Put yourself first
From The GIST College Sports (hi@thegistsports.com)
Hi, friend!
Welcome to Friday — let’s celebrate by reading about, what else, the latest in college sports.
— UCLA women’s basketball junior Lauren Betts, opening up about her mental health and how taking care of herself off the court has made her a better hooper. Turns out putting your wellness first works — Player of the Year contender Betts is averaging 21 points and 9.9 rebounds for the No. 1 Bruins.
Women’s basketball
🏀 Ball so hard
The GIST: Somebody call Bon Jovi because we’re officially halfway through the women’s hoops season. Let’s give it a shot and check in on the latest key matchups.
No. 7 LSU holds on to defeat No. 13 Oklahoma: After trailing by as many as 24, Oklahoma stormed back within one point in the final two minutes of play before LSU went on to secure a fiery 107–100 victory last night. Sophomore guard Mikaylah Williams led the Tigers with 37 points in a wild game that featured two ejections.
No. 12 Kentucky picks up big SEC win: Sophomore center Clara Strack recorded a double-double with 14 points and 14 rebounds to lift the Wildcats past a fellow ranked SEC squad, No. 22 Alabama, last night. Kentucky trailed by six points after the first quarter but upped the defensive intensity and held Alabama to just nine points in the second quarter en route to a 65–56 win. What team?!
No. 24 Oklahoma State vs. No. 21 West Virginia — Tomorrow at 12 p.m. ET — ESPN+: The Cowgirls are on a four-game win streak that includes a victory over No. 9 TCU, while West Virginia is coming off an unexpected loss to unranked Arizona. Only time will tell which way these squads trend in this Big 12 battle.
No. 3 Notre Dame vs. Louisville — Sunday at 12 p.m. ET — ESPN2: The Cardinals had a tough 6-5 start to the season, but have settled in since, winning nine of their last ten games. That said, they face quite the test in Notre Dame, who have yet to lose in conference play.
- Louisville freshman guard Tajianna Roberts and her 12.6 points per game will be the one to watch in this one as she looks to prove herself against Notre Dame’s talented backcourt.
Men's basketball
🏀 Returning the Cal
The GIST: Hall of Fame head coach John Calipari will return to Kentucky’s Rupp Arena for the first time since he left the Wildcats to take the head coaching job at Arkansas last April. Will Big Blue Nation give him a warm reception, or is the 2012 National Championship–winning former coach destined for boos?
Coach Cal’s history with Kentucky: Calipari took over at Kentucky in 2009 and led the program for 15 years, popularizing building rosters with one-and-done players (aka hoopers that spend one season in college then leave for the NBA draft) and winning a natty in 2012.
- Calipari led the Wildcats to 12 March Madness bids and four Final Four appearances. He was even granted a “lifetime contract” in 2019, which is why his departure came as such a shock.
Calipari’s return set for tomorrow at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN: Tomorrow's matchup could be aca-awkward with coach Cal’s Razorbacks in desperate need of a win after going just 1-6 in conference play so far.
- On the flip side, No. 12 Kentucky’s decision to hire former Wildcat Mark Pope as Calipari’s replacement seems to be working out. The Wildcats are 15-5 overall with six wins over ranked teams.
- Aside from the coaches, Kentucky will be led by junior guard Otega Oweh, who averages 15.8 points per game, while Arkansas will lean on freshman Boogie Fland, who drops 15.1 points per game. Can’t wait to see how it all shakes out.
🏀 A’ja Wilson and Caitlin Clark to have jerseys retired this weekend
Two college basketball icons and current WNBA stars will see their jerseys sent to the rafters on Sunday: Wilson, South Carolina’s first-ever No. 1 recruit and a 2017 national champ, and Iowa’s Clark, college basketball’s all-time leading scorer.
- Fittingly, both number 22 jersey retirements will come on February 2nd. Feels like a perfect night.
🏐 Dani Busboom Kelly to take over as Nebraska volleyball head coach
After 25 seasons and four NCAA titles, former Huskers head coach John Cook announced his retirement on Wednesday. He will be replaced by former Nebraska libero Busboom Kelly, who won a 2006 national title as a player.
- She previously coached at Louisville, taking over in 2017 and leading the Cardinals to two national title game appearances, but there’s no place like home.
🏀 Candace Parker leads bid for WNBA team honoring legendary head coach Pat Summitt
Parker, a WNBA icon and former Tennessee basketball superstar, is part of an investor group that’s submitting a bid to bring the WNBA’s 16th franchise to Tennessee.
- The team name? Tennessee Summitt, to honor the late Pat Summitt, a trailblazing head coach who led the Lady Vols for 38 years – including during Parker’s tenure – and won eight national titles.
Together With Reverse Health
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- Because Reverse Health offers yoga classes for all levels, think of this as a small investment with a major payoff, increasing your flexibility, improving your posture, and calming your mind — all at once. Check out their fitness plans today.
Here’s what has The GIST team currently hyped:
💪 How to tackle your wellness goals
With Nasoya’s free-to-enter Power of 9 sweepstakes. There’s a year-long gym membership on the line (among other prizes), so you can double down on that new year, new you era.*
🏃♀️ What to run
Nike’s After Dark Tour. Light up the night with Nike’s women-only 10Ks and half marathons in six cities. With training plans, meetups, and electric race days, this global series will have you ready to lace ’em up.
🎵 What to listen to
Trinity Rodman’s new anthem. Singer-songwriter Adam Pastel has teased an ode to the USWNT star’s Paris 2024 gold medal–winning moment.
*P.S. This is a sponsored post. Enter your wellness era.Today’s email was brought to you by Eden Laase and Briana Ekanem. Fact checking by Mikaela Perez. Ops by Marga Sison and Elisha Gunaratnam. Ads by Katie Kehoe Foster, Alessandra Puccio, and Lisa Minutillo. Managing edits by Lauren Tuiskula. Head of content Ellen Hyslop.