The Buffalo Bills announced Jan. 19 they had fired Sean McDermott after nine seasons in charge of the team.

Buffalo’s decision did not sit well with one of their veteran defensive players, Jordan Phillips.

Phillips – a 33-year-old defensive tackle – posted to his Instagram story to express displeasure with the team’s decision.

‘This (expletive) here is so stupid,’ Phillips wrote, posting a caption over a breaking news graphic regarding McDermott’s firing. ‘Honestly sickening. The best coach I’ve ever been around.’

Phillips would know a thing or two about the coaching landscape around the NFL. The 11-year veteran has bounced around since being a second-round pick by the Miami Dolphins in the 2015 NFL Draft, playing for five different NFL teams and six different full-time coaches.

Phillips has had three separate, two-season stints with the Bills and enjoyed his most productive NFL campaign – a 9.5-sack season in 2019 – under McDermott’s tutelage.

While Phillips was among McDermott’s fans, Bills owner Terry Pegula stated his belief the team needed ‘a new structure’ in a statement announcing the 51-year-old’s firing.

‘Sean has done an [admirable] job of leading our football team for the past nine seasons,’ the statement read. ‘But I feel we are in need of a new structure within our leadership to give this organization the best opportunity to take our team to the next level. We owe that to our players and to Bills Mafia.’

‘Sean helped change the mindset of this organization and was instrumental in the Bills becoming a perennial playoff team. I respect all the work, loyalty and attention to detail he showed for this team and the community.’

Indiana is playing Miami football in the CFP national championship game. Follow live updateshere.

Indiana and Miami match up for the 2025-26 national championship on Monday, Jan. 19, with both teams taking unlikely routes to the title game.

The Hoosiers went 3-9 in 2023 and have zero 5-star recruits on their roster, but it doesn’t mean they aren’t talented. They have multiple future NFL draft picks, including Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza, who’s likely to be the first quarterback selected in April.

Mendoza has been outstanding in the College Football Playoff, with eight touchdowns to only five incompletions in romps over Alabama and Oregon. Miami will be tasked with speeding up the star quarterback, although no team has quite been able to do that this season.

Miami might be best suited to do so, though, as it boasts the most ferocious pass rush in college football. Led by projected first-round picks Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor, the first-team All-ACC selections have 19 combined sacks this season.

Here are the 10 most important players for Indiana and Miami’s national championship match up.

Indiana vs Miami key players in national championship game

10. WR Charlie Becker, Indiana

Indiana’s star receiving duo of Elijah Sarratt and Omar Cooper Jr., are problems for opposing defenses, but Charlie Becker has emerged as the Hoosiers’ go-to deep threat in recent weeks.

The 6-foot-4 sophomore has gains of 36, 30 and 51 yards in Indiana’s last three wins against Oregon, Alabama and Ohio State, respectively. He has a wide catch radius and good speed for his size.

Indiana will try to dial up a few plays for Becker against Miami, which might have some trouble trying to stop the breakout receiver.

9. DB Keionte Scott, Miami

Miami has deployed Keionte Scott in a variety of ways during the CFP, including as a pass rusher. Scott mostly lines up as a nickelback, and has five sacks, two forced fumbles and two interceptions this season, along with 61 total tackles.

Scott made the play of the game against Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl, intercepting Julian Sayin for a 72-yard touchdown.

The first-year transfer from Auburn has been used in a variety of ways this season and will look to disrupt Mendoza and throw him off rhythm in the national championship game.

8. LB Aiden Fisher, Indiana

A two-time All-American in his two seasons at Indiana, linebacker Aiden Fisher is the leader of Indiana’s defense. He has 91 total tackles this season with 3.5 sacks and two interceptions.

The senior will be integral to the Hoosiers’ run defense against Miami’s stout offensive line that has dominated in the CFP. Hurricanes running back Mark Fletcher, who stands 6-foot-2, 225 pounds, has 395 rushing yards in three CFP games, and Fisher will be tasked with stopping Miami’s best offensive trait.

