Former Miami point guard Haley Cavinder announced on Monday she has transferred to TCU. In April, she and her sister Hanna announced they were retiring from college women’s basketball, but Haley said she wanted to keep playing in October.
“Mom just bought purple cowboy boots after seeing this,” Hanna wrote on her sister’s Instagram post.
the last rodeo #committed pic.twitter.com/ob1i6H9G8S
— Haley Cavinder (@CavinderHaley) November 13, 2023 The twins started their careers at Fresno State and joined the Hurricanes after three seasons. They were part of the Miami roster that made it to the Elite Eight for the first time in program history, but the sisters are also known as businesswomen who have thrived in the NIL era. They signed with WWE in December 2021 and even appeared in a ring in June. The sisters said they were going to focus on WWE and leave basketball, but Haley changed her mind and is ready for “the last rodeo.”
“There was nothing filling the love for the game, and I just truly was like, I know I’m going to regret it down the road if I don’t go back,” she said in a recent interview with Forbes.
The sisters are now 22 years old but have an extra year of eligibility because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Haley, a 5-foot-6 guard, has averaged 16.7 points and 7.2 rebounds in four years.
It is unlikely the former Mountain West Player of the Year will be able to suit up this season because she would need an NCAA waiver to do so. The Horned Frogs have not made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament since 2006. In fact, they haven’t made it to the Big Dance since 2010, but Cavinder will bring invaluable experience next season.
There were a lot of questions about how the South Carolina Gamecocks would adjust after losing the most historic class in program history. Dawn Staley answered all of them with a pair of dominant wins that earned the Gamecocks the No. 1 spot in this week’s AP Top 25.
For the first time in program history, South Carolina scored 100+ points in each of its first two games. The Gamecocks non-conference schedule is anything but easy, but South Carolina beat Notre Dame 100-71 in Paris on Nov. 6, and Maryland 114-76 later in the week. Both opponents were ranked in the top 15 at the time. The 114 points against Maryland were also the most points the Gamecocks have ever scored against a ranked team.
The Gamecocks showed they have a deep roster, from their senior leader Kamilla Cardoso, to freshman extraordinaire Milaysia Fulwiley.
Meanwhile, the defending national champion LSU had entered the season as the top-ranked team in the country but opened the 2023-24 campaign with a 92-78 loss against Colorado. That result dropped them to seventh place this week.
UConn, the previous No. 2 team in the nation, also dropped six spots after getting upset 92-81 against NC State. The team has star player Paige Bueckers back, and she registered 27 points against the Wolfpack, but the Huskies still got outshined on Sunday while NC State junior guard Saniya Rivers had a breakout game.
Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes were business as usual. Clark broke the program’s all-time leading scoring record during the 94-53 win over Northern Iowa. She finished that game with 24 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists. That became her 12th career triple-double, and she has officially joined now-WNBA star Sabrina Ionescu as the only players in Division I history to record a triple-double in four different seasons.
The Pac-12 took care of business going 28-0 as a conference. No other conference in women’s basketball managed to stay undefeated in Week 1. Five of the top 10 teams this week are from the Pac-12.
UCLA climbed one spot to No. 3, while Colorado had the biggest jump (15 spots) to No. 5 after stunning LSU. This is the Buffaloes best ranking since 1995. Meanwhile, the USC Trojans moved up 11 spots, mainly due to their 83-74 win over then-No. 7 Ohio State. The Trojans hadn’t been ranked in the top 10 since 1994.
While most storylines during the preseason were about the senior class, the freshmen certainly made a statement during Week 1 of the 2023-24 women’s college basketball season.
There is plenty of young talent to keep an eye on, which has even big basketball names like Magic Johnson and Kevin Durant following the action. MiLaysia Fulwiley is reminding everyone that South Carolina is still very much on the map, while Mikaylah Williams is showing the world how deep LSU can be aside from the Angel Reese and Hailey Van Lith duo.
Here are five freshmen who impressed during Week 1:
JuJu Watkins — USC The No. 1 player of the class of 2023 has certainly lived up to the hype. Head coach Linsday Gottlieb described Watkins as “the full package” and that’s exactly what she showed in the first two games of the season.
The 6-foot-2 guard lifted the Trojans to an 83-74 victory over No. 7 Ohio State in her college debut with 32 points shooting 61.1% from the field. She also added six rebounds, five assists, one block and one steal. With those stats, Watkins beat WNBA legend Lisa Leslie’s 30-point performance during her own first game as a USC freshman in 1990.
