The best women’s game on each remaining day of the season

Selection Sunday is less than five weeks away. A 2024-25 women’s college basketball season that has flown by is hitting the stretch run at warp speed.

The next month in the Big Ten will determine which teams survive the bubble. The teams that land in the top 16 will largely shift based on how the SEC race plays out. UCLA, South Carolina and Notre Dame have looked dominant in their leagues and are strong favorites to be No. 1 seeds in the NCAA tournament. But their conference leads are still narrow. Any slipups could alter the national landscape and the Big Ten, SEC and ACC races dramatically. They all have monumental games to come.

While matchups on Thursdays and Sundays dominate the women’s college basketball calendar, nearly every night the rest of the regular season offers something that could influence the postseason.

ESPN highlights the biggest game each night for the rest of the regular season, with some honorable mentions thrown in.

All times are Eastern

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Fourth-quarter run leads No. 15 Oklahoma past Ole Miss

Payton Verhulst scores 10 of her 19 points in the fourth quarter while Sahara Williams ends the night with 14 to give the Sooners a 66-56 victory against the Rebels.

Monday

Kentucky Wildcats at Ole Miss Rebels (7 p.m., ESPN2)

The Wildcats have been the biggest surprise in the SEC with Kenny Brooks and Georgia Amoore instantly restoring the program to not just relevance but bona fide conference championship contention. This trip to Oxford follows an eight-day break and begins the most challenging part of Kentucky’s schedule. Home games against Texas, LSU and Tennessee follow before finishing the season at South Carolina. Both the Wildcats and Ole Miss are also vying for a top-four seed in the SEC and NCAA tournaments. And Amoore, having the best season of an already substantial career, is a top contender for SEC player of the year.

Tuesday

West Virginia Mountaineers at Baylor Bears (8 p.m., ESPN+)

Kansas State and TCU have set the pace in the Big 12, but the Mountaineers and Bears have hung around and are in position to make a late push for a regular season title. Baylor wraps up with back-to-back games against the Wildcats and Horned Frogs, while West Virginia gets the conference leaders in consecutive games the week prior. How meaningful those games are to the Big 12 race will hinge on who wins this matchup.

Wednesday

Indiana Hoosiers at Michigan Wolverines (7 p.m., BIG+)

As expected, Michigan’s young players have had their ups — going toe-to-toe with South Carolina in the season opener — and downs, losing to Wisconsin two weeks ago. The Wolverines are a near certainty to make the NCAA tournament, and that is a big accomplishment for coach Kim Barnes-Arico and her staff after ushering in so many new players. But the Wolverines are risking an unfavorable seed without another quality win or two in the final month. This would qualify.

Thursday

UCLA Bruins at USC Trojans (10 p.m., Peacock)

This is the first of two meetings in the regular season’s final three weeks between the newly minted Big Ten heavyweights and should decide the conference championship. USC’s loss to Iowa on Feb. 2 combined with this game at the Galen Center makes it that much more important for the Trojans. If JuJu Watkins is going to make one last push for national player of the year, this would be a good place to start — a game against the Bruins and Lauren Betts, who has emerged as a co-favorite with Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo.

Friday

Brown Bears at Princeton Tigers (6 p.m., ESPN+)

The top contenders in the Ivy can’t afford any unnecessary slipups. Brown is the clear No. 4 team in the league behind Columbia, Harvard and Princeton, so this marks the Tigers’ toughest test outside of the big three the rest of the way. The Bears could solidify their spot in Ivy Madness with a win, but they could also ruin the league’s chances of having multiple NCAA tournament bids by taking down Princeton.

Saturday

Drake Bulldogs at Belmont Bruins (5 p.m., ESPN+)

Leading the conference in assists and steals and ranking second in scoring, Katie Dinnebier is the favorite to win MVC player of the year for a second straight season. But the Bulldogs haven’t had the season they expected and are looking up at Belmont in the standings. The Bruins — who played close games with Ohio State, Michigan, Mississippi State and Kentucky — are the most balanced team in the MVC. Five players are averaging double figures, led by sophomore Jailyn Banks. Belmont is looking to win the league for the second time in three years since joining the MVC from the Ohio Valley.

