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We’ve got another exciting Eastern Conference matchup on the NBA schedule as the Atlanta Hawks and the Indiana Pacers will face off on Friday. Atlanta is 15-21 overall and 6-9 at home, while Indiana is 22-15 overall and 9-7 on the road. The Pacers have won their first two meetings of the season by an average of 19.5 points per game.

Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. ET at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta. The Hawks are 5.5-point favorites in the latest Pacers vs. Hawks odds, according to the SportsLine consensus, and the over/under is 252 points. Before entering any Hawks vs. Pacers picks, you need to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s advanced computer simulation model.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past five-plus seasons. The model enters Week 12 of the 2023-24 NBA season on a sizzling 112-62 roll on all top-rated NBA picks dating back to last season, returning well over $4,000. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.

The model has set its sights on Indiana vs. Atlanta. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Pacers vs. Hawks:

Hawks vs. Pacers spread: Hawks -5.5
Hawks vs. Pacers over/under: 252 points
Hawks vs. Pacers money line: Hawks: -221, Pacers: +178
IND: The Pacers are 7-2 against the spread over their last nine games
ATL: The Hawks have covered the spread in back-to-back home games
Hawks vs. Pacers picks: See picks at SportsLine
What to know about the Pacers
The Pacers are coming off a 112-104 victory over the Wizards on Wednesday, winning their eighth game over their last nine contests. The Pacers knocked off the Celtics, 133-131, on Monday despite losing Tyrese Haliburton after the star point guard only played 13 minutes. Haliburton (hamstring) will miss multiple weeks as the Pacers, who have played at one of the fastest paces throughout the season with Haliburton leading the way, will need to adjust to a new style of play.

Myles Turner had 18 points and 13 rebounds against the Wizards as Indiana may try to take advantage of his 6-foot-11 frame and inside presence more with Haliburton out. Andrew Nembhard moved into the starting lineup on Wednesday. The second-year guard struggled with two points and five assists with five turnovers, but he’ll see more run over the next few weeks. Bennedict Mathurin, the No. 6 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, is averaging 21 ppg over the last two contests as he’ll have more opportunities to score and create with Haliburton out and if Aaron Nesmith (questionable; shin) can’t suit up. See which team to pick here.

What to know about the Hawks
The Hawks are coming off a 139-132 overtime victory over the 76ers on Wednesday. Atlanta has played back-to-back overtime contests, relying on key players to play a huge chunk of minutes. Trae Young had 28 points and 11 assists over 43 minutes on Wednesday as one of three Atlanta players with at least 25 points. The Hawks had 55 rebounds, including 16 offensive boards, as three different players had at least 10 rebounds, led by Jalen Johnson’s 16 rebounds.

Young is averaging 27.8 points and 11 assists this season, ranking seventh in scoring and second in assists in the NBA. His running mate, Dejounte Murray, has had his name thrown around in trade speculation over the last few weeks. The 27-year-old is averaging 21.1 ppg after averaging at least 20.5 ppg in each of the last two seasons. Young and Murray form one of the better offensive backcourts in the NBA for as long as the two are playing together and could put together another strong performance against the Pacers, who have allowed at least 130 points in two of their last five games. De’Andre Hunter (knee) is out for Friday. See which team to pick here.

How to make Hawks vs. Pacers picks
The model has simulated Pacers vs. Hawks 10,000 times and the results are in. We can tell you that the model is leaning Under, and it also says one side of the spread hits over 50% of the time. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.

So who wins Hawks vs. Pacers, and which side of the spread hits over 50% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Pacers vs. Hawks spread you need to jump on Friday, all from the model on a 112-62 roll on all top-rated NBA picks dating back to last season, and find out.

This past week had several almost upsets, but most of the top women’s college basketball teams managed to stay undefeated. Ohio State survived an overtime battle against Penn State, and South Carolina overcame a career-best performance by Utah’s Alissa Pili.

UConn looked much improved against North Carolina, as the Huskies collected a solid win over the Tar Heels in a big step toward rebuilding their confidence. Paige Bueckers had a vintage performance in the Huskies’ win.

Another team handling business is the UCLA Bruins, who have held onto the No. 2 ranking in the AP Top 25 poll — their highest ranking in program history — for the fourth straight week thanks to multiple players shining.

Here are some of the biggest moments and storylines from the past week, and as well as the top games to watch over the coming days.

Bucket of the week: Paige Bueckers, UConn
The UConn star registered 26 points in her team’s 76-64 win over No. 24 North Carolina on Sunday to reach 1,000 career points. Bueckers’s performance was highly efficient, as she went a blistering 11-of-14 from the field.

Although Bueckers is a redshirt junior, injuries have resulted in that being her 55th career game, making her tied with Maya Moore for the fastest to join the 1,000-point club. Bueckers also recorded a career-high four blocks in the win.

