Women’s College Basketball Recap — Thursday, January 8, 2026
Women’s College Basketball Recap — Thursday, January 8, 2026
Statement Wins, Road Upsets, and Monster Performances Across the Country
Thursday’s slate was massive in both volume and impact. Top-10 teams flexed, ranked squads were tested on the road, and several individual performances rewrote game scripts. From coast to coast, January 8 delivered separation at the top and chaos in the middle of conference races.
Texas, South Carolina deliver dominant performances
#2 Texas left no doubt, overwhelming Auburn 97–36 behind Kyla Oldacre’s 23 points. The Longhorns controlled every phase—defense, rebounding, tempo—and sent a clear message as conference play intensifies.
#3 South Carolina handled business on the road at Arkansas, 93–58, with Joyce Edwards leading the way (22 pts). The Gamecocks’ depth and pressure wore Arkansas down early and never let up.
Ole Miss stuns Oklahoma in a ranked road win
One of the night’s biggest results came in Norman, where #18 Ole Miss knocked off #5 Oklahoma, 74–69.
Cotie McMahon (22 pts) powered the Rebels, while Oklahoma countered with Aaliyah Chavez’s 26. Ole Miss won this one with toughness, timely execution, and late-game poise—exactly the formula for road success in January.
Alabama, Vanderbilt, LSU shine in SEC play
Alabama defended home court against #6 Kentucky, 64–51, led by Jessica Timmons’ 24 points.
#7 Vanderbilt rolled past Missouri 99–68, with Mikayla Blakes (20 pts) continuing her efficient scoring stretch.
#12 LSU handled Georgia 80–59, fueled by Flau’jae Johnson (25 pts) in a physical, high-energy win.
Big Ten battles and statement road wins
#9 Michigan exploded offensively at Penn State, winning 105–65 as Mila Holloway and Gracie Merkle each scored 18.
Nebraska edged Indiana 78–73, with Britt Prince (20 pts) stepping up in crunch time while Shay Ciezki dropped 31 in the loss.
Minnesota dominated Northwestern 79–47, led by Tori McKinney (20 pts).
ACC & national contenders hold serve
#10 Louisville earned a tough road win at Miami 77–68, paced by Elif Istanbulluoglu (23 pts).
Notre Dame overwhelmed Boston College 94–60 behind Cassandre Prosper’s 27.
Duke survived at California 78–74, with Arianna Roberson (20 pts) delivering in key moments.
Stanford defended Maples Pavilion, beating Wake Forest 55–43, as Nunu Agara scored 27.
Mid-major fireworks and clutch finishes
Thursday was loaded with tight games and elite individual outputs outside the Power conferences:
Naomi White (Northern Arizona) detonated for 37 points in a 71–58 win at Weber State.
Kadidia Toure (LIU) poured in 29 in an 86–81 win at Mercyhurst.
Vanessa McManus (Cal Poly) dropped 31 despite a loss to Cal State Northridge.
Eva DeChent (New Hampshire) exploded for 34 points, but NJIT escaped 69–62.
Lucia Yenes (New Mexico State) hit 26 in a 70–67 win over Western Kentucky.
Overtime drama was everywhere:
Marist 59, Merrimack 57 (OT)
Loyola Marymount 83, Pepperdine 78 (OT)
UC San Diego 81, Cal State Fullerton 69 (OT)
Montana State 72, Eastern Washington 70 (OT)
What January 8 told us
1) Road toughness matters now. Ole Miss, Alabama, Louisville, and LSU all proved it.
2) Star power is peaking. White (37), McManus (31), Chavez (26), Prosper (27) headlined elite nights.
3) Depth separates contenders. Texas and South Carolina didn’t just win—they overwhelmed.
Conference play is no longer about learning curves—it’s about execution, adjustments, and resilience. January basketball is exposing who’s built for March.
