march madness

“Belle The Longwood Flautist” Is March Madness’ Latest Viral Hero

by

March Madness has a new hero – Belle the metalhead Longwood flautist. Belle quickly went viral during Longwood’s first-round game with Houston as she threw up metal signs on the TV broadcast. Videos of Belle, who uses any pronouns, quickly circulated as people fell in love with his entire aesthetic. What made the moment even sweeter was that Belle did not appear to realize they were being filmed until their bandmate pointed the camera out to them.

However, Belle’s sheer awesomeness was sadly not enough to power Longwood to an improbable upset victory. The Lancers were soundly stomped 86-46 by Houston, who advanced to face nine-seeded Texas A&M. The game marked the Lancers’ second trip to March Madness, after making their tournament debut in 2022. Despite the loss, Belle’s whole vibe quickly became the best moment of day two of the men’s tournament. Rock on, Belle, rock on.

Read More: Pop-Tart Mascot Becomes Instant Highlight Of Bowl Season

Angel Reese & LSU Survive March Madness Scare

Elsewhere, Angel Reese and LSU advanced to the second round of March Madness after what head coach Kim Mulkey called an “ugly” and “selfish” win. The three-seeded Tigers beat 14-seeded Rice 70-60 in a game that saw the Tigers lead by just three at halftime. Reese, who notched 13 defensive rebounds alone, was key to staving off the Owls amid a night of terrible Tiger shooting. Reese and Hailey Van Lith went a combined 2-14 from the field as Aneesah Morrow led the team with 15 points. That game-high mark was matched Rice’s Destiny Jackson.

However, things don’t get any easier for LSU. In the second round, played on Sunday, the Tigers will face 11-seeded Middle Tennessee. The Blue Raiders were down 13 on Louisville before rallying to stun the Cardinals for the only upset of day one. MTSU have only lost four games all season and went undefeated in conference play. “I don’t have the right answer. I can give you lots of answers, but we’d better fix it before we play Middle Tennessee,” Mulkey told reporters.

Read More: Elizabeth Kitley To Miss March Madness, Virginia Tech’s Hopes Of Final Four Repeat Fade

[via]

The post “Belle The Longwood Flautist” Is March Madness’ Latest Viral Hero appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Angel Reese & LSU Survive March Madness Scare

by

Angel Reese and LSU advanced to the second round of March Madness after what head coach Kim Mulkey called an “ugly” and “selfish” win. The three-seeded Tigers beat 14-seeded Rice 70-60 in a game that saw the Tigers lead by just three at halftime. Reese, who notched 13 defensive rebounds alone, was key to staving off the Owls amid a night of terrible Tiger shooting. Reese and Hailey Van Lith went a combined 2-14 from the field as Aneesah Morrow led the team with 15 points. That game-high mark was matched Rice’s Destiny Jackson.

However, things don’t get any easier for LSU. In the second round, played on Sunday, the Tigers will face 11-seeded Middle Tennessee. The Blue Raiders were down 13 on Louisville before rallying to stun the Cardinals for the only upset of day one. MTSU have only lost four games all season and went undefeated in conference play. “I don’t have the right answer. I can give you lots of answers, but we’d better fix it before we play Middle Tennessee,” Mulkey told reporters.

Read More: Elizabeth Kitley To Miss March Madness, Virginia Tech’s Hopes Of Final Four Repeat Fade

Angel Reese: “I Want People To Underestimate Me”

Elsewhere, in a lengthy profile for ESPN, Reese revealed the mentality that drives day-in, day-out. “I want people to underestimate me. I’m telling you, I have everything bookmarked for the right moment when everything just falls right into my hands,” Reese told Katie Barnes. However, for Reese – there is a fine line between being underestimated and being disrespected. “That game, that was one that was on my calendar, because when somebody tells me that they think that somebody else is better than me, and supposedly Kamilla was supposed to just dog-walk me all night, and mop me with the floor, and all this stuff,” Reese said of LSU’s regular-season matchup against South Carolina.

