Washington Women Begin Brutal Pac-12 Schedule
By Ben Renner
The Washington women basketball team is ranked ninth in the nation after their crushing victory over Washington State. They’ll need to keep their edge to survive conference play.
Heading into conference play, the Pac-12 is looking like the best conference in college women’s basketball. Before conference play started with the Washington women crushing Washington State 94-63 on Tuesday, Pac-12 teams had amassed a 115-20 record decimating teams outside the conference. 11 of the 12 teams had a winning record, and a conference record seven teams start conference play nationally ranked. Seven. With two in the top ten.
The Washington women are ranked ninth in the nation (highest in the Pac-12) at the moment and will face a murder’s row of opponents all season. Coming off their magical tournament run to the Final Four last year, Washington’s all-time leading scorer Kelsey Plum and company appear ready for the challenge. The Washington women were picked to finish third in the Pac-12 and have achieved their highest national ranking to start a season since 2003.
That challenge starts tomorrow at 3p.m. in Oregon to face the Ducks. Oregon is 10-2 so far this season, dropping road contents to number 5 Mississippi State and Ole Miss. They feature a trio of double-digit scorers: Ruthy Hebard (13.8), Sabrina Ionescu (13.1), and Lexi Bando (12.6).
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So far, the Washington women have four players averaging double figures so far this year. Kelsey Plum is averaging an insane 29.6 points per game. Chantel Osahor is averaging a double-double with 14.5 ppg and 13.9 rebounds per game. Natalie Romeo and Aarion McDonald round out the Huskies’ fearsome foursome.
Plum is the nation’s leading scorer at the moment, sinking 165 three-pointers so far. She and the Dawgs will have to keep their hot shooting going against the Ducks, who will get Ionescu back from a thumb injury for which she missed the last two games for Oregon. She posted two triple-doubles in her first collegiate action of her career.