Six former Pitt women's basketball players came forward last week, filing a lawsuit against the University of Pittsburgh and the team's current head coach Tory Verdi on Friday.
The suit claims Verdi — who led Pitt to a 29-60 record since taking over the Panthers' sideline in April 2023 — employed abusive coaching practices, including making harassing remarks and threatening student-athlete careers on and off the court.
Additionally, the filing alleges that Verdi pressured players he no longer wanted on the team to enter the transfer portal, endangered their scholarships.
Players describe incidents including a practice session where Verdi reportedly split athletes based on their race, as well as alleged comments the coach made to the team including telling them, "Every night I lay in bed I want to kill myself because of you."
Some of the athletes reportedly contacted Pitt athletic department supervisors, with Friday's lawsuit claiming that the school ignored their complaints.
"These players aren’t soft," lawyer Keenan D. Holmes told the Associated Press this week. "But this went beyond basketball. It went beyond the bounds of common decency."
Arguing that Pitt violated their Title IX-protected civil rights, the players are seeking acknowledgment, academic record restoration, compensation, and punitive damages.
"The university is aware of these lawsuits and their allegations, which are without merit and will be vigorously defended," Pitt responded in a statement.
The 2025/26 Big Ten basketball regular-season title could boil down to Sunday, when the No. 2 UCLA Bruins visit No. 8 Michigan with just a one-game conference advantage over the Wolverines.
UCLA has only dropped one game this season — November's nonconference loss to No. 4 Texas — while Michigan's lone Big Ten loss came via a New Year's Day upset at the hands of No. 24 Washington.
"We know we're at the point where we want better and we want more," said sophomore guard Syla Swords after leading the Wolverines to a program-best 11-1 Big Ten start. "We want to improve and there's multiple areas which we need to be better if we want to reach the heights that we plan to."
Coming off a 2025 Final Four run, the Bruins land in Ann Arbor with big-game pedigree, while scrappy Michigan pushes for a first-ever Big Ten title.
"They're different than everyone else because of their size," Michigan head coach Kim Barnes Arico said of UCLA. "Then the other thing about them is their experience. Their guard play is so experienced."
"This is why I came here," Barnes Arico continued. "I said, 'I'm going to leave everything I know on the East Coast to come to the University of Michigan because I believe that's a place where we can win a championship.'"
How to watch UCLA vs. Michigan basketball this weekend
No. 8 Michigan will host No. 2 UCLA at 3 PM ET on Sunday, with live coverage airing on FOX.
The ACC women's basketball title race is heating up, as No. 17 Duke earned a one-game conference lead by upsetting No. 6 Louisville 59-58 on Thursday night.
The Blue Devils' defense clinched the win while Duke sophomore forward Toby Fournier led all scorers with 15 points and nine rebounds on the night — with a missed free throw from Louisville sophomore guard Imari Berry sealing the deal in the game's final seconds.
"They were physical and we shied away a little bit from it instead of just going into them and drawing fouls," Cardinal senior forward Laura Ziegler said postgame.
After a slow season start, Duke has blazed through the ACC, with the Blue Devils now riding a 14-game winning streak to an undefeated conference record.
As for the Cardinals, Thursday's loss broke Louisville's own 14-game winning streak just days after the team reached their highest AP Poll ranking in four years.
That said, Louisville has an arguably lighter slate across their final six regular-season games than the Blue Devils, with the Cards fiercest foe coming from their Sunday clash with ACC third-place team Syracuse.
Meanwhile, Duke's final docket includes intrastate foe and fourth-place ACC squad NC State, as well as a pair of games against rival No. 25 UNC — though the Blue Devils are banking on ending on an upswing.
"Our goal has always been to be the team that grows the most during the season," said Duke head coach Kara Lawson. "And if each individual buys into that and the team buys into that, we will like where we are at the end of the year."
How to watch Duke and Louisville in ACC basketball action this weekend
Both Louisville and Duke will continue their ACC schedules on Sunday, with the No. 6 Cardinals taking on Syracuse at 12 PM ET before the No. 17 Blue Devils host SMU at 2 PM ET.