Additionally, Reese takes every scrap of hate as a new source of motivation. “They said I was too worried about social media, my GPA was low, I was pregnant. Yeah, my stats have gone down maybe four to five points because I’m on a way better team this year. But I’m still averaging a double-double every game. I think people don’t realize I can do 10,000 things and still be good at all of them. And I can’t wait till just everything just falls right into place,” she noted.

Read More: Angel Reese Reveals Breakup, Says She’s “Not Ready To Mingle”

[via]

The post Angel Reese & LSU Survive March Madness Scare appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Marquette’s Second Half Heroics Busts Bijan Robinson’s March Madness Bracket

by

Bijan Robinson’s perfect March Madness bracket is not more. The Falcons running back saw his streak end as No. 2 Marquette rallied to beat No. 15 Western Kentucky. Robinson had backed the underdog Hilltoppers to win. Furthermore, Robinson looked to be proven right for at least half the game – WKU led by 7 at the half. However, a 51-point second half by the Golden Eagles ended the upset, and Robinson’s bracket. Things are even worse in the women’s tournament. Just 4% of brackets remain perfect after just three games.

Entering Day Two, Robinson was one of around 2100 perfect brackets across the four main bracket challenges – NCAA, ESPN, CBS, and Yahoo. A string of day-one upsets absolutely decimated the runs of many hopefuls. Three 11-seeds in Duquesne, Oregon, and NC State all progressed. However, the major bracket killer was No. 3 Kentucky being stunned by No. 14 Oakland. Robinson had shared his elation on Instagram. “Perfect Bracket day one and they said it was crazy. Yessirski lol,” Robinson wrote over an image of himself with a massive grin. Robinson is backing his alma mater, Texas, to go all the way.

Read More: Long Beach State AD Praises Himself For Inspiring March Madness Run By Firing Coach

March Madness Game Paused For Kate Middleton Cancer News

Elsewhere, a longer-than-usual TV timeout was briefly called during the March Madness matchup between Northwestern and FAU so that CBS could release a news bulletin about Kate Middleton’s cancer diagnosis. The timeout was called with around five minutes remaining in the game. As the news was delivered during the break, viewers at home did not miss any of the on-court action. However, viewers were treated to the bizarre spectacle of CBS transitioning from a Geico ad to news about the Princess of Wales.

However, timeout aside, it was bad news for FAU. After serving as the inspiration Cinderella story of the 2023 bracket, the eight-seeded Owls are headed home after the first round this year. The game went to overtime, but Northwestern quickly dominated the extra period 19-7. No member of FAU surpassed 20 points, with center Vladislav Goldin leading the team with 19. Meanwhile, the Wildcats’ Ryan Langborg scored a career-high 27 points in the win. Northwestern will likely face UConn in the next round.

Read More: Olivia Munn Reveals Breast Cancer Diagnosis

[via]

The post Marquette’s Second Half Heroics Busts Bijan Robinson’s March Madness Bracket appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

March Madness Game Paused For Kate Middleton Cancer News

by

A longer-than-usual TV timeout was briefly called during the March Madness matchup between Northwestern and FAU so that CBS could release a news bulletin about Kate Middleton’s cancer diagnosis. The timeout was called with around five minutes remaining in the game. As the news was delivered during the break, viewers at home did not miss any of the on-court action. However, viewers were treated to the bizarre spectacle of CBS transitioning from a Geico ad to news about the Princess of Wales.

However, timeout aside, it was bad news for FAU. After serving as the inspiration Cinderella story of the 2023 bracket, the eight-seeded Owls are headed home after the first round this year. The game went to overtime, but Northwestern quickly dominated the extra period 19-7. No member of FAU surpassed 20 points, with center Vladislav Goldin leading the team with 19. Meanwhile, the Wildcats’ Ryan Langbord scored a career-high 27 points in the win. Northwestern will likely face UConn in the next round.

