Bubble Watch: Will Iowa State’s Resume Be Enough for March?

Sabreena and Chantel kick things off with the latest on CBA talks following this week’s meeting between the league and the players’ union. With little coming out of the meeting, they discuss what it means for WNBA free agency, the expansion draft, and the league’s hopes of starting the season on time. From there, bracketologist Eden Laase joins the duo to break down the concept of “bubble teams”— those fighting for a spot in the NCAA Tournament. They explore why signature wins matter, how conference schedules shape resumes, and which teams to keep an eye on as the season winds down. Eden provides insights into the challenges faced by mid-major teams and the fluctuating nature of rankings as the tournament approaches. Lastly, we wrap things up with a matching exercise where we pair women's basketball players with an olympic sport. No Offseason is a part of The Athletic Podcast Network: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/ 00:00 Intro 00:34 The WNBA and players' union held talks earlier this week 01:04 The current status of the CBA negotiations 02:14 An overview of the proposals on the table 08:56 Why is there a lack of urgency in the CBA negotiations? 11:44 What’s the timeline for the expansion draft? 12:29 Could the college draft scheduled for April be moved? 13:44 How will the free agent & college draft schedule impact the WNBA? 21:28 Why developing a revenue-sharing model is critical 22:15 What can be done to speed up the CBA talks? 25:01 Will the players reach a point of a work stoppage? 28:01 What it means to be on the bubble in college hoops 28:59 How bubble teams are seated in the NCAA tournament 29:50 What is causing so many Big 12 teams to be on the bubble? 32:06 What do mid-major teams need to do to make the tournament? 33:45 What’s keeping Richmond from making the tournament? 35:18 Understanding quad wins & NET ranking 36:59 Teams on the outside who can earn their way in 39:35 Which conference is poised to make another conference sweat? 44:32 Which ACC team could play their way into the tournament? 48:40 Which college players could be good at curling? 51:03 Which college players have what it takes for the biathlon? 54:00 What other Olympic sport could JuJu Watkins excel in? Related links and articles: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7022940/2026/02/05/wnba-collective-bargaining-agreement-deal-urgency/ by Sabreena Merchant https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7019400/2026/02/04/womens-college-basketball-bubble-watch-iowa-state/ by Eden Laase Follow and listen to the audio podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/no-offseason-the-athletic-womens-basketball-show/id1699815468 Get in touch! Leave a comment wherever you’re listening, or email us at NoOffseason@TheAthletic.com Show Links: -YouTube: @No-Offseason -Instagram: @tanooffseason [https://www.instagram.com/tanooffseason] -TikTok: @no_offseason [https://www.tiktok.com/@no_offseason] Credits: -Zena on BlueSky: @zenakeita -Sabreena on BlueSky: @sabreenajm -Chantel on BlueSky: @chanteljennings -Produced by Taneka Burrell -Executive Produced by Andrea B. Scott Visit the Yahoo Women's Sports Hub: https://sports.yahoo.com/womens-sports/?guccounter=1 Full Episodes Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5UWQzuMYdm7txmok7cpMB3YlgkwrT2E0 Shorts Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5UWQzuMYdm72uhBjsd24rsh5teZtgUpS