The 'Ball-Knowers' NCAA Weekend Watch Guide: Weekend of November 22-25
Some of the first top-tier NCAA women's basketball matchups happen this weekend. No Cap Space WBB has your list of must-watches in the next few days.
At No Cap Space WBB, we want you to know ball. We want you to be able to look at other folks who may not know ball and not look down on them but instead educate them because you do, in fact, know ball. But during the college basketball season that can be hard. There’s, at any point, 10+ games happening on the same day in a variety of time windows.
So on Mondays and Fridays, we will be releasing what we call the ‘Ball-Knowers’ NCAA Watch Guide. Essentially, it’s a handful of games that our staff picks for each day based on a couple different metrics: how competitive the game might be, if there’s a player we like or find interesting involved, if there’s a team to watch or if the game has implications for NCAA selection in March. It’s basically a guide to help you see the forest through the trees so that by the spring you’ll have a good idea of who is a threat to make a run in the Dance.
We have finally arrived at the first ‘Money Weekend’ of the NCAA women’s basketball season. There’s a couple of 9.5/10 matchups — and some that you can argue are 10/10 must watches — on the list and plenty more really good games to make sure you watch. So let’s get to it!
Friday, November 22
No. 21 Nebraska (Big Ten) vs. Creighton (Big East): 5:00 PM, FloHoops
Why it’s worth a watch: This feels like a pretty big one for Creighton. You have to expect that UConn is gonna run the Big East but suddenly that second position doesn’t feel nearly as secure for the Bluejays as I thought at the start of the year. While both road games, Creighton has lost to South Dakota State (understandable) and Kansas State (also, understandable). But the chances for that non-con signature win are starting to fade and this game against Nebraska feels like one of the last ones before December when they see No. 5 UCLA. The Cornhuskers have been absolutely cruising to open the year as Natalie Potts has become a nice running mate with Alexis Markowski. Unfortunately, Potts went down with an ACL injury and is done for the year. That changes the complexion of quite a bit. First big road trip of the year and there’s a little more to lose if you’re Creighton. Wide spectrum of possibilities in this one, from blowout Nebraska win to Creighton upset. Worth a watch just for the variance.
Must-Watch Score: 7/10
Florida (SEC) vs. Florida State (ACC): 7:00 PM ET, ACC Network
Why it’s worth a watch: Personally I think this game is going to help me understand what tier the Gators will be in once SEC play comes along. The ten point loss to Miami on Saturday told us some things but this matchup against Florida State has a chance to complete the picture. Jeriah Warren is the player to watch for Florida, finishing with 25 points, 3 rebounds and 4 steals against the Hurricanes. On the FSU side, these are the types of games you have to win especially with the next four games — Texas Tech, Missouri State, Gonzaga and Tennessee — being something of a gauntlet. TaNiya Latson is the show for the Seminoles and a player that is always a must-watch. But Makayla Timpson has emerged as a really fun frontcourt foil as well. She finished with 38 points, 15 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals and 3 blocks against Samford. ‘Samford?’ I’m sure you’re saying. But here’s another data point for you: 22 points and 14 rebounds against a Top 25 Illinois team. Is FSU the best team in America? Not necessarily. But do they have two of the most exciting players currently in the sport? Absolutely.
Must-Watch Score: 7.5/10
St. Joe’s (Atlantic-10) vs. Utah (Big 12): 9:00 PM ET, ESPN+
Why it’s worth a watch: This one feels like an upset special, if you would consider it that in the first place. The Utes lost to Northwestern in a surprise last week and are very much trying to figure out a world post Alissa Pili. In fairness, that’s a hard player to replace so some bumps are to be expected. St. Joe’s, on the other hand, has had a nice start to the year knocking off Syracuse and Penn, both on the road. I expect a nice guard show between Hawks leader Mackenzie Smith and Utah’s star Gianna Kneepkens. Talya Brugler (21 PPG, 10 RPG) against that Utes front of Maya Toure, Jenna Johnson and Reese Ross will be interesting. Bubble watch type matchup.