JuJu Watkins. That’s the caption. pic.twitter.com/gaj45tIaEB
— USC Women’s Basketball (@USCWBB) November 7, 2023 Watkins had a more “quiet” game against FGCU with 18 points, seven rebounds, two assists, two blocks and a steal. Last season was a breakout year for USC, and with Watkins on the roster, who is to tell what the Trojans can achieve.
MiLaysia Fulwiley — South Carolina Fulwiley pulled off what NBA great Magic Johnson described as “the best move in all of basketball” during her college debut. He didn’t mean just women’s college basketball, he compared Fulwiley to “pros like LeBron, Steph, KD, Victor, and Jokic.”
Here is the move that got Fulwiley a shoutout:
MILAYSIA FULWILEY WITH THE FANCY FINISH 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/xGIzCjE6og
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 6, 2023 But it wasn’t just that move. Fulwiley helped the Gamecocks take down Notre Dame 100-71 in Paris with 17 points, six assists, one block and six steals.
Later in the week, the Gamecocks got their second 100+ point game, this time against No. 14 Maryland. Fulwiley once again reached double digits with 12 points, including two 3-pointers. She also added two assists, two blocks and two steals.
Hannah Hidalgo — Notre Dame
The spotlight in Paris was bright enough for two freshmen to shine. Hidalgo scored 31 points against South Carolina, which is the most points ever scored by an Irish freshman — male or female — in their Notre Dame debut. Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant gave her a shoutout, along with Fulwiley.
“Hidalgo and Fulwiley moving DIFFERENT out here,” he said on social media.
The 5-foot-6 guard kept that same energy going and registered a double-double of 26 points and 12 steals in a 104-57 victory against NJIT. The 12 steals tied a program single-game record set by Marina Mabrey in 2015. She also contributed with six rebounds and six assists.
Freshman phenom Hannah Hidalgo is stealing the show at Notre Dame! 🍀
Not only did she grab 26 points, but she also snatched a record-tying 12 steals in a single game! 😮@NDWBB | #ACCWBB pic.twitter.com/TdCDmDr5LS
— ACC Digital Network (@theACCDN) November 13, 2023 Mikaylah Williams — LSU The Tigers entered the season as the defending national champions and the No. 1 team in the country but tipped off their 2023-24 campaign with an ugly 92-78 loss to Colorado. The bright spot of that night was Mikaylah Williams, who registered a team-high 17 points on 8-of-16 shooting from the field, along with four rebounds, one block and one steal.
Her debut stats might not have been as eye-popping as other players on this list, but it’s important to remember Williams is a freshman in a super team and shares the floor with two of women’s basketball’s biggest stars in Angel Reese and Hailey Van Lith.
She only played 15 minutes against Queens and scored nine points, but her third game was her best one yet. Williams got a career-high 20 points in a performance that included going 5-of-6 from beyond the arc.
Mikaylah Williams has hit four threes already for #LSU. She doesn’t play like a true freshman🔥 pic.twitter.com/Ni5R3MqoWi
— Mik’d Up (@Mikdup_8) November 12, 2023 Nunu Agara — Stanford The Cardinal are on a mission to show everyone they are still a powerhouse despite coming off a “down” year. Yes, senior Cameron Brink is still very much the leader of the team, but the future looks bright with Agara.
The 6-foot-2 freshman dropped 18 points in her debut and is averaging 15.5 points on 62.5% shooting, along with five rebounds after two games.
— Stanford Women’s Basketball (@StanfordWBB) November 11, 2023 Stanford made a statement by taking down then-No. 9 Indiana 96-64 on Sunday. Agara’s performance was kind of overlooked because of double-doubles by Brink and Kiki Iriafen. However, her 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting, along with five rebounds, one assist, one block and one steal, are sort of a quiet glimpse of the bigger role she could play later this season.
The first week of the 2023-24 women’s college basketball season was filled with both the expected and unexpected. While Dawn Staley is reminding everyone that South Carolina should never be overlooked, preseason favorites LSU and UConn have already suffered their first losses of the year.
