"Every Point Is Big Now": Red Wings Look Ahead To Critical Tilt Against Canadiens
The last time that the Detroit Red Wings took on the Montreal Canadiens at Little Caesars Arena, things didn't work out so well for the host Red Wings.
By the time the first period was over, the Red Wings had not only surrendered multiple odd-man rushes but allowed Montreal to score three times en route to what was an eventual 5-1 victory.
The good news is that Detroit was able to figure Montreal out in their next matchup in Quebec, a 4-0 Red Wings win on January 10.
But their third and final matchup of the season takes place at a most critical time for the Red Wings, who trail the Canadiens by two points in the standings in the ultra-tight Atlantic Division standings.
For the Red Wings, their season-opening setback against the Canadiens serves as a blueprint for avoiding a similar fate.
"We've gotta stay above them," said Alex DeBrincat on how to counter Montreal's quick and active forwards. "I think that first game of the year, we made a lot of mistakes, and it was kind of maybe a good thing that we learned from early. I thought we played better when we went into their building, so hopefully we can play more of that game than our first game."
"They're a fast, skilled team," he continued. "We know they want to get behind us, and they can make plays on that, so I think for the most part, staying above their forwards and making them go through five guys will be tough on them."
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The Red Wings didn’t receive any help from around the NHL on Tuesday night.
Not only did the Columbus Blue Jackets defeat the Metropolitan Division–leading Carolina Hurricanes, but both the Canadiens and the Boston Bruins also picked up a point in Montreal’s overtime victory.
Detroit currently occupies the second and final Wild Card position in the Eastern Conference, tied in points with the Bruins and two points behind Montreal, currently in third place in the Atlantic Division.
"Every point is big now, the whole East is pretty close right now," DeBrincat continued. "We need to find a way to try and win some games and pull away a little bit, and hopefully we can play some good games at home here and go on from there."
"It's Huge": Todd McLellan Praises 'Swagger' Of Goaltender John Gibson Thanks to another strong performance in net by goaltender John Gibson, the Detroit Red Wings picked up two huge points in the standings on Monday evening. While the Red Wings will remain shorthanded without team captain Dylan Larkin, head coach Todd McLellan said there's no choice but to continue with the players available and apply the standard that helped make them successful.
"All the work we've put in this year puts us in a spot where we have to continue to apply our game," McLellan said. "We've had to make adjustments due to injuries, but throw our best game out there night after night, and we're in control."
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Senators At Washington In Latest 'Biggest Game Of The Season'
Once you're inside the final month of the NHL regular season, which we are, it's generally desperation time.
Either you're facing desperate teams fighting for a playoff spot or better positioning, or you're facing an also-ran filled with players desperate to stay in the league next season.
Desperation is a fine label for the Ottawa Senators' latest biggest game of the year on Wednesday night when they face the Capitals in Washington.
The Senators' desperation is well-documented. By his own admission, GM Steve Staios says he felt like the Senators "pissed away a lot of points early on." Now they're paying for that, forced to make a late-season charge.
They're winning a lot these days, rocking an 11-2-2 mark since January 25. With the out-of-town scoreboard so consistently working against them, it may be feel like they've been sprinting on a treadmill on the standings.
But when they started this run, they were seven teams and nine points out of the playoffs. Now they're two teams and five points out, with two games in hand on both of the wild card holders, Boston and Detroit.
The Blue Jackets are wedged into the mix, too, just one point out of a wild card.
One of the teams the Senators have managed to put behind them in the standings is the Washington Capitals, who will host them on Wednesday night (7;30pm SN, TVAS).
The Capitals are not only eight points out of a playoff spot, but they have to climb over four teams to get there, one of them being the Senators. So any slim hope of a comeback will all but evaporate if they don't get two points on Wednesday.
In the face of all that desperation, Sens head coach Travis Green isn't tinkering with anything, same lineup, same starting goalie.
"Our approach isn't really changing," Green told the media. "We're gonna play a desperate team (on Wednesday night), so our desperation level needs to be high as well."
The Senators will again be without Jake Sanderson and Nick Jensen. Sanderson is expected to start skating within the week, while Jensen is out for at least six weeks with a knee injury.
For Washington, Cole Hutson, brother of Montreal defenseman Lane Hutson, will make his NHL debut. He's expected to play alongside. Matt Roy and on the second power-play unit.
The Capitals figure he's mentally and physically ready to jump right into a near must-win NHL game for the Capitals.
