What now? As the Tottenham hierarchy contemplate whether the emergency removal of Igor Tudor might be necessary to avoid the very real prospect of a humiliating relegation to the Championship, the club’s 58,000 fans who watched their latest – and perhaps most damning – disastrous defeat now find themselves in a quandary.

They have tried walkouts – both of the organised variety and on impulse halfway through a particularly dreadful loss against Crystal Palace little over a fortnight ago. They have repeatedly, vocally, made their anger clear over the course of a dismal campaign. Now their final roll of the dice failed to yield any sort of response from their comatose players.

The rapturous pre-match reception some 10,000 or so home supporters gave the two Spurs buses on arrival at Tottenham High Road was the kind usually reserved for trophy parades. People scaled bus stops, hung off lampposts and filled the streets with blue and white flares in a forlorn bid to inspire.

“All together, always,” was the message of unity Tottenham fans conveyed in the wake of encouraging performances against Liverpool and Atletico Madrid over the previous week. The fight to avoid second-tier football was deemed too important for entirely justified recent fury to in any way hinder that mission.

For a beleaguered group that has witnessed just one Premier League home win since the opening day of the season, it was admirable. They sang, they cheered and they implored a response that never arrived. Instead, they were forced to endure a gutless performance against a relegation rival that must now make the end of Spurs’ top-flight tenure more likely than not given their 13-game winless league run. So what do the fans do now?

It was a question that could not be asked of Tudor, who did not attend post-match media duties after he was reportedly informed of an immediate family bereavement. In his absence, assistant manager Bruno Saltor said: “The fans were outstanding since the first minute when we were coming in, to the last minute.

“They stayed, they showed their support. It was quite emotional for everyone on the bus [before the match]. That’s what we need because, right now, all of us have the same goal: fight until the end of the season and stay in the Premier League as this club deserves.”

Yet, by the end of a win that was as important for Nottingham Forest’s safety mission as it could prove devastating for Tottenham’s, there were more empty seats around the ground than those occupied. The latest mass exodus followed the visitors’ third goal, tucked home by Taiwo Awoniyi with three minutes of normal time remaining after earlier goals from Igor Jesus and Morgan Gibbs-White. Then came the familiar refrain of boos at the final whistle.

It was a result that a truly insipid second-half performance deserved, but not those who had paid to watch. For much of the past two seasons, the primary sound around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has veered between deafening silence and irate jeers – neither of which have been unwarranted. During the majority of this match – even after going two goals down – supporters put aside frustrations and ran through their songbook, to no effect.

The finger will be pointed at a manager who supposedly thrives in such difficult situations, but has now earned one point from his five Premier League matches.

Given the absence of Spurs creativity that was pervasive in spite of significant time spent in Forest territory, it was something of a surprise that Xavi Simons remained on the bench until the 67th minute. The Dutchman had been one of the brightest lights in the midweek victory over Atletico Madrid (which did not prevent a Champions League exit), but Tudor opted against his inclusion from the outset. Such was the weakness of the Tottenham collective that it is hard to envisage one player making much of a difference in any case.

All sense of a cohesive plan appeared entirely absent; there was little structure and no obvious method through which to win the game. Forest did not dominate anything like as much as the scoreline might suggest, but they did not need to.

Jesus’ headed opener, scored on the stroke of half-time, came after an opening period in which Spurs benefitted from eight corners. The hosts did in fact twice hit the crossbar in that first half, through a misdirected Jesus defensive header and a long-range Mathys Tel shot.

But if a stirring fightback was expected after the break, the opposite occurred, as Tudor’s side became increasingly disjointed. When a ball was squared into the Tottenham penalty area just after the hour, an alarming absence of marking allowed an entirely untroubled Morgan Gibbs-White to drill home.

By the time Awoniyi tucked a third from close range, all hope was already extinguished. Forest eased to their first Premier League victory since January, with Spurs yet to win in the league this calendar year.

“A good week for us,” said Nottingham Forest manager Vitor Pereira, whose side advanced to the Europa League quarter-finals on Thursday and are now three points clear of the relegation zone. “It is good for belief because we need to believe in ourselves. It is about what we want to be as a team. We are alive, we are committed and we are ready to fight.”

Whether Tudor will be given the opportunity to locate some sense of spirit among his floundering Tottenham players following the international break must now be in severe doubt. Saltor insisted the coaching staff “feel the support from everyone at the club”. If that does not now include the fans, then who could blame them?

Pep Guardiola set off down the touchline, unleashing his inner Jose Mourinho on a joyous run into the history books. Given how much else Guardiola has achieved, a fifth League Cup – more than any other manager in the competition’s history – may be a footnote. But a first trophy for his new-look Manchester City side has a significance for Guardiola, offering proof of his ability to renew and revive.

And denying his former assistant Mikel Arteta silverware, and a quadruple, meant this was not the day to prove there has been a changing of the guard. Guardiola is still a serial winner, Arteta a manager accustomed to coming second to his old mentor. A day when Arsenal paid a price for both their dullness and the lone risk Arteta took – in his choice of goalkeeper – was an occasion when City could celebrate one of their own.

Blimey O’Reilly? There have been points in Nico O’Reilly’s remarkable rise when the temptation has been to assume he cannot continue defying logic. A Wembley brace in four minutes instead felt the most extraordinary element of it. The secret to breaking down Arsenal’s robust, redoubtable defence, it transpired, was to have a marauding left-back who materialised in the centre-forward position.

Arsenal had only lost three games all season; but then they encountered O’Reilly, who ensured it mattered not that Erling Haaland extended his drought both at Wembley and in finals for City. The penalty-box poacher instead was O’Reilly, a midfielder for much of his life, a defender now and yet only the second player – after Alejandro Garnacho – to score twice in a game against Arsenal this season.

The man with the Manchester telephone code tattooed on his body may want to mark other numbers; 2-0, for instance. And while City’s rebuild has required some distinctly large figures, with around £430m spent in the last three transfer windows, it was the man on their books since the age of eight who earned Guardiola his 19th trophy with City.

There were some similarities with his second Carabao Cup, though, as Arteta ought to remember; he was Guardiola’s sidekick in the 2019 final when Kepa Arrizabalaga refused to come off so the penalty specialist Willy Caballero could take his place in the Chelsea net for the shootout.

Seven years on, Arteta, the manager who usually leaves nothing to chance, chose one Spaniard instead of another, benching David Raya. Sadly for Arrizabalaga, he became the calamity Kepa again.

There had already been one lapse of judgement from him, leaving his penalty area, being fooled by a bouncing ball, tugging back Jeremy Doku. He was spared a red card by the acute angle. But City could be glad he was still on when he spilled Rayan Cherki’s cross to leave the predatory O’Reilly with a tap-in.

The second goal was full-back to full-back, City outflanking Arsenal as Matheus Nunes crossed for O’Reilly to beat Bukayo Saka to it to head in. Cue Guardiola’s touchline charge, a brown-trousered figure heading towards his players, leaving the four-time winners Sir Alex Ferguson, Brian Clough and Mourinho behind him in the all-time standings.

For O’Reilly, it was quite a weekend in another respect. He has come of age, in more ways than one. He turned 21 on Saturday. His birthday may forever remain less memorable than the afternoon after the day before, however: a Wembley double.

He had been recalled and it was a day when Guardiola’s decisions, whether enforced or inspired, paid off. Cherki sparkled in the second half, justifying his inclusion. Nathan Ake’s return was the consequence of losing Ruben Dias; with Marc Guehi ineligible and Josko Gvardiol already injured, City nevertheless shut Arsenal out.

If it shaped up as the duel of the second-string goalkeepers, City’s was superb when called upon. James Trafford made a seventh-minute triple save to deny Kai Havertz and Saka.

For the first half, it seemed a case of Arteta’s grind to glory, a slugfest of the unimaginative when Arsenal seemed marginally the likelier to prevail.

Then City raised the tempo, showed more ambition and ruthlessness and illustrated that Arsenal needed to create more when they were marginally the superior side. They missed Eberechi Eze, ruled out, and Martin Odegaard, not fit to return, but they were too drab.

When Arteta tried to respond in kind after O’Reilly struck, it was with a goalscoring left-back. The substitute Riccardo Calafiori volleyed against the foot of the post; yet it was an indictment of his teammates that the Italian was the greatest goal threat. Another replacement, Gabriel Jesus looped a header on to the bar.

He had seemed a winner imported from City. And yet Arsenal’s wait goes on, even if perhaps not for much longer. Arteta has been stuck on one major trophy for almost six years, since the 2020 FA Cup final.

Guardiola first won at Wembley as a Barcelona player in the 1992 European Cup final and has rarely returned here since then as an underdog. But as he did, he reminded Arteta he can still be top dog.

Wayne Rooney has criticised Chelsea’s sporting project on Match of the Day after the Blues suffered another defeat.

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Another defeat for Chelsea on Saturday has plunged them further into trouble, and led to another breakdown on Match of the Day analysing where it’s all going wrong for the Blues.

Wayne Rooney was the latest to point out the obvious flaw in the construction of this squad of youngsters – you need older players too.

“I just think if Chelsea want to be successful, you want to win trophies, every successful team has got good, experienced players in the squad,” Rooney said.

“And if you want to go down this model of buying young players, selling them, bringing more young players in and trying to develop them, then I think it’s going to be very, very difficult.”

Chelsea’s set to fail to deliver Champions League football once again

It’s the same thing we’ve all been saying about Chelsea all along. Most of us realised this model wouldn’t work from very early on, and even those who didn’t worked it out soon after.

It seems the sporting directors are the only ones yet to catch on.

In other news…

Liam Rosenior was asked about his team’s running stats, and his excuse that they’re tired from the Club World Cup doesn’t really wash.

Rosenior’s claims that his team are 4th in the league since he took charge might be true, but they ring very hollow.

If you enjoy Chelsea News coverage and want to see more of it, add us as a preferred source on Google to make us a favourite and see more of our content.

Check out the latest edition of Simon Phillips’ SPTC podcast here:

David Ornstein has confirmed that Manchester United are in ‘advanced talks’ with Kobbie Mainoo and Harry Maguire over new contracts.

The transfer expert revealed that while there is still work to be done, an agreement between all parties is ‘close’.

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Kobbie Mainoo: The state of play in negotiations

Mainoo’s extension would see him tied to Old Trafford until 2031, as opposed to his current deal, which will end in the summer of 2027.

He will also see his prominent role in the squad recognised and stellar form rewarded via a lucrative salary increase; the 20-year-old currently pockets around £25,000 per week since being promoted from the academy in 2023/2024.

Throughout the first half of the campaign, Mainoo was angling for a move away from his boyhood club due to the heavily reduced role he was playing under Ruben Amorim.

However, Michael Carrick corrected matters from the moment he took the reins, and the youngster, who’s valued at £43.3 million by Transfermarkt, has started every fixture of Carrick’s tenure thus far.

What’s been said about Maguire’s future?

As for Maguire, he has been given the nod for every game under Carrick, although he will miss the next outing against Leeds United following his sending-off in the draw to Bournemouth on Friday night.

The £8.6m-valued 33-year-old, as things stand, would be leaving United in June when his terms expire, so INEOS chiefs will be keen to have him put pen to paper as swiftly as possible.

Maguire even rebuffed a January approach from Italian giants AC Milan because he was so adamant about continuing with the Reds.

Ornstein says the veteran centre-half will be offered a one-year contract, plus the option of an additional 12 months.

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Thomas Tuchel has some tough decisions to make.

As he hosts the last international camp before naming his preliminary England squad for the World Cup, the German has to figure out which players he wants to take to North America - and which ones to leave at home.

He has spoken previously about working from a long list of 55 players for squad selection, and while several of those will already be out of contention in his mind, selecting a final list of 23 will not be easy. Especially as it's not a case of simply picking the most talented players.

"It'll be very important that we don't select just for talent, but also for what we need from a player," Tuchel said in January.

"What the social skills are of a player, is he a good team-mate? Can he support if his role is maybe the supporting role? So, this is where the focus is."

International managers have a long track record of getting this wrong when it comes to major tournaments. A squad packed with stars may look great on paper, but when they are forced to sit on the bench for their country instead of starting every match, it can cause friction.

For Tuchel, that dilemma is increasingly pertinent, as he tries to decide which of a host of talented attacking midfielders he should pick. The Three Lions are incredibly well-stocked in that area, but can he keep all of them happy if they are doing more training than playing?

Christian Ziege witnessed this in 1998 as part of a Germany squad brimming with talent, who were underwhelming before losing 3-0 to Croatia in the quarter-finals.

"We had so many leaders in that team, or at least too many players who thought they were leaders, who had to be in the first XI and had to play," said the former Bayern Munich and Tottenham defender.

"Sometimes it's about taking a decision that says 'OK, this is a fantastic player and he has so many abilities, but I think the other person is better than him'.

"Then you have to think if it's intelligent to take two players in the same position. If you leave one out, he's not happy. So the mood was not good in the team."

That was undoubtedly one of the key reasons for Glenn Hoddle leaving Paul Gascoigne out of his England squad at the same tournament.

There was no doubting Gazza's ability, but if he was not going to be in the starting XI, then he could become a distraction as a squad player - even if he did not cause a fuss himself, the media clamour for the midfielder to play would.

Gazza is not the only big name to suffer that fate. France boss Didier Deschamps said it could be "felt in the squad" that Samir Nasri was not happy when he was not a starter after leaving the midfielder out in 2014, highlighting the process managers need to go through when making their final selection.

Maintaining squad harmony is key for any tournament selection when players are in camps that could stretch for weeks on end, even more so at this summer's World Cup with more countries making for an even longer schedule.

It comes by not only avoiding the selection of bad apples among the pack, but also including others who create a positive atmosphere.

Tuchel has spoken about the need to create a "brotherhood" among England's squad this summer, and pointed to the character and energy the likes of Jordan Henderson and Dan Burn offer the group beyond their playing abilities.

Whereas Henderson's continued selection, in particular, has been questioned, it is easily explainable by considering his role in creating a high-performance environment.

A sense of consistency is important to maintain that, so players know what to expect when they arrive for international camps and allow a squad hierarchy to form, despite not spending much time together. Chopping and changing this close to the tournament is not a good sign.

"I always had around 16 or 17 players who were the same in each squad, so it was just a matter of adding a few players," explained former Switzerland head coach Ottmar Hitzfeld in the book, How to Win the World Cup: Secrets and Insights from International Football's Top Managers.

"You can't change national teams too much, you need a core group of players. If a player has a small crisis in club football, you have to keep in mind that his national team is a different team in a different environment and they can play well with you again."

Room for a curveball?

If a settled squad is so crucial in the run-up to a tournament, that does not leave much space for late inclusions. Yet trace back through history and countless managers have not been able to resist the chance to throw in a curveball before a World Cup - with varying success.

Previous England bosses Sven-Goran Eriksson and Bobby Robson were two of the most left-field, calling up Theo Walcott and Steve Bull respectively - both arguing that their picks provided an element of surprise to opposition.

A 17-year-old Walcott did not play a single minute under Eriksson in 2006, whereas Wolves striker Bull, who had impressed in the second tier, made four appearances at Italia '90 without scoring.

But their selections show that some managers feel there is enough room to pick a wildcard for a tournament.

Eriksson told Sky Sports in 2020 that he had gambled on Walcott instead of calling up more proven back-up strikers Jermain Defoe or Darren Bent because "the player picked at number 23 will not win the World Cup for you".

In which case, why not take a punt?

That does not have to be an untested player, though. It can be naming an injured star in a World Cup squad when it is touch and go if they will feature, or backing a past favourite to rediscover their form as the tournament progresses.

Take the inclusion of Paolo Rossi in Italy's squad at the 1982 World Cup, having only just returned from a match-fixing ban.

Manager Enzo Bearzot's selection was roundly criticised at first because of the Juventus striker's poor condition, but it proved to be a masterstroke. Rossi scored a hat-trick against Brazil to propel them into the semi-finals, where he scored two more to see off Poland. In the final he scored the opener as the Azurri beat West Germany 3-1.

It just goes to show that an entire campaign is not necessarily undermined by the final XI, but by the wrong 23.

It is a reality Tuchel is all too aware of as he ponders those tough decisions before this summer's World Cup - with his final squad selection indicating quite how ruthless he will be under tournament conditions.

Dan Ballard is set to miss Northern Ireland's crucial World Cup play-off semi-final against Italy on Thursday because of a hamstring injury.

The Sunderland defender was forced off during his side's Premier League defeat by Brighton on 14 March and missed Sunday's 2-1 victory over Newcastle.

Neither Sunderland nor the Irish FA have formally announced he will be unavailable, but an update on Ballard's condition is expected later on Monday.

It is unclear at this stage whether Ballard could be fit for a potential play-off final against Wales or Bosnia-Herzegovina should Michael O'Neill's side win in Bergamo.

Northern Ireland are already without Liverpool defender Conor Bradley, although Ali McCann did link up with his international team-mates when the squad met on Sunday evening.

Italy midfielder Sandro Tonali also missed the Tyne-Wear derby through injury, with the four-time World Cup winners continuing to monitor his fitness before the play-off.

Ballard, 26, was included in Northern Ireland's squad when it was announced last week with O'Neill saying he "didn't know the exact extent" of the injury.

"I know every player will do everything possible to try and be fit and available to play this game," O'Neill told BBC Sport NI last Monday.

"We just have to keep our fingers crossed for the players that didn't play for their clubs at the weekend [that] there is still enough time."

Should Northern Ireland beat Italy on Thursday, they will travel to Wales or Bosnia-Herzegovina in the play-off final on 31 March.

The winner will be in Group B for the World Cup alongside co-hosts Canada, Switzerland and Qatar.

The Washington Commanders filled several holes over the first two weeks of free agency. Washington spent significant resources to improve arguably the NFL's worst defense. Seven of 12 outside free agents that the Commanders signed were on the defensive side of the ball.

One position Washington still must address is cornerback. The Commanders cut Marshon Lattimore and saw Jonathan Jones and Noah Igbinoghene depart as free agents. Washington didn't make a strong effort to keep either of those players. The Commanders did sign Amik Robertson to a two-year deal and he will start alongside Trey Amos and Mike Sainristil at cornerback.

Washington needs more. You can probably assume that another veteran will be added to the mix at some point. And it wouldn't be a surprise if GM Adam Peters used one of his six 2026 NFL Draft picks on a cornerback. However, the Commanders are without picks in the second and fourth rounds.

Washington has shown interest in multiple cornerbacks, and will host LSU All-American Mansoor Delane on a top-30 visit.

Now, we know of another cornerback who will visit Ashburn.

Georgia cornerback Daylen Everette will visit the Commanders, per Arye Pulli.

Source: Georgia CB Daylen Everette has several pre-draft top-30 visits scheduled.

Among the visits:
🏈 Chargers
🏈 Commanders
🏈 Raiders
🏈 Seahawks

Everette posted a 4.38 40-yard dash at the Combine — second-fastest among CBs. Expected to go on Day 2 of the draft. pic.twitter.com/9qxrk1rd0b

— Arye Pulli (@AryePulliNFL) March 23, 2026

The 21-year-old Everette is a native of Norfolk, Virginia, and played 54 career games for the Bulldogs. He started for the past three seasons, recorded 141 tackles, 17 passes defensed and five interceptions. At 6-foot-1, 196 pounds, Everette ran the 40-yard dash in 4.38 seconds at the 2026 NFL combine. He's not a contender to go at No. 7 overall, but if the Commanders trade back and add more picks, he could be a legitimate target.

Everette has shown the ability to play in man or zone coverage and is a willing tackler. By virtue of playing at Georgia, Everette has faced top competition throughout his college career.

This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders to host Georgia CB Daylen Everette on visit

The Alabama Crimson Tide will face the Louisville Cardinals in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Monday afternoon.

The Tide enter the matchup following a 68-55 victory over Rhode Island in the opening round of the tournament. Louisville will undoubtedly serve as an excellent test for the Tide moving forward, as Alabama will need to be at their best on both ends of the floor against an elite Cardinals team. 

Here are three bold predictions for Alabama’s NCAA Tournament matchup vs. Louisville.

Jessica Timmons stays red hot, records 25+ points and 5+ rebounds 

Timmons could dominate yet again against Louisville on Monday. The star senior recorded 21 points on 8-of-16 shooting in the win against Rhode Island, as Timmons has been widely regarded as a top guard in both the SEC and all of women’s college basketball throughout the 2025-26 campaign. 

Timmons will need to stay red hot against the Cardinals, as Alabama will undoubtedly continue turning to the playmaker on the offensive end of the floor. 

Karly Weathers dominates the glass, records 10+ rebounds

Weathers has been an excellent playmaker throughout the 2025-26 season. The star guard currently averages a team high 6.1 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.8 steals per game, as Weathers has played an essential role on both ends of the floor on a nightly basis. 

Weathers will look to continue dominating the glass against Louisville, as the senior’s rebounding ability will play a massive role in the outcome of the contest. 

Ta’Mia Scott bounces back, records 20+ points

Scott struggled in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament against Rhode Island. The star guard recorded just six points on 2-of-7 shooting, as Scott will look to shine yet again against Louisville despite the underwhelming performance. 

Both Timmons and Scott will continue to serve as the Tide’s top scoring options moving forward, as each player will need to stay red hot against the Cardinals.

Alabama will face Louisville in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Monday at 11:00 a.m. CT, as the Tide will look to keep things rolling throughout March Madness. 

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 bold predictions vs. Louisville in March Madness second round

Champions. Group Stage. Group Stage. Did not qualify. Did not qualify.

Since winning the World Cup for the fourth time in 2006, Italy's record at football's biggest tournament has been dismal.

Despite winning the delayed Euros in 2021, Italy have not even qualified for a World Cup since 2014, which feels staggering for a nation of their stature.

Now, Gennaro Gattuso, a midfielder from the 2006 side who has managed 10 clubs in 12 years, has been tasked with ending the wait to return to the biggest stage.

But can he take the four-time champions back to where they belong?

• 'It's an opportunity to write our names in history'

Italy's bid to reach the 2026 World Cup was only one game in when Luciano Spalletti announced he had been sacked as manager in June.

Daniele Verri, an Italian football journalist, said "there wasn't many options" to replace Spalletti, who guided his country to an underwhelming last-16 finish at Euro 2024.

Spalletti had led Napoli to the Serie A title before landing the Italian job, but Verri said players "were confused" by an overload of information and that played a role in his departure.

Claudio Ranieri was considered but talks did not progress, and former AC Milan midfielder Gattuso was seen as the most realistic option.

Prior to Spalletti, serial winner Roberto Mancini led Italy to European glory but missed out on the 2022 World Cup after a shock play-off defeat by North Macedonia.

He left the role in 2023 under a cloud, something Verri said he "regretted" before swiftly moving to Saudi Arabia.

'The manager can't fix everything'

Since managing Sion in 2013, Gattuso has had spells with Palermo, OFI, Pisa, Milan, Valencia, Marseille and Hajduk Split.

None, however, lasted more than two years.

He did win the Coppa Italia with Napoli in 2020, but Verri admits his appointment as national team manager in June 2025 felt "risky".

Gianluigi Buffon, regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time, is Italy's technical delegate and put "all his cards" on his World Cup winning team-mate.

"Gattuso has the charisma, the popularity and is a known face as a world champion," Verri said.

"He doesn't bring that much experience for a national team like Italy, but they took a man who has the right motivation to do well.

"I think that is why Gattuso was chosen, to bring back that right attitude that he has always shown when wearing the AC Milan and Italy shirt."

Gattuso's record currently stands at five wins from six matches, but that was not good enough to automatically qualify for the World Cup as they missed out to group winners Norway.

Despite dropping into the play-off, Verri feels that Gattuso is "doing a good job" and said "the manager can't fix everything".

Verri added that "it's not by chance" that Italy had not qualified for the last two World Cups, both of which came after play-off defeats by Sweden and North Macedonia.

"Our team is not bad, but the quality and standard of Italian football, for whatever reason, is not the same as it used to be," he said.

"They are not producing talents, playing slow football at club level, or clubs don't progress in Europe. It's a wider problem.

"Gattuso alone cannot fix all of these problems. He has to work to with who is available, and get the most out of it.

"From that point of view, he's doing his job."

The personal approach

Ahead of the play-off semi-final against Northern Ireland, Gattuso had tried to arrange a training camp but, for various reasons, that did not come to fruition - something Verri says is a "pity".

Instead, he visited all the players in his wider squad, from those in England and in Italy, all the way to Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

His goal, says Verri, was to discuss his "hopes and expectations" for the national team.

For a player known for his passion on the pitch, Gattuso hopes to use this camaraderie and personal approach to change Italy's fortunes with him at the helm.

"This is the way he wants to build spirit, and he has done well," Verri added.

"I'm sure he would have loved more time to spend with his players, not only in training but also in the evening with videos and discussing opponents, and being with the boys and make his presence felt."

Along with World Cup winners Buffon and Gattuso, Euro 2020 winner and former captain Leonardo Bonucci joined Italy's coaching team.

"These are players who have won something important. They are trying to take responsibility," Verri said.

"Buffon trusts him. He knows Gattuso has the grit, mentality and personality to lead the group."

After their play-off heartbreak for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, Italy face another nerve-wracking route to the finals.

No former winner of the World Cup has missed out on the finals three times in a row. Italy must do it the hard way if they are to avoid an unwanted piece of history.

The Azzurri host Northern Ireland - a tie they will be favourites to win - in Bergamo on 26 March, and the winner of that semi-final will visit Wales or Bosnia-Herzegovina in their bid to qualify for the finals, where they would join co-hosts Canada, Switzerland and Qatar in Group B.

"It won't be easy, not at all," sad Verri, who added there is an issues "with the speed of the game" in Italy.

"I don't think Northern Ireland are a better side than Italy, but it will not be easy with their speed and determination, and it would not be easy against Wales or Bosnia.

"We definitely have the quality to go through, but we have to be careful in a one-off game."

For Gattuso, the play-off could also define whether he is the long-term option for one of Europe's heavyweights.

Lose and "it could be time to rethink again", but win and he could be the "hero" who brought Italy back to the biggest stage.

"Italy have four World Cups, so there is still an expectation to be competitive in every game," Verri said.

"People cannot be happy with the situation and how it is, but it's not with Gattuso.

"If he doesn't qualify then it might be tricky for him, but if we qualify we would be very happy and Gattuso would be much beloved in the country."

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A pillar, barrier and indestructible wall: Walter Samuel was one of the best defenders in world football in the early 2000s. Having arrived to Inter in 2005, The Wall spent nine seasons with the club, becoming a key figure in an unforgettable period filled with wins and success. Samuel made 236 appearances and won 14 trophies with the club, including: 5 Scudetto titles, 4 Supercoppa Italiana's, 3 Coppa Italia's, 1 Club World Cup and the 2010 Champions League. Of his 17 goals scored in Nerazzurri colours, some remain etched in the memories of the fans, such as the decisive goal at San Siro in the 4–3 win against Siena in 2010, or the strike in the derby won 0–1 away to AC Milan in the 2012/13 season. A tough, uncompromising defender, unbeatable in marking and a quiet leader in the dressing room, Samuel was one of the pillars of one of the strongest teams in Inter’s history: memories that recently came back to life when Walter was a guest at Inter HQ together with Diego Milito. Born in Firmat, in Argentina, on 23 March 1978, Samuel celebrates his 48th birthday today: all of the best wishes from the Inter world and Nerazzurri fans!

Former Chelsea midfielder Gus Poyet says that he wanted to see Chelsea sign Manchester United midfielder Manuel Ugarte.

Manuel Ugarte made the move to Manchester United in the summer of 2024. Whilst he was hoping for a prominent role and the Red Devils also had massive expectations from the Uruguayan international, his move to Old Trafford hasn’t really worked out.

EXCLUSIVE! 6 Chelsea players have already started exploring moves away this summer, with 5 others also in doubt

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Poyet, being a fellow Uruguayan, has been sad to watch the decline and how the move hasn’t really worked out for Ugarte so far, and he also thinks it was a mistake for him not to join Chelsea instead.

Poyet on Ugarte

While speaking on GOAL, the 58-year-old said, “Yeah, and it affected me a lot because he’s from Uruguay and before he went to Paris Saint-Germain, I wanted him to come to Chelsea. When they started the rumours, Chelsea, big Chelsea, you know you want to come, make a decision, come to Chelsea. I don’t know him, so I couldn’t call him! And he went to Paris Saint-Germain and I was a little bit upset because I thought it was perfect at that time for Chelsea. But after that, he kind of didn’t kick on. Paris Saint-Germain and now Man United.

“He needs to find the right club. I think he’s a top player. I think he’s a top central midfielder. I think he can cover the pitch well. He can cover spaces. He can defend well. He can play, start the options. But he needs to find the team.

“He needs to find, I would say, the identity of a club to be able to play every week because he even lost his main position at the national team because in the national team, everybody was playing and was thinking Ugarte, [Rodrigo] Bentancur, [Fede] Valverde. And then the national team is playing with two and a number 10 off the front. And that’s why he’s not playing. So, yes, it’s a big summer for Ugarte and I hope he makes a good decision for him and for his family.”

In other news…

Liam Rosenior has claimed that it wasn’t a lack of effort or tactical mistakes that were costing Chelsea – but insisted he didn’t want to blame the players in the wake of the Everton defeat on Saturday night.

But Rosenior also blamed “mistakes” for the goals Chelsea were conceding – but we’re going to need a bit more than that I’m afraid.

If you enjoy Chelsea News coverage and want to see more of it, add us as a preferred source on Google to make us a favourite and see more of our content.

Check out the latest edition of Simon Phillips’ SPTC podcast here:

Jamal Musiala’s injury setback might be a concerning one.

The young German international incurred a related injury to the broken fibula suffered last summer and has not been on the pitch for Bayern Munich since its 6-1 Champions League Round of 16 first leg win over Atalanta on March 10th. Now he’s missing the Germany games this upcoming week, and details about his ongoing issues have come from a report from Tz journalists Philipp Kessler and Vinzent Tschirpke.

As captured by @iMiaSanMia:

Jamal Musiala is currently suffering from tendon pain in his ankle, the tendon that was severely damaged during his serious injury last summer. Tendons typically take longer to heal than muscles. Bayern doctors predicted these minor issues weeks ago, a foreseeable consequence of the increased workload on his road back to fitness. Nevertheless, Musiala’s impatience is growing and the doctors have to slow him down. Everyone is aware that this current phase is the last chance for him to fully recover before the crucial part of the season and the World Cup in the summer. That’s why it was decided that he would skip Germany’s upcoming games [@kessler_philipp, @VTschirpke]

Musiala’s sense of urgency in getting back to the playing pitch is understandable with the World Cup just around the corner. And he has not exactly been thrown into the fire but rather brought along slowly: a substitute appearance here, 60’ from the opening whistle there. Was it still too much too soon? The March international period will be a tough one to miss as it is the final one before the tune-up friendlies just before the start of the summer’s tournament. It is starting to look a little worrisome for one of Germany’s biggest stars.

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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Crushed

Oof

Fifth

Liverpool Struggles Continue as Van Dijk Voices Frustration After Brighton Defeat

Liverpool’s season has taken another damaging turn, with a 2-1 defeat to Brighton deepening concerns around consistency, direction, and belief. For Virgil van Dijk, the tone afterwards was not one of anger, but of resignation, a captain searching for clarity as opportunities slip away.

Van Dijk reflects on recurring issues

There was a sense of weary familiarity in Van Dijk’s post-match words. Liverpool have shown flashes of quality, yet the inability to sustain momentum continues to define their campaign.

“My initial reaction [is one of] frustration, I think I have been repeating myself lately,” Van Dijk admitted. “It is the situation. I was also surprised when I was on the training pitch yesterday (Friday), and I only saw the amount of players that I saw, but that is the situation, So yes, it is tough”.

Those comments speak to a broader issue. Liverpool are not short of effort, nor entirely devoid of structure, yet something essential is missing between one performance and the next. That fragility has turned isolated setbacks into a pattern.

