You might think that all the last teams standing in the NCAA tournament would be built on a similar blueprint. Maybe the secret to success in college hoops is playing fast. Maybe it’s having dominant post players or high-scoring guards. 

But what this year has proven is that there is no single path to success. Each of the remaining teams plays a different style of basketball, and they’re all hard to stop. 

South Carolina, for example, crashes the boards, and then crashes the boards some more. Stanford shoots 38.3% from three, noticeably better than any other remaining team. UConn zips the ball around until they find the best shot. And Arizona? Well, Arizona just lets Aari McDonald go to work. As the lone non-No. 1 seed, that’s what No. 3 seed Arizona will need to do if they want to pull off some more upsets.

But while we already know that McDonald will be an impact player, she’s not alone in playing an outsized role on her team. Below are the five players who will determine who walks away from this weekend as national champions. 

Aari McDonald, Senior, Arizona

In a previous piece, I discussed how McDonald struggled against tournament teams during the regular season, shooting just 32.8% from the field. That didn’t last. Over the last two games, McDonald has put up 32 points per game and eight rebounds, while shooting 11/18 from three-point range. Her scoring has propelled the Wildcats to victory over No. 2 Texas A&M and No. 4 Indiana by a combined 28 points.

The problem? Across both of those games, only one other Arizona player has also scored in double digits. Without McDonald’s heroics, Arizona might not have enough additional firepower to keep up with the top teams. But if she continues blazing by defenders and hitting pull-up threes? Arizona could legitimately win this whole thing.

Ashten Prechtel, Sophomore, Stanford

With 4:30 left in the third quarter, Stanford trailed Louisville 45-37. They looked a bit lost, a bit cold – nothing like the number one overall seed that normally averages 78.9 points per game. Then things changed. But it wasn’t because of projected first round pick Kiana Williams. It wasn’t because of second leading-scorer Haley Jones, who put up a mere two points in the fourth quarter. It was Ashten Prechtel. Yes, Ashten Prechtel, the 6-foot-5 forward who averaged just 13 minutes and five points per game on the season. 

Prechtel brought a different dynamic to the floor. She misdirected shots in the lane with her long arms. She knocked down three after three after three over defenders. In the final 15 minutes of the game, Prechtel scored 16 points on 6-6 from the field and 3-3 from beyond the arc, sprinkling in four assists and two blocks as well. Stanford is already deep, with four players averaging double figures on the year. Add in a three-point shooting big who can defend the rim? How much tougher can a team get?

Aliyah Boston, Sophomore, South Carolina

The Gamecocks have won every NCAA tournament game handily, without All-American Aliyah Boston putting up gaudy numbers. Actually, to be quite honest, Boston has struggled offensively. Over the past two games, Boston has averaged just 9.5 points on 28.5% shooting. But that hasn’t necessarily translated to losses. In the eight games that Boston has scored in single digits this season, the Gamecocks are 7-1, with a differential of 22 points per game (their one loss came against NC State). 

The reason is simple. Boston affects the game in more ways than just scoring, especially on the defensive end. In their Elite Eight matchup against Texas, Boston held All-Big 12 First Team selection Charli Collier to just four points on 2-10 shooting.

Dawn Staley and the Gamecocks don’t need Boston to score to win. If she continues to protect the rim and lock up the opposing team’s big, it’s hard to see a team scoring enough points to beat the Gamecocks.   

Laeticia Amihere, Sophomore, South Carolina

No Aliyah Boston? No problem. Enter sophomore forward Laeticia Amihere, who dropped a season-high 15 points in the Gamecocks’ second round win over Georgia Tech. This has been a trend all season. Boston struggles? Amihere steps up. During Bostons’ eight single-digit scoring games, Amihere averaged 9.3 points and 7.4 rebounds per game, up from her season averages of 6.8 points and 5.4 rebounds. 

In the NCAA tournament, Amihere has played her best basketball of the season, notching three 20-plus minute games and three games with 10-plus points. That’s her best four game stretch since the beginning of the season. But the most impressive stat? In the Gamecocks’ most recent victory over Texas, Amihere blocked nine shots. Nine shots!

Christyn Williams, Junior, UConn

There were moments in UConn’s game against Iowa where the Hawkeyes looked like they might creep back into the game. But every time the Hawkeyes got closer, UConn scored again. And again. Or let me rephrase that: Christyn Williams scored again and again. 

