LAS VEGAS — The Las Vegas Aces took care of home court.

The No. 2 seed Aces defeated the No. 4 seed Phoenix Mercury 89-86 in Game 1 of WNBA Finals on Friday at Michelob ULTRA Arena, taking a 1-0 lead in the first best-of-seven championship series in league history.

Aces guard Dana Evans was the unlikely hero of Game 1, finishing with 21 points in 26 minutes off the bench, shooting 8-of-13 from the field including 5-of-6 from the 3-point line. She added four steals, three assists and two rebounds.

‘I feel like I feed off my defense,’ Evans said of her performance. ‘I feel like I got some early steals, early on, I got to the basket. I saw the ball going in and I just kept being aggressive.’

The Mercury had a chance to take the lead with 24.6 seconds left, but forward Alyssa Thomas missed both of her free throw attempts. Aces guard Jackie Young knocked down both of her free throws to extend the Aces’ lead to three points with 13.5 seconds remaining.

Mercury forward Satou Sabally had a final look at an equalizer, but she missed a 3-point attempt with 2.4 seconds remaining. Jackie Young got the rebound and dribbled the ball out for the win.

‘We ran a play to get Kahleah (Cooper) a look,’ Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts said of the final possession. ‘They did a good job of switching out. We had one more option … I probably should have ran out and called a TO with six seconds to go.’ 

Aces center A’ja Wilson finished with 21 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. Young finished with 10 points and five assists. Jewell Loyd had 18 points and four rebounds off the bench.

The Mercury were outscored 22-15 in the final quarter. Phoenix had five players in double figures lead by Copper with 21 points. Thomas was an assist short of a triple-double with 15 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists.

‘It’s a game of runs,’ Copper said. ‘I think we did a pretty good job of understanding and handling the runs but down the stretch, they made the plays and we didn’t. this is something to learn from.’ 

The WNBA Finals continue with Game 2 on Sunday (3 p.m. ET, ABC) at Michelob Ultra Arena.

Follow along as USA TODAY Sports provides live updates, highlights and recaps Game 1 of the WNBA Finals:

Satou Sabally in foul trouble

Sabally picked up her fifth personal foul with 8:23 remaining in the game. To add insult to injury, she was also called for a technical foul for slamming the ball down in the direction of the official after the call. Sabally went to the bench, exiting with 19 points, four rebounds and three assists.

End of 3Q: Mercury 71, Aces 67

Kahleah Copper has 21 points, Alyssa Thomas is closing in on a double-double with 10 points and nine assists. Satou Sabally has 16 points, three assists and three rebounds.

A’ja Wilson is the only Aces starter to reach double digits with 15 point, six rebounds and four assists, one steal and one block. Jewell Loyd added 15 off the bench, while Dana Evans is up to 12 points.

Sami Whitcomb returns to bench

Mercury guard Sami Whitcomb was helped to the locker room by two staffers after appearing to injure her lower body with 1:58 remaining in third quarter. She sprinted out the tunnel to start the fourth quarter.

Chelsea Gray exits with ankle injury after flagrant foul 

Mercury guard Kahleah Copper was called for a personal foul on a reckless closeout on Aces guard Chelsea Gray, who landed on Copper’s foot and tweaked her right ankle on a 3-point attempt with 5:37 remaining in the third quarter. The foul on Copper was upgraded to a flagrant 1. Gray remained down on the court in visible pain. Eventually, the veteran got to her feet and knocked down all three free throws before running back for the locker room. She exited with three points and five assists in 21 minutes. Gray got her ankle taped and returned with 3:04 remaining in the third quarter.

Halftime: Mercury 50, Aces 45

Game 1 of the WNBA Finals has been as close as it gets so far with the Mercury holding a five-point advantage after a first half that featured seven lead changes and six ties. 

