Last updated: March 20, 2026, 7:35 PM ET
NCAA Tournament Upsets & Player News
The men's NCAA tournament saw several dramatic finishes Friday, including seventh-seeded Kentucky narrowly defeating Santa Clara 89-84 thanks to an Otega Oweh buzzer-beater in regulation, while 11th-seeded VCU stunned sixth-seeded North Carolina 82-78 in overtime after erasing a 19-point second-half deficit. Against the backdrop of these close calls, No. 11 seed Texas knocked off sixth-seeded BYU 79-71, overcoming 35 points from BYU's AJ Dybantsa, who now faces a decision on his future in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, in the women’s bracket, third-seeded TCU cruised past UC San Diego 86-40, propelled by Olivia Miles achieving her 12th career triple-double, as attention turns toward Saturday's second-round matchups where Arizona and Michigan are favored following Duke's early stumble.
Injuries and coaching changes dominated the news cycle outside of the main bracket action; All-American forward Joshua Jefferson was helped off the floor after hurting his left ankle early in Iowa State’s contest against Tennessee State, while Duke coach Jon Scheyer expressed hope that Patrick Ngongba II could return from a foot injury for the second round. On the coaching carousel, Georgia Tech officially named former Troy coach Scott Cross as its new men's basketball head coach, and amidst ongoing personnel issues, Cal State Bakersfield is reportedly targeting USC assistant Todd Lee as its next leader. Further legal action emerged as Tuskegee coach Benjy Taylor filed a $1 million federal lawsuit against two police officers and Morehouse College stemming from a January detainment incident.
College Sports Culture & Organizational Moves
The reigning NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder confirmed they will not visit the White House during their upcoming road trip to the nation's capital, citing scheduling "timing" as the reason for the cancellation. In other campus news, UCLA Women's head coach Cori Close expressed profound admiration for center Lauren Betts, praising her courageous vulnerability after Betts shared details of her personal mental health journey. College basketball culture is also being flavored by unique fan engagement, evidenced by Queens University adopting a hollowed-out German Shepherd replica as its mascot, dubbed "Buddy," that inspires their team in their first NCAA tournament appearance, and LIU Sharks fans turning a near-empty gym into an energetic atmosphere using the "'fins up' chant".
Global Rugby, Soccer, & Track Results
European rugby leagues delivered decisive results, with Larne stretching their Premiership lead to five points after a 3-0 Friday victory over Glenavon, while in the United Rugby Championship, the Scarlets overwhelmed Zebre with a bonus-point win, securing a vital victory in the basement battle. In the Super League, the Bradford Bulls edged out Huddersfield in an epic encounter to earn their third consecutive home win, and St Helens secured their own victory by scoring five first-half tries against Toulouse, even as Wakefield successfully exacted revenge on Leigh for last season's playoff exit. On the international stage, track athlete Jeremiah Azu finished fourth in the 60m final at the World Indoors, narrowly missing a medal in what commentators described as one of the best 60m races of all time.
Athlete Status & Career Milestones
In a busy night across various professional sports, Luka Doncic matched a career milestone with a 60-point performance as the Mavericks defeated the Heat, a night that also saw LeBron James tie an appearance record, while the WNBA is reportedly finalizing a new Collective Bargaining Agreement that will expedite the timeline for rookie-scale players to reach maximum salaries. Meanwhile, in golf, Jon Rahm has chosen to drop his appeal against DP World Tour sanctions stemming from his participation in conflicting LIV Golf events, though he simultaneously refuses to pay the associated fines. Track and field saw a historic moment as Australian Cameron McEvoy shattered Cesar Cielo’s long-standing 50m freestyle world record, a mark previously set during the 'supersuit' era of swimming.
Other Sports News & Cultural Notes
The Commonwealth Games organizers announced that The Hydro venue in Glasgow will host the opening ceremony, promising a uniquely "Clyde-built experience," even as England's Roses netball team suffered a blow when goalkeeper Jaz Brown was ruled out of the Glasgow 2026 event due to a serious Achilles injury. Off the field, darts sensation Luke Littler is taking steps to protect his brand by applying to trademark his face to combat unauthorized AI replication, while in the UFC, Lerone Murphy and Movsar Evloev engaged in a tense staredown ahead of their featherweight bout at UFC London at the O2 Arena. Veteran athletes across generations, including Serena Williams and Shaquille O'Neal, recently participated in a viral '90s throwback photo trend.