General Sports 3d Briefing
×Last updated: March 21, 2026, 1:30 PM ET
College Basketball: NCAA Tournament Chaos & Records
The second round of the Men's March Madness tournament saw several high-profile matchups unfold, with No. 2 seed UConn narrowly escaping an upset espn.com thanks to a historic performance from Tarris Reed Jr., who posted 31 points and 27 rebounds against Furman. Elsewhere, the contest between Michigan and Saint Louis added intrigue due to the coaches' relationship espn.com, as Dusty May and Josh Schertz met with a Sweet 16 spot on the line after years of sharing ideas. Meanwhile, the NCAA itself filed a trademark infringement lawsuit espn.com against Draft Kings, citing the sportsbook's use of proprietary terms like "March Madness." In the women's bracket, No. 1 seed Florida began its title defense decisively espn.com, crushing Prairie View A&M by 59 points in a game that marked the second-largest victory margin in tournament history, while UConn stood out as the heavy favorite espn.com heading into Saturday's action.
Several first-round upsets and standout individual performances defined the opening weekend for the men. Purdue's Braden Smith broke Bobby Hurley's all-time NCAA assists record espn.com, reaching 1,077 career assists during their opening game, while No. 1 seed Duke needed a second-half rally espn.com to overcome a 13-point deficit against Siena. High Point, led by Chase Johnston's season's first two-point basket espn.com, stunned fifth-seeded Wisconsin 83-82, and No. 4 seed Nebraska secured its first-ever NCAA tournament win espn.com by drubbing Troy 76-47. On the injury front, Duke center Patrick Ngongba II remains questionable for the second round espn.com, though the team expressed optimism about his return against TCU, while Iowa State forward Joshua Jefferson suffered a sprained left ankle espn.com in their win over Tennessee State.
Coaching changes and D-III history also made headlines across the college basketball sphere. Georgia Tech appointed former Troy coach Scott Cross espn.com as its new men's basketball head coach on Friday, signaling a new direction for the program. In Division III action, two-time defending champion NYU saw its 91-game winning streak snapped espn.com in the Final Four by Scranton. The tournament also saw unique stories, such as Queens University's team being inspired by "Buddy the Dog," a hollowed-out German Shepherd replica espn.com serving as their unofficial mascot, and LIU's fanbase turning a near-empty gym into a magical atmosphere with their "fins up" chant espn.com.
Professional Sports: NHL, NBA, & NFL Updates
The Colorado Avalanche became the first NHL team espn.com to punch their ticket to the postseason after defeating the Blackhawks 4-1, showcasing their early dominance in the league. In the NBA, the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder opted out of a White House visit espn.com, citing "timing" issues during their trip to the nation's capital. Meanwhile, the Miami Heat are reportedly preparing to waive guard Terry Rozier espn.com before the playoffs commence to clear a roster spot for their championship push. In NFL news, Kenny Pickett expressed his motivation for joining the Panthers espn.com, stating that his primary goal in Carolina is earning back a starting job under coach Dave Canales, while the Chiefs are looking for their free agent class to outperform last year's acquisitions espn.com as they consider options like Cam Jordan being a potential fit.
Cycling, Snowboarding, & Track World Stage
In European cycling, Tadej Pogacar secured his first Milan-San Remo title bbc.com following a decisive battle with Britain's Tom Pidcock in the one-day classic, though the women's race saw Italian Debora Silvestri rushed to the hospital following a serious crash bbc.com. On the slopes, Great Britain's Mia Brookes clinched her fifth career World Cup title bbc.com in slopestyle at Flachnau, Austria, a victory that propelled her to the top of the season's standings, as freestyle skier Kirsty Muir also claimed a consecutive slopestyle win bbc.com in her discipline. Track athletes also registered major results, with Jeremiah Azu finishing fourth in what was described as "one of the best 60m races of all time" at the World Indoor Championships, with teammate Amy Hunt discussing the importance of university education bbc.com alongside her racing commitments.
Rugby & Soccer League Developments
The Premiership Women's Rugby saw Trailfinders edge past Harlequins 21-17 bbc.com, clinched by an Abi Burton try just three minutes from time. In the United Rugby Championship, Connacht secured a statement bonus-point victory over Ulster bbc.com, though Ulster faces a setback as winger Rob Baloucoune is sidelined for three months with an elbow injury reported on the BBC bbc.com. In South African rugby, the Lions administered a heavy defeat to Edinburgh bbc.com, running in eight tries during a completely dominant showing in Johannesburg. Meanwhile, in Super League, Wakefield exacted revenge on Leigh bbc.com for last season's playoff elimination, contributing to the Leopards' ongoing poor start to the campaign, while Wigan Warriors maintained their perfect start by coming back from 14-0 down to defeat York Knights bbc.com.
Combat Sports & Individual Honors
The world of combat sports saw championship action and career reflections. PFL champion Costello van Steenis retained his middleweight title bbc.com by stopping Fabian Edwards in the third round, denying Edwards a world title shot once again, setting up a slate of upcoming fights featuring fan favorites like Paul Hughes and Sergio Pettis espn.com. In professional boxing, Michael Conlan confirmed it was the "end of the road bbc.com" following his split decision loss to Kevin Walsh, concluding a professional career that failed to replicate his amateur success bbc.com. Separately, Olympic champion Lin Yu-ting was cleared to compete again bbc.com by World Boxing after undergoing the organization's new sex testing protocol.
Golf, Tennis, & Miscellaneous Sports News
In golf, Jon Rahm dropped his appeal against DP World Tour sanctions bbc.com related to LIV Golf participation but refused to pay the outstanding fines levied against him. At the Masters, Rory McIlroy hosted the Champions Dinner, featuring an extravagant menu that included wagyu filet mignon and seared salmon espn.com. Tennis prepares for technological changes, as Wimbledon has announced that video review technology will be used bbc.com for the first time this year. In aquatic sports, Australian Cameron McEvoy shattered Cesar Cielo's 50m freestyle world record bbc.com, which had stood since the 'supersuit' era of swimming. College hockey saw Wisconsin defender Caroline Harvey claim the Patty Kazaier Memorial Award espn.com as the top player in women's college hockey, while the R.I. high school hockey team, despite recent tragedy, capped its season with a state title espn.com.