If you took a microscope and analyzed senior guard Danielle McCray’s mind, inside you would find the vibrant dreams of making the NCAA Tournament.

“This is something we’ve been working towards since our freshman year,” McCray said.

This year’s team may be the most highly anticipated in Kansas women’s basketball history. And it all starts Sunday.

20th ranked Kansas will host Oral Roberts (13-17, 6-12 last year) 2 p.m Sunday at Allen Fieldhouse for the regular season opener.

The Golden Eagles return senior guard/forward Janae Voelker, who nearly averaged a double-double last season with 16.5 points per game and 9.4 rebounds per game. Sophomore guard Georgia Jones also returns after a lightning-quick start to her college basketball career, after averaging 12.4 points per game and 3.7 assists per game as a freshman.

Oral Roberts will serve as a feisty test to kick off a year that means so much to this year’s team.

“It’s going to get us ready for the Big 12,” senior guard Sade Morris said. “The first game sets the stage for the rest of the season.”

This year, something separates the past from the present — all of the pieces are there.

“The best teams I’ve ever had had three or four or five players in double figures,” coach Bonnie Henrickson said.

Freshman point guard Angel Goodrich can step up as a leader in her first year as she quarterbacks the team with savvy passes. Her teammates have said she is always envisioning her next move before it happens. She possesses the court vision one might expect in a more experienced player.

Sophomore forward Aishah Sutherland is the wildcard of the bunch. Will she be a consistent double-double mainstay or a playmaker that waltzes into games from time to time? Sutherland has the ability to terrorize defenders with her size and speed. She has much to prove in her first year as a starter, but has all the tools to deliver as a low post machine.

Junior center Krysten Boogaard functions as an essential cog for her size and undeniable skill. Many teams throw tall centers out there because of size only, regardless of whether these kids can actually produce. Boogaard’s skill set is rare because she is 6 feet 5 inches tall and also possesses cushion soft touch and the ability to play all over the floor in different situations.

Morris operates as the defensive specialist of the group. Yet she is also a multi-faceted rarity, as she can pipe it with the best guards in the nation. Many defensive gurus can lock down a scorer but cannot produce on the other end. Morris is the second leading scorer on Kansas and is also capable of shutting down an opponent’s top offensive option.

But McCray could make this year a truly special one. She is the superstar that can do it all. She grabs the tough rebound. She nails the three pointer to put the lead out of reach. She hits the buzzer-beater before the clock ticks to zero. She is widely regarded as one of the best players in the nation after averaging 21.6 points per game and 7.7 rebounds per game as a junior. McCray is the supreme talent that edges a team from average to outstanding.

A deep and talented bench led by co-captain junior forward Nicollette Smith will enable the studs of the starting five to catch a breather and allow the team still not to miss a beat. Freshman guard Monica Engelman, transfer junior guard Rhea Codio and freshman forward Annette Davis have not yet made their stamp on the team, but hold potential to steal valuable minutes.

This Sunday, all of the parts will work together in an attempt to kick off the year the way a nationally-ranked team should.

“If we can mold everybody together and get everybody on the same page, it’s going to make our run a lot easier,” Morris said.

If the diverse pieces can work together and sculpt a unified team, the possibilities are limitless.

“We’re not going to be perfect every day, but we should be in pursuit of perfection every day,” Henrickson said.

— Edited by Abbey Strusz