Tackling will be crucial, especially against someone of Fletcher’s stature.

7. CB D’Angelo Ponds, Indiana

All-American cornerback D’Angelo Ponds returned an interception 25 yards for a touchdown on the first play from scrimmage against Oregon in the Peach Bowl, showing his playmaking ability.

He’ll be tasked with slowing down Miami receiver Malachi Toney, one of the most electrifying players in college football this season. Miami uses Toney in a variety of ways, lining him outside, in the slot, in the backfield and even as a Wildcat quarterback.

Ponds vs. Toney, who are both small yet wiry, could be one of the underrated matchups of the game.

6. WR Malachi Toney, Miami

Toney reclassified to the 2025 recruiting class a year ago, skipping his senior year of high school to play at Miami. It was the right decision, as he leads the team with 99 receptions for 1,089 yards and nine touchdowns this season, along with 113 rushing yards and a score. Toney also has two touchdown passes.

The Hurricanes manufacture touches for Toney, getting him the ball in creative ways. He caught a screen pass and maneuvered around multiple Ole Miss defenders for a 36-yard touchdown in the Fiesta Bowl.

5. Akheem Mesidor, Miami

One-half of Miami’s pass-rushing duo, Mesidor leads the team with 10.5 sacks this season, 3.5 of which have come in the CFP.

The 280-pound defensive end also has four forced fumbles this season. His presence allows for Bain Jr. and others to face 1-on-1 situations, as both pass rusher can’t be double teamed at the same time.

Perhaps the most important matchup in the game will be if Miami can cause havoc in Indiana’s backfield.

4. QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana

Mendoza is likely the best player on the field for the national championship, although he’s surrounded by one of the best supporting casts in college football to help pick up the slack if he struggles.

Mendoza is a combined 31-of-36 passing for 369 yards with eight touchdowns in two CFP starts. He hasn’t been asked to take over games, either, with Indiana’s getting out to commanding leads so early in the game.

Mendoza is looking to keep Miami’s strong defense on its heels, especially its pass-rushing duo. Otherwise, it could be tough to score points.

3. OT Carter Smith, Indiana

Consensus All-American offensive tackle Carter Smith will likely face the best pair of rushers he has faced all season against Miami and will be tasked with slowing down Bain and Mesidor.

Smith, the Big Ten’s Offensive Lineman of the Year, is likely up for the task. If he can hold up against Miami’s duo, the Hurricanes could be in for a long night.

2. QB Carson Beck, Miami

Miami has leaned on its defense and rushing attack during the CFP run, allowing for quarterback Carson Beck to not have to be a playmaker to win games.

The sixth-year senior Georgia transfer might very well be asked to do a bit more with his arm against the Hoosiers, who can score a bunch of points. Beck passed for a combined 241 yards with two touchdowns in wins over Texas A&M and Ohio State, but threw for 268 yards with three total touchdowns against Ole Miss, leading a game-winning touchdown drive in the final seconds.

The experienced quarterback might not be of the same caliber as Mendoza, but how he performs on the grandest stage could be the difference for Miami. He’ll need to limit turnovers against a defense that has forced them in bunches this season.

1. DE Rueben Bain Jr., Miami

Bain Jr. has shown an ability to take over games for Miami this season. The Hurricanes will need his best if they want to have a chance against the Hoosiers.

Bain Jr. has 8.5 sacks this season, although he affects the quarterback with pressure much more often than the statistic shows. The likely first-round pick had three sacks against Texas A&M in Miami’s 10-3 win, and had another sack in a key moment against Ohio State in the quarterfinals.

He was mostly held in check against Ole Miss, and will be looking to rebound against Indiana.

STORRS, CT — The UConn women’s basketball team ended its three-game losing streak against Notre Dame in decisive fashion on Monday at Gampel Pavilion.

