NCAA's Mark Emmert Addresses Difference Between Men's, Women's COVID-19 Testing
Mar 19, 2021
FILE - In this Feb. 11, 2020, file photo, NCAA President Mark Emmert testifies during a Senate Commerce subcommittee hearing on intercollegiate athlete compensation on Capitol Hill in Washington. NCAA President Mark Emmert hopes lessons learned through navigating the pandemic will lead college sports leaders to be more open-minded to future reforms and to prioritize opportunities for athletes when it comes time to cut costs. In a 25-minute phone interview Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020 with The Associated Press, Emmert said the NCAA and its members schools have shown an uncommon ability to be nimble and responsive in addressing issues of eligibility, scheduling, recruiting, transfers, and conducting championship events.. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)
UConn women's basketball head coach Geno Auriemma told reporters this week that his players receive daily antigen tests for COVID-19 while the men's basketball team is given a daily PCR test, considered the better and more reliable test, per Jordan Mendoza of USA Today.
On Friday, NCAA commissioner Mark Emmert responded to the difference in the tests and the criticism that has followed the organizing body's decision to give men's and women's basketball players different tests.
"I'm not a medical expert so not going to get into a debate about PCR and antigen," he told reporters, per Mendoza. "All the health experts said the protocol that we're using in all of our venues and all of our championships has no [difference] at all in terms of our ability to mitigate risk,"
Antigen tests have a "higher chance of missing an active infection," per the FDA, while Memorial Healthcare described the PCR test as the "gold standard" for testing since it "actually detects RNA (or genetic material) that is specific to the virus and can detect the virus within days of infection, even those who have no symptoms," per Mendoza.
The news that the men and women are receiving different tests was met with immediate backlash:
Swag bags, weight rooms, food and now this?
At this point fair to wonder if the women in the NCAA Tournament bubble are getting *anything* equal to the men. https://t.co/IrMEQxsgDu
It comes in the same week that Stanford sports performance coach Ali Kershner and Oregon forward Sedona Prince revealed that the men were given access to a large weight room during their tournament, while the women were provided with only a small rack of dumbells:
There have also been discrepancies in the food served to the men compared to the women and the swag bags given out by the NCAA.
NCAA vice president Lynn Holzman released astatementsaying the organizing body wants "to be responsive to the needs of our participating teams, and we are actively working to enhance existing resources at practice courts, including additional weight training equipment."
Mac McClung, Texas Tech Beat Utah State 65-53 to Advance in NCAA Tournament
Mar 19, 2021
Texas Tech's Mac McClung (0) controls the ball during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Iowa State in Lubbock, Texas, Thursday, March 4, 2021. (AP Photo/Justin Rex)
The sixth-seeded Texas Tech Red Raiders advanced to the second round of the 2021 NCAA men's basketball tournament on Friday with a 65-53win over the No. 11 Utah State Aggies at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana.
Texas Tech overcame a three-point halftime deficit and shooting just 28 percent from the field in the first half to win the game, doing so on the strength of an 11-0 run in the second half.
The Red Raiders ultimately shot 41.9 percentfrom the field and 38.9 percentfrom three, and they forced the Aggies to commit 22turnovers, which may have been the biggest difference-maker.
Texas Tech is getting used to March Madness success, as it is just two years removed from reaching the national championship game.
Texas Tech ran Utah State out of the gym in the second half, and the Red Raiders did it despite leading scorer Mac McClung struggling for stretches and failing to put up huge numbers.
McClung finished with 16 pointson the day and shot just 6-of-16from the floor and 3-of-6from long range in the win.
It took McClung and the Texas Tech offense quite some time to get going, as McClung didn't convert his first basket until the first half was more than midway over:
As pointed out by Chuck Carlton of the Dallas Morning News, McClung seemed to be off his game early, as were the Raiders as a whole, contributing to their 26-23 deficit at halftime:
No. 11 Utah State up 26-23 on No. 6 Texas Tech at halftime. Red Raiders shooting 28.1 percent from the field and being outrebounded by 10. Mac McClung with nine points for Tech but shooting just 3-of-9.
Despite Texas Tech's poor shooting, head coach Chris Beard's defense forced 13 turnovers by halftime, per David James of KUTV 2, which is why the Red Raiders were still very much in it:
USU 26 Texas Tech 23 Half
Utah State was wobbling big time, but the Aggies finish the half with a 12-3 run that started with this Brock Miller 3.
It didn't take long for the tide to turn in the second half thanks to an 11-0 run that occurred with McClung on the bench.
