PHOENIX — Skylar Diggins-Smith was done talking.

The day before Game 2 of the WNBA Finals, Diggins-Smith sat behind the basket where she would hit the layup to seal the Phoenix Mercury’s 91-86 overtime win over the Chicago Sky, which evened the series 1-1, and fidgeted in her chair. For every question she fielded from reporters, Diggins-Smith had one thing on her mind: The Mercury gave Game 1 away, and she would do everything in her power to make sure it didn’t happen again.

“This is not the goal for me. The championship is the goal,” she said Tuesday. “I’m irritated, I’m excited, I’m nervous. I’m ready for the Game 2, that’s all I gotta say. I’m irritated I gotta be out here answering questions because I just want to focus on the game.”

Diggins-Smith kept that focus through the first 18 minutes of Game 2 on Sunday, when she went just 1-for-6 from the field and was visibly frustrated with her play.

During a Mercury timeout with 2:04 left in the first quarter, Diggins-Smith stood apart from the huddle and stared off into the distance, motionless. Kia Nurse, resigned to the bench for the series after tearing her ACL in Game 5 of the semifinals, walked over and appeared to try to console her. Diggins-Smith just kept staring straight ahead, as if she were visualizing what was to come.

First, that meant her passing. The veteran guard found Brianna Turner twice in the second quarter, the second time with a lob pass for an alley-oop that gave the Mercury their first lead of the game, 38-36.

“Skylar would probably say, ‘I’ve missed too many shots,’” said Mercury head coach Sandy Brondello, “but I thought with her ability to facilitate and just give us some easy baskets … we put [Diana Taurasi] in being more of a screener and put the ball more in Sky’s hand, and she made some pretty good decisions.”

Diggins-Smith finished the game with a playoff career-high 12 assists, jumpstarting Phoenix’s offense with her patience and play-calling from the point and her distribution on the run. The mark also set a Mercury franchise record for assists in a Finals game.

And when it came to crunch time, the 31-year-old turned her fiery words into action, driving into the paint for two layups in overtime that were the difference for the Mercury.

That final play by @SkyDigg4 to seal the deal. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/dEiqBMAF1v

— Phoenix Mercury - X (@PhoenixMercury) October 14, 2021

Thanks to Diggins-Smith’s 13 points, as well as Taurasi’s 20 and Griner’s game-high 29, Phoenix now heads to Chicago with more of a cushion. Starting with Game 3 on Friday night in front of a sold-out Chicago arena, the Mercury can take the series with two wins on the road or win at least one and head back home for a decisive Game 5.

“I was just trying to make something happen,” Diggins-Smith said. “I felt really good about how I was able to get a head of steam, get downhill, get in a lane, create opportunities for my team. It didn’t fall for me, but I was just trying to do other things … and find that edge, that rhythm within the game.”

Taurasi, who also came on late to drain two critical 3-pointers in overtime, called Diggins-Smith’s performance “probably one of the best games I’ve ever seen her play.”

“I’ve been around this game a long time, and there’s not too many people that compete the way Skylar competes every single day,” Taurasi said. “We’ve gotten to work out for two offseasons. Every day is the same. Every day is Game 5 for her. I’ve said this before, that’s kind of ignited my passion for the game a little bit to see someone do that every single day.”

Brondello has been in this position before, having won a WNBA championship in 2014 in her first season as Mercury head coach. Diggins-Smith is playing in her first Finals series, having spent seven years in Tulsa and Dallas before signing with the Mercury last offseason.

Brondello and Taurasi, a three-time WNBA champion, know what a championship-level mentality looks like, and they see that to the fullest extent in Diggins-Smith.

“She had some shots, shots she knows she can make. She’ll be reliving that all night tonight, but I thought she had a really good game,” Brondello said. “Players like this are special — they have this fire in their belly, the will to win. And they’re all locked in.”

Hannah Withiam is the Managing Editor at Just Women’s Sports. She previously served as an editor at The Athletic and a reporter at the New York Post. Follow her on Twitter @HannahWithiam.

Fever rookie Caitlin Clark rocketed to the upper tiers of Sportico's annual highest-paid women's sports athletes report on Wednesday, landing in 10th place with an estimated $11 million in yearly earnings.

