March Madness came early
From The GIST College Sports (hi@thegistsports.com)
Happy Friday!
We made it. Heads up: There won’t be a newsletter on Monday due to Veterans Day, but we’ll be back at the same time in the same place on Wednesday.
- Without further ado, start your weekend off right with a college sports fix. Let’s do this.
— Boston University women’s basketball assistant coach Jason Pellum — former practice player for the UConn women — referencing the No. 2 Huskies women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma. Pellums’ Terriers fell 86-32 to UConn yesterday. The master still reigns supreme.
Football
🏈 The tide is high
The GIST: With the first College Football Playoff (CFP) rankings coming out earlier this week, the stakes are that much higher on the gridiron. Here’s what you need to know heading into Week 11.
No. 2 Georgia at No. 16 Ole Miss — Tomorrow at 3:30 p.m. ET — ABC: Ole Miss needs a resume-building win to solidify their playoff chances, while a loss likely means the Rebels would miss out on the CFP entirely. Meanwhile, No. 2 Georgia would essentially guarantee their playoff spot if they can post another top-25 win. Bring on the SEC drama.
No. 11 Alabama at No. 14 LSU — Tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. ET — ABC: Both (typically) powerhouse teams already have two losses, so this top-25 matchup will basically serve as a CFP elimination game that should come down to the quarterbacks. Bama’s Jalen Milroe is a skilled rusher and passer, while LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier is a rollercoaster who’s willing to take major risks.
Heisman Trophy race: The top three Heisman candidates will be in action tomorrow as they look to build their cases with just five weeks remaining in the regular season. Who will separate from the pack?
- No. 4 Miami quarterback Cam Ward, who has 29 touchdowns, visits Georgia Tech at 12 p.m. ET with a chance to help the undefeated Hurricanes continue their perfect season.
- No. 21 Colorado cornerback and wide receiver Travis Hunter should be healthy as his hungry Buffaloes head to Texas Tech at 4 p.m. ET.
- Lastly, No. 12 Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty is doing his part to keep his Broncos in CFP contention, accumulating 1,525 yards on the season.
Basketball
🏀 Ball so hard
The GIST: You don’t have to wait ’til March to see some top teams battle it out — men’s and women’s basketball is bringing the madness, even in November. Here are four games that fall in the “must-see TV” category this weekend.
No. 9 North Carolina men at No. 1 Kansas — Tonight at 7 p.m. — ESPN2: Two super seniors headline this matchup, with center Hunter Dickinson leading Kansas and guard RJ Davis powering UNC in the first big test of the season for both teams.
No. 11 Auburn men at No. 4 Houston — Tomorrow at 9:30 p.m. ET — ESPNU: Forward Johni Broome is back for a fifth year after leading Auburn with an average of 16.5 points per game last season. And somebody call DJ Khaled, because he’ll be a major key in a potential upset of defensive-minded Houston.
No. 11 Duke women at No. 18 Maryland — Sunday at 1 p.m. ET — FS1: Canadian freshman Toby Fournier — who made headlines with her dunking abilities as a high schooler — and the Blue Devils hit the road to face senior point guard Shyanne Sellers and Maryland.
No. 1 South Carolina women at No. 9 NC State — Sunday at 3 p.m. ET — ESPN: In this Final Four rematch, defending champs South Carolina are looking to bounce back after a close call against Michigan earlier this week. And they’ll be up against NC State’s Saniya Rivers, who started her career as a Gamecock. Grab that popcorn.
🏑 Women’s field hockey tournament field to be set on Sunday
With conference tournaments wrapping up, the 18-team NCAA Tournament bracket will be unveiled on NCAA.com during Sunday’s 10 p.m. ET selection show. The team to watch? Undefeated No. 2 North Carolina, who have won five of the last six titles.
- But the Tar Heels have some stiff competition: No. 1 Northwestern also finished the season unbeaten, and that one title UNC didn’t claim? It went to Northwestern in 2021. Rivalry, loading.
⚽ Sixty-four-team women’s soccer bracket will be announced on Monday
Conference tourneys are also coming to a close on the pitch with the NCAA Tournament fast approaching. Thirty automatic bids (aka conference tournament winners) and 34 at-large bids will be announced on Monday at 4 p.m. ET.
- But before then, the conference ’ship to watch is the ACC’s, where No. 1 Duke, No. 3 Wake Forest, and No. 8 North Carolina are all in the semifinals.
🏐 Arizona State women’s volleyball wins three straight top-25 matches
The No. 11 Sun Devils are on an incredible run, topping No. 21 BYU, No. 23 Utah, and No. 8 Kansas all in the last week. That gives the No. 1 team in the Big 12 five top-25 wins on the season as they head into this weekend’s match with unranked Kansas State. Not too shabby.
🏒 Canadian Hockey League (CHL) players now eligible for NCAA
Men’s college hockey is about to change, big time. The NCAA Division 1 council voted yesterday to grant eligibility to CHL players, expanding the talent pool for U.S. schools. Previously, young players had to choose between going pro or playing collegiately at an early age.
Giveaway Alert
With the NWSL playoffs officially here, we want to give you the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness this historic season’s grand finalé: the championship game. Goals.
- We're giving away four VIP tickets to the NWSL title game on Saturday, November 23rd. The match will be played at Kansas City's CPKC Stadium, the world's first soccer stadium built specifically for a women's professional team.
Don’t you want to be part of history? Enter to win today — and have your friends enter to double or triple your chances of winning. No matter who hoists the trophy, it’s going to be an electrifying day. LFG.
Together With The GIST
If you love The GIST’s newsletters, you’re going to love our twice-weekly podcast, The GIST of It. Hosted by besties Ellen Hyslop and Stephanie Rotz, it’s the women-produced and -hosted sports pod you’ve been waiting for. Talk about a golazo.
El and Steph dive into current sports topics and how they intersect with society and pop culture. They cover everything from season previews to calling out the sexist BS that’s rampant across the industry.
Join the conversation by subscribing to The GIST of It wherever you tune into podcasts. Happy listening.
Hi. It’s us. We’re the recommenders, it’s us.
⚾ What to watch
See Her Be Her, the documentary chronicling the joys and challenges of women’s baseball players around the world, from the U.S. to Uganda. Turns out, diamonds are a global girl’s best friend.
🍼 How to name your baby
After your fave athlete. Trending this year are names inspired by sports stars, like the WNBA’s Caitlin Clark, Kamilla Cardoso, and A’ja Wilson, helping parents create GOATs from the get-go.
📺 What to buy
A Tidbyt. The retro-style display helps you stay up-to-date on what you care about, from news to live sports and more.
Today’s email was brought to you by Eden Laase and Briana Ekanem. Editing by Molly Potter. Fact checking by Mikaela Perez. Ops by Marga Sison and Elisha Gunaratnam. Ads by Katie Kehoe Foster and Alessandra Puccio. Managing edits by Lauren Tuiskula. Head of Content Ellen Hyslop.