General Sports 3d Briefing
×Last updated: March 17, 2026, 4:35 PM ET
NCAA Basketball: Tournament Priming & Off-Court Issues
As the field is set for the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, oddsmakers continue to favor Duke espn.com as the projected champion, placing them ahead of Michigan and Arizona in betting markets, while ESPN's bracketologist Joe Lunardi offers his comprehensive guide espn.com covering all teams' chances. The women's side sees UConn as the odds-on favorite espn.com, followed by UCLA, Texas, and South Carolina heading into the championship bracket, with the final regular-season AP Poll confirming these top four seeds espn.com for the women's tournament. Meanwhile, the Alabama Crimson Tide is preparing to compete without star Aden Holloway espn.com following his arrest on Monday morning after authorities discovered 2.1 pounds of marijuana in his apartment, a situation coach Nate Oats acknowledged as the team adjusts its strategy espn.com.
The final conference tournaments wrapped up with several major statements, as No. 13 St. John's delivered a defensive masterclass, blowing out sixth-ranked UConn 72-52 espn.com to secure their second consecutive Big East tournament title. In the Big Ten, Purdue managed to trip up No. 3 Michigan 78-74 espn.com thanks to Oscar Cluff's 21 points, securing the Boilermakers' first Big Ten tournament crown since 2023, while No. 3 Michigan reached the final after Yaxel Lendeborg hit a tiebreaking three-pointer with 0.4 seconds left espn.com against Wisconsin. In the SEC, No. 17 Arkansas clinched its first automatic NCAA tournament berth since 2000, roaring past No. 22 Vanderbilt behind Darius Acuff Jr.'s 30-point stellar performance espn.com, and Pennsylvania's TJ Power set an Ivy Madness-record with 44 points to defeat Yale 88-84 espn.com for the league championship.
Bracket preparation is in full swing, with analysts focused on potential upsets, as ESPN's BPI identifies double-digit seeds with the highest potential to advance espn.com past the first round, while bettors look for value, pinpointing a specific 12-over-5 upset pick and a 2-seed's clearest path espn.com to the Elite Eight. In team news, Duke, Arizona, Michigan, and Miami (Ohio) earned the top overall seeds in the men's field espn.com, and UCLA leading scorer Tyler Bilodeau is expected to return from a mild right knee strain just in time for the NCAA tournament espn.com. Off the court, WNBA players are navigating labor uncertainty, as the WNBPA confirmed progress in CBA negotiations, though a delay to the 2026 season remains a possibility espn.com.
College Football & Player Development
As college football enters its spring phase, Michigan coach Kyle Whittingham is focusing intensely on developing sophomore quarterback Bryce Underwood, aiming to mold him into a "completely finished product" to bolster the Wolverines' historically struggling passing game espn.com. Meanwhile, Oregon quarterback Dante Moore publicly addressed his mental health struggles, revealing he battled significant depression espn.com stemming from the intense pressures associated with playing major college football. On the recruiting front, Texas Tech star guard Christian Anderson will be available for the NCAA tournament after leaving the Big 12 tournament early due to an apparent groin injury, providing a boost for the Red Raiders espn.com, and Tennessee track landed Hendrix Hart, son of comedian Kevin Hart, whose personal bests include 10.68 seconds in the 100-meter dash espn.com.
Snooker, Darts & Combat Sports
In professional snooker, the World Open saw a historic moment as Stan Moody defeated veteran John Higgins 5-4 in what marked Higgins' 2,000th professional match appearance bbc.com, while Ronnie O'Sullivan stated that restoring his game to its previous peak would represent a greater achievement than winning another world title bbc.com. Elsewhere in combat sports, former UFC star Nate Diaz, is set for his return to MMA competition for the first time in four years, scheduled to fight Mike Perry on the MVP debut card on May 16 espn.com. In boxing, Belfast's Anthony Cacace secured the WBA super-featherweight title via a unanimous decision victory over James 'Jazza' Dickens in Dublin, capturing his second world title bbc.com.
Rugby Union & League
The Six Nations concluded with significant fallout and intrigue, as France's last-gasp victory over England snatched the title from Ireland, though coach Andy Farrell maintains his squad is on an upward trajectory despite the agonizing defeat bbc.com. Stuart McCloskey, the Ireland centre, noted his phone has been buzzing constantly since his viral tackle on Marcus Smith, reflecting on his successful return to the national side at age 33 bbc.com. In the English Premiership, Leicester Tigers emphatically claimed the Prem Rugby Cup, scoring a record 10 tries in a dominant 66-14 victory over Exeter Chiefs bbc.com, while Northampton's JJ van der Mescht has been invited to a virtual alignment camp, putting him in contention for a senior call-up to the South Africa Springboks squad bbc.com.
Motorsports & Cycling
Formula 1 saw Kimi Antonelli claim his maiden Chinese Grand Prix victory, leading a Mercedes one-two finish ahead of teammate George Russell after the McLaren entries suffered non-starts bbc.com, prompting debate over whether the new regulations have ushered in "the best racing ever" or merely a "battery world championship" bbc.com. Separately, Denny Hamlin overcame an early speeding penalty to secure a dominant win in Las Vegas for Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota, marking a significant comeback drive espn.com. In cycling, two-time Tour de France champion Jonas Vingegaard successfully navigated the finale to claim his first-ever Paris-Nice title bbc.com.
Other Sports & General News
In college basketball awards, Duke forward Cameron Boozer was named a unanimous first-team All-American by The Associated Press, leading a list that also included other top freshmen espn.com. Former Butler coach Thad Matta, who amassed 502 career wins and made 13 NCAA tournament appearances, announced his retirement from coaching espn.com. In international hockey, England and Wales have been drawn against each other in the pool stages of the upcoming men's Hockey World Cup bbc.com, while the US men's sled hockey team completed a three-peat at the Milan-Cortina Games, securing Paralympic gold by defeating Canada again espn.com. Furthermore, former President Barack Obama and NBA star Anthony Edwards were seen playing basketball and trading banter during a tease event for the Presidential Center opening espn.com.