For the first time since 2010, the Minnesota Lynx end the season outside the playoffs.

The Lynx had an opportunity to clinch a spot after surging late in the season, but they were unable to close it out in their season finale against the Connecticut Sun in what was ultimately Sylvia Fowles’ final game in the WNBA.

As Minnesota heads into the offseason, the team faces the unenviable task of replacing a generational talent. How will they move forward without Fowles?

Minnesota Lynx: Year in Review

What went right?

Despite starting a grisly 3-13, the Lynx rebounded in the latter half of the season, clawing their way into contention for a playoff spot. There were flashes of what the Lynx could be – including a 102-71 win over league-leading Las Vegas – but never the full package.

Sylvia Fowles was once again a bright spot for the Lynx, contributing 14.4 points and 9.8 rebounds per game while adding 1.2 assists and 1.0 blocks per game in the season dubbed “Syl’s Final Ride.” Aerial Powers and Kayla McBride were right there beside her, averaging 14.4 points and 13.3 points per game respectively.

And it’s not like the Lynx didn’t lack fight. In the team’s finale against the Sun, Lindsay Allen scored a career-high 26 points on 6-of-7 shooting from 3-point range. While missing the playoffs for the first time since 2010 in Sylvia Fowles’ final season is certainly a blow, they scrapped all the way to the end.

A crowning moment 👑

Sylvia Fowles takes the court for the final time in the regular season. pic.twitter.com/AEmFgWOH9v

— Just Women’s Sports (@justwsports) August 14, 2022

What went wrong?

While the Lynx ended the season with a shot at the playoffs, the slow start nearly doomed them. At 14-22, the Lynx finished just a game ahead of the Sparks (13-23). The only other team they beat out was Indiana, and the Fever went on an 18-game losing streak to end the season.

Outside of Fowles, the team’s defense was lackluster all season, which head coach Cheryl Reeve singled out as a reason why they fell short of a postseason bid.

“We are exactly where we were supposed to be,” Reeve said. “We weren’t good enough to be in the playoffs.”

Aerial Powers and Kayla McBride, who were signed to the team in an attempt to gain a scoring edge, averaged 38% and 40% from the field.

And while Napheesa Collier made it clear she intended to play with Fowles one last time – and worked her way back 74 days after giving birth – the fact that she was back in the starting lineup and averaging 22.8 minutes per game to end the season showed the team’s desperation as much as her grit.

Looking forward

With Fowles setting off into retirement, eyes will turn to Collier as the next franchise leader.

And while it is nearly impossible to replace a player of Fowles’ caliber, the Lynx have a shot at the No. 1 overall pick in the draft lottery, which will give them the best possible chance to bring in a new face of the franchise.

Despite a few shocking upsets in the early rounds of the 2025 NCAA soccer tournament, the ACC has retained its status as the conference to beat, with the powerhouse sending three teams to this season's College Cup semifinals on Friday.

With two tickets to Monday's national championship match on the line, four-time title-winners and No. 3-seed Florida State will take on College Cup debutants TCU in Friday's first semi, with the No. 2 Horned Frogs booking their semifinals spot by ousting fellow SEC standout No. 1 Vanderbilt 2-1 last Saturday.

The nightcap, on the other hand, will be an all-ACC affair, as No. 2 Duke continues their hunt for a first-ever national title against the tournament's overall No. 1 seed, Stanford.

The three-time NCAA champ Cardinal has been unstoppable, outscoring their opponents 21-5 across the tournament's first four rounds to set up a season-first matchup with the Blue Devils.

The 2025 College Cup will take place for the first time at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City, home of the NWSL's Kansas City Current.

How to watch the 2025 College Cup semifinals

Friday's 2025 College Cup semifinals will begin with No. 2 TCU vs. No. 3 Florida State at 6 PM ET, with No. 1 Stanford's clash against No. 2 Duke kicking off at 8:45 PM ET.

Both semifinals — plus Monday's 7PM ET championship match — will air live on ESPNU.

