Every year, the McDonald’s All American games honors basketball’s best and brightest from around the nation. High school seniors are selected based on their on- and off-court contributions to play in the East versus West showdown.

Since the first girls’ game in 2002, over 450 players have taken the McDonald’s stage before heading off to college, including stars like Nneka Ogwumike, Elena Delle Donne, Breanna Stewart, Maya Moore and A’ja Wilson.

After two years without in-person games due to the pandemic, this year’s all-star classes will battle it out in Chicago on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. CT on ESPN2. With 24 top recruits and rumors of a heated Sunday night scrimmage, the East and West Teams are likely to deliver a game to remember.

Here are three storylines to watch for on Tuesday night.

1. UConn-bound duo to go head-to-head

Geno Auriemma has struck gold on the recruiting trail once again. The incoming frontcourt duo of wing Ayanna Patterson (Homestead High School; Fort Wayne, Ind.) and post Isuneh “Ice” Brady (Cathedral Catholic High School; San Diego, Calif), both top-five recruits in the Class of 2022 per ESPN, play with a powerful combination of creativity and physicality. While the Huskies will benefit from this dynamic duo for the next few years, on Tuesday, Patterson and Brady will play in the same game for the first time ever. The catch? They’ll be on opposite teams.

“It’s funny,” Brady said during media day. “My [future] teammate, Ayanna Patterson, we haven’t played together yet, so I’m excited to get to play against her.”

The Huskies, who on Monday secured their 14th straight Final Four berth in a thrilling 91-87 double-overtime victory over NC State, have a track record of giving talented freshmen the opportunity to make an immediate impact. Patterson and Brady have the potential to play key roles as soon as they put their UConn jerseys on.

2. Stanford’s next great guard

Defending national champion Stanford has long been known for excellent guard play. Upperclassmen Lexie Hull and Haley Jones are two of the biggest names in college basketball, and coach Tara VanDerveer, the winningest coach in the sport, has developed nine AP All-American guards during her tenure.

Five-star recruit Indya Nivar (Apex Friendship; Apex, N.C. ) — who chose Stanford, in part, because it allowed her the freedom to mold her engineering major in a way that would best prepare her for medical school — has a high ceiling and an even higher basketball IQ.

“[Stanford fans] can expect a dynamic guard that does everything on the court,” Nivar said. “On both sides of the ball. And expect me to do anything I can that would allow my team to win.”

The 2022 McDAAG Girls Skills Contest participant is smooth in transition and explosive off the bounce.

3. The Candace Parker Effect

Candace Parker, one of the Games’ most notable alums, made waves in her 2004 performance. The then-17-year-old, 6-foot-4 Tennessee commit joined Rudy Gay, Josh Smith and J.R. Smith in the McDAAG Dunk Contest as the first female participate in the contest — and won. Nearly two decades later, only two other girls have claimed the prize: Stanford’s Fran Belibi in 2019 and, on Monday evening, South Carolina-bound Ashlyn Watkins (Cardinal Newman School; Columbia, S.C.).

During media day, the 24 All-Americans listed a variety of trailblazers whose style of play influenced their games. No name came up more frequently than Parker’s.

For her final dunk of the first round, which would determine whether or not she’d advance to the finals, Watkins threw on a sky-blue jersey: Candace Parker, Chicago Sky. The crowd in the Wintrust Arena, home of the 2021 WNBA Champions, went wild.

WATCH - @GamecockWBB signee Ashlyn Watkins gets UP for her first dunk at the @McDAAG Slam Dunk contest!

The @CNathletics1 star got a 59 out of 60🔥

And she only needed one attempt! @WLTX #Gamecocks pic.twitter.com/6Olylbmqug

— Chandler Mack (@chandlerdmack) March 29, 2022

Watkins’ dunk earned high marks — enough to move onto the final round with Dillon Mitchell (Texas) and Nick Smith Jr. (Arkansas). And after two more dominant slams, she wowed the judges and secured the win.

When asked if she plans on dunking in the game itself, Watkins laughed.