Photo: IMAGO

Champions League hopes fading

Defeat at Brighton leaves Liverpool clinging to faint hopes of securing a top five finish. Results elsewhere have offered little comfort, and the margin for error has effectively disappeared.

“I don’t know what to say – I said over the last months the same thing. We can’t build on a good performance. That is something that has to change if we are to achieve what we are trying to achieve, and that is Champions League football.”

Van Dijk’s honesty cuts through the usual post-match rhetoric. Liverpool’s ambitions remain clear, yet their performances have not aligned with those expectations. A single point from recent fixtures against Wolves, Tottenham, and Brighton underlines a team struggling to convert intent into results.

Squad challenges and tactical disruption

Injuries have played their part, disrupting rhythm and limiting options. The absence of key players has forced adjustments, often mid-game, which has unsettled Liverpool’s attacking structure.

“When Hugo comes off and you look at the team, there was not a lot of runs in behind,” Van Dijk observed. “There is not a lot on that side. That wasn’t the issue why we lost but it changed a bit of our game. When he made changes, the formation changed and the positions changed and then you’re asking different things. It’s a combination of everything but the matter of fact is that we can’t build on a good performance that we had midweek.”

There is a sense here of a side constantly adapting, rarely settling, and paying the price for that instability.

Responsibility and final stretch

For Liverpool and Van Dijk, the path forward is stark. Seven games remain, each carrying increasing weight. The captain has made it clear where responsibility lies.

“We are trying everything. We are trying to turn it around and we are hopefully going to turn a corner, but it doesn’t look that way at the moment.”

“I’ve been asked that question (what the issue is) many times this season and it still didn’t happen. It’s down to us and so we have to do it as players, as a group. If we change that, then obviously we can be a very dangerous force throughout the whole season. But at the moment, we are not.”

“I’m also frustrated for the fans. They travel all the way here, early, supporting us, and we couldn’t deliver again. So it’s tough.”

“It happened too many times and if it keeps happening then there is no chance of success. If there is still a chance then I am always confident, but we have to do better, of course. And if we don’t then it is going to be very difficult. Seven more games and tough ones as well, so things have to change for us to deserve that as well.”

Liverpool’s season now rests on whether those words can finally be matched by action.

Inter slows down again, and does so at the most delicate moment of the season.

Watch the entire Serie BKT live on OneFootball for only €9.99 per month. Click here to purchase the LaB Channel Monthly Pass with no automatic renewal.

The 1-1 draw against Fiorentina at the Artemio Franchi, on Matchday 30 of Serie A, confirms a worrying trend: Cristian Chivu’s team can no longer win and, above all, no longer knows how to manage a lead.

The Nerazzurri remain in front, but the gap over Milan and Napoli is narrowing, and the feeling is that the Scudetto race is far from over.

❌ Another misstep: from Esposito to Ndour

The match in Florence seemed to be heading in the right direction immediately: after just 40 seconds, Francesco Pio Esposito unlocked the match with a winning strike from a perfect Barella assist.

But as seen in recent weeks, Inter cannot protect their lead. Fiorentina grew into the game and found the equalizer through Ndour, quick to slot home after Sommer’s short save on Gudmundsson.

It’s yet another comeback suffered—a telling sign.

😱 March WITHOUT victories

The most obvious fact is this: third consecutive match without a win. After the derby defeat against Milan and the draw with Atalanta, here comes another setback.

Two points in three games, with the added problem of having taken the lead in both drawn matches. If you also count the 0-0 in the Coppa Italia against Como, the winless streak stretches to four matches.

The last victory dates back to February 28 against Genoa. March ends without a single win—an anomaly for a team that had won 14 of its previous 15 league games.

⚠️ Big names struggling: from Thuram to Barella

At the key moment of the season, the leaders are not stepping up.

Marcus Thuram, called upon to fill in for the absent Lautaro Martinez, is clearly struggling: eight matches without a goal and lackluster performances. Barella, one of the best until his decisive mistake, ended up blemishing his match precisely in the action that led to Fiorentina’s equalizer.

Calhanoglu, recently returned, appears far from his best form, while Bastoni and Lautaro are sidelined.

Inter is paying for the absence or drop in form of its symbolic players.

🔥 Standings and pressure: Milan and Napoli are closing in

Despite everything, Inter still holds a significant lead: +6 over Allegri’s Milan and +7 over Conte’s Napoli.

But the weekend was negative because both chasers won, closing the gap and reigniting the title race.

Milan in particular believes in a comeback: Allegri has fired up the environment after a good performance against Torino and is aiming for the Napoli clash to fuel the Scudetto dream.

The idea is clear: if Inter slows down again, everything could open up.

⏳ Break and schedule: everything depends on Roma and Como

The international break perhaps comes at the right time for Chivu.

They need to regain physical and mental energy, but the real test will come immediately after. The schedule offers two decisive matches: Roma at San Siro and Como away, both teams fighting for a Champions League spot.

Two tough encounters that could shape the Scudetto battle, especially since Milan and Napoli will face each other head-to-head.

💥 The risk is real: no more margin for error

The numbers and the feeling are clear: Inter has used up all its wild cards. The lead remains, but it’s no longer as reassuring as before.

Without an immediate reaction, the real risk is having to fight for the Scudetto point by point until the very last matchday.

A scenario the Nerazzurri know well and want to avoid. Now there’s only one question: will Inter be able to bounce back, or is the race truly open again?

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

San Diego  - St. John's defeated the Kansas Jayhawks 67-65 , at Viejas Arena on March 22, 2026.

Ardie Crenshaw - The Sporting Tribune

Kansas guard Darryn Peterson (22) shoots the ball during an NCAA East Region second round game against St. John’s Sunday March 22, 2026 in San Diego, California.

Ardie Crenshaw - The Sporting Tribune

Kansas forward Flory Bidunga (40) dribbles the ball during an NCAA East Region second round game against St. John’s Sunday March 22, 2026 in San Diego, California.

Ardie Crenshaw - The Sporting Tribune

St. Johns forward Zuby Ejiofor (24) maneuvers to shoot during an NCAA East Region second round game against Kansas Sunday March 22, 2026 in San Diego, California.

Ardie Crenshaw - The Sporting Tribune

St. Johns forward Dillon Mitchell (1) makes a driving layup during an NCAA East Region second round game against Kansas Sunday March 22, 2026 in San Diego, California.

Ardie Crenshaw - The Sporting Tribune

Kansas guard Melvin Council Jr. (14) dribbles the ball during an NCAA East Region second round game against St. John’s Sunday March 22, 2026 in San Diego, California.

Ardie Crenshaw - The Sporting Tribune

Kansas guard Darryn Peterson (22) drives the basket during an NCAA East Region second round game against St. John’s Sunday March 22, 2026 in San Diego, California.

Ardie Crenshaw - The Sporting Tribune

Kansas guard Darryn Peterson (22) drives the basket during an NCAA East Region second round game against St. John’s Sunday March 22, 2026 in San Diego, California.

Ardie Crenshaw - The Sporting Tribune

Kansas guard Elmarko Jackson (13) dunks the basketball during an NCAA East Region second round game against St. John’s Sunday March 22, 2026 in San Diego, California.

Ardie Crenshaw - The Sporting Tribune

Kansas forward Bryson Tiller (15) shoots the ball during an NCAA East Region second round game against St. John’s Sunday March 22, 2026 in San Diego, California.

Ardie Crenshaw - The Sporting Tribune

St. Johns guard Bryce Hopkins (23) shoots the ball during an NCAA East Region second round game against Kansas Sunday March 22, 2026 in San Diego, California.

Ardie Crenshaw - The Sporting Tribune

St. Johns forward Zuby Ejiofor (24) dunks the ball during an NCAA East Region second round game against St. John’s Sunday March 22, 2026 in San Diego, California.

Ardie Crenshaw - The Sporting Tribune

Kansas guard Melvin Council Jr. (14) makes a running layup during an NCAA East Region second round game against St. John’s Sunday March 22, 2026 in San Diego, California.

Ardie Crenshaw - The Sporting Tribune

St. John’s forward Ruben Prey (17) reacts to making a shot during an NCAA East Region second round game against Kansas Sunday March 22, 2026 in San Diego, California.

Ardie Crenshaw - The Sporting Tribune

St. John’s forward Ruben Prey (17) reacts to making a shot during an NCAA East Region second round game against Kansas Sunday March 22, 2026 in San Diego, California.

Ardie Crenshaw - The Sporting Tribune

St. John’s guard Ian Jackson (11) makes a running layup during an NCAA East Region second round game against Kansas Sunday March 22, 2026 in San Diego, California.

Ardie Crenshaw - The Sporting Tribune

St. John’s forward Zuby Ejiofor (24) shoots the ball during an NCAA East Region second round game against Kansas Sunday March 22, 2026 in San Diego, California.

Ardie Crenshaw - The Sporting Tribune

St. John’s guard Dylan Darling (0) makes the game winning shot during an NCAA East Region second round game against Kansas Sunday March 22, 2026 in San Diego, California.

The Sporting Tribune's Ardie Crenshaw was there to capture the following images.

Chelsea Turmoil Deepens as Enzo Fernandez Questions Club Direction

Chelsea’s season has drifted into uncertainty, and now one of their central figures, Enzo Fernandez, has voiced concerns that cut deeper than results alone. Following a bruising Champions League exit and a stuttering domestic run, the Argentina midfielder has publicly questioned decisions made above the dressing room, particularly surrounding the departure of Enzo Maresca.

Fernandez reaction highlights Chelsea confusion

Speaking after Chelsea’s heavy 8-2 aggregate defeat to Paris Saint Germain, Enzo did not hide his frustration. The midfielder admitted that the squad struggled to make sense of Maresca’s sudden exit earlier this year.

‘I don’t understand it either,’ he said. ‘Sometimes there are things that we as players don’t understand, how and in what way they try to manage things.’

That confusion appears to reflect a wider sense of instability at Chelsea. Maresca had delivered silverware in the form of the Club World Cup and implemented a structured approach on the pitch. His departure, prompted by disagreements with the board, disrupted that progress at a critical stage of the season.

Maresca exit impact felt across squad

Fernandez made clear that Maresca’s influence extended beyond tactics. His emphasis on organisation and identity had provided a framework that players could rely on.

‘Obviously, it was a departure that hurt us a lot because we had an identity. He gave us an order, even though, as is the way of football, sometimes it’s good and bad.

‘But he always had a very clear identity when it came to training and playing, and obviously his departure hurt us a lot, especially in the middle of the season, it cuts everything short.’

Those words underline a deeper issue at Chelsea. The transition to Liam Rosenior has not delivered immediate stability, with just one win in five league matches leaving the club sixth in the table. What once looked like a campaign of promise now feels fragile, shaped as much by boardroom decisions as performances on the pitch.

Photo IMAGO

Rosenior era begins under pressure

Rosenior arrived with a reputation for progressive coaching, yet the early signs have been turbulent. Chelsea’s recent form suggests a team searching for cohesion, still adjusting to new ideas while carrying the residue of a disrupted system.

For Enzo, the challenge is not merely tactical, but psychological. A team that believed it had direction under Maresca now appears uncertain, caught between philosophies and expectations.

Future uncertainty grows for Enzo

Perhaps most telling was Fernandez’s admission when asked about his own future. His response offered little reassurance.

‘I don’t know, I don’t know.

‘There are eight games left and the FA Cup. There’s the World Cup and then we’ll see.’

For Chelsea, those words carry weight. Enzo remains one of the club’s defining talents, a player around whom their midfield has been built. Any doubt over his long term commitment adds another layer of concern to an already unsettled period.

As the season approaches its conclusion, Chelsea face more than a fight for results. They must rediscover clarity, restore confidence, and convince players like Enzo that the direction of the club aligns with their ambitions.

Chelsea’s running stats are the worst in the league, and this was put to Liam Rosenior after the Blues lost to Everton on Saturday.

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It was pointed out by Sky Sports on Saturday’s coverage that Chelsea have been outrun by every single team they’ve faced this season. Liam Rosenior was then asked about this after the game.

Without wanting to use the fixture pile-up as an excuse, Rosenior made it very clear that he thought that was behind his team’s struggles.

Rosenior on Chelsea’s fixture list

“What I don’t want to do, I don’t want to be seen to make excuses. That was not good enough. The last week hasn’t been good enough,” the Chelsea manager said.

“[But] I think if you’re a logical thinking person and you look at the workload and the amount of games that the players have played, I think it’s a pretty simple conclusion to come to.” 111

In that case Liam, why are Man City top? They played in the Club World Cup too. They have played one MORE game than us since the start of last season, and don’t seem to be struggling.

In other news…

Rosenior’s claims that his team are 4th in the league since he took charge might be true, but they ring very hollow.

The manager claimed that it wasn’t a lack of effort or tactical mistakes that were costing Chelsea – but insisted he didn’t want to blame the players.

If you enjoy Chelsea News coverage and want to see more of it, add us as a preferred source on Google to make us a favourite and see more of our content.

Check out the latest edition of Simon Phillips’ SPTC podcast here:

Through the 2024-25 season, the Los Angeles Lakers have had a total of 506 players suit up for them, going back to their days in Minneapolis. Some were forgettable, some were serviceable, some were good and a select few were flat-out legendary.

During the Lakers' 80th season of existence (they were founded back in 1946 as the Detroit Gems in the National Basketball League), LeBron Wire is taking a look at each player who has worn their jersey, whether it has been a purple and gold one or the ones they donned back in the Midwest during their early years.

Kevin McKenna put up solid numbers during his four seasons at Creighton University, and he helped the school reach the NCAA Tournament twice. In 1981, the Lakers took him in the fourth round of the NBA draft.

He averaged 1.9 points and 0.8 rebounds in 6.6 minutes a game as a rookie, and while he didn't get a single second of playing time during the playoffs that year, he did earn an NBA championship ring with the Lakers.

McKenna spent the next season in the Continental Basketball Association before returning to the NBA with the Indiana Pacers in 1983. The 6-foot-5 guard retired from the NBA following the 1987-88 season with career averages of 5.4 points, 1.3 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 14.2 minutes a game.

He later became the head coach at the University of Nebraska Omaha, a Division II school, from 2001 to 2005, and after that, he was the head coach at Indiana State University from 2007 to 2010.

This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Lakers jersey history No. 30 — Kevin McKenna

San Diego  - The Arizona Wildcats defeated the Utah State Aggies  ,78-68 at Viejas Arena on March 22, 2026. The Sporting Tribune's Ardie Crenshaw was there to following images.

Ardie Crenshaw - The Sporting Tribune

Utah State guard MJ Collins Jr. (2) shoots the ball during an NCAA East Region second round game against Arizona Sunday March 22, 2026 in San Diego, California.

Ardie Crenshaw - The Sporting Tribune

Utah State guard Mason Falslev (12) shoots the ball during an NCAA East Region second round game against Arizona Sunday March 22, 2026 in San Diego, California.

Ardie Crenshaw - The Sporting Tribune

Utah State guard Mason Falslev (12) looks to shoot during an NCAA East Region second round game against Arizona Sunday March 22, 2026 in San Diego, California.

Ardie Crenshaw - The Sporting Tribune

Utah State guard Mason Falslev (12) dribbles the ball during an NCAA East Region second round game against Arizona Sunday March 22, 2026 in San Diego, California.

Ardie Crenshaw - The Sporting Tribune

Arizona center Motiejus Krivas (13) contest the shot of Utah State guard Kolby King (7) during an NCAA East Region second round game against Utah State Sunday March 22, 2026 in San Diego, California.

Ardie Crenshaw - The Sporting Tribune

Utah State forward Karson Templin (22) looks to shoot during an NCAA East Region second round game against Arizona Sunday March 22, 2026 in San Diego, California.

Ardie Crenshaw - The Sporting Tribune

Utah State guard MJ Collins Jr. (2) makes a driving layup during an NCAA East Region second round game against Arizona Sunday March 22, 2026 in San Diego, California.

Ardie Crenshaw - The Sporting Tribune

Utah State guard Kolby King (7) shoots the ball during an NCAA East Region second round game against Arizona Sunday March 22, 2026 in San Diego, California.

Ardie Crenshaw - The Sporting Tribune

Utah State guard MJ Collins Jr. (2) drives to the basket during an NCAA East Region second round game against ArizonaSunday March 22, 2026 in San Diego, California.

Ardie Crenshaw - The Sporting Tribune

Utah State guard Mason Falslev (12) looks to shoot during an NCAA East Region second round game against Arizona Sunday March 22, 2026 in San Diego, California.

Ardie Crenshaw - The Sporting Tribune

Utah State guard Mason Falslev (12) shoots the ball during an NCAA East Region second round game against Arizona Sunday March 22, 2026 in San Diego, California.

Ardie Crenshaw - The Sporting Tribune

Utah State forward Garry Clark (11) catches a pass during an NCAA East Region second round game against Arizona Sunday March 22, 2026 in San Diego, California.

Ardie Crenshaw - The Sporting Tribune

Arizona forward Koa Peat (10) makes a running layup during an NCAA East Region second round game against Utah State Sunday March 22, 2026 in San Diego, California.

Ardie Crenshaw - The Sporting Tribune

Utah State guard Mason Falslev (12) shoots the ball during an NCAA East Region second round game against Arizona Sunday March 22, 2026 in San Diego, California.

Ardie Crenshaw - The Sporting Tribune

Arizona guard Jaden Bradley (0) makes a running layup during an NCAA East Region second round game against Utah State Sunday March 22, 2026 in San Diego, California.

Ardie Crenshaw - The Sporting Tribune

Arizona guard Jaden Bradley (0) celebrates making a basket with the fans during an NCAA East Region second round game against Utah State Sunday March 22, 2026 in San Diego, California.

Ardie Crenshaw - The Sporting Tribune

Arizona guard Jaden Bradley (0) shoots a floater during an NCAA East Region second round game against Utah State Sunday March 22, 2026 in San Diego, California.

Ardie Crenshaw - The Sporting Tribune

Arizona center Motiejus Krivas (13) shoots the ball during an NCAA East Region second round game against Utah State Sunday March 22, 2026 in San Diego, California.

A 19-year-old surfer has described the moment he rode the "wave of my life" at the notorious Mullaghmore break in Ireland.

North Devon surfer Malakai Hagley's moment on the huge wave went viral on social media, with 11‑time world champion Kelly Slater commenting: "That looks fake! What a ride!"

Hagley said waking up to praise from Slater was overwhelming. "Kelly is the man. To have even a little respect from him blew my mind."

Hagley, who grew up near Croyde and works as a surf coach on the beach, travelled to Mullaghmore in County Sligo, encouraged by big‑wave rider Andrew Cotton, also from north Devon.

Hagley had already made several winter trips to Mullaghmore to paddle the break, but this time Cotton offered to tow him into the swell on a personal watercraft, opening the door to far larger waves.

Hagley said the conditions at the challenging wave, which attracts elite surfers from around the world, turned out to be "some of the biggest waves I have ever surfed".

It was also his first experience of tow‑in surfing where a surfer is "whipped" into a wave on a tow rope.

"I could not even get my feet in the straps at first," said Hagley. "I was seeing the biggest waves of my life and falling forwards off the board. It was not the ideal day to learn, but we made it work."

Footage of the ride shows Hagley navigating a powerful, pitching wall of water estimated at more than 30ft (9m) high.

Hagley said he realised only afterwards how heavy the wave had been. "At one point the spit blinded me, and I thought I was about to get smashed. I felt the back of the wave hit me and somehow held on. When I made it to the channel I was laughing. I could not believe it."

Hagley first met Cotton when he was five years old, after the surfer visited his primary school to give an inspirational talk. Two decades later, Hagley said it felt "pretty surreal" to be out in the water with the man who once stood in front of his class.

He hopes the ride will help him build support to chase more big‑wave swells next winter. "It was the wave of my life," he said. "Hopefully it is just the start."

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An incredible offer of a player signals a real intent from Liverpool to go all-in on teenager Rio Ngumoha.

Are Liverpool about to go all-in on Rio Ngumoha? They’ve been reluctant to do so this season, using the teenager sparingly in an attempt to not rush anything.

That and a belief that he’s not quite ready to be a prominent attack in a top Premier League side, anyway. And that’s just about fair enough given he’s still just 17.

But Ngumoha has shone every time he’s played for Liverpool this season. He brings a dynamic edge that the team otherwise lacks and while a lot of that is from him being the only traditional winger in the squad, his ability to run at defenders is extraordinary.

There’s a real suggestion that Liverpool see it that way, too. Teamtalk reports that Cody Gakpo has been offered to clubs by intermediaries, something that would surely only happen if the Reds wanted to gauge interest in the Dutchman.

And that’s only going to happen if Ngumoha is viewed as both the short-team and long-term future of the team. Moving Gakpo on would be a sign of going all-in on the teenager, moving him into a more prominent role.

We can’t imagine anyone will be signed who blocks his pathway, after all. The Ngumoha era may be upon us.

Rio Ngumoha: Situation Summary

Historic Full Debut

On 15 March, the 17-year-old winger made his first Premier League start in a 1-1 draw against Tottenham. He became the youngest player on record (since 2006/07) to complete 7 dribbles in a single top-flight match, maintaining a 100% success rate. Pundits Wayne Rooney and Daniel Sturridge praised his "fearlessness," with Rooney comparing his direct style to a young version of himself.

Role and Statistics

Ngumoha has become a regular fixture in Arne Slot’s matchday squads, recording 20 senior appearances this season. While most have been cameos, he famously scored a 100th-minute winner against Newcastle in August. Most recently, he appeared as a substitute in the 2-1 defeat to Brighton on 21 March and played a minute in the 4-0 Champions League win over Galatasaray.

Ngumoha is under contract until June 2028. His rapid ascent has caught the eye of England manager Thomas Tuchel, who recently refused to rule out a surprise 2026 World Cup call-up for the teenager.

Manchester City claimed the first piece of silverware for the 2025/26 season with their 2-0 win over Arsenal at Wembley in yesterday’s Carabao Cup final. A second half brace from Nico O’Reilly was enough to cap off a dominant second half performance from Pep Guardiola’s side. Nico O’Reilly’s brace, the performances of Rayan Cherki, Jeremy Doku, Antoine Semenyo, Abdukodir Khusanov and James Trafford all stood out yesterday. On top of that, Manchester City’s experienced players led the way at Wembley as they each played a huge role in Manchester City’s Carabao Cup triumph.

Every single senior player stood up for Manchester City yesterday.

One ingredient that this Manchester City squad has over Arsenal is experience in winning finals and claiming silverware. That may change in the coming months, but for right now, that statement rings true. After Mikel Arteta’s side made a strong start to yesterday’s Carabao Cup final, Pep Guardiola’s side grew into the match. A key part of this was the leadership, work rate, and sacrifice of Manchester City’s senior players. Every single one of them stood up when it mattered most at Wembley.

Nathan Ake was superb at the back. He was a calming influence on Abdukodir Khusanov and as the game wore on the Dutch international became a wall at the back. He was rarely beaten and as Arsenal looked to play long balls over the top of City’s defence, Ake wasn’t rattled. It was a vintage performance from Ake at Wembley.

You can also through Matheus Nunes into the senior player category. The Portuguese international was strong defensively and as the match wore on he became a major attacking weapon for City. His assist for Nico O’Reilly’s second goal was utterly brilliant and his composure to delay his cross until the ideal moment stood out in that crucial moment. Matheus Nunes has come on in leaps and bounds this season and that showed at Wembley.

Bernardo Silva and Rodri were superb in midfield against Arsenal.

Bernardo Silva and Rodri were both superb in midfield. As City were up against it to begin the game, the pair never gave up the fight. The further the match wore on, both players were key in Manchester City establishing their dominance before Nico O’Reilly broke the game open. Both players gave their all to the cause for Pep Guardiola’s side yesterday, and City wouldn’t have won without their efforts.

Erling Haaland put in a real shift up against William Saliba and Gabriel. Haaland was starved of chances yesterday, but his work rate and commitment could not be questioned. His sheer presence drew the Arsenal defence, and that did help City prosper at Wembley yesterday.

Manchester City’s captain was thrilled with his team’s win and what it meant for City’s younger players.

Speaking after Manchester City’s Carabao Cup triumph over Arsenal, Bernardo Silva said he was thrilled to win another trophy for the club. The Manchester City captain added that yesterday’s win at Wembley was a special moment for Manchester City’s younger players. He explained: “Finals are always a special game where you have to deal with your emotions well. The game is normally decided on small details. Today the performance was really good from the team. To be able to have that feeling that yes, we can do it, it’s huge for the future of this club.”

“I’m really proud, really happy for us and for them [younsters]. Hopefully we can still fight for the next two trophies in the last months of the season.”

”

Finals are always a special game where you have to deal with your emotions well,” he began. “The game is normally decided on small details.”

“Today the performance was really good from the team. To be able to have that feeling that yes, we can do it, it’s huge for the future of this Club.

“I’m really proud, really happy for us and for them [younsters]. Hopefully we can still fight for the next two trophies in the last months of the season.”

“For sure, Wembley is always special. Giving a trophy back to the club and to the fans is always very special. So we’re really happy.”

Final thoughts.

The senior players in the Manchester City lineup all played key roles in their team’s Carabao Cup success yesterday. They led the way for their younger teammates to follow. Each of them also set an example for their younger teammates to follow in the future. Pep Guardiola’s new-look side claimed their first piece of silverware together at Wembley yesterday. At the core of Manchester City’s win over Arsenal were the performances of their senior players who led from the front.

PHILADELPHIA — Some cried with towels covering their faces. Others roamed the room with a dazed expression. 

Deep within the winding Xfinity Mobile Arena corridor and inside the UCLA locker room, silence washed over 15 players — six of whom had likely just donned the blue and gold jersey for the final time. Down the hall, a UConn placard was slapped on a lifesize bracket that signaled the Huskies’ third Sweet 16 appearance in the last four seasons.

The Bruins knew it was an uphill battle. They knew they’d have to play perfect to stay close. But they couldn’t match the moment.

Without leading scorer Tyler Bilodeau for a third straight game due to injury, their offense went dark and no one filled the void. No. 7-seeded UCLA made one of its last nine shots and didn’t score a point for a final 2:55 of Sunday’s NCAA tournament second-round clash with No. 2-seeded UConn. It resulted in a quiet, season-ending exit — the Bruins’ 73-57 loss marked their second-fewest points in a game this season.

Sophomore guard Trent Perry, tugging on his jersey and holding back tears, took accountability.

“This tournament, I didn’t perform for my team at all,” he said. “I let my seniors down, I let my teammates down … I got to be better.”

Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

UCLA Bruins guard Trent Perry (0) dribbles the ball against the UConn Huskies in the first half during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

But it wasn’t a down year for Perry, who elevated his scoring average by nine points and showed star-level flashes. There was growth in the margins for the Bruins, who held a players-only meeting in February after dropping back-to-back games by 20-plus points before winning six of their next seven. Senior guard Donovan Dent made history with the first triple-double in a Big Ten tournament game last weekend.

They just didn’t show up Sunday.

After last year’s season-ending loss, also a Round of 32 game, coach Mick Cronin didn’t want to look ahead to this season.

“My biggest concern is how bad the seats are … on that terrible plane that we’re going to have to fly home tomorrow,” he said.

Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin reacts in the second half during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

Cronin steered the conversation away from basketball again Sunday. He gave a “no comment” on the technical foul he was called for with 4:41 left. When asked about UConn senior forward Alex Karaban’s season-high 27-point night, he said he couldn’t “access what he did all season.” 

Instead, he shared a more sobering thought. 

“Right now is not the time to coach. Right now is the time to try to be a father figure for those guys,” Cronin said.

UConn coach Dan Hurley, who spoke with the refs before entering his team’s huddle to begin most of Sunday’s timeouts, watched the Huskies reel off a 9-0 run across a 1:05 stretch late in the second half — a strong response to a 10-2 UCLA surge right before it.

Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

UCLA Bruins center Xavier Booker (1) attempts to get a rebound against the UConn Huskies in the second half during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

The Bruins, hampered without Bilodeau’s 6-foot-9 frame, had trouble with UConn’s size on both ends. UCLA converted just two of their first 10 layup attempts, a majority of which came off isolation drives from Dent and Eric Dailey Jr., and let the Huskies score 10 more paint points.

“All due respect, our offense got us beat, or lack thereof I should say,” Cronin said. “Got to be able to finish at the rim or get fouled. We just couldn't do it. It just puts way too much pressure on your defense. You're not going to shut them out.”

It took the Bruins more than three minutes to score a basket in Friday’s first round win over UCF — they missed their first seven shots and looked disjointed early, then surged ahead before the break. 

Sunday was the opposite.

Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

UConn Huskies guard Malachi Smith (0) dribbles the ball against the UCLA Bruins in the second half during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

Skyy Clark gave UCLA a steal and fast-break layup just 20 seconds in. It provided the Bruins with a lead they protected for nearly 13 minutes, until a three by UConn’s Jayden Ross evened it up at 20 — setting up five eventual lead changes and six ties.

The Bruins struggled at times to break the Knights’ sporadic man press Friday, which made way for a rocky second half. The Huskies employed a similar full-court tactic, speeding them up and dwindling the shot clock on UCLA’s offensive possessions.

It resulted in seven UConn steals and 11 Bruin turnovers, just the second time UCLA committed 10 or more during its final nine games of the season.

Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

UCLA Bruins center Xavier Booker (1) reacts against the UConn Huskies in the first half during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

Karaban, who was on pace for 44 points after the game’s first 10 minutes, joined Braylon Mullins and Jayden Ross for all six of UConn’s first-half 3-point makes — already more than the Huskies’ five total in Friday’s Round of 64 win over Furman and three against St. Johns in last weekend’s Big East tournament championship.

Xavier Booker (13 points) was the only Bruin with double-digit points before the break. Dent, Dailey (12 points) and Clark joined him in the second half, but on mixed efficiency.

UCLA’s three-guard starting core of Perry (five points), Dent (11 points) and Clark (11 points) combined to shoot 4-for-15 after the break.

Dent, who transferred to Westwood last offseason after spending his first three seasons at New Mexico, stared at the floor. He talked in a library voice after his final college game.

“We just missed shots that we normally make,” he said. “It just sucks that that’s how we went out, not playing up to our best ability … This season was a rollercoaster for us.”

Which team in modern basketball wouldn’t want to be compared to prime Golden State Warriors? They struck fear into the hearts of opponents every time they took to the court, and that’s the vibe Dan Hurley felt they set in their win against UCLA, which booked UConn’s spot in the Sweet 16.

The Huskies defeated the Bruins 73-57, and when Hurley compared themselves to the Warriors in the post-game interview, one could have just assumed that they scorched the field from the perimeter. But that wasn’t the case.

UConn shot just 33% from the field in their victory, but it was the “feeling” that forced Hurley to make the Warriors comparison. His star player Alex Karaban? His very own Stephen Curry.

“We shot 33% from three and it felt like we were the Warriors, man, It was incredible,” coach Hurley, ecstatic after the win, stated.

When the interviewer further quipped that Karaban next to him was a ‘Stephen Curry in white wearing number 11’, Hurley stated, “Sure do.”

Hurley pointed to Karaban and showered him with all the praise in the world. “It’s about this guy here, his greatness,” he said. “In the last four years, there hasn’t been a better player in college basketball, surely hasn’t been a bigger winner.”

Well, Karaban is no Curry. That’s for certain. He’s a forward at 6’8″, after all. But in terms of shooting, the 2-time NCAA champ certainly has range, and can be lethal. Against the UCLA, he put up 27 points, including four three pointers, so Hurley can’t be blamed for comparing him with Curry just for the night.

But to reach Curry’s level, Karaban has miles to go. It’s good he returned to college after withdrawing himself from the 2024 Draft, because he feels he has a lot to improve. In terms of movement and explosives, he still lacks that little edge, and it’s yet to be seen if he declares himself for the upcoming draft.

For now though, Karaban will be looking to focus on the Sweet 16 and getting UConn to another championship win.

