How is the pro women’s basketball community feeling about the ICE raids in Minnesota? Jackie Powell and Howard Megdal spoke to Minnesota natives Paige Bueckers and Rachel Banham at an Unrivaled practice in Philadelphia about how they’ve been processing what’s going on in the country. Later Jackie and Howard sit down for an interview with Lexie Brown to discuss the upcoming season of Athletes Unlimited. And lastly the pair dives into what they are watching for when it comes to Unrivaled’s two Friday night games in Philadelphia.

0:00 - Introduction

2:08 - #1 at The IX

4:14 - Paige Bueckers speaks on activism in Minnesota

7:59 - Rachel Banham contemplates next steps to handle violence in Minnesota

10:14 - Reflecting on what Banham and Bueckers had to say

14:41 - Lexie Brown joins us

16:09 - Adjustments Athletes Unlimited makes year over year

22:03 - How Lexie Brown has has been dealing with WNBA CBA negotiations

26:22- Lexie Brown reflects on her career

28:24- Advocating for those with Crohn's and Colitis

32:11- Courtvision- what to watch for in Unrivaled in Philadelphia

Thumbnail Photo Credit: Photos courtesy of Unrivaled

Video Credit: Howard Megdal and Jackie Powell

Links to click that are referenced throughout the show:

Jacob Mox details how the women’s basketball community has reacted to the violence in Minnesota:

https://www.thenexthoops.com/wnba/minnesota-lynx/minnesota-sports-figures-decry-ice-killings-occupation-cheryl-reeve-lynx/

Jonathan Tannenwald writes about Paige Bueckers speaking out about her home state:

https://www.inquirer.com/wnba/unrivaled-paige-bueckers-minnesota-minneapolis-ice-shootings-20260129.html?utm_source=email&utm_campaign=edit_social_share_email_traffic&utm_medium=email&utm_content=&utm_term=∫_promo=

Lexie Brown opens up about her journey with Crohn’s Disease:

https://www.healthcentral.com/condition/crohns-disease/crohns-disease-lexie-brown-wnba

Howard’s latest column about Unrivaled ratings:

https://www.theixsports.com/features/how-to-reconcile-the-dueling-unrivaled-numbers-dawn-staley-talks-gamecocks/

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The 2026 Winter Olympic Games begin on February 5, and 230 women's hockey players will head to Italy to begin the women's tournament. But first, the PWHL season wraps up before the Olympic break begins. The Vancouver Goldeneyes and Ottawa Charge made a big trade, sending three players each way. And, the Boston Fleet are having a fantastic season so far. Maya is joined by The Ice Garden's Boston Fleet beat writer, Lydia Murray, to talk about the Fleet's season, the trade, and to preview Team USA at the Olympics. Who will take home the gold medal? Lydia and Maya predict their Olympic podium. Lydia's Substack: https://centericechronicles.substack.com/Find Lydia on X: https://x.com/lydia_murray12?lang=enSubscribe to The Ice Garden: https://www.theicegarden.com/Find Maya on X: https://x.com/mayaxeverysport

Photo credit: George Walker IV-Imagn Images

Host Kathleen Gier runs through a huge week for Trinity Rodman, which included signing a record-breaking new contract with the Washington Spirit and making her return to the U.S. women's national team in a 6-0 victory against Paraguay.

Correction, January 25, 2026, 3:00 PM EST: An earlier version of this podcast incorrectly stated that official Fatou Cissoko-Stephens was officiating Vanderbilt vs. Michigan on Monday January 19. The official working the game was Angelica Suffren.

There isn’t a CBA but there’s a schedule??? That’s been the talk of the town in the WNBA, a topic that hosts Jackie Powell and Howard Megdal go over in today’s episode of The IX Sports Podcast Women’s Basketball Edition. But first, the pair provides their observations and takeaways from each team that came to Newark, NJ on Monday as part of the second annual Coretta Scott King Classic. What stood out about TCU and Olivia Miles? How is Ohio State peaking at the right time? Why is Vanderbilt more than just Mikayla Blakes? And how is Michigan getting double-digit rebounding out of their smallest player? Later Howard and Jackie explain why there was a WNBA schedule released this week. Also, don’t miss Jackie's report on what she noticed while she was observing league Commissioner Cathy Engelbert through the lens of her binoculars during the Vanderbilt vs. Michigan game of the Coretta Scott King Classic.

0:00 - Introduction

2:19 - #1 at The IX

3:43 - Olivia Miles and TCU at Coretta Scott King Classic

7:47 - What stood out about Ohio State

9:49 - Introducing Elsa Lemmilä

12:14 - Is Justine Pissott a WNBA prospect?

14:34 - Will Brooke Quarles Daniels be Michigan’s X-factor?

