Welcome to the Elite Eight! After the first week, the initial field is narrowed down and ready to fire up more hot takes in hopes of surviving until the next round. Read below and vote on Instagram and X.

Next up, we have elite writers out of the Nate Robinson and DMV Regions.

Nate Robinson Region

Pitt women’s basketball’s new five-star recruit still isn’t enough // No. 1-seed Sara Meyer, Senior Staff Writer

Pitt women’s basketball recently announced its newest five-star recruit, Nylah Wilson — the

highest-ranked recruit in program history. After ending another abysmal season, this recruit seems like the light at the end of the tunnel for the team. But a quick look back at the program’s history might squander that hope.

Liatu King was the team’s saving grace in the 2022-23 season, but it still wasn’t enough. King ended the season No. 4 in the ACC for blocks, No. 5 in rebounding and No. 11 in field goal percentage. She had a career-high 26 points against North Alabama and appeared in all 30 games. King scored the majority of Pitt’s points in nearly every game, and despite it all, the Panthers’ record ended just as poorly (10-20, 3-15 ACC). 

While many are optimistic for Wilson’s college debut, I don’t think one five-star recruit is enough to carry the rest of the team. King couldn’t do it even after 3 years of playing college ball, and no one knows how Wilson’s debut will fare on the collegiate stage. If Pitt women’s basketball has any hope for the future, it’s going to have to rely on even heavier recruitment.

The Hollywood hat trick: LA Dodgers edition // No. 2-seed Sean McQuillan, Staff Writer
Are you the type of sports fan like myself who loves it when the original teams are the ones thriving in their respective sport? The Los Angeles Dodgers sitting at the top of Major League Baseball just feels right and will continue to feel right for the next three years when they go for a three-peat.

The LA Dodgers won it all in the Bronx. My first thought? One means nothing.

Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts are collectively the best trio in the sport, and it is not a debate. 

Okay, do you want more than a trio?

They landed the top veteran pitcher available, Blake Snell, and the best pitching prospect, Roki Sasaki. They brought back all their postseason standouts, including Blake Treinen, Teoscar Hernández and Kiké Hernández. On top of that, they added veteran reliever Kirby Yates, outfielder Michael Conforto and one of the best closers in the game, Tanner Scott, who is Shohei Ohtani’s kryptonite.  

All the leaves are golden brown in LA, and the skies are nothing but sunny.

DMV Region

We need to talk about Bill Belichick’s girlfriend // No. 3-seed Thomas Simione, Staff Writer

There’s no doubt that Bill Belichick is one of the greatest coaches in football history. His legacy is nearly untouchable. But some of his recent actions, specifically regarding his love life, have me scratching my head. 

Belichick, who is 72 years old, is currently dating Jordon Hudson, a 24-year-old cheerleader. Sure, they are both consenting adults, but there is nearly a 50-year age gap between the pair. 

Belichick and Hudson have made appearances at various events, most recently the NFL Honors, to very little fanfare. Am I the only one who considers their relationship strange? What do they talk about over dinner?
This situation gets even stranger, since now Belichick is working for North Carolina and has specifically requested that Hudson gets CC’d on all emails sent to him. Why does your girlfriend need to read your emails? Why is she so young? Why is nobody talking about this? This whole situation leaves lots to ponder.

Bub Carrington can lead the Wizards to a championship // No. 4-seed Julien Holbrook, Staff Writer  

The Washington Wizards may seem like a helpless cause, but with some savvy drafting and the presence of 6-foot-4 guard Bub Carrington out of Pitt, they may have a chance at winning it all.  

Carrington has been one of the few shining lights in a season of darkness for a team struggling to earn twenty wins. Carrington is smart, works hard on both ends of the floor and is a great facilitator.  

With 48.5% shooting on one of the best mid-range jumpers in the league, he has the potential to grow into a Westbrook-type player, averaging around a triple-double every game. If he can achieve a more consistent 3-pointer and gets better at finishing through contact, he can become one of the best big guards in the league.  

With the season coming to an end and one of the worst records in the NBA, the team has an opportunity to acquire a top five draft pick. The Wizards drafting a powerful forward such as Cooper Flagg or Ace Bailey would no doubt bring a valuable addition and progress them further to their championship cause.