College basketball is 25 days away. Count down to the new season with 25 storylines – presented in no particular order – that deserve our attention in 2022-23.

1. Aliyah Boston vs. Caitlin Clark, part 2

After leading her team to a national title, Boston will be the front-runner for the gamut of Player of the Year awards once again this season. But Clark does things on the basketball court that no one else can — so if Iowa establishes itself as a legitimate contender, she could challenge Boston for the end-of-year honors. Whatever happens, these two players are worth watching anytime they play.

2. Connecticut without Paige Bueckers

When Bueckers tore her ACL during a pickup game in August, the complexion of UConn’s season changed dramatically. The star guard will miss the entire 2022-23 campaign, which means UConn’s success is up in the air. The Huskies have plenty of returning talent – like Azzi Fudd, Dorka Juhasz, Aaliyah Edwards and Caroline Ducharme – and two top recruits in Ice Brady and Ayanna Patterson, but no one has the talent and experience of Bueckers.

3. Maryland’s star duo transfers

Maryland entered last season with a ton of potential but never quite reached it, eventually losing to Stanford in the Sweet 16. Then, after the season, the Terrapins’ two best players in Ashley Owusu and Angel Reese announced their intentions to transfer.

This season’s team will look vastly different from last year’s. Owusu and Reese are out, and two other top transfers, Lavender Briggs (from Florida) and Abby Meyers (from Princeton) are in. Plus, Diamond Miller returns, so despite a new look, this should still be a talented Terps squad.

4. LSU and controversy around coach Kim Mulkey

The Tigers are chock-full of talent, from Maryland transfer Reese to returner Alexis Morris to newcomer Flau’Jae Johnson. But the major questions surrounding this team are happening off the court. Mulkey’s refusal to speak about her former player Brittney Griner’s detainment in Russia has been the subject of headlines and heated debate. How the Tigers deal with the outside noise will be interesting to watch.

5. 2021-22 tournament darlings

Who could forget the Lauren Jensen shot for Creighton that knocked Iowa out of the bracket? Then there was Princeton sending Kentucky packing in the first round, and South Dakota using its veteran squad to advance to the Elite Eight. South Dakota will likely be in rebuild mode after graduating their top three scorers and losing their fourth to the transfer portal, but Creighton and Princeton both return several key pieces. How will they fair this season after their tournament success?

6. Ashley Owusu and Elizabeth Kitley at Virginia Tech

The Hokies hung out in the bottom part of the top 25 last season, but with Owusu and her incredible playmaking skills transferring in from Maryland, they should have much more success this time around.

The guard alone is enough to elevate a team, but when coupled with a talented post in 6-foot-6 Kitley, watch out. Virginia Tech now has one of the top guard-and-post combos in the country. Watching them on the court together should be a blast.

7. South Carolina’s quest for a repeat

The Gamecocks graduated Destanni Henderson, who now plays for the Indiana Fever, but return their other four starters – Boston, Victaria Saxton, Brea Beal and Zia Cooke – as well as key bench pieces in Kamilla Cardoso, Laeticia Amihere, Bree Hall and Raven Johnson, who is returning from injury. That’s a lot of talent with a lot of experience, making South Carolina’s quest to repeat as champion more than possible.

8. The Texas backcourt

Texas already had one of the best point guards in the country in rising sophomore Rori Harmon, who led the Longhorns to the Elite Eight. During the offseason they added another elite guard, Shaylee Gonzales. The transfer from BYU averaged 18 points, 4.5 assists and 5.9 rebounds a game for the Cougars during her WCC player of the year campaign. She and Harmon are poised to be one of the best guard duos in the country, and Gonzales is the kind of player that can take Texas to even greater heights.

9. The continued development of Cameron Brink

Brink really hit her stride during the 2020-21 NCAA tournament, helping Stanford on its run to the national title. As a freshman, she averaged 9.9 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game. As a sophomore, those numbers increased to 13.5 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game. Over the last two years Brink has gotten better at staying on the court – foul trouble has been a concern in the past – and now, as a junior, she is ready to take over the college basketball scene.

10. No. 1 recruit Lauren Betts

Stanford has an embarrassment of riches this season, starting at the post position. The top recruit in the country, 6-foot-7 Betts is already polished enough to play right away. Her strength, post moves and ability to finish around – or through – multiple defenders are skills any team would love to have. She’s ready to play big minutes for Stanford.

The question is, with so much talent, how much time will Betts get? With Brink’s ability to extend the floor, Stanford could play both of them at the same time, which would mean two elite bigs partnering up and intimidating opponents.

