Women’s College Hoops: Top-10 Upset, Latson’s Debut, and Iowa’s Breakout

It didn’t require an extensive period. An upset involving a team in the top 10 served to kick off the opening day of the 2025-26 women’s college basketball year. Duke, ranked No. 7 and a participant in the Elite Eight during the prior season, was defeated by Baylor, ranked No. 16, with a score of 58-52 in the inaugural contest of the Oui-Play doubleheader held in Paris.

Subsequently, one of the most notable individuals from the previous season’s freshman cohort, Mikayla Blakes, continued her performance level, guiding Vanderbilt, ranked No. 19, to a 75-65 victory over California. Her contribution of 27 points in the Oui-Play game marked her 11th instance of scoring 25 points or more throughout her career, encompassing two occasions of surpassing 50 points during the preceding season.

As the day progressed, Ta’Niya Latson debuted in Columbia, South Carolina, while South Carolina, Texas, and UCLA, each having participated in the Final Four during the prior season, secured victories with considerable margins. Here is an overview of the initial day, coupled with forthcoming events for UConn, the defending national champion, as they commence their season on Tuesday against Louisville (ESPN, 5:30 p.m. ET).

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What were the performances of Latson and the South Carolina backcourt?

Creme: The South Carolina backcourt has the potential to emerge as the team’s primary asset throughout the season. This was clearly evident in Monday’s 94-54 triumph over Grand Canyon. Latson spearheaded the effort with 20 points. A more encouraging sign was that the player, who has a career shooting percentage of 44.8%, attained this mark with only 10 shot attempts. With augmented talent surrounding her in the backcourt — Tessa Johnson contributed 19 points, and Raven Johnson accumulated 11 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 steals — Latson operated within the parameters of the offensive strategy. There was no sense of forcing the play.

There will likely be instances where Dawn Staley expects Latson to assume control. Since Allisha Gray on the 2017 national championship team, Staley has not possessed a backcourt scorer with the same degree of talent as the Florida State transfer. Laston also registered four assists and was awarded eight free throw opportunities, further underscoring the harmonious fit between her and the Gamecocks, who achieved a shooting accuracy of almost 60% from the field.

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Which player made the most significant impression on you Monday?

Creme: Ava Heiden, Iowa Hawkeyes

Heiden spent the majority of her freshman season on the periphery. Her playing time (9.7 MPG) and point production (5.0 PPG) were unpredictable and at times nonexistent. She then strung together three consecutive double-digit scoring performances spanning the Big Ten and NCAA tournaments, showcasing the potential that had positioned her as a top-40 recruit. On Monday against Southern, this momentum continued. Her 21 points and 14 rebounds were both career highs and led the Hawkeyes. Despite Iowa’s early struggles, Heiden’s nine points in a 22-10 second quarter gave the Hawkeyes the advantage needed for a comfortable 86-51 win.

Voepel: Raegan Beers, Oklahoma Sooners

Belmont, who finished second to Minnesota in the WBIT last season, presents challenges that should not be underestimated in a season opener. The No. 6 Sooners prevailed over Belmont by a margin of 17 points, but the outcome remained uncertain until Oklahoma established a clear advantage with approximately 6 minutes remaining. The Sooners secured their lead by relying on Beers, their primary inside player, who contributed six consecutive points to establish a more comfortable lead. The senior’s 29 points were achieved through 13 successful shots out of 17 attempts (76.5%). During the previous season, she maintained a shooting accuracy of 63.3% from the field. The presence of a player of Beers’ caliber, who can serve as the cornerstone of the offense, offers significant assurance.

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Which Top 25 team was the most surprising, either positively or negatively?

Creme: Maryland Terrapins

By integrating 10 new players into the rotation, Maryland demonstrated team defense and ball movement on offense that resembled a team that had been playing together for a significantly longer period than one month of practice. The Terrapins defeated Loyola Maryland with a score of 80-26, which represents the fewest points allowed since Brenda Frese assumed the coaching position in 2002-03. They made 10 3-point shots and assisted on 20 of 27 field goals without the participation of Kaylene Smikle, the leading returning scorer, who was sidelined due to a leg injury, and despite Yarden Garzon, the star transfer, contributing only three points and committing six turnovers (although she did lead Maryland with six assists). Oluchi Okananwa, a junior transfer from Duke, starting her first game, led the team with 18 points.

