The top four seeds seem to be locked up, but the bubble is as unstable as ever. It seems like no one wants to grab a spot in both hands. It should make for a nervy few days.
The 2026 NCAA tournament selection show is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. ET on CBS, though it could be delayed if the Big Ten tournament championship game runs long.
When does March Madness 2026 start? NCAA Tournament schedule
The 2026 NCAA men’s basketball tournament will take place over the next three weeks, which will end with the Final Four and the national championship game in Indianapolis.
Here’s a rundown of the schedule for the 2026 NCAA Tournament:
SALT LAKE CITY — There was no sugarcoating an ugly first-half performance from the Knicks in the locker room, and the harsh words during the break helped spur a comeback in Wednesday’s 134-117 victory over the Jazz.
“It was our halftime speech, in terms of how we came at each other, where we tried to hold each other accountable,” Clarkson said. “And then just came out here and wanted to win.”
What was the message?
“Get our s–t together,” said Clarkson, adding that the discussion was started by the coaches before the players took over.
The Knicks responded by picking up the defense and, more important, being careful with the ball on offense. Coach Mike Brown broke down the tale of two halves.
“We committed eight turnovers for 14 points [in the first half] and a lot of them were unforced,” the coach said. “A lot of those turnovers led to easy baskets in transition for Utah. They had 27 fast-break points in that first half, the way we calculate it.
“We cleaned both those areas at halftime. We had just four turnovers in the second half, giving up four points off those turnovers, and then we gave up just five fast-break points in the second half. And that was the difference in the game. We gave ourselves an opportunity to shoot the basketball. And when we did, it obviously went in.”
Jordan Clarkson, who scored 27 points off the bench, goes up for a layup as Oscar Tshiebwe defends during the Knicks’ 134-117 win overt the Jazz in Salt Lake City on March 11, 2026. AP
The Knicks outscored the Jazz 78-52 in the second half. And that happened after a fire was lit under the players at halftime.
“It helped us win,” Brunson said.
Barring a shocking NBA Finals matchup, there will be no Stephen Curry at MSG this season.
The Golden State guard, who has missed the past 15 games with a bone bruise in his right knee, will be re-evaluated in 10 days, the team announced Wednesday.
That means the game at MSG on March 15 is off the table.
Curry, 37, has 10 straight wins at MSG, including last year during his 28-point performance.
He scored 54 points at the Garden in 2013.
Josh Hart was ruled out of Wednesday’s game with knee soreness.
He was replaced in the lineup by Landry Shamet, although the starters struggled as a unit in Utah.
Verstappen predicted his Red Bull probably couldn’t go any higher than fifth place this weekend in the Chinese Grand Prix — even if he starts much closer to the front in Sunday's race in Shanghai — because of the big gap between Mercedes and Ferrari and all the other teams.
“Honestly, it’s such a jungle out there at the moment," Verstappen said Thursday at the driver news conferences in Shanghai. “I mean, I would hope that it gets a bit closer ... but it’s clear that at the moment we cannot fight with those cars.”
It's not the first time Verstappen has taken a swipe at the sport's new regulations, which he thinks are anti-fun, anti-racing and could potentially be dangerous.
F1’s new cars are complex, with unprecedented changes across the chassis and power unit, which now feature an almost 50:50 output split between the turbo 1.6-liter V6 engine and electrical energy harvested from the brakes — one that requires a new, often counterintuitive driving style.
One of Verstappen's concerns is starting the race with empty batteries in the hybrid cars. Franco Colapinto only very narrowly avoided Liam Lawson at the start of the Australian Grand Prix, with the Racing Bulls car was slow off the line with minimal battery power — many drivers started with depleted batteries among the teething issues with the new rules.
“There are a few simple solutions, but they need to be allowed by the FIA, with the battery related stuff, because, yeah, starting with the 0% battery — not a lot of fun and also quite dangerous,” Verstappen said. "You can see, I mean, we almost had a massive shunt in Melbourne in the start.
“This is something that I think can be easily fixed.”
As for speculation he may quit if reforms aren't made quickly, Verstappen said: “I don’t want to leave, but I also hope, of course, that it gets better.
“I’ve had discussions with F1 and FIA and, I think, we are working toward something, hopefully, and, hopefully that will improve everything," he said, without elaborating on what the changes might be. “I hope already for next year we can already make a decent improvement.”
A 24-hour switch
In the meantime, in the search of more “fun,” he has confirmed this week he'll be driving his first 24-hour sportscar race at the historic Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit in May. F1 hasn’t used it since 1976, when then-reigning champion Niki Lauda suffered severe burns in a crash.
