The Guru Report: Historic Season Opening Night Sees No. 1 LSU Fall to No. 20 Colorado; No. 21 Southern Cal Best No. 7 Ohio State; No. 6 South Carolina Storm No. 10 Notre Dame and Temple Blitz Delaware State

Guru’s note: Parts of this roundup were built on wire service, email, and school website reports.

 

By Mel Greenberg, @womhoopsguru

 

PHILADELPHIA — History was the operative word Monday from noon to late night and maybe the best ever collective season opening date in the sport picking up right where 2022-23 closed out.

 

The national shocker of a bunch of stunners came near the end of the day’s slate in T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas in the Hall of Fame series where No. 20 Colorado whacked No. 1 and defending champion LSU 92-78. 

 

It’s just the second time ever and first since the start of 1995-96 that the Associated Press No. 1 team fell off its high perch at the outset.

 

The other — Connecticut, which had just previously won its first of a record 11 NCAA titles.

 

There’s a bit of irony in that because LSU’s defeat left the No. 2 Huskies, who open Wednesday hosting Dayton and then visit NC State Sunday, in position to move up a spot and replace the Tigers on a day they will set the all-time consecutive AP appearance record at 566 straight weeks that began at the outset of 1993-94 at No. 19.

 

That’s the lowest ranking they’ve held in a streak of 30 complete seasons plus the two weeks of the newly one.

 

UConn moved into a streak tie in the preseason vote with Tennessee, who set the mark under the late and legendary Pat Summitt and Holy Warlick before it ended several years ago.

 

Geno Auriemma, who also has chance to close the six-win gap with Stanford’s Tara VanDerveer for the most victories in women’s basketball, already has the singular guidance record as a coach.

 

Both passed Summitt in recent seasons after she had stepped down in her battle with dementia, which later claimed her life.

 

After the events of Monday were known, Michigan associate men’s coach and former Saint Joseph’s coach Phil Martelli texted of his longtime friend, “Who could have known all those years ago that a perfect bond had been formed by (athletic director) Lew Perkins when he hired Geno who would become the greatest to ever work a sideline in women’s college basketball and the creator of the greatest women’s program in history!!

 

“The best part of Geno’s story is that there are still guys in Norristown who wonder when he is `coming home’ so they can bust his chops!”

 

It’s the second time recently that Colorado has felled a No. 1 team being one of the few to do it from an unranked position when the Lady Buffs took down PAC-12 rival Stanford.

 

With PAC-12 teams heading next summer in realignment to the Big Ten, Big 12, and Atlantic Coast Conferences, there’s been talk of the power-packed group going out with a bang but on Monday the league lit an explosion to the start of the season.

 

Hours earlier in the same event in Sin City, before Colorado stole its PAC-12 rival’s thunder, No. 21 Southern Cal shocked future Big Ten rival Ohio State, upsetting the No. 7 Buckeyes 83-74 as true freshman JuJu Watkins, the nation’s top recruit, broke the USC rookie record for a debut with 32 points.

 

The previous mark of 30 was set by Lisa Leslie in a game that was in the Trojans’ last season-opening upset of a ranked opponent, beating then No. 7 Texas.

 

Playing alongside Watkins in the backcourt Monday was former Penn standout Kayla Padilla, returning to her hometown to play her graduate season, the last of the extra year set by the NCAA after the Covid pandemic.

 

“My role here is different than it was at Penn, but I’m enjoying it,” Padilla told the Guru in a call Monday night. “It’s great to be here and play on an exciting team and pull upsets against teams like Ohio State, which has a great defense.”

 

At the time of the call, it was noted that Ivy co-champion Columbia had been upset at CAA contender Stony Brook and that Princeton was in a struggle with Duquesne, though the Tigers eventually won, while Harvard got handled at No. 14 Maryland 98-75.

 

“Oh yes, we’re aware,” Padilla said. “The Ivy players here (there are two others) are tracking the league all season.”

 

Penn’s opener is Saturday at The Palestra against Marist.

 

Padilla had eight points, junior Rayah Marshall had her 21^st double-double with 18 points and 17 rebounds.

 

All 11 Pac-12 teams playing Monday won their openers.

 

“It has been good opening day so far,” noted the league’s Lisa Petersen, who chairs the NCAA tournament committee.

 

No. 4 UCLA ripped future Big Ten rival Purdue 92-49 at home in Pauley Pavilion as Stanford transfer Lauren Betts had a career-high 20 points, shooting 9-for-11 from the field, while Londynn Jones had a personal best six downed from beyond the arc.