Must-Watch Score: 7.5/10
Auburn (SEC) vs. California (ACC): 9:00 PM ET, ACC Extra
Why it’s worth a watch: Man, if our dearly departed Pac-12 was still around I’d be talking about how massive this game would be for Cal. But the Bears, now in the ACC, have a little more wiggle room within their conference schedule than in years (and leagues) past. But this feels like another bubble watch matchup and that alone makes it worth a watch. To me, I really value the games that pit two opponents of similar caliber against each other. Great vs. Great, Good vs. Good, and so on. This is a Good vs. Good. LuLu Twidale is an early contender for one of the most improved players in the country while Marta Suarez and Ugonne Onyiah have become quite the board sweepers. Auburn’s DeYona Gaston, who is averaging 23.7 points and 10.7 rebounds per game, will make this a battle on the block. Wouldn’t be surprised if this one came down to the last couple minutes .
Must-Watch Score: 7.5/10
No. 9 Oklahoma (Big 12) vs. UNLV (MWC): 9:30 PM ET, Mtn West Network
Why it’s worth a watch: This matchup was one of the early upsets in the 2023-2024 season. The Rebs ran it up on Oklahoma in Norman, earning them a spot in the next week’s Top 25. But both teams feel very different from what they were a year ago. The Sooners have gotten significantly better and UNLV has taken a bit of a step back as they try to navigate a season after the best player in school history graduated. That said, Lindy La Rocque’s team can get out and score in bunches. Even in their loss to Arizona, they were in it for pretty much the entirety of the game. OU has sprinted out of the gate so I expect another win here but how they do on the road against a plucky UNLV squad will be a nice way to gauge the Sooners early.
Must-Watch Score: 7.5/10
Saturday, November 23
No. 6 Notre Dame (ACC) vs. No. 3 USC (Big Ten): 4:00 PM ET, NBC/Peacock
Why it’s worth a watch: Do I really need to tell you to watch this? JuJu Watkins, Hannah Hidalgo, Kiki Iriafen, Olivia Miles, Rayah Marshall, Kate Koval. Everyone on each roster is a name to know. This is exactly what constitutes a 10/10 matchup. The only downside of realignment is ESPN’s loss of the Big Ten programming which means the incentive to promote this is not at all what it should be. But that shouldn’t deter you. This is one of the best games of the year on paper and if you are a fan of the game in any way, you gotta tune in for this.
Must-Watch Score: 10/10
Indiana (Big Ten) vs. Columbia (Ivy): 4:00 PM ET, FloHoops
Why it’s worth a watch: Columbia is every bit the plucky, scary mid-major that they were with Abbey Hsu. Riley Weiss and Cecelia Collins have filled in the scoring well while Kitty Henderson has become a pesky defender and solid distributor. The Hoosiers, on the other hand, are 2-2 with one Ivy League loss already to their name. But they did reset well, handing Stanford their first loss of the season. Chloe Moore-McNeil had her first really good game of the year and is a game changer when shooting well. There’s every chance that the Hoosiers can run away from Columbia here but, at the very least, I expect it to be exciting for a couple quarters.
Must-Watch Score: 6.5/10
Ball State (MAC) vs. No. 16 North Carolina (ACC): 6:30 PM ET, FloHoops
Why it’s worth a watch: Brady Sallee has put together two straight years of really good Ball State teams. They’ve finished second in the MAC in consecutive years, going 26-8 and 28-6 over that span. The Cardinals are 4-0 to start the year with wins over Old Dominion and Northern Iowa which are aging really well as the non-con goes on. UNC is coming off that loss to No. 2 UConn where they comported themselves well but still appear a tier below that Elite Eight-or-better caliber of program. This one feels a bit like the IU - Columbia game in that it could be a blowout if things break a certain way. But don’t count out Ball State. They feel plucky and might be one of those mid-majors worth keeping an eye on as the year rolls on.
