2024-25 women’s basketball player previews: Melannie Daley

The two-way guard is ready to make her mark on both sides of the ball.

Who she is

Senior; 5-foot-11 Guard from Hastings, New York.

2023-24 Stats

30 games, 19 starts, averaged. 27.4 minutes per game. 13.3 points per game, 2.7 rebounds per game, 2.2 assists per game, and 1.5 steals per game, 49.4% FG, 50.0% 3P, 75.8% FT.

2023-24 Review

Despite some ups and downs, Daley established herself as one of the best players on the ‘Cats squad. Her 13.3 points per game led the team, as did her 1.5 steals, reflecting her two-way playing and aggression on both sides of the court. Her 27.4 minutes per game made her the second-most-played player on the team, and her 49.4% shooting also led the team. She established herself as a premier weapon for the Wildcats and a consistent option regardless of whether she was starting or on the bench.

She started the season hot, dropping a career-high 25 points in their opening matchup against UIC, and followed that up with back-to-back 20-point games. Daley continued to set career records throughout that first month of play, recording career-highs in steals, rebounds and assists. She matched her career-high for rebounds and assists with six each and recorded her fourth straight double-digit scoring game with 17 points against SEMO in November. She later recorded a career-high 5 steals in a game against Bradley and was feisty defensively all season, recording a steal in 24 of her 30 games played.

Daley was benched in January following a rough 10-27 shooting stretch but eventually earned her starting spot back. Despite coming off the bench, her minutes and production remained steady. She was also a more hesitant three-point shooter, attempting only four throughout the year, sinking two of them.

Strengths

Daley’s shotmaking from the paint and midrange is among the best not just at Northwestern, but in the entire conference. Her most efficient shot is from the paint, where she shot 74.6% which was 17.7% above the league average. She also is a strong midrange shooter, achieving 42.3% — 8.9% higher than the Division One average. Most of Daley’s shots came from that part of the court, as she found her sweet spot and provided a consistent midrange shooter for the ‘Cats offense. She’s great at creating space, scoring in transition and finding ways to get to the basket. Daley’s size and versatility make her a tough player to defend, especially when her shot is falling.

Daley impressed most on the defensive end last year, and there’s an argument to be made that she is more valuable on that side of the ball. Her 1.5 steals per game reflect her prowess, as she was great at keeping up with on-ball defenders of all physicality and skill level, while also being great at defending in transition and stalling out offensive possessions. Daley’s “defense to offense” plays, which usually involved a steal and then score off a turnover, were among her best as a Wildcat as she could flex her skills on both ends of the court.

Weaknesses

Daley’s short stint on the bench last season was simply a result of a cold stretch offensively, something every player goes through. However, more consistency on offense would have garnered her more productive numbers and kept her in the starting lineup, and she’ll look to avoid another rough stretch this season. Daley also rarely shoots from behind the arc — she either doesn’t shoot well from three or is simply not confident in her abilities to. She went 1-for-9 from long range her first two seasons and had only four attempts last year, cumulating to a career 23.1% from three. If she can develop and improve her shot from deep, it will not only increase her production but also her reliability as a multi-threat and versatile scorer who can cash in points in many ways. Daley might also benefit from improving her rebounding skills, as being more active on the boards will add another skill to her arsenal.

Expectations

As a graduating senior, it’s all but likely Daley’s final season with Northwestern and she’ll be looking to end her career as a Wildcat with a bang. Barring another cold stretch, Daley will likely remain a starter throughout the whole season. She had an incredible start to her previous season and I expect she’ll be coming out swinging this season as well, relying on her shot from midrange and continuing to search for even more ways to be productive offensively — like developing her three-point shot Knowing her past hesitancy from behind the arc, teams may be more inclined to give her space to knock down those three-pointers. Once she sees some go in, it’ll build her confidence and make her an even more lethal scorer. I also expect her to continue dominating defensively, expecting games with multiple steals and continued physicality against top scorers. I hope to see Daley grow more as a rebounder and assister, as that will make her a more well-rounded player. Expect big things from Daley not just with her play, but also as a leader and captain who will be a focal point of the ‘Cats squad.