Who’s ready for some hoops? | Photo by Michael Bacigalupi via Wikimedia Commons
Fun fact: Tennessee has seven teams competing in the NCAA Tournament this year. If you’re anything like us, you’re making your bracket extra local. Here’s what to know about the three Nashville teams gearing up for the Big Dance.
Vanderbilt women’s, No. 7 seed
The team ended the season with a 22-10 record and 8-8 in SEC play, which helped secure their second consecutive bid to the tournament and highest seed since 2012. They average nearly 84 points a game and rank in the top 10 for steals per game at 12.
Vanderbilt men’s, No. 10 seed
The team ended the season with a 20-12 record and 8-10 in SEC play, which helped secure their first bid to the tournament since 2017. They defied the odds this season, having been picked last in the league and adjusting to a new coach. In fact, this is only the second time in school history that a first-year coach has led the team in the NCAA Tournament.
Lipscomb men’s, No. 14 seed
Lipscomb ended the season with a 25-9 record, and a victory at the ASUN Conference Tournament secured the team’s second-ever NCAA Tournament berth. They entered the conference tournament with a No. 1 seed and were led by ASUN Coach of the Year Lennie Acuff and ASUN Player of the Year Jacob Ognacevic.
LookIn: “Sanctified” | 6:30-7:30 p.m. | Ezell Harding Christian School | Free | The shortened gospel comedy follows a young pastor who attempts to bring new ideas to a traditionally minded church.
Wednesday, March 19
Salute the Songbird with Maggie Rose | 7:30 p.m. | Chief’s on Broadway | $29+ | Be in the audience for a live podcast recording + musical performance with special guest Molly Tuttle.
Thursday, March 20
“Food for Thought: Conversations on Food and Labor” | 6-7:30 p.m. | Frist Art Museum | Free | The panel discussion inspired by the “Farm to Table” exhibition explores the importance of laborers — registration required.
Jason Isbell | Thursday, March 20-Saturday, March 22 | 8 p.m. | The Pinnacle | $79+ | Watch as the six-time Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter takes the stage without his band for three nights.
Friday, March 21
Dogs in the Drive-thru | 11 a.m.-2 p.m. | Chick-fil-A One Bellevue | Free+ | Every furry friend that rolls through will receive a treat and a red bandana while supplies last.
Saturday, March 22
Shelby Recreation Open House | 10 a.m.-2 p.m. | Shelby Park Community Center | Free | The 4th annual event showcases everything the park has to offer with games and demonstrations, plus the first 400 people get free hot dogs, chips, and drinks.
“The Lion King” in Concert | Saturday, March 22-Sunday, March 23 | Times vary | Schermerhorn Symphony Center | $64+ | Experience Hans Zimmer’s Oscar-winning score performed live by the Nashville Symphony.
Texas-based Curry Boys BBQ has opened its very pink doors in East Nashville’s Riverside Village neighborhood. The fast-casual concept is open from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. and serves a variety of shareables, sides, and bowls like the Brisket Smoke Show and Curry Queso Hot Dog.
Biz
We’ll need to update our bagel guide soon because Benji’s Bagel & Coffee House is expanding from west to east. A permit indicates the spot is planning a second location at 921 Cherokee Ave. near Frankie’s 925 Spuntino, though a timeline hasn’t been revealed quite yet. (Nashville Post)
Travel
If you’re flying out of the Nashville International Airport on your summer vacations, take a closer look around. The airport’s Flying Solo art series just got a refresh, with new works by six Tennessee artists now on display through Friday, June 27.
Edu
Sometime this summer, Vanderbilt University is expected to demolish a building in the Stevenson Center complex housing the physics + earth and environmental sciences departments. The Vanderbilt Hustler previously reported on a $150 million renovation project for Stevenson Center and the “Historic Core.” (Nashville Post)
Watch
Were you a Broadway “Galway Girl” this weekend? If so, you might have seen Ed Sheeran, outfitted in a pink cowboy hat, performing at Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge. That wasn’t the star’s only stop; he also led a songwriter talk at Belmont University and a writer’s round at The Bluebird Cafe.
Outdoors
With spring comes outdoor concerts + music festivals — luckily, these hearing aids are the world’s first with multi-stream processing, designed to help you engage in conversations effortlessly (even in noisy environments, like that must-see show).*
Stat
0%. That’s how much interest this card offers into 2026 — no wonder experts call it “hands down” one of “the best balance transfer cards."*
Finance
Car insurance premiums are projected to hit $2,101 annually by 2025 — a record high. Switching providers might save you over $1,300 each year. Why leave money on the table? Get matched with a more affordable plan.*
Travel
The opposite of sticker shock? Going’s free travel membership, which alerts you when flights leaving your airport are 40-90% off. You’re welcome.*
Community
Do you have a favorite restaurant? What about a pet-friendly spot? We want you to use your voice + passion for local biz and vote for NASHtoday’s Best. Voting ends Friday, Apr. 25.
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Nashvillian
3, 2, 1 blast off
Butch Wilmore has been hard at work throughout his time in space — here, he is configuring spacewalking hardware in January. | Photo via NASA
Nearly a year after astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams left for space on the troubled Boeing Starliner, promising weather conditions off of the Florida coast offer a silver lining.
The Middle Tennessee native and his counterpart are set to make their trek home a few hours sooner than anticipated. The pair joined two members of Crew-9 on a SpaceX Dragon capsule, which planned to undock from the International Space Station late yesterday. After a 17-hour flight, the astronauts should land on Earth at around 4:57 p.m. CT today.
You can watch the spacecraft’s return beginning around 3:45 p.m. today via the NASA+ streaming service.
The Buy
The Buy
A reusable, exfoliating soap bag. Slip any soap bar into this bag and use it like a body scrubber to get a rich, soapy lather fast.
Pssst: Living Waters Brewing officially opened its West Nashville space at at 4909 Indiana Ave. over the weekend, and Bad Luck Burger Club is slinging the goods Thursday through Sunday this week. There couldn’t be a better time to check things out, if you ask me.
Answered
Answered
Which actor founded Wild West Comedy Festival (2014-2017), the predecessor to Nashville Comedy Festival?
You all are funny and smart — that’s quite the combination. Just over half of the readers who responded to yesterday’s quiz got it correct. Vince Vaughn called on B. J. Novak, Seth Myers, Chelsea Handler, The Lonely Island, and more to perform at the 2014 Wild West Comedy Festival.
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