Women's College Basketball

South Carolina is the best team in the women's college basketball. There can be no doubt about that now. 

The No. 1 Gamecocks defeated No. 2 UConn 73-57 on Monday in the championship game of the Women's Battle 4 Atlantis, overcoming a 13-point first-half deficit. 

Big games from Aliyah Boston (22 points, 15 rebounds) and Zia Cooke (17 points) and South Carolina's domination on the boards (41-26, with 18 offensive rebounds) proved too much for Paige Bueckers and the Huskies to overcome. 

Bueckers (19 points, seven assists, five rebounds) provided her expected offensive spark. But South Carolina's defense and depth paved the way for a dominant win, especially in the second half, when the Gamecocks outscored UConn 40-21 and held the Huskies to just three fourth-quarter points.

The Gamecocks also turned the ball over just three times in the second half after 11 first-half giveaways. That helped them overcome a poor shooting day from the perimeter (5-of-18 from deep, 27.8 percent). 

It also helped that Boston controlled the paint in the second half. Not that South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley was surprised to see that level of dominance.

"It's time. It's time for Boston to be the dominant player that she is," she said in her postgame interview on ESPN. "I think she sells herself short a lot."

Bueckers may have been the big name in this matchup, but Boston was clearly the most dominant player on the court:

Statement games still only count once in the win column. But for a South Carolina program stinging from last year's Final Four loss to Stanford—and eager to prove it deserved the top overall ranking this season—Monday's victory was big. 

Up next for the Gamecocks is a home matchup against Elon on Friday at 3 p.m. ET. UConn will look to get back on track on the road against Seton Hall Friday at 7 p.m. ET. 

South Carolina women's basketball head coach Dawn Staley told reporters on Friday that more Black women are getting head-coaching chances in the sport, though there is plenty of room for improvement in that regard. 

"There is an influx of Black women getting an opportunity," Staley said. "Black women are getting more chances to be the head honcho in their programs. I hope we continue to be successful."

"There should be a fair amount of Black women getting a chance because of who we serve," she added. "We serve a lot of players who are Black. I don't want people thinking I'm playing the race card. I've been in the game a long time. I've seen big jobs go to people that deserved an opportunity."

Last month, Staley signed a seven-year, $22.4 million contract extension with the school, making her the highest-paid Black head coach in women's college basketball and one of the highest-paid women's basketball coaches.

She has led South Carolina to a national title, three Final Four appearances and nine 25-win seasons, among her many accomplishments. The five-time WNBA All-Star was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame as a player and also coaches the United States women's national team.

There are currently 12 Black women as Power Five head coaches in women's college basketball.

"I think more doors should be opening because we're freaking good," Buffalo's Felisha Legette-Jack said. "It's undeniable you have to interview us. When you interview us, you must select us. The answer is yes. We are more ready than most people."

Legette-Jack added that Staley has been an excellent advocate for Black women in coaching.

"I'm in awe of her. I'm a groupie. She's so great and gracious," she said. "You call her, and you think you're the most special person in the world. She does it with everybody."

The NCAA announced Wednesday that the Division I Council has approved an expansion of the women's basketball tournament to 68 teams, thus matching the size of the field for the men's tournament.

West Virginia athletic director Shane Lyons, who's also the council chair, addressed the decision:

This immediate expansion of the women's basketball championship reinforces the fact that leaders within Division I are committed to strengthening aspects of the women's basketball championship that directly impact student-athletes. We look forward to the positive change this will have for the student experience at the championship, especially as it relates to equal team opportunities to compete in the tournament.

Typically, the selection show for the women's tournament was on a Monday, one day after the men's field was revealed. This year, both will fall on Sunday, March 13. 

The women's tourney will tip off with the First Four on March 16 and 17. The first round proper will get underway March 18.

The expansion comes as the NCAA faced significant scrutiny for the differences in how it handled the men's and women's basketball tournaments.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the NCAA utilized one city and the surrounding areas—Indianapolis for the men and San Antonio for the women—to stage the two events for the 2020-21 season.

