General Sports 3d Briefing
×Last updated: March 12, 2026, 11:56 AM ET
College Basketball
Tennessee freshman star Nate Ament is expected to return espn.com for the SEC quarterfinals against Auburn after missing the past two games with a leg injury, according to sources. Meanwhile, Arizona State parted ways with Bobby Hurley espn.com after 11 seasons, hours after suffering a historic 91-42 blowout loss to Iowa State in the Big 12 tournament—the largest margin of victory in conference tournament history. Hofstra earned its first NCAA tournament berth espn.com in 25 years by defeating Monmouth 75-69 in the Colonial Athletic Association championship, while AJ Dybantsa poured in 40 points espn.com in a Big 12 tournament upset, leading BYU past Kansas State 105-91.
International Sports
The International Paralympic Committee is investigating podium protests bbc.com after German cross-country skiers turned their backs on Russian gold medalists in Milan-Cortina. In a historic achievement, American cross-country skier Jake Adicoff became the first out gay man bbc.com to win an individual Paralympic gold medal. Brazil's Cristian Westemaier Ribera secured his country's first Winter Paralympic medal bbc.com with silver in the men's seated sprint, crediting Chat GPT for helping him prepare.
Rugby Union
Ireland lock James Ryan is ruled out bbc.com of Saturday's Six Nations Triple Crown decider against Scotland in Dublin, with head coach Andy Farrell making four changes to his lineup. Scotland faces its most significant selection dilemma bbc.com ahead of the Dublin clash, while England's Steve Borthwick admits the pressure of representing the national team has weighed heavily on some players bbc.com during a disappointing Six Nations campaign. Wales names an unchanged side bbc.com for Saturday's finale against Italy, with Aaron Wainwright set to play despite injury bbc.com, as Louis Rees-Zammit expresses confidence the team will give fans something to cheer bbc.com.
Horse Racing
Il Etait Temps powered to victory bbc.com in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham, giving trainer Willie Mullins his third win of day two. Harry Redknapp's Jukebox Man is confirmed for the Gold Cup bbc.com after being added to the field, while champion jockey Sean Bowen seeks his first Cheltenham win bbc.com despite his decorated career. The festival continues to draw thousands of British racing fans to the Costa Blanca for the "Costa del Cheltenham" experience.
Legal & Governance
Former Michigan assistant Chris Partridge filed a lawsuit espn.com against the university, its board, and athletic director Warde Manuel, alleging he was made a "scapegoat" during the Wolverines' 2023 sign-stealing scandal. The Big Ten sent a letter to the NCAA espn.com requesting a pause on tampering investigations and enforcement, calling for modernized rules. Additionally, the NCAA announced plans to monitor officials espn.com for betting activity using Prohi Bet technology during basketball, baseball, and softball tournaments.
Tennis & Olympics
Britain's Sonay Kartal retired from her fourth-round match bbc.com at Indian Wells due to a back injury, calling it "one match too many" after her tournament run. Meanwhile, Paralympic guide dog Pickle has become a star attraction bbc.com for Paralympics GB in Milan-Cortina, stealing the spotlight as the team's unofficial 26th member.
Mixed Martial Arts & Combat Sports
Ronda Rousey announced her return to MMA bbc.com after a decade away, setting up a May 16 bout against Gina Carno that she describes as an opportunity to "rewrite her ending." UFC champion Jon Jones hinted at potential release espn.com from his contract after receiving what he called a "lowball" offer for a White House appearance, asking the promotion to release him if they believe "I'm done."
Golf
Scottie Scheffler remains the overwhelming betting favorite espn.com at The Players Championship, though this time by enormous proportions as he chases his third career title at Sawgrass. Matt Fitzpatrick says winning at The Players would be up there with his career highlights espn.com, calling it "the next best thing" to a major championship. Gary Woodland revealed his PTSD diagnosis espn.com following brain surgery in 2023, telling Golf Channel he "can't waste energy" trying to meet others' expectations as he works through his mental health challenges.
Winter Paralympics
Great Britain's Neil Simpson and guide Rob Poth won the nation's first medal bbc.com of the Milan-Cortina Games with silver in the alpine combined. Ukraine's Maksym Murashkovskyi credited ChatGPT for his silver medal bbc.com in the biathlon, saying the AI tool helped him prepare for competition. The Paralympics also saw controversy as Germany's protest against Russian athletes highlighted ongoing tensions bbc.com over the inclusion of athletes from nations involved in international conflicts.
Other Sports
The Rhode Island high school hockey community rallied around Colin Dorgan espn.com, who scored in double overtime to lift his team after losing three family members in a mass shooting at a local rink last month. In a bizarre incident, Brazilian club Cruzeiro's 23 red cards in a mass brawl espn.com fell short of the world record but still marked one of the most chaotic matches in football history. The Western Athletic Conference resolved its $1 million dispute espn.com with Utah Valley, clearing the way for both men's and women's basketball tournaments to proceed as scheduled.