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What to Know About Women’s Basketball Today
1. The Commissioner's Cup Finals Matchup Is Taking Shape 🏆
That was fast. The New York Liberty officially clinched the Eastern Conference's spot in the Commissioner's Cup Championship over the weekend, days before the end of Cup play. Out West, the Las Vegas Aces can lock up their spot in the championship game tonight.
WHY IT MATTERS: There are still three days of Commissioner's Cup games remaining, which makes how quickly both teams separated themselves from the field even more impressive. If the Aces win tonight, or the Lynx lose, they lock in their place in the final. The Liberty and Aces have each won the in-season tournament before, so a potential championship matchup would feature two teams that know how to win this event. The Commissioner's Cup Championship game is set for June 30th.
🗳️ Will the Aces clinch tonight?
2. Plum and Copper Put on a Show 🎯
These ladies can shoot. Kelsey Plum scored 43 points and Kahleah Copper answered with 41 in the Sparks' 111-102 overtime win over the Mercury on Saturday. (ESPN)
WHY IT MATTERS: This game marked the first time in WNBA history that two opposing players scored 40 or more points in the same game, including the playoffs. And Copper became just the second player in league history to score 40 points in a loss. It was an exciting back-and-forth battle that made this game so much fun to watch.
3. Plitzuweit Joins the Million-Dollar College Coach Club 💰
This Gopher struck gold. Minnesota head coach Dawn Plitzuweit is set to earn more than $1 million annually under her new contract, making her one of a relatively small group of women's college basketball coaches to reach that mark. (Yahoo Sports)
WHY IT MATTERS: Million-dollar coaching contracts are common on the men's side of college basketball, but on the women's side, the list is still much shorter. Coaches like Dawn Staley, Geno Auriemma, and Kim Mulkey earn well above that figure, while even UCLA's Cori Close made less than $1 million in base salary during the Bruins' 2026 championship season. Plitzuweit's new deal is another sign that athletic departments are placing a greater financial value on women's basketball programs.
🏀 The Ball You’ve Been Seeing All Month
One of the coolest parts of this month's Commissioner's Cup has been the tournament's eye-catching black-and-white basketball.
Now the same official Wilson ball used on the court can be yours, whether you're adding it to your office, bookshelf, or growing women's basketball collection.
*If you buy through this link, 30 Second Timeout may earn a commission. Thank you for supporting our work.
OVERTIME ⏱️
Welcome Back: Veteran guard Sug Sutton has signed with the Dallas Wings after being waived earlier this season by the Portland Fire.
Clutch Kids: Team USA went undefeated in group play at the FIBA U18 Women’s AmeriCup, securing a spot in the semifinals.
Sizzlin’ Citron: Sonia Citron beat the buzzer with an incredible game-winner off a jump ball to lift the Mystics past the Tempo.