The post Dan Hurley Compares UConn to Warriors After Win vs. UCLA, Hints at Alex Karaban Being His Steph Curry appeared first on The SportsRush.

What time is South Carolina vs. USC today? TV schedule, channel, live stream to watch NCAA women's game originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Last March, South Carolina and Southern Cal announced a two-year women's basketball series called "The Real SC", matching two of the top programs in the country. Monday, we get a bonus installment in the second round of the NCAA tournament. 

No. 1 seed South Carolina will host this one in Columbia after traveling to Los Angeles in its fourth game of the season. The Gamecocks (32-3) mauled Southern 103-34 in their NCAA opener on Saturday behind 27 points and eight rebounds in 28 minutes from Joyce Edwards, but they know much bigger challenges await. 

Ninth-seeded USC (18-13) traveled cross-country and knocked off No. 8 seed Clemson in overtime in its tournament opener. Jazzy Davidson played all 45 minutes, scoring 31 and adding six rebounds and five assists to continue the starring role she has played all season.

It was one year ago Tuesday that the Trojans lost their marquee player, JuJu Watkins, to a torn ACL in an NCAA tournament game against Mississippi State. That injury and Watkins' subsequent decision to sit out all of this season to focus on rehab and recovery altered expectations for USC in 2025-26, and it has been a struggle at times. 

Still, the Trojans have already seen the Gamecocks once, falling 69-52 in mid-November at Crypto.com Arena, and will have plenty of motivation to shock the women's basketball world with an upset. 

Here's everything you need to know to tune in to, yes, USC vs. USC on Monday. 

What time is South Carolina vs. USC today?

• Date: Monday, March 23
• Time: 8 p.m. ET

The NCAA women’s tournament game between South Carolina and USC is set to tip off Monday at 8 p.m. ET from Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina. 

The Gamecocks are 4-0 all-time against the Trojans, including the win earlier this season in Los Angeles. Oddly enough, South Carolina has scored either 69 or 70 points every time it has played USC. 

What channel is South Carolina vs. USC on?

• TV channel: ESPN
• Live stream: ESPN app, Fubo

South Carolina vs. Southern Cal will air on ESPN, with Mike Monaco, Stephanie White and Molly McGrath on the call. 

Fans looking to stream the game can watch live on the ESPN app, which will carry every NCAA women’s basketball tournament game in 2026.

Now you can watch ESPN without cable. Stream live NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, college sports, plus SportsCenter, First Take, and all your favorite ESPN shows—anytime, anywhere—only in the new ESPN app.

Fans can also stream the game via Fubo, which offers a free trial to new subscribers so you can try before you buy. 

South Carolina vs. USC radio coverage

• Radio station:SiriusXM

Listen to South Carolina vs. USC in the 2026 NCAA women's basketball tournament live on the SiriusXM app or on channel 81 in vehicles.

New subscribers can listen to SiriusXM for free for four months. Listen to live NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL games, plus NASCAR, college sports and more. Stay updated with all the news and get all the analysis on multiple sport-specific channels.

Women’s March Madness bracket 2026

Check the Sporting News women’s NCAA Tournament live bracket for the latest final scores and next-round matchups.

When is the Women's Final Four in 2026?

• Date: April 3 and 5
• Location: Mortgage Matchup Center, Phoenix

The 2026 Women's Final Four is set for April 3 and 5 at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix. The semifinals will be played Friday night and the national championship game is set for Sunday afternoon. 

Women’s March Madness tournament schedule 2026

Here is the round-by-round schedule for the 2026 NCAA women’s basketball tournament:

Related links

• 2026 Women's March Madness bracket, scores
• Latest women's college basketball news

Former Chelsea star Joe Cole has told Chelsea to sign Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven in the summer window.

The centre back could be more than attainable if Tottenham find themselves relegated to the Championship this season, something that is actually looking more than possible right now after they were beaten by Nottingham Forest in the Premier League yesterday.

EXCLUSIVE! 6 Chelsea players have already started exploring moves away this summer, with 5 others also in doubt

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Chelsea fans would certainly be celebrating a Spurs relegation, if that did happen, but they would also be perhaps looking at their squad to see if there are any players that we could sign to take advantage of them dropping down the league with players wanting out.

Cole tells Chelsea to sign van de Ven

The former England international believes the Dutch centre-back is the perfect solution to the defensive frailties currently plaguing Liam Rosenior’s side.

Speaking on the potential move, Cole was clear about the impact the Dutchman could have on Rosenior’s squad.

“Micky van de Ven from Tottenham,” Cole stated when discussing potential targets, per The Sun. “I think he’s looking like he wants to leave and I think he would be a brilliant addition for Chelsea. They want to play that high line and you need a defender with pace and, you know, a good one-on-one defender. He’s brilliant.”

In other news…

Liam Rosenior has claimed that it wasn’t a lack of effort or tactical mistakes that were costing Chelsea – but insisted he didn’t want to blame the players in the wake of the Everton defeat on Saturday night.

But Rosenior also blamed “mistakes” for the goals Chelsea were conceding – but we’re going to need a bit more than that I’m afraid.

If you enjoy Chelsea News coverage and want to see more of it, add us as a preferred source on Google to make us a favourite and see more of our content.

Check out the latest edition of Simon Phillips’ SPTC podcast here:

Good morning everyone.

For those of you who haven’t checked the hoddle these last few weeks, then you might’ve missed that I’ve begun documenting my training for my next marathon, which is on 4 April. The goal is to smash by personal best and see just how close to a 3-hour marathon I can get (pretty close, I think).

The whole point of this is to almost document my anxiety from all this training. It’s a big commitment to run a marathon. The worst of winter has come and gone, although it could return this week. Still, we’re counting down the remaining weeks until race day.

(Catch up on Weeks 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 here)

Week 15:

They call it a “taper tantrum” for a reason.

My marathon is less than two weeks away which means it’s now time to scale back some of that mileage, although this week comes with the challenge of trying to not cut it back too much.

Your hoddler-in-chief will be hitting the road this week, and that’s going to make it very difficult to go out running. That’s where the “taper tantrum” comes into play.

“Taper tantrum” is a common expression for the anxiety runners have in the final week or two before a big race. By design you’re supposed to scale back your mileage to help your body get the rest it needs for rest day. Most tapering plans are 1-3 weeks depending on the race. For the marathon, I’m tapering two weeks.

Part of my anxiety is to make sure none of the hard work I’ve been doing slips away in the final 12 days leading up to the marathon. I’m still trying to eat well, lay off the alcohol and continue my running pattern. I admittedly slipped up a little bit on that second one the other night, but I’m not going to let it totally derail me.

So where does this leave me? Well I’ve got at least one big one scheduled for Sunday before I take a flight out of Washington DC later that afternoon.

Sunday: 16 miles

This is my dress rehearsal for the marathon. I’ve got my raceday shoes, socks, shorts, tank and hat. And I’ve got a good distance at 16 miles.

This time I won’t be doing “easy miles”. It’ll be a two-mile warmup with the final 14 miles at marathon pace. Because I haven’t had the chance to do much running at goal pace during the winter, I think this’ll be a good opportunity to give that a shot.

It’s a longer stretch of the run I did Thursday (12 miles: 2 easy, 4 at MP, 1 easy, 4 at MP, 1 mile cooldown). And I felt in control of that for the entire time. This one just condenses the two marathon-pace blocks and adds a few more miles in there for good measure.

The good news is I’ll have plenty of time to sit on the aeroplane.

Monday: Rest

I’ll be doing my best to stretch while I can. Heck, maybe I’ll even bring my stretching rope or foam roller.

Tuesday – Friday: Run when able

There’s no plan here. I’m going to try to go out when it’s possible, even if for just a couple of miles. It’ll be nice to stretch those legs out and I’ll just have to live with the fact that my mileage is going to drop considerably this week.

Saturday: 4-6 miles easy

This is my optimistic take, since I’m flying back into DC on Saturday. If I wake up early enough I think I’ll have a chance to knock out a handful of miles before I head to the airport. And then hopefully I’m feeling in fine form when I prepare for my Sunday run back home.

Total estimated miles: 20? Maybe more? Hopefully not too much less.

Fitzie’s note: Since your hoddler-in-chief will be traveling this whole week, you’ll have some bonus hoddlers-in-chief the remaining four days. Do be on your best behaviour!

Fitzie’s track of the day: Tom Sawyer, by Rush

No links today!

The fans in Europe were really on fire this weekend. In several leagues, there were incredible choreographies to admire. So you don't miss professional football too much during the upcoming international break, we've picked out a few highlights for you.

Stade Rennes in Ligue 1

Real Madrid in La Liga

Feyenoord in the Eredivisie

Newcastle United in the Premier League

Hamburger SV in the Bundesliga

Hannover 96 in the 2. Bundesliga

Which one did you like the most? Feel free to let us know in the comments. 

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

"It is man against nature, it's sailing a boat through 60 knots of wind and the waves are taller than the boat."

Bob Brown is more than six months into the adventure of a lifetime as he circumnavigates the world as part of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race.

Brown, 60, has travelled more than 20,000 nautical miles with his crew so far.

"[We have had] broken booms, all sorts of shenanigans going on on the boat. We have been at it hard," Brown said.

He said the journey so far had been "absolutely epic".

When asked what his highlights were so far, while speaking to the BBC from Tongyeong in South Korea, he said: "For me it has all been about the sailing, the big oceans and having waves the size of houses.

"The weather, the wildlife, dolphins, whales.

"And not being afraid, knowing that the boat will do the job and you just sail through it."

There are 10 70ft (21m) racing yachts taking part in the race and more than 700 crew members involved.

The full circumnavigation, which began in August, is set to take 46 weeks to complete.

Brown said the camaraderie with other crews was a big part of the adventure.

He added: "I know people in every boat and they're going through that journey as well.

"When we are all on dry land it is an arm around the shoulder and supporting each other."

Brown said the journey was not just about "who has won, who has come last" but added that was "part of it".

• Listen: 'Waves the size of houses' – A plumber’s adventure

Brown, a plumber from Leicester, said previously that he was hopeful it would "scratch" his itch for adventure.

The route for the full circumnavigation is divided into eight legs, with the first starting from Portsmouth and taking sailors to Spain, before crossing the Atlantic Ocean.

Then, the boats sail towards Uruguay, South Africa, West Australia, East Australia, China, the west coast of the USA, and the east coast of the USA, in that order, before heading back to the UK.

In the latest stage of the race the crew is heading for Seattle.

Brown said: "We are on our way home now, we have turned a corner.

"We have got two big oceans to finish – the Pacific and the Atlantic.

"My partner who I [won't have] seen in seven months by then is going to be in Seattle.

"That is going to be mega emotional."

The fleet is raising money for UNICEF, with Brown's boat raising more than £48,000 for the charity.

Listen to BBC Radio Leicester on Sounds and follow BBC Leicester on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210.

More on this story

• Man ready for 'emotional' start to world boat race

The world’s largest martial arts organization returns to Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, this Friday, March 27, and fans tuning in live in Asia primetime can expect a stacked night of martial arts action.

ONE Friday Fights 148 features nine bouts across Muay Thai, kickboxing, and MMA, with each athlete on the card hunting a coveted US$100,000 contract and spot on ONE’s global roster.

In the main event, former Rajadamnern Stadium Muay Thai World Champion Kongchai Chanaidonmueang takes on Iranian knockout artist Mehrdad Khanzadeh in a strawweight Muay Thai showdown.

With more appearances at ONE Friday Fights than any other athlete in the event’s history, Kongchai is one of the most established names in the weekly series. The 23-year-old southpaw announced himself with a four-fight winning streak early in his ONE tenure, but has experienced mixed results since. Now he heads into Friday determined to recapture that early form and reassert himself as a genuine contract contender.

Standing across from him is the 24-year-old Khanzadeh, who arrives hungry to earn his second consecutive ONE victory for the first time. Nicknamed “Black Wolf” after the icon of his Iranian hometown of Ardabil, the hard-pressing orthodox striker trains out of Sor Dechapan in Bangkok and sees a win over one of the series’ most familiar faces as the statement result that could change the trajectory of his career.

In his most recent ONE outing, Khanzadeh showed tremendous heart, coming back from a knockdown to claim a split-decision victory at ONE Friday Fights 125. The performance underlined his toughness and refusal to quit when the pressure mounts.

In the co-main event, Denkriangkrai Mavinn Muaythai steps into the ring against Moldovan finisher Valerii Strungari in a flyweight Muay Thai matchup that could have serious contract implications for both men.

The 27-year-old Denkriangkrai has quietly built one of the strongest recent runs at ONE Friday Fights, stringing together four consecutive victories with his technically sound southpaw game. Inspired by his Team Mavinn Muaythai teammate Shadow Mavinn, the Siam Omnoi Champion wants to become the next fighter from his gym to earn a six-figure contract. He’s closing in on that goal with every performance.

Strungari made an immediate impression on his ONE debut in November 2025, rallying from a losing position to land a stunning knockout punch in the third round against an opponent who had been firmly in control. The 24-year-old Moldovan, who trains out of Team Mehdi Zatout in Pattaya, heads into Friday with a point to prove — that his debut finish was not a fluke, and that he belongs among the division’s elite.

In other action, France’s Velihan Palit makes his highly anticipated ONE debut against sharp Japanese southpaw Ranma in a bantamweight kickboxing matchup, with Palit carrying a seven-fight winning streak — five by stoppage — into the biggest night of his career.

Thailand’s Nongfahsai TOP PK Saenchai and Hong Kong’s Wang Tsz Ching clash in atomweight Muay Thai, with Wang entering on an impressive six-fight winning streak.

Chinese phenom Sheng Yi Yang faces Japanese technician Shota Takezoe in strawweight kickboxing, while Spain’s Jorge Pastor welcomes Iranian newcomer Ahad Varghaeian in featherweight Muay Thai. Uzbekistan’s Sattor Rizoev and Brazil’s Felipe Silva will also battle under flyweight MMA rules.

ONE Friday Fights 148 Full Card

• Kongchai Chanaidonmueang vs. Mehrdad Khanzadeh (Muay Thai – strawweight)
• Denkriangkrai Mavinn Muaythai vs. Valerii Strungari (Muay Thai – flyweight)
• Superjeng Torfunfarm vs. Prompadej NF Looksuan (Muay Thai – bantamweight)
• Jorge Pastor vs. Ahad Varghaeian (Muay Thai – featherweight)
• Krungthai Torfunfarm vs. Binladin Sor Poonsawat (Muay Thai – strawweight)
• Sattor Rizoev vs. Felipe Silva (MMA – flyweight)
• Nongfahsai TOP PK Saenchai vs. Wang Tsz Ching (Muay Thai – atomweight)
• Sheng Yi Yang vs. Shota Takezoe (kickboxing – strawweight)
• Velihan Palit vs. Ranma (kickboxing – bantamweight)

Source

Manchester United chiefs have met with the agent of Bruno Guimaraes to discuss a potential summer switch.

It comes after the Reds have been linked with the Newcastle United skipper on numerous occasions in recent weeks, as they continue their search for a suitable Casemiro successor.

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United and Bruno Guimaraes: The state of play

Weighing in on reports that United had ignited their pursuit of Guimaraes, Romano said: “A meeting took place in recent weeks between the agents of Bruno Guimaraes and Man United, it’s true.

“Manchester United maintain a very good relationship with the agency… [but] there is still a long way to go.”

The midfielder is currently out of action with a hamstring injury that he sustained during Newcastle’s clash with Tottenham Hotspur back in February, meaning he was unable to have an impact in the side’s 8-3 thumping at the hands of Barcelona and late derby defeat at home to Sunderland yesterday.

Guimaraes’ uncertain future on Tyneside has stemmed from the club’s turbulent form across 2025/2026, with the Magpies highly unlikely to be playing any form of European football next season unless they get their act together in the final seven matches.

Guimaraes plotting summer Tyneside exit

Given the Brazilian international is now 28 and therefore would have perhaps one more major transfer on offer to him before he passes his peak, this year might be the time he decides to jump ship.

(Guimaraes’ Premier League record)

Doing so to Old Trafford would be absolutely unthinkable for the St. James’ Park faithful, but it’s seemingly something he’s considering, having green-lit his agents meeting with United in the first place.

As Guimaraes’ contract is due to run until 2028, Newcastle have already tried their luck with getting their talisman to sign fresh terms, though their attempts have been to no avail as of yet.

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Manchester City and Pep Guardiola have once again defied all their critics. After being knocked out of the Champions League by Real Madrid, the Sky Blues defeated Arsenal FC 2-0 in the League Cup final yesterday. This title was especially meaningful for Guardiola.

The Spaniard is now the first manager to win the League Cup five times. Previously, Pep was level with Sir Alex Ferguson, among others. Speaking of Ferguson:

The United legend is currently the coach with the most titles in professional football (49). Since yesterday, Pep Guardiola has reached 40 and now holds second place. Is he already the greatest manager of all time?

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

BOSTON — For a majority of the 2025-26 NBA season, Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown has put the Green Team on his back. He rushed to do so again in the fourth quarter of a primetime showdown with the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday night, but even he admitted he was too hasty in the attempt to carry the Celtics.

When Brown subbed into the game with 7:30 remaining in the final frame, the Celtics trailed 87-81 and were starting to fade. The five-time All-Star tried to inject some life into his team by attacking the rim three different times in the last 12 minutes of play, yet none of his attempts were successful and the T-Wolves dominated the fourth to prevail 102-92 at TD Garden.

Jaylen Brown on what he could’ve done better tonight:

“Personally, I feel like sometimes when the game gets away from you a little bit, you're going to be more aggressive, and sometimes you need to be more patient. So for me personally, I could have been more patient.” pic.twitter.com/1cwsOQGE3l

— Daniel Donabedian (@danield1214) March 23, 2026

"I feel like sometimes when the game gets away from you a little bit, you want to be more aggressive and sometimes you need to be more patient," Brown said in a quiet locker room. "So for me personally, I could have been more patient on a lot of possessions."

Brown finished with 0 points in the fourth quarter, as the Celtics were overwhelmed 26-15 in that final stretch while failing to hit a single 3-pointer.

"I don't feel like I was as patient as I needed to be this game for my team," Brown stated. "And I feel like that ultimately cost us."

Although Brown struggled late, he wasn't solely responsible for the loss. He led the Celtics with a game-high 29 points on a night when they had trouble generating any offense at all.

"(There's) a lot of pressure, especially when we’re not making shots or the other team is playing a little bit harder than us," Brown replied when asked if a poor rebounding performance put pressure on the Celtics. "Tonight wasn’t an example of what we’ve been doing all season."

Boston was beat 56-53 on the boards and is now 9-14 this season when outrebounded by an opponent. And as far as shotmaking, the Celtics missed 24 of their 33 attempts from beyond the arc and converted on just 35.8% of their field goals.

"We didn’t play Celtics basketball tonight," Brown said bluntly.

The Celtics didn't just squander the game on their own, though. The Timberwolves, who were without star guard Anthony Edwards due to a knee injury, outplayed them in the fourth quarter and matched their effort.

25-6 RUNNNNN pic.twitter.com/AQ33IScqcM

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) March 23, 2026

"Give credit to Minnesota," Brown said. "They went smaller, they played faster, they got more physical, and they made shots — and that put pressure on us too."

Part of those smaller lineups featured Timberwolves guards Ayo Dosunmu and Bones Hyland. The former sped by defenders and contributed 17 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists for his new team while the latter drained shots with confidence and taunted the Celtics en route to a 23-point performance. The pair also combined for 9 points in the fourth quarter, which was the same amount Boston's entire starting lineup tallied.

"Fourth quarter, they got it rolling and we didn’t respond, we didn’t answer," Brown said after the Celtics fell to 47-24. "So they just kept piling on.”

The good news for the Celtics is that this outing was largely an anomaly in comparison to their other 70 games. Brown has been better, they've been stronger on the glass, and their team defense went from a weakness to a strength. They'll try to remember that going forward, especially with the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder coming to town on Wednesday night.

"Not a characteristic game of us," Brown emphasized. "But we learn from it and move on."

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This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Jaylen Brown admits Timberwolves outworked Celtics down the stretch

How to watch Senators vs. Rangers today: Channel, time, schedule, live stream for Monday Night Hockey originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Monday’s matchup between the Senators and Rangers has the feel of a game that could matter in a big way for Ottawa, especially with the playoff race getting tighter by the day. The Sens head into March 23 after a dramatic late win over the Islanders, and with Brady Tkachuk delivering in a big moment and Tim Stützle continuing to lead the offence.

New York, meanwhile, is looking to clean things up after a rough stretch that included a 6-3 loss to Columbus, with discipline and special teams becoming real issues. Even so, the Rangers still have the kind of scoring talent that can flip a game quickly, especially with Mika Zibanejad leading the way.

For Ottawa, this one feels like another chance to prove it can handle the pressure against an Original Six team on the road. For New York, it is about settling the game down and not letting the Senators dictate the pace early.

With the Sens trying to build momentum and the Rangers desperate for a better response, Monday’s game has all the ingredients for a pretty entertaining night. Looking to tune in? Here’s everything you need to know about watching Sens vs. Rangers, including start time and streaming information.

How to watch Senators vs. Rangers today

• TV channel: N/A
• Live stream: Prime Monday Night Hockey

Canadian viewers won’t find Senators vs. Rangers on a standard English TV broadcast. The game will stream exclusively on Prime Monday Night Hockey for Canadian Prime members at no additional cost.

Senators vs. Rangers start time

• Date: Monday, March 23
• Time: 7:30 p.m. ET

The Senators vs. Rangers are set to get underway at 7:30 p.m. ET on Monday, March 23. The matchup will take place at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY.

Senators 2025-26 schedule

Here are Ottawa's next five scheduled games:

Rangers 2025-26 schedule

Here are New York's next five games:

Related Links

• Latest NHL news and rumours
• Full NHL schedule, scores for 2025-26

FORT WORTH, TX — TCU women's basketball’s 62-59 overtime win over Washington in the second round of the NCAA Tournament wasn’t pretty, but it was resilient and gritty.

The No. 1 seed Horned Frogs were held to 19 points at halftime against the No. 6 seed Huskies and trailed by as many as 10 points in the matchup at Schollmaier Arena in Fort Worth, Texas. TCU’s second consecutive trip to the Sweet 16 was on the line, as was the team’s NCAA-leading 43-game home win streak. 

Frustrations started to boil over.

Senior guard Olivia Miles slammed her hand against the stanchion several times after Washington challenged an out-of-bounds call before TCU could inbound the ball with 2:31 remaining in the third quarter. The call was reversed to give the Huskies possession under their basket with a 35-30 lead and Miles quickly picked up a foul while going for a steal at the 2:23 mark. She argued with the referee during Washington’s free throw attempts.

"I was crashing out multiple times. I was angry. I was feeling all the emotions because I didn't want to go home," Miles said. "I don't want to let my team down. And (my teammates), especially Taylor (Bigby), she was in my ears, 'Just keep creating, keep scoring and keep being aggressive.' And I listened to them. I trust. It'd be a disservice for me not to be resilient for them."

MORE:Olivia Miles’ decision to skip WNBA draft pays off after new CBA deal

Miles led the charge in the second half and TCU outscored Washington 32-24 in the second half to force overtime. Miles had a look at a game-winning 3-pointer in the final possession of the game, a shot Miles practiced hundreds of times and "thought was going in," she said.

"I was distraught afterwards," Miles added. "My teammates had to calm me down a little bit."

The Horned Frogs quickly composed themselves and recovered to go on a 7-0 run to start overtime. The team credited the rowdy crowd that showed up at Schollmaier Arena on a Sunday evening for a 9 p.m. CT tip off.

"I don't think we win this game today without the crowd," Miles added. "We needed the crowd behind us ... that was a game changer for us. Marta (Suarez) kept telling us, 'A few buckets will get the crowd in it, a few buckets will get the crowd in it.' And she was right. I think when we went on that little run... it was the loudest that I've ever heard it in the (Schollmaier Arena)."

"Just a testament to what (head coach Mark Campbell) built here and his ability to rally the community," Miles added. "Getting older fans out at 9:00 PM on a Sunday... it's just a love in this community. So vibrant, just so electric."

Despite opening the game shooting 2-of-11 from the field, Miles went on to score 14 of her 18 points in TCU's second-half comeback. Miles finished two assists away from her second consecutive triple-double with 10 rebounds and eight assists. 

TCU head coach Mark Campbell called it "the quietest almost triple-double."

"Could not be more proud of this group," head coach Mark Campbell said. "That was just a gritty, resilient game. We were down the whole time. And just stayed into fight. We grinded that thing out, got it to overtime. And then we finally got finally broke loose and hit some shots and got a seven point lead. And we were able to get that across the finish line."

Clara Silva finished with 16 points and eight rebounds. Taylor Bigby added 15 points in the win.

The Horned Frogs advance to play the winner of No. 2 Iowa or No. 10 Virginia in the Sweet 16 in Sacramento, California, on Saturday, March 28. 

Reach USA TODAY National Women’s Sports Reporter Cydney Henderson at chenderson@gannett.com and follow her on X at @CydHenderson.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: TCU completes comeback, escapes with March Madness win over Washington

Jordan Ott praises Devin Booker's ability to switch between being a scorer and a playmaker originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Phoenix Suns snapped their longest losing streak of the season, five games, by beating the Toronto Raptors on Sunday. It was one of the best performances of the season, as they had six players in double figures with Devin Booker leading the way with his 25 points and six assists. 

It proved that Booker is still one of the best offensive players in the league because he is a natural scorer and playmaker. While people may see it often among stars, it is one of the hardest roles to play in the league. With the likes of Luka Doncic and James Harden, Booker has some unique peers.

Ott loves Devin Booker's natural ability as a scorer and playmaker

The Suns' 120-98 victory was a cathartic one for the team because they snapped the losing streak. At the same time, it was also payback for the Raptors' 122-115 win the week before. Booker was quite vocal about that game when he called out the referees for not calling a foul on Scottie Barnes.

It seemed Booker wanted to prove that the Suns were a much better team than the Raptors. With how he performed, he was motivated to keep fighting. Booker not only scored well, but he was also superb with how he served as the playmaker alongside Collin Gillespie.

MORE: Devin Booker feels Scottie Barnes got away with a big no-call

The rest of the Suns benefited because they had awesome performances. Almost every player who appeared for the Suns scored, and that was because everyone was in rhythm. With Booker leading the offense, everyone was feeling confident with their offensive game.

"I mentioned it earlier in the year, he has a pulse of the game as well as anyone I’ve been around. Knowing when to be aggressive. I think that’s been one of the biggest parts of our season, his belief in his teammates. He’s always making the right play," Ott said in response to Clutchpoints' Hayden Cilley about Booker's versatility on offense.

Moving forward, the Suns have a promising roster that can keep improving on offense. With Booker leading the way, that is even more promising because they have a superstar on their roster. He is ready to keep cementing himself as the man who will carry the responsibility.

More NBA news: 

• Devin Booker loves playing alongside Jalen Green, especially after they combined for 79 points
• Jalen Green admits that he loves playing alongside Devin Booker, who makes his life easier
• Collin Gillespie's success as a three-point shooter does not surprise Devin Booker
• Jordan Ott wants the Suns to maintain a next man up mentality amid their injury issues
• Dillon Brooks' broken left hand could be a game-changer for the Suns this season

The 19-year-old boxer is in critical condition after being knocked out during a boxing match on Saturday night, according to event organizers and officials who are aware of her situation.

Isis Sio, who hails from North Dakota and has a record of 1-3, got injured during a four-round bout against undefeated Jocelyn Camarillo at the Orange Show Events Center in San Bernardino.

ProBoxTV, which organized the event, stated that Isis got injured after receiving several body shots during the first round. When she stepped back and covered herself, Camarillo connected four punches to Isis’s head, causing her to fall to the canvas.

Medical personnel immediately fetched a stretcher to take Isis out of the arena for immediate medical treatment. Isis was seen convulsing on the stretcher, showing the severity of her injury.

ProBoxTV announced on Sunday that Isis was admitted to the intensive care unit at Loma Linda University Health Medical Center for treatment and put into a coma.

“On behalf of CEO Garry Jonas and the entire ProBox family, we are praying for a speedy recovery for Isis Sio. Ms. Sio is currently in a medically induced coma. Our thoughts are with her and her family at this very difficult time. Please join us in wishing for a full recovery.”

Her condition, as described by an official who knew her condition, was: “It’s not good.”

Support for Sio was also expressed by the Wild Card Boxing Club, which said it was sending positive thoughts and prayers and wishing Sio a speedy recovery.

View this post on Instagram

Camarillo, who is now 6-0 at age 21, had not had a knockout before the fight with Sio on Saturday. Just shortly after the fight, before learning of Sio’s condition, she said: “I’m happy. But I also feel a little guilty.”

After learning of Sio’s condition, Camarillo posted a message expressing prayers for her opponent’s recovery.

“Lord Jesus, we come before you with faith and urgency. Lifting up Isis [Sio] into your loving hands. Lord, you are the ultimate healer, the great physician, and we ask for your divine touch over her body.”

The fight occurred just 50 days after Sio returned from a knockout loss. Following a fight held on January 30, Sio was issued a 30-day suspension, as mandated by California boxing authorities.

Sio looked quiet and reserved during the weigh-in held on Friday, according to a report by Boxing Scene, but there were no issues raised at that time. Her condition remains critical as of Sunday night.

The post 19-Year-Old Boxer Isis Sio in Medically Induced Coma After Devastating Knockout appeared first on Where Is The Buzz | Breaking News, Entertainment, Exclusive Interviews & More.

Denver Nuggets (44-28, fifth in the Western Conference) vs. Phoenix Suns (40-32, seventh in the Western Conference)

Phoenix; Tuesday, 11 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets visit Devin Booker and the Phoenix Suns in Western Conference action.

The Suns are 25-20 in Western Conference games. Phoenix is at the bottom of the Western Conference scoring 42.5 points per game in the paint.

The Nuggets have gone 26-16 against Western Conference opponents. Denver is fourth in the Western Conference with 33.8 defensive rebounds per game led by Jokic averaging 9.7.

The Suns average 14.8 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.4 more made shots on average than the 13.4 per game the Nuggets allow. The Nuggets score 9.8 more points per game (120.8) than the Suns give up to opponents (111.0).

The teams meet for the third time this season. The Nuggets won 130-112 in the last meeting on Nov. 30. Jokic led the Nuggets with 26 points, and Dillon Brooks led the Suns with 27 points.

TOP PERFORMERS: Booker is scoring 25.5 points per game with 3.9 rebounds and 5.9 assists for the Suns. Jalen Green is averaging 23.5 points and 4.3 rebounds while shooting 45.6% over the past 10 games.

Jamal Murray is averaging 25.1 points and 7.1 assists for the Nuggets. Jokic is averaging 25.0 points over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Suns: 5-5, averaging 113.7 points, 39.7 rebounds, 25.4 assists, 8.5 steals and 4.5 blocks per game while shooting 46.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 110.2 points per game.

Nuggets: 6-4, averaging 123.0 points, 43.7 rebounds, 31.4 assists, 6.7 steals and 3.0 blocks per game while shooting 50.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 118.3 points.

INJURIES: Suns: Grayson Allen: day to day (knee), Dillon Brooks: out (hand), Mark Williams: out (foot), Haywood Highsmith: day to day (knee), Royce O'Neale: day to day (knee), Amir Coffey: day to day (ankle).

Nuggets: None listed.

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Sacramento Kings (19-53, 15th in the Western Conference) vs. Charlotte Hornets (37-34, 10th in the Eastern Conference)

Charlotte, North Carolina; Tuesday, 7 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: Charlotte hosts Sacramento aiming to extend its three-game home winning streak.

The Hornets have gone 17-17 in home games. Charlotte is eighth in the league allowing just 112.1 points per game while holding opponents to 46.7% shooting.

The Kings are 6-28 on the road. Sacramento has a 3-4 record in games decided by less than 4 points.