Paige Bueckers’ 1,000th career point! pic.twitter.com/vD56UI4tHM

— UConn Women’s Basketball (@UConnWBB) December 10, 2023
Assist of the week: Sydney Taylor, Louisville
This was just great ball movement by the Cardinals during their 73-61 win against Kentucky. The steal by Olivia Cochran, the pass by Nina Rickards, then Sydney Taylor with the assist and the layup by Nyla Harris.

The Cardinals are putting on a show 🤩 #NCAAWBB x 🎥 ACCN / @LouisvilleWBB pic.twitter.com/AjfS4Be7BJ

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) December 10, 2023
Stop of the week: Lauren Betts, UCLA
Betts has been outstanding as a Bruin, helping her team excel on both ends of the court. Not only does she lead UCLA with 17 points per game, but she also has a team-best 16 blocks. This block happened when her team blew out CSUN 111-48, while holding the Matadors to just 27.3% from the field.

DENIED 🚫

LB’s rejection turns into an quick 2⃣ for Kiki!

📺: https://t.co/G7k8Y1xYR5#GoBruins | @laurenbetts12 x @Deeezzy3 x @kiki_rice0 pic.twitter.com/HpZAl1ZS0b

— UCLA W. Basketball (@UCLAWBB) December 8, 2023
Game of the week: Penn State vs. Ohio State
Big Ten play got off to an exciting start as two top 25 teams battled it out in overtime. No. 12 Ohio State walked away with a 94-84 victory over then-No. 25 Penn State despite trailing for the entire second and third quarters.

The Buckeyes had to outscore the Lady Lions 21-12 in the fourth quarter to stay alive. Penn State’s Chanaya Pinto grabbed a steal with 20 seconds left in regulation, and Taylor Valladay hit a jumper with 11 seconds on the clock to even the score at 80-80.

Ohio State star Jacy Sheldon registered a season-high 31 points, including nine of the Buckeyes’ 14 points in overtime. Sophomore forward Cotie McMahon contributed 27 points, and guard Taylor Celeste recorded a double-double of 13 points and 11 rebounds.

“I think our upperclassmen did a great job of keeping everyone together and on the same page,” Ohio State coach Kevin McGuff said. “We looked more connected and on the same page in the second half when we were down by 10 than we did at any point during the game. I told them afterwards to do that for 40 minutes — we’ll be right where we need to be.”

Q3 | 😤 What a move by @JacySheldon ‼️#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/h2eCewbpEi

— Ohio State WBB (@OhioStateWBB) December 10, 2023
Unfortunately, Penn State’s leading scorer Makenna Marisa suffered a leg injury and went to the locker room with 1:51 left in overtime. She had a team-best 28 points along with eight rebounds before exiting the game. There has yet to be an official update on her injury.

Biggest storylines from the week
Utah’s Pili shines in loss to South Carolina
The Utes gave South Carolina a difficult battle despite losing 78-69 on Sunday. Their leader was Alissa Pili, who registered a career-high 37 points against one of the best defenses in the nation. She shot an impressive 15-of-22 from the field, and added three steals and one block over 29 minutes.

“Man, it was so hard. Our main goal was to stop Pili, but she gave up a 30-piece,” South Carolina guard Te-Hina Paopao said after the game.

CAREER HIGH PERFORMANCE
Pili now has 35 points for a new career-high @alissa_pili (Also, what a move to get it)#GoUtes
📺 https://t.co/hz457Enoa7 pic.twitter.com/YqEz82zdlD

— Utah Women’s Basketball (@UTAHWBB) December 10, 2023
Caitlin Clark takeover continues
The Iowa star registered 35 points, nine rebounds and five assists during her team’s 67-58 win over the Iowa State on Dec. 6. This performance helped her reach 3,000 career points — making her the 15th player in women’s college basketball history to reach that milestone.

Clark is also the first player in Division I basketball history to reach 3,000 points while also having at least 750 rebounds and 750 assists.

The bucket where @CaitlinClark22 made history 🙌 pic.twitter.com/dcPbevPyKA

— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) December 7, 2023
Kateri Poole no longer on LSU’s roster
LSU coach Kim Mulkey announced Sunday that Kateri Poole, a starter during their 2023 Women’s NCAA Tournament run, is not a member of the program anymore.

“She’s no longer with us,” Mulkey said.

Poole was a solid defensive piece for the team last year, but she has not played for the Tigers since Nov. 17 against Southeastern Louisiana — and she was only on the court for five minutes during that game.

LSU also didn’t have point guard Hailey Van Lith on the court Sunday, as she has been dealing with plantar fasciitis.

Interesting Stats
UNLV off to its best start in over two decades: The Lady Rebels entered the AP Top 25 this week after wins over Arizona and Oklahoma. Their 9-0 record is the best start in the Lindy La Rocque era. This is only Rocque’s third season at the helm of the program, and it’s been a productive one so far.

JuJu Watkins named Pac-12 Freshman of the Week, again: The USC rising star has played five weeks of college basketball, and she has now been named the conference’s Freshman of the Week each of those weeks. The current record for a single season is eight total selections.

