Category: NBA

What feat of strength will Cooper Flagg perform next?

Find out when the Dallas Mavericks (25-53) wrap up their two-night residency in Los Angeles on Tuesday with a game against the Clippers at the Intuit Dome. Tipoff is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. CDT.

On Friday, Flagg gave the Orlando Magic 51 on 19-of-30 shooting. On Sunday, he backed it up with 45 points, nine assists and eight rebounds in a 134-128 win at the Lakers. If that trend continues, perhaps Flagg is due for a 40-point triple-double at the Clippers? Don’t discount the possibility.

Both he and the Mavericks coaching staff have shown us that getting Flagg the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award is a goal of the utmost importance as the season winds down. His 96 points in a two-game span is a mark only bested in NBA history by Wilt Chamberlain during his rookie year.

And the rest of the Mavs? It looks like they’re just trying to get to the finish line, as we all are. Here are three things we’ll be watching out for in the Mavericks’ Tuesday matchup with the Clippers.

Rookie of the Year race

Kon Knueppel and his Charlotte Hornets face the Boston Celtics just a couple of hours before the Mavs tip off against the Clippers. On Sunday, Knueppel laid a stinker on a 4-of-14 shooting night as the Hornets beat the Minnesota Timberwolves, 122-108.

Would Flagg continuing his scorching hot tear in the season’s final six games be enough to sway the Rookie of the Year voters over to his side? A third straight monster performance couldn’t hurt, especially since Knueppel has gone over the 20-point mark just once in his last nine games.

There was a time, as Flagg worked his way back from a foot injury in February, that Knueppel was simply out-playing Flagg on a nightly basis. That is no longer the case. It only makes sense that the last few games of the season would hold equal weight as voters consider whose name to put on their ballots.

Box score watching will likely be at least as compelling as the product the Mavericks put on the floor against the Clippers, who have won two of their last three after losing five straight at the end of March.

Guard play

Brandon Williams in particular has become an interesting case study at guard in recent games. On some nights he looks like the perfect tank commander, as his jumpshot leaves a little to be desired and his size makes him something of a liability on the defensive end. But at other times, he’s able to get to the basket at will, zooming past the defense in big moments that make one wonder whether he’s actually a useful piece for the future.

Combine his knack for scoring with the fact that the Mavericks’ latest win over the Lakers may have hurt their draft lottery odds as much as it helped Flagg’s Rookie of the Year chances, and you start to wonder what guards in the stellar 2026 NBA Draft class may even be available at all when the Mavs’ first pick comes around.

Is Williams a good option off the bench going forward? Or is he as replaceable as basically everyone else on this roster not named Flagg? He’s auditioning, and he’s playing like it lately, averaging 17 points per game in his last four outings.

Get it over with

Two of the Mavericks’ previous three games against the Clippers this year have gone into overtime. The Mavs lost to Los Angeles at home in overtime, 138-131, on Mar. 23 and dropped a double-overtime loss to the Clippers, 133-127, on Nov. 14.

The Mavs are now 17-26 this season in 43 clutch games after Sunday’s win at the Lakers. No matter how bad they look at times, they seem to always work their way back into games. Whether that’s more sheer force of will or simply Silly Season shenanigans at play, sometimes it’s hard to tell.

With a late start on our hands on Tuesday, all we’re really hoping for is a clear result at the end of regulation this time around. We’re so done with this season. All that’s left seems to be Flagg’s march to a postseason award.

How to watch

The Mavericks and the Clippers are slated for a 9:30 p.m. CDT tip on Wednesday from the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif. The game will be televised locally on KFAA Channel 29 and on sister stations throughout the Mavericks’ regional viewership area. You can catch the stream on MavsTV and on NBA League Pass where available.

ATLANTA — Mike Brown acknowledged discussing a starting lineup change — “there’s always going to be chatter about it” — but isn’t close to acting and, at least for now, anticipates the status quo for the playoffs.

“I don’t believe in never ever. But right now we’re going to start that five and that’s how I foresee it,” the coach said. “If I feel I need to make a change at any time, I’ll make a change. But I don’t feel that way right now.”

League sources said moving Landry Shamet into the lineup was discussed. Earlier this season, Brown altered his starting lineup, replacing Mitchell Robinson with Josh Hart.

Brown said Monday his staff convinced him to abandon the original double-big lineup (with Robinson and Karl-Anthony Towns), a move made in December.

“There’s debate literally all the time. Obviously there was a debate at the start of the season when we started two bigs [Robinson and Karl-Anthony Towns]. And there was debate almost every day because I was the only one with that [opinion] — and I was getting hammered at this angle, that angle, every angle. So we talked about it a lot.

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“That’s just chatter that you have throughout the course of the year, trying to find ways to improve your team. So I think there’s always going to be chatter about [changing the lineup now]. … But there’s nothing I’ve felt close to acting on yet.”

The current Knicks starting lineup — Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, Hart, OG Anunoby, Towns — had habitually produced poor first quarters before Monday’s 108-105 victory over the Hawks. It had the third-most minutes together in the NBA but carried a net rating of just plus-0.7 — including a first-quarter net rating of minus-8.1 in the first quarter.

But they built a three-point lead before the first sub Monday, and they closed out the win together with a clutch run down the stretch.

Brown used his likely nine-man playoff rotation with Miles McBride, Robinson, Shamet and Jordan Clarkson coming off the bench.

