Seven-time Olympic medalist Simone Biles is due to return to competitive gymnastics on Saturday for the first time since pulling out of Tokyo Olympics finals in 2021.

Saturday will mark the 26-year-old Biles’ first competition since August 2021 when she withdrew from the women’s team final in Tokyo after suffering from what is known as the “twisties” – a mental block that causes gymnasts to lose track of their position in midair.

Biles opted not to compete in four individual finals at the Games, but she did return to compete in the balance beam, winning bronze after using a modified dismount in her routine.

The Core Hydration Classic, which will be held in the Chicago suburb of Hoffman Estates, is the final opportunity for athletes to qualify for the national championships in San Jose, California, later this month.

The world gymnastics championships are then scheduled to take place between September 30 and October 8 in Antwerp, Belgium.

A sellout crowd is expected on Saturday at Hoffman Estates, where spectators will be eager to not only see Biles’ much-anticipated comeback, but also the likes of returning Olympic gold medalist Sunisa Lee.

Biles is the most decorated gymnast in US history, winning 32 medals across the Olympics and the world championships. Among her medal haul are four golds at the Olympics and 19 golds at the world championships – the most by any gymnast in history.

Although Biles is registered to compete in all four events this weekend, athletes may decide not to compete on an apparatus at any given time.

After a two-year hiatus, Biles is returning to gymnastics as a celebrated advocate for mental health. Even in the months after the Olympics, she said she was still “scared to do gymnastics,” but recently said on Instagram that she is “twisting again. No worries. All is good.”

She has made few public comments about her return to the sport but did express her excitement on social media last month, writing: “Sorry I’ve been a little MIA since the announcement. I’m overwhelmed with all of your messages, support & love! excited to get back out on the competition floor!”

For those accustomed to seeing Biles dominate competitions with ease, her departure in 2021 was an unexpected move. But for some more familiar with the intense physical and psychological demands of the sport, Biles’ decision to opt out of competition was more unprecedented than it was surprising.

Fans and fellow athletes alike are excited to witness the gymnastics great back in action and with the opening ceremony of next year’s Olympics less than a year away, what more is to come for the most decorated US gymnast in history?

How to watch Biles and Lee compete

In the US, CNBC, NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app will broadcast the senior women’s sessions on Saturday, while Peacock will stream the competitions simultaneously.

The first senior women’s session takes place from 1 p.m ET to 3 p.m ET, with the platforms broadcasting the session from 2 p.m. ET. Biles takes part in the second session.

From 8 p.m. ET, it is expected that CNBC and Peacock will show Biles competing in the uneven bars, balance beam, floor exercise and vault. Those outside of the US can watch the competition via USA Gymnastics YouTube.

Women’s World Cup 2023: Live scores, fixtures, results, tables and top scorers

Spain overcame a bizarre long-range own goal to thrash Switzerland 5-1 and advance to the Women’s World Cup quarterfinals on Saturday, while Japan continued to impress in a 3-1 victory over Norway.

Spain defender Laia Codina’s back pass from close to the halfway line wrong-footed her goalkeeper to give Switzerland a surprise equalizer, but a brace from Aitana Bonmatí helped Spain recover and race to victory.

Later on Saturday, a formidable Japan beat 1995 champion Norway in Wellington.

Ingrid Syrstad Engen’s own goal gave Japan a well-deserved lead early on before Norway equalized soon after through Guro Reiten’s header.

However, Japan regained the advantage thanks to Risa Shimizu’s deflected strike before Hinata Miyazawa, in the 81st minute, sealed her country’s place in the next round.

Spain will next face either the Netherlands or South Africa in the quarterfinals, while Japan will take on either Sweden or the US, who play each other in Melbourne on Sunday.

Overcoming adversity

In front of 43,217 fans at Eden Park – a record crowd for a soccer match in New Zealand – four first-half goals had Spain in control early on, despite Codina’s own goal.