Hutson was chosen 36 picks after Carter Yakemchuk in the 2024 NHL Draft. Despite the Senators recently losing two defensemen to injury, Yakemchuk, the reigning AHL player of the week, remains in Belleville, still waiting to make his NHL debut.
Here are Wednesday's line combinations and pairings, as per NHL.com.
Senators projected lineup
Drake Batherson -- Tim Stutzle -- Claude Giroux
Brady Tkachuk -- Dylan Cozens -- Ridly Greig
Nick Cousins -- Shane Pinto -- Michael Amadio
Warren Foegele -- Lars Eller -- Fabian Zetterlund
Thomas Chabot -- Artem Zub
Tyler Kleven -- Jordan Spence
Dennis Gilbert -- Nikolas Matinpalo
Linus Ullmark
James Reimer
Scratched: Stephen Halliday, Kurtis MacDermid, Lassi Thomson
Injured: Jake Sanderson (upper body), Nick Jensen (lower body)
Capitals projected lineup
Anthony Beauvillier -- Dylan Strome -- Alex Ovechkin
Aleksei Protas -- Hendrix Lapierre -- Tom Wilson
Connor McMichael -- Pierre-Luc Dubois -- Ryan Leonard
Brandon Duhaime -- Justin Sourdif -- Ethen Frank
Martin Fehervary -- Rasmus Sandin
Jakub Chychrun -- Trevor van Riemsdyk
Cole Hutson -- Matt Roy
Logan Thompson
Charlie Lindgren
Scratched: David Kampf, Ivan Miroshnichenko, Timothy Liljegren, Declan Chisholm, Dylan McIlrath
Injured: None
Steve Warne
The Hockey News
Barack Obama's March Madness bracket predictions include upsets, Final Four
Millions around the nation are placing their predictions, and some bets, on who they believe is going to advance, and win the 2026 Men's NCAA Tournament. Former President Barack Obama is also in on the fun.
If you haven't already filled out your brackets for this year's March Madness, you might want to get yours finished. All the fun begins Thursday when the first round of games is set to begin.
It's friendly competition amongst friends, family, co-workers or even the holy grail of a group chat. Each year, there has been a presidential bracket submitted out of the millions of predictions.
Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States of America and an avid sports fan, has his picks set as he makes his prediction for how he thinks the 2026 NCAA Tournament will play out.
Barack Obama March Madness bracket picks
Obama typically fills out a bracket for both men and women, and 2026 is no different.
Collin Sexton returns for the Bulls while Isaac Okoro remains out
CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago Bulls guard Collin Sexton returned to the lineup on Wednesday night after being sidelined for four games because of a lower left leg contusion.
Coach Billy Donovan said Sexton was available for the team's game against Toronto. Sexton got hurt during a 126-110 loss at Sacramento on March 8.
Fellow guard Isaac Okoro was ruled out against the Raptors because of right knee pain. He missed his fifth consecutive game.
“I'd say he's probably a little bit longer than day to day,” Donovan said. “Just dealing with the knee soreness there. I think he's still feeling it. ... He's on the court doing some stuff, but it's pretty limited right now.”
Okoro, 25, was acquired in a trade with Cleveland. He is averaging 9.0 points in 55 games in his first season with Chicago.
“He's incredibly unselfish, in terms of he's not like trying to hunt shots, trying to hunt points,” Donovan said. “Everything, when you talk to him, it's never about him. It's always about the team.”
The 27-year-old Sexton was acquired in a February trade with Charlotte. He is averaging 16.2 points in 12 games with Chicago going into the matchup with Toronto.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
Cavs at Bulls: How to watch, odds, and injury report
The Cleveland Cavaliers’ road trip through the Central Time Zone continues as they travel to Illinois to take on the Chicago Bulls.
The Cavs bounced back from a disappointing loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday with a win over the Milwaukee Bucks. The defense in Tuesday’s win wasn’t perfect. There were still a few too many breakdowns on the perimeter, but it certainly was a step in the right direction.
We’ll see if the Cavs can get some momentum going as they take on a Bulls team that will be on the second night of a back-to-back.
