FORT WORTH, Texas — Geno Auriemma does not say things unintentionally. There is no comment he utters that he doesn’t mean, or at least that he doesn’t intend to stir up a certain reaction. 

Sure, he admits, he says things he doesn’t necessarily believe. 

This wasn’t it. 

“I don’t know if I’ve ever been prouder to take a team to the Final Four than this one,” Auriemma said while accepting his 25th regional championship trophy. 

He capped it with a lasso line dance, settling on a proper cowboy hat, his feet surrounded by confetti and KK Arnold goading him for more. 

It was all the players needed to see. 

“When he breaks out a dance move, that’s how you know he’s proud,” Azzi Fudd said. 

It’s a word coaches overuse this time of year. They’re proud of their group making it to the Sweet 16. Then the Elite Eight. They’re proud in wins and losses, in great performances and battling through bad ones. 

Proud is relative. 

Those coaches aren’t the winningest ones in basketball history, flipping through the Rolodex of elite talent they all envy. They’re not the 12-time national champions. They can’t even sniff a stretch of 17 Final Fours in 18 years this team is on. Auriemma and the Huskies have competed in more than half of the NCAA Final Fours held. 

And while devastating, when most of those other proud coaches’ teams lose, it’s not an earth-shattering travesty, leading sports shows around the country that barely devote time to the sport otherwise. 

So, yeah, he definitely means it when he says he’s proud of them for clinching the season’s first Final Four berth in a 70-52 win over rival Notre Dame that preserved the 54-game winning streak, a 38-0 season and the Fort Worth 1 regional title. 

“Getting all the way to this point undefeated is a lot of baggage to carry, right?” Auriemma said. “I mean, every day somebody is coming after you to break your streak.” 

Auriemma does not coach quietly or calmly, even if his teams on the court exemplify it. He expects more no matter the circumstance. His alumni's stories become legendary tales that don’t grow larger every time they’re told. He really did make that comment to Sue Bird’s teams during a heated game against Pat Summit and rival Tennessee. Yes, he literally left Breanna Stewart to run stadiums for one missed rebound. 

And the 8-vs-5 practices? Oh, he definitely did that. 

His proudest team is one of his most dominant. Its 51.1 net rating ranks third all-time behind the title teams of 2015 and 2016. Those rosters were more mature, he said, helmed in 2016 by seniors Stewart, Moriah Jefferson and Morgan Tuck. The trio won four titles in four years; the 2014 and 2016 teams went undefeated. 

This roster is younger after losing fifth-year seniors Paige Bueckers, the reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year, and Kaitlyn Chen, one of UConn’s dozens of WNBA stars. 

Andy Hancock/NCAA Photos via Getty Images

Fudd, the fifth-year senior who returned on a redshirt, is the most experienced, but it’s sophomore Sarah Strong who stepped into a leadership role. The forward is en route to Naismith National Player of the Year as the versatile Swiss Army Knife who, even in tough situations, can fight through for a 20-piece. KK Arnold and Ashlyn Shade were thrown into the pressure-fueled fire as freshmen on a decimated roster. 

Opposing coaches harp on UConn’s depth. North Carolina head coach Courtney Banghart was proud of her team after the Sweet 16 loss for making the Huskies go to Plan B and Plan B and Plan C … and even Plan D. 

“They’re just that good,” she said after a 63-42 loss that was closer in the first half than the final score would indicate. 

It was Blanca Quiñonez, the sneaky freshman and “fearless” X-factor, who stepped in as an international player wise beyond her collegiate years. Her team-high 14 first-half points served as a pressure-valve while Strong and Fudd were hounded by the Notre Dame defense. She finished with 20 and an all-tournament team nod, along with Fudd and Strong, who was named Most Outstanding Player. 

None of this is new. Not the Final Four berth, an accomplishment that runs business-like for the Huskies. No cut nets, no exuberance. The team flashed more smiles meeting Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving than for winning a regional title. 

Not the smooth-running offense resulting in 18 assists on 24 baskets. Nor the defense that limited Hannah Hidalgo, labeled by Auriemma as the best point guard in the country, by impacting her ability to get into the paint and find teammates. She went off in bursts, but never more. 

Six of Auriemma’s UConn teams won in undefeated seasons. More reached this point unblemished, shattered when it all ended. 

So proud? That makes sense. Even the most demanding coaches are proud of accomplishments. But proudest? It’s far from the first of his teams to handle an undefeated season at this point. Six went on to win a title unblemished, and this line dancing group hasn’t even landed in Phoenix yet. 

“Maybe because we don't walk around with that attitude,” Auriemma said.

He’s digging into his Rolodex now. First, it’s Jamelle Elliott and Jen Rizzotti of the 1995 championship team, his first. Bird, Diana Taurasi, Asjha Jones, Swin Cash and Tamika Williams won undefeated in 2002 before seven of those players went on to WNBA careers. In the 2010s, it was Maya Moore, Tina Charles and Stewart. 

“They walked around like, what did you think we were going to lose? … Why are you surprised we’re undefeated?” Auriemma said.

But Auriemma doesn’t say things he doesn’t mean. There is no bravado or audacious remarks on this roster. No on-court dust-ups or locker room material. 

“This group, they don't have that kind of swagger, trash-talking kind of mentality,” Auriemma said. “That's why I think for me I just keep my fingers crossed because it's not the kind of team that I've had in the past that has gone this far undefeated.”

No, the swaggiest thing in UConn’s locker room is Auriemma’s cowboy hat. And the most boastful remarks will be in his phone, a three-decade collection of champions asking … Never been prouder? Really?

The NFL has one more pivotal stop before the 2026 NFL Draft: the NFL League Meetings, which are taking place in Arizona this week.

Team owners, executives, and head coaches will participate in meetings throughout the week and speak with the media.

On Monday, Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry provided several updates on the roster. Among the topics discussed was star running back Quinshon Judkins.

MORE: 49ers GM John Lynch addresses viral electric substation conspiracies

Berry offered a significant update on the former Ohio State product.

Judkins appears closer than ever to making his return, just months after suffering a gruesome, season-ending injury.

He fractured his leg and injured his ankle in a late-season matchup against the Buffalo Bills. The heartbreaking moment dealt a major blow to what had been a strong rookie campaign.

MORE: Vikings announce tragic death of six-time NFL Pro Bowler

Judkins took over the reins at running back following the departure of Browns legend Nick Chubb, who joined the Houston Texans after the 2024 season.

During his 2025 rookie campaign, Judkins recorded 827 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. Now, he aims to return to form and build on the promise that made him a high draft pick.

The Browns selected Judkins 36th overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. Evaluators viewed him as a Day 1 or early Day 2 prospect, and he showed every bit of the potential the Browns expected.

The question now remains: Will Judkins bounce back stronger than ever?

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Gary Woodland exhaled hard and looked up to the sky when his final putt dropped at Memorial Park Golf Course on Sunday afternoon. 

After hugging his caddie briefly while trying to contain his emotions, the tears quickly came as his wife, Gabby, ran out to embrace him, too. Woodland, who underwent brain surgery that led to a PTSD diagnosis in recent years, had won on the PGA Tour once again.

Woodland cruised to a dominant five-shot win at the Texas Children's Houston Open on Sunday in what was his first win on Tour since his victory at the 2019 U.S. Open. But, after what has been a turbulent few years for him off the course, the win completes one of the most remarkable comebacks in golf’s history.

“We play an individual sport out here, but I wasn’t alone today,” Woodland said, fighting back tears on NBC. “I’ve got a lot of people behind me, my team, my family, in this golf world. Everybody that’s struggling with something, I hope they see me and don’t give up. Just keep fighting.”

Gary Woodland battles back from brain surgery, PTSD diagnosis

Woodland’s health issues really started to become an issue for him in 2023, but he struggled for months to figure out what was going on. And the symptoms were terrifying.

He frequently lost his appetite, experienced shaky hands and the chills. But the biggest issue was fear and anxiety that he just couldn’t escape. He was constantly being jolted awake at night with a recurring nightmare that he was falling and going to die. He started experiencing small seizures at night, too. 

“It was a horrible experience,” he said in 2024. “All you wanted to do was go to sleep to not think about it, and going to sleep was the worst part. That is where all the seizures were happening. It was a horrible four, five months.”

So Woodland underwent surgery to remove part of a lesion from his brain in September 2023, and he returned to the Tour months later. The fear, he said, was gone immediately after the surgery. 

But earlier this month, ahead of The Players Championship, Woodland revealed further health struggles. He had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of the brain surgery. Symptoms would frequently overwhelm him, especially while competing in Napa, California last fall. 

Woodland said one of the walking scorers kept startling him when they walked up behind him, and he struggled to remember what he was doing throughout the round. At one point, his caddie even tried to get him to just walk off the course and withdraw, but Woodland was determined to finish the day.

“I went into every bathroom to cry the rest of the day,” Woodland said. “When I got done, I got in my car and got out of there. There are days when it’s tough – crying in the scoring trailer, running to my car just to hide it. I don’t want to live that way anymore.”

Woodland opted to share the diagnosis both in an effort to help others, but also due to the fan support he said he’s received ever since returning after his brain surgery. 

“Every week I come out and everyone’s so excited and happy that I’m back,” he said. “I hear that every week — it’s so nice to see you past this, it’s so nice to see you 100% — and I appreciate that love and support. 

“But inside, I feel like I’m dying, and I feel like I’m living a lie.”

Woodland rolls at Memorial Park

Woodland didn’t have an incredible round on Sunday in Houston, but he didn’t really need to.

After starting the day with a one-shot lead, Woodland pushed it to six by the time he made the turn. Woodland went four-under over a five-hole stretch before reaching the back nine, and then simply just had to hang on the rest of the way to complete his 3-under 67. That gave him a five-shot win over Nicolai Højgaard and the rest of the field.

While Sunday was extremely emotional for him, and understandably so, Woodland was quick to note that his fight with PTSD and his recovery will be ongoing. But he knows that doesn’t negate what he pulled off.

“It’s just another day, right, that I’ve got to keep healing,” he said. “Today was a good day, but I’m going to keep fighting. I’ve got a big fight ahead of me, and I’m going to keep going. But I’m proud of myself right now.”

Woodland also had a very clear message to Gabby and his family.

“Thank you,” he said plainly. “I wouldn’t be anywhere before this without them. There’s no chance I could do this without Gabby, for sure. This has been hard on me, this has been a lot harder on her. I love her to death.”

This post will be updated with more information shortly.

EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — Joey Browner, a three-time All-Pro defensive back who played nine of his 10 NFL seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, has died, the team said. He was 65.

The Vikings announced Browner's death Sunday and said his family had informed the team. A cause of death was not released.

A native of Warren, Ohio, who played in college at Southern California, Browner was selected by Minnesota with the 19th overall pick in the 1983 NFL draft. It was the first time the Vikings had used a first-round pick on a defensive back.

Blessed with a combination of speed and size for his position — he was 6-foot-2 and 221 pounds — Browner played for the Vikings from 1983-1991 and finished his career with 37 interceptions, the fifth most in franchise history. He also had 18 forced fumbles in 138 games for Minnesota.

Browner concluded his career by playing for Tampa Bay in 1992.

He made the first of six consecutive Pro Bowl appearances in 1985, and he was a first-team AP All-Pro in 1987, 1988 and 1990.

In the strike-shortened 1987 season, Browner helped the Vikings advance to the NFC championship game, which they lost to eventual Super Bowl champion Washington.

In 2013, Browner was inducted in to the Vikings' ring of honor.

“Joey was one of those players that could transcend any generation of player,” former Vikings linebacker Scott Studwell said at the time. “He could’ve played today. When he played, he was one of the best at his position.”

Browner was part of a football family. Older brother Ross Browner was an edge rusher who played 10 NFL seasons, nine with Cincinnati. Another older brother, Jim Browner, was a defensive back for Cincinnati in 1979 and 1980.

Younger brother Keith Browner played 65 NFL games for four teams. A nephew, Keith Browner Jr., appeared in three games as an edge rusher for the Houston Texans in 2014.

___

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

As a 6-seed, Tennessee certainly wasn't Cinderella, but it was flying high after taking down 2-seed Iowa State in the Midwest region of the 2026 NCAA Tournament.

But then the Vols ran into Michigan.

The Wolverines absolutely eviscerated the Volunteers, 92-65, at the United Center in Chicago, going from a 16-point tie with just under 11 minutes in the first half, to closing out the first half up almost 30. Ultimately, Michigan finished with a 33-point win to survive and advance to the Final Four.

The maize and blue have never lost to Tennessee, having faced three times before Sunday. And Barnes has overseen the last two matchups from the Knoxville side. Here is everything the Vols coach had to say in the wake of losing to the Wolverines.

Opening statement

Congratulations to Michigan. They played, obviously, an outstanding basketball game. We're obviously disappointed. We think that we're better than what we showed today. And we sort of, well, the game was kind of where we had it in the first, what, eight-to-10 minutes. And then we picked up five quick fouls, and it got away from us. And give them credit. 

But just so proud of our guys. They've had a phenomenal year. Obviously, when you get to this point and you don't move on, it's extremely disappointing. Especially when you know you weren't at your best and you know you need to be at your best this time. But proud of these two guys here. And Grant, Grant was a guy we brought back to help us maintain our culture with locker room, and Felix has been amazing, and I thought Ja'Kobi in a year just endeared himself to Vol Nation, and he was fearless today. But just unbelievably proud of this team.

Really, we've gone through a lot. They've stuck together to get us to this point. And there's probably, what, 50-some teams that like to be here today, where we are, even after a loss. And so I'm proud of their effort. And we want more. There's no doubt we want more. We wanna break through this thing, but you gotta get here first. And just so proud of the effort these guys gave it this year.

Do you think there was anything that could have been done differently to stop Michigan today?

Yeah, you know what, offensively, we needed to make some shots. I also thought our post guys, I would have liked to see them touching a little bit more at the start of the game. And we know they're an outstanding transition team. And those corner 3s, and they're really good at that. But you gotta make some shots, too. Again, the first eight to 10 minutes were like 16-16. I thought the game was like, that's how we wanted it. And then right there, those next couple minutes were foul trouble. They get to the free-throw line, they obviously shot a lot more free throws than we did. But you gotta score. At some point in time, you gotta score the ball, too. But those misses led to that transition game where

What do you think it's gonna take to get over that final four hump? Is it just a matter of luck, or is there something more to it than that?

Yeah, there's luck in everything you do, but you get to this point. I mean, you look at their guys today, they had a lot of guys that played really good basketball, had good days. It's hard to have a day where maybe one or two guys are off and get there. I mean, you've gotta have, this time of year, your players have to play and step up, but, and first of all, they're a very, very talented team. They really are, and you look at the teams that are going to the next round so far, they're all very talented teams. But we're a talented team, and some teams have a little more room for error than others, but we've seen enough in this game; there's a lot of different ways to get there. But if you wanna break through, you gotta get here first. You gotta put yourself in a position to do that. We've been able to get here three years in a row, and it'll be hard to get back to win a game just in a tournament. I mean, that first game in a tournament's the hardest one. But our goal will be to get back here and just keep kicking, kicking, and hope we can knock the door down.

In that first half on that play that we actually got that reverse layup, it looked like there was goaltending on that one. 

It was definitely goaltending. The rule says the ball's gotta go through the net. The ball did not go through the net. What were you told, because I saw you were trying to review it.

They told me I couldn't (challenge). And yeah, the ball has to go through the net before it's deemed a successful field goal, and it wasn't through, and the rim was held on, yeah. So I asked, they said, I can't review it. And then I even asked a couple guys, did they understand? And the ball had to go through the net, and I'm not sure they did. But the ball has to go through the net to be a successful goal.

What's it gonna take to close the gap between you guys and these No. 1 seeds that y'all have faced the last three years?

Well, we're gonna have to shoot the ball better. There's no doubt. We gotta shoot the ball better. We're so inconsistent doing that. We still have to be better finishing around the rim. You've watched us all year, and we missed too many of those shots. Obviously, we've gotta continue to build. Our defense got us here, it really did, and it's no question. And we've had games where we struggled to score. But you're playing against a team, an outstanding team today, that was scoring. But it'll just simply, we all have to get better. We all have to keep working at it. And we know that, we certainly know what it takes to get here. Now we've gotta figure out getting through to the next level. And it's on this day, you've gotta really be at your best.

What did you think of the shot selection, or what were you looking for that maybe wasn't delivered out there?

Well, we knew all year that they would; everybody puts a big target on Ja'Kobi. And we knew that, again, we wanted the ball inside, and it's really hard for him. We could get into ball screens. It's harder for him sometimes because he's often got double-teamed, he's gotta get rid of it, and that's a great time to put it in. But again, now we had open looks. I mean, we had some open shots that didn't go down, and that's where they were able to get out, capitalizing. And I thought that a little bit, because we weren't making shots, not that we quit, cuz we would never quit, but it put us back on our heels a little bit, and we had to continue to guard, because again, that's what's got us through this tournament. But our missed shots led to a bunch of points for them.

This article originally appeared on Wolverines Wire: Rick Barnes on Tennessee's NCAA Tournament loss to Michigan

Stefan Bondy: Deuce is loose: Miles McBride is available to play tonight, Mike Brown says. It’ll be his first game since January.

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This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Miles McBride cleared to play after missing last 28 games

Omari Sankofa II: Pistons injury report vs Thunder DOUBTFUL: Jalen Duren (right knee injury management), Tobias Harris (left hip IM), Duncan Robinson (right hip IM) QUESTIONABLE: Ausar Thompson (right ankle IM) OUT: Cade Cunningham, Isaiah Stewart

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This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Pistons likely to sit several starters, including Jalen Duren, against Oklahoma City

Why did Golden Knights fire Bruce Cassidy? Vegas moves on from coach after losing stretch threatens 2026 playoffs originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Vegas Golden Knights stunned the hockey world on Sunday by firing head coach Bruce Cassidy and replacing him with John Tortorella.

Cassidy led the Golden Knights to a Stanley Cup championship in 2023, the first in franchise history. Since then, Vegas made the playoffs each season with Cassidy at the helm and are on pace to do so again this year.

The Vegas Golden Knights have relieved Bruce Cassidy of his duties as head coach.

John Tortorella has been named head coach.#VegasBornhttps://t.co/TSTwVqXlbQ

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) March 29, 2026

However, the Golden Knights decided Cassidy wasn't doing the job necessary for the team to make a serious playoff run, and made a decision to move on with eight games left in the regular season. Instead, Vegas is hiring Tortorella, as the Golden Knights will be the sixth team that Tortorella has led.

Here's why Vegas made this decision.

SN's NHL HQ: Live NHL scores | Updated NHL standings | Full NHL schedule

Why did Golden Knights fire Bruce Cassidy?

Despite being in the playoff picture with 80 points, the Golden Knights opted to fire head coach Bruce Cassidy just a few weeks away from the playoffs. Vegas announced it hired veteran coach John Tortorella in Cassidy's place.

"With the stretch run of the 2025-26 regular season upon us, we believe that a change is necessary for us to return to the level of play that is expected of our club," Golden Knights General Manager Kelly McCrimmon said in a statement. "With John Tortorella, we bring in a Stanley Cup Champion as well as one of the most experienced and respected coaches in the NHL. His guidance will be a great asset to our team at the pivotal point in the season we currently face."

The Golden Knights are 5-12 in their last 17 games dating back to the season restart following the Olympics. Vegas currently sits in third place in the Pacific division with 80 points, which would be enough to make the playoffs.

However, Vegas is just four-points ahead of the Los Angeles Kings, who are in fourth place in the division but sit outside of the playoff picture. Those four points are the difference between the Golden Knights being in the playoffs and on the outside of the picture. 

MORE:List of every Conn Smythe Trophy winner

Bruce Cassidy coaching record

Cassidy has coached three teams over the course of 12 different seasons, but spent most of his coaching career with the Bruins.

MORE:How does the NHL Draft lottery work?

Did Bruce Cassidy win a Stanley Cup?

Bruce Cassidy coached the Golden Knights to their first Stanley Cup win in franchise history during the 2022-23 season. Previously, Cassidy led the Boston Bruins to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2019, but the team lost to the St. Louis Blues in seven games.

MORE:Who has the most Stanley Cup championships?

Bruce Cassidy contract

Cassidy originally signed a five-year contract worth $4.5 million with the Golden Knights in 2022, so the coach has one-year left on that deal.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Cori Close put her hands on her hips and allowed herself to take a minute just by herself. She looked out at her UCLA players on the floor. Then she started beaming, soaking it all in.

UCLA is on to the Final Four for the second time in program history but also the second consecutive year under Close, whose Bruins beat Duke 70-58 on Sunday to win the Sacramento 2 Region at Golden 1 Center. No. 1 seed UCLA will take on the Elite Eight winner of top-seeded Texas and second-seeded Michigan in Phoenix on Friday.

As the confetti fell and her players celebrated together, Close wasted no time perching a Final Four hat on her head as she waved to the UCLA faithful.

Getting to Final Fours isn’t easy to begin with. And Duke, especially in the first half, tested the Bruins.

The Bruins looked out of sorts in the first half, committing two shot-clock violations and turning over the ball a glaring 12 times. They struggled with Duke’s swarming defense — which made sure to make shots difficult for 6-foot-7 center Lauren Betts, who didn’t score her first point until about the 1:20 mark of the first quarter. On defense, meanwhile, the Bruins couldn’t consistently stop Duke, which didn’t seem to care that Betts was in the paint and attacked the Bruins (and their four guards) down low with regularity.

But before the Bruins even got to the locker room at halftime, Close was already workshopping solutions with her two ballhandlers, Kiki Rice and Charlisse Leger-Walker.

Just two days after Close’s halftime adjustments were the difference in UCLA’s eventual Sweet 16 blowout of Minnesota, the Bruins flipped the page in the final 30 minutes of Sunday’s Elite Eight game, too.

Betts got far more involved, finishing with 23 points — including 15 in the second half. With about a minute left and after a tough layup on the left side, she stuck her tongue out toward the UCLA faithful, as if to start the eventual party that was quickly to come. UCLA’s defense clamped down on Duke’s offense in the second half, too, and limited the Blue Devils to just eight third-quarter points. Forward Angela Dugalic gave the Bruins quite the boost with some big-time rebounds and putbacks en route to earning All-Regional honors behind 15 points, six rebounds and four assists.

Despite committing a whopping 18 turnovers — nearly six more than their usual average of 12.4 — the Bruins got the job done by scoring 54 points in the paint to Duke’s 32 and outrebounding the Blue Devils 38-26. Betts’ 23 points led all scorers, though Duke guard Taina Mair wasn’t far behind with 21.

As UCLA looks ahead to the Final Four, the Bruins no doubt have some cleaning up to do. Getting those shot-clock violations and turnovers remedied will likely be Close’s top priorities.

But at least for Sunday, it was all about celebrating and TikTok dances.

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

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The Unpacking Future Packers Countdown is a countdown of 100 prospects who the Green Bay Packers could select in the 2026 NFL draft.

During the 2025 NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers selected Anthony Belton with the 54th overall pick. The North Carolina State offensive lineman weighed in at the combine at 335 pounds, making him the heaviest offensive lineman the Packers have drafted in 100 years. Okay, not 100 years, but Belton broke the offensive line weight threshold (321 pounds).

In the 2023 NFL Draft, the Packers drafted Jayden Reed with the 50th overall pick, despite weighing 187 pounds, which broke their weight thresholds (190ish) for wide receivers.

Brian Gutekunst has shown he's willing to break the proverbial rules, and if he bends the rules again in the 2026 NFL Draft, a potential target could be Keith Abney II.

The Arizona State cornerback is undersized (5-9, 189 pounds and 30-inch arms). All three of those measurements fall under Green Bay's typical thresholds for cornerbacks (5-10, 190 pounds, 31.5-inch arms). However, he does have an impressive wingspan (73) for a cornerback of his size. Let's dive into why the Packers may overlook those 'shortcomings' to add the Arizona State cornerback on Day 2.

He may be undersized but I’m rolling with Keith Abney II everyday of the week and twice on Sunday.

Sticky and combative. He recorded five INTs and 21 PDs over the past two seasons.

The Arizona State CB would bring much-needed playmaking ability to GB’s CB room. pic.twitter.com/zvrrUFTM9a

— Brennen Rupp (@Brennen_Rupp) March 29, 2026

A former three-star recruit out of Texas, Abney recorded one interception during his first season with the Sun Devils in 2023. In 2024, Abney recorded 52 tackles, three interceptions and nine pass deflections.

During his final season at Arizona State, Abney recorded 44 tackles, one sack, two interceptions and 12 pass deflections.

"He was easily one of the most important players in the secondary," Hod Rabino, a beat writer for Devils Digest, said. He's the caliber of cornerback that quarterbacks usually shied away from."

Abney plays bigger than his frame. He's a combative player at the line of scrimmage and at the catch point. The Arizona State cornerback has good click-and-close skills. He’s a fluid mover with excellent change-of-direction skills. He’s sticky and can stay attached to the receiver throughout the route. The former speed skating champion has the long speed to stay attached on a vertical plane.

This past season, he was targeted 72 times and gave up 32 receptions for 321 yards and zero touchdowns. Against Texas Tech, who has a pair of bigger wide receivers who will likely be Day 3 draft picks in April, Abney was targeted eight times and gave up four receptions for 24 yards. It was an impressive outing, with three Packers representatives in attendance.

The Packers had three reps in attendance to watch potential CB target Keith Abney II. I'm excited to dive into the all-22 tomorrow am. Article coming over at @ThePackersWirehttps://t.co/fh10eZ31iz

— Brennen Rupp (@Brennen_Rupp) October 19, 2025

"He's far from being an athletic freak, and uses his high football IQ (he also attended the Honors College at Arizona State)," Rabino said. "Overall, he's a player who certainly utilizes all of his advantages to the fullest."

Abney has natural ball skills. Over the past two seasons, he recorded five interceptions and 21 pass deflections. A combination of his anticipation skills and football IQ put him in a position to consistently make plays on the ball.

"He does have a great nose for the ball and is someone who uses his intelligence to carefully dissect his opponents each and every week, being a film room junkie," Rabino said. "Some corners may not have good anticipation skills, but can make that up with their speed and or their physicality, but Abney is the exact opposite."

He only played 26 snaps in the slot during his time at Arizona State. If Abney were to kick inside, he has the short-area quickness, instincts, and toughness to handle the responsibility of being a full-time nickel back. 

Against the run, Abney is fearless in run support. He plays bigger than his frame and gets his man to the ground quickly to limit YAC. This past season he recorded 12 run stops and was tagged with just two missed tackles.

"His anticipation skills undoubtedly help him in run support as well,' Rabino said. "Again, he's not an imposing figure that would stop running backs in their tracks coming down the hill, so to speak, but his knowledge of the game can overcome any physical deficiencies in supporting the run defense."

Fit with the Packers

The Packers need an infusion of playmaking ability in the cornerback room. Add in the fact that Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine are both entering contract years, and it's widely expected that Gutekunst will add a cornerback or two in the upcoming draft.

While Abney doesn't check all the boxes for the Packers, he does check the boxes with his stickiness in coverage, his ball production and his combative nature. He'd bring physicality and much-needed playmaking ability to Green Bay's secondary.

"I know student of the game is a cliche that sometimes gets thrown around way too much, but that is still a description that fits Abney 100 percent,' Rabino said. "There are plenty of cornerbacks who have the same frame, if not smaller than him, so that should not be a deterrent in drafting him. Overall, any team that would land him is getting an extremely cerebral player, who is solid in coverage, who is unlikely to make the same mistake twice, and with some patience can grow and be a solid cornerback for your team."

If Abney were 5-8, 180 pounds, and had 29-inch arms, this article would not have been written. Since he's right up against all the benchmarks, there is a chance the Packers have Abney on their board.

This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Unpacking Future Packers: No. 31, Arizona State CB Keith Abney II

Arnold Schwarzenegger‘s son Joseph Baena emerged victorious in several categories for his bodybuilding debut.

Although Joseph primarily grew up with his housekeeper mother, Mildred Baena, he’s the only child who has mostly taken after his famous father, who also won several bodybuilding competitions back in the day.

Arnold Schwarzenegger has also returned to the gym, as reports suggest he’ll be appearing on the third installment of “Conan the Barbarian.”

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Son Follows In His Footsteps With Major Win

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A post shared by Joseph Baena (@joebaena)

Schwarzenegger’s love child, Baena, followed in his father’s footsteps as he made his competitive bodybuilding debut at the NPC Natural Colorado State competition and won in several categories.

The event, which was held on Saturday at Pinnacle Performing Arts Center in Denver, Colorado, saw Joseph emerge victorious in the Men’s Open Bodybuilding Heavy Weight Class, Men’s Classic Physique True Novice, and Men’s Classic Physique Novice. He cemented his dominant display by clinching the silver medal in the Men’s Classic Physique Open Class C.

Joseph’s success comes just days after he and his father were seen in the gym perfecting one of the “Commando” star’s signature moves.

In photos obtained by the news outlet, a shirtless Joseph can be seen flexing his muscles as Schwarzenegger attempted to help him perfect his posture.

Joseph Baena Talked About How Supportive Arnold Schwarzenegger Has Been

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A post shared by Joseph Baena (@joebaena)

Earlier this month, Joseph revealed that he packed on 18lbs of muscle in just eight weeks.

According to reports, athletes who enroll for the competition not only undergo drug tests, but also take a 30-minute polygraph to ensure they haven’t taken any performance enhancers.

In his heydays, his father, Schwarzenegger, was much the same, winning seven Mr. Olympia titles before transforming into one of Hollywood’s top action stars, and eventually politics.

Joseph previously spoke about how the former California governor has been supportive of his career and what it means to him.

“He’s an amazing father. He’s a great person to look up to, and he’s the smartest man I know,” the half-Guatemalan athlete told ET in 2023. “It’s been a great journey, and he’s always been so supportive of whatever I do. So, I’m just really grateful to have a dad like him.”

Back in 2011, Schwarzenegger confessed that he secretly fathered Joseph after a “one-night stand” with his former housekeeper, Mildred Baena.

The revelation brought about the end of his 25-year marriage to Maria Shriver, and their divorce was finalized in 2021.

The former couple shares four children: Katherine, Christina, Patrick, and Christopher.

Joseph Baena Doesn’t Ask His Famous Dad For ‘Favours’

Joseph seems bent on making his father proud, but doing it in his own way, as he doesn’t want handouts.

He and the veteran actor first bonded over their love for fitness, and the action star gifted him a copy of “The Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding,” which he co-authored in 1985.

“My dad is old-school; he doesn’t believe in handouts. He believes hard work pays off, and so do I,” he toldMen’s Health in 2022.

Joseph continued, “I love the word honour, and I’m very prideful in the sense that if I use my dad’s contacts or ask him for favours, I wonder what honour is that gonna bring me?”

Arnold Schwarzenegger To Reprise Role In Third Installment Of ‘Conan The Barbarian’

Meanwhile, Schwarzenegger would be reprising his decade-long role as Conan in a third installment of “Conan the Barbarian.”

The 78-year-old actor has reportedly returned to the gym in order to prepare for the role, many years after he did justice to the first part.

He announced earlier this month at the Arnold sports festival in Columbus, Ohio, that director Christopher McQuarrie, best known for his work on the “Mission: Impossible” franchise, would be in charge of bringing Conan to life.

“It’s a great story,” he said, explaining that after sitting on the throne for 40 years, “Conan gets complacent, and now he gets forced out of the kingdom, slowly. Then there’s conflict, of course, and then he somehow comes back, and then there’s all kinds of madness and violence and magic and creatures.”

“Now, of course, you have all the special effects, and the studio system has plenty of money to make those movies really big,” he added, per The Guardian.

