South Carolina holds off Maryland in Paris

New Yorkers always up their sign game for the NYC Marathon.

South Carolina outlasts Maryland in Paris

South Carolina is off to the races, as the No. 1 Gamecocks held off No. 20 Maryland 101-93 on Monday in a back-and-forth offensive dance in Paris.

• Coach Dawn Staley’s squad led by as many as 31 in the third quarter, before the Terps battled back behind sophomore guard Addi Mack’s 35 points.

• “You don’t want to be on the other end of building a 31-point lead and then have them come all the way back,” said Staley. “But it also puts you in a position where you can learn.” (See full highlights)

Sizing up: Five Gamecocks finished the overseas season opener in double-digit scoring, led by seasoned junior Joyce Edwards’s 23 points.

• Top freshman recruit Jerzy Robinson added 15 points and six rebounds off the bench, as center Chloe Kitts returned from an ACL tear and Ashlyn Watkins saw her first minutes since last year’s extended absence.

• “These games are for exposing us to things that we need to get better at,” Staley added. “It was the first game in which this team has taken the floor.” (See full remarks)

Stay tuned: South Carolina faces No. 12 UNC on Sunday at 5:30 PM ET (ESPN).

USC’s Big 3 shut down UNLV

No. 3 USC is back in full force, as star guard Juju Watkins returned to the court to polish off Monday’s 100-68 statement win over UNLV in Las Vegas.

• Watkins put up 21 points in just 25 minutes, showing out in her first NCAA game in 588 days as she continues to bounce back from a 2025 ACL tear.

• “It was great to be out there with my team again, and to see the first one fall,” an emotional Watkins said. “Just grateful to be out here today.” (See full highlights)

Sizing up: The Trojans’ Big Three — Watkins, sophomore guard Jazzy Davidson, and freshman forward Saniyah Hall — combined for 66 points on the night.

• Junior guard Kennedy Smith also reached double-digit scoring, while highly touted freshman Sitayah Fagan added 11 points off the bench.

• “We really have a great group,” Watkins said. “We’re just going to continue to learn and grow this season.” (See full remarks)

Stay tuned: USC returns against Utah State on Sunday at 8 PM ET (BTN).

FIFPRO unveils 2026 World 11 shortlist

The footballers have spoken, as FIFPRO dropped its 26-player World 11 shortlist — tapping finalists for the only award chosen exclusively by players.

• The lineup features 2026 Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas (London City/Spain) and runner-up Ewa Pajor (Barcelona/Poland), alongside fellow European standouts like Ann-Katrin Berger (Gotham/Germany), Katie McCabe (Chelsea/Republic of Ireland), Ada Hegerberg (OL Lyonnes/Norway), and Ona Batlle (Arsenal/Spain).

• Just four non-UEFA stars got the nod: Barbra Banda (Orlando/Zambia), Emily Fox (Arsenal/USWNT), Ellie Carpenter (Chelsea/Australia), and Ghizlane Chebbak (AS FAR/Morocco). (See full list)

How it works: Voted on by 6,511 players across 64 countries, the global player union’s results reflect the game’s narrowing focus on European powerhouses.

• Banda and Berger are the NWSL’s only representatives, down from the US league’s four 2025 finalists. 

• This year’s snubs transcend league and federation, as WSL champion Khadija “Bunny” Shaw (Manchester City/Jamaica) and decorated midfielder Melchie Dumornay (OL Lyonnes/Haiti) failed to make the cut. (See full rules)

Major League Volleyball drops 2027 schedule

Pro volleyball is reloading, as Major League Volleyball announced its complete 156-match 2027 calendar ahead of the fourth-year league’s January 7th tipoff.

• Four expansion franchises are taking the court, as the 12-team organization introduces a two-conference format for the first time.

• Each club tackles 26 regular-season games — one home and one away clash against all 11 opponents, plus four in-conference matches. (See full schedule)

By design: The lineup prioritizes weekend events in order to boost attendance and viewership, with nearly 86% falling Thursday through Sunday.

• This year’s MLV Draft is set for November 23rd, with Las Vegas selecting first after returning under new ownership, followed by newcomers LA, Minnesota, DC, and Northern California. (See full order)

Premier Flag eyes summer 2027 launch

Flag football is suiting up, with the NFL and TMRW Sports revealing their incoming pro league’s branding this week as Premier Flag readies for its 2027 launch.

• Premier Flag professionalizes the increasingly popular sport, adding to opportunities at the youth, college, international, and Olympic level.

• “The Premier Flag brand represents where flag football is headed — elite, global, and accessible — while setting a professional standard for the sport’s growing ecosystem,” said TMRW Sports Flag Football President Brendan Donohue. (See full release)

Stay tuned: The league plans to operate out of a single venue, constructing a purpose-built stadium in a yet-to-be-named US host city.

• Team USA stars Ashlea Kim, Izzy Geraci, and former captain Vanita Krouch will serve as league ambassadors, as Premier Flag lays a foundation ahead of the sport’s 2028 Olympic debut.

What you had to say

Last week, 78% of you tapped Golden State to win the 2026 WNBA title. Slam dunk.

• 78%: Golden State Valkyries

• 22%: Atlanta Dream