The Hoopla 40: 2022-23 Midseason Rankings
My picks for the 40 best Big Ten women's basketball players to start 2023
Hello all, Happy New Year to you.
For the second time ever, I am here to rank the 40 best players in the Big Ten based on what I’ve watched, what the numbers say and what my brain tells me.
The first Hoopla 40 came before the season, and this midseason rank will also have a new number for those players shifted in my rankings (the numbers in parentheses that are green or red).
Two things before I get into the list:
I only counted players who have played in at least half of their team’s games. Jacy Sheldon and Grace Berger are absolutely, without question, top 40 players in this conference, but I needed some sort of rule here and that’s what I went with. There are also some players with season-ending injuries on this list because they, for now, hit that threshold.
I’m sure I made some glaring omission or ranked someone too high or too low. Please let me know any and all thoughts on this list either in the replies to this post, in my DMs, in the Substack chat, wherever you’d like! None of this is meant to be negative, I think every player in this list is great, and think there are more than 40 good players in the Big Ten.
It is time. Here is my midseason Hoopla 40, with some comments on each player below:
**Stats listed are through Jan. 1, 2023**
1.) Caitlin Clark, Iowa — 27.1 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 6.9 APG
Is it fair to pick holes in Clark’s game? Yes. But to solely focus on those with this level of production is silly. Clark has 6.2 more PPG than anyone else in the conference and is top six in both rebounds and assists. She leads the Big Ten and is third in the nation in win shares. Her efficiency and turnover rates are improved from last year. She is still the best player in the Big Ten and is a true joy to watch.
2.) Mackenzie Holmes, Indiana — 20.9 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 1.2 APG
Losing Grace Berger for significant time could have been Indiana’s death sentence. Instead, Holmes still has this team at 13-1 thanks to true superstar play. She’s had help, yes, but to be shooting 68.2 percent as the clear No. 1 option is obscene. She is an All-American level talent who is as consistent as anyone in the country.
3.) Taylor Mikesell, Ohio State — 17.8 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 2.5 APG
Mikesell’s job has been so much harder without Jacy Sheldon to take attention, and yet here she is, leading her team with efficient scoring to a 15-0 start. Her limitless range and ability to find just enough space to bury shots has been exactly what the Buckeyes have needed.
4.) Monika Czinano, Iowa — 17.5 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 1.4 APG
Czinano is again putting up terrific scoring numbers while shooting over 60 percent from the field. It is the interior presence the Hawkeyes need to get all their perimeter shooters to thrive.
5.) Jaz Shelley, Nebraska — 15.2 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 6.4 APG
Shelley is the spark plug that makes Nebraska run, and has come up with multiple clutch moments this season to prove her importance, especially with the injuries the Cornhuskers have faced.
6.) Makira Cook, Illinois — 18.5 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 4.0 APG
One of four Illini newcomers to this list, Cook is leading the way in scoring for the best story in the Big Ten this season.
7.) Emily Kiser, Michigan — 17.8 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 3.1 APG
I knew Kiser could step up in a big way for Michigan without Naz Hillmon, but this has been a remarkable campaign from the veteran forward. She is behind only Clark and Holmes with her 4.9 win shares.
8.) Diamond Miller, Maryland — 18.5 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 2.8 APG
Miller’s always had a sky high ceiling, and she’s realizing a lot of that potential this season for the Terps. What’s scary is that she still has room to grow with her three-point ability and turnovers.
9.) Makenna Marisa, Penn State — 18.6 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 4.3 APG
Marisa has less of the scoring burden this season, and has improved her efficiency in the process (45.7 3PT%) while still ranking third in points per game in the Big Ten.
10.) Leigha Brown, Michigan — 14.8 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 5.7 APG
Brown has been Michigan’s primary point guard this season, and the results have been exceptionally strong thus far, specifically with those assist totals.
