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The New Orleans Pelicans are really late to the party, but they’re finally healthy and clicking as they welcome the Los Angeles Clippers to The Big Easy tonight.

New Orleans is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games, including a win over L.A. last night, and my Clippers vs. Pelicans predictions point to Trey Murphy III as a difference-maker in this rematch.

Take a closer look at this March 19 clash with my free NBA picks.

Clippers vs Pelicans prediction

Clippers vs Pelicans best bet: Trey Murphy III Over 21.5 points (-112)

With no first-round pick to protect, the New Orleans Pelicans are still playing hard, and Trey Murphy III continues to be one of the reasons for hope in New Orleans. He’s had 22+ points in four of his last six outings, and there’s extra volume up for grabs tonight with Dejounte Murray sitting out.

Murphy III finished with 23 points last night, despite shooting just 7-for-17 from the field, and he’s making his three-pointers at a 42% clip this month.

Life would also get easier for all the Pelicans’ perimeter players if Kawhi Leonard rests on the second night of this back-to-back set.

Clippers vs Pelicans same-game parlay

The Pelicans are surging with six straight wins at Smoothie King Center, and I see the hosts extending that streak here, especially with Darius Garland and Bennedict Mathurin sidelined for the Clippers, plus Kawhi listed as questionable.

This Derik Queen prop offers value too, with the rookie hitting the Over in consecutive contests.

Clippers vs Pelicans SGP

• Trey Murphy III Over 21.5 points
• Derik Queen Over 7.5 points
• Pelicans moneyline

Our "from downtown" SGP: Pels soar through the Bayou

This SGP taps into the ferocious dunkers on show tonight. Murphy III and Zion Williamson will lead New Orleans here, with the latter shooting 66% from the field in March.

Derrick Jones Jr. is a lock for more scoring opportunities with the Los Angeles Clippers depleted offense.

Clippers vs Pelicans SGP

• Trey Murphy III Over 21.5 points
• Zion Williamson Over 21.5 points
• Derrick Jones Jr. Over 13.5 points
• Pelicans moneyline

Clippers vs Pelicans odds

• Spread: Los Angeles +1.5 (-110) | New Orleans -1.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: Los Angeles +105 | New Orleans -125
• Over/Under: Over 230.5 (-110) | Under 230.5 (-110)

Clippers vs Pelicans betting trend to know

The Pelicans are 8-2 ATS in the past 10 meetings between these teams. Find more NBA betting trends for Clippers vs. Pelicans.

How to watch Clippers vs Pelicans

Clippers vs Pelicans latest injuries

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Be sure to follow USA TODAY Sports' live blog keeping track of all of NCAA Tournament's Day 1 games.

PORTLAND, OR — The first upset of the 2026 NCAA Tournament is complete with No. 12 seed High Point taking down No. 5 seed Wisconsin 83-82 in the opening round of March Madness.

A popular upset pick, the Panthers entered the tournament one of the best scoring teams in the country. With Wisconsin another prolific scoring unit with a knack for knocking down 3-pointers, it was expected to be a high-scoring affair.

March Madness bold predictions: Popular upsets, locks to help fill out your bracket

It wasn’t exactly the case, but it made for a classic finish inside Moda Center on Thursday, March 19. 

The upset was powered by a late comeback by the Panthers. They trailed by eight points with five minutes to go when it was knocking down 3-pointers at-will to tie the game in the final minutes. High Point was down by one point in the final minute when Rob Martin found Chase Johnson, who hadn't shot a 2-point shot all season, ahead on a fastbreak for the go-ahead layup with 11 seconds left.

Wisconsin's Nick Boyd had his shot blocked in the final seconds, and High Point secured the ball and were fouled. It was unable to hit the front end of the one-and-one, but the Badgers couldn't drill the last second heave.

Even though Wisconsin came in one of the best 3-point shooting teams, averaging 11.8 made shots from deep, High Point knocked down more. It made 14, while the Badgers made nine.

