| | January 31, 2025 | Edition #181 | Hey, Hoophead! | Women's basketball wrote history again. And yes, we're kind of used to saying that these days. The boom has been real for a while now. But this one hit different because it happened in a place we've never seen it happen before. On Friday, Unrivaled did something no women's professional basketball game has ever done. | So before we dive into everything unfolding on the college side of things, it's worth sitting with this for a second because moments like these don't come around very often. |
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| | | | | Unrivaled Goes Big in Philly |
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| | For the first time, Unrivaled left its home base in Miami and traveled to Philadelphia, hosting its first-ever tour stop at Xfinity Mobile Arena, home of the 76ers and the Flyers. | And it was a super hit! | A total of 21,490 fans packed into the arena, making it not only the highest attendance for a professional women's basketball regular-season game in history, but also the most attended event ever at Xfinity Mobile Arena. | For context, the last time the arena was this packed for a basketball game was in 1998, when Michael Jordan took the court for the final time as a Bull. | And while most were celebrating a historic night, the emotions hit very differently for one Philly kid turned WNBA star. | So much so that she couldn't hold back tears while talking about the place she grew up in. | On the court, everything belonged to Marina Mabrey. The Lunar Owls star absolutely crushed it, breaking the Unrivaled scoring record with 47 points to power her team to their second win of the season over Rose BC. Meanwhile, Phantom BC took the opener against Breeze BC. | But obviously, the real headline was off the court. Philly was on fire. Fans were pouring in hours before tipoff, rocking Unrivaled tees, WNBA jerseys, and pure excitement, and they stayed glued for three straight hours of nonstop action. | And this isn't just a Philly thing. Unrivaled is hitting the road in 2027, taking the show to more cities while keeping Miami as its home base. So… could your city out-hype Philly? | On the bigger picture, the dip in ratings had been a real concern, but this turnaround gives real hope. Sure, this was one of those rare games where Unrivaled wasn't competing directly with the NFL or the College Football Playoff for airtime. | So, going forward, maybe some smart scheduling tweaks could help even more, but right now this is proof that the future of Unrivaled isn't as bleak as it looked. |
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| | | Another weekend of women's basketball is here, and, surprise, surprise, it's an absolute ranked-matchup fest. | We start the weekend with a big one. The defending champions host rival Tennessee Lady Vols this Sunday at PeoplesBank Arena in Hartford, and this one means a little more than just another game. | Kim Caldwell's side was actually the last team to beat UConn, sneaking out of Knoxville with an 80–76 win. Since then, the Huskies have gone on to win the championship and haven't lost in 38 games. | Back then, the Lady Vols walked into the matchup having lost four straight to UConn. And while they return under different circumstances, the frustration might feel familiar after dropping a winnable game against Mississippi State. | A loss Kim Caldwell called a 'slap in the face,' absolutely blasting her team. | So, can Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd win number 23 for the Huskies? You'll want to be locked in this Sunday at 12 p.m. ET. | The spotlight then shifts to Los Angeles, where No. 8 Iowa plays against No. 2 UCLA. The Hawkeyes are coming off a surprising loss to USC, one that stalled what had been the best start to Big Ten play in program history. | UCLA, meanwhile, is flying high, riding a 14-game winning streak and jumping to No. 2 in this week's rankings. On top of that, Cori Close's side will have the home-court edge. And it is a chance for them to strengthen their case heading into the Big Dance as a No. 1 seed. | But before we think too far ahead, Jan Jensen is well aware of the challenge ahead and will be banking on her X-factor to rise to the moment. Hear it straight from the HC who the real X-factor is. | All in all, the stakes are real here. Leave Los Angeles winless, and the Hawkeyes could slip out of the top 10. All that's left now is to watch it unfold. Tune in this Sunday at 4 p.m. ET to find out who gets the win. | "No Better Player to Be an Ambassador!" WNBA Legend Gives High Praise to Paige Bueckers |
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| | Which Sunday Game Are You Most Excited For? | | Last Poll's Result: We asked, "Which Program Do You Think Will Dominate College Basketball in the Coming Years?" For more than 40% of you, it's UConn. |
| | | | The Gauntlet Awaits Vanderbilt |
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| | "We have won 20 games. We're 20–1. The world is not ending. We are going to be fine." Those were the words of Shea Ralph after Vanderbilt suffered their first loss of the season at the hands of South Carolina. | The defeat brought Vanderbilt's historic 20–0 start to an end. Since arriving in Nashville, Coach Ralph has transformed Vanderbilt in a way few expected. And the UConn great's list of accomplishments speaks for itself. | But…there may be trouble brewing in paradise for the Commodores. | Ralph's group has now dropped two straight after falling to No. 17 Ole Miss, powered by a 27-point performance from Cotie McMahon. Even Commodores saw Mikayla Blakes' 29-point outing and some crafty plays. | Like this amazing, perfectly timed behind-the-back pass by Aubrey Galvan to Blakes! | But the Rebels' home court energy proved too much for them. | However, if Vanderbilt fans are worried now, the upcoming slate won't calm many nerves. ESPN Analytics ranks Ralph's side as having the toughest remaining schedule in the nation. | The Commodores have seven ranked games lined up in their next eight. It's a stretch that will define their season. The only thing working in Vanderbilt's favor right now is that they'll be at home for five of their next eight games, with four ranked opponents coming to Nashville. | Now, don't get us wrong, we're not doubting their talent. After all, the Commodores have proven they can beat heavyweights. But when the schedule turns into ranked game after ranked game, it becomes a different kind of test. No matter how tough or well-coached you are. That level of intensity can drain you over time. | We'll have to see how many wins Vanderbilt can realistically get from here on. | Why? WNBA Star 'Removes Herself' from WNBPA Role |
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| | | | JuJu Watkins X Chef Curry |
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| | JuJu Watkins might be out for the season, but that hasn't stopped her from making headlines. From her jersey retirement to her sideline antics, to just showing up and stealing the spotlight, JuJu always has something cooking in the news. | And this time, she hit the NBA court… kind of. Well, her shoes did. The sneaker free agent, Steph Curry, was seen warming up in JuJu Watkins' Nike GT Cut 3 Turbo PE before the Warriors tipped off. | And the pair looked absolutely fire on him. | Elsewhere, we got to see just how much team camaraderie really drives success in college basketball. Clemson guard Rusne Augustinaite was preparing to celebrate her birthday alone yet again during the college basketball season, until her team stepped in with a surprise she didn't see coming. | Her teammates flew her mom in all the way from Lithuania just to make her feel a little less homesick. | And the way they paid for it? It'll probably tear you up a little. |
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| | Kelsey Plum Reveals Critical Player Meeting Amid Stalled CBA Negotiations - Full Story Reese Admits She 'Used To Hate' Kim Mulkey's Tough Love at LSU - Full Story How Geno Auriemma's UConn Is Hurting the NCAA - Full Story
| That's it for today, folks! We'll look to knock on your inbox soon with more interesting stories! | |
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