Category: NBA

Vanderbilt star Tyler Tanner nearly became a March Madness legend against Nebraska on Saturday, March 21, but his potential game-winning halfcourt heave just barely missed and nearly broke the Cornhuskers' hearts.

Nebraska, already having won its first-ever NCAA Tournament game in the first round this season, advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time in program history after its 74-72 win over the No. 5 seed Commodores in Oklahoma City. Tanner's shot was so shocking in the moment that Nebraska's players on the floor took a few moments to even process the shot missed.

"My heart sank as that ball went in the hoop and went out," Sam Hoiberg said after the game. "I think it took me half-a-second to register that it didn't go in, and then I just screamed in elation. I thought it was in."

REQUIRED READING: Nebraska advances to first Sweet 16 in program history, survives Tyler Tanner heave

Braden Frager added: "I had a perfect shot on it from the bench, and I just froze for two seconds. I thought it went in and I didn't know how to react. Everybody started celebrating and I was like, 'yeah, he actually missed it.'"

Tanner, a first-team All-SEC selection this season, ended the game with 27 points, four assists and four steals in front of a heavy pro-Nebraska crowd that traveled over six hours for the Cornhuskers' first-weekend games. When the shot bounced out of the hoop, his Vanderbilt teammates and coaches fell to the court in shock.

HEARTBREAK FOR VANDERBILT 💔

FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, @HuskerMBB IS HEADED TO THE SWEET SIXTEEN 🤯🤯 pic.twitter.com/u0WSdVjWOu

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) March 22, 2026

Frager's go-ahead driving layup with 2.2 seconds remaining ultimately led to Nebraska's historic win amid its best season in program history. The true freshman scored a team-high 15 points off the bench, tied with leading scorer Pryce Sandfort.

Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg said immediately after the game on the TNT broadcast that he couldn't believe the final shot. Drenched in liquid after the Cornhuskers' postgame celebration in the locker room, he reflected on the shot again.

"That kid is an unbelievable player," he said of Tanner. "When that thing was up in the air I was like, 'Oh, that's going in.' Hit every part of the rim, thankfully bounced out and looking forward to next week."

Tanner, of course, was broken up by the miss after the game.

"It hurts pretty bad," he said.

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

For Tanner, the shot results in the end of his breakout sophomore season that saw him turn into one of the most dynamic guards in the country. He had a minor role of the bench for Vanderbilt last season, averaging 5.7 points per game before increasing his average to 19.7 per contest in 2025-26.

It could be the end of his college career, as he's projected to go No. 28 overall in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft to the Minnesota Timberwolves, according to USA TODAY Sports' latest mock draft. It'd be an end similar to that of Gordon Hayward, whose near-halfcourt make against Duke in the 2010 national championship still lives in college basketball lore.

Nebraska is just happy its unprecedented run is continuing into the second weekend.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Nebraska reacts to Tyler Tanner's halfcourt heave: 'I thought it was in'

The Milwaukee Bucks respond to their worst game of the year with a gritty win tonight, beating the Phoenix Suns 108-105 in a nail-biting affair. Ryan Rollins dazzled for the Bucks with 26 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists, while Jalen Green led the Suns with 24 points.

NBA.com Box Score

Game Recap

Like their previous game against the Jazz, the Bucks started poorly, allowing a 9-0 run to open. Also, like their game against Utah, Milwaukee turned the ball over at an unacceptably high rate to open, giving it away three times in as many minutes. Ultimately, it was not a pretty first quarter for both teams; from 7:27 to 3:50, there were just three points scored. The Suns got going to close the period, though, up 26-15 after one.

It was the AJ Green resurgence to open the second quarter. The Bucks ran their customary ATO (after timeout) set for Green, and he finally nailed a shot after a rough few games. AJ used that stroke on the next possession to get his defender in the air, driving and dumping off to Pete Nance for the layup. Then, he caught it on the wing with minimal space and let that thing fly, bringing the deficit back to just four, 25-29, after three minutes. It wasn’t as if the Bucks lit the world on fire over the next few minutes, but they collectively bought in on the defensive end and were able to get easier looks running off misses; over a 3:30 stretch, the Bucks went on a 20-7 run to take a six-point lead with four minutes left. Kyle Kuzma was key during the second, scoring 13 points on 5/7 shooting. Bucks up 57-52 at half.

A Ryan Rollins three on Milwaukee’s first possession put the Bucks up eight, but the Suns responded with an 11-2 run, spearheaded by Oso Ighodaro and Collin Gillespie. The visitors hung tough, though, with Prince and Rollins firing right back with a quick seven points between them. The game remained within six (or so) points for the rest of the quarter. I do want to note that Ousmane Dieng was given the job on Devin Booker and, although Booker made shots here and there, Ous did a great job moving his feet and being physical; it really opened my eyes as to what his future role could be on this team. Some late scrappy play by Phoenix had them up one, 82-81, at the end of three.