It meant Jose Alvarado picked up his first healthy DNP.

“I’m good. I’m chilling,” Alvarado, acquired at the trade deadline by Leon Rose, said. “I’m ready for my moment. I’m ready for my name to get called whenever it is. … So just whenever it’s Jose’s time, whenever that time is, I’m ready.”

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Towns said his right elbow impingement — which kept him out of Saturday’s win over the Bulls — has been an issue “for a while.”

“It is what it is at this point,” he said.

For a moment, everything stopped.

Inside the Frost Bank Center, the buzz of a marquee matchup, Victor Wembanyama versus Joel Embiid, gave way to silence as Wembanyama walked slowly toward the locker room, his night cut short before halftime. It should have been the turning point, but it became something else entirely.

The San Antonio Spurs didn’t flinch.

They steadied themselves, leaned on each other, and by the final buzzer, they were walking off the floor with a 115-102 win over the Philadelphia 76ers—a performance defined less by who they lost, and more by who they became. And it also became their 60th win of the season.

Before the injury, the game had all the makings of a heavyweight duel. Wembanyama was electric early, scoring 17 points in just over 15 minutes, matching Embiid possession for possession. Every touch felt significant, every bucket answered. It was the kind of rhythm that pulls a crowd to its feet.

Then, in an instant, it was gone. A hit in transition. A slow walk off the floor. No return. And just like that, the spotlight shifted.

That’s when Stephon Castle stepped forward. He had a steady command that never wavered as he controlled the pace, found teammates in rhythm, and filled every gap the Spurs suddenly had to navigate. By the end of the night, his stat line told the story: 19 points, 13 assists, and double-digit rebounds—but it was the composure that stood out most.

Possession by possession, Castle kept San Antonio grounded. And he wasn’t alone.

One by one, the Spurs followed. Shots came from different hands. Stops came from collective effort. What could have unraveled instead turned into something balanced, something connected. By halftime, they had the lead and by the fourth quarter, San Antonio was in firm control.

Joel Embiid kept pushing to help his team, scoring 34 points, fought through contact, and tried to drag Philadelphia back into the game. For stretches, it felt like he might. But the Spurs never let the moment slip.

Every time the 76ers threatened, San Antonio answered. The lead stretched. The clock ticked. And whatever window Philadelphia hoped to find quietly closed. When the final buzzer sounded, the Spurs had earned the 115-102 victory, but the final score only told part of the story.

San Antonio responded to losing its star player as well as a winnable game against Denver on Saturday. A team losing its star and refusing to lose its identity. A young group discovering, in real time, what it looks like to carry the weight together.

And as the Spurs walked off the floor, the image that lingered wasn’t the final score.

It was everything that came after Wembanyama left—and how, somehow, they never let the game leave with him.

ATLANTA — Two years ago, the Knicks were lovable underdogs.

A year ago, they were a little less lovable — a product of exhausting all their draft assets in trades and losing their rough-and-tumble identity — but they were underdogs, nonetheless.

“ ‘If they make it a six-game series, I’ll be proud of the Knicks,’ ” recalled Karl-Anthony Towns of the punditry surrounding last year’s second round against the Celtics.

Now? They better win. That’s the mandate not only from the outside but also the team owner, James Dolan, who replaced the coach in June and sent a public Finals-or-bust message in January. So it doesn’t matter that the Knicks still aren’t betting favorites to win the East, or that they’ll probably enter as the No. 3 seed.

They either advance past three rounds or they’re a disappointment and Giannis Antetokounmpo becomes the only way out.

“The perception and standards have obviously changed for us ever since we made that stride last year in the playoffs,” Towns said Monday. “Getting through the first round, we weren’t supposed to make it out of there. Then the second round, we definitely weren’t supposed to be making it out of there. We showed the world that we can beat these teams, especially in the playoffs.

“But in doing that, we put the antennas up for the rest of the league as well. They know what we can do and on top of that, coming in with the expectations we had this year, finding a way to win the NBA Cup. Even through all the ups and downs, finding ourselves the third seed. The world is not unaware of how good we are. But it’s up to us to execute in a seven-game series and be disciplined and find a way to win.”

Towns was wrong about one thing. The Knicks were supposed to beat the Pistons in the first round last year and they succeeded in six games. But then they were projected for a beatdown administered by the Celtics and instead compelled mass celebrations outside of MSG.

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It’s theoretically easier to play freer when unburdened by expectations. But Towns is taking the “pressure is a privilege” approach.

“Me, personally, I’ve been dealing with expectations since before I stepped into the league,” said Towns, the former No. 1 overall draft pick. “Honestly, it’s really the same thing. It’s been the story of my career. Dealing with expectations that are lofty. On top of that, the expectations I have for myself are even higher than what people give me. So I have a lot of work to do. But I’ve been used to it. So it’s a blessing to have pressure.”

Beyond the team success and the overflow of glory that would come with an NBA Finals appearance, there’s money at stake for individual players. Towns is eligible for a contract extension after the season. Same with Miles McBride. Meanwhile, Mitchell Robinson, Jose Alvarado, Jordan Clarkson and Mohamed Diawara could all be free agents. Players get paid off their postseasons. Just ask Mikal Bridges, who got $150 million after his breakthrough opening two rounds of 2025.

This year’s version of the Knicks — and Bridges, especially — doesn’t look as good as the version that beat the Celtics. But momentum is a helluva equalizer.

