Women’s college basketball starts tomorrow and there’s plenty to be excited about. Here are five (of many) things I’ll be watching for during tomorrow’s slate.
1. Ole Miss’ transfer portal haul
Ole Miss head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin has a brand new team this season — and it’s all thanks to everyone’s favorite offseason topic, the transfer portal.
With eight new transfers, this team is going to look drastically different from last year. Ohio State transfer Cotie McMahon headlines the additions and I’m itching to see how she fits in, but I’ll also be curious to watch UCF’s Kaitlin Peterson, Mississippi State’s Debreasha Powe and Virginia’s Latasha Lattimore in their debuts. They’ll face a high-level mid-major with a new head coach in Norfolk State tomorrow.
2. Two high-level games overseas
Bonjour! The two best games of the day will be taking place in Paris, France.
First up: Baylor vs. Duke. This has the potential to be an elite matchup. Duke is my favorite to win the ACC this year and I’m looking forward to seeing Toby Fournier’s freshmen-to-sophomore year jump alongside the debut of freshman Emilee Skinner. For Baylor, their newcomers will be key. Taliah Scott returns to the court in a new uniform and 6-2 sophomore Yuting Deng has the potential to put together a big year.
The second game from abroad is Vanderbilt vs. Cal. These are two teams that exceeded expectations last season, but look brand-new.
One constant, though? Mikayla Blakes. She’s going to have a phenomenal sophomore campaign and there’s no doubt about that.
3. Aaliyah Chavez’ debut
Elite freshman Aaliyah Chavez has had the spotlight on her for years and that won’t change in college. If anything, it’ll only grow larger.
Oklahoma has a high ceiling this season with so many impactful returners, but Chavez could be the x-factor. Not only will she be making her debut tomorrow, but it’ll be against a really high-level mid-major in Belmont.
4. Kiyomi McMiller in blue
Kiyomi McMiller was one of the most fascinating freshmen we’ve seen in a while. Last season at Rutgers, her talent was undeniable, but off-the-court issues were in question as she sat out several games.
This season, she opted to transfer to a fellow Big Ten program in Penn State. The Nittany Lions have some pressure on them this season to succeed and McMiller will have to shoulder some of that.
5. Molly Miller’s first game
Molly Miller was the most sought-after coach this offseason and she opted to stay in-state and head to Arizona State. She saw plenty of success at Grand Canyon and has garnered plenty of excitement since arriving on ASU’s campus.
They’ll face Coppin State tomorrow night and it should be a fun first-look at the Sun Devils.
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