Last updated: March 20, 2026, 6:30 PM ET
College Basketball Shocks & Upsets
The opening rounds of the NCAA Tournament delivered immediate volatility, with seventh-seeded Kentucky surviving an upset scare against Santa Clara thanks to Otega Oweh’s regulation-ending buzzer-beater, ultimately winning 89-84. In the women’s bracket, third-seeded TCU dominated UC San Diego 86-40, propelled by Olivia Miles recording her 12th career triple-double. Conversely, No. 6 seed BYU was knocked out by Texas, despite a massive 35-point effort from freshman AJ Dybantsa, who is now reportedly mulling his future over the next few weeks.
Further upsets plagued the top seeds, as top-ranked Duke narrowly averted an embarrassing defeat, rallying from a 13-point deficit against 16th seed Siena, though Duke center Patrick Ngongba II remains questionable for the second round against TCU. Meanwhile, North Carolina suffered a stunning elimination, blowing a 19-point second-half lead before falling to VCU 82-78 in overtime, with UNC coach Hubert Davis taking responsibility for the collapse. Across Division III, defending champion NYU’s 91-game winning streak came to an abrupt end in the Final Four after a 60-52 loss to Scranton.
Tournament Personnel & Off-Court News
Coaching searches continue to heat up across the NCAA landscape, as Cal State Bakersfield is reportedly targeting USC assistant Todd Lee to fill its vacancy following Rod Barnes’ departure in September and an assistant facing serious legal charges. Elsewhere, Georgia Tech officially appointed former Troy coach Scott Cross as its next men’s basketball head coach on Friday. On the player side, Iowa State’s All-American forward Joshua Jefferson was hurt early in his contest against Tennessee State, having to be helped off the court after appearing to injure his left ankle.
NBA & WNBA Contract Updates
The WNBA is poised for significant changes under its pending Collective Bargaining Agreement, as a new provision will fast-track rookie-scale players into eligibility for maximum and supermax salaries, signaling a potentially transformative shift for league economics and player earning power. In the NBA, Luka Doncic matched a career milestone by scoring 60 points in a victory over the Miami Heat, a night that also saw LeBron James tie an appearance record. Looking to the offseason, the Kansas City Chiefs are hoping their upcoming free agent class can deliver more impact than last year’s acquisitions, especially after letting their Super Bowl MVP walk.
Global & Domestic Rugby/Football Updates
In European rugby, Bath delivered a commanding post-break performance, smashing Saracens 62-15 by running in nine tries as the Premiership resumed after its eight-week hiatus. England Women’s Rugby coach John Mitchell has named seven uncapped players in the new Red Roses squad as the team builds momentum following their Rugby World Cup triumph in September. Simultaneously, Ireland centre Stuart McCloskey and Scotland winger Kyle Steyn are both shortlisted for the 2026 Six Nations Player of the Championship award. In Northern Ireland, Josh Magennis is targeting 100 international caps as he prepares for the World Cup play-off match against Italy.
Combat Sports & Individual Athletics
UFC 304 in London saw a tense face-off between featherweight contenders Lerone Murphy and Movsar Evloev ahead of their main card bout, with questions arising about the fairness of title contention matchmaking processes for athletes like Murphy. In professional darts, Luke Littler demonstrated incredible resilience by coming back from a 5-0 deficit to defeat Gerwyn Price 6-5 in the Premier League final in Dublin, a match featuring two maximum 170 checkouts in a single game. Separately, Luke Littler is also taking measures against digital impersonation, applying to trademark his face to combat the rise of AI-generated fakes, an issue that has also impacted the legacy of action stars like Chuck Norris.
Miscellaneous Sports News & Tributes
UCLA women’s basketball coach Cori Close praised Lauren Betts for her "courageous vulnerability" after the player opened up regarding her personal mental health journey. In athletics, Great Britain’s Jeremiah Azu finished fourth in the 60m final at the World Indoors, narrowly missing a medal in what was described as "one of the best 60m races of all time". Swimming saw an historic moment as Australian Cameron McEvoy shattered the men's 50m freestyle world record, eclipsing the previous long-standing time set during the 'supersuit' era. Former cycling champion Sir Chris Hoy shared that his recent terminal cancer diagnosis has shifted his focus toward appreciating small, immediate moments rather than a traditional bucket list.