Voepel: Baylor Bears

Baylor, who secured the second position in the Big 12 during the previous season, only retained 30.2% of its scoring and 32.7% of the minutes played from 2024-25. Beginning the season against a top-10 team such as Duke, known for its tenacious defense, presented a significant challenge for the Bears. They should derive confidence from their victory, which was largely attributable to the effectiveness of their own defense, as evidenced by outscoring the Blue Devils 15-9 in the fourth quarter. All nine Big 12 teams competing on Monday were victorious, but Baylor’s triumph stood out as the most remarkable.

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Voepel: The No. 3-ranked recruit commenced her inaugural college game, contributing to an 84-67 victory over Belmont, in which senior center Raegan Beers spearheaded the effort with 29 points and 10 rebounds. Chavez concluded the game with 16 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals. While her shooting accuracy was not optimal — 5-of-18 overall, 1-of-8 from 3-point range — she exhibited significant composure as a playmaking guard poised to thrive within Oklahoma’s offensive framework.

“She has the capability to accurately place the ball where it needs to be,” commented Sooners coach Jennie Baranczyk. “Moreover, I observed her making several impactful defensive plays.”

Creme: Chavez only managed to make one 3-pointer, but it provided insight into her potential. As the first half approached its conclusion, Chavez received an outlet pass, dribbled the ball, and advanced rapidly into the frontcourt. Despite her speed, she was able to halt at the arc and launch a shot that found the net as the buzzer sounded. Chavez’s speed, balance, and shooting range were all displayed in a single sequence.

She did experience challenges, and so did the Sooners, who struggled to overcome the Bruins until the closing minutes, but Chavez’s potential and her suitability for Oklahoma’s style of play were evident.

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What was Taliah Scott’s performance in her return from injury and her debut for Baylor?

Creme: Baylor has been lacking a definitive leading scorer for the past two seasons, and Scott, a transfer from Auburn, is anticipated to fulfill that role. Based on Monday’s performance, she is off to an impressive start. Scott not only led the Bears in scoring, but she also delivered when Baylor needed her most — during critical moments of a closely contested game. Scott contributed half of her 24 points in the fourth quarter as the Bears surged ahead, and her proficiency in free throw shooting (8-of-10 for the game) prevented a Blue Devils comeback in the final minutes.

Should Scott maintain her health, which was a primary concern during her tenures at Arkansas and Auburn, the Bears will possess one of the premier scorers in the Big 12, as well as a player capable of making crucial shots in pivotal situations.

Voepel: Baylor coach Nicki Collen had expressed expectations for Scott to make an immediate and significant impact this season, and she delivered on Monday. Collen characterizes Scott as “a professional scorer,” drawing comparisons to Minnesota Lynx guard Courtney Williams and former WNBA player Renee Montgomery.

Collen states that Scott consistently identifies “small openings” to initiate attacks and advance towards the basket, while also demonstrating the ability to execute pull-up jump shots and 3-pointers. As Charlie mentioned, Scott’s primary concern has been injuries. In 20 games as a freshman at Arkansas, she averaged 22.1 points, but only participated in three games at Auburn last season before being sidelined with a wrist injury.

Points were at a premium against Duke, which was to be anticipated. The Bears achieved a shooting accuracy of 31.7% from the field, while the Blue Devils shot 29%. An individual was required to elevate their offensive performance to determine the game’s outcome, and Scott fulfilled that role.

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How closely did Duke resemble the team that captured the ACC tournament title and advanced to the Elite Eight?

Voepel: Possibly more closely than the Blue Devils desired offensively, considering that the scoring difficulties encountered during the Birmingham 2 Regional recurred on Monday. In March, they managed to score 47 points in their victory over North Carolina in the Sweet 16, followed by 50 points in a defeat against South Carolina in the Elite Eight.

