General Sports 24 Hours

Last updated: March 23, 2026, 8:30 PM ET

NCAA Tournament & Coaching Carousel

The Women's NCAA Tournament saw massive upsets as Virginia ousted host Iowa 83-75 in double overtime, making the Cavaliers the first team from the First Four to secure a spot in the Sweet, while TCU similarly advanced by outlasting Washington 62-59 in overtime behind Olivia Miles' 18 points and 10 rebounds. The men's bracket also delivered drama, with St. John's reaching the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1999 following Dylan Darling's buzzer-beating layup against Kansas, and Minnesota punching its ticket after Amaya Battle hit a tiebreaking jump shot with 0.7 seconds left to defeat Mississippi 65-63. These compelling matchups have driven advertising interest, as March Madness ratings are tracking toward their best start since CBS and TNT began airing all games in 2011.

Coaching changes accelerated across college basketball following the tournament's first weekend, with Cincinnati targeting Utah State's Jerrod Calhoun as their top choice after he led the Aggies to consecutive NCAA tournaments. Simultaneously, Arizona State is reportedly finalizing a five-year agreement with Saint Mary's coach Randy Bennett, while former Cincinnati mentor Wes Miller has landed the head coaching role at Charlotte. Adding to the turnover news, Creighton's decorated coach Greg McDermott announced his retirement effective at the end of the season, concluding a 16-year tenure where he amassed 365 victories.

Further stirring the coaching pot, UConn's Dan Hurley revealed he sought counsel from Tom Izzo regarding the massive six-year, $70 million contract offer from the Los Angeles Lakers, though Izzo himself has famously declined previous NBA opportunities. Meanwhile, Kansas coach Bill Self confirmed he has made no final decision on his future following the Jayhawks' season-ending loss to St. John's. In player news, Oklahoma linebacker Owen Heinecke filed a lawsuit against the NCAA, seeking an injunction to gain an extra year of eligibility ahead of next month's NFL draft.

Tennis & Global Sports

On the WTA tour at the Miami Open, World Number One Aryna Sabalenka cruised into the last 16 after easily defeating Zheng Qinwen, maintaining her pursuit of the 'Sunshine Double,' though the tournament experienced an unusual interruption when an overhead camera caused concern for an umpire during Daniil Medvedev’s match. Elsewhere in tennis, Iga Swiatek has parted ways with coach Wim Fissette immediately following her early exit from the Miami event. In other global athletics news, Olympic champion Sifan Hassan withdrew from the London Marathon next month due to an Achilles injury sustained in a recent treadmill mishap.

Rugby & Cricket DevelopmentsIn the international rugby sphere, New Zealand has appointed former Edinburgh head coach Mike Blair to** rejoin Dave Rennie as an attack coach for the national side's new setup. Additionally, the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) has granted the prospective buyers of Cardiff Rugby, Y11, a 30-day extension on the negotiation period for the club's buy-out. Meanwhile, history was made in the English Super League as Tara Jones was named the first woman to referee a men's fixture this Saturday. On the cricket front, England captain Ben Stokes characterized the preceding three months as "the hardest period" of his captaincy, even as the ECB chief defended Brendon McCullum's position despite the 4-1 Ashes loss.*

Other Sports & Business

The WNBA is bracing for a hectic period after players voted to ratify the new CBA, with the union reporting over 90% participation leading to a unanimous approval. This CBA ratification precedes a busy offseason that includes an expansion draft and the college draft, signaling "WNBA chaos" defined by a chock-full schedule. In non-league football, Rushden & Diamonds released two teammates following an on-pitch fight that resulted in simultaneous red cards for Bruno Andrade and Tyler Winters. In golf, the TGL playoffs are set for the championship match where Los Angeles Golf Club will challenge Jupiter Links GC for the SoFi Cup. Finally, a bipartisan Senate bill has been introduced that aims to prohibit prediction markets from allowing transactions that closely mimic traditional sports betting.