The Incarnate Word (St. Louis, Mo.) girls’ basketball team is not used to losing in March.

The Red Knights won state titles every season from 2017-19, and again in 2021. They had been on their way to a championship in 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the season.

Behind star players Saniah Tyler, Natalie Potts and Olivia Hahn, Incarnate Word appears primed for more greatness this season, bringing a 29-0 record into their matchup Saturday against Troy-Buchanon (Troy, Mo.) in the Class 6 state quarterfinals.

The Red Knights of @iwa_hoops hoist the Class 6, District 3 title plaque in victorious celebration last night. pic.twitter.com/SP5Bo84AEu

— John Sextro 🏀 🥎 🏐 🎙 (@johnsextro) March 5, 2022

The Red Knights’ dominant play in recent weeks — they beat Howell Central (St. Charles, Mo.) 79-32 in the District 3 championship — has pushed them to No. 10 in this week’s rankings, which experienced a lot of turbulence but is still led by Sidwell Friends. (You can find last week’s rankings here).

1. Sidwell Friends (D.C.), 27-0

The Quakers added more hardware to their collection this weekend with a D.C. State Athletic Association (DCSAA) championship.

2. Hopkins (Minn.), 21-1

The Royals kicked off the 6AAAA postseason this weekend with two wins.

3. DeSoto (Texas), 33-2

The Eagles completed their “legacy tour” with a 40-23 win over South Grand Prairie and a second consecutive 6A state championship.

4. Classen SAS (Okla.), 21-1

Darianna Littlepage-Buggs scored 16 points on 8-for-8 shooting as the Comets beat Blanchard 53-24 in the 4A state quarterfinals Tuesday.

5. St. John Vianney (N.J.), 29-1

The Lancers clinched a berth in the state championship with a 69-50 win over Paul VI on Wednesday in the South Jersey Non-Public A final.

6. Sierra Canyon (Calif.), 28-2

The Trailblazers beat Sierra Canyon 60-51 on Tuesday in the Open Division regional final, avenging their loss from Feb. 26.

7. Etiwanda (Calif.), 28-1

The Eagles’ loss to Sierra Canyon was their first of the season, and it couldn’t have come at a worse time.

8. New Hope (Md.), 27-2

The Tigers are waiting to see if they’ll get a bid to GEICO Nationals.

9. Cedar Park (Texas), 36-0

Gisella Maul scored 27 points as the Timberwolves earned their second straight 5A state championship with a 45-40 win over Memorial.

10. Incarnate Word (Mo.), 26-0

The Red Knights have beaten each of their previous three opponents by an average of 47 points.

11. La Jolla Country Day (Calif.), 24-3

The Torreys’ season came to a heartbreaking end Saturday in the form a 63-62 defeat to Sierra Canyon in the CIF open division region semifinal.

12. Montverde (Fla.), 18-3

With their season over, the Tigers are awaiting a potential bid to GEICO Nationals.

13. Lake Highland Prep (Fla.), 23-4

After winning the 4A state championship, the Highlanders hope to earn a GEICO Nationals bid.

14. Hazel Green (Ala.), 33-0

The Trojans defeated Oxford 55-38 in the 6A championship game for their fifth straight state title.

15. Johnston (Iowa), 26-0

The Dragons beat Waterloo West 51-31 to claim the 5A state title one year after losing in the championship game.

Congratulations to the Johnston Dragons for their @IGHSAU 5A Championship win over Western Waterloo, 51-31. #IAHSBKB #IowaPBSSports @JCSD_Girlsbball @JCSD__Athletics @JohnstonCSD pic.twitter.com/3HHlOJ0kxW

— Iowa PBS (@IowaPBS) March 5, 2022

16. Woodward Academy (Ga.), 27-2

After beating Warner Robbins by 22 points, the War Eagles challenge Forest Park on Thursday in the AAAAA state final.

17. Lone Peak (Utah), 23-0

The Knight beat Fremont in the 6A state championship to cap a perfect season.

18. DME (Fla.), 21-3

DME is in practice mode, waiting for a potential bid to GEICO Nationals.

19. IMG (Fla.), 11-4

Like Montverde and DME, the Ascenders have shut things down in hopes of earning a spot at GEICO Nationals.

20. Noblesville (Ind.), 25-4

The Millers beat Franklin Community 76-52 to claim the 4A state title, the program’s second state crown and first since 1987.

21. South Bend Washington (Ind.), 27-3

The Panthers annihilated Silver Creek 93-35 in the 3A state championship game last weekend.

22. Fremont (Utah), 24-3

The Timberwolves fell to Lone Peak in the 6A state final.

23. Conway (Ark.). 28-2

The Wampus Cats were stunned in the second round of the 6A playoffs, falling to Central 66-60.

24. Duncanville (Texas), 34-7

The Pantherettes’ season came to an end Feb. 26 with a loss to DeSoto in the 6A Region II final.

25. St. John’s (D.C.), 19-5

The Cadets’ momentum from winning the WCAC conference championship ended with a defeat to Georgetown Visitation in the DCSAA semifinal.

Josh Needelman is the High School Sports Editor at Just Women’s Sports. Follow him on Twitter @JoshNeedelman.

Cameron Brink already has her rookie of the year pick for the upcoming WNBA season, and it’s Indiana-bound star Caitlin Clark. 

