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Charlie Creme, ESPN.com
Tennessee was probably better than the No. 4 seed it got last year in the women’s NCAA tournament. But being better and earning a better seed are two different things, and a tough first two months to last season cost the Lady Vols on Selection Sunday.
Still, a No. 4 seed is an accomplishment, and Tennessee got to host two NCAA tournament games. But had they had a better seed, the Lady Vols would have avoided top-seeded Virginia Tech in the regionals, the game that ended their season.
Key nonconference games won’t make or break a season, but they can shape it. And help construct the postseason path.
Tennessee finished third in a top-heavy SEC whose first- and second-place teams reached the Final Four. The Lady Vols even beat eventual national champion LSU in the conference tournament. But time and time again against the best of what was a challenging schedule in the first two months of 2022-23, Tennessee came up short. Regular-season losses to Ohio State, Indiana, UCLA, Gonzaga and Virginia Tech meant an 8-7 record outside of the SEC, which cost the Lady Vols a better position in the NCAA tournament.
Those Buckeyes beat Tennessee, Louisville and Oregon each by double digits. Ohio State finished fourth in the Big Ten but earned a No. 3 seed thanks largely to those nonconference wins.
Gonzaga and South Dakota State are other success stories. They each played themselves into No. 9 seeds in last season’s NCAA tournament because of upsets they pulled off in November: The Zags knocked off Louisville and Tennessee, and the Jackrabbits toppled Mississippi State and Louisville.
Those results move the needle, get the attention of fans and selection committee members and shape the narrative for the rest of the season.
So which games during the 2023-24 season will create resumes and build the most drama? Here’s a look at 12 of the top nonconference games across the country, listed by date. Let it also serve as a viewer’s guide to top stand-alone games from day one into February — we’ll take a closer look at holiday tournaments next month.
Nov. 6 in Paris, 1 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN App
Could there be a cooler way to begin the season than with two of the sport’s marquee programs facing off in a showcase game in France? This will mark the unveiling of the new-look Gamecocks, headlined by 6-7 Kamilla Cardoso moving into the starting lineup as Aliyah Boston’s replacement, and the backcourt of Oregon transfer The Gray Radio and Raven Johnsonwho is in her first opportunity as a full-time starter. This will also be the debut of the Irish’s highly regarded freshman point guard, Hannah Hidalgowho is expected to step in for the still recovering Olivia Miles.
Ohio State vs. USC
Nov. 6 in Las Vegas (Naismith Hall of Fame Series), 2 p.m. ET)
Consider this a future stars game. Opening day in Las Vegas as the first game for USC freshman JuJu Watkinsthis season’s most anticipated debut, seems like the perfect setting. (Defending champion LSU will also be there to start its season against Colorado.) The Buckeyes’ Cotie McMahon is on the other side and many feel her sophomore season will propel her into a household name.
Virginia Tech vs. Iowa
Nov. 9 in Charlotte, North Carolina, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN2/ESPN App
This is the NCAA championship game that almost was. If not for a furious LSU rally in last season’s Final Four, the Hokies would have been playing the Hawkeyes for the national title. These teams are built around their offenses, and the potential entertainment value is high. Having two of the country’s best point guards in Caitlin Clark and Georgia Amoore on the court together will be the headliner, but this also could be a measuring stick as to how Iowa defends size going up against 6-foot-6 All-American center Elizabeth Kitley.
Nov. 12, 5 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN App
Let’s start with Mackenzie Holmes and Cameron Brinktwo potential first-team All-Americans squaring off in the season’s first week. Both teams have big expectations but also lost some key players, so the responsibility for both Holmes and Brink will be significant all season. This will be the first true test to see how much each star will have to carry her team into 2024.