Speaking of expected, Iowa star Caitlin Clark already has her first triple-double of the season. The reigning national player of the year is playing as good as ever, but she will have some serious competition for the spotlight with UConn’s Paige Bueckers returning, LSU and Angel Reese chasing another national title, and freshmen across the country already making names for themselves.
Here are some of the top moments from Week 1, as well as some of the main storylines and games to watch over the coming days.
Bucket of the week: MiLaysia Fulwiley, South Carolina MiLaysia Fulwiley made quite the statement during her college debut last week. The freshman helped the Gamecocks get a 100-71 win over Notre Dame in Paris by registering 17 points, six assists, one block and six steals.
That’s an impressive stat line for a freshman, but one basket in particular was described by NBA legend Magic Johnson as “the best move in all of basketball.”
“THE EIFFEL TOWER IS SHAKING”!! OH MY GOODNESS 😱 pic.twitter.com/mpxRrCrS7y
— South Carolina Women’s Basketball (@GamecockWBB) November 6, 2023 The future is HER. Holy Milaysia Fulwiley @GamecockWBB pic.twitter.com/u3Em9XpWYD
— Holly Rowe (@sportsiren) November 6, 2023 Dish of the week: Nika Muhl, UConn Nika Muhl is no stranger to no-look passes, and they are always a joy to watch. Early in the second quarter against Dayton, the senior guard came from behind to intercept a pass, then followed that steal with a no-look assist to teammate Aubrey Griffin. Cold as ice.
Nika Mühl was READY
She gets the steal and the no-look assist to Aubrey Griffin pic.twitter.com/EUcFijenV7
— UConn Women’s Basketball (@UConnWBB) November 9, 2023 Muhl finished the night with 10 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals. The Huskies went on to defeat Dayton, 102-58.
Stop of the week: Cameron Brink, Stanford As Stanford put it, Cameron Brink created a “five-second masterpiece” as she registered her 300th career block. The 2023 WBCA Defensive Player of the Year is a brick wall in the paint, and she is making her case for another award early this season.
In Sunday’s game against Indiana, Brink blocked a shot from senior guard Sydney Parrish in the first quarter. She then took possession of the ball, ran down the court and passed it to Elena Bosgana, who knocked down a 3-pointer. Brink ended the day with a double-double of 14 points and 17 rebounds, adding two assists, five blocks and a steal.
A five-second masterpiece 👩🎨🏀
The 300th career block, leading the break, finding Elena, the wide open 3-pointer. All of it 😙🤌#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/WcLndqA4x6
— Stanford Women’s Basketball (@StanfordWBB) November 13, 2023 Game of the week: No. 3 Iowa vs. No. 8 Virginia Tech The Hawkeyes pulled off an 80-76 victory over the Hokies in a Battle of the Titans on Thursday, a competitive contest in which the lead changed hands 11 times.
Iowa star Caitlin Clark didn’t have the greatest shooting night, but she still had a monster game from a volume perspective with 44 points, eight rebounds and six assists. That was her 38th career 30-point game, tying Kelsey Plum’s record for the most such games in the last 25 years.
Can’t keep Caitlin Clark in check 💪 pic.twitter.com/IJJJgWojWF
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 10, 2023 Virginia Tech’s Georgia Amoore also deserves to be discussed because she was a tough cover for Iowa’s defensive specialist Gabbie Marshall. Amoore reached a career-high 31 points on 10-of-23 shooting and drained a career-best seven 3-pointers. One of those 3-point makes was a half-court buzzer beater to end the first quarter.
GEORGIA AMOORE CRUSHES A HALF-COURT SHOT TO END THE FIRST QUARTER 🤯🤯🤯@HokiesWBB x @espnW pic.twitter.com/M44aiTEhFU
— ACC Women’s Basketball (@accwbb) November 10, 2023 Clark and Amoore had plenty to say about each other’s talent after the game.
“She’s literally been gifted by every God you can imagine,” Amoore told reporters. “She’s insane. … She’s a generational talent.”
“Georgia [Amoore] is one of the best guards in the country,” Clark said. “I think that’s pretty obvious.”
Biggest storylines from Week 1 No. 1 LSU and No. 2 UConn both fall
According to the Associated Press, this was the second time in history the preseason No. 1 and No. 2 teams did not remain in the top two spots after Week 1.
LSU became the first reigning champion to lose a season opener since 1995 after getting upset 92-78 by Colorado last Monday. The Tigers entered the season as the top team in the nation by returning their leading scorer, Angel Reese, while adding former Louisville star Hailey Van Lith and the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation.