And if the Knicks can close the season strong against four straight playoff-bound opponents — including Monday against the Hawks — they can carry it into the first round.

“We can get to that level. We’re really good,” Alvarado said. “We just need to lock in on the details and stay like that. What really is in our way is ourselves. We just got to stay consistent and confident in who we are.”

Better late than never, says Towns.

“The playoffs should’ve started 10 games ago [for us],” the center said. “We should be building on our standards all year. That’s what the goal was. We have four good games where we can get some good tape, get our coverages right. See how we can execute different coverages, different things. And we could just find different ways to show what we can do, and have adjustments ready to go in the playoffs.”

The Golden State Warriors had a bittersweet Easter Sunday. On the bright side, they welcomed Steph Curry back into the fold after the two-time MVP had missed 27 consecutive games with runner’s knee. On the less happy side, the Dubs lost a heartbreaker to the Houston Rockets, as their comeback fell just short in a 117-116 defeat.

Because it was a close game, the NBA released a Last 2 Minute Report for the contest. In L2Ms, the NBA combs through the final two minutes of close games from multiple camera angles, and assesses whether plays were correctly called (or non-called). Thankfully (or sometimes not thankfully), the L2Ms are released to the public, so we can see how the officials did in the most crucial moments.

In Houston’s victory, the league determined that there were three mistakes made by the officiating crew. All three were incorrect non-calls, which is to say whistles that weren’t blown, but should have been. And two of those three were whistles that would have been blown against the Rockets, benefitting the Warriors.

The first occurred with 1:28.6 remaining, when Curry made a layup that pulled the Warriors to within a point. According to the league, a shooting foul should have been called on Amen Thompson, giving Curry a free throw. Here’s the league’s ruling: “Thompson (HOU) jumps from A to B and initiates body contact with Curry (GSW) as he defends the shot.”

The second occurred shortly after, with 1:10.7 on the clock, when Alperen Şengün should have been whistled for a three-second violation, with the league stating, “Sengun (HOU) fails to fully clear the lane and is in the paint for longer than three seconds.” Just two seconds later, Şengün drained a short jumper, was fouled, and completed the three-point play. Instead of a turnover, the Rockets pushed their lead to four points.

The third and final officiating mistake came with 46 seconds remaining, when the refs failed to call a defensive three-second violation on Draymond Green. Here’s the ruling: “Green (GSW) fails to fully clear the lane and is in the paint for longer than three seconds without imminently actively guarding an opponent.” Had the play been properly whistled, the Rockets would have gotten a free throw and then retained possession. Instead, they had an empty trip down the court.

Ultimately, missed calls are a part of the game, and there’s no use crying over them. Sometimes they help the Warriors, and sometimes they hurt them.

March Madness has come and gone, with Michigan men's basketball taking home the NCAA championship on Monday, April 6.

The conclusion of the Men's NCAA Tournament means there's only one thing left for college basketball fans between now and the end of the men's college basketball season: "One Shining Moment."

UConn vs Michigan final score: National championship game highlights

To no surprise, the near 3-minute highlight reel didn't disappoint.

This year's version of "One Shining Moment," which has been the soundtrack of the Men's NCAA Tournament since 1987, included some of this year's top buzzer-beaters, like High Point's Chase Johnston's layup to upset No. 5 Wisconsin in the first round and Otega Oweh hitting a 3-pointer from the logo to force overtime and save Kentucky's season for an additional day.

It featured heartbreaking moments — depending on the fan base, of course — like Duke losing out on back-to-back Final Four appearances when Braylon Mullins hitting a 3-pointer to send Connecticut to Indianapolis after Cayden Boozer's last-second turnover vs. the Huskies in the Elite Eight.

It, of course, ended with the Wolverines finishing off one of the greatest seasons by a men's college basketball team with their first national championship since 1989.

'One Shining Moment' video for 2026 NCAA Tournament

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

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Watch 'One Shining Moment' video for 2026 Men's March Madness highlights

Tonight is the final road game for the 2025-26 Houston Rockets. Their next road game will be Game 1 or Game 3 of their first round series.

Obviously, this is a game that many associated with the Phoenix Suns have had circled on the calendar. Jalen Green has missed all three previous games between these teams and Kevin Durant missed the earlier game in Phoenix. Dillon Brooks has played all three games and has been his typical intense self. The other player in that trade, Khaman Maluach, has been a project (as expected) this season but has shown flashes for the Suns.

I expect the Suns and their fans to be rabid for this game. Brooks is going to hype the team up to the moon and the fans will want nothing more than to take down Durant and Houston’s six-game winning streak.

This game is also on national television and will be Houston’s latest game of the season, starting at 10pm local Houston time.

Tip-off

10pm CT

How To Watch

Space City Home Network and NBC/Peacock

Injury Report

Rockets

Steven Adams: OUT

Fred VanVleet: OUT

Suns

Haywood Highsmith: OUT

The Line (as of this post)

Hou -1.5

Check here for updates

Looking ahead because we can

Thursday night at home against the Philadelphia 76ers

2025-26 Sixers Bell Ringer season standings:

Tyrese Maxey – 22.5
VJ Edgecombe – 13
Joel Embiid – 10.5
Paul George – 8
Kelly Oubre Jr. – 5
Justin Edwards – 4
Quentin Grimes – 3
Jared McCain :’( – 3
Dominick Barlow – 2
Andre Drummond – 2
MarJon Beauchamp – 2
Adem Bona – 1
Cam Payne – 1
Jabari Walker – 1
Trendon Watford – 1
15th roster spot – 1

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The Philadelphia 76ers fell 115-102 to the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night.

