The surprising details of Jonathan Bailey's transformation from Fiyero into Scarecrow in Wicked: ...

Hair and makeup department head Frances Hannon reveals what went into everything from the actor's hair to eyes to nose. The surprising details of Jonathan Bailey's transformation from Fiyero into Scarecrow in Wicked: For Good Hair and makeup department head Frances Hannon reveals what went into everything from the actor's hair to eyes to nose. By Patrick Gomez :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/pgomezheadshot25b24b6c6d8948899ca9b24a6a9a6844.jpg) Patrick Gomez is an Executive Editor at . Formerly at People magazine and The A.V.

Hair and makeup department head Frances Hannon reveals what went into everything from the actor's hair to eyes to nose.

The surprising details of Jonathan Bailey's transformation from Fiyero into Scarecrow in Wicked: For Good

Hair and makeup department head Frances Hannon reveals what went into everything from the actor's hair to eyes to nose.

By Patrick Gomez

Patrick Gomez is an Executive Editor at . Formerly at People magazine and The A.V. Club, the Critics Choice and Television Critics Association member has appeared on 'Today,' 'Extra!,' 'Access Hollywood,' 'E! News,' 'CNN,' and 'Nightline,' and can be seen frequently on 'Good Morning America.' Follow the Texas Native at @PatrickGomezLA wherever your media is social for all things 'For All Mankind' 'Top Chef,' and puppy related.

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December 31, 2025 11:00 a.m. ET

Jonathan Bailey getting made up as the Scarecrow for 'Wicked: For Good'. Credit:

universal pictures

Glinda may be known for her "toss toss," but she's not the only one with hair game in the *Wicked* world.

From the minute he arrived at Shiz University, Jonathan Bailey's Winkie prince had an envious coif. But when it came time for hair and makeup department head Frances Hannon to design the character's look for *Wicked: For Good*, she wanted to reflect Fiyero's evolution in the time that passed between films.

Taking inspiration from Fiyero's Gale Force regalia, Hannon tells ** she crafted a "large toupee" for Bailey with "blocks of gold through it to emulate the gold on the uniform."

When Fiyero becomes the Scarecrow (a four-hour process), "I kept the same shape of the hair but put all the textures of the field in — straw, hay, and dry grass," Hannon explains.

Prosthetics makeup designer Mark Coulier also sourced many types of burlap to create a flexible prosthetic that still allowed for subtle facial expressions. No simple sack for Bailey.

They also spent a significant time discussing the Scarecrow's nose.

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"How should it end? How dark should the brown be on the little end? What's distracting? What's not?" Hannon says. "We looked at various shades. 'Should it just be burlap like the rest of it? Should it be brown? Should it be a lighter, darker shade?' So it was tiny nuances."

And ironically, Fiyero becoming nonhuman freed more of Bailey to surface: "We used Jonathan's natural dark-brown eyes to represent the earth of the field, whereas he had blue eyes as Fiyero. You could really see it was the Sexiest Man Alive coming through," Hannon says with a laugh.

***Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our EW Dispatch newsletter.***

But it wasn't just Fiyero's wardrobe, hair, and makeup that Hannon and her team took such care with. They also were meticulous in preparing his horse — or should we say horses, since four were used in the film, each for different purposes.

Jonathan Bailey in 'Wicked: For Good'.

Giles Keyte/Universal Pictures

Because the horses were different colors ("One was white, one was brown, and one dark brown…"), Hannon says the team had to shave them down before applying a dye brought in from Japan, which they knew would be safe for the steeds.

"Then all the horses were painted with iridescent color," Hannon continues. "[SFX makeup artist] David Stoneman and I designed it, because it had never been done before — using horse oil as the base and the iridescent added to it, which also came from Japan."

Talk about a horse of a different color.

*A version of this story appears in a special Awardist 2026 Kickoff print edition.*

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Odessa A'zion just wants to be 'messy' in 'Marty Supreme,' 'I Love LA'

Odessa A'zion just wants to be 'messy' in 'Marty Supreme,' 'I Love LA' Patrick Ryan, USA TODAYJanuary 2, 2026 at 9:30 PM 0 NEW YORK – Odessa A'zion can't tell if she's being punked. The effervescent upandcomer is holed up in the Woolworth mansion doing interviews for "Marty Supreme" (in theaters now), which was partially filmed inside the sevenstory, $38 million estate. The historic Upper East Side townhouse is a living art museum, brimming with lofty oil paintings, gleaming marble floors and a stainedglass skylight.

