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95% of brackets had Kentucky beating Oakland in the first round of the NCAA Tourney, so while nearly no one in the outside world believed in the Golden Grizzlies, their squad did, including star hooper Trey Townsend who hopes this proves rankings ain't everything!

As you know, the 14th-ranked Oakland Golden Grizzlies officially kicked off the Madness in March when they defeated John Calipari's number 3-seeded Kentucky Wildcats ... the tournament's biggest upset (so far).

"You can't put that mindset on yourself going to a game thinking you're lesser than your opponent, because you're, per se, shooting yourself in the foot and giving yourself a disadvantage mentally," Townsend said.

"We come in confident and play our best game, play as hard as we can and we're just as good and can compete with anyone in the country. We proved it [Thursday]," the team leader told us.

Now, Oakland (located in Michigan, not California) will face No. 11 North Carolina State in the second round on Saturday ... and Townsend believes they've got a real path to the Sweet 16! Especially with Jack Gohlke shooting lights out (he knocked down 10 threes)!

"I think it's just playing the way we have all season," Townsend said. "The biggest thing, especially at this time of the year, is to stay consistent to what you've done to get you to this point."

"We're not gonna take anything lightly, even though we just had a big win. You gotta keep that in your back pocket for now and we can celebrate after a long run in this tournament."

As if Trey and Oakland's story wasn't already cool enough, his dad Skip Townsend, who was not only a credentialed media member working Thursday's game, but also a former hooper on the Golden Grizzlies team.

In fact, Skip played for Oakland's CURRENT coach, Greg Kampe, way back in the 80s! His mom Nicole was also on the women's basketball team.

"I always wanted to be an Oakland uniform and be like my dad," Trey said.

Gunna says his decision to bring Flo Milli on the road as his 'Bittersweet' tour mate was an easy one ... as they'd already proved they can kill the stage during last year's test runs!!!

TMZ Hip Hop linked up with the superstar rapper in Bev Hills -- right back on his fave street, Rodeo Drive -- while he was spending his bankroll, and we got the skinny on his 16-city concert rollout.

Remember, Gunna packed out Brooklyn and L.A. venues last year amid rumors he turned his back on Young Thug ... and Flo Milli shone as his opening act at those shows.

On top of that success, he was super impressed with her "Never Lose Me" hit.

They just went halfsies on a freaky-deeky collab, "Edible," and Gunna deferred to Flo Milli when we asked what inspired the track. No kissing and telling with this raunchy record!!! 👀

Gunna tells us to expect big-time creativity, and promises to bring the energy -- which he clearly has a lot of these days, judging from the gym pics he's been posting lately.

3/22 -- 3:18 PM PT -- MLB just announced it has officially launched its probe into the matter ... saying, "Major League Baseball has been gathering information since we learned about the allegations involving Shohei Ohtani and Ippei Mizuhari from the news media."

"Earlier today, our DOI began their formal process investigating the matter."

MLB is doing its due diligence with Shohei Ohtani ... with sources telling TMZ Sports that league officials are gathering information to determine if the face of baseball was involved in the gambling scandal surrounding his translator.

Ohtani's inteprator and best friend Ippei Mizuhara has given conflicting stories on Shohei's involvement ... first saying the Dodgers superstar was well aware of his huge gambling debts, and loaned him millions of dollars to get out of the hole. He later backtracked, saying the Japanese two-way athlete had no idea.

As for Ohtani, his attorney claims he's been the victim of a "massive theft."

Now, MLB's trying to figure out what the hell is going on -- not necessarily because they believe Shohei did anything wrong -- but because gambling is an existential threat to any pro sport.

Look no further than Pete Rose ... who despite his exploits on the diamond, was banned for life in 1989 after he admitted to wagering on games -- although no one has accused Ohtani of betting on baseball, or any other sport for that matter.

It's worth noting, it sounds like Ohtani -- who signed a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers this offseason -- has nothing to hide.

We're told his team alerted authorities to the "theft" ... and the feds are currently investigating.

No one connected to the probe has been arrested.

