Swish Appeal
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NCAA Tournament Takes: Notre Dame, Iowa State, USC and Princeton are hungry for first-round wins
After an opening day of straight chalk, we welcome Day 2 of the 2026 NCAA Tournament. The three other No. 1-seed are in action, as well as three of the four No. 8-vs.-No. 9 matchups, which are always expected to be the tightest contests. I’m particularly interested in two of those games, because they involve […]
Headlined by Texas and LSU, it was dominance over drama during the first day of the NCAA Tournament
If you wanted some surprise and drama to start the 2026 NCAA Tournament, there wasn’t much of any provided on Friday. All of the top seeds won their games, and only a few games were decided by single digits. While the results went as expected, that doesn’t mean the games weren’t worth watching or without […]
The WNBA CBA is ready for ratification, plus more details about what the new deal means for players
On Friday afternoon, the WNBA and WNPBA completed and signed the term sheet for the new collective bargaining agreement (CBA). The next step is ratification by the players and board of governors. As reported by Annie Costabile at Front Office Sports, the union held meetings on Friday where they educated players on all the dynamics […]
NCAA Tournament Takes: What to watch for as March Madness officially tips off on Friday
The 2026 NCAA Basketball Tournament is here! The biggest women’s college basketball event of the year begins in earnest this Friday, March 20 and, as always, there will be no shortage of things to watch for. Sure, the opening round of the tournament can feel like a bit of a formality at times. The highest-seeded […]
Here’s a look at Swish Appeal’s NCAA Tournament brackets. Now, tell us who you have going all the way
Brackets are meant to be busted. While it’s fun to obsess over matchups, analyze paths and forecast upsets, the madness of March inevitably intervenes, disrupting the most diligently-completed brackets—and often by the end of the first two rounds of play. Here at Swish Appeal, we’re more than happy to be wrong, especially if the games […]
You know these five players’ names, but here’s why you must watch their games this March
With 64 teams set to begin their quests for a national title, there will be plenty of storylines that will develop throughout the NCAA Tournament, from heroes who are born to villains who are made. So, let’s take a look at five players who are undoubtedly must-see TV. Their games should not be missed as […]
Hannah Stuelke and Taylor McCabe are ‘Better Together,’ and Iowa’s better because of the two seniors
It goes without saying that the rise in popularity for women’s basketball is partly due to the frenzy surrounding Iowa. From 2022 to 2024, which included back-to-back national title game runs in 2023 and 2024, the Hawkeyes were caught in the glare of the national spotlight. It was during that stretch that Hannah Stuelke and […]
A $7 million salary cap, $1.4 million supermax and everything else we know about the new WNBA CBA so far (UPDATED)
Although the WNBA and WNBPA agreed to a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) around 3 a.m. ET on Wednesday, March 18, details about what was described as “a fair win-win deal for all” by Commissioner Cathy Engelbert were scarce. Since then, a steady stream of reporting has begun to fill the void. Per ESPN’s Shams […]
From sharpshooters to Cinderellas, here’s everything to know about the “First Four” NCAA Tournament matchups
The 2026 NCAA women’s basketball tournament officially-but-unofficially tips off on Wednesday night, when the first two “First Four” games will be played. No. 11-seeds Richmond and Nebraska will meet at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, NC to earn an official bid to the Big Dance (7 p.m. ET, ESPN2). The winner will play No. 6-seed […]
Five WNBA Draft prospects who can raise their stock in the 2026 NCAA Tournament
For most WNBA Draft-eligible players, the NCAA Tournament is their final opportunity to make a strong impression on scouts. Not only are they playing in the last game(s) of their collegiate careers, but it’s in front of a national audience against the toughest competition in the country, so every play—good or bad—will be under the […]
There’s going to be a 2026 WNBA season, as league, players (finally!) agree to a new CBA
After more than 100 hours of negotiations, the WNBA and WNBPA have verbally agreed to a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA). Both sides shared the news with reporters in the lobby of a Midtown Manhattan hotel just before 3 a.m. ET. No details about the agreement have yet to be divulged. After a formal term […]
Team USA finishes 5-0 in qualifiers as the 2026 Women’s World Cup field is officially set
Team USA completed the Women’s World Cup Qualifying Tournament in San Juan, Puerto Rico an undefeated 5-0 after getting an 84-70 win over Spain. The final margin of 14 points indicates Spain’s status as a higher-quality opponent, but also a reflects of the understandable “get-this-over-and-get-home” mindset of Team USA. Returning to the starting lineup for […]
Is a championship Bruin? Evaluating UCLA’s path back to the Final Four in Phoenix
Last year, the UCLA Bruins reached the Final Four for the first time in program history. This season, expectations have risen as they are now a championship-or-bust team. So far, UCLA has lived up to the hype. Lauren Betts has been spectacular, averaging 16.4 points and 8.6 rebounds as she was named Player of the […]
Three bracket-busting upsets to watch for in the first round of the NCAA Tournament
Last year’s NCAA Tournament saw just four lower-seeded teams victorious in the round of 64: two No. 9-seeds, and two No. 10-seeds. While it’s safe to say that looking for upsets is often more of a Moby Dick situation than a trip to Sea World, we would be lying if we claimed to not be […]
As another CBA deadline looms, is the ‘progress’ acknowledged by the WNBA and WNBPA enough to get a deal done?
