WNBA Draft Senior Watch: 2019 NCAA Tournament – Albany Region


The bracket for the 2019 NCAA women’s basketball tournament was revealed on Monday with the teams that met in last year’s championship game – champion Notre Dame and runner-up Mississippi State – as two of the four No. 1 seeds along with Louisville and the overall No. 1 seed Baylor.

 

And for the first time since 2006, Connecticut is not a No. 1 seed as the perennial powerhouse enters the 2019 tournament as the No. 2 seed in the Albany region. While UConn’s run of 12 straight No. 1 seeds came to an end, Tennessee’s streak of making the NCAA tournament extended to 38 as the Lady Vols survived the bubble to enter as a No. 11 seed, also in the Albany Region.

As the 64 teams get set to vie for the national championship over the next three weeks, the tournament also provides seniors with a chance to make a strong final impression before they take their careers to the professional ranks. The 2019 WNBA Draft will take place just three days after the national champion is crowned.  Here is a region-by-region look at the top senior prospects to watch as the tournament gets underway.

 

We conclude with the Albany Region, which features the aforementioned Huskies and Lady Vols as well as top seed Louisville and plenty of top tier prospects to watch.

 

Asia Durr, 5-10, G, Louisville

Stats: 21.3 PTS, 3.5 REB, 3.2 AST, 1.6 STL, 2.8 3PM, 44.3 FG%, 34.7 3P%, 82.6 FT%

First Round: 1 Louisville vs. 16 Robert Morris, March 22, 12:00 ET

The two-time ACC Player of the Year enters the NCAA tournament as the nation’s 14th leading scorer at 21.3 points per game and remains one of the top guard prospects in the 2019 WNBA Draft. Louisville is the top seed in the Albany region, but is coming off a 20-point loss to Notre Dame in the ACC tournament final as they were without senior guard Arica Carter (leg) and lost senior forward Sam Fuehring to an ankle injury during the game. Both are expected to be back for the NCAA tournament, but if they are limited at all, it will put more of the load on Durr to carry the Cardinals.

 

Katie Lou Samuelson, 6-3, G/F, Connecticut

Stats: 18.9 PTS, 6.7 REB, 3.8 AST, 1.3 STL, 0.6 BLK, 2.6 3PM, 45.8 FG% 37.3 3P%, 88.1 FT%

First Round: 2 Connecticut vs. 15 Towson, March 22, 6:30 ET

Samuelson sat out the American Athletic Conference tournament due to back spasms, but is expected to return to the lineup for the NCAA tournament for the Huskies. The 6-3 guard/forward is one of the top shooters in this upcoming draft class and her combination of size, shooting ability and overall skill set make the All-American a likely first round pick. She is UConn’s second-leading scorer (18.9), rebounder (6.7) and playmaker (3.8 AST) and leads the team with 75 triples despite missing the past four games.

 

Napheesa Collier, 6-1 F, Connecticut

Stats: 20.9 PTS, 10.5 REB, 3.5 AST, 1.5 STL, 1.4 BLK, 61.4 FG%, 13 total 3PM, 72.2 FT%

First Round: 2 Connecticut vs. 15 Towson, March 22, 6:30 ET

Collier has had an outstanding senior season, but she has been especially great in the second half of the year. In her first 16 games of the season, she averaged 17.4 points, 10.0 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.1 blocks. Over the past 17 games, those averages are up to 24.2 points, 10.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.9 blocks. She is peaking at the absolute right time as the Huskies look to make another Final Four run.

 

Kennedy Burke, 6-1, G, UCLA

Stats: 15.2 PTS, 6.0 REB, 2.4 AST, 2.0 STL, 1.0 BLK, 20 total 3PM, 49.6 FG%, 27.4 3P%, 71.8 FT%

First Round: 6 UCLA vs. 11 Tennessee, March 23, 1:00 ET

Burke had 27 points, 10 rebounds, three blocks and two steals in UCLA’s 88-83 overtime loss to top-seed Oregon in the semifinals of the Pac-12 tournament. If the Bruins hope to make a long NCAA tournament run, they will need this level of play from Burke, who enters as the team’s second-leading scorer (15.2), third-leading rebounder (6.0) and playmaker (2.4 APG) and top defender (2.0 STL, 1.0 BLK).

 

Japreece Dean, 5-6, G, UCLA

Stats: 13.8 PTS, 3.3 REB, 4.9 AST, 0.9 STL, 1.6 3PM, 37.2 FG%, 37.3 3P%, 91.8 FT%

First Round: 6 UCLA vs. 11 Tennessee, March 23, 1:00 ET

Dean also had a strong showing against Oregon in the Pac-12 semifinals as she finished with 22 points, seven assists and five 3-pointers in 42 minutes. Dean’s 4.9 assists per game ranks 50th in the NCAA, while her 91.8 free throw percentage ranks fifth in the nation. She is the Bruins’ top outside threat with 50 3-pointers on the season as she shoots the longball with 37.3% accuracy.

 

Hallie Thome, 6-5, C, Michigan

Stats: 12.5 PTS, 6.1 REB, 1.8 AST, 0.5 STL, 1.2 BLK, 54.1 FG%, 74.1 FT%

First Round: 8 Michigan vs. 9 Kansas State, March 22, 2:00 ET

After averaging 17.4 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.4 blocks as a junior, Hallie Thome’s production has taken a slight step back during her senior season with averages of 12.5 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.2 blocks this season. She is shooting 54.1% this season after being over 60 percent in each of her first three seasons at Michigan. For the eight-seeded Wolverines to make a run in the tourney, they will need Thome to be at the top of her game alongside freshman and fellow First Team All-Big Ten selection Naz Hillmon.

 

Kayla Goth, 6-1, G, Kansas State

Stats: 12.6 PTS, 3.6 REB, 6.9 AST, 1.9 STL, 0.7 3PM, 41.6 FG%, 30.4 3P%, 74.3 F%

First Round: 8 Michigan vs. 9 Kansas State, March 22, 2:00 ET

Goth is Kansas State’s second-leading scorer and top playmaker with her 6.9 assists per game ranking sixth in the NCAA. The first round matchup between Michigan and Kansas State pits two teams that have played well down the stretch with Michigan winning nine of their last 11 games and Kansas State winning eight of 11. During that stretch, Goth has four double-digit assist games and has posted an average of 8.0 dimes and 13.2 points.

 

Cierra Dillard, 5-9, G, Buffalo

Stats: 25.2 PTS, 4.9 REB, 5.7 AST, 2.8 STL, 3.1 3PM, 38.7 FG%, 34.1 3P%, 81.3 FT%

First Round: 7 Rutgers vs. 10 Buffalo, March 22, 4:30 ET

In last year’s NCAA tournament, Dillard led Buffalo to the Sweet 16 by averaging 29 points per game through three games. But rather than declare for the WNBA Draft early, she decided to return for her senior season and is now back in the NCAA tournament with another chance to shine. The 5-9 guard is the nation’s second-leading scorer at 25.2 points per game and also ranks 19th in assists at 5.7 per game. Her 3.06 3-pointers per game ranks 20th in the NCAA and she shoots the long ball at a 34.1% clip. While she is more of a volume scorer than an incredibly efficient one (38.7 FG%), she has gotten the job done for the Bulls all season long.