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Matt Harmon welcomes back Ray Garvin as the two launch our 2026 NFL Draft prospect deep dive series. First up in the series is the QBs. Harmon and Garvin dive deep into the top 12 QB prospects in this year's draft. The two debate if there's any legit prospects beyond Fernando Mendoza and Garvin gives his best QBs to target in later rounds of your rookie dynasty drafts.

(1:00) 2026 QB Class Preview

(7:45) Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza

(25:25) Alabama QB Ty Simpson 

(39:00) LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier

(46:45) Penn State QB Drew Allar

(51:00) Miami QB Carson Beck, Arkansas QB Taylen Green & North Dakota State QB Cole Payton

(57:00) Ray’s Diamond in the Rough: Clemson QB Cade Klubnik 

Jason Jung

🖥️ Watch this full episode on YouTube

Check out all episodes of the Yahoo Fantasy Forecast and the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at yahoosports.tv

Sometimes, the best updates on a player can come from the player himself. What a concept.

That’s the case for Kentucky Basketball big man Jayden Quaintance, who has been sidelined with a knee injury since early January and offered an insight into his recovery situation on Thursday in St. Louis.

It’s the same knee he tore his ACL in in February of 2025, which kept him out until December 21st after transferring to Kentucky this past offseason.

“Just focusing on rehab, trying to make sure everything’s going well, keeping things on the up and up with my knee. Things have been going pretty well,” Quaintance said. “Trying to get rid of the swelling. I feel like we’ve been making progress. 

“Haven’t been going as fast as I’d want to, obviously, but we’ve been making progress still.”

It’s been swelling in the knee that has kept him out of the lineup and rotation since two games into SEC play. He played in four games prior to that, including a memorable breakout performance against St. John’s at the CBS Sports Classic in Atlanta.

“We’ve tried a PRP shot, a steroid shot recently, I’ve taken different shots,” said Quaintance. “A lot of icing, a lot of different treatment things to try and reduce the swelling as much as possible naturally. Just getting rid of the swelling has been the main focus.”

Mark Pope said he doesn’t think Quaintance going to be able to cross the line to be able to play this weekend.

Quaintance admitted it’s not looking good for his chances of playing again this season.

“It depends on how fast we ramp up,” said Quaintance of a possible return. “I have the strength to retain, but the swelling has still kind of been lingering around. I haven’t done too much stuff on court in a long time, so I’d have to kind of reinitiate slowly into that, but it’s probably unlikely currently.”

So as expected, Kentucky will have to continue its season with Quaintance unlikely to suit up again.

Wyatt Teller is ready to call Houston home.

On Thursday, the Houston Texans and the three-time Pro Bowl guard agreed to terms on a two-year deal with a $23 million max value, including a $16 million base value. The Texans announced the signing via social media, while Teller greeted his new fans following the move.

"Texans fans, Wyatt Teller here. Just got into Houston, just signed and I'm excited to go," Teller said. H's up, H-Town!"

Teller, who has spent seven of his eight NFL seasons with the Cleveland Browns, hopes to be the last known piece to fix the offensive line this offseason following the signings of Braden Smith and the re-signing of breakout player Ed Ingram.

A standout for the Browns, the 31-year-old interior offensive lineman made 94 starts in Cleveland. He earned two All-Pro nods and helped the Browns end their 18-year playoff drought while winning a game in 2020.

Signed. Sealed. Delivered. ✍️ pic.twitter.com/fTb6nw6zyN

— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) March 19, 2026

Teller is coming off a career-low season, but Houston is banking on the upside. According to NFL Next Gen Stats allowed just three sacks last season, but a 9.8% quarterback pressure rate. The area of strength? Run blocking, where Teller finished with a 65.7 grade by Pro Football Focus, which ranked 36th out of 81 interior offensive linemen.

Officially official. pic.twitter.com/PnfQM57pCp

— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) March 19, 2026

From a scheme fit, Teller should provide a boost to an offensive line that needed reinforcements and has been rebuilt by general manager Nick Caserio for the second straight offseason. Houston should have three guaranteed new starters and potentially a fourth via the draft by the time Week 1 rolls around.

This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Texans officially announce signing of Pro Bowl OL Wyatt Teller

Moving to the left corner, Payton Sandfort can finally cross off a huge bucket-list item. Aaron Wiggins found the two-way rookie for the momentumal moment. He knocked down the outside jumper to secure his first NBA points.

The Oklahoma City Thunder helped out the Brooklyn Nets' lottery odds with a 121-92 win. They led by as many as 42 points. The reigning NBA champions limited the rebuilding squad to an eye-popping 24 points in the first half. That allowed the second half to be skippable.

Added to a two-way deal on Mar. 2, Sandfort finally had the chance to play some meaningful NBA minutes. It was quite the journey for him to reach that point. He played four collegiate seasons at Iowa from 2021-25. He went undrafted this past summer.

Despite being signed by the Thunder as an undrafted free agent, it would take another six months before he could suit up. He had double shoulder surgery in the offseason to repair a torn labrum. That sidelined him for all of the 2025 Summer League and preseason.

After playing a handful of games with the G League's OKC Blue, the Thunder added Sandfort with their last two-way spot. A couple of weeks later, he scored his first NBA bucket. Wiggins was pumped to be the guy who fed him the bucket. He can relate to him as he started in OKC on a two-way deal, as well.

"That was awesome, man. I've been talking to him in and out of practices, at games, on the bench. Just telling him that it's going to come," Wiggins said. "We've had some games where we had leads and they got shrunk. He's waited for that opportunity. I just told him that it's going to happen. Stay with it. Be ready to go. I was happy to be the guy he assisted."

Sandfort went home with a memento. The Thunder ensured he was gifted the game ball. Afterward, he continued OKC's tradition of a postgame bark — something every newbie has done over the years.

If all that wasn't enough, Sandfort darted back on a flight to get to OKC. Fate had his younger brother, Pryce, at Paycom Center — the Thunder's home gym. On Thursday afternoon, he scored 23 points to lead Nebraska to its first March Madness win in program history over Troy.

In the stands was Sandfort. He surprised his little brother with his appearance. The Thunder two-way rookie talked to Hurrdat Sports about his adventurous 18 hours to go from Brooklyn back to OKC — with a few events in between.

"We were at a team dinner until 1 a.m. and then had a 3 a.m. taxi. Took a flight at 6 a.m. and here I am," Sandfort said. "It worked out. I'm happy I could be here."

The NBA schedule-makers did Sandfort a solid, as well. The Thunder are amid another two-day break on a season-long five-game road trip. They're set to play the Washington Wizards on Saturday. The basketball stars really aligned for all of this to happen.

"It was awesome. Last night was pretty special. Just the way all of the guys have treated me. Now being able to be here," Sandfort said. "Hopefully just a special 24 hours."

OKC Thunder forward Payton Sandfort is surprising his brother at March Madness after his game in Brooklyn last night. 🤯

Team dinner: 1 a.m.
Taxi: 3 a.m.
Flight: 6 a.m.
Nebraska tipoff: 11:40 a.m. pic.twitter.com/P95mDIZJmS

— Hurrdat Sports (@HurrdatSports) March 19, 2026

This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Payton Sandfort recounts wild 18 hours from first NBA points to March Madness

Two Rutgers gymnasts were named to the all-Big Ten teams that were revealed yesterday.  Senior Gabrielle Dildy and graduate student Emily Leese both earned honors from the conference. Dildy is the first Scarlet Knight to be named to the all-Big Ten first team since 2023 and is the third Rutgers gymnast ever to receive the honor. Leese was named to the all-Big Ten second team, marking the first time that Rutgers has had two gymnasts earn all-Big Ten honors since 2022.

Dildy had a breakout all-around season, competing in all four events for the first time and setting or matching her career high in three of them. Her all-around score of 39.525 at the Rutgers March Quad was the second highest in program history, while she set or matched a career-high on vault, bars, and floor during the season. 

Leese had a breakout season after missing all of last year due to an Achilles injury. At the Pink Invitational earlier in the month, she broke her own program record on vault with a 9.950 and matched a career high on floor with a 9.925. Her performance also earned her Big Ten Specialist of the Week honors. Leese also received the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award. 

Last season, Rutgers gymnastics earned a spot in the NCAA regional championships for the first time since 2014 despite scandals surrounding their suspended head coach, Umme Salim-Beasley, who was fired by the university after the season. The Knights will hope to make it two in a row under Anastasia Candia, who filled in Salim-Beasley’s role during her suspension before being named the permanent head coach after her departure.

The next event for the Rutgers gymnasts is the conference championships, which Illinois will host. Those are set for Friday at 7 pm and will be broadcast live by the Big Ten Network.

While much of America spent its afternoon looking up High Point, North Carolina on a map, the head coach whose team authored the biggest upset in the first round of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament was busy giving the interview of his life.

Flynn Clayman’s 12th-seeded Panthers stunned the No. 5-seeded Wisconsin Badgers, 73-72, on March 19.

MORE: Ex-ESPN analyst, coach slams Jay Bilas immediately before March Madness

Afterward, the 37-year-old head coach spoke in sound bites in a live interview amid a deafening crowd at the Moda Center in Portland.

“It looks pretty obvious to me that high majors need to play mid-majors during the season, because they said we didn’t play nobody — we played somebody now,” Clayman said, nodding.

More to come on this story.

— Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories on The Big Lead —

MARCH MADNESS: Predicting March Madness upsets in the 2026 NCAA Tournament

NFL DRAFT: New Mel Kiper NFL mock draft shows major impact of free agency

MLB: Dodgers announce Shohei Ohtani’s spring training pitching debut

NHL: Oilers’ Leon Draisaitl out for regular season with lower-body injury

ENTERTAINMENT: Is ‘Bachelorette’ still airing amid Taylor Frankie Paul domestic dispute allegations?

VIRAL: Livvy Dunne shares ‘Baywatch’ training with BTS swimsuit, set photos

Celtics Insider Says Pistons May Not Be 'Impacted Much At All' By Cade Cunningham Update originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Detroit Pistons fans and NBA followers alike were hit with devastating news on Thursday morning when it was reported that All-Star guard Cade Cunningham had been diagnosed with a collapsed lung and was set to miss an "extended period."

The update comes as the Pistons are looking to hold off the Boston Celtics for the top seed in the Eastern Conference with the regular season wrapping up.

Detroit entered Thursday with a 3 1/2 game lead over second-seeded Boston with 14 contests left.

Celtics insider Jay King of The Athletic argued that as long as the Pistons can hold onto the No. 1 spot, they could be ok.

"Call me crazy, but this won’t swing much in the Eastern Conference. Players with collapsed lungs have missed an average of 26 days, according to the great Jeff Stotts of In Street Clothes. If Cunningham returns on a similar timeline, he will be back in time to start the playoffs," King wrote. "As long as the Pistons hold onto the top seed, they won’t be impacted much at all. They know who they are already. They know how they need to play. And as long as they’re able to plug Cunningham back into the lineup when the postseason arrives, they’ll be one of the clear conference favorites."

For what it's worth, King and fellow scribes at The Athletic Hunter Patterson (Pistons beat writer) and James L. Edwards III (New York Knicks beat writer) all predicted that Detroit will finish with the top mark in the Eastern Conference.

The trio also all have Boston ending the regular season in second place, followed by the Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers.

More NBA: Celtics Legend Breaks Bad News To Jaylen Brown On Historic Night

If you like a beverage with your baseball, the Los Angeles Dodgers have a new margarita for you to try.

The watermelon-habanero margarita sounds tantalizing enough on its own, but the special touches are what really makes this special.

The watermelon-habanero mix is shaken with tequila and fresh lime juice, and the cup comes with Tajin, not salt, dusted around the rim.

And the best part? It comes in a souvenir water cooler cup.

That cooler, naturally, is Dodger Blue with the LA logo on the side. It also comes with a straw and lid, so it might even prevent what would surely be a devastating spill.

Is the Margarita All That’s New at Dodger Stadium in 2026?

Perhaps the biggest change for the stadium is the addition of a new sponsor, the Japanese company Uniqlo.

Uniqlo secured naming rights to the field, but not the stadium.

“Dodger Stadium’s name will remain unchanged. The Dodgers did not sell the naming rights to their ballpark and were not open to doing so throughout the process,” wrote Katie Woo of The Athletic.

“Protecting the legacy of Dodger Stadium, which has been the name of the historic park since its opening in 1962, was a top priority for the organization.”

Also coming this year is Habit burgers, which is signed to a multi-year deal with the team.

“We are excited to welcome Habit in the Dodgers’ family of food partners,” said Lon Rosen, executive vice president and chief marketing officer of the Dodgers. “This exemplifies the excellence and enjoyment that fans have come to savor at Dodger Stadium, and we expect it will quickly become a popular destination in the Centerfield Plaza.”

When Can I Get My Hands on a Watermelon-Habanero Margarita?

The season is nearly upon us, with the Dodgers’ home opener set for March 26.

That will be part of a six-game home stand, with matchups with the Arizona Diamondbacks on March 26, 27 and 28, and games against the Cleveland Guardians on March 20, 31 and April 1.

Which game at Dodger Stadium will be your first of the 2026 season? And do you plan on grabbing a watermelon-habanero margarita in a commemorative cup?

Evan Bouchard has built a strong case for the Norris Trophy with a standout 2025–26 NHL season.

The Edmonton Oilers defenseman continues to drive play from the blue line with elite production. He has five points in his last five games, helping the Oilers win three, lose one in overtime, and drop one in regulation.

If we take the whole season, Bouchard leads all NHL defensemen in scoring with 78 points in 69 games. His tally includes 19 goals and 59 assists, underlining his value as a playmaker. He also contributes heavily on the power play, recording 30 points with the man advantage. His +20 rating shows growth in his overall game, not just offense.

MORE: Oilers receive encouraging update amid uncertainty over Leon Draisaitl’s injury

So, analysts have started to push his Norris case more strongly. Speaking during a Sportsnet segment recently, Bob Stauffer highlighted how Bouchard’s impact often goes beyond simple highlights.

“Think about that for a second, and the Oilers lost 9-1 [to the Avalanche in early November],” Stauffer said. “But since then, Edmonton’s played 53 games, Bouchard has 68 points, he’s plus-31 since that game on a team that doesn’t have a goalie with a .900 save percentage.

“And of the elites in the league, the top 10 defensemen in the league, the only one that plays more on the penalty kill is [Miro] Heiskanen down in Dallas.”

Stauffer pointed out that while turnovers get attention, Bouchard’s subtle puck movement drives success. His ability to make quick, smart plays sets him apart.

“But it’s the subtlety in which he makes the plays,” Stauffer said. “And he’s probably, you know, you guys are in a Toronto market that booed Larry Murphy out of town.

“Larry Murphy played 1,600 games in the NHL, had 1,200 points, and is a Hall of Fame defenseman. And I think that’s probably the D-man closest to Bouchard. And sometimes there’s a subtlety in defenders like that – that make the puck do the work.”

Evan Bouchard is ahead of Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes

Among top defensemen, Bouchard stands ahead of names like Zachary Werenski (69 points), Cale Makar (69 points), Lane Hutson (69 points), and Quinn Hughes (67 points) in total points.

Bouchard’s offensive zone control and shooting ability are at another level this season. He also handles penalty-kill duties, showing trust from the coaching staff.

There are still areas to refine, especially in defensive decision-making. However, his overall impact remains undeniable. Bouchard has emerged as a complete offensive force from the back end.

If the Oilers maintain their push, his candidacy will only grow stronger. This season has placed him firmly among the league’s elite defensemen.

— Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories on The Big Lead —

MARCH MADNESS: Predicting March Madness upsets in the 2026 NCAA Tournament

NFL DRAFT: New Mel Kiper NFL mock draft shows major impact of free agency

MLB: Dodgers announce Shohei Ohtani’s spring training pitching debut

NHL: Oilers’ Leon Draisaitl out for regular season with lower-body injury

ENTERTAINMENT: Is ‘Bachelorette’ still airing amid Taylor Frankie Paul domestic dispute allegations?

VIRAL: Livvy Dunne shares ‘Baywatch’ training with BTS swimsuit, set photos

Last year, the High Point Panthers’ men’s basketball program reached a new high point. It made it to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history.

But that was then. There’s a new zenith right now. HPU notched a 83-82 comeback upset win over Wisconsin in Portland on Thursday afternoon for the program’s first NCAA tournament victory.

“Seems pretty obvious to me that high majors need to play mid majors earlier in the season, because they said we ain’t played nobody, well we played somebody now,” first-year High Point head coach Flynn Clayman said in his on-court postgame interview.

Not only was this High Point’s first tournament win, but it was the Panthers’ (31-4) first win over a Power Conference opponent in 58 tries. It was the second time in the past three seasons that Wisconsin has lost to a mid-major team that wears purple (James Madison two seasons ago). 

“I knew how good of a team we had,” Clayman said, with his rowdy team celebrating behind him, “But nobody would play us, just like they wouldn’t play Miami of Ohio. But they gotta play us in this tournament.”

High Point led for just over 1:30 of the second half. It took the lead on three-point specialist Chase Johnston’s first two-point basket of the season (yes, that is verified as True) with just 11 seconds to play, on a fast-break opportunity following a Wisconsin missed layup.

“We kept fighting when we went down 10 points early in the first half, but I’m so proud of us, man, we went through so much,” Rob Martin, who led HPU with 23 points, said.

Wisconsin held a 70-62 lead as the clock ticked under five minutes, but back-to-back threes from Johnston and Terry Anderson made it a two-point game. With the lead at four with just over a minute to play, HPU cut it to one on a Johnston three before his game-winning layup.

Anderson finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds, Cam’ron Fletcher had 14 points and 11 rebounds, and Johnston logged 14 on 4-of-6 shooting from behind the arc.

Wisconsin held a 15-5 lead in the first half before the margin was trimmed to two points at the break. Nick Boyd had 27 points, including 18 in the second half. John Blackwell scored 22 for the Badgers (24-11) but only two after halftime.

The No. 5 Hawaii women’s water polo team had its 17-match home winning streak snapped after a 14-13 loss to No. 3 USC on Wednesday at Duke Kahanamoku Aquatic Complex.

Hawaii’s Agatha Weston had a shot saved by Anna Reed as time expired.

Ema Vernoux finished with five goals for the Rainbow Wahine (11-5). Roni Perlman and Weston each added two goals, and Daisy Logtens made 10 saves.

Emily Ausmus scored five goals for the Trojans (18-2). Meghan McAninch added three goals and Reed had six saves.

USC’s Koo triumphs at Pearl at Kalauao

USC’s Jasmine Koo claimed medalist honors and the Trojans won the team title at the Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational women’s golf tournament, which concluded Wednesday at Pearl at Kalauao.

Koo had a three-round total of 11-under 202. Trojans teammate Catherine Park finished second at 208.

USC finished at 28-under 824 to win the 13-team tournament. North Carolina and Arizona State tied for second at 847. Hawaii finished 11th at 909 and Hawaii Pacific placed 13th at 939.

Hawaii’s highest finisher was Maline Kraus, who tied for 32nd at 222. HPU’s top golfer was Isabella Iorio, who tied for 36th at 223.

All season, players and coaches point to March as the time when the games truly count. A quick glance at a calendar shows that the time is now. The NCAA Tournament brings March Madness to Columbus on Saturday, to start the final stretch of games in the 2025-26 Ohio State women’s basketball season. How it will end is up to the players, but here are the reasons why the Buckeyes can make an NCAA Tournament run, and then the reasons why they cannot.

The Why

Ohio State has not made the Final Four in 33 years. The last time that happened, now-assistant coach Katie Smith was a nationally recognized and applauded freshman. Now, in the 21st century, it is a nationally recognized and applauded sophomore who has the ability to lead the Buckeyes back to the college basketball promised land.

Point guard Jaloni Cambridge made a huge leap from season one to season two, and the guard was the Big Ten Freshman of the Year last campaign. Cambridge led the Big Ten with 26.4 points per conference game, her 4.9 assists were seventh, and the 5-foot-7 point guard landed in the top 25 rebounders with 5.6. When looking for a complete player, it is Cambridge.

Whether it is scoring 41 points in a crucial midseason matchup against the Illinois Fighting Illini, with WNBA star A’Ja Wilson sitting court side specifically to watch Cambridge, or a near triple-double in the next game against the Maryland Terrapins, Cambridge finds the basket and her teammates with regularity.

Opposing teams struggle to stop her, and it is not only a one-player show in Columbus. Older sister and Ohio State guard Kennedy Cambridge led the Big Ten with 128 steals, a record that already broke the 115-steal program single-season record and continues to grow. Senior guard Chance Gray’s 17 points per game in the 2026 calendar year is the best stretch of play in her four-year career. Then there is 6-foot-6 sophomore center Elsa Lemmilä, who, despite losing to the UCLA Bruins in the Big Ten Tournament, played some of the best defense against Big Ten Player of the Year Lauren Betts that a big has played this season.

After early-season hiccups, which are normal for a young team, the Buckeyes showed that they are never really out of a game. Ohio State had one truly rough Big Ten game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers, but the Scarlet and Gray made up for it soon afterwards in the Big Ten Tournament. The other late-season losses were by a single possession at the end of games against the Michigan Wolverines and Maryland Terrapins.

Overall, with a little bit of luck and a bounce or two can get to an Elite Eight run.

The Why Not

The biggest why not is the No. 1 overall seeded UConn Huskies. Ohio State earned a No. 3 seed after playing through the learning curve that comes with a young team that has only three upperclassmen on a roster of 11 athletes, but the Buckeyes’ reward was the same region as the only undefeated team in Division I basketball. Earlier in the season, Ohio State traveled to Connecticut in the third game of the season only to return to Columbus with its worst loss of the season in a 100-68 rout.

Now, Ohio State is a different team than it was in early November. A lot changed in the four months that followed, but what did not change much is that the Buckeyes are still a young team. With that comes young team mistakes.

Head coach Kevin McGuff’s side’s fatal flaw is consistency. Take the Buckeyes’ last game as an example. UCLA won by 10 points, which, when compared to the totality of the Bruins’ season, is a standout performance. However, seven points of that deficit came in the second quarter alone. Ohio State won the second half by a point, but those final 20 minutes showed that at their best, the Buckeyes can compete with the top teams in the country.

However, it also showed that the Big Ten side is not at the point where it can play at its highest level for a full 40 minutes.

Then there is the need for a third scorer. Jaloni Cambridge and Chance Gray are the offensive keys for the Buckeyes, but after that, the picture gets cloudy. Kennedy Cambridge is capable of a big scoring game, but when that happens is not predictable or something to plan around. Elsa Lemmilä has improved vastly as she got healthier this year after two offseason surgeries, but early misses can throw the Finnish center out of her offensive rhythm, although that has improved at the end of the season.

After this season, Ohio State will lose at least Gray due to expired eligibility. If the rest of the young roster stays intact, and the transfer portal does not take away any pieces, youth will no longer be a problem. The Buckeyes have potentially two more seasons with their core of Jaloni Cambridge, Elsa Lemmilä, guard Ava Watson, and forward Kylee Kitts, which may keep opposing coaches up at night through the 2027-28 season.

The Alabama Crimson Tide will face the Florida Gators in the second series of SEC play this weekend.

The Tide were swept by Kentucky last weekend, as Alabama will need to bounce back with authority against a talented Florida team. Star pitcher Tyler Fay struggled immensely last Friday, but the talented flame thrower finds himself in prime position for a quality performance against the Gators this weekend.

Here are three bold takes for Alabama’s series vs. Florida.

Tyler Fay bounces back, records 8+ K’s

Fay had been one of the hottest pitchers in the entire SEC prior to his outing against the Wildcats last Friday. Fay surrendered six earned runs and eight hits across seven innings pitched, as the redshirt junior was able to stay in the game despite getting hit hard. 

The Crimson Tide star currently holds a 5.34 ERA this season, as Fay will look to get back on track against the Gators on Friday night.

Justin Lebron stays red hot, records 4+ hits

Lebron has been widely regarded as a top player in all of college baseball to begin the 2026 campaign. Lebron currently holds an impressive .313 batting average on the year, as the talented shortstop continues to play a pivotal role for the Tide on a nightly basis.

Lebron could dominate yet again against Florida, as the star shortstop has been elite throughout the month of March.

John Lemm continues to thrive, records 2+ HR

Lemm has been red hot throughout the first 22 games of play. The star catcher has three home runs in 2026, as Lemm continues to produce at the plate for Alabama during SEC play. 

Lemm could quickly find himself playing a key role once again for the Tide this weekend, as the talented catcher will look to shine vs. Florida.

Alabama will face the Florida Gators in a three-game series beginning on Friday, as the Tide will look to secure their first victory in conference play. 

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion.

This article originally appeared on Roll Tide Wire: Alabama baseball bold predictions for SEC series vs. Florida Gators

When you've become a veteran golfer like Zach Johnson, it's fair to say you've seen it all. Even a snow-delayed tournament.

It was some 15 years ago that Johnson was in Marana, just north of Tucson, Arizona, for the PGA Tour's WGC Match Play when play was suspended by snow. The tournament was held in February at The Golf Club at Dove Mountain, which sits at elevation, but seeing the golf course draped in a layer of snow was a shock to most, who generally think of Arizona as one big desert.

"The one I remember, and this is no embellishment, no exaggeration, there was one year we were here, we're at like 2,700 feet, I think it's even a little higher up there, like 3,000 feet maybe, maybe a little more than that even. I'm in my first match and it was single elimination, it wasn't pod based, and I'm playing Jason Day, who I adore. We get to 11, it's a par 5 and I'm pretty confident saying I was 5 down through 10. Maybe 6., I think it was 5. It's blowing, it's freezing, we've got four layers on, and all of a sudden this purple-bluish haze comes over us and then it starts to snow. We had about a 36-hour delay of snow. It was two or three inches, and then that evening it was three more inches," Johnson said.

"That was not the fondest of memories. I mean, I got waxed so maybe it's supposed to be like that. When it rains, it snows, I don't know. But yeah, great memories other than that. I love the topography, the undulations, the trajectory control. Elevation's difficult because you've got to control your yardages, but I love that challenge."

Fast forward to this week and the weather is quite the opposite, as a West Coast heat wave has brought triple digits to the state. Accuweather projects a high of 101 on Friday and 100 on Saturday before "cooling off" to 98 on Sunday at the Cologuard Classic at La Paloma Country Club.

"It's hot," he said. "I was talking to some guys who played here last year in particular. It was freezing, I guess. But I get it. Again, we're at elevation. I think it was a little earlier in the calendar if I'm not mistaken. You know, it is what it is. But it's nice. I mean, it's dry heat, you know. We'll be fine."

Johnson comes into the week with a perfect record on the PGA Tour Champions. He's only played once on the circuit since turning 50, but he became the 22nd golfer to win his Champions debut two weeks ago.

"I didn't have any expectations on that," he said. "I just wanted to go out, get comfortable and compete. I mean, I guess the short answer would be no, but I really didn't put anything on myself from an outcome standpoint. It was more let's get acclimated, let's get our feet underneath us and try to find some sort of rhythm to the week."

Getting to Tucson also proved to be a bit of a challenge for the St. Simons Island, Georgia, resident.

"I don't want to bore, you know what, it's first-world problems. I'm so fortunate obviously to be here, let alone the trials in trying to get here. There was a storm out east and it wreaked havoc, as they typically do, and it was pretty significant. It's the domino effect, whether you're talking actual weather, TSA issues, et cetera. There's all that." he said. "But I say all that, you know, fortunately I didn't lose a second of sleep, I was not too stressed about it. Again, this is first-world issues."

With the travel woes behind him and a 0 percent chance of snow in the Arizona heat, now it's time for Johnson to focus on golf at the Cologuard, where he'll be a favorite in a field of many of his PGA Tour buddies, including Chris DiMarco, David Toms, Darren Clarke, Padraig Harrington and Paul Stankowski. As Johnson says, he could go on and on.

"Names this week, faces this week that I haven't seen in a while. Just saw Freddie [Couples]. He was the vice captain with me and I was a player under him a couple times," Johnson said. "Those are the guys I've looked up to, those are the guys that have paved my way certainly and I'm grateful to have them as both mentors and peers."

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Zach Johnson eyes second PGA Tour Champions win at Cologuard Classic

The second week of NFL free agency is winding down, and the Atlanta Falcons are unlikely to make any more major moves before the 2026 NFL Draft arrives next month. The team used its limited cap space to franchise tag Kyle Pitts, sign quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and add improve the overall roster depth.

We saw the return of a few familiar faces, including wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus and tight end Austin Hooper, while other key players, such as linebacker Kaden Elliss and edge Arnold Ebiketie, departed for greener pastures.

The Falcons will go into the draft with just five total picks, which is something that general manager Ian Cunningham vowed to never let happen again while he is in Atlanta. The team sent its 2026 first-round selection to the Los Angeles Rams to acquire James Pearce Jr. -- a move that worked out well before the rookie was arrested last month.

So, where do the Falcons pick in each round of the 2026 NFL Draft? Check out the full list of picks below.

List of Falcons' draft picks in 2026 NFL Draft

• Round 2: Pick No. 48
• Round 3: Pick No. 79
• Round 4: Pick No. 114
• Round 6: Pick No. 197
• Round 7: Pick No. 231

Follow along with each Falcons transaction using our 2026 NFL free agency tracker!

This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Atlanta Falcons: List of picks in 2026 NFL Draft

Former Arsenal, Chelsea and England left-back Ashley Cole has said his first words as the new head coach of Serie B side Cesena.

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Speaking at his unveiling, the Englishman said:

“The values aligned together and I was very enthusiastic when I got the call and the opportunity to come to, as I mentioned, a very good, honest respectful club and I still am enthusiastic for the future.”

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – APRIL 20: Ashley Cole, First Team Coach of Everton gestures during the warm up prior to the Premier League match between Everton and Leicester City at Goodison Park on April 20, 2022 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)

Ashley Cole – First words as Cesena head coach

Ashley Cole was announced as the Serie B side’s head coach earlier this week, in what is his first job in a managerial capacity.

It comes as a surprise to many but reports indicated that the Italian club wanted a recognisable figure from world football and Cole is familiar with club co-owner Mike Melby, from their time at LA Galaxy.

“More importantly, for me, my background, my beginning is just like the Cesena fans: very humble, good values, good loyalty and at the moment they’re giving everything for the club and I need to give something back.”

For Cole, it is a surprise opportunity to jump start a managerial career that looked as though it was never destined to arrive. He seems enthusiastic about the challenge, but once again stressed the most important thing is to reflect the fans.

“The minute I heard about this opportunity, I jumped at the chance to come here. My team needs to reflect not me, always, it needs to reflect the club, its fans and the values of these fans.”

Nottingham Forest left MCH Arena with the edge in a lively second leg of the UEFA Europa League round of 16, coming through 2-1 against Midtjylland. Nicolás Domínguez broke the deadlock on 40 minutes, heading in from the centre of the box after a corner, with Nikola Milenkovic supplying the assist.

Forest doubled their advantage shortly after the break, as Ryan Yates scored from outside the area on 52 minutes. James McAtee set up the goal, and the visitors looked in control with a more threatening attacking output throughout the match.

Midtjylland, however, found a response on 69 minutes when Martin Erlic pulled one back with a left-footed finish from the middle of the box. The home side stayed in the contest, but the deficit remained and Forest held on to secure the result.

The statistics underlined the visitors? superiority in the final third, with Forest registering 20 shots, 8 on target and 11 corners, alongside an expected goals figure of 1.91. Midtjylland had slightly more possession at 52%, but managed only 12 shots, 3 on target and an expected goals mark of 1.03.

Incidents: The story of the match

1':

The match begins

2':

Missed opportunity! Dilane Bakwa from Nottingham Forest took a left-footed shot from the left side of the penalty area, coming agonizingly close to finding the back of the net. The assist was provided by Omari Hutchinson.

2':

Missed opportunity! Dilane Bakwa from Nottingham Forest takes a left-footed shot from the left side of the penalty area, coming agonizingly close to finding the back of the net. The assist was provided by Omari Hutchinson.

31':

Opportunity wasted! Lorenzo Lucca of Nottingham Forest attempted a right-footed shot from the center of the box, but it sailed high and to the left. The assist came from Nikola Milenkovic, who set him up with a header.

32':

Missed opportunity. Ryan Yates of Nottingham Forest attempted a header from the center of the box but sent it wide to the left. The assist came from Omari Hutchinson, who delivered a cross following a corner kick.

32':

Missed opportunity! Ryan Yates of Nottingham Forest attempted a header from the center of the box but sent it wide to the left. The chance was created by Omari Hutchinson, who delivered a cross following a corner kick.

39':

Opportunity wasted. Dilane Bakwa from Nottingham Forest took a left-footed shot from outside the penalty area, but it sailed over the bar. The assist came from Lorenzo Lucca.

39':

Opportunity wasted. Dilane Bakwa from Nottingham Forest attempted a left-footed shot from outside the penalty area, but it sailed over the bar. The assist came from Lorenzo Lucca.

39':

Opportunity wasted. Dilane Bakwa of Nottingham Forest took a left-footed shot from outside the penalty area, but it sailed over the goal. The assist came from Lorenzo Lucca.

Nottingham Forest takes the lead with a score of 1-0 against FC Midtjylland. Nicolás Domínguez scores with a header from the center of the box following a corner kick.Nottingham Forest takes the lead against FC Midtjylland, making it 1-0. Nicolás Domínguez scores with a header from the center of the penalty area, directing the ball into the top right corner of the net. The assist came from Nikola Milenkovic, who also headed the ball following a corner kick.Nottingham Forest takes the lead against FC Midtjylland, making it 1-0. Nicolás Domínguez scores with a header from the center of the penalty area, directing it into the top right corner of the net. The assist came from Nikola Milenkovic, who also headed the ball following a corner kick.

40':

GOAL Nottingham Forest: Nicolás Domínguez (Nottingham Forest) scores!

Nicolás Domínguez scores goal number 1 in the competition (9 matches)

46':

Missed opportunity! Darío Osorio from FC Midtjylland took a left-footed shot from outside the penalty area.

46':

Missed opportunity! Darío Osorio from FC Midtjylland took a left-footed shot from outside the penalty area, but it went just wide to the left. The assist came from Lee Han-Beom.

46':

Missed opportunity. Darío Osorio of FC Midtjylland attempted a left-footed shot from outside the penalty area that went just wide to the left. The assist came from Lee Han-Beom.

FC Midtjylland 0, Nottingham Forest 2. Ryan Yates has scored for Nottingham Forest with a left-footed shot from outside the penalty area.FC Midtjylland 0, Nottingham Forest 2. Ryan Yates scores for Nottingham Forest with a left-footed strike from outside the penalty area, finding the top right corner of the net. The assist came from James McAtee.

52':

GOAL Nottingham Forest: Ryan Yates (Nottingham Forest) scores!

Ryan Yates scores goal number 2 in the competition (9 matches)

60':

Missed opportunity! Denil Castillo of FC Midtjylland attempted a header from close range but couldn't convert.

64':

Missed opportunity. Nicolás Domínguez from Nottingham Forest attempted a right-footed shot from outside the penalty area, but it sailed high and to the right after a corner kick.

68':

Opportunity wasted. Cho Gue-Sung of FC Midtjylland attempted a header from the center of the penalty area but failed to score. The cross was provided by Mads Bech.

FC Midtjylland has found the net, making it 1-2 against Nottingham Forest. Martin Erlic scored with a left-footed strike from the middle of the box, sending the ball into the upper part of the goal.

69':

GOAL Midtjylland: Martin Erlic (Midtjylland) scores!

Martin Erlic scores goal number 4 in the competition (8 matches)

86':

Missed opportunity! Morgan Gibbs-White from Nottingham Forest took a right-footed shot from outside the penalty area that went just wide to the left. The chance was set up by Ryan Yates following a corner kick.

98':

Missed opportunity. Ryan Yates from Nottingham Forest attempted a left-footed shot from the left side of the penalty area.

113':

Opportunity wasted! Adam Gabriel from FC Midtjylland attempted a header from the center of the penalty area but couldn't find the target. The assist came from Aral Simsir.

FC Midtjylland 1, Nottingham Forest 2 - Morgan Gibbs-White scores for Nottingham Forest, successfully converting the penalty with a right-footed shot into the left corner of the net.FC Midtjylland 1, Nottingham Forest 2 - Ibrahim Sangaré steps up and successfully converts the penalty for Nottingham Forest, striking the ball with his right foot into the top right corner of the net.FC Midtjylland 1, Nottingham Forest 2 - Neco Williams steps up for Nottingham Forest and successfully scores the penalty with a right-footed shot.

120 +2':

Missed opportunity! Morgan Gibbs-White of Nottingham Forest attempted a header from the center of the box but sent it wide to the left. The assist came from Ola Aina.

998':

The referee whistles for the end of the match

PORTLAND, Ore. — There’s an age-old difference between the starting point guards of today’s NCAA West Region game.

When Hawaii’s Hunter Erickson was a senior at Timpview High School in Utah, Arkansas’ Darius Acuff Jr. was a fifth-grader in Detroit.

“I am old,” said Erickson, 26, with a smile.

