And they’re off!

The GIST: Half of the First Four matchups are already history (congrats, No. 16 Wagner and No. 10 Colorado State!), and the other half will be decided tonight. Once those are in the books, the hoops hurricane begins, with 16 first-round games crammed into a mere 12 hours tomorrow. Not enough screens? Here are the ones not to miss:

No. 9 Michigan State Spartans (19-14) vs. No. 8 Mississippi State Bulldogs (21-13), 12:15 p.m. ET (CBS): Despite struggles with consistency this season, these two serious squads are capable of deep runs. Mississippi State boasts a fierce defense, while Spartan HC Tom Izzo is a living legend known for orchestrating postseason pushes like no one else.

No. 11 Oregon Ducks (23-11) vs. No. 6 South Carolina Gamecocks (26-7), 4 p.m. ET (TNT): The Ducks weren’t on anyone’s radar until they stormed to the Pac-12 tourney title on Saturday, but that kind of momentum is everything in March. South Carolina was the ferocious SEC’s spoiler specialist all season, so an Oregon win here would prove they’re the real deal.

No. 11 NC State Wolfpack (22-14) vs. No. 6 Texas Tech Red Raiders (23-10), 9:40 p.m. ET (CBS): Similar to Oregon, NC State’s stunning run to last weekend’s ACC tournament championship made the world sit up and take notice. Going up against nationally ranked Texas Tech, who honed their skills in a much more competitive conference, will be a serious heat check for the Wolfpack.

No. 10 Drake Bulldogs (28-6) vs. No. 7 Washington State Cougars (24-9), 10:05 p.m. ET (truTV): Washington State has the size advantage, setting up a brawl with one of the country’s top rebounding teams. They’ll be playing in Omaha — just two hours from their campus — so the Cougs should essentially expect a Bulldog home game.

The GIST: The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) released findings from its investigation into misconduct in the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) swimming & diving program on Monday. The investigation ultimately affirmed that the school failed to enforce Title IX protections amidst known abusive and discriminatory practices by then–coach Chad Cradock. Horrible.

The findings: The DOJ confirmed that Cradock fostered a “hostile environment based on sex,” which included sexually assaulting male athletes, as well as degrading and discriminating against female athletes. Disgusting.

• Even worse, the DOJ found that the university knew about the allegations of Cradock’s misconduct as early as 2015 but failed to take action for five years, which enabled Cradock to further endanger student-athletes.

• UMBC’s athletic department also neglected to act on reports of dating violence between teammates from 2016 and 2020 — violence the program’s culture appears to have facilitated.

The fallout: Cradock died by suicide in 2021, but the DOJ is still rightly holding UMBC responsible for its institutional failures. The administration has already started implementing changes to prioritize and promote athlete safety, including updating reporting mechanisms and committing to some financial restitution, plus they’ve promised to collaborate with the DOJ on further reforms.

Zooming out: This is yet another example of athlete abuse being compounded by institutional neglect. Student-athletes are uniquely vulnerable to abuse at the hands of coaches and athletic staff, making it crucial for schools to go above and beyond to ensure players’ well-being. Athletes certainly deserve better.

Get ready to slam dunk into March Madness with The GIST's Bracket Challenge.

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🏊 Women’s swimming & diving — Today through Saturday at various times — NCAA.com

• Top-ranked Virginia will be the first team to defend its dynasty this week. The ’Hoos have won three straight national titles and are primed to capture a fourth, with swimming sisters Alex and Gretchen Walsh leading a corps of six reigning individual champions.

🤼 Wrestling — Tomorrow through Saturday at various times — ESPN, ESPNU, or ESPN+

• The next dynasty is Penn State, who’ve won a mind-boggling 10 of the last 12 championships. The undefeated Nittany Lions are sending 10 wrestlers to the natty — a big boost to their odds of pinning a third consecutive title.

🤺 Fencing — Tomorrow through Sunday at various times — Live results here

• Last but not least, Notre Dame’s putting the “fight” in Fighting Irish when they take a stab at their fourth straight natty. Learn the sport’s deets with our deep dive primer, then remember to watch out for the giant rolling wheel.

Looking for a getaway? Well, bust out your hiking gear because we want to give you the opportunity to explore Banff, Canada.

• This prize pack includes $500 cash for your flight, $500 towards your accommodations, gift cards, and so much more to create a memorable experience in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. See you soon, eh?