When it is time for kids to head off to college, there is a distinct push and pull as it relates to independence. The soon-to-be on their own want complete control and think they know everything while parents are trying to give their children the space they want. The hardest part is letting go and being confident in the fact that you have done all you can to set the young and fearless up for success. And given them all the tips you know for a success at the laundromat.
College freshmen are the wide-eyed ones walking on campus looking for the right building, trying to keep track of how many trips to the dining center are on the meal plan and hoping dad secretly put money on their Starbucks app over the weekend. Some will navigate a flat tire, a roommate will bomb the first econ exam and their neighbor across the hall will regret a bad first date on Friday night. There is always the inevitable call that every parent waits for because it means they still need you – was it a joke when you said reds will not mix with whites in the washing machine?
Being a Division I student-athlete means you take all those kinds of experiences, add on hundreds of hours and pressures and turn the spin cycle to high. We hold a special place in our hearts for freshmen college basketball players here at The Weekly Fast Break because we know that each one has a different experience. No matter the confidence that oozes from them or how many rankings are behind their name, the first year is incredibly hard. There are tears because you could not make a shot in practice and your legs hurt so bad you cannot make it to your room. The voice inside your head has you wondering if you can this. How will I come back from this injury? Will I ever get any playing time? Every freshman season, no matter the sport, is about survival. You learn that you are so much tougher than you think and are ready to meet the pressures head on.
This week, with the help of our amazing colleagues at The IX Basketball, we shine our star power spotlight on a group of players who are proving that being a freshman means you can make an impact in your own way. Some of these young women will be honored with awards, while others are stepping up and doing what their coaches have asked of them this season.
There are hundreds of other freshmen across the country we have not included, but know it is not on purpose or with any disregard for your talents. We see all of you and your effort, determination, and the impact you are making on your team and program. Tennis legend Billie Jean King once said, “pressure is a privilege – it only comes to those that earn it.” Your hard work and understanding of what your role is mean you have earned the right to be in this pressure cooker we call college basketball.
We also want to remind all the freshies out there of one very important thing – the best part about being a freshman is that after this season, you are not one anymore.
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STAR POWER SPOTLIGHT
(all statistics noted are as of 2/24/26):
Aaliyah Chavez, Oklahoma: Big expectations come with being the 2025 Naismith High School Player of the Year and that also means big goals for your new team. Chavez brought her electric game of speed and scoring to Oklahoma and it has been a natural fit in Norman. The 5’10 guard is the top scorer for the Sooners and leads all freshmen in the loaded SEC at 18.5 points per game. She is playing over 31 minutes per game, is the team’s top three-point shooter and has dished out over 110 assists so far this season. Getting Chavez to OU was a major recruiting win for head coach Jennie Baranczyk and the Lubbock, Texas, native has delivered. She brings an intensity to the floor that is unmatched and with the ball in her hands, the fast-paced Sooners’ offense has been even more efficient, including a league-leading 20 assists per game. You will also want to think twice about fouling the young Sooner star – she has ice in her veins at 93% from the free-throw line this season.
Jaliya Davis, Kansas: Not very often can a freshman miss most of the non-conference with an injury and be instant impact when they return in conference play. That is exactly what has happened in Lawrence, Kan., and every Big 12 team has been at a loss to stop this versatile talent. Davis, whose Overland Park, Kan., home is just 40 minutes from the KU campus, was the highest-ranked recruit ever signed by the Jayhawks and is just the third McDonald’s high school All-American in program history. The 6’2 forward has scored in double figures every game she has appeared in this season and is tied as the highest scoring freshman in the country at 21.3 points per game. Her efficiency is off the charts, shooting over 63% from the field in conference play, which leads the Big 12. Her production this year has all come inside the three-point line – she has not attempted a three this season. Davis is a matchup problem for every team with a deadly mid-range jumper and the ability to finish at the rim, both off the bounce and on the offensive glass. She has won a record eight consecutive Big 12 Freshman of the Week awards, and if you are a betting person, is the leader in the clubhouse to capture Freshman of the Year.
Jazzy Davidson, USC: Elite players at a school are a great recruiting tool to bring other top talent to the program. When Davidson, the No. 1 player in the Class of 2025 (per ESPN.com), signed at USC, it was all set to have her side-by-side to dominate with JuJu Watkins. While that plan has been put on hold for a year, the 6’1 guard has done her fair share of dominating this season for the Trojans. The Oregon native leads USC and all freshmen in the Big Ten in scoring at 18 points per game as well as minutes per game (34.5). Davidson is also the top rebounder on the team and leads them in assists, steals and blocks. You could say she has filled Watkins’ shoes and then some and others have absolutely noticed. Davidson has been named Big Ten Freshman of the Week seven times, including the last four consecutive weeks. This may not have been the first-year script everyone in LA was expecting for the freshman, but Davidson is writing her own blockbuster in 2026.