The Hornets are shooting 46.0% from the field this season, 3.4 percentage points lower than the 49.4% the Kings allow to opponents. The Kings average 10.2 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.6 fewer made shots on average than the 12.8 per game the Hornets allow.

The two teams square off for the second time this season. The Hornets defeated the Kings 117-109 in their last matchup on March 12. LaMelo Ball led the Hornets with 30 points, and DeMar DeRozan led the Kings with 39 points.

TOP PERFORMERS: Ball is averaging 19.7 points and 7.1 assists for the Hornets. Kon Knueppel is averaging 18.2 points over the last 10 games.

Maxime Raynaud is averaging 11.9 points and 7.3 rebounds for the Kings. DeRozan is averaging 17.6 points over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Hornets: 7-3, averaging 116.6 points, 45.1 rebounds, 25.9 assists, 8.1 steals and 5.0 blocks per game while shooting 45.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 106.1 points per game.

Kings: 5-5, averaging 115.7 points, 45.5 rebounds, 27.8 assists, 6.6 steals and 4.4 blocks per game while shooting 49.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 119.6 points.

INJURIES: Hornets: Tidjane Salaun: day to day (calf).

Kings: Domantas Sabonis: out for season (back), Russell Westbrook: day to day (foot), Killian Hayes: day to day (toe), De'Andre Hunter: out for season (eye), Zach LaVine: out for season (finger), Drew Eubanks: out for season (thumb), Isaiah Stevens: day to day (ankle), Keegan Murray: out (ankle), Daeqwon Plowden: day to day (foot).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

New Orleans Pelicans (25-47, 11th in the Western Conference) vs. New York Knicks (47-25, third in the Eastern Conference)

New York; Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: New York will try to keep its three-game home win streak alive when the Knicks play New Orleans.

The Knicks are 26-9 on their home court. New York is 8-4 in games decided by less than 4 points.

The Pelicans have gone 9-25 away from home. New Orleans is 14-21 when it wins the turnover battle and averages 13.5 turnovers per game.

The Knicks score 117.2 points per game, 2.0 fewer points than the 119.2 the Pelicans allow. The Pelicans average 11.3 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.5 fewer made shots on average than the 13.8 per game the Knicks allow.

The teams play for the second time this season. The Knicks won the last matchup 130-125 on Dec. 30, with Jalen Brunson scoring 28 points in the victory.

TOP PERFORMERS: Karl-Anthony Towns is averaging 20.2 points and 12 rebounds for the Knicks. Brunson is averaging 20.4 points over the last 10 games.

Trey Murphy III is averaging 21.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.5 steals for the Pelicans. Saddiq Bey is averaging 2.0 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Knicks: 7-3, averaging 117.6 points, 48.7 rebounds, 29.4 assists, 8.0 steals and 3.3 blocks per game while shooting 49.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 107.3 points per game.

Pelicans: 6-4, averaging 117.9 points, 45.3 rebounds, 25.9 assists, 9.5 steals and 6.1 blocks per game while shooting 47.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.7 points.

INJURIES: Knicks: Landry Shamet: day to day (knee), Miles McBride: out (ankle).

Pelicans: Bryce McGowens: day to day (toe).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Brooklyn Nets (17-54, 13th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Portland Trail Blazers (35-37, ninth in the Western Conference)

Portland, Oregon; Monday, 10 p.m. EDT

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Trail Blazers -14.5; over/under is 219.5

BOTTOM LINE: Brooklyn hits the road against Portland looking to stop its three-game road losing streak.

The Trail Blazers are 18-16 on their home court. Portland ranks ninth in the Western Conference with 31.7 defensive rebounds per game led by Donovan Clingan averaging 7.1.

The Nets have gone 8-28 away from home. Brooklyn is the worst team in the Eastern Conference scoring averaging just 106.4 points per game while shooting 44.3%.

The Trail Blazers are shooting 45.1% from the field this season, 4.2 percentage points lower than the 49.3% the Nets allow to opponents. The Trail Blazers average 106.4 points per game, 10.8 fewer points than the 117.2 the Trail Blazers give up.

The teams square off for the second time this season. The Trail Blazers won 114-95 in the last meeting on March 16. Deni Avdija led the Trail Blazers with 18 points, and Chaney Johnson led the Nets with 17 points.

TOP PERFORMERS: Avdija is scoring 24.2 points per game with 7.0 rebounds and 6.8 assists for the Trail Blazers. Jerami Grant is averaging 17.1 points and 3.3 rebounds while shooting 52.3% over the last 10 games.

Danny Wolf is averaging 8.9 points for the Nets. Tyson Etienne is averaging 1.7 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Trail Blazers: 6-4, averaging 114.1 points, 48.1 rebounds, 27.9 assists, 8.5 steals and 6.6 blocks per game while shooting 45.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 110.3 points per game.

Nets: 2-8, averaging 103.8 points, 39.9 rebounds, 24.1 assists, 7.8 steals and 5.6 blocks per game while shooting 43.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 115.0 points.

INJURIES: Trail Blazers: Jerami Grant: day to day (calf), Shaedon Sharpe: out (calf), Vit Krejci: day to day (calf), Damian Lillard: out for season (achilles).

Nets: Noah Clowney: day to day (wrist), Danny Wolf: day to day (ankle), Egor Demin: out for season (foot), Day'Ron Sharpe: out for season (thumb), Michael Porter Jr.: out (hamstring), Nic Claxton: day to day (rest).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Toronto Raptors (39-31, fifth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Utah Jazz (21-50, 14th in the Western Conference)

Salt Lake City; Monday, 9 p.m. EDT

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Raptors -12.5; over/under is 230.5

BOTTOM LINE: The Utah Jazz host the Toronto Raptors in non-conference play.

The Jazz have gone 13-23 in home games. Utah ranks second in the NBA with 29.4 assists per game. Isaiah Collier leads the Jazz averaging 7.2.

The Raptors are 20-15 on the road. Toronto ranks fourth in the league with 28.8 assists per game led by Immanuel Quickley averaging 6.0.

The Jazz are shooting 46.5% from the field this season, 0.2 percentage points lower than the 46.7% the Raptors allow to opponents. The Raptors are shooting 47.5% from the field, 1.4% lower than the 48.9% the Jazz's opponents have shot this season.

The teams meet for the second time this season. The Raptors won 107-100 in the last matchup on Feb. 1.

TOP PERFORMERS: Kyle Filipowski is scoring 10.6 points per game with 6.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists for the Jazz. Brice Sensabaugh is averaging 18.2 points and 2.5 rebounds while shooting 48.6% over the last 10 games.

Scottie Barnes is averaging 18.6 points, 7.8 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.5 blocks for the Raptors. RJ Barrett is averaging 22 points and 5.3 rebounds over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Jazz: 3-7, averaging 113.9 points, 43.6 rebounds, 27.4 assists, 9.7 steals and 4.4 blocks per game while shooting 45.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 119.0 points per game.

Raptors: 4-6, averaging 112.7 points, 38.8 rebounds, 26.9 assists, 8.6 steals and 4.5 blocks per game while shooting 49.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.6 points.

INJURIES: Jazz: Lauri Markkanen: out (hip), Isaiah Collier: out (hamstring), Keyonte George: out (leg), Walker Kessler: out for season (shoulder), Jusuf Nurkic: out for season (nose), Jaren Jackson Jr.: out for season (knee).

Raptors: Collin Murray-Boyles: day to day (thumb).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

What channel is UConn vs. Syracuse on today? Time, TV schedule, live stream to watch NCAA women's game originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

After the expected opening-round rout, UConn's national title defense begins in earnest Monday with an NCAA tournament second-round game against Syracuse. 

While the top-seeded Huskies (35-0) will be heavily favored, the Orange (24-8) have enjoyed a bounceback year and withstood 37 points from Iowa State star Audi Crooks in their first-round triumph. 

Finding a solution to UConn, though, is a much more complicated task. The Huskies have won 51 consecutive games and are loaded with star power, none bigger than Sarah Strong (18.4 points, 7.5 rebounds per game) and Azzi Fudd (17.4 ppg). 

It's not just those two, however. A pair of UConn starters, Ashlynn Shade and KK Arnold, were in the lineup when the Huskies defeated Syracuse in the second round two years ago, Shade scoring 19 and Arnold 10 in that matchup. 

Who will play the starring roles Monday? Here's how to tune in and watch. 

What channel is UConn vs. Syracuse on today?

• TV channel: ESPN
• Live stream: ESPN app, Fubo

UConn vs. Syracuse will be broadcast by ESPN with Ryan Ruocco, Rebecca Lobo and Holly Rowe on the call. 

Fans looking to stream the action can watch live on the ESPN app, which will carry every NCAA women’s basketball tournament game in 2026.

Now you can watch ESPN without cable. Stream live NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, college sports, plus SportsCenter, First Take, and all your favorite ESPN shows—anytime, anywhere—only in the new ESPN app.

Fans can also stream the game via Fubo, which offers a free trial to new subscribers so you can try before you buy. 

UConn vs. Syracuse start time

• Date: Monday, March 23
• Time: 6 p.m. ET

The NCAA women’s tournament game between UConn and Syracuse is set to tip off Monday at 6 p.m. ET from Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, Connecticut. 

UConn vs. Syracuse radio coverage

• Radio station:SiriusXM

Listen to UConn vs. Syracuse in the 2026 NCAA women's basketball tournament live on the SiriusXM app or on channel 203 in vehicles.

New subscribers can listen to SiriusXM for free for four months. Listen to live NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL games, plus NASCAR, college sports and more. Stay updated with all the news and get all the analysis on multiple sport-specific channels.

Women’s March Madness bracket 2026

Check the Sporting News women’s NCAA Tournament live bracket for the latest final scores and next-round matchups.

When is the Women's Final Four in 2026?

• Date: April 3 and 5
• Location: Mortgage Matchup Center, Phoenix

The 2026 Women's Final Four is set for April 3 and 5 at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix. The semifinals will be played Friday night and the national championship game is set for Sunday afternoon. 

Women’s March Madness tournament schedule 2026

Here is the round-by-round schedule for the 2026 NCAA women’s basketball tournament:

Related links

• 2026 Women's March Madness bracket, scores
• Latest women's college basketball news

Your daily dose of Everton news and rumours

Everton defeat Chelsea 3-0. Here’s how it happened. [RBM]

Watch some highlights and behind-the-scenes action from the win.

Hear from Beto and James Garner post-match. [EFC]

Garner received his first England call-up leading up to the game, and said it was unexpected. [ESPN]

It’s three for the Toffees as James Tarkowski, Garner, and Beto all make Troy Deeney’s Team of the Week. [BBC]

The reaction from our fans to the leniency of Chelsea’s punishment from the Premier League supplied what has so far been the missing piece of the puzzle at Hill Dickinson Stadium. [Evertonia]

Tim Cahill was blown away by his first visit to Hill Dickinson Stadium –

Still taking it all in… my first game at Everton’s new stadium and what a night it turned out to be. From the moment I walked in, you could feel something special the noise, the energy, the passion in every corner.

Our club isn’t just about football, it’s about people, history, and a deep connection that runs through every supporter.

To see a 3–0 win over Chelsea in that atmosphere made it even more unforgettable. It was also incredible to see legends like Adrian Heath, Peter Reid, Patrick Nevin and Yakubu a real reminder of the standards, pride, and identity of Everton.

And a huge mention to the boss David Moyes, along with Alan Irvine and the staff the hard work, commitment, and belief they’re putting into this team is clear to see. It’s something I truly admire.

Grateful to have experienced it. Proud to be part of it. This is Everton.

A wedding saga played out at the game on Saturday night too!

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With his eyes fixed on the prize, Mikel Arteta blinked at the worst possible moment. The man of unbending standards, of fierce and often grimly pragmatic commitment to excellence, allowed himself to be swayed by sentiment. While he claimed to have unconditional trust in Kepa Arrizabalaga, handing his second-choice goalkeeper the chance to atone for his two fateful errors in this fixture, that faith felt sorely misplaced as he flapped horribly to gift Manchester City their opening goal and send Arsenal down a spiral of self-doubt from which they never escaped. Much like the players reduced to chasing shadows, he looked as if he had seen a ghost.

For 25 minutes, Arsenal appeared to forget their very identity, so passive and so daunted by the stakes that they developed a pathological aversion to attack. City could regather and reignite almost at will, to the point where another Kepa implosion became frankly inevitable. He had already looked skittish, earning a yellow card by pushing Jérémy Doku wide when the Belgian was not even in a clear goalscoring position, and then losing his composure altogether, spilling what should have been a simple stop from Rayan Cherki to free Nico O’Reilly to head into an empty net. Astonishingly, for a third time, he became the Carabao Cup final scapegoat.

But the blame, ultimately, rests with Arteta. He knew all about Kepa’s inglorious history on this stage for Chelsea, how he had missed the decisive penalty against Liverpool in 2022 and how he had refused to be substituted by Maurizio Sarri during defeat by City in 2019. Affording him the chance of absolution for Arsenal was the compassionate move, but hardly the correct one as his team sought to throw off their penchant for self-sabotage. Why on earth, in a final that could have kindled the quest for an unprecedented quadruple, did the manager leave the world-class David Raya on the bench? It was a gesture of touching loyalty to the figure entrusted throughout this competition. It was not, though, the mark of an uncompromising winner.

"Kepa's lost it, AND O'REILLY HAS STOLEN!"

Manchester City take the lead at Wembley! 👊 pic.twitter.com/L9KFaERBmn

— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) March 22, 2026

When you have the chance to win your first trophy for six years, there is no excuse for second-guessing yourself, or for settling for second-best anywhere on the pitch. Raya has been unrivalled for Arsenal this season, with his steadying influence a crucial factor in why Arsenal have sustained their march to glory for so long. Kepa, by contrast, is notoriously gaffe-prone, and rarely more so than when there is silverware on the line. The sight of him squabbling with Sarri here at Wembley seven years ago, insisting that he kept his place for a penalty shoot-out that his side would go on to lose, is still burned into the retinas of Chelsea fans. Now, the image of him flailing desperately at thin air threatens to stalk Arsenal’s nightmares.

Yes, there is precedent for negotiating a match of this magnitude with a stand-in goalkeeper. After all, City managed it themselves here with James Trafford. Except Trafford is a far more accomplished alternative than Kepa, as Arteta would discover to his cost. And yet it was far from the manager’s only miscalculation on a day when his team’s reputation for resilience collapsed. He looked oddly frozen as he surveyed City’s second-half bombardment, finding the spectacle so harrowing that he showed little power to react. By the time he made a positive substitution, bringing on Riccardo Calafiori for the hapless Piero Hincapié, Arsenal were 2-0 down. He did nothing about Martín Zubimendi, monstered in midfield by Rodri.

“Boring, boring Arsenal,” the City fans crowed. While Arteta has worn such accusations as a badge of honour, they carried greater cogency this time. The reality is that Arsenal were hopelessly one-dimensional in this contest, showing so little ambition after half-time that they barely pushed City back beyond the halfway line. It was just unimaginative bus-parking, as if they believed they could weather the surge and punish City with a crisp counter-punch. Arteta made zero tactical adjustments, merely gritting his teeth and hoping. By the time he finally sent Noni Madueke on in place of the ineffectual Kai Havertz, City’s substitutes were charging down the touchline to celebrate O’Reilly’s second, with Pep Guardiola in such ecstasy that he kicked the advertising hoardings.

Although this could still be a garlanded campaign for Arsenal, setbacks scarcely come more galling. The agony was etched across Arteta’s face as Guardiola jumped for joy alongside him, conscious that his mentor had outsmarted him once more. In many ways, he has outgrown his casting as the sorcerer’s apprentice, turning Arsenal back into a behemoth capable of competing on multiple fronts. But it threatens to be a long fortnight of the soul as his players depart on international duty. This was meant to be the springboard, the moment when Arsenal proved that their all-conquering credentials were no mere chimera. Instead, they flunked their first chance of four with a display so lacking in verve and enterprise that you had to check Arteta had not come disguised as José Mourinho. A blip, or a full-systems malfunction? We will find out soon enough. The only certainty is that Arsenal’s limitations, and their manager’s reluctance to be ruthless, have been exposed in the most gruesome way.

Chelsea midfielder Romeo Lavia has get a call up that means he’s been demoted to the Belgium U21s international side.

Lavia, who is now 22-years-old and has already been capped for the Belgium senior side, has been called up in to the U21s squad for this latest international break in a surprise move.

EXCLUSIVE! 6 Chelsea players have already started exploring moves away this summer, with 5 others also in doubt

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Although is it really that surprising? Lavia has been injured basically for his entire Chelsea career on and off so far – he’s literally made of glass. He’s only recently started playing for Chelsea again in the last few matches after his latest injury, so I guess it would seem sensible that he is eased back in to international football as well via the route of the U21s whilst he is just in the age bracket still.

Lavia in the Belgium U21s squad

Romeo Lavia playing for the Under-21s. (Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC)

As confirmed on the Chelsea website, Romeo Lavia has been selected for Belgium’s Under-21 side, where he will look to feature as they continue their UEFA EURO Under-21 qualifying campaign, with the team currently joint top of their group.

Lavia is obviously more than good enough to be starting for Belgium senior team. But the issue is fitness and match fitness as he tries to get that back again now.

In other news…

Liam Rosenior has claimed that it wasn’t a lack of effort or tactical mistakes that were costing Chelsea – but insisted he didn’t want to blame the players in the wake of the Everton defeat on Saturday night.

But Rosenior also blamed “mistakes” for the goals Chelsea were conceding – but we’re going to need a bit more than that I’m afraid.

If you enjoy Chelsea News coverage and want to see more of it, add us as a preferred source on Google to make us a favourite and see more of our content.

Check out the latest edition of Simon Phillips’ SPTC podcast here:

Chiefs 2026 NFL free agency grades for every signing including Kenneth Walker III appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The air in Kansas City feels heavy with the scent of necessary reinvention. For years, the GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium was where Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid turned Sunday afternoons into inevitabilities. The 2026 offseason, though, has arrived with the cold, hard reality of a roster that let its foundation crumble. GM Brett Veach and Reid are swinging for the fences, trying to recapture the lightning that once defined this era. With that, signing Kenneth Walker III is more than just a transaction.

It’s a loud, $43 million admission that the status quo was no longer enough. This is about survival in a division that has grown teeth. It should also ensure that the greatest quarterback of his generation doesn’t have to carry the entire weight of the Kingdom on a surgically repaired knee.

Winter of discontent

To understand why the Chiefs are spending like gamblers at a high-stakes table, you have to look back at last season. 2025 was a season that felt like a slow-motion fever dream. The Chiefs’ campaign ending in a dismal 6-11 record that left the AFC West in a state of shock. The defense remained a top-10 unit. However, the offense simply ran out of gas. The running game ranked 25th in the league, while the departure of key veterans left the wide receiver room looking thin.

The final blow came late in the year when Mahomes suffered a torn ACL. That moment effectively ended the Chiefs’ decade-long streak of relevance. It sent them spiraling into their first losing season under Reid. It left a fan base that had grown accustomed to Lombardi Trophies staring at a top-10 draft pick instead.

Dismantling the old guard

As the 2026 free agency period opened, Veach didn’t waste time. The strategy was to clear the decks and prioritize explosiveness. The most shocking move was the trade of All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie to the Los Angeles Rams. That move signaled the end of an era for the “Fab Five” secondary. That said, it also provided the financial flexibility needed to rebuild the offense.

Kansas City restructured Mahomes’ massive contract once again. They found pennies under the cushions to make a run at the biggest names on the market. They also waved goodbye to safety Bryan Cook and cornerback Jaylen Watson. KC opted to replace established stars with a trio of value-based defensive signings in Khyiris Tonga, Alohi Gilman, and Kader Kohou. It has been a calculated risk that values offensive balance over defensive continuity as the team prepares for a possible redemption story.

Grading the Super Bowl MVP

RB Kenneth Walker III
Grade: A

The centerpiece of this entire offseason is Kenneth Walker III. Quite frankly, the grade is a resounding A. The Chiefs signed the reigning Super Bowl MVP who is coming off a season where he forced 86 missed tackles and gained nearly 1,000 yards after contact. By handing Walker a three-year, $43.05 million deal, the Chiefs are finally providing Mahomes with the elite backfield partner he has lacked since the early days of Kareem Hunt.

Walker is 25 years old and enters his prime just as the Chiefs need to take the pressure off their recovering quarterback. His ability to turn a broken play into a 20-yard gain is the exact “get out of jail free” card they lacked last year. Yes, $14.35 million per year is a steep price for a runner. Still, Walker is a game-changer who makes every RPO and play-action pass twice as dangerous. This is a resounding statement of intent.

Defensive reinforcements and veteran returns

DL Khyiris Tonga
Grade: B+

Beyond the flashy headlines of the backfield, the Chiefs’ work on the margins has been equally fascinating. The signing of defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga earns a solid B+. He provided a 335-pound anchor next to Chris Jones that the team desperately missed during their 2025 struggles. Tonga is a space-eater who will allow the linebackers to roam free.

S Alohi Gilman and CB Kader Kohou
Grade: B

In the defensive backfield, adding Alohi Gilman on a three-year deal and Kader Kohou on a shorter-term prove-it contract earns a B. They aren’t McDuffie or Cook, but they are savvy, high-floor players who fit the Steve Spagnuolo system.

TE Travis Kelce
Grade: A-

Finally, the one-year, $12 million extension for Travis Kelce is a sentimental but necessary A-. Even as he enters the twilight of his career, his chemistry with Mahomes is the team’s heartbeat.

Collectively, these moves show a front office that isn’t just chasing names. They are carefully constructing a roster that can compete right now while Mahomes works back to 100 percent.

Related: Chiefs’ 2026 NFL Mock Draft roundup after NFL Free Agency

Related: Chiefs’ biggest need to address in 2026 NFL Draft after failing to find it in free agency

Last November, 365 Division I men’s college basketball teams began the season with dreams of advancing to the NCAA tournament’s second week.

The 16 still alive all have one thing in common: They each hail from a power conference.

Six are from the Big Ten, raising the possibility that league could finally end its 26-year national title drought. Four are from the SEC, though regular season champion Florida surprisingly is not among them. Three are from the Big 12. UConn and St. John’s hail from the Big East. And Duke is the ACC’s lone team left standing.

Thirteen of the 16 remaining teams are No. 5 seeds or better, but even this historically chalky NCAA tournament did produce some surprises. Nebraska is playing in its first-ever Sweet 16. Iowa and St. John’s haven’t been since 1999. Ten of the 16 remaining teams have never won the NCAA tournament. 

Who has a chance to climb ladders and cut down the nets in Indianapolis? Here’s a look at how I’d rank this year’s Sweet 16 from most likely to least likely to win the national championship:

1. Michigan Wolverines (33-3)

How they got here: Defeated Howard (16), Saint Louis (9)

Up next: Alabama (4)

Outlook: What makes Michigan so lethal is more than just its positional size. The Wolverines overwhelm opponents because of how seamlessly their pieces fit together. Over the course of 12 days last spring, Dusty May assembled a title contender via the transfer portal, adding skilled 7-foot-3 center Aday Mara; rim runner, rebounder and interior defender Morez Johnson; do-it-all 6-9 forward Yaxel Lendeborg; and pass-first playmaker Elliot Cadeau. That quartet has carried the Wolverines to 33 wins, including routs of Howard and Saint Louis to open NCAA tournament play. “You see a lot of teams that are poorly constructed that pay a lot of money for their teams,” Saint Louis coach Josh Schertz said Saturday. “Dusty's teams, the pieces really fit well.”

Bjorn Franke via Getty Images

2. Arizona Wildcats (34-2)

How they got here: Defeated LIU (16), Utah State (9)

Up next: Arkansas (4)

Outlook: Arizona blew away overmatched LIU and overcame pesky Utah State. Now comes the hard part. Twelve times since 2001, Arizona advanced to the NCAA tournament’s second weekend. Five times, the Wildcats made the Elite Eight. Each trip ended in heartbreak, from a near miss against Kansas in 2003, to Illinois’ stunning 15-point comeback in 2005, to Jamelle Horne’s game-winning 3-pointer rimming out against UConn in 2011, to back-to-back narrow losses to Frank Kaminsky and Wisconsin in 2014 and 2015. Can this year’s Arizona team ride its balanced scoring and ferocious interior defense to the program’s first Final Four in a quarter century? Anything less would be a disappointment.

3. Houston Cougars (30-6)

How they got here: Defeated Idaho (15), Texas A&M (10)

Up next: Illinois (3)

Outlook: There was never any doubt that Houston was going to seize the opportunity to play in a South regional less than three miles from its campus. The Cougars won their first two NCAA tournament games by 30-plus points, joining 1998 Arizona, 1999 Duke and 2008 North Carolina as teams who have achieved that feat. Now the question is whether playing close to home can help Houston get through the likes of Illinois and either Florida or Nebraska to advance to another Final Four. This year’s Cougars aren’t quite the defensive juggernaut that Sampson’s previous teams have been, but their mix of proven veterans and heralded freshmen make them one of the five biggest threats in this NCAA tournament field to win six games.

4. Duke Blue Devils (34-2)

How they got here: Defeated Siena (16), TCU (9)

Up next: St. John’s (5)

Outlook: While surprisingly vulnerable Duke survived a major scare against 16th-seeded Siena and struggled to put away TCU for 30 minutes, the opening weekend of the NCAA tournament wasn’t all bad for the Blue Devils. The return of center Patrick Nnongba from injury should help Duke unleash the best version of Cam Boozer. It’s no surprise that Duke’s vaunted defense is most stifling when Boozer defends opposing power forwards and cedes rim-protection duties to Nnongba. What’s more interesting is that Boozer’s 2-point field goal percentage increases by 9%, per CBB Analytics, when Nnongba is on the floor with him. They complement one another well and have obvious chemistry, as shown by plays like this one. 

5. Michigan State Spartans (27-7)

How they got here: Defeated North Dakota State (14), Louisville (6)

Up next: UConn (2)

Outlook: Michigan State point guard Jeremy Fears Jr. says his favorite thing about passing “is seeing my other teammates score and the joy and the excitement it brings them.” As the nation’s assists leader puts it, “If they’re happy, I’m happy.” Fears has had a lot of happy teammates this season as he has emerged as the engine and primary playmaker for a Michigan State attack ranked sixth nationally since March 1, per Bart Torvik’s T-rankings. Fears dished out 16 assists Saturday against Louisville, the most by a Big Ten player in an NCAA tournament game in the past 50 years. The all-Big Ten selection now has a ridiculous 27 assists in two NCAA tournament games. 

6. UConn Huskies (31-5)

How they got here: Defeated Furman (15), UCLA (7)

Up next: Michigan State (3)

Outlook: Why was UConn able to put away UCLA on Sunday night despite getting a combined two points out of Solo Ball and Silas Demary Jr.? Because Alex Karaban isn’t ready for his storied college career to end. The two-time national champ put the Huskies on his back, piling up a career-high 27 points on everything from spot-up 3-pointers, to driving layups, to put-backs through contact. UConn coach Dan Hurley went out of his way to highlight Karaban during his introductory remarks to the media after the game. “This man’s greatness and what he’s done in college basketball for four years, literally every outlet should be doing a story,” Hurley said. “No one has been better in college sports the past four years in terms of being a winner.”

7. St. John’s Red Storm (30-6)

How they got here: Defeated Northern Iowa (12), Kansas (4)

Up next: Duke (1)

Outlook: It didn’t matter to Dylan Darling that he was in the midst of a massive shooting slump or that he had missed all four shots he’d taken. The St. John’s guard still wanted to call his own number with Sunday’s second-round matchup against Kansas on the line. “Run power,” Darling told Rick Pitino, referring to a high back-screen pick-and-roll. Pitino agreed and then thought to himself, “Wait a second, he hasn’t scored a bucket and he wants to run a play for himself.” The confidence of Darling paid off in a big way for the Johnnies. His driving layup as the final horn sounded secured a 67-65 victory that sent his team to its first Sweet 16 since 1999. “To be honest, the ball left my hands and I hit the ground, and I didn't even see the ball go in,” Darling said. “I just heard everybody going crazy.”

Jamie Schwaberow via Getty Images

8. Purdue Boilermakers (29-8)

How they got here: Defeated Queens (15), Miami (7)

Up next: Texas (11)

Outlook: Purdue did not live up to expectations during the regular season, but the Boilermakers seem to have regained their swagger since the postseason began. They won four games in four days at the Big Ten tournament, toppling Michigan in the title game. Then they overwhelmed Queens in their NCAA tournament opener and handled a Miami team with the sort of wing athletes that often give Purdue trouble. One concern for Purdue heading into the West regional is the health of guard CJ Cox, a knock-down shooter and the Boilermakers’ best on-ball defender. Cox went down against Miami with what Matt Painter described as a hyperextended knee. When asked if Cox would play against Texas next week, Painter said, “We'll kind of see how treatment goes and everything to see what his status is.”

9. Iowa State Cyclones (29-7)

How they got here: Defeated Tennessee State (15), Kentucky (7)

Up next: Tennessee (6)

Outlook: So much for Iowa State being vulnerable against Kentucky without All-American Joshua Jefferson. The Cyclones weathered an ice-cold shooting start from behind the arc, pulling ahead by halftime and extending their second-half advantage to as much as 23 points. Now the question is whether Jefferson’s sprained left ankle will heal quickly enough for him to be able to play against Tennessee next week. Jefferson has an MRI scheduled for Monday morning, according TJ Otzelberger. The 6-9 senior is holding out hope that last Friday’s first-round victory over Tennessee State wasn’t his final game in a Cyclones jersey. He told the Associated Press, “Knowing that I have a chance Friday to try to get back healthy and get back out there is huge for me.” 

10. Illinois Fighting Illini (26-8)

How they got here: Defeated Penn (14), VCU (11)

Up next: Houston (2)

Outlook: Could this finally be the year that the Big Ten ends its 26-year title drought? The conference certainly has to feel optimistic about its chances after sending a Big Ten-record six teams to the Sweet 16. The litmus test for whether Illinois is a true national title contender this season will arrive Thursday when the Illini roll into Houston to face the Cougars 2.5 miles from their campus. That will be a showdown between one of college basketball’s most potent offenses this season and a disruptive defense that forces turnovers, blocks shots and gives up nothing easy at the rim.

11. Alabama Crimson Tide (25-9)

How they got here: Defeated Hofstra (13), Texas Tech (5)

Up next: Michigan (1)

Outlook: Perhaps we were a little premature burying Alabama after its second-leading scorer was arrested on felony drug charges the morning after Selection Sunday. The Crimson Tide didn’t skip a beat without Aden Holloway’s scoring, playmaking and 43.8% 3-point shooting. Neither of Alabama’s opening-weekend opponents put any real game pressure on the Crimson Tide. Alabama pulled away from Hofstra for a 90-70 first-round win and then opened a 24-point halftime lead over Texas Tech en route to another blowout. Senior guard Latrell Wrightsell stepped up the most in Holloway’s absence, tallying 24 points against Texas Tech. The Tide will need Wrightsell and other role players to stay hot from behind the arc to pose a serious threat to Michigan next week.

12. Nebraska Cornhuskers (28-6)

How they got here: Defeated Troy (13), Vanderbilt (5)

Up next: Florida (1)

Outlook: Nebraska didn’t just shed the inglorious label of the only power-conference program never to win an NCAA tournament game. The Huskers also outlasted Vanderbilt by the slimmest possible margin to secure a spot in their first Sweet 16. Trailing by two and needing a miracle to stave off elimination, Vanderbilt guard Tyler Tanner let fly from beyond mid-court. Tanner’s aim looked true until the ball caromed off the backboard, spun all the way round the rim and bounced out. "When that thing was up in the air, I was like, 'Oh, man, that's going in," Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg recalled. His son also assumed the worst. Said point guard Sam Hoiberg, "I think it took me half a second to register that it didn't go in.”

