Latest news with #NothingEasy
Yahoo
22-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
UCLA once again living the 'we over me' mantra in NCAA tournament
All Nike-sponsored schools playing in the NCAA tournament wear different colors of the same warmup shirt. The now-ubiquitous long-sleeve white shirt has 'Nothing Easy' printed on the front in bold letters. An emphatic period punctuates the sentence and each school's logo is printed underneath. What makes UCLA's otherwise cookie-cutter postseason look stand out is on the back: 'We' printed over a horizontal bar and 'me.' During the tournament that transforms careers and makes stars, UCLA is recommitting to its mantra of 'we over me' to lift the program to new heights. 'We're only playing for the letters on the front of the jersey,' coach Cori Close said. 'And trusting that when you play fully committed to only playing for what's on the front of your jersey, that usually it comes back to the letters on the back of your jersey 10-fold.' The top-seeded Bruins host No. 8 Richmond on Sunday at 7 p.m. (ESPN) at Pauley Pavilion in the second round of Spokane Regional 1. UCLA (31-2) is trying to return to the Sweet 16 for the third consecutive year. While selflessness has been a pillar of UCLA's program under Close, the Bruins lost sight of the goal toward the end of the regular season. Graduate student Charlisse Leger-Walker pointed it out during a team meeting after the Bruins lost to USC at home in their regular-season finale. Read more: Secret behind UCLA women's success? Confidence-boosting visualization techniques UCLA started reemphasizing 'we over me' going into the Big Ten tournament. The tactic worked perfectly as the Bruins won their first conference tournament title since 2006. Basketball director of operations Pam Walker then had the 'we over me' symbol added to the backs of UCLA's shirts for the NCAA tournament. 'Throughout the season we've had highs and lows, and it's just a reminder of if we stick together, we can achieve what we want to happen,' forward Angela Dugalic said. Dugalic, a former five-star recruit who played for the Serbian national team during the Paris Olympics, is one of nine former McDonald's All-Americans on UCLA's roster. The roster bursting with talent makes it even more important — and difficult — to find players who are willing to buy into UCLA's abundance mentality, Close said. Instead of those who fret about how coaches will split up the 200 minutes of playing time available in each game, Close is looking for players who want to sign up for the 'most impactful growth experience.' When forward Janiah Barker came through the transfer portal, Close wondered if the Texas A&M star really understood the assignment. Barker, another former McDonald's All-American recruit, averaged 26.5 minutes per game as a sophomore at Texas A&M. She was an established starter averaging 12.2 points per game. The Bruins, who were returning the core of a talented junior class that took the team to the No. 2 ranking in the nation, would not have a large role for her. She was more interested in what she could bring to the Bruins. Close called the athletic 6-foot-4 forward a 'missing piece' for the Bruins' hopes to reach their first NCAA Final Four. 'She brings great energy on the court,' junior Gabriela Jaquez said. 'We really feed off of her. And the way she rebounds and jumps so high to grab those boards and fights down there is really huge. The level of physicality she brings is really important to our team.' Barker, who was chosen Big Ten sixth player of the year and averages 7.7 points and 6.1 rebounds per game, was one of six scorers in double figures for the Bruins during their opening-round rout of Southern on Friday as she came off the bench for 10 points and 10 rebounds. The Bruins overwhelmed the No. 16-seeded Jaguars, who were two days removed from their first NCAA tournament win in program history, by dishing 23 assists on 26 field goals. Naturally, the team that emphasizes the group's success over individual accolades led the Big Ten in assists per game this season. Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
22-03-2025
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
UCLA once again living the ‘we over me' mantra in NCAA tournament
All Nike-sponsored schools playing in the NCAA tournament wear different colors of the same warmup shirt. The now-ubiquitous long-sleeve white shirt has 'Nothing Easy' printed on the front in bold letters. An emphatic period punctuates the sentence and each school's logo is printed underneath. What makes UCLA's otherwise cookie-cutter postseason look stand out is on the back: 'We' printed over a horizontal bar and 'me.' During the tournament that transforms careers and makes stars, UCLA is recommitting to its mantra of 'we over me' to lift the program to new heights. 'We're only playing for the letters on the front of the jersey,' coach Cori Close said. 'And trusting that when you play fully committed to only playing for what's on the front of your jersey, that usually it comes back to the letters on the back of your jersey 10-fold.' The top-seeded Bruins host No. 8 Richmond on Sunday at 7 p.m. (ESPN) at Pauley Pavilion in the second round of Spokane Regional 1. UCLA (31-2) is trying to return to the Sweet 16 for the third consecutive year. While selflessness has been a pillar of UCLA's program under Close, the Bruins lost sight of the goal toward the end of the regular season. Graduate student Charlisse Leger-Walker pointed it out during a team meeting after the Bruins lost to USC at home in their regular-season finale. UCLA started reemphasizing 'we over me' going into the Big Ten tournament. The tactic worked perfectly as the Bruins won their first conference tournament title since 2006. Basketball director of operations Pam Walker then had the 'we over me' symbol added to the backs of UCLA's shirts for the NCAA tournament. 