“Around the NCAAW Weekly” highlights the notable events of the week. In this installment, we take a look at what happened over the two weeks of the Holidays. Check out the milestones, surprises, best games and outstanding performances for games played through Sunday, Jan. 1:
Milestones/accomplishments
12/21/2022: Caitlin Clark of the No. 12 Iowa Hawkeyes reached 2,000 career points in a 92-54 win over the Dartmouth Big Green. It took her 75 games to get there.
Caitlin Clark tied Elena Delle Donne as the fastest players to reach 2,000 career points in the fewest games (75) in men’s or women’s DI basketball since at least 1999-00 #ThatsaW pic.twitter.com/K4ypYI1UdW
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 21, 2022
12/21/2022: Taylor Robertson of the No. 20 Oklahoma Sooners made at least five threes for the 40th time in her career, setting a new NCAAW Division I high. She had six in a 95-79 win over the Florida Gators. She added six more triples on Dec. 31.
12/29/2022: Monika Czinano of Iowa reached 2,000 career points (139 career games) in an 83-68 win over the Purdue Boilermakers.
12/28/2022: Kim Barnes Arico, head coach of the No. 14 Michigan Wolverines, reached 500 career wins. The Wolverines defeated the Nebraska Cornhuskers 76-59.
South Carolina maintained its hold on top of the AP Top 25 poll Monday, reaching a milestone in the process: The Gamecocks have held the No. 1 spot for 27 consecutive weeks, which is the fifth-longest run all time. https://t.co/0Ep6E8yr3s
— ESPN Women’s Hoops (@ESPN_WomenHoop) December 26, 2022
12/30/2022: The No. 11 Utah Utes defeated the Washington State Cougars 71-66, improving to 13-0 for their most outstanding beginning to a season ever as a member of the Pac-12.
12/21/2022: The No. 25 St. John’s Red Storm defeated the Wagner Seahawks, improving to 12-0 for their most outstanding beginning to a season ever.
1/1/2023: Clark made seven threes and scored 32 points, moving into third place in both threes and scoring in Hawkeye history. Iowa lost to the Illinois Fighting Illini 90-86.
12/20/2022: Kelly Graves, head coach of the No. 17 Oregon Ducks, reached 200 wins with the Ducks. Oregon defeated the No. 24 Arkansas Razorbacks 85-78.
12/21/2022: The No. 7 Virginia Tech Hokies had three players reach 20 points for the first time in program history. Elizabeth Kitley had 25 points, Taylor Soule had 24 and Kayana Traylor had 22 in the 86-66 win over the High Point Panthers.
12/20/2022: The No. 14 Michigan Wolverines set a program high in a first quarter with 35 points en route to a 76-68 victory over the No. 13 UNC Tar Heels.
Streak tracker
No. 8 UConn Huskies consecutive seasons without losing back-to-back games — 29
No. 1 South Carolina Gamecocks consecutive ranked wins — 17
No. 1 South Carolina Gamecocks consecutive Top 5 wins — 7
No. 2 Stanford Cardinal consecutive Pac-12 wins — 36
No. 1 South Carolina Gamecocks consecutive home wins — 33
No. 6 NC State Wolfpack consecutive wins in non-conference games vs. unranked opponents — 52
Surprises
Upsets
12/29/2022: Unranked Michigan State Spartans over No. 4 Indiana Hoosiers, 83-78
Kamaria McDaniel had 24 points and three assists for the Spartans, who are not receiving votes but are now No. 26 in the NET rankings.
1/1/2023: Unranked Oregon State Beavers over No. 10 UCLA Bruins, 77-72
Raegen Beers had 22 points and 15 rebounds for the Beavers, who are not receiving votes and are No. 63 in the NET rankings.
12/29/2022: Unranked Clemson Tigers over No. 7 Virginia Tech Hokies, 64-59
Amari Robinson had 16 points and nine rebounds for the Tigers, who are not receiving votes and are No. 60 in the NET rankings.
1/1/2023: Unranked Illinois Fighting Illini over No. 12 Iowa Hawkeyes, 90-86
Kendall Bostic had 17 points, 12 rebounds, three assists and three blocks for the Illini, who are not receiving votes but are No. 30 in the NET rankings.
