#indiana state not USC

[loverslakes]

idk why i never shared this here, but! i made this for a beloved mutual for christmas last year and now it’s all canon (i think.) in the “tried and true blue”verse. i’m finishing up my byler lumax road trip ficlet so they were on my mind. ✨🩷 including the OG sticky notes discussion board featured in t&tb (and more, under the cut!!)

(pls bare with the style i tried to make it 9th grader vibes idk)

[hufflpuffin]

As the police escalate violence, beat and attack students and professors, and conduct mass arrests, student protesters should know their rights.

Here is the link to the National Lawyer's Guild booklet for protesters.

If you plan on going out to support the protests, please take some time to read through this and know your rights.

[hcsiqs]

hii could u write caitlin x reader where they used to date in hs but then they broke up and now years later they got back in touch and they have feelings again? pls and thank u

| feels like a fever, like i’m burning alive

• pairing: caitlin clark x ex!girlfriend

• summary: ^^

• warnings: erm angst? idk man

You had just placed the last box into the trunk of your dad’s car. Today was the day you’d be leaving to drive to South Carolina, a sixteen hour drive from Des Moines, Iowa to there.

When you had picked to go to USC you had never really realized how far away from your family and Caitlin you would be and it was all now just hitting you. You were gonna be in a brand new state without knowing anyone and you would have to make friends all over again.

You felt the tears form in your eyes as you closed the trunk and took time to notice that this would be the last moment you would get to be with Caitlin. Once you both had committed to college and recognized the seventeen hour travel distance, you knew that staying together wouldn’t be an option. With her busy basketball schedule and you being on the pre-med track, it was obvious that you wouldn’t be able to make time for each other. Especially since for you, traveling back home for holidays would be hard, which just meant you would only ever see your girlfriend over summer. You both decided it would cause too much stress for the both of you.

You used the back of your hand to wipe away the tears from your eyes before turning around and seeing the beautiful brunette standing there, hands in her hoodie pocket and her head adorned with the hood. You slowly walked over to her and as soon as you were in arms reach she pulled you in with all of her strength, causing you to slightly bounce back. Her hands wrapped around your shoulders, one of her hands gripping at the back of your neck, trying to savor the smell of you for one last moment. “Please don’t go,” she whispered, her voice breaking as her grip tightened.

“I have to,” your hands went under her hoodie, wrapping your arms around her bare waist.

“Please Y/N,” she begged and you could hear the sadness in her voice as her tears soaked your USC sweatshirt.

“I’m sorry baby,” you dropped your forehead into her shoulder, your arms pulling her stomach against your own leaving no room. You pulled back, your hands traveled up to her perfect face that now had tear stains covering it. “You’re gonna do amazing things at Iowa,” your thumb ran against her cheek.

“It won’t be worth it without you,” her lips formed into a deeper frown, attempting to stop herself from crying.

“Yes it will,” you nodded your head, “You’re gonna change the game, I know it,” you smiled, but your face still held all of the sadness you felt right on the barrier.

“I love you,” she sniffled, pulling you in once more.

“I love you more,” you squeezed her waist before hearing your dad call for you. You reluctantly pulled back and then placed a soft kiss on CC’s lips, tasting the salt from her tears. You then moved away from her, her hands lingering on your waist until you were out of reach and they fell to her side.

“We’re gonna be together again. Someday,” she spoke up as she watched you walk towards the car.

“I know,” you smiled sadly before getting into the backseat of the car. Your dad quickly pulled out of the driveway leaving Caitlin standing there in her Iowa Hawkeye sweatshirt.

From never ending classes, due to you taking them even in summer, you had been able to graduate earlier from USC and were now working as a medical intern for the Indiana Fever. Lucky for you Aliyah Boston had been drafted by them the same year and you two had developed a strong relationship as you were also a medical intern for the Gamecocks women’s basketball team during your college education.

And even though you worked for the WNBA you tried to stay out of the basketball scene, not paying much attention to it as you wanted to separate your life and work. So, while you had an idea of all the amazing things your ex girlfriend had accomplished during her college career you weren’t really too knowledgeable on it. You hadn’t even watched the draft so the first day back on the job you weren’t expecting to see Caitlin Clark walk through the doors. You had just finished going over basic medical history with the other rookies, Celeste Taylor and Leilani Correa.

“Hi I’m Dr. Y/L/N, but you can just call me Y/N,” you said to the person who walked in, not looking up from your work just yet.

“I’m pretty sure I already know your name,” a familiar voice entered your ears making you look up so fast you swore you could have given yourself whiplash. You felt your heart freeze as you looked at the girl in front you, wearing all Fever practice clothes. You blinked hard several times to make sure this wasn’t just some cruel prank your brain was playing on you.

“Caitlin,” your voice trailed off as you stood up to look at her. She looked the same since the last time you saw her, but also didn’t at the same time. Her muscles were more prominent, her hair long and now changed to a middle part, but she still had that same smile on her face that you had fallen in love with when you were a teenager.

“Miss me?” she asked, even though it had the most obvious answer. You stood up from your chair tackling her in a hug. Her skin was just as soft as you had remembered it being and her embrace was just as warm. It really was Caitlin standing in front of you.

“I didn’t know you got drafted here!” you revealed, stepping back to look at the tall girl in front of you.

“First pick,” she smiled, and your hands slapped to your face. She let out a noise that you had missed hearing all these years, her laugh.

“I’m so proud of you Cait,” you beamed and you felt yourself wanting to slip back into that past state of you two. Wanting to just pull her in for a kiss and never let go. “So how's everything going? Dating anyone?” you asked, but then immediately wanted to slap yourself in the face for asking that.

Caitlin awkwardly coughed into her hand before answering, “Um yeah I’m dating this guy I met at Iowa,” she answered, her eyes falling to the floor like she wanted to melt into it.

“Oh cool, cool,” you nodded, walking back to your little desk to sit back down at.

“Yeah,” she nodded her head, walking over to the chair across from the desk, “How bout you? You dating?”

