Nevada women’s basketball struggled to found its rhythm, falling to McNeese 63–42 in a non-conference matchup at Lawlor Events Center. In a game defined by offensive inconsistency and McNeese’s physical defensive pressure, the Wolf Pack were unable to generate sustained scoring runs and trailed for most of the contest. McNeese set the tone early, jumping out to a lead behind aggressive play on both ends of the floor.

Photo Cred: McNeese

The Cowgirls clogged passing lanes and contested nearly every shot, forcing Nevada into tough perimeter looks. While the Pack showed flashes of ball movement in the opening quarter, missed opportunities prevented them from keeping pace. McNeese capitalized by turning turnovers into points and steadily building separation. Nevada’s offense continued to stall in the second quarter.

The Wolf Pack struggled to get clean entries into the paint, allowing McNeese’s defense to collapse and force contested jumpers late in the shot clock. A brief scoring stretch gave Nevada hope, but it was quickly answered by McNeese, who closed the half with a run to push the lead into double digits. At halftime, Nevada faced an uphill battle after shooting well below its season average.

The third quarter offered little relief. McNeese maintained control by dictating the pace and limiting transition opportunities for the Pack. Nevada’s defensive effort held at times, generating stops, but the offense failed to convert those chances into points. Each missed shot drained momentum, allowing McNeese to extend its lead without needing explosive scoring.

By the fourth quarter, the outcome was largely decided. Nevada continued to compete defensively, but fatigue and frustration showed as shots refused to fall. McNeese remained composed, protecting the ball and executing efficiently to close out the game. The Cowgirls’ balanced attack and defensive intensity proved too much for a Nevada team searching for answers.

Defensively, the Wolf Pack showed effort, contesting shots and battling on the glass, but turnovers and poor shooting ultimately defined the night. Nevada finished with one of its lowest scoring outputs of the season, highlighting ongoing challenges with offensive consistency. For McNeese, the win marked an impressive road performance, as they controlled the game from the opening tip to the final buzzer. For Nevada, the loss served as a sobering reminder of the work still ahead, with finding offensive rhythm and confidence remaining key as the Pack prepares for the next stretch of the season.

INDIANAPOLIS (USBWA) – Several weeks ago backcourt stars dominated our United States Basketball Writers Association awards. This time around the honors are owned by the post positions.

The number of games to draw from the past seven days were reduced due to the start of the annual two-week winter finals period but certainly the number of performances remained high with milestones and career best achievements. The USBWA women’s awards, organized under Mel Greenberg, the USBWA Vice President for women’s basketball, are drawn from weekly conference honors as well as at-large additions. Nominations are welcome as each seven-day period rolls along to make sure no one is inadvertently overlooked.

There is no restriction within a week on the number of national honors received within a conference, especially the way realignment has affected membership size.

For the period through Sunday, Dec. 14, the five Ann Meyers Drysdale national women’s honorees of the week are Oklahoma center Raegan Beers; Texas forward Madison Booker; Iowa State center Audi Crooks; Notre Dame center Cassandre Prosper; and Princeton guard-forward Fadima Tall. The Tamika Catchings co-freshmen of the week are Houston Christian guard Kamryn McLaurin and Tennessee guard Mia Pauldo and the team of the week is Arizona State.

Beers, a 6-4 senior center and 2025 USBWA honorable mention All-American out of Littleton, Colo., transferred to Oklahoma from Oregon State last season. She averaged 24 points and 14.5 rebounds in two Sooners wins, including the neutral site Bedlam Battle 92-70 win over then-No. 23 Oklahoma State in which she collected 22 points and 12 rebounds. On Monday, Oklahoma, which joined the SEC last year, moved up a spot to eighth in the Associated Press Women’s Poll after winning its 10th straight contest.

Booker, a 6-1 junior forward and 2025 USBWA All-American out of Ridgeland, Miss., had a dynamic week in a pair of games averaging 27.5 points, nine rebounds, and 7.5 assists while shooting 26-36 for 72.2% from the field. She kept No. 2 Texas, which also moved to the SEC last year, unbeaten with one of the triumphs over former Big 12 rival and then-No. 13 Baylor played on a neutral court Sunday in Fort Worth, Texas. In a 110-45 win at UTRGV she had 28 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds for her first triple-double and fifth in Longhorns history followed by 27 points, eight boards, five assists, and three steals shooting 12-17 from the field in the 89-54 win over the Bears, who committed 30 turnovers leading to 42 Texas points. Beers and Booker were named SEC Co-Players of the Week earlier today.

Crooks, a 6-3 junior center out of Algona, Iowa, is claiming her fourth USBWA honor this season with No. 10 Iowa State. She had 30 points and 10 rebounds in a 74-69 home win over previously-unbeaten and No. 11 Iowa, before a crowd of 14,009, the third largest in program history, as the Cyclones improved to 13-2 in the Iowa Corn-Hawk Series. It was her third straight 30-plus performance, though she could not try for four in Sunday’s win over Northern Iowa, being sidelined with a concussion. She leads the nation in scoring with a 27.8 average in 11 games of the 12-0 Iowa State record.