Four High Point players were in double figures, led by 23  points from Rob Martin. Boyd led Wisconsin with 27 points.

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Cavs fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

Earlier this week, we asked Cleveland Cavaliers fans to participate in another one of our SB Nation Reacts Surveys. Now let’s get to the results.

First, we asked about the starting small forward position. Something that’s long been a point of discussion for this Cavalier team. It turns out, as much as things change, they stay the same.

A meme-worthy 67% of fans voted that Max Strus should remain the starter, once he’s fully healthy, of course. Strus made his season debut last Sunday and was already featured in Kenny Atkinson’s closing lineup against the Milwaukee Bucks.

Strus is still on a minutes restriction, seemingly in the early-20s range. But as we move forward, those minutes should increase, and Strus’ spot in the rotation should upgrade with it. I’d say it’s a safe bet to assume Strus will become the starter by the end of the season. It seems like you do too.

The Cavs currently hold the fifth-highest odds on FanDuel to win the championship this season. Strus returning should work in their favor.

Our other question was more fun. Whoever finishes with a higher three-point percentage between Sam Merrill and Jaylon Tyson is irrelevant. Still, fans chose to stick with Money Merrill for the remainder of the season.

Reputation is definitely carrying Merrill here, considering Tyson is shooting nearly 1% better from downtown with only 13 games remaining. I’m surprised the results weren’t closer to 50/50 as this feels like a total coin toss to me.

PHILADELPHIA – March Madness is at its best when a mid-major program becomes a Cinderella and garners the rooting interest of the entire country.

There's a potential one in Philadelphia with Miami (Ohio) men's basketball, who shut down the "doubters" and "outside noise" Wednesday night at UD Arena in Dayton with a commanding 89-79 win over SMU in the First Four.

So, does the regular season champion out of the Mid-American Conference that went 31-0 in the regular season, have anything left to prove in Friday's Round of 64 game against No. 6 Tennessee at 4:25 p.m. ET to those who — like Bruce Pearl — thought they shouldn't make the 68-team field as an at-large after not winning the automatic bid.

Toppmeyer: Miami (Ohio) shows it belongs in March Madness. Pipe down, Bruce Pearl

"I would say we're super fortunate for the opportunity. The thing that we would look forward to is don't count us out. I think we do belong here," RedHawks guard Peter Suder said Thursday. "I think we showed that last night, especially, but just don't count us out. We're super excited for the opportunity ahead of us in the future."

Sophomore guard Luke Skaljac said the RedHawks are continuing to handle the outside noise day by day and trusting those inside their locker room.

"We're not really trying to prove it to the media, fans, or whatever," Skaljac said. "We all know inside the locker room who we are as a team. It's not really anything we're thinking about."

The RedHawks got 59 combined points from Eian Elmer, Skaljac and Brant Byers in their win over the Mustangs. The 2026 NCAA Tournament is the RedHawks 18th appearance in March Madness, and their first since 2007. The RedHawks are the first MAC team to earn an at-large bid since 1999.

"There was a lot out there, a lot of hate, a lot of doubt that we couldn't accomplish what we did yesterday, but we do such a good job as a group and as a whole just blocking that noise out (by) just going out there and competing as much as we can," Suder said.

It's not a matter of continuing to prove they belong, according to coach Travis Steele. It is instead a matter of proving it to their own group of players and coaches.

"It's funny. I don't know if we necessarily have anything to prove to others. We have stuff to prove to ourselves. We block out that outside noise. I told our guys, if we're not asking for those guys' opinion about our team, I'm not calling them for advice, then why the heck should we listen to them now?," said Steele, who in his fourth season at Miami.

"We know how good we are. We know we deserve this opportunity. We knew we were a team that could advance. We're very confident in that. We're going to go showcase that. I'm happy that our guys are able to do it on this stage. We love the stage. Our guys love the bright lights, and our guys will be ready."