“Um no,” you shook your head, “So! Let’s get into this medical history,” you so desperately wanted to change the topic.

“Right, yeah,” Caitlin agreed, sitting down in the chair.

It had now been three months since Caitlin had joined the W and she somehow always found a way to get into your office during a practice even if she didn’t need to be there. Your guy’s connection had immediately come back, almost like y’all hadn’t been separated for those four years of college.

And as you had spent these months together, you noticed those familiar feelings rise once again. Your heart always started beating faster when she was near and you found yourself unable to think sometimes just because her green eyes were looking at you. And now you would be sharing a hotel room during All Star Weekend in Arizona because she had decided to take you as her plus one.

She had broken up with her boyfriend only a couple weeks ago, so you figured that’s why your emotions and feelings were going crazy every time you looked at her, just because there was even a slight possibility that you could be back together.

The All Star game had just ended and Caitlin was running your way, emotionally high on the win she had just gotten against the USA olympic team. She practically crushed you as she brought you into the tightest hug.

“Almost broke Sue’s record,” you giggled into her ear.

“Almost,” she pulled back. Her eyes scanned your whole face, glancing at your lips a little too long here and there.

“So, what does this All Star wanna do tonight?” you asked, a smile tugging at your lips.

“Go back to the hotel,” she smiled.

“Really? I thought you’d wanna go out?” your eyebrows knitted together as you looked up at her.

“I just wanna hang out with you,” she smiled and placed a kiss on your forehead before being called over by the WNBA team to take pictures to celebrate their win. But once she was done with photos and media, as well as had gotten her stuff from the locker room she had the two of you get into a car to drive you back to the hotel.

“To you and all your amazing accomplishments,” you giggled, holding up a shot that was in the back of the car. Caitlin did the same, you two clinked them together before downing them and then a few more after. And once the car came to a park, the two of you sluggishly got out of the car and stumbled your way back to your room.

Once inside Caitlin dropped all her bags to the floor and her hands found your hips, pushing you against the door. “I really wanna kiss you,” she whispered against your lips.

“Please,” you nodded eagerly. Her lips crashed against your own, your hands pulling her face closer to yours as her body pinned you against the hotel door. There was literally no space between the two of you, both so hungry for one another. CC pulled back to take a breath but before she could go back in for another kiss you stopped her, “I’ve missed this so much.”

“Me too baby, me too,” she smiled, bringing you into another deep kiss, her hands going under your top. “So much,” she smiled against your lips and walked you over to the bed.

allies corner

this is lowkey long and i can’t tell if it’s trash or not

[max--phillips]

Anyway I just saw a post saying that the protests here in the US are “taking away attention” from what’s actually happening in Gaza and “LARPing oppression” as if 1) the whole point of the protests is to put attention on Gaza and call for a ceasefire and 1.5) shows they’re exclusively getting their news from mainstream cable networks and 2) it’s not the fuckin media’s own fault they’re more interested in covering protests than the actual genocide, and 3) the students are somehow not facing oppression ???????

For one, what’s the solution here? Tell these students who feel very strongly (and rightfully so!) about this issue to just give up and go home? Who exactly does that benefit? Oh, right, the universities who are benefiting from this genocide, as well as the federal government. Good plan.

For two, I realize that the university at the center of this is an Ivy League school, and that the students who are there are privileged in many ways. However, that does not change the fact they are facing violence from the university and from police. That does not change the fact many of these students are Palestinian, Jewish, or other minorities. Beyond that, Columbia is not the only school where protests are happening. Emerson, USC, Yale, Harvard, MIT, Tufts, Cal Poly Humboldt, NYU, Vanderbilt, Brown, University of Michigan, UC Berkeley, Emory, Indiana University, Purdue, George Washington University, UCLA, Northeastern, Ohio State, UT Austin, Arizona State, Washington University St Louis, Cornell, University of Pennsylvania, Stanford, University of Georgia Athens, Sonoma State, San Francisco State, Sacramento State, University of Washington, Virginia Tech, Princeton, University of Minnesota, UConn, USC, University of Illinois, University of Utah, McGill, Portland State, UNC Chapel Hill, Tulane, University of Florida Gainesville, University of Colorado Denver, Case Western Reserve, City College of New York, Rutgers, Johns Hopkins, University of Maryland College Park, Barnard College, Pomona College, DePaul, Georgetown, University of Delaware, University of Arizona, University of New Mexico, University of Wisconsin, Virginia Commonwealth University, Oberlin, UC San Diego, University of San Diego, and I’m sure many others have or are currently participating in protests. Many of these schools are not elite universities only the best of the best (or the most money) get in. For crying out loud, my ass got into Indiana University.

That begs another question as well. Yes, these students at Ivy League schools have privilege. How else would you prefer they use it? When one has privilege, it is imperative to utilize it for the benefit of those one has privilege over.

Anyway. Free Palestine. Defund the police.

“Taking away attention from what’s actually going on” this is like saying the university protests against the Vietnam War were taking away attention from what’s actually going on in Vietnam. (Which I’m realizing now was probably an actual talking point at the time, but sounds ridiculous now.)

[imaginespazzi]

Bestie, I absolutely love the reactions, and the potential upset picks based on nothing but vibes (because is there any other way to pick them really?), the silly goofy vibes F4 predictions! All of it!