Arnold Schwarzenegger Has Been ‘Pushing Himself To The Limits’ For His Upcoming Role

A source told the National Enquirer that Schwarzenegger has been “pushing himself to the limits” to be ready for the role, as it depends on him “really looking like a legendary barbarian-slash-king.”

“Gold’s Gym just sold almost all of their L.A. locations, but they held the original gym in Venice, where Arnold still works out to this day,” the source said.

They added, “That’s where he’s going to forge the body to take on this role again, come hell or high water! Failure is not an option.”

Schwarzenegger made one of such returns to acting in 2019 for “Terminator: Dark Fate,” although it didn’t perform well. He has other works in the pipeline like “Kung Fury 2,” alongside Michael Fassbender, and “The Man With the Bag.”

The Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Love Child Joseph Baena Wins Bodybuilding Competition, Mirroring His Famous Dad first appeared on The Blast

The Falcons released quarterback Kirk Cousins on March 11, officially ending his time in Atlanta following two years of trade rumors, injury speculation and QB controversy. Cousins is a free agent once again and should have no trouble finding a job in 2026.

The Pittsburgh Steelers could be among the teams in the market for Cousins, assuming veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers doesn't return next season. According to NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero, the Steelers attempted to trade for Cousins prior to signing Rodgers last year.

During an appearance on the Rich Eisen Show, Pelissero said that Pittsburgh called Atlanta during the 2025 offseason, but the Falcons weren't interested in trading Cousins at the time.

"Kirk Cousins is the one, and I know that they called on him last year, and the Falcons at the time didn't want to trade him. Didn't want to engage in trade talks, but now Kirk Cousins is free," Pelissero said via The Rich Eisen Show. "Cousins potentially could be an option if they pivot away from Aaron Rodgers, which hasn't happened yet."

It's unclear why the Falcons wouldn't have been willing to trade Cousins. The team had already committed to starting Michael Penix Jr. at quarterback, and Cousins was making more money than any other player on the roster at the time.

Penix suffered a partially torn ACL in Week 11, which allowed Cousins to start the final seven games. The 37-year-old helped guide Atlanta to a four-game winning streak to close out the year, but the team still chose to clean house after the season ended.

Cousins, a four-time Pro Bowler, has passed for 44,700 yards, 298 touchdowns and 131 interceptions since entering the league in 2012. He's arguably the top free-agent QB on the market.

The Falcons have since signed quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to a one-year, $1.2 million contract to replace Cousins. The team is set to have an open QB competition between Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr. this season. Check out our projected Falcons depth chart for 2026.

This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Atlanta Falcons passed on Kirk Cousins trade with Steelers

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Bennedict Mathurin scored 28 points, John Collins 22 and Kawhi Leonard 20 as the Los Angeles Clippers got past the short-handed Milwaukee Bucks 127-113 on Sunday for their fifth consecutive win.

Darius Garland added 15 points and 11 assists and Derrick Jones Jr. 13 points for Los Angeles, which made 45 of 77 shots (58.4%).

Gary Trent Jr. had a season-high 36 points to pace Milwaukee, which had only eight players available. Taurean Prince added 18 points and AJ Green scored 15 for the Bucks, who have lost 10 of their last 12 games.

The Bucks stayed close early, trailing 29-25 after one quarter with Trent scoring 11 points, including sinking 3 of 5 from three-point range.

The Clippers began to pull away in the second, holding a 57-46 lead at the half after leading by as many as 16. Leonard had 15 first-half points.

Brook Lopez, a member of the Bucks' 2021 NBA championship team, was honored with a video tribute in his first visit back to Milwaukee. He was whistled for a technical foul as the teams were headed to the locker room at halftime.

Los Angeles outscored Milwaukee 39-28 in the third and extended its lead to as many as 24 points in the fourth before the Bucks pulled within 11 in the late stages.

Sloppy play hurt Milwaukee, which committed 22 turnovers leading to 33 Clippers points.

Giannis Antetokounmpo sat out a seventh consecutive game for Milwaukee with a left knee hyperextension and bone bruise. The two-time MVP has played in a career-low 36 games this season.

The Bucks also were missing Kevin Porter Jr. (right knee), Bobby Portis (left wrist sprain), Kyle Kuzma (Achilles tendinopathy), Ryan Rollins (left hip flexor), Myles Turner (right knee), Gary Harris (personal reasons) and Thanasis Antetokounmpo (left calf).

Green and Ousmane Dieng fouled out in the fourth, leaving the Bucks with six available players to finish the game.

Up next

Clippers: Host the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday.

Bucks: Host the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday.

------

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

Tonight’s Mariners game won’t be just their Sunday Night Baseball debut; the team will also debut their new Steelheads uniforms, created to honor the short-lived Negro Leagues team located in Seattle. The Mariners are the first MLB team to feature a historic Negro Leagues uniform as part of the club’s standard uniform rotation. The black and cream Steelheads jerseys will be worn on home Sunday games, replacing the royal blue, yellow and cream Sunday alternates that the team has worn for the past decade.

The Steelheads were part of the West Coast Negro Baseball Association, founded by Olympian Jesse Owens and Abe Saperstein (owner of the Harlem Globetrotters). Owens formed the Portland Rosebuds in Oregon, while Saperstein moved his barnstorming team the Cincinnati Crescents to Seattle and renamed them the Steelheads. The Steelheads played for just part of one year, 1946, playing their home games at Seattle’s Sick’s Stadium, where the Tacoma Rainiers played from 1938-1976. The Steelheads would play at Sick’s when the Rainiers were on the road.

Very little information exists about the Steelheads today, and what we do know is largely due to the efforts of local historian David Eskenazi. Kevin Martinez, Mariners President of Business Operations, said the Steelheads uniforms were reconstructed using one of the two available pictures of a player in a Steelheads uniform. (The second picture shows a catcher, making it impossible to make out uniform details.) The first time the Mariners wore the Steelheads jerseys, in a game against Kansas City in 1995 where the Royals wore the historic Monarchs jerseys, the jerseys were based on concepts rather than historical fact. Eskenazi devoted himself to finding photographs so the uniforms could be based in reality.

In lifting up the little-known Steelheads, the Mariners surprised even some of their own former players who are otherwise very well-versed in the more well-known Negro Leagues teams. Neither Mark McLemore nor Mike Cameron were with the team in 1995, so the Steelheads were new to them.

“I didn’t know anything about the Steelheads,” said Mark McLemore when the uniforms were unveiled at FanFest this winter. “Not before I actually put the jersey on to understand that that was a part of the dynamic of the Negro Leagues. So to be able to understand the history around that is very gratifying, because I understand that history is one of the reasons why I got a chance to play the game of baseball.”

“To be able to have some of the people in Seattle able to see that this once was, this is connected to that part of history, it’s very meaningful.”

Mike Cameron also sees the connection between the present and the past, both locally and on a national level, and appreciates the Mariners for keeping that link alive and visible.

“I think it’s very important because it’s not just history, it’s American history,” said Cameron. “And not all organizations do it, see it as an important part of history, and the Mariners are one of the organizations that do. And that’s very appreciated, because it could be easily lost in history. Not talked about, not cared about.

So for the Mariners to be able to recognize that, that’s great, and that’s part of what makes this such a first class organization.”

Current Mariner Josh Naylor was honored to be chosen to debut the jersey back at FanFest in January.

“That’s one of the coolest uniforms I’ve ever worn,” Naylor said. “It’s so cool. Having the privilege of wearing it, it’s awesome.”

In addition to wearing the jerseys on home Sundays, the Mariners announced a commitment of $500,000 to local Black-led baseball and softball organizations and community initiatives. Part of the revenue from all Steelheads merchandise sold, as well as the revenue from the team’s 50/50 raffles on Steelheads Sunday, will go to the programs.

“Through the Steelheads Community Fund, we will celebrate the legacy of the Steelheads, while continuing our long-standing effort to advance access to baseball and softball and well-being for underserved communities in our region,” said Martinez.

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Gary Woodland opened with a first-round 64 and never looked back, ultimately winning the 2026 Houston Open by multiple strokes.

Below, revisit our golf picks and full final results for the week.

⛳ Houston Open: Key takeaways

• Outright winner: Gary Woodland (+7000) – Veteran long shot picks up his first PGA Tour victory since the 2019 U.S. Open.
  
  
• Almost a course record: Jake Knapp lipped out on 18 on what would have been a birdie to secure a course-record 61 on Sunday. Instead, he settled for one of two rounds of 62 during the tournament, joining Nicolai Hojgaard, who shot 8-under on Friday.
  
  
• Course: Memorial Park Golf Course is a demanding Par 70 that stretches a lengthy 7,475 yards, and was influenced during a 2019 Tom Doak redesign by Brooks Koepka.
  
  
• 36-hole cut: Notable golfers to miss the -2 cut include Brooks Koepka, Billy Horschel, Will Zalatoris, and Mackenzie Hughes. Pierceson Coody withdrew with a back injury.

Houston Open results and opening odds

The Houston Open ran March 26-29 at Memorial Park. Below are the overall results and opening odds for the Top 10 finalists.

Opening odds courtesy of GolfOdds.com

Check out the full Houston Open field here. 

Best bets card

• ❌ Outright: Marco Penge (+3300): Tee and green games heated up during T4 in the Valspar, and Penge can overpower Memorial Park.
  
  
• ❌ Outright: Shane Lowry (+4500): Two events removed from seven Top 25s across eight worldwide tournaments, including three Tops 5s.
  
  
• ✅ Top 40: Tony Finau (-118): 2023 winner finished T18 and sixth in true strokes gained tee-to-green last week in the Valspar, and he also finished T2 here in 2024.
  
  
• ❌ Top 40: Wyndham Clark (-111): Gained true strokes across the board during T5 here last season, and he’s gained true strokes putting in all five trips to event.
  
  
• ❌ Top 40: Ryan Fox (+100): Four straight Top 25s with true strokes gained across the board, and Fox was T15 in this event last year.
  
  
• ❌ Matchup: Marco Penge Over Ben Griffin (-125): Griffin has missed three consecutive cuts with true strokes lost on approaches in each.
  
  
• ❌ Round 1 Top 10: Wyndham Clark (+400): Checks the early tee time and course history boxes to go low Thursday morning.

Course breakdown: What wins at Memorial Park?

Memorial Park Golf Course is a demanding Par 70 that stretches a lengthy 7,475 yards, and was influenced during a 2019 Tom Doak redesign by Brooks Koepka. As a result, the scoring and conditions can resemble a major-championship setup, and players will have every aspect of their game tested this week.

The 2025 edition was a bit of an outlier, with 26 players shooting double-digits below par because from 2021 through 2023, only seven golfers went that deep, and only 10 players were -10 or lower in 2024.

I’m anticipating the storied Texas wind gusts to factor back in this week, and the scoring conditions to be more difficult than we saw last year based on early weather forecasts.

Distance off the tee is critical, and the rough isn’t punitive enough to discourage being aggressive. Min Woo Lee ranked 64th out of 69 players in driving accuracy to win last year, after all.

Putting has proven instrumental, though. The winner has finished Top 5 in true strokes gained putting in all five stops at Memorial Park.

In addition to the sheer length of the track, featuring just three Par 5s, are the tricky runoffs from the greens, which put extra emphasis on a tidy and creative short game.

• Wide forgiving fairways and non-penal rough
• Large undulated greens with steep, short-grass runoff areas
• Atypical scorecard with three Par 5s and five Par 3s

Key stats & player profiles to target

• True strokes gained tee-to-green
• Driving distance
• Bogey avoidance
• Par-5 scoring
• True strokes gained putting
• Accuracy off the tee isn't a necessity

Outright picks: winners to bet

Pick 1: Marco Penge to win (+3300)

The three-time DP World Tour winner is coming off a T4 in the Valspar last week, and Marco Penge has the distance and tee game to overpower Memorial Park.

• Course Fit: Memorial Park rewards bombers
• Recent Form: Tee game and putter were dialed last week
• Market Value: International wins and course fit are mispriced

Risk: Penge has missed the cut in three of six 2026 events.

Pick 2: Shane Lowry to win (+4500)

Rewind three weeks, and Shane Lowry was two holes from winning the Cognizant Classic, which resulted in his seventh Top 25 finish across eight events, including three Top 5s. Consecutive missed cuts have the Irishman well down the odds board, and he finished T11 here in 2021.

• Course Fit: Third trip to event with a T11 on resume
• Recent Form: Two events removed from a five-month heater
• Market Value: Consecutive missed cuts have Lowry too far down odds boards

Risk: Lowry's last individual PGA Tour win was in 2022.

Best Top 40 bets

Pick 1: Tony Finau (-118)

The 2023 Houston Open winner finished T18 and sixth in true strokes gained tee-to-green last week in the Valspar, and there’s no questioning whether Tony Finau has the distance to take advantage of Memorial Park.

• Key Stat: Sixth in true strokes gained tee-to-green last week
• Market Value: Long odds for former winner who also has T2 in event

Risk: Finau has failed to finish Top 40 in four of eight 2026 events.

Pick 2: Wyndham Clark (-111)

Wyndham Clark gained true strokes across the board during his T5 in this event last season, and he has the distance to bomb and gauge his way around Memorial Park while also gaining true strokes putting in all five trips to the track. 

• Key Stat: Gained true strokes across the board during T5 here last year
• Market Value: Price doesn't accurately reflect Clark's course history

Risk: Clark missed the cut last week in the Valspar.

Pick 3: Ryan Fox (+100)

With four consecutive Top 25 finishes with true strokes gained across this board, Ryan Fox hits Memorial Park after a T15 here last year while also gaining true strokes in all five metrics.

• Key Stat: Seventh in field in true strokes gained tee-to-green across past four events
• Market Value: Current form isn’t priced correctly in this market

Risk: Fox also finished T78 in the 2024 Houston Open.

Matchup bet

Marco Penge Over Ben Griffin (-125)

Ben Griffin has missed the cut while losing true strokes on approach in each of his past three events and ranks 100th in this field in true strokes gained tee-to-green during the stretch. 

• Matchup Advantage: Penge’s tee game will provide far more scoring opportunities
• Key Stat: Griffin is 113th in true strokes gained off-the-tee across past three events

Risk: Griffin has two Top 20s at Memorial Park.

Round 1 Top 10

Wyndham Clark (+400)

With a pair of weekend 64s, Wyndham Clark finished T5 here last year, and he’s out early Thursday morning in the best scoring conditions of Round 1, so there’s potential for him to find the magic again.

• Key Stat: Consecutive 64s in past two rounds at Memorial Park
• Market Value: Fair price given Clark's course history and tee time

Risk: Clark is a middling 50th in Round 1 scoring this season.

Odds movement & market notes

The biggest liabilities at BetMGM for the Houston Open are Nicolai Hojgaard, Brooks Koepka and Wyndham Clark. Hojgaard has received the highest betting handle at the shop, and Koepka has received the most betting tickets. Chris Gotterup and Michael Thorbjornsen have also garnered significant betting action.

How to watch & tee times (quick links)

How to watch:

• Thursday-Friday: 3:00-7:00 p.m. ET (Golf Channel)
• Saturday-Sunday: 1:00-3:00 p.m. ET (Golf Channel), 3:00-6:00 p.m. ET (NBC)

Tee times:

• Round 1 and 2 tee times.

Houston Open betting FAQ

When is the 2026 Houston Open?

The 2026 edition of the Houston Open is Thursday, March 26, to Sunday, March 29.

Where will the 2026 Houston Open be played?

The 2026 Houston Open is being played at Memorial Park Golf Course in Houston, Texas.

Who is the 2026 Houston Open favorite?

After World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler withdrew from the Houston Open on Tuesday, defending champion Min Woo Lee became the pre-tournament betting favorite at BetMGM.

Who is the most popular bet for the 2026 Houston Open?

Nicolai Hojgaard has received the most betting handle at BetMGM to win the 2026 Houston Open, followed by Brooks Koepka and Wyndham Clark.

What are Houston Open FRL markets?

First Round Leader (FRL) markets center around which player(s) will be in the lead following the first 18 holes of the tournament.

How do Houston Open matchup bets work?

When betting Houston Open matchups, you're selecting which golfer will score better between the two players listed in that specific market. There are 18-hole, single-round matchups, in addition to tournament-long, 72-hole matchups.

What is the Houston Open cut line?

The Top 65 players and ties after Round 2 (36 holes) will advance to the weekend, and the cut has been between -3 and +3 the past five years.

Are Houston Open odds the same across all sportsbooks?

You'll see slight variations in odds across sportsbooks for the Houston Open; it's always good practice to check multiple sports betting sites for the best odds.

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

Gary Woodland won the 2026 Texas Children Houston Open, a momentous victory for a golfer who has endured so much.

Woodland carded a 3-under 67 in the final round, finishing -21 for the tournament at the Memorial Park Golf Course in Houston. Nicolai Højgaard finished second, four strokes behind at -17. Johnny Keefer was third at -15.

When Woodland's final putt dropped on the 18th hole, the crowd errupted into chats of "Gary, Gary, Gary," as Woodland became emotional, hugging his caddie then embracing his wife, Gabby.

In September 2023, Woodland, 41, underwent surgery to remove a lesion on his brain. Though Woodland was able to return to the PGA Tour in 2024, doctors were not able to clear the entire tumor and advised the 2019 U.S. Open champion to discontinue playing.

▶ LEADERBOARD:Final results from the Texas Children's Houston Open

Woodland revealed earlier this month that he has been playing through post-traumatic stress disorder, telling The Golf Channel that during the Procore Championship last September, he would wear sunglasses and go to the bathroom to cry while continuing to participate in the tournament.

Woodland decided he was not going to "waste energy" trying to hide his PTSD and told the Golf Channel during the interview in early March that he has received tremendous support since returning to competition. "Every week, I come out and everyone is so excited and happy that I'm back. I hear that every week."

Woodland continued,"(Golf) is what I’m going to do, and no matter how hard it is, I’m going to play.”

Woodland’s victory marks the fifth win of his career and his first since the 2019 U.S. Open – 6 years, 9 months and 13 days ago.

Gary Woodland wins Houston Open: Highlights

Through all the pain and struggle, and now a winner once again. This is what it means to Gary Woodland. 🙌

📺 NBC pic.twitter.com/cCflRzOTds

— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) March 29, 2026

SIX-SHOT LEAD. 😳

Gary Woodland is ROLLING with a front-nine 32 in Houston

📺 NBC pic.twitter.com/M4nUccMtks

— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) March 29, 2026

196mph! 363yd!

Gary Woodland torches his drive on the third hole. 🚀
pic.twitter.com/zR166s3LPT

— GOLF.com (@GOLF_com) March 29, 2026

When was the last time Woodland won a tournament?

Woodland had not won a tournament on the PGA Tour since the 2019 U.S. Open prior to this weekend’s win.

The win comes just 2.5 years after his brain surgery. 

Woodland’s other career wins came at the 2018 Waste Management Open, 2013 Reno-Tahoe Open, and 2011 Transitions Championship.

Will Woodland play at the 2026 Masters?

This win at the Houston Open has secured Woodland an invitation to the 2026 Masters Tournament.  The Masters will begin on Thursday, April 9.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Gary Woodland wins Houston Open PGA Tour event after brain surgery

The two biggest storylines surrounding the UNC basketball program is the search for a new head coach and the future of the Dean Dome. As North Carolina continues to pursue coaches, there was a big development in the stadium situation.

On Sunday, the university made the announcement that the basketball arena outlook is on hold due to the coaching change with the men's basketball program. This comes after years of study about the Dean Dome.

“The University of North Carolina is suspending ongoing discussions about the future of the Smith Center in order to focus on identifying and selecting a new head men’s basketball coach,” UNC said in a statement. “Arena discussions will resume after the new coach has had time to acclimate to the program and focus on future needs.”

The university has made it known they would like to build a new arena at the Carolina North site. However, a push from former players and coaches, including Roy Williams wants the Dean Dome to be renovated. It's a battle that has gone on for a while and now, won't come to a conclusion anytime soon.

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC Basketball: Arena discussions on hold with coaching search ongoing

The United States Grand Prix was a dream for stats fans, as Marco Bezzecchi's start-to-finish win saw a couple of spots in the record books in urgent need of attention.

With his win at COTA on Sunday, Bezzecchi joined Marc Marquez, Valentino Rossi, Mick Doohan, Giacomo Agostini, John Surtees, Mike Hailwood and Geoff Duke in an elite club of riders to have won five successive premier class grands prix.

The run stretches back to last season's Portuguese Grand Prix, continuing through the 2025 Valencia finale and the first three races of this season. It is a remarkable purple patch for a man whose total win count in the top class is still only nine.

On top of that, Bezzecchi's has been no run-of-the mill streak of five. The 27-year-old Italian went a step further than any of those illustrious names by achieving the feat with a quintet of lights-to-flag victories. 

"I'm speechless," said Bezzecchi right after the race. "I mean, it's really tough to describe my emotions and how I feel. It's pretty strange to hear my name close to these legends, like Vale, like Marc.

"I'm lucky to be able to fight with [some of them], like Marc, for example, who is the fastest and the strongest of the MotoGP grid right now.

"It's pressure, but it's a privilege as well. I'm very proud to be here and to be able to do this."

Mike Hailwood on his way to 500cc honours in Argentina in 1963 - midway through a streak of 12 wins

In another Sunday achievement, Bezzecchi managed to break the record for the longest streak of premier class laps led.

This was looking less than likely after he was demoted to the second row of the grid by a penalty for his qualifying clash with Marc Marquez. But the cards fell right for him at the start on Sunday, and he hit the front after brushing (literally!) past Pedro Acosta exiting Turn 11 on the first lap.

When he subsequently crossed the line in the lead for the fourth time, he eclipsed Jorge Lorenzo's 2015 mark of 103 straight laps led. By the time he passed the chequered flag, he had upped the mark to 120 laps. Whether he can extend that will inevitably be a big storyline at the next race in Spain.

Despite various skewed 'modern era' statistics put out by the MotoGP publicity machine, the factory Aprilia rider is a long way from the top of the ladder in terms of consecutive wins. The record for most straight victories in the premier class is held by Giacomo Agostini. The legendary Italian won 20 straight 500cc races for MV Agusta across the 1968 and 1969 seasons.  

For a last piece of trivia, Bezzecchi is the first rider to win the first three races of the season since Marquez's incredible effort in 2014. 

MotoGP United States GP: Marco Bezzecchi claims fifth straight win as Aprilia scores another 1-2

To read more Motorsport.com articles visit our website.

The Matchup: New Jersey Devils (37-33-2) versus the Chicago Blackhawks (27-33-13)

The Time: 7:00 PM EST

The Broadcast: TV — MSGSN, NHLN; Radio — Devils Hockey Network

The Game Preview: I had it here.

The Rules: If you have been a reader here, you already know the rules. But for the rest, a reminder: please do not swear in the comment section, and keep comments relevant to the hockey game going on. Beyond that, do not attack any other commenters, and do not ask for or pass along illegal streams on this board.

LGD!

Duke vs. UConn box score: Full stats from 2026 March Madness Elite Eight game originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

It's a blue blood bonanza in Washington D.C. as Duke and UConn play for a spot in the Final Four.

Both teams have proven to be enormously difficult to beat on this stage. Duke is the No. 1 overall seed and cruised to the Final Four last year. Despite scares from St. John's and Siena in this tournament, the Blue Devils have remained poised as they seek a second consecutive Final Four appearance.

LIVE:Follow updates, highlights from Duke vs. UConn

UConn simply doesn't lose on this stage. The Huskies have won 17 consecutive games in the Sweet 16 or later, including all nine games Dan Hurley has coached after the opening weekend of the tournament.

Something has to give on Sunday in the nation's capital, as only one team will punch a ticket to Indianapolis.

Here's a look at the complete box scores for both Duke and UConn from their Elite Eight matchup.

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

Duke vs. UConn box score

Stats updated through halftime.

UConn stats

Duke stats

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Gary Woodland put a stranglehold on the lead at the Texas Children’s Houston Open and cruised to his first PGA Tour win since the 2019 U.S. Open. A change in iron shafts played a critical role.

Accordiing to Ben Schomin, PGA Tour rep for Cobra, Woodland recently switched from True Temper’s Dynamic Gold X100 to KBS C-Taper 130 shafts. The reason: As Woodland’s swing speed has picked up, the X100s weren’t quite keeping up. According to Schomin, Woodland hits a lot of three-quarter iron shots and likes to flight them. For shots into the wind the combination of the shafts and Cobra Forged MB irons Woodland plays gave him the predictability and control he was seeking.

Indeed. For the week Woodland ranked third in strokes gained/approach the green, picking up six-plus shots on the field.

“I've got a lot of confidence in those shafts,” Woodland said earlier in the week. “With my speed the way it is right now, I need that extra stiff, that extra boardy feel. It's allowing me to work the golf ball again and control it more than anything, control the spin, so it's been really good.”

Woodland’s work on the greens was really good, too. He ranked first in strokes gained/putting, bettering the field average by nearly eight shots, while averaging more than 90 feet of putts made per round—aided by a pair of plus-20-foot birdie putts Sunday. Woodland’s putter is a center-shafted Scotty Cameron by Titleist GoLo tour prototype mallet with a long, single black sightline in the rear cavity.

Expect that putter—and those iron shafts—to stay in the bag a while.

Here are the clubs Woodland had in the bag at the 2026 Texas Children’s Houston Open

Ball: Titleist Pro V1

Driver: Cobra OPTM Max-K (Fujikura Ventus Black 8X), 9 degrees

3-wood: Ping G440 Max, 15 degrees

Irons (4): Cobra King Forged Tour; (5-9): Cobra King Forged MB

Wedges: Cobra King (48 degrees); Cobra Snakebite (52, 56 degrees); Cleveland RTZ (60 degrees)

Putter: Scotty Cameron by Titleist GoLo Tour prototype

The Brewers clawed back from an early deficit to win their third straight game, scoring six runs in the eighth to complete a sweep of the Chicago White Sox.

Starter Brandon Sproat got lit up in his Brewers debut, surrendering a grand slam before getting an out. After walking the first two hitters he faced, Chase Meidroth and Munetaka Murakami, Miguel Vargas lifted a fly ball to centerfield that should’ve been the first out. Blake Perkins ran back instead of forward, letting it drop to load the bases with still nobody out. That brought up Colson Montgomery, who smacked a first-pitch cutter from Sproat over the centerfield fence for the aforementioned grand slam.

Austin Hays grounded out for the first out of the game, but Andrew Benintendi walked on five pitches — the third walk of the inning. At this point, Grant Anderson was warming up in the Brewers’ bullpen, but Sproat was able to bear down — inducing a pop-up from Everson Pereira and striking out Edgar Quero to keep the game from getting out of hand.

Milwaukee was able to claw back almost immediately, halving the deficit in the bottom of the first. William Contreras doubled with one out, then advanced to third on a passed ball by Quero. Luis Rengifo lined out to Meidroth at second base for the second out, but Gary Sánchez — hitting cleanup for Milwaukee today — launched a home run into left field for the Brewers’ first two runs of the day.

Things didn’t get much easier for Sproat after a nightmare start. He walked Tristan Peters on five pitches to start the second inning before giving up a grounder into the hole at shortstop that very well could have been a hit. Luckily, the Brewers’ middle infield is Joey Ortiz and Brice Turang, who turned a beautiful double play to get Sproat two outs closer to a scoreless inning.

Up next for the White Sox was Murakami, who hit a towering fly ball to right field. Sal Frelick trailed back with the ball, but when he jumped up to try and make the catch the ball bounced off of his glove and over the wall for a solo home run. Anderson proceeded to get loose in the Brewers’ bullpen once again. Vargas then singled and stole second, and Montgomery drove him in with another single.

Brewers manager Pat Murphy left Sproat in the game to face Hays, who struck out on three pitches to end the inning, After two innings, the score was Chicago 6, Milwaukee 2. Sproat made it through the third inning, but not before allowing another solo home run, this time to Pereira. His day ended there, having allowed seven runs, six hits, four walks, and three homers while striking out three.

No doubt about it: Sproat’s Brewers debut couldn’t have gone much worse. Still, it’s too soon to worry. Back in 2019, a guy named Corbin Burnes gave up 11 home runs in his first three major league starts. He turned out fine. It’s also worth noting that catcher Jeferson Quero was making his major league debut, and that Sproat — who never pitched in the Brewers’ minor league system — very likely hadn’t worked with him much prior to today’s game.

After Sproat exited, the Brewers’ bullpen shut down the White Sox and the offense started to claw back. Grant Anderson tossed two scoreless innings and Jared Koenig struck out the side in the sixth. Sal Frelick led off the bottom of the sixth with a double, and Brandon Lockridge knocked him in with his second RBI single in as many days.

Neither team scored again until the bottom of the eighth, when Ortiz — who’s had a hit in every game this season — singled off of reliever Chris Murphy to start the inning. Jake Bauers, who’d come in to pinch-hit for Quero, struck out, but Ortiz was able to advance to second on a wild pitch. Brandon Lockridge beat out an infield single, Blake Perkins walked, and just like that the bases were loaded. The next batter, Turang, ripped an opposite-field single — scoring Ortiz and keeping the bases loaded. Contreras popped out for the second out, and Luis Rengifo went down to his final strike against Murphy. However, on the seventh pitch of the at-bat, Rengifo snuck a grounder up the middle to score Lockridge and Perkins.

Just like that, the Brewers had the go-ahead run on first with Christian Yelich walking up to the plate to pinch hit for Sánchez. Yelich took a couple balls, fouled off a couple pitches, then hit a towering moonshot down the right field line that stayed just fair — clearing the bases and giving the Brewers a 9-7 lead.

Yelich’s home run came off the bat at 111.1 mph, making it the hardest hit ball by a Brewer so far this year. He may be getting older, but he’s still got it.

Trevor Megill came in for the save in the ninth and immediately gave up a single to Peters, bringing up the top of the lineup for the White Sox. Meidroth and Murakami both went down swinging, and Vargas lifted a deep fly to the warning track in right field that dropped harmlessly into the glove of Sal Frelick — ending the game and completing the season-opening sweep.

Every Brewers starter recorded a hit today except for Jeferson Quero, who walked in one of his two plate appearances. The bullpen, stretched to six innings today, was once again lights-out. After Sproat exited the game, Milwaukee didn’t allow a run. Anderson and Jake Woodford (who picked up the win) each went two scoreless innings, while Koenig and Megill racked up multiple strikeouts.

The Crew will get a day off tomorrow before welcoming the Tampa Bay Rays to American Family Field for a three-game series. Kyle Harrison, set to make his Brewers debut, will face off against right-hander Nick Martinez. First pitch for Tuesday’s series opener is slated for 6:40 p.m.

Ravens reveal 1 huge Trey Hendrickson benefit originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Baltimore Ravens' offseason has been rather interesting, to say the least.

With John Harbaugh moving on and then the infamous walk-back on the Maxx Crosby trade, the Ravens have been in the news a lot over the past few months.

Plus, the day after the Crosby backflip, the Ravens signed fellow pass rusher Trey Hendrickson to a four-year, $112 million deal.

A new shiny weapon for head coach Jesse Minter to work with as the Ravens work out how they can begin the climb back to the summit of the AFC.

And Minter knows exactly what having a player like Hendrickson can do for his defense.

"Trey is a closer. I mean, he's a guy that has the second-most sacks in the fourth quarter of games since 2021," Minter said via NFL.com. "That's an area where we want to improve and want to finish out games when we have the lead. We've had more leads in the fourth quarter than any team in the last five years. So, getting a guy like that will help our pass rush, help the defensive backs, rushing coverage work together."

More:49ers drop 1-word George Kittle injury update

No Ravens ease-in for Minter

The Ravens and Minter are in an interesting position heading into 2026.