In the latest edition of Kelley on the Street, host Kelley O'Hara caught up with Brink in New York hours before the Stanford phenom went No. 2 overall to the Los Angeles Sparks at the 2024 WNBA Draft. When O’Hara asked who would win the WNBA's rookie of the year, she answered without pause.

"Caitlin Clark," she said, while a fan commented that she thought Brink would take home the award. Brink later added that the extra foul granted to WNBA players will be "good for me."

"I hope it’s me," Charisma Osborne, who was later drafted by the Phoenix Mercury, said when asked her ROY prediction. "But, I don’t know — we’ll see."

Watch more of Kelley on the Street:

Maria Sanchez issued a statement on Thursday, confirming recent reports that she has requested a trade from the Houston Dash. 

In it, she revealed that the club has been aware of the request "since late March."

"This has all taken a toll and isn’t an easy thing to talk about, but I want to confirm that I’ve requested an immediate trade," she wrote. "My expectations and reasons have been clear. I trust that my current club’s management will honor my decision in a timely manner and proceed with accepting a trade."

"I’m eager to refocus and dive back into what I love most: playing football," she concluded.

Thank you, everyone, for the outpouring of kindness and support. pic.twitter.com/gcnN7dhCJU

— Maria Sanchez (@Maria17_7) April 19, 2024

Reports of Sanchez's trade request first surfaced on ESPN last week, and were later confirmed by multiple sources. 

In December of last year, Sanchez signed a three-year contract with the Dash valued at $1.5 million including bonuses and an option year. It was the largest contract in NWSL history at the time — a figure that would be eclipsed by multiple contracts in the following months. 

Sanchez spent the offseason as a restricted free agent, meaning that Houston could match any other team's offer to retain her rights. Should the Dash trade Sanchez, her current contract terms would remain intact, limiting potential buyers to teams able to afford to take on an inking of that size.

The Dash has yet to address the trade, instead reiterating to ESPN that Sanchez is "under contract, a choice she made in free agency at the end of 2023." 

Both the NWSL trade window and transfer window close tonight, April 19th, at 12 a.m. ET. The window will stay closed through the next 11 regular season games, reopening on August 1st, 2024.

The four-time league champion Seattle Storm unveiled their new practice facility on Thursday, with Storm co-owner Lisa Brummel dubbing Interbay's Seattle Storm Center for Basketball Performance the team’s "new home."

"It's just such a special space," Brummel told Fox 13 Seattle. "I think when the players get here, it's gonna be overwhelming."

The sprawling 50,000-square-foot, $64 million property is just the second designated practice facility to be designed and built expressly for a WNBA team, with the Storm further noting that 85% of all design and engineering team members involved in the project's construction were women and people of color. The finished product holds two professional indoor courts, two 3x3 outdoor courts, a state-of-the-art locker room, and players' lounge, plus designated areas for strength and conditioning, kitchen, dining, and nutrition, and recovery. 

"This facility reflects our commitment to providing our athletes an exceptional environment that supports their growth, health, and performance," said Storm co-owner Ginny Gilder in an official team release. "It’s built for women, by women, embodying our dedication to leading the way in professional women’s sports."

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For their part, the team can't wait to make the faciilty their own.

"It's amazing," Storm guard Jewell Loyd told Fox 13. "Not having to drive everywhere around, knowing you have access anytime of the day to get into the gym, to workout." 

Head coach Noelle Quinn said she predicts the team is "never going to leave this building."

"Which is a good thing for me," she continued. "You talk about having an edge in performance. We want our athletes to not only perform on the court, but get whatever they need."

All of the Storm's staff and operations will now live under one roof, and the team also has plans to launch a youth basketball program operating out of the building.

The Caitlin Clark effect is quickly making its mark on the big leagues, as WNBA host teams around the country rush to upgrade their Fever games to larger arenas in order to accommodate surging ticket sales.

With Clark mere weeks away from her Indiana Fever debut, both the Las Vegas Aces and Washington Mystics have officially relocated their scheduled home games with head coach Christie Sides' squad. On Thursday, the Mystics became the latest to adjust their plans, moving their June 7th matchup from Entertainment & Sports Arena in Southwest DC to the more centrally located — and much larger — Capital One Arena "due to unprecedented demand."

The Mystics home court's capacity taps out at 4,200, while Capital One Arena — home to the Wizards, Capitals, and Georgetown Hoya's Men's Basketball — can fit nearly five times that crowd at some 20,000 spectators.

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"The move to Capital One Arena will allow for additional fans in the stands as well as premium hospitality options, including Suites and the all-new all-inclusive courtside Hennessy Lofts," the team announced via Thursday's press release.

The Aces were one of the first teams to switch venues, aiming to take on the Indiana Fever in front of as many as 20,000 fans inside T-Mobile Arena on July 2nd. That’s a sizable a boost from their home venue, which holds just 12,000.

For those still planning to face the Fever in their home arenas, ticket prices have skyrocketed. Previously scheduled construction has already forced the LA Sparks to relocate their first five games — including their May 24th clash with the Fever — to Long Beach State's Walter Pyramid. The temporary venue is quite the downsize, holding just 4,000 in comparison to Crypto.com Arena's near-19,000. As of Friday, the get-in price for that game started around $400.

Despite fans launching a Change.org petition urging relocation, the Chicago Sky say they're unable to move their June 23rd Fever meeting from Wintrust Arena's 10,000-seat facility to the 23,500-seat United Center due to a concert. Tickets for that game start around $325 as of Friday.