Speedos in Philadelphia for March Madness? Status on Miami Ohio swim team

In addition to their historic regular-season run, the RedHawks have gone viral for a different reason all season: the men's swim team, which has worn Speedos and their swim caps to basketball games.

As noted by the Cincinnati Enquirer, part of the USA TODAY Network, Steele committed in February during an interview on ESPN's "College GameDay" to wearing a Speedo and being hoisted in the air while making a swimming motion at the RedHawks Selection Sunday watch party if they finished the regular season undefeated and won the MAC tournament. That ultimately did not happen, as the RedHawks fell to UMass in the quarterfinals of the Mid-American Conference tournament.

The swim team was at UD Arena for the First Four on Wednesday in full force, and went viral after they stormed down the stands at the 13:37 mark of the second half as SMU forward Corey Washington was standing at the free throw line awaiting to shoot ... To which he missed the attempt.

Andy Enfield doesn't seem amused 😅 pic.twitter.com/uwaiph2aqk

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) March 19, 2026

"Number one, in the game, you're really locked in. Then all of a sudden, you see a group of young men in Speedos coming down the stairwell right there in the end zone, and the place just absolutely erupted when it happened," Steele said.

"I know if I was distracted, I know the young man at the line was distracted. Obviously, it worked. He missed a free throw, but it's been just super cool across the board, the support we've gotten, like from where we were in my year one, we were getting 200, 300 people at a game. This past season, we're at 10,640 selling out. All of sudden, tickets are going for $200 or $300 on StubHub or SeatGeek to see the crowd we had last night. I'm happy that our guys were able to get that experience as well."

A spokesperson for the RedHawks program told USA TODAY Sports on Thursday he doesn't believe the swim team is expected to be in the City of Brotherly Love on Friday, and was at the First Four because of its proximity to the RedHawks campus. Steele, however, made a last-minute pitch to get them to the game against the Vols.

"We need to get them back here, don't we?," Steele said. "We're going to see if we can find a way."

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Miami Ohio focused on Tennessee next in, March Madness, not doubters

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Our NBA player prop projections are back for tonight’s prime-time matchup between the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat, and the model has already identified several standout opportunities.

After breaking down the data and comparing our projections with the current market lines, we’ve pinpointed the spots offering the strongest betting value.

These Lakers vs. Heat predictions aren’t based on gut instinct — they’re driven by the numbers.

If you’re building your betting card, these are the model’s top NBA picks for Thursday, March 19.

Lakers vs Heat computer picks for March 19

Lakers	Heat
Doncic u32.5 points  -110	Adebayo u20.5 points  -110
James o6.5 assists +110	Powell o2.5 3-pointers  -135
Ayton u8.5 rebounds  +100	Ware o10.5 rebounds  +102

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Lakers computer picks

Luka Doncic Under 32.5 points (-110)

Projection: 32.0 points

Luka Doncic has been on a tear for the Los Angeles Lakers, but that run could cool off against the Miami Heat. 

Los Angeles ranks as the league’s worst offensive rebounding team over the last 25 games, limiting second-chance opportunities for its star. That trend aligns with Doncic hitting the Under in five of his last 10 games when listed at 32.5 points.

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LeBron James Over 6.5 assists (+110)

Projection: 6.8 assists

The Lakers should see an uptick in pace in this matchup, sharing the floor with the NBA’s fastest offense in the Heat.

That added tempo sets the stage for LeBron James to take on a primary playmaking role, especially after going Over in four of his last 10 games with a 6.5 assist line.

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Deandre Ayton Under 8.5 rebounds (+100)

Projection: 8.4 rebounds

The Lakers have ranked as the league’s worst offensive rebounding team over the last 25 games, and if that trend carries into tonight’s matchup in the 305, it could limit Deandre Ayton’s opportunities on the glass. That supports the Under on his 8.5 rebound line, a mark he’s stayed below in five of his last 10 games.

