On Wednesday, Oct. 16, the 16 women’s basketball teams of the SEC gathered in Birmingham, Alabama for Media Day.

Swish Appeal’s contributing photographer Christina Merrion was there to capture the optimism ahead of what promises to be another exciting season of women’s hoops.

South Carolina

The defending national champions, fresh off an undefeated 39-0 season, not only enter the season ranked No. 1 in the AP preseason top 25 poll, but also are projected to again finish atop the SEC. Head coach Dawn Staley was in Birmingham with senior forward Sania Feagin and junior guard Raven Johnson, who was named to the Preseason All-SEC Second Team.

Christina Merrion.

Christina Merrion.

Texas

A newcomer to the SEC, head coach Vic Shaefer’s Texas team is projected to finish second in the conference standings. The Longhorns also are No. 4 in the AP preseason poll. Senior guard Rori Harmon and sophomore forward Madison Booker attended Media Day. Harmon, who is returning to the court after missing the majority of last season with an ACL injury, was voted to the Preseason All-SEC Second Team. Booker not only was selected to the First Team, but also named Preseason Co-SEC Player of the Year.

Christina Merrion.

Christina Merrion.

LSU

Although reigning SEC Player of the Year Angel Reese headed to the WNBA, LSU still sports two leading candidates for the conference’s top individual crown, with senior guard Aneesah Morrow and junior guard Flau’jae Johnson sharing Preseason Co-SEC Player of the Year honors with Texas’ Booker. The pair accompanied head coach Kim Mulkey to Media Day. The Tigers, while ranked No. 7 in the AP preseason poll, are expected to finish third in the conference.

Christina Merrion.

Christina Merrion.

Christina Merrion.

Christina also caught up with Johnson for a short interview. Johnson, of course, is a multidimensional talent, both on the court and off the court. In addition to her music career, Johnson has tried her hand at coaching. She also has a podcast. And, she’s a landowner, recently purchasing 20 acres in Atlanta. Christina asked about her property investment ambitions.

Tennessee

New head coach Kim Caldwell takes over on Rocky Top, hoping to lead Tennessee to a season superior to their projected seventh-place finish in the conference standings. To make that happen, Caldwell will be relying on fifth-year senior guard Jewel Spear, who led the Lady Vols in scoring last season.

Christina Merrion.

Christina Merrion.

Kentucky

New head coach Kenny Brooks arrives at Kentucky from Virginia Tech with his star charge, grad guard Georgia Amoore, in tow. After a 12th-place finish and only four conference wins last season, the Wildcats are expected to improve, projected for eighth place in the standings. Amoore, who earned All-American honors last season, was voted to the Preseason All-SEC First Team.

Christina Merrion.

Christina Merrion.

Mississippi State

After an 8-8 conference record and seventh-place conference finish last season, Mississippi State is expected to slip to 11th place in 2024-25. It will be head coach Sam Purcell’s third season in Starkville, while senior guard Jerkaila Jordan, the Bulldog’s leading scorer in 2023-24, prepares for her final collegiate season.

Christina Merrion.

Christina Merrion.

Texas A&M

Entering their third season under head coach Joni Taylor, Texas A&M is forecasted as the SEC’s 13th-ranked team. Last season, the Aggies finished 9th with a 6-10 conference record. Grad guard Aicha Coulibaly, who joined Taylor in Birmingham for Media Day, will look to again lead the Aggies in scoring.

Christina Merrion.

Christina Merrion.

Additional highlights

Ole Miss is projected to finish fifth in the SEC, with the Rebels ready to benefit from the play of grad guard KK Deans, who only played six games last season before suffering a season-ending knee injury.

Christina Merrion.

Last season, head coach Shea Ralph led Vanderbilt to their first winning season since 2015-16. This season, Ralph’s fourth in Nashville, the Commodores are expected to finish in 10th place.

Christina Merrion.

Georgia aims to improve on last season’s 3-13 conference record and 13th-place finish behind senior guard Asia Avinger. The Bulldogs are projected for 14th in the conference standings.

Christina Merrion.

Arkansas is expected to finish at the bottom of the SEC, a drop from last season’s ninth-place finish and 6-10 conference record. It will be head coach Mike Neighbors’ eighth season at the helm of the Razorbacks.

Christina Merrion.

The final year of college is a major time in the life of most student athletes, whether or not they have any intention of playing their sport after graduation. But for those incredible few who are predicted to not only keep playing but to play at the highest level possible, the final year is it: The time to leave it all on the court knowing you did the best you could have possibly done.

