Women's BIG12 Basketball

Former LSU guard Hailey Van Lith announced her decision to transfer to TCU on Friday in a post on X.

Following her lone season at LSU, she entered the transfer portal on April 4 after the Tigers' March Madness run ended following a loss to Iowa in the Elite Eight.

Van Lith's decision to transfer to TCU was initially reported on April 18, although she told Doug Feinberg of The Associated Press that she hadn't made an official commitment just yet on April 21.

After three seasons at Louisville in which her scoring average increased each year, she joined the Tigers following the team's title run in 2023. Despite playing alongside LSU standouts such as Angel Reese and Flau'jae Johnson, Van Lith struggled to maintain her efficiency at the new school.

Although she averaged 19.7 points per game while shooting 41.1 percent from the field in her final season with the Cardinals, her scoring average dropped to just 11.6 points each night on 37.8 percent shooting at LSU.

Her offensive output plummeted even further during the Tigers' March Madness run, shooting just 20 percent from the field and 16.7 percent from three in four contests while failing to record a double-digit scoring game.

A change of scenery could help her return to form, as the Horned Frogs are coming off a 2023-24 campaign that resulted in a 21-12 record. Guard Haley Cavinder was expected to join Van Lith at TCU, although she ultimately chose to return to Miami instead.

Still, the Horned Frogs should find themselves near the top of the Big 12 standings with their new transfer addition. Van Lith will be joining guard Madison Conner and center Sedona Prince at TCU, with both players averaging over 19 points per game during the 2023-24 season.

Even though there was some uncertainty regarding her decision to join head coach Mark Campbell's team, Van Lith has now officially confirmed the move.

Former LSU guard Hailey Van Lith has committed to TCU, according to The Next Hoops' Talia Goodman.

Van Lith entered the transfer portal after spending one season with the Tigers. She struggled with the transition to a point guard role in Kim Mulkey's offense. Her shooting (37.8 percent) and scoring (11.6 points) both fell well below the standards she had set at Louisville.

The hype surrounding Van Lith's original move to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was fully justified. As a junior at Louisville, she averaged 19.6 points and 3.2 assists and put up 20-plus points in each of the Cardinals' four NCAA tournament games.

Last September, ESPN's Michael Voepel projected the 5'7" playmaker to go fifth overall in the 2024 WNBA draft. Her stock steadily declined as the 2023-24 unfolded, though, to the point where she probably would've been a second-rounder at best if she had declared now.

The lasting image of Van Lith in an LSU uniform is of her getting torched by Iowa's Caitlin Clark in the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament.

Heading west to TCU will allow her to write a different final chapter to her college career and perhaps put her back in the first-round conversation.

The Horned Frogs went 21-12 in Mark Campbell's first season as head coach, their most victories since 2019-20. They won their first 14 games before their roster was ravaged by injuries. A dearth of healthy players forced them to forfeit back-to-back contests in January.

Campbell was already set to return his three highest scorers, guard Madison Conner, center Sedona Prince and guard Agnes Emma-Nnopu. Guard Haley Cavinder will be suiting up as well after briefly stepping away from basketball. Add Van Lith to the mix and this should be a Top 25 squad.

And for Van Lith, thriving in a more secondary role than what she had at Louisville might actually benefit her from a WNBA perspective because teams would have a better idea that she can be effective on or off the ball.

The first No. 1 seed in the women's NCAA tournament has fallen.

No. 3 NC State took down No. 1 Texas in the Elite Eight 76-66 Sunday, sending the Wolfpack to the Final Four for the second time in program history and the first time since 1998.

NC State star Aziaha James propelled her team to the win behind a dominant 27-point performance, and four other Wolfpack players were in double figures.

After the win, those on social media were shocked by the upset, praising NC State for being the first team to take down a No. 1 seed.

Now, NC State will get a matchup with No. 1 South Carolina. The Gamecocks are undefeated and have been dominant all year. The Wolfpack showed they are capable of going toe to toe with a No. 1 seed on Sunday, and now they're looking for another upset to advance to the national championship game.