19:01 - Why WNBA released a schedule without a CBA

20:52 - Jackie Powell’s observation of Cathy Engelbert

25:10 - Signing off

Thumbnail Photo Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Video Credit: Howard Megdal

Links to click that are referenced throughout the show:

Jackie Powell chats with Ohio State center Elsa Lemmilä:

https://youtube.com/shorts/QscEmo5Dano?si=jU2nr8wJt4zuLBNE

Howard Megdal asks Shea Ralph about the WNBA prospects of Justine Pissott

https://youtube.com/shorts/4yJwtYxtra4?si=_uF8KdkW8ZTLKvYE

Kim Barnes Arico talks about why Brooke Quarles Daniels matters on Michigan

https://youtube.com/shorts/dbSDxpwXnqY?si=b6-XNFTp7kAsM2JG

Howard Megdal’s column about the WNBA schedule:

https://www.theixsports.com/features/what-the-wnba-schedule-dropping-now-tells-us-shea-ralph-talks-vanderbilt-commodores/

Jackie Powell wrote about Michigan and Ohio State for NBC Sports:

https://www.nbcsports.com/womens-college-basketball/news/michigan-ohio-state-eye-big-ten-breakthrough-after-last-years-tournament-letdown

Matthew Walter’s latest bracketology at The IX Basketball:

https://www.thenexthoops.com/ncaaw/bracketology/womens-basketball-bracketology-some-shuffling-at-the-top/

Stephanie Kaloi writes about the WNBA schedule announcement:

https://www.thenexthoops.com/wnba/wnba-releases-2026-schedule/

Host Kathleen Gier runs through more NWSL free agency moves, including Sam Coffey's decision to play for Manchester City. She also talks about Gotham FC's upcoming appearance in the FIFA Women's Champions Cup and the U.S. women's national team's January friendlies.

On today's Women's Sports Daily, Chelsea recaps the Battle on Bay Street as Toronto takes their third straight victory in the event.

Unrivaled Season 2 has kicked off and what did Howard Megdal notice when he was on the ground in Miami this past week? He shares some of his findings with Jackie as the two discuss what the expectations are for this startup league in year 2. What is Unrivaled’s purpose in the women’s basketball space and why might some of those goals be at odds with one another? Breanna Stewart and Kelsey Plum explain what it’s been like playing in Miami while simultaneously hopping on many calls about the WNBA’s on-going CBA negotiations with the players union. Later Howard and Jackie discuss Unrivaled’s ratings and why the dip in viewers was to be expected. And finally, the pair shifts their attention to why the middle class of players are important in the grand scheme of the CBA. Rachel Banaham and Temi Fagbenle provide some insight into the middle class in negotiations along with sharing how they’ve adjusted to Unrivaled as new players in the league. Plus– Dana Evans drops the mic.

0:00 - Introduction

1:37 - #1 at The IX

3:14 - What is Unrivaled’s purpose?

4:08 - Kelsey Plum reflects on navigating Unrivaled and the CBA

7:34 - Breanna Stewart on measuring success

13:17 - Does a ratings dip matter for Unrivaled?

17:42 - Are the goals of Unrivaled at odds with each other?

22:55 - Why the middle class of the WNBA matter

25:06 - Rachel Banham and Temi Fagbenle on Unrivaled and the middle class

32:51 - Dana Evans drops the mic

34:53 - Signing off

Thumbnail Photo Credit: Hannah Kevorkian

Video Credit: Howard Megdal

Links to click that are referenced throughout the show:

Howard writes from being on the ground at Unrivaled:

https://www.theixsports.com/features/an-unrivaled-night-of-moratorium-dana-evans-talks-wnba-cba/

Gabby Alfveby also writes on the ground at Unrivaled:

https://www.thenexthoops.com/features/unrivaleds-first-weekend-delivers-historic-moments/

Alexa Philippou reports on how the middle class could be impacted by the new salary cap being negotiated:

https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/47011671/wnba-cba-negotiations-wnbpa-updates-latest-news

The PWHL Takeover Tour is in full swing with games all across North America. But, are there too many takeover games this season? Do the pros outweigh the cons? Plus, the PWHL standings are wild, with the Boston Fleet, Ottawa Charge, and New York Sirens all having great seasons so far. Did the top shelf prediction from last episode come true? Will the Vancouver Goldeneyes and Seattle Torrent go on a run before the Olympic break? Lastly, Team Canada's Olympic roster is here, and everyone is panicking. This week, Maya Smith is joined by Alyssa Turner to talk about all things PWHL and international women's hockey. Cover Photo: PWHLArticle referenced: https://www.theicegarden.com/are-there-too-many-pwhl-takeover-tour-games/