This Week’s Breakout Forces in NCAA Women’s Hoops
Every week in NCAA women’s basketball, a few names cut through the noise, and this time it’s a quartet restructuring their programs in real time: Arizona’s Mickayla Perdue, Ohio State’s Jaloni Cambridge, Chattanooga’s Gianna Corbitt, and Morehead State’s Kate ‘Katie’ Dike. Perdue, a transfer sniper who once torched the Horizon League at Cleveland State, has brought instant offense to the Wildcats’ backcourt, averaging about 16.0 points on 44.8 percent shooting this season while stretching the floor from deep. Cambridge, the electric sophomore guard from Nashville, is putting up star numbers for Ohio State at roughly 20.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game on a blistering 52 percent from the field. Their scoring punch sets the tone for two offenses that want to play downhill and force defenses into tough decisions on every possession.
Backcourt Engines: Perdue and Cambridge
Perdue’s path to Tucson runs through Springfield, Ohio, and a breakout run at Cleveland State, where she led the Horizon League in scoring and three-pointers before heading west. At Arizona, she’s become the primary bucket-getter, a senior guard who can manufacture points off the bounce or space the floor as a catch-and-shoot threat, giving the Wildcats a go-to closer late in games. Her 16-point average and efficient shooting have helped Arizona stay in shootouts and close out tight fourth quarters, especially when defenses load up on the paint. Cambridge’s impact in Columbus is just as dramatic but in a different package: she’s the tempo-setter. The five-foot-seven guard, already a Big Ten Freshman of the Year and All-Big Ten performer, is now pairing that hardware with a near 20-point scoring clip, elite rim pressure, and backcourt rebounding that fuels the Buckeyes’ transition game.
Frontcourt Force: Gianna Corbitt and The Mocs Makeover
While guards often get the headlines, Gianna Corbitt is quietly becoming the heartbeat of Chattanooga’s frontcourt. The six-foot-one forward from Oakland Park, Florida, has grown from promising freshman to centerpiece, averaging roughly 13.1 points and 6.1 rebounds this season on a hyper-efficient 52.5 percent from the field. Her blend of strength and touch mirrors the classic Southern Conference star: she can score with her back to the basket, face up and attack, or operate as a short-roll playmaker. A recent SoCon Player of the Week nod, built on an 18.0 points-per-game burst while shooting over 75 percent in a three-game stretch, highlighted how quickly she can tip a matchup. For the Mocs, Corbitt isn’t just a stat line; she’s the matchup problem that forces opponents to double and opens clean looks for shooters.
International Edge: Crafting a Two-Way Blueprint with Kate Dike
Morehead State’s Kate Dike brings an international flair to this group, a six-foot-three guard/forward from Kyiv, Ukraine, who cut her teeth with multiple Ukrainian youth national teams before landing in the OVC. After a solid first collegiate year, she’s stepped forward as a reliable all-around piece, posting around 8.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game on roughly 42 percent shooting. Dike’s value goes beyond tight numbers: she can switch across positions defensively, rebound above her size on the perimeter, and serve as a pressure release in late-clock situations with her ability to put the ball on the floor. That versatility is exactly what a rising mid-major program needs to punch above its weight against high-major nonconference opponents. Together, Perdue, Cambridge, Corbitt, and Dike embody the modern NCAAW trend: multi-skilled playmakers whose individual growth is directly raising the ceilings of Arizona, Ohio State, Chattanooga, and Morehead State.
