Category: NBA

The madness isn't over, it's just on hold.

After a Men's NCAA Tournament second round that saw a No. 1 seed in Florida, a few bluebloods in Kansas and Kentucky, and a pair of No. 3s in Gonzaga and Virginia eliminated, the Sweet 16 is set. Duke overcame a shaky start to advance to the second weekend, UConn rolled over UCLA after a slog against Furman, and Michigan has largely looked dominant thus far.

REQUIRED READING: 2026 Sweet 16 schedule, game times, TV info, brackets for NCAA Tournament

But none of that matters. As the teams in the Sweet 16 prepare for their prospective opponents, they'll have time off until Thursday for half the field and Friday for the other half. There are no games on Monday March 23, but they'll be back — likely with a vengeance as the field condenses — on Thursday, March 26.

Here's what to know about the college basketball schedule, as the teams remaining recharge for the second of three frenetic weekends.

Are there Men's NCAA Tournament games on today?

Following four days of action, the Men's NCAA Tournament will be taking a respite. There are no games on Monday, March 23, as teams prepare for the Sweet 16.

There are, however, Women's NCAA Tournament second round games, as its first weekend concludes.

When do Men's March Madness games resume?

Men's NCAA Tournament games will recommence on Thursday, March 26 when No. 2 Purdue plays No. 11 Texas to open the Sweet 16. From there, it will be eight games, concluding with No. 2 Iowa State vs No. 6 Tennessee on Friday, March 27.

Men's Sweet 16 schedule

Here's a look at the schedule for when games come back.

THURSDAY, MARCH 26

• 7:10 p.m.: No. 2 Purdue vs. No. 11 Texas (West), CBS
• 7:30 p.m.: No. 4 Nebraska vs. No. 9 Iowa (South), TBS/truTV
• 9:45 p.m.: No. 1 Arizona vs. No. 4 Arkansas (West), CBS
• 10:05 p.m.: No. 2 Houston vs. No. 3 Illinois (South), TBS/truTV

FRIDAY, MARCH 27

• 7:10 p.m.: No. 1 Duke vs. No. 5 St. John's (East), CBS
• 7:35 p.m.: Texas Tech/Alabama winner vs. No. 1 Michigan (Midwest), TBS/truTV
• 9:45 p.m.: No. 2 UConn vs. No. 3 Michigan State (East), CBS
• 10:10 p.m.: No. 2 Iowa State vs. No. 6 Tennessee (Midwest), TBS/truTV

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: When Men's NCAA Tournament will resume after first two rounds conclude

The top-seeded teams dominated the second round of the NCAA Tournament, with the lone double-digit seed advancing to the Sweet 16 being Texas, one of the most iconic brands in college sports.

Texas being a "Cinderella" in 2025-26 is fitting for where men's college basketball is as a sport amid the name, image and likeness era. The lone double digit seed to reach the Sweet 16 last season was Arkansas, which is led by one of the greatest coaches ever in John Calipari and was riddled with talent.

REQUIRED READING: March Madness? More like March Blandness in as NCAA Tournament has too much chalk

No. 12 seed High Point gave its best shot at breaking that mold on Saturday, March 21, before ultimately falling to No. 4 Arkansas 94-88 in a highly competitive game. No. 11 VCU also had a chance to be the latest mid-major to reach the Sweet 16, but was dominated by No. 3 Illinois 76-55.

Only 16 teams remain, with just one weekend before the Final Four returns to Indianapolis. Here's a look at our five worst moments of the NCAA Tournament's second round in 2026:

5 worst moments of NCAA Tournament second round

Tyler Tanner misses game-winning halfcourt shot

Vanderbilt star Tyler Tanner nearly made an all-time shot for the win against No. 4 Nebraska in the second round, but the ball rimmed out after multiple bounces off the backboard and rim.

Tanner was already having a career performance, as he finished with 27 points and four assists with four steals. With 2.2 seconds he caught the inbounds pass on the opposite side of the court before heaving it from behind halfcourt, which barely missed and resulted in Vanderbilt's entire bench falling to their knees in disappointment.

This close.... 🤏#MarchMadnesspic.twitter.com/lEtY7T1WX1

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 22, 2026

Nebraska's Braden Frager hit a game-winning driving layup to hand his school its second-ever NCAA Tournament win and first Sweet 16 appearance. Unfortunately, one of Vanderbilt or Nebraska was headed home after one of the best second-round games in recent memory.

"We were in an inch away from being in the Sweet 16," Vandy coach Mark Byington said. "It's going to take a while for us to get over."

Florida goes home early

Florida was shocked by No. 9 seed Iowa in the second round, falling 73-72 after Alvaro Folgueiras hit a game-winning 3-pointer with less than five seconds remaining. It's a brutal finish to the season for the Gators, who played their way back onto the 1-seed line after winning 16 of their last 17 regular-season games.

Florida looked like a top national championship contender, especially with its impressive frontcourt of Alex Condon, Thomas Haugh and Rueben Chinyelu. But sometimes March Madness strikes, and unfortunately it did for Florida before the first weekend came to a close.

Iowa ended the game on a 7-3 run, which was ultimately the difference in the back-and-forth, highly competitive game.

Kentucky makes the bad kind of history

While Kentucky survived a scare against Santa Clara in the first round, it took a wild shot from Otega Oweh at the buzzer to force overtime. The Wildcats kept within distance of Iowa State in the first half of their game on March 22, before the Cyclones pulled away for a dominant 82-63 win.

Kentucky played sloppy basketball against Iowa State, setting a program record for most turnovers (20) in an NCAA Tournament game. The 19-point loss was also Kentucky's largest loss in a March Madness game since 1972.

Second-year coach Mark Pope is facing a pivotal offseason, especially with Oweh exhausting his eligibility.

David Punch's nose

TCU star David Punch took a shot to the face from Duke's Cameron Boozer late in the second half of a close game on Saturday, March 21, and wasn't the same after returning to the game. Boozer was called for a Flagrant 1 on the play, although Punch was unable to shoot the free-throws as he returned to the bench with blood flowing down his face.

Punch Jr. briefly went to the locker room, missing the remainder of the first half before returning in the final 20 minutes of the game.

"To me, it doesn't feel overly excessive." -- @GeneSteratore on David Punch taking an elbow to the face from Cameron Boozer pic.twitter.com/pSmHb4FEPv

— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) March 21, 2026

TCU trailed 38-34 at halftime, before falling apart and losing 81-58 to Duke to end its season. And despite coming off a 16-point, 13-rebound performance against Ohio State in the first round, he was held to four points on 1-of-10 shooting against the Blue Devils.

High Point's season comes to an end

High Point's program-best season came to an end against No. 4 Arkansas, as it fell 94-88 after winning its first-ever NCAA Tournament game in the first round. The Panthers dominated the regular season, finishing the regular season 30-4 with a Big South Conference Tournament win.

Chase Johnston became the latest March Madness legend after helping High Point to a win over Wisconsin, and Rob Martin channeled his inner-Kemba Walker with 30 points and five assists in High Point's loss to Arkansas.