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---

Heat computer picks

Bam Adebayo Under 20.5 points (-110)

Projection: 19.9 points

The Heat could see fewer opportunities in this matchup, facing one of the league’s slowest-paced road teams in the Lakers over the last 10 games.

While Bam Adebayo has stayed productive offensively since his historic 83-point outing, the slower tempo could keep his numbers in check tonight.

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Norman Powell Over 2.5 made threes (-135)

Projection: 2.9 made threes

This season, opposing starting small forwards have averaged a league-high 5.8 three-point attempts per game against the Lakers, setting up a favorable spot for Norman Powell.

That volume supports the Over on his 2.5 made threes, a mark he’s cleared in four of his last 10 games.

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Kel'el Ware Over 10.5 rebounds (+102)

Projection: 10.7 rebounds

The Heat, the fastest-paced team in the league, should create more rebounding opportunities for Kel’el Ware. That trend aligns with him going Over 10.5 rebounds in five of his last 10 games.

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How to watch Lakers vs Heat tonight

Location	Kaseya Center, Miami, FL
Date	Thursday, March 19, 2026
Tip-off	8:00 p.m. ET
TV	Spectrum SportsNet, FDSN Sun

Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.

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“Will Wade is made for the new era of college basketball”

During the hiring process and shortly after, several pundits made the statement, “Will Wade is made for the new era of college basketball.” Most of us heard that and (possibly) chuckled thinking that it was because he started paying players before it became standard operating procedure. But maybe those guys weren’t the idiots most of us assume, and maybe they were onto something?

Throughout the season, and especially now that it is over, the Wolfpack fanbase has expressed a ton of dissatisfaction with our Coach’s comments. Without doing the research, I would guess that 2/3 of the recent comments (on multiple sites) made some statement about not liking the fact that he wasn’t nicer to the players at the end of the season (thanks for trying, fellas) , that he was overly confident early in the season (“we’re going to kick the ACC’s ass”), or that he was too negative about the team. (“they haven’t seen our defense yet”)

Let’s establish some baseline facts about Coach Wade, patterns that date back throughout his coaching career. This is who he is.

1. Coach Will Wade is intense! He is passionate and he is driven to success. He is young, smart, and always looking for ways to improve.
2. Coach Wade is honest and as transparent as he can be. Whether he is happy, angry, or disappointed, you know it. He does not embellish / sugarcoat his team’s performance or that of he and his staff. He will criticize the team when warranted, even when they win. He will also compliment excellence when deserved. There are no moral victories in ‘Wade World.’
3. He loves his players unconditionally and permanently. He’s said those exact words numerous times, his assistant coaches have said that about him, the players have said that about him, and his assistant coaches have also talked about how much they love the players. But he doesn’t always like what they do. And he tells them.
4. He knows the ultimate coaching truth. He will be popular if he wins, and unpopular if he loses. The support / resources will be there if he wins, they will fade away if he loses. So he really doesn’t tailor what he says or does for the fans. You are either going to like him or not – and that won’t change, but he is who he is and that will not change significantly either.

Player Relationships: Coaching college basketball is changing, and I think this is where the “…made for it…” comments are most applicable.

There will always be the need for close relationships with the players, especially for the younger players who are either new to college or still figuring out college ball.

• During the summer there were a lot of team building activities such as golf, bowling, and the much publicized Boot Camp. That developed close relationships within the team, and with the coaches. One on one workouts continued throughout the season, giving players personal attention as needed.
• Coach Wade had one-on-one meetings with players throughout the season.
• He regularly acknowledged how important Jordan Snell was to the team. It seems like a small thing, but Jordan was important to the players.

But at the same time, players are now professionals. And that is the new aspect of the player relationships. They have upperclassmen who have been at multiple schools and for whom, money was an important factor in their choice of schools. And in many cases, those upperclassmen make up much of the starting lineups and are the keys to the team’s success. That is a different player relationship and one Coach Wade and the staff also do well.

