Happy New Year and happy conference play, folks! The 2021 half of the season gave us plenty of intriguing women’s basketball storylines, and 2022 is already shaping up to do the same. Now that we are officially into conference play, we’ll get to know just how prepared teams are for March.

In that spirit, here are five teams I’m dying to talk about in the first week of 2022.

1. Missouri

Let’s get straight to it: Missouri is at the top of the list when it comes to teams that have my attention. I’ve been talking about Missouri’s 70-69 win over No. 1 (and undefeated at the time) South Carolina to anyone who will listen. Now, readers, it’s your turn. Because how on earth did this happen?

Dawn Staley and the Gamecocks haven’t shied away from tough opponents, defeating six ranked teams before the Dec. 30 matchup with Missouri. After they overcame an 18-point deficit to beat No. 2 Stanford, I was seriously entertaining the idea of South Carolina entering the NCAA Tournament undefeated. But Missouri reminded me — and every other basketball writer, analyst, fan, etc. — that we don’t know as much as we think we do. The Tigers had home-court advantage, but virtually nothing else going for them, and yet they knocked South Carolina out of the list of unbeatens.

Missouri entered the game without six players who were in COVID-19 protocols; that included Aijha Blackwell, who’s averaging 16.6 points and 12.7 rebounds this season and is unarguably Missouri’s top player. Winning under those circumstances is impressive enough, but what’s even more eye-catching to me is how the Tigers executed during the game. Of course, Lauren Hansen’s game-winner as time ran out was dramatic, but throughout the contest, Missouri played with poise and stuck around — something no other team has been able to do against South Carolina. Missouri clogged the paint on defense, and got 21-point performances from Hansen and Hayley Frank on offense for the team’s first victory over a No. 1 opponent in program history.

The big takeaways from this game? South Carolina is beatable, and Missouri is better than we thought.

Left it all on the court.@laurenhansen_1 #OurTownOurTeam🐯🏀 pic.twitter.com/ReStXclOFF

— Mizzou Basketball (@MizzouWBB) December 31, 2021

2. Louisville

The Cardinals opened the season with an overtime loss to Arizona that had plenty of people questioning the young team. Since then, they’ve won 12 games in a row, including over No. 12 Michigan, No. 14 Kentucky and No. 7 UConn. Then on Sunday, Louisville avoided a loss to a Georgia Tech team that has rocketed up the rankings thanks to killer defense and back-to-back wins over No. 20 Georgia and No. 3 UConn.

Against the Yellow Jackets, Louisville showed maturity that was lacking in its season-opener. After a dismal first quarter, in which they scored just three points, the Cardinals ended the game with a 23-16 advantage in the fourth quarter and an Emily Engster layup with two seconds remaining to come away with a 50-48 win.

Georgia Tech has one of the most disruptive defenses in the country. The Cardinals shot 36.5 percent from the field and 31.3 percent from 3, had just one double-digit scorer (Engster with 14) and committed 17 turnovers. And still, they found a way to win in an ugly, difficult game. That’s what top teams do, and Louisville is proving it belongs there more and more each week.

3. Georgia Tech

Before the season started, I had Georgia Tech ranked 15th because of the great scoring duo of forward Lorela Cubaj and guard Lotta-Maj Lahtinen. But offense isn’t what has the Yellow Jackets in the top 25 now. Defensively, Georgia Tech is one of the top teams in the country, and they’ve made that clear over the last few weeks. After back-to-back upset wins, they nearly topped Louisville as well.

The Yellow Jackets are going to be tough in ACC play, and come NCAA Tournament time, they are the kind of team you don’t want to run into. Their ability to make opponents play ugly and keep scoring totals low is a nightmare for teams. Statistically, they allow the fewest amount of points in the country (45.3) and are third nationally in defensive field goal percentage (31.2).

4. Indiana

I’ve liked this Indiana team from the start of the season, and after its win over Maryland — the first time the Hoosiers have topped the Terrapins in school history — I like it even more. Last season’s Elite Eight run was unexpected. This year, I think Indiana can make it even further. The Hoosiers have a complete team that really understands its identity.

Ali Patberg runs the show from the guard position, and she (and the rest of the Hoosiers) are smart enough to know who really drives this team: Mackenzie Holmes. The 6-foot-3 junior gets a touch on nearly every possession. She can score, rebound and create space for others. And if Holmes doesn’t score, another Hoosier will get an opening thanks to her. Against Maryland, she had a double-double with 15 points and 14 rebounds.