Texas Tech certainly isn't a better team when McClung is on the sideline, but the rest allowed other players to get involved and kept McClung fresh for the stretch run.
The Red Raiders shot the ball much better in the second half, with Terrence Shannon Jr., Kevin McCullar, Kyler Edwards, Micah Peavy and Marcus Santos-Silva all contributing from a scoring perspective.
Perhaps no play better showcased Texas Tech's team basketball and turning defense into offense than a scramble drill with about five minutes left in the game.
After a steal, Peavy threw down a fast-break dunk, extending the TTU lead to 14 and essentially putting the game out of reach:
McClung is undoubtedly Texas Tech's go-to player and will continue to be for as long as the Raiders are in the tournament, but it isn't a one-man show.
The Red Raiders were dominant on the defensive end when they nearly won a national title two years ago, and that was the case once again Friday.
If that continues and they get even better play from McClung, the Raiders are a threat to make a deep run again this year.
Queta Shines for Utah St. with Do-It-All Performance
Friday's showing was ultimately a disappointing one for Utah State, but there was a bright spot in the form of 7-foot center Neemias Queta.
The junior was by far the Aggies' best player, as he filled up the stat sheet with 11 points, 13 rebounds, six assists and a ridiculous seven blocks.
ESPN's Mike Schmitz pointed out that Utah State's halftime lead was largely built on Queta impacting the game in so many ways:
Impressive first half for Utah State big man Neemias Queta against Texas Tech: 6 blocks, 4 rebounds and 3 assists. Altering shots around the rim and really showing his improvement as a passer. https://t.co/X22QkpUqvr
Unfortunately for Queta, he didn't get much help from his teammates, as only two other players scored at least 11 points. Utah State also struggled to take care of the basketball.
Queta played a role in that with five turnovers, but he was spectacular otherwise and undoubtedly boosted his stock as an NBA draft prospect.
If the junior returns to school next season, he will be the driving force behind the Aggies' attempt to return to the NCAA tournament and perhaps have a better result than they did this season.
What's Next?
Texas Tech (19-10) moves on to the second round on Sunday, when it will face third-seeded Arkansas after the Razorbacks beat No. 14 Colgate 85-68 on Friday.
NCAA's Committee on Women's Athletics Wants Amenity Disparity Investigated
Mar 19, 2021
FILE - In this March 18, 2015, file photo, the NCAA logo is displayed at center court as work continues at The Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh, for the NCAA college basketball tournament. The NCAA took a significant step toward allowing all Division I athletes to transfer one time without sitting out a season of competition. A plan to change the waiver process is expected to be presented to the Division I Council in April, 2020. If adopted, new criteria would go into effect for the 2020-21 academic year and be a boon for athletes in high-profile sports such as football and men's and women's basketball. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic, File)
Amid significant disparities in the amenities provided to the women's basketball teams participating in the NCAA tournament compared to the men's teams, the NCAA's committee on women's athletics is demanding an investigation into the situation.
Per the Washington Post's Molly Hensley, committee chair Suzette McQueen sent an email to NCAA president Mark Emmert stating the committee's "shock and disappointment over the disparate treatment of our women student-athletes participating in the NCAA Division I Basketball Tournament and the inequitable availability of strength training facilities":
NEW: The NCAA's committee on women's athletics sent a letter to NCAA president Mark Emmert today demanding an independent investigation into disparities at the basketball tournaments.
The situation "sets women's college athletics back across the country," the letter says. pic.twitter.com/MJKzPNGiML
The training facilities generated controversy after Stanford performance coach Ali Kershner posted an image on Instagram showing the differences in amenities for the men's and women's teams:
Stanford sports performance coach Ali Kerschner posted this to Instagram earlier today, comparing the men's and women's facilities in their respective bubbles.
Women's teams get six sets of dumbbells, yoga mats and a single stationary bike until the Sweet 16... pic.twitter.com/hOgdJfHXhh
NCAA vice president of women's basketball Lynn Holzman said in a statement on Thursday the women's amenities were limited "in part" due to limited space in the facilities where teams are staying and practicing.
Holzman added the NCAA's "original plan" was to increase the workout area space later in the tournament as teams get eliminated, but it is now "actively working to enhance existing resources."
The 2021 NCAA women's basketball tournament is being held in San Antonio, Austin and San Marcos, Texas. It is scheduled to begin on March 21 and run through April 4.
