USC women’s basketball star JuJu Watkins announced Sunday night she will sit the 2025-26 season as she continues to rehab from a serious knee injury.

While a major bummer for women’s basketball fans, there’s still plenty to be excited about for the upcoming season. Watkins was the next in line of household names, following the likes of Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clark. But the cupboard is far from bare.

Here are 10 players who should have your attention (and yes, there are plenty more than 10 worthy):

Lauren Betts, UCLA

The reigning Naismith Defensive Player of the Year, Betts was a first-team All-American last season and won the Lisa Leslie Award, given to nation’s best college center. She averaged 20.2 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.9 blocks a game for the Bruins, who went 34-3 and reached the Final Four. The 6-foot-7 Betts set a school single-season record with 100 blocks last year.

Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt

Last year’s National Freshman of the Year, Blakes earned second-team All-American honors after finishing second in the SEC in scoring (23.3 points per game). She also averaged 3.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.4 steals per game. She scored 50-plus points twice last season, including 55 vs. Auburn on Feb. 16, which broke Elena Della Donne’s NCAA single-game freshman record (54).

Madison Booker, Texas

A first-team All-American and the SEC Player of the Year as a sophomore last season, Booker averaged 16.3 points and 6.6 rebounds and hit 40.3% from the 3-point line. She won the Cheryl Miller Small Forward of the Year Award and helped the Longhorns reach the Final Four. Paired with Rori Harmon, Booker and the Longhorns should be a national title contender again.

Audi Crooks, Iowa State

Crooks announced herself on the national stage as a freshman, scoring 40 points in the 2024 NCAA Tournament vs. Maryland, making 18-of-20 shots. Yes, you read that correctly. As a sophomore last season, the 6-foot-3 Crooks was named third-team All-American after leading the Big 12 in scoring (23.4 points) and setting a Cyclones school record for points in a season (820).

Azzi Fudd, UConn

Fudd, who has overcome two major knee injuries of her own, was named the Final Four Most Outstanding Player after helping lead the Huskies to the 2025 national championship. She averaged 13.6 points per game last season, but with Paige Bueckers fresh off a WNBA Rookie of the Year season, Fudd figures to be one of UConn’s go-to options this year.

Hannah Hidalgo, Notre Dame

The ACC Player of the Year and ACC Defensive Player of the Year, Hidalgo was also a first-team All-American. Her 23.8 points per game average last season was a program record, breaking her own record she set as a freshman. And owning records like that at a school like Notre Dame is no small feat considering the history of the Irish program. She also averaged 5.0 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 3.7 steals per game.

Flau’Jae Johnson, LSU

A first-team All-SEC pick and third-team All-American, Johnson averaged 18.6 points and 5.6 rebounds a game for Kim Mulkey’s Tigers. Johnson has helped lead LSU to at least the Elite Eight in each of her three seasons in Baton Rouge, including the 2023 national championship. She’s also a rapper, who has appeared on ‘America’s Got Talent,’ so the spotlight won’t bother her.

Ta’Niya Latson, South Carolina

The rich get richer. Dawn Staley reached into the transfer portal and pulled out the nation’s leading scorer. Latson averaged 25.2 points per game last season for Florida State and became just the third payer in ACC history to hit 2,000 career points in their first three seasons. The 5-foot-8 guard scored at least 20 points 25 times last season and also contributed 4.4 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game.

Olivia Miles, TCU

Another transfer on this list, Miles arrives in Fort Worth after a standout career at Notre Dame. A second-team All-American and first-team All-ACC pick, Miles averaged 15.4 points, 5.8 assists and 5.6 rebounds per game last season. Miles could have entered the WNBA draft, but decided on a final college season at TCU, which knocked off Notre Dame in last year’s NCAA tournament.

Sarah Strong, UConn

You’ve got to be good to start 40 games at UConn as a freshman, and Strong became only the second Huskies freshman to score 600 points in a season. Maya Moore is the other. Not bad company. A second-team All-American, Strong led the national champion Huskies in rebounds, blocks and steals and was second in scoring and assists last season.