When a new head coach comes in, there will be a grace period as he looks to get his ideas across, but for Minter, this Ravens team is built to win now. So, playoffs are the bare minimum, and in truth, you could argue that a Super Bowl charge is also expected.

For a first-time head coach to walk into that sort of pressure is rare, but Minter knew that coming in.

The signing of Hendrickson will surely have a positive impact on Baltimore, as the defense was poor to start last season before finding its legs.

Can the Ravens begin their ascension to the top of the AFC in 2026?

Your guess is as good as mine.

More NFL news:

• Chiefs' Andy Reid provides eyebrow-raising Patrick Mahomes injury update
• Chiefs reveal perfect rationale for Justin Fields signing
• Falcons' Kevin Stefanski reveals interesting Michael Penix Jr. injury update
• Cardinals shockingly draft Kyler Murray replacement in latest mock draft
• Ravens' reason for hope down to 1 key player 
• Analyst makes bold Falcons prediction for Tua Tagovailoa
• Chiefs' Andy Reid reveals 5-word Kenneth Walker scouting report

FORT WORTH, TX ― UConn Huskies coach Geno Auriemma is dancing his way to his 25th Final Four appearance.

After beating the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, 70-52, at Dickies Arena, UConn broke out in celebration. On the court in front of hundreds of faithful Huskies fans, who stayed to watch the Fort Worth regional trophy ceremony and confetti falling, Auriemma and his players changed into some commemorative gear. As the players put on the customary Final Four hats and T-shirts, Auriemma outshone them all with a cowboy hat.

The hat, which was a custom gift to the Huskies, was emblazoned with UConn logo. With their hands in the air, mimicking a lasso, the Huskies encouraged their coach to put on the headwear and he happily obliged. Then, Auriemma did something he's not typically known for and danced. His moves mimicked a cowboy telling his horse to "giddy up," patting his side in pure jubilation, the longer he danced.

"Seeing him excited and kind of goofy is really good for us, because, I don't know, he's not usually like that," Sarah Strong said postgame. "He's usually all serious or like anxious, grumpy. Just seeing him let loose and be his true self was really good."

"I thought that the cowboy hat looked pretty good on him. It looked pretty natural," Azzi Fudd said. "When he breaks out a dance move, that's how you know he's proud (of) you, he's happy. So it was good to see."

Auriemma letting loose on one of the biggest stages in women's college basketball wasn't by accident. KK Arnold told USA TODAY Sports "he had to" since it was the team's last day in Texas before heading to Phoenix next week for the Final Four. Arnold said the entire team was encouraging him to put it on.

"I was actually shocked he pulled out the dance move he did. I was like, 'OK, I didn't know that was in his bag,' but (it's) a super fun moment like that," Arnold said.

"He does (dance) a little bit, but we gotta really bring it out of him, and today, it just came easy, of course. We had a great win, a great team win, and not only is he proud of us, we're always proud of him, the way he just kind of coaches us to be the best version of ourselves. And the result, we get a little dance."

Guard Ashlynn Shade told USA TODAY she also thought the moment was fun and Auriemma actually putting it on his head was a sight to see. Shade said she believes her coach was enjoying himself after another big win.

"It just shows how much fun this team has, and we're just really enjoying it all," Shade said.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: UConn dominates, then dances —led by Geno Auriemma in a custom cowboy hat

Former Philadelphia Flyers head coach John Tortorella has shockingly landed a new NHL head coaching gig with the 2025-26 season just about over. 

The Vegas Golden Knights have announced that they have fired Bruce Cassidy as their head coach and hired Tortorella as his replacement.

Seeing Tortorella back as an NHL head coach is not surprising. The 67-year-old has had a long coaching career and won a Stanley Cup in 2004 with the Tampa Bay Lightning. However, the timing of him landing this job with the Golden Knights is undoubtedly surprising, as Vegas has only eight games left this season. 

Now, the Golden Knights will be hoping that hiring Tortorella will provide them with a boost. It has been an underwhelming regular season for the Golden Knights, as they have a 32-26-16 record and 80. They have also lost each of their last three games and seven out of their last 10 games. However, with the Pacific Division being the NHL's weakest division this season, the Golden Knights are in third and should still make the playoffs. 

It will now be very interesting to see how much of an impact Tortorella can make behind the bench for the Golden Knights from here. 

It's easy to forget now, but amid all the tension surrounding superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo's playing future, the Milwaukee Bucks do, in fact, have a whole basketball team that, like everyone else, tends to play real NBA games every other night. (Wait, really?)

The problem for the Bucks, both in the Giannis situation and otherwise, is that they tend to play forgettable basketball. At the time of this writing, Milwaukee is just 29-45 and sits near the bottom of the Eastern Conference. The Bucks don't do anything well as a team, are often injured (though, is Antetokounmpo actually healthy right now?), and have clearly been playing out the string for significant portions of this season.

Ask Bucks head coach Doc Rivers, and he'll tell you a different story. If not for injuries, says Rivers, this year's Bucks (and recent years' Bucks) would've been a more serious operation, rather than getting eliminated, in some fashion, in early spring.

Unless Rivers specifically means playoff contenders (which, sure), uh, may I add a rebuttal?

... would they have?

Doc Rivers, on the Bucks officially being eliminated from playoff contention: https://t.co/Xt9ake6XFJpic.twitter.com/4nb3TSDlbx

— Eric Nehm (@eric_nehm) March 28, 2026

I'm sorry, but some of us are old enough to remember what the Bucks' starting five was on opening night.

Antetokounmpo, A.J. Green, Kevin Porter Jr., Gary Trent, Myles Turner. With a Bobby Portis and Taurean Prince bench, and later the emergence of point guard Ryan Rollins.

I understand Rivers' overarching point. The Bucks could ill afford any injuries to players in their regular rotation more than most teams because of their thin depth. But let's not pretend like the lineup they entered the season with was ever going to make serious noise if they had stayed healthy. Now that I have the full context of the Eastern Conference season, just reading that lineup back in text screams "possible play-in team" to me.

As their coach, Rivers has every right to blame injuries for the Bucks missing this year's postseason. (Why he's likely doing so is another conversation.) But, since the play-in tournament isn't technically the NBA playoffs (it's literally in the name!), I'd venture to guess that this bleak reality would've been possible regardless of Milwaukee's injury circumstances. Don't get it twisted.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Doc Rivers laughably blamed Bucks' injuries for hopeless season

ARLINGTON, V.A. — Charlie Lindgren has the timing down perfectly. When a media timeout rolls around, he knows Logan Thompson likes to take a break at the bench. So, as the backup, Lindgren makes sure that he's at the ready with Thompson's water and electrolyte drink out on the bench, and a pep talk to go with it.

It's all part of being a good goalie partner, which Lindgren believes is one of the most important relationships when it comes to team success.

"Your two goalies, in my opinion, have to get along, and they have to drive. Me and Logan, we're really good friends," Lindgren said. "I think we see the game the right way, the same way we're competitors. I just want to be a good person for him."

Since arriving in D.C. last season, both Thompson and Lindgren have gotten to share the net, though down this final stretch, Thompson's become the primary starter and has played 14 of the last 16.

It's an opportunity that Lindgren, despite not getting more games, says Thompson has more than earned.

"I mean, I think he's been incredible the whole year. You look at his body of work and he's probably been our best player all year long," Lindgren said. "He's a competitor, he wants to win the game... he's just, he's a gamer. I'm proud of him, proud of just his character, and the way he's hung in there all year long and played some really good hockey for us."

For Thompson, having Lindgren as his partner has been fundamental to his success since joining Washington.

"I'm just really thankful I've had him with me," Thompson said, adding, "The biggest mistake, I think, with people is that the two goalies always have to hate each other... We're professionals and we're friends as soon as we come to the rink and away from the rink," Thompson said. "We're friends first, and we're teammates second."

Over two seasons, he's posted a save percentage of at least .910 while ranking among the top goaltenders in the league.

Thompson highlighted not only Lindgren's character, but the way that he helps drive "healthy competition" that motivates both of them.

"When he's in net, I just want him to succeed, and I think it's vice versa," Thompson said. "That's why we work so well together. We push each other as athletes and goalies, but at the same time, we support each other and we're just really good friends away from the rink as well."

"He's a great, great partner for me as well," Lindgren added. "And you know, he's always motivating me and keeping me going. So again, we're both, it's there's only one net, as we all know, but we push each other to be better. He's been an amazing goalie partner for myself."

With Thompson likely to start out the majority of these final games with D.C. making a playoff push, Lindgren will continue to take the same approach as he has all season.

And that means doing whatever he can to help Thompson play his best.

"Being a good goalie partner is all about when things are going really good or things are going really bad, just staying even-keel," Lindgren said. "I'm always trying to keep Logan — he doesn't need any extra motivation — but I'm always trying to put good thoughts in his mind... just being a good friend to him is really what it's all about."

For the second time in two years, the UCLA Bruins are headed back to the Final Four. UCLA is hoping for a better outcome this time around but for now, UCLA will appreciate their Elite Eight win over the Duke Blue Devils on Sunday.

UCLA's season was in major jeopardy

There were certainly moments during Sunday’s game where it looked as if it’d be UCLA’s season finale. Duke led by as much as 10 points but the Bruins found their rhythm in the second half, as the Bruins size bothered the Blue Devils on both sides of the court. 

Not a clean performance from the Bruins

UCLA will let out a sigh of relief following the win over Duke. The Bruins turned the ball over a whopping 18 times and made just two of their 14 attempts from three. UCLA’s struggles from three were hardly noticeable, as Duke fared even worse deep, going 1-13 from three themselves.

Too big to fail

While the Bruins offense can get out of sync at times, UCLA’s size always keeps them in ballgames. Lauren Betts was terrifc once again but Angela Dugalic came up huge off the bench, providing 15 points and six rebounds. Even Sienna Betts made an impact in limited minutes, scoring four points in seven minutes and showing some nice touch down low.

Angela-Dugalic.mp4 pic.twitter.com/X2xBXxsoWJ

— Shabazz 💫 (@ShowCaseShabazz) March 29, 2026

Cori Close stuck with her seniors

Close shortened her rotation in Sunday’s game. Only seven Bruins played and Close had Lauren Betts play a season-high 38 minutes. Kiki Rice wasn’t far behind her with 36 minutes. While Lena Bilic and Amanda Muse have been good for UCLA, Close stuck with her seniors and those seniors got the job done.

UCLA got beat in transition too many times

Duke exposed some of UCLA’s weaknesses. The Bruins do not possess game-warping speed, so Duke tried to push the pace as much as possible, which also forced the Bruins to be loose with the ball. 

That wasn't a championship level showing

Since their win over Iowa in the Big Ten championship game, the Bruins have been a hair off. In order to win a national title, the Bruins will need to relocate their equilibrium and play cleaner basketball in the Final Four.

This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: Lauren Betts' greatness led UCLA past Duke in the Elite Eight

Hey, hoops fans: Want to see next season’s college basketball stars a year early?

Yes, you say? Of course you do.

Good news: High school basketball’s top players from the 2025-26 season will be showcased during the 2026 McDonald’s All-American Games on Tuesday, March 31.

This will get you through the basketball gap between the Elite Eight and the Final Four (Indianapolis, April 4-6).

Phoenix will host 48 of the nation’s elite players — 24 boys and 24 girls will battle in the classic East vs. West formats.

In addition to the games, events include the Sprite Jam Fest, 3-Point Contest, Slam Dunk Contest, and a knockout game.

The three-day event (March 29-31) is your chance to become familiar with many players who likely will be a part of next year’s March Madness.

So get to know these household names now as you witness college basketball’s future.

2026 McDonald’s All-American Games schedule

Sunday, March 29

Monday, March 30

Tuesday, March 31

How to watch McDonald’s All American Games: TV channels, live streams

• TV channels: ESPN | ESPN2 | ESPNU
• Live streams: ESPN App, Fubo

McDonald’s All American Games boys rosters 2026

East roster

West roster

McDonald’s All American Games girls rosters 2025

East roster

West roster

Conclusion

Last year’s McDonald’s All-American boys’ game featured Cameron Boozer (Duke), AJ Dybantsa (BYU), Darryn Peterson (Kansas), and Darius Acuff Jr. (Arkansas), among others, while the girls’ game spotlighted Jasmine “Jazzy” Davidson (USC), Sienna Betts (UCLA), Aaliyah Chavez (Oklahoma), and Grace Knox (LSU).

Watching this year’s boys game, fans might be doing a double-take when they see 7-foot twin brothers and USC recruits Darious and Adonis Ratliff. For the girls, Kate Harpring (North Carolina), the daughter of former NBA player Matt Harpring, is one to watch along with South Carolina recruit Jerzy Robinson.

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

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Gary Woodland kept it together until he couldn't anymore, his arms going up as the ball went down and all of himself coming out, in a way that only happens when something arrives after you'd stopped being certain it would. He embraced his wife, both in tears, a joy so tangled with relief and pain that there's no clean word for it, that few people who've lived inside that question know what the answer feels like. “We tell an individual sport, but I wasn’t alone today,” Woodland said. “I got a lot of people behind me. Anyone who is struggling with something, I hope they don’t give up. Just keep fighting.”

Sports are at their best when the score is beside the point. That sounds like a contradiction until you've watched something that makes it true. Houston was one of those weeks. Gary Woodland won a golf tournament, his first win in seven years, and a performance so commanding the outcome was never in doubt over the final three hours. And that matters. Just not as much as what came before it

Three weeks ago, Woodland sat down with Golf Channel and told the world what he'd been living with. Not the version everyone had agreed to believe: the brain surgery survivor, the comeback, the feel-good story that galleries cheered when they spotted him walking up the fairway. The real one. He had reached his limit on a specific kind of exhaustion. The exhaustion of pretending. He was, in his words, dying inside.

For more than a year he had been carrying something the leaderboard couldn't see. The formal diagnosis had come about a year earlier: post-traumatic stress disorder, a condition most commonly associated with combat veterans, first responders, survivors of violence. Every week, players and caddies and fans greeted him with warmth—so good to see you doing so well—and he absorbed it and smiled and kept moving, because what do you do when the story everyone wants to believe is the opposite of the one you're living? He cried in portable bathrooms between holes. He ran to his car after rounds to hide. A walking scorer startled him from behind during a tournament in Napa and his eyesight went blurry and he couldn't remember what he was doing and when it was his turn to hit he simply could not. His caddie told him they could walk in. He said no because he'd made a commitment, because the fight was the whole point, because leaving felt like losing something he couldn't name. He finished the round and cried the rest of the way through it.

He had spoken with veterans who described the same mechanisms, the way the brain rewires itself around a trauma and refuses to let go. They told him something he already suspected but needed to hear from people who'd lived it: you cannot do this alone, no matter how strong you believe yourself to be. Coming forward was partly for whoever might be listening. It was also for himself. He was done absorbing the warmth and returning a smile that didn't match what was happening inside. He could no longer be what people had decided he was.

Doctors told him, in so many words, that high-stress environments were probably not ideal for someone managing what he was managing. He understood the advice, sat with it, and set it aside, because the high-stress environment was his dream, and he was not ready to surrender it to a thing he didn't choose. He said as much, with the bluntness of someone done softening his own edges: in an ideal world, he probably isn't playing. But in an ideal world, he doesn't have this. He doesn't get to live in the ideal world. He lives in this one, and in this one, the tour is still where he belongs.

Then he went to the Houston Open and played like someone with nothing left to prove. An opening 64 followed by a 63 and 65 to take a one-shot lead into the final round, then four birdies in a five-hole stretch on Sunday that turned the inward nine from competition into coronation. It would be easy to package what happened this week as resolution. As the moment everything came together, the credits-roll payoff for a hard story earned. It would also miss the point almost entirely.

Woodland is still fighting. The protocols the PGA Tour helped put in place like managing the crowds and keeping people from approaching him unannounced from behind certainly helped. His caddie, Brennan Little, knows what to watch for, and so do the people outside the ropes. But the work of recovery is still happening, still daily, still incomplete. And that’s the part worth celebrating.

Because Woodland’s story belongs to anyone who has loved something enough to fear losing it. Which is most people. The fear that what we've built our lives around—a career, an ability, a daily practice that makes us feel like ourselves—could be taken away without our consent. Athletes confront it in public, at scale, with cameras present. The rest of us face it in quieter rooms. It arrives just as total either way.

Woodland survived brain surgery. He manages hypervigilance so acute that a stranger approaching from behind can send his body into crisis. He found what matters underneath all of it and made it legible to anyone paying attention. Brave, courageous, heroic are words thrown around liberally by fans. In golf, the words get attached to low rounds under pressure, to shots the laws of gravity say can't be hit. But Woodland is what they’re really about. A guy who keeps showing up because surrendering the thing he loves to something he didn't choose is simply not something he's willing to do.

Gary Woodland won the Houston Open, but didn’t do it by beating PTSD. He just refused, one more time, to let it win.

Gary Woodland brain surgery, explained: Golfer overcomes tumor removal, PTSD to win first event since 2023 operation originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

For the first time since undergoing brain surgery, Gary Woodland has won a PGA Tour event.

The former U.S. Open champion came out victorious in the Texas Children's Houston Open on Sunday, his first win since the major championship at Pebble Beach in 2019. Woodland has gone through so much in the past few years, from surgery to PTSD, which halted his golf career.

Woodland's win comes just weeks after he publicly admitted that he had PTSD, something he said was holding him back. Woodland also now clinches a spot in the Masters in two weeks.

Once the putt went in, Woodland broke down in tears and embraced his wife, Gabby.

THE DEFINITION OF PERSEVERANCE.

Two and a half years removed from brain surgery, Gary Woodland is crowned the Texas Children’s Houston Open CHAMPION. 🏆 pic.twitter.com/GV1PCx4gNt

— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) March 29, 2026

After the win, Woodland expressed gratitude to the entire PGA Tour community for helping him throughout the tournament, and he encouraged anybody who's struggling to keep fighting.

"We play an individual sport but I wasn't alone today."

An emotional Gary Woodland reflects on his win only a few years removed from brain surgery. pic.twitter.com/jflXsA3AcR

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 29, 2026

As Woodland takes home his first title post-surgery, here's a breakdown of what Woodland has been through since 2023.

MORE:Every U.S. Open winner, by year

Why did Gary Woodland have brain surgery?

Woodland had surgery in September of 2023 to remove a lesion on his brain. The golfer felt symptoms like hand tremors, chills, low energy and being scared awake at night, which led him to get an MRI that found the issue in his brain.

The lesion was on the part of the brain that controls Woodland's fear and anxiety. It took four months from when Woodland was diagnosed until he ultimately had surgery.

"It was very emotional because I had gone four-and-a-half months of every day really thinking I was going to die," Woodland said, via the Associated Press. "The doctors kept telling me I was OK, but this thing pushing on my brain ... didn't matter if I was driving a car, on an airplane, I thought everything was going to kill me. You can imagine leading up to surgery how I felt going into having my head cut open and operated on. The fear going into that was awful."

MORE:Everything to know about the Masters Green Jacket

Gary Woodland brain surgery, explained

On Sept. 19, 2023, Woodland had brain surgery. Doctors had to drill a hole in his skull the size of a baseball to remove most of the lesion. However, they had to leave some of it because otherwise Woodland would have had the possibility of losing sight in his left eye and the use of the left side of his body.

The surgery was a success because Woodland had a benign tumor. However, Woodland has since dealt with PTSD symptoms that were lingering effects from the lesion and the surgery.

Why did Gary Woodland have PTSD?

Woodland struggled after surgery, both on the golf course and in his everyday life. Since the lesion was on the part of Woodland's brain that impacted his anxiety and fear, he has had to deal with the after effects of the surgery.

The surgery took a toll on him, as he was paranoid and scared when just going through the course, and he told a story from a tournament in the FedEx Cup playoffs.

"I was hypervigilant," Woodland said in an interview with Rex Hoggard. "A walking scorer startled me, got close to me from behind. I pulled my caddie and said, 'You can’t let anybody get behind me.' Next thing you know, I couldn’t remember what I was doing. My eyesight started to get blurry."

Woodland finished that round but cried in the locker room. Since then, he and the tour have worked together to make him safer on the course.

Gary Woodland sits down with Rex Hoggard to discuss his struggle with PTSD following brain surgery in September of 2023. pic.twitter.com/zf7A3EFulk

— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) March 10, 2026

"The more we learn, the more we're able to put protocols in place to help me. But it's been a journey," Woodland said.

Before the Texas Children's Houston Open, Woodland explained how much of a relief it was to have revealed his PTSD.

"I literally feel like I got a thousand pounds off my back that day," Woodland said, via Golf.com. "It was hard to do. I was crying going into the interview, and I left feeling a thousand pounds lighter. I have a battle that I'm fighting, but it's nice to not do that alone, I can tell you that. We'll take it one day at a time and continue to get better. But the Tour out here is a family and they've been amazing. The golf world's been amazing and I’m very thankful."

MORE:Why is the Masters always at Augusta National?

When did Gary Woodland return to the PGA Tour?

Gary Woodland returned to the PGA Tour in January of 2024, just months after he underwent brain surgery. However, it took a while for Woodland to find is game, as he battled both physical and mental hurdles over the past few years.

Gary Woodland age

Gary Woodland is 41 years-old and has been a professional since 2007 and a PGA Tour member since 2009. Woodland underwent brain surgery in 2023, when he was 39 years-old.

This article was first published as the Jazz Insiders newsletter. Sign up to receive the newsletter in your inbox each Friday.

On Friday, ESPN reported that the NBA presented three potential lottery reforms to the league’s board of governors. The groups are expected to make changes to each of the three concepts before a formal vote during a special session in May.

Proposal 1: Lottery includes 18 teams — the bottom 10 that miss the play-in tournament and the eight that qualify for it. Bottom 10 teams have flattened, equal odds (8%) in the lottery. The remaining 20% of the odds would split among the eight play-in teams in descending order. All 18 spots would be drawn as part of the lottery.

Proposal 2: Lottery includes 22 teams — the bottom 10 teams that miss the play-in tournament, the eight that qualify for it, and the four playoff teams that lose in the first round. Teams would be ranked according to their record across two seasons.

Additionally, each team would need to reach a minimum win total during the season. So if the win total minimum is 20, a team that finishes the season with a 15-67 record would be 20-62 for lottery purposes.

Top four lottery spots would be drawn as they are now.

Proposal 3: Lottery includes 18 teams (same as Proposal 1). Bottom five teams would have equal lottery odds, with the rest of the odds descending from there. There would be a lottery drawing for each of the top five picks in the draft. Then there would be another lottery drawing for the remaining 13 teams.

If any of the bottom five teams did not get a top-five pick, the lowest they would fall would be 10th in the second round of the lottery.

During Wednesday’s official board of governors meeting, NBA commissioner Adam Silver said that he and the owners agreed that there needed to be a fix to the incentive structure of the lottery so that teams would not be tempted to tank all out, and that changes needed to happen expeditiously.

“There’s also unanimous agreement that we need to make this change in advance of the draft and free agency this year so all the teams understand the rules of the road going into next year,” Silver said.

While any changes would not impact this year’s lottery, and so not impact the Jazz’s chances at a top pick in the 2026 draft, it does start to shift how teams will plan to build through the draft.

Teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs and Detroit Pistons — leading in the standings of both conferences — have used tanking to build league-leading rosters, which is what the Jazz have been aiming to do as well.

But future teams might not be able to rely on the draft as a sure way of finding a star if the lottery odds shift dramatically or are flattened dramatically. This could have the unintended consequence of trades and free agency being even more important as team-building tools.

It could also change the value of future picks that have already been traded and those that are traded down the road. That might be the biggest way the Jazz are impacted by lottery reform.

This will all be made more clear after the league meets in May. But what we know is that changes are on the way.

New with the Jazz

From the archives

Extra points

• Markelle Fultz, Kennedy Chandler looking for a second NBA chance (Deseret News)
• Will Lauri Markkanen and Keyonte George suit up again this season? (Deseret News)
• Ace Bailey shows all sides of his game in Jazz’s loss to Sixers (Deseret News)

Around the league

• The complicated situation surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo
• Pistons’ Cade Cunningham out with collapsed lung

Up next

• March 28 | 8 p.m. MDT | Utah Jazz @ Phoenix | KJZZ
• March 30 | 7 p.m. MDT | Utah Jazz vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | KJZZ
• April 1 | 7 p.m. MDT | Utah Jazz vs. Denver Nuggets | KJZZ
• April 3 | 6 p.m. MDT | Utah Jazz @ Houston Rockets | KJZZ

That’s why the Orioles paid Pete Alonso $155 million.

After a weekend of struggles with runners in scoring position, the “Polar Bear” proved for the first time in Baltimore that he has ice in his veins.

With the game tied in the seventh inning, Alonso shortened up with two strikes and flicked a single over the second baseman’s head to drive in the go-ahead run and propel the Orioles to an 8-6 win over the Minnesota Twins. The RBI is Alonso’s first in an Orioles uniform.

The victory gives Baltimore, which won opening day in high-vibes fashion, its first series win of the season, bouncing back from Saturday’s 16-strikeout performance.

Through the first three innings, it appeared the Orioles would lose the game and the series to a Twins team that’s expected to be middling. Starting pitcher Shane Baz, pitching in his first game as an Oriole, allowed four runs in the second inning, and Baltimore’s bats were as lifeless as they were in Saturday’s 4-1 loss.

But Tyler O’Neill blasted a three-run homer in the fourth to bring the Orioles back to life. Dylan Beavers, who started in center field for the first time in his career, then gave Baltimore a 5-4 lead in the sixth with a two-run double. And Alonso’s single in the seventh helped spark a three-run rally that also included an RBI double from Adley Rutschman and an RBI single from Coby Mayo.

The Orioles’ bullpen was shaky, but it didn’t collapse to hold onto the win. Yaramil Hiraldo and Tyler Wells both allowed one run and loaded the bases in the seventh and eighth innings, but they were bailed out by Rico Garcia and Yennier Cano, respectively. Closer Ryan Helsley tossed a scoreless ninth to slam the door for his second save as an Oriole.

Baltimore is 2-1 — the same record it had through three games last season. The club needs the next 159 games to go better than they did last year.

Baz said during the news conference Saturday to celebrate his $68 million contract extension that Orioles fans probably don’t know much about him. The 26-year-old right-hander had never thrown a pitch in a regular-season game for the Orioles when he signed the largest contract for a pitcher in franchise history.

Baz’s first impression was good — a three-up, three-down inning to kick off Sunday’s matinee, the coldest game of his career at 56 degrees. His second impression wasn’t. The first four Twins batters of the second inning reached base and came around to score to put Minnesota up 4-0. Trevor Larnach’s single put the Twins on the board, while Tristan Gray’s double that narrowly evaded the diving glove of O’Neill in right field cleared the bases.

But Baz didn’t let the poor second sink his outing. He kept his poise — unsurprising to those who know him and a demeanor that made him a pitcher the Orioles viewed as worth extending — and tossed the final 3 1/3 innings of his outing without allowing a run. He surrendered seven hits and didn’t walk a batter while striking out four with 12 whiffs. The fireballer, whose fastball topped out at 99.6 mph, was on the receiving end of some bad luck, as three of the seven knocks against him had an expected batting average under .100, according to Statcast.

To kick off the fourth inning for the Orioles’ offense, Alonso and Samuel Basallo both singled to set up O’Neill’s three-run blast — a 391-foot towering fly ball down the left field line off Twins starter Bailey Ober.

The long ball was the first by Baltimore this season after the bats went the first 20 innings without one. O’Neill’s record opening day homer streak ended at six Thursday, but MLB’s opening day logo was still on the field Sunday, perhaps still giving the right fielder some extra power.

But it was O’Neill’s next plate appearance that might have been the most important in the game.

With two outs in the sixth inning, O’Neil fell behind 0-2 against Minnesota Twins right-hander Mick Abel. The slugger fouled off the 0-2 pitch and then held off on the next four offerings for a walk. Mayo then blooped a double down the left field line, and Beavers lined a double over the first baseman’s head to put Baltimore ahead.

However, Twins center fielder Byron Buxton quickly tied the game with a solo homer off Hiraldo. Minnesota almost retook the lead after Hiraldo walked the bases loaded with two outs, but Rico Garcia continued his success at escaping such jams by striking out Matt Wallner looking.

Before Alonso’s go-ahead single, Taylor Ward singled and Gunnar Henderson walked against Twins piggyback pitcher Mick Abel. Rutschman then roped a pinch-hit double off the center field wall, and the Twins intentionally walked Samuel Basallo to load the bases — making the 21-year-old the youngest Oriole to be given first base since Henderson in 2022. Mayo then continued his strong start to the season with a line drive single to left field to put Baltimore up 8-5, but the rally died with a Beavers double play.

The Orioles were back in trouble in the eighth when Wells loaded the bases before recording an out. Wells retired two of the next three batters — with a Gray RBI single sandwiched in between — before manager Craig Albernaz went to Yennier Cano to face Buxton. Cano struck out Buxton and then brought back his signature staredown after.

The Twins brought the go-ahead run to the plate in the ninth thanks to an error by Henderson at shortstop, but Helsley got James Outman to fly out to end the game.

________

A complete list of the golf equipment Gary Woodland used to win the PGA Tour's 2026 Texas Children's Houston Open:

DRIVER:Cobra OPTM Max K (9 degrees), with Fujikura Ventus Black+ 8 X shaft

FAIRWAY WOOD:Ping G440 Max (15 degrees), with Accra Tour Z XTreme 4100 M5 shaft

IRONS:Wilson Staff Model Utility (2), with KBS Tour C-Taper 130 X, Cobra King Tour (4), King MB (5-9), with True Temper Dynamic Gold Onyx X100 shafts

WEDGES: Cobra King (48 degrees), with True Temper Dynamic Gold Onyx X100 shaft, Snakebyte (52, 56 degrees), Cleveland RTZ (60 degrees), with True Temper Dynamic Gold S400 shafts

PUTTER: Scotty Cameron GoLo prototype

BALL:Titleist Pro V1

GRIPS: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Align (full swing) / SuperStroke Zenergy Pistol 2 (putter)

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Winner's bag: Gary Woodland at the 2026 Houston Open WITB

Dana White says the UFC is working toward Conor McGregor's first fight in five years, and it could be real this time.

As former two-division UFC champion McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) vocalizes that his comeback is nearing reality, and UFC recently booking a July 11 date for T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas that would represent its annual International Fight Week, the stars could aligning for "The Notorious" to get back in the cage.

McGregor competing in July is "possible," UFC CEO White told reporters after Saturday's UFC Fight Night 271 event. However, White affirms that "nothing's done." In fact, "nothing's even remotely close to be done," he said.

It's no secret a potentially contentious contract negotiation will have to be finalized before McGregor graces the octagon again in the wake of UFC leaving pay-per-view behind for its new deal with Paramount. If that gets over the finish line, though, a McGregor comeback would be meaningful for the sport.

This story has replayed many times over the past half-decade, however, and it's only once truly come close. McGregor derailed that by withdrawing from his scheduled UFC 303 fight vs. Michael Chandler in July 2024 on just weeks' notice, but perhaps this time will be different.

Comparatively speaking to past occasions, White expressed a tone of optimism that it will get over the finish line.

"I am (optimistic)," White said. "I was pretty optimistic at the end of last year. The end of last year going into this year, I'm still confident."

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Dana White 'confident' Conor McGregor nearing UFC return

What a week for Gary Woodland.

The 41-year-old, who three weeks ago revealed he's battling with PTSD as a side effect of his brain surgery in 2023, had an emotional victory at the Texas Children's Houston Open. It's Woodland's first victory since 2019, when he won the U.S. Open.

Woodland's fifth PGA Tour victory earned him $1,782,000.

Here's the breakdown of how much money each PGA Tour player earned from a $9.9 million purse at the Texas Children's Houston Open.

