Category: NBA

Houston Rockets (44-29, sixth in the Western Conference) vs. New Orleans Pelicans (25-50, 11th in the Western Conference)

New Orleans; Sunday, 7 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: New Orleans enters the matchup against Houston after losing four straight games.

The Pelicans are 7-8 against the rest of their division. New Orleans has a 14-22 record in games decided by at least 10 points.

The Rockets are 8-6 against the rest of their division. Houston has a 21-11 record in games decided by at least 10 points.

The 115.3 points per game the Pelicans average are 5.1 more points than the Rockets give up (110.2). The Rockets average 11.2 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.9 fewer made shots on average than the 14.1 per game the Pelicans give up.

The teams play for the fourth time this season. In the last matchup on March 14 the Rockets won 107-105 led by 32 points from Kevin Durant, while Dejounte Murray scored 35 points for the Pelicans.

TOP PERFORMERS: Zion Williamson is averaging 21.4 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists for the Pelicans. Saddiq Bey is averaging 17.8 points over the last 10 games.

Alperen Sengun is averaging 20.4 points, 8.9 rebounds and 6.2 assists for the Rockets. Durant is averaging 25.5 points over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Pelicans: 5-5, averaging 115.9 points, 43.7 rebounds, 26.5 assists, 9.2 steals and 6.2 blocks per game while shooting 48.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 113.5 points per game.

Rockets: 5-5, averaging 111.2 points, 47.7 rebounds, 26.7 assists, 8.1 steals and 5.4 blocks per game while shooting 47.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.5 points.

INJURIES: Pelicans: Trey Murphy III: day to day (ankle), Bryce McGowens: day to day (toe), Dejounte Murray: out (achilles).

Rockets: Fred VanVleet: out for season (acl), Steven Adams: out for season (ankle).

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

Orlando Magic (39-34, ninth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Toronto Raptors (41-32, fifth in the Eastern Conference)

Toronto; Sunday, 6 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: Orlando travels to Toronto looking to stop its three-game road skid.

The Raptors have gone 29-16 against Eastern Conference opponents. Toronto averages 114.0 points and has outscored opponents by 1.7 points per game.

The Magic are 24-23 against conference opponents. Orlando is 15-17 in games decided by 10 points or more.

The Raptors' 11.5 made 3-pointers per game this season are just 0.4 fewer made shots on average than the 11.9 per game the Magic allow. The Magic are shooting 46.4% from the field, 0.3% lower than the 46.7% the Raptors' opponents have shot this season.

The teams play for the third time this season. In the last matchup on Jan. 31 the Magic won 130-120 led by 32 points from Desmond Bane, while Brandon Ingram scored 35 points for the Raptors.

TOP PERFORMERS: Scottie Barnes is averaging 18.5 points, 7.8 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 1.5 blocks for the Raptors. RJ Barrett is averaging 20.1 points and 5.1 rebounds over the past 10 games.

Bane is scoring 20.4 points per game and averaging 4.2 rebounds for the Magic. Tristan da Silva is averaging 2.0 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Raptors: 5-5, averaging 115.9 points, 40.5 rebounds, 29.7 assists, 8.9 steals and 5.5 blocks per game while shooting 49.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 116.0 points per game.

Magic: 4-6, averaging 119.8 points, 40.8 rebounds, 25.5 assists, 7.4 steals and 2.7 blocks per game while shooting 46.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 122.3 points.

INJURIES: Raptors: Immanuel Quickley: out (foot), Trayce Jackson-Davis: out (knee), Collin Murray-Boyles: day to day (back).

Magic: Franz Wagner: out (ankle), Anthony Black: out (abdomen), Jonathan Isaac: out (knee).

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

WASHINGTON — Connecticut was the hammer. Michigan State was the nail.

The No. 2 Huskies made six of their first seven attempts from 3-point range to lead the No. 3 Spartans 25-6 midway through the first half of the Sweet 16, seemingly snapping out of the month-long slump that had cost them the Big East regular-season and tournament championships.

“I think we were able to slow them down in transition and then execute, not turn the ball over,” said guard Silas Demery.

But things are never that easy for this UConn team. Things haven’t been easy, in fact, since the second of the program’s back-to-back national championships in 2024.

