NASHVILLE — From competitive early rounds to a thrilling finish in the championship game Sunday, the SEC women’s basketball tournament delivered.

Here are my main takeaways from four days spent watching some of the best in the sport before the NCAA Tournament begins.

Kentucky shocked us all

Every program in the country strives to do what the Wildcats have accomplished these last few weeks, playing their best basketball at the right time. Kentucky bounced back from an underwhelming campaign to end the regular season and conference postseason on a 10-game win streak and stun No. 1 South Carolina for the program’s first SEC tournament championship in 40 years. The only people who believed they could win the SEC Tournament were the Wildcats themselves.

Rhyne Howard certainly did not need to prove her greatness in Nashville, but to lead her team to a championship against all odds is next-level heroics. The 6-foot-2 senior guard earned tournament MVP honors after averaging 22 points in Kentucky’s four games, including a 32-point performance against LSU and a near triple-double against Tennessee.

The projected top WNBA draft pick has faced immense pressure these last two years. Howard not only brought a championship back to Kentucky, she also did it against the team that’s been ranked No. 1 in the country all season long and in front of nearly every WNBA franchise there to watch her. Regardless of where she goes in the draft, Howard’s impact on the game of basketball will span far beyond her collegiate career.

I AM A SEC CHAMPION 🤩🏆

— Rhyne Howard 🤟🏾🈳 (@howard_rhyne) March 7, 2022

South Carolina’s “big” lineup is unbelievable

South Carolina took the loss Sunday, but Dawn Staley’s lineup of three to four post players will be difficult for any opponent to game-plan for in the NCAA Tournament.

When the 6-foot-4 Aliyah Boston and the 6-7 Kamilla Cardoso throw high-low passes to one another from the free-throw line, their length is nearly impossible to defend. And when you add 6-4 Laeticia Amihere and 6-2 Victaria Saxton to the mix, South Carolina has one of the biggest rotations in the country.

On the other end of the floor, Kentucky struggled to find looks at the basket against the pair, especially in the second quarter when they managed just three points. When you’re facing a lineup of that size, it’s easy to get in your own head and second guess your decision-making. The Gamecocks will be betting on that as they make a run at the national championship later this month.

Shakira Austin shows off pro-ready skills

Austin was named First Team All-SEC for the second consecutive season and solidified herself as one of the greatest players to ever wear an Ole Miss uniform. The senior center averaged 15.4 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.9 blocks to lead Ole Miss to a 23-7 finish, its best record since 2006-07. Austin also elevated her play in the SEC tournament, averaging 21.5 points and 9.5 rebounds to lift Ole Miss to the semifinals.

Her 27-point, 13-rebound double-double against Florida in the quarterfinals in front of 10 WNBA teams was the highlight of the tournament. Austin is an automatic lottery pick in the upcoming WNBA draft and deserves to be in the conversation for No. 1 because of her pro-ready frame, athleticism and ceiling. For as good as she currently is, she will only get better as a pro. When you watch her 6-5 frame elevate over opponents, snag a rebound with power and proceed to advance the ball down the court, you realize her sheer potential might surpass any other prospect in this draft class.

Shakira Austin with the rejection! @Theylove_kira pic.twitter.com/3qHsPD5Wnf

— Ole Miss Women's BB (@OleMissWBB) March 5, 2022

The relentlessness of Florida

Florida has been one of the best stories of the college basketball season. This was a dormant program that overcame an early-season scandal and the transfer of their leading scorer earlier in the season and to earn five top-25 wins and a 21-10 finish. Kelly Rae Finley rightfully had the interim tag removed from her title last week, signing a five-year contract as head coach and solidifying her position as the leader of this program.

WNBA draft prospect Kiki Smith had a phenomenal season, averaging 14.6 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game before going down with a season-ending knee injury in Florida’s one-point win over Vanderbilt in the second round. When Smith hit the floor, the Florida team circled together and held hands in support of their leader. After the win, Finley’s eyes swelled with emotion as her players ran to the training room to be with Smith.

The following day, Smith joined her team on the bench in a different role, clipboard in hand as the Gators fell to Ole Miss, 70-60, and now await their NCAA Tournament fate. As outsiders, it’s difficult to understand everything this team has gone through in the last eight months. If they get a bid to the NCAA Tournament, their first since 2015-16, they’ll do so with a level of collective resolve that will be hard to count out.

Keep an eye on Vanderbilt

First-year head coach Shea Ralph took over a Commodores program that won just nine conference games in the last four seasons and led them to a 14-18 record, their best finish since 2015-16.

Vanderbilt has shown flashes of promise throughout the season, but none more clearly than in the last two weeks when the Commodores beat Florida on Feb. 24 and Texas A&M in the first round of the SEC tournament, 85-69. Vanderbilt was one point away from advancing to the SEC tournament semifinals, falling to Florida 53-52 last Thursday.

