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Fox Sports
28 minutes ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
NCAA says online abuse related to sports betting declined during this year's March Madness
Associated Press INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Online abuse related to sports betting decreased during the NCAA's March Madness basketball tournaments compared with the prior year, but people involved in the competition still received more than 3,000 threatening messages, the NCAA said Tuesday. The NCAA hired Signify Group to monitor messages directed at athletes, coaches, game officials, selection committee members and others with official roles in the tournament. Signify used both artificial intelligence and human analysts to confirm the threats and, when necessary, report them to law enforcement. Overall, abuse related to sports betting was down 23%, the NCAA said in a news release. The men's March Madness bracket was notable this year for the scarcity of upsets, with all four No. 1 seeds advancing to the Final Four and Florida, a popular pick to win it all, claiming the national title. On the women's side, three top seeds made the national semifinals and No. 2 seed UConn, among the pre-tournament favorites, won the championship. The NCAA's analysis found that overall, abusive statements directed at people involved in the men's tournament increased by 140% — much of it directed at the selection committee and coaches — while abuse related to sports betting was down 36%. Abuse was down 83% on the women's side and betting-related abuse declined 66%. One women's player who was targeted online was Chandler Prater of Mississippi State, who was guarding Southern California star JuJu Watkins when she suffered a season-ending knee injury. 'I received all kinds of messages, so many of them hateful and abusive,' Prater said in a statement. 'It was unlike anything I'd ever experienced before.' Signify's AI flagged more than 54,000 posts, and its human analysts confirmed that 3,161 messages were abusive or threatening, the NCAA said. Those messages were reported to social media platforms and occasionally to law enforcement. The reporting led to the removal of abusive posts and restrictions on social media accounts. NCAA President Charlie Baker said he has made curbing online harassment a top priority. 'We have been encouraged to record a reduction in sports betting-related abuse and threat at the 2025 event,' Signify CEO Jonathan Hirshler said, 'as this is often the trigger for the most egregious and threatening content we detect.' ___ AP college basketball: recommended
Associated Press
38 minutes ago
- Sport
- Associated Press
NCAA says online abuse related to sports betting declined during this year's March Madness
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Online abuse related to sports betting decreased during the NCAA's March Madness basketball tournaments compared with the prior year, but people involved in the competition still received more than 3,000 threatening messages, the NCAA said Tuesday. The NCAA hired Signify Group to monitor messages directed at athletes, coaches, game officials, selection committee members and others with official roles in the tournament. Signify used both artificial intelligence and human analysts to confirm the threats and, when necessary, report them to law enforcement. Overall, abuse related to sports betting was down 23%, the NCAA said in a news release. The men's March Madness bracket was notable this year for the scarcity of upsets, with all four No. 1 seeds advancing to the Final Four and Florida, a popular pick to win it all, claiming the national title. On the women's side, three top seeds made the national semifinals and No. 2 seed UConn, among the pre-tournament favorites, won the championship. The NCAA's analysis found that overall, abusive statements directed at people involved in the men's tournament increased by 140% — much of it directed at the selection committee and coaches — while abuse related to sports betting was down 36%. Abuse was down 83% on the women's side and betting-related abuse declined 66%. One women's player who was targeted online was Chandler Prater of Mississippi State, who was guarding Southern California star JuJu Watkins when she suffered a season-ending knee injury. 'I received all kinds of messages, so many of them hateful and abusive,' Prater said in a statement. 'It was unlike anything I'd ever experienced before.' Signify's AI flagged more than 54,000 posts, and its human analysts confirmed that 3,161 messages were abusive or threatening, the NCAA said. Those messages were reported to social media platforms and occasionally to law enforcement. The reporting led to the removal of abusive posts and restrictions on social media accounts. NCAA President Charlie Baker said he has made curbing online harassment a top priority. 'We have been encouraged to record a reduction in sports betting-related abuse and threat at the 2025 event,' Signify CEO Jonathan Hirshler said, 'as this is often the trigger for the most egregious and threatening content we detect.' ___ AP college basketball:
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
USC Makes Major Announcement on Kobe Bryant's Daughter
