General Sports 24 Hours

Last updated: March 22, 2026, 9:30 PM ET

NCAA Tournament Momentum & Upsets

The second round of the Women's NCAA Tournament saw several dramatic finishes, highlighted by Minnesota punching its ticket to the Sweet 16 for the first time in 21 years after Amaya Battle hit a tiebreaking jump shot with 0.7 seconds remaining to secure a 65-63 victory over Mississippi. In the men’s bracket, Purdue coach Matt Painter secured his 500th win at his alma mater, guiding the Boilermakers past Miami 79-69 as both teams advanced to the regional semifinals. Meanwhile, the improbable run of No. 9 seed Texas continued as they became the first team in five years to advance from the First Four to the Sweet 16 following a 74-68 upset of No. 3 seed Gonzaga on Saturday night.

The men’s bracket delivered more buzzer-beaters, as St. John's advanced to its first Sweet 16 since 1999 after Dylan Darling’s layup at the horn sealed a tight 67-65 win against Kansas, an outcome that followed Nebraska’s narrow escape where a Tyler Tanner heave from half-court rimmed out at the buzzer in their 74-72 victory over Vanderbilt. Despite their run from the First Four, Texas coach Sean Miller asserted that his squad is far from a Cinderella story entering the next round after beating Gonzaga. Conversely, the weekend delivered a historic low for the Wildcats, as Kentucky suffered an 82-63 defeat against Iowa State, marking their largest margin of defeat in NCAA tournament history, an outcome Kentucky forward Quaintance is attempting to put behind him while using manga comics to fuel his recovery.

Top seeds faced significant pressure on Sunday, especially in the women's bracket where No. 1 seed Texas demonstrated dominance in their second-round matchup, as Madison Booker exploded for a career-high 40 points in a commanding 100-58 rout of No. 8 Oregon, setting up the Elite Eight matchups after breaking down all Sunday action. Attention now turns to the remaining 32 teams in the women’s field, with analysts busy ranking the surviving contenders as they eye the next stage of the tournament.

Global Athletics & Motorsport Dominance

Great Britain achieved a landmark performance at the World Indoor Athletics Championships in Poland, setting a new team benchmark after securing three gold medals within a sensational 28-minute span. This historic haul included a commanding victory in the 800m, where Keely Hodgkinson captured her first world indoor title, setting a championship record in the process, while teammate Kate O’Connor added to the tally by securing the bronze medal in the pentathlon event. In Moto GP, the extreme conditions in Brazil led to a shortened race, but Marco Bezzecchi maintained his impressive season start by taking the victory in the 31-lap contest.

NASCAR saw Tyler Reddick continue his stellar season, as his fourth victory of the year at Darlington placed him in an elite club of multi-race winners this season on the challenging track. On the links, Australia’s Hannah Green collected her third consecutive tournament win at the Australian WPGA Championship on the Gold Coast, demonstrating consistent form. Meanwhile, the professional snooker circuit saw a massive upset in the World Open final, where Thepchaiya Un-Nooh defeated Ronnie O’Sullivan 10-7, making a maximum 147 break during the contest.

Rugby, Soccer & Combat Sports Updates

In the United Rugby Championship, the Stormers reclaimed second place in the standings following a four-try effort against the Dragons, while Welsh sides received a boost with the return of key players like Taulupe Faletau and Jac Morgan as they prepare for a difficult schedule, contrasting with a strong weekend for South African franchises in the overall standings. In Super League netball, the London Pulse managed to secure a thrilling extra-time victory over Nottingham Forest, demonstrating their composure in tight contests which Coach Sam Bird believes will benefit them throughout the remainder of the season. A Yorkshire derby in the rugby league saw Hull FC edge out the Leeds Rhinos in a pulsating contest to log their second Super League win.

The MMA world saw the post-event debate surrounding fighter compensation resurface following UFC London, where the atmosphere around fighter pay was laid bare despite strong performances, including Mason Jones earning the fight of the night bonus after a redemption victory in the same arena where he suffered his last professional defeat nearly four years prior. Paddy Pimblett has already set his sights on a return, announcing plans to target a July comeback during the UFC’s international fight week.

Coaching Carousel & Athlete Welfare

The college basketball coaching carousel continued to turn as Syracuse finalized its search, working toward hiring Siena's Gerry McNamara as the new head coach, while Providence simultaneously announced the hiring of South Florida’s Bryan Hodgson for their men's program. Tragedy struck the boxing world as 19-year-old women's junior flyweight Isis Sio was placed in a medically induced coma following a knockout suffered during a bout featured on a Pro Box TV card earlier this week. In soccer news, Frank Lampard expressed his hope that supporters will cease their audible disapproval of midfielder Matt Grimes when his current team faces Swansea City, following the player's classy decision not to celebrate a goal against his former club.