No. 1 South Carolina stayed undefeated with a 66-59 win over No. 8 Maryland on Sunday.

Preseason All-American Aliyah Boston led the charge for the Gamecocks with 16 points, 16 rebounds and seven blocks, while Zia Cooke added 20 points and four rebounds. Both South Carolina players cracked 1,000 career points during Sunday’s game.

3Q: @aa_boston is back to work! Two quick buckets for her gets our 2nd half started.

ESPN: https://t.co/5pAkZEAl5X
STATS: https://t.co/wjAB0FEFl2 pic.twitter.com/jxTAqlMGQN

— GamecockWBB (@GamecockWBB) December 12, 2021

The Gamecocks were dominant on the boards, out-rebounding Maryland 62-36 and scoring 24 points off of 24 total offensive rebounds.

South Carolina’s defense was stellar from the jump, blocking seven shots in the first quarter alone. The Terrapins came back to tie things up 13-13 at the end of the opening quarter.

1Q: @aa_boston with her second big swat of the quarter! She also has all four of our points, Maryland with the early 5-4 lead.

ESPN: https://t.co/5pAkZEAl5X
STATS: https://t.co/wjAB0FEFl2 pic.twitter.com/4c9Q9ZfQUe

— GamecockWBB (@GamecockWBB) December 12, 2021

Despite Angel Reese’s 12 points, which led all scorers at the half, the Gamecocks entered the break with a four-point lead.

In the fourth quarter, the Terrapins took the lead, 55-53, for the first time since the second quarter. The Gamecocks, however, continued to get stops and crash the glass, holding off Maryland’s late push for the victory.

After the game, coach Dawn Staley gave credit to Gamecocks fans, telling ESPN, “The fans wouldn’t let us lose.”

She also praised Boston, saying the star forward doesn’t care about the glory. “She just doesn’t want to lose,” Staley said.

South Carolina improved to 10-0 with Sunday’s win. Next, they travel to No. 19 Duke (8-0) for a 7 p.m. ET tipoff on Wednesday.

The 2025 CAF African Women's Player of the Year nominations dropped last week, with a trio of NWSL stars — including 2024 award winner Barbra Banda of Zambia — topping this year's shortlist.

Calling the nomination "an honour and a privilege," Banda posted about the nod on social media, saying that "To be in the same category with all these amazing talents is truly a humbling feeling."

Joining the Orlando Pride striker in excelling for both club and country in 2025 are two other NWSL standout goalscorers: Kansas City Current star and 2024 NWSL MVP Temwa Chawinga (Malawi) and Bay FC's Rachael Kundananji (Zambia).

Rounding out the 10-player lineup is Chawinga's older sister Tabitha (OL Lyonnes/Malawi), Esther Okoronkwo (AFC Toronto/Nigeria), Rasheedat Ajibade (PSG/Nigeria), Ghizlane Chebbak (Al Hilal/Morocco), Sanaâ Mssoudy (AS FAR/Morocco), Portia Boakye (Hapoel Petah Tikva/Ghana), and Mama Diop (RC Strasbourg/Senegal).

Based on performances between January 6th and October 15th of this year, the expert panel displayed a more than significant lean toward attacking prowess in their selections, ultimately choosing a roster of all forwards for the 2025 CAF Player of the Year shortlist.

While the exact date is forthcoming, the CAF will announce its award-winners at a ceremony later this year.

Six-time NBA All-Star Jimmy Butler is hitting the NWSL pitch, with the Golden State Warriors forward joining the San Diego Wave as a minority investor this week.

"Soccer has been a passion of mine for a long time, and being part of the game in a meaningful way has always been a dream," Butler said in the club's Monday press release. "San Diego has become a city close to my heart, and I'm proud to invest in a club that is pushing boundaries, building something lasting, and setting a new standard for what women's sports can be both on and off the pitch."

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Just Women’s Sports (@justwomenssports)

Butler joins retired San Diego Wave star Alex Morgan in an ownership group led by the Levine Leichtman family, after the majority owners purchased the California club at a then-record $113 million valuation in 2024.

"Jimmy is a competitor and visionary who shares our values and our ambition to grow this club," said San Diego controlling owner Lauren Leichtman. "He brings a global perspective, a deep respect for the athlete's journey, and a creative spirit that perfectly complements what we are building here at Wave FC."

Butler isn't the only high-profile men's sports athlete anteing up for the NWSL in recent months, with the NBA star following in the footsteps of NFL quarterback Caleb Williams — who invested in 2026 expansion side Boston Legacy FC — and LA Clippers forward Chris Paul, who joined Angel City's star-studded ownership group.

The 2031 FIFA Women's World Cup spread further around Concacaf on Monday, as Costa Rica and Jamaica officially joined the previously announced Mexico and the US in submitting an uncontested bid to host the international tournament.

"Together, we have an extraordinary opportunity to host the biggest and most impactful Women's World Cup in history, one that will inspire a new generation of fans and help grow the women's game across our entire region and around the world," said US Soccer president Cindy Parlow Cone in a Monday statement.

"This bid is a reflection of our shared belief that soccer can be a force for good," added US Soccer CEO JT Batson. "We're not only creating an unforgettable moment for athletes and fans, we're building a lasting foundation to grow the women's game at every level, in every country."

Parlow Cone also noted that more than 30 US cities have already expressed interest in hosting some of the 104 games during the newly expanded 48-team tournament, with Jamaica poised to make history as the first-ever Caribbean nation to welcome a senior World Cup match.

"This will have a huge impact on the psyche of every single Jamaican," said Jamaican Football Federation president Michael Ricketts. "It is no ordinary feat for a small country like ours to host World Cup matches.... This is huge for Jamaica and for every person who proudly calls themselves Jamaican."

With no other bids on the table, FIFA is on track to ratify its 2031 hosting decision at the next FIFA Congress in April 2026.

Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon is stepping into the spotlight, with Variety announcing that the three-time WNBA title-winning boss will star in a forthcoming documentary from NFL athlete-backed production houses SMAC and 2463 Entertainment.

"For decades, women on the hardwood [were] underestimated and told to stay in their lane," said SMAC CEO and co-founder Constance Schwartz-Morini. "Becky defied every expectation and broke through barriers that once seemed unshakable."

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Just Women’s Sports (@justwomenssports)

Schwartz-Morini, Fred Anthony Smith, Ajay Sangha, and Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Sean Clifford will serve as executive producers, joined by 2463 founder and Super Bowl champion wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. as well as SMAC founder and retired New York Giants defensive end Michael Strahan.

Through audio diaries, the documentary will provide an inside look at Hammon's rise up the WNBA coaching ranks as well as her experience as the first woman to serve as an acting head coach for an NBA team, with Hammon taking the reins of the San Antonio Spurs in 2020.

A six-time WNBA All-Star during her playing career, Hammon left the NBA for Las Vegas at the end of 2021, leading the Aces to three championships in four years.

The report didn't specify the film's title or scheduled release date, with more details expected in the coming months.