The Sixers were damn-near full strength for this one, with only Johni Broome (knee surgery) and Cam Payne, who strained his hamstring in Saturday’s contest, sidelined. The Spurs were similarly healthy and led by current NBA MVP candidate Victor Wembanyama.

Both of the big men in this one suffered some early bumps and bruises, with Embiid missing part of the first following a hard fall from a collision with Wemby. The Frenchman had his own early trip off the floor as well after seemingly hurting his shoulder in a collision with Paul George. Both were back in the game looking strong by midway through the second quarter to give us the true Embiid vs. Wemby battle we were hoping for, and it was damn fun to watch. By halftime, Embiid had 20 points, Wemby had 17 and the Sixers trailed the Spurs by seven.

Wemby ended up leaving the contest at halftime due to a rib contusion. Even without the San Antonio leader, though, things stayed tough for the Sixers with the Spurs staying out in front throughout the third. When Embiid went to the bench for some rest to start the fourth (after playing the entire second and third quarters), it only got worse, with the Spurs’ lead extending to double digits. The teams continued to trade buckets, but, unfortunately for the Sixers, trading buckets doesn’t really work when you’re down about 10 points the entire time.

The Spurs, even without Wemby for the entire second half, simply outplayed the Sixers.

Just three games left. The Sixers will have a few days off before starting their 16th and final back-to-back of the season on Thursday visiting the Houston Rockets.

Until then, let’s get to the Bell Ringer.

Paul George: 16 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals

It’s amazing to watch how locked in Paul George has been since returning from his 25-game suspension. He has been shooting the absolute lights out, especially from long range, and tonight was no exception. With Tyrese Maxey struggling and Joel Embiid dealing with some pain from a hard fall early, having someone like PG able to tack on points pretty much whenever called upon right now is huge.

He got things started tonight, opening the game with a triple and ending up hitting two more from long range before the end of the first. He led the Sixers after one with 11 points on 4-for-6 FG, 3-for-3 3PT shooting. He cooled off a bit as Embiid took over the offense, but was ready to contribute again when called upon here and there in the second half (minus the end of the game when no one from the Sixers could seem to score a single point).

PG doing all that while continuing to play the solid defense we all know he’s capable of has been a huge boost to the Sixers as of late — hopefully he can keep it going.

Finishing with 16 points, PG’s shooting was actually quite cold from two-point range, going 1-for-10. That being said, he continues his streak of success from long range since returning from suspension going 4-for-5 from beyond the arc on Monday.

George also finished Monday with five rebounds, four assists and two steals.

I repeat: Paul George, still looking DAMN good post-suspension 🔥 pic.twitter.com/1jniMkWHkY

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) April 7, 2026

Joel Embiid: 34 points, 12 rebounds, 1 assist, 4 blocks

We had a little bit of a scare with Embiid early on in this one after he took a hard fall from a collision with Wemby. After a few minutes clearly in some pain and hitting the bench early in the first, Embiid returned to the game to close the opening frame. Still laboring in some pain, it took a little bit for him to look comfortable offensively, but he went right to work defensively, coming up with some great stops.

Then, as the second quarter got underway, Embiid basically took over the offense for the Sixers, and it certainly seemed like the pain was not bothering him as much anymore. The big fella started working his way into the paint and going to war (and a physical one) with Wembanyama, battling for any inch of space he could get to sink buckets around or over the Frenchman’s eight-foot wingspan. After scoring just four points in his disjointed first period stints, Embiid put up 16 on 5-for-6 field goal and 1-for-2 long range shooting in the second frame. He led the floor at halftime with 20 points as well as six rebounds and two blocks.

From there, especially without Wemby to counter him, Embiid continued to command the Sixers’ offensive production, whether scoring buckets, getting to the line, or setting screens for his teammates to score off of. He ended up playing the entirety of the second and third periods.

It’s not just the scoring, though. It’s the fact that the scoring is coming along with a major uptick in defensive impact and rebounding in performances the latter half of this season. It’s at a level we haven’t been able to see from Embiid in quite some time, and we can only hope it continues.

Embiid finished Monday with a 34-point, 12-rebound double-double (including five offensive boards) with an assist and four blocks.

Now Joel Embiid hits a nasty stepback triple over Wemby 👀 pic.twitter.com/09v1crnQDm

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) April 7, 2026

VJ Edgecombe: 14 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block

The degree of difficulty of some of the buckets that VJ Edgecombe manages to sink continues to impress me. It’s not anything that will ever show on the stat sheet, but it absolutely should. Edgecombe continues to finish plays that very few players in the NBA could finish successfully, let alone a rookie.

Not only that, but he’s hitting these shots exactly when the Sixers need him to. It feels like whenever the Sixers are on the receiving end of an opponent’s scoring streak, it’s very frequently Edgecombe who stops the bleeding with a bucket.

The rookie finished Monday with 14 points, eight rebounds (two offensive), three assists, one steal and one block.

WOW what a finish from VJ Edgecombe! Swear this rookie can levitate. 🤩 pic.twitter.com/uQ2uaZNn0J

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) April 7, 2026

The Michigan Wolverines are your 2026 Men's NCAA Tournament national champions.

