CBB Full-Court Press: South Carolina keeps rolling without Watkins

College Basketball Full-Court Press recaps the most important developments in the sport and examines their significance moving forward.

No Watkins, no problem

South Carolina's pursuit of back-to-back national championships got tougher when the school ruled out Ashlyn Watkins for the remainder of the campaign with a torn ACL. The 6-foot-3 forward averaged 7.2 points, 6.1 boards, and 1.1 assists across 14 appearances off the bench. Her length and athleticism were key to the Gamecocks' elite defensive unit, as she registered a team-high 1.9 blocks and 1.3 steals per contest.

Head coach Dawn Staley hasn't drastically altered her rotation. Starting forwards Chloe Kitts and Sania Feagin have seen an uptick in minutes during Watkins' absence. Maryam Dauda has been worked into the mix to provide some size down low. The initial results bode well considering South Carolina hasn't dropped a game since Watkins went down. The program has barely missed a beat on both ends of the floor, which speaks volumes about the roster's depth.

It's been a collective effort to replace Watkins' contributions. Freshman forward Joyce Edwards and sophomore guard MiLaysia Fulwiley have picked up the offensive slack for the second unit, posting a combined 30.8 points per contest. Kitts has been an active presence on the glass, providing the Gamecocks with second-chance point opportunities. Feagin has stepped up as a rim-protector with 12 blocks over her last four games. South Carolina has limited opponents to 20.6% shooting from deep and 30.9% overall with Watkins out of the lineup. That stretch includes a shutdown defensive performance from Bree Hall against midseason Wooden Award candidate Madison Booker in the Gamecocks' 17-point victory over then-No. 5 Texas.

Fudd finding her rhythm

Azzi Fudd is beginning to emerge as UConn's third offensive option behind Paige Bueckers and Sarah Strong. The former No. 1 overall recruit is averaging 18.8 points on 61.2% shooting - including a 56.5% mark from distance - over her last four contests. She scored double digits in each game during that span after doing so just twice in her first nine appearances. Fudd hasn't tallied 10 points or more in four straight contests since a torrid six-game stretch to begin her sophomore year.

"(Fudd's) starting to look more and more like her confident self," Bueckers told SNY's Chelsea Sherrod following last Wednesday's victory over St. John's. "I think this stretch has been huge for her."

Fudd's talent has never been in question. The 5-foot-11 guard was the first high school sophomore to win the Gatorade National Girls' Basketball Player of the Year award. She was also a McDonald's All-American and part of a select group to attend Stephen Curry's offseason training camp. However, injuries have threatened to derail her career at every step. Fudd suffered a torn ACL and MCL in her junior year of high school during a USA Basketball U18 3x3 tournament. She missed 11 games in her debut collegiate campaign with a foot injury, another 22 as a sophomore due to a knee injury, and all but two contests in 2023-24 after tearing her ACL and medial meniscus in practice. A knee sprain has already interrupted her senior season.

Fudd's health could single-handedly swing the Huskies' national championship hopes in either direction. She's a true three-level scorer and forces turnovers on the defensive end. UConn sorely missed Fudd's outside shooting in both defeats this season. Notre Dame limited the Huskies to 3-of-16 shooting from long range, and USC held them to a 6-of-23 clip with Fudd on a minutes restriction. The Fighting Irish and Trojans managed to clog the paint without worrying much about the perimeter.

Don't forget about LSU

LSU and No. 1 UCLA are the only two undefeated teams remaining. The Tigers have the second-best rebounding margin (15.2) behind the Bruins and are 14th in opponent field-goal percentage (35.1%). They've also embraced an up-tempo brand of basketball led by their star trio.

Flau'Jae Johnson and Aneesah Morrow were named to the Wooden Award midseason top 25 list. Johnson has taken the next step in her development, averaging a team-high 20 points, 6.1 boards, 2.9 assists, and 1.7 steals. She's getting to the charity stripe more, shooting threes efficiently, and routinely taking on the opposition's best perimeter player. Meanwhile, Morrow has been a walking double-double, pacing the NCAA in that department along with rebounds (14.2). Her most recent double-double moved her into a tie for second on the Division I all-time list. Mikaylah Williams rounds out LSU's explosive attack with 16.5 points on 48% shooting. Her rebounding and secondary playmaking ability have been a helpful weapon in the team's back pocket.

Kim Mulkey also had another successful offseason in the transfer portal. Kailyn Gilbert carries the offensive load for the second unit, Jersey Wolfenbarger always brings energy on the glass, and Shayeann Day-Wilson has been a great decision-maker at the point. The 20-0 Tigers played a relatively light non-conference schedule, but they proved capable of closing out tight games, winning all five contests that were decided by 10 points or less.

LSU's biggest test of the season awaits Thursday when it heads to Columbia for a showdown versus South Carolina. The Tigers are winless in four meetings against the Gamecocks during Mulkey's brief tenure.

Transition three

Van Lith's bounce-back year: The ex-Louisville star's resurgent campaign has put herself and TCU back on the national radar. Hailey Van Lith's scoring numbers (18.6) trail only her junior year, and she's looked a lot more comfortable running the point than she did at LSU last season. The 5-foot-7 guard consistently makes smart decisions and has developed a strong pick-and-roll tandem with center Sedona Prince. Van Lith ranks seventh nationally in total assists (120) and 26th in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.54). Her strong play has propelled the Horned Frogs to a 19-1 start and their first-ever top-10 appearance in the AP Poll. Van Lith's ability to play either guard position has undoubtedly improved her draft stock.

Amoore leading Kentucky's turnaround: Georgia Amoore followed Kenny Brooks to Lexington shortly after he left Virginia Tech to take Kentucky's head coaching gig. The Wildcats tasked the Aussie native with helping a roster - featuring 11 new players - get up to speed with Brooks' lethal offensive system. Amoore has also provided leadership and elite point guard play for a unit that struggled to score last season. She's pulled the strings for the country's 10th-best offense, averaging a team-high 18.5 points and ranking second in the NCAA with 7.5 assists per contest. Amoore forged a solid partnership with fellow Hokies transfer Clara Strack and quickly developed chemistry with a new cast of players. Kentucky has already surpassed last season's overall win total and is two SEC victories away from exceeding its total from the previous two campaigns combined.

Stanford's tourney streak in danger: A lot has changed since the Cardinal's Sweet 16 exit last season. Hall of Fame coach Tara VanDerveer retired, Cameron Brink went off to the WNBA, breakout star Kiki Iriafen transferred to USC, and the school left the Pac-12 for the ACC. The transition has been anything but smooth as Stanford is 2-5 in conference play and 10-8 overall, including an 0-6 mark against Quad 1 teams. The Cardinal's defense has taken a huge step back despite most of its rotation returning. Kate Paye's squad ranks 250th in points allowed (67.2) and 305th in opponent 3-point field-goal percentage (33.6%). There's a real possibility that Stanford ends up on the wrong side of the bubble for the first time since 1987.