No. 1 South Carolina, last year’s national champion, and No. 2 Stanford, the 2021 national champion, will square off Sunday in the most anticipated matchup of the women’s college basketball season.

Both of these squads have the potential to be cutting down the nets come April, so Sunday could offer fans a Final Four or championship game preview.

Here are three storylines to watch when these two powerhouses take the court at 3 p.m. ET Sunday on ABC.

Aliyah Boston vs. Cameron Brink

This game features two of the best bigs in college basketball in South Carolina’s Aliyah Boston and Stanford’s Cameron Brink.

Boston won last season’s Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year awards after leading South Carolina to a national title, and Brink played a key role in Stanford’s 2021 title run. Both are future pros and generational talents.

But the 6-foot-5 Gamecocks senior and 6-foot-4 Cardinal junior bring contrasting styles of play to the floor.

Their biggest similarity comes in their shot-blocking abilities. Last season, Boston averaged 2.4 blocks per game, while Brink recorded 2.6 per game. Though Brink’s stats were better, Boston holds the defensive advantage because of her poise. Brink has been foul-prone during her first two years with the Cardinal, so keeping her on the floor against Boston will be key for Stanford.

As for their offensive skills, Boston is more of a traditional big, doing her damage with her back to the basket or on offensive boards, while Brink has guard skills that allow her to catch and drive from the perimeter. In this game, expect Stanford to try and stretch the defense by bringing Brink outside. South Carolina, on the other hand, will likely challenge Brink inside, with the aim of sending her to the bench with foul trouble.

“Ready to do what needs to be done.” Aliyah Boston is HER. #NCAAWBB X @GamecockWBB pic.twitter.com/uQpbp4N551

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) November 11, 2022

Roster depth

Both of these teams are blessed with depth.

That’s a gift, but it also means South Carolina coach Dawn Staley and Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer have to spend the early part of the season tinkering with their lineups. There’s a good chance Stanford and South Carolina meet again in the postseason, and if they do, their rotations could look a lot different than they do Sunday.

This weekend, look out for the usual suspects – Brink and Haley Jones for Stanford, and Boston and Zia Cooke for South Carolina – but also be aware that any number of players could step up and make a difference.

In the starting lineup, Raven Johnson could have a breakout game for South Carolina. After being injured early last season the No. 2 recruit in the class of 2021 has been tabbed to take over the point guard spot from Destanni Henderson. For Stanford, Hannah Jump is off to a hot start, shooting 58% from beyond the arc and averaging a team-high 13.2 points per game.

Off the bench, both teams have elite post options as well. South Carolina has the luxury of trading Boston for 6-foot-7 Kamilla Cardoso, while Stanford brings in No. 1 recruit Lauren Betts. And it doesn’t end there. Ashlyn Watkins, the No. 12 recruit in the country, has been getting key minutes for the Gamecocks – she made headlines with a dunk against Clemson – and Stanford forward Kiki Iriafen has gone from playing 6.5 minutes per game as a freshman to putting up 11.8 points per game in her sophomore season.

Another day in the office for @hannah_jump 👀

Her eight 3️⃣'s against Cal Poly matched a career-high, are the second-most in a single game in Stanford history, and increased her national lead of 20 3️⃣'s this season!#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/PHIIGI4pp7

— Stanford Women’s Basketball (@StanfordWBB) November 18, 2022

Efficient scoring

Stanford started the season shooting exceptionally well. So far, the Cardinal are hitting 55% of their field goals and 41% of their 3-pointers. Leading the way in efficiency is Iriafen, who ranks second in the country and has made 75% of her shot attempts so far. Betts isn’t far behind, making 72% of her attempts.

For South Carolina, Boston has scored on 71.4% of her attempts, and the post cohort is following suit. Cardoso (with less attempts) is at 82.4%, Watkins is shooting 70.6%, and Sania Feagin – another player who is making big strides from last season – is shooting 76.9%.

Both teams like to find high-percentage looks inside, and both squads do it with relative ease.

The defense in this game will be on another level compared to the teams South Carolina and Stanford have played thus far – though the Gamecocks faced No. 17 Maryland – so those numbers likely won’t be as high. Look for both sides to try and capitalize in other aspects of the game, like free throws or outside shooting to find some kind of separation. That could be the difference, but the Gamecocks and the Cardinal won’t shy away from their inside game, and it should be an exciting battle in the key.

The WNBA is back in action on Tuesday night, as the Indiana Fever and Seattle Storm headline a series of games that could make or break the current trajectories of several 2025 title contenders.

Seeking an especially strong Tuesday performance is the Fever, as Indiana tries to snap a two-game losing streak against the increasingly confident Storm.

"There are going to be stretches that are really good and there's going to be stretches that aren't as good," Fever guard Caitlin Clark said on Sunday, addressing her recent shooting slump.