Bettor Makes 10-Cent March Madness Parlay to Win over $47 Billion
Mar 19, 2021
Iona players celebrate after winning an NCAA college basketball game against Fairfield during the finals of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament, Saturday, March 13, 2021, in Atlantic City, N.J. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
If some of the biggest upsets in NCAA tournament history occur this weekend, one bettor could be $47 billion richer.
As seen in this screenshot courtesy of B/R Betting, someone placed a 10-cent parlay bet to win over $47.4 billion:
The screenshot shows six moneyline bets on some huge underdogs in the first round of the men's tourney. That means each of the teams must win their games outright.
The bettor needs No. 15 Iona to beat No. 2 Alabama, No. 15 Cleveland State to beat No. 2 Houston, No. 12 Oregon State to beat No. 5 Tennessee, No. 15 Grand Canyon to beat No. 2 Iowa, No. 15 Oral Roberts to beat No. 2 Ohio State, and No. 14 Morehead State to beat No. 3 West Virginia.
Since the NCAA tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985, a 15th seed has beaten a second seed only eight times. The most recent instance was Middle Tennessee defeating Michigan State 90-81 in 2016.
More than one No. 15 seed has won a first-round game in the same tournament just once. That was in 2012 when Lehigh beat Duke and Norfolk State beat Missouri.
For the 10-cent parlay to win, all four No. 15 seeds this year will have to win in the first round, which is something that has never come close to happening in March Madness.
On top of that, the bettor needs a No. 12 seed and a No. 14 to win as well. A 12-over-5 upset isn't particularly rare anymore, but only 21 14-over-3 upsets have occurred—and none since 2016.
It is unclear which service the bettor used to place the bet, but it would seemingly be impossible for a $47 billion payout to occur.
If the near-impossible happens and all of the bettor's upset picks come through, some kind of arrangement may have to be worked out between the two sides.
Nick Young Says Calling Women's Tournament Teams 'JV' Was Result of Hack
Mar 19, 2021
Los Angeles Lakers guard Nick Young is seen during the first half of the team's NBA basketball game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2016, in Los Angeles. The Lakers won 111-109. (AP Photo/Ryan Kang)
Former NBA guard Nick Young claimed his Instagram account was hacked after a sexist comment was posted under his username on a post about the disparity in facilities at the women's NCAA tournament compared to the men's tournament.
"Man y'all not bringing in the big bucks, y'all the JV team and it's cool," Young's verified Instagram account, swaggyp1,posted Thursday in response to a video where Oregon forward Sedona Prince highlighted the limited resources available in the women's weight room.
Young offered his explanation Friday on Twitter:
Dang who hack me like that .. I love women I would never !, all the woman I love ...we gotta find this hacker going around l
Prince's video, which has received over 7.6 million views on Twitter as of Friday, showcased a women's weight room with a handful of dumbbells and contrasted it with the men's full-scale weight room:
"Wow, come on now! March Madness, NCAA, y'all trippin trippin," Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry posted in response to the video.
NCAA VP of women's basketball Lynn Holzman released a statement, saying there's "limited space" with so many teams packed into facilities in San Antonio, Austin and San Marcos, Texas, but said they'd work to improve the conditions:
Both the men's and women's tournaments were moved to more centralized locations, with all of the men's games taking place in Indianapolis, Bloomington and West Lafayette, Indiana, amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The 68-team men's event tipped off Thursday night with the play-in matchups, while the 64-team women's tourney is set to begin Sunday with the first round.
NCAA Scores 2021: Odds, Spread Predictions and Betting Advice for Friday Bracket
Mar 19, 2021
Arkansas' Justin Smith (0) drives against Missouri's Mitchell Smith, right, in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the Southeastern Conference Tournament Friday, March 12, 2021, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
When the NCAA men's basketball tournament bracket was released, many people raised their eyes at the showdown between the Arkansas Razorbacks and Colgate Raiders.
The draw to the No. 3-No. 14 showdown is the offensive prowess of both programs, but when you look deeper into the matchup, there is a stark contrast in the competition each team played. Arkansas, which played a full SEC schedule, is listed as an eight-point favorite against the Patriot League champion, which played five opponents during a unique 15-game schedule.
Plenty of Friday's other first-round games are expected to be closer, including the matchup between the San Diego State Aztecs and Syracuse Orange. Jim Boeheim's Orange used their frustrating zone defense to shut down opponents and make deep runs in March before, but San Diego State's experience may be able to counter anything the ACC side throws at it.