While All-American Acuff is a 19-year-old freshman sensation with a quasar-bright NBA future, Erickson is the dean of one of college basketball’s oldest rosters.

At the start of this season, the average age of a Rainbow Warrior was 23 years, three months. Erickson is one of five ’Bows who is married. After serving a two-year mission, Erickson was with BYU for two years, Salt Lake Community College for one season, and Utah for two before joining the ’Bows last June. He qualified for a sixth season because of the pandemic exemption and a one-time special waiver for playing at a junior college.

Although Acuff presents several challenges, Erickson has played against eventual NBA players, such as LJ Cryer, Andrew Nembhard, Jalen Suggs and Caleb Love.

“He’s a very talented player,” Erickson said of Acuff, and “you’re not always going to stop these guys. You’re not going to hold them to zero points. It’s not about that. It’s about getting them to take shots they don’t want to take. Long-range contested shots. Floaters. Deep floaters. Things like that. That’s our game plan. Hopefully we can execute.”

Erickson also has gained confidence through experience.

“Maybe that’s something I struggled with my first two years, going from starting, kind of being the guy on every team I’ve played on my whole life, until then it’s (a limited role) to adjust to,” Erickson said. “But it’s something that paid off in my career and allowed me to realize the value in accepting your role but also excelling at your role regardless of what it is. It’s doing what’s best for your team.”

Erickson has started all 32 games this season, including the past 15 at the point following Aaron Hunkin-Claytor’s season-ending injury.

“Big Fish” circles back to Oregon

For the second time this season, UH senior center Isaac “Big Fish” Johnson has circled back to Oregon.

Johnson, who was born in Oregon, lived in Roseburg, Ore., in his fifth- and sixth-grade years.

“I was a Ducks fan,” Johnson said of rooting for University of Oregon teams.

The father of a youth league teammate had a successful lumber business. He sponsored an event in which Johnson’s youth team played at halftime of a Portland Trail Blazers game at Moda Center.

In November 2021, Johnson, then a backup center for Oregon, faced his brother’s BYU team in a game at Moda. BYU won 81-49.

UH opened this season against Oregon in Eugene. And now Johnson will be back at Moda for today’s opening round of the NCAA Tournament.

“It’s a full-circle moment to be back here for March Madness in what could potentially be my last college game,” Johnson said.

Calipari has a “Classic” history

It was 30 seasons ago when Arkansas coach John Calipari brought his top-ranked UMass team to the 1995 Rainbow Classic in Stan Sheriff Center.

Star center Marcus Camby was injured in the Minutemen’s semifinal victory over USC. The next night, Camby came off the bench to score 20 points to help UMass defeat Syracuse and win the title.

That season, the Minutemen reached the 1996 Final Four, losing to Kentucky in the semifinals. The following year, the NCAA Executive Committee negated the Minutemen’s 1996 NCAA Tournament record because Camby accepted what was ruled to be “improper” gifts from agents.

Camby, who was the second overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft, played 17 seasons. Calipari won a national title with Kentucky in 2012.

Bayern Munich are in a mini-injury crisis with several players out for varying periods of time, one of which is Alphonso Davies who went off in the 6-1 win over Atalanta. The 25-year-old hasn’t featured for Canada since picking up the ACL tear on international duty last year, and his assistant coach at the NT knows it’s a tough loss for both Bayern and Canada.

“It’s so unfortunate and frustrating for Alphonso that he had to suffer all these setbacks, especially since he was on such a good path”, assistant coach Paul Stalteri said (Sport Bild as captured by Buli News). But knowing him, he won’t let it get him down and will lead our team in top form at the World Cup.

“He has already internalized at a young age that every game must be won and that he always has to compete for titles. He goes to work every day with this pressure and this conviction. He inspires his teammates in our squad with this typical Bayern mentality.”

Matt Fitzpatrick has embarked on a swing change with his coach Mark Blackburn over the past 12 months.

Fitzpatrick linked up with Blackburn immediately after The Masters last year after a really poor run of form.

And Blackburn obviously worked wonders with the Englishman, who finished the season off in fine form and made his way onto the European Ryder Cup team as a result.

Fitzpatrick has begun the 2026 PGA Tour season in fine form, with a runner-up finish, one top-10 and two top-25s in six events so far.

It’s fair to say that Fitzpatrick could have won The Players, if he had just a little bit more luck down the stretch on Sunday at TPC Sawgrass.

He has already proven that he can win the very biggest tournaments, after he reigned supreme at the U.S. Open in 2022.

However, he will now be hoping to jump up to the next level, and the hope is that with his ability to cut his irons now rather than draw them, he’ll be able to do exactly that.

What Matt Fitzpatrick tipped to get even better after swing change

Fitzpatrick was very keen to find a way of controlling his iron shots better, and Blackburn has helped him do that by transforming the shot-shape that he hits.

Blackburn spoke to Dan Rapaport on The Dan on Golf Show, and responded when asked about the changes Fitzpatrick has made to his swing.

“He spent a lot of time developing a lot of speed, and speed is definitely a huge byproduct of moving kind of laterally in the golf swing, and very much vertically,“ Blackburn explained.

“And that produces massive speed, a bit more of a draw, but can be very challenging for producing really crisp, controlled, cut iron shots, the shot that he wanted.

“He was almost trying to use a technique for a high long iron, or a massive smash driver.

“It’s not gonna be so conducive for a cut, you know, nine or eight-iron.

“And so we kind of added in a little less of him moving down the target line, a little bit more rotational, which he did probably inherently as a kid, and then when he chased speed, his swing kind of changed a little bit.

“So all we’ve done is trying to take the pieces he used for distance, but then marry them up, harmonise a little bit more with his lower body, creating a bit more rotation.

“Some people might call that torque, so it’s easier to get the club travelling outside to in and across the ball, much easier for him to get his body open through the hip, which now opens the club face to the path, and he produces a very controlled cut.“

What Matt Fitzpatrick does at majors is ‘unusual’ according to his coach

“He’s very straight. He hits it a long way, he’s got precision, and he’s just learning to use all of those things.

“So, to me, I think that his ceiling, he’s levelling up, so to speak, and I think he’s gonna continue to get better and better, and he doesn’t get stage fright.

“He’s very stoic. Like, he is very calm. The Matt I deal with on the Monday is the same Matt I’m dealing with on a Sunday in a warm-up at a major.

“That’s kind of unusual with players.

“We’re still talking about Sheffield United or the Premier League, or how bad Liverpool are. We have a good joke. The team’s very sarcastic.

“So, he’s got a really great head on his shoulders. Yeah, I think that he’s got a lot of intangibles that make for elite golf.“

A fade always lands softer than a draw so players are able to control their distances better by shaping their irons left to right, or right to left if they are left-handed.

Given the firmness of the greens at the vast majority of the biggest tournaments on the PGA Tour, the change was one that Fitzpatrick clearly felt was a crucial one to make.

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The West Coast Conference is a three-bid league this year, something that has not gotten enough applause this week. The Saint Mary’s Gaels were the first team to broaden awareness beyond Gonzaga, and now they are rewarded with an at-large bid despite a surprising loss in the conference tournament.

Let that recognition further your confidence in the Gaels against the Texas A&M Aggies tonight.

My Texas A&M vs. Saint Mary’s predictions and March Madness picks are intrigued by the countering wants: the underdogs preferring to play like their shoes are on fire, while the favored Gaels think snails move too quickly.

Texas A&M vs Saint Mary's prediction

Who will win Texas A&M vs Saint Mary's?

Saint Mary's: The casual fan may mistake this for an upset, but the seed lines are correct.

The Gaels have more NCAA Tournament experience, and that will prove the difference in this matchup of contrasting styles.

Texas A&M vs Saint Mary's best bet: Over 147 (-110)

With Bucky McMillan and his “Bucky Ball system” in his first year in College Station, the Texas A&M Aggies play fast. They enjoyed the 29th-quickest tempo in the country this year, per KenPom, while the Saint Mary’s Gaels moseyed at the No. 298 tempo.

Broadly speaking, it is easier to speed up a slow team than it is to slow down a fast team. With depth and ball pressure, Texas A&M should speed up this first-round matchup.

And with both teams showing quality from beyond the arc, any amount of hot shooting could turn the pace into a barnburner.

COVERS INTEL: In five games this season that KenPom considered up-tempo, Saint Mary’s went 4-1 outright, losing to only Vanderbilt. More notably, all five of those games cashed their Overs, though the Gaels went just 2-3 against the spread in them.

Texas A&M vs Saint Mary's same-game parlay

Backing Saint Mary’s to win despite the pace is a vote of confidence in veteran head coach Randy Bennett. The Gaels have advanced past the first round in three of the last four years.

They may also have the best player on the court in sophomore guard Mikey Lewis, who is shooting 37.5% from three and faces a defense that gives up plenty of long-range looks.

Texas A&M vs Saint Mary's SGP

• Over 147
• Saint Mary's moneyline
• Mikey Lewis Over 17.5 points

Our Big Dance SGP: Like Mikey!

This approach applies to most Gaels, who operate with just a six-man rotation. As Texas A&M pushes the pace, partly thanks to its deep bench, Saint Mary’s will rely heavily on a few primary ball handlers.

Mikey Lewis will handle the ball more than anyone else. Taking his Overs makes too much sense. 

Texas A&M vs Saint Mary's SGP

• Mikey Lewis Over 17.5 points
• Mikey Lewis Over 2.5 threes
• Mikey Lewis Over 2.5 assists
• Saint Mary's -3

Texas A&M vs Saint Mary's odds

• Spread: Texas A&M +3 (-110) | Saint Mary's -3 (-110)
• Moneyline: Texas A&M +135 | Saint Mary's -165
• Over/Under: Over 147 (-110) | Under 147 (-110)

Texas A&M vs Saint Mary's betting trend to know

Saint Mary's has covered the spread in 13 of its last 18 games for +7.5 units and a 38% ROI. Find more college basketball betting trends for Texas A&M vs. Saint Mary's.

How to watch Texas A&M vs Saint Mary's

Texas A&M vs Saint Mary's key injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Mainz became the first German team to reach the quarter-finals of the Conference League on Thursday along with twice runners-up Fiorentina and Crystal Palace, who needed extra time in Cyprus.

Mainz beat Czech side Sigma Olomouc 2-0 on the night and on aggregate to reach the last eight in Europe for the first time.

Palace rebounded from a goalless home draw against AEK Larnaca with a hard-fought 2-1 in 120 minutes from Ismaila Sarr's brace.

Fiorentina ousted Raków Częstochowa 4-2 from 2-1 victories home and away, with Cher Ndour and Marin Pongračić on target in Poland. Greek side AEK Athens could afford a 2-0 home defeat to oust Slovenia's Celje 4-2 from two games.

The other four last 16 return legs are later on Thursday.

Palace failed to score against Larnaca in the league stage and first leg knock-out game but finally came lucky in the 13th minute of their third meeting.

Adam Wharton won the ball in midfield and his deflected pass reached Sarr who rounded goalkeeper Zlatan Alomerović at the edge of the area to slot into an empty net.

Larnaca were level in the 63rd from Enric Saborit's header but Saborit was sent off 10 minutes later for a second bookable offence and Sarr saw Palace through in the ninth minute of extra time by netting at the near post. Larnaca also had Petros Ioannou dismissed late on.

In Mainz, the hosts got the breakthrough after the restart from Stefan Posch's glancing header. Olomouc had Peter Barath dismissed with 20 minutes left and Mainz capitalised in the form of a second from Armindo Sieb in the 83rd.

Terry Rozier hasn't appeared in a game for the Miami Heat this season. In October, he was arrested and indicted as a result of an expansive federal gambling investigation that unearthed two separate cases that altogether feature 34 total defendants.

But the 32-year-old guard is still on the Heat's roster with just 13 games remaining in the regular season. He reportedly won't be for much longer, however.

The Heat are expected to waive Rozier before the end of the regular season, in order to make room for a playoff roster spot, according to reports from the Miami Herald and ESPN on Thursday.

Rozier was charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. He pleaded not guilty in December.

Prior to a March 2023 game, in which he played a mere nine minutes and change for the Charlotte Hornets due to a foot injury, Rozier is alleged to have shared inside information about his early exit, allegedly leading to his co-conspirator bettors wagering more than $200,000 on his under prop bets.

Rozier is one of six defendants, along with former NBA guard and Cleveland Cavaliers assistant Damon Jones, in that illegal gambling case, which is centered around the trading of non-public information about the health and availability of NBA players.

The other case, which focuses on a rigged poker ring backed by the Mafia, also includes Jones as a defendant as well as several others, most notably Portland Trail Blazers head coach and Pro Basketball Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups.

The NBA placed both Billups and Rozier on leave, but Rozier won his salary dispute with the league in February. While his $26.6 million salary for the 2025-26 season was initially placed in escrow, it was reportedly released to him. That change came when an arbitrator determined that, under the terms of the NBA's collective bargaining agreement, players can't be placed on unpaid leave, unless they are involved in cases of domestic or child abuse, per a Feb. 2 ESPN report. 

Rozier is in the final year of a four-year, $96.2 million deal. Since that contract is expiring, he has to be waived by 5 p.m. on April 9 to clear waivers prior to the end of the regular season on April 12, as reported Thursday by both the Herald and ESPN.

The Heat acquired Rozier in January 2024, before it learned about the unusual betting activity involving Rozier. The NBA, which eventually cleared Rozier in its own investigation of him, didn't give the Heat a heads-up, and reportedly neither did the Charlotte Hornets, who declined to comment in October when faced with questions about if they knew of the NBA's investigation at the time of the transaction, per the Herald.

To resolve that issue, the Hornets agreed earlier this month to send a 2026 second-round pick to the Heat. More than two years ago now, Miami traded Charlotte veteran guard Kyle Lowry and a first-round pick in exchange for Rozier.

Rozier appeared in 31 games for the Heat after being dealt ahead of the deadline during the 2023-24 season. Last season, he played in 64 games, starting 23 of them, and averaged 10.6 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.6 assists per contest.

With Rozier currently still on the roster, the Heat have a maximum 15 players on standard contracts. Although Miami won't eclipse the luxury tax threshold if it waives Rozier and signs a replacement player right now, waiting to do so allows the Heat to remain flexible if a player is lost to injury down the stretch, as reported by the Herald, which noted another benefit of keeping Rozier in that 15th spot. Teams with fewer than 15 players on standard contracts can have two-way contract players on the active list for only 90 total NBA games in the regular season, 60 fewer than if a team is at that 15 mark.

Regardless, Miami is reportedly expected to waive Rozier in the lead-up to the postseason and, in effect, will be able to fill his roster spot with either a signee or a promoted two-way player.

On the latest edition of the HoopsHype show "Around The Beat," hosts Cyro Asseo and Sam Yip bring you the pulse of the New Orleans Pelicans from a uniquely informed perspective with Shamit Dua, the Pelicans writer behind the "In The NO" newsletter and podcast. They discuss Dejounte Murray's galvanizing return from injury, Zion Williamson's transformed approach to the game, the front office's controversial roster philosophy, and what the future holds for the franchise.

You can watch the full podcast or check out snippets of the conversation in the transcribed version below the YouTube video.

The Dejounte Murray effect

Timestamps: 00:01:26 – 00:03:32 / 00:03:53 – 00:04:23

ShamitDua: "He definitely brings a style of basketball and a solid personality that I think is not common in the NBA in general, but also just like on the Pelicans team specifically. They've lacked sort of this outspoken, in-your-face style basketball player. Dejounte really wears his emotions on his sleeve, and I think it is infectious. It is something that everyone's like, 'Well, this guy clearly cares so much. You know, it'd be kind of an affront to not care as much as he does.'"

The audition begins

Timestamps: 00:03:32 – 00:04:53 / 00:04:54 – 00:05:38

SD: "In the back of everybody's mind, they know that this is a new regime... unless you're Yves Missi or Karlo Matkovic, you're part of the previous regime, and there's no guarantee that you're going to be here. And it's in your best interest to continue to audition not only for this team, but for every other team. And I think there's incentive in that in terms of playing hard."

The Zion Williamson conundrum

Timestamps: 00:08:14 – 00:09:47 / 00:14:53 – 00:16:08 / 00:30:51 – 00:31:55

SD:"I think it's the opposite. I think Zion's going to get extended... When Joe Dumars got here, there were some tough conversations had with Zion about what the expectation is for professionalism. And to Dumars's credit, Zion really took that to heart... He really wants to be in New Orleans, and he really, really wants the narrative on him to flip... I would model it after Julius Randle's extension... around three years, $100 million or so. Around 30 to $35 million a year. I think it's a good sweet spot for Zion."

AD vs. Zion

Timestamps: 00:11:49 – 00:14:31

Cyro draws a comparison between the front office's approach to Zion versus their approach to Anthony Davis in the past. Shamit explains the critical difference: availability and professionalism. Davis, despite his own injury history, was consistently available enough to be a top-5 player and earn All-NBA honors, which justified the franchise going "all in" around him. With Zion, the organization never got that proof of concept, leading to a more conservative, developmental approach.

Dua: "Davis, while he was in and out of games, he was still mostly healthy for the duration of his Pelicans career, and he was way more professional in how he approached the game... When you have a player who averages, like, 35 games a year, you can't take those type of swings."

Who stays and who goes?

Timestamps: 00:16:37 – 00:18:47 / 00:24:43 – 00:26:49

SD: "I think everybody on the team has a price. But the price is set intentionally high for guys like Herb Jones and Trey Murphy. So if those prices are met... those guys are available, but they're set to deter teams from asking."

DeAndre Jordan's surprising role vs. Kevon Looney's

Timestamps: 00:18:47 – 00:21:22

SD: "DeAndre Jordan, to everybody's surprise, has won his minutes... I think it's just evidence that, hey, if you can just do the bare minimum at that position, the Pelicans could be really good. And if they can get someone that can be more than the bare minimum... the guy that I have my eye on this summer is the local guy, Mitch Robinson."

The medical staff shake-up

Timestamps: 00:21:42 – 00:24:14

SD: "The medical side of the front office, most of them are on final years of their deals... it's going to look completely different come this summer. And it's something that people who follow the team need to be a little bit nervous about, because ownership wants to cut corners... there should be a healthy amount of skepticism that they're not going to invest in this area."

James Borrego's case

Timestamps: 00:43:31 – 00:47:39

SD: "I think if it were up to me, James Borrego should just have the interim tag removed... They've decentralized their offense away from Zion in a way that's become increasingly effective, and that was a challenge that Willie Green would talk about every single season... I think Borrego has certainly done enough to where he needs a look at the head coach."

Trey Murphy might be (almost) untouchable

Timestamps: 00:48:54 – 00:50:19

SD: "I think they view him as a guy that pairs perfectly with their star draft pick, Yves Missi... Trey is someone that pairs perfectly with anybody because he's an off-ball, highly efficient offensive player that can shapeshift into whatever offensive role you really need him to."

You can follow Cyro Asseo (@CyroAsseo), Sam Yip (@SamYip__), and Shamit Dua (@FearThe Brown) on X.

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Around the Beat with Shamit Dua: 'Zion is all in on New Orleans'

It's only natural that Duke — the No. 1 overall seed in the men's NCAA tournament and a blue blood — would look at No. 16 seed Siena and take the Saints a little lightly.

But it's an entirely different thing to admit that out loud ... during the game.

That's exactly what Duke's Maliq Brown did in a shocking halftime interview. With the Blue Devils trailing Siena by 11 at halftime, CBS reporter Tracy Wolfson caught up with Brown to discuss what was going wrong for Duke.

The senior forward admitted that Duke thought Siena would be a "cakewalk" and that the team was a little nervous in the first half.

maliq brown cake walk; siena vs duke pic.twitter.com/xe2oVCrABL

— ◇ (@F0RGIAT0) March 19, 2026

He said:

"Like I said, we thought it was going to be a cakewalk going into this game. So now we know what it is and we just gotta respond the way we usually do."

After Virginia and Purdue lost to 16-seeds, you'd think Duke would respect its opponent more. But that clearly wasn't the case early on in Thursday's game.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Duke's Maliq Brown admitted he thought Siena would be a 'cakewalk'

They savored the first men’s NCAA Tournament win in Nebraska basketball history in their own way. 

Coach Fred Hoiberg thought about his father, currently in a nursing home, as the benches emptied. He couldn’t wait to talk to him.

Sam Hoiberg, the youngest of the three, started savoring the moment even earlier. He looked up at the fans at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City. There were about five minutes left, with Thursday’s South region first-round matchup between No. 4 seed Nebraska and No. 13 seed Troy no longer in doubt, and the son who initially didn't want to leave Chicago for Lincoln, Nebraska, marveled at the generations of Cornhuskers going bonkers yet again. 

FAMILY TIES: Payton Sandfort surprises brother Pryce at Nebraska March Madness game

“That was a desperate crowd, desperate for a tournament win, and we were a desperate team,” Sam Hoiberg said. "So it worked well together."

Nebraska erased plenty of program baggage with its 76-47 win over Troy, and it played out in front of a noticeably pro-Cornhusker audience in the stands. They turned their first March Madness triumph in 130 seasons of Nebraska basketball into a de facto road environment for the underdog from the Sun Belt Conference. 

There was a sense of relief and satisfaction afterwards that this Nebraska team finally delivered for its longtime supporters in the program's ninth NCAA Tournament appearance. Several players gathered around longtime Nebraska radio broadcaster Kent Pavelka immediately after the elusive first March Madness win was in the books. Fred Hoiberg admitted to having anxiety before tip-off and called this win “the most emotional of all of them.” 

Nebraska has exceeded expectations all season after being picked to finish 15th in the Big Ten during the preseason and will face the winner of Thursday’s first-round game between No. 5 seed Vanderbilt and No. 12 seed McNeese in the second round. 

“It’s almost like a storybook ending getting this tournament win,” Sam Hoiberg said. “I’ve been saying all week, it kind of felt like the last thing that we needed to do to get this program on top.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How Nebraska, Fred Hoiberg reacted to first NCAA Tournament win

Isaac McKneely drilled seven 3-pointers to help No. 6 Louisville build a big lead and hold off No. 11 South Florida 83-79 on Thursday in an NCAA Tournament first-round matchup at Buffalo, N.Y.

If Michigan State beats North Dakota State, also Thursday, the Spartans will face Louisville in a second-round game.

McKneely matched his season high of 23 points on 8-of-11 shooting. Ryan Conwell added 18 points with six assists and Sananda Fru notched a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Cardinals (24-10), who won their first NCAA Tournament game since 2017.

NCAA TOURNAMENT SCOREBOARD

Joseph Pinion (career-high 27 points) and Izaiyah Nelson (22) scored 22 and 15 points, respectively, in the second half as the Bulls (25-9) shot 47.6% after halftime but saw their 11-game win streak snapped.

South Florida's leading scorer, Wes Enis (16.8 points per game), managed just four points on 2-of-15 shooting, including 0-for-11 from 3-point range. The Bulls made just 5 of 33 perimeter shots (15.2%).

The Cardinals, who shot 53.8% from the floor and 52% from 3-point range, appeared destined for a stress-free victory when they led by 22 with 11:23 left. But they got careless with the ball, committing 10 of their season-high 22 turnovers over the final 9:39.

The Bulls cut that deficit to six points with 1:58 left. Pinion missed a pair of 3-pointers in the final 90 seconds that could have made it a three-point game.

After a slow start from both teams, Louisville took command with a 17-6 run, highlighted by 3-pointers from four different players, to jump ahead 24-11 with 8:31 left in the half.

The Bulls missed 12 straight shots during that stretch to start 4-of-24 from the floor. South Florida heated up a small bit but still shot just 28.6% from the floor, including a ghastly 1-of-17 from 3-point range, as the Cardinals took a 37-27 lead into the intermission.

McKneely led Louisville with 11 first-half points anchored by making 3 of 4 threes. Nelson led South Florida with seven points.

After the Bulls cut the deficit to eight points early in the second half, the Cardinals again responded, this time going on a 16-4 surge to push their advantage to 20 with 14:26 left.

This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Louisville prevails, will face winner of Michigan State vs. South Dakota State

For the first time in 3,289 days, the Louisville men’s basketball team has advanced in the NCAA Tournament.

It wasn’t easy. Certainly not as easy as it looked like it was going to be when the Cardinals led by as many as 23 points in the second half.

U of L narrowly avoided being on the wrong end of the second largest comeback victory in tournament history, holding off 11th-seeded South Florida, 83-79, in Buffalo.

The Cardinal lead dwindled to uncomfortable margins in the game’s closing moments thanks mostly to a season-high 22 turnovers committed by Louisville. Over the game’s final nine minutes, U of L committed eight turnovers and attempted only five field goals.

The Cards counter-balanced that with arguably their most complete defensive effort of the season, limiting South Florida to just 5-of-33 (15%) shooting from beyond the arc and just 39% shooting from the field overall.

Issac McKneely bounced back from a rough end of the ACC Tournament to match a season-high with 23 points. He hit 7-of-10 three-point attempts and was the biggest reason Louisville finished the afternoon 13-of-25 from deep.

Also helping to save the day was Sananda Fru, who produced his first double-double since January with a 10-point, 10-rebound effort. He also played tremendous on the defensive end, blocking a pair of shots and recording a steal. Ryan Conwell scored 18 points, but committed six turnovers and was just 2-of-7 from three. J’Vonne Hadley added 10 points as well.

American Conference Player of the Year Izaiyah Nelson was mostly held in check in the first half, but consistently turned defense into offense over the game’s final 20 minutes to finish with 22 points, 9 rebounds, 3 blocks and 2 steals. Wes Enis, USF’s leading scorer, went just 2-of-15 from the field and 0-for-11 from three.

Hate to see it.

With the win, Louisville improved to 6-0 all-time in NCAA Tournament games against 11-seeds, and 4-0 in first round games when playing as a 6-seed.

It’s been nine absurdly long years since the last time we had the chance to say this, so you knew it was never going to be easy, but … STILL DANCING.

Fulham have beaten the competition to sign PSV Eindhoven striker Ricardo Pepi. The West London club are finalising a £28.5 million agreement. Reports from BBC Sport confirm that the 23-year-old forward arrived in London on Wednesday. He is undergoing his medical at Craven Cottage today. This move caps off a long-term chase by the Premier League side.

Fulham Clinch Deal for American Marksman Ricardo Pepi

Sunderlandemerged as a contender for the talented American earlier in the year. However, the Black Cats ended up watching from the sidelines. Fulham made a quick decision to find a replacement for their ageing attacking options. Marco Silva tried to bring the striker back to England in January, but PSV blocked the move to keep their squad together for the title race.

The Texas-born attacker is now ready to sign a long-term deal. The contract should keep him in London until 2031. This signing fills a clear hole in the Fulham frontline. Raul Jimenez will see his current contract run out at the end of this season.

Pepi arrives at the Thames with a great track record. He has racked up 13 goals in 29 appearances this season. That includes a solid run of three goals in five Champions League matches. On top of that, Pepi is a key player for the USA national team with 34 caps. He expects to lead the line in the upcoming summer World Cup on home soil. His arrival shows that Fulham means business. They moved faster than rivals like Everton and Leeds United to grab one of the sharpest young finishers in Europe.

Did Sunderland Dodge A Bullet?

EINDHOVEN, NETHERLANDS – AUGUST 03: Ricardo Pepi of PSV looks on during the Johan Cruijff Schaal match between PSV and Go Ahead Eagles at Philips Stadion on August 03, 2025 in Eindhoven, Netherlands. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)

Sunderland fans might feel a bit frustrated seeing Pepi in London for a medical today. Still, the huge money gap between the North East and the top flight is a tough reality. The Black Cats were definitely interested over the winter. However, a £28.5 million price tag is usually too risky for a club still trying to stay in the top tier.

The timing of this March 2026 deal points to a smart strategy. Fulham want to get the paperwork done before the World Cup makes his price jump even higher. Sunderland just can’t match that kind of aggressive spending. They also don’t know for sure which league they will be playing in next year.

My honest take? Sunderland probably dodged a bullet given the massive pressure of that fee. They still missed out on a top-tier talent for the USMNT, but it was a lot of money to risk. The club need to stick to growing through their scouting network. They shouldn’t be chasing players who are already worth £30 million.

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No. 11 seed Texas takes on No. 6 seed BYU in a first-round NCAA Tournament matchup tonight.

Led by superstar freshman AJ Dybantsa, the Cougars are well-positioned for a big performance, and my Texas vs. BYU predictions are backing him to deliver.

Here are my best free March Madness picks for this West Region showdown on Thursday, March 19.

Texas vs BYU prediction

Who will win Texas vs BYU?

BYU: This is a bad matchup for the Texas Longhorns, who don't take enough threes to exploit the BYU Cougars atrocious 3-point defense. 

On the other side of the floor, AJ Dybantsa will get to the line at will since Texas fouls at a sky-high rate. 

Texas vs BYU best bet: AJ Dybantsa Over 27.5 points (-112)

AJ Dybantsa leads the country with 25.3 points per game. The BYU Cougars phenom reached another level after Richie Saunders suffered a season-ending injury, clearing 27.5 points in seven games since February.

Dybantsa finished just below this number with 26 points in his last contest, but that came against Houston's elite defense. He'll have an easier team scoring against the Texas Longhorns, who sit outside the top 300 in opponent FT rate and opponent 3PT% (36%). 

Dybantsa can score at all three levels and he averages a whopping 8.4 FTA per game. His improved perimeter shooting and ability to draw fouls will lead to another big game.

COVERS INTEL: Dybantsa sits in the 95th percentile in attacking the rim efficiency per ShotQualityBets, and Texas ranks just 263rd at defending the rim.

Texas vs BYU same-game parlay

Dybantsa has knocked down at least a pair of threes in nine of his last 14 games, and Texas does a poor job defending the arc.

Fading Matas Vokietaitis on his points prop might seem unrelated to our Dybantsa bet, but it's actually heavily correlated.

I'm expecting Dybantsa to live at the line, and that means getting Vokietaitis into foul trouble. The Longhorns center has picked up 4+ fouls in seven straight games and could spend a lot of time on the bench.

Texas vs BYU SGP

• AJ Dybantsa Over 27.5 points
• AJ Dybantsa Over 1.5 threes
• Matas Vokietaitis Under 14.5 points

Our Big Dance SGP: Dybantsa Domination 

With Dybantsa grabbing 6.5+ rebounds in seven of his last 10 games, backing the Over on his rebounds prop makes sense.

If he carries BYU with a performance like this, the Cougars have a strong chance to cover both the first-half and full-game spreads.

Texas vs BYU SGP

• AJ Dybantsa Over 27.5 points
• AJ Dybantsa Over 1.5 threes
• AJ Dybantsa Over 6.5 rebounds
• BYU -2.5
• BYU 1H -1

Texas vs BYU odds

• Spread: Texas +2.5 (-110) | BYU -2.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: Texas +112 | BYU -135
• Over/Under: Over 158 (-110) | Under 158 (-110)

Texas vs BYU betting trend to know

Both teams have cashed the Over in 15 of their last 25 games. Find more college basketball betting trends for Texas vs. BYU.

How to watch Texas vs BYU

Texas vs BYU key injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Crystal Palace were made to work for it but eventually booked their place in the Conference League quarter-finals.

The Eagles didn't show their attacking capabilities at all in the first leg at Selhurst Park meaning there was all to do in Cyprus but Oliver Glasner's team got off to a fine start.

The Premier League side took the lead in the 13th minute after Adam Wharton scooped a pass over the AEK Larnaca backline for Ismaila Sarr to run onto and sidestep the goalkeeper before passing the ball into an empty net.

Palace had opportunities to extend their lead which they went on to regret with just over an hour gone.

AEK had a corner from the right that Palace didn't defend, allowing Enric Saborit to rise highest and head into the corner.

But after becoming the hero for his side and levelling the score 1-1 on aggregate, Saborit then made AEK's night much more difficult. The Spaniard received a second yellow card 10 minutes after scoring for a cynical foul on Sarr and could have no complaints.

The English team couldn't take advantage of their numerical superiority before the end of regular time though with Jean-Philippe Mateta being introduced in the 83rd minute to provide more firing power.

Palace had to wait until extra-time to finally take the lead again after a short corner routine saw Daichi Kamada put in a low cross for Sarr to finish for his second of the night.

It certainly should have been three by half-time in extra-time when Sarr struck the bar with an effort before Jörgen Strand Larsen headed onto the post.

From that point you may have expected Palace to play the game out with superior numbers and a one-goal advantage but there was a mad final few minutes in Cyprus.

First, Petros Ioannou was given a straight red card for a foul on Mateta and then despite being down to nine Larnaca threw everyone forward, including the goalkeeper, for a late free-kick. Palace broke from that but Sarr could only hit the post.

There were plenty of times throughout the 210 minutes that Palace should have wrapped this tie up by they eventually progressed into the quarter-finals after a 2-1 win on the night.

Incidents: The story of the match

1':

The match begins

4':

Missed opportunity! Ismaïla Sarr from Crystal Palace took a right-footed shot from the right side of the six-yard box, but it goes just wide to the right. The assist came from Jørgen Strand Larsen.

AEK Larnaca 0, Crystal Palace 1. Ismaïla Sarr scores for Crystal Palace with a powerful right-footed strike from outside the penalty area, finding the center of the net after a quick counterattack.

13':

GOAL Crystal Palace: Ismaila Sarr (Crystal Palace) scores!

Ismaila Sarr scores goal number 4 in the competition (8 matches)

27':

Missed opportunity! Chris Richards of Crystal Palace had a header from the left side of the six-yard box, but it went wide to the left. The chance was set up by Ismaïla Sarr, who delivered a cross after a corner kick.

37':

Missed opportunity! Djordje Ivanovic from AEK Larnaca took a right-footed shot from the left side of the penalty area, but it didn't hit the target.

49':

Missed opportunity! Daichi Kamada from Crystal Palace took a right-footed shot from outside the penalty area, but it didn't find the target.

49':

Missed opportunity! Daichi Kamada from Crystal Palace takes a right-footed shot from outside the penalty area, but it goes wide to the right.

53':

Missed opportunity! Ismaïla Sarr from Crystal Palace takes a right-footed shot from over 35 yards, but it goes wide to the right.

It's now AEK Larnaca 1, Crystal Palace 1. Enric Saborit scores with a header from the middle of the box after a corner kick.

63':

GOAL AEK Larnaca: Enric Saborit (AEK Larnaca) scores!

Enric Saborit scores goal number 1 in the competition (6 matches)

65':

Missed opportunity. Maxence Lacroix of Crystal Palace had a header from the center of the box after a corner kick, but it went wide.

67':

Missed opportunity! Marcus Rohdén from AEK Larnaca took a left-footed shot from outside the penalty area, but it didn't hit the target.

73':

Red Card for Enric Saborit (AEK Larnaca)

Enric Saborit has now picked up 0 red in the competition (6 matches)

81':

Missed opportunity! Ismaïla Sarr from Crystal Palace took a right-footed shot from the middle of the penalty area, but it didn?t hit the target.

89':

Missed opportunity! Daniel Muñoz from Crystal Palace had a header from the right side of the penalty area, but it went wide.

92':

Missed opportunity! Adam Wharton from Crystal Palace took a right-footed shot from outside the penalty area, but it didn't hit the target.

92':

Missed opportunity. Adam Wharton from Crystal Palace took a right-footed shot from outside the penalty area, but it went wide to the left.

97':

Missed opportunity. Ismaïla Sarr from Crystal Palace had a header from the middle of the penalty area.

AEK Larnaca 1, Crystal Palace 2. Ismaïla Sarr scores for Crystal Palace with a right-footed strike from the middle of the box, finding the center of the net. The assist came from Daichi Kamada after a corner kick.

99':

GOAL Crystal Palace: Ismaila Sarr (Crystal Palace) scores!

Ismaila Sarr scores goal number 5 in the competition (8 matches)

105':

Missed opportunity! Jørgen Strand Larsen from Crystal Palace took a right-footed shot from just a few yards out, but it went wide to the right.

108':

Missed opportunity! Ismaïla Sarr from Crystal Palace took a right-footed shot from the center of the box, but it went over the bar and to the right. He was assisted by Daichi Kamada.

120 +4':

Red Card for Petros Ioannou (AEK Larnaca)

Petros Ioannou has now picked up 0 red in the competition (3 matches)

120 +5':

Missed opportunity. Yéremy Pino from Crystal Palace took a right-footed shot from the middle of the penalty area.

120 +6':

Missed opportunity! Yéremy Pino of Crystal Palace takes a right-footed shot from the center of the box, but it goes just to the left of the goal. He was set up by Daniel Muñoz.

998':

The referee whistles for the end of the match

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Venus Williams watched the forehand sail into the net, the final shot of her loss to Francesca Jones of Britain at the Miami Open on Thursday afternoon.

Nobody seemed to know what to do next.

Jones, who wasn't even alive when Williams won her first two Grand Slam titles, raised her arms into the air to celebrate, then put them down after a few seconds. And on the way to the net, Jones saw Williams coming her way and did something not often seen after a match.

She bowed.

Such is the level of adoration that Jones — and surely plenty of others — have for Williams, who has been one of the biggest names in tennis for about three decades now. Williams broke into a big smile when Jones bowed, then offered a handshake, then a hug and even a quick word of encouragement. And Jones, oddly, was almost apologetic when her 7-5, 7-5 win was over.