High Point was putting on for mid-major programs in the NCAA Tournament and hopes to continue its momentum fresh off a respect-earning trip.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: March Madness worst moments of NCAA Round 2, including Tyler Tanner

Through two rounds of the 2026 NCAA Tournament, and for the second time in as many years, March has been missing some of its trademark madness.

There have been exciting moments, of course, from Otega Oweh’s buzzer-beater to send Kentucky to overtime against Santa Clara to Tyler Tanner’s 49-foot heave that rimmed out and nearly gave Vanderbilt a stunning win over Nebraska in what would have instantly been one of the most iconic shots in NCAA tournament history. There have been uplifting stories, too, from Miami (Ohio) continuing its magical season with a win over SMU in the First Four — the RedHawks’ first NCAA tournament victory since 1999 — to High Point picking up its first-ever NCAA tournament win.

For the most part, though, an event historically defined by upsets has had precious few of them, with favored teams with more talent and resources largely handling business.

REQUIRED READING: March Madness scores: Buzzer-beater, monster upset and more nail-biters. Round 2 highlights

How have the small handful of unexpected results stacked up?

Here’s a look at the top five upsets through the first two rounds of March Madness.

NCAA tournament biggest upsets

1. No. 9 Iowa over No. 1 Florida

Before the first week of the 2026 NCAA Tournament wrapped up, one of the four No. 1 seeds had already been bounced from the field — and it just so happened to be the reigning national champions.

After an emphatic end to the regular season, with a 22-3 record since Dec. 10, and just two days removed from the second-largest margin of victory ever in an NCAA tournament game, Florida seemed well-positioned to win back-to-back titles for the second time in program history. Iowa had other ideas. The Hawkeyes jumped ahead by as many as 12, but saw that lead evaporate before fighting back, with a 3-pointer from Robert Morris transfer Alvaro Folgueiras with 4.5 seconds remaining securing a stunning 73-72 win in a matchup in which Iowa was a 10.5-point underdog.

ARE. YOU. JOKING.

IOWA LEADS. THIS IS MARCH. #MarchMadnesspic.twitter.com/sNDHTqaGj1

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 23, 2026

It marked the ninth time since 1979 that a No. 9 seed defeated a No. 1 seed. After winning four Division II national championships at Northwest Missouri State and leading Drake to 31 wins and a second-round tournament appearance last season, Ben McCollum has once again proved his wizardry, this time in his first season as a power-conference head coach. And with his latest win, he helped secure Iowa’s first Sweet 16 berth since 1999.

2. No. 12 High Point over No. 5 Wisconsin

In just the fourth game on the first full day of the tournament, we got what feels like the most emotionally resonant upset, with a mid-major program taking down a team from one of the sport’s biggest, most powerful conferences. High Point’s victory over Wisconsin wasn’t just notable, but thrilling, with the Panthers winning despite trailing for 34 of a possible 40 minutes. Chase Johnston finished it off with a transition layup with 11 seconds remaining, his first made 2-pointer of the season.

For good measure, High Point coach Flynn Clayman provided the exclamation point, offering an impassioned rallying cry for mid-majors everywhere in his post-game interview with TBS.

“It looks pretty obvious to me that high-majors need to play mid-majors during the season,” he said. “They said we ain’t played nobody — we played somebody now.”

"Looks pretty obvious to me that high-majors need to play mid-majors early in the season. Because they said we didn't play nobody. We played somebody now."

-High Point HC Flynn Clayman pic.twitter.com/IpObzgJSGm

— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) March 19, 2026

3. No. 11 Texas over No. 3 Gonzaga

By seed difference, this is technically tied for the biggest upset of the first four days of action, even if it doesn’t quite feel like it considering the Longhorns had the fourth-largest men’s basketball budget during the 2025 fiscal year.

Still a team that snuck into the tournament as one of the final four at-large selections wrapped up a run of three wins in five days by knocking off a Bulldogs squad that was ranked in the top 15 virtually the entire season (even if it was playing without No. 2 scorer Braden Huff).

Because of that, Texas will be the only double-digit seed in the Sweet 16.

4. No. 11 VCU over No. 6 North Carolina

Despite the difference of five seed lines, the Tar Heels were only a 2.5-point favorite over the Rams, but the way VCU’s victory unfolded made this an astonishing result. North Carolina led by as many as 19 in the second half and was up 14 with 6:15 remaining before getting outscored 19-5 in the final 6:12 and falling in overtime. 

Terrence Hill Jr. was brilliant in leading the comeback, scoring 16 of his game-high 34 points in the final 12:02 of regulation, including a jumper that tied the game with 11 seconds remaining. He was instrumental in the extra period, as well, draining the game-winning 3-pointer with 15 seconds left in overtime.

VCU LEADS ‼️#MarchMadnesspic.twitter.com/GsJ0arWPNz

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 20, 2026

Though the Rams are consistently one of the best programs nationally outside of the power conferences, they burnished their reputation as giant-killers. Over the past 20 years, they’ve knocked off Duke, Kansas and, now, North Carolina as a No. 11 seed.

5. No. 11 Texas over No. 6 BYU

The Longhorns make another appearance, this time for a win over a BYU team that was favored by 2.5. The result wasn’t a complete surprise, as the Cougars had gone 7-9 in their final 16 regular-season games, but Texas was able to withstand 35 points from AJ Dybantsa to pull off one of two 11-over-6 upsets in this year’s tournament.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: March Madness: Ranking the top 5 upsets from the first two rounds

How's your bracket looking?

Probably not so bad if you picked all the favorites.

But there were a few surprises in the Men's NCAA Tournament first two rounds, the biggest being No. 9 Iowa taking down defending champion Florida.

That result means we won't get a second straight Final Four with all No. 1 seeds. So who will reach Indianapolis? First things first, who will in this week's Sweet 16?

USA TODAY Sports staff made their picks. Check them out below:

SOUTH REGION (in Houston)

Nebraska vs Iowa prediction

No. 4 Nebraska vs. No. 9 Iowa, 7:30 p.m. (TBS/truTV)

• Blake Toppmeyer: Nebraska
• Paul Myerberg: Nebraska
• Jordan Mendoza: Nebraska
• Matt Glenesk: Nebraska
• Craig Meyer: Iowa
• John Leuzzi: Nebraska
• Austin Curtright: Iowa
• Ehsan Kassim: Nebraska

Houston vs Illinois prediction

No. 2 Houston vs. No. 3 Illinois, 10:05 p.m. (TBS/truTV)

• Blake Toppmeyer: Houston
• Paul Myerberg: Houston
• Jordan Mendoza: Houston
• Matt Glenesk: Houston
• Craig Meyer: Houston
• John Leuzzi: Illinois
• Austin Curtright: Houston
• Ehsan Kassim: Illinois

WEST REGION (at San Jose)

Purdue vs Texas prediction

No. 2 Purdue vs. No. 11 Texas, 7:10 p.m. (CBS)

• Blake Toppmeyer: Purdue
• Paul Myerberg: Purdue
• Jordan Mendoza: Purdue
• Matt Glenesk: Purdue
• Craig Meyer: Purdue
• John Leuzzi: Purdue
• Austin Curtright: Purdue
• Ehsan Kassim: Texas