Get the latest women’s college basketball news with USA TODAY’s Studio IX, a site dedicated to women’s sports coverage.

PHOENIX — One half of the WNBA Finals is locked in.

The Minnesota Lynx could not overcome the loss of their biggest star, Napheesa Collier, and coach Cheryl Reeve and saw their season end at the hands on the Phoenix Mercury, 86-81, on Sunday at PHX Arena.

The Mercury, who trailed by as many as 14 points, return the WNBA Finals for the first time since 2021.

‘It took everybody, everybody on this team,’ said guard Alyssa Thomas, who led the Mercury with 23 points and 10 assists. ‘We’re hungry, we are super ready for this moment and I am just super proud of the way we fought today.’

Phoenix awaits the winner of the other series. The Indiana Fever forced a Game 5 by defeating the Las Vegas Aces, 90-83, Sunday afternoon at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The best-of-five semifinal series heads back to Las Vegas on Tuesday (9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2). 

Fever center Aliyah Boston scored 17 of her playoff career-high 24 points in the second half, in addition to 14 rebounds, five assists, two steals and two blocks.

“When we’re the aggressive and move the ball, good things happen for us,’ Fever coach Stephanie White said. ‘We attacked. We played with a sense of urgency, we made the right reads and the right plays.’

Here are winners and losers from Sunday’s WNBA semifinal games:

Winners

Phoenix Mercury

The Mercury entered this season with question marks following the end of the Diana Taurasi and Brittney Griner era in Phoenix. Despite returning two players from last season’s roster, the Mercury advanced to the WNBA Finals for the first time since 2021. They did so with another double-digit comeback win over the Minnesota Lynx.

‘Proud of how we responded today,’ Mercury guard Alyssa Thomas said. ‘We could have easily given up, we could have been heading to Minnesota right now. But, we stuck together.’

The Mercury outscored the Lynx 31-13 in the fourth quarter to win the best-of-five series, 3-1. Phoenix will now get to rest ahead of the WNBA Finals, as the Las Vegas Aces and Indiana Fever will play a winner-take-all Game 5 on Tuesday.

“We need some days off,” Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts said.

Mercury F DeWanna Bonner’s clutch shooting

DeWanna Bonner started the season with the Indiana Fever in search of a title. Now has a chance to earn another one with the Mercury. The forward played the first decade of her career with Phoenix, winning titles in 2009 and 2014.

After starting slow in the WNBA semifinal series against the Lynx, Bonner turned in a vintage performance that fueled the Mercury’s comeback. She had 13 points off the bench, including three 3-pointers in the fourth quarter. Heading into Sunday, Bonner had averaged 2.6 points in the first three semifinal games against the Lynx.

‘I haven’t been shooting well throughout the playoffs, but teammates kept telling me to keep shooting, forget it, forget the other games,’ Bonner said.

‘Just happy those balls went in at that moment, because I cannot go back to Minnesota.’

Fever F Aliyah Boston’s dominance in the paint

Aliyah Boston, who set a career-playoff high with 24 points, added 14 rebounds, five assists, two steals and two blocks. Boston is the second player in Fever playoff history to turn in that stat line and score 20-plus points, 10-plus rebounds and five or more steals in a game, joining Tamika Catchings. The Hall of Famer did it twice.

“It’s just being confident,” Boston said. “The fans were great, everyone showed out, and we were confident shooting the ball.”

Fever G Kelsey Mitchell back to efficient self

Mitchell bounced back from two subpar games based on her standards. Following a 34-point performance in the Fever’s Game 1 win, Mitchell was held to 13 points in Game 2, shooting 28.6% from the field. She recorded 21 points in the Fever’s Game 3 loss, but shot 30.8% from the field. She turned in a much more efficient effort in Game 4 on Sunday, with a team-high 25 points (9-of-20 FG, 2-of-5 3PT).