A nifty Cam Thomas cameo to open the fourth had the game tied at 84 after the opening few minutes. With Devin Booker on the bench, the Suns responded with a 7-0 run primarily through Jalen Green. However, a crucial step-back jack from Gary Trent Jr., followed by a Rollins swing-through and-one, had the Bucks down just one, 93-92, going into the final five minutes. Doc called a timeout after Jalen Green knifed into the lane to put Phoenix up three, drawing up a down-screen set for the aforementioned Trent, who nailed the triple—all tied up at 95 with 4:30 on the clock. Back to my prior point, Dieng would later rip Jalen Green and score on the break, followed by a floater in the lane, and voila, the Bucks were up five with 2:20 left. But of course, this game had more turns to come, with Booker nailing an and-one three to bring the lead back to just one. However, the Bucks would close with one of their best sequences of the year: kick out three to Myles Turner (cash), Dieng stonewalling Booker another time, and Rollins nailing the and-one; Bucks up 108-104 with 23.8 seconds on the clock, grabbing the win.

Stat That Stood Out

The Bucks had 20 assists on 39 made field goals; they moved the ball extremely well.

Kevin Durant continues to move up the NBA’s all-time scoring list.

Durant scored 27 points in the Houston Rockets' 123-122 win against the Miami Heat on Saturday, March 21.

He passed Michael Jordan (32,293 points) for fifth place on the list.

Durant is now one of two active players on the list, joining LeBron James. He trails LeBron James, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone and Kobe Bryant. James is No. 1 on the list with 43,241.

He needs 1,351 points to pass Bryant for fourth on the list.

🚨 KD PASSES MJ 🚨

With this three, Kevin Durant passes Michael Jordan for 5th on the all-time SCORING list! pic.twitter.com/byqx3AFLer

— NBA (@NBA) March 22, 2026

NBA's top 10 all-time leading point scorers

1. LeBron James - 43,241
2. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - 38,387
3. Karl Malone - 36,928
4. Kobe Bryant - 33,643
5. Kevin Durant - 32,293
6. Michael Jordan - 32,292
7. Dirk Nowitzki - 31,560
8. Wilt Chamberlain - 31,419
9. James Harden - 29,160
10. Shaquille O'Neal - 28,596

The biggest stories, every morning. Stay up-to-date on all the key sports developments by subscribing to USA TODAY Sports' newsletter.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kevin Durant passes Michael Jordan for fifth on NBA's scoring list

The Dallas Mavericks continue to lose, this time in a 138-131 overtime thriller to the Los Angeles Clippers.

Darius Garland had a savant performance, pouring in 41 points and 11 assists. Kawhi Leonard also had a great performance, scoring 34 points on just 22 shots.

The Mavericks almost pulled off the upset, but were eventually overwhelmed by the more talented team.

Let’s get to the numbers.

50: Three-point percentage for the Clippers

The Clippers were absolutely red hot from three all game, and consistently relied on outside shooting to outpace the Mavericks.

Garland and Leonard combined to be 13-of-21 from three, and the duo made the same amount of threes as the entire Mavericks team combined.

This game is yet another showcase of why the Mavericks desperately need more three-point shooting next year.

+17: Ryan Nembhard’s plus, minus

Ryan Nembhard has quietly found a resurgence in the last couple of weeks. Nembhard had the best plus/minus on the team, and the offense flowed better with him on the court.

While he didn’t start in the game, he showed his value as a bench guard, as he had nine assists with no turnovers.

The Mavericks guard room will look much different next year, but Nembhard is showing that he cannot be forgotten when discussing next year’s team.

3.5: Cooper Flagg’s assist to turnover ratio

While Cooper Flagg did not have an efficient shooting night, his playmaking was great once again.

His jump shot has been woefully off since returning from injury, but the rest of his game has improved, and his impact hasn’t changed. Flagg’s passing and court vision have always been solid, but he has been at a different level since returning.

If the Mavericks are going to continue the Flagg at point guard plan, than his playmaking chops become even more important.

Philly has been stuck between a rock and a hard place during March. Maxey will miss at least three weeks due to a finger tendon injury. Embiid has statistically missed more games than he has played. Paul George was suspended for 25 games after violating the league’s anti-drug policy — I don’t know how he didn’t see that coming. Perhaps a voodoo curse after the disgraceful victory they took against the Jazz from five seasons ago, where Embiid told the refs to eject Donovan Mitchell, and then they actually did it. No, I don’t need to let things go. What are you talking about?

Things did go in the Sixers’ favor, perhaps in the hand of fate, as they were swift to hand Utah their 50th loss of the season in a 126-116 finish in the Delta Center. The Jazz battled, but it was obvious what was really happening, considering Ace Bailey was pulled from the floor in the final quarter despite it still being a close game.

But despite it all, they’ve still won three of their last four games. And tonight was an opportunity for them to inch closer to the 5th-seeded Raptors. Utah would have paid them to take this game from themselves.

The Jazz, on the other hand, had all the regulars on their side of the injury report with the addition of Isaiah Collier. That’s probably why the Jazz inked a deal with G League assist leader Kennedy Chandler this morning after the end of Andersson Garcia’s deal.