Oregon forward Sedona Prince shared a video, which has been viewed more than 18 million times, contrasting the fitness facilities provided to the athletes at each location:

NBC Sports' Alex Azzi listed other examples, such as the different COVID-19 testing the NCAA arranged for athletes and the meals they were provided.

For critics of the NCAA, last spring was indicative of wider inequities that have occurred over years. It was only in September the organization committed to using its "March Madness" branding for the women's tournament.

In the wake of the controversy earlier in the year, the NCAA commissioned the law firm of Kaplan Hecker & Fink LLP to evaluate the extent of the gender disparity. 

"The NCAA's broadcast agreements, corporate sponsorship contracts, distribution of revenue, organizational structure, and culture all prioritize Division I men's basketball over everything else in ways that create, normalize and perpetuate gender inequities," the firm said in the first phase of its review.

The 2021-22 women's college basketball season will feature exceptional play at all positions. While storylines won't focus on just one player, there is only one yearly winner of the sport's most prestigious award.

UConn freshman sensation Paige Bueckers won the Naismith Player of the Year award last May and was the first UConn Huskies player to do so since Breanna Stewart took three consecutive Naismiths from 2014 to 2016.

Since Stewart won those three straight awards, the talent level in women's college basketball has risen, and that is exemplified by the fact that seven players could have a fair shot at the Naismith.

Who out of a wide talent pool are least and most likely to walk away from the 2021-22 season as the nation's top player? What are the chances that Bueckers repeats? And how will sensational play this season help the WNBA draft stock of those who are eligible?

Naz Hillmon: Traditional Post Player with an Expanding Game

Speaking of draft-eligible players, Michigan's Naz Hillmon and Kentucky's Rhyne Howard are in their senior seasons and have the W in their futures. In addition to leading their teams as far as they can go this season, both Hillmon and Howard have made it clear that they are looking to develop their craft in preparation for the pros. The two are used to being the focal point of their team's offensive output.

For Hillmon, whose reputation has always been a traditional back-to-the-basket post player with a high motor, she's also looking to expand her game. She made two open looks from beyond the arc in a preseason exhibition on November 4. And she remains one of the strongest players in the country.

Hillmon won't abandon her vintage power finishes and elite rebounding despite the expansion of her game. Last season she put up 50 points against Big Ten rival Ohio State, proving her ability to score in droves against other Top 25 programs.

Rhyne Howard: 'I Am the Best Player On the Court'

What will it take for Kentucky's Howard to get her team to take some of the load off her shoulders? It's hard to know. She has her senior season to prove to WNBA coaches and general managers that she's not just an efficient, athletic three-way scorer. This year she needs to prove she has the ability to lead and motivate her teammates. One pro talent evaluator remarked that last year they thought she didn't buy into supporting her team and that this year she needs to show much more care.

For Howard, who told reporters she's in the best shape of her life, her goals are to put the work in to show the entire nation that she's not only a gifted scorer, but also one of its elite players.

"This year I'm just playing to show everyone that I am the best player on the court and leave no doubt about it," she said. "That I'm working hard, and I'm giving everything I got for myself and for my teammates."

Both Howard and Hillmon should have statistically sound seasons, but the lack of reliable depth that both Michigan (besides maybe Leigha Brown) and Kentucky have might hold both players back from claiming the college game's highest honor.

Haley Jones: A Matchup Nightmare

On the opposite side of the spectrum, Stanford's Haley Jones has the skill set that characterizes the modern game and allows for the Cardinal to play her at not only the 3 but also at the 4 or the 2, which makes her a matchup nightmare for opponents.

At 6'1", Jones' game is predicated on her versatility, including her passing as a secondary ball-handler and her ability to post up and take smaller guards off the dribble. One WNBA talent evaluator called her sense for the game quite rare.

She came alive in the NCAA tournament and became a reliable scorer and playmaker when now-WNBA player Kiana Williams couldn't get going. She led her team in scoring in both Final Four games and as a result was named the Most Outstanding Player in the national championship game.

While she attempted a low volume of three-point shots last season (17 total during the regular season and the tournament), she proved she could knock them down, especially during Stanford's national-title run.

