Texas challenged by a brutal schedule while regrouping

Texas is a brave team, playing a tough schedule while rebuilding.

Great breakdown by womenshoopsworld.com writer Jim Clark.

Another colorful news mix

Upset:

USC knocked off #25 Texas A&M, 66-62.

More results:

#1 Notre Dame 73, Iowa 58

# 8 Florida State 75, Minnesota 61

#16 West Virginia 94, Morehead State 53

#19 Florida 75, Wofford 51

#20 Syracuse 75, Michigan State 64

#21 Colorado 112, Southeastern Louisiana 54

#22 Tennessee 86, Tennessee State 36

Purdue 67, Pitt 61

Ohio 73, Middle Tennessee 52

Princeton 94, Seton Hall 67

TCU 73, Butler 47

Western Kentucky 90, Eastern Kentucky 63

Penn State 60, Boston College 56

SMU 65, North Texas 51

Creighton 69, Kansas 49

Wake Forest 79, Illinois 70

Arkansas 57, Tulsa 50

All scores.

College team news:

The Washington Huskies are rolling behind the nation's leading scorer and rebounder.

The Gamecocks' unique fan base is "a beautiful view."

Kentucky starts December with a challenging schedule.

Reversing recent results is the Buckeye's challenge.

Indiana is learning to play on the road.

Fresno State has entered the season with a national reputation and an upbeat attitude.

College player news:

NCAA's starting five for the week.

A record 278 athletes have been nominated for the annual Good Works Team.

Around the Rim interview with Washington's Kelsey Plum.

Steady, sturdy Lindsay Allen makes Notre Dame go.

Destiny Slocum is already impressing as a starter for Maryland.

Penn State's Sierra Moore is ending her career on a high note.

Kindred Wesemann is thriving in her new position at Kansas State.

Meet Breanna Mobley, the stellar sophomore forward of Western Michigan.

UConn's Napheesa Collier is already impressive, but coach Geno Auriemma says she has to play better.

Collier and Katie Lou Samuelson are off to a great start this year.

Naismith Trophy watch list announced

Look at this great list of deserving players:

Akhator Evelyn Senior F Kentucky SEC
Allen Lindsay Senior G Notre Dame ACC
Anigwe Kristine Sophomore C/F California Pac 12
Brown Lexie Junior G Duke ACC
Brown Kalani Sophomore P Baylor Big 12
Buss Tyra Junior G Indiana Big Ten
Canada Jordin Junior G UCLA Pac 12
Coates Alaina Senior C South Carolina SEC
Coffey Nia Senior F Northwestern Big Ten
Collier Napheesa Sophomore F Connecticut AAC
Cunningham Sophie Sophomore G Missouri SEC
Davis Nina Senior F Baylor Big 12
Davis Kaela Junior G South Carolina SEC
DeShields Diamond Junior G Tennessee SEC
Durr Asia Sophomore G Louisville ACC
Epps Makayla Senior G Kentucky SEC
Flaherty Katelynn Junior G Michigan Big Ten
Gray Allisha Junior G South Carolina SEC
Greenwell Rebecca Junior G Duke ACC
Hall Precious Senior G James Madison CAA
Hines-Allen Myisha Junior F Louisville ACC
Jankoska Tori Senior G Michigan State Big Ten
January Jessica Senior G DePaul Big East
Jones Alexis Senior G Baylor Big 12
Jones Brionna Senior C Maryland Big Ten
Kemph Jackie Junior G St. Louis Atlantic 10
Lewis Breanna Senior C Kansas State Big 12
McCall Erica Senior F Stanford Pac 12
McCarty Brooke Junior G Texas Big 12
Mitchell Kelsey Junior G Ohio State Big Ten
Moore Mariya Junior F Louisville ACC
Motley Adrienne Senior G Miami ACC
Nurse Kia Junior G Connecticut AAC
Ogunbowale Arike Sophomore G Notre Dame ACC
Osahor Chantel Senior F/C Washington Pac 12
Peterson Alexis Senior G Syracuse ACC
Plum Kelsey Senior G Washington Pac 12
Romero Leticia Senior G Florida State ACC
Russell Mercedes Junior C Tennessee SEC
Samuelson Katie Lou Sophomore G/F Connecticut AAC
Shepard Jessica Sophomore F Nebraska Big Ten
Thomas Shakayla Junior F Florida State ACC
Turner Brianna Junior F Notre Dame ACC
Vivians Victoria Junior G Mississippi State SEC
Wagner Carlie Junior G Minnesota Big Ten
Walker-Kimbrough Shatori Senior G Maryland Big Ten
Wiese Sydney Senior G Oregon State Pac 12
William Morgan Junior G Mississippi State SEC
Williams Gabby Junior F Connecticut AAC
Wilson A'ja Junior F South Carolina SEC

Duke is working their way back, game by game

Duke is on a journey, and it's an interesting one.

USA top 25 coaches poll

This week's poll:

1. Notre Dame
2. Connecticut
3. South Carolina
4. Baylor
5. Maryland
6. Mississippi State
7. Louisville
8. Florida State
9. UCLA
10. Ohio State
11. Stanford
12. Oklahoma
13. Washington
14. DePaul
15. Texas
16. Miami
17. West Virginia
18. Oregon State
19. Texas A&M
20. Kentucky
21. Syracuse
22. Michigan State
23. Florida
24. Arizona State
25. Tennessee

Ramping up again

The last two days have meant recovery for the myriad of teams who traveled over the Thanksgiving break. But things are picking back up, as is evident by tomorrow's schedule......

Eight top 25 match ups tomorrow, and 68 games in all.

College team news:

The SEC's top two teams - South Carolina and Mississippi State - are unbeaten.