The Huskies, which last victory vs. the Fighting Irish came on Dec. 5, 2021, dominated the Hannah Hidalgo & Co., 85-47, to improve to 19-0 this season. UConn has won 35 straight dating back to last season.

Sarah Strong had her sixth double-double of the season with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Azzi Fudd added 15 points and KK Arnold 12 points and five assists. The Huskies had 19 fast-break points, compared to 2 by Notre Dame.

The Irish (12-6) struggled from the jump, with more than six minutes expiring in the game before their first field goal. Notre Dame was severely undermanned in the front court, outrebounded 39-24 and outscored in the paint 44-24.

Hannah Hidalgo led the Irish with 16 points. Cassandre Proper, who had averaged 19 points the past 10 games, was held to 12.

Third quarter: UConn 59, Notre Dame 35

The Huskies outscored the Irish by 17 in the third quarter and briefly held a 30-point lead. UConn has 14 points off turnovers and is outrebounding Notre Dame 31-18.

Sarah Strong has her sixth double-double of the season with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Coach Geno Auriemma has played only seven against the Irish, making you wonder if he will shorten his bench come tournament time.

UConn takes over

The Huskies are on an 18-2 run. Sarah Strong has 14 points, Azzi Fudd 11, KK Arnold 9 and Ashlyn Shade 8.

Hannah Hidalgo has not scored in the second half for Notre Dame.

Huskies stretch the lead to 17

UConn has outscored Notre Dame 10-2 to open the third quarter. Ashlyn Shade and KK Arnold each had a 3-pointer.

Second quarter: UConn 32, Notre Dame 23

The teams each scored 16 points in the second quarter. Hannah Hidalgo got it going with 10 points for the Irish.

Sarah Strong had 10 points, eight rebounds, two steals, two assists and two blocks to lead the Huskies. Azzi Fudd added seven points.

The Irish have six steals but have only two points off turnovers compared to nine from UConn.

Sarah Strong reaches 1,000 points

The sophomore sensation made it to the milestone in 59 games. She has 10 points.

Maya Moore is the all-time career leader for the Huskies with 3,036 points. Breanna Stewart is a distant second with 2,676 points.

First quarter: UConn 16, Notre Dame 7

The Irish shot 3 for 14 from the field in the first quarter. Cassandre Prosper made a 4-foot hook shot with a little over four minutes to go for Notre Dame’s first field goal.

In the meantime, the Huskies have dominated in the paint and outscored the Irish 14-4.

Azzi Fudd stays perfect

Azzi Fudd completed a 3-point play to put UConn up 11-1. She is a perfect 31-for-31 from the free throw line this season.

Irish score

At 6:07 of the first quarter, Notre Dame scores its first point. Malaya Cowles hit the first of two free throws. The Irish are 0-for-5 from the field.

Timeout Notre Dame

Less than 3 minutes into the contest, UConn is up 8-0 and the Irish have been unable to score. Notre Dame Niele Ivey called a quick timeout to regroup.

Serah Williams has four points for UConn.

We are underway in Storrs

UConn is up 4-0 on baskets by Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd.

What time is UConn vs. Notre Dame?

The UConn Huskies take on former Big East rival Notre Dame on Monday, Jan. 19 at 5 p.m. ET at Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, Connecticut.

UConn vs. Notre Dame: TV, streaming

Date: Monday, Jan. 19
Time: 5 p.m. ET (2 p.m. PT)
Location: Gampel Pavilion (Storrs, Connecticut)
TV: Fox
Stream: Fubo

Notre Dame starting lineup

UConn starting lineup

Hannah Hidalgo in the house

Sarah Strong named Big East player of the week, again

There is unanimity at the top of the USA TODAY Sports men’s basketball coaches poll for the first time this season.

Arizona managed to avoid the upset bug for another week. Thus the still-undefeated Wildcats remain at No. 1 for a second consecutive poll, this time claiming all 31 first-place votes. Last week’s second-ranked team wasn’t as fortunate, as Iowa State tumbles all the way to No. 9 after dropping a pair of road games in the Big 12.