With tournaments like the US Open guaranteeing equal purses across men's and women's events, tennis players dominated the findings, accounting for nine of the 15 entries. This includes first-place Coco Gauff, who, with $9.4 million in prizes plus $21 million in endorsements, tops the list for the second year in a row.

Skier Eileen Gu came in second, complementing her individual earnings with the list's highest-estimated endorsement profits at $22 million. Gymnast Simone Biles came in at No. 9 with an estimated $11.1 million in total income.

Golfers Nelly Korda and Lydia Ko also made the cut, mirroring the LPGA Tour's expanded purses.

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Report highlights endorsements in women's sports

The report underlines the continued importance of endorsements in the women's game — particularly within team sports, where many athletes rely on supplemental income to boost relatively small pro salaries.

However, 2024's estimated $221 million in total earnings is up 27% over last year, with 11 athletes making at least $10 million compared to six in 2023.

Sportico's 15 highest-paid women's sports athletes

1. Coco Gauff: $30.4 million
Prize money: $9.4 million | Endorsements: $21 million

2. Eileen Gu: $22.1 million
Prize money: $62,000 | Endorsements: $22 million

3. Iga Świątek: $21.4 million
Prize money: $8.4 million | Endorsements: $13 million

4. Zheng Qinwen: $20.6 million
Prize money: $5.6 million | Endorsements: $15 million

5. Aryna Sabalenka: $17.7 million
Prize money: $9.7 million | Endorsements: $8 million

6. Naomi Osaka: $15.9 million
Prize money: $870,000 | Endorsements: $15 million

7. Emma Raducanu: $14.7 million
Prize money: $671,000 | Endorsements: $14 million

8. Nelly Korda: $14.4 million
Prize money: $4.4 million | Endorsements: $10 million

9. Simone Biles: $11.1 million
Prize money: $135,000 | Endorsements: $11 million

10. Caitlin Clark: $11.1 million
Salary/bonus: $100,000 | Endorsements: $11 million

11. Jasmine Paolini: $10 million
Prize money: $6.5 million | Endorsements: $3.5 million

12. Jeeno Thitikul: $9.1 million
Prize money: $7.1 million | Endorsements: $2 million

13. Jessica Pegula: $8.2 million
Prize money: $4.2 million | Endorsements: $4 million

14. Elena Rybakina: $7.9 million
Prize money: $3.9 million | Endorsements: $4 million

15. Lydia Ko: $6.7 million
Prize money: $3.2 million | Endorsements: $3.5 million

The 2024 NCAA DI volleyball tournament officially kicks off on Thursday, when 64 teams will gear up to battle for postseason glory in this weekend's first and second rounds.

The college court's best have their sights set on competing in the December 22nd national championship match in Louisville, Kentucky.

Along with the 31 conference champions who automatically received postseason invites, the NCAA committee revealed its 33 selectees in Sunday's selection show. The top 32 teams are seeded one through eight in their respective bracket quadrants, and teams are guaranteed to only face non-conference opponents through the tournament's second round.

Leading the field with nine teams each are the ACC, Big Ten, and SEC, followed by the Big 12 with six squads selected.

The four teams who finished atop the national rankings — Pitt, Louisville, Nebraska, and Penn State — all earned No. 1 seeds.

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ACC powerhouses take aim at first national title

Sitting atop the rankings for most of the season, overall No. 1 seed Pitt showcases the ACC's immense depth, despite the conference having yet to produce a champion. The Panthers, who finished with Division I's best record at 29-1, have come achingly close over the last three seasons, falling short in the national semifinals each year.

Pitt's only loss this season came courtesy of ACC newcomer No. 2 SMU, a team they could face in the regional finals after landing in the same bracket quadrant.

Similarly, Louisville has been a consistent contender for the conference, becoming the ACC's first-ever team to make the championship match in 2022. Last year, the Cardinals failed to advance to the Final Four for the first time since 2020, stumbling in a five-set quarterfinal thriller against conference rival Pitt.

Big Ten dynasties seek continued dominance

After battling through arguably the sport's toughest all-around conference, Big Ten behemoths Penn State and Nebraska will take aim at their eighth and sixth program titles, respectively. Only former Pac-12 team Stanford — now a No. 2 seed in their debut ACC season — boast more NCAA championships than the Nittany Lions or Huskers.