Damian Lillard had thoughts on the officiating in Iowa's win over West Virginia in the NCAA women's tournament Monday night.

"I feel like West Virginia women's team getting did bad by these refs," Lillard posted on X.

Lillard, like many other college basketball fans, thought the game might have had some one-sided officiating as No. 1 Iowa defeated No. 8 West Virginia 64-54 in the Round of 32.

The box score certainly shows some disparity in the foul calls, as West Virginia was called for 27 personal fouls while Iowa committed just 11 on the night. The Hawkeyes shot 30 free throws, making 25 of them, while the Mountaineers attempted just five the entire game, making three.

Iowa star Caitlin Clark was the biggest beneficiary of the foul calls, getting 11 of her 32 points in the game from the line. She missed just one free throw on the night.

Whether the officiating was one-sided or West Virginia was just more aggressive is up for interpretation, but either way, Iowa is moving on to the Sweet 16 and West Virginia's season is over.

The Hawkeyes will now face No. 5 Colorado in the Sweet 16 in Albany, New York, after the Buffaloes handled No. 4 Kansas State in the Round of 32.

Colorado has a big task at hand going up against Clark and Iowa, and the Buffaloes will be hoping for a friendly whistle.

Audi Crooks had herself a game in her NCAA tournament debut.

The freshman center had 40 points and 12 rebounds on a ridiculous 18-of-20 from the field, leading No. 7 Iowa State to a 16-point comeback against No. 10 Maryland, which was the second-largest comeback in NCAA women's tournament history.

Crooks' performance makes her the first player over the last 25 years with 40 points on 90 percent from the field in a women's NCAA tournament game. Her 40 points were also the most by a player making their NCAA tournament debut over the last 25 years.

Crooks' big game had college basketball fans in awe as she put up jaw-dropping numbers. She even got a shoutout from former South Carolina star Aliyah Boston, who was the WNBA's first overall pick and Rookie of the Year in 2023.

Now, Iowa State will head to the Round of 32 where they will face the winner of No. 2 Stanford and No. 15 Norfolk State. If the Cyclones get another big game from Crooks, they could be due for a big tournament run.

Brittney Griner finally took her rightful place in the rafters of Foster Pavilion.

Baylor retired Griner's No. 42 prior to Sunday's game against Texas Tech:

The Bears legend played a starring role in the school's 2012 national championship run, earning the Final Four Most Outstanding Player award. She's also a two-time winner of the Wade Trophy and a three-time Big 12 Player of the Year.

Baylor announced in January it would be honoring Griner, the most decorated talent to come through Waco, Texas.

"I have been saying this since I arrived at Baylor that she deserves to have her jersey retired and I wanted to make sure that happened when the timing was right," head coach Nicki Collen said. "With the opening of Foster Pavilion, and the WNBA offseason fitting into our season, this seemed like the right time to honor Brittney and welcome her back home. She is one of the best basketball players in Baylor's history and we're thrilled that the time has come to celebrate Brittney and all of her accomplishments."

Griner is second all-time in points (3,283), third in rebounds (1,305) and first in blocks (748) at Baylor. In the last category, she has more than twice than that of the next closest player (Lauren Cox, 301).

Despite everything she achieved, she maintained a somewhat strained relationship with her alma mater for years.

In 2013, Griner said then-head coach Kim Mulkey had told her and other players to refrain from speaking publicly about their sexuality. Eight years later, she alluded to her difficulty behind the scenes while attending the school.

ESPN's Josh Weinfuss asked what her "'coming out to myself' process" was like.

"Coming out to myself? That's a damn good question," she said. "... It was probably when I went from collegiate to pro. It's not like I ever told anybody I wasn't gay, but I wasn't giving everybody my whole authentic self. I feel like I came out to myself and the world at the same time."

Speaking to Michael Voepel of ESPN in 2021, Griner discussed how things soured with Mulkey.

