Villanova Vain

Houston, you have a Cinderella: Bracket busting St. Mary's dancing to Reliant

Sure, this team busted up your bracket (not to mention President Obama's) with the same force that self-respecting rock stars used to trash hotel rooms. Sure, this group of college kids ruined your dreams of office pool glory.

But, look at it this way: They're much more fun to root for than Duke.

Meet the St. Mary's Gaels, the No. 10-seed slayers of No. 2-seed/Final Four favorite Villanova 75-68, the first team to punch its ticket to Reliant Stadium for the South Regional semis and final next weekend. Suddenly, the most compelling story for the NCAA Tournament's second weekend so far has Houston in its script.

If you don't know (and few do), St. Mary's is a small, private liberal arts college in Moraga, Calif. (just outside of Oakland) that's affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church. Its basketball team — which hails from the same conference as that landscape-changing Cinderella program Gonzaga — has been making a push for national recognition for the last several years. Today, it got it — thanks in no small part to Omar Samhan's 32 points and seven rebounds and Villanova's continuing funk (the Wildcats almost lost to a 15th seed in the first round).

Now, the Gaels become the natural rooting choice for anyone without a natural allegiance at Reliant next weekend.

The remaining three spots for the South Regional will come from the winners of the Baylor-Old Dominion game today, and the Duke-California and Texas A&M-Purdue games tomorrow. St. Mary's will play the Baylor-Old Dominion survivor on Friday night at Reliant.

Next weekend is a tuneup for the 2011 Final Four in Houston. You'll be hard pressed to find a St. Mary's that weekend.

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"Here come the grannies!"

Walk through the Magic Door to experience the world of Bluey in Houston

bluey and bingo's bedroom at camp in houston

Courtesy of CAMP

Houston will soon be the home of a new CAMP store, featuring interactive installations like the house from "Bluey."

Bluey is coming to the Galleria this February “for real life” through an immersive event that invites visitors to enter the world of the famous Australian Heeler family. This one-of-a-kind experience brings the Heeler home and backyard to life with intricate details that will delight fans of all ages.

Tickets are on sale now for Bluey x CAMP, the inaugural interactive experience of the combination toy store, party venue, and immersive theater space. This is The Family Experience Company’s first CAMP location in Houston, with the business securing a 7,500-square-foot permanent retail space in the Galleria.

Through “The Magic Door,” a pivoting wall, visitors step into seasonally rotating interactive spaces beginning with a 5,000-square-foot lifesize replica of Bluey’s house.

Visitors can play games made popular by the show, such as grannies and keepy uppy, and bust a move when “dance mode” is activated. The kitchen’s fridge is covered in drawings by the Heeler puppies, while the living room TV plays Bluey.

Families can explore both a pillow fort and a cardboard castle — two-story structures complete with slides — before venturing into a playroom stocked with toys and costumes from the show. In the backyard, a recreation of the Heeler’s large tree is surrounded by charming gnomes. A photo opportunity with Bluey and Bingo tops off the visit.

Beyond the world of Bluey, CAMP offers even more for visitors in its Canteen space, with a splatter room, The Schmutz Bar (a slime creation station), a party room, and a playable truck. Customers can also shop for toys, clothing, and accessories.

Houston joins a list of CAMP’s locations in Dallas, Atlanta, New York City, Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C. Installations change seasonally, with other current features including Paw Patrol, The Little Mermaid, and Encanto.

Courtesy of CAMP

Houston will soon be the home of a new CAMP store, featuring interactive installations like the house from "Bluey."

bluey galleria-houston camp bluey x camp