Texas Children's Houston Open 2026 prize money payouts

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Houston Open 2026 payouts, prize money for PGA Tour players

The Bayern Munich Frauen have been having an outstanding season, and they continued their immense run with a 2-0 win over Bavarian neighbors 1. FC Nürnberg.

Coming off a hard-fought win over Manchester United in the Champions League midweek, coach José Barcala made no less than seven changes to his team. Only Giulia Gwinn, Georgia Stanway, Arianna Caruso, and Carolin Simon remained from the eleven that started at Old Trafford on Wednesday.

Perhaps it was a combination of the heavy rotation and travel fatigue, with Bayern having played a whopping four away games in a row up until then, but they looked uncharacteristically sluggish, especially in the first half. In fact, they were lucky not to go into halftime a goal down when some faulty footwork from goalkeeper Mala Grohs resulted in a dangerous chance.

But the crowd at the FC Bayern Campus did not have to wait long after the restart, with Edna Imade scoring off a corner barely a minute in. Imade had a bit of a scare when she was kicked in the head while scoring, but it was thankfully nothing to worry about.

The game remained quite loose after the opener, and Barcala opted to give his starters even more rest by pulling off Gwinn and Momoko Tanikawa on the hour mark. Goalscorer Imade remained on the pitch, and capped off her prolific afternoon by supplying Natalia Padilla-Bidas with a well-aimed low cross in the 80th minute. The Poland international coolly finished to put the game to bed.

The result was one of Bayern’s less spectacular ones of the season, but nevertheless, it was effective. It now takes Bayern to its 20th league win in 21 games, and following VfL Wolfsburg’s chaotic 3-3 draw against Union Berlin on Sunday, the German champions are now just one more win away from a fourth successive Meisterschale.

Bayern will have to wait a bit until they start the celebrations, though, because their next league game is not scheduled for almost another month. Their next game is against Manchester United for the return leg of the Champions League quarterfinals, while on the weekend they face SGS Essen in the DFB-Pokal semifinals. Afterwards, they have a free week until the April international break. Only after then do they have their next league game, when they face Union Berlin.

That said, Bayern do have a postponed game against Werder Bremen, who had to cancel on short notice because of heavy snow at the time. It is yet to be determined when that game will be played, but it could be scheduled on one of the bye weeks.

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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Every weekend throughout the regular season, we open the doors of the ‘Pit to any member as a guest recapper, who can cover the game from their own unique perspective. You do the recap of the game in the Feed, however you want. It can be light-hearted or not; stats-heavy or not, detailed or atmospheric – it’s all about your own voice. One of the editors then takes it, adds the bells and whistles like roll-calls and Fangraphs and it will appear on the front page of the SnakePit. We’ll be on hand to help if you have questions on the day.

This is open to everyone: lurkers, commenters or writers elsewhere on the ‘Pit who fancy their hand at recappage. [It’s how quite a number of regular writers here got their start] The Sunday game will be the default one, but it may vary on odd occasions. To sign up, just post a comment, with the date of the game you want to cover. When I spot them, I’ll cross the games off the list. You’ll then get an email, a day or so before, with details. If you haven’t done it before, you need to reply at that point, confirming you’re still up for it. I tend to have more faith in repeat recappers!

Last chance: even in the very unlikely event the D-backs make the post-season, those games will be covered in house, so these are the final four until 2026. Still some opportunities for Arizona to play spoiler!

• Sun, Apr 5 vs Atlanta, 1:10 PM
• Sun, Apr 12 @ Philadelphia, 10:35 AM
• Sun, Apr 19 vs Toronto, 1:10 PM
• Sun, Apr 26 vs San Diego, 1:05 PM

Shane Lowry has explained why he was so pleased with his performance at the Texas Children’s Houston Open despite finishing outside the top 25 at Memorial Park.

It has been a turbulent few weeks for Lowry. He missed the cut at both the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Players Championship.

But of course, the most painful result for the Irishman in recent weeks came at the Cognizant Classic when he threw away the title over the final three holes at PGA National.

Shane Lowry assesses his performance at the Texas Children’s Houston Open

Lowry was unable to contend this week at the Houston Open. However, there were some positive signs heading into The Masters, including a hole in one early on in his final round.

Ultimately, the 2019 Open Championship winner spent much of Sunday moving in and out of the top 30.

Nevertheless, he suggested that he felt as though he exceeded expectations given the questions that Memorial Park poses.

“It’s pretty cool to make a one, isn’t it? I made one at Pebble last year and that’s my first one since. Yeah, it’s a good start to my round. Unfortunately I didn’t kick on from there. But yeah, it’s pretty cool. Always nice. I’m pretty happy,” he said.

“I played pretty good this week as well. I’m pretty happy with my week. I know I’m going to finish like mid 30s or something, but this golf course doesn’t suit my game at all. Kind of wanted to come and play here before Augusta and I think I got a lot of good out of it, so I’m happy.”

Lowry looks ahead to The Masters after a better week on the PGA Tour

It is easy to forget now that Lowry went into the latter stages of Saturday’s round at last year’s Masters with a genuine opportunity to win.

He went into the final day in a tie for sixth place, with Justin Rose one of the players who began the last round alongside him. Rose would go on to make a playoff with Rory McIlroy.

Unfortunately, an 81 on Sunday saw Lowry tumble down the leaderboard. And he suggested that he was keen to restore some confidence heading into the first major of the year this time around.

“Yeah, obviously wanted to play a tournament and I come off the back of two missed cuts. Obviously I got off to a great start this season and then at Bay Hill, Players I wasn’t very good. I think what happened at Cognizant, I might have let that dwell over me for a bit longer than I should have,” he said.

“It was nice to come out here and play four rounds and hit some really good shots. I felt like I drove the ball well this week. Yeah, like you just have to look at the top of the leaderboard, it’s all 185, 190 ball speed guys. This golf course, yeah, is for them. But I’m pretty happy.”

Considering that he only has one top 10 at Augusta National so far, Lowry’s record at The Masters is a very reasonable one.

So if things are starting to get back on track, it should come as no surprise if Lowry is able to put together an impressive week on his next start.

SAN MARCOS — Texas State softball trailed Marshall 2-1 in the fifth inning Sunday when infielder Aiyana Coleman stepped up with two outs and the bases loaded.

The Bobcats had only mustered three hits, all singles, off Thundering Herd pitcher Jules King. But Coleman, one of the Sun Belt's best hitters, carried a sense of inevitability with her to the plate. She had flown out and grounded out in her two previous at-bats. The senior leads Texas State in RBIs and home runs and has the second-best batting average (.338) among starters. Surely, she'd come through for her team as she had many times before.

MORE:No.1-ranked Longhorns narrowly defeat Bobcats

Coleman connected with King's second pitch, sending the ball harmlessly into the glove of Marshall outfielder Diamond Leslie. The Bobcats would not record another hit for the rest of the game, losing their second consecutive Sun Belt series 2-1. 

"Doesn't do any good to swing at pitches that you shouldn't be swinging at," Texas State coach Ricci Woodard said.

What's up with the bats?

Texas State's losses in Games 2 and 3 were nearly identical, even beyond the score. In both games, the Bobcats' pitching staff delivered gems. However, the bats were unable to capitalize, stranding 13 runners and recording only one extra base hit.

The Bobcats have perhaps the best pure hitter in the Sun Belt. Coleman leads the team in on-base plus slugging and is a terror for pitchers, who are often happy to walk her than to pitch in the zone. The issue is that the rest of Texas State's roster lacks extra-base power. Infielder Keely Williams and outfielder Sydney Harvey are hitting over .400 in conference play, but the Bobcats' lineup is 10th in total bases among Sun Belt teams, ninth in slugging percentage and 11th in RBIs.

That's not to say Coleman hasn't been performing below her standards recently. She's hitting .157 in Sun Belt play with a single home run. But in a game where success equates to recording a hit in 30-40% of at-bats, Coleman cannot always be counted on to deliver. She's only one batter, and the lack of runs in conference during her slump speaks more about the rest of the lineup. Texas State has scored three runs or fewer in six of nine Sun Belt games.

"If we're gonna wait for AC to carry us, we're in trouble. That's not her job," Woodard said.

Pitching rollercoaster

Texas State's consistency issues plague the Bobcas in the circle as well. Right-hander Kailee Witherell got the start against Marshall. She gave the Bobcats a strong outing in a win over Louisiana last week, allowing two runs and three hits in 6⅓ innings pitched. She had an identical stat line against the Thundering Herd  — the only problem was that it came in only one inning.

So Texas State called upon left-hander Madison Azua to pitch for the third consecutive day. She gave up one hit and no runs in six innings in the loss. She leads the conference in innings pitched, earned run average and wins.

Part of the reason Azua has racked up so many stats is that the Bobcats' other arms are a roller-coaster of performances. Right-hander Emma Strood has pitched a no-hitter and, on Tuesday, held Texas to no runs in two innings of relief. Then she allowed four hits and two runs in 2⅔ innings Saturday against Marshall.

Other teams might be able to stomach their pitchers working through their struggles, giving up a few runs here and there. But with the way the offense has been as of late, Texas State is not one of those teams.

"We can't be defensive," Woodard said Tuesday. "We've got to be the offensive team and put more pressure on the other team to beat us."

Thomas Tuchel has admitted he is concerned about Noni Madueke after the attacker sustained an injury during England’s match against Uruguay. The winger had been selected to start on the right flank, with Bukayo Saka named among the substitutes.

Madueke has consistently impressed when given opportunities at international level, and he positively began the match. His energy and direct approach caused problems for the opposition, highlighting why he is increasingly trusted within the squad. However, his involvement was cut short after he picked up an injury before half-time, forcing Tuchel to make an early substitution.

Tuchel concerned over injury

The England manager expressed his concern after the game, as reported by Independent Sport, emphasising the importance of Madueke’s contribution before he was forced off. He said, “I’m worried, of course, because I think he was a difference-maker today.

“He started well, he was full of energy, he was ready to go.

“And I think against a team like Uruguay, who relies on one-against-ones, to isolate them there and to go in one-against-ones from every minute out there, the spaces open up and he could have been a key player for us, which he is.

“Very sad and upset and hopefully it’s not a big injury.”

Impact on Arsenal

Madueke’s form has also been notable at Arsenal, where he has become an important attacking option. His recent performances suggest he is in strong condition, making this injury setback particularly concerning for the club.

With crucial fixtures remaining this season, Arsenal will be hoping the issue is not serious. The team are aiming to maintain momentum and compete for honours, and losing a key player at this stage could prove disruptive. As a result, both club and country will be monitoring his recovery closely in the coming days.

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It was only 20 days ago Gary Woodland revealed to the world he deals with PTSD, a side effect from brain surgery to remove a lesion in September 2023. He did so in an emotional Golf Channel interview before the Players Championship, saying he needed to get it off his chest, hoping to help not only himself but others dealing with similar circumstances.

Earlier this week, the 41-year-old said it felt like he had a 1,000-pound weight lifted off his shoulders after telling the world of his diagnosis. He's going to feel a little bit heavier Sunday, but it's because he's hoisting a trophy for the first time in almost 7 years.

Woodland won the 2026 Texas Children's Houston Open at Memorial Park, his first victory since the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach in 2019. The span between wins was one of the most difficult challenges any professional golfer has faced off the course during that time. But Sunday belonged to Woodland, who showed the fans, his peers and the world you can overcome anything you set your mind to.

The way Woodland won was dominant. He led by only one shot after 54 holes, and by the time he made the turn, he was six ahead. Coming down the stretch, he led by as many as seven shots. He finished at 21 under par, beating Nicolai Hojgaard by five shots. Hojgaard and Min Woo Lee, the defending champion in Houston, walked about 50 yards behind Woodland cheering him on as he marched to victory down the 18th hole Sunday afternoon.

Earlier this week, Woodland switched to his old iron shafts, a stiffer version that could handle an aggressive swing. The change came after his coach, Randy Smith, told Woodland he needed to start swinging harder at the ball like he did when he won the U.S. Open.

That was the plan this week. And Woodland swung away at Memorial Park. On the par-5 third hole, he hit 196 mph ball speed with his tee shot and constantly was in the 190s off the tee. For the season, Woodland is first in ball speed on the PGA Tour, and those numbers likely will only go up after this week.

And now, he's back in the winner's circle. The win also get him into the Masters in two weeks.

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Gary Woodland wins Houston Open 2026 for first win in almost 7 years

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Andrew McCutchen shrugged like Michael Jordan and offered a mock apology to a Phillies fan after he crossed the plate following his first home run with Texas.

Brandon Nimmo went deep, too — his first home run since he was traded to the Rangers only further flamed anger in the Phillies fans who voraciously booed the former New York Mets rival from his first at-bat of the three-game series to the last.

MacKenzie Gore tormented Philadelphia at his last stop, as well. He struck out 13 Phillies in his first start last season with Washington. Gore kept up his success against the Phillies in his first start with the Rangers, taking a no-hitter into the sixth and then escaping a jam later that inning when he fanned two-time NL MVP Bryce Harper with the bases loaded in an 8-3 win on Sunday.

First homers and a fantastic first start from Gore helped the Rangers take two of three from the NL East champion Phillies.

Oh, and for those Rangers fans keeping score at home, here's another first — the first series win under new Texas manager Skip Schumaker.

“It's just confirmation of what we think our offense is,” Schumaker said.

Nimmo got Texas' offense rolling when he took Phillies starter Jesús Luzardo (0-1) deep for a two-run shot in the second.

Nimmo has 11 home runs at Citizens Bank Park, his most in any visiting ballpark. He has 16 career homers against the Phillies, and their fans couldn't forget his go-ahead single in Game 1 of the 2024 National League Division Series that lifted the Mets to a win (they also won the series).

Phillies fans erupted in boos when Nimmo was introduced on opening day, and they never let up over the three games.

“I hear the boos when I go up there,” Nimmo said with a smile. “It's part of baseball. Part of baseball in the Northeast. It's good to know they still remember me. Even though they don't like me, I appreciate their passion for their team and the game. It's been a great atmosphere to play here.”

Phillies fans couldn't quite muster the same kind of vitriol for McCutchen, long known as one of baseball's good guys who latched on with the Rangers in spring training after a return to Pittsburgh failed to materialize.

McCutchen, who spent one season with the Phillies and was friendly with the trash-talking fan, hit a three-run homer in the fourth for a 5-0 lead. McCutchen also had an RBI single in the 10th inning a day earlier in the Rangers' 5-3 win.

McCutchen said while he was in town he socialized with his Philly sports-fan friend who told him, "`Stop hurting us.'”

“I was like, no, dude, I can't do that, I'm sorry,” McCutchen said with a laugh. “When I hit the homer, he was looking right at me. I was like, dude, I'm not sorry. It's a good exchange between me and him, but he's one of my guys.”

Gore is expected to be one of the key guys in Texas' rotation after he was traded for five prospects.

He gives the 2023 World Series champions a starter who should be able to help the front end of their rotation along with Jacob deGrom — a two-time NL Cy Young Award winner who was the American League Comeback Player of the Year in 2025 — and Nathan Eovaldi, who dealt with a rotator cuff strain and had surgery for a sports hernia after compiling a 1.73 ERA in 22 starts last season.

Gore struck out seven and tossed five hitless innings before his bid for Texas’ first no-hitter since Kenny Rogers threw a perfect game in 1994 was broken up by a leadoff infield single from Justin Crawford in the sixth.

The left-hander fanned Harper with the bases loaded in the sixth and left the game after he plunked Alec Bohm with a pitch to make it 6-1.

“That's a situation where we got ahead and we kind of wanted to put him away,” Gore said.

The 27-year-old Gore is 26-41 with a 4.19 ERA in four major league seasons, the past three with Washington. He was an NL All-Star last season, but he faded in the second half and ended up going 5-15 with a 4.17 ERA and a career-best 185 strikeouts in 30 appearances, all starts.

Gore has a 3.06 ERA (16 earned runs in 47 innings pitched) with 57 strikeouts across his last eight starts against the Phillies since the beginning of the 2024 season.

“I don't necessarily know if anybody is a great matchup against that lineup,” he said. “I think I just really understand what they're capable of doing. I know I kind of have to be at my best to have success against them.”

Harper heard boos after he struck out and he hit .091 with one RBI, one run and two walks in the opening series.

“Not the start we wanted to have (this) weekend,” Harper said, “but we'll get there.”

No one in the home dugout wants to get booed only three games into the season. But it was the sound of a successful series for the Rangers.

"It's totally OK they don't like me," Nimmo said.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

We have our story of the year in golf and it's still only March.

Call it the Texas two-step. This week’s Texas Children’s Houston Open is the beginning of a two-event swing for the PGA Tour through the Lone Star State.

Memorial Park Golf Course, a municipal layout refreshed in 2019 by noted course architect Tom Doak, with consultation from Brooks Koepka, plays host for the six straight season. The course is located just west of Houston’s downtown and will also host the Chevron Championship, the LPGA Tour's first major of the 2026 season, next month.

Koepka, back on the PGA Tour in 2026 after leaving the LIV Golf League late last year, is among those being followed closely this week, given his connection to the course as well as the fact he’s coming off three straight top-20 finishes.

The field includes 18 of the top 50 players in the World Ranking with Chris Gotterup leading the way at No. 10. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler had been scheduled to play, but withdrew on Tuesday due to the pending birth of his second child.

RELATED: Texas Children's Houston Open tee times, viewer's guide

Beyond who might claim the title, a secondary storyline centers around the upcoming Masters and the chance for players to claim last-minute invites. Thirty players in the field at Memorial Park have already qualified to play at Augusta National. Any player not already in the Masters field who is in the top 50 of the Official World Golf Ranking at the end of play on Sunday will also earn an invitation. Players in the field between Nos. 40-65 in the OWGR who have not qualified for the Masters: Jake Knapp (No. 42), Nicolai Højgaard (No. 47), Pierceson Coody (No. 51), Michael Thorbjornsen (No. 56), Rickie Fowler (No. 61) and Jordan Smith (No. 65).

Keyur Khamar

Keyur Khamar

Keyur Khamar

Keyur Khamar

Keyur Khamar

Keyur Khamar

Keyur Khamar

Keyur Khamar

The overall prize money payout this week in Houston is $9.9 million with the winner claiming a first-place payday of $1.782 million. Here's the prize money payout for each golfer. Come back on Sunday after the end of the tournament and we'll update this list with names and detail payouts.

Win: Gary Woodland, -21/259, $1,782,000

2: Nicolai Hojgaard, -16/264, $1,079,100

T-3: Johnny Keefer, -15/265, $584,100

T-3: Min Woo Lee, -15/265, $584,100

5: Sam Stevens, -14/266, $405,900

T-6: Jake Knapp, -13/267, $322,987

T-6: Chris Gotterup, -13/267, $322,987

T-6: Sudarshan Yellamaraju, -13/267, $322,987

T-6: Jason Day, -13/267, $322,987

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T-10: Bronson Burgoon, -12/268, $259,875

T-10: Sahith Theegala, -12/268, $259,875

T-12: Adrien Dumont de Chassart, -11/269, $220,275

T-12: Denny McCarthy, -11/269, $220,275

T-14: Keith Mitchell, -10/270, $170,775

T-14: Pontus Nyholm, -10/270, $170,775

T-14: Thorbjorn Olesen, -10/270, $170,775

T-14: Jhonattan Vegas, -10/270, $170,775

T-14: Michael Thorbjornsen, -10/270, $170,775

T-19: Max McGreevy, -9/271, $136,125

T-19: Karl Vilips, -9/271, $136,125

T-21: Sam Burns, -8/272, $96,525

T-21: Aldrich Potgieter, -8/272, $96,525

T-21: Alex Smalley, -8/272, $96,525

T-21: Harris English, -8/272, $96,525

T-21: Beau Hossler, -8/272, $96,525

T-21: Zecheng Dou, -8/272, $96,525

T-21: Adam Scott, -8/272, $96,525

T-28: Mac Meissner, -7/273, $59,625

T-28: Rasmus Hojgaard, -7/273, $59,625

T-28: Harry Hall, -7/273, $59,625

T-28: Ben Griffin, -7/273, $59,625

T-28: Vince Whaley, -7/273, $59,625

T-28: Shane Lowry, -7/273, $59,625

T-28: Rico Hoey, -7/273, $59,625

T-28: Chad Ramey, -7/273, $59,625

T-28: Jackson Suber, -7/273, $59,625

T-28: Michael Brenna, -7/273, $59,625

T-28: Stephan Jaeger, -7/273, $59,625

T-39: Jeffrey Kang, -6/274, $41,085

T-39: Adrien Saddier, -6/274, $41,085

T-39: Austin Eckroat, -6/274, $41,085

T-39: Tony Finau, -6/274, $41,085

T-39: Paul Waring, -6/274, $41,085

T-44: William Mouw, -5/275, $32,175

T-44: Andrew Putnam, -5/275, $32,175

T-44: Jordan Smtih, -5/275, $32,175

T-44: Ricky Castillo, -5/275, $32,175

T-48: Erik van Rooyen, -4/276, $26,433

T-48: John Parry, -4/276, $26,433

T-48: Steven Fisk, -4/276, $26,433

T-51: Christiaan Bezuidenhout, -3/277, $23,938.20

T-51: Matthieu Pavon, -3/277, $23,938.20

T-51: Matt Wallace, -3/277, $23,938.20

T-51: Eric Cole, -3/277, $23,938.20

T-51: Chris Kirk, -3/277, $23,938.20

T-56: Matt Kuchar, -2/278, $22,770

T-56: Jimmy Stanger, -2/278, $22,770

T-56: Tom Kim, -2/278, $22,770

T-56: Danny Willett, -2/278, $22,770

T-60: Kurt Kitayama, -1/279, $21,879

T-60: Sungjae Im, -1/279, $21,879

T-60: Sam Ryder, -1/279, $21,879

T-60: Davis Riley, -1/279, $21,879

T-60: Takumi Kanaya, -1/279, $21,879

T-65: Kevin Roy, E/280, $21,087

T-65: Peter Malnati, E/280, $21,087

T-65: Lee Hodges, E/280, $21,087

68: Danny Walker, +1/281, $20,691

T-69: Garrick Higgo, +3/283, $20,394

T-69: Jesper Svensson, +3/283, $20,394

T-71: Brice Garnett, +4/284, $19,899

T-71: Tom Hoge, +4/284, $19,899

T-71: Emiliano Grillo, +4/284, $19,899

74: Matti Schmid, +5/285, $19,503

75: Luke Clanton, +7/287, $19,305

Entering this race, Kyle Kirkwood held a 26-point lead in the championship standings, bit Alex Palou's victory at Barber helped him to move much closer to the top of the leaderboard. He is now just two points behind.

There is a new driver now third in points, with Lundgaard jumping up from seventh with his runner-up finish. He is 35pts out of first and now leads the Arrow McLaren squad.

Graham Rahal's first podium in almost three years helped him to jump four positions in the standings, moving from 16th to 12th.

Official race results: 2026 IndyCar at Barber

Alex Palou dominates again with 13-second IndyCar win, closes on points lead

2026 IndyCar points after Barber (Race 4 of 18)

To read more Motorsport.com articles visit our website.

Aprilia rider Marco Bezzecchi reclaimed the lead of the 2026 MotoGP standings with a commanding victory in the United States Grand Prix.

The 27-year-old made a brilliant start from fourth on the grid and muscled past early leader Pedro Acosta on the opening lap to score his fifth consecutive grand prix win.

Jorge Martin rose from seventh on the grid to complete a 1-2 for Aprilia, adding a podium to his sprint win on Saturday, while Acosta finished a solid third for KTM.

At the start of the race, Acosta again got the holeshot from second on the grid, with Aprilia duo Bezzecchi and Martin slotting into second and third as polesitter Fabio di Giannantonio tumbled to fourth.

Bezzecchi then started piling pressure on KTM rival Acosta, taking a shallow line into Turn 11 heading into the back straight. However, there was drama as he touched Acosta at the exit of the corner, nearly forcing the Spaniard on the ground.

Both riders managed to remain upright, with Bezzecchi now leading the race from Acosta, and Martin hot on their heels in third.

For the next phase of the race, the trio effectively ran nose-to-tail, with Acosta keeping Bezzecchi honest despite being on an inferior KTM bike.

However, the Italian turned up the wick on lap 6 of 20, rapidly pulling out a lead of eight tenths before extending his advantage to over a second.

Martin initially managed to stay with the leading duo but fell into the clutches of fourth-placed di Giannantonio when he suffered a major scare going into Turn 1 at the start of lap 7.

But the 2024 champion gradually recovered lost ground and moved into second when Acosta ran deep at the same corner on lap 14.

Towards the end of the race, Martin briefly emerged as a victory contender, closing Bezzecchi’s lead to under a second. However, the latter was able to respond to Martin’s pace and eventually finish the race with a winning margin of two seconds.

With this result, Bezzecchi joined an elite group of riders to win five races in a row, as well as the first in the modern era to achieve this feat by leading every single lap.

Martin continued his impressive recent form to hold on to second place, while Acosta was once again the only rider to put up any fight to Aprilia as he finished third.

Trackhouse’s Ai Ogura was knocking on a podium result when a technical issue struck his satellite Aprilia with five laps to run, elevating di Giannantonio to fourth place.

Further back, Marquez resisted a late challenge from Tech3 Enea Bastianini, the rider he replaced at Ducati, to round out the top five at Austin.

The seven-time world champion spent the early stages of the races squabbling with di Giannantonio and Joan Mir, before dropping to 11th after serving a long-lap penalty he picked up for colliding with di Giannantonio in the sprint.

He gradually fought his way towards the front and passed Bagnaia with three laps to run to salvage some important points for the championship in fifth.

Bastianini rounded off a strong weekend to finish sixth ahead of Gresini’s Alex Marquez, while Luca Marini finished as the top Honda in ninth after demoting a struggling Bagnaia on the final lap.

Gresini sophomore Fermin Aldeguer was classified 11th, as KTM’s Brad Binder, LCR Honda rider Diogo Moreira and VR46’s Franco Morbidelli followed him in 12th, 13th and 14th respectively.

Pramac’s Toprak Razgatlioglu scored his maiden MotoGP point with an impressive charge to 15th, leading his Yamaha stablemates Fabio Quartararo, Toprak Razgatlioglu, Jack Miller and two-time Austin winner Alex Rins.

To read more Motorsport.com articles visit our website.

That was unpleasant.

The Tennessee Volunteers fought and clawed with Michigan for the first six or seven minutes in their Elite Eight clash on Sunday in Chicago. Then, Michigan reminded Tennessee, for the third straight year, that while they may be among the “elite”, they’re not a title contender yet.

With Tennessee up 16-14, Michigan went on a 21-0 run to completely bury the Vols and take any uncertainty out of the result. The Wolverines were almost playing with the Vols by the end of the first half, which finished with an open three from the top of the key for a 48-26 lead going into the locker room.

I don’t need to rehash the second half, nor really anything else about this game. Don’t have the ticker for it, honestly.

Michigan’s passing was as good as I’ve seen at the college level this season, and maybe ever. Like, it was watching the Harlem Globetrotters against the team they clown. And the Vols were the ones on the receiving end of the embarrassment. I will honestly be shocked if the Wolverines do not win it all this year. From what I’ve watched, they’re better than Duke, Arizona, anybody.

It’s a tough pill to swallow, knowing it’s the last time we’ll watch some Vols in orange and white. Nate Ament will be off to a terrific NBA career. Ja’Kobi Gillespie should also have a potential future in the NBA, as will Felix Okpara.

Just tough, man. The tournament is a cruel animal, and if you’re off your game even for a stretch in just one game, that can be fatal. For Tennessee, it was on Sunday around 2:30 pm.

But, I love what Barnes did with this team this season. With no returning leaders, he got everyone to buy in and got them playing at their best in the tournament. Three straight Elite Eights. I’ll never take that for granted.

But man, it’s just unfortunate that it had to end this way.

It’s not even March, but today’s game is an example of why I couldn’t fully buy in on this Red Sox roster. Starting pitching is great, but when the offense can’t support it, you’re always in danger of one swing changing the game. Connelly Early pitched well, although it wasn’t a dominant performance, but his offense only gave him two runs of support. A single and a walk later, and the go-ahead run was at the plate for Cincinnati. Greg Weissert left a pitch over the plate, and the Reds had a lead in the sixth inning.

The Red Sox threatened in the eighth inning, but Jarren Duran was picked off to give away an out. Andruw Monasterio doubled in the ninth inning, but Ceddanne Rafaela and Trevor Story couldn’t get him home. Timely hitting comes and goes throughout a 162-game season, but it’s fair to wonder if the offense isn’t good enough after a slow start. For the record, I think they’ll be better, but hitting with runners in scoring position has been a problem to this (incredibly early) point.

Back to Early. 5.1 innings of one-run baseball is great. At the same time, he wasn’t as sharp as he was at the end of last season. His four-seam fastball caught a lot of the strike zone and generated just two whiffs on 37 pitches. He did a good job of jumping ahead of hitters, but had a hard time putting them away. Reds hitters fouled off nine two-strike pitches, forcing Early to work hard for outs. His curveball, in particular, was fouled off several times and didn’t return a swing and miss. It’s a good start to build off of for Early, but better two-strike execution and fastball command will help him get deeper into games.

The Reds held on to win the game and the series by a run and a game. We’ll travel to Houston for a three-game set with the Astros on Monday.

Three Studs

Wilyer Abreu (3-4, HR, 2B)

Abreu continues to swing a hot bat. He went yard again in the fourth inning after fouling off nine pitches. He also doubled to the opposite field off a lefty later in the game, and singled to continue a rally in the eighth inning. He’s seeing the ball really well right now.

Jovani Moran (2 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 2 K, 0 ER)

Moran handled the seventh and eighth innings, keeping the deficit at one. His command wasn’t sharp, but his fastball shape is going to miss bats, and the changeup has always been a good pitch for him. Nice start to the season for the lefty.

Connor Wong (2-3, 2B)

How about Connor Wong? He singled early in the game, and then stuck his bat out at a ball off the plate that somehow flew to the warning track for a double. It’s nice to see him get a couple of early hits and start his numbers off without being anchored by a frigid streak. Decent day for Wong.

Three Duds

Greg Weissert (0.2 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 2 ER)

Weissert came in in relief of Connelly Early with a runner on and one out. He walked Sal Stewart on five pitches, and then got ahead of Eugenio Suarez 0-2. He tried to elevate a four-seam to punch Suarez out, but channeled his inner Italian, throwing a meatball directly in the turbo zone. Suarez hit the ball almost to Italy to put the Reds in front in the sixth inning.

Side note: I saw a lot of “what was Weissert thinking?” in response to him throwing that pitch. I’m sure he was thinking, “I’m going to throw this above the zone”, not “I’m going to throw this in the perfect spot for him to hit it 500 feet.”

Jarren Duran(0-2, 2 BB)

Tony Santillan pitched on Saturday and walked two of the five hitters he faced. He walked Jarren Duran, and then went down 3-0 to Willson Contreras. Given those two facts, you absolutely cannot be picked off of first base representing the tying run in the eighth inning. Credit to Santillan, it was a good move, but Duran can’t let it happen.

Caleb Durbin (0-4, 2 K)

Durbin is now 0-12 with three strikeouts to begin the season. He was acquired in part because he doesn’t strike out frequently, but struck out in a huge spot late in Sunday’s game. Let’s hope he picks it up offensively soon.

Grêmio has been invited to take part in a tournament in Turkey in the middle of the year, during the break for the World Cup.

The information was reported by GZH and ESPN Brasil. The club, however, has not yet responded on whether it will accept the invitation.

The board is still said to be waiting for details such as opponents, dates, and financial quota amounts to be finalized.

