The second round of EuroLeague Women group play begins this week, and true to FIBA’s word when it introduced the new competition system prior to this season, we have several matchups right away that will showcase some of the best talent international basketball has to offer.

On Wednesday, Tango Bourges Basket will take on Basket Landes in a rivalry game between two French clubs. Both finished the first round of group play at 4-2, and while the high-octane Bourges offense has experience on its side, Landes surprised more than a few people with its performance in recent weeks, and its roster features several can’t-miss, up-and-coming players who could use a strong performance in EuroLeague Women to bolster their international resumes.

We’ll also get a clash between two of the competition’s perennial powerhouses in ZVVZ USK Praha (4-2) and Fenerbahçe Opet (6-0). Fenerbahçe is, of course, the two-time defending EuroLeague Women champion, and boasts perhaps the most star-studded roster in the competition, with standout names such as Emma Meesseman, Gabby Williams and Tina Charles. Can Praha’s hard-nosed group, led by Ezi Magbegor and Brionna Jones, deal Fenerbahçe its first loss?

Five of this week’s six games will be streamed live and for free on FIBA’s EuroLeague Women YouTube channel, while the game between Bourges and Landes will be streamed via DAZN. Here’s everything else we’ll be watching for as the second round of group play tips off.

Wednesday, December 11

Valencia Basket Club (5-1) vs. KGHM BC Polkowice (1-5)

When: 1 p.m. ET

Where: City Sports Hall in Polkowice, Poland

How to watch: FIBA YouTube live stream

Notable players: Alina Iagupova, Stephanie Mavunga, Yvonne Turner, Kayla Alexander, Leticia Romero, Bernadett Határ, Alba Torrens (Valencia Basket Club); Alexis Peterson, Amanda Zahui B., Rennia Davis, Emma Cannon (KGHM BC Polkowice)

Matchup details: To call Polkowice the underdog in this matchup wouldn’t be unfair. Leading distributor Peterson (16.8 points and seven assists per game) is still on the mend from a lower leg injury, and veteran forward Anete Steinberga (15.2 points and 6.5 rebounds per game) recently transferred to Turkish club Galatasaray, which is participating in EuroCup Women. This puts Polkowice in an unfavorable spot against Valencia, a veteran-laded team that ranked first in the competition in rebounds (41.2) and second in blocks per game (3.3) in the first round of group play.

Tango Bourges Basket (4-2) vs. Basket Landes (4-2)

When: 1:30 p.m. ET

Where: Espace François Mitterrand in Mont-de-Marsan, France

How to watch: DAZN

Notable players: Amy Okonkwo, Morgan Green, Pauline Astier, Kariata Diaby (Tango Bourges Basket); Destiny Slocum, Leïla Lacan, Sam Fuehring, Luisa Geiselsöder (Basket Landes)

Matchup details: One of the goals of FIBA trying the two-round group play system in EuroLeague Women was to ensure that the second round was filled with fresh matchups, but Bourges and Landes have already met this season in the French league, which resulted in a 68-55 Landes victory highlighted by a 15-point, 10-rebound performance by Geiselsöder. Such a score was uncharacteristic for Bourges, which averaged 81.3 points per game as a team in the first round of EuroLeague Women group play. We’ll see if Bourges can turn the tables on Landes (66.8 team points per game and 40.8 percent field goal percentage) here in the European competition.

Žabiny Brno (2-4) vs. Beretta Famila Schio (4-2)

When: 2 p.m. ET

Where: Palazzetto Livio Romare in Schio, Italy

How to watch: FIBA YouTube live stream

Notable players: Elissa Cunane, Eliška Hamzová (Žabiny Brno); Kitija Laksa, Jasmine Keys, Janelle Salaün, Ivana Dojkić, Dorka Juhász (Beretta Famila Schio)

Matchup details: Not much is expected of Brno after a 2-4 finish in the first round, so the Czech club will more or less be playing with house money from here on. Schio, on the other hand, finished the first round with three straight wins and could very well be looking at this matchup as an opportunity for a fourth. Brno has the offensive talent to make this a competitive game—the two clubs, coincidentally, are currently averaging the same number of points per game (71.3). But Brno has given up more points per game (75.5) than any other team in Group E. Defending the 3-point shot will be important for Brno, as Schio is currently knocking down 39.8 percent of its 3-point attempts, which leads EuroLeague Women.

