NCAA

What do you get a 99-year-old nun as a thank-you present for being the best good luck charm ever??

Diamonds, baby!!!

Loyola-Chicago rewarded Sister Jean -- the superstar team chaplain who was with the Ramblers for every step of their epic NCAA Tournament run last season -- with a Final Four ring Tuesday.

America's favorite nun was courtside for the Loyola's game against Nevada -- when she was handed a dope diamond ring as a present for being the squad's biggest supporter last year.

Sister Jean reportedly had no clue the gift was on its way ... and she smiled huge as team staffers put the band on her hand.

Bad news for Loyola ... they lost the game, 79-65.

UCF quarterback McKenzie Milton won't lose his leg after suffering a devastating knee injury last week ... his family announced Tuesday.

Milton dislocated his right knee after taking a vicious shot in a game against USF last Friday ... and there was some worry that the injury was so gruesome, he might lose his leg.

But, Milton's parents said in a statement that while there is nerve damage and he will later require reconstructive knee surgery ... blood flow has been restored to the leg.

"We want to thank the doctors and nurses at Tampa General Hospital and the University of South Florida and UCF medical staff and athletic trainers for their teamwork and prompt attention to McKenzie’s injuries," Milton's parents wrote.

"His blood flow has been restored to his right leg and his nerve is injured but intact. He is recovering and healing and is receiving the best medical care."

Mark and Teresa Milton added, "McKenzie and our entire family are so touched and grateful for the prayers, support, and well wishes. McKenzie is in good spirits and has a very positive attitude.”

UCF plays next in the American Athletic Conference Championship Game against Memphis on Saturday ... and Milton's family says the QB will be cheering them on.

Dahntay Jones tells TMZ Sports LaMelo Ball would be a great fit at Duke ... ONLY IF LaVar Ball stays quiet.

Of course ... Melo's recruitment is wide open these days -- especially after LaVar said there's no way in hell LaMelo follows in his brothers' footsteps to UCLA.

Jones -- an ex-Duke star -- says he could see a place for Melo with Coach K ... but says the Big Baller has to keep out of the limelight ... something he's been able to do recently.

"If [LaVar] can coexist like this, I think Duke would be a place for him. If LaVar operates like this right now, I think Coach K could find a way."

LaVar did make waves earlier this week for saying Melo is better right now than LeBron James was as a teenager -- but Jones says that statement wasn't THAT outlandish.

"That's what happens when you have sons. I think my son is better than LeBron in grade school right now ... That's just natural love for his son."

Bottom line ... Dahntay says it's the meddling with coaches, rosters, game plans and teams that LaVar needs to stay away from if he wants to see Melo at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Marco Rubio says the person who posted the racist image of Florida State football coach Willie Taggart is an "idiot" ... not just because it's a hateful act, but because Taggart's a GOOD coach!

The senator says he's a Florida Gators fan -- so he's happy UF got the win over FSU on Saturday -- but says the image of Taggart hanging from a tree obviously crossed the line.

"It's just wrong to say that about anybody," Rubio tells TMZ Sports ... "It's unacceptable, outrageous."

As we previously reported, someone posted the image on Facebook of a black man being hanged from a tree with Taggart's face photoshopped over the original picture.

Officials in Florida are investigating the situation and are working with FSU police to ensure Taggart's safety.

Rubio says Taggart's getting a bad rap in his 1st season at FSU -- he's much better than his 5-7 record shows -- and FSU fans need to rally around him.

As for the person who posted the racist image, Rubio says, "That's just stupid. I mean that's just dumb, stupid, maybe even hateful ... obviously, it's a hateful action."

"Maybe they thought it was funny. It's not funny. And whoever did that is an idiot."

Tom Brady's fed up with Michigan losing to Ohio State ... saying the game was "pretty crappy to watch" ... and now he's gotta wear a "ridiculous" outfit because of it.

TB12 unloaded on his alma mater's ugly 62-39 loss to the Buckeyes -- appearing on WEEI's "Mut and Callahan" show and griping, "Man, freakin’ Wolverines. They can’t win a big game, man."

