Last updated: March 20, 2026, 4:30 AM ET
College Basketball Shocks & Upsets
The Division III landscape witnessed a stunning end to a dominant run as Scranton knocked off defending champion NYU 60-52 in the Final Four on Thursday, terminating the Violets' remarkable 91-game winning streak. Meanwhile, the early rounds of the men's NCAA Tournament delivered several major upsets, including 11th-seeded VCU rallying from a 19-point deficit to stun sixth-seeded North Carolina 82-78 in overtime, a result Coach Hubert Davis attributed to his own late-game decisions rather than team fatigue. Further down the bracket, 12th seed High Point stunningly secured an 83-82 victory over fifth-seeded Wisconsin, thanks to Chase Johnston making his first 2-point basket of the season in the closing moments.
Other top seeds faced severe tests on opening day, with No. 1 overall seed Duke barely escaping a scare against 16th-seeded Siena after trailing by 13 points in the first half. In contrast, No. 4 seed Nebraska celebrated its first-ever NCAA tournament win by dismantling No. 13 seed Troy 76-47. The action also saw No. 9 seed TCU holding off Ohio State 66-64, sealed by Xavier Edmonds' clutch layup with 4.3 seconds remaining, while Texas overcame a massive 35-point outing from BYU's freshman AJ Dybantsa to win 79-71.
College Basketball Futures & Player Movement
The immediate future for BYU star freshman AJ Dybantsa remains uncertain, as the player who scored 35 points against Texas stated he will take the "next couple of weeks" to weigh his options regarding his collegiate career. On the professional side, news broke that the WNBA's pending Collective Bargaining Agreement will expedite maximum salary eligibility for players on rookie-scale contracts, signaling a potentially transformational shift in player earning power across the league. Separately, Kentucky Coach Mark Pope offered little comment regarding recent reports that Yaxel Lendeborg received a multimillion-dollar offer to join the Wildcats.
UFC & Boxing Title Aspirations
As the UFC prepares for its London event this Saturday, contender Lerone Murphy asserted that the winner of his bout against Movsar Evloev should secure the next featherweight title shot, suggesting no other fighter deserves the opportunity ahead of him. The broader discussion among fighters centers on the perceived inequities in matchmaking, questioning why some contenders face a longer path to a title opportunity than others. In boxing, IBF welterweight champion Lewis Crocker indicated that a victory over Liam Paro in his upcoming defense is essential, stating the win should open a further avenue for high-profile opportunities.
Rugby Union & League Updates
The United Rugby Championship (URC) run-in sees significant motivation for several Welsh clubs as the regular season concludes; Cardiff and Ospreys are vying for play-off contention, while the Dragons and Scarlets fight to avoid finishing with the Welsh Wooden Spoon. Key personnel returns are bolstering the contenders, with Taulupe Faletau rejoining the Cardiff matchday squad for the first time since New Year's Day against the Bulls, and Wales captain Jac Morgan poised for a comeback with Ospreys against Benetton. In the English Premiership, attention turns to the top four race as the league resumes after its eight-week hiatus, with Northampton leading the table and six teams still in contention. Meanwhile, in Rugby League, Wigan Warriors maintained their 100% start by fighting from a 14-0 deficit to overcome York Knights in the Super League.
Darts, Snooker, and Winter Sports Results
The Premier League Darts event in Dublin saw an incredible comeback as Luke Littler stunned Gerwyn Price 6-5 after recovering from being down 5-0, a match that featured two maximum 170 checkouts during a single game. In snooker, Ronnie O'Sullivan produced a superb display to advance, defeating Shaun Murphy 5-3 to reach the quarter-finals of the World Open in Yushan. In freestyle skiing, Great Britain's Kirsty Muir claimed her second consecutive World Cup slopestyle victory, putting her atop the overall season standings heading into the final event. Scotland suffered a double setback in curling, as their Women's team lost crucial matches against South Korea and Canada, severely damaging their chances of making the play-offs at the World Championship.
WNBA Financial Shifts & Other Sports News
The forthcoming WNBA CBA is set to reshape player compensation, with sources confirming a new clause that fast-tracks maximum salary deals for players currently on rookie-scale contracts. In other basketball news, Nebraska's Payton Sandfort managed a rare appearance schedule, showing up courtside to support his brother Pryce in a Nebraska win less than 12 hours after completing his own NBA debut. On the administrative front, the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) announced a new strategy aimed at tackling a consistent pattern of racism experienced by industry workers. Finally, England Women's rugby center Meg Jones will assume the captaincy for the Red Roses while Zoe Stratford is absent due to pregnancy.