• Everyone (coaches, players, fans – and opposing teams) knows who the ‘pricey’ players are, everyone knows who is expected to deliver in crunch time.
• Everyone knows that winning is the priority and if you don’t contribute, you will not play, and you will not be retained an additional season. Players are less likely to get development time anymore.
• In a preseason interview, Coach Wade described Darrion Williams as “the part” and everyone else was “pieces”. That is as transparent as it gets.
• Half to two-thirds of most power conference teams are mercenaries, they will only be there for one season.

I thought a very telling statement about this new world was in a preseason workout video when Coach Wade told the players, “We are not paying you to shoot from behind the college 3PT line.” He was making the point that they should get as close to the line as possible for the best shot and not worry about shooting from NBA distance for NBA scouts. But he also reminded them that he was paying them.

Candor: Coach Wade does not hold back… well maybe a little

• During transfer season, Coach Wade acknowledged that he and his staff were 100% to blame for losing out on Paul Mbiya.
• He has admitted publicly and on multiple occasions that they missed on the roster, and need to do it much better next season. And they need to place more weight on personality types.
• He acknowledged after a few losses that he, and his staff, did not have the players ready to play. I don’t think that was ‘coach speak’, I think they were not well prepared for those games.
• Early in the season he told us that the team was made up of easy going, nice guys. He talked about needing them to play with an ‘edge’ that he wasn’t seeing. That turned out to be prophetic.
• Late in the season, after one of the bad losses (ND or GT I believe), he commented that he was concerned about making it to Dayton if we kept playing the way we were. Hello Dayton.
• Coach Wade says he does not follow social media. It is ironic that fans on social media complain that he is too transparent with how he feels and what he thinks. Under previous coaches, in post game press conferences when the coach said (paraphrased), “Our fine young lads gave it their best shot, but alas it was not to be”, fans complained that the coach was clueless and should acknowledge what went wrong.
• “This will be the worst team we have at NC State right here. …”
• Well, maybe a little … Coach Wade told us mid-season that he and his staff were reining in the trash talk this season. “We haven’t won as much as we’re gonna win yet. I don’t think they’re ready for how rowdy we’re gonna be when we win.”

Lingering Question:

I haven’t seen anyone ask this question, but should he replace Coach Chambers? Absolutely everyone (opposing coaches as well) could see that the defense was inadequate to non-existent much of the time this season. I know he’s a long-term Wade guy, and that he is well thought of in the coaching world, but just slightly better defense would have made a difference.

Be sure to follow USA TODAY Sports' live blog keeping track of all of NCAA Tournament's Day 1 games.

Welcome to the NCAA Tournament win column, Nebraska.

The No. 4 seed Cornhuskers dominated Troy 76-47 in the first round of March Madness on Thursday, March 19, winning in the Men's NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history.. They were previously the only Power conference team without a win in the big dance.

Nebraska vs Troy score: Huskers get first March Madness win

Nebraska made 14 3-pointers in the game, led by leading scorer Peyton Sandfort's 23 points on 7-of-13 shooting with a 7-of-12 mark from 3-point range. Starting forward Rienk Mask added 11 points with six rebounds and seven assists.

Cornhuskers fans appeared in droves for the game in Oklahoma City, taking over the Paycom Center, where the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder play. "Go Big Red" chants bellowed at the arena after Nebraska's win.

Place is still going bonkers pic.twitter.com/kShKqqPO0Y

— Joe Mussatto (@joe_mussatto) March 19, 2026

Nebraska was previously 0-8 in NCAA Tournament games, last losing in 2024 to No. 9 Texas A&M in the first round despite being the higher seed. It lost in the first round every NCAA Tournament from 1991-94, despite being the higher seed in three of the four games.