“I’m disappointed and surprised in some individual players that I thought would just be tougher and have a little fight and leadership about them,” LSU coach Kim Mulkey said after the loss.
LSU becomes the first defending Division I @MarchMadnessWBB champion to lose in its season opener since UConn in 1995-96.
Huge win for @CUBuffsWBB‼️ pic.twitter.com/TDGd6MOEzv
— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) November 7, 2023 Meanwhile, the Huskies took care of business against Dayton with a 102-58 win last Wednesday. However, they struggled against a then-unranked NC State team on Sunday and fell 92-81. The Wolfpack was victorious behind a breakout performance by junior guard Saniya Rivers, who recorded 33 points to go along with 10 rebounds, five assists, three blocks and three steals.
UConn’s Paige Bueckers returns The UConn star returned to the floor against Dayton after 584 days of not playing. Bueckers won 11 major awards as a freshman during the 2020-21 campaign, but the 2021 national player of the year battled injuries her sophomore year and missed all of last season after tearing her ACL.
Bueckers is hoping to come back stronger than before, but understandably it will take her some time to get fully comfortable again. Nevertheless, she put up a respectable eight points, seven rebounds, four assists and a steal in her first game back, a dominant 102-58 victory over Dayton. Bueckers looked more like herself in a losing effort against NC State, registering 27 points on 11-of-18 shooting.
Paige Bueckers back to getting buckets after 584 days!
8 PTS, 7 REB, 4 AST in 21 MINSpic.twitter.com/k4kN8iVcjP
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) November 9, 2023 South Carolina’s offense off to strong start South Carolina notched a program first by clearing 100 points in each of its first two games, taking down top-15 teams in Notre Dame (100-71) and Maryland (114-76). The 114 points the Gamecocks scored against Maryland were also the most points they have ever scored against a ranked opponent.
Caitlin Clark breaks Iowa’s all-time scoring record During Sunday’s 94-53 victory against Northern Iowa, Clark broke the Hawkeyes’ all-time scoring record of 2,804 points set by Megan Gustafson in 2019. The senior put her name in the history books with a spin into a bank shot.
Clark finished the night with 24 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists, marking her 12th career triple-double. By virtue of her performance, Clark joins former Oregon star Sabrina Ionescu as the second player in women’s college basketball history to have a triple-double in four separate seasons.
That’s the record breaker. Caitlin Clark is Iowa’s all time leading scorer, passing Megan Gustafson. pic.twitter.com/o99yszgvcq
— Mark Woodley (@MarkWoodleyTV) November 12, 2023 You are the best! Thanks goat🤍 https://t.co/YEgTtqAAtn
— Caitlin Clark (@CaitlinClark22) November 12, 2023 The Pac-12 goes undefeated This is the last season of the Pac-12 as we know it, and the conference of champions is sure making a statement. The Pac-12 entered the 2023-24 campaign with six teams ranked in the AP Top 25 poll, and none of them disappointed in Week 1. Everyone in the conference took care of business and went a combined 28-0.
On Monday, the conference’s excellence was rewarded with five of those teams leaping into the top 10. Here’s where the Pac-12 stands in the rankings after one week of play:
No. 3 UCLA No. 4 Utah No. 5 Colorado No. 6 Stanford No. 10 USC No. 24 Washington State Matchups to watch: No. 4 Utah at No. 21 Baylor | Tuesday, Nov. 12, 7:30 p.m. ET | Big 12 Now on ESPN+: This will be the first time Baylor hosts a top-five opponent at the Ferrell Center since 2018-19, and it will certainly be a big test. The Bears have only played one game this season, and that was an 85-53 victory against the Southern Jaguars on Nov. 6. The Utes are an experienced team with all five starters from last season’s squad that went 27-5.
No. 20 Maryland at No. 8 UConn | Thursday, Nov. 16, 6:30 p.m. ET | FS1: Maryland coach Brenda Frese is clearly preparing her team for March because her squad has a very tough non-conference schedule. The Terrapins have already faced South Carolina, a game they lost 114-76, and they’ll try and bounce back against a UConn team hungry to avenge its upset defeat to NC State.
