ANTONIO SAN — Nika Muhl, the starting guard for UConn, sprained her ankle during the Huskies’ victory over High Point in the first round. The team has labeled her as questionable for Tuesday’s NCAA women’s basketball tournament matchup against Syracuse.
During a shot attempt on Chyna McMichel’s foot at High Point, Muhl went down, twisting her right ankle in the process. Her ankle was heavily wrapped in ice and she needed assistance to leave the court.
The Croatian freshman was helped off the court after suffering a similar injury to her other ankle in the Big East Tournament opener against St. John’s. The next evening, she came back.
Interim coach Chris Dailey declared on Monday, “Nika will be on the court if there’s any way she can be there.”
In Muhl’s place, rookie Aaliyah Edwards opened the second half and went on to score 17 points, dish out 1 assist, and pull down 12 rebounds against High Point.
In UConn’s 21 games, Muhl has started 14, averaging 5.1 points and 2.9 assists. She left on Sunday with two points and one assist.
This report included information from The Associated Press.
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The top 12 nonconference games for women’s NCAA basketball in 2023–2024
In the women’s NCAA tournament, Tennessee was likely better than the No. 4 seed it received the year before. However, improving oneself and securing a better seed are two different things, and the Lady Vols lost on Selection Sunday due to a difficult first two months of the previous season.
Even so, Tennessee was able to host two NCAA tournament games and earned a No. 4 seed, which is an accomplishment. However, the Lady Vols’ season would have ended in the regional final against top-seeded Virginia Tech if they had received a higher seed.
Important nonconference games can influence a season, but they won’t make or break it. and assist in creating the postseason route.
Important nonconference games can influence a season, but they won’t make or break it. and assist in creating the postseason route.
In a top-heavy SEC, Tennessee placed third, with the top- and second-place teams advancing to the Final Four. In the conference tournament, the Lady Vols even defeated LSU, the eventual national champion. However, Tennessee repeatedly failed to meet expectations despite having a difficult schedule in the first two months of 2022–2023. The Lady Vols’ 8-7 record outside of the SEC as a result of regular-season losses to Ohio State, Indiana, UCLA, Gonzaga, and Virginia Tech cost them a better seed in the NCAA tournament.
The Buckeyes defeated Oregon, Tennessee, and Louisville all by double digits. Those nonconference victories helped Ohio State secure a No. 3 seed even though they finished fourth in the Big Ten.
Other notable success stories are South Dakota State and Gonzaga. The Zags upset Tennessee and Louisville, and the Jackrabbits upset Mississippi State and Louisville. These victories in November propelled them both into the No. 9 seeds in the previous season’s NCAA tournament.
These outcomes make a difference, grab the interest of supporters and members of the selection committee, and influence the storyline for the remainder of the season.
So which games in the 2023–24 campaign will make people remember you and spark the greatest drama? Here is a list of the top 12 nonconference games in the nation, arranged by date. Let it also function as a viewer’s guide to the best solo games starting on February 1st; we’ll delve deeper into holiday tournaments in the following month.
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