Sunday was a massive day in women’s hoops — 20 of the teams in the AP top 25 played, and seven games were between ranked opponents. It was so good we dubbed it “Super Sunday” in the lead-up, and the day certainly lived up to that moniker. We had upsets, historic performances, a rivalry game settled in OT and even a Vic Schaefer jacket toss.
If you missed any of it, have no fear, we have you covered. Here are the winners and losers from Feb. 1’s action:
Winner: UConn’s winning streak
The No. 1 Huskies are still undefeated with a perfect 23-0 record thanks to a 96-66 win over No. 15 Tennessee. This one was particularly important because the Lady Vols were their last non-conference opponents and the toughest challenge remaining on their schedule.
Tennessee gave UConn a battle in the first half. After a slow start, the Lady Vols fought back and led 40-36 before the break. This was the Huskies’ first time trailing in the second quarter all season.
While nothing guarantees UConn staying unbeaten in Big East play, there are no teams in the conference that, at least on paper, seem like they could currently challenge Geno Auriemma’s squad. The Huskies have a target on their back, but this result should give them an extra boost of confidence.
UConn is currently on a 39-game winning streak, but its last loss came to Tennessee last year. Azzi Fudd said she was “angry, frustrated, embarrassed” regarding her own performance in that loss, which included three turnovers, three personal fouls and just three field goals. Things were much different this time around. Fudd had 27 points via 11 of 17 shooting from the field, including five 3-pointers. She also had seven rebounds, seven assists, seven steals and even a block. — Isabel Gonzalez
Loser: Tennessee’s second half
The Lady Vols beat UConn last year and then put the Huskies on upset alert in the first half of Sunday’s game. That effort would have made Tennessee a winner, even if it ended up being a close loss. However, this turned into a 30-point loss, which is the largest margin of victory in series history. UConn now leads the series 18-10 since 1995, which includes winning five out of the last six matchups.
Things started going wrong halfway through the third quarter. Tennessee went scoreless in the last 4:45 of the period while UConn went on a 14-0 run. The Lady Vols couldn’t find the momentum again and have now lost back-to-back games. UConn is the toughest opponent in the nation, but Tennessee really struggled to take care of the ball. By the end of the night, Kim Caldwell’s team had given up 36 points off 20 turnovers. — Isabel Gonzalez
Winner: The Michigan vs. Michigan State Rivalry
Technically, No. 13 Michigan State lost this game in overtime to No. 9 Michigan, 94-91, but this felt like one of those games that boosted everyone’s profiles. After all, IInés Sotelo was centimeters away from winning it for the Spartans at the buzzer, but her halfcourt heave rimmed in and out.
It was a phenomenal game with a total of 17 lead changes and 13 ties. Both teams shot well — the Wolverines were 57% from the field and 41% from outside, while the Spartans shot 51% and 46%. The biggest lead for Michigan was eight points, the biggest lead for Michigan State was four points, and it was a one-possession game after each period. Mila Holloway led the way for Michigan with a career-high 26 points, six rebounds and five assists, while Jaylen Brown and Kennedy Blair both had 21 points for the Spartans, with Blair adding 10 rebounds, four assists and three steals.
As I mentioned in my preview, this was the first time in history that a Michigan vs. Michigan State women’s basketball game has been played when both teams were ranked in the top 15. Games like this one will go a long way to turn this regional rivalry into a national attraction and elevate the profile of women’s basketball inside the state and out. And the best news of all? There’s a rematch in two weeks. — Lindsay Gibbs
Loser: Clarity in the Big 12
Headed into Sunday, one of my biggest questions was who would take control of the Big 12. With the two teams tied for first at the top of the conference, No. 12 TCU and No. 14 Baylor, playing the teams right behind them in the standings, No. 21 Texas Tech and No. 22 West Virginia, it seemed either Baylor and TCU would separate from the field or one of them would finally get some room at the top. Instead, West Virginia upset Baylor 70-60 and Texas Tech upset TCU 62-60, and now the Big 12 is a bigger question mark than ever. Baylor and TCU are still tied for first, but neither can be feeling confident right now.