'Throughout the season we've had highs and lows, and it's just a reminder of if we stick together, we can achieve what we want to happen,' forward Angela Dugalic said. Dugalic, a former five-star recruit who played for the Serbian national team during the Paris Olympics, is one of nine former McDonald's All-Americans on UCLA's roster. The roster bursting with talent makes it even more important — and difficult — to find players who are willing to buy into UCLA's abundance mentality, Close said. Instead of those who fret about how coaches will split up the 200 minutes of playing time available in each game, Close is looking for players who want to sign up for the 'most impactful growth experience.' When forward Janiah Barker came through the transfer portal, Close wondered if the Texas A&M star really understood the assignment. Barker, another former McDonald's All-American recruit, averaged 26.5 minutes per game as a sophomore at Texas A&M. She was an established starter averaging 12.2 points per game. The Bruins, who were returning the core of a talented junior class that took the team to the No. 2 ranking in the nation, would not have a large role for her. She was more interested in what she could bring to the Bruins. Close called the athletic 6-foot-4 forward a 'missing piece' for the Bruins' hopes to reach their first NCAA Final Four. 'She brings great energy on the court,' junior Gabriela Jaquez said. 'We really feed off of her. And the way she rebounds and jumps so high to grab those boards and fights down there is really huge. The level of physicality she brings is really important to our team.' Barker, who was chosen Big Ten sixth player of the year and averages 7.7 points and 6.1 rebounds per game, was one of six scorers in double figures for the Bruins during their opening-round rout of Southern on Friday as she came off the bench for 10 points and 10 rebounds. The Bruins overwhelmed the No. 16-seeded Jaguars, who were two days removed from their first NCAA tournament win in program history, by dishing 23 assists on 26 field goals. Naturally, the team that emphasizes the group's success over individual accolades led the Big Ten in assists per game this season.
Yahoo
22-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Lauren Betts goes into 'cheat-code' mode, leading UCLA to win in NCAA tournament opener
Southern's Tionna Lidge barely jumped for the opening tip. With UCLA's Lauren Betts on the other side, the result seemed inevitable. Betts had 14 points and six rebounds Friday as No. 1-seeded UCLA cruised to a 84-46 win over No. 16 Southern in the first round of the NCAA tournament at Pauley Pavilion. UCLA set program record for the largest margin of victory in an NCAA tournament game, besting a 75-43 thrashing of Texas A&M in 2017. The Bruins (31-2) advanced to host No. 8 seed Richmond in the second round of Spokane Region 1 on Sunday. The Spiders (28-6) won their first NCAA tournament game in program history by dominating No. 9 Georgia Tech 74-49 behind 30 points, 15 rebounds and six assists from forward Maggie Doogan. Read more: Secret behind UCLA women's success? Confidence-boosting visualization techniques The Bruins warmed up in new Jordan-branded shirts with 'Nothing Easy' printed on the front. 'We' was printed on the back on top of a horizontal bar and the word 'me.' The symbol of selflessness was apt for a team that led the Big Ten with 20.6 assists per game. UCLA had 23 assists on 26 successful shots from the field, overwhelming the Jaguars with their depth and size. Guard Kiki Rice led the Bruins with seven assists and had 10 points. Against Southern's starting lineup that had only one player taller than 5-foot-10, Betts spent most of her time in the low post with an arm raised demanding the ball against a favorable matchup. Since the game-changing transfer came to Westwood, the Bruins have completely shifted their style of play. Before Betts, they were beginning to embrace a five-out, motion offense common among international and NBA teams. They spent the previous two offseasons relentlessly drilling post entry passes. Coaches would not allow more than a few possessions in a row without the ball touching Betts' hands in the paint. The focus on Betts almost immediately turned the Bruins into a national championship contender. 'She's a little cheat code,' forward Janiah Barker said this week. Read more: Mick Cronin, head cheerleader? UCLA's coach tells his players they must believe Barker, the Big Ten sixth player of the year, had two of her three first-half assists to Betts and finished with 10 points, 10 rebounds and four assists. The Bruins turned the ball over seven times during the second quarter, allowing Southern to cut into UCLA's 20-point lead. Crowded by a double-team, Betts was called for a travel and Southern guard Taniya Lawson converted the turnover into a pull-up jumper on the next possession to move the Jaguars to within 12 points. A small but boisterous Southern cheering section behind the team's bench waved blue and gold pom poms and a decorative umbrella. Betts quickly quieted them, fighting through a double team on the next possession and finishing through contact to end Southern's eight-point scoring streak. Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Is today the day you get your 'T' shirt? March Madness merch begins arriving in Knoxville
