Women's College Basketball Recap: Saturday, January 17, 2026 – Upsets, High-Scoring Efforts, and Ranked Wins
Women's College Basketball Recap: Saturday, January 17, 2026 – Upsets, High-Scoring Efforts, and Ranked Wins. Saturday, January 17, 2026, delivered a packed slate of women's college basketball action across the country.
From ranked showdowns in Big 12 and Big East play to gritty mid-major battles and blowouts, the day featured standout individual performances and a few surprises.
Here's a breakdown of the major results, winners, final scores, and the high scorers who made the difference. Big 12 Battles: Ranked Teams Shine and One Falls. The Big 12 was center stage with several ranked teams in action.
No. 10 TCU hosted Arizona and pulled away for a convincing TCU 78, Arizona 62 victory. The Horned Frogs extended their home winning streak, with Olivia Miles leading the way at 16 points. Sumayah Sugapong paced Arizona with 17 points in a valiant effort.
Kansas State pulled off a solid road win over No. 17 Texas Tech, KSU 65, TTU 59. Tess Heal contributed 12 points for the Wildcats, while Bailey Maupin had 18 for the Lady Raiders in the loss.
No. 18 Baylor stayed strong on the road against BYU, winning BAY 69, BYU 58. Taliah Scott erupted for a game-high 25 points to lead the Bears, with Delaney Gibb scoring 20 for the Cougars.
Ivy League and Patriot League Dominance Princeton (No. 22) made a statement with a dominant PRIN 69, DART 41 win over Dartmouth. Ashley Chea scored 16 for the Tigers, while Nina Minicozzi had 12 for the Big Green.In the Patriot League, Army edged American University ARMY 63, AMER 56, led by Camryn Tade's 20 points (matched by Molly Driscoll's 20 in the loss). Big East Drama and Close Calls. The Big East saw some tight finishes:
Providence outlasted Creighton in a high-scoring affair, PROV 80, CREI 77. Sabou Gueye dropped 22 points for the Friars, with Kennedy Townsend adding 18 for Creighton.
St. John's survived a thriller against Xavier, SJU 66, XAV 64, powered by Sa'Mya Wyatt's 28 points. Mariyah Noel led all scorers with 30 for Xavier in defeat.
Mid-Major Standouts and High-Scoring Games. Several conferences produced impressive individual efforts:
In the America East, Maine cruised past New Hampshire ME 73, UNH 51, with Adrianna Smith pouring in 32 points.
Sun Belt action saw UL Monroe dominate Louisiana ULM 102, UL 58, led by Nakiyah Mays-Prince and Mikaylah Manley's 20 points each.
In the OVC, Kenley McCarn exploded for 40 points in UT Martin's UTM 73, LIN 70 overtime win over Lindenwood.
Other notable highs included Emory Klatt's 29 points in Kent State's KENT 91, AKR 79 victory over Akron, and Da'Brya Clark's 30 in Norfolk State's blowout NORF 85, SCST 41 over South Carolina State.
Other Key Results
Georgetown 63, Marquette 54 (Big East) – Khia Miller's 21 points led the Hoyas.
Gonzaga 87, San Diego 42 – A dominant performance for the Bulldogs.
Oregon State 69, Pepperdine 68 – A one-point thriller, with Elli Guiney scoring 26 in the loss for Pepperdine.
UNC Greensboro 59 @ Wofford 61 – Close Sun Belt-ish battle won by Wofford.
Fresno State 54, Nevada 44 – Defensive struggle in the Mountain West.
San Diego State 75, UNLV 66 (OT) – Naomi Panganiban's 20 points helped SDSU prevail.
Notable Mentions and ForfeitsLehigh earned a forfeit win over Navy. Other low-scoring defensive battles and upsets dotted the day, including Chicago State's CHST 61, LEM 55 and several one-possession games like Radford's RAD 67, WIN 65 over Winthrop.Saturday showcased the depth of women's college basketball, with stars stepping up across power conferences and mid-majors alike. Standouts like Adrianna Smith (32 pts), Kenley McCarn (40 pts), and Taliah Scott (25 pts) delivered major movez on the court.
Stay tuned to Major Movez Basketball Review (#MMBR) for more breakdowns, player spotlights, and analysis as conference play heats up.