Kiki Rice flirts with quadruple-double: The UCLA guard registered 14 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds against CSUN on Dec. 7, giving her the 10th triple-double in program history. She also registered an impressive seven steals. Only four women have achieved a quadruple-double in NCAA college basketball since steals started counting.

Lauren Betts has monster game: Rice’s teammate, Betts, stuffed the stat sheet herself against Florida State. Betts recorded 22 points, 18 blocks and four blocks in a resounding win over the Seminoles. Only two other players in women’s college basketball have reached at least 20 points, 18 rebounds and four blocks in a single game this season: Virginia Tech’s Elizabeth Kitley and Stanford’s Cameron Brink. Not bad company to keep.

Only 18 unbeaten teams remain:
NC State 10-0
Texas 10-0
Washington 10-0
TCU 10-0
Texas Tech 10-0
South Carolina 9-0
UCLA 9-0
West Virginia 9-0
Colorado State 9-0
UNLV 9-0
Marquette 9-0
USC 8-0
Miami 8-0
Old Dominion 8-0
California Baptist 8-0
UCF 8-0
Baylor 7-0
Oregon State 7-0
Matchups to watch:
(all times Eastern)

No. 20 Creighton vs. No. 19 Marquette | Wednesday, Dec. 13, 8 p.m. | BEDN on FLOSPORTS: These two teams have split their series 13-13 since 2008. Creighton’s only loss this season was at the hands of Green Bay — a team receiving votes on the AP Top 25 poll — on Nov. 16. Meanwhile, Marquette is off to the best start in program history with a perfect 9-0 record.

No. 18 Louisville vs. No 17 UConn | Saturday, Dec. 16, 12 p.m. | FOX: Louisville might no longer have Hailey Van Lith, as the point guard is now with LSU, but the Cardinals have been just fine this season with wins against teams such as Gonzaga and Ole Miss. UConn is still working to be more consistent, but Paige Bueckers reminded everyone of her superstar potential during the Huskies’ win over North Carolina.

The LSU Tigers had a record-setting night in their 133-44 win over McNeese State on Tuesday. Not only was it the most points scored in school history, it was also a program-best margin of victory.

On their way to history, LSU saw a 47-0 run and held the Cowgirls scoreless in the second quarter. Even head coach Kim Mulkey was impressed by her team.

“I told them at the half that we held them scoreless in the second quarter,” Mulkey said. “I told them then I’m not really sure I’ve ever been a part of that. And then I found out about that run and you don’t think about it at the moment. I don’t know that I have been a part of that. It doesn’t matter who you’re playing, that is kind of crazy.”

A record-setting night for the Tigers pic.twitter.com/LVvRsZoC2i

— LSU Women’s Basketball (@LSUwbkb) December 13, 2023
As a team, LSU shot at 57.7% from the field and six Tigers reached double-digits. Freshman Aalyah Del Rosario led the way with her first career double-double as she registered 27 points on 10-of-14 shooting, along with 10 rebounds.

“For me it’s just about progress,” Del Rosario said. “Compared to the beginning of the season when I came here, I was not in the best shape. Now I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been in. The support from my teammates and my coaching staff has been amazing.”

Junior forward Angel Reese also had a double-double of 21 points and 11 rebounds, as did sophomore Aneesah Morrow with 18 points and 11 boards. Freshman guard Mikayla Williams, who has already earned a spot in the starting lineup, contributed with 26 points on 11-of-15 shooting, along with six assists and four steals.

The team broke records even without starting point guard Hailey Van Lith, who is out while dealing with plantar fasciitis. Next up, LSU is hosting Northwestern State on Sunday, Dec. 17 at 3 p.m. ET.

LSU coach Kim Mulkey was ejected in the last few minutes of Sunday’s 81-36 win against Northwestern State after she argued with an official.

Mulkey was upset about a charging foul assessed to Aneesah Morrow late in the fourth quarter, and this led to a double technical.

Kim Mulkey was ejected during LSU’s game against Northwestern State. pic.twitter.com/EJML1Vo21q

— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) December 17, 2023
Plenty of coaches in college and professional basketball have gotten in trouble for getting a little too heated when defending their players. This game was happening at Pete Maravich Assembly Center, so the fans were cheering on Mulkey and were not particularly happy with the referee’s decision.

“Who knew you’d get an ovation for getting tossed,” Mulkey quipped.

Mulkey said she gave the official “no choice.” Angel Reese, who led the team with 24 points and 14 rebounds, was seen holding back her coach.

“It was precious,” Mulkey said. “Angel was grabbing me and she yelled out, ‘Kramer, come help me!’ She was calling for my son in the stands to come get me.”

The coach and her players were a lot more relaxed after the game, and were able to laugh at the situation.

“It was fun,” Reese said when asked about having to hold Mulkey back. “Me and Coach Mulkey have similar personalities, and we really like to win no matter the score. Of course she’s gonna fight for us, and we all fight for her. That moment was fun, and we knew we had her back and she had our back.”

