NCAA

Gators fans stormed Florida streets on Monday night to celebrate the school's national championship ... causing mayhem on roadways near the university's campus for hours.

Check out some of the visuals from downtown Gainesville ... there was a sea of people who left their homes to party with fellow UF supporters after the men's basketball team beat Houston, 65-63, in San Antonio.

For the most part, the crowd seemed behaved ... although there were people seen climbing on light poles -- including a man with a lower leg injury.

Charles Barkley is back in San Antonio for the NCAA men's basketball championship game on Monday ... and he couldn't leave without reigniting his friendly rivalry with the city -- and their "big ol' women!!"

Barkley added another installment to the playful feud on the stage at the Capital One JamFest Sunday night ... one day after his alma mater lost its Final Four matchup against Florida.

After being handed the mic and thanking everyone in attendance ... Chuck made sure to point out the ladies who call the Alamo City their home.

UConn is a national champion once again, and perhaps nobody was more proud of the new title than Vanessa Bryant -- whose daughter, Gianna, absolutely adored the Huskies.

Kobe's wife took to her Instagram page to congratulate Geno Auriemma and Co. after they destroyed South Carolina, 82-59, on Sunday in Tampa ... and wrote that Gigi would've been so happy with the way the women's basketball team hoisted yet another NCAA tournament.

"Gigi would've loved being there with you," she said ... before adding a quote from Gianna that read, "When you think you can't, UCONN."

If Larry Johnson were in Cooper Flagg's giant Blue Devil sneakers, he tells TMZ Sports he'd forgo the NBA for one more year ... and stay put in Durham.

Flagg, of course, is the prohibitive favorite to go at the top of this year's draft ... but Johnson made it clear to us he'd like to see the 18-year-old hang around Duke a bit longer.

The College Basketball Hall of Famer said the extra year of ACC ball would help Flagg tremendously in the long run ... even though he knows it'd be difficult for the teenager to postpone his pro career another 12 or so months.

Chris Webber has some sound advice for all the young athletes suiting up for the Final Four ... telling TMZ Sports one mistake -- like, say, calling a timeout when your team doesn't have one -- won't ruin their lives!!

We ran into the former NBA star and Michigan Wolverine before Houston, Duke, Florida and Auburn take the court during the NCAA tournament's semifinals this weekend ... and he reflected on his own career before dishing out some words of wisdom.

"I wouldn't trade one moment that I had at the Final Four," Webber said. "I wouldn't trade any of the stats. I wouldn't take the timeout."

Jalen Suggs resumed his role as Hailey Van Lith's biggest cheerleader at TCU's NCAA tournament game on Monday ... this time, he rocked the hooper's jersey to further full-send their apparent relationship.

The 6'5" Orlando Magic guard was captured on video at the Horned Frogs' Elite Eight matchup against the No. 1-ranked Texas Longhorns at the Legacy Arena at the BJCC ... and his wardrobe made it clear which side he was rooting for.

Suggs was sitting near the TCU bench in a No. 10 jersey ... electing to wear it backward to show the Van Lith name.

Larry Johnson, Stacey Augmon, Anderson Hunt, Greg Anthony and the rest of the Runnin' Rebels are getting a documentary (about time!) on their famed '90 NCAA Championship squad -- a team the guys say is the greatest ever!

Johnson, Augmon, and Hunt joined Babcock ... where they announced the brand new project, titled UNLV: Kings Of Vegas, which they say will, once and for all, deliver the true story of the famed team, including never-before-told stories.

"It was long overdue," Hunt said ... "To tell the story through our eyes."

The entire basketball community is rallying behind JuJu Watkins after she suffered a devastating injury during the NCAA tournament on Monday ... with names like Angel Reese and Lisa Leslie wishing her a speedy recovery.

The unfortunate incident happened in the first five minutes of USC's second-round matchup against Mississippi State at the Galen Center in downtown Los Angeles.

Watkins -- the Big Ten Player of the Year -- was driving to the basket on a fast break when her knee buckled, forcing her to fall to the floor and grab her right leg in excruciating pain.

