Latest news with #It'sAlwaysSunnyin
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Welcome to Google AI Mode! Everything is fine.
If the AI lovefest of Google I/O 2025 were a TV show, you might be tempted to call it It's Always Sunny in Mountain View. (It's not, by the way, especially in the fog-filled month of May, even if the company's confidence in booking an outdoor amphitheater suggests otherwise). But here's a better sitcom analogy for the event that added AI Mode to all U.S. search results, whether we want it or not. It's The Good Place, in which our late heroes are repeatedly assured that they've gone to a better world. A place where everything is fine, all is as it seems, and search quality just keeps getting better. Don't worry about ever-present and increasing AI hallucinations here in the Good Place, where the word "hallucination" isn't even used. Forget about the one live demo (among a dozen prerecorded ones) that went spectacularly wrong, where two presenters failed to translate each others' words via their Google AI glasses. Responsible AI, the focus of Google I/O 2023, went unmentioned. Skyrocketing AI data center usage contributing to global warming? In the Good Place, Google AI is fighting global warming by helping to pinpoint wildfires. Don't think too hard about that one. And as for that whole Hollywood strike that lasted nearly a year, largely over creatives' concerns about studios using AI? Fuggedaboutit. Creative folk love AI in the Good Place — just listen to the testimonials from the filmmakers and musicians Google has cherry-picked! Meanwhile, SEO experts warn, search results continue to get worse with AI Mode-style overviews. According to internal memos obtained in the ongoing Department of Justice lawsuit, which the DOJ just won, Google has a perverse incentive to make them that way. "If users don't get what they want the first time, they have to search again," says Lily Ray, VP of SEO Strategy at Amsive, and the author of a recent viral LinkedIn post, Google AI Overviews Have a Major Spam Problem. "So if you're serving them multiple AI overviews because they have to search multiple times, Google can then say 'we have more people using AI every day.' It's like, 'yeah, but there's no way to turn it off.'" Or to put it in the plot-pivoting words of The Good Place's Eleanor Shellstrop (Kristen Bell): "Wait a minute. This is the Bad Place!" Google has a roughly 90 percent share of the search market, after all; it can afford to make the product worse by using AI so long as investors keep juicing the stocks of AI-heavy companies. It can pretend to look like the Good Place for search, while under the hood it's anything but. Like Eleanor Shellstrop, however, users know what's up. Google search results have "kind of become the laughingstock of the Internet," Ray says. "Whenever Google communicates about AI Overviews, they say 'our users really love it.' But then when you read Google Forum, it's always like 'how do I turn this thing off, I want Google search back.'" (Even turning AI search off, according to one Google Forum user, doesn't turn it off.) As in The Good Place, this awareness may not do a lick of good. If investors continue to reward Google for frothy presentations filled with cool-sounding AI features, there's no incentive for quality control. As often appears to be the case in 2025, we have to get used to living in separate realities. So users may breathe a little easier knowing that Google stock fell by 1.5 percent in the aftermath of I/O (and is down 12 percent in 2025 as a whole). Is that enough to nudge the company to pay attention? It would take Google I/O levels of Pollyanna optimism to think so. Instead, let's draw our attention to a Good Place fact you won't find easily in AI Mode. It took demon Michael (Ted Danson) 300 years to stop resetting Eleanor's memories every time she realized she was in the Bad Place. So, only a few hundred years to go before Google is working for us again. Everything is fine.