The Brazilian football calendar is expected to be halted for just over 50 days between June and July.

Some clubs are considering giving players time off during this break to make up for the short period between the end of the season and the start of next year’s state championships.

According to ESPN, Grêmio’s board is assessing the impact this would have on the squad, while also weighing possible financial gains.

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

Expected to start in Thursday’s (31) match against Croatia in Orlando, Danilo Santos said he is available to coach Carlo Ancelotti to play in any midfield position. In a press conference held this Sunday at the Brazilian delegation’s hotel in the U.S., the Botafogo player made it clear that he wants to make the most of the opportunity in the last FIFA window before the final World Cup squad is announced.

He already came on during the previous friendly, in which Brazil was beaten 2-1 by France, and played a part in the goal scored by center back Bremer.

At Sunday’s training session at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, he received special attention from Ancelotti. Now, he will wait for the coach’s decision.

“We rotated in training, but nobody knows the team yet. We’ll only know tomorrow or Tuesday, when he (Ancelotti) gives the lineup, but if needed, I’m ready to come in and do my best. I do feel comfortable, yes (playing further forward). In all three midfield positions, I’m confident,” he said.

Danilo sees living alongside his national team teammates as a constant learning experience. As an example, he mentioned the mutual respect he has for Casemiro, whose advice he listens to.

“Casemiro is a reference. Since my first call-up, he’s spoken to me and given me some tips. Now I’m able to learn even more from him—movement, forward passing. I’m very happy to work with him again.”

The Botafogo player was coached by Davide Ancelotti and is now experiencing what it is like to work with Carlo AncelottiCredits: Rafael Ribeiro / CBF

In the interview, he was asked about the experience of having been coached at Botafogo by Davide Ancelotti (until December 2025) and now enjoying the opportunity to be coached by Carlo Ancelotti, Davide’s father.

“I started with Davide last year. Everyone says my call-up has a bit of his influence. But it’s also because of what I’ve been doing at Botafogo—thank God, I’m the team’s second-highest scorer and I’ve been playing well. Of course, the team’s form isn’t good, but besides working with Davide, my role on the pitch day to day helped a lot for me to be here. It’s a privilege for me to work with both of them. I believe they have the same approach to the job. I’m very happy to be with them and to gain more experience with Carlo Ancelotti.”

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

Baseball seems to have the longest offseason around. If you have a team that you follow that isn’t in the playoffs (or gets bounced from the playoffs quickly), it feels like forever until Opening Day. That wait brings hope, promise and hype that this will be the season a championship parade is the endgame. Opening Day brings pomp and circumstance, games are finally played and….

…you get this performance from the Phillies.

Outside of a masterful six innings by Cristopher Sanchez, the Phillies looked rather lackluster against the Rangers. Sure, their comeback Saturday in the ninth inning was somewhat memorable, but what the offensive decided to do (better yet, not do) left a sour taste in the mouths of many.

Sunday’s game got out of hand rather quickly. The game was scoreless to begin, Jesus Luzardo on the mound for the Phillies, Mackenzie Gore opposing him for the Rangers. Both traded scoreless innings to start, but in the third, Texas got going. A one out single by Sam Haggerty was brought around on a home run by Brandon Nimmo to give the Rangers the lead.

They got three more in the fourth when Corey Seager and Jake Burger, who reached on walk and a single respectively, scored thanks to a missile from Andrew McCutchen.

They would add another run in the top of the sixth on a Kyle Higashioka RBI single. So as the Rangers are scoring runs and then adding more to that total, the Phillies staggered to and back from the plate like an 11U baseball team. Their approaches were bad, their swings were worse and that meant they were no-hit again through multiple opening innings. They got on the board when in the bottom of the sixth, they loaded the bases thanks to an excuse me single by Justin Crawford, a walk to Trea Turner and a broken bat single by Kyle Schwarber, all with no outs.

Bryce Harper then looked feeble once again, striking out to get the first out. Alec Bohm was hit by a pitch to get a run, then another followed on an sacrifice fly by Adolis Garcia. Bryson Stott pinch hit next, only to ground out, but at least there was a pulse.

Enter Zach Pop. Walk, double, hit by pitch and one run was given back. Another sacrifice fly given up two batters later made the sure that the runs the Phillies got were neutralized quickly.

In the eighth, Stott got an RBI single to make the score 8-3, but that was about it.

There was much consternation about the team running it back, even though there are a lot of new faces. Part of that consternation was the team not fixing the issues that got them bounced from the last two playoff appearances, where the offense simply didn’t show up when it mattered. These two games this weekend did not help quiet those voices.

Even if it is just three games (and friends, they will ultimately be fine), this was not the performance one was hoping after weeks of missing baseball.

The final chapter in the long-running dispute which followed the death of footballer Emiliano Sala is set to play out in a French court.

A judge is due to decide whether Cardiff City should be compensated by FC Nantes for the loss of the Argentine striker.

Sala, 28, and pilot David Ibbotson died when the Piper Malibu plane carrying them crashed into the English Channel on the night of 21 January 2019.

Seven years on, the battle between the two clubs will come to a head in the commercial court in Nantes on Monday, following a hearing in December 2025 in which Cardiff argued the man who booked the flight, Willie McKay, was acting on behalf of the French club - a claim denied by Nantes.

The star striker was on his way to join Cardiff City – then in the Premier League – from Nantes for a £15m transfer fee, having signed for the club two days earlier.

Cardiff is claiming compensation of more than €120m (£104m) for loss of income and other damages, based on the belief that Sala could have kept the club in the Premier League.

The club was relegated to the Championship at the end of the 2018-2019 season and then plummeted further to League One in April 2025.

FC Nantes has disputed "the existence of any wrongdoing" on its part, as well as Cardiff's outlined damages.

But Sala's death also shone a light on the opaque world of football transfers and player welfare, as well as on so-called 'grey' and illegal charter flights.

It highlighted the high-stakes nature of transfer deals and the pressures on players caught up in them.

Sala's friends have spoken of his uncertainty about the move to Cardiff and the pace at which events unfolded around him, while voice messages which emerged after his death conveyed his sense of unease and confusion.

Lorna McLelland, a former player liaison officer at Aston Villa, said that, despite calls for change after Sala's death, not enough had been done.

While most clubs have a player welfare system in place, there are no set standards for what the role should involve and there is often overlap with the work of agents and intermediaries.

McLelland, who founded the National Association of Player Welfare Officers, said she believed "mandated areas of responsibility and a prescribed modus operandi should be put in place in each and every club".

"In terms of movement of players, central to that is money…it's always the case and it's still a little bit of a wild west.

"I'm really quite shocked that not much has been put in place for this but, as we know, football is a complicated world and there needs to be a lot more change than there has been to date."

Jonathan Booker, a former agent now working in sports mediation, said there had been a "flurry of activity" in player welfare and duty of care following the tragedy, but this had not been sustained.

"I'd like to see set standards, if not accreditation, for player care and welfare roles in all clubs, not just the Premier League, which at the moment often sees roles overlap and it's not always obvious who's responsible for what," he said.

The former general secretary of the Association of Football Agents added: "There's too much risk of inexperienced and under-confident staff in such roles being railroaded by some players and even agents - for example, a young player wanting to buy a high-performance car they're not equipped to drive safely."

The Professional Footballers Association said it recognised transfer windows could be stressful and pressurised for players and their families, adding awareness of player wellbeing was "growing within the game".

"It is vital that players have the right people around them at times like this," it said.

"A player should always feel that their career is in their hands and that a transfer – a major career decision – is their choice."

The Football Association (FA) said professional football leagues and clubs were primarily responsible for players' wellbeing.

A spokesman added: "Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Emiliano Sala following this tragic incident."

Both the FA and the English Football League said CAA guidance about air travel had been shared with clubs in the wake of the tragedy and was periodically redistributed around transfer periods.

• FC Nantes 'negligence cost Sala's life', mother says
• 'A tragic plane crash; a stain on football's reputation'

Willie McKay was not registered as a football agent at the time of Sala's death, but his son Mark was, and was working with Nantes to try to sign Sala to a Premier League club.

McKay claimed that, when he booked Sala's flight through David Henderson, he was just using his contacts to help his son.

He is now working as an agent again, and appears in the FA's transaction lists since 2023 as representing Mohamed Said Benrahma, an Algerian midfielder who played for West Ham before transferring to Saudi club Neom SC last year.

The McKays did not comment when invited to do so by BBC Wales.

The organiser of Sala's flight, David Henderson, was sentenced to 18 months in prison in November 2021 after he was found guilty of recklessly endangering the safety of an aircraft.

He did not have an Air Operator's Certificate (AOC), a requirement for carrying paying passengers which also ensures operators meet certain maintenance and safety standards.

The trial also heard the pilot Henderson had chosen to fly Sala to Wales - David Ibbotson, 59, of Crowle in Lincolnshire - was not qualified to make the journey.

He did not have a commercial licence for carrying passengers, nor the correct certification to fly at night, and his rating to fly the single-engine Piper had expired.

The footballer's body was recovered from the plane wreckage about two-and-a-half weeks after the crash and repatriated to Argentina, but Ibbotson has never been found.

'An important benchmark'

Glenn Hogben, chief executive officer of industry trade body The Air Charter Association, said Henderson's conviction set an "important benchmark" for future prosecution of those involved in illegal charter operations.

"Our members are all fully licensed and have to provide all of those documents before they join…but there are bodies outside that network that might consider doing a short flight on a private basis and accepting some form of reward for it, and that is where that line is crossed."

Following the crash, tighter regulations were introduced in October 2025 for private pilots carrying passengers under a "cost-share" arrangement - where pilot and passengers must share all costs of the flight equally.

They were designed to address concerns that this system was serving as a smoke screen for some illegal charter flights, and included enhanced advertising of a pilot's qualifications and experience, limits on numbers of passengers, equal contributions to cost such as fuel and airfield charges from all parties including the pilot - with no profit element - and a mandatory passenger information form.

"These actions aim to improve transparency, ensure passengers understand they are not on a commercial flight, and prevent illegal chartering," said a Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) spokesperson.

Hogben said his members would pass information to the regulator if they had suspicions of illegal activity at airfields.

"The understanding of what is and isn't legal has increased," he said.

"We have seen that happen over the last few years, an increasing awareness in the industry and people prepared to say 'well, hang on a minute, this isn't right, this is impacting our business as a licensed carrier, and it's not fair.'"

The CAA said it had been working towards "digitising pilot licences" following concerns from air accident investigators that pilot records in this and other cases were incorrect.

The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) said it considered the CAA's response to record-keeping improvements to be "adequate".

Another recommendation from air accident investigators following the crash was the introduction of audible carbon monoxide (CO) detectors for piston-engine aircraft which are known to generate significant levels of CO.

They believe carbon monoxide fumes were leaking into the cabin of the plane during Sala's flight, and the lack of an audible alarm meant Ibbotson was unable to take action to disperse the deadly gas.

A spokesman for the UK government's department for transport said: "Following this tragic incident, we worked with the CAA to strengthen regulations to help prevent illegal charter flights and better protect passengers.

"We are committed to learning from accidents and ensuring that we continue to strive for a safer aviation industry."

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If you thought there had been a lot of blowouts in the 2026 men’s NCAA tournament, you’re onto something.

Michigan’s 95-62 win over Tennessee in the Elite Eight on Sunday was the 21st game with a margin of 20 points or more this March Madness. That’s a modern tournament record, according to CBS Sports. The previous record had been 19 20-point games in 1999 before Arizona beat Arkansas by 21 points in the Sweet 16 on Thursday.

The number of blowouts jives with how well favorites have done throughout the tournament. Betting favorites went 16-0 in the second day of the first round, and though No. 1 Florida lost in the second round and No. 2 Houston fell in Houston in the Sweet 16, the Final Four will feature at least two No. 1 seeds and the lowest-seeded team is No. 3 Illinois.

The big margins don’t automatically mean it’s been a bad tournament, either. There have been plenty of dramatic moments, like Otega Oweh’s near-halfcourt shot to force overtime in Kentuck’s win over Santa Clara, Trey Kaufman-Renn’s tip-in with less than a second left in Purdue’s Sweet 16 win over Texas, and Dylan Darling’s buzzer-beating layup in St. John’s win over Kansas in the second round. 

That 1999 tournament was incredibly memorable, too. Gonzaga burst onto the college basketball scene with a second-round win over No. 2 Stanford and a dramatic Sweet 16 win over No. 6 Florida as a No. 10 seed. The Zags run ended in the Elite Eight, when they fell to No. 1 UConn. The Huskies went on to win the national title in a 77-74 victory over Duke despite being a 9.5-point underdog. 

20-point wins in 2026 men’s NCAA tournament

• No. 5 St. John’s 79, No. 12 Northern Iowa 53 (first round)

• No. 3 Michigan State 92, No. 14 North Dakota State 67 (first round)

• No. 1 Florida 114, No. 16 Prairie View 55 (first round)

• No. 4 Nebraska 76, No. 13 Troy, 47 (first round)

• No. 3 Illinois 105, No. 14 Penn 70 (first round)

• No. 2 Houston 78, No. 15 Idaho 47 (first round)

• No. 1 Arizona 92, No. 16 Long Island 58 (first round)

• No. 2 Purdue 104, No. 15 Queens 71 (first round)

• No. 1 Michigan 101, No. 16 Howard 80 (first round)

• No. 9 Saint Louis 102, No. 8 Georgia 77 (first round)

• No. 5 Texas Tech 91,  No. 12 Akron 71 (first round)

• No. 4 Alabama 90, No. 13 Hofstra 70 (first round)

• No. 6 Tennessee 78, No. 11 Miami (Ohio) 56 (first round)

• No. 2 Iowa State 108, No. 15 Tennessee State 74 (first round)

• No. 1 Duke 81, No. 9 TCU 58 (second round)

• No. 3 Illinois 76, No. 11 VCU 55 (second round)

• No. 2 Houston 88, No. 10 Texas A&M 57 (second round)

• No. 1 Michigan 95, No. 9 Saint Louis 72 (second round)

• No. 4 Alabama 90, No. 5 Texas Tech 65 (second round)

• No. 1 Arizona 109, No. 4 Alabama 88 (Sweet 16)

• No. 1 Michigan 95, No. 6 Tennessee 62 (Elite Eight)

CINCINNATI (AP) — Eugenio Suarez hit a three-run home run and the Cincinnati Reds beat the Boston Red Sox 3-2 on Sunday to win their season-opening series.

Suarez’s homer, his first since rejoining the Reds this offseason, came on an 0-2 pitch from Greg Weissert with two runners aboard in the sixth to put Cincinnati ahead 3-2.

It was his 190th homer in a Reds uniform, one shy of Brandon Phillips for 12th on the franchise’s all-time list.

Wilyer Abreu went 6 for 13 for Boston in the three-game series with two home runs, two doubles, and four RBIs.

Connelly Early, 23, was the youngest pitcher to start one of the Red Sox’ first three games in a season since Jeff Sellers in 1987 and the youngest left-hander to do so since Billy Rohr in 1967.

Early pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowing one earned run on five hits with two walks and five strikeouts over 96 pitches.

Reds rookie Rhett Lowder made his first appearance since Sept. 28, 2024, after missing the entire 2025 season with both a right forearm strain and left oblique strain.

Abreu, who tied the score in the ninth on Saturday with a two-out solo homer, hit a two-run homer off Lowder in the fourth to put Boston ahead 2-0.

Lowder allowed two runs on three hits with two walks and five strikeouts on 86 pitches through five innings.

The Red Sox had runners on first and third in the eighth but Tony Santillan struck out Caleb Durbin to end the inning.

They had the tying and go-ahead runners aboard in the ninth but Emilio Pagan got Trevor Story to fly out to center for the final out.

Reds designated hitter Sal Stewart, who went 7 for 10 in the series, went 2 for 2 with a double and two walks.

Up next

Red Sox: Left-hander Ranger Suarez is scheduled to start Monday's series opener in Houston.

Reds: Right-hander Chase Burns is scheduled to start Monday's series opener in Pittsburgh.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

The first notion that Arizona might have something special on its hands with Tommy Lloyd as head coach came in November 2021, when the Wildcats took down a Top 5 Michigan team in Lloyd’s fifth career game at the UA.

The win catapulted Arizona into national relevance in Lloyd’s first season, and the program has never looked back.

Perhaps it’s fitting that the Wildcats will face the Wolverines in Arizona’s first Final Four appearance since 2001. Michigan advanced to Indianapolis by dismantling Tennessee 95-62 in the NCAA Midwest Region final Sunday afternoon.

Forward Yaxel Lendeborg led Michigan with 27 points on 10 of 19 shooting to go with seven rebounds. Point guard Elliot Cadeau had a near double-double with eight points and 10 assists. Four other Wolverines scored in double figures.

Michigan shot 52 percent from the field including 10 from 27 from three-point range.

Arizona (36-2) and Michigan (35-3) will face off in one of the more highly anticipated national semifinals games in recent memories. The matchup marks just the fifth time in Final Four history that both teams have 35 or more wins, according to Matt Norlander of CBS Sports.

Michigan and Arizona rank No. 1 and 2 on KenPom.com

Michigan is coached by Dusty May, who is making his second appearance in the Final Four after leading No. 9 seed FAU to the Final Four in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. While at FAU, May and the Owls defeated Arizona 96-95 in a double overtime thriller in December 2023 as part of the Desert Classic in Las Vegas.

May took over as Michigan’s head coach in spring of 2024 and has led the Wolverines to back-to-back successful seasons. Last year Michigan reached the Sweet 16 and this year taking the program is going to its first Final Four since 2018.

Michigan has won its four NCAA Tournament games by an average of 22.5 points. The Wolverines’ only real hiccup came in the first half of its Sweet 16 game vs. Alabama, when it fell into an 11-2 hole and trailed at halftime. Michigan outscored Alabama by 15 points in the second half to win 90-77.

Michigan looked more like its dominant self Sunday, racing out to a 48-26 halftime lead over the Vols and clamping down in the second half.

Michigan’s last loss came in the Big Ten Tournament title game to Purdue, falling 80-72. Michigan dropped a conference game at home to Wisconsin and dropped a neutral site game to Duke last month.

Tip off time for Arizona’s semifinal game vs. Michigan will be announced later Sunday.

In a recent interview, former scout Mick Brown urged Sunderland to keep hold of their star forward Brian Brobbey beyond this summer. Brown said,

“Brobbey has become a really important player for Sunderland.

“It’s clear the manager likes what he brings to the team, so I can’t imagine they’ll be looking to sell him already, no matter who comes in.

“Sunderland did a fantastic job with their recruitment in the summer and it’s been a really strong season for them, and Brobbey has been very impressive.

“He looks a handful to play against. He’s strong, will back into defenders, battle them, fight them, run in behind, and he’ll score goals as well.

“That makes him such a valuable player to have, and Sunderland have had a strong season so they don’t want to lose players already, they want to build on it.

“It would take a huge fee to get him out, and even then, I’m not sure they’d be looking to sell.”

Brobbey’s Impressive Form In English Football

Brobbey is having a decent campaign at the Wearside club as he has put in a string of impressive displays for them in the final third during this campaign. The 24-year-old has found the back of the net seven times and earned one assist in 26 matches for Sunderland this season in various competitions.

SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 02: Brian Brobbey of Sunderland battles for possession with Bashir Humphreys of Burnley during the Premier League match between Sunderland and Burnley at Stadium of Light on February 02, 2026 in Sunderland, England. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)

The Dutch striker is currently one of the best goal-scorers in the Premier League. His current contract at the Stadium of Light will run out in the summer of 2029, so the Black Cats are under no immediate pressure to cash in on him this off-season.

Should Sunderland Boss Regis Le Bris Comply With Brown’s Advice On Brobbey?

Brobbey is proficient at finding some space for himself to get some strikes in on target. He has proven himself to be a capable goal-getter in the Premier League and can even create the odd chance for his teammates in the final third.

The Dutch forward is also quite clever with his movements in and around the opponent’s penalty area. When fit, he is one of the first names in Sunderland head coach Regis Le Bris’ teamsheet.

Thus, the Black Cats would be wise to keep hold of Brobbey for the long run. He has what it takes to be a top player for the Wearside club in the coming seasons.

At 24, Brobbey’s best years are ahead of him, so Le Bris would be wise to comply with Brown’s advice by retaining the striker’s services beyond this summer.

HIGHLIGHTS

• A welterweight world champion had five words for the 21-year-old heavyweight sensation.
• The list of high-profile backers keeps growing after every fight.
• A title shot could come before the end of the year.

Moses Itauma's list of backers grows every time he takes the ring. After his decimation of the previously unstopped Jermaine Franklin on Saturday at the Co-op Live in Manchester, Itauma added a few more to the bandwagon. One in particular is welterweight champion Devin Haney. Immediately after Franklin's win, Haney took to X and kept it short and sweet. He said "Moses is the next guy."

After this KO, we cannot argue. This vide has already been viewed on this source–not counting the others online–over a million times in less than 24 hours.

Why Is Itauma Getting This Kind of Attention?

Rarely have we seen a heavyweight this young look like a legitimate title contender. There was a thought that Itauma might challenge Mike Tyson's record and become the youngest man to win the heavyweight title, but that's by the boards. Still, he is easily the best young heavyweight sensation in recent decades surpassing Jared Anderson and others.

Itauma (14-0, 12 KOs) is 21 years old and has already stopped Dillian Whyte in under two minutes and became the first man to stop Franklin in 26 career fights. He's ranked WBO No. 1 and WBA No. 1 at heavyweight.

Who Else Is Co-Signing Itauma?

Combat sports personality and journalist Ariel Helwani also shouted Itauma out, calling him "the one."

ESPN's Andreas Hale also offered his own emphatic endorsement of the 21-year-old phenom.

After the fight, Oleksandr Usyk said "I think Itauma is the future for boxing," per theScore. When a welterweight champion, the undisputed heavyweight champion, a major combat sports journalist and an ESPN analyst all say the same thing, the consensus is clear.

What's Next for Itauma?

It seems his team wants him to get his title shot before the end of the year, but in the meantime, a battle with the likes of Lawrence Okolie or Agit Kabayel could be the final hurdle for Itauma to clear.

The WBC ordered Okolie vs. Itauma as a final eliminator back in December 2025. Kabayel (27-0) holds the WBC interim heavyweight title and has been on his own tear, stopping Zhilei Zhang and Frank Sanchez in back-to-back fights.

CHICAGO – Michigan basketball is hitting its stride in the NCAA Tournament.

After using an explosive second half to blow out Alabama in the Sweet 16, the No. 1-seeded Wolverines carried over the momentum just two days later in a dominant 95-62 win over No. 6 Tennessee on Sunday, March 29, at the United Center.

Michigan dominated the first half, using a 21-0 run to take control of a game that Tennessee had led 16-14 with 11:22 left in the first half. In just 4:42 of game time, that score changed to a 35-16 lead for the Wolverines.

Michigan sends message: You don't want to play them

The win for Michigan advances it to the Final Four next weekend in Indianapolis. But the Wolverines also dominated the game in a nearly historic way. With 1:46 in the game, Michigan held an 92-58 lead. The Wolverines also led by 31 with just under 12 minutes left.

Yaxel Lendeborg subbed out of the game for the final time with the Wolverines ahead by 32 points. The rest of the starters were out of the game with 3:14 remaining.

How dominant was Michigan in the Elite Eight victory? Here’s what you need to know about the largest margin of victories in the Regional Final round of the NCAA Tournament:

Largest margin of victories in Elite 8

On March 14, 1964, Duke dominated Connecticut 101-54 at the Reynolds Coliseum, Raleigh, North Carolina. The Blue Devils jumped out to a 62-27 first-half lead and never looked back. 

Jeff Mullins led Duke with 30 points, eight rebounds and five assists in the win, while four total players finished in double figures.

In 1971, Villanova defeated Penn 90-47 in the Regional Final and in 1965 Princeton took down Providence by 40 points (109-69).

Here’s a look at the biggest blowouts in the NCAA Elite Eight round, according to BetMGM.

• 1964: Duke 101, UConn 54 (47 points)
• 1971: Villanova 90, Penn 47 (43 points)
• 1965: Princeton 109, Providence 69 (40 points)

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Largest margin of victories in Elite 8 after Michigan dominated Tennessee

Those who love beach soccer have grown used to spending Sunday mornings filled with excitement and beautiful goals. And this Sunday (29), the crowd that packed the arena set up on Meaípe beach, in Guarapari, Espírito Santo, got to relive that feeling. The match between the Brazilian National Team and the Espírito Santo State Team marked the farewell of two true legends of the sport: defender Bruno Xavier, a two-time world champion, and goalkeeper Mão, a five-time world champion as a player and once as a coordinator.

The game took place in front of a packed arena full of fans from across Espírito Santo who came to pay tribute to two great idols of the local sport. It was not the first time they had played before a large crowd, but the emotion was unique.

Mão and his children during a tribute at the farewell matchCredits: Gabriel Badaró

“To imagine that a boy who lived on the streets could reach where I did, see the world, support his family through beach soccer, is very emotional. It was 21 years defending this shirt with great pride and great honor. Today I experienced a different kind of emotion, in front of my children and my family. It will stay in my heart forever. I’m deeply grateful to everyone on the coaching staff, to this group of players, with whom I played for many years, and to the CBF leadership, to the beach soccer director Mauro Carmélio, and manager Lavoisier Freire, for allowing me to have the privilege of officially ending my cycle with the National Team in my homeland,” said Mão, who wore jersey number 395, in reference to the number of matches he played for Brazil, where he scored 26 goals.

Getting to share the field for the first time with his nephew Breno Xavier on the Brazilian National Team, after Breno was called up by coach Chicão Castelo Branco, idol Bruno Xavier wore jersey number 157 in honor of his number of appearances for the Seleção, and could not hold back his emotion when speaking about his farewell.

Bruno Xavier celebrates his farewell goal for the National TeamCredits: André Serrão / Click do Lance

“I had to know how to separate what my heart wanted from what I needed to do. Obviously I wanted to continue; I still have two years left on my contract with a club abroad, so I’ll keep playing. But I understood that my time with the national team had come to an end. Now it’s time to let these young talents shine. This generation is incredible, most are two-time world champions, some in the group are already three-time champions, and they deserve respect. May my nephew Breno carry forward the family legacy, and may these players continue in this joyful and light atmosphere that I was able to witness during these days of training alongside them. The Brazilian National Team has a great structure, and that gives us a lot of peace of mind about the great future ahead of us. Now I’ll be just another supporter on the sidelines,” said Bruno Xavier, who scored his 210th goal this Sunday, the last in the green-and-yellow shirt.

In addition to Bruno, the fans also celebrated goals from two other Espírito Santo natives: defender Brendo, born and raised in Guarapari, and winger Breno Xavier, who celebrated together with his uncle and family members in the stands. Winger Gin and pivot Túlio Silva completed the scoring.

Buru (in green, center) was another Espírito Santo beach soccer legend who attended the event Credits: Gabriel Badaró

Another Espírito Santo legend of the sport in attendance

Buru, from Espírito Santo and a nine-time world champion with Brazil, was present at the arena and was honored by players and fans for the great history he built wearing Brazil’s shirt.

Then it was his turn to applaud, in each break of the match, his former teammates Bruno Xavier and Mão, who were invited to walk to midfield alongside their children to receive the crowd’s affection and a standing ovation.

A day of other tributes

On the men’s team, another player was honored this Sunday. Defender Antonio, a two-time world champion, reached 100 matches and received a special jersey, with the number 100 on the back, from women’s national team coach Rose Andrade.

On the women’s team, goalkeeper Natalie Wippel officially announced her retirement as a player and took on the role of Supervisor of the Brazilian Women’s Beach Soccer National Team. Natalie was part of the first women’s national team in history, created in 2019, and won two titles.

Friendlies are part of the preparation for international tournaments

The women’s and men’s beach soccer national teams traveled together to Guarapari for a training camp and these friendly matches as preparation for the El Salvador Cup, a competition taking place in the capital, San Salvador, between April 2 and 4. At the end of that tournament, which includes both teams, the men’s squad will return to Brazil, while the women’s team will continue on to Mexico, where they will compete in the Acapulco Cup alongside the United States, Japan, and host nation Mexico.

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

A look back at this weekend’s action and the gains and losses beyond just the wins and losses, with Sebastian Fundora and Moses Itauma winning the big main events on Saturday, and Keith “One Time” Thurman taking a beating, among more names we saw in action.

▲▲ Way Up ▲▲

Sebastian Fundora

You can reasonably say that Keith Thurman just wasn’t a serious contender at 154 lbs, but what Fundora (24-1-1, 16 KO) did to him still can’t be overlooked. He made Thurman look slow, feeble, and overmatched in every respect.

The bigger thing with Fundora right now, in my view, is that this is clearly a fighter who has really come into his own. Years ago when Sampson Lewkowicz first announced he had signed this largely-unknown, 6’5” super welterweight, I thought it was almost a gimmick deal. I think a lot of people did. Generally speaking, people who are that abnormally tall for a division just don’t really develop into top fighters. You can name a few over the years, sure, but then think about the dozens if not hundreds more you could cite on the other side of the coin. It’s unusual.

And for a long time, while Fundora was getting TV fights and working his way up, he definitely still looked like a project as much as if not more than a prospect. He had obvious advantages, but also clear flaws.

The rough edges have been sanded down, though. This is now a fighter who isn’t just difficult to fight, he’s really good. He generates power, he can — and most important, will — fight at distance, and if you want to mix it up inside, he’s very good in there, too.

It’s going to take a real top talent to beat Fundora these days. Sure, Brian Mendoza landed one great punch once, and that can happen again, but Fundora is better now than he was then, too. Hopefully, everyone can find him a worthy next challenger. The two most intriguing names at 154 for him would be Jaron “Boots” Ennis and Vergil Ortiz Jr, and Ortiz is tied up in a spat with Golden Boy at the moment, while Ennis is a Matchroom fighter. Fellow 154 lb titlists Xander Zayas and Josh Kelly are also worth considering, of course.

Josh Holmes

I’m not trying to tell you that a 30-year-old fighter from Earby, Lancashire, pretty much unknown until yesterday’s one-round stoppage of Alex Murphy, is now a star. What I am saying is that compared to where he was 24 hours before his fight, his profile has shot upward, big time.

Holmes (18-0, 7 KO) and Murphy put on a cracking three minutes, or at least the final minute of it. Holmes got hurt, but ripped back to drop Murphy two times and end the fight suddenly and dramatically.

Holmes won’t be looking to the world stage next by any means, but the more serious domestic scene at 135 lbs in the UK will now be calling. At the very least, he’s found the path, now we’ll see if he can walk it.

▲ Up ▲

Moses Itauma

The 21-year-old Itauma already has an absolute mountain of hype behind him. Every fight, it looks like it’s earned.

Inevitably, someone will hang in longer. Someone will stand up to his shots a bit better, and even more than that, he won’t land as easily on somebody. Somebody will make him miss. They’ll match up better. They’ll have some of his quirks scouted. They’ll be prepared. The more tape there is on Itauma, the closer that gets.

Real challenges will come. Nobody in boxing history — not Joe Louis, not Muhammad Ali, not anyone — has had a long, successful, and serious career without meeting their match and having some tough nights, in defeat and in victory.

But the eye test — look, it’s not everything, but Itauma passes it in a way I don’t think I’ve seen in a young heavyweight during my life as a boxing fan. I was alive for young Mike Tyson, and I knew of him and knew who he was, but I was a kid. Itauma doesn’t compare to the likes of Jared Anderson, or even Anthony Joshua, who obviously went on to have a pretty great pro career, made a lot of money, won titles. I’ll say it flat out: He’s better than they were. And I don’t think it’s close.

