The top 10 women’s basketball players in the SEC, ranked

December 18, 2024

For the past three women's college basketball seasons, a team from the SEC has hoisted the national championship trophy at the end of each season. Two of those titles went to Dawn Staley and the South Carolina Gamecocks, and one went to LSU.

Now in the 2024-25 season, the conference is as competitive as ever, with seven teams in the top 25 and schools with some of the top athletes in the country, all hoping to mirror South Carolina's success. There is.

Below are the top 10 players in the conference, including two transfers who have made the most of the new situation and a graduate school senior who has led the Gamecocks to back-to-back titles.

10. Theonni Key | Kentucky

24-25 Statistics: 11.5 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2.9 blocks

When new kentucky wildcats Head coach Kenny Brooks left the ACC and transferred to Bluegrass State University. Virginia Tech Point guard Georgia Amoore wasn't the only ACC player to join him.

Forward Theonni Key leaves the team. north carolina tar heels And is thriving with the Wildcats. The 6-foot-3 guard/forward combo has the speed and mid-range shooting to meet the needs of a guard, as well as the length and agility to play in the paint. When you watch the forward play around the basket, she has enough patience to bite defenders and hit layups, and she averages career highs in points and rebounds.

Brooks, who started one game in two seasons with the Tar Heels, has become an everyday starter, playing alongside Clara Strzok in the paint and pulling defenders away from the rim.

Defensively, Key leads the conference with 29 blocks and is averaging 2.9 blocks per game. Shows Junior's timing on both sides of the ball.

9. Te Hina Paopao | South Carolina

24-25 Statistics: 11.6 Points, 2.6 assists, 50% field goal percentage

A lack of interior players was a concern for the Gamecocks, who lost Aliyah Boston before the 23-24 season and Camila Cardoso after going undefeated and winning the title 24-25.

South Carolina's Chloe Kitts is trying to fill that role, but it's graduate student Tehina Paopao who is making sure everyone finds their place on the Gamecocks' roster. The former Oregon Duck transferred to Columbia before last season, but this year he has further established himself as a team leader.

While Paopao's offensive numbers are down this year, another low stat that speaks volumes about the guard is that he is allowing a career-low 0.8 turnovers per game, giving South Carolina extra possessions. .

She also still shows the dynamic playmaking she showed in the Pacific Northwest, but she doesn't have to do that with teammates like Kitts and freshman Joyce Edwards on the court. Paopao brings the poise and consistency the team needs to continue competing at the top of the SEC.

Shark Beauty Women's Champions Classic: Iowa v Tennessee

8. Taleshia Cooper | Tennessee

24-25 Statistics: 20.3 points, 6.1 rebounds, 4.1 assists

Thalesia Cooper is a player who didn't find enough playing time as a freshman at the University of South Carolina, but has found a place on the team. volunteer tennessee.

Cooper joined head coach Kim Caldwell's high-powered offense in the offseason, becoming one of five players in the conference scoring at least 20 points per game. The sophomore makes intense moves in the paint, slipping past opponents and stealing baskets, but the guard's influence on the game goes beyond just the offensive side.

The South Carolina native leads Tennessee in rebounds and steals and has the best plus/minus in the entire SEC and on both offense and defense.

7. Reagan Beer |Oklahoma

24-25 Statistics: 17.7 points, 9.5 assists, 72.5% field goal percentage

Reagan Beers was part of the exodus from a handful of Pac-12 schools that chose to remain in the conference. Many viewed Beers as a summer transfer target, and she went to the Sooners in her first year in the SEC.

The former Oregon State star used his size and physicality in the paint, and his accurate and efficient shooting made him an almost automatic basket case for the University of Oklahoma. A three-time AP All-American and two-time All-Pac-12 selection, she's performed better thanks to a strong cast around her, despite taking fewer shots per game. He is averaging a career-high 17.7 points.

The forward led the NCAA in field goal percentage with an impressive 72.5 percent, which rose slightly to 73.5 percent when considering only shots taken from inside the arc. With guard Peyton Verhulst connecting with Beals and the defense now being selective about who to double-team, Beals and the Sooners could move closer to the top of the SEC conference in their first year.

6. Lori Harmon | Texas

24-25 Statistics: 9.5 points, 6.5 assists, 2.7 steals

Texas guard Lori Harmon doesn't have the stats that jump off the stat sheet like some of the players on this list, but she does have another level that other players can't claim.

There are two reasons for the decline. First, Harmon returned 11 games after suffering a torn ACL that cost the guard last season. Injuries like this typically require close to a year to return, but Harmon has already been on the field and making an impact. The second reason is that Harmon doesn't have to do all of the Longhorns' scoring with a strong supporting cast.

That level is a big game moment. Harmon already showed that this year when Texas traveled to South Bend, Indiana for the SEC-ACC Challenge. Despite losing to notre dame fighting irishit took overtime and Harmon took over the game in the final moments.

After hitting a mid-range jumper to take the lead and the Irish fighting back with what appeared to be the game-winning shot, Harmon drew a foul with just seconds left and hit the free throw to send the game into overtime.

Combine Harmon with Madison Booker (more on her later), and it's no wonder Texas was picked to finish second in the conference in the SEC preseason poll.