“It’s one of the best races in the world, it’s one of the best tracks. I mean, honestly, in a GT car for me that’s like the perfect speed round there," Verstappen said. "I think if you go anything faster it can be a bit dangerous in places."
“I mean, I’ve been watching it, of course, for a long time. I know a lot of my friends, of course, that have been racing in it already. They say it’s one of the best things ever, and I like racing other cars as well.”
The 28-year Verstappen says he still has career ambitions.
“I don’t need to be only a Formula 1 driver, I can also do other things," he said. "I’ve done this for a while and I’ve achieved everything that I wanted to achieve, so that’s why I want to explore other things, and I don’t want to do them when I’m 40 years old. So now I think this is the perfect age to do it.”
The win streak lives on for the San Antonio Spurs, as they find themselves halfway to another double-digit tally. They’ve only lost one game between the months of February and March, as they’ve worked their way into a hot pursuit of the NBA-leading Oklahoma City Thunder, and the #1 seed in the Western Conference.
However, in order to achieve that goal (and further extend the streak), they’ll likely have to win their way through one of the toughest stretches of the season.
Starting with the Nuggets, the Spurs will then face the rapidly rising Charlotte Hornets, a Clippers team that was one quarter away from running them off of the court, and (after a breather against the Kings) match-ups against the Phoenix Suns (tanking Pacers) and Miami Heat.
Let’s get back to Denver, though, who just got finished laying waste to the #4 seed that is the badly-listing Houston Rockets, to the tune of 129-93.
How did they manage that, you might ask? Oh, by having 8 different Nuggets score 15+ points, that’s all.
With all the injuries they’ve endured to key players this season, it’s been easy to forget that the Nuggets are also an incredibly deep squad.
That the Nuggets were without Nikola Jokic and Aaron Gordon for weeks, and are still just a game out of the 3# seed is a testament to that depth, and how (not unlike the Spurs) they have been tested to the point of improvement and cohesion.
No longer does Jokic have to soak up all possible minutes at center after the addition of the still-reliable Jonas Valanciunas. No longer does the bench collapse in the absence of the Joker’s offensive impetus, ranking 7th in True Shooting Percentage and 5th in Field-Goal Percentage.
Denver’s front office has surrounded their big man with long-distance demons, to the tune of ranking 1st in the NBA in three-point percentage, at just shy of 40%.
The point being that when healthy the way they were Wednesday night, this Nuggets team might actually be the biggest roadblock for the Spurs come the postseason.
Pick an offensive stat. Just about any offensive stat, and I can guarantee the Nuggets are in the top 5 or top 10 of that category.
They’re great passers (9th in assists, 1st in assist%), great shooters (2nd in FG%, 5th in FT%), great at limiting mistakes (1st in assist-to-turnover ratio and 3rd best in limiting turnovers), and consequently, are great scorers (2nd in scoring).
Outside of injury, they do have two weaknesses, though.
One is rebounding, where they rank near the bottom third of the league (19th), and especially offensive rebounding (26th). Part of that is due to how many shots they sink, but in the event of a miss, the Spurs must keep the Nuggets from getting a second shot.
The other flaw is the defensive end. And by that, I mean, basically all of it.
The Nuggets are dead last in steals, 2nd to last in blocks, and rank 22nd in Defensive Rating. They’re about as bad as a team can be on defense and still be really good, and they do not create offensive opportunities on that end. And oddly, they’ve actually somehow been worse on that end (29th) over the last 5 games.
That could be very unfortunate timing for the Nuggets, just as the Spurs are on an offensive tear, ranking 1st in Offensive Rating, 1st in True Shooting, 1st in Effective Field Goal Percentage, 1st in three-point shooting (42%), and 3rd in scoring over that same five-game stretch.
There is, of course, a bit of a wrinkle, as it seems there must be.
Victor Wembanyama has found his way onto the injury report in questionable status, after a couple of games in which he flirted with 40 minutes and took more than a couple of shots to the face and body.
Speaking as someone who has thoroughly enjoyed and also assigned Wemby-Jokic match-ups a household priority since Wembanyama entered the league, that would be a bummer from the viewer/fan/basketball lover’s perspective. (Though, yes, I can certainly see the ‘long-term benefit’ *teenaged eye roll*)
However, I’m starting to find myself brimming with an almost idiotic degree of optimism, a dangerous thing for anyone who has to write about any team. You don’t have to write about humiliating losses. I almost certainly will.
But gosh-darn it, these kids have really been filling up my cup of joy! I think they can win this thing, with or without their fearless leader. They’re that good. They’re that tough. They’re that freaking cocky.
Here’s hoping Wemby’s healthy enough to play, and here’s hoping the Nuggets underestimate the kiddos if he’s not.