LSU is having an interesting season so far. Or, as Aneesah Morrow puts it, “It’s been a rocky road dealing with a lot of things.” But while constant headlines can be distracting, Morrow has found a way to thrive in her first season with the Tigers.

Morrow credits her team’s resilience for making that happen.

“That says that as a team we are resilient,” Morrow told CBS Sports. “Everything that has been thrown at us from the coaching staff, the administration, from other players and teammates, we’ve taken that straight forward and we’ve accepted it.”

LSU added even more star power after winning the 2023 national championship, but the Tigers suffered an upset loss to Colorado in their first game of the 2023-24 campaign. It was a shaky start, and then the team was hit with more challenges. Last year’s leading scorer and rebounder, Angel Reese, missed four games; Kateri Poole, a starter during last year’s national title run, is no longer with the team; Sa’Myah Smith suffered a season-ending knee injury; and Hailey Van Lith has been out all of December while dealing with plantar fasciitis.

“We said that even though these things are happening to us as a team, we have to still have each other’s backs,” Morrow said. “We have to stay present within the moment to accomplish the things that we have to accomplish.”

Have the issues raised some questions about LSU’s chances to repeat? Sure, but the team has been using those doubts as fuel. In fact, Morrow enjoys the challenge of proving people wrong.

She joined the Tigers after spending two seasons with DePaul, where she recorded 53 double-doubles in 66 career games. Morrow was one of the top players in the transfer portal this summer, but not everyone was impressed.

“I’ve seen a lot of write ups,” Morrow said. “I’ve seen a lot of stuff, even though a lot of people might think we don’t, as athletes we see it. Coming into the season I knew that there were going to be a lot of things that I would have to deal with.”

One of the main criticisms Morrow read about regarded her defensive ability, so that motivated the Chicago native to put more of an emphasis on defense during her workouts.

“I want to be the most versatile player that I possibly can be,” Morrow said. “I know that if I can defend, I could score at the highest level and I could guard some of the best players.

“That’s what separates me from everybody else.”

Morrow is currently averaging 18.8 points and 9.2 rebounds per game. She also has a team-high 34 steals and 17 blocks. Those are solid stats on a star-laden team like LSU, but she is not quite satisfied yet.

“I want to get that to at least 13 or 14 [rebounds per game]. I know it’s going to be hard, so I’m going to need to have some big rebounding games,” Morrow said. “I want to also break the school record for steals. I’ve come so close to it, and I know I can do that any given night if I continue to stay aggressive.”

Morrow had nine steals, one shy of the program record, against Kent State on Nov. 14. This kind of internal drive and goal setting has not gone unnoticed by LSU coach Kim Mulkey.

“Aneesah plays with a little chip on her shoulder, kind of like most great ones do,” Mulkey said. “I don’t know of a great athlete that doesn’t have some way to motivate themself and have a chip on their shoulder. It could be a comment that’s made, it could be anything. She has that internal chip on her shoulder where she knows she can play at any level, and somewhere along the way she’s expressed it.”

Morrow said she always among the top-ranked players growing up in the South Side of Chicago, but still felt like she was underrated and overlooked. Those feelings motivated Morrow to roll up her sleeves and put in the work to reach her goals.

To reach that next level, Morrow knew she had to transfer from DePaul to LSU, which was a difficult decision because it meant moving away from home. Morrow, though, pictured herself playing for Mulkey and LSU when she saw the Tigers lifting the championship trophy.

“That’s going to be me one day. That’s going to be me playing on the TV screen and having all my family watch me,” Morrow recalled thinking. “… In a way, me being here now shows that everything that I worked towards and I admired when I was younger, I can now actually be in it.”

But she is not just “in it” — Morrow has quickly become one of the strongest all-around players for LSU. Mulkey’s coaching style and ability to challenge players to be better on and off the court is a big reason why, says Morrow, who describes her coach as “one of the best.”

LSU has gotten back on track since the aforementioned game against Colorado, winning all 11 of its ensuing games, including a historic 133-44 domination of McNeese State on Dec. 12. That was the most points scored in school history and a program-best margin of victory.

“I feel like Coach Mulkey does a lot of things to wake [the team] up,” Morrow said. “Like in the game before against Lafayette, she took four of the starters out just to be like, ‘Come on now, we gotta get it together.’ I feel like in that second half she just challenged us to go out there and play together.

“‘Just to go out there and have fun.’ That’s one thing Kim Mulkey always tells us, to go out there and have fun. Not just play basketball to play basketball; it has to be meaningful to you.”

For Morrow, one of the best games her team has played this season was against Virginia Tech on Nov. 30. The then-No. 9 Hokies were going to be the Tigers’ first ranked opponent since Colorado. It also happened to be the game in which Reese returned to the lineup after some issues the team chose to keep within the locker room.

Morrow said her team was well aware of all the comments being made about LSU and the questions about whether they had what it takes to beat the Hokies. While the noise on social media had hardly died down, the Tigers pulled off an 82-64 statement victory.

