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What to Know About Women’s Basketball Today
1. Settle In for the 2026 Unrivaled Playoffs 🍿
The first round of the Unrivaled three-on-three playoffs tips off this Saturday at 8:30 PM ET, and the six-team field is officially set: Phantom, Laces, Mist, Breeze, Rose, and Vinyl. Seeding will be finalized after Friday’s games.
Here’s how it works:
Three rounds, all are single-elimination
The No. 1 and No. 2 seeds get a first-round bye
The Semifinals will be at Barclays Center in New York on Monday
The championship heads back to Miami on Wednesday
WHY IT MATTERS: There is real money and real pride on the line. The championship prize pool is $600,000, and these players absolutely want it. In a single-elimination format, one hot shooting stretch or one off night can decide everything. The Rose took home the inaugural title last season, but this format makes it anybody’s trophy.
🗳️ Do you like the single-elimination format for Unrivaled?
2. WNBA Players At Odds on Strike Strategy 😫
With the clock ticking on the upcoming season, it seems that WNBA players are at odds with one another on how to proceed. Front Office Sports reported that the union held a “spirited, passionate, and at times tough” meeting this week with players, and some are having a change of heart about their previous vote to authorize a strike. (Front Office Sports)
WHY IT MATTERS: The WNBPA plans to send out a survey in the coming days to get a clearer sense of where players stand. That’s not unusual. Surveys and internal debate are part of the process. Still, it shows how serious this moment is. Players are weighing long-term gains against short-term risks, and that’s not a simple conversation.
3. 15 Top Defenders Earn Naismith Recognition 🚫
Naismith unveiled its 2026 Women’s College Defensive Player of the Year Late Season Team, highlighting 15 players who make life miserable for opponents. You’ll recognize plenty of high profile names, such as Lauren Betts of UCLA, Joyce Edwards of South Carolina, and Hannah Hidalgo of Notre Dame, as well as other deserving defenders.
WHY IT MATTERS: While offense makes the highlight reel, defense wins games. Hidalgo leads the nation in steals, with 150 for the season. Kennedy Cambridge (Ohio State) is second with 115. The list also features two of the nation’s top shot blockers in Madison Francis (Mississippi State) and Clara Strack (Kentucky). But good defense isn't always reflected in the box score, so look for players from winning teams to have an edge with the finalists are announced.
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OVERTIME ⏱️
Bueckers & Books: Paige Bueckers is part of a new Coach and Penguin Random House campaign to encourage reading.
Real-Life Assist: Two Omaha women’s basketball players pulled a driver from a sinkhole on their way home from practice this week.
Repeat Offenders: No. 1 UConn clinched a sixth straight regular season BIG EAST title, while No. 3 South Carolina locked up a fifth straight SEC championship.
🗳️ Poll Results from Yesterday: We asked what impressed you most about TCU’s Big 12 title, and 93% of you pointed to the turnaround. Going from 1–17 to conference champions is a huge leap.