UMaine is undaunted after the theft of their belongings last week.

Penn State is looking for lock-down front court play in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.

South Florida is 4-0, wrecking people and still not ranked.

Florida State is the NCAA's team of the week.

College player news:

Kristy Wallace has come a long way to bolster Baylor.

Sophomore post Theresa Ekhelar is leaving Ohio State.

Arkansas sophomore guard Jordan Danberry has left the team.

College coach news:

Coach JR Payne has Colorado back in the AP top 25.

Family members of Wichita State coach Jody Adams-Birch are fighting Tennessee wildfires.

Today's scores.

WNBA news:

The 2017 WNBA season will begin Saturday, May 13 with three games, the league announced today. Storm at Sparks, Stars at Liberty and Dream at Sun will be the lineup.

Kelsey Plum and Alaina Coates are still heading up the WNBA's "senior watch" list.

A bit on a quiet Monday

College team news:

Every Oregon player is getting a chance on the floor this season.

Auburn earned their first national ranking since 2009 today.

Hot-start UT-Arlington is playing like it's 1977.

North Carolina showed improvement in this past weekend's Junkanoo Jam tournament.

Morehead State credits a new mindset with their good start.

College player news:

Virginia Tech guard Chanette Hicks is ESPN's player of the week.

College coach news:

Arizona is more resilient under new coach Adia Barnes.

Today's scores.

Tomorrow's game schedule.

AP top 25 poll has predictable shakeup

This week's AP top 25 poll sees Arizona State, Michigan State and Gonzaga out, and Colorado, Auburn and Texas A&M in:

1. Notre Dame
2. Connecticut
3. South Carolina
4. Baylor
5. Maryland
6. Mississippi State
7. Louisville
8. Florida State
9. Ohio State
10. UCLA
11. Stanford
12. Oklahoma
13. Washington
14. Texas
15. DePaul
16. West Virginia
17. Kentucky
18. Miami
19. Florida
20. Syracuse
21. Colorado
22. Tennessee
23. Auburn
24. Oregon State
25. Texas A&M

Coach's Chair: Richard Barron, University of Maine

Fascinating guy, Coach Richard Barron.

Ponderous

I don't know which of today's upsets confused me more:

Virginia Tech nipping #17 Tennessee, 67-63,

OR

#18 DePaul drubbing #11 Syracuse, 108-84.

Such a wild week in NCAA hoops means tomorrow's AP top 25 rankings won't resemble last week's very much.

More interesting results:

#3 South Carolina stepped on the gas - and stepped up the defense - in the second half to pound #4 Louisville, 83-59. Alaina Coates lead the Gamecocks with 17 points and 14 rebounds. That much of a difference between three and four? Hmmm.

#5 Baylor eased past #8 Ohio State, 85-68.

#13 Oklahoma 70, Colorado State 55. The Sooners are 5-0.

#15 Washington 83, Portland 53. Another 26-point performance for Husky Kelsey Plum.

#19 West Virginia 82, High Point 59. The Mountaineers are 7-0.

Auburn 71, Indiana 67. Big comeback win for the Tigers.

UNLV is 5-0 after handing Ole Miss their first loss today, 65-57.

Rebecca Greenwell's eight three-point shots propelled Duke past winless Pepperdine, 99-65.

Vanderbilt nipped UT Martin, 79-77. I see you, Stephanie White.

Rutgers 50, Bryant 42. It's the first win of the season for the Scarlet Knights.

Alabama 97, Alabama A&M 29. The Tide is 5-0.

UT Arlington is 5-0 after routing Seton Hall, 86-61.

USC 82, Long Beach State 74. Trojan freshman Minyon Moore lead the way with a career-high 23 points.

In Oregon's 91-62 win over San Jose State, freshman Sabrina Ionescu notched the Ducks' first triple-double.

The senior class of 2016 was one of the best in NCAA history. I think this year's freshman class will be just as good, if not better, in four years.

All scores.

The insanity continues

Department of WHOA:

#8 Ohio State edged #11 Syracuse, 77-72.

Washington's Kelsey Plum had 44 points, nine rebounds and five assists in the #15 Huskies' rout of Seattle, 94-64. (!!!!)

#6 Maryland held off Washington State, 79-69. Brionna Jones had 20 points and 20 rebounds for the Terps.

#24 Michigan State survived CSUN, 63-59. (Story by yours truly)

Hot starts:

Colorado is 6-0 after dominating SMU, 67-50.

Georgia Tech is 6-0 after edging Missouri, 72-70.

Pitt's 56-44 defeat of Cornell puts them at 6-0.

Cal is 6-0 after pounding Duquesne, 86-66, in their own tournament.

Kansas State is 6-0 after downing 1-5 UTEP, 61-40.

Arkansas survived Navy, 70-67, to go 6-0.

Utah is 5-0 after squeaking by St. Mary's, 63-62.

Ole Miss is 5-0 after a 69-44 win over Wisconsin.

Texas A&M is off to a 5-0 start after trouncing Abilene Christian, 71-45.

Arkansas-Little Rock handed St. Louis their first loss today, 56-43.

South Florida ran away from Georgia, 81-65. The Bulls are 4-0.

All scores.

Big match ups tomorrow:

#5 Baylor vs. #8 Ohio State

#3 South Carolina vs. #4 Louisville

Big games poppin'

Today's results:

Northwestern upset #16 Florida, 73-68.

#5 Baylor 84, Kent State 42

#6 Maryland 83, #23 Arizona State 42

#7 Mississippi State held off Oregon, 75-63.

#8 Ohio State 79, Florida Gulf Coast 66

#9 UCLA outlasted Toledo, 75-73.