“I've had a really rough year so far,” Jones said in the on-court interview following the match. “A lot of injuries and I'm still sick. I was coughing all the time. I was worried I was going to make a legend sick as well.”

She truly does think of Venus — and her sister Serena Williams — as legends.

Jones still has posters in her childhood bedroom of the sisters, wishing them good night before she goes off to sleep when she's there. She still remembers being taken by her father to Centre Court at Wimbledon as a 5-year-old so she could watch her heroes play.

“If it weren't for those two women, I'm not sure I would have made the step to do it. ... They're the reason that I'm here today,” Jones said.

When the match ended, fans slowly rose to their feet, first applauding Jones, then breaking into a full-on ovation as Williams — who was playing the Miami tournament for the 23rd time, while Jones is in it for the first time — gathered her things and walked off the grandstand court with a wave.

And, as is probably the case on some level every time Williams gets eliminated from the singles draw of a tournament these days, the question will hover in the tennis world: “How many more times will we see her play?”

Time will tell. There will be at least one more match in Miami Gardens; Williams is playing doubles in this tournament with Leylah Fernandez. The duo made a run to the U.S. Open quarterfinals last summer.

Carlos Alcaraz, the world's top-ranked men's player, said he hopes the Venus show keeps going for at least a little while longer.

“To be honest for us, the tennis world, someone like such an iconic player, such an iconic athlete, a legend from all the sport still playing, I think it’s great,” Alcaraz said, speaking while the Williams-Jones match was getting underway. “Thanks to her, I think she brought a lot of people to watch tennis, which is great. And I have a huge admiration for her. She’s still playing, still delivering great tennis, performing well.”

Williams, who got a wild-card spot into this field, has been part of the tournament at two different sites and with it having at least a half-dozen different names. She’s reached the Miami final in three different decades, winning titles in 1998, 1999 and 2001 and being the runner-up in 2010.

It’s a home tournament for Williams, which is surely part of the appeal. Her hometown is Palm Beach Gardens, about a 90-minute drive north of Hard Rock Stadium. And she’s still among the partners within the ownership group of the Miami Dolphins, who call the facility home.

For perspective:

— As Williams took the court, Moïse Kouamé of France was finishing off a three-set win over Zachary Svajda of the U.S. in a men’s first-round match. Kouamé, who became the youngest winner of a Masters 1000 match since Rafael Nadal did so in 2003, turned 17 earlier this month — meaning he’s nearly 29 years younger than Williams, who turns 46 in June.

— Only nine other women in the Miami field were born before Williams played her first pro match; her debut was as a 14-year-old in 1994.

“I don’t know how (much) longer we are going to watch Venus. Hopefully a couple more years, but we don’t know,” Alcaraz said. “All we have to do is just enjoy her matches as much as we could and let’s see. But I think it’s great for the sport, for tennis to see.”

___

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

High Point men's basketball coach Flynn Clayman delivered an impassioned postgame interview after his team's major March Madness upset over Wisconsin on Thursday, 83-82, in Portland.

The Purple Panthers coach led his 12 seed over the fifth-seeded Badgers in the first-round shocker, and he argued postgame that more high-majors should play mid-majors early in the season to showcase how good the mid-majors can be.

High Point’s Chase Johnston chose the perfect time for his first 2-point make

"They said we didn't play nobody," Clayman said. "We played somebody now." Mic drop!

Clayman has every right to brag about the mid-majors after pulling off such a big upset as his team did on Thursday.

"Looks pretty obvious to me that high-majors need to play mid-majors early in the season. Because they said we didn't play nobody. We played somebody now."

-High Point HC Flynn Clayman pic.twitter.com/IpObzgJSGm

— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) March 19, 2026

Dang.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: High Point coach delivers fiery interview after Wisconsin upset

Alexandra Eala returned to the Miami Open, the opening scene of an origin story of a box office smash. She’s a global phenomenon who could transcend sports in a way tennis hasn’t seen since Li Na.

Eala defeated Germany’s Laura Siegemund 6-7, 6-3, 6-3 to the delight of roaring fans in Hard Rock Stadium, the ideal setting for a rockstar, the heroine in the Alexandra Eala Effect.

The Alexandra Eala Effect began with a fairytale run to the semifinals at the 2025 Miami Open, and grew as she ascended the rankings. Her fans follow her everywhere and chronicle her journey as if it were their own.

She is one of a handful of rising female tennis stars 20 or younger, including Victoria Mboko, Iva Jokic, and Mirra Andreeva. However, Eala’s story resonates beyond the tennis courts. Her success is more than athletic; it’s symbolic, social and marketable. Like Li, Eala is transforming who watches and plays the game.

“I don’t like really comparing. All of them are unique. But I would say it’s a little bit crazy what is happening with Alex, because she’s, in theory, from a small tennis country,” said Jean-Christophe Verborg, Global Sports Marketing Director for Babolat, the racket sponsor for Li and Eala.

Babolat is best known as the racket used by Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz. Eala is the most visible female player using Babolat since Li, the first Asian player to win a Grand Slam.

“I would say it’s the energy she has, the smile, because for sure, she’s from a small country, so she doesn’t have all the lights on her,” Verbog said. “I mean, she didn’t have before, and suddenly, with what happened even, I mean, it’s really started for me in Miami last year, one year ago, when she got the wildcard, and every single tournament she’s playing, it’s crazy how many people around are watching her.”

Li Na’s Blueprint For Barrier-Breaking Marketability

Li won the 2011 French Open. More than 116 million people in China watched that French Open Final. Those are NFL Super Bowl numbers. She won the 2014 Australian Open title, which made her a global icon.

The endorsement deals exploded: Samsung, Mercedes, Nike. In 2014, Li Na raked in $24 million and was No. 2 on the Forbes highest-paid female athletes list, second only to Maria Sharapova. The WTA expanded its footprint in China, adding more tournaments.

In 2017, Nike leveraged Li’s authenticity and likability to launch the Li Na Collection, a clothing line.

Li inspired future Chinese tennis stars. During the 2023 U.S. Open, Zheng Qinwen spoke with WTA Senior Writer Greg Gaber about watching Li win the French Open.

“In that moment I start to think, ‘Oh, as an Asian, we are also able to win a Grand Slam at a big stage like that.’ Before that, tennis isn’t so popular in China. I mean, my parents didn’t know what is tennis before I start to play. That’s true,” Zheng Qinwen.

Li’s biggest impact has been on the expansion of tournaments in Asia. Earlier this year, Eala was on hand for the first Philippine Women’s Open, held in Manila.

“I would say it’s the energy she has, the smile, because for sure, she’s from a small country, so she doesn’t have all the lights on her,” Verbog said. “I mean, she didn’t have before, and suddenly, with what happened even, I mean, it’s really started for me in Miami last year, one year ago, when she got the wildcard, and every single tournament she’s playing, it’s crazy how many people around are watching her.”

Alex Eala’s Journey From Mallorca To Miami

Eala was born in Quezon City, Philippines. She moved to Mallorca to train at the Rafael Nadal Academy. By 13, she was competing in junior Grand Slam tournaments.

Eala debuted on the ITF circuit in 2020, at age 14. She played her first WTA Tour-level match in qualifying in Miami in 2021. She lost in the to Viktoria Kuzmova 4-6, 6-4, 6-2.

Last year, Eala received a wildcard to the main draw of the Miami Open, despite being ranked No. 140. She upset Elena Ostapenko in the second round. In the third round, she upset 2025 Australian Open champion Madison Keys. That’s when people took notice. She got a walkover against Paula Badosa. Then Eala upset No. 2 seed Iga Swiatek.

After defeating Swiatek, Eala spoke with reporters about being the first tennis star from the Philippines.

“I think that tennis in the Philippines has so much potential, because even though it’s not as widespread as other sports, I feel that we have a lot of hidden talent, and if we can have the support to back it up and the exposure to back it up, then I think that Philippine tennis can be a big thing," Eala said.

Eala’s Cinderella story was one of the biggest things to come out of that tournament.

“I think people love an underdog. And so whether it’s in sports or politics or anywhere, a young person you know from a country that doesn’t have a history of tennis winning, or even tennis playing, or even tennis audiences, all those things that makes for interesting story,” said Cristel Antonia Russell, Professor of Marketing at Pepperdine Graziadio Business School, in an interview with Forbes.com.

Alex Eala’s Potential To Transcend Boundaries

The social significance of the first major Southeast Asian woman tennis star can be measured in decibels.

“Tennis is becoming more and more globalized, in a way that you have more and more emerging countries, players from emerging countries showing up. I mean, from Africa, from the Philippines, Asia,” said Fabien Paget, CEO and Co-Founder at 17 Sport, a sports marketing agency. “Tennis is not just about Europe or the US like it used to be. The top 100 is made of many, many nationalities, much more nationalities than used to be and I think it’s good for tennis.”

Similar to college football fan bases such as Alabama or Ohio State, Eala’s fans travel well. They packed stadiums in Dubai and Doha. In Miami, Eala played her opening match on the Stadium court. Meanwhile, South Florida resident and seven-time Grand Slam winner Venus Williams’ match was on the smaller Grand Stand. That’s the Alexandra Eala Effect.

“We know the power of sports to really inspire, embark people and bring people together. So I think what’s happening around her is very interesting for the country, because I’m sure there are many, many young girls, even boys, that are thinking that they can make it,” said Paget. “And you need those role models, and whatever the sport is — tennis or soccer — whatever you need role models to believe that it’s possible. What's happening around her, will definitely have a huge long term legacy in the country.”

Eala has endorsement deals with Globe Telecom, Babolat, Nike, and the Bank of the Philippine Islands. She’s been featured in Vogue Philippines and Tatler Philippines.

“The pride, the Filipino pride, that also comes around. This is genuine. You can’t fake this. There’s so much of a desire these days for genuine, authentic feelings of pride and of athleticism that people pay attention and she represents so many of those things," said Russell. “Companies, especially like Nike, which have lost their edge lately because of a lot of the competitor brands that are themselves, the underdog. . So Nike is losing its edge because they’ve been endorsing the big athletes. So for that kind of brand to consider endorsing underdogs, it’s a win win for them.”

Alex Eala’s Challenges And Opportunities Ahead

The challenge for Eala is sustaining enthusiasm while meeting expectations. Although barrier breakers garner more grace than most athletes, there is still pressure to perform.

Tennis is a sport where legacies are measured by Grand Slam titles. She’s never advanced beyond the second round at a Grand Slam. Her ranking could falter to outside the Top 40 if she loses in the third round. But it will take more than a single setback to squash Eala’s global appeal.

“The world is becoming a smaller and more diverse place. So then people across the world pay attention to even countries that maybe in the past we weren’t paying attention,” said Russell. “So there’s probably potential for her fame to expand beyond the Philippines. . .You could think about skin care, you can think about hair care, you can think about, you know, any kind of beauty products that ultimately all these athletes opens up."

Although Eala has a ways to go before reaching Li level success on or off the courts, she continues to break barriers. Last year, she won the Guadalajara 125 Open. Every tournament win is a first for the Phillipines.

In an interview with Philippines network ABS-CBN, New York Times tennis writer Matthew Futterman shared how difficult the path is for barrier breakers.

“The idea that someone from the Philippines could reach this level, you know, that’s a level of belief that she needed to instill in herself, that if you grew up in America or France or one of the other Grand Slam countries or Spain, you don’t have to make that mental leap," said Futterman. "I don’t think you can overestimate the difficulty of that task and she has not only accomplished it, but she's embraced it, and she's, I think, used it as sort of one of her superpowers.”

The All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) has been given a boost in its plans to nearly triple the size of the existing Wimbledon site after a high court judge ruled it was not subject to land-use restrictions.

Wimbledon intends to construst 38 tennis courts and an 8,000 seat stadium on the site which formerly housed the Wimbledon Park Golf Club, meaning the qualifying tournament for the grand slam - currently held several miles away in Roehampton - could be moved on-site.

Campaign group Save Wimbledon Park (SWP) had argued that the land earmarked was under a statutory trust under the Public Health Act 1875, which meant it had to be kept “for the purpose of being used as public walks or pleasure grounds” and therefore the development could not go ahead.

But lawyers for the club said the land was not subject to a trust and even if it had originally been, it would no longer apply after it bought the freehold in 1993.

High court judge Mr Justice Thompsell ruled on Thursday that the land was “unencumbered by any statutory trust” due to previously being used as a private golf club.

The ruling said: “It never became the subject of a statutory trust and therefore the 1986 lease and the 1993 transfer of the freehold were each made free of such trust.

“Even if the above proposition is wrong, it is clear that the land was never used or laid out for public recreation.”

AELTC chairwoman Deborah Jevans said: “The ruling represents a significant milestone for our plans, which will, as well as delivering 27 acres of beautiful new public parkland on previously private land, allow us to maintain Wimbledon's position as one of the world's most successful sporting events.”

SWP said it intends to challenge the ruling at the Court of Appeal.

The ruling is a major breakthrough for the AELTC in its plans to bring Wimbledon further in line with the other grand slams, who all hold qualifying on site.

In September 2024 it was granted approval by the Greater London Authority (GLA) to proceed with the plans, but that decision to grant planning permission is still the subject of legal action. SWP lost an initial high court challenge over the GLA’s approval of the scheme last July but will challenge that ruling at the court of appeal in due course.

SWP director Jeremy Hudson said: “Wimbledon can do better because there are existing, alternative plans which show that their scheme can be accommodated on their current site.

“This not only saves the environment but leaves the park free for the recreation and enjoyment of the public. These better plans would still allow [the club] to stage a qualifying tournament on site in keeping with the other grand slams. Therefore, we fight on.”

With the Houston Texans have recently signed Cleveland Browns lineman Wyatt Teller to the offensive line, a "best player availible" approach might be the best option for the franchise when on the clock at pick No. 28 next month.

In the latest mock draft from NFL Network, that's exactly what Houston does, shoring up a long-term need with a potential top-20 pick slipping outside the ranks.

NFL.com's Eric Edholm recently released his mock draft 2.0 following the first wave of free agency entering the week. Hoping to shore up the right side of the defensive line long-term, Edhold actually has Houston passing on an offensive tackle and taking Ohio State defensive standout Kayden McDonald, thus giving Will Anderson Jr. a long-term running mate at the interior.

"I previously slotted an offensive lineman here for the Texans, but they've since made multiple veteran additions there, so it's time to turn to the other side of the trenches," Edholm wrote. "McDonald could fill a run-stopping void inside immediately and elevate a great defense even higher."

McDonald, a standout of the Bulldogs, has a chance to be a staple in the run game. Last season as the key run defender for college football's No. 1-ranked defense, McDonald finished with a team-leading nine tackles for loss, 21 QB hits and three sacks.

Since the start of the DeMeco Ryans era, Houston has continued to bargain shop at defensive tackle rather than just have a stable long-term face at the position. With the arrival of McDonald, he would serve as the focal point of Houston's interior run defense, pairing him alongside Sheldon Rankins at least through 2027.

There's not a lot of flash to his game, but Miller is expected to be a stable option that should be a staple for interior defensive line play for years to come. It's likely the only move Houston could make for the defensive front, but it's a step in a direction that should give more promise entering 2026.

Given that Houston has two second-round picks and an early pick in Round 3, addressing the offensive line still should be expected. The Texans likely could consider options like Oregon's Emmanuel Pregnon, Utah's Caleb Lomu, or Texas A&M's Chase Bisontis when on the board at No. 38.

To check the entire mock draft, click the link here.

This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Texans find a stable long-term defensive lineman in NFL.com's new mock

The Toronto Blue Jays might have seen the writing on the wall with Bo Bichette well before he took a new contract offer to join the New York Mets.

His former team acquired second base Gold Glove Award winner Andres Gimenez in a trade with the Cleveland Guardians before last season and, while it did not immediately turn heads as a Bichette replacement plan, it slowly became clear that the team could utilize their new infielder as a replacement for Bichette at shortstop if needed.

Before too long, that was put to the test. Bichette went down with a knee injury toward the end of last season and missed much of the playoffs, so the Blue Jays moved Gimenez to cover his shortstop position. Then the team kept him there when Bichette returned for the World Series.

MORE FROM FORBESYankees’ Former All-Star Makes Contract Decision With Demotion LoomingBy Peter Chawaga

New York Mets’ Bo Bichette Leaves Old Position Behind With Toronto Blue Jays

As Bichette explored his options in free agency, news surfaced that he would be willing to move around the diamond for the right suitor. And the Mets took him up on that flexibility, announcing he would become their third baseman shortly after signing him.

“Bichette made his debut at the hot corner (in Spring Training) after playing almost exclusively at shortstop during his seven-year Major League career,” Manny Randhawa reported for MLB.com. “Bichette, who joined the Mets on a three-year, $126 million contract this past offseason, will be the club’s everyday third baseman with Francisco Lindor at short and Marcus Semien — who was acquired in a trade that sent Brandon Nimmo to Texas — at second.”

As he works at the position in preseason games, Bichette’s performance at third has been scrutinized closely. Though he has made some notable mistakes, he seems on track to man third for the Mets next season.

MORE FROM FORBESDodgers’ 2-Time Champion Sends 3-Word Message On Joining NL Rival After CutBy Peter Chawaga

New York Mets Moving Bo Bichette Back To Toronto Blue Jays Position For Spring Training Game

However, the team wants him to stay prepared to return to the position he played throughout his Blue Jays tenure, so they’ve asked him to return to shortstop for Friday’s Spring Training game against the St. Louis Cardinals.

“Bo Bichette is scheduled to play shortstop on Friday against the Cardinals to just keep him familiar with the position in case he is needed in an emergency,” Joel Sherman reported for the New York Post. “Bichette told The Post that he and (Mets manager) Carlos Mendoza spoke about this a few days ago and that he is ‘excited’ to do it as a way to potentially help the team.”

Though Bichette is looking forward to a return to his Blue Jays position, he indicated that this will be his only Spring Training start at shortstop before Opening Day. But, depending on what happens to the rest of the Mets’ infield mix next season, Blue Jays fans could see Bichette at his old spot on a more regular basis.

Wisconsin's upset loss to High Point in the first round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament opened the door to another team from Wisconsin to get dunked on over social media.

Wisconsin gave up a late lead and lost in shocking fashion to the 12th seeded High Point Panthers by a final score of 83-82 on Thursday afternoon. In the moments soon after, the Carolina Panthers took to social media and provided a not-so-subtle reminder of the team's upset win over the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field back in November.

The post was titled "Something about Panthers and beating Wisconsin teams" and showed a lone Panthers fan cheering among a horde of Packers fans at Lambeau Field.

Something about Panthers and beating Wisconsin teams pic.twitter.com/Pa3QNuOn4z

— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) March 19, 2026

The Panthers, coming off a 40-9 loss to the Buffalo Bills and pegged as two-touchdown underdogs, got a game-winning 49-yard field goal as time expired to stun the Packers 16-13. The loss snapped the Packers' three-game winning streak and featured a season-ending injury to tight end Tucker Kraft.

The Badgers' loss to High Point is the first big upset of the 2026 NCAA tournament.

This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Packers catch a stray after Wisconsin upset by High Point in NCAA tournament

Sean Brady doesn't see Ian Machado Garry as the one to dethrone UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev.

A slew of top welterweight contenders await their shot at Makhachev (28-1 MMA, 17-1 UFC), who is currently dealing with a hand injury. Machado Garry, Kamaru Usman, and Michael Morales appear to be the frontrunners for that opportunity.

While Brady thinks it should be Machado Garry (17-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC) who gets the next title shot, he predicts Makhachev would have his way with him on the ground.

"I know people are going to say I'm a hater of Ian, but I think Islam will get him down, and I think Islam will probably submit him," Brady said on "The Ariel Helwani Show." "If you look at where Shavkat (Rakhmonov) had Ian, if you look where where (Michael Page) had Ian in a weird grappling spot, people can get to him, and if someone like Islam gets to him, which I think he would, it would be a long night for Ian.

"But, again, Ian is very tricky, and I knew that when I was trying to fight him, and hopefully I still get to fight him. He's very long, rangy, he knows how to keep his distance well, he knows how to skirt along the octagon and keep you away from him. So I think it'll be a very interesting fight, but ultimately, I think Islam will get him down and sub him."

Brady was on the cusp of title contention until he was finished by Morales in Round 1 at UFC 322. With Morales' (19-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) size and power, Brady sees him as a more problematic matchup for Makhachev than Machado Garry.

"I think Morales has a better chance than Ian for sure," Brady said. "(He's) way more unorthodox. I think he'll be very strong in those clinch positions, where Islam will be looking for those inside trips, single legs and all his takedowns.

"Morales, we still haven't seen what he is on his back or what he is like in a harder fight, a second, third, fourth or fifth round. So there's a lot of question marks there where I feel like they've kind of been answered with Ian. You know what you're getting with Ian. I think Morales is still that question mark in the division."

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Sean Brady: Morales bigger threat to Makhachev than Machado Garry

Over the weekend, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow was seen out with three beautiful women, including rumored Tom Brady girlfriend Alix Earle.

They were all spotted on Sunday at Oscar parties in Hollywood after the ceremony, and the four of them piled into a car, with the three ladies in the back seat.

Brady and Burrow were at an event in Los Angeles to promote the Fanatics Flag Football Classic, and Brady was taking potshots at everyone, including Burrow.

Apparently, Brady heard about Burrow’s night on the town and took a shot at him. Burrow’s team is called the Wildcats.

“That’s what they called Joe the other night at those Oscars parties … the Wildcat,” Brady said. “At least he’s here, no fashion shows to attend to.”

To say the incident was a bit awkward between the two is an understatement. The two side-eyed one another, and Burrow had a slight grin on his face.

Brady also threw a haymaker at Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels.

Of Daniels Brady said, “I haven’t seen Jayden on the field in 7 or 8 months. … I’m just happy his mom let him play.”

It was all in good fun…we think. 

This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: Tom Brady throws shade at Joe Burrow during recent event

David Lynch shares the truth behind Richard Hughes’ potential Liverpool exit

The latest episode of the Anfield Index Media Matters podcast brought fresh focus to Richard Hughes and growing links with Al-Hilal. In conversation with Dave Davis, David Lynch confirmed one key point clearly, saying, “one thing that’s definitely concrete is that there’s Al-Hilal interest in him.”

That alone shifts the discussion from idle speculation to a situation worth monitoring. Liverpool’s sporting director has been central to shaping the club’s direction, particularly following Arne Slot’s appointment, so any suggestion of a departure carries weight.

However, Lynch was equally clear that clarity is lacking from Hughes himself. “Richard Hughes isn’t saying anything about it. He’s not speaking out about it even privately,” he explained. That silence leaves room for interpretation, and in football, timing often tells its own story.

Contract timing fuels speculation

One of the more revealing aspects of the discussion centred on timing. Hughes is approaching the final year of his contract, and Lynch suggested that this context cannot be ignored.

“He’s one year out from the end of his contract at the end of the season. He’s probably looking for a new one,” Lynch said, before adding, “this is quite nicely timed in terms of nudging those negotiations along.”

Rather than viewing the Al-Hilal links as a straightforward exit route, this raises the possibility that the situation could be part of a wider contractual process. In elite football, leverage often comes in subtle forms, and external interest can accelerate internal decisions.

Why a move now would feel unexpected

Despite confirmed interest from Al-Hilal, Lynch expressed scepticism about the likelihood of Hughes leaving Liverpool at this stage. His reasoning was rooted in both professional ambition and timing within the club’s cycle.

“It would just feel like such a weird spot for him to go at this point,” he said, pointing to the scale of the ongoing project at Liverpool. Hughes has overseen a major transition period, and there is still significant work ahead.

Lynch expanded on that idea, noting, “there’s another huge summer coming up… I’m pretty sure he’ll want to do more than this.” The suggestion is that Hughes may feel his work at Liverpool is unfinished, particularly as he continues to shape the squad in his own image.

Financial incentives from Al-Hilal are acknowledged, but not necessarily decisive. As Lynch put it, “I know there’s big money on the table, but he earns great money at Liverpool.” That balance between financial reward and sporting ambition could ultimately define the outcome.

Photo: IMAGO

Implications for Arne Slot and Liverpool structure

Any potential departure would not happen in isolation. The relationship between Richard Hughes and Arne Slot has been central to Liverpool’s current structure, and Lynch hinted that a change at director level could have wider consequences.

“They are the two that have the most day-to-day contacts,” he explained, suggesting that Hughes’ presence is closely tied to the manager’s position. A departure could therefore trigger broader structural change.

Lynch even outlined a more dramatic scenario, stating that if Hughes were to leave, “it would be fully changed… someone coming in to replace Slot and Hughes going.” While hypothetical, it underlines how interconnected Liverpool’s leadership currently is.

Intuition points towards Liverpool stay

Despite the noise, Lynch’s overall stance leaned towards continuity rather than disruption. Drawing on experience and instinct, he suggested that a Liverpool stay remains the most plausible outcome.

“My personal view is I would be a little bit surprised,” he admitted when discussing the prospect of Hughes leaving now. The timing, the ongoing project, and the lack of direct communication all point towards caution rather than certainty.

He also questioned the broader logic of a move, adding that going to Saudi Arabia at this stage would represent a shift in ambition, describing it as “somewhere you’d go… where the scale of your ambition there is very much limited by where the football is being played.”

Situation to watch as summer approaches

As things stand, Liverpool face a familiar scenario where external interest meets internal uncertainty. Al-Hilal’s pursuit is real, Hughes’ silence is notable, and the timing aligns with contract discussions.

What happens next may depend less on public statements and more on private negotiations. For now, as highlighted on Media Matters, the story remains open, shaped by interest, timing and interpretation rather than firm decisions.

Whether this develops into a genuine departure or simply accelerates a new contract at Liverpool will become clearer as the summer window approaches.

12 seeds to beat a 5: High Point, Chase Johnston upset Wisconsin in first stunner of March Madness originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The fact that the NCAA basketball tournament is unpredictable. It feels like anything can happen, and that makes every game feel exciting. 

Even though a 5-seed is almost always the favorite over 12 seeds in the first round, they don't always win. With everyone hoping for upsets for maximum chaos in the tournament, it didn't take long for a 12-seed to beat a 5-seed in the 2026 NCAA Tournament. 

High Point University entered the tournament as a 12-seed after earning an automatic bid from winning the Big South conference tournament. The Panthers were matched up with No. 5 Wisconsin, which earned an at-large bid from the Big Ten. 

High Point is the epitome of what makes the tournament exciting, and pulled off the 83-82 upset win, their first in the NCAA Tournament in program history. 

Here is more on High Point becoming a 12-seed that beat a 5-seed. 

MARCH MADNESS HQ:Live NCAA bracket | TV schedule | Latest news and more

High Point upsets Wisconsin

High Point pulled off the first big upset of the tournament and it was only the fourth game of the first day of the first round. The Panthers were trailing for most of the game, but did a good job at keeping the game close. High Point was fueled by some massive three-pointers from senior guard Chase Johnston. He was infamous for not making a two-pointer the entire regular season.

Johnston caught fire in the second half, hitting a three pointer from the logo, and another moving in the corner. 

CHASE JOHNSTON FROM THE LOGO 🎯 pic.twitter.com/BW4gGNkHW2

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 19, 2026

The guard then finally had a play that you'd only think Hollywood could come up. Johnston was on a breakaway, took the outlet pass and made a layup. It was his first non three-pointer and non free-throw of the entire season. It put High Point up 83-82. Wisconsin tried to throw the ball down the court to attempt a buzzer beater, but High Point intercepted it, ending the game. 

12 seeds to beat a 5

High Point became the 57th 12-seed to register a win over a 5-seed team since 1985. Even though the matchup looks one-sided on paper, at least one 12-seed has advanced to the second round in all but five tournaments since 1985. 

The 8-9 game is the closest two teams can be seed-wise in the bracket. Because of this, it is pretty common for the 9-seed to upset the 8-seed, though many don't view it as a true upset because they are generally considered evenly matched. 

After that matchup, though, the 12-5 upset has historically been the most common upset in March Madness, with at least one happening in 26 of the last 31 seasons. After two 12-5 upsets in 2025, the first 5-12 matchup saw the 12-seed pull the upset. 

HISTORY OF UPSETS BY SEED:
16 vs. 1 | 15 vs. 2 | 14 vs. 3 | 13 vs. 4 | 12 vs. 5

Nice and PSG face off this Saturday at the Allianz Riviera in Ligue 1.

Nice have 27 points to their name this season and occupy 15th position in the table. In their last fixture, Claude Puel's team won 0-2 against Angers (Ligue 1 2025/26).

PSG have won 57 points to date and are placed in 1st position. Last time out, Luis Enrique's team triumphed 0-3 against Chelsea (UEFA Champions League 2025/26).

The last meeting between the two teams ended with PSG winning 1-0.

Unavailable

Nice

• Isak Jansson - Knee Injury

PSG

• Fabián Ruiz - Knee Injury
• Bradley Barcola - Ankle Sprain
• Quentin Ndjantou - Hamstring Injury

Last starting XIs

Nice ( vs Angers 2026-03-14): Yehvann Diouf, Antoine Mendy, Dante, Juma Bah, Charles Vanhoutte, Melvin Bard, Hichem Boudaoui, Morgan Sanson, Jonathan Clauss, Kaïl Boudache, Kevin Carlos

PSG ( vs Chelsea 2026-03-17): Matvey Safonov, Achraf Hakimi, Marquinhos, Willian Pacho, Nuno Mendes, Vitinha, Warren Zaïre-Emery, João Neves, Bradley Barcola, Ousmane Dembélé, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia

Did you know...by playmaker stats

MANAGERS

• Luis Enrique has faced Nice on six occasions, recording three wins, one draw and two defeats
• Claude Puel has faced PSG on 40 occasions, recording ten wins, ten draws and 20 defeats

TEAMS

• Away from home, PSG currently have one defeat in their last six games.
• Away from home, PSG currently have one draw in their last 12 games.
• Away from home, PSG have scored in nine consecutive games.
• Away from home, PSG are coming off three consecutive games without defeat.
• Away from home, PSG are coming off three consecutive wins.
• PSG currently have one defeat in their last seven games.
• PSG have scored in 14 consecutive games.
• PSG are coming off two consecutive games without defeat.
• PSG are coming off two consecutive wins.
• At home, Nice currently have one defeat in their last eight games.
• At home, Nice are coming off three consecutive games without a win.
• Nice currently have one win in their last seven games.

HEAD TO HEAD

• Nice and PSG have already faced each other 86 times, with PSG having the advantage: 37 wins, compared with Nice's 25 victories.
• At the Allianz Riviera, PSG has the edge in matches against Nice: 17 wins in 42 games. Nice has 15 victories.
• In the French league, the two teams have played 82 matches, with 24 wins for Nice, 22 draws and 36 victories for PSG.

Centre Steffan Emanuel has followed fellow Wales Under-20s international Tom Bowen in signing a new contract with Cardiff.

On Wednesday it was announced that wing Bowen had agreed fresh terms with the Blue and Blacks and Emanuel, also 19, has signed a new deal described by the club as "long-term".

Wales Under-20s co-captain Emanuel has made six senior appearances for Cardiff and has made an impression on coach Corniel van Zyl.

"The challenge for Steff now is to continue improving his game and developing because I believe he has the potential to become a world-class player," said Van Zyl.

Emanuel, who came through at Llantwit Fardre RFC, earned a scholarship at Millfield School and was on the books of Bath until signing for Cardiff in 2024.

• Van Zyl has 'positive talks' over Cardiff top job
• Who were Wales' leading lights in rollercoaster Six Nations?

The centre made his senior debut against Lyon in the Challenge Cup last season and has featured in five fixtures in the current campaign, scoring his first try in January's United Rugby Championship (URC) defeat by Ulster.

"Hopefully I can earn more opportunities in both the URC and Europe in the coming years," said Emanuel, who started at inside centre in all five Under-20 Six Nations fixtures.

"I just want to play as much as possible and I feel like this is the right place for me to do that and continue my development."

Emanuel will push for more game time in Cardiff's bid for the play-offs along with Bowen.

The wing has made 10 appearances for the Blue and Blacks this season and scored seven tries, including a United Rugby Championship (URC) hat-trick against Munster in Limerick.

It had also been reported Bowen's game-breaking exploits had caught the eye of French Top 14 side La Rochelle but the rapid wing has agreed fresh terms at the Arms Park.

"As an environment, I imagine Cardiff is very hard to beat," said Bowen, whose deal has been described by the club as "long-term".

"I have high-quality players all around me, people I can keep learning from and compete with, which will only continue my development."

Bowen, son of former Scarlets fly-half Gareth, was with Bristol Bears while studying at Clifton College and signed for Cardiff in 2024, making his senior debut against Cheetahs in December of that year.

The 5ft 7in (1.73m) wing was mentioned as a potential bolter for Steve Tandy's first Wales squad in the autumn, but has been left to develop in club rugby and with the under-20s.

Bowen started all five games of his final Under-20 Six Nations, scoring a double in Ireland, and is poised to feature at the World Rugby Junior World Championship in Georgia this summer.

"His point of difference is obviously his finishing - he has the ability to finish opportunities that not many other players could," added Van Zyl.

This week is the fifth LIV Golf event of the year and the third straight week the league has played in three different countries. But this marks the first time they’ve ever played in Africa, competing at the Club at Steyn City in Johannesburg. The all-South African Southern Guards team of Louis Oosthuizen, Dean Burmester, Branden Grace and Charl Schwartzel was responsible for bringing the event here.

The usual cast of characters will be playing for the $30 million purse with the individual winner taking home $4 million and the winning team splitting $3 million.

Bryson DeChambeau comes here as the latest winner after topping Richard T. Lee in a playoff in Singapore where Lee missed a two-foot putt.

Dustin Johnson’s 4Aces team has won the last two team trophies yet Cam Smith’s Ripper team is atop the season standings because they won the first two team trophies. Jon Rahm leads the individual standings and hasn’t finished worse than fifth in four starts.

Here’s the rundown of what each player will earn this week in South Africa. Check back here Sunday when play is complete for updates.

INDIVIDUAL

WIN: $4 million

2: $2.25 million

3: $1.5 million

4: $1 million

5: $800,000

6: $700,000

7: $600,000

8: $525,000

9: $442,500

10: $405,000

11: $380,000

12: $360,000

13: $340,000

14: $320,000

15: $300,000

16: $285,000

17: $270,000

18: $260,000

19: $250,000

20: $240,000

21: $230,000

22: $220,000

23: $210,000

24: $200,000

25: $195,000

26: $190,000

27: $185,000

28: $180,000

29: $175,000

30: $170,000

31: $165,000

32: $160,000

33: $155,000

34: $150,000

35: $148,000

36: $145,000

37: $143,000

38: $140,000

39: $138,000

40: $135,000

41: $133,000

42: $130,000

43: $128,000

44: $128,000

45: $125,000

46: $125,000

47: $50,000

48: $50,000

49: $50,000

50: $50,000

51: $50,000

52: $50,000

53: $50,000

54: $50,000

55: $50,000

56: $50,000

57: $50,000

TEAM

WIN: $3 million

2: $1.5 million

3: $900,000

4: $700,000

5: $650,000

6: $600,000

7: $550,000

8: $500,000

9: $450,000

10: $400,000

11: $300,000

12: $250,000

13: $200,000

A former Spartans wide receiver is re-signing with the World Champions.

Former Michigan State football wide receiver Cody White has re-signed with the Seattle Seahawks. The defending Super Bowl champions announced he has re-signed with the team on Wednesday.

White has bounced around the NFL after being an undrafted free agent, signing with the Kansas City Chiefs, New York Giants and Denver Broncos, before getting his first big opportunity with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2021. He appeared in 16 games for the Steelers across the 2021 and 2022 seasons, and then made his way out west to Seattle for the 2024 and 2025 seasons, where he appeared in 14 games.

This past season was the first time in his career that he made the 53-man roster out of training camp with the Seahawks. He ended last season with three receptions for 90 yards and one touchdown, and also played a key role on special teams.

We've re-signed Cody White.

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This article originally appeared on Spartans Wire: Former MSU WR Cody White re-signs with Seattle Seahawks

March Madness East region, by the numbers: Inside championship history of Tom Izzo, Bill Self, Dan Hurley, more originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The East region in the 2026 NCAA tournament is a gauntlet that features a handful of blue bloods and experienced coaches.

While Duke leads the way as the No.1 seed, Jon Scheyer is only in his fourth season as the Blue Devils' head coach. In order to make it to Indianapolis, Scheyer may need to go through several Hall-of-Fame-caliber coaches.

Over the course of the next two weekends, some of the biggest names in the sport will have to go against each other for just one Final Four spot. Here's a breakdown of which coaches make up the East region.

MARCH MADNESS HQ:Live NCAA bracket | TV schedule | Latest news and more

March Madness East Region coaches

Jon Scheyer, Duke

Scheyer took over for Mike Krzyzewski in 2022, but Duke hasn't lost a step. The Blue Devils have improved each year under Scheyer, and are the No. 1 overall seed for the first time since 2019 this year.

