Your Day in Women’s Basketball, February 23: Los Angeles signs Holmes + a Bracketology update
By James Hyman
Bracketology update one week after top-16 reveal
A full day of women’s college hoops on Sunday taught us a very important lesson: we still have no idea what is going on. The same UCLA team that just obliterated a very good Oregon squad fell apart in the fourth quarter against Oregon State, dropping their prospective seed from 2 to 3.
Previously #3 Louisville experienced a similar 4th-quarter collapse as non-tourney-bound Florida State caught fire while also holding Dana Evans to 5/21 shooting from the floor. Not all the blame can be put on Evans, who is a favorite for a second consecutive ACC Player of the Year Award, as her teammates did not clutch up in her offensive absence. Jeff Walz and the Cardinals know that as the postseason moves on, it will need to be a next woman up mentality in order to survive upset bids.
Many people thought Michigan was snubbed of a top 4 seed after the NCAA tournament committee chose to leave the Wolverines out in their sneak peak, but a win over Ohio State coupled with a stumbling Oregon Ducks squad has put Michigan firmly back on the 4-line, for now.
As I mentioned in an article last week regarding BYU’s upset over Gonzaga, the Cougars win might be enough to squeeze them into the tournament field despite an unimpressive resume. The Next‘s Russell Steinberg agrees, as he put BYU as one of the last 4 in in his updated breakdown.
Bria Holmes to LA
In my mind, this could end up being one of the most underrated moves of free agency, especially since it occurred after the initial signing wave. Many people around the Connecticut Sun expected Holmes to break out in the bubble, especially with Jonquel Jones’s absence opening up offensive touches.
However, she never looked as comfortable on the court as one would expect. In flashes, she showed excellent isolation skills and could space the floor nicely, but her shooting never clicked and the Sun relegated her to a smaller bench role early on.
Los Angeles is hoping to take those moments and give them the opportunity to flourish, and Holmes thinks the new fit may be all she needed. “I wanted to be somewhere and go somewhere where I was able to fit in and I felt comfortable at my position and being able to showcase my talent and just having the opportunity”. Don’t be surprised if Bria Holmes becomes more of a household name in 2021.