Ok, so I've created a few too many brackets lmao, some (read: most) with all vibes and zero logic, and a couple with slightly more logic, maybe, lol. But I guess my "primary" bracket consists of the following, and I'll start from sweet 16, to make it shorter (yk when i say shorter i really mean longer):

Sweet 16

Albany 1:

SC vs Oklahoma (I actually think Indiana could get through over Oklahoma but for humanity's sake, I'm manifesting the Sooners) Oregon St vs Notre Dame ( I wanted to give Nebraska and/or Ole Miss the upset in Rd 2, which I have in a couple of my other brackets, but ultimately, I think Oregon St and ND get through)

Albany 2:

Princeton vs Kansas St (ok so my primary bracket should really be one of my more logical ones but fuck that, it's March Madness for a reason, and I desperately want Princeton to get through and upset Iowa. I mean, just imagine being the team that sends CC and the Hawkeyes packing, and to do it in Carver? Give me a Kaitlyn Chen buzzer-beating game-winning shot for the theatrics! Oh and Colorado and Kansas St is a toss-up for me rn, but I'll go with Ayoka Lee)

LSU vs UCLA (I badly wanna see Louisville upset LSU bcos in Jeff I trust buuuut I just can't see it rn, I'm sorry Jeff)

Portland 3:

USC vs Columbia (yeah that's right, fuck it, Columbia in against Vandy then upsets Baylor and VT cos it's Abbey Hsu's last year and the universe owes her one! 😌)

UConn vs Ohio State (Does a Syracuse/Auburn/Arizona matchup scare me a little? Sure, but just a little, cos March P and MVLi will get them through. Also, what's with the committee and setting up players against their former team - HVL vs Louisville and Celeste vs Duke, lmao committee be a lil messy sometimes)

Portland 4:

Texas vs Utah (I know people are expecting Utah to stumble early, maybe even in the first round, but not me bestie, NOT ME)

Tennessee vs Stanford (you're right that there's really no in between with TN, either they upset NC State or get blown out by them but I'm going with the upset)

Elite 8

South Carolina vs Oregon State (I know, I have Oregon St with the upset over ND, but idk i think a part of me is a lil biased towards PAC 12 teams just given what they'd had to contend with even though ACC was a tough one too, so I'm giving Oregon St the slightest edge)

Kansas St vs UCLA (I wanna take Princeton all the way to an Elite 8, I do, but I didn't 😭 And maybe I'm too high on UCLA but like you said, they're just more consistent and I trust them more than LSU and most other teams)

USC vs Ohio State (I'M SORRY Y'ALL! Ok, look, as I might have said before, I'm a massive Jacy and Cotie fan and because it's Jacy's final year, I kinda have a slight bias towards OSU right now. But what about Aaliyah and Nika, you ask?? What about "bleed blue always"? I know, I'm such a traitor, but in my defence? my main attachment to UConn is Azzi, even though I do love the rest of the team - and since Azzi isn't playing, my attachment to a few other players (read: Jacy and AP) have been a little stronger this season. PLS FORGIVE ME)

Utah vs Stanford (read previous statement and my said attachment to certain players - I'm wishing on any and every shooting star that AP goes on a generational run and takes Utah this far 🙏 I also have TN upsetting Stanford in some brackets, but not this one)

Final 4

South Carolina vs Stanford (Given I'd been letting my heart dictate most of these picks, I really should have just gone with Utah to make it here, but this is the one time my brain actually took over)

UCLA vs Ohio State (like you, USC still doesn't move me as much as other teams, although I do think they're actually a solid team even outside of Juju, but hey if I picked Ohio State over UConn then I should really stand by that now huh)

National Championship

South Carolina vs Ohio State

Champion

Ohio State (I will say, I think after the second sweet-16 reveal, I picked OSU to win then and so I thought well I might as well stand ten toes down and stay consistent 😅)

Again, I'm sorry for betraying UConn like this, I know pookie would be disappointed in me 😔 but fear not y'all, I swear I made another bracket where I have UConn win it all soooo, call it even?

Anyway, this is all from an unqualified, amateur, and unserious wcbb fan who used simply nothing but vibes and a quarter of a brain cell to make these picks!

I'm sorry you had to read through all that, bestie. I know you're probably like, i didn't ask for this!! But I hope it was entertaining, if anything 😂

Biggest love to you always, Nivi. 💗

-🙋‍♀️

Hi bestie <3

BABES NOT YOU PICKING AGAINST MY HUSKIES 😭😭😭

Now that, that's out of the way (I'm not angry, I'm just disappointed 🥲) I actually see the vision with your bracket but I'm ngl babes we are on very different wavelengths for the first time lol because "main" bracket is not this at all (well kinda).

I have SC vs Indiana (still rooting for Fairfield) because I have Oklahoma losing to FGCU and I picked the Nebraska upset so I have them vs ND but I have SC coming out of that region as well.

Also babes I'm with because I have Princeton making the sweet 16 as well like it's what we deserve but I'm picking the Louisville upset because fuck Kim Mulkely lmao but I do ultimately have UCLA coming out of that region.

Our Portland 3 region is so insanely difference because I'm so sorry bestie I have OSU getting upset by Duke in the 2nd round. And this is gonna backfire but I have USC getting upset in the 2nd round by Kansas and then obviously I have UConn coming out of the whole things.

But we see each other with Portland 4 because I have Texas vs Utah and Stanford vs Tennessee as well but then listen APHive, I'm so sorry, and I have Utah going further in my fun brackets, but in the main, I had to put Texas above. I have Stanford coming out of that one though.

Anyways all of this to say that I have Stanford vs UConn in the national championship with UConn winning it all. I genuinely tried to make *1* bracket where UConn didn't win and I just couldn't so basically in every world in my brain UConn wins.

I love your thoughts always babes (even when you're betting against my huskies) and I love that they're always long. <3

[bongaboi]

Washington: 2022 Alamo Bowl Champions

No. 12 Washington knocked off No. 20 Texas 27-20 in the Alamo Bowl to get its first 11-win season since 2016.

The Huskies weren’t troubled by the Longhorns for much of the game. UW took a 17-point lead early in the fourth quarter thanks to a TD pass from Michael Penix Jr. to Jalen McMillan. Texas cut the lead to seven with 1:40 to go, and got the ball back with a chance for a potential game-winning TD and two-point conversion with 31 seconds left. But the last-ditch drive with no timeouts remaining didn't get a first down.

The win means Washington finishes the season at 11-2 in Kalen DeBoer’s first season as head coach. Washington fired Jimmy Lake nine games into a tumultuous 2021 season and finished the season at 4-8. It hired DeBoer from Fresno State and the former Indiana offensive coordinator quickly landed the former Indiana QB Penix as a transfer.