Time of India
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Tom Brady takes center stage in ‘Welcome to Wrexham' season 4 as banter with Rob McElhenney heats up
Tom Brady joins 'Welcome to Wrexham' season 4, sparking a hilarious feud with Rob McElhenney over a cheeky joke. (Credit: YouTube/Ryan Reynolds) Season 4 of Welcome to Wrexham is about to crank up the drama, and this time, it's not just about football. NFL legend Tom Brady is entering the scene — not as a player, thankfully, but as a co-owner of Birmingham City FC , one of Wrexham's fiercest new rivals in League One. Tom Brady joins the chaos at Wrexham as Rob McElhenney's joke stirs up hilarious feud With the official trailer now live, fans are already buzzing about what appears to be a not-so-friendly rivalry between Brady and the show's familiar faces, Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. 'He's not playing – thank God,' Ryan Reynolds exclaims in the opening of the trailer. With a tone equal parts comic relief and subtle apprehension, he then adds, 'Is he allowed to play?' That playful panic sets the tone for a season where celebrity competition spills over onto the pitch. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Google Brain Co-Founder Andrew Ng, Recommends: Read These 5 Books And Turn Your Life Around Blinkist: Andrew Ng's Reading List Undo Welcome to Wrexham | Season 4 Official Trailer After achieving back-to-back promotions, Wrexham now finds itself in League One, where the competition is stiffer, the stakes higher, and the spotlight even brighter. Brady, who joined Birmingham City as a minority owner in 2023, quickly becomes the center of attention — both as a sports icon and now a new figure in the club ownership scene. His presence is seen as a serious power move, adding more spice to an already intriguing storyline. One of the standout moments in the trailer is a callback to McElhenney's iconic sitcom It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. A clip plays where his character jokes, 'Maybe break his arm,' referring to Tom Brady, to which Kaitlin Olson's Dee responds, 'You can't break Tom Brady's arm.' Fast-forward to present day, Brady responds, 'What's wrong with you?' — his deadpan expression speaking volumes about how personal this fictional jab might've felt. The docuseries — set to run for eight episodes — won't just spotlight the clash of celebrity owners. It dives deeper into the challenges Wrexham faces as they push for a third consecutive promotion. The grit of League One football , the unwavering support from the local Welsh community, and now the added glitz of Brady's Birmingham have elevated the narrative far beyond just sports. 'It's a friendly competition,' Brady says at one point — only to follow it up with, 'Well, not friendly,' as the trailer flashes a chaotic scene of players from both sides in a heated moment on the field. As Wrexham continues its fairytale rise under Reynolds and McElhenney, and Birmingham pushes forward with Brady's backing, Welcome to Wrexham Season 4 promises not just underdog inspiration, but a Hollywood-style rivalry that fans won't want to miss. Welcome to Wrexham Season 4 premieres May 15 at 9 pm on FX and streaming next day on Hulu. Welcome to Wrexham is executive produced by McElhenney, Reynolds, Josh Drisko, Bryan Rowland, Jeff Luini, Ker, Nick Frenkel, George Dewey and Boardwalk Pictures' Andrew Fried, Dane Lillegard, Sarina Roma, and Andy Thomas. The docuseries is produced by More Better Productions, Maximum Effort Productions, 3 Arts Entertainment and Boardwalk Pictures. Also Read: "Skip Bayless is an idiot": Tom Brady reportedly denies accusations against him of sabotaging Shedeur Sanders' NFL future
Reuters
02-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Reuters
Actor and Producer Charlie Day to Keynote 2025 OAAA OOH Media Conference as Full Agenda Goes Live
WASHINGTON, DC, April 2, 2025 (EZ Newswire) -- The Out of Home Advertising Association of America (OAAA) today unveiled the full agenda for its 2025 OOH Media Conference, taking place May 5–7 in Boston, with a headlining keynote by actor, writer, and producer, Charlie Day. With powerhouse marketers, agency executives, media analysts, and industry thought leaders set to take the stage, this year's event promises to be a bold exploration of the expanding role of out of home (OOH) in the modern marketing mix. Charlie Day, best known for co-creating and starring in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, will bring his signature energy and offbeat perspective to the main stage. In addition to his on-screen success, Day has expanded his creative footprint as an entrepreneur with the launch of Four Walls Whiskey. His keynote will explore how bold storytelling, cultural