With March Madness underway − and with the Volunteers poised for a deep run according to fans, experts and former President Barack Obama − Tennessee-orange tournament merch is starting to become available in Knoxville. Shirts, hats, accessories and other tournament-themed items should be more in-demand and, therefore, more available at local shops as the tournament progresses. But at the VolShop, the official University of Tennessee at Knoxville retailer, assistant marketing manager Cory Hamm told Knox News the "bench T-shirt" being worn by Tennessee players in March Madness is already available in store and should be available online March 21. The front of the "bench" shirt features the Tennessee logo beneath the text "Nothing Easy," a design made for all teams that made the NCAA tournament. These team shirts also are available online through Dick's Sporting Goods. Vol Shop, with locations at University Commons and on campus, already has vendor designs for additional merchandise if Tennessee advances to the Sweet Sixteen, Elite Eight, Final Four and championship, Hamm said. If the Tennessee men's or women's teams bring home an NCAA title, you can be sure to find all kinds of celebratory merchandise at the Vol Shop, from sweatshirts to water bottles. Alumni Hall and HoundDogs, two Knoxville stores also specializing in Tennessee merch, did not have March Madness items in stock as of March 20. Tabitha Emerson, assistant manager at HoundDogs, said that because the store is a small business, it's a tough gamble to order specialty items like March Madness merchandise too far in advance. "We'll order if they are in it for the long haul," Emerson told Knox News. "We'll just see how far they go, baby." Joanna Hayes is the restaurant and retail reporter. Email: | Sign up for the free Eat65 newsletter Support strong local journalism by subscribing at This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tennessee basketball March Madness shirts, merch available in Knoxville
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
March Madness gear every fan needs, plus where to stream all the games
Fox News and its syndication partners may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom. Get ready basketball fans, March Madness is about to begin! While you're waiting for selection Sunday to roll around, get ready to show your school spirit with all the best league gear. And if you want to make sure you don't miss a single second of March Madness, you get unlimited access with a Hulu or Paramount+ subscription. Max is also streaming all the March Madness games. To support your specific college team, sport a college crewneck sweatshirt throughout the tournament. You can choose from a huge variety of schools and different colors. You can also find tons of NCAA basketball gear options at Dick's Sporting Goods. To make sure you get all your favorite college basketball gear on time, consider signing up for an Amazon Prime membership. You can join or start a 30-day free trial to start your shopping today. If you prefer a thicker, hooded sweatshirt, you can also opt for a hooded sweatshirt featuring your favorite college basketball team. You can get teams like Ohio University, NYU, Purdue and Stanford, among many others. If you have a Hulu, Paramount+ or Max subscription, all the March Madness games are included with your subscription. Read On The Fox News App At Dick's Sporting Goods, every team has a "Nothing Easy" t-shirt with your team's logo. This shirt depicts the spirit of March Madness and the intense competition each team brings to the court. Grab a vintage-style adjustable hat with your favorite team branded on the front. You can find teams like Uconn, the Kentucky Wildcats, the Michigan Wolverines, and Duke, among others. Whether you're drinking from bottles or cans, show off your team pride with a bottle koozie with the team of your choice. You can find every team's logo and get an officially-licensed koozie. Original price: $21.99 If you're not rooting for any particular team but still want to show up to the party looking festive, this "Let the madness begin" t-shirt can help you do just that. There are dozens of colors to choose from, so you can customize the shirt to your favorite college team if you do have one. Are you throwing the March Madness party? If you are, hand out party favors in the form of these silicone wristbands with March Madness-related sayings. They're great for the entirety of the basketball season, not just March Madness. To watch March Madness, tune in through Hulu, Paramount+ and Max. Track all the games with your own tournament dry erase bracket board. You can fill in the teams as they're announced on selection Sunday and continue as winners are declared. While you're screaming at the TV on game day, rooting for your favorite team, these mini basketball stress balls can help you de-stress when your team is behind. You get a 12-pack, so you can hand one out to each of your friends at your watch party. For more Deals, visit For all your game-day snacks, these hoop snack cups can hold everything from pretzels to popcorn, chips and nachos. You'll get a 24-pack, so there should be plenty for all of March Madness. Remember, you can watch all your favorite men's and women's NCAA teams for March Madness on Hulu, Paramount+ and article source: March Madness gear every fan needs, plus where to stream all the games