Texas senior guard Rori Harmon is absolutely prepared to do just that, with her head held high and her intention clear. At the time she spoke to Swish Appeal, the NCAA had just approved a waiver that would allow her to stay on for a fifth season if she chooses, a request she sent largely due to the fact that she missed most of the 2023-24 season after she tore her ACL.

The waiver approval “was nice,” Harmon says. “Obviously, I’m very grateful it was obtained and it was granted.” When I asked if she intends to take advantage of that extra year, the faintest expression of what might be surprise, or even skepticism, flits across her face. She points out that the WNBA is the goal of any woman who is serious about basketball, and she always thought her shot would come in 2025, right when it was always meant to.

“That’s where the best of the best is,” she explains. “So when you work as hard I have, and as other people who play basketball like me have, that’s something that you want to do.”

“I have another year,” she adds, “but that wasn’t planned.”

Harmon has played at Texas every year of college, eschewing the lure of the transfer portal altogether. Though she was heavily recruited by Mississippi State, Texas head coach Vic Shaefer’s domain is where she felt the most at home. “I know it was the right decision to make, and I don’t regret any decision I’ve made,” she says. The school’s coaching staff “was very transparent during the recruiting process,” and has “kept their word ever since.”

Integrity is something that Harmon values immensely. “I’m the type of person that does respect things like that,” she explains. “People who have character—they treat me well, and my family trusts them.” “I like where I’m at, I like how I’m trying to leave,” she continues.

“I’m trying to leave a legacy, and you can’t really leave a legacy if you don’t stay at schools long enough.”

Her WNBA goals have always been to be drafted top 10 or top five, a position that she’s held every year since she stepped out on Texas’ court. But if last season taught her anything, it’s that there are no guarantees.

On Oct. 18, Harmon was cleared to return to the court. Prior to that, she had been working out, just not at her maximum capacity. Her surgeon was letting her go at about 80 percent of what she’s capable of, but felt confident she would be ready in time for the team’s first game. Mentally, she’s been past the injury and ready to go.

Harmon’s position as a leader of the team, in combination with her year off the court, has also developed what one might dare describe as the potential coach side of her, something that teammate Laila Phelia experienced first hand during her own recruitment process. Phelia, who left Michigan to join Texas, says that hearing from Schaefer was a great part of the process, but the future teammates who reached out to her made the difference. “That really spoke to me a lot, to know these players were reaching out to me,” she explains.

“They really wanted to create a team,” Phelia continues. “And that was different than a lot of other universities, where it’s just the coaching staff reaching out. The fact that the top players on Texas’ women’s basketball team were reaching out and explaining to me how I would fit it—it really made my decision a lot easier.”

When asked about her role in Phelia’s recruitment, Harmon is modest. “I trust the coaches so much to recruit the best players for our team, but I was like, ‘Laila is the perfect fit, the perfect match—[she’s] exactly what we needed.’”

For Phelia, playing under Schaefer is “very exciting.” She’s also headed into her last year of college basketball no matter what happens, and of course, her sights are similarly set on the biggest court for women in the world: the WNBA. If that doesn’t pan out, she’s also curious about playing overseas, perhaps in Italy, or even Australia.

But like Harmon, before she can contemplate that next big step, Phelia is focused on the coming season. Texas has an exciting schedule that will give the team the opportunity to dominate on their home court against heavy hitters LSU and South Carolina. She sought advice from former Longhorn Ariel Atkins, who said the key to successfully navigating your final year of school is to stay present in the moment.

“Don’t think too far ahead,” Phelia says. “Worry about the next practice. Worry about the next game. Worry about getting in shape. Worry about literally busting your butt every single day in practice and giving it your all. Don’t worry about the next level right now.”

That advice, she continues, was “so real.” Phelia pauses, then adds, “I’m in college right now. Let me just stay in the moment and work on being the best player I can be.”

Another WNBA Finals game between the No. 1-seed New York Liberty and No. 2-seed Minnesota Lynx means another nail-biting finish.

In Game 3, Sabrina Ionescu was a hero, hitting a logo 3-pointer to win. Game 4 featured Bridget Carleton knocking down a pair of free throws to give the Lynx the 82-80 win, protecting their home floor and forcing a Game 5 in New York on Sunday.

The last baskets were the biggest but Carleton had been a factor the entire night, scoring 12 points, hitting two 3-pointers and adding a steal and a rebound. Courtney Williams has been an integral part of Minnesota’s scoring around the perimeter and she had a solid game, scoring 15 points. Kayla McBride led the team with 19 points, while Napheesa Collier was quieter overall but still flirted with a double-double with her 14-point and nine-rebound performance.