- - Odessa A'zion just wants to be 'messy' in 'Marty Supreme,' 'I Love LA'

Patrick Ryan, USA TODAYJanuary 2, 2026 at 9:30 PM

0

NEW YORK – Odessa A'zion can't tell if she's being punked.

The effervescent up-and-comer is holed up in the Woolworth mansion doing interviews for "Marty Supreme" (in theaters now), which was partially filmed inside the seven-story, $38 million estate. The historic Upper East Side townhouse is a living art museum, brimming with lofty oil paintings, gleaming marble floors and a stained-glass skylight.

"Somebody told me this used to be Marie Antoinette's bed, but I'm not sure if they were just making that up," A'zion says with a raised eyebrow as she curls up on a nearby couch. "This whole place is insane."

The insanity is seemingly never-ending for A'zion, 25, who in the past two months has catapulted into the spotlight thanks to her dual roles in "Marty Supreme" and HBO's hit sitcom "I Love LA," which just finished its first season.

Timothée Chalamet: The 'Marty Supreme' star talks ballet and potentially facing off with Leonardo DiCaprio

Before "Marty Supreme," Odessa A'zion appeared in Netflix's "Grand Army," "Until Dawn" and "Am I OK?"

"It's definitely been a lot, but I've been working for so long," says A'zion, who made her film debut in 2011's "Conception" alongside her mother, actress and writer Pamela Adlon. "A lot of the movies that I've done came out either during COVID or the (Hollywood) strikes, so I wasn't able to do any press for them. It's crazy − this is all very new for me."

In "Marty Supreme," the curly-haired, raspy-voiced actress plays Rachel, a pet shop clerk who gets pregnant by her longtime friend, the flaky Marty Mauser (Timothée Chalamet).

At first blush, Rachel appears to be a mousy wallflower irritated by Marty's fast-cash gambits. But in one gasp-inducing sequence (spoiler alert!), the audience discovers that the tearstained Rachel has been playing him at his own game and is similarly skilled in the art of deception.

"When does an actor ever get to have seven emotional turns in one scene?" A'zion marvels. "You're angry, you're lying, you're fake-crying, you're problem-solving – and then it turns out you've actually been scheming this whole time. It was the most satisfying scene."

Rachel (Odessa A'zion) is not all that she appears to be in "Marty Supreme."

On the surface, Rachel is night and day from A'zion's TV counterpart Tallulah, the hard-partying influencer she portrays on "I Love LA." Rachel Sennott created the comedy and costars as her estranged best friend, Maia, who tries to leverage Tallulah's social media infamy into a legitimate career.

"Tallulah was really hard because she's so different from me, but I connect to both characters," A'zion says. "What I love is that they are super-strong and take no bull----. Sure, Tallulah may seem more airhead-y, but she's just as calculated as Rachel in 'Marty Supreme' is."

A'zion says she has always gravitated toward the dark and unusual: Her favorite movies are "Rosemary's Baby" and "Harold and Maude." (She named her pet tortoises after the latter.) She was a dramatic kid with a lot of emotions, but she always resisted the idea of therapy.

"It's not for me," A'zion says wryly. "If someone's being paid to listen to me, they've got their own problems going on!" Rather, acting allows her "to access all the emotions you might suppress in real life, and let it out in a way that is safe and welcome. That's why it's such a cool, beautiful thing."

Tallulah (Odessa A'zion, left) hustles to make it in Hollywood with the help of talent manager Maia (Rachel Sennott) in "I Love LA."

She says her mother and her father, writer and producer Felix Adlon, were "somewhat" reluctant about her pursuing a career in entertainment, knowing what the industry entails. And for a while, A'zion struggled to get work as she dutifully sent out scores of self-taped auditions.

"My team was always like: 'Wear neutral colors and do it against a white wall! They just want to focus on the acting!' " A'zion recalls. "F--- that! If the scene is in a bed, do it in bed. If it's in a bathtub, do it in the bathtub. As soon as I started taking more risks, then more stuff started happening."