"We gotta figure out how to beat those guys," Brady says.

It's true -- Michigan has lost 14 out of the last 15 matchups with OSU ... and the current losing streak is at 7.

But, it's a double-whammy for the Pats superstar ... 'cause Tom had "a couple hundred bucks" with his teammate on the line.

"Unfortunately, I lost a bet to Nate Ebner and already paid him his money," Brady said ... noting he'll have to wear a "ridiculous outfit" to practice on Wednesday as part of the bet.

Obviously, Tom can afford to lose the money -- but having to wear an OSU jersey??

12:35 PM PT -- The person who posted the image has now been FIRED from his job ... according to a statement from Hilton Grand Vacations.

"Our concern regarding this situation has been a top priority. The person responsible for posting this information has been terminated."

"His behavior was in violation of multiple company policies and the furthest example from being a reflection of our company’s values."

A disgusting, racist depiction of Florida State football coach Willie Taggart being hanged from a tree has triggered a state attorney investigation in Florida ... officials have announced.

The image was posted to Facebook after FSU's 41-14 loss to Florida this weekend. It's a photoshopped pic of Taggart's head pasted on top of a black and white photo of an African American man being hanged.

A caption on the image reads, "Believe In Something Even If It Means Sacrificing Your Rep."

The person who posted the image reportedly works for Hilton Grand Vacations in Orlando -- and the company has already issued a statement saying the employee has been suspended.

Second Judicial Circuit State Attorney Jack Campbell has confirmed his office is aware of the post and they've connected with the FSU Police Dept. -- and other law enforcement agencies -- to investigate.

Campbell issued a statement to Tallahassee.com saying. "Any threat of violence to anybody in this community – he’s a father, a husband and a member of our community – we’re going to investigate it to the fullest extent possible."

FSU President John Thrasher also weighed in ... saying, "I speak for the entire FSU community in expressing our disgust and extreme disappointment, and I am glad the state attorney is investigating."

There's a ZERO percent chance LaMelo Ball will follow in his bro's footsteps and play at UCLA next season ... so says LaVar Ball who tells us he's still furious over the way the school treated LiAngelo.

17-year-old LaMelo is playing pretty well at the Spire Institute in Ohio -- and recently dropped 30 points during a game in Atlanta.

LaVar tells us his son is "better than LeBron" was as a teenager -- calling him "unbeatable" and "the coldest person on two feet."

So, where's he gonna play his college ball next year? Definitely not in Westwood.

"Heck no, he won't be at UCLA," LaVar says ... "UCLA? Why? After what they did to my other son? Are you crazy?"

Remember, LiAngelo withdrew from UCLA after the shoplifting incident in China. UCLA had suspended him indefinitely but that didn't sit well with LaVar.

"Suspend him and don't tell him when he supposed to be able to play and all that? No, they ain't behind him like that. One mistake and now you put him to the side and act like he's supposed to come the next year?"

LaVar says he's also upset that UCLA forced LiAngelo to wear #15 when he wore #3 all his life -- "so it started off wrong."

As for LaMelo, Ball says he'll start taking recruiting trips to colleges "when he feels like it."

LaMarr Woodley is a coward who doesn't pay off his bets when his alma mater gets smoked by its rival ... so says Beanie Wells.

The ex-Ohio State star has become pals with the former Michigan stud -- and tells TMZ Sports the two have made a bet on the big game for years -- and will continue to do so this weekend.

Yet Beanie says Woodley NEVER pays up -- and given that OSU has won the last 6 meetings between the two ... the debt is HEAVY.

"I've gotten to the point to where I've known LaMarr a couple years and he's never paid up," Beanie tells us.

"So, I'm almost anticipating him not paying up again, or he's hoping, at this point in time, that Michigan wins, so he can say, 'Okay, everything's all square and even.'"

In fact -- Wells says another former Michigan star, Steve Breaston, is ducking him on payments too!!

As for Beanie, he says he'd NEVER not pay up ... and if Michigan ends up beating OSU on Saturday -- he'd throw on the UM gear 'cause, "I'm a man of my word."