Aubrey Galvan, Vanderbilt: The Commodores had the SEC Freshman of the Year a season ago in Mikayla Blakes and could very easily be looking at that award staying in Music City in 2026. Galvan, a native of Deerfield, Ill., seems to be the one piece that the ‘Dores were needing this season – a quarterback to run the show. The 5’6 point guard has started all but one game and is logging over 34 minutes per game. She is second on the team in scoring at 12.8 points per game and is averaging 5.9 assists per outing, which is tops amongst SEC freshmen and top five in the league overall. Galvan has delivered when needed, both with clutch passes and clutch shots, most recently with the game-winning jumper under 10 seconds left to seal the 81-79 win over Kentucky on Feb. 22. She has been named SEC Freshman of the Week four times so far this year. Vandy head coach Shea Ralph is campaigning hard for her young guard to be freshman of the year in a league stacked with fantastic freshies. Galvan is proving every game why she will get a lot of votes for that award.
Olivia Hamlin, BYU: Coaches often say that guards are the key to winning games. At BYU, the talent pool in the backcourt is a big reason the Cougars are closing in on 20 victories this season. Hamlin arrived in Provo from Santa Clara, Utah, after becoming just the second player in Utah high school girls’ basketball history to score over 2,500 points. The 5’10 guard has made her presence known for BYU from the jump, averaging just over 28 minutes per game and is second on the team in scoring (12.5 points per game). She has started just nine games but leads the Cougars in steals on the season and all Big 12 freshmen with 51. She poured in a career-high 23 points in the win over Iowa State on Feb. 10 and has been named Big 12 Freshman of the Week twice this season.
Madison Francis, Mississippi State: Early-season games are when young players prove themselves to coaches. After not starting the first four contests this year, Francis made the case that head coach Sam Purcell could not leave her out of the starting lineup. The forward from New York leads the Bulldogs in scoring (13.2 per game) and minutes played (29.4 per game). She is pulling down 7.4 boards per game, which is second amongst all conference freshmen, as is her scoring average. At 6’2, Francis is the top shot blocker in the SEC with 78 to date and very likely will find herself in the mix for national defensive awards in the upcoming weeks. She has earned her minutes in Starkville and everyone in the SEC is on high alert.
Lauren Whittaker, Gonzaga: Size, skill and physicality – all things a coach would love to have in a post player that can dominate inside and out. Gonzaga head coach Lisa Fortier hit the skill parlay with Whittaker, and it is paying off for the Bulldogs. The 6’3 redshirt freshman has been a force – she is one of just a handful of freshmen nationally that is averaging a double-double on the year (19 points and 10.7 boards). Her 19 points per game lead Gonzaga, the West Coast Conference (WCC), and is third-best among all freshmen in the country. The New Zealand native has great hands and can finish at the rim, shooting over 55% from the field. She will also make you pay for putting her at the free-throw line, knocking down 82% of her attempts from the charity stripe. Whittaker has turned heads not only in the WCC but nationally as she was recently named a semifinalist for the Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Award. She is only the second freshman to ever be named a semifinalist for this award, joining Meghan Anderson of Fairfield in 2024. The Bulldogs are 21-8 on the year and tied for the top spot in the WCC at 13-3. Whittaker and company are barking at the NCAA Tournament door.
Jasmine Nivar, Campbell: There is more than likely not a night off from basketball in the Nivar house this season with two sisters playing at the Division I level. If the family group chat is looking at statistical bragging rights, Jasmine has it over her older sister Indya, a senior guard at North Carolina, by a buzzer-beater. The 5’10 freshman has started every game for Campbell, averaging a team high 11.6 points per game, which is top 20 in the Coast Athletic Association (CAA). The Apex, N.C., native is hauling in 4.6 rebounds per game and leads the Fighting Camels in steals. She has been named CAA Freshman of the Week six times this season and has helped her team to a 10-4 record in conference play.