Mercury guard Kahleah Copper was red-hot in the first half, recording a game-high 19 points shooting 6-of-7 from the field and 5-of-6 from the 3-point line. Alyssa Thomas has 10 points, six assists and two rebounds, while Satou Sabally added nine points and three assists. The Mercury are shooting an impressive 52.9% from the field and 8-of-17 from the 3-point line, but Phoenix has turned the ball over seven times. The Aces have scored 15 points off Mercury turnovers. 

The Aces bench has scored 25 points, led by 13 points from Jewell Loyd in 18 minutes of action and 10 points from Dana Evans in 10 minutes of play. A’ja Wilson has nine points and six rebounds, while Jackie Young has eight points. 

End of Q1: Mercury 21, Aces 21

Phoenix Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts said it was critical for his team to have a great start against the Aces in Game 1. The Mercury did just that, jumping out to a 10-2 lead, but Las Vegas responded and closed the first quarter on a 19-11 run to tie it up. 

Kahleah Copper leads the Mercury with seven points, while Alyssa Thomas and Satou Sabally have six points apiece. 

Jewell Loyd leads the Aces with eight points in seven minutes off the bench. A’ja Wilson added six points, four rebounds and two assists. 

Mercury jump out to early 10-2 lead

Game 1 of the WNBA Finals is underway at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas. The Mercury jumped out to a 10-2 lead with 6:39 remaining in the first quarter, led by six points by Mercury forward Satou Sabally. The Aces are struggling to find their offensive rhythm so far and opened the contest shooting 1-of-8 from the field and 0-of-2 from the 3-point line. A’ja Wilson has the only two points for the Aces.

Cathy Engelbert speaks about Napheesa Collier’s remarks

WNBA commissioner answered questions about Napheesa Collier’s callout at Minnesota Lynx exit interviews. Collier openly criticized WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert and the ‘tone-deaf and dismissive approach that our leaders always seem to take’ in governing the league.

Las Vegas Aces active roster

Phoenix Mercury starting lineup

Head coach: Nate Tibbetts

0 Satou Sabally | F 6′ 4′ – Oregon
2 Kahleah Copper | G 6′ 1′ – Rutgers
4 Natasha Mack | C 6′ 4′ – Oklahoma State
8 Monique Akoa Makani | G 5′ 11′ – Cameroon
25 Alyssa Thomas | F 6′ 2′ – Maryland

Phoenix Mercury injury report

Las Vegas Aces starting lineup

Head coach: Becky Hammon

0 Jackie Young | G 6′ 0′ – Notre Dame
1 Kierstan Bell | F 6′ 1′ – Florida Gulf Coast
3 NaLyssa Smith | F 6′ 4′ – Baylor
12 Chelsea Gray | G 5′ 11′ – Duke
22 A’ja Wilson | C 6′ 5′ – South Carolina

What time is Mercury vs. Aces Game 1?

Game 1 of the WNBA Finals between the No. 2 seed Las Vegas Aces and No. 4 seed Phoenix Mercury is scheduled to tip off at 8 p.m. ET on Friday, Oct. 3 at Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas.

How to watch Mercury vs. Aces in WNBA Finals: TV, streaming for Game 1

Date: Friday, Oct. 3
Time: 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT)
Location: Michelob Ultra Arena (Las Vegas)
TV: ESPN
Stream: Fubo, ESPN Unlimited

Stream Mercury-Aces series on Fubo (free trial)

USA TODAY at the WNBA Finals

Phoenix Mercury arrivals

Alyssa Thomas leads the way.

Satou Sabally with a cute little bag.

Las Vegas Aces arrivals

A’ja Wilson ready for the moment.

Cheyenne Parker-Tyus dressed to the nines.

Dane Evans with the heels.

LAS VEGAS — WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert has denied commenting on Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark.

‘Obviously, I did not make those comments,’ Engelbert said on Friday ahead of Game 1 of the 2025 WNBA Finals, three days after Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier publicly criticized Engelbert in a scathing statement.