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Who: Cleveland Cavaliers (42-27) at Chicago Bulls (28-40)
Where: United Center – Chicago, IL
When: Thur. March 19 at 8 PM
TV: FanDuel Sports Network Ohio, FanDuel Sports App, NBA League Pass
Point spread: Not yet set
Cavs injury report: Jarrett Allen – OUT (knee), Craig Porter Jr. – OUT (groin), Tyrese Proctor – OUT (quad), Olivier Sarr – OUT (G League)
Bulls injury report for Wednesday’s game vs. TOR: Isaac Okoro – DOUBTFUL (right patellofemoral), Collin Sexton – QUESTIONABLE (knee), Zach Collins – OUT (toe), Noa Essengue – OUT (shoulder), Jaden Ivey – OUT (left patellofemoral), Mac McClung – OUT (G League), Anfernee Simons – OUT – (left ulnar styloid)
Cavs expectedstarting lineup: James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Keon Ellis, Dean Wade, Evan Mobley
Bulls expected starting lineup: Josh Giddey, Tre Jones, Matas Buzelis, Leonard Miller, Jalen Smith
Previous matchup: The Cavs have lost two straight games to the Chicago Bulls, the last coming on Dec. 19
Here’s a look at both teams’ impact stats via Cleaning the Glass.
| Offensive Rating | Defensive Rating | Net Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cavs | 118.6 (5th) | 114.3 (13th) | +4.3 (7th) |
| Bulls | 113.5 (24th) | 117.5 (22nd) | -4 (23rd) |
Build Your Winning Bracket!
SB Nation’s CBB expert Mike Rutherford and resident bracketologist Chris Dobbertean will answer all your questions this week and help guide you to bracket glory!
Drop in SB Nation’s March Madness Feed all week long and we’ll have both on hand! (All times ET)
- Sun 7-10pm: Chris Dobbertean
- Mon-Wed 10am-1pm: Mike Rutherford
- Mon-Wed 5-8pm: Chris Dobbertean
- Thursday 9am-12pm: Chris Dobbertean and Mike Rutherford
Dodgers add Santiago Espinal to roster
Pretty much since the day he signed a minor league deal with the Dodgers, Santiago Espinal was talked about in camp as someone very much in the mix for making the opening day roster. On Wednesday, the Dodgers made it official, selecting the contract of the veteran infielder.
Espinal takes the 40-man-roster vacancy created when outfielder Jack Suwinski was sent outright to the minors on March 2.
Espinal signed with the Dodgers on February 16, the same day manager Dave Roberts confirmed the expected news that Tommy Edman would not be ready for opening day, still recovering from right ankle surgery in November. Edman’s absence opened up not only a potential roster spot but also playing time at second base, and Roberts mentioned Espinal as very much in the mix along with Hyeseong Kim, Alex Freeland, and veteran Miguel Rojas.
Two and a half weeks later, Roberts told reporters in Arizona, “It’s hard to imagine [Espinal] not being on the team.”
Espinal later that night hit two home runs, and has been getting fantastic results in spring training, with 16 hits in 39 at-bats, including four doubles, and five walks, hitting .410/.447/.667.
But his making the roster doesn’t feel like an overreaction to spring stats, but rather seeing proof of concept of someone who was signed for a specific role. After all, he was used all spring like a veteran getting ready for the season, not necessarily in a dogged fight for a job. He started all 16 of his games thus far, mostly at third base, with a little bit of second base, first base, designated hitter, and right field.
For his career Espinal has played mostly second and third base, with a smattering of corner outfield. A career .291/.344/.409 hitter with a 107 wRC+ against left-handed pitchers, Espinal figures to face a lot of southpaws, much like the perceived role intended for fellow right-handed-hitting infielder Andy Ibáñez, who signed a one-year deal in January but was designated for assignment a few weeks later before getting claimed by the A’s.
Now Espinal has a spot on the roster.
Ohtani dominates in Dodger win
It was all about Shohei Ohtani today, making his first start this spring and showcasing the stuff that makes him one of the filthiest pitchers in the game—Ohtani pitched into the fifth inning when he was relieved by Edgardo Henríquez, helping Los Angeles on their way to a 5-1 win over the Giants. Possessing one of the more vast arsenals in the game, Ohtani sat roughly a mile per hour slower on his two fastballs (sinker and four-seamer), which is to be expected. The more surprising bit was that all of his off-speed pitches came significantly slower than usual, not that it had any negative effect on his performance. For instance, the sweeper came in at an average of 82.8 MPH, 2.2 lower than his average last season.
Other than a couple of free passes, not finding the zone quite so frequently with his four-seam fastball, Ohtani didn’t give the Giants much of a chance, allowing only a hit in his 4.1 innings of work. Keeping track of his workload, Ohtani left the game on 61 pitches, pretty much ready for the start of the regular season.
