Girls’s Ultimate 4 2022 – Rating the highest 25 gamers in Minneapolis

The UConn Huskies, Louisville Cardinals, South Carolina Gamecocks and Stanford Cardinal have superior to the 2022 girls’s Ultimate 4, which shall be performed on Friday and Sunday at Goal Heart in Minneapolis.

As March Insanity prepares to crown a champion, we’re rating the gamers who’ve made the most important influence and put in the perfect performances of the 2022 NCAA event.

How do the gamers stack up in opposition to their very own teammates, and in opposition to the opposite three colleges? What do the rankings inform us about every crew’s depth and the way each their stars and their function gamers have carried out within the event?

ESPN projected the highest 25 gamers within the nation in November previous to the beginning of the season. The gamers had been re-ranked in January, then in opposition to heading into the NCAA event and previous to the Candy 16.

ESPN’s Charlie Creme, Alexa Philippou and Mechelle Voepel depend down the 25 gamers one final time this season, Ultimate 4 version. Stanford leads the way in which with seven gamers in our rankings.

On Friday, South Carolina clashes with Louisville (7 p.m. ET, ESPN), adopted by Stanford vs. UConn (9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN).

Comply with this hyperlink to verify your Women’s Tournament Challenge bracket.

Ahead | 6-foot-5 | junior
Earlier rating: 1

Bodily, however agile. Highly effective, however nimble. These traits make Boston so dominant within the low submit. Her bodily transformation since her freshman season has produced unbelievable outcomes. Boston is the perfect participant left within the event and the perfect participant within the nation. — Creme

Guard | 6-foot-1 | junior
Earlier rating: 2

After a quiet outing in Stanford’s first-round recreation in opposition to Montana State, coach Tara VanDerveer informed reporters that “to go the place we need to go, we’ll want extra Haley [Jones].” Jones gave the Cardinal simply that of their stint in Spokane, taking dwelling the regional’s Most Excellent Participant award after compiling back-to-back double-doubles, scoring not less than 17 factors in every recreation. She additionally totaled 10 assists over the previous two video games, and her potential to get to the free throw line (10 for 11) in opposition to Texas’ strain protection helped make the distinction Sunday. — Philippou

Ahead | 6-foot-4 | sophomore
Earlier rating: 6

Brink’s foul hassle has damage her enjoying time at factors this event, however there is no denying how efficient she is when she is on the ground. Living proof: Re-entering the sport to start out the second half in opposition to Texas on Sunday, Brink rattled off 10 factors on 4-for-5 taking pictures from the sector (and made 1 of two 3-point makes an attempt!), whereas additionally coming away with three blocks, three rebounds and a steal, all within the third quarter alone. She joined teammates Jones and Lexie Hull (featured under) as members of the Spokane Regional all-tournament crew. — Philippou

Guard | 5-foot-11 | sophomore
Earlier rating: 12

After a considerably quiet begin to the event, Bueckers saved her finest for the Huskies’ greatest stage so far, coming by with not simply her finest outing since return from harm, however arguably the perfect particular person efficiency of her profession, UConn’s Elite Eight win over 1-seed NC State. She scored 27 factors on 10-for-15 taking pictures from the sector, which included a run after halftime through which she hit eight consecutive photographs and went 6-for-6 from the free throw line. She was named the Bridgeport regional Most Excellent Participant. — Philippou

Guard | 5-foot-7 | sophomore
Earlier rating: 9

She has led Louisville in scoring all 4 video games of the NCAA event and tied her season excessive in assists with six in opposition to Tennessee within the Candy 16. She is a spirited emotional chief for the crew. And after saying that the Cardinals didn’t need Jimmy Fallon’s bracket (he did not choose Louisville for the Ultimate 4), she later added that she was joking and can be completely satisfied to be on his present someday. — Voepel

