College Basketball

Bravo's newest breakout star is knee-deep in affair rumors, alleged hush money, and reality TV chaos ... and Dave Portnoy is pouring gasoline all over the fire.

"The Real Housewives of Rhode Island" cast member Rosie Woods is firing back after online speculation linked her to Ed Cooley -- the former Providence men's basketball coach who's long faced whispers surrounding his abrupt 2023 exit from the program.

The mess exploded after Rosie's co-star Kelsey Swanson hinted during a recent episode of 'Real Housewives' that Rosie allegedly had an affair with a married basketball coach ... who supposedly helped bankroll her new house. Cooley -- now the coach at Georgetown -- was never named outright on the show, but internet sleuths connected the dots.

The Spurs won't have to play game 5 of the conference semifinals without Victor Wembanyama ... the NBA superstar has avoided further punishment after being ejected Sunday night for blasting Naz Reid in the face with an elbow.

Not only will the 22-year-old phenom not be suspended for the pivotal upcoming game, but he won't even be fined for the controversial play, according to Shams Charania.

Of course, Wemby was tossed for the first time in his NBA career during the game 4 loss ... swinging his elbow, and hitting Reid in the face during a moment of frustration during the first half.

TMZ DC isn't just taking over politics, it's getting sports scoops, too -- our camera guy ran into a college basketball player ... who revealed to us he's becoming a Terp!!

We caught up with 6'9" former Queens University Royals forward Maban Jabriel at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Friday ... and asked what he was up to while in town.

Turns out the upcoming junior was visiting the Maryland basketball program ... and apparently it went so well that he decided he's completed his search in finding a new home.

Like father, like son could ring extra true in the May family ... 'cause fresh off winning a national championship with Michigan, Charlie tells TMZ Sports he's exploring a career in coaching -- just like his pops/coach Dusty!!

We caught up with the senior guard as he worked a celebratory shift with fellow hooper Nimari Burnett at Raising Cane's in Ann Arbor on Thursday ... and asked him what's next after the Wolverines cut down the nets against UConn earlier this week.

He explained his playing days are over ... and now he's going back to school in more than one way -- he'll be a graduate assistant at Georgia as he doubles up on his degrees.

Dawn Staley is looking to officially put her incident with Geno Auriemma behind her ... saying the two have talked since their spat at the Final Four -- and it's time "to move forward and close the chapter on how our semifinal game with UConn ended."

Staley released her statement through the Gamecocks' social media page on Tuesday, saying despite how it seemed on the court over the weekend, she has "a great deal of respect for him and what he's meant to this game."

"One moment doesn't define a career, and it doesn't change the impact he's had on growing women's basketball. The standard at UConn is what it is because of him, and that's something this game has benefited from."

Ann Arbor was lit Monday night -- literally. The Michigan fans launched fireworks and lit fires after the Wolverines captured their first NCAA championship in almost four decades!

The party started following the Wolverines' 69-63 win over the UConn Huskies at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis ... marking Michigan's first national title since 1989.

The fans went nuts after the long-awaited win ... flooding South University Avenue and blasting fireworks right in the middle of the street.

The Wolverines fans also set off real fires, more than 40 of them, across the city, according to Ann Arbor PD.

Surprisingly, only two arrests were reported ... and cops say there were some street signs damaged, but overall it wasn't too out of hand!!

Check out the video from one of the blazes that was set -- flames shot into the air as a massive crowd gathered, partying in chaotic fashion.

The Michigan Wolverines are partying like it's 1989 -- they just became the 2026 NCAA champions, their first title in almost four decades ... and they had every reason to celebrate after a hard-fought run to the top.

The Wolverines claimed the crown at the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Monday night, sealing the win as the final buzzer sounded with a 69-63 score.

The Wolverines lost their minds after the clock hit zero, delivering their first national title since 1989 -- when future NBA champion Glen Rice led the team and took home the MVP honors.

Ann Arbor was looking less like a college town and more like a tailgate village Monday morning … because diehard Michigan fans were literally sleeping outside bars just to lock in a spot for tonight’s national championship.

Nearly 100 students lined up before sunrise along University Street in Ann Arbor ... staking out turf outside bars such as Good Time Charley’s and The Brown Jug as early as 6 AM … and some didn’t even bother going home Sunday night, pulling up around 10 PM with tents, blankets, and mattresses.