This is the type of young fighter promoters and fans alike dream on. The ceiling is outer space. Jermaine Franklin gave him a few rounds and then got KO’d in highlight reel fashion. Now the hunt continues to find the challenges. They’ll come.

Yoenis Tellez

The win over Brian Mendoza gives Tellez (12-1, 8 KO) a little boost, and it’s not like his loss to Abass Baraou should be held against him forever. He fought a good opponent and lost a fight, he’s bounced back nicely with two straight wins and showed a lot of grit on Saturday night, fighting through a busted nose and a very tough, very determined opponent. Tellez, 25, is still in the mix at 154, and the win solidifies that.

Yoenli Hernandez

Hernandez (10-0, 9 KO) was one of my favorite breakout candidates coming into this year. The 28-year-old Cuban middleweight has a division that is really there for the taking and has been for a while, and could badly use an exciting new star.

Hernandez can be that. Terrell Gausha was a so-so opponent, but a cagey veteran who can hang around, and might have, except Hernandez just kept throwing enough punches, with so little coming back from Gausha, that referee Allen Huggins stepped in in the fourth round. It wasn’t the best stoppage, but it had been one-way traffic, and Hernandez has an offense-first instinct that is fun to watch. Still plenty to prove, but “El Diablo” is making a few waves.

Willy Hutchinson

Hutchinson (20-2, 14 KO) has kind of quietly had a really good run of form in his last four fights. He did lose to Joshua Buatsi, who was just better than him, but there aren’t that many really good light heavyweights out there, and Hutchinson’s wins over Craig Richards, Mark Jeffers, and Ezra Taylor are as solid as anyone active at 175 can boast right now, apart from the very tip-top fighters. He’s a sneaky fringe contender at the moment.

Brad Pauls

Pauls (21-2-1, 12 KO) beating Shakiel Thompson didn’t surprise me, but he still did it impressively, dropping and stopping the previously-unbeaten middleweight in the ninth round.

Pauls mentioned after the fight that he’s supposedly been brought in to lose repeatedly only to upset the apple cart. That’s probably slightly overstated, but he did prove a step too far for Thompson and he was the guy who took the “0” (and the other “0,” I guess) from Nathan Heaney. He’s a very good middleweight at the domestic level and could be a great next opponent for young British champion George Liddard.

Liam Davies

Now a two-weight European champion and a fringe contender at 126 lbs. The top tier of the featherweight ranks is filled with really good fighters, but boxing routinely offers world title fights to less qualified and flat-out worse challengers than Davies would be. He might still get his shot at world stage glory after a beatdown of Francesco Grandelli.

◄ Holding Steady ►

Brian Mendoza

The 32-year-old Mendoza (23-5, 17 KO) lost for the third time in four fights, and really for all it matters, it’s three straight losses in real fights, the other was a club-level tune-up in Mexico last July. But even with clear scores in Tellez’s favor, Mendoza fought hard and probably earned himself another shot to get back in the race at 154 lbs, or he could look at 160, potentially.

Mendoza’s a good, hard-working fighter. His upset win over Fundora was a one-shot stunner in a fight where he’d really lost the first six rounds before landing it. But he is good. He hangs tough. And there are a lot of fights for him at 154/160 where he can sign up as “the opponent” and hopefully make something happen. He lost again, but I think he stayed steady, which is the best you can hope at 32 with a losing streak.

Jermaine Franklin

Think Franklin (24-3, 15 KO) also pretty much holds firm. He’ll be an attractive choice for a bit more as a high-end prospect checker, even with Itauma smoking him in that fashion. Franklin has never had the highest upside — he’s not particularly big for a modern heavyweight, he doesn’t have abnormal speed or power. He wasn’t gifted at birth with exceptional qualities to be a high-end. He’s learned his trade and made the most of it.

As with Mendoza, more offers will come because of how he fought in defeat. Everyone in boxing can’t be a superstar. In fact, very few can. Even in the heavyweight division alone, BoxRec lists 1,616 active fighters. There are a lot more Franklin and Mendoza level guys than there are true elite stars across boxing, and yet a lot fewer Mendoza and Franklin level fighters than you might imagine.

▼ Down ▼

Terrell Gausha

Gausha (24-6-1, 12 KO) is probably going to be in about the same spot he was going into his loss to Yoenli Hernandez, but I do think the stock drops a little. It wasn’t high to begin with, but he was beaten up for three rounds and stopped in the fourth, he’s never looked so out of his depth.

Gausha’s 38 and probably has at least considered hanging up the gloves by now. That’s three straight losses, though he was arguably jobbed a year ago against Elijah Garcia. He’s had a fine career. He just never got over the hump. He could also fight on a few more years, probably, and hang around making a little more money. Given PBC’s penchant for veterans who peaked in the 2010s, he’ll probably have the chances if he wants them.

Nathan Heaney

Heaney (19-2-1, 6 KO) felt he’d gotten the short end on the cards against Gerome Warburton, as did his dedicated fans. You could argue it, but a lot of that is going to come from just not liking the way Warburton fought. But he did it, Heaney couldn’t stop him from doing it, and it was effective enough for the judges. It wasn’t a pretty win, but it was a win.

Heaney’s made the most of his skill set. He cultivated an organic, passionate fan base, he had the emotional and memorable night winning the British middleweight title against Denzel Bentley, but he couldn’t afford to lose even a half-step and stay at that level, and he has. He fought 24 gutsy rounds with Brad Pauls and came out with a draw and a loss. His only since since Bentley in 2013 came over club fighter Grant Dennis last summer. Heaney says he’ll do at least one more fight, then go from there. He’s got a lot of grit, and he rode the rocket ship to the domestic peak, but those days look to be done.

Shakiel Thompson and Ezra Taylor

Similar situation. Both stepped up a bit, both lost. Thompson (15-1, 11 KO) is 28 and Taylor (13-1, 9 KO) is 31. They both just ran into someone better than them on the night. Now they try to bounce back, and when you get that sort of reality check about levels, it can be tough.

▼▼ Way Down ▼▼

Keith Thurman

Keith Thurman got beaten up by Sebastian Fundora. Badly. His face was a mess by the time referee Thomas Taylor called a halt to the fight in round six. Thurman, 37, had big dreams of an upset win over an in-prime puzzle of a world champion. Those dreams quickly became a nightmare.

Thurman’s an old fighter. He’s slower, the inactivity and injuries have taken their toll. He was never Floyd Mayweather defensively, but his reaction time has dropped considerably. If this didn’t show up in training camp for him, then he was operating on a sort of delusion. With live rounds flying against a top-level opponent, Thurman looked cooked.

Keith’s had so many setbacks over the years that you wonder if he’ll come out of that with the determination to fight again or maybe just say he gave it his best, he tried against the elite again, and he came up short. And that’s that. It would be fair and admirable, he’s had a terrific career, and I truly feel as though we really did lose, basically, a good five years of what could have been his prime or close enough to it, when he still would have been a top guy at 147, and maybe had a much better chance at winning a title at 154.

But, again, PBC loves its veterans from the years when they were an actual premier company in the sport. Errol Spence Jr’s name comes up for a comeback bid every now and then. Maybe PBC feels there are enough fans to sell that for $75 on pay-per-view.

If that is the last we saw of Keith, I think he went out prouder than some people do. He did try in there. He gave that what he had left. He got lit up for it, and he stayed up, looking to find some miracle. It wasn’t there for him, and I think Taylor might the right stoppage. Whatever “brand value” he came into that fight with got smashed up, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see him again, no.

Elijah Garcia

It wasn’t all that long ago that Garcia (17-2, 13 KO) looked like a rising contender at 160 lbs. He was 19 and freshly 20 back in 2023, when he posted wins over Amilcar Vidal Jr, Kevin Salgado, and Armando Resendiz, all very solid for his age and experience level. Garcia had big dreams, wanted to race to a world title fight as soon as possible, and he seemed more enthusiastic about it than just crazy.

Then he lost to Kyrone Davis in 2024. He got a questionable win over Terrell Gausha in 205. On Saturday, on the PBC prelims, he lost to Kevin Newman II. The fight had a 172 lb catchweight. The last we’d seen of Garcia, he was at 160. Moving up in weight when young is not unusual, bodies keep growing and he’s had layoffs, but that on top of three straight fights of serious struggles that could easily all have been losses is going to raise eyebrows.

The young man, now 22, is at the crossroads. But this doesn’t have to be the end of the world or the end of the line.

Basically, he’s going to have to reboot and almost start over. If you were a ShoBox watcher a decade ago, you might remember a 22-year-old O’Shaquie Foster losing a couple of fights. He was out of boxing almost a year-and-a-half after the second loss. He came back fighting at very low levels, four-round bouts on club-level shows. He inched his way forward from there. A few years of that, he had just kept winning, and then he took the WBC super featherweight title from Rey Vargas. He’s a two-time champion now, 32 years old and still among the best at his weight.

It doesn’t have to be over for Elijah Garcia any more than it was for O’Shaquie Foster.

The No. 1 seed Michigan Wolverines took down the No. 6 seed Tennessee Volunteers, 95-62, in the Elite Eight at the United Center, securing a spot in the Final Four for the first time under head coach Dusty May.

Michigan completely dominated the final 30 minutes of the game, turning an early deficit into a resounding victory. Yaxel Lendeborg finished with a game-high 27 points, helping Michigan improve to 35-3 overall on the season and clinch a berth in the Final Four.

Here are five takeaways from the win.

The Wolverines hit a gear that only a few teams can reach

Michigan got off to a relatively sluggish start, trailing 16-14 midway through the first half. Then the Wolverines hit a gear that only a few other teams in the country can reach, going on a 21-0 run to take a 35-16 lead. Michigan made six straight shots during the run, while Tennessee went scoreless for nearly six minutes.

Lendeborg sparked the run with a dazzling fast-break finish. Three-pointers by Roddy Gayle Jr., Elliot Cadeau and Lendeborg completely blew the game open early on in the game.

Yaxel Lendeborg continues to be in full attack mode

Lendeborg has been criticized at times this season for not being aggressive enough, particularly in games that Michigan needs him to be. However, that sentiment seems to be a thing of the past, as he has been in full attack mode in recent games. The Big Ten Player of the Year is averaging 25.0 points, 8.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists in the last three games. It seems like he is becoming more comfortable as the go-to guy, just in time for Michigan to contend for a national championship.

Turnovers have been kept to a minimum in the tournament

Michigan had some sloppy turnovers throughout the season, but that just hasn’t been the case in the NCAA Tournament. The Wolverines have been a lot more patient and under control on offense, committing just 40 turnovers in the last four games combined. During the regular season, Michigan averaged 12.2 turnovers per game, which ranked 257th in the country. Keeping turnovers to a minimum will continue to be a key factor in the Wolverines potentially winning the national title.

Michigan clinches Final Four spot for the first time in 2018

The Wolverines continue to etch their names in the history books, reaching the Final Four for the ninth time in program history, the third time in the last 14 years and the first time since 2018. There is plenty of work to be done, as Michigan is still searching for the school’s second national championship, but clinching a spot in the Final Four is an unforgettable accomplishment. The Wolverines are now just two wins away from reaching the ultimate goal and being crowned national champions.

Dusty May advances to second Final Four in the last four years

Even though Michigan hasn’t reached the Final Four since 2018, May was on college basketball’s biggest stage three years ago. During his stint as Florida Atlantic’s head coach, May led the Owls to the Final Four for the first time in school history in 2023. May is one of just two head coaches to compete in the Final Four twice in the last four seasons, along with UConn’s Dan Hurley. In the last few years, May has proven to be one of the nation’s best coaches, and he’s led Michigan back to prominence.

Duke vs. UCLA box score: Full stats from 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament game originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Duke is trying to boost their March Madness moment and advance to the Elite Eight for the second consecutive season. While the Blue Devils understand the task at hand, they'll still have to get by top-seeded UCLA and Lauren Betts on Sunday in Sacramento. 

The third-seeded Blue Devils are trying to make their first trip to the Final Four since 2006. Duke (27-8) has been to the regional final five times in the past 20 years. As for UCLA, trying to get back to the national semifinals for the second consecutive season is the goal. The two teams met in November and the Bruins ran away with a win without Betts.

However, that seems like ages ago. Duke has only lost twice in the past 26 games. While the Bruins ran through the Big Ten regular season and tournament, this is where games are typically decided in the final seconds. 

More:UConn's Geno Auriemma fires off blunt message about women's college hoops

The 6-foot-7 Betts is averaging 17.1 points and 8.6 rebounds this season while shooting 57.7% from the field.

Here is a look at the box score from Sunday's Elite Eight Regional 2 in Sacramento.

Duke vs. UCLA March Madness box score

Duke stats 

UCLA stats

What channel is Duke vs. UCLA on today?

Duke vs. UCLA How to Watch
Date: Sunday, March 29
Time: 3 p.m. ET
Golden 1 Center- Sacramento, California
TV: ABC (Available on FuboTV)

More college basketball news:

• Two fans ejected from NCAA Tournament after bringing FAFO energy, lose $6K
• Duke’s Jon Scheyer pulls off historic feat Mike Krzyzewski never achieved
• John Calipari says college athletics is broken — Here’s his plan to fix it
• Kenny Smith reacts to UNC coaching rumors
• Nate Burleson's wardrobe gets roasted during March Madness coverage

Sabres magic number tracker: Updated playoff odds, remaining schedule to end playoff drought originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Buffalo Sabres are so close to the moment their fans have desired for more than a decade.

They're working to end the longest playoff drought in the NHL, and it's happened in quite the wild way, too. The standings are in their favor. The magic number is getting lower. This clinching scenario really looks like it's going to happen.

Buffalo had 11 regulation wins and 14 regulation losses on December 9. That night, they won a wild, 4-3 game in overtime over the Oilers. And somehow, the Sabres got so hot that they reached 40 regulation wins before 20 regulation losses.

The stretch run has arrived now, and the Sabres just have to finish solidly to avoid any collapses and get into the playoffs.

And once a team is in the postseason, anything can happen.

Buffalo is ready to rock for some home playoff games. The clinch is closing in.

Below, we'll keep track of how close the Sabres are getting.

MORE: Alex Ovechkin snaps an unfathomable streak

Buffalo Sabres magic number live tracker

Refresh for the latest.

What is the Sabres' magic number?

A big Saturday for Buffalo: A Sabres shootout win over the Kraken paired with a Red Wings loss. That has lowered the Sabres' magic number to 7.

According to Buffalo Sabres Stats on X, the Sabres also still have magic numbers in play for first-round home ice (15), win division (19) and Eastern Conference top seed (21).

As they gain points from wins (or OT losses), and as other teams in the standings miss chances to gain points, that magic number drops.

Sabres playoff odds

After the Sabres' win over the Kraken, they're given a 100% chance to make the playoffs, according to MoneyPuck.com.

Buffalo Sabres remaining schedule

• March 31: vs. Islanders
• April 2: at Senators
• April 4: at Capitals
• April 6: vs. Lightning
• April 8: at Rangers
• April 9: vs. Blue Jackets
• April 13: at Blackhawks
• April 15: vs. Stars

They've got a chance to clinch sometime in early April. They'll first play on the final day of March against the New York Islanders.

How long is the Sabres' playoff drought?

The Buffalo Sabres have missed the playoffs in the last 14 NHL seasons.

When did the Sabres last play in the playoffs?

Their last playoff game was on April 26, 2011.

That was an Eastern Conference first round Game 7 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers.

More NHL news:

• Astounding record set by Matthew Schaefer
• The Sabres' entire season changed with one game
• Pump the brakes on Auston Matthews
• This unexpected Oilers' component is surging at the right time
• How Erik Karlsson is 'best player in the world right now'

The San Francisco 49ers' struggling pass rush should get a significant lift in training camp according to an update from general manager John Lynch on Sunday at the NFL owners meetings.

Lynch told reporters defensive ends Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams are on track to be eased into action during training camp according to ESPN's Nick Wagoner. Bosa and Williams both sustained torn ACLs during the 2025 season. The former tore his in Week 3, while the latter's came in Week 9.

There's no specific timeline for either player's return, but the fact there's optimism for both to be back for training camp means they should be back early in the regular season if not Week 1.

San Francisco desperately needs both Bosa and Williams on the field as early as possible. Without Bosa their pass rush struggled badly, and their run defense took a massive hit when Williams went out. However, the club also needs to exercise a level of caution when bringing them back, especially with Williams who tore his ACL in early November. Both players are essential for the 49ers' success in 2026. Neither needs to be rushed back into action and endanger their hopes of being healthy late in the year.

Another update should come in April when the 49ers begins their offseason program. The team may not put a specific date on their returns until the time gets closer so they're not putting undue pressure on their rehabbing players. For now the optimism is good news.

More 49ers: 49ers GM John Lynch has almost unbelievable update on TE George Kittle

This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: 49ers injuries: Good news on DEs Nick Bosa, Mykel Williams

Jake Knapp ended his week at the Texas Children’s Houston Open on a real high with the American tying the course record with a round of 62 on Sunday.

Knapp set the clubhouse target early on Sunday at Memorial Park after a stunning final round.

He went into Sunday with too much to do to put himself in genuine contention, but Knapp did ensure that he could take real confidence from the event as he made six birdies and one eagle to move into the top five.

With that, Knapp tied the course record at Memorial Park. However, things could have easily been even better for the 2024 Mexico Open winner, with a putt on the last for a 61 lipping out.

Jake Knapp reacts to his stunning final round at the Texas Children’s Houston Open

It has been such an impressive start to the season for Knapp, with Sunday seeing him register his fifth top 10 of the year.

It bodes extremely well for The Masters next month. But when asked about his run of matching or breaking course records – he has previously done similar at PGA National and Detroit Golf Club – Knapp admitted that he is a little frustrated not to get across the line and add to his tally of victories.

“It was good. I still didn’t drive it necessarily amazing, but was able to control distances and hit it pretty well into the greens to give myself a bunch of looks,” he said. “Tried to play aggressive. You kind of got nothing to lose. Getting ready for Augusta in a couple weeks, just tried to hit the shots that were kind of called for on most holes. Yeah, did a good job of just trusting that and just knowing that I’ve been hitting it well and playing well and try to give myself some chances.

“It’s always cool anytime going around a course knowing how many guys have played here and knowing you shot the lowest of anybody coming through. At the same time, I’d take no course records and more wins, but it’s still a cool accomplishment. I wish I did it in one of the last groups on Sunday, but we’ll take it.”

Why Knapp is a serious contender to spring a surprise at The Masters

Many will be looking at Knapp as a potential outsider to contend at Augusta National.

He is unfortunate in that so many of the biggest names are playing so well at the moment. It is hard to see how one of the heavyweights does not win the first major of the year.

But Knapp went into the Houston Open as the second best putter on the PGA Tour. Meanwhile, he was eighth for driving distance.

His only previous visit to The Masters saw Knapp finish in a tie for 55th. But he will probably be stronger because of that experience.

It would certainly be no surprise to see him catch fire at some stage during his time at Augusta National.

Jets predicted to make bold NFL Draft trade just like Giants did last year originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

With the 2026 NFL Draft less than a month away, each team's plans are beginning to take fruition. While free agency or trades could change things, the possible paths for each team at this point are relatively known.

For the New York Jets, with picks No. 2, 16, 33, and 44, they could look to land multiple elite players in this class. But, it likely won't be a quarterback with either of their first-round picks at second and 16th overall.

Instead, the Jets could get aggressive, just as Bleacher Report's Brent Sobleski predicts. Sobleski is predicting that the Jets make a bold trade, similar to what the New York Giants did last year for Jaxson Dart, targeting someone like Ty Simpson.

Jets predicted to trade back into R1 for Ty Simpson

"New York Jets trade back into 1st round to make 3rd selection," Sobleski predicts. "The New York Jets have massive amounts of draft capital, which they should use to find their franchise quarterback."

While the Jets aren't likely to select a quarterback with the No. 2 or No. 16 overall picks in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft, with their two second-rounders and draft capital down the board, they could look to trade back into the first round for a quarterback.

Last year, the Giants did the same thing, trading back into the first round and drafting Dart. That worked out, as Dart looks like a possible franchise guy for the Giants moving forward.

If the Jets could draft a top defensive player at No. 2, and another wide receiver at No. 16, then turn around and trade up for Simpson at quarterback, they could have three picks in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft to completely overhaul the roster.

More: Aaron Glenn predicted to add three QBs to NFL roster this offseason

With both Aaron Glenn and Darren Mougey potentially on the hot seat, taking this swing for Simpson in the latter half of the first round wouldn't be a terrible idea.

There are going to be some teams interested in him, especially as the draft moves along. Their biggest obstacle will be the Pittsburgh Steelers at 21st overall and the Cleveland Browns at 24th overall.

But, if Simpson makes it past both, or even if the Jets can find a reasonable trade ask from a team picking ahead of those two teams, then moving back up and taking Simpson, like Sobleski is predicting, could make a lot of sense.

It's a risk, but for the Jets, taking a big gamble at the quarterback position isn't the worst idea. If all else fails, and Simpson and Geno Smith look bad in 2026, then we can draft a QB early in the first round of the 2027 NFL Draft when the class is expected to be great.

More Jets news:

• Breece Hall breaks silence on franchise tag
• Jets deny Aaron Glenn was asleep at NFL Combine
• Geno Smith returning to Jets is ‘full circle’ moment for veteran QB
• Nahshon Wright agrees to $5.5 million deal with Jets in steal by Darren Mougey
• Jets get bad news as Jaguars don’t look poised to trade Brian Thomas Jr. despite trade rumors
• Jets traded for Geno Smith instead of signing him in free agency to avoid worst-case-scenario
• Jets predicted to draft David Bailey No. 2 overall after offseason spending

For the 10th time in Dawn Staley’s tenure as South Carolina’s head coach, the Gamecocks will be playing in the Elite Eight, hoping to advance to the Final Four for the sixth straight year.

But Staley is the first to admit how much things have changed in college basketball over the past few years. In a news conference ahead of the matchup against TCU on Monday, the longtime South Carolina coach got candid about how recruitment these days comes down to money.

"How much is it going to cost us? That's the conversation. You've gotta lead with that,” Staley said, when asked how the recruiting conversations have changed. “Because you don't really want to waste your time. You either are going to have enough to pay players, or you don't. And you move on. Because although you can promise a young person this or that, if your budget says otherwise — I don't like to promise anything that isn't available to us. I don't want to have to go out and get the money because you could be told no and then your back is against the wall.

“I won't say I lead with that question, but I get to it fairly quickly. After the pleasantries are done, you gotta get to the question so you're not wasting your time and spinning your wheels on somebody that you can't afford.”

Staley added that getting a college degree — once the primary incentive for playing collegiate sports — is less of a priority now, but that she works with players to ensure that their credits work out so that they can graduate.

“That's part of the conversation. But all of our kids graduate, all of them but one in my career,” she said. (Staley joked that she planned to “threaten” the one, who she did not name, on social media if she did not “get with the program.”)

Since the Supreme Court ruling in 2021 that made Name, Image and Likeness the lay of the land in the NCAA, player payment through endorsement deals is evolving year after year. And in conjunction with transfer portal changes, coaches have been outspoken about having to evolve with the landscape.

Earlier in the news conference, Staley noted that about a third of the team was built up of new players, meaning transfers and freshmen. Two members of the Gamecocks’ starting lineup are transfers: guard Ta’Niya Latson, who transferred after three seasons at Florida State, and center Madina Okot, who spent last season at Mississippi State. Maryam Dauda, a senior forward who played in most games this season off the bench, is also a transfer, coming in from Arkansas.

Latson and Okot hold the second- and third-most points per game on the Gamecocks’ roster, averaging 14.7 points and 13.4 points per game this season, respectively.

South Carolina will be facing off against a TCU squad led by two notable transfers: Olivia Miles, who transferred from Notre Dame last offseason, and Marta Suárez, who joined the Horned Frogs after two years each at Tennessee and Cal.

NFL mock draft season is heating up, and for good reason. With the initial wave of free agency behind us, the needs of teams like the Buffalo Bills are coming into clearer focus, and the draft analysts can now serve up more informed offerings for how teams will tackle their remaining roster issues through the draft.

Today’s edition of Buffalo Rumblinks examines the latest batch of mock drafts to see if there’s a consensus opinion about what the Bills will do at pick No. 26, and why one position seems to be identified more than others by president of football operations/general manager Brandon Beane.

Consensus of mock drafts have the Bills going WR at No. 26

The Bills have already dealt for veteran wide receiver DJ Moore this offseason, but that trade alone doesn’t seem to signal to the draftniks that Buffalo is done bringing in talented pass catchers for Josh Allen.

Despite the Bills still having needs at edge rusher, linebacker, and nose tackle, when it comes to studying the mock drafts, the experts seem to think Beane will select a wide receiver at the end of the first round. Among the names commonly linked to Buffalo: Texas A&M WR KC Concepcion (pictured above), Arizona State WR Jordyn Tyson (pictured below), and Washington WR Denzel Boston.

The Bills have also been linked to A&M edge rusher Cashius Howell, Georgia linebacker CJ Allen, Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman, Clemson cornerback Avieon Terrell, Clemson run stuffer Peter Woods, Toledo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Auburn defensive end Keldrick Faulk, and Clemson edge rusher/outside linebacker T.J. Parker.

We also break down this year’s class of wide receivers; learn how Buffalo is doing its homework on one of the draft’s most freakish athletes—Navy defensive tackle Landon Robinson—and identify three prospects the Bills should avoid taking at pick No. 26.

• Bills mock draft 2026: Buffalo adds game-changing safety, Godfather for the Mafia and more – newyorkupstate.com
• Buffalo News Mock Draft 2.0: Bills shift their focus to creating more heat off the edge – Buffalo News (subscription required)
• Bills mock drafts keep circling wide receiver at No. 26 – Democrat & Chronicle
• Buffalo Bills Mock Draft Watch 5.0 – BuffaloBills.com
• NFL mock draft: Cowboys move up for Jeremiyah Love, Ty Simpson sneaks into first round – The Athletic (subscription required)
• Predicting Rounds 1-2 of the NFL draft: Yates finds landing spots for 64 top prospects – ESPN.com
• 2026 NFL Mock Draft: Cowboys trade up for Jeremiyah Love, Cardinals secure a quarterback – Pro Football Focus
• Daniel Jeremiah 2026 NFL mock draft 3.0 – NFL.com
• 2026 NFL Mock Draft: Post-Free Agency 4-Round Projections – Athlon Sports
• Bills Select All-SEC Edge Defender in Latest First-Round Mock Draft – Sports Illustrated Buffalo Bills
• Eric Edholm 2026 NFL mock draft 2.0 – NFL.com
• Mike Band 2026 NFL mock draft 1.0 – NFL.com
• Charles Davis 2026 NFL mock draft 3.0 – NFL.com
• 2026 NFL mock draft – CBS Sports.com
• New Bills Mock Draft Predicts Buffalo Will Trade Back With Cardinals – Sports Illustrated Buffalo Bills
• How will the Bills use their first-round pick? A post-free agency look at some options – Buffalo News (subscription required)
• Greg Cosell Breaks Down WR Draft Class – BuffaloBills.com
• The Buffalo Bills are doing their homework on one of the draft’s most freakishly strong athletes – newyorkupstate.com
• Three NFL Draft Prospects Bills Must Avoid With No. 26 Pick – Sports Illustrated Buffalo Bills

Even more Bills news

Discussing the possibility of the Bills dealing for talented edge rusher Myles Garrett. Plus, veteran linebacker Shaq Thompson wants to return to Buffalo for the upcoming season; how the signing of Damar Hamlin impacts the depth chart at safety; the Bills haven’t decided if former running back O.J. Simpson will be honored on the team’s Wall of Fame at the new stadium; and more!

• Bills Mailbag: Is a Myles Garrett trade possibility now on the table? – Buffalo News (subscription required)
• What It Would Take for the Bills to Trade for Myles Garrett – Sports Illustrated Buffalo Bills
• Veteran defender says he’s ‘trying to’ return to Buffalo Bills in 2026 – newyorkupstate.com
• How Bills Damar Hamlin Re-Signing Affects Buffalo’s Depth Chart
• Bills undecided on including O.J. Simpson on new stadium’s Legend Wall – Democrat & Chronicle
• Buffalo Bills’ Wall of Fame may not include O.J. Simpson when their new stadium opens – newyorkupstate.com
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Cam Boozer live stat tracking vs. UConn: Full stats, highlights, and more from Duke Elite Eight game originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

During Sunday's Elite Eight matchup between No. 1 overall seed Duke and No. 2 seed UConn there will be one name mentioned a lot. 

The presumptive National Player of the Year Cameron Boozer has been the most consistent during this season for Duke. He will match up with UConn center Tarris Reed Jr., who has looked dominant during the Huskies' run to their third Elite Eight in four seasons. 

According to CBS Sports, "Boozer vs. Reed will be the first Elite Eight (or later) matchup in the past 40 years between players averaging at least 20 points and 10 rebounds per game in the NCAA Tournament. Both are also among just six players in the past 50 years to average at least 20 points, 10 rebounds and three assists entering the Elite Eight."

More: Why Cameron Boozer and Fernando Mendoza could soon make sports history

However, Boozer will be the one to watch in this tourney game. The projected top-3 2026 NBA Draft pick is averaging 22.4 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game. 

Cam Boozer vs. UConn March Madness Elite Eight stats

Highlights

Halftime thoughts from Cam

.@DukeMBB star Cameron Boozer spoke with @tracywolfson at the half after he and his brother Cayden combined for 27 first-half points pic.twitter.com/Ne62guhnv4

— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) March 29, 2026

Duke is rolling. 

14-0 RUN ⛽️

(40th "kill shot" of the year) pic.twitter.com/6DVHKQJdmq

— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB) March 29, 2026

Cam Boozer is hosting a block party

Boozer with ANOTHER rejection 😳 pic.twitter.com/gkRhxRn9AL

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 29, 2026

Cam blocks a shot by barely jumping

CAM BOOZER SWATS IT 😳#MarchMadness@DukeMBBpic.twitter.com/Hl3t9Y7SNm

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 29, 2026

Cam for 3

Cam Boozer from downtown 🌆#MarchMadness@DukeMBBpic.twitter.com/z6NOWLm7mC

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 29, 2026

Flashback to March 27, Jon Scheyer talks up Cam Boozer

"He affects the game in all ways... That's how we got separation."

Jon Scheyer with some praise for star freshman Cam Boozer | @tracywolfsonpic.twitter.com/j27j5vtPqe

— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) March 21, 2026

Cam Boozer is the first underclassman since Larry Bird in 1977 to average 20 pts, 10 rebs & 4 ast in a single season pic.twitter.com/HT5YRELgk4

— Underdog (@Underdog) March 28, 2026

What channel is UConn vs. Duke on today?

UConn vs. Duke How to Watch
Date: Sunday, March 29
Time: 5:05 p.m. ET
Capital One Arena- Washington, DC
TV: CBS (Available on FuboTV)

More college basketball news:

• Two fans ejected from NCAA Tournament after bringing FAFO energy, lose $6K
• Duke’s Jon Scheyer pulls off historic feat Mike Krzyzewski never achieved
• John Calipari says college athletics is broken — Here’s his plan to fix it
• Kenny Smith reacts to UNC coaching rumors
• Nate Burleson's wardrobe gets roasted during March Madness coverage

Astros' Jose Altuve has made a dramatic change to his game so far in 2026 MLB season originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Jose Altuve has been one of the shortest players in baseball his entire career with the Houston Astros.

But despite having a small strike zone, he has never walked very much.

This season, that has changed, at least in the early going.

The Athletic's Chandler Rome shared this stat Sunday on X:

• In 2025, Altuve needed 92 plate appearances to reach 5 walks for the season.
• In 2026, Altuve has needed just 16 plate appearances to reach 5 walks for the season.

