Caitlin Clark was like a runaway practice for nationwide participant of the yr in girls’s faculty basketball final season. Midway by 2024-25, it is extra like 4 locomotives converging on the station on the similar time.
If you need suspense, we have got it: Three guards and a middle whose groups are ranked within the high 10 are all vying to be the perfect particular person participant within the nation.
A sophomore leads the race, but it surely’s not the one many thought could be the front-runner. Notre Dame‘s Hannah Hidalgo has edged forward of USC‘s JuJu Watkins, who was the freshman of the yr final season.
The two second-year stars met in November, with the Irish handing USC its solely lack of the season, 74-61 behind Hidalgo’s 24 factors and eight assists, whereas Watkins completed with 24 and 5.
Hidalgo ranks second in Division I in scoring and steals; she has scored 25 or extra factors in eight video games for ACC-leading Notre Dame (5-0). Watkins is third in scoring, additionally with eight video games of 25-plus factors. The Trojans are 6-0 atop the Big Ten of their first season within the convention.
Trying to separate hairs between Hidalgo and Watkins could be fascinating sufficient. But UConn guard Paige Bueckers — the nationwide participant of the yr in 2021 as a freshman and a possible No. 1 decide in April’s WNBA draft — and UCLA middle Lauren Betts — who leads the No. 1-ranked Bruins (16-0 general, 5-0 in Big Ten) — are additionally within the operating.
How do the highest 4 measure up? And who’re the main candidates for finest freshman, switch and coach? ESPN’s Kendra Andrews, Charlie Creme, Alexa Philippou and Michael Voepel make their picks halfway by the highway to the NCAA match.
0:22
Hannah Hidalgo goes up and below for an unimaginable bucket
Hannah Hidalgo double-clutches within the air and scoops in a layup for a terrific bucket for the Fighting Irish.
Player of the yr
Andrews: Hannah Hidalgo, Notre Dame
Creme: Hannah Hidalgo, Notre Dame
Philippou: Hannah Hidalgo, Notre Dame
Voepel: Hannah Hidalgo, Notre Dame
Hidalgo is among the most feared one-on-one perimeter defenders within the nation, together with being among the many finest scorers. Her efficiency towards then-No. 3 USC in November was adopted by two different gems towards top-five groups: 30 factors, 8 rebounds and 4 assists in an 80-70 time beyond regulation win towards Texas on Dec. 5, and 29 factors, 10 rebounds, 8 assists and three steals in a 79-68 victory over UConn on Dec. 12.
Hidalgo, who has tailored nicely to the return of level guard Olivia Miles, missed her first recreation at Notre Dame on Sunday for precautionary causes after she rolled her proper ankle in a victory over Wake Forest on Jan. 9. Her absence was felt, because the Irish tied a season-low with 67 factors however nonetheless defeated Clemson by 9.
Hidalgo has improved her taking pictures share from final season to 50.4% general and 45.8% behind the arc. Her accuracy from lengthy vary has bumped her to 2.5 3-pointers per recreation, in comparison with 1.4 final yr. For the season, she is averaging 25.7 factors, 6.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 4.1 steals. — Voepel
Top challengers (so as)
JuJu Watkins, USC: Watkins has been spectacular in her follow-up to her historic freshman season. She’s taking pictures higher (44.4% FG) and creating extra performs for teammates, and he or she has minimize down her turnovers and improved her protection (4.3 steals and blocks), making her an much more well-rounded participant. She’s additionally on tempo to interrupt Clark’s all-time NCAA scoring file.
Hidalgo and Notre Dame outperformed Watkins and USC in November. But Watkins shined within the Trojans’ win over Bueckers and the Huskies final month. Moments like these have large impacts within the conversations about participant of the yr. — Andrews
2:07
JuJu Watkins drops 35 factors to steer USC previous Penn State
JuJu Watkins has a stable efficiency with 35 factors, 3 assists and 11 rebounds in USC’s win over Penn State.
Paige Bueckers, UConn: She is not the present front-runner, however Bueckers has been remarkably spectacular. She has remained an indicator of effectivity, with an efficient area objective share of 62.8%, a profession finest. The Big East is not robust this yr, however Bueckers’ largest video games got here in nonconference play, together with 29 factors towards each Ole Miss and North Carolina. And in UConn’s pair of losses to USC and Notre Dame, she averaged 23.5 factors on 20-for-42 taking pictures (albeit 2-of-12 on 3-pointers).
Bueckers has missed the previous two video games due to a knee sprain however is anticipated again this week. She’s 18 factors away from hitting 2,000 for her profession and is on observe to hit that threshold quicker than any participant in UConn historical past. — Philippou
Lauren Betts, UCLA: The junior middle has reworked the Bruins from a Sweet 16-level program to the No. 1 workforce within the nation. Reliable and constant, Betts has scored in double figures in each recreation this season. Even her lowest output of 11 factors accompanied 14 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 blocks in UCLA’s signature win over South Carolina. Cori Close runs the Bruins’ offense by Betts, and he or she has rewarded her coach because the sixth-most-efficient participant within the nation, in response to HerHoopsStats.com. The 6-foot-6 Betts additionally anchors a protection that ranks second nationally in opponents’ area objective share. — Creme
0:16
Sarah Strong will get the steal and rating UConn
Sarah Strong goes coast-to-coast for the Huskies vs. Hoyas.