While Jones is Stanford's most complete player, what could impede her road to POY is the system she plays in. Williams is the only impact player the defending champions lost. The Cardinal will return depth, including defensive stalwart Anna Wilson, two-way wing Lexie Hull and bigs in sophomore Cameron Brink and junior Ashten Prechtel. And Stanford's version of the Princeton-style offense also balances the attack rather than centering it on an individual.

Aliyah Boston: The Most Talented Center

Aliyah Boston is the most talented center in women's college basketball. At 6'5", she's a big with an above-average basketball IQ. She knows how to make the appropriate read from the high post. She's almost unstoppable when defenses don't do their early work on her.

For opponents, there's just not a lot of hope to stop Boston when she catches the ball deep in the paint. And if she does miss, expect her to be ready to rebound and put it back.

In addition to her complete game offensively, which includes stretching the floor when necessary, Boston's defense stifles opponents just as much. Last season, the Gamecocks star finished in the 71st percentile in points given up per possession with 0.698, according to Synergy Sports. She's one of the best post defenders in the country, and the WNBA's Layshia Clarendon tweeted Tuesday night that her "shot block timing is a thing of beauty."

But in South Carolina's first game of the season against NC State, the team's anchor and best player didn't fill up the box score in ways you'd expect from a top player. Remember, though: Boston does so much on the floor. Her screening, ability to draw defenses and shot altering and rim deterrence can't be seen on a basic stat sheet.

This could work in or against her favor. If the Gamecocks prove that with their depth they are by far the best team in the country all season, the natural progression would be for the team's best player to receive the Naismith.

Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clark: Lead Guards Who Are Top Contenders

Bueckers, who plays for a much deeper UConn team than the one that fell to Arizona in the Final Four last April, is in a similar situation. The Huskies added a sharpshooter and close friend of Bueckers in Azzi Fudd along with 6'2" first-year guard Caroline Ducharme and 6'5" stretch big Dorka Juhász, who transferred in from Ohio State.

Bueckers and superstar Iowa point guard Caitlin Clark, who both impressed last season as first-year players, have similar styles of play as lead guards. Both are exceptional offensively. Bueckers shot 46.4 percent from beyond the arc last season, and Clark, who is becoming known for taking shots from the logo, shot 40.6 percent. Bueckers finished the season with 5.7 assists per game to Clark's 7.1.

But differentiating between these two also comes down to examining their respective ball control. Bueckers had a 2.27 assist-to-turnover ratio to Clark's 1.47. Bueckers averaged around 2.3 fewer turnovers than Clark. That is a result of personnel. Just like last season, Clark's Iowa doesn't have a secondary ball-handler. Bueckers' UConn has two others in Nika Muhl and Evina Westbrook.

In the 2021 NCAA tournament, UConn was able to knock out Iowa on account of its underwhelming team defense and weaker individual defense from Clark.

On a recent episode of Locked on Women's Basketball, Clark spoke about how improving her defensive game has been a high priority in the offseason. "We don't expect us to be the absolute best defensive team in the nation," she said. "But we certainly can't be what we were last year because that's not going to get us much further than where we were."

NaLyssa Smith: On a Mission

Unlike Clark, who returns to Iowa as the focal point of her offense, Baylor's NaLyssa Smith is new to that role as she attempts to prove she is the best player in the country. With DiDi Richards and DiJonai Carrington about to be WNBA sophomores, it's the 6'4" forward's time to shine. Her coach, former Atlanta Dream head coach Nicki Collen, expressed her utmost confidence in Smith on Monday.

"Yo, I'm going to go on record," Collen told reporters. "She's not one of the best players in the country, she is the best player in the country. So I am going to go on record saying that. You could put that on Twitter. I don't care. I just think that's where her game is at right now. And I think when the lights come on, she just gets better and better."

In her first three years as a Bear, Smith flashed her athletic abilities by using her quickness to finish in transition and slash through the lane. In a Kim Mulkey offense that was reliant on scoring mostly in the paint, Smith's game remained limited. But Collen wants to change that and has been working with Smith on her perimeter shooting and guard handles. According to The Athletic's Charlotte Carroll, Collen has had Smith watch film of Natasha Howard and Breanna Stewart, two of the W's most versatile forwards.

