With Saturday's 78-68 upset win over then-No. 17 Iowa, Tennessee earned their first NCAA basketball AP Top 25 nod since November 2023, slotting in at No. 19 and putting an end to the historic powerhouse's longest-ever unranked streak.

The still-undefeated Vols have featured in nearly 90% of the 870 total AP polls since the list's 1976 beginnings, but this week's Top 25 return is a triumphant one.

"The beauty of it is we earned it," head coach Kim Caldwell told reporters after the rankings dropped on Monday. "Not because the name is Tennessee. We didn’t start (ranked)."

Notre Dame's Olivia Miles lays up a shot against Texas last Thursday.
Two big wins lifted Notre Dame to No. 8 in this week's AP poll. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

Minor shifts pervade updated AP basketball rankings

While No. 1 UCLA, No. 2 UConn, and No. 3 South Carolina held steady atop Monday's poll, last week's elite NCAA basketball schedule caused minor shifts throughout much of the Top 25. Behind losses to the defending champion Gamecocks, Duke dropped one spot to No. 9 and TCU slid three to No. 12.

After suffering their season's first loss on Thursday, an 80-70 overtime thriller against Notre Dame, the Texas Longhorns fell two poll positions to No. 6.

The Irish used their momentum to tack on a second victory on Sunday, routing Syracuse 93-62 behind a trio of 20+ point double-doubles from Hannah Hidalgo, Olivia Miles, and Sonia Citron. Those big wins lifted Notre Dame two spots to No. 8 this week.

Behind respective losses to aforementioned Tennessee and then-unranked NC State, Iowa and Ole Miss fell the farthest, tumbling four spots each to Nos. 21 and 22.

On the other hand, undefeated Michigan State's best start in program history saw the Spartans leap seven spots to No. 17 in the poll's biggest bump.

Louisville's Taijanna Roberts tried to dribble past UConn's Morgan Cheli on Saturday.
UConn routed Louisville in Saturday's Champions Classic, sending the Cardinals out of the poll. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

AP basketball poll exits and newcomers

Joining Tennessee in making their 2024 AP poll debut this week is No. 25 Georgia Tech, whose 9-0 record marks the Yellow Jackets' best season start since 1977. NC State is also back, tying Ole Miss at No. 22 after a week out of the rankings.

Meanwhile, Louisville's fourth season loss by way of UConn's 85-52 Champions Classic smackdown on Saturday sent the now-unranked Cardinals packing. Joining them in leaving this week's poll are Illinois, who logged their third season loss against No. 11 Ohio State on Sunday, and Alabama, who succumbed to unranked Cal last week.

UConn star Paige Bueckers dribbles the ball up the court.
Paige Bueckers's No. 2 UConn will take on Hannah Hidalgo and No. 8 Notre Dame on Thursday. (Joe Buglewicz/Getty Images)

How to watch midweek Top 25 NCAA basketball

Under the new rankings, NCAA basketball has two ranked matchups on deck this week. First, No. 18 Iowa State will battle state rivals No. 21 Iowa at 9 PM ET on Wednesday, airing live on FS1.

The marquee midweek matchup, however, hits the court at 7 PM ET on Thursday, when preseason All-Americans Paige Bueckers and Hannah Hidalgo will meet when No. 8 Notre Dame hosts No. 2 UConn.

The battle between two of the nation's best guards will be broadcast on ESPN.

Week 6 AP college basketball rankings

  1. 1. UCLA (9-0, Big Ten)
  2. 2. UConn (8-0, Big East)
  3. 3. South Carolina (9-1, SEC)
  4. 4. LSU (11-0, SEC)
  5. 5. USC (8-1, Big Ten)
  6. 6. Texas (8-1, SEC)
  7. 7. Maryland (10-0, Big Ten)
  8. 8. Notre Dame (7-2, ACC)
  9. 9. Duke (9-2, ACC)
  10. 10. Oklahoma (8-1, SEC)
  11. 11. Ohio State (8-0, Big Ten)
  12. 12. TCU (9-1, Big 12)
  13. 13. Kansas State (10-1, Big 12)
  14. 14. UNC (9-1, ACC)
  15. 15. West Virginia (9-1, Big 12)
  16. 16. Kentucky (8-1, SEC)
  17. 17. Michigan State (9-0, Big Ten)
  18. 18. Iowa State (8-2, Big 12)
  19. 19. Tennessee (7-0, SEC)
  20. 20. Michigan (8-1, Big Ten)
  21. 21. Iowa (8-1, Big Ten)
  22. 22. Ole Miss (6-3, SEC)
  23. 22. NC State (6-3, ACC)
  24. 24. Nebraska (8-1, Big Ten)
  25. 25. Georgia Tech (9-0, ACC)

