General Sports 3d Briefing
×Last updated: March 13, 2026, 10:55 PM ET
NCAA Basketball Turmoil
The college basketball coaching carousel spun into high gear espn.com as Cincinnati fired Wes Miller after five seasons, while Syracuse parted ways with Adrian Autry espn.com following three tournament-less years. Meanwhile, Arizona's dramatic 82-80 victory espn.com over Iowa State, sealed by Jaden Bradley's buzzer-beater, sent the Wildcats to the Big 12 tournament finals. The coaching upheaval extended to Kansas State, where sources indicate Casey Alexander is expected to be named espn.com the new coach after his success at Belmont. In the MAC, commissioner Jon A. Steinbrecher remains confident espn.com his conference will secure two NCAA tournament bids despite Miami (Ohio)'s shocking 87-83 loss to UMass in the league quarterfinals.
Six Nations Showdown
Scotland's remarkable transformation bbc.com from perennial underachievers to Six Nations contenders reaches its climax Saturday against Ireland, who are desperate for a Triple Crown bbc.com. Ireland's James Ryan was ruled out bbc.com with injury as Andy Farrell made four changes for the decisive clash in Dublin. Meanwhile, France will wear special edition pale blue bbc.com against England to mark 120 years of rivalry, while uncapped flanker Temo Matiu earns his debut bbc.com in the Paris finale. Wales, seeking their first Six Nations win in three years bbc.com, named an unchanged side for Saturday's finale against Italy, where record-breaking flanker Alex Mann aims to cap a strong campaign bbc.com.
Rugby Union Results
Ulster's impressive resurgence bbc.com continued with a bonus-point victory over Edinburgh that dented the hosts' top-eight hopes, while Connacht kept playoff hopes alive bbc.com with a five-try win over Scarlets in Galway. In the Premiership Women's Rugby, Loughborough Lightning overcame Harlequins 43-33 bbc.com as England internationals Ellie Kildunne and Sadia Kabeya returned to action. The United Rugby Championship saw additional drama bbc.com as prop Tom McAllister made his senior Ulster debut in the rescheduled Edinburgh clash.
Cheltenham Festival Drama
The Cheltenham Festival delivered heartbreak and triumph bbc.com on its final day as Envoi Allen and Saint Le Fort both died, casting a shadow over the prestigious meeting. Gaelic Warrior powered to Gold Cup glory bbc.com in supreme fashion, while Heart Wood triumphed in the Ryanair Chase bbc.com for trainer Henry de Bromhead's first winner of the festival. Harry Redknapp-owned Jukebox Man finished eighth bbc.com in the Gold Cup after being confirmed in the 10-horse field. The meeting marked a difficult year for punters bbc.com as the average starting price of 28 winners hit a 10-year high.
Winter Paralympics Highlights
Haiti's historic Winter Paralympic debut bbc.com saw Ralf Etienne become his nation's first representative, 16 years after losing his leg in the devastating earthquake. Cross-country skier Jake Adicoff made history bbc.com as the first out gay man to win an individual Paralympic gold medal. Meanwhile, Britain's Hester Poole crashed out of the giant slalom bbc.com on her debut but vowed to focus on Saturday's slalom, while Neil Simpson and guide Rob Poth failed to finish bbc.com their opening run in the men's visually impaired giant slalom.
Tennis and Golf Updates
World number one Aryna Sabalenka defeated "future champion" Victoria Mboko bbc.com at Indian Wells, though Iga Swiatek exited the tournament. In golf, Graeme McDowell created LIV Golf history bbc.com by becoming the first player to hit a second hole-in-one on the tour. The PGA Tour faces potential revolution espn.com as CEO Brian Rolaff outlined ambitious changes including relegation, revamped schedules, and match play in playoffs.
Boxing and MMA
UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev will defend his title bbc.com against Sean Strickland in May, while Anthony Cacace and James Dickens clash for the super featherweight world title bbc.com. Ryan Garner eyes the winner bbc.com of that bout at St Mary's. In boxing analysis, Andreas Hale addressed key storylines espn.com including potential Haney-Garcia and Mayweather-Tyson matchups.
Cricket and Other Sports
England bowler Mark Wood admitted thinking about life after cricket bbc.com for the first time as his injured knee improves. In the Hundred auction, Pakistan's Abrar Ahmed was bought by Sunrisers Leeds bbc.com to allay concerns about IPL-affiliated franchises ignoring Pakistani players. The Hundred auctioned 89 players bbc.com in the UK's first professional sporting auction. Afghanistan's series against Sri Lanka was postponed bbc.com until year's end due to Middle East conflict.
NFL and NBA News
The NFL draft order was finalized espn.com with the Raiders selecting first and Broncos last in the seven-round, 257-pick extravaganza. The NFLPA prepares for leadership elections espn.com to replace disgraced former leader Lloyd Howell. In the NBA, Miami's response to Milwaukee's post about Bam Adebayo's 83-point game went viral online espn.com, while the Heat star's historic performance forced fans to choose sides espn.com on whether to celebrate or audit the scoring outburst.
College Sports Developments
Tennessee freshman Nate Ament is expected to return espn.com for the SEC tournament after a leg injury sidelined him for two games. Auburn coach Steven Pearl lobbied for his team's NCAA tournament chances espn.com after blowing a second-half lead in the SEC quarters. Hofstra returned to the NCAA tournament espn.com for the first time in 25 years with a 75-69 win over Monmouth. The Big 12 transitioned back to hardwood espn.com after its innovative LED glass court led to slipping incidents, including Texas Tech's Christian Anderson straining a muscle espn.com during Iowa State's win.
Olympic and International Sports
Olympic champion Alysa Liu received a key to her hometown espn.com during a rally featuring Bay Area artists. Triple gold medallist Tom Dean uprooted to Stirling bbc.com with the 2028 Olympics in his sights. Sammi Kinghorn revealed her pregnancy bbc.com, meaning she'll miss the 2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Games. The Ravens pivoted from Maxx Crosby to Trey Hendrickson espn.com, landing a four-time Pro Bowl pass rusher after moving on from the former star.