Angel Reese's Rose BC to Return to Unrivaled Playoffs vs. Breeze
Back like they never left.
Rose BC will make its return to the Unrivaled playoffs following a close loss to the top-ranked Phantom that capped off their regular-season run. They'll join two other returning playoff contenders in the Laces and Vinyl, who will both have something to prove as they face one another in the first round just a short while before the Rose hit the hardwood against the Breeze. The Phantom and Mist, the two worst-ranked squads from last season, will look to keep their incredible turnarounds going after locking in the top two spots in the league's standings.
The Rose ended the regular-season with a record of 6-8, which mirrored the 2025 record that netted them a second-ranked spot in the league's standings. They clinched a spot in the postseason just a few games after Angel Reese, a former Unrivaled standout and its 2025 Defensive Player of the Year, made her ever-awaited return to the squad she started it all with. The Lunar Owls, who sport the Sky duo of Rachel Banham and Rebecca Allen, fell just out of playoff contention even as they claimed victory in two of their final four matchups.
Rose to Battle Breeze BC in First Round
One of the new kids on the block still features no shortage of returning Unrivaled talent, including a second-year wing and Los Angeles Sparks standout in Rickea Jackson. The young-but-talented roster added former Sky guard Courtney Williams in what would be the league's first-ever in-season trade, which sent Rose BC forward Azurá Stevens to the Hive and Saniya Rivers to the Vinyl.
Two newbies in Paige Bueckers and Dominique Malonga, who took Unrivaled by storm after earning spots on the WNBA's All-Rookie team, lead the squad in points per game. Bueckers would fight her way to the quarterfinals of the league's 1-on-1 tournament before falling to Chelsea Gray, who would rep the Rose as she claimed the league's 1-on-1 crown in three matchups with Mist guard Allisha Gray.
The Rose have split their two matchups against Breeze BC this season. They last faced the Breeze on Feb. 1, when the Unrivaled first-timers breezed past the former champions in an 81-56 victory. Bueckers seemed to be unstoppable as she logged 32 points and 11 assists in the blowout win. Rose forward Shakira Austin still had her moments as she logged a team-leading 21 points, but it wouldn't be enough to counter an 18-point double-double from Malonga.
Locking things down inside and never letting the new squad get comfortable off screens will be key to beating the Breeze in the first round. It'll be up to Reese and the Rose keep the Breeze's rising stars at bay while lighting a spark on the boards, where the Rose rank last in the league with 30.6 rebounds per game. The Breeze lead the league in rebounding behind Malonga, who ranks fifth in the league in boards per contest, and three other players who average six or more rebounds per game.
The Rose will tip off against the Breeze at 9:45 p.m. EST on Feb. 28. The game will air on truTV and HBO Max.
Alex Sabri began contributing to the BIGPLAY Network in September 2025. He also contributes to Chicago Sky on SI and FanSided's High Post Hoops. The Purdue and Cleveland State graduate has over two years of journalism experience in collegiate and professional sports, as well as local journalism, and a few more years of sports blogging experience. Though he specializes in covering Ohio sports for BIGPLAY, his interests include the NBA, WNBA, NFL, Cleveland Guardians and college football and basketball.