Lynx G Kayla McBride gave it all

Kayla McBride was emotional in the postgame press conference after leaving it all on the floor. McBride finished with a game-high 31 points in the Lynx’s Game 4 loss, shooting 10-of-23 from the field including 6-of-11 from the 3-point line.

‘In sports, it doesn’t get any better than what we have now,’ McBride said through tears. ‘That’s why I am emotional. Because we laid out for each other, it’s never about anything else but each other.

‘To be close two years in a row and hit adverse situations. … It’s hard, especially when you leave everything out there.’

Losers

Minnesota Lynx season over

The Lynx’s season has ended in devastating fashion, again. One year after losing to the New York Liberty in the WNBA Finals in a controversial Game 5 that Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said was “stolen from us,” the Lynx have fallen short again after facing more adversity and controversy.

The Lynx played Sunday without MVP runner-up Napheesa Collier, who injured her left ankle in the closing seconds of Game 3, and head coach Cheryl Reeve, who was suspended by the league. The Lynx dropped to a seven-player rotation for Game 4 and couldn’t stave off elimination, despite carrying a 13-point lead into the fourth quarter.

It was the second double-digit lead the Lynx have given up in the second half in the best-of-five semifinal series after losing a 20-point lead in a Game 2 win in Minnesota.

Las Vegas Aces pushed to brink

The Aces failed to close out a playoff series yet again. Las Vegas now finds itself facing the second winner-take-all game this postseason after squandering a 31-point game from MVP A’ja Wilson. Wilson, Jackie Young (18 points) and Chelsea Young (12) combined for 61 of the Aces’ 81 points. NaLyssa Smith was limited to eight points in 22 minutes due to foul trouble and she’s not the only one. Smith, Gray and Young each finished with five fouls, which Wilson called “very interesting.”

Officiating

Officiating is a topic yet again following the Fever’s Game 4 win. Aces head coach Becky Hammon called out the free throw disparity, saying “a lot of grabbing and holding down (in the paint) that got called one way.” The Aces had 11 free throw attempts, in comparison to the Fever’s 34. Fever center Aliyah Boston had 13 free throws, more than the entire Aces team. The Aces were called for 24 fouls and the Fever 17 fouls.

Game 4 was officiated by Isaac Barnett, Randy Richardson and Jenna Reneau, the same crew that worked the Phoenix Mercury’s 84-76 Game 3 win over the Minnesota Lynx. Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve ripped the ‘awful’ officiating crew postgame on Friday. The comments and Reeve’s behavior after being ejected for arguing non-calls earned her a Game 4 suspension.

“They shot a lot of free throws. We didn’t,” Hammon added. “I appreciate it was a little tighter call, but tighter on both ends would’ve been nice.”

The Baltimore Ravens’ 1-3 start is compounded by significant injuries, including one to quarterback Lamar Jackson.
Baltimore’s defense has been decimated by injuries, with more than half of its starters sidelined.
Despite the poor start, the Ravens have a forgiving upcoming schedule that could allow for a turnaround.

Bad as their 1-3 record is, the Baltimore Ravens have even bigger problems.

Like Lamar Jackson picking up a hamstring injury. A defense with more injuries than some E.R.s. A run game that has become, surprisingly, both anemic and turnover prone.

“First, I just want to apologize to the fans. The product that we’re putting on the field right now is not up to par with what the Ravens have been in the past,” Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton said after a 37-20 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday that was actually worse than the score indicates.

“We’re trying our best to correct it, but obviously something is wrong.”

You think?

The Ravens began this season having not only Super Bowl aspirations but expectations. It was not even a question that they, along with the Buffalo Bills and the Chiefs, were the best teams in the AFC, the conference title likely to go to one of them.