Williams’ ability to heat up and score in bunches will go a long way in helping UConn capture its 12th championship. Against Iowa, that included 15 second quarter points for 28 points total. Against Baylor, that meant scoring 14 of her 18 points in the second half. As one of just two players on the UConn team with legitimate Final Four experience, UConn will need Williams to continue her hot streak.

Only eight teams are left in the 2021 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament. Five of the top eight teams are still standing, while Texas, Arizona and Indiana all look to continue their upset runs.

The Elite Eight starts tonight. Here’s who’s playing and when and how to watch:

Monday:

  • No. 2 Baylor vs No. 1 UConn: 7:00pm ET on ESPN.
  • No. 4 Indiana vs No. 3 Arizona: 9:00pm ET on ESPN.

Tuesday:

  • No. 6 Texas vs No. 1 South Carolina: 7:00pm ET on ESPN.
  • No. 2 Louisville vs No. 1 Stanford: 9:00pm ET on ESPN.

When people talk about the current state of basketball, they love to talk about the rise of the three-pointer. Teams are learning to jack up three ball after three ball after three ball, whether or not it’s a good shot. A decent three is inherently more valuable than an easy two. Right?

Well, here we are at the Sweet 16 with, presumably, the 16 best college basketball teams in the country. The most interesting thing? Only one team (Stanford) scores 34.1% or more of their points from three-point range, putting them in the top 50 in the country. Only two teams rank within the top 100 — Stanford and Iowa. The nation’s leading scoring team, Maryland, only gets 27.1% of its points from three-point range, 188th in the nation.

The message is clear: An open two-pointer is still better than a contested three. It doesn’t matter if you play fast or slow, if you have two dominant bigs or five speedy guards. The NCAA’s top teams are all doing the same thing. They’re taking high percentage looks rather than shooting threes for the sake of it.

Knowing the three ball might not prove to be a difference maker, these are the three most interesting matchups of the weekend. 

Most likely upset: No. 2 Louisville vs No. 6 Oregon

During the first two games of the NCAA tournament, Oregon is playing some of its best basketball of the season. And Louisville is playing some of its worst. 

The Cardinals have posted an offensive rating below 100 in five of their last seven games. That wasn’t the case for most of the season. In 17 of their previous 21 games, they posted an offensive rating above 100. During this bumpy stretch, Louisville’s star guard, Dana Evans, has averaged just 14.8 points per game while shooting 32.7% from the field.

The Ducks and their suffocating zone defense won’t help much with Louisville’s offensive woes. And the Ducks’ success is directly tied to their defense. In all but one of their 15 wins, opposing teams have shot below 40% from the field. In all but one of their 8 losses, teams have shot above 40%. If Oregon can continue funneling offensive players into 6-foot-5 Nyara Sabally and 6-foot-7 Sedona Prince, they could walk away with another upset.

Most underrated game: No. 2 Maryland vs No. 6 Texas

Of the eight Sweet 16 matchups, Maryland has the second highest chance of winning at 86.6% according to Her Hoop Stats. But don’t write off Texas just yet. Led by forward Charli Collier, a Big 12 All-Defensive selection, and guard Celeste Taylor, who averages 2.2 steals per game, the Longhorns have quietly emerged as one of the country’s strongest defensive teams. In the last 11 games, they have allowed more than 70 points just once. 

But Maryland is a different beast. They put up 91.3 points per game, shoot 40.6% from three, and feature six (six!) players who average double figures. Here’s the thing: Texas has played Baylor — the country’s third ranked scoring offense — three times this season. The Longhorns lost all three of those games, but they held Baylor to 60, 64, and 66 points in each of those outings — three of Baylor’s lowest scoring outings all season. It’s clear that Texas can shut down the NCAA’s best offenses, but it’s unclear if they can score enough in return. 

The difference is, Maryland can’t play defense like Baylor. Could Texas slow down Maryland enough to eke out a win? It’s certainly a possibility. And if Texas can’t stop Maryland, at least you’ll get to watch the Terrapins go for 100 points — for the eighth time this season.

Best head-to-head matchup: Jordan Nixon (No. 2 Texas A&M) vs Aari McDonald (No. 3 Arizona)

Yes, I know, Caitlin Clark versus Paige Bueckers is the most exciting first round matchup. But that’s too easy. I’ll take a different route how about Texas A&M guard Jordan Nixon vs. Arizona guard Aari McDonald? 

