The GIST: After an edge-of-your-seat opening day, the rest of the men’s field hits the dance floor today, gloriously converging with the women’s first-round tip-off for a thrilling 32 high-stakes games in one day.

• There’s no telling where the next upset will come from in this verified hoops hurricane, but there are a few games you’ll definitely want to make time for. Here’s a recap of yesterday’s action plus a road map for the hoop-la ahead.

No. 10 seed Arkansas men survive legendary coaching battle: When former Kentucky head coach (HC) John Calipari took on a rebuilding project at Arkansas this offseason, fans wondered how much success he’d find with the historically mediocre program. But Cal proved that good coaching works anywhere, leading the Razorbacks to a wild 79–72 upset of No. 7 Kansas.

• It was a devastating blow for the Jayhawks, who’ve now fumbled away two straight preseason No. 1 rankings with early March Madness exits. Kansas HC Bill Self, who’s every bit as legendary as Cal, has some offseason soul-searching to do.

No. 12 seed McNeese State men score biggest upset of the day: Their 69–67 dub over No. 5 Clemson made them the lowest-seeded team to advance on Day 1. Don’t let the scoreline fool you, the Cowboys controlled this one nearly the entire game — Clemson couldn’t buy a bucket until the very end. That’s how you make a budding March Madness icon proud.

No. 11 seed Columbia women prove the Ivies belong: This is the first year the Ivy League has sent three schools to the women’s bracket, and although one of them is already out, the Lions showed they can hang with the big dogs when they beat Big Ten competitor Washington in a 63–60 First Four thriller.

Up next: A whole lot more hoops. The women’s first round starts at 11:30 a.m. ET with a scorcher: No. 6 seed Michigan takes on the formidable Audi Crooks and her No. 11 seed Iowa State Cyclones, who already earned a statement win, Wednesday’s 68–63 First Four dub over Princeton. A physical forwards battle over brunch? We’re so there.

• And for the men, No. 11 seed Xavier pulled off a massive comeback in Wednesday’s 86–80 First Four victory over Texas. Can the Musketeers do it again against No. 6 seed Illinois tonight at 9:45 p.m. ET? Only one way to find out.

The GIST: A hot new bombshell has entered the villa women’s sports space: Women’s Elite Rugby (WER). Before the league’s inaugural season (literally) kicks off tomorrow at 3 p.m. ET, let’s maul over everything you need to know.

The context: Women’s rugby isn’t new to North America. In fact, the Women’s Premier League (WPL), a player-run and -operated amateur league, has existed in the U.S. since 2009. However, the WPL’s pay-to-play model was deemed unsustainable, ushering in a new era of professional women’s rugby in the U.S.

• And their goal is simple: keep American talent at home. WER is hoping to follow in the footsteps of leagues like the NWSL and Unrivaled by creating domestic opportunities for women athletes to be paid. Already hooked.

How it works: The league’s six teams — the Boston Banshees, NY Exiles, Chicago Tempest, Twin Cities Gemini, Denver Onyx, and Bay Breakers — will play from tomorrow through June 29th. The regular-season slate includes 30 games total (all of which you can watch for free), with each team playing the other squads once at home and once on the road.

• Unlike the Olympics where teams compete in “Rugby Sevens,” WER is traditional 15-a-side rugby, meaning the games are slower paced and significantly longer (80 minutes vs. 14).

Zooming out: As the first pro women’s 15s rugby league in the U.S., WER’s debut has been a long time coming, especially given the WPL’s lengthy history. But the timing couldn’t be better: The Women’s Rugby World Cup will be hosted by England later this summer.

• And the global women’s rugby boom is undeniable. From strong North American showings in Rugby Sevens at the Paris Olympics, to 2023’s most-attended women’s 15s match of all time, to fan fave Ilona Maher’s new podcast, the appetite for the sport is prop-elling it to new heights.

In honor of the brand new WER league kicking off this weekend, how would you describe your rugby fandom?

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• QuickBooks powers growth for women’s small businesses by keeping key financial info in one metaphorical filing cabinet, making it easy for our 100% remote company to keep track of all critical aspects of the business from across the globe.
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Think you’re not a truck person? Think again. With the new 2025 Ford Maverick® truck, it’s a full-court press on practicality, helping make every commute, Sunday drive, and moving day feel like a slam dunk. Turns out the Venn diagram of a truck person and a GISTer is just a circle.

• Plus, it’s versatile and boasts a standard hybrid engine, meaning when you’re behind the wheel of a Maverick, you’re choosing a truck that helps you do more. Swish, swish, indeed.

College basketball isn’t the only Madness on the docket — the puck drops on the NCAA women’s hockey Frozen Four tonight at 5 p.m. ET, with winners advancing to Sunday’s 4 p.m. ET championship.

The Ladakh women’s ice hockey team. India’s first women’s ice hockey squad built their own rinks and changed the game. No ice? No problem.

Red light therapy — it’s making waves, boosting muscle recovery and athletic endurance.

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