Must-Watch Score: 6.5/10
Georgia Tech (ACC) vs. South Dakota State (Summit): 8:00 PM ET, Jackrabbit Sports Network
Why it’s worth a watch: Georgia Tech has quietly had a good start to the year, punctuated by an 83-67 win over in-state rival Georgia. But now comes one of the harder stretches of their non-conference: South Dakota State, Oregon and Mississippi State in three of the next four. The Jackrabbits we already know about. They are, year-in and year-out, among the most dangerous mid-majors in America. Dani Carnegie is the player to watch for GT and Brooklynn Meyer should already be a known-commodity in the ball-knower community. It’s definitely the most hipster-y of the games on the docket this weekend but it also might turn out to be the most fun.
Must-Watch Score: 6.5/10
Northern Arizona (Big Sky) vs. Colorado State (MWC): 8:00 PM ET, Mountain West Network
Why it’s worth a watch: I like this game because it’s a matchup between two of the better mid-majors that will be contenders for their conference this year. NAU is usually in the mix for the Big Sky alongside Montana State (who pops up on this list a little further down). Colorado State, after a couple years of above-average-but-not-remarkable results, looks like a legit MWC team with Creighton transfer Emma Ronsiek leading the way. Both teams return plenty of talent and are pretty well-coached. This is one of those true ‘ball-knower’ matchups. It’s a game that might not be the flashiest on paper but is deserving of a watch, at least for a little bit.
Must-Watch Score: 7/10
Sunday, November 24
South Florida (AAC) vs. No. 25 Louisville (ACC): 1:00 PM ET, Peacock
Why it’s worth a watch: This is a good time to watch Sammie Puisis, who made an appearance on Rashard Hall’s WNBA Mock Draft 2.0. If you’re curious about what kind of player she is, this is a good place to find out. This is a bit of a prove it game for Louisville, who lost to UCLA and Kentucky already. Granted, those are top 20 teams but the bigger question is if they are capable of beating teams in that caliber. Conversely, South Florida could definitely use a win like this. After losses to Vanderbilt and No. 2 UConn, the Bulls see Louisville, Mississippi State and No. 19 TCU next. They’ll need to win at least one or two of those before they get into an AAC that won’t have a lot of Quad 1 opportunities.
Must-Watch Score: 7/10
Drake (MVC) vs. No. 8 Iowa State (Big 12): 3:00 PM ET, ESPN+
Why it’s worth a watch: The upset of the year so far concerns the Cyclones who lost to Northern Iowa earlier this week. Drake, even with Katie Dinnebier leading the way, is still looking for one of those signature high-major wins. They lost to Creighton on the road and then Iowa at home. Now they head to Ames to face an ISU team that is likely determined to not let another upset happen. But weird stuff can happen in Iowa and it wouldn’t surprise me to see the Bulldogs manage to hang with State for a little while. Bill Fennelly’s teams play a little atypical of that standard ‘Iowa school’ style derived from old 6-on-6 ball. But the clash is what can make games like this fun. I’d be surprised if this thing didn’t stay close at least for a little while.
Must-Watch Score: 6.5/10
No. 1 South Carolina (SEC) vs. No. 5 UCLA (Big Ten): 4:00 PM ET, FS1
Why it’s worth a watch: There is a legit argument for this to be a 10. The only reason it’s lower is that I’m not 100% sold on the idea that South Carolina won’t do what they do. Namely, hit you on a third quarter run and end the game prematurely. But much like Notre Dame vs. USC, it feels like the only reason the game isn’t getting more buzz is because it isn’t on the four-letter monopoly. That said, I expect the viewership number to be big. The battle of the bigs — Ashlyn Watkins, Joyce Edwards and Chloe Kitts vs. Janiah Barker, Lauren Betts and Angela Dugalic — is going to be sensational. The x-factors will be UCLA’s Kiki Rice and South Carolina’s Milaysia Fulwiley. Expect something a little more defensive than ND - USC but the quality of game will be just as good. Bet on that.