ÇBK Mersin (6-0) vs. Perfumerias Avenida (3-3)

When: 2:30 p.m. ET

Where: Pabellón Municipal Würzburg in Salamanca, Spain

How to watch: FIBA YouTube live stream

Notable players: Marine Johannès, Natasha Howard, Teaira McCowan, Kayla Thornton, Karlie Samuelson, Yvonne Anderson, Iliana Rupert, Marine Fauthoux, Regan Magarity (ÇBK Mersin); Sika Koné, Mikiah Herbert Harrigan, Arica Carter (Perfumerias Avenida)

Matchup details: Avenida has had an up-and-down season thus far, and with Arella Guirantes recently having left the team, perimeter players like Carter and youngster Iyana Martín Carrión will need to step up until the club can find another scorer on the wing. In the meantime, Mersin will be strongly favored to take this game; the Turkish club has been loading up with the recent additions of McCowan and Thornton, and finished the first round of group play leading the competition in assists per game (26.3), thanks in large part to its deep, talented backcourt of Johannès, Anderson and Fauthoux. It’s no surprise that Mersin came in at No. 1 overall in the latest edition of FIBA’s EuroLeague Women power rankings.

Thursday, December 12

ZVVZ USK Praha (4-2) vs. Fenerbahçe Opet (6-0)

When: 10:30 a.m. ET

Where: Metro Energy Sports Hall in Istanbul, Turkey

How to watch: FIBA YouTube live stream

Notable players: Ezi Magbegor, Brionna Jones, Maite Cazorla, Valeriane Ayayi, Maria Conde, Emese Hof (ZVVZ USK Praha); Ariel Atkins, Emma Meesseman, Tina Charles, Gabby Williams, Julie Allemand, Nikolina Milić, Sevgi Uzun (Fenerbahçe Opet)

Matchup details: It’s been a must-watch game whenever these two teams have played in recent seasons, and this time around is no different. Praha has once again assembled a team that excels on defense (3.7 blocks and 9.5 steals per game) and on the boards (39 rebounds per game), but will it be enough to overcome the Fenerbahçe machine? The defending champs are once again scoring the most points per game (86.7) of any EuroLeague Women team and also have the highest cumulative point differential (+111) in the competition. How Magbegor and Jones play against Meesseman and Charles will be a determining factor, as will the play of November MVP Conde.

Umana Reyer Venezia (3-3) vs. Casademont Zaragoza (4-2)

When: 2 p.m. ET

Where: Pabellón Príncipe Felipe in Zaragoza, Spain

How to watch: FIBA YouTube live stream

Notable players: Awak Kuier, Lorela Cubaj, Kamiah Smalls (Umana Reyer Venezia); Markeisha Gatling, Helena Pueyo, Tanaya Atkinson, Stephanie Mawuli (Casademont Zaragoza)

Matchup details: Venezia likely wants to play in a higher-scoring game than Zaragoza does, but offense may be at a premium in this game. The two clubs rank second and third in the competition in steals per game, totaling 19.7, while Zaragoza ranks third in rebounds per game (38.3). Pace of play will be crucial in this matchup; if Venezia can neutralize Zaragoza’s advantage on the boards and overall physicality, it can get out and run with younger players like Kuier and Smalls, but if Zaragoza keeps the game slow and in the halfcourt, its size and experience may win out.

We have finally reached conference play in the Big Ten, and one weekend in, things are going as expected. We already recapped No. 5 USC beating Oregon and No. 21 Iowa losing to Tennessee. The Hawkeyes’ loss was in non-conference play, as they have yet to start their Big Ten schedule.

Here is how the rest of the weekend’s action went in the new and expanded Big Ten:

Maryland remains dominant

The No. 7-ranked Terrapins continue to be one of the nation’s deeper, more impressive teams. They defeated Purdue 78-69, with five players reaching double figures.

It wasn’t a smooth game for Maryland the entire way. They struggled to score in the opening quarter and quickly found themselves in a double-digit hole. In the second half, however, junior guard Bri McDaniel stepped up and scored 13 points in the third quarter alone.

This offensive burst helped Maryland take the lead into the fourth quarter, and they never looked back, growing their advantage the rest of the way.

Bruins keep it moving

If you were expecting an upset from Washington on Sunday, that didn’t happen, as the Bruins won 73-62.

Given that UCLA is the No. 1-ranked team in the nation, the loss is as close to a good defeat as possible for Washington.

The Huskies got a great game from junior guard Elle Ladine, who scored 19 points on 7-for-16 shooting. Junior guard Hannah Stines also shined with 12 points and a team-high eight rebounds. For the Bruins, junior center Lauren Betts was huge, scoring 23 points and shooting 62 percent from the field.

Ohio State stays in control

Sitting at No. 21 in the AP going into their matchup with Ohio State, Illinois has been a pleasant surprise this year. But Sunday’s game was a reminder that there is still room for them to grow.

The No. 11 Buckeyes defeated the Fighting Illini 83-74, and were in control the entire way. Illinois had a late surge in the fourth after the lead had expanded to 18 points but never truly threatened to win. Junior forward Cotie McMahon was superb for the Buckeyes, scoring 23 points in the win. This was her first game back following a right lower-leg injury, which caused her to miss four games.

