NCAA WBB TEAMS TO EARN REVENUE FOR TOURNAMENT APPEARANCES
It was astounding to hear that the Iowa Hawkeyes women’s basketball team made zero dollars as a team for each game they played in the NCAA Tournament over Caitlin Clark’s collegiate career. It’s more astonishing to find out that no team, not undefeated South Carolina, Angel Reese’s LSU Tigers, or any of UConn’s powerhouse teams were given a dime from the NCAA for their appearances in March Madness. That is officially changing this March.
On Wednesday, the NCAA voted on and approved a plan for revenue sharing, providing conferences direct funding for their appearances on the national stage in the Tournament. This comes years after the NCAA has done the same with men’s basketball conferences, but with the recent surge in popularity for the women’s game, the standard is finally being matched.
For the heavy hitters in the Power Four conferences that I listed before, this money will certainly help, but not as much as it will for mid-major programs. Take the University at Buffalo for example, who has played in seven March Madness games in the last decade but received no revenue from their governing body.
According to CBS News, “a combined $15 million will be awarded to the teams, which makes up 26% of the women's basketball media revenue deal. That amount is set to increase to $20 million by 2027, and $25 million by 2028. The units earned will be paid out to that school’s conference starting in 2026, on a rolling three-year basis."
FNL PREVIEW: BATTLE OF WILLIAMSVILLE BOYS HOOPS
Tonight on Friday Night Lights, our best basketball matchup of the winter thus far: Williamsville South hosts Williamsville East for a boys divisional battle.
The Will South Billies have won the last three meetings over their cross-town rivals, but it was Will East Flames who dominated the series history for eight straight meetings before their fire was extinguished in 2022. After spending one season in separate divisions, the Flames and Billes are back in the ECIC II Division, duking it out for not only bragging rights, but critical points in the standings as well.
Williamsville South (7-3) picked up right where they left off last season, following a Class A Sectional Championship season a year ago. Senior Forward Carter Lampke is one of the most dynamic in Western New York this season, leading the Billies with 20 points per game.
Williamsville East (6-6) is a balanced team on the attack this year, looking to get back to the Class AA2 Sectional Championship game, where their season came to an end in 2024. The Flames are well rounded, but their pair of third-year varsity guards Jack DeLuca and Kirill Sorkin have been lights out as of late, combining for 25 points per game.
Join us for the Battle of Williamsville this evening on Friday Night Lights. I’ll be on the call with PJ Cauley, tipoff from Will South is set for 7PM. You can listen to the game right here on WBFO, and watch it all on WNED Create.
SABRES AND MCLEOD HOLD ON FOR WIN ON WEDNESDAY, BACK AT IT TONIGHT
The Buffalo Sabres bounced back from a bad loss with an emotional win on Wednesday, as they held on to defeat the Carolina Hurricanes 4-2.
Ryan McLeod scored his first career hat trick for the Sabres, capped off with a never-before-seen statistic. In the third period, as Buffalo was on the brink of blowing a 3-0 lead, McLeod was alone, chasing up to a still puck in front of the Hurricanes’ empty net with no one separating him from the hat trick. Canes’ defensemen Brent Burns then came flying from behind McLeod, chopped at his stick, effectively tripping the Sabres forward. As per NHL rule, McLeod was awarded the empty net goal without having to shoot the puck, icing the game for Buffalo with a 4-2 lead, and prompting the fans to celebrate McLeod’s accomplishment by tossing their hats onto the ice. The statistical anomaly came after the third period came to an end, a period where Buffalo recorded zero shots on goal, but scored a goal. That’s the first time in recorded NHL history (since 1965) that such a scenario has occurred.
The Sabres look to turn one win into a streak as they host the Pittsburgh Penguins tonight at KeyBank Center. Puck drop is slated for 7PM this evening.
AFC DIVISIONAL PREVIEW: BUFFALO BILLS VS BALTIMORE RAVENS
It feels like this is the game that the entire football world has been waiting for since early December, and perhaps, going even further back, since week four. The Buffalo Bills will take on the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Divisional Round this Sunday night at Highmark Stadium.
You hear how long an NFL season is time and time again each year, but please allow me to put this weekend’s game into perspective. The Bills were still not the favorites to win the AFC East, that would’ve been the New York Jets, and the Buffalo Sabres season hadn’t even started yet. For goodness sakes, the Buffalo Bisons had just ended their baseball season a week prior, and all of our timelines were flooded with political ads a month out of Election Day. Safe to say, times have changed just a bit in the last 110 days.
For the Bills, they were without their two starting linebackers, Matt Milano and Terell Bernard were both out with injuries, along with starting nickel-corner Taron Johnson. During the game, starting receiver Kahlil Shakir and starting safety Taylor Rapp both went down with injuries. All five (!!) of those starters are fully healthy and set to make an impact this Sunday. Not to mention, that game was played before Buffalo traded for Amari Cooper, another difference maker on offense.
The Bills play calling has also drastically improved since week four, when Offensive Coordinator Joe Brady called, perhaps, one of the worst timed trick plays I’ve ever seen, as the Bills were moving the ball in the third quarter, down 11 points after forcing two Ravens punts. That trick play resulted in a fumble, recovered by Baltimore, and Josh Allen taking a brutal hit in the process. Aside from that singular play call, the Bills offense has become so balanced, with their offensive line controlling the pace of play, allowing James Cook and Ty Johnson to garner positive yards a majority of the time they’re given the rock.
For the Ravens, Lamar Jackson is out to prove why he deserves another MVP award instead of Josh Allen. He’s made it clear in the media that he’s sick of seeing the pick-six he threw to Taron Johnson back in 2021, when the Bills beat the Ravens in the Divisional Round. It is important to note that Jackson suffered a concussion during that playoff game in Buffalo four years ago, forcing him to watch the final quarter from the locker room.
It’s shaping up to be one of the best games of the NFL season this Sunday. Temperatures are set to be low, with a “feels like” of 22 degrees with wind gusts up to 15 mph. Be sure to dress warm, and ready to cheer all night long, if you’re headed to the game. Kickoff is set for 6:30 with the game airing on CBS and Paramount+ nationally.