WNBA talent evaluators have expressed that they expect Smith to improve not only on the perimeter but also in the pick-and-roll. One noted that Collen will get Smith prepared "for the pro level [in a way] that not many college coaches will."

But like Clark, Smith has just enough talent around her to play to her individual strengths. For Clark, she has Monika Czinano to feed in the post. Last season, she was one of the most efficient players in the country, finishing with the best field-goal percentage in the nation at 66.8. For Smith, she has returning talent in All-Big 12 player Queen Egbo and Alabama transfer guard Jordan Lewis. And that's credit to Collen and Iowa head coach Lisa Bluder.

Who Takes Home the Hardware?

Clark will continue to work on her defense in pursuit of being a more complete player. But Smith will take a leap and a bound toward her potential on the perimeter.

While UConn, South Carolina and Stanford will all probably be ranked higher than the Baylor Bears by the time March rolls around, the best player will be Smith, who will play in a system that allows her to shine among enough surrounding talent to keep the Bears fighting toward another Elite Eight. Buckers, Boston and Jones won't have unsuccessful seasons, but rather success might look different. Instead of shooting at a high volume, they will be facilitating and anchoring stacked rosters around them.

Collen told The Athletic's Chantel Jennings in September that her job isn't necessarily just to develop Smith as a top WNBA prospect. She's focused on the end goal for the team, which is making sure Baylor continues as one of the country's most successful programs.

The modern style the Bears are set to play won't revolve around Smith like how Kentucky and Michigan are structured with Howard and Hillmon, but rather it will feature her in ways that showcase the holistic two-way player Collen and WNBA talent evaluators know she can be.

Barring any unexpected injuries on Baylor's 10-player roster, Smith will take home the Naismith trophy and will become a lottery selection in the spring.

Connecticut star Paige Bueckers signed a deal with StockX to become a brand ambassador for the company.

According to ESPN's Nick DePaula, Bueckers will be a "centerpiece" of StockX's upcoming advertising campaigns focused on women's sports.

She provided a statement about the partnership:

As the NCAA rolled out its new rules regarding name, image and likeness, the Huskies guard figured to be a big beneficiary.

Bueckers built a national profile in high school in Hopkins, Minnesota, and she delivered on the hype as a freshman. She averaged 20.0 points, 5.8 assists and 4.9 rebounds in 29 games en route to a Final Four appearance.

Rachel Bachman of the Wall Street Journal estimated the 5'11" playmaker could earn upwards of $1 million based on her overall reach. In August, she signed with Wasserman Media Group to handle her NIL business.

After becoming the first freshman to win the Wooden Award as the best women's college basketball player, Paige Bueckers is a top candidate to win it again in 2021-22.

The UConn guard headlined the preseason watch list featuring 50 of the best players in the country, per ESPN. 

Bueckers is one of five Huskies players on the list, which also includes Christyn Williams, Olivia Nelson-Ododa, Aaliyah Edwards and Azzi Fudd.

The depth will help the Huskies as they seek their first title since 2016. The team reached the Final Four last year behind Buecker's 20.0 points, 5.7 assists and 4.9 rebounds per game, but a loss to Arizona ended the team's title hopes.

Stanford took home the championship and bring back Cameron Brink, Lexie Hull and Haley Jones, three players who made the preseason top 50 list.

Jones was the Final Four Most Outstanding Player after scoring 17 points with eight rebounds in the title game victory over Arizona.

South Carolina also features three players on the list—Aliyah Boston, Zia Cooke and Destanni Henderson—helping them become the No. 1 team in the Associated Press preseason poll.

Baylor's NaLyssa Smith is another top contender for the Wooden Award after averaging 18.0 points and 8.9 rebounds per game last season.

Caitlin Clark also returns as the nation's leading scorer last year with an average of 26.6 points per game for Iowa.    

