Real recognize real
From The GIST College Sports (hi@thegistsports.com)
Good morning!
And a huge shoutout to TCU women’s basketball’s four new walk-ons, who instantly became Division I (DI) hoopers this week to bolster their school’s injury-riddled roster.
- Although none touched last night’s court, their presence meant the Horned Frogs had enough players to compete — making them the real MVPs of TCU’s 66–60 win over UCF. A bench of superheroes.
— No. 6 Stanford women’s basketball head coach (HC) Tara VanDerveer on Stanford football legend Christian McCaffrey. The NFL’s NFC Championship–bound star running back approached VanDerveer at dinner to congratulate her on making NCAA history earlier this week. Real recognized real.
Men’s basketball
🏀 Above the fray
The GIST: As mentioned on yesterday’s episode of The GIST of It, the constant upsets and unprecedented parity on the men’s court make it feel like anyone can win the natty. But with March Madness just around the corner, a few teams have (mostly) risen above the chaos — here’s who to watch out for on the road to Selection Sunday.
The mainstays: No. 1 UConn, No. 2 Purdue, and No. 4 Houston have all dropped games they should’ve won, but with only two losses apiece, they’ve maintained Top-10 rankings all season.
- Houston’s looking particularly tough: The Cougars are defensive triple threats, leading DI in scoring defense, scoring margin, and turnover margin. With last night’s 75–68 win over No. 21 BYU (plus No. 11 Oklahoma’s loss to Texas), they’re primed to take over the chaotic Big 12.
The bounce-back blue blood: Historic dynasty UNC has been less dominant recently — they started the season ranked No. 19 and didn’t even make March Madness last year. However, the No. 3 Tar Heels are now undefeated in ACC play. If they continue their steady rise, they could snag a coveted No. 1 seed in the national tournament.
- Fellow blue blood Kentucky was on an upswing, rising from preseason No. 16 to No. 6 on Monday, taking a serious stab at the SEC title. But last night’s brutal 79–62 loss to unranked South Carolina sapped their momentum real quick.
The breakout stars: No. 5 Tennessee’s high hopes looked bleak as they limped into Thanksgiving, but the Vols have roared back under the leadership of fifth-year guard Dalton Knecht, whose current hot streak landed him in the Player of the Year conversation.
- Likewise, thanks to one of the NCAA’s most well-rounded rosters, No. 8 Auburn came out of nowhere to dominate SEC play this month. Is it a midseason surge or a fluke? Only time — and tonight’s 7:30 p.m. ET game against Alabama — will tell.
Women’s basketball
🏀 SEC Smackdown
The GIST: One of the regular season’s most compelling (and expensive!) matchups is set to take place tomorrow between the sport’s biggest powerhouse, No. 1 South Carolina, and reigning national champ No. 9 LSU.
- Here’s what you need to know before these 2023 Final Four contenders tip off at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN.
The No. 1 South Carolina Gamecocks: The only undefeated team in DI basketball is crushing every opponent in their path by a mind-boggling average of 38.6 (!!!) points. But they also have a notably easy schedule: They haven’t faced a ranked opponent since December 10th, and they play in the less-than-stellar SEC, where the only other Top-25 squad is…you guessed it, LSU.
The No. 9 LSU Tigers: The nation’s best offense, powered by junior forward Angel Reese and junior guard Aneesah Morrow, wins at home by a whopping average of 42.5 points. After dropping a road game against Auburn last week, however, the Tigers are giving vulnerable vibes.
The matchup: LSU has the leg-up in the programs’ all-time series, but they haven’t beaten the Gamecocks in 12 long years. South Carolina absolutely dominated their last meeting, but LSU has significantly padded its roster with transfer superstars Morrow and grad student guard Hailey Van Lith.
- TL;DR? If anyone can stop the ’Cocks before Selection Sunday, it’s the Tigers.
🏌️ Men’s golf
Despite making a historic World Golf Rankings jump after his wild weekend win at the PGA Tour’s American Express tourney, Alabama sophomore Nick Dunlap has withdrawn from this week’s Farmers Insurance Open to mull over a big decision: Stay in school or forfeit his NCAA eligibility to join the Tour full-time. Either way, he won’t pocket the $1.5M purse from his life-altering win. Ouch.
🏀 Women’s basketball
It’s been a helluva week for No. 16 Utah, who followed up Friday’s 78–58 blowout of then–No. 6 USC with Monday’s thrilling 94–81 overtime win over No. 2 UCLA — the Utes’ highest-ranked win ever. Two Top-10 dubs in 72 hours? Looks like the queens of LA live in Salt Lake City.
🏒 Women’s ice hockey
No. 14 Northeastern won their second consecutive Beanpot tournament with last night’s thrilling 2–1 overtime dub over Boston University, but the tourney’s final was made even more special by its history-making venue and all-female broadcast team. Yet another win for women’s hockey this month.
Hi. It’s us. We’re the recommenders, it’s us.
🧢 How to keep your head warm
With a Love Your Melon beanie. These cute and comfy hats keep you warm and support nonprofits that fight pediatric cancer. A true win-win.
🐶 What to watch
Cruella. Starring award-winning actress and, more importantly, Phoenix Suns superfan Emma Stone, this film's a devilishly good time.
🏀 Where to hoop
At the airport, of course. The newly installed court at the Indianapolis Airport has gone viral, generating buzz ahead of the city's upcoming NBA All-Star Game.
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