Forget NCAA, NFL or CFL, the most impressive tackle you're gonna see all year was made by a California Highway Patrol officer during a high-speed chase just moments ago ... AND IT WAS NASTY.

It went down near Seal Beach, CA after a suspect allegedly jacked a truck, then led law enforcement on a wild chase that ended up on foot after a perfectly executed PIT maneuver.

Here's the thing, the perp had a CLEAR head start on the po-po ... but one officer not only WALKED HIM DOWN, but then executed a takedown tackle that would make Khalil Mack jealous.

(Shout-out to the NBC4 chopper pilot ... for being in perfect position to catch the hit.)

Clay Helton's days as a USC coach are numbered ... UNLESS he beats both UCLA and Notre Dame in the next two weeks -- so says Trojan Rodney Peete.

The former USC superstar tells TMZ Sports he's a fan of Clay and likes him personally ... but with the way SC's looked this season -- Peete says the dude is about to get fired.

"I think that over time, it's shown that we've kind of fallen off a little bit," Peete says.

The ex-QB ain't lying ... the Trojans won the Pac-12 the last two years -- but are just 5-5 this year and are in danger of missin' out on a bowl game completely this season.

Peete says it's gotten so bad, SC is probably gonna axe Clay ... unless he can come up with wins against the Trojans' biggest rivals these next two weekends.

"I think he's gotta win the next two games for sure to have even a shot to keep it."

It won't be easy ... the Bruins have been trash this year -- but the game IS arguably the sport's biggest rivalry. Plus ... the Golden Domers are ranked No. 3 in the country right now.

The coach who witnessed his player eat a VICIOUS cheap shot elbow tells TMZ Sports he couldn't be happier his team did NOTHING in retaliation.

The video's insane ... Fitchburg State was playing Nichols College (both D-III teams) Tuesday night in Massachusetts ... when FSU's star Kewan Platt intentionally elbowed Nate Tenaglia ... sending him to the deck.

A lot of people wondered where the hell Nate's teammates were ... and why didn't they step up and return the favor?

Nichols head coach Scott Faucher knows why ... he's got a squad full of smart dudes.

"We have older guys that have been through it. They understand what a retaliation might mean, in terms of consequences and things like that. So, their focus is on the next play."

Coach says he trusts Fitchburg to handle the situation ... and they did -- indefinitely suspending Platt from the basketball team and the university's campus.

As for Nate ... he somehow managed to eat the elbow and live to shoot another 3.

11:00 AM PT -- Urban Meyer says Ohio State is looking into legal action following McMurphy's story on Trevon Grimes.

OSU also released a statement on Tuesday ... saying "The Ohio State University unequivocally and vehemently disputes the unfounded allegations by Brett McMurphy. Any allegations of racism are outrageous and false."

"The university told McMurphy that we have found no evidence to support these allegations."

Ex-Ohio State coach Zach Smith is calling B.S. on reports of a "racially charged" altercation with a receiver at a 2017 practice ... and several players who witnessed the incident have his back.

'Stadium's' Brett McMurphy is reporting the incident between Zach Smith and former Buckeyes receiver Trevon Grimes that went down at a practice in 2017 ... and claims Urban Meyer tried covering it up.

Smith vehemently refuted the report on Tuesday, saying "Hahahaha hahahahaha - you want to talk about reaching!! Now I’m a racist and got into a fight? You really must be bored Brett."

Of course, McMurphy is the reporter who revealed the domestic violence scandal that later led to Smith's firing and Meyer's 3-game suspension.

"Youre about to lose whatever credibility you had left, if any." Smith added.

McMurphy says Ohio State confirmed an "interaction" between Smith and Grimes ... but denied any racial slur.

But, several current players have broken their silence in support of their former coach ... slamming the report and saying it's flat-out untrue.

"I witness the whole altercation and this didn’t happen," senior Johnnie Dixon tweeted. "You think a group of African American young men will sit there and let something like this happen? Say what you want but this isn’t true at all."

Senior Parris Campbell added, "There’s no way that anyone would believe this. NO WAY. This lie is just out of hand. I was present during the entire altercation and what’s said in this article NEVER HAPPENED."