Sunday

UConn Huskies at South Carolina Gamecocks (1 p.m., ABC)

The Gamecocks lead the country in nearly every meaningful NCAA tournament evaluation analytic and seemingly have a No. 1 seed wrapped up. However, that status could be in jeopardy with a loss here. UConn, which already has losses to other No. 1 seed contenders Notre Dame and USC, has to win this game for any hope at being a top seed for the first time since 2021. The Gamecocks have beaten the Huskies in their last four meetings.

LSU also visits Texas in the second game of an ABC doubleheader, and the matchup serves as a de facto No. 1 seed elimination game.

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Highlight: Edwards leads No. 2 South Carolina to win over Auburn

Joyce Edwards leads the Gamecocks’ offense with 18 points to defeat the Tigers, 83-66, setting a new SEC record with their 70th consecutive home win.

Monday, Feb. 17

Duke Blue Devils at Notre Dame Fighting Irish (6 p.m., ESPN)

The Blue Devils are fourth in the country in adjusted defensive efficiency, according to ESPN Analytics. Notre Dame’s offense ranks eighth. A clash of strengths highlights what could be the game of the year in the ACC. The chess match of Kara Lawson’s defensive schemes vs. the backcourt explosiveness of Hannah Hidalgo and Olivia Miles is the game within the game. The outcome means more to Duke in the conference race, but nationally, it’s huge for the Irish in their quest to get a No. 1 NCAA tournament seed.

Tuesday, Feb. 18

Oklahoma State Cowgirls at Utah Utes (9 p.m., ESPN+)

This game might prove to be a separator in a Big 12 that is bunched up by teams 1 through 6. The top four teams in the conference receive a double bye in the Big 12 tournament. Nothing is guaranteed to the winner of this game, but the loser will have a difficult time getting to fourth place in the standings. The Cowgirls and Utes each suffered significant personnel turnover in the offseason — Utah even lost its coach two weeks into the season when Lynne Roberts took over the Los Angeles Sparks head job — but both have exceeded expectations.

Wednesday, Feb. 19

Michigan State Spartans at USC Trojans (9:30 p.m., Peacock)

If the Trojans lose to UCLA on Feb. 13, the Spartans might have the opportunity to overtake USC in the Big Ten standings. Few people outside of East Lansing would have seen that as a possibility for late February. In the first year of conference realignment, USC made four trips to the eastern or central time zones and went to Paris to open the season. But they get to put the luggage away for a bit, finishing with five home games among their final six, including this one, which is Michigan State’s only west coast trip.

Thursday, Feb. 20

NC State Wolfpack at Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (7 p.m., ACC Extra)

The addition of freshman Dani Carnegie has lifted the Yellow Jackets into ACC contention after being picked to finish 10th in the preseason. This game marks their last significant chance to make a move toward a top-four finish in the conference and a possible top-four seed in the NCAA tournament. NC State’s aspirations are higher, with an ACC title possibly still in play. But this game marks the middle game of the Wolfpack’s toughest stretch of the season. A trip to North Carolina is four days earlier and a visit from Notre Dame comes three games after.

Friday, Feb. 21

North Carolina A&T Aggies at William & Mary Tribe (7 p.m.)

With just seven games on the schedule, this is the lightest night in February as the stretch run awaits. Five of the games are from the CAA, including this one featuring the Aggies, who have led the conference for a month and are trying to win their first conference title of any kind since 2019. They were in the MEAC then and had a one-year stop in the Big South before landing in the CAA. They are led by the league’s stingiest defense and top scorer Jordyn Dorsey.

Saturday, Feb. 22

Iowa State Cyclones at Baylor Bears (2:30 p.m., Fox)

Considered a Big 12 title contender before the season, the Cyclones are now fighting just to make the NCAA tournament. They will enter this game 0-7 against Quad 1 opponents. Desperate for a quality win, Iowa State has this game and the regular season finale against Kansas State to get one before the Big 12 tournament. Meanwhile, with Kansas State and TCU on the schedule to finish the regular season, this game could set up Baylor for a run at the title.

Sunday, Feb. 23

Notre Dame Fighting Irish at NC State Wolfpack (noon, ESPN)

Six days after hosting Duke, the Irish step into Reynolds Coliseum in what should be a high-energy atmosphere. Regardless of the result against the Blue Devils, this is the win that would likely seal the ACC regular season title for Notre Dame. The matchup of Aziaha James, Zoe Brooks and Saniya Rivers against Hidalgo, Miles and Sonia Citron has a chance to be special. With Georgia Tech and North Carolina right before this game for NC State, today’s meeting could be key for the Wolfpack’s seed in the ACC tournament.

