SBNation’s take on the best players of the Atlantic Coast Conference, so far this season.
The ACC was not immune from expansion this season, joining the Big Ten in becoming a conference that now touches both the East and West Coasts. While it brings up questions, mainly surrounding its “Atlantic Coast Conference” name, it’s built up one of the most impressive group of programs in women’s college basketball.
These are the top 10 players in the new-look conference made of athletes all over Tobacco Road.
Can any of these stars lead the ACC to its first National Championship since the 2018 Notre Dame Fighting Irish, back before any of these players were in college?
Here are the top 10 players who are giving their teams a chance:
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10. Dani Carnegie | Georgia Tech
24-25 Stats: 15.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 42.1% 3PT FG
The first player on the list is on here not only because of current skill, but the ceiling-less growth ahead of her. Dani Carnegie’s impact is obvious on a surprise Georgia Tech side that was undefeated until an injury hit the freshman. Carnegie is 11th in Division I in freshmen scoring and second overall in made three-point shots per game (2.81).
Carnegie hasn’t started yet for head coach Nell Fortner, but averages 20.6 minutes per game. The shooter only gives up 1.8 turnovers per game, which is great for someone playing in their first year in a power conference like the ACC.
Look at the last two games, the first two losses of the season for the Yellow Jackets, and without Carnegie there’s a noticeable hole, and not just offensively. Carnegie is an aggressive defender, and has the third lowest defensive rating on the Yellow Jackets (82.1 percent), the lowest of any non-starter playing over 200 minutes on the season.
In the team’s first loss this season, Carnegie pulled up in the second half, holding her hamstring. Carnegie missed the rest of the double-overtime loss to the Virginia Tech Hokies and Sunday’s loss to the Louisville Cardinals, both sides unranked. Georgia Tech now travels to Indiana for their toughest game of the season to date, facing the No. 3 Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Thursday night.
Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images
9. Sonia Citron | Notre Dame
24-25 Stats: 13.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists
Notre Dame has no shortage of offensive stars to choose from, and Sonia Citron is one of those options.
Although the guard’s scoring is down with the return of Olivia Miles (more on her later), the 6-foot-1 Citron gives Notre Dame another rebounding option inside, fast hands on defense and three-level scoring.
Citron is a hybrid style guard who isn’t stuck behind the perimeter. The senior can go inside and take contact, or become an outlet for her All-American teammates. Defensively, the guard is grabbing a career high two steals per game, starting every game for the Fighting Irish.
Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images
8. Reigan Richardson | Duke
24-25 Stats: 11.6 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists
Playing for head coach Kara Lawson and a stout tough Duke Blue Devils defense doesn’t allow for anyone to jump out on offensive statistically, but don’t let numbers take away from the fact that senior guard Reigan Richardson is a star.
After not getting much playing time as a freshman at the University of Georgia, Richardson jumped to the ACC and is Lawson’s most consistent weapon for the Blue Devils.
Richardson is most effective inside the arc, using another gear to get to the basket. When teams anticipate it, Richardson finds open teammates and can connect even with defenders in her face.
In Richardson’s final season, the guard scored a career high 35 points in a weird game for the low-scoring Blue Devils, defeating the ranked Oklahoma Sooners 109-99. In the NCAA Tournament’s first and second rounds, Richardson stepped up to the moment, scoring 28 points with seven rebounds in a comeback win over the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images
7. Alyssa Ustby | North Carolina
24-25 Stats: 11.6 points, 9.1 rebounds, 3.4 assists
The next player is North Carolina Tar Heels guard Alyssa Ustby. Despite the position label of point guard, the 6-foot-1 graduate senior plays a hybrid role for UNC. Ustby can run the floor like a guard but also averages nearly a double-double.
That combination makes her difficult to guard, with some backcourt players being too small to take on Ustby one-on-one and bigs not quick enough to go up against the Tar Heel. There’s a reason head coach Courtney Banghart has started the guard every game she’s been available since partway through her freshman season. Ustby’s started 128 games for UNC, only missing five games in the 22-23 season due to injury.
Photo by Eakin Howard/Getty Images
6. Saniya Rivers | NC State
24-25 Stats: 12.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists
Guard Saniya Rivers is part of a dangerous duo at NC State. There’s not a lot that the senior guard out of Wilmington, North Carolina can’t do.
After winning a title with the South Carolina Gamecocks, in a bench role, Rivers moved north to the Wolfpack and has improved each season. It began with a Sixth Player of the Year award in her first season with NC State and then last year a spot on the All-ACC First Team and All-Defensive team.
