All in the feels.

Texas hunts Top 10 NCAA revenge against LSU

No. 4 Texas has a score to settle, hosting No. 5 LSU for the pair’s second and final regular-season NCAA matchup this year.

• The Tigers got the better of Texas on January 11th, securing a 70-65 win behind junior guard Mikaylah Williams’s 20 points.

• “They were way tougher than we were,” Texas head coach Vic Schaefer said after the loss. “By far our worst game of the year, and we'll give them credit for that.” (Watch full highlights)

Sprint to the finish: Tonight’s home-court advantage should give the Longhorns a boost, with Texas riding a 38-game home winning streak — DI basketball’s longest active streak — alongside a 63-5 all-time record at Moody Center.

• LSU’s schedule only gets harder from here, as the Tigers gear up to face No. 3 South Carolina, No. 13 Ole Miss, and No. 19 Tennessee later this month.

• “We don’t have to rely on anybody else winning or losing,” LSU head coach Kim Mulkey said. “Go win seven ball games and you might win your first SEC title.” (See full SEC lineup)

Tune in: Texas takes on LSU tonight at 9 PM ET, live on ESPN.

USA Hockey hits the Olympic ice in Milan

USA Hockey is off to the Olympic races, hitting the ice for today’s group-stage matchup with Czechia ahead of tomorrow’s Opening Ceremony.

• The competition’s preliminary round features two groups of five teams, with Team USA squaring off against fellow automatic quarterfinalists in Group A, while Group B’s top three finishers advance to the knockouts.

• “It’s a clean slate every time you get to a tournament,” US captain Hilary Knight said. “You have to work hard.” (See full schedule)

Big impact: The US and Canada enter as strong gold medal favorites, but the PWHL’s rapid rise has produced the deepest field in Olympic history.

• Czechia’s roster includes eight PWHL players, with a total of 22 PWHL athletes set to represent six European countries at the Winter Games.

• “It’s only our second Olympics,” said Czechia head coach Carla MacLeod. “But certainly there’s a belief in the room that we can go play our best games and see where it takes us.”

Tune in: Team USA faces Czechia today at 10:40 AM ET, live on USA.

WNBPA awaits league proposal as CBA talks drag on

WNBA leadership is on the clock, as the league’s front office failed to produce a new proposal during Monday’s in-person CBA meeting.

• “They volunteered that they did not have a proposal prepared at the top of the meeting,” WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike told Front Office Sports. “That kind of set the tone for the conversation.”

• Reports indicate that the WNBA plans to officially respond to the union’s December CBA proposal, though the timeline remains unclear.

Big picture: Negotiations are at an impasse, with talks dragging on months after the old contract’s late-October expiration — and a work stoppage still on table.

• The WNBA’s most recent proposal features a $1.3 million maximum salary, with the parties continuing to spar over a revenue sharing plan.

• “The sooner it gets to a WNBA season, we’re prepared to do it, to not play,” WNBPA VP Breanna Stewart said on Game Recognizes Game this week. “But we don’t want to. We want to play.”

Dive deep into women’s sports with The DNA Of, a new JWS series navigating the sports world’s biggest storylines — starting with retired USWNT legend Julie Ertz.

• In the debut episode, host Claire Watkins breaks down how Ertz became one of the national team’s most important pieces, from breaking out at the 2015 World Cup to anchoring the modern defensive midfield.

• With the 2027 World Cup looming, the US is now grappling with a key question: Can a once-in-a-generation player like Ertz be replaced?

Tune in: Watch The DNA Of: Julie Ertz on YouTube.

Under Armour pledges $1 million to flag football

The girls are taking over the gridiron, with Under Armour and the DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation teaming up to donate $1 million to Click Clack: Next Era Grant this week.

• The initiative aims to improve access to girls flag football by providing financial resources, high-performance gear, and coaching education.

• “By removing barriers, we’re helping more girls compete, build community, and grow their confidence,” said Under Armour director of global community impact Flynn Burch. (See full release)

Bright future: Flag football continues to see rapid growth, as both NCAA programs and pro leagues embrace the sport leading up to its 2028 Olympic debut.

• Under Armour is putting words into action today, hosting a girls flag football clinic with USA Football this afternoon as part of San Francisco’s Super Bowl LX Fan Experience, with 80 young local athletes set to participate ahead of tonight’s USA vs. Mexico Flag Football Showcase.

AUSL signs 1st-ever NIL athlete

Athletes Unlimited Softball League made moves this week, signing Tennessee pitcher Karlyn Pickens to college softball’s first-ever NIL deal with a pro league.

• As part of the contract, Pickens will promote the newly expanded AUSL as the premier place for NCAA athletes to launch their professional careers via social media and marketing opportunities.

• “When I was growing up, I didn’t really see [pro] softball… I didn’t really think there was an option to go pro,” said the Lady Vols senior. “It’s been just a few years, and now everyone’s dream is to go to AUSL and continue their softball career.” (See full release)

Tune in: After throwing the fastest pitch in NCAA softball history last year, Pickens kicks off 2026 against BYU tonight at 7 PM ET, live on GameChanger.

Number of the day 

1.2 million

No. 1 UConn’s 96-66 win over No. 19 Tennessee drew 1.213 million viewers to FOX on Sunday, becoming this season’s most-watched women’s college basketball game.