UCLA, alongside several other elite basketball programs, is set to participate in Thanksgiving tournaments held in warm climates this week.
The newly minted No. 1 Bruins are traveling to Hawaii for the Rainbow Wahine Tournament, where they will compete against UT Martin, Fresno State, and Hawaii over the span of three days.
Coach Cori Close is enthusiastic about the challenges this tournament presents.
“The quick turnaround and this opportunity help us develop a championship-level routine,” she noted. “The focus is primarily on mental readiness and fostering our own sense of urgency. It’s important for us to not get lost in the accolades and instead concentrate on how we can improve this week.”
This marks the first instance where the school has claimed the top spot in the Associated Press women’s basketball rankings.
One of the standout matchups of the week is set to occur in the Cayman Islands, where No. 3 Notre Dame will face 17th-ranked TCU on Friday. Both teams feature powerful offenses, with the Irish benefiting from a stellar backcourt consisting of Olivia Miles and Hannah Hidalgo. The Horned Frogs are enjoying their highest ranking since 2004, led by the formidable combination of Sedona Prince and Hailey Van Lith.
Other exciting games on the horizon include South Carolina taking on Iowa State on Thursday at the Fort Myers Tip-Off.
The Cyclones experienced a drop in the rankings from eighth to 15th after a surprising defeat to Northern Iowa.
The Gamecocks will need to devise a strategy to contain Cyclones star center Audi Crooks.
In injury news, No. 25 Nebraska has suffered a significant blow with the loss of standout sophomore center Natalie Potts, who is out for the season due to a torn ACL.
Potts was leading her team with averages of 14.4 points and 7.4 rebounds per game, showcasing an impressive shooting percentage of 68.4%.
In a positive turn for UConn, the team is closer than ever to having its full roster available for the first time in years.
The Huskies welcomed back Azzi Fudd during the victory against FDU last Wednesday, marking the 1,217th win of coach Geno Auriemma’s career, which surpassed the record he previously shared with Tara VanDerveer for the most wins in college basketball history.
On the statistics front, No. 22 Iowa is enjoying its best start since the 2017-18 season, having won its first seven games.
Meanwhile, No. 19 Illinois boasts the longest active winning streak in the country, currently sitting at 10 straight victories dating back to the previous season.
This week’s feature game will see No. 13 Duke go head-to-head with No. 8 Oklahoma in the championship contest of the Ball Dawgs Classic on Wednesday.
The Blue Devils secured their place in the final after defeating ninth-ranked Kansas State on Monday during the tournament opener.