Derik Queen put the Maryland Terrapins on his back and hit a game-winning shot to punch their tickets to the Sweet 16 ... and he tells TMZ Sports the best part about it is he was there for the seniors when they needed him most.

We caught up with the star of Sunday's action after Maryland beat the Colorado State Rams in a nail-biting 72-71 victory in the second round of the NCAA tournament ... and Queen was still riding high off the outcome a day later.

In case you missed it, the 20-year-old freshman got the ball with 3.7 seconds left in the contest ... and drove to the hoop to sink a TOUGH bank shot with the entire season on the line.

An NCAA Tournament reporter says he was hit with a threat from UConn after he posted a video of Dan Hurley in a bit of an unflattering situation on Sunday night.

The footage was taken inside the bowels of the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C. ... just after Hurley's Huskies dropped their second-round matchup to the Florida Gators, 77-75.

Hurley could be heard in the clip screaming about the referees ... as the Baylor Bears were gearing up to take the court for their matchup with Duke.

Rick Pitino made the trip to Cleveland to be a supportive papa for his son Richard's matchup in the NCAA tournament ... but a heartwarming moment was derailed by someone else in the crowd.

The 72-year-old was all smiles when cameras panned to him cheering on the New Mexico Lobos in their contest with the No. 2 ranked Michigan State Spartans in the round of 32 ... which was cool to see especially after Rick's St. John's squad was upset by Arkansas a day prior.

The touching gesture isn't what was the focus on social media, though ... as some folks admitted they didn't even realize a Hall of Fame coach was in the shot!!

If St. John's cuts down the nets in San Antonio next month, call Rick Pitino the GOAT ... 'cause Dan Dakich says a title win for the Red Storm this year would make their head coach the best ever.

Dakich didn't mince words during his sitdown with TMZ Sports this week ... proclaiming if Pitino becomes a three-time champion with three separate programs, he would immediately vault to the top of the all-time greats list.

"Three different schools, three banners?" Dakich said. "Greatest coach in the history of college basketball."

No need to play out the NCAA women's tournament ... 'cause UConn great Jen Rizzotti tells TMZ Sports she's confident her Huskies are going all the way -- thanks to Geno Auriemma's ability to always get it done!!

Rizzotti -- currently the Connecticut Sun president -- is well aware of the legendary coach's ways ... as she played under Auriemma in the mid-'90s, winning an NCAA championship in 1995.

She sees the same fierce determination in the current Huskies, with Paige Bueckers and Sarah Strong leading the team to the women's 36th consecutive NCAA tournament.

Owen Hayes, the college baseball player who cops say beat the crap out of an 84-year-old man at a California bar, is no longer enrolled at his university.

Hayes was playing baseball at The Master's University in Santa Clarita, CA up until this week, when he surrendered to authorities at the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station and was booked on a charge of felony assault.

In a statement to TMZ, the school says ... "The individual in question no longer attends The Master's University. The University takes all violations of its standards and biblical convictions seriously."

A member of the McNeese State University basketball team has caught the eyes of sports fans with March Madness underway ... but we aren't talking about an athlete -- but rather their student manager!!

Senior Amir "Aura" Khan has taken the college basketball world by storm this season ... and while he isn't allowed on the bench during tournament games -- he got the team hyped as it took the court against number No. 5-ranked Clemson.

Despite the restriction, he was busy in the stands taking pictures with fans. Even the cheerleaders were in on the craze, rocking socks that featured his mug!!

A brawl broke out during the Jackson State and the Prairie View A&M baseball game in Texas over the weekend -- with benches clearing amid the chaos ... and now both sides are left dealing with the consequences.

It all went down on Saturday after senior Trenton Bush hit a walk-off RBI for the Panthers -- as the winners were celebrating at second base, a Tigers player sprinted from left field and into the huddle ... and that's when things took a turn.

As coaches tried to break up the athletes, a Panthers player fell to the ground near second base ... but he was eventually helped up to his feet.