Go! Spurs! Go! (and please don’t make me regret this)
INGLEWOOD, CA - MARCH 11: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the LA Clippers drives to the basket during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on March 11, 2026 at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
“Aspiration” is a funny word.
In one context, it’s the kind of corporate-sounding buzzword you might associate with some fake environmental company allegedly planting trees while secretly funneling money to star players to circumvent the NBA salary cap. But in medical terms, aspiration is something much less glamorous. It’s what happens when your saliva or vomit goes down the wrong pipe and ends up in your lungs instead of your stomach. It can lead to pneumonia. In severe cases, it can even be fatal.
And if you were watching the Minnesota Timberwolves Wednesday night inside the Intuit Dome, it felt like a pretty fitting metaphor. Because for the second straight game in Los Angeles, the Wolves essentially choked and flatlined.
Coming off two games where they couldn’t defend anyone and couldn’t buy a shot, Minnesota desperately needed a reset to stabilize a team that suddenly looked nothing like the group that had climbed its way into the Western Conference’s third seed just a week earlier. Instead, they ran straight into Kawhi Leonard, who looked like the Terminator if the Terminator could also hit midrange jumpers with robotic precision.
By the time the smoke cleared, the Wolves had given up 153 points, suffered a third straight loss, and fallen all the way back to the sixth seed in the Western Conference. For those of you who happen to be gluttons for punishment, let’s walk through how this thing spiraled out of control.
First Quarter: Turnovers and Kawhi’s Heater
The game started in about the worst way imaginable. In the first three minutes, the Wolves turned the ball over five times. That stretch helped spark a 12–0 Clippers run, and before anyone had even settled into their seats the Wolves were staring at a 12–2 deficit.
A Jaden McDaniels dunk and an Anthony Edwards three-pointer helped steady things briefly, trimming the score to a more respectable 18–9 halfway through the quarter. But the early damage had already been done.
Then Kawhi Leonard decided to get involved. Actually, “get involved” is underselling it. Kawhi essentially launched his own personal scoring rampage. At one point he outscored the Wolves by himself, scoring 14 points to Minnesota’s 12, pushing the Clippers lead to 28–12.
By the time the first quarter ended, Kawhi had piled up 18 points on 8-of-10 shooting, and the Clippers were comfortably ahead 38–27. At that pace, Los Angeles was tracking toward a score in the 150s, which (spoiler alert), turned out to be exactly where they ended up.
The Wolves had survived the first quarter, but it already felt like they were chasing the game.
Second Quarter: Edwards Fights Back, But Turnovers Strike Again
For a brief moment in the second quarter, Minnesota looked like it might stabilize. The Wolves actually started generating some stops, something that had been painfully absent over the previous nine quarters of basketball. Edwards knocked down another three, bringing his personal total to 10 points, and suddenly the score was 45–43.
Momentum shift, right?
Not quite.
The Wolves hit the bonus just five minutes into the quarter, repeatedly sending the Clippers to the free-throw line. That parade to the stripe helped stretch the lead back to 51–43, forcing Chris Finch to call a timeout.
To Minnesota’s credit, they responded. A quick five-point burst from McDaniels cut the deficit to 60–57, and suddenly the game felt competitive again.
But then the Wolves remembered they were playing Kawhi Leonard and that turnovers were their favorite hobby of the night. Another sloppy stretch led to an 8–0 Clippers run, and by halftime Minnesota found itself trailing 74–65.
The halftime stat that told the whole story? 15 turnovers, which Los Angeles had turned into 21 points.
The game still had the feel of a star duel brewing. Kawhi had 28 points at halftime, while Edwards had already piled up 23 of his own, but Minnesota’s sloppiness kept preventing any sustained push.
Third Quarter: Hanging Around… Barely
Coming out of halftime, the Wolves at least avoided getting immediately blown off the floor. For a while the teams traded buckets, keeping the margin within reach.
Then Kawhi and company stepped on the gas again. Back-to-back threes from Kawhi Leonard and Darius Garland pushed the Clippers lead to 95–76, threatening to turn the game into a full-blown rout.
To their credit, the Wolves finally showed some fight. Minnesota answered with a 9–0 run, trimming the deficit to 95–85 and at least giving the appearance that a comeback might be brewing.
By the end of the third quarter, the Wolves were still technically within striking distance, trailing 109–98.
And the reason they were still breathing was simple: Anthony Edwards.
Ant had taken control offensively by attacking the rim, getting to the free throw line, and picking his spots from deep. While the rest of Minnesota’s offense sputtered, Edwards kept dragging them back into the game possession by possession. It felt like one more run might make things interesting.
But that hope lasted about two minutes.