Utah threw the first punch with a 10-2 run in just 90 seconds, turning a three-point early hole into a five-point lead. It wasn’t too long for Philly to exploit the holes in the Jazz defense; their 15-3 run left the Jazz down by 4 in the opening quarter. Cam Payne knocked down back-to-back triples in under a minute. The Sixers held a 10-2 point lead in fastbreak points. Utah missed eight consecutive shots. There wasn’t a lick of hustle to be desired. Except for the awesome Ace Bailey buzzer beater and the awesome crowd celly to go with it:

🚨 ACE BEATS THE BUZZER 🚨 pic.twitter.com/QAJgoDn2wU

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) March 22, 2026

Kennedy Chandler, meet your basketball savior Will Hardy. No exaggeration. The 2022 second-rounder led the Jazz in scoring in the first half despite the ink not even dried on his new contract. He finished the first half with 13 points, 3 boards, 2 assists, 1 steal on 3-7 shooting. It’s his first NBA game since April 8th, 2023. Two days ago, he was on the Delaware Blue Coats roster; now, he’s torching the Sixers in his brand-spankin’ new purple uniform. Ace Bailey wasn’t too far behind 13 points, 3 assists on 3-11 shooting, which included a career-high 3 blocks in the first half. Jazz shot 42% from the field and only committed 2 turnovers, which pales in comparison to Philly’s 10.

Sixers kept the intensity in the second half, opening the third quarter on an 11-2 run to erase Utah’s 8-point lead to jump ahead 75-74. Quentin Grimes, or how I’d like to call him “Destined Jazzman”, scored or assisted on 7 of those points. Then that period turned into the Ace Bailey show. Bailey poured in 12 points, 5 boards to total 25 on the night. He set a new career-high of 4 blocks.

His rookie marquee matchup, VJ Edgecombe, kept things up on his end as well, recording a double-double through three quarters, and finished with 13 points and 11 boards. It’s a neat little stat line and all, but I know who I’m going to choose.

No matter the opponent, the Jazz will ensure their opponent is fighting tooth and nail to scrape out a win against the 14th-seeded Utah Jazz. Equally as hilarious, the closing Jazz lineup included a mix of Kennedy Chandler, Elijah Harkless, Bez Mbeng, John Konchar and Cody Williams. Just your average 6’8” 190 lbs big man, nothing to see here.

Now we should keep it a buck, the Jazz had no intentions of walking out this building with a two-game winning streak, reflected by a late 20-8 surge by the Sixers in the last 5:05 minutes. Philly finished with 64 rebounds, including 16 offensive that led to 26 second-chance points. Utah had 7 blocks and just 8 turnovers in this one. Both teams sealed the deal with a firm handshake and a nod of approval.

Your Honor, I would like to introduce Ace Bailey to the courtroom for your consideration for the All-Rookie team. Never mind all the nonsense you saw at the beginning of the year, half of it being sabotaged by the Will Hardy Rookie Training Course™. He’s made a rebirth as a reliable shot-maker and elite shotblocker. After seven rotational injuries, Ace is paving his way as a primary scorer late in the season. We can jump straight into the “turning into a star” thing if you want, or whatever. No biggie.

I feel I am the only person to notice Bez Mbeng’s existence on the basketball court tonight, despite a solid career-high 13-6-7 outing on an efficient 5-7 shooting whilst committing zero turnovers. He had his first ever NBA-start in just his fifth NBA game, and in Will Hardy fashion he was tasked with a 45-minute shift in the junkyard.

---

Up Next

The games roll on; The Jazz welcome the 39-30 Toronto Raptors at the Delta Center, March 23rd, at 5:00 PM MST.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Hugo Lloris finished with two saves for Los Angeles FC in a record fifth straight shutout to begin a season, and Brad Stuver stopped the only shot he faced for Austin FC in a scoreless draw on Saturday night.

Lloris and LAFC (4-0-1) began the season with four shutout victories, just one of four teams in league history to accomplish the feat. His scoreless stretch of 450 minutes is the longest in league history to begin a season.

Lloris nearly surrendered his first goal of the season in the 63rd minute, but a Myrto Uzuni netter off a corner kick by Facundo Torres was disallowed after Ilie Sánchez was charged with a foul following a video review — and that led to a yellow card on Uzuni.

Neither keeper faced a shot on goal in a scoreless first half.

Austin (1-2-2) swept LAFC last year during the regular season but couldn't get past the Western Conference stalwarts in the playoffs. Both of the club's losses this season have come on the road.

LAFC eliminated Alajuelense on Tuesday to advance to the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Champions Cup. The club is 7-0-2 so far through all competitions.

LAFC began the day tied with the Vancouver Whitecaps for first place in the hotly-contested West.

Up next

Los Angeles: Hosts Orlando City on April 4.

Austin: Visits Inter Miami on April 4.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/soccer

Saturday got off to a slow start, but boy did it finish with a bang.

No. 11 seed Texas upset No. 3 Gonzaga, while Nebraska and Vanderbilt slugged it out in a 4-5 classic showdown in OKC.

And we can't forget about No. 12 High Point giving every underdog hope in its late night clash with No. 4 Arkansas in Portland before falling shot.