Both conference clashes will air live on The CW.
No. 4 Texas defeated No. 5 LSU 77-64 on Thursday, as the Longhorns emerged victorious from the highly anticipated LSU vs Texas rematch at Moody Center.
Texas avenged their earlier 70-65 loss in Baton Rouge, while extending their home winning streak to 39 games — tied with TCU for the longest active streak in the nation.
Star forward Madison Booker led Texas with 18 points., while freshman Aaliyah Crump added 16 off the bench. The LSU vs Texas matchup got decisive in the fourth quarter with a 10-0 Texas run, as center Kyla Oldacre tallied six straight points to start the period to push the Longhorns' lead to 15 points with 5:01 remaining.
The LSU vs Texas game later turned historic, as senior guard Rori Harmon recorded six steals to become the program's all-time steals leader. She now has 351 career steals, surpassing Linda Waggoner's 45-year-old record of 346, set in 1980.
Harmon simultaneously reached 1,500 career points last night, becoming the 21st player in Texas history to achieve the milestone. In November, the 23-year-old became Texas's all-time assists leader with 894.
Harmon secured the record-breaking steal in the third quarter, diving to the floor while fighting two LSU players for a loose ball. She smiled while holding the ball tightly, knowing she had made history.
The LSU vs Texas showdown proved a defensive battle, with the Longhorns holding the Tigers to just 64 points. The Tigers entered averaging 98.9 points per game — topping the NCAA — while tallying 12 games with 100-plus points. However, Texas limited LSU to 11 points in the fourth quarter.
The loss dropped the Tigers to 21-3 overall and 7-3 in SEC play, snapping a seven-game winning streak. Conversely, Texas improved to 22-2 and 7-2 in conference play.
The No. 4 Texas Longhorns have a score to settle when they host No. 5 LSU for the pair's second and final 2025/26 NCAA basketball regular-season matchup on Thursday.
The Tigers got the better of Texas back on January 11th, securing a 70-65 win behind junior guard Mikaylah Williams's 20 point-performance.
"They were way tougher than we were," Longhorns head coach Vic Schaefer said after the loss. "By far our worst game of the year, and we'll give them credit for that."
That said, Thursday's home-court advantage should give the Longhorns a boost, with Texas riding a 38-game home winning streak — the longest active home streak in Division I basketball — alongside a 63-5 all-time record at Austin's Moody Center.
As for LSU, the Tigers' schedule only gets harder from here, as the team gears up to face No. 3 South Carolina, No. 13 Ole Miss, and No. 19 Tennessee later this month.
"We don't have to rely on anybody else winning or losing," said LSU head coach Kim Mulkey. "Go win seven ball games and you might win your first SEC title."
How to watch LSU vs. Texas basketball on Thursday
The No. 5 Tigers will visit the No. 4 Longhorns at 9 PM ET, with the SEC clash airing live on ESPN.
The 2026 McDonald's All American Games are back, as one the most prestigious high school basketball showcases tapped 24 standout teenagers — currently committed across 18 top NCAA programs — to play in the March 31st girls' competition in Arizona.
The Class of 2026's No. 1-ranked recruit Kate Harpring (UNC), and No. 2 Saniyah Hall (USC) will headline Team East, joined by No. 4 Olivia Vukosa (UConn).
No. 3 Jerzy Robinson (South Carolina) will lead Team West alongside No. 5 Oliviyah Edwards (Tennessee) and No. 6 McKenna Woliczko (Iowa).
“Nearly five decades into the McDonald’s All American Games, I continue to be amazed by the talent who raise the bar every year,” McDonald’s USA VP of marketing Elizabeth Campbell said in Tuesday's statement.
“We can’t wait to welcome the Class of 2026 into this storied legacy and cheer them on as they write the next chapter of basketball history.”