NCAA Tournament Friday 1st-Round Schedule and Odds
No. 7 Florida (-0.5) vs. No. 10 Virginia Tech (12:15 p.m. ET, CBS)
No. 3 Arkansas (-8) vs. No. 14 Colgate (12:45 p.m. ET, truTV)
No. 1 Illinois (-22) vs. No. 16 Drexel (1:15 p.m. ET, TBS)
No. 6 Texas Tech (-4) vs. No. 11 Utah State (1:45 p.m. ET, TNT)
No. 2 Ohio State (-16) vs. No. 15 Oral Roberts (3 p.m. ET, CBS)
No. 1 Baylor (-25.5) vs. No. 16 Hartford (3:30 p.m. ET, truTV)
No. 8 Loyola Chicago (-5.5) vs. No. 9 Georgia Tech (4 p.m. ET, TBS)
No. 5 Tennessee (-8.5) vs. No. 12 Oregon State (4:30 p.m. ET, TNT)
No. 4 Oklahoma State (-7.5) vs. No. 13 Liberty (6:20 p.m. ET, TBS)
No. 8 North Carolina (-1.5) vs. No. 9 Wisconsin (7:10 p.m. ET, CBS)
No. 2 Houston (-20) vs. No. 15 Cleveland State (7:15 p.m. ET, truTV)
No. 4 Purdue (-7) vs. No. 13 North Texas (7:25 p.m. ET. TNT)
No. 7 Clemson vs. No. 10 Rutgers (-2) (9:20 p.m. ET, TBS)
No. 6 San Diego State (-3) vs. No. 11 Syracuse (9:40 p.m. ET, CBS)
No. 3 West Virginia (-13) vs. No. 14 Morehead State (9:50 p.m. ET, truTV)
No. 5 Villanova (-6.5) vs. No. 12 Winthrop (9:57 p.m. ET, TNT)
Upon first glance, Colgate's 14-1 record makes it seem like it could compete with Arkansas.
However, that mark looks less impressive when you delve into the lack of variety on the Raiders' schedule.
Colgate beat up on three teams that were .500 or worse in league play in the Patriot League's North division. Its past two wins in the Patriot League tournament came against sub-.500 squads because of upsets. While the Raiders deserve credit for beating the teams in front of them, there is no guarantee they will meet the massive step up in competition against Arkansas.
Eric Musselman's Razorbacks fought through a SEC schedule littered with men's NCAA tournament teams. Six of their past eight games came against Big Dance qualifiers.
Arkansas won five of those six contests, with the only loss coming to the LSU Tigers in the SEC tournament semifinals. Three of those victories were by eight points or more.
The No. 3 seed has a potential NBA draft lottery pick in Moses Moody, who leads the team with 17.3 points per game, it possesses four double-digit scorers and a quartet of players that shoot 33 percent or better from three-point range.
Simply put, Arkansas has a wide range of talent that would blow out a majority of the Patriot League teams that Colgate faced.
The Raiders could stay in the contest with their shooting, as they are 49.8 percent from the field and 40 percent from three-point range. However, Arkansas proved that it could play some stout defense in SEC play. It held the Alabama Crimson Tide to 66 points and forced the Florida Gators and Missouri Tigers beneath 65 points in recent clashes.
While this may project as a fun matchup because of shooting percentages, Arkansas is far and away the better team and should win the contest by double figures.
San Diego State (-3) vs. Syracuse
Experience is one of the qualities many bracket-fillers rely on when picking teams to go on deep runs in the men's NCAA tournament.
San Diego State has two of the most experienced players in the field in Matt Mitchell and Jordan Schakel, who helped the Aztecs earn a 53-6 record over the past two seasons. The seniors combine to average 29.7 points per game, and they both shoot more than 43 percent from the field.
Schakel's 46.7 three-point percentage is the most important statistic in the matchup with Syracuse since strong shooting from deep typically negates the impact of the 2-3 zone. San Diego State shoots 37.5 percent from downtown as a team.
The Aztecs also have the defensive chops to counter Syracuse's prowess from deep, led by Buddy Boeheim.
In 10 games dating back to February 8, Brian Dutcher's team kept nine opponents below 70 points, and six of them failed to reach 60. Syracuse's point total Friday could be close to the numbers produced against the Clemson Tigers and Virginia Cavaliers, two of the toughest defensive teams in the ACC.
The Orange had 64 points in their March 3 win over Clemson and totaled 30 second-half points in a 72-69 defeat to Virginia in the ACC tournament.
If San Diego State neutralizes the effects of the zone, Syracuse needs to reach the 70-point mark to feel comfortable about its chances to win. The recent examples we have from San Diego State's defense and Syracuse's offense against better teams suggest the Orange will not get there.