It’s only spring training, but don’t tell Freddie Freeman that. The Dodgers’ star first baseman has been on fire this spring and managed his first long shot, going down below the zone to connect on a curveball against Landon Roupp. Reaching base safely twice against Roupp, Freeman is now hitting .423 in 28 at-bats, the second-highest mark among Dodger regulars. Freeman only trails Teoscar Hernández, whose outstanding spring offers a bit more hope that he can turn the page on what was a disappointing regular season in 2025. The Dodgers’ starting left fielder was responsible for one of the five RBI from the Dodgers.
Maybe it was Freeman who was hot, or perhaps just his spot in the lineup, given that his replacement proceeded to hit the second Dodger home run of the game. Former Red Nick Senzel went yard, thus raising his OPS this spring above 1.000.
The Giants’ sole run of the game came on a solo shot allowed by Tanner Scott in the eighth inning. The latest victim of Victor Bericoto, one of the standout performers for the Giants this spring.
Up next
The Dodgers are off on Thursday, returning to action against another divisional opponent on Friday as Yoshinobu Yamamoto will start against the San Diego Padres, his last start before the beginning of the regular season. The first pitch is at 6:05 PM Pacific time.
Duchene Doesn’t Regret Leaving Colorado, But Cherished His Time in Denver
DENVER — Two decades after his highly controversial departure from the Detroit Red Wings, Sergei Fedorov stood on the podium at his jersey retirement ceremony and openly admitted that the way he handled his exit was "a huge mistake."
At the ceremony, Fedorov hinted that his perspective had shifted since leaving the Red Wings, the team with which he won three Stanley Cups. He credited his personal life for grounding him, saying that meeting the love of his life, Corinna, helped reshape his outlook. Today, the couple shares two children: a daughter, Aleksandra, and a son, Viktor.
Matt Duchene may not command the same legendary status as Fedorov, but for the Colorado Avalanche, he was undeniably a cornerstone of the franchise’s modern era. Drafted third overall in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, Duchene spent more than eight seasons with the Avs, producing some of the most memorable years of his career.
His best season came in 2013–14, when he recorded 23 goals and 47 assists in 71 games. He followed that with a career-high 30 goals the following year, though by his final full-time campaign with the team, his production had dipped to 18 goals, 23 assists, and 41 points.
Nearly a decade has passed since Duchene was traded to the Ottawa Senators as part of a three-way deal that also involved the Nashville Predators. Colorado received a substantial return, including then-rookie defenseman Samuel Girard, forward prospect Vladislav Kamenev, and a second-round pick from Nashville, along with center Shane Bowers (a 2017 first-round selection), goalie Andrew Hammond, and both a first- and third-round pick from Ottawa.
A Difficult Departure
Duchene had been on the block for some time after requesting a trade from the Avalanche the previous year. While he clearly showed frustration at still being in Colorado at the start of the 2017–18 season, he reported to camp and worked hard—though his expressions betrayed a player ready to move on.
Since the trade, Duchene has played for three other NHL organizations, landing with the Dallas Stars in the 2023–24 campaign. Despite appearing in 69 career playoff games, a Stanley Cup has eluded him—unlike several Avalanche teammates who stayed in Denver long enough to hoist the trophy in 2022.
Like Fedorov, Duchene is now a devoted family man. He is married to his wife, Ashley, and together they have three children: a son, Beau, and two daughters, Jayme and Ellie.
After some light-hearted clarification from The Hockey News about how having a family can change your perspective, Duchene was asked if there was anything he would have done differently regarding his departure from the Avalanche.
Being the straightforward person that he is, Duchene said he had no regrets with the way he handled things.
"No," Duchene said. "I think at that point in my career, it was best for me to (move on). Obviously, it was one of the hardest things I've ever done; I grew up idolizing this team. When you have to ask your hero for a trade, it's tough.
"That's a part of my history playing for this team that I'm super proud of and it's amazing that I got to live that childhood dream...I wanted a new opportunity and I felt like I needed it personally and it was nothing personal against (anyone). I think I handled it fine; I showed up to camp; I worked hard; I played hard; I played well."
Stars vs. Avalanche: Division on the Line
Duchene led the Stars in points last season with 82, tallying 30 goals and 52 assists. His numbers are a bit down this year due to an early-season injury, but through 42 games, he has posted 13 goals and 19 assists for 32 points.
