Women's college basketball midseason All-America team: Lauren Betts, JuJu Watkins and more

Yahoo

30-01-2025

Preseason predictions can often be a trying exercise, as surprises are bound to arise. But now that the halfway mark of the 2024-25 college basketball regular season has passed, four of our five first-team preseason All-America predictions are still projected as first-team honorees, with the fifth on our second team.
Of course, change is possible over the final month-plus of the regular season. And don't fret, the award madness seems more poised to occur down-ballot, where numerous players deserve second-team nods.
Ben Pickman, Sabreena Merchant and Chantel Jennings cast their votes this week to assemble 's midseason All-America team:
Key stats: 21.0 ppg, 9.9 rpg, 3.0 blk, 64.2 FG%
Betts is blossoming with the Bruins two years after transferring from Stanford following an underwhelming freshman campaign. She says she's playing more confidently than ever, and production has followed. Betts is taking 14.1 shots per game, up from 9.9 attempts last year, and she's averaging career highs in points, rebounds and blocks. She remains one of the country's most efficient forces around the rim, but she also looks increasingly comfortable in other areas of the paint. Already through 18 games, she has taken more shots in the paint except outside of the basket area (88 attempts) than all of last season (86 attempts).
Betts is an elite rim protector, and she blocks over 10 percent of opponents' 2-point shot attempts, per CBB Analytics. The Bruins are one of only four teams in the top 10 in offensive and defensive ratings and are the country's lone undefeated program. The 6-foot-7 center's ascent to being the nation's best player so far this season is a key to UCLA's national title hunt.
Key stats: 24.8 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 3.7 apg, 45.8 FG%
We knew it was going to be hard for Watkins to replicate her statistical production from her historic freshman season, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that her per-game scoring and rebounding are slightly down. Still, Watkins remains as effective as ever. Her usage rate is down more than 10 percent, and yet she remains a 25-point per-game scorer because of her efficiency. Yet again, she leads her conference in points per game, according to Sports Reference. Her versatility also impresses on defense, where she averages 2.4 steals and 1.9 blocks per game, and is ranked fourth nationally in defensive win shares.
Watkins might not win Big Ten Player of the Year this season — potentially falling short after winning Pac-12 Player of the Year last season — but she is undoubtedly one of America's five best players. Surely, she would also trade personal accolades for USC's first Final Four berth since 1986.Juju Watkins today 🔥• 27 points• 10 rebounds• 5 blocks• 4 assists pic.twitter.com/3FQQjeH7AG— Women's Hoops Network (@WomensHoops_USA) November 4, 2024
Key stats: 25.4 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 3.6 apg, 4.2 spg
Hidalgo was an All-American as a freshman, but the 5-6 guard has become even more prolific as a sophomore. She is an improved shooter on catch-and-shoot and off-the-dribble opportunities. Her midrange jumper is more consistent, and her 3-point average is up to 43 percent — up from 34 percent last season. All of that explains why Hidalgo averages 25.4 points per game, second most in the country.
Hidalgo continues to thrive defensively, too. She leads the nation in steals for the second consecutive season, and the Fighting Irish are nearly 10 points better on defense per 100 possessions with Hidalgo on the court. Maintaining her production while playing alongside fellow star guard Olivia Miles for the first time has been equally impressive. Hidalgo's usage rate is slightly lower this season, but she hasn't missed a beat on either end while playing next to another future WNBA pick.
Key stats: 19.6 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 4.2 apg, 56 FG%
The Huskies are storming through the regular season with an average margin of victory of 28.7 points per game, fourth highest in the nation. A deep NCAA Tournament run feels almost inevitable because of the group's elite defense and of course, star power. Bueckers is central to all their success, and she's on track to make her third All-American first-team appearance in four seasons.
Although many of Bueckers' per-game averages align with her freshman season in which she won National Player of the Year, she continues to produce while averaging only 29.2 minutes per game, her lowest in a fully healthy season. With each passing year, Bueckers cuts down on her turnovers — she's now only averaging 1.7 per game — and appears more in control of the action in front of her.
Key stats: 18.5 ppg, 14.0 rpg, 2.5 spg, 53 FG%
Despite her 6-1 stature, Morrow is as forceful around the rim as any player in the country. Baked into her 18.5 points per game average is the fact she shoots 69 percent around the basket and averages a nation-leading 6.7 second-chance points per game. She continues to be a relentless rebounder, ranked first nationally with 14 boards per game. (If that mark holds it would be her second time in four years leading the country in rebounding by season's end.) Her 115 offensive rebounds this season are only 10 fewer than last season's total.
Morrow began her college career at DePaul, making the second-team All-America team as a freshman and third-team All-America as a sophomore largely because of her gaudy statistics. After transferring to LSU before her junior season, she's routinely producing while also helping the Tigers be one of the country's best. LSU has lost only once this season — falling by 10 points Friday to South Carolina. Thursday's matchup against No. 13 Oklahoma provides Morrow another opportunity to star against standout Sooners center Reagan Beers.
Key stats: 17.6 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 58.8 FG%
It hasn't taken long for Strong to make an impact on college basketball. The 6-2 forward is not only the top freshman around the halfway point of the season, but she also is as effective as any player. She leads the nation in PER, total win shares and win shares per 40 minutes, and she stat-stuffs (and makes winning plays) on both ends of the floor. Strong leads the Big East in 2-point field goal percentage, shooting an impressive 71.9 percent. She is a force in transition — averaging 4.5 fastbreak points per game — and is in the 95th percentile, or higher, in assist percentage, turnover percentage and steal percentage. Strong, along with Bueckers, has become one of UConn's key late-game options. Keep a close eye on her as March approaches.
Key stats: 26.5 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 36.9 3-pt%
If you watch only one of Latson's plays from this season, it should be her game winner from earlier this week against North Carolina. The 5-8 guard knifed through almost the entire UNC defense in only 3.5 seconds to lift the Seminoles past the Tar Heels. The basket, though undoubtedly impressive, came as no surprise as Latson leads the nation in scoring with an offensive repertoire that is as varied as it is prolific. Florida State finds itself just inside the top half of the ACC standings, and Latson seems poised to ensure the Seminoles find their way into the field of 68.
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Key stats: 16.1 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 48.9 FG%
As is often the case for Texas this season, Booker played a central role in the Longhorns' latest victory Sunday, hitting a clutch jump shot with 26 seconds left to help them complete a 3-point comeback road victory over Ole Miss. It was the kind of basket Texas fans have come to expect from Booker in her first two years in Austin. The 6-1 forward continues to be a do-everything presence. A master of the midrange, she's shooting 46.9 percent on midrange 2-pointers, nearly 14 percent above the national average.
Key stats: 19.3 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 3.4 bpg
As a 24-year-old, Prince has saved her best college season for last. She is a force on both ends and leads the NCAA in blocks. Prince stars alongside guard Hailey Van Lith and helped TCU to a 20-2 start. TCU already set a program record for most ranked wins in a season (four), and for the first time, it's earned three victories over ranked Big 12 teams.
Key stats: 18.3 ppg, 5.8 apg, 4.5 rpg
Van Lith is in the midst of a bounce-back season. Her scoring (18.3 points per game) on 16.8 shots is far more reminiscent of her usage during her final season at Louisville in 2022-23 than her stopover at LSU last season. Although she is only a 32 percent 3-point shooter, Van Lith still finds immense success attacking the basket, averaging 6.7 paint points per game. Her 4.6 free-throw attempts are also in the 96th percentile nationally, as she draws more than four fouls per game.
— 's Sabreena Merchant and Chantel Jennings contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
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