In the 11th minute, from just inside her own half, Spain defender Codina attempted a back-pass to her goalkeeper Cata Coll, but the goalkeeper had moved and was unable to stop the ball from going into the net.

It proved a minor blip for La Roja, one of the favorites to win the competition.

Bonmatí continued her excellent tournament, opening the scoring in the fifth minute with a powerful finish just moments after Switzerland goalkeeper Gaëlle Thalmann had pulled off a remarkable save to deny Alba Redondo from close range.

Despite Spain’s dominance, Codina’s own goal gave Switzerland a route back into the game.

To Spain’s credit, especially after the shock 4-0 loss suffered against Japan just days ago, the team showed no signs of nerves in the face of the setback.

Redondo did eventually get her goal to restore Spain’s lead, heading home in the 17th minute, before Bonmatí got her second of the game by bamboozling the Swiss defenders.

On the stroke of halftime, Codina made amends for her earlier own goal, poking the ball home from close range after a goalmouth scramble from a Spain corner.

The second half followed a familiar pattern, with Spain dominating possession and having the majority of the chances as Switzerland looked to craft openings on the break.

Jennifer Hermoso capped off the scoring with 20 minutes to go, capitalizing on some sloppy passing from Switzerland before curling home a delightful fifth.

Tournament favorites?

Japan has been arguably the best team at the Women’s World Cup so far.

The 2011 world champion started the tournament with little fanfare surrounding it, but secured top spot in Group C with ease, the highlight of which was the thrashing of Spain.

On paper, Norway – a team with world-class talent – looked a tricky opponent but Japan was comfortably the better side throughout.

And Japan took a deserved lead in the 15th minute when Syrstad Engen – in an attempt to control a cross – deflected the ball into her own net with Norway goalkeeper Aurora Mikalsen scrambling.

Despite being thoroughly outplayed, Norway found a route back into the game just minutes later through Reiten’s perfectly-placed header against the run of play.

Japan was confident on the ball and worked hard when without possession, while Norway struggled to create openings.

Shortly after the break, Japan again regained the lead – Shimizu pouncing on a misplaced backpass from Norway midfielder Vilde Bøe Risa in her own box. The 27-year-old’s close-range strike was deflected in.

Japan continued to create chances as the team attacked with precision an fluidity and it was a slick move which led to Miyazawa’s fifth goal of the tournament – matching the record tally for a Japanese player at a World Cup.

Ada Hegerberg came on as a substitute in an attempt to provide Norway with some attacking thrust – but the Norwegians struggled to break down an organized Japan team.

Even when it created a good opening, it found Japan goalkeeper Ayaka Yamashita in inspired form as she somehow clawed away Karina Sævik’s powerful header in the game’s dying moments.

Destination Europe

Americans are going big on international travel in 2023, and London, Paris, Rome and Dublin are the hottest tickets.

It’s not been the easiest season for Europe itself though. Amsterdam is banning cruise ships. The Acropolis is limiting visitors. Tourists in Italy have been blamed for toppling a statue and silencing town bells. And the wildfires in Greece have prompted the country’s prime minister to offer free Rhodes vacations in 2024 to everyone whose trip was affected.

On top of the general cost-in-living crisis, journey prices are shooting up, so it’s not a bad idea to bookmark our smart ways to save money in Europe. Consider cruises, trains and last-minute stays (but definitely not last-minute plane travel).

Vacation hideaways

So where’s a body go to get some peace and quiet now that half the planet’s on the move?

Well, Slovenia, Montenegro and Italy’s Aeolian archipelago are some of the lesser explored places in-the-know Europeans go to escape an influx of American tourists. And while there’s no such thing as an undiscovered corner of the Mediterranean, Marbella, in the Andalusia region of Spain, isn’t really on most US travelers’ radars. That could be set to change, though, as United Airlines has just introduced new direct flights from the States. Wise travelers will get there before everybody else does.