There are obviously a lot of things that go into this, including pitchers who may just lose it for an at bat here or there against Altuve.

MORE: Yankees break franchise record set by 1908 New York Highlanders

The reality, though, is that for most of his career Altuve has swung early and often -- and he's so good at making contact that he rarely just fouls pitches off or whiffs. 

Instead, he puts the ball in play, and that means at bats don't get deep enough for Altuve to walk very often.

It's early, of course, so nothing is guaranteed to continue here. There's a chance that Altuve has just worked his way to five walks as a fluke.

But it would make sense for him to be at least a little more patient as he ages. There's a lot of wisdom in that mind when Altuve goes to the plate. It makes sense to try to use it, especially if Altuve feels better about how the strike zone will be called this season with the advent of the ABS challenge system.

Regardless of the reason, Altuve is proving he can reach base on walks. It's certainly not a bad addition to his repertoire.

More MLB news:

• Wrigley Field wind impacted potential HR by more than 100 feet
• Aaron Judge ties Dodgers legend on MLB all-time record list
• Roman Anthony joins feat of 9 Hall of Famers
• Reds make umpire CB Bucknor look bad with ABS challenges
• This New York Times crossword clue is bizarre for baseball fans
• The Mets already have a Bo Bichette problem

PHILADELPHA (AP) — MacKenzie Gore struck out seven in his Texas debut, and Brandon Nimmo and Andrew McCutchen both homered to lead the Rangers to an 8-3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday.

Gore made his first start for the Rangers after he was acquired from Washington in an offseason trade. He tossed five hitless innings before his bid for Texas' first no-hitter since Kenny Rogers threw a perfect game in 1994 was broken up by a leadoff infield single from Justin Crawford in the sixth.

Gore (1-0) fanned Bryce Harper with the bases loaded in the sixth and left the game after he plunked Alec Bohm with a pitch to make it 6-1. The bullpen did the rest to help the Rangers take two of three from the NL East champion Phillies.

Nimmo, a former New York Mets outfielder who was booed all weekend, took Phillies starter Jesús Luzardo (0-1) deep for a two-run shot in the second. McCutchen, also in his first season with the Rangers, hit a three-run homer in the fourth for a 5-0 lead.

Kyle Higashioka hit a fly to right in the sixth that Adolis Garcia, a former Ranger, appeared to lose in the sun. He slipped and fell to the ground — and so did the baseball for an RBI single and a 6-0 lead.

That was enough run support for Gore.

The 27-year-old lefty is 26-41 with a 4.19 ERA in four major league seasons, the past three with Washington. He was an NL All-Star last season, but he faded in the second half and ended up going 5-15 with a 4.17 ERA and a career-best 185 strikeouts in 30 appearances, all starts.

Gore recorded a career-high 13 strikeouts and allowed one hit in six shutout innings against the Phillies in his first start last season.

Up next

The Rangers send RHP Jack Leiter to the mound Monday when they open a three-game series at Baltimore. RHP Chris Bassitt pitches for the Orioles.

The Phillies continue their homestand and send RHP Taijuan Walker to the mound Monday against Washington LHP Foster Griffin in the opener of a three-game series.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Minnesota Vikings legendary safety Joey Browner died on March 28 at the age of 65, the team announced.

No cause of death was shared in the team's announcement.

Browner was selected by the Vikings with the 19th pick in the first round of the 1983 NFL Draft. The USC product became the first defensive back to be drafted in the first round by the Vikings in the team's history.

He went on to play nine seasons with the team from 1983 to 1991 before finishing his career the following year with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The safety was inducted into the Vikings' Ring of Honor in 2013, adding that to a career that included three first-team All-Pro selections, six consecutive Pro Bowl honors and was later named to the 1980s NFL Team of the Decade.

"The Ring of Honor is something that is very special because there are very few of us that are in there," Browner said of his induction, via the Vikings' team site. "To be with people like Fran Tarkenton and Jim Marshall … Chris Doleman, John Randle, it's just a great honor."

Browner appeared in 145 games and totaled 37 interceptions, including three returned for a touchdown, and 17 forced fumbles to go along with 9½ career sacks.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Joey Browner, longtime Minnesota Vikings DB, dies at 65

France face Colombia in a heavyweight friendly on Sunday, and one man is lighting things up on the pitch. 

Didier Deschamps selected a second-string starting lineup to begin the match, and Desire Doue took the opportunity to make a name for himself. 

The PSG ace scored twice, netting not only his first two goals for his country, but also becoming the youngest to record a brace for Le Bleus in almost a decade.

It's now 18 goals and assists for the 20-year-old this season.

The problem for Deschamps, is given this recent form and the depth of France's squad, should he start Doue at the World Cup over someone else?

Following Michigan’s statement win over Tennessee, three of four 2026 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament’s Final Four squads are set. 

The No. 1 Wolverines accompany the No. 1 Arizona Wildcats and No. 3 Illinois Fighting Illini in the coveted final two rounds of the tournament. The victor of No. 1 Duke vs. No. 2 UConn will join the fold this evening.

Wisconsin men’s basketball’s program exited the hardwood with a loss to No. 12 High Point on March 19, but Greg Gard's group boasts a relatively impressive resume against two of its conference foes during the 2025-26 campaign. Spearheaded by guards Nick Boyd and John Blackwell, Wisconsin owns three combined wins over Brad Underwood's Fighting Illini and Dusty May's Wolverines.

The run began on Jan. 10, when UW handed Michigan its first loss of the 2025-26 season with a nail-biting 91-88 road win. Blackwell and Boyd combined for 48 points in Ann Arbor in the Badgers' defining win of the season.

A month later, Wisconsin defeated Illinois 92-90 in overtime in Champaign. Boyd and Blackwell combined for 49, enough to overcome Big Ten Freshman of the Year and future lottery pick Keaton Wagler's 34 points.

Wisconsin followed its showing with another overtime win over the Illini, this time in the Big Ten Tournament. Boyd's 38 points and Blackwell's 31 powered the group over a well-rounded Illinois effort, but the Badgers would fall to the Wolverines 68-65 in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals on March 14.

While fans may be displeased with Wisconsin's recent string of performances in the NCAA Tournament, the Badgers' regular-season and conference tournament success against conference juggernauts is indisputable.

The NCAA Tournament continues with Duke vs. UConn at 4:10 p.m. CT, and the Final Four begins on April 4 in Indianapolis.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion

This article originally appeared on Badgers Wire: Wisconsin badgers basketball record stats Michigan Illinois Final Four

Everything that Michigan basketball has played for all year hinged on what would transpire on Sunday, as the Wolverines took on the Tennessee Volunteers in the Elite Eight.

The plan, all year, had been to play well enough to end up in Chicago, for a moment such as this, and that's precisely where the maize and blue had ended up. On Friday, they had taken care of Alabama, but now another SEC school loomed, this time the 6-seed Vols, who had vanquished 2-seed Iowa State after Michigan's win over the Tide on Friday night.

A Final Four was on the line. Here's what happened between Michigan and Tennessee.

Opening foray

Michigan opened up with a possession that went nowhere, with Nimari Burnett attempting a 3. Tennessee responded with a made 3, and then a turnover that ended up back with the Wolverines. The maize and blue got on the board with an Aday Mara one-handed jam, Vols lead, 3-2.

After taking up most of the shot clock, Burnett's shot didn't fall, but he was sent to the line, where he drained two, giving the Wolverines the lead. Felix Okpara found himself in the same situation, but missed both his free throw attempts. However, Tennessee collected the rebound, and they got another opportunity. Nate Ament scored a layup, and the Wolverines turned the ball over with an errant pass, allowing Bishop Boswell to lay it back up on a putback. Michigan drove quickly, with Elliot Cadeau laying it up off the high glass. J.P. Estrella's shot was blocked by Mara, leading to the under-16 media timeout.

Elliot Cadeau keeps Gillespie at his hip and finishes high off glass 👀#MarchMadness@umichbballpic.twitter.com/ppREieuRav

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 29, 2026

All knotted up

Roddy Gayle picked up a quick foul coming out of the timeout, Michigan's third. Ament's shot was errant, and Morez Johnson Jr. found himself fouled by Okpara, and thus drained both free throw attempts to give Michigan back the lead, 8-7. Ament missed another jumper, but the Vols continued to dominate the offensive glass, with Ament getting his own rebound, the seventh thus far for UT. Then Mara picked up his second foul (with 15:05 remaining in the first half), relegating him to the bench for likely the rest of the half -- a huge loss for the Wolverines. Ament drained both foul shots, giving Tennessee the 9-8 lead.

On the other end, Yaxel Lendeborg missed a 3, but Michigan got the ball back with Ja'Kobi Gillespie turning the ball over. After Cadeau drove the lane and missed his floater attempt, Gayle sailed over the basket to collect the rebound, which he threw down in an aggressive dunk to swing the game back in favor of the maize and blue.

Gotta box out Roddy Gayle or he'll make you pay 😤 pic.twitter.com/nEeNaFUHE4

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 29, 2026

Meanwhile, on the ensuing possession, Okpara picked up his second foul. Lendeborg finally got on the board with a jumper just outside the lane. Both teams missed their next shots, with Michigan's attempt coming from Trey McKenney beyond the arc. Jaylen Carey picked up a foul, evening the infraction score at four apiece (it had been four-to-one, with Michigan being called for more, previously). Johnson missed a jumper, which led to a Gillespie 3, and then a McKenney jumper to knot things at 14-all. After Burnett committed a foul, the Vols would be going to the line for two free throws with 11:22 remaining in the first half.

The stalemate breaks in favor of the Wolverines

Carey hit both free throws to untie the game. Ethan Burg and Carey (his second) picked up fouls on Michigan's offensive possession, with the latter putting Johnson on the line, where he hit the front end, but missed the back -- 16-15, UT. McKenney stole the ball on a block, but missed his layup attempt after DeWayne Brown II blocked it off the backboard. Tennessee got it back, and Ament missed his attempt, but Johnson picked up his second foul moments later. After Mara (who had come back in) stole the inbound, Evans picked up a foul, sending Lendeborg to the line, where he regained the lead for the Wolverines. Gillespie missed yet another 3 attempt, and Brown picked up a foul (the, this time on Mara -- who drained both free throws to extend the Michigan lead to three.

Estrella and Okpara both missed their shots, while Lendeborg had an emphatic reverse layup that went up and in, all while he was being fouled by Okpara (his third) in the process.

YAXEL ARE YOU SERIOUS WITH THAT!? 🤯 pic.twitter.com/0vNPqb9U5x

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 29, 2026

He hit the free throw to give the Wolverines a six-point lead. Boswell missed a 3, but Gayle didn't, and it was an 11-0 run for the maize and blue, a nine-point lead, all while the Vols hadn't scored in two and a half minutes.

Tennessee called a timeout to stem the bleeding, with the score Wolverines 25, Volunteers 16, 8:45 remaining in the first half.

11-0 RUN FORCES A TIMEOUT 😤#MarchMadness @umichmbb pic.twitter.com/F0O9fgvJFb

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 29, 2026

Coming out of the timeout, Carey missed a jumper, but Cadeau drained his first longball, a corner 3, and Michigan would take the 12-point lead into the under-12 media timeout. The 14-0 run had the Wolverines up, 28-16.

The Michigan run extends to 14-0 🤯#MarchMadness@umichbballpic.twitter.com/HIeZEUchZ0

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 29, 2026

Michigan piles on in a big way

The Vols missed their opportunity to score on the first possession out of the timeout, with Estella missing down low, leading to a Mara sky-hook, putting up 14. UT turned it over on the ensuing possession, leading to a Lendeborg 3. Gillespie missed yet another 3 (his sixth attempt, with one make), and Burnett got a layup, and the 19-0 run by Michigan led to a 19-point lead. Tennessee hadn't scored in over five minutes.

Aday Mara post work 😮‍💨#MarchMadness@umichbballpic.twitter.com/pF1f2G2vIz

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 29, 2026

EVERYTHING is going right for Michigan so far ‼️#MarchMadness@umichbballpic.twitter.com/g1szGO7TRB

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 29, 2026

Estrella missed a bunny, Lendeborg missed a 3, got a steal before throwing it out of bounds, leading to Carey finally breaking the massive scoring drought. Gillespie fouled Cadeau, who only hit the front end, but after Ament missed a jumper, Cadeau didn't miss his, and it was a 20-point Michigan lead.

Estrella continued to be abysmal from the field, with another miss (he was now 2-for-7), and Gayle missed his 3 attempt, before Gillespie picked up his second foul, leading to the under-four media timeout, Michigan up, 38-18.

Michigan survives Tennessee's mini-run

Lendeborg was set to go to the line coming out of the timeout. Michigan wasn't just outscoring Tennessee 54.5% to 20% from the floor, it had made up what had started as a massive rebound disparity, and it was also winning the turnover battle. The 24-2 run over a seven-minute period had given the Wolverines a massive advantage, but they would have to hold on.

The Michigan star forward missed both his free throws, and Carey scored to cut it to 18. But it was a short-lived respite, as Lendeborg drained a 3 on the other end, to give the Wolverines a 21-point lead.

Tschetter picked up a foul, but Ament missed the front-end of the one-and-one, and Brown picked up his second foul on the rebound, sending Gayle to the line. He missed both shots, and Carey appeared to have scored (on a Gayle goaltend), but a Michigan review negated the call, as Gayle got to it before it hit the backboard. However, it was detrimental, as Gillespie hit a 3, cutting the lead to 18. Cadeau missed a layup and picked up a foul on the rebound. Carey missed the free throw, but Gayle picked up his second on his rebound. Estrella hit the front end, and with 2:18 remaining in the half, Michigan was up 41-24.

Lendeborg, Gillespie, and McKenney all missed their shots, but Carey scored again, and the 6-0 run by the Vols cut the lead to 15. Lendeborg missed a 3, and Michigan was on a two-minute scoring drought. Gillespie, now 2-for-11, missed another 3 attempt, and Estrella picked up his first foul, putting Tschetter on the line. He scored on both, 43-26, Michigan.

A Cadeau block on Estrella led to a Lendeborg layup. Michigan called a timeout with 33 seconds left.

Tennessee didn't try to hold the ball with the three-second differential. It proved to be unwise. Estrella missed a dunk with 14 seconds left, but McKenney didn't miss his longball to put Michigan up 48-26 at the half.

Michigan by TKO.

— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) March 29, 2026

Michigan extends the lead coming out of the half.

Michigan opened up with the basketball, and Mara missed his shot, but so did the Vols. Lendeborg managed to putback his own miss, and Estrella scored on a hook down low. Mara got a dunk, Tennessee missed, and then Mara drained 3 to put Michigan up 27. Gillespie answered with two consecutive 3s to get UT back within 21. Burnett missed a 3, Okpara missed a jumper, and then Lendeborg had a dunk to put Michigan up by 23.

YAXEL SOARS IN 💪#MarchMadness@umichbballpic.twitter.com/vyvGViWHtv

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 29, 2026

Ament missed a jumper, but Burnett finally got a deep ball to fall, putting the Wolverines up by 26. Carey's shot was blocked by Mara, and Carey picked up his third foul moments later, leading to the under-16 media timeout.

Continued dominance, and a mini-run by the Vols

Burnett missed a 3 coming out of the timeout, as did Gillespie. But Lendeborg didn't, and it was a 29-point game. The Vols got nothing doing on the other end, but neither could Cadeau, attempting a longball. The two teams got into a bit of a tussel, with Johnson needing to be separated from Amari Evans by Dusty May. Amid the skirmish, Carey was given a technical foul after coming in unabated to bump Johnson. Lendeborg made the first technical free throw, but missed the back-end. Michigan retained possession, and Johnson was fouled by Estrella. He also hit one of two. Michigan up by 31.

Johnson picked up his third foul, Okpara got a dunk, and Lendeborg followed it up with a layup. Burg missed a 3, but the Vols managed the rebound. Evans missed the 3, Cadeau turned the ball over, Lendeborg blocked Burg's layup, but Brown got the putback. Lendeborg, Gillespie, McKenney, and Gillespie again scored. Gillespie forced a Cadeau turnover, got a dunk, and forced a Lendeborg foul for the and-one. The lead was 71-44 at the under-12 media timeout.

More dominance by the Wolverines

The foul shot was made by UT, and McKenney was fouled on the other end, where he drained all three free throws. Okpara laid it in to cut the Wolverine lead to 27. Lendeborg missed two 3s (he was 3-for-9 beyond the arc at this point), and Okpara scored again to cut it to a 25-point Michigan lead. But Okpara picked up his fourth foul, and Johnson responded with a layup with an and-one (but he missed the free throw). On the other end, Ament had the same scenario, with McKenney picking up the foul. But unlike Johnson, Ament got his foul shot to go, and it was a 24-point game with 8:03 remaining. He picked up his third foul, however, on the inbound, putting Burnett on the line, where he drained both shots.

Gillespie missed a 3, but Estrella corralled the rebound. The ball was stolen by Cadeau, but Tschetter missed his longball attempt. Mara then picked up his third foul, leading to the under-eight media timeout. Michigan 78, Tennessee 52.

Mara picked up his fourth foul, but Okpara missed both his free throws. The next minute sees Tschetter, Lendeborg, Ament, and Okpara all miss shots. Ament picked up his fourth foul, putting Johnson on the line. He hit both free throws to put Michigan back up by 28. Gillespie missed, but Gayle drained a 3 to make it a 31-point game. Johnson picked up his fourth foul, putting Okpara on the line, where he hit both shots. Johnson responded by getting his second field goal of the game, a dunk.

Morez Johnson slams it home 💪#MarchMadness@umichbballpic.twitter.com/2DHwWo55KX

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 29, 2026

Boswell, Ament, and Gillespie all missed 3s, and now the Vols were on another four-minute scoring drought. Gillespie picked up his third foul, and Johnson put the Wolverines up by 33. Okpara hit a jumper, and Mara turned the ball over, leading to the under-four media timeout; the starters done for the day.

Closing it out

Gillespie scored a layup, Michigan turned it over, and Gillespie missed another layup. Burnett was the only starter still in the game for the Wolverines, and Oscar Goodman scored before blocking a Brown shot on the other end. Ament fouled out, putting Burnett on the line. He missed the front end but hit the back, to increase to 10 points. Troy Henderson's jumper didn't go, and Charlie May collected the rebound. McKenney was fouled and drained both free throws. Goodman stole the ball, though it was stolen right back from him. May picked up a foul, but Brown missed the front end of the one-and-one. Though he followed it up with a dunk to make it a 30-point deficit. However, May, a fan favorite and son of Dusty May, drained a 3 (making the Michigan-heavy crowd and bench erupt) to push the lead to 33. Henderson missed a 3, and Michigan held the ball until 17 seconds left, when Howard Eisley Jr. missed his deep ball.

Evans attempted a 3, but that was it -- Michigan beat Tennessee, 95-62.

Michigan is Final Four-bound!

The Wolverines will play red-hot Arizona, a fellow 1-seed, on Saturday night. The Wildcats are the No. 1 KenPom team (as of this writing), with an offense and defense slightly rated ahead of the maize and blue. But Michigan should have a homefield crowd, with Indianapolis being so much closer to Ann Arbor than Tuscon. The good news is also that Michigan has been more battle-tested during the regular season, and just had its biggest win in the biggest game of the season yet (though it wasn't the Wolverines' best opponent).

10 Michigan players scored in the Elite Eight, led by Yaxel Lendeborg with 27 points. Six were in double digits, with Roddy Gayle and Elliot Cadeau close behind with eight points each.

This article originally appeared on Wolverines Wire: Michigan basketball dominates Tennessee, advances to Final Four

The No. 1-seed Michigan Wolverines blew out the No. 6-seed Tennessee, 95-62, in Chicago on Sunday afternoon to advance to the Final Four. Here are some of the best reactions from social media.

Dusty sets the tone before the game

Mara gets the scoring started for the Wolverines in a pretty loud way

Shades of Trey Burke vs Louisville (the block was clean, this time included)

March Roddy had something to say early on

The refs wanted to make sure the fans knew they were there, too

We all were not having a great time watching this game…

…UNTIL THIS VERY MOMENT!

Elliot Cadeau passed the century mark for points in his college career

So yeah…Michigan was kicking ass there for a minute

That’s one way to put it

The lawnmowers are, indeed, ready to go at halftime

Steve didn’t have a very good day today on the mic

Same, Evan

If Mara is gonna be hitting three-pointers now…

More history was made, as Mara recorded his 100th block, the most in program history

It was a Michigan takeover in Chicago

It just means more

The human victory cigar cashed a three!

Michigan officially advances to the Final Four

Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappé has this weekend spoken out on the chances of he and his teammates sending Bayern Munich packing from the Champions League.

Real Madrid are of course fresh off sending Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City packing from Europe’s premiere club competition in comprehensive fashion.

Across the tie’s two legs, Los Blancos put five goals past the Premier League heavyweights.

Their reward for a job well done, however, was not exactly a generous one, pitted against Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich in the Champions League’s quarter-finals.

Bayern are widely considered one of the very favourites to go all the way on the continent this season, in stellar form at present.

Speaking during an interview with Telefoot (as cited by Fabrizio Romano) this weekend, the aforementioned Kylian Mbappé was therefore drawn on Real Madrid’s prospects against Vincent Kompany’s side.

And the Frenchman’s response proved a confident one:

“Bayern are probably the most in-form team in Europe… But if there’s a team that can beat them, it’s Real Madrid.”

Conor Laird – GSFN

CHICAGO – With Tennessee down by 19, one basket wasn’t going to make a difference. The game was effectively over, and whether Michigan won by 10 or 20, the outcome was still going to be the same.

Michigan coach Dusty May challenged the goaltending call, anyway. The Wolverines weren’t just here to win, they were here to send a message:

They’re the best team in the country, and they’ll steamroll anyone who is in their way.

More: Where does Michigan blowout rank among largest margin of victories in Elite 8?

Top-seeded Michigan routed sixth-seeded Tennessee 95-62 on Sunday, March 29, to reach the Final Four for the third time since 2013. With apologies to Moritz Wagner and Glenn Robinson III, these Wolverines have the best chance yet to win the school’s first national title since 1989.

In a span of two days, Michigan humbled the country’s top offensive team and the SEC’s best defensive team, and the Wolverines barely broke a sweat in doing so. They’ve scored 90 or more points and shot 50% or better in each of their NCAA tournament games, and the XX-point win over Tennessee was the biggest blowout of the weekend.

And if Yaxel Lendeborg isn’t the player of the year, he’s for sure the player of March.

Lendeborg tagged Tennessee for 27 points, his third game with 23 or more, and 10 of those came during a 23-2 run in the first half that effectively sealed the game. He’s making a career’s worth of highlights every game, including his tip-in layup off his own missed 3-pointer with 11:57 left to play against Tennessee.

The Wolverines are not a one-man team, however. Three other players were in double figures against Tennessee and three more just shy of it.

Whatever those hiccups Michigan had in the Big Ten tournament, where they struggled against Ohio State and Wisconsin before losing to Purdue in the title game, they are long gone. Michigan is rolling, and good luck to anyone who faces them.

That’ll be fellow No. 1 seed Arizona in the Final Four in Indianapolis on Friday night, April 3.

Though Michigan’s Fab Five never won an NCAA title, they changed college basketball with their outsized personalities, baggy shorts and black socks. These Wolverines might not have that kind of influence, but they’ve got a similar brand of fun.

Lendeborg is as goofy as he is good, and Roddy Gayle Jr. isn’t far behind. Even when they’re stealing people’s souls, they look to be having a blast doing it. They’re the last team you want to face and the first team you want to watch.

Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Michigan basketball makes statement with win over Tennessee in Elite 8

It had been a bit of a slow start to the season for Eugenio Suárez entering play on Sunday. It’s hard to fault him for it, of course, as he’d been away on the roller coaster that was Team Venezuela’s victory in the World Baseball Classic and had far from the typical spring training warm-up.

He also was returning to the Cincinnati Reds after four seasons elsewhere, and surely was putting some added pressure on himself to perform for a base of fans that adored him so. Spotlighting it was that the players who have been hitting ahead of him in the lineup – namely Sal Stewart and Matt McLain – have been so impossible to retire that each and every time Geno stepped to the plate it seemed as if there were multiple runners in scoring position.

Suárez put in a more vintage showing on Sunday in Great American Ball Park, however. With the Reds trailing the Boston Red Sox 2-0 in the Bottom of the 6th and a pair of runners on, Geno absolutely obliterated a ball into the second deck in LF for a 3-run homer, a 431 foot blast that flipped the scoreboard completely.

Thanks to Rhett Lowder holding Boston to just a pair of runs in an otherwise rock soild start and the bullpen holding firm over the final four frames, that swing was all the offense the Reds would need on the day in a 3-2 victory that earned them a series victory in their first of the year.

Geno, of course, takes home Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game honors for the day, the first time I’ve been able to dote the award on him in some five years.

Hat tips are in order for Sal Stewart, too, who was on base another four times in a masterful outing that’s becoming the norm for the rookie. He doubled, singled, walked twice, and even tagged up on a deep fly ball to CF off the bat by Geno that was nearly another homer.

The vibes on this team right now – they are quite good.

Other Notes

• Suarez did his damage on the day while also getting the start at 3B, as Ke’Bryan Hayes (who later came on to pinch run and play defense) got a break. I do often wonder how a guy who is so accustomed to playing defense in games every day adjusts to life as a DH, and it’ll be interesting to track how different Geno performs offensively on the days when he’s getting run at the other aspect of the game vs. on the days when he’s stuck twiddling his thumbs in the dugout for an hour at a time.
• Spencer Steer got his first hit of the season. Hooray, Spence!
• TJ Friedl played LF as Dane Myers got the start in CF, and he looked just fine over there. That’s certainly a rock solid defensive alignment when put together that way.
• Elly De La Cruz will never not look weird to me hitting right-handed, which he did all four times he came to the plate today. He struck out in three of those appearances.
• The Reds will rest up this evening and tomorrow will begin a three-game series at home against the Pittsburgh Pirates, who dropped their first two games of the season (and are in extra-innings against the New York Mets at the time of writing this). Chase Burns will get his first start of the season opposite Bucs starter Braxton Ashcraft, with first pitch slated for 6:40 PM ET. That game will be on FS1, for those parties interested in watching it that way, and also via MLB.tv.

Rookie Adam Sykora scored his second goal in as many games and goalie Igor Shesterkin made 27 saves to lead the New York Rangers past the Florida Panthers 3-1 in a Sunday matinee at Madison Square Garden.

Sykora scored the first of New York’s three goals in the third period against the defending Stanley Cup champions, who are limping to the finish line this season with a depleted lineup. Still, the Panthers played a hard, physical game, as expected, but Sykora and his teammates were more than up to the challenge.

The 21-year-old, who scored his first NHL goal in a 6-1 rout over the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday, also had his first fight in three games with the Rangers, when he engaged in a brief tussle with Luke Kunin late in the first period.

He wasn’t the only one who sparked the Rangers on Sunday. Shesterkin earned First Star honors and came within 41 seconds of shutting out the Panthers. The 30-year-old was at his best in the first period, stopping all 15 shots he faced.

Adam Fox had a goal and an assist for the Rangers (30-35-9), who also defeated the Panthers in the outdoor Winter Classic in Miami on Jan. 2. Conor Sheary’s short-handed goal in the third period proved to be the game-winner Sunday.

The Panthers held an 18-12 shots advantage and 63.49 percent expected goal share through two periods, per Natural Stat Trick. But it was the Rangers who came closest to actually scoring a goal over the first 40 minutes of scoreless game action.

Skating on their first power play, late in the second period, the Rangers literally had the puck on the goal line behind goalie Sergei Bobrovsky after J.T. Miller deflected Mika Zibanejad’s long shot off the post. But Panthers defenseman Gustav Forsling swooped in to swat the puck out of danger with 1:35 to play in the period.

Other than that, the Rangers offense was pretty quiet. In fact, they were not credited with a high-danger scoring opportunity 5v5 in either the first nor second period.

On the other hand, the Panthers didn’t generate many prime scoring chances at even strength either, though they did hold a pretty distinct territorial advantage throughout the first period and much of the second.

Florida did record five shots on goal during its lone power play in the first period, when Drew Fortescue took a delay of game minor at 7:53. Shesterkin robbed Eetu Luostarinen on the doorstep after a slick Matthew Tkachuk feed. Then after two sharp stops in tight, Shesterkin made a quick glove save through traffic to deny Jesper Boqvist to close out that power play.

Early in the third period, it appeared the Panthers secured a 1-0 lead. But Tkachuk’s goal was wiped off the board after the Rangers successfully challenged that the Panthers forward was offside entering the offensive zone.

Two minutes later, Sykora deflected Fox’s shot past Bobrovsky at 5:10 to make it 1-0 Rangers.

Then Sheary scored his fourth goal in the past 11 games at 11:14, mere seconds after Florida’s Mike Benning kissed iron with his power-play slap shot at the other end. Miller created the turnover and made the breakout pass to Sheary, shortly after a stickless Tye Kartye cleared the zone by deftly kicking the puck over the blue line.

Fox iced this one, scoring from almost 200 feet away into an empty-net at 16:06, after Florida pulled Bobrovsky for an extra attacker. The Panthers did spoil Shesterkin’s shutout bid on a fluky goal with 40.2 seconds remaining, when Mackie Samoskevich’s shot hit a Rangers stick and floated over the goalie’s shoulder and into the net.

Key takeaways after Rangers defeat Panthers 3-1

Balanced attack

Coach Mike Sullivan lauded the “balanced attack” the Rangers are deploying to some impressive success lately. The lines are more balanced, and there’s less reliance on the Zibanejad, Alexis Lafreniere, and Gabe Perreault trio to carry the offense.

With Noah Laba back from a five-game injury absence, the Rangers were extremely deep down the middle, with Zibanejad, Vincent Trocheck, Miller, and Laba each centering a line. Sykora’s been a great fit, and Sullivan singled out rookie Jaroslav Chmelar, who took shifts on the third line, as well as the fourth, for his vastly improved play since his first recall earlier in the season.

“Our young role players are bringing us juice,” Sullivan said postgame.

This was a big win on a day that the top-line was held off the score sheet.

I-Gor!

Whether in a retool or battling as a Stanley Cup contender, the Rangers single most important player is Shesterkin. And lest you forget, he showed us all why yet again on Sunday.

This game easily could’ve gotten away from the home team in the first period if not for their No. 1 goalie. Not only did he make five big saves during the Panthers early power play, but he continued to make clutch stops after the visitors carried momentum over into their 5v5 play.

You better believe his teammates loved the fight he showed, too, clocking Tkachuk with his blocker after tiring of the Panthers crowding his crease in the third period. There may be debate about who New York’s No. 2 goalie is moving forward and into next season. But there’s zero conversation about who the No. 1 is, nor the most valuable player to wear the Blueshirt.

Clutch loss for Panthers

It’s not in the Panthers DNA to tank or to accept losing. There’s a reason why they reached the Stanley Cup Final three straight years, and won the championship the past two. But over 400 man-games lost to injury this season clearly has worn them down. And it showed Sunday, with 10 regulars out of the lineup. The will is there, but not the whole elite package.

This was their third straight loss, and the they are 7-15-0 since Jan. 27. The Panthers are now only four points ahead of the Rangers for last place in the Eastern Conference. And before you laugh at that, keep in mind that Florida’s first-round pick in this year’s draft is top-10 protected (as part of a condition with the Chicago Blackhawks). That means this championship team could add the No. 1 overall pick — or a difference maker a bit lower down — in the draft and return as a League-wide menace next season.

Right now, the Rangers have the third-best chance to win the draft lottery, at 11.6 percent, per Tankathon. The Panthers moved up to the fifth-best odds, at 8.5 percent.

