The coaches and media committee named Notre Dame the preseason favorite to win the ACC championship. So far, it’s been solid. The Irish remain No. 3 in ESPN’s Women’s College Basketball Power Rankings this week and are the No. 1 seed in Bracketology.
The ACC has had representatives in the Women’s Final Four in eight of the past 10 NCAA Tournaments. This started (not coincidentally) the year Notre Dame joined the league. The Irish are the only ACC team to win a national championship in that span (2018) and appear to be top contenders again this season.
Which other teams are projected to win a double-bye in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals and earn the top seed in the NCAA Tournament? There are two months until then, and a lot can happen that could change the answer. There is a gender. But before this season started, Georgia Tech probably wasn’t even considered as a candidate.
Still, the undefeated Yellow Jackets have been in the power rankings for the fourth straight week. They finished 10th in the ACC preseason poll but started 15-0. They currently project as the No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament, which would allow them to host an early round. Georgia Tech has never hosted an NCAA Tournament game, but reached the Sweet 16 in 2012 and 2021. (The Yellow Jackets were a No. 4 seed in 2012, but at the time the tournament had predetermined early-round venues, and Georgia Tech played those games.) 2021 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. All games in the tournament were played inside a COVID-19 bubble in San Antonio. )
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The guard trio of freshman Dani Carnegie and juniors Kara Dunn and Tony Morgan will lead the Yellow Jackets, who host Virginia Tech on Thursday. Georgia Tech’s biggest test will be on January 16th at Notre Dame.
The other ACC team currently slated to be a top-four NCAA seed is Duke University, which will face North Carolina in the first of two rivalry showdowns in Chapel Hill on Thursday (7 p.m. ET, ACC Network). The match will be held. The Blue Devils are off to a 3-0 start in ACC play with Notre Dame, Florida State, Georgia Tech and North Carolina State. The Tar Heels have lost twice in league play (against Georgia Tech and Notre Dame).
Georgia Tech was one of the biggest surprises this season, while ACC newcomer Stanford was a rare disappointment. To be fair, the Cardinal have had a number of problems, including the first season without Tara VanDerveer as head coach in nearly 40 years, losing key players to the WNBA draft and transfer portal, and moving to a conference. facing something new. It’s located across the country from the Cardinal’s campus.
Stanford is 0-3 in league play and has lost five of its past six games, including back-to-back losses last week against SMU and Clemson in its first true ACC trip. (The short drive to longtime Pac-12 rival Cal is of little consequence for both teams’ ACC opener on Dec. 13 in Berkeley.)
It’s very strange to see Stanford in the group of last place teams in the ACC. The Cardinal are three-time NCAA champions and have won 27 Pac-10/Pac-12 regular season titles. But like Cal, which started ACC play with a 2-1 record, Stanford will have to adjust to a completely different — and unimaginable until it happens — experience of conference play.
Previous ranking: 1
The Bruins visited Indiana, the home state of legendary UCLA coach John Wooden, and defeated Indiana and Purdue. Coach Wood seems to like the play of center Lauren Betts. She totaled 42 points, 19 rebounds and shot 70.8 percent from the field in those wins.
Next 7 days: vs. Northwestern (January 12)
Previous ranking: 2
The Gamecocks got some terrible news on Tuesday. Junior forward Ashlyn Watkins will miss the remainder of the season due to a torn anterior cruciate ligament sustained during the Gamecocks’ win over Mississippi State on Sunday. She finished the season averaging 7.2 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks. South Carolina in particular will be greatly missed by her defensive presence. A positive is the Shamcocks’ depth up front with Chloe Kitts, Joyce Edwards and Sania Feagin.
Next 7 days: vs. Texas A&M (Jan. 9), vs. Texas (Jan. 12)
Previous ranking: 3
The Irish won their only game last week at North Carolina, 76-66. Fifth-year senior forward Maddie Westveld made her season debut delayed with a foot injury and played 13 minutes. Notre Dame will benefit from her experience and can afford to ease her return to action. The Fighting Irish were a good rebounding team even without her.
Next 7 days: vs. Wake Forest (1/9), @ Clemson (1/12)
Previous ranking: 4
On Sunday, the Trojans overwhelmed Rutgers 92-42 in a anticipated matchup between USC sophomore star JuJu Watkins and Scarlet Knights promising freshman Kiyomi McMiller, but it didn’t happen. McMiller was removed from the bench for disciplinary reasons and took to social media to express his displeasure. USC, which has three wins against Top 25 teams, will look for another win at Maryland.
Next 7 days: @ Maryland (Jan. 8) vs. Penn State (Jan. 12)
Previous ranking: 5
The Longhorns opened SEC play against former Big 12 foe Oklahoma, winning 80-73 in a foul-filled game in which the unfortunate officiating was the star. Texas’ subsequent 90-56 demolition of Arkansas had no such drama. The Longhorns’ scoring versatility continues to shine. All eyes will be on the matchup between Texas and South Carolina in the battle for the top five spots.