The 2024/25 NCAA basketball season continues to impress, as stunning upsets took over college courts this week.

Kicking off the drama was Trojan superstar JuJu Watkins, who set a new USC three-point record​ in Tuesday's 94-52 win over Cal Baptist, going 9-11 from behind the arc en route to a 40-point performance that led the Big Ten newcomer to a 7-1 season record.

"The goal is to have fun always," Watkins said after the game. "I shoot my best when I'm not really thinking."

Hannah Hidalgo celebrates No. 10 Notre Dame's overtime upset women's college basketball win against No. 4 Texas.
Hannah Hidalgo scored 30 points in No. 10 Notre Dame's upset win over No. 4 Texas. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

Chaos reigns on Thursday's NCAA basketball courts

Watkins's big night set the stage for a stellar week of college hoops, with Thursday's slate serving up Top-10 matchups, upsets, and overtime thrillers.

While No. 3 South Carolina dispatched No. 8 Duke 81-70 behind Chloe Kitts' career-high tying 21 points, No. 10 Notre Dame snapped their two-game losing streak by handing No. 4 Texas their season's first defeat.

Even more impressive about the 80-70 overtime victory is that the Fighting Irish clinched it with an injury-hampered roster. Only six Notre Dame players took the court, battling 11 total Longhorns.

Sophomore star Hannah Hidalgo, who competed all 45 minutes, led the Irish with 30 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and three steals. Guards Olivia Miles and Sonia Citron also contributed 18 points apiece. That said, defense clinched the upset win by holding Texas to just two overtime points while Notre Dame drained 12.

"They played with their hearts," Notre Dame head coach Niele Ivey noted after the win. "They played with passion and fire. I'm just really proud of this group."

Also shaking up higher ranked teams on Thursday was NC State and No. 16 UNC, who downed No. 18 Ole Miss and No. 14 Kentucky, respectively. On the West Coast, Cal humbled No. 19 Alabama 69-65, sending the Tide home with their first season loss to end Bama's first 9-0 start in 24 years.

Narrowly escaping Thursday's upset party was No. 5 LSU, who needed overtime to take down unranked Stanford 94-88. Cardinal sophomore Nunu Agara impressed with a 29-point, 13-rebound double-double, but the Tigers bit back with Mikaylah Williams, Kailyn Gilbert, and Flau'jae Johnson combining for an astounding 78 points to keep LSU undefeated on the season.

UConn's Paige Bueckers dribbles past Louisville's Eylia Love in a 2023 women's college basketball game.
UConn will play Louisville in the first-ever Women's Champions Classic. (M. Anthony Nesmith/Icon Sportswire/Getty Images)

Top NCAA teams take over Barclays in new Champions Classic

The madness continues on Saturday with the first-ever Women’s Champions Classic. Four college basketball powerhouses will hit the court at Brooklyn's Barclays Center — home to the 2024 WNBA champion NY Liberty.

Saturday's doubleheader sees eight-time NCAA champs Tennessee take on No. 17 Iowa in their first clash since 1993, when the Hawkeyes registered their only win over three matchups with the Vols.

The nightcap between 11-time title-winners No. 2 UConn and No. 22 Louisville has an even deeper history, with legendary coach Geno Auriemma's Huskies holding a 19-3 all-time record over the Cardinals.

Unlike the 13-year-old men's Champions Classic, which features the same four teams (Duke, Kentucky, Kansas, and Michigan State) each year, the new annual women's edition will always include UConn alongside three other rotating teams.