resonance, and creative risk-taking can drive real-world impact. Underscoring this year's conference theme, 'The Power of Presence,' his session will spotlight how showing up in authentic, unexpected ways can leave a lasting mark on culture and consumers alike. The 2025 agenda features a who's-who of brand and media leaders, including: Kraft Heinz's North America CMO, Todd Kaplan in a headline session on creativity, culture, and striking the balance between creativity and data, moderated by David Shing A chief marketing officer roundtable with trailblazing marketers from Bose, New Balance, and CBRE on growth strategies and cutting through the noise Cracker Barrel's CMO Sarah Moore on balancing tradition with innovation across social, digital, and loyalty marketing Generational researcher Jason Dorsey returns to the OOH Media Conference stage unpacking how younger generations think about media, brands, and the workplace A powerhouse panel of women leaders from Rakuten, Infillion, Gemini, and Intersection on breaking barriers and building brands Media strategist Brian Wieser on current trends impacting the ad economy and the industry's future, examining shifting dynamics and what these changes mean for how money will flow in a rapidly transforming environment A candid conversation with the chief executives of the three largest U.S. OOH companies: Clear Channel Outdoor, Lamar Advertising and OUTFRONT Media A high-impact media investment discussion with senior executives from major agency holding companies on OOH's growing role in the media mix Brand leaders from HubSpot, Lesser Evil, and Lalo on how innovative brands are adapting to a rapidly changing media and platform ecosystem, shifting consumer behaviors, and economic complexity A pharma marketing case study with AstraZeneca on how programmatic DOOH is reshaping patient engagement LUMA Partners' Terence Kawaja on how AI, automation, and retail media are redefining the future of OOH 'The 2025 OOH Media Conference showcases the full power and momentum of the out of home industry,' said Anna Bager, President and CEO, OAAA. 'This year's agenda is our most ambitious yet—featuring an inspiring keynote from Charlie Day, plus dynamic conversations with brand leaders, media innovators, and creative visionaries from every major sector. It reflects how far out of home has come and boldly charts where we're heading next—thriving at the intersection of creativity, technology, commerce, and culture.' The 2025 OOH Media Conference will also feature deep-dive track sessions and workshops, the 83rd Annual OBIE Awards, the bi-annual OOH Industry Awards, and countless opportunities for networking, inspiration, and industry celebration over three packed days. To view the full agenda and register for the 2025 OOH Media Conference, visit About the Out of Home Advertising Association of America (OAAA) The Out of Home Advertising Association of America (OAAA) is the national trade association for the entire out of home (OOH) advertising industry. OAAA represents over 850 members, including leading media companies, advertisers, agencies, ad-tech providers, and suppliers. OOH media includes billboards, street furniture, transit, place-based media, and digital formats (DOOH) across every sector of the channel. OAAA is the unifying voice for the industry, the authoritative thought leader, and the passionate advocate for advancing OOH advertising in the United States. The legislative unit of OAAA advocates for the responsible growth of OOH with federal, state, and local governments. OAAA-member media companies donate over $500 million annually in public service advertising. Founded in 1891, OAAA is headquartered in Washington, DC, with offices in New York City. For more information, visit Media Contact SOURCE: Out of Home Advertising Association of America (OAAA)
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Women's college basketball bracket watch: With UCLA's loss, Notre Dame rises to a No. 1 seed
Don't look now, but we're officially 30 days from Selection Sunday. How did it get here so fast, yet simultaneously how are we supposed to fit everything left in conference play? My brain is rattled. Every day I look at my spreadsheets and my four-by-three whiteboard bracket and feel a little more akin to Charlie during the newsroom episode of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, except Pepe Silvia is actually a real person in this scenario, and that person is actually the Utah Utes who I realized I forgot to put in my seed list at 1:13 a.m. … and it all comes back to that Mac. To semi-quote 'Always Sunny,' I've been dying to talk about it, let's talk about the bracket, I wanna show you the bracket. Thanks to an all-time performance from JuJu