Dusty May the No. 1-seed Wolverines defeated No. 2 seed UConn on Monday, April 6, to claim the March Madness championship at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The championship is the second for the Wolverines, and first for the Big Ten since 2000.

REQUIRED READING: UConn vs Michigan national championship game live updates: Score, highlights

Elliott Cadeau paced the Wolverines in the win, scoring 19 points while nabbing three rebounds and two assists to lead the Wolverines to a 69-63 victory in the championship game.

UConn, conversely, got into foul trouble early and was never able to fully recover against the size and physicality of the Wolverines, though they did an admirable job keeping it close down the stretch — certainly closer than any other team the Wolverines had faced. They were led in scoring by Alex Karaban, who finished the night with 17 points.

Here's a look at who won the 2026 national championship in the men's basketball NCAA Tournament:

Who won NCAA championship between Michigan, UConn?

Michigan won the 2026 NCAA men's basketball national championship with a 69-63 win over UConn.

Michigan won its second national championship in program history and first since 1989. With the win, the Wolverines snapped a 26-year drought for the Big Ten Conference. Michigan State won the 2000 national championship as the last Big Ten school, beating Florida.

Michigan-UConn score in NCAA championship

TEAMS	1H	2H	F
UConn	29	34	63
Michigan	33	36	69

Michigan-UConn stats

Stats	UConn	Michigan
FGs (%)	21-68 (31%)	21-55 (38%)
3PTs (%)	9-33 (27%)	2-15 (13%)
FTs (%)	12-16 (75%)	25-28 (89%)
Rebounds	46	39
Assists	9	7
Steals	4	6
Blocks	2	6
Turnovers	11	10
Points off turnovers	8	4
Fast break points	4	2
Points in paint	22	36
Fouls	22	13
Largest lead	3	11

Michigan-UConn highlights

Updated March Madness bracket, scores

East Region

First Round

• No. 1 Duke 71, No. 16 Siena 65
• No. 2 UConn 82, No. 15 Furman 71
• No. 3 Michigan State 92, No. 14 North Dakota State 67
• No. 4 Kansas 68, No. 13 California Baptist 60
• No. 5 St. John's 79, No. 12 Northern Iowa 53
• No. 6 Louisville 83, No. 11 South Florida 79
• No. 7 UCLA 75, No. 10 Central Florida 71
• No. 9 TCU 66, No. 8 Ohio State 64

Second round

• No. 1 Duke 81, No. 9 TCU 58
• No. 5 St. John's 67, No. 4 Kansas 65
• No. 3 Michigan State 77, Louisville 69
• No. 2 UConn 73, No. 7 UCLA 57

Sweet 16

• No. 1 Duke 80, No. 5 St. John's 75
• No. 2 UConn 67, No. 3 Michigan State 63

Elite Eight

• No. 2 UConn 73, No. 1 Duke 72

Midwest Region

First Round

• No. 1 Michigan 101, No. 16 Howard 80
• No. 2 Iowa State 108, No. 15 Tennessee State 74
• No. 3 Virginia 82, No. 14 Wright State 73
• No. 4 Alabama 90, No. 13 Hofstra 70
• No. 5 Texas Tech 91, No. 12 Howard 71
• No. 6 Tennessee 78, No. 11 Miami (Ohio) 56
• No. 7 Kentucky 89, No. 10 Santa Clara 84 (OT)
• No. 9 Saint Louis 102, No. 8 Georgia 77

Second round

• No. 1 Michigan 95, No. 9 Saint Louis 72
• No. 4 Alabama 90, No. 5 Texas Tech 65
• No. 6 Tennessee 79, No. 3 Virginia 72
• No. 2 Iowa State 82, No. 7 Kentucky 63

Sweet 16

• No. 1 Michigan 90, No. 4 Alabama 77
• No. 6 Tennessee 76, No. 2 Iowa State 62

Elite Eight

• No. 1 Michigan 95, No. 6 Tennessee 62

South Region

First Round

• No. 1 Florida 114, No. 16 Prairie View A&M 55
• No. 2 Houston 78, No. 15 Idaho 47
• No. 3 Illinois 105, No. 14 Penn 70
• No. 4 Nebraska 76, No. 13 Troy 47
• No. 5 Vanderbilt 78, No. 12 McNeese 68
• No. 11 VCU 82, No. 6 North Carolina 78
• No. 10 Texas A&M 63, No. 7 Saint Mary's 50
• No. 9 Iowa 67, No. 8 Clemson 61

Second round

• No. 9 Iowa 73, No. 1 Florida 72
• No. 4 Nebraska 76, No. 5 Vanderbilt 74
• No. 3 Illinois 76, No. 11 VCU 55
• No. 2 Houston 88, No. 10 Texas A&M 57

Sweet 16

• No. 9 Iowa 77, No. 4 Nebraska 71
• No. 3 Illinois 65, No. 2 Houston 55

Elite Eight

• No. 3 Illinois 71, No. 9 Iowa 59

West Region

First round

• No. 1 Arizona 82, No. 16 Long Island 58
• No. 2 Purdue 104, No. 15 Queens 71
• No. 3 Gonzaga 73, No. 14 Kennesaw State 64
• No. 4 Arkansas 97, No. 13 Hawai'i 78
• No. 12 High Point 83, No. 5 Wisconsin 82
• No. 11 Texas 79, No. 6 BYU 71
• No. 9 Utah State 86, No. 8 Villanova 76
• No. 7 Miami 80, No. 10 Missouri 66