The Dodgers are 1-1 on the season, and their newly signed star is off to a solid start, despite the scandal ... collecting 3 hits and 2 RBIs in 10 plate appearances on the season.

Kate Middleton's cancer diagnosis may be the one thing that can bring Prince Harry and Prince William back together after years of growing apart ... so says a Royal correspondent.

Sean Mandell -- creator of the "Spilling Royal Tea" podcast -- shared his insights on "TMZ Live" shortly after Kate's health revelation Friday ... saying the silver lining in the devastating news may lie in the small window of opportunity for the two to finally patch things up.

Mandell reminds us Harry actually used to be quite close with Kate -- in fact, he practically third-wheeled loads of her public engagements with William ... this before Meghan Markle came along, which created an undeniable divide between the trio.

However, SM tells us that something of this magnitude has the potential to melt any icy feelings between Harry and William -- and he suspects there may be a reconciliation.

As we reported ... Harry and Meg sent their well-wishes to Kate Friday, not long after she revealed she was battling cancer. Unclear if any future visits across the pond are planned.

While Mandell believes Harry will reach out to Kate personally -- which may lead to some fence-mending between him and his sibling -- it's hard to tell if the 'Fab 4' will get back together the way they used to be pre-Megxit ... there's been a lot of bad blood since.

In any case ... Sean says the Royals will pull together one way or another -- especially on the issue of Royal duties. Lots of other Royals are stepping in, and he thinks even Harry might get back into the mix now that both his father and sister-in-law have fallen ill.

Kate Middleton should be open and honest with her kids about her cancer diagnosis -- 'cause that'll be the best way for them to deal with it ... per a prominent expert in the field.

We spoke with Dr. Charles Sophy on "TMZ Live" Friday just minutes after the Princess of Wales revealed to the world she's dealing with cancer -- and he weighed in on how she and Prince William's children might be processing this heavy news about their mom.

Sophy -- a renowned child and family psychiatrist -- says lots of communication with the children, even about adult matters, is the best route to help them understand what's going on  ... and so is listening, as kids will ask the questions they want and need answers to.

Dr. Sophy says the Royal Couple needs to be transparent with their children -- 10-year-old George, 8-year-old Charlotte, and 5-year-old Louis -- and address the physical changes Kate may go through early on so the little ones aren't taken aback by things that may come.

On the issue of talking about really hard questions regarding the serious nature of the disease and how Kate's feeling throughout ... Sophy advises William and Kate to leave answers open-ended -- not promising a miraculous recovery, while also trying not to alarm the kids at the same time. He says it's a fine line ... one Will and Kate will have to walk together.

Since the young Royals are of different ages, some may question whether giving them varying levels of information is the right way to go ... but Sophy says no. He thinks William and Kate should give them all the same general information and let them process it how they need to.

Of course, Prince William will also be dealing with his own emotions following his wife's diagnosis ... and Sophy thinks it may bring up old emotions and trauma regarding the death of another famous Royal -- his mother, Princess Diana. Sophy says Will has to find the balance to weather his family through this storm.

Kate says she and her husband have already filled their children in on what's going on -- and that she's needed time out of the spotlight to do so correctly and with care.

Kate Middleton didn't disclose what type of cancer she's battling -- but one doctor who specializes in this field says he has a good idea of what it could be ... and how it was found.

Dr. George Crawford -- a general surgeon who focuses on bariatric, colon and minimally invasive procedures in the operating room -- joined "TMZ Live" Friday to discuss the Princess of Wales' announcement ... where she said cancer was found in the aftermath her abdominal surgery.

While Kate didn't get into the details of the exact type of cancer that was found -- Dr. Crawford tells us that, in his professional opinion, it could likely be one of two.

Crawford says that based on Kate's age and other factors ... he speculates that doctors might've discovered either ovarian or uterine cancer -- that's his best guess anyway.

He's not suggesting he knows her exact diagnosis for certain, but Dr. Crawford says his personal experience leads him to land on these two possibilities -- and he even gets into how exactly this may have unfolded.

