Basketball has taken Cecilia Zandalasini from the small town of Broni, Italy all the way to the WNBA. Now one of the newest members of the Golden State Valkyries, she currently is playing for Galatasaray in Istanbul.

Zandalasini spoke to Swish Appeal about unexpectedly joining the Lynx in 2017, her six-year hiatus from the WNBA and her return to Minnesota in 2024, when her 3-point shooting and defense helped the Lynx reach the 2024 WNBA Finals. She also discussed getting drafted by the Valkyries in the recent expansion draft. Some highlights from our conversation include:

On joining the Lynx in 2017 three games before the end of the regular season:

I remember in 2017, in the summer, I played in my first EuroBasket with my national team and then as we returned to Italy, I just got that call and I couldn’t believe it, because it was something that has never even crossed my mind. I wasn’t expecting anything like that, so I couldn’t believe it. But yeah, literally I got my visa done and I was on the airplane to Minneapolis. Everything happened so fast, but I will be forever grateful for the experience for sure.

On EuroLeague players positively impacting the Lynx:

It was such a great mix I must say, and for sure that helped us bond really well, and I think that was one of the keys to our success this summer. We really enjoyed each other, enjoyed each other’s company. We enjoyed all the practices in the gym, so it was just a very fun atmosphere and I was glad and grateful to be part of that amazing team. I have great memories. In the end we fell short [of the championship], but for sure it was a great group of girls and it was just super fun.

A special thank you to the team at More Basketball for arranging the interview.

The Hall of Fame Women’s Showcase provided two top-five teams playing at a high level, but unfortunately, they were in games against opponents who couldn’t keep up. First, we had No. 5 LSU defeating Seton Hall 91-64, and then we finished the showcase with No. 4 UConn trouncing Iowa State 101-68.

How LSU dominated

In our preview, we mentioned that Seton Hall didn’t stand much of a chance versus LSU—and that turned out to be true.

The Tigers’ guards feasted on the Pirates, with Aneesah Morrow scoring a team-high 24 points and grabbing 18 rebounds, giving her another double-double and putting her in the top 25 in rebounds in NCAA Division I history. Mikaylah Williams added 22 points, hitting six 3-pointers, while and Flau’jae Johnson scored 17. Kailyn Gilbert contributed 14 points off the bench, shooting an efficient 5-for-7 from the field.

Faith Masonius could have changed the fate of Seton Hall with a monster game, and she did her best. She had 29 points, her new season-high, but it wasn’t enough to alter the results. LSU was just too stacked for Seton Hall to handle, and they demonstrated their dominance, especially during the first half when they outscored the Pirates 52-25.

How UConn took over

With UConn leading Iowa State 36-10 after one quarter of play, this result was never in question. Superstar Paige Bueckers had 27 points, Sarah Strong topped that with a career-high 29 and Ashlynn Shade was hotter than lava from deep, making seven 3-pointers, part of a 27-point performance from the sophomore.

For the Cyclones, Audi Crooks did her best to keep her team in contention. She had 22 points and six rebounds, leading her team in both categories. Thanks to her efforts, Iowa State won the points in the paint battle 32-26, but it wasn’t enough to keep the game close.

This contest was another reminder of just how deep UConn’s roster truly is. While most people focus on Bueckers, Strong and even the newest transfer, Kaitlyn Chen, Shade can also get going and explode offensively. The Huskies also dominated despite Azzi Fudd missing the game with a knee injury. Once she returns, this team will be even harder to beat.

What’s next for LSU and UConn?

Both LSU and UConn dominated, but they have more games on the schedule this week. LSU faces a relatively easy opponent, visiting University of Illinois-Chicago Thursday (8 p.m. ET, ESPN+). UConn, in contrast, faces an enormous challenge at home against No. 7 USC on Saturday (8 p.m. ET, FOX). If the Huskies can defeat the Trojans, it will be their best win of the season, adding another impressive win to their 2024-25 resume.

The Hall of Fame Women’s Showcase features two compelling games on Tuesday, Dec. 17. No. 5 LSU will take on Seton Hall at 6 p.m. ET, followed by No. 4 UConn facing off against Iowa State at 8:30 p.m. ET. Both games will take place at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT and be broadcast on Fox Sports 1.

Guards are how LSU attacks

LSU has had a generally soft schedule. But isn’t that always the case with a Kim Mulkey team? Yet, as long as Mulkey is in charge, the Tigers have been ready whenever tested, proving time and again that they’ll be prepared whenever they meet top competition. They’ve only faced one ranked team this season, defeating No. 21 NC State 82-65.