Scheyer's success shows that he is one of the brightest young coaches in college basketball, and he made his first Final Four in 2025. However, Scheyer is still looking for his first NCAA championship as a coach.

Dan Hurley, UConn

Hurley was a top high school coach for a decade before making the jump to college, where he has only continued his success. The former Seton Hall guard coach Wagner and Rhode Island before taking the UConn job in 2018.

Hurley specifically rose to prominence in the last three years, leading UConn to back-to-back National Championships. However, he's only made it out of the first weekend twice, albeit during both of his NCAA championship seasons.

Tom Izzo, Michigan State

Izzo is the second-longest tenured active coach in NCAA basketball, having coached Michigan State for the past 31 years.  Over those three decades, Izzo 's Spartans have been a consistent presence in the NCAA tournament.

While Izzo has just one national championship, his five Final Four appearances is the fifth most in college basketball history. However, Izzo hasn't made the Final Four in the last five tournaments, the longest such drought in his career.

Bill Self, Kansas

Considering Bill Self has been the Kansas head coach for over two decades, his four Final Fours and two NCAA championships may be seen as a disappointment. Still, Self consistently produced one of the best teams in the country, and has 17 regular-season championships at Kansas alone.

Prior to joining the Jayhawks, Self had stops at Oral Roberts, Tulsa and Illinois. He has also made the NCAA tournament every season since 1998-99.

Rick Pitino, St. John's

In a region full of experienced coaches, Rick Pitino is the most experienced. The 73-year-old began his head coaching career at Hawaii in 1975 and has coached seven different college teams since then.

Pitino's career includes NCAA championships at Kentucky and Louisville, although a chunk of his wins and his title at Louisville were vacated by the NCAA. Still, Pitino has always proven to be perhaps the best coach in college basketball.

Mick Cronin, UCLA

Mick Cronin is known for his consistency, as he's made 13 of the last fourteen NCAA tournaments. Cronin's coaching career began at Murray State before taking over at Cincinnati, where he led the Bearcats to nine-straight appearances.

Cronin joined UCLA in 2019, and made his first Final Four in 2021 with a 11-seeded Bruins team. UCLA has made the tournament five times in the last six seasons under Cronin.

Jamie Dixon, TCU

While Jamie Dixon doesn't have the accolades of some of his contemporaries in the East, he is extremely experienced himself. Dixon coached Pittsburgh for 13 years, making the NCAA tournament 11 times, and has now been at TCU for 10 years, making the tournament five times.

However, Dixon is still searching for his first trip to the Final Four. The 60-year-old came close a few times with Pittsburgh, but hasn't been able to make a serious run with the Horned Frogs.

HISTORY OF UPSETS BY SEED:
16 vs. 1 | 15 vs. 2 | 14 vs. 3 | 13 vs. 4 | 12 vs. 5

March Madness East region, by the numbers

NCAA championships

• Dan Hurley: 2
• Bill Self: 2
• Rick Pitino: 2*
• Tom Izzo: 1

The East Region has a combined seven NCAA championships, as four coaches come together to make up the total. That includes Rick Pitino's 2013 championship, which the NCAA has since vacated.

Final Four appearances

• Tom Izzo: 8
• Rick Pitino: 7
• Bill Self: 4
• Dan Hurley: 2
• Jon Scheyer: 1
• Mick Cronin: 1

Six coaches in the East region have reached at least one Final Four, totaling 23 overall appearances. Tom Izzo, Rick Pitino and Bill Self do the heavy lifting here, as they have a combined 19 trips to the Final Four.

March Madness appearances

The 16 East region head coaches have made a combined 131 March Madness appearances. Of those coaches, Izzo, Self and Pitino have all made the tournament at least 25 times, while Mick Cronin and Jamie Dixon have been to the dance 16 times each.

Conference championships

Of the coaches in the East region, 14 of them have won at least one conference championship. Overall, those 14 coaches have combined for 60 conference titles, as Rick Pitino leads the way with 16, while Bill Self has 10 himself

Career record

Coaches in the East region have a combined record of 5,211-2,610, which comes out to a winning percentage of around 66.7%. Eight of the 16 coaches have won at least 300 games, while five have at least 500 wins and three have at least 750 wins. Pitino once again tops everyone with 913 wins overall.

MORE MARCH MADNESS NEWS:

• SN's 2026 NBA Mock Draft
• 10 best NBA prospects in March Madness
• Ranking the college basketball's loaded freshmen class
• Meet the Cinderella stars who could bust brackets

As if there was any doubt, the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner will start the first game of the year.

The Pittsburgh Pirates announced on Thursday that Paul Skenes will get the ball in New York to start Opening Day against the Mets.

“Duh,” the Pirates tweeted.

Skenes tallied 1.97 ERA and struck out 216 batters in 187.2 innings, the most strikeouts but a Pirates starting pitcher in franchise history.

Skenes only allowed 31 earned runs and totaled a 0.95 WHIP en route to his first Cy Young.

The 2023 No. 1 overall pick and 2024 NL Rookie of the Year will make his second-career Opening Day start.

Skenes, 23, posted a 7.7 WAR last year and started his second-consecutive All-Star Game for the NL. 

He continues to accumulate accolades rarely seen in over 100 years. Skenes started two games for the United States in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, allowing one run over 8.1 innings.

Facing potentially the greatest lineup he’ll ever face against the Dominican Republic in the semifinals, Skenes allowed only one run in 4.1 frames. Outside of a Junior Caminero solo home run, Skenes silenced the Dominican Republic offense.

In 55 starts, Skenes owns a 21-13 record, 1.96 ERA, 386 strikeouts, 2.40 FIP, and a 0.948 WHIP.

Skenes starts game one of 162 at Citi Field on Thursday, March 26 at 1:15 p.m.

The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp announced its promotional events for opening weekend on March 27-29 against the Rochester Red Wings.

On Friday, March 27, the Jumbo Shrimp will hold an Opening Day street carnival at VyStar Ballpark starting at 4 p.m. The carnival will feature a climbing wall, interactive vendors, and street games. The team will honor the 2025 Triple-A National Champions during a special pre-game ceremony. The first 2,000 fans will receive a schedule magnet. The team encourages fans to wear red in support of the military for Red Shirt Friday. Gates open at 5:30.

Gates open at 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 28. The first 2,000 fans can receive a replica national championship ring. The giveaway will only be available at the Main Gate on Georgia Street.

On Sunday, March 29, fans can play catch on the field for the first 20 minutes after gates open as part of Baptist Health Sunday Family FUNday. Gates open at 1 p.m.

Tickets for the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp are on sale now.

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Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Dolphins fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

Our SB Nation Reacts survey is back this week and we just want you to answer one question. What is your grade for the Miami Dolphins’ trade of wide receiver Jaylen Waddle? Pretty simple question for the week, but a big one when it comes to the Dolphins’ 2026 season as well as what is now a full rebuild of the roster.

Miami sent Waddle and a fourth-round draft pick to the Denver Broncos on Monday, receiving back a first-, third-, and fourth-round picks in the deal. Was that the right price to move on from the team’s 2021 first-round pick? How do you feel about the trade? Vote in the poll below and head into the comments to discuss.

Albert Riera discusses various topics in an exclusive interview with Bundesliga. Eintracht Frankfurt’s coach values his previous experiences with some of the footballing giants in shaping him as a coach.

“I was teammates with Xabi Alonso in Liverpool and Spain national team. We were from the same time as Arteta and Pepe Reina,” Riera revisits his playing career.  “When we retired, at more or less the same time, the (Spanish) federation organised a pro coach license for this group. I think it was the most beautiful moment for a lot of us.

“We had Xabi Alonso. Then, on one side, we had Raul, the captain of Real Madrid for many years. And, on the other side, Xavi Hernàndez, captain of Barcelona for many years. After two years of studying for their coaching license together, these two players came together. We were all thinking in the same way.”

Riera went on to explain further about the process of learning from fellow coaches. “It doesn’t mean we were copying each other. We have different concepts in football. There are a lot of different ways in which to play football, and you need to choose yours. It has to be yours, and you believe it.”

Frankfurt’s boss also had a chance to spend some time with Pep Guardiola. The former Manchester City player said his fellow countryman is ahead of the rest in experimenting with new ideas.

“Pep (Guardiola) is from another generation, but we’ve been together in some situations like golf tournaments, especially during the summertime,” Riera said in his in-depth interview with Bundesliga. “We know what Pep is like in football. He was ahead of the rest in trying things.

“Now, he’s adapting his ways because people know him, and he needs to surprise them. Football is not just one idea. You need to progress, and you need to adapt. On this, Pep is not afraid to try things. I am like this, too. I’m not afraid to do things and to transmit ideas to the players.”

Leeds United are currently preparing a bold move to secure Silva Mexes from rivals Manchester United. This information comes from a report from Pete O’Rourke. The teenage sensation has captured the attention of scouts at Elland Road. He delivered a series of impressive performances within the youth setup at Carrington.

Leeds United Target Manchester United Starlet Silva Mexes

The report notes that Leeds United have already initiated contact regarding a potential deal for the sixteen-year-old forward. They seek to strengthen their academy ranks with elite talent. Mexes initially joined the Manchester club from Ipswich Town during the summer of 2024.

However, recent developments suggest a breakdown in negotiations regarding his long-term future. He has reportedly failed to agree on scholarship terms. Such terms would lead to a professional contract. This situation effectively opens the door for other clubs to swoop in.

The Elland Road hierarchy views the youngster as a potential star in the making. They remain keen to convince him that his development would be better served in West Yorkshire. This interest follows a growing trend of Leeds United identifying high-ceiling players. They successfully recruit these players from their rivals’ academies.

Earlier this year, they completed the signing of Edward Ibrovic-Fletcher from the same age group. This perhaps provides a blueprint for Mexes to follow. By registering their interest early, Leeds United hope to outpace other suitors. Those rivals are now on high alert following the news of his contract impasse.

Should Leeds United Prioritise The Signature Of Silva Mexes This Summer?

LEEDS, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 28: Daniel Farke, Manager of Leeds United, applauds the crowd following the Premier League match between Leeds United and Manchester City at Elland Road on February 28, 2026 in Leeds, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Leeds United would secure a significant coup by signing Silva Mexes. The sixteen-year-old Thai youth international possesses a physical profile that few players his age can match. During the 2025/26 season, Mexes has demonstrated remarkable consistency. He utilises his explosive pace and dribbling skills to bypass defenders in the Under-18 Premier League.

He finds his greatest strength in his verticality. So, Mexes frequently stretches the pitch. This forces opposition backlines into uncomfortable retreats. However, critics point to his finishing as a primary weakness. This area requires refinement if he wants to transition successfully into the senior game.

The current situation suggests that Leeds United absolutely need a player of his profile. Such talents help them maintain their status as a premier destination for developing youth. Adding Mexes would provide the Under-21 squad with a genuine wide threat. He can play across the front three. This mirrors the versatility of his father, Rob Earnshaw.

Edward Ibrovic-Fletcher has already integrated well since his February arrival. So, the familiarity between the two former teammates could accelerate their collective growth. Hopefully, this move happens this summer. Manchester United rarely keep players who hesitate on scholarship offers.

On top of that, Leeds United possesses the clear pathway to first-team football that ambitious teenagers crave. The club must capitalise on this friction. They must ensure they do not miss out on a talent who could eventually command a massive transfer fee.

Viktor Gyokeres has admitted he’s hoping to add his name to the list of Swedish strikers to score League Cup-winning goals on Sunday.

Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images

Ahead of Arsenal’s cup final match against Manchester City on Sunday, it was put to Viktor Gyokeres that his home country have already produced a couple of League Cup-winning strikers.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored a brace including the winning goal in Manchester United’s 2017 League Cup win over Southampton, and Alexander Isak scored what turned out to be the winning goal for Newcastle United against Liverpool last year.

“Yeah, they like to do it there, no?” Gyokeres responded. “[Adding my name to that list?] That would be good.”

Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images

Gyokeres grabbed a goal and assist in the League Cup semi-final against Chelsea, but he doesn’t have a long history at Wembley. He’s never played there with Sweden, and never previously played a cup final in England.

The striker’s one appearance at the stadium was in the play-off final between Coventry City and Luton Town, and it was a bittersweet occasion for the now-Arsenal man.

Gyokeres assisted Coventry’s equalising goal in the initial 1-1 draw, and he created another great chance that perhaps should have won the game, before scoring in the penalty shootout.

But Coventry lost the shootout all the same, and it turned out to be Gyokeres’ final game for the club as he was signed by Sporting CP that summer.

Photo by MIGUEL RIOPA/AFP via Getty Images

Away from England, Gyokeres has been involved in three cup finals, scoring in two of them but only winning one.

The striker won and scored an absolutely vital penalty in the Taca de Portugal final against Benfica last season, converting in the 11th minute of second-half stoppage time for 1-1. Sporting went on to win 3-1 in extra time.

Gyokeres also scored a penalty in the Allianz Cup final against Benfica in 2025, after he played in Maxi Araujo, who was fouled. The Swede also converted in the penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw, but Sporting lost anyway.

The striker’s only blank was in his other Taca de Portugal final against Porto, but he can perhaps be forgiven considering Sporting played 91 minutes of the tie with 10 men.

So between the four cup and play-off finals Gyokeres has featured in, he’s scored two goals and provided one assist in normal time, and he’s scored another two in shootouts.

Yet he’s only ended up on the winning side once, and he’s still lacking an open-play goal. He’ll want to change that on Sunday.

Michael Carrick takes Manchester United to the Vitality Stadium on Friday night knowing that Bournemouth will provide far more than a routine away assignment.

United arrive in third place on 54 points after beating Aston Villa 3-1 last weekend, while Bournemouth are 10th on 41.

Iraola’s side have not lost in the league since January against Arsenal and now possess the division’s longest current unbeaten run at 10 matches. The reverse fixture at Old Trafford finished 4-4 in December.

United’s route through the press

Michael Carrick has simplified the Red Devils’ approach with a shift towards more direct attacks, faster breaks, and more passes into the final third.

Furthermore, his preferred 4-2-3-1 has primarily utilised Bryan Mbeumo as the centre-forward and Bruno Fernandes as the number 10, with the Portugal international central to every attacking phase.

Lisandro Martinez’s absence, however, could influence the build-up.

Without the Argentina international’s passing from the left side of defence, United may lean even more heavily on quicker vertical balls from Casemiro and Kobbie Mainoo into Fernandes, Matheus Cunha, Amad Diallo, and Mbeumo, rather than long spells of patient circulation from Diogo Dalot, Harry Maguire, Leny Yoro, and Luke Shaw.

Using the duo of Casemiro and Mainoo to beat Bournemouth’s high press to ruthless effect appears sensible against a side that wants opponents to hesitate on the ball.

Why Bournemouth remain dangerous

Meanwhile, the Cherries are still one of the league’s most aggressive pressing teams.

They are a side that constantly hassle opponents high up the pitch, create more transition opportunities than anyone else, and turn recoveries in advanced areas into attacks before back lines can reset.

Tyler Adams is a major doubt and, therefore, if he cannot start, Bournemouth lose an important ball-winner against a United side now trying to play through pressure much faster.

Where the game could turn

Essentially, the key zone should be the space around Fernandes.

Moreover, if Ryan Christie and Alex Scott can crowd him early and force United backwards, Bournemouth can keep the game in the home side’s preferred territory.

But if Fernandes receives on the half-turn and releases Mbeumo, Cunha, and Amad quickly, United can attack the channels before Iraola’s high press is re-formed.

This tweak is where Carrick’s more direct version of United looks best suited to this opponent.

In addition, set-piece quality could also matter in a match that may swing on small details rather than sustained dominance.

United have recently found big moments through Fernandes’ delivery and arrive with the sharper confidence after beating Villa, while Bournemouth’s last two matches have shown how thin the margin is between pressure and frustration.

All of this makes it a difficult test for both managers.

Feature image Shaun Botterill via Getty Images

The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social

Akshay Bhatia has been slowly proving that he is one of the very best golfers in the world over the past couple of years.

Bhatia’s victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational two weeks ago rubber-stamped his place on the PGA Tour’s top table.

The 24-year-old left-hander is a huge talent, and his win at Bay Hill made a lot of people sit up and realize just how good he is.

Bhatia is very highly-rated by his fellow PGA Tour players and for very good reason.

The Californian has seemingly reached another level this season, with a win, two top-5s and three top-10 finishes to his name.

The next step for Bhatia will be to consistently challenge in the major championships.

He’s a hugely popular figure and a lot of people would love to see him win one of the big events.

However, in spite of his popularity, Bhatia has received plenty of criticism as well.

Akshay Bhatia responds to cheating allegations

Bhatia is one of the players in the professional game who uses a long putter.

However, many golf fans have accused the 24-year-old of anchoring the butt of his grip to his chest when he is putting.

When speaking on the Foreplay Podcast Plus Podcast, Bhatia responded to a question regarding the cheating allegations which are constantly made against him.

“Yeah, I mean, I don’t care,“ Bhatia exclaimed.

“I know people do it for views.

I spoke to Rapaport last week. I was like, ‘I’d honestly just take my shirt off and show everyone, this is where I’m at’.

“Because it’s three to four inches from my chest. Like, I’m not built like Adam Scott. I’m not built like Lucas Glover.

“And so, yeah, it looks like it touches my shirt.

“But I had a great conversation with the rules committee last week, and my integrity, like, there’s obviously a lot of integrity on this sport.

“Um, and so, yeah, people can say what they want to say. If I wasn’t playing well, no one would say anything.

“So, again, it’s just people wanting to create noise, and if they want me to go shorter, then I’ll just bend down more.

“So it doesn’t matter to me, you know?

Akshay Bhatia defends those who use long putters

“It’s like if people started saying, like, the claw grip is cheating, you know what I’m saying?

“It’s like just a different version, and I think Jordan (Spieth) talked about it last week. Like, it’s still a skill that you have to learn with the broom.

“And you still have to be a great green reader. Your speed and green reading has to be good.

“Like, I could anchor it and pull every putt and miss everything, but it’s like, I’m still a great green reader, and I’m, you know, I have to have some idea of speed.

“It’s funny to me, man. Like, people on the Internet, I just don’t get it.

“It doesn’t make me upset, but it’s definitely, like, don’t you have other people to pick on? Like, this is just dumb.“

Bhatia is spot on here. If it was that easy to use a broomstick, everybody would surely do it?

Also, in the heat of battle, does anyone really think Bhatia would risk cheating in front of the millions of people watching worldwide?

It’s utter nonsense. While Bhatia’s shirt may touch the butt of his putter grip at times, his chest is nowhere near it.

The 24-year-old PGA Tour star obviously does not anchor his putter to his body.

The problem lies with the PGA Tour, who made the rule so open to interpretation in the first place.

If they really want to banish long putters, they should bring in a maximum length rule.

March Madness continues Thursday as North Dakota State faces Michigan State in a first-round NCAA Tournament matchup, with the Spartans looking to make another deep postseason run.

MORE: 5 bold March Madness predictions for 2026 NCAA Tournament

How to Watch North Dakota State vs Michigan State

• Date: Thursday, March 19, 2026
• Time: 4:05 PM ET
• TV Channel: TNT
• Live Stream: DIRECTV (try for free)

Michigan State enters the tournament as one of the more experienced teams in the field, led by head coach Tom Izzo, who has built a reputation for success in March. The Spartans are powered by guard Tyson Walker, a consistent scoring threat, along with A.J. Hoggard, who controls the pace and facilitates the offense. Their balance and tournament experience make them a dangerous team as the bracket gets underway.

North Dakota State is a potential upset candidate, bringing a disciplined offensive approach and strong perimeter shooting. The Bison are led by guard Boden Skunberg, who has been a key contributor throughout the season, helping guide the team through Summit League play and into the NCAA Tournament.

As with many 1st-round matchups, tempo will be a major factor. Michigan State will look to lean on its physical defense and half-court execution, while North Dakota State aims to spread the floor and capitalize on scoring opportunities from beyond the arc.

Fans can catch all the action as the NCAA Tournament continues Thursday.

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MARCH MADNESS: Predicting March Madness upsets in the 2026 NCAA Tournament

NFL DRAFT: New Mel Kiper NFL mock draft shows major impact of free agency

MLB: Dodgers announce Shohei Ohtani’s spring training pitching debut

NHL: Oilers’ Leon Draisaitl out for regular season with lower-body injury

ENTERTAINMENT: Is ‘Bachelorette’ still airing amid Taylor Frankie Paul domestic dispute allegations?

VIRAL: Livvy Dunne shares ‘Baywatch’ training with BTS swimsuit, set photos

Baltimore Ravens linebacker Teddy Buchanan had his 2025 NFL season ended in the latter weeks of last year's team campaign. Buchanan's ACL tear definitely put a strain on the team's run defense, which struggled against the powerhouse teams like the New England Patriots, heading into the postseason. The disheartening missed kick by Ravens kicker Tyler Loop in week 18 also reinforces negative feelings, but hints at a broader notion: a narrative of recurring shortcomings in the Ravens' season. Certainly, defensive tackle Nmandi Madubuike was missed, but the Ravens still showed signs of having the ability to stop the run when Buchanan was in the lineup. The question is, how will Buchanan perform under new defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver?

“I was trying to be what I thought an NFL player was,” Buchanan said about his settling into a starting role. “But I realized eventually, ‘Teddye, you just gotta be you.’ I realized I am good enough and I deserve to be here.”

Buchanan is walking again and “living a normal life,” he said via the Baltimore Sun. That means he’s still on schedule to be ready as soon as training camp this summer.

Inside linebacker Roquan Smith is still going to be the head honcho on the team defense, but Buchanan is undoubtedly coming into his own. The blitz packages that Weaver will now be able to deploy with Buchanan and the newly signed defensive end Trey Hendrickson should reignite nirvana at M&T Bank Stadium. Baltimore Ravens fans were accustomed to relishing the success of their stellar defensive units, and it isn't to say the team didn't show signs of it last season. Yet if the Ravens can get back to sacking and pressuring opposing quarterbacks, this should improve their pass defense, which was ranked near the bottom of the NFL at the start of last season.

Buchanan will need intensive therapy to recalibrate his lower body and return to form. Weaver will look to deploy Buchananan against speedy pass-catching tight ends and running backs on passing downs. Yet it's Buchanan's deployability that makes him an essential piece of the Ravens' second level of defense.

This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Ravens LB Teddye Buchanan is on track to return from a torn ACL

Devin Haney has revealed the true cost behind staying at the top, and the numbers underline the level he operates at.

The unbeaten American is one of boxing’s most accomplished active fighters, having held world titles across multiple divisions. Haney boasts a perfect professional record of 33-0 with 15 knockouts, establishing himself as a consistent presence in elite-level bouts.

Known for his discipline and technical approach, ‘The Dream’ has built his success through meticulous preparation. That process, as he has now explained, comes at a significant financial cost.

Devin Haney reveals six-figure cost behind elite training camps

Speaking to PPV.COM, Haney outlined how much he invests in each fight camp and where that money goes.

“I spent a lot, man,” he said before adding, “On gyms, my chef and nutritionist, my massage therapists, my coaches, everything. I got a big team. [It cost] Six figures, for sure.”

That figure reflects the demands of modern boxing at the elite level. Fighters like Haney are not just preparing physically, but also managing recovery, nutrition and strategy through a full support team.

Devin Haney edges closer to ‘Rolly’ Romero unification showdown

Attention now turns to Haney’s next fight, with talks progressing over a potential welterweight unification bout against Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero, according to Mike Coppinger.

The current plan points towards a clash on May 30 in Las Vegas, with both fighters holding major belts at 147 lbs. Haney claimed the WBO title with a win over Brian Norman Jr, and Romero secured the WBA belt against Ryan Garcia.

If confirmed, the bout would represent a significant step in shaping the division. And for Haney, the stakes match the investment, both inside and outside the ring.

Read more:

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland has been announced as an investor in a new global chess tour.

The 25-year-old is backing the Norway Chess organisation, which is set to launch the Total Chess World Championship Tour next year.

Four tournaments will be staged annually in different cities, with a world champion crowned across three disciplines - fast classic, rapid and blitz chess.

It is being supported by the International Chess Federation (FIDE) and a pilot tournament is planned for this autumn.

Each season will have a minimum prize pool of $2.7m (£2m) with Fide describing it as "one of the most significant developments in modern chess".

Speaking to the federation's website, Haaland said chess was "an incredible game" and he likened it to football as "it sharpens your mind".

"You have to think quickly, trust your instincts and think several moves ahead. Strategy and planning are everything," he added.

"I'm investing in Norway Chess because I believe the new Total Chess World Championship Tour can turn chess into an even bigger sport for spectators around the world."

The Norwegian's compatriot, grandmaster Magnus Carlsen, has won world titles across numerous formats.

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Our beloved Nebraska Cornhuskers finally get their first ever NCAA basketball tourney win with a smashing defeat of Troy 76-47.

It wasn’t close.

Nebraska was in this command of this game pretty much from about two-thirds of the way through the first half until the end. It’s a win for Kent Pavelka. The guy has been calling games for 40 years, and this is one thing that’s always eluded us. I’m glad for him.

And Fred Hoiberg.

Hoiberg came to Nebraska knowing damn well about our history. It took him a while to figure it out, but he finally did it. And he built a team this year that has not only been fun to watch, but extremely successful in the process.

How much further can Nebraska go? If they play like they did today, maybe Sweet 16. I don’t know.

I’m just going to enjoy it now.

Tomorrow, come what may!

This week, the major football nations of the world are announcing their squads for the late March international break. This Thursday, Switzerland, Algeria, Senegal, and France have made their call-ups official.

Switzerland

Senegal

Brazil

France

Algeria

Morocco

Argentina

Ivory Coast

Nigeria

Tunisia

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇫🇷 here.

We are now just three weeks out from the first round of the 2026 Masters. It'll be the 90^th edition at Augusta National Golf Club.

Rory McIlroy will return to Augusta, Georgia, as the defending champion for the first time. That means he'll also be host of the Masters Champions Dinner on the Tuesday of tournament week.

There are 88 players on the invite list with just three PGA Tour stops left before it's time to drive down Magnolia Lane. Here's some things you should know with a less than a month left before the first men's major of the year.

When is the 2026 Masters

• Dates: April 9-12
• Where: Augusta National in Augusta, Georgia

Where to watch, stream the 2026 Masters

TV: CBS/Paramount/ESPN/Prime Video. The Masters will stream live on Prime Video from 1-3 p.m. ET on Thursday, April 9, and Friday, April 10, for the first time, followed by ESPN's on those first two days from 3-7:30 p.m. ET.

CBS will air the Masters live from 2-7 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 11 and Sunday, April 12, with Paramount streaming live both days from 12-2 p.m. ET. This will be the 71st year for CBS at the Masters.

Served in honor of Mr. Rory McIlroy. #themasterspic.twitter.com/hUp3uaQeNl

— The Masters (@TheMasters) March 18, 2026

Scottie Scheffler tops 2026 Masters odds

Courtesy of BetMGM.

• Scottie Scheffler (+400)
• Rory McIlroy (+900)
• Bryson DeChambeau (+1200)
• Jon Rahm (+1400)
• Ludvig Aberg (+1400)
• Xander Schauffele (+1600)
• Tommy Fleetwood (+2000)
• Collin Morikawa (+2200)
• Cameron Young (+2500)
• Justin Rose (+2800)

Notables

• Tiger Woods (+17500)
• Bubba Watson (+25000)
• Jose Maria Olazabal (+250000)

Is Tiger Woods playing the 2026 Masters?

Tiger Woods, who’s recovering from a back surgery in October, has said playing in The Masters is not “off the table.’’

Woods skipped the tournament last year due to a ruptured Achilles tendon. He last played in The Masters in 2024, when he made the cut and broke the tournament record for consecutive cuts made with 24.

Woods has won the tournament five times, second only to Jack Nicklaus’ six victories. He also still holds the record for biggest margin of victory – 12 strokes in 1997 – when he won his first green jacket. Woods' last victory on the hallowed golf course came in 2019. That was also the last of his 15 major victories.

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: The Masters is 3 weeks out. What you need to know for Augusta

Why Bears' first-round pick at 25th overall is perfect way to fill biggest roster hole originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Chicago Bears are entering the second wave of the 2026 NFL offseason with a few of their biggest issues already addressed.

Coby Bryant helps resolve the safety room, and Devin Bush is a great replacement for Tremaine Edmunds. After Drew Dalman's surprise retirement, Garrett Bradbury is a solid fill-in. But, there is still one major need remaining.

As ESPN's Courtney Cronin noted, the edge rusher position is the team's clear biggest hole on the roster. And the most perfect way to fill such a hole is with the 25th overall pick in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft, thanks to great options at that spot.

Bears have perfect chance to fill EDGE need at 25th pick

"Biggest remaining roster hole: Edge rusher," Cronin writes. "The Bears hold the No. 25 pick in the draft and could use it to find a defensive end who projects to start opposite Montez Sweat."

While prospects Ruben Bain and David Bailey won't make it to 25th overall barring a miracle, there will be plenty of realistic options to make it to the Bears' pick at No. 25 overall.

Miami's Akheem Mesidor, Auburn's Keldrick Faulk, Texas A&M's Cashius Howell, Clemson's T.J. Parker, Missouri's Zion Young, and Oklahoma's R Mason Thomas should all have good to great odds of making it to the Bears' pick at No. 25 overall.

Gabe Jacas out of Illinois, Malachi Lawrence out of UCF, Dani Dennis-Sutton out of Penn State, Joshua Josephs out of Tennessee, Derrick Moore out of Michigan, and Romello Height all should be available as well, barring a complete surprise.

More: Bears can trade for Maxx Crosby after Ravens back out of Raiders deal

Montez Sweat needs a pass rusher to pair with him going forward. While they could go after Maxx Crosby for a blockbuster trade or add Kayvon Thibodeaux from the New York Giants, taking a rookie at No. 25 would give at least four years of cheap edge rusher play.

While there's a risk of the player not turning out to be good, one of those names, between Mesidor and Thomas, should be a solid draft pick for the Bears with the 25th pick.

There's no guarantee the Bears will have a worthwhile pass rusher available at that spot, but the odds are good that one of those top names, other than Bailey and Bain, will make it to the Bears' first-round pick.

With the 25th pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Bears will likely have a perfect chance to land a long-term answer at edge rusher opposite Sweat. Whether it's Mesidor, Faulk, Howell, Parker, or Young, Ryan Poles should have an option at No. 25.

More Bears news:

• Drew Dalman surprisingly retires at 27 years old after Pro Bowl season
• DJ Moore trade to Bills isn't expected to be all Bears do in trade market
• Bears to sign WR and returner Kalif Raymond to $5.5 million contract News
• Tyson Bagent trade rumors might pick up steam after Case Keenum re-signs with Bears
• Bears to sign Devin Bush to $30 million contract
• Coby Bryant to sign with Bears on $40 million contract
• D’Marco Jackson to re-sign with Bears on $7.5 million deal

NEED TO KNOW

• The Blackstone Valley Co-op hockey team won the state title on Wednesday, March 18, led by Colin Dorgan, whose three family members were killed in a shooting last month
• Dorgan scored a goal to tie the game with 30 seconds left, sending the teams to overtime
• After the win, Dorgan said he could feel his mother, brother and grandfather "still with me"

One month after a mass shooting claimed the lives of three of his family members, Colin Dorgan said he felt them "still with me" as he led his Blackstone Valley Co-op hockey team to a state championship.

Blackstone Valley defeated Lincoln to win the Division 2 title on Wednesday, March 18 at Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence, Rhode Island, thanks in large part to Dorgan, 17, who scored the game-tying goal with 30 seconds left to send the teams to overtime.

Dorgan's teammate Jaxon Boyes then scored the championship-winning goal for Blackstone Valley.

After the victory, Dorgan spoke about losing his mother Rhonda, brother Aidan and grandfather Gerald during the hockey season. Head coach Chris Librizzi replied, "Angels," when a reporter asked "how do you explain what happened in the last weeks," and Dorgan agreed, saying, "Exactly what coach said," and pointing to the heart patch with his family members' initials, which all players wore on their jerseys.

"Throughout all of the playoffs, even this game and the overtimes, I truly felt it in my heart and my soul that they're still with me and I think that, I love them so much, and they're still here and I know it," Dorgan said.

Blackstone Valley Co-op won the Rhode Island Division II championship Tuesday night.

Colin Dorgan, whose family members were killed in a shooting at the teams Senior Day last month, scored the game-tying goal with less than a minute left in regulation. Blackstone Valley went on… pic.twitter.com/P0PRwDYLnw

— ESPN (@espn) March 19, 2026

After the game, Dorgan also told reporters, including ESPN, that he was nervous to return to hockey after the shooting, but said it was his teammates and community that helped him return to the ice.

Blackstone Valley's state title wouldn't have been possible without Dorgan's game-winning goal in the semifinal round one week prior, which he described as "the greatest moment of my life."

“My good buddy fed me the puck and I could hear the crowd. It was a surreal moment," he added.

Dorgan's mother, brother and grandfather were killed on Monday, Feb. 16 when a suspect identified as Robert Dorgan, who also went by the name Roberta, opened fire at Dennis M. Lynch Arena in Pawtucket, R.I. during Blackstone Valley's senior day game.

Dorgan's grandmother Linda was also critically wounded, according to WPRI-TV.

The shooter was specifically targeting family members in the shooting, police said, and later died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to ABC News.

Read the original article on People

Michigan "Fab Five" legend Jalen Rose didn't miss an opportunity to troll his school's main rival during Thursday's 2026 March Madness coverage from CBS Sports.

While at the dais to discuss TCU taking down Ohio State in the first round of the 2026 NCAA men's tournament, Rose got in a brutal dig at the Buckeyes.

"It's only right that they're the second best basketball program in their own state," Rose said during his Ohio State diss. "Why don't we just call Miami THE Miami University?"

OUCH. That's absolutely vicious from Rose. We're sure Ohio State fans won't take this jab lightly.

Michigan alum Jalen Rose trolls Ohio State after getting knocked out by TCU.

"It's only right that they're the second best basketball program in their own state. Why don't we just call Miami THE Miami University?" pic.twitter.com/nHQamFJwi3

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 19, 2026

That's March Madness for you!

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Jalen Rose delivers brutal Ohio State diss after March Madness exit

As “over-the-top” or “corny” as some of his comments to the media can be, Alvaro Arbeloa is undeniably “un hombre de la casa.”

He is as much a Madridista as anyone—arguably more than most. Few understand the club’s history, traditions, and internal demands the way he does. Some will argue that it counts for little at an elite level. At Real Madrid, it matters. It always has.

That context is what makes his recent decisions feel different.

We still need to see how he manages the reintegration of Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham because that will tell us if his recent bets on the academy and roles for Brahim, Arda, Mendy, etc remain important. Arbeloa has shown a level of bravery that has been missing. He has made difficult calls early, trusted young players, and resisted the default pull toward hierarchy over the last month.

The use of academy players aligns with the club’s transfer policy, especially of late where they have been signing some of the best young players across Spain. The development of prospects like Thiago Pitarch and Manuel Angel, alongside young signings such as Dean Huijsen, Arda Guler, and Franco Mastantuono, fits the broader transfer strategy. Now Madrid have a coach who is willing to be on those players and take a risk.

Does this hold when the dressingroom heavyweights come back? Time will tell.

During Royal Rumble season, it seemed all but assured that Bron Breakker would find himself in a marquee match come WrestleMania 42. But the aftermath of Royal Rumble weekend changed all of that, when it was revealed Breakker would need surgery to recover from a serious hernia. Since then, there's been very little word regarding Breakker's status, leaving many to believe the chances of him working WrestleMania were unlikely.

But a new report suggests WWE is still hoping that Breakker could make his way back. Wrestlevotes Radio on Fightful Select reports that at least one WWE source expressed "optimism" regarding Breakker being cleared to compete before WrestleMania. No update was provided on how Breakker's rehab was going, but it was suggested that WWE has their T's crossed in the event he can wrestle, as the promotion has put together a plan for Breakker at WrestleMania.

Prior to his injury, many expected Breakker to be in contention for one of WWE's two World Championships, or to be put in a program with Seth Rollins, who he forcefully removed from The Vision back in October. Rollins himself had been out recovering from an injury since that time, but returned at Elimination Chamber, attacking Breakker's stablemate Logan Paul.

Rollins has yet to wrestle since his return, but has continued to appear on TV, using an endless amount of masked men to play mindgames with Paul, Austin Theory, and Paul Heyman. Despite that, a match has yet to be made between Rollins and either Paul or Theory for WrestleMania, leaving open the possibility that a Breakker-Rollins match could happen should Breaker get cleared in time.

Read more: 5 Wrestlers Worse Off After Leaving WWE

Don't miss any of the major wrestling headlines. Sign up to our free newsletter for the biggest stories, sent straight to your inbox. You can also add us as a preferred search source on Google.

Read the original article on Wrestling Inc.

Schools across the country are on spring break, which means March Madness has started. The month-long extravaganza fields 68 teams that are vying to be national champions. You could argue that it's the most chaotic postseason experience as games are on all day for a few weekends.