While the Commodores’ season could continue in the WNIT, the SEC has gotten the message: Watch out for Vanderbilt next year. Senior guard Jordyn Cambridge is expected to return following a strong season, and All-SEC Freshman honorees Iyana Moore (12.2 points per game) and Sacha Washington (seven) earned valuable experience. With top-100 recruits Ryanne Allen and Amauri Williams entering the mix next fall, Ralph’s team is on the rise.

𝗝𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘆𝗻 𝗖𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗴𝗲

☑️ First triple-double in school history
☑️ Second athlete to tally a triple-double at the SEC Tournament.
☑️ 13 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists#AnchorDown pic.twitter.com/ZhcoQo2qwI

— Vanderbilt WBB (@VandyWBB) March 3, 2022

Missouri’s rocky SEC finish

Aijha Blackwell did not play in three games in the final two weeks of the season, including losses to Kentucky and Georgia. The 6-foot guard leads Missouri in scoring and averaged 31 minutes per game this season, but she played just 11 minutes in Missouri’s 61-52 overtime loss to Arkansas in the first round of the SEC tournament. She remained on the bench in overtime as the Tigers fought to keep their NCAA Tournament hopes alive. A win would have nearly solidified an at-large bid, and yet head coach Robin Pingeton kept Blackwell sidelined.

No matter what was going on behind the scenes, Missouri will now have to wait patiently until Selection Sunday to find out if their 18-12 overall record, 7-9 SEC record, and 70-69 win over No. 1 South Carolina back on Dec. 30 will be enough to send them to the tournament.

Rachel Galligan is a basketball analyst at Just Women’s Sports. A former professional basketball player and collegiate coach, she also contributes to Winsidr. Follow Rachel on Twitter @RachGall.

Ex-San Diego Wave boss Casey Stoney is taking over head coaching duties for the Canadian women's national soccer team, Canada Soccer confirmed on Monday morning.

Stoney replaces longtime coach Bev Priestman, who is currently serving a one-year suspension from FIFA for her role in the 2024 Paris Olympics drone-spying scandal.

Canada Soccer officially fired Priestman in November 2024, after an independent investigation into a drone spotted hovering over New Zealand's Olympic training session found Canada's coaching staff liable.

Immediately following the incident, Canada saw six points deducted from their Olympic group stage standing. The 2021 gold medalists eventually lost to Germany in the quarterfinals.

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Stoney jumps from club to country

This will be Stoney's first time leading a national team, making the professional leap after San Diego abruptly fired the decorated former England defender and captain in June 2024.

Prior to her NWSL tenure, Stoney made her head coaching debut with Manchester United. She led the club to an FA Championship trophy in the team's inaugural 2018/19 season, earning the team promotion into the WSL.

After joining the NWSL's California expansion side in 2021, Stoney led the Wave to two playoff appearances and a career regular-season record of 24-15-18. San Diego's 2022 semifinals run made the club the first-ever franchise to make the NWSL Playoffs in their inaugural season. The campaign eventually earned Stoney the 2022 NWSL Coach of the Year award.

Stoney also helped the Wave snag the 2023 NWSL Shield and the 2024 Challenge Cup trophy — all behind Canadian starting goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan.

With an eye on developing a strong Canadian roster to contend for the 2027 World Cup, Stoney's first task on the team's sideline is set for February, when Canada will compete in the annual Pinatar Cup in Spain.

"Casey's track record of successful leadership, her values and strength of character, and her lifelong dedication to the advancement of women's football make her the right person to lead our national team into its next chapter," said Canada Soccer CEO and general secretary Kevin Blue in today's statement.

Tennis's first Grand Slam of 2025 kicks off on Saturday, with the sport's heaviest hitters convening in Melbourne for the Australian Open.

World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka — the reigning back-to-back Australian Open champion — enters as the tournament's first overall seed for the first time. However, she'll see stiff competition by way of No. 2 Iga Świątek, No. 3 Coco Gauff, and No. 4 Jasmine Paolini.

"For me being the one to chase... I like that feeling," Sabalenka told reporters this morning. "That's what drives me and helps me to stay motivated because I know that I have a target on my back."

Tough roads to the trophy litter Australian Open draw

Each top contender faces a tricky tournament draw, with upset potential lurking in every quadrant.

Sabalenka could meet 2024 Olympic gold medalist and WTA Finals runner-up No. 5 Zheng Qinwen as early as the quarterfinals, as long as she survives a first-round matchup against 2017 US Open winner Sloane Stephens.

Reigning WTA Finals champion Gauff's quadrant is in Sabalenka's half of the field, setting up a possible rematch of last year's semifinal. As for the 20-year-old US star's path, earlier rounds could see Gauff contending with tough competitors like 2021 Australian Open champ Naomi Osaka, 2024 US Open semifinalist Karolína Muchová, and 2024 US Open finalist No. 7 Jessica Pegula.