No. 4-ranked Texas and No. 16 Kentucky lead collegiate representation, with No. 11 Addison Bjorn, No. 12 Bri Crittendon, and No. 18 Aaliah Spaight bound for the Longhorns while No. 8 Maddyn Greenway, No. 14 Savvy Swords, and No. 36 Emily McDonald join the Wildcats.
No. 17 Duke and unranked Notre Dame are the only other schools with more than one participant, with No. 7 Autumn Fleary and No. 13 Bella Flemings set to become Blue Devils while No. 16 Jacy Abli and No. 27 Jenica Lewis will fight for the Irish in the 2026/27 NCAA basketball season.
How to watch the 2026 McDonald's All American Games
The 2026 McDonald's All American Games will take over Phoenix's Desert Diamond Arena starting with skills competitions on Monday, March 30th before the centerpiece clashes tip off on Tuesday, March 31st.
Tickets to the games are currently available via Ticketmaster, with game coverage starting at 7 PM ET on March 31st, live on ESPN.
South Carolina vs Texas A&M ended in a routing, as the Gamecocks overcame a shorthanded roster and motivated Aggies squad to secure a 71-56 victory on Monday.
Sophomore forward Joyce Edwards delivered a dominant performance in the SEC showdown, scoring 28 points and grabbing 11 rebounds for her fifth double-double of the season. Edwards was particularly clutch in the fourth quarter, scoring 14 of her points in the final period.
Junior guard Tessa Johnson provided support with 19 points, tying her career-high with five made three-pointers. Johnson caught fire early, sinking her first four attempts from beyond the arc and finishing 5-of-11 from range.
The Gamecocks built a 16-point lead late in the third quarter, before Texas A&M responded with a 7-0 run. That's when senior Aggies guard Ny'ceara Pryor hit a buzzer-beating three to cut South Carolina's advantage to 55-47.
Texas A&M pulled within four points early in the final period. But Edwards quickly shifted the narrative, scoring eight points on a 9-0 run to push South Carolina's lead to 67-53 with under two minutes remaining. The breakout performance subsequently sealed the results for South Carolina vs Texas A&M.
"The team that's able to grab it at any given moment can win basketball games," South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said postgame.
"They had it at the end of the third quarter, and we tried to figure out how to do that. I think we had more probably defensive momentum after we stopped fouling in the fourth quarter and then we were able to score."
The victory improved surging South Carolina to a 22-2 overall record and 8-1 in SEC play. They've also held tight to their No. 3 AP Poll ranking, despite missing starters Ta'Niya Latson and Agot Makeer to lower-leg injuries.
How to watch South Carolina women's basketball this week
South Carolina hosts unranked Mississippi State on Thursday at 6:30 PM ET, live on ESPN.
The Gamecocks' next ranked matchup comes on Sunday, tipping off against skidding No. 19 Tennessee at 3 PM ET, live on ESPN.
While the SEC and Big Ten still run the AP Poll, Monday's update revealed one ACC team quietly shooting up the Top 25 as the 2025/26 NCAA basketball regular season nears its end.
Dominant conference play fueled No. 6 Louisville's one-spot Week 13 gain, as the Cardinals ride a 14-game winning streak to the team's highest ranking in four years.
Louisville's 11-0 ACC record matches their best conference start in program history as they close in on their first regular-season title since 2021.
Elsewhere, unbeaten UConn remains the unanimous No. 1 pick after another blowout slate, with the rest of last week's Top 4 following suit.
Benefitting from now-No. 7 Vanderbilt's two-game skid, LSU rose to No. 5 while No. 13 Ole Miss jumped four spots in the week's biggest boost.
Suffering the largest fall was No. 22 Maryland, who dropped six spots as the injury-struck Terrapins keep trying to right the ship on a four-game Big Ten losing streak.
How to watch Top 25 NCAA basketball this week
The ranked basketball action continues on Wednesday, when No. 22 Maryland visits East Lansing to take on a tough No. 12 Michigan State side reeling from their own injuries — with both teams hunting bounce-back wins.