Fourth Quarter: The Clippers Slam the Door
Whatever oxygen remained in the Wolves’ balloon disappeared immediately at the start of the fourth. The Clippers came out firing, stretching the lead to 120–100 in a matter of moments. Just like that, the faint comeback hopes vanished.
From there it turned into a full avalanche.
Los Angeles ripped off another 17–6 run, pushing the lead beyond 30 and effectively ending the competitive portion of the night. With roughly half the quarter still to play, Chris Finch emptied the bench, sending out Joe Ingles and the young reserves to finish out the inevitable.
By the final buzzer, the Clippers had hung 153 points on Minnesota in an absolute demolition.
The Final Numbers
The box score told a pretty straightforward story.
Kawhi Leonard: 45 points
Clippers points: 153
Wolves turnovers: 15 in the first half alone
Edwards fought hard and delivered a 36-point performance, but the rest of the Wolves never provided the support needed to make it matter. Meanwhile, Kawhi played one of those terrifyingly efficient superstar games where every shot seems automatic and every defensive mistake gets punished.
A Team That Suddenly Looks Lost
After the game, Chris Finch didn’t offer any grand explanations for what’s happening to his team. He simply noted that the Wolves currently feel like they’re “worlds apart from where they were a week ago.”
That’s probably the most honest assessment. Just days ago Minnesota looked like a team climbing toward the top of the Western Conference standings.
Now they look like a group stuck in quicksand.
The three-game skid has allowed Houston, Los Angeles, and Denver to leapfrog Minnesota in the standings. The Wolves now find themselves right back where they started, clinging to the sixth seed in the West.
What Comes Next
The road trip isn’t over. Next stop: Golden State on Friday, where Minnesota will try to snap the losing streak before things get even worse.
Because if the Wolves learned anything in Los Angeles this week, it’s that in the Western Conference standings, you don’t just slide down the ladder.
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Isaiah Brickner had 23 points and 10 rebounds — his first double-double of the season — and Brody Rowbury scored 12 points to help seventh-seeded Idaho beat No. 4 seed Montana 77-66 on Wednesday night to win the Big Sky Conference Tournament and clinch a berth in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in nearly 40 years.
Idaho (21-14), which played its fourth game in five days, has won five in a row and won the Big Sky Conference Tournament for the first time since 1990. The Vandals snapped a nine-game losing streak against Montana and leads the series 113-99.
Kolton Mitchell added 11 points and Trevon Blassingame scored 10 for Idaho.
Under third-year coach Alex Pribble, the Vandals have their most victories since they also won 21 games in 2015-16.
Money Williams and Te’Jon Sawyer led the Grizzlies (18-16) with 19 points apiece and Brooklyn Hicks scored 11.
Williams scored a tournament-record 91 points, breaking the mark of 83 set by Montana's Anthony Johnson in 2010.
The Grizzlies beat No. 1 seed Portland State 75-72 and Idaho knocked off third-seeded Eastern Washington 81-68 in the semifinals.
Up next
Idaho: Looks to Selection Sunday.
Montana: Awaits a potential postseason invitation.
SEATTLE (AP) — Mikyla Grant-Mentis and Danielle Serdachny scored goals in the final six minutes of the third period, Alex Carpenter also had a goal, and the Seattle Torrent beat the Boston Fleet 3-2 on Wednesday night to snap a four-game losing streak.
Seattle (5-1-2-9) had lost back-to-back games following the Olympic break and went into the game last in the PWHL with 16 points.
Boston (9-4-2-3) — which had its six-game win streak come to an end — leads the league with 37 points.
Theresa Schafzahl and Susanna Tapani scored goals for the Fleet. Abbey Levy made her second start of the season, both against the Torrent, and had 35 saves. Levy had 27 saves as the Fleet beat Seattle 3-1 on Dec. 21.
Grant-Mentis scored a short-handed goal on a jailbreak to make it 2-2 with 5:13 left in the game and Serdachny’s one-timer off a pass from Natalie Snodgrass capped the scoring with 3:46 to go.
Alina Müller, on the left side, dropped a pass to Daniela Pejsova for a one-timer from just inside the blue line that was redirected by Schafahl over the stick-side shoulder of goaltender Corinne Schroeder to give the Fleet a 1-0 lead with 7 1/2 minutes left in the first period.
Carpenter, on the rush after a save by Schroeder, flicked a back-hand shot into the net with 5.6 seconds left in the first to make it 1-1.
Schroeder, who finished with 25 saves, parried a shot by Loren Gabel but couldn't control the puck and Tapani slammed home the rebound to make it 2-1 with 8 1/2 minutes left until the third period. The Torrent had 18 shots in the second period but went into the second intermission trailing by a goal.
