General Sports 24 Hours

Last updated: March 24, 2026, 1:30 PM ET

NCAA Tournament & Collegiate Sports

The NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament is experiencing its best ratings start since 2011 across CBS and TNT broadcasts, coinciding with intense action in the Sweet 16 picture. On the women’s side, Virginia became the first First Four team to reach the Sweet 16 after upsetting host Iowa in double overtime, 83-75, while UConn advanced following a dominant 98-45 victory over Syracuse, prompting Syracuse coach Felisha Legette-Jack to blast the NCAA committee for repeatedly seeding them in the difficult UConn subregional. As the tournament progresses, coaches like UConn’s Dan Hurley are already with Hurley reportedly seeking advice from Tom Izzo regarding NBA interest, even as he asks rival St. John’s and UConn fans to unite for the Sweet 16 run. Meanwhile, the fallout continues as Nebraska’s recent eligibility challenge could introduce salary cap implications for the NCAA’s “messy middle,” while Oklahoma linebacker Owen Heinecke has filed a suit seeking an extra year of eligibility before the NFL Draft.

Collegiate athlete endorsement activity is also reaching new heights, exemplified by Arkansas star Darius Acuff Jr. landing a historic signature shoe deal with Reebok while remaining an amateur, a first for a major U.S. brand with a current NCAA men’s player. In coaching carousel news, Arizona State finalized the hiring of Saint Mary’s Randy Bennett as its new head coach, while Cincinnati is expected to hire Utah State’s Jerrod Calhoun, who has guided the Aggies to consecutive NCAA tournaments. Post-tournament analysis is already focusing on player movement and team rebuilding, with reports detailing the immediate next steps for programs like Florida, Kansas, Kentucky, and UNC regarding recruiting and the transfer portal.

Professional Golf & Tennis

The professional golf world saw major movements this week, centering on high-profile withdrawals and competitive returns. World Number One Scottie Scheffler withdrew from the Houston Open on Tuesday, citing the impending birth of his second child, a tournament he had always considered questionable for his schedule. In team competition, the TGL championship saw Los Angeles Golf Club secure a tight 6-5 victory over Jupiter Links Golf Club in the opening match of the best-of-three final. Tiger Woods confirmed he would compete in Match 2 of the finals with Jupiter’s TGL season on the line, marking his first competitive appearance in over a year, following the narrow defeat. Separately, tennis star Jannik Sinner continues his dominant run, surpassing Novak Djokovic’s decade-old record for consecutive sets won at ATP Masters 1000 events after defeating Corentin Moutet in Miami, though Aryna Sabalenka also cruised to a Miami Open victory over Zheng Qinwen.

Cricket & Global Sports Personnel

English cricket saw internal criticism surface alongside personnel decisions aimed at stabilizing the national team setup. Former captain Michael Vaughan asserted that Head Coach Brendon McCullum and Managing Director Rob Key were fortunate to retain their jobs following the post-Ashes review, although current captain Ben Stokes admitted the preceding three months were the "hardest period" of his leadership but expressed confidence in the current structure moving the team forward. Further reflecting on the state of the England setup, Jonny Bairstow criticized the current regime for needing to restore "the care back in the game," while Ben Duckett opted to withdraw from the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) to ensure his continued selection for England duty. In other international news, Ireland players have been given the option by Graeme West to opt out of the summer series against Afghanistan, and former international center Ashley Beck has been appointed as the new Wales Women's Six Nations attack coach, joining Sean Lynn’s staff for the upcoming tournament.

Combat Sports & Combat Sports Personnel

The combat sports calendar is filling out with significant bouts announced across multiple disciplines. In MMA, Briton Muhammad Mokaev is slated to face Adriano Moraes in a flyweight contest on the undercard for the highly anticipated Ronda Rousey versus Gina Carano event in May. Meanwhile, boxing champion Dalton Smith will defend his WBC light-welterweight title at home in Sheffield against former champion Alberto Puello in an upcoming bout. Crucially, boxer Jai Opetaia was stripped of his IBF title after proceeding with a scheduled fight against Brandon Glanton despite the IBF withdrawing its sanctioning for the contest. On a more somber, non-sporting note, a professional cornhole player who is a quadruple amputee is now facing murder charges in Maryland following the fatal shooting of a passenger during a dispute in a vehicle he was driving.

Motorsports & Snooker

The future of the World Snooker Championship has been secured, as the iconic Crucible venue will host the event until 2045, accompanied by plans to refurbish the hall to add as many as 500 extra seats. In Formula, attention remains focused on Aston Martin, with correspondent Andrew Benson addressing questions regarding whether the team principal project involving Adrian Newey has faltered ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix. In rugby union coaching developments, Harlequins have confirmed Jason Gilmore as permanent head coach, bringing former Australia coach Robbie Deans on board as performance director starting next season to revamp the Quins line-up, while former Edinburgh coach Mike Blair will reunite with Dave Rennie as an attack coach for the newly structured New Zealand setup.

NFL & General Sports Business

As the NFL Draft approaches, speculation remains high regarding positional needs and prospect landing spots, with Field Yates’ latest mock draft projecting the opening two full rounds covering 64 prospects. In player movement sagas, deep sourcing revealed the details behind the failed trade negotiation involving star defensive end Maxx Crosby between the Las Vegas Raiders and the Baltimore Ravens. In the NBA, stock watching continues following March Madness, evaluating which 2026 draft prospects helped or hurt their position over the opening weekend of tournament action, while the Western Conference playoff picture tightens with the Nuggets and Suns facing off in a critical matchup impacting draft lottery standings. Furthermore, a bipartisan Senate bill has been introduced that seeks to ban prediction markets from facilitating transactions that closely mimic traditional sports betting activities.

Alpine Skiing & Other Athletes

In Alpine skiing, Mikaela Shiffrin secured a slalom victory on Tuesday, setting the stage for the season-ending race where the World Cup overall title will be decided. Elsewhere, several athletes are navigating career crossroads: Golfer Tiger Woods is set to make his competitive return after a 13-month layoff at the TGL season finale on Tuesday. Also, Wales midfielder David Brooks, who missed the 2022 World Cup due to a life-threatening illness, expressed determination to play in the 2026 finals. Finally, Lakers stars LeBron James and Austin Reaves discussed the origins of a viral meme that captured James giving instructions to a befuddled Reaves during a 2022 game.