General Sports 24-Hour Briefing
×Last updated: March 13, 2026, 5:39 PM ET
College Basketball Coaching Changes
Pittsburgh retained Jeff Capel for a ninth season despite the men's basketball team's disappointing 2025-26 campaign that "fell well short" of expectations, according to athletic director Allen Greene. Meanwhile, Cincinnati fired Wes Miller after five seasons, with sources telling ESPN the Bearcats are seeking a new direction. Providence terminated Kim English following a loss to St. John's, ending his three-year tenure. In a contrasting move, Saint Louis extended Josh Schertz after he led the Billikens to an Atlantic 10 regular-season title, with the school's athletic director confirming the new contract.
NFL Draft and Quarterback Moves
The complete 2026 NFL draft order has been finalized across all seven rounds, with the Raiders selecting first and the Broncos holding the final pick at No. 257. In quarterback news, Atlanta plans to bring in Tua Tagovailoa to compete with Michael Penix Jr. for the starting job, Falcons GM Ian Cunningham said definitively. Kansas State expects to hire Casey Alexander from Belmont, sources told ESPN's Jeff Borzello, as the Wildcats seek to rebuild their program under the perennial 20-game winner.
NCAA Tournament Betting and Women's Basketball
Approximately $3.3 billion is expected to be wagered on the NCAA men's and women's basketball tournaments through U.S. sportsbooks, representing a slight year-over-year increase according to gaming association estimates. On the court, Jazzy Davidson and Aliyah Chavez maintained their hold on the top two spots in the final women's freshman impact rankings, with five players cracking the top ten but none able to unseat the leaders.
Rugby Union: Six Nations and Beyond
Scotland stand on the brink of rugby paradise after their dramatic turnaround, with Sione Tuipulotu saying the team has been "to hell and back" to become Six Nations title contenders. Italy coach Gonzalo Quesada declared Wales must win in their Six Nations finale, while France will wear a special edition pale blue shirt against England to mark 120 years of rivalry. England's campaign has been plagued by errors and ill-discipline, with BBC Sport examining the numbers behind their nightmare tournament. Ireland wing Rob Baloucoune has experienced a rapid revival to become a Six Nations star, while Wales record-breaking flanker Alex Mann steps up for the Italy clash.
Cheltenham Festival and Horse Racing
The 2026 Cheltenham Festival was marked by outsider dominance, with the average starting price of 28 winners hitting a 10-year high in what proved a difficult year for punters. The festival ended in tragedy when two more horses died on the final day, including Envoi Allen and Saint Le Fort. Gaelic Warrior won the Cheltenham Gold Cup in supreme fashion, while Harry Redknapp-owned Jukebox Man finished eighth in the prestigious race.
Formula One and Tennis
Lewis Hamilton highlighted Ferrari's power unit deficit after qualifying fourth for Saturday's Chinese Grand Prix sprint race, saying the gap to Mercedes is mainly due to performance issues. In tennis, world number one Aryna Sabalenka beat "future Grand Slam champion" Victoria Mboko at Indian Wells, though Iga Swiatek exited the tournament.
UFC, Boxing, and Golf
Khamzat Chimaev will defend his UFC middleweight title against Sean Strickland in May, while former champion Dustin Poirier returns to action. In boxing, Andreas Hale addressed key questions about potential matchups including Haney vs. Garcia 2 and whether Mayweather vs. Tyson is still happening. Graeme McDowell created LIV Golf history by becoming the first player to hit a second hole-in-one on the tour in consecutive weeks.
Winter Sports and Paralympics
Sixteen years after losing his leg in Haiti's devastating earthquake, Ralf Etienne has become his nation's first Winter Paralympian, representing an incredible journey "from earthquake rubble to top of the Dolomites." Meanwhile, Britain's Neil Simpson and guide Rob Poth failed to finish their opening giant slalom run at the Winter Paralympics in Milan-Cortina, leaving Simpson bitterly disappointed after a "costly" error.
Miscellaneous Sports News
Auburn coach Steven Pearl lobbied for his team's NCAA tournament chances after blowing a double-digit second-half lead to Tennessee in the SEC tournament quarterfinals. Olympic champion Alysa Liu received a key to her hometown during a rally featuring Bay Area artists. The Big 12 transitioned back to hardwood after its innovative LED glass court led to slipping issues during the conference tournament. Six Georgia rugby players and a team official received sanctions for anti-doping rule violations as part of "an orchestrated scheme."