Up next
Boston: Visits second-place Montreal (35 points) on Sunday.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Kawhi Leonard scored 45 points and the Los Angeles Clippers routed the Minnesota Timberwolves 153-128 on Wednesday night, moving above .500 with their third straight victory and sixth in seven games.
Eighth in the Western Conference at 33-32 after opening 6-21, the Clippers had their highest points total of the season. They blew out Minnesota after beating New York on Monday night to open a five-game homestand.
Leonard was 15 of 20 from the the field, 6 of 9 on 3s and made 9 of 10 free throws. Los Angeles made 19 of 37 3s.
Bennedict Mathurin scored 22 points for Los Angeles. Clippers newcomer Darius Garland had 21, hitting five 3-pointers.
Anthony Edwards led Minnesota with 36 points and Naz Reid had 18.
Minnesota dropped to sixth in the tight Western Conference, but only a half-game behind the third-place Lakers. The Timberwolves have lost three in a row after winning five straight. They lost to the Lakers on Tuesday night to open four-game trip.
Leonard scored 18 points in the first quarter to help Los Angeles take a 38-27 lead. He had 28 at the half, with the Clippers up 74-65, and went to the fourth with 39 and LA ahead 109-98. Los Angeles had a 44-30 edge in the fourth.
Up next
Timberwolves: At Golden State on Friday night.Clippers: Host Chicago on Friday night.___AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Nijel Pack scored 24 points shooting 5 for 10 from 3-point range and Oklahoma beat South Carolina 86-74 in an opening-round game of the SEC Tournament on Wednesday.
The 11th-seeded Sooners (18-14) advance to play sixth-seeded Texas A&M on Thursday.
Derrion Reid scored 20 points on 6-of-8 shooting, Tae Davis 18 shooting 7 of 10 and Xzayvier Brown 14 shooting 6 of 7. Oklahoma shot 60% (30 of 50).
Kobe Knox scored 20 points, Mike Sharavjamts 19 and Meechie Johnson 14 for 14th-seeded South Carolina (13-19). The Gamecocks shot 41% (25 of 61).
South Carolina built a 29-19 in the game's first 10 minutes and the Gamecocks led 39-28 after Knox made a 3-pointer with 5:24 before halftime.
Down the stretch, the Sooners outscored South Carolina 14-3 to tie it at 42 at halftime. Oklahoma emerged from the break continuing its offensive spurt and outscored the Gamecocks 13-5 in the first five minutes of the second half and led 56-47.
Johnson's 3-pointer with 10:52 left brought the Gamecocks within 61-56 but they would never get closer.
Brown's 3 with 7:53 to go made it 70-60 and Oklahoma led by double digits for the remainder.
CHICAGO, IL - JANUARY 26: Rui Hachimura #28 of the Los Angeles Lakers guards Josh Giddey #3 of the Chicago Bulls during the second half on January 26, 2026 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
After an excellent victory against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Lakers (40-25) look to make it four wins in a row as they host the Chicago Bulls (27-38) on Thursday.
With exactly a month to go until the playoffs, the Lakers are catching their stride at the right time. Not only are they on a much-needed three-game winning streak, but they’ve done it by beating two very good teams in a row. It’s also happening at the right time because the Western Conference seeding is tighter than ever.
Thankfully, the Lakers have this upcoming game against the Bulls to capitalize on before they face the Denver Nuggets and Houston Rockets. This season, the Bulls have won only 27 games and are entering this one losers of seven of their last 10. They know their playoff hopes are bleak because it’s also not like there’s a good chance that they make the play-in either. Their current injury report perfectly depicts that.
That said, this doesn’t mean it’ll be a giveaway game for the purple and gold. Over the years, Chicago has found a way to upset Los Angeles now and then. But given the state of these two teams right now, there’s really no excuse for the Lakers to lose this one.
The Bulls are one of those handful of teams that are weaker than the Lakers on both offense and defense. The easiest way the Lakers can beat them is to once again overwhelm them with their offense, as they did to the Bulls in January.
LeBron James remains questionable, but the luxury in this scenario is that he can take his time to recover because Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves have held things down. That should be the case again on Thursday and likely without Marcus Smart — who has been playing a ton of minutes as of late — expect Luka Kennard and Jake LaRavia to get more burn. It’ll be a great opportunity for the Lakers to continue building on their momentum and rhythm.
For as long as the Lakers play their usual game and approach this one with the same mindset as their last few, this should be another dub for them.
Let’s see if the Lakers can remain perfect in their current five-game home stand on Thursday.
Notes and Updates
For the Lakers’ injury report, LeBron (right hip contusion and left foot arthritis) and Maxi Kleber (lumbar back strain) are questionable.
Smart (right hip contusion) is doubtful while Jaxson Hayes (back soreness) is probable.