That was also one of Morrow’s most versatile games as she put up 19 points, 12 rebounds, two blocks and three steals. Along with Flau’jae Johnson, she was tasked with guarding Virginia Tech star Elizabeth Kitley and held her to just 6-of-16 from the field. There was nothing particularly special about the preparation for that game — it was simply the Tigers having each other’s backs.

“We just try to stay present,” Morrow said. “We have to remember that a lot of odds are against us. When you are doing well a lot of people want to see you fail. If we have each other’s backs, that’s all that matters.”

For the second straight week, the top 10 teams in the AP Top 25 poll remain unchanged. South Carolina is once again the unanimous No. 1, while the Washington Huskies are ranked for the first time since 2017.

South Carolina is coming off a 99-29 win over Presbyterian with seven Gamecocks scoring in double figures — tying the most double-digit players in the Dawn Staley era. The whole team also tied a program record for most blocks in one day (17).

The UCLA Bruins have not played in a week, but they kept their No. 2 spot. They have a big game coming up against No. 13 Ohio State on Monday evening.

Meanwhile, UConn has beaten back-to-back ranked opponents but remains at No. 17. Their latest win was an 86-62 result against now-No. 19 Louisville, which was the most points the Cardinals have given up all season.

Only 14 unbeaten teams remain in women’s college basketball, and UNLV is no longer one of them. The Lady Rebels entered the poll last week but had to exit after an 84-54 loss to Seton Hall on Saturday. The Miami Hurricanes are also no longer unbeaten and have left the rankings following a 75-57 loss to No. 10 Baylor. Washington and TCU took the vacant spots.

AP Women’s Basketball Top 25
The top 25 teams in The Associated Press’ women’s college basketball poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Sunday, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote and last week’s ranking:

Others receiving votes: Miami 45, West Virginia 37, Washington St 29, UNLV 18, Texas A&M 13, Texas Tech 13, Mississippi St. 6, Oregon St. 5, Minnesota 4, Green Bay 4, Davidson 4, Syracuse 3, Nebraska 2, Mississippi 2, Michigan St. 1.

The Indiana Fever won the No. 1 pick of the WNBA Draft for the second straight year, which means there is a chance 2023 Rookie of the Year Aliyah Boston pairs up Iowa superstar Caitlin Clark.

Clark, a senior with one more year of eligibility, has not talked about whether she will return for another college basketball season or enter the 2024 draft. However, Boston is well aware of what Clark can bring to the league.

“How versatile she is,” Boston said, as reported by Andrew Chernoff of WISH-TV News 8. “Her vision on the court. I think that’s super important. And I think she does a great job of that at Iowa.”

Boston was the Naismith Player of the Year the same season she led South Carolina to the 2022 NCAA Women’s Basketball title. Clark was the 2023 Naismith Player of the Year and took her team to the 2023 championship game. The Hawkeyes fell one win short of the trophy, so Clark is still on a mission to get the program’s first-ever national title. While she chases that goal, she continues to break multiple college basketball records.

“I think it’s going to be exciting whatever she decides, whether that’s to come out (into the WNBA Draft) or that’s to stay in,” Boston said. “Regardless, ultimately, it’s her decision. She has to do what’s best for her. But whoever we get in the number one pick, they’re going to enjoy the Fever.”

The holiday season and final exams have been keeping some teams off the court, but there hasn’t been a shortage of action across the women’s college basketball world.

LSU has been taking care of business, even with starting point guard Hailey Van Lith still out because of plantar fasciitis. Case in point: The Tigers had one of the most dominant performances in program history on Dec. 12, when they pulled off a 133-44 victory against McNeese State.

Another team with an impressive performance was, unsurprisingly, the South Carolina Gamecocks. This time it was a 99-29 win against Presbyterian.

As teams begin conference play, only 14 unbeaten teams remain. One of them is No. 23 Washington, which has been holding opponents to under 46 points per game. They will be taking on No. 19 Louisville on Wednesday in the week’s only ranked matchup.

Here are some of the top moments from the past week, as well as some of the main storylines to watch over the coming days.

Bucket of the week: Flau’jae Johnson, LSU
LSU sophomore guard Flau’jae Johnson went coast to coast and ran through multiple Northwestern State defenders for this impressive basket. Johnson finished the night with 13 points, five assists and five steals as her team enjoyed a dominant 81-36 win on Sunday.

🔋 https://t.co/Ysql2GW8BU

— Flaujae 4️⃣ (@Flaujae) December 18, 2023
Assist of the week: Alissa Pili, Utah
Alissa Pili has been the Utes’ leading scorer this season as she’s averaging 24.2 points per game. However, the senior forward is also an underrated passer. Here’s a nifty bounce pass Pili delivered to Kennady McQueen during Utah’s 96-60 win over Southern Utah.

