Pac-12 women’s basketball roared to life Monday and Tuesday with a combined 11-0 record, eight of the wins by 25 points or more. All were at home against non-conference opponents that typically wouldn’t contend with Pac-12 teams.
There were challenges – Oregon State and Arizona State each winning by a point, for example.
Oregon was especially impressive with a 43-point win over Northwestern, the only Power Five conference foe on the slate.
The No. 20-ranked Ducks will be without senior post player Sedona Prince due to surgery for a torn elbow ligament that is ending her college career. She plans to rehab, then move on to pro basketball.
Six-foot-eight sophomore Phillipina Kyei and 6-foot-3 freshman Grace VanSlooten filled the gap, with the latter scoring 20 points on 10-of-16 shooting. Northwestern finished with a NET ranking of 65 last season.
The only other opponents with a NET above 170 were Hawaii (162) and Northern Arizona (169), and both came within one basket of victory.
NAU also is the opener for No. 19 Arizona on Thursday.
As for No. 2 Stanford, the road to a potential third straight Final Four appearance began with a 38-point win and the Cardinal announcing they will wear patches in support of imprisoned Brittney Griner this season.
Here are the Hotline’s first 2022-23 women’s basketball power ratings:
1. Stanford (1-0)
Last season (final regular season): 1
Results: beat San Diego State 86-48
Next up: vs. Cal State Northridge (Wednesday)
Comment: The Hulls and Anna Wilson are gone but with the Pac-12 Players of the Year Haley Jones (coaches), Cameron Brink (media) and others returning, the Cardinal remains loaded. In Game One, Kiki Iriafen, Elena Bosgana and freshman Talana Lepolo (11 assists) came up big.
2. Oregon (1-0)
Last season: 2
Results: beat Northwestern 100-57
Next up: vs. Seattle (Saturday)
Comment: In addition to VanSlooten, freshmen Jennah Isai (17 points) and Chance Gray (14) started their careers with a bang. But 6-foot-7 Kennedy Basham, another member of the nation’s No. 2-ranked recruiting class, suffered a lower leg injury.
3. Arizona (0-0)
Last season: 3
Results: None
Next up: vs. Northern Arizona (Thursday)
Comment: Like Oregon with Prince, Arizona took a preseason injury hit, losing 6-foot-5 junior forward Lauren Ware for the season due to a second knee dislocation. But Cate Reese and Shaina Pellington return, and the Wildcats add transfer Jade Loville (all-Pac-12 last season at ASU) and a top 10-ranked recruiting class.
4. Utah (1-0)
Last season: 6
Results: beat Idaho 88-63
Next up: vs. Utah Valley (Friday)
Comment: USC transfer Alissa Pili scored 27 points in 20 minutes in her Utes debut and freshman Teya Sidberry had a double-double, as did returner Jenna Johnson — all of it boosting confidence in the Utes building on their Pac-12 Tournament final and NCAA Tournament appearances.
5. UCLA (1-0)
Last season: 9
Results: beat Cal Poly 84-48
Next up: vs. UC Riverside (Thursday)
Comment: Utah and UCLA are the first two teams outside the Associated Press preseason top 25, and both are primed to move up. Senior Charisma Osborne had 20 points in the Bruins’ opener and now is supported by the nation’s No. 1-ranked recruiting class, led by guard Kiki Rice (12 points, seven assists). Guard Gina Conti, who sat out last season after transferring due to a foot injury, did not play in the opener.
6. Washington State (1-0)
Last season: 4
Results: beat Loyola Marymount 93-41
Next up: at USF (Friday)
Comment: The Cougars are seeking a third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance and have plenty of experience to get there with four returning starters from a 19-win team. Guard Tara Wallack is now a full-time starter in place of departed Krystal Leger-Walker.
7. Oregon State (1-0)
Last season: 7
Results: beat Hawaii 61-60
Next up: vs. Seattle (Thursday)
Comment: Hawaii won 20 games last season and made the NCAA Tournament, so the close result is not a surprise. The Beavers trailed 20-7 late in the first quarter but were tied by halftime. Arizona transfer Bendu Yeaney and heralded recruit Timea Gardiner, part of a No. 3-ranked recruiting class, sat out the opener due to injuries.
8. Colorado (1-0)
Last season: 5
Results: beat New Mexico State 85-55
Next up: vs. Jackson State (Saturday)
Comment: Quay Miller had arguably the best Pac-12 individual performance Monday with a 22-point, 17-rebound double-double in her first Buffs start. She started 27 games in two seasons at Washington, then was the Pac-12’s Sixth Player of the Season for Colorado in 2021-22.
9. USC (1-0)
Last season: 10
Results: beat Cal State Bakersfield 86-41
Next up: Idaho State (Saturday)
Comment: Three of the Trojans’ seven incoming transfers scored in double figures and returning Rayah Marshall had a double-double (12 points, 10 rebounds). Coach Lindsay Gottlieb gave birth to daughter Reese on Oct. 15 and has been on maternity leave with Beth Burns in charge in her absence.
10. Arizona State (1-0)
Last season: 8
Results: beat Northern Arizona 69-68
Next up: Grambling State (Friday)
Comment: ASU scored the final five points and stopped three NAU scoring tries in the final 20 seconds to win its first game under new coach Natasha Adair. Junior Jaddan Simmons tied her career high with 22 points and Meg Newman, who sat out last season with a knee injury, had nine points and 11 boards.
11. Washington (1-0)
Last season: 12
Results: beat Utah Tech 87-74
Next up: UC Davis (Friday)
Comment: The Huskies are another team counting on transfers and freshmen to fill gaps. Trinity Oliver, in her second season at Washington after three at Baylor, had 18 points against Utah Tech, formerly Dixie State.
12. California (1-0)
Last season: 11
Results: beat Cal State Northridge 86-56
Next up: at Notre Dame (Saturday)
Comment: The Bears won easily even on a poor shooting night from 2021-22 Pac-12 scoring leader Jayda Curry (3-of-10 FG). Now they travel to St. Louis to face No. 9-ranked Notre Dame (1-0), the highest visibility game for a Pac-12 team in the opening week.
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Source: www.mercurynews.com