Jalen Smith, 30, of Charlotte, was the first of 26 defendants to admit criminal wrongdoing, entering his plea on Monday, March 9, at a hearing in Philadelphia.
Smith was a "fixer" who recruited players "to underperform and help ensure their team failed to cover the spread in games during the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 NCAA men’s basketball seasons," federal prosecutors said in a statement.
Smith was one of the primary figures in the operation, responsible for "recruiting, managing, and paying players for their roles," according to the statement.
The fraud charges carry a maximum sentence of up to 20 years. The bribery charges have a maximum sentence of five years. Smith also pleaded guilty to illegal possession of a firearm.
With the playoffs in Yahoo! default leagues beginning next week, Week 20 is huge for many fantasy managers. Some silly season standouts have already emerged, and there's room for more to join the party in the coming days. On the flip side, there are some starters whose values have decreased at the worst possible time.
It's been known for quite some time that the Jazz were headed back to the draft lottery, and given the depth of the projected 2026 draft class, the silly season has been in full swing for quite some time in Utah. Add in the lack of interior depth due to injuries, and there has been plenty of room for Filipowski to flourish. And he's taken advantage recently.
Over the past week, the 7-footer has averaged 14.8 points, 12.8 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.5 steals, 1.5 blocks and 1.0 three-pointers while shooting 52.5 percent from the field. And in Utah's March 9 win over the Warriors, Filipowski produced the fourth stat line of his career that included at least 15 points and 15 rebounds.
Precious Achiuwa
Like the Jazz, Sacramento's frontcourt depth has been sapped due to injuries. Achiuwa and rookie Maxime Raynaud have been logging heavy minutes, with the former averaging nearly 35 minutes per appearance over the past two weeks. During this run, Achiuwa has averaged 17.2 points, 10.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocks while shooting 56.1 percent from the field and 75 percent from the foul line. Not signed to a deal until early November, Achiuwa is now a player who must be rostered in 12-team leagues heading into the final month of the regular season.
Jaylin Williams
The Thunder center has benefited from Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein missing games recently, providing consistent value as a spot starter. Over the past week, JayWill has averaged 15.8 points, 11.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 3.8 three-pointers while shooting 51.2 percent from the field and 75 percent from the foul line. Williams' fantasy value clearly depends on the availability of Holmgren and Hartenstein, but he's worth rostering until those two are available to play.
STOCK DOWN
Alperen Şengün
The Rockets' center's problem recently: turnovers. Over the past two weeks, he has averaged 4.6 per game, and that includes Şengün racking up eight in a March 2 win over the Wizards. Over the past two weeks, he has averaged 21.1 points, 8.1 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.9 blocks while shooting 56 percent from the field and 68.6 percent from the foul line. For fantasy managers either punting turnovers or competing in leagues that don't include that category, the free-throw percentage is a more significant issue. Either way, Şengün needs to be more efficient as a playmaker than he's been recently.
Mikal Bridges
Bridges' availability gives his fantasy value a boost, and for most of this season, his production has been very good. Unfortunately, the Knicks' wing has taken a step back recently. Over the past week, he's made 37 percent of his field-goal attempts while averaging 8.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 0.6 steals and 1.0 blocks in 30.1 minutes per game. While Bridges' playing 25 minutes in the first game of the Knicks' five-game road trip was understandable, as New York blew out the Nuggets, he played 27 and 26 minutes in losses to the Lakers and Clippers.
Myles Turner
After being a key supplementary option for the Pacers during their run to the NBA Finals last season, Turner made the move to Milwaukee in free agency. Unfortunately for him and the Bucks, the returns have not been great, and things have gotten even worse recently. Over the past two weeks, the Bucks center has averaged 8.5 points, 3.6 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 0.9 steals, 1.1 blocks and 1.8 three-pointers while shooting 40.4 percent from the field and 57.1 percent from the foul line.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, having two separate extended absences due to calf strains, hasn't helped matter, but the Bucks need more from Turner, especially as a rebounder. That deficiency may be the biggest reason why his playing time has decreased.
PERTH, Australia (AP) — Japan kept its perfect defensive record intact to reach the quarterfinals of the Women's Asian Cup without conceding a goal as Taiwan and the Philippines also qualified Tuesday.
On a day when the action on the field was overshadowed by five players from the Iranian team being granted asylum by host nation Australia, Japan's 4-0 win over Vietnam ensured a spot for the Philippines on goal difference.
Collisions between players marred Taiwan's 3-1 win over India. Both teams' goalkeepers were taken off after blows to the head.
Japan keeps perfect record
Japan heads into its quarterfinal matchup against the Philippines with three wins from three games and a tournament-leading 17 goals. Japan is the only team yet to concede at the Asian Cup.
Vietnam started against Japan knowing that a three-goal loss would end its chances of qualifying as one of the best third-place teams if Taiwan avoided defeat to India.
Vietnamese goalkeeper Khong Thi Hang made a series of impressive saves to limit Japan to a 1-0 halftime lead but was constantly under pressure from an opponent which had scored 11 goals against India.
Riko Ueki headed Japan's opening goal, her fourth of the tournament, before Maika Hamano, Aoba Fujino and Kiko Seike all scored against a tiring Vietnamese defense. Japan will meet the Philippines in the quarterfinals.
Vietnam’s Duong Thi Van was taken off late in the game after a clash of heads with Japan’s Mina Tanaka.
Injuries for Taiwan and India
Taiwan heads to a quarterfinal meeting with China after a win over India which ended with concerns over the welfare of key players on both teams.
Su Yu-hsuan gave Taiwan the lead before Manisha Kalyan's free kick off the crossbar brought India back into the contest. Taiwan restored its lead when a penalty bounced off the post and in off Indian goalkeeper Elangbam Panthoi Chanu for an own goal.
Taiwan was leading 2-1 when its goalkeeper Wang Yu-ting was taken off following a head injury assessment. The immediate cause wasn't obvious but Wang had previously played on after an earlier collision when Sanfida Nongrum's shoulder made contact with her head.
Chen Yu-chin made sure of the win with Taiwan's third goal on the break but two Indian players ended up stretchered off after they collided while trying to stop her.
Goalkeeper Panthoi charged out toward Chen and was leaping to attempt a save when defender and captain Sweety Devi's knee struck her in the face. Panthoi was taken off on a stretcher with severe swelling on her face and Devi was briefly motionless on the ground before being taken off the field.
It was the second time Panthoi had treatment after being struck on the head. In the first half she was hit by a shot which caused her to fall back and her head hit the ground.
We’re less than a week until this whole deal becomes official.
Before hitting Selection Sunday, conference tournaments will determine which teams burst the NCAA bubble, which Cinderella teams serve as bid stealers and which four teams land on the No. 1 line.
There are changes at the top of the updated USA TODAY Sports bracketology as Florida rises and replaces Connecticut, which ended the regular season with a thud by losing to Marquette.
That loss handed the Big East regular-season crown to rival St. John’s and likely results in the Huskies earning a No. 2 seed.
Meanwhile, the defending national champs have rounded into form by winning 11 in a row to win the SEC regular-season title by three games. This torrid run more than offsets Florida’s non-conference loss to UConn and has the Gators in position to secure a No. 1 seed by avoiding an early exit from the conference tournament.
The bubble remains a mess. Virginia Commonwealth has joined the field. For now, Indiana slides in as the last at-large team in the field despite a 3-11 mark against Quad 1 and a 3-2 record Quad 2 competition. But there's hope for Cincinnati, West Virginia, Auburn and others to make a move in conference tournaments.