Nifty assist there @alissa_pili @KennadyMcqueen #GoUtes
📺 https://t.co/hz457EnVZF pic.twitter.com/3Y6pUGbe9G

— Utah Women’s Basketball (@UTAHWBB) December 17, 2023
Stop of the week: Hannah Hidalgo, Notre Dame
Hannah Hidalgo flirted with a quadruple-double during Notre Dame’s 76-39 win over Purdue, recording 23 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists and seven steals. No other player in the ACC has registered more than one game of six-plus steals this season, but the star freshman has six already. Here Hidalgo jumps the passing lane for a steal and a bucket on the other end, helping Notre Dame jump out to a 7-0 lead over Purdue.

Woke up this morning and chose to do her thing

📺 ACCN#GoIrish☘️ // @HannahHidalgo pic.twitter.com/EdzahxF5VW

— Notre Dame Women’s Basketball (@ndwbb) December 17, 2023
Game of the week: Marquette vs. Creighton
Marquette found a 76-70 win over Creighton in a game that saw 13 lead changes and was tied 12 times, including at 66-66 with with 3:31 remaining. The Golden Eagles shot 72.7% in the fourth quarter and finished the game on a 10-4 run.

Creighton forward Emma Ronsiek led her team with a season-high 29 points on 9-of-16 shooting, while teammate Molly Mogensen added 21 points. However, those efforts still were not enough to give Marquette its first loss of the season.

Liza Karlen led the winning offense with 25 points and 12 rebounds for her second double-double of the season. The senior forward was named the Big East Player of the Week for her efforts.

“What a tremendous basketball game. I thought both teams were playing at an extremely high level,” Marquette coach Megan Duffy said. I’m just really proud of our mental and physical toughness through 40 minutes. I thought we got better as the game went on, and just a ton of people contributing in this one today.

Liza Karlen was Efficient and Effective 👏

25 points | 12 rebounds | 50% FG & 50% from 3@MarquetteWBB | @BigEastWBB pic.twitter.com/B4fyroDdeJ

— FloHoops (@FloHoops) December 14, 2023
Biggest storylines from the week
LSU sets records in dominant win
The Tigers were unstoppable against McNeese State, winning 133-44 in a game where they went on a 47-0 run at one point. That was the most points scored in LSU history and also a program-best margin of victory.

“It doesn’t matter who you’re playing — that is kind of crazy,” LSU coach Kim Mulkey said.

The Tigers have had some players come in and out of the lineup for different reasons, but they have shown to be resilient and deep, as Aneesah Morrow explained to CBS Sports earlier this week. Freshman Aalyah Del Rosario led them against McNeese State with her first career double-double, putting up an impressive 27 points and 10 rebounds.

Hailey Van Lith still out
LSU point guard Hailey Van Lith has not played in December yet as she’s dealing with plantar fasciitis. Mulkey said she would be capable of playing right now if needed, but Van Lith is resting as much as possible before the team needs her in bigger games.

Kim Mulkey on Hailey Van Lith: #LSU pic.twitter.com/AV2q3HcOwi

— Cory Diaz (@ByCoryDiaz) December 10, 2023
Emily Bessoir suffers another ACL injury
UCLA announced senior forward Emily Bessoir will miss the remainder of the season after she injured the same ACL that sidelined her for the 2021-22 season.

“It’s definitely not what any of us would have chosen, but our job now is to come alongside her and support her,” UCLA coach Cori Close said. “She will still be an integral part of our leadership team. She will be making a difference like she always does, just in a different form.”

UConn’s injury problems continue
UConn sophomore forward Ayanna Patterson will not play this season after undergoing knee surgery. Last month, the Huskies had another season-ending injury to star guard Azzi Fudd, who tore the ACL and medial meniscus in her right knee.

Interesting stats
Gamecocks tie program record: South Carolina registered 17 blocks in its 99-29 win against Presbyterian on Saturday. This tied the program record for most blocks in a game — which was first set against Appalachian State on Nov. 17, 2019. Kamilla Cardoso had seven of those blocks.

Caitlin Clark continues to climb all-time scoring list: The Iowa star passed former Iowa State guard Ashley Joens after registering 38 points during the Hawkeyes’ 104-75 win over Cleveland State. Clark currently sits at No. 9 in the all-time women’s college basketball scoring list with 3,079 career points. Here is our Caitlin Clark record tracker.

Only 14 unbeaten teams remain:
NC State 11-0
Texas 11-0
Washington 11-0
TCU 11-0
Texas Tech 11-0
South Carolina 10-0
UCLA 10-0
West Virginia 9-0
Marquette 11-0
USC 8-0
California Baptist 9-0
UCF 8-0
Baylor 9-0
Oregon State 8-0
Matchups to watch:
(all times Eastern)

No. 23 Washington vs. No. 19 Louisville | Wednesday, Dec. 20, 7 p.m. | ESPN

This will be the only matchup between ranked opponents this week, and it could be a fun one. The Huskies are still undefeated with an 11-0 record, which matches the best start in program history. Their best win so far has been against then-No. 21 Washington State on Dec. 10. They followed that one with a dominant 64-32 win over Saint Mary’s — the fewest points the Gaels have scored in program history. Washington currently has the top scoring defense in the nation, holding opponents to just 45.6 points per game. Meanwhile, Louisville has had good wins against Gonzaga and Ole Miss. However, the Cardinals are coming off a 62-86 loss to No. 17 UConn, which was their second loss of the season. The Cardinals will have their work cut out for them, but a win against Washington would be an excellent way to bounce back.