She vividly remembers taping her "Marty Supreme" audition in a phone booth "with a really weird angle. It wasn't pretty: It was dirty and messy and felt really right for the character."

Creator, writer, director and actress Rachel Sennott attends the premiere of HBO's "I Love LA" at the Paramount Theatre in Los Angeles on Oct. 28, 2025. The show, created by and starring Sennott, will premiere on HBO Nov. 2.

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Creator, writer, director and actress Rachel Sennott attends the premiere of HBO's "I Love LA" at the Paramount Theatre in Los Angeles on Oct. 28, 2025. The show, created by and starring Sennott, will premiere on HBO Nov. 2.

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Leighton Meester, True Whitaker, Jordan Firstman, Rachel Sennott, Odessa A'zion, Josh Hutcherson and Quenlin Blackwell. Sennott created the comedy series, about a close friend group who reunites after years apart.

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" src=https://ift.tt/cqAmfrs class=caas-img> Emma Chamberlain

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" src=https://ift.tt/ncMSLUR class=caas-img>Carl Clemons-Hopkins

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" src=https://ift.tt/HSdGfaQ class=caas-img>Kate Berlant and Jordan Firstman

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" src=https://ift.tt/1NJFITj class=caas-img>Benito Skinner

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" src=https://ift.tt/tsvI7w3 class=caas-img>Odessa A'zion

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" src=https://ift.tt/cUGH1Z8 class=caas-img>Salem Mitchel

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" src=https://ift.tt/jHBRpvK class=caas-img>Megan Stalter

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" src=https://ift.tt/gSzy17e class=caas-img> EJ Marcus

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" src=https://ift.tt/I9hwx8Y class=caas-img>Adela

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1 / 20See Rachel Sennott's new show 'I Love LA' premiere with famous friends, costars

Creator, writer, director and actress Rachel Sennott attends the premiere of HBO's "I Love LA" at the Paramount Theatre in Los Angeles on Oct. 28, 2025. The show, created by and starring Sennott, will premiere on HBO Nov. 2.

A'zion is still adjusting to her blossoming fame. She used to be uncomfortable with interviews, but "I'm hopefully getting better at them. It definitely feels like 'Groundhog Day.' I don't want to sound like a broken record!"

She also once hated watching her own performances: "I was just like, 'Girl, you suck!' But it's important for me to learn from that. The only person that can really teach me what works and what doesn't is myself."

Next up, she voices a new character in Netflix's "Stranger Things" animated spinoff "Tales from '85," and she's impatient to start production on "I Love LA" Season 2.

"I hope that Tallulah gets into some more messy s--- because that's my favorite type of thing to do," A'zion says impishly. "I'm just excited to go back and work with everyone again. I feel very, very lucky."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Marty Supreme' star Odessa A'zion recalls her 'dirty' audition

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Odessa A'zion just wants to be 'messy' in 'Marty Supreme,' 'I Love LA'

Odessa A'zion just wants to be 'messy' in 'Marty Supreme,' 'I Love LA' Patrick Ryan, USA TODA...

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Venus Williams gets wild card for Australian Open at age 45

Venus Williams gets wild card for Australian Open at age 45 CBSNews January 2, 2026 at 10:08 PM 0 Seventime Grand Slam singles champion Venus Williams will return to the Australian Open in Melbourne for the first time in 5 years. And at age 45, the tournament said she is set to become the oldest woman ever to compete in an Australian Open main draw. Tournament officials said Friday that Williams received a wildcard entry for the 2026 tournament at Melbourne Park 28 years after her first appearance.

- - Venus Williams gets wild card for Australian Open at age 45

CBSNews January 2, 2026 at 10:08 PM

0

Seven-time Grand Slam singles champion Venus Williams will return to the Australian Open in Melbourne for the first time in 5 years. And at age 45, the tournament said she is set to become the oldest woman ever to compete in an Australian Open main draw.

Tournament officials said Friday that Williams received a wild-card entry for the 2026 tournament at Melbourne Park 28 years after her first appearance. In 1998, the then-17-year-old defeated her younger sister Serena Williams in the second round before losing in the quarterfinals to fellow American Lindsay Davenport.