Freshman of the Year
Andrews: Sarah Strong, UConn
Creme: Sarah Strong, UConn
Philippou: Sarah Strong, UConn
Voepel: Sarah Strong, UConn
Strong was the top-ranked prospect when she signed with UConn and has nonetheless managed to exceed expectations in Storrs, drawing comparisons to Breanna Stewart and Maya Moore fewer than 20 video games into her collegiate profession. What stands out most is her really feel for the sport on each ends and her versatility. Her 3-point taking pictures (35%) and passing (3.6 assists per recreation) give her guard-like qualities. Her 17.2 factors per recreation — on 57% taking pictures! — are second finest on the workforce behind Bueckers, and Strong’s 7.9 rebounds, 2.4 steals and 1.1 blocks per recreation lead the Huskies in every class. She has proved herself already as Geno Auriemma’s most gifted frontcourt participant in years.
Strong and Bueckers are the most effective duos within the nation, and the freshman is the following nice UConn famous person and already a high participant within the nation. — Philippou
All-Freshman Team
Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt, guard
Jaloni Cambridge, Ohio State, guard
Joyce Edwards, South Carolina, ahead
Sarah Strong, UConn, ahead
Syla Swords, Michigan, guard
Coach of the Year
Andrews: Niele Ivey, Notre Dame
Creme: Niele Ivey, Notre Dame
Philippou: Cori Close, UCLA
Voepel: Niele Ivey, Notre Dame
Notre Dame’s wins over UConn and USC are two nice examples of the extent of basketball Ivey’s program has put collectively this season. The Irish did not simply beat these high-caliber opponents, they gained each video games by double digits. Their offense has been virtually unguardable, with the No. 3 Irish taking pictures 43.8% from 3, which is the perfect mark within the ACC and the nation. Much of that traces again to Ivey’s improvement of Hidalgo and Olivia Miles, who make up what’s arguably the perfect backcourt in faculty basketball.
There had been expectations surrounding Notre Dame heading into the season, however what Ivey has constructed now has the Irish cemented within the nationwide title dialog. — Andrews
Top challenger: Cori Close, UCLA
UCLA has hovered as a second-weekend NCAA match workforce for years. But that appears poised to vary with this season’s Bruins, who’re nonetheless undefeated, the perfect workforce of Close’s tenure in Westwood. UCLA has been the No. 1 workforce within the nation since thrashing South Carolina in late November, and Close has shepherded the additional emergence of stars Lauren Betts, a surefire first-team All-American, and Kiki Rice, who’s enjoying the perfect basketball of her profession. Through recruiting (together with internationally) and dealing the switch portal, Close has constructed a roster that has only a few flaws and is enjoying like it may be the final workforce standing in Tampa. — Philippou
4:52
Amoore on how No. 15 Kentucky has jelled rapidly
Georgia Amoore joins SEC Now after her 18-point efficiency to speak about how the Wildcats are having instant success below a brand new coach and lots of transfers.
All-Transfer Team
Georgia Amoore, Kentucky, guard
Raegan Beers, Oklahoma, ahead
Kiki Iriafen, USC, ahead
Hailey Van Lith, TCU, guard
Liatu King, Notre Dame, ahead
Top switch: Georgia Amoore, Kentucky
This is essentially the most aggressive class of all these awards. The nod narrowly goes to Amoore due to her play at level guard and what she has meant to the transition at Kentucky. Her transfer to Lexington alongside along with her former Virginia Tech coach Kenny Brooks has resuscitated this system. And she’s doing it with out the extent of assist that the opposite candidates have. Iriafen performs with JuJu Watkins; Beers and King joined skilled groups at Oklahoma and Notre Dame, respectively; Van Lith has teamed with Sedona Prince at TCU.
But Amoore is one in all 11 new gamers at Kentucky, which was a mixed 24-38 the previous two seasons, ending twelfth and 14th within the SEC. Now the Wildcats are 15-1 and 4-0 in convention play — their finest SEC begin since 2012-13 — with Amoore as their main scorer and unquestioned chief. She additionally ranks second within the nation in assists per recreation. — Creme
All-America Team
Our high 4 picks for nationwide participant of the yr make the All-America first workforce, however who will get the fifth spot? It was a neck-and-neck race between LSU‘s Aneesah Morrow, who leads Division I in double-doubles with 16, and Florida State‘s Ta’Niya Latson, who’s the nation’s high scorer at 27.7 factors per recreation. The senior, Morrow, obtained the nod.
Lauren Betts, UCLA, middle
Paige Bueckers, UConn, guard
Hannah Hidalgo, Notre Dame, guard
Aneesah Morrow, LSU, ahead
JuJu Watkins, USC, guard