Nixon has been arguably the hottest player in the tournament thus far, averaging 23 points per game while shooting 57.8% from the field. McDonald, who was named Pac 12 Player of the Year and Co-Defensive Player of the Year, is arguably the best defender in the country. And McDonald’s playing some solid basketball of her own. Just look at the fourth quarter of Arizona’s last game.

With five minutes left in the Round of 32, the Wildcats trailed BYU by five points. That is, until McDonald willed them to victory. She scored seven points in those final minutes, hitting a mean step back, blazing by her defender for a lay-up, and then sealing the game with a steal. 

“It might’ve been the best five minutes by a UA basketball player, any gender, any game, since Miles Simon at the 1997 Final Four,” wrote Greg Hasen of the Arizona Daily Star.

It’s almost a cliche at this point, but it’s true: In March, you need clutch guards. This matchup has two of them.

Day one of March Madness started out without a single upset. But that didn’t last long. 

By day two, we had No. 13 Wright State knocking off No. 4 Arkansas. We had No. 11 BYU squeaking by No. 6 Rutgers. We even had No. 15 Troy taking No. 2 Texas A&M to the final seconds. 

By the round of Round 32, we had even more upsets, with a trio of No. 6 seeds Oregon, Michigan, and Texas — all defeating No. 3 seeds. 

That leaves us at the Sweet 16 with everything from struggling No. 2 seeds to blossoming No. 6 seeds. To preview the weekend’s games, we’ve re-ranked the remaining teams, 1-16.

1. UConn (No. 1 seed)

Everyone talks about Paige Bueckers and UConn’s dazzling offense — an offense that hums to the tune of an NCAA-leading 20.9 assists per game. But you can’t overstate how strong the Huskies’ defense has been. Only four teams have shot 40% or better from the field all season against them — and only one team has managed to escape with less than 10 turnovers. That was Arkansas, the only team to beat UConn this year.

2. Baylor (No. 2 seed)

Baylor has won 19 games in a row and only two of those games were within 10 points. In the first two rounds, the Lady Bears have outscored opponents by a total of 91 points — the best of any team in the tournament.

3. Stanford (No. 1 seed)

The key to beating Stanford is shutting down their lethal 3-point attack. In both of their losses, they’ve shot just 21.8%. To start the tournament, that hasn’t been the case, as the Cardinal have shot 48.2% from beyond the arc. If that continues, few teams will be able to keep up.

4. South Carolina (No. 1 seed)

Aliyah Boston had just seven rebounds in South Carolina’s round of Round 32 victory over Oregon State. It was her second lowest rebounding outing of the year and her first single digit rebounding outing in 11 games. Still, the Gamecocks managed to rout the Beavers by 17. 

5. Maryland (No. 2 seed) 

Maryland just keeps doing what Maryland does — score a lot of points. Their latest 100-point performance came against Alabama in the Round of 32, and they did so with their two leading scorers, Ashley Owusu and Diamond Miller, combining for just 23 points.

6. NC State (No. 1 seed)

NC State’s road to the Final Four got a little bumpier with an injury to starter Kayla Jones. In her place, though, sophomore Jada Boyd has stepped up, averaging 30 minutes and 18 points in their first two tournament games.  

7. Louisville (No. 2 seed) 

There are still positives to take away from Louisville’s early NCAA tournament struggles. Despite Dana Evans scoring only 14 points, Louisville came back from 18 down to beat Northwestern, outscoring the Wildcats 55-28 after the first quarter.

8. Texas A&M (No. 2 seed) 

Did you watch the Troy or Iowa State games? If not, you missed out. Not just on good basketball games, but the emergence of Jordan Nixon. The sophomore guard has scored double digit points in eight straight games, after scoring in double figures in just six of the 19 games prior. Nixon dropped a career-high 35 points against Iowa State, topping it off with a coast-to-coast game winner.

9. Arizona (No. 3 seed) 

How far can Aari McDonald carry Arizona? Despite averaging 19.3 points per game, she has struggled against top-ranked teams. In the Wildcats’ seven regular season games against tournament teams, she shot just 32.8% from the field. 

10. Iowa (No. 5 seed) 

Caitlin Clark gets most of the headlines (and for good reason), but the most important player recently hasn’t been Clark. Over their last six games, center Monika Czinano has averaged 24 points. The Hawkeyes have gone 5-1 in that stretch.