#10 Florida State 87, #25 Gonzaga 69

#11 Stanford 87, Wichita State 39

The other #11, Syracuse, held on to edge George Washington, 74-71.

#18 DePaul 87, Western Kentucky 69

#21 Miami 89, Grambling State 61

#24 Michigan State 81, Delaware 64

Georgetown 68, Penn State 54

Kansas State 69, LSU 54

Princeton 64, Rutgers 34

Green Bay 71, Chattanooga 55

Utah 81, Charlotte 68

Cal 75, San Francisco 52

Missouri 72, Creighton 63

St.John's 66, Virginia 55. It was the first loss of the season for the Cavs.

I'm presently at the Duke-Long Beach State game. More on that later.

All scores so far.

College team news:

Texas is adjusting to new roles and new faces.

UNCW is ready to show progress at Thanksgiving tourney.

College player news:

Myisha Hines-Allen's late grandfather fuels her passion at Louisville.

Syracuse's Alexis Peterson says the team can and will make another title run this season.

Oklahoma freshman Nancy Mulkey is standing tall at 6-9.

Thanksgiving Day games

Upset:

Michigan upended #25 Gonzaga, 78-66.

More results:

#19 West Virginia held off Auburn, 56-52. It was the first loss of the season for the Tigers.

#9 UCLA topped Iowa, 78-65. Monique Billings headed up the Bruins' effort with 27 points on 9-12 shooting, and 9-9 from the free throw line.

#11 Stanford 74, Northeastern 47

Georgia 70, Minnesota 58

LSU 78, UTEP 45

South Florida 83, North Carolina 55

Kansas State 67, NC State 50

Purdue 86, Wichita State 49

Georgetown 67, Wright State 60

Marist 69, North Carolina A&T 64.....it's the first win of the year for the Red Foxes

Penn State 69, Georgia State 42

#10 Florida State 98, Winthrop 35

College team/tournament news:

UMaine players served dinner at homeless shelter today.

Maryland will face higher stakes at this weekend's South Point Shootout in Las Vegas.

The Cal Bears will try to build on their own hot start at this weekend's Cal Classic.

Michigan State will continue their road trip at the Radisson Thanksgiving Classic at CSUN. Other teams traveling to the event are Detroit and Delaware.

College player news:

Seton Hall's freshmen are answering the call.

College coach news:

Purdue's 1-3 start (now 2-3) is the worst in coach Sharon Versyp's 11-year Boilermaker career.

Just a widdle bit

Upset:

Queens College knocked off Farleigh-Dickinson, 70-54.

More results:

#13 Oklahoma 74, South Dakota State 60

USC 67, Portland 54 to win the Great Alaska Shootout. Trojan forward Kristen Simon was tourney MVP. I have publicly predicted she will have a breakout year, having notched several double-doubles so far this season. Freshman Minyon Moore (she will be a star) and Sadie Edwards made first team.

Pitt 94, Slippery Rock 48.....the Panthers are 5-0

Kansas 64, Oral Roberts 56 (2OT)

Auburn 52, Marist 51.....Tigers are 5-0 and the Red Foxes, 0-6

All scores.

And on Thanksgiving Day tomorrow, there are 19 games.

College team news:

Florida State is on the road until Dec. 4.

College coach news:

Coach Lisa Stone has St. Louis on the rise.

Podcast:

Around the Rim talks to Louisville coach Jeff Walz and South Carolina junior forward A'ja Wilson.

ESPN's bi-weekly mid-major poll

Drexel is a new entry in ESPN's bi-weekly mid-major poll, as four total teams drop out:

1. South Dakota State
2. Gonzaga
3. Drexel
4. Green Bay
5. Chattanooga
6. St. Louis
7. UT Arlington
8. Western Kentucky
9. UNLV
10. Quinnipiac

NCAA exploring potential changes to NCAA Tournament

The NCAA is looking into changing the NCAA Tournament format:

NEW YORK -- College women's basketball is exploring ways to change the format of the NCAA tournament, including moving the Final Four back a week to avoid overlap with the end of the men's tournament.

In a survey given to the conferences and obtained by The Associated Press, the women's basketball oversight committee laid out a few potential changes that wouldn't take place until 2019, at the earliest. The date change would put the women's Final Four on the same weekend as the Masters.

The committee is asking the schools and conferences for feedback on several alterations, including having the opening round at 32 sites and having the second round and regionals played at the same location. Moving the Final Four back would add a bye week to the tournament schedule.

From my observation, them looking into it means it's already a done deal.

Personally, I'm still wondering about this year's Final Four, and what it means since the dates have changed.

Odd night in hoops

Whoa now:

Marquette upset #22 Oregon State, 74-73.

What a dominating performance by the Oregon Ducks, from buzzer to buzzer. They took down #24 Michigan State, 88-55.

What??

Oddity:

#1 Notre Dame soundly defeated Lafayette, 91-51, in a delayed effort. The game was at Campbell Center in Houston when the power went out in the second quarter. After waiting for over an hour, the contest was moved to nearby Rice University without fans, as security couldn't be guaranteed.

I've not heard of such a scenario before.

Record night:

#15 Washington's 105-53 rout of Idaho saw not only Kelsey Plum score 27 points (her usual average), but Chantel Osahor got the first triple-double in school history for the Huskies.

More results:

North Texas 62, Arizona 58.....it was the first loss of the season for the Wildcats.

Duke 92, Old Dominion 64

Buffalo 71, Duquesne 69

Vanderbilt 75, Robert Morris 59

Colorado 76, North Dakota State 59.....the Buffs remain unbeaten.

Virginia Tech 71, Charleston 61, and the Hokies are undefeated under first-year coach Kenny Brooks.

Delaware 66, Princeton 62....the Tigers are struggling this season.

