A/N: A Pink Bracket Buster interlude, Rock Chalk Jayhawk style, in both the Suite Life and Power Rangers universes, as for the five original Rangers, two close friends and one Yale student, Kansas' NCAA tournament run to the NCAA finals means so much more than the actual game.

A/N 2: I own nothing.

Jayhawks Come Up Short

Monday, April 2

Some time after 9:00 p.m. local time

New Haven, Connecticut

Even with baseball season just a few measly days away and the Stanley Cup Playoffs just a week away, and WrestleMania having been just the previous night, the focus was on none of these things.

Because right then and there, Bailey Pickett was getting set to watch the national title game, as she hoped her Kansas Jayhawks would complete a remarkable tournament run which had seen them go from a team who wasn't one of the favorites to win it all to a team that would have a chance to pull a legendary upset.

Bailey and her boyfriend Cody Martin were still in a rush from the whole weekend, which not only included the Final Four in New Orleans before a flight back to the Northeast the next day, but witnessing The Rock defeating John Cena at WrestleMania 28 the night before. The eight students who had gone to school together had decided to gather in New Haven that night for that express purpose before going back to their respective schools.

But tonight, for Bailey, it was about basketball again as the underdog Kansas Jayhawks were set to take on the Kentucky Wildcats in the NCAA Championship game. Nobody was giving Kansas a chance but that was just the way she liked it – no one but no one thought they'd be in the championship game.

She'd also been talking all day with the Original Power Rangers who had gone with Kansas to win it all, plus Phil and Hayley and the whole group was behind her all the way. Actually most of the Ranger teams who had no vested interest in the outcome were rooting for Kansas as well and Jason made sure to send her best wishes from most of the rest of the Ranger teams even though not many outside the immediate group knew her contact information.

About the only group who hadn't sent her great wishes was the Dino Thunder team and all those who had picked Kentucky to win the championship but they had nothing against Bailey, it was just business.

As far as Monday Night Raw was concerned, while Bailey would normally watch that, this was the NCAA Championship game so Woody Fink, who had seen his Ohio State team lose to KU Saturday night, had been assigned to keep a watch for what happened on Raw in the aftermath of WrestleMania and he'd gladly taken it, he had nothing against Bailey but the Ohio State loss had crushed him.

Rumors had it that Brock Lesnar would be returning to WWE that night so this would be an important task.

As she watched the teams being introduced, she was tapped on the shoulder by her boyfriend.

"Remember, no matter what happens tonight you should be proud of those boys in those Kansas uniforms," Cody said. "They remind me so much of the Patriots ten years ago when they won, not the greatest talent but a true team in every sense of the word."

"And can you imagine what this team would be like with just one terrific shooter who knocks everything down?" Bailey said. "That is the ONE thing this team misses, a CONSISTENT outside shooter."

"I would have to agree," Cody said. "If this team had a shooter oh boy would they be tough tonight. So what's gotta happen for them to win?"

"A good start would be great," Bailey said. "They could win coming from behind but I wouldn't count on it. This team is being talked about as one of the greatest teams in history so we have to make them feel us right away."

Some time during the first half

With six minutes to go in the first half, Bailey's hopes for a good KU start had been all but shattered as Kentucky had shown why they were the top rated team for most of the year. At this point, the score was 34-19 and the young Kansas girl turned Yale student was shellshocked.

"I knew Kentucky was good but they are absolutely destroying us right now," Bailey said. "No one has made us look this bad all year long."

"Well, the Jayhawks will make a run, as you said that's their standard operating procedure," Cody said. "Jason said not to worry, Calipari's teams are fully capable of choking and who knows, if Kansas tightens the noose, maybe we'll see it again."

"Yeah but we have to figure them out first," Bailey said, "and that's not going to be an easy task at all. I want to beat them so bad but damn, their team is good. Most of these guys look like they'll play in the NBA."

"By the way, you might be interested in this," Cody said. "I got texts from both Woody and Zack…both of them said that on Raw tonight, Rock hinted a run at the WWE Championship!"

"The Rock, as WWE Champ, wow that would be amazing," Bailey said. "Hey look, Jason just texted me!"

"What did he say?" Cody said.

The text reads, 'Interested in tickets to summerslam?' Seriously that's what it said."

"Absolutely we'd be interested," Cody said, "especially if Rocky is competing for the WWE title in that pay-per-view. Better contact London's daddy, and text Jason that yes, we are interested."

"On it," Bailey said.

Later, some time during the second half

At this point, it was a decidedly different atmosphere in this apartment room. It was the under 12 TV timeout in the second half, the Jayhawks had cut the Wildcats lead to ten points, and it began to feel like this might be a game after all. It started to look like this might be a game because KU stars Thomas Robinson and Tyshawn Taylor were starting to put the Jayhawks on their backs.

"Can they do it, my love bug?" Cody said. "It's a game again…"

"We've got to make them feel a little bit tight, I don't sense that they feel tight quite yet," Bailey said. "Get this thing down to about five or six with a few minutes left and we've got a chance."

"Especially since Calipari's teams are notorious for missing free throws in the clutch…although this is a good free throw shooting team, they do struggle at times with free throws like the last two games," Cody said. "Things are getting interesting now."

"Phil just texted me," Bailey said. "He just simply said, bring it home, KU."

Some time after the game

Unfortunately for Bailey, the game was over and the Kansas title dreams had been dashed.

Kansas had actually closed within five points with about a minute and a half remaining but had come no further as Kentucky had held on…for dear life…and won 67-59 to claim the national title…John Calipari's first national title.

To Cody's great surprise, Bailey didn't seem that upset…after the Jayhawks had lost to VCU the previous year she had been devastated but that was not the case this year.

"I'm proud of this team, they gave it all they had," Bailey said. "It sucks we didn't win, but we have a young team and we should continue to recruit well in the future. If we can get some shooters and continue to get talent in here this team will win the title in the next two years."

"I don't doubt it for a bit," Cody said. "Maybe it won't happen next year with Robinson probably leaving but in two years…wow, look out for this team."

"I would have to agree, Robinson is gone," Bailey said. "It sucks but he's NBA ready right now. I would not fault him for leaving at all…without him we don't get to the title game."

"By the way, Woody said that Brock Lesnar is indeed back on Raw," Cody said. "He hit an F-5 on Cena to end the show."

"Now that's awesome," Bailey said. "Brock was great in the UFC but I'm glad to see him back in WWE again. It wasn't that long ago that he was kicking everybody's butt."

"His matches with Big Evil Undertaker are still some of the best I have ever seen. Their rivalry is legendary, and I think Brock is one of the biggest sensations the WWE ever saw. He could hold his own with anyone and was a great heel. Where do you think KU starts next year?"

"In the rankings?" Bailey said.

"Yeah," Cody said.

"Well this was a rebuilding year or was supposed to be and we were ranked 13 in preseason," Bailey said. "I think somewhere around 5 to 7 might be realistic, especially with Robinson leaving. It's a young team as you've said many times before."

"What are the originals' reactions?" Cody said.

"Surprisingly I am getting more good game texts from the guys than bad stuff," Bailey said. "Phil is upset that Kentucky won but he's from Cincinnati so that is understandable. I got a little nasty stuff from him. Other than that, not much negative."

"There shouldn't be," Cody said. "Now here's to the Red Sox."

"Yep, here's to the Red Sox…and redemption for them too," Bailey said as the two kissed.

The End