College Hoops: Michigan ends UConn streak, Watkins returns

The 2026-27 women's college basketball season opened with a slate of results that challenged established power structures and produced several statistical outliers. The week featured a historic upset, a high-volume scoring return, and rare scoring errors that shifted game outcomes in unexpected ways.

Michigan ended a 39-game regular season winning streak for UConn with a 77-66 victory at the Crisler Center. The win moved the Wolverines from No. 5 to No. 2 in the AP poll. Te'Yala Delfosse led the offense with 22 points, nine rebounds, and four three-pointers. Olivia Olson added 10 points and eight rebounds, while Syla Swords contributed 10 points and five rebounds. Guard Olivia Olson noted that the team believed in head coach Kim Barnes Arico and the program's trajectory.

USC's JuJu Watkins returned to the court after 588 days on the sidelines. In her first game, USC defeated UNLV 100-68. Watkins recorded 21 points, five rebounds, two steals, and a block in 25 minutes. Her three-point shooting was inconsistent in that outing. In the following game, USC beat Utah State 118-40. Watkins posted 32 points, 16 rebounds, six assists, five steals, and one block. She shot 52.6% from the field and 57.1% from beyond the arc. USC will face No. 1 South Carolina in Greenville on November 15.

Two players scored own goals on the same day. Karma Wynn of Northwestern State shot into the wrong basket during a full-court press, giving Arkansas two points in an 89-59 loss. Later that day, Emma Christiano of New Mexico State missed the target with 20.9 seconds remaining against Southern Utah. The error extended the opponent's lead to 63-60. New Mexico State teammates scored four points in the final seconds to secure a 64-63 win.

Duke canceled its scheduled game against North Texas at The Foundry Classic in San Antonio due to circumstances beyond the institutions' control. The event was planned to include residency spaces and panel discussions. Duke arranged a last-minute road game against Florida Atlantic on Sunday. The Blue Devils won 78-56 to improve their record to 2-0. They fell from No. 4 to No. 5 in the rankings following Michigan's victory over UConn.

Maryland's Addi Mack scored 31 points in the second half of a 101-93 loss to South Carolina in Paris. Maryland trailed by 28 points at halftime and 31 points in the third quarter. The Gamecocks held a six-point lead with 46 seconds remaining. Mack finished with 35 points, six assists, three rebounds, and two steals. Maryland rose to No. 19 in the rankings.

Ajša Sivka, a 2025 Chicago Sky draft pick, played for Kentucky in a 93-78 win over N.C. State. Sivka recorded 32 points, five rebounds, and three assists. She shot 11 of 17 from the field and 8 of 12 from three-point range. Kentucky head coach Kenny Brooks called her one of the best players in the country. Sivka said she chose Kentucky for the development opportunities that would prepare her for the WNBA.