Michigan State stormed back. A late bucket by Jeremy Fears Jr. made the score 35-27 at halftime. The lead was 35-34 just over three minutes into the second half. By the midpoint of the second half, the Spartans went ahead 45-44 for their first lead since going in front 4-3 just 74 seconds into the game.

“I think we’ve got to be able to handle those runs better,” said guard Solo Ball. “I think we gave in and let them have that run. We lost focus on what we do best, the defense and rebounding that put us up.”

But down the stretch, the Huskies’ three veteran leaders — Ball, forward Alex Karaban and center Tarris Reed Jr. — stepped up to deliver a 67-63 win that leaves UConn a win away from the eighth Final Four appearance in program history.

“Tarris and Solo and then (Karaban) at the end over there just willed up to the victory,” coach Dan Hurley said.

UConn will next face No. 1 Duke in the Elite Eight. The two programs have met nine times, including a 77-74 UConn win in the 1999 national championship game.

Karaban, Reed and Ball combined for 49 points, 73.1% of the team’s total. Karaban posted 17 points and 7 rebounds for his 11th career NCAA Tournament game in double-figure scoring. Reed finished with 20 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists. Ball had 12 points, including a pair of free throws and layup on successive possessions that helped the Huskies move ahead 55-49 with 5:30 to play.

At a crucial point, these three put the Huskies on their backs to avoid what might have been the worst loss of the Hurley era.

“We responded the right way,” said Demery. “We took that punch and were able to go back and forth with them.”

The key was Karaban, the only member of the roster to log meaningful minutes during the back-to-back run. A veteran of 17 career tournament games and just one tournament loss, the senior delivered key buckets down the stretch and, more importantly, helped keep the Huskies’ emotions in check as the Spartans stormed ahead in the second half.

“Alex responded like he’s been there before. He’s been in these moments,” Demery said.

Karban is “the leader of this team,” said Reed. “He’s the captain of this ship. Following what he’s doing is going to help us go as a deep as we can.”

At a second-half timeout after MSU had drawn within a possession at 51-49 on a Jeremy Fears Jr. layup, Karaban told his teammates to stay together and composed. Be there for your brother, Deremy recalled Karaban saying, and be ready to swing back.

“We knew we had to stay together no matter what,” said Karaban. “Everything was tested for us. Every possession, offense, defense, was a test for us. I think it was a special game.”

Reed cracked the 20-point mark for the second time this tournament, joining his monster 31-point, 27-rebound performance against No. 15 Furman in the opening round, on a pair of game-icing free throws with four seconds left.

“You would think in those moments it would be nerve-wracking,” Reed said. “But when you're in it, it wasn't that nerve-wracking. Like I said, 'Trust the work.'

“I've been working on it. Taking my time and breathing and trusting in the shot and living with the result.”

Reed was “amazing, dominant, the guy,” said Karaban. While the former Michigan transfer has given the Huskies a much more interior-centered feel than the two championship teams, his ability to draw attention helped free Karaban for a 12-point second half that saw him play all 20 minutes after the break.

Behind these three veterans, UConn was able to outmuscle one of the toughest and most physical programs in the country. That’s a testament to the program’s growth not just since losses to Marquette and St. John’s late in the regular season but since last year’s frustrating team, which bowed out in the second round to eventual national champion Florida.

“It happens every single game,” Ball said. “There are new guys that step up. But at the same time, I think it’s just the mentality. We’re not just going to do anything to lose. It’s all 15 of us trying to stay in the same locker room as long as we can. That’s the biggest motivation.”

Now the focus shifts to the Blue Devils, who pulled out a physical win of their own in the first regional semifinal against the Red Storm. Unlike the Huskies, Duke has no seniors in the rotation and are heavily reliant on freshmen and sophomores such as Cameron Boozer, Dame Sarr, Isaiah Evans and Patrick Ngonba II.

That could give UConn a pregame edge in the matchup to determine which team advances out of this star-studded region.

“That's what this time of year is all about,” Hurley said. “You've got to have great upperclassmen. You have to have great juniors, great seniors, veteran players that are not going to blink and just can handle the pressure of the moment and also can bounce back.”

Now playing their best basketball in weeks, if not the entire year, the UConn veterans “don’t want it to end,” Reed said.

“I just remember last year we were crying in the locker room after the round of 32. It was one of the worst feelings ever. I'm motivated.

