General Sports 3d Briefing
×Last updated: March 20, 2026, 9:30 AM ET
College Basketball Shocks & Coaching Carousel
The men's NCAA tournament delivered immediate drama as No. 1 overall seed Duke narrowly survived espn.com a scare, needing a late rally from 13 points down to dispatch 16th-seeded Siena, while No. 11 seed VCU stunned North Carolina espn.com in overtime, overcoming a 19-point second-half deficit thanks to a critical stepback three-pointer by Terrence Hill Jr. UNC coach Hubert Davis espn.com tersely deflected questions about fatigue being a factor in the 82-78 OT loss. Elsewhere in the first round, No. 12 seed High Point stunned Wisconsin espn.com 83-82 when Chase Johnston sank only his first two-point basket of the season in the closing moments, and No. 4 seed Nebraska captured its first-ever NCAA tournament win espn.com by routing Troy 76-47. In Division III action, NYU's historic 91-game winning streak concluded espn.com with a 60-52 loss to Scranton in the Final Four, marking the end of their two-year championship reign.
Coaching movement is heating up as Georgia Tech finalizes a deal espn.com to hire Troy's Scott Cross as the next men's basketball head coach, sources confirmed this week. Meanwhile, BYU freshman AJ Dybantsa stated he will decide espn.com his playing future after Texas overcame his 35-point effort to defeat BYU 79-71 in the tournament opener espn.com. In other program news, Minnesota dismissed women's hockey coach Brad Frost espn.com after 19 seasons without a national title in the last decade, and Kentucky coach Mark Pope offered no comment regarding Yaxel Lendeborg’s claim of receiving a multimillion-dollar offer to play for the Wildcats espn.com.
WNBA & NBA Updates
The WNBA is poised for potential salary acceleration as sources indicate a new provision in the pending Collective Bargaining Agreement will expedite max deals espn.com for players on rookie-scale contracts. This new CBA is rumored to feature a starting salary cap of $7 million, which will increase over the term of the agreement, according to reports espn.com. In league happenings, the Oklahoma City Thunder became the first NBA side bbc.com to clinch a playoff spot this season following a 40-point performance from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander against Orlando. Separately, the Miami Heat are reportedly planning to waive guard Terry Rozier espn.com before the playoffs commence to free up a roster spot for their postseason push.
In individual NBA milestones, Luka Doncic matched Kobe Bryant's scoring output bbc.com with 60 points as the Lakers defeated the Heat, a night which also saw LeBron James tie an appearance record bbc.com. Off the court, Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards was seen playing basketball espn.com with former President Barack Obama while teasing the opening of the Presidential Center. to 2026, USC has secured its third McDonald's All American espn.com commitment in Christian Collins, vaulting the Trojans to the top of the early 2026 class rankings espn.com.
International & Domestic Rugby Union
The England Women's Six Nations squad under new head coach John Mitchell welcomes a clutch of new faces, including seven uncapped players bbc.com as the team aims to build upon their September Rugby World Cup success. Conversely, Ireland coach Scott Bemand named nine uncapped players for their Six Nations squad but will be without key winger Amee-Leigh Costigan bbc.com, though Bemand himself has signed a contract extension through the 2029 Women's Rugby World Cup bbc.com. In club action, the return of the Premiership sees Saints and Bath bbc.com leading the race for the top four spots, while Cardiff and Ospreys remain in contention for playoff berths in the United Rugby Championship bbc.com. Furthermore, Argentina has formally pitched its bid to host bbc.com the 2035 Rugby World Cup, which would mark the tournament’s first appearance in South America.
Rugby League & European Football
In the Super League, leaders Wigan Warriors maintained their 100% start bbc.com to the season by fighting back from a 14-0 deficit to edge past the York Knights. Injury concerns are plaguing the competition, prompting an inquiry into why Super League is afflicted bbc.com with so many early-season injuries. In European football, Chelsea’s gap to the continent's elite was exposed after a 3-0 Champions League defeat to PSG espn.com, demonstrating the level required to compete consistently at that level. Separately, an online streamer with approximately 11,000 subscribers has acquired the rights to broadcast the remainder of the Premier League bbc.com season in France.
Mixed Martial Arts & Combat Sports
As Lerone Murphy prepares to face Movsar Evloev in London this Saturday, he asserted that the winner of their bout should automatically secure the next featherweight title shot bbc.com, raising questions around the fairness of the contendership matchmaking process bbc.com. In boxing, IBF welterweight champion Lewis Crocker views his upcoming fight bbc.com against Liam Paro as a necessary step to open up further world title opportunities. In other combat sports news, the PFL slate over the next five weeks is set to feature several prominent names, including champion Costello van Steenis espn.com and fan-favorite Paul Hughes.
Golf, Darts, and Snooker
Rory McIlroy is set to host the Masters Champions Dinner, where his menu features high-end items such as wagyu filet mignon and seared salmon espn.com. Tiger Woods remains uncertain about his playing status for next month's Masters, confirming only that his health continues to fluctuate espn.com. In darts, Luke Littler staged an incredible comeback in Dublin, recovering from a 5-0 deficit to stun Gerwyn Price 6-5 bbc.com in the Premier League final, a match that featured two maximum 170 checkouts in a single leg. Meanwhile, Ronnie O'Sullivan advanced to the World Open quarter-finals bbc.com after defeating Shaun Murphy 5-3 in Yushan, though Murphy had previously set up the tie with a 5-1 win over Xu Si bbc.com.
General Global Sports Notes
In cycling, Tom Pidcock successfully launched a late attack bbc.com to win the Milano-Torino race, marking the 150th anniversary of the classic. Freestyle skier Kirsty Muir claimed her second World Cup slopestyle victory bbc.com, putting her atop the season's standings before the final event. In horse racing, former reality TV star Jessie Holmes secured a repeat victory espn.com in the Iditarod, only the third repeat winner in the race’s 54-year history. The Commonwealth Games opening ceremony this summer in Glasgow will be hosted at The Hydro arena bbc.com, with organizers promising a "Clyde-built experience." Finally, amid controversy, NASCAR driver Daniel Dye was suspended for mocking IndyCar racer David Malukas espn.com during a recent livestream.