11. UCLA’s young talent

The Bruins have four top-50 freshmen on their roster this season: No. 2 Kiki Rice, No. 19 Gabriela Jaquez, No. 22 Londyn Jones and No. 49 Christeen Iwuala. Top scorer Charisma Osborne is returning with her 16.14 points per game, but after her a lot of UCLA’s success this season will depend on how well those youngsters develop throughout the year.

12. Potential rise of HBCUs

The level of competition in college basketball has never been deeper, and players are realizing that they can have success at a variety of schools, not just established programs like UConn or Baylor. HBCUs are already starting to benefit from this.

No. 14 seed Jackson State nearly knocked off LSU in the first round of the NCAA tournament last season, and star Ameshya Williams-Holliday became the first HBCU player in 20 years to be selected in the WNBA draft. In the offseason, former five star recruit Angel Jackson transferred from USC to join the Tigers. Jackson State is making a name for itself, and other HBCUs could follow.

13. Is Iowa legit?

Iowa started last season ranked in the top 10 before some unexpected losses dropped them to the bottom of the poll. Eventually the Hawkeyes battled back, only to be upset by No. 10 seed Creighton in the second round of the tournament. With Monika Czinano coming back for another season and Clark at the point, Iowa has all the tools to make a deep tournament run. But after last season’s disappointment, it’s fair to wonder if the Hawkeyes will underperform again.

14. One more year of Ashley Joens

Joens surprised many when she announced her intention to come back for a fifth year. The two-time Cheryl Miller Award winner and Iowa State’s all-time leading scorer, Joens was a projected first-round draft pick, and she’s going to be just as good this time around. With her near double-double average of 20.3 points and 9.5 rebounds per game, Cyclones supporters and college basketball fans alike are lucky to watch Joens play one more season for Iowa State.

15. Arizona’s recruiting prowess

After Arizona’s run to the championship game two seasons ago, the question was whether or not the Wildcats had staying power as a program. Adia Barnes has proven herself as a skilled coach and recruiter, and the players she’s landed recently prove that Arizona has cemented itself on the national scene.

This year she signed the No. 9 freshman in the country in Maya Nnaji, No. 21 recruit Paris Clark, No. 31 Kailyn Gilbert and No. 85 Lemyah Hylton. Next season’s recruiting class is even more impressive, with four five stars committing to play for Barnes and the Wildcats.

16. UNC-Duke rivalry

Deja Kelly and Alyssa Ustby led North Carolina to the Sweet 16 last year, where the Tar Heels challenged eventual champion South Carolina, losing by eight points. They are both back for their junior seasons, giving UNC a great base for another solid season.

Meanwhile, Duke coach Kara Lawson continues to hit the transfer market hard, signing Kennedy Brown and Taya Corosdale from Oregon State, Mia Heide from Tulane and Reigan Richardson from Georgia. The Blue Devils also return top scorers Shayeann Day-Wilson and Celeste Taylor.

Both these teams should be competitive this season, meaning the Tar Heel-Blue Devil rivalry will be in full force.

17. Tennessee on the rise

The Vols had a plethora of talent last season but never quite put it all together, falling to Louisville in the Sweet 16. During the offseason, coach Kellie Harper shopped the transfer portal and landed three of the country’s top transfers in Rickea Jackson (Mississippi State), Jasmine Franklin (Missouri State) and Jasmine Powell (Minnesota). Now the question is: How will those new additions mesh with returning talent like Tamari Key and Jordan Horston?

18. Hailey Van Lith and Olivia Cochran’s junior seasons

Point guard Van Lith and forward Cochran are entering their junior years after successful sophomore campaigns at Louisville, including a run to the Final Four. With Emily Engstler and Kianna Smith graduating, it will be up to Van Lith and Cochran to lead the Cardinals.

Van Lith led the team in scoring last season with 14.4 points per game, and Cochran averaged 8.6 points and 5.1 rebounds. She’s poised for a breakout season, and with Van Lith at her side, the duo have the potential to be one of the top guard-post combinations in the country.

19. Oregon after underperforming

After a long season of not living up to its potential, Oregon was upset in the first-round of the NCAA tournament, losing to No. 12 seed Belmont 73-70. The Ducks return two key pieces in 6-foot-7 Sedona Prince and point guard Te-Hina Paopao. Coach Kelly Graves also added two five-star recruits in Chance Gray and Grace VanSlooten. The Ducks have talent once again, and fans in Eugene will be expecting success after last season’s disappointment.