"There's never been a higher level of interest in women's basketball," Auriemma said ahead of the games. "The Champions Classic will give fans exciting, marquee matchups early in the season."

How to watch UConn college basketball at the Women's Champions Classic college basketball event

Saturday's action starts with No. 17 Iowa vs. Tennessee at 7 PM ET. No. 22 Louisville vs. No. 2 UConn follows at 9 PM ET. Both games will air live on Fox.

NCAA basketball teams traveled to off-campus mini-tournaments during last week's Thanksgiving break, with results showing that some teams feasted while others fought over leftovers.

Reigning national champions South Carolina went on a redemption tour at the Fort Myers Tip-Off, while Notre Dame struggled at the Cayman Islands Classic.

Notre Dame star Hannah Hidalgo looks up in frustration during a women's college ncaa basketball game.
The Irish followed a big win against USC with two straight losses. (MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE/USA TODAY NETWORK)

Notre Dame drops two NCAA basketball games in a row

Following last week's huge win against title contender No. 6 USC, then-No. 3 Notre Dame hit an unexpected skid over the weekend, falling first 76-68 to then-No. 17 TCU on Friday before further stumbling 78-67 against unranked Utah on Saturday.

Star guard Hannah Hidalgo's 27 points weren't enough to topple the Horned Frogs, who saw center Sedona Prince and guards Hailey Van Lith and Madison Connor put up a combined average of almost 20 points in the Friday battle.

Similarly, though Notre Dame junior guard Sonia Citron's 22 points made her the only player on either team to sink more than 16 points on Saturday, the Utes' team effort won the day. Seven Utah athletes drained at least five points, with four notching double-digits.

"I just thought today our depth hurt us with our foul trouble, and consecutive games back-to-back against two really good teams," head coach Niele Ivey said of the Irish's first successive losses since 2021.

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South Carolina bounces back in style

On the other hand, then-No. 4 South Carolina bounced back big time from their first regular-season loss since 2022 on Thursday, defeating then-No. 15 Iowa State 76-36 to right the ship after last weekend's UCLA upset.

The Gamecocks' defense controlled the floor throughout the first half, allowing just nine points from the Cyclones while nine different South Carolina players scored.

Only four Iowa State players put up points in the matchup, with sophomore star Audi Crooks shooting far below her season average at just 13 points.

"Obviously, there were some lapses in the UCLA game that weren't characteristic of us," commented South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley. "That is our nemesis — to be able to lock in on both sides of the ball and not have as many lapses or put them on the free-throw line as much as we did."

South Carolina continued making a statement on Saturday, when 11 Gamecocks — including seven double-digit scorers — combined to handily defeat Purdue 99-51.

TCU guard Hailey Van Lith drive to the basket during a college ncaa basketball game.
No. 9 TCU jumped eight AP poll spots Monday to their first-ever Top 10 ranking. (Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)

Early season losses shake up NCAA basketball rankings

With five teams from last week's AP Top 10 already racking up early non-conference losses, Monday's Top 25 reflected the chaos.

Notre Dame plummeted seven spots to No. 7 thanks to their stalled weekend offense, while South Carolina leveled up to No. 3 with their weekend wins. After suffering the 40-point blowout loss to the Gamecocks, Iowa State took the week's second-biggest tumble, dropping five spots to No. 20.

UCLA maintained their grip on No. 1 after complementing last week's upset over reigning champs South Carolina with three additional wins, with No. 2 UConn holding steady just behind the Bruins.

The week's biggest riser was TCU, whose victory over the Irish launched them eight spots to No. 9 — the program's first-ever Top 10 ranking.

Boosting the Big Ten to a league-leading nine ranked teams this week is poll season debutants and state rivals No. 23 Michigan and No. 24 Michigan State, who make their first AP appearances since 2023 and 2021, respectively.

How to watch NCAA women's basketball this week

Monday's rankings raised the stakes in this week's matchups, with two Top 10 games emerging on Thursday's docket.

First, No. 4 Texas will put their undefeated season on the line against the skidding No. 10 Notre Dame at 7 PM ET. Live coverage will air on ESPN.

