General Sports 24 Hours

Last updated: March 23, 2026, 12:30 PM ET

NCAA Tournament Drama & Coaching Carousel

The men's college basketball tournament saw several shocking upsets as the field narrowed, with St. John's advancing to its first Sweet 16 since 1999 after Dylan Darling's last-second layup defeated Kansas 67-65, while Iowa eliminated defending champion Florida behind a game-winning three-pointer from Alvaro Folgueiras with 4.5 seconds left. Elsewhere in the men's bracket, Purdue's coach Matt Painter secured his 500th career victory at his alma mater by downing Miami 79-69, and the Sweet 16 matchups are set featuring five Big Ten teams, though Kansas coach Bill Self deferred comment on his future after their season-ending loss. In the women's bracket, TCU survived Washington in overtime, 62-59, sending Olivia Miles to a 18-point, 10-rebound performance and back to the Sweet, while Minnesota advanced for the first time in 21 years after Amaya Battle hit a tiebreaking jumper with 0.7 seconds remaining against Mississippi.

Coaching changes continued across college basketball as Charlotte officially hired Wes Miller as its new men's basketball coach following his recent dismissal from Cincinnati, and sources indicate Syracuse is moving toward hiring former star Gerry McNamara from Siena. These moves follow the announcement that Creighton's Greg** McDermott will retire following a highly successful 16-year tenure during which he posted 365 wins at the school. Meanwhile, oddsmakers are already assessing early wagers for the men's rounds of 8 and 16 following the unpredictable first weekend of action.*

WNBA & Global Sports Labor

The Women's National Basketball Association is bracing for a hectic six-week offseason period encompassing an expansion draft, the college draft, and a period of historic free agency. This organizational shift follows the ratification of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, where the union confirmed that over 90% of players participated in the vote, yielding a unanimous approval for the new terms.

In tennis, world number one Iga Swiatek parted ways with coach Wim Fissette following her premature exit from the Miami Open, though defending champion Aryna** Sabalenka advanced smoothly to the last 16 in Miami, keeping her 'Sunshine Double' hopes alive. Elsewhere, England's Kate O'Connor secured a bronze medal in the pentathlon at the World Indoor Athletics Championships in Poland, an event where Great Britain captured three gold medals in a historic 28-minute span, including Keely Hodgkinson dominating the 800m for her first world indoor title.*

Soccer, Rugby, & European Competition

European football saw a significant result as Manchester City bested Arsenal, raising questions about the impact on their ongoing Premier League contest, while Real Madrid earned a hard-fought derby victory amid ongoing turmoil at Chelsea. In domestic rugby, the English Premiership returned strongly, with Leicester running effectively from deep and Finn Russell putting in a stellar performance, contrasting sharply with the deepening struggles of Harlequins. On the international front, England Women's team is scheduled to host Canada in a September WXV Global Series fixture, rematching the 2025 Women's World Cup final.

Motorsports, Golf, & Other Headlines

NASCAR star Tyler Reddick achieved a rare milestone by securing his fourth victory of the season at Darlington Raceway, cementing his status as the top performer early in the year. Meanwhile, the Moto GP race in Brazil was shortened to 31 laps due to extreme heat, which did not stop Marco Bezzecchi from claiming the victory and continuing his strong start to the season. In golf, Matt Fitzpatrick enters the Masters conversation as a favorite, bolstered by posting impressive metrics in core categories essential for success at Augusta National. In bizarre news, authorities recovered a German handball trophy that had been reported stolen only to find it misplaced in the team's own basement.