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This is Defector, a new sports blog and media company. We made this place together, we own it together, we run it together. Without access, without favor, without discretion, and without interference.

Defector

Tom Ley

The Connecticut Huskies celebrate with the trophy after beating the Purdue Boilermakers 75-60 to win the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament National Championship game at State Farm Stadium on April 08, 2024 in Glendale, Arizona.

College Basketball

Nobody’s In UConn’s League

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

UConn center Donovan Clingan celebrates during the team's Elite Eight win in Boston during the 2024 NCAA Tournament.

UConn Is Exhaustingly, Relentlessly Great

DJ Burns Jr. #30 of the NC State Wolfpack cuts the net following their 76-64 victory against the Duke Blue Devils in the Elite 8 round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at American Airlines Center on March 31, 2024 in Dallas, Texas.

Everybody Loves DJ Burns

Luis Paez-Pumar

Chase Hunter #1 of the Clemson Tigers lays up against Keshad Johnson #16 of the Arizona Wildcats during the first half in the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Crypto.com Arena on March 28, 2024 in Los Angeles, California

Clemson Had An Answer For All Of Arizona’s Questions

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Head coach Lynne Roberts of the Utah Utes speaks to the media following a loss against the Gonzaga Bulldogs during the second round of the 2024 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament held at McCarthey Athletic Center on March 25, 2024 in Spokane, Washington.

Utah Women’s Basketball Team Reports Being Racially Abused While Staying In Idaho

Hannah Hidalgo #3 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish celebrates at the half with a 17 point lead over the Ole Miss Rebels during the second round of the 2024 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament held at Purcell Pavilion on March 25, 2024 in South Bend, Indiana.

Notre Dame’s 16 Good Knees Make For One Impressive Team

Kiki Iriafen #44 of the Stanford Cardinal drives to the basket on Audi Crooks #55 of the Iowa State Cyclones during the second half in the second round of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Stanford Maples Pavilion on March 24, 2024 in Palo Alto, California.

Kiki Iriafen Saves Stanford From An Early Exit

Lauren Theisen

DJ Burns celebrates with Casey Morsell after a basket

It’s NC State And Everybody Else

Ray Ratto

PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 24: Kiki Iriafen #44 and Nunu Agara #3 of the Stanford Cardinal celebrates after they defeated the Iowa State Cyclones 87-81 in overtime in the second round of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Stanford Maples Pavilion on March 24, 2024 in Palo Alto, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

After The Binge, The Basketball


<p>Diana Moskovitz is Defector&#8217;s investigations editor. You can contact her at diana@defector.com or dfmoskovitz@protonmail.com. She&#8217;s also on Signal @dmoskovitz.99</p>


Diana Moskovitz

The view of the F1 race from the Bellagio Fountain Club on the Las Vegas Strip. The club can hold 3,600 people and three-day tickets sell for $12,000. You can also see the Paris casino and its recreation of the Eiffel Tower.

In Las Vegas, It’s Not Who’s Your Team But What’s Your Parlay

Head Coach Kim Mulkey of the LSU Tigers answers a question at the press conference during the first round of the 2024 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament held at Pete Maravich Assembly Center on March 22, 2024 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Like Bob Knight Before Her, Kim Mulkey Made It All About Herself

David Roth

N'Faly Dante of the Oregon Ducks celebrates with fans after defeating the Arizona Wildcats at Matthew Knight Arena on January 14, 2023 in Eugene, Oregon.

Podcasts

In Search Of The Vibes Team, With Ken Pomeroy

Columbia Lions Guard Abbey Hsu (35) grabs a rebound during the first half of the Women's Ivy League League Basketball Championship Semi-Final game between the Harvard Crimson and the Columbia Lions on March 15, 2024, at Levien Gymnasium in New York, NY.

Columbia Is In Like A Lion

DAYTON, OHIO - MARCH 19: Patrick Cartier #12 of the Colorado State Rams battles against Jacob Groves #34 and Dante Harris #1 of the Virginia Cavaliers during the first half in the First Four game during the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at University of Dayton Arena on March 19, 2024 in Dayton, Ohio. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)