Tonight’s matchup between the Colorado Avalanche and the Dallas Stars at Ball Arena carries high stakes. The Central Division is red-hot, and this game could go a long way in determining not only the division champion but also a frontrunner for the Presidents’ Trophy. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:50 p.m. local time.
Bryan Hodgson back 'home' in New York for March Madness, not staying for Syracuse job
BUFFALO, NY – South Florida’s NCAA Tournament opener against Louisville marks a homecoming for first-year coach Bryan Hodgson, who was born in western New York, went to college in western New York and started his coaching career in western New York, eventually working under current Alabama coach Nate Oats at Buffalo from 2015-19.
An Olean, New York native who attended Jamestown Community College and Fredonia State, Hodgson said he’ll have 38 relatives in attendance for the No. 11 Bulls’ matchup with the No. 6 Cardinals. He’s also been texting with a group of college coaches who hail from the region, including Florida assistant Carlin Hartman, Texas assistant Adam Cohen, Army head coach Kevin Kuwik and Rice head coach Rob Lanier, talking Buffalo Bills football and the local food scene.
“This is home,” he said. “Just icing on the cake to be able to do that back here at home in western New York in front of friends and family, and really looking forward to the opportunity of playing against a very good Louisville team.”
The area is home — but this is only a visit.
Earlier on Wednesday, Hodgson turned down an offer to be the next coach at Syracuse, according to multiple reports. The Orange fired third-year coach Adrian Autry earlier this month and were attracted to Hodgson’s quick turnaround at 25-win USF, which took home the American Conference regular-season and tournament championships after posting just one winning season since 2019.
Ironically, the game against the Cardinals makes Hodgson the first coach from western New York to start tournament play in Buffalo since former Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim in 2014.
“When it comes to situations like these, we try to stay away from social media because everything is fake,” said senior forward Izaiyah Nelson. “Everybody goes on social media and says anything, and it's been happening for the last couple years. It's the same old things every year.”
USF heads into Thursday’s matchup on an 11-game winning streak, tied with Duke for the second-longest active run in the country. Known for a potent offense — USF ranks eighth nationally with 87.7 points per game — the Bulls’ defense has made huge strides of late, holding seven of their past nine opponents to under 67 points.
“Yeah, I'm just a firm believer that's just what good teams do. They get better and they play their best basketball in February and March,” Hodgson said. "Our guys have been locked in. They're very process driven. They're extremely selfless, and they wake up every morning with an intent to get better. That's really showed on the court.”
But the Bulls will face two serious tests in Friday’s matchup against the Cardinals. The first is Louisville’s own electric offense and talent level, which is beyond anything USF has faced since a road loss to Alabama in December.
The second is the drama over Hodgson’s future that may not die down anytime soon, not with his name now being drawn in connection with the opening at Providence.
This is the dilemma for all up-and-coming coaches outside the major-conference structure: While every successful season and tournament appearance raises the profile of the coach and his program, this same success raises the likelihood he’ll be poached by a deeper-pocketed suitor.
“Does it look like we pay attention to any of that? We're out here playing basketball,” said Nelson. “We don't get into those kind of things. We come out here every day, grinding, working hard, and just keeping our head down, worrying about the next game.”
To his point, the scrutiny on Hodgson’s future didn’t slow the Bulls’ push for the program’s first conference tournament championship since winning the Sun Belt in 1990. Autry was dismissed on March 11, four days before USF topped Wichita State in the American final.
“Yeah, I'll say this: Time of the year doesn't matter,” he said. “I can tell you that my sole focus is on winning basketball games and enjoying every single second with this group of young men I have right now.”
And Hodgson can lean on his experience as an assistant, when Oats coached Buffalo to successive tournament appearances in 2018 and 2019 — beating Arizona as the No. 13 seed in 2018 and Arizona State as a No. 6 a year later — when his name was bandied about in connection with major openings.
“Yeah, you come in with a chip on your shoulder and an edge,” said Hodgson. “When we beat Arizona, our guys got on that plane from the Buffalo airport full-heartedly believing we were going to go in there to win that game.
“My guys in that locker room right now feel the same way. We know that we're here because of the work we've put in. There's no luck. I've got a great group of young men that believe in their abilities. They're confident in their abilities because, quite frankly, they work, and for us confidence comes from work.”
Louisville star Mikel Brown out vs South Florida
The Bulls received a major boost to their upset hopes with the news Louisville freshman star point guard Mikel Brown Jr. will miss Thursday's first round game with a back injury.