That’s why there wasn’t much consternation after the loss to Buffalo in the season opener. Yes, gagging up a 15-point lead in the fourth quarter wasn’t great and the fumble by Derrick Henry was troubling.

But it was the Bills and the game was in Buffalo. That’s a loss you can live with.

Even that loss to the Detroit Lions last week wasn’t horrendous. Since their loss to the Green Bay Packers in Week 1, the Lions have been dominant, looking very much like the team that’s been near the top of the NFC the last two years.

And, in most other seasons, even the loss Sunday to Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs wouldn’t seem so catastrophic.

Mahomes and the Chiefs are, well, Mahomes and the Chiefs, and Jackson has fared worse against them than any other team. He’s now 1-6 against Kansas City, his most losses to any one team.

The Ravens also have had a history recently of starting slow and finishing strong — they started last season 0-2 and still won the AFC North — and no reason this couldn’t be more of the same.

Except there are obvious signs of concerns, beginning with the injuries.

Jackson, a two-time NFL MVP, did not play the last 16 minutes of the game because of a hamstring injury. While coach John Harbaugh said he didn’t think it’s season-ending, hamstrings are tricky. Especially for a quarterback like Jackson, whose mobility is one of his (many) strengths.

“Losing Lamar is losing Lamar,” Hamilton said.  

The Ravens also lost Marlon Humphrey, Roquan Smith and Nate Wiggins during the game. That’s on top of already being down Nnamdi Madubuike, Broderick Washington, Travis Jones and Kyle Van Noy.

That’s more than half of Baltimore’s starting defense.

“Baltimore is decimated by injuries. But they weren’t playing great before,” CBS analyst Tony Romo said during the game.

And that’s the largest concern.  

The Ravens had two turnovers Sunday, doubling their total for the season. After not turning the ball over at all in the first three games, Jackson had both an interception and a fumble. A week after being sacked a whopping seven times by the Lions, Jackson was sacked three more times by the Chiefs.

Outside of Justice Hill’s 71-yard touchdown run when the game was effectively over, the Ravens had just 95 yards rushing. And 20 of that came on Baltimore’s first drive of the game! When you have Henry, you’ve got to do better than that.

The Ravens also were whistled for six penalties, three of which occurred on the same drive in the second quarter. Four, if you count the holding call on the kick return.

About the only positive the Ravens have right now is that they have a very forgiving schedule, so a turnaround is not out of the question.

Of their remaining 13 games, the Green Bay Packers are their toughest opponent. Baltimore has games left against the winless Miami Dolphins and New York Jets, as well as the one-win Houston Texans and Cleveland Browns.

The Ravens also have two games left against the Pittsburgh Steelers, who currently lead the AFC North.

“I’m concerned, but I’m not overwhelmed by it,’ Harbaugh said, referring to the 1-3 record. ‘The three losses are against probably three of the top teams in the league.

‘That’s just the hand we’ve been dealt, but it doesn’t really matter. We have to win the next game,’ Harbaugh added ‘And then once you win the next game, then you have a chance to start stacking some wins. And that’s what we’ve got to do, big picture-wise.’

The record is a problem, for sure. But Baltimore’s issues go well beyond that, and they better get on top of them. Fast.

Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.

Despite a strong Sunday performance, the U.S. team lost the 45th Ryder Cup to Europe, 15-13.
The American team mounted a significant comeback in the Sunday singles matches, earning 8.5 points.
Europe’s victory marked the first time a team has won the Ryder Cup on foreign soil since 2012.

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. – The roars started just after 4:10 p.m. local time from the grandstand that straddled the first tee and 18th green at Bethpage Black. 

The first match of the day – all singles – had gone the Americans’ way, as Cameron Young held off Justin Rose, who was unconscious with a putter in his hands all weekend. That was one point.

Matt Fitzpatrick missed his par putt on No. 17 to enter the final hole tied with Bryson DeChambeau, who lost five of the first seven holes but climbed back with ferocity. They went on to halve their match for .5 apiece.