As for the Bulls, Zach Collins (right toe surgery), Noa Essengue (left shoulder surgery), Jaden Ivey (left patellofemoral pain syndrome) and Anferenee Simons (ulnar styloid francture) are out.
Guerschon Yabusele (left foot soreness), Patrick Williams (left ankle sprain), Colin Sexton (left fibular head contusion), Issac Okoro (patellofemoral pain syndrome) are questionable.
Matas Buzelis (right ankle sprain), Josh Giddey (right ankle sprain) and Jalen Smith (left calf strain) are probable.
INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (AP) — Defending champion Jack Draper beat five-time champ Novak Djokovic 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (5) Wednesday night in the fourth round of the BNP Paribas Open.
The 24-year-old Draper, who is coming back after missing eight months due to an arm injury, advanced to the quarterfinal round and will face Daniil Medvedev, who beat Alex Michelsen 6-2, 6-4 in the round of 16 to advance.
Djokovic led 6-5 in the third set before Draper rallied and forced a tiebreaker.
“I still don’t feel like I’m playing anywhere near the way I want to play," Draper said. "I came out here and I won that match through determination.”
In addition to his win at Indian Wells last year, Draper won the Stuttgart Open and the Vienna Open, both in 2024.
The 38-year-old Djokovic, a 24-time Grand Slam champion, won at Indian Wells in 2008, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016. Djokovic nearly won an 11th Australian Open title earlier this year, but lost to Carlos Alcaraz.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — RJ Godfrey had 11 points and eight rebounds and Clemson rode a red-hot first half to a 71-62 victory over Wake Forest on Wednesday night to reach the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament.
Fifth-seeded Clemson (23-9) launched 13 3-pointers in the first 12-plus minutes, making seven of them en route to a 29-18 lead. The Tigers finished the first half 9 for 18. Clemson's reserves did much of the damage, making 5 of 6 from deep, and the Tigers led 41-23 at halftime.
The only free throw attempts of the first half were two misses by Clemson's Nick Davidson with 5:42 remaining.
Clemson led 52-32 after 6 1/2 minutes of the second half before the Demon Deacons' Nate Calmese scored nine unanswered points on a 3-pointer, a three-point trip to the free-throw line, and another 3-pointer.
Clemson went back up by 16 with seven minutes remaining, but Wake Forest got within eight points while the Tigers were missing nine straight shots and Godfrey missed the front end of the 1-and-1 three times in a row. Ace Buckner ended the drought with a layup and the Tigers made six free throws in the final 64 seconds to finish it off.
Juke Harris led 13th-seeded Wake Forest (17-16) with 22 points. It was his 33rd consecutive game scoring in double digits, extending his school record. Calmese scored 20 points and Tre’Von Spillers had 15 points and 12 rebounds.
Ten players played at least 10 minutes for Clemson and they all scored at least three points although Godfrey was the only one to reach double figures.
Up next
Clemson will play fourth-seeded North Carolina in the quarterfinals on Thursday.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — David Punch scored 26 points, Tanner Toolson made a couple of big baskets down the stretch, and sixth-seeded TCU rallied for a 95-88 victory over No. 14 seed Oklahoma State in the second round of the Big 12 Tournament on Wednesday night.
Toolson finished with 19 points, and Xavier Edmonds had 14 points and 11 rebounds for the Horned Frogs (22-10), who have now won nine of their last 10 games heading into a quarterfinal matchup with third-seeded and No. 14 Kansas on Thursday night.
Anthony Roy had 25 points and nine boards for the Cowboys (19-14). Christian Coleman had 15 points and Kanye Clary had 14.
The Horned Frogs swept the regular-season series from Oklahoma State, though neither of them was easy. They won 68-65 on the road on Jan. 20, then won 95-92 at home on Feb. 14 as part of their red-hot finish heading into the postseason.
In other words, the Cowboys were out for some revenge.
Jaylen Curry scored 10 first-half points to help them take a 46-43 lead, then Roy and Coleman went to work. They combined for 17 points while Oklahoma State scored on nine consecutive possessions early in the second half, and Roy's deep 3-pointer from the wing gave them a 67-57 lead and forced TCU coach Jamie Dixon to call timeout with 13 1/2 minutes left in the game.
It seemed to settle the Horned Frogs right down.
They chipped away at their deficit over the next few minutes, finally pulling ahead on Clary's 3-pointer with 5:40 to go. And while the Cowboys managed to answer a couple of times down floor, the Horned Frogs eventually started to pull away.
Punch's bucket made it 89-86 with 2:50 left, and Toolson's 3-pointer moments later doubled a lead they would never give up.
