Paige vs. Kelsey Steals Unrivaled Spotlight

^{January 10, 2025 | Edition #178}

Hey, Hoophead!

It’s kind of wild (and honestly, the best part) how women’s basketball never really has an offseason. And right now, we’re getting a double dose of hoops, with the pros and college stars sharing the spotlight at the same time. Unrivaled gave us plenty to wrap up the week, and college hoops is already lining up even more chaos for the weekend. But before we dive into all that, let’s catch you up on what’s next, with the CBA deadline officially expiring last night.

A New Chapter

More than a year since the players opted out of the current CBA, 15 months of talks, two extensions, and still nothing productive has materialised!

Last night, the January deadline passed, and the WNBPA fired off a statement, blasting the league for being “committed to undervaluing players' contributions and dismissing concerns.”

You can feel the fury through their words!

Unsurprisingly, the league also responded, saying that negotiations with the union are ongoing. But now that the deadline is gone, another extension feels unlikely. And for anyone worried, don’t panic just yet, the league isn’t heading toward a work stoppage…yet.

So what happens next?

Instead, negotiations move into a status quo period, meaning both sides can continue talks while the current CBA remains in effect. In fact, the WNBA called every general manager to confirm that teams are permitted to send qualifying offers to free agents.

And if you’re wondering how teams are supposed to operate when no one even knows what the salary cap will look like next season, that’s exactly why the league sent a moratorium proposal to the union. One that’s currently under review.

However, while that may address one issue, the real problem is that both sides are still far from reaching a CBA agreement. Not to forget that the league has missed the expansion draft window, which was expected to be held in December.

And right now, there’s no indication that a deal is close.

That means we’re looking at the real possibility of a delayed start. The WNBA hasn’t had a single game canceled because of a work stoppage since 1997. The last two CBA negotiations needed extensions, but they didn’t lapse into a status quo phase.

This could be the first.

Ranked Rumble

We’re kicking things off with the SEC giants!

No. 12 LSU welcomes No. 2 Texas. And before tip-off, coach Kim Mulkey already stirred the conversation with a comment about one of her stars that fans are calling a “straight lie.”

See if you agree with what people are saying!

Meanwhile, sure, Kim Mulkey says “the sky is not falling” despite LSU losing two SEC games, Tigers fans might (not) want to remember that you’d have to go back to the 2002–03 season to find LSU’s last win over Texas.

Moreover, we all know how Kim Mulkey’s team has struggled against ranked opponents. LSU may lead the nation in scoring, but it was beaten on the glass by double digits against Kentucky and coughed up 22 turnovers against Vanderbilt. Their opponents? Pretty much the complete opposite.

Hence, this almost feels like a guaranteed Texas win, given LSU is 0–9 against ranked SEC teams in the Mulkey era. But can the Lady Tigers finally break through? Find out at 3 p.m. ET (ESPN) on Sunday.

We have another ranked showdown as No. 4 UCLA heads to Lincoln, Nebraska, to face the No. 25 Cornhuskers inside Pinnacle Bank Arena. Right now, UCLA holds a 6–3 lead in the all-time series and has won both meetings since joining the Big Ten, including a 91–54 blowout in their first conference game on Dec. 29, 2024.

Plus, Cori Close’s side enters with the nation’s second-best NET ranking and more Quad 1 wins than anyone else. For Nebraska, it’s their highest-ranked opponent of the season, and the matchup certainly doesn’t favor them.

To make matters worse for Nebraska, Lauren Betts has found her form, scoring 122 points and grabbing 61 rebounds over her last five games. And just to add to the hype, she’s coming after her idol (Indiana Fever star) basically raved about her.

If that boost translates to the court, we’ll see it on Sunday at 7 p.m. ET on the Big Ten Network!

On-Court Altercation! 4 Players Ejected for Fighting

Unrivaled Hoops: Clutch and Chaos

It’s game time in Miami!

With Stephanie White, newly appointed Liberty coach Chris DeMarco, and new Storm coach Sonia Raman all in the building, Friday’s Unrivaled doubleheader had no shortage of star power, and it backed it up with pure entertainment.

Let’s start with the expansion clash: Breeze BC vs. Hive BC, two teams stacked with young, exciting players who have fans raving already. But once again, the spotlight belonged to Paige Bueckers and Kelsey Mitchell, who went shot-for-shot and kept everyone inside Sephora Arena thoroughly entertained.

You’ve got to see this sequence between Paige and Kelsey!

But in the end, it was Paige who had the last laugh, knocking down the game-winning jumper and finishing with 16 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists as Breeze BC improved to 2–0 while Hive BC continued to search for its first win.

However, the night had already started with a heated opener as Rose BC went up against Vinyl BC. Vinyl controlled most of the game, with Rhyne Howard dropping 28 points on an efficient 10-for-16 from the field.

Rose trailed by as many as seven in the fourth, and with Kahleah Copper sidelined, few expected the defending champions to pull it off. But when you’ve got a Point Gawd, anything can happen.

Chelsea Gray stepped up when it mattered most. With her unreal back-to-back threes in crunch time, she kept the Rose unbeaten. Those final shots were pure moment magic!

She finished with 23 points, 5 assists, and 5 rebounds.

Who’s Your Pick? WNBA Legend Names Her Early Unrivaled MVP

Sierra Canyon’s First & Forever

It’s not surprising when WNBA stars get their high school jerseys retired. But how often does a player get that honor while still in college?

Well, JuJu Watkins yet again proves why she’s special, why she’s generational!

At halftime of the Mission League boys’ basketball showdown between Sierra Canyon and Notre Dame, JuJu Watkins became the first athlete ever at Sierra Canyon to have her jersey retired. As No. 12 became immortal, JuJu was surrounded by her loved ones, and yes, her special someone was right there by her side.

A genuinely sweet moment you’ll want to catch.

But honestly, it’s not surprising at all when you look at the career she put together at Sierra Canyon. Watkins even set the program’s single-game scoring record with a statline line that still makes your jaw drop.

And while the next wave is coming, with another Sierra Canyon star, Jerzy Robinson, headed to Dawn Staley’s “daycare,” but for now, this moment belongs to JuJu.

Congratulations, JuJu! We all know this is only the beginning.

1. ‘I Don’t Blame Him’: Cori Close Defends Scott Drew’s Controversial Nnaji Gamble - Full Story 

2. Dawn Staley Rewards Gamecocks With Locker Room Surprise Amid Strong SEC Run - Full Story 

3. Notre Dame HC Shrugs Off Irish’s AP Poll Exit -  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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