GRWM: Here’s what players are packing for March Madness 2026 – Andscape

For N.C. State, UCLA, USC and Vanderbilt standouts, Lego sets, beauty products and game shoes are must-haves
Lego sets. A TheraFace mask. An Osmo camera for vlogging. And UGGs.
For some of the athletes headed to the NCAA Division I women’s basketball tournament, those are just a few of the essentials also making the trip.
March Madness means long travel days, unfamiliar hotel rooms and weeks spent living out of a suitcase, so players pack more than just jerseys and sneakers. Many bring mementos from home, self-care routines and entertainment options to keep them relaxed and locked-in between games.
Here’s what top players from UCLA, Vanderbilt, USC and NC State will pack in their travel bags for the NCAA tournament.
Harrison Hill for Andscape
Senior center Lauren Betts expects to play a key role in UCLA’s quest for the program’s first national championship. The Bruins, who earned the program’s second consecutive Big Ten tournament title earlier this month, are on a 25-game win streak.
Betts, the Big Ten Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, leads UCLA in points (16.4), rebounds (8.6) and blocks (1.9) per game while shooting 56.2% from the field.
For Betts, packing for the NCAA tournament means bringing items for recovery and self-care. One of the first things she packs in her bag is Therabody’s TheraFace Mask Glo, which she uses to relax and recharge after games and long days of travel.
Harrison Hill for Andscape
“I’m obsessed with it. I do it every single day,” Betts said. “I swear to you, it has been the best thing ever. I put my mom on; she’s bought one, and all of her friends have bought one. You might look crazy, but it does work.”
For a quick energy boost, Betts also keeps a La Colombe cold brew draft latte nearby to help power her through early mornings and tournament practices.
Betts also likes documenting life on the road, so she brings an Olympus Infinity 76 camera to capture moments with teammates, since this will be her last NCAA tournament. On and off the court, she always packs her Patrick Ta Major Headlines Double-Take Crème & Powder Blush Duo and makes sure her makeup stays in place with ONE/SIZE On ‘Til Dawn Mattifying Waterproof Setting Spray.
Lastly, Betts always includes a bikini so she can enjoy a little time at the beach with her teammates. 
Diana King for Andscape
Vanderbilt hasn’t reached the Final Four since 1993, but guards Mikayla Blakes and Jada Brown are aiming to help guide the Commodores through this year’s NCAA tournament.
Blakes, this season’s SEC Player of the Year, averages a nation-leading 27.0 points per game. The sophomore is one of 15 finalists for the John R. Wooden Award, which is given annually to the nation’s best college basketball player. Brown, a senior, has helped the Commodores make three consecutive NCAA tournament appearances.
Blakes always brings her Bible on trips and is currently studying the Gospel of John in the New Testament. Her faith plays such a central role in her life that she has Psalm 46:5 tattooed on her forearm as a reminder of strength and overcoming challenges. Blakes also packs a daily devotional, “Strong,” by Lisa Bevere, to stay grounded during the chaos of tournament travel.
Blakes laces up Nike Sabrina 2s as her game shoes. Comfort matters to her just as much off the court, so when traveling, she prefers wired headphones so she can more easily fall asleep against the window on flights or bus rides. Other essentials include Burberry Goddess perfume, a scarf to tie down her signature braids, and mousse to keep them looking neat.
Diana King for Andscape
One game day item Blakes doesn’t leave in the locker room? Summer Fridays lip balm.
“My favorite brand for lip balm is Summer Fridays, and I love this Pink Sugar and Vanilla [flavors],” Blakes said. “During the game, during halftime, during timeouts, you’ll see me applying this. The manager always has it for me because it’s that important.”
Her most sentimental item, though, is a blanket her friends gave her for her 18th birthday. Blakes said she never sleeps under hotel blankets when traveling, so the gift has become a staple on every road trip, keeping her warm and reminding her of home.
When it comes to road trips, Brown makes sure snacks are always within reach. She packs a Ziploc bag filled with snacks, including her favorite: kettle corn PopCorners.
“I will film TikToks about these because they’re that important to me,” Brown said. “They’re sweet [and] salty, so it’s always a good option.”
Her snack bag also includes Welch’s Fruit Snacks, peanut butter crackers and an Alani Nu Orange Kiss energy drink to keep her fueled through long days of travel and tournament prep.
Brown also packs her favorite pink pajama pants, which feature cowgirl boots and hats, so she can relax in the hotel after games and practices. Like Blakes, Brown also travels with her Bible, but she also spends her downtime reading on her Amazon Kindle.
Her bag also includes personal-care essentials such as Creed perfume, Miss Jessie’s Pillow Soft Curl hair cream and plenty of Blistex lip balm (including backups for the backups). When it’s time to take the floor on game days, Brown turns to her trusted Nike KD18 shoes.