This season, with star Angel Reese off to the WNBA, they’ve been much more guard-dependent. All the top scorers on the team are guards, with junior Flau’jae Johnson coming into her own, averaging 21.1 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game. Senior Aneesah Morrow is right behind her with 17.8 points and a team-high 13.7 rebounds per game, while sophomore Mikaylah Williams adds 15.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists.

It’s hard to envision Seton Hall making this much of a game. They are not an exceptionally good rebounding team, don’t have a dominant big to counter LSU’s perimeter game and certainly can’t fight fire with fire against the Tiger guards. Sixth-year forward Faith Masonius, who transferred to Seton Hall from Maryland and is averaging 16.9 points per game, will have to have the game of her career for the Pirates even to have a sliver of a chance of stealing a victory at Mohegan Sun.

The Huskies are still on track

UConn suffered a painful loss to Notre Dame, ending its undefeated season. But the Huskies’ main goal—a national title—is still well within their grasp. Paige Bueckers is having a great (redshirt) senior year as a Husky, averaging 20 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 2.3 steals per game.

It’s not just the Bueckers extravaganza at UConn; they are stacked with talent. Freshman forward Sarah Strong is an elite presence inside, flirting with a double-double in every game, and transfer guard Kaitlyn Chen is getting more comfortable and effective game by game.

For Iowa State, feeding the ball to sophomore center Audi Crooks is the key to success. Playing with physicality, dominating the paint and slowing the game down is the way to upset UConn. The Cyclones have the players to do that, and Crooks has demonstrated that she can take over games.

Game information

No. 5 LSU Tigers (12-0) vs. Seton Hall (8-2)

When: Tuesday, Dec. 17 at 6 p.m. ET

Where: Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT

How to watch: FS1

No. UConn Huskies (9-1) vs. Iowa State Cyclones (9-3)

When: Tuesday, Dec. 17 at 8:30 p.m. ET

Where: Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT

How to watch: FS1

On Tuesday, Dec. 17 and Wednesday, Dec. 18, the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, NC will host the Jumpman Invitational. It’s the event’s third year, with both the women’s and men’s teams from Florida, Oklahoma, Michigan and North Carolina participating.

On the women’s side, No. 10 Oklahoma (9-1) and No. 20 Michigan (9-1) will meet on Tuesday (9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2), with No. 19 North Carolina (10-2) facing Florida (7-4) on Wednesday (6:30 p.m. ET, ESPNU). The games not only will be opportunities to see three ranked teams in action, but also will allow for a closer look at some of the nation’s most promising freshmen, particularly those suiting up for the Wolverines and Gators.

Can fresh-faced Michigan hold off veteran Oklahoma?

Despite starting three freshman, Michigan began the season fearlessly, taking a first quarter lead over defending national champion South Carolina at the Hall of Fame Series in Las Vegas. Although the Gamecocks eventually would prevail, the young Wolverines refused to go away, losing by just six points, 68-62.

Leading the charge for Michigan was guard Syla Swords, who dropped 27 points and grabbed 12 boards in her collegiate debut. While she has yet to match that spectacular performance, Swords consistently has provided steady, active play for the Wolverines, averaging 16.6 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.9 steals per game. The same goes for fellow freshman Olivia Olson. Quieter in the season opener, the forward has increased her production over the course of the season, emerging as the Wolverines’ leading scorer at 16.9 points per game, while shooting 50 percent from the field. She’s also tallying 5.6 boards and 2.3 assists per game.

Mila Holloway rounds out Michigan’s trio of impactful first years, all of whom are playing at least 28 minutes per game. The point guard leads the team with 4.4 assists per game, while also contributing 10 points.

The youngsters will need all the vigor and verve they can muster against an Oklahoma squad teeming with experience. The Sooners are led by the trio of junior center Raegan Beers, grad forward Skylar Vann and senior guard Peyton Verhulst. In a close contest, the expectation is that Oklahoma’s experience will give them the edge; however, if Michigan’s youngsters are undaunted by what they don’t know, the Wolverines, who began the season unranked and did not enter the AP poll’s top 25 until week 5, could steal a win and continue to rise up the rankings.

Will North Carolina’s experience be too much for Florida?

The second game between nearby North Carolina and Florida presents a similar, although not as extreme, dynamic, with the Gators more dependent on young players than the seasoned Tar Heels.

Although senior center Ra Shaya Kyle leads Florida in scoring (16.2) and rebounding (9.6), freshman guard Liv McGill is the engine for the Gators. Like her counterparts from Ann Arbor, McGill, who succeeded Paige Bueckers at Hopkins High School in Minnetonka, MN, is fearless, eager to push the pace and unafraid take tough shots. Despite those offensive responsibilities for a Florida team still figuring out its identity, she’s not a high-volume, inefficient chucker. Rather, McGill’s more than 16 points per game are the product of 50 percent shooting from the field, including a stellar 45.5 percent from 3 on more than three attempts per game. Her best effort came in a loss to in-state rival Florida State, when she put up 28 points on 11-for-17 shooting.