That move paid off as Penix was one of the nation’s most productive passers in 2022 and the Huskies won seven more games than they did a season ago. Washington made one of the biggest improvements of any team at the top level of college football in 2022 and is well-positioned to be a contender in the Pac-12 again next season.

Penix will be back in 2023 as the Pac-12 will boast one of the strongest quarterback groups in college football. Heisman winner Caleb Williams is returning for USC while Oregon’s Bo Nix is coming back along with Washington State’s Cam Ward. Oregon State landed Clemson QB D.J. Uiagalelei, former Notre Dame QB Drew Pyne is transferring to Arizona State and Kent State QB Collin Schlee is transferring to UCLA.

Texas, meanwhile, finishes the season 8-5. The Longhorns entered the game without running backs Bijan Robinson and Roschon Johnson among other transfers and NFL draft opt outs. That allowed players like freshman Jonathan Brooks to get playing time and Brooks scored two TDs.

The Alamo Bowl might have also been the last game of the pre-Arch Manning era at Texas. QB Quinn Ewers didn’t have a terrible game by any means — his stats would look a lot better if it wasn’t for drops on back-to-back plays in the third quarter by star receiver Xavier Worthy — but the Longhorns will have the highest-profile QB competition in college football over the spring and summer thanks to Manning’s presence.

Manning signed with Texas earlier in December and plans to be an early enrollee. That will allow him to practice this spring and potentially get the chance to start as a true freshman. Or if Ewers plays well like he has flashed at times in 2022, it’s very possible that he could keep the starting job for his second season with the Longhorns.

[chasadavis]

The Big Ten as Westerosi Houses

The Big Ten welcomed its four new members with an updated version of their infamous map commercial, which is a riff on the opening credits of Game of Thrones.  While some schools do not have much history with the century old membership, there are some similarities with the great houses of Westeros.  Below are associations of each football program in relation to the families and groups in George R. R. Martin’s fiction. 

The better version with actual stadiums:

Purdue – House Strong of Harrenhall

The idea of the Big Ten was first initiated in West Lafayette.  Harrenhall was the first large fortress before the Conquest. 

Illinois – House Tully of Riverrun

Lord of the Mississippi, Ohio and Illinois Riverlands.  Descendants of the First Men and the Andals.  

Northwestern – House Frey of the Twins

The Freys resent their overlords in the Riverlands.  Like to tax crossings in Chicago, even though alumni from Illinois outnumber them. Established in 1851 to serve the historic The Northwest Territory in the Neck.

Wisconsin – House Stark of Winterfell

The First Men who won a Big Ten Championship in 1896.

Minnesota – House Bolton of the Dreadfort

It is said that the enmity between Houses Stark and Bolton goes back to the Long Night since Minnesota and those badgers have the longest football rivalry in the nation. 

Michigan – House Lanaster of Casterly Rock

Think they should be Hand of the King and run the Conference as Golden Maize and Blue.

Iowa – House Arryn of the Eyrie

Birds of a feather should flock together.

Indiana – House Velayron of Driftmark

Once proud house whose exploits are better known in the seas called basketball. 

Ohio State – House Targaryen of  King’s Landing

Dominated the Conference since their Conquest and the Ten Years War with Woody Hayes. 

Michigan State – House Greyjoy of the Iron Islands

They do not sow.  Love to pillage on the west coast of Michigan. 

Penn State – House Baratheon of Storm’s End

Thought they would be king when joining in 1994. 

Nebraska – Night’s Watch as Castle Black

The Blackshirt Defense mans the Wall in Lincoln.

Rutgers – House Tyrell of Highgarden

Relatively new lords in the prosperous Reach of New Jersey and York

Maryland – House Hightower at Oldtown

Proximity to the old capital.  Their seal even looks like the globes at the Citadel.

USC – House Martell of Sunspear

Westeros rotated 90 degrees is the size of the USA, thus Dorne is California.

UCLA – House Dayne of Starfall

The Sword of the Morning was forged where a meteor named Lew Alcindor landed. 

Washington – House Mormont of Bear Island

The Pacific Northwest is akin to Bear Island, Longcraw’s pommel was changed to a Huskie. 

Oregon – the Free Folk at Hardhome

Our last addition to the conference is a wilding invasion. 

[mrsarnold]

masterlist !!

🌀 ; smut

🫧 ; fluff

🪼; angst

H O T T O G O

ppl to req for ! 🌀 :

WCBB :

UCONN

paige bueckers ;

daylight 🫧🌀

white ferrari 🫧 🪼

sick day 🫧

kk arnold ;

b.e.d 🫧🌀

bad day 🫧🪼

before interview quickie ( coming soon ) 🌀🫧

ice brady ;

request ! 🌀

jana el alfy ;

redbone 🌀🫧

aubrey griffin ;

request ! 🫧

ayana patterson ;

request ! 🫧

morgan cheli ;

flaming hot cheetos 🫧

sarah strong ;

request !! 🌀

USC

juju watkins :

birthday sex 🪼🌀🫧

power trip 🪼🌀🫧

im high asf probably mumbling 🌀🫧

LSU

flau'jae johnson ;

request !

ARIZONA STATE

jada williams ;

request !

KENTUCKY STATE

georgia amoore :

here with me ( coming soon ) 🫧

WNBA :

SEATTLE STORM :

nika mühl :

request !

gabby williams :

headcanons 🫧

LAS VEGAS ACES :

kate martin :

casual 🪼

a'ja wilson :

request !

sydney colson :

request !

INDIANA FEVER :

nalyssa smith :

request !

aliyah boston :

request !

NEW YORK LIBERTY

breanna stewart

request !

sabrina ionescu

request !

CHICAGO SKY

angel reese :

headcanons 🫧

chennedy carter :

request !

PHOENIX MERCURY

diana taurasi :

dream girl 🫧

britney griner :

your beauty inside and out ( coming soon ) 🌀

kahleah copper :

request !

MINNESOTA LYNX

naphessa collier :

request !