On a more positive note, the Duke defense, despite some personnel modifications this season, exhibited similarities to its performance during the prior season. This will persist as a substantial advantage for Duke, who restricted opponents to an average of 56.5 PPG during the last season, including 48.0 during the postseason (comprising three ACC tournament games and four NCAA tournament games). However, the imperative to enhance their offensive capabilities must be addressed.

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Does Toby Fournier exhibit indications of being prepared to advance to the subsequent level as a sophomore?

Creme: Should Duke consistently obtain 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 blocks from Fournier in each game, Lawson would likely be satisfied with that output. Fournier averaged 13.2 PPG and 5.3 RPG during the prior season. However, should Duke’s offensive challenges persist, the Blue Devils might require even greater contributions from the 6-foot-2 sophomore.

Although the production was present, the efficiency was lacking. Fournier, who had a shooting accuracy of 52.6% during the previous season, only made 5 of 15 field goal attempts against Baylor and missed 5 of 11 free throw attempts. With Duke struggling to score, capitalizing on every available opportunity is essential. This implies that Fournier must elevate her shooting percentage. Expecting any individual player to surpass Fournier’s performance on Monday is a demanding request, but with a challenging nonconference schedule and the ACC gauntlet, Duke will need to increase its scoring output — and Fournier will be integral to that endeavor.

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What can be anticipated from Blakes during the current season?

Voepel: A continuation of her previous performance. Following an average of 23.3 PPG during her inaugural season at Vanderbilt, she demonstrated exceptional performance throughout the summer, guiding Team USA to victory in the AmeriCup competition held in Chile. On Monday, the Commodores were trailing Cal by two points at the half, but subsequently dominated the game by outscoring the Bears 24-9 in the third quarter.

Blakes made 9 of 27 field goal attempts and 7 of 10 free throws, playing for 40 minutes. She led Vanderbilt in minutes played during the previous season, averaging 32.2. With the transfer of forward Khamil Pierre, Vanderbilt’s second-leading scorer last season, to NC State, Blakes bears an even greater responsibility this season.

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What is the foremost aspect you will be observing during UConn’s debut on Tuesday?

Creme: The Huskies’ rotation strategies.

It will be of interest to witness how Geno Auriemma utilizes his available depth, consisting of a talented freshman class spearheaded by Blanca Quiñonez, impactful transfers Serah Williams and Kayleigh Heckel, established stars Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd, alongside a contingent of seasoned role players.

How frequently will Jana El Alfy or Ice Brady align with Strong and Williams to form a formidable lineup? KK Arnold and Ashlynn Shade secured starting positions in the backcourt alongside Fudd during the Huskies’ two exhibition games. How will the distribution of minutes between those two players and Heckel be managed? What specific role will Quiñonez fulfill? What influence can Caroline Ducharme exert, given her absence for the majority of the preceding two seasons?

While these questions will not be definitively resolved against the Cardinals, the events of Tuesday will lay the foundation for the remainder of the season.

Voepel: How Williams adapts to greater responsibility and attention.

Williams averaged 16.4 points and 8.6 rebounds, maintaining a 51.5% shooting accuracy from the field, over the course of 91 games spanning three seasons at Wisconsin. However, the Badgers are among the least successful programs in women’s basketball among the major conferences over the last two decades, with their sole NCAA tournament appearance occurring in 2010. As a result, Williams has not received extensive media coverage during her college career, which will change significantly at UConn. We will commence discovering on Tuesday how she manages the increased scrutiny, the extent of her role, and her potential as a WNBA prospect.

Alexa Philippou: How Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd begin their seasons.

The manner in which Strong initiated her collegiate career last season implied she might become one of the greatest players to ever represent Storrs. What will her second year entail? Fudd, the Huskies’ other All-America candidate, enters this campaign as the reigning Most Outstanding Player from the Final Four; however, can she assemble her most dominant and consistent season yet during her final year at UConn?