5. Georgia Amoore | Kentucky

24-25 Statistics: 15.6 points, 7.2 assists, 2.3 rebounds

At Virginia Tech, point guard Georgia Amoore was part of an established team that partnered with forward Elizabeth Kitley to lead the Hokies to the Final Four in 2023. Amoore was the first Hokie to record a triple-double and holds the school record for assists, creating a legacy that VT fans will never forget. But what Amoore is doing at Kentucky may be even more impressive.

Amoore, who moved to the SEC shortly after Brooks took the head coaching job, is no longer within the comfort zone of the program built by Brooks' years of leadership. Amure is currently starting to build a team around new players.

Still, Amoore led the SEC with 7.2 assists per game and was tied with Harmon with 72 total assists. Those passes will be sent to all of his new teammates, meaning three of his four starting teammates will transfer to Kentucky along with Amoore.

Amoore plays the role of field general point guard, and the coach himself calls Brooks his “mini-me.” When necessary, she frustrates her opponents with her tenacity and continuous shooting ability, as well as her ability to shoot to draw air out of the opponent's defensive efforts.

NCAA Women's Basketball: Louisiana State Northwestern-St.

4. Aneesa Morrow | LSU

24-25 Statistics: 17.8 points, 13.7 rebounds, 2.7 steals

Like a gamecock, LSU It has lost a lot of paint and is now difficult to replace –WNBA Star Angel Wreath. With Reese gone, Morrow returns to the days when the forward won two AP All-American titles with DePaul.

Morrow has 10 double-doubles in 12 games with the Tigers this year. Now, the strength of LSU's schedule can be debated, but it was head coach Kim Mulkey's team's only ranked game of the season, against a team ranked No. 20 at the time. north carolinaMorrow had one of his top games of the season, scoring 20 points and grabbing 15 rebounds.

While his time at DePaul has taken the Chicago, Ill., native slightly out of the national spotlight, he has shown flashes as LSU's primary target this season. Morrow is strong in the paint and can not only make contact but also drop down and take frequent mid-range shots, allowing him to take away more now that Reese is gone.

Morrow is shooting a career-high 51.9 percent from the floor in 12 games and has scored more points this season than last season. The forward works well with the next player on the list.

3. Frauge Johnson | LSU

24-25 Statistics: 21.1 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists

Junior guard Fraujai Johnson benefited the most from the extra shot LSU needed. Johnson is averaging 6.2 points per game this season over last year, but Johnson offers more than offense and defense.

Johnson is a leader for the Tigers on the court. Take note of the overtime victory over the Stanford Cardinal. Despite committing a foul in overtime, Johnson was on the bench and despite not being on the court, encouraged his teammates and provided feedback to help close out the game.

Along with Moreau, this tandem is one of the best duos in the country. Even with the loss of Reese, Johnson's 3.1 assists is a career-high, surpassing the likes of Morrow and sophomore Mykayla Williams.

LSU won the aforementioned case. north carolina state wolfpack as well as wins over power conference schools like . washington huskies And Cardinal Stanford. How Johnson leads his team through SEC play will be a story to watch as the stakes get higher.

2. Camille Pierre | Vanderbilt

24-25 Statistics: 22.9 points, 11.8 rebounds, 4.0 steals

The second-place finisher will definitely be the surprise player of the year, regardless of conference. with Camille Pierre Vanderbilt Commodores Their only loss was to an undefeated opponent outside of the top 25. michigan Although they are part of the Big Ten, they are on the verge of gaining national attention.

That's partly because of Pierre.

Through 12 games this season, the sophomore made the SEC All-Freshman team and scored 8.9 points per game, jumping up to 12 points per game despite playing only eight minutes per game. Ta.

Pierre is a 6-foot-2 forward who plays like a guard. The sophomore patrolled the court and tied the conference for steals (4.0 per game). Against Evansville, Pierre scored a program-high 42 points and had eight steals. Pierre did almost the same thing to him. arizona wildcats Entered the Big 12 with 25 points and seven steals.

Forwards also do what forwards are expected to do: rebound. Pierre is one of only two players in the conference to average a double-double.

Vanderbilt is off to a 10-1 start to the season thanks to the play of Pierre, who won SEC Player of the Week for the second time in six weeks.

1. Madison Booker | TExus

24-25 Statistics: 17.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, 54.0% field goal percentage

If the WNBA allows players to leave early, Texas forward Madison Booker could be available immediately and become a top lottery pick.

Bueckers has served as a catalyst for the Longhorns since Harmon left last season. Booker plays like a professional forward and teams rarely stop the AP All-American. Booker has increased his scoring and rebounding by almost two points per game this season.

The only dip in Booker's game was a significant drop in assists, but that was largely due to Harmon returning from injury. What Booker lost in facilitation, he made up for in deep shooting. Making matters even more difficult for teams that are unable to protect their forwards, Booker has increased his efficiency from deep, hitting 54.5 percent of his chances from beyond the arc and taking 2.2 shots per game. That's what I'm doing.

Booker isn't going to lead the SEC in scoring or rebounding, but his ability to excel in many facets of the game makes him the most dangerous player in the conference. There's a reason Booker is the first freshman to win the Big 12 Player of the Year award. Can Booker get another POY in the SEC?