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What to Know About Women’s Basketball Today
1. Tonight Is A Must-Win for the Mercury 📌
The WNBA Finals shift to Phoenix tonight as the Mercury look to avoid a 0–3 hole against the Aces. Las Vegas’ core of A’ja Wilson, Jackie Young, and Chelsea Gray has dominated the series so far, combining for 109 points across the first two games. (AZ Central)
📺 Tonight: 8:00 PM ET, ESPN
WHY IT MATTERS: For Phoenix, it’s win or face a nearly insurmountable hole. Their defense has to find an answer for Vegas’ relentless attack. For the Aces, this is another step toward dynasty status — three titles in four years would cement them among the most dominant teams in league history.
2. Game 1 Is Most-Watched Finals Opener in 28 Years 📺
Game 1 of the WNBA Finals drew 1.9 million viewers last Friday, peaking at 2.5 million, making it the most-watched opening Finals game since 1997. That’s a 62% jump from last year’s Game 1. (ESPN PR)
WHY IT MATTERS: These numbers come without Caitlin Clark in the mix, showing that fans are invested beyond a single superstar. The Finals spotlight is now shared across multiple storylines, from Vegas chasing dynasty status to Phoenix fighting back as the underdog, evidence that women’s basketball continues to grow its audience and cultural presence.
3. ESPN’s Preseason Top 25 Is Here 📊
ESPN’s women’s college basketball Preseason Top 25 for 2025-26 has dropped, giving a first look at what to expect this season. Several top 10 programs like UConn, South Carolina, UCLA and Texas were expected to be in the mix, while other schools may come as a surprise.
WHY IT MATTERS: Preseason polls don’t impact records or seedings, but they do reflect offseason moves and expectations. Oklahoma landed at No. 6, boosted by the addition of No.1 high school recruit Aaliyah Chavez, while USC fell out of the top 10 altogether with star JuJu Watkins recovering from ACL surgery. Once the season tips off, we’ll see who lives up to expectations, who’s being overlooked and ready to surprise, and who struggles despite the early hype.
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OVERTIME ⏱️
Post Moves: No. 4 post high school recruit Kelsi Andrews has committed to South Carolina, continuing Dawn Staley’s run of elite frontcourt signings.
🗳️ Poll Results from Yesterday: We asked if you think WNBA players should earn the same 50/50 revenue split that NBA players earn and the response was clear: you want to pay the players. 68% of you said Yes — they’ve earned it.
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