East Carolina 70, Marist 68....the Red Foxes are 0-5.

Auburn 54, Ball State 40, and the Tigers are 4-0.

Clemson 78, Louisiana Tech 67 in overtime, and those Tigers are 5-0.

Central Michigan outlasted Oakland in two overtimes, 70-67.

USC 89, Missouri State 67

All scores.

College team news:

Kentucky hopes lessons learned from Saturday's loss to Colorado equal future wins.

In Arizona's loss to North Texas today, they set an attendance record. Great sign for new coach Adia Barnes.

Virginia is placing an emphasis on defense and rebounding.

College player news:

A year later than expected, Asia Durr is getting it done for Louisville.

College coach news:

Muffet McGraw likes the direction in which Notre Dame is heading.

WNBA player news:

How Sky forward Elena Delle Donne learned to accept her height.

Skylar Diggins' road back to the Wings.

Q&A with the Liberty's Kiah Stokes.

Brittany Boyd's strong finish provides a glimpse of the future for New York.

This week's USA Today top 25 poll

This week's coaches poll:

1. Notre Dame
2. Connecticut
3. South Carolina
4. Louisville
5. Maryland
6. Baylor
7. Mississippi State
8. Ohio State
9. Florida State
10. UCLA
11. Stanford
12. Oklahoma
13. Washington
14. Texas
15. Oregon State
16. Tennessee
17. DePaul
18. Syracuse
19. Michigan State
20. Florida
21. Arizona State
22. Miami
23. West Virginia
24. Kentucky
25. Texas A&M

Others receiving votes: Gonzaga 58; Michigan 36; South Dakota State 35; South Florida 33; Wisconsin-Green Bay 20; North Carolina State 19; California 13; Georgia Tech 9; Missouri 8; Penn State 6; Duke 6; Auburn 5; Saint Louis 5; Oklahoma State 4; Temple 3; Western Kentucky 3; Marquette 2; Indiana 2; Tulane 1; Virginia Tech 1.

Busy Monday

Upset:

Drexel edged #11 Syracuse, 62-61.

More results:

#3 South Carolina routed Maine, 79-42.

#4 Louisville took care of Chattanooga, 63-47.

All scores.

There are 78 games on deck tomorrow.

College team news:

The Big Ten seeks marquee wins.

Oregon will face its toughest test yet tomorrow in #24 Michigan State.

The Lady Vols' future can't eclipse the present.

UCLA aims to reinvigorate their play despite weekend wins.

For Minnesota, balance plus rebounds equals a 4-0 start.

Ohio is discouraged despite a comfortable win.

Gritty Quinnipiac is off to a terrific start.

Dayton faces "fearsome UConn" tomorrow.

College player news:

Syracuse freshman Gabby Cooper's job is to take a shot or grab a seat.

The crazy synergy between Allisha Gray and Kaela Davis that could lead South Carolina to a title.

Anna Ross is a steady force for Penn.

Texas Tech point guard Japreece Dean is transferring.

Notre Dame's Arike Ogunbowale is ESPN's player of the week.

Movement in this week's AP top 25 poll

Changes:

1. Notre Dame
2. Connecticut
3. South Carolina
4. Louisville
5. Baylor
6. Maryland
7. Mississippi State
8. Ohio State
9. UCLA
10. Florida State
11. Stanford
12. Syracuse
13. Oklahoma
14. Texas
15. Washington
16. Florida
17. Tennessee
18. DePaul
19. West Virginia
20. Kentucky
21. Miami
22. Oregon State
23. Arizona State
24. Michigan State
25. Gonzaga

Talking Pac-12 and more on "Locked on WBB"

Podcast featuring myself, interviewed by Howard Megdal.

Canada just misses triple-double mark in UCLA win

Oh, so close for UCLA guard Jordin Canada in today's 80-64 win over Cal Poly.

Some surprising results on day 10

Wow:

Penn State took down #13 Tennessee, 70-56.

#10 Mississippi State toppled #8 Texas, 79-68. It's the second loss in a week for the Longhorns.

New-look Vanderbilt edged Duke, 77-73.

Eight Kansas players and two Memphis players were ejected when a fight ensued in the second quarter. Jayhawks got their first win, 68-58.

Georgia Tech 52, Georgia 45

Minnesota 90, Seton Hall 57

Wake Forest 89, Eastern Michigan 61

Oklahoma State 79, Washington State 72 (OT)

South Dakota State 66, Iowa 64

Virginia 62, Rutgers 54. The Cavs are unbeaten and the Scarlet Knights have yet to win.

San Francisco 73, Long Beach State 71

More results:

#1 Notre Dame 71, #17 Washington 60

#2 Baylor 101, Mississippi Valley 36

#3 Connecticut 76, LSU 53

#4 South Carolina 92, Hampton 38...the "twin towers" dominated for the Gamecocks

#5 Louisville 92, Lafayette 48

#6 Maryland 96, Niagara 64

#9 UCLA 80, Cal Poly 64

#11 Stanford 88, CSUN 54

All scores.

College team news:

Oregon is playing six games in 10 days.

Offensive efficiency and bench depth are key so far for George Washington.

College player news:

Virginia center Debra Ferguson has left the team.

Recruiting news:

The making of Tennessee's #1 draft class.

Wisconsin coach Jonathan Tsipis finds the inability to land any recruits in the first signing period frustrating.

WNBA marketing: improved, but still a long way to go

An update on my original eight-point plan from last year.

But wait, there's more

Colorado just took down #15 Kentucky, 79-69.

#20 DePaul handled Northwestern, 89-66.

This season is off the hook already!

I don't think this Pac-12 preseason prediction order will hold up.

Upsets and blowouts

It's been an interesting 61-game day.......