Watkins, we will not see an undefeated team make it to March, as USC took down UCLA 71-60 at the Galen Center Thursday night. Before even thinking of the ramifications for the bracket, you just have to marvel at a game like that. USC has been in a bit of a slump by the standards it set, recently suffering a setback to Iowa, and then they beat the No. 1 team in the country. Trying to piece together how everything fit from a bracket perspective was frankly dizzying. Let's summarize. • UCLA drops to 5th on the seed list, the top No. 2 seed • USC bumps back up to the No. 1 seed line • Notre Dame takes the top seed overall Why Notre Dame at No. 1 overall? I wrestled hard with this one when trying to account for recent play (more on this shortly) as well as head-to-head matchups. Notre Dame's victory over Texas during the ACC/SEC Challenge was a decisive factor for placing Notre Dame higher than the Longhorns. Also note that Notre Dame hasn't lost since the start of December, winning by less than double digits just once (Clemson) out of its past 17 wins. Particularly with UCLA falling and the head-to-head over Texas, the argument is pretty strong for the Irish as the best team in the country at this moment. Then factor Texas beating South Carolina last weekend and winning nine straight games since the first game against the Gamecocks, which warrants placing Texas over South Carolina by a slim margin. You could make a case for UCLA to remain a No. 1 seed, but the cases for the first three teams are too strong. The Bruins are phenomenal, and I expect them to make a run back to the No. 1 seed line, but UCLA unfortunately lost one of its best arguments for being a No. 1 seed and is no longer the lone undefeated team. USC and UCLA meet once more in the final game of one another's inaugural Big Ten season, this time at Pauley Pavillion, arguably the most important game of both teams' Watkins HAD A GAME against the No. 1 team in the country 🔥@Jujubballin | @USCWBB The Athletic (@TheAthletic) February 14, 2025 I've been asked a few times in comments on recent bracket and bubble watch articles about two teams that are on different seed lines despite similar resumes. Perhaps the biggest aspect that threw me for a loop from the selection committee last season was how much they valued recent play. I spent most of last year's process leading up to the first Top 16 reveal solely seeding based on a program's entire body of work. That's still the majority of the job, but I've been trying to factor in the recent play as well to better show a bracket in line with how the committee lands. For frame of reference, the most important aspect when I build the bracket is total resume: who have you beaten, who did you lose to, how competitive were when determining between a seed line with two teams that have similar total bodies of work, the team playing better recently is far more likely to be seeded higher, even if losses to the other team were competitive. While it's good to lose close, a loss is still a loss and has a negative factor. When looking at NC State and Tennessee last week, I had NC State higher due to its recent performances. Tennessee picked up a massive statement win over UConn, but was 4-5 (without a Quad 1 win) since the start of January before beating UConn. The Wolfpack were 8-1 in that same stretch, including a Quad 1 win over Duke. The Volunteers had a notably tougher stretch, and all five losses to NET top-25 teams. But again, a loss is still a loss.I've put a ton of emphasis on strength of schedule, similar to last year, but adding recent play as a stronger factor (consider that the last two to four weeks) has made it a bit more uncertain on some of the closest cases. I'll be curious to see how the selection committee has processed this on Sunday during the Top 16 reveal. One of the biggest questions I have for the committee: How does it approach valuing and seeding the middle of the Big Ten? Nebraska beat up on Minnesota early in Big Ten play but lost handily to Indiana and Iowa recently. But, hey, the Cornhuskers also have key wins over Michigan State and Maryland — both Quad 1 opponents. Indiana beat Iowa earlier in the season, but it lost to Minnesota and Oregon. The Ducks beat Iowa, Indiana and Michigan State in a row to close January, looking primed to take a step, and then they lost by 30 to Michigan. Oregon's win over Baylor in nonconference (Quad 1) is crucial on its resume. Illinois defeated the Ducks earlier in conference play and separated itself from the pack to a degree. Speaking of Illinois, that's one of Minnesota's key wins as well as defeating Indiana last weekend. But the Gophers also lost to Iowa recently, and that aforementioned beat-down at the hands of the Cornhuskers still