WASHINGTON MYSTICS

aaliyah edwards :

request !

shakira austin :

request !

LOS ANGELES SPARKS

zia cooke :

request !

NHL :

WISCONSIN

laila edwards :

headcanons 🌀🫧

kk harvey :

bed peace 🫧

SERIES !!

jackie brown - juju watkins 🪼🌀🫧

sweetest girl on campus - ice brady 🪼🌀🫧

thats all !! request any person i missed !! <3

[smallcollegebasketball]

Bevo Francis Award Top 25 Watch List Announced

2024 Bevo Francis Top 25 Watch List Announced

Kansas City, MO – The National Awards Committee and Small College Basketball are happy to announce the Bevo Francis Top 25 Watch List for the 2023-24 season. The Top 25 Watch List consists of some of the top players from the NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, NAIA, USCAA, and NCCAA. With the amount of talented players and phenomenal seasons across all of these levels, the National Award Committee continues to have the difficult task of narrowing the list down. John McCarthy discussed this years Top 25 list:

"Congratulations to the 25 players that have made this prestigious Bevo Francis Award Watch List,” stated McCarthy. “This is a list of the elite of the elite in college basketball at the small college levels, based on our criteria. I am very grateful to our committee members, as they have provided great insight and information." 2024 marks the eighth year of the Bevo Francis Award. Past winners include Dominez Burnett of Davenport University in 2016, Justin Pitts of Northwest Missouri State University in 2017, Emanuel Terry of Lincoln Memorial University in 2018, Aston Francis of Wheaton College in 2019, Kyle Mangas of Indiana Wesleyan University in 2020 and Trevor Hudgins of Northwest Missouri State University in 2022. In 2023, RJ Sunahara of Nova Southeastern was named the winner of the Bevo Francis Award. The award was not presented during the 2021 season.

The Clarence “Bevo” Francis Award is presented annually to the player who has had the finest overall season within Small College Basketball. Considerations will be season statistics and individual achievements, awards, personal character and team achievements. This is an incredibly prestigious award, as this award will only be given to one player within Small College Basketball per season.

Next up on April 5th, the finalists of this year’s award will be announced. The Bevo Francis Award winner will be announced on April 8th .

The Bevo Francis Awards Committee consists of the following coaches: Gary Stewart - Stevenson (Md.), Chris Briggs - Georgetown (Ky.), Bill Dreikosen - Rocky Mountain (Mont.), Mark Berokoff – Oklahoma City, Mike Donnelly – Florida Southern, Sam Hargraves – Olivet (Mich.), Richard Westerlund – UNOH, Chase Tiechmann – Florida College, Aaron Siebenthall – Ottawa(Kan.), Mark Vanderslice – USC – Aiken, Matt O’Brien – Southwestern (KS), Chris Wright – Langston (OK), Ben Thompson – Emory & Henry, Justin Leslie – Midwestern State, Raul Placeres – Maryville College (TN), Chris Martin – Loras (IA), John Lamanna – Whitman (WA), Brian Miller – MSOE, Justin Downer – Point Loma Nazarene.

To stay up to date on all things Small College Basketball or to learn more about the Bevo Francis Award, please head to smallcollegebasketball.com.

2023-24 Bevo Francis Award Top 25 Watch List

Trevor Baskin 6’8” Jr. CO Mesa Drew Blair 6’5” Sr. MN-Duluth Frank Champion 6’7” Jr. North Georgia Luke Chicone 5’10” Jr. John Carroll Cevin Clark 5’11” Jr. Southwestern (KS) Tyler Dearman 6’3” Sr. Guilford Wes Dreamer 6’7” Sr. NW MO State Gus Etchison 5’11” Jr. Marian Spencer Freedman 6’0” Sr. New York U Zach Goodline 6’1” Sr. Huntington Jake Hilmer 5’11” Sr. Upper Iowa Jeff Hunter 6’7” Sr. Keene State Zawdie Jackson 6’0” Jr. West Georgia KJ Jones 6’6” Sr. Emmanuel (GA) Jaden Lietzke 6’7” Jr. Oklahoma Wesleyan Elijah Malone 6’10” Sr. Grace (IN) Anthony Mazzeo 6’3” Sr. Case Western Reserve Jalen Overway 6’9” So. Calvin James Paterson 6’7” So. STAC Logan Pearson 6’4” Jr. Wisconsin-Platteville Anthony Roy 6’5” Jr. Langston Tyler Schmidt 6’4” Sr. Olivet Nazarene Alex VanKalsbeek 6’6” So. Northwestern (IA) Malik Willingham 6’3” Jr. Minnesota State Larry Wise 6’5” Sr. West Texas A&M

[unclescurvy]

2023 Undrafted Rookies

Now that the dust has settled, let's check out which teams kept undrafted rookies on their 53-man rosters (not counting the ones stashed on IR).

BUFFALO

None

MIAMI

RB Chris Brooks (BYU)

NT Brandon Pili (USC)

NEW ENGLAND

None

NY JETS

WR Xavier Gipson (SF Austin)

WR Jason Brownlee (Southern Miss)

BALTIMORE

None

CINCINNATI

None

CLEVELAND

LB Mohamoud Diabate (Utah)

CB Kahlef Hailassie (Western Kentucky)

S Ronnie Hickman (Ohio State)

PITTSBURGH

None

HOUSTON

None

INDIANAPOLIS

LB Isaiah Land (Florida A&M)

JACKSONVILLE

WR Elijah Cooks (San Jose State)

TENNESSEE

WR Kearis Jackson (Georgia)

LB Otis Reese IV (Ole Miss)

CB Anthony Kendall (Baldwin Wallace) <-- Division III!

