We’ll jump right into observations. Sorry we haven’t been on top of the game for a while (day jobs getting in the way), but we’re planning a big February/March! Let us know if you’d like to see something by commenting below.
Yes, our correspondent Bob Flynn just wrote about W&M’s Eva Hodgson, but we’re going to pile on. She’s fresh off recording a second consecutive 30-point game against College of Charleston, an effort that included a 16-for-16 effort at the free-throw line, a school record. She’s amassed 10 games of 20 or more points thus far, and can we just say frontrunner for LadySwish POY? The New Hampshirer (is that a word?) is for real!
It surely seems like this is the year Sean O’Regan wins his first CAA championship at JMU, but we’re finding out just like last year that nothing is a given. The Dukes host Towson on Sunday, one of two league teams to have beaten them this year. The other, Drexel, didn’t just beat JMU last weekend; the Dukes got routed. The Dragons led wire-to-wire, and sophomore Keishana Washington went off for 27 off the bench. Message to JMU: Don’t overlook Drexel. Year after year, Denise Dillon’s teams peak at the right time. Drexel visits The Convo on Friday, Feb. 28 (if we can make that one, guys, we’ll be there!)
Ajah Wayne
How about Old Dominion? Three years in and Nikki McCray‘s team isn’t just respectable – the Lady Monarchs (we refuse to just use Monarchs), very well might win the league. They’ve won eight straight with UTEP on tap for today. Their defense ranks sixth nationally. She’s rejuvenated this program with an influx of talent led by Ajah Wayne. Rice comes to town on Thursday; the Owls have won their last 29 in C-USA with Middle Tennessee on the slate today. Rice’s league win streak is behind only UConn, Baylor and FGCU, pretty good company. Rice is defeating C-USA opponents by an average of 14.6 points per game. The Owls haven’t lost to a C-USA opponent in a span of 709 days, dating back to 2018. Like ODU, Rice is balanced; Erica Ogwumike (yes, that’s Chiney and Nneke’s little sis) will be difficult to contain. If you haven’t been to Chartway Arena, Thursday night, 6:30 p.m. would be a good night to check out ODU.
One addendum on the Lady Monarchs: They need a better home nonconference sked that might help get more folks in the doors. With everybody back minus Taylor Edwards next season, we’d like to see McCray schedule tough next fall. Given her Tennessee connection, isn’t renewing that series long overdue?
Neck and neck with McCray for our Coach of the Year nod is Rebecca Tillett at Longwood. The Lancers won three games last season. They’re 10-10 heading into today’s matchup with the Blue Hose. The Lancers lead the Big South in field-goal percentage while ranking second in the league in scoring. As usual, they’re tops in the league in blocks. Dayna Rouse is a force (15.4 ppg, 7.3 rpg, .532 in FG percentage) and point guard Tra’Dayja Smith ranks eighth in the nation in assists (6.4). We’re already handing Big South Freshman of the Year honors to Kayla McMakin, Longwood’s top ace who averages a team-best 16.9 ppg.
Chanette Hicks is on the watch list for the Dawn Staley Award.
Kudos to overlooked Norfolk State, 7-1 in the MEAC. Former Hokie Chanette Hicks is all Spartan with a MEAC-best 21.2 ppg (that ranks seventh in the NCAA). Le’Daja James is coming off scoring a career-high 36 points, second in NSU’s Division I record book for most points in a single game. NSU reached the conference championship game a year ago and is poised to take it one step further in March.
So what’s going on in the ACC, you ask? It’s a down year overall, though we take nothing away from Virginia Tech’s 6-5 mark against league foes. Notre Dame won’t make the tournament, Duke’s disappeared and Miami and Syracuse are still seeking consistency. That said, Louisville ranks among the nation’s best along with NC State, and Florida State is a menace. We, and Kenny Brooks we’re sure, too, would love to see Tech close out games just a nose better; losses to NC State, Duke and Syracuse hurt. Still, we see the Hokies NCAA-tournament bound for the first time in Brooks’ tenure, and that’s something to get the juices flowing in Blacksburg.
Speaking of the Hokies, we love this Tech starting five that boasts four players averaging double-digit scoring (Aisha Sheppard, Dara Mabrey, Elizabeth Kitley, Trinity Baptiste) and the fifth is no slacker in Taja Cole, averaging 9.5 points and 6.5 assists, fifth in the nation. (If you’re keeping track, we have referenced an Ajah, a Tra’Dayja, a Le’Daja and a Taja, giving us a sudden urge to ask Alexa to play songs from Steely Dan’s classic album “Aja.”) First-off-the-bench Lydia Rivers is the No. 1 rebounder. We love the depth of this team, and while we touted W&M’s Hodgson up top, Sheppard might very well be the best in our state.
While Virginia struggles for consistency, senior guard Jocelyn Willoughby remains in the ACC scoring lead, averaging 19.4 ppg. We hand it to Tina Thompson for overdue applause for the nonconference list she put together: the Cavaliers played the toughest nonconference schedule in the nation. And while we know the Irish are down, it’s still worth noting that Virginia’s 90-60 slaughter of Notre Dame on Jan. 26 was impressive.
Liberty’s Keyan Green continues to be the comeback kid. After missing all of last season with a bum ankle, she’s up to 17.1 ppg. The Lady Flames, 8-5 in road/neutral games, are at North Alabama today for a key ASUN matchup.
Along A-10 lines, don’t look now but VCU is 8-1 in conference, and a week away from heading to unbeaten league foe Dayton. That Feb. 16 game will be on ESPNU. As for Richmond, Aaron Roussell continues to impress us in his first year coaching the Spiders. Admittedly, we didn’t see them knocking off Davidson, unbeaten in league play at the time. Richmond, with 10 victories and counting, has already surpassed last season’s win total.
Meanwhile, it’s rough days in Fairfax for George Mason despite the offensive machine named Nicole Cardaño-Hillary, second in the league in scoring. The Patriots have just two A-10 wins heading into today’s game versus Saint Louis.
Hampton, which kicked off the season with a win at Alabama, can’t seem to string together wins. Picked to win the Big South, the Lady Pirates will need to dial it up a notch in the coming weeks. With four starters in double figures, we’d like to see this team make a run.
Up and down nights as well for Radford, winner of its last two heading into this afternoon’s meeting at Charleston Southern. Khiana Johnson, from Western Branch High in Chesapeake, continues to make her mark, leading the Highlanders in points, field-goal percentage, assists and minutes.
Quick shoutout to Division III Christopher Newport, which hasn’t lost in 2020!
Photos courtesy of JMU Athletic Communications, Radford Athletic Communications, Virginia Tech Athletic Communications, Old Dominion Athletic Communications, Longwood Athletic Communications, Norfolk State Athletic Communications