Second round

• No. 1 Arizona 78, No. 9 Utah State 66
• No. 4 Arkansas 94, No. 12 High Point 88
• No. 11 Texas 74, No. 3 Gonzaga 68
• No. 2 Purdue 79, No. 7 Miami 69

Sweet 16

• No. 2 Purdue 79, No. 11 Texas 77
• No. 1 Arizona 109, No. 4 Arkansas 88

Elite Eight

• No. 1 Arizona 79, No. 2 Purdue 64

Final Four

• No. 2 UConn 71, No. 3 Illinois 62
• No. 1 Michigan 91, No. 1 Arizona 73

National championship game

• No. 1 Michigan 69, No. 2 UConn 63

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who won 2026 NCAA championship? March Madness title game score

INDIANAPOLIS — Michigan beat Connecticut 69-63 in a defensive battle to complete a dominant run through the NCAA tournament and capture the program’s second national championship.

The Wolverines previously reached the championship game in 1965, 1976, 1989, 1992-93, 2013 and 2018, winning it all in 1989. Michigan is the first Big Ten team to win the title since Michigan State in 2000.

The narrower victory against the Huskies came after the Wolverines had steamrolled into Monday night, winning all five of their tournament games by an average of 21.6 points.

This is coach Dusty May’s first national title. He previously reached the Final Four with Florida Atlantic in 2023.

Playing two nights after injuring his left knee in the semifinals against Arizona, Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg had 13 points on 4 of 13 shooting. Point guard Elliot Cadeau had one of the best games of his career with 19 points and just one turnover. Morez Johnson Jr. posted 12 points and 10 rebounds.

UConn was led Alex Karaban’s 17 points. Guard Braylon Mullins had 11 points on 4 of 17 shooting and guard Solo Ball had 11 points in 16 minutes. Ball was dealing with a foot injury suffered against Illinois.

With its normally explosive offense struggling, Michigan’s defense stepped up to deliver the win.

The Huskies took a 16-15 lead midway through the first half as each team began to adjust to the other’s preferred tempo: more fast-paced for Michigan, more methodical for UConn. At this point, Cadeau and Johnson had combined for all of the Wolverines’ scoring.

The Huskies were already battling foul trouble, as Ball and point guard Silas Demary Jr. both picked up two quick whistles in the first eight minutes. They meant key early playing time for backup Malachi Smith, who finished with 6 points in 20 minutes of action.

Longer offensive possessions with extensive screening and ball movement along with suffocating perimeter defense helped UConn keep the Wolverines largely in check through the end of the first half.

Michigan went into the break ahead 33-29 after making 11 of 12 attempts from the free-throw line. But the Wolverines made just 11 of 30 attempts from the field and missed all eight shots from 3-point range. This was Michigan’s first half of play this season without at least one 3-pointer. UConn hit on just 10 of 30 attempts in the first half but made 5 of 15 from deep.

With its perimeter game missing, Michigan continued to attack the basket and took its biggest lead of the game at 41-33 on a Lendeborg and-one with 15:16 to play. This came amid a run of five UConn turnovers in eight possessions.

With 12:47 remaining, Cadeau made his team’s first 3-pointer to make it 48-37, giving Michigan its first double-digit lead. But the Wolverines were unable to land a knockout blow, at one point missing seven of eight shots, and UConn was able to make it a 50-45 game on a driving Demary layup with 8:24 on the clock.

Michigan answered with a 6-0 run to go in front 56-45 on a Lendeborg 3-pointer with 5:44 to play. That came after a potentially costly UConn possession that saw Karaban miss two free throws and then Demary miss a jumper following a Reed offensive rebound.

The Huskies continued to hang around, with Mullins drilling a 3-pointer after freeing himself with a pump fake to cut Michigan’s lead to 58-51 with 4:13 remaining. After two Cadeau free throws, a Karaban 3-pointer made it 62-56 at the two-minute mark.

In a huge moment on the ensuing possession, Michigan freshman guard Trey McKenney put home a 3-pointer of his own, pushing Michigan’s lead to 65-56 with 1:49 left.

After UConn forced a turnover with 45.7 seconds left, Ball banked in an arcing 3-point attempt to make it a 67-63 game. But Michigan would not be denied.

UConn would have a chance. After guard Roddy Gayle Jr. missed two free throws with 29.9 seconds to play, Karaban freed himself for a long jumper but came up short. Michigan corralled the loose ball with 13 seconds left and Trey McKenney would make two free throws to deliver the title.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Michigan ends Big Ten's basketball title drought with defeat of UConn

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — The Memphis Grizzlies made 29 3-pointers Monday night against Cleveland, matching an NBA single-game record.

And it wasn't enough.

Nine Grizzlies made at least one 3 in a 142-126 loss to the Cavaliers. The Grizzlies shot 49.2% (29 for 59) from deep and 45.7% (16 for 35) from inside the arc.

The 3-point record had been shared by Milwaukee and Boston. The Bucks made 29 3s in a 144-97 victory at Miami on Dec. 29, 2020, and the Celtics equaled the record in a 132-109 win against the New York Knicks on Oct. 22, 2024.