Up next
The Horned Frogs lost to the Jayhawks 104-100 in overtime on Jan. 6 in Allen Fieldhouse.
The Cowboys are longshots to hear their name called on Selection Sunday.
SALT LAKE CITY — There’s something about Utah for Jordan Clarkson.
Out of the Knicks rotation for most of the last seven weeks, the reserve guard returned to his old home and put on a show, scoring a season-high 27 points off the bench to help the Knicks recover from an 18-point deficit and avoid an ugly defeat to the tanktastic Jazz, 134-117.
Clarkson, who spent 5 ½ seasons with the Jazz, got a video tribute at the Delta Center and proceeded to take the fans on a trip down memory lane, flashing the microwave scoring that won him the Sixth Man of the Year here in 2021.
“I spent six years in this arena so the rims are pretty familiar to me,” Clarkson said. “It’s not the first time I’ve been hot in this arena.
“Just being able to start the flame and keep it going.”
Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson (00) looks to pass during the first half against the Utah Jazz at Delta Center on March 11, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Clarkson’s performance was necessary amid struggles from his backcourt teammates Wednesday, including another disappearing act from Mikal Bridges (five points, 27 minutes, 2-for-9 shooting, benched again in the fourth quarter) and early struggles from Jalen Brunson.
Clarkson, 33, keyed the second-half spurt that turned the tables, and the Knicks (42-25) led for the entire fourth quarter while snapping a two-game losing streak.
“For him to go out and perform the way he did, you couldn’t ask for anything better,” coach Mike Brown said. “And it goes to show he’s not just keeping his body right but his mind is in a good spot to go after coming in when you’re down [18 points] in the first half. So just to see that, you couldn’t ask for anything better. Especially from him, who is a veteran who hasn’t been playing or in the rotation and all of a sudden we need him.”
Brown credited assistant Mo Cheeks with recommending playing time Wednesday for Clarkson.
OG Anunoby of the New York Knicks dribbles the ball during the game against the Utah Jazz on March 11, 2026 at Delta Center in Salt Lake City. NBAE via Getty Images
“Mo was the prophet,” Brown said. “He was right on target with it. We needed every single thing that Jordan brought to the table.”
The first quarter, though, was a disaster for the Knicks. With Josh Hart out and nursing a sore knee, Landry Shamet stepped into the starting five and the Knicks were pummeled.
They gave up 41 points in the first quarter, with Utah’s Brice Sensabaugh scoring 10 of them in just six minutes. The Knicks trailed by 15 after that opening period.
The Knicks somewhat recovered in the second quarter behind Karl-Anthony Towns, who scored 13 of his 21 points in that period. But the deficit was still nine at the break.
Knicks guard Jalen Brunson, center, drives to the basket guarded by Utah Jazz guard Ace Bailey, center left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 11, 2026. AP
Then Brunson woke up, Clarkson turned back the clock, and the Jazz returned to being terrible. Brunson scored 18 of his 28 points in the second half. Clarkson shot 10-for-15 in 26 minutes and five big offensive rebounds.
The Jazz (20-46) this season have acted like a family that reached its health insurance deductible. Their players have started racking up medical procedures.
Jaren Jackson Jr. had a growth on his knee removed. Jusuf Nurkic repaired a deviated septum to address his sleeping problems. Walker Kessler had surgery on his shoulder in November. Lauri Markkanen missed his eighth straight game with a hip impingement. They were all out.
Nobody in the Jazz’s starting lineup Wednesday was older than 22. Ace Bailey, the rookie, is only 19. But they were feisty and hitting their 3-pointers, connecting on 14-of-21 at halftime.
Then the Jazz looked their age, especially on defense. The Knicks shot 52 percent on the night, racking up 37 assists compared to just 10 turnovers while scoring 78 points in the second half.
Clarkson said the turnaround was preceded by a halftime message — first from the coaches, then from the players — to “get our s–t together.”
The game began the easiest stretch of the season for the Knicks, with seven straight opponents currently carrying losing records. Those opponents had a combined winning percentage of 31 percent before Wednesday.
Jordan Clarkson of the New York Knicks celebrates sinking a three-pointer during the second half against the Utah Jazz at the Delta Center on March 11, 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Getty Images
Still, the Knicks needed to clean up their turnovers from the previous two games — losses to the Clippers and Lakers.
And while it took them a half, they finally got going offensively.
Thanks, in large part, to the former Utahn.