West Virginia had Baylor uncomfortable from the opening tip, and the Mountaineers ended up scoring 38 points on a staggering 30 Baylor turnovers. The Mountaineers also outscored the Bears 36-8 in the paint. TCU, meanwhile, lost the game on the boards and at the free-throw line; Texas Tech out-rebounded the Horned Frogs 46-34 and was 13 of 17 from the stripe, compared to Baylor’s 3 of 5. — Lindsay Gibbs
Winner: Texas Tech’s Snudda Collins
Out of all the big wins today, I’m probably most impressed with the performance of Texas Tech during its upset of TCU. The Red Raiders started the season a historic 19-0, but came into Sunday having lost three of their last four, and it was tempting to write them off as an early-season feel-good story. But by taking down TCU, Texas Tech proved that there was nothing flukey about their start and stayed in contention for a top-16 seed.
And the main reason why Texas Tech’s momentous season is back on track is senior guard Snudda Collins, who matched her career high with 28 points on Sunday, including a crucial 3-pointer with just 32 seconds remaining to put the Red Raiders up 57-55. Collins also had 28 points in Texas Tech’s rout of Utah last week, meaning right when her team started to slip, Collins started playing the best basketball of her career. — Lindsay Gibbs
Loser: Iowa’s paint prowess
The No. 8 Hawkeyes are not usually a bad team near the rim. In fact, they dominated Ohio State in this area 42-14 in their most recent win. However, the tables turned in their 88-65 loss to No. 2 UCLA. Iowa just didn’t have an answer in this area and the Bruins certainly took advantage of it. By the end of the third quarter, UCLA had scored more points in the paint than Iowa had scored overall. After 40 minutes, the Bruins had crushed the battle in the paint 56-26.
When asked about what made it so difficult for Iowa, Hannah Stuelke highlighted UCLA center Lauren Betts’ size and defense.
“I think they are really good on the inside,” she said. “Obviously, Lauren Betts is 6-foot-7 and it’s hard to score on 6-foot-7.”
As for Iowa coach Jan Jensen, she said Betts, who scored 16 points, knows how to make good decisions on offense.
“A double team can’t really, I don’t think, slow down Betts as much. Because I don’t think she forces anything ill-advised against the double. She kind of squares ups and then she rockets it to (Gianna Kneepkens). So do you want to give up two or do you want her throw it out for three?” — Isabel Gonzalez
Winner: LSU’s historic offense
After an 0-2 start in SEC play, the No. 6 LSU Tigers have now won seven consecutive games, and they made a statement with their 103-63 victory against No. 24 Alabama. That was the 12th time this season that LSU reached the 100-point mark, which is the most by any Division I team in the last 25 seasons.
It was a full team effort with eight players scoring at least eight points. Jada Richard led the way with 16 points while shooting a perfect 5 of 5 from the field, including three 3-pointers. The game started out close, but the second quarter was key for LSU to start separating itself. The Tigers forced eight turnovers while Mikaylah Williams scored 11 of her 15 total points in those ten minutes. They found a 49-29 lead at halftime and never took their foot off the gas.
The Tigers’ bench leads the nation in scoring, and they were business as usual on Sunday with a total of 47 points. ZaKiyah Johnson put up 15, while MiLaysia Fulwiley contributed 10. — Isabel Gonzalez
Loser: The field’s hopes for a No. 1 seed
One of the most hotly anticipated games of the day was the SEC showdown between No. 4 Texas and No. 10 Oklahoma, but even though the final score — 78-70, Texas — doesn’t look that lopsided, it always felt like the Longhorns were in complete control of the game. Madison Booker and Rori Harmon both played well, and most notably, they got help from their supporting cast — Justice Carleton had 16 points and eight rebounds, Jordan Lee added 14 points and Aaliyah Crump added 12 from the bench. Meanwhile, Oklahoma’s star freshman Aaliyah Chavez was held to just 11 points on 3 of 13 from the field.
All year long, last year’s Final Four teams — UConn, South Carolina, UCLA and Texas — have been in the top four of the rankings. After Texas suffered losses to LSU and South Carolina, I felt it needed a win over the Sooners to keep itself from falling behind the top of the pack. That’s exactly what the Longhorns achieved on Sunday. And when you combine that with the dominant wins from UCLA and UConn, it seems increasingly unlikely that those four teams are going to be displaced on the No. 1-seed line. There’s a lot of basketball left to play, and a No. 1 seed doesn’t guarantee anything, but I’d feel safe pencilling them in.
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