Two women’s basketball teams in the Big Ten are separating themselves from the rest of the pack.
UCLA, led by coach Cori Close, looks like it has what it takes to make the Final Four for a second consecutive season. The Bruins lead the nation in Quad 1 wins with 12 and they’ve lost just once this season, to Texas in a neutral site game in November. In addition to having a dominant center in 6-foot-7 Lauren Betts, UCLA has three other players — Kiki Rice, Gianna Kneepkens and Gabriela Jaquez — flirting with 50-40-90 seasons.
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In the Big Ten’s traditional footprint, Kim Barnes Arico has Michigan playing at a high level. The Wolverines have three losses this season, and two of them were at neutral sites by single possessions to UConn and Vanderbilt. No team pushed the undefeated Huskies to the brink like Michigan did in November, when Syla Swords and Azzi Fudd went shot-for-shot. With Swords, Olivia Olson and Mila Holloway, Michigan has a trio of sophomore capable of playing with anyone in the country.
As an appetizer to the Super Bowl on Sunday (3 p.m. ET, FOX), a whole lot of people will be watching to see if Michigan can pull off an upset against UCLA at home.
For both teams, a victory would be their most impressive of the season. The Bruins’ best win so far is probably a non-conference triumph over Duke in November, while the Wolverines top win just came last week at rival Michigan State.
Can Michigan contain Betts? How will UCLA handle the Wolverines’ three-headed sophomore attack?
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Tune in to find out.
Here’s the other games to watch in women’s college basketball over the next few days.
Must-watch player matchup: Oklahoma at Vanderbilt
Monday, 9 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
Aaliyah Chavez versus Mikayla Blakes? Yes, please. Do we need to say more?
Mid-major matchup worth watching: George Mason at Richmond
Saturday, 6 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
Two of the three best teams in the A-10 will battle it out on Saturday night in a game that could have big implications for the league’s hopes in getting multiple NCAA Tournament bids. While Vanessa Blair-Lewis has George Mason undefeated in A-10 play, Richmond and Rhode Island actually have better resumes that are putting them in position for at-large bids. The A-10 is probably rooting for George Mason to win its conference tournament, but for Richmond and Rhode Island to keep stacking wins between now and then. The Patriots don’t care about what’s best for the league. They’re just trying to win by any means necessary. Maggie Doogan and the Spiders stand in their way of an 11-0 record in conference play.
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Big stakes for a bubble team: Arizona State at Baylor
Saturday, 6 p.m. ET (FS1)
Arizona State opened with 15 consecutive wins under first-year head coach Molly Miller before going on a 3-5 run which put them out of the NCAA Tournament field in USA Today Sports’ latest bracketology. Those projections were published before the Sun Devils picked up a solid Quad 2 win at home over Oklahoma State. A road game at Baylor presents a chance for a Quad 1 win for Arizona State, which would be a big help to getting it back on the right side of the bubble.
Sickos game of the week: SMU at Duke
Sunday, 2 p.m. ET (The CW)
Adia Barnes’ debut season in Dallas is not going as planned, as the Mustangs are 1-10 in ACC play. The Blue Devils are going to win by 40 for their 15th consecutive win.
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Also watch…
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Georgia Southern at Miami Ohio: Saturday, 1 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
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Louisville at Syracuse: Sunday, 12 p.m. ET (The CW)
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Tennessee at South Carolina: Sunday, 3 p.m. ET (ABC)
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Kentucky at Texas: Monday, 7:30 p.m. ET (SEC Network)
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: UCLA vs. Michigan women’s basketball leads TV, streaming, watch guide
