Southern California guard JuJu Watkins, left, drives to the basket as UConn guards Paige Bueckers, center, and Morgan Cheli, right, defend in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, in Hartford, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
Michigan has gotten off to a strong start this season and the No. 23 Wolverines will try and close out 2024 with a big victory when they visit No. 4 USC on Sunday.
The Wolverines won 10 of their first 12 games with the lone losses coming against then-No. 1 South Carolina and No. 9 Oklahoma. Michigan will have a good idea where it stands after the next two weeks as the team plays USC followed by No. 1 UCLA three days later. The Wolverines then return home to face No. 10 Ohio State a week later.
“If you told me we’d be in this spot, no, I wouldn’t have thought it,” coach Kim Barnes Arico said in a phone interview. “I know the rigors of our conference and the first three games it’s really important we stay positive and buy into the process.”
It’s one of the best starts in Barnes Arico’s time at Michigan. The Wolverines have a talented freshman class led by Syla Swords, Mila Holloway and Olivia Olson. The trio are all averaging in double-digits in scoring with Swords and Olson both averaging more than 15 a game.
“We have three freshmen playing at such a high level. They have ups and downs, but not all at the same time,” Barnes Arico said. “The transition has been impressive.”
Barnes Arico said her team will have a few days off before getting back together on Thursday. They will fly to Los Angeles on Friday.
“Feels really weird that we’re leaving on the 27th to fly to California to play two games,” she said. “Our players are really excited about it. When you sign on for this, you want to compete against the best and that’s part of the reason you come to Michigan, come to the Big Ten.”
USC heads into that game on a high after beating UConn 72-70 on Saturday for the first time in school history.
“This is a really significant win, and it’s a really significant win because of the stature of UConn’s program and what Geno Auriemma has done for our sport,” USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb said. “It doesn’t matter to me that they haven’t won a championship in a couple years. There’s still a way that they prepare, a way that they play, that makes you better, and it made us better.”
Quiet week
Women’s basketball teams have most of the week off with no games scheduled between Monday and Friday. No. 16 Kentucky is the only ranked team to play Saturday and then 17 Top 25 teams play Sunday with the Big Ten, Big East and ACC all starting play.
NET ratings
The NCAA’s weekly NET rankings — one of the tools that the selection committee uses for the NCAA Tournament bracket — has a new No. 1 this week with Texas taking over the top spot from South Carolina. UCLA which is No. 1 in the AP poll is third with UConn and Kansas State fourth and fifth. The Huskies are the only team in the top 25 that isn’t from one of the Power Four conferences. Harvard is next at 32.
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By DOUG FEINBERG
AP Basketball Writer