Xander Schauffele put the finishing touches on his beatdown of Jon Rahm, 4&3.

Then it was Justin Thomas’ turn, who overcame a two-hole deficit on the back nine and sunk a birdie putt to put down Tommy Fleetwood, previously undefeated at this Ryder Cup. Scottie Scheffler held off Rory McIlroy after McIlroy bogeyed No. 14. By 4:45 p.m., it was 13.5-9.5 (14.5 points needed to win). 

For the first time in three days, there was a lot of red on the board. Something was brewing. 

But it wasn’t enough for the home team. Europe won the 45th Ryder Cup, 15-13, and became the first team to win on foreign soil since 2012.

With 8.5 points Sunday, the Americans tied the record for most points in a Ryder Cup singles matches session. Patrick Cantlay lost the lone match for the U.S. side to Ludvig Åberg. 

“You think about the odds of something like that happening, just on a coin flip would be incredible,” U.S. captain Keegan Bradley said. “But when you go out in sports and you’re battling your butt off to win, it just shows you just how proud these guys are and how much they want this and how much this means to them, and to watch them go out all week and hold their heads high and then go out there (Sunday) and do what they did is close to a miracle.” 

The dream ended for the U.S. when Shane Lowry birdied No. 18 to tie Russell Henley, who hit a fantastic shot out of a fairway bunker to give himself a birdie look that he couldn’t convert. Instead of remaining one-up, the pair tied and the half-point guaranteed Europe would at worst “retain” the Ryder Cup. Ben Griffin took down Rasmus Højgaard to keep hopes of an unofficial tie alive, but Tyrrell Hatton and Collin Morikawa, as well as Sam Burns and Robert MacIntyre, also halved their matches to account for the final score. 

Regardless, the atmosphere in the afternoon of the Sunday session was unlike any other point on Long Island this week. Griffin said there were far less ‘Olé, Olé, Olé’ chants compared to any other day. 

Thomas was about to putt on No. 17 when the first roars from Young’s victory made him think winning wasn’t totally far-fetched. 

“I heard a roar and I backed off,” Thomas said. “And then to see that he had won his match and then it was like, OK, you know, it just is one of those things like yeah, we all – we all, deep down, I’m sure we felt like we could.” 

When Bradley addressed his team, facing an 11.5-4.5 deficit, on Saturday night he saw belief in their eyes. There was purpose in their body language when they showed up Sunday. 

“They were ready to go out and win and play their hardest,” Bradley said, “and they did that.”

DeChambeau channeled Dory from “Finding Nemo” – “my thought process was to just keep swimming,” he said – but lamented not earning a full point.

“Just keep moving and keep fighting back,” he said. “I fought my (expletive) off today for this team, for this country, and we all fought hard today. You can see, it reflects in the leaderboard and what we did today. We’re not quitters. We’re not people that go down easy. So, so proud to be a part of this team.” 

As he – and the other 11 Americans – should. Most Ryder Cups end in blowouts. This was the first one since 2012 that ended within a five-point margin. The boys in red, white and blue could have rolled over. 

They didn’t. They didn’t win, either. But they showed heart, and by doing so, created a magical hour at Bethpage that reminded golf fans – sports fans, rather – why it ain’t over ‘til it’s over. 

It’s that time of year when everything matters, and nothing matters.

Coming in hot? Just know that can change if a pair of superstar sluggers suddenly can’t adapt to the way they’re pitched in a short series. Staggering punch-drunk into the field? Hey, all it takes is one hanging breaking ball and a three-run jack to correct all that was wrong in September.

Five days off with a bye into the Division Series? Staying sharp by surviving the crucible of a three-game wild-card series? Don’t listen to the fools who claim either scenario is preferable.

Yet one thing is true: The best teams are the ones that have earned the bye, and who have to win two fewer games than the other eight teams in the derby.