In Collier’s exit interview on Tuesday, she disclosed a private conversation she had with Engelbert, alleging the commissioner said Clark ‘should be grateful to make $16 million off the court, because without the platform that the WNBA gives her, she wouldn’t make anything’ when asked about increasing player’s salaries.

Engelbert said she was ‘disheartened by how Napheesa (Collier) characterized our conversation’ in a statement released on social media on Tuesday, but didn’t directly deny making the comments about Clark. Until Friday.

‘Caitlin has been a transformational player in this league. She’s been a great representative of the game. She’s brought in 10 of millions of new fans to the game,’ Engelbert said when pushed to clarify what exactly she said. ‘I’m not going to get into every point (and) counterpoint. It’s not productive here. … But yeah, as I said, there’s a lot of inaccuracies reported out there and I certainly did not say that.’

However, Engelbert stopped short of denying saying ‘players should be on their knees thanking their lucky stars for the media rights deal that I got them,’ as Collier said in her statement.

‘I think obviously a lot of reporting and a lot of inaccuracy about what I said or what I didn’t say,’ Engelbert said when asked to clarify. ‘I have been in touch with Napheesa (Collier), we’ve exchanged texts. We’re talking next week. … I highly respect the players. There’s a lot of emotion and passion going on right now because we’re in collective bargaining, we’re in the WNBA Finals and so I’ll leave it there.’

The criticism of Engelbert highlights the growing divide between players and league leadership amid ongoing contract negotiations as the current collective bargaining agreement (CBA), which was signed into effect in January 2020, shortly after Engelbert took over as commissioner in 2019, is set to expire on October 31, 2025 after the WNBPA opted out. Engelbert was asked if she believed she was the right person to lead the negotiations.

‘I’ve never been a quitter, never shied away from tough situations,’ Engelbert said. ‘I think leadership, the cream always rises to the top and I’ve always been someone who believes in the fact that we have, if there’s things we need to fix, we’re going to fix ’em. If there’s things the players have a perspective on that they don’t like that we’re doing or I’m doing, we’ll fix’

Many WNBA superstar players and coaches backed Collier’s sentiments. Clark said Collier ‘said it all,’ while the Las Vegas Aces four-time MVP A’ja Wilson said she was ‘honestly disgusted by the comments that Cathy made.’

If both sides don’t reach an agreement before the CBA expires, the league could experience a work stoppage and temporarily shut down until a contract is signed. A lockout could result in the 2026 season being delayed or canceled, a growing possibly and concern for the players.

‘We continue to meet and have important conversations with the players association,’ Engelbert said on Friday. ‘I want to reiterate that we want much of the same things that the players want. We want to significantly and I mean significantly increase their salary and benefits while also supporting the long term growth and viability of the WNBA… We’ll continue to negotiate in good faith until we get a transformative deal done.’

‘I hope we got a league,’ Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell said on Wed, Oct. 1 in her exit interview. ‘I hope that when it’s all said and done … we can have a season, period.’

Engelbert said she’s ‘confident that we can get a deal done, but if not, I think we could do an extension’ and said she remains the right person to lead the league through the next CBA.

The WNBA has never experienced a lockout in its 28-year history, although the 2003 WNBA draft and preseason were postponed before a new CBA was reached in 2003. It’s worth noting that the WNBA expansion drafts for the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire are tentatively set for December and could be affected by a stoppage.

‘Whether it’s a lockout or strike, there’s deadlines and there’s extensions that could be done,’ Engelbert said. ‘You want to make sure you’re capitalizing on all this momentum that we’ve built up over the last five years or so and that are really driving viewership into our game and fandom… this is all the important stuff of why we need to get this transformational CBA done as soon as we can because that’s where you see the potential for the future of this game.’

During the 2025 WNBA All-Star weekend in July, Engelbert said she had ‘confidence we can get something done by October,’ although she wouldn’t ‘put an exact date on it.’ She added, ‘Would we like to get it done? Yes. Does it have to be done exactly on that date? We’ve got some room to continue negotiations if we’re close at that point.’

