A classic Big Ten rivalry steals the NCAA spotlight

In the club we are all family.

Big Ten rivalry steals the NCAA spotlight

One of the oldest rivalries in college sports headlines tonight’s NCAA action, as No. 8 Michigan visits No. 13 Ohio State with more than Big Ten pride on the line.

• Riding a 13-3 conference record, the Wolverines are tied for second in the Big Ten with Iowa, while the 12-4 Buckeyes trail both squads by one game.

• Both teams enter tonight’s clash fighting off late-season plateaus, after Ohio State dropped two of its last three games while Michigan suffered a blowout loss to Iowa last weekend. (See Big Ten standings)

Head-to-head: While the Wolverines have broken through as a serious contender this season, the rivalry’s history favors the Buckeyes, with OSU holding a 61-17 all-time record — plus a 32-6 home-court advantage.

• Both teams lean on skilled guards, with Buckeye sophomore Jaloni Cambridge’s 23.1 points per game good for No. 6 overall in DI play.

• Michigan’s sophomores aren’t far behind, as Olivia Olson leads her squad with 18.9 points per game while Syla Swords averages 14.2.

Tune in: Ohio State takes on Michigan tonight at 8 PM ET, live on Peacock.

Unrivaled stacks the 2026 playoff field

With one regular-season game remaining, all eight Unrivaled 3×3 teams know their postseason fate, with six squads advancing to this weekend’s playoffs.

• Phantom, Mist, Laces, Breeze, Rose, and Vinyl are moving forward, while fans say goodbye to the eliminated Hive and Lunar Owls.

• “I think us clicking off the court really helps us click on the court,” Phantom guard Tiffany Hayes said of her team’s six-game winning streak. “Hopefully we’ll keep going up and get some more done.”

Road ahead: Seeding could make all the difference in this year’s expanded field, as the season’s top two finishers secure a guaranteed semifinal berth — set for Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on March 2nd.

• The remaining playoff teams tip off first-round play on February 28th, culminating in a single-game championship scheduled for March 4th.

• The 2026 champions will split a $600,000 prize pool, up from 2025’s $50,000-per-player payday.

Tune in: Unrivaled’s regular season wraps on Friday starting at 1 PM ET, live on TruTV.

Minnesota Lynx set preseason game against Nigeria

Minnesota is breaking new ground, as the Lynx prepare to face Nigeria in an April 27th preseason game — becoming the first WNBA franchise to play an African national team.

• “The matchup against the Nigeria Women’s National Team adds a compelling international element to the exhibition schedule,” Minnesota said on Tuesday, with the squads planning to tip off inside Kansas City’s T-Mobile Center.

• Preseason clashes against national teams have become increasingly popular, with Chicago and Indiana both facing Brazil in 2025.

Season loading: The news arrives alongside two other preseason dates, with the Lynx set to take on the Mystics and 2026 expansion side Toronto.

• “The game against the Toronto Tempo, one of the WNBA’s newest franchises, is sure to draw plenty of interest as the young organization continues to find its footing in the league,” Minnesota wrote. (See full statement)

Big picture: Teams are moving ahead with preseason scheduling with the caveat that plans could change, after the WNBA gave the players union a hard March 10th deadline to agree on a new CBA before negotiations delay the 2026 season.

BHM Spotlight: Dual-sport champion Lauryn Williams

Every Wednesday in February, JWS celebrates Black History Month by spotlighting a prominent Black figure in women’s sports.

Lauryn Williams stands out on the Olympic stage, retiring as one of just six athletes in the world — and the first US woman — to medal at both the Summer and the Winter Olympics.

• Born in 1983, the Pennsylvania native started her historic career as a sprinter at the University of Miami, qualifying for her first Olympics in 2004 — where she took silver in the 100-meter dash.

• Williams earned her first Olympic gold in 2012, leading Team USA’s 4×100-meter win in London.

Changing the game: The three-time World Champion track star later pivoted to the two-woman bobsled, taking home silver at the 2014 Winter Olympics alongside US bobsled icon Elana Meyers Taylor.

• “Anytime I step on any track, ice track, regular track, any kind of track, my goal is to win,” Williams said after her Sochi win. “So I’m not surprised at all. We prepared well, we did everything we’re supposed to do and we know we’re as good as the rest of the field.”

LPGA stars hit the links in Singapore

The LPGA’s Asia Swing is in full force, as some of the world’s top-ranked golfers tee off today at the HSBC Women's World Championship in Singapore.

• 21 of the Rolex Women's World Golf Rankings’ Top 25 golfers will compete for the $3 million purse, while No. 2 Nelly Korda sits out the Asia Swing for the second straight year.

• No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul joins the field as the favorite, after winning this weekend’s Honda LPGA Thailand on home soil. (See full rankings)

Big picture: Reigning tournament winner No. 6 Lydia Ko will defend her 2025 title this week, as the 13-year LPGA Tour veteran continues to adapt her game.

• “To be honest, now that I’ve been on tour for so long, my body, I know, is not the same as 10 years ago,” the 28-year-old said. “Sometimes I think the fatigue catches up to me more than where I am mentally. So I’m just trying to have a good balance of that.”

Tune in: The HSBC Women’s World Championship tees off today at 7:20 PM ET, live on the Golf Channel.

Quote of the day

Legendary rapper Flavor Flav
after the US women’s hockey team declined President Trump’s State of the Union invitation this week.