We’re in the thick of the women’s college basketball season and clarity mostly evades us.
South Carolina has a stranglehold on the No. 1 spot, but are the Gamecocks invincible? Aliyah Boston is the reigning player of the year, but is she a sure shot to get it again? There are tight races in the ACC and Big Ten. Preseason projected top seeds have faltered, and other teams have pleasantly surprised.
’Tis the (mid)season to speculate with The Athletic’s panel of women’s college basketball experts. We’ll have more Thursday on Final Four predictions, so check back in.
1. Which team has surprised you – positively or negatively – the most?
Lyndsey D’Arcangelo: Tennessee, negatively. The Lady Vols were ranked No. 5 in the Top 25 preseason poll and were also picked as a possible Final Four team by some media outlets. As Kellie Harper said recently, Tennessee’s nonconference schedule “punched us in the face.” The Lady Vols went 4-5 in their first nine games and dropped out of the AP rankings. But after starting 6-0 in SEC play they might be finally turning a corner.
Chantel Jennings: Illinois, positively. Had I picked three to five teams at the end of last season that I expected would take a big step forward this year, the Illini wouldn’t have been on the list….