The game tips off live at 6:30 PM ET on B1G+.
2025/26 AP Top 25 Women's College Basketball Poll: Week 13
1. UConn (23-0, Big East)
2. UCLA (21-1, Big Ten)
3. South Carolina (22-2, SEC)
4. Texas (21-2, SEC)
5. LSU (21-2, SEC)
6. Louisville (21-3, ACC)
7. Vanderbilt (21-2, SEC)
8. Michigan (19-3, Big Ten)
9. Ohio State (20-3, Big Ten)
10. Iowa (18-4, Big Ten)
11. Oklahoma (17-5, SEC)
12. Michigan State (19-3, Big Ten)
13. Ole Miss (19-4, SEC)
14. TCU (20-3, Big 12)
15. Baylor (19-4, Big 12)
16. Kentucky (18-5, SEC)
17. Duke (16-6, ACC)
18. Texas Tech (21-3, Big 12)
19. Tennessee (14-5, SEC)
20. West Virginia (18-5, Big 12)
21. Alabama (19-4, SEC)
22. Maryland (17-6, Big Ten)
23. Princeton (18-2, Ivy)
24. Washington (17-5, Big Ten)
25. North Carolina (18-5, ACC)
With just seven regular-season NCAA basketball games left on their 2025/26 schedule, No. 2 UCLA is nearing a perfect Big Ten run, extending their season's conference winning streak to 11 behind a dominant 88-65 win over No. 8 Iowa on Sunday.
Bruins reserve forward Angela Dugalić led the game with 22 points off the bench, as UCLA scored 56 points in the paint behind strong front-court play.
"Angela [Dugalić] earned every single thing that happened today. Her work ethic is just undeniable," said UCLA head coach Cori Close following Sunday's victory. "The thing I'm so proud of is her consistency… doing the simplest things with elite consistency, that's where I've seen the growth in her."
After falling just short of last year's Big Ten regular-season title, UCLA is now riding a perfect conference record, with four of their final seven games taking place at home.
As for the Hawkeyes, their 0-2 SoCal road trip ended their season's unbeaten Big Ten run, with one-conference-loss No. 9 Michigan leapfrogging Iowa in the Big Ten basketball standings as the Wolverines prepare for their own Sunday showdown with UCLA.
"We're not taking any team for granted," said Dugalić. "At the end of the day, if you're our next opponent, that's who we're concentrating on."
How to watch UCLA women's basketball this week
Before hitting the road to face No. 9 Michigan and No. 13 Michigan State next week, the No. 2 Bruins will host unranked Rutgers at 10 PM ET on Wednesday, with live coverage airing on B1G+.
Riding high near the top of the SEC standings, No. 15 Tennessee will face an age-old rival on Sunday, when the Lady Vols visit the 2025/26 NCAA basketball season's last-standing undefeated Division I team, No. 1 UConn.
Tennessee previously led the SEC title race with a 6-0 conference record until a 77-62 upset loss to unranked Mississippi State on Thursday sent the Vols' tumbling to third on the conference table.
While claiming nearly double the rebounds as Tennessee, the Bulldog defense kept Tennessee's field goal rate under 32%, paving the way for senior forward Kharyssa Richardson to lead the charge to the Mississippi State victory with 21 points on the night.
"They outworked us, they out-toughed us, start to finish," Tennessee head coach Kim Caldwell said postgame.
For Big East basketball leaders UConn, Sunday's matchup against Tennessee likely stands as the Huskies' final ranked test before kicking off the postseason — and their national title defense.
However, UConn is currently managing a lengthy injury report, with six players sidelined from their dominant Wednesday win over unranked Xavier.
Even so, the Huskies' depth never wavered, as sophomore guard Allie Ziebell sunk a program record-tying 10 three-pointers to secure the 97-39 victory on a career-high 34 points.
How to watch Tennessee vs. UConn this weekend
The top-ranked Huskies will host the No. 15 Vols at 12 PM ET on Sunday, with live coverage airing on FOX.