Kansas State at No. 2 Iowa | Thursday, Nov. 16, 8:30 p.m. ET | FS1: A win in Iowa City would be huge for Kansas State, which sits on the fringes of the top 25, and it really isn’t far-fetched. The Wildcats upset the Hawkeyes, 84 83, during their most recent meeting on Nov. 17, 2022.
The 2023-24 women’s college basketball season began with a handful of teams looking like clear national championship contenders, but things have changed drastically after Week 1. The entertaining chaos has not escaped former UConn star Renee Montgomery, who pointed out the parity the sport has developed.
“Right now if somebody says they know who is going to win, they are lying because we have no idea,” Montgomery said on CBS Sports’ “We Need to Talk.” “We watched the No. 1 team go down on the first week in November, not March Madness. In November we watched the No. 1 team go down, LSU. Then we watched the No. 2 team go down, my Huskies.”
The LSU Tigers were considered a super team heading into the season and looked unbeatable on paper. However, LSU was upset by then-No. 20 Colorado on Nov. 6 to become the first reigning champion to lose a season opener since 1995.
A few days later, despite a 27-point performance by star Paige Bueckers, No. 2 Uconn also went down to a then-unranked NC State team.
The LSU and UConn losses meant that on Monday, for the second time in the history of the AP Top 25 poll, the No. 1 and No. 2 teams did not remain in the top two spots after Week 1. Colorado jumped 15 spots to No. 5, and NC State rose to No. 14.
Meanwhile, South Carolina — a team expected to be going through somewhat of a rebuilding year — put everyone on notice with two 100-point games to start the season. The Gamecocks went from No. 6 to the top spot in a week, the biggest leap to No. 1 since 1977.
Most of the biggest storylines this past offseason were about veteran returners such as Bueckers, Iowa’s Caitlin Clark and LSU’s Angel Reese. High-profile transfers such as UCLA’s Lauren Betts and LSU’s Hailey Van Lith were also a major talking point. However, Montgomery pointed out the young talent is making quite a bit of noise as well.
“The freshmen were like, ‘Knock, knock, who’s there? It’s us, baby. Here we are in the building,'” Montgomery said. “Because it’s not just one freshman. We saw [South Carolina’s MiLaysia Fulwiley], but we also see [USC’s] JuJu Watkins, we also see Hannah [Hidalgo] over there at Notre Dame.”
Years ago, only a few teams dominated women’s college basketball. But with the sport’s talent pool getting increasingly deep, the unexpected is now the expected in any game.
The Chicago Sky are hiring WNBA legend Teresa Weatherspoon as their new head coach, according to The Athletic. Details of the contract are still unknown, though Weatherspoon will only be taking on the coaching role, and the Sky will make a separate hire for their open general manager position, per the report.
At the close of the season, the Sky were the only remaining franchise that had one person with dual coaching and GM responsibilities. That issue came to head in July, when James Wade, who made a number of short-sighted personnel decisions last offseason, abruptly resigned both roles to take a job with the Toronto Raptors. Emre Vatansever took over both positions on an interim basis for the remainder of the season, but was not retained.
While the Sky snuck into the playoffs, they finished the regular season at 18-22 and were swept in the first round by the Las Vegas Aces. They are nowhere near contention, and do not own their first-round pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, which is expected to feature a historically great class. And, in 2025, they owe the Dallas Wings a first-round pick swap, which as of now looks likely to be called in.
Those are the circumstances Weatherspoon will find herself in when she officially takes over in the near future. The Sky are going to have to rebuild through free agency and, when possible, trades. As a result, it’s almost certainly going to be multiple years before the Sky are truly back in the mix.
Weatherspoon, 57, played eight seasons with the New York Liberty and Los Angeles Sparks from 1997-2004. She won two Defensive Player of the Year awards, made five All-Star teams and four All-WNBA teams and hit one of the most famous shots in league history in Game 2 of the 1999 Finals. After her retirement, she was named to the league’s 20th anniversary team in 2016 and was enshrined in the Hall of Fame in 2019.
Her coaching career has spanned nearly two decades, and includes stints in both the NCAA, where she led her alma mater, Louisiana Tech, for six seasons, and the NBA, where she served as an assistant coach for the New Orleans Pelicans from 2020-2023. Weatherspoon’s hiring means that seven of the league’s 12 head coaches will have played in the WNBA.