March Madness scores, highlights: An upset, near-misses alter Sweet 16 bracket

March Madness conference records: Big Ten leads at 11-2; How are SEC, Big 12 doing?

Can Sunday match it? Here's a look at the remaining second round schedule. Which eight teams will round out the Sweet 16?

March Madness games today: NCAA Tournament Round 2 schedule Sunday

Sunday, March 22

All times Eastern

• 12:10 p.m.: No. 2 Purdue vs No. 7 Florida, CBS
• 2:45 p.m.: No. 2 Iowa State vs No. 7 Kentucky, CBS
• 5:15 p.m.: No. 4 Kansas vs No. 5 St. John's, CBS
• 6:10 p.m.: No. 3 Virginia vs No. 6 Tennessee, TNT
• 7:10 p.m.: No. 1 Florida vs No. 9 Iowa, TBS
• 8:45 p.m.: No. 2 UConn vs No. 7 UCLA, TNT
• 9:45 p.m.: No. 4 Alabama vs No. 5 Texas Tech, TBS

Who is in Sweet 16? March Madness Sweet 16 locations

• MIDWEST: No. 1 Michigan will play No. 4 Alabama/No. 5 Texas Tech winner (in Chicago)
• EAST: No. 1 Duke will play No. 4 Kansas/No. 5 St. John's winner (in Washington D.C).
• EAST: No. 3 Michigan State will play No. 2 UConn/No. 7 UCLA winner (in Washington D.C.)
• SOUTH: No. 2 Houston will play No. 3 Illinois/No. 11 VCU winner (in Houston)
• WEST: No. 11 Texas will play No. 2 Purdue/No. 7 Miami (Fla.) winner
• WEST: No. 4 Arkansas will play No. 1 Arizona/No. 9 Utah State winner

March Madness Round 2 scores yesterday

All times Eastern

• No. 1 Michigan 95, No. 9 Saint Louis 72
• No. 3 Michigan State 77, No. 6 Louisville 66
• No. 1 Duke 81, No. 9 TCU 58
• No. 2 Houston 88, No. 10 Texas A&M 57
• No. 11 Texas 74, No. 3 Gonzaga 68
• No. 3 Illinois 76, No. 11 VCU 55
• No. 4 Nebraska 74, No. 5 Vanderbilt 72
• No. 4 Arkansas 94, No. 12 High Point 88

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: March Madness games today Round 2 schedule, how to watch, bracket update

Luka Doncic picked up his 16th technical foul of the season in Saturday’s dramatic 105-104 win over the Orlando Magic, putting the Lakers superstar in line for a one-game suspension as the Lakers take their nine-game winning streak to Detroit on Monday.

Doncic and Magic forward Goga Bitadze were jawing back and forth in the third quarter when Doncic was at the free-throw line. Doncic missed his first free-throw attempt and paused before taking his second, speaking with an official while wagging his finger in the direction of Bitadze.

Doncic said Bitadze told him in Serbian “he’d f— my whole family,” which prompted him to react.

Read more:Luke Kennard sinks last-second three-pointer as Lakers win ninth straight game

“Obviously, I let my team down getting that last tech,” said Doncic, who is hopeful the NBA will rescind the technical. “But honestly, I wasn't trying to. … This is a basketball court. At some point, I just can't stand it. I gotta stand up for myself. But I know I gotta do better. My teammates, I know they have my back, so I let them down today.”

The NBA automatically suspends any player who receives 16 technical fouls during a season. Doncic has reached the threshold two other times, but the NBA rescinded the 16th technical each time, allowing him to avoid suspension.

Bitadze, who is Georgian and played several professional seasons in Serbia, refuted Doncic’s account of the interaction, saying he first heard inappropriate comments from Doncic and only repeated what he heard Doncic say first.

“I'm a fan of his game and don't want to look like it was directed to his family, or anything,” Bitadze said in a phone interview with ESPN and the Orlando Sentinel. “It was just in the heat of the moment. I heard what he said and I felt like I had to respond the same way. So, from my side, if he feels like I said something too much or crossed the line, I apologize as a man. I can take [accountability], but I didn't say anything but what he said. What he came out and said, I don't think that's the truth. I know that's not the truth.”

Crew chief Marc Davis said in a pool report that both players were “assessed technical fouls for their continual taunting of one another.”

“They were both warned to cease their comments directed towards one another between the two free throws,” Davis said. “After the free throw and as the ball entered the frontcourt, they were both correctly assessed technical fouls for their unsportsmanlike comments directed towards one another.”

Officials played a pivotal role in the game that came down to a winning three-pointer from the Lakers’ Luke Kennard with 0.6 seconds remaining. The Lakers trailed by two when LeBron James forced a turnover from Jalen Suggs on an in-bounds pass with 4.7 seconds left. The close play went through several minutes of hawkeye replay on the videoboard that zoomed in on James’ leg and Suggs fingertips. Officials called it Lakers ball in real time. The Magic crowd — announced at 19,597 as the second-largest in Magic history, trailing only last year’s game against the Lakers that drew one more person — was confident that referees would overturn it.

But Davis said in a pool report “there was not clear and conclusive evidence to overturn the on-court ruling.”