Louisville enters March Madness with a 7-5 record with Brown on the bench vs. a 16-5 record when he plays. Per CBBAnalytics.com, it averages 6.4 fewer points per 40 minutes (88.1 vs. 81.7) and shoots 4.8% worse from beyond the arc (38.2% vs. 33.4%) when he's not on the court.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: South Florida coach Bryan Hodgson back in NY, not staying for Syracuse
What March Madness games are tomorrow? See teams kicking off NCAA Tournament first round
Just one more sleep until the start of the first round of the 2026 Men's NCAA Tournament.
The First Four is fun and all, but it's not nearly as fun as rolling out four different screens to watch keep up with March Madness.
Make sure to get your bracket filled out before the first game tips at 12:15 p.m. ET.
Here's a look at Thursday's full slate of games:
March Madness first round schedule Thursday, March 19
- 12:15 p.m.: No. 8 Ohio State vs. No. 9 TCU, CBS (Fubo)
- 12:40 p.m.: No. 4 Nebraska vs. No. 13 Troy, truTV (Sling TV)
- 1:30 p.m.: No. 6 Louisville vs. No. 11 South Florida, TNT (Sling TV)
- 1:50 p.m.: No. 5 Wisconsin vs. No. 12 High Point, TBS (Sling TV)
- 2:50 p.m.: No. 1 Duke vs. No. 16 Siena, CBS (Fubo)
- 3:15 p.m.: No. 5 Vanderbilt vs. No. 12 McNeese, truTV (Sling TV)
- 4:05 p.m.: No. 3 Michigan State vs. No. 14 North Dakota State, TNT (Sling TV)
- 4:25 p.m.: No. 4 Arkansas vs. No. 13 Hawai'i, TBS (Sling TV)
- 6:50 p.m.: No. 6 North Carolina vs. No. 11 VCU, TNT (Sling TV)
- 7:10 p.m.: No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 16 Howard, CBS (Fubo)
- 7:25 p.m.: No. 6 BYU vs. No. 11 Texas, TBS (Sling TV)
- 7:35 p.m.: No. 7 Saint Mary's vs. No. 10 Texas A&M, truTV (Sling TV)
- 9:25 p.m.: No. 3 Illinois vs. No. 14 Penn, TNT (Sling TV)
- 9:45 p.m.: No. 8 Georgia vs. No. 9 Saint Louis, CBS (Fubo)
- 10 p.m.: No. 3 Gonzaga vs. No. 14 Kennesaw State, TBS (Sling TV)
- 10:10 p.m.: No. 2) Houston vs. No. 15 Idaho, truTV (Sling TV)
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What March Madness games are tomorrow? NCAA first round schedule
March Madness upset picks: NCAA Tournament first-round surprises
The history books will rightfully remember last year's March Madness as a chalk, with four No. 1 seeds in the Final Four and three No. 2 seeds in the Elite Eight. But as the first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament first round gets set to begin on Thursday, March 19, it's perhaps worth noting what happened to the bracket on the first two days of college basketball's biggest event in 2025.
Five double-digit seeds pulled off upsets in the first round, including four from non-power conferences. Only one (No. 10 seed Arkansas) advanced to the Sweet 16, which significantly reduced the brackets busted and eventually led to just the second Final Four featuring all No. 1 seeds since the NCAA Tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985.
The 2026 NCAA Tournament field is also seen as top-heavy by college basketball experts, but there are several intriguing opportunities for a potential Cinderella to emerge this year. Here's a look at five March Madness first-round games that could produce an upset this week:
No. 11 VCU over No. 6 North Carolina
The school that went from the original First Four all the way to the Final Four 15 years ago is a potential Cinderella again in the South region of the 2026 NCAA Tournament bracket after a run to the Atlantic-10 Conference tournament championship. VCU has lost just once over the past two months and it slots ahead of UNC since Feb. 1 in the Torvik Rankings, which are based on offensive and defensive efficiency and weight recent performances more heavily than other predictive metrics. North Carolina, meanwhile, will enter the NCAA Tournament with back-to-back losses to Duke and Clemson and continues to be without freshman star Caleb Wilson. No game during Thursday's March Madness first-round action has a smaller spread than VCU vs. UNC (-2.5).