"I'm excited to be back in Australia and looking forward to competing during the Australian summer," Williams said. "I've had so many incredible memories there, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to return to a place that has meant so much to my career."

Venus Williams made an incredible comeback in the sport in July 2025 when she accepted a wild-card invitation to play singles at the 2025 Mubadala Citi DC Open. She became the second-oldest woman to win a tour-level singles match after beating Peyton Sterns — 22 years her junior — 6-3, 6-4. It was Williams' first singles victory in nearly 2 years.

Williams then went on an electric run at the 2025 U.S. Open when she partnered with Leylah Fernandez in the women's doubles tournament. They reached the quarterfinals, where they lost to Taylor Townsend and Kateřina Siniaková.

Venus Williams reacts in a match against Madison Keys during the Charlotte Invitational on Dec. 4, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina. / Credit: Cory Knowlton/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images

In November, Williams announced that she would play in Auckland, New Zealand, where she also received a wild card, two weeks before the Australian Open. The Australian Open said Williams was also entered to play a tournament in Hobart, Australia, a week later and just before play begins at Melbourne Park.

She last appeared in Melbourne in 2021 and has finished runner-up in the women's singles twice, losing to Serena in the finals in 2003 and 2017.

Williams' record at Melbourne Park is 54 wins and 21 losses. This year will be the 22nd time she has appeared in the main draw.

The current record for the oldest woman to compete in an Australian Open main draw is held by Japan's Kimiko Date, who was 44 when she lost in the first round at Melbourne Park in 2015.

In late December, Williams married Danish-born model and actor Andrea Preti in Palm Beach, Florida.

Trump now says he had CT scan, not MRI in October

Several killed in Iran amid protests over economic crisis

Tony Dokoupil: Don't just trust me. Make me earn it.

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Venus Williams gets wild card for Australian Open at age 45

Venus Williams gets wild card for Australian Open at age 45 CBSNews January 2, 2026 at 10:08 PM 0 Seventime Grand Slam ...

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Tommy Lee Jones' Daughter Victoria Jones, 34, Found Dead at Hotel in San Francisco: Reports

Tommy Lee Jones' Daughter Victoria Jones, 34, Found Dead at Hotel in San Francisco: Reports Lindsay KimbleJanuary 2, 2026 at 11:25 AM 406 Axelle/BauerGriffin/FilmMagic Tommy Lee Jones and daughter Victoria Jones in 2017 Tommy Lee Jones' daughter Victoria Jones was found dead on Thursday, Jan. 1, according to a report Victoria was 34 Victoria made some onscreen appearances in film and television in the early 2000s Victoria Jones, the daughter of actor Tommy Lee Jones, was found dead on Thursday, Jan. 1 in San Francisco, according to reports. She was 34.

- - Tommy Lee Jones' Daughter Victoria Jones, 34, Found Dead at Hotel in San Francisco: Reports

Lindsay KimbleJanuary 2, 2026 at 11:25 AM

406

Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

Tommy Lee Jones and daughter Victoria Jones in 2017 -

Tommy Lee Jones' daughter Victoria Jones was found dead on Thursday, Jan. 1, according to a report

Victoria was 34

Victoria made some onscreen appearances in film and television in the early 2000s

Victoria Jones, the daughter of actor Tommy Lee Jones, was found dead on Thursday, Jan. 1 in San Francisco, according to reports. She was 34.

TMZ was first to report the news of Victoria's death, citing law enforcement sources.

The San Francisco Fire Department confirmed to PEOPLE that it responded to a medical emergency at the San Francisco Fairmont just before 3 a.m. local time on Thursday. The fire department said that an unnamed individual was found dead at the scene.

The San Francisco Police Department additionally confirmed to PEOPLE that officers responded to the hotel on Thursday, where they met with paramedics and declared an unnamed adult female dead.

NBC Bay Area also reported that a police source told the outlet that the woman found dead at the hotel is believed to be Victoria.

A cause of death is unknown, though NBC Bay Area said that foul play is not suspected.

William Conran/PA Images via Getty

Victoria and Tommy Lee Jones in 2002

The San Francisco Fairmont, San Francisco Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and a rep for Tommy did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's requests for comment.