But Indiana isn’t just a Mackenzie Holmes showcase, which makes the team especially dangerous. The Hoosiers showcased their arsenal of weapons against Maryland — 18 points for Patberg, 17 points and 10 rebounds for Aleksa Gulbe and nine points each for Grace Berger and Nicole Cardano-Hillary. By the time the NCAA Tournament comes around, Indiana will also have made its way through the Big Ten, which I think is the toughest conference in the country right now. The Hoosiers will have plenty of tests along the way to ensure they’re ready for the postseason.

5. Arizona

There are three undefeated teams left in the nation: Colorado, North Carolina and Arizona. That’s quite the feat for an Arizona program that started at the bottom of the AP poll this season. But since their season-opening win over Louisville and another over a solid DePaul team on Nov. 26, the Wildcats haven’t had many on-court tests. The Coast-to-Coast challenge would have been a good benchmark for Arizona, but games against No. 11 Texas, USC and UCLA were canceled because of COVID-19 issues within the program.

With conference play starting, I’m interested to see what this team can bring to the court. I do think Arizona is a top-10 (potentially top-5) team when the season is over, but Pac-12 matchups with Colorado and Stanford will go a long way toward supporting or debunking that theory.

Poll talk

As the season progresses, the AP poll becomes more important in terms of postseason implications. So, from now on in each notebook, I’ll have a section dedicated to AP poll discussion.

🏀 @ap_top25 Poll Update 🏀

1. South Carolina
2. Stanford
3. Louisville
4. Arizona
5. NC State
6. Indiana
7. Tennessee
8. Michigan
9. Texas
10. Maryland#ncaaW pic.twitter.com/u6xeTzPocy

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) January 3, 2022

This week, I agree with the poll for the most part. I like the move to keep South Carolina at No. 1 despite the upset. It was a pretty bad loss, but the Gamecocks have beaten enough ranked teams this season to hold onto the top spot. Plus, if not South Carolina, the logical pick for No. 1 would be Stanford, but South Carolina beat Stanford head-to-head so that wouldn’t make sense. If any team were to unseat the Gamecocks, it would be Louisville, but I’m not ready to do that just yet. South Carolina has a better case with its body of work than Louisville does.

In terms of what I don’t like about the poll, my list of complaints is relatively small. For one, North Carolina is a touch too high for me. I want to see them get a solid ACC win before I consider putting them in the top 20. If the Tar Heels defeat No. 5 NC State on Thursday, then I will eat my words and likely put them in the 15-18 range.

Second, I think South Florida is a top-20 team. The AP poll has the Bulls at No. 24, and I get it. They’ve been inconsistent, beating teams like Stanford and then losing to UT Arlington (yikes), and Ole Miss (also yikes, albeit a smaller one). But the Bulls’ other two losses were close ones to a great Tennessee squad and a UConn team that still had Paige Bueckers on the court. I still have faith in this team, and I’m not ready to drop it from the top 25.

My third complaint is in defense of the little guy. I strongly believe that Florida Gulf Coast should be ranked. The Eagles have one loss to a Princeton team they should have beaten, but they also beat LSU, a team the AP voters think is worthy of a No. 13 ranking. Plus, last week FGCU topped Michigan State despite Nia Clouden’s 50-point performance, which is no small feat — I mean, that’s five more points from one player than Georgia Tech gives up per game. The Eagles will likely get even less love now that they can only be upset in conference play. The Atlantic Sun doesn’t offer any opponents to boost their resume, only ones that can drag them down with a loss.

My final critique is that Louisville deserves the No. 2 spot over Stanford, but it was a relatively close call, so I’ll save my argument.

With my gripes out of the way, here are my rankings for this week.

JWS’ Top 25 in Week 9

1. South Carolina (13-1)
2. Louisville (12-1)
3. Stanford (9-3)
4. NC State (13-2)
5. Arizona (10-0)
6. Indiana (11-2)
7. Tennessee (13-1)
8. Texas (10-1)
9. Michigan (12-1)
10. UConn (6-3)
11. Iowa State (12-1)
12. Maryland (10-4)
13. Georgia (12-2)
14. Georgia Tech (10-3)
15. LSU (14-1)
16. Baylor (10-3)
17. Duke (10-2)
18. South Florida (10-4)
19. BYU (11-1)
20. Iowa (7-3)
21. Notre Dame (11-3)
22. Kentucky (8-3)
23. Florida Gulf Coast (11-1)
24. North Carolina (13-0)
25. Oklahoma (12-1)

Eden Laase is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports. She previously ran her own high school sports website in Michigan after covering college hockey and interning at Sports Illustrated. Follow her on Twitter @eden_laase.