On Wednesday night, the UConn Huskies will play the Toronto Metropolitan University Bold in an unusual matchup. The visiting Huskies play in the Big East conference in the NCAA while the Bold compete in U Sports, the national sport governing body of university sport in Canada.

Six years ago, UConn played Duquesne in front of a sold-out crowd of 3,000 fans at Mattamy Athletic Centre, or the old Maple Leaf Gardens as many Canadians or hockey fans refer to the downtown arena.

Among the crowd was high school junior Aaliyah Edwards.

“It’s gonna be a surreal moment because [it’s] same gym, same environment, but I’m actually on the court instead of being a spectator just watching,” Edwards told media before the team departed for Canada.

Although this is the second time UConn will play at Mattamy, it will be the team’s first contest against TMU. UConn was originally scheduled to play Pittsburgh. However, a coaching change at Pitt also led to a restructuring of its non-conference games.

“When Pittsburgh dropped off and we had to find another opponent, we reached out to some different schools, but they have their schedules full,” UConn executive associate director of athletics Neal Eskin told CBS Sports. “So then we had the thought, ‘Well, why don’t we just ask TMU?'”

Thankfully, TMU coach Carly Clarke was on board.

WE’RE HYPED FOR TONIGHT‼️ Ready for an electric and sold out game against UCONN at home 🤩

Check out the livestream on TSN+

🆚: UConn Huskies
📍: Mattamy Athletic Centre
⏰: 6:00 p.m.
🎟️: Sold out
📺: TSN+#tmubold pic.twitter.com/F8MlgCCtQU

— TMU Bold Women’s Basketball (@tmuboldwbb) December 20, 2023
The matchup
The Bold are 10-0 through its first semester of play in the Ontario Athletics University (OAU) central division. TMU Guard Jayme Foreman leads the team in scoring with 16.3 points per game. Edwards also averages 16 points per game and is second in scoring behind guard Paige Bueckers.

UConn sits second in the Big East with a 8-3 overall record through 11 games. The Huskies average nearly 80 points per game while holding opponents to less than 65 points. TMU scores an average of nearly 72 points while holding opponents to 58 points per game. At this part of their respective seasons, the teams are playing similarly on paper. However, this will be a whole new ballgame for the Bold.

The game won’t officially count toward UConn’s net ranking, but the game statistics will be counted, according to the Associated Press.

History of UConn’s homecoming games
Both the 2017 game and tonight’s game at Mattamy are part of a long-standing Huskies tradition under coach Geno Auriemma, in which the program works to schedule games in or near the hometowns of their seniors. Every alum we spoke to about the tradition immediately lit up, fondly remembering the moment they got to play in front of their families.

Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi lucked out and got two “homecoming games” in California. The first one, though, was less memorable.

“When I was a freshman, we actually played in Pepperdine, which is relatively close to where I grew up, and I didn’t get off the bench. So, I really appreciate that Coach Auriemma, in front of my friends and family as a 19-year-old,” Taurasi joked during USA Basketball camp in November. “But then I went back as a senior and played USC, and that was a great moment to have.”

“Mine was at Colgate in a really small gym, and I remember just all my family and friends there. Tons of supporters,” UConn alumna Breanna Stewart told CBS Sports. “It’s a moment for us to continue to show appreciation for where we started in our journey and be able to play back where we picked up the basketball first.”

Taurasi added she’s glad the tradition is continuing, especially for international players like Edwards and Croatian guard Nika Mühl, who got to play in front of family over the summer.

“To be able to be here and share this with my American family, you know, and my Croatian family, have them meet and interact … and share memories means a lot because it feels like I’m giving just a little bit back to them,” Mühl said in a feature UConn posted on their YouTube page.

There isn’t much else in Storrs besides the UConn campus. The remote location, coupled with being thousands of miles away from home, makes it hard for players to be connected to their community outside of UConn basketball.

The homecoming tradition is a way to show appreciation for the sacrifices and commitments UConn athletes and their families make. And for that reason, neither the opponent nor the venue is the top priority for homecoming games.

“They’re my biggest support, the people I love the most in my life, so it’s super special,” Mühl said.

Seattle Storm forward Gabby Williams remembers being grateful both UConn and the host school — Nevada in her case — were willing to make her homecoming game happen. It was a moment Williams’ family and friends enjoyed.

“They brought big signs of my head and everything. My niece was right behind the bench in my jersey,” Williams told CBS Sports during her WNBA exit interview. She watched her older sister play at Nevada growing up and credits her passion for the game to those moments.