Eight teams have already punched their tournament tickets in Long Island (Northeast), Queens (Atlantic Sun), High Point (Big South), Northern Iowa (Missouri Valley), Tennessee State (Ohio Valley), Furman (Southern Conference), North Dakota State (Summit League) and Troy (Sun Belt.).
March Madness bracketology: NCAA Tournament projection
Teams in bold have clinched tournament berth.
March Madness last four in
Santa Clara, Virginia Commonwealth, SMU, Indiana.
March Madness first four out
Cincinnati, West Virginia, Auburn, Stanford.
NCAA tournament bids conference breakdown
Multi-bid leagues: SEC (10), Big Ten (10), ACC (8), Big 12 (8), Big East (3), West Coast (3), Atlantic 10 (2), Mountain West (2).
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MARCH 06: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics celebrates after scoring against the Dallas Mavericks during the second quarter at TD Garden on March 06, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For the first time all season, we’re seeing the version of the Celtics everyone has been waiting for. So far, so good.
That was the first impression when Jayson Tatum stepped back on the floor after nearly 10 months away. After Sunday’s win against Cleveland, Joe Mazzulla said Tatum “gave the game exactly what it needed,” praising the forward’s rebounding and defensive possessions in his second game back.
Against Dallas, he looked like a star reacquainting himself with the pace of real basketball again — a few missed shots, a bunch of flashes, but the unmistakable sense that the engine was warming up. Two days later for the Cleveland matinee, the Celtics’ ecosystem looked even more cohesive with Tatum inside it.
Aside from the recent injury to Nikola Vučević thinning the frontcourt a bit, this is the closest Boston has looked to the version of itself it spent the whole season waiting to see.
The next stretch of the Celtics’ schedule is where the real questions begin. The first two games have had strong rom-com opening energy: everything’s working, everyone’s smiling, and Tatum looks like the perfect guy to bring home to Mom and Dad.
But here come the Spurs and Thunder to complicate the plot. The Celtics visit San Antonio today at 8 p.m. ET, followed by a trip to Oklahoma City on Thursday night at 9:30 p.m. ET.
San Antonio and Oklahoma City are two of the most fascinating teams in the league right now, built around players who bend the shape of the game in completely different ways. One has a 7-foot-4 defensive cheat code who can erase mistakes that most defenses simply have to live with. The other orchestrates the kind of organized chaos that turns a lot of opponent possessions into turnovers and easy points the other way.
In other words, the Celtics are about to find out what the fully assembled version of this team actually looks like against the real contenders this season. If the Mavs and Cavs were the soft opening, then the Spurs and Thunder are the stress test to follow.
The Victor Wembanyama Problem
The Spurs don’t defend the way most teams defend. Then again, most teams don’t have Victor Wembanyama.
Most defenses try to stop the first action, but San Antonio is comfortable letting plays unfold because lurking somewhere behind it all is Him. Wembanyama doesn’t always guard the other team’s star directly. In fact, the Spurs often prefer the opposite. They let him roam. Float. Wait for someone to think they’ve beaten the defense before suddenly appearing at the rim to erase the mistake.
The Celtics have already seen firsthand how hard that can be to overcome.
In the third quarter of the Celtics’ first matchup against San Antonio, Wembanyama fueled an 11–2 Spurs run that flipped the game. Later in the fourth, a closing double-big lineup with him and Luke Kornet helped wall off the paint. Boston couldn’t rally as San Antonio held on for a 100–95 win.
WEMBY ICES IT!
21 pts, 6 reb, 3 blk in the win over the Celtics 🫡
This time around, Boston’s answer can’t just be hoping Wembanyama misses just enough rotations defensively to cost the Spurs. Fortunately, the Celtics have an old, yet new, tool in Tatum.
This is exactly the kind of matchup where his two-way game is felt most. If San Antonio wants Wembanyama lurking in the paint, Tatum is the Celtic most equipped to punish that without forcing the issue. He can screen, slip out of actions, make the extra pass before the help fully arrives, and attack the second line of the defense instead of charging blindly into the first. Most players see Wembanyama and speed up. Tatum tends to get comfortable and make the right read.
Brown matters too, but for different reasons. Boston still needs someone willing to challenge the paint even when the help defense is loading up. Brown’s first step can bend the Spurs defense, but picking the right moments to bend it will be key, especially with De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle applying ball pressure that can quickly turn mistakes into transition the other way.
In a familiar role, Derrick White becomes the connective tissue here. Against an aggressive, blitzing defense, his ability to make the correct read against his former team becomes huge: a quick swing pass, a back cut, a drive before the defense has fully loaded up. The kind of quietly excellent Derrick White plays Celtics fans are used to will be needed for Boston to keep things close.
Boston’s front court will have its hands full, in the understatement of the season. Queta and Garza will likely see plenty of the Wembanyama matchup, but the Celtics showed in the first meeting that they’re willing to get weird. Baylor Scheierman and Jordan Walsh both spent plenty of time guarding Wemby in January, and it would not be surprising to see Joe Mazzulla reach for those kinds of do-it-all defenders again.
Wembanyama is the headline in this matchup, but the pieces around him are an equal part of the success San Antonio has had this season. Fox brings downhill speed. Castle adds another steady ball handler. Devin Vassell punishes late help.
Boston doesn’t need a perfect game to beat San Antonio, but it will need a disciplined one. Also, the Spurs have a new postgame drum celebration this season. It’s kind of awesome, it’s definitely intimidating, and I’d prefer the Celtics not be the reason they get to do it tomorrow night.
The Celtics haven’t seen Oklahoma City yet this season, which is honestly part of the intrigue since the Thunder are the kind of team that’s easier to understand after you’ve actually experienced them once.
Watching them on TV, the defending champs look young, fast, and extremely organized. For opponents, the view up close is harsher. Everything moves half a second faster than expected, and every possession demands an extra decision you didn’t think you’d need to make.
A lot of the action starts and ends with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
SGA plays more patient than fast. He dribbles into space, waits for a defender to lean the wrong direction, then slides past them like he’s found a seam nobody else can see. Most defenses manage to contain the first move well enough.
But Oklahoma City builds their offense around what happens after that.
Once Shai gets a defender leaning, the rest of the Thunder offense is already in motion. Chet Holmgren slides into space for a pick-and-pop. Jalen Williams cuts through the lane. Suddenly the weakside corner feels just a little too far away to recover to.
And if the possession stalls, Holmgren is still standing there as a 7-foot bailout option who can either shoot over the top of a closing defender or put the ball on the floor for one dribble and finish.
Boston will have answers for some of that. Derrick White, Hugo Gonzalez, Jordan Walsh, and Baylor Scheierman are all legit defenders, adept at staying attached to slippery scorers like Shai. The Celtics have built their entire defensive identity this season around making elite players work through multiple defenders.
But the Thunder are built to stress exactly that kind of system.
Lu Dort might spend most of the night attached to Jayson Tatum, which could wear on the recently returned superstar. Dort has built a reputation for making life miserable for opposing stars, turning every dribble into a small fight. If you watched the Thunder-Nuggets game last week and last night, you saw how far that intensity can go when a dust-up with Nikola Jokić ended in a flagrant two for Dort and a pair of crazy eyes from Jokic.
The Thunder thrive when possessions get frantic, while Boston usually wins when the game slows down and the ball keeps moving. Something will have to give. The cast behind Tatum will play a big role in dictating which team is the one giving.
