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Three keys for UCLA as it faces South Carolina for an NCAA national championship

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Three keys for UCLA as it faces South Carolina for an NCAA national championship

Here are three keys for UCLA to beat South Carolina and cut down the nets on Sunday:

Establish an offensive rhythm

The Bruins struggled to put points on the board in their Final Four matchup against Texas, hanging just 51 points and shooting 41% in a defensive battle. South Carolina figures to be another tough defensive matchup.

The Gamecocks held the previously 38-0 Connecticut Huskies to 48 points Friday, handing coach Geno Auriemma’s squad its first loss of the season. Southeastern Conference defensive player of the year Raven Johnson limited national player of the year Sarah Strong to 12 points on four-for-16 shooting. Standing only 5 feet 8, Johnson has established herself as a defensive menace, guarding both forwards and guards. Strong, standing six inches taller than Johnson at 6-2, was held to her lowest point total of the NCAA tournament.

UCLA needs a better offensive performance than it posted Friday night if it wants to claim its first NCAA championship.

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Attack the glass and stay aggressive

Sunday will mark the third meeting between UCLA and South Carolina in the last five years.

The Bruins snapped the Gamecocks’ 43-game winning streak on Nov. 24, 2024 during a 77-62 victory at Pauley Pavilion.

South Carolina downed UCLA 73-64 two years earlier.

UCLA coach Cori Close reflected on their two most recent matchups on Saturday.

“What I remember is the team that rebounds the best and defends the best down the stretch won both those games,” Close said. “I’ve been on both sides of that. I don’t think it’s probably going to be that different. I think it’s going to be a possession game.

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“Now, that wasn’t the case against Texas. But that’s how good our defense was, because they still got 21 more shots on the goal than we did. I don’t think that we’ll be able to do that against South Carolina. If they get that many more shots on the goal either because of rebounds or the turnover battle, I doubt that we’ll be able to do that.

“In both situations, the way I remember it is the team that was able to dictate with their defense, get enough stops, win the rebounding battle, came out on top.”

Help Betts deliver an elite game

Two-time All-American Lauren Betts will lace up her sneakers one last time for UCLA on Sunday. The Bruins must help her deliver a final signature performance.

She tallied 35 points, nine rebounds and five assists on 15-for-19 shooting in the second round of the NCAA tournament against Oklahoma State.

She had 16 in a lower-scoring performance against Texas on Friday, but her imposing defense and ability to move as fluidly as a guard make her a matchup headache for any opponent.

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UCLA is at its best when the offense runs through Betts, but not solely with passes into the low post. When she sets screens on the perimeter and rolls to the basket or passes from a variety of spots on the court, it overloads defenses and opens up potent offensive options for the Bruins.

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Brendan Sorsby at crossroads: NCAA gambling probe could end Texas Tech QB’s college career

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Brendan Sorsby at crossroads: NCAA gambling probe could end Texas Tech QB’s college career

Brendan Sorsby could find himself at a crossroads once he completes his time in rehab pertaining to an addiction to gambling.

There are currently multiple layers to this case, the most important being his eligibility at Texas Tech for the upcoming 2026 season with the NCAA currently investigating whether he placed bets on the outcome of games while on the Indiana roster in 2022.

Though he did end up redshirting, he did see action in one game. His time on the Indiana roster has drawn the most intrigue by those within the NCAA compliance office. Besides the fact that he is also alleged to have bet on pro sports, which includes baseball and the UFC, we have seen a recent uptick in gambling cases involving college athletes.

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Brendan Sorsby of the Cincinnati Bearcats scrambles during the first half against the TCU Horned Frogs at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas, on Nov. 29, 2025. (Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)

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The main point of the NCAA’s inquiry, besides his betting on professional sports, was how prevalent his gambling was during his time at Indiana and Cincinnati. 

In speaking with multiple sources regarding the ongoing investigation, which Texas Tech officials were made aware of earlier this month, there is a strong belief that he would be declared ineligible for the upcoming season.

What happens if NCAA proves he gambled on his own team?

For Sorsby, there would be the opportunity for him to file a lawsuit seeking an injunction, in hopes of a local Texas judge overriding an NCAA ruling.