Seventh-year coach Fred Hoiberg, the former Iowa State and Chicago Bulls head coach, was considered to be on the hot seat entering the season after leading Nebraska to one NCAA Tournament in his first six years at the helm. But after the Cornhuskers won the inaugural Crown Basketball Championship in 2025, they started the 2025-26 season 20-0 before earning the program's second-best seeding ever.

Hoiberg before the game said there was added pressure entering the game due to the school's struggles in the NCAA Tournament, but noted he didn't address the matter with the team.

“I know the first question is going to be Nebraska has never won a tournament game,” Hoiberg said. “We realize that. Have I talked to our players about it? No, I haven’t. They know. They see it. Is there a pressure that goes along with that? Of course there is.” 

Nebraska now looks forward to the second round, where it'll face the winner of No. 5 Vanderbilt and No. 12 McNeese State on Saturday, March 21. There, maybe one NCAA Tournament win can become two for the school.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Nebraska basketball gets first March Madness win over Troy

In last season's NCAA Tournament, Amir Khan became a viral star.

Commonly referred to as "Aura", he served as McNeese basketball's student manager, and more importantly, hype man.

He went viral Feb. 2025 thanks to a video of him rapping while wearing a boombox around his neck as he led the Cowboys out of the locker room. It became a tradition and he'd often be spotted with jewelry and other notable accessories. He even received sponsorship deals.

"(The aura) really just comes from all these players," Khan told The Oklahoman ahead of McNeese's first round game against Vanderbilt in Oklahoma City. "I'm just holding the speaker, walking out with them, and it comes from their excitement, their hype, and what they do on the court. If we weren't three-peat Southland champions, I don't think all of this would've happened."

When Will Wade left McNeese to take the coaching job at NC State after last season, Khan followed him to Raleigh, where he took on a similar role for the Wolfpack. However, earlier this year, Khan returned to McNeese and is back for another Cowboys' ride in March Madness.

"I don't feel the need to change anything just because I walk out with the speaker," Khan said. "I've been able to experience a lot, and I'm just blessed to be able to do this position. I appreciate all the love from everybody, it means a lot and we'll keep it going as long as we can."

Expect to see him front and center as McNeese tries pull off a second NCAA upset in as many years. Khan watched McNeese beat Clemson last year, and he believes another surprise could be in the cards Thursday.

"(Teams) don't wanna play us," he said. "I saw Vanderbilt's reaction. I don't think they were too excited to play us as a 12-seed. I think that's something that's gonna keep going forward."

The Oklahoman reporter Isa Almeida contributed to this story.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: McNeese hype man Amir 'Aura' Khan back with Cowboys in NCAA Tournament

Be sure to follow USA TODAY Sports' live bracket updates and scores, keeping track of all of NCAA Tournament's Day 1 games.

Fourth-seed Arkansas (26-8) faces No. 13 Hawaii (24-8) in the first round of the Men's NCAA Tournament on Thursday afternoon.

For John Calipari, this is his 25th March Madness appearance. With two wins this weekend, he will reach the 17th Sweet 16 of his career.

The Razorbacks are led by SEC Player of the Year Darius Acuff Jr., who was dominant in Arkansas' SEC tournament championship run. The freshman is a likely high-lottery pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

More: John Calipari unleashed Darius Acuff by taking page out of NBA book

Arkansas vs Hawaii live score

This section will be updated.

What TV channel is Arkansas vs Hawaii basketball on today?

• TV channel: TBS
• Streaming:Sling TV

Brad Nessler, Wally Szczerbiak and Jared Greenberg will call the game for TBS.

Arkansas vs Hawaii March Madness game start time today

• Date: Thursday, March 19
• Time: 4:25 p.m. ET
• Location: Portland, Ore.