11. Indiana (No. 4 seed) 

Indiana’s versatile offensive attack was on full display against Belmont, with four players scoring in double digits. The big question is: Will their lack of three-point shooting hold them back? The Hoosiers knock down just 29.2% of their threes, one of the worst percentages in the country.  

12. Oregon (No. 6 seed) 

Heading into the NCAA tournament, Oregon looked like a team on upset alert, having lost five of their last six games. But boy have they bounced back. In their two NCAA tournament games, the Ducks have held South Dakota and Georgia to a combined 16.6% from three.

13. Missouri State (No. 5 seed) 

Missouri State pride themselves on winning the rebounding battle. Opposing teams average just 6.8 offensive rebounds per game — best in the country. But how good are the Lady Bears? After playing only one ranked opponent all year, we’re still waiting to find out.

14. Michigan (No. 6 seed) 

Before Leigha Brown dropped 28 points in 27 minutes against Florida Gulf Coast, she hadn’t touched 20 points in six games. Brown’s success will be key for the Wolverines moving forward. In games where she scores 20 or more points, Michigan is 8-0.

15. Texas (No. 6 seed) 

Everyone knows about the projected number one WNBA pick, Charli Collier. But Collier, who scored just five points on Wednesday, wasn’t the main reason Texas upset No. 3 UCLA. Celeste Taylor, Kyra Lambert, and Joanne Allen-Taylor combined for 57 of the team’s 71 points. 

16. Georgia Tech (No. 5 seed) 

Georgia Tech’s first win over a ranked team this season came when they needed it most. The Yellow Jackets clamped up No. 4 seed West Virginia, holding unanimous first team All-Big 12 guard Kysre Gondrezick to three points — her lowest total of the year.

The Sweet Sixteen is set for the 2021 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament. For the third straight tournament, the top eight seeds have all advanced. But there’s still a few upstarts looking to make some noise.

Here’s who’s playing and when and how to watch:

Saturday:

  • No. 5 Iowa vs No. 1 UConn: 1:00pm ET on ABC.
  • No. 6 Michigan vs No. 2 Baylor: 3:00pm ET on ABC.
  • No. 4 Indiana vs No. 1 NC State: 6:00pm ET on ESPN2.
  • No. 3 Arizona vs No. 2 Texas A&M: 8:00pm ET on ESPN2.

Sunday:

  • No. 5 Georgia Tech vs No. 1 South Carolina: 1:00pm ET on ABC.
  • No. 5 Missouri State vs No. 1 Stanford: 3:00pm ET on ABC.
  • No. 6 Oregon vs No. 2 Louisville: 7:00pm ET on ESPN.
  • No. 6 Texas vs No. 2 Maryland: 8:00pm ET on ESPN2.

We know, we know—no one will ever agree on who the best player in the world is. But Sam Mewis is making the case that she has to be included whenever we have the conversation.

Players like Marta and Christine Sinclair are legends of the game, and at one point, they both had a claim to be the best in the world. But while both are still performing at a high level, they’re no longer at their peak. 

Over the last couple of years, several players have vied to assume their title of the best in the world. 

Olympique Lyonnais Féminin are the most successful club team of the past decade. It’s hard to argue that players such as Wendie Renard, Amandine Henry, and Dzsenifer Marozsán aren’t in contention for the best in the world as long as they continue to dominate for Lyon. 

In the FAWSL, Chelsea’s Pernille Harder and Sam Kerr and Arsenal’s Vivianne Miedema have consistently made cases for themselves, as well as Manchester City stars such as Lucy Bronze and Steph Houghton, who have been integral for England as well. 

However, a fantastic 2019 and an even better 2020 has seen Mewis skyrocket into the conversation. On the second episode of JWS’ The Soccer Show, David Copeland-Smith described her ascension:

Looking ahead to 2021, the 28-year-old is just entering her prime, and she will likely make a case for herself as one of the best by the end of the year. According to ESPN, she’s already there:

Mewis’ skillset is what has propelled her to stardom; there simply aren’t many players like her around. 

In the modern game, multi-dimensional players are far more important than in decades prior. Gone are the days where the ten outfield players had one specific role on the pitch. Now, players are expected to be as versatile as possible. The more diverse set of skills a player has, the more valuable they become. 