Michigan squeaks by Northwestern

One of the closest Big Ten games was No. 20 Michigan against Northwestern. The Wolverines beat the Wildcats 60-54, coming back in the fourth to secure the result.

Jordan Hobbs was huge for Michigan. She scored six-consecutive points in the closing minutes to turn a one-point deficit into a four-point advantage.

Northwestern remained cold and was unable to score in the final 2:20 minutes of the game, failing to pull off the upset.

Other notable results

No. 24 Nebraska dominated Minnesota 84-65 thanks to the Cornhuskers’ bench outscoring the Golden Gophers’ 42-23. No. 17 Michigan State also won easily, defeating DePaul 89-61 in a non-conference contest. The Spartans led by as many as 32 points and never trailed. Jaddan Simmons was a star for Michigan State, scoring 18 points in her 30 minutes of play. She missed just two field goal attempts.

Wisconsin edged Rutgers, beating them 66-64. During the final minute, Tess Myers hit a crucial 3-pointer to give Wisconsin the lead, and after a couple more free throws, they sealed the result. Lastly, Indiana beat Penn State 75-60 thanks to Yarden Garzon’s 22-point performance and Karoline Striplin, who scored 27 off the bench while shooting perfectly from the field.

Carla Leite hasn’t yet played a single WNBA game. Yet, she already has a new team.

After the Dallas Wings, who drafted her No. 9 overall in the 2024 WNBA Draft, left her unprotected in the expansion draft, the Golden State Valkyries jumped on the opportunity to pick one of the most promising European players, who currently is playing for Villeneuve d’Ascq in the La Boulangère Wonderligue in France. Just 20 years old, Leite already has attained numerous accolades, the most important of which is probably the FIBA U20 Women’s European Championship MVP trophy.

Swish Appeal recently caught up with Leite to talk about her basketball experiences, as well as what’s next for the potential future star of the Valkyries:

I read at The Next that you started playing basketball at nine years old, but got really serious about it at 13. What sparked that decision and can you describe what “getting serious” meant at such a young age?

Basketball became serious for me when I joined the Antibes youth team at the age of 13. That’s when I knew I wanted to make basketball my job.

I’m asking that question because, since you’ve been serious about basketball since a young age, did you still have time to be a teenager and do regular teenager stuff?

I don’t think I had a normal adolescence. I was quickly separated from my family and I had to learn to be independent. These are sacrifices that I made and I was happy with this decision. During my rest times, I stayed with the people from the boarding school or I called my family.

You grew up in Yvelines, an hour from Paris, but to play high school ball you moved to Lyon, five hours from your hometown. Is that right? Or did you move somewhere in between?

I was born in Yvelines and then I moved to the south of France in Lorgues at the age of six. After the Pôle Espoirs (a youth training center), I went to the high school in Lyon. My parents helped me with my move and then they went back to Lorgues. I saw them during the school holidays when I had days off.

What’s studying at the Tony Parker Academy like?

I was lucky enough to be in an incredible structure in Lyon (Tony Parker Academy). It had everything on site: school, catering, boarding school and gymnasiums. Most of the time, in the morning, I had school for two hours, then training. I ate and took a nap and I left in the afternoon for two hours of school followed by training. In the evening, I ate and there was study for homework.

You turned pro at 18, only two years ago. How hard was that leap and how did you prepare your body for playing against more physical opponents?

For me, becoming a pro at 18 was a goal and something that I saw as normal. I got injured before the start of the season (psoas tear) so I had to learn on the side. Once I recovered, I managed to quickly adapt to the change in level. I think that was done in continuity.

When and why did you pick 0 as your number?

The first time I wore the number 0 was during the second year in Lyon. I chose this number because I loved Russell Westbrook.

April 15, 2024. How did you feel when it was announced that you were drafted by the Wings?

It was a special day for me because it was also my birthday in France. I tried to have a normal day so as not to stress. In the evening, I ate at a restaurant with my agent, my mental trainer and players from my club.

How and when did you learn about the Wings’ interest in you and how did the communication with the team look like up until you were selected? Were other teams in contact with you as well or maybe your agent told you about other teams being interested?

A few months before the draft, I had several video calls with different franchises. The video call with Dallas went really well. I immediately had a good feeling with them.

Prior to this season, you moved from Tarbes to Villeneuve and got your first taste of the EuroLeague. Unfortunately, your team didn’t make it to the next round, but how would you rate that experience so far for you personally? That 24-point performance against Polkowice especially showed that you’re ready to compete at the highest level.

I am disappointed not to be in the EuroLeague anymore, but I was still able to see the level of this competition. I think it allowed me to improve and compete with the best. I can’t wait to continue to evolve in this championship and perform.

2024 was huge for you. What are your goals for 2025 and beyond?