Vanessa Harris, Rhode Island: Building a team that can compete for championships in March means you need role players who follow a simple mantra – do your job. Harris has not started a single game for head coach Tammi Reese but has been a key part of the Rams’ success this season. The 5’10 guard from Glenarden, Md., is logging over 22 minutes per game and is third on the team in scoring at 10.8 points per game. She can create off the bounce and shoot the three, which has been a big spark off the bench for the Atlantic 10’s top team. Harris has been named A-10 Rookie of the Week twice this season. Rhode Island is 15-1 in conference play and sitting just outside the AP Top 25 rankings. Harris and the Rams are looking for A-10 hardware and more in March.
Olivia Jones, Harvard: It is never easy to break into the lineup when there is a contingent of returners ahead of you, but if you put your head down and get to work, your role becomes defined. Jones has started nine contests this season and played 26 minutes per game for The Crimson with some of the most consistent stat sheet numbers anywhere. The 5’10 guard from Harrisburg, Pa., is the second leading rebounder at 6.1 boards per game and is second in total assists, averaging 3.1 per game. Her efforts on the floor have not only gotten the attention of Harvard head coach Carrie Moore, but of the rest of the Ivy League as well. Jones has been named the league’s Rookie of the Week seven times this season, which is the most weekly honors by any player this season. Harvard is 8-3 in Ivy play and positioned to be one of the top four seeds to advance to the league’s postseason tournament. If The Crimson are to win it and grab the NCAA automatic bid, Jones will be a key piece of their success.
Uche Izoje, Syracuse: Rim protection and offensive production is a combination that any coach would love to have at center in their lineup. Izoje has given Syracuse that and more in her first year with the Orange. The 6’3 native of Nigeria has started every game and produced 11 double-doubles this season. She has scored in double figures 22 times so far this season, which is the third-most amongst Power 4 freshmen. Izoje is averaging just shy of a double-double on the season (14.7 points and 9.2 rebounds per game) and is one of the most efficient players in the ACC, ranking third overall at 55.6% from the floor. She is also the top shot blocker in the ACC, averaging 2.6 per contest. Her consistent performances in year one have earned her seven ACC Rookie of the Week awards. Syracuse is 21-6 and poised for an NCAA Tournament bid in March, which will let everyone else in the country see how impressive this freshman has been all season.
Cearah Parchment, Illinois: Experience is one of those intangibles that coaches and pundits talk about with players. If a freshman can pair talent and skills with experience, it is a recipe for success right out of the gate. Parchment arrived in Champaign, Ill., as a four-star recruit out of Canada (Ontario to be exact), having starred in the FIBA U16 and U17 tournaments for Team Canada. Now her talents are on display for the Illini, where she is averaging the second-highest amongst Big Ten freshmen at 13.6 points per game. She is her team’s top rebounder at 8.6 boards per game, which leads all freshmen in the conference, and she is the team leader in steals and blocks. Versatility is the name of the game for Parchment, who can beat you with a mid-range game, her back to the basket and from deep (45% from three on the season). She has logged a Big Ten-leading 11 double-doubles on the year and continues to be recognized for her performances on the floor. The 6’3 forward has now notched four Big Ten Freshman of the Week accolades this season, which matches the program record held by Karisma Penn during the 2009-10 campaign.
TIP-OFF
Bruin bash in the Big Ten: The exit ramp of the transfer portal was not overly kind to Cori Close and No. 2 UCLA last spring, but the head coach of the Bruins was never in rebuild mode, but reloading along the on ramp. The Bruins are 27-1 overall and have not lost a game since Nov. 25, 2025. After their 80-60 win over Big Ten foe Wisconsin on Feb. 22, UCLA captured the program’s first outright conference championship. Their only other regular-season hardware came to Westwood in 1999, when they shared the Pac-12 title with Oregon. It was a celebration for Close and an uber-talented group of six seniors who celebrated their senior night in Pauley Pavilion. Guards Kiki Rice and Gabriella Jaquez are the only two of the six who have played their entire careers at UCLA, a rarity in today’s world of college athletics.
Close has a team that is as good as any in the country, especially with the likes of center Lauren Betts in the middle and a loaded perimeter with Rice, Jaquez and Utah transfer Gianna Kneepkens punishing opponents night in and night out. Seven teams in the Big Ten are ranked in this week’s AP Poll, led by UCLA, which has one regular-season game remaining at its crosstown rival, USC on March 1. The Bruins will then ride their conference title as the top seed into the Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis with their sights set on a return to the Final Four. Mindset is critical in March, and the Bruins are poised for more championship-level results.