“The reason why I played college basketball was because of her, because I got to go to her games and she showed me what that kind of was like,” Williams said. “So definitely a full-circle moment, and I love that [Geno Auriemma] does that.”

Williams was teammates with Canadian Olympian Kia Nurse at UConn. The duo was reunited with the Seattle Storm this past season.

“The Toronto game for my my last season in my senior year was absolutely incredible. I remember being able to see my grandparents in the stands, and they hadn’t seen me play in a UConn uniform,” Nurse told media after the 2023 WNBA season. “So, that was something that was really exciting for me.”

She the North?
Edwards has joined Nurse as the two of the top names representing women’s basketball in Canada. Both wore the Maple Leaf at the 2020 Summer Olympics. The Canadian women’s national team is ranked fifth in the world and recently secured its spot in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in February.

Outside of the national team and any future UConn trips to Toronto, there aren’t any other chances to watch big ticket women’s basketball games. In May, the WNBA played a preseason game at Scotiabank Arena in front of a crowd of 19,800 basketball fans. It was the league’s first trip north of the border and appeared to be a success.

This is what it’s all about 🎉

WNBA Fan Cam catching all the action in Toronto 🇨🇦

We’re just minutes away from the first ever WNBA game in Canada and the excitement is pouring in from fans ALL OVER ‼️ pic.twitter.com/rzcrHdGof3

— WNBA (@WNBA) May 13, 2023
Many bids to bring a WNBA team to Toronto have bubbled up over the years, and the city was on a short list for WNBA expansion as recently as this year. Unfortunately, that bid appears to be dead, at least for now. So once again, fans will sellout the humble and historic Mattamy Athletic Centre to get their fix of women’s basketball via this UConn tradition.

In Canada and most everywhere else, UConn is considered a top-notch school. Nurse did a great deal to grow that legacy, and the wave of excitement for women’s basketball, north of the border.

“Growing up when you think of UConn in Canada, you also thought of Kia Nurse,” Edwards said. “She was really the highlight to kind of help spread the name and spread the competitiveness, the eliteness, and the standard that’s here at UConn. I think it’s just a ripple effect, and I just hope to continue in those footsteps”

Tonight, Canadian hoops fans will welcome Edwards back home during her senior year at UConn. After the game, they will eagerly wait to see what comes this summer with Team Canada or in the WNBA.

For Edwards, this is a critical time in the UConn schedule. The senior forward has remained focused on the task at hand. Tonight marks the third game in five days for UConn, as well as their last before the December holiday break.

“After that one game, then it’s just like, ‘OK, New year, new season,'” Edwards said. “We just need to focus on playing how we’re used to playing.”

Hopefully when the game clock hits zero tonight, the Kingston, Ontario native will have a moment to enjoy the special night with her family, friends and the fans in the arena. TMU will host the Huskies tonight at 6 p.m. ET. The game will air on FS2 in the U.S. and can be streamed on TSN+ in Canada.

Chicago Bulls star Zach LaVine is set to return to action Friday night against the Hornets after missing more than a month with a foot injury. LaVine, the subject of trade rumors through the first two months of the season, has not played since Nov. 28 due to a foot injury that the team has been officially calling “right foot inflammation.” LaVine is set to come off the bench Friday night and be on a minutes restriction in his first game back.

“Everything that’s been thrown at him in terms of the way he’s progressed, he’s handled really, really well,” Chicago coach Billy Donovan said earlier this week.

This has been a frustrating season for LaVine, who was off to a rough start before getting hurt. In his first 18 games he was averaging 21 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game, while shooting 44.3% from the field and 33.6% from 3-point land. All of his scoring and assist numbers are the lowest they’ve been since his first season with the Bulls back in 2018.

From a talent perspective, LaVine’s return is a boost for the Bulls, but working him back into the mix will require a delicate touch from Donovan. After a dreary 5-14 start, the Bulls went 10-7 with LaVine sidelined. Coby White has taken off in his absence and so has the offense, which is moving a bit quicker and features more ball movement as of late. Overall, the Bulls’ offensive rating has jumped from 108.9 (26th in the league) with LaVine to 115.1 (19th) without him.

“I obviously talk to him in the building pretty regularly,” Donovan said. “I think he has always been … whatever he can do to help the team has kind of been his mentality. I think the one thing that’s always a little bit different when you talk to players that have been out, it’s like you talk to them and it’s a totally different perspective when you’re sitting out looking at it from a non-competitive standpoint. When you’re not in the game and you can see the game. I think he sees how we’re playing, what we’re doing, and I think that the thing that he’d want to do is come in and contribute and enhance that and make it better.

“To me, [our discussions have] been very, very positive. I think he wants to help the group as much as he can. I think I’ve said this before, I don’t think it’s necessarily so much that he has to change his game. It’s what he does really, really well, can he bring that to the table for us?”

The Bulls are 15-21 on the season following the loss to the Knicks on Wednesday and sit in 11th place in the Eastern Conference.