13. Arkansas Razorbacks (28-8)

How they got here: Defeated Hawaii (13), High Point (12)

Up next: Arizona (1)

Outlook: Point guard Darius Acuff is Arkansas’ offensive catalyst, a dynamic scorer, unselfish playmaker and ruthless closer. The freshman phenom has raised his scoring average to 30.2 points in five postseason games, leading Arkansas to the SEC tournament title and a fifth Sweet 16 in the past six years. Acuff unleashed the best version of himself in Saturday’s closing minutes after High Point tied the score at 83. The projected lottery pick scored a pair of driving layups, then finished off the tournament’s lone remaining Cinderella with a cold-blooded 3. While Arkansas’ olé defense could be its undoing moving forward, the offensive formula isn’t complicated. As John Calipari puts it, “We play it through Darius and he just makes plays.”

14. Tennessee Volunteers (24-11)

How they got here: Defeated Miami Ohio (11), Virginia (3)

Up next: Iowa State (2)

Outlook: Time to retire all your misguided social media memes about Rick Barnes falling short of expectations in the NCAA tournament. Tennessee is back in the Sweet 16 for the fourth straight season, an active streak that only Alabama and Houston can match or exceed. A Vols team that squandered five double-digit leads this season appeared to be in danger of letting a nine-point second-half lead against Virginia slip away on Sunday. The Cavaliers edged in front in the closing minutes before Tennessee came up with a string of defensive stops, turned a few of those into buckets and went 9-for-10 from the free throw line down the stretch to secure an all-important win.

15. Texas Longhorns (21-14)

How they got here: Defeated NC State (11), BYU (6), Gonzaga (3)

Up next: Purdue (2)

Outlook: Who says this NCAA tournament is lacking a charming underdog story? Plucky upstart Texas has come to the rescue! An underachieving Longhorns team that barely snuck into the field of 68 took advantage of the fresh start. They ripped off three victories in five days to become the sixth team to advance from the First Four to the Sweet 16 and the first since 2021 UCLA. Texas is the only double-digit seed still alive in this year’s NCAA tournament, but the Longhorns shouldn’t be discounted as a Final Four threat. Matas Vokietaitis has emerged as one of college basketball’s elite centers, he’s surrounded by an array of perimeter shotmakers and the Longhorns are peaking at the right time.

16. Iowa Hawkeyes (23-12)

How they got here: Defeated Clemson (8), Florida (1)

Up next: Nebraska (4)

Outlook: With Iowa trailing top-seeded Florida by two and eight seconds to go in regulation, Alvaro Folgueiras knew the Hawkeyes needed a hero. The sharpshooting forward approached point guard Bennett Stirtz and promised him, “I'm going to be ready and I'm going to make it.” Those words were ringing in Stirtz’s ears moments later as he shed his defender, zoomed down court and saw Florida’s Thomas Haugh leave Folgueiras to help stop the basketball. Stirtz dished to Folgueiras spotted up in the corner. Folgueiras then drilled the game-winning 3-pointer, sending Iowa to its first Sweet 16 since 1999. “He’s got ultra confidence,” Stirtz said. “Irrational confidence,” Iowa coach Ben McCollum corrected him.  

Coach Nils Nielsen warned Monday that Japan need "different tools" to win next year's Women's World Cup after sweeping to the Asian title with a series of barnstorming performances.

Japan beat Women's Asian Cup hosts Australia 1-0 in Saturday's final in Sydney to lift the trophy for the third time in four tournaments.

Nielsen's side dazzled along the way, scoring 29 goals and conceding just one to lay down a marker ahead of next year's World Cup in Brazil.

Japan are the only Asian team to have won the world title and Nielsen said they would need to keep improving if they want to do it again.

"We found some parts of ourselves that are really strong," the Greenland-born coach said after returning to Tokyo.

"There are also elements that we saw, we had some difficulty getting the final to be on our terms because of the opponent's strength.

"We will see that again at the World Cup, that means we need to find some different tools how to get the game to be the way we want it."

Japan won the World Cup in 2011 and reached the final again four years later, losing to the United States.

They have not gone past the quarter-finals at either a World Cup or Olympics since.

Nielsen's squad in Australia featured 16 England-based players including captain Yui Hasegawa and forward Maika Hamano, who scored a spectacular winner in the final.

The coach said his team had "grown a lot together already and that's not going to stop".

"You need to grow more, you need to constantly be moving," said Nielsen.

"If you are satisfied and accept status quo, you're not going to be good enough in the end."

Japan's win capped off a landmark tournament with more than 350,000 fans through the turnstiles, reinforcing the growth in popularity of women's football.

This was around six times as many as the previous record set in 2010 in China, with the 74,397 fans at the Sydney final setting a new attendance mark for a single game in tournament history.

There was palpably less excitement in Japan, with the final not being shown on terrestrial TV and a muted media reaction to the team's win.

Nielsen urged Japanese media companies to provide more coverage, saying "you will get your value back if you do because they are worth following".

"We are not at the same place as they are in Europe and around the world," he said.

"We are competing with other sports that are very popular."

amk/pst

Chelsea’s season may be getting flushed down the pipes faster than last night’s Taco Bell, but worry not my fellow gullibles, the future is still very bright and very exciting. Sunshine and rainbows and lollipops, not even a wisp of a cloud in the sky. Those in charge remain steadfast in their vision of the road ahead, and there’s so much alignment going on that we’re putting all chiropractors out of business at the same time.

Liam Rosenior has already drank more than his contractually obligated fair share of the Kool-Aid, but that’s not a problem, there’s plenty left to go around. In fact, there are no problems here whatsoever; how dare you suggest otherwise! (These quotes are from Friday, from before the Everton defeat on Saturday, but I doubt that’s changed anything.)

“We’re having really detailed conversations now about the areas we want to strengthen. I’ve had great conversations [with the sporting directors] about what I think we need. We’re very aligned, actually, in terms of where we want to strengthen and how we go about that, which is very exciting. The most important bit, though, is making sure we get the now right as well.

“It’s great to be able to plan for the future, but I want to make sure we’re also in a good place. We want to win. That’s why I’m here, and I’m having really good conversations with the ownership and sporting directors about that.”

That “now” bit is sure going swimmingly at the moment, ain’t it? How could anyone possibly be unhappy about how things are going, or in what direction we’re headed. Everyone’s happy as a clam.

“I have a very, very good relationship with the players because we speak all the time. Not just about football, or the situation with their contracts, but about their life, how their kids are, how school is. I have a very, very close relationship with Enzo and with the other players.

“In terms of contracts and where they want to be, there’s not one player at this club since I’ve been here that has said that he doesn’t want to be here in the summer. In fact, the conversations are more about how we improve, what we can do as a group to improve, what we need to do to win in this moment. That’s where we are at the moment. [But] they love it here.”

Where we are at the moment is teetering on the precipice of a gaping competitive and financial hole. If we fall in, it might be a fair while before we scale the walls to get back out of it.

“In my conversations with the ownership and the sporting directors, our plans are not solely based on whether we make the Champions League or not. But there’s so many ifs. We just have to make sure that the ‘if’ we create is as positive as possible and we’re still in a position to do that.”

-Liam Rosenior; source: Mail

We’ve gone from special ones and blazing infernos to aging men to creating ifs. You’ll never sign that.

And then there were two.

The Utah Mammoth’s 4-3 overtime win over the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday means the league’s newest team has beaten 30 of the 32 teams in the NHL. And their next opponent, the Edmonton Oilers, are one of the two remaining squads.

Utah’s top line made all the difference in this one. Lawson Crouse scored twice in the first 10 minutes, and Nick Schmaltz scored a beauty and the OT winner. The two of them alongside Clayton Keller has been the Mammoth’s most consistent line this season.

But what makes them so effective? Crouse deferred to the longstanding chemistry of his line mates.

“They’ve played together so long, they know each other like the back of their hands,” he said. “That chemistry, it’s great to just jump in there and play. (I) just try and play fast for them, but smart and heavy and try and win battles, get to the net, open the ice for them.

“Obviously, they’re elite playmakers and finishers, so there’s a happy balance of getting to the net and trying to open up ice, but also being available for them to make quick plays to get shots on goal.”

Is this the nicest goal in franchise history? https://t.co/KOuF38z68J

— Brogan Houston (@houston_brogan) March 23, 2026

This year has been a complete 180 for number 67. His goal total alone surpasses his point total from last season, and the Mammoth still have 11 games left.

During training camp, I asked Crouse what he was doing to get his game back on track. He invited me to sit down while he laid it out.

“When you get in your own head, it’s not great,” he said. “As athletes, you need to do whatever you can to stay out of your head. When you let that affect your game, it affects the team’s game. I got away from what makes me successful as a player, so it’s just about getting back to that.

“... Ultimately, (I’m) just trying to be the best version of myself, and hopefully that’s contagious. Do the right things and lead by example.”

André Tourigny, who has had Crouse all five years of his NHL head coaching tenure, is not surprised to see him bounce back.

“You don’t always have your A year,” he said. “Sometimes, you have years where you (make) decisions you should have not, or things (don’t) go your way. That’s just life. But I think Lawson Crouse, his leadership, his commitment to the team, his professionalism, his focus, it’s always been something we’re really excited to have in our locker room.”

With the increased offense and the policing he’s done to keep his opponents in check, it’s probably safe to say “The Sheriff” has earned his badge back.

For whatever it’s worth, MoneyPuck now gives the Mammoth a 94% chance at making the playoffs.

Schmaltz has suffered through a lot of early golfing in his eight seasons since being traded to Arizona, and he’s glad to finally be in a favorable position down the stretch.

“It’s awesome,” he said after the game. “I mean, it’s way more fun playing these games than (it is when you know) you’re going to tee it up at the end of April or whatever.

“Super exciting to be in this position that we put ourselves in, and we’ve got some work to do left.”

The Mammoth’s game against the Kings was akin to playoff hockey in the sense that there was plenty of physicality, but the referees didn’t call any penalties unless they absolutely had to.

“Guys are fighting for their lives out there. It’s a lot of fun,” Schmaltz said. “A lot of competitiveness, a lot of stuff after the whistles. It’s a heck of a lot of fun out there.”

Utah and Los Angeles will meet again on Saturday, this time in Southern California. As it stands at the time of writing, the Kings are two points out of a playoff spot, so it’s bound to be just as hard-fought, if not more-so.

“We all know LA’s fighting to catch (up to us),” Tourigny said. “It’s a really important game.”

Where to watch TGL finals: Times, TV channels, live streams for 2026 indoor golf league championship matches originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

As golf season heats up with the Masters just two weeks away, TGL is set to crown its second champion this week. 

The indoor league is down to the best-of-three finals series between the Los Angeles Golf Club and Jupiter Links Golf Club, with matches set for Monday and Tuesday. 

L.A.'s lineup for the finals features Justin Rose, Tommy Fleetwood and Sahith Theegala, while Jupiter will counter with Max Homa, Tom Kim and Kevin Kisner.

L.A. finished second during the regular season and took down defending champion Atlanta in the semifinals, while fourth-seeded Jupiter knocked off top seed Boston Common last week to reach the finals. 

Los Angeles downed Jupiter in the teams' regular-season match on Jan. 20. Who will prevail this week and hoist the SoFi Cup? Here's everything you need to know to watch. 

Where to watch TGL finals 2026

• TV channel: ESPN2 (Monday), ESPN (Tuesday)
• Live stream: Fubo, ESPN app

Monday's TGL finals opening match will air on ESPN2 and Tuesday's action will be on ESPN. Fans can stream the matches on the ESPN app or on Fubo. See the full broadcast schedule below. 

Fubo offers a free trial for new subscribers, so you can try the service before you buy. Stream ESPN, ABC, CBS, Fox and 100+ top channels of live TV and sports without cable. (Participating plans only. Taxes and fees may apply.)

TGL finals schedule, start times

The TGL finals are a best-of-three series, with the first match set for Monday and the second and possible third slated for Tuesday. 

Matches will be played at the SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

TGL playoffs bracket, scores 2026

Semifinals - March 17

• Los Angeles 6, Atlanta 4
• Jupiter 9, Boston Common 5

Finals (Best of 3) - March 23-24

• Los Angeles vs. Jupiter

Related Links

• Latest golf news and rumors
• Golf tournament leaderboard
• LIV Golf schedule 2026
• How to bet on golf

Union Berlin was served a heaping of humble pie after Bayern Munich’s 4-0 win at the Allianz on Saturday.

One of the few clubs to take points off Bayern this season, hopes for any semblance of a competitive match this time around were dispelled early…and if anything, the lopsided scoreline flattered the visitors in the end.

“It’s always tough against Bayern, no question. And it’s still different when you play here rather than at home. But of course we can’t play like that,” Union director Horst Heldt stated after the match in comments captured by FCBayern.com. “We were inferior in every respect today and deservedly lost by this margin. To be honest, we can be glad we didn’t concede more goals.”

Union player Christopher Trimmel and coach Steffen Baumgart echoed those remarks.

“I’d like to list all our weaknesses, but I’d just say FC Bayern were superior in all respects,” Baumgart offered. “It hurts, I have to say that. We need to clear our heads first, the last few weeks were exhausting for us, with a negative experience. Everyone knows what awaits us in the next few matches, the kind of play we’ll be up against. We definitely want to use the next few home games to take the final steps.”

Added Trimmel “We played away against the best team today. It’s always hard, but we’d aimed for more. To be honest, we’re lucky we got away with a 4-0 defeat, it could have been worse…We were too timid in possession, which was a major problem. We wanted to change things at half-time but failed to do that. Of course we tried to show we wouldn’t completely fall apart, especially after the third goal. But that isn’t always easy because Bayern never let up – which is another thing that sets them apart from many other good teams. These games happen.”

Taking the fight to Bayern: a sound strategy, but easier said than done.

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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Check in every week for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors as they break down the hottest topics in the sport, and join the conversation by tweeting us at @golf_com. This week, we discuss Bryson DeChambeau’s chances to claim a green jacket, Tiger Woods’ health and more.

Bryson DeChambeau beat Jon Rahm in a playoff to win LIV Golf South Africa and claim his second straight LIV victory in what was the league’s final tune-up before the first major of the year. With the way DeChambeau has played the last two weeks, has he taken away the title as Masters favorite? Or does that still belong to Scottie or Rory?

Zephyr Melton, associate game-improvement editor (@zephyrmelton): Considering Scottie’s early-season slump and Rory’s uncertain health, I think it’s fair to say that Bryson is the early favorite at Augusta. However, if he doesn’t control his distances with his irons well (which has plagued him in recent years at the Masters), I fear his chances to claim a green jacket are slim. 

Dylan Dethier, senior writer (@dylan_dethier): It’s gotta be Scottie still; his demise is greatly exaggerated. But the fact that DeChambeau is in the middle of this conversation now is significant — and fun. Add in a few other stars ramping up with top-tier golf (Xander, Rahm, Fitz) and there should be plenty to talk about pre-Augusta.

Josh Berhow, managing editor (@Josh_Berhow): Vegas won’t call anyone but Scottie the favorite, and as Dylan says, Scheffler’s “slump” has consisted of three top-25 finishes that followed two top-fives and a win. Scheffler is also playing this coming week in Texas before he heads to Augusta, so he’s got one more chance to fine-tune some things. Bryson playing like this adds mega juice to any major. Few players energize a venue like him. I hope he plays well at Augusta.

LIV’s two biggest stars — DeChambeau and Rahm — battled it out in the final round in South Africa. It’s rare, on any tour, that the biggest names are the ones left standing down the stretch. Is this a meaningful player rivalry? And is that important for LIV or not?

Melton: It’s VERY important for LIV, and with smaller fields and a set schedule, they have a setup to make sure that storyline plays out on a more frequent basis. Unfortunately for the league, recent defections have thinned out the star pool, so the chances of stars battling down the stretch are smaller than the past few years. 

Dethier: It’s funny, I went into the Bay Hill/Players double wondering if we were due for a Scottie-Rory showdown. That was very much not the case, and it’s almost never happened. So LIV should be thrilled that its top two dogs are tangling. Also, it’s top two dogs should be thrilled as they continue to build contract leverage…

Berhow: It’s important for LIV and it’s important for any league. I don’t think golf fans appreciate it enough when this stuff happens in major or non-majors. Think of how many times we saw Tiger and Phil play together in final pairings on major Sundays (once!) or just any pair of marquee players. Bryson and Rory in the final Masters pairing last year was one of the tastiest final major pairings we’ve had in years. The more we see it the more it continues to build these rivalries and storylines.

One week after he lost the Players Championship on the 72nd hole at TPC Sawgrass, Matt Fitzpatrick bounced back to win the Valspar on Sunday. While he’s won 10 times on the DP World Tour, this was just his third PGA Tour title. Has Fitzpatrick’s last two weeks proven he’s ready to go on a heater this summer? Or just a couple of good weeks?

Melton: As the cliche goes, you want to get hot at the right time — and Fitz seems like he’s peaking right when you want to. It’ll be hard to maintain this form all summer, but as far as maximizing his Masters chances go, he’s put himself in a great spot.

Dethier: The most encouraging thing about Fitzpatrick’s surge is his stellar approach play — that travels anywhere. I’d expect him to be a factor in multiple majors.

Berhow: Now he needs the major success. Sure, he won the U.S. Open at Brookline in 2022 but he’s still had just six major top 10s in 42 starts. But he was T4 and T8, respectively, in The Open and PGA last year, so maybe it’s coming. He’ll be a popular sleeper-ish pick come Masters week.

Last month at the Genesis Invitational, Tiger Woods offered a promising Masters update. But on Tuesday during TGL Woods said he’s “working on it,” adding, “the body doesn’t quite heal like it was when I was 24. Doesn’t quite bounce back. So I have good days when I can pretty much do anything, and other days where it’s hard to just move around.” Has this changed your opinion on if Woods will play the Masters?

Melton: Not at all. I’m just waiting for his WD to become official so we can put this silliness to bed. 

Dethier: Meh, I’d still bet he plays. But it’s clear getting to that point is anything but easy. As long as we approach his start with a proper lack of expectations (unlikely, given it’s Tiger at Augusta) we should be fine. It’s all bonus.

Berhow: I wish I was as optimistic as Dylan. I’m moving his percentage chance of playing down to about 40 percent, although he probably truly doesn’t know until the week of with how things change so quickly with his body.

Augusta National released its Taste of the Masters hosting kits last week, where you can bring parts of the Masters — the pimento, cookies or azalea cocktails, etc. — right to your living room. But what if you only get one item to select? What are you shipping to your home?

Melton: I’m quite fond of the chicken salad sandwiches. But the Georgia peach ice cream sandwiches would be a solid choice as well.

Dethier: I’ve noticed some backlash against the Masters food in recent years — gripes that it’s not that good. I dunno. I don’t care. It’s like eating pasta while walking Rome. Part of the taste is the place. Pencil me in for 50 chicken salad / pulled pork sandos and 50 more chocolate chip cookies. I’ll gun for self-control starting April 13th.

Berhow: The chocolate chip cookies are a problem. I like the egg salad and pimento and ice cream, but I could live without them. The cookies? They mean too much to me.

The post Tour Confidential: Is Bryson the Masters favorite? Will Tiger play? appeared first on Golf.

SAN DIEGO — For a few brief moments, the ninth-seeded Aggies caught a glimpse of advancing to the Sweet Sixteen next weekend up the road in San Jose.

Despite finding themselves down by 18 points early in the second half of Sunday night’s second-round game against No. 1 seed Arizona, Utah State clawed its way back into the game with its defense and managed to close the gap to just four points on three occasions.

But each time the Aggies got to within a couple of scores, the feisty Wildcats scored on their subsequent possessions to keep their opponents at bay and eventually ended Utah State’s season with a 78-66 victory at Viejas Arena.

“It hurts. I don’t want to take the uniform off,” USU graduate guard Drake Allen said quietly. “Knowing it’s going to be my last time wearing it means so much. And it really feels like a family. Everybody in Logan feels like one big family.”

Utah State (29-7) might have been able to get over the hump were not for a brutal performance from the 3-point line. But after going 1 for 12 from long distance in the first half, the Aggies finished just 8 for 32 from beyond the 3-point arc.

“When you can’t find it — the ball won’t go in from 3 — you’ve got to get to the rim,” USU head coach Jerrod Calhoun said. “And I was really proud of our effort around the rim. I thought we were pretty efficient.

“But to beat a No. 1 seed when you’re a No. 9 seed, you’ve got to make those 3s. And our guys knew that.”

The Aggies knew that going up against the significantly larger Wildcats (34-2) was going to be a challenge, but Calhoun’s crew still ended up with three more field goals than Arizona and Utah State (39.1%) notched an overall field goal percentage that was nearly identical to that of the Cats (39.3%).

But in addition to a rough night from 3-point range, the Aggies were outrebounded by a stunning 54-26 margin, and the Wildcats also shot 28 more free throws.

“So far, they’re 2-0 in this tournament, and they live in the paint,” Calhoun said of Arizona. “They chew the paint up. They play ’80s, ’90s basketball. The number of physical plays in the game — we haven’t seen that all year.

“... But our guys did a tremendous job, I thought, the last nine minutes of really locking in on some of those details. You’ve got to be at least eight or 10 difference in the rebounding. It can’t be 28. And if you’re not going to rebound, you’ve got to make shots. So, it was just a couple of margins that we couldn’t overcome.”

Senior forward Garry Clark came off the bench to give the Aggies a huge lift, going 6 of 8 from the field, scoring 13 points and snagging six rebounds in just 18 minutes. Senior guard MJ Collins Jr. (12 points) and Allen (11 points) were the only other USU players to score in double figures.

The Aggies’ one-two scoring punch of Collins and junior guard Mason Falslev (8 points) went a combined 7 of 26 from the field and 4 of 15 from 3-point range in the loss.

Thanks to Clark, Utah State’s bench outscored Arizona’s 27-10. But then, the Wildcats’ starters totaled 68 points by themselves, with guards Jaden Bradley (18 points) and Brayden Burries (16 points) leading the way.

Burries also delivered one of the biggest blows to the Aggies’ chances of an upset with 2:18 left and Utah State still within six points. The freshman guard buried a 3-pointer with 6-foot-9 USU wing Adlan Elamin closing in on him, extending Arizona’s advantage to 73-64.

“Obviously, Burries’ 3 was a dagger,” Calhoun declared. “I thought we played that possession really well. It was just a six-point game. ... There’s a lot of plays through a 40-minute game that could impact it. And I thought that 3 by him was just a big-time shot in a big moment, and that kind of carried Arizona to the win.”

Burries ended up going 3 of 3 from 3-point range while the rest of the Wildcats went 4 of 13 from long range.

“I think Brayden’s a winner, and he has ultimate confidence,” Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd said. “It’s been a joy to coach him. ... He’s a laid-back, kind-of-unassuming guy, but he has a killer in him. And that’s a beautiful attribute.”

The Wildcats, who have won 11 straight games, also got 14 points from freshman forward Koa Peat, and 11 points and 14 rebounds from junior Motiejust Krivas. The 7–foot-2 center blocked three shots, caused the Aggies’ offense and all sorts of problems and went 7 of 8 from the free-throw line to help Arizona advance to the Sweet Sixteen for the fourth time in Lloyd’s five seasons in Tucson.

Conversely, Utah State still hasn’t won two games in the same NCAA Tournament since 1970. But despite never holding the lead — Burries buried a 3-pointer just 24 seconds into the game — trailing 33-24 at halftime and falling behind by 18 points early in the second half, the Aggies still gave their fans hope.

After a 10-foot jumpier by Burries forced Calhoun into calling a timeout with his team trailing 51-33 with 14:43 left, Utah State turned up the intensity defensively, holding Arizona without a field goal for over seven minutes while creating turnovers with its full-court defense.

Two free throws by Elamin pulled the Aggies to within 56-51 at the 7:22 mark, and a 3-pointer by Allen closed the gap to just four points a minute later. But a putback by Krivas — one of Arizona’s 21 offensive rebounds — stretched the Cats’ lead back to 60-54.

Two more free throws from Elamin got USU back to four points once again, but those two points were offset when Arizona finally broke the Aggies’ press, leading to a 3-point play by Bradley. Following a missed 3-pointer by USU forward Karson Templin, Falslev came up with one of his three steals, which led to the Aggies getting back to within four points for a third and final time.

Allen enjoyed the moment, turning towards the Aggies’ fan section to celebrate Utah State getting back to 63-59 with just over five minutes to go. But his joy was short-lived, and USU’s momentum soon disappeared when Bradley scored the next three points of the game.

Although Allen did managed to slice through Arizona’s big men for a layup that left Utah State down 66-61, four free throws by Krivas and Burries’ clutch 3-pointer carried Arizona to the victory and brought Utah State’s spectacular season to an end.

“I think it’s very hard for a season to end anytime; it just comes abruptly,” Calhoun noted. “Its one of those things that you don’t ever want to end. You just want to coach these guys another day, another game.

“We wanted to get to San Jose, but we weren’t able to do it.”

Barcelona are projected to be very busy this summer, as they seek to address a number of areas in Hansi Flick’s squad. As well as the expected new signings of a centre-back and striker, there could also be significant departures, and two of these attracting strong interest in recent weeks have been Ronald Araujo and Gerard Martin.

According to MD, Araujo has seen interest in his services grow in recent months, with clubs very attentive to his lack of prominence at Barcelona. Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Inter Milan all see the Uruguayan defender as a possible option for the number, with the Premier League giants prepared to make an offer of €35m.

The same report has also highlighted information from ESPN regarding Milan’s pursuit of Martin. The 24-year-old is regarded highly within the Rossoneri for his ability to operate as a centre-back and left-back, although any deal will be difficult to do in the summer.

Neither player plans to leave Barcelona

According to MD, neither Araujo nor Martin has any desire to leave Barcelona this summer. In the case of the former, he wants to work his way back into being a regular starter for the Catalans, with his lack of prominence not seen as a reason for him to want out at the Spotify Camp Nou.

As for Martin, his increased role this season is a clear motivation for him to remain in Catalonia. Even when a new left-sided centre-back arrives in the summer, he would still have an important role to play across the backline, both in the middle and on the left.

Despite this, Barcelona may actively look to sell one of Araujo or Martin in the summer. They may need to raise funds for signings, given that the desire is for a top-level centre-back and striker to come in, while money will also be needed to turn Marcus Rashford’s loan into a transfer.

One of NASCAR’s greatest drivers ever, three-time Cup Series champion Darrell Waltrip had attended the 2026 Goodyear 400 in Darlington on Sunday, but it turned out to be not just a social He spoke to the press about various topics concerning the state that the sport is in currently and his opinions carried a hidden meaning to them, or so the fans believe.

With reporters pressing Waltrip on topics that have been discussed aggressively over the past few months, the NASCAR icon chose to deliver neutral answers wherever possible and kept himself out of trouble’s way. The particular disinterest that his words carried resonated deeply with some fans on social media, and they expressed that he is tired of the sport, as they all are.

For instance, Waltrip was asked if he still watched races and how enamored he felt with them. He answered, “I think the sport has gone through a transition from the days when I raced. You dropped a green flag, and you ran to the checkered. Now they’ve got all these different stages. It’s a little different than it used to be. I am not sure I like the way it is, but I watch. That’s about it.”

Waltrip also said that he is glad to be retired and that he wouldn’t come back for a short appearance in the broadcasting booth even if he were called upon.

One fan on X wrote in response to his interview, “Great job saying what he really thinks without saying what he really thinks. NASCAR misses and needs more characters like DW. He has lived a full life doing what he loved doing and enjoying every moment.”

Waltrip is 79 years old now. It is only fair that he keep his distance from the sport, should he wish to do so.

Another added, “Very diplomatic interview. Read between the lines, and it tells how we all feel.” The consensus is that NASCAR was a better sport earlier than it is now. There will be a large crowd that says otherwise. But what cannot be denied is that the traditional fans ought to be satisfied with the sport, regardless of anything else.

As a veteran, Waltrip doesn’t seem to be in love with the sport any longer as he once was. One comment pointed this out: “DW has definitely checked out with today’s product. While he doesn’t admit it, you can clearly tell in his body language.”

Another underlined, “He was professional but you can clearly tell he doesn’t want much to do with NASCAR anymore. Its nothing like he remembers.”

Waltrip was at Darlington with the purpose of catching up with some of his old friends whom he hadn’t seen in years. But if he is not happy with the sport in its current form, that does say a lot about the direction in which the ship is heading.

The post “Read Between the Lines”: Darrell Waltrip’s Darlington Appearance Has Fans Talking About His Take on Modern Day NASCAR appeared first on The SportsRush.

Jaylen Brown Praises Communication With Fellow Celtics Superstar originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

It's been a little over two weeks since Jayson Tatum returned to the Boston Celtics from his 10-month layoff, and the Celtics haven't skipped a beat. They've gone 6-3 since he came back, proving wrong critics who thought Tatum's return would disrupt Boston's impressive performance without him.

Tatum's transition back into the starting lineup has gone pretty smoothly, especially playing alongside Jaylen Brown again. According to Brown, that's a testament to their good communication, including a key one-on-one conversation they had in front of the team before Tatum returned.

"It was great. The initial conversation, having that communication," Brown said before Sunday's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. "Sometimes your communication falls off, so being able to get back on the same page is important."

"We just communicated that it's going to be me and you."

Jaylen Brown talks about a meeting he had with Jayson Tatum and the rest of the Celtics team ahead of Tatum's return to action. pic.twitter.com/tJvVgwoP9V

— NBA on NBC and Peacock (@NBAonNBC) March 22, 2026

Brown added that maintaining good communication will be critical for them going forward as they approach the playoffs and try to win another championship together.

"It's gonna take more communication as the year goes on. Things change..." Brown continued. "We just communicated that it's gonna be me and you. Our communication sets the tone for the rest of the team, and we both gotta be better going forward if we want this thing to work."

Now in their ninth season together, their relationship and partnership are still evolving. Brown's playing the best basketball of his career, but continuing to make room for Tatum and play off each other will be critical.

More NBA: Celtics Legend Explains Surprising Lack Of Communication With Jayson Tatum

Every day, we bring you the best and worst performers from the previous night in the NBA.

Best players of the day

	PLAYER	RAT	STATS
1	Karl-Anthony Towns	35.56	26 pts · 16 reb · 3 ast · 1 stl · 9-13 FG
2	Nikola Jokic	32.31	22 pts · 14 reb · 14 ast · 2 stl · 10-18 FG
3	Malik Monk	30.22	32 pts · 6 ast · 2 reb · 1 blk · 8-17 FG
4	Devin Booker	27.59	25 pts · 6 ast · 3 reb · 0 stl · 9-15 FG
5	Maxime Raynaud	27.04	22 pts · 10 reb · 2 ast · 1 stl · 10-13 FG
6	Cameron Johnson	25.21	19 pts · 3 ast · 2 reb · 2 stl · 7-10 FG
7	Bones Hyland	24.47	23 pts · 3 reb · 3 ast · 1 stl · 8-14 FG
8	Josh Hart	22.05	16 pts · 6 reb · 4 ast · 2 stl · 5-9 FG
9	Jalen Green	21.92	20 pts · 7 ast · 3 reb · 1 blk · 8-15 FG
10	Rudy Gobert	21.89	9 pts · 14 reb · 1 ast · 4 blk · 3-5 FG
11	Ayo Dosunmu	21.66	17 pts · 8 reb · 6 ast · 2 blk · 7-13 FG
12	Jamal Murray	20.80	22 pts · 7 ast · 2 reb · 1 stl · 9-18 FG
13	Jalen Brunson	19.60	23 pts · 4 ast · 0 reb · 1 stl · 9-19 FG
14	Mitchell Robinson	19.27	10 pts · 10 reb · 1 ast · 2 blk · 5-5 FG
15	Ryan Dunn	18.00	12 pts · 3 reb · 2 ast · 3 stl · 5-8 FG

* (RAT) Global Rating, which measures performance based on individual and team stats. You can check season rankings here.

