On Sunday, the basketball gods smiled on the Dallas Wings. The organization won the 2025 WNBA Draft Lottery, a basketball blessing that earns them the No. 1 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft on April 14 and, presumably, the right to select UConn superstar Paige Bueckers.

Maddy Siegrist served as the representative for the victorious Wings. The lottery combination that won them the No. 1 pick was their own 22.7 percent chance, and not the Chicago Sky’s 22.7 percent chance. (In 2023, when the Sky acquired Marina Mabrey from the Wings, Chicago gave Dallas the option of swapping 2025 first-round picks.) Bueckers will be a boon for the oft-dysfunctional franchise that, under the leadership of new general manager Curt Miller, looks to build sustainable success. A new head coach, surely, will be named shortly.

The Los Angeles Sparks will have the No. 2 pick, followed by the Chicago Sky at No. 3 and the Washington Mystics rounding out the lottery at No. 4. The expansion Golden State Valkyries will pick at No. 5. From there, the first round follows teams’ records for the 2024 season in reverse order, albeit will several picks changing hands due to completed trades. The current order of the first round is:

• No. 1: Dallas Wings
• No. 2: Los Angeles Sparks
• No. 3: Chicago Sky
• No. 4: Washington Mystics
• No. 5: Golden State Valkyries
• No. 6: Washington Mystics (from Atlanta via Dallas)
• No. 7: New York Liberty (from Phoenix)
• No. 8: Indiana Fever
• No. 9: Seattle Storm
• No. 10: Chicago Sky (from Connecticut)
• No. 11: Minnesota Lynx
• No. 12: Phoenix Mercury (from New York)

The 2025 WNBA Draft Lottery is the main event for women’s basketball fans on Sunday, Nov. 17. Shortly after 5 p.m. ET, we’ll learn if the Dallas Wings, Los Angeles Sparks or Washington Mystics will receive the No. 1 pick in April’s draft.

Before then, however, the NCAAW schedule offers several treats, headlined by No. 13 NC State traveling to Forth Worth to face TCU, which immediately will precede the draft lottery on ESPN.

Several players from both the Wolfpack and Horned Frogs likely will be on the radar of WNBA general managers, from NC State senior guards Saniya Rivers and Aziaha James to TCU grad center Sedona Prince and grad guard Hailey Van Lith. But before WNBA dreams can be realized, how might the Pack and Frogs matchup on Sunday afternoon?

Does NC State or TCU have the edge?

As Beckett Harrison recently postulated, NC State’s frontcourt could prove to be a pivotal weakness. That certainly seems like a potential problem against the 6-foot-7 Prince, who is leading TCU with averages of 19.3 points and eight rebounds per game. Prince also is tied for the national lead in total blocks (17) and blocks per game (5.7).

Prince’s presence in the paint not only threatens to overwhelm the Wolfpack’s inexperienced post players, but also could neutralize NC State’s strong backcourt play. The Wolfpack are not an especially effective outside shooting team; instead, their offense hums when their guards, particularly Rivers and James, are able to exploit their athletic advantages and generate easier scoring opportunities around the basket. With Prince patrolling the interior, NC State might be induced to take a few too many tough midrangers. Conversely, Rivers and James, along with sophomore guard Zoe Brooks and freshman guard Zamareya Jones, have more than enough shake and skill to separate from TCU’s perimeter defenders and find shots in their comfort zones.

However, as the Wolfpack are averaging 72 points per game, which ranks 16th in the ACC, their defense is more likely to drive their victory. Rivers, who averages almost four “stocks” per game, captains a NC State defense that, when dialed in, can suffocate opponents with a combination quickness, instincts and intelligence. Expect the Wolfpack’s guards to be prepared to give Van Lith a hard time.

