General Sports 3d Briefing
×Last updated: March 20, 2026, 2:30 AM ET
NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Upsets & Player Futures
The opening round of the NCAA men's basketball tournament featured several dramatic upsets and standout individual performances, setting the stage for intense second-round matchups. No. 11 seed VCU stunned North Carolina 82-78 in overtime espn.com after erasing a massive 19-point second-half deficit, with Terrence Hill Jr. delivering the decisive stepback three-pointer in the final seconds of the extra period, a result that prompted terse post-game comments from UNC coach Hubert Davis, who maintained that fatigue was not the cause of the collapse espn.com. Meanwhile, the performance of BYU's freshman star, AJ Dybantsa, who dropped 35 points espn.com, was not enough to prevent the sixth-seeded Cougars from falling to No. 11 seed Texas, 79-71, leading to speculation that Dybantsa will decide his future espn.com. Other major upsets included 12th seed High Point overcoming fifth-seeded Wisconsin, 83-82, thanks to Chase Johnston hitting his first two-point basket of the season to seal the victory, while No. 4 seed Nebraska secured its first-ever NCAA tournament win espn.com by crushing No. 13 seed Troy, 76-47.
Tournament Favorites & First Four Recap
Despite the early chaos, top seeds were generally able to navigate the first round, though some faced significant tests. The No. 1 overall seed, Duke, barely dodged a massive upset espn.com, needing to rally from 13 points down against 16th-seeded Siena before pulling away in the final five minutes, adding pressure to a roster already missing center Patrick Ngongba due to a foot injury for the tournament opener espn.com. Elsewhere, No. 9 seed TCU backed up pre-tournament confidence by holding off Ohio State 66-64 espn.com, sealed by a Xavier Edmonds layup with 4.3 seconds remaining. Earlier First Four action saw Texas survive NC State, 68-66, on a Tramon Mark fadeaway jumper with 1.1 seconds left in a key First Four matchup espn.com, and Miami (Ohio) validated its selection by beating SMU in the First Four espn.com, despite SMU coach Andy Enfield stating star guard B.J. Edwards was held out because he did not feel "game ready" following an earlier announcement regarding his injury status that Friday espn.com.
WNBA Labor & College Accolades
The WNBA is set for substantial changes following the ratification of a new Collective Bargaining Agreement, which sources confirm includes a starting salary cap of $7 million espn.com that will escalate over the deal's term. A key provision within this pending CBA will expedite the timeline for players on rookie-scale contracts espn.com to reach maximum and supermax salary tiers, representing a transformational shift in earning potential for younger league stars as detailed in the new deal's breakdown espn.com. On the college front, the AP All-America team recognized top performers, with UConn's Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd leading the selections, joined by Vanderbilt's Mikayla Blakes, Texas' Madison Booker, and UCLA's Lauren Betts in the elite grouping espn.com. Duke's Cameron Boozer was also recognized as a unanimous first-team All-American, joining a decorated group of freshmen and sophomores who ESPN talent ranked highly espn.com ahead of the women's tournament.
International & Domestic Rugby Updates
The international rugby sphere saw significant developments for both the men's and women's games. Ireland head coach Scott Bemand has signed a contract extension bbc.com that will keep him in charge through the conclusion of the 2029 Women's Rugby World Cup, a move that follows the announcement of nine uncapped players in the squad for the upcoming Six Nations, though key winger Amee-Leigh Costigan is unavailable due to injury bbc.com. Conversely, England's Women's Six Nations squad features four Irish players in the Team of the Tournament, but no English representatives, while Wales suffered a late double injury blow with the losses of Alex Callender and Nel Metcalfe ahead of the tournament kickoff espn.com. In club rugby, Premiership leaders Northampton see second row JJ van der Mescht in contention for a Springboks call-up bbc.com after participating in a recent alignment camp, while Sir James Dyson has taken a 50% ownership stake in Bath Rugby bbc.com, pledging investment toward a new stadium project.
Combat Sports & Darts Drama
The combat sports world featured significant pronouncements regarding title opportunities and upcoming bouts. UFC featherweight contender Lerone Murphy asserted that the winner of his upcoming Saturday bout against Movsar Evloev at UFC London should automatically earn the next title shot bbc.com, stating emphatically that "it shouldn't be any other way." In professional darts, Luke Littler authored a stunning comeback during the Premier League Darts final in Dublin, rallying from a staggering 5-0 deficit to defeat Gerwyn Price 6-5, a match notable for featuring two maximum 170 checkouts in a single leg of play bbc.com. Meanwhile, Michael Conlan is approaching his featherweight clash with Kevin Walsh on March 20th with the mindset that it is "all or nothing bbc.com" as he seeks a clear path toward a world title shot, a sentiment echoed by promoter Kalle Sauerland who sees a title opportunity readily available with a victory bbc.com.
European Football & Cycling Results
In European football, Chelsea's standing among the continent's elite was reassessed following a decisive 3-0 Champions League defeat to Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday espn.com, showing the Blues are still off the pace despite their status as club world champions. In the Super League, Wigan Warriors maintained their perfect start to the season by fighting back from a 14-0 deficit bbc.com to defeat York Knights, while the league faces scrutiny over an ongoing injury crisis afflicting several early-season matches bbc.com. On the cycling circuit, Tom Pidcock marked his debut in the Milano-Torino classic by launching a late attack to secure the victory bbc.com on the 150th anniversary of the historic race. Additionally, Great Britain's Kirsty Muir claimed her second consecutive World Cup slopestyle victory, which propelled her to the top of the season's standings bbc.com heading into the final event.
Pro Wrestling & Golf News
The professional football landscape saw some movement, including the news that the Oklahoma City Thunder became the first NBA franchise to clinch a play-off spot bbc.com following Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's 40-point night against the Magic. In golf, Rory McIlroy, hosting the Masters Champions Dinner, unveiled an extravagant menu featuring items like wagyu filet mignon, seared salmon, and glazed carrots, while his own Masters playing status remains unclear espn.com as he continues to manage fluctuating health. In the TGL, the inaugural season concluded with two historic achievements: Neal Shipley and Tom Kim recorded the only holes-in-one in TGL history espn.com during the regular season. Elsewhere, NASCAR driver Daniel Dye received a suspension—the second major penalty of his career—for mocking IndyCar driver David Malukas espn.com during a recent livestream broadcast.