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Champ Week winners deliver

No 4 UCLA got their SoCal revenge, No. 5 South Carolina got back to classic Gamecock ball, No. 11 Duke put the ACC on notice — these are just some of the gripping storylines that emerged from this weekend’s stacked conference tournament lineup.

• After watching the Big Ten regular-season title slip away to crosstown rival No. 2 USC, the Bruins topped the Trojans 72-67 to secure their first conference tournament championship since 2006.

• South Carolina had the last word against conference newcomer No. 1 Texas in the SEC tournament final, winning 64-45 to polish off conference play with a 2-1 record against the Longhorns.

• Duke upset both No. 6 Notre Dame and No. 7 NC State on their way to their first ACC tournament title since 2013, while No. 8 TCU capped their turnaround season with their first conference tournament title since 2005.

Big picture: The victories cement UCLA and South Carolina as March Madness frontrunners, with less than a week before Selection Sunday sets the NCAA tournament field.

• “When you win this tournament and play the schedule that we play, I do think we’re the No. 1 overall seed," South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley told reporters after Sunday’s game.

• “I think it would mean a lot for us [and USC] both to be No. 1 seeds,” said UCLA head coach Cori Close. “And I hope we do get the chance to do it in Tampa a fourth time.”

One last go: While the Power Four handed out their conference hardware over the weekend, other DI conference tournaments continue through the week, with the Big East championship tipping off Monday night.

• Paige Bueckers and No. 3 UConn take on Big East adversaries No. 23 Creighton tonight at 7 PM ET, live on FS1.

Uncertainty lingers as top teams fall

After the confetti fell on the weekend’s conference tournament champions, top teams on the losing side were left with more questions than answers — and limited time to regroup before March 16th’s Selection Sunday.

• ESPN’s Bracketology dropped the ACC from its projected No. 1 seeds, after both No. 6 Notre Dame and No. 7 NC State fell to eventual tournament champs — and emerging dark horse — No. 11 Duke this weekend.

• No. 9 LSU also struggled, losing to No. 1 Texas 56-49 after Tigers star Aneesah Morrow exited Saturday’s SEC tournament semifinal with a re-aggravated foot sprain.

Big picture: With LSU also missing Flau’jae Johnson due to injury, a few days of rest could get the Tigers back to full strength, while other teams confront harder-to-identify issues.

• “We’ve got to get better, and that’s on me,” Notre Dame head coach Niele Ivey said after Saturday’s defeat. “I need to make this team get better… When we’re back on the court, we will be better for this loss.”

Feet to the fire: Even squads that fell in conference tournament finals departed the arena knowing that next time, there’d be no second chance.

• “I certainly think we have established ourselves as one of the top two teams in the cup when it comes to seeding,” said Texas head coach Vic Schaefer after Sunday’s championship loss to South Carolina. “We’ll learn from that… We’ve earned our way, and we’ll trust the committee to make that decision. Whatever they make, we’ll roll with it.”

Bottom line: Not every talent-laden team will make it to the Final Four, but with adjustments, a conference tournament stumble could become just a footnote in a longer postseason story.

Washington lifts the Challenge Cup

The Washington Spirit got some revenge of their own on Friday, taking down 2024 NWSL Championship foes Orlando in a penalty shootout to lift the 2025 Challenge Cup.

• “We’re looking to write a new story — we were upset about how last year ended, but this is about this team this year, and this is a great first step,” Washington goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury said after the game.

• The win came in the wake of mounting early-season injuries, though Spirit star Trinity Rodman did make a second-half appearance despite a lingering back issue.

How it happened: The match ended 1-1 in regulation, after Pride defender Rafaelle opened scoring late in the first half.

• Washington went on to equalize in the second, with Spirit midfielder Leicy Santos scoring just the second-ever direct free kick goal in any NWSL final.

• Washington then outpaced Orlando 4-2 in the game-deciding penalty shootout, avenging their 2024 championship loss by earning their first trophy of 2025.

• The Spirit are also on a unique penalty kick run, tallying their third shootout win in a knockout game — the most in NWSL history.

Bottom line: While the regular season doesn’t start until this weekend, the NWSL’s top two clubs hit the ground running on Friday — with Washington on a mission to prove just how quickly the tides can turn in the world’s most competitive league.

Sports are a numbers game. And whether it's shattering PWHL attendance records or dropping triple-doubles on the college court, there's never been a better time to celebrate the most powerful moments in women's sports.

This major moment is presented by Discover®.

Top seeds triumph at Indian Wells

Top-ranked players cruised through the competition at the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells over the weekend, with few early-round upsets leaving the sport’s best firmly intact as the Round of 32 enters its second day.

• World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, No. 3 Coco Gauff, and No. 5 Madison Keys take the court this afternoon, all striving to join defending champion No. 2 Iga Swiatek and No. 4 Jessica Pegula in Tuesday’s Round of 16.

• Should they move ahead, US stars Gauff and Keys could meet in the event’s quarterfinals, with the winner potentially facing 2024 US Open winner Sabalenka.

Tune in: Catch today’s action starting at 2 PM ET live on the Tennis Channel.

Bay FC comes under investigation

The NWSL has launched a formal investigation into the club culture at Bay FC, the league confirmed Friday, following a San Francisco Chronicle report alleging that head coach Albertin Montoya fostered a toxic training environment.

• Montoya has not been suspended while under investigation, with the former Washington Spirit interim manager expected to be on the sidelines for Bay FC’s March 15th regular-season opener against Utah.

• “We’re very confident that the system we have in place will ensure that we surface the issues that need to be addressed,” NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman told media on Friday.

Big picture: The investigation comes just one month after the NWSL agreed to a $5 million settlement with the attorneys general of Chicago, New York, and Washington DC to end a years-long player abuse inquiry.

Number of the day 

$50,000

On Friday, Unrivaled announced that each player on the 3×3 league’s championship-winning team will automatically receive $50,000 in prize money.