College basketball season is finally here. And after the first day of games, fans have plenty to talk about. From Angel Reese to Hailey Van Lith, here are five things that caught my eye on opening day:

Career-highs

Several players kicked off the 2021-22 season with career-highs, including Reese, who dropped 31 points against Bellarmine in her first game with LSU. She also grabbed 13 rebounds for a double-double.

The Maryland transfer fit right into the Tigers’ offense, and she didn’t need to dominate the ball to put up her huge numbers – a great sign for LSU – as she went 11-for-14 from the floor in the 125-50 win. Reese also was solid on the defensive end, where she had two blocks and a team-high four steals.

Meanwhile, for Virginia Tech, all eyes were on another Maryland transfer in Ashley Owusu, but Cayla King stole the show.

The senior guard set a program record with nine 3-pointers for a career-high 33 points. She went 9-for-16 from beyond the arc (56.3%), leading her team to a 101-45 win over Mount St. Mary’s.

King has been a strong shooter throughout her career with the Hokies, and she made 39.9% of her attempts last season. And while she probably won’t make nine 3s again this year, having her as an outside threat is a great tool alongside Elizabeth Kitley, who dominated in the paint with 18 points, 9 rebounds and 6 blocks.

New additions

Aside from Reese, four more players who are new to their respective squads caught my eye Monday, starting with Abby Meyer at Maryland.

The guard led Princeton last season with 17.9 points per game, guiding the Ivy League Champions past Kentucky in an NCAA tournament first-round upset. She was a leader for the Tigers, and the same seems to be true at Maryland. When Diamond Miller exited the contest with a knee injury, Meyer stepped up and scored 19 points to lead the Terrapins to an 88-51 win over George Mason.

Oregon is coming off a rocky year in 2021-22, and the rough road continued with a season-ending injury to Sedona Prince to start the 2022-23 campaign.

Enter freshmen Grace VanSlooten and Chance Gray. The two started in Oregon’s 100-57 win over Northwestern, and each had a huge impact. VanSlooten led the Ducks with 20 points, going 10-for-16 from the field, and Gray finished with 14. Ducks fans have a lot to be excited for, this season and beyond.

Finally, Iowa State is a team with incredible guards – Ashley Joens, Lexi Donarski and Emily Ryan – but now they have a weapon on the inside to compliment the backcourt.

Stephanie Soares spent the last four years dominating the NAIA level at The Master’s University, where she was the two-time Player of the Year. Her transition to the NCAA Division I level started on a high note as she finished with 15 points, 14 rebounds, 4 blocks, 4 steals and 3 assists in an 87-54 win over Cleveland State.

Creighton vs. South Dakota State

The best game of Day 1 was easily No. 21 Creighton vs. No. 23 South Dakota State. The Blue Jays came away with a 78-69 win, but both squads impressed.

For Creighton, Lauren Jensen built on her 2021-22 Tournament Darling status with a career-high 30-point performance, going 4-for-7 from beyond the arc and adding five assists. The Blue Jays also continued the 3-point shooting prowess they became known for last season, making 46.7% of their attempts as a team.

South Dakota State, last season’s NIT winner, held its own for most of the contest, behind 22 points from Myah Selland. The junior forward is expected to have a big season after leading the team with 14.3 points and 5.5 rebounds per game last season.

The Jackrabbits also got a lift from freshman Brooklyn Meyers, who came off the bench to score 12 points in just 16 minutes of play. She proved herself to be a reliable option in the post.

South Carolina continues to shine

Aliyah Boston recorded yet another double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds as the Gamecocks won their opening contest against East Tennessee State by 70 points, 101-31.

South Carolina also showed off its depth, with six players in double-figures. Among those were sophomores Sania Feagin (15 points) and Raven Johnson (11 points). Johnson slid into the starting point guard role, taking over for Destanni Henderson, who is now in the WNBA with the Indiana Fever. Freshman Ashlyn Watkins also hit double-digits with 11 points of her own.

The Gamecocks proved themselves a well-rounded squad with plenty of weapons. Once again, they are the team to beat this season.

Top guards dominate

Three of the best guards in the country started their seasons off right. Van Lith of Louisville, Caitlin Clark of Iowa and Joens of Iowa State all led their squads to victories.

For Louisville, Van Lith built on a stellar sophomore season where her squad made a run to the Final Four, posting 28 points as her team defeated Cincinnati 87-68.