Jaylen Brown is the Celtic most capable of disrupting Oklahoma City’s defensive rhythm. When the Thunder send aggressive point-of-attack pressure — something Dort, Cason Wallace, and Alex Caruso all excel at — Brown’s ability to attack the second layer of the defense becomes crucial. If he gets downhill before the Thunder can load up their help, Boston forces Holmgren into constant decisions at the rim instead of letting him sit comfortably as a shot blocker.
Derrick White operates differently but is just as important to the offense. Oklahoma City’s defense relies heavily on rotations and quick recoveries, and White is one of the few guards in the league who consistently punishes that kind of system with early reads. A swing pass before the trap arrives. A quick drive when the defender is leaning the wrong direction. Those little half-second advantages are how teams prevent the Thunder from turning possessions into chaos.
And then there’s Payton Pritchard, whose game actually matches up surprisingly well against this kind of defense. Oklahoma City loves shrinking the floor and sending help from unexpected angles. Pritchard’s deep shooting range forces defenders to stretch that coverage farther than they’d like. If the Thunder overcommit to Shai’s defensive pressure or start flying around Boston’s actions, Pritchard is exactly the type of guard who can punish it with quick pull-ups or blow-bys that immediately give Boston advantages.
The real challenge for Boston’s offense won’t just be handling Oklahoma City’s initial pressure. They’ll need to keep possessions organized before the Thunder can turn them into the kind of scramble they thrive in.
Oklahoma City will be a great test to see whether this new/old version of Boston can stay whole when the game starts moving faster than they’re used to.
Time to find out if “whole” is good enough
It’s been an incredibly fun season, but the ceiling of this Celtics team has mostly existed as a hypothetical.
What would this team look like once Jayson Tatum returned? Would Jaylen Brown’s breakout season continue with Tatum alongside him again? Would the depth that carried Boston through the winter hold up against the league’s best teams?
Now those questions are about to get real answers.
San Antonio brings the league’s strangest defensive weapon. Oklahoma City brings one of the most complete teams in basketball. And Boston finally gets to see what its full roster looks like against both.
The Celtics look whole again. The next two games will tell us what that actually means.
With the 2025-26 men's college basketball regular season in the books, its time now to look to the conference tournaments. In the 68-team field for March Madness, only 31 conference tournament champions can earn auto berths into the NCAA tournament.
While some teams on the bubble can secure their bids for the Big Dance by winning their respective conferences, there are not enough of those for each of them all to qualify.
Then there are teams that are not even in the conversation for the NCAA tournament that are potentially in line to steal a bid completely by winning their conference tournaments.
Here's a look at four teams that potentially steal bids from teams on the NCAA Tournament bubble by winning their conference tournaments in the Power Five:
Florida State has quietly been one of the hottest teams in college basketball over the last couple of months. Following a loss to SMU on Jan. 24, the Seminoles were sitting at a season-worst four games below .500 at 8-12 and just 1-6 in ACC play.
Since that point, FSU has won nine of its 11 games, including three three-game winning streaks in that span. The team has found its footing under first-year coach Luke Loucks, who is following in the footsteps of legendary coach Leonard Hamilton.
Of course, the Seminoles will have their work cut out for themselves to win the conference tournament. FSU earned the No. 8 seed for the tournament and will take on No. 9 California on Wednesday, March 11. If it wins that, it will face No. 1 Duke on Thursday, March 12.
No. 4 North Carolina could potentially await the Seminoles in the semifinals, while No. 3 Miami and No. 2 Virginia are the two teams favored to get in from the other side of the bracket into the championship game.
ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi moved Oklahoma to his "next four teams out" on Sunday, March 8. That's quite a rise for a program that looked poised to fire coach Porter Moser on Feb. 4, when the Sooners sat at 1-9 in conference play amid a nine-game losing skid.
However, Oklahoma closed out the season with six wins in its final eight games, including a four-game winning streak to close out the regular season. The Sooners have found their footing and could make some noise in the SEC Tournament.
For Oklahoma, a couple of wins in the conference tournament could position it to make the NCAA Tournament — but winning it all would guarantee entry. As the No. 11 seed, the Sooners open the tournament against No. 14 South Carolina.
If they beat the Gamecocks, they play No. 6 Texas A&M and, assuming a win vs. the Aggies, No. 3 Arkansas in the quarterfinals. No. 2 Alabama could await them in the semifinals, if they make it that far. That would likely be enough to get into the NCAA Tournament, but a win against Florida in the championship game would not only lock up a spot, but also help in seeding.
Following a regular season finale loss to TCU on Saturday, March 7, Cincinnati is in the first four teams out according to USA TODAY Sports' latest bracketology. However, the Bearcats have shown throughout the regular season they can hang with the best teams in the Big 12 and are a threat to go on a run.
Cincinnati has wins over then-No. 2 Iowa State and then No. 2 Arizona on its resume. Baba Miller ― an FSU transfer ― has lived up to the potential he had coming out of Spain, before having to sit out his freshman season by the NCAA for receiving improper benefits.
The Bearcats will open the Big 12 Tournament against No. 16 Utah on Tuesday, March 10, and must face No. 8 UCF if it advances. No. 1 Arizona would await Cincinnati in the quarterfinals if it were to win that one.
According to KenPom, the Bearcats have the 12th-best defense in the country this season. If it can hold up in the Big 12 Tournament, Cincinnati has a real chance to make a deep run.
Marquette (12-19, 7-13 Big East)
Marquette is the biggest reach on this list, as the Golden Eagles have underperformed all season. But could Saturday's 68-62 upset victory over No. 4 UConn could be a sign of things to come?
The victory denied the Huskies the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament, but also set up a potential rematch in the second round, if the Golden Eagles can defeat No. 10 seed Xavier in the first round on Wednesday, March 11 to kick off the tournament.
A team seven games below .500 has likely shown us what its true colors are already. But all you need to do in March Madness is get hot at the right time and win games when they count the most.
It helps that Nigel James Jr. has seemed to play his basketball at the right time. He has averaged 21.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 5.5 assists over his last six games.
It's a time of the year that makes or breaks a head coach's career at their respective school. Look at the handful of universities that "part ways" with head coaches each March after disappointing postseason runs.
But it's also one that can make a name for a young head coach as they lead their respective team on a March Madness run. A recent example of this is Dusty May, who leveraged a Florida Atlantic Final Four run into becoming the head coach at Michigan, which won the outright Big Ten regular season championship this season.
The 2026 men's NCAA Tournament is expected to be flooded with some of the top coaching talent in the country, both young and experienced. There's Dan Hurley, who's looking for his third national title in the last four years at Connecticut. There's also Jon Scheyer at Duke, who is looking to bring the first national championship to Durham, North Carolina since Mike Krzyzewski retired.
There are also veteran coaches such as Michigan State's Tom Izzo, Arkansas' John Calipari and Kansas' Bill Self, who have all proven they can rip off a deep run in March at any time. But who are the top coaches in the sport heading into the heart of this year's conference tournaments and March Madness?
Ranking top 10 coaches in men's college basketball
1. Dan Hurley, UConn
When Hurley took over the program in 2018, the Huskies had not made the NCAA tournament in back-to-back years since 2011-12. The program lacked the physicality and toughness that it once had under Jim Calhoun. He has since built UConn back into a national powerhouse, famously warning the entire country about this after a loss at Villanova in 2020 that the Huskies were "coming" after all.
