Alanis Thames / Associated Press

UCLA, South Carolina and Texas are No. 1 seeds. UConn is a No. 2 seed but has certainly looked the part of a top-seeded team behind Paige Bueckers — perhaps the biggest star in the tournament who’s the primary reason the Huskies are the betting favorite to win it all.

Athletes have long used sports as a forum for civil rights activism. And their voices could be more vital than ever today as President Donald Trump has issued sweeping orders to end federal government diversity, equity and inclusion programs.