Next stop, history

The GIST: Another day, another bevy of upsets in men’s basketball (MBB) and women’s basketball (WBB). Let’s catch up.

Michigan MBB pulls off a miracle: The Wolverines are having a straight-up terrible season, which made their 72–68 Wednesday win over No. 11 Wisconsin to snap a five-game losing streak all the more shocking. Hey, even a broken clock’s correct twice a day.

The No. 8 Arizona men are pushed to the limit: The Wildcats needed three overtime periods and a whopping 105 points to put away a mid Utah squad last night. Exhausted just thinking about it.

No. 16 Virginia Tech WBB sweeps No. 3 NC State: Do you get déjà vu? The Wolfpack certainly did last night when the Hokies doubled down on last month’s upset to beat ’em again — this time by 11 points on NC State’s home court.

• Virginia Tech’s dynamic duo of center Elizabeth Kitley and guard Georgia Amoore both racked up double-doubles in the decisive win, which also preserved their spot atop the ACC.

No. 15 Louisville women down No. 12 Notre Dame: Despite a record-breaking 30-point performance from freshman guard Hannah Hidalgo, abysmal three-point shooting sunk ND’s comeback attempt as Louisville ground out yesterday’s 73–66 win.

Hannah Stuelke steals the spotlight: It’s Caitlin Clark’s week, but last night, the No. 2 Iowa Hawkeyes’ true superstar was sophomore forward Hannah Stuelke, who drained a record 47 points in their 111–93 win over Penn State. There must be something in the Iowa City water.

What’s next: Other than Clark’s aforementioned attempt at history, the must-watch game of the weekend is No. 11 UConn WBB’s visit to No. 1 South Carolina at 2 p.m. ET Sunday on ESPN. Two behemoths of the women’s game in a non-conference showdown? Say less.

The GIST: Calling all lax rats! Women’s lacrosse is finally back in action today, so brush up on the game’s nuts and bolts, then meet this season’s early favorites to hoist some hardware.

Teams to know: Reigning champ No. 1 Northwestern is serious about netting back-to-back titles. With the bulk of their championship roster intact, including Tewaaraton Award winner (lacrosse’s MVP) Izzy Scane — the Caitlin Clark of women’s lax — and finalist Erin Coykendall, the Wildcats are beyond formidable.

• Standing in their way? No. 2 Boston College, who’ve made the last six straight (!!!) title games with just one natty to show for it. The frustration of falling short (plus their nine preseason All-Americans) could push them past the ’Cats. Karma’s a re-lax-ing thought.

• Other contenders include 2022 champ No. 3 UNC and No. 5 Syracuse, who reached last year’s semifinals after a 2023 season dominating the poll.

What to watch: This season begins with some bangers: UNC visits No. 6 James Madison tomorrow at 12 p.m. ET on ESPN+, then Northwestern hosts Syracuse at 1 p.m. ET on B1G+. Set up those second screens now.

• Looking for extra credit? This fascinating documentary about Northwestern’s quest to rule the sport will have you running through brick walls (just remember to wear a mouthguard).

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🎾 Women’s tennis: ITA Women’s Indoor Championship — Today through Monday at various times — Various streaming sites

• The women’s bonus indoor season culminates in this weekend’s 16-team draw, with No. 1 UNC seeking an unprecedented fifth straight title. The squad with the best chance to topple ’em? No. 2 Stanford — but only if they meet in Monday’s final.

🏒 Men’s hockey: No. 9 Michigan State Spartans (18-7-3) vs. No. 11 Michigan Wolverines (14-9-3) — Tonight at 7 p.m. ET and tomorrow at 8:30 p.m. ET — B1G+ and BTN

• These blood rivals’ mid-January goal-scoring bonanzas saw them trading road wins, so expect more high-octane offense in Detroit for their annual “Duel in the D.”

🥎 Softball: No. 5 Texas Longhorns vs. No. 8 UCLA Bruins — Tonight at 9 p.m. ET and tomorrow at 6 p.m. ET — ESPN and FloSoftball

• Both powerhouses made significant offseason shifts: UCLA shook up their coaching staff, while Texas bolstered their roster by adding statement freshmen like infielder Joley Mitchell. See if those moves paid off in these Top-10 showdowns.

🏐 Men’s volleyball: No. 1 Long Beach State Beach (9-0) vs. No. 4 UCLA Bruins (8-2) — Tonight at 10 p.m. ET and tomorrow at 9 p.m. ET — ESPN+ and Pac-12 Los Angeles

• This matchup between UCLA, traditionally uncontested court kings, and the stunningly undefeated, top-ranked Beach will put the sport’s increasing parity trend to the test. Prep for an epic beach-off.