Since then, he led the Huskies to back-to-back national championships in 2023 and 2024 and has his program back to being a national championship contender after not meeting expectations last season with a second-round exit in the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
2. Jon Scheyer, Duke
Taking over for the legendary Krzyzewski can be a daunting task. Jon Scheyer, however, has made it look seamless, as the Blue Devils have retained their status as one of the top programs (with the help of players such as Cooper Flagg and Cameron Boozer). He's once again in the mix for national coach of the year with the Blue Devils sitting at 29-2 overall on the season and in line for their second consecutive ACC tournament title.
But Scheyer's resume is still missing a national championship, and that's what has him under Hurley on the list. That title very much could be in store for him this season, though, given how dominant the Blue Devils have been.
3. Tommy Lloyd, Arizona
Speaking of former assistants who have thrived as head coaches, Tommy Lloyd is right up there with Scheyer. The former Gonzaga assistant under Mark Few is 140-35 in his five seasons with Arizona, and has passed Brad Stevens for the most wins in the first five seasons.
Lloyd hasn't made it past the Sweet 16, however, and has a first-round loss to No. 15 seed Princeton in 2023.
4. Dusty May, Michigan
Everyone remembers the Owls' Final Four in 2023 that helped May land the Michigan job, and a 19-win improvement in his first season that finished with a trip to the Sweet 16.
He bought into the transfer portal over the offseason to build a national championship contender that's in line for its fourth NCAA tournament 1-seed in program history. Their NCAA tournament resume features 14 Quad 1 wins — highlighted by their 3-0 record at the Players Era Festival Championship over San Diego State, Auburn and Gonzaga — and five top-25 wins in Big Ten play over Southern California, Nebraska, Purdue, Michigan State and Illinois.
5. Todd Golden, Florida
In Year 3 at Florida last season, Golden, then 39 years old, became the youngest coach to lead a team to a national championship since Jim Valvano did so at North Carolina State in 1983. It's a national championship that brought the Gators back into national contention for the first time since the Billy Donovan Era in Gainesville, putting him in the class of elite young coaches in the country.
This season, Golden has done a fantastic job of turning around the Gators' season after they went 5-4 in the first month and 0-3 against top five opponents in Arizona, Duke and UConn. Since then, the Gators are 19-2 and are knocking at the door of the 1-seed line.
6. Tom Izzo, Michigan State
It's March, so don't count out Izzo. The 71-year-old coach has won 59 games in the NCAA tournament, which he'll be leading the Spartans to for the 28th consecutive season this year. He might not have his best national contending roster this year, but the Spartans can still do some damage in the NCAA tournament.
7. Kelvin Sampson, Houston
Houston hasn't lost a beat under Kelvin Sampson since they made to the Big 12 in 2023. The Cougars have remained one of the top programs in the country, earning back-to-back No. 1 seeds and making the national championship game last season. The Cougars' likely top-three seeding projection in the NCAA tournament will be their fourth straight under Sampson.
There aren't many active coaches who have a national title and multiple Final Four appearances on their resumes outside of John Calipari. He led the Razorbacks to a Sweet 16 appearance in Year 1 at Arkansas, where they nearly made the Elite Eight.
His Xs and Os may not be what they were during the prime of his tenure at Kentucky, but he can still recruit like no other, develop NBA talent and still coach. Any form of Coach Cal is better than no Coach Cal.
9. Bill Self, Kansas
Kansas' 2025-26 season hasn't necessarily gone exactly as planned with a 22-9 record and Darryn Peterson drawing attention for his limited minutes usage. Yet, the Jayhawks still find themselves between the 3- and 5-seed line. It's a true testament to Self's coaching and adaptability.
10. Rick Pitino, St. John's
Rick Pitino led St. John's on a magical run last season, where it won its first Big East Tournament crown since 2000 and earned a 2-seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Basketball Hall of Fame coach, who won his 900th career on-court game earlier this season, reloaded his roster through the transfer portal and has the Johnnies once again atop the conference with UConn.
PROVO, UT - FEBRUARY 21: AJ Dybantsa #3 of the Brigham Young Cougars watches a shot during warm-up before the game against the Iowa State Cyclones at the Marriott Center on February 21, 2026 in Provo, Utah. (Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We have Dybantsa, a dynamic, flexible scorer with a refined taste for shot selection, draws fouls like an NBA superstar, and has an unmatched competitive drive despite a disappointing season at BYU.
Then there’s Darryn Peterson, perhaps the best guard prospect the game has seen since Kyrie Irving, complete with demi-god scoring talent and an Irving-esque dramatic magnetism.
And last but not least is Cameron Boozer, the best player on the best team in the nation at Duke, and as reliable as a grandfather clock. Steady, rhythmic, reliable. He does a bit of everything, and he does it all very well despite limited athleticism.
It’s all very reminiscent of the 2022 class, which was likewise triple-spearheaded by prongs Paolo Banchero, Chet Holmgren, and Jabari Smith Jr. Now, nearly four years later, these players have revealed their true identities to the NBA world to varying degrees of favor.
The eventual first-overall selection, Paolo Banchero, whose putrid advanced stats and teeth-grinding inefficiency have basketball nerds everywhere burning Banchero’s number in effigies and smearing his reputation with the nickname “PB no J”, which is sincerely the funniest diss I have ever heard in my entire life. An undeniably talented player who has become known as one of basketball’s most inefficient scoring options has dragged both himself and the Orlando Magic well behind schedule.
Chet Holmgren, who went second to OKC, was touted as a do-it-all big with guard skills maliable and flexible to knock down a three-pointer at one end, and turn around to swat a layup into the stands at the other (if he can put some meat on his spindly frame, that is). Don’t let the fact that the upgraded model of Holmgren, known as Victor Wembanyama (apologies to Shaq and the Bol Bol fan club), buried Holmgren’s popularity a year later —Holmgren was a vital contributor for OKC’s Finals run and continues to produce at an impressive rate.
Be honest, you had almost completely forgotten about Jabari Smith Jr until reading this article. It’s not your fault — 3-and-D guys don’t collect headlines. He’s scoring over 15 points per night this season on a solid 36.5% clip from distance.
And here we are again. With no Wembanyama or Flagg standing alone as the obvious number-one pick on every draft board, it’s time to start considering what flavors of a prospect’s petri dish the teams at the top of the draft order should prioritize.
My message to the eventual owner of the number-one pick this summer is simple. Don’t overthink it: pick AJ Dybantsa.
TUCSON, AZ – FEBRUARY 18: BYU Cougars forward AJ Dybantsa (3) lays up the ball during the second half of a men's basketball game between the BYU Cougars and the Arizona Wildcats on February 18, 2026, at McKale Center at ALKEME Arena in Tucson, AZ. (Photo by Christopher Hook/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
NBA Draft Profile: AJ Dybantsa
Bio: 6 ft, 9 in | 201 lbs | 19 yrs old | Brigham Young University
Accolades: Big 12 Freshman of the Year, All-Big 12 First Team, Projected First-Team All-American
NBA Comparison: Cross-section of Tracy McGrady and Paul George, plus a drop of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Praise
Do you remember playing with a sticky hand as a kid? That rubber string with a grippy hand at the end, you know? AJ Dybantsa moves as if he were a sticky hand, but with a skeleton, muscles, and typical human stuff to hold him together. Recall, if you’re able, the helpless feeling of dodging your friend’s sticky hand-enhanced attacks during adolescence. The dust-riddled, grime-collecting, yet equally elastic limb flies toward your face in an unpredictable — and therefore unstoppable — pursuit. You will get slapped in the face when you stand opposed to this force. It’s a matter of when, not if.