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert’s second declared deadline for a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) expires Monday night. Will a new deal be done by then? After Sunday’s session, which began at noon, concluded around 3 a.m. ET, Engelbert told the on-scene reporter assemblage of ESPN’s Alexa Philippou, Front Office Sports’ Annie Costabile, the AP’s Doug […]
Another Rhyne Howard 3-point shooting show spurs Team USA to 100-plus points—and a big win—in San Juan
For the second time at the FIBA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Tournament in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Team USA crossed the century mark, scoring over 100 points as they defeated New Zealand, 101-46, to advance to 4-0. Despite the lopsided outcomes, the New Zealanders mustered stretches of competitiveness. Team USA actually trailed well into the […]
NCAA Tournament bracket reaction: Which No. 1 seeds—UConn, UCLA, Texas and South Carolina—will survive and advance to the Final Four in Phoenix?
It’s time to march through the madness. The field has been selected and the bracket is set for the 2026 NCAA women’s basketball tournament. Undefeated UConn earned the No. 1 overall seed, with UCLA, Texas and South Carolina taking the other top spots. So, who is going to win it all? Who is going home […]
Even though Team USA was upset at the 3×3 Champions Cup, the program is moving in the right direction
At the FIBA 3×3 Champions Cup in Bangkok, Thailand, USA Basketball’s team of Allisha Gray, Veronica Burton, Naz Hillmon and Shakira Austin scored the most total points, tied for highest winning percentage and defeated the eventual champions, the Netherlands. But because of an untimely loss, Team USA is returning home with bronze, not gold. In […]
An undefeated 3-0, Team USA has begun to flex their defensive upside at World Cup Qualifiers
It hasn’t consistently been the most beautiful basketball, but Team USA is 3-0 at the FIBA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Tournament in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Italy failed to threaten Team USA, as the Americans’ defensive attentiveness and superior shotmaking steadily swelled their lead over the course of the contest, leading to a 93-59 win. […]
NCAA Top 16 Reveal reaction: Why did the committee reward UNC and the weak ACC with a host spot?
On Saturday, the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Committee revealed the 16 host sites for the 2026 Big Dance in alphabetical order: ESPN Bracketologist Charlie Creme has the 16 teams seeded like this: Here are some more thoughts on how the seeds might actually shake out, but first, a dive into the No. 1 overall […]
Allisha Gray, Veronica Burton, Naz Hillmon and Shakira Austin are on the verge of taking Team USA to another 3×3 gold medal
The 2025 FIBA 3×3 AmeriCup gold medal-winning foursome of Allisha Gray, Veronica Burton, Naz Hillmon and Shakira Austin are back on the court, representing USA Basketball at the 2026 FIBA 3×3 Champions Cup in Bangkok, Thailand. It’s the first time the American women are competing in this event, and they finished 3-0 in pool play […]
Commissioner Cathy Engelbert calls for new WNBA CBA by Monday. Will it get done?
The WNBA and WNBPA have engaged in near around-the-clock meetings since Tuesday afternoon, trying to hammer out a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) so the 2026 WNBA season can tip off as scheduled on Friday, May 8. After Friday’s estimated 14-hour bargaining session, which began around 10 a.m. ET and wrapped up past midnight, Commissioner […]
2026 WNBA Mock Draft 2.0: Revisiting the first round prior to the NCAA Tournament
The days leading up to the NCAA Tournament can be just as big for WNBA Draft prospects as the tournament itself. By mid-March, most WNBA veterans have typically already signed in free agency, leaving precious few roster spots for incoming rookies and narrowing down who might get drafted to where. But this is, of course, […]
Regardless of the price, these three WNBA superstars better get the supermax under the new CBA
Once the WNBA and WNBPA, hopefully, agree to a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA), the biggest free agency market in league history will open. With the majority of players being unrestricted free agents, we could see massive player movement, the likes of which have never happened before. The potential introduction of a supermax contract that, […]
As the win over Puerto Rico demonstrated, Team USA is a work in progress—and that’s okay
Team USA is missing their fail safe. In major international competitions in recent years, the Americans have had a solve for when things get “clunky,” as Caitlin Clark described Team USA’s World Cup qualifier against Puerto Rico on Thursday evening in San Juan. The solution is Stew’ja. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, the combined individual […]
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