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Defector

Lauren Theisen

Braylon Mullins #24 celebrates with Malachi Smith #0 of the UConn Huskies after shooting the game-winning three point basket

The UConn Buzzer-Beater Was A Flawless Short Film

Staff Writer
Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19

Chris Thompson

Braylon Mullins of the UConn Huskies celebrates after hitting the game-winner against Duke.

Two Dazed Freshmen Authored The Tournament’s Immortal Moment

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Olivia Miles #5 of the TCU Horned Frogs reacts against the Virginia Cavaliers during the fourth quarter in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Golden 1 Center on March 28, 2026 in Sacramento, California.

Olivia Miles Was Made For March Highlight Reels

Dave McKenna

Fred Hoiberg Really Fucked Up

David Roth

University of Wisconsin-Madison freshman women's basketball team in the gymnasium of Ladies Hall (now Chadbourne Hall), Madison, Wisconsin, 1900.

Podcasts

Please, Mr. Pibb Is My Father, With Emma Baccellieri

Syracuse Coach After 53-Point Loss: Please Don’t Make Us Play UConn Again

Amaya Battle #3 of the Minnesota Golden Gophers celebrates with her team after making a go-ahead shot against the Ole Miss Rebels in the fourth quarter during a second round game of the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament held at Williams Arena on March 22, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Minnesota’s Buzzer-Beater Sounded Like Home

<div class="author-header-content">
Charles P. Pierce is a writer at Esquire and the author of four books, most recently Idiot America, and has been a working journalist since 1976. He lives near Boston with his wife but no longer his three children.
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</div>
<div class="author-header-shares"></div>

Charles P. Pierce

A tightly cropped image of a player releasing a jump shot

Elder Wisdom

I Miss My Jump Shot

Tom Ley

St. John’s Won Funny

Rob Martin Will Always Be A Short King Of March

Mikayla Blakes #1 and head coach Shea Ralph of the Vanderbilt Commodores react on the sideline against the Furman Paladins in the first half at Vanderbilt University Memorial Gymnasium on November 10, 2025 in Nashville, Tennessee.

The Tournament’s Best Subplot Is Shea Ralph Vs. Her Old Coach

High Point Is A Deeply Weird School

Oscar Cluff #45 of the Purdue Boilermakers looks for a shot against Morez Johnson Jr. #21 of the Michigan Wolverines during the first half of the Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament Championship game on March 15, 2026.

Let’s Get Upset, With Ken Pomeroy

Columnist. Author of many <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Drew-Magary/e/B001JS8R52/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_book_1">fine works of literature</a>, including Point B. Handsomest man in the world.

Drew Magary

Dan Hurley holding a little jar of almond butter

This Is So Stupid

The Hottest Snack Of The NCAA Tournament Is Almond Butter

Arizona Wildcats players pour confetti on the head coach Tommy Lloyd after winning the Big 12 Tournament championship game between the Houston Cougars and the Arizona Wildcats on March 14, 2026.

There Is No Resting State Of March Madness

<a href="https://twitter.com/kenpomeroy" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ken</a> has been cranking out college basketball statistics at <a href="http://kenpom.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">kenpom.com</a> since 2004. He’s written at The Athletic, Slate, the late ESPN The Magazine, and the late Basketball Prospectus. He hopes to live long enough to see the men&#8217;s game start using quarters, like every other basketball league in the world.

Ken Pomeroy

Braden Smith of the Purdue Boilermakers celebrates with his teammates after being named outstanding player of the tournament after winning the championship game of the Big Ten Men's Basketball Championships on March 15, 2026.

March Madness’s Phony Rules Were Made To Be Broken

Howard players celebrate their victory in the locker room

Death To The NCAA