AJ is bendy, stretchy, and equally impossible to reliably predict. Even if you could, his length, deliberate nature, and shooting touch deliver an agonizingly robust sample size of viewers unifying to say “good defense, better offense” from their seats. AJ lives in the midrange (that’s right, it’s coming back) and is at home while backing down a defender from the high post before wiggling and releasing with a turnaround jumper.
He’s equally deadly turning over either shoulder and elevating above all distractions for a clean look at the basket from nearly anywhere on the floor. For a player whose diet consists of many, many jump shots, his 51.2% FG rate is remarkable.
That’s not to suggest that Dybantsa settles for jump shots, however, as he displayed an incredible ability to get paint touches and finishes better than nearly any wing in modern collegiate history. A post in February showed that AJ converts on roughly 76% of his attempts at the rim (whoa), and is assisted on only 23.4% of those looks. He can do it himself, even against the gauntlet that is the Big 12 Conference.
He posted a program-record 43 points in an eruption against rival Utah, and led the entire nation in points per game essentially from the first game of the year until the final buzzer of the regular season.
Call it flopping, call it selling, call it a superstar whistle, but AJ Dybantsa drew more fouls in his freshman season at BYU than any other player in the nation. Getting fouled is an NBA skill, and one that competing franchises will want in their superstar. Getting fouled not only presents an opportunity for free points (Dybantsa converted 75.3% of his free throws as a freshman), but also slows the game down and gives your team a moment to regroup. Breathe easy, boys, AJ is at the line.
And AJ was at the line for a significant amount of his floor time. He attempted 8.4 free throws per night during 40-minute college basketball games. Adjusted for a 48-minute NBA game, AJ’s number would be pushed to around 10.1 attempts per night. To put that number in perspective, Luka Doncic leads the NBA in free-throw attempts with 10.4 on average. AJ Dybantsa would be in second place with 10.1, above notorious foul-drawers like SGA, Nikola Jokic, and James Harden.
In addition to all of this, Dybantsa describes himself as a playmaker first and a scorer second. With a more competent supporting cast and the increased spacing of an NBA floor, Dybantsa will have plenty of opportunity to use his on-ball gravity to create open looks for his teammates, and more breathing room to find his own shot in the midrange.
He’s fast, he’s athletic, and he scores the basketball like a 29-year-old veteran. Dybantsa’s potential is All-NBA. He could be an MVP candidate and a top-five player in the world before his career is over. He has the competitive drive and coachability of a player well beyond his years, and that’s the demeanor of a player capable of leading a team deep into the postseason.
At BYU, he’s been forced to assume greater responsibility with several key teammates and offensive load-bearers going down with injury, including two-time All-Big 12 teamer Richie Saunders, who tore his ACL with several weeks still to go in the regular season. Rallying his teammates and choosing to compete rather than quit, Dybantsa led the Cougars to wins over two top-10 programs (Iowa State and Texas Tech) without Saunders. AJ proved to be a beloved locker room presence with infectious positive energy and an incredible work ethic.
But let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves. Though the good is, indeed, very good with AJ, it hasn’t been all sunshine and rainbows in his freshman season under head coach Kevin Young. He’s not perfect as a prospect, nor are his shortcomings negligible when weighing his value as the potential number-one selection.
His biggest issue is turnovers. They’re a natural part of the growth process for a young superstar like AJ, but that doesn’t mean that ball security should be ignored. Whether he’s trying too hard to fit a pass into a tight window or is simply sloppy with his dribble, there were many frustrating instances where the swarming, disciplined defenses of teams like Iowa State, Houston, and Arizona confused and compelled AJ to make a bad decision.
I attribute this to his frame in large part, but AJ’s handle isn’t always air-tight. Far from bad, but not quite excellent, Dybantsa’s dribble is often a little loose when operating outside the three-point arc, and that’s gotten him into trouble when facing aggressive, pesky defenders who like to swipe as the ball leaves his fingertips. 2.9 turnovers per game isn’t abhorrent, but ball security should be a major point of emphasis as he advances to the NBA level.
Though AJ is a gifted scorer, his three-point shot has been less-than steady throughout the 2025-26 campaign. He’s hitting above an acceptable 33%, but the flight of his ball has me very concerned about his efficiency as he steps back to the deeper NBA arc. He shoots a fairly flat ball; there is very little arch when he elevates from distance, leaving him less room for error than a player whose shot spends more time in the air.
There is precedent for great offensive threats to shoot with a shallow arch — Kawhi Leonard comes to mind — and heaven knows that his jumper regularly found its target from two-point land.
AJ has been a serviceable defender at BYU. Not a brick wall by any means, but he has been known to suffer the occasional lapse in focus when defending off-ball. Blame TikTok and his generation’s fried dopamine receptors, I guess. This is his most easily-corrected weakness, though one that he shares with some of the NBA’s very best. Take it for what it’s worth.
Verdict
If you want to hit a home run with the first overall pick in this draft, you don’t think twice about selecting AJ Dybantsa. With a mature, poised offensive skill set and a track record of endless competitive drive, this freshman from Brigham Young University led the nation in scoring and already plays basketball like an NBA veteran.
His ceiling is higher than that of Peterson or Boozer, and his game projects favorably to the rhythm and increased spacing of the NBA style. Put in the right situation, Dybantsa could blossom into a dominant superstar, collecting accolades like they’re Halloween candy. It’s hard to imagine a future where Dybantsa doesn’t develop into an All-Star-level talent as a pro.
It’s no secret that Dybantsa is at the top of Utah’s draft board. Owner Ryan Smith has been indirectly funding his collegiate development, and the Ainge family’s frequent appearances dressed in royal blue at the Marriott Center have given the Jazz all the scouting intel they need to make a decision. If the Jazz luck into the number one pick in the upcoming lottery, don’t be surprised if their representative shakes Adam Silver’s hand with a custom Dybantsa jersey a la Cleveland in 2003.
Calvin Barrett is a writer, editor, and prolific Mario Kart racer located in Tokyo, Japan. He has covered the NBA and College Sports since 2024.
Michigan was the big winner of the 2025-26 season Big Ten men's basketball season. The Wolverines won the league by four games and added to its dominance with Yaxel Lendeborg being named Big Ten Player of the Year by a panel of USA TODAY Network voters. It was a near unanimous selection with Lendeborg receiving 15 of 16 votes.
He was, however, the only unanimous first team All-Big Ten selection. Illinois's Keaton Wagler appeared on the first team in 15 of the 16 ballots.
Here are the All-Big Ten first and second teams and postseason awards as voted on by USA TODAY Network reporters who cover the conference.
2026 All-Big Ten basketball first, second teams
* denotes unanimous selection
FIRST TEAM
Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan*
Keaton Wagler, Illinois
Jeremy Fears Jr., Michigan State
Braden Smith, Purdue
Bennett Stirtz, Iowa
SECOND TEAM
Bruce Thornton, Ohio State
Pryce Sandfort, Nebraska
Nick Boyd, Wisconsin
Nick Martinelli, Northwestern
Lamar Wilkerson, Indiana
Also receiving votes: Hannes Steinbach (Washington), Morez Johnson Jr. (Michigan), Tyler Bildeau (UCLA), David Mirkovic (Illinois), John Blackwell (Wisconsin), Fletcher Loyer (Purdue), Jaxon Kohler (Michigan State).
2026 Big Ten basketball Player of the Year
Michigan's Yaxel Lendeborg was a near unanimous pick for Big Ten Player of the Year. The UAB transfer didn't post monster numbers (14.7 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 3.2 apg), but he's the best player on the conference's best team.
"If he’s not Big Ten Player of the Year, then I’ll be shocked," Wolverines coach Dusty May said Monday.