No. 13 Hawaii vs No. 4 Arkansas predictions

• John Leuzzi: Arkansas
• Ehsan Kassim: Arkansas
• Austin Curtright: Arkansas
• Craig Meyer: Arkansas

Hawaii vs Arkansas odds

Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Thursday, March 19

• Spread: Arkansas (-14.5)
• Over/under: 158.5
• Moneyline: Arkansas (-1400); Hawaii (+825)

Nick Pringle injury update: Arkansas center questionable vs Hawaii

Pringle did not participate in Arkansas' open practice on Wednesday. He had a sleeve on his right leg and stood off to the side for a majority of the workout, occasionally going through dribbling drills, grabbing rebounds and passing to his teammates.

Pringle is averaging 4.6 points and 3.9 rebounds this season. He plays 19 minutes per game.

John Calipari has history of early March Madness upsets

Although it seems like a no-brainer to have Arkansas over Hawaii, Calipari's recent history might suggest otherwise.

In his final three seasons at Kentucky, Calipari's teams lost in the first weekend of the NCAA men's basketball tournament, two of them truly shocking upsets. Kentucky lost in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament in 2024. The Wildcats were a No. 3 seed that season but fell to No. 14 Oakland by a final of 80-76.

Kentucky was a No. 2 seed in the 2022 NCAA men's basketball tournament when it went up against No. 15-seed Saint Peter's. It was arguably the biggest upset of the year.

Darius Acuff Jr. stats

• 22.9 points per game
• 3.2 rebounds per game
• 6.5 assists per game
• 48.6% field goal percentage
• 44.5% 3-point field goal percentage

Darius Acuff Jr. 2026 NBA Draft prediction

Projected as the No. 6 to Dallas Mavericks, by For The Win:

"Now led by Cooper Flagg, the Mavericks need to find players who can help Dallas stay competitive on offense and Arkansas freshman Darius Acuff Jr. can do exactly that. The SEC Player of the Year is excellently efficient at operating ball screens or in isolation. He leads freshmen for points created per 40 minutes (43.1) either by himself or through an assist, per CBB Analytics. He can score well from either side of the court and is among the freshmen leaders in both alley-oop assists (15) and field goals made in transition (62) this season. There is a reason rival coach Sean Miller thinks this generational guard should have his name in the mix at No. 1 overall."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: March Madness live: Arkansas vs Hawaii score, updates in NCAA first round

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Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid are out for the Philadelphia 76ers. Domantas Sabonis and Zach LaVine are out for the Sacramento Kings. And that’s just the star players.

This means my 76ers vs. Kings predictions are for true NBA junkies. Luckily, there’s one guy on the floor who always gives his all, even if he’s not the most efficient.

Yes, I’m talking about Russell Westbrook. The former MVP highlights my NBA picks for this matchup set to tip off at 10 pm ET at Sacramento's Golden 1 Center on Thursday, March 19.

76ers vs Kings prediction

76ers vs Kings best bet: Russell Westbrook Over 5.5 rebounds (+110)

Say what you will about his efficiency, no one can complain about Russell Westbrook's effort, and he’s playing some of his best basketball of the season for the Sacramento Kings.

The former MVP is averaging 16.9 points, 8.1 assists, and 5.1 rebounds over his last nine games.

Tonight, I’ll focus on the rebounds. With no Joel Embiid or Kelly Oubre Jr., the Philadelphia 76ers are light on the boards. And with no Tyrese Maxey, they rank dead last in eFG% this month.

That means lots of boards for Westbrook to scoop up.

76ers vs Kings same-game parlay

Good teams have beaten up on the Kings recently, but Sacramento's done a surprisingly good job against the bottom feeders, going 5-1 ATS in its last six games, winning four outright.

The Sixers are not a good team right now, ranking 25th in net rating in March. There’s value with Sacramento as short home dogs here.

Speaking of the Sixers, Andre Drummond is arguably the last man standing, and he could be their lone option to clean the glass. And while I like Westbrook individually, Sacramento has the fourth-worst rebounding rate as a team.