Our final pick is in Turkey. The Aegean coast has long been a sun ‘n’ sand favorite, but while there are popular beach towns such as Bodrum and Alaçatı, two of the region’s most gorgeous spots are the little-known seaside town of Ayvalık and the nearby island of Cunda.

Our animal friends

A zoo in eastern China denied suggestions that some of its bears are people in disguise, after video circulated on social media of a sun bear standing on its hind legs, waving to the crowd in a suspiciously human-like manner.

In North America, meanwhile, bears were also getting up to people-like behavior, such as the one found having its own private Californian pool party and the bear filmed dragging golf clubs into woods outside Vancouver.

Greener travel

The climate crisis is threatening some of our planet’s greatest wonders. UNESCO this week recommended Venice be added to its heritage danger list while Australia’s Great Barrier Reef remains under “serious threat.”

Travelers trying to be more carbon-conscious aren’t being helped by the heavier cost of a greener lifestyle. In July, a Greenpeace report found that train fares in Europe are up to 30 times more expensive than plane tickets.

NASA is working on a couple of projects that could make air travel more fuel-efficient as soon as the 2030s, though. Take a look here at what could be the next generation of sustainable flight.

Round the world by land and sea

In October 2013, Danish man Torbjørn “Thor” Pedersen left his job, girlfriend and family behind and set out on a mission to visit every country in the world without flying. In May this year, he completed his 203rd and final country, Maldives, and returned home. Here’s how he did it.

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“I just can’t continue to do this.”

Many predictions didn’t have a single African side making it out of the group stages at the Women’s World Cup, but the continent has once again ripped up the form book – just as it did at Qatar 2022 for the men’s tournament.

Nigeria, South Africa and tournament debutants Morocco have all stamped their tickets to the knockout round of the tournament in Australia and New Zealand, ensuring the presence of three African teams in the tournament’s last 16 for the first time ever.

Zambia fell short of making it four out of four African nations, finishing third in Group C behind two of the competition’s strongest sides, Japan and Spain. Yet the tournament’s lowest FIFA world-ranked team (77th) bowed out in style, claiming their first ever Women’s World Cup win with a 3-1 victory over Costa Rica.

For the three remaining African sides, dreams of replicating – or even surpassing – Morocco’s achievement of reaching the semifinals at Qatar 2022 remain very real.

South Africa

No team left it as late to qualify from the group stage as South Africa.

Locked at 2-2 with Italy heading into injury time, Banyana Banyana needed a win to leapfrog their opponents into second place in Group G and make into the last 16.

Having suffered an agonizing last-minute defeat to Sweden and surrendered a two-goal lead against Argentina, it looked set to be more World Cup heartbreak for South Africa, who lost all three group games on their 2019 debut.

But Thembi Kgatlana had other ideas, tapping home Hildah Magaia’s pull back to secure South Africa’s first ever Women’s World Cup win and a place in the knockout stages with the flick of a boot.

Racing Louisville striker Kgatlana has been in irrepressible form at the tournament, notching a pair of goals and assists apiece. It marks a remarkable response for a player who was sidelined for most of 2022 following an Achilles injury and lined up against Italy in the wake of great personal loss.

“Over the last two weeks, I’ve lost three family members. I could have gone home but I chose to stay with my girls,” Kgatlana told reporters. “Because that’s how much it means.”

On Sunday, a stern test awaits in the Netherlands. Finalists in 2019, the Dutch were in stellar form in Group E, beating Portugal and holding the US Women’s National Team – the two-time reigning champion – to a draw before crushing Vietnam 7-0 to top the section.

South Africa vs. Netherlands, Sydney Football Stadium, Sunday 3 a.m. GMT (11 p.m. Saturday EDT)

Nigeria

It might have featured two scoreless draws, but Nigeria’s route to the last 16 was not short on drama.

A penalty save from goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie helped the Super Falcons to an impressive 0-0 draw against reigning Olympic champion Canada in their opening Group B game. A solid start for a side who arrived at the tournament having conceded more goals at the World Cup than any other team.