“Hopefully,” she said.

Caroline Makauskas is a contributing writer for Just Women’s Sports. She also writes about college basketball for Blue Ribbon Sports and covers a variety of sports on her TikTok @cmakauskas. Follow her on Twitter @cmakauskas.

Behind a huge performance from sophomore Hannah Hidalgo, No. 8 Notre Dame handed No. 2 UConn their season’s first loss, defeating their third Top-5 team 79-68 on Thursday.

Even with injuries limiting Notre Dame’s depth, it was all gas, no brakes for the Irish, who spent nearly all of the game’s 40 minutes in the lead.

The Irish defense held the Huskies to an abysmal 18.8% three-point shooting rate, with UConn making just three out of 16 attempts from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, Notre Dame did the opposite, sinking 55% of their 18 three-point attempts.

UConn superstar Paige Bueckers led the Huskies with 25 points in a game where guard Azzi Fudd, who’s nursing a minor knee injury, was sorely missed. While freshman forward Sarah Strong added 14 points despite getting into early foul trouble, UConn’s roster simply couldn’t put together enough clutch plays to overcome the Irish.

“Going forward, we need more contributions from more people [other than Bueckers],” assessed UConn head coach Geno Auriemma following the loss. “If you're playing at Connecticut, you have to be the kind of kid who can make an impact in a game like this."

Notre Dame has now taken three games in a row from UConn, something the Irish haven’t done since 2012-13. 

"This is a major win for us," Notre Dame head coach Niele Ivey said after the game. "Obviously, it's just one win, but I'm really grateful for this group and really proud of our effort and the way that we showed up today with such toughness and discipline."

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Red-hot Hidalgo fuels Notre Dame win

Star guard Hidalgo played menace to the visiting Huskies on Thursday, putting together a near-triple-double with 29 points, 20 rebounds, and eight assists, plus draining a career-high six three-pointers. In total, the preseason All-American played a role in 48 of Notre Dame’s 79 points.

"Hidalgo is the head of the snake," UConn’s Bueckers said about her opponent. "She does a lot of great things offensively, defensively. She's a pest. I think the best thing that she does is her energy and her attitude and the way she leads that team with that and the fire that she brings."

Forward Liatu King added a 16-point, 12-rebound double-double of her own to the Irish’s total, with guard Olivia Miles also sinking 16 points.

The backcourt duo of Miles and Hidalgo continues to lift Notre Dame into this season’s top echelon, with Auriemma, the winningest NCAA basketball coach in history, commenting "I don't know if there's a better combination of guards than those two with how many different things they can hurt you with."

 "Those guys are attacking you for the entire 40 minutes. And I don't know that I've seen anybody up close yet that can do that."

Ultimately, the Irish look as formidable as ever. Despite an uncharacteristic two-loss skid, Notre Dame boasts wins over then-No. 3 USC, then-No. 4 Texas, and now No. 2 UConn, becoming just the third team with a trio of Top-5 wins before January in 25 years.

"I'm hoping that the lesson [is], when we play with heart, we play with discipline, we play focused, we can be just as elite as everybody else in the country," remarked Ivey.

How to watch Sunday’s Top-25 NCAA basketball

Though both UConn and Notre Dame will face decidedly overmatched opponents in Georgetown and Eastern Michigan, respectively, there are two Top-25 tilts on deck.

First on Sunday, WNBA star Caitlin Clark’s alma mater, No. 21 Iowa, will visit an undefeated No. 17 Michigan State side off to their best start in program history. The Big Ten foes will tip off at 12 PM ET, with live coverage on BTN.

Then at 2 PM ET, undefeated No. 25 Georgia Tech will take on one-loss No. 14 UNC, airing on ACCN.

In between lies an intriguing bout between No. 22 NC State and Louisville, two teams who have suffered a slew of losses to ranked squads. The Wolfpack, who fell to No. 3 South Carolina, No. 4 LSU, and No. 12 TCU, will be hungry to keep their Top-25 spot. On the other hand, Louisville, who registered losses to No. 1 UCLA, No. 2 UConn, No. 10 Oklahoma, and No. 16 Kentucky, will be eager to bounce back into the AP poll after being ousted on Monday.

