The WNBA playoffs are upon us.

Wednesday and Thursday kick off four first-round matchups as part of the WNBA’s newly expanded playoff format: Aces vs. Mercury, Sky vs. Liberty, Sun vs. Wings and Storm vs. Mystics. Each best-of-three matchup brings its own unique storylines and points of intrigue.

Here’s what to keep an eye on as the games begin.

(1) Las Vegas Aces vs. (8) Phoenix Mercury

X-Factor: Offensive rebounding

The Mercury will certainly have their work cut out for them with the Aces, but one way they can get an edge is on the offensive boards. Las Vegas and Phoenix are 10th and 12th, respectively, in the WNBA when it comes to grabbing rebounds for second-chance points. If the Mercury can pick up a few easy buckets on the glass, that could be the difference between keeping it close and letting the Aces run away with it. On the flip side, any extra opportunities for an offensive powerhouse like the Aces will spell trouble for the Mercury.

Player matchup to watch: Kelsey Plum vs. Sophie Cunningham

While these two won’t necessarily be guarding each other, I can definitely see a situation where they start trading 3-pointers. Plum has been explosive offensively for the Aces, averaging a team-high 20.2 points per game on 42 percent shooting from 3. And Cunningham has been a consistent presence amid the chaos of the Mercury’s season, averaging 12.6 points per game on 40 percent shooting from 3.

Stat spotlight: PPG/Points allowed

The Aces are the top scoring team in the league at 90.4 points per game, while the Mercury give up more points per game than any other playoff team. In other words, the Mercury need to do everything possible to slow down the Aces, or this series will get out of hand fast.

Prediction: Aces in 2

Tune in:

• Game 1, Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET (ESPN)
• Game 2, Saturday at 9 p.m. (ESPN2)
• Game 3, Aug. 23 TBD

(2) Chicago Sky vs. (7) New York Liberty

X-Factor: Bench production

For the Sky, that’s Azurá Stevens, Rebekah Garder and Julie Allemand. For the Liberty, it’s a slew of players, but my eye is on Marine Johannès, Sami Whitcomb and Han Xu. These teams both have the luxury of bringing talented players off the bench, and each player has a unique aspect to their game that the starters don’t necessarily provide. For example, there’s the distinctive way Gardner cuts to the basket, or the creative playmaking of Johannès. Whichever team gets the best out of its bench will have a clear advantage.

Player matchup to watch: Courtney Vandersloot vs. Sabrina Ionescu

These two All-Star guards run the show for their respective teams, and both are stat stuffers with multiple triple-doubles to their names. Vandersloot is averaging 11.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, 6.5 assist and 1.2 steals a game, while Ionescu contributes 17.4 points, 7.1 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 1.1 steals per game. Whichever team comes out on top in this series will largely depend on which point guard has the better run of play.

Stat spotlight: Liberty’s 3-point rate

New York has made a league-high 394 3-pointers this season, and a league-low 687 2-pointers. That trend will likely continue against a Sky team that is second in the WNBA in blocked shots (155), and how consistently the Liberty can make their shots from deep will go a long way toward determining the outcome.

Prediction: Sky in 3

Tune in:

• Game 1, Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
• Game 2, Saturday at 12 p.m. (ESPN)
• Game 3, Aug. 23 TBD

(3) Connecticut Sun vs. (6) Dallas Wings

X-factor: Marina Mabrey

In the absence of Arike Ogunbowale, who’s been sidelined since undergoing a procedure to repair a pelvic injury and will miss the series against the Sun, Mabrey has upped her scoring from 13.6 points to 21.8 points per game. Mabrey’s performance is a big reason the Wings secured their playoff spot in the final week of the season, and if she continues at a similar clip, the former Notre Dame guard can give her team a shot at the upset. On the other hand, if Connecticut shuts her down, that is a big chunk of offense missing for the Wings.

Player matchup to watch: Teaira McCowan vs. Brionna Jones

Two strong, tough post players, McCowan and Jones will bring intensity to this matchup. The 6-foot-3 Jones has been a consistent piece off the bench for the Sun this season, averaging 13.8 points and 5.1 rebounds a game, while McCowan has blossomed in the last two months. She’s averaging 11 points and seven boards on the season, and in August, those numbers have increased to 17.4 points and 11.6 rebounds per game.

Stat spotlight: Offensive rebounding

The Sun average a league-best 10.2 offensive rebounds per contest, while the Wings are third with 9.6. It’s going to be a battle on the glass, and the team that controls the boards — by either grabbing more offensive rebounds or stopping the opponent from getting them — will have a clear edge.

Prediction: Sun in 3

Tune in:

• Game 1, Thursday at 8 p.m. ET (ESPNU, NBATV)
• Game 2, Sunday at 12 p.m. (ABC)
• Game 3, Aug. 24 TBD

(4) Seattle Storm vs. (5) Washington Mystics

X-Factor: Post players on defense

In her second year, Seattle’s Ezi Magbegor is second in the league with 1.8 blocks per game. In her rookie season, Washington’s Shakira Austin is 18th with 0.8 per game. Both provide length inside and have the ability to alter and outright block shots. The way they impact the other team’s offense can change the outcome of the game — and the series.

Player matchup to watch: Jewell Loyd vs. Ariel Atkins

In the three meetings between the Mystics and Storm this season, Loyd and Atkins have performed at a high level each time. Loyd recorded 22, 17 and 15 points, and Atkins put up 11, 13 and 23 points as the Storm took the regular-season series 2-1. Loyd’s elite playmaking against Atkins’ stingy defense also has the potential to bring excitement to this matchup.

Stat spotlight: Assists

Seattle is second in the league in assists with 813 on the year, while Washington slots in at seventh with 729. The Storm are more likely to lean on ball-movement and creating for each other to score, while the Mystics like to create offense in one-on-one situations. Those differing styles should make this one of the most competitive series of the first round.