But the latest controversy shows just how far the players and the league remain on a deal as the clock ticks.

‘I feel confident that we can repair any loss of trust,’ Engelbert added. ‘I hope all the players will engage and know what proposals we put on the table. And I think now’s the time to do that as we get up to the end of the season and then into the end of this calendar year. So yeah, we will dialogue with players. I mean one-on-one relationships, groups of relationships.’

Another point of contention in the league has been officiating and the growing physicality of the game, topics that were renewed during the postseason. Coaches and players from various teams have publicly pleaded for reform, including Aces head coach Becky Hammon, Indiana Fever head coach Stephane White and Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve, who were all were swiftly met with fines.

“The officiating crew that we had tonight, for the leadership to deem those three people semifinals playoff worth is f—ing malpractice,” Reeve said in an expletive-filled rant after being ejected for arguing a non-call in the Lynx’s Game 3 semifinal loss to the Phoenix Mercury, resulting in a $15k fine and a one-game suspension for Game 4. Reeve called for a “change of leadership at the league level when it comes to officiating.’

Engelbert said she’s had ‘a lot of conversations’ with the league’s officials on consistency.

‘Everybody has their opinion on officiating in every sport … but yeah, certainly something we’re talking about,’ she added. ‘The officials are evaluated. Every … non-call and call is evaluated for every game during the season. This isn’t something we blow off. They’re evaluating every call and no-call. So think about that. That’s every play in every game. Film is reviewed, there’s training, there’s officiating, there’s points of emphasis obviously. So we continue to have those discussions with officiating crews even here.’

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

Skip Schumaker has officially been tasked with leading the Texas Rangers.

Schumaker was the 2023 National League manager of the year with the Miami Marlins, leading the team to an 84-78 record and rare playoff appearance. He and the Marlins parted ways, however, after they went 62-100 in 2024.

The 45-year-old has spent the last year as a special assistant with the Rangers under future Hall of Famer Bruce Bochy.

Bochy and the Rangers agreed he would not continue on as manager after three seasons that included the club’s first World Series title in 2023.

Schumaker inherits a team that went 81-81 in 2025.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

The No. 23 BYU Cougars improved to 5-0 to start the season after beating the West Virginia Mountaineers 38-24 at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo, Utah, on Friday night.

It’s the ninth 5-0 start in BYU’s history and the fourth with coach Kalani Sitake at the helm.

Quarterback Bear Bachmeier completed 18 of 25 passes for a career-high 351 yards in the Cougars’ win. He threw for a touchdown and had an interception. Bachmeier also rushed for 43 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries.

Running back LJ Martin finished with 90 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries. Receiver Parker Kingston added to the offense with 112 all-purpose yards and two total touchdowns.

It was BYU’s first victory over West Virginia, which won the first two games in the all-time series back in 2016 and 2023.

USA TODAY Sports provided updates, scores and highlights from the game. Check it out:

BYU vs West Virginia: Score, schedule and result

BYU vs. West Virginia highlights

Final: BYU 38, West Virginia 24

West Virginia quarterback Scotty Fox Jr. completed a pass to Cam Vaughn for a 29-yard touchdown with 1:14 left in the fourth quarter. Kade Hensley made the PAT. The touchdown was not enough as BYU improved to 5-0 on the season.

BYU defense stops West Virginia

The BYU defense came up big with a stop on fourth-and-goal for West Virginia. Diore Hubbard was handed the ball out of the backfield but was unable to gain the one yard needed to score. The Mountaineers have nothing to show for a 12-play, 74-yard drive.

LJ Martin scores again

Running back LJ Martin scores his second touchdown of the night with a 1-yard score with 8:50 left in the fourth quarter.