Well Dusty, all is right in the world.
Iowa's Bennett Stirtz and Purdue's Braden Smith received the other two votes.
2026 Big Ten basketball Coach of the Year
This was the closest vote as Nebraska's Fred Hoiberg edged Michigan's Dusty May by three votes.
Nebraska is the only Power conference team to never win a game in the NCAA Tournament, but it looks like Hoiberg's group may be the one to break that duck.
Wisconsin's Greg Gard also received a vote.
2026 Big Ten basketball Newcomer of the Year
Yaxel Lendeborg wins this one, too, though Illinois freshman Keaton Wagler received a decent amount of consideration. Lendeborg arrived via the transfer portal after winning back-to-back American Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors and consecutive first-team all-league picks.
2026 Big Ten basketball Defensive Player of the Year
Michigan's Aday Mara won the vote for Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, with Nebraska's Sam Hoiberg and Mara's Michigan teammates Morez Johnson Jr. and Yaxel Lendeborg also receiving votes.
Mara averaged a Big Ten-best 2.6 blocks per game, tied for fifth-best in the nation, and added 6.9 rebounds per game.
Voters for Big Ten postseason awards included: Tony Garcia (Detroit Free Press), Chris Solari (Detroit Free Press), Sam King (Lafayette Journal & Courier), Adam Jardy (Columbus Dispatch), Zach Osterman (IndyStar), Nathan Baird (IndyStar), Tyler Tachman (Des Moines Register), Chad Leistikow (Des Moines Register), John Steppe (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel), Graham Couch (Lansing State Journal), Connor Earegood (Detroit News), James Hawkins (Detroit News), Michael Niziolek (Bloomington Herald-Times), Chris Hansen (Eugene Register Guard), Austin Curtright (USA TODAY Network), John Leuzzi (USA TODAY Network).
The 2026 men's basketball All-Big 12 first team included three freshmen, but excluded one many wouldn't have predicted at the season's tip-off.
BYU's AJ Dybantsa, Houston's Kingston Flemings and Arizona's Brayden Burries all made the All-Big 12 first team as voted on by USA TODAY Network reporters. Dybantsa and Flemings were the only unanimous selections.
Kansas freshman star Darryn Peterson, who missed 11 games this season, was named to the second team.
Dybantsa was voted Big 12 Player of the Year and unanimous Big 12 Newcomer of the Year.
Arizona's Tommy Lloyd was named Big 12 Coach of the Year after guiding the Wildcats to the league's regular-season title and a likely No. 1 seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament. Arizona will be looking to make its first Final Four since 2001.
Kansas big man Flory Bidunga earned Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, after tying second in the nation in blocked shots.
Here are the All-Big 12 first and second teams and postseason awards as voted on by USA TODAY Network reporters who cover the conference.
2026 All-Big 12 basketball first, second teams
* denotes unanimous selection
FIRST TEAM
AJ Dybantsa, BYU*
Kingston Flemings, Houston*
JT Toppin, Texas Tech
Brayden Burries, Arizona
Joshua Jefferson, Iowa State
SECOND TEAM
Christian Anderson, Texas Tech
Jaden Bradley, Arizona
Flory Bidunga, Kansas
Darryn Peterson, Kansas
Milan Momcilovic, Iowa State
PJ Haggerty, Kansas State
Also receiving votes: Motiejus Krivas (Arizona), Koa Peat (Arizona), Emanuel Sharp (Houston), Robert Wright III (BYU), Tre White (Kansas), Melvin Council Jr. (Kansas), Themus Fulks (UCF), Terrence Brown (Utah), Xavier Edmonds (TCU), Baba Miller (Cincinnati), Honor Huff (West Virginia).
2026 Big 12 basketball Player of the Year
BYU star freshman AJ Dybantsa received half the votes for Big 12 Player of the Year from our voters. Joshua Jefferson (Iowa State), JT Toppin (Texas Tech) and Arizona's Brayden Burries also received votes.
Dybantsa lived up to the considerable hype, averaging 24.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists. However, as a team, the Cougars struggled down the stretch without Richie Saunders, losing eight of their final 12 games and finishing Big 12 play 9-9.
2026 Big 12 basketball Coach of the Year
Arizona's Tommy Lloyd led the Wildcats to a 29-2 overall record and 16-2 mark in the Big 12 on their way to winning the regular-season conference title.
UCF's Johnny Dawkins received two votes, while Texas Tech's Grant McCasland and Kansas' Bill Self also received consideration.
2026 Big 12 basketball Newcomer of the Year
Dybantsa may have split opinion on overall Player of the Year, but there was no question here as the BYU star freshman was a unanimous pick for Big 12 Newcomer of the Year.
2026 Big 12 basketball Defensive Player of the Year
Kansas big man Flory Bidunga was a near unanimous selection here. Bidunga averaged 9.0 rebounds a game and a Big 12-best 2.7 blocks per game, which tied for second in the nation.
Voters for USA TODAY Network Big 12 postseason awards included: Christopher Boyle (Daytona Beach News-Journal), Nathan Giese (Lubbock Avalanche-Journal), Scott Springer (Cincinnati Enquirer), Wyatt Wheeler (Topeka Capital-Journal), Jordan Guskey (Topeka Capital-Journal), Austin Curtright (USA TODAY Network), Eugene Rapay (Des Moines Register), Travis Hines (Des Moines Register), Scott Wright (The Oklahoman), Jacob Unruh (The Oklahoman).
As of Monday, March 9, three jobs are already open — Kansas State, Georgia Tech and Boston College — with Arizona State and Providence reportedly set to follow. They aren't blue-blood jobs, but some of them should be intriguing to potential candidates, while others are a daunting task to take.
As Power coaching positions become more available, here's a ranking of them from being great opportunities to tough jobs.
1. Kansas State
The best coaching job available in the country is one of the first ones that opened up. Kansas State isn't the basketball power in-state rival Kansas is, but the Wildcats do have their own pedigree that makes it desirable.
The Wildcats have shown money isn't an issue, whether its spending on the staff or roster. Being in the upper half of available resources will be attractive to candidates.
There's enough history to show it won't be impossible to succeed in Manhattan. Jerome Tang took Kansas State to the Elite Eight just three years ago and the past three coaches have reached that stage of March Madness at least once. The only downside is there's the immediate expectation to contend in a crowded Big 12, but everything is available to do it.
2. Georgia Tech
It feels like ages ago Georgia Tech was 40 minutes away from a national championship in 2004. It's only won two games in four NCAA Tournament appearances since.
What's been the problem is the entire college basketball world ran past the Yellow Jackets while it stood still. It hasn't poured funds toward the program, Damon Stoudamire didn't adapt and it led to some down times for a team that shouldn't be as bad as it's been. It does have history it can lean on, and is right in a major hotbed for talent in Atlanta. Its next coach would need to make that a priority to keep local talent close.
3. Arizona State
Bobby Hurley couldn't get the Sun Devils acclimated to the Big 12, winning just 11 conference games in two seasons, leading to his potential departure after 11 seasons in Tempe.
The Arizona Republic reported two people close to the ASU program said the news of Hurley's exit was "premature."
Hurley is at the end of his contract, and the school did not offer an extension, leaving his future in limbo for the 2025-26 season. That is usually a sign that the school intends to move on.
Tempe has been a tough place to coach, with no Sweet 16 appearance since 1995. Its in-state rival Arizona is a major player, and the Big 12 move only made it harder to navigate. However, there are pieces that make it possible to get out of the shadow of the Wildcats.