Next 7 days: vs. Alabama (January 9), @ South Carolina (January 12)
Previous ranking: 6
The Huskies can breathe a sigh of relief as the knee injury suffered by guard Paige Bueckers in Sunday’s game against Villanova is a sprain and won’t keep her out for long. The Huskies won 83-52. This is the kind of score you would expect in a Big East game.
Next 7 days: vs. Xavier (January 8), @Georgetown (January 11)
Previous ranking: 8
The Terps won last week against Rutgers and Iowa, led by senior Shan’ann Sellers (39 points, 14 rebounds, 7 assists). Kaylen Smickle also totaled 39 points in those games. So, can Maryland pick up its biggest win of the season against USC?
Next 7 days: vs. USC (Jan. 8), @Wisconsin (Jan. 11), vs. Minnesota (Jan. 14)
Previous ranking: 7
The Tigers remain undefeated after wins over Arkansas and Auburn. Kailin Gilbert, a junior transfer from Arizona State, led LSU to scoring for the first time this season, scoring 16 points against the lowly Razorbacks. So, how will the Tigers fare against a Tennessee Volunteers team that presses all game?
Next 7 days: @ Tennessee (Jan. 9) vs. Vanderbilt (Jan. 13)
Previous ranking: 9
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Like Texas, Oklahoma was frustrated by 54 fouls in the loss to the Longhorns. However, the Sooners bounced back and handed Tennessee their first loss of the season (87-86) with Peyton Verhulst’s 16 points in Knoxville. Oklahoma led for much of the game, committed 31 turnovers in the game, and held the Lady Vols at bay despite trailing by 15 points in the fourth quarter. Perks are the biggest area the Sooners continue to look to improve.
Next 7 days: @ Mississippi State (January 9), vs. Texas A&M (January 12)
Previous ranking: 10
Ohio State is one of three Big Ten teams remaining undefeated, along with UCLA and Maryland. That could be put to the test Wednesday at Michigan. The Buckeyes are coming off a 92-62 victory over Northwestern University, led by freshman guard Jaloni Cambridge with 20 points and six rebounds.
Next 7 days: @ Michigan (January 8), vs. Oregon (January 12)
Previous ranking: 11
TCU won 81-66 against Cincinnati, with guard Madison Conner scoring 29 points and seven assists, and center Sedona Prince adding 21 points and nine rebounds. The Horned Frogs are 3-0 in Big 12 play, their best start in league play since joining the conference in 2012-13.
Next 7 days: @Kansas (January 7), @Texas Tech (January 11), vs. UCF (January 14)
Previous ranking: 14
Freshman Dani Carnegie scored a season-high 28 points, including six 3-pointers, in an 85-68 victory over Syracuse. She has scored in double figures in all but two games with the Yellow Jackets. Georgia Tech has never been in the top 10 of the Associated Press poll, but if the Jackets continue to win, they could be in the top 10.
Next 7 days: vs. Virginia Tech (January 9), @ Louisville (January 12)
Previous ranking: 13
The Wildcats have fared well in the Big 12 so far, coming off a 20-point win over Texas Tech. Center Ayoka Lee had 19 points and eight rebounds in just 17 minutes in that game, making 9 of 11 from the field for a 66.9 shooting percentage. Next up is Utah, which as of the current poll is the only ranked team K-State will face in January.
Next 7 days: @Utah (January 8), @BYU (January 11)
Previous ranking: 12
The Blue Devils bounced back from a pre-Christmas loss in South Florida and dominated Boston College and Pittsburgh by a combined 65 points. Their rivalry against North Carolina dates back to 1976. The Tar Heels led the series 55-53. Last season, the two teams split their matchups and each won at home.
Next 7 days: @ North Carolina (January 9), @ Virginia (January 12)
Previous ranking: 16
The Wildcats opened SEC play with decisive wins over Mississippi State and Vanderbilt, winning by over 90 points in both games. Kentucky set a school record against the Bulldogs by making 18 3-pointers, with Georgia Amoore and Dasia Lawrence making seven each. Amoor had 51 points and 18 assists in the two games.
Next 7 days: @Florida (January 9), vs. Auburn (January 12)
Previous ranking: 15
The Lady Vols opened SEC play with a win over Texas A&M and a near miss against Oklahoma, and although they made a big comeback in the fourth quarter, they suffered their first loss of the season and fell one point behind. Jewel Spear scored a total of 48 points in those games. The Sooners are the toughest opponent Tennessee has ever faced. Next up is powerhouse LSU.
Next 7 days: vs. LSU (Jan. 9), @Arkansas (Jan. 12)
Shedding: None