The No. 2 seed New York Liberty go on the road to play the No. 1 seed Las Vegas Aces in Game 2 of the 2023 WNBA Finals on Wednesday. In Game 1, Las Vegas defended its home court and beat the Liberty 99-82. The Aces rolled through the regular season and logged a 34-6 record. In a similar fashion, New York produced a superb campaign. The Liberty went 32-8 during the year. New York won the season series 3-1 over Las Vegas.
Tipoff is at 9 p.m. ET. The Aces are 5-point favorites, while the over/under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 171 in the latest Liberty vs. Aces odds. Before making any Aces vs. Liberty picks and WNBA predictions, be sure to see what SportsLine women’s basketball experts Calvin Wetzel and Aaron Barzilai have to say.
Barzilai is a Ph.D. from Stanford who served as Director of Basketball Analytics for the Philadelphia 76ers. Five years ago, he founded HerHoopStats.com — a groundbreaking website that unlocks insights about the women’s game. Wetzel, the site’s lead betting writer, incorporates his mathematical background and strong knowledge of women’s hoops to turn the site’s prediction model into picks.
Now, Barzilai and Wetzel have turned their attention to the WNBA after going 996-685 on all college basketball picks over the last two seasons, putting them up 294 units since the start of the 2021-22 season. They also finished the 2022 WNBA regular season with a 54-44 mark in 2022. Anyone who has followed them has seen huge returns.
Now, Barzilai and Wetzel have set their sights on Liberty vs. Aces and just locked in their picks and WNBA predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see their picks. Now, here are several WNBA odds and betting lines for Liberty vs. Aces:
Liberty vs. Aces spread: Aces -5 Liberty vs. Aces over/under: 171 points Liberty vs. Aces money line: Aces -210, Liberty +175 Liberty vs. Aces picks: See picks at SportsLine Why the Liberty can cover The Liberty have a high-tempo and efficient offense. New York was ranked second in the league in scoring (89.2) and field goal percentage (46) but first in assists (24.1). This squad can rack up scoring from multiple players across the floor. Forward Breanna Stewart is an anchor in the frontcourt. Stewart leads the team in points (20) and blocks (2.4) with nine rebounds.
In Game 1, she had 21 points and nine rebounds. Forward Jonquel Jones joins Stewart in the frontcourt. Jones is an exceptional two-way force with great awareness around the rim. The 29-year-old is leading the team in rebounds (12.4) with 16.4 points per game. She’s registered a double-double in all seven playoff games thus far. Jones had 16 points and 10 rebounds in Game 1. See which team to pick here.
Why the Aces can cover Las Vegas has been rolling throughout the playoffs, winning six straight games. This stellar play is just carrying over from the regular season. The Aces led the WNBA in points (92.8), field goal percentage (48.6) and blocks (4.8). Forward A’Ja Wilson continues to be a dominant force. She is first on the team in scoring (24.7), rebounds (10.7), and blocks (3.2).
In Game 1, Wilson notched 19 points, eight rebounds and three blocks. Guard Kelsey Plum is a nice three-level scorer with good court vision. Plum is averaging 17.7 points, 3.2 assists and shoots 37% from beyond the arc during the postseason. The Washington product dropped 26 points and five rebounds in the Game 1 victory. See which team to pick here.
How to make Liberty vs. Aces picks For Game 2 of the 2023 WNBA Finals, Barzilai and Wetzel are leaning Over on the point total, but also highlight a critical X-factor makes one side of the spread a must-back. They are only sharing what it is, and which side of the Liberty vs. Aces spread to back, at SportsLine.
The New York Liberty fell apart in the second half of Game 1 of the 2023 WNBA Finals, en route to a 17-point defeat at the hands of the defending champion Las Vegas Aces. Now, the Liberty are essentially facing a must-win Game 2 if they want to claim their first title in franchise history; their chances of coming back from 0-2 down against the defending champs are slim to none.
Ahead of Wednesday night’s showdown, here’s a look at areas of improvement for the Liberty heading into Game 2, as they try to avoid losing back-to-back games for the first time all season.
Make open shots As has been discussed ad nauseam, the 2023 Liberty were the best 3-point shooting team the WNBA has ever seen. They led the league in attempts per game (29.7) and percentage (37.4), and set all-time records for attempts and makes per game (11.1), as well as total attempts (1,187) and total makes (444).