Later in the day LSU visits Kentucky, two teams with a legitimate chance at second place in the SEC, a spot that would avoid South Carolina until the championship game of the SEC tournament.

Monday, Feb. 24

Baylor Bears at Kansas State Wildcats (7 p.m., ESPN2)

K-State center Ayoka Lee has been out since suffering a foot injury on Jan. 19. The Wildcats would love to have her back for this game. Baylor’s Aaronette Vonleh and Darianna Littlepage-Buggs bring size Kansas State doesn’t have without Lee. Whether Lee returns, this game could still serve as an opportunity for a national audience to see Serena Sundell, the Wildcats’ underrated guard. If Baylor can pull the upset, it throws the Big 12 race up for grabs in the final week.

Tuesday, Feb. 25

Texas Tech Lady Raiders at Arizona Wildcats (8 p.m., ESPN+)

Neither the Lady Raiders nor the Wildcats will be in the mix for the Big 12 championship, but Arizona, with big games against Oklahoma State and TCU before this, could be in position to push for a fifth straight NCAA tournament bid with a strong finish. This is a game Arizona could ill-afford to lose in that pursuit. With just seven games on the schedule, this is the lightest night in the regular season’s final week for the Power 4 conferences.

Wednesday, Feb. 26

Michigan State Spartans at Ohio State Buckeyes (7 p.m., BIG+)

This concludes the toughest stretch of the season for the Spartans, who will just be a week removed from their trip to southern California. If they survive the gauntlet, this game against the Buckeyes might determine whether they get a double bye in the Big Ten tournament. It will also be necessary if Michigan State aspires to host first- and second-round NCAA tournament games. Ohio State has more wiggle room for a top-four NCAA tournament seed, but a loss here and to Maryland in the regular season finale would be costly.

Thursday, Feb. 27

Tennessee Lady Vols at Kentucky Wildcats (7 p.m., SEC Network)

How will Amoore hold up against the relentlessness of the Tennessee press? The answer might be the key to this game. It also might be the key for Amoore’s bid to be SEC player of the year. The Lady Vols got their marquee win against UConn but are still in the middle of the pack entering the stretch run of the SEC. This might be the key game to Tennessee finishing above .500 in league play.

Later that night, visiting Ole Miss might put South Carolina to the test.

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Highlight: Spearman’s late bucket clinches No. 19 Vols’ upset of No. 5 UConn

Jewel Spear finds Zee Spearman for the final basket of the game to lead Tennessee to an 80-76 win over the Huskies, marking its first win against UConn since 2007.

Friday, Feb. 28

Princeton Tigers at Harvard Crimson (8 p.m., ESPN+)

Ashley Chea’s buzzer-beating jumper won the first meeting for the Tigers on Jan. 11, making them the favorite to win a seventh straight Ivy League regular season championship at the time. Since then, Columbia has beaten both Princeton and Harvard, boiling the Ivy season down to the respective rematches with the Lions and this game. This game will go a long way to deciding the championship — and whether the Ivy does get two teams in the NCAA tournament for a second consecutive year.

Saturday, March 1

USC Trojans at UCLA Bruins (9 p.m., Fox)

It’s round two for the Big Ten’s two best teams — this time at Pauley Pavilion. If USC wins the first matchup, this meeting could be for the conference crown. If the Feb. 13 meeting goes to the Bruins, UCLA could be playing for an unbeaten season and a regular season title in its first year in the Big Ten. A split of the two games between the Bruins and Trojans would be best for the conference’s hope of having two No. 1 seeds. Two losses to UCLA would likely eliminate USC from contention for the top line.

Sunday, March 2

Kentucky Wildcats at South Carolina Gamecocks (2 p.m., ESPN)

The Wildcats have shown up three times on this list, accentuating just how difficult their final three weeks are. They could be anywhere from second to sixth in the SEC heading into this game on the regular season’s final day. Regardless of their spot in the standings, winning in Columbia would give Kentucky an enormous boost in confidence for the postseason and provide the rest of the SEC some hope heading into the conference tournament. The Gamecocks could be looking to wrap up a fourth straight regular season SEC title.

Over in the Big Ten, Ohio State and Maryland meet for the second time, with the third seed in the conference tournament potentially on the line.