3Q: BYU 31, West Virginia 17

Following a fumble recovery by the West Virginia defense, quarterback Khalil Wilkins ran for 6 yards to score with 37 seconds left in the third quarter. The run capped off a five-play, 22-yard drive.

BYU, West Virginia exchange turnovers

BYU safety Tanner Wall caught an interception off a pass thrown by quarterback Khalil Wilkins, after the ball bounced out of the hands of a West Virginia receiver.

Khalil Wilkins helps West Virginia close the gap

West Virginia quarterback Khalil Wilkins had a 6-yard run for a touchdown with 37 seconds left in the third quarter. Kicker Kade Hensley made the PAT. It was a five-play, 22-yard drive.

BYU adds to its lead

BYU kicker Will Ferrin made a 37-yard field goal to increase the lead to 31-10 with 6:53 left in the third quarter. Ferrin missed his first field goal attempt in the first half.

Halftime: BYU 28, West Virginia 10

Quarterback Bear Bachmeier scored on a 2-yard touchdown run in the final moments before halftime. The touchdown capped off a nine-play, 73-yard drive.

Bachmeier completed 10 of 14 passes for 249 yards with a touchdown and an interception in the first half. He also rushed for 17 yards and a touchdown on eight carries.

Receiver Chase Roberts had 140 yards on three catches for the Cougars. Receiver Parker Kingston scored a rushing and receiving touchdown in the first half.

West Virginia quarterback Khalil Wilkins completed just four of 10 passes for 20 yards and had an interception. He has 60 rushing yards on 13 carries in the first half. Running back Diore Hubbard had 20 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries.

West Virginia answers back

The Mountaineers continue to show some fight, converting a turnover into some late points in the first half. Fred Perry swatted BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier’s shovel pass attempt, resulting in a 12-yard loss and a fumble. Perry did manage to recover the ball and provided the West Virginia offense with good field position.

Diore Hubbard scored on a 3-yard run on the very next play for West Virginia with 1:58 left in the second half. It’s 21-10.

BYU is pulling away in first half

LJ Martin capped off a two-play, 89-yard drive for the Cougars. Martin scored a 4-yard touchdown to increase BYU’s lead to 21-3 with 5:17 left in the second quarter. Kicker Will Ferrin made the PAT.

Quarterback Bear Bachmeier started the drive, connecting with Chase Roberts for an 85-yard gain.

Kade Hensley scores for West Virginia

Kade Hensley put the Mountaineers on the scoreboard with a 45-yard field goal with 14:15 left in the second quarter.

1Q: BYU 14, West Virginia 0

Parker Kingston scored his second touchdown of the first quarter after being on the receiving end of a short pass by quarterback Bear Bachmeier with 3:41 left in the opening period. The short pass resulted in a 54-yard gain and the touchdown. Kicker Will Ferrin made the PAT.

BYU takes advantage of mistakes, scores first

BYU wide receiver Parker Kingston scored on a 1-yard touchdown run to give BYU the early lead over West Virginia with 9:09 left in the first quarter. Kicker Will Ferrin made the PAT.

West Virginia quarterback Khalil Wilkins threw an interception to defensive back Therrian Alexander III. Alexander returned the ball 47 yards to put his team in good field position. He nearly scored a touchdown before he was tackled by Wilkins, who was called for a penalty because of a horse collar tackle in the process.

BYU misses chance at early lead

BYU kicker Will Ferrin missed a 48-yard field goal attempt. Quarterback Bear Bachmeier helped lead the Cougars within field goal range on a seven-play, 57-yard drive.

What time does BYU vs. West Virginia start?  

Date: Friday, Oct. 3
Time: 10:30 p.m. ET
Where: LaVell Edwards Stadium, Provo, Utah

What TV channel is BYU vs. West Virginia on today?  