Maggie Shannon for Andscape
A season ago, the USC women’s basketball team reached the Elite Eight. This year, the Trojans will return to the Big Dance hoping to go even further.
Freshman guard Jazzy Davidson, who was voted Big Ten Freshman of the Year, leads the Trojans in points (17.6), rebounds (5.7) and assists (4.2) per game.
Sophomore guard Kennedy Smith anchored USC’s defense and earned Big Ten all-defensive team honors. She averaged a career-high 11.6 points and 4.4 rebounds per game this season and finished eighth in the conference in blocks per game.
For away games, hydration is essential for Davidson, so she makes sure to grab an Essentia bottle of water for the road. She also brings a weighted sleep mask to help her rest while traveling.
She always packs Rhode’s Glazing Mist Hydrating Face Spray to use after practice and games. Her Apple AirPods Max headphones are a must-have, too.
“[They’re] an essential for traveling – for the bus, anytime, noise-canceling headphones are essential,” Davidson said. “I would say my top three artists right now are Frank Ocean, Lana Del Rey and Daniel Caesar.”
Maggie Shannon for Andscape
Smith makes sure to pack UGG boots for away trips. She owns several pairs, but her favorites are her Lowmels.
“To know me is to know that I bring my UGGs everywhere I go,” Smith said. “It doesn’t matter the day or season. They’re just very comfortable to me. … I have to keep them on deck with me 24/7.”
Beats by Dre Studio headphones are a must-have for Smith, who listens to music to get her hype before games. Current artists on her playlist include Drake, Kalan.FrFr and Summer Walker.
Other essentials include Rhode Peptide Lip Treatments and her DJI Osmo Pocket camera, which she uses to create vlogs for her YouTube channel.
“I’ve actually gotten into vlogging last year, my freshman year,” Smith said. “I guess the fans love to see what I have going on, even though sometimes I feel like my life isn’t as interesting as it seems. But I always vlog travel days, just day-in-the-life stuff with me and my team.”
Cornell Watson for Andscape
Sophomore guard Zamareya Jones and junior forward Khamil Pierre will play key roles in NC State’s push to make it back to the Final Four for the first time since 2024.
Pierre, who made All-ACC first team, averaged 16.8 points and 12.0 rebounds this season. She led the ACC in rebounds and helped the Wolfpack finish the regular season as the conference’s No. 1 rebounding team.
Jones averaged 14.3 points per game and ranked in the top 10 in the conference in 3-pointers made (65). She also finished third in voting for ACC Most Improved Player.
Pierre’s laptop is the most important item in her bag; it allows her to watch her favorite show “Baddies,” horror movies and romantic comedies.
Other items in Pierre’s travel bag include her Adidas Harden Vol. 9 Flamingo Pink shoes, Burberry Her and Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue perfumes, and a light blue Louis Vuitton toiletry bag. The toiletry bag contains Edge Booster styling gel, Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm in vanilla, Aquaphor, an Anastasia Beverly Hills “Brow Wiz” eyebrow pencil, INNBeauty Project Extreme Cream moisturizer, and Drunken Elephant skin care products.
Cornell Watson for Andscape
Off the court, Pierre said she listens to music using her purple Apple AirPods Max headphones.
“I listen to a lot of R&B, rap, and some pop. Drake’s always good, but then you got to get [NBA] YoungBoy in there. A little bit of everything. … [It] depends on how I wake up,” Pierre said. “Some days — slow days — I just listen to some R&B. Real chill. Some days it’s early in the morning, I’m tired. I got to turn on rap bright and early.”
Jones can’t travel without her “Sully” stuffed animal, named after the character in the Monsters, Inc. movie, because it helps her sleep better.
She started buying Lego sets to complete on road trips as a freshman. Since then, she has completed more than 100, and her routine is to put on headphones and listen to music while assembling her latest set.
She also brings a bottle of Burberry Her perfume engraved with her name and Apple AirPod Max headphones.
One item she has to pack is her Adidas Exhibit Select 2.0 Pro shoes.
“I need to wear these every single game,” Jones said. “I switched up one game [against North Carolina] and had eight points, but next game I went back to these and I had 25 against Florida State.”
Mia Berry is the senior HBCU writer for Andscape and covers everything from sports to student-led protests. She is a Detroit native (What up Doe!), long-suffering Detroit sports fan and Notre Dame alumna who randomly shouts, “Go Irish.”
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Your US State Privacy Rights | Children's Online Privacy Policy | Interest-Based Ads | About Nielsen Measurement | Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information | Contact Us | Disney Ad Sales Site
© 2026 ESPN Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved.

source