But, given that the NCAA has a pretty strong stance on gambling, and rules are plainly stated, getting an injunction seems like a tough path.

This is obviously different than an eligibility lawsuit that we’ve seen filed over the past few years, and one that the NCAA would fight its hardest to win.

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In 2023, the NCAA put in guidelines that punish athletes caught gambling on their own school, or other sports at their school, with a permanent loss of eligibility.

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Brendan Sorsby of the Cincinnati Bearcats laughs during warmups before their game against the Utah Utes at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Nov. 1, 2025. (Chris Gardner/Getty Images)

But, the investigation into Brendan Sorsby would likely need to include an interview with the quarterback, which can not occur while he’s currently in a rehabilitation center.

So, the NCAA would have to wait to question the Texas Tech quarterback, and he’s not obligated to speak if his lawyers feel as though he would not win a case down the road outside a courtroom.

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Given that Texas Tech has earmarked a large amount of money for the services of Sorsby, I find it hard to believe they would not fight the NCAA if they were to rule him ineligible for the upcoming season. 

According to sources, the Red Raiders were set to pay him upwards of $6 million for the duration of his time in Lubbock.

Could Sorsby enter the NFL supplemental draft? 

This would certainly be something his team would look into if the NCAA were to declare him ineligible, especially if he were to lose in a Texas court if the quarterback decided to sue to remain on the Texas Tech roster. 

Over the past two years, the NFL supplemental draft that takes place in July has been a dud. But, throw in the current lack of options for athletes that might not be in the best spot at their particular college, or facing a loss of eligibility, the draft could be a received landing spot. 

There has been a case study, in essence. 

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In 2011, Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor was facing a five-game suspension by the NCAA for his role in ‘tattoo gate’ that ended up costing head coach Jim Tressel his job.

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Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor is embraced by coach Jim Tressel and Ellen Tressel after the 2010 Rose Bowl against Oregon in Pasadena, Calif., on Jan. 1, 2010. (Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports)

So, instead of facing the NCAA suspension, Pryor was able to enter the supplemental draft, but still had to serve his suspension at the NFL level after being drafted by the Oakland Raiders.

Commissioner Roger Goodell was the one who handed down the suspension, which Pryor did not appeal. In the situation that Sorsby decides to try, it would be up to the NFL to agree to let him enter his name, which they could also decline.

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This could obviously be the route that Brendan Sorsby decides to take, if things continue trending towards him losing his right to play at Texas Tech. 

We’ll find out soon enough, as the investigation into the quarterback continues. 

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Chatsworth High’s Grant Wang hits the MIT jackpot

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Chatsworth High’s Grant Wang hits the MIT jackpot

During a volleyball tournament trip to Las Vegas in March, Chatsworth coach Sina Aghassy confiscated all his players’ cellphones and put them in his backpack to make sure they focused on their sports assignment — with one exception.

Anyone waiting to learn if they were accepted to a college could briefly have access to their phone.

The players are standing in a hallway listening to their coach evaluate their performance when Grant Wang, the team’s star 6-foot-6 senior, decides to open his phone to check whether he got a message from MIT.

“I opened it up a couple minutes before it was supposed to come out and all I see is confetti,” he said. “I was in shock and all I did was make a noise.”

Aghassy, not knowing what the noise meant, said, “Can you quiet down a bit?”

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“Five minutes into his talk, I started breaking down crying. I got overwhelmed by emotions,” Wang said.

Volleyball standout Grant Wange of Chatsworth High has never received a grade other than A in high school.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

Teammates didn’t know if it was good news or bad news as they saw his tears.

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“My teammate whispers to me.”

Wang tells the good news, “I got into MIT.”

“Everyone breaks out cheering and going wild.

Wang had kept it a secret that MIT was his dream school. He was so disappointed in the fall when he was put on the deferred list that he didn’t think he’d get in.

He becomes the fourth volleyball player from Southern California to be accepted to MIT, joining three others from Redondo Union who he knows.

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He’s never received a grade other than A in Chatsworth’s magnet program focused on STEM. He’s such a math whiz that he took geometry in eighth grade and finished all his math classes, from chemistry to calculus, last school year. This year he’s focused on AP Physics.