2025 is a big year for me. I want to win as many titles as possible with my club. Progress with the people around me. And of course [go to] the WNBA, which is really something important for me.

Thank you to Gregory Muntzer of Basketball Pro Agency for arranging the interview.

Less than two weeks before conference play begins, Big 12 teams are starting to show their true colors. Here are some of the most notable storylines:

Should Iowa State be worried?

No. 18 Iowa State has cemented their feet in the top 20 of the AP Poll despite losses to Northern Iowa (4-4) and South Carolina (9-1), but subjectivity may be masking their early-season tribulations. Quite simply, statistics don’t agree with the AP. Sorted by Simple Rating System (SRS), which takes into account record, strength of schedule and point margin, Iowa State barely cracks the top 50 of Division I programs.

Failing to overthrow South Carolina can be easily excused. Failing to score more than three points in the first 16 minutes of that game? Harder to justify. The Gamecocks 40-point win brought the Cyclones’ ability, both physically and mentally, into question. They didn’t look hungry enough. They didn’t play a polished brand of basketball. Dismissing such a bad loss because of South Carolina’s talent would be kind—but unhelpful—to a team that was perhaps in desperate need of a wake-up call.

Before the season began, I claimed that Iowa State’s success against top programs, and their potential to contend for a national championship, may be intrinsically tied to whether sophomore center Audi Crooks can expand her offensive horizons past pure scoring. One-dimensional post scorers, especially immobile ones who lack rim protection traits, are rarely floor-raisers to the extent of taking a team to the Final Four and beyond.

When South Carolina fell to UCLA, 6-foot-7 Lauren Betts flexed all her muscles. She dominated as an advantage creator, scorer and rim protecter. Despite being the Bruins’ lead scorer on the season, Betts only took eight shots. UCLA won by 15. Her gravity attracted help defenders as soon as she caught the ball, and her willingness to quickly defer to her teammates allowed them to play off of that advantage. Crooks isn’t there yet. She has tendencies to both drop step into double teams and settle for fading post jumpers, neither of which are healthy additions to her offensive diet. The Iowa State guards struggle to throw her entry passes at times, and don’t always recognize quick skip passes that her interior gravity may open up.

Iowa State has so much potential—but so much to clean up. They’re absolutely among the favorites in the Big 12, but they haven’t shown enough in non-conference play to confidently say that they’ll advance much further in March Madness than last season.

Kansas State consistency

Photo by Peter G. Aiken/Getty Images

While Iowa State is receiving more recognition from the media than then statistics suggest they deserve, No. 13 Kansas State is comfortably parked at the other end of that intersection. While a top-15 AP ranking is rewarding in and of itself, it may be underselling K-State’s dominance. The Wildcats, according to SRS, have been the second-best team in the country thus far.

Grad center Ayoka Lee has been the most impactful player on the floor for nearly every second she’s played this season. If I would be granted the leniency of rounding 9.7 and 9.6 up, the Wildcats have seven players averaging double-digit points. Six players averaging more than four rebounds. Four averaging three or more assists.

Every mouth is being fed, and a plethora of failsafes make Kansas State that much harder to scheme against. How do you defend such a diverse offense? How do you score on such a physical defense? The Wildcats only loss came to No. 9 Duke, but they’ve never looked truly outmatched. However good you may think Kansas State is, they’re better.

Oklahoma State may be… good?

SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Oklahoma State Cowgirls have not played any ranked opponents, nor have they played more than one Power 5 team. No absolute claims should be made about whether or not they can maintain stride with other Big 12 powerhouses when conference play starts later this month. However, let’s celebrate progress! Oklahoma State, despite being at the bottom of the conference in preseason predictions, is currently in second. They finished with a 14-16 overall record last season. They’ve started 9-1 this year.

Junior guard Micah Gray, a Seton Hall transfer, is flourishing on her third team in three years. The Oklahoma City native is leading the team at 17.2 points per game. She’s a high volume 3-point shooter who’s prone to offensive explosion, which is a promising archetype of scorer for a team that will need to upset ranked opponents if they want to finish in the top half of conference play. Gray is a big reason that the Cowgirls are sixth in the country in made 3-pointers per game. They’re also the 10th-highest scoring team in the country.

Living on the 3-point line is both nerve-racking and fun, but Oklahoma State has even more room to grow. They’re only attempting 25 3s per game, despite being second in the nation in 3-point percentage as a team at 42.2 percent. If your team is shooting 42.2 percent from 3, you should be taking nearly 40 3s per game, even if that means that the percentage takes a notable hit. Programs like Florida Gulf Coast have suggested that volume from distance may be more conducive to winning than percentage from distance, and Oklahoma State should be dead set on testing that theory.

Until conference play starts, it will be impossible to get a good read on the Cowgirls. Their ability to connect from long range suggests that even if they fall back down to earth, they have the potential to shoot their way into any game.