logo
Why Mark Sears' mom Lameka mimes shooting free throws with the Alabama guard

Why Mark Sears' mom Lameka mimes shooting free throws with the Alabama guard

USA Today21-03-2025

Why Mark Sears' mom Lameka mimes shooting free throws with the Alabama guard
It's the most fun thing to watch as Alabama plays in March Madness: senior guard Mark Sears steps to the free-throw line, and the cameras go to his mom, Lameka, as she mimes his routine with him.
If you're here, you're probably wondering: why is that? What's the story there?
MARCH MADNESS ODDS: Final Four and national championship odds for all 68 men's NCAA tournament teams
We have an answer! Per the Tuscaloosa News: "As her son shoots free throws, Lameka always stands up and goes through the motions from the stands, too. She's been doing that since Mark was playing rec league basketball. It just has never drawn the same level of exposure as now; Lameka has gotten frequent TV time throughout a season in which her son put together an effort that earned him consensus second-team All-American recognition."
She's always been his No. 1 fan and he can apparently hear her from the crowd during certain games. And since she's been doing this since her son was playing in a rec league, she, of course, also did this during Alabama's 2024 NCAA tournament:

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Storylines to follow during June's second huge visit weekend
Storylines to follow during June's second huge visit weekend

NBC Sports

time44 minutes ago

  • NBC Sports

Storylines to follow during June's second huge visit weekend

Editor's Note: This article first appeared on the leader in college football and basketball recruiting coverage. Be the first to know and follow your teams by signing up here. It's the second massive weekend of official visits and camps across the country. Rivals national recruiting director Adam Gorney looks at 12 major storylines to watch. MORE: Several elite quarterbacks hitting the road for pivotal official visits RECRUITING RUMOR MILL: Latest buzz on nearly three dozen prospects | June kicks off with a bang | Baltimore | Detroit NEW RIVALS250 RELEASED: Ranking | Top storylines | Ten prospects who could rise with a big June CLASS OF 2026 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State CLASS OF 2027 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State TRANSFER PORTAL: Full coverage | Player ranking | Team ranking | Transfer search | Transfer Tracker RIVALS CAMP SERIES: Rivals Five-Star heading back to Indy | Rivals Five-Star roster | Schedule/info It's a big weekend at Alabama with a handful of top targets that the Crimson Tide should close on in town as well. Five-star safety Jireh Edwards was at Auburn last weekend but the chatter is that Alabama is out front in his recruitment. Former USC four-star linebacker commit Xavier Griffin, an Alabama legacy, will also be there. He's coming off a phenomenal Ohio State trip but the Crimson Tide have the edge there, too. Four-star QB Matt Ponatoski, who wants to play baseball and football in college, is visiting as Alabama, Oregon and others are involved. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH ALABAMA FANS AT Auburn has another big weekend as coach Hugh Freeze has the recruiting train rolling strong on The Plains but the biggest outcome of this entire week could be the Tigers making a serious move with 2027 five-star quarterback Elijah Haven. The Baton Rouge (La.) Dunham standout made his first visit to Auburn this week and already said he plans to be back because he loves Freeze and position coach Kent Austin. LSU is considered the front-runner and could be tough to beat but Haven has some thinking to do now. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH LSU FANS AT Auburn defensive end commit Hezekiah Harris is coming to Gainesville as he's more seriously looking at some others. Michigan defensive back pledge Brody Jennings and Florida State receiver commit Darryon Williams will be there, too. On top of some major flip candidates, Florida will also have four-star edge rusher Jake Kreul there and while Oklahoma might have the edge and Ohio State blew him away last weekend, the Gators are making a serious move for him. High three-star offensive lineman Chancellor Campbell is coming, too, as Florida and Georgia are engaged in a major battle. Five-star receiver Cederian Morgan is expected and while Florida is a long shot, it gets its chance this weekend. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH FLORIDA FANS AT 1ST AND TEN FLORIDA Vodney Cleveland. Dre Quinn. Kendall Guervil. PJ Dean. Ebenezer Ewetade. It's a loaded defensive line list coming to Athens this weekend and it wouldn't be a shock at all to see coach Kirby Smart and his staff close on some of those big names down the stretch. There are some others that Georgia has some work on. Four-star running back Savion Hiter is expected as Ohio State, Tennessee and others are involved there. Four-star, long, athletic defensive back Tamarion Watkins is also expected in Athens as South Carolina could have the edge there. Smart is the best recruiter in college football, though, so another big weekend awaits in Athens. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH GEORGIA FANS AT One of the last uncommitted quarterbacks in the class is Luke Fahey as Stanford and Indiana are the two front-runners pending a visit to Ohio State later this month. The Mission Viejo, Calif., standout had an excellent visit to Stanford last weekend and it's tough to beat sitting down with general manager Andrew Luck. But there is serious intrigue in the Hoosiers and the opportunity there. Of course, this could all collapse later this month if Ohio State offers but until then it's really a two-team race. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH INDIANA FANS AT Landing a commitment from four-star quarterback Jett Thomalla was a massive recruiting win for Iowa State in April. Keeping him will now be the challenge. The Omaha (Neb.) Millard South standout visited Alabama this weekend and the Crimson Tide want him to return for another trip soon. In between all this, Thomalla will be back in Ames this weekend. Alabama is Alabama and the Crimson Tide need a quarterback so that's tempting. But Iowa State recruited Thomalla so well. How this plays out down the stretch will be interesting. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH IOWA STATE FANS AT There has been a serious influx of tight end talent from small-town Kansas the last two recruiting cycles. Last time, four-star Linkon Cure from Goodland chose Kansas State over Oregon and others. This recruiting class, Ian Premer from Great Bend (population 14,000) has Kansas, Kansas State, Iowa State, Michigan and Notre Dame as his favorites. The talk, though, is that Iowa State has a slight edge over Kansas right now. This will be a crucial weekend for the Jayhawks to turn that tide ever-so-slightly in their favor to keep the talented 6-foot-5, 225-pound tight end home. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH KANSAS FANS AT A better understanding of where everything stands with four-star quarterback Bowe Bentley should occur after this weekend. The Celina, Texas, standout was at LSU last weekend and had a fantastic visit with offensive coordinator Joe Sloan and many others. But the word has been that the Sooners hold the edge in his recruitment so it's a big weekend for new offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle and others. The feeling is that Arbuckle wants Bentley in this class so it's a big early test for him in Norman this weekend. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH OKLAHOMA FANS AT It's been written enough that Oregon has had a tough couple weeks losing quarterback Jonas Williams to USC, five-star quarterback Jared Curtis to Georgia and five-star offensive lineman Jackson Cantwell to Miami. Now is the time for another major recruiting weekend in Eugene where the Ducks could load up. It's a huge list. Five-star linebacker Tyler Atkinson is coming back. Five-star defensive end Richard Wesley, who was committed to the Ducks but backed off since those close to him didn't sign off, will be back and that could be huge. Five-star athlete Brandon Arrington will be there as Texas A&M and others battle for him. Coach Dan Lanning is one of the best and weekends like this are becoming the norm. Last weekend, four-star quarterback Landon Duckworth went to Auburn and got a massive recruiting pitch from coach Hugh Freeze. That could be compelling and the Jackson, Ala., standout didn't seem fazed by having Jackson Arnold and Deuce Knight in the QB room. There appears to be enough NIL money to go around. There has been some chatter that South Carolina is once again very much in this recruitment (he was committed to the Gamecocks earlier) but Ole Miss is not going away easily. This is a crucial weekend for coach Shane Beamer and his staff. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH SOUTH CAROLINA FANS AT It's not a massive list but an important group is heading to Texas this weekend and even though there are some long shots, coach Steve Sarkisian and his staff know how to take a big swing. No. 1 running back Ezavier Crowell is coming and even though Alabama will be tough to beat and Georgia is pushing, Texas has always been held high by him. Texas A&M and LSU lead for five-star OL/DL Lamar Brown so it's crucial to get him in Austin and see what they can do. Four-star edge rusher Jamarion Carlton is a big visitor along with four-star cornerback Davon Benjamin among others. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH TEXAS FANS AT It's a huge weekend at Texas A&M with a ton of opportunities to woo recruits. Fresh off working out at Ole Miss, five-star LSU receiver commit Tristen Keys will be in College Station. So will four-star nickel Bralan Womack, four-star offensive lineman John Turntine, Tank Jones, Tank King and many others. Some big targets such as five-star Lamar Brown are visiting elsewhere but the Aggies have a huge opportunity this weekend with so many big names. Coach Mike Elko and his staff appear to be on the verge of really turning this thing around. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH TEXAS A&M FANS AT

College baseball schedule: Scores, times, TV channels for Friday super regionals games
College baseball schedule: Scores, times, TV channels for Friday super regionals games

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

College baseball schedule: Scores, times, TV channels for Friday super regionals games

