General Sports 24 Hours

Last updated: March 23, 2026, 7:30 PM ET

NCAA Tournament Shocker & Coaching Carousel

The Women's NCAA Tournament provided major upsets as Virginia stunned host Iowa 83-75 in double overtime, making the Cavaliers the first team from the First Four to advance to the Sweet, while TCU outlasted Washington 62-59 in overtime to secure their second trip to the regional semifinals. Meanwhile, the men’s bracket saw No. 1 seed Kansas fall to St. John's 67-65 on a game-winning layup, sending the Red Storm to their first Sweet 16 since 1999, and in a separate men’s contest, Dylan Darling's heroics sealed the victory. These developments come as overall tournament ratings are tracking for their best start since 2011 since CBS and TNT began broadcasting all games.

The coaching carousel spun rapidly across the country, with Cincinnati finalizing a deal to hire Utah State’s Jerrod Calhoun, who has guided the Aggies to consecutive NCAA tournaments, while Arizona State is reportedly securing Saint Mary's coach Randy Bennett on a five-year contract. Elsewhere, former Cincinnati coach Wes Miller landed the Charlotte job following his dismissal from the Bearcats earlier this month, though longtime Kansas coach Bill Self confirmed he has made no decision regarding his future after the Jayhawks’ season-ending loss. Adding to the coaching news, Creighton’s Greg McDermott announced his retirement after the season, concluding a 16-year tenure where he amassed 365 victories with the Bluejays.

Basketball Personnel & Legal Issues

The Sweet 16 matchups are set, with Texas rolling past Oregon 100-58 behind Madison Booker's career-high 40 points in a dazzling display of shotmaking, while Minnesota reached its first Sweet 16 in 21 years after Amaya Battle hit a tiebreaking jumper with 0.7 seconds left to defeat Mississippi 65-63. In the men’s tournament, Iowa eliminated defending champion Florida after Alvaro Folgueiras nailed a crucial three-pointer with 4.5 seconds remaining, handing the Gators their worst tournament loss since 1972 when they were beaten by Iowa State 82-63 by a margin of 19 points. On the legal front, Oklahoma linebacker Owen Heinecke filed a lawsuit against the NCAA seeking an injunction for an extra year of eligibility, demanding a ruling before next month's NFL draft.

WNBA & NBA Futures

The WNBA offseason is gearing up for a busy period, as players have ratified the new Collective Bargaining Agreement with the union reporting an over 90% participation rate and a unanimous affirmative vote, setting the stage for an expansion draft, a college draft, and a significant free agency period over the next six weeks. Meanwhile, the NBA coaching rumor mill included reports that UConn coach Dan Hurley, who has been courted by the Lakers with a reported six-year, $70 million contract, sought advice from Tom Izzo, who has previously turned down offers from teams like the Cavaliers and Hawks. In the NFL, the Colts are banking on quarterback Daniel Jones recovering successfully from his Achilles injury, with early signs pointing toward a positive return to form for the veteran signal-caller.

Global Football & Cricket Developments

In English cricket, captain Ben Stokes described the last three months as "the hardest period" of his tenure, yet he expressed confidence that the current regime can guide the team forward, even as analysts continued to assess the general state of the men's game. Furthermore, the England and Wales Cricket Board chief executive stated that sacking coach Brendon McCullum after the 4-1 Ashes defeat would have been "easy," asserting that he remains the appropriate leader. In rugby, the Welsh Rugby Union granted a 30-day extension for the negotiations concerning the sale of Cardiff Rugby to Ospreys owners Y11, while in Super League, Tara Jones will become the first woman referee when she oversees Wigan versus Huddersfield this Saturday.

Other Sports News & Regulatory Moves

In professional golf, Matt Fitzpatrick’s recent third US PGA Tour victory places him among the favorites for the Masters, driven by his impressive statistics in bedrock categories essential for success at Augusta. Elsewhere, NASCAR star Tyler Reddick secured his fourth victory of the season at the Darlington race, placing him in an elite club of repeat winners at the challenging "Track Too Tough To Tame." On the regulatory side, a bipartisan Senate bill introduced Monday aims to prohibit prediction markets from facilitating transactions that closely mimic traditional sports betting activities. In tennis, Iga Swiatek has parted ways with coach Wim Fissette following her early exit from the Miami Open, while defending champion Aryna Sabalenka advanced to the Miami Open last 16 in her pursuit of the 'Sunshine Double'.