New No. 2 Michigan leads a succession of teams moving up a notch as a result of the Cyclones’ fall. Connecticut, Purdue and Duke round out the top five, followed by Houston, Nebraska and Gonzaga. The Cornhuskers, now at No. 7 and one of only three remaining teams yet to lose, continues to establish new all-time high rankings for the program. Michigan State is back in the top 10, followed by No. 11 Illinois and No. 12 Texas Tech, as those three each move up two positions.

TOP 25: Complete USA TODAY Sports men’s basketball poll

Vanderbilt is another team falling back after slipping six spots to No. 14.

North Carolina went 0-2 in the Bay Area last week but hangs on to a spot in the poll at No. 24, down nine places. Making its season debut in the poll is No. 23 Saint Louis, the first top-25 appearance for the Billikens since January of 2021. No. 25 St. John’s also rejoins the rankings, as Utah State and Iowa drop out.

The NBA announced its All-Star starters on Monday and to the surprise of no one, Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Dončić took center stage, winning the fan poll by almost 200,000 votes.

The announcement came during the NBA on NBC pregame show ahead of the Oklahoma City Thunder-Cleveland Cavaliers game to tip-off the league’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day broadcast slate.

The fan vote accounted for 50% of the selection process, along with a survey of NBA players and a media panel that were each responsible for 25%. The starters were chosen regardless of position.

Dončić — who led both previous rounds of the fan vote in the weeks leading up to Monday’s reveal — held onto his lead with 3,402,967 total votes. He was the only player in the Western Conference to break three million votes; the next closest player to him was Giannis Antetokounmpo, who received 3,218,398 votes.

Despite being the top vote-getter among fans, Doncic finished sixth in the player survey and second in the media survey with 95 votes apiece. Notably, his Lakers running mate, LeBron James, saw his 21-year all-star starter streak end.

NBA All-Star Game starters

Western Conference

Here is the full starting five for the West:

Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors (12th All-Star selection)
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder (fourth)
Luka Dončić, Los Angeles Lakers (sixth)
Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs (second)
Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets (eighth)

Eastern Conference

Here are all five starters from the East:

Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons (second All-Star selection)
Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks (third)
Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers (second)
Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics (fifth)
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks (10th)

When is the 2026 NBA All-Star Game?

This year’s All-Star Weekend will be held from February 13-15 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. The festivities will tip-off on Friday with the Celebrity All-Star Game and Rising Stars Game, followed by the three-point and dunk contest on Saturday all leading up to Sunday’s All-Star Game.

This year’s format, however, will be a little different. Instead of a traditional East vs. West matchup or the pickup-style experiments of years past, the NBA is pivoting to a USA vs. the World format. The All-Stars will be split into three teams consisting of eight players and will compete in a round-robin tournament. Reserves will be chosen by the coaches, though there is a contingency plan in which commissioner Adam Silver would fill out the teams if there are not enough domestic or international players.

Sean McDermott’s time as the Buffalo Bills coach has come to an end after nine seasons.

The Bills have fired McDermott after the team’s 33-30 overtime loss to the Denver Broncos in the divisional round of the 2025 NFL playoffs, according to multiple reports.

McDermott posted a 98-50 record across his nine seasons with the Bills and only once had a losing season. The franchise won at least 10 games over each of his final seven seasons while Josh Allen developed into a perennial MVP candidate under his watch.

However, McDermott was never able to get the Bills over the hump during the NFL postseason. Buffalo made it as far as the AFC championship game under his watch but never played in a Super Bowl.

The team’s latest early exit – this time in a playoff field without Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow – was the death knell for McDermott’s term in Buffalo. As such, the Bills will look for a new coach for the first time since the 2017 NFL offseason.

Who could Buffalo target? Here’s a look at some of the top coaching candidates the Bills could consider.