The evolution of the midfielders’ role is an example of this. A box-to-box midfielder often has the duties of both an attacking midfielder and a defensive one. In possession, they’ll be high up the pitch supporting the forward players, and out of possession, they’ll be situated in front of the defensive line. 

A box-to-box midfielder gives a manager and their team the best of both worlds. And that’s what Mewis is: an excellent box-to-box midfielder, whose goals and assists are only an added bonus. She can defend well, head the ball away from danger, create chances, and dribble out of tight spaces.

As such an all-around player, it was almost too easy for her when she left North Carolina Courage to go to Manchester City. New country, new league, but no problem for Mewis. 

She adapted to her new club’s playing style as quick as ever, and has shown her worth with big performances in both the FAWSL and the Champions League. Early in the season, her goals in both the semi-final and the final of the FA Cup helped secure the trophy for Man City. 

Coming off of the FIFA Women’s World Cup win, a win which Mewis was integral to, she played in eight out of nine matches for the USWNT in 2020. Her performances in these 8 matches led to her being named the U.S Soccer Female Player of the Year for 2020. Her great form continued in 2021 with her first ever hat trick in a win against Columbia.

Mewis’ Manchester City are currently second in the league, with a possible title decider coming up against Chelsea on April 25th. The club have also made it through to the Quarter-Finals of the Champions League. They’re currently down 0-3 to Barcelona after the first leg on March 24th. City have to hope that Mewis is in top form if they have any chance of a comeback. 

For the USWNT, the next major tournament is the upcoming Olympics, and barring any injuries, Mewis will likely be one of the first on Vlatko Andonovski’s list. 

Should Mewis continue her fantastic performances (there is no current evidence to suggest she’s slowing down) and add some more trophies to her collection, the “best in the world” title could become glued to her name. 

March 24, 2021 – Just Women’s Sports, a multimedia platform exclusively devoted to covering women’s sports, today named former ESPN producer Ashley Braband Head of Content and Production. Braband, who earlier this month joined the company as producer of The Soccer Show, will now oversee all production and develop original audio and digital content for Just Women’s Sports. She started in her new role on March 22, reporting to CEO & Founder Haley Rosen. 

Prior to joining Just Women’s Sports, Braband was the force behind the scenes and on the mic at ESPN’s Sports? with Katie Nolan. Over 13 years at ESPN, she produced TV shows like SportsNation and Colin’s New Football Show, and helped develop and launch various digital shows for ESPN’s social channels, before serving as showrunner of Always Late w/Katie Nolan.

Founded in 2020 by Rosen, Just Women’s Sports provides news and analysis of women’s sports through exclusive interviews, podcasts, videos and other content. In addition to its flagship podcast, Just Women’s Sports with Kelley O’Hara, Just Women’s Sports recently launched The Soccer Show, a first-of-its-kind weekly highlights-driven show exclusively covering the FA Women’s Super League (FA WSL) through an exclusive premium content partnership with Ata Football. Just Women’s Sports has quickly grown a passionate audience of more than one million fans, followers and listeners. 

“It’s long past time for women’s sports to have its own spotlight, and we’re so excited to have someone of Ashley’s caliber leading our content development and production efforts,” said Rosen. “We’re just scratching the surface of the content we can create, and Ashley is going to be key to us getting to that next level.” 

“I’m so excited to join the team at JWS, where I get to spend every day around people who care about elevating women’s sports just as much as I do,” said Braband. “These athletes deserve much more attention and respect than they’re given, and I think there’s a lot of untapped potential for original content and new forms of storytelling.” 

MEDIA CONTACT

Jeff Heckelman, 631-312-7327, [email protected] 

About Just Women’s Sports Inc.

Established in 2020, Just Women’s Sports Inc. is a digital-first consumer media brand 100% dedicated to covering women’s sports. Through daily content including podcasts, newsletters, online content and social media, Just Women’s Sports brings you everything you need to see and know in the world of women’s sports. Find Just Women’s Sports online and on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and Facebook

When COVID-19 upended the 2020 NWSL season before it even began, the Houston Dash were little more than a blip on everyone’s radar. They had finished the season prior with a 7-5-12 record and in seventh place in the table with only 26 points. 

Subsequently, when the first-ever Challenge Cup was announced in June, the Dash were given +1,000 odds to win the tournament (meaning you’d win $1,000 for every $100 bet). Only Sky Blue and Orlando had worse odds, and the Pride were DQ’d before the tournament began due to an outbreak of COVID on the team. 