76ers vs Kings SGP

• Russell Westbrook Over 5.5 rebounds
• Kings moneyline
• Andre Drummond Over 9.5 rebounds

Our "from downtown" SGP: Triple double-double

Westbrook has three double-doubles in his last five games. Precious Achiuwa has been getting more run and has two in his last three. Meanwhile, Drummond has point and rebounding totals of 9.5.

76ers vs Kings SGP

• Russell Westbrook double-double
• Precious Achiuwa double-double
• Andre Drummond double-double

76ers vs Kings odds

• Spread: 76ers -2.5 (-110) | Kings +2.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: 76ers -140 | Kings +120
• Over/Under: Over 226 (-110) | Under 226 (-110)

76ers vs Kings betting trend to know

The Kings have hit the 1H Moneyline in 10 of their last 19 games at home for +8.25 Units and a 38% ROI. Find more NBA betting trends for 76ers vs. Kings.

How to watch 76ers vs Kings

76ers vs Kings latest injuries

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TCU and Ohio State delivered a banger start to the NCAA Tournament.

Xavier Edmonds' shot with 4.1 seconds remaining gave the No. 9 seed Horned Frogs a 66-64 win over No. 8 Ohio State to kick off March Madness action on Thursday, March 19, in the first game of the tournament. Bruce Thornton attempted a halfcourt heave as time expired, but the shot clanked off the top of the backboard.

REQUIRED READING: March Madness bracket, live scores: NCAA Tournament first round update

FROGS OUT FRONT 🔥#MarchMadness@TCUBasketballpic.twitter.com/7zUjY9gv0q

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 19, 2026

The Buckeyes trailed 39-24 at halftime but outscored the Horned Frogs 40-27 in the second half to pull within reach. TCU's Micah Robinson gave the Horned Frogs a 64-61 on a 3-pointer with under a minute left, but Thornton responded with a 3-pointer of his own to tie the game at 64-64 with 33.7 seconds left.

Fifty of TCU's 66 points came from Robinson, Edmonds and David Punch, who scored 16 points with 13 rebounds and three blocks. Robinson led all scorers with 18 points with Edmonds adding 16 points with eight rebounds.

The Horned Frogs' 3-point shooting was ultimately their path to victory, despite ranking No. 233 nationally in 3-point percentage (33.11%). TCU made nine 3-pointers and shot 39% from distance in the win, compared to Ohio State's six makes and 26% mark.

Ohio State all-time leading scorer Bruce Thornton, who entered the game averaging 20.2 points per game this season, didn't have his best showing in his final game as a Buckeye. The senior guard was held to 10 points on 3-of-9 shooting with four rebounds, four assists and a turnover in the loss.

Some brackets have likely already busted following the tough No. 8 vs. No. 9 seed matchup. Over 60% of brackets chose Ohio State to win, NCAA March Madness posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.

TCU will now likely face No. 1 overall seed Duke in the second round, should the Blue Devils expectedly defeat No. 16 Siena on March 19. The Horned Frogs have never won two NCAA Tournament games in the same season, and will have a tough task ahead to complete the record in 2026.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: TCU busts brackets, beats Ohio State on last-second shot in March Madness

Payton Sandfort had a crazy 12 hours or so after making his NBA debut for the Oklahoma City Thunder, and his younger brother got one big surprise when No. 4 seed Nebraska won its South region first-round game against No. 13 seed Troy, 76-47, to start March Madness.

Sandfort was in the crowd at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on Thursday, March 19 as Pryce Sandfort's barrage of 3-pointers helped ignite the Cornhuskers in their quest for the first NCAA Tournament win in program history. Except Pryce Sandfort didn't know he was going to be there. The Thunder had a game in Brooklyn on Wednesday and have a game in Washington, D.C. on Saturday.

Turns out there was time for a pit stop to celebrate what's got to be the best two days in Sandfort basketball history.