Best Women’s College Basketball Games to Watch As Conference Play Heats Up

LSU, Michigan and TCU will all be hoping to get back on track after disappointing losses last week.

Kim Mulkey’s LSU team started the season with 11 100-point games, but are 0–2 since conference play began. / SCOTT CLAUSE / USATODAY Network / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

If teams had a collective resolution to beat their undefeated conference counterparts, consider that goal basically achieved just four days into the new year. LSU, Maryland and TCU all saw their perfect starts snapped, and each program will join higher-ranked teams like Michigan and North Carolina in looking to bounce back. Here’s who to watch and where the games can be found for this week’s best women’s basketball games:

No. 9 Michigan vs. Minnesota

Monday, Jan. 5, 6:30 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network

The Wolverines’ loss to previously unranked Washington can’t be (entirely) chalked up to missed free throws. Even though the Huskies had nearly twice as many turnovers as Michigan, the Wolverines shot just 20-for-60 from the field and let Washington sophomore guard Avery Howell explode in the first half. Minnesota, meanwhile, doesn’t turn the ball over much, plays stingy defense and is one of the best teams at cleaning the defensive glass. The Gophers—aside from a blown lead against Maryland in double overtime—don’t make a habit out of making mistakes. Michigan is rightly favored, but it has an opportunity to get back on the right track against a quality opponent. 

West Virginia vs. No. 17 Texas Tech

Wednesday, Jan. 7, 7:00 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Electrifying? Maybe not. Hard-nosed, high-effort basketball, though? The Mountaineers and Red Raiders offer it in spades, albeit in slightly different ways. Texas Tech shuts down opponents in the halfcourt and limits transition opportunities. On offense, the Red Raiders are also among the nation’s most efficient at the rim. They face a Mountaineers squad that epitomized grit in The Battle at the Greenbrier against Duke earlier this season. West Virginia attempts nearly 26 free throws a game (fourth most in Division I), forces turnovers and applies full-court pressure to its opponents. The Red Raiders won’t have an easy time extending their undefeated streak to 17 games.

No. 13 TCU vs. Oklahoma State

Wednesday, Jan. 7, 7:00 p.m. ET, ESPN+

TCu played in its first close game of the season and wilted. What happened? The Horned Frogs let Utah, which likes to shoot threes at a high rate, get hot from beyond the arc and hurt them from deep when it mattered most. (Utes senior Lani White had herself a game.) Well, Oklahoma State happens to have one of the most efficient offenses (sixth in effective field goal percentage) and top sharpshooters (senior Haleigh Timmer) in the country. It’s the perfect opportunity for TCU to address what troubled it on Saturday.

No. 12 LSU vs. No. 2 Texas

Sunday, Jan. 11, 3:00 p.m. ET, ESPN

The Tigers’ New Year’s Day loss to then-No. 11 Kentucky exposed LSU’s weakness: a lack of frontcourt firepower. The Wildcats outrebounded the Tigers 44–26 and outscored them 16–4 on second-chance points following offensive rebounds. Against Vanderbilt, LSU fixed its rebounding issues but coughed the ball up 22 times en route to its second straight loss. The Tigers can’t afford rebounding or turnover issues against the Longhorns, who will pose a similar test of interior strength. Texas handled the paint-dominant Rebels in a 67–64 win on Sunday, and its frontcourt battery will challenge LSU’s depth. As important as it will be for the Longhorns to mark off a conference victory against a top 10 opponent, the Tigers need a strong home showing here.

Ohio State guard Jaloni Cambridge is averaging a team-high 19.4 points per game. / Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

No. 8 Maryland vs. No. 19 Ohio State

Sunday, Jan. 11, 4:00 p.m. ET, Peacock

It’s time to pay more attention to Jaloni Cambridge in Columbus. The sophomore guard had 11 first quarter points in an 83–56 trouncing of Purdue, which came after a 28-point showing in a loss to UCLA. She can attack—both in transition and off the dribble in the half court—and shoot, and she’s one of the most fun guards to watch in the country. Between her and backcourt mate Chance Gray and Terrapins guards Oluchi Okananwa and Addi Mack, the game might turn into a track meet. (Maryland and Ohio State rank fifth and sixth in fast break points, respectively.) After dropping a game against Illinois, the Terrapins can ill-afford another tight Big Ten contest before it heads out west to face No. 4 USC and No. 21 UCLA next week.

Other games to watch 

Tuesday, Jan. 6: 

• 10:00 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network: No. 21 USC vs. Oregon (The Trojans were dominated by UCLA, and Oregon isn’t a soft get-right opponent.)

Wednesday, Jan. 7: 

• 7:00 p.m. ET, Big Ten Plus: Illinois vs. No. 19 Ohio State (The Illini’s 11-game winning streak ended against Michigan State, but this has the makings of a close conference game.)
• 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+: Kansas vs. Utah (Can’t get enough Big 12 action on Wednesday? The Jayhawks have played Iowa State and West Virginia tight, and junior point guard S’Mya Nichols is worth the watch against a Utes squad fresh off its win against TCU.)

Thursday, Jan. 8: 

• 6:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network Plus: Georgia vs No. 12 LSU (Take a moment to watch the Bulldogs, who started the season 14–0 and feature one of the top shooters in D-I in Dani Carnegie.)
• 7:00 p.m. ET, SEC Network Plus: No. 5 Oklahoma vs. No. 18 Ole Miss (The first of a difficult four-game stretch that includes games against Kentucky, LSU and South Carolina, the Sooners’ game against the Rebels is not the time or place to get off on the wrong foot.)
• 7:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network Plus: Mississippi State vs. No. 20 Tennessee (The Lady Vols are 1–3 against top-50 teams. The Bulldogs, after losing by 48 against Oklahoma, are still looking to prove themselves against one.)
• 9:00 p.m. ET, Big Ten Plus: No. 23 Washington vs. No. 15 Michigan State (The Spartans have shot up the ranks with efficient offense and through their ability to force turnovers, and they’ll be looking to hold their spot near the top of the conference leaderboard with a win against the Huskies.)

Saturday, Jan. 10: 

• 6:00 p.m. ET, ESPN+: Richmond vs. Davidson (The Wildcats are on pace for their first 20-win season since 2012–13 and have a chance to bolster their place in the mid-major hierarchy against the Spiders, who have been hit or miss.)

Sunday, Jan. 11: 

• 1:00 p.m. ET, ESPN: Notre Dame vs. No. 22 North Carolina (Both teams had disappointing losses on Sunday and could use the win here.)
• 3:00 p.m. ET, ESPN+: No. 11 Iowa State vs. West Virginia (Can the Cyclones bounce back from their first loss of the season?)
• 4:00 p.m. ET, SEC Network: No. 6 Kentucky vs. No. 5 Oklahoma (Two teams in the top six face off in conference play. Enough said.)
• 7:00 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network: No. 25 Nebraska vs. No. 4 UCLA (The Bruins and the Cornhuskers rank No. 2 and No. 9 in offensive rating, respectively.)

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