Upsets:

Marquette 75, #18 Arizona State 63

Western Kentucky 85, #23 Indiana 74

Blowouts:

#5 Louisville 83, Bowling Green 58

#7 Ohio State 113, LIU Brooklyn 54

#21 West Virginia 69, Coppin State 39

South Dakota State 84, Montana 43

Iowa 71, Massachussets 30

Utah 100, Utah Valley 52

Other scores:

#16 Oklahoma 68, BYU 61

#19 Florida 83, Temple 76

Dayton 62, Princeton 56 (OT)

Virginia Tech 67, UCF 64, and Tech is 4-0

Middle Tennessee 73, Tennessee Tech 62

Elon 71, Central Michigan 57

UN:V 77, USC 66

Duquesne 61, Iona 58

Northwestern vs. #20 DePaul

and

#15 Kentucky vs. Colorado

still in progress at this moment.

All scores so far.

College team news:

Iowa State and Drake are revitalizing their rivalry.

Fresno State is in reevaluation mode after their second straight loss.

Washington will get a shot at #1 Notre Dame tomorrow.

College player news:

Grad transfer Sara Hattis has found the perfect fit at Arizona State.

The addition of Jessica Hardin has been a godsend for Kentucky, coach Matthew Mitchell says.

Newcomers are fitting right in for the Buckeyes.

It's a surreal experience for Oregon State's Sydney Wiese to be a senior.

WNBA player news:

Alana Beard and Marissa Coleman have opened their own restaurant in Roanoke, Virginia.

WNBA coach news:

New Indiana Fever coach Pokey Chatman plans to crank up the pace.

How Chatman can help the Fever.

Big night to start a big season

Upset:

Gonzaga just edged #11 Stanford in an epic game, 68-63.

Several teams putting the hurt on other squads today:

#6 Maryland 106, Mount St. Mary's 42

#9 UCLA 95, Southern 47

#14 Syracuse 78, Stony Brook 60

#24 Oregon State 62, Portland 45

Michigan 109, Howard 41 (The Wolverines went on a 52-0 run after the Bison scored the first six points of the game)

Ohio 72, Tennessee-Martin 55

Washington State 73, San Francisco 35

Closer games:

Oregon 77, Cal State Bakersfield 62. Of the four Ducks scoring in double figures, three were freshmen. The Pac-12 should be worried.

Cal 71, UC Riverside 56

Minnesota 68, Georgetown 60

Arizona 81, George Mason 70

Pulled-it-out-by-the-skin-of-their-teeth games:

Northern Colorado 77, Florida Gulf Coast 74 (2OT)

Michigan State 68, Western Michigan 64 (OT)

CSUN 61, Fresno 57 for their first win vs. the Bulldogs since 1975

All scores.

Sixty games on tap tomorrow.

College team news:

Florida's guards are primed for a major role in their game against Temple tomorrow.

Kentucky is working for early season wins with an end goal in mind. They are off to a hot start.

UCF aims to build on their success.

College player news:

Now healthy, Louisville's Asia Durr is lighting up the court.

Kiara Lewis and Sierra Calhoun are quick to pick up defense for Ohio State.

WNBA player news:

Dallas Wings guard Aerial Powers had successful hip surgery yesterday. She'll be out 4-6 months.

Rebecca Allen's impact was felt in her rookie season with the Liberty.

WNBA coach news:

The Indiana Fever officially named Pokey Chatman head coach this morning. Briann January and Tamika Catchings were on hand for the announcement.

Mystics assistant coach Marianne Stanley has won the Lapchick Character Award.

UConn beats Baylor; Notre Dame and Washington will face off

Today's results:

#3 Connecticut upset #2 Baylor, 72-61.

#1 Notre Dame overcame poor shooting to edge Green Bay, 71-67.

#17 Washington topped #25 Missouri, 79-66. Kelsey Plum scored 32 points for the Huskies, moving up to third place on the Pac-12 all-time scoring list. Washington and Notre Dame face off in the WNIT final Sunday.

#23 Indiana held off Chattanooga, 79-76.

Wake Forest clipped Rutgers, 55-43. The Scarlet Knights are now 0-3.

Duke pummeled Grand Canyon, 90-47.

Purdue got their first win of the season, over South Carolina Upstate, 71-41.

Texas A&M ground it out over Texas Tech in OT, 98-90.

Oklahoma State held off Loyola Marymount, 66-58.

Creighton survived Drake, 80-77.

Nebraska squeaked by Colorado State, 62-59.

All scores.

College team news:

A team effort went into Tennessee's signing class.

Georgia is finding leadership around every corner.

Gonzaga goes into a tough stretch starting Friday, at Stanford.

Buffalo looks to be a dominant force.

Wichita State is focused on playing four quarters.

College player news:

Oregon State freshman Mikayla Pivec and Kat Tudor are off to a quick start.

Illinois guard Cierra Rice was injured in their loss tonight.

Senior Kelsey Criner is leading North Texas on both ends of the floor.

From YouTube to College Hill: Lafayette's English import Harriet Ottewill-Soulsby leader.

Kia Nurse is now carrying the torch for UConn.

WNBA player news:

Liberty guard Sugar Rodgers overcame the odds.

Former WNBA player news:

Armintie Price Herrington's journey through the game.

Future WNBA player news:

WNBA senior watch: Washington's Kelsey Plum.

WNBA coach news:

The Indy Star reports that Pokey Chatman is the new Indiana Fever coach.

No upsets, but lots of action

Today's results:

#5 Louisville 91, Middle Tennessee 72

#6 Maryland 106, Maryland-Eastern Shore 61

#7 Ohio State 96, Cleveland State 78. Kelsey Mitchell had 31 points for the Buckeyes.

