General Sports 3 Days

Last updated: March 29, 2026, 2:30 AM ET

NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament

The field for the Men's Final Four was finalized Saturday as Illinois punched its ticket by defeating Iowa, sending the program to the national semifinal for the first time in 21 years, fueled by Keaton Wagler’s 25-point performance. The Fighting Illini earned their spot after a gritty defensive effort held Houston to just 34% shooting in a 65-55 Elite Eight victory, while Arizona also advanced by rolling past Arkansas 109-88, handing coach Calipari his worst tournament loss. Meanwhile, Michigan State coach Tom Izzo scoffed at retirement talk following the Spartans' Sweet 16 exit, questioning what he would do if he stopped coaching. In the other regional final games, Purdue advanced after Trey Kaufman-Renn tipped in the game-winner with 0.7 seconds remaining against Texas, and Iowa's deep run, guided by coaches Ben McCollum and Bennett Stirtz who have won tournament games four straight years, continued into the Elite Eight.

NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament

The Women's Elite Eight began taking shape with No. 1 South Carolina maintaining their dominant run, though the Gamecocks insist they have room to grow after cruising through their first three tournament wins. South Carolina is set to face Oklahoma, a team they lost to during the regular season, but they don't view the matchup as revenge. In the East Regional, No. 1 UConn secured its 30th Elite Eight appearance by overwhelming North Carolina 63-42, while Notre Dame guard Hannah Hidalgo logged a triple-double and set the Division I record for career steals in knocking off Vanderbilt. Elsewhere, No. 2 Michigan advanced behind Olivia Olson's 19 points in a 71-52 victory over Louisville, setting up a clash where Notre Dame claims they won't be "starstruck" by UConn again.

College Basketball Coaching & Program News

The shifting coaching environment saw Boston College lure UConn assistant Luke Murray as their next head coach on Thursday, while Alabama coach Nate Oats affirmed he has "absolutely no reason to leave" Tuscaloosa despite being linked to the North Carolina job. UConn women's coach Geno Auriemma expressed concerns about the current state of the sport, stating that Title IX legislation is "pretty much out the window", and also questioned the NCAA's tournament preparation decisions. UCLA's Cori Close likewise voiced fatigue over the modern coaching burden, pleading for the NCAA to enact changes, while her counterpart Fred Hoiberg shouldered blame for a late-game personnel blunder that cost Nebraska in the Sweet.

UFC & Combat Sports

In a stunning upset Saturday night, Joe Pyfer scored the biggest win of his career by finishing two-time champion Israel Adesanya via ground-and-pound in the second round of the UFC Fight Night main event, though Adesanya later insisted he is motivated to continue his career. A bizarre officiating moment occurred when Tyrell Fortune had to return to the Octagon after Bruce Buffer mistakenly announced his opponent, Marcin Tybura, as the winner due to a scorecard error. Fortune, who also recently recalled a near-fatal weight cut during his Bellator tenure, was fortunate to have his initial result corrected.

Figure Skating & Winter Sports

Ilia Malinin cemented his status as the world's best men's figure skater by claiming the world championship in Prague, successfully rebounding from a disappointing showing at the Milan Cortina Olympics. In the ice dance competition, Britain's Lilah Fear & Lewis Gibson finished just off the podium in fourth place after incurring a two-point penalty. Meanwhile, Japan's Kaori Sakamoto concluded her career by capturing her fourth world gold medal in her final professional performance.

Rugby Union & League Updates

In English Premiership action, league leaders Northampton Saints secured a dramatic late win over Saracens, thanks to an Archie McParland try, with the Saints relishing the "finals vibe" of playing at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Premiership clubs also agreed to implement a 'salary floor' of £5.4 million in player wages starting next season in an effort to maintain competitive balance. Internationally, Ulster picked up a needed 28-12 URC win over Zebre, while Edinburgh's play-off hopes were nearly extinguished after a 33-14 defeat by Stormers. In Super League, reigning champions Hull KR hammered St Helens during the league's 30th birthday weekend.

International & Track & Field News

Great Britain's Josh Kerr announced that the world mile record is a "career goal" and he plans to target the mark in London this July, while fellow Briton Kirsty Muir achieved a historic feat by becoming the first British woman to claim both the slopestyle and overall World Cup titles in alpine skiing. Tragically, Mary Rand, the trailblazing first British woman to win Olympic athletics gold, died this week at the age of 86; she was once famously described as "Marilyn Monroe on spikes". In cycling, Tom Pidcock was forced to withdraw from the Volta a Catalunya after suffering a "horror" fall down a ravine during stage five.

Cricket & WNBA Developments

Cricket legend Ravichandran Ashwin is set to join the action in the U.S., signing with the San Francisco Unicorns for the upcoming Major League Cricket season, while in the Indian Premier League, Virat Kohli struck an unbeaten 69 to lead Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad in their title defense opener. In women's professional basketball, the Connecticut Sun franchise is reportedly being sold to the Fertitta family for a record $300 million, signaling the WNBA's return to Houston in 2027, following the ratification of a new Collective Bargaining Agreement that brought about ten significant gains for players.

Other Sports & Off-Court Matters

Floyd Mayweather recently cast doubt on the highly anticipated bout with Manny Pacquiao, stating the location remains undecided and confirming the contest will be contested strictly as an exhibition. In motorsports, Red Bull's Max Verstappen ejected a journalist from his post-qualifying news conference in Japan following a lingering dispute related to last year's finale, while Lewis Hamilton noted the new Formula 1 regulations have made the racing "much more fun". Meanwhile, an ongoing lawsuit accuses sportsbooks like Draft Kings and Fan Duel of deploying addictive technology and features designed to maximize customer engagement and betting time.