A bout with co-hosts Australia served up one of the games of the tournament so far Nigeria stunned Brisbane Stadium with a thrilling 3-2 victory.

Uchenna Kanu cancelled out Australia’s opener before Osinachi Ohale and Asisat Oshoala powered Nigeria ahead. Australia’s Alanna Kennedy pulled one back in the 10th minute of injury time to tee up a grandstand finish, but Nigeria held firm to complete a famous victory.

A 0-0 draw against already eliminated Republic of Ireland was enough to see Nigeria progress from the group stages for the third time in their history but saw them surrender top spot in the section to Australia after the co-hosts dismantled Canada 4-0.

What would have been a match-up against Group D runners up Denmark is now a showdown with reigning European champion England. To go any further, the Super Falcons will have to stop a team with a perfect record at the tournament so far and beat European opposition at the Women’s World Cup for only the second time in their history.

The first came courtesy of a 2-0 victory against Denmark on their tournament debut in 1999, yet Nigeria are winless in the subsequent 12 matches against European sides.

With Chelsea star Lauren James headlining an array of dazzling attacking talents for the Lionesses, Nigeria will be calling on midfielder Christy Ucheibe to continue her stellar defensive form. The Benfica star has made 18 tackles at the tournament so far, more than any other player.

Nigeria vs. England, Brisbane Stadium, Monday 8:30am GMT (04:30 am EDT)

Morocco

If few had tipped Morocco to make it out of Group H, even less would have done so after they were crushed 6-0 by tournament heavyweights Germany on their Women’s World Cup debut.

It left a number Moroccan players strewed across the pitch in despair, but they picked themselves up to make history in their second game against South Korea. Striker Ibtissam Jraidi’s goal, the country’s first ever at the tournament, secured a surprise 1-0 win.

More history was made as Nouhaila Benzina became the first player to wear a hijab at a senior-level Women’s World Cup, and the defender came close to doubling the lead with a well-struck volley.

It left Morocco needing to better Germany’s result in their final group match against a Colombia side enjoying an excellent campaign with two wins from two.

Once again the North Africans once upset the odds, Anissa Lahmari’s strike on the stroke of half-time enough to eke out another 1-0 victory.

The nail-biting wasn’t done yet though, as the squad gathered round mobile phones to await Germany’s result. As news trickled through that South Korea had held the Europeans to a draw in Brisbane, bedlam ensued in Perth, as Moroccan players celebrated a historic achievement and a date with France on Tuesday.

The Atlas Lionesses will be hoping to avenge the Atlas Lions, whose 2-0 defeat to France in the semifinals of the men’s World Cup in Qatar nine months ago brought an end to the greatest ever run by an African team at the tournament.

Morocco vs France, Hindmarsh Stadium, Tuesday at 12pm GMT (8:00 am EDT)

New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara has been suspended for three games for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy after he pleaded no contest to charges stemming from a fight in Las Vegas, the league announced Friday.

Kamara, 28, said Friday at the Saints’ training camp media availability that he takes responsibility for his part in the incident in February 2022 when a person alleged they were battered at a nightclub.

“Poor judgment on my end, definitely a bad decision, but I’m a man,” Kamara told reporters at the team’s facilities in Metairie, Louisiana. “Anything I’ve ever done in my life, I’ve stood on and I can take accountability for. I can say when I’m wrong, and I was completely wrong. Embarrassed the Saints, embarrassed my family and my mother, embarrassed myself, embarrassed this city and the shield, obviously, embarrassed the NFL.”

Kamara, along with three other men, including Indianapolis Colts cornerback Christopher Lammons, were arrested in February 2022 by Las Vegas Metropolitan Police. They were charged earlier this year. Lammons has also been suspended three games for his role in the incident.

According to online court records, Kamara in July entered a “no contest” plea to a misdemeanor breach of peace charge and agreed to a $500 fine, reimbursement of medical expenses to the victim and 30 hours of community service.

