General Sports 24 Hours

Last updated: March 23, 2026, 3:30 AM ET

NCAA Tournament Shocker & Sweet 16 Breakdown

The fields for both the men's and women's Sweet 16 are now set following dramatic Sunday action across the NCAA basketball tournaments, featuring several major upsets and buzzer-beaters. In the women's bracket, TCU outlasted Washington 62-59 in overtime, powered by Olivia Miles' 18 points and 10 rebounds, securing the Horned Frogs a spot in the regional semifinals for the second time. Meanwhile, Minnesota advanced to its first Sweet 16 in 21 years after Amaya Battle hit a tiebreaking jump shot with 0.7 seconds remaining to defeat Mississippi 65-63. The men's side saw St. John's earn a berth by eliminating Kansas, as Dylan Darling's last-second layup sealed a 67-65 victory over the Jayhawks.

Several powerhouse programs exited the men's tournament unexpectedly, creating a new dynamic heading into the second weekend, which now features five Big Ten teams. Iowa eliminated defending champion Florida after Alvaro Folgueiras connected on a critical three-pointer with 4.5 seconds left to secure the win, while Kentucky suffered its worst tournament loss since 1972, falling by 19 points to Iowa State, 82-63. For Purdue, coach Matt Painter recorded his 500th victory at his alma mater by guiding the Boilermakers past Miami 79-69 en route to the Sweet. On the women's side, No. 1 seed Texas dominated Oregon, cruising to a 100-58 victory as Madison Booker poured in a career-high 40 points.

Coaching changes and speculation continue to circulate around the bracket's aftermath. Longtime Kansas coach Bill Self confirmed after the season-ending loss to St. John's that he has not yet made a final decision regarding his coaching future, stating any choice will be based solely on his own considerations. Elsewhere, Syracuse is reportedly moving to hire Siena's Gerry McNamara as its next head coach, according to sources, while Providence officially announced the hiring of Bryan Hodgson from South Florida as their new men's basketball coach.

Global Athletics & Motorsports Highlights

The World Athletics Indoor Championships in Poland yielded historic results for Great Britain, which secured three gold medals within a sensational 28-minute span, marking the team's best-ever medal haul at the event. Keely Hodgkinson claimed her inaugural world indoor title in the 800m, setting a championship record in the process, while Ireland's Kate O'Connor added to the medal count by securing the bronze in the pentathlon. In a troubling development outside of competition, 19-year-old women's junior flyweight boxer Isis Sio has been placed in a medically induced coma following a knockout suffered during a bout on a Pro Box TV card.

In motorsports, NASCAR's Tyler Reddick achieved his fourth victory of the season at Darlington, placing him in an elite club of season winners, while the Moto GP race in Brazil was cut short due to extreme heat. Marco Bezzecchi claimed the win in the shortened 31-lap contest, continuing his strong start to the season. Meanwhile, on the links, Australia's Hannah Green captured her third consecutive tournament win at the Australian WPGA Championship on the Gold Coast. Elsewhere in professional tour action, Thepchaiya Un-Nooh stunned Ronnie O'Sullivan in the World Open final, sinking a maximum 147 break during his 10-7 victory.

Rugby, Soccer, and European Sports News

The United Rugby Championship saw action on both sides of the equator, with the Stormers earning a crucial four-try victory over the Dragons to reclaim second place in the standings. Wales received a boost as Taulupe Faletau, Jac Morgan, and Elliot Dee were named to the squad following a difficult weekend for Welsh regional sides, with Dragons player Ryan Woodman expressing eagerness to earn his first Wales cap after his initial call-up. In soccer news, manager Frank Lampard expressed hope that fans would cease booing Matt Grimes after the midfielder displayed class by opting not to celebrate scoring against his former club, Swansea City.

In other sports, London Pulse defeated Nottingham Forest in extra time to end their unbeaten run in the Netball Super League, with coach Sam Bird citing the team's composure in tight contests as a positive sign. On the rugby league front, Hull FC narrowly edged out Leeds Rhinos in a tense Yorkshire derby to secure their second win of the Super League campaign. Finally, Wales boss Craig Bellamy granted an in-depth interview where he discussed topics ranging from Balkan history to playing the 'Ken and Barbie' game.