’tis the damn season
From The GIST (hi@thegistsports.com)
Oh, hi!
The NFL-leading Kansas City Chiefs aren’t the only ones benefiting from “Tayvoodoo.” Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, which officially ended on Sunday, left an enchanted impact on countless sports teams.
- On that note, let’s dive head first, fearless into today’s sports news.
— TIME Athlete of the Year and Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark, acknowledging her privilege as a white person in the WNBA and affirming her role in ensuring equal investment for all players. Say it loud and proud.
NBA Cup quarter-finals
🏀 It’s a sprint, not a marathon
The GIST: With the four-game NBA Cup group stage in the rearview mirror, we’re in the midst of four do-or-die quarter-final matchups. Swap your holiday countdown cal for a basketball — ’tis the (NBA) season after all.
Milwaukee Bucks, Oklahoma City Thunder secure semifinal berths: Starting in the Eastern Conference (EC), the No. 1 seed Milwaukee Bucks booked the first ticket to Saturday’s semis, beating the shorthanded No. 4 seed Orlando Magic 114–109 last night as Giannis Antetokounmpo (pronounced ah-det-oh-KOON-boh) and his partner-in-hoops Dame Lillard dropped a combined 65 points.
- The second game of the night was a rematch of last year’s Western Conference (WC) finals — but the No. 1 seed Oklahoma City Thunder had the last laugh this time around, topping the No. 4 seed Dallas Mavericks 118–104 behind 39 points from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Previewing tonight’s games: The plucky No. 3 seed Atlanta Hawks weren’t expected to even make it out of EC group play, but anything can happen on these kooky Cup courts. The Hawks will look to keep flying in what should be a high-scoring affair against the No. 2 seed NY Knicks and their league-best offense tonight at 7 p.m. ET. Defense? Never heard of her.
- On the flip side, D will be the name of the game in tonight’s 9:30 p.m. ET WC matchup between the No. 2 seed Houston Rockets and No. 3 seed Golden State Warriors, two of the staunchest defenses in the league. Forget Eras Tour tickets, this is the great war.
🎓⚽ For the first time in 12 years, perennial powerhouse UNC won the Women’s College Cup, clinching their record-extending 23rd (!!!) national title with Monday’s 1–0 win over Wake Forest. Back on top, baby.
👀 In more Tar Heels news, legendary NFL head coach (HC) Bill Belichick may be heading to Chapel Hill. The all-time Super Bowl–winning HC has reportedly interviewed for the head UNC football job. So much for retirement.
🎓🏈 This year’s Heisman Trophy finalists were announced on Monday. Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter, Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, Oregon quarterback (QB) Dillon Gabriel, and Miami QB Cam Ward are in contention for college football’s MVP, which will be announced on Saturday.
🥍 The Women’s Lacrosse League announced names for its four inaugural teams yesterday — the Boston Guard, California Palms, Maryland Charm, and NY Charging will debut in February 2025.
🏊 American Olympic gold medal–winning swimmer Gretchen Walsh broke the 50m butterfly world record at the Short Course World Championships in Budapest yesterday, while teammate Kate Douglass set a world record of her own in the 200m individual medley. Nemo could never.
⛳ Tiger Woods and his son, Charlie, will play in the upcoming PNC Championship for the fifth straight year, marking Woods’ first competition since missing the cut at July’s British Open and undergoing his sixth back surgery in September.
🏆 As for other updates from the links, Scottie Scheffler was named the PGA Tour Player of the Year yesterday, his third consecutive honor. The only other golfer to achieve the three-peat? Tiger Woods.
⚽ After a lackluster season, Angel City FC fired HC Becki Tweed on Monday, making them the third NWSL squad, alongside the Houston Dash and San Diego Wave, to axe their HC in the offseason.
Together With Ally
🚨 Roster alert: Celebrating Ally’s Sports Spotlight
The best way to invest in women athletes? By watching them. Catching games and following along on social media are game-changers for growing women’s sports, but the lack of mainstream media coverage makes it hard to know when and how to tune in.
- That’s where Ally’s Sports Spotlight came in. This monthly series in our newsletter and on our socials spotlighted all the hottest events in the women’s game and exactly where to watch them.
Ally has been putting their money where it matters, championing women’s sports with their 50/50 Media Pledge and all-star sponsorship roster. Leveling the playing field, together.
🎓🏐 NCAA women’s volleyball: Championship tournament — Ongoing — ESPN2
- The national tourney quarter-finals begin tomorrow at 1 p.m. ET and all four No. 1 seeds — Pitt, Louisville, Penn State, and Nebraska — are still in the mix, making this round can’t-miss for volleyball fans old and new. Diggin’ it.
🎓🏀 NCAA women’s basketball: No. 2 UConn vs. No. 8 Notre Dame — Tomorrow at 7 p.m. ET — ESPN
- The Huskies will be without injured grad student Azzi Fudd for tomorrow’s highly anticipated top-10 throwdown, but there’ll still be starpower aplenty on the court, with UConn icon Paige Bueckers squaring up against junior Olivia Miles, another shining collegiate standout who’s expected to declare for the 2025 WNBA Draft.
🏒 NHL: Las Vegas Golden Knights vs. Winnipeg Jets — Tomorrow at 8 p.m. ET — ESPN+
- Thanks in large part to goaltender Adin Hill, the Pacific Division–leading Golden Knights are riding a three-game win streak heading into tomorrow’s contest against a Jets squad who started the season hot, but have lost six of their last 10 games. Is a
takeoffturnaround in sight?
🏈 NFL: LA Rams vs. San Francisco 49ers — Tomorrow at 8:15 p.m. ET — Amazon Prime
- The NFC West is the most thrilling division in football right now, with just two games separating the first- and last-place teams. That means there’s a lot on the line when the bottom-of-the-division (and injury-plagued) 49ers host QB Matthew Stafford and the second-place Rams. No pressure.
Together With The GIST
In sports (and in life), the final score is only part of the story. If you’re looking to level up your sports fandom beyond touchdowns and tipoffs, we have just the thing: The GIST’s women’s sports business newsletter.
- Just like this newsletter, sports biz gives you “the gist” of what’s happening in the business of women’s sports, three times a week.
- From high-profile interviews to interpreting the latest groundbreaking collective bargaining agreement, subscribing to sports biz is a must.
Peep our squad’s MVPs (Most Valuable Picks):
🎥 What to watch
This ESPN 30 for 30 doc on the infamous 2011 Vancouver riots. Equal parts sports drama and social reflection, it’s a must-see.
🎁 What to gift
Sports tix. Surprise a special someone in your life with the gift that keeps on giving.
📕 What to read
The Christmas Clause: A Sweet Holiday Hockey Romance by Meg Easton. Read this warm and cozy novel along with The GIST Book Club on Fable.
Question of the Day
So many platforms, so little time. Today we want to know, what’s your favorite social media platform to follow athletes?
Today’s email was brought to you by Alessandra Puccio, Marga Sison, Lisa Minutillo, Lauren Tuiskula, Megan Murray, and Briana Ekanem. Editing by Laura Pastore, Emily Ohman, Emma Leishman, Rachel Fuenzalida, and Lindsay Jost. Fact-checking by Parul Kanwar and Marga Sison. Ops by Briana Ekanem and Marga Sison. Ads by Katie Kehoe Foster, Alessandra Puccio, and Lisa Minutillo. Managing edits by Lauren Tuiskula and Alessandra Puccio. Head of content Ellen Hyslop.