Read More: Richard Simmons Reveals Cancer Diagnosis

Kate Middleton Reveals Cancer Diagnosis

Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, has revealed that she has been privately battling cancer for the past few months. In a pre-recorded video, Kate explained that her abdominal surgery had revealed a cancer previously not spotted by doctors. Furthermore, Kate said that the decision had been made to keep the news private so that the Royal Family could come to terms with the news. The video was the first true appearance by Kate since Christmas Day. She did not specify what variety of cancer she has been diagnosed with. However, there is a strong possibility that it is stomach cancer.

It’s another striking blow to the Royal Family, with King Charles III also revealing a cancer diagnosis in recent months. While Kate did not reveal the severity of her condition, it was obviously dire enough to keep her out of the public eye for nearly four months. With Charles’ cancer a public issue, many are wondering whether Kate’s husband, William, Prince of Wales, will become regent to his father sooner rather than later.

Read More: Olivia Munn Reveals Breast Cancer Diagnosis

[via]

The post March Madness Game Paused For Kate Middleton Cancer News appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Bijan Robinson Brags About Still-Perfect March Madness, One Of Just 2100 Remaining

by

Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson is one of the few people to still have a perfect men’s March Madness bracket. Only around 2100 perfect brackets remain across the four main bracket challenges – NCAA, ESPN, CBS, and Yahoo. A string of day-one upsets absolutely decimated the runs of many hopefuls. Three 11-seeds in Duquesne, Oregon, and NC State all progressed. However, the major bracket killer was No. 3 Kentucky being stunned by No. 14 Oakland.

Robinson shared his elation on Instagram. “Perfect Bracket day one and they said it was crazy. Yessirski lol,” Robinson wrote over an image of himself with a massive grin. Robinson is backing his alma mater, Texas, to go all the way. Per ESPN, Texas has a 0.1% chance to win the national championship. The seven-seeded Longhorns are only given a 22.1% chance to reach the Sweet 16. To do that, they will have to beat two-seed Tennessee in the second round.

Read More: Long Beach State AD Praises Himself For Inspiring March Madness Run By Firing Coach

Elizabeth Kitley To Miss March Madness, Virginia Tech’s Hopes Of Final Four Repeat Fade

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – FEBRUARY 08: Bijan Robinson attends the 13th Annual NFL Honors at Resorts World Theatre on February 08, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)

Elsewhere, Elizabeth Kitley, the star of Virginia Tech‘s women’s basketball team, will miss March Madness due to a torn ACL. “On March 3rd I suffered a knee injury that is keeping me out of this year’s NCAA tournament. This is not at all how I anticipated ending this year with my team, but I’m so proud of all of our accomplishments, and I’m excited to see my girls continue to compete. Thank you to all of Hokie Nation for being so supportive during this tough time. I’m looking forward to making a strong comeback,” Kitley wrote on Instagram. She is expected to declare for the WNBA Draft after a standout career in Blacksburg.

However, the news is a devastating blow for the four-seed Hokies. Kitley forwent the WNBA Draft last season to play one more year in college. Becoming the all-time ACC leader in rebounds, Kitley catapulted the Hokies to a historic regular-season title. However, she missed the conference tournament due to the aforementioned ACL tear. With Kitley gone, it is unlikely that Virginia Tech will make back-to-back appearances in the Final Four. The Hokies reached that historic benchmark for the first time last year. Virginia Tech’s tournament begins against Marshall. However, the road back to the Final Four is guarded by a matchup against USC as well as the potential threats of UConn and Ohio State.

Read More: Paige Bueckers Forgoes WNBA Draft To Play Another Year At UConn, Basketball World Stunned

[via]

The post Bijan Robinson Brags About Still-Perfect March Madness, One Of Just 2100 Remaining appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Angel Reese: “I Want People To Underestimate Me”

by

In a lengthy profile for ESPN, Angel Reese revealed the mentality that drives day-in, day-out. “I want people to underestimate me. I’m telling you, I have everything bookmarked for the right moment when everything just falls right into my hands,” Reese told Katie Barnes. However, for Reese – there is a fine line between being underestimated and being disrespected. “That game, that was one that was on my calendar, because when somebody tells me that they think that somebody else is better than me, and supposedly Kamilla was supposed to just dog-walk me all night, and mop me with the floor, and all this stuff,” Reese said of LSU’s regular-season matchup against South Carolina.