The Dash had essentially been counted out before they ever even took the pitch. They proceeded to then stun the world by winning their first NWSL hardware, cruising through the preliminary round and knockout tournament before defeating the Chicago Red Stars 2-0 in the final.

“Even making it to the finals and rewriting a lot of the stigma that’s around the Dash, we still feel like there’s so much to do and that there’s always going to be people that think we just got here by happenstance,” Shea Groom told JWS ahead of the title game.

Standout Challenge Cup performances from players like Groom, Kristie Mewis, and Rachel Daly put the league on notice, but the Dash weren’t done just yet. 

First, they re-signed Mewis, Daly, and Groom to three-year contract extensions, as well as goalkeeper Jane Campbell to a one-year contract extension, locking down their top talent for the foreseeable future. 

Then, Houston’s coronation as a top-of-the-table squad continued through the NWSL Fall Series, where the Dash defeated the North Carolina Courage once and the Orlando Pride twice to go 3-1 in the four-game stint and finish in second. Their only loss came at the hands of the Courage, who narrowly defeated Houston 4-3 in the first game of the series.

Ultimately, the Dash finished 2020 with a 7-3-1 record, a winning percentage (64%) that more than doubled their 2019 efforts (29%).

In the months following the Fall Series, Kristie Mewis, Sophie Schmidt, Nichelle Prince, Allysha Chapman, Rachel Daly, and Jane Campbell each received national team call-ups from their respective countries, representing the United States, England, and Canada. During this time, Sophie Schmidt also signed a contract extension, keeping her in Houston through 2023. 

Houston’s impressive showing in the Challenge Cup and Fall Series has left many wondering if the Dash are ready for their encore — one that begins with a defense of their Challenge Cup title this April.

The tournament kicks off with a nationally-televised rematch of last year’s final between the Red Stars and the Dash, on CBS Sports Network April 9th (8:30 p.m. EST).

Ahead of the 2021 NWSL season, several members of Houston’s roster have shone on the international stage. Kristie Mewis has scored three goals for the US in their last six matches. Jane Campbell has likewise recorded valuable minutes with the USWNT, earning the start in net for both a friendly and a SheBelieves Cup match and notching two clean sheets in the process.

Meanwhile, Dash captain Rachel Daly headed abroad to play for West Ham United of the FA Women’s Super League, where she recorded five goals in twelve matches played before leaving the club in December. 

With a locked-in, experienced core and a refreshed sense of confidence in hand, the Dash certainly seem prepared to defy the odds again in 2021. They enter the Challenge Cup as members of the Western group, joined by the Chicago Red Stars, the OL Reign, Kansas City NWSL, and the Portland Thorns. And they’ve already issued an on-brand message to their competition: “Come and Take It.” 

In an interview for The SLICE, a YouTube series released by the Dash during the offseason, several players shared their excitement for the upcoming season.

“Everybody kind of sees this year as another chance to prove ourselves,” said forward Veronica Latkso. 

“I think that we still have a chip on our shoulder, because a lot of people see our success last season and see it more as a fluke rather than a precedent for the Dash. I think it’s exciting to be able to be like ‘Hey, no, we’re ready to prove people wrong again and show that we’re not that same old Dash from years past, we’re the same old Dash from last year, and for years to come that’s what we’re going to be.’”

If what Latsko says is true, and “the same old Dash from last year” make a reappearance, well, there’s a good chance we’ll see some hardware making its way to Houston again in 2021. 

As the National Women’s Soccer League’s offseason draws to a close, we’re reflecting on the tremendous strides the league has made in the last few months — from blockbuster trades to an expansion draft, new celebrity investors, to a cross-Atlantic talent race with the FA Women’s Super League, the NWSL is breaking new ground for women’s soccer, and we’re here for all of it.

The 2021 season will kick off with a month-long Challenge Cup starting April 9th. But first, here are the five biggest headlines from a monumental offseason.

1) Angel City FC, North Carolina Courage, and Chicago Red Stars add celebrity investors

What do Natalie Portman, Abby Wambach, Mia Hamm, Serena Williams, Candace Parker, and David Dobrik all have in common?

Each of these A-listers has invested in Angel City FC, the NWSL’s newest addition based in Los Angeles, California. Still not impressed? What if we told you Billie Jean King, Jessica Chastain, Eva Longoria, and Alexis Ohanian were all part of the team?