NC State’s battle with Louisville will air live at 1 PM ET on ABC.

Just 16 teams remain in the 2024 NCAA volleyball tournament​ after last week's opening rounds, setting the stage for this weekend's four Regional showdowns.

Hosted by the No. 1 seeds (Pitt, Nebraska, Penn State, and Louisville), each four-team mini-tournament will send one squad to next Thursday's national semifinals in Louisville.

Regional action kicks off in the ACC

The Pitt and Louisville Regionals will start the Sweet Sixteen action on Thursday, when the Panthers host No. 7 Missouri, No. 3 Kentucky, and No. 4 Oregon. Louisville helms the evening party, which includes No. 2 Stanford, No. 4 Purdue, and No. 6 Florida.

With Pittsburgh already in full swing, the Wildcats added a third defeat of Missouri to their 2024 tally on Thursday, ousting the Tigers 3-1 and extending their win streak to 14 matches in the process.

About to take the court are two of the nation's best blocking teams, with the overall No. 1 seed Panthers aiming for a repeat of their season-opening sweep of the Ducks.

Thursday night's action starts when Stanford, whose nine NCAA titles dwarf all other Division I programs, takes on a tough Florida side who upset No. 3 Kansas in a gritty five-set thriller last Saturday.

Finally, while no team is immune to upsets at this level, Thursday's closer between Purdue and Louisville is especially vulnerable after the Cardinals barely survived Northern Iowa on Saturday.

The Big Ten begins hosting on Friday

Big Ten courts will serve as the stage for Friday's Regional semifinals, with Penn State hosting No. 2 Creighton, No. 3 Texas, and No. 5 Marquette before Nebraska welcomes No. 2 Wisconsin, No. 5 Dayton, and No. 6 Texas A&M to Cornhusker country.

Friday's opener pits two offensive powerhouses who've swept their way through the NCAA bracket against each other. The Bluejays, who are riding a 24-match win streak, will try to harness that momentum to end the back-to-back defending champs Longhorns' hopes of a three-peat.

Soon after, the Nittany Lions will again defend home court — a feat they've accomplished in every 2024 home match — in Friday's second tilt against the Golden Eagles.

Like Penn State, fellow Big Ten behemoth Wisconsin is likely to emerge victorious from their Regional semifinal, a rematch of the Badgers's September sweep of Texas A&M.

Capping the weekend's first matches is a battle of experience against this year's Cinderella squad. In their 40th Sweet Sixteen appearance, Nebraska's superstar-stacked roster will take on Regional debutants Dayton, who outlasted No. 4 Baylor in five gritty sets to earn the trip. The Flyers boast the fifth-best defense in the country, and they'll need every ounce of it to snap the Huskers' 43-match home win streak.

How to watch the 2024 NCAA volleyball Regionals

Thursday's action is in full swing, and No. 2 Creighton vs. No. 3 Texas will jumpstart Friday's slate at 1 PM ET before Saturday and Sunday each feature a pair of Regional finals.

The full schedule will stream live on ESPN+, with ESPN2 also airing all matches through Saturday.

Sunday's games received a broadcast bump, with the Nebraska Regional final airing at 3 PM ET on ABC and the Penn State-hosted finale taking the 8:30 PM ET slot on ESPN.

The 2027 Women's World Cup has officially claimed its calendar spot, with FIFA announcing Tuesday that the tournament's Brazil-hosted 10th edition — the first-ever in South America — will run from June 24th through July 25th.

"The FIFA Women’s World Cup Brazil 2027 is already taking shape and we can’t wait for the opening match," said FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

Looking to break 2023's record-setting attendance and viewership numbers, Infantino also noted, "This historic tournament will have a massive impact not only in South America, but around the whole world, taking the women's game to the next level in terms of participation and popularity."