Read more:Luka Doncic's 60-point game thrusts Lakers star into middle of MVP debate

Players from both teams were pleading for foul calls most of the game. The Magic and Lakers are first and third in the NBA in free-throw attempts, but the Lakers attempted only nine in the first half. The Lakers finished 19 of 29 from the free-throw line while the Magic were 21 for 23.

“[Officials] didn't have a real good control of that basketball game,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said.

Doncic picked up his 15th technical foul of the season against Denver on March 5, putting him on alert for a possible suspension. It was the last time that the Lakers lost before their current nine-game winning streak, which is the franchise’s longest since the 2019-20 season that culminated with their 17th NBA championship.

Doncic has averaged 40 points per game and has shot 40.3% from three-point range during the scorching run. The Lakers climbed from sixth place in the West to third place.

Doncic hit daring fadeaway three-pointers, threw sky-high lobs to teammates and nailed a dramatic winning shot against the Nuggets at home to add cinematic highlights to his budding most valuable player case. On defense, he had five steals against Miami and four more against the Magic.

Sign up for our weekly newsletter on all things Lakers.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

If the Sixers are able to come away with an OK seed, they’ll owe quite a bit of it to the Jazz.

Philadelphia outlasted a tanking Utah team, holding on to win 126-116 Saturday night.

They are 39-32, the seventh seed in the East after losses earlier in the night by the Orlando Magic and Miami Heat but a win from the Atlanta Hawks.

VJ Edgecombe had 22 points shooting 9-of-19 from the field along with a new career-high 13 rebounds and four assists. Quentin Grimes led the Sixers with 25 points on 9-of-15 shooting.

Trendon Watford had 20 off the bench going 7-of-11 from the floor. Ace Bailey led the Jazz with 25 as well.

Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, Paul George, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Johni Broome remained out for the Sixers. Utah was done eight players themselves, headlined by Keyonte George and Isaiah Collier.

Here are some thoughts at the buzzer.

First Quarter

• It was distracting just how far ahead of the action the broadcast audio was on NBCSP’s feed to start the game. This spoiled things like Justin Edwards knocking down his first three of the night, Edgecombe and Grimes both opening up their nights with drives, and Dominick Barlow hurting his ankle when he got tripped up. He was ruled out with a left ankle sprain shortly after leaving the game.
• Utah had success in the paint early. With Kyle Filipowski getting to the line a couple of times, it only took a couple of threes to rip off a quick 10-2 run. The Sixers responded offensively, but continued to get beat by backdoor cuts and quick outlets.
• Pushing the pace helped the Sixers as well. It helped Cam Payne knock down his first two threes of the night before getting fouled on his third attempt. Grimes blowing by his defender capped off a 15-2 run for Philly. Bailey drilled a three at the buzzer to snap a 4:41 field goal drought and pull the Jazz to within four.

Cam going 🔙 to 🔙 pic.twitter.com/LDF2w9fIDt

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) March 22, 2026

Second Quarter

• The broadcast appeared to finally be fixed with Delaware Blue Coats legend Kennedy Chandler stealing the ball from MarJon Beauchamp, getting an and-1 as he finished on the other end. Payne did his best to stop an extended Jazz run, but they were struggling defensively. Adem Bona picked up his third foul as the froncourt struggled with pick-and-rolls.
• Edgecombe’s attempts, like Payne’s, did help swing the game back again. He hit a nice turnaround from the midrange before a dazzling spin move to set up a floater. The start to Watford’s shift was rocky but he bullied his way to eight points in the quarter.

VJ Edgecombe making the defender pay for reaching with a swift spin, jump step and finish pic.twitter.com/fj7UVkidW3

— Drew Peltzman (@dapeltz13) March 22, 2026

• As the pendulum was swinging back again, Edgecombe was inadvertently poked in the eye by Filipowski and had to leave the game. They were due after going six whole games without a starter getting injured (This is cheating a little bit, counting Barlow and Oubre as starters but it doesn’t matter, they’re all hurt anyway). This was amidst a 13-2 run for the Jazz that put them up by six at the break.

Third Quarter

• At least this injury wasn’t as serious. Edgecombe was out there to start the second half. Bona rebounded to begin the third, blocking a Fiilipowski layup after completing an and-1 from a dunk he was fouled on. Bailey continued to be really solid for Utah. He picked up his fourth block of the night, leading to a fast break that he finished the alley-oop of. An errant pass of his though led to an easy steal and break that put the Sixers back in front.
• Bona continued to make good on his touches, but left some on the table as well. He was fouled on a layup but split the pair. Edgecombe found him off an offensive board for a strong dunk on the next possession, but missed that free throw as well after being fouled. Watford was able to complete his three-point play, but the Jazz getting to the paint on nearly every drive kept them just in front.

Adem has provided a nice spark, but the Sixers are still struggling mightily with the tanking Jazz. pic.twitter.com/Ubebea7n4g

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) March 22, 2026

• Free throws kept the Sixers on the seesaw as Marc Zumoff would say. Edgecombe split a pair as well. Jabari Walker muscled his way for a putback layup to get the Sixers back on top, but Bailey answered right back with a three. Walker was able to work his way in for another layup and Edgecombe sprung free in the corner on the following possession. That three had the Sixers holding a one-point lead going into the fourth.

