Last updated: March 21, 2026, 1:30 AM ET
NCAA Men's Tournament Action & Records
The first round of the men's NCAA tournament delivered several significant performances and milestones, even as the NCAA filed suit against Draft Kings for alleged trademark infringement related to "March Madness" usage. Purdue's Braden Smith shattered the all-time assists record previously held by Bobby Hurley, reaching 1,077 career assists during a dominant first-round matchup against Queens University. In other action, UCLA managed a narrow 75-71 victory over UCF, during which guard Skyy Clark continued playing despite losing a tooth fragment. Meanwhile, Utah State executed a second-half rally against Villanova, culminating in a 20-point performance from MJ Collins, whose late steal and dunk sealed the 86-76 win.
NCAA Women's Tournament Dominance & Team News
The opening day of the women's NCAA tournament saw top seeds largely avoiding upsets, as the better seeds went 16-0 on Day, confirming UConn as the odds-on title favorite heading into the competition. Florida opened its national title defense emphatically, recording the second-largest margin of victory in tournament history by overwhelming Prairie View A&M 114-55. TCU's Olivia Miles posted her 12th career triple-double in a massive 86-40 opening win against UC San Diego. Conversely, the season concluded abruptly for Tennessee, which suffered its eighth straight loss after falling to seventh-seeded NC State in the opening round, while Miami (Ohio)'s impressive run ended with a 78-56 defeat against the Lady Vols.
NCAA Injury Updates & Coaching Changes
Tournament hopes hinge on player health and coaching stability as the competition moves forward, with Duke coach Jon Scheyer expressing optimism that center Patrick Ngongba II could return from a foot injury for the second round against TCU. On the injury front, Iowa State forward Joshua Jefferson suffered a sprained left ankle during their 108-74 victory over Tennessee State, though X-rays returned negative. Off the court, Georgia Tech officially named former Troy coach Scott Cross as its new men's basketball head coach, while Cal State Bakersfield is reportedly targeting USC assistant Todd Lee amid internal turmoil following Coach Rod Barnes' departure.
NHL & NBA Updates
In professional leagues, the Colorado Avalanche became the first NHL club to officially secure a playoff berth this season, signaling their status as a strong contender entering the postseason push. The reigning NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder confirmed they will decline a White House visit during their upcoming road trip to the nation's capital, citing scheduling "timing" as the reason for the cancellation. This follows a busy night in the NBA where Luka Doncic dropped 60 points in a Lakers victory, coinciding with LeBron James tying an appearance record and Dell Curry having his jersey retired.
Rugby & Combat Sports Updates
The weekend provided tight contests across global rugby codes, highlighted by Trailfinders narrowly defeating Harlequins 21-17 in Premiership Women's action thanks to Abi Burton’s try three minutes from time. In the United Rugby Championship, Connacht secured a bonus-point victory over Ulster through a powerful second-half showing, while Scarlets dominated Zebre in the league basement battle, running in six tries for a convincing win. Meanwhile, in mixed martial arts, Costello van Steenis successfully retained his PFL middleweight title by stopping British contender Fabian Edwards in the third round. Also, boxer Michael Conlan confirmed the "end of the road" for his career following a split decision loss to Kevin Walsh in Belfast.
Football & Track Updates
In international football news, Northern Ireland's Josh Magennis is targeting his 100th international cap as the team prepares for a crucial World Cup play-off match in Italy. Separately, England manager Thomas Tuchel’s selection for the upcoming squad has provided opportunities for fringe players but also exposed lingering issues ahead of the World Cup. On the track, Great Britain’s Jeremiah Azu finished fourth in what was described as "one of the best 60m races of all time" at the World Athletics Indoor Championships.
Other Sports & Personal Milestones
In golf, Jon Rahm has dropped his appeal against DP World Tour sanctions but refuses to pay the outstanding fines levied against him for participating in conflicting LIV Golf events. In swimming, Australian Cameron McEvoy achieved a major milestone by breaking Cesar Cielo’s long-standing 50m freestyle world record, a record set during the era of high-tech 'supersuits'. Elsewhere, six-time Olympic cycling champion Sir Chris Hoy shared that his recent terminal cancer diagnosis has profoundly shifted his perspective, emphasizing the appreciation of small, immediate moments over grand "bucket lists".