“I love everybody in this locker room and want to keep going. I want to go to the Final Four and make history.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: UConn relies on veteran players to get past Michigan State in Sweet 16

The first game after a lengthy road trip can be tricky. 

Coach JJ Redick warned ahead of the Lakers’ home matchup against the Nets that games like Friday night can often feel like road games. And it showed for the Lakers, who struggled early on against the tanking Nets.

But Luka Doncic continued his hot streak, scoring 41 points in the Lakers’ 116-99 win over the Nets at Crypto.com Arena.

“Just playing my game, just trying to get downhill,” Doncic responded when asked what’s helped him sustain his level of player for the last few weeks.

Doncic has averaged nearly 40 points (39.7) in the Lakers’ last 12 games.

“Sometimes the 3s going, sometimes not,” Doncic added. “Just trying to touch the paint, make plays and see what the defense gives me.” 

The Lakers outscored the Nets 31-15 in the fourth quarter after leading by just one (85-84) after the first three quarters.

The Nets, who are more interested in having the best shot at securing a high pick in June’s draft instead of winning games, didn’t play three starters (Ziaire Williams, Noah Clowney and Nic Claxton) in the final quarter.

Austin Reaves added 26 points, eight rebounds and five assists. He scored 15 points of his scoring total in the fourth.

LeBron James had 14 points, eight assists and six rebounds. 

What it means

The Lakers improved to 48-26 after their 14th victory in their last 16 games. 

Turning point

When Jaxson Hayes blocked Ben Saraf’s putback attempt with 4:19 seconds left in the game. 

The Lakers were up 103-97 at the time, struggling to create meaningful separation against the Nets. 

Hayes’ block led to Rui Hahcimura drawing a shooting foul in transition, with Hachimura making both free throws to put the Lakers up by eight.

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James made a layup on the Lakers’ next possession to put them up 107-97, their largest lead of the second half up to that point. 

The Lakers went on a 7-0 run after Hayes’ block. 

MVP: Luka Doncic

Despite picking up his technical foul in the third, meaning he’ll have to serve a one-game suspension unless the technical is rescinded, Doncic earned the honor.

His performance on Friday was his second consecutive 40-point game, his sixth in his last 12 games and league-leading 15th 40th-point game of the season. 

Stat of the game: 18

That was the combined number of blocked shots and steals the Lakers had against the Nets. 

Hayes led the Lakers with five blocked shots, while Doncic had a team-high three steals. Deandre Ayton also had three blocked shots.

Up next

The Lakers will have two full days in between games before hosting the Wizards on Monday.

It’ll mark the first time since mid-January that they had multiple days in between games, outside of the All-Star break. 

“It’s gigantic,” James said. :And we got to take full advantage of it, for sure.”

They’ll likely be without Doncic after he picked up his 16th technical foul of the season, leading to a league-mandated one-game suspension. 

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Luka Doncic had 41 points and eight rebounds while also picking up his suspension-triggering 16th technical foul during the Los Angeles Lakers ' 116-99 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Friday night.

Austin Reaves scored 15 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter while the Lakers finally pulled away from the young Nets to secure their 11th victory in 12 games. LeBron James added 14 points and eight assists for the Lakers in their return from a 5-1 road trip that has put them in third in the Western Conference standings.

Josh Minott had 18 points and six rebounds in Brooklyn’s 10th consecutive loss. Nic Claxton and Ziaire Williams scored 16 points apiece while leading the Nets’ lively effort, but both starters were kept on the bench for the entire fourth quarter along with Noah Clowney.

The young Nets still hung with the road-weary Lakers until the final minutes, erasing an early double-digit deficit and leading in the fourth quarter of their 20th loss in 22 games overall.

Doncic hit five 3-pointers during his 15th 40-point game of the season, but the Slovenian superstar found trouble when he and Williams were whistled for double technical fouls in the third quarter.

Williams was celebrating an offensive foul called against Doncic by gleefully screaming in Doncic’s personal space. When Doncic reached out to shove Williams’ arm, Williams responded with a backhand swipe across Doncic’s face.

Unless Doncic’s technical is rescinded, he will be suspended for a game. He already had a technical rescinded last week after he was whistled for a verbal altercation with Orlando’s Goga Bitadze.

Bronny James played alongside his famous father for the second straight game, with LeBron getting the first father-son assist in NBA history on Bronny’s 3-pointer in the second quarter. Bronny has been limited largely to mop-up action in his first two NBA seasons, but he has earned rotation minutes this week in the injury absence of Marcus Smart.