Then, No. 3 South Carolina will host new-No. 8 Duke, who'll take aim at the Gamecocks' win-streak recovery at 9 PM ET, also airing on ESPN.

Headlining an NCAA basketball weekend rife with upsets, South Carolina lost for the first time since the 2023 Final Four on Sunday. The Gamecocks fell 77-62 to then-No. 5 UCLA, snapping a 43-game winning streak in the largest loss by an AP No. 1 team since 2020.

"I thought our kids fought, but we ran into a buzzsaw today," said South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley after the game.

After rocketing to a 43-22 lead at the half, UCLA's defense stepped up to combat the defending champions' second-half surge and secure the victory. The Bruins forced the Gamecocks to commit the same number of turnovers as assists at 13, all while out-rebounding them 41-34.

South Carolina guard Te-Hina Paopao led all scoring with 18 points, but UCLA put together a true team effort, with five Bruins draining double-digits in their first-ever program win over the Gamecocks.

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Notre Dame tips off the NCAA basketball upset party

Underdogs earned wins in both of the weekend's Top-10 matchups, with then-No. 6 Notre Dame defeating then-No. 3 USC 74-61 on Saturday.

Notre Dame guard Hannah Hidalgo put together a game-leading performance of 24 points, eight assists, six rebounds, and five steals. Together with star teammate Olivia Miles, who added 20 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, and three steals, the Irish quieted a stacked USC lineup featuring stars JuJu Watkins and Kiki Iriafen.

"Big-time player, big-time stage," said Fighting Irish head coach Nielle Ivey about Hidalgo. "Not at all shocked what she did today."

Guard Kiki Rice celebrates UCLA's first-ever upset win over a No. 1 team on Sunday.
UCLA became the 26th program to earn an AP No. 1 ranking on Monday. (Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

NCAA upsets shake up AP poll

Fueled by their historic win over 2024 champions South Carolina, UCLA claimed the No. 1 spot in Monday's AP Top 25 for the first time in school history. At the same time, the Gamecocks fell to No. 4 after holding the top position for 61 of the last 62 polls.

"We came here saying we want to be an elite basketball program and to be in that company as the 26th program ever to be a No. 1 team is significant," UCLA coach Cori Close commented after the AP standings were released. "I’m grateful."

Notre Dame and USC fully swapped their rankings after the Irish victory, entering Week 4 of the NCAA season at No. 3 and No. 6, respectively.

Elsewhere, stellar defense earned WNBA star Caitlin Clark's alma mater Iowa its AP poll season debut at No. 22 while state rival Iowa State suffered the largest rankings fall, plummeting seven spots to No. 15 after dropping 87-75 to unranked Northern Iowa last week.

While the bulk of college basketball's elite 25 teams saw minor one-spot shifts, No. 2 UConn was one of only four squads to hold steady, with the Huskies recently celebrating their program's sustained dominance behind the now-winningest NCAA basketball coach in history, Geno Auriemma.

At least two of the nation's best NCAA basketball teams will see their undefeated 2024/25 campaigns end this weekend, when a pair of cutthroat college clashes tests the limits of four championship contenders.

First, No. 6 Notre Dame will visit No. 3 USC on Saturday, before No. 1 South Carolina takes on the Trojans’ crosstown rival No. 5 UCLA on Sunday.

The Notre Dame bench cheers as guard Hannah Hidalgo puts up a lay-up in an NCAA college basketball game.
Notre Dame's Hannah Hidalgo will square off against fellow sophomore superstar, USC's JuJu Watkins, on Saturday. (Michael Clubb/South Bend Tribune/ USA Today Network/Imagn Images)

Saturday's NCAA showdown features superstar sophomores

All eyes will be on preseason All-American sophomore guards JuJu Watkins and Hannah Hidalgo when the Irish contend with their season's first ranked opponent on Saturday.

Already a phenom, Watkins became the fastest Trojan to 1,000 career points last Friday — and she did it by a mile. The previous record-holder, legend Cheryl Miller, needed 48 games to hit the same mark.

As for Hidalgo, she's already hit the century mark across Notre Dame’s four matchups to average 25 points per game — the fifth-best offensive rate in the country.