Worst players of the day

	PLAYER	RAT	STATS
1	Brandon Ingram	-2.08	6 pts · 4 reb · 1 ast · 5 tov · 3-10 FG
2	Jamal Shead	0.51	2 pts · 6 ast · 1 reb · 1 tov · 1-6 FG
3	Jakob Poeltl	0.66	0 pts · 2 ast · 0 reb · 0 tov · 0-1 FG
4	EJ Liddell	0.83	1 pts · 4 ast · 2 reb · 0 tov · 0-5 FG
5	Luka Garza	0.85	5 pts · 6 reb · 1 ast · 2 tov · 2-7 FG
6	Sam Hauser	0.90	2 pts · 2 reb · 1 ast · 0 tov · 1-4 FG
7	Matisse Thybulle	1.75	3 pts · 3 reb · 1 ast · 1 tov · 1-6 FG
8	Leaky Black	1.91	3 pts · 3 reb · 1 ast · 1 tov · 1-2 FG
9	Sandro Mamukelashvili	2.22	5 pts · 3 reb · 2 ast · 0 tov · 2-8 FG
10	Jamir Watkins	2.48	5 pts · 6 reb · 2 ast · 0 tov · 2-10 FG
11	Sidy Cissoko	2.75	7 pts · 2 reb · 1 ast · 0 tov · 3-8 FG
12	Terance Mann	2.85	5 pts · 3 reb · 2 ast · 0 tov · 2-5 FG
13	Kris Murray	2.86	2 pts · 4 ast · 2 reb · 0 tov · 1-4 FG
14	Jrue Holiday	2.96	9 pts · 3 reb · 3 ast · 1 tov · 3-12 FG
15	Baylor Scheierman	3.39	5 pts · 4 reb · 2 ast · 0 tov · 2-4 FG

* Minimum 15 minutes played

Breakout players of the day

	PLAYER	DIFF	STATS
1	Malik Monk	23.93	32 pts · 6 ast · 2 reb · 1 blk · 8-17 FG
2	Maxime Raynaud	22.21	22 pts · 10 reb · 2 ast · 1 stl · 10-13 FG
3	Bones Hyland	20.50	23 pts · 3 reb · 3 ast · 1 stl · 8-14 FG
4	Rasheer Fleming	15.69	11 pts · 7 reb · 1 ast · 2 stl · 4-8 FG
5	Karl-Anthony Towns	15.53	26 pts · 16 reb · 3 ast · 1 stl · 9-13 FG
6	Cameron Johnson	14.92	19 pts · 3 ast · 2 reb · 2 stl · 7-10 FG
7	Devin Carter	14.28	16 pts · 5 reb · 3 ast · 1 stl · 5-12 FG
8	Ayo Dosunmu	13.16	17 pts · 8 reb · 6 ast · 2 blk · 7-13 FG
9	Christian Braun	12.76	15 pts · 6 reb · 2 ast · 0 stl · 5-7 FG
10	Precious Achiuwa	12.37	14 pts · 15 reb · 0 ast · 1 stl · 6-13 FG
11	Mitchell Robinson	12.31	10 pts · 10 reb · 1 ast · 2 blk · 5-5 FG
12	Mohamed Diawara	11.88	12 pts · 1 reb · 0 ast · 0 stl · 4-6 FG
13	Ryan Dunn	11.85	12 pts · 3 reb · 2 ast · 3 stl · 5-8 FG
14	Anthony Gill	10.60	18 pts · 5 reb · 0 ast · 3 stl · 8-10 FG
15	Ben Saraf	10.07	22 pts · 5 ast · 3 reb · 1 stl · 10-20 FG

* (DIFF) Difference between last game and 2025-26 Global Rating (minimum five games played)

Bombs of the day

	PLAYER	DIFF	STATS
1	Brandon Ingram	-18.43	6 pts · 4 reb · 1 ast · 5 tov · 3-10 FG
2	Julius Randle	-14.47	9 pts · 9 reb · 4 ast · 3 tov · 3-14 FG
3	Payton Pritchard	-12.11	10 pts · 3 ast · 1 reb · 1 tov · 4-11 FG
4	Derrick White	-9.52	15 pts · 6 reb · 1 ast · 3 tov · 6-15 FG
5	Jaylen Brown	-9.12	29 pts · 7 reb · 4 ast · 3 tov · 9-26 FG
6	Donte DiVincenzo	-8.46	8 pts · 2 reb · 2 ast · 2 tov · 3-9 FG
7	Immanuel Quickley	-8.42	11 pts · 3 reb · 1 ast · 1 tov · 4-9 FG
8	Sandro Mamukelashvili	-7.66	5 pts · 3 reb · 2 ast · 0 tov · 2-8 FG
9	Jakob Poeltl	-7.57	0 pts · 2 ast · 0 reb · 0 tov · 0-1 FG
10	Naz Reid	-6.99	11 pts · 7 reb · 0 ast · 2 tov · 4-12 FG
11	Jamal Shead	-6.92	2 pts · 6 ast · 1 reb · 1 tov · 1-6 FG
12	Neemias Queta	-6.16	4 pts · 10 reb · 1 ast · 0 tov · 2-5 FG
13	OG Anunoby	-5.50	9 pts · 2 reb · 0 ast · 4 tov · 3-7 FG
14	Sam Hauser	-5.49	2 pts · 2 reb · 1 ast · 0 tov · 1-4 FG
15	Luka Garza	-5.33	5 pts · 6 reb · 1 ast · 2 tov · 2-7 FG

* (DIFF) Difference between last game and 2025-26 Global Rating (minimum five games played)

Best rookies of the day

	PLAYER	RAT	STATS
1	Maxime Raynaud	27.04	22 pts · 10 reb · 2 ast · 1 stl · 10-13 FG
2	Rasheer Fleming	16.70	11 pts · 7 reb · 1 ast · 2 stl · 4-8 FG
3	Mohamed Diawara	12.58	12 pts · 1 reb · 0 ast · 0 stl · 4-6 FG
4	Nique Clifford	12.05	7 pts · 4 reb · 4 ast · 1 stl · 2-4 FG
5	Ben Saraf	11.47	22 pts · 5 ast · 3 reb · 1 stl · 10-20 FG
6	Nolan Traore	9.89	17 pts · 4 ast · 2 reb · 1 stl · 6-12 FG
7	Khaman Maluach	9.75	7 pts · 7 reb · 0 ast · 1 stl · 2-4 FG
8	Dylan Cardwell	8.67	5 pts · 3 reb · 2 ast · 1 blk · 2-3 FG
9	Danny Wolf	6.07	9 pts · 4 reb · 0 ast · 0 stl · 4-7 FG
10	Will Riley	4.77	11 pts · 4 ast · 1 reb · 0 stl · 4-9 FG
11	Drake Powell	4.20	8 pts · 3 reb · 3 ast · 0 stl · 4-9 FG
12	Jamir Watkins	2.48	5 pts · 6 reb · 2 ast · 3 stl · 2-10 FG
13	Joan Beringer	-0.84	0 pts · 0 reb · 0 ast · 0 stl · 0-1 FG
14	Hugo Gonzalez	-1.58	0 pts · 3 reb · 1 ast · 1 blk · 0-3 FG
15	Koby Brea	-3.39	0 pts · 0 reb · 0 ast · 0 stl · 0-3 FG

* You can can check season rankings here.

Most clutch players

	PLAYER	RAT	STATS
1	Malik Monk	6.63	7 pts · 0 reb · 0 ast · 0 stl · 1-1 FG
2	Devin Carter	3.75	2 pts · 1 reb · 1 ast · 0 stl · 0-0 FG
3	DeMar DeRozan	2.13	2 pts · 1 ast · 0 reb · 0 stl · 1-2 FG
4	Maxime Raynaud	1.75	1 pts · 0 reb · 0 ast · 0 stl · 0-0 FG
5	Malachi Smith	1.36	0 pts · 1 ast · 0 reb · 1 stl · 0-0 FG
6	Nolan Traore	1.28	4 pts · 0 reb · 0 ast · 0 stl · 1-2 FG
7	Ben Saraf	0.48	2 pts · 0 reb · 0 ast · 0 stl · 1-2 FG
8	Doug McDermott	0.00	0 pts · 0 reb · 0 ast · 0 stl · 0-0 FG
9	Patrick Baldwin	0.00	0 pts · 0 reb · 0 ast · 0 stl · 0-0 FG
10	Precious Achiuwa	0.00	0 pts · 0 reb · 0 ast · 0 stl · 0-0 FG
11	EJ Liddell	-0.08	0 pts · 1 reb · 0 ast · 0 stl · 0-0 FG
12	Drake Powell	-0.32	0 pts · 0 reb · 0 ast · 0 stl · 0-0 FG

* (RAT) Clutch Rating, which measures performance in the last five minutes of 4Q or OT when the score is within five points

Best international players

	PLAYER	RAT	STATS
1	Karl-Anthony Towns	35.56	26 pts · 16 reb · 3 ast · 1 stl · 9-13 FG
2	Nikola Jokic	32.31	22 pts · 14 reb · 14 ast · 2 stl · 10-18 FG
3	Maxime Raynaud	27.04	22 pts · 10 reb · 2 ast · 1 stl · 10-13 FG
4	Rudy Gobert	21.89	9 pts · 14 reb · 1 ast · 4 blk · 3-5 FG
5	Jamal Murray	20.80	22 pts · 7 ast · 2 reb · 1 stl · 9-18 FG
6	Deni Avdija	17.37	23 pts · 14 ast · 6 reb · 0 stl · 7-17 FG
7	Precious Achiuwa	17.33	14 pts · 15 reb · 0 ast · 1 stl · 6-13 FG
8	Jose Alvarado	14.86	8 pts · 8 ast · 2 reb · 1 stl · 3-7 FG
9	Mohamed Diawara	12.58	12 pts · 1 reb · 0 ast · 0 stl · 4-6 FG
10	Jordan Clarkson	12.27	8 pts · 4 ast · 3 reb · 1 stl · 4-6 FG
11	Jeremy Sochan	12.13	8 pts · 6 reb · 1 ast · 0 stl · 3-4 FG
12	Ben Saraf	11.47	22 pts · 5 ast · 3 reb · 1 stl · 10-20 FG
13	Toumani Camara	10.86	16 pts · 5 reb · 2 ast · 0 stl · 5-8 FG
14	Kyle Anderson	10.14	6 pts · 4 reb · 3 ast · 1 stl · 3-5 FG
15	Nolan Traore	9.89	17 pts · 4 ast · 2 reb · 1 stl · 6-12 FG

* Includes players who represent national teams other than Team USA

Best bench players

	PLAYER	RAT	STATS
1	Malik Monk	30.22	32 pts · 6 ast · 2 reb · 1 blk · 8-17 FG
2	Bones Hyland	24.47	23 pts · 3 reb · 3 ast · 1 stl · 8-14 FG
3	Mitchell Robinson	19.27	10 pts · 10 reb · 1 ast · 2 blk · 5-5 FG
4	Ryan Dunn	18.00	12 pts · 3 reb · 2 ast · 3 stl · 5-8 FG
5	Bruce Brown	17.03	13 pts · 3 reb · 3 ast · 1 blk · 5-8 FG
6	Rasheer Fleming	16.70	11 pts · 7 reb · 1 ast · 2 stl · 4-8 FG
7	Jose Alvarado	14.86	8 pts · 8 ast · 2 reb · 1 stl · 3-7 FG
8	Devin Carter	14.81	16 pts · 5 reb · 3 ast · 1 stl · 5-12 FG
9	Tyler Kolek	13.83	11 pts · 1 reb · 1 ast · 0 stl · 4-4 FG
10	Peyton Watson	13.60	14 pts · 6 reb · 3 ast · 0 stl · 6-13 FG
11	Mohamed Diawara	12.58	12 pts · 1 reb · 0 ast · 0 stl · 4-6 FG
12	Robert Williams	12.44	16 pts · 5 reb · 1 ast · 0 stl · 8-10 FG
13	Jordan Clarkson	12.27	8 pts · 4 ast · 3 reb · 1 stl · 4-6 FG
14	Jeremy Sochan	12.13	8 pts · 6 reb · 1 ast · 0 stl · 3-4 FG
15	Ben Saraf	11.47	22 pts · 5 ast · 3 reb · 1 stl · 10-20 FG

Stats per country

	COUNTRY	STATS	PLAYERS
1	United States	816 points · 261 rebounds · 189 assists	82
	Rest of the World	342 points · 160 rebounds · 89 assists	37
2	France	82 points · 38 rebounds · 11 assists	9
3	Israel	54 points · 19 assists · 13 rebounds ·	3
4	Canada	46 points · 14 assists · 6 rebounds ·	3
5	Serbia	35 points · 15 rebounds · 15 assists	2
6	Dominican Republic	26 points · 16 rebounds · 3 assists	2
7	Nigeria	16 points · 16 rebounds · 0 assists	2
8	Belgium	16 points · 5 rebounds · 2 assists	1
9	Great Britain	9 points · 2 rebounds · 0 assists	1
10	Poland	8 points · 6 rebounds · 1 assist	1
11	Philippines	8 points · 4 assists · 3 rebounds ·	1
12	Puerto Rico	8 points · 8 assists · 2 rebounds ·	2
13	South Sudan	7 points · 7 rebounds · 0 assists	1
14	China	6 points · 4 rebounds · 3 assists	1
15	Bosnia	5 points · 6 rebounds · 1 assist	1
16	Georgia	5 points · 3 rebounds · 2 assists	1
17	Ukraine	4 points · 1 rebound · 1 assist	1
18	Portugal	4 points · 10 rebounds · 1 assist	1
19	Australia	3 points · 3 rebounds · 1 assist	1
20	Germany	0 points · 1 rebound · 0 assists	1
21	Spain	0 points · 3 rebounds · 1 assist	1
22	Austria	0 points · 2 assists · 0 rebounds ·	1

* Includes players who represent national teams other than Team USA

All-Time Ranking

	PLAYER	CATEGORY	RANK	PASSED
	Rudy Gobert	Blocks	24	Elton Brand
	Rudy Gobert	Rebounds	37	Ben Wallace
	Nikola Jokic	Assists	43	Mookie Blaylock
	Nikola Jokic	Rebounds	63	Shawn Kemp
	Nikola Jokic	Scoring	88	Lenny Wilkens, Bailey Howell
	Julius Randle	Scoring	163	Shareef Abdur-Rahim
	Jakob Poeltl	Blocks	163	Jerami Grant
	Mitchell Robinson	Blocks	197	James Harden
	Jaylen Brown	Scoring	227	Al Harrington
	Jamal Murray	Assists	249	Rolando Blackman

Sneakers

BRAND	STATS	PLAYERS
Nike	566 points · 228 rebounds · 137 assists	59
Jordan Brand	62 points · 29 rebounds · 9 assists	5
Adidas	50 points · 27 rebounds · 24 assists	10
Puma	38 points · 12 rebounds · 8 assists	4
Anta	36 points · 18 rebounds · 10 assists	3
Under Armour	23 points · 3 rebounds · 3 assists	1
New Balance	22 points · 7 assists · 2 rebounds ·	1
Li-Ning	16 points · 5 rebounds · 3 assists	1
361.00	12 points · 4 assists · 3 rebounds ·	1
Serious Player Only	8 points · 2 assists · 1 rebound ·	1
Andiem	5 points · 0 rebounds · 0 assists	1
Rigorer	0 points · 1 rebound · 0 assists	1

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This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: HoopsHype Daily: Karl-Anthony Towns can't be stopped, a Sunday to forget for Brandon Ingram

Former Manchester United star Timothy Fosu-Mensah has reportedly taken a decisive step in his bid to make a sensational return to football.

United spell

A product of United’s academy, Fosu-Mensah spent seven years at the club, establishing himself as a versatile option before making the step up to the first team.

United snapped him up from Ajax’s youth set-up when he was 16 in 2014. He developed as a player capable of being deployed at centre-back, right-back, left-back, or even central midfield.

Fosu-Mensah made his senior United debut in February 2016, when he came on as a 55th-minute substitute for Marcos Rojo at left-back in a Premier League home win over Arsenal.

He featured more regularly in the latter half of the 2015/16 campaign under Louis van Gaal, going on to sign a new long-term contract in October. His deal ran until 2020 with the option of an additional year.

Fosu-Mensah made 30 senior appearances for the Red Devils. He was unable to nail down a consistent run of games and performances due to a combination of factors including competition for places, loan exits and injuries.

While at Old Trafford, the Dutchman went out on loan to Crystal Palace and Fulham. A permanent transfer to Bayer Leverkusen followed in 2021 but his time in the Bundesliga failed to go to plan, with injuries once again proving to be his undoing.

The player was released in 2024 and has been without a club since.

Fosu-Mensah has spoken candidly about the mental toll of his injury setbacks and the challenges of finding a new club, all as he aims to reignite his career.

Now, GIVEMESPORT have revealed that the 28-year-old has taken an important stride to achieve this objective.

Fosu-Mensah update

According to the news outlet, Fosu-Mensah has been training with Crystal Palace’s U21 side in recent weeks to maintain fitness while looking for a club to sign him.

Sam Cohen writes that Fosu-Mensah is using Palace’s development set-up to stay sharp and in top physical condition after a lengthy spell away from competitive action.

Cohen adds, “There is growing belief that he is now physically in a strong position and ready to return to football, with his current training programme designed to rebuild match fitness and rhythm.”

“Sources indicate he is open to opportunities across Europe, with his priority centred around staying fit and playing consistently.”

It would truly be something special to see Fosu-Mensah return to the pitch and get back to doing what he loves most.

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Craig Bellamy takes a seat at his desk and connects his laptop to a projector showing its contents on the opposite wall, the desktop background barely visible behind a maze of files and folders.

The Wales head coach whizzes through a few clips – every single training session he has ever conducted is there – and reels off some of the statistical indicators of Wales' improvement during his year and a half in charge.

It can be hard to keep up.

Behind him are two framed Wales shirts and a framed photo of the late Gary Speed, his friend and former team-mate and coach, during his time as Wales manager.

Other than a copy of Bellamy's autobiography on the desk, there is little else decorative in this neat, sparse office at Dragon Park.

Bellamy chooses to work at Wales' national development centre on the outskirts of Newport because, in his words, this is a football place.

The Football Association of Wales may have its headquarters in the Vale of Glamorgan but, outside of international camps, that is as much to do with matters off the field – from finance and marketing to grassroots administration – as it is the elite game.

Here, it is all football, just as Bellamy likes it. Coaches and analysts pop in occasionally but, in the main, he is left to it.

"Socially I can be very awkward – not on purpose – but when it comes to football, I'm really open and happy," he says.

"If a person wants to stop me in the street and talk football, unfortunately you can't get rid of me."

Happily, that becomes clear as this conversation morphs into a four-hour epic, rich with unexpectedly heartfelt and humorous detours.

In an exclusive interview where Bellamy grants BBC Sport Wales rare access into his working methods and outlook on life, this is a glimpse inside the mind of a man who has been described as a football "genius".

• 'Close to perfect' - Bellamy revels in Wales masterclass
• 'Gobby troublemaker to meticulous coach' - Bellamy's evolution

'History. Geography. Football'

It is a wet and windy January morning in Newport, and Wales do not have a fixture for two months.

Some international managers might view the long gaps between games as a chance to unwind. Some do not live in the country they manage, while others have additional jobs.

But Bellamy is consumed by football, and his work as Wales head coach is an obsession.

"I do way more than I need to," he says. "But what I've learned is to not get caught up on it.

"It's inevitable changes are going to happen between now and the game, so I try not to let it break my heart when it happens."

The 46-year-old has always watched an extraordinary amount of football, as demonstrated by his encyclopaedic references.

Montenegrin journalists looked on wide-eyed as Bellamy used a pre-match news conference in Podgorica in 2024 to talk about Yugoslavia's Under-21s of 1990 as much as Wales' Nations League match there the following day.

Bellamy watches hours of opposition analysis in his office, studies his own team's matches and training sessions, and then there is the football he watches at home.

Does he ever switch off?

"Funnily enough, last night I was watching a film about the Balkans war," he says.

Wales host Bosnia-Herzegovina in a World Cup play-off semi-final on 26 March.

"I need to see who they are, what they come from," he adds. "I've done the same with Kazakhstan, Liechtenstein. I need to know who they are as well.

"That's just for me. That's not going to give me any ammo. Where's the manager born? Were they involved in a conflict? Where's his mindset?

"I love history. History, geography, football. They all fit in - they're my three favourite things. It's how I relax.

"I get a better understanding of people and a completely different respect for them off the back of it as well."

'I need to keep my mind busy'

By his own admission, Bellamy needs to keep his mind occupied.

He misses the day-to-day consistency of club football but, as this is his first senior managerial role, do the extended quiet periods of international football offer him some valuable time to take a breath, decompress and analyse?

"Yeah, it definitely gives you that, and that's a huge advantage," Bellamy says. "Not working every day, I knew was going to be challenging.

"When I sat down with my partner and we discussed it, our first conversation was: 'How are you going to cope?' To me, it was how can I make it work? I'll do more.

"I probably say 'yes' to a lot of things I don't need to do, but I need to keep active and it keeps my mind busy. I need my mind to be busy.

"From January to March, I need every day, whether I'm at Spurs for a couple of days then Man City for a couple of days, Hong Kong.

"I'm nipping back and forth, like one minute I'm in Wrexham, back, then I've done a talk up in Bangor two days later, back, then a talk somewhere else – boom, boom, boom," adds Bellamy, who lives in Cardiff.

"You'd think I'd be better off just staying there for a few days but with two young kids it's very difficult at times."

He admits he finds it "difficult" to switch off but that's where his family helps him.

"I find switching off is having two young ones - their moments are their moments, then you're all in," he says. "Whether it's Ken and Barbie, Beauty and the Beast, playing with dolls or whatever.

"My daughter really enjoys me playing with her, which I really like. She'll wake me up in the morning to play before she goes to school and, as soon as I pick her up from school, it's playtime. My youngest boy's getting a little bit jealous of that now as well!

"They're really important moments for me, and my partner as well, so I try to be present and listen to every conversation, no matter what it is."

A mellower Bellamy

Bellamy the coach is a different person to Bellamy the player.

His evolution from snarling, combustible forward to considered, methodical manager has surprised some people who may not have followed his career as closely once he had retired.

The inner fire and determination remain, but he is mellower, more mature these days.

"Sometimes as a player, I think you can just go into your own world because you're basically in a fight to survive," Bellamy says.

"You are constantly fighting, thinking your club might buy someone or they might sell you. That brings out a really competitive side to you that's not always easy to switch off. This is different."

Bellamy was only 17 when he had the first of three children with his former wife. He wrote in his autobiography that they had split because she had "enough of the absentee husband, enough of the selfishness and the black moods".

Having suffered from depression, Bellamy sought help. These days, he better understands his own mind, and his relationships with others.

"Make sure you listen because everyone dedicates enough time to you," he says.

"My partner and I both made this decision [of taking the Wales job]. We both sat down, looked at the options and she reminded me: 'Don't be moaning, don't be thinking I should have done this or that. You commit and we're all in.' And we have been. I've loved it.

"This moment has been our moment - we've done it as a group of people. I've been able to share something with people I love."

The idea of being present is important to Bellamy.

When he first took the Wales job in July 2024, he said he would not be here for a long time, a clear nod to a future in club management.

Many people, even his employers, thought that meant Bellamy could leave after the 2026 World Cup campaign, even though he is contracted until 2028.

However, the prospect of leading Wales at Euro 2028 – which they will co-host with England, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland – is so enticing that Bellamy feels he cannot walk away yet.

"I know when it happens [that I leave] I'll be like, 'I wish I was back there', so don't wish it away," Bellamy says.

"Very few people get this opportunity so enjoy every second of it because it's not here forever. I don't think anyone would want me here forever! So I try to relish it.

"Even if I left tomorrow, I'd look back like, 'Wow this was amazing'. Why not live it? Every day is the best job in the world, keep reminding yourself of that."

Bellamy's 'buzz' of chasing his World Cup dream

There was a spiritual pull for Bellamy returning to Wales.

Born in Cardiff, he spent most of his playing career outside of his homeland, representing the likes of Liverpool and Newcastle.

As a coach, Bellamy followed Vincent Kompany to Anderlecht and Burnley, describing his time with the now Bayern Munich boss as an "education".

The former Manchester City team-mates remain good friends and speak frequently, but Bellamy felt it was time to become a head coach in his own right when his country came calling.

Despite only being an assistant to Kompany at Burnley, Bellamy took a substantial pay cut to take charge of Wales.

This, however, was a job like no other. As well as the obvious emotional ties, Bellamy had unfinished business.

He never got the chance to play at a major international tournament but, as head coach, he aims to put that right by qualifying for this summer's World Cup.

"You always have that buzz of chasing something, like I want qualification, I want to be at major tournaments," Bellamy says.

"But how do we do it? I've got loads of flaws, but the team needs to play with intensity, play with balls.

"As long as you have belief, that's the motivation. That's why you do so much work, why you look at opposition.

"As a footballer for Wales, I didn't really feel belief, I just felt hope. Italy [when Wales won 2-1 in 2002 in a European Championship qualifier] was different because we took the game to them. We were brilliant but there weren't many nights like that."

Bellamy scored the winning goal when Wales last faced Italy in Cardiff, a momentous occasion at a sold-out Millennium Stadium.

The teams will meet again if they win their respective World Cup play-off semi-finals on Thursday, with the final to be played at Cardiff City Stadium the following Tuesday.

Much like Bellamy himself, Welsh football is unrecognisable from that memorable night 24 years ago.

Having been absent from major tournaments since the 1958 World Cup, Wales not only qualified for Euro 2016 but reached the semi-finals in France, three years after Bellamy retired.

They followed that by getting to the knockout stages at Euro 2020 and then qualifying for the 2022 World Cup.

Bellamy wants to build on that success – and take his country to new heights.

"Euro 2016, that moment was like, 'We are here'. That gave belief and I want to carry that on," he says.

"We do punch well above our weight but that's where we want to be. We need to do it continuously. I like expectations.

"This is what it takes to be a Wales player. To wear this shirt, these are the qualities you have to have. I believe we have a chance to consistently be at major tournaments."

With that, Bellamy turns back to his laptop. The cursor hovers over files labelled 'Italy' and 'Northern Ireland' – Wales' potential play-off final opponents – and then back to 'Bosnia'.

Whether or not Wales get to the World Cup this summer, it will not be down to a lack of preparation.

Where to watch NCAA gymnastics selection show: Time, TV channel, live stream for 2026 college championship reveal originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

March is exciting to college sports fans for so many reasons. One of those is because of the NCAA gymnastics championships.

A field of 36 is selected for postseason action with four teams ultimately competing for the title in Fort Worth. Along with the top teams in the nation, individual specialists will compete for titles throughout the bracket.

Oklahoma is often the team to beat, and that is true once again this year. The Sooners enter the postseason as the reigning national champions, claiming their seventh title last year. However, it was Florida who claimed the SEC Championship this season in a stunning finish.

Will the Sooners earn their second straight win? Or will LSU, UCLA or even Alabama return to the top of the podium?

The action begins now as teams are selection for regionals. Here's how to watch the NCAA gymnastics selection show with TV channel and start time information.

Where to watch the NCAA gymnastics selection show

• TV channel: ESPNU
• Live stream: Fubo

The NCAA gymnastics selection show will be broadcast on ESPNU. Viewers can also live stream the show on Fubo.

Fubo offers a free trial for new subscribers, so you can try the service before you buy. Stream ESPN, ABC, CBS, Fox and 100+ top channels of live TV and sports without cable. (Participating plans only. Taxes and fees may apply.)

NCAA gymnastics selection show start time

• Date: Monday, March 23
• Time: Noon ET

The NCAA gymnastics selection show will begin at noon ET on Monday, March 23.

NCAA gymnastics championship 2026 schedule

NCAA gymnastics championship history

George Holley was born at Seaham Harbour in 1885 — a time when the club he would later play for in Sunderland AFC was only six years old and the Football League was yet to exist.

In an era where the future of many of his school friends would encompass a lifetime in the pits of County Durham, Holley’s path was to be football.  

Playing for local Seaham teams in non-league football, he was spotted by Sunderland’s scouts and signed in 1904 as an eighteen-year-old. He soon made his debut away to Sheffield Wednesday in December 1904, scoring in a 1-1 draw, and followed that up by scoring the opening goal on his home debut during a 3-2 win over Preston North End just a few days later.

Holley was off and running, and in a glimpse of what was to come, he scored ten goals in just sixteen appearances for a Sunderland side that finished in fifth place in the First Division.  That haul of goals in his debut season left him as the club’s leading scorer for 1904/1905.

Then-Sunderland manager Alex Mackie had brought the First Division title back to Wearside in 1902 and handed Holley his debut, but by the time his debut season had come to an end, Mackie resigned.

This opened the door for the manager who was to become synonymous with Holley’s career from that point — the legendary Bob Kyle.

Sunderland had consistently been one of the top teams in the country under Mackie, yet struggled for the first few seasons of Kyle’s reign. However, this didn’t prevent Holley from developing his goalscoring skills though. By 1908 he was the club’s leading scorer, with twenty goals in all competitions, and until 1913/1914, he was our leading scorer for five out of seven seasons.

Holley was a prolific inside forward who hit twenty goals in a season on four occasions, which included eleven hat-tricks and 159 goals in total.  He was a skilful player who could run with the ball and was a lethal finisher to boot.

5 December 1908, St James’ Park, Newcastle.

The home team would be crowned Football League champions that season, but just over seventy years before another Seaham-born player was to enjoy arguably his finest hour in a Sunderland shirt at St James’ Park, Holley was about to have one of many.

With the game level at 1-1 at half time, he put Sunderland ahead two minutes after the restart and within twenty minutes had registered a hat-trick.

He and his Sunderland teammates repeatedly ran riot against the Newcastle defence and by the seventy-seventh minute, the Lads were 1-9 up, after which the score remain unchanged until the final whistle.  

Over a century later, it remains our biggest win registered in the Football League, and this was the season that Bob Kyle’s team started to show the rest of the country that they had something about them, eventually ending the season in third place in the league.

Further third-place finishes followed, with Holley now breaking into the England team, and he hit eight goals in just ten appearances for the Three Lions — the most any player has scored for England while playing for Sunderland.

There was more to come for Holley and Sunderland in 1913, and after a shocking start to the season, the side began to win, win and win again, ending the season as Football League champions for the fifth time. This was not all, because before the title had been secured, Sunderland also reached the F.A. Cup Final.

Despite being granted the opportunity to win the first part of what would’ve been an incredible league and cup double, Holley had been injured in the weeks before the final.

He was due to miss the final itself, but his replacement Walter Tinsley had an attack of nerves on the big day.  Thus, with his knee bandaged and ankle strapped, Holley started the game against Aston Villa at Crystal Palace, which Sunderland lost 0-1.  

Holley then returned for the final three league games after the final — in which we secured the victories needed to bring the league title back to Wearside — and he was our leading scorer during the following season. He was still only twenty eight years old when the First World War broke out, and just as World War Two curtailed the careers of many of the biggest names in our history, it was also very much the case for Holley.

He was a prolific scorer, and only three other players have scored more goals for Sunderland: Dave Halliday, Charlie Buchan and Bobby Gurney.  If he’d been able to keep on playing at his peak, there’s chance that he could’ve reached a total that would’ve even been beyond the reach of Gurney.

He was one of the best and most important strikers in the club’s history — local born and scorer of a hat-trick in the biggest league win registered by Sunderland at our greatest rivals.

Luke O’Nien rides the rollercoaster once again

It doesn’t need to be said that O’Nien made a significant mistake in the first ten minutes and that his error led to a really soft chance being offered to Tyneside’s ‘Princess Diana’ — and to be fair to her former Royal Highness, she took the chance very well.

O’Nien tried to beat the press with a firm clearance upfield and in trying to put his foot through it, he messed up. The lad knew it straight away and tried his best for the rest of the game to make up for it — and for me he did so, with some very important interventions to keep us in the mix.