No. 11 South Florida over No. 6 Louisville
Only one team in this year's NCAA Tournament has a longer current winning streak than USF's 11-game streak entering its East region first-round matchup and six of the Bulls' past seven wins have been by at least 15 points. Guard Wes Enis has been held under 19 points just once in the past five weeks. Louisville also plays the same up tempo style as USF and the Cardinals are just 4-4 over their past eight games. They won't have star freshman guard Mikel Brown Jr. available again due to injury.
No. 11 Texas over No. 6 BYU
This West region first-round matchup will pit two teams with bad defenses that played much better earlier in the season. Now that Texas escaped with a buzzer-beater win over North Carolina State in the First Four, it gets a juicy upset chance against A.J. Dybantsa and BYU. The Cougars had a 7-9 record over the final two months of Big 12 play and uses one of the thinnest benches in the field. Though the Longhorns limped to the finish line with five losses in their final six games before Tuesday's NCAA Tournament triumph, they do have wins over Alabama and Vanderbilt on their ledger this season.
No. 12 Akron over No. 5 Texas Tech
Though Miami (Ohio) garnered most of the headlines out of the MAC with its undefeated run through the regular season, conference tournament champion Akron had the better offensive and defensive efficiency ratings and could take advantage of its draw in the Midwest region. Though Akron lost by 18 points to the only other power conference team on its schedule (Purdue), Texas Tech hasn't looked the same since star J.T. Toppin suffered a season-ending injury. The Red Raiders are 6-5 over their past 11 games, with three defeats in a row entering the NCAA Tournament.
No. 10 Missouri over No. 7 Miami
Missouri is a trendy pick in this West region first-round matchup because the game will take place in nearby St. Louis. The Tigers also had a strong surge through SEC play in February and early March, beating Tennessee, Vanderbilt and Texas A&M to secure an NCAA Tournament at large berth. Missouri, however, has lost three in a row, including an SEC tournament quarterfinal setback to Kentucky. But the Tigers already beat Kentucky on the road earlier this season and the crowd should be on their side this week.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: March Madness predictions: Men's NCAA bracket first-round upset picks
The WBC is thriving. Rob Manfred says MLB might consider moving it to midseason
MIAMI — Having set attendance and broadcast viewer records, the World Baseball Classic will return in 2029 or 2030 and at some future point could be moved to midseason, when clubs would be less likely to restrict players.
Since the WBC’s inception in 2006, it has been played during spring training. Tournament rules include pitch count restrictions, and teams can demand tougher limits or deny players permission to participate.
“Obviously we have commitments to Fox in terms of the All-Star Game in the middle of the season through ’28,” baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said Wednesday during an interview with The Associated Press. “As the game continues to evolve, we have talked about midseason tournaments in general. And certainly if we decided to get serious about this, about a midseason tournament, this would be an ideal opportunity.”
Fan interest for the WBC continues to grow
This year’s WBC drew 1,619,839 fans for 47 games, a 24% increase over the previous high of 1,306,414 in 2023. The initial tournament in 2006 drew 740,451 for 39 games.
The most-watched 2006 matchup was Mexico’s second-round win over the U.S. at 2.46 million on ESPN.
This year’s most-viewed game through Sunday was the Americans’ semifinal victory over the Dominican Republic at 7.37 million on FS1 and Fox Deportes. That topped the previous high of 5.2 million for the 2023 final on FS1, Fox Deportes and Fox Sports streaming services. Numbers for Tuesday's final aren’t yet available.
“There’s no resemblance to where we started in 2006,” Manfred said. “This one, I feel like it went to a different level. We set an attendance record after the early play. By the time we got into the semis and the final it was all gravy.”
The Ohtani effect has been key
Shohei Ohtani striking out then-Los Angeles Angels teammate Mike Trout for the last out of the 2023 WBC was a seminal moment. A sport that emerged in the U.S. in the 19th century took until the 21st century to establish a truly global competition.
“The WBC is kind of a springboard for the rest of our international efforts,” Manfred said. “It gives you kind of a cornerstone to work from in terms of making long-term business relationships with sponsors, broadcasters and whatnot.”
Fans from baseball-mad countries like Japan, the Dominican Republic and Venezuela have watched the tourney closely since its inception. Japan has three titles, while the DR and Venezuela have each won once.
The U.S. also has just one title, in 2017, despite using an All-Star roster this year led by captain Aaron Judge, Bryce Harper and Paul Skenes. Judge was appointed U.S. captain last April and his early commitment sparked other top players to join.
Judge called the WBC crowds “bigger and better than the World Series.” Italy’s run to the semifinals this year awakened baseball interest in a soccer-crazed country, even though games started in the middle of the night.