Angel City, who is set to take the pitch in 2022, has revolutionized investment in the women’s game as we know it.

Just a few months after Angel City stunned the world with the news of their investment group, the North Carolina Courage added a celebrity owner of their own in late January — professional tennis player and four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka, who became the first outside investor in the North Carolina Courage since Steve Malik acquired the team in 2017.

Later, on March 1st, the Chicago Red Stars expanded their ownership group as well, announcing that former Chicago Bears defensive end Israel Idonije, Olympic gold medalist ice hockey player Kendall Coyne Schofield, ESPN’s Sarah Spain, music executive Colleen Mares, NFL marketing leader Julie Haddon, and local entrepreneur Marie Tillman had elected to invest in the team.

Needless to say, celebrity investments are becoming a trend in the National Women’s Soccer League, and there’s a chance the group-ownership model could spread. We’re certainly not opposed to seeing more big names bet on the future of women’s sports.

2) US Women’s National Team takes over the FA Women’s Super League

Speaking of trends, several USWNT players headed abroad to pursue a playing career in the FA Women’s Super League this offseason, including defender Abby Dahlkemper, midfield staples Sam Mewis and Rose Lavelle, and forwards Tobin Heath, Christen Press, and Alex Morgan.

The flurry of signings led to an increased scrutiny of the NWSL regarding its ongoing talent leak, with fans beginning to worry that high-profile players were jumping ship not only for temporary Olympic prep but also for better compensation. Dahlkemper herself signed a 2.5 year deal, meaning she won’t be returning stateside anytime soon.

3) Crystal Dunn Heads to Portland

Also making moves during the offseason was USWNT star Crystal Dunn, the key piece in a blockbuster trade that involved the North Carolina Courage, OL Reign, and the Portland Thorns.

The trade began with OL Reign sending both allocation money and goalkeeper Casey Murphy to the North Carolina Courage in exchange for Dunn. In turn, the Reign dealt Dunn to the Thorns, receiving an international roster spot for the 2021 season, a 2022 first-round draft pick, and some allocation money in return.

To some, this deal came as inevitable given that Dunn’s husband, Pierre Soubrier, is the head athletic trainer for the Portland Thorns, and playing for the North Carolina Courage required Dunn to live across the country from him. Others, however, were shocked — the trade dealt quite a blow to the Courage, who won two NWSL championships and two NWSL Shields with Dunn playing an integral role.

As for the Thorns, the addition of Dunn to a roster that already included Christine Sinclair and Lindsey Horan now has the team entering the season as Championship favorites.

4) Racing Louisville FC enters the game

In November, Racing Louisville FC selected its roster during an expansion draft, picking up fourteen players:

  1. Addisyn Merrick (North Carolina Courage)

  2. Julia Ashley (OL Reign)

  3. Jennifer Cudjoe (Sky Blue FC)

  4. Cecelia Kizer (Houston Dash)

  5. Katie Lund (Washington Spirit)

  6. Alanna Kennedy (Orlando Pride)

  7. Lauren Milliet (North Carolina Courage)

  8. Kaleigh Riehl (Sky Blue FC)

  9. Caitlin Foord (Orlando Pride)

  10. Katie McClure (Washington Spirit)

  11. Erin Simon (Houston Dash)

  12. Michelle Betos (OL Reign)

  13. Tobin Heath (Portland Thorns)

  14. Christen Press (Utah Royals)

Prior to the draft, Louisville received forwards Savannah McCaskill and Yuki Nagasato from the Chicago Red Stars in exchange for full protection during the expansion draft. Louisville has since sent Jennifer Cudjoe back to Sky Blue FC in exchange for allocation money and the 13th overall pick in the 2021 NWSL draft, during which Louisville continued to add to their roster.

Most significantly, Louisville drafted UNC standout Emily Fox first overall. And while it’s still not clear how soon players like Heath, Press and Foord will report to Louisville, given that all three are currently playing in the FAWSL, having Fox as a franchise corner piece should give fans a reason to be optimistic.

5) Catarina Macario goes pro… then heads to Europe

Last but certainly not least, Stanford star Catarina Macario announced on January 8th that she would be forgoing her senior season with the Cardinal to start her professional career. Just four days later, on January 12th, it was announced that the two-time Hermann Trophy winner had inked a 2.5-year contract with Lyon, the seven-time UEFA Women’s Champions League winners.