The Irish's other secret weapon, guard Olivia Miles, is also back, returning from her February 2023 ACL tear with a vengeance in the Irish's season opener. Already averaging 18.3 points per game, Miles has also banked 27 assists over Notre Dame's four games — more than twice that of any of her teammates.

Between Hildago and Miles, plus ND's admittedly lopsided matchups so far, the South Bend squad has blasted their opponents by a 42.5-point average scoring margin this season.

It's a similar story for USC, who have been on a tear since their narrow 68-66 season-opening win over then-No. 20 Ole Miss. The Trojans thrashed their next three opponents by outscoring them by a gobsmacking average of 57 points.

The Trojans will need all that offense, plus the stylings of Watkins and All-American forward Kiki Iriafen, to handle the Irish on Saturday. Notre Dame holds the 8-2 all-time series advantage between the two teams, though they haven't squared off since 2011. Should USC emerge victorious, it will be their first win over the Irish since 2006.

UCLA center Lauren Betts celebrates a play in an NCAA college basketball game.
UCLA standout Lauren Betts will try to dominate the paint over South Carolina's Chloe Kitts on Sunday. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

Sunday puts powerhouses in the paint

The subsequent Sunday battle between UCLA and South Carolina — who set a program-record 43-game win streak on Wednesday — will likely be decided in the paint, where both team's superstars thrive.

The Gamecocks' depth keeps their stat sheet fairly balanced, making junior forward Chloe Kitts’s team-leading rates in scoring and rebounding that much more impressive.

That said, her UCLA counterpart, junior center Lauren Betts, has been dominant. By averaging a double-double across the Bruins' four tilts with 21.5 points and 11.5 rebounds per game, Betts is already sparking National Player of the Year commentary.

Both squads began their 2024/25 campaigns with tight wins, but while UCLA's came over then-No. 17 Louisville, South Carolina was nearly shocked by unranked Michigan. On the other hand, the Gamecocks are the only team to have handled a Top-10 opponent so far this season, confidently downing then-No. 9 NC State just six days after their near-disaster with the Wolverines.

Sunday's showdown kicks off a gauntlet of four ranked matchups in five games for South Carolina. Even though UCLA haven't defeated the Gamecocks this century, the Bruins are the biggest challenge to the reigning champions' undefeated streak on their 2024 docket.

Depending on which version of South Carolina shows up, a combination of the bigs and each team's overall consistency will likely determine Sunday's victor.

How to watch this weekend's Top-6 NCAA basketball games

Notre Dame and USC will tip off the weekend's matchups at 4 PM ET on Saturday, airing live on NBC.

On Sunday, FS1 will broadcast South Carolina vs. UCLA at 4 PM ET on Sunday.

The Associated Press dropped its NCAA preseason All-America team on Tuesday, with Trojan guard JuJu Watkins and forward KiKi Iriafen representing a highly anticipated new-look USC on the list.

The 30-member national media panel also named UConn superstar and projected 2025 WNBA Draft No. 1 pick Paige Bueckers, Texas sophomore Madison Booker, and Notre Dame guard Hannah Hidalgo to the exceptional five-player squad. What's more, Watkins and Bueckers received unanimous nods.

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New-look USC faces high NCAA expectations

Last season, Watkins put together arguably the most impressive freshman campaign in NCAA basketball history, averaging over 27 points per game and setting a national freshman scoring record with 920 points.

Along with this week's AP nod, the sophomore secured the 2024/25 Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year vote last month.

In grad student Iriafen, USC landed this offseason's top transfer, as the Stanford standout flew south in the wake of both the Pac-12's 2024 dissolution and the April retirement of Cardinal leader Tara VanDerveer — the winningest coach in NCAA basketball history.

Last season, Iriafen averaged a double-double at 19.4 points and 11 rebounds per game. Now on the preseason No. 3 team, she'll aim, alongside Watkins, to improve on the Trojans' 2024 Elite Eight run — their best March Madness performance in 30 years.

USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb called Watkins the X-factor in Iriafen's transfer decision.

"Kiki came because she wanted to play with JuJu, who recruited her because she wanted to play with Kiki," she explained. "It’s exciting to see their personalities mesh."

