to lose, but the first match of the season is when you are trying to determine your strengths, weaknesses, and what you can do to improve. We will be able to analyze the film and go back to Durham in order to improve.
Toby Fournier led the Duke team with 16 point, 10 rebounds, and five assists. Taliah Scot led Baylor in scoring with 24 while Darianna Smallpage-Buggs racked up 10 points and 10 rebound. NC State’s youthNo. NC State’s youth team won 80-77 over Tennessee No. In one of the most exciting season openers, No. 8 Tennessee won 80-77. Wes Moore stated that this was the first time that the Wolfpack did not have a senior player on the team. However, this young roster had already made the nation take notice. It was by no means a perfect game, as there were certainly some breakdowns in communication, but the experience was certainly beneficial.Vanderbilt transfer Khalil Pierre had a strong NC State debut with 21 points and 14 rebounds. Zoe Brooks, who had 13 points and eleven rebounds, also achieved a double. TildaTrigger came close with 19 points, 8 rebounds. Zamarey jones was the fourth starter with double figures at 18 points.
“Just so very proud. Moore said it was a good way to begin the season. When you schedule the first games, you wonder, “What was I thinking?” It feels good to have survived and gotten a dub.
South Carolina guards’ efficiency is the winnerSouth Carolina’s bench was extremely dangerous during the last season. But the starters were the ones that got the job in the 94-54 victory over Grand Canyon. Guards were in the spotlight because Florida State transfer Ta’Niyah Latson was added. She led the nation last season in scoring. She scored 20 points with 7 out of 10 shots from the field in her debut for the Gamecocks. Tessa Johnson is a junior and she also contributed 19 points at 61.5%. Raven Johnson had the worst year of her career but bounced back with a season-opening triple-double, with 11 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists.
Dawn Staley: “I am impressed by the efficiency of this product.” They are very, efficient. More likely, they are getting some layups, like you can’t just be a jump shooter. They are attacking the basket and they are getting layups. They have a good rhythm, and they practice in that manner. They practice as if it were a sport. “So when it comes time to play, they just use the same kind of rhythm.”
2025-11-05 23:35:41
