She's a Bad B****

The Sweet Sixteen is set! I’m exhausted! But excited! If you couldn’t tell! 

What a whirlwind these first few days of March Madness have been. We’ve had dominant performances (Hi UConn!), upsets (UVA! UVA! UVA!) and a whole lot of fun in the first two rounds. Here are ten things I loved:

From the First Four to the Sweet Sixteen, this team instantly captured my heart. The Cavaliers saw the vision before anyone else did. Coach Amaka Agugua-Hamilton convinced Kymora Johnson to stay at home and commit to the Cavaliers even though Virginia was 4-14 in the previous season, and Agugua-Hamilton hadn’t even coached a game. Together, they put Virginia back on the map. But it took a full team effort for Virginia to beat Arizona State 57-55 in the First Four, Georgia 82-73 in overtime and then Iowa 83-75 in double overtime. 

Another local kid who put her heart on the line for her team, Battle deserved her moment. After three seasons of grinding to get better, Minnesota got back to March Madness and even earned a host seed. That was special in itself, but not special enough for Battle, who was determined to get to the Sweet Sixteen. Her stepback was a thing of beauty, but it has nothing on the team celebration afterward. 

Minnesota also had a secret weapon, Elvera “Peps” Neuman, AKA The Blanket Lady. I wrote about the women’s basketball pioneer and Minnesota super fan for The Athletic.

If you ever wonder how much UCLA means to Lauren Betts, here’s the proof: She saved her best performance for her last game at Pauley Pavilion, scoring 35 points to lift UCLA past Oklahoma State. Betts has been incredibly brave about sharing her mental health struggles, particularly after a tough freshman year at Stanford. UCLA helped her heal, and Monday’s performance was one final gift to the home crowd.

Hoyt always looks amazing on the sidelines, but these pants are extra special. Not only are they cool as hell, but they are also made by someone close to the program. Ellie Fallah, who is married to Parsa Fallah, a member of the Oklahoma State men’s basketball team, is an aspiring designer who used her talents to help Hoyt look fabulous in her first March Madness win.

I’ve talked with Okananwa a couple times this season, and each time she makes a point to mention how special Frese is. They have a special bond, and it’s evident any time you watch them interact. This viral moment was no different. Maryland didn’t win the game, but Okananwa will be better because of this moment. 

These two became close during USA Basketball, and that friendship has only grown, despite playing for rival teams. I love how Betts hypes up her bestie. 

Marta Suarez was up late helping TCU defeat Washington in overtime on Sunday. Even though we are in the NIL era, these are still student athletes, and Suarez had an 8 a.m. class the next morning. Luckily, Dr. Lemon came through and canceled class. 

Harrison is not a player that will go down in college basketball history, but West Virginia fans will remember her, and so will I. Throughout her career, Harrison embodied toughness, grit and dedication. That was on full display in her team’s second round loss to Kentucky. Even with less than a second left on the clock, Harrison still fought to give her team a chance. And she got it, causing a Kentucky turnover with .2 seconds on the clock. The Mountaineers didn’t get the tip in, but Harrison embodied “leaving it all on the court.” She will forever have me as a fan. 

Smaller schools don’t often have the means to bring everyone with them, including pep bands. That’s a shame because they really change the atmosphere for the better. Luckily, Fairleigh Dickinson got to hear its fight song in the first round because of these dedicated musicians.