 

Five players, including grad student Chraisma Osborne (11 points) who stayed an extra season, scored in double figures, an occurrence that only happened twice last season.  

 

Much earlier Monday, over in Paris, France, at the Aflac Oui-Play event, the first NCAA regular season women’s game ever in the City of Lights, South Carolina coach Dawn Staley’s sixth-ranked squad had an answer to the ESPN headline over a preview: wondering after graduating seven seniors whether the Gamecocks could still be dominant.

 

Rather than storming the Bastille, South Carolina stormed No. 10 Notre Dame 100-71.

 

Kamilla Cardoso had 20 points for the winners, 15 rebounds, and 4 blocks, while freshman MiLaysia Fulwiley had 17 points.

 

“It was really a blank canvas,” said Staley, whose former star Aliyah Boston went No. 1 in the WNBA draft to Indiana and became rookie of the year. “But the chemistry that they’re building is very special.”

 

Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo, fifth ranked recruit by ESPN.com, scored 31 points. Oliva Miles for the Irish is still rehabbing from a knee injury late last season.

 

The Locals: Temple Rewrites History Heading a Five-Team Sweep

In baseball on a team loaded with offensive power, the phrase “Everybody hits” is often uttered.

 

Here at Temple, second-year coach Diane Richardson’s scoring design in women’s hoops is labelled “equal opportunity offense.”

 

On Monday night, in the Liacouras Center, where a year ago with a limited roster of eight players the Owls might have struggled against Delaware State, Richardson’s group went full blitzkrieg in a 109-43 victory.

 

“It was just the first game, stay with us all season,” the Temple coach said afterwards.

 

The Owls will meet a next higher type opponent when Georgetown of the Big East visits Thursday at 7 p.m.

 

Earlier in the day it was announced former Princeton great Bella Alaria had joined the Hoyas as a grad assistant.

 

A long list of notable achievements in Temple’s Monday win, included the program’s largest first quarter differential since the NCAA format switched from 20 minute halves in 2015-16, and the 109 points were the most since scoring 116 against La Salle on Jan. 7, 1983.

 

Eight Temple players scored in double figures, another program best, led by Ines Piper with 15 points and 11 rebounds for her second career double double.

 

The 66-point differential is another program best, topping the 50 set in the aforementioned win over  the Explorers.

 

The last 30 points in the first quarter came against Charleston in November 2017, and with 52 points in the second half, it’s the first 50-point half since dropping 54 on Marist in December 2017.

 

The 109 points is second best in program history behind the 116 against the Explorers.

 

Behind Piper, Jaleesa Molina scored 16, Tiarra East scored 12, Demi Washington and Tarriyona Gary scored 11, while Kendall Currence, one of the newcomers; Rayne Tucker, and veteran Aleah Nelson each scored 10.

 

“I knew we would be good a month into practice,” Nelson observed to which Richardson amended, “when my staff went out and found the players to fill our holes.”

 

Elsewhere, La Salle overcame 32 turnovers to win at Coppin State 73-68 in Baltimore.

 

It was a night for newcomer Explorers, freshman Aryss Macktoon scoring 17, and Nicole Melious scoring 16, powered by a 3-for-3 effort on 3-point attempts. Molly Masciantonio dealt four assists.

 

The Explorers next play Maine, an America East contender, in Thursday’s home opener at 4:30 p.m.

 

Up at Rutgers in Piscsataway, N.J., the Scarlet Knights topped nearby state rival Monmouth 56-51 at home in Jersey Mike’s Arena as Destiny Adams had her first career double-double with 13 points and a personal best 17 rebounds.

 

Texas A&M transfer Mya Petticord had 17 points, a game-high and career mark, while also grabbing six rebounds.

 

Of the newcomers, second-year coach Coquese Washington said, “They’re great additions. We certainly have leadership with Mya at the point and Destiny, she’s a a matchup nightmare.”

 

Chyna Cornwell had 10 points and 10 rebounds.

 

Having dispensed of the CAA tournament champs, Rutgers next hosts one of the Northeast Conference contenders in Wagner Wednesday at 7 and then on Sunday Auburn visits at 5 p.m., which airs on the B1G Network.

 

A short ride south of Rutgers Monday in Central Jersey, defending Ivy tournament champion Princeton at home in Jadwin Gym struggled before topping one of the Atlantic 10 contenders in Duquesne 65-57.

 

Madison Rose had a career high 26 points as the Tigers put a defensive stand in the fourth quarter limiting the Dukes to five points and two made shots.