Must-Watch Score: 9.5/10
Washington State (Pac-12) vs. Iowa (Big Ten): 4:00 PM ET, Big Ten Network
Why it’s worth a watch: I think Iowa is gonna run away with this one, especially at home. The only thing keeping this on the list is the knowledge that Wazzu has gotta start putting some big wins together come December if they want to be in the NCAA or WBIT conversation. There’s still a lot of talent on this Cougs roster but clearly the post Pac-12 portal exodus has hurt their consistency. I do like the style clash here and think it’s a good test for the Hawkeyes. Kamie Etheridge’s teams like to slow it down, they like to beat you with defense, effort and rebounding. Most of Iowa’s opponents this early season have been content to try and get out and run with them. This will not be that game. It’s a good challenge for Lucy Olsen as lead guard, who might not be Caitlin Clark but is every bit the talent she was billed as when she transferred from Villanova.
Must-Watch Score: 7/10
Montana State (Big Sky) vs. Utah (Big 12): 9:00 PM ET, ESPN+
Why it’s worth a watch: This one got bumped from a 7/10 to a 7.5/10 because I’m interested in if there is any drop off after Lynne Roberts departure to the Los Angeles Sparks. Gavin Petersen has been a long time assistant and already prepared to take the reins but does it look like anything substantively different on the floor? This is feels like one of those games where if you don’t have the requisite effort and focus, you can get caught up. Montana State is a typical Big Sky contender and, while they haven’t dominated the conference, they’ve typically been a top eight mid-major on the west coast. I like the upset potential here but also a possible get right blowout for the new-era Utes.
Must-Watch Score: 7.5/10
Monday, November 25
No. 7 LSU (SEC) vs. Washington (Big Ten): 1:30 PM ET, FloHoops
Why it’s worth a watch: LSU has quietly chugged along in this non-conference, dominating nearly everyone in their path. It’s to be expected when your caliber of opponent isn’t spectacular. But I like this challenge that Washington will provide. The Huskies did have an eyebrow raising loss to Montana in Missoula recently but are still one of those WBIT type teams that can score in bunches and play good defense when needed. Flau’je Johnson is must-watch, especially these days. The junior guard has come flying out of the gate and is garnering some attention as potential WNBA Draft prospect. She’ll have a good set of guards opposite her in Washington’s Elle Ladine and Sayvia Sellers. If nothing else, it’s the first team with a pulse playing LSU this year. That alone is worth a tune in.
Must-Watch Score: 7.5/10
No. 14 Duke (ACC) vs. No. 10 Kansas State (Big 12): 1:00 PM ET, FloHoops
Why it’s worth a watch: Definitely one of the other high-level matchups of the non-conference season. Toby Fournier is every bit as good as advertised and, even on the road in South Dakota, performed well in limited minutes. Her 25 points against Belmont on Thursday was her highest output to date. Now she and the Blue Devils hit the road to take on a deep and dynamic Kansas State backcourt. Serena Sundell, Jaelyn Glenn and Zyanna Walker are all averaging double digit scoring per game. But the big question is the status of Ayoka Lee who injured her ankle in the season opener. She’s looked fine since but the history always lends itself to worrying about whether or not she’s full go. If so, it’ll be the tallest task (figuratively and literally) that Duke has seen this year. A second weekend NCAA matchup easily and probably the best game of the Sunday slate.
Must-Watch Score: 9/10
No. 17 Ole Miss (SEC) vs. Boston College (ACC): 5:00 PM ET, FloHoops
Why it’s worth a watch: Ole Miss rebounded well after that opening day loss to No. 3 USC. After a handful of HBCU win, they now see their first high-major opponent since Paris. Boston College has mostly taken care of the opponents in their path but did lose to Harvard 78-70. That isn’t really much of a stain on the record given Harmoni Turner’s unbelievable start to the year. Ask Teri Moren and Indiana. In spite of a relatively unremarkable roster construction, at least in terms of star power, Dontavia Waggoner has been the leader of a BC team that balances their scoring well. KK Deans continues to pace Ole Miss but I’m curious when former UT Arlington star Starr Jacobs has her breakout game. Could it be this one? I guess that’s why we tune in, right?
Must-Watch Score: 7/10