General Sports 24 Hours

Last updated: March 29, 2026, 5:30 AM ET

NCAA Tournament Shocks & Elite Eight Battles

The pursuit of the championship continued across the NCAA bracket with several major upsets and dominant regional performances defining Saturday's action. In the men's draw, Illinois punched their ticket to the Final Four for the first time in 21 years after Keaton Wagler delivered 25 points in a victory over Iowa, securing their spot in Indianapolis. On the women's side, all four No. 1 seeds successfully navigated their regional semifinals, with the ACC, Big Ten, and SEC each placing two contenders into the Elite Eight. South Carolina maintained its aura of dominance through three tournament wins but coach Dawn Staley insisted the Gamecocks still have "room to grow", while No. 2 Michigan advanced after Olivia Olson scored 19 points to dispatch Louisville 71-52.

The collegiate basketball news cycle was also dominated by high-profile matchups set for Sunday, including the highly anticipated clash between rivals UConn and Notre Dame in the Elite Eight. Coach Geno Auriemma of UConn expressed frustration with the NCAA's tournament structure and preparation process, seeking greater input from coaches . Meanwhile, Notre Dame is preparing to face the Huskies again, with players asserting they are a vastly improved unit compared to the team that suffered a significant early-season blowout loss to UConn. Elsewhere in the bracket, the unlikely journey of Iowa's Ben McCollum and Bennett Stirtz, who ascended from Division II to the Elite Eight, reached its deepest point in their four-year run of NCAA tournament victories.

UFC & Combat Sports Upsets

The marquee mixed martial arts event saw a stunning upset as Joe Pyfer scored the biggest victory of his career by stopping two-time champion Israel Adesanya with second-round ground-and-pound in the UFC Fight Night main event. In a bizarre in-cage procedural error, Bellator heavyweight Tyrell Fortune had to return to the Octagon after cage announcer Bruce Buffer mistakenly declared his opponent, Marcin Tybura, the winner. Fortune, who also recently spoke candidly about a weight cut that nearly proved fatal, stated that he was "living to fight another day" after the initial incorrect announcement.

Rugby Union & League Results

The weekend's rugby action featured mixed results across the European and South African leagues. In the English Premiership, league leaders Northampton Saints staged a comeback victory over Saracens, sealed by a dramatic late try from Archie McParland at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Harlequins managed to snap a six-game losing streak by defeating Bristol 18-14, simultaneously damaging Bristol's top-four aspirations, though Harlequins' own hopes in the Women's Premiership were similarly dashed by a narrow loss to Bristol Bears. In the United Rugby Championship, the Lions overpowered the Dragons in Johannesburg, though the Welsh side secured a crucial four-try bonus point, while Munster suffered a narrow 34-31 defeat against the Bulls in Pretoria. Ulster secured a needed 28-12 win against bottom-placed Zebre, while Edinburgh saw their play-off chances severely diminished following a 33-14 loss to the Stormers. In the Super League, Wigan Warriors lost their perfect record after suffering a surprising 34-16 defeat against the last-placed Huddersfield Giants.

Global Athletics & Figure Skating Triumphs

Figure skating saw redemption for Ilia Malinin, who captured the World Championship title in Prague after putting a disappointing performance at the 2026 Winter Olympics behind him. However, British ice dancing pair Lilah Fear & Lewis Gibson faced controversy as they missed out on a bronze medal, prompting an appeal from British Ice Skating over what they deemed an "incorrect" penalty call. On the track, Great Britain's Josh Kerr announced ambitious plans to target the world mile record* at the London Diamond League meeting in July, aiming to bring the record back to the UK. Fellow Briton Kirsty Muir achieved a historic milestone, becoming the first British woman to secure both the slopestyle and overall World Cup titles in freestyle skiing following the season finale in Switzerland. Meanwhile, Georgia Hunter Bell faced a setback in her first 1500m race since winning the world indoor title, as she was beaten in Melbourne.**

Cricket & Boxing Updates

The Indian Premier League season commenced with Royal Challengers Bengaluru securing an impressive opening victory, propelled by Virat Kohli's unbeaten 69 runs in a cruise past Sunrisers Hyderabad. In significant American cricket news, Indian legend Ravichandran Ashwin is set to join the Major League Cricket circuit, signing with the San Francisco Unicorns for the upcoming season. In boxing, Floyd Mayweather tempered expectations regarding his proposed bout with Manny Pacquiao, clarifying that the fight will proceed only as an exhibition and that a specific location remains unconfirmed.

Soccer & Personnel News

In Welsh rugby, captain Kate Williams expressed optimism regarding the future of the national side following the integration of several new players ahead of the 2026 Women's Six Nations campaign. In the Irish Premiership, Larne extended their lead at the top to six points after defeating Cliftonville 2-0 while Glentoran and Linfield drew 1-1. In the Welsh Premiership, Archie McParland secured a late try for Northampton Saints. For the Scarlets, rookie Carwyn Leggatt-Jones has made an immediate impact, recording five try assists in his initial four starts while also balancing his A-Levels studies. In the NBA, LeBron James achieved a historic moment by assisting his son Bronny* for a three-pointer, etching the father-son pairing into the league's record books. Michigan State coach Tom Izzo dismissed any immediate retirement speculation following the Spartans’ Sweet 16 exit, rhetorically asking what else he would do if he stopped coaching. Cyclist Tom Pidcock was forced to withdraw from the Volta a Catalunya after suffering a "horror" fall down a ravine during the fifth stage.**