Bills coaching candidates: Who could replace Sean McDermott?

Joe Brady, Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator

Brady has drawn interest for coaching jobs around the NFL for the better part of two seasons. Could the Bills consider promoting the 36-year-old internally to replace McDermott?

Brady helped lead the Bills to a strong offensive season in 2025, as they finished third in the NFL in offensive EPA per play, according to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats. Josh Allen has thrived under Brady’s leadership, which isn’t a surprise. Brady has a proven track record of getting the most out of elite-level quarterbacks, as he also oversaw Joe Burrow’s historic final season at LSU in addition to Allen’s 2024 NFL MVP campaign.

Davis Webb, Denver Broncos passing game coordinator

There are plenty of other young, offensive-minded head coaches the Bills could target if they want a fresh voice. One such option would be Webb, who is only turning 31 ahead of the AFC championship game but has earned head coaching interviews this offseason.

Webb spent six seasons as an NFL backup quarterback before joining the Broncos in 2023 as their quarterbacks coach. Webb has quickly impressed, milking a respectable 98 passer rating from Russell Wilson in 2023 before developing Bo Nix into a solid starter who led Denver to playoff appearances in back-to-back seasons.

Webb spent the 2019-21 NFL seasons in the Bills’ quarterback room, so the organization is familiar with him. It’s just a matter of whether the team believes he is seasoned enough to earn a head coaching opportunity so soon.

Nate Scheelhaase, Los Angeles Rams passing game coordinator

Scheelhaase is another sharp, offensive-minded candidate who is drawing interest during this year’s coach hiring cycle. He has interviewed with the Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Las Vegas Raiders and Pittsburgh Steelers, so Buffalo could be interested in kicking the tires on the 35-year-old.

Scheelhaase has done excellent work in his first season as the Rams’ passing game coordinator. He helped lead Matthew Stafford to an MVP-caliber season – during which the 37-year-old quarterback completed 65% of his passes for 4,707 yards, a league-best 46 touchdowns and just eight interceptions – while Puka Nacua continued to blossom into one of the NFL’s best receivers under his watch.

Like Webb, Scheelhaase has high-level quarterback experience of his own. He spent four years as a starter at Illinois from 2010-13 and first coached in the college ranks. He notably spent six seasons on Matt Campbell’s staff at Iowa State before joining Sean McVay in the NFL.

Given the success of McVay’s coaching tree, it would hardly be a surprise to see a team like the Bills take a flier on Scheelhaase to bring a fresh, offensive perspective to the team.

Klint Kubiak, Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator

If the Bills are looking for a more proven play-caller, they could consider targeting someone like Kubiak. The 38-year-old has called plays the last two seasons for the Seahawks and Saints and has found success doing so.

This year, Kubiak has helped lead the Seahawks to the NFC championship game. Seattle has posted a top-three scoring offense in his first season while free-agent acquisition Sam Darnold has performed well under his tutelage. Darnold has built upon his 2024 success with the Minnesota Vikings and became just the second quarterback in NFL history to win 14 games in back-to-back seasons, alongside Tom Brady.

Kubiak found similar success with Derek Carr in 2024, so his track record getting the most out of quarterbacks will impress front offices. He has also worked with Kyle Shanahan (2023) and is the son of Super Bowl-winning coach Gary Kubiak.

Brian Daboll, former New York Giants head coach

Daboll probably isn’t going to immediately get another head coaching job after his disappointing three-plus season stint with the Giants. He posted a 20-40-1 record over that span, so he’s more likely to earn an offensive coordinator role during the 2026 hiring cycle.

Still, Daboll had a successful four-year stint as the Bills offensive coordinator during which he helped develop Allen into the star he is today. That could be enough to land him an interview as the Bills look to keep their explosive, Allen-led offense intact after McDermott’s departure.