Dr. Crawford says it's possible that the medical team found something alarming in the middle of the procedure and probably had a biopsy run on it right then and there. Of course, Kate says cancer was discovered after her surgery -- but Dr. Crawford says it's not uncommon to get an answer back fairly quickly ... which can change the course of an entire operation.

He also weighs in on the fact Kate says she just recently started preventative chemo -- which Dr. Crawford says makes sense, seeing how much recovery time is needed for an invasive surgery like the one she seems to have undergone ... and how heavy chemo is on the body.

Kate says she's needed time to recover -- as well as time to address this serious matter with her three young children. The upside ... she says she's getting stronger each day, which sounds promising.

The announcement should hopefully end all the gossip that has poured out of this saga for the past several weeks ... because it's clear, she's dealing with something incredibly urgent.

Kate Middleton no reveló con qué tipo de cáncer está lidiando, pero un médico que se especializa en este campo dice que tiene una buena idea de lo que podría ser y cómo se encontró.

El Dr. George Crawford, un cirujano general que se centra en bariátrica, colon y procedimientos mínimamente invasivos en la sala de operaciones, se unió a "TMZ Live" este viernes para discutir el anuncio de la Princesa de Gales, en el que explicó que el cáncer fue encontrado durante su cirugía abdominal.

Aunque Kate no entró en los detalles del tipo de cáncer que se encontró, el Dr. Crawford nos dice que en su opinión profesional es probable que sea uno de dos.

Crawford dice que sobre la base de la edad de Kate y otros factores, cree que los médicos podrían haber descubierto, ya sea cáncer de ovario o de útero, esa es su conjetura.

Él no está sugiriendo que sepa su diagnóstico exacto, pero que su experiencia personal lo lleva a inclinarse por estas dos posibilidades, e incluso abordó cómo se puede haber desarrollado todo mientras estaba bajo el bisturí.

Es bastante fascinante: el Dr. Crawford dice que ve probable que el equipo médico haya encontrado algo alarmante en medio de la intervención y que probablemente le hayan hecho una biopsia en ese mismo momento. Dice que ese es el procedimiento general y que se puede obtener una respuesta bastante rápido que puede cambiar el curso de toda la operación.

También analizó el hecho de que Kate recién acaba de empezar con un tratamiento preventivo de quimioterapia. El Dr. Crawford dice que tiene sentido, considerando la cantidad de tiempo que se necesita para recuperarse de una cirugía invasiva como la que parece haber sufrido Kate, y además porque la quimioterapia es muy pesada para el cuerpo.

Por cierto, el Dr. Crawford pensaba esto desde el principio. En nuestro documental dijo que este era el escenario más realista, en el marco de todo el misterio que rodeaba a Kate.

Kate dice que ha necesitado tiempo para recuperarse, así como tiempo para hacer frente a esta grave situación con sus tres hijos pequeños. Lo bueno es que ella dice que está más fuerte cada día, lo que suena prometedor.

El anuncio debería poner fin a todos los chismes que se han vertido sobre esta saga en las últimas semanas porque está claro que está lidiando con algo sumamente urgente.

Kate Middleton's mystery disappearance from public view will be solved shortly, TMZ has learned, because Kensington Palace is about to reveal specific details on her health.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... the British media has been briefed on Kate's condition, but there is a strict embargo on the information until 2 PM ET, 11 AM PT.

We're also told the Palace will release a video of Kate speaking on her condition.

Our sources say this statement is dramatic, clear and could well put all the controversy surrounding her disappearance to rest.

As you know, the Palace says Kate entered the hospital in January for "scheduled abdominal surgery," but spent 13 days at The London Clinic before returning home, where she has been recuperating.

TMZ aired a special Thursday night on FOX, in which Dr. George Crawford said 13 days suggests when doctors went in for the surgery, they may have found something else.

We're told the Palace will get specific shortly.

Remember ... this all follows several weeks of speculation and innuendo over Kate's whereabouts and her overall condition -- which has been kept under wraps until now.

TMZ broke the story ... video surfaced showing Kate out and about with William last weekend, and she seemed to be doing well. It was the first real sighing of Kate out in the wild, and on her own two feet, since she had her surgery back in January.

