We’re officially closer to the start of the upcoming NCAA basketball season than the end of the last one, and teams are beginning to announce their non-conference matchups for 2022-23.

Just Women’s Sports highlights a few that stand out as the new season inches closer.

Nov. 20: Stanford vs. South Carolina

Get your popcorn ready.

The 2021 and 2022 National Champions will face off on November 20, 2022 at Maples Pavilion. pic.twitter.com/a6bgDR8heG

— Just Women’s Sports (@justwsports) July 13, 2022

The battle between the two most recent national champions has the potential to be the matchup of the fall.

While both teams have lost some key players, each is still stacked with talent.

Stanford’s Haley Jones will be in her senior season and looking to continue her upward trajectory. Last year, Jones averaged 13.2 points per game. The team also features Cameron Brink.

The Gamecocks’ Aliyah Boston, meanwhile, is still just a junior and already could be considered one of the greatest college basketball players of all time. She averaged 16.8 points per game last season and was fourth in the nation in rebounds per game with 12.5 on average.

This game seems destined to be a top-10 matchup, and it could pit No. 1 vs. No. 2. Just Women’s Sports’ way-too-early Top 25 placed South Carolina first in the country and Stanford second looking ahead to the new season.

Dec. 1: Iowa vs. NC State

A potential top-10 matchup in Carver-Hawkeye Arena? 𝙎𝙞𝙜𝙣 𝙪𝙨 𝙪𝙥! 🔥

We'll host @PackWomensBball on Thursday, Dec. 1 as part of the B1G/ACC Challenge. #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/WuGGOaTPg2

— Iowa Women's Basketball (@IowaWBB) July 11, 2022

Will Iowa live up to sky-high expectations? With Caitlin Clark entering her junior season and Monika Czinano returning for a fifth year, signs point to yes.

On the other side, NC State may have lost Elissa Cunane to professional basketball, but Diamond Johnson and Jakia Brown-Turner should be able to step in and fill the void.

That makes this a possible top-10 matchup, as long as both teams enter December having played to their potential.

Also on Dec. 1: Maryland vs. Notre Dame, North Carolina vs. Indiana

Also, this schedule came out yesterday.... Dec. 1 is a national holidaypic.twitter.com/1AHZbhW6s3

— Alexa Philippou (@alexaphilippou) July 12, 2022

Nov. 25 & 27: Phil Knight Legacy Tournament

This year’s tournament features Duke, Iowa, Oregon State and UConn. A possible matchup between Iowa and UConn would offer a rematch of the 2021 NCAA tournament Sweet 16, a 92-72 win for the Huskies. But both teams look very different than they did then.

UConn is without stars Olivia Nelson-Ododa and Christyn Williams but should have both Azzi Fudd and Paige Bueckers back and healthy. Iowa, meanwhile, will have both Czinano and Clark — both notably more seasoned than they were in 2021. While UConn did a good job of shutting down Clark last time, it might not be as easy the second time around.

There’s also Duke to consider. The Blue Devils could be a sneaky contender in Kara Lawson’s third season as coach.

The USA Women's Eagles still have a shot at a 2025 Rugby World Cup knockouts run thanks to a dramatic 31-31 draw against Australia on Saturday — putting all the pressure on next weekend's group-stage finale.

After falling to host nation — and world No. 1 — England in the tournament's record-breaking opener, the now-No. 8 US squad kept their World Cup dreams alive by pulling level with the No. 7 Wallaroos.

Saturday's thrilling draw brought drama to the competition's mostly lopsided pool-play results so far, and spoiled what would have been a guaranteed spot in the quarterfinals for Australia.

"The mood is disappointment because we were so close [to a win]," said US star Ilona Maher following the game. "But also excitement because there is more to play for in that we're not going home just yet. We're definitely proud of the fight."

With England officially clinching the top spot in Pool A, Team USA now needs a blowout win over No. 15 Samoa with at least four tries scored (called a bonus point), as well as an Australian loss to England without a bonus point — plus a positive score differential over the Wallaroos — to advance.

How to watch Team USA at the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup

The No. 8 USA will close out their group-stage run by taking on No. 15 Samoa at 8:30 AM ET on Saturday, before awaiting their fate when No. 7 Australia plays No. 1 England at 12 PM ET.

Live coverage of all 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup games streams on Paramount+.

The Naomi Osaka comeback tour continued on Monday, as the world No. 24 tennis star took down No. 3 Coco Gauff 6-3, 6-2 in the pair's Round of 16 match at the 2025 US Open — booking her first Grand Slam quarterfinal since 2021 in the process.