Chris Shula, Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator

If the Bills simply feel like they need a new voice, they could consider bringing in a defensive-minded candidate. Shula has drawn interest during the 2026 hiring cycle, with his leadership skills being lauded as well as his defense’s performance.

Shula led the Rams to a top-10 defense in terms of EPA per play during the 2025 NFL season, per the NFL’s Next Gen Stats. That could interest the Bills, as could Shula’s potential ability to bring over an offensive coordinator candidate who is versed in Sean McVay’s offense.

Shula the grandson of the NFL’s all-time wins leader, Don Shula.

Jesse Minter, Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator

Minter is another up-and-coming defensive coordinator who would make for a strong first-time hire candidate. The 42-year-old has experience working for both John and Jim Harbaugh and has helped turn the Chargers defense into one of the league’s most consistent units.

The Chargers had the NFL’s No. 1 scoring defense in 2024, Minter’s first season with the team, and ranked eighth in defensive EPA per play this season, per the NFL’s Next Gen Stats. He could similarly help Buffalo’s defense improve after it struggled against the run and was more of a bend-don’t-break unit in 2025.

Brian Flores, Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator

The Bills are familiar with Flores from his three-year stint as the Dolphins’ head coach. The 44-year-old is coming off an impressive stay as the Vikings’ defensive coordinator, during which he turned Minnesota from a league-worst unit in 2022 to a defense that led the NFL in pressure rate (41.4%) during the 2025 season, per the NFL’s Next Gen Stats.

Flores would give the Bills defense an attack-minded identity that would pair well with the team’s already explosive offense.

Will Bills target Mike Tomlin to replace Sean McDermott?

Tomlin would ordinarily be a top target for the Bills and other teams around the NFL after his decision to step down from the Steelers following their wild-card loss to the Texans.

However, all reports indicate Tomlin is planning not to coach during the 2026 NFL season. That included a report from NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport, who reiterated Tomlin’s intentions on NFL Network on Jan. 19.

Additionally, as Tomlin stepped down from his role with the Steelers, he remains under contract with the team. As such, any decision for the 53-year-old to return to coaching in 2026 would require convincing Pittsburgh to trade his rights to the team looking to hire him.

That additional complication could scare off any team interested in Tomlin. And again, it seems like the long-time Steelers coach wants at least a year off from coaching anyway.

The NBA has announced its All-Star starters for the 2026 contest.

And for the first time in 21 seasons, LeBron James was not selected as one of the first five, though he still has the chance to extend his record streak of consecutive All-Star selections.

The NBA made the announcement Monday, Jan. 19, during the pre-game show leading into the Oklahoma City-Cleveland Cavaliers game that’s part of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day showcase.

Starters were selected through a fan vote (50% weight), and a survey of NBA players (25%) and a media panel (25%). Players were selected without regard for position. Accounting and services giant Ernst & Young managed and certified the surveys.

The format for this year’s game, however, will be different this season. The league is going to a USA versus the world format in which three, eight-player teams will compete in a round-robin tournament. The East and West starters, therefore, will be slotted into those eight-player teams. NBA coaches will select All-Star reserves, but if there are not enough domestic or international player, NBA commissioner Adam Silver will intervene to fill out the teams.

Here are the 10 starters for the 2026 NBA All-Star Game, which will be held Feb. 15 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California:

NBA All-Star Game starters

Eastern Conference

Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons (second All-Star selection)

Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks (third)

Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers (second)

Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics (fifth)

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks (10th)

Western Conference

Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors (12th All-Star selection)

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder (fourth)

Luka Dončić, Los Angeles Lakers (sixth)

Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs (second)

Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets (eighth)

Rebecca Lobo broke some news last week when she appeared on “A Touch More,” the podcast co-hosted by Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe: Next season, UConn and LSU are going to meet in a neutral-site non-conference game in Nashville, Tennessee.

Multiple sources confirmed to USA Today Sports this game is happening. The Huskies and the Tigers will meet in Bridgestone Arena — the home of the NHL’s Nashville Predators — and it will air on ESPN. The game is being organized by ESPN Events, but it’s unclear if the matchup is a one-off or part of a double-header.