“I think we can be pretty proud of how we played with this group today on the court,” Memphis coach Tuomas Iisalo said. “Guys wanted to go for it in the end, and we were all for it. Unfortunately couldn't set a singular record, but tied it. Nonetheless, very proud of our group.”

The Grizzlies made 10 3s in the first quarter, three in the second, six in the third and 10 in the final period.

The Cavaliers went 12 for 32 from 3 for the game.

“Incredible shooting performance by the Grizzlies. Give them credit,” Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said. “They shot the heck out of the ball.”

Memphis reserves Adama Bal and Dariq Whitehead each made six 3-pointers. Lucas Williamson went 5 for 12 from deep, and Olivier-Maxence Prosper was 4 for 5.

The Grizzlies lost for the 18th time in their last 20 games. They were averaging 13.7 made 3-pointers per game coming into the day.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Paolo Banchero scored 31 points, Desmond Bane added 25 and the Orlando Magic beat the Detroit Pistons 123-107 on Monday night.

Jalen Suggs had 12 points, 12 assists, six rebounds and three steals for the Magic, who won for the fourth time in five games.

Jalen Duren and Daniss Jenkins scored 18 points apiece for Detroit. Kevin Huerter and Javonte Green added 17 each for the Pistons, who had 21 turnovers.

KNICKS 108, HAWKS 105

ATLANTA (AP) — CJ McCollum’s half-court shot at the buzzer was ruled no good after a review and New York held off Atlanta.

Jalen Brunson made two free throws with 1.2 seconds left to give New York a three-point lead. McCollum took an inbounds pass near the free-throw line and took two dribbles before launching a shot that banked in. But replays showed the ball was still in his hands as time expired.

It was the Hawks’ first home loss since early February and put an end to Atlanta’s 13-game home win streak.

Brunson led New York with 30 points and 13 assists, and Karl-Anthony Towns had 21 points, 12 rebounds and six assists. MVP chants erupted in State Farm Arena as a 17-point fourth quarter from Brunson carried New York to its 51st win of the season.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker led the Hawks with 36 points, 20 coming in the first half to help Atlanta to a 57-53 lead at halftime.

CAVALIERS 142, GRIZZLIES 126

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Evan Mobley scored 24 points, Dennis Schroder had 22 points and 11 assists, and Cleveland beat Memphis despite the Grizzlies tying the NBA single-game record with 29 3-pointers.

Cleveland (50-29) reached 50 wins for the second straight season and 14th overall.

Memphis (25-54) shot 29 for 59 (49%) from behind the arc with all nine Grizzlies making a 3-pointer. Memphis’s franchise record for 3-point shooting matched the NBA mark of 29 shared by the Milwaukee Bucks (versus Miami on Dec. 29, 2020) and the Boston Celtics (versus the New York Knicks on Oct. 22, 2024). Adama Bal broke Memphis’ franchise record on the 28th make with 3:25 left and he added another at 1:41.

SPURS 115, 76ERS 102

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Stephon Castle had 17 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds and San Antonio held on to beat Philadelphia after Victor Wembanyama left in the first half due to a left rib contusion.

Wembanyama’s status for the final week of the regular season is unknown.

San Antonio (60-19) is is 2 1/2 games behind Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City (62-16) and assured of finishing no worse than second in the conference.

Philadelphia lost its second straight as it battles to stay out of the play-in tournament. The 76ers (43-36) are a half-game behind the Toronto Raptors (43-35) for sixth place in the Eastern Conference.

Philadelphia center Joel Embiid had 34 points and 12 rebounds, and Paul George added 16 points.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Evan Mobley scored 24 points, Dennis Schroder had 22 points and 11 assists, and the Cleveland Cavaliers beat Memphis 142-126 on Monday night despite the Grizzlies tying the NBA single-game record with 29 3-pointers.

Cleveland (50-29) reached 50 wins for the second straight season and 14th overall.

Memphis (25-54) shot 29 for 59 (49%) from behind the arc with all nine Grizzlies making a 3-pointer. Memphis's franchise record for 3-point shooting matched the NBA mark of 29 shared by the Milwaukee Bucks (versus Miami on Dec. 29, 2020) and the Boston Celtics (versus the New York Knicks on Oct. 22, 2024). Adama Bal broke Memphis' franchise record on the 28th make with 3:25 left and he added another at 1:41.

Cleveland trailed by as many as 17 points in the first half before using a 31-12 run to lead 68-64 at the break. Keon Ellis scored 16 points in the first half, and Mobley and Schroder each added 12. Schroder also had eight assists.

Cleveland outscored Memphis 28-16 over the first eight-plus minutes of the third quarter to build a 96-80 lead. Sam Merrill made a baseline jumper with 0.3 seconds left in the third for a 101-90 lead.

Merrill finished with 21 points for Cleveland and Ellis scored 19. Jarrett Allen moved into eighth place for blocks in franchise history with 431. Donovan Mitchell and James Harden did not play for Cleveland in the second game of a back-to-back.

Olivier-Maxence Prosper scored 24 points for Memphis, which finished 13-27 at home this season. Dariq Whitehead and Adama Bal each had 20 points off the bench with six 3-pointers. Lucas Williamson added five 3-pointers and 17 points.

Memphis opened the second half with its 14th 3-pointer — in just 28 attempts.

Up next

Cavaliers: Play Wednesday in the first of two games against Atlanta.

Grizzlies: Close the season with three road games, beginning in Denver on Wednesday.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

The Cleveland Cavaliers have won three straight games.