Fourth Quarter

• Walker’s strong shift continued, swiping the ball from Cody Williams and finding Beauchamp for a transition layup. Edgecombe had an impressive take to the basket and Beauchamp made a nice up-and-under move for another layup. Still getting beat by cuts, the Sixers were not coming up with enough stops to pull ahead.
• Just like the second, Payne hit some big baskets as the starting backcourt needed a breather. It helped that he was the only Sixer to make more than one three-pointer this late in the game. It remained far from a perfect effort as the starters returned but Grimes and Watford kept plugging away to get baskets.
• Something this stretch has allowed Grimes to do is cook in the midrange when his three-point shot isn’t falling. Attacking there again down the stretch helped put this game away, as did the Jazz going scoreless for three minutes. Grimes hit a particularly pretty fadeaway falling to his left, kissing it off the glass.

GRIMES‼️ pic.twitter.com/3rgPD9zkFO

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) March 22, 2026

Nebraska basketball is heading to the Sweet 16 for the first time in school history, winning its second NCAA Tournament game ever in a 3-day span. All it took was a wild game ending in a back-and-forth finish against Mo. 5 seed Vanderbilt.

Commodores guard Tyler Tanner's potential game-winning halfcourt heave at the buzzer bounced off the backboard, went through the rim and somehow bounced out, resulting in the entire Vanderbilt bench falling to the floor in disappointment. Pair that wild ending with Nebraska's electric crowd that traveled over six hours to take over the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, and you get one of the best NCAA Tournament games in recent memory.

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

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

"I can't believe that last shot," Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg said on the TNT broadcast immediately after the game. "I'm still shaking. ... I'm speechless. Hell, I don't even know what to say right now."

REQUIRED READING: March Madness live scores, updates: Round 2 highlights, Sweet 16 bracket

Nebraska true freshman Braden Frager scored a team-high 15 points off the bench for the Cornhuskers, including a game-winning driving layup with 2.2 seconds to give his team a 74-72 win on Saturday, March 21. Vanderbilt outscored Nebraska 40-35 in the second half and Tanner scored 27 points with four assists and four steals, but it ultimately wasn't enough to keep Nebraska from making history.

"I said, 'let me get the ball,'" Frager said. "And I go and make a play like I did, like I know I can."

OH. MY. GOODNESS.

NEBRASKA IS IN FRONT 😱 #MarchMadnesspic.twitter.com/bHX87XMzCu

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

Vanderbilt took a 70-68 lead with 1:44 left in regulation after AK Okereke nailed a corner 3-pointer. But it was Sam Hoiberg, the son of Nebraska's coach, who instantly responded with a driving layup to tie things back up at 70-70 on the ensuing possession.

Tanner and Rienk Mast traded buckets in the final minute, before Nebraska forced a Vanderbilt stop that led to Frager's game-winning shot.

Nebraska's fanbase showed up in droves for the game, which very well could've been the difference in the game's outcome. "Go Big Red" chants bellowed throughout the arena numerous times in the game, with a sea of red blanketing the seats.

The Cornhuskers have already accomplished their best season in program history in 2025-26 and will look to keep it going against the winner of No. 1 seed Florida and No. 9 Iowa next weekend. One thing's for certain: That Nebraska crowd will be an absolute weapon throughout the rest of its NCAA Tournament run.

"This is special, just absolutely special," Hoiberg said of the fanbase. "Every sport. They do this for every sport, we're very blessed to have a fanbase like this that is so supportive of us all year. It's so unbelievable to be able to share this journey with these guys."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Nebraska advances to first Sweet 16 after wild finish vs Vanderbilt

RENO, Nev. (AP) — Corey Camper Jr. finished with a triple-double, Elijah Price posted a double-double and Nevada used a late 11-0 run to beat Liberty 73-63 in the second round of the NIT on Saturday night.

No. 2 seed Nevada advances to the quarterfinals where it will play the winner of Sunday’s second-round matchup between No. 4 seed Seattle University and Auburn, its top-seeded host. Nevada will either travel to Auburn or host Seattle in the quarterfinals.

Camper finished with 10 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists for the Wolf Pack (24-12). Price totaled 15 points and 10 rebounds. Vaughn Weems, Tayshawn Comer and reserve Joel Armotrading all added 10 points.

Brett Decker Jr. had 20 points to lead the unseeded Flames (26-8). Zach Cleveland pitched in with 16 points, seven rebounds and six assists, while JJ Harper scored 14.

Nevada led by as many as nine points in the first half, but Decker's 3-pointer in the final minute cut it to 35-31 at halftime.

Price dunked for a tip-in off a rebound to give Nevada its largest lead at 42-31 two minutes into the second half.

Kaden Metheny and Colin Porter hit back-to-back 3-pointers, and Harper followed with a three-point play to cap an 11-0 run that gave Liberty a 54-50 lead with 10 minutes left.