There've been other glimpses of her in cars -- but the Windsor Farm Shop seemed to be the first instance of her walking around. Like we said ... she was happy, and looked relatively OK.

Of course, this whole saga kicked into overdrive nearly two weeks ago when Kate posted a Mother's Day photo that featured her and her kids -- but which was later revealed to be inauthentic. All the conspiracy theories about Kate up to that point only doubled.

Now, it appears Kensington Palace is geared up to set the record straight, right from the Princess's mouth.

Here's some Gouda news for Alicia Silverstone -- her staunch support of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for president isn't going unnoticed, as the campaign just handed her some cheddar!

The "Clueless" star apparently pitched in to help with catering one of RFK Jr.'s campaign events in L.A. ... dropping $427.25 to get Vromage -- a fancy L.A. vegan cheese shop -- to provide hors d'oeuvres.

TMZ pulled a Federal Elections Commission filing -- under "report of receipts and disbursements" -- which states the Kennedy campaign committee fully reimbursed Alicia for fronting the cheesy tab.

Last June, Alicia publicly endorsed RFK Jr., applauding his vision of "peace, unity, and justice for all."

As for the food she chose to cater the event, Alicia's long been a vocal advocate for her vegan lifestyle -- and being in L.A. and all, it's no shock she has a fave vegan cheese shop to satisfy her plant-based palate!

In fact, the actress' been singing Vromage's praises for years ... blogging about the shop and sharing snaps of delicious meals featuring dairy-free cheese on social media.

Flea is looking to make an almost $3 million profit on his L.A. area home after listing it for a hefty price ... TMZ has learned.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers founding member put his SoCal estate back on the market Tuesday -- asking for $6.997 million for the residence. Remember, the bassist first nabbed the over five-acre estate in 2018 for $4.25 million. He previously tried to unload it back in 2022.

Still, after taking a closer look at the listing's gorgeous photos, it's clear the home is worth every penny. The residence, which sits north of downtown L.A. in La Crescenta, boasts five bedrooms, five bathrooms, and over 1,350 square feet of living space.

The abode is broken up into two residence spaces. There's the main house, which was constructed in the 2000s, that features two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and striking mountain views.

Sitting above the main residence is the property's original house, which was built in 1953 and includes two bedrooms and an additional bathroom. If you've counted only four bedrooms so far ... you're correct, as there's also a one-bedroom cabin on the five acres that border the Angeles National Forest.

Sounds like a perfect property for anyone looking to have long-term guests or wanting some serious privacy from others.

The amenities are pretty impressive too, as there's a 50-foot-long lap pool and a catering kitchen. Where do we sign up?

News confirmed! Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler is finally happening!

Days after The Notorious told reporters he would fight Iron Mike this summer, 37-year-old Chandler joined Babcock on the "TMZ Sports" TV show (airs weekdays on FS1) ... and we asked him if McGregor was being truthful, or just blowing smoke.

"I've got the official announcement. It's happening this summer," Chandler said, adding, "I can't tell you the actual date, but it's happening this summer!"

We followed up ... so it's official?!

"We have an agreement. We are fighting this summer."

Ears, meet music.

Of course, the Michael and Conor fight has been in the works forever ... going back to mid-2023 when the men coached opposite one another on "The Ultimate Fighter."

So, Conor the coach has been relatively active ... but not necessarily the fighter. That's because in addition to shooting the highly anticipated "Road House" remake (which dropped yesterday on Prime), McGregor was also healing up.

Remember, McGregor gruesomely broke his lower leg during his UFC 264 scrap with Dustin Poirier in July 2021. That was his last fight.

As for Chandler, he too last faced Poirier ... in November 2022.

Bottom line, both guys are ready to get back in the Octagon ... and although the date isn't publicly known, it's not that far off (check out the clip -- we also talk about which weight class the fight will be contested in.)

Michael Jackson's mother has amassed a fortune since her son died -- to the tune of tens of millions, which is why she can pay for her own lawyers ... so claims MJ's estate.

