In the midst of an injury-riddled season, the No. 5 UConn Huskies have managed to stretch their limited lineup all the way to a 20-2 record.

Their latest win came over NCAA scoring leader Maddy Siegrist and No. 19 Villanova. The Huskies ended the contest on a 20-13 run in the fourth quarter to secure a 63-58 victory, yet another against-all-odds performance from a team that has grown accustomed to overcoming adversity.

The words “UConn” and “adversity” rarely are used together, as the Huskies historically have been the most dominant team in women’s college basketball. But this season is different, as they play without stars Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd and deal with a plethora of other injuries.

And yet UConn keeps winning. Its two losses came at the hands of No. 9 Notre Dame and No. 8 Maryland, both respectable defeats even with a full roster. But as the Huskies navigate conference play and inch closer to March, a question arises: Can they keep it up?

Proud of this team, they keep fighting 💙 pic.twitter.com/gdtAmCrzkJ

— UConn Women’s Basketball (@UConnWBB) January 30, 2023

While Bueckers is out for the season, there’s hope for Fudd to make a return. Still, UConn certainly will be cautious with the sophomore guard.

Fudd missed a month of action after injuring her knee in UConn’s Dec. 4 loss to Notre Dame. And then, after playing just one full game, she reaggravated the injury against Georgetown on Jan. 15. There is no timetable for the guard’s return, and she won’t be putting weight on her knee until the start of February.

Without Fudd, and with Caroline Ducharme and other players dealing with their own injuries, the Huskies have a numbers problem. Against Villanova, coach Geno Auriemma rolled with a six-player rotation, in which Aaliyah Edwards, Dorka Juhász and Nika Muhl played all 40 minutes. Lou Lopez Sénéchal and Aubrey Griffin were on the court for 38 and 37 minutes, respectively.

No matter how talented the available Huskies are, burnout is definitely a concern. With a small rotation, it’s possible they run out of steam, particularly in the Big East tournament and the NCAA tournament, when games are played in a shorter window. Having three players put in 40 minutes a game with limited rest in between contests is not sustainable.

Another issue that may come into play is personnel. So far, the Huskies have met nearly every challenge they’ve come across. A lot of that has come down to the play of Edwards and Lopez Sénéchal. The pair are the only players on UConn’s roster that have played in all 22 games so far this season, and they’ve been reliable offensive forces.

Edawrds’ 17.4 points, 9.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game have put her in Player of the Year conversations, while Lopez Sénéchal’s ability to hit big shots has Auriemma preaching on her potential as a professional, either in the WNBA or overseas. The guard is averaging 16.8 points per game and shooting 49% from the 3-point line.

But what happens when one of its dynamic duo is shut down? Well, against Villanova, Lopez Sénéchal was held in check with just 6 points – the first time all season the Fairfield transfer has scored less than 10 points in a game. Griffin and Juhász picked up the slack with 19 and 16 points, respectively, seemingly answering that question.

Yet as long as Fudd is sidelined, UConn will have one big missing piece: a player who can create their own shot. In March, that’s something the Huskies will need.

Edwards is capable of scoring on most anyone in the paint, but she needs someone to feed her the ball. Lopez Sénéchal is in the upper echelon of shooters, but she doesn’t break down defenders off the dribble. Fudd can put the ball on the floor and force her defender into mistakes, and against elite defensive teams (the kind you see in March), such a player can provide a needed edge.

It’s hard to count the Huskies out from a deep postseason run simply because at every turn, and despite every hardship, they’ve delivered. Even so, the UConn faithful would likely feel more confident with Fudd on the floor. And until her return is confirmed, the questions will remain.

Ticket prices are skyrocketing across the WNBA, with commissioner Cathy Engelbert addressing the surge after several New York Liberty fans wore T-shirts in protest of the increase.

Donning orange shirts emblazoned with the phrase "We've been priced out," New York fans came together to express their frustrations at a recent game.

The WNBA fans' custom shirts referred to season ticket price jumps of more than 250%, saying the Liberty is asking upwards of $30,000 for 2026 renewals.

Some New York season ticket holders noted that their 2026 renewal more than triples the cost they paid for the team's 2024 championship-winning campaign.

The exponential increase isn't just occurring in the New York market, however — it points to an overall rise in ticket prices across the WNBA.

The WNBA's recent ticket surge has seen seats across the league jumping by an average cost increase of 43% in the last year alone.