Rivers brings pace and court vision on offense. If defenses take their time getting back, Rivers will throw a pass over her opponent’s heads. In the half court, Rivers isn’t a consistent deep threat but will take on pressure under the rim or pull up for a midrange shot.
The same pace follows Rivers on defense. With seemingly an endless motor, the guard plays with intensity but times her movements well. It’s led Rivers to 6.8 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game this season, both career highs.
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5. Liatu King | Notre Dame
24-25 Stats: 13.5 points, 11.3 rebounds, 2.3 steals
With offseason transfers like Reagan Beers moving Oklahoma and Kiki Iriafen choosing the USC Trojans, Liatu King’s move within the ACC didn’t have the same level of fanfare. However, it’s making for an impressive story this season.
Moving from a Pitt Panthers team that went 8-24 last season, its easy to question how a player’s game will transfer over to a top-10 team like the Fighting Irish, but King’s gotten better.
Scoring wise, the guard averages five less points per game, but with the team around King it’s not much lost for Notre Dame. King’s brought rebounding in the paint and superior one-on-one defense.
King averages at career high 11.8 rebounds per game and has the lowest defensive rating on the No. 3 team in the country. Even the dip offensively has a caveat — King’s shooting is the most efficient in the ACC at 59 percent. King’s addition has the South Bend side poised for a potential National Championship run.
Photo by Eakin Howard/Getty Images
4. Aziaha James | NC State
24-25 Stats: 16.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists
The second half of the pair of NC State standouts is senior guard Aziaha James.
James came on strong in her junior year, jumping up 10 points per game after upgrading from a bench player to everyday starter for head coach Wes Moore. The guard has a knack for big shots and can hit them from anywhere in the half court.
A four-year member of the Wolfpack program, James grew into a top conference player and is excelling in her final season. James leads the Wolfpack’s in scoring and deep shooting, averaging 2.1 made threes. The 5-foot-9 guard has also improved her ability to find space and pick up rebounds, grabbing a career high 5.2 per game.
NC State isn’t a team that will defeat opponents with size. No, they’re going to run, pass and score with James and Rivers leading the charge.
Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images
3. Ta’Niya Latson | Florida State
24-25 Stats: 26.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists
At No. 3 is Ta’Niya Larson, the Miami, Florida native who leads the country in scoring as a junior and is getting better.
As a freshman, Latson led the ACC in scoring with 21.3 points per game. The guard has started every game since arriving in Tallahassee, barring injury, and this year’s 26.8 points per game is the top in NCAA Division I basketball.
Latson is dangerous because she can hurt teams offensively from just about anywhere on the court. The guard will run at the basket and take contact or park outside the arc and hit long range shots. It’s difficult to stop Latson, who has one single-digit scoring game this season and that’s because she played only 11 minutes in a rout over Jacksonville.
This season, Latson is shooting a career high 49.2 percent and 43.4 percent from three-point range.
MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
2. Olivia Miles | Notre Dame
24-25 Stats: 16.6 points, 7.3 assists, 6.5 rebounds
Notre Dame desperately missed Olivia Miles last season. After returning from a season-ending ACL tear, Miles is playing the best basketball of her career on a stacked Fighting Irish roster.
Miles leads the ACC, and is fourth in the nation, in 7.3 assists, which is also her best season so far, to-date. The senior doesn’t only pass but hits shots at all three levels, averaging her best efficiency (53.9 percent) along with 2.3 more points per game while taking nearly two more threes per game on average. Even then, Miles is hitting a personal record 44.4 percent from beyond the arc, despite the large uptick.
The All-American also rebounds against some of the best in the conference. Miles has three triple-doubles this season, including one in her first game back after over a year. It’s hard to find anyone who will out-effort Miles, except maybe her teammate who is No. 1 on the list.
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1. Hannah Hidalgo | Notre Dame
24-25 Stats: 25.7 points, 4.1 steals, 6.0 rebounds
Last season, Hidalgo was the fifth freshman to ever be named a First Team All-American and this season she’s improved across the board with the return of Miles and addition of King.
Hidalgo’s assists are down, naturally with Miles’ return, but scoring-wise Hidalgo has more room to shoot, and she doesn’t need much. The sophomore is second in the nation in scoring, behind Latson, and gets those points from anywhere. In one game, it’ll be from beyond the arc, throwing up heat checks under defensive pressure and still hitting at 45.8 percent, the highest in the ACC. In another, Hidalgo will leverage her shorter stature, speed and agility to cut through the defense inside.
Defensively, Hidalgo is relentlessly poking the ball away or single-handedly changing possession on her own. Hidalgo grabbed 160 steals last season, leading the nation, and is still fourth this season with Miles’ return, with 4.1 per game, a half a steal less than last season.