A rep for the estate confirms to TMZ that they've filed legal docs in their ongoing dispute with Katherine Jackson over attorney's fees that she's trying to have the estate cover ... over a deal that the estate itself struck, which she's currently appealing.

TMZ has seen the paperwork ... and it lays out some financial info that, if accurate, is absolutely eye-popping.

In the filing, the estate claims there's a massive amount of cash and other benefits Katherine has received since Michael's death in 2009 ... with the executors of the estate alleging it all totals more than $55 million over the nearly 15 years.

A good chunk of that dough, the estate claims, comes in the form of a monthly allowance it says Katherine is afforded by MJ's estate, and totals more than $160k/month.

that allowance -- plus other cash payments -- amount to $33 million of the $55m total, according to the estate.

On top of that, the docs say Katherine is well taken care of by the estate ... which claims to have shelled out more than $15 million to buy and improve her luxury home, not to mention paying for her transportation and other perks -- like a private gardener, chef, and security.

The point of the estate executors laying this all out is to bolster their argument Katherine can afford to cover her own attorney's fees as she pushes forward with her appeal to fight a huge business deal the estate struck ... which she and Michael's son, Blanket, were fighting together until recently.

Unclear what exactly that deal is, but it appears to be related to the blockbuster deal the estate struck for Sony to buy half of MJ's music catalog for 9 figures.

We broke the story ... Blanket filed legal docs earlier this week that made clear he, too, felt Katherine should be covering her own attorney's fees for the appeal -- and that the estate shouldn't have to pick up the tab.

Blanket was on Katherine's side up until a judge ultimately ruled against them, and he decided it didn't make sense to go forward with an appeal of that ruling.

Blanket now says he wants out of the fight -- and that Katherine is on her own for the appeal.

La madre de Michael Jackson ha amasado una fortuna desde que su hijo murió. Literalmente decenas de millones... así que puede pagar sus propios abogados.

Un representante del patrimonio le confirma a TMZ que han presentado documentos legales en su disputa en curso con Katherine Jackson, sobre los honorarios del abogado que ella está tratando de que el patrimonio costee.

TMZ ha visto el papeleo, y si es exacto, es absolutamente impresionante.

En la presentación, la finca afirma que hay una enorme cantidad de dinero en efectivo y otros beneficios que Katherine ha recibido desde la muerte de Michael en 2009, con los ejecutores de la finca alegando que todo suma más de $55 millones en casi 15 años.

Una buena parte de ese dinero viene en forma de una asignación mensual de $160k.

Ese subsidio por sí solo asciende de $33 millones a los $ 55M, de acuerdo con el patrimonio.

Además de eso, los documentos dicen Katherine está bien protegida, y afirman haber desembolsado más de $15 millones para comprar y mejorar su casa de lujo, por no hablar de pagar por su transporte y otros beneficios; como un jardinero privado, chef y seguridad.

El punto es reforzar el argumento de que Katherine puede permitirse el lujo de cubrir los honorarios de su propio abogado, mientras ella sigue adelante con su apelación para luchar contra un gran negocio hizo el patrimonio... ella y el hijo de Michael, Blanket, estaban luchando juntos hasta hace poco.

No está claro cómo es exactamente este acuerdo, pero parece estar relacionado con el exitoso movimiento en el que Sony compró la mitad del catálogo de la música de Michael por un número de 9 cifras.

Publicamos la historia... Blanket presentó documentos legales a principios de esta semana que dejaron claro que también sentía que Katherine debe cubrir los honorarios de su propio abogado para la apelación, y que el patrimonio no debería pagar la cuenta.

Blanket estuvo del lado de Katherine hasta que un juez falló en su contra, y decidió que no tenía sentido seguir adelante con una apelación.

Blanket dice que quiere salirse de la pelea y que Katherine está por su cuenta para la apelación.

Christine Quinn no está sentada en el banquillo en medio de la detención de su marido por presunta agresión con un arma mortal, y se prepara para pedir una mayor protección, TMZ ha indagado.

Fuentes con conocimiento directo nos dicen que la estrella de "Selling Sunset" está hablando activamente con sus abogados en este momento, y nos dicen que está dispuesta a exponer su historia con Christian Dumontet, la cual ha sido muy turbulenta.

