Eva Hodgson is shining in 2022-23 season
Redshirt senior guard Eva Hodgson made her first start at UNC in the 2022 season opener against Jackson State. She started the season on fire, and has yet to cool down a month later.
In her starting debut, Hodgson scored 13 points on an efficient 5-6 shooting with five assists and two steals. Fast-forward to Sunday's 99-67 win over Wofford, she delivered the same all-around performance with even more production, recording 20 points, six assists and four steals while making five of six three point attempts.
Although this won't likely be a career season for Hodgson, considering her years at William and Mary, it's remarkable how productive she is on a team with other highly-skilled offensive weapons. She was already an important part of the Tar Heels' success last season, but this year, she's taking it to another level.
First off, Hodgson leads the ACC in three-point percentage, shooting 52 percent from beyond the arc. As of now, that's way above last season's 36 percent and would be her career high if the season ended after Sunday.
In the first nine games, Hodgson has scored 20 or more points twice and double-digit figures in six games overall. She's also been great with distributing the basketball, averaging a career-high of just under four assists per game and tying Deja Kelly with the most assists on the team with 35.
Hodgson said finding the "best shot" and "facilitating for others" has been a point of emphasis for the team this year, and it's reflected in where she stands with the rest of her teammates. Despite the impressive offensive production, she is only the fourth leading scorer on the team, making her start to 2022 even more impressive.
In Hodgson's last season at William and Mary, she was by far the team's leading scorer and first option. At UNC, however, the wealth is more spread around with Alyssa Ustby, Kennedy Todd-Williams and Kelly handling the ball more and doing the bulk of the scoring.
With Hodgson no longer being the main offensive weapon, she's still up there as one of the four players averaging over 10 points per game. It's indicative of her ability to be efficient and reliable, especially from three, where a significant part of her offensive impact is made.
On the other end, Hodgson has been continuing her role as one of the team's top defenders. So far, she's second on the team in steals with 15, and on Sunday, she was a big part in creating turnovers off a high-scoring team.
Hodgson has excelled in her new role as a starter at UNC, and should her high-level of play continue, the Tar Heels will be tough to beat with great two-way play coming from multiple players in the starting line-up.
