We’re in the midst of the loaded late-January women’s college basketball calendar, where the depths of conference play, combined with some deep cold, can lead to some chaotic outcomes.
Thursday night, that was epitomized by the triple-overtime affair between unranked ACC foes Virginia and Wake Forest, with the Cavaliers prevailing 109-103 after 55 minutes. Virginia was up by 10 points to start the quarter before a rally by the home team, capped by a Milan Brown buzzer-beating 3 that sent the game into the first overtime.
A Demon Deacon again came through in the clutch at the end of the first OT, with Grace Oliver hitting three free throws with six seconds on the clock. At the end of the second extra period, it was a Cavalier who was clutch at the line, as Caitlin Weimar sunk a pair of free throws with just one second remaining. And as the third OT wound down, four free throws from Kymora Johnson sealed the win for UVA.
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Johnson, playing all 55 minutes, led the Hoos with 26 points and eight assists, while a career-best 30-point and 11-rebound double-double from the freshman Brown paced the Deacs.
Albeit not as wild as what occurred in Winston-Salem, here are five more notable happenings from recent women’s college basketball games.
1. Crooks and the Cyclones are spinning in the right direction again
Iowa State went from undefeated to defeated—five times in a row.
The losing streak saw the Cyclones slide from the top 25. But they’re now making their steady climb back, boosted by a third-straight victory on Wednesday night, which came over No. 21 Texas Tech, 84-70.
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In Lubbock, the Cyclones looked more like themselves, largely because Audi Crooks was back in top form. The nation’s leading scorer had her first 30-point game in 2026, dousing the Red Raiders with a 33-point and 12-rebound double-double. The effort also helped her reach 2,000 career points, doing so in fewer games than any player in Big 12 history.
Iowa State still remains without Addy Brown, whose absence contributed to the Cyclones’ streak of struggle. To get back to where they want to be, the Cyclones need Brown in the lineup, even if it is encouraging that Iowa State secured a ranked win without her services.
2. No. 12 TCU barely comes through against Kansas
After our Beckett Harrison trumpeted No. 12 TCU earlier this week, the Horned Frogs nearly turned a certain win into a disappointing defeat.
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However, TCU escaped by two points over Kansas, 79-77, in a game they led by as many as 13 points.
The Horned Frogs entered the fourth quarter up by nine points, only for the Jayhawks to make things way too interesting, in part aided by a flurry of fouls committed by TCU. Sure, there were officiating issues, but if the Horned Frogs want to enter the contender conversation, they should be able to take care of business more comfortably at home, thus preventing questionable calls from potentially impacting the outcome.
Jailya Davis was a force for Kansas, scoring 29 points and grabbing nine boards. Olivia Miles, on her birthday, led TCU with 20 points and six assists.
3. Mississippi State rocks No. 15 Tennessee on Rocky Top
Mississippi State has been one of the more confusing teams in the SEC. They took No. 5 Vandy down to the wire, battled with No. 24 Alabama and upset then-No. 7 Kentucky, only to be absolutely blown out by No. 10 Oklahoma and No. 17 Ole Miss.
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Thursday, State played No. 15 Tennessee for the second time this season, already having lost to the Lady Vols by 10 points at home, and were the best version of themselves. The Bulldogs scored 50 points across the second and third quarters, riding a stellar shooting night to the big win on Rocky Top, 77-62. It’s the program’s first road win over a ranked opponent since 2020.
Kharyssa Richardson scored 21 points for the victorious visitors, going 9-for-11 from the field. But the Bulldogs didn’t just benefit from hot shooting, they also outworked the Lady Vols, hustling their way to 50 rebounds compared to Tennessee’s 31.
After the game, Tennessee head coach Kim Caldwell suggested that her Lady Vols never showed up, saying, “I don’t know that we gave up. I don’t think we ever showed up. And I think that there’s a difference between that.”
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Tennessee better show up—and then some—on Sunday afternoon in Storrs. Otherwise, the Lady Vols will be returning to Knoxville with an even uglier loss on their ledger after playing No. 1 UConn.
4. USC fights on and upsets No. 8. Iowa
Big Ten play had not been kind to USC.
Their huge, humbling loss to their LA rival was the start of a 1-6 stretch for the Trojans, seemingly cementing this as a mostly forgettable gap year. But, USC will fight on after upsetting No. 8 Iowa on Thursday in Los Angeles, 81-69.
The Trojans got off to a fast start, leading by 15 points after the first quarter. After Iowa cut the margin to six points by halftime, it was easy to think that the Hawkeyes had turned the tide and would pull away in the second half. Instead, USC owned the third quarter, giving them an almost 20-point advantage heading in the final period. The Trojans would stretch their lead to as many as 22 points before settling for the 12-point win.
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The tandem of Kara Dunn and Jazzy Davidson powered the Trojans, with Dunn delivering a 25-point and 12-rebound double-double and Davidson adding 21 points and eight assists. Both players also made three 3s, as did Londynn Jones, who finished with 17 points.
5. No. 7 Louisville’s win streak reaches lucky 13
Recently, Zack Ward suggested another trip to the Elite Eight might be in the cards for Louisville.
For now, the Cardinals are focusing on the number 13, as an 18-point road win at Stanford, 84-66, gave Louisville their 13th-straight victory. The ACC leaders enjoyed an advantage that swelled to as many as 27 points, showing no weariness due to the cross-country trek demanded by their Atlantic Coast Conference schedule.
Laura Ziegler led the Cardinals with a 22-point and 11-rebound double-double. Mackenly Randolph drained three 3s and scored 14 points.