"It's something I thought maybe we could have talked about," Griner said. "But it wasn't, really ... not with open ears, probably from both sides, from me or her. We're probably two strong-headed individuals. So it's tough. But I definitely wish Kim well. I know LSU got a good coach. So I'm happy for her."

The timing of Sunday's ceremony may not be a coincidence with Mulkey having left Baylor for LSU in 2021.

Brittney Griner is a Baylor legend and will be remembered as such on Feb. 18 when the women's basketball program retires her No. 42 when the Bears face Texas Tech.

"I'm honored to return home to Baylor and celebrate where so much of my journey started," Griner said Monday in a statement, per Michael Voepel of ESPN. "I'm grateful to Coach Nicki [Collen] and the entire Baylor community and am looking forward to the opportunity to be back on campus, spend time with the team and have my family beside me to share in this incredible moment. Sic 'em Bears."

Griner played at Baylor from the 2009-10 season through the 2012-13 one and built an all-time resume.

She was a national champion, two-time Associated Press Player of the Year, two-time Wooden Award winner, two-tine Naismith Award winner, three-time Big 12 Player of the Year, four-time AP All-American and four-time Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, among other honors.

She finished her career with averages of 22.2 points, 8.8 rebounds and 5.1 blocks per game and was the No. 1 overall pick of the Phoenix Mercury in the 2013 WNBA draft. She is also a WNBA champion, eight-time All-Star and two-time Olympic gold medalist.

Griner is widely seen as one of the best athletes in Baylor history, regardless of sport:

Voepel explained that Griner had a "strained relationship" with former Baylor head coach Kim Mulkey, who previously said players had to graduate to have their jersey retired. Griner did return to Baylor and finished her degree in education in 2019.

Yet Collen has stressed the need to retire the legend's jersey ever since she took over following Mulkey's departure.

"I have been saying this since I arrived at Baylor that she deserves to have her jersey retired and I wanted to make sure that happened when the timing was right," Collen said. "With the opening of Foster Pavilion, and the WNBA offseason fitting into our season, this seemed like the right time to honor Brittney and welcome her back home.

"She is one of the best basketball players in Baylor's history, and we're thrilled that the time has come to celebrate Brittney and all of her accomplishments."

Voepel noted Collen and Baylor had hoped to retire Griner's number during the 2021-22 campaign, but she was detained and imprisoned in Russia for 10 months in 2022 before she was eventually freed in a prisoner swap between the United States and Russia.

Yet the ceremony will happen in February, which will make her the seventh player to have their jersey retired by the women's basketball program.

Haley Cavinder announced Monday she's transferring from Miami to TCU for her final year of NCAA eligibility.

Haley and her sister Hanna said in April they were winding down their basketball careers to focus on other endeavors, including a contract with WWE. However, Haley said in October she was entering the transfer portal, a sign she intended to get back on a basketball court.

"I think ending it with Hanna and announcing that we were done and not going to take our fifth year, I felt—honestly, to be very transparent—a lot of pressure," she said to Forbes' Kristi Dosh.

Cavinder added that "there was nothing filling the love for the game," and she would've regretted it if she hadn't taken the opportunity to play for one more year.

TCU has already tipped off the 2023-24 season, opening with wins over Oral Roberts, Texas A&M-Kingsville and Rice. Because of that, Cavinder presumably won't join the Horned Frogs until the 2024-25 campaign, which was broadly her plan when she confirmed she was leaving Miami.

The 5'6" guard is bound to have a sizable impact. She was a three-time All-Mountain West honoree and the 2020-21 Mountain West Player of the Year during her three seasons at Fresno State. Her time at Miami was similarly fruitful.

Cavinder averaged 12.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game for the Hurricanes en route to being named to the All-ACC second team. Thanks in part to her contributions, Miami reached the Elite Eight for the first time in program history.

Cavinder's arrival might provide a boost beyond what she does on the court as well. She and Hanna have established a massive brand for themselves, and their reach extended beyond nearly every other college athlete.

Securing Cavinder's commitment will undoubtedly bring more exposure to TCU.