In the playoffs, however, they have not been able to find their range. As expected, they’ve taken far more 3s than anyone else, but are shooting just 33.2%, which has them fifth among all playoff teams and would have ranked 10th in the regular season. Game 1 against the Aces was a perfect example of their struggles.
They shot 9-of-29 (31.0%) from downtown despite creating plenty of good looks. In fact, they were a shocking 0-of-11 on unguarded 3-point attempts per Synergy. That is, of course, a points per possession of 0.000; during the regular season the Liberty scored 1.165 points per possession on such opportunities.
“Make shots instead of missing them” isn’t exactly an adjustment, because no one is trying to do the former, but the Liberty simply must hit 3s to win this series. On that front, the data would suggest a regression to the mean is coming. While they didn’t score a single point on unguarded jumpers in Game 1, the Aces scored 1.875 ppp on their guarded jumpers.
Sometimes, it really is a make or miss league.
Keep the Aces out of the paint and off the free throw line During the final four meetings between these teams in August, the Liberty went 3-1 in part because they were able to keep the Aces’ paint attack in check. Over those contests, the Liberty held the Aces to 32 of 53 (60.4%) in the restricted area, and 29 of 67 (43.3%) on non-restricted area shots in the paint — marks that were both well below their season averages.
In Game 1, though, the Aces largely did whatever they wanted around the basket. They shot 21-of-32 (65.5%) overall in the paint, to outscore the Liberty 42-30 in that department, and also got to the free throw line for 23 free throws, which were their most in a game against the Liberty this season.
Though A’ja Wilson scored 19 points on 7-of-11 from the field, it was the Aces guards who proved to be the biggest problem for the Liberty. Time and again they were able to beat their defender off the dribble, with Kelsey Plum, in particular, doing a lot of damage.
The Aces had an advantage in the backcourt coming into this series, and their trio of Plum, Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray combined for 72 points. If they continue to outplay the Liberty’s group to the extent they did in Game 1, they are going to win the title.
It’s easier said than done, of course, but the Liberty’s guards have to do a better job keeping their mark in front of them. Among they many issues with getting blown by is it means the likes of Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones are not in position to help at the rim.
Crash the glass Coming into this series, offensive rebounding was one of the key advantages for the Liberty. During the regular season, they ranked third in offensive rebounding rate (30.8%) and third in second-chance points per game (11.5), while the Aces were 12th and ninth, respectively, in those categories. Over their final four matchups, the Liberty grabbed 39 offensive rebounds, which they turned into 50 second-chance points, compared to 18 offensive boards and 31 second-chance points for the Aces.
But in Game 1, it was the Aces who controlled the glass, winning the rebounding battle 34-30 overall. Even more impressive was that Las Vegas held New York to six offensive boards and four second-chance points — the latter being tied for the third-fewest New York has had in a game this season.
A’ja Wilson led the way, but it was a true team effort on the glass, with all six players who played significant minutes grabbing at least four rebounds. Whether the Aces can continue rebounding as a group, especially when they play their small lineup, will be a key factor over the rest of this series. When the Liberty can dominate the glass, it not only allows them to create extra possessions and opportunities to score, but prevents the Aces from pushing the pace.
The Las Vegas Aces beat the New York Liberty in Game 2 of the 2023 WNBA Finals on Wednesday and are one win away from winning a second consecutive championship. While the reigning champs have had a ton of team success, head coach Becky Hammon voiced her disappointment in this season’s MVP voting after their latest victory, as A’ja Wilson finished third and failed to win the award in back-to-back seasons despite putting together one of the league’s best individual campaigns.
“This lady’s been ridiculous, and she’s heard it all,” Hammon said in a postgame presser on Wednesday. “Third in MVP voting? OK. Rest on that. It’s a joke. She’s been off-the-charts efficient.”
Wilson ranked third in points per game (22.8) while shooting an impressive 55.7% from the field. She also ranked second in rebounds per game (9.5) and first in blocks (2.2). Wilson logged 30.7 minutes per game during the regular season while the 2023 MVP Breanna Stewart and runner-up Alyssa Thomas both eclipsed the 34-minute mark. Hammon believes Wilson resting in the fourth quarter during blowout wins contributed to her third-place finish.
“If I would’ve played her as many minutes (as Stewart and Thomas) she would’ve averaged 28 (points) and 13 (rebounds),” Hammon continued. “And that’s all anybody in here would’ve been talking about. But she got screwed because her coach didn’t play her in fourth quarters.”
