^{December 22, 2025 | Edition #173}

Hey, Hoophead!

You can’t expect sugar cookies to bake in five seconds, and you can’t expect four empty days to feel normal without basketball. But here we are. It’s the last day of action before four long, painful, no-basketball days hit us. Luckily, today spoiled us enough with close wins, breakout performances, and World Basketball Day, bringing amazing announcements along the way.

Iowa State Stays Undefeated — And How!

Heading into the Big 12 opener between Iowa State and Kansas, you would think the Jayhawks would have two, or maybe three, bodies waiting for Audi Crooks every time she touched the ball.

But we were so wrong!

Kansas, without Jaliya Davis and Regan Williams, looked at the nation’s top scorer and said, “We’ll take our chances.” And she made them pay.  But scoring 41 of Iowa’s 79 points wasn’t enough to make her the hero of the night.

Because when the moment came at Hilton Coliseum, with overtime looming and every eye on Crooks, it was Mackenzie Hare who, after a perfect dime from Addy Brown, drilled a three right as the clock hit zero to give the Cyclones the win.

Catch this stunning buzzer-beater! 

Now, one more victory separates Iowa State from matching the best start in program history. And there’s no denying it…the magic, the backbone, has to be Crooks! 

This was her third 40-plus game this season, and she stands alone as the only player in the country with multiple 40+ games. Averaging more points (28.9) than minutes (26.1), the star hit all but four of her shots in the paint, and took 28 of Iowa State’s 60 attempts. 

But credit where it’s due, the Jayhawks were never out of it. They gambled on letting Crooks do her thing, trusting that if they shut down everyone else, they’d still have a shot. The gamble did pay off as Iowa State went just 2-of-8 from deep and watched an 11-point lead with 6:54 to play slip right through their fingers.

Yet, the basketball gods were on the Cyclones’ side, giving them just enough magic to stay undefeated. 

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Sunday Hoops: All Gas, No Breaks

Once again, the ranked teams ruled the weekend.

In front of 6,875 fans inside Purcell Pavilion, the Fighting Irish delivered the eighth-most lopsided win in Notre Dame women’s basketball history, brushing past the Bellarmine Knights 110–38.

And as always, welcome back to the Hannah Hidalgo show. Tonight’s episode delivered history, as Hidalgo passed Arike Ogunbowale for the most career games (12) with 30 or more points in Notre Dame history. And she pulled off something (for the second time!), NO ONE else in D-I has done it since her freshman year.

You need to check this one out!

Notre Dame poured in a program-record 36 points in the first quarter to blow the game open and build a 23-point lead, and by the final buzzer, it was a full-team party, with six players finishing in double figures.

But the weekend wasn’t done with the fireworks. More 100-point nights were on the menu, and once again, Kim Mulkey’s LSU Tigers were right at the center of it. In their final game before the holiday break, LSU dominated UT Arlington 110–45, marking their 10th 100-point game of the season.

Freshman Grace Knox had a night to remember, pouring in season highs of 25 points and 12 rebounds to lead the charge, while MiLaysia Fulwiley added 23 as the Tigers extended their perfect start to 13–0 on the season.

But unlike the other two, the USC Trojans had to huff and puff past the ever-gritty California Golden Bears, grinding out their ninth win of the season with a 61–57 victory.

And let’s be real, USC doesn’t escape the Chase Center without Jazzy Davidson. The freshman pretty much did it all, dropping a season-best 24 on 9-of-21 shooting, with four rebounds, four blocks, two assists, and two steals to go with it. Truly, she was unbelievable on both ends right here!

No surprise here, Davidson is on pace to join Cheryl Miller as the only Power 4 freshman to average at least two steals and two blocks per game over a full season. Trojans do have hope, even without JuJu Watkins!

Literally the Same Person! Flau’jae and Kim Mulkey Are Crash-Out Twins

Your USA 3x3 Athlete of the Year

The USA 3x3 women’s team had a true rollercoaster of a 2025. Gold at the AmeriCup on one end, then a tough quarterfinal exit at the World Cup on the other. Now, as the year comes to a close, it’s time for the Female Athlete of the Year debate.  

And if you’re wondering who took it home last year. Well, it was our very own 2025 draftee!

But this time, good luck picking, because all three are absolute no-brainers.

First up, we’ve got Atlanta Dream star Allisha Gray. She had a career year in her ninth WNBA season, but we’re not here to talk about what she did in the W. This one’s about how she led Team USA to gold at the FIBA 3x3 AmeriCup.

Gray walked away with MVP honors and a spot on the Team of the Tournament after averaging 5.0 points per game and dishing out 14 key assists over five games.

Next up is her Dream teammate, Naz Hillmon. Fresh off a Sixth Player of the Year campaign in the W, Hillmon also delivered for Team USA at the AmeriCup, where her 5.8 points and 5.0 rebounds a night were crucial in the gold-medal run. 

Lastly, we have National Player of the Year contender Sarah Strong as the final nominee. It won’t be a shock if you know Sarah already, but she was everywhere for Team USA at the World Cup: locking down on defense, setting up teammates, and getting buckets when it mattered.

She also suited up at the Women’s Series stops and stuffed the stat sheet across the two legs. Tell us if these highlights don’t scream, ‘Maya Moore 2.0 in the making.’

All three have a case. Who’s your Female Athlete of the Year?

HoF Tour Continues! Sue Bird Headed to the Hall of Fame

Sabrina’s NFL Surprise

Sabrina Ionescu changed the signature sneakers game in the WNBA. Now her Nike Sabrinas are everywhere, including among the NBA’s top five most-worn pairs. But now her reach stretches beyond the hardwood. Yes, Nike’s Sabrina 3 x Vapor Pro 1 “Me vs. Me” crossover cleat has just made its appearance in the NFL.

While there’s no release info yet, the custom pair looks like a direct gift from Sabrina herself to the Chargers’ quarterback. And it makes perfect sense given their old connection!

And speaking of old ties, her fellow hometown native, Jazzy Davidson, now has her own Sabrina 3 PE. It’s huge for Jazzy, especially considering Sabrina has always been her inspiration. And in case you’re wondering, this isn’t their first shared moment. The Sabrina 3 “Blueprint” campaign featured both stars alongside an NBA legend. Watch the ad clip here!

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That’s it for today, folks! We’ll look to knock on your inbox soon with more interesting stories!

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