On Thursday, No. 2 UConn exited Ann Arbor with a rare early-season loss, felled by a strong closing kick from the No. 5 Wolverines.
As both head coach Geno Auriemma and Sarah Strong emphasized after the game, the Huskies were unprepared to match the urgency or execution of the Wolverines.
However, their lament did not apply to Jovana Popovic.
With foul trouble sidelining Strong, the Serbian freshman guard emerged as the best player for the Huskies, playing with a control and confidence earned through
her professional experience in her home country. Popovic’s able to get her shot off with ease, and it’s automatic. She also can accelerate off the dribble for finishes at the rim, and that same quickness allows her to be disruptive defensively.
In just her second official college game, and one against a top-five team, she posted a stat line many talented players never will achieve in their careers, scoring 25 points, going 3-for-5 from 3, grabbing seven rebounds, dishing four assists and collecting three steals. The five turnovers were the only red flag.
At the moment, it would be difficult to believe in UConn’s usual championship upside if not for Popovic, as she and Strong have looked like the only Huskies capable of championship-caliber play.
However, UConn is UConn. Auriemma will demand that all the Huskies perform up to the program’s standards when they host No. 10 Iowa on Sunday in Storrs (2 p.m. ET, FS1).
And UConn, fresh off a loss, has to be one of the most feared opponents in all of college basketball. Yet, the Hawkeyes also have a fearless freshman intent upon making an instant, ceiling-raising impact in McKenna Woliczko.
Woliczko profiles as a plus-version of a 3-and-D player. Standing 6-foot-2, she can drain shots from deep, while also bringing a heavy dose of effort and energy that earns her extra boards and second-chance points. Albeit against overmatched opponents, Woliczko has shown her worth, especially when she busted out for a team-best 22 points, with four 3-pointers, as Iowa routed Eastern Illinois.
Elsewhere on Sunday, another top-15 matchup—an all-Carolina affair pitting No. 1 South Carolina against No. 12 North Carolina (5:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)—projects to heavily feature a pair of freshmen.
It’s been just one game, but Jerzy Robinson appears to have earned the trust of head coach Dawn Staley.
As top-ranked South Carolina battled No. 20 Maryland in Paris on Monday, Robinson received 24 minutes of playing time, the second-most of any Gamecock reserve. With her strong frame and physical style, she found quick comfort on the college court, scoring 15 points. It also helped that she was 2-for-3 from 3. Six rebounds, including three offensive, will also ensure she continues to earn minutes.
Although long hyped as a star prospect, Robinson possesses role-playing skills that not only will get her on the court for the Gamecocks, but also contribute to winning games.
That contrasts with the freshman experience slated for UNC’s Kate Harpring.
Harpring and the Heels also opened their season in Paris, except they returned stateside with a loss after falling to No. 21 Oklahoma.
Harpring was fully empowered as Carolina’s first option, and it was an ugly debut for the freshman guard. Of her 26 shot attempts, only nine found the bottom of the net. Her scoring aggression also translated to just two free throw attempts. While her six rebounds, five assists and two steals were an indication of her activity, she also had seven turnovers.
In Paris, Harpring was far from the only Heel who struggled, as the team combined to shoot 34 percent from the field, 28 percent from 3 and 59 percent from the free throw line.
Sunday could be another rough one for UNC. The full-fledged Harpring Show is unlikely to succeed against South Carolina’s defense. (Although, the same would have been said about Addi Mack.)
Eventually, Harpring will be more efficient, and when all her scoring aggression comes with that efficiency, it will open up opportunities for her to use her on-ball gravity to set up scoring opportunities for her teammates. Harpring’s all-round effort also guarantees that, in those games where her shot doesn’t fall, she can still make a positive impact. A stretch of softer opponents after this Carolina showdown should also help Harpring find her rhythm.
In the comments, share your early impressions of Harpring, Robinson, Woliczko and Popovic.
Who has been the most impressive? Who do you expect to make the biggest difference on Sunday, and who will end up having the most impactful season? And who are the other first years that have caught your eye during the season’s opening week?