“I just told the guys that they are the champions of this tournament,” Italy manager Francisco Cervelli said after the Azzurri were eliminated by Venezuela, the eventual champion. “They revolutionized Italy. They put another sport on the map.”
A midseason tournament likely would lead to fewer stars declining or being held back. Two-time AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal agreed with Detroit to be limited to one appearance, and the U.S. started 24-year-old rookie Nolan McLean in the final. The U.S. lost 3-2 to Venezuela, which rallied in the ninth inning against Garrett Whitlock to win its first title.
Closer Mason Miller was held out by DeRosa, who promised the San Diego Padres he would be used only in a save situation.
“Certainly if it was moved to the middle of the season, I don’t think you would have any nos for competing in it,” DeRosa said.
Could the Olympics be next?
MLB and the players’ association are negotiating over having big leaguers participate in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The six-nation baseball tournament, which includes the U.S.. Dominican Republic and Venezuela, would be played during an extended All-Star break. That event could impact the decision on when the seventh WBC will be played.
MLB and the players’ association have matching equity shares that are the most in the WBC, with Nippon Professional Baseball, the Korea Baseball Organization and the World Baseball Softball Confederation owning minority stakes.
“The issue for us is whether we do it in ‘29 or in ’30, three years or four years? I’m getting a lot of email from people today saying don’t make us wait four more years for this,” Manfred said. “I do think a three- or four-year cycle is probably about right for the event. The timing is going to turn on what we do with respect to related sorts of international efforts. I remain optimistic about the Olympics and obviously if we play in the Olympics it’s a short time from July of ‘28 ’till the spring of 29 and that’s something we’ll have to take into account. I’m not saying it’s outcome determinative, but it’s something we’ll have to think about.”
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Updated NBA standings: How would playoffs look if season ended today?
The NBA playoffs are just around the corner. Sure, there is still time for teams on the cusp to make one final push for the postseason, but for the most part, we know which teams are competing for an NBA title.
That said, many of the teams in the middle of the pack in each conference are jumbled up, so close together that a bad or good stretch could determine whether they get home-court advantage in their opening series or the conference semifinals.
As it stands right now, as of the afternoon of Wednesday, March 18, the Eastern Conference's No. 2 seed Boston Celtics are just eight games ahead of the No. 8 seed Atlanta Hawks. In the West, the No. 3 and 6 seeds are within 1.5 games of one another.
A lot could happen between now and the end of the regular season that could shape the postseason. That said, it's still interesting to look at where each team would fall if the season ended today.
NBA playoff bracket
Records and standings through games played on Wednesday, March 18
*-indicates play-in team
Eastern Conference
- Detroit Pistons (49-19)
- Boston Celtics (45-23)
- New York Knicks (45-25)
- Cleveland Cavaliers (42-27)
- Toronto Raptors (38-29)
- Orlando Magic (38-30)
- Miami Heat (38-31)*
- Atlanta Hawks (37-31)*
- Philadelphia 76ers (37-32)*
- Charlotte Hornets (35-34)*
Western Conference
- Oklahoma City Thunder (54-15)
- San Antonio Spurs (51-18)
- Los Angeles Lakers (43-25)
- Houston Rockets (41-26)
- Denver Nuggets (42-27)
- Minnesota Timberwolves (42-27)
- Phoenix Suns (39-30)*
- Los Angeles Clippers (34-34)*
- Golden State Warriors (33-35)*
- Portland Trail Blazers (33-36)*
When does NBA regular season end?
The regular season will end on Sunday, April 12. The play-in tournament will start just two days later on Tuesday, April 14 with games played through Friday, April 17.
The classic NBA postseason will begin on April 18.
How does NBA play-in tournament work?
The tournament is divided into three games for each conference.
The first game will see the No. 7 seed host the No. 8 seed with the No. 7 seed in the playoffs on the line. The loser will face the winner of the game between the conference's No. 9 and No. 10 seeds.
Whoever loses that third game will be eliminated from the postseason, while the winner will claim their conferene's No. 8 seed and a date with the No. 1 seed in the first round of the playoffs.
NBA playoffs schedule
- Play-in tournament: April 14-17
- First round: Begins April 18
- Second round: Expected to start early May
- Conference finals: Expected to start late May
- NBA Finals: June 3 - June 10/17 (dependent on series lengths)
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who's in, out of NBA playoffs if the season ended today?