Since signing with Lyon, Macario has also logged two caps for the USWNT, scoring a goal in her second appearance for the US to lift them to a 6-0 victory over Columbia.

Most NCAA basketball fans are already thinking ahead to the Final Four. Will Baylor repeat? Can Maryland score enough to knock off the No. 1 seeds? How good is this young UConn squad?

But that doesn’t mean you should skip the first round, especially this year. With interstate rivalries, high-scoring 15 seeds, and 42-point-dropping guards all descending upon Texas, there will be an excess of competitive games. And if there’s an upset, do you want to be the one to miss it? Probably not.

Here are four of our favorite opening round match-ups:

No. 12 Central Michigan vs. No. 5 Iowa

Sunday, 12:00pm ET on ESPN

One thing’s for certain — this game is guaranteed to be a shootout, with two of the best offenses in college basketball — and two of the worst defenses. 

That spells bad news for the Hawkeyes, who have shown a tendency to struggle when a team can score with them. Iowa has played three teams this season that rank in the top-20 of points per game Maryland (twice), Ohio State (twice), and Iowa State. They went 1-4 in those games, with their only win coming against Iowa State. And Central Michigan can definitely keep with them. They averaged 77.9 points per game on the year, 16th best in the country.

Central Michigan is an interesting case study because they don’t play particularly fast, ranking 137th in points per possession. They’re just efficient, finishing 54.6% of their two-pointers, sixth-best in the country. And while Iowa might have the country’s most dynamic player in Caitlin Clark, Central Michigan has its own pair of guards, Molly Davis and Micaela Kelly, who each averaged 20-plus points per game this year and could readily lead CMU to the upset.

No. 14 Middle Tennessee vs. No. 3 Tennessee

Sunday, 2:00pm ET on ABC 

Tune in for the simple reason of watching Anastasia Hayes. The Middle Tennessee guard is a walking bucket, having averaged 26.5 points per game this season, second-best in the nation. She even dropped 42 in a game. 

It will be interesting to see how Hayes handles Tennessee’s length, with 6-foot-2 guard Jordan Horston wreaking havoc on the perimeter and SEC All-Defensive forward Tamari Key clogging up the middle. Tennessee will need a team effort to stop Hayes, but luckily, they know her pretty well — Hayes spent her freshman season playing for the Lady Volunteers, where she won the 2018 SEC 6th Woman of the Year. No one else on Middle Tennessee shoots above 45% from the field, but if they can find a way to hit shots and open lanes for Hayes, the Blue Raiders could keep it close. And if this game comes down to the wire, Hayes could help send her in-state rival and former squad home.

No. 9 South Dakota State vs. No. 8 Syracuse

Sunday, 5:30pm ET on ESPN2

Most of the time, people hesitate to select a non-Power 5 team for a deep run because they haven’t played a tough enough schedule. Well, that isn’t the case with South Dakota State, which has played five games against teams ranked in the top 75 of simple RPI, including 5th seeded Gonzaga, 5th seeded Missouri State, and 7th seeded Iowa State. The 21-3 Jackrabbits won all of those games and they could certainly give Syracuse some trouble on Sunday. Their biggest problem is that they allow opponents to shoot 30% from beyond the arch. But Syracuse isn’t a great three-point shooting team, knocking down just 29.7% of their threes. 

‘Cuse won’t go down easy, though. They are a veteran squad led by redshirt senior Tiana Mangakahia, the NCAA leader in assists who returned to the court after sitting out last season due to breast cancer. Senior Kiara Lewis, however, will be the key player Sunday. In games that Lewis scores 15 or more points, the Orange are 7-2. If she can get hot, South Dakota State will have trouble catching up. If not, this game could come down to the final possession.

No. 15 Troy vs. No. 2 Texas A&M

Monday, 6:00pm ET on ESPN2

I know, I know. The chances of Troy knocking off Texas A&M are very, very slim. But hear me out — this could still be an entertaining game. Troy plays at the fastest pace in the entire NCAA, averaging 83.1 possessions per 40 minutes and 84.3 points per game. 

Could Troy catch Texas A&M lazy in the first half and keep the game close? Possibly. Troy forward Alexus Dye could always get hot like she did earlier in the season against Mississippi State, when she dropped 30 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Worst case scenario: Texas A&M puts up more than 100 points, and Troy gets pretty close itself.