He already owns three rings — one playing for Chatsworth’s state championship basketball team with Alijah Arenas and two City Open Division volleyball titles. He’s going for a third ring this season as Chatsworth is expected to be the No. 1 or No. 2 seed for the volleyball playoffs. He gave up basketball for volleyball, a sport he didn’t start playing until his freshman year.

“I love the sport. I always put in extra work,” he said.

Redondo Union High volleyball players (from left) Tommy Spalding, Vaughan Flaherty and Carter Mirabal pose for a photo.

Redondo Union High volleyball players (from left) Tommy Spalding, Vaughan Flaherty and Carter Mirabal are headed to MIT this fall.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

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Unlike the Redondo Union trio, he doesn’t surf and plays no instruments even though his Redondo Union friends are looking for a drummer to start a band. Wang knows math formulas, but drumming? “I cannot,” he said.

“In college, I’m going to learn how to drum so I can join the band,” he joked.

His size and improving skills make him a good volleyball prospect for the future. He seems all set except for dealing with cold weather.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been in weather under 60 degrees for two days,” he said. “My parents said, ‘Good luck,’ they would send me some hot Korean soup during tough days.”

Asked how he became such a good student, Wang said, “My mom and dad always put me in academic settings trying to get me to learn as much as possible.”

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B’s on a report card are not allowed in his family.

He offered a rousing endorsement for his educators at Chatsworth.

“All the teachers put their heart and soul into us,” he said.

As for his volleyball coach, he appreciated Aghassy giving access to his phone for just a few minutes and apologizes for disrupting his speech.

What a memory it will be for years to come telling the story of being in Las Vegas and learning he got into MIT.

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It was his jackpot worth more than money.

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Proposal for historic NCAA tournament expansion reaches final stages: report

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Proposal for historic NCAA tournament expansion reaches final stages: report

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Michigan’s men’s basketball team secured its first national title in more than 30 years earlier this month. One day earlier, UCLA’s women’s team claimed its first NCAA Tournament crown.

Michigan and UCLA powered through a 64-team bracket to hoist their respective championship trophies, but an expanded bracket could make repeat runs more difficult next season. ESPN reported Tuesday, citing sources, that the NCAA is moving forward with plans to expand both tournaments to 76 teams.

Expansion has been on the table for more than a year, but this latest step could pave the way for formal approval, with an announcement possible as soon as next month. The larger field could be in place before the 2026-27 season.

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The Sweet 16/Elite Eight March Madness logo is displayed on the floor before the NCAA men’s basketball tournament Elite Eight game between Texas Tech and Florida at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on March 29, 2025. (Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)

Though several hurdles remain with NCAA committees before any changes can become official, a source told ESPN the remaining steps are merely “formalities.”

Media rights deals remain unfinished, and signed contracts will likely be needed before the men’s and women’s basketball committees, oversight groups and other parties move forward. ESPN reported that NCAA officials have recently engaged in discussions with key media partners.

NCAA TOURNAMENT IS GOING TO EXPAND, UNFORTUNATELY. JUST WHAT WE NEED, MORE TEAMS

While the financial framework for expansion is still unclear, costs are expected to rise with more teams traveling and competing. A source told ESPN the plan could still ultimately produce profit and a “modest financial upside.”

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A game ball with the March Madness logo is shown during the first round of the 2025 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament at Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, La., on March 22, 2025. (Beau Brune/NCAA Photos)

Expansion discussions appear to be fueled more by the push for at-large bids for power conferences than by financial considerations. Many leagues have added a considerable number of schools under the current agreement.

“Expanding the basketball tournaments would require approval from multiple NCAA committees, including the men’s and women’s basketball committees, and no final recommendations or decisions have been made at this time,” an NCAA spokesperson told OutKick’s Trey Wallace.

Currently, the First Four features eight teams across four games. Under expansion, that would grow to 12 games involving 24 teams, with the men’s tournament adding eight at-large bids.

The NCAA basketball goes through the net during the SEC women’s college basketball tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, S.C., on March 8, 2025. (John Byrum/Icon Sportswire)

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Overall, the proposal would mean the First Four would see 24 of those 76 teams competing Tuesday and Wednesday. Eight teams that once would have been in the customary bracket would now face eight new at-large teams. The main 64-team bracket would still tip off Thursday with little change.

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