General Sports 3d Briefing
×Last updated: March 20, 2026, 4:30 PM ET
NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Upsets & Injuries
The opening weekend of the men's NCAA tournament delivered immediate drama, with seventh-seeded Kentucky surviving Santa Clara espn.com only after Otega Oweh forced overtime with a buzzer-beater, ultimately winning 89-84. Duke, the number one overall seed, also dodged an upset bid espn.com, rallying from 13 points down to secure a narrow victory over 16th-seeded Siena, though the Blue Devils face uncertainty as center Patrick Ngongba II might return for the second round espn.com from a foot injury for their matchup against TCU. Elsewhere, No. 11 seed VCU executed a massive comeback, erasing a 19-point second-half deficit espn.com to stun No. 6 seed North Carolina in overtime, prompting UNC coach Hubert Davis to insist fatigue was not the cause of the collapse in terse postgame exchanges espn.com.
Early tournament action featured several high-profile upsets and strong performances, including No. 12 seed High Point edging out fifth-seeded Wisconsin 83-82 thanks to Chase Johnston hitting his first two-point basket of the season in the closing moments to secure the victory espn.com, while No. 4 seed Nebraska captured its first-ever NCAA tournament win by decisively defeating Troy 76-47 espn.com. Meanwhile, TCU star Olivia Miles delivered her 12th career triple-double as the third-seeded Horned Frogs cruised past UC San Diego 86-40 espn.com, demonstrating the form that makes UConn the odds-on favorite in the women’s bracket as that tournament tipped off espn.com. BYU’s freshman sensation AJ Dybantsa scored 35 points in a losing effort against Texas, and he now faces a decision regarding his future, stating he will mull his options espn.com.
College Basketball Coaching & Off-Court News
Coaching carousel activity continued as Georgia Tech formally named former Troy coach Scott Cross espn.com as its new men's basketball head coach on Friday, while Cal State Bakersfield is reportedly targeting USC assistant Todd Lee to fill its vacancy, which stems from Coach Rod Barnes’ September departure and ongoing legal issues involving an assistant who now faces trial on pimping charges espn.com. In other legal developments, Tuskegee coach Benjy Taylor has initiated a $1 million federal lawsuit against two police officers and Morehouse College stemming from his detainment following a game on January 31 after the initial event espn.com. Amid the turmoil, Queens University is finding inspiration in an unusual place, with a hollowed-out German Shepherd replica serving as their unofficial mascot dubbed 'Buddy the Dog' espn.com, while LIU Sharks fans have transformed a near-empty gym into a passionate atmosphere using their "'fins up' chant" creating March magic espn.com.
Professional & International Sports Updates
In professional leagues, the Oklahoma City Thunder became the first NBA side to clinch bbc.com a playoff spot following a 40-point performance from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander against the Magic. Elsewhere in the NBA, Luka Doncic matched a career milestone with a 60-point effort as the Lakers defeated the Heat, a night which also saw LeBron James tie an appearance record and Dell Curry have his jersey retired bbc.com. The WNBA is set for major financial changes as sources indicated that the new Collective Bargaining Agreement will feature a $7 million salary cap espn.com and includes a provision to fast-track maximum salary deals for players on rookie-scale contracts speeding up earning potential espn.com. Overseas, England’s Roses netball team suffered a blow as goalkeeper Jaz Brown was ruled out of the Glasgow 2026 Games bbc.com due to a serious Achilles injury, while the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony will be hosted at The Hydro in Glasgow bbc.com.
Global Football, Rugby, and Combat Sports
The international football scene saw Thomas Tuchel select an expanded England squad, generating discussion about the forgotten players who made the cut espn.com ahead of the World Cup. In rugby union, Ireland saw four players named to the Six Nations Team of the Tournament, though notably no English players made the XV bbc.com, while England Women’s coach John Mitchell has introduced seven uncapped players into the squad building toward the World Cup triumph. Amid off-field issues, former Scotland captain Stuart Hogg was arrested again on complaint bbc.com regarding a breach of a non-harassment order. In the UFC, Lerone Murphy & Movsar Evloev shared a cold staredown bbc.com ahead of their highly anticipated featherweight bout in London on Saturday, with the context of the fight raising questions about why some athletes like Murphy get overlooked in the title contention process despite long roads traveled bbc.com.
Other Notable Sports News
In swimming, Australian Cameron McEvoy shattered the men's 50m freestyle world record bbc.com, beating a long-standing mark set during the 'supersuit' era, while in darts, Luke Littler staged a remarkable comeback, coming back from 5-0 down to defeat Gerwyn Price 6-5 in the Premier League final, a match which featured two maximum 170 checkouts in a single game displaying his dramatic flair bbc.com. Meanwhile, political maneuvering in the U.S. saw President Trump issue an executive order to ensure the annual Army-Navy football game maintains its national focus by barring competing postseason broadcasts espn.com. Further afield, plans are for a European cricket tournament to launch by 2027 bbc.com, following developments revealed by Cricket Ireland.