AP NCAA preseason All-America team player Madison Booker dribbles during a Texas college basketball game.
NCAA preseason All-America team pick Madison Booker had a standout freshman season at Texas. (Soobum Im/Getty Images)

Underclassmen lead the charge in NCAA preseason All-America team

With the sophomore trio of Watkins, Booker, and Hidalgo, young players are leading the 2024/25 NCAA season, even before the November tip-off.

"It’s unbelievable," remarked Gottlieb. "Those players excelled as freshmen and their teams won. They did it in multiple ways. It’s really exciting for the game and the future of it."

Last season, Hildago's 22.6-point average led Notre Dame to the ACC Tournament title and the NCAA tournament's Sweet 16.

Booker, on the other hand, had an unexpected breakout season after the star Texas guard Rori Harmon was sidelined with an ACL injury. The newly minted starter stepped up for Texas in a big way, ultimately averaging 16.5 points, five assists, and five rebounds through her freshman year.

Last season, Booker also led the Longhorns to a Big 12 Tournament title.

South Carolina players chat during a 2024 preseason women's college basketball game.
None of the 2023/24 undefeated South Carolina players made the 2024/25 preseason All-America team. (Justin Ford/Getty Images)

South Carolina snubbed?

Notably, the preseason All-America team does not include any players from reigning NCAA champion South Carolina, who went undefeated in their 2023/24 campaign. The news comes a little over a week after the Gamecocks topped the preseason AP women’s college basketball rankings.

"We knew we’d have a target on our backs this season as the reigning champions and this preseason ranking just confirms that," South Carolina coach Dawn Staley told the AP last week. "We appreciate the recognition, but I know our coaching staff and our team are more focused on what we see in the gym every day. And that’s every player working extremely hard to get better individually and as a team."

The publication first started compiling an NCAA preseason All-America team ahead of the 1994/95 season.

The NCAA basketball season has started off with a bang, with a number of freshmen already making names for themselves.

MiLaysia Fulwiley caught the attention of NBA great Magic Johnson in her very first game for South Carolina. And if Fulwiley and her fellows continue on their trajectories, then freshman of the year could be this season’s most competitive award — and a few freshmen could even play their way into the national player of the year conversation.

Just Women’s Sports takes a look at four freshman phenoms who have starred for their teams in the first month of the season.

JuJu Watkins, USC

Watkins has been vocal about having both freshman of the year and national player of the year aspirations – and so far, she’s off to a great start. On Monday, she snagged her third-straight Pac-12 Freshman of the Week selection, and she has helped No. 6 USC to its best AP poll ranking in 29 years.

Her first collegiate game set the tone. Her 32 points stands as the most ever by a USC freshman in their debut, beating out Lisa Leslie’s 30 points. And those 32 points came against a ranked opponent in Notre Dame. Just five games later, she broke Leslie’s record for the most 30-point games scored by a USC freshman. And what’s more? Her 26.8 points per game rank second in Division I behind only Iowa senior Caitlin Clark.

When USC trailed by six points to Penn State on Nov. 22, Watkins scored seven in a row to lead the still-undefeated Trojans to victory.

“JuJu is so phenomenal, to see her adapt to the college game and adapt as quickly is so impressive,” USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb said of Watkins. And after her debut, Gottlieb said: “She’s ridiculous. Get used to it.”

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(Jeff Blake/USA TODAY Sports)

MiLaysia Fulwiley, South Carolina

Fulwiley turned heads with her season-opening performance against Notre Dame in Paris. And since then, she’s been a walking highlight reel for South Carolina, helping the team reach the No. 1 spot in the rankings.

The freshman guard is averaging the second-most points (15.0) for the Gamecocks behind only senior center Kamilla Cardoso (16.8). She’s also averaging 4.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.0 steals per game. The Gamecocks (5-0) had a lot of question marks after the departure of big names such as Aliyah Boston and Zia Cooke, but in Fulwiley, they’ve found an answer.

And what is perhaps scariest for South Carolina’s opponents is that Fulwiley still has a lot to learn when it comes to choosing her spots for her dazzling plays.