Price hit two free throws to tie it, but Decker answered with a 3-pointer and the Flames led 61-58 with five minutes remaining.

Armotrading, Price and Camper all went 2 for 2 at the foul line, Comer hit a 3-pointer and Price had a layup to finish off an 11-0 run that gave the Wolf Pack an insurmountable 69-61 lead with 1:13 left.

___

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college basketba spurtll: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

After the Golden State Warriors’ loss to the Atlanta Hawks tonight, they are now 33-38 on the season — five games under .500 and virtually locked into the 10th seed of the Western Conference. If this holds, they will be on the road for all of the Play-In Tournament, and must win two consecutive games to enter the NBA Playoffs, in which their potential reward will be a seven-game series against the defending NBA Champions.

SB Nation asked fans if the Warriors will be able to fulfill that scenario and get out of the Play-In Tournament as the West’s 8th seed in the playoffs:

Only 43 percent of Warriors fans think the team will accomplish that feat. Steph Curry is still out of commission, although there is a glimmer of hope. However, Curry will have to ramp up and get re-acclimated to game speed; the rate of his recovery and re-acclimatization could determine how far the Warriors will advance for the rest of the season.

Do you think the Warriors will climb out of the Play-In doldrums? Head on over to https://sportsbook.fanduel.com/navigation/nba if you want to test your luck.

It wasn’t the prettiest game, but the Cleveland Cavaliers did enough in the fourth quarter to erase a 15-point deficit to defeat the New Orleans Pelicans 111-106.

The Cavs found themselves down by double figures late, mostly due to their offense stalling out in the second and third quarters. Donovan Mitchell going 2-9 from the field in that span had a lot to do with that.

For better or worse, the Cavs have gone as Mitchell has. They’ve struggled when he has, and they’ve won games when he’s excelled.

On the season, the Cavs are 21-9 when Mitchell scores 30 or more points and 12-1 when Mitchell totals 35 or more. Conversely, they’re 5-4 without him and 6-10 when he plays and finishes with 21 or fewer points.

That was the case once again. When Mitchell turned it around late, so did the Cavs. He provided 12 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter, which included icing the game with an and-one layup with less than five seconds left.

Despite the strong ending, it’s fair to acknowledge that Mitchell is in a slump, particularly with his outside shot.

Before February, Mitchell was connecting on 38.4% of his 9.8 threes per game. Coming into Saturday’s game, he’s been converting just 28.4% of his 7.3 three-point attempts per game since that time

I don’t believe this is something to worry about long-term.

Mitchell is an elite shooter. We know he will break out of the funk he’s in, and going 3-8 from deep with one of those coming at the start of the fourth quarter to help turn around momentum is a good start in doing so.

Additionally, he’s still finishing in the paint, which is still what he does best as a scorer. Since February — when his outside shot abandoned him — Mitchell has converted 69% of his looks at the rim (71st percentile) and 54% of his shots in the short midrange (71st percentile) while still getting to the line at a high clip.

Speaking of slumps, Dennis Schroder is really going through it right now.

He hasn’t registered more than 10 points in a game since the March 3 win over the Detroit Pistons. In the eight games since, Schroder is averaging 4.4 points, 3.4 assists, and 1.1 turnovers while shooting just 32.3% from the floor and 23.1% from three. That’s not ideal.

This game was no different. Schroder once again couldn’t get his shot to go as he tallied just a single point while going 0-4 from the field, which included an aired three-point attempt.

The Cavs could use a stabilizing ball handler off the bench. Unfortunately for Cleveland, Schroder hasn’t been that over the last two weeks. It’s fair to wonder if he still has a place in the playoff rotation.

Max Strus was once again in the closing lineup. So far, he’s been in the closing group for all four games he’s played, even though he hasn’t shot the ball particularly well since his debut last Sunday.

Head coach Kenny Atkinson has mentioned there being a “comfort level” with Strus, given their history together. Jarrett Allen’s return could presumably make one less spot in the closing group. As of now, it seems like Atkinson is going to close with two of Allen, Strus, and Sam Merrill.

James Harden and Evan Mobley are continuing to get more comfortable with their two-man game. Harden assisted Mobley off of rolls to the basket twice and passed to him twice more on plays on which he was fouled. Each of those plays can be seen below.

The timing of the pass on these actions is really important. Based on how things looked this time around, they’re more on the same page.

Merrill said after the game that it’s taken him time to get used to Harden’s passess because “ he likes the late pass and sometimes likes the real early pass.” The actions with Mobley are different, but you can see some of what Merrill is saying.

Harden is going to find unconventional windows. The second pass in the clip above is a great example of that as the pass is maybe a second later than what you’d sometimes expect. However, waiting that split second longer gives Mobley a cleaner look at the basket. In this instance, Mobley was ready for that pass to come when he might not have been previously.

Harden has stolen Mitchell’s patented over-the-head gather move.

It didn’t look as pretty as Mitchell’s, but it still led to a basket. Also, I like how Harden used the gather to bring the ball to his right side, but still went up with the left.

Mitchell and Harden continue to be on the same page in the fourth quarter. The duo combined to score 25 of Cleveland’s 35 points, with both taking eight shots in the final period.