When San Diego's home match against the Washington Spirit ended in a 0-0 draw on June 22nd, the NWSL officially pressed pause on the regular season, entering an extended summer break as international tournaments kicked off around the world.

And while the US club league has dimmed its lights before — most recently during the 2024 Paris Olympics — this is the first year it's ever stopped play to accommodate major regional competitions like Copa América, WAFCON, and UEFA Women's Euro 2025.

Why the new approach? The league's global presence has never been stronger. And that's not just because high-profile players like Naomi Girma and Crystal Dunn swapped their NWSL jerseys for European kits earlier this year. It goes the other way, too. Once an assumed stronghold for homegrown talent, the NWSL has diversified its ranks, with top players heading overseas this window.

US broadcasters buy into growing Euros interest

No event has showcased this shift greater than the European Championship. The tournament was once siloed away from the average Stateside soccer fan. But this year, 18 NWSL players representing 12 countries are Switzerland-bound — three-times the number playing in England just three years ago.

And fans are ready to dig in. The 2025 Euros will be the most accessible in history, with FOX Sports recently doubling down on broadcasting the competition in the US.

The network has committed to 31 matches, including 19 games on linear TV and every knockout round match. It will also provide pre- and post-game analysis, aiming to develop a major market player while riding out the sport's popularity boom.

With increased visibility and plenty of familiar faces, NWSL fans are set to become Euro 2025's prime audience. And for players, showcasing the league's impact shapes the perception of football in the US, allowing the NWSL the opportunity to strengthen its reputation despite never taking the pitch this July.

Euros stars say perceptions of the NWSL are shifting

Only one NWSL player featured on England's 2022 Euros-winning roster. That was Houston forward-turned-defender Rachel Daly, before she returned to the WSL and retired from international play. 

That number tripled in 2025, after Gotham FC defender Jess Carter, Spirit defender Esme Morgan, and Pride goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse were called up to the Lionesses's title defense in Switzerland.

It's not Carter's first Euros, but this will be the first year she joins from an NWSL team. An England mainstay since her 2017 senior debut, she said she never felt like a move to the US would jeopardize her national team standing. Just so long as her performance stayed consistent.

"People were probably apprehensive about coming here before, because it's so far away from your family and friends," Carter told Just Women's Sports. "But also because the NWSL was traditionally known as just a transitional league. And to a lot of people in Europe, it wasn't technical enough."

Carter isn't alone in her assessment. Both Morgan and Moorhouse told JWS they were familiar with the NWSL's reputation as a "kick and run" league. Though that stereotype didn't match their experiences on the ground.

"Most [NWSL] teams are trying to play possession-based football, albeit a little more direct than Europe," Morgan said. "I think that's far more exciting to be a part of, and also more challenging as a defender because there are such fast transitions."

"The league is changing here in the US," echoed Carter, who departed Chelsea for Gotham in 2024. "It's becoming more technical."

NWSL play helped Morgan secure her spot with England

That hybrid style — plus more starting opportunities — have bolstered Morgan's status with England. Coach Sarina Wiegman already knew the Manchester City product as a powerful line-breaker on the ball. And her ability to wear down the low block while holding the lion's share of possession has only improved. 

"I felt confident coming here," she continued. "As long as I continued to work on the things that I wanted to improve, and every weekend was putting in good performances for the Spirit, that would be enough to put me in the running for selection."

The NWSL's speed has also elevated her play. "[Wiegman] has spoken to me the last couple of times about being really pleased with what I've been able to do, in terms of being a little bit more aggressive, proactive, physical in my duels, and winning aerial balls," she said. "I've developed so much in that space since playing in America."

Both Morgan and Carter competed with England at the 2023 World Cup, 30-year-old Moorehouse is gearing up for her first major tournament with the national team. And coming from an Orlando side stacked with international talent — namely Brazil legend Marta and Zambia superstar Barbra Banda, among others — the goalie credited her NWSL team for keeping her on her toes every day.

