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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.

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Defector

The Defector Crewneck Sweatshirt Is Back In Stock

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Merch v3

2019-01-01 00:15:14.989

Maitreyi Anantharaman

JuJu Watkins #12 of the USC Trojans is attended to by team staff after being injured against the Mississippi State Bulldogs during the Second Round of the 2025 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament held at Galen Center on March 24, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.

NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament – Second Round – Los Angeles USC

College Basketball

JuJu Watkins’s Season Ends With A Torn ACL

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Ray Ratto

Dan Hurley making a skeptical face with his glasses pushed up onto his forehead during UConn's loss to Florida in the second round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament.

NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament – First Round – Raleigh

Dan Hurley Is The Last Angry Man

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Tom Ley

Derik Queen #25 of the Maryland Terrapins makes a shot against Ethan Morton #25 of the Colorado State Rams to win the game 72-71 in the second round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Climate Pledge Arena on March 23, 2025 in Seattle, Washington.

Colorado State v Maryland

One Good Shot Deserves A Great One

The McNeese Cowboys celebrate their win over the Clemson University Tigers during the first round of the 2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament held at Amica Mutual Pavillion on March 20, 2025 in Providence, Rhode Island.

McNeese v Clemson

Defector Up All Night

Have A Ball In The March Madness Open Thread

Visual Editor. Runs <a href="http://defectorstore.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">defectorstore.com</a>. Philadelphia-based, if you couldn’t tell.

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Dan McQuade

PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND - MARCH 20: The McNeese Cowboys celebrate their win over the Clemson University Tigers during the first round of the 2025 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament held at Amica Mutual Pavillion on March 20, 2025 in Providence, Rhode Island. A player is sticking his tongue out while being mobbed by teammates.

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All You Have To Do Is Hold On

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David Roth

Bruce Pearl yelling with his hand cupped around his mouth, looking pretty insane, during a game against Texas A&M on March 4, 2025.

Auburn v Texas A&M

Podcasts

Through The Transfer Portal, With Ken Pomeroy

<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

Head coach Rick Pitino of the St. John's Red Storm speaks with Deivon Smith #5 of the St. John's Red Storm during the first half of the game against the Connecticut Huskies on February 23, 2025.

Connecticut v St. John’s

Tom Izzo And Rick Pitino Are Up Against One Of March’s Weirdest Curses

JuJu Watkins #12 of the USC Trojans is defended by Paige Bueckers #5 of the Connecticut Huskies during the second half of an NCAA women's basketball game at the XL Center on December 21, 2024 in Hartford, Connecticut.

USC v Connecticut

The Case For And Against Every Contender In The Women’s Tournament

Hayden Gray #3, Justin Rochelin #5, and Yaqub Mir #22 of the UC San Diego Tritons celebrate after their team's 75-61 victory against the UC Irvine Anteaters to win the Big West Men's Basketball Tournament on March 15, 2025.

UC Irvine v UC San Diego

And Now It Is March

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.

Purdue v Connecticut

Nobody’s In UConn’s League

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.

NC State v Duke

Everybody Loves DJ Burns

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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 v Arizona

Clemson Had An Answer For All Of Arizona’s Questions

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Lauren Theisen

DJ Burns celebrates with Casey Morsell after a basket

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It’s NC State And Everybody Else

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)

NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament – Second Round – Stanford

After The Binge, The Basketball

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)

Colorado State v Virginia

Please Get Virginia All The Way Out Of My Face

HOUSTON, TEXAS - APRIL 03: Head coach Dan Hurley of the Connecticut Huskies reacts as he cuts down the net after defeating the San Diego State Aztecs 76-59 during the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament National Championship game at NRG Stadium on April 03, 2023 in Houston, Texas.

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Dan Hurley And UConn Put It Together

San Diego State v Connecticut

UConn Imposed Some Normalcy On The Weirdest NCAA Tournament Ever

The sky with an angelic light behind it, the Wilson Evo NXT basketball sits in the middle

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Everyone Has An Opinion On The NCAA Tournament’s Bright Orange Basketball

DALLAS, TEXAS - APRIL 02: Jasmine Carson #2 of the LSU Lady Tigers reacts after a three-point basket during the first half against the Iowa Hawkeyes during the 2023 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament championship game at American Airlines Center on April 02, 2023 in Dallas, Texas.

LSU v Iowa

Jasmine Carson Lived A Shooter’s Dream

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Wait, They Attach The Net How?

Louisiana State Tigers players celebrate their win over the Iowa Hawkeyes during the 2023 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament National Championship at American Airlines Center on April 2, 2023 in Dallas, Texas.

NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament – National Championship

LSU Is The New Kind Of Cinderella

HOUSTON, TEXAS - APRIL 01: (EDITORS NOTE: In this photo taken with a remote camera) Lamont Butler #5 of the San Diego State Aztecs shoots the ball to win the game against the Florida Atlantic Owls during the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Final Four semifinal game at NRG Stadium on April 01, 2023 in Houston, Texas.

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Good Things Happen When A Coach Gets Out Of The Way

NCAA Division I Mascot Analysis - Four mascots listed Florida Atlantic: Owlsley Temple: Hooter Kennesaw State: Scrappy Rice: Sammy Also a milk carton with "WHERE IS HOOT?" and a picture of him on it and an OWLFECTOR logo with two little owls perching on it

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Owl You Need To Know About Owl Mascots

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 25: Markquis Nowell #1 of the Kansas State Wildcats reacts during the second half of the game against the Florida Atlantic Owls during the Elite Eight round of the 2023 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament held at Madison Square Garden on March 25, 2023 in New York City.

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Markquis Nowell Had Two Incredible Games. It Was Not Enough.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 25: Giancarlo Rosado #3 of the Florida Atlantic Owls celebrates after defeating the Kansas State Wildcats during the Elite Eight round of the 2023 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament held at Madison Square Garden on March 25, 2023 in New York City.

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FAU Stayed Calm All The Way To The Final Four

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