“She’s looking for a really great moment for her, a crowd-pleasing play. She has an appetite for it, that she loses sight of the in-between the great plays. And that’s where the game is being played,” head coach Dawn Staley said. “We gotta continue to give her more experiences in game-like situations. … But she’s learning.

“Not taking anything away from her. I want her to be great, I want her to be generational, I want her to be able to play a lot of different ways.”

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(Matt Cashore/USA TODAY Sports)

Hannah Hidalgo, Notre Dame

A three-time ACC Rookie of the Week, Hidalgo is off to a hot start for the Irish, averaging 25.0 points (good for third in Division I), 5.0 rebounds, 5.5 assists and a 56.6% shooting through her first six games. She leads the ACC in both points and steals (6.3) per game.

Hidalgo set a Notre Dame record with 31 points in her first game. And earlier this month, she was named ACC Player of the Week and Rookie of the Week – just the second Notre Dame player to ever sweep such awards.

On top of that, she has 38 steals through six games. Her season high sits at 12 – which tied the Notre Dame record for a single game. She had 18 steals in a two-game span, which is the second-most by an ACC player in the last 25 seasons. She leads all Division I players in steals per game.

She also hasn’t posted below 20 points yet this season, and her six straight games with at least 20 points matches Beth Morgan and Arike Ogunbowale as the only players in Irish history to do so.

“I knew recruiting her what she was capable of providing for us,” head coach Niele Ivey said of Hidalgo. “I needed leadership. I needed scoring. And somebody that could just handle the ball … just the experience that she brings.

“And then we obviously fell in love with her. She has an incredible personality. So when you have that match with somebody with high character, somebody that plays with the unselfishness that she plays with, it fits into our system perfectly.”

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(Stephen R. Sylvanie/USA TODAY Sports)

Mikaylah Williams, LSU

Williams is another freshman who is making history. Against Kent State in mid-November, she scored 42 points, going 15-of-20 from the field while adding seven rebounds and three steals. Those 42 points set an LSU freshman record for points, and also stand as the most points in a single game for any LSU women’s basketball player in the last 25 seasons.

“She’s a special talent,” head coach Kim Mulkey said. “It was one of those moments where the rim feels as big as the ocean. I want to be that coach that pushes her beyond the limits. I think you’re just seeing her scratch the surface.”

She’s averaging 17.5 points per game, and her scoring touch has helped LSU rise to the sky-high expectations they faced ahead of the season – even amid some off-court turmoil.

For Williams to stand out among a top-ranked recruiting class at LSU is no small feat – especially considering the star transfers that the Tigers also brought in during the offseason, with both Hailey Van Lith and Aneesah Morrow making their mark.

South Carolina’s MiLaysia Fulwiley and Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo were playing in their first college basketball game Monday.

Not only that, but they were playing their first college basketball game all the way across the Atlantic Ocean in Paris. And they were doing so in front of a national audience on ESPN.

None of that slowed down the freshmen phenoms, who received praise from NBA legend Magic Johnson, Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant and Indiana Fever star Aliyah Boston.

Fulwiley and the No. 6 Gamecocks won the day, claiming a 100-71 win over the No. 10 Irish at Halles Georges Arena to open the season. A guard out of Columbia, South Carolina, Fulwiley contributed 17 points, six assists and six steals off the bench in her debut. She also made what Johnson described as “the best move in all of basketball.”

“I’m watching the women’s basketball game between South Carolina and Notre Dame right now and I just saw the best move in all of basketball, including the pros like LeBron, Steph, KD, Victor, and Jokic,” Johnson wrote on social media. “Everyone must see the coast-to-coast, behind-the-back move by freshman guard MiLaysia Fulwiley from South Carolina. WOW!!”

Fulwiley discussed the move with ESPN’s Holly Rowe after the game, saying: “That was my favorite move when I was in high school. So I just did it.”

Hidalgo, who hails from Haddonfield, New Jersey, scored a game-high 31 points. She became just the third guard since 2009 to score 30 or more points against the Gamecocks, joining Chennedy Carter and Paige Bueckers, per Her Hoops Stats.

“Hidalgo and Fulwiley moving DIFFERENT out here,” Durant wrote on social media.