S Matthew Jackson (Eastern Kentucky)

DENVER

RB Jaleel McLaughlin (Youngstown State)

TE Nate Adkins (South Carolina)

LB Thomas Incoom (Central Michigan)

KANSAS CITY

LB Cam Jones (Indiana)

LAS VEGAS

None

LA CHARGERS

RB Elijah Dotson (Northern Colorado)

DALLAS

G T.J. Bass (Oregon)

NY GIANTS

None

PHILADELPHIA

None

WASHINGTON

WR Mitchell Tinsley (Penn State)

CHICAGO

QB Tyson Bagent (Shepherd)

S Quindell Johnson (Memphis)

DETROIT

CB Steven Gilmore (Marshall)

GREEN BAY

RB Emanuel Wilson (Fort Valley State)

WR Malik Heath (Ole Miss)

TE Ben Sims (Baylor)

LB Brenton Cox, Jr. (Florida)

P Daniel Whelan (UC-Davis)

MINNESOTA

LB Andre Carter II (Army)

LB Ivan Pace, Jr. (Cincinnati)

DT Junior Aho (SMU)

CB Najee Thompson (Georgia Southern)

ATLANTA

None

CAROLINA

OT Ricky Lee (North Carolina A&T)

G Nash Jensen (North Dakota State)

LB Claudin Cherelus (Alcorn State)

CB D'Shawn Jamison (Texas)

NEW ORLEANS

K Blake Grupe (Notre Dame)

TAMPA BAY

RB Sean Tucker (Syracuse)

WR Rakim Jarrett (Maryland)

LB Markees Watts (Charlotte)

S Christian Izien (Rutgers)

CB Derrek Pitts (NC State)

ARIZONA

RB Emari Demercado (TCU)

CB Starling Thomas V (UAB)

P Nolan Cooney (Syracuse)

LA RAMS

None

SAN FRANCISCO

None

SEATTLE

WR Jake Bobo (UCLA)

LB Drake Thomas (NC State)

[nothingunrealistic]

BUSINESS

—————

MPC

FORM 10-K

[Post-It note — indecipherable]

—————

The New York Times

The New Decas

[photo of Prince, Axe, and the new decas at Vanity Fair shoot]

—————

[photo of Kai Huang Liu, Jr.]

—————

[photo of Prince and Krakow]

—————

[photo of Prince, Krakow, and Bud Lazarra at Olympics bid kickoff]

—————

[photo of Prince and Scooter]

—————

the MIKE

DINNER SERIES

Missy Robbins

Fireside Chat

MIKE PRINCE and BOBBY AXELROD

—————

The New York Times

Billionaire Michael Prince is Taking Over Axe Capital

[photo of Prince]

—————

[legal pad page — indecipherable]

—————

1990

—————

[Post-It note — indecipherable]

—————

[photo of Prince at The Mike fireside chat]

—————

[photo of Mohonk Mountain House, site of The Mike]

—————

[official document — indecipherable] [Post-It note — indecipherable]

—————

[news articles — indecipherable] [photo of Prince and possibly David Fells?] [Post-It note — indecipherable]

==========

PERSONAL

—————

[official document — indecipherable] FILED

—————

Friendships of Note

Oprah Winfrey Mark Cuban […] […] […] […] […] […] […]

—————

[photo of Prince and Gabby Reece out running]

—————

[photo of Prince]

—————

DAVID FELLS SCANDAL

—————

2023

—————

[legal pad page — indecipherable]

—————

[photo of Prince, Andy, and Prince Cappers at Olympic bid party]

—————

NEW YORK POST

Daughters of Billionaire Mike Prince Try Their [Hands At] The Cannabis Biz

—————

[photo of Gail and Liz at Fine Young Cannabis]

—————

[second photo of Prince, Andy, and Prince Cappers at Olympic bid party]

—————

[…] Andy Salter (wife) Gail & Liz (daughters)

—————

[Post-It note — indecipherable]

—————

[Michael Prince] Headed to Indiana A&M […]

[photo of Prince playing basketball]

ALMA MATER INDIANA A&M

—————

[legal pad page — indecipherable]

—————

2028 NEW YORK CLIMBING FACILITY

ANDY SALTER

[photo of Andy]

HEAD COACH AND ROUTE SETTER FOR USA CLIMBING

==========

POLITICAL

—————

FINANCIAL TIMES

NYC Olympic Bid Crumbles Amidst Bribery Allegations

CAMPAIGN COMMITTEES

LOOK INTO ETHICS VIOLATIONS

—————

[legal pad page — indecipherable]

—————

[photo of Prince, Andy, and Prince supporters at campaign kickoff]

—————

CANADIAN DONOR to Super PAC

potential violation of 52 USC 30121

—————

[photo of Prince]

—————

2022

—————

[photo of Prince at Olympics bid kickoff]

—————

2028

NEW YORK

—————

Michael Prince Joins Presidential Race as Independent

[photo of Prince and Mayor Johnson at Olympics bid kickoff]

—————

Weaknesses in Voting Record (is NO on increased voting rights in 2021)

—————

[photo of Gayle King interviewing Prince]

—————

OLYMPIC STADIUM PROPOSAL

[floor plan and elevations for proposed Olympic stadium]

—————

SUBWAY CARD ADVERTISING

I 🚴 NY 2028 | I ⛹️ NY 2028 | I 🎾 NY 2028

I 🤾 NY

I 🏊 NY 2028

[Post-It note — indecipherable]

==========

PHILANTHROPIC

—————

FDNY on Prince List

Stuart Legere (Indiana A&M president)

— got Board of Endowments to join Prince List

— misappropriated state funds

—————

SHAKE THE QUAKE

WELCOME TO THE MIKE CONFERENCE ATTENDEES

[photo of Prince with The Mike attendees at Shake the Quake]

DONATIONS […]

—————

ANNUAL

IMPACT REPORT

SHAKE THE QUAKE

—————

[photo of Scooter and Prince at Yonkers Opportunity Zone hearing]

—————

CORRUPTION @ THE MIKE

—————

2018

—————

FINANCIAL TIMES

A Look Inside The Prince List

[photo of Prince]

The Prince List

legit?

—————

* Basketball star at Indiana A&M [University]

* Won two NCAA championships

* Find his former teammates

—————

[official document — indecipherable]

—————

[photo of Prince at Mike Money announcement]

[sportsminorityreport]

The fall of the PAC --- The start of the relegation era.