Kamara’s attorney, David Chesnoff, confirmed details of the sentence but didn’t offer further comment.

On Friday, Kamara told reporters he met with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in New York a day prior and said the discussion went well.

He said the incident and legal trouble have affected him mentally, monetarily and with friendships for the last 17 months.

“I’m not glossing over the situation and downplaying it in any way,” he said. “It was poor judgment on my end, and it was obviously unfortunate. It’s just got to be a thing where I’m mature, take ownership of it and make better decisions.”

Kamara will be eligible to return in the team’s Week 4 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

He is entering his seventh season in the NFL after being drafted by the Saints in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft out of the University of Tennessee.

Kamara, who was named to his fifth career Pro Bowl last season, rushed for 897 yards and two touchdowns in 15 games played.

Women’s World Cup 2023: Live scores, fixtures, results, tables and top scorers

Upsets, records and moments of magic; the group stage of this year’s Women’s World Cup had it all.

But, with half of the teams now heading home, the tournament gets serious as we approach the first round of knockout matches.

The last 16 fixtures get underway on Saturday with enticing ties involving Japan, Norway, Switzerland and Spain.

Teams are just four wins away from being crowned world champion and the stakes couldn’t be higher.

How to watch

In the US, matches will air on your local Fox channel. You can also stream matches by signing in with your TV provider at foxsports.com or on the Fox Sports app. Telemundo and Peacock are providing Spanish-language coverage.

Seven Network and Optus Sport are broadcasting matches in Australia and the BBC and ITV have the rights in the United Kingdom.

A full breakdown of media rights holders in each country is available on the FIFA website.

On Saturday, Switzerland will take on Spain at 1a ET before Norway plays Japan at 4a ET and the Netherlands takes on South Africa at 10pET.

Switzerland vs. Spain

The first knockout game of the tournament will see Switzerland take on world No. 6 Spain.

Despite being ranked 14 places lower than its opponent, Switzerland will be confident of its chances, having not lost at this year’s World Cup – winning once and drawing twice to top Group A.

It’s also one of three teams yet to concede in Australia and New Zealand – the other two teams being Japan and Jamaica.

Spain, meanwhile, looked one of the most impressive teams at the start of the tournament but was thrashed 4-0 by Japan in its final Group C game.

The Spaniards will hope to shake off the humiliation and get back on track against the Swiss.

Spain, which finished as group runners-up, can take most comfort from recent history between the two teams, having won two of the last three meetings.

The winner of this tie will face either the Netherlands or South Africa in the quarterfinals.

Japan vs. Norway

Japan has arguably been the most impressive and consistent team at this year’s World Cup – scoring 11 goals and not conceding any so far.

The 2011 champion now has its sights set on a second title and boasts the tournament’s current top scorer, Hinata Miyazawa, who has netted four times already.

In truth, Japan had been expected to beat both Zambia and Costa Rica in its group, but the manner of the victory against Spain took many by surprise.

Japan, ranked 13th in the world, faces a Norway side which had a bumpy start to its campaign and only qualified for the last 16 on goal difference.

Norway was beaten 1-0 by co-host New Zealand in its opening match before playing out a goalless draw against eventual group winners Switzerland.

Needing a result against the Philippines to secure its passage into the next round, Norway finally turned up to win 6-0.

The Norwegians have been involved in every Women’s World Cup and won the tournament in 1995, but since 2007 have failed to make it past the quarterfinal stage.

The winner between Norway and Japan will face either Sweden of the US in the quarterfinals.

The landscape of college football continues its drastic change.

Oregon and Washington will officially leave the Pac-12 and join the Big Ten Conference starting in 2024, both schools announced on Friday.

The Big Ten Council of presidents/chancellors voted unanimously on Friday to approve Oregon and Washington to the conference effective August 2, 2024.

“We are excited to welcome the University of Oregon and the University of Washington to the Big Ten Conference,” Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti said in a statement. “We look forward to building long-lasting relationships with the universities, administrators and staff, student-athletes, coaches and fans. Both institutions feature a combination of academic and athletic excellence that will prove a great fit for our future.”

