General Sports 3d Briefing
×Last updated: March 20, 2026, 8:30 PM ET
NCAA Basketball Upsets & First Round Action
The opening rounds of the men's NCAA tournament delivered immediate drama, highlighted by several tight contests and unexpected results across Thursday and Friday's matchups espn.com. Seventh-seeded Kentucky pulled out an 89-84 overtime victory espn.com against Santa Clara, propelled by Otega Oweh’s buzzer-beater to force the extra period, while No. 12 seed High Point stunned the fifth-seeded Badgers when Chase Johnston converted his first two-point basket of the season to secure an 83-82 win over Wisconsin espn.com. Meanwhile, No. 11 seed Texas survived a scare on Tuesday, with Tramon Mark's late fadeaway jumper sealing a 68-66 win over NC State in the First Four, sending them forward to challenge BYU espn.com.
Further action on Friday saw No. 4 seed Nebraska capture its first-ever NCAA tournament victory, crushing No. 13 seed Troy 76-47, a result that capped a dramatic turnaround for the program after years without a tournament appearance espn.com. In a significant upset, Utah State rallied in the second half to defeat Villanova 86-76, with MJ Collins contributing 20 points and securing a critical steal leading to an emphatic one-handed dunk late in the game espn.com. Conversely, the impressive run for Miami (Ohio) concluded abruptly when they fell to Tennessee 78-56, as Volunteers guard Ja'Kobi Gillespie drained six three-pointers en route to a 29-point performance espn.com.
The top seeds navigated their opening challenges with varying degrees of difficulty, leading to shifts in championship projections espn.com. Duke, the overall No. 1 seed, narrowly averted a massive upset after trailing by 13 points before finally gaining control late against Siena to win, though coach Jon Scheyer remains hopeful that center Patrick Ngongba II can return from a foot injury for the second round match against TCU espn.com. On the women's side, third-seeded TCU dominated UC San Diego 86-40, anchored by Olivia Miles achieving her 12th career triple-double espn.com, while UConn entered the competition as the clear title favorite espn.com.
College Hoops Personnel & Player News
Coaching changes and player news dominated headlines outside of tournament results, particularly concerning program rebuilding efforts. Georgia Tech officially named former Troy coach Scott Cross as its new men's basketball head coach on Friday espn.com. In Bakersfield, Cal State is reportedly targeting USC assistant Todd Lee to fill their coaching vacancy, following Rod Barnes' departure in September and amid legal issues involving a former assistant facing serious charges espn.com. On the player front, BYU freshman AJ Dybantsa, who scored 35 points in a loss to Texas, confirmed he will be deciding his playing future in the coming weeks espn.com, while UCLA's Lauren Betts received high praise from coach Cori Close for her "courageous vulnerability" in discussing her mental health journey espn.com.
Professional Sports Updates & Contracts
In professional basketball, the Oklahoma City Thunder clinched the first NBA playoff spot bbc.com after Shai Gilgeous-Alexander poured in 40 points against the Magic, though the reigning champions announced they will decline a White House visit during their upcoming trip to the nation's capital, citing "timing" issues espn.com. Meanwhile, the WNBA is finalizing a new Collective Bargaining Agreement which sources indicate will feature a starting salary cap of $7 million and will expedite the timeline for players on rookie deals to reach maximum salaries espn.com. Elsewhere in the league, the Miami Heat are reportedly planning to waive guard Terry Rozier before the postseason begins to optimize their roster for a playoff push espn.com.
Global Rugby & Soccer Developments
The international rugby scene saw several key announcements regarding national teams and club performance. Ireland head coach Scott Bemand secured a contract extension keeping him in charge through the 2029 Women's Rugby World Cup, despite naming nine uncapped players in his Women's Six Nations squad bbc.com. In Premiership Women's Rugby, Trailfinders edged past Harlequins 21-17 bbc.com thanks to a late try from Abi Burton with only three minutes remaining. In the United Rugby Championship, Connacht delivered a statement second-half performance to earn a bonus-point victory over Ulster bbc.com, though Ulster faces challenges as winger Rob Baloucoune is sidelined for three months due to an elbow injury bbc.com.
Combat Sports & Individual Achievements
The PFL saw Costello van Steenis successfully retain his middleweight title by stopping challenger Fabian Edwards in the third round, continuing his dominance in the division bbc.com. In boxing, Kevin Walsh caused a major upset in Belfast, securing a split decision win over Michael Conlan, effectively derailing Conlan’s immediate hopes for a third world title shot bbc.com. On the track, Great Britain's Jeremiah Azu finished fourth in the 60m dash at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in a race described as "one of the best 60m races of all time" bbc.com, while fellow Briton Amy Hunt discussed the importance of academic achievement for female athletes following her competition bbc.com. In swimming, Australian Cameron McEvoy set a new men's 50m freestyle world record, surpassing the mark established during the 'supersuit' era bbc.com.
League & Club Rugby League
Super League action saw leaders Wigan Warriors fight back from a 14-0 deficit to maintain their perfect start to the season with a victory over York Knights bbc.com. In other league action, Bradford Bulls secured a third consecutive home win by outmuscling Huddersfield Giants in a tough contest bbc.com, while Wakefield exacted revenge for their prior elimination by defeating Leigh, continuing the Leopards' difficult start to the campaign bbc.com. The constant attrition in the league prompted discussion about the underlying causes behind the high volume of injuries early in the season bbc.com.
Other Sports News & Developments
In golf, Jon Rahm elected to drop his appeal against sanctions from the DP World Tour for participating in conflicting LIV Golf events but simultaneously refused to pay the outstanding fines levied against him bbc.com. Meanwhile, at the Masters, Rory McIlroy hosted the Champions Dinner, featuring an extravagant menu that included wagyu filet mignon and seared salmon espn.com. In darts, Luke Littler staged an incredible comeback, fighting back from 5-0 down to defeat Gerwyn Price 6-5 in the Premier League final in Dublin, a match which featured two maximum 170 checkouts within a single game bbc.com. Additionally, darts star Luke Littler is attempting to legally protect his image by applying to trademark his face to combat unauthorized AI-generated likenesses bbc.com.