I heard a Utah fan complaining about "being relegated" to the Big 12 --- most Utah fans and administrators wanted to stay in the PAC.

That relegation statement resonated with me.

I think if all the rumors of today happen, that may be the most honest way to look at everything that has gone down.

The bottom line is that the PAC 12 was a 12 team conference where essentially 8 schools carried their weight to some degree in the revenue sports and brought good markets. They were feeding 12 mouths.

If Stanford and Cal had never had the conference add Oregon State and Washington State (two schools with academics that were not and have not been at PAC standards decades ago) would the Pac have crumbled? Probably not.

With USC and UCLA the PAC schools were projected to be worth $50M per school or $600M. Without those two NW schools they would probably be worth about $570M or $57M per school. Is USC or UCLA leaving if they have $57M each and the Big Ten TV deal does not reflect LA value? I don't think so.

In real terms NOT actively relegating both schools --- something that probably was not allowed in the conference by-laws --- probably doomed the conference. Too many mouths to feed.

What do we have today --- end result.

The haves of the PAC (Washington, Oregon, USC, and UCLA ) have been promoted.

The middle class of the PAC (Colorado, Arizona, ASU, Utah, and now maybe with rumors of Stanford and Cal to the ACC) have be relegated to a slightly lesser conference than the PAC, and the Lower class of the PAC Oregon State and Washington State appear to have been strongly relegated to a lower level, the MWC.

Two years from now, I think we will just view this as a relegation story.

And I think more importantly, I think this is historically significant. I think this is the first round of relegation realignment.

The next seems likely to gut the ACC. The ACC schools all feel the ACC is better than the Big 12. But just like in the PAC, they may be forced to take the lifeboats that are there.

And then things get interesting....

I would not be shocked if the Big Ten crumbles into a football haves conference and a football have nots conference. Is there any reason Purdue, Indiana, Iowa, and others should be making Ohio State money?

I would not be shocked to see the Big Ten break into a 3 team football conference with the traditional powers along with their ACC and PAC acquisitions and several teams... perhaps enough for an 8 team football only conference operating at the Big 12 level... whose members play their Olympic sports in the Big Ten.

Who gets the axe?

Indiana

Purdue

Northwestern

Illinois

Iowa

minesota

wisconsin

and..... Nebraska?!?!?!

I would not be shocked to see Ol' Miss and Mississippi State forced out of the conference by Texas in order for the SEC to keep payouts up with Big Ten "A".

Relegation is here.

[imaginespazzi]

Niviii babes i miss you!! I be filling out my bracket and i need ya babe, gimme some upset picks 😂 Also, be real with me, how far you got uconn going? 👀

Hi babes <3

I'm like the worst person at brackets. I pick the wrong upsets, bet against the wrong teams and always choose UConn to win it all. 😭

However my potential upset picks based on nothing but vibes really:

FGCU upsetting Oklahoma in the 1st round

Fairfield upsetting Indiana in the 1st round (this is wishful thinking but I need this for multiple reasons)

Princeton upsetting WV and then Iowa in the 2nd round (Carla Berube supremacy)

Louisville upsetting LSU in the 2nd round (HVL is giving them fodder and lowkey I never bet against Jeff Walz in March)

Tennessee "upsetting" NC State in the 2nd round (they do this or get blown out like that's just TN for ya)

Duke upsetting OSU in the 2nd round (I don't have a reason other than Sarah Strong needs to see UConn vs Duke)

Vanderbilt/Columbia upsetting Baylor and then V-Tech (based on Kitley not playing and also because I lowkey want either of these teams to make a run)

As for UConn, this is probably one of the best situations that could happen to us. My biggest fear is actually that first round game because Jackson State has three 6'5 players and well...

But other than that, nobody actually feels that hard (famous last words). I don't think we'd lose to OSU again like Paige and Aaliyah would not let that happen. And if it's Duke, well, we're not losing to them. And USC just doesn't move me idk. All that to say that we have a clear issue with defending good guards (look at all our losses) and obviously there's plenty in our region but I'd like to think we've learned. So for now, I have them in my final 4 on a little more than just vibes.

Also: Paige Bueckers

[cksmart-world]

SMART BOMB

The Completely Unnecessary News Analysis

By Christopher Smart

August 8, 2023

THE SEINFELD DEFENSE & KETCHUP DOESN'T LIE

Former President Donald Trump won the 2020 election. Despite no evidence of voter fraud he actually believes it, his attorney said, invoking the old “Seinfeld Defense.” George Costanza, the character in the 1990s sitcom “Seinfeld,” came up with the novel defense: “It's not a lie if you believe it.” That's now the brilliant legal response to a four-count indictment that accuses Trump of conspiring to overturn U.S. democracy. Trump's attorney, John Lauro, said prosecutors can't prove the former president believes he lost the election. Presto: not guilty. Well Lauro has a point there — who could possibly tell from minute-to-minute what's going through that guy's head. But there is compelling evidence that Trump did know he lost: Ketchup. That's right, White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson told the Jan. 6 House Special Select Committee that when then-Attorney General Bill Barr told the Associated Press there was no evidence of widespread voter fraud Trump threw his lunch and it splattered ketchup on the wall in the West Wing. Trump's attorneys no doubt will seek to undermine prosecution witnesses who told the former president he lost, but how do you undermine ketchup on a wall. Heinz may well be the best answer to the “Seinfeld Defense,” because, after all, ketchup doesn't lie.