Wooden Award Preseason Top 50

Shakira Austin, Ole Miss

Kierstan Bell, Florida Gulf Coast

Grace Berger, Indiana

Aliyah Boston, South Carolina

Cameron Brink, Stanford

Leigha Brown, Michigan

Jakia Brown-Turner, NC State

Paige Bueckers, UConn

Rae Burrell, Tennessee

Veronica Burton, Northwestern

Caitlin Clark, Iowa

Nia Clouden, Michigan State

Zia Cooke, South Carolina

Lorela Cubaj, Georgia Tech

Elissa Cunane, NC State

Monika Czinano, Iowa

Aaliyah Edwards, UConn

Queen Egbo, Baylor

Azzi Fudd, UConn

Vivian Gray, Texas Tech

Anastasia Hayes, Mississippi State

Lauren Heard, TCU

Destanni Henderson, South Carolina

Naz Hillmon, Michigan

Mya Hollingshed, Colorado

Rhyne Howard, Kentucky

Lexie Hull, Stanford

Rickea Jackson, Mississippi State

Ashley Joens, Iowa State

Haley Jones, Stanford

Taylor Jones, Oregon State

Elizabeth Kitley, Virginia Tech

Lotta-Maj Lathinen, Georgia Tech

Ayoka Lee, Kansas State

Charlisse Leger-Walker, Washington State

Jordan Lewis, Baylor

Diamond Miller, Maryland

Olivia Nelson-Ododa, UConn

Charisma Osborne, UCLA

Ashley Owusu, Maryland

Te-Hina Paopao, Oregon

Alissa Pili, USC

Khayla Pointer, LSU

Nyara Sabally, Oregon

Myah Selland, South Dakota State

Aisha Sheppard, Virginia Tech

NaLyssa Smith, Baylor

Hailey Van Lith, Louisville

Maddy Westbeld, Notre Dame

Christyn Williams, UConn

Rutgers women's basketball coach C. Vivian Stringer will miss the 2021-22 season with continued concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic.

Stringer didn't participate in the Big Ten's media day in October for the same reason.

The Scarlet Knights confirmed Monday that associate head coach Tim Eatman will continue running the 73-year-old's day-to-day duties.

Rutgers had to postpone seven straight games last year due to the Big Ten's health and safety protocols. The team still finished 14-5 overall and 10-3 in the conference before losing to BYU in the opening round of the NCAA tournament.

The school announced in April it had extended Stringer's contract through the 2025-26 season.

The Pennsylvania native is one of the greatest coaches in women's basketball. She has collected 1,055 wins over her Hall of Fame career and reached the Final Four with Cheyney State in 1982 and Iowa in 1993 before making two more trips with Rutgers. 

The Scarlet Knights were runners-up to Tennessee in 2007. Their success on the court has leveled off a bit in recent years, though, as the program's last Sweet 16 appearance came in 2009.

In addition to the absence of Stringer, Rutgers has to replace last year's leading scorer Arella Guirantes, who moved on to the WNBA. Diamond Johnson also transferred to North Carolina State. Together, Guirantes and Johnson averaged 38.9 points and 10.2 rebounds per game.

The Scarlet Knights host Saint Peter's in their opener Tuesday.

The Associated Press released its preseason All-America team for women's college basketball Tuesday with UConn guard Paige Bueckers leading the way.

According to Doug Feinberg of the Associated Press, the reigning AP Player of the Year and Naismith Player of the Year was chosen unanimously as a preseason All-America selection by a 29-person national media panel.

Joining Bueckers on the team are South Carolina's Aliyah Boston, Iowa's Caitlin Clark, Baylor's NaLyssa Smith and Kentucky's Rhyne Howard.

The 20-year-old Bueckers made a huge impact last season as a freshman, averaging 20.0 points, 5.8 assists, 4.9 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game.

With Bueckers leading the way, the Huskies went 28-2 and achieved the No. 1 ranking in the AP Top 25. UConn shockingly fell to Arizona in the Final Four, denying the program its first national championship since 2016.

Entering the 2021-22 campaign, the Huskies are the No. 2 team in the nation and are once again considered strong national title contenders.