First, the location is a major bonus, in a top market that can generate revenue. The athletic department has shown an investment in sports — largely football and women's basketball — and a reset is what men's basketball needs. The fan support is pretty solid for a middling program, and would explode with actual success. Look no further than the excitement Molly Miller has generated on the women's side.
Even though Arizona State hasn't been to the tournament since 2023, there's plenty available for the next coach to find some success it has been seeking since the turn of the century.
4. Providence
It's always interesting to see how schools where college basketball is king handle searches, especially in the Big East. Providence will reportedly be on the hunt again, trying to get itself out of the bottom half of the conference.
The Friars aren't major title contenders, but they have history that shows it can be a successful program, evident in the 2022 Sweet 16 run. NCAA Tournament spots should be consistent. Providence is 47-51 in English's three seasons. When you have rivals like Connecticut, St. John's and Villanova miles ahead, it makes it very difficult to climb the standngs.
The money appears to be there for the Friars, and they have a loyal fan base that makes things a bit easier for a new coach. You just can't help but wonder if it's going to be a multi-year task to get back to the expected contending level.
5. Boston College
It is quite the task to be in charge at Boston College.
The Eagles haven't been much of a contender in nearly two decades. Their last NCAA Tournament appearance was in 2009, one of the longest droughts of any Power conference school. Basketball hasn't been a priority in Chestnut Hill. There aren't NIL funds or huge amounts of money coming in for staff. There's also the added task of having to get people to just show up to games, as Conte Forum often resembles a ghost town.
If there's one positive, Boston College is still in the ACC so that should draw some interest. But it comes with a major warning label: It doesn't get much tougher than this.
The conference will have all 18 teams in attendance when the tournament kicks off in Chicago on Tuesday with matchups pitting the bottom four in the final regular-seasons standings: Oregon faces Maryland and Northwestern takes on Penn State.
Expanding the bracket gives an extended break to the top four of Michigan, Nebraska, Michigan State and Illinois. This group will have byes until Friday’s quarterfinals.
Yes, one of those teams is not like the others. The 26-5 Cornhuskers closed out the most successful regular season in program history by beating rival Iowa in overtime in the finale.
There’s no doubting the Big Ten’s depth of possible tournament teams. But we’ll see this helps snap the league’s long run without a national title. The last Big Ten team to win it all was Michigan State in 2000.
Big Ten tournament schedule, bracket, scores
Play-in round
Tuesday, March 10
Game 1: No. 16 Oregon vs. No. 17 Maryland, 5 p.m., Peacock
Game 2: No. 15 Northwestern vs. No. 18 Penn State, 7:30 p.m., Peacock
First round
Wednesday, March 11
Game 3: No. 9 Iowa vs. Game 1 winner, noon, Peacock
Game 4: No. 12 Washington vs. No. 13 USC, 2:30 p.m., Peacock
Game 5: No. 10 Indiana vs. Game 2 winner, 6:30 p.m., Big Ten
Game 6: No. 11 Minnesota vs. No. 14 Rutgers, 9 p.m., Big Ten
Second round
Thursday, March 12
Game 7: No. 8 Ohio State vs. Game 3 winner, noon, Big Ten
Game 8: No. 5 Wisconsin vs. Game 4 winner, 2:30 p.m. Big Ten
Game 9: No. 7 Purdue vs. Game 5 winner, 6:30 p.m. Big Ten
Game 10: No. 6 UCLA vs. Game 6 winner, 9 p.m., Big Ten
Quarterfinals
Friday, March 13
Game 11: No. 1 Michigan vs. Game 7 winner, noon, Big Ten
Game 12: No. 4 Illinois vs. Game 8 winner, 2:30 p.m., Big Ten
Game 13: No. 2 Nebraska vs. Game 9 winner, 6:30 p.m., Big Ten
Game 14: No. 3 Michigan State vs. Game 10 winner, 9 p.m., Big Ten
Semifinals
Saturday, March 14
Game 15: Game 11 winner vs. Game 12 winner, 1 p.m., CBS
Game 16: Game 13 winner vs. Game 14 winner, 3:30 p.m., CBS
Championship game
Sunday, March 15
Game 17: Semifinal winners, 3:30 p.m., CBS
How to watch Big Ten tournament
TV: BTN/CBS
Streaming: Peacock
The first round and the first two games of the second round will be streaming on Peacock.
The second half of the second round, the third round and the quarterfinals will air on the Big Ten Network. CBS will carry the two semifinals and Sunday’s championship game.
Big Ten tournament favorite
Michigan is the favorite after dropping just one Big Ten game and winning the regular-season title by four games over Nebraska, Michigan State and Illinois.
The Wolverines head into the quarterfinals having taken 14 of their past 15 games, with the loss coming in non-conference play against Duke on Feb. 21.
UM also went 4-0 against the Cornhuskers, Spartans and Illini, winning all but one matchup by a double-digit margin. It leads the Big Ten in scoring (88.4 ppg), field-goal percentage (51%) and field-goal defense (38%), ranking second nationally in the final category.
Big Ten tournament top players
Lamar Wilkerson, G, Indiana — IU will need Wilkerson to get hot to make a run in Chicago. He’s topped 20 points 16 times, 12 times in Big Ten play.
Jaxon Kohler, F, Michigan State — The second-year starter has evolved into a 3-point threat (39.5% from deep) and become a more capable scorer (12.8 points per game). Kohler posted 12 double-doubles during the regular season.
Braden Smith, G, Purdue — One of this week’s subplots involves Smith’s push to set the NCAA career assist record. He’s currently averaging 8.7 per game, tying his career high, and is 48 away from breaking former Duke guard Bobby Hurley’s record.
Sam Hoiberg, G, Nebraska — Hoiberg is the glue behind the Cornhuskers’ record-setting regular season after setting new career bests in scoring (9.4 points per game), rebounding (5.2), assists (4.4) and steals (2.1).
Yaxel Lendenborg, F, Michigan — The Alabama-Birmingham transfer has met lofty expectations by stuffing the box score: Lendenborg leads Michigan in scoring (14.7 points) while adding 7.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.4 blocks and 1.2 steals per game.
March Madness bubble storylines for Big Ten
The Big Ten has six locked-in tournament teams in Michigan, Nebraska, Michigan State, Illinois, Wisconsin and Purdue. Another three teams are in very good shape in UCLA, Iowa and Ohio State, though the Buckeyes could stand to add a win against the Hawkeyes in the second round to officially secure their place in the field.
For nearly every team outside the top nine of the standings, the only possible ticket to March Madness will come via a conference title. The one exception is Indiana, which has spent most of the season on the tournament bubble.
What’s holding the Hoosiers back is a 3-11 mark in Quad 1 games. They’ll have chances to improve that record by advancing to the third round to face UCLA. With a win there, the Hoosiers will take on Michigan State in the quarterfinals. IU needs at least three wins this week to get back into at-large consideration.
A year ago at this time, there was an air of defeatism for most of the teams headed to the ACC tournament with the league having endured an uncharacteristically down season and only one program harboring reasonable expectations of a deep run in the subsequent NCAA Tournament.
While there is once again a clear favorite this year, the conference has returned to its more typical number of squads that can expect to see their names on the Selection Sunday bracket. This will result in considerably more interest in the early rounds of the festivities in Charlotte, North Carolina, which hopefully will translate to a more exciting week as a whole.
The ACC tournament first round will be broadcast on the ACC Network. The succeeding rounds will be shown on ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU. The championship game will be aired on ESPN. All games will be streamed on ESPN+.