Prosper, a 6-3 senior center out of Montreal, Canada, in two wins by the then- No. 19 Fighting Irish, averaged 22 points and 9.5 rebounds. In the 97-48 home win over Morehead State, she scored 20 points and grabbed a career-high 13 rebounds to claim her first double-double. That followed Sunday in a wire-to-wire 78-65 road win over Sun Belt favorite James Madison with 24 points, shooting 11-16 from the field. She’s averaging 15.8 points a game on the season, second on the team behind USBWA All-American Hannah Hidalgo.

Tall, a 6-1 junior guard-forward for Ivy League-favorite Princeton, picks up her second USBWA weekly award this season after collecting a career-high 28 points and shooting 7-14 from the field and 10-11 from the line to go with five steals, four rebounds and three assists in the Tigers’ lone game, a home win over nearby Rutgers. On Monday, Tall picked up her second Ivy Player of the Week as the team moved into the AP Poll at No. 25, the third time of the past four seasons under former UConn star Carla Berube. The Tigers are the only Ivy team to earn a national ranking in what is now the 50th anniversary season of the AP Women’s Poll, first achieving the honor when now North Carolina coach Courtney Banghart grew the program.

McLaurin, a 5-11 freshman guard out of Friendswood, Texas, scored a career-high 29 points off the bench, shooting 10-13 from the field and 8-14 from the line in a 77-70 overtime home win over Southeastern Louisiana, a performance that also led to her receiving the Southland Conference Player of the Week award. She leads the team and is tied for sixth in the conference with a 14.0 average. This is the first time any Houston Christian player has won either the weekly Ann Meyers Drysdale national award or the Tamika Catchings freshman honor.

Pauldo, a 5-6 freshman guard out of Paterson, N.J., scored 18 points with 10 assists, four steals, and three rebounds in Tennessee’s 112-40 home win over Winthrop. The win moved the Lady Vols up a spot to 17th in this week’s AP Poll ahead of Saturday’s game against No. 16 Louisville in Brooklyn, the front end of a doubleheader also featuring No. 1 UConn against No. 11 Iowa.

Arizona State (12-0) found some coaching magic nearby at Grand Canyon in hiring Molly Miller, who has already guided the unbeaten Sun Devils beyond their 10 wins of last season after road triumphs at Penn State and at Oregon State. The streak eclipsed the 2008-09 squad’s 9-0 record for the best start in program history and is the longest overall since the 2015-16 team tied that 2008-09 group for a program record 15 straight wins. Miller’s group is third in program history behind the 14-game run by the 2014-15 team.

Since the 1987-88 season, the USBWA has named a women’s National Player of the Year. For the 2012-13 season, the national and weekly player award became named for Hall of Famer and former UCLA All-American Ann Meyers Drysdale while the national and weekly freshman award is being given in the name of former Tennessee all-American Tamika Catchings, which was applied at the start of the 2019-20 season.

At the conclusion of the regular season, the USBWA will name finalists for both individual awards, which is voted on by the entire membership of the USBWA.

The winners of the 2026 Ann Meyers Drysdale National Player of the Year and Tamika Catchings National Freshman of the Year will be announced and presented at the USBWA’s annual awards event on site at the 2025-26 NCAA Women’s Final Four in Phoenix.

The U.S. Basketball Writers Association was formed in 1956 at the urging of then-NCAA Executive Director Walter Byers. With some 900 members worldwide, it is one of the most influential organizations in college basketball. It has selected a women’s All-America team since the 1996-97 season. For more information on the USBWA and its award programs, contact executive director Malcolm Moran at 814-574-1485.

2025-26 USBWA Women’s Weekly Honors
• Week ending Nov. 9: Meghan Andersen, Fairfield; Audi Crooks, Iowa State; Liv McGill, Florida; Taliah Scott, Baylor; Fadima Tall, Princeton (National); Jazzy Davidson, USC (Freshman); UConn (Team).
• Week ending Nov. 16: Zanai Barnett-Gay, Navy; Audi Crooks Iowa State; Olivia Olson, Michigan; Sayvia Sellers, Washington; Sydney Shaw, West Virginia (National); Addi Mack, Maryland (Freshman); UCLA (Team).
• Week ending Nov. 23: Maggie Doogan, Richmond; Azzi Fudd, UConn; Ava Heiden, Iowa; Ta’Niya Latson, South Carolina; Clara Strack, Kentucky (National); Lara Somfai, Stanford (Freshman); Rhode Island (Team).
• Week ending Nov. 30: Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt; Audi Crooks, Iowa State; Sharnecce Currie-Jelks, Murray State; Gabriela Jaquez, UCLA; Indya Nivar, North Carolina (National). Madison Francis, Mississippi State (Freshman); Texas (Team).
• Week ending Dec. 7: Lauren Betts, UCLA; Kaety L’Amoreaux, Fairfield; Megan Nestor, North Texas; Medina Okot, South Carolina; Olivia Olson, Michigan (National); Aaliyah Chavez, Oklahoma (Freshman); Villanova (Team).
• Week ending Dec. 14: Raegan Beers, Oklahoma; Madison Booker, Texas; Audi Crooks, Iowa State; Cassandre Prosper, Notre Dame; Fadima Tall, Princeton (National). Kamryn McLaurin, Houston Christian; Mia Pauldo, Tennessee (Freshman); Arizona State (Team).