The debate over who should be the national Player of the Year has been as passionate as the one over which team will win the NCAA trophy.
South Carolina junior Aliyah Boston and Iowa sophomore Caitlin Clark will no doubt headline every All-America team -- and they lead the way in our ranking of the top players in the women's NCAA tournament.
Twelve players have been featured in all three of the top 25 player rankings. The top of the list is the same as it was a month ago, but one big name has been added.
The top players were eliminated from the rankings when their teams weren't included in the NCAA tournament. The status of Tennessee's Jordan Horston, who received enough votes to make the cut, is uncertain due to a fractured elbow.
These are the 25 best players in the Big Dance, from potential first-round picks to impact underclassmen. Two players were put on the list by Louisville.
The forward is 6-foot-5.
Her SEC-record double-double streak is at 24, and she was named SEC Player of the Year and the league's top defender. Boston's leadership has been great all season. The unexpected loss to Kentucky in the SEC final gives her another chance to show her skills in the NCAA tournament.
The guard is 6-foot-0.
Pick the winner of each game of the women's NCAA tournament. Play a tournament.
The first time the Iowa program won both the Big Ten regular-season and conference tournament titles in the same season was thanks to Clark. The Hawkeyes are on a seven-game winning streak and are in the NCAA tournament.
The forward is a senior.
Making a late push to reenter a national player of the year conversation that seemed to forget her, Smith racked up averages of 32 points and 16 rebound in the final three games of the season as the Bears overtook and overwhelmed the rest of the Big 12 on their way to a 12.
The guard is 6-foot-1.
The Cardinal ran the table in the conference and Jones was a force throughout. Jones was the most outstanding player in the Final Four last season and is second on the team in scoring and leads in assists. She is the go-to at crunch time even on a team with multiple offensive options.
The guard is 6-foot-2.
Howard put up her usual sterling numbers, but for more than half the season, she didn't seem to help Kentucky win. On February 10, the Cats were 9-11 and looked like they would lose in the first round of the SEC tournament. Kentucky began winning again and never stopped. The SEC tournament title and 10-game winning streak were the result of Howard steering the ship.
The forward is a senior.
Hillmon is a two-time Big Ten Player of the Year and one of the most decorated players in the league's history. She is the heartbeat of a program having its most successful season.
The center is 6-foot-5.
She has elevated her game into a potential WNBA lottery-pick status because she has the Rebels back in the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2007. Austin transferred to Ole Miss from Maryland, and the Rebels were 0-16 in the SEC. Ole Miss made the SEC tournament semifinals.
The forward is 6-foot-4.
Brink has been getting it done on both ends for the Cardinal this season, just edging teammate Haley Jones as their top scorer and rebounder while also taking home the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year. When she stays out of foul trouble, she is a force to be reckoned with, and at her best her inside presence gives a balanced team a chance at repeating as national champion.
The forward is a senior.
While the numbers are not as good as a year ago, Joens has done something even better: lead the Cyclones to their best Big 12 season ever. Averaging 20.0 and 9.2. When Joens became Iowa State's all-time leading scorer in February, it wasn't a down season.
The guard is 5-foot-11.
Since returning from a knee injury, Bueckers is still having good and bad days, both mentally and physically, though the Huskies didn't need her much to cruise to a Big East tournament title. The difference between the two teams might be because of her unparalleled court vision and playmaking ability, plus her consistent shooting and ability to get a bucket when her team needs it.
The team is more experienced this year and ready to compete in the NCAA tournament, according to the coach.
The center is 6 feet 6 inches.
Kitley was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year and led Virginia Tech to the league semifinals for the first time in program history. She was unable to play in the semifinals of the conference tournament because of a shoulder injury, but she is expected to play in the NCAA tournament.
The forward is a sophomore.