There have now been four schools to leave the Pac-12 conference for the Big Ten since last year. The two southern California powerhouses – USC and UCLA – both announced they would join the Big Ten for the start of the 2024-2025 season. Last month, Colorado announced the school would leave the Pac-12 for the Big 12 with rumors of Arizona State, Arizona and Utah soon joining.

“Accepting membership into the Big Ten Conference is a transformational opportunity for the University of Oregon to change the short and long-term trajectory of our university and athletics department,” Oregon athletic director Rob Mullens said in a statement. “The stability and exposure of joining the Big Ten is of great benefit to the University of Oregon, and we are grateful to the Big Ten presidents and chancellors for accepting our application to join the conference. We look forward to the opportunity for our student-athletes to compete in this conference, which includes many of the best programs in the nation in every sport.”

Both schools were charter members of the Pac-12 dating back to 1915.

“We have tremendous respect and gratitude for the Pac-12, its treasured history and traditions. At the same time, the college athletics landscape has changed dramatically in recent years,” Washington athletic director Jennifer Cohen said in a statement. “The Big Ten’s history of athletic and academic success and long-term stability best positions our teams for future success, and we are energized at the opportunity to compete at the highest level against some of the best programs in the country.”

Washington State President Kirk Shultz and Director of Athletics Pat Chun said in a statement, “We are disappointed with the recent decisions by some of our Pac-12 peers.”

Earlier this year, both Texas and Oklahoma announced they would join the Southeastern Conference following the conclusion of the 2023-24 athletic year after reaching an agreement to withdraw from the Big 12.

Life-threatening flash flooding forced evacuations and water rescues across parts of the South Friday morning.

Some of the worst flooding centered on portions of western Kentucky and Tennessee, where multiple flash flood emergencies were issued Friday morning. Flash flood emergencies are a sign forecasters are confident the situation is life-threatening and are the highest level of warning the National Weather Service can issue for flooding.

The National Weather Service in Memphis used rare language to describe the risk, calling it a “particularly dangerous situation” and warning residents in places like Union City, Tennessee, to seek higher ground immediately.

Torrential rainfall also deluged northern Alabama Friday morning and the city of Oneonta, located about 30 miles northeast of Birmingham, took the brunt of it. Many of the roads in Oneonta were covered with water, with multiple roadways “dangerously flooded,” according to the Blount County Emergency Management Agency.

The prolific rainfall and flooding happened because of training storms.

Training occurs when multiple storms move over the same area one after another, similar to multiple train cars on the same track. Storms of this nature can produce massive amounts of rainfall over the same area in quick succession, rapidly increasing the threat of dangerous flooding.

Rainfall rates from these storms reached 2 to 3 inches per hour at times late Thursday night into Friday morning – enough rain to overwhelm almost any drainage system and cause flash flooding.

Heavy downpours finally let up early Friday afternoon after slamming the already-soaked areas through the late morning. Any additional rainfall into the weekend could restart flooding across parts of Kentucky and Tennessee.

Greece has announced that it will limit the number of daily visitors to the Acropolis in order to guarantee the safety and longevity of the ancient monument.

From September, the UNESCO World Heritage site in Athens will admit no more than 20,000 visitors a day, according to the country’s culture minister, Lina Mendoni.

In an interview with Greek radio station Real FM on Wednesday, Mendoni said the change is being introduced as a trial following research by the government’s Hellenic Organization of Cultural Resources Development.

She said that up to 23,000 people currently visit the site every day.

“That is a huge number,” she told the interviewer. “Tourism is obviously desirable for the country and for all of us, but we must work out how overtourism won’t harm the monument.”

Built on a rocky hill in the fifth century BC, the ancient citadel is home to a collection of historic ruins, buildings and artifacts – the most famous being the Parthenon temple, dedicated to the goddess Athena.