Playa Society is honoring the 25th anniversary of the classic sports film "Love & Basketball" this week, with the popular women's basketball outfitter dropping a capsule collection entitled "First Quarter: Ball Better Than You" — an homage to one of the film's iconic quotes.

"This is a love story, about our love for 'Love & Basketball,'" notes Playa Society about the collection. "Our love for [lead character] Monica, who served as the first representation of an unapologetic female athlete in film. Our love for [writer and director] Gina Prince-Bythewood for her persistence in delivering culture and truth. And our love for the energy of it all that inspired Playa Society to fill in the gaps for women in sports."

"I am so humbled by the enduring impact of the film on both ballers and non-athletes, who are inspired by characters who believe in themselves enough to fight for an impossible dream," Prince-Bythewood said of the project.

With New York Liberty teammates and girlfriends Natasha Cloud and Izzy Harrison serving as models, the "First Quarter" collection includes T-shirts, hoodies, and more.

This week's drop is just the first in the works between Prince-Bythewood and Playa Society founder Esther Wallace, with the LA Sentinel describing their collaboration as "blending nostalgia, culture, and women's sports in a way that honors the film while pushing the narrative forward."

How to purchase from Playa Society's "Love & Basketball" collection

All items from the "First Quarter" collection are now available in limited quantities at PlayaSociety.com.

The inaugural North American iteration of World Sevens Football (W7F) kicks off in Fort Lauderdale on Friday, when eight standout clubs will battle for three days for the the largest share of the 7v7 competition's $5 million prize pool.

All eight clubs boast championship backgrounds, including the reigning NWSL Shield-winning Kansas City Current, 2023 NWSL Shield-winners San Diego Wave, Liga MX Femenil Apertura winner Tigres UANL, current Northern Super League Shield-winner AFC Toronto, and more.

This weekend's edition is the second-ever W7F tournament, after the new venture launched with a Europe-centric competition in Portugal last May, crowning Bayern Munich as its debut champions.

In W7F, the 11v11 clubs instead field seven players per side on a pitch half the size of a regulation field, with matches comprised of two 15-minute halves along with smaller goals, no offside rule, and rolling substitutions throughout the games.

All eight clubs will compete in the group stage on Friday and Saturday, with the top four teams advancing to Sunday's knockout rounds.

How to watch this weekend's W7F tournament

The North American debut of W7F kicks off when the NWSL's Kansas City Current faces Brazilian powerhouse Clube de Regatas do Flamengo at 5 PM ET on Friday.

All games, including Sunday's 4:30 PM ET championship match, will air live on HBO Max as well we either TNT or truTV.

The SEC displayed its basketball dominance on Thursday's courts, as the conference won all four of the 2025 ACC/SEC Challenge Day 2 matchups to feature at least one Top-25 team.

No. 2 Texas handled No. 11 North Carolina 79-64 while No. 3 South Carolina and No. 13 Ole Miss survived nail-biters against No. 22 Louisville and No. 18 Notre Dame, respectively.

"I thought [our players] got out and made big plays for themselves in the fourth and building the five-point lead," said South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley. "It was a turning point for us, whether we were going to succumb to losing the game or fight to get back in it."

No one had a better night than No. 5 LSU, however, as the Tigers faced their season's first Power Four opponent to a 93-77 result over unranked Duke, erasing a 14-point deficit behind six double-digit LSU scorers — led by 18 points from star guard Flau'jae Johnson.

"We scored 93 tonight, and look how poor we played in the first quarter. We were behind. Scoring the ball is not going to be a problem," said Tigers head coach Kim Mulkey. "Our problem is we have to just continue to get better on the defensive end and take care of the ball."

Across the 16 total 2025 ACC/SEC Challenge games, the SEC took 13 victories, with only unranked Syracuse, Virginia Tech, and SMU earning ACC wins — over Auburn, Florida, and Arkansas, respectively — this week.

How to watch Top-25 NCAA basketball this weekend

This weekend's NCAA docket sees the nonconference schedule cool down, with No. 16 USC hosting No. 21 Washington in the only ranked battle.

The Trojans and Huskies will tip off in LA at 8 PM ET on Sunday, with live coverage airing on the Big Ten Network.