Struggling from three-point range may even see Syracuse lose by double digits to a team that has potential to make a deep run in the Midwest Region.
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It's time for March Madness to really get underway. While the 2021 NCAA men's basketball tournament began with the First Four matchups Thursday, things kick into high gear Friday with 16 first-round contests...
Every March has its share of madness. But once in a while, the men's NCAA tournament can get completely out of control. And that's why we love it. Looking back at the last two decades, several stand out as the most entertaining editions...
Teams on Upset Alert in Day 1 of the 2021 NCAA Men's Tournament
Mar 19, 2021
Virginia Tech's Keve Aluma (22) drives towards Pittsburgh's Abdoul Karim Coulibaly (12) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2021, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)
You can keep the Final Four. Give me the first two days, the 139 games happening at once, the upsets and the survivals and everything else that happens when you give the top teams in the nation one game and one day on which to be the best. Any given Sunday, in other words, crossed with a radioactive spider and benevolent fairy godmother.
Those dramatic upsets are clearly the best part of this whole thing. The entire sports community is going to remember Loyola-Chicago and Sister Jean for a long time. Ditto the George Masons and the Butlers and the Valparaisos and the UMBCs.
So who's going to pull the upset this year? Here are our picks for Day 1 of the 2021 NCAA men's tournament. We've ranked them from least to most dramatic. We've also included historical percentages of how each underdog seed has performed in the opening round.
Florida lost a big piece when Keyontae Johnson went down on December 12 after a scary on-court collapse. The team has gone on to enjoy moderate success, but Johnson is an experienced junior forward who was putting up 16.0 points a game before his season ended.
In any event, Florida is certainly dangerous with Tre Mann and 6'11" Colin Castleton down low. But the Gators lost three of their last four entering the tournament. Virginia Tech is a grinding squad led by Keve Aluma, who leads the team with 15.6 points per game but averaged 19.0 over the Hokies' past seven contests. It's a team that just won't quit, and it may be hot at the right time, while the opposite is true for the Gators.
Texas Tech Red Raiders (17-10, South Region, No. 6 seed)
The Red Raiders went 3-5 down the stretch, though they came within a point of upsetting Texas in the Big 12 tournament. Utah State, by contrast, won six of its last seven, with the only loss coming to another current No. 6 seed in San Diego State.
This one will be different, though, because the Aggies have a secret weapon: Neemias Queta out of Portugal, who just received an All-American honorable mention nod.
Not bad for a player from the Mountain West Conference, where the 7-footer leads in no fewer than 19 basic and advanced statistical categories. He also leads the nation in defensive win shares (2.8) and defensive box plus/minus (6.6). He blocks 3.2 shots per game while converting 55.7 percent of his own attempts.
This is a problem for the Red Raiders because they are a very guard-heavy squad. Of the seven Texas Tech players who get at least 20 minutes of playing time, only one, Marcus Santos-Silva, is a forward, and he's only 6'7".
Could Texas Tech double down on small ball and run the Aggies off the court? Sure. Could Queta put up one of those magical tournament performances and become an overnight sensation in the process? Yes to all of that.
Villanova Wildcats (16-6, South Region, No. 5 seed)
Winthrop is a mid-major, but the Eagles don't rely on hot shooting or gimmicky defenses. This team can play, and it can play at a high level.
They're some kind of fun to watch, too, looking to run early and often. In fact, the Eagles sit 11th nationally in KenPom's adjusted tempo rating—only Gonzaga and Alabama are ranked higher in the tournament field.
Villanova still has to be stinging from that stunner against Georgetown in the Big East tournament. The Wildcats may come out fired up. But now that they're without starting point guard, second-leading scorer and top assist man Collin Gillespie after a season-ending knee injury, they're not going to be as formidable as they may have been earlier in the season.
Arkansas Razorbacks (22-6, South Region, No. 3 seed)
You know that game every season when a mid-major underdog gets red-hot, makes a million threes and runs away with a big win? This year, this is that matchup.
Arkansas is a terrific team behind likely NBA lottery pick Moses Moody. The Razorbacks are a tough defensive squad, ranking 13th nationally, per KenPom.
But when you've got four guys on four separate hot streaks, the seams of any defense can burst. Colgate's top four scorers all average double figures and shoot at least 37 percent from deep. They also have a quiet star in guard Jack Ferguson, who leads the country in offensive rating.
There's a big "if" that comes with this one, but for the best upsets, there always is.
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