He’s been with us during our darkest years, and cocked up yet took it on the chin in post-match interviews. Fair play — and the most important thing is that we learn during this first season back at the top level, and we certainly did so when we got back out for the second stanza.

He and Omar Alderete were imperious in the second half, and whilst a 0-2 win would’ve been lovely without that unforced error, to come back from a soft goal made the whole day even sweeter.

An immense second half display from the Lads

We did well to get into the changing rooms only one down, with the hosts hitting the post with the goalkeeper beaten later in the first half, but it has to be recognised that the step change in performance between the two halves was like night and day.

It was easily seen welcome for all Mackems both in the ground and watching from home that we weren’t having a similar forty five minutes. It was almost symbolic of the battle between good and evil — which in many ways this was a representation of.

A so-called elite team, sponsored by a very wealthy but very questionable ownership had one over on the supposed ‘small club’ from down the road after the first half — yet this supposedly inferior outfit wasn’t willing to sit back and take it any more.

Instead, they came out for the second period more hardworking, more determined, more energetic and not willing to give anything less than 100%, which was all the fans expected.

We scrapped and battled and showed that we were equal to the so called ‘richest club in the world’, and less than an hour into the tie, Chemsdine Talbi tapped in from close range after a wonder save stopped him from finding the top corner before the half hour mark.

Sunderland weather various storms after the break

It’s true that the Mags had a goal chalked off in the last twenty minutes, but there was a player both clearly offside and shoving the goalkeeper around the line — both of which were enough to deny the local Neanderthals a lead at a pivotal point in the game.

Before VAR even intervened, the referee had blown up for a foul, much to the happiness of the red and white hordes who’d navigated their way past flying bottles and all sorts of violent threats in order to get to the game.

To add further shame to the Newcastle role of dishonour, the lads in red and white had to experience unacceptable racial abuse.

Let’s be clear: Lutsharel Geertruida was one of many on the pitch who isn’t of English and/or white heritage, but he was clearly the nearest target that the rattled, naive, stupid and unacceptably bigoted fans in that part of the ground could have a pop at. It was utterly disgusting and ignoring stripes of red or black, we simply have to hope that such morons don’t get back into any football stadium again.

This is the 21st century, for goodness sake. Some people need to grow the hell up and sort out the hate they have for their fellow man — which has no place in any ground anywhere in the world in 2026.

Is Brian Brobbey the best #9 we’ve had in a while?

With no major difference between two sides in the last twenty minutes, with both teams in poor form and missing a number of their starting elevens, it almost felt like destiny that someone would have to step up to make a difference.

That difference was made with a combination of a late-appearing Enzo Le Fée and the man-mountain that had battled with the Newcastle centre backs in black and white all day — one Brian Brobbey.

After a great break, Noah Sadiki fed Le Fée, who headed for the byline and managed to slot a cut back through the legs of the Geordie defenders for Brobbey to slam his second effort past Aaron Ramsdale after his first effort was well-blocked.

The limbs in the top level were epic and the noise in my own front room with my son, my future son-in-law, and the rest of my wonderful family was ear splitting — and the ‘Til The End socks on my feet twitched with every thread of their weaved magic.

We’d done it again and although a decent portion of time was added on for injuries and other interruptions earlier in the game, the Lads held on for another win on Tyneside.

Despite all the challenges, we’d taken a team made up of many second-string players in key positions and secured a double over our closest and nearest foes from barely a dozen miles up the coast.

Final thoughts…

Before this game, I sent a message to my lad, and he said “Dad, if we win this game, my season will be complete” — and I agreed wholeheartedly with this sentiment.

We’ve stayed up and have come so, so far, but this isn’t like any other game for any Sunderland fan. This is one of the two fixtures we’ve waited almost a decade for, and we haven’t only won the home tie with a somewhat lucky own goal — we’ve come from behind at their place and done the double with a 1-2 win on Tyneside.

These are memories we can all treasure and are almost on the level of cup wins. Remarkable events in North East football, and the position we’re in, with over forty points by March, is something that dreams were made of back in the summer.

Adding to that a double over the Geordies, elevation back to eleventh in the league and being only three points away from European competition for next season? That’s the stuff that dreams are made of already, and I can’t imagine what we may do with the rest of this season.

The future is bright, and no matter what others say (including an expectedly elusive Alan Shearer come Match of the Day on Sunday evening), the future is certainly looking more red and white than monochrome.

Of that we have no doubt — and good luck with your next role, Eddie.

FTM.

Want to have your say on all things Sunderland? Drop us a line and we’ll publish your views! RokerReport@yahoo.co.uk

Dear Roker Report,

Yes, yes, yes!

Watching Sunday’s game from the comfort of home, I felt so proud of the Lads for their performance and togetherness

Looking at our starting eleven, we were — including the goalkeeper — missing four players from our usual defensive set up.

Unfortunately that was exposed early in the game and a lesson to be learnt, but how the lads responded was full of inspiration and in my opinion, we were the more committed team and most likely to win the game — in other words, we were the better team throughout and deserved the three points.

The most pleasing aspect of the win was the spirit shown. We moved the ball quicker, had a focal point and wherever possible, we got a shot away, which is something that’s been lacking in our home games.

The squad does need improving but we must remember that it’s our first season back in the Premier League. We’ve achieved our first goal in survival and next year, we push on.

Nice to see Luke O’Nien and Chris Rigg leading the applause at the end.

Six points off the Geordies this season….happy days!

Haway the Lads 

Mark

Dear Roker Report,

Well done to one and all.

Beating the black and white shite in their own shit tip.

Haway the lads!

Rob Brown

Ed’s Note [Phil]: Hi, Mark and Rob. Thank you for your letters.

I’m writing this reply some seven hours after the game finished and I must admit that I’m still in a state of shock at the fact we turned it around and were able to complete a frankly astonishing league double over Newcastle for 2025/2026.

I feared the worst after we went 1-0 down but after an underwhelming first half display, we were completely rejuvenated in the second half and I don’t think it’s a stretch to claim that we were the better side by a distance. We showed immense heart and fortitude, and it was fitting that the goals were scored by two players who turned up big time: Chemsdine Talbi and Brian Brobbey.

A memorable day and the perfect way to head into the international break, with everyone on a high and absolutely buzzing to have seen off the Mags in their own backyard!

---

Ah, the summer of 1996 – what a time to be alive.

Euro 96’, three lions on a shirt, the mags had just blown their chance of winning the FA Carling Premiership, and Sunderland had won Division One to get back to the top flight when nobody expected them to.

It came from nowhere, and as Bobby Saxton emotionally said on the day we lifted the trophy, “money can’t buy this”.

Almost exactly twelve months earlier – the 24th March 1995 to be exact – Sunderland were in trouble. Mick Buxton’s side travelled to Oakwell to take on Danny Wilson’s Barnsley with a side that included two new signings, Brett Angell and Dominic Matteo, but we lost 2-0.

In the aftermath of the defeat, it not only left us close to the drop zone that would head to the third tier, but it turned out we could potentially face a point deduction due to the Matteo transfer not being completed correctly before he put on a shirt.

Oh, and Buxton was sacked after the game as well – never a dull day.

In a departure from the strategy that saw the three previous managers being appointed from the existing backroom staff, the board went all out and brought Peter Reid in a deal that initially only covered the final seven games of the season.

Optimism spiked immediately, and not only did the results keep us up, but the Matteo thing magically went away as well. Which meant that in the summer of 1995, we could hand Reid a two-year contract and start again.

Rumours swirled during the summer that Reid might tempt ex-England teammates like Chris Waddle to come to Roker, but in the end, it was just Paul Bracewell who joined as player-assistant manager and John Mullin who arrived from Burnley.

Nobody quite knew what to expect with just a couple of players arriving, and consolidation in Division One would have been seen as a success. When we won just two of the first seven league games – and were knocked out by Third Division Preston in the League Cup first round – you might have thought alarm bells were ringing, but that wasn’t the case.

It was obvious to see the improvement in the side, and they were getting better with each time they took to the pitch. By October, we occupied a play-off place, and in mid-December we went top of the league by beating leaders Millwall 6-0 at Roker (incidentally, Millwall went on to be relegated). But after this, we won just one in nine.

A win against Ipswich Town in mid-February got things back on track, and Reid’s side didn’t look back. Seven more successive wins followed, which included a 3-0 victory over title chasers Derby County at Roker. Things were taking off, with Daydream Believer being sung on the terraces and then released as a record with new lyrics directed at Reid.

We’d also picked up a kid from Blackburn to play in goal and found he was pretty good as Shay Given kept six clean-sheets in seven games ahead of Graeme Sharp’s Oldham visiting Roker on this day in 1996.

The Latics came with a game plan, which was to place every man behind the ball and frustrate Sunderland. Craig Russell and Paul Stewart began the game up front, but as the sides went in for the break, Reid swapped Stewart for Michael Bridges, who was breaking through spectacularly, but Oldham were still keeping us at arm’s length.

Russell made way for Lee Howey with around twenty minutes to go, but with less than ten minutes to go, it took a set piece to split the two sides. Martin Scott’s free-kick finally beat Paul Gerrard in the Oldham goal at the Fulwell End to make it eight wins on the bounce, and three more were to follow as the Lads marched to the league title and the Premier League.

Saturday 23rd March, 1996

Division One

Sunderland 1-0 Oldham

[Scott 81’]

Roker Park

Sunderland: Given, Kubicki, Melville, Ord, Scott, Agnew, Bracewell, Ball, Gray, Russell (Howey), Stewart (Bridges)

Oldham: Gerrard, Snodin, Serrant, Rickers, Graham, Redmond, Halle, Richardson, McCarthy, Barlow, Gannon (Beresford). Substitutes not used: Hallworth, Lonergan

Attendance: 20,631

Calum Mills says…

Battling Brobbey!

He was unbelievable and unplayable.

He was being pulled from pillar to post by Dan Burn, but he held firm — winning headers, second balls and running down the channel when required.

A proper number nine, and his movement for that second goal was top notch and after we’ve struggled in front of goal in recent weeks, his return and derby-winning goal was more than welcome!

Chris Rigg and Habib Diarra catch the eye

Played out of position and up against Lewis Hall, I thought Rigg was excellent.

His link up play with Habib Diarra was great and he also tracked back to support Lutsharel Geertruida. You can also see that he’s desperate to score his first Lads Premier League goal as well — which I hope happens before the end of the season!

As for Diarra, that was up there with one of his best games.

Direct when running with the ball and tenacious off it, he’s come in for some stick in recent weeks but in such a high-profile game, he showed his worth and it was summed up for me when he lost it just inside their half but tracked back and won it outside our box. 

Hopefully this is the first of many more quality performances! 

Melker Ellborg struggles

I know he’s new to Sunderland and to this league, but my God, he scares you.

He’s been closed down two or three times in his short Lads career and every time he pushes the ball to the side before clearing it, I wince.

He’s got to be quicker with his feet…but WE BEAT THE MAGS AGAIN!!!!

A game tainted by alleged racist abuse

Absolutely zero time for anything like this, with Romaine Mundle and now Lutsharel Geertruida being subjected to it.

It’s abhorrent and hopefully the culprits are found out, banned from attending future games and jailed.

John Wilson says…

Red and white resolve

What absolute resolve and determination.

Backs to the wall at times, you could feel the tension and nerves through the TV. The injuries and the team we had to put out — if we’re honest — left many a little deflated and hoping against hope.

After Luke O’Nien’s error, it looked even more difficult, but not to worry. To a man, we stood up to be counted.

At the end, with the victory secured, O’Nien broke into tears such was his relief and dedication to this club. A great team effort, showing guts and heart.

Brian Brobbey stands tall

He was our outlet; he gave their defence a major headache all afternoon and he deservedly got his goal after a calm, cool assist from Enzo Le Fée.

So pleased for the guy — whose nightmares from the past have been buried and is thriving for us.

Sunderland’s goalkeeping troubles

Nobody likes to single anyone out — especially as Melker Ellborg is young, will grow in stature and experience — but he’s been thrown in at the deep end due to Robin Roefs’ injury and in truth, he isn’t quite ready.

His kicking is very suspect and his lack of height and power in the box puts the defence under pressure.

It’ll come good, but he gave me the jitters every time.

The ugly side of football rears its head again

You’d think enough had been said on this subject.

Idiots should try to curb what kind of language comes out of their mouths. It’s not like there aren’t plenty of other expletives that can be used, and I hope the culprits are identified.

The police seemed to get it wrong as they escorted the Lads fans to the ground, where fighting broke out.

The clips I’ve seen seem to show comparatively little presence. For the home game, the visitors all arrived by coach, so why were the same arrangements not made?

Lars Knutsen says…

Sunderland go ‘til the end once again

This team never knows when it’s beaten.

Despite a discouraging start, we gradually worked our way back into the game, and were much less tense in the second half.

Once we scored from Granit Xhaka’s corner, I knew we wouldn’t lose this match. We clearly missed the seven players who are absent through injury but the team spirit lives on though despite these absences — and this performance was another tactical feather in Régis Le Bris’ hat.

Two away goals!

This hadn’t happened since we won at Chelsea in October.

Both goals were based on tenacity, but also skill. To have the coolness to put together such productive moves away at our arch-rivals was remarkable. OK, we could see that the barcodes were tiring, but they were both excellent goals.

I loved the dangerous ball in from Trai Hume for the first, and Enzo Le Fée showed his class by squaring for Brian Brobbey to claim the winner.

Rigg comes of age

At eighteen years old, Rigg was thrown into the cauldron known as St. James’ Park for this attritional derby.

He gave a really good account of himself, and contributed to several of our twenty four shots on goal. He’ll remember this day for the rest of his life — in the team on merit and performing excellently.

An iffy Sunderland start

Ten minutes in, we made a clear mistake at the back and the ball fell to Anthony Gordon, who slotted it home.

On the upside, both Melker Ellborg and Luke O’Nien recovered well to perform well for the rest of the game. The bad start affected us for the first half hour; the press wasn’t intense enough and our passing wasn’t incisive enough.

Once Chemsdine Talbi had come close to a spectacular finish into the top corner, it heralded a much better game from the Lads and in the end, we were deserved winners.

Mark Wood says…

A superb comeback victory!

Our second half performance summed up what this Sunderland team has been all about this season.

Only Aston Villa have won more points than us from losing positions and once Chemsdine Talbi equalised, I felt we were knocking on the door all the way ‘til the end.

Noah Sadiki’s shot was an inch from a deflection and could’ve gone in, whilst Brian Brobbey’s winner was nothing less than we deserved and Newcastle — it has to be said — had nothing to offer in the second half.

“…And he’s Sunderland’s number nine!”

Brian Bobbey terrorised the home rearguard all afternoon.

He didn’t let them settle, competing for every ball that went up to him and turning and leaving them in his tracks — and it was apt that he scored the winning goal to crown a performance which was as good as I’ve seen from him all season.

After his return from injury, he looks back to his best.

A massively important victory

After our recent results looked like they were tapering off in the second half of the season, I wasn’t confident of getting much before the game — and that confidence shrank even more after our disastrous opening.

But with echoes of Peter Reid’s consecutive 1-2 wins at St James’ Park, we dug deep and added yet another famous win.

They’ve been waiting ten years to put us in our rightful place as they see it after our ‘six in a row’. Well, guys, we’re back…and they still haven’t managed to put us down!

An eventful afternoon for Luke O’Nien

I thought we were in for a long and painful day after his attempted pass out from the back led to Newcastle’s opener, but I’m not going to moan about it — just put it to bed and move on.

He’ll know himself and he doesn’t need any extra noise to remind him about it. It’s to say after the game went in our favour and it didn’t actually effect the outcome in the end, but irrespective of how the game turned out — win, lose or draw — I would’ve said the same.

Honestly!

An absurd game of football, played out in two halves that could scarcely have been more contrasting, but another local derby that ended with yet more Sunderland jubilation and another dose of Newcastle heartbreak as the Lads showed defiance, desire and seemingly limitless persistence to turn around a 1-0 half time deficit and complete what seemed like a highly unlikely league double over our black and white neighbours.

Did anyone see this coming at 10:45am, when the team sheet was released and what can only be described as a very makeshift Sunderland team was tasked with downing the hosts on their own patch? How about at 12:10pm, after some sloppy defensive play allowed Anthony Gordon to steal in and open the scoring for the hosts?

In one horrible moment, Luke O’Nien found himself cast as the fall guy and Melker Ellborg hadn’t exactly covered himself in glory either, but from the depths of despair came yet another red and white revival as goals from Chemsdine Talbi and the immensely impressive Brian Brobbey left the Mags stunned and the travelling Sunderland fans in the throes of ecstacy.

They just can’t beat us in the league, can they?

No matter who’s managing them, the players they field or the tactics they deploy, Newcastle just can’t seem to find the formula needed to get the better of the lads in red and white.

Indeed, such was the sheer feeling of elation at extending our unbeaten run in derbies that all of the negatives from this one were rendered meaningless. Was Ellborg shaky? Yes. Can we develop a greater goal threat? Absolutely, but the fact is that winning is all that matters in such affairs, and how you get there is immaterial.

Two scrappy goals, yes, but goals nevertheless. Late sucker punches for the Mags as Talbi and Brobbey never stopped battling, never stopped chasing and eventually wrote their own chapters in the history of this fixture.

Chris Rigg — mocked by Newcastle fans on social media as hardly the kind of player to strike fear into their defence after their struggles in Barcelona — was superb and O’Nien eventually recovered from his early error to steer his side through to the end: resilience, professionalism and composure personified.

Newcastle, for their part, will doubtless be attempting to kick themselves (and probably missing) as they rue yet another league derby that somehow slipped from their grasp.

For all of their attacking threats and the undeniable class of the marauding Lewis Hall, they seemed to lose their way after half time and despite the absence of so many of our frontline players, Sunderland proved that as long as you can stay in the game, keep doing the right things and never giving up the chase, turnarounds are always possible.

The ramifications of this result may well carry over and cut deeply into the North East footballing landscape.

For Eddie Howe, the need to get that Uncle Moe’s Family Feedbag smile painted on with industrial-grade Dulux will be urgent, so intense will the scrutiny and pressure be in the coming days as the league pauses for international action. Losing derbies under any circumstances is unpalatable, but losing two in one season after such heavy Saudi-backed spending in the summer? Unthinkable.

For Régis Le Bris, on the other hand, it was a quite astonishing league double and another remarkable success story for the unflappable Frenchmen. It seems that every time he or his players are questioned, they summon the fortitude needed to dig out a result — and his place in our history books is now secured.

This probably isn’t the most articulate or maybe even grammatically coherent edition of Matchday Musings I’ve ever written, but do you know something? On this occasion, I don’t really care.

Football is a game of emotions and mine are currently as highly-charged as they’ve been all season. We’re back in the big time, we’re on course to break the fifty-point barrier and we’ve just seen off Newcastle on their own patch when it looked for all the world as though this might’ve been one game too far.

Days like these are what it’s all about. Winning in such gutsy fashion is often sweeter than blowing teams off the park with slick football — and Sunderland showed that when it matters, when pride is at stake and regional dominance is on the line, they’re still the top dogs in this part of the world.

This season, the results breakdown reads thus…

The Saudi Club 0

The Soulful, Ethical And Spirited Club 2

That’s more than enough for me.

22 March 2026

Premier League

St James’ Park

Attendance: 52,253

Newcastle United: 1 (Gordon 10’)

Sunderland: 2 (Talbi 57’, Brobbey 90’)

Newcastle United: Ramsdale, Trippier (Livramento 65’), Botman (Thiaw 54’); Burn, Hall, Joelinton; Ramsey, Elanga (Murphy 65’), Barnes (Osula 76’); Gordon (Wissa 89’), Woltemade (Willock 65’)

Subs Not Used: Pope, A.Murphy, Neave

Sunderland: Ellborg, Geertruida, O’Nien; Alderete, Hume, Sadiki; Xhaka, Diarra (Le Fée 85’), Rigg; Talbi. (Reinildo 93’), Brobbey (Mayenda 93’)

Subs Not Used: Moore, Cirkin, Mukiele, H.Jones, J.Jones, Isidor

---

SAN DIEGO—Arizona closed as either an 11.5- or 12.5-point favorite against Utah State, depending on where you got your line, and won by 12. But despite leading the entire game, the Wildcats were pushed to the limit.

“They create a lot of adversity, switching defenses and they kind of throw you out of your rhythm on offense a little bit,” UA coach Tommy Lloyd said. “We weren’t as good in the second half of getting the ball inside and just obviously had too many turnovers. They amped up their pressure and their press, so I’m going to give them credit.”

Arizona struggled to put the Aggies away until late, mostly because of turnovers, but thanks to playing from in front kept the lead all night.

“You hang in there, hang in there,” Lloyd said. “You have a little lead you just need to make one or two plays in a timely fashion, and then you can kind of ride the game out. And obviously Brayden’s 3 was pretty big time. And then JB had some great drives and foul pressure down the stretch of that last 10 minutes. And I thought Koa was really special in the second half and had to deal with some foul trouble.”

Our game recap can be found here. Below is what Lloyd, Jaden Bradley, Brayden Burries and Koa Peat said after the victorry.

Lloyd on struggling with Utah State’s press: “For sure, it got us back on our heels a little bit. I just think our guys gotta do a little bit better job of figuring. And I was kind of negotiating my timeouts in my head. How I wanted to manage it, what the point differential was. I trust our guys to find solutions all the time. And they kind of amped up the heat on their press a little bit. I don’t think our spacing was great. I think our initial thrust wasn’t great. And that’s something that, hey, it’s not easy to do. Everyone on the periphery thinks it should be easy to do. It’s not.

“And when you have a desperate team amping up the pressure, and the jump ball’s in their favor, and they’re aggressive, it’s hard. It’s hard. Our guys did a better job settling it down there the last couple minutes. But for sure, I mean, you know, they’re a pressing team. They press a lot. And they give you different variations of their press. Sometimes it’s soft. Sometimes it’s a harder press with early traps. They do a good job keeping you on your heels.”

On whether Utah State was underseeded: “I’m not a guy that gets into the weeds on all that stuff. But that’s a really good basketball team. I mean, if they were a 5 or a 6 seed, I wouldn’t have been surprised. If you win the Mountain West regular season and tournament, I mean, I think that’s a pretty powerful statement. And we felt it out there today. We felt it out there today. I mean, it’s a team that had no quit. And had no quit and they kept coming and they made timely plays and timely shots on both ends of the floor.”

On Burries being level-headed for a freshman: “I think Brayden’s a winner, and he has ultimate confidence. And it’s been a joy to coach him. You’ve hit the nail on the head: he’s a laid-back, kind-of-unassuming guy, but he has a killer in him. And that’s a beautiful attribute. There’s nothing wrong with being a great human being off the court and being a killer on the court. And he definitely has that combination.

“I honestly, when he had that ball in his hands at the end, I was trying to figure out ways—obviously I wanted it in JB’s hands—but when Brayden had that kind of that last possession that ended up kind of deep in the clock, I felt pretty good about it. I know he has an ability to make those shots and get good arc on them. And I also felt pretty good if we get it up and don’t turn it over we can rebound. I think we had 22 offensive rebounds, and obviously you know that’s a key component to our success as well.”

On if Burries ever gets riled up: “Yeah, I mean listen he’s a normal 19-year-old guy. He’s had moments where he’s had to learn. And even today, I had to kind of explain to him after the game, he picked up two unfortunate fouls. I probably maybe should have subbed him. He hit a 3 right away. And I’m thinking, okay, I’ve seen this act from Brayden, and he can get hot pretty quick.

“And we were kind of managing like a 10-point lead and for most of the second part of the first half. So I just didn’t I thought his foul was more valuable to keep him on the bench and save for three fouls for the second half if we had a lead. And I knew he was tough enough to me kind of taking his rhythm away from him. Because I just wanted to win the game. And I know he wanted to play, and I’m sure he could convince me that he could play without fouling.

“But crazy things happen in these games and I was just, my worst nightmare was he picks up his third and then early in the second half he picks up his fourth. Now it really hurts us. So I was kind of making a decision for the long run, trying to win the game. And I appreciate him hanging with it.”

On being calm on the sidelines: “ Look at my mentor. He’s pretty cool, calm and collected—Mark Few. So obviously when you’re with a guy for 22 years, you learn a lot by osmosis, just how he handles himself. And the other thing, I mean I think the most what’s really cool about coaching and basketball is there’s so many different styles. And I think the most important thing is just to be your authentic self.

“I don’t want to be a guy that’s constantly yelling and screaming and nagging. It’s just not kind of who I am. I want to coach to my personality because I think these players, they know truth. They know truth. And they judges of character these guys are. I think for me to have the best long term success with them is to be honest with them, have relationships and be myself. It’s not much more complicated than that.”

On the fan support: “Well, it’s important. I was thinking this morning I should have did a preemptive strike. We need our fans in these environments to be proactive. We don’t need our fans to be reactive and get nervous when the game gets tight. We know how bad our fans want it for us. So I was hoping they would come and participate. And I thought they did a really good job participating.

“And then hopefully we have even stronger contingent at San Jose. And they’re going to be there fighting and pulling us through every step of the way.”

On if 2 straight tourneys without a mid-major in the Sweet 16 is a problem: “That’s a really great question and a deep question. And we could probably go a lot of different directions with it. I think look where I came from. I came from a program that was a mid-major program and that made itself into a major, major program. And I think that parity is great for the game. But things change. And I think once finances become part of it, there’s going to be a breaking point for some of the lesser programs that just don’t have the finances, and I think that’s just an obvious statement.

“I mean, there’s lots of reasons I took the Arizona job. And one of them was kind of forecasting these changes happening, because right when I was getting the job, the NIL deal was rumored. Then it started in July. I figured Arizona’s a place that has a pretty strong, long basketball tradition, and they’re going to be excited to invest in basketball. And we have. So I’m thankful for where I am, but I think that’s a great question. I don’t have a great answer for you on how to fix it. So let’s just leave it at that. But that’s a great observation to you.”

On what needs to be improved moving forward: “I just think managing segments of the game when you have a lead would be great. What did we get up, 16, something like that, 16, 18? I mean, can you make the next run? And I know it’s so easy to say and hard to do. But sometimes if you can make that next run, get up to 23, 24, you can kind of break a team’s will. But that team hung with it today. They were impressive. They had answers for everything, and they hit a bunch of timely shots. And I’m sure they feel like they missed some timely shots or a call or two didn’t go their way. That’s how the game goes sometimes. I respected Utah State a lot going into this game and they did nothing but reinforce that for me.”

On Motiejus Krivas’ defensive improvement: “It’s massive. He’s been a game changer for us defensively. I know a lot of the analytic gurus out there have studied it probably more than I have. I just know I feel good when he’s on the court. He’s got great instincts. Mo stands for mobility at 7’2″. And he does a great job contesting shots up high. And he does a great job getting those short little rebounds that come around the basket. Those are really hard to get when you’re up vertical contesting and contesting a shot, to be able to to have good enough hands to get those rebounds.

“I need his jump hook to start going in a little bit more, so we’ll talk about that this week because I know he can be a force and really control these games at both ends of the floor.”

Bradley on Burries: “He’s very mature for his age, and for a freshman. You look at him, you would never know the score if he’s having a great game, if he’s having a rough game. Just kudos to him. He’s having a great season. Offensively, he’s a team’s worst nightmare, shooter from all three levels, can defend. He’s definitely a great piece to have.”

On staying calm under pressure: “Just trusting in my work. And I know my teammates believe in me. I got great bigs that can get me open with ball screens and duck-ins and all that stuff. And my teammates give me great space. Just trusting in my work and trying to get to my spots and make plays.”

Burries on playing in the Big 12: “I think it honestly helps us a lot. I think the Big 12 is one of the best conferences out there. It prepares us physically, mentally, through adversity and stuff because you’re playing a great team night in and night out. So just shout out to the Big 12.”

Peat on playing in the Big 12: “Obviously it’s huge for us. Especially last week, we had three tough games, back to back to back. And it definitely helped us leading into this tournament. The Big 12 is the best conference in college basketball. So definitely got us prepared for this moment.”

On his rebounding: “Honestly just trying to be like Tobe (Awaka), man. I look up to him. He’s a beast on the glass. And Coach is always on my butt about rebounding. So I was just trying to get on the glass today and stay active.”

PHOENIX — Sunday’s win was a full team effort for the Phoenix Suns against the Toronto Raptors, and once again, Collin Gillespie’s shooting played a major role in snapping a five-game skid.

Now, he’s even closer to cementing his name in the Suns’ record books. The question is no longer if he’s having a strong season — but whether this ranks among the best shooting seasons in franchise history.

Dec 31, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Collin Gillespie (12) shoots a three point shot during the first half against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Dermer-Imagn Images

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Wendy Lopez is a reporter for Burn City Sports. You can follow her on her X account, @wlopezde

Barcelona won their final match before the international break, as they defeated Rayo Vallecano 1-0 at the Spotify Camp Nou. It was a nervy afternoon for the Catalans, although Ronald Araujo’s first half header was enough for them to secure the three points.

Prior to the match kicking offer, Hansi Flick’s squad all turned up at the stadium wearing the iconic 2005-06 jersey with Ronaldinho’s name worn on the back. The posts Barcelona published on social media were warmly received by the club’s supporters, although not many were familiar with the reason for this.

According to Marca, Barcelona officials had their players wearing the 2005-06 jersey as a replica version went on sale in the club shop after the Rayo match ended. As for the decision to emblaze Ronaldinho’s name on the back, it was partly due to the fact that he was the most iconic player from that season, and also because he celebrated his 46th birthday earlier in the weekend.

Given that Barcelona are still struggling a lot with financial issues, club bosses are determined to keep money coming in. The return of an additional 17,000 supporters to home matches has helped boost matchday revenue, but more is needed to ensure that a return to La Liga’s 1:1 rule will be possible by the time the summer transfer window opens at the start of July.

Plenty of work still needed for 1:1 return

In the event that Barcelona do make their eagerly-anticipated return to the 1:1 rule, they would be able to spend more money on new players – which will be needed this summer, given their plans to address the centre-back, left wing and striker positions. These club merchandise sales will help them keep moving in the right direction, although more will need to be done to ensure that sporting director Deco will have a lot more to work with come July.

Adam Jiricek continues to play at better than a point per game clip this season for Brantford of the Ontario Hockey League.

But for the first time since early January, the first round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft (No. 16) by the St. Louis Blues prospect, the defenseman has scored in back-to-back games, and put up five points in total.

Jiricek started things off with a goal and two assists in a 5-2 win at home against Niagara on Wednesday, before helping the Bulldogs claim the OHL's regular-season championship on Friday with a goal and an assist in a 6-5 win over North Bay:

JIRI 💣 #BFDhttps://t.co/YyNRrza7qopic.twitter.com/X3epr5NG8j

— Brantford Bulldogs (@BulldogsOHL) March 21, 2026

The Bulldogs, who finished the regular season with 106 points (48-10-8-2), sat Jiricek on Sunday in a meaningless season finale, so as they heads to the playoffs, Jiricek finished the regular season with with 59 points (19 goals, 40 assists) in 55 games and a plus-31 rating.

In his final 12 games played, Jiricek collected 16 points (six goals, 10 assists) and gives Brantford of making a long run in the OHL playoffs and perhaps move on to the Memorial Cup May 22-31 in Kelowna, British Columbia.

* Adam Jecho -- The 2024 third-round pick helped the Edmonton Oil Kings of the Western Hockey League end their season with a bang, a three-game winning streak, and the forward had a hand in all the wins.