Even though Chet Holmgren was a one-and-done prospect, he fondly remembers his lone trip to the NCAA Men's Basketball tournament. Teaming up with Degree Clinical, the 23-year-old reflected on his lone collegiate season at Gonzaga.

If you need your mind jogged, Holmgren headlined a stacked Gonzaga squad. They were the No. 1-ranked team in the final AP Poll. The Bulldogs were the first seed in the West region. While Holmgren has reached the pinnacle of the sport with an NBA championship, he told Thunder Wire what it was like to be part of the March mayhem.

"I just think it’s something that with an NBA career, you can make it a career as long as you are able to play. But a college career can be a four-year deal. You gotta make the most of it, for some guys, you have really a one-year opportunity to make the most of it," Holmgren said. "Those moments are moments that you will carry with you for the rest of your life, memory-wise. Not only do the moments mean a lot because you are trying to win, put on for your school, I guess, but also understanding it’s not necessarily going to be there for you next year."

Gonzaga fell in the Sweet 16 in a loss to Arkansas. Funny enough, Jaylin Williams was on the other side. Both opponents would become teammates just three months later in a stacked 2022 NBA draft class that really helped the Oklahoma City Thunder become an NBA champion.

In March Madness, Holmgren averaged 13 points on 58.6% shooting, 13.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists. He also had an eye-popping 4.3 blocks. The Gonzaga squad had plenty of NBA talent — from Jalen Suggs, Andrew Nembhard, Drew Timme and Julian Strawther.

There's a reason why Gonzaga was the heavy favorite to come away with the national championship.

Even when you're as highly decorated as Holmgren is, your college hoops stint always sticks with you. It's really the first time you get treated like a public figure. Something NBA players need to quickly adjust to once they reach the pros. He wasn't able to bring home a national championship in his lone season, but he established himself as the No. 2 pick of the 2022 NBA draft.

Chet Holmgren starring in a Degree Clinical commercial ahead of March Madness. A-plus for creativity:
pic.twitter.com/MY48VUp25U

— Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) March 10, 2026

This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Exclusive: Chet Holmgren reflects on lone March Madness experience

The Alabama Crimson Tide will face the Missouri Tigers in a three-game SEC softball series this weekend. 

The Tide enter the matchup with an overall record of 27-1, as Alabama has been nothing short of dominant to begin the 2026 campaign. Star pitcher Jocelyn Briski has been electrifying in the circle, as the talented flamethrower currently holds a 1.20 ERA over 11 total appearances, and has been a huge reason behind Alabama's success so far this season.

Here are three bold predictions for Alabama’s third SEC series of the year vs. Missouri. 

Vic Moten continues to dominate, records 10+ K’s

Both Moten and Briski have been widely regarded as two of the top pitchers in all of college softball this season. Moten currently holds an extremely impressive 1.16 ERA, as the talented flamethrower has dominated throughout every appearance to begin the 2026 season. 

Moten could shine yet again against the Tigers this weekend, as the Crimson Tide star has been elite throughout the first two months of play. 

Alexis Pupillo stays red hot, records 5+ hits

Pupillo has been red hot at the plate to begin SEC play. The star utility player is currently hitting .481 on the year, as Pupillo could easily dominate at the plate once again against the Tigers this weekend. 

Pupillo is considered to be one of the hottest hitters in college softball at the moment, as the talented senior has shown no signs of slowing down in the near future. 

Brooke Wells has massive series, records 3+ home runs 

Wells has continued to put her power on full display during her time at Alabama this season. The star infielder is batting .479 with a team-high 10 home runs, as Wells could pick up right where she left off against Arkansas during the Tide’s series vs. Missouri.

Wells is one-of-two Alabama stars that are currently batting over .400, as the star sophomore has been elite in 2026.

Alabama will face the Missouri Tigers in a three-game series beginning on Friday at 5 p.m. CT, as the Tide will look to improve to an overall record of 30-1 with a potential sweep in Columbia.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion.

This article originally appeared on Roll Tide Wire: Alabama softball bold predictions vs. Missouri Tigers in SEC series

The Ohio State Buckeyes lost a close game to the Texas Christian University (TCU) Horned Frogs 66-64 on Thursday, eliminating them from the NCAA Tournament.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

The No. 8-seeded Buckeyes were able to keep it close with No. 9 TCU, but the Horned Frogs were able to pull away toward the end of the first half.

Going into halftime, Ohio State trailed 39-24.

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The Buckeyes outscored the Horned Frogs 27-40 in the second half, but TCU was able to score and take the lead with around four seconds left in the game.

The starting five for Ohio State all broke double digits, with sophomore guard John Mobley Jr. leading the way with 15 points.

With the win, TCU advances to the second. They’ll face the winner of No. 1 Duke and No. 16 Siena.

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A former Spartan is reportedly getting another chance in the NFL.

Former Michigan State football long snapper Taybor Pepper has reportedly been signed by the Miami Dolphins. ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter reported the news on Pepper's signing with the Dolphins on Thursday afternoon.

Pepper has played seven seasons in the NFL, dating back to his first year in 2018 with the Green Bay Packers. He has appeared in 100 games between three teams: Green Bay, Miami and San Francisco. He, however, wasn't in the league this past season, with his last appearance coming in 2024 with the 49ers.

Pepper played at Michigan State from 2012 to 2015, and is originally from Saline, Mich.

Dolphins have signed former 49ers long snapper Taybor Pepper.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 19, 2026

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Robert Bondy on X @RobertBondy5.

This article originally appeared on Spartans Wire: Former Spartan LS Taybor Pepper returning to NFL, reportedly signs with Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins moved on from one kicker and had another hitting free agency, so they needed to find someone to make field goals and extra points throughout the 2026 season.

While Miami eventually signed a pair of kickers, the first one they brought in was Zane Gonzalez, and there's a strong chance that he wins the job over the returning Riley Patterson.

However, before we get there, let's get a chance to know the new boot in the room.

Illustrious College Career

After attending Deer Park High School in Deer Park, Texas, Gonzalez spent four years at Arizona State from 2013-16. With the Sun Devils he was incredible, winning the Lou Groza Award once and earning All-American honors once and All-Pac-12 honors thrice. When he left college, he had made more field goals than anyone in NCAA history (96), but NC State's Christopher Dunn just beat it out, making 97 from 2018-22.

9-Year veteran

The Cleveland Browns to Gonzalez in the seventh round (No. 224 overall) in the 2017 NFL draft. He's also spent time with the Arizona Cardinals, Detroit Lions, Carolina Panthers, San Francisco 49ers, Washington Commanders and Atlanta Falcons. In his career, he's 115-for-142 (81%) on field goals and 163-for-171 (95.3%) on extra points.

What's in a name?

Gonzalez' first name is a unique one, and apparently, his parents got it from a popular movie.

"We were watching the movie 'Maverick' with Mel Gibson and his dad's name was Zane Cooper," Gonzalez' father, Joseph, said, "and I just liked the name Zane."

Cleat routine

Every kicker has their superstitions, but Gonzalez's game day cleat routine might be a bit uncomfortable.

"I wear a 10.5 size shoe regularly and on gameday my cleats are 9.5," Gonzalez told Charlotte Vibe. "My toes are knuckled in a little bit, but I'm just trying to make sure it's a clean contact... I go in there and scuff them up, get the cleats a little worn down so when I kick I don't catch the grass."

More Dolphins: Dolphins 4 biggest holes to fill after first wave of free agency

This article originally appeared on Dolphins Wire: NFL free agency: 4 things to know about new Dolphins K Zane Gonzalez

Tennessee is recruiting toward its 2027 football signing class.

Four-star defensive end Derwin Fields named Tennessee in his top five schools, along with Ole Miss, Texas, Miami and Georgia, according to Hayes Fawcett of On3.

The 6-foot-5, 220-pound prospect is from Brookhaven High School in Brookhaven, Mississippi. 247Sports ranks him as the No. 21 defensive end in the class and No. 7 player in Mississippi.

Tennessee offered Fields a scholarship on April 23, 2025 and has not visited the Vols.

Ole Miss was the first school to offer Fields a scholarship on March 25, 2025. Other schools to offer him scholarships include Auburn, Florida State, Florida, Alabama, Arkansas, Southern Miss, North Carolina, LSU, Texas A&M, Mississippi State, USC, Alcorn State, Jackson State, Mississippi Valley State, Missouri, Nebraska, UCLA and Georgia Tech.

Tennessee has four commitments in its 2027 football recruiting class: linebacker JP Peace, offensive tackle Princeton Uwaifo, defensive lineman Kadin Fife and quarterback Derrick Baker.

Follow Vols Wire on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter).

This article originally appeared on Vols Wire: 2027 four-star defensive end names Tennessee football in top schools

How many brackets were busted after TCU's upset win over Ohio State originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

TCU delivered the first true bracket-busting moment of the 2026 NCAA men’s basketball tournament Thursday, knocking off Ohio State 66-64 in an East Region first-round matchup.

The 9-seeded Horned Frogs entered as slight underdogs against the 8-seeded Buckeyes, but quickly flipped expectations. TCU controlled the tempo early, building a double-digit lead in the first half and going up by as many as 15 points. Ohio State responded with a second-half surge, briefly taking the lead and appearing to validate the 67% of brackets that had picked the Buckeyes to advance. 

Instead, TCU was stronger down the stretch. Coach Jamie Dixon’s group executed in the final two minutes with great defense and composed offensive possessions to close out the two-point victory. 

DOWN GOES OHIO STATE

Only 33% of brackets had TCU beating the Buckeyes 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/mFkwNVuopK

— Underdog (@Underdog) March 19, 2026

The win marked the first major disruption of the bracket, with millions of entries busted before the tournament’s opening window had fully unfolded.

TCU’s path to this moment has been anything but conventional. The Horned Frogs endured an up-and-down regular season that included an early loss to New Orleans, raising questions about their consistency. However, they also proved capable of competing with elite teams, notching key wins over defending national champion Florida, along with Iowa State and Texas Tech.

More: Percy 'Master P' Miller reportedly interested in Arizona State job

Those flashes of high-level play carried into Thursday’s performance. With the victory, TCU advances to the second round and positions itself as an early tournament disruptor. They may not be finished busting brackets just yet

More college basketball news:

• Darryn Peterson situation not alarming to NBA teams, ESPN insider says
• AJ Dybantsa makes college basketball history never done by NBA stars
• John Calipari says college athletics is broken — Here’s his plan to fix it
• March Madness upset predictions for 2026 NCAA men’s basketball bracket
• Where Arkansas Darius Acuff Jr. ranks among John Calipari's best NBA guards

The Jacksonville Jaguars did make an effort to retain free agent linebacker Devin Lloyd.

According to The Athletic's Joe Person, who covers the Panthers, Lloyd said that the Jaguars did make an offer before he ultimately signed with Carolina.

What that offer was, we do not know. But Lloyd signed a three-year, $45 million deal to join the Panthers, so we can probably assume that the Jaguars didn't reach that mark.

Lloyd put together a breakout season with the Jaguars in 2025. This included making his first Pro Bowl team and being named a second-team All-Pro.

Devin Lloyd said the Jaguars did make an offer before he signed with the Panthers.

— Joe Person (@josephperson) March 19, 2026

Lloyd did a bit of everything for the Jaguars' defense, recording 28 pressures as a blitzer, impacting the run game as one of PFF's highest-graded linebackers, and making plays in coverage, which includes coming away with five interceptions.

The Jaguars will now have to replace his presence in the middle of the defense. GM James Gladstone recently detailed how the Jaguars will go about doing that, and the very first player he mentioned was Ventrell Miller. Gladstone also mentioned Branson Combs as someone who could provide a special teams presence in Lloyd's absence.

With 11 draft picks, including four in the top 100, the Jaguars could also turn to the draft for added competition at the linebacker position.

This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: NFL free agency: Jaguars attempted to re-sign LB Devin Lloyd

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Ravens fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

Alex de Minaur showcased a brand-new look during one of his first practice sessions at the Miami Open.

The Australian star opted for a headband rather than his trademark baseball cap while he was preparing for the second Masters event on the ATP Tour calendar.

De Minaur is yet to win a Masters title, but he remains one of the most popular stars in tennis, showcased by the reaction to his new look.

While fans shared their opinion on the matter, his fiancee, Katie Boulter, joined in on the debate on social media.

Katie Boulter likes Alex de Minaur’s new look

Boulter and de Minaur have become one of the power couples in tennis over the years, and their popularity peaked when they announced their engagement.

With their marriage imminent, the pair often trade social media comments online, much to the delight of fans.

Boulter reacted to the Australian’s brand-new look in no time at all by responding to a question about De Minaur’s headband.

Taking to X, the British star jokingly replied to de Minaur’s new look with the comment: “Majority shareholder approval granted. You may proceed.”

Boulter and De Minaur will both be appearing at the Miami Open, where they both currently await second round matches.

Who will Katie Boulter and Alex de Minaur play at the Miami Open?

Due to the heavy rain delays at the Florida tournament, De Minaur is still waiting to find out his first opponent at the Masters event.

The Australian awaits the winner of Stefanos Tsitsipas or Arthur Fery, who are set to play their first round match on 19th March.

Boulter, meanwhile, is one of the select few who was able to play her first round tie on time at the Miami Open.

She defeated Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in straight sets to continue the fine form she has produced in the first part of the season.

Boulter will play Clara Tauson in the second round as she looks to continue her rise back up the WTA rankings.

If you’re reading this and a fan of the Miami Dolphins, then you probably went ballistic (a few times) after a 50-YARD Tyreek Hill touchdown reception from one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever wear a Dolphins jersey, Tua Tagovailoa.

Or maybe it was when that same QB connected with his former college teammate, the penguin, Jaylen Waddle, for a monster reception. Whichever connection you preferred over the last five(ish) years, it’s gone.

Dead.

Buried.

No more.

And as a fan of this team – and for lack of better judgement, the players on this team — we’ve now watched guys we once thought could be lifers in Miami like Robert Hunt, Christian Wilkins, Minkah Fitzpatrick (x2), Jaelan Phillips, Jevon Holland, Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill, and now Jaylen Waddle ride off into the sunset.

(Note: Feel free to add your own in the comment section below! These are just recent players who came to mind.)

This was after dropping 70 on the Denver Broncos at one point.

This was after Tua Tagovailoa’s epic second-half comeback vs. the Baltimore Ravens.

That was after Tyreek Hill was voted the top player in the league’s top-100 and looked damn near unstoppable.

Now, it’s all gone.

Sure, maybe a lot of those players I named are probably overvalued by myself and other fans alike – so maybe it won’t really matter in the long term. But when you rush out to buy jerseys or get attached to these players in press conferences and on social media, it sucks to see them go.

It sucks to know that Waddle could (very likely) be catching touchdown passes from Denver Broncos QB Bo Nix in a playoff game – something the Dolphins haven’t won in 25 years.

It will suck to see Tua Tagovailoa throwing fades to Drake London, while winning the NFC South and a playoff game – something he could never do in Miami… All the while, being paid a ton of money to LEAVE. (It needed to be done.)

Hell, it will even suck to see Tyreek Hill – as terrible of a human as he may be – catching passes for the Kansas City Chiefs or “insert team’s name here” in a meaningful playoff game, proving to the world that he is still the man they call Cheetah.

You get what I’m saying.

And yet, after typing all of that, I can’t help but feel at ease — because the truth is, it had to be done.

Like anything in life, sometimes we need some tough love.

And after inheriting an absolute cluster**** of a cap situation, Miami’s new GM Jon-Eric Sullivan had no choice but to move on from some of these players. He had no choice but to trade away Jaylen Waddle before his cap ballooned in 2027. Just like he may not have a choice — if the right offer comes calling — to trade away our beloved De’Von Achane. (Don’t worry, Schefter says everything is fine! /s)

And even still, with all of that said, for the first time in a long time, it seems like the Dolphins have a plan.

A plan that now sees Miami with seven picks in the top-100 of next month’s NFL Draft. And there’s a very good chance the team isn’t done wheeling and dealing, especially with how star-riddled the 2027 draft class looks on paper.

It’s early, and, like everything with our beloved Miami Dolphins, somehow, someway, we’ll all have egg on our faces.

But when accepting the job, Sully knew exactly what needed to be done. And whether it’s his selective free agency signings or the trades he made along the way, he has my attention. Better yet, I #TrustTheProcess, and that’s not something I’m sure I could ever confidently say under Chris Grier or some of the others who came before.

#InJonEricSullivanWETrust

What are your thoughts on the first few weeks of free agency? How do you feel about the Jaylen Waddle trade? Do you finally feel like the Do

The Falcons have not made heavy use of compensatory selections over the years. They’re tied for 15th in comp picks since 1995 with 22, per Over The Cap, but eight of those selections were earned in a two year stretch from 2013-2014. Otherwise, the Falcons have never had more than two in a single year, and have earned zero in the past six seasons and in nine of their past 11 seasons total; Terry Fontenot never used a comp pick.

With a new front office comes a chance to change that, and for at least one year, the Falcons are tracking toward earning three compensatory picks for 2027. That would be the first time in franchise history they’ll have three, should that hold, and would allow Ian Cunningham to start stockpiling picks the way he very clearly wants to.

OTC is invaluable in forecasting this, and right now, they have Atlanta earning a fifth rounder (for Kaden Elliss), sixth rounder (Tyler Allgeier), and seventh rounder (Arnold Ebiketie). The signing of Jahan Dotson crossed out a potential sixth for David Onyemata and the addition of Nick Folk removed a seventh for Dee Alford, but it’s one of the three biggest comp picks hauls this franchise has ever lined up in a single year.

The Falcons won’t want to do this every year, because they’ll have free agents they don’t want to lose and larger splashes to pursue when they have the free agent dollars to do so. Cunningham’s last franchise, the Bears, did not have a single comp pick during his tenure as Chicago’s assistant general manager. But with the team looking to get more swings in the draft and with a tighter cap picture in 2026, lining up a few additional day three selections makes plenty of sense for this franchise, and I’m glad they’ve done so. If this projection holds, the Falcons will have nine picks in 2027—they traded a 7th next year for tackle Mike Jerrell, if you’ll recall—and a lot more flexibility to fill depth with affordable multi-year contracts, rather than relying on short-term pacts with veterans.

We don’t yet know what to expect from 2026, as the Falcons will be heavily reliant on affordable free agents, good coaching, and improvement from their existing stars and high-end starters. But we can see pretty clearly that 2027 will be a year where this new regime will have a lot more in the way of resources to work with, and that will make the next calendar year an intriguing one when we get there.

Barcelona have reportedly asked Manchester United if they can take Marcus Rashford on loan for a second consecutive season.

Rashford joined the Catalans on loan in the summer from the Red Devils and the deal does include an option to make the deal permanent.

However, it seems that Barcelona aren’t too keen on paying the €30 million option, while Manchester United are not willing to negotiate on price.

All of which has led Barcelona to ask the Premier League side if Rashford could continue but on another temporary transfer, according to reports in the UK.

The Daily Mail report that Barcelona “are confident” that United will accept the move as long as there’s an “obligatory clause with Barca paying part of the £26m fee at the end of this season and Rashford signing permanently in 2027.”

Rashford has already said publicly he wants to continue at Barcelona, but it remains to be seen if the two clubs can agree a deal that suits all.

Bayern Munich youngster Filip Pavić set a few new milestones when he entered the team’s 4-1 win over Atalanta in the Champions League, which we covered here, but there were even a few more (as captured by @iMiaSanMia):

Filip Pavić (born on 19 January 2010) has become:

The first player born in 2010 to play in the Champions League

The first player born in 2010 to play for FC Bayern

The youngest player to play for Bayern in the Champions League

The second youngest player to play for Bayern in a competitive game after Paul Wanner

The appearance was about more than just these new standards, though — it marks Bayern Munich’s re-entry into the homegrown production game. Josip Stanišić, Aleksandar Pavlović, and Lennart Karl all preceded Pavić and have become first team regulars, but it is about more than those aforementioned players.

David Santos Daiber, Cassiano Kiala (injured), Wisdom Mike (now injured), Felipe Chávez (now on loan with FC Köln), Deniz Ofli, and Maycon Cardozo were among the others who have also broken through this season. At just 16-years-old, Pavić — born in 2010 (!?) — represents true change.

“It’s not easy to get minutes at FC Bayern as a young player. That’s why I hope they enjoy these moments. These are guys who’ve already been training with us for a while – Filip Pavić, for example, for almost a year, even though he’s still so young,” head coach Vincent Kompany said (as captured by @iMiaSanMia). “At some point, the opportunity will come, and it’s great to see how they seize it. Lenny Karl is already a step ahead there and has shown with his performances that he has this experience. The others now need to keep working in training and learn from such moments.”

Legitimate players are being developed…and it is not just showing on the pitch on campus, but helping the first team on the big stage of European nights.

If you are looking for more Bayern Munich and German national team coverage, check out the latest episodes of Bavarian Podcast Works, which you can get on Acast, Spotify, Apple, or any leading podcast distributor…

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Sandro Tonali has emerged as one of the most sought-after players in the Premier League, with the midfielder firmly on Arsenal’s radar ahead of the next transfer window.

The Gunners regard him as one of the finest midfielders currently operating in England and are keen to strengthen their squad by securing his signature as soon as possible. Their interest is not new, as reports at the end of the January transfer window suggested that Arsenal had been offered an opportunity to sign him, laying the groundwork for a potential move at the conclusion of this season.

Arsenal’s Interest and Newcastle’s Stance

Tonali remains a key figure for Newcastle United, and the club are well known for its reluctance to part with its most important players. Any attempt to sign him is therefore expected to require a significant financial offer.

Arsenal are aware of the challenge this presents, particularly given Tonali’s importance to Newcastle’s long-term plans. His performances have made him an integral part of their midfield, and losing him would represent a major setback for the Magpies.

Manchester United Enters the Race

Arsenal’s pursuit has become more complicated with the emergence of strong competition. As reported by the Metro, Manchester United are also keen on signing Tonali and view him as a potential replacement for Casemiro, who is expected to leave at the end of the current campaign.

The Red Devils are anticipated to enter the market for midfield reinforcements, and Tonali has reportedly given the green light for them to pursue their interest. The midfielder is believed to be open to a move to a bigger Premier League club. It considers Manchester United to fit that profile, expressing a willingness to join them should an agreement be reached.

This development intensifies the competition for his signature, leaving Arsenal facing a significant battle to secure one of the league’s most highly regarded midfield talents.

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Henry Cejudo agrees the UFC should compensate its fighters better. He wants to know what fighters are actually going to do about it.

UFC athlete pay has been a topic of discussion for years, but it’s flared up again in recent months with fighters like Jon Jones, Conor McGregor, and Sean O’Malley questioning the promotion’s business practices, and former UFC star Ronda Rousey publicly criticizing the company for underpaying fighters and damaging the industry.

On his Pound 4 Pound podcast with Kamaru Usman, Cejudu painted a clear picture of what he thinks needs to be done for the situation to change.

“There’s a 51-49 pay [split] in basketball, football, MLB, and these guys are making—If these dudes truly knew what they are making and what the UFC could potentially pay them, they’d think a little bit different,” Cejudo said. “The other thing that I will say is managers. Could and would managers work together to formulate something to where they’re able to see eye to eye with the UFC where this doesn’t happen. Where guys are not working at Uber Eats. Pantoja, he was a former champ, when he was fighting in the UFC, he was working Uber Eats. It’s not just him, there’s a bunch of them.

“I feel like some of that stuff should change and I think everybody’s afraid and scared and doing their own thing, but it’s, like, whenever these fighters stop becoming p*ssies and these managers can actually get together is when these guys could actually start to formulate something to where, ‘Alright, you guys made a lot of money now, let’s distribute it a little bit better.’ Can we? Or is it the same model?”

There have been several key catalysts that have occurred to spur fighter pay discussion, chiefly the UFC signing a seven-year, $7.7 billion broadcasting deal with Paramount that not only eliminated the promotion’s traditional pay-per-view model—which was closely tied to the salaries of the UFC’s top stars—but offered no indication of how the fighters themselves would directly benefit from the deal.

Other hot button topics include boxing star Conor Benn reportedly signing a massive $15 million for one Zuffa Boxing appearance, former two-division UFC champion Jon Jones suggesting his release after UFC White House snub, and Colby Covington claiming the promotion has frozen him out of fights.

Top star Alex Pereira also made headlines enthusiastically announcing a new eight-fight deal with the promotion. Usman and Cejudo questioned whether Pereira is being paid what he’s worth and why he would sign such a long-term deal in the first place?

“Let’s just say this: If we got $1.1 billion and the consensus now is that it’s a payout of maybe 10 percent of that to fighters, or let’s say 15-20 percent of that to fighters,” Usman said. “Do you think we’re going to give potentially a hundred million contract to one guy when we have a roster of 600, 650 people?”

“Why such a long contract?” he added. “Why eight fights? Do you truly, really think that I’m going to be fighting eight more times? Why even offer a contract this long or sign a contract this long?”

Pereira is widely regarded as a classic company man, having signed on for several main events, including three championship fights in 2024 when the UFC appeared to be scrambling for headliners.

Cejudo hopes Pereira is satisfied with his new deal, but wonders what it means for the rest of the roster.

“Congratulations to him,” Cejudo said. “If he got that, then cool, that just means he’s sticking around a little bit longer. But what about Jones? What about Conor McGregor? If Pereira’s not saying the number, but Pereira is super happy and I’m quoting what he’s saying, ‘Whatever the UFC wants, I am here to do,’ straight from his mouth in Portugues. That’s what he said. ‘I’m very, very happy with what I got.’

“That being said, what does that do to the rest of the fighters? What does that do to the top 5, the top 10 contenders when you’re paying somebody out like that?”

“That’s the thing about this situation is it can’t be one guy,” Usman added. “You can’t because it’s almost like you’re alienating, you’re just kind of pouring more gas into the fire. When the roster is unhappy, from the top all the way down to the bottom, and they’re unhappy with, ‘Hey, we feel that we should get a little bit more. We should get a little more because it’s been announced that you’re making all of this or this is what’s coming in from just these rights,’ then I feel like it just can’t be, ‘Alright, we’re going to pay this guy.’ That guy’s happy, that guy comes out, ‘Yeah, I’m good, I signed a new deal. Do whatever you want with me.’ Yes, but that one guy can’t carry a whole damn company. You need all fighters to carry a company.

“Yes, I understand that it doesn’t matter if you’re paying me $50 million today and I get done with that, listen, yeah I want $60-$70 million tomorrow. So when it comes down to renegotiating, it’s such a tricky place to be, but I think why do we not have these particular issues with NBA or NFL or the MLB or even the NHL?”

Usman, who is bumping up against his own wall with the UFC in regards to a potential welterweight title fight with Islam Makhachev, doesn’t understand how the best of the best in MMA often see their payouts pale in comparison to lesser known roleplayers in other major sports.

“It is absurd that you can be a contender or even champion like Jon Jones, multiple times, the greatest of all time, and still potentially complain about not getting a fair share because there’s guys in the NBA that you’ve never heard of that made $100 million,” Usman said. “You’ve never heard of them. Don’t get me wrong, with respect to them, but there’s guys that did their work silently to where they were on the team, they quietly signed deals and yes, they were able to retire and make sure that their life, their family, and their whole legacy is taken care of, because that’s what’s important.

“I don’t understand why this is out now especially in a time like this, but there’s a lot of things that need to be cleared up. Conor McGregor. Jon Jones. The list goes on and on and on, but hopefully there’s something that can be done, there’s a way to work with this company because of course nobody wants to see the UFC go away. Nobody wants to see that. UFC is the NFL. If the NFL dissolved tomorrow, people wouldn’t know what to do. Nobody wants to see that. I think it’s just finding a way to get a structure and a deal together to make sure this thing keeps going and of course it trickles down to everybody.”

Alessandro Nesta has paid warm tribute to his former AC Milan teammates Paolo Maldini and Andrea Pirlo, while also offering a revealing assessment of Massimiliano Allegri’s evolution as a manager, speaking to Corriere della Sera to mark his 50th birthday.

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The former Italy international, who won two Champions League titles during his time at San Siro, was asked to reflect on the teammates who left the deepest impression on him.

On Pirlo, his admiration was immediate and genuine. “I knew he was good, but only when I was able to work with him did I realise he was a genius,” he said, with quotes via MilanNews.

epa00998510 Defender Alessandro Nesta of AC Milan celebrate the victory at the end of the Champions League second leg semifinal match against Manchester United in Milan’s San Siro-Giuseppe Meazza stadium late 02 May 2007. AC Milan won 3-0 and acceeds to the final match against Liverpool which will be played in Athens on 23 May. EPA/ETTORE FERRARI

Nesta full of praise for Milan teammates Maldini & Pirlo

For sheer professionalism, though, it was Maldini who set the standard that shaped Nesta’s understanding of what it meant to be a winner.

“When I arrived at Milan and saw that, despite not being a youngster anymore, he was always giving everything at full speed, I understood why Milan always won,” he said. “At Lazio we clung to a lot of excuses to justify our failures.”

His most cherished memory? The 2003 Champions League final in Manchester against Juventus. “It was my first. From that moment, reaching the final became an obligation.”

On Allegri, Nesta was candid about a rocky start to their relationship. The pair clashed over Pirlo’s role when Allegri arrived at Milan from Cagliari, Nesta found it inconceivable that his friend was not the fulcrum of the team.

“For Max, walking into a dressing room of champions who had won everything and were at the end of a cycle was not easy,” he said. The Nesta of today, however, sees a very different coach. “Now he is much more determined, stronger for all the experiences and victories he has accumulated.”

Former Juventus attacker Zibi Boniek insists that Kenan Yildiz would have been good enough to break into the starting lineup of the club’s golden generation.

The Polish legend was considered one of the main stars of the 80s generation, which went on to conquer Europe.

Former Juventus president and owner Gianni Agnelli nicknamed him Bello di notte” (Beauty at night) for his knack for scoring goals in evening fixtures.

Zibi Boniek pours praise on Juventus star Kenan Yildiz

That generation boasted iconic names, including the likes of Michel Platini, Paolo Rossi, Gaetano Scirea, and Claudio Gentile.

To this day, many fans and observers consider the 80s team as the best group Juventus had ever assembled throughout the club’s glorious history.

And yet, Boniek argues that Yildiz has enough talent and flair to book a place among these legendary figures.

“Yes, of course, Yildiz would play in that team. He’s very good,” said the 70-year-old in his interview with La Stampa via IlBianconero.

Boniek would have removed Bonini to include Yildiz

Boniek, who often played as an attacking midfielder or a second striker during his time at Juventus. However, he would have gladly dropped back to the middle of the park to make room for Yildiz, while sacrificing his former teammate, Massimo Bonini.

“Let’s say we would have removed Bonini and I would have done his job just to accommodate Kenan, since I could have played anywhere on the pitch.

“Perhaps we would have sacrificed (Marco) Tardelli. But we would have found a place for Yildiz.”

The former Juventus and Roma star believes that Yildiz is the only Juventus forward who has the qualityto elevate the level of the entire team.

“The Turk is the only player with the quality and character of a true Juve player among the current forwards.

“Him and Vlahovic. Of course, the others are good too, of course, but being good enough for Juventus is a whole different story.”

Do or die. That’s how Gian Piero Gasperini described today’s second leg of the Europa League Round of 16 against Bologna. After drawing the Rossoblu last weekend on the road, Roma welcomes their domestic rivals to the Olimpico for a little European intrigue. While the Giallorossi are still dealing with injuries in the attack, the bigger problem plaguing the club is their simple lack of quality over the past several weeks.

With only one victory over their past six matches, a 3-0 romp over lowly Cremonese, Roma’s spring swoon is in full effect. Thanks to that drought, the club has slipped out of the top four, and with matches against Inter Milan, Atalanta, and Lazio remaining on the docket, returning to the Champions League next season via the league path may be a no-go for Gasperini’s group.

Meaning today’s deciding match against Bologna could essentially determine the club’s European fate next season. To borrow a phrase from Sir Alex, we may be looking at 90 minutes of squeaky bum time.

Saddle up!

Lineups

Roma

Bologna

There has been a series of events over the past week that suggest the Minnesota Vikings and J.J. McCarthy may not be together much longer.

The Kyler Murray Signing

The first was the signing of Kyler Murray. It was expected that the Vikings would bring in an established starter given the quarterback fiasco last season. And while Murray isn’t the GOAT, he put together a few good seasons in Arizona which made the notion put forward by the Vikings of there being a competition between Murray and McCarthy after his performance last season seem less than believable. Murray was signed to be the starter, which puts McCarthy on the back burner for another year. That was more or less expected and didn’t necessarily mean the Vikings had given up on McCarthy.

The Albert Breer Article

But then the second event happened- an article by Albert Breer detailing how the Kyler Murray signing came together. Apparently, the Vikings began thinking about what they wanted to do at quarterback as early as last season when the Vikings were 4-8. At that point the Vikings started to look at bringing in another reclamation-type quarterback like Sam Darnold in 2024 and began studying several options including Kyler Murray.

It was that week when Kevin O’Connell was asked what improvement he wanted to see from McCarthy over the final five weeks of the season. Kevin O’Connell essentially said he stopped focusing on trying to improve fundamentals with McCarthy and focused instead on decision-making, essentially avoiding turnovers and injuries, and playing free with a clear mind and that there will be a time later to get back to working on fundamentals.

“If the fundamentals need to be changed, if they need to be adjusted, if we need more time on task that’s one thing, but let’s just make the throws. Let’s just throw and catch.”

At the time, that felt like O’Connell had put off working on McCarthy’s fundamentals until after the season was over, which made sense because there isn’t really much time during the week to work on fundamentals when you need to install the game plan in three days of practice. But knowing the Vikings were already beginning to explore options for 2026 at that point, and after two offseasons of working on fundamentals with McCarthy in practice but still not seeing them transferred to the field on game days, that may have been the moment when O’Connell decided it was time to move on from McCarthy.

On a recent Purple Daily show this point was brought up and local Vikings beat reporter Judd Zulgad recalled at the time that could mean the Vikings were done with McCarthy at that point. See video below.

Breer went on to write that the Vikings briefly explored a second year with Murray on his contract and that after the Vikings had decided to sign Murray, Kevin O’Connell took Murray aside and told him, “that he was the one guy on the market that they could see as a potential longer-range answer, rather than a one-year Band-Aid.”

If the Vikings were looking to add a second year on Murray’s contract, which would mean having Murray on the roster through the end of McCarthy’s contract (although there is a fifth-year option) and their seeing Murray as a potential longer-range answer rather than a one-year Band-Aid, what does that say about how they view McCarthy’s future?

The Carson Wentz Signing

The last event was the announcement that Carson Wentz was being re-signed by the Vikings. Not exactly earth-shattering in and of itself, but it begs the question: is Wentz the backup or is he QB3?

Wentz reportedly had options with the Chiefs and Jets (and the Jets backup job is still open) but he preferred Minnesota. But why would Wentz choose to be QB3 in Minnesota when he could be QB2 with the Jets? That would make it less likely he would see the field this season after wanting to play so badly last season that he continued despite multiple and painful injuries. And it’s still early in free agency so other QB2 options could be available for him down the road as well.

That has led some to conclude that Wentz was signed to be the backup and J.J. McCarthy’s future with the Vikings may be a short one.

The Problem with McCarthy’s Development

McCarthy’s development has been frustrating. Issues that didn’t seem to be major issues based on his college tape and scouting reports- like his footwork and throwing mechanics- have remained a problem after two offseasons of practices and whatever work was done during the season last year. Additionally, injuries and durability concerns were not apparent for McCarthy in college but have plagued him since turning pro- often suffered during plays that didn’t flash as big hits. In a couple cases it couldn’t be determined which play the injury occurred.

Other issues like lacking touch to layer passes were more of a known issue when he was drafted, but also something that he has made precious little progress with over two years. But overall accuracy in college was good enough where it didn’t appear to be as big an issue at it has proven to be over his ten starts. And he threw more over the middle of the field percentage-wise in college than other top prospects in the 2024 draft but still has struggled more in that area since he was drafted.

But really the biggest problem, which O’Connell touched upon a couple times last year in his press conferences, is that McCarthy can look good with his fundamentals and what-not in practice, but in the heat of the moment during games he reverts back to “bad habits” as McCarthy described them at one-point last season. That makes it difficult from a coaching perspective to really know how much progress McCarthy is really making. Looking good or making progress in practice is one thing but showing improved fundamentals and so forth during games is another.

Timing and Development

Kevin O’Connell has famously said that, “organizations fail young quarterbacks before young quarterbacks fail organizations.” But at some point the timeline for development becomes a key consideration. Teams can’t wait forever for a quarterback to develop into a quality starter.

For one thing, there is a contract. McCarthy has this year and next year left on his rookie contract, with a fifth-year option estimated at around $20 million based on McCarthy’s position and being the #10 overall pick. The decision to exercise that option has to be made by May of next year. If Murray is the starter this season, there is no way the Vikings will exercise McCarthy’s option based on the cost and on-field performance.