Jonquel Jones had her best game of the Finals for the Liberty with 21 points and eight rebounds. Breanna Stewart struggled, going 5-for-21 from the field, scoring just 11 points while grabbing 11 boards. Ionescu scored 10 points but went 0-for-5 from deep.

Unstoppable force meets immovable object

By now, these two teams are familiar with each other’s games. There are no surprises, and as these four games have demonstrated, not much separates the two.

Throughout the opening quarter, both teams matched each other basket for basket, and by the end of the first, it was an even 23-23 game. In the second quarter, it was more of the same. Williams continued to be a pest for the Liberty, scoring 11 points in the frame. Leonie Fiebich matched that energy for the Liberty, contributing seven points herself. With 56 seconds left in the half, McBride scored a basket and was fouled, giving the Lynx a one-point advantage heading to the break.

In the third, Alanna Smith, a player who is battling injuries, gutted it out and scored eight points in the quarter. To start the second half, she was perfect from the field, making all three of her field goal attempts, including two 3-pointers.

This contest became about which team would outdo the other in the areas in which they excel. The Lynx were getting great guard play; the Liberty were using their bigs to dominate the paint and clean up the glass. To end the third, Carleton scored back-to-back free throws—a foreshadowing of things to come—to help the Lynx maintain the slimmest of margins.

Crunch time was where the game was decided once again, just like it has been in most games during this series. Jones had a strong finish with 1:10 left and was fouled by Collier, resulting in a 3-point play that tied things at 80.

Both teams failed to score on their following possessions, and the Lynx had a chance to go ahead with 18 seconds left. Minnesota took a timeout, and after Williams’ long two-point heave missed, Carleton got the biggest rebound of the night and was fouled while shooting by Ionescu. She converted on the game-winning free throws, but New York still had a couple of seconds to pull off a miracle.

Courtney Vandersloot inbounded it to Ionescu, but the Stewart screen was a bit high and created no separation. Ionescu turned her body towards the basket and threw a prayer that barely hit the backboard. The white-out crowd in Minnesota went berserk, and the Lynx celebrated enthusiastically. Williams was yapping at anyone who would listen, and her father high-fived everyone in the crowd.

Closing thoughts

The only reason the Lynx won Game 4 is because basketball games are not allowed to end in a tie. Both teams went 9-for-23 from deep. New York shot 43 percent from the field, and Minnesota shot 44 percent. There were 14 lead changes, and the game was tied 13 times.

Three of the four games in this series have been decided by three points or less, and with Game 5 being the winner-take-all moment in New York, expect this cinematic event to end with some fireworks.

It’ll come down to who makes their shots, as silly as that sounds. New York will need its stars to get it done. Stewart and Ionescu combined for 10-for-36 from the field, and that’s atrocious, even if the opposing team has an elite defense. Minnesota needs Collier not to get dwarfed by Jones, in addition to more excellent guard play from Williams and McBride. The team that executes best will be crowned champion, while the other will think about all the other games that could’ve gone differently.

On Friday afternoon, the Dallas Wings announced the firing of head coach Latricia Trammell after two seasons. Having led the Wings to a 22-18 record and first-round playoff victory in 2023 (the franchise’s best season since 2008), Trammell’s team sputtered to a 9-31 mark in 2024, hampered by injuries and defensive regression.

Trammell is fourth WNBA head coach fired since the conclusion of the 2024 regular season, joining the Los Angeles Sparks’ Curt Miller, Chicago Sky’s Teresa Weatherspoon and Atlanta Dream’s Tanisha Wright. With the first of three expansion teams entering the league in 2025, along with the impending negotiation of a new CBA, organizations are demonstrating little patience for subpar performances, with head coaches, none having spent more than three seasons with their team, paying the price.

In a statement on Trammell, Dallas president and CEO Greg Bibb said:

After an extensive review of our basketball operations department, which included interviews and conversations with stakeholders across our organization, I have made the decision to relieve Latricia Trammell of her head coaching duties with the Dallas Wings. On behalf of our entire organization I thank Latricia for her efforts and wish her well moving forward.

Soon after her dismissal, Trammell shared the following with The Next’s Howard Medgal:

It has been an absolute honor to work with such talented players, staff, and to be supported by the most passionate fans. The relationships built, lessons learned, and memories made will remain with me always. I’m grateful to the media for their coverage and support throughout my time here. Though this chapter closes, I’m looking forward to the next coaching opportunity. I love this league and everything it stands for. I’m incredibly proud of the growth we achieved together and wish nothing but continued success for this team. Thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey.