"Marta humbles me on a daily basis, I'm not gonna lie," she laughed. "To see that day in-day out, it's only for the better. It's only going to improve my game."

Summer NWSL schedule benefits Euros-bound players

As coveted national team roster spots reflect both consistency and form, NWSL players have a quiet advantage. Thanks to the summer NWSL schedule, they're guaranteed to be completely match-fit going into any major tournament.

That the NWSL runs opposite to the more traditional fall-to-spring European setup has sometimes been a point of tension overseas. This was especially true in past years, when the league did not suspend regular-season play for more than a weekend or two during longer international windows. That practice forced previous Euros competitors to choose between club and country. 

This year, however, players view the cross-conditioning to be as much of an asset as an anticipated challenge when they return to finish out the season.

"I spoke to quite a few of the US girls in the past about the fact that the summer schedule might have helped their performance in international tournaments," said Morgan, pointing out the NWSL-heavy USWNT's major tournament success.

"I feel like I'm peaking at the right time, going into the tournament in midseason," echoed Moorhouse, who is set to serve as backup to Chelsea goalkeeper and presumptive England starter Hannah Hampton.

Learning to balance club and country

Still, there are downsides. It's not always easy to travel in and out of market ahead of a big international opportunity, but each player finds their own way to stay on top of whichever task is in front of them, whether at home or abroad.

Sometimes that divide between club and country is literal. "We have a [NWSL] team app where we have communication," Gotham and Germany goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger told media after her Euros call-up. "I was like, 'Look, if you need something, you have to text me on WhatsApp. Because this app is not working for me when I'm at the international break, and the same way around.'"

For Carter, the NWSL's schedule helps her compartmentalize, keeping her laser-focused on both individual and team goals.

"I'm someone that either is all in or all off," she explained. "I've got to make sure that I'm still eating right, training right, when all I want to do is sit by the beach and have an ice cream."

"I want fans to fall in love with women's football even more"

Carter and Berger aren't the only Gotham standouts packing their passports this month. Star forward Esther González is also committed to play for the always-dangerous Spanish national team. Fellow forward Jéssica Silva will represent Portugal and recent signing Josefine Hasbo is set to join Denmark. And the excitement is palpable, both on and off the pitch.

"It's really great to see that our fans get to support us even whilst we're not at Gotham. Because they're invested in us as people, not just Gotham," says Carter. "I want fans to fall in love with women's football even more, regardless of where it's being played."

As for Morgan, she could be battling against the Spirit's newest signing, Italy's Sofia Cantore. The rest of their teammates will definitely be watching from home — along with a very special guest.

Before Morgan left, her teammates assured her they would be up in the morning cheering her on. "And mak[ing] my kitten watch too, which is very cute," she added.

She said she likes imagining NWSL fans following their favorite club players through the tournament, staying engaged in the game even as the league takes a break.

Encouraging NWSL fans to watch the 2025 Euros

Moorhouse echoed Morgan's hope that the Euros will allow US fans to continue weaving women's football into their lives during the downtime.

"In the US, when I get up on a Saturday morning, all the games are on," she said, referencing the time change. "To me, that's so cool. I'm eating my breakfast, drinking my coffee, and I've just got football on the telly."

"Go and get your breakfast," she urged. "Get your pancakes. And watch some good football."

The third Grand Slam of 2025 is officially underway, as the world's top tennis stars hit the grass courts in London for the annual Wimbledon Championships on Monday.

World No. 16 Barbora Krejčíková enters as the Slam's reigning champion, with all of the WTA's current Top 10 — none of whom have ever won at Wimbledon — looking to dethrone the 2024 victor.

No. 3 Jessica Pegula looks to be an early frontrunner, as the US star picked up steam following her defeat of No. 4 Iga Świątek 6-4, 7-5 in Saturday's championship match of the 2025 Bad Homburg Open, a Wimbledon tune-up tournament.

A 2023 Wimbledon quarterfinalist, Pegula has already earned three titles this year, gaining significant momentum as she hunts a career-first Grand Slam trophy.

"[Pegula has] an amazing game, and showed it throughout the tournament," Świątek said following Saturday's loss. "Hopefully, we will have many more finals together."