The next issue is whether McCarthy could become the starter in 2027. While a possibility, it would seem unrealistic that the Vikings would head into next season without an established starter under contract- just like this season. There is no way to know if McCarthy will emerge as a quality starter or not, and at this point there is a good deal of doubt. And so if the Vikings are paying for an established starter next year (and probably not at the veteran minimum like this year) isn’t that player going to be the starter next year?

The point here is that at some point, whatever time and effort the Vikings put into developing McCarthy at this point is most likely not for the Vikings benefit, but for the benefit of whatever team McCarthy signs with after his rookie contract is over. In theory the Vikings could extend McCarthy after his rookie contract expires for near the veteran minimum, but in reality that basically never happens. A top draft pick needs to prove he can be a quality starter before the end of his rookie contract if he wants to be extended.

And so, if this (increasingly likely) scenario were to unfold, why would the Vikings continue to develop McCarthy for some other team and occupy a valuable roster spot for that purpose? The answer is it doesn’t make sense which could lead to the Vikings choosing to move on from McCarthy sooner rather than later.

We’ll see.

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TCU and Ohio State delivered a banger start to the NCAA Tournament.

Xavier Edmonds' shot with 4.1 seconds remaining gave the No. 9 seed Horned Frogs a 66-64 win over No. 8 Ohio State to kick off March Madness action on Thursday, March 19, in the first game of the tournament. Bruce Thornton attempted a halfcourt heave as time expired, but the shot clanked off the top of the backboard.

REQUIRED READING: March Madness bracket, live scores: NCAA Tournament first round update

FROGS OUT FRONT 🔥#MarchMadness@TCUBasketballpic.twitter.com/7zUjY9gv0q

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 19, 2026

The Buckeyes trailed 39-24 at halftime but outscored the Horned Frogs 40-27 in the second half to pull within reach. TCU's Micah Robinson gave the Horned Frogs a 64-61 on a 3-pointer with under a minute left, but Thornton responded with a 3-pointer of his own to tie the game at 64-64 with 33.7 seconds left.

Fifty of TCU's 66 points came from Robinson, Edmonds and David Punch, who scored 16 points with 13 rebounds and three blocks. Robinson led all scorers with 18 points with Edmonds adding 16 points with eight rebounds.

The Horned Frogs' 3-point shooting was ultimately their path to victory, despite ranking No. 233 nationally in 3-point percentage (33.11%). TCU made nine 3-pointers and shot 39% from distance in the win, compared to Ohio State's six makes and 26% mark.

Ohio State all-time leading scorer Bruce Thornton, who entered the game averaging 20.2 points per game this season, didn't have his best showing in his final game as a Buckeye. The senior guard was held to 10 points on 3-of-9 shooting with four rebounds, four assists and a turnover in the loss.

Some brackets have likely already busted following the tough No. 8 vs. No. 9 seed matchup. Over 60% of brackets chose Ohio State to win, NCAA March Madness posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.

TCU will now likely face No. 1 overall seed Duke in the second round, should the Blue Devils expectedly defeat No. 16 Siena on March 19. The Horned Frogs have never won two NCAA Tournament games in the same season, and will have a tough task ahead to complete the record in 2026.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: TCU busts brackets, beats Ohio State on last-second shot in March Madness

Even after the limitless support Gianni Infantino has offered Donald Trump, the U.S. president is clearly not opposed to publicly tossing the FIFA president under an 18-wheeler.

Last week, Infantino assured the world that Trump would "welcome" Iran to the United States for the World Cup. One day later, Trump reiterated that message in a post on Truth Social – and then launched it into the sun.

"The Iran National Soccer Team is welcome to The World Cup," Trump said, before adding his own unique definition of what that actually meant.

"But I really don’t believe it is appropriate that they be there, for their own life and safety."

For all of Infantino's praise, awards and cultivation, Trump has returned the favor by creating an unprecedented crisis that FIFA has to reckon with just three months before the World Cup kicks off.

It's not just Iran; as the entire Middle East becomes caught up in the conflagration, FIFA must contend with another team that looks unable to travel for a World Cup playoff this month.

Even outside of the World Cup, a huge showpiece match pitting Lionel Messi against Lamine Yamal for the first time has been completely scrapped. Games across the region have been moved or binned entirely. There will be more postponements and cancellations to come.

Infantino has been learning lately what so many others have when it comes to Trump: loyalty is only a one-way road in his world.

As much as the Swiss executive has tried to keep Trump onside, there is simply no way to constrain a man of his impulses. Still, the last two months have been especially farcical.

Infantino gave Trump a peace prize in December. Three months later, the U.S. president has forcibly extracted the president of Venezuela in an operation that killed dozens, then started a war in the Middle East that has already killed thousands.

Trump's guiding light in foreign policy since receiving FIFA Peace Prize is to do the opposite of whatever that award is supposed to embody.

In a certain sense, Infantino's embrace of Trump has been logical.

The United States is hosting 78 of the 104 matches in the upcoming World Cup, far outstripping Mexico and Canada. Of course FIFA benefits from having a positive working relationship with the president of the United States.

But whatever is going on between Trump and Infantino is quite clearly more than a positive working relationship.

It's one thing to attend Trump's inauguration, visit the Oval Office a few times or join a meeting of Trump's Board of Peace.

It's another to wear a MAGA-style hat at said meeting, move the World Cup draw to Washington D.C. at the 11th hour, open an office in Trump Tower, or say that "we should all support" the president's political agenda.

By its own statutes, FIFA is supposed to be a politically neutral organization. But Infantino's actions have strained any reasonable notion that FIFA is abiding by its own rules.

What has FIFA got for all of this cultivation? It doesn't appear to be much.

The Trump administration has greased the wheels for foreign visitors to get visa appointments faster and pledged $625 million for host cities' security – though that is currently held up amid a partial government shutdown.

But that all appears to be standard-issue host country cooperation, not any sort of special arrangement only made possible by FIFA's close relationship to the U.S. government.

In the meantime, that same government has been making the prospect of visiting the United States an uncomfortable one – especially for those who may oppose the Trump administration's policies.

In truth, there is probably very little that Infantino could do to constrain Trump. He is, after all, merely a sports executive. Leaders of all stripes have tried and failed to keep Trump under wraps for decades.

But in his unrestrained efforts to befriend Trump, inextricably linking his organization and himself with one mercurial man, Infantino has put his own reputation, as well as FIFA's, on the line. Right now, those efforts are backfiring.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump threat on Iran embarrasses FIFA president Infantino

After the Los Angeles Rams’ 2025 season ended in the NFC title game, Matthew Stafford gave no indications of whether he’d come back for his 18th year in the NFL. He didn’t have to give it much thought, though, because within two weeks, he decided to continue playing for the Rams.

Sean McVay and Les Snead knew Stafford would announce his return at the NFL Honors show, which he did during his MVP acceptance speech, but teammates were left out of the loop.

Kyren Williams and Kevin Dotson were asked by ESPN this week whether they knew Stafford was coming back, and they had no idea.

“Everybody found out that night,” Williams said.

Dotson said he breathed a big sigh of relief when Stafford said he was returning, knowing how integral he is to the entire team – not just the offense.

“The last two years have really been like, ‘All right, hold up. Give us an answer, please,’” Dotson joked. “Once I heard that, I was like, ‘You can exhale a little bit.’ He’s such a guy that the team follows. We rally behind him so much that him being that pivotal piece for our offense, and really the team. The defense, they know, let’s give him a chance. We know, give him a chance. Offensive line, give him at least 3 seconds, something spectacular might happen.”

With Stafford back, the Rams are the Super Bowl favorites in 2026, slightly ahead of the defending champion Seattle Seahawks. Had Stafford retired, the Rams would’ve had no answers at quarterback, forcing them to scramble at the position in an attempt to replace the MVP.

Fortunately, they don’t have to worry about that (yet) because No. 9 is back for Year 18.

This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams players didn't know Matthew Stafford was announcing his return

United lined up against Newcastle United over a week ago as though they were a strong side playing against a decent mid-table side. Of course, anyone who has closely followed United will know of United’s dismal record against Newcastle United in recent years, especially at St. James’ Park.

Michael Carrick would’ve known this going into the game, but he gambled. It must be said that he was in a position to gamble going into this game because he had earned that right through some strong performances, but mostly through the strength of the results that he had overseen since his appointment. 

Assessing the opposition is always key, and the game against Aston Villa last week was particularly intriguing in this regard: were Aston Villa a strong side in poor form or a decent side that has overperformed? Not to mention, United are always expected to take the game to the opponent at home.

Instead of going for his three most prolific forwards as he did against Newcastle United, Carrick started Amad Diallo. He got Benjamin Sesko to make an impact off the bench once again. It worked, and United looked primed for Champions League football next season in a way that didn’t look a week ago.

The performance wasn’t extraordinary, but there was a degree of comfort in the way United went about proceedings that was highly encouraging. With talented but imperfect squads like the one Michael Carrick has inherited, such assessments against average to good sides are crucial because simply relying on the talent within the squad to overpower the opposition is unlikely to work on most matchdays. 

Previous interims like Ole Gunnar Solskjær, Carrick himself, and Ruud van Nistelrooy had also brought back some stability in their interim runs, and in the case of Solskjær, even moments of euphoria. Michael Carrick knows only too well that one poor result can undo the momentum built under a new manager. The win against Manchester City set the tone for the immediate bounce following Ruben Amorim’s underwhelming spell, but the win against Villa could set the tone for the rest of the season and help fight against the inertia that seemed to have seeped into the side last month.

The win shouldn’t be taken lightly under the circumstances.

All teams participating in a women's tournament organised by FIFA will be required to have a female head coach or assistant after football's governing body passed ground-breaking regulations at its council meeting on Thursday. 

The change applies to all youth and senior tournaments, national team competitions and club competitions, and will debut at the Under-20 women’s World Cup in Poland in September. 

It will also be in use at the second edition of the women's Champions Cup, the 2027 World Cup in Brazil and the inaugural women's Club World Cup in two years' time.

In its statement, FIFA said the initiative is part of its broader strategy "to ensure that the rapid growth of the women’s game is matched by an increased representation of women in technical and leadership roles".

In spite of the growth of the women's game, coaching positions are still occupied largely by men: at the 2023 women's World Cup just 12 of the 32 head coaches were female.

"There are simply not enough women in coaching today," said Jill Ellis, FIFA’s chief football officer and former United States national team head coach.

"We must do more to accelerate change by creating clearer pathways, expanding opportunities, and increasing the visibility for women on our sidelines.

"The new FIFA regulations, combined with targeted development programmes, mark an important investment in both the current and future generation of female coaches."

The new rules will also mandate at least two female staff on the bench, which can include the mandatory coach.

Teams will also be required to have one woman on their medical staff.

bsp/dmc

Finding NCAA tournament Cinderella candidates is becoming increasingly difficult in a college basketball landscape dominated by NIL and the transfer portal. 

Since the nation’s best programs are now regularly poaching talented players from other rosters, it makes for loaded super teams at the top coupled with mid-majors often needing to replace steady starters. 

It’s no secret that a double-digit seed has moved on to the second weekend in 17 consecutive NCAA tournaments. Last season the only one was No. 10 seed Arkansas. The Razorbacks certainly deserve credit for their unexpected run. But a John Calipari-led roster of former McDonald’s All-Americans finally figuring things out isn’t exactly America’s idea of an underdog story.

So where do Cinderellas stand in 2026? The 2025 tournament lacked a true Cinderella run. There were still seven first-round upsets by seeding. But with a double-digit seed making the Sweet 16 in 38 of the last 40 tournaments, odds are strong for another Cinderella to surprise the bracket. 

Here’s a look at four Cinderella candidates entering the 2026 tournament. Only seeds lower than a No. 11 were considered Cinderella candidates.  

Akron

With all of the talk about Miami (Ohio) and its perfect regular season, many metrics considered Akron the stronger team out of the MAC this season. Taking care of business in the MAC conference tournament for the third straight year, the Zips are seasoned March Madness veterans playing for the fourth time in the last five seasons under head coach John Groce. 

A No. 12 seed in the Midwest Region facing No. 5 seed Texas Tech, the Zips own the nation’s fifth longest active winning streak at 10 games. Akron’s experienced, senior-laden roster takes quality shots. The Zips are eighth in effective field goal percentage nationally and 14th in the nation in 3-point percentage at 38 percent. Familiarity also plays a big factor for Akron at 19th in the nation in continuity from last season — fourth among remaining tournament teams. The team’s three leading scorers, guard Tavari Johnson, forward Amani Lyles and guard Shammah Scott are all in at least their third seasons at Akron — an increasing rarity in today’s mid-major landscape. 

If Akron knocks down enough perimeter looks, it can compete with the Red Raiders — who already lost star J.T. Toppin to a season-ending torn ACL in February. Texas Tech guard Christian Anderson is available for the NCAA tournament after leaving the Big 12 tournament from slipping on the LED glass court. His leg injury is a subplot to monitor. Regardless of Anderson’s status, Akron is a dangerous team filled with seniors who can knock down shots and make noise in the opening weekend. 

South Florida

Coming from a league like the American, South Florida wouldn’t traditionally fit the mold of a Cinderella. This is also the Bulls’ first trip to the Dance in 14 years and only the fourth time overall in program history. 

Last season, the program experienced the unexpected death of head coach Amir Abdur-Rahim only weeks before the season, finishing 13-19 under interim coach Ben Fletcher. A season later, under first-year head coach Bryan Hodgson, USF went 25-8 and won the American regular season by two full games before winning the program’s first conference tournament in 36 years. It’s a turnaround that is easy to root for — and that’s before even looking at how talented the Bulls are.

A dangerous No. 11 seed against No. 6 seed Louisville in the East Regional, South Florida has won 11 straight games entering the tournament. The Bulls boast respectable offensive (No. 61) and defensive (No. 40) efficiency metrics on KenPom. And with five scorers putting up between 16.8 points and 11.1 points per game, led by guard Wes Enis and double-double threat Izaiyah Nelson, South Florida is balanced enough to compete with any program in the field. 

Northern Iowa

Over 20 seasons as head coach at Northern Iowa, Ben Jacobsen has a history of upsets during March. Can the Panthers make another run as a No. 12 seed against No. 5 seed St. John’s in the East Region? 

The Panthers famously made the Sweet 16 in 2010 as a No. 9 seed after dropping top-seeded Kansas in the Round of 32. Northern Iowa also won first-round games in 2015 and 2016 — including a No. 11 seed upset against Texas in the later appearance. 

This season’s team is peaking at the right time after winning four games in four days at Arch Madness. The Panthers shot over 42 percent from three during three quality conference tournament wins over Illinois State, Bradley and UIC. That’s important because defense is the backbone for this UNI roster. At No. 24 in KenPom’s defensive efficiency ratings this season, Northern Iowa wants to slow the game down (No. 363 tempo) and get stops.

Facing Big East champion St. John’s, if Northern Iowa dictates tempo and knocks down early shots behind strong recent play from senior guard Trey Campbell, the Red Storm could be in for a major battle down the stretch. 

VCU

A familiar name during March Madness after an iconic 2011 First Four-to-Final Four run, VCU would have been left out of the 2026 tournament as an at-large but earned its way into the Dance by winning the Atlantic 10 tournament on Selection Sunday. 

First-year head coach Phil Martelli Jr. is, remarkably, the fifth different head coach to take VCU to the NCAA tournament since 2015. Similar to South Florida, the Rams don’t have a glaring weak spot among metrics. VCU is No. 46 offensively and No. 60 defensively. The Rams are also playing their best ball down the stretch, winning 16 of their last 17 games, with the only loss coming to fellow tournament team Saint Louis.

Against wounded No. 6 seed North Carolina — which lost stud freshman Caleb Wilson to a season-ending injury — the Rams are only slight underdogs and could use its aggressive guards to attack the paint and stretch the floor using 36 percent 3-point shooting. Sophomore guard Terrence Hill Jr. (14.4 ppg) is the team’s leading scorer but 6-foot-11 stretch big Lazar Djokovic (13.5 ppg, 35 percent from 3) could be a major factor in deciding VCU’s ceiling in March. 

Victoria Mboko has caught the attention of Andy Roddick, who recently made a bold prediction about her future in tennis.

The Canadian teenager has had a rapid rise up the WTA rankings, moving from outside the top 300 to breaking into the top 10 within a year.

In that time, she’s picked up titles at both the Canadian Open and Hong Kong Open while also making finals appearances in Doha and Adelaide.

Roddick believes that by 2028, Mboko will have won her first Grand Slam title.

Andy Roddick backs Victoria Mboko to win a Grand Slam by 2028

She also made it to the quarterfinals at Indian Wells last week, only losing out to Aryna Sabalenka, who went on to win the tournament.

During an episode of his podcast ‘Served with Andy Roddick,’ he said he expects Mboko to claim her first Grand Slam title within the next two years.

“Mboko is going to win a Slam in the next two years. I just needed to say that out loud,” said Roddick. “She plays well every week. We talk about Sabalenka and she is in position every single tournament.

“Mboko is not there yet, but if you take this breakout last year, some injuries, maybe limped to the finish line or was at least spottier. This year she is making the quarters or better every single event. She gets through tough three set matches all the time, when she starts flipping those and turns those three set wins in 4 and 4’s [straight sets], which she will…She has only been on Tour for eight months.

“Losing to Sabalenka does not bother me at all. She is just building. She is physically strong and she can withstand the stress test of big tennis. I am more and more impressed with her as she goes about it.”

Roddick isn’t just throwing out predictions lightly either – he’s usually pretty measured with this kind of thing and doesn’t hype up players unless there’s something real behind it.

Victoria Mboko’s Grand Slam career so far

Mboko’s rapid rise through the WTA rankings is even more impressive considering she’s only played each Grand Slam once.

Her best result came in her latest appearance, reaching the fourth round of the Australian Open before falling to Sabalenka.

Both of Mboko’s WTA titles have come on hard courts, though she is still looking for her first win at the US Open after losing to two-time Grand Slam champion Barbora Krejcikova in the opening round last year.

She has also proven herself on other surfaces, coming through qualifying to reach the third round of the French Open last year.

The 19-year-old continues her season at the Miami Open, where she enters as the 10th seed and received a bye into the second round. She will open her campaign against Anna Blinkova, who recently added another loss to Sofia Kenin’s difficult run of form this season.

Read more:

Here we go again with Giannis Antetokounmpo.

The two-time NBA MVP and the Milwaukee Bucks are in disagreement about how to approach the end of the season, according to multiple reports. The Bucks would like to tank, which is easier to do if Antetokounmpo can’t return from his hyperextended left knee for the rest of the year, only he still wants to come back as soon as possible.

Someone wanted us to know this, even though it does not look good for anybody. It is as if everyone else knows they are headed for a divorce at season’s end but them.

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There is little room for the Bucks (28-40) to move in the standings. Only the Chicago Bulls (28-41) are within four games of them on either side. They will not win enough to catch the Charlotte Hornets (35-34) for 10th place in the Eastern Conference or lose enough to match the Memphis Grizzlies (24-44) for the NBA’s eighth-worst record.

Really, they are worried about out-tanking the Bulls. The Bucks hold the league’s 10th-worst record and a 13.9% chance at a top-four pick. But if they can out-lose Chicago, those odds improve to 20.3%. However, if the pick ends up higher than New Orleans, it conveys to the Atlanta Hawks, and Milwaukee would receive the Pelicans’ pick. It is very complicated. Know this: The Bucks will most likely pick ninth or 10th in the draft.

Patrick McDermott via Getty Images

There is, however, a slim chance both Atlanta and Milwaukee move into the top four.

Are a few more ping-pong balls worth furthering a divide with Antetokounmpo, whose commitment to the organization has remained in question all season? Let him play, if it’s going to convince him to stay. But we’ve probably passed that point.

So, don’t play. That is what is best for the Bucks, after all.

Either way, it’s not that big a deal, until they made one of it and let us all in on the argument. Why can’t the Bucks see that it is not so bad if Antetokounmpo wants to play out the season? And why can’t Antetokounmpo see that it is better for them if he doesn’t? Because neither party is interested in meeting in the middle anymore.

They are operating in their own best interests now. It is best for Antetokounmpo if he plays, I guess, because then he can say, “I never quit on Milwaukee,” and we can say, “He’s the type of guy who just wants to compete,” even at the risk to his own health.

It is best for the Bucks if he sits, for sure, because they are being outscored 9.5 points per 100 meaningful possessions when he is on the bench, according to Cleaning the Glass, and if that continues they just might pick ahead of Chicago. Milwaukee also does not risk Antetokounmpo’s trade value on his potential injury.

Either way, it is a silly argument to be having in public, partly because the Bucks could now be fined for so brazenly circumnavigating the NBA’s anti-tanking rules.

But mostly because nothing has changed. It always made more sense for the Bucks to trade Antetokounmpo in the offseason, when a number of potential suitors — the New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers among them — can improve their offers.

Yet, we’ve heard throughout the season every iota of Antetokounmpo’s uneasiness. We get it, man. It doesn’t make sense for you and the Bucks to be together anymore.

Let us know when the divorce is finalized. Otherwise, keep it down, Milwaukee.

Driving a McLaren F1 simulator, attending red carpets and film premieres, and staying in a luxury hotel suite once visited by Amy Winehouse: British sprinter Amy Hunt’s life has changed immeasurably since she broke into the mainstream with an astonishing world silver medal in Tokyo last September.

But the 23-year-old is keen to keep her feet on the ground (or more appropriately, on the track) despite her rising profile.

Having rejected numerous opportunities, from attending the Peaky Blinders film premiere to London Fashion Week, in order to focus on training, she tells The Independent and other outlets: “I don’t really say no with too much sadness. This is my job and this is what I truly love to do, and I am so in love with the life that I created. I’m so focused on upgrading that silver into a gold that it doesn’t really feel like a sacrifice.”

For some, the name Amy Hunt may be familiar from seven years ago, when she exploded onto the scene for the first time. She set an under-18 world record over 200m and looked like the next star in the making, before a series of injuries, including a quadriceps rupture that left her needing help getting in and out of the shower, crippled her early senior career.

After several difficult years, mentally and physically, she has rebuilt her fitness and stamped her authority on the world stage, beating two-time defending champion Shericka Jackson in Tokyo and is not content with stopping there.

The Cambridge graduate is a bubbly, good-natured, thoughtful personality, equally confident in front of a camera – she started a YouTube channel after the world championships and films all her own content, with her best friend Sally editing – and chatting to the media.

She returns to action in the 60m at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Torun, Poland, this week, an event she freely admits she has a “love-hate relationship” with. She ranks it her worst of the three sprint distances, but after completely reinventing her block start this year and running a 7.04s says they are now “happily married”.

Having successfully predicted she would win a medal in Tokyo she hopes her powers of prediction will come good again this week. She intends to equal or better her fifth-place finish from last year, although it is a competitive field, with Olympic 200m champion Julien Alfred, US national championships winner Jacious Sears, and compatriot Dina Asher-Smith also competing.

“It’s cool to be going into something actually ranked in the top five for once, so I don’t sound as crazy when I’m saying I’m gonna do well,” she says. “I really love being such a versatile sprinter. All of the sprinting greats, Usain [Bolt], Allyson [Felix], Dafne [Schippers], Tori Bowie, everyone who is truly the best at these events, do all of them. They’re not afraid to put themselves in positions where they’re maybe not the favourite to win, so I think for me doing the 60 is more just being entirely fearless and entirely confident in myself.”

A triple gold at the European Championships in Birmingham this summer is a major target, as is closing the gap to the likes of Alfred and world 100m and 200m champion Melissa Jefferson Wooden, two athletes she imagines racing against in the midst of tough training sessions.

She says: “I think it’s so good to have rivalries. It’s just maybe the polite thing not to say it out loud, but sport is emotional, and if I’m not emotional about not winning, then why am I there?

“It’s not even delusional, because you can’t think it’s delusional; you have to fully, wholeheartedly, with your whole body and soul and mind, believe that you are the best and you’re going to beat everyone. So everyone becomes your rival. But in terms of this year, I’m looking to get a lot closer and to start hopefully beating Melissa and Julien. I respect them a lot, therefore I want to beat them a lot.”

A step up to the 400m is also in her long-term plan, with her success in 2025 having pushed that back somewhat. She ran 368m in a 45-second time trial in South Africa, a time she was “incredibly happy” with, but laughs off the idea of a 400m race with 800m star Keely Hodgkinson anytime soon. “I think she might win right now, but maybe not next year.” And over 300m? The answer is definitive: “I’d absolutely have that, yeah,” she grins.

Having juggled athletics alongside earning an English degree from Cambridge, she is passionate about ensuring that young academic athletes do not give up their dreams of further education in order to pursue a sporting career. She often gets messages from aspiring Oxbridge students and acts as a kind of agony aunt.

It’s something she eventually wants to turn into a more official platform, along the lines of rapper Stormzy’s Merky scholarships. “That world of Oxbridge loves to be so shrouded in mystery,” she explains, “and that’s self-serving, because it keeps that sense of [being] like, cloistered away and it protects itself. But us talking about it opens it up a lot more and enables a lot more women and girls from an athletic background to be able to get there. I know my decisions felt very limited when I was in the same position, so I’m trying to make more doors open for more people coming up behind me.”

Hunt rejected the option of doing English or sports science at Loughborough University, where many top athletes choose to go and where she was based before attending Cambridge, because it was “the easy way”. Juggling athletics alongside academics was difficult, but it also toughened her up. “You have to sort out a lot for yourself,” she says, “because the supervisors are very uncompromising and the system is very inflexible to your needs if you’re not a rower. You have to make those decisions yourself and grow up very quickly and be very, very organised.”

She is refreshingly candid – her agents may not appreciate her saying “I cannot overstate how much I love just standing on that start line, it’s my favourite thing in the world, so I would do it without even getting paid” – and determined to forge her own path. Athletes are constantly told to “stick to sport”, but Hunt is keen to prove you can have it all, from her social media and YouTube presence to pursuing her interests off the track, and is unafraid to express herself.

Like all athletes, she has dealt with some abhorrent messages online, particularly some “very disturbing” sexual comments when she broke through as a teenager. But her approach to abuse is quite different now, having grown quite a thick skin, and she believes it’s a necessary evil in order to get track and field into the spotlight.

“Now it’s just like, turn your phone off,” she says. “I think athletes should be open to a little bit more hate. That sounds horrible, but I mean it in a way that if we want our sport to grow, if we look at all the other sports, football, tennis, F1, that are huge in public and cultural consciousness, they get a lot more hate and aggression than we do. And I think it’s a natural counterpart to all of the amazing comments that you might get.

“So it’s better for us almost to actually be getting more hate because it shows that there’s more eyes on our sport, in a weird way. And in the least cocky way possible, my opinion is the only one that matters. I don’t really care what someone online has to say about my start.”

She is certainly not short of ambition or of vocalising her goals. Having long been tipped for the top of the sport, she is now possibly even more determined to get there. “I look at people like Allyson Felix who are great across across the board and could do every single event and both relays, and in the most selfish, vain way, if you’re the person that’s at the LA Olympics and you’re winning medals in two individual events and two relays, and you’re going home with four Olympic medals, then that that makes you an icon for life and truly one of the greats, especially in terms of British athletics. So it’s definitely something we’re looking forward to, and I definitely have the strength to do it.” After something of a false start aged 17, it looks like the new and improved Hunt 2.0 is here to stay.

Inter Milan executives Dario Baccin and Piero Ausilio scouted Chelsea’s Andrey Santos and Atletico Madrid’s Jose Maria Gimenez in midweek.

According to FCInterNews, the Nerazzurri chiefs were in London on Tuesday and Wednesday to gather information about several players.

Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario was perhaps the main reason for their scouting mission.

Indeed, the Serie A giants have identified the 29-year-old as a top candidate to replace the departing Yann Sommer.

However, Ausilio and Baccin also used the trip to monitor other potential targets.

Inter Milan Scouted Andrey Santos & Jose Maria Gimenez During Midweek Champions League Action

Baccin and Ausilio were at Stamford Bridge for Chelsea’s dismal 3-0 home loss to Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday.

According to the report, they were in the stands to scout Andrey Santos, who has failed to secure regular first-team action in West London.

Yesterday, they were at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. However, Vicario wasn’t the only reason for their visit.

Instead, they were reportedly keeping a close eye on Atletico Madrid center-back Jose Maria Gimenez.

Widely considered as one of the world’s toughest defenders, the 31-year-old has two more years left to run on his contract in Madrid.

The 2026 NCAA Wrestling Championships are here, and for the next 72 hours, Cleveland becomes the center of the wrestling world. More than 300 wrestlers will take the mat at Rocket Arena with All-American spots, NCAA titles and legacies on the line.

Penn State enters as the team to beat, bringing a lineup loaded with top seeds and title favorites. But this isn’t a coronation. Ohio State, Nebraska and OK State all have the firepower to make things interesting over three days.

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Individually, there’s no shortage of storylines. Luke Lilledahl looks to cap a dominant run at 125 lbs. Jax Forrest has been perfect as a true freshman at 133, but enters perhaps the most chaotic bracket of the bunch. 

Jesse Mendez returns as the favorite at 141. PJ Duke, Mitchell Mesenbrink and Levi Haines headline a brutal middleweight stretch, while Josh Barr and Yonger Bastida anchor the upper weights.

Follow along for live updates, results, highlights and updated brackets as the NCAA Championships take place in Cleveland. 

Remember to refresh for new updates.

NCAA Wrestling Championships 2026 Results and Live Updates

Last updated 1:09 p.m. ET, March 19. 

NCAA Wrestling Brackets Updated (Second Round)

Quarterfinals

125 lbs

• (1) Luke Lilledahl (Penn State) vs. (17) Jett Strickenberger (West Virginia)
• (9) Maximo Renteria (Oregon State) vs. (8) Dean Peterson (Iowa)
• (5) Troy Spratley (OK State) vs. (12) Vincent Robinson (NC State)
• (13) Stevo Poulin (Iowa State) vs. (4) Sheldon Seymour (Lehigh)
• (3) Nic Bouzakis (Ohio State) vs. (14) Jacob Moran (Indiana)
• (11) Tyler Klinsky (Rider) vs. (6) Jore Volk (Minnesota)
• (7) Nico Provo (Stanford) vs. (10) Marc-Anthony McGowan (Princeton)
• (18) Spencer Moore (Illinois) vs. (2) Eddie Ventresca (Virginia Tech)

133 lbs

• (1) Jax Forrest (OK State) vs. (17) T.K. Davis (Gardner-Webb)
• (9) Dominick Serrano (Northern Colorado) vs. (8) Markel Baker (Northern Illinois)
• (5) Kyler Larkin (Arizona State) vs. (12) Evan Mougalian (Penn)
• (20) Julian Farber (Northern Iowa) vs. (4) Aaron Seidel (Virginia Tech)
• (3) Marcus Blaze (Penn State) vs. (19) Gage Walker (Missouri)
• (11) Tyler Ferrara (Cornell) vs. (6) Drake Ayala (Iowa)
• (7) Lucas Byrd (Illinois) vs. (23) Braxton Brown (Maryland)
• (15) Tyler Knox (Stanford) vs. (2) Ben Davino (Ohio State)

NCAA Wrestling Championships First Round Results

First Round

141 lbs

• (17) Caedyn Ricciardi (Navy) vs. (16) Ryan Jack (NC State): Ricciardi wins by Dec SV 4-1
• (24) Nash Singleton (Oregon State) vs. (9) Joey Olivieri (Rutgers): Singleton wins by Dec 2-1
• (8) Vance Vombaur (Minnesota) vs. (25) Tom Crook (Virginia Tech): Vombaur wins by MD 14-2
• (5) Luke Stanich (Lehigh) vs. (28) Pierson Manville (Arizona State): Stanich wins by TF 21-6 (7:00)
• (21) Tyler Wells (Oklahoma) vs. (12) Luke Simcox (North Carolina): Wells wins by Dec 3-2
• (13) Wyatt Henson (Lock Haven) vs. (20) Julian Tagg (South Dakota State): Henson wins by MD 11-2
• (4) Anthony Echemendia (Iowa State) vs. (29) Jordan Titus (West Virginia): Echemendia wins by Dec 5-1
• (3) Brock Hardy (Nebraska) vs. (30) Dario Lemus (Maryland): Hardy wins by TF 18-1 (5:47)
• (11) CJ Composto (Penn) vs. (22) Lorenzo Frezza (Columbia): Composto wins by Dec 2-0
• (6) Vince Cornella (Cornell) vs. (27) Gable Porter (Virginia): Cornella wins by MD 8-0
• (7) Nasir Bailey (Iowa) vs. (26) Braden Basile (Army): Bailey wins by MD 14-3
• (10) Jack Consiglio (Stanford) vs. (23) Dylan Chappell (Bucknell): Consiglio wins by Dec 9-5
• (15) Elijah Griffin (Rider) vs. (18) Carter Nogle (Air Force): Griffin wins by Dec 7-4
• (2) Sergio Vega (OK State) vs. (31) Billy DeKraker (Northwestern): Vega wins by Dec 6-0

133lbs

• (1) Jax Forrest (OK State) vs. (33) Carter Schmidt (Oklahoma): Forrest wins by Fall (2:00)
• (17) T.K. Davis (Gardner-Webb) vs. (16) Zan Fugitt (Wisconsin): Davis wins by Dec 4-1
• (9) Dominick Serrano (Northern Colorado) vs. (24) Blake Boarman (Purdue): Serrano wins by Dec 16-14
• (8) Markel Baker (Northern Illinois) vs. (25) Will Betancourt (Rider): Baker wins by Dec 8-1
• (5) Kyler Larkin (Arizona State) vs. (28) Garrett Grice (Iowa State): Larkin wins by MD 13-0
• (12) Evan Mougalian (Penn) vs. (21) Sean Spidle (Northwestern): Mougalian wins by Dec 8-1
• (20) Julian Farber (Northern Iowa) vs. (13) Jacob Van Dee (Nebraska): Farber wins by Dec 5-4
• (4) Aaron Seidel (Virginia Tech) vs. (29) Luke Willochell (Wyoming): Seidel wins by TF 17-2 (3:00)
• (3) Marcus Blaze (Penn State) vs. (30) Gabe Whisenhunt (Oregon State): Blaze wins by TF 17-2 (5:31)
• (19) Gage Walker (Missouri) vs. (14) Ethan Berginc (Army): Walker wins by Dec 5-0
• (11) Tyler Ferrara (Cornell) vs. (22) Zach Redding (NC State): Ferrara wins by Dec 6-2
• (6) Drake Ayala (Iowa) vs. (27) Marcel Lopez (SIUE): Ayala wins by MD 11-1
• (7) Lucas Byrd (Illinois) vs. (26) Dylan Shawver (Rutgers): Byrd wins by Dec 11-7
• (23) Braxton Brown (Maryland) vs. (10) Maximilian Leete (American): Brown wins by Dec 4-2
• (15) Tyler Knox (Stanford) vs. (18) Gunner Andrick (West Virginia): Knox wins by Dec 10-3
• (2) Ben Davino (Ohio State) vs. (31) Gable Strickland (Lock Haven): Davino wins by TF 17-2 (5:07)

125 lbs

• (1) Luke Lilledahl (Penn State) vs. (32) Mack Mauger (Missouri): Lilledahl wins by MD 11-2
• (17) Jett Strickenberger (West Virginia) vs. (16) Ezekiel Witt (North Dakota State): Strickenberger wins by MD 13-5
• (9) Maximo Renteria (Oregon State) vs. (24) Ayden Smith (Rutgers): Renteria wins by Dec 8-7
• (8) Dean Peterson (Iowa) vs. (25) Kael Lauridsen (Nebraska): Peterson wins by MD 9-1
• (5) Troy Spratley (OK State) vs. (28) Andrew Binni (Navy): Spratley wins by MD 11-2
• (12) Vincent Robinson (NC State) vs. (21) Conrad Hendriksen (Oklahoma): Robinson wins by Dec 5-1
• (13) Stevo Poulin (Iowa State) vs. (20) Diego Sotelo (Michigan): Poulin wins by Dec 10-6
• (4) Sheldon Seymour (Lehigh) vs. (29) Tyler Chappell (Pitt): Seymour wins by Fall (5:38)
• (3) Nic Bouzakis (Ohio State) vs. (30) Sulayman Bah (Columbia): Bouzakis wins by Dec 9-5
• (14) Jacob Moran (Indiana) vs. (19) Kysen Terukina (North Carolina): Moran wins by Dec 4-2
• (11) Tyler Klinsky (Rider) vs. (22) Davis Motyka (Penn): Klinsky wins by TF 19-3 (5:45)
• (6) Jore Volk (Minnesota) vs. (27) Brady Roark (South Dakota State): Volk wins by Dec 8-2
• (7) Nico Provo (Stanford) vs. (26) Cooper Flynn (Chattanooga): Provo wins by Dec 8-2
• (10) Marc-Anthony McGowan (Princeton) vs. (23) Nicolar Rivera (Wisconsin): McGowan wins by Fall (5:35)
• (18) Spencer Moore (Illinois) vs. (15) Koda Holeman (Cal Poly): Moore wins by Dec SV 4-1
• (2) Eddie Ventresca (Virginia Tech) vs. (31) Desmond Pleasant (Drexel): Ventresca wins by Dec 8-6

Pig Tails

• 125 lbs - (32) Mack Mauger (Missouri) vs. (33) Jace Schafer (Bloomsburg): Mauger wins by Dec 4-1
• 133 lbs - (33) Carter Schmidt (Oklahoma) vs. (32) Andrew Austin (Central Michigan): Schmidt wins by MD 11-3
• 141 lbs - (33) Aldo Hernandez (Appalachian State) vs. (32) Matthew Martino (Princeton): Hernandez wins by Dec 8-5
• 149 lbs - (33) Austin McBurney (Brown) vs. (32) Clayton Jones (Michigan State): McBurney wins by Dec 11-9
• 157 lbs - (33) Yannis Charles (Morgan State) vs. (32) Jeb Prechtel (Bellarmine): Charles wins by Dec 15-10
• 165 lbs - (32) Cody Walsh (Drexel) vs. (33) Ryan Vigil (VMI): Walsh wins by MD 12-2
• 174 lbs - (33) Grant O’Dell (Bellarmine) vs. (32) Luke Condon (Wisconsin): O’Dell wins by TB-1 4-1
• 184 lbs - (32) Caleb Uhlenhopp (Utah Valley) vs. (33) Sam Goin (Indiana): Uhlenhopp wins by Dec 4-1
• 197 lbs - (32) Blake Schaffer (Kent State) vs. (33) Karson Tompkins (Air Force): Schaffer wins by Dec 4-2
• 285 lbs - (32) Emmanuel Ulrich (American) vs. (33) Mason Rebuck (Bloomsburg): Ulrich wins by Dec 8-6

NCAA Championships Team Scores

Last updated 1:01 p.m. ET, March 19. 

