The GIST - Breathe and believe
From The Gist Team |
Good morning!
May you begin your week with the confidence of LSU’s NCAA tournament Most Outstanding Player Angel Reese, who drew a ring on her finger before her squad’s Elite Eight win, then swapped it for a real one yesterday. Start those Monday manifestations, then cue the confetti for today’s news.
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Quote of the Day |
Breathe and believe. |
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— Angel “Bayou Barbie” Reese, revealing their team motto after her No. 3 LSU Tigers pounced on Caitlin Clark and the No. 2 Iowa Hawkeyes 102–85 in yesterday’s women’s March Madness championship game. Put a ring on it. |
The Latest |
🎓🏀 Whole lot of history
The GIST: The Tigers hoisting their first-ever program natty trophy capped off a tourney full of firsts, including on- and off-court record-setting and an undeniable, palpable hype surrounding the women’s game. Welcome to the party.
Championship game recap: LSU definitely brought the confidence and the buckets, putting up the most points ever scored in the women’s title game. Leading the way? Jasmine Carson, who came off the bench (!!!) and dropped a team-high 22 points.
- Iowa’s superstar Caitlin Clark (30 points) broke records of her own, namely for most points scored in a single women’s or men’s tourney, but spent much of the game on the sidelines due to questionable foul calls.
- Speaking of, controversial refereeing was unfortunately a major factor in this one. The aforementioned Reese notched an NCAA record 34th double-double, despite also playing limited minutes, not to mention two Iowa starters fouled out. Brutal.
Looking ahead: Yesterday’s biggest stars, Reese and Clark, both just completed their third collegiate seasons, meaning they’ll be battling (and trash talking) for at least one more year.
- Plus, LSU head coach Kim Mulkey will be looking to cement her on-court legacy after leading the Tigers to a title in just her second year at the helm. Now if she could turn her own sh!t around off the court.
Zooming out: Record-breaking viewership, an all-time attendance record, sky-high demand for tickets — as if we needed further proof, this tourney demonstrated once again that women’s sports are the moment. That said, coverage of and fan reaction to LSU’s swagger (plus No. 1 overall seed South Carolina’s play) has been tainted by misogynoir.
- As WNBA legend Sue Bird said after Friday’s Final Four, “We’re watching history.” Now it’s up to allies, fans and media to record it fairly.
🎓🏀 One more shining moment
The GIST: Perhaps the weirdest men’s March Madness tourney on record will meet its chaotic end when the No. 4 UConn Huskies and No. 5 San Diego State Aztecs hit the court tonight at 9:20 p.m. ET on CBS in the U.S. and TSN in Canada.
- Queue up the music — it’s time for one last dance.
Final Four recap: San Diego State’s Saturday slay of No. 9 Florida Atlantic was one for the ages. The Aztecs deployed their trademark lockdown defense to storm back from a 14-point second-half deficit, then guard Lamont Butler drilled an epic buzzer-beater to send his squad to the title game. Madness at its finest.
- The other Final Four matchup was much less exciting. UConn led from start to finish in their 72–59 spanking of No. 5 Miami. That 13-point margin of victory was the Huskies’ narrowest of the tourney, a testament to their dominance all Madness long.
Tonight’s championship: UConn’s offense has been out of this world, but they haven’t met a defense like San Diego State’s yet — the Aztecs are holding March Madness opponents to a measly 60 points per game. Unstoppable force meets immovable object.
- Keep your eye on UConn forward Adama Sanogo, who’s been the heart of the Huskies’ offense, and Darrion Trammell, San Diego State’s point guard who has captured hearts (and buckets) throughout the tourney.
- The Huskies are seeking their fifth national championship and first since 2014; the Aztecs have never even made it past the Sweet 16. But in a tournament this wild, it’s unclear how much experience even matters. It is so on.
🌅 Dawn of a new day
The GIST: Although the South Carolina women’s quest for a repeat championship was cut short, their head coach, the legendary Dawn Staley, is never done making big moves. She partnered with Aflac to help close the gap in women’s sports, one action item at a time.
The list: You already know Coach Staley came equipped with a detailed plan of attack. She collaborated with Aflac to create Dawn’s List, an outline detailing the real issues in women’s sports and how to help address them. Now that’s leadership.
The targets: Dawn’s List pinpoints investment equity, fan experience and community engagement as key areas of improvement. And Aflac is throwing their support behind all of them by taking specific and impactful steps to better the experience for female athletes and their fans.
Buzzer beaters |
🎓🤸 The NCAA gymnastics national championship field is set, but the mid-April tourney might be down one star after No. 2 Florida’s Trinity Thomas injured herself on Friday.
🏀 The NBA and NBA Players’ Association ratified a new CBA on Saturday that will now allow players to smoke weed and financially invest in their teams, among other notable changes. No, it wasn’t an April Fools’ joke.
🏌️ Canada’s Corey Conners narrowly edged out a slew of Americans to win the PGA’s Texas Open yesterday, the final event before this week’s Masters.
⛳ Rising talent Ruoning Yin surged past American stars Nelly Korda and Danielle Kang to nab the LPGA’s LA Open crown yesterday.
🏎️ Yesterday’s Australian Grand Prix was a crash-filled, red flag–littered battle scene that ended with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen notching his first win down under.
The GIST's Picks |
These recs will help start your week on a high note.
😂 Who to cackle with
CanWNT star Christine Sinclair on USWNT legend Julie Foudy’s Laughter Permitted podcast. CanWNT’s fight with Canada Soccer is no laughing matter, but the conversation between these two icons is the perfect pick-me-up.
🌏 Who to follow
NWSL API on Twitter to celebrate the Asian and Pacific Islander players of the league and all women’s sports.
👕 What to wear
A tee or cap from Baseballism. Swing into baseball season by snagging something from the sport’s official lifestyle brand.
🧠 What to read
Betches Media’s Sup Newsletter. If you need a spoonful of humor to help the political news go down, this is the women-led content for you.
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