Per Feinberg, UConn head coach Geno Auriemma said the following about Bueckers ahead of her sophomore season: "Paige is Paige. Paige is better than she was last year. Paige is a little more comfortable than she was last year. She's not as hesitant to take shots as she was last year."

While Bueckers is the most notable player on the preseason All-America team, the other four selections are poised to enjoy huge 2021-22 seasons as well.

Boston, a junior, is the top player on a South Carolina team that reached the Final Four last season and is ranked No. 1 in the nation entering 2021-22.

She was a force in the paint last season, averaging 13.7 points, 11.5 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game for the Gamecocks.

The most explosive scorer on the All-America team is Clark, who led the nation with 26.6 points per game last season as a freshman. Feinberg noted that Clark has Iowa ranked ninth, which is its best preseason ranking since 1996.

No. 7 Baylor is spearheaded by Smith, a senior who put up 18 points and 8.9 rebounds per contest last season.

Howard is also a senior and the star of a Kentucky team that is ranked 13th. She averaged 20.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.8 assists during her junior season.

Fresh off signing a massive seven-year contract extension, Dawn Staley has South Carolina back in a familiar spot atop the Associated Press Top 25 poll.

The Gamecocks received 14 first-place votes to narrowly come out ahead of No. 2 UConn, with Stanford, Maryland and North Carolina State rounding out the Top Five.

Here is how the entire rankings played out:

1. South Carolina
2. UConn
3. Stanford
4. Maryland
5. North Carolina State
6. Louisville
7. Baylor
8. Indiana
9. Iowa
10. Oregon
11. Michigan
12. Iowa State
13. Kentucky
14. Oregon State
15. Tennessee
16. Florida State
17. Ohio State
17. Georgia Tech
19. West Virginia
20. UCLA
21. South Florida
22. Arizona
23. Texas A&M 
24. Virginia Tech
25. Texas

South Carolina is coming off a 26-5 season that saw the Gamecocks lose in the Final Four. This is the second straight year they have been atop the preseason rankings.

"With who we brought back and who we added for this season, we knew we would start out among the hunted, and it's something that our program is getting used to," Staley told reporters. "Watching practice every day, I can see that we have the pieces and the competitive fire to reach all of our goals. We have a few more weeks to put those pieces together into a cohesive, successful team that can live up to this preseason ranking."

Arizona (22nd) is the only semifinalist from 2020-21 not ranked in the Top Five this season.  UConn remains in a familiar perch at No. 2 after a shocking loss to Arizona in the Final Four, while defending national champion Stanford slots in at No. 3.

No team has repeated since UConn won four straight from 2013-16. 

South Carolina women's basketball coach Dawn Staley continues to make history. 

The 51-year-old inked a seven-year, $22.4 million contract with the Gamecocks on Friday, making her the highest-paid Black coach in women's basketball, according to USA Today's Lindsay Schnell. 

"Credit where it's due," Staley said. "This university and this state have a rich history of racism, and I'm not going to disregard that. But this is one of the most progressive decisions they've ever made. They need to be recognized for being committed to leading the way in gender equity in America. This is an equitable statement and in the midst of all our inequities in our country, I hope it's a turning point."

Staley last got a raise and extension in 2017. Her new salary will be $1 million per year, with outside compensation beginning at $1.9 million in the first year and escalating by $100,000 every year after.

Since Staley became coach in 2008, the Gamecocks have made the NCAA tournament nine times, including three of the past six NCAA Final Fours. They won the NCAA championship in 2017.

Staley was named National Coach of the Year in 2020 after leading the Gamecocks to a No. 1 ranking before the postseason was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Staley also coached the United States' women's basketball team to a gold medal at this summer's Tokyo Olympics. She has been named USA Basketball National Coach of the Year twice and has helped the U.S. win 11 international gold medals.

Staley joins UConn's Geno Auriemma as the highest-paid coaches in women's basketball. Auriemma makes around $2.8 million per year. About 12 women's college basketball coaches make at least $1 million per year or more, including Arizona's Adia Barnes, LSU's Kim Mulkey and Oregon's Kelly Graves.