After missing half of her freshman season with a foot injury, basketball fans have finally seen the Angel Reese they were promised. Reese has been a bright spot for Maryland this year, leading the team in scoring, dominating the glass on both ends and standing out on defense. Reese is one of a few players who average at least 17 points and 10 rebound per game, including NaLyssa Smith and Ayoka Lee.
The center is 6-foot-5.
Cunane has led the Wolfpack to three consecutive conference tournament titles and two No. 1 seeds in a row. The way of the program has changed because of her discipline, efficiency and high IQ. The offense is second in the country and runs through Cunane, who is the sixth-ranked defense.
The center is 6 feet 6 inches.
She was a double-double machine going into the Big 12 tournament, having set the NCAA D-I single-game record with 61 points. Lee is a scorer when she gets the ball where she wants it. She takes up space in the paint and blocks around three shots per game. Her mobility is not the best, but she has played a lot of minutes as the centerpiece player.
The guard is 5-foot-7.
Pointer has been the epitome of dependability for new LSU coach Kim Mulkey, leading the team in scoring, assists, steals, and minutes played. The seniors are the heart of LSU, and Pointer leads the way there.
The forward is a senior.
The most versatile player on this list is Engstler, who was a difference-maker in her first year at the University of Louisville. She is tied for the third-most defensive win shares in the country, according to Her Hoops Stats. She is one of the best 3-point shooters and the top rebounder for the Cards.
The forward is a senior.
Morrow burst onto the national scene after putting up ridiculous numbers for any player regardless of conference: 21.7 points, 13.8 rebound, 2.7 steals and 1.8 blocks per game, along with what was at the time a nation-best streak of 23 consecutive double-doubles. She plays with a relentlessness and competitiveness that help her dominate inside and on the glass, despite being a guard at heart, and make her a must-watch player in March.
The guard is 5-foot-7.
It took some time for Van Lith to get going, particularly from the 3-point line, but she has played some of her best basketball of late, averaging 18.6 points per game in Louisville's final six regular-season contests. If she can play like she did in Louisville's recent win over Notre Dame, the Cards could be a force in March.
The guard is 6-foot-0.
With a nose for the ball and a precision old-school midrange game, Berger has been the leader in the Hoosiers success that relies more on chemistry than stars. She helped navigate Indiana through a long COVID-19 pause and month without last year's leading scorer, and became this season's top point producer and team leader in assists.
The guard is 6-foot-1.
Bell will enter the draft. Bell has been the ASUN Player of the Year in both of her seasons. She missed nine games with a knee injury but came back in February and has not slowed down.
The guard is 5-foot-10.
The Big Ten co-regular-season champion Buckeyes emerged from a self-imposed postseason ban because of the growth of the game of Sheldon. She and Taylor Mikesell formed one of the most productive backcourts in the country, and she finished in the top 10 in points, assists, steals and free throw percentage.
The guard is 5-foot-11.
During her senior season at the University of Connecticut, Williams had her share of ups and downs. She emerged as a two-way threat in the playoffs last year, helping the Huskies advance to their 13th consecutive Final Four. She was named the Most Outstanding Player in the Big East tournament and seems to be kicking it into high gear at the right time.
Guard is 5 feet 6
The Longhorns won the Big 12 tournament and earned a No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament. She averaged 22 points, 4.3 assists and 3.7 rebound in three victories and was the tournament's most outstanding player. She played every minute of both games, but had no turnovers.
The forward is 6-foot-1.
Since arriving on campus, she has been a consistent and prolific scorer. She has led the league in scoring in each of the past two seasons. She has failed to score at least 10 points in a game five times in her career.
The guard/forward is a senior.
Williams is effective both as a spot-up shooter and a slasher to the rim, and she leads Oklahoma in both of those categories. The Sooners are known for their fast pace. Williams does it when they need someone to create late in the shot clock.
Also receiving votes were: Shaylee Gonzales, BYU; Destanni Henderson, South Carolina; and Azzi Fudd, Connecticut.
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