• 1. Iowa - 4.0  
• 2. Virginia Tech - 3.5  
• 3. Lehigh - 3.0  
• 3. Princeton - 3.0  
• 5. Penn State - 2.5  
• 5. Rider - 2.5  
• 7. Arizona State - 2.0  
• 7. Drexel - 2.0  
• 7. Illinois - 2.0  
• 7. Missouri - 2.0  
• 7. Oklahoma - 2.0  
• 7. OK State - 2.0  
• 7. Stanford - 2.0  
• 7. West Virginia - 2.0  

NCAA Wrestling Championships 2026 Schedule

Thursday, March 19

• 12:00 p.m. ET: Session I (First Round) - ESPN2
• 7:00 p.m. ET: Session II (Second Round, Consolation Matches) - ESPN

Friday, March 20

• 12:00 p.m. ET: Session III (Quarterfinals, Consolation Matches) - ESPNU
• 8:00 p.m. ET: Session IV (Semifinals, Consolation Matches) - ESPN2

Saturday, March 21

• 11:00 a.m. ET: Session V (Medal Matches) - ESPNU
• 6:30 p.m. ET: Session VI (Finals) - ESPN

How To Watch NCAA Wrestling Championships 2026

• The 2026 NCAA Wrestling Championships will be broadcast across ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU from March 19-21 in Cleveland. 
• Every match will also be streamed on ESPN+, including concurrent mat coverage.

NCAA Wrestling Championships 2026 Brackets

Round 1

125 lbs

• (33) Jace Schafer (Bloomsburg) (23-8) vs. (32) Mack Mauger (Missouri) (22-14)
• (1) Luke Lilledahl (Penn State) (20-0) - Bye
• (17) Jett Strickenberger (West Virginia) (19-7) vs. (16) Ezekiel Witt (North Dakota State) (23-11)
• (9) Maximo Renteria (Oregon State) (20-3) vs. (24) Ayden Smith (Rutgers) (16-11)
• (25) Kael Lauridsen (Nebraska) (16-11) vs. (8) Dean Peterson (Iowa) (14-6)
• (5) Troy Spratley (OK State) (16-3) vs. (28) Andrew Binni (Navy) (17-9)
• (21) Conrad Hendriksen (Oklahoma) (15-12) vs. (12) Vincent Robinson (NC State) (15-4)
• (13) Stevo Poulin (Iowa State) (15-7) vs. (20) Diego Sotelo (Michigan) (13-12)
• (29) Tyler Chappell (Pitt) (13-13) vs. (4) Sheldon Seymour (Lehigh) (19-0)
• (3) Nic Bouzakis (Ohio State) (16-2) vs. (30) Sulayman Bah (Columbia) (23-12)
• (19) Kysen Terukina (North Carolina) (15-6) vs. (14) Jacob Moran (Indiana) (17-5)
• (11) Tyler Klinsky (Rider) (26-3) vs. (22) Davis Motyka (Penn) (17-5)
• (27) Brady Roark (South Dakota State) (21-7) vs. (6) Jore Volk (Minnesota) (22-5)
• (7) Nico Provo (Stanford) (13-5) vs. (26) Cooper Flynn (Chattanooga) (18-4)
• (23) Nicolar Rivera (Wisconsin) (18-7) vs. (10) Marc-Anthony McGowan (Princeton) (15-6)
• (15) Koda Holeman (Cal Poly) (19-5) vs. (18) Spencer Moore (Illinois) (17-8)
• (31) Desmond Pleasant (Drexel) (23-8) vs. (2) Eddie Ventresca (Virginia Tech) (19-2)

133 lbs

• (33) Carter Schmidt (Oklahoma) (7-14) vs. (32) Andrew Austin (Central Michigan) (20-13)
• (1) Jax Forrest (OK State) (13-0) - Bye
• (17) T.K. Davis (George Washington) (24-1) vs. (16) Zan Fugitt (Wisconsin) (20-6)
• (9) Dominick Serrano (Northern Colorado) (15-3) vs. (24) Blake Boarman (Purdue) (12-15)
• (25) Will Betancourt (Rider) (23-8) vs. (8) Markel Baker (Northern Illinois) (26-4)
• (5) Kyler Larkin (Arizona State) (18-2) vs. (28) Garrett Grice (Iowa State) (6-3)
• (21) Sean Spidle (Northwestern) (15-8) vs. (12) Evan Mougalian (Penn) (21-5)
• (13) Jacob Van Dee (Nebraska) (17-6) vs. (20) Julian Farber (Northern Iowa) (18-9)
• (29) Luke Willochell (Wyoming) (15-10) vs. (4) Aaron Seidel (Virginia Tech) (18-1)
• (3) Marcus Blaze (Penn State) (21-1) vs. (30) Gabe Whisenhunt (Oregon State) (9-8)
• (19) Gage Walker (Missouri) (17-7) vs. (14) Ethan Berginc (Army) (16-6)
• (11) Tyler Ferrara (Cornell) (23-7) vs. (22) Zach Redding (NC State) (12-8)
• (27) Marcel Lopez (SIUE) (26-9) vs. (6) Drake Ayala (Iowa) (13-8)
• (7) Lucas Byrd (Illinois) (20-2) vs. (26) Dylan Shawver (Rutgers) (20-11)
• (23) Braxton Brown (Maryland) (17-9) vs. (10) Maximilian Leete (American) (16-5)
• (15) Tyler Knox (Stanford) (14-5) vs. (18) Gunner Andrick (West Virginia) (24-8)
• (31) Gable Strickland (Lock Haven) (26-9) vs. (2) Ben Davino (Ohio State) (27-1)

141 lbs

• (33) Aldo Hernandez (Appalachian State) (18-14) vs. (32) Matthew Martino (Princeton) (15-15)
• (1) Jesse Mendez (Ohio State) (22-0) - Bye
• (17) Caedyn Ricciardi (Navy) (18-8) vs. (16) Ryan Jack (NC State) (15-7)
• (9) Joey Olivieri (Rutgers) (19-2) vs. (24) Nash Singleton (Oregon State) (15-7)
• (25) Tom Crook (Virginia Tech) (20-12) vs. (8) Vance Vombaur (Minnesota) (21-6)
• (5) Luke Stanich (Lehigh) (13-0) vs. (28) Pierson Manville (Arizona State) (17-9)
• (21) Tyler Wells (Oklahoma) (16-9) vs. (12) Luke Simcox (North Carolina) (16-6)
• (13) Wyatt Henson (Lock Haven) (24-5) vs. (20) Julian Tagg (South Dakota State) (18-6)
• (29) Jordan Titus (West Virginia) (16-14) vs. (4) Anthony Echemendia (Iowa State) (19-3)
• (3) Brock Hardy (Nebraska) (20-5) vs. (30) Dario Lemus (Maryland) (17-13)
• (19) Haiden Drury (Utah Valley) (21-9) vs. (14) Braeden Davis (Penn State) (12-5)
• (11) CJ Composto (Penn) (16-4) vs. (22) Lorenzo Frezza (Columbia) (23-10)
• (27) Gable Porter (Virginia) (20-8) vs. (6) Vince Cornella (Cornell) (19-1)
• (7) Nasir Bailey (Iowa) (14-7) vs. (26) Braden Basile (Army) (17-6)
• (23) Dylan Chappell (Bucknell) (21-10) vs. (10) Jack Consiglio (Stanford) (14-5)
• (15) Elijah Griffin (Rider) (26-7) vs. (18) Carter Nogle (Air Force) (25-8)
• (31) Billy DeKraker (Northwestern) (15-12) vs. (2) Sergio Vega (OK State) (19-0)

149 lbs

• (33) Austin McBurney (Brown) (21-13) vs. (32) Clayton Jones (Michigan State) (11-15)
• (1) Shayne Van Ness (Penn State) (21-0) - Bye
• (17) Lucas Kapusta (Lock Haven) (25-4) vs. (16) Jacob Frost (Iowa State) (17-7)
• (9) David Evans (Utah Valley) (20-5) vs. (24) Andrew Clark (Rutgers) (16-10)
• (25) Michael Gioffre (Illinois) (16-10) vs. (8) Casey Swiderski (OK State) (14-5)
• (5) Koy Buesgens (NC State) (21-3) vs. (28) Kade Brown (Pitt) (14-8)
• (21) Gabe Willochell (Wyoming) (17-8) vs. (12) Carter Young (Maryland) (15-4)
• (13) Joseph Zargo (Wisconsin) (18-6) vs. (20) Chance Lamer (Nebraska) (17-8)
• (29) Kaden Cassidy (George Mason) (15-4) vs. (4) Collin Gaj (Virginia Tech) (20-8)
• (3) Cross Wasilewski (Penn) (24-3) vs. (30) Dylan Layton (Rider) (25-9)
• (19) Brock Herman (Little Rock) (13-3) vs. (14) Caleb Rathjen (Northern Iowa) (9-6)
• (11) Lachlan McNeil (Michigan) (17-6) vs. (22) Eligh Rivera (Princeton) (13-9)
• (27) Andre Gonzales (Cal Poly) (17-11) vs. (6) Caleb Tyus (SIUE) (22-2)
• (7) Ethan Stiles (Ohio State) (15-5) vs. (26) Anderson Heap (Davidson) (20-9)
• (23) Max Petersen (North Dakota State) (15-8) vs. (10) Aden Valencia (Stanford) (16-7)
• (15) Ryder Block (Iowa) (13-8) vs. (18) Eugene Harney (Morgan State) (28-4)
• (31) Ryan Michaels (Edinboro) (24-9) vs. (2) Jaxon Joy (Cornell) (24-1)

157 lbs

• (33) Yannis Charles (Morgan State) (5-8) vs. (32) Jeb Prechtel (Bellarmine) (18-14)
• (1) PJ Duke (Penn State) (19-1) - Bye
• (17) Luke Mechler (Wisconsin) (18-8) vs. (16) Cael Swensen (South Dakota State) (24-7)
• (9) Daniel Cardenas (Stanford) (17-3) vs. (24) Jaivon Jones (Little Rock) (19-9)
• (25) Mason Shrader (Central Michigan) (24-10) vs. (8) Brandon Cannon (Ohio State) (18-2)
• (5) Landon Robideau (OK State) (16-2) vs. (28) Gavin Drexler (North Dakota State) (16-10)
• (21) Charlie Millard (Minnesota) (18-9) vs. (12) Vinny Zerban (Iowa State) (15-4)
• (13) Derek Raike (Ohio) (21-5) vs. (20) Jimmy Harrington (Harvard) (21-8)
• (29) Bryce Lowery (Indiana) (12-11) vs. (4) Kaleb Larkin (Arizona State) (24-2)
• (3) Meyer Shapiro (Cornell) (15-1) vs. (30) Laird Root (North Carolina) (16-11)
• (19) Kai Owen (Columbia) (18-7) vs. (14) Ethen Miller (Virginia Tech) (16-6)
• (11) Ty Watters (West Virginia) (22-3) vs. (22) Colton Washleski (Virginia) (20-10)
• (27) Dylan Evans (Pitt) (21-8) vs. (6) Jude Swisher (Penn) (20-3)
• (7) Kannon Webster (Illinois) (20-4) vs. (26) Jonathan Ley (Navy) (26-12)
• (23) Kaleb Burgess (Buffalo) (18-7) vs. (10) Logan Rozynski (Lehigh) (13-3)
• (15) Cameron Catrabone (Michigan) (18-8) vs. (18) DJ McGee (George Mason) (24-4)
• (31) Garrett McChesney (Edinboro) (12-14) vs. (2) Antrell Taylor (Nebraska) (22-3)

165 lbs

• (33) Ryan Vigil (VMI) (14-9) vs. (32) Cody Walsh (Drexel) (27-13)
• (1) Mitchell Mesenbrink (Penn State) (22-0) - Bye
• (17) Braeden Scoles (Illinois) (16-9) vs. (16) Paddy Gallagher (Ohio State) (15-8)
• (9) Bryce Hepner (North Carolina) (15-4) vs. (24) Sean Seefeldt (Penn) (20-7)
• (25) Mac Church (Virginia Tech) (24-10) vs. (8) Matty Bianchi (Little Rock) (19-2)
• (5) LaDarion Lockett (OK State) (16-2) vs. (28) Cody Goebel (Wisconsin) (12-11)
• (21) Brock Woodcock (SIUE) (28-9) vs. (12) Cesar Alvan (Columbia) (27-8)
• (13) Andrew Sparks (Minnesota) (19-6) vs. (20) Ty Whalen (Princeton) (20-7)
• (29) Ryan Burgos (Edinboro) (20-7) vs. (4) Nicco Ruiz (Arizona State) (23-5)
• (3) Mikey Caliendo (Iowa) (18-4) vs. (30) Thomas Snipes (The Citadel) (22-7)
• (19) Noah Mulvaney (Bucknell) (25-7) vs. (14) Andrew Barbosa (Rutgers) (18-8)
• (11) Ryder Downey (Northern Iowa) (21-5) vs. (22) Matthew Olguin (Oregon State) (17-5)
• (27) EJ Parco (Stanford) (12-7) vs. (6) LJ Araujo (Nebraska) (18-8)
• (7) Max Brignola (Lehigh) (17-4) vs. (26) Tyler Lillard (Indiana) (12-9)
• (23) Chris Earnest (Kent State) (18-6) vs. (10) Will Denny (NC State) (16-4)
• (15) Connor Euton (Iowa State) (17-7) vs. (18) Gunner Filipowicz (Army) (19-6)
• (31) Jared Keslar (Pitt) (15-13) vs. (2) Joey Blaze (Purdue) (22-1)

174 lbs

• (33) Grant O'Dell (Bellarmine) (24-8) vs. (32) Luke Condon (Wisconsin) (13-13)
• (1) Levi Haines (Penn State) (21-0) - Bye
• (17) Jared Simma (Northern Iowa) (14-9) vs. (16) Nick Fine (Columbia) (24-8)
• (9) Beau Mantanona (Michigan) (21-7) vs. (24) Garrett Thompson (Ohio) (16-3)
• (25) Sergio Desiante (Virginia Tech) (20-13) vs. (8) Alex Facundo (OK State) (16-6)
• (5) Patrick Kennedy (Iowa) (18-4) vs. (28) Holden Garcia (Princeton) (21-10)
• (21) Lenny Pinto (Rutgers) (13-10) vs. (12) Carter Schubert (Oklahoma) (19-6)
• (13) Carter Baer (Binghamton) (18-4) vs. (20) Daschle Lamer (Oregon State) (19-3)
• (29) Avery Bassett (Lock Haven) (22-7) vs. (4) Carson Kharchla (Ohio State) (18-4)
• (3) Christopher Minto (Nebraska) (20-5) vs. (30) Riley Davis (Wyoming) (11-10)
• (19) Logan Messer (George Mason) (26-6) vs. (14) Moses Espinoza-Owens (South Dakota State) (27-8)
• (11) MJ Gaitan (Iowa State) (16-6) vs. (22) Brody Baumann (Purdue) (16-8)
• (27) Collin Carrigan (North Carolina) (13-10) vs. (6) Matty Singleton (NC State) (16-3)
• (7) Cam Steed (Missouri) (15-5) vs. (26) Derek Gilcher (Indiana) (14-10)
• (23) Luca Augustine (Pitt) (12-6) vs. (10) Myles Takats (Bucknell) (22-6)
• (15) Danny Wask (Navy) (22-4) vs. (18) Colin Kelly (Illinois) (18-8)
• (31) Cael Valencia (Arizona State) (16-10) vs. (2) Simon Ruiz (Cornell) (16-0)

184 lbs

• (33) Sam Goin (Indiana) (12-8) vs. (32) Caleb Uhlenhopp (Utah Valley) (16-14)
• (1) Rocco Welsh (Penn State) (20-0) - Bye
• (17) Ian Bush (West Virginia) (19-10) vs. (16) Rylan Rogers (Lehigh) (18-6)
• (9) Chris Moore (Illinois) (18-10) vs. (24) Joe Curtis (Columbia) (26-2)
• (25) Malachi DuVall (George Mason) (24-5) vs. (8) Silas Allred (Nebraska) (17-7)
• (5) Brock Mantanona (Michigan) (19-6) vs. (28) Abraham Wojcikiewicz (Stanford) (17-11)
• (21) Tomas Brooker (Appalachian State) (26-8) vs. (12) Dylan Fishback (Ohio State) (18-8)
• (13) Isaac Dean (Iowa State) (17-7) vs. (20) Brian Soldano (Oklahoma) (13-8)
• (29) Nick Fox (Northern Iowa) (12-5) vs. (4) James Conway (Franklin & Marshall) (32-2)
• (3) Max McEnelly (Minnesota) (19-2) vs. (30) Tyler Bienus (Bucknell) (19-14)
• (19) Jared McGill (Edinboro) (17-3) vs. (14) Jaden Bullock (Virginia Tech) (20-10)
• (11) Shane Cartagena-Walsh (Rutgers) (24-8) vs. (22) Zack Ryder (OK State) (12-8)
• (27) Aidan Brenot (North Dakota State) (16-9) vs. (6) Eddie Neitenbach (Wyoming) (20-6)
• (7) Angelo Ferrari (Iowa) (11-3) vs. (26) Chase Kranitz (Pitt) (15-9)
• (23) Ceasar Garza (Cal Poly) (18-2) vs. (10) Caleb Campos (American) (25-6)
• (15) Sal Perrine (Ohio) (19-4) vs. (18) Jake Dailey (North Carolina) (18-4)
• (31) Mahonri Rushton (Northern Colorado) (17-14) vs. (2) Aeoden Sinclair (Missouri) (30-1)

197 lbs

• (33) Karson Tompkins (Air Force) (21-12) vs. (32) Blake Schaffer (Kent State) (22-9)
• (1) Josh Barr (Penn State) (19-0) - Bye
• (17) Dillon Bechtold (Bucknell) (15-4) vs. (16) Branson John (Maryland) (25-7)
• (9) Angelo Posada (Stanford) (16-5) vs. (24) Brock Zurawski (Rider) (22-5)
• (25) Evan Bates (Missouri) (21-9) vs. (8) DJ Parker (Oklahoma) (19-8)
• (5) Joey Novak (Wyoming) (17-3) vs. (28) Kael Wisler (Michigan State) (25-10)
• (21) Rune Lawrence (West Virginia) (17-11) vs. (12) Luke Geog (Ohio State) (16-7)
• (13) Bennett Berge (South Dakota State) (16-5) vs. (20) Wyatt Ingham (Wisconsin) (17-8)
• (29) Colton Hawks (Arizona State) (7-9) vs. (4) Sonny Sasso (Virginia Tech) (25-5)
• (3) Stephen Little (Little Rock) (15-2) vs. (30) Kade Rule (Chattanooga) (18-5)
• (19) Zayne Lehman (Ohio) (19-2) vs. (14) Gabe Sollars (Indiana) (15-10)
• (11) Camden McDanel (Nebraska) (20-6) vs. (22) Devin Wasley (North Dakota State) (21-10)
• (27) Gabe Arnold (Iowa) (18-7) vs. (6) Justin Rademacher (Oregon State) (23-3)
• (7) Cody Merrill (OK State) (17-4) vs. (26) Ben Vanadia (Purdue) (15-10)
• (23) Mikey Squires (Binghamton) (19-3) vs. (10) Mac Stout (Pitt) (19-4)
• (15) Remy Cotton (Rutgers) (18-7) vs. (18) Andrew Reall (Brown) (34-4)
• (31) Kael Bennie (Utah Valley) (15-16) vs. (2) Rocky Elam (Iowa State) (18-0)

285 lbs

• (33) Mason Rebuck (Bloomsburg) (22-8) vs. (32) Emmanuel Ulrich (American) (21-14)
• (1) Yonger Bastida (Iowa State) (25-0) - Bye
• (17) Vincent Mueller (Columbia) (25-6) vs. (16) Jimmy Mullen (Virginia Tech) (22-7)
• (9) Cole Mirasola (Penn State) (17-6) vs. (24) Connor Barket (Duke) (23-7)
• (25) Alex Semenenko (Brown) (25-7) vs. (8) Ben Kueter (Iowa) (9-7)
• (5) Nick Feldman (Ohio State) (23-5) vs. (28) Jarrett Stoner (Missouri) (23-14)
• (21) Juan Mora (Oklahoma) (19-7) vs. (12) Braxton Amos (Wisconsin) (20-7)
• (13) Spencer Lanosga (Navy) (20-8) vs. (20) Dayton Pitzer (Pitt) (16-6)
• (29) Luke Rasmussen (South Dakota State) (11-11) vs. (4) AJ Ferrari (Nebraska) (15-3)
• (3) Taye Ghadiali (Michigan) (23-2) vs. (30) Jack Forbes (Utah Valley) (19-12)
• (19) Nate Schon (Drexel) (18-5) vs. (14) Koy Hopke (Minnesota) (20-9)
• (11) Devon Dawson (Northern Illinois) (31-4) vs. (22) Trevor Tinker (Cal Poly) (11-4)
• (27) Hunter Catka (Rutgers) (20-9) vs. (6) Nathan Taylor (Lehigh) (16-3)
• (7) Konner Doucet (OK State) (17-3) vs. (26) Luke Luffman (Illinois) (14-7)
• (23) Stephan Monchery (Appalachian State) (23-7) vs. (10) David Szuba (Arizona State) (22-9)
• (15) Brady Colbert (Army) (18-6) vs. (18) Christian Carroll (Wyoming) (19-6)
• (31) Brenan Morgan (Virginia) (13-10) vs. (2) Isaac Trumble (NC State) (16-0)

NCAA Wrestling Championships Predictions

125 lbs

1. Luke Lilledahl, Penn State
2. Eddie Ventresca, Virginia Tech
3. Nic Bouzakis, Ohio State
4. Troy Spratley, Oklahoma State
5. Jore Volk, Minnesota
6. Sheldon Seymour, Lehigh
7. Vincent Robinson, NC State
8. Dean Peterson, Iowa

"[Luke Lilledahl is the] clear favorite to bring home his first NCAA title in Cleveland." — David Bray

133 lbs

1. Jax Forrest, Oklahoma State
2. Marcus Blaze, Penn State
3. Ben Davino, Ohio State
4. Aaron Seidel, Virginia Tech
5. Drake Ayala, Iowa
6. Lucas Byrd, Illinois
7. Kyler Larkin, Arizona State
8. Zan Fugitt, Wisconsin

"[Jax Forrest] is the top seed after a 13-0 true freshman campaign." — Kyle Klingman

141 lbs

1. Jesse Mendez, Ohio State
2. Sergio Vega, Oklahoma State
3. Luke Stanich, Lehigh
4. Brock Hardy, Nebraska
5. Anthony Echemendia, Iowa State
6. Jack Consiglio, Stanford
7. Vance VomBaur, Minnesota
8. Vince Cornella, Cornell

"Mendez is the clear favorite to win this year." — Jon Kozak

149 lbs

1. Shayne Van Ness, Penn State
2. Lachlan McNeil, Michigan
3. Casey Swiderski, Oklahoma State
4. Collin Gaj, Virginia Tech
5. Jaxon Joy, Cornell
6. Koy Buesgens, NC State
7. Carter Young, Maryland
8. Cross Wasilewski, Penn

"I'm still riding with Van Ness to come out on top." — Jon Kozak

157 lbs

1. PJ Duke, Penn State
2. Meyer Shapiro, Cornell
3. Antrell Taylor, Nebraska
4. Kaleb Larkin, Arizona State
5. Landon Robideau, Oklahoma State
6. Ty Watters, West Virginia
7. Kannon Webster, Illinois
8. Brandon Cannon, Ohio State

"PJ Duke has emerged as the man to beat at 157 lbs." — David Bray

165 lbs

1. Mitchell Mesenbrink, Penn State
2. Joey Blaze, Purdue
3. Mikey Caliendo, Iowa
4. LaDarion Lockett, Oklahoma State
5. Nicco Ruiz, Arizona State
6. Ryder Downey, Northern Iowa
7. LJ Araujo, Nebraska
8. Will Denny, NC State

"It would be the upset of the tournament if Mesenbrink lost in Cleveland." — JD Rader

174 lbs

1. Levi Haines, Penn State
2. Christopher Minto, Nebraska
3. Simon Ruiz, Cornell
4. Carson Kharchla, Ohio State
5. Patrick Kennedy, Iowa
6. Matty Singleton, NC State
7. Alex Facundo, Oklahoma State
8. Cam Steed, Missouri

"Levi Haines is a huge favorite to win this bracket." — JD Rader

184 lbs

1. Aeoden Sinclair, Missouri
2. Rocco Welsh, Penn State
3. Angelo Ferrari, Iowa
4. Max McEnelly, Minnesota
5. James Conway, Franklin & Marshall
6. Silas Allred, Nebraska
7. Eddie Neitenbach, Wyoming
8. Brock Mantanona, Michigan

"I'm riding with Aeoden at 184." — Andrew Spe y

197 lbs

1. Josh Barr, Penn State
2. Rocky Elam, Iowa State
3. Justin Rademacher, Oregon State
4. Stephen Little, Little Rock
5. Cody Merrill, Oklahoma State
6. Joey Novak, Wyoming
7. Sonny Sasso, Virginia Tech
8. Mac Stout, Pittsburgh

"It’s hard to imagine a scenario where Barr does not win." — Kyle Klingman

285 lbs

1. Yonger Bastida, Iowa State
2. Isaac Trumble, NC State
3. Nick Feldman, Ohio State
4. Nathan Taylor, Lehigh
5. Taye Ghadiali, Michigan
6. AJ Ferrari, Nebraska
7. Braxton Amos, Wisconsin
8. Cole Mirasola, Penn State

"I'm picking [Yonger Bastida and Isaac Trumble] to finish in the top two." — Andrew Spey

Penn State Wrestling At NCAA Wrestling Championships

• 125 lbs - Luke Lilledahl (1)
• 133 lbs - Marcus Blaze (3)
• 141 lbs - Braeden Davis (14)
• 149 lbs - Shayne Van Ness (1)
• 157 lbs - PJ Duke (1)
• 165 lbs - Mitchell Mesenbrink (1)
• 174 lbs - Levi Haines (1)
• 184 lbs - Rocco Welsh (1)
• 197 lbs - Josh Barr (1)
• 285 lbs - Cole Mirasola (9)

Oklahoma State Wrestling At NCAA Wrestling Championships

• 125 lbs - Troy Spratley (5)
• 133 lbs - Jax Forrest (1)
• 141 lbs - Sergio Vega (2)
• 149 lbs - Casey Swiderski (8)
• 157 lbs - Landon Robideau (5)
• 165 lbs - LaDarion Lockett (5)
• 174 lbs - Alex Facundo (8)
• 184 lbs - Zack Ryder (22)
• 197 lbs - Cody Merrill (7)
• 285 lbs - Konner Doucet (7)

Ohio State Wrestling At NCAA Wrestling Championships

• 125 lbs - Nic Bouzakis (3)
• 133 lbs - Ben Davino (2)
• 141 lbs - Jesse Mendez (1)
• 149 lbs - Ethan Stiles (7)
• 157 lbs - Brandon Cannon (8)
• 165 lbs - Paddy Gallagher (16)
• 174 lbs - Carson Kharchla (4)
• 184 lbs - Dylan Fishback (12)
• 197 lbs - Luke Geog (12)
• 285 lbs - Nick Feldman (5)

Nebraska Wrestling At NCAA Wrestling Championships

• 125 lbs - Kael Lauridsen (25)
• 133 lbs - Jacob Van Dee (13)
• 141 lbs - Brock Hardy (3)
• 149 lbs - Chance Lamer (20)
• 157 lbs - Antrell Taylor (2)
• 165 lbs - LJ Araujo (6)
• 174 lbs - Christopher Minto (3)
• 184 lbs - Silas Allred (8)
• 197 lbs - Camden McDanel (11)
• 285 lbs - AJ Ferrari (4)

Iowa Wrestling At NCAA Wrestling Championships

• 125 lbs - Dean Peterson (8)
• 133 lbs - Drake Ayala (6)
• 141 lbs - Nasir Bailey (7)
• 149 lbs - Ryder Block (15)
• 165 lbs - Mikey Caliendo (3)
• 174 lbs - Patrick Kennedy (5)
• 184 lbs - Angelo Ferrari (7)
• 197 lbs - Gabe Arnold (27)
• 285 lbs - Ben Kueter (8)

Michigan Wrestling At NCAA Wrestling Championships

• 125 lbs - Diego Sotelo (20)
• 149 lbs - Lachlan McNeil (11)
• 157 lbs - Cameron Catrabone (15)
• 174 lbs - Beau Mantanona (9)
• 184 lbs - Brock Mantanona (5)
• 285 lbs - Taye Ghadiali (3)

Where To Watch The NCAA Wrestling Championships 2026?

The 2026 NCAA Wrestling Championships will be broadcast March 19, 20 and 21 across ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU. Every match will also be streamed live on ESPN+, including concurrent mat coverage.

When Is NCAA Wrestling Championships 2026

The 2026 NCAA Wrestling Championships begin March 19 and run through March 21 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.

What Time Does The NCAA Wrestling Tournament Start?

On March 19, the NCAA Wrestling Championships begin at 12:00 p.m. ET with Session II starting at 7:00 p.m. ET.

NCAA Wrestling Today

Today, March 19, is the beginning of the 2026 NCAA Wrestling Championships. Session I starts at 12:00 p.m. ET. The tournament runs through March 21. Stay tuned for results and live updates.

Trackwrestling Has Joined The New FloWrestling

Trackwrestling has officially merged with FloWrestling, bringing its powerful tournament tracking tools and live data into a modern, all-in-one platform. 

Fans can follow every bout with pro-grade brackets, mat schedules, team rosters and detailed wrestler profiles—all seamlessly integrated within FloWrestling.

This move delivers a faster, smarter and more connected experience for the wrestling community. Through the updated FloSports app, users can track live results, explore brackets and even sign up for free alerts so they never miss a match.

FloWrestling Archived Footage

Video footage from all events on FloWrestling will be archived and stored in a video library for FloWrestling subscribers to watch for the duration of their subscriptions.

Join The State Wrestling Conversation On Social

• Follow us on Twitter @flowrestling
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The High Point Panthers have one of the most unique players in college basketball on its roster: Chase Johnston, a 6-foot-3 senior with a speciality.

Johnston, a 22-year-old who previously played at Stetson and Florida Gulf Coast, is a player who knows his role. He only shoots 3-pointers when he is on the court. Johnston, who was in the starting lineup for the first 11 games of the season and has since come off the bench, is the definition of a shooter's shooter.

He is averaging 13.0 attempts from beyond the arc per 40 minutes, shooting 48.5 percent on 3-pointers. But he has not yet made a single 2-pointer in any game this season. In fact, he has only attempted four 2-pointers and four free throws during this campaign.

The guard last made a 2-pointer in a college basketball game on February 5, 2025 and last made a free throw on February 19, 2025. That is over 13 months without making a shot inside the arc or at the charity stripe.

During his collegiate career, Johnston has attempted as many as 17 shots from beyond the arc during a game. He has recorded more than 30 NCAA games with at least ten 3-point attempts. Almost all of them are catch-and-shoot attempts.

This is not the kind of player that you want to see get hot as we have seen him hit more than 8 shots from long distance a few times while in college. That is dangerous in March, but he is also one-dimensional enough that his opponents know exactly what he is going to do. They just have to stop him.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Meet Chase Johnston, the High Point shooter who's not made a 2-pointer

Liam Rosenior has said that Chelsea have “dealt with” the apparent dressing room mole who has been leaking team news to the media.

Information around Rosenior’s starting XI for both Champions League legs against Paris Saint-Germain appeared in French outlets several hours before the matches.

And while it is understood that the culprit is not a member of the playing squad, the head coach confirmed in his press conference to preview Saturday’s Premier League trip to Everton that they have been identified.

“We know [who it was],” Rosenior said. “It’s not come from any place of malicious intent, to me or the team. We know where it’s come from and we’ve dealt with the situation.”

Before Tuesday night’s second leg at Stamford Bridge, which PSG won 3-0, the entire Chelsea team was revealed in France with reports also including details that Jorrel Hato and Trevoh Chalobah had been working together as a centre-back pairing during their final training session, which was behind closed doors, on Monday.

Those stories came following reports that Wesley Fofana had been sidelined by another injury.

Chalobah, meanwhile, is expected to miss six weeks of action having been stretchered off late in the second leg with an ankle injury.

Rosenior initially expected a longer layoff for the defender and the head coach is relieved that he could return before the end of the campaign.

“You’re really, really worried the next day,” Rosenior said. “Obviously, it’s never good that Trevoh is out for any period of time but, fortunately, it’s nowhere near as serious as we first feared. It’s still a serious injury but we’re looking at a period of maybe six weeks.”

Rosenior also played down comments made by Enzo Fernandez to ESPN Argentina which suggested he may look to explore a move away from the Bridge this summer.

The Chelsea boss said he had “a great conversation” with the Argentina midfielder on Thursday morning and is in no doubt that he remains completely invested in the cause.

"What I will say is that he made it really clear how happy he is here at this club, how much he wants to win and how passionate he is for us to be successful,” Rosenior continued.

"He also said that in translation and in emotion, things get misconstrued. For me, he is fully committed to this group and to winning here at this football club."

The Eagles have nearly lost starting tight end Dallas Goedert to free agency more than once, but in 2026 he’ll return to Philadelphia on another one-year deal — this one worth $7 million, including $4.25 million signing bonus, according to ESPN. After pushing his contract void date twice, the two sides finally came to an agreement just before the Eagles were set to take a $20 million dead cap hit.

Now we know the exact structure of Goedert’s new deal, and Howie Roseman was working his magic — as always. Nearly all of the $7 million deal is guaranteed by way of signing and roster bonuses, and the team added four void years.

Goedert is coming off a career-high, franchise-best season, with 11 regular-season touchdowns. Through his eight years with the Eagles, the tight end has an 11.4 yard per catch average, a 61.5 percent success rate, and has routinely been instrumental to moving the ball when the offense stalled. He was such an important piece, quarterback Jalen Hurts personally called the TE after their Super Bowl win and helped persuade him to re-sign with Philadelphia in 2025.

His value was on full display despite the team not returning to the big game last season, and Goedert earned a bigger contract in 2026 as a result.

The Eagles had three of their four tight ends heading for free agency this offseason, but will now bring back the leader of the group. They’ve also re-signed Grant Calcaterra and brought in blocking TE Johnny Mundt to fill out the room. You’d have to expect the Eagles to also bring in a rookie to develop.

Former San Francisco 49ers long snapper Taybor Pepper has found a new team. Pepper, who sat out the 2025 season after being released, is signing with the Miami Dolphins, the team announced.

Pepper, 31, played 80 games for the 49ers from 2020 to 2024 as well as nine postseason games. He went undrafted out of Michigan State in 2016 and bounced around a few teams before landing with the Green Bay Packers in 2018. Pepper previously played with the Dolphins in 2019 for the season.

The 49ers extended Jon Weeks ahead of free agency after he replaced Pepper in 2025.

This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: NFL free agency: Ex-49ers long snapper signs with Dolphins

Michael Johnson is here to stay.

The 39-year-old lightweight veteran suffered a second-round knockout to Drew Dober at UFC 326 earlier this month. A disappointed Johnson (24-20 MMA, 16-16 UFC) took to Instagram to post a video statement addressing the loss, where he won Round 1 on all three judges' scorecards.

"Last week was a tough pill to swallow," Johnson said. "Damn, everything was going so good. But I guess that's when the worst happens, right, when things are going too good?"