Arkansas vs Arizona prediction

No. 1 Arizona vs. No. 4 Arkansas, 9:45 p.m. (CBS)

• Blake Toppmeyer: Arizona
• Paul Myerberg: Arizona
• Jordan Mendoza: Arizona
• Matt Glenesk: Arkansas
• Craig Meyer: Arkansas
• John Leuzzi: Arizona
• Austin Curtright: Arizona
• Ehsan Kassim: Arkansas

MIDWEST REGION (in Chicago)

Michigan vs Alabama prediction

No 4 Alabama vs. No. 1 Michigan 7:35 p.m. (TBS/truTV)

• Blake Toppmeyer: Michigan
• Paul Myerberg: Michigan
• Jordan Mendoza: Michigan
• Matt Glenesk: Michigan
• Craig Meyer: Michigan
• John Leuzzi: Michigan
• Austin Curtright: Michigan
• Ehsan Kassim: Alabama

Iowa State vs Tennessee prediction

No. 2 Iowa State vs. No. 6 Tennessee, 10:10 p.m. (TBS/truTV)

• Blake Toppmeyer: Tennessee
• Paul Myerberg: Iowa State
• Jordan Mendoza: Iowa State
• Matt Glenesk: Tennessee
• Craig Meyer: Tennessee
• John Leuzzi: Iowa State
• Austin Curtright: Iowa State
• Ehsan Kassim: Tennessee

EAST REGION (at Washington D.C.)

Duke vs St. John's prediction

No. 1 Duke vs. No. 5 St. John's, 7:10 p.m. (CBS)

• Blake Toppmeyer: Duke
• Paul Myerberg: St. John's
• Jordan Mendoza: Duke
• Matt Glenesk: St. John's
• Craig Meyer: Duke
• John Leuzzi: Duke
• Austin Curtright: Duke
• Ehsan Kassim: Duke

Michigan State vs UConn prediction

No. 2 UConn vs. No. 3 Michigan State, 9:45 p.m. (CBS)

• Blake Toppmeyer: Michigan State
• Paul Myerberg: Michigan State
• Jordan Mendoza: Michigan State
• Matt Glenesk: Michigan State
• Craig Meyer: UConn
• Austin Curtright: Michigan State
• Ehsan Kassim: UConn
• John Leuzzi: UConn

Sweet 16 schedule: Game tip times, dates

THURSDAY, MARCH 26

• 7:10 p.m.: No. 2 Purdue vs. No. 11 Texas (West), CBS
• 7:30 p.m.: No. 4 Nebraska vs. No. 9 Iowa (South), TBS/truTV
• 9:45 p.m.: No. 1 Arizona vs. No. 4 Arkansas (West), CBS
• 10:05 p.m.: No. 2 Houston vs. No. 3 Illinois (South), TBS/truTV

FRIDAY, MARCH 27

• 7:10 p.m.: No. 1 Duke vs. No. 5 St. John's (East), CBS
• 7:35 p.m.: Texas Tech/Alabama winner vs. No. 1 Michigan (Midwest), TBS/truTV
• 9:45 p.m.: No. 2 UConn vs. No. 3 Michigan State (East), CBS
• 10:10 p.m.: No. 2 Iowa State vs. No. 6 Tennessee (Midwest), TBS/truTV

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: March Madness predictions: Sweet 16 expert picks for NCAA bracket

One weekend down, two to go.

A chalky bracket seemed unlikely to yield any major upsets until No. 9 Iowa knocked off No. 1 seed Florida in the South region, bringing some chaos to a men’s NCAA Tournament that had lacked the underdog stories that can often define the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight.

Until the Hawkeyes’ win, the tournament Cinderella was No. 11 Texas, which beat fellow No. 11 North Carolina State in the play-in round, beat No. 6 Brigham Young in the first round and then beat No. 3 Gonzaga 74-68 on Saturday to reach the program’s second Sweet 16 since 2008.

While Florida has been sent packing, the name-brand teams and programs still alive should make for an intensely competitive weekend.

Starting with the Big Ten, let’s get ready for the Sweet 16 by breaking down the biggest winners and losers from the second round:

Winners

Big Ten

The Big Ten leads the way with six teams in the Sweet 16, ahead of the four from the SEC (No. 4 Alabama, No. 4 Arkansas, No. 6 Tennessee and No. 11 Texas), three from the Big 12 (No. 1 Arizona, No. 2 Houston and No. 2 Houston), two from the Big East (No. 2 Connecticut and No. 5 St. John’s) and one from the ACC (No. 1 Duke). It's the second-most for any conference after the SEC had seven last season. The Big Ten went 6-1 in the second round, with the only blemish coming in No. 7 UCLA’s 73-57 loss to the Huskies. Moving on are No. 1 Michigan in the Midwest region, No. 2 Purdue in the West, No. 3 Michigan State in the East and No. 3 Illinois, No. 4 Nebraska and No. 9 Iowa in the South.

Nebraska

The Cornhuskers did it again. Two days after beating No. 13 Troy for the first tournament win in program history, Nebraska took home one of the best games from the opening weekend, beating No. 5 Vanderbilt 74-72 on freshman Braden Frager’s driving layup with 2.2 seconds to go. More drama ensued: Vanderbilt’s Tyler Tanner, who was brilliant in the loss, put up a heave from beyond half court that barely rimmed out to preserve the Cornhuskers’ win. Next up is the third meeting this year with the Hawkeyes after each team held serve at home during the regular season.

John Calipari

After losing his tournament mojo at Kentucky, Calipari is back in the Sweet 16 for the second time in as many years at Arkansas after the No. 4 Razorbacks avoided an upset with a 94-88 win against No. 12 High Point. Arkansas has scored 191 points while shooting 52.9% from the field through two tournament games. Importantly, the win against High Point also saw the Razorbacks do better from 3-point range; after making just 4 of 21 from deep against No. 13 Hawaii, they connected on 9 of 16 attempts against the Panthers.

Losers

Florida

Down by as many as 12 points in the second half, the defending national champions stormed back to lead 71-70 and had guard Isaiah Brown at the free-throw line after stopping Iowa guard Bennett Stirtz’s driving layup with 8 seconds left. But after Brown missed his first attempt before making the second, Iowa inbounded to Stirtz, who raced downcourt and found forward Alvaro Folgueiras, who drilled a corner 3 to give the Hawkeyes the win. This is Iowa’s first Sweet 16 appearance since 1999.

Kentucky

While Arkansas made its second Sweet 16 appearance in a row, Calipari’s former program was ejected in the second round with an ugly 82-63 loss to No. 2 Iowa State. The Cyclones dominated despite playing without second-leading scorer Joshua Jefferson, who sprained his ankle against No. 15 Tennessee State. After pulling off a miraculous comeback and win against No. 10 Santa Clara, the No. 7 Wildcats committed 20 turnovers, shot 9 of 25 from deep and were obliterated in the second half: ISU led 31-30 at the break but quickly blew things open, turning a 43-38 game with 15:36 left into a 59-41 lead about six minutes later. This was a miserable end to the Wildcats’ miserable season.

