Own the group chat with The Weekender, highlighting the biggest stories in college sports, standout writing from Eleven Warriors, and a glance at what's next.
LSU-Iowa Women Set For Must-Watch Rematch in Elite Eight
One year after LSU beat Iowa in the national championship game, which drew the biggest television audience in women's tournament history, the Tigers and Hawkeyes are set for a rematch.
Two of the best and most well-known players in the sport, Iowa's Caitlin Clark and LSU's Angel Reese, began their rivalry last season, when Reese did the "you can't see me" motion to Clark after the Tigers essentially secured the win to get a ring, a celebration that Clark was known for doing earlier that year.
ANGEL REESE HIT CAITLIN CLARK WITH THE "YOU CAN'T SEE ME" pic.twitter.com/Zj3mqIzkk9
— ESPN (@espn) April 2, 2023
"I don't think people realize it's not personal," Reese told ESPN this weekend. "Once we get out between those lines, if I see you walking down the street, it's like, 'Hey, girl, what's up? Let's hang out.' I think people just take it like we hate each other. Me and Caitlin Clark don't hate each other. I want everybody to understand that. It's just a super competitive game. Once I get between those lines, there's no friends. I'm going to talk trash to you. I'm going to do whatever it takes to get in your head the whole entire game, but after the game, we can kick it. I don't think people really realize that.
"That's fine. I'll take the villain role. I'll take the hit for it, but I know we're growing women's basketball. If this is the way we're going to do it, then this is the way we're going to do it. You either like it or you don't."
Clark seemed to agree, explaining that it's the competitive nature both players have that brings out the best in the matchup.
"There's definitely that competitive fire," Clark said. "Both of us want to win more than anything, and that's how it should be when you're a competitor and you get into a situation like this, whether it was the national championship, whether it's the Elite Eight.
"I think that's the main similarity is how competitive we are. We both grew up loving this game, and we're going to do anything we can to help our teams win."
The matchup between Clark and Reese paired with the fact that LSU's Kim Mulkey is one of the most talked about coaches in the sport are two of the many storylines heading into the Elite Eight rematch.
When the NCAA released the women's basketball bracket, a potential Iowa-LSU rematch in the Elite Eight was one that everyone circled. Now, it's officially happening. ESPN – and the sport in general – got its wish, that's for sure. LSU and Iowa are set to tip off at 7 p.m. Monday on ESPN.
NCAA President Charlie Baker Wants to Ban College Prop Bets
The state of Ohio, along with Vermont, Maryland, West Virginia and New Mexico recently banned college player prop bets, and now the NCAA wants to ban prop bets across the country.
"Sports betting issues are on the rise across the country with prop bets continuing to threaten the integrity and competition and leading to student-athletes and professional athletes getting harassed," NCAA president Charlie Baker said in a statement. "The NCAA has been working with states to deal with these threats and many are responding by banning college prop bets.
"This week we will be contacting officials across the country in states that still allow these bets and ask them to join Ohio, Vermont, Maryland and many others and remove college prop bets from all betting markets," he said. "The NCAA is drawing the line on sports betting to protect student-athletes and to protect the integrity of the game -- issues across the country these last several days show there is more work to be done."
For those unfamiliar, prop bets are wagers not related to the final score of a contest. For example, a side bet would be how many points, rebounds and/or assists a specific player will have or an over/under on how many 3-pointers an individual player will make in a game.
With betting scandals taking place across professional sports along with many players being sent threats on social media regarding their stats, banning player props could go a long way, especially for college athletes.
New Georgia Running Back Trevor Etienne Could Face Suspension Following DUI Arrest
Following Etienne's DUI arrest last weekend, one in which he was traveling 80 to 90 miles per hour in a 50-mile-per-hour zone around 1:50 a.m. and twice crossed the double-yellow line to pass vehicles, Georgia's new running back and the former Florida Gator could face a suspension, Kirby Smart said Tuesday.
Under athletic department policy, Etienne will miss 10% of Georgia's season -- which equates to at least one game under the Bulldogs' 12-game schedule -- if found guilty of DUI. The Bulldogs open the 2024 season Aug. 31 in Atlanta against Clemson.
In addition to DUI, Etienne was also charged with reckless driving, failure to maintain lane/improper driving on the road and affixing materials that reduce the visibility of windows/windshield.
This certainly isn't the first time a Georgia player has gotten in trouble behind the wheel recently. Bulldogs players were arrested or cited for speeding or reckless driving over 14 times last year, including a Jan. 15, 2023 crash that killed offensive lineman Devin Willock and recruiting staffer Chandler LeCroy. Speeding and alcohol played a role in that crash, police said.
"As we also know, kids sometimes don't make the best decisions," Smart said. "The older you get, sometimes the tougher the consequences are for your mistakes. So, he's not going to let this mistake define him. He's embarrassed. He's upset. He knows he made a mistake. It's a teaching moment, and we hope he gets better from it."
Smart has even brought in speakers to talk about these incidents with the Georgia football players.
"It wasn't just because of some of the issues we've had, but we got [Stallworth] in here because over and above getting a DUI and all that entails, you can kill somebody," Smart said. "I wanted our kids to hear it from somebody who had gone through something that terrible."
ICYMI
Ohio State Firmly Established As Women’s Hockey Powerhouse with Second National Championship in Three Years
Ohio State women’s hockey had never made the NCAA Tournament when Nadine Muzerall was hired. Eight years later, the Buckeyes are two-time national champions.
Despite Missed Buzzer-Beater, Ohio State’s Jamison Battle Can't Help But Smile As His Collegiate Career Comes to a Close
Jamison Battle couldn't help but smile following his missed buzzer-beater against Georgia, reflecting on a memorable college career full of twists and turns.
Student Appreciation Day Recap: Jeremiah Smith Looks Like A Superstar and Ohio State’s Quarterback Competition Remains Tight
Jeremiah Smith was the star of Student Appreciation Day, Devin Brown threw the deep ball better than Will Howard and Ohio State’s trio of second-year defensive tackles flashed.
What's Next
- 13 Days: Ohio State's spring football game
- 153 Days: OSU football's season opener vs. Akron
- 244 Days: The Game