6. Lexie Hull, Stanford Cardinal

Guard | 6-foot-1 | senior
Earlier rating: 11

Hull’s 22.Zero factors per recreation all through the NCAA event (on 52.4% taking pictures from the sector, no much less) paces a Stanford crew that appears poised to probably lower down the nets as soon as extra in Minneapolis. She and Jones mixed for all 14 of the Cardinal’s fourth-quarter factors Sunday in opposition to Texas to seal their win and spot within the Ultimate 4 — together with an emphatic and-one end by a number of defenders with 2:29 to play that successfully shifted the momentum in Stanford’s favor for good. — Philippou

Ahead | 6-foot-1 | senior
Earlier rating: 15

The New Yorker has made probably the most of her season at Louisville after transferring from Syracuse, becoming in completely. She has led Louisville in rebounding all 4 video games of the NCAA event. Her dynamic protection will get reward from coach Jeff Walz, who calls her the perfect Cardinal at studying passing lanes since program legend Angel McCoughtry. — Voepel

Guard | 5-foot-7 | senior
Earlier rating: NR

She is likely one of the quickest guards in Division I, and he or she has been an excellent flooring common for the Gamecocks, main them at 3.9 assists per recreation. She does not have to attain quite a bit to be an elite weapon for South Carolina; performances just like the 13 and 12 factors she had within the Candy 16 and Elite Eight are huge. — Voepel

Guard | 5-foot-11 | senior
Earlier rating: NR

Williams, one other member of the Bridgeport Regional all-tournament crew, has come by for UConn as one other go-to scorer alongside Bueckers and Azzi Fudd. Whereas Bueckers may get a lot of the eye from the NC State recreation, Williams was the one who obtained the Huskies began with 9 of the crew’s 16 first-quarter factors, and he or she scored 5 straight within the second time beyond regulation to clinch the win. Her potential to assault off the bounce, and when she’s at her finest hit exterior photographs and play powerful protection, have made UConn a way more threatening crew in March. — Philippou

Guard | 5-foot-11 | freshman
Earlier rating: NR

Fudd has had some freshman moments all through the event, however her 3-point taking pictures early on and her potential to attain through her pull-up jumper or get to the rim are huge the explanation why the Huskies made it to Minneapolis. Maybe most impressively, Fudd has gone 11-for-12 from the free throw line all through the event, with lots of these journeys coming in close-game conditions in opposition to UCF within the second spherical and NC State within the Elite Eight. Her poise and maturity in these moments make her appear properly past her years. — Philippou

Ahead | 6-foot-2 | senior
Earlier rating: NR

She had considered one of her finest video games of the season within the Elite Eight with 11 factors and 11 rebounds, and he or she is averaging 11.5 boards on this NCAA event. As she was final season, Saxton has been a reliable sidekick to Aliyah Boston inside. — Voepel

12. Fran Belibi, Stanford Cardinal

Ahead | 6-foot-1 | junior
Earlier rating: NR

Maybe the dunk within the first spherical makes this apparent, however Belibi performs a lot larger than 6-1. Her exercise on the boards has been instrumental in Stanford’s 4 wins. Belibi’s 9.Zero rebounds per recreation within the event is almost double her regular-season common. — Creme

13. Brea Beal, South Carolina Gamecocks

Guard | 6-foot-1 | junior
Earlier rating: NR

Pretty much as good as Boston and Kamilla Cardoso are as shot-blockers, Beal is South Carolina’s defensive enforcer. She regularly attracts the hardest task and is the face of the Gamecocks’ toughness. Her 4.9 PPG hardly represents her true worth. — Creme

14. Zia Cooke, South Carolina Gamecocks

Guard | 5-foot-9 | junior
Earlier rating: NR

Cooke’s offense could be cold and hot at instances, as evidenced by 15 factors within the Candy 16 and none within the Elite Eight. However she’s averaging 10.7 PPG for the season and is at all times some of the strong defensive gamers on an unbelievable protection. — Voepel

