Norfolk State Spartans guard Jaylani Darden got his 15 minutes of fame on Friday…just not in the fashion he would have preferred.
The Spartans’ 2024-25 season ended with a 95-69 blowout loss to the Florida Gators in the first round of March Madness play on Friday. Of course, the top-seeded Gators were overwhelming favorites as the No. 1 seed, so the Spartans have nothing to be ashamed of.
Unfortunately for Jaylani Darden and the Spartans, the most memorable part of the game on their end was when he lost his shorts during a layup attempt in the first half — leading to a hysterical call from play-by-play voice Ian Eagle:
"DARDEN — LOSING HIS SHORTS! AND HE LAYS IT IN!"
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) March 21, 2025
We have officially, officially entered March Madness. 😂 pic.twitter.com/HYuEEdr0Pl
Well, at least they didn’t fall all the way down! I mean, there have been several instances in the NFL where a player lost his pants completely!
While the Spartans are headed home, Todd Golden and the top-seeded Gators will continue their March Madness run with a showdown against the UConn Huskies on Sunday (12:10 p.m .EST).
Jaylani Darden Wraps Up Second Season With Norfolk State
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Darden spent his first two NCAA seasons with the Longwood Lancers before moving over to Norfolk State, where he’s enjoyed expanded playing time.
In 33 games, Jaylani Darden averaged 6.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. He had his best season in 2023-24, averaging 7.0 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game while shooting an impressive 52.9 percent from the field.
Darden’s best game of 2024-25 came on Feb. 15, when he tallied 16 points in a 75-63 victory over the Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks.