Victoria was the daughter of Tommy, now 79, and his ex-wife, Kimberlea Cloughley. The couple also shares a son, Austin Jones, 43.

She made select acting appearances at a young age, first in her father's film, Men in Black II, back in 2002. She was also in 2005's The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, a film directed by her father and which featured her stepmom, Dawn Laurel-Jones, as the stills photographer.

Masatoshi Okauchi/Shutterstock

Victoria and Tommy Lee Jones in 2017

In addition to her film roles, Victoria made an appearance in the popular teen drama TV series One Tree Hill in one episode in 2003.

Tommy is, of course, an Oscar-winning actor, nabbing the Best Supporting Actor honor for 1993's The Fugitive. He has also appeared in JFK, the Men in Black series, No Country for Old Men and Lincoln, among other acclaimed projects.

on People

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Tommy Lee Jones' Daughter Victoria Jones, 34, Found Dead at Hotel in San Francisco: Reports

Tommy Lee Jones' Daughter Victoria Jones, 34, Found Dead at Hotel in San Francisco: Reports Lindsay KimbleJanuary 2...

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Will Smith sued by tour violinist for retaliation, sexual harassment

Will Smith sued by tour violinist for retaliation, sexual harassment Taijuan Moorman, USA TODAY January 2, 2026 at 3:25 AM 214 Will Smith is being sued by a violinist who accused the actor of firing him for reporting a sexual assault while on his tour. Brian King Joseph is suing Smith and his company, Treyball Studios Management, for wrongfully terminating him after a March incident in Las Vegas on the rapper's Based on a True Story 2025 tour. According to a civil complaint filed Wednesday, Dec.

- - Will Smith sued by tour violinist for retaliation, sexual harassment

Taijuan Moorman, USA TODAY January 2, 2026 at 3:25 AM

214

Will Smith is being sued by a violinist who accused the actor of firing him for reporting a sexual assault while on his tour.

Brian King Joseph is suing Smith and his company, Treyball Studios Management, for wrongfully terminating him after a March incident in Las Vegas on the rapper's Based on a True Story 2025 tour. According to a civil complaint filed Wednesday, Dec. 31, in a Los Angeles court, the musician claims he returned to his hotel room, booked by Smith's company, to find someone had entered and left a sexual message, wipes, a beer bottle, HIV medication with another person's name on it and hospital discharge paperwork belonging to another person.

Joseph said the note read: "Brian, I'll be back no later [sic] 5:30, just us [drawn heart]," and was signed "Stone F."

Will Smith arrives for Univision's 37th Premio Lo Nuestro at the Kaseya Center in Miami, on Feb. 20, 2025.

Joseph said he reported the situation to hotel security as well as tour management, who accused him of lying and blamed him for the incident. He said he was fired days later, though management told him the tour was "moving in a different direction." He said another violinist was quickly hired in his place, which he claims is proof he was not fired for "pretextual" reasons.

The violinist's lawsuit further alleges that Smith had been "grooming and priming" him "for further sexual exploitation" since meeting in November 2024, given they "began spending additional time alone" in the months before the tour. Joseph claims Smith at one point commented: "You and I have such a special connection, that I don't have with anyone else." He also notes an incident in which he alleges tour management suspiciously lost his bag, which included his room key.

"The sequence of events" and "circumstances of the hotel intrusion all point to a pattern of predatory behavior rather than an isolated incident," Joseph claims.

In a statement, Smith's attorney Allen B. Grodsky denied the claims.

"Mr. Joseph's allegations concerning my client are false, baseless, and reckless," Grodsky said in a statement Thursday, Jan. 1. "They are categorically denied, and we will use all legal means available to address these claims and to ensure that the truth is brought to light."

Joseph is suing for retaliation, wrongful termination, intimidation and sexual harassment, and is seeking compensation for personal and financial damages. The musician's lawsuit claims he made significant financial investments in preparation for the tour, which ran from July to early September. He also says that as a result of the incident and firing, he now suffers from major physiological damage and PTSD.

This story has been to add new information.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Will Smith lawsuit: Actor sued by tour violinist for harassment

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Will Smith sued by tour violinist for retaliation, sexual harassment

Will Smith sued by tour violinist for retaliation, sexual harassment Taijuan Moorman, USA TODAY January 2, 2026 at 3:25...