With that, USA TODAY Sports aims to break down the top eight World Series contenders as the postseason gets underway Sept. 30 with four wild card series:

1. Philadelphia Phillies

It’s been quiet, maybe too quiet around these guys for several weeks, save for some minor quibbles from Nick Castellanos. And it’s going to be a lot harder to do this without Zack Wheeler, who had a blood clot removed from his shoulder, preceding thoracic outlet surgery.

Yet they still represent the platonic ideal of a strong playoff team: Actual starting pitching, a lockdown closer with several relievers capable of “getting hot” in a postseason run and, of course, a lineup revolving around 56-homer man Kyle Schwarber. The dangerous Trea Turner is back. The Dodgers are an unfortunate potential NLDS draw, but hey, might be easier to dethrone them in a best-of-five than a best-of-seven. This feels like the Phillies’ time.

2. New York Yankees

Crazy to drop a wild-card team in the two slot, eh? Darn right it is. Yet the Yankees are freaking potent, no way about it. They ended the season on an eight-game winning streak and it only gets more impressive as the sample extends to 11-1, 14-3 and 25-8 over their last 33. Probably not a bad thing they’ll just keep playing into the wild card. It will be tough to burn lefty bulwarks Max Fried and Carlos Rodón against Boston, but should they advance, Fried would be on turn for a Game 2 at Toronto. Ben Rice’s emergence – he had a .943 OPS and 10 homers over his final 10 games – only makes it harder to gameplan around Aaron Judge and a locked-in Giancarlo Stanton.

3. Los Angeles Dodgers

We’ll go ahead and say it: The Phillies-Dodgers NLDS might be a de facto World Series in the same way the Padres-Dodgers squabble was a year ago. It’s just kind of wild how the Dodgers were a high-priced mess all year and then you look up in late September and there’s Yoshinobu Yamamaoto pitching like an ace, Blake Snell punching out guys, Tyler Glasnow being upright and Shohei Ohtani completing six innings and breaking the club record with 55 home runs. Yes, they’re a problem again. But a quarter-century of evidence shows us how hard it is to repeat – especially with a wild-card series out of the chute.

4. Seattle Mariners

By far the “best draw” in the field, though they earned it with the AL’s second-best record. From there, the vagaries of MLB’s seeding provides a big boost. (In short: Ask the No. 1-seeded Blue Jays if they’d like to face the Yankees-Red Sox survivor or the Guardians-Tigers winner). The big questions: Which of their very good pitchers steps forward as a Playoff Dude? (And does Bryan Woo have enough in the tank to fill that role?) Can a team that strikes out a fair amount avoid swing-and-miss ruts that can short-circuit a playoff appearance? They’re a strong bet to reach the ALCS, but their depth will be tested in the best-of-seven portion of the proceedings.

5. Milwaukee Brewers

They’re back, for the seventh time in eight years, with ostensibly their best team yet – if snagging the No. 1 seed is your metric for such things. No team will be more fascinating, as the Brewers haven’t advanced a round in their past five playoff trips, yet will now avoid the nettlesome wild-card round. Things aren’t necessarily optimal: Closer Trevor Megill just returned from injury and lefty Jose Quintana (calf) might return by Game 3 of the NLDS. Jacob Misiorowski is headed to the bullpen. The bottom half of the order – Andrew Vaughn, Jake Bauers, Caleb Durbin and Joey Ortiz – is sneaky-good but can be pitched to in a playoff setting. Only the Padres have hit fewer home runs among NL playoff teams, so the Brewers will have to stay opportunistic.

6. Toronto Blue Jays

Even after losing shortstop Bo Bichette – in the midst of a season that was MVP-worthy – the vibes are really good in Ontario. They went 12-7 since Bichette went down to hold the division via tiebreaker. The bigger concern now might be the pitching staff: Blue Jays starters yielded a 4.04 ERA and 5.06 expected ERA in September. Little wonder they will likely pencil recently-recalled rookie Trey Yesavage into the playoff rotation. One X factor: George Springer had a resurgent year, finishing third in the majors with a .959 OPS and he also hit 32 home runs. The return of Playoff George, a fellow known well in Houston, could change Toronto’s calculus.