11.) Taylor Thierry, Ohio State — 12.7 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 2.1 APG
Who had Thierry ranking fourth in the conference in win shares heading into 2023? The sophomore has been a revelation for the Buckeyes, and her nation-leading 71.2 FG% isa massive reason why they remain undefeated.
12.) Genesis Bryant, Illinois — 14.5 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 3.7 APG
Bryant has primarily come off the bench for the Illini, but that hasn’t mattered. She has been a pure sniper from deep (52.2 3PT%) and has fully thrived in Shauna Green’s system.
13.) Laila Phelia, Michigan — 16.1 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 1.5 APG
Watching Phelia feels like watching a star get fully formed. She has so many of the right qualities, and is the third key piece of the Michigan trio that has dominated this early part of the season.
14.) Sydney Parrish, Indiana — 12.4 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 2.3 APG
Indiana is not 13-1 without Parrish on this roster. She has been asked to take on a significant role without Berger, and the Hoosiers have barely missed a beat.
15.) Adalia McKenzie, Illinois — 16.5 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 1.8 APG
The Illini have turned things around so dramatically because every player has played waaaaay past expectations. McKenzie might be the clearest example, skyrocketing to a top five win share total in her sophomore season.
16.) Madison Greene, Ohio State — 10.9 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 5.0 APG
Greene is now done for the season, but she hit the game threshold and was playing excellent basketball to keep the Buckeyes winning without Sheldon. After two lost seasons, I really, really hope we can see a healthy Greene next year.
17.) McKenna Warnock, Iowa — 12.2 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 2.2 APG
Warnock is continuing to Warnock. Her efficiency numbers are, again, exceptional, and she continues to be the necessary rock solid third option for Iowa whenever the Hawkeyes need it.
18.) Lasha Petree, Purdue — 18.1 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 1.4 APG
I’ll be honest, I didn’t expect Petree to take this much of a leap from Rutgers to Purdue. And yet, she has, becoming one of the conference’s premier bucket getters.
19.) Alexis Markowski, Nebraska — 12.8 PPG, 9.4 RPG, 0.9 APG
Markowski is still playing great basketball and is still hitting an unreal percentage from three (44.1 percent). If she can make a larger leap in conference play, Nebraska will be a real scary opponent to play.
20.) Chloe Moore-McNeil, Indiana — 9.9 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 5.1 APG
Moore-McNeil has been the do-it-all player for the Hoosiers that they were missing without Berger. She’s an excellent defender, extremely efficient as a scorer, but has stepped up mightily as a playmaker most of all.
21.) Jeanae Terry, Purdue — 7.1 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 7.5 APG
Sorry, did I say do-it-all player? Terry absolutely is that for Purdue, and is doing it with just 2.4 turnovers per game. Add a career-high shooting percentage (47.3 percent) to it, and Terry has been exactly what the Boilermakers have needed all year.
22.) Shyanne Sellers, Maryland — 14.6 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 2.6 APG
Sellers has made a great jump in her sophomore season, and has been a key contributor for another very good Maryland team.
23.) Cotie McMahon, Ohio State — 12.4 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 2.1 APG
To use the overused phrase, Cotie McMahon has that Dawg in her. She plays with a certain tenacity and skill that is extremely rare from a freshman player. The more time she gets, the more it seems clear that she is a special, special talent.
24.) Leilani Kapinus, Penn State — 11.6 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 2.9 APG
Kapinus is hitting nearly half of her shots as a great complimentary scorer, but has thrived on defense, where she is among the nations best at steals (3.2 per game).
25.) Kamaria McDaniel, Michigan State — 14.8 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 3.1 APG
Michigan State has an extremely deep roster, but McDaniel has stood out for her high-volume scoring, something she was dominant at two years ago with the Nittany Lions.
26.) Kendall Bostic, Illinois — 8.8 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 1.3 APG
Bostic ranks 10th in the Big Ten in win shares because she is the conference’s best rebounder and takes smart shots without forcing them up. But she’s also become one of the best interior defenders, averaging nearly two blocks per contest.