TV: ESPN
Streaming: FUBO (offers free trial)
How to watch online: Watch ESPN (here’s how to stream it live)

BYU vs. West Virginia game odds

All college football odds via BetMGM

Spread: BYU -18.5 (-115), West Virginia +18.5 (-105)
Money Line: BYU -1200, West Virginia +725
Over-Under: Over 47.5 (-110), Under 47.5 (-110)

BYU vs. West Virginia predictions

Riley Donald,College Sports Wire: BYU is a focused team taking on a West Virginia team traveling across multiple time zones without an answer on offense. Cougars, big.
Jeremy Cluff, Arizona Republic: The Cougars won their first close game of the season in Week 5 against Colorado. Can they move to 2-0 in the conference? We think so. Freshman QB Bear Bachmeier has moxie.

West Virginia schedule 2025

Here is West Virginia’s schedule and results.

Game 1: Win vs. Robert Morris Colonials, 45-3
Game 2: Loss vs. Ohio, 17-10
Game 3: Win vs. Pittsburgh, 31-24
Game 4: Loss to Kansas, 41-10
Game 5: Loss to Utah, 48-14
Game 6: at BYU (tonight)
Game 7: at UCF (Oct. 18)
Game 8:  vs. TCU (Oct. 25)
Game 9: at Houston (Nov. 1)
Game 10: vs. Colorado (Nov. 8)
Game 11: at Arizona State (Nov. 15)
Game 12: vs. Texas Tech (Nov. 29)

BYU schedule 2025

Here is BYU’s schedule and results.

Game 1: Win vs. Portland State, 69-0
Game 2: Win vs. Stanford, 27-3
Game 3: Win at East Carolina, 34-13
Game 4: Win at Colorado, 24-21
Game 5: vs. West Virginia (tonight)
Game 6: at Arizona (Oct. 11)
Game 7: vs. Utah (Oct. 18)
Game 8: at Iowa State (Oct. 25)
Game 9: at Texas Tech (Nov. 8)
Game 10: vs. TCU (Nov. 15)
Game 11: at Cincinnati (Nov. 22)
Game 12: vs. UCF (Nov. 29)

An embarrassing controversy involving the WNBA and its biggest names exploded into public view just this week, but its roots go back almost a year and a half, to April 15, 2024, the day Caitlin Clark was drafted. 

From that moment, the WNBA has found itself curiously out of step with the nation’s fondness for Clark. She’s theirs, but sometimes you wonder if they really want her. The league and the women’s basketball ecosystem that surrounds it has twisted itself into knots trying to minimize Clark’s immense and historic impact rather than embrace it. Both the WNBA and the NBA, its big brother and longtime business partner, appeared to be stunningly unprepared for the arrival of the most significant female team sport athlete, and the most popular women’s basketball player, of all time.

When Clark arrived from Iowa and the Big Ten, she brought a following of millions to a league desperately seeking attention after being virtually ignored for decades by the male-dominated mainstream sports media. Instead of welcoming this development, the league — players, coaches, owners, commissioner — at times seemed to recoil from her, sometimes even making snide remarks. 

Washington Mystics owner Sheila Johnson spoke on CNN about players’ “hard feelings” when Time magazine was “singling out” Clark for its Athlete of the Year award last December, going so far as to say she wanted “the whole WNBA on that cover” — even as Johnson made hundreds of thousands of dollars off Clark by moving two 2024 Mystics home games with Indiana to the 20,000-seat Capital One Arena that was filled to capacity to see Clark.

Commissioner Cathy Engelbert couldn’t manage to say Clark’s name in a 27-minute season-ending 2024 press conference in which she trumpeted records and milestones that occurred only because of Clark.

Even ESPN was acting strangely. The WNBA’s media business partner sent out a post on X in July proclaiming “historic viewership’ for the ’25 #WNBAAllStarWeekend.” Only problem was it wasn’t historic. It was a massive decline. ESPN left out 2024, Clark’s rookie year, referring to it only in the fine print. In 2025, with Clark injured, 2.2 million watched the All-Star Game. In 2024, with Clark starting, 3.44 million watched. 