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Stanford women's basketball looks to rebound in second ACC season

Stanford women's basketball looks to rebound in second ACC season Mitchell Northam, USA TODAYJanuary 2, 2026 at 5:04 AM 0 By its own wellestablished standards, last season was a massive disappointment for Stanford's women's basketball team. In their first campaign in the Atlantic Coast Conference and without longtime coach Tara VanDerveer patrolling the sidelines, the Cardinal missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the Reagan Administration. Between 1988 and 2024, 36 NCAA women's college basketball tournaments were contested and Stanford was part of every single one.

- - Stanford women's basketball looks to rebound in second ACC season

Mitchell Northam, USA TODAYJanuary 2, 2026 at 5:04 AM

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By its own well-established standards, last season was a massive disappointment for Stanford's women's basketball team.

In their first campaign in the Atlantic Coast Conference and without longtime coach Tara VanDerveer patrolling the sidelines, the Cardinal missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the Reagan Administration.

Between 1988 and 2024, 36 NCAA women's college basketball tournaments were contested and Stanford was part of every single one. The Cardinal made 15 Final Fours and won three national championships. Like UConn, Tennessee, Notre Dame and Baylor, Stanford had established itself as one of the sport's blue bloods and a consistent contender.

So last season was seen as an aberration. In Kate Paye's first season as head coach, Stanford went 16-15 and 8-10 in ACC action as they adjusted to the coast-to-coast league. The Cardinal were eliminated in the first round of the conference tournament by a Clemson team with a losing record. Then, they lost to Portland at home in the second-tier WBIT.

But this is still Stanford. The standard is still high.

In women's basketball, this program is supposed to compete for championships.

And, in Paye's second year in charge, the Cardinal seem to be well on their way to righting the ship.

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They entered their first ACC road swing this week with 12 victories, including wins over rival Cal, former Pac-12 foes Washington and Oregon and at Gonzaga. Powered by talented rookies like Lara Somfai and Hailee Swain, and guided by steady-handed veterans like Nunu Agara, Chloe Clardy and Courtney Ogden, this Stanford team looks more like the standard and not the group that stumbled time and time again a year ago.

But on Thursday, they fell hard. In front of a sold-out crowd at the historic Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh, North Carolina, the Cardinal lost 74-46 to North Carolina State. Stanford was outscored 23-9 in the fourth quarter, turned the ball over 21 times, and shot a season-low 30% from the floor.

"I just felt like things kind of snowballed on us, and the wheels kind of came off the wagon. For the first time, I think our defense let us down," Paye told USA Today. "It was a good, old-fashioned ass kicking."

This is the hurdle for Stanford now, the one it failed to clear most of the time last season. Paye's team has to figure out how to win conference road games time zones away from California. The Cardinal were 2-7 in such games last season.

If Stanford has aspirations of making the NCAA Tournament this March, that mark has to be better. What went down at N.C. State on Thursday can't happen again.

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"Up into this point, our defense had really been something we hang our hat on," Paye said. "We've rebounded decently. I just feel like we've yet to really get our flow offensively, and I think because of that, it puts a lot of pressure on our defense. But our defense has really been our strength, our togetherness."

Defense and rebounding has been crucial to Stanford's success this season. Nationally, entering Thursday, they ranked seventh in assists allowed per game (8.6), 11th in defensive rebounding rate (76.4) and 28th in points allowed per scoring attempt (0.88). The women's basketball analytics site HerHoopStats also gives the Cardinal a defensive rating of 81.0, which is 37th in the country. In their wins over Cal, Oregon, Washington and Gonzaga, Stanford won the rebounding margin in three of those clashes, losing the battle on the boards to only the Huskies.

Somfai has been a big help in that department this season. The 6-foot-4 freshman from Australia — tabbed as a top 12 recruit in the 2025 class by ESPN — grabbed 16 rebounds against N.C. State. With averages of 10.5 points and 10.3 rebounds per game, she and Bonnie Deas of Arkansas are the only freshmen in the country averaging double-doubles.

"Lara is an incredible rebounder. She's physical in there. She has a great nose for the ball," Paye said. "And, you know, it's hard when you're a freshman — like, we're counting on you."