27.) Mara Braun, Minnesota — 17.5 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 2.9 APG
Minnesota has (correctly) given Braun the green light, and the true freshman has delivered with some impressive first-year numbers. The efficiency has not been ideal (39.1 percent), but Braun’s potential makes the misses easily worth it.
28.) Abby Meyers, Maryland — 14.3 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 2.4 APG
Meyers has been as promised for the Terps. She’s a great shooter from everywhere on the court, and brings valuable experience to a roster that was Frankensteined together in the offseason.
29.) Rebeka Mikulasikova, Ohio State — 14.3 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 1.9 APG
I really thought the Buckeyes would need a new center to get where they wanted to go, but Mikulasikova has continued to prove me wrong. She’s a terrific scorer who has continued to develop well during her four years in Columbus.
30.) Matilda Ekh, Michigan State — 12.0 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 1.8 APG
Ekh is still a three-point specialist (42.5 3PT%), but it has fit well on a Spartans roster so overwhelmed with scoring options.
31.) Isabelle Bourne, Nebraska — 11.6 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 1.3 APG
Bourne has again played well for the Huskers this season, even without taking the jump I was hoping to see. Her rebounding improvement has also been a nice plus after it dipped last season.
32.) Yarden Garzon, Indiana — 12.3 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 3.9 APG
I most certainly did not expect Indiana to start a true freshman, but Garzon has displayed all the talent to make it clear why she earned the spot. To have 47.1/50.0/85.7 shooting splits, with this level of production, in her first year, is remarkable.
33.) Gabby Elliott, Michigan State — 9.5 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 1.0 APG
Elliott was averaging less than 20 minutes per game, but was making a sizable impact with those minutes while shooting 53.6 percent from the field. Unfortunately, her season is over with an ACL injury, but the potential was clear when she was on the floor.
34.) Maty Wilke, Wisconsin — 13.2 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 2.1 APG
Wilke has been the bright spot in an otherwise disappointing start to Wisconsin’s season. The redshirt freshman has flashed plenty despite the record, and could be the blossoming star the Badgers need to get out of the Big Ten cellar.
35.) Abbey Ellis, Purdue — 10.8 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 1.0 APG
Purdue has a lot of talent, but Ellis’ move to coming off the bench has surprised me. She is still playing great basketball in more limited minutes though, and is even flirting with a 50/40/90 campaign (50.6/40.0/86.7).
36.) Sydney Wood, Northwestern — 10.9 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 2.8 PPG
Wood is Northwestern’s best player so far this season on both sides of the floor, as she is also averaging 2.5 steals per contest.
37.) Maddie Nolan, Michigan — 8.0 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 2.1 APG
Nolan’s three-point shooting has dipped from 40.5 percent to 31.2 percent, and has made less offensive impact as a result. However, she is still an extremely underrated defender (1.8 steals per game) who is a hot streak away from being a huge boost to the Wolverines.
38.) Allison Weidner, Nebraska — 10.2 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 2.4 APG
Weidner was stepping into her larger role well as a sophomore, but had her season cut short with a knee injury. With a full recovery, she could be on breakout watch for a huge 2023-24 campaign.
39.) Sara Scalia, Indiana — 10.7 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 1.7 APG
Scalia has started all 14 games for the Hoosiers, but is shooting just 31.6 percent from deep and has seen her numbers fall as a result. I expect a big conference play jump from her, especially if Berger returns to space the floor out.
40.) Shay Ciezki, Penn State — 10.2 PPG, 2.1 RPG, 2.8 APG
So far, it’s been Ciezki who has been the best complement to Marisa and Kapinus. The true freshman has had a strong start to her collegiate career, and could be the key to getting Penn State over the hump and into NCAA Tournament talks, either this year or in the near future.
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