PIGSKIN PIGOUT — IT COULDN'T BE ABOUT THE MONEY

Don't let anyone tell you that college football has become all about money. Sure, it looks that way but just because universities are jumping from one conference to another for bigger TV bucks doesn't mean we've lost what's really important about college football. We'll get to that in a minute. University of Utah football coach Kyle Whittingham makes $6 million a year. But it's not so much compared to Alabama football coach Nick Saban, who pulls in $10.6 million. Alabama football, in the Southeastern Conference (SEC), brought in a record $130.87 million last year. In Sept. 2022, the Big Ten Conference announced a new TV deal worth more than $1 billion per year. Last week in something like football musical chairs the PAC- 12 became in reality the PAC- 4, as schools bolted. The Big 10 added two schools and the Big 12 grabbed another three college teams, including Utah. USC, UCLA — Colorado left earlier. Jack Dickert, Washington State head coach said TV money will destroy college football and the school rivalries that have been central to it. “We'll look back at college football in 20 years and be like 'what are we doing'” What's really important about college football? It molds young men and prepares them for the pros where they could become millionaires. But it's not about money.

HOW MIKE PENCE GOT HIS GROOVE BACK

Mike Pence is from Indiana so it's no surprise he's got lots of charisma. Indiana is the “Charisma State.” Residents there are known as Hoosiers, from the Greek χάρισμα — “who's yours.” Pence was a gregarious young man from a good Catholic family of Democrats. Then something happened — the future savior of American democracy became an evangelical Christian and a conservative Republican and along the way landed a statewide radio show, cleverly called “The Mike Pence Show.” He said his program was like Rush Limbaugh on downers. It launched his political career where he was elected to the House for six terms and then governor of Indiana. But when Trump picked the charming Mike Pence to be his running mate, the Hoosier had to promise never to be charismatic again. Only Trump could be charming. Pence took on the persona of a mud fence so well that some believed he was an android. Then came Jan. 6 and “Hang Mike Pence.” The vice president and his family had to run for their lives. It was a reawakening. That's why the Mike Pence we see running for president today is the old fun-loving jokester who used to say his radio show was the political answer to “Pee-wee Herman's Playhouse.” Mike Pence rocks, relatively speaking, of course.

Post script — That'll do it for another historic week here at Smart Bomb where we keep track of our bizarre politics so you don't have to. It's now clear that Donald Trump is running for president so he won't have to go to prison. More than two-thirds of Republicans believe Trump is the rightly elected president and that stuff about the Jan. 6 insurrection is all made up. Trump continues to run far ahead in the race for the Republican nomination. Utah Sen-For-Life Mike Lee said prosecuting Trump for things he did on Jan. 6 is “dangerous” because he was president then and had immunity. In essence, a failed coup is not punishable by law. Great. Hey Wilson, do you ever get the feeling we've collided with a parallel universe where black is white and right-side-up is upside-down. Meanwhile Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is campaigning against Mickey Mouse while extolling the great benefits of slavery for Black people. It's not going too well, so he raised the rhetoric by saying as president he would start “slitting throats” in the federal bureaucracy on day one. It sure is nice that we're setting the example of true democracy for all those Third World countries — bunch of heathens.

Songwriter Randy Newman once penned a number called, “Short People,” which was really about prejudice of all kinds. These days it seems like no one likes homeless people — many of whom are families and single moms. So Wilson, get the band to put down the hookah and take us out with a little something for the downtrodden:

Short People got no reason Short People got no reason To live They got little hands Little eyes They walk around Tellin' great big lies They got little noses And tiny little teeth They wear platform shoes On their nasty little feet Don't want no Short People Don't want no Short People 'Round here Don't want no Homeless People Don't want no Homeless People 'Round here They're always camping out on the street Don't wear no stockings on their feet All their junk is piled in grocery carts They're all rumpled up and got no smarts

Why don't they find someplace else to stay Seeing them is a bummer and ruins the day Don't want no Homeless People Don't want no Homeless People 'Round here

(Short People — Randy Newman, modified by the Smart Bomb staff)

[mvdbutler]

THE 10 NCAA PRO SCHOOLS

PROMO-FLO SPORTS https://www.youtube.com/@FloSports/videos ATLANTIC EAST https://www.youtube.com/@HarrisHighlights UCONN BOSTON COLLEGE BOSTON UNIV UMASS NAVY MARYLAND RUTGERS SETON HALL ST.JOHN'S SYRACUSE ARMY PENN STATE PITTSBURGH VILLANOVA PROVIDENCE GEORGETOWN VIRGINIA VIRGINIA TECH WEST VIRGINIA MARSHALL BIG DOWNTOWN https://www.youtube.com/@SheGotSports UAB SOUTH ALABAMA GRAND CANYON AIR FORCE FRESNO STATE SAN DIEGO STATE SAN JOSE STATE WEST FLORIDA UCF SOUTH FLORIDA BUTLER WICHITA STATE SAINT LOUIS CREIGHTON NEW MEXICO BUFFALO CINCINNATI TEMPLE UTEP OLD DOMINION MIDWEST BIG 18 https://www.youtube.com/@Jason0662 IOWA IOWA STATE ILLINOIS NORTHWESTERN INDIANA PURDUE NOTRE DAME KANSAS KANSAS STATE KENTUCKY LOUISVILLE MICHIGAN MICHIGAN STATE MINNESOTA MISSOURI NEBRASKA OHIO STATE WISCONSIN PACIFIC MOUNTAIN 18 https://www.youtube.com/@HummBabyBaseball ARIZONA ARIZONA STATE CALIFORNIA STANFORD UCLA USC COLORADO COLORADO STATE BOISE STATE IDAHO UNLV NEVADA OREGON OREGON STATE BYU UTAH WASHINGTON WASHINGTON STATE SOUTHEAST UNITED https://www.youtube.com/@ColeAdams ALABAMA AUBURN FLORIDA FLORIDA STATE MIAMI (FL) GEORGIA GEORGIA TECH DUKE NORTH CAROLINA NC STATE WAKE FOREST ECU CLEMSON SOUTH CAROLINA TENNESSEE VANDERBILT SOUTHWEST XVI https://www.youtube.com/@lukeontheplains ARKANSAS LSU TULANE LOUISIANA TECH MISSISSIPPI STATE OLE MISS OKLAHOMA OKLAHOMA STATE TEXAS TEXAS A&M MEMPHIS TEXAS TECH BAYLOR SMU TCU HOUSTON