^{December 08, 2025 | Edition #169}

Hey, Hoophead!

It did feel a little unfair to have just one ranked-vs-ranked matchup this weekend, right? But clearly, things didn’t stay that simple. We still got a double overtime thriller, some brilliant performances, and a long-overdue “finally!” moment. We’re breaking all of that down today, along with an issue WNBA players feel the league is overcomplicating in the CBA.

CBA Battle Hits ‘Home’

It’s not exactly breaking news that the WNBA players’ union isn’t thrilled with the league’s latest CBA ideas and fans aren’t on board either. But what’s interesting now is how these talks are moving way beyond salaries and revenue splits, pulling out issues we didn’t even know were part of the negotiation.

The latest example: Team housing.

To put it simply, players seem offended with the idea that the league might take away team-sponsored housing (proposed in the new CBA). While one player said, “I think it's just really overcomplicating something that shouldn't be complicated,” Natasha Cloud boldly called the idea something that “makes no sense.”

She even pointed out how changes like this would hit players such as Paige Bueckers, Caitlin Clark, and Angel Reese the hardest. Check it out here!

For context, since 1999, teams have been responsible for housing their players, either by providing a one-bedroom apartment (two if you have kids under 13) or giving a housing stipend. The minimum stipend right now is $1,177 (Las Vegas Aces), and the highest is $2,647 (New York Liberty).

Now, sure, the league might feel that athletes (if) making seven figures can handle their own rent. But that logic skips over a huge chunk of the roster. The players who rely on this the most include:

• players returning from overseas play,

• international players unfamiliar with the U.S. market,

• and the ones on the lower end of the salary scale.

For them, this isn’t a small detail, it’s a top-five concern in the entire CBA conversation.

As a solution, players have proposed that housing be included as part of their benefits package, deducted from their share of revenue. Let’s see if the league includes it in the next revised proposal.

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Meltdown to Miracle: Maryland’s Wild Escape

Maryland women’s basketball woke up to the worst possible news. Their leading scorer Kaylene Smikle is done for the season!

And as if that didn’t sting enough, the Terps went out and played what was probably their worst half of the year, falling into a 14-point hole against Minnesota. But how could they possibly let their conference debut slip away?

Slowly but surely, Maryland started chipping away. By the time the fourth ended, they had somehow erased the deficit and tied the game at 70. Then came overtime No. 1, where Yarden Garzon basically willed the Terps into a second OT. And in that second overtime, when it genuinely felt like Maryland’s magic was all used up, they found one more miracle.

Down nine, Maryland scored 10 straight points. In under a minute! Nobody could believe Minnesota just lost a game in which they had a 9-point lead with 50 seconds left. What an ending sequence it was!

Final: 100–99 Maryland.

Meanwhile at UConn, it was a completely different story.

The Huskies didn’t just win, they bulldozed. Sarah Strong posted 20 points, five rebounds, five steals, and four assists… in 17 minutes. Azzi Fudd and Kayleigh Heckel added 16 each as No. 1 UConn steamrolled DePaul 102–35, marking their largest win margin over Blue Demons ever.

But the biggest moment of the night wasn’t in those 40 minutes at all, it was above them. Sue Bird’s long overdue jersey retirement. And while she walked out with tears in her eyes, she joked that her family wasn’t really there for her. They were there for another UConn star, which Bird low-key hates but also kinda loves. Find out who it is!

Anyway, the day belonged to Bird, watching No. 10 take its rightful place in the rafters, as her UConn rolled on undefeated in its title defense.

Some other results from the day:

• No. 16 Southern California 59, No. 21 Washington 50

• No. 2 Texas 101, Prairie View A&M 42

• No. 3 South Carolina 106, North Carolina Central 42

• No. 4 UCLA 80, Oregon 59

• No. 5 LSU 126, New Orleans 62

• No. 6 Michigan 104, Purdue 56

• No. 18 Notre Dame 93, Florida State 58

Watch! THIS Crazy Pass from Sarah Strong

The Quiet Storm Called Audi Crooks

Very quietly, almost too quietly, Audi Crooks is putting together one of the best seasons in college basketball. So why are we whispering about it? Let’s turn the volume up a little because we’re all getting way too used to seeing ridiculous stat lines next to her name. And just to be clear… this is NOT normal.

Through the first ten games, the Iowa State superstar has been on an absolute scoring tear. She’s hit the 40-point mark twice, climbed to No. 1 in the nation in scoring, and broke the school’s single-game scoring record… twice.

Even Iowa State coach Bill Fennelly couldn’t hide it. “It’s not something I’ve seen, really, maybe ever,” he said. And at the rate she’s going, Crooks is on track to become the only player this century to achieve a feat like this. You need to see what we’re talking about!

This Sunday was just another day at the office.

With 5:20 left in the third quarter, Crooks checked out of the game, with 30 points… in 19 minutes. She led three Cyclones in double figures as No. 10 Iowa State steamrolled Northern Illinois 105–52 to stay undefeated.

Now she sits on top of the nation at 27.3 points per game, and she just hit a milestone that puts her in a category all by herself.

Moreover, this week is massive for Iowa State and for Crooks, with a pair of in-state rivalry games coming up. You just know she’s got more to say, to the people who believed in her from day one, and to the ones who wondered if she could “handle the speed of the game.”

Well, she’s handling it just fine.

Only 15 Left Standing in WBB! Is Your Team Still Unbeaten?

Reese X Bueckers’ Takeover

No game highlight, no courtside moment, not even a win grabbed more attention on Knicks social media than a post that didn’t even feature a single Knicks player.

We know that fans have been waiting ever since Angel Reese first teased her partnership with Paige Bueckers, and the reveal finally came in full New York fashion. The campaign went public courtside at Madison Square Garden during the Knicks vs. Magic matchup. Dressed in coordinated branding and holding the new treat, the two star posed together.

And as much as this pairing is a marketer’s dream, the two of them are clearly just having the time of their lives, sharing photos, short clips, and goofy moments across their socials. Even if the content is literally just them making fun of each other. Watch how Reese roasted Paige!

1. College Basketball Rankings: Predicting AP Top 10 Before Week 6 - Full Story 

2. Sue Bird Gets Emotional as Her No. 10 Takes Its Place in the Rafters - Full Story 

3. Dawn Staley Reveals the Turning Point Behind Her Star’s Breakout - Full Story

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

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