Bronny and Williams played together in high school at Sierra Canyon School in suburban Los Angeles.

Up next

Nets: Host Sacramento on Sunday.

Lakers: Host Washington on Monday after LA’s first consecutive days off since the All-Star break.

The Los Angeles Lakers returned home from their most recent road trip, earning a 116-99 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on March 27.

The game saw LeBron James and Bronny James share the court for a second straight game.

The duo created a moment in the second quarter of the game, producing the first father-son assists in NBA history.

Bronny had initially passed the ball to LeBron with 7:54 left in the second quarter before the veteran player drew a double team and immediately passed the ball back to his son, who made a wide-open three-pointer.

Bronny’s long-range shot cut into Brooklyn’s lead and made it a two-point game at 44-42. The Nets were on a 16-4 scoring run before the Lakers’ 3-pointer.

LeBron finished with 14 points, eight assists and six rebounds in 37 minutes of play. Bronny finished the game with three points in four minutes of play.

BRONNY ➡️ LEBRON ➡️ BRONNY

THE FIRST FATHER-SON ASSIST IN NBA HISTORY! pic.twitter.com/qWGcYLayLi

— NBA (@NBA) March 28, 2026

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: Lakers' LeBron James, Bronny James create another NBA moment together

An unnecessarily close game ended with the Lakers pulling away in the fourth for a 116-99 win over the Brooklyn Nets. 

The game began with LA taking control early. Luka Dončić scored seven points. LeBron James was close behind with four points. The Lakers went up by 11, prompting a Nets timeout. Out of the break, Brooklyn missed their shot attempt. 

Los Angeles was shooting 69% from the field.

After starting the game terribly, Brooklyn went on a 9-2 scoring run to make it a five-point game. Luka entered double figures with 11 points. Luke Kennard drained a triple as the quarter was winding down. 

At the end of the first, the purple and gold were up by five. 

Brooklyn made a push to get back into the game after LA went up by 12 early, trimming the margin to 5 at 35-30 after 12 minutes of action.

Dončić, as usual, reached double figures in the 1st Q, with 14 points on 6 of 10 FG's.

— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) March 28, 2026

Terance Mann started the second period by converting on a jumpshot for the Nets. Brooklyn made it a one-point game after scoring four in a row. It forced the Lakers to call a timeout. 

Out of the break, Mann knocked down a 3-pointer that put them in the lead.

LeBron and Bronny James combined for a quick seven points to tie the game. Luka knocked down his third triple of the half. He was a perfect 3-3 from behind the arc and had 19 points so far. 

The Lakers were on a 14-2 scoring run.

Nolan Traore was having a nice game for the Nets with nine points. Nic Claxton was in double figures with 12. They were a big reason why it became a two-point game at halftime. Traore ended the half with a buzzer-beating triple. 

The Lakers lead the Nets 61-59 at the half. Not a great quarter for LA.

— Edwin Garcia (@ECreates88) March 28, 2026

The third period began with Austin Reaves getting fouled and converting on both free throws. Noah Clowney responded with a 3-pointer on the other end. Luka helped extend LA’s lead to five. The lead went back and forth between three and five as Los Angeles struggled to build a bigger advantage.

At the 5:40 mark, Los Angeles was nursing a three-point lead. 

Ziaire Williams scored a quick four points in a row that gave them the lead again. Luka picked up his 16th technical foul, which means he will miss the next game. Williams was playing great for the Nets. He was at 15 points. 

The Nets jumped into the lead with 3:04 left in the quarter. 

Brooklyn was winning the second-chance points battle 19 to four. The Nets kept it close, but LA led by one going into the fourth quarter. Luka added to his monster night, pushing his total to 36 points.

LUKA DONČIĆ. 12 STRAIGHT 30-POINT GAMES 🔥

His scoring tear continues with 30 midway through the 3Q… pic.twitter.com/NAKJ8HDD5j

— NBA (@NBA) March 28, 2026

Kennard opened the final frame with a layup for Los Angeles. LeBron connected with Jaxson Hayes for the jam on the other end. The Lakers were nursing a three-point lead until Josh Minott tried to throw down a wild dunk that went in. The Nets went up by one with 8:50 left. 

Reaves knocked down a much-needed 3-pointer.

