^{December 15, 2025 | Edition #171}

Hey, Hoophead!

What a weekend for basketball! There was never a dull moment, to say the least. While ranked college teams delivered exciting matchups, the pros also kept the excitement alive at Team USA’s training camp. Texas made a bold statement with a big, big win over Baylor, as the top squads racked up blowouts, showing exactly why they’re the best.

Team USA’s New Era

Paige Bueckers has a thing for naming the group she’s part of. This time, it’s “young and turnt.” And that feels about right.

Team USA’s training camp at Duke University wrapped up over the weekend, and nearly half the roster — 10 of the 17 players invited — were first-timers set to make their senior national team debut.

On paper, that sounds like a youth movement still finding its footing.

On the court, though, you wouldn’t have known who was new and who wasn’t.

Across three days of training, the rookies looked comfortable. Confident. Like they belonged. It made sense, though. Many of these players have shared international stages before. They’ve grown up together in the game.

So, by the time the final day’s scrimmage rolled around, it was obvious. As many fans joked online, it felt like the closest thing to “world peace.”

Enjoy the highlights of your favorites from the last day!

Bueckers, Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Cameron Brink, Lauren Betts, JuJu Watkins, and more - these are the players who’ve delivered some of women’s basketball’s most unforgettable moments in recent years. Seeing them come together in red and white feels like something straight out of a fan’s dream.

Now, not everyone from camp will make the final roster. But for the first time in years, things already feel different. Unlike previous cycles, Team USA’s youth is showing up most clearly at the point guard position. The team still has plenty of experience and depth there, but this time, the younger guards are right there with them.

On top of that, there’s also a new face leading the charge. This camp marked Kara Lawson’s first time at the helm as head coach. For now, she has been encouraged by the ‘intentionality’ and ‘competitiveness’ of her star-studded group.

“It’s what I expected from a national team camp,” she said.

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Blowout Heaven ft. Tennessee, South Carolina & TCU

College hoops this weekend turned into a parade of blowout wins.

It all tipped off with Kim Caldwell’s Vols walking into a matchup with some serious history attached to it. On the other sideline stood one of the legendary “Three Meeks” from Tennessee’s iconic 39–0 championship team in 1998. Yes, Semeka Randall Lay was in the building.

But this time, on the other side, leading her Winthrop side. As you would expect, Tennessee rolled to a 112–40 win, putting up a season-best 28 assists. On a night that ended with five Lady Vols in double figures, Janiah Barker led with 20.

At the end, Randall Lay soaked in every moment of being back at what is now her home away from home and put in a special request.

Here’s what the Lady Vols legend is asking for!

Just a few hours later, the Gamecocks were hosting the Penn State Lady Lions. Dawn Staley might not have the luxury of a deep roster right now, but her eight available Gamecocks showed they had plenty in the tank, cruising past the Lady Lions 95–55.

While Kiyomi McMiller extended her streak to 10 straight double-digit games with a 22-point outing, the MVP of the night had to be Joyce Edwards. She pulled off something South Carolina hadn’t seen in nine years. Not since A’ja Wilson, to be precise. You might want to check this one out.

Meanwhile, TCU’s Olivia Miles was putting together a historic night of her own. Long gone are the days when we talked about Miles only as a playmaker. She has evolved into a complete all-around player, proving it again with 15 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists for her second straight triple-double (first time in TCU history!) against the Jacksonville Dolphins.

The Horned Frogs extended their school-record home winning streak to 32 games with an 89–49 win against the Dolphins, adding another chapter to a weekend where the ranked teams pretty much reigned over the unranked.

Double Hit for Baylor! Lady Bears See Leader Go Down in Loss to Texas

Noise & Nerves of Steel

Former Flame? “If you can't beat ’em, join ’em.” That was probably the only thing running through the minds of Trojan fans as they watched their five-star freshman head to the same team that cut short their tournament run. So it wasn’t a shock when Kayleigh Heckel’s every touch followed a chorus of boos.

But did that stop her from delivering a ridiculous double-clutch finish? With about two minutes left, her crafty move screamed, ‘I don’t care.’

Go ahead, watch the clip and tell us it doesn’t have Paige Bueckers written all over it! 

No look, no problem! South Carolina was up by 24 on Penn State with 4:26 left in the third when Ta’Niya Latson showed just how quickly she is building chemistry with her new team. She picked off a Penn State pass and raced down the floor.

And just when it looked like she wouldn’t be able to finish it herself, she slipped a clean, no-look, behind-the-back magic dime to Joyce Edwards, who laid it in and immediately flexed at the bench.

See how this amazing play unfolds right here! 

Against the Odds: We believe in Last-Tear Poa. No doubt about it. But when you see a career 29.1 percent mark from deep, confidence from the three-point line doesn’t exactly come automatically. And yet, did that stop her from drilling a game-winner with 16 seconds left? Absolutely not.

With Oregon State clinging to a 53–52 lead in the dying seconds of overtime, Arizona State stayed calm. After a steady buildup, Gabby Elliott found Washenitz, who made the perfect read and fired a crisp pass to former LSU guard, wide open on the wing.

It seriously doesn’t get much crazier (or more unexpected) than this!

Once again, the unlikeliest of heroes stepped up for ASU.

A’ja Takes Over NBA Night

Steph Curry has been a sneaker-free agent ever since he decided to part ways with Under Armour. Since then, every game has felt like a new episode of “What’s Steph Wearing Today?”

This one’s got to be a favorite for basketball fans. It was an NBA x WNBA episode, after all. Curry pulled up wearing A’ja Wilson’s A’One signature shoe, and you have to see it for yourself. The shoe made for the queen of the W fit the king of shooting perfectly, as Curry exploded for 48 points on 16-of-26 shooting.

Meanwhile, Caitlin Clark is still proving how adored she is by fans. Making her senior debut, we got another peek at just how big her fan following has become. A little fan was spotted outside Duke University holding a poster with a very sweet request.

Caitlin, along with Aliyah Boston, happily obliged, turning the fan’s day into a memory they’ll never forget. Check out the adorable moment here!

1. Caitlin Clark Makes ‘Stressful’ Confession as She Compares Golf to Basketball - Full Story 

2. Geno Auriemma Addresses Unexpected UConn Locker Room Issues After USC Win - Full Story 

3. Down to 8 Players, Dawn Staley’s Postgame Message Says It All - 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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