#8 Texas 98, Houston Baptist 46

#10 Mississippi State 66, Tulane 49

#16 Oklahoma 68, Arkansas-Little Rock 58

Dayton 83, Wisconsin 64

Georgia pounded BYU, 81-51.

Northwestern 75, Missouri State 52

Vanderbilt 73, Drexel 63

SMU wins again, 75-63 over Kansas

What a score: Northern Illinois 114, Milwaukee 104, in two overtimes. Ally Lehman broke a Mid-American Conference record with 48 points and 21 rebounds. Good lord......

All scores, so far.

College conference news:

Pac-12 teams are off to a strong start.

College player news:

South Carolina's Alaina Coates and the upside of staying inside.

Father plays best? Not if Kentucky's Makayla Epps can help it.

Oregon's Maite Cazorla and Sabrina Ionescu are a perfect pair in the making.

Missouri's Cierra and Bri Porter are eager for their team's match up with Washington.

Utah's Paige Crozon has her sights set on an NCAA appearance.

College coach news:

Around the Rim podcast with South Carolina coach Dawn Staley.

UCLA coach Cori Close follows John Wooden's example.

In college hoops, female coaches are losing ground.

WNBA player news:

Today is Essence Carson day in Paterson, N.J.

Tall girl problems:

This piece is on point.

USA Today top 25 coaches poll

This week's poll sees some movement:

1. Notre Dame
2. Connecticut
3. South Carolina
4. Baylor
5. Maryland
6. Louisville
7. Stanford
8. Ohio State
9. Mississippi State
10. Texas
11. UCLA
12. Florida State
13. Tennessee
14. Syracuse
15. Washington
16. Arizona State
17. Oklahoma
18. Oregon State
19. Kentucky
20. DePaul
21. Michigan State
22. Miami
23. Florida
24. Texas A&M
25. West Virginia

Some hot starts continue

Today's results:

#13 Tennessee dominated East Tennessee State, 83-58. Diamond DeShields lead the Lady Vols with 28 points, 10 rebounds and six assists.

#21 West Virginia 95, Howard 49.

James Madison 62, Liberty 48

Harvard 69, Maine 62

Minnesota 79, VCU 69

Seton Hall 76, Marist 63

South Florida 78, North Florida 42

Duke 105, Longwood 48

Michigan State 70, Southern 55

Iowa State 76, Northern Iowa 68

New Mexico 84, New Mexico State 55

All scores.

Sixty games on deck tomorrow.

College team news:

Ohio State's loss last night shows their defense still needs work.

Florida State: signs of growth after UConn.

Missouri's season outlook is plagued by injuries.

Thomas More College must forfeit their 2015 National Championship due to a player ineligibility issue.

College player news:

Can A'ja Wilson and Alaina Coates lead South Carolina back to the Final Four?

Kelsey Plum's letter to her high school self.

Brianna Turner's letter to her high school self.

Former Stanford Cardinal Lili Thompson now watches the team from the front row.

College coach news:

Jennifer Rizzotti has found the right fit at George Washington.

Baylor coach Kim Mulkey criticized ESPN for their lack of WBB coverage.

AP top 25 poll, week two

This week's AP top 25 poll:

1. Notre Dame
2. Baylor
3. Connecticut
4. South Carolina
5. Louisville
6. Maryland
7. Ohio State
8. Texas
9. UCLA
10. Mississippi State
11. Stanford
12. Florida State
13. Tennessee
14. Syracuse
15. Oklahoma
16. Kentucky
17. Washington
18. Arizona State
19. Florida State
20. DePaul
21. West Virginia
22. Miami
23. Indiana
24. Oregon State
25. Missouri

Knock knock knockin' on parity's door

#11 Stanford vaulted past #8 Texas, 71-59, behind Brittany McPhee's career-high 28 points.

#3 UConn held off #12 Florida State, 78-76.

More results:

#2 Baylor 84, #9 UCLA 70

#4 South Carolina 92, #7 Ohio State 80...Gamecock transfer Kaela Davis poured in 37 points

#20 Florida 72, Chattanooga 61

#24 Missouri 55, Nebraska 34

Elon 66, Rutgers 54

Several teams still battling at this hour.

All scores so far.

College team news:

A large group of fans showed support last night for the Arkansas players who kneeled during the Anthem.

UConn will realy on a new big three this year.

College player news:

Tennessee got a signature recruit in Evina Westbrook.

A leadership role is a great fit for Oregon's Jacinta Vandenberg.

College coach news:

How Dawn Staley built a winning basketball team and brought the fans to match.

Coach’s Chair: Rick Insell, Middle Tennessee State University

Heck of a guy, coach Rick Insell.

Just a little bit of "hmmmm"

Today's unsurprising results:

#5 Louisville 73, Belmont 50

#6 Maryland 100, UMass Lowell 44

#13 Tennessee 85, Navy 55

#16 Oklahoma 80, Southern Illinois 48

#18 Arizona State 82, San Jose State 37

Results that make you go hmmmm:

#23 Indiana 94, VAnderbilt 61.....strong statement by the Hoosiers, who are now 2-0.

George Washington 56, Princeton 45.....the golden Tiger era seems to be slowing down, as they are 0-2.

Oregon 84, Lamar 67.....all but one Duck scored today, including all members of the stellar freshman class. Wow.

Iowa 84, Hampton 51.....bounce-back season for the Hawkeyes? They're 2-0.

Clemson 78, Western Carolina 63......the Tigers are finally rising?

Duke 68, Penn 55.....Blue Devils are back?

Wichita State 62, Creighton 54.....the Bluejays are 0-2.

St. Francis 103, Wisconsin 100....the Badgers are 0-2.