Kansas

Down 58-45 to No. 5 St. John’s with 7:22 remaining, No. 4 Kansas went on a 20-7 run to even the score on two Darryn Peterson free throws with 13 seconds left. (Peterson had 21 points on 5 of 15 shooting in his likely college finale.) But on the game’s final possession, Dylan Darling took an inbounds pass on the Red Storm’s side of midcourt with 3.9 seconds to play, raced through the KU defense and banked in a running layup as time expired for his only points of the game and a 67-65 win. This loss was emblematic of the Jayhawks’ season: Terrific in spurts but mostly unreliable, they never quite put everything together.

Lower seeds

Overall, lower seeds went 4-12 in the second round. While Iowa changed the complexion of the Sweet 16, the total combined seeding heading into the second weekend remains pretty low at 60. That’s a combined 11 in the East, 18 in the South, 13 in the Midwest and 18 in the West. For the fourth year in a row, there will be only one double-digit seed in the Sweet 16.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: March Madness Round 2 winners, losers spawn Big Ten dominance

No surprises in New York: the Knicks are one of the better teams in the East, the Wizards one of the worst. The Knicks want to win, the Wizards have every incentive to lose. The result: a 145-113 walloping that gave New York their fifth straight victory and Washington a 16th consecutive defeat.

That losing streak ties the franchise record for sustained futility, which was set last March…when the team was also trying to lose to increase their chances of getting a high draft pick. They ended up drafting sixth and selecting Tre Johnson.

Up next for the Wizards, a theoretically winnable game against the Utah Jazz. In recent years, the Jazz have been league leaders in tanking shenanigans. This season, they have the NBA’s fifth worst record and have already likely taken themselves out of the running for bottom three status.

This one ran true to expectations. The Wizards were short-handed due to injuries, “injuries,” and Justin Champagnie’s suspension for his role in the fight with the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Knicks were better from opening tip and progressively ground their way to a steadily increasing margin. Washington went on a run early in the second quarter to briefly tie the game, but were quickly slapped aside by the business-like Knicks.

As would be expected for an undersized and undermanned squad — the 6-8 Anthony Gill played 26 minutes at center — the Wizards got pummeled on the boards. Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson combined for 26 rebounds — just two short of Washington’s total for the game.

Thoughts & Observations

• Knicks broadcaster Walt Frazier wore an amazing ensemble, even by his lofty standards for the outlandish. I started writing a description, but it would take more than a thousand words. I’m not sure we have enough words in English to do it justice. So, click to see it for yourself.
• The Knicks opened the game with Jalen Brunson on Bilal Coulibaly. The Wizards went straight to Coulibaly, who promptly committed an offensive foul by pushing off with his forearm. Cue sad trombone sound effect.
• The Knicks ran a high pick-and-roll with Towns screening for Brunson. For some reason, Vukcevic was so deep in the paint, he was standing nearly under the basket. Brunson drilled a wide open three. My instinct on this based on the personnel involved is that Vukcevic should have been at the level of the screen. Another possibility is that the Wizards coaches have decided Vukcevic can’t play anything but deep drop. If so, his usefulness when the team wants to win will be greatly diminished.
• Midway through the first quarter, the Wizards challenged a blocking foul called on Vukcevic. The official review upheld the call, as it should have based on current rules. I think that rule should be adjusted, though. While Vukcevic was still moving, he was sliding laterally and got to that spot well before Towns arrived. The collision was caused by Towns plowing through the spot. I’d love to see the rulebook acknowledge that defenders have a right to exist in space on the basketball court.
• An example of good play/system design by Brian Keefe came at 5:51 of the first quarter. The set involved a pindown for Coulibaly, which morphed instantly into a pick-and-roll. Coulibaly attacked Brunson, driving into the paint and converting a layup.
• A recurring note basically all season: I’m tired of seeing Bub Carrington (and nearly everyone else) bring the ball across halfcourt and immediately put up a three without making a pass or running an action.
• A bit of Knicks trivia: Mike Brown got his 500th win in the previous game. He’s the 10th fastest coach to 500 wins in NBA history. The top nine: Phil Jackson, Pat Riley, KC Jones, Greg Popovich, Steve Kerr, Don Nelson, Chuck Daly, Red Auerbach, and George Karl.
• Wizards rookie Jamir Watkins had several strong defensive possessions on Brunson, including some superb ball denial. He probably should have been called for a foul a few times, but the refs let some contact go.
• The Knicks scored 68 points in the first half while attempting just 10 threes.
• At one point, Knicks play-by-play man Mike Breen said Leaky Black had been a superb defender in college. Not sure I believe that based on what I’ve seen at the NBA level, though Black did have a handful of good defensive plays last night.
• From the notebook: Jaden Hardy is a bucket — good shooter; aggressive offensively — 11 minutes, 14 points. He finished with 25 points in 29 minutes. While I like the offense, he needs to do more out there to earn significant playing time.
• Josh Hart was 3-3 from three-point range. He’s now made his last nine threes in a row. The Knicks record is 10 consecutive makes. The NBA record is 13.
• Gill tied his career high with 18 points. He reached 18 twice before — both in 2023.
• Knicks guard Tyler Kolek scored 11 points in garbage time. Earlier in the day, he had 42 points and 11 assists in a game for the G-League Westchester Knicks. That’s 53 points and 12 assists combined between the two leagues/games on the day.
• This was Washington’s second worst defensive performance of the season. The worst was their 146-101 drubbing by the Boston Celtics.

Four Factors

Below are the four factors that decide wins and losses in basketball — shooting (efg), rebounding (offensive rebounds), ball handling (turnovers), fouling (free throws made).

The four factors are measured by:

• eFG% (effective field goal percentage, which accounts for the three-point shot)
• OREB% (offensive rebound percentage)
• TOV% (turnover percentage — turnovers divided by possessions)
• FTM/FGA (free throws made divided by field goal attempts)

FOUR FACTORS	WIZARDS	KNICKS	LGAVG
eFG%	58.4%	67.6%	54.4%
OREB%	18.6%	39.4%	26.1%
TOV%	13.9%	13.9%	12.8%
FTM/FGA	0.101	0.191	0.207
PACE	100		99.3
ORTG	113	144	115.5

esigned for larger data sets. In small sample sizes, the numbers can get weird. In PPA, 100 is average, higher is better and replacement level is 45. For a single game, replacement level isn’t much use, and I reiterate the caution about small samples sometimes producing weird results.

POSS is the number of possessions each player was on the floor in this game.

ORTG = offensive rating, which is points produced per individual possessions x 100. League average so far this season is listed in the Four Factors table above. Points produced is not the same as points scored. It includes the value of assists and offensive rebounds, as well as sharing credit when receiving an assist.

USG = offensive usage rate. Average is 20%. Median so far this season is 17.7%.

ORTG and USG are versions of stats created by former Wizards assistant coach Dean Oliver and modified by me. ORTG is an efficiency measure that accounts for the value of shooting, offensive rebounds, assists and turnovers. USG includes shooting from the floor and free throw line, offensive rebounds, assists and turnovers.

