Three women’s college DI hoops matchups to watch: who, when, how
Three intense matchups are on tonight.
It’s Thursday, which means some of the best matchups in NCAA women’s basketball are coming up tonight.
Iowa is heading to visit the Maryland Terrapins in a top-15 matchup. The Hawkeyes are on a six-game winning streak with their most recent loss being to undefeated No. 1-ranked UConn late in December.
The Terrapins have been a surprisingly ranked team this season, but they are coming off a crushing 30-point loss to the No. 2 UCLA Bruins that could have some effect on team morale.
Though the Hawkeyes have the momentum coming into the matchup, earlier this season the Terrapins have shown that they can keep up with some of the highest ranked teams.
Who: No. 13 Iowa at No. 12 Maryland (NCAA.com Net Rankings)
What: Women’s college basketball
When: 6 p.m.
How to watch: Peacock
The SEC is hosting a high-stakes matchup tonight as the No. 11 Kentucky Wildcats travel to Knoxville to face the No. 15 Tennessee Volunteers.
The Lady Vols are coming off a huge conference win over Alabama on Jan. 18, and have continued to jump in rankings. Tennessee is currently undefeated in the SEC, and hopes to keep it that way in its sixth SEC contest tonight.
The Wildcats are coming off a painful loss to unranked Missouri State, and will be without their star forward Janiah Barker due to a head injury. Though they might not have the momentum of the Lady Vols, the Wildcats will be desperate to keep their tournament hopes alive.
Who: No. 11 Kentucky at No. 15 Tennessee (NCAA.com Net Rankings)
What: Women’s college basketball
When: 6:30 p.m.
How to watch: ESPN
No. 4 South Carolina will travel to visit No. 14 Oklahoma tonight to matchup against one of the most well-known freshmen of NCAA women’s basketball this season.
Aaliyah Chavez, a Sooners freshman, is averaging over 18 points and four rebounds per game, contributing to Oklahoma’s solid ranking. Chavez came out of high school as the No. 3 recruit in ESPN’s 2025 rankings.
The Gamecocks only have one loss on the season, to Texas early on, but they were able to beat Texas in a rematch on Jan. 15.
South Carolina has proved themselves as one of the strongest teams in NCAA women’s basketball, currently ranked No. 4 in the country. Dawn Staley is set on getting her team another National Championship.
Though the Gamecocks are impressive, it will be interesting to see what kind of fight Chavez and the Sooners can put up against them.
Who: No. 4 South Carolina vs. No. 14 Oklahoma (NCAA.com Net Rankings)
What: Women’s college basketball
When: 7:30 p.m.
How to watch: Streaming, Fubo, TV: ESPN
Thank you for reading Female Athlete News. Clara Romae Slowinski is a student-intern at Penn State University.