stings. There are a lot of solid to good teams in this conference, but they've somewhat hurt one another in league play, which is to be expected. How the committee estimates this group isn't something we'll gain insight into until March 16 … and that certainly keeps me up at night. Now 25-2 as they stack quality wins like Halloween candy, the Longhorns hold all the cards to earn a No. 1 seed. As we've detailed throughout the past few weeks, the SEC has looked increasingly more likely to earn two of the top four seeds. Texas has come to play, winning nine straight games since losing to South Carolina in mid-January, including avenging that defeat in Austin on Sunday. Coach Vic Schaefer's squad has also reeled off six Quad 1 wins in that stretch, made even more impressive considering that only five teams in the country have six or more Quad 1 wins for the entire season. With a looming Sunday primetime showdown against LSU, also in the hunt for a No. 1 seed, we're getting another crack at the top billing shifting 10 road win 😏🤘#HookEm Texas Women's Basketball (@TexasWBB) February 14, 2025 Is your program on the cusp of an at-large bid and struggling to stay afloat? Well, unfortunately, I do not bring good tidings for you as the Richmond Spiders and the A-10 tournament could wind up being the reason they're on the outside looking in. Richmond is a delight to watch play, running modern concepts, sharing the ball at a high level and killing teams with their shooting and what it opens. Every player who logs double-digit minutes takes and makes 3-pointers at a rate that warrants guarding. Though they won't often win one-on-one or beat opponents without a screen off the dribble, you can't get caught off guard at any point against the most efficient team in the country. Yes, you read that right: Richmond leads the country in true shooting percentage, which accounts for shots beyond the arc and free throws. To add even more nuance, the Spiders have the nation's highest field goal percentage at 51 percent and also lead the country by shooting 60.2 percent inside the arc. Add this recipe to Richmond's resume: • Beat Oklahoma State (Quad 1 win) • Beat Fairfield and Columbia (Quad 2 wins) • Played Texas and Alabama close, showing competitiveness they'd need in the NCAA Tournament Let's say Richmond were to lose in the A-10 tournament despite being on track to win the regular season. This team is still in the field, and could easily slot in as a No. 10 seed even if things went awry. If the Spiders don't wind up with an auto-bid, which they're currently projected to receive, that means one less spot in the field with a conference unlikely to snag two bids doing just that. Coach Kristy Curry's 12th season in Tuscaloosa is shaping up to be her finest, reaching 20 wins for a fourth-straight season. The No. 21 Crimson Tide have been ranked much of the season — the first time they've been in the Top 25 since 1999. Alabama is a talented veteran team, starting four upperclassmen, including three seniors worthy of all-league honors and capable of making it to the WNBA. The Tide picked up key nonconference wins against Richmond and Michigan State, both Quad 1 games. More significant wins have come in SEC play against Mississippi State and Ole Miss, placing Alabama in the top six of the conference standings. It's worth noting that both of the Tide's losses to South Carolina and Texas came without star guard, Sarah Ashlee Barker. Now fully healthy, they face Texas A&M, Tennessee, Auburn, LSU and Oklahoma to close the year. They're already knocking on the door for hosting in March, but with a strong stretch to close the regular season, they could snag a No. 4 seed or higher for the first time since 1998. Alabama is rock solid, and I sense there's another gear it can get to. The Bracket Central series is part of a partnership with E*TRADE. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication. This article originally appeared in The Athletic. USC Trojans, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, UCLA Bruins, South Carolina Gamecocks, Richmond Spiders, Alabama Crimson Tide, Texas Longhorns, Women's College Basketball, Bracket Central, Women's NCAA Tournament 2025 The Athletic Media Company
New York Times
14-02-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Women's college basketball bracket watch: With UCLA's loss, Notre Dame rises to a No. 1 seed