+PTS = “Plus Points” is a measure of the points gained or lost by each player based on their efficiency in this game compared to league average efficiency on the same number of possessions. A player with an offensive rating (points produced per possession x 100) of 100 who uses 20 possessions would produce 20 points. If the league average efficiency is 115, the league — on average — would produced 23.0 points in the same 20 possessions. So, the player in this hypothetical would have a +PTS score of -3.0.

Players are sorted by total production in the game.

WIZARDS	MIN	POSS	ORTG	USG	+PTS	PPA	+/-
Jaden Hardy	29	61	131	25.5%	2.5	130	-12
Anthony Gill	26	55	135	21.5%	2.4	130	-20
Sharife Cooper	29	61	132	15.6%	1.6	105	-23
Bilal Coulibaly	29	61	86	24.5%	-4.4	74	-21
Bub Carrington	34	72	109	22.6%	-1.0	62	-33
Tristan Vukcevic	15	32	133	27.5%	1.5	98	-14
Will Riley	29	62	105	18.2%	-1.2	41	-16
Jamir Watkins	31	64	78	14.3%	-3.5	32	-20
Leaky Black	17	35	104	8.3%	-0.3	57	-1

KNICKS	MIN	POSS	ORTG	USG	+PTS	PPA	+/-
Karl-Anthony Towns	26	54	165	29.8%	7.9	316	16
Josh Hart	28	58	150	18.9%	3.8	219	24
Mitchell Robinson	17	35	223	13.0%	4.9	315	14
Jose Alvarado	16	34	161	20.5%	3.2	261	2
Mikal Bridges	30	62	141	16.6%	2.6	117	28
Jalen Brunson	28	59	118	30.0%	0.5	108	24
Jordan Clarkson	23	48	143	13.6%	1.8	125	3
Mohamed Diawara	20	41	160	15.4%	2.8	130	3
OG Anunoby	29	61	77	15.9%	-3.8	-26	13
Tyler Kolek	5	11	293	27.5%	5.5	860	6
Jeremy Sochan	8	17	193	25.8%	3.5	379	9
Ariel Hukporti	3	7	52	16.8%	-0.8	-38	6
Dillon Jones	3	7	0	9.9%	-0.8	-194	6
Pacome Dadiet	3	7	0	19.9%	-1.7	-257	6

So long, upsets, and goodnight Cinderella.

Goodnight, Hubert Davis? Maybe in a day or two.

Goodnight, Mark Pope? Wait 'til 2027 on that one.

Although blue-bloods North Carolina, Kentucky and UCLA are mired in misery, most of the big dogs march on in March. Cinderella's glass slipper shattered after the 2024 NCAA Tournament. Well, except for Iowa. The Hawkeyes retained a slipper.

March Madness scores: Buzzer-beater, monster upset and more nail-biters

What to make of the mostly chalky first two rounds?

Well, the easy and perhaps most relevant explanation is NIL and transfer free agency mostly benefited Power conference brands, at the expense of mid-majors. Plus, this is a particularly good freshman class, and Power programs tend to gobble up the five-star prospects. With so many five-stars (see Cameron Boozer and Darius Acuff) playing up to their billing, that’s a boon for the high majors, because blue-chippers don't sign with mid-majors.

Also, this year’s bubble was particularly weak. The wheat separated from the chaff. A soft bubble is good for frontrunners.

Quiet tournament for upsets, but all eyes on Final Four

Does a relative lack of major upsets amount to a boring tournament? That depends on your perspective. If your interest in March Madness mostly hinges on upsets and bracket-busting stunners, then this tournament isn’t for you.

On the other hand, the favorites also ruled last year’s tournament, but that created an epic Final Four featuring three great games, on the heels of some Sweet 16 and Elite Eight thrillers.

In other words: Stay tuned. The tournament should get better as it goes.

If you’re hungry for upsets, though, here are three possibilities for the Sweet 16:

Four Sweet 16 games with upset potential

No. 4 Arkansas over No. 1 Arizona

Arizona is the most complete team in the bracket, with five starters who each average in double digits, plus two bench players who started on last year’s team that reached the Sweet 16.

So, why the upset potential? Well, because Arkansas is playing as well as anyone the past few weeks. John Calipari’s team hasn’t lost this month, and Acuff is becoming one of the top individual stories of the tournament. Asked about Acuff’s 36-point barrage in the second-round win over High Point, Calipari said, “What you saw is what he be’s.”

I’m not sure if that’s grammatically correct, but his point resonates, nonetheless.

No. 6 Tennessee over No. 2 Iowa State

Rick Barnes’ two best NCAA Tournament finishes at Tennessee came the past two seasons. Now, he's trying for a third consecutive Elite Eight. If Tennessee plays defense like it did in wins against Miami (Ohio) and Virginia, it’ll position itself to pull off the mild upset.

Never mind the seeds, because KenPom metrics would tell you Tennessee is closer to a 3-seed or a 4-seed. Iowa State has been under-manned without star scorer Joshua Jefferson. He's dealing with an ankle injury. Of course, if Tamin Lipsey and Milan Momcilovic play like they did against Kentucky, Iowa State might be just fine.

No. 5 St. John's over No. 1 Duke

Kentucky might be interested in what Rick Pitino has achieved these past two seasons at St. John's. His Red Storm have won 21 of their past 22 games.

Duke hasn't looked particularly stout in this tournament, and the ACC appears to be a fraud.

Pitino has St. John's into the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1999, after winning 31 games last season. The more Pitino wins, the more Big Blue Nation will wish he'd never left "Camelot."

Final Four picks: Be skeptical of Duke

This much we know: We won't see a repeat of all four 1-seeds in the Final Four, not after Florida went down to Iowa. Duke might be next.

If basing an evaluation on the tournament’s first two rounds, you might think Michigan or Arizona or Houston was the tournament’s No. 1 overall seed. Duke didn’t perform like the No. 1 overall seed in either of its wins against Siena or TCU, and the sharpest teeth of the East Region still awaits.

An early scare or two is not a doomsday scenario. Last year, Florida got pushed to the brink by UConn in the second round before rallying. The Gators also trailed Texas Tech by nine points with less than three minutes remaining in the Elite Eight, but Walter Clayton Jr. refused to let Florida fall.

Point being, Duke's scare against Siena could become nothing more than a minor footnote for the Blue Devils, and yet I’d trust Duke more if they had a clutch veteran guard like Florida had in Clayton in 2025. I'd also trust Duke more if it didn't have to face a scorching-hot St. John's team, led by a veteran coach who's a shark in March.

On Selection Sunday, I picked a Final Four of Michigan State, Arizona, Michigan and Houston. All four teams looked good through two rounds. No reason to change those picks.

Put it in Sharpie: Michigan State. Arizona. Michigan. Houston.

National championship: Arizona beats Houston

I highlighted Arkansas-Arizona as a potential Sweet 16 upset, but I'm picking the Wildcats to survive and overcome their history of March Madness fizzles, which plagued this program for the past quarter-century.