“Clarkson kept us in the game when we were down and then definitely helped us get over the hump with the performance he had,” Brown said.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - MARCH 11: The Utah Jazz honors Jordan Clarkson #00 of the New York Knicks during the game on March 11, 2026 at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
This was supposed to be a get-right game. After losing twice in Los Angeles, the Knicks (42*-25) had a golden opportunity to flex their muscles against the Western Conference’s second-worst team, the Jazz (20-46). Instead, a poor defensive effort let Utah hit nearly everything from downtown in the first half (14 threes) and New York fell behind by as many as 18 points before intermission. After trailing 65-56 at halftime, the Knicks gradually came to life in a 40-point third quarter and finally pushed the lead to 22 in the fourth. Final score, 134-117.
The Delta Center gave a nice tribute to former Jazzman, Jordan Clarkson. Quoth Jslashnoel, “Clarkson’s professionalism is pretty awesome.” Mike Brown said in his presser that Mo Cheeks had suggested playing Clarkson more heavily tonight. Good advice, indeed, as J.C. recorded a season high 27 points on 10-of-15 shooting.
The game didn’t start great. The younger, springier Jazz jumped out to an early lead, causing Coach Brown to take a timeout before a full two minutes had passed. The ‘Bockers stood around while Brice Sensabaugh (29 PTS, 5 RBS) swished three triples and netted his team an 8-point lead. When Ace Bailey (who was listed on the early injury report) swished a corner three, Sensabaugh blindsided Jalen Brunson (28 PTS, 8 AST) with a flagrant-one foul. The Knicks scored four points as a result, but then they allowed yet another triple and a layup.
After surrendering another—you guessed it—three-pointer to Bailey (21 PTS), New York found themselves down by 10.
Late in the half, the mouldering bones of Kevin Love (6 PTS, 6 RBS) rattled into the game. Guess what? He hit a three. The team with the league’s 22nd-ranked three-point shooting percentage made 9-of-11 from deep in the first quarter, including a leisurely buzzer-beater by Isaiah Collier for a 41-26 score.
During the break between quarters, the Knicks must have decided to let Elijah Harkless into the three-point party. As if in a practice shooting drill, Harkless lined up his shot and swished. Then Love drilled another. At the 10:30 mark, Mike Brown needed another timeout.
From there, the visitors went on a 13-3 run, powered by Karl-Anthony Towns (21 PTS, 7 RBS, 7 AST), Clarkson, and Mohamed Diawara (10 PTS). After taking a breather, Sensabaugh hit again from the corner because no one could have possibly guessed that they’d have a shooter waiting in the corner . . . and then he did it again. And then Keyonte George hit from the same spot. And then, down by 12, Brown needed another timeout.
In the final two minutes of the period, Bridges missed twice, Brunson missed twice—and turned the ball over—blowing multiple opportunities to narrow the score. Instead, they went into intermission behind, 65-56.
The Jazz had outshot the Knicks from the field (53% to 40%) and yard (67% to 35%). Rebounds were essentially even, and both teams had turned the ball over (Utah 10, Knicks 7), but the youngsters had run rings around the New Yorkers (21 fast-break points to 2). At the half, Sensabaugh led all scorers with 17 points. For the guests, Towns had 15 points but probably should have had more against a weak frontcourt.
At halftime, Danny Ainge must have called the locker room to remind the Jazzies that they’re supposed to be tanking. In the third, the home team continued to score (George, Williams, and Kule Filipowski all got on the board), but they gave New York plenty of chances to catch up. Brunson did his part, with a three and a step-back jumper, and KAT added a layup. It wasn’t until later in the quarter that New York finally gained some momentum. Cap knocked down another three, a pull-up jumper, a late-quarter bucket, and a free throw, steadily chipping away at the deficit. OG Anunoby (22 PTS, 2 STL, 1 BLK) contributed at both ends (hitting a corner three, drawing fouls, and adding a block and a steal), Clarkson added six points, and Mitchell Robinson (13 RBS, 6 PTS) dominated the glass with a string of o-boards. With a steady push, our heroes climbed all the way back to cut the deficit to 96-94 by the break.
In the fourth frame, Clarkson continued to perform for his former fans. With a diet of dimes from Jose Alvarado (7 AST, 4 PTS, 2 STL), Jordan hit thrice from deep and twice at the rim for a new season high. Sensabaugh continued his strong night with a jumper and a floater, while New York stayed close with hustle plays: OG Anunoby’s transition dunk, Jose Alvarado’s runner, and a Mitchell Robinson alley-oop. Midway through the quarter, the Knicks finally put a lid on the game. KAT slammed an alley-oop dunk, Landry Shamet (7 PTS, 3-5 FG starting for an injured Josh Hart) hit a three, and Brunson added another from yard, capping a definitive run that pushed their lead to 22. Soon after, the benches were emptied, and when Clarkson checked out for the night, he received one more ovation from the crowd. Good stuff.
Up Next
The five-game road trip draws to a conclusion on Friday in Indiana. Safe travels, Knickerbockers.