All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.

NOTE: I retroactively took half a grade away from everyone tonight for the three-point defense. That’s what happens when your opponent matches the NBA record for threes made.

Jarrett Allen

13 points, 9 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 2 blocks

Allen was in his bag tonight. His behind-the-back dribble into a monster dunk was my favorite moment of the game. But he also rejected the Grizzlies at the rim and showed his usual two-way impact throughout the night.

The Cavs are getting the most out of Allen, who is visibly still working through some discomfort in his knee.

Grade: B+

Evan Mobley

24 points, 4 assists, 6 rebounds

Mobley had a favorable matchup all night. The Cavs did a fine job of taking advantage of that, repeatedly dumping the ball to Mobley and playing off his gravity. The result was a game-high 24 points for Mobley on 9-11 shooting.

I’m going to ding him slightly for not revving the engines even more. This could have been a 30+ point game for Mobley with the way he was rolling.

Grade: B+

Keon Ellis

19 points, 8 assists, 4 rebounds, 1 steal

Ellis is in a groove. He scored 16 points in the first half on 6-9 shooting and delivered an electric dunk to help Cleveland erase a 17-point deficit. His 8 assists are perhaps the most impressive part of this stat line. The Grizzlies began to overcommit, and Ellis made them pay with his playmaking.

Grade: A

Craig Porter Jr.

11 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks

This is back-to-back games from Porter where I felt like he was matching his impact from earlier in the season. He filled up the box score by being everywhere all at once. He’s a lot of fun to watch, especially in a league that has moved away from players like Porter in favor of more three-point specialists.

Grade: A

Sam Merrill

21 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals

Merill scored about half of his points in the third quarter. This was a stage of the game where it felt like Cleveland was truly pulling away. His three-level scoring has been a surprise development, and Merrill is proving he earned every penny of his offseason extension.

Grade: A–

Nae’Qwan Tomlin

10 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block

Similar to Porter, Tomlin just put together two of his better games of 2026. He’s rediscovered his niche by being an energizer who assaults the glass on every possession.

Grade: A-

Dennis Schroder

22 points, 11 assists, 4 rebounds

Schroder looks much better when he’s free to be the lead guard. He’s not someone who can thrive as an off-ball player. We understand that Schroder isn’t consistent enough to play this role for long on a winning team — but he’s clearly capable of being a substitute when you’re in a pinch.

He shot 8-12 and dished out a game-high 11 assists. That’s a big boost when you’re missing both Donovan Mitchell and James Harden.

Grade: A

Larry Nance Jr

10 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal

Nance again provided quality minutes with the bench. I’m not sure if he’s done enough to warrant any minutes in the playoffs, but it’s good to see Nance dust off his shoulders before the season ends.

Grade: B

Tyrese Proctor

10 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals

The rook is getting some run before the season ends, and he’s likely out of the rotation. These are valuable reps for Proctor as he prepares for an offseason of improvement. The raw potential is there, but it will be hard for him to be truly impactful when he shoots 2-8 from the floor like tonight.

Credit for getting to the line and making up for it.

Grade: C–

Evan Mobley scored 24 points, Sam Merrill added 21, and the Cleveland Cavaliers pulled away from the Memphis Grizzlies 142-126 for their 50th win of the season. Jarrett Allen returned to the starting lineup after resting Sunday night against Indiana, scoring 13 points and blocking two shots. The Cavs’ bench did their part too, with four reserves scoring in double-digits.

After securing a playoff spot and with a healthy lead in the standings for the fourth seed, the Cavs opted to rest their star backcourt of Donovan Mitchell and James Harden. During the game, the Cavs also locked up no worse than fourth in the conference after the Atlanta Hawks lost to the New York Knicks.

With some level of concern regarding Allen’s knee, it was good to see him getting up and down the floor with ease and making athletic plays. In one sequence in the second quarter, he swatted a dunk attempt at the rim and came right back down the court with an and-one on a tough reverse lay-in. The Cavs will be cautious with his minutes in these somewhat less essential games, but it’s important for Allen to stay sharp after his absences over the last month or so.

Mobley imposed his size and athleticism, which should be expected against a team that was playing mostly reserves and G League players. It would’ve been nothing short of concerning had Mobley put forth a bad game, especially since he sat out the night before. His 9-11 shooting from the floor was especially impressive, and some of those makes were good post moves and offensive process.

Take the starters out of the equation, and there were some definite positives for the Cavs. Seemingly every quarter, one player put themselves on display and made an impact. Nae’Qwan Tomlin had an energy-filled first quarter that helped keep the Cavs within striking distance. Keon Ellis had an excellent second quarter, punctuated by a three with just over a second left in the half. Even the venerable Larry Nance Jr. had some quality minutes, an opportunity he will likely have for the remainder of the regular season.

Craig Porter Jr. (11 points, eight rebounds, six assists) and Tyrese Proctor (10 points, three steals) played well in more expanded minutes without Mitchell or Harden, and Dennis Schroder had 22 points and 11 assists in the starting lineup. It was a very balanced effort from the Cavs overall, the kind of game that allows each player to shine for at least a little bit. And tonight, there were quite a few players who fit that.

The Cavs will get two days off before coming back home tk play the Hawks, potentially an early preview of a first-round playoff matchup. Tip-off is at 7:00 p.m from Rocket Arena.