ACC favorite
Top-seeded Duke, as was the case last season, is expected to carry the league banner well into March Madness. The Blue Devils, however, might not be at full strength entering this event with starters Patrick Ngongba and Caleb Foster on the bench in walking boots by the conclusion of their final regular-season win against archrival North Carolina. The Tar Heels will be shorthanded themselves with standout freshman Caleb Wilson sidelined for the remainder of the season. The good news for those two squads, as well as fellow double bye recipients Virginia and Miami, is they’ll have until Thursday’s quarterfinals.
ACC top players
Cameron Boozer, F, Duke – The Blue Devils’ latest freshman star has lived up to his lofty expectations. The team leader in points (22.7), rebounds (10.2) and assists (4.1) might actually be asked to do even more given the health concerns.
Thijs De Ridder, F, Virginia – The Belgian standout has been the cornerstone of first-year Cavaliers’ coach Ryan Odom’s retooled roster. UVa’s top scorer (15.9) and rebounder (6.3) connects at a 51.3% clip from the field with a nice touch around the rim.
Malik Reneau, F, Miami – The Miami native returned to his hometown after starting his collegiate career at Indiana. Putting up 19 points and 6.6 boards a game, he quickly became a key piece of the Hurricanes’ rapid resurgence under new coach Jai Lucas.
Henri Veesaar, C, North Carolina – The Estonia native and former Arizona transfer will have to shoulder even more of the load on both ends of the floor with Wilson sidelined. The seven-footer is averaging 16.3 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.2 blocks for the Tar Heels.
Ryan Conwell, G, Louisville – With flashy freshman point guard Mikel Brown in and out of the lineup with recurring back issues, the Cardinals needed Conwell to provide another consistent scoring presence from the perimeter. He has delivered to the tune of 18.7 points a game and 102 made three-pointers.
NCAA tournament bubble storylines for ACC
While a couple of the teams in action Tuesday are clinging to faint bubble hopes, the real drama will take place on day two. North Carolina State and Clemson are probably safe, but the seventh-seeded Wolfpack would be advised not to tempt the fates with an early loss. SMU has struggled down the stretch and needs a win or two to breathe easier. California and Virginia Tech look on the outside looking in. A run to the final might be needed to get an at-large spot.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JANUARY 17: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs blocks a shot from Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on January 17, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It looked like the Boston Celtics were primed for the first season of a soft rebuild this season, largely due to a bloated salary sheet and the devestating Achilles injury suffered by franchise star Jayson Tatum. The expectations were that the Celtics were going to be a good not great team this year with a chance to be a playoff team after thinning the roster a bit and while Tatum used the year to recover from his injury. Instead, they’ve been one of the best teams in the Association, falling just a game shy of the infamous Phil Jackson 40-20 Rule of Title Contention, and Tatum is back in the fold, looking more or less the same as ever in his first 2 games back, both wins. Tatum’s return could be the spark that sets the Celtics off running heading into the playoffs, as Boston currently sit just 2.5 games back of the Detroit Pistons
San Antonio meanwhile has continued their winning ways, going 3-0 so far on this 6-game homestand. Winners of 15 of their last 16, the Spurs are trying to build all the momentum they can with April fast approaching. San Antonio beat the East-leading Pistons rather handily last week to kick off the homestand and now will have an opportunity to take down the current #2 seed and spoiler for the Jayson Tatum return tour.
San Antonio Spurs (47-17) vs Boston Celtics (43-21)
March 10 2026 | 7:00 PM CT
Watch: NBC, FDSS | Listen: WOAI (1200 AM)
Spurs Injuries: Harrison Barnes, ankle (OUT), Mason Plumlee, reconditioning (OUT), David Jones-Garcia, OUT
Celtics Injuries: Nikola Vucevic, finger (OUT),
What to watch for
It’s pretty remarkable how good Tatum has looked in his two appearances so far. A little under 10 months since tearing his Achilles in the 2nd round against the Knicks last playoffs, he’s looked very close to the all around star that he was before the injury. Perhaps his game will fall off a bit as the games and minutes start to pile up, but if he can give the Celtics what he’s displayed so far, good luck betting against them in the playoffs. It’s no secret that an Achilles rupture has long been considered something of an athlete’s death warrant, but Tatum looks like he might be able to buck that trend.
Having a healthy Tatum back in the lineup takes a lot of pressure off the rest of the Celtics, but no one is more relieved probably than Jaylen Brown. Brown has done more than just held down the fort all season long in Tatum’s absence. He’s having a career year, becoming inf the engine of the league’s 2nd best offense in the process. Coming into the season, the thought was that the only way Boston was going to compete for a playoff spot would be if Brown raised his level of play and he’s done just that. The former Finals MVP is averaging career-best numbers in points, field goal attempts, free throw attempts, rebounds, and assists.
Boston has a top 5 offense and defense this season, an incredible feat considering what the pundits were saying at the outset. Joe Mazulla’s switch heavy scheme, elite rebounding and a glacier-like pace that’s the slowest in the league have gone a long way in helping the Celtics control games and strangle opposing offenses. They are thin in the middle, having lost the recently acquired Nikola Vucevic to a finger injury, but Neemias Queta has been the anchor of their defense all season long. A starter in all but 5 games this season, Queta has really blossomed in his 5th season into a dominant rim protecting big, capable of shutting down drives and bringing help at opportune times. Victor Wembanyama can essentially do whatever he wants on a basketball court, but Queta will provide a stiff test for San Antonio’s team offense as a whole.
If you’d like to, you may follow along with the game on our Twitter profile (@poundingtherock) or visit our Game Thread!
New York Knicks (41-25, third in the Eastern Conference) vs. Utah Jazz (20-45, 14th in the Western Conference)
Salt Lake City; Wednesday, 9 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: The New York Knicks take on the Utah Jazz in a non-conference matchup.
The Jazz have gone 12-21 at home. Utah gives up 124.9 points and has been outscored by 7.5 points per game.
The Knicks have gone 18-16 away from home. New York is third in the Eastern Conference with 46.2 rebounds per game led by Karl-Anthony Towns averaging 11.9.
The Jazz's 12.9 made 3-pointers per game this season are only 0.8 fewer made shots on average than the 13.7 per game the Knicks allow. The Jazz average 116.9 points per game, 8.0 fewer points than the 124.9 the Jazz give up to opponents.
The teams play for the second time this season. The Knicks won the last matchup 146-112 on Dec. 6. Jalen Brunson scored 33 points to help lead the Knicks to the win.
TOP PERFORMERS: Brice Sensabaugh is scoring 12.9 points per game and averaging 3.0 rebounds for the Jazz. Kyle Filipowski is averaging 15.1 points and 9.1 rebounds over the last 10 games.
Towns is averaging 20 points and 11.9 rebounds for the Knicks. Brunson is averaging 21.3 points and 8.4 assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Jazz: 2-8, averaging 112.8 points, 42.3 rebounds, 26.0 assists, 11.2 steals and 4.3 blocks per game while shooting 44.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 120.2 points per game.
Knicks: 6-4, averaging 111.6 points, 46.0 rebounds, 29.0 assists, 8.5 steals and 3.5 blocks per game while shooting 48.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 103.8 points.
INJURIES: Jazz: Lauri Markkanen: out (ankle), Isaiah Collier: out (illness), Ace Bailey: out (illness), Walker Kessler: out for season (shoulder), Jusuf Nurkic: out for season (nose), Jaren Jackson Jr.: out for season (knee).
Knicks: Mitchell Robinson: out (injury management), Miles McBride: out (ankle).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
