A University of Florida student reporter for ESPN Gainesville is seizing the moment after her locker room interview with Gators guard Bennett Andersen went viral following Florida’s 87-71 Sweet 16 win over Maryland last Thursday in the NCAA Tournament.
Senior Talia Baia recently announced that she and Andersen are selling an “NIL shirt together” after their exchange captured the public’s attention.
Andersen gazed at Baia during a postgame exchange after the top-seeded Gators punched their ticket to the Elite Eight.
“This is absolute madness,” Baia wrote on X with screengrabs of articles about the moment.
Florida beat Texas Tech last Saturday, 84-79, to advance to the Final Four. They’ll face Auburn on Saturday.
“Go check out the new shirt Bennett and I dropped!!” Baia wrote on her Instagram Story, which showcased the shirt that featured a cartoon illustration of the moment inside the Gators’ locker room.
“Don’t be shy, show some love,” she added.
The animation captured Andersen with hearts in his eyes as Baia blushed and included the phrase, “GatorsBoys Stay Hot.”
Baia, a native of Newport Beach, reacted to the media coverage about her interview with Andersen in another video posted to her TikTok page.
“Does my first locker room interview,” she wrote.
“We have a NIL shirt together now.”
The “Bennett ‘BUCKETS’ Andersen + Talia NIL tee” by Alma Mater Apparel is selling for $35 to “celebrate the viral moment.”