7. Chicago Cubs

What looked like a rock-solid club a few months ago is now one of its most befuddling. The Cubs are still dangerous, but key parts are in doubt. Rookie pitcher Cade Horton is out for the wild card series with a rib fracture. Lineup aircraft carrier Kyle Tucker played in just two games since returning from a calf problem. It’s an aesthetically pleasing ballclub, yet one that seems quite susceptible to trouble in a shorter series. Here’s hoping they advance one round simply to give Lake Michigan its proper due in a Brewers-Cubs NLDS.

8. Detroit Tigers

Tarik Skubal appreciation post, mostly. Perhaps the Tigers are as dead in the water as their 9-22 finish to the season would indicate. But with Skubal, there’s always a chance, and after a grim second half, Javy Báez sprang to life in the final series of the year to save Detroit’s season. Vital signs are grim, yet the Tigers seem the likeliest to make a run through a round or two that seemed highly implausible.

Also:

Drawing the Dodgers and then the Phillies as a treat for surviving the wild card series is just too much to ask for the Reds … Beyond Game 1 starter Nick Pivetta, there’s way too many question marks around the Padres’ starting pitching to feel confident about their long-term viability. … A Tigers-Mariners draw seems favorable for the Guardians to do their whole Guards Ball thing, but a team that finished last in the AL in OPS will eventually get outscored. … The Red Sox have a nice playoff rotation fronted by Garrett Crochet and Lucas Giolito, but a lineup that ranks 22nd in the majors in weighted runs created plus (88) since Roman Anthony’s Sept. 3 oblique injury likely won’t slug its way out of the AL.

The United States lost the Ryder Cup against Europe by a final score of 15-13.
Keegan Bradley accepted responsibility for the loss, citing some lineup and course setup decisions.
Stating the team needed to make more putts, Justin Thomas defended Bradley.

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. — As an accountable leader, Keegan Bradley wants the blame squarely on his shoulders. 

Justin Thomas didn’t let him.

‘We needed to make more putts,’ Thomas interjected when Bradley was asked Sunday following the United States’ 15-13 Ryder Cup loss to Europe. ‘That’s what Keegan needed. He needed us to make more putts. That’s what he needed to do.’

Obviously, there is more to the Americans’ defeat, the perception of which shifted from embarrassment to valiant comeback effort as they posted 8.5 points during Sunday’s singles matches.

That ranges from the lineup decisions to the course setup to the fact that Bradley, a veteran player but nowhere near traditional captaincy age, was tabbed by the PGA of America to lead the 2025 squad at Bethpage Black.

Perhaps it was his being left off the 2023 team in Rome that prompted the PGA to pick him, but Bradley is still playing every weekend on the PGA Tour. To add captain’s responsibilities to his plate was unfair, even if Bradley claims this experience changed him for the better and that he wouldn’t trade the opportunity for the world.

‘I think the goal was to give the captaincy a fresh face, a different way to go about things,’ Bradley said. ‘Unfortunately, it didn’t work out. But we have some momentum going forward. I think we can continue down this road, and I’ll help out the best I can to help the next captain.’

What else is he supposed to say? 

Bradley became a sympathetic figure in Ryder Cup lore when 2023 captain Zach Johnson – wrongly, many in the golf world said – left him off that team, and the entire thing was captured on the Netflix documentary ‘Full Swing.’

That set the wheels in motion for Bradley to be the likable figure installed as the leader of the 2025 team. Except, Bradley never stopped playing well and would likely have been selected for the squad had anybody else been in charge. The questions over whether he’d pick himself couldn’t have made the preparation for Bethpage any easier. Everybody associated with Ryder Cup USA and the PGA put him in position to succeed, he said, but he ‘had to learn on the fly.’

