General Sports 24 Hours

Last updated: April 18, 2026, 11:30 PM ET

NCAA & Collegiate Sports

UConn guard Braylon Mullins announced he will forgo the NBA Draft for now, opting instead to return to Storrs for his sophomore campaign, where the projected first-round talent currently ranked 17th on the ESPN big board aims to improve his draft stock. Meanwhile, in gymnastics, the Oklahoma Sooners secured their fourth national title in five years after senior Faith Torrez closed out the competition with a near-perfect floor exercise routine, sealing the victory over competitors including Florida, LSU, and Minnesota in the highly contested final. In football news off the field, a skydiver was rescued and listed in stable condition after crashing into the scoreboard at Virginia Tech's Lane Stadium prior to the spring game on Saturday.

Professional Basketball & Baseball

The Houston Rockets will start their playoff run against the Los Angeles Lakers without star forward Kevin Durant, who has been sidelined for Game 1 due to a knee contusion, raising immediate questions about the team's offensive ceiling against a top seed. On the diamond, the New York Mets suffered their tenth consecutive defeat, marking the franchise's longest losing streak since the 2004 season, putting their postseason hopes in serious jeopardy as only three teams in modern history have recovered from such a prolonged skid to make the playoffs.

Rugby Union & League

In the Women's Six Nations, Ireland delivered a dominant performance against Italy, highlighted by a hat-trick from Beibhinn Parsons in her Galway homecoming, even as the victorious English side thrashed Scotland in a statement win despite missing several key World Cup winners. France also secured a commanding 38-7 victory over Wales, though they currently sit second in the standings behind England on points differential after their second-half surge. In the United Rugby Championship, the Glasgow Warriors managed to maintain their position atop the table despite suffering a bruising defeat characterized by eight tries conceded against the Lions in Johannesburg, while Connacht staged an impressive comeback in Cape Town to earn a bonus-point win over the Stormers, scoring five tries in their 33-24 victory to stun the hosts.

European Football & Combat Sports

The WrestleMania 42 main event saw Cody Rhodes successfully defend his Undisputed WWE Championship against Randy Orton during Night One festivities held in Las Vegas. In European football, the Catalans Dragons, powered by Lewis Dodd's first career hat-trick, sank the Warrington Wolves, preventing Warrington from reclaiming the Super League summit. Meanwhile, Wakefield Trinity moved into second place after Tom Johnstone scored four tries in a comprehensive defeat of the Bradford Bulls as Johnstone starred. On the boxing front in Liverpool, British light-heavyweight Ben Whittaker earned a brilliant first-round knockout victory over Argentina's Braian Suarez stopping Suarez quickly.

International & Domestic Rugby League/Cricket

In the English Premiership, the Northampton Saints maintained their lead after Fin Smith scored a decisive try with only five seconds remaining to secure a 35-28 victory over Exeter, while Bath cruised past an injury-plagued Harlequins side by scoring eight tries in a 43-15 result keeping pace with leaders. In County Championship cricket, Essex maintained an overall advantage against Warwickshire through two rain-interrupted days at Edgbaston, even with Sam Hain producing a superb innings despite the weather interruptions. Furthermore, the Marylebone Cricket Club is considering fast-tracking female memberships in an effort to address historical gender imbalances within the institution.

Motorsports & Equestrian

Tragedy struck the Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit in Germany on Saturday when a driver succumbed to injuries sustained in a crash during an endurance sports car event, which was taking place on the same weekend that four-time Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen was scheduled to race. In horse racing, the 2022 Grand National winner, Noble Yeats, passed away following a bout of colic, marking the end of an era for the 50-1 outsider who famously won the Aintree marathon.

Tennis & Snooker

At the Barcelona Open, both Arthur Fils and Andrey Rublev demonstrated resilience by coming back from a set down in their respective semifinals to advance to the final championship match setting up a final clash. In snooker, reigning world champion Zhao Xintong defeated England's Liam Highfield on an emotional opening day at the Crucible tournament, which featured tributes to the recently passed Shane Warne, as Zhao started strongly.

Player Movement & Transfer News

Georgia Tech's quarterback competition appears to have settled, with transfer Alberto Mendoza using spring practice effectively to establish himself as the frontrunner to secure the starting role following his move from Indiana Hoosiers. In the English Football League, Southend full-back Gus Scott-Morriss achieved a unique feat by arriving at the Halifax match via another club's team bus before helping his side secure a 6-2 victory after a significant commute.