With just over a month left in the NCAA regular season, everyone is getting excited for tournament play. We have a good idea of who the top contending teams are, but a few underdogs are still looking to surprise us. Tournament time also means the announcement of the All-American teams.
The All-American first, second, and third teams are expected to be announced in mid-March. There have been some brilliant all-around performances this season, some from experienced players, but there could even be a freshman in the mix. Here are our All-American team predictions.
First-Team
Sarah Strong, UConn
Sarah Strong has become even more dominant in her second year at UConn. While this season, we have gotten used to the Huskies just taking over each game, Strong's impact cannot go unnoticed. She is averaging 19.2 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game. In UConn's latest matchup, they went into the half tied with Tennessee. It was looking like they could be facing their first loss of the season if things didn't start going their way.
In the second half, Strong put up 15 points to help UConn beat Tennessee 96-66. She finished the game with 26 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 blocks. Strong is the frontrunner for National Player of the Year, and it doesn't seem like anyone will contest her — so first-team almost seems like a given.
Joyce Edwards, South Carolina
Edwards is another player who stepped up her game tremendously from her freshman season. Last year, she averaged 12.7 points and 5.0 rebounds per game. This season, Edwards has been a consistent starter, averaging 20.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game. In South Carolina's latest matchup, Edwards put up 28 points, leading the Gamecocks to a victory over Texas A&M. She is a dominant defender and one of the best in-the-paint players in all of college ball right now. She makes an incredible first-team case.
Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt has recently had a bit of a fall from grace, going from undefeated to losing two of their last three matchups. But one consistent thing is Mikayla Blakes. After those two losses, Blakes showed out in their most recent game against Florida to ensure they wouldn't take three in a row. She recorded 30 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 steals against the Gators. She sits at No. 3 in average points with 25.1 per game. She masterfully gets around her defenders on offense, but is absolutely a two-way threat as she averages 3.1 steals per game. Having her name on this list also seems like a no-brainer.
Olivia Miles, TCU
Olivia Miles transferring from Notre Dame to TCU in the offseason seems more and more like the best decision she could've made with each game. Miles is averaging 19.3 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. She is one of the best guards in the country right now because of her ability to not only score, but also facilitate and run the game masterfully. Miles is one of the assisting guards in the country, averaging 7.0 assists per game.
Audi Crooks, Iowa State
This position is tough, and I could see my opinion changing before the All-American teams are announced. Audi Crooks leads the league in points per game with 25.9. She is a proven dominant center. She has had three different 40+ point performances this season. She controls the paint with her aggressiveness and ability to get around multiple defenders. Iowa State fell from top-contender status when they lost five in a row in early January. Although her scoring and efficiency could still be enough to earn a spot on the first-team.
Second-Team
Azzi Fudd, UConn
In her last season wearing a UConn uniform, Azzi Fudd is playing her best basketball. She is averaging a career high of 17.5 points and 3.0 assists per game. She is also shooting a career-high 44.9 percent from beyond-the-arc. Being a dominant scorer on such a dominant team is incredibly impressive. But it can be easy to look at the fact that UConn has not faced a top-5 opponent and think of it as a weakness. But in UConn's closest matchup of the season, a 72-69 victory over Michigan, Fudd was the top scorer with 31 points in 39 minutes on the court. I believe the closer a game is, the more dominant Fudd gets. Which is exactly why I think she deserves a spot on this second-team, at the least.
Hannah Hidalgo, Notre Dame
Hannah Hidalgo is another player whose team has struggled a bit this season, but she still shows up every night to put on unreal performances. She is second in points per game and first among all guards, averaging 25.9. She has not had a game scoring less than 12 points this entire season. In the Fighting Irish's most recent victory over Stanford, Hidalgo had 37 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 steals.
There's a real argument that Hidalgo is the best guard in the NCAA right now. Her scoring is crafty and dominant, but her defense is remarkable. She leads the league with an average of 5.6 steals per game — and no one can forget about her record-breaking 16 steal game earlier in the season.