The lines turned into a campsite.

The University of Connecticut is too familiar with how chaotic NCAA championship celebrations can get ... and with the Huskies on the verge of cutting down the nets again, the area is already bracing for chaos.

The school told TMZ Sports lamp posts are getting removed and security is beefing up on Monday ... just hours before tipoff against the Michigan Wolverines in the NCAA title game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

If UConn wins, this will be Dan Hurley and the Huskies' third championship in the last four seasons -- and based on past fan ragers, campus officials are clearly bracing for another wild night.

1:39 PM PT -- The reviews are in on the UCLA women's Tate McRae dance celebration ... with the singer giving it her stamp of approval!

Whenever McRae decides to go on tour next ... looks like she has her backup dancers already squared away!

The UCLA Bruins got moves on and off the court -- three of their players broke out a choreographed dance to Tate McRae after winning their first-ever NCAA title -- and the crowd went nuts!!

Gabriela Jaquez, Lauren Betts, and Charlisse Leger-Walker took center stage at the PHX Arena on Sunday ... fresh off dominating the South Carolina Gamecocks 79-51 in the NCAA Championship.

All three teamed up for the performance in their 2026 NCAA championship gear, grooving to McRae's "You Broke Me First" song -- and it was impressive!

Despite UConn's insane Elite Eight win over Duke, many still doubt the Huskies' title chances with Arizona and Michigan in the mix ... but former star Khalid El-Amin says that's okay -- the team thrives on being overlooked.

TMZ Sports spoke with El-Amin ahead of Saturday's Final Four -- a position he knows well as a former Huskies guard who helped lead UConn to its first national title in 1999 alongside Richard "Rip" Hamilton.

The Huskies face #3 seed Illinois, and if they advance, they'll meet either Michigan or Arizona in the national championship game.

However, nearly everyone outside the two fanbases, including Arizona legend Mike Bibby, believes the title winner will come out of the Wolverines-Wildcats matchup, regardless of which team advances on the other side of the bracket.

"Just let them overlook us," El-Amin told us. "No problem."

Arizona has a champion in its corner -- and he thinks the Wildcats are cutting down the nets.

Former Wildcats star Miles Simon tells TMZ Sports he’s expecting a heavyweight fight Saturday in the Final Four against Michigan … calling it a “monster matchup” between two No. 1 seeds that have looked capable of winning the national title all season.

"Michigan and Arizona have arguably been the two best teams in the country this year," he said. "They got these front lines that are gigantic, and like, they pound the ball inside. I can't wait to watch the game on Saturday night."

Former Arizona legend Mike Bibby is calling it as he sees it: the Wildcats’ Final Four showdown with Michigan isn’t just another game … it’s the game.

Bibby -- who cut down the nets as a player when U of A won it all in 1997 -- didn’t sugarcoat it when TMZ Sports caught up with him ahead of tip-off … saying the showdown is basically the real national championship.

“I think those are the two best teams in college sports and college basketball,” Bibby told us. “And I mean, they showed it all year, and now it's going to -- I think it's going to be a hell of a fight out there.”

Braylon Mullins is being hailed as a hero at UCONN after burying the game-winning three-pointer against Duke ... and despite it being one of the most epic comebacks ever, his high school coach says the result came as no surprise, calling his former player a "bad MOFO!"

TMZ Sports spoke with Greenfield-Central High School basketball coach Luke Meredith after the Huskies freshman hit a Steph Curry-like dagger in Sunday's Elite Eight game, sending Danny Hurley's squad to the Final Four.

Coach Meredith, who says he views Mullins as his third son, told us his former star player has made "that shot thousands of times," living up to the nickname he gave him back in the day.

Duke freshman Cayden Boozer is taking full responsibility for Sunday's stunning loss to UConn in the Elite Eight ... saying his last-second turnover "ruined our team's season."

The moment couldn't have been more "March" -- the Blue Devils were up two points with 10 seconds to go in the contest ... but as they tried to get the ball past halfcourt on an inbound, the Huskies picked off Boozer's pass and Braylon Mullins nailed a desperation three to punch their tickets to the Final Four.

Had he held onto the ball, the Devils are likely keeping their championship hopes alive.