20. Niele Ivey in her third season

In Ivey’s second season at the helm, the Fighting Irish narrowly missed the Elite Eight after losing by just three points to NC State. Notre Dame finished third in the ACC with a 24-9 record, building on Ivey’s first season where the Fighting Irish went 10-10 in a shortened season, finishing sixth. Ivey clearly knows what she’s doing, and with guards Olivia Miles and Sonia Citron entering their sophomore seasons and leading the way, Notre Dame should be even better this year.

21. Ayoka Lee’s future

Kansas State’s star post had knee surgery back in August, meaning she will be out for the entire 2022-23 season. Lee made headlines last season when she scored an NCAA-record 61 points against Oklahoma. Lee won’t be back for the Wildcats this year, but we will find out whether or not she will return for another season or choose to enter the WNBA draft.

22. Fringe teams looking to break out

Last season teams like Gonzaga, Nebraska and UNLV spent most of the year fighting to break into the top 25 and then the NCAA tournament. These are three of my favorites to break into the top half of the rankings this year, as they all have experience and talent — but as the season progresses, other surprise candidates will emerge, which is always a super fun part of the college basketball season.

23. Madness gets madder

March Madness lived up to its name last year, with eight double-digit seeds winning in the first round, and No. 10 Creighton and No. 12 South Dakota making the Elite Eight. It was the most chaotic tournament in history, and with the increased levels of competition year after year, this season’s tournament should be even better. It’s months away, but I’m already excited.

24. Awesome nonconference matchups

If you normally wait until March to tune into college basketball, it’s time to change your ways. This season some of the best matchups of the season will take place during nonconference play in November. So, which game is at the top of the list? South Carolina takes on Stanford on Nov. 20, which has the potential to be the best pre-tournament game of the season.

25. Title game on ABC

This may not be the most interesting storyline, but it’s definitely important to know. After years of being broadcast on ESPN, ABC will show the national championship game this season. So when it’s time to watch all these storylines officially come to an end, tune into ABC for the final game of what should be a thrilling season.

Sophia Smith isn't much of a gamer. 

"It just does not come naturally to me," the Portland Thorns and USWNT forward tells Just Women's Sports with a laugh. "I think with more practice, I could get good."

Whatever skills Smith may lack on the virtual pitch are made up in full by her talent on the actual one. And that talent has ironically earned her an outsized on-screen role in the popular soccer video game EA Sports FC.

Earlier this week, the 24-year-old earned her second-straight spot on EA Sport's Team of the Year. The honor that places her alongside international heavyweights like Barcelona's Aitana Bonmati, Chelsea's Lauren James, and Lyon's Wendie Renard.

While gaming might not have been front of mind when Smith won Olympic gold in Paris last summer, she has noticed how FC 25 has become an essential way for soccer fans to get to know their favorite players. The franchise only started fully integrating NWSL teams in 2023, but Smith's rise to in-game prominence was swift. 

Her avatar is regularly featured in national TV commercials, scoring in both a Thorns and a USWNT jersey alongside men's soccer stars like Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham. It might be just a video game, but FC 25 feels increasingly like one of the few platforms that views both sides of the sport as having equal potential.

The phenomenon is not lost on Smith. She says that from time to time fans will recognize her not from the Olympics or an NWSL championship appearance, but from the video game. "When people have the ability to play with women in a game that they've played all their life, it opens a whole new door for us," she says.

"It's so great for women in sports, because it shows that we also deserve to be in a game," she continues. "We also deserve to have that platform, to have our names out there at the same level as the men."

EA FC levels the playing field

While the EA FC 25 Team of the Year is voted on by fans, the breadth of leagues in this year's lineup also calms some of the debates currently raging within the women's side. It's no secret that NWSL players sometimes have trouble gaining traction in top European awards. This is a tension that Smith herself has faced before her US national team breakout.

"I do think the NWSL isn't recognized enough," says Smith. "People have a lot of opinions on it, maybe people who don't even watch any games. That can be frustrating because it's a very challenging league to play in — every game is competitive."

To prove her point, she references the time it's taken for her USWNT teammate and fellow Stanford alum Naomi Girma to gain recognition on the international stage. If there were any player she could add to EA FC's Team of the Year, she adds, it'd be the San Diego Wave center-back — "and not just because she's my best friend." The growing global market for NWSL-based players like Girma and Smith likely won't silence critics promoting European-style football over American. But Smith sees differences across leagues as an asset for a player, not a problem.

"Either league could be good for any player for a number of reasons," she explains. "You can learn something in Europe that you can't learn here, and vice-versa. That's why players go back and forth."

"I believe that every league that exists can be challenging in its own way, and we're all just trying to figure it out," she continues. "FC having women in the game — women from the NWSL and European leagues — just puts us all as equals as we should be. It allows you to determine someone's game based off someone's game, not if they play in Europe or the NWSL."

