UConn weathered Sarah Strong’s early foul trouble against No. 17 Ohio State thanks to freshman Olivia Vukosa, then watched Strong take over in the second half. Tulsa made history by upsetting No. 19 Oklahoma State, while standout performances from Virginia Tech freshman Jessica Dimaro and new-look Tennessee and UCLA teams rounded out Thursday’s slate.

By the Numbers
  • UConn’s Sarah Strong scored 25 points in 25 minutes, including a career-best 7-of-8 from 3-point range.
  • Freshman Olivia Vukosa recorded 12 rebounds, including 8 offensive boards, in 29 minutes.
  • Tulsa beat No. 19 Oklahoma State, 64-62, for its first win over a ranked opponent; the Golden Hurricane held the Cowgirls to 33% shooting.
  • Virginia Tech’s Jessica Dimaro set a program rebounding record with 24 boards and scored 23 points.
  • Tennessee’s Kaylene Smikle scored 30 points; No. 10 UCLA improved to 3-0 behind Addy Brown’s 18 points.
Yes, But

Tennessee’s rebuilt roster is off to a 4-0 start, but SEC play will be the real test. UCLA has promising transfers and returning players, though its young roster still needs time to gel.

State of Play
  • UConn showed it can stay composed when foul trouble sidelines key players.
  • Oklahoma State’s limited scoring beyond its top two players left the door open for Tulsa.
  • UCLA is 3-0 in its national-title defense, while Tennessee is 4-0 with an almost entirely new roster.
Bottom Line

Thursday’s slate offered an early reminder that depth can decide close games—and that even a ranked team is vulnerable when its offense stalls.