History aside, there’s nothing to dislike about Arizona. I subscribe to the cliche old guards win in March, and Jaden Bradley is an excellent engine for Arizona at point guard. The Wildcats balance Bradley's experience with an excellent counterpart in freshman guard Brayden Burries. Add in a frontcourt that’s unmatched, and you see why Arizona is 34-2, despite playing a tough schedule.

As for Houston, I'm impressed by the guts of point guard Kingston Flemings, the big-game experience of Emanuel Sharp, Milos Uzan and Joseph Tugler, and the savvy of coach Kelvin Sampson. Nobody in the South Region plays better defense than Houston. The Cougars should benefit from playing the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight in Houston, too.

Blake Toppmeyer is a columnist for the USA TODAY Network. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NCAA bracket predictions: Sweet 16 upsets, updated Final Four picks

What a way to end the first weekend of March Madness.

After a mostly tame opening round of the men’s NCAA Tournament, the second round absolutely cooked. Whether it was the outstanding performances, thrilling finishes and shocking upsets, Saturday and Sunday truly brought the unexpected to set the stage for an exciting Sweet 16.

It’s tough to pick which moments were the best since there were so many to choose from the two days, but these ones stood out as ones we’ll remember from this year’s tournament.

The fight to make it to the Sweet 16 provided some all-time moments. Here are the best ones from the 16 games of the second round:

Iowa stuns defending champion Florida 

It starts with the biggest upset of the tournament so far.

The defending champions will not get to keep their crown after Iowa sent Florida home packing early. The Hawkeyes controlled the majority of the game but the Gators stormed back to take a late lead, looking like they would survive.

However, Iowa didn’t falter. It stuck around until the very end, when Alvaro Folgueiras knocked down the go-ahead 3-pointer with four seconds left. What makes it even sweeter is Folgueiras honors his late father with every bucket, and he pointed to the sky after he hit the shot that will live in Iowa history forever, sending his team to its first Sweet 16 since 1999.

Folgueiras also hit the shot in front of his mom, who hadn’t seen him play for Iowa in two years.

“This one is for her and my dad,” he said. “He's watching up there.”

Texas clutch shot from Camden Heide

Camden Heide picked the best time to score his first points of the second round.

After not recording a single point for 39 minutes against Gonzaga, Heide came in with the Longhorns up one point in the final seconds. Texas needed a bucket to avoid a Bulldogs win, and Heide got the ball in the corner and drilled a 3-pointer with 14 seconds left for the dagger in the upset.

Truly saved the best for last.

Nebraska beats Vanderbilt in a thriller

You would’ve thought it was a national championship game with the environment in Oklahoma City.

Perhaps the game of the year so far, Nebraska and Vanderbilt played a thrilling back-and-forth affair that captivated everyone watching, and it ended with a spectacular finish. Braden Frager drove down the lane for a go-ahead bucket with two seconds left. All that was needed was to avoid a Vanderbilt game-winner, and oh how close it came to happen.

Vanderbilt’s Tyler Tanner heaved the ball from halfcourt as the buzzer sounded and the ball looked like it was going inside the bucket, but it bounced out, putting everyone in disbelief on how it didn’t go in.

It was the perfect ending to what was a near-perfect game.

Darius Acuff Jr.-Rob Martin duel

March is where stars are made, and an established one and new one emerged in a classic fun battle in Portland.

Arkansas’ Darius Acuff Jr. and High Point’s Rob Martin put on a show in the second round, putting their teams on their back in an exciting contest. Acuff, a projected lottery pick, dropped 36 points and Martin cemented himself as a star with a 30 point effort against the SEC champions.

What was incredible is their performance in the clutch. They accounted for a combined 31 points in the last 12 minutes of the game, capped off by Acuff’s nine points in the final three minutes. An entertaining battle between elite playmakers.

St. John’s buzzer-beater

We knew we were getting a hall of famer coaching matchup in St. John’s vs. Kansas, and the teams went down to the wire, capped by an amazing finish.

Tied at 65 with 3.9 seconds to go, St. John’s guard Dylan Darling raced down the basket and avoided the Jayhawks defenders to sink a layup as the buzzer sounded for the win in an amazing battle.

What made it even better was Darling called for the play himself, and it paid off.

“The play coach was trying to run, there wasn't enough time for it. I threw the suggestion out, and I don't think Coach really had a choice at that point in time.” he said. “So we went with it, and I probably don't deserve this. I was pretty bad all night long, but my teammates held it down tonight.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: March Madness best moments of Round 2 include upsets, buzzer beaters

BOSTON — Riding a four-game winning streak and facing a Minnesota Timberwolves team without Anthony Edwards, the Boston Celtics had momentum on their side. But circumstances only meant so much in Sunday night’s 102-92 loss at TD Garden.

In Edwards’ absence, the Celtics faced a challenge that Jaylen Brown admitted they failed to meet.

“They were physical. They played fast,” Brown said. “They definitely upped the level of intensity, and we didn’t necessarily meet the challenge. So that’s what the story of the game was. We got to be better. We got to be ready for that, and that’s uncharacteristic of us. We’re usually the harder-playing team, and tonight Minnesota was.”

The Timberwolves quickly rebounded from a 6-of-23 shooting performance in the first quarter by settling in before halftime. Maintaining their physical defensive presence, Minnesota turned the tables on Boston in the second quarter, outscoring the Celtics, 33-21. Backup guard Bones Hyland took charge of the Timberwolves’ offense, matching his season-high 23 points as he continued to lead in the second half. He nearly outscored Boston’s entire bench, which managed just 26 points on 34 percent shooting.

Minnesota’s strategy of smothering Boston’s offense held up long enough to swing the game. Five minutes into the third quarter, the Celtics built a nine-point lead. That didn’t hold up. In the fourth, Boston managed an 81-78 edge two minutes in, which proved to be their last real chance to gain control. That didn’t hold up either, as less than five minutes later, the Celtics were trailing the Timberwolves by 12.

“They started off the game with one coverage and then switched and we weren’t alert enough or they went smaller,” Brown said. “They tried to blow up hand-offs and then the second quarter we just was too lackadaisical with the ball. I was too lackadaisical with the ball, and we just wasn’t good enough. It’s definitely a game you look back and, you know, wish you could have some possessions back, because I feel like you’re in a position to win that game. But yeah, we didn’t play Celtics basketball tonight.”

Boston’s 15-point fourth quarter on 5-of-27 shooting was a season-worst.

Seven of Boston’s 11 turnovers came in the second quarter, and they were all committed by the starting unit.

“We learn from it and move on,” Brown said.

Beyond Hyland’s 23 points, Minnesota’s bench dominated Boston’s. The Timberwolves’ reserves outscored the Celtics bench, 40-26, providing steady offensive firepower that Boston’s starters couldn’t muster all night. Mazzulla credited Minnesota’s second unit, calling them the game’s difference makers

“That unit, in the second quarter and the fourth quarter, was the difference in the game,” Mazzulla said.

Disruption plagued the Celtics. Jayson Tatum attempted just four shots in the first half, Sam Hauser and Derrick White combined for 1-of-8 from three, and eight players — including two starters — failed to record a single trip to the free-throw line.