Focusing on USWNT growth in 2025

Smith's game speaks for itself. Coming off a disappointing 2023 World Cup, the forward scored three goals and registered two assists during the USWNT's Olympic run, leading the team to their first major tournament trophy since 2019. Her club contributions were similarly impressive. She scored 12 regular-season goals alongside six assists despite Portland's failure to make it past the 2024 quarterfinals.

But the year took a toll, and Smith says that prioritizing rest has been essential to preparing herself for everything 2025 has to offer.

"I feel like this offseason was very much needed for me," she says. "While it was a great year, it was a long year — we just gave everything 110%, 24/7, so when we got to the offseason, it kind of just smacked us in the face."

Smith says she's physically bouncing back after a lingering ankle injury limited her playing time in the later half of 2024. "Most offseasons I'll take a few weeks and I'll start training," she says. "This offseason I took a little longer. I knew that in order to start this next year off right, I needed to give my body what it needed while I could."

With no major US tournaments set for 2025, Smith is looking forward to seeing the national team continue to gel and evolve. She's a big believer in USWNT manager Emma Hayes's "If it's not broken, break it" ethos. It makes her excited to push herself and her team to take things to the next level. 

Bringing the EA FC Team of the Year energy back to Portland

Smith also has work to do in the NWSL. She's rejoining a Portland club that saw multiple legends of the game step away after 2024's uncharacteristic sixth-place finish. As a leader, she wants to see the Thorns back at the top of the table. And she hopes to carry on the legacy of retired stars like Christine Sinclair, Becky Sauerbrunn, and Meghan Klingenberg.

"Since I arrived in Portland, every year there's been change. I'm just used to it at this point," she says. "The best thing we can do as players is stick together, really just show up for each other every day. And work towards the same goal, which is to win."

"It's easier said than done," she admits. "I'm used to being one of the younger players on the team. I still am, but I have more experience. I feel like I can be a leader in a different way."

With 2024's triumphs behind her, Smith views the new year as an opportunity to improve without the intense pressure of a major tournament. As always, the goal comes down to one simple thing: growth.

"I'm not the loudest person," she says. "But I can lead by example and show up every day, trying to be the best version of myself and helping those around me get better, too."

Making connections on and off the screen

One thing Smith can guarantee is that she'll continue to connect with fans. That goes whether it's signing autographs after a match or finding the back of the net in EA FC 25. 

"It wasn't that long ago that I was that little kid, watching people I grew up looking up to," she remembers. "If they took a minute out of their day to say hi or to sign something, that stuff means a lot." 

"So I try to be that person for people. If I can do that through FC, if I can do that in real life, I always take the opportunity."

Some of the NWSL's brightest stars made headlines this week, as the league's free agency transfer window continues to turn heads both at home and abroad.

Brazil forward Kerolin is officially departing North Carolina after spending all three of her NWSL seasons with the Courage, the club confirmed on Wednesday. The 2023 NWSL MVP will reportedly head to the WSL's Manchester City in a deal extending through 2028.

Sources are also linking two-time NWSL Defender of the Year Naomi Girma to the first $1 million transfer offer in women's soccer history, courtesy of French side Lyon and UK titans Chelsea and Arsenal. The 24-year-old USWNT star's current contract with the San Diego Wave runs through 2026, making a transfer fee a necessary part of any earlier deal.

The current record for a women's soccer transfer fee is $860,000, which Bay FC shelled out to receive Zambian forward Rachael Kundananji from Spain's Madrid CFF in February 2024.

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More NWSL teams make moves to lock down contracts

NWSL preseason has already started for select clubs, with teams putting the final touches on solidifying both their rosters and front offices.

Angel City hired former Portland Thorns FC and Washington Spirit head coach Mark Parsons as the club's new sporting director on Wednesday. The franchise is still searching for a permanent head coach after parting with boss Becki Tweed in December.

The 2022 expansion team also signed veteran forward Christen Press to a new one-year contract, per a Friday morning press release.

Meanwhile, with Girma's possible departure dominating the rumor mill, the Wave announced the addition of 17-year-old UNC defender and 2024 College Cup champion Trinity Armstrong to the club's ranks on Thursday.

Though Girma's fate is yet to be confirmed, San Diego's decision to pick up a talented young center back — on a three-year contract, no less — supports the theory that the USWNT standout is on the move.

Unrivaled 3×3 Basketball tips off its inaugural season on Friday night, when four of the league's six clubs will take the court for the first time.

The Miami-based league's debut doubleheader begins with a co-founder face-off, as Breanna Stewart's Mist will first square off against 2024 WNBA Finals foe and fellow Unrivaled co-founder Napheesa Collier's Lunar Owls.