USA TODAY and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article. Pricing and availability subject to change. Sixteen teams remain alive in the NCAA baseball tournament and look to punch their ticket to the College World Series with a super regional win. National seeds Arkansas, Auburn, North Carolina, LSU, Oregon State, Florida State, Coastal Carolina, Tennessee and UCLA all won regionals at their home field, although No. 1 Vanderbilt and No. 2 Texas were upset in the opening weekend. Advertisement Stream college baseball super regionals live with ESPN+ Regional 4-seed Murray State won the Oxford Regional and is looking to become the fourth No. 4 seed to ever reach a College World Series, along with Oral Roberts, Stony Brook and Fresno State. Next, is a three-game series for each of the teams still alive, with the winner headed to Omaha, Nebraska for the CWS. Here's a look at the super regionals scores and schedule for Friday, June 6, along with how to watch each game: College baseball super regionals games today Arizona at No. 5 North Carolina | Noon ET | ESPN2 Miami at Louisville | 3 p.m. ET | ESPN2 No. 9 Florida State at No. 8 Oregon State | 6 p.m. ET | ESPN2 No. 13 Coastal Carolina at No. 4 Auburn | 9 p.m. ET | ESPN2 REQUIRED READING: College baseball tournament super regionals: Ranking the 16 teams left in the field College baseball scores today This section will be updated. Advertisement No. 5 North Carolina 18, Arizona 2 Louisville 8, Miami 1 No. 8 Oregon State 5, No. 9 Florida State 4 No. 13 Coastal Carolina at No. 4 Auburn NCAA baseball tournament bracket The full bracket for the 2025 NCAA baseball tournament can be found here. When is the College World Series? Date: June 13-June 22/23 The College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska, starts June 13, and runs through June 22 or 23. The tournament extends one day if the three-game national championship series needs a deciding Game 3. What channel are college baseball games on today? TV channel: ESPN2 Streaming: ESPN app, ESPN+, Fubo Super regional college baseball games on Friday, June 6, will air live on ESPN2, with streaming options on the ESPN app (with a TV provider login), ESPN+ or Fubo, which both require subscriptions. Fubo offers a free trial potential subscribers. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: College baseball schedule: Scores, times, TV channels for Friday

Schools can now directly pay college athletes after landmark $2.8 billion settlement
Schools can now directly pay college athletes after landmark $2.8 billion settlement

New York Post

timean hour ago

  • New York Post

Schools can now directly pay college athletes after landmark $2.8 billion settlement

College athletes will undergo yet another historic change. U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken approved the $2.8 billion settlement in the House v. NCAA case on Friday, which allows schools to directly compensate student-athletes. Under the new agreement, each participating Division I school can distribute up to $20.5 million annually to athletes, with that cap increasing over the next decade. The NCAA logo at the Division I Men's Golf Championships in 2025. NCAA Photos via Getty Images Moreover, it will provide $2.8 billion in payback to former athletes dating back to 2016, addressing past restrictions on NIL, to some extent. Judge Wilken's approval in court also addressed concerns regarding roster limits that would've likely impacted walk-on athletes. The settlement introduces the 'Designated Student-Athletes' tag, which is intended to allow those impacted by roster changes to return or transfer without worrying about being penalized. NCAA President Charlie Baker discussed the settlement in a lengthy open letter. 'Many looked to April's hearing about the House settlement as a culmination of sorts, but the court's final approval of the settlement in fact marks a new beginning for Division I student-athletes and for the NCAA,' Baker wrote. 'For several years, Division I members crafted well-intentioned rules and systems to govern financial benefits from schools and name, image and likeness opportunities, but the NCAA could not easily enforce these for several reasons. 'The result was a sense of chaos: instability for schools, confusion for student-athletes and too often litigation. Sometimes member schools even supported that litigation — some of which spurred hastily imposed court orders upending the rules,' he continued. The NCAA logo is shown on signage before the Division III Men's Ice Hockey Championship held at University Nexus Center on March 30, 2025 in Utica, New York. NCAA Photos via Getty Images Baker additionally acknowledged the challenges ahead involving more change, noting: 'Going forward, the defendant conferences will be responsible for implementing several elements of the settlement, including the design and enforcement of the annual 22.5 percent cap (approximately $20.5 million in year one) for financial benefits a Division I school may direct to student-athletes,' he outlined. 'In addition, the court maintains jurisdiction over the implementation of the settlement, and the plaintiffs will continue to track progress.' Baker hailed this as positive, adding, 'The defendant conferences are also responsible for launching and enforcing a series of rules regarding the third-party NIL contracts student-athletes may enter into. With these reforms, along with scholarships and other benefits, student-athletes at many schools will be able to receive nearly 50 percent of all athletics department revenue. That is a tremendously positive change and one that was long overdue.' Baker concluded by pointing out that 'change at this scale is never easy.' Changes are set to take effect beginning on July 1.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store