As Clark packed Big Ten arenas while barnstorming the country her senior year, then drew four million more viewers for the women’s NCAA championship game than the men’s final the following night, one might have thought the WNBA and NBA would have been preparing security and travel plans for this immensely popular player. She had become not only one of the most famous athletes in the country, she was one of the most famous people in the country. 

Instead, the WNBA demanded she fly commercial, something that would have been unthinkable for a male athlete of her caliber until a journalist (me) called and asked about it. Four days later, Clark and the WNBA had charter flights. What kind of leadership was that? 

Race, of course, plays a massive role in the league’s acceptance of Clark, with 74% of WNBA players identifying as Black or mixed race. Many of us who have covered the women’s game for decades would have loved Black women like Lisa Leslie or Maya Moore to have had the fan support and national television impact of Clark, who is white, but that unfortunately did not happen. 

Yet now, the spotlight shining on Clark also shines on Black players who deserved attention for years but never received it — until now. Clark’s teammate Kelsey Mitchell, who is Black, has spoken about the opportunities she is receiving because she is a teammate of Clark’s. And four-time league MVP A’ja Wilson’s fame has skyrocketed since Clark arrived. Wilson received 95,860 votes for the All-Star Game in 2023, when Clark was still in college. But with Clark’s name on the ballot, she jumped to 607,300 in 2024 and 986,662 in 2025.

If race is the reason some want to minimize Clark, that’s terribly unfortunate, Briana Scurry, the first Black superstar on the U.S. women’s soccer team, said in my book On Her Game: Caitlin Clark and the Revolution in Women’s Sports.

“Caitlin Clark’s presence, while polarizing for some people, is really a watershed moment for the league, and I just hope that all these amazing Black players are taking full advantage of the fact that the spotlight is on what they’re doing now,’ Scurry said. ‘I understand there’s a lot of frustration and there’s some anger because the league has been around for 27 years before she came. But my goodness, it’s having this moment right now. And please, please, please, as players in the league, do not let this opportunity pass you by to get yours.”

So here we are: chaos out in the open, two seasons in the making. Watching the powers that be in women’s basketball have such trouble adjusting to Clark’s star power, it isn’t surprising that Engelbert uttered the now well-known comment that Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier said she said this week:

“Caitlin should be grateful she makes $16 million off the court because without the platform that the WNBA gives her, she wouldn’t make anything.”

Clark came into the WNBA having made more than $3 million in college NIL deals and having signed an eight-year, $28 million deal with Nike, so even before playing her first game as a pro, she was making almost double what Engelbert said she was making. 

If the women’s pro basketball ecosystem doesn’t love Clark, the U.S. marketplace certainly does. And that makes things very interesting as the players’ union and the league try to negotiate a new CBA with a looming Oct. 31 deadline.

“This is straight up the most important moment in this league’s history,” Clark said Thursday. “This league’s been around for 25-plus years and this is a moment we have to capitalize on.”

To fight for more money, the players undoubtedly will bolster their case by relying on recent historic TV viewership and attendance in the league. Caitlin Clark is the reason those ground-breaking statistics exist. Perhaps they will even say her name. 

The No. 23 BYU Cougars will look to continue their winning ways after a 4-0 start to the season on Friday against the visiting West Virginia Mountaineers.

Quarterback Bear Bachmeier leads the Cougars with 697 passing yards and six touchdowns this season. Running back LJ Martin leads the Cougars’ rushing attack with 400 yards and a touchdown on 55 carries.

West Virginia enters the game with a 2-3 record. Quarterback Nicco Marchiol leads the offense with 720 yards and two touchdowns this season. Receiver Cam Vaughn is the leading receiver with 277 yards and two touchdowns on 17 receptions.

The two teams have only played each other two other times, with West Virginia getting the best of BYU in 2016 and 2023.

USA TODAY will bring you live updates, scores and highlights from the game. Check it out.