"I can guarantee it. Crazy how social media gives people platforms just to spread nonsense."

Grimes later transferred to Florida.

"We all know why Trevon left OSU.. or that’s what he made it seem like, in all honesty OSU was prolly just to tough for the kid," Austin Mack tweeted.

Several Pepperdine men's basketball players tell TMZ Sports they feared for their lives as the wildfires raged near their campus this weekend.

Flames have ravaged Southern California the past few days ... and when they crept up on Pepperdine's Malibu campus Friday ... students were forced to flee to the school's gym before they ultimately evacuated.

Pepperdine guard Jade' Smith says it was one of the most frightening things he's ever experienced.

"It was wild. It was crazy. It was honestly one of the scariest experiences of my life," Smith says.

"There was a point where they started to come around and it felt like they surrounded us almost."

The Waves postponed their game against CSU Northridge on Saturday ... and were thankful just to be safe when we got them ahead of their upcoming road trip at LAX on Monday.

"We were stuck in the gym and we saw the fire coming over the hill to the campus," forward Kessler Edwards says.

"It almost got some of the buildings."

Pepperdine is headed to Colorado for a game Tuesday before it hits the Bahamas for a tourney later this week ... and ya gotta hear how happy forward Kameron Edwards is to be leaving the fires behind.

Riff Raff says he's already so impressed with the way his "cousin," Mac McClung, is ballin' out at Georgetown, he's droppin' a brand new track about the kid!

Mac has been making headlines for his insane dunks since he was in high school -- and he already posted a highlight reel jam in his 1st college game this week.

So, when we got Raff out in NYC he was all kinds of fired up about Mac -- tellin' us he's almost ready with a new song about the phenom!

"I already got one in the making for one of my albums," Raff says ... "Mac Attack! When he come through with that Mac Attack, shoot."

BTW ... Riff Raff has some hoop talents himself -- and tells us he'd love the chance to join a league like the BIG3 one day.

Then, he showed off his killer handles -- and issued a warning to Harvey ... WATCH YOUR ANKLES!!!

"We got the guy who can make the blind see and the cripples walk in LaMelo Ball"

Yeah, that's a REAL quote from LaMelo Ball's new high school basketball coach, Jermaine Jackson -- who says he's so excited about the young player, it's like Magic Johnson all over again.

LaMelo, along with Jackson and LaVar Ball, just hosted a media event at the Spire Academy in Ohio where the 17-year-old will play this season ... and they're HYPED UP!

"Like Magic Johnson said in the '80s, don’t look down because you might miss something," Jackson said about Ball ... "It’s showtime baby!"

LaVar added this message to the Ohio media -- "Since LeBron left, I brought you a Ball boy."

Don't worry, LaMelo has a plan after he finishes his senior year -- he wants to play college ball.

In fact, Ball told the media he's already got some schools in mind -- including North Carolina, Duke, Kentucky, Kansas, Michigan State ... according to WKYC's Ben Axelrod.

"We got the guy who can make the blind see and the cripples walk in LaMelo Ball"

LaVar also told the media he thinks LaMelo is the most famous high school basketball player of all time -- even more famous than Bron was -- because James was virtually unknown overseas.

Ball is expected to make his Ohio high school debut in the next few days.

LaMelo Ball's jump back to high school won't make any difference on his NBA future ... 'cause teams still won't take him seriously -- so says Marcin Gortat.

The youngest Ball brother announced Tuesday he's headed to Sire Prep Academy after stints overseas and in the JBA ... clearly with hopes that it will help his NBA draft stock.

But, when we got Gortat out at Via Alloro ... we asked the Clippers center if he thinks it'll work out for Melo ... and Marcin said, "I don't think so."

Interesting ... considering Melo's new coach and ex-NBAer Jermaine Jackson told TMZ Sports he thinks after this high school run, Ball can be the No. 1 pick in the 2020 draft.

But, Gortat clearly ain't buyin' into all that ... tellin' us he ain't even giving much thought to the Balls' latest plan.

"I don't know, man. That truly ain't my problem."