UConn coach Geno Auriemma seemingly confirmed the matchup on Sunday, reacting to the news that Lobo spilled the beans on Bird’s podcast in the only way he can: “People join the media and they can’t keep a secret.”

Auriemma added no date has been finalized, but he’s hoping it’s “one of those January or February” games. Over the past few years, UConn has tried to schedule one or two non-conference games during the final two months of the regular season, playing teams like Notre Dame, Tennessee and South Carolina. Those matchups often give UConn the opportunity to test themselves against NCAA Tournament-level competition and get resume-boosting victories.

LSU coach Kim Mulkey didn’t speak to reporters after the Tigers’ win over Oklahoma on Sunday. According to a team spokesperson, she had to attend to “a personal family matter.”

UConn and LSU haven’t played since Mulkey took over as Tigers coach in 2021. They last played in 2016, with the Huskies winning a true road game in Baton Rouge. Dating back to her days at Baylor, Auriemma is 5-4 all-time against teams coached by Mulkey.

Knowing this matchup is happening, it wouldn’t be a shock to see the NCAA Tournament selection committee set up a scenario where LSU and UConn could meet in a Sweet 16 or Elite Eight matchup this season, pitting recognizable stars like Flau’Jae Johnson and Azzi Fudd against each other. After all, part of the committee’s job is to make a great product for television.

What about the rest of the Big East?

Seton Hall coach Tony Bozzella understands the makeup of the Big East and doesn’t have any delusions about the best team in the conference.

Since No. 1-ranked UConn returned to the league in 2021, it has won five consecutive regular season and conference tournament championships. Dating back to the Huskies’ days in the old Big East, they won seven of the nine conference tournaments played between 2005 and 2013 before spending nearly a decade in the American Conference.

UConn is at the top, and then everyone else is battling for position in the Big East standings. And that’s the way it’s been for a long time.

“The hard part about our league is, we know we’re not getting the automatic bid, right? We know who’s going to win. So, you got to have a good enough record to get an at-large (bid to the NCAA Tournament),” Bozzella told USA Today Sports. “I’m hoping that those people on the committee are smart enough to know that finishing second in the Big East is like finishing first in the Ivy and the A-10, because there’s no UConn. Sometimes our numbers analytically get skewed because you’re playing UConn and you’re losing by 30 or 40. They’re like, ‘Well, you should be closer.’

“Did you tell South Carolina that in the championship game last year? No.”

As of Monday, the Big East has two teams not named UConn ranked in the top 50 of NET: Villanova and Bozzella’s Seton Hall. Currently, Villanova has the better resume as it’s 37th in NET, 37th in WAB (wins above bubble), and 4-4 in Quad 1 and 2 games. Bozzella’s Pirates, meanwhile, are 0-4 in those games. Three mid-major programs — Princeton, North Dakota State and Richmond — are ahead of Seton Hall in the NET.

Bozzella knows his Pirates have work to do, but he also likes their chances of cracking the field of 68 for the first time since 2016.

“I do like my team. I think we’re right on the NCAA bubble,” Bozzella said. “We got to win our games. And now, they want you to win by a certain amount, which is another issue… But I do like my team. We have two dynamic First Team All-Big East guards.”

The Pirates have four players averaging double-digits in scoring and one of the team’s strengths is its discipline when it comes to fouling. Seton Hall is 31st nationally in foul rate (17.4%) and 14th in percentage of points allowed from the free throw line (13.1%).

Seton Hall is 13-5 this season and 7-2 in Big East play. Their non-conference slate was highlighted by a win over Auburn, which just beat a nationally ranked Alabama team. What the Pirates don’t want to be doing is asking what-could-have-been if they get left on the wrong side of the bubble this year. Single-digit losses to Princeton, N.C. State and Columbia could come back to haunt them.