Recently, Amber Cox, Dallas’ chief operating officer since 2022, left the organization to become the COO and general manager of the Indiana Fever. Bibb’s statement indicated he will hire a new general manager, who then will hire the new head coach. The statement reads:

As part of our year-end review process, and in conjunction with our organizational long-term strategic planning, I have decided to expand and strengthen our basketball operations through the hiring of a general manager who will oversee the day-to-day operation of our basketball group. The search for this individual has already begun and I hope to have more news on this hire soon. The general manager will lead the search for the next head coach of the Dallas Wings.

According to The Next, the organization has interest in Miller and Katie Smith, an associate coach with the Minnesota Lynx, as general manager candidates. The head coaching hire will be Dallas’ fifth since 2018.

Dallas, however, does profile as an attractive job. Arike Ogunbowale was named to the All-WNBA Second Team, capping off a season in which she was second in the league in scoring and the MVP of the All-Star Game. Although an impending unrestricted free agent, Satou Sabally flashed her superstar skillset in the 15 games in which she played, having missed the season’s first 25 contests recovering from an offseason shoulder injury.

The Wings also have a strong chance of securing the No. 1 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft. With the second-best odds, the Wings have a 27.6 percent chance of landing the top pick through their own lottery balls. The team also has the right to swap picks with the Sky, a relic of the 2023 trade that sent Marina Mabrey to Chicago. The Wings, therefore, effectively own the Sky’s 17.8 percent odds, giving them a combined 45.4 percent chance of earning the opportunity to select first in the 2025 draft.

The No. 1-seed New York Liberty, just one win away from their first-ever WNBA championship, take on the No. 2-seed Minnesota Lynx this Friday, Oct. 18 in Game 4 of the 2024 WNBA Finals. The nationally-televised matchup will be broadcast on ESPN and is scheduled to tip-off at approximately 8 p.m. ET.

New York is coming off an exhilarating 80-77 win in Game 3, one that saw All-WNBA First Team honoree Breanna Stewart play at her very best (30 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks) and Sabrina Ionescu hit what will go down as one of the most iconic shots in WNBA playoff history. While New York struggled to score efficiently for much of the game, Stewart put the team on her back in the second half to lead a double-digit comeback, and Ionescu nailed a deep 3-point shot with just one second remaining in regulation to put the Liberty up for good.

Now, the Liberty—one of the WNBA’s original franchises—are in position to win a title for the very first time. New York has previously made five Finals appearances (1997, 1999, 2000, 2002 and 2023), but came up short each time, so this year’s Liberty understand what a championship would mean for longtime fans. At the same time, the Liberty know they haven’t won anything just yet, and that they’ll need to play better than they did last Wednesday to seal the deal.

“[The Lynx are] going to give us their best shot. They’re going to give everything they’ve got, and you know what? So are we,” Stewart told media after Game 3. “There’s a lot of things we didn’t do right tonight. We’re happy we got this win, but the job’s not done.”

In a scenario similar to Game 1 of the Finals, in which the Lynx erased a massive deficit and came back to defeat the Liberty in the closing seconds, New York spent much of Game 3 playing catch-up. Minnesota had gotten off to a hot start, fueled by 10 first-half Liberty turnovers, and though Stewart willed New York back into the game in the third quarter, it was largely a back-and-forth affair after that.

The volatile nature of a WNBA Finals series is something that Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve, who has won four championships with Minnesota, is well aware of. “It takes special mental toughness and physical toughness to weather those swings,” Reeve said. “It’s important that you don’t get too high when you win and too low when you lose.”

Reeve went on to emphasize the importance of the Lynx simply making more shots, and while it sounds simple enough, two of the series’ three games have been decided in the final seconds and could have been swung in the opposite direction with just one or two baskets. It goes to show not only how evenly matched the Liberty and Lynx are, but also how stout the two teams have been on defense; there’s plenty of scoring prowess on both rosters, and yet each of the three games played to this point have been slower-paced and come down to pinpoint execution in the halfcourt.

It’s now up to Minnesota to be the team that executes better—and not just for one quarter. The Lynx will get one final opportunity this season to defend their home court, as the series will shift back to New York for a deciding Game 5, if necessary. They’ll be looking to their superstar, Defensive Player of the Year Napheesa Collier, along with Courtney Williams and Alanna Smith (who is not on Minnesota’s injury report despite suffering a back injury in Game 3) to play their best and help even the series.

Game information

No. 1-seed New York Liberty (2-1) vs. No. 2-seed Minnesota Lynx (1-2)

When: Friday, Oct. 18 at 8 p.m. ET

Where: Target Center in Minneapolis, MN

How to watch: ESPN

Liberty injury report: none

Lynx injury report: none