Like most ball-dominant pairings, there’s a bit of “your turn, my turn” to their game, but not in a bad way. The two have shown a great awareness of how to best attack the defense, gotten the ball to the person who had it going, and spaced the floor well if the play broke down.

That’s an effective strategy when both players are this good at attacking off the catch and lethal in isolation.

The Cavs have consistently had a great offense when these two share the floor. Coming into this game, the Cavaliers have registered a blistering 127.8 offensive rating (99th percentile) and a 9.1 net rating (89th percentile) when both are on the court. Those numbers are only going to improve after their close to this game.

Things can become more difficult when the game slows down in the clutch. But as of now, the great offense they’ve produced all game has carried over perfectly to late-game situations. That’s incredibly encouraging with the playoffs less than a month away.

The Warriors and Hawks swung a trade two months ago, but in the teams’ first meeting since the deal, none of the players involved played much of a role.

So much for the Jonathan Kuminga revenge game.

Kristaps Porzingis was in street clothes, Buddy Hield only entered in garbage time and Kuminga was ineffective in limited action as the Warriors’ second-half collapse led to a 126-110 loss on Saturday.

Although Hawks star Jalen Johnson (shoulder) was ruled out before tipoff, Kuminga still came off the bench for Atlanta and was held scoreless for his first seven attempts from the field. Instead, it was Dyson Daniels who stepped up and played a starring role with 28 points.

What it means

The loss sent the Warriors (33-38) five games below .500 for the first time since they were 19-24 two seasons ago. The franchise hasn’t been six games under water since the injury-riddled 2019-20 season ended in a 15-50 finish. That’s also the last time Steph Curry missed significant time.

Golden State has lost 10 of 12 to send it into 10th place in the West.

Turning point

The Warriors’ first handful of possessions of the second half, which resulted in five turnovers, a couple missed shots and just one bucket as a 63-61 halftime deficit quickly swelled to double digits.

Golden State largely controlled the first half but wasn’t ready to play coming out of intermission and set the tone for the rest of the game. Atlanta scored 17 of the first 19 points in a 39-20 third quarter and never looked back.

---

Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters

MVP: Mike Dunleavy Jr.

The Warriors GM should sleep easy after Kuminga’s showing in his first game against his former team. Kuminga’s first and only points came two minutes into the fourth quarter, with Atlanta already leading by more than 20. He finished 1 of 9 from the field and was minus-6 in 22 minutes off the bench in a 16-point win.

Hield has played 19 total minutes since the trade, including the final 4:22 he logged once things were officially out of hand. Porzingis was ruled out with low back soreness that forced him to the locker room early Friday, but he has appeared in as many games for the Warriors as Kuminga has so far in Atlanta (seven).

Stat of the game: Plus-143 vs. Minus-88

With all the Warriors’ injuries and Johnson out for the Hawks, neither team started its usual group, but Atlanta’s starting five dominated those early minutes of the third quarter.

That stretch was reflected in the cumulative plus-minus for each group.

Up next

The Warriors close out their road trip Monday against the Mavericks seeking to pick up their second win of the six-game trip. Before then, Curry (knee) will participate in a scrimmage Sunday that will determine his outlook for the final 11 games of the regular season.

FRISCO, Texas (AP) — Logan Farrington scored two goals in the first 14 minutes and then picked up an assist on Petar Musa's winner in the 86th as FC Dallas rallied last in a wild 4-3 victory over the Houston Dynamo on Saturday night.

Farrington staked Dallas (2-1-2) to an early lead, scoring for the first time this season — in the 6th minute — with assists from Shaq Moore and goalkeeper Michael Collodi. He made it 2-0 eight minutes later with some help from rookies Herman Johansson and Joaquín Valiente, netting his 12th goal in 66 career appearances. It was the first assist for both rookies.

Houston (2-2-0) bounced back with goals from Guilherme Santos and defender Erik Sviatchenko two minutes apart to tie it in the 31st minute. Lawrence Ennali scored two minutes later to give the Dynamo a 3-2 lead that stood through halftime.

Guilherme scored for the third time in his first four matches in the league and picked up an assist on Sviatchenko's first goal this season and his second in 67 appearances. Guilherme and Héctor Herrera had assists on the go-ahead score. Herrera collected his first assist this season, while Guilherme earned his third. Ennali has scored one goal in three straight seasons, covering 24 appearances.

Dallas got some help to even the score in the 54th minute on an own goal from Dynamo midfielder Duane Holmes.

Valiente and Farrington had assists on Musa's winner. Musa notched his sixth goal of the young season, one behind league leader Sam Surridge of Nashville SC. Musa has scored 40 times in his first 65 matches. Farrington's assist was his second of the season and the 14th of his career.

Collodi saved one shot for Dallas in his 14th career start.

Jonathan Bond totaled five saves for the Dynamo in their first road match of the season.

Dallas leads the series 17-14-20, including a 12-4-9 record at home.

Up next

Houston: Hosts the Seattle Sounders on April 4.

Dallas: Visits D.C. United on April 4.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/soccer