Watch BYU vs. West Virginia with Fubo (free trial)

BYU vs West Virginia: Score, schedule and result

BYU misses chance at early lead

BYU kicker Will Ferrin missed a 48-yard field goal attempt. Quarterback Bear Bachmeier helped lead the Cougars within field goal range on a 7-play, 57-yard drive.

What time does BYU vs. West Virginia start?  

Date: Friday, Oct. 3
Time: 10:30 p.m. ET
Where: LaVell Edwards Stadium, Provo, Utah

What TV channel is BYU vs. West Virginia on today?  

TV: ESPN
Streaming: FUBO (offers free trial)
How to watch online: Watch ESPN (here’s how to stream it live)

BYU vs. West Virginia game odds

All college football odds via BetMGM

Spread: BYU -18.5 (-115), West Virginia +18.5 (-105)
Money Line: BYU -1200, West Virginia +725
Over-Under: Over 47.5 (-110), Under 47.5 (-110)

BYU vs. West Virginia predictions

Riley Donald,College Sports Wire: BYU is a focused team taking on a West Virginia team traveling across multiple time zones without an answer on offense. Cougars, big.
Jeremy Cluff, Arizona Republic: The Cougars won their first close game of the season in Week 5 against Colorado. Can they move to 2-0 in the conference? We think so. Freshman QB Bear Bachmeier has moxie.

West Virginia schedule 2025

Here is West Virginia’s schedule and results.

Game 1: Win vs. Robert Morris Colonials, 45-3
Game 2: Loss vs. Ohio, 17-10
Game 3: Win vs. Pittsburgh, 31-24
Game 4: Loss to Kansas, 41-10
Game 5: Loss to Utah, 48-14
Game 6: at BYU (tonight)
Game 7: at UCF (Oct. 18)
Game 8:  vs. TCU (Oct. 25)
Game 9: at Houston (Nov. 1)
Game 10: vs. Colorado (Nov. 8)
Game 11: at Arizona State (Nov. 15)
Game 12: vs. Texas Tech (Nov. 29)

BYU schedule 2025

Here is BYU’s schedule and results.

Game 1: Win vs. Portland State, 69-0
Game 2: Win vs. Stanford, 27-3
Game 3: Win at East Carolina, 34-13
Game 4: Win at Colorado, 24-21
Game 5: vs. West Virginia (tonight)
Game 6: at Arizona (Oct. 11)
Game 7: vs. Utah (Oct. 18)
Game 8: at Iowa State (Oct. 25)
Game 9: at Texas Tech (Nov. 8)
Game 10: vs. TCU (Nov. 15)
Game 11: at Cincinnati (Nov. 22)
Game 12: vs. UCF (Nov. 29)

Ravens QB Lamar Jackson is out this week.
Jackson suffered a hamstring injury in Week 4 against the Chiefs.
Cooper Rush will get the start against the Texans.

The Baltimore Ravens are hoping to snap their two-game losing streak at home in Week 5 against the Houston Texans.

They’ll have to do so without their two-time MVP quarterback.

The Ravens confirmed Lamar Jackson will not play in Week 5 against Houston due to a hamstring injury suffered against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 4. Jackson did not practice at all this week and is one of multiple starters who will be out of action on Sunday.

Jackson exited Week 4 against the Chiefs at the 8:10 mark of the third quarter. Veteran backup Cooper Rush entered the game for him and finished the final 23 minutes of game time out under center for Baltimore. He completed 9 of 13 passes for 52 yards against Kansas City.

Thanks to its dominant performance in Week 4, Houston ranks No. 1 in the NFL in fewest points allowed and sixth in passing defense. Rush and the Ravens passing game could have a tough task ahead of them with Jackson out.

Ravens QB depth chart

Lamar Jackson (injured)
Cooper Rush
Tyler Huntley (practice squad)

Huntley came from the Browns’ practice squad after the preseason in Cleveland. He originally signed with Baltimore in 2020 as an undrafted free agent.