Thus far, Van Lith is filling up the box score in ways she never did at Louisville or LSU. She’s averaging 17.7 points per game, along with a career-high 7.7 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game. Look for NC State to try to shut down her distribution opportunities and make her a scorer. For the season, Van Lith is shooting 40 percent from the field and 26.3 percent from 3. From the Wolfpack’s perspective, forcing Van Lith into tough shots is preferable to seeing the Horned Frogs’ sharpshooters catch fire from behind the arc. Senior guard Madison Conner remains one of the nation’s best 3-point shooters. Currently, she’s seventh in the nation in attempts and fourth in makes, shooting 43.8 percent from behind the arc. Junior guard Taylor Bigby, a transfer from USC, gives TCU another long-distance threat; she’s shooting 41.2 percent from 3.

If those players catch fire, NC State could be in trouble. In contrast to the Wolfpack, the Horned Frogs will be more than happy if this game turns into a shootout, as they are scoring 91.7 points per game, which ranks 15th in the nation.

Other NCAAW action worth watching

At 2 p.m. ET (FS1), a reeling Indiana team host No. 24 Stanford. The Hoosiers, with losses to Harvard and Butler, are struggling to put the ball in the basket. They’re last in the Big Ten in scoring, averaging only 65.3 points per game as they shoot 40.3 percent from the field and 25.5 percent from 3 as a team. Stanford, in contrast, has found early success behind sophomore forward Nunu Agara, who leads the Cardinal with 19.3 points and 7.5 rebounds per game.

At 3:30 p.m. ET (CBSSN), No. 16 Duke visits South Dakota State, presenting the Blue Devils with the kind of early-season road test that head coach Kara Lawson craves. It will be another opportunity to watch freshman forward Toby Fournier further explore and expand her already-apparent potential. Duke fans probably would like to see Reigan Richardson have a big day. So far, the senior guard hasn’t scored more than 13 points in a game.

Finally, at 7:30 p.m. ET (FS1), No. 4 Texas takes on DePaul in Chicago. This should be an easy win for the Longhorns, even if sophomore forward Madison Booker is unable to play. She missed Texas’ second game with a sore hamstring. Head coach Vic Schaefer has plenty of other weapons, highlighted by senior guard Rori Harmon, who has resumed her reliable, two-way role as she leads the team with 7.5 assists and 3.5 steals per game. Junior forward Kyla Oldacre, a transfer from Miami, also has emerged as an impactful contributor, averaging a double-double of 14 points and 10.5 rebounds.

Game information

No. 24 Stanford Cardinal (4-0) vs. Indiana Hoosiers (1-2)

When: Sunday, Nov. 17 at 2 p.m. ET

Where: Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington, IN

How to watch: FS1

No. 13 NC State Wolfpack (2-1) vs. TCU Horned Frogs (3-0)

When: Sunday, Nov. 17 at 3 p.m. ET

Where: Schollmaier Arena in Fort Worth, TX

How to watch: ESPN

No. 16 Duke Blue Devils (3-1) vs. South Dakota State Jackrabbits (3-0)

When: Sunday, Nov. 17 at 3:30 p.m. ET

Where: First Bank & Trust Arena in Brookings, SD

How to watch: CBS Sports Network

No. 4 Texas Longhorns (2-0) vs. DePaul Blue Demons (2-1)

When: Sunday, Nov. 17 at 7:30 p.m. ET

Where: Wintrust Arena in Chicago, IL

How to watch: FS1

Channon Fluker’s smile is contagious and the same goes for her positive attitude.

The former Cal State Northridge standout (2015-19) is currently in Turkey, putting up crazy stats on a weekly basis in the Turkish Women’s Basketball League (TKBL), which is the second-tier women’s league in Turkey. In her debut, she had 38 points and 17 boards. She’s also been named Player of the Week multiple times.

As a dominant big, she can score, attack the boards and stretch the floor, but the most underrated aspect of her game is her defense. We talked about her late start in basketball, her time at Cal State Northridge, changing teams overseas, being named MVP in Slovakia and more. Some highlights from the talk:

On her decision to take a step back and play in the second-tier league in Turkey:

Well, this was actually a choice for me to come to this team and try to help them advance to the first league. This was a completely personal choice this season….Just talking to the staff and you know, seeing what the roster was, and also the city as well. I wanted to go somewhere a little bit different.