Prediction: Storm in 3

Tune in:

• Game 1, Thursday at 10 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
• Game 2, Sunday at 4 p.m. (ESPN)
• Game 3, Aug. 24 TBD

Eden Laase is a Staff Writer at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @eden_laase.

Behind a string of stellar performances, PWHL standouts Marie-Philip Poulin (Montréal), Corinne Schroeder (New York), and Sidney Morin (Boston) emerged as Monday's Stars of the Week.

After scoring two goals — including the superhero-style game-winner — in Wednesday's sold-out Takeover Tour win, Victoire captain Poulin registered an assist in front a record-breaking Denver crowd on Sunday to claim a three-point week.

Saturday belonged to Fleet defender Morin, who recorded a career-high five shots and notched both goals in Boston's 2-1 overtime win over Ottawa, doubling her single-goal scoring record last season.

The puck stops with Sirens goalie Corinne Schroeder

Sirens goaltender Schroeder made PWHL history on Sunday, becoming the first-ever goalie to record back-to-back regular-season shutouts.

New York's 1-0 victory over Toronto also made a mark, becoming the PWHL's first-ever scoreless game in regulation before New York's Jessie Eldridge found the back of the net in overtime.

Schroeder, who tops the league in average goals against (1.86) while sharing the lead in wins (5) and save percentage (0.935), hasn't conceded a goal in over 156 minutes of play.

"I think Schroeder has been our number one goalie for a long time," said Sirens coach Greg Fargo after the game. "She's been demonstrating the level of her play since day one, but there's a calmness to her game and a competitiveness that we really like right now."

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How to watch PWHL games this week

While teams jockey for points one-third of the way through the PWHL's second season, individual athletes are separating themselves from the pack by tearing up the stat sheet.

The PWHL's stars are back on the ice in midweek action. First, the Toronto Sceptres visit the Ottawa Charge on Tuesday at 7 PM ET.

Then, Schroeder will try to add a third shutout to her record-setting goaltending streak when the New York Sirens host the league-leading Minnesota Frost at 7 PM ET on Wednesday.

Both games will stream live on YouTube.

An unfazed No. 2 South Carolina isn't letting injury​ slow them down, earning their season's first Top 5 NCAA basketball win with a dominant 67-50 victory over No. 5 Texas on Sunday.

The Gamecocks' trademark lock-down defense was in full force, holding the Longhorns to a field goal percentage of 27.8 despite Texas's 22 forced turnovers.

"I would say with our team, they seem to really focus in when there's a number beside our opponent, they practice a little better," South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley said of her squad's tough ranked schedule. "They’re more focused, they talk less. They knew the intangibles of this game would play a huge role in us winning or losing."

Coming off an undefeated championship season, South Carolina has taken their knocks while also proving just how capable they are of a repeat win.

The Gamecocks saw their 43-game winning streak snapped by No. 1 UCLA in November before losing key contributor Ashlyn Watkins to an ACL tear earlier this month.

At the same time, South Carolina has now tallied five ranked wins on the season — four of them over Top 10 teams. The Gamecocks are looking comfortable as they enter a particularly grueling stretch of conference play, with No. 19 Alabama and No. 13 Oklahoma waiting to try and topple the current champs later this week.

Ranked losses fuel AP basketball poll movement

Today's AP poll update saw significant shifts throughout Division I basketball's Top 25, with elite teams cooling off as the NCAA season heats up.

While No. 1 UCLA, No. 2 South Carolina, No. 3 Notre Dame, and No. 4 USC held steady, the Longhorns' loss to the Gamecocks earned them a two-spot dip to No. 7.

Elsewhere in the Top 10, LSU's still-undefeated campaign saw the Tigers rise one notch into the No. 5 position, as UConn also capitalized on Texas's misfortune, coming in one spot higher than last week at No. 6.

Deeper into the Top 25, Georgia Tech and Iowa suffered some of the week's biggest tumbles. After adding Sunday defeats to their Thursday losses, the once-unbeaten Yellow Jackets fell four spots to No. 17, while Iowa joined fellow Big Ten member Michigan in being ousted from Monday's rankings entirely.

Snagging the largest leaps in Monday's poll were No. 14 UNC and No. 18 Cal, whose ranked upset wins boosted them five and six spots, respectively.

Two teams also joined the AP party, as two-loss Oklahoma State and one-loss Minnesota enter tied at No. 24. Both teams are making their poll debuts for the first time in years: The last time the Cowgirls were ranked was in 2018, and the Golden Gophers's last Top 25 appearance was in 2019.

Week 11 AP college basketball poll

1. UCLA (16-0, Big Ten)
2. South Carolina (16-1, SEC)
3. Notre Dame (14-2, ACC)
4. USC (16-1, Big Ten)
5. LSU (19-0, SEC)
6. UConn (15-2, Big East)
7. Texas (16-2, SEC)
8. Maryland (15-1, Big Ten)
9. Ohio State (16-0, Big Ten)
10. TCU (17-1, Big 12)
11. Kansas State (17-1, Big 12)
12. Kentucky (15-1, SEC)
13. Oklahoma (14-3, SEC)
14. UNC (15-3, ACC)
15. Tennessee (14-2, SEC)
16. Duke (13-4, ACC)
17. Georgia Tech (15-2, ACC)
18. Cal (16-2, ACC)
19. Alabama (16-2, SEC)
20. West Virginia (13-3, Big 12)
21. NC State (12-4, ACC)
22. Michigan State (13-3, Big Ten)
23. Utah (13-3, Big 12)
T24. Minnesota (16-1, Big Ten)
T24. Oklahoma State (14-2, Big 12)

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.