The first day of 2025 Wimbledon action saw No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka cruise through her first-round match against Canada's No. 194 Carson Branstine in straight sets, while No. 8 Madison Keys battled to a narrow three-set victory over Romania's No. 58 Elena-Gabriela Ruse.

Fellow US contender No. 12 Amanda Anisimova played the most dominant first-round match of the Slam, ousting Kazakhstan's No. 33 Yulia Putintseva 6-0, 6-0 to open her tournament run.

Italy's No. 5 Jasmine Paolini, a 2024 Wimbledon finalist, also kicked off her 2025 run with a win, downing Latvia's No. 402 Anastasija Sevastova in three sets on Monday afternoon.

Pegula will open her campaign against Italy's No. 116 Elisabetta Cocciaretto on the second day of first-round action at 6 AM ET, with Świątek, 2025 French Open champ No. 2 Coco Gauff, and 2024 Wimbledon quarterfinalist No. 10 Emma Navarro also rounding out Tuesday's bill.

How to watch the 2025 Wimbledon Championships

The 2025 Wimbledon women's tournament runs through the July 12th championship.

Live continuous coverage of the London Grand Slam airs on ESPN.

The Minnesota Lynx are back on the prowl, after the return of MVP frontrunner Napheesa Collier from injury fueled the WNBA-leaders to two straight weekend wins.

Minnesota first outlasted the No. 4 Atlanta Dream 96-92 in overtime on Friday before thumping the last-place Connecticut Sun 102-63 on Sunday, with Collier racking up 49 points over the two-game span.

Collier's bounce-back couldn't have come at a better time, as the WNBA announced Sunday that the Lynx forward will captain the 2025 All-Star Game alongside Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark.

"It's really cool," Collier said of the news. "I went from never being a starter to captain."

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Both Collier and Clark will have an early chance to test their leadership skills in Tuesday's 2025 WNBA Commissioner's Cup championship game, when the defending champs Minnesota Lynx will take on first-time finalists Indiana.

With a second straight title on the line, red-hot Minnesota hold the advantage coming into the Commissioner's Cup final, but a healthy Clark could make all the difference for up-and-down No. 8 Indiana.

Meanwhile in the WNBA standings, as the Lynx continue to hold court at the top, this weekend saw the Mercury overtake the Liberty at No. 2, thanks in large part to Phoenix's 106-91 Friday victory over New York.

Along with Sunday's 90-81 loss to the Dream, the reigning champs have dropped five of their last seven games, as now-No. 3 New York struggles without injured center Jonquel Jones.

How to watch the 2025 WNBA Commissioner's Cup final

While the other 11 league teams rest until Thursday, the Minnesota Lynx and Indiana Fever will take Tuesday's court in a battle for the 2025 WNBA Commissioner's Cup.

The in-season tournament's grand finale will tip off at 8 PM ET, with live coverage on Prime.

The world No. 1 USWNT earned another lopsided result against No. 25 Ireland on Sunday, handing the Girls in Green a second straight 4-0 loss despite extensive lineup changes on both sides.

Veteran forward Lynn Biyendolo opened the scoring in her first match as USWNT captain, followed by first-ever senior team goals from both debutant defender Izzy Rodriguez and attacker Yazmeen Ryan.

Second-half USWNT sub Alyssa Thompson found the back of the net in the 86th minute to finish padding the 4-0 scoreline over Ireland.

With one more friendly against No. 8 Canada set for Wednesday, USWNT head coach Emma Hayes rotated all 11 starters on Sunday, trusting bubble players to overcome inexperience to produce a result.

"The level has been set to be relentless in the pursuit of performing and progressing," Hayes said after the game. "It's not about understanding everything in our playbook, but developing the confidence and bravery to deliver."

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The victory also marked the USWNT's 600th program win, with midfielder Sam Meza joining Rodriguez in picking up the 23rd and 24th first caps of the Emma Hayes era.

"I feel like everyone is not only trusting the process, but carrying out all the things we ask them to do," said Hayes of her new additions. "Everybody showed themselves so well."

Though the US keeps stretching its depth and coming out on top, the need to develop strong connections on the pitch could force tough roster decisions in the future.

How to watch the USWNT vs. Canada on Wednesday

The USWNT will cap their three-friendly summer break against rivals Canada on Wednesday at 7:30 PM ET.

Live coverage of the clash in Washington, DC, will air on TNT.