Additionally, Reese takes every scrap of hate as a new source of motivation. “They said I was too worried about social media, my GPA was low, I was pregnant. Yeah, my stats have gone down maybe four to five points because I’m on a way better team this year. But I’m still averaging a double-double every game. I think people don’t realize I can do 10,000 things and still be good at all of them. And I can’t wait till just everything just falls right into place,” she noted.

Read More: Angel Reese Calls Out Barstool Sports For “Double Standards”

Angel Reese Reveals Breakup, Says She’s “Not Ready To Mingle”

Elsewhere, Reese recently revealed that she has broken up with her partner, FSU basketball player Cam’Ron Fletcher. “I’m single. I don’t got no man. Don’t attach me to no man. That’s all Imma say. That’s it. I’m not ready to mingle. I am single, but I’m not ready to mingle. I’m just focusing on my college career. I’m focusing on school. That’s all I’m focused on right now and I’m focused on me. I’m not focused on nobody else,” Reese announced on Instagram. The couple had been together since June 2023.

However, Reese won’t have much time to be in her feelings about the breakup. Reese will lead LSU into March Madness this week, where they will look to defend their 2023 title as a three-seed. However, after they open their tournament against Rice on Friday, things will only get harder for the Tigers. Their quarter of the bracket includes UCLA as a two-seed and Iowa as a one-seed, teams that LSU will have to beat to progress to the final four.

Read More: Angel Reese’s Pep Talk For Hailey Van Lith Draws Draymond Green & Kevin Durant Comparisons

[via]

The post Angel Reese: “I Want People To Underestimate Me” appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Dawn Staley Thanks The “Basketball Gods” Ahead Of March Madness

by

Dawn Staley has said that “preparation” has earned her South Carolina Gamecocks the favor of the “basketball gods”. “Sometimes the basketball gods favor that [preparation]. Preparation has allowed us to get lucky sometimes. I think our players play free. They play as if there are no consequences, and that’s a gift and a curse for someone like me. If you have a conversation with [players], it’s like they have short-term memory. They only think about the winning part of it. They don’t really think about how we won or how we could have lost. It’s worked for this team thus far. I don’t know if it’ll work throughout the tournament,” Staley said.

South Carolina, the only undefeated team left at the Division I level and the top overall seed in the women’s tournament, start their March Madness campaign on Friday. They face first-time dancers Presbyterian in a rematch of a game South Carolina won 99-29 back in December. However, the team will be without leading scorer Kamilla Cardoso, who is suspended for her role in a fight at the end of the SEC tournament title game. With South Carolina heavily favored to win, Cardoso will be cleared to return for their second-round game against either North Carolina or Michigan State.

Read More: South Carolina Star Becomes Steph Curry’s First NIL Signing

Elizabeth Kitley To Miss March Madness, Virginia Tech’s Hopes Of Final Four Repeat Fade

Dawn Staley
(Photo by Eakin Howard/Getty Images)

Elsewhere, the basketball gods aren’t so kind. Virginia Tech star Elizabeth Kitley will miss March Madness due to a torn ACL. “On March 3rd I suffered a knee injury that is keeping me out of this year’s NCAA tournament. This is not at all how I anticipated ending this year with my team, but I’m so proud of all of our accomplishments, and I’m excited to see my girls continue to compete. Thank you to all of Hokie Nation for being so supportive during this tough time. I’m looking forward to making a strong comeback,” Kitley wrote on Instagram. She is expected to declare for the WNBA Draft after a standout career in Blacksburg.