"In order to fund all these investments that owners are making, and obviously paying the players more which we will do in this next CBA cycle…that's the reality," Engelbert said on Thursday's episode of In Case You Missed It with Khristina Williams. "That's our responsibility as a league and team owners."

Calling the price hikes a result of "simple economics" and "high demand," Engelbert acknowledged the effect on fans, though did not address potential solutions.

"I realize there's some concern out there, certainly that we don't price out our kind of core fan base," she noted.

Chelsea FC is playing it close to the chest, with big-name new signing Alyssa Thompson and previously injured superstar Sam Kerr waiting in the wings as manager Sonia Bompastor teases a 2025/26 WSL season debut for the pair.

Kerr joined the 18-player game-day roster for Chelsea FC's opening-day victory over Manchester City last Friday, but saw her season debut delayed as the Australian remained an unused sub while Thompson greeted fans from the stands.

This Sunday's matchup against Aston Villa provides another chance for the standouts to take the pitch, as the six-time reigning WSL champs hunt another result.

"With Alyssa, we are looking for her to be able to play. We don't have the confirmation yet, but we are hoping for her to be able to play in this game," Chelsea boss Sonia Bompastor said earlier today. "I think she has already shown some good things this week in training, and we can see what she can bring to the team."

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Bompastor went on to call last week's decision to keep Kerr on the bench "my choice," saying "She's doing everything she can to be available for the squad and available to start…. The next step for her is to be involved in a short game in the league, and maybe we'll see that on Sunday."

USWNT fans will not get a glimpse of defender Naomi Girma, however, as the January 2025 Chelsea addition sat out last Friday's clash with a calf injury and remains unavailable.

How to watch Aston Villa vs. Chelsea FC this weekend

With the possibility of Thompson and Kerr taking the WSL pitch, Chelsea will visit Aston Villa at 7 AM ET on Sunday, with live coverage of the match streaming on ESPN+.

Splashy new Gotham FC addition Jaedyn Shaw is returning West, as the No. 6 NY/NJ club preps for a Friday night clash against the No. 3 San Diego Wave — Shaw's original NWSL team — days after signing the USWNT prospect from the No. 11 North Carolina Courage.

"I'm so excited to be a part of this incredible club and community," the 20-year-old said after her NWSL-record $1.25 million transfer to Gotham. "I'm looking forward to playing alongside world class players and giving my all to help the team win another championship."

After finding immediate success with the Wave in 2023, Shaw requested a trade to the Courage in January 2025, initiating what turned out to be a short stint in Cary, NC.

"I've grown so much just over the past few months, being at the Courage," Shaw told ESPN on Thursday. "I feel like I've matured a lot. I've had to experience things that I haven't necessarily experienced in my career and having to deal with those things."

Gotham and Shaw are currently "working toward an updated and extended contract," per a team release on Thursday, with the young attacker looking to boost Gotham's offense while adding to her 16-goal and five-assist NWSL career tally.

How to watch the San Diego Wave vs. Gotham on Friday

Shaw could take the pitch for No. 6 Gotham in her new club's Friday night visit to the No. 3 San Diego Wave.

The match kicks off at 10 PM ET, with live coverage airing on Prime.

The No. 1 Kansas City Current are closing in on the 2025 NWSL Shield, gearing up for a Saturday night showdown against the No. 2 Washington Spirit that could inject insurmountable distance between the Current and the rest of the league.

With a 14-point lead at the top of the NWSL standings, Kansas City has already clinched a postseason berth, and the Current only need only a few more results to secure a franchise-first league trophy.

Even more, KC enters Saturday's match on an 11-game unbeaten streak, with the Current hosting the Spirit at their home CPKC Stadium — a pitch where Kansas City has yet to drop a match this year.

Despite that dominance, it may not be smooth sailing for the Current, as Washington's future is beginning to take shape behind recently returned star Trinity Rodman, whose brace lifted the Spirit over the No. 7 Seattle Reign last Sunday.

"She's not back, because she's a different player," Washington head coach Adrián González told reporters about Rodman's level of play. "After her injury, she's more prepared mentally. She's having enough time to get the minutes, the training, and the exposures that she needs with no pressure."

How to watch the Kansas City Current vs. Washington Spirit

The No. 1 Kansas City Current will host the No. 2 Washington Spirit on Saturday, with the top-tier match kicking off live at 7:30 PM ET on ION.