Johnson was caught with a big left hand, but gave credit to the UFC lightweight division's all-time leader in knockout wins.

"It was no fluke," Johnson said. "It was no lucky punch or no bullsh*t like that. He caught me right on the f*cking chin. I just made a small mistake and got a little too comfortable in there, I guess, and I paid the price. Drew fought a good fight. He stayed patient, he took the little damage I was giving him, a few jabs.

"I didn't fight my fight at all. I don't know – maybe it was my mind was going a million places. Maybe it was the back-to-back camps, the two close weight cuts, who knows? But at the end of the day, Michael Johnson went in there and he f*cking lost."

The loss to Dober snapped Johnson's three-fight winning streak, which included an upset decision over Daniel Zellhuber at UFC 318. The Kill Cliff FC fighter is down, but certainly not out.

"We've lost some battles, but we're in it for the war, and we're going to win the war," Johnson said. "I'm not f*cking leaving. I'm not leaving anytime soon. I'm a winner, and I'm going to win. I want a lot of the rematches I've lost. I want the (Justin) Gaethje rematch. This was definitely one that I want back because I just made a small mistake. Unfortunately in this game, small mistakes could lead to huge consequences.

"I was a little emo, a little depressed, a little ashamed, embarrassed of myself last week, but now we're up and running. Now we're ready to go. Let's shake it off and get back to work."

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Michael Johnson after UFC 326 loss: 'I'm not f*cking leaving'

Fiorentina are weighing up an ambitious move for Enzo Maresca, with the club having already established initial contact with the Italian tactician.

According to TMW, La Viola’s sporting director Fabio Paratici held an informal call with Maresca to outline the club’s long-term project. The club’s project was explained to him, as they are currently steering clear of relegation.

While there is an internal acknowledgement that securing the ex- Chelsea manager will be nearly impossible, the Tuscan club is determined to test the waters regardless.

Maresca’s current priority remains a potential move to Manchester City, where he is viewed as a leading candidate to succeed Pep Guardiola. While he is reportedly intrigued by the prospect of managing Napoli or Juventus, the stability of Antonio Conte and Luciano Spalletti in those respective roles has made a return to the Premier League his most likely path, with Manchester United previously mentioned as an option.

Kaustubh Pandey I GIFN

Fiorentina director general Alessandro Ferrari has a clear message for the Conference League with Rakow. ‘We must take nothing for granted.’

It kicks off at the Zaglebiowski Park Sportowy in Sosnowiec at 17.45 GMT (18.45 CET).

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from this game and Roma vs. Bologna on the Liveblog.

The Viola have a 2-1 first leg lead in this Round of 16 tie, thanks to the late Albert Gudmundsson penalty after goals from Cher Ndour and Jonatan Braut Brunes at the Stadio Artemio Franchi.

Fiorentina turn focus to Conference League

CREMONA, ITALY – MARCH 16: Dodo of ACF Fiorentina celebrates after scoring the 0-3 goal during the Serie A match between US Cremonese and ACF Fiorentina at Stadio Giovanni Zini on March 16, 2026 in Cremona, Italy. (Photo by Marco M. Mantovani/Getty Images)

“The Conference League is a tournament where we want to go as far as possible, and have also an opportunity to shrug off the worries of Serie A this season,” Ferrari told Sky Sport Italia.

“We’ve seen how difficult it is in European football, so nothing can be taken for granted.”

Moise Kean was only expected to be on the bench after an ankle injury, but he gets his first start since March 2, and only the second start of the Conference League proper.

FLORENCE, ITALY – FEBRUARY 7: Moise Kean of ACF Fiorentina scores a goal during the Serie A match between ACF Fiorentina and Torino FC at Artemio Franchi on February 7, 2026 in Florence, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)

“The team had one approach up until January, then changed gear after that. We hope that there was progress in dealing with situations, understanding the issues, but also we’ve seen how easy it is to fall back into bad habits. Hopefully we have learned to focus on just one game at a time and take nothing for granted.”

Today is a special commemoration for Fiorentina, as it is two years since the death of director Joe Barone, who had come so close to winning the Conference League, losing two Finals.

“Barone left an enormous mark on us all. Rocco Commisso put in the money for the Viola Park, Barone had the tenacity and determination to get it built. He is missed not just by Fiorentina, but by the world of sport, and he will always be with us.”

German national team head coach Julian Nagelsmann has had an opportunity to explain his selection of Brighton’s Pascal Groß for the March international break. Some explanation was in order, particularly in light of the fact that Nagelsmann once again opted to pass up Stuttgart midfielder Angelo Stiller. Nagelsmann offered up comments on both players at a Thursday DFB press conference. 

Nagelsmann speaks on Pascal Groß and the midfield

“I don’t see Angelo in the starting XI,” Nagelsmann noted. “Which is why we decided to fill up the spots behind him differently. In terms of ability, I see Pavlo [Bayern’s Aleksandar Pavlovic] ahead. I also didn’t give Leon Goretzka a free pass [in a recent Kicker interview]. I wanted to boost his confidence and he knows he enjoys my trust. He still needs to get more playing time [at Bayern] in April.“

“Fabian Hürzeler summed it up well,” Nagelsmann said of Groß. “He ‘Pascal makes other players better.’ He has the gift of connecting players with one another. I see him as a magnet among the players, someone who has a good sense of who needs what at any given moment.

”He’ll be good for us.” Nagelsmann went on to say. “Pascal is very, very selfless. He’s simply a great person and therefore also a really good squad player.”

Get German Football News | Peter Weis

Pat Kelsey sets tone as Louisville embraces March Madness spotlight originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

For Pat Kelsey, the stage never needs selling.

“The NCAA Tournament, March Madness, it’s the best spectacle in American sports,” Kelsey said. “And to be a part of it once again, we feel very, very fortunate.”

That mindset has carried over to a Louisville roster built on balance, experience and belief. Few teams in the field can match the Cardinals’ scoring versatility. With multiple players capable of taking over a game.

“I think it just makes it easier on all of us,” Ryan Conwell said. “Being such a diverse team, being able to score in a multitude of ways, it allows all of us to get more open looks.”

That trust has been years in the making for a group that includes transfers and veterans alike.

Isaac McKneely, who arrived after three seasons at Virginia, called the move “the best decision I ever could have made,” adding that Louisville’s demanding schedule prepared the team for this moment.

“We’ve been working really hard since June,” McKneely said. “We’re prepared, we’re ready to go, and can’t wait to play.”

Still, the Cardinals enter the tournament without one of their key pieces. Kelsey confirmed Mikel Brown Jr. will not play in the opener, forcing Louisville to once again adjust on the fly.

For what it's worth, Brown was seen during the open practice session warming up with the team.

Mikel Brown Jr participated in Louisville’s practice today despite being out for opening weekend

pic.twitter.com/DOtXvl5Bna

— Mostly Hoops With Mark Titus & Co. (@MostlyHoopsShow) March 18, 2026

“Our guys never blinked,” Kelsey said. “Roles change a little bit, but everybody has to step up.”

That next-man-up mentality has become a defining trait.

Adrian Wooley and Conwell have shared primary ball-handling duties, while others have filled gaps across the rotation. It’s a reflection of both roster construction and Kelsey’s personality, one his players summed up in a few words.

“Energetic, passion, and determined.”

That identity extends to Louisville’s style of play, too. Kelsey expects a fast-paced matchup against South Florida, with both teams valuing tempo, attacking the basket and the three-point shot.

More: March Madness: NCAA tournament should expand to 80 or 96 teams or revert to 64

“It’s going to be a really, really fun game,” Kelsey said. “People are going to be entertained.”

For Louisville, though, the focus remains internal.

Last year’s first-round loss hasn’t been part of the conversation. Not this week, and not in this locker room.

More: Why Bryce James has already done something LeBron and Bronny never did

“Our philosophy is the next thing is the most important thing,” Kelsey said. “Pour your whole heart and soul into that, and the results take care of themselves.”

That next thing arrives now. And for a program leaning on depth, resilience and belief, the moment feels like exactly what they’ve been building toward.

More college basketball news:

• Darryn Peterson situation not alarming to NBA teams, ESPN insider says
• John Calipari on Nolan Richardson statue at Arkansas
• College Basketball Invitational cancels 2026 tournament
• Doug Gottlieb follows disastrous Green Bay debut with Coach of the Year level season
• Mike Krzyzewski fights against NCAA Tournament expansion

Once the Dallas Cowboys invested in Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark, Osa Odighizuwa became expendable in their eyes. Ahead of the San Francisco 49ers trading for a star interior pass rusher, there were reports of teams monitoring Odighizuwa for a trade.

On Wednesday, ESPN went through each team’s free agency, and in the Cowboys section, they mentioned how the 49ers originally offered a Day 3 pick, but had to up their offer:

One thing we heard: The 49ers initially thought the Cowboys were willing to trade Odighizuwa for monetary purposes and were offering a Day 3 pick in return. When they were informed the Cowboys were willing to keep Odighizuwa, the Niners gave up the No. 92 pick. As a result, the Cowboys added their first Day 2 pick.

The 49ers capitalized on the surplus at defensive tackle for the Cowboys. But did they get duped into thinking there were better offers out there?

From the report that teams were keeping an eye on Odighizuwa 24 hours before the deal, the Niners either offered a higher pick to ensure they got their guy or fell for a leak. Maybe. Maybe not. Are you buying this?

Regardless, for the caliber of player, the 49ers are in a far better situation heading into 2026 with Odighizuwa than they would have been with the prospect they selected at the end of the third round.

Mar. 19—The Rochester Grizzlies are back in a familiar place.

For a sixth consecutive season, the Grizzlies are in the North American 3 Hockey League Central Division Finals.

Rochester is also hoping to avoid a repeat of recent history. After winning the Fraser Cup — the NA3HL national championship — in 2022, the Grizzlies have lost three straight years in the division finals.

The task is a tall one again, as they'll face regular-season division champion West Bend (Wis.) in the best-of-3 Division Finals, beginning at 7 p.m. tonight in West Bend. Game 2 is set for 7 p.m. Friday at the Rochester Recreation Center, with a Game 3, if necessary, to take place at 7 p.m. Saturday at West Bend.

The Grizzlies and the Power swept division semifinal series last weekend. Rochester (31-17-1 overall) beat the Wausau Cyclones in back-to-back games, while West Bend (43-3-3) shut out the St. Louis Jr. Blues by a combined 8-0 to win their series.

Here are 4 more Things to Know about this weekend's NA3HL Central Division Finals:

Though Rochester is just 1-7-0 against West Bend this season, the Grizzlies have done something quite rare: They beat the Power in regulation, on their home ice.

Rochester handed West Bend one of its three regulation losses through 49 games this year, a 6-3 Grizzlies win in the teams' most recent matchup, on Feb. 14.

The other seven matchups have all gone West Bend's way, and only one of those was decided by one goal — a 7-6 Power victory at the Rochester Recreation Center in the early stages of the season, on Nov. 17.

West Bend has outscored Rochester 35-22 in their eight meetings — an average of 4.38-2.75.

This series is also a rematch of last year's Central Division Finals, a hard-fought series that the Power won two games to one, including one-goal victories in Games 2 and 3, after Rochester won the opener 4-0.

Grizzlies forward Mason Decker — a former Rochester John Marshall standout — has made his mark on the team's all-time record book.

The 6-foot-1, 195-pound forward led the Grizzlies with 39 goals and 28 assists, for 67 points, in the regular season. He stayed hot last weekend, with four goals — including three on the power play — and seven points in Rochester's two-game sweep against Wausau.

His 43 goals are the most in a season in Grizzlies history; Decker passed previous record-holder Vladislav Sorokin (41) last weekend. The 20-year-old Decker also now holds the franchise record for most points in a season, at 74. That mark also surpasses Sorokin, who had 70 points in 2018-19.

West Bend has been one of the NA3HL's hottest teams all season, losing just three times in regulation and bringing a 43-3-3 overall record into the Central Division Finals.

Rochester has been nearly as hot over the past two months, winning 12 of its past 14 games, including four in a row. The Grizzlies have outscored their opponents 75-35 during that span, an average of 5.36-2.5.

Decker leads the way for Rochester with 27 points in that stretch, Brett Ludvigsen has 18 points, Andrew Bastian has 16, and defenseman Trenton Fore and forward Ole Fevold have 12 in that stretch.

Rochester's top four scorers in the division semifinals are all from southeastern Minnesota, which is perhaps no surprise because they were four of the team's top five scorers during the regular season.

Second-year forward Mason Decker had four goals and seven points in the two-game sweep against Wausau in the division semifinals. He led the team in the regular season with 39 goals and 67 points, and he had a team-best four goals and seven points in the division semifinals.

Former Dodge County star forward Brett Ludvigsen had two goals and four points against Wausau after a 14-goal, 49-point regular season; Mankato East grad Andrew Bastian has a goal and three assists so far in the postseason after an eight-goal, 46-point regular season; and John Marshall grad Ole Fevold had a three-point series on the heels of a 14-goal, 41-point regular season.

Aryna Sabalenka rocks bold look at Bad Bunny's Miami hotspot originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Aryna Sabalenka stepped out in a bold look ahead of the Miami Open this week. 

The newly engaged tennis pro wore an oversized tiger-print fur coat while partying with her fiancee, businessman Georgios Frangulis, at Bad Bunny's Miami restaurant Gekko, which hosted an opening dinner for the tournament. 

Sabalenka turned heads as she arrived at the luxury Japanese-inspired steakhouse in Miami's Brickell neighborhood in the tiger fur layered over a sleek silver minidress. She accessorized the look with black tights, gold layered necklaces, and her massive engagement ring. 

"The only right outfit for my first night back in Miami… ♥️🐅," the four-time Grand Slam winner captioned an Instagram post recapping her night. 

The world's No. 1 looked relaxed and confident as she enjoyed the night out with Frangulis just days before returning to the court.

Sabalenka was clearly the tournament's opening dinner, as she partied alongside a slew of fellow tennis star's, including Taylor Fritz, Italian star Matteo Berrettini, Frances Tiafoe, and Bulgari'as Grigor Dimitrov. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Aryna Sabalenka (@arynasabalenka)

READ MORE: Aryna Sabalenka stuns in bikini during Mykonos vacation after upset

Fans share mixed reactions on Aryna Sabalenka's Miami fashion choice

It didn't take long for fans to take notice of Sabalenka's latest appearance, with several people leaving positive reactions to her bold off-the-court look. 

"Obsessed🐯♥️," one fan commented. 

"Aryna is always on 🔥," another said. 

"10000000 times amazing!!!" someone else wrote. 

Others weren't as impressed and didn't hold back from dropping their opinion in her comments section. 

"You need to hire someone who can style you better and more classy," one person commented. 

"Money can't buy class lol," a second wrote. 

"I hope its no real fur," a third commented. 

Sabalenka will try to defend her title at the tournament at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on Thursday, just weeks after announcing her engagement to Frangulis. 

More lifestyle news:

• Cameron Brink stuns in carefree bikini selfie after WNBA deal
• Trent McDuffie's gf Gabby shares emotional post after Rams trade
• Fans roast 'Pastor' Jaxson Dart after viral post with gf Marissa Ayers
• Travis Kelce recalls first Hollywood celebrity who left him starstruck
• Alysa Liu gives surprising reaction to joining 'Dancing with the Stars' 
• Why Jalen Williams might be next in line for a signature sneaker line

Mason Jones vs. Axel Sola prediction, odds, pick for UFC London appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

It’s time for UFC London’s Featured Prelim bout of the night as we bring you a prediction and pick for the Lightweight (155) tilt. Mason Jones of Wales will take on France’s Axel Sola in a coin-flip matchup between two highly-skilled fighters. Check our UFC odds series for the Jones-Sola prediction and pick.

Mason Jones (17-2) has gone 3-2-0-1 since joining the UFC roster in 2021. After an unsuccessful UFC stint from 2021-22, Jones went 4-0 in Cage Warriors and has since notched back-to-back wins since returning for his second opportunity. He comes in the near-even favorite standing 5-foot-10 with a 74-inch reach.

Axel Sola (11-0-1) will make his g second UFC appearance following a successful TKO debut over Rhys McKee. He was the former champion at Ares FC with a six-fight unbeaten streak, coming in looking to make another impression against a fellow prospect. Sola stands 6-foot-2 with a 74-inch reach.

UFC London Odds, courtesy of DraftKings. 

UFC London Odds: Mason Jones-Axel Sola Odds

Mason Jones: -122

Axel Sola: +102

Over 2.5 rounds: -188

Under 2.5 rounds: +145

Why Mason Jones Will Win

• Last Fight: (W) Bolaji Oki – TKO (ground-and-pound, R2)
• Last 5: 5-0
• Finishes: 8 KO/TKO, 3 SUB

Mason Jones turned in his most impressive performance his last time out against Bolaji Oki, silencing another solid prospect with an unlikely finish. Jones was the slight -150 favorite during that fight, but he looked to be on a completely different level from Oki in the grappling. Taking mount, he managed to land devastating elbows to finish the fight, putting his ground control and aggressive offense on full display.

Jones will come into this fight an even shorter favorite facing a dynamic kickboxer in Axel Sola. He’s controlled the striking totals during his last few fights, but he can’t afford to fall behind or lend himself to a brawl against his seasoned opponent. Jones’ real advantage will be in the grappling and on the mat where he’s able to chain takedowns and chase submission attempts.

Jones will also fight behind an impressive 81% takedown defense, but he shouldn’t be all too worried about Sola shooting takedowns or initiating the grappling. In fact, Jones should be the one leading the dance and dictating where this fight takes place for the majority, likely why he’s listed with the slight edge to win.

Why Axel Sola Will Win

• Last Fight: (W) Rhys McKee – TKO (body shot to ground strikes, R3)
• Last 5: 4-0-1
• Finishes: 6 KO/TKO, 1 SUB

Axel Sola will look to build upon the momentum from his UFC debut after taking out Rhys McKee with a body shot and ground strikes in the third round. Sola was actually slightly behind in the first two rounds thanks to formidable defense from both sides, but his precision and ability to exploit the body late in the fight ultimately earned him the win. This time around, he’ll have to be all the more precise against a stronger opponent defensively in Jones.

Sola is very relaxed in his stance and typically remains fairly mobile when moving laterally. He plants his front foot when opening his striking exchanges and throws short, yet powerful hooks in succession before finishing with his cross right hand. He’s also very willing to throw knees and engage in the clinch, but his best results come from range and picking his opponent apart.

To win this fight, Sola will certainly have to improve his takedown defense and effectively defend the submissions throughout this fight. He should be able to hold his own on the feet and threaten Jones with accurate combinations, but the real test will be whether he can defend the submission attempts and get back to his feet.

Final Mason Jones-Axel Sola Prediction & Pick

Both fighters are riding their own waves of momentum heading into this fight and the odds are nearly even given their comparable skill sets. Mason Jones is certainly the better grappler and has more experience facing competition at this level. Axel Sola has the potential to take control in the striking exchanges, but only if he’s able to hurt Jones early and stuff the takedowns that will inevitably come if Jones falls behind.

However, we’ve seen Mason Jones make a concerted effort to improve his striking in the last few fights and he’s likely to put his boxing chops on full display in this one. Axel Sola will welcome the striking exchanges, but Jones will have the deeper arsenal to work with having the wrestling as his backup plan.

For our final prediction, we’ll have to side with the experience and well-round skill set of Mason Jones to prevail in this fight. He has more ways to win and more ways to dictate where the fight takes place, so we’ll feel comfortable taking Jones and the over.

Final Mason Jones-Axel Sola Prediction & Pick: Mason Jones (-122); OVER 2.5 Rounds (-118)

Related: Nathaniel Wood vs. Losene Keita prediction, odds, pick for UFC London

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The No. 1 Duke Blue Devils are a massive 28.5-point favorite against the No. 16 Siena Saints as they begin their NCAA Tournament today. Tip-off is at 2:50 p.m. ET on CBS.

The only reason bookies aren’t making this spread steeper is the Blue Devils’ recent health concerns, but Duke’s bench is still loaded with top-tier talents, as my Siena vs. Duke predictions explain.

Read on for my March Madness picks for Thursday, March 19.

Siena vs Duke prediction

Who will win Siena vs Duke?

Duke: Really, we’re doing this? Statistically, the Duke Blue Devils measure up as one of the greatest college teams in history. There's a notable gap between the Top 4 seeds and the rest of the bracket, and you could say there’s a sizable one between the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds. Duke destroys, even with the Blue Devils giving it 80% in Round 1. The Siena Saints, by all accounts, shouldn't be here, winning the MAAC tournament as a No. 3 seed.

Siena vs Duke best bet: Duke -28.5 (-116)

When it comes to monster favorites in the Big Dance, those powerful programs live up to the hype. Since 1998, March Madness favorites of -28 or higher are 13-9 ATS.

Duke’s plan for Round 1 is to build a lead, sit the starters, and rest for the Round of 32. That doesn’t mean the Blue Devils can’t also cover this spread.

Going back to the non-conference slate, the Dukies laid spreads of 30+ and creamed those mid-major foes behind a bench scoring more than 36 points per game. 

Projections bounce around 29 points, but I’ll give the Blue Devils the benefit of the doubt.

COVERS INTEL: The Blue Devils were 6-0 SU and 4-2 ATS as favorites of -28 or more this season.

Siena vs Duke same-game parlay

The Boozer Twins will beat on the Saints. Cayden Boozer is getting more run with Caleb Foster out and is coming off twin 16-point outings in the ACC tournament. 

Cameron Boozer won’t get his usual work in, but will be happy to pick apart Siena from beyond the arc. Before a 1-for-5 day from deep in the ACC title game, Boozer banged home 2+ triples in three straight games.

Siena vs Duke SGP

• Duke -28.5
• Cayden Boozer Over 9.5 points
• Cameron Boozer Over 1.5 threes

Our Big Dance SGP: Better the Devil you Know

Cameron Boozer won’t be going all out in Round 1. He’ll shoot some triples and look to get his teammates touches. Duke has gone Under the closing total in 12 of its last 18 games.

Siena vs Duke SGP

• Duke -28.5
• Under 136
• Cameron Boozer Over 1.5 threes
• Cameron Boozer Over 4.5 assists

Siena vs Duke odds

• Spread: Siena +28.5 (-110) | Duke -28.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: Siena +2200 | Duke -40000
• Over/Under: Over 137 (-110) | Under 137 (-110)

Siena vs Duke betting trend to know

Duke has covered the spread in 11 of its last 18 games for +4.4 units and a 22% ROI. Find more college basketball betting trends for Siena vs. Duke.

How to watch Siena vs Duke

Siena vs Duke key injuries

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Mar. 19—WAHPETON, N.D. — North Dakota State College of Science men's basketball coach and 2015 Austin grad, Gach Gach, was recently named Mon-Dak Athletic Conference Coach of the Year following his first season at the helm of the program.

Gach served as interim head coach for a year before being promoted to head coach in March 2025.

He coached the Wildcats to a Mon-Dak Conference title and a 26-6 overall (10-2 conference) record during the 2025-26 season. NDSCS fell just short to Dawson Community College 67-66 in the Region XIII championship game of the NJCAA Division I men's basketball tournament on March 8. The Wildcats were the No. 1 seed. NDSCS beat Miles Community College 89-77 in the Region XIII semifinals to advance to the championship game.

Gach is an NDSCS men's basketball alumnus himself, graduating in 2017 before transferring to NCAA Division II program West Texas A&M. He returned to NDSCS to take an assistant coaching job with the men's basketball team in 2022.

Gach won two conference titles as an NDSCS player, along with two Region XIII championships and a district championship, and had one NJCAA national tournament appearance.

With West Texas A&M, he made the Division II men's basketball Elite Eight and Final Four in back-to-back seasons. There, he also received Lone Star Conference honors.

Gach and the Packers finished as runner-up at the MSHSL Class 3A state tournaments in 2013 and 2014.

Here's another visit for the New Orleans Saints ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft: Penn State safety Zakee Wheatley, per Nick Farabaugh for PennLive.com. Wheatley is seen as a top-five safety in this draft class with real strength in run defense. He's appeared in 58 games with the Nittany Lions, logging 223 combined tackles (145 solo) along with six interceptions, three fumble recoveries, and two forced fumbles. Wheatley also had five tackles for loss and a sack.

In our pre-free agency, post-combine mock draft, we identified Wheatley as a potential Alontae Taylor replacement in the slot: "He's a big safety at 6-foot-3 and 203 pounds with 31-inch arms giving him natural size to compete with any receiver. He covered the slot on nearly 400 snaps at Penn State in his career while logging more than 2,100 total defensive snaps in the Big Ten." Wheatley joins the Saints' list of reported pre-draft visits along with cornerback Mansoor Delane (LSU), plus wide receivers Chris Bell (Louisville) and Makai Lemon (USC).

The "star" position is important in Brandon Staley's secondary; before Taylor parlayed his experience in that role into a $58 million contract, Staley's previous teams invested premium resources in guys like Derwin James and Jalen Ramsey to hold it down. Besides covering slot receivers when in nickel personnel, the "star" cornerback is asked to blitz the quarterback and reliably make tackles in the open field. Pro Football Focus charting found that Wheatley only rushed the QB 21 times in his Penn State career, but he generated six pressures and batted a pass down at the line of scrimmage. That'll play.

Wheatley could be in play when the Saints pick on the second day of the draft, in Round 2 (No. 42 overall) or Round 3 (No. 73). The fifth-year safety has played a lot of snaps at both corner and safety (and in the slot), and that experience matters. He could help New Orleans out right away if they call his name in the 2026 draft.

This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: 2026 NFL Draft: Saints to host Penn State DB Zakee Wheatley on visit

With the Lady Longhorns only a day away from starting their March Madness run, Madison Booker is making headlines. On Wednesday, the Longhorns' star  was named one of four finalists for the Wade Trophy. Each year, the award is given to the best player in college women's basketball.  

As the Longhorns have been one of the best teams in the country, Booker has taken her game to new heights. She set new career-highs during the regular season in points per game with 18.9 and rebounds per game with 6.5. The Mississippi native also shot 51.6 percent from the field, six points higher than last season. Regardless of the opponent, Booker was a player Texas could count on. 

.@TexasWBB’s Madison Booker has been named an AP First Team All-American.

Point guard Rori Harmon received AP All-American Honorable Mention honors. 🤘 pic.twitter.com/pz2QoTSp7R

— OnTexasFootball (@ontexasfootball) March 18, 2026

Additionally, in conference play, Booker showed why she is one of the best players in the country. In the SEC tournament, the Germantown High alum  averaged 20 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game. Due to her play, Booker was named the MVP of the SEC tournament. 

While Booker's focus is on bringing a title to Austin, she will also be watching how voting for the Wade Trophy plays out. Her competition includes Lauren Betts, Sarah Strong, and Mikayla Blakes. That group will be looking to show over the next few weeks why they are more than deserving. For Booker, that will mean helping the Longhorns win by impacting the game at both ends. 

Today, Kevin Durant and The University of Texas announced a comprehensive NIL program that will celebrate a select group of Longhorn student-athletes in their continued basketball journeys.

In partnership with Nike, Texas women’s basketball forward Madison Booker will become… pic.twitter.com/5kosysiiD4

— OnTexasFootball (@ontexasfootball) March 10, 2026

Despite the high expectations, Booker is ready more than ever to make history. She has been a scoring machine this season and has gotten help from a roster full of talent. That has helped bring out the best in her game while ensuring that Texas can make a deep playoff run. 

Regardless of how voting plays out, Booker has once again found herself in the same conversation as the most talented players in the nation. 

This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: Lady Longhorns star Madison Booker could be adding to her trophy case

The Wisconsin Badgers are taking on the High Point Panthers in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday, with tip-off slated for 12:50 p.m. CT at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon.

Following a quality week at the Big Ten Tournament, the Badgers earned a No. 5 seed in the West Region and the No. 20 seed overall in the tournament, which gave them a draw with No. 12 High Point, who went 30-4 this season and won the Big South.

Wisconsin is one of the most dangerous teams in the country with wins over the Michigan Wolverines, Illinois Fighting Illini (2x), Purdue Boilermakers, UCLA Bruins, and more, netting eight total Quad 1 victories.

A big part of that success has been the success of guard duo John Blackwell and Nick Boyd, who both earned All-Big Ten honors as the leaders of the team. With an offense predicated on three-point shooting, the Badgers are scoring the third most points per game in program history.

But they face another prolific offense when they take on High Point on Thursday, as the Panthers average 90 points per game. High Point’s key is its pace, as the Panthers rank in the top 50 in KenPom’s tempo.

With their ability to score, many have picked High Point as a classic 5-12 upset, but the Badgers will certainly pose a tough challenge with their size, shooting, and overall matchup.

Heading into the game, the Badgers are seen as 10.5-point favorites, with the over/under being at 162.5 points.

Can the Badgers avoid the classic 5-12 upset and move on to the next round of the NCAA Tournament. Join us as our game thread is officially open!

The Arizona Cardinals have made several moves in free agency so far. They have addressed many positions. While their moves might not be completely done, we know more or less what each position looks like.

The big question is whether the Cardinals are better as a result of the moves?

Over the next several articles, we will look at each position group and take a look at which players are not returning and who is new to determine whether they have improved at the position or not.

Let's take a look at tight end.

2026 Cardinals offseason moves at tight end

Gone:

• Travis Vokolek
• Josiah Deguara
• Pharaoh Brown

Vokolek was an exclusive rights free agent the Cardinals did not tender. It likely is because he isn't healthy after he suffered a scary season-endning neck injury in Week 5.

Deguara started the year on the practice squad and mostly played special teams. Brown was a late-season addition.

Returning

• Trey McBride
• Elijah Higgins
• Tip Reiman
• Rivaldo Fairweather

Reiman is coming off a serious ankle injury. Fairweather didn't play after he was a late-season practice squad poaching from Dallas.

McBride is elite. Higgins is solid.

New additions

• Teagan Quitoriano

Quitoriano played every game last season for the Atlanta Falcons after three seasons with the Houston Texans. He will compete for the final spot on the roster. He plays a lot of special teams.

Are the Cardinals better at tight end?

Nope, but that's because they're already really good

It's hard to upgrade a very good room. McBride might be the best in the game. Higgins is a very good No. 2. Reiman is an elite blocking tight end.

Quitoriano and Vokolek are essentially the same guy. No better, no worse.

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: Arizona Cardinals offseason moves: Are they better at tight end?

With the Denver Broncos bringing in former Cincinnati Bengals safety Tycen Anderson on Thursday, the natural question to ask is, What are the Broncos getting?

Anderson (6-5, 205 pounds) was a rotational safety and an ace on special teams in four years with the Bengals. Anderson played 382 snaps in the kicking game last fall. He totaled 23 tackles in 17 games in 2025, playing 64 snaps on defense as a rotational backup safety.

As you will see, Anderson is a sure, quick tackler who could track down some of the best return men in the NFL on both kickoffs and punts. Anderson's strength and speed were big in helping him fight through the muddle of special teams.

You can view some of his highlights from his time in Cincinnati below.

According to Bengals special teams coordinator Darrin Simmons, Anderson is a versatile player who can play out of his comfort zone. "(Anderson) became one of, if not the most, productive gunners in the league over the course of a couple years, in terms of tackles," said Simmons at February's NFL combine.

Anderson pads safety depth behind starting safeties Brandon Jones and Talanoa Hufanga, and he can help fill the gap left by P.J. Locke's departure on special teams.

Welcome to Broncos Country, Tycen!

Social: Follow Broncos Wire on Facebook and Twitter/X! Did you know: These 25 celebrities are Broncos fans.

This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: Denver Broncos: Check out highlights of new safety Tycen Anderson

The 2026 baseball season is over for Texas Longhorns sophomore outfielder Jonah Williams after undergoing successful shoulder surgery this week. On Thursday, head coach Jim Schlossnagle provided an update on that surgery and Williams’ future in baseball and football for the Longhorns.

And while that surgery is a worst-case outcome for Schlossnagle and No. 2-ranked Texas, it is helpful for the football program and the hopes of Williams becoming an important contributor at safety for new defensive coordinator Will Muschamp.

“Jonah’s surgery went great. He definitely needed it,” Schlossnagle said. “We did get a chance to talk to him, his parents and the doctor. There’s no question. Once they got in there, he’s like, ‘Yeah, there’s no chance that he was able to survive through a season and be ready for football, much less play baseball.’”

Williams is expected to return for preseason camp and is now free to spend time getting mental reps as the Horns go through the final 12 practices of spring football after spring break.

“I’m glad Jonah’s getting some clarity. He, coach Sarkisian, and I have spoken, and he can now go really all in. I encouraged him to go all in on being a great teammate in football, learning the defense, just being over there all the time, and then he’s more than welcome, obviously, and I want him in our dugout during the games, but he doesn’t need to be in our practices or do anything like that,” Schlossnagle said.

As a teammate, the presence of Williams in the dugout is a boon for the Texas baseball team, but the injury allows him to acclimate to Muschamp’s defensive scheme, a concern prior to Williams aggravating his shoulder injury and requiring surgery because of NCAA limits on practice and game time during the spring.

That should ensure that Williams is as far behind the other safeties when preseason camp begins as he would have been with the ability to finish the baseball season with the Longhorns.

Schlossnagle also confirmed that the plan hasn’t changed for Williams to participate in both sports, put into question by the consistent injury issues that 6’3, 210-pounder has dealt with since his high school football career ended due to a broken collarbone.

“He’s still a two-sport athlete, 100-percent supportive of him being a baseball player next January. I’m obviously super supportive of him being a football player. I know it’s easy as a fan, if you’re just a football fan and you want this guy, he just needs to play football. Or if you’re just a baseball fan, he just needs to play baseball. The reason he’s at Texas is because we told him he could be a two-sport athlete, and when I was at A&M we told him the same thing. So did LSU, Ohio State,” Schlossnagle said.

The Texas head coach also made a plea for fans to support Williams.

“This is a unique one, like this guy’s really good. I don’t know what kind of football player he is. I know what kind of baseball player he can be. So everybody needs to get off his back. This guy loves Texas. He loves football and he loves baseball, and he’s all in on his teammates. He needs to do a better job of himself for getting prepared for each sport, and he’s learning that as a young amateur player, but we need to be more supportive of him in this critical time,” Schlossnagle said.

Real Madrid have been dealt a major blow after goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was ruled out for at least six weeks with a thigh injury.

The 33-year-old sustained the issue during the Champions League last-16 second-leg clash against Manchester City.

Courtois started the match but was forced off at half-time and replaced by Andriy Lunin.

Initial assessments suggested the injury was not serious, but further tests confirmed a muscle problem in his quadriceps.

Real Madrid later confirmed the diagnosis, stating that his recovery would be monitored closely.

Sources indicate the Belgian international is expected to miss at least six weeks, with a potential absence stretching closer to eight weeks.

The timing of the injury presents a significant setback for the Spanish side.

Courtois is now set to miss both legs of Real Madrid’s Champions League quarter-final tie against Bayern Munich in April.

His availability for a potential semi-final also remains uncertain.

The injury is believed to be linked to physical overload after a demanding run of matches.

Courtois has been a key figure for Real Madrid this season, making 41 appearances across all competitions.

He has also kept 16 clean sheets and started almost every Champions League fixture.

His absence will be felt immediately, beginning with the upcoming Madrid derby against Atletico Madrid.

Real Madrid currently sit second in La Liga, chasing leaders Barcelona.

With several important fixtures approaching, the responsibility will now fall on Lunin to step in.

The Ukrainian goalkeeper has limited appearances this season but has proven reliable in previous campaigns.

He notably featured regularly during the 2023–24 season when Courtois was sidelined with knee injuries.

Real Madrid’s recent victory over Manchester City secured their place in the Champions League quarter-finals, but the loss of Courtois tempers that achievement.

Injuries have continued to disrupt the squad, with multiple key players unavailable in recent weeks.

The club has attempted to address ongoing fitness concerns, but setbacks have persisted.

Courtois’ absence adds to the growing list of challenges facing the team during a critical stage of the season.

For now, Real Madrid must adapt quickly as they continue their pursuit of domestic and European success without their first-choice goalkeeper.

Former Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski earned himself two goals as FC Barcelona crushed Newcastle 7-2, the worst ever defeat by any English team in Europe (tied with Tottenham’s loss to FC Bayern in 2019).

The Polish hitman has now broken not just one, but two major Champions League records. Per Squawka, he became the oldest player to score a brace in a UEFA Champions League game, at 37 years and 209 days old, overtaking Filippo Inzaghi. He also became the oldest player to score in a Champions League knockout game.

Lewy is also the first footballer in history to score against 41 different Champions League teams, overtaking Leo Messi who scored against 40 teams. This is illustrated by this graphic posted by user u/FxKaKaLis on r/soccer:

Robert Lewandowski is definitely one of the greatest strikers world football. Though age seems to be catching up to him, he still performs when called upon, helping Hansi Flick and Barca get past a Newcastle team who definitely put up a fight, at least for most of the tie.

At his age, this season in Europe could be his last. Rumors have him linked with a move to MLS, or perhaps Saudi Arabia. Lewandowski, however, remains steadfast in his determination to prove father time wrong, and keep on performing as long as humanly possible.