Bradley definitely missed with some pairings – looking at Harris English and Collin Morikawa going out on back-to-back mornings for a doomed alternate-shot showing. That Bethpage’s infamous rough and difficult playing conditions were neutered to create better scoring outcomes was a misguided choice by the captain, too. But, as he said, the main culprit for the Americans’ defeat was simply that ‘the Europeans played just incredible golf. Doesn’t matter how you set the course up when you play that well.’

Bradley said his decision to manicure the course in such a way came after digesting information and data about what would best benefit his players. Multiple times this week, he lamented how soft the greens were. As someone who’s played the Black course at Bethpage State Park dozens of times, that perplexed him, and it was at no fault of the groundscrews or weather.

‘We thought this was the best way to set the golf course up to win,’ he said.

Bradley added: ‘I wish I could have some of those decisions back. I definitely feel I made a few mistakes there, but it’s tough to tell that it’s going to rain before the Ryder Cup. … I’ve got to take responsibility for this outcome for sure.’

Southern California Trojans superstar JuJu Watkins will miss the 2025-26 college women’s basketball season as she continues to focus on her recovery.

Watkins announced the news Sunday evening. 

‘These last few months have been filled with a lot of healing, rest and reflection,’ Watkins said in an Instagram story and in a USC press release. ‘Recovering from this injury hasn’t been easy, and I want to say thank you — your love, support and kind words have truly lifted me up during one of the most challenging times in my life. Because you’ve been with me every step of the way, I wanted you to hear it from me directly that, following the advice of my doctors and trainers, I will sit out this season and fully focus on continuing to recover so I can come back to the game I love.’

Watkins had her postseason cut short after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee during an NCAA Tournament second-round game against Mississippi State on March 24, 2025.

The guard was injured on a fast break when she planted her leg down and her knee gave out while attempting to cut to avoid a defender.

She finished last season with several accolades, including the Women’s Wooden Award and Naismith Women’s College Player of the Year honor.

She also became the first Division 1 player to record at least 35 points, five blocks and five assists in a game in the past 20 years.

The junior ranks among the top 10 in several statistical categories in USC’s record book. She is ninth in scoring with 1,709 points, sixth in free throws made (459) and 10th in blocks (114).

‘JuJu’s health and well-being are our top priority, and we fully support her decision to focus on recovery this season,’ USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb said in the release. ‘While we will certainly miss her impact on the court, she continues to play a vital role in our program as a leader and teammate.

What is the timeline for an ACL tear?

Gottlieb spoke with the media earlier this month but did not provide a timetable for Watkins’ injury.

Watkins suffered her ACL tear in late March 2025 and underwent surgery on her right knee.

The recovery timeline for the injury varies, but a minimum of nine months to a year is usually necessary for an athlete to thoroughly complete the rehabilitation process before attempting to return to action.

Could JuJu Watkins enter the WNBA draft in 2026?

Watkins won’t be eligible for the WNBA draft until 2027.

According to the WNBA’s rules, a domestic draft entrant must be “at least 22 years old during the year in which the draft takes place and to have no remaining college eligibility or to renounce any future college eligibility.”

Watkins will likely treat the 2025-26 season as a redshirt year and have two years of eligibility remaining.

The USC guard has the potential to be the No. 1 overall pick in the draft when she decides to enter, but her injury could be a cause for concern.

An ACL injury was not a concern for the Dallas Wings, who drafted Paige Bueckers with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 draft.

Bueckers suffered an ACL in 2022 before returning to UConn to play two more seasons.

JuJu Watkins stats

2023-24: 27.1 points on 40.1% shooting, 7.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.3 steals, 1.6 blocks per game
2024-25: 23.9 points on 42.6% shooting, 6.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.2 steals, 1.8 blocks per game

When is USC women’s basketball season opener?

The Trojans will open the season at home against New Mexico State on Nov. 4.