2,000 miles to go: Heads turned when All-American guard Olivia Miles entered the transfer portal last spring, ending her time at Notre Dame. The dynamic playmaker became the most sought-after player on the market and, in a matter of a few short weeks, landed at TCU. The 5’10 graduate student has the Horned Frogs right back at the mix for a second consecutive Big 12 regular season title, all the while putting up monster numbers. She has five triple-doubles this season (11 in her career), the latest coming in the Feb. 22 come-from-behind win over Iowa State, 80-73. She had 18 of her game-high 26 points in the final 10 minutes to go with 10 points and 10 assists. She also surpassed the 2,000-career point mark in the game and became only the fourth player in NCAA history to record at least 2,000 points, 800 assists and 700 rebounds.
Miles is tied with Baylor’s Brittney Griner and K-State’s Shalee Lehning for the most career triple-doubles by a Big 12 player and is tied with Caitlin Clark for the third-most triple-doubles in a season in NCAA history. The star-loaded Big 12 now has two active 2,000 career scorers – Miles and Audi Crooks of Iowa State. Crooks, the 6’3 junior center for the Cyclones, reached that milestone in just 89 career games, which is the fastest in Big 12 history.
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Poll watch: The top five spots in this week’s AP Top 25 poll remain unchanged with UConn, now riding a 45-game winning streak, in the No. 1 spot. A handful of teams jumped up this week, including No. 7 Oklahoma and No. 9 Iowa, both up four places. The Hawkeyes dispatched of now No. 8 Michigan on Feb. 22 to give their resume a quality Top 10 win. Michigan State moves up three spots to No. 15 and West Virginia slides up two to No. 17 after the Mountaineers annihilated Oklahoma State 72-40 on Feb. 21. Duke drops three places to No. 12 after their 17-game winning streak was snapped by Clemson on Feb. 22 (53-51) and Tennessee drops out of the Top 25 after having now lost seven of their last nine games. Five mid-majors received votes in this week’s poll, including North Dakota State, which is currently ranked No. 1 in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 list. The Bison have won 23 games in a row, the second-longest winning streak in the nation behind the reigning national champs.
FULL COURT PRESS
While we spotlight impact freshmen this week, we also want to recognize all the seniors across the nation who have already and will play their final games at home in the upcoming days. The regular season is ending soon, and the postseason will be upon us. While we celebrate conference championships, let us remember all the blood, sweat, and tears every senior has given to their team and program. And not just those that represent their school on the front of the jersey. We cannot forget the managers, office assistants, student trainers and even the senior pep band members who will play their beloved fight song for the last time at home. Each of you has forged a path for those that come after you at your institution – be proud of what you have accomplished (check your local listings and broadcast schedule for times):
Feb. 25
R/V Rhode Island at Richmond
Northwestern at No. 14 Maryland
Miami (OH) at Eastern Michigan
Oregon at Purdue
R/V USC at Penn State
No. 20 Texas Tech at Kansas
No. 8 Michigan at No. 13 Ohio State
South Dakota State at R/V North Dakota State
San Diego State at Boise State
Feb. 26
R/V Tennessee at No. 6 LSU
No. 10 Louisville at Georgia Tech
Eastern Illinois at Lindenwood
No. 21 UNC at R/V Virginia
Indiana State at Murray State
No. 24 Alabama at No. 5 Vanderbilt
Florida International at Missouri State
Idaho at Northern Arizona
UC Davis at Hawaii
Feb. 27
William & Mary at Charleston
Troy at South Alabama
Towson at Campbell
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Feb. 28
UMass at Western Michigan
Ohio at Ball State
UIC at Northern Iowa
Tulsa at Rice
No. 14 Maryland at No. 8 Michigan
North Dakota at R/V North Dakota State
Colorado at BYU
Indiana State at Belmont
No. 25 Princeton at Harvard
South Dakota at South Dakota State
Sacred Heart at Fairfield
March 1
No. 4 Texas at No. 24 Alabama
R/V Washington at Oregon
No. 12 Duke at No. 21 UNC
Virginia Tech at R/V Virginia
No. 3 South Carolina at No. 16 Kentucky
R/V Iowa State at K-State
R/V NC State at Pittsburgh
No. 2 UCLA at R/V USC
No. 18 Baylor at No. 11 TCU
March 2
Eastern Washington at Idaho
Northern Arizona at Montana State
Southern Illinois at Belmont
Stephen F. Austin at McNeese
March 3
San Diego State at Air Force
Rice at Charlotte
Southern at Alabama State
Temple at South Florida
*All statistics cited in this column are sourced from university and conference-provided statistics