“It messed up the timing of our offense, messed up us getting the ball in the scoring area,” Mazzulla said. “I thought that it impacted our screening. It impacted our creating advantages, so I thought that was the tale of the fourth quarter from an offensive standpoint.”

Mazzulla didn’t question Boston’s effort, though he acknowledged that the Celtics were outmatched physically

“I thought they were more physical, and there’s a difference there,” Mazzulla said. “You look at the entire game, to me, it comes down to we go up nine in the third quarter and they cut it to one, and then the fourth quarter. I thought in spots of the game they were more physical, but both teams play hard.”

There was one unique bright spot on the night. When Mazzulla pulled the starters and emptied the bench for the final 1:45 of regulation, Max Shulga’s layup marked only the fourth basket the Celtics made in the period. Shulga, who had scored 12 points for Boston’s G League affiliate in Maine just hours earlier, became the first player in NBA history to score in both a G League game and an NBA game on the same day.

It's been a long time since the Big Ten has won the Men's NCAA Tournament.

Since 2000, to be exact.

But the Big Ten is winning this NCAA Tournament.

March Madness conference records: Big Ten is 13-2; How are SEC, Big 12 doing?

The Big Ten is 13-3 through the first two rounds and have six teams in the Sweet 16, one shy of the record set by the SEC last year. UCLA had a chance to equal that mark, but lost late Sunday night to No. 2 seed UConn.

Three of the four teams left in the South Region are from the Big Ten, so there's a 75% chance one of them will reach the Final Four.

Iowa, who stunned No. 1 Florida in the second round, plays Big Ten brethren and neighbor Nebraska in Thursday's Sweet 16 game in Houston. It marks only the second All-Big Ten Sweet 16 game in history, per CBS, and the first since 1980, when Purdue and Indiana met.

The Big Ten has won three straight football national championships, maybe it's time the good times extend to the hardwood.

Big Ten teams in 2026 Sweet 16

• No. 1 Michigan (Midwest)
• No. 2 Purdue (West)
• No 3 Michigan State (East)
• No. 3 Illinois (South)
• No. 4 Nebraska (South)
• No. 9 Iowa (South)

Sweet 16 teams by conference: Who has most?

• Big Ten: 6
• SEC: 4
• Big 12: 3
• Big East: 2
• ACC: 1

Conference records in 2026 March Madness

Conference	Record
Big Ten	13-3
SEC	12-6
Big 12	9-5
Big East	4-1
ACC	5-7

Who is in Sweet 16? March Madness Sweet 16 schedule, game times

THURSDAY, MARCH 26

• 7:10 p.m.: No. 2 Purdue vs. No. 11 Texas (West), CBS
• 7:30 p.m.: No. 4 Nebraska vs. No. 9 Iowa (South), TBS/truTV
• 9:45 p.m.: No. 1 Arizona vs. No. 4 Arkansas (West), CBS
• 10:05 p.m.: No. 2 Houston vs. No. 3 Illinois (South), TBS/truTV

FRIDAY, MARCH 27

• 7:10 p.m.: No. 1 Duke vs. No. 5 St. John's (East), CBS
• 7:35 p.m.: Texas Tech/Alabama winner vs. No. 1 Michigan (Midwest), TBS/truTV
• 9:45 p.m.: UCLA/UConn winner vs. No. 3 Michigan State (East), CBS
• 10:10 p.m.: No. 2 Iowa State vs. No. 6 Tennessee (Midwest), TBS/truTV

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How many Big Ten teams in Sweet 16? Big 10's March Madness record

Less than 2 weeks ago, Bam Adebayo and the Miami Heat were the talk of the NBA. An 83 point performance that put Adebayo in the record books also happened to coincide with a 7 game win streak that’s kept them right in the thick of things out East as the season winds down. Since Adebayo’s historic night though they’ve gone a paltry 1-4, including two losses to two teams that they’re fighting for positioning with in the standings. Currently the 9th seed with 11 games left in the regular season, the Heat have just 1 less win than the current 5th seed Toronto Raptors.

Meanwhile for the Spurs, the possibility of 60 wins remains alive and well. Currently holding a 7 game lead over the Los Angeles Lakers for the 2nd seed and still just 3 games back of the Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio might just be locked into that 2nd spot. Even with six of their next seven on the road, there’s a good chance they could wrap that race up very soon. Once that happens, the focus can be entirely on health and fine-tuning for the franchise’s first postseason run in a very long time.

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San Antonio Spurs (53-18) vs Miami Heat (38-33)
March 23 2026 | 6:00 PM CT
Watch: Peacock, FDSS | Listen: WOAI (1200 AM)

Spurs Injuries: Stephon Castle, hip (day to day), Devin Vassell, hamstring (day to day), David Jones-Garcia, OUT

Heat Injuries: Andrew Wiggins, toe (day to day), Jaime Jaquez Jr, hip (day to day), Norman Powell, calf (day to day)

What to watch for

• While he’s obviously not averaging 83 points a night, Bam Adebayo has nonetheless had a phenomenal season. He’s hit at least the 20 point mark in his last 11 games and is second on the Heat in scoring this season, behind only Tyler Herro. He’s coming off a 32 point, 21 rebound game in a loss to the Houston Rockets, a game in which he played 45 minutes. Adebayo is the bedrock of an elite Miami defense, shutting off driving lanes with his quickness and providing solid rim protection. With Victor Wembanyama playing some of the best basketball of his career, the potential for a classic confrontation is there.
• No one plays faster than Miami, averaging nearly 104 possessions per game this year. They like to push the ball in transition while leaning on a defense that’s just outside the top 5 (6th in defensive rating) to stifle opposing offenses and force them into turnovers to fuel their offensive attack. San Antonio, who are no slouches themselves when it comes to pushing the tempo and playing elite defense, protect the basketball as well as any team in the Association, but there’s always a chance for things to get ugly on the road. Keeping turnovers down and cleaning the defensive glass will be key in limiting the Miami offense.
• Dylan Harper took full advantage of his first career start, tying a career-high 24 points in Saturday’s win against the Pacers on a super-efficient 9/13 from the field. With Stephon Castle and Devin Vassell potentially out once again for this one, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Mitch Johnson give the impressive rookie the starting nod once again tonight. Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra has more than a few great options to throw at San Antonio’s wings, but Harper and the rest of his teammates should be up to the task The 20 year old Harper has scored in double figures nine times since the All Star break.

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If you’d like to, you may follow along with the game on our Twitter profile (@poundingtherock) or visit our Game Thread!

New Orleans Pelicans (25-47, 11th in the Western Conference) vs. New York Knicks (47-25, third in the Eastern Conference)

New York; Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: New York will try to keep its three-game home win streak alive when the Knicks play New Orleans.

The Knicks are 26-9 on their home court. New York is 8-4 in games decided by less than 4 points.

The Pelicans have gone 9-25 away from home. New Orleans is 14-21 when it wins the turnover battle and averages 13.5 turnovers per game.

The Knicks score 117.2 points per game, 2.0 fewer points than the 119.2 the Pelicans allow. The Pelicans average 11.3 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.5 fewer made shots on average than the 13.8 per game the Knicks allow.

The teams play for the second time this season. The Knicks won the last matchup 130-125 on Dec. 30, with Jalen Brunson scoring 28 points in the victory.