Both teams finished their 2024 regular season campaigns neck-and-neck, posting 29-2 overall records and going 19-1 in conference play to share the Big Ten title. Penn State holds the tournament edge, however, maintaining their streak as the only NCAA team to make all 44 championship brackets — one more than Nebraska.

Each faces an uphill battle in the 2024 championship field. The Huskers must contend with longtime rivals and 2021 champs No. 2 Wisconsin in their quadrant. Meanwhile, the Nittany Lions find themselves in the same quadrant as reigning back-to-back champion Texas, who grabbed a No. 3 seed after a rollercoaster season. 

How to watch the 2024 NCAA DI Volleyball Tournament

The first and second rounds of the NCAA volleyball tournament will take place at 16 campus sites between Thursday and Saturday.

No. 5 BYU will kick off the action against Loyola Chicago at 3:30 PM ET on Thursday, with all 32 first-round and 16 second-round matches airing across ESPN platforms.

The USWNT ended 2024 with an unlikely win, overcoming a Dutch shooting barrage to earn a 2-1 comeback victory in Tuesday's Euro trip closer.

The world No. 1 squad looked overrun for much of the first half as the No. 11 Netherlands outshot the US 14-1. Oranje rookie Veerle Buurman ultimately broke through with a 15th-minute goal off of a corner kick to give the Netherlands a well-earned lead.

That said, the USWNT held tight, equalizing in the 44th minute when Buurman headed in Tierna Davidson's free kick for an own goal.

Subs made all the difference in the game's second half, taking back enough control to mount an impressive US comeback. In just her fourth cap, forward Yazmeen Ryan produced her first international assist, finding her Gotham FC teammate Lynn Williams streaking into the penalty area to put away the 71st-minute sliding goal that allowed the US to gut out the win.

"I thought today we demonstrated by not being at our best, both in and out of possession, that finding a way to win is a sign of a great team," commented US boss Emma Hayes after the match.

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SWNT keeper Alyssa Naeher's epic final match against he Netherlands

Longtime starting goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher earned Player of the Match honors with six stunning saves in her final USWNT performance on Tuesday. The now-retired star finishes her international career with 89 wins, 69 clean sheets, and 112 starts in her 115 caps.

Reflecting on her final year in goal for the States, Naeher said after Tuesday's match, "I think part of why I've been able to play with so much extra joy and smiles and really enjoy it this year even more, is I really felt like it was the last the whole time."

A golden 2024 to fuel 2025 USWNT success

With Saturday's draw against No. 2 England and Tuesday's victory over the Netherlands, the USWNT ends 2024 on a 20-match unbeaten streak that included their 16th Concacaf title and fifth Olympic gold medal.

After taking the US reins in May, head coach Hayes caps the year with a 13-0-2 record, with eight of those wins coming against FIFA-ranked Top-15 teams.

The momentum Hayes has built sets the stage for continued success next year. The USWNT will kick off 2025 with a mid-January training camp to run concurrently with a "Futures Camp," designed to identify and develop young talent for the senior squad.

The first matches on the USWNT's 2025 schedule will come in February, when the team hosts No. 7 Japan, No. 15 Australia, and No. 21 Colombia in the 10th annual SheBelieves Cup.

On today's episode of The Late Sub, host Claire Watkins wraps up a banner year for the USWNT. She starts by diving into how Tuesday's dramatic 2-1 win over the Netherlands, discussing how it showcased just how far the team has come and what they’ll need to do to continue to grow in 2025.

Later, Watkins chats through the lessons learned from the USWNT midfield's recent performances, plus the differences in player form between their clubs and national team.

Finally, she dishes about Alyssa Naeher's epic final performance, underlining how much the starting goalkeeper will be missed as she officially retires from the USWNT.

The Late Sub with Claire Watkins brings you the latest news and freshest takes in women’s sports. This is the weekly rundown you’ve been missing, covering the USWNT, NWSL, WNBA, college hoops, and whatever else is popping off in women’s sports each week. Special guest appearances with the biggest names in women’s sports make The Late Sub a must-listen for every fan. Follow Claire on X/Twitter @ScoutRipley and subscribe to the Just Women’s Sports newsletter for more.

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