(Editor's note: This article is part of the Bracket Central series, an inside look at the run-up to the men's & women's NCAA Tournaments, along with analysis and picks during the tournaments.) Don't look now, but we're officially 30 days from Selection Sunday. How did it get here so fast, yet simultaneously how are we supposed to fit everything left in conference play? My brain is rattled. Advertisement Every day I look at my spreadsheets and my four-by-three whiteboard bracket and feel a little more akin to Charlie during the newsroom episode of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, except Pepe Silvia is actually a real person in this scenario, and that person is actually the Utah Utes who I realized I forgot to put in my seed list at 1:13 a.m. … and it all comes back to that Mac. To semi-quote 'Always Sunny,' I've been dying to talk about it, let's talk about the bracket, I wanna show you the bracket. Thanks to an all-time performance from JuJu Watkins, we will not see an undefeated team make it to March, as USC took down UCLA 71-60 at the Galen Center Thursday night. Before even thinking of the ramifications for the bracket, you just have to marvel at a game like that. USC has been in a bit of a slump by the standards it set, recently suffering a setback to Iowa, and then they beat the No. 1 team in the country. Trying to piece together how everything fit from a bracket perspective was frankly dizzying. Let's summarize. • UCLA drops to 5th on the seed list, the top No. 2 seed • USC bumps back up to the No. 1 seed line • Notre Dame takes the top seed overall Why Notre Dame at No. 1 overall? I wrestled hard with this one when trying to account for recent play (more on this shortly) as well as head-to-head matchups. Notre Dame's victory over Texas during the ACC/SEC Challenge was a decisive factor for placing Notre Dame higher than the Longhorns. Also note that Notre Dame hasn't lost since the start of December, winning by less than double digits just once (Clemson) out of its past 17 wins. Particularly with UCLA falling and the head-to-head over Texas, the argument is pretty strong for the Irish as the best team in the country at this moment. Then factor Texas beating South Carolina last weekend and winning nine straight games since the first game against the Gamecocks, which warrants placing Texas over South Carolina by a slim margin. Advertisement You could make a case for UCLA to remain a No. 1 seed, but the cases for the first three teams are too strong. The Bruins are phenomenal, and I expect them to make a run back to the No. 1 seed line, but UCLA unfortunately lost one of its best arguments for being a No. 1 seed and is no longer the lone undefeated team. USC and UCLA meet once more in the final game of one another's inaugural Big Ten season, this time at Pauley Pavillion, arguably the most important game of both teams' seasons. JuJu Watkins HAD A GAME against the No. 1 team in the country 🔥@Jujubballin | @USCWBB — The Athletic (@TheAthletic) February 14, 2025 I've been asked a few times in comments on recent bracket and bubble watch articles about two teams that are on different seed lines despite similar resumes. Perhaps the biggest aspect that threw me for a loop from the selection committee last season was how much they valued recent play. I spent most of last year's process leading up to the first Top 16 reveal solely seeding based on a program's entire body of work. That's still the majority of the job, but I've been trying to factor in the recent play as well to better show a bracket in line with how the committee lands. For frame of reference, the most important aspect when I build the bracket is total resume: who have you beaten, who did you lose to, how competitive were losses. But when determining between a seed line with two teams that have similar total bodies of work, the team playing better recently is far more likely to be seeded higher, even if losses to the other team were competitive. While it's good to lose close, a loss is still a loss and has a negative factor. When looking at NC State and Tennessee last week, I had NC State higher due to its recent performances. Tennessee picked up a massive statement win over UConn, but was 4-5 (without a Quad 1 win) since the start of January before beating UConn. The Wolfpack were 8-1 in that same stretch, including a Quad 1 win over Duke. The Volunteers had a notably tougher stretch, and all five losses to NET top-25 teams. But again, a loss is still a loss. I've put a ton of emphasis on strength of schedule, similar to last year, but adding recent play as a stronger factor (consider that the last two to four weeks) has made it a bit more uncertain on some of the closest cases. I'll be curious to see how the selection committee has processed this on Sunday during the Top 16 reveal. Advertisement One of the biggest questions I have for the committee: How does it approach valuing and seeding the middle of the Big Ten? Nebraska beat up on Minnesota early in Big Ten play but lost handily to Indiana and Iowa recently. But, hey, the Cornhuskers also have key wins over Michigan