“I would say it’s impressive, but I think that’s just Hailey,” fifth-year senior guard Mykasa Robinson said. “That’s what Hailey does. So, she’s going to keep doing that day in and day out.”

Clark, who led the country in scoring last year as a sophomore, had 20 points and 9 rebounds as Iowa topped Southern 87-34. And Joens, a senior for the Cyclones, impressed in several categories – something she’s been known for throughout her career – finishing the day with 25 points, 11 rebounds and five assists.

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.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Just Women’s Sports (@justwomenssports)

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.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Just Women’s Sports (@justwomenssports)

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."

With all eyes on the stacked midweek NCAA basketball slate, No. 4 USC eked out a gritty road win over No. 8 Maryland on Wednesday, shattering the Terrapins' undefeated season in the process.

Despite guard Shyanne Sellers's game-leading 26 points and forward Christina Dalce posting the contest’s only double-double, the Terps fell 79-74 in their first meeting with the Trojans since 1995.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Just Women’s Sports (@justwomenssports)

USC rallies the troops

New Big Ten team USC had to band together to overcome Maryland's defense, which stifled star JuJu Watkins's firepower by holding her to 7-for-19 from the field and 1-for-5 from beyond the arc with eight turnovers. That said, Watkins still managed to match forward Kiki Iriafen's team-leading 21 points before fouling out in the final minute.

With star guard Talia von Oelhoffen unavailable due to injury, USC’s No. 1-ranked freshman class stepped up. Guards Kennedy Smith, Avery Howell, and Kayleigh Heckel each added double-digit points to push the Trojans over the line.

"We just kind of have this unwavering confidence in ourselves," Watkins said after the game. "It was just a matter of coming together and closing the game out."

Big Ten ruled Wednesday's NCAA court

Unlike Maryland’s unbeaten record, No. 9 Ohio State’s undefeated season narrowly survived arch-rival No. 25 Michigan on Wednesday night. After falling behind 44-31 at the half, the Buckeyes put together a second-half surge to snag the 84-77 win. Freshman guard Jaloni Cambridge led Ohio State's charge with 29 points.

Elsewhere, unranked Nebraska handed No. 20 Michigan State a second conference loss on Wednesday. Buoyed by senior Alexis Markowski’s 28 points, the Huskers channeled a second-quarter lead to down the Spartans 85-80.

LSU to test perfect NCAA season against tough Tennessee side

The top-ranked midweek NCAA basketball action continues on Thursday, headlined by a tightly matched high-octane showdown between two historic SEC heavy-hitters.

No. 6 LSU faces their toughest test so far when they visit No. 16 Tennessee, a team that leads the nation in offensive scoring and rebounding, three-pointers, and forced turnovers.

"[Tennessee's] style of play is like nothing I’ve ever seen," LSU head coach Kim Mulkey said ahead of the game.

"They score a lot of points and they make you play fast with their press. It’s going to be quite a challenge to keep them from scoring in the '90s. We score a lot of points, too, [but] I’ve got to stress defense. At some point we’ve got to try to stop them from scoring as much as they’d like to score."

Despite the numbers, the Vols suffered their first loss of the season on Sunday — a one-point stumble against No. 10 Oklahoma. They'll look to avenge their loss by halting the 17-0 Tigers' unbeaten streak.

More ranked college clashes take center court on Thursday

Shortly after LSU takes on Tennessee, longtime ACC rivals No. 19 UNC and No. 14 Duke will meet for the 109th time. The host Tar Heels hold a narrow edge with a 55-53 all-time record against the Blue Devils, and will enter the clash with a redemption plan after falling 76-66 to No. 3 Notre Dame on Sunday.

With a significantly shorter history on the line, one-loss teams No. 5 Texas and No. 18 Alabama will face-off in Thursday's SEC nightcap, with the Tide rolling into Austin to seek a program-first win over their newest conference foes.

Last season’s Sweet Sixteen showdown was the pair’s first meeting since 1984, and Alabama has never beaten or even scored more than 56 points against the Longhorns throughout their three all-time meetings.

How to watch NCAA women's basketball on Thursday

LSU and Tennessee will tip off Thursday's ranked matchups at 6:30 PM ET, with live coverage on SECN+.

Duke and UNC will follow at 7 PM ET, airing live on ACCN, before Texas hosts Alabama at 8 PM ET on SECN+.