Ahead | 6-foot-3 | sophomore
Earlier rating: NR

Edwards actually struggled initially of the season, however she has managed to show issues round in order that she’s now enjoying her most impactful basketball on the proper time. Her physicality and power, alongside along with her potential to dominate the glass and sometimes hit some midrange jumpers, have made her indispensable, much more so now that Dorka Juhász is out with a wrist fracture. — Philippou

16. Kianna Smith, Louisville Cardinals

Guard | 6-foot-0 | senior
Earlier rating: NR

Her dad, John Smith, is coach of Cal Poly’s males’s crew, and Smith performs like somebody from a basketball household. She a gentle chief who does regardless of the Cardinals ask and might nonetheless go off for 20-plus factors if wanted. — Voepel

Heart |6-foot-7 | sophomore
Earlier rating: NR

A switch from Syracuse, she performed alongside Louisville’s Emily Engstler final season once they had been the Orange’s prime two rebounders. Now they may meet within the Ultimate 4. Cardoso is averaging 5.7 factors and 5.Three rebounds off the bench and is an intimidating rim protector. — Voepel

18. Anna Wilson, Stanford Cardinal

Guard |5-foot-9 | senior
Earlier rating: NR

If All-America voting had been based mostly solely on intangibles, Wilson can be on each record. Her numbers are by no means going to inform the entire story, or perhaps a small a part of it, however Wilson has been important to Stanford’s 2021-22 success. — Creme

Ahead |6-foot-3 | sophomore
Earlier rating: NR

Her toughness and power inside are big belongings, and coach Jeff Walz says the Cardinals would not have the ability to win with out her. The black eye she obtained throughout Candy 16 recreation did not cease Cochran. She is Louisville’s second-leading rebounder and fourth-leading scorer. — Voepel

20. Chelsie Hall, Louisville Cardinals

Guard |5-foot-7 | senior
Earlier rating: NR

Corridor spent 4 seasons at Vanderbilt after which performed her “tremendous senior” season this yr at Louisville. Speak about an effective way to complete your faculty profession; Vandy hasn’t been to the NCAA event since 2014, however Corridor is now going to the Ultimate 4. She began each recreation and is second on the crew in steals. — Voepel

Ahead |6-foot-5 | senior
Earlier rating: NR

Nelson-Ododa’s scoring numbers will not wow you, however her protection, rebounding and facilitating talents make her a difference-maker. Bodily, she obtained the perfect of Elissa Cunane a lot of the NC State recreation, and he or she got here away with seven rebounds and had a team-high 4 assists. Her and Edwards’ offensive rebounding was a important component to UConn’s success in Bridgeport. — Philippou

Guard |6-foot-0 | senior
Earlier rating: NR

Westbrook has taken her new function of coming off the bench in stride and has a knack for stepping up with a giant play when UConn wants one, whether or not or not it’s a steal-and-score, help or 3-pointer. Her protection, ballhandling talents and expertise make her one other participant Geno Auriemma can lean on when the crew wants a spark. — Philippou

23. Lacie Hull, Stanford Cardinal

Guard |6-foot-1 | senior
Earlier rating: NR

The little issues outline Lacie Hull’s recreation: a hand within the passing lane, a key defensive rebound, an correct backdoor go, a grinder strategy to protection. If Hull is scoring, it is a bonus, however Stanford would not win as a lot with out her. — Voepel

24. Hannah Jump, Stanford Cardinal

Guard |6-foot-0 | junior
Earlier rating: NR

With a crew this deep, it’s important to be prepared for something, and Soar has been, despite the fact that her minutes fluctuate. She is the Cardinal’s prime 3-point shooter (82) and fourth-leading scorer (9.Three PPG). She was their prime scorer with 15 in Stanford’s event opener over Montana State. — Voepel

Guard | 5-foot-7 | senior
Earlier rating: NR

Robinson is the one non-transfer among the many Cardinals’ seniors; the Kentucky native has spent her complete profession at Louisville. Her specialties are protection and transferring the ball within the offense. She has been on the ACC All-Defensive Group the previous two seasons. — Voepel