12/21/2022: Then-unranked South Florida Bulls over then-No. 17 Arkansas Razorbacks, 66-65 (OT)
Elena Tsineke had 23 points, three assists and three steals for the Bulls, who are now receiving seven voting points.
12/29/2022: Unranked Florida State Seminoles over No. 13 UNC Tar Heels, 78-71
Ta’Niya Latson had 21 points, eight rebounds, six assists and two steals for the Seminoles, who are No. 25 in the NET rankings.
12/29/2022: RV (18 points) Duke Blue Devils over No. 6 NC State Wolfpack, 72-58
Celeste Taylor had 23 points and eight rebounds for the Blue Devils.
12/21/2022: Then-RV (two points) Nebraska Cornhuskers over then-No. 20 Kansas Jayhawks, 85-79 (3OT)
Jaz Shelley had 24 points, six rebounds and six assists for the Huskers, who are now receiving 10 voting points.
12/20/2022: Then-No. 19 Michigan Wolverines over then-No. 6 UNC Tar Heels, 76-68
Michigan moved up to No. 14.
Close calls
1/1/2023: No. 6 NC State Wolfpack over unranked Syracuse Orange, 56-54
Syracuse is not receiving votes and is No. 71 in the NET rankings.
12/20/2022: Then-No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes over then-unranked South Florida Bulls, 88-86 (OT)
Cotie McMahon had 30 points, five rebounds, three assists and three steals for the Buckeyes. Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu had 34 points and 17 rebounds for the Bulls, who are now receiving seven voting points.
12/29/2022: No. 5 Notre Dame Fighting Irish over unranked Miami Hurricanes, 66-63
Miami is not receiving votes and is No. 56 in the NET rankings.
12/30/2022: No. 11 Utah Utes over unranked Washington State Cougars, 71-66
Washington State is not receiving votes and is No. 44 in the NET rankings.
1/1/2023: No. 4 Indiana Hoosiers over RV (10 points) Nebraska Cornhuskers, 74-62 (OT)
Other news
Billionaire mortgage lender Mat Ishbia is finalizing a purchase of the Phoenix Suns and Mercury for a record price of $4 billion, sources told ESPN on Tuesday. https://t.co/ORA199eleH
— ESPN Women’s Hoops (@ESPN_WomenHoop) December 20, 2022
UConn’s Azzi Fudd, who suffered a right knee injury on Dec. 4, has resumed basketball activities, coach Geno Auriemma told reporters Friday.
Fudd will go through workouts Friday and Saturday before next steps are determined.
https://t.co/CtzQsLqi8Q— ESPN Women’s Hoops (@ESPN_WomenHoop) December 30, 2022
The Atlanta Dream have extended the contracts of coach Tanisha Wright and general manager Dan Padover through the 2027 season, it was announced Tuesday. https://t.co/YkCLatG96a
— ESPN Women’s Hoops (@ESPN_WomenHoop) December 20, 2022
Other games of the week
12/29/2022: Utah Valley Wolverines over Grand Canyon Lopes, 65-63 (2OT)
12/29/2022: Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners over UC Riverside Highlanders, 56-53 (2OT)
12/31/2022: Wyoming Cowgirls over Fresno State Bulldogs, 77-72 (2OT)
Other top performances
12/19/2022: Jordyn Jenkins — 35 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, three steals and one block for the UTSA Roadrunners in a loss to the Houston Cougars
12/31/2022: Terren Ward — 40 points, six rebounds, two assists and one steal for the Georgia Southern Eagles in a win over the Arkansas State Red Wolves
12/31/2022: McKenna Hofschild — 37 points, six rebounds, three assists and one steal for the Colorado State Rams in an overtime loss to the UNLV Lady Rebels
12/28/2022: Aaliyah Edwards — 23 points, 20 rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block for the No. 8 UConn Huskies in a win over the No. 21 Creighton Bluejays
1/1/2023: Kyla McMakin — 40 points, three rebounds, two assists and one steal for the St. Louis Billikens in an overtime win over the VCU Rams