Madison Booker, Texas
Booker is averaging a career-high 19.1 points per game. She can create space for herself, making her midrange game one of the best amongst all NCAA players. Although she also has the craftiness to drive to the basket and make contested layups look easy. She does her work on the other end of the ball as well. She is averaging a career high of 2.5 steals per game. People think her efficiency is one of the most slept on in women's college ball — but I am confident she will at least see her name on this second-team list.
Cotie McMahon, Ole Miss
There are a few great forwards that could earn this spot on the second-team. But, Ole Miss is creeping their way up in the standings, and Cotie McMahon is a massive reason why. She is averaging 19.7 points and 5.9 rebounds per game while shooting 48.7 percent from the floor. In mid-January, in the Rebels' loss to Georgia, McMahon was held to only 9 points. In their next game, she made sure it didn't happen again. McMahon recorded 33 points and 12 rebounds in the Rebels' 82-61 victory over Mizzou. Some think she could creep her way onto the first-team, and I would not put it past her.
Lauren Betts, UCLA
This one might be a little controversial. Deciding between Lauren Betts and Audi Crooks for first-team is incredibly tough. Betts is dominant, and UCLA is a top contender, so I could truly see her on first-team, but if not, we will obviously see her name here. She is averaging 16.2 points, and 7.9 rebounds per game this season. She is one of the most elite in-the-paint defenders in college ball right now. And on the other side of the ball, she has the remarkable ability to keep any defenders from even touching the ball when she has it. She utilizes her height flawlessly, making her one of the centers in the NCAA.
Third-Team
Khamil Pierre, NC State
NC State might not be a contender when it comes to winning the title this year, but Khamil Pierre has stepped her game up this season, and I think she will be recognized when the All-American lists come out. This year, Pierre is averaging 16.3 points and 11.9 rebounds per game. This puts her at No. 5 in the NCAA in rebounding. In transferring to NC State from Vanderbilt last year, she brought her scoring abilities, making her the team's leading scorer.
Toby Fournier, Duke
Fournier is another player who had a big jump in efficiency between seasons. During her freshman year, she averaged 13.2 points and 5.3 rebounds. This season, she has become a consistent starter and is averaging 17.7 points and 7.9 rebounds per game. In late November, Duke hit a slump, losing five of six games. Duke has been able to bounce back, winning their last 13 matchups and getting back in the AP Top 25. Fournier has played a big part in their recent success. In the Blue Devils' win over No. 18 Notre Dame, Fournier put up 20 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists.
Jaloni Cambridge, Ohio State
Ohio State has won nine of its last ten matchups, working its way up the AP Top 25 Poll. Over those ten games, Jaloni Cambridge is averaging 25.9 points per game. In the Buckeyes 78-69 victory over Illinois, Cambridge came up massively, recording 41 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists. She shot 60-percent from the floor in that matchup. In her second year, she is proving to be an incredible shooting guard who can work on defense, too. She is averaging 2.1 steals per game.
Aaliyah Chavez, Oklahoma
Not only is Aaliyah Chavez a top contender for Freshman of the Year, but I believe she could earn her spot within the All-Americans, as well. She is averaging 18.5 points and 4.1 assists per game. Oklahoma recently got its biggest win of the season, a 94-82 overtime victory over No. 2 South Carolina. In this game, Aaliyah Chavez had 26 points, 4 rebounds, and 8 assists. She shot 5-of-10 from beyond-the-arc. She is proving herself to be the newest shooting threat in the NCAA.
Clara Strack, Kentucky
Clara Strack has become one of the most dominant centers in college basketball. She uses her height to her advantage and is so mobile with the ball. She is No. 4 in the nation in blocking, averaging 2.7 per game. She has also been a walking double-double all season. She recently recorded her 11th of the year against Arkansas. She recorded a career-high 33 points and 15 rebounds against the Razorbacks. I predict this spot will either go to Strack or Raegan Beers of Oklahoma, but for right now, I am sticking with Strack.