 

Princeton, who is playing a rugged non-conference schedule, trailed by 10 early in the game.

 

Kaitlyn Chen had 15 points and a personal best dealing seven assists. Ellie Mitchell had 15 rebounds and blocked three shots.

 

Duquesne’s Amaya Hamilton had 18 points.

 

The Tigers next visits Conference USA pick Middle Tennessee Sunday at 2 p.m. in the East.

 

Lehigh completed the local sweep of competition on the night beating visiting East Stroudsburg 78-42 in Stabler Arena at home in Bethlehem.

 

The Mountain Hawks did struggle early.

 

The winners got 17 points from Remi Sisselman while Ella Stemmer scored 11 as did newcomer Jessie Ozzauto.

 

Lehigh visits Stonehill of the Northeast Conference at 2 p.m. Saturday in Easton, Mass.

 

Tuesday night’s local slate has two playing each other as Atlantic 10 second pick Saint Joseph’s hosts Rider in Hagan Arena on Hawk Hill at 7 p.m.

 

Penn State hosts Bucknell at 6 p.m. in the Bryce Jordan Center in State College and Lafayette visits Syracuse in upstate New York.

 

On Wednesday Drexel hosts Norfolk State at 6 p.m. in the Daskalakis Athletic Center while pre-game activities will see recently graduated Keishana Washington having her number retired joining Gabriela Marginean and Barb Yost so honored.

 

More National Talk

 

In Colorado’s win over LSU, coach JR Payne said she had no qualms playing the defending champs, a meeting a bunch of teams sought said no thanks.

 

“It was everything we wanted. We wanted a challenge and we wanted to take our team into the national spotlight so that I can show the world how great they are.

 

“I’m really proud of how we played, proud of how we competed and it’s a great start to the year.”

 

Frida Formann, fueled by seven treys, had a career-best 27 points, with five rebounds, five assists and a pair of steals. Aaronette Vonleh, another vet from last season’s Sweet 16 group, had had 25 points, shooting 11-for-15 from the field, and Jaylyn Sherrod scored 19 with eight rebounds, six assists and three steals.

 

“They’re great teammates, they’re great students, they compete, they’re totally fearless. So for me, I want the world to know and we did that today.”

 

On the other side of the fence, LSU coach Kim Mulkey, whose title was her fourth adding to three at Baylor, reacted, saying of the loss, “You can live with poor shooting. You can live with just a tough night offensively. 

 

“What I don’t live with is just guts and fight and physical play and you got that dog in you . I just didn’t think we had that tonight. This is not going to devastate us. The sky is not falling.”

 

True freshman Mikaylah Williams had 17 points off 50 percent shooting from the field, while freshman reserve Sa’Myah Smith had 16 points.

 

Championship MOP Angel Reese scored 15 with 12 rebounds, while Louisville transfer Hailey Van Lith had three 3-pointers on the way to 14 points.

 

“I thought (Colorado) shot the ball good from three,” Mulkey said. “I thought they just were poised, polished. I thought they were hungry.”

 

In Maryland’s win over Harvard at home in the XFinity Center, Shaynne Sellers scored 25 points.

 

No. 3 Iowa had the largest crowd for a home opener at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, 14, 988, as coach Lisa Bluder’s squad ruined Stephanie Gaitley’s debut return to Division I coaching with a 102-46 win over Fairleigh Dickinson.

 

Reigning player of the year Caitlin Clark scored 28 points, Hannah Stuelke scored 22, and Hannah Goodman scored 19.

 

At third Iowa has a shot to be jumped over UConn in Monday’s poll if the Hawkeyes were to top No. 8 Virginia Tech, another Final Four participant who is favored to repeat as ACC champion, when the two meet Thursday night in the Ally Tipoff in Charlotte, N.C. On ESPN2 at 8 p.m.

 

The Hokies opened with a 94-55 win over High Point, the Big South favorite as ACC player of the year Elizabeth Kitley had 27 points and 11 rebounds.

 

Joining the history theme, Monday night, in TCU’s 76-56 rout of Oral Roberts at home in Fort Worth, Texas, transfer Madison Conner set a program debut record with 30 points, besides grabbing 11rebounds, and dealing four assists.

 

Oregon transfer Sedona Prince had 15 points and 10 rebounds.

 

Boston College at home edged Patriot League favorite Holy Cross 66-61, while Quinnipiac of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference won comfortably at home 70-57 over America East contender Maine.

 

And that’s the report.