The Aces will look to secure their second consecutive championship on Sunday, Oct. 15 in New York. Wilson is averaging 22.5 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks per contest on 62.9 percent shooting in the series.
The 2023 WNBA Finals could come to an end on Sunday afternoon. The Las Vegas Aces and New York Liberty meet for Game 3 of the best-of-five series. Las Vegas leads the series by a 2-0 margin and would clinch the title with a Game 3 win. The Aces are unbeaten in the postseason after a 104-76 victory in Game 2, and the Liberty aim to avoid elimination with a win at home at the Barclays Center.
Tip-off is at 3 p.m. ET. The Aces are 2.5-point favorites, while the over/under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 172.5 in the latest Liberty vs. Aces odds. Before you make any Aces vs. Liberty picks and WNBA predictions, you need to see what SportsLine women’s basketball experts Calvin Wetzel and Aaron Barzilai have to say.
Barzilai is a Ph.D. from Stanford who served as Director of Basketball Analytics for the Philadelphia 76ers. Five years ago, he founded HerHoopStats.com — a groundbreaking website that unlocks insights about the women’s game. Wetzel, the site’s lead betting writer, incorporates his mathematical background and strong knowledge of women’s hoops to turn the site’s prediction model into picks.
Now, Barzilai and Wetzel have turned their attention to the WNBA after going 996-685 on all college basketball picks over the last two seasons, putting them up 294 units since the start of the 2021-22 season. They also finished the 2022 WNBA regular season with a 54-44 mark in 2022. Anyone who has followed them has seen huge returns.
Now, Barzilai and Wetzel have set their sights on Aces vs. Liberty and just locked in their picks and WNBA Finals predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see their picks. Here are several WNBA odds and betting lines for Liberty vs. Aces:
Aces vs. Liberty spread: Aces -2.5 Aces vs. Liberty over/under: 172.5 points Aces vs. Liberty money line: Aces -135, Liberty +115 Aces vs. Liberty picks: See picks at SportsLine Why the Aces can cover Las Vegas is in a dominant position after a fantastic season. The Aces posted the best record (34-6) and net rating during the regular season, and Las Vegas is unbeaten with seven straight wins in the playoffs. In that sample, the Aces have out-scored opponents by 121 total points, and are holding playoff opponents to only 0.91 points per possession. Opponents are shooting only 38.3% from the field with 16.7 assists per game against Las Vegas in playoff action, and New York is shooting only 40.7% from the field and 26.6% from 3-point range in the series.
On the offensive end, Las Vegas is averaging almost 1.29 points per possession against the Liberty, shooting 53.7% from the field, 43.1% from 3-point range, and 92.5% at the free throw line. In two games, the Aces have 52 assists and only 22 turnovers against the Liberty, and led the WNBA in points per game (92.8), field goal percentage (48.6%), 2-point percentage (54.9%), free throw percentage (84.0%), and turnovers (11.1 per game) during the regular season. See which team to pick here.
Why the Liberty can cover New York has home-court advantage in Game 3 after strong results at home this season. The Liberty are 3-1 in playoff home games after going 15-5 in Brooklyn during the regular season. In those 20 regular season games, New York out-scored opponents by 10.1 points per 100 possessions, dominating with consistency. The Liberty are also creating havoc on the offensive glass in the playoffs, securing almost 34% of missed shots, and New York led the WNBA in 3-point accuracy (37.4%) and 3-pointers per game (11.1) during the regular season.
The Liberty also led the league with 24.1 assists per game and ranked in the top two in 2-point accuracy, field goal percentage, free throw percentage, and points per game. New York is also led by the 2023 WNBA MVP in Breanna Stewart, who finished the season averaging 23.0 points and 9.3 rebounds per game to win the award. Stewart is also a dominant defender, averaging 1.6 blocks and 1.5 steals per game, and veteran Jonquel Jones is averaging 17.1 points and 12.1 rebounds per game for New York in the playoffs. See which team to pick here.
How to make Aces vs. Liberty picks For Game 3 of the 2023 WNBA Finals, Barzilai and Wetzel are leaning Over on the point total, but also highlight a critical X-factor that makes one side of the spread a must-back. They are only sharing what it is, and which side of the Aces vs. Liberty spread to back, at SportsLine.