Wing Me’Arah O’Neal has not established herself as rapidly as McGill. Playing a bit more than 15 minutes per game, O’Neal averages 6.6 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. However, she’s shown enough flashes to suggest she’ll eventually be known for her game, not for being Shaq’s daughter. One such example was 14-point and 10-rebound double-double in 20 minutes in Florida’s early December win over Hofstra.

Both players might experience growing pains against North Carolina. The Tar Heels are one of the nation’s better defensive teams, conceding just 52.2 points per game, a number that ranks 12th nationally. On top of that, they’re fresh off a disappointing home loss to Georgia Tech, suggesting UNC should be motivated to put on a show for the in-state faithful in Charlotte. Expect grad wing Alyssa Ustby to be everywhere, causing trouble for the Gators, while senior forward Maria Gakdeng controls the interior and grad guard Lexi Donarski drains more than a few 3s.

Game information

No. 10 Oklahoma Sooners (9-1) vs. No. 20 Michigan Wolverines (9-1)

When: Tuesday, Dec. 17 at 9:30 p.m. ET

Where: Spectrum Center in Charlotte, NC

How to watch: ESPN2

No. 19 North Carolina Tar Heels (10-2) vs. Florida Gators (7-4)

When: Wednesday, Dec. 18 at 6:30 p.m. ET

Where: Spectrum Center in Charlotte, NC

How to watch: ESPNU

When FIBA introduced the new, two-round format of EuroLeague Women group play, part of the reasoning was to ensure the level of competition remained high throughout the regular season.

One week into the second round and it’s so far, so good. Five of the six EuroLeague Women games played last week were decided by single digits, including an epic clash between perennial powerhouses Fenerbahçe Opet and ZVVZ USK Praha and a nail-biter between Perfumerias Avenida and ÇBK Mersin that was nearly sent to overtime thanks to an intentionally missed free throw.

Will there be more drama in store for this week? Mersin’s game against Beretta Famila Schio should be a good one. At 5-2, Schio quietly has been one of the best teams in EuroLeague Women, and Mersin won’t have an easy time maintaining its undefeated record if the Italian club brings its A-game. We’ll also have another intra-country rivalry game, this time between Casademont Zaragoza (5-2) and Valencia Basket Club (6-1), a matchup with plenty of defense and physicality.

Wednesday’s matchup between Schio and Mersin will be streamed live via the DAZN streaming service. All other EuroLeague Women games can be streamed for free via the official EuroLeague Women YouTube channel. Here’s a rundown of what we’ll be watching for this week.

Tuesday, December 17

Basket Landes (5-2) vs. Žabiny Brno (2-5)

When: 11 a.m. ET

Where: Starez Aréna Vodova in Brno, Czech Republic

How to watch: FIBA YouTube live stream

Notable players: Destiny Slocum, Leïla Lacan, Sam Fuehring, Luisa Geiselsöder (Basket Landes); Elissa Cunane, Eliška Hamzová (Žabiny Brno)

Matchup details: Landes remains perhaps the biggest enigma in EuroLeague Women, now sitting at 5-2 after a victory over Bourges, yet still owning a negative point differential (-9). The French club has a chance to pad both stats against Brno, which is giving up by far the most points per game (75.6) of any team in Group E. Brno hasn’t been a pushover by any means, but both of its wins thus far have come against an Olympiacos club that went winless in the first round of group play. Even so, these two clubs may be more evenly-matched than their records suggest.

Casademont Zaragoza (5-2) vs. Valencia Basket Club (6-1)

When: 1:15 p.m. ET

Where: Pabellón Fuente de San Luis in Valencia, Spain

How to watch: FIBA YouTube live stream

Notable players: Markeisha Gatling, Helena Pueyo, Tanaya Atkinson, Stephanie Mawuli (Casademont Zaragoza); Alina Iagupova, Stephanie Mavunga, Yvonne Turner, Kayla Alexander, Leticia Romero, Bernadett Határ, Alba Torrens (Valencia Basket Club)

Matchup details: The biggest comeback of last week belonged to Zaragoza, which overcame a 15-point deficit to Venezia thanks to a strong second half. Zaragoza will now get a crack at fellow Spanish club Valencia, which hasn’t lost in nearly two months and recorded the only double-digit victory in the competition last week. Expect this to be a tough, physical game; Valencia and Zaragoza rank No. 1 and No. 3, respectively, in rebounding, while Valencia is also among the top teams in blocks (3.4) and steals per game (10.1). Finally, both clubs are allowing fewer than 67 points per game, so don’t expect this to be a high-scoring contest.