Nos dicen que está pensando que hacer con su matrimonio -incluyendo la posibilidad de considerar el divorcio- la protección de ella y su hijo es su máxima prioridad en este momento, razón por la cual nuestras fuentes dicen que ella quiere una orden de restricción.

Se nos dice que Christine parece preparada para hacer más acusaciones contra Christian, y es por eso que se está reuniendo con sus abogados. Nos dicen que hay mucho que detallar sobre lo que ella afirma que pasó a puertas cerradas, incluso antes del incidente que ocurrió el martes.

Nuestras fuentes nos dicen que, por ahora, la relación de Christine y Christian se siente irrevocablemente rota, pero hasta que exista una demanda de divorcio, nunca se sabe lo que podría suceder. Todo lo que sabemos es que Christine quisiera tener un campo de fuerza de ser posible.

Como informamos, la orden de protección de emergencia proporcionada por la policía caduca en 7 días, por lo que el miércoles, Christine tendrá que solicitar una orden de restricción temporal si quiere protección legal adicional.

Christian fue detenido dos veces en 2 días. Esto comenzó con el incidente en el cual le lanzó una bolsa con vidrios que terminó golpeando a su hijo.

Christine Quinn isn't sitting on the sidelines amid her husband's arrest for alleged assault with a deadly weapon -- she's going on the offensive and gearing up to ask for further protection ... TMZ has learned.

Sources with direct knowledge tell us the "Selling Sunset" star is actively speaking with attorneys right now -- as we're told she's prepared to lay out her history with Christian Dumontet ... something our sources say has been up-and-down through their marriage.

We're told that before she even entertains what to do with her marriage -- including the possibility of considering divorce -- protecting her and her son is her top priority right now ... which is why our sources say she wants a restraining order.

We're told Christine seems primed to make further allegations against Christian -- which is why she's meeting with lawyers ... because we're told there's lots to detail about what she claims went on behind closed doors, even before the incident that went down on Tuesday.

Our sources do tell us that, for now, Christine and Christian's relationship feels irrevocably broken -- but until a divorce filing is in ... you never know what might happen. All we know is that Christine is dead-set on getting an additional legal forcefield around her ASAP.

As we reported ... the emergency protective order provided to her by police lapses in 7 days -- so by Wednesday, Christine will need to file for a TRO if she wants additional legal protection.

Christian, of course, was arrested twice in 2 days this week stemming from an alleged incident that cops say involved him throwing a sack with glass at her .. and hitting their kid.

Karen Huger's scary Tuesday night crash seems to have left its mark on the area ... with the first photos from the scene appearing to show just how close Karen came to disaster.

The pics, obtained by TMZ, show where the 'Real Housewives' star swerved off the road in Potomac, MD -- leaving lots of skids and torn-up grass before slamming into a tree ... taking a big chunk of the bark with her. We've confirmed these were taken at the specific location mentioned in the court docket that laid out all of Karen's charges and traffic violations.

The photos and video we got give a clear indication of how serious the wreck was -- honing in on the point of contact where Karen went off the roadway -- which she says she did to avoid an oncoming car -- this after having a very emotional dinner with a friend of hers.

Police however tell a different tale ... with Montgomery County PD now offering another update on what they say went down after Karen had her accident.

As we reported ... cops had told us Karen hit the median and a street sign late Tuesday night while driving her 2017 Maserati -- and we're now told a security guard in the neighborhood saw the whole thing and called the police.

A MCPD rep says fire rescue and police officers responded to the call with an ambulance ... but, police say Huger refused to go to the hospital or be evaluated.

We're told KH was then taken into custody and transported to a district station ... with police telling us she was actually arrested and cited for DUI that evening ... but wasn't booked into their jail. Instead, they tell us she was released to her husband, Raymond.

Karen was also cited for other traffic violations before being released.

Huger hasn't addressed the DUI/DWI charges yet ... the only thing she mentioned to us Wednesday was a car going straight for her while she was driving ... which she says caused her to swerve to dodge it -- explaining she miraculously walked away without injuries.