More 2-0's:

Virginia, Georgia, Michigan State, Northwestern, South Dakota, South Dakota State, Michigan, Green Bay, Virginia Tech, Long Beach State, Colorado, Gonzaga, Ole Miss and LSU.

All scores.

College team news:

UConn’s young team faces challenges without superstars.

An anti-bullying PSA was shown during yesterday's Iowa State game.

UTEP is struggling in the absence of suspended Jenzel Nash.

Oklahoma will rely on experience this season.

Some love for day two

Today's results:

Villanova handed Purdue their second straight loss of the season, 58-44.

#10 Mississippi State pounded Maine, 87-43.

#19 Kentucky thrashed Albany, 70-46. Evelyn Akhator lead the Wildcats with a career-high 28 points.

Utah downed Montana State, 74-64.

Minnesota throttled Harvard, 103-87.

All scores.

76 games on tap tomorrow.

College team news:

With their heralded freshman class, Oregon is set to begin the season.

Minnesota's new lineup is still taking shape.

Oklahoma is ahead of schedule.

Rutgers is hitting the road.

College player news:

#10 prospect Michaela Onyerwere has committed to UCLA.

Washington's Chantel Osahor is a driving force with her unique jump shot.

Baylor's Nina Davis developed her resolve at a young age.

UConn's Katie Lou Samuelson sees herself as more than just a shooter.

College coach news:

UConn coach Geno Auriemma is demanding production from freshman guard Crystal Dangerfield.

The stories you won't get anywhere else

Last night I messed around and got a double.....of games. First I went to USC's opener against Hawaii, to accompany womenshoopsworld.com reporter Brian Love and scope the match up myself.

I continue to be impressed with Trojan junior forward Kristen Simon, who had a double-double (as she did in last week's exhibition game), and freshmen Ja'Tavia Tapley and Minyon Moore, who can both score. I think they will be able to contribute significantly this year.

Then I rolled over to catch UCLA's season tipoff with Pacific. The Bruins got off to a slow start, but when they caught fire, it was something to behold. They have a great new addition in transfer Nicole Kornet, and returners Jordin Canada, Monique Billings, Kennedy Burke, Ashley Hearn and Kelli Hayes have made notable improvements. Hearn's three consecutive deflections were so much fun, and got the crowd yelling.

UCLA has good on-court communication, and they seem to have great chemistry already. Coach Cori Close said post-game that the team hasn't begun to reach their full potential, and that's scary.

Often, the stories on womenshoopsworld.com on these games are the only ones you'll see. So here we are:

No. 9 UCLA overcomes slow start to down Pacific, 82-55.

Trojans demonstrate a united team effort in 32-point rout.

"Just Because I Transferred Doesn't Mean You Should Too"

Check out this insanely awesome wisdom from UCLA's Nicole Kornet, who transferred from Oklahoma.

Read every sentence.

We're baaaaaack!!

One upset on opening day:

#19 Kentucky toppled #14 Miami, 82-66. Makayla Epps had 29 to lead the Wildcats.

More results:

#1 Notre Dame whooped Central Michigan, 107-47.

#2 Baylor beat on Houston Baptist, 118-43.

#7 Ohio State had four players in double figures in their 89-69 win over Duquesne.

#9 UCLA took care of Pacific, 82-55.

#12 Florida State downed Jacksonville State, 73-62.

#13 Tennessee held off James Madison, 81-69.

#14 Syracuse routed Rhode Island, 95-49.

#17 Washington pummeled Eastern Washington, 100-50. Kelsey Plum scored 32 points - 25 of which were in the first half - and she didn't play the final quarter.

#24 Missouri outlasted Abilene Christian, 52-46.

#25 Oregon State throttled Lamar, 88-56.

Maine routed Purdue, 67-47.

Charlotte surprised Wisconsin, 63-48.

Chattanooga beat Rutgers, 66-53.

Duke pounded Liberty, 98-38.

North Carolina dominated Alabama State, 84-54.

Virginia upended Middle Tennessee, 63-51.

Drexel roared past Penn State, 80-63.

LSU got by Louisiana Tech, 77-73.

Northwestern defeated Hampton 67-48.

Georgetown got the victory over George Washington, 72-57.

South Dakota State handled Creighton, 63-56.

Colorado powered past Northern Colorado, 83-62.

All scores.

The stories behind the scores

Happy opening day!!!

I'm at game one of two this evening. While we wait for all scores to roll in, here are the stories behind the scores......

College team news:

Keys to the season for Ohio State. They have a rough road in a new season.

Arizona State is ready to build off recent successes.

Returning players are giving Pitt confidence after an 18-loss season.

Dayton sets off under a new coach.

Nebraska: prepare to be patient.

College player news:

Shatori Walker-Kimbrough looks to cement her legacy at Maryland.

As Missouri begins the season, Jordan Frericks embraces her new role as cheerleader.

Indiana will lean on Tyra Buss.

Kansas State's Breanna Lewis is locked in on breaking records and finishing her career on a high note.

Cassie Broadhead will take on a bigger role at BYU.

Malayna Johnson is ready to get back into the game for Wisconsin.

College coach news:

Pac-12 coaches are getting more creative with team-building.

Temple coach Tonya Cardoza's ties to UConn are old but deep.

The Jonathan Tsipis era begins at Wisconsin.

T'was the night before opening day

COLLEGE SEASON IS UPON US!!!!!!

College team news:

With UConn looking human, the college basketball race is wide open.

Tennessee begins their season journey.

UCLA is on the cusp of greater heights.

Stanford looks to outdo last season's success.

Ohio State roster breakdown.

Is Utah faster, bigger and better?

USC is back.