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Prepping for the 2027 World Cup qualifiers

The international soccer governing body also allocated the competition's 32 available spots, with CONMEBOL's Brazil earning automatic entry as one of the three slots granted to the continental confederation.

UEFA leads the pool with 11 teams, followed by AFC with six, CAF and Concacaf with four each, and OFC's one.

The final three squads will be determined by a 10-team, two-round play-in tournament taking place in late 2026 and February 2027.

The road to Brazil kicks off in 2025

With details including host cities and venues still to come, the road to the 2027 World Cup is ramping up with qualifying matches looming just around the corner.

Next year's UEFA Nations League play will determine the 11 European teams bound for Brazil, including 2023 world champions Spain. Meanwhile, the path to a fifth star for the world No. 1 USWNT crest begins with Concacaf W Qualifiers in late 2025.

Similarly, 2025 qualifying matches for the 2026 AFC Asian Cup and 2026 Africa Cup of Nations kicks off World Cup entrances for teams in those federations. CONMEBOL will look to the 2025 Copa América tournament to determine the remaining two entrants that will compete alongside host Brazil, while OFC is likely to set their World Cup qualifying matches for next year.

Superstar exits pave the way for new World Cup stars

Both expected and surprise entrants will book their 2027 World Cup spots over the next two years, but the Brazil tournament's sidelines are already set to feature fresh faces after a flood of soccer greats called game in 2024.

The host nation will compete in their first World Cup since 1999 without legendary attacker Marta, whose 17 goals lead the tournament's all-time scoring list.

Canada is suffering the same fate with 2027 marking the first edition in 28 years without leading international goalscorer Christine Sinclair.

Two-time trophy-winners Germany — the only team other than the US with more than one world title — recently bid adieu to star Alexandra Popp, who retired as a four-time World Cup competitor.

As for the USWNT, they'll look to follow their 2024 Olympic gold medal with a 2027 World Cup title, but without star striker Alex Morgan, defender Kelley O'Hara, or goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, who followed 2023 retirees Megan Rapinoe and Julie Ertz out the door this year.

The fourth-annual FIBA 3×3 AmeriCup tips off Thursday in Puerto Rico,​ with 2022 winners Canada and three-time silver medalists Brazil aiming to dethrone defending three-time champs Team USA.

The US is led by three WNBA standouts. Veteran Mystics guard Brittney Sykes's 12.2 points per game was second on Washington's 2024 roster, while Sparks forward Azurá Stevens is strong on both ends of the court as LA's best three-point shooter also boasts the team's second-best rebound rate.

Meanwhile, Dallas Wings forward Maddy Siegrist is coming off a shooting hot streak, sinking over 50% from the field in her second WNBA season.

Former record-breaking Ivy League sharpshooter Abbey Hsu rounds out Team USA's roster, with the Belgian league rookie​ earning the spot over nine WNBA players.

The road to the 3×3 podium

Fifteen teams traveled to San Juan, Puerto Rico, but only 12 will compete in the tournament's main draw. Thursday's court is reserved for the four teams vying to qualify, with either Guatemala, Cuba, Costa Rica, or the Cayman Islands surviving.

With the 12 tournament teams split into four groups of three, pool play takes over on Friday and Saturday. Pools B (Canada, Mexico, and Jamaica) and D (Puerto Rico, Argentina, and the final qualifying team) will play their round-robin round on Friday. Then, Pools A (USA, Uruguay, and the Dominican Republic) and C (Chile, Brazil, and Colombia) will do the same on Saturday.

The top two teams from each pool will advance to Sunday's knockout rounds. All elimination games will feature on Sunday's court, including the quarterfinals, semifinals, third-place game, and championship showdown.

How to watch Team USA in the 2024 FIBA 3×3AmeriCup

The tournament tips off at 12:30 PM ET on Thursday, but Team USA doesn't feature until Saturday, when they face the Dominican Republic at 3:30 PM ET before taking on Uruguay at 6:35 PM ET.

All FIBA 3×3 AmeriCup games — including Sunday's 8 PM ET championship — will stream live on YouTube.