Lara Somfai has had an impact as a freshman for the Cardinal.

Somfai isn't the only rookie Stanford is leaning on. Point guard Hailee Swain was the eighth-ranked recruit in her class by ESPN and is averaging 9.6 points and 1.5 assists per game.

"They're in the starting lineup for a reason. It is not easy being a freshman. There's a lot coming at you, but they've done fantastic. And I just think as they get more experience, they're going to get better and better, and you're going to kind of see some of the other stuff in their game really shine," Paye said. "... But we need more from them."

Somfai and Swain were Stanford's most high-profile acquisitions of the offseason. In the era of the transfer portal, NIL and revenue sharing, the Cardinal are doing some things the traditional way: bringing in freshmen with potential and developing them.

Among all Power 4 programs, Stanford has the least number of transfers on its roster. Junior forward Mary Ashley Stevenson, who is in her second season with Stanford after leaving Purdue, is the lone player on the roster who didn't begin her collegiate career as a member of the Cardinal. Stanford is also tied with Washington for the Power 4 programs who had the least amount of portal movement last offseason, in terms of the combined number of players coming in or going out. The Cardinal had two players transfer out from last season's squad: Tess Heal to Kansas State and Jzaniya Harriel to SMU.

"What it means to me is loyalty," junior Nunu Agara said at ACC Tip-Off. "It speaks to what Stanford is about as a program."

Stanford's continuity could give it an advantage in its second season in the ACC. Most of the players on the roster have endured the long cross-country flights. With the conference largely playing a schedule that has games on Thursdays and Sundays, Stanford typically doesn't fly home between road games, instead making a hotel their home for a few days at a time. These players have done that.

"We have the flow and the rhythm," Paye said. "We certainly learned things last year in terms of travel logistics and little things we can do that we feel like can help our team."

Ahead is another opportunity for Stanford to get a signature road victory in the ACC. On Sunday, they'll play in Chapel Hill against the North Carolina Tar Heels, who are ranked 15th in the latest USA Today Sports Coaches Poll.

The common throughline in Stanford's three losses so far — to Florida Gulf Coast, Tennessee and N.C. State — is turnovers. They've had 18 or more in each defeat. And Courtney Banghart's Tar Heels force 19.6 per game.

"We really have to improve our offensive execution," Paye said. "We have to move the ball better."

The expectations are clear for the Cardinal. An early ACC road win could help Stanford meet them.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Stanford women's basketball looks to rebound in second ACC season

Original Article on Source

Source: "AOL Sports"

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Source: Sports

Published: January 02, 2026 at 01:27PM on Source: MARIO MAG

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byMario Satorik

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January 02, 2026

Stanford women's basketball looks to rebound in second ACC season

Stanford women's basketball looks to rebound in second ACC season Mitchell Northam, USA TODAYJanuary 2, 2026 at 5:0...

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ACC football transfer portal tracker live updates: Who's on the move?

ACC football transfer portal tracker live updates: Who's on the move? Matthew Glenesk, USA TODAY January 2, 2026 at 5:04 AM 0 College football's version of free agency has changed the sport, and there have been changes to the transfer portal itself this winter. The portal period now runs from Jan. 216, with an extra fiveday window (Jan. 2024) for teams playing in the national championship. The spring portal window in April is no longer a part of the schedule, so January is the only open window for teams to add via the portal in 2026.

- - ACC football transfer portal tracker live updates: Who's on the move?

Matthew Glenesk, USA TODAY January 2, 2026 at 5:04 AM

0

College football's version of free agency has changed the sport, and there have been changes to the transfer portal itself this winter.

The portal period now runs from Jan. 2-16, with an extra five-day window (Jan. 20-24) for teams playing in the national championship. The spring portal window in April is no longer a part of the schedule, so January is the only open window for teams to add via the portal in 2026.

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Here's a look at who is expected to be on the move in the ACC this winter (players have either announced intention to transfer or it's been reported they will enter portal):

Note: Players who enter portal can return to their respective schools.