Maine opens the season against former coach Sharon Versyp.

Duke awaits as Penn comes their way.

CSUN is primed for a bounce-back season.

North Carolina looks to surprise, despite inexperience.

Long Beach State is seeking greatness.

Northwestern begins the year looking for a boost from new faces.

What to watch as Colorado State begins play.

BYU hopes to replace Lexi Rydalch with better balance and more depth.

Virginia looks to be longer and stronger this season.

Nebraska begins the year with fresh faces.

Bigger Ole Miss is ready for their opener.

Back court depth replaces forward stars at Stony Brook.

New look Alabama is ready for the season to start.

South Dakota State is dreaming big this year.

Five questions facing Marist.

Sacramento State could break more records this year.

College player news:

Brianna Turner is Notre Dame's quiet cornerstone.

An influx of newcomers will test Kelsey Mitchell's leadership at Ohio State.

Washington's Kelsey Plum is back for the finale of a stellar college career.

Michigan senior point guard Siera Thompson will do more than just pass the ball.

Tori Jankoska is living a dream with Michigan State. Teammate Taya Reimer is a winner.

Washington will likely learn transfer Natalie Romero's fate before the season opener.

Aliyah Huland El is ready for a bigger role with Virginia.

A look at Vermont's four newcomers.

College coach news:

UCLA coach Cori Close studies basketball at every court she steps on.

New mom Joni Taylor expects a quick return as Georgia begins the season.

Santa Clara and San Francisco have new head coaches.

In coach Sean O'Regan's debut, James Madison is aiming high.

Who made out on Signing Day?

Feels like old times again....Connecticut got #1 prospect Megan Walker and Tennessee got #2 Evina Westbrook.

Slideshow: signature moments.

WNBA news:

Shelden Williams has reportedly filed for divorce from Candace Parker, and seeks spousal support and attorney fees.

Q&A with Sparks MVP Nneka Ogwumike.

Q&A with rehabbing Sun guard Rachel Banham.

So very very very many stories and characters in them

(Which is my favorite thing about college hoops)

Athlete protests:

The Arkansas players who kneeled during the Anthem last week will be required to stand from here on out. Just, wow.

The Razorbacks will have "project unify."

Nevada has launched a National Anthem movement.

College ball will likely unleash another round of athlete protests.

Media coverage of the game:

North Carolina's media outlets are still short-changing women's basketball.

College team news:

Big 5 conference previews and predictions, by ESPN.

Injuries leave the Lady Vols without much depth.

UCLA adjusts strategies with their new lineup.

Ohio State is looking to improve defense and rebounding in their season opener against Duquesne.

Syracuse pushes to translate basketball success into better attendance.

Texas is more versatile than ever, their AD says.

Florida is prepping for their season opener. They are looking to rebound from last year's postseason flop.

Youthful UMaine is talented, but a work in progress.

Clemson obtained experience from last year's 4-26 season.

Indiana's season, at a glance.

Fordham enters the season with new blood.

A mix of new faces and returners has Charleston excited.

Lehigh is relying on youth and athleticism.

Boston U is ready for a fresh start and an opportunity to rebound.

UC Davis preview.

Delaware season preview.

Improving defense is Marquette's focus.

College player news:

How far can Jordin Canada carry UCLA?

Washington's Kelsey Plum and Seattle Storm star Sue Bird talk hoops, and who would win a one-on-one.

Erica McCall leads Stanford basketball.

Kelsey Mitchell is ready to lead the Buckeyes.

Natalie Butler is a force in the post for UConn.

Kiara Leslie will redshirt for Maryland.

Former Miami player Tamara James was elected mayor of Florida city Dania Beach last night.

College coach news:

Mickie DeMoss' coaching journey reunites her with LSU coach Nikki Fargas.

Maryland coach Brenda Frese previews the season.

Baylor coach Kim Mulkey has long anticipated her team being this good.

UT-Arlington coach Krista Gerlich lives by three words: purpose, passion and pride.

New Arizona coach Adia Barnes is ready for the rebuild.

SDSU coach Stacie Terry previews the season.

National Signing Day!

Some of 2017's top recruits announce their choices today.

Three days to go!!

College team news:

An NCAA title run is realistic for Ohio State if they get the mix right.

Experienced, talented Miami is ready to make another postseason push.

Pitt season preview.

Northwestern's front court is deeper, but questions remain.

BYU season preview.

New look, same goal for UAlbany.

Buffalo is loaded.

Arizona State's incoming class carries lofty expectations.

Lafayette is wiping the slate clean.

College player news:

After winning an Olympic silver medal, Leticia Romero is ready for her final season at Florida State.

Now a senior, Kentucky veteran Makayla Epps relishes her leadership role.

Podcast with Washington point guard Kelsey Plum.

UConn's Gabby Williams has basketball in her blood.

Maryland needs Brionna Jones.

A junior duo leads Mercer into the season.

Ashley Pegram has found a second home and a second family at VCU.

College coach news:

New Seattle U coach Suzy Barcomb has trust in her process.

For Kentucky coach Matthew Mitchell, a short bench means big decisions.

WNBA experience has given the Penn State coaching staff valuable knowledge.

The Katrina Merriweather era has begun at Wright State.

Wesleyan University coach Steve Brooks has resigned after 17 years, but the school isn't saying why.

Winston-Salem State coach L'Tona Lamonte is selling; Rams women's basketball players are buying.

High school recruiting news:

Tomorrow is National Signing Day, and Louisville has taken the top spot in 2017 recruiting.

WNBA news:

For the Ogwumike sisters, it's about more than basketball.

Angel McCoughtry is opening an ice cream shop.

WNBA players are making their marks overseas.

Krytal Thomas' focus has shifted to coaching.