Hot Seat Watch: Penn State, Yale

Two jobs that several sources around women’s college basketball expect to open at the end of this season are Penn State and Yale.

Carolyn Kieger has been the head coach of the Nittany Lions since 2019. In that stretch, she’s never made the NCAA Tournament and Penn State has twice recorded its worst record in Big Ten play in program history, finishing last season and the 2019-20 campaign 1-17 in the conference. Kieger took Marquette to three NCAA Tournaments, but has won 40.6% of her games in State College, Pennsylvania.

Penn State has given Kieger time to build and improve the program. The Nittany Lions handed her a contract extension in 2022 after an 11-18 season and she has also remained the head coach despite allegations of bullying and misconduct by former players. But the results haven’t been there for Kieger. After a loss on Sunday to Rutgers, Penn State fell to 7-12 and 0-8 in conference play.

At Yale, wins have been hard to come by for Dalila Eshe. Over the past decade — beginning with Courtney Banghart’s dominance at Princeton to the conference getting three bids to the NCAA Tournament last year — the Ivy League has established itself as one of the best mid-major conferences in women’s basketball. But one of the Ivy’s most recognizable brands in Yale hasn’t been part of that surge in success lately.

Eshe was hired in 2022 after Allison Guth parlayed five consecutive winning seasons — and a WBI championship — into the Loyola Chicago job. And Yale just hasn’t been good under Eshe’s watch. They’re 4-12 this season, on pace for their third consecutive year with single-digit wins.

Since 2024, three players have quit the team and one was removed from the squad. Neither of them resurfaced elsewhere in women’s college basketball. One of them, Nyla McGill, was the Ivy League’s Co-Defensive Player of the Year in 2023. With the players that have stuck around, Eshe’s teams are 29-68 across four seasons.

Yale athletic director Vicky Chun serves on the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Committee. Lately, she hasn’t had much to brag about regarding her school’s women’s basketball team in those meetings.

Tip-ins

Navy picked up a free win on Saturday when Lehigh forfeited “due to an insufficient number of healthy players available to safely compete.” The preseason favorites in the Patriot League, the Midshipmen are 5-1 in conference play. Zanai Barnett-Gay is the one of two players in the country averaging at least 17 points, eight rebounds, four assists and two steals per game. The other is UConn’s Sarah Strong.
Leah Macy announced on Instagram last week that she will not play for Notre Dame this season. A five-star prospect ranked 19th in the 2025 class, Macy suffered a lower leg injury near the end of her high school career, had surgery and has been rehabbing for about a year. Macy wrote: “While I have made significant progress in healing from my injury, I know there is still work to do.”

The Detroit Lions have hired Drew Petzing as their new offensive coordinator, according to multiple reports.
Petzing previously served as the offensive coordinator for the Arizona Cardinals for three seasons.
He replaces John Morton, who was initially hired to succeed former OC Ben Johnson.

The Detroit Lions hired Drew Petzing as offensive coordinator, according to multiple reports, as the quest to find Ben Johnson’s suitable and long-term replacement for head coach Dan Campbell entered its second phase.

Petzing was the Arizona Cardinals’ offensive coordinator for the past three seasons, but he was not retained along with the rest of Jonathan Gannon’s staff following the 2025 season. Prior to his stint with Arizona, Petzing coached wide receivers, quarterbacks and tight ends with the Minnesota Vikings and Cleveland Browns and learned in Kevin Stefanski’s system.

Campbell initially tapped John Morton to succeed Johnson, who was hired to be the Chicago Bears’ head coach a year ago after his success with the Lions caused him to become the hottest name on the coaching carousel for more than one cycle.

Detroit’s counting stats – the Lions finished the season ranked fourth in scoring and fifth in yards per game – hid the step back the offense took in 2025. Campbell took over play-calling duties in November and Detroit missed the playoffs at 9-8 one season after being the NFC’s No. 1 seed and winning 15 games.