However, the news is a devastating blow for the four-seed Hokies. Kitley forwent the WNBA Draft last season to play one more year in college. Becoming the all-time ACC leader in rebounds, Kitley catapulted the Hokies to a historic regular-season title. However, she missed the conference tournament due to the aforementioned ACL tear. With Kitley gone, it is unlikely that Virginia Tech will make back-to-back appearances in the Final Four. The Hokies reached that historic benchmark for the first time last year. Virginia Tech’s tournament begins against Marshall. However, the road back to the Final Four is guarded by a matchup against USC as well as the potential threats of UConn and Ohio State.

Read More: Paige Bueckers Forgoes WNBA Draft To Play Another Year At UConn, Basketball World Stunned

[via]

The post Dawn Staley Thanks The “Basketball Gods” Ahead Of March Madness appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Dawn Staley Thanks The “Basketball Gods” Ahead Of March Madness

by

Dawn Staley has said that “preparation” has earned her South Carolina Gamecocks the favor of the “basketball gods”. “Sometimes the basketball gods favor that [preparation]. Preparation has allowed us to get lucky sometimes. I think our players play free. They play as if there are no consequences, and that’s a gift and a curse for someone like me. If you have a conversation with [players], it’s like they have short-term memory. They only think about the winning part of it. They don’t really think about how we won or how we could have lost. It’s worked for this team thus far. I don’t know if it’ll work throughout the tournament,” Staley said.

South Carolina, the only undefeated team left at the Division I level and the top overall seed in the women’s tournament, start their March Madness campaign on Friday. They face first-time dancers Presbyterian in a rematch of a game South Carolina won 99-29 back in December. However, the team will be without leading scorer Kamilla Cardoso, who is suspended for her role in a fight at the end of the SEC tournament title game. With South Carolina heavily favored to win, Cardoso will be cleared to return for their second-round game against either North Carolina or Michigan State.

Read More: South Carolina Star Becomes Steph Curry’s First NIL Signing

Elizabeth Kitley To Miss March Madness, Virginia Tech’s Hopes Of Final Four Repeat Fade

Dawn Staley
(Photo by Eakin Howard/Getty Images)

Elsewhere, the basketball gods aren’t so kind. Virginia Tech star Elizabeth Kitley will miss March Madness due to a torn ACL. “On March 3rd I suffered a knee injury that is keeping me out of this year’s NCAA tournament. This is not at all how I anticipated ending this year with my team, but I’m so proud of all of our accomplishments, and I’m excited to see my girls continue to compete. Thank you to all of Hokie Nation for being so supportive during this tough time. I’m looking forward to making a strong comeback,” Kitley wrote on Instagram. She is expected to declare for the WNBA Draft after a standout career in Blacksburg.

However, the news is a devastating blow for the four-seed Hokies. Kitley forwent the WNBA Draft last season to play one more year in college. Becoming the all-time ACC leader in rebounds, Kitley catapulted the Hokies to a historic regular-season title. However, she missed the conference tournament due to the aforementioned ACL tear. With Kitley gone, it is unlikely that Virginia Tech will make back-to-back appearances in the Final Four. The Hokies reached that historic benchmark for the first time last year. Virginia Tech’s tournament begins against Marshall. However, the road back to the Final Four is guarded by a matchup against USC as well as the potential threats of UConn and Ohio State.

Read More: Paige Bueckers Forgoes WNBA Draft To Play Another Year At UConn, Basketball World Stunned

[via]

The post Dawn Staley Thanks The “Basketball Gods” Ahead Of March Madness appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Teams Await Bracket Reveal For March Madness

by

With a 68-60 win over Stony Brook, Drexel became the final women’s basketball team to secure an automatic berth to this year’s March Madness. It ends a semi-chaotic Championship Fortnight that saw a handful of major upsets. However, Portland was the only major “bid-stealer” in their upset of Gonzaga. Despite this, the 32 automatic berths include two first-time dancers and a handful of teams ending lengthy droughts. This includes Eastern Washington, who appear in the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1987. Later today, 36 teams will join the 32 conference champions.