On the hardest part about playing professionally in Europe:

For four years in college in the US, we’re playing with the same people, same coaches. When you come overseas, you have to get used to a whole new style of play. New coaches, different players. So it’s a shock.

A special thank you to Thomas Prodromou of Flash Agency for arranging the interview.

Saturday brings a battle for bragging rights in the Bluegrass State, with the No. 18 Louisville Cardinals (2-1) visiting the No. 20 Kentucky Wildcats (3-0) at 6 p.m. ET (SEC Network+).

For Louisville, who lost a hard-fought opener to No. 5 UCLA in Paris but otherwise has cruised to two wins, a victory could stake their claim as one of the country’s overlooked contenders. For Kentucky, the in-state matchup will be the first test of the Kenny Brooks era, where a win would not only confirm that the Wildcats have fully rebounded from their recent nadir but also are ready to tussle with, and even take down, the nation’s best teams. Here are the players to watch when the Cardinals and Wildcats meet:

Freshman Tajianna Roberts is the real deal for Louisville

Guard Tajianna Roberts was not the highest-ranked recruit in Louisville’s highly-regard freshman class, albeit coming in at No. 24 in the final ESPN HoopGurlz ranking is not too shabby. Yet, she’s not only been the Cardinals’ best freshman, she’s been the team’s best player.

Roberts quickly has earned head coach Jeff Walz’s trust, playing a team-high 36 minutes and scoring a team-leading 21 points against UCLA in Paris. Since then, she’s turned in a pair of efficient games against overmatched opponents, earning ACC Freshman of the Week honors. For the season, Roberts is shooting 51.4 percent from the field and 44.4 percent for 3. Those marks might be unsustainable, especially the behind-the-arc number. Yet, the confidence Roberts already has accrued in her short collegiate career is a valuable resource. And at 5-foot-10, she should be able to continue to find offensive success when matched up against Kentucky’s undersized guards on Saturday.

Roberts isn’t the only newcomer making an impact for Louisville. Senior guard Ja’Leah Williams, who spent the first three seasons of her college career at Miami, has emerged as a capable steward of the Cardinals’ attack, averaging a career-high 4.7 assists per game. On the other end, she’s also making plays, leading Louisville with 2.7 steals per game. On Saturday, expect her primary responsibility to be disrupting Kentucky grad guard Georgia Amoore.

Will the Clara Towers overwhelm for the Wildcats?

Recently, Josh Felton wrote about Kentucky’s Clara Strack, a 6-foot-5 sophomore center, and Clara Silva, a 6-foot-7 freshman center, coining the pair the “Clara Towers.” Since the opener, their size has continued be determinative for the Wildcats. Strack leads the team in scoring and rebounding, averaging a double-double of 17.7 points and 11.3 rebounds. She’s also effectively operating as an offensive hub, dishing five assists per game. Silva, the SEC Freshman of the Week, is posting 12 points and 5.3 rebounds per game, along with 4.7 blocks per game, which ranks second in the SEC and fifth in the nation.

That tandem has the potential to overwhelm a team as talented as Louisville, as the guard- and wing-heavy Cardinals do not have the reliable size necessary to deter, or not be deterred by, the Claras. Graduate forward Olivia Cochran, who stands at 6-foot-3, is tallest high-minute player in Louisville’s rotation. As a result, Walz may have to entrust more time to the less-experienced Elif Istanbulluoglu, a 6-foot-3 sophomore forward, or Isla Juffermans, a 6-foot-4 freshman forward.

In addition to their interior edge, Kentucky sports an experienced backcourt helmed by Amoore, who leads the SEC with 8.3 assists per game, and complemented by grad guard Dazia Lawerence, who was maintained the scoring effectiveness she demonstrated during four seasons at Charlotte. That balance could help Kentucky capture the win over their in-state rival.

Game information

No. 18 Louisville Cardinals (2-1) vs. No. 20 Kentucky Wildcats (3-0)

When: Saturday, Nov. 16 at 6 p.m. ET

Where: Memorial Coliseum in Lexington, KY

How to watch: SEC Network+