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The final DII women’s basketball Power 10 rankings of the first half

The final DII women's basketball Power 10 rankings of the first half

As we approach the new year and the second half of the DII women’s basketball season, one thing is absolutely certain: The Midwest Region is going to be an all-out Battle Royale. The top three teams hailing from the Midwest aren’t simply the best in the region, but the entire land.

Not much has changed at the top since the previous Power 10 rankings with the holiday tournaments ending and winter break commencing. Some movement in the bottom half sets the stage for 2023. These are the last DII women’s basketball Power 10 rankings of 2022, and a good gauge on what to expect when the second half resumes.

LOOK BACK: The first Power 10 rankings of the regular season

Remember, the NCAA.com Power 10 rankings are mine, and mine alone. There is no committee voting, and I like to try and blend the metrics the selection committee uses with the ol’ eye test and which teams are playing good basketball.

The second DII women’s Power 10 rankings of the regular season (Note: All games through Dec. 23)

No. 1 Grand Valley State | Previous: 1: My preseason No. 1 maintains its stranglehold on the top spot. The Lakers have wins everywhere in the region on their resume, sweeping their GLVC and G-MAC foe, and picking up a huge win over nationally ranked, GLIAC rival Ferris State to open conference play. GVSU is rolling with a top-10 scoring offense (84.1 points per game, ranked No. 6) and scoring defense (53.1 per game, ranked No. 7) and, at 11-0, have a ton of momentum entering 2023.

No. 2 Ashland | Previous: 2: The Eagles are soaring and look pretty much unstoppable. Their 12-0 start includes a win over Drury and a powerful 6-0 start in G-MAC play. Annie Roshak leads one of the most dynamic offenses in DII, but transfer Zoe Miller from Bowling Green has been a big X-factor, second on the team in scoring. The Eagles ability to share the ball and spread the offense — leading DII with nearly 21 assists per game — makes them a juggernaut that is tough to stop.

No. 3 Drury | Previous: 3: The Panthers are the third Midwest Region team in the mix for the No. 1 spot. As I mentioned last time, I don’t hold the one loss against them, considering it came to No. 2 Ashland in overtime by one point. Drury has recovered with seven wins in a row, all of which came in blowout fashion. As always, the Panthers have depth, but Kaylee DaMitz-Holt, Alana Findley, and Terrion Moore are a lethal “Big Three” and make this team so tough to beat on both sides of the…

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