Stars are made for the biggest stages, and Oklahoma freshman Aaliyah Chavez is definitely a star.
Chavez has led the Sooners throughout her first college season, and that hasn't changed during the NCAA Tournament on the biggest stage as Chavez is putting up numbers that are extremely rare from a freshman in the Big Dance.
Chavez has posted 33 total points and 11 assists so far combined in the No. 4 seed Sooners' first two NCAA Tournament games as they've already punched their ticket to the Sweet 16 for the second year in a row. OU used a second-half comeback Sunday night at Lloyd Noble Center to get past No. 5 Michigan State 77-71 in the second round to advance to the second week of March Madness. The Sooners started their tourney run with an easy 89-59 win against No. 13 Idaho on Friday night in Norman.
Aaliyah Chavez putting up rare NCAA Tournament numbers while proving Trae Young right
In her debut, Chavez's veteran trio of teammates took control early as she adjusted to the experience, but once acclimated, she was at the same level as those upperclassmen despite them all already having the experience of a run to the Sweet 16. Chavez finished her first career NCAA Tournament game with 15 points, six rebounds and five assists while playing a team-high 31 minutes and not turning the ball over a single time as a young point guard.
Chavez then upped her game in Round 2 with 18 points, which tied senior center Raegan Beers for the game-high. Chavez also added six assists and five rebounds while turning the ball over only once despite the team struggling as a whole with 23 total turnovers.
According to ESPN, Chavez became the first freshman from the SEC in 25 years with at least 15 points and five assists in their first two NCAA Tournament games.
As soon as Chavez signed with the Sooners as the No. 1 prospect in the 2025 class, OU legend and NBA All-Star Trae Young was already comparing her to the likes of Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers. When Bueckers and the UConn Huskies ended the Sooners' season in the Sweet 16 last year, there was hope OU would have its own star a year from then.
March Madness was where Clark and Bueckers evolved into household names, and now it's starting to seem like Young was correct. Chavez was always expected to be a rising star in women's college basketball, but it's been made clear after just two NCAA Tournament games on the biggest stage that Chavez already has the spotlight.