State and Maryland — both Quad 1 opponents. Indiana beat Iowa earlier in the season, but it lost to Minnesota and Oregon. The Ducks beat Iowa, Indiana and Michigan State in a row to close January, looking primed to take a step, and then they lost by 30 to Michigan. Oregon's win over Baylor in nonconference (Quad 1) is crucial on its resume. Illinois defeated the Ducks earlier in conference play and separated itself from the pack to a degree. Speaking of Illinois, that's one of Minnesota's key wins as well as defeating Indiana last weekend. But the Gophers also lost to Iowa recently, and that aforementioned beat-down at the hands of the Cornhuskers still stings. There are a lot of solid to good teams in this conference, but they've somewhat hurt one another in league play, which is to be expected. How the committee estimates this group isn't something we'll gain insight into until March 16 … and that certainly keeps me up at night. GO DEEPER Women's college basketball bubble watch: Predictions for crowded Big Ten race to tournament Now 25-2 as they stack quality wins like Halloween candy, the Longhorns hold all the cards to earn a No. 1 seed. As we've detailed throughout the past few weeks, the SEC has looked increasingly more likely to earn two of the top four seeds. Texas has come to play, winning nine straight games since losing to South Carolina in mid-January, including avenging that defeat in Austin on Sunday. Coach Vic Schaefer's squad has also reeled off six Quad 1 wins in that stretch, made even more impressive considering that only five teams in the country have six or more Quad 1 wins for the entire season. With a looming Sunday primetime showdown against LSU, also in the hunt for a No. 1 seed, we're getting another crack at the top billing shifting hands. top 10 road win 😏🤘#HookEm — Texas Women's Basketball (@TexasWBB) February 14, 2025 Is your program on the cusp of an at-large bid and struggling to stay afloat? Well, unfortunately, I do not bring good tidings for you as the Richmond Spiders and the A-10 tournament could wind up being the reason they're on the outside looking in. Richmond is a delight to watch play, running modern concepts, sharing the ball at a high level and killing teams with their shooting and what it opens. Every player who logs double-digit minutes takes and makes 3-pointers at a rate that warrants guarding. Though they won't often win one-on-one or beat opponents without a screen off the dribble, you can't get caught off guard at any point against the most efficient team in the country. Advertisement Yes, you read that right: Richmond leads the country in true shooting percentage, which accounts for shots beyond the arc and free throws. To add even more nuance, the Spiders have the nation's highest field goal percentage at 51 percent and also lead the country by shooting 60.2 percent inside the arc. Add this recipe to Richmond's resume: • Beat Oklahoma State (Quad 1 win) • Beat Fairfield and Columbia (Quad 2 wins) • Played Texas and Alabama close, showing competitiveness they'd need in the NCAA Tournament Let's say Richmond were to lose in the A-10 tournament despite being on track to win the regular season. This team is still in the field, and could easily slot in as a No. 10 seed even if things went awry. If the Spiders don't wind up with an auto-bid, which they're currently projected to receive, that means one less spot in the field with a conference unlikely to snag two bids doing just that. Coach Kristy Curry's 12th season in Tuscaloosa is shaping up to be her finest, reaching 20 wins for a fourth-straight season. The No. 21 Crimson Tide have been ranked much of the season — the first time they've been in the Top 25 since 1999. Alabama is a talented veteran team, starting four upperclassmen, including three seniors worthy of all-league honors and capable of making it to the WNBA. The Tide picked up key nonconference wins against Richmond and Michigan State, both Quad 1 games. More significant wins have come in SEC play against Mississippi State and Ole Miss, placing Alabama in the top six of the conference standings. It's worth noting that both of the Tide's losses to South Carolina and Texas came without star guard, Sarah Ashlee Barker. Now fully healthy, they face Texas A&M, Tennessee, Auburn, LSU and Oklahoma to close the year. They're already knocking on the door for hosting in March, but with a strong stretch to close the regular season, they could snag a No. 4 seed or higher for the first time since 1998. Alabama is rock solid, and I sense there's another gear it can get to. The Bracket Central series is part of a partnership with E*TRADE. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication. (Photo of Notre Dame: Michael Reaves / Getty Images)