TOP PERFORMERS: Karl-Anthony Towns is averaging 20.2 points and 12 rebounds for the Knicks. Brunson is averaging 20.4 points over the last 10 games.

Trey Murphy III is averaging 21.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.5 steals for the Pelicans. Saddiq Bey is averaging 2.0 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Knicks: 7-3, averaging 117.6 points, 48.7 rebounds, 29.4 assists, 8.0 steals and 3.3 blocks per game while shooting 49.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 107.3 points per game.

Pelicans: 6-4, averaging 117.9 points, 45.3 rebounds, 25.9 assists, 9.5 steals and 6.1 blocks per game while shooting 47.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.7 points.

INJURIES: Knicks: Landry Shamet: day to day (knee), Miles McBride: out (ankle).

Pelicans: Bryce McGowens: day to day (toe).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Sacramento Kings (19-53, 15th in the Western Conference) vs. Charlotte Hornets (37-34, 10th in the Eastern Conference)

Charlotte, North Carolina; Tuesday, 7 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: Charlotte hosts Sacramento aiming to extend its three-game home winning streak.

The Hornets have gone 17-17 in home games. Charlotte is eighth in the league allowing just 112.1 points per game while holding opponents to 46.7% shooting.

The Kings are 6-28 on the road. Sacramento has a 3-4 record in games decided by less than 4 points.

The Hornets are shooting 46.0% from the field this season, 3.4 percentage points lower than the 49.4% the Kings allow to opponents. The Kings average 10.2 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.6 fewer made shots on average than the 12.8 per game the Hornets allow.

The two teams square off for the second time this season. The Hornets defeated the Kings 117-109 in their last matchup on March 12. LaMelo Ball led the Hornets with 30 points, and DeMar DeRozan led the Kings with 39 points.

TOP PERFORMERS: Ball is averaging 19.7 points and 7.1 assists for the Hornets. Kon Knueppel is averaging 18.2 points over the last 10 games.

Maxime Raynaud is averaging 11.9 points and 7.3 rebounds for the Kings. DeRozan is averaging 17.6 points over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Hornets: 7-3, averaging 116.6 points, 45.1 rebounds, 25.9 assists, 8.1 steals and 5.0 blocks per game while shooting 45.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 106.1 points per game.

Kings: 5-5, averaging 115.7 points, 45.5 rebounds, 27.8 assists, 6.6 steals and 4.4 blocks per game while shooting 49.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 119.6 points.

INJURIES: Hornets: Tidjane Salaun: day to day (calf).

Kings: Domantas Sabonis: out for season (back), Russell Westbrook: day to day (foot), Killian Hayes: day to day (toe), De'Andre Hunter: out for season (eye), Zach LaVine: out for season (finger), Drew Eubanks: out for season (thumb), Isaiah Stevens: day to day (ankle), Keegan Murray: out (ankle), Daeqwon Plowden: day to day (foot).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Denver Nuggets (44-28, fifth in the Western Conference) vs. Phoenix Suns (40-32, seventh in the Western Conference)

Phoenix; Tuesday, 11 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets visit Devin Booker and the Phoenix Suns in Western Conference action.

The Suns are 25-20 in Western Conference games. Phoenix is at the bottom of the Western Conference scoring 42.5 points per game in the paint.

The Nuggets have gone 26-16 against Western Conference opponents. Denver is fourth in the Western Conference with 33.8 defensive rebounds per game led by Jokic averaging 9.7.

The Suns average 14.8 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.4 more made shots on average than the 13.4 per game the Nuggets allow. The Nuggets score 9.8 more points per game (120.8) than the Suns give up to opponents (111.0).

The teams meet for the third time this season. The Nuggets won 130-112 in the last meeting on Nov. 30. Jokic led the Nuggets with 26 points, and Dillon Brooks led the Suns with 27 points.

TOP PERFORMERS: Booker is scoring 25.5 points per game with 3.9 rebounds and 5.9 assists for the Suns. Jalen Green is averaging 23.5 points and 4.3 rebounds while shooting 45.6% over the past 10 games.

Jamal Murray is averaging 25.1 points and 7.1 assists for the Nuggets. Jokic is averaging 25.0 points over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Suns: 5-5, averaging 113.7 points, 39.7 rebounds, 25.4 assists, 8.5 steals and 4.5 blocks per game while shooting 46.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 110.2 points per game.

Nuggets: 6-4, averaging 123.0 points, 43.7 rebounds, 31.4 assists, 6.7 steals and 3.0 blocks per game while shooting 50.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 118.3 points.

INJURIES: Suns: Grayson Allen: day to day (knee), Dillon Brooks: out (hand), Mark Williams: out (foot), Haywood Highsmith: day to day (knee), Royce O'Neale: day to day (knee), Amir Coffey: day to day (ankle).

Nuggets: None listed.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Brooklyn Nets (17-54, 13th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Portland Trail Blazers (35-37, ninth in the Western Conference)

Portland, Oregon; Monday, 10 p.m. EDT

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Trail Blazers -14.5; over/under is 219.5

BOTTOM LINE: Brooklyn hits the road against Portland looking to stop its three-game road losing streak.

The Trail Blazers are 18-16 on their home court. Portland ranks ninth in the Western Conference with 31.7 defensive rebounds per game led by Donovan Clingan averaging 7.1.

The Nets have gone 8-28 away from home. Brooklyn is the worst team in the Eastern Conference scoring averaging just 106.4 points per game while shooting 44.3%.

The Trail Blazers are shooting 45.1% from the field this season, 4.2 percentage points lower than the 49.3% the Nets allow to opponents. The Trail Blazers average 106.4 points per game, 10.8 fewer points than the 117.2 the Trail Blazers give up.

The teams square off for the second time this season. The Trail Blazers won 114-95 in the last meeting on March 16. Deni Avdija led the Trail Blazers with 18 points, and Chaney Johnson led the Nets with 17 points.

TOP PERFORMERS: Avdija is scoring 24.2 points per game with 7.0 rebounds and 6.8 assists for the Trail Blazers. Jerami Grant is averaging 17.1 points and 3.3 rebounds while shooting 52.3% over the last 10 games.

Danny Wolf is averaging 8.9 points for the Nets. Tyson Etienne is averaging 1.7 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Trail Blazers: 6-4, averaging 114.1 points, 48.1 rebounds, 27.9 assists, 8.5 steals and 6.6 blocks per game while shooting 45.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 110.3 points per game.

Nets: 2-8, averaging 103.8 points, 39.9 rebounds, 24.1 assists, 7.8 steals and 5.6 blocks per game while shooting 43.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 115.0 points.

INJURIES: Trail Blazers: Jerami Grant: day to day (calf), Shaedon Sharpe: out (calf), Vit Krejci: day to day (calf), Damian Lillard: out for season (achilles).

Nets: Noah Clowney: day to day (wrist), Danny Wolf: day to day (ankle), Egor Demin: out for season (foot), Day'Ron Sharpe: out for season (thumb), Michael Porter Jr.: out (hamstring), Nic Claxton: day to day (rest).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.