Furthermore, the bracket reveal will answer several pressing questions. For example – who takes the final two No. 1 seeds? South Carolina and Iowa are locked in, which leaves USC, Stanford, and Texas all vying for the last two spots on the top line. ESPN currently favors the two Pac-12 schools despite Texas’ Big 12 title. Another question will surround which bubble teams make it and which miss the tournament. Will Columbia finally make March Madness before Abbey Hsu graduates? Or did losing to Princeton in the Ivy League title game seal their fate?

Read More: Long Beach State Reaches March Madness Despite Firing Coach

Oklahoma Could Miss Out On March Madness Hosting Duties Due To Scheduling Conflict

(Photo by Isaiah Vazquez/Getty Images)

Meanwhile, an interesting situation surrounds Oklahoma. Oklahoma could be named as one of the top-16 seeds in the tournament, which would typically come with the right to host first- and second-round games. However, a scheduling conflict could mean that Oklahoma may miss out on that opportunity. The Big 12 gymnastics tournament is scheduled to be hosted at Oklahoma’s basketball arena on the same weekend as the opening rounds of March Madness.

ESPN currently has the Sooners as a five-seed in a quadrant hosted by Colorado in Boulder. However, the Sooners’ regular season title plus Gonzaga’s shock loss in the WCC title game could see Oklahoma move up to a four-seed. Due to rules about when teams from the same conference can play each other, that would see Oklahoma and Kansas State, the current five-seed in Gonzaga’s quadrant, swap places. However, due to Oklahoma’s scheduling conflict, Gonzaga would still have the option to host the games in Spokane.

Read More: Juwan Howard Fired By Michigan After Historically Bad Season

The post Teams Await Bracket Reveal For March Madness appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Oklahoma Could Miss Out On March Madness Hosting Duties Due To Scheduling Conflict

by

A unique oddity could occur later today when the bracket for the women’s March Madness is unveiled. Oklahoma could be named as one of the top-16 seeds in the tournament, which would typically come with the right to host first- and second-round games. However, a scheduling conflict could mean that Oklahoma may miss out on that opportunity. The Big 12 gymnastics tournament is scheduled to be hosted at Oklahoma’s basketball arena on the same weekend as the opening rounds of March Madness.

ESPN currently has the Sooners as a five-seed in a quadrant hosted by Colorado in Boulder. However, the Sooners’ regular season title plus Gonzaga’s shock loss in the WCC title game could see Oklahoma move up to a four-seed. Due to rules about when teams from the same conference can play each other, that would see Oklahoma and Kansas State, the current five-seed in Gonzaga’s quadrant, swap places. However, due to Oklahoma’s scheduling conflict, Gonzaga would still have the option to host the games in Spokane.

Read More: Long Beach State Reaches March Madness Despite Firing Coach

Selection Sunday Looms

Oklahoma
(Photo by John W. McDonough/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

Today, the 68-team bracket for March Madness will be announced. Three more automatic berths will be decided just ahead of the bracket reveal. While four games will be played, Le Moyne are ineligible due to their NCAA transition period. The group of automatic berths includes everyone from giants like South Carolina and UConn to first-time dancers such as Presbyterian and Texas A&M – Corpus Christi. There are several teams, such as Eastern Washington, who ended lengthy postseason droughts this year.

36 teams will be announced alongside the conference champions today. This will include the 8 “First Four” teams, who play a preliminary play-in game. The bracket is split into 16 quadrants, with the highest seed in each quadrant hosting the first two rounds. After the first two rounds, the tournament moves to two regional sites – Portland and Albany. The final four and national championship game will take place in Cleveland. Meanwhile, the men’s national championship game takes place in Glendale, Arizona this year.

Read More: NCAA Sued Over Transgender Inclusion Policy

The post Oklahoma Could Miss Out On March Madness Hosting Duties Due To Scheduling Conflict appeared first on HotNewHipHop.