Nov. 29 (ACC/SEC Challenge), 9:15 p.m. ET, ESPNU/ESPN App
On paper this is a Sweet 16 rematch from last March, but both teams look very different. That doesn’t change the fact this is a game the selection committee could look back upon for seeding decisions. The difference between a No. 3 or No. 4 seed could be at stake. As many as seven transfers between the two teams could be on the floor at any one time, and this ACC/SEC Challenge game could be the perfect test three weeks into the season to see how the chemistry is coming together for the Cardinals and Rebels.
Virginia Tech at LSU
Nov. 30 (ACC/SEC Challenge), 9 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN App
The Tigers winning the national championship erased a few moments during the title run that seem small now but were big at the time. One of those was how the Hokies dominated the third quarter in their Final Four matchup and led by nine heading to the final 10 minutes. Virginia Tech seemed on its way to the title game. Then LSU caught fire with its highest scoring quarter of the tournament to that point, and the Hokies went as cold in the fourth as they were hot in the third. The rest is LSU sports history.
Now we get the rematch. The teams have different looks than they did when they met March 31, but many of the key players remain — Kitley, Amoore, Angel Reese — as do coaches Kim Mulkey and Kenny Brooks, who have put together squads capable of a Final Four return.
Dec. 3, 3 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN App
The Huskies will have already played NC State, Maryland, Kansas and UCLA, but this will be the Longhorns’ first Top 25 matchup. With Harmon Road still sidelined with a foot injury, Azzi Benefit torched Texas for 32 points in Storrs last year. Harmon should be on the floor for this one, but so should the Huskies’ Paige Bueckers. Health was a major issue for both teams in 2022-23. Getting to this game at full strength will be huge.
Ohio State at Tennessee
Dec. 3, 5 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN App
Last November in Columbus, the Buckeyes unveiled the full-court press that would be such a big part of their season, forcing 29 Tennessee turnovers in what was at the time a surprising 13-point win. There will be no surprises this time, but there’s more at stake. Both teams could be in the top 10 by the time this game tips — that is, if the Lady Vols can survive a six-day stretch just before this game in which they play Indiana, Oklahoma, and Notre Dame.
South Carolina vs. Utah
Dec. 10 in Uncasville, Connecticut (Basketball Hall of Fame Women’s Showcase), 2:30 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN App
Apart from a game against Baylor in mid-November, this is the Utes’ one opportunity in the nonconference to make a splash. This matchup also has Elite Eight/Final Four potential and will shine some light as to where both programs are three weeks away from what could be grueling conference seasons.
Utah returns all five starters. The Gamecocks return none. How will Alissa Pili handle the size of Cardoso? Will South Carolina’s newly constructed backcourt be ready for the experience of its Utah counterparts? How effective will each team’s bench be?
South Dakota State at Gonzaga
December 17, 5 pm ET
Two of the preeminent mid-major programs of the last decade will meet for just the second time since 2010 and for the first time in Spokane since 2009. Both will be near the end of challenging nonconference schedules before they head into leagues in which each are big favorites. The Jackrabbits will be missing key players Callie Theisen and Haleigh Timmerwho will miss the season after offseason injuries, but should still be in the mix for a top-10 seed with wins over the Zags or the likes of Washington State and Creighton.
Dec. 19 in Charlotte, North Carolina (Jumpman Invitational), 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2/ESPN App
This is part of an event that also features the men’s programs of both teams and the men’s and women’s teams from Florida and Michigan. Nothing replicates an NCAA tournament scenario like a neutral site game, so this represents a good opportunity for the Tar Heels and Sooners and could have big seeding ramifications, especially for UNC. If they are a contender for a top-16 seed, this is likely a must-win game for the Tar Heels.
UConn at South Carolina
Feb. 11, 2 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN App
This is a big week for the Gamecocks. Four days later they visit Tennessee. Both games will have major stakes, but if South Carolina is still in the running or a No. 1 or No. 2 seed, beating the Huskies for the fourth consecutive time might be necessary. Depending on how UConn — which might benefit from being amid a soft part of its Big East schedule — has done against the rest of its difficult nonconference slate, a win in Columbia might also be a must in the pursuit of a No. 1 seed.