The Acropolis and its monuments “form the greatest architectural and artistic complex bequeathed by Greek Antiquity to the world,” according to UNESCO.

The site is open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., but half of the visitors tend to arrive in the morning, between 8 a.m. and midday, Mendoni said.

“That creates unpleasant conditions for the site, the visitors and the staff who are trying to accommodate this high volume of people,” she added.

Mendoni said the government plans to create hourly visitor limits to avoid bottlenecks.

“For example, 3,000 people will be granted access from 8 to 9 a.m. local, 2,000 during the next hour, 9 a.m.-10 a.m.,” she said.

The restriction on numbers will vary throughout the day but will be in place from the time the site opens until it shuts.

Mendoni said that the measure will allow the government to protect the monument and enhance the overall experience for visitors.

She said the new system will be trialed from early September, with state broadcaster ERT reporting that it will begin on Monday, September 4. The restrictions will then be enforced from April 1, ahead of the 2024 summer season, Mendoni confirmed.

From April 1, the new system will also apply to other archaeological sites that operate with electronic tickets, accounting for 90-95% of visitors to Greek sites.

Last month, the Greek authorities closed the Acropolis and other archaeological sites for several hours during the hottest part of the day as the country battled a deadly heatwave.

Diana Taurasi, the Phoenix Mercury star who stands atop the WNBA’s all-time leading scorer list, reached another milestone in her highly decorated career by becoming the first player to score 10,000 points in league history.

Playing in front of a packed Footprint Center in Phoenix, Taurasi entered Thursday night’s game needing 18 points to reach the historic mark. In the third quarter, the 41-year-old scored the historic basket on a deep three-pointer against the Atlanta Dream.

With her arms waved out and the crowd erupting in cheers, play was immediately stopped as Taurasi gathered in a huddle with her teammates near halfcourt to celebrate.

“The whole time, I’m like I hope this doesn’t screw up our momentum,” Taurasi told ESPN on what was going through her mind during the moment. “We needed this win pretty bad but it really was a nice feeling, you know when there’s anticipation and it kind of works out your way and what a great night for women’s basketball tonight.”

The former MVP finished the night with a season-high 42 points, the most she’s scored during regulation in a game in her career, in the Mercury’s 91-71 victory over the Dream. According to ESPN, Taurasi is the oldest player in league history to score 40 or more points in a game.

After the game Taurasi was seen embracing with teammate Brittney Griner, who missed her third consecutive game due to mental health.

“When you do something you love and you obsess with it, you just always want to push the limits,” Taurasi said on reaching the milestone. “And sometimes pushing the limits has got me in trouble but I just love the game, just put everything into it and to have a night like this in front of our fans and people that I’ve known for a long time that really helped me get here, it couldn’t have been any better.”

Taurasi was drafted by the Mercury with the No. 1 pick in 2004 after a successful collegiate career at UConn, where she helped lead the Huskies to three consecutive NCAA championships.

Her success has continued at the professional level, where the 10-time All-Star has led the Mercury to three WNBA championships (2007, 2009, 2014) while being named WNBA Finals MVP twice.

Among other milestones, Taurasi is the league’s all-time three-point and playoff scoring leader and holds the single-season scoring record (25.3 ppg in 2006). She’s also won the scoring title five times in her career, including four straight from 2008-11.

On the international level, Taurasi is a five-time Olympic gold medalist with Team USA and a six-time Euroleague champion.

“On behalf of the WNBA and basketball fans worldwide, I want to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Diana on reaching the incredible milestone of 10,000 points as she continues to author new chapters is an illustrious WNBA career,” league commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a statement.

“I have had the pleasure of watching her play first as a fan and now as Commissioner of the WNBA. Diana’s achievement stands as a testament to her skill, determination, and unwavering dedication to the game, which along with her competitive nature, has captivated fans with her incredible scoring ability, clutch performances, and unparalleled basketball IQ. We are honored to witness this milestone.”