USC Trojans basketball has had its fair share of exciting moments over the years. In recent history, the women's basketball team has been incredible. Stars like JuJu Watkins, Kiki Iriafen, and more make the Trojans women's team one to watch every year. Unfortunately, Watkins tore her ACL in the NCAA Tournament, and halted the chances of them taking home a national championship. Advertisement USC is home to plenty of celebrity news and incredible stories. Most recently, the late NBA legend Kobe Bryant's daughter Natalia has just become a Trojans alumni. The USC athletics page has announced her graduation from the school, showing her cap and gown picture years after she was sitting courtside with her father at a USC game. Natalia Bryant, daughter of former Los Angeles Lakers player Kobe Bryant reacts before throwing out the ceremonial first pitch at Dodger Stadium. © Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images Bryant's daughter was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority at USC, and graduated Cum Laude for the USC's School of Cinematic Arts. Greatness just seems to be running in the Bryant family, as she certainly would make her father very proud with her achievements while in college. Advertisement She also honored her father on her stole, with the Kobe logo on the top left, which went viral on social media with excitement. Bryant, while he never attended USC, was heavily involved in the Trojans. In 2018, he addressed a business class while sharing his life experiences and shared his thoughts on leadership that he had learned throughout his life. The school honors Bryant consistently, with the women's basketball team sporting Kobe signature shoes, as well as the football team wearing custom Kobe 6 cleats. The future for his daughter, Natalia Bryant, is bright, and expect nothing from greatness from the mamba mentality family. Related: Five-Star Alijah Arenas Took Jab at USC's Rival After Waking Up From Coma Related: Historic Big Ten Program is Dominating 2026 Recruiting
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
2025 K-State Women's Basketball: NCAA Tournament vs USC
It's been over 20 years since the Kansas State Wildcats made the regional semifinals. Back in 2002, the then 3-seed Wildcats fell 82-62 to 7-seed Old Dominion. It was a reversal of 1982, when in the first NCAA Tournament, the 4-seed Wildcats beat the 1-seed Monarchs 76-67 to advance to the program's one and only regional final. Advertisement The Wildcats face a huge test today. USC comes into today's game having lost just three games all season, earning them a 1-seed. They did, however, lose JuJu Watkins last weekend. Watkins is one of, if not the, best players in college basketball this season, and was the Trojans leading scorer all season. Other stepped up last Monday night, and USC still absolutely smoked 9-seed Mississippi State, but the loss of Watkins took some shine off the win. For K-State, Ayoka Lee is another week healthier, and the Wildcats, despite needing overtime on Sunday to beat 4-seed Kentucky, have an extra day of rest on the Trojans. K-State has shown they can win big games against really good teams, but USC is definitely the best team they've faced this season. A daunting challenge for sure, but not impossible. USC is the favorite, but without Watkins the line is remarkably close. K-State has the horses and the experience to win this game. But it will require a complete game effort from everyone to pull off the upset and keep playing. We've got an 7:00pm CT tipoff for the NCAA Tournament game today at the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena in Spokane, WA, and you can catch the action on ESPN with Ryan Ruocco (play-by-play), Rebecca Lobo (analyst), and Holly Rowe (sideline) on the call. Advertisement If you don't get ESPN or can't access the stream, the game can be heard across portions of the 28-station K-State Sports Network with Brian Smoller (play-by-play) and Kristin Waller (analyst) calling the action. The game will also be available online at and via the Varsity Network app. Live stats are also available at and social media updates (@KStateWBB) will also be a part of the coverage. Go Cats!
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Geno Auriemma Sends Strong Message on JuJu Watkins Before UConn-USC
Head coach Geno Auriemma and his No. 2 UConn Huskies are preparing for a heavyweight showdown with No. 1 USC in the Elite Eight of the 2025 NCAA women's basketball tournament on Monday night. The battle for a spot in the Final Four serves as a rematch of UConn's 80-73 win over USC in last year's Elite Eight and a thrilling 72-70 Trojans win back in December of this season. Advertisement Unfortunately for USC and all women's basketball fans, part three will not feature JuJu Watkins versus Paige Bueckers. Watkins suffered a season-ending ACL injury in USC's second-round win over No. 9 Mississippi State. UConn Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma (left) and USC Trojans guard JuJu Watkins (right).David Butler II, Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images As a longtime steward of the game, Auriemma has seen far too many players suffer the same fate as Watkins. Look no further than Bueckers, who missed the entire 2022-2023 season with an ACL injury in the middle of her historic five-year career in Storrs. Based on what he has seen before, the rival coach had conviction about how Watkins will respond when asked about the absent star before the UConn-USC game. Advertisement "I don't know of anyone that I've coached that suffered an injury like this — that was the quality of player we're talking about — that didn't come back better," Auriemma said. Any list of the best players in women's basketball history is littered with players who overcame the devastating but all-too-common injury in women's sports, including WNBA icons like Candace Parker, Tamika Catchings and Sheryl Swoopes. There are plenty of past and present Huskies with the injury that Auriemma saw first hand, too. Beyond Bueckers, UConn legend Sue Bird and current guard Azzi Fudd are a couple notable names in the same category. Advertisement "That's what makes them who they are," he explained. "For them, it's another challenge, another game to win, another opponent they have to beat. If you're a competitor like Paige or like JuJu, they come back better." It's certainly true for Bueckers, who dropped a career-high 40 points in the Sweet 16 to set up the showdown with the Trojans. Watkins will not share the floor with Bueckers on Monday, but the sophomore has plenty of time to make more March Madness memories in the future if she can come back as strong as Auriemma expects. Related: NCAA Facing Backlash for Paige Bueckers, JuJu Watkins Decision Related: Stephen A. Smith Sends Clear Message To Paige Bueckers After JuJu Watkins Injury