Shortly after that inaugural game, Rose BC, whose roster includes top-rated 2024 rookie Angel Reese plus WNBA Finals MVPs Kahleah Copper (2021) and Chelsea Gray (2022), will take the Unrivaled court. Facing them in Friday's nightcap will be Vinyl BC, a team headlined by WNBA Rookies of the Year Aliyah Boston (2023) and Rhyne Howard (2022).

The two remaining Unrivaled teams will debut on Saturday afternoon, when Phantom BC takes on Laces BC in another 3×3 doubleheader.

Led by All-Stars like Brittney Griner and reigning WNBA champion Sabrina Ionescu, the Phantom will start the season without guard Marina Mabrey due to a calf strain. Her recovery is expected to take two to four weeks, with an injury re-evaluation set for late January. In the meantime, the Phantom have added relief player Natisha Hiedeman to their short-handed roster.

IT'S GAME DAYYYYYYY! 🗣️ Make sure you tune in tonight at 7pm ET! pic.twitter.com/vAZ2IkemoF

— Unrivaled Basketball (@Unrivaledwbb) January 17, 2025

Unrivaled stars prepare for their close-up

The innovative new league is launching with 36 of the WNBA's biggest stars, a brand new 3x3 format, and a product finely tuned for national TV broadcast. The goal is to bring fans even closer to their favorite athletes.

Subsequently, Unrivaled has teamed up with six US bars "dedicated to elevating women's sports" in an effort to promote official watch parties nationwide.

"The content piece and the TV piece of this is huge for us," Collier told The Athletic ahead of Friday's launch. "We want to make it the most interactive, fun, and exciting experience we can for people."

With a smaller court and cameras positioned closer to the action than in WNBA games, Unrivaled is aiming to bring a small-venue experience to a national audience.

"It’s definitely intimate, and you’re definitely going to hear a lot of stuff," Mist athlete Jewell Loyd told The Athletic. "But at the same time, that’s what you want, and it’s definitely going to make us play a little harder."

How to watch Unrivaled 3×3 Basketball this weekend

The new 3x3 league will tip off with the Mist and Lunar Owls at 7 PM ET on Friday, with Rose BC and Vinyl BC following at 8 PM ET.

All Unrivaled games will air across TNT, truTV, and Max throughout the season, with Friday's tip off broadcast live on TNT.

With the 2025 NCAA gymnastics season in full swing, top collegiate athletes are already eyeing mid-April's national championship in Fort Worth, Texas.

Unlike elite gymnastics, where difficulty can outweigh execution, the college level values precision over big tricks, so Division I athletes all aim for perfect 10s in their competition performances.

Despite this difference, many of the world's most decorated elite gymnasts also compete in the NCAA. Two-time Olympian Jade Carey is back for her senior season with No. 14 Oregon State while her US teammate in both Tokyo and Paris, Jordan Chiles, is entering her junior year at No. 11 UCLA.

The Bruin, who took the 2024 NCAA season off to prepare for last summer's Olympics, will attempt to reclaim the national titles on uneven bars and floor exercise that she earned in 2023.

Top teams poised for the podium

After earning their first national title last spring, No. 2 LSU is hitting the 2025 mat armed with a stacked roster, headlined by 2024 all-around champion Haleigh Bryant and social media star Livvy Dunne.

Add in last year's freshman phenom Konnor McClain, whose prowess on the balance beam ultimately clinched LSU the NCAA trophy, and 2024 Olympic alternate Kaliya Lincoln, who opened her NCAA career with a 9.825 vault two weeks ago, and the Tigers are more than capable of a back-to-back run.

LSU isn't the only SEC team predicted to make a deep run this season, as the conference is once again flush with perennial contenders.

Elite US stars Kayla DiCello and early Freshman of the Year frontrunner Skye Blakely will join two-time US Olympic alternate Leanne Wong in trying to return No. 7 Florida to the NCAA championship meet. At the same time, new SEC team No. 1 Oklahoma, winner of seven of the last 10 NCAA trophies, could see senior Jordan Bowers de-throne Bryant for the 2025 all-around title.

Also causing early national championship chatter are 2024 finalists No. 5 Cal, who return two of the country's best all-arounders in senior Mya Lauzon and junior eMjae Frazier, and Big Ten champs No. 6 Michigan State, whose veteran-heavy lineup boasts stars Skyla Schulte and Sage Kellerman.

How to watch NCAA gymnastics this weekend

Some of the country's top NCAA gymnasts will take the mat when No. 7 Florida visits No. 2 LSU at 7:30 PM ET on Friday. Live coverage will air on ESPN2.