Boston College

TE Stevie Amar

LB Jason Hewlett

TE Ty Lockwood

QB Dylan Lonegran

CB Ashton McShane

RB Turbo Richard

DL Sterling Sanders

S Omar Thornton

Cal

QB Devin Brown

EDGE TJ Bush

QB EJ Caminong

LB Luke Ferrelli

LB Buom Jock

LB Curlee Thomas

'I believe in Cal.' Freshman star QB Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele won't enter portal

Clemson

RB Keith Adams Jr.

LB Jamal Anderson

DB Khalil Barnes

LB Dee Crayton

ATH Marquise Henderson

CB Shelton Lewis

Duke

TE Vance Bolyard

CB Vontae Floyd

RB Peyton Jones

S Kenzy Paul

DT Terry Simmons

OL Jack Small

S Maliki Wright

Florida State

S Ashlynd Barker

DB Cai Bates

WR Jayvan Boggs

DL Tyeland Coleman

RB Kam Davis

TE Luke Douglas

DL Jamorie Flagg

WR Camdon Frier

QB Brock Glenn

LB Omar Graham

DT L A Jessie Harrold

OL Tye Hylton

OL Manasse Itete

DL Jayson Jenkins

DE Jaden Jones

DB Edwin Joseph

RB Jaylin Lucas

OT Mario Nash Jr.

LB Jayden Parrish

TE Randy Pittman Jr.

DB Ja'Bril Rawls

RB Gavin Sawchuk

OL Lucas Simmons

WR Willy Suarez

DB Smoke White

Georgia Tech

QB Aaron Philo

Louisville

QB Deuce Adams

QB Brady Allen

RB Shaun Boykins Jr.

RB Isaac Brown

EDGE AJ Green

TE Nate Kurisky

DB Daeh McCullough

RB Duke Watson

Miami

WR Ny Carr

WR Ray Ray Joseph

WR Chance Robinson

DL Daylen Russell

TE Brock Schott

DL Donta Simpson

S Markeith Williams

NC State

WR Terrell Anderson

LB Elijah Groves

WR Noah Rogers

RB Hollywood Smothers

EDGE Justin Terrell

WR Christian Zachary

North Carolina

QB Bryce Baker

WR Paul Billups

OT William Boone

CB Khalil Conley

WR Chris Culliver

WR Javarius Green

OL Trevyon Green

LB Khmori House

WR Aziah Johnson

TE Jake Johnson

QB Max Johnson

OT Miles McVay

OL Jani Norwood

WR Jason Robinson

TE Yasir Smith

LB Tyler Thompson

WR Kenedy Uzoma

CB Ty White

DB Malcolm Ziglar

Pittsburgh

S Jesse Anderson

LB Rasheem Biles

WR Zion Fowler

RB Juelz Goff

QB Eli Holstein

DL Omari Abor

LB Kyle Ferm

OL King Large

EDGE DJ Warner

Stanford

OT Jack Leyrer

WR Myles Libman

WR Jason Thompson

Syracuse

WR Johntay Cook

WR Darrell Gill

LB James Heard

EDGE Derek McDonald

S Kaylib Singleton

QB Jakhari Williams

RB Yasin Willis

Virginia

EDGE Mekhi Buchanan

WR Suderian Harrison

CB Ja'son Prevard

CB Dre Walker

OL Tyshawn Wyatt

Virginia Tech

EDGE Keyshawn Burgos

LB James Djonkam

DB Christian Ellis

WR Tucker Holloway

CB Dante Lovett Jr. (Memphis)

QB Garret Rangel

LB Michael Short

QB Pop Watson

Wake Forest

WR Chris Barnes

RB Tate Carney

EDGE Cole Funderburk

WR Ben Grice

DL Mateen Ibirogba

TE Harry Lodge

WR Micah Mays

QB Elijiah Oehlke

OT Nathan Pahanich

WR Elijah Reid

WR Reginald Vick

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: ACC football transfer portal tracker: Updates for players on move

Original Article on Source

Source: "AOL Sports"

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---

Source: Sports

Published: January 02, 2026 at 01:27PM on Source: MARIO MAG

#ShowBiz#Sports#Celebrities#Lifestyle

byMario Satorik

in

January 02, 2026

ACC football transfer portal tracker live updates: Who's on the move?

ACC football transfer portal tracker live updates: Who's on the move? Matthew Glenesk, USA TODAY January 2, 2026 at ...

Read More