Later, gator
From The GIST College Sports (hi@thegistsports.com)
Hi!
Whether you watched the Super Bowl or just had a Sunday-Funday, it’s Monday once again. You know what that means: college sports news, right in your inbox. The perfect way to start the week.
Fisk’s Morgan Price when asked why she chose to attend the university, which launched its gymnastics program in 2022. The junior became the first HBCU gymnast to score a perfect 10 in NCAA competition when she crushed her bar routine in a meet at Temple on Saturday. Pure joy.
Men's basketball
🏀 Did somebody call for an upset?
The GIST: You get an upset, you get an upset, everybody gets an upset! It was that kind of weekend in men’s basketball, where the underdogs took control on Saturday. With March Madness rapidly approaching, resume-boosting wins are all the more important. Here’s what you missed:
🐯 Clemson tops No. 2 Duke: Freshman phenom Cooper Flagg scored 18 points, but Clemson’s senior star got the last laugh: Center Viktor Lakhin dropped 22 to carry his Tigers past the Blue Devils for a 77–71 win, the weekend’s most surprising takedown. The victory also led to one of the game’s most iconic forms of celebration: A good, old-fashioned court storming.
🐊 No. 6 Florida deals No. 1 Auburn first conference L: After a month atop the AP Poll, the top-ranked Tigers might be saying “later, Gator” to that No. 1 ranking following their 90–81 loss to No. 6 Florida. The Gators had five players score in double-figures for a balanced effort, led by senior guard Walter Clayton Jr. with 19 points, to stay competitive in the cutthroat SEC.
🐦 Creighton adds another upset to resume: With upsets over then–No. 1 Kansas and then–No. 14 UConn already to their name, the Creighton Bluejays took down another Goliath, stunning No. 11 Marquette 77–67. Fifth-year senior guard Steven Ashworth led the way with 22 points, including a 6-for-9 performance from 3-point range. Hot damn.
🐱 Kansas State hands No. 16 Kansas another troubling loss: The Jayhawks, ranked No. 1 in the preseason, have been upset by unranked teams five times, with the latest coming in an 81–73 loss at the hands of their mediocre intrastate rival. It’s not not time to panic in Lawrence…
Women’s Basketball
🏀 Calling the shots
The GIST: The weekend’s slate of women’s college basketball games had a little bit of everything, from upsets, to star performances, to a Texas-sized serving of revenge.
No. 4 Texas gets revenge on No. 2 South Carolina: Less than a month after their brutal road loss to the Gamecocks, the Longhorns returned the favor yesterday, coming away with a 66–62 victory — just South Carolina’s second loss in nearly two years. Longhorns superstar sophomore Madison Booker recorded 20 points and 11 rebounds. Horns all the way up.
No. 7 USC dominates No. 8 Ohio State: The Big Ten showdown was decided in the paint thanks to USC senior Kiki Iriafen, who put on a show with 24 points and 13 rebounds in the 84–63 dub. But it was a whole-team effort from the Trojans — three other players finished in double-digits, including sophomore star JuJu Watkins with 17 points.
No. 25 Oklahoma State upsets No. 12 Kansas State: Shooters shoot, and that’s exactly what Oklahoma State senior Anna Gret Asi did in her team’s 85–55 upset win over K-State. The guard finished with 24 points on eight made 3-pointers (!!!), more than half of her team’s 14 buckets from downtown. On fire.
Michigan wins The Mitten: The Wolverines’ freshman trio was dominant — Syla Swords led with 19 points, Olivia Olson had 14, and Mila Holloway added 10 — as Michigan secured a 71–61 dub over intrastate blood rival No. 20 Michigan State. With three straight wins in the big, bad Big Ten, the Wolverines might be peaking at just the right time.
🏒 No. 1 Wisconsin women’s hockey completes season sweep of No. 3 Minnesota
This weekend’s border battle was an absolute smackdown as the Badgers thrashed Minnesota 8–2 on Saturday and 6–1 on Sunday. That makes four Ws for Wisconsin over their WCHA foes this year, something the Badgers haven’t accomplished since the 2017-18 season. To put that in perspective, Wisconsin has won three national titles since then. Wow.
🥎 No. 9 LSU softball freshman pitcher Jayden Heavener tosses perfect game
Heavener was perfect — literally — in her first-ever collegiate game, striking out 13 batters and leading LSU to an 8–0 victory over Charlotte Friday, the first of the Tigers’ four shutouts on the weekend. It was the first time in program history that a freshman has accomplished the feat in their debut.
- In other softball news, underdog Louisiana Tech pulled off a stunning 6–1 early-season upset over No. 4 Oklahoma State on Friday thanks to a massive second inning, making a huge splash even among the tidal wave of opening-weekend upsets. Buckle up, this season is already wild.
🏒 No. 13 Michigan men’s hockey splits series with No. 2 Michigan State
The Wolverines didn’t just snag the upset on the hardwood — they also beat No. 2 Michigan State 2–1 on the ice on Friday. But the Spartans never stay down for long: MSU bounced back in a big way for Game 2 of the series, outscoring Michigan 6–1 on Saturday.
- In other rivalry news, No. 1 Boston College will meet No. 8 Boston University in the final of the Beanpot, Boston’s annual crosstown showdown, tonight at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+. A must-watch affair? You better bean-lieve it.
Here’s what has GIST HQ buzzing:
📚 What to read
Dear Black Girls: How to Be True to You. WNBA superstar A’ja Wilson’s inspiring book is a must-add to your Black History Month reading list.
🏈 What to stream
Evolution of the Black Quarterback, which dives into the history, struggles, and triumphs of Black QBs in the NFL.
💄 What to glow with
These 36 Black-owned beauty brands. From Mielle’s best-selling deep conditioner to The Honey Pot’s natural feminine care, these brands are making waves.
Today’s email was brought to you by Eden Laase and Briana Ekanem. Fact checking by Mikaela Perez. Ops by Marga Sison and Elisha Gunaratnam. Ads by Katie Kehoe Foster, Alessandra Puccio, and Lisa Minutillo. Managing edits by Lauren Tuiskula and Katie Kehoe Foster. Head of content Ellen Hyslop.