Wednesday, December 18

Beretta Famila Schio (5-2) vs. ÇBK Mersin (7-0)

When: 11 a.m. ET

Where: Servet Tazegül Spor Salonu in Mersin, Turkey

How to watch: DAZN

Notable players: Kitija Laksa, Jasmine Keys, Janelle Salaün, Ivana Dojkić, Dorka Juhász (Beretta Famila Schio); Marine Johannès, Natasha Howard, Teaira McCowan, Kayla Thornton, Karlie Samuelson, Yvonne Anderson, Iliana Rupert, Marine Fauthoux, Regan Magarity (ÇBK Mersin)

Matchup details: Mersin found itself in a tighter-than-expected game last week against a depleted Avenida squad, but held on in the final seconds to remain undefeated. Schio, meanwhile, led by as many as 15 over Brno, coasting to victory in its own second-round opener. These results set up a game between probably the two strongest clubs in Group E: Mersin, which boasts elite playmaking in its backcourt and a frontcourt that can single-handedly take over a game, and Schio, which has scorers at every position and leads EuroLeague Women in 3-point shooting accuracy (38.6 percent). Schio has also done an excellent job of taking care of the basketball, averaging just 13.6 turnovers per game, but will need to be extra cautious against Anderson, who was last season’s Defensive Player of the Year.

KGHM BC Polkowice (1-6) vs. ZVVZ USK Praha (4-3)

When: 1 p.m. ET

Where: Královka Arena in Prague, Czech Republic

How to watch: FIBA YouTube live stream

Notable players: Alexis Peterson, Amanda Zahui B., Rennia Davis, Emma Cannon (KGHM BC Polkowice); Ezi Magbegor, Brionna Jones, Maite Cazorla, Valeriane Ayayi, Maria Conde, Emese Hof (ZVVZ USK Praha)

Matchup details: A shorthanded Polkowice gave Valencia its best shot last week and was actually leading at halftime before succumbing to its own lack of depth. Things won’t get any easier for the Polish club this week, especially if it still has just seven healthy players at its disposal. Praha is coming off a close loss to Fenerbahçe and, while that’s nothing to be ashamed of, the loss still counts all the same; Praha will likely be looking at this matchup as an opportunity to bounce back and improve upon what is a fairly lukewarm record by its usual standards. Until Polkowice gets some reinforcements—Peterson’s absence, in particular, has left the team without a significant chunk of its overall playmaking abilities—most of its opponents will probably hold the same attitude.

Fenerbahçe Opet (7-0) vs. Umana Reyer Venezia (3-4)

When: 1:30 p.m. ET

Where: Palasport Taliercio in Venice, Italy

How to watch: FIBA YouTube live stream

Notable players: Ariel Atkins, Emma Meesseman, Tina Charles, Gabby Williams, Julie Allemand, Nikolina Milić, Sevgi Uzun (Fenerbahçe Opet); Awak Kuier, Lorela Cubaj, Kamiah Smalls (Umana Reyer Venezia)

Matchup details: Fenerbahçe emerged from its big game against Praha challenged but unscathed, further raising confidence that the Turkish giant may have the juice for yet another EuroLeague Women championship. Next up is a young but talented Venezia team that most recently scored just 23 second-half points in an unfortunate collapse against Zaragoza. Kuier (17 points and 5.6 rebounds per game) is playing well in her first EuroLeague Women season, but Venezia will need much more from the rest of its roster if it’s going to upset a star-studded Fenerbahçe team that’s leading the competition in scoring (85 points per game).

Perfumerias Avenida (3-4) vs. Tango Bourges Basket (4-3)

When: 2 p.m. ET

Where: Palais des Sports du Prado in Bourges, France

How to watch: FIBA YouTube live stream

Notable players: Sika Koné, Mikiah Herbert Harrigan, Arica Carter (Perfumerias Avenida); Amy Okonkwo, Morgan Green, Pauline Astier, Kariata Diaby (Tango Bourges Basket)

Matchup details: Bourges came up just short against fellow French club Landes last week, scoring fewer than 80 points for just the third time this season, but gets a bit of a reprieve against an Avenida team that is dangerously close to hitting a tailspin. Avenida has parted ways with guards Arella Guirantes and Laura Cornelius in recent days, and while Iyana Martín Carrión has done a fine job of managing the backcourt (9.7 points and 3.6 assists per game), there’s only so much the club can ask of the 18-year old. Her individual matchup against Astier (11 points and 5.7 assists per game) should be an entertaining one between two youngsters, though Bourges has plenty of veteran experience as a team.