Świątek and Paolini could also meet in a semifinal, though fellow top competitors No. 8 Emma Navarro and 2020 Australian Open winner Ons Jabeur stand in Świątek's way while No. 10 Danielle Collins and 2022 Wimbledon champion No. 6 Elena Rybakina have been drawn into Paolini's quadrant.

How to watch the 2025 Australian Open

The 2025 Australian Open's first round starts on Saturday at 7 PM ET, with Sabalenka's first-round match set for 3 AM ET on Sunday.

Live coverage for the tournament will air across ESPN platforms.

On a Thursday night that saw several top NCAA basketball teams stumble, No. 6 LSU narrowly managed to keep their perfect season intact, though No. 16 Tennessee took the Tigers to the brink in a close 89-87 conference battle.

The SEC's rising parity was fully on display as stars Jewel Spear and Talaysia Cooper posted 25 and 24 points, respectively, to try and put their surging Tennessee side on top.

Though the Vols chipped away throughout the game at LSU's nine-point first-quarter lead, it was Tiger junior Kailyn Gilbert who cemented LSU's win with a wild, last-second bucket, putting a bow on her 22 points off the bench.

LSU senior Aneesah Morrow also shined, registering 23 points and 21 rebounds — her NCAA-leading 16th double-double and second 20+ point, 20+ rebound performance this season.

Now 18-0, LSU is one of just three undefeated Division I college basketball programs this season, joining just No. 1 UCLA and No. 9 Ohio State in remaining unbeaten.

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Seven top 25 NCAA teams fall on Thursday

LSU's victory over Tennessee was just one of seven NCAA basketball games to see ranked teams fall on Thursday night. No. 5 Texas annihilated No. 18 Alabama to the tune of 84-40, while No. 19 UNC and No. 24 Cal registered upsets of No. 14 Duke and No. 21 NC State, respectively.

Unranked teams also did damage in the Top 25, with Illinois downing No. 23 Iowa and Mississippi State bouncing back from the 95-68 shellacking they took at the hands of No. 2 South Carolina on Sunday by taking down No. 10 Oklahoma 81-77.

That said, No. 13 Georgia Tech suffered the most consequential defeat after seeing their unbeaten season disappear in a 105-94 double-overtime loss to unranked Virginia Tech.

Yellow Jacket junior Kara Dunn's game-leading 33-point, 10-rebound double-double and teammate Tonie Morgan's 28 points kept Georgia Tech alive throughout much of the back-and-forth battle.

However, 17+ point showings from Virginia Tech's entire starting lineup, not to mention a late, stifling defense that allowed them to outscore Georgia Tech 13-2 in the second overtime period, ultimately secured the win for the Hokies.

NCAA basketball weekend rife with upset potential

With 23 ranked NCAA teams facing unranked opponents this weekend, the potential for upsets is high, though the lone ranked pairing is a highly anticipated Top-5 affair.

The SEC will take center court again, as No. 5 Texas takes on defending national champions No. 2 South Carolina on Sunday.

Ahead of the tense matchup, guard Rori Harmon promised that the Longhorns are "going to make sure it's a knockdown, drag out."

"It's going to be a battle, and we look forward to the battle," said South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley, referencing her team's tough conference slate.

How to watch top-ranked NCAA basketball this weekend

No. 5 Texas will visit No. 2 South Carolina on Sunday at 1 PM ET, with live coverage airing on ESPN.

Brazilian superstar Marta has officially re-signed with the NWSL's Orlando Pride through 2026, the club announced on Thursday morning.

The news comes just over a month after the 38-year-old international football icon captained Orlando to its first-ever NWSL Championship win.

While Marta expressed ongoing interest in continuing club play, the free agent's future remained uncertain after announcing her retirement from Brazil's national team in April 2024.

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Marta's Orlando Pride legacy

Marta has played for Orlando since 2017, riding out the franchise's ups and downs before the team's banner 2024. Last season wasn't just a massive campaign for the team, however — it cemented the seemingly ageless athlete as a club legend.

The Orlando captain scored finalist status for the league's 2024 MVP and Midfielder of the Year awards, plus booked an NWSL First-Team Best XI honor. Her 11 goals across all competitions, including the Pride's NWSL Shield-clinching game-winner and arguably the most memorable NWSL Playoff goal in years, was enough to snare an impressive fourth place on the league's 2024 goal-scoring table.

"Coming off the most successful season in our club's history and, personally, one of the best of her professional career, re-signing Marta was a key business priority for us during this offseason," said Orlando Pride VP of sporting operations and sporting director Haley Carter in today's club statement. 

"Last year, we proved everyone wrong and did something so special, as a team, and that's why I'm so happy to have the opportunity to sign for two more years," Marta commented.

"Personally, it also means a lot to me that I will reach 10 seasons as an Orlando Pride player, a special number for me as I have worn the No. 10 jersey most of my career," she added. "I love living in Orlando, I love the community, and I love the way that people embrace and enjoy Orlando Pride soccer. I can't wait for the season to start."