General Sports 3d Briefing
×Last updated: March 20, 2026, 10:30 AM ET
College Basketball Turmoil & Tournament Action
The Men's NCAA Tournament commenced with significant upsets, as No. 11 seed Texas survived a late rally espn.com to defeat NC State 68-66 on Tuesday night, while No. 12 seed High Point stunned fifth-seeded Wisconsin 83-82 thanks to a decisive late basket from Chase Johnston securing the program's first win espn.com. Defending champion Duke, the tournament's No. 1 overall seed, barely avoided a 16-seed upset espn.com by rallying from 13 points down to conquer Siena, although they will likely proceed without big man Patrick Ngongba due to a foot injury putting pressure on freshman Boozer espn.com. Elsewhere in the First Four, Miami (Ohio) proved doubters wrong espn.com by beating SMU, though SMU coach Andy Enfield later clarified that star guard B.J. Edwards sat out because he did not feel "game ready" after an earlier injury announcement prompting controversy espn.com.
The Division I bracket saw No. 6 seed BYU knocked out in the opening round espn.com despite a massive 35-point performance from freshman AJ Dybantsa, who stated he expects to decide his future in the "next couple of weeks" mulling over his BYU option espn.com, while No. 4 seed Nebraska captured its first-ever NCAA tournament win by crushing Troy 76-47 notching a landmark victory espn.com. North Carolina suffered a stunning elimination when VCU rallied from a 19-point second-half deficit to win 82-78 in overtime, a result Coach Hubert Davis attributed to execution rather than fatigue tempering post-game comments bbc.com. In Division III action, the Violets of NYU saw their 91-game win streak terminate espn.com following a 60-52 loss to Scranton in the Final Four round on Thursday evening.
Coaching movement is also heating up, as Georgia Tech is reportedly finalizing a deal espn.com to bring in Troy coach Scott Cross as the school's next men's basketball head coach. Meanwhile, Kentucky coach Mark Pope addressed recent comments from transfer target Yaxel Lendeborg, who claimed he received a multimillion dollar offer to play for the Wildcats, though Pope offered little direct comment espn.com on the reported sum. In terms of player recognition, Duke's Cameron Boozer was named a unanimous first-team All-American by the AP, joined by UConn's Sarah Strong, Azzi Fudd, Vanderbilt's Mikayla Blakes, Texas' Madison Booker, and UCLA's Lauren Betts headlining All-America honors espn.com.
WNBA & NBA Developments
The WNBA is nearing a transformative labor agreement, as sources confirmed the new Collective Bargaining Agreement will expedite max deal eligibility espn.com for players on rookie-scale contracts and set the initial salary cap at $7 million, with provisions for future increases detailing the CBA's impact espn.com. On the court, the Oklahoma City Thunder became the first NBA side to clinch a playoff spot this season after Shai Gilgeous-Alexander tallied 40 points in a victory over the Orlando Magic securing an early berth bbc.com. In unrelated NBA news, the Miami Heat are expected to waive guard Terry Rozier before the playoffs conclude to clear a roster spot optimizing the playoff roster espn.com.
Football & Gridiron Moves
NFL free agency saw significant speculation, particularly around Kansas City, where the Chiefs are aiming for their incoming free agent class to deliver a much greater return on investment than last year's acquisitions hoping for bigger impact espn.com. Across the league, the Seattle Seahawks face a running back dilemma after letting Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker depart, compounding issues in a backfield already dealing with Zach Charbonnet's injury status assessing the backfield holes espn.com. In the UFL, which is opting for smaller stadiums to foster a more "intimate" atmosphere, Washington Defenders coaches are preparing for the reigning champions to receive every opponent's "best shot" anticipating tough competition espn.com.
Rugby Union & League Updates
The international rugby scene is active, with Ireland coach Scott Bemand signing a contract extension that will keep him at the helm through the 2029 Women's Rugby World Cup cementing his tenure bbc.com, while England's Women's Six Nations squad, building off their recent World Cup success, features seven uncapped players under new coach John Mitchell introducing fresh faces bbc.com. In the URC, Welsh clubs are battling for postseason positioning; Cardiff and Ospreys are in play-off contention as the league returns from its break, with Taulupe Faletau returning to the Cardiff squad after an extended absence bolstering their lineup bbc.com. Meanwhile, Scotland's former rugby captain Stuart Hogg was reportedly arrested again following an alleged breach of a non-harassment order facing legal scrutiny bbc.com.
Global & Other Sports
In cycling, Tom Pidcock launched a successful late attack bbc.com to claim victory in the Milano-Torino race, the world's oldest classic, on its 150th anniversary. Professional darts saw Luke Littler stage a remarkable comeback against Gerwyn Price in Dublin, fighting back from a 5-0 deficit to win the Premier League final 6-5, a match that featured two maximum 170 checkouts in a single leg staging an epic rally bbc.com. Snooker's World Open saw Ronnie O'Sullivan advance to the quarter-finals by defeating Shaun Murphy 5-3 booking his spot espn.com, while in boxing, IBF welterweight champion Lewis Crocker stated that a win over Liam Paro should unlock further world title opportunities plotting his next move bbc.com. In the U.S., former reality TV star Jessie Holmes cruised to his second consecutive Iditarod victory espn.com, only the third competitor ever to achieve that feat in the race's 54-year history.
Soccer & European Competition
Chelsea suffered a humbling 3-0 Champions League defeat against PSG on Tuesday, a result that exposed the gap between the Blues and Europe's established elite clubs revealing competitive distance espn.com. In English football, Wigan Warriors maintained their perfect start to the Super League season by fighting back from 14-0 down bbc.com to edge past York Knights. Furthermore, an online streamer has acquired the rights to broadcast the remainder of the Premier League season across France to approximately 11,000 subscribers securing French streaming rights bbc.com.
NCAA & Program News
While March Madness dominated headlines, the offseason has begun for some programs; the University of Minnesota dismissed women's hockey coach Brad Frost after 19 seasons, a decade removed from the program's last national title ending a long tenure espn.com. USC's 2026 recruiting class vaulted to the No. 1 spot in ESPN's rankings after landing their third committed McDonald's All American, Christian Collins, and five-star forward Sara Okeke solidifying the top class espn.com. Meanwhile, former USC quarterback Matt Leinart recently confirmed on his podcast that he has no intention of unretiring his No. 11 jersey, stating it is "not for sale" protecting his legacy espn.com.
Golf & Track & Field
Rory McIlroy will host the Masters Champions Dinner, where his menu selections include wagyu filet mignon, seared salmon, glazed carrots, and Vidalia onion rings showcasing lavish choices espn.com. Tiger Woods remains publicly uncertain about his playing status for next month's Masters, stating only that his health continues to fluctuate keeping status unclear espn.com. In track, Scottish middle-distance runner Jemma Reekie expressed feeling "no pressure" ahead of the World Indoor Championships and hopes to compete in both the 800m and the mile at the Commonwealth Games targeting dual events bbc.com.