While the Indiana and Seattle clash will lead the Tuesday charge, the night will also see young squads sizing up WNBA juggernauts as bottom-table teams look for a leg up:

• No. 8 Indiana Fever vs. No. 5 Seattle Storm, 10 PM ET (NBA TV): The Fever need a win against a Storm side that can't seem to lose, as both teams eye the postseason.

• No. 1 Minnesota Lynx vs. No. 9 Washington Mystics, 8 PM ET (WNBA League Pass): The up-and-coming Mystics will attempt to hand the Lynx a second season loss, as Minnesota star Napheesa Collier remains day-to-day with lower back stiffness.

• No. 4 Atlanta Dream vs. No. 12 Dallas Wings, 8 PM ET (WNBA League Pass): The Dream are on a tear, surging up the standings as the struggling Wings attempt to take flight.

• No. 10 LA Sparks vs. No. 11 Chicago Sky, 8 PM ET (NBA TV): The Sparks have cooled after a hot start while the Sky has yet to rev up, with both teams aiming to end a three-game losing streak on Tuesday night.

Teams across the league are hoping to make the most of every minute while also managing injury concerns and absences as the WNBA All-Star break looms.

The WNBA Class of 2025 is already making its mark on the league, with first-year players stepping up and showing out while the Rookie of the Year race — and betting odds — heat up.

No. 1 draft pick Paige Bueckers has been just as good as advertised, with the Dallas Wings guard leading her class in both minutes played and points per game while also charting league-wide in assists per game, steals per game, and mid-range shots made.

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DraftKings currently has Bueckers as the clear WNBA Rookie of the Year race frontrunner at -1,000, though the dynamic DC duo of guard Sonia Citron (+1,500) and forward Kiki Iriafen (+1,000) are quickly gaining traction.

Iriafen won May's WNBA Rookie of the Month award after a series of career-opening double-doubles, while her Washington Mystics teammate Citron has continued to execute in the clutch — most recently posting a career-high double-double performance of 27 points and 11 rebounds in last Sunday's 91-88 overtime win over Dallas.

"Not only is [Iriafen] holding her own, she's excelling," Citron told JWS earlier this month. "And seeing that is just incredible."

"Soni just does all the little things," Iriafen added. "She doesn't shortcut anything, she's doing the fundamentals, she doesn't cheat the game at all."

Though the NWSL hit the pause button this week, players worldwide are still on the move, as both European and US soccer teams use the midseason break to sharpen their lineups with international signings.

The NWSL has already seen one major departure, with the San Diego Wave announcing Monday that forward María Sánchez will return to her former Liga MX club UANL Tigres after nearly five years in the NWSL, with the Wave set to receive an undisclosed transfer fee in return.

"When the opportunity came to return to Tigres, I had to do a lot of inner searching, and I ultimately decided that returning to Liga MX Femenil and Tigres specifically was the best course of action for my career," the 29-year-old dual citizen and Mexico international player said in the Wave's release.

NWSL clubs are also setting their sights on European free agents, with the Washington Spirit bringing in Juventus forward Sofia Cantore last week — the first Italian signing in league history.

Also hopping aboard the player transaction carousel is new WSL side London City, with the top-flight debutantes inking OL Lyonnes midfielder and Dutch international Daniëlle van de Donk on Friday.

Meanwhile, van de Donk's wife and club teammate Ellie Carpenter is also potentially WSL-bound, with the defender reportedly nearing a deal that would see the Australian join Chelsea FC in return for the Blues sending Canadian international Ashley Lawrence to OL Lyonnes.

For their part, OL Lyonnes picked up defender Ingrid Engen from Barcelona as a free agent last week, adding the Norwegian international after snagging French forward and PSG's all-time leading scorer Marie-Antoinette Katoto earlier this month.

With the most recent NWSL CBA abolishing traditional trade windows, expect even more international signings and roster reshufflings before the league resumes play on August 1st.

San Diego is paying tribute to one of their own, with the Wave announcing plans to retire the No. 13 jersey of NWSL and USWNT legend Alex Morgan on September 7th.

Still topping the team's all-time scoring leaderboard with 23 goals in just over two seasons with San Diego, the retired club captain will be the first-ever Wave player to receive the prestigious honor.

Morgan also led San Diego to the 2023 NWSL Shield as well as postseason appearances in the 2022 expansion club's first two seasons.

"Alex's legacy goes far beyond goals and accolades. She helped lay the foundation for this club and elevated the standard for what women's soccer is today," said Wave FC governor Lauren Leichtman in the team's Tuesday announcement.

"She made this city her home, inspired our fans and community, and helped define who we are," Leichtman continued. "Her impact will be felt for generations, and it's only fitting that her number becomes a permanent part of Wave FC history." 

Morgan joined the Southern California squad's ownership group just last month, saying "San Diego is where I've built my home, where I am raising my children, and found a purpose beyond my playing career."

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How to attend the San Diego jersey retirement of Alex Morgan

San Diego will officially retire Morgan's No. 13 jersey during their home match against the Houston Dash at 8 PM ET on September 7th.

Tickets to the game will go on sale to the general public online at 6 PM ET on Tuesday.