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As soon as most have closed the door on the quick rumors that the Cleveland Browns could trade DE Myles Garrett, after a new contract was signed, GM Andrew Berry spoke to the local media at the owners’ meetings in Phoenix, Arizona. Some fans are in favor of trading Garrett, given the uncertainty of when the team could be competitive in the next few years.

A Garrett trade could have some benefits for the Browns long-term, but the upside is based on hope more than anything else. Trading Garrett this offseason could have a huge impact on the NFL draft, including a bigger focus on edge defenders like Missouri’s Zion Young.

Last year at the NFL combine, when Garrett had demanded a trade, Berry made it clear that Cleveland was not trading their star defender:

Understand the trade request and everything, but our stance really has not changed. We can’t imagine a situation where not having Myles as a part of the organization is best for the Browns. […] We’re not interested in moving him.

At the owners’ meeting in Phoenix, Berry’s comments were similar, but were they as strong? Watch and hear them here and see what you think:

Zac Jackson of The Athletic believes that Berry’s stance was less definitive than last year:

Part of that could be that Mary Kay Cabot’s question sought an “unequivocally not trading Myles Garrett” answer, and Berry did not give the sort of answer that the question sought. Berry did note that the Browns did not need to make the contract adjustment if they wanted to trade Garrett and that “it doesn’t have anything to do with that.”

Many are reading into his comments and lack of explanation for the new contract details:

While Berry’s statement included “career Brown” in describing Garrett, others have brought up the GM’s past statements, including regarding QB Baker Mayfield:

In the end, it seems like the franchise has no plans or desires to trade Garrett. The financial reality is that the Browns would cost themselves over $25 million in salary cap space if they trade Garrett now, versus waiting until June 1st:

Is Garrett going to be a career Brown, going from Cleveland to Canton? Berry tried to make his stance clear without painting himself into a corner. Anything else will be attempting to read Cleveland’s general manager’s mind.

Was Berry as clear as he could be and finally squashed Garrett rumors or do you read into his statements as different than last year?

Share your thoughts with us in the comment section below

The No. 8 Florida State Seminoles wrapped up their three-game series with the Duke Blue Devils with a disappointing 11-4 loss on Sunday at Dick Howser Stadium, completing the series. They have fallen to 21-6 (7-2, ACC) on the season, but are still a nearly perfect 16-2 at home.

In the first inning, it was a scoreless tie with Duke being able to get a few runners on base before their side was retired, and the Seminoles failed to respond. In the second, Duke put up two runs on the part of a Brooks Perez single that led to Coltin Quagliano and Michael DiMartini scoring.

No scoring in the third, but in the fourth, Tyler Albright singled to left field to make it a 3-0 game, and a grand slam was launched into deep left field by Matthew Strand to put Duke up by seven. RJ Hamilton walked to tack on one more run.

The Seminoles finally got on the board in the bottom of the sixth when Hunter Carns doubled down the left field line and Brayden Dowd scored to make it 8-1.

Bases loaded at the top of the seventh by Duke ultimately proved useful, as Duke scored another run on the part of an RJ Hamilton sacrifice fly to let Coltin Quagliano score. 9-1, Duke.

FSU's Carter McCulley scored thanks to a John Stuetzer fielder's choice hit, followed by a Cal Fisher sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eighth that led to Eli Putnam scoring, cutting Duke's lead to 9-3.

In the top of the ninth, a Perez Brooks sacrifice fly extended the lead to seven again, thanks to a Quagliano score. Duke tacked on another when Hamilton got a double to left field, and DiMartini scored. 11-3, Duke. Could FSU pull off the insurmountable eight-run comeback?

A little, at least. Kelvyn Paulino Jr. scored on a wild pitch to add a run on the board. A strikeout on a two-out count sealed Florida State's fate with an 11-4 loss.

The Seminoles will try to bounce back when they travel to DeLand for a match against the Stetson Hatters on Tuesday, March 31. Fans can catch that game on ESPN+ at 6:30 p.m. ET.

Follow us @FSUWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida State news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jacob on X at @jsmith_sports.

This article originally appeared on FSU Wire: FSU Baseball: Seminoles lose to Duke, but win series

Michigan had its Final Four bid sewn up at halftime of the Elite Eight.

OK, maybe that’s an exaggeration. But not by much. The No. 1 Wolverines went on a 32-10 run to end the first half to make the second half of their 95-62 win over No. 6 Tennessee a formality.

The two teams were tied at 16-16 with 10:13 to go after Michigan star Yaxel Lendeborg made the first of two free throws. After that, it was all Michigan, as Lindeborg helped kick start the run with a circus layup that looked like this.

Tennessee went over five minutes before it scored its 18th point of the game with 5:11 remaining in the first half. By the time the Vols had that basket, Michigan had 35 and had scored 21 straight points. 

Lendeborg took over the game at the start of Michigan’s outburst. He scored 15 first-half points on 5-of-9 shooting and also had three rebounds and four assists. No other Michigan player had more than eight points in the half — but all eight players who saw playing time in the first 20 minutes scored. 

Tennessee tried to get back into the game before halftime, but things fell apart right before the break. Michigan scored seven unanswered points in the final minute after the Vols had cut the lead to 15 with 1:42 to go. Trey McKenney’s 3-pointer with three seconds remaining extended the lead to 22 and basically ended any chances Tennessee had of believing in a second-half comeback.

Lendeborg finished with 27 points as four other Michigan players had at least 10. The Wolverines have scored at least 90 points in all four of their NCAA tournament games so far.

The 33-point win is the biggest blowout in the men’s Elite Eight since Michigan beat Virginia by 37 points in 1989.

The Vols’ two stars have a rough first half

Tennessee dominated the offensive glass early in the first half. That kept the Vols in the game despite a rough shooting start. But that rough shooting start was also a big reason why Tennessee had so many offensive rebounds. It’s hard to mount a comeback when you’re shooting 31% from the field.

Tennessee ended up with 11 offensive rebounds over the first half and 25 rebounds overall. But neither Nate Ament or Ja’Kobi Gillespie could do much on offense.

Gillespie scored just six points as he made two of his 11 field-goal attempts. Eight of those shots came behind the arc. Freshman forward Nate Ament, a potential lottery pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, was just 1 of 6.

Throw in three fouls for big man Felix Okpara and three other players — including Gillespie — with two fouls in the first half, and it was an incredibly tough start for the Vols. And a brutal feeling for Tennessee fans that were hoping that 2026 would finally be the the year the Volunteers made it to the Final Four.

Instead, Tennessee’s streak lives on for at least another year. The Volunteers have made 28 NCAA tournaments without making the Final Four. It’s the third-longest such streak in men’s college basketball behind BYU at 33 and Missouri at 31.

Michigan vs. Arizona in the Final Four

The Wolverines’ win ensured there will be a national championship-level semifinal in the Final Four.

Michigan will play Arizona on Saturday night for the right to advance to the national title game on April 6. The Wildcats and Wolverines have been the co-national title favorites for much of the NCAA tournament even though Duke entered the tourney as the No. 1 overall seed. 

Whoever wins that semifinal game will likely enter the national championship as the favorite. And the winner will be breaking a long title streak in the process. Arizona’s only national title came in 1997, and Michigan’s lone tournament win came during the 1989 season. Is another Elite Eight blowout the sign of a national title to come?

It's been a tumultuous season for the Golden State Warriors, to say the least.

At this moment, Golden State sits at just 10th place in the Western Conference standings, a shoo-in for the NBA's play-in tournament, but likely not much else beyond that. It's tough to feel confident or positive about this version of Golden State.

Injury and health issues for the aging Warriors' core are likely the biggest culprits in their gradual demise. Stalwart forward Jimmy Butler tore his ACL in mid-January. Big man Draymond Green looks like he's lost a step at times. Last but certainly not least, a "runner's knee" for franchise talisman Steph Curry has kept him out of Golden State's lineup since just before the annual All-Star break. Because of the NBA's 65-game threshold for award eligibility, the injury is why Curry will not be part of an All-NBA team for the first time since 2020.

But the Warriors and Curry have bigger fish to fry. Curry's continued absence harms the Warriors more than anyone else. The Warriors are built around Curry's all-time gravity and ability to space the floor on the offensive end. He is an all-timer capable of unique greatness on any given stepback 3-point shot. Without him, they are without a paddle, up creek.

Curry will, unfortunately, also miss the Warriors' Sunday Night Basketball game on the road against the Denver Nuggets on Sunday night. Based on recent comments from Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, it doesn't sound like the 38-year-old Curry or the organization even has a targeted return date in mind.

If that's the case ... (pulls in wind through gnashed teeth) yikes:

Steve Kerr on the dwindling runway for Steph Curry to properly return and if there’s a deadline to come back:

“It hasn't changed, but it's actually a conversation now, right?… We're not bringing him back just for the play in game, he needs to play some games.” pic.twitter.com/rMbQVdjdlz

— Kenzo Fukuda (@kenzofuku) March 28, 2026

Before his injury, Curry was averaging over 27 points and nearly five assists per game on 47-39-93 shooting splits. That's not production that you simply replace by asking the next man to step up. The Warriors better hope Curry returns soon because without him, they kind of, sort of seem hopeless.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Steph Curry injury update: When will Warriors star return to play?

The difference between a great team and an elite one can be a star performance coming from an unexpected source. UConn benefited from Blanca Quiñonez producing off the bench for a xx-xx win over Notre Dame on Sunday to advance to the Final Four for the sixth consecutive year.

The Huskies are a regular presence in the women’s Final Four, advancing to the national semifinals for the 17th time in the past 18 seasons.

Quiñonez was the Huskies’ third-leading scorer during the regular season, so her performance shouldn’t have been unexpected. However, on a team with stars like Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd, she can be overlooked. That may have been the case for Notre Dame’s defense in its Elite Eight matchup on Sunday.

The freshman forward scored 14 points in the first half while Strong and Fudd struggled with their shooting early on, lifting the Huskies to a 32-25 halftime lead. Quiñonez finished with 20 points, shooting 4-for-7 on 3-pointers, adding 7 rebounds.

Notre Dame’s star guard Hannah Hidalgo began quietly, going scoreless in the first quarter as UConn sent two and three defenders at her every time she touched the ball.

But the Fighting Irish adjusted, moving her around the court to free her up. Hidalgo responded by scoring 14 points in the second quarter to keep Notre Dame in the game with much-needed offense.

UConn awaits the winner between South Carolina and TCU in Sunday’s second Elite Eight matchup.

This story will be updated.

After hitting a home run against the Philadelphia Phillies on March 29, Texas Rangers outfielder Andrew McCutchen engaged in a hilarious exchange with a fan at Citizens Bank Park.

MORE: Phillies acquire pitcher with 3.18 ERA in spring training from NL East rivals

Fortunately, the audio of the exchange was captured by a live mic and shared on MLB’s official X account.

“You gotta be kidding me! Cutch, you gotta be kidding me!” a male voice exclaims.

“I’m sorry,” McCutchen replies, shrugging his shoulders as he turned toward the seats behind home plate.

To be fair, it’s possible that any team could have signed McCutchen for the 2026 season before the relatively late date of March 6, after spring training camps had already opened.

The Rangers took a flier on the five-time All-Star (2011-15), signing him to a minor league contract with a spring training invitation. They have to be feeling good about the decision.

After hitting a home run and a double in the Rangers’ game against the Phillies, McCutchen had a .500 batting average (4 for 8) to begin the season. It’s a small sample, but it suggests the 39-year-old outfielder has plenty of hits left in his bat.

McCutchen entered the season with 2,266 hits in his 17-year MLB career — including two seasons (2019-21) in Philadelphia.

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MILWAUKEE (AP) — Chicago White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami has homered in each of his first three major league games.

Murakami sent a 3-2 pitch from Brandon Sproat over the wall in right-center and into the White Sox bullpen in the second inning of Chicago’s game against the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday. The Japanese slugger homered off Jake Woodford in the ninth inning Thursday and went deep against Chad Patrick in the fourth inning Saturday.

This is the 26-year-old’s first series in the majors since signing a two-year, $34 million contract with the White Sox in December. Murakami hit 246 homers over eight seasons with the Yakult Swallows of Japan’s Central League — including a 56-homer season in 2022.

___

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

There is a "expectation" that Michigan State star goaltender Trey Augustine's collegiate career is over.

The Spartans were knocked out of the NCAA Tournament in stunning fashion on Saturday, and it sounds like that was the final time we'll see Augustine in a Spartans' uniform. While nothing is yet official, Cam Robinson of Elite Prospects posted on social media on Sunday that the "expectation" is that Augustine will turn pro and join the Detroit Red Wings' AHL affiliate Grand Rapids in the "coming days."

Augustine has starred for the Spartans between the pipes the last three seasons, serving as the primary goaltender for Michigan State during their three straight Big Ten championship seasons. He had a goals against average under three in each of his three seasons with the Spartans, and nearly below two the past two seasons.

Augustine still has one year of eligibility remaining should he surprisingly elect to come back for one final run. The thought entering the season was that he'd be done after the 2025-26 season and move on to the pros so this latest statement from Robinson aligns with that thinking and isn't a surprise. We will have to wait to see if anything is officially announced in the next day or two but I'd be shocked if we saw Augustine back for one final season at Michigan State.

The expectation around Trey Augustine (DET) is that he’ll turn pro and join Grand Rapids in the coming days.

Hell of a run at Michigan State pic.twitter.com/vTVbyBdY1t

— Cam Robinson (@Hockey_Robinson) March 29, 2026

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Robert Bondy on X @RobertBondy5.

This article originally appeared on Spartans Wire: MSU hockey star goalie Trey Augustine 'expected' to turn pro, forego final season

Competition across all four divisions is expected to be intense in the boys Lackawanna Track Conference this spring.

Several standout individuals with championship experience and teams with deep rosters are expected to challenge for titles.

Elk Lake senior Kendel Jones headlines the long list of returning All-Region and LTC Coaches’ all-stars. A distance running star, Jones earned The Times-Tribune Boys Track and Field Performer of the Year honor.

He is one of 13 athletes who received All-Region honors last season.

Division I

Valley View gained the slight edge as the preseason favorite in the LTC Division I. First-year head coach Lisa Paone has a talented roster, and as is seemingly the case every spring, the Cougars are strong in the sprints.

Gavin Oprishko is a returning All-Region sprinter who won a bronze medal in the 200-meter dash at the Robert Spagna Championships.

Scranton Prep could contend for its first boys LTC division title since 1999.

Vincent O’Malley was a Division I-II all-star in the mid-distance races last season. Anthony De Los Santos is a consistent winner in the throwing events for the Cavaliers.

Abington Heights is the defending division winner. The Comets will be strong in the throws with Carter Plantz and Derek Williams, and distance runner Owen Morgan.

Division II

Wallenpaupack, which won the last two division titles, has a talented team returning to defend its title.

Ryan Vargo is a returning All-Region thrower in the discus. He already shattered a long-standing school record with a heave of 173 feet, 4 inches in a preseason invitational.

Aiden Janowicz and Nick VanBuskirk are a pair of LTC Division I-II all-stars and District 2 Class 3A champions for the Buckhorns. Janowicz won the 1,600, and VanBuskirk won the high jump.

North Pocono junior Cole West is a returning school-record holder and All-Region selection after qualifying for the PIAA Class 3A Championships in the triple jump.

Western Wayne’s Aiden Matthews, the District 2 Class 2A champion in the pole vault, and Robert Carrelle, the top all-around athlete in the LTC who suffered a late-season injury last spring, are also two standouts to watch.

Division III

Mid Valley established itself as a force in the conference. The Spartans are the five-time defending division champions and are favored to make it six in a row.

Matthew Repecki, an All-Region runner, and Kevin Borrelli lead a strong distance group. Wyatt Youngblood is a returning all-star in the pole vault, and Mason Vinansky was an all-star in the sprints for the Spartans.

Dunmore is expected to challenge Mid Valley. Jumpers Josh Dudick and Carter Sload were both All-Region last season. Xavier Burke was an all-star in the hurdles, and the Bucks get a boost from Weston Yannone, who is one of the fastest athletes and best hurdlers in the conference.

Riverside can also make an impact in the division race. Brayden Rose is a returning All-Region jumper and a District 2 Class 2A champion in the long jump, and Michael Schimefenig is a standout in the distance races.

Holy Cross returns senior Kevin Vincent. The District 2 Class 2A champion and seventh-place medalist in the triple jump at the PIAA Class 2A Championships is a returning All-Region performer who is headed to Bucknell University.

Lakeland sophomore Rocco Spataro is a returning All-Region thrower in the javelin. He won the title at the Robert Spagna Championships.

Division IV

Elk Lake is the favorite to win the Division IV title.

Jones leads the way for the Warriors. Cody Adams is a returning All-Region distance runner. Both had great seasons in the fall when Elk Lake won the PIAA Class 2A team championship.

Susquehanna has to replace several key athletes who helped it win back-to-back division titles. Maxx Kelly is one of the top distance runners in District 2.

Max Kuwaye, a standout sprinter, leads Montrose. Nico Christian is strong in the sprints and mid-distance races for the Meteors.

Lackawanna Trail returns distance runner Avery Ronchi, who was an All-Region selection last season after winning the title in the 3,200 at the Robert Spagna Championships.

James Garner marked his senior England debut on Friday evening. He delivered a Player of the Match performance in a pre-World Cup friendly against Uruguay at Wembley. He earned widespread praise even though the game ended in a 1-1 draw.

James Garner supports White after a dramatic Wembley night

According to a report by iNews, Everton are targeting Arsenal defender Ben White for a summer transfer. The Merseyside club reportedly lead the race ahead of several other interested parties. The 28-year-old White plays primarily at right-back but operates comfortably as a centre-back too. He came on as a second-half substitute. He scored England’s 81st-minute opener with a close-range finish from a corner. However, the Arsenal man then conceded a penalty in the 94th minute. Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde converted the strike to rescue a point for Uruguay.

Tuchel notably compared Garner to Valverde earlier in the week. This made the Uruguayan’s decisive contribution feel ironic. White’s evening took a sharp turn. He entered the pitch to a chorus of boos from the Wembley crowd. This stemmed from his history of leaving the 2022 World Cup camp after a row with coach Steve Holland. He quietened his critics with the goal before gifting Uruguay their equaliser.

After the final whistle, Gabriel Clarke spoke with Garner. Garner offered supportive words regarding his teammate’s turbulent night. He told ITV Sport: “Yeah, you know he came in, got a goal and then of course, the penalty is probably going to be spoken about. Some people will say it is, some people will say it wasn’t.” (Quote via Everton News)

Does the White transfer make sense for Everton?

LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 27: Ben White of England looks dejected as he acknowledges the fans following the international friendly match between England and Uruguay at Wembley Stadium on March 27, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

The transfer link is worth examining. It tells a story about Everton’s current direction. David Moyes’ side entered the international break in eighth place, as they sit level on points with Brentford in seventh. They trail fifth-placed Liverpool by just three points. The manager intends to build on that momentum with smart summer signings.

Moyes currently plays either Jake O’Brien or James Garner out of position at right-back. The need for a specialist in that area is obvious. It is a structural problem the club face every game. White is under contract at Arsenal until June 2028. However, he has played just over 1,000 minutes across all competitions this season. Jurrien Timber has cemented himself as Mikel Arteta’s first choice, and this pushed the Englishman to the fringes.

From a pure football standpoint, the move appeals to Everton. White is versatile. He can play across the back four or even in defensive midfield. This suits a Moyes side that value positional flexibility. Furthermore, Arsenal will likely avoid selling White to a title rival. This means Everton’s current league position could help them during negotiations.

The price adds another point to the interest. Arsenal could be open to a deal for around £20-25 million this summer. This is much cheaper than the original £50 million they paid to Brighton in 2021. The Friedkin Group now owns the club and holds European ambitions. If they go on to spend that figure on a proven international defender, it feels like a calculated upgrade. Everton must still beat competition from Liverpool, Manchester United, and Chelsea. All three clubs have also linked themselves with the defender.

Liverpool have accelerated a move for one of Europe's top strikers. This could be a big one.

Liverpool have reportedly accelerated their interest in Luis Suarez. The Sporting CP striker has scored 33 times this season, including a brilliant return of 24 goals in 25 Liga Portugal matches.

You can add four assists to those, too.

Correio da Manha reports that both the Reds and Newcastle United have now stepped up their interest. They're willing to fight for the striker, who has an €80m release clause.

But it seems this one may have to wait. Neither team will want to pay that clause given Suarez is now 28. Instead, they'll be looking to talk Sporting down to around €60m.

Sporting, however, aren't going to negotiate until after the World Cup when the transfer market traditionally opens up. This one may end up dragging on all summer, then.

Luis Suarez: Situation Summary

BUSHNELL, Fla.– The FHS 7v7A Association passing league tournament is heading into its final events of the off-season as the state championships on April 25th at The Villages are nearing.

With the two previous tournament winners in Lake Nona and Lake Howell not taking part, it opened up an opportunity for a new champion to be crowned on Saturday at South Sumter High School. This time around it would be a different Central Florida squad, East Ridge, coming away with the tournament championship win over Ocala Vanguard.

Behind the play of Class of 2027 quarterback Karon Palmer Jr., the Knights were able to cruise to victory as the offense was sizzling throughout the day against many of the better regional teams. East Ridge’s arguable most impressive victory came against F. W. Buchholz, which last season finished as the state’s No. 15 team, according to the final Florida 2025 High School Football Massey Rankings.

Here are some of the individual offensive standouts from the dais at South Sumter High School:

FHS7v7A standouts from March 28, 2026

Karon Palmer Jr., QB, East Ridge

The 6-foot-1, 185-pound quarterback was dealing on Saturday against any and all comers. Palmer Jr. showed great poise in every throw, throwing accurately seemingly on every throw. The junior will be a signal caller to watch this upcoming fall.

LaQuest Brown, QB, Sebring

When you think of Sebring, throwing the football well doesn’t exactly come to mind. With a quarterback like Brown behind center, the Blue Streaks could or should be throwing a lot more this upcoming 2026 campaign. Brown can absolutely sling it and was on par with every passer.

Terrance Lewis, QB, Vanguard

Lewis is always a player that stands out at the FHS 7v7A tournaments and Saturday in Bushnell was the same story. The 2027 signal caller made plenty of impressive throws en route to reaching the championship game.

Andrew Whittemore, QB, F. W. Buchholz

The Class of 2028 three-star quarterback showed flashes of why he could be one of the state’s best passers, but certainly had a tough time against East Ridge in the semifinals. Regardless, Whittemore had himself a solid day overall.

Tre Kelly, QB, South Lake

Kelly just continues to perform each and every time out at these passing tournaments, with the undersized quarterback doing so on Saturday. Up against teams like Vanguard, Lake Gibson and others, Kelly stacked up with any passer.

Other top FHS7v7A performers on Mar. 7:

Troy Goss Jr., QB, Plant
Jasiah Bennett, DB, Plant
Ahvioume Scott, DB, South Lake
Malachi Moore, LB,Lake Gibson
Ashton Norris, DB, F. W. Buchholz
Zechariah Taylor, ATH, Sebring
Jordan Olds, ATH, Sebring
Lukas Guenther, QB,Newsome
Sergarion Gunsby, S, Vanguard
James Bethea, ATH, Vanguard

How to Follow Florida High School Football

For Florida high school football fans looking to keep up with scores around the Sunshine State, staying updated on the action is now easier than ever with the Rivals High School Scoreboard. This comprehensive resource provides real-time updates and final scores from across the state, ensuring you never miss a moment of the Friday night frenzy. From nail-biting finishes to dominant performances, the Rivals High School Scoreboard is your one-stop destination for tracking all the Florida high school football excitement across the state.

Texas A&M's 2026 recruiting class was built on the national stage, headlined by landing a commitment from five-star California-based cornerback Brandon Arrington, who, before considering the Aggies, dreamed of playing for the USC Trojans.

Within the 2026 cycle, three of the program's top-ranked signees were out-of-state recruits, including four-star wide receiver Aaron Gregory (Buford, Ga.) and four-star defensive lineman Bryce Perry-Wright (Douglasville, Ga), who are both on track to earn key rotational spots after impressing the coaching staff so far this spring.

Other than five-star running back KJ Edwards, Texas A&M's focus on landing prospects outside of the Lone Star State was "by design," according to Texas A&M recruiting general manager Derek Miller, who spoke with Rivals' Adam Gorney this week. While recruiting the state is still the priority, Miller's national strategy has continued to pay off.

“It all starts just with looking at year-over-year the NFL Draft numbers,” Derek Miller stated. “If you take a five-year, a 10-year (approach) and what starts to come out from all the numbers is that Texas, Georgia, Florida, California reign supreme in terms of the amount of draft picks.

Coach Mike Elko's focus on landing prospects with NFL potential led to a nation-high 13 players being invited to the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine this offseason, and after five spring practices, several freshmen from the 2026 class have already shown immense promise.

Still, in-state recruiting, given the NFL talent Texas continues to produce across the state, will continue to build out every future recruiting cycle, and in the 2026 class, Miller referenced four-star safety Chance Collins and four-star offensive lineman Nelson McGuire as two players expected to become future stars.

“We are blessed to be in one of the states that produces the most and has the most Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees. You have to be thorough in-state. The evaluation process is constant. There are guys who get graded really high early on and then there are guys who start to be late bloomers.”

With just nine of the 27 signees in the cycle being from Texas, Miller's strategy is beginning to pay off, as sophomore edge Marco Jones and sophomore linebacker Noah Mikail, both California natives, are slated to compete for starting or key rotational jobs this season.

“That’s the approach. It’s to make sure you’re aware of everyone in Texas who has traits and some tools to be an NFL player and be thorough about that but then go win the Marco Joneses and Noah Mikhails of the world, Aaron Gregory, Bryce Perry-Wright and then try to get them to come here.”

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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Texas A&M GM Derek Miller discusses national recruiting strategy

It appears the Cleveland Cavaliers will deal with injuries from start to finish this season. The team announced that both Jaylon Tyson and Dean Wade will remain in Cleveland while the Cavs leave for their final West Coast road trip.

Tyson suffered a bone bruise in his left great toe on March 19 against the Chicago Bulls. He hasn’t played in a game since.

“He’s still not there,” said Kenny Atkinson on Tyson’s game availability before the Cavaliers played the Miami Heat on Friday. “But he did play a small set of games this morning, three-on-three and stuff, so that’s good news.”

Meanwhile, Wade went down with an ankle injury during his pre-game warm-up on Wednesday. Wade injured himself landing on a ball boy. There is no clear timeline for when Wade will return to action.

Cleveland will play three teams in the West next week. They play the Utah Jazz at 9 PM tomorrow before heading to Hollywood for their final regular-season game against LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers. On Thursday, they conclude their trip with a 10 PM game versus the Golden State Warriors.

The Cavs will return home on Sunday as they host the Indiana Pacers. From there, we only have four games before the end of the regular season.

If you’re paying attention to the standings, Cleveland is sitting fairly comfortably in fourth place of the Eastern Conference. They are two games behind the New York Knicks for third, and 4.5 games ahead of the Toronto Raptors and Atlanta Hawks for fifth.

Florida State just had a plethora of prospects on campus for the Legacy Weekend. Amongst them was four-star edge Abram Sesay, but this was a special trip for him.

It was the first time that Sesay got an opportunity to visit FSU since they offered him a scholarship back in December. According to the 6-foot-5, 230-pounder, it was worth the wait.

"It was amazing," Sesay told Noles247. "Florida State has an amazing campus, amazing tradition, amazing history. So it was good to finally get down and see it in-person."

Sesay narrowed his choices to six schools back in February. Florida State made the cut along with Notre Dame, Penn State, Miami, Duke, and South Carolina. They have a great shot at landing Sesay in large part to edge coach Nick Williams.

Back when Williams was at Syracuse, he recruited Sesay and made him an offer in January of 2025. When FSU offered Sesay in December, it came the day before Williams was hired. He was vital in getting Sesay on campus over the weekend.

"Coach Nick actually gave me my first offer while he was at Syracuse. So just being able to see him believing in me, it was really a goal of mine to get down to Florida State and see what he was about," Sesay said. "He's been trying ever since he got to Florida State and we finally made it happen."

During his inaugural visit to see the Seminoles, Sesay was able to spend significant time with head coach Mike Norvell. His message to the Downingtown East High School star was very profound.

"Really just what it means to be a Florida State Seminole," Sesay said. "Having the best fit. He loves it there and saying his willingness to stay there, and how he sees me fit and how he wants to coach me."

Sesay will visit LSU, Miami, and Notre Dame in April. He also has official visits locked in with Notre Dame and Duke. In regards to Florida State getting an official visit, Sesay mentioned he'd love to make that happen, and he plans to make his decision after his official trips are over.

During his junior season, Sesay was a big-time performer. He ended up with over 80 tackles and recorded 13 sacks.

The 247Sports composite rankings have Sesay listed as the No. 63 recruit and the No. 8 edge in the nation. They have also deemed him the No. 3 prospect in Pennsylvania.

Contact/Follow us @FSUWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida State news, notes and opinions. You can also follow Matthew on X @StarConscience

This article originally appeared on FSU Wire: FSU Football: Nick Williams recruiting edge Abraham Sesay heavily

The Georgia Bulldogs' transfer class is headlined by Georgia Tech transfer wide receiver Isiah Canion and Auburn transfer edge rusher Amaris Williams.

Georgia's transfers are all around for the Bulldogs' spring practice. Georgia coach Kirby Smart already has some observations on Georgia's top transfers.

"Isiah (Canion) is a guy we knew about in high school," Smart said. "I remember Coach Bobo going down and watching him practice, and he made a couple really acrobatic catches. He was in the back of our mind all along.

"Of course, we got to play against him last year, and he made some plays against us last year in that game. The more familiar you are with someone through recruiting, the more success we've had. He's a good football player. He's an even better person, and he played with several guys on our team, so there's a relationship there."

Canion could end up as Georgia's top receiver this season. At the very least, the 6-foot-4, 215-pound pass catcher is expected to compete for a starting role a year after hauling in 33 receptions for 480 yards and four touchdowns with Georgia Tech. Canion will help ease the void left after the Bulldogs lost receivers Dillon Bell, Zachariah Branch, Colbie Young and Noah Thomas to the 2026 NFL draft.

Auburn transfer Amaris Williams also provides a boost a position of need. Georgia was last in the SEC in sacks last season and brought in the twitchy, explosive Auburn transfer to try to generate more pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

"He's got to be able to play within our system, understand our system, but also add value," Smart said. "He can start by taking the reps he's going to get this spring."

Georgia is without defensive end Gabe Harris this spring, so there are more reps at edge rusher. "We want to see the growth in that room and see those guys continue to get better," Smart added. Williams is a key piece of the puzzle for the Georgia defense, which needs more pass rush production in 2026.

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This article originally appeared on UGA Wire: Kirby Smart talks early returns on Georgia's top transfers

The Duke Blue Devils face off against UConn in the Elite Eight Sunday, and one of their most famous alumni, well-known actor, comedian and doctor Ken Jeong. couldn't be more excited.

Although Jeong has a medical degree from the University of North Carolina, he did his undergraduate studies at Duke, graduating with a bachelor's degree in 1990.

Since he's gained notoriety as an actor and comedian, Jeong has been one of the most outspoken Blue Devils fans, making plenty of appearances on College GameDay for both football and basketball.

After Duke's Sweet 16 victory over St. John's, Jeong went to X to post an edited photo of his character from the Hangover movies alongside both Cayden and Cameron Boozer.

Like many other Duke fans, Jeong will be cheering on the Boozer twins Sunday, as Duke hopes to defeat the Huskies and advance to the Final Four.

This article originally appeared on Duke Wire: Famous Duke alum hypes up Blue Devils ahead of Elite Eight matchup