A TOP 5 SHOWDOWN IN COLUMBIA

Vanderbilt has been on a run of a lifetime.

At No.5 in the country, this is the highest they’ve been ranked since the 2001-2002 season. They improved their record to 20-0 after beating Auburn on January 22. Even though they’re the only other team that’s undefeated, the Commodores know they have room to get better.

“I like being in this place where I’m pissed off after a win because we didn’t play well today,” head coach Shea Ralph said, “especially in the first half. I like it because it says that I know how good this team can be.”

Ralph’s team is led by two incredibly dynamic guards. Mikalya Blakes has taken the nation by storm and is second in the country in scoring at 25 points per game. Blakes is one of the best players in the country and is a dark-horse Player of the Year contender. Aubrey Galvan has been one of the best freshmen in the country and a stabilizing force for Vandy.

In the last edition of the WBB Roundup, I compared the SEC to the WWE Royal Rumble. The Road to WrestleMania, the Final Four is exhausting and filled with opponents looking to throw you over the top rope. And just when you’ve got a moment to catch your breath, the countdown hits zero, and a new opponent comes down the aisle…

South Carolina has been excellent as usual this season. Dawn Staley’s team is near the top of the SEC and has a good chance to make it to its sixth consecutive Final Four. They went into Norman to take on No. 16 Oklahoma on January 22. SC rallied from a late six-point fourth-quarter deficit to get the game into overtime. However, they ran into an Aaliyah Chavez-sized buzzsaw in overtime.

The freshman guard scored 15 of her game-high 26 points in OT as she had the state of Oklahoma rocking.

What South Carolina also did was put up a surprisingly poor effort on the glass. Coming into the game, the Gamecocks were sixth in the NCAA in rebound percentage. The Sooners were 12th, but they wound up winning the rebound matchup by +15.

Add it all up, and you get…

Thursday’s loss marked the third consecutive game in which South Carolina was outrebounded by their opponent. That’s certainly something Dawn Staley and her coaching staff will be focusing on in preparation for their matchup against Vanderbilt.

This will be a great matchup. South Carolina will have plenty of energy following a tough loss. Vanderbilt will have to weather the early storm and stick to its game plan.

A win for Vandy would give them a leg up in the SEC Rumble and power them through the rest of the season. A win for SC will remind people of their excellence and get them back on track. With the game airing on ESPN, the atmosphere will be electric. It’s time to Rumble!

THE 2026 CALENDAR IS HERE

We still don’t have a CBA between the WNBA and WNBPA. However, we do know when the games will be if an agreement is reached soon!

On January 21, the league unveiled the schedule for its 30th season. The year officially tips off when the Connecticut Sun travels to Brooklyn to face the New York Liberty on May 8. With this being the W’s 30th anniversary, the Liberty took a trip back in time to unveil the schedule

2026 promises to be incredibly fascinating for the Sun. The WNBA and NBA have been pushing to move the team to Houston under new ownership, so this might be their final season in Uncasville.

For the Liberty, they’re being led by a rookie head coach in Chris DeMarco as he makes the transition from the NBA to the WNBA.

Across the WNBA, we saw teams lean on theater and mystery to unveil their schedules

The teams' creativity shone through, and it’s cool to see the unique ways they engaged with fans across various platforms.

It's a long way to May. There’s a lot of business left to solve on various fronts. There's a lot of excitement in the air and great hoops waiting for us. Another big season will help the WNBA grow its cultural footprint.

We just have to make it to Opening Night first.

PAIGE BUECKERS STEPS UP FOR MINNESOTA

The United States government has been terrorizing the state of Minnesota. Between using five-year-old children as bait, racially profiling Somali-American citizens, illegally detaining American citizens, and killing American citizens, ICE has been on a rampage that shows no signs of stopping. Minnesotans have resisted the occupation and have come together to fight back and resist the violence inflicted upon them. The community has rallied around each other in uncertain times, and a hometown hero has pitched in with a major assist.

Paige Bueckers has had a wonderful start to her professional career. The star guard won Rookie of the Year in 2025 and is currently shining in Unrivaled. She won the free-throw challenge in Unrivaled and $50,000.

When asked by Ros Gold-Onwude what she would do with the money, Paige mentioned she had some good plans for it. On January 22, we found out what she had in mind.

Bueckers pledged a $50,000 matching donation to the #HopkinsStrong Relief Fund and ICA Food Shelf in her native Hopkins, Minnesota.

The donations will help Hopkins families address food insecurity and the other issues currently affecting the community. Bueckers has spoken up about issues affecting the Minnesota community in the past, and her support in the present has been incredibly well-received.

“Paige’s support means the world to us,” Hopkins Education Fund Executive Director Emily Wallace-Jackson said in a statement. “The Hopkins community is so proud of Paige and her accomplishments on the court, but mostly we are proud of her as a person.

Her generous donation will help families who are struggling to make ends meet, especially our immigrant families. And it's a morale boost for them to know that people care about them and want to help.”

In moments of crisis, having someone with the platform and reach of Bueckers giving back goes a long way to helping people out of a perilous stretch. And considering the events we discussed a moment ago, it takes on even more importance.

“At this very moment, we have students and families who are afraid to leave their homes,” Hopkins Public Schools Superintendent Rhoda Mhiripiri-Reed said.

“We are grateful to the Hopkins Education Foundation not only for supporting innovation in our classrooms but also for supporting Hopkins families during radically uncertain times. The #HopkinsStrong Relief Fund benefiting the ICA Food Shelf will help ensure that families do not go hungry.”

Similar to Iowa State star Audi Crooks, Bueckers is doing what she can in her role to help in a time of crisis. Athletes who use their platforms and reach to give back are always welcome and show that they are actively engaged and a real part of the community.

It’s understandable to feel despair at this moment. The US government is making life worse for people around the world. At a time like this, we have to find community with each other.

This donation from Bueckers will help Minnesotans and hopefully spur other athletes to follow her lead. When we come together, we win.

At Black Rosie Media, we love to give flowers to other writers and creators in the women’s basketball community.

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