"I'm a little sensitive and I don't want to cry, but honestly, I just had so much fun out here," Osaka said following the upset victory. "I was in the stands like two months after I gave birth to my daughter, watching Coco. I just really wanted an opportunity to come out here and play."

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Already a two-time US Open champion, Osaka has been eyeing a deep tournament run since returning from maternity leave in January 2024 — and she managed to take advantage of Gauff's fluctuating form to achieve her goal.

"It's disappointing," Gauff said after Monday's loss. "For sure it was not the level that I wanted to bring, but it is a step in the right direction, I feel. I maybe was a little bit empty — she forced me to earn every point out there today."

Japan's four-time Grand Slam winner will next face No. 13 Karolína Muchová in a Wednesday quarterfinal, with Osaka most recently ousting the Czechia national from the 2025 Australian Open's Round of 64.

How to watch the US Open quarterfinals

The 2025 US Open quarterfinals kicked off on Tuesday, with US star and world No. 4 Jessica Pegula booking her second straight semifinals berth at the New York Slam by defeating Czechia's No. 62 Barbora Krejčíková in straight sets.

The quarterfinals will continue when defending champion No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka faces another Czech contender, No. 60 Markéta Vondroušová, at 7 PM ET on Tuesday.

Wednesday will cap the round, with Osaka battling Muchová and Poland's No. 2 Iga Świątek taking on No. 9 US star Amanda Anisimova in a rematch of the 2025 Wimbledon final.

Live coverage of the 2025 US Open airs across ESPN platforms.

Despite a season spent at the bottom of the table, the No. 13 Chicago Stars have quietly become the NWSL team to beat, racking up a five-game undefeated streak behind a slate of dramatic draws — including Sunday's 1-1 result against the No. 2 Washington Spirit.

Come-from-behind draws fueled all five of the Stars' most recent points, with striker Ludmila having a particularly impressive star turn as of late.

The Brazilian national scored five times across Chicago's last three matches, including Sunday's lone team goal as well as a sub-10 minute hat trick that pulled the Stars level with the No. 10 North Carolina Courage on August 22nd.

"I think we'd be doing a disservice to the league if we laid down just because we're in last place and felt sorry for ourselves," quipped Stars defender Sam Staab.

Chicago will continue trying to extend their unbeaten streak under new interim manager Anders Jacobson, who oversaw his first NWSL match on Sunday while the Stars await the arrival of incoming permanent boss Martin Sjögren.

"It'll be a lot of him getting to know us, and us getting to know him in this next week or so," Staab said of the team's temporary head coach. "This league moves fast. Everything happens fast."

The No. 1 Kansas City Current tightened their grip atop the league on Saturday, claiming a 2-0 victory over the No. 10 North Carolina Courage to become the first NWSL team to clinch a spot in the 2025 playoffs.

Still undefeated at home on the year, Saturday's win marked the Current's sixth straight regular-season shutout and extended their lead in the NWSL standings to a massive 14 points.

"Our goal is to come out as a group and be the best that we can possibly be every game we play," said KC head coach Vlatko Andonovski afterwards. "We celebrate tonight, we rest tomorrow, and we get ready for the next one."

Though Kansas City is reaching historic heights, the rest of the league is sparking more questions than answers: The No. 4 Orlando Pride and No. 5 Seattle Reign are now on multiple-game winless streaks, and the No. 6 Portland Thorns have managed just one win in their last five matches.

On the flip side, No. 9 Angel City is making a concerted effort, extending their unbeaten run to four games with Monday's 2-1 win over No. 12 Bay FC — all while star winger Alyssa Thompson sat out amid mounting midseason transfer rumors.

"This group, the way they play and how they can grow together, I'm so proud of them today," said LA head coach Alexander Straus. "It's not been easy with all these things, the speculation and stuff."

2025 NWSL standings: Week 18

1. Kansas City Current (15-2-1)
2. Washington Spirit (9-4-5)
3. San Diego Wave FC (8-4-6)
4. Orlando Pride (8-6-4)
5. Seattle Reign FC (7-5-6)
6. Portland Thorns FC (7-6-5)
7. Racing Louisville FC (7-6-5)
8. Gotham FC (6-6-6)
9. Angel City FC (6-7-5)
10. North Carolina Courage (5-7-6)
11. Houston Dash (5-8-5)
12. Bay FC (4-9-5)
13. Chicago Stars FC (1-9-8)
14. Utah Royals (2-11-5)