He had a goal and an assist in a 5-1 win over Calgary last Wednesday:

Adam Jecho dnes zaznamenal 1+1, je to jeho devátý gól v letošní sezoně 🙌🏻 pic.twitter.com/W80UBwROpW

— Eliška (@eliska_tweetuje) March 19, 2026

Jecho assisted on what turned out to be the game-winning goal Firday in a 2-1 win over Lethbridge, then scored his 10th goal of the season in a 7-1 thumping of the Hitmen again in Sunday's regular-season finale:

Edmonton's on a heater! 🔥

Adam Jecho makes it 6-0 for the @EdmOilKings for the third goal in the third frame.@StLouisBlues | #stlbluespic.twitter.com/RXJDLRm4UO

— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) March 23, 2026

The Oil Kings finished third in the Eastern Conference (45-18-3-2) and will open Round 1 of the best-of-7 against Saskatoon.

Jecho finished the season with 36 points (10 goals, 26 assists) in 47 games, a season dealing with injuries, including a hand injury that forced him to miss the 2026 World Junior Championship.

* Will McIsaac -- The 2024 fifth-round pick and defenseman first made news this past week when he announced his intentions to attend the University of Connecticut next year, then helped his current squad, Spokane of the WHL, reach the WHL playoffs on Saturday when the Chiefs ripped Tri-City, 6-1, and McIsaac scored in that game that gave him a four-game point streak (one goal, four assists).

McIsaac, who finished the regular season with 34 points (eight goals, 26 assists) in 66 games, helped the Chiefs gain the sixth and final seed from the Western Conference (36-30-2-0).

* Dmitry Buchelnikov -- The 2022 second-round pick of the Detroit Red Wings, acquired in the trade that sent defenseman Justin Faulk to Detroit on March 6, (4:20 mark) scored last Monday for CSKA Moskow in a 3-2 loss to Sibir Novosibirsk, facing fellow Blues farmhand Mikhail Abramov:

The 22-year-old finished the regular season with 25 points (14 goals, 11 assists) in 44 games and positioned CSKA as the fourth seed in the West against Matvei Korotky (2023 seventh round) and SKA St. Petersburg, starting on Monday.

Other KHL playoff matchups have Eastern Conference matchups and sixth-seeded Traktor (Arseny Koromyslov, fourth round, 2022) against No. 3 Ak Bars starting also on Monday, and top-seeded Metalurg (Mikhail Fyodorov, fifth round, 2025) taking on eighth-seeded Sibir starting Tuesday.

* Dylan Peterson -- The 2020 third-round pick highlighted Springfield of the American Hockey League on Saturday when the forward scored twice in a 5-3 win at Belleville.

He would score Springfield's second shorthanded goal of the first period for a 2-0 lead and it was a beauty:

OH MY DYLAN PETERSON pic.twitter.com/s9ccd9h5re

— Springfield Thunderbirds (@ThunderbirdsAHL) March 21, 2026

And then there was a net front finish for a 4-2 lead, putting Peterson up to 21 points (11 goals, 10 assists) in 48 games:

x2 for Petey pic.twitter.com/qp3vOtzl8U

— Springfield Thunderbirds (@ThunderbirdsAHL) March 22, 2026

* Aleksanteri Kaskimaki -- The 2022 third-round pick scored the opening goal on Saturday, this shorthanded, backhand effort to give him 33 points (15 goals, 18 assists) in 53 games:

WATCH THIS SHG RIGHT NOW PLS AND THX 😃 pic.twitter.com/R4ap8zdZrJ

— Springfield Thunderbirds (@ThunderbirdsAHL) March 21, 2026

* Juraj Pekarcik -- The 2023 third-round pick also got in on the fun Saturday with a goal and an assist, including this backside goal for 31 points (nine goals, 22 assists) in 59 games this season:

SNIPER 🎯 pic.twitter.com/pHxFl6qZ1s

— Springfield Thunderbirds (@ThunderbirdsAHL) March 21, 2026

* Ralph's season continues, Mayich's ends in NCAA -- Colin Ralph moves on, while fellow defenseman Matthew Mayich saw his season end.

Colin Ralph and Michigan State will have their season continue when the Spartans (25-8-2), seeded third, play in the Worcester, MA Regional and will take on No. 14 Connecticut (20-12-5) on Thursday at 1:30 p.m. (ET) on ESPN2.

As for Mayich and Clarkson University, who upset No. 7 Quinnipiac last weekend winning that series 2-0, had their season end at 18-17-3 with a 4-0 loss to Dartmouth College (23-7-4) on Friday in the ECAC semifinals in Lake Placid, N.Y. 

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The first weekend of the NCAA tournament is in the books, and there are, of course, distinct winners and losers.

Among the big winners are the Big Ten and John Calipari, who’s guided Arkansas to its second Sweet 16 in his second season as head coach. Kentucky, meanwhile, is headed home.

As for future lottery pick Darryn Peterson, he didn’t exactly make the final impression at Kansas that NBA executives were hoping to see. Let’s take a look at the biggest winners and losers from the first two rounds of tournament play:

Winner: John Calipari

John Calipari’s exit from Kentucky marked a seismic shift in the college basketball landscape.

The game’s winningest program parted with one of the most successful coaches of his his era, who’d opened up a pipeline of elite talent to Lexington and led the Wildcats to a national championship.

But a prolonged lack of tournament success that included a nine-year Final Four drought made the relationship untenable. And the two parted ways after a first-round exit in the 2024 NCAA tournament.

Wesley Hitt via Getty Images

Fast-forward two years, and Calipari’s winning the breakup. Calipari took some of his talent with him to his new job with SEC rival Arkansas and led the Razorbacks to the Sweet 16 in Year 1. Now he’s got Arkansas back in the Sweet 16 with a star point guard in Darius Acuff Jr. leading the way as arguably the best player in the tournament through two games.

Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Baseball league for the 2026 MLB season

A future NBA lottery pick with top-5 upside who was named first-team All-America as a freshman, Acuff is going scorched earth in tournament play. In wins over Hawaii and High Point, Acuff’s averaged 30 points, 6.5 assists and 1 steal per game. He’s shooting 49% from the floor and 5 of 11 (45.5%) from 3. He’s the kind of talent Kentucky came to take for granted during Calipari’s reign.

Now he’s at Arkansas in the tournament’s second weekend. And Kentucky’s gone home after a listless second-round loss to Iowa State that will have head coach Mark Pope on the hot seat entering his third season coaching his alma mater.

-Jason Owens

Loser: Darryn Peterson

Presumptive lottery pick Darryn Peterson entered the tournament with a chance to cement his spot atop NBA Draft boards and answer the questions that have dogged him throughout his freshman campaign at Kansas.

With Kansas’ underwhelming loss to St. John’s in the second round, the questions surrounding Peterson remain intact, and his spot at the top of the draft is anything but certain.

Peterson’s tournament was a microcosm of his turbulent regular season at Kansas. In the first round, he reeled off 10 straight points and flashed his prowess as an elite three-level scorer as Kansas opened a 26-point lead against Cal Baptist.

The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images

But as Cal Bapist cut that lead to 6 points late in the second half, Peterson disappeared down the stretch. He hit a floater with 5:43 remaining for his 28th point and didn’t score again. In fact, he was barely involved in KU’s offense and didn’t touch the ball on repeated trips down the floor as Cal Baptist cut its 66-52 deficit to 66-60 in the final minutes.

Kansas survived the upset bid, setting up Sunday’s game against St. John’s. Peterson once again led the JayHawks with 21 points. But there were times in the game where he wasn’t involved in KU’s offense. And then came the final play, where Peterson, a strong defender, didn’t help as Dylan Darling knifed through the Kansas defense virtually unchallenged for a game-winning layup at the buzzer.

That’s likely the final image of Peterson’s college career. And it’s not a flattering look.

-Jason Owens

Winner: Betting favorites

A lack of upsets in the NCAA tournament has been very good business for people betting the favorites.

Favorites went 16-0 in the first round on Friday, and that luck continued into the second round. Yes, No. 11 Texas beat No. 3 Gonzaga to give us a true upset, but even some games that looked like upsets really weren’t.

No. 6 Tennessee closed as a slight favorite over No. 3 Virginia. The same can be said for No. 5 St. John’s, which was a 3.5-point favorite over No. 4 Kansas.

There are myriad theories for why favorites have done so well this year — with NIL budgets being a leading thought. Will that run continue in the Sweet 16 and the Elite Eight? We’re not so sure. The gaps between teams in the next rounds will be significantly smaller.

-Nick Bromberg

Loser: West Coast Conference

The days of the West Coast Conference getting three NCAA tournament bids are probably over. And they’re disappearing with none of the three WCC teams in the tournament making it past the second round. Gonzaga, Saint Mary’s and Santa Clara all made the 2026 men’s tournament.

But the Gaels lost to No. 10 Texas A&M in the first round, and No. 10 Santa Clara was beaten in overtime by No. 7 Kentucky on Friday after Otega Oweh’s incredible buzzer-beater to send the game to overtime. The No. 3 Zags scuffled a bit against No. 14 Kennesaw State, but that’s the only win the WCC got.

Soobum Im via Getty Images

Saturday night, Gonzaga was upset by a No. 11 Texas team that started its NCAA tournament in the First Four. That was the final game that Gonzaga will play as a West Coast Conference team.

The Bulldogs are off to join the remodeled Pac-12 in 2026-27. And much of the WCC’s luster will go with them. Gonzaga being one of college basketball’s preeminent powers has done a ton for the conference over the last two decades. 2026 was just the fourth time ever that the league got three NCAA tournament teams. And all four of those instances came in the 2000s.

-Nick Bromberg

Winner: Big Ten

The Big Ten entered Sunday with the state of its NCAA tournament already assured, having secured four of the bids available in the Sweet 16.

Then it added two more, including one with the biggest upset of the tournament. Purdue secured the conference’s fifth Sweet 16 berth with a 79-69 win over Miami early Sunday. And 9 seed Iowa roared into the tournament’s second weekend with a stunning upset of 1 seed and reigning champion Florida.

Alvaro Folgueiras’s 3 with 4.2 seconds remaining secured the upset win.

UCLA couldn’t make it 7 for 7 for the Big Ten Sunday night as UConn delivered the conference its only second-round defeat.

But Iowa and Purdue will join Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska and Illinois in a Big Ten party in the Sweet 16.

-Jason Owens

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect / REUTERS

Loser: Blue Bloods

North Carolina, Kansas and Kentucky, specifically.

None of the lauded programs survived the first weekend as North Carolina blew a 19-point lead against VCU in the first round, Kentucky collapsed in the second round against Iowa State and Kansas looked listless before St. John’s thwarted a second-half rally with a buzzer-beater at the rim against a less-than-inspired Jayhawks defense.

Not only will none of the three programs add to their combined tally of 18 NCAA championships. But they’ll each leave the tournament with some level of uncertainty around their head coaches.

There’s chatter that North Carolina could part with Hubert Davis as soon this week. Mark Pope’s seat in Kentucky isn’t nearly as hot, but he’ll enter his third season coaching his alma mater under intense pressure to produce.

And Hall of Fame Kansas coach Bill Self said after Sunday’s loss that “I haven’t decided” if he’ll return to coach the Jayhawks for a 24th season. His legacy that features two NCAA titles is secure, and Self — 63 and battling ongoing health concerns — wants to consult with his family before deciding his basketball future.

It’s a critical juncture for all three programs and one where the decisions of the coming days and season will dictate their futures.

-Jason Owens

Winner: Texas

By most accounts, the Longhorns weren’t supposed to still be here.

Texas snuck into the NCAA tournament as an 11 seed and was relegated to the First Four as one of the last four at-large teams selected for the tournament field. Three wins in five days later, and Texas has crashed the Sweet 16 as the only double-digit seed remaining in the field.

A power program with plenty of backing, it’s a stretch to call Texas a Cinderella. But it’s certainly an unexpected arrival to the tournament’s second weekend.

No. 2 seed Purdue would be wise to not take the Longhorns lightly next weekend. Gonzaga, a 3 seed, found out the hard way that Texas is hitting its stride at the right time.

-Jason Owens

For 40 minutes, Washington looked as though it would author a Cinderella story.

Facing off against projected top-five WNBA Draft pick Olivia Miles, the Huskies led for 24 minutes and 14 seconds on Sunday against No. 3 seed TCU in Schollmaier Arena in Fort Worth, threatening as early as the second quarter with a 14-13 lead against the Horned Frogs. They led by as many as 10, when they went up 27-17 just before the half after a Yulia Grabovskaia layup.

They held that lead, despite foul trouble from Grabovskaia, leading scorer Sayvia Sellers, and freshman phenom Brynn McGaughy, until 3:57 remaining in regulation. Elle Ladine made a putback jumper, her only field goal of the game, to give Washington the lead back, but Taylor Bigby drew a foul on McGaughy and made both free throws to knot it back up.

DANG SELLERS 🔥🔥 @sayvia5 is in the zone!#MarchMadness x 🎥 ESPN / @UW_WBBpic.twitter.com/TP16BXsy8r

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) March 23, 2026

McGaughy was fouled by Clara Silva on the next possession, but missed both free throws. Silva hit a layup to give TCU their first lead since the second quarter with 1:39 remaining. Sellers missed a three, then Marta Suarez missed a dagger for TCU before Silva blocked Sellers' layup attempt with 20 seconds to go. The ensuing inbounds play found McGaughy, who finished over three Horned Frogs on a layup that rolled all the way around the rim with 14 seconds to go.

Miles missed a step-back three to send the game to overtime, and it looked like Washington's Cinderella story may be etched in the history books.

But TCU ripped off a 7-0 run to begin overtime that was not stopped until Sellers converted an and-one to bring it back within 4. Avery Howell hit a three to cut the lead to one, but TCU answered with two more layups.

Sellers made a floater in the key to bring it within one possession, then Washington managed to force a miss from Miles. With fouls to give, TCU disrupted Sellers' offensive flow on the final possession, but an inbounds play with 6 seconds to go got to McGaughy and gave Sellers an open look off of a dribble hand-off.

Final

UW - 59, TCU - 62

— Washington Women’s Basketball (@UW_WBB) March 23, 2026

It wasn't meant to be for Washington on Sunday night.

Sellers' three fell to the right of the basket, and the ensuing rebound caromed away from any Washington players as the final buzzer sounded.

TCU 62, Washington 59.

Sellers and Miles led the game with 18 points apiece, a fitting duel between a guard who may very well end up in Seattle on the city's WNBA team next month and one who will power the Huskies as a senior leader next season. Miles had 10 rebounds and 8 assists as well, while Sellers had 6 rebounds and a team-high 5 assists.

Silva had 16 and 8 rebounds for TCU, with Taylor Bigby adding 15 points after her career night in the first round.

Howell had 14 - 11 in the first half, none on only one shot attempt in the second half, and that single three in overtime - after putting in 30 on TCU's floor in the first round against South Dakota State. McGaughy had 13 despite battling through 4 fouls, and Hannah Stines added 10 in her final game in a Huskies uniform.

Washington will return Sellers, Howell, and McGaughy next season, as well as sixth woman Devin Coppinger, who should be the early favorite to start in Stines' place as the 3-and-D guard. They'll need to find someone to replace Ladine, who averaged 17 points per game as a junior but struggled in her final college season, and Grabovskaia, who was a crucial defensive piece and set up many of Sellers' threes off handoff actions this season.

The Huskies have made progress in every season under head coach Tina Langley. They have four-star forward Nina Cain and Australian U19 point guard Sienna Harvey already on the team as reserves who could step into bigger roles. Four-star recruit Amayah "Sunshine" Garcia could factor into the equation as well. The future for Washington women's basketball is brighter than it's been since 2017, the last time this team won an NCAA Tournament game.

But on Sunday night, all Washington left Fort Worth with was a glass slipper that didn't quite fit.

This article originally appeared on Huskies Wire: UW nears Cinderella run in 62-59 OT loss to TCU

A Jab at the Judges?

Just watched the fight back 😅. Congrats to evleov either way.— Lerone Murphy (@LeroneMurphy) March 22, 2026

Aprilia’s Marco Bezzecchi cruised to victory at the Brazilian MotoGP on Sunday for his fourth consecutive win, and now leads the championship standings.

The 27-year-old Italian, starting second on the grid, quickly grabbed the lead and never looked back for his second win ⁠of the year after his triumph at the season-opening Thailand Grand Prix earlier this month.

Jorge Martin made it an Aprilia 1-2, and VR46’s Fabio Di Giannantonio held off defending MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez down the stretch to claim third.

Adjustments made

Bezzecchi said he and his team were forced to dig ‌deep after struggling during Friday’s rain-hit practice.

“It was a tough weekend. It was super tough on Friday. We started in a bad way, and it was difficult to keep the motivation super high,” Bezzecchi said.

“But the guys did a wonderful job, and I pushed myself over the limit to try to compensate everything I could, and at the end, we found the way to make the bike in ⁠a fantastic way.

“I adjusted some details on my riding, and ⁠from this morning, I felt better, so I said, ‘OK, maybe I can try to fight.’ It was an amazing race. I’m super happy.”

With the win, Bezzecchi overtook KTM’s Pedro Acosta and now leads the championship ⁠standings by 11 points.

Bezzecchi dedicated the victory to his friend Roberto Lunadei, a 42-year-old mechanic who died in a road traffic ⁠accident last week.

Track concerns

The race distance was cut from ⁠31 laps to 23 amid track degradation concerns and scorching temperatures in Goiania, a change that was only announced just before the start of the race.

Saturday’s sprint race was delayed by more than an hour as ‌officials carried out urgent track repairs after a large hole was discovered near the starting line.

The competition at the Ayrton Senna Circuit marked MotoGP’s return to Brazil for the ‌first ‌time since 2004.

MotoGP action now shifts from South America to North America, with the US Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, on March 27-29.

MADISON, Wis. (WFRV) – After winning gold in Madison with Reedsville, Head coach Ron Prochnow became just the third high school basketball coach in Wisconsin to win a boys and girls state basketball championship (Reedsville boys, 2026 – Augusta girls, 1996).

I chatted with Ron shortly after he hoisted the gold ball at the Kohl Center. Click the video above to listen to my full conversation with Reedsville’s Head coach.

TRANSCRIPT: 

FOWLER: Coach, state champions. When you hear that, what does that mean to you?

PROCHNOW: Very special. Very special for the regional community and everything about it that way. Special for these kids as well. They’ll always be champs, you know. Not everybody gets a chance to be here, much less play two games and win it. And to do it with my family, with my two sons—that’s very special.

All these guys are so tight. I’ve been with them since third grade, coaching them through all the youth stuff—Saturday mornings, Sunday mornings. On a personal note, to win a boys title is exciting for me. I was here 30 years ago coaching girls, and we won the ’96 girls title.

To be here 30 years after that—I was 27 then and I’m 57 now—I feel very fortunate to stay in the profession, stay healthy, and still be excited to keep doing it.

FOWLER: The mantra was “go 1-0, then go 2-0, then go 3-0.” Did you envision yourself playing on this stage when you were racking up regionals and sectionals?

PROCHNOW: A little bit, because we talked it backwards. When we started practice before regionals, we started with what would have been game seven. I told them, “That seventh game is nuts. There’s a light show, you’re going to get a ball.”

Then we worked backwards. Game six—you’re playing to get a ball. That was yesterday’s mantra. Game five—you’ve got to get to the sectional final. And we kept going all the way back to game one.

I told them, you’re not allowed to talk about anything other than game one, because you can’t get to game seven without winning game one. I thought the kids did a really good job staying grounded and not looking too far ahead.

And honestly, I think we were losing in all four of these last games. We were down today, down against Lutheran, down at half against Tigerton, and Elkhart Lake jumped on us early. So we just had to keep playing, find a way to come back, and get it done.

FOWLER: Going off that, you were down in every game. Talk about the adversity your team faced and how resilient they were to overcome it.

PROCHNOW: Yeah, absolutely. I think our regular season helped us. We played a really tough schedule—Darlington, Reedsville, Manitowoc Lutheran, Howards Grove—traditionally strong programs.

Those losses helped us. There’s no way we were going undefeated with that schedule. We faced adversity throughout the season, and it exposed some weaknesses—especially defending in the post.

Even this weekend, points in the paint were against us. But in transition, we were really good. I think we only gave up two transition points today and maybe none yesterday. We didn’t give up easy points, and we created a lot ourselves. That’s a big reason we ended up where we did.

FOWLER: After winning 27 games in the regular season, what was it like coaching in these two state games?

PROCHNOW: It’s strange because they’re totally different. For the semifinal, we had four or five days to prepare for Sheboygan Lutheran. I did a little work on the other teams, but most of the focus was on them.

Then we win that game, and within less than 24 hours, we have to prepare for a new opponent. We finished around mid-morning, and by noon we’re figuring out a whole new game plan for an 11 a.m. tip the next day.

So one game you have five days, the next you have less than one. Totally different situations. But I thought all the games in Division 5 were great. Everyone played hard, and we did enough to win two of them.

FOWLER: You mentioned your mantra: “play hard, have fun.” Where did that come from, and how has it helped your team?

PROCHNOW: It actually came from the kids. We’ve always had something posted above the locker room doors—one for practice, one for games. This year, they chose “play hard, have fun.”

They said they’ve been doing that since they were little, so why stop now? And they’ve stuck with it.

We’ve got four seniors, so they’re mature. They’ve been through the ups and downs, and they’ve done a great job leading the younger guys. We had a few sophomores who played a lot this year, and the seniors really brought them along.

I’m not going to worry about next year yet. I’m going to enjoy this one for a couple of months, and then we’ll turn the page in June.

FOWLER: You said it means a lot to coach your sons. How special is it to win a state championship with them?

PROCHNOW: It’s very special. I even brought my youngest along—he was our water boy. Just to have him be part of it.

Winning a state championship is always special. But when your sons are on the team and contributing like they did, it makes it even more meaningful.

I’m not just doing it for them—I do it for the school and all the kids. I hope I’ve helped everyone along the way. I’ve been coaching 34 years, and I had kids later in life, so instead of coaching my kids in my 30s, I’m doing it in my 50s. That’s just how it worked out.

FOWLER: If you had one word to describe this team, what would it be?

PROCHNOW: Special.

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UW lost to TCU in the second round of the NCAA Tournament tonight to TCU in OT, 62-59. Sayvia Sellers got the ball left with a few seconds left and got a good look at a 3 point shot and didn’t make it.

My notes are gibberish because I was so nervous during the game, but UW was up 9 points at half over #3 seed TCU. Avery Howell had 11 points going into halftime and UW held TCU to 6 points in the 2nd quarter. Olivia Miles, who averages 36 ppg, only had 4 points at the half. In other words, things were looking bright and shiny for UW going into half.

UW has tended to disappear in the second half of games and they played better this third quarter than in other close games this year. TCU was able to eek out a few more points per quarter than UW, causing the game to go into overtime.

TCU went on a 7-0 run to start overtime, making things look grim for UW. However, UW pulled themselves together and tied it up. TCU went up again by 5 and UW didn’t back down, getting back to within 3. After calling a timeout, UW ran a play to Sayvia Sellers and she got a clean look at a 3 pointer on the right side of the court. Missing it, UW’s post-season run came to an end.

Some thoughts:

• I don’t know who to lodge my complaint to, but I think it’s tremendously unfair that in the Women’s Tournament the #1-#4 seeds host the games. This led to Iowa hosting a game in their un-airconditioned gym that was 83 degrees. This led to TCU hosting this game when they haven’t lost a home game in 43 games, the longest in D1 right now. If this game were hosted at a neutral site, the crowed with be cheering for the underdog, UW.
• Not sure how Elle Ladine played this last game of her college career and only had 2 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 steals.
• Not sure how Avery Howell only had 3 points in the second half after burning up the gym in the first half.
• Sayvia Sellers got a quiet 18 points, but still had her usual 5 assist to 4 turnover ratio.
• Brynn McGaughy had 13 points and only 3 rebounds.
• I NEED Tina Langley to get over her “if you have 2 fouls in the first half, you sit” rule. It’s so old school and the refs called stupid fouls and she still made her players sit in the 2nd quarter, when she could have had them in and had a chance to run up the score (McGaughy and Sellers both had two legitimately bad calls against them and therefore they weren’t allowed to play). I think it’s different if your players are hacking people and out of control, but what happened tonight was not that.
• I really loved this team and as I’ve mentioned a million times, Hannah Stines is my favorite (10 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals) and I’m so sad she will graduate. She did all the little behind-the-scenes things to make the team run.
• Stoked to have Brynn McGaughy around for the next three years and Avery Howell for the next two year. McGaughy is a very smart player and will only grow in her game because Langley has shown her ability to grow talent over her tenure. Howell has one of the quickest 3 point releases I’ve seen in awhile and she upped her leadership of the team during this post-season.
• This was a big step for the program. I’m excited for next year.

Mariners’ Cal Raleigh gets heartwarming praise from Mitch Garver before Opening Day appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Seattle Mariners are locked in heading into the 2026 regular season, as they will be looking to get over the hump after coming up short in the ALCS last year. Cal Raleigh is coming off a huge 2025 campaign in which he finished second in the AL MVP voting to Aaron Judge, and there’s no reason to believe that he’ll be slowing down much after smacking 60 home runs and driving in 125 runs in a bonkers 9.1 fWAR season.

But of course, playing behind the dish is the most demanding defensive position in baseball, and it’s hard to fathom how Raleigh is able to crouch for most of the game and still be one of the most menacing power hitters in all of MLB. The Mariners have to give him a break here and there, and this is where backup catcher Mitch Garver, a former World Series champion and Silver Slugger winner, comes in.

It didn’t look as though the Mariners would bring Garver back. But Raleigh trusts him as a locker room voice, and the team brought him back in February on a minor-league deal that will pay him $2.25 million if he makes it to the majors at any point in the season, which it looks like he will.

Garver could not be any more thankful that Raleigh thought of him in this manner, and he expressed his gratitude towards the Mariners star.

“It means a lot that he would want me to come back and be there for him whenever he needs to take a breather. So, I’m happy to do it. Happy to just put on the gear and catch guys when they need me the most and couldn’t be happy to be where we’re at,” Garver said, per Daniel Kramer of MLB.com.

Garver has struggled mightily over the past two seasons. Spring Training hasn’t been very kind to him either. But Raleigh wanted him back for a reason, and the Mariners could very well find a use case for Garver’s leadership throughout the 2026 season.

Related: Mariners rumors: Mitch Garver expected to win job as Cal Raleigh’s backup

Related: Mariners’ Randy Arozarena apologizes for World Baseball Classic Cal Raleigh remarks

Film Profile | Analytical Profile

This article originally appeared on The Huddle: Jadarian Price Film Draft Profile

What a night in March.. the kind Alabama fans won’t forget anytime soon.

No. 4 seed Alabama didn’t just beat No. 5 seed Texas Tech on Sunday night. 

No.

They overwhelmed them.

Sweet dreaming 😴#RollTide | @AlabamaMBBpic.twitter.com/Zz6WXMex1w

— Alabama Athletics (@UA_Athletics) March 23, 2026

From the opening tip to the final buzzer inside Benchmark International Arena, the Crimson Tide looked like a team on a mission, rolling to a dominant 90-65 win and punching their ticket to the Sweet 16.

And let’s be clear: this team was hot.

Alabama came out with energy, confidence, and an edge, building a commanding 49-25 lead by halftime.

It wasn’t just a run… it was a statement.

Every possession felt intentional.

Every shot felt like it was going in.

Texas Tech simply had no answer.

With Aden Holloway unavailable, questions swirled about where the scoring would come from, but if anything, that absence brought out the best in this team.

Latrell Wrightsell Jr. took over.

Alabama picking up exactly where they left off 🐘#MarchMadness@AlabamaMBBpic.twitter.com/nH9prHWDjs

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 23, 2026

The veteran guard poured in a team-high 24 points, knocking down six shots from beyond the arc and setting the tone for Alabama’s offensive explosion. But he wasn’t alone. This was a full-team effort.. the kind that defines championship-level groups.

Houston Mallette was on fire as well, providing a huge spark with his shooting and energy. When Alabama gets multiple guys going like that, they become one of the most dangerous teams in the country, and Texas Tech found that out the hard way.

As a team, Alabama shot an incredible 19-for-42 from three-point range.

Let that sink in.

That’s not just good, that’s overwhelming.

That’s back-breaking.

That’s the kind of performance that ends seasons.

But beyond the numbers, what stood out most was the mindset.

This team played loose, confident, and connected.

They defended with intensity, moved the ball unselfishly, and fed off each other’s energy all night long.

Noah Williamson rattles one home!

All Bama in this first half 👀#MarchMadnesspic.twitter.com/NrZDOytywc

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 23, 2026

It didn’t feel like a team dealing with adversity, it felt like a team rising because of it.

Now, the challenge gets even bigger.

Alabama is headed to the Sweet 16, where they’ll face No. 1 seed Michigan on Friday, March 27 at 6:35 PM CT.

It’s the kind of matchup that defines March: a red-hot underdog versus a top seed with everything to lose.

But if Alabama plays like they did Sunday night?

They won’t just be showing up… they’ll be coming for more.

Roll Tide.

ANAHEIM, Calif. – The surprise wasn’t that the Dodgers had a difficult roster decision at the end of camp — it was how they chose to resolve it.

Manager Dave Roberts didn’t shy away from the weight of the call Sunday morning, labeling it “the toughest decision this spring.” And in a clubhouse filled with established stars and versatile depth pieces, it was rookie Alex Freeland who emerged on the right side of that decision.

The Dodgers optioned Hyeseong Kim to Triple-A Oklahoma City, clearing a path for Freeland to break camp with the big league club — a move that, on paper, might raise eyebrows but inside the organization followed a clear line of reasoning.

Roberts framed the decision less as a verdict on talent and more as a matter of timing and opportunity.

“The driver is him playing six days a week,” Roberts said of Kim. “Logging a considerable number of at-bats which he wouldn’t get here.”

Kim’s spring was complicated by his participation with Team Korea in the World Baseball Classic, where, according to Roberts, mechanical inconsistencies crept into his swing. The Dodgers believe daily, multi-position reps — second base, shortstop, center field — in Oklahoma City will better serve his long-term development than sporadic usage in Los Angeles.

That left the door open for Freeland.

And while his .116 spring average hardly jumps off the page, the Dodgers insist the evaluation went deeper than results. Roberts pointed to Freeland’s at-bat quality and defensive consistency — areas where the club believes he’s further along right now than Kim. Kim posted a .967 OPS over nine games but went 1-for-12 in the WBC. 

"I’m not blind to the fact that Alex didn’t have a surface line of production in spring, and Hyeseong did,” Roberts said. “But that’s some of the stuff that we evaluate.”

Roberts continued.

“I think the at-bat quality has been fine, he just hasn’t finished off the at-bats,” Roberts said. “Alex played a lot, didn’t have a great spring, but played great defensively.”

It’s a quintessential Dodgers decision — trusting the underlying process over surface numbers. Freeland, for his part, didn’t try to overanalyze it. His reaction was far more human.

“When Doc told me, I got the chills,” he said.

The 24-year-old described an offseason of growth, one that clearly resonated with the organization even if the Cactus League stat line didn’t reflect it. His reward: a spot on the Opening Day roster and a defined role. Freeland is expected to start against right-handed pitching, forming a platoon at second base alongside veteran Miguel Rojas.

“Start versus right-handed pitchers and play second base,” Freeland said of the message he received.

That clarity matters. For a young player breaking into a contending roster, knowing where you fit can be just as important as earning the opportunity itself.

Freeland’s first taste of that opportunity came quickly. Slotted ninth in the lineup Sunday against the Los Angeles Angels, he found himself in the middle of a 10-run third inning, drawing a walk in his second plate appearance of the inning and adding another free pass later in the game.

No hits — but again, the Dodgers aren’t fixated on that. They’re watching the at-bats. The defense. The poise.

In many ways, this decision says as much about the Dodgers’ confidence in their development system as it does about Freeland himself. Kim will get his chance — likely sooner rather than later — but for now, the organization is betting that everyday reps in Triple-A will accelerate his readiness.

Freeland, meanwhile, gets to live the dream.

“It means everything,” he said. “I’ve dreamed of this since I was a kid.”

For the Dodgers, the hope is that dream quickly turns into production — and that their toughest decision of the spring becomes one of their smartest bets of the season.