Team USA Is Two Wins From Gold

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Good morning. ☕️

Today marks 25 years since the September 11 attacks. Before we get into today’s basketball news, we’re taking a moment to remember those who lost their lives and everyone whose lives were forever changed that day.

What to Know About Women’s Basketball Today

1. Team USA Is Headed to the Semifinals 🇺🇸

Team USA cruised past Hungary 108-56 on Thursday to earn a spot in the World Cup semifinals. France, Germany and Spain also advanced, setting up Saturday’s matchups:

France vs. Germany: 10:30 AM ET
Team USA vs. Spain: 2 PM ET

Both games will air on TNT/TruTV and HBO Max. The winners will meet for the gold medal Sunday at 2 PM ET. (Bleacher Report)

WHY IT MATTERS: Team USA looked strong from start to finish against Hungary. Every American scored, led by Napheesa Collier with 19 points, while Caitlin Clark had nine of the team’s record 31 assists. The 108 points were also a World Cup quarterfinal record.

There are still two games to win, starting with Spain on Saturday. But if Team USA and France both advance, we’ll get the gold-medal matchup many expected coming into the tournament, with France viewed as one of the Americans’ biggest threats.

Who do you think will win the World Cup?

2. Unrivaled Is Going Back to Philly 🏀

Unrivaled is returning to Philadelphia for another tour stop next season. The league will play at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Feb. 15, 2027. (Unrivaled)

🎥 Watch the announcement

WHY IT MATTERS: Philadelphia hosted Unrivaled’s first regular-season games outside Miami last season, and more than 21,000 fans showed up. That set a regular-season attendance record for professional women’s basketball and was the largest crowd for any event in the arena’s history. After that kind of turnout, going back makes plenty of sense.

3. Project B Adds Six More Players ✅

Project B announced six more players for its first season: Valériane Ayayi, Antonia Delaere, Angela Dugalić, Brionna Jones, Betnijah Laney-Hamilton and Makayla Timpson. (Front Office Sports)

WHY IT MATTERS: Project B has now announced 22 of the 66 players it plans to sign, so there are still more than three dozen names to come. Training camp is scheduled for Jan. 6-12 in Seoul, with the new international league planning to play from January through April. The roster already includes several familiar WNBA names, including Alyssa Thomas, Jewell Loyd, Jonquel Jones, Nneka Ogwumike, and Kelsey Mitchell.

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OVERTIME ⏱️

Tough News: Ezi Magbegor tore her ACL during Australia’s World Cup game against Italy and will miss the rest of the 2026 WNBA season.
Wish Granted: The NCAA granted former LSU center Kate Koval a waiver allowing her to enter the transfer portal and play for a new team this season. Koval, who is Ukrainian and whose father is fighting in the war, left LSU after Kim Mulkey signed a Russian player.
Women’s Sports Sundays: ESPN is extending the programming franchise into the fall, with 11 weeks of WNBA playoffs, NCAA volleyball, NWSL, and more beginning Sept. 13.

🗳️ Poll Results from Yesterday: We asked if the SEC should allow LSU to recruit professional athletes, and you were pretty clear on this one. 90% said “no way.”