Another triple from Reaves and a free throw from LeBron gave LA a small amount of breathing room with their lead. Luka and Reaves then took over, combining for five points to push Los Angeles’s lead to nine with five minutes left. 

Minott drained a 3-pointer to stop some of their bleeding. 

With two minutes left, LA was up by 11 when Luka and Reaves put the finishing touches on the win with back-to-back 3-pointers.

Key Player Stats

Luka finished with 41 points, eight rebounds, three assists and three steals. LeBron notched 14 points with eight assists. Reaves ended with 26 points, eight rebounds and five assists.

Rui Hachimura logged eight points off the bench. Jaxson Hayes had 10 points and eight rebounds. Deandre Ayton scored nine points with seven rebounds. 

The Lakers’ next matchup will be against the Washington Wizards on Monday at 7:00 PM PT.

You can follow Karin on Twitter at @KarinAbcarians.

It's a party of Midwest teams heading to the Elite Eight of the 2026 men's NCAA Tournament.

A record-breaking four Big Ten teams won Sweet 16 games, giving the conference more than half of the remaining teams in March Madness. It could've put five teams to the Elite Eight, but Michigan State narrowly lost to UConn 67-63.

Iowa has been the biggest surprise of the NCAA Tournament, and its historic run continued with an upset victory over fellow Big Ten foe Nebraska in the Sweet 16. First-year coach Ben McCollum and the Hawkeyes are making their first Elite Eight appearance since 1987, and McCollum has already won four career Division I NCAA Tournament games despite being in only his second season at the level.

REQUIRED READING: Inside Ben McCollum's 'insane' Iowa ride to Elite 8: A story of unbreakable resolve

Three No. 1 seeds — Duke, Arizona and Michigan — also punched their tickets to the Elite Eight. The Wildcats and Wolverines rolled in wins over No. 4 seeds Arkansas and Alabama, respectively, whereas the Blue Devils survived a tough matchup with coach Rick Pitino and No. 5 St. John's.

Here's a look at the winners and losers of the Elite Eight, with only four games remaining before the Final Four gets underway in Indianapolis:

Sweet 16 winners

Big Ten

The Big Ten put a record-breaking four teams — Michigan, Purdue, Illinois and Iowa — in the Elite Eight, making up half of the remaining teams in national championship contention. It's only the third time since the NCAA Tournament expanded that a single conference has had four members in the Elite Eight, joining the SEC in 2025, the ACC in 2016 and the Big East in 2009.

The Big Ten could've broke the record, too, but Michigan State fell to No. 2 UConn by four points in the Sweet 16. Overall, the conference has a 17-5 record in the NCAA Tournament, proving the conference was the best in college basketball this season.

Iowa, of course, is the biggest surprise inclusion among Big Ten teams. Michigan, Purdue and Illinois are all ranked top 10 in KenPom. The Hawkeyes proved there's still some Madness in March, though.

Caleb Foster

Caleb Foster suffered a hairline fracture in his foot on March 7 that required surgery and returned to game action in Duke's 75-70 win over St. John's in the Sweet 16. His 19 minutes off the bench against the Red Storm Devils was his first 5-on-5 action in the 20 days since suffering the injury, and he didn't miss a beat.

While he didn't return to the starting lineup, he scored 11 points — all of which came in the second half. His gutsy performance resulted in a teary-eyed Jon Scheyer after he was asked of Foster after the game.

"He had no business playing today," Scheyer said to CBS Sports' Tracy Wolfson after the game. "He was determined. That was one of the most special performances I've ever seen. He was incredible, even in the huddles what he was doing, and some big-time plays too.

"That's a leader right there and that's a guy that came through for us when we needed him the most."

Tommy Lloyd

Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd has established himself as one of the premier coaches in men's college basketball in his first four seasons with the Wildcats, accumulating a 112-33 record. However, he and Arizona had some NCAA Tournament blunders, failing to surpass the Sweet 16 in any of those four seasons.

Lloyd and Arizona squashed that narrative against Arkansas in the Sweet 16, defeating the Razorbacks 109-88. The Wildcats were able to score 109 points despite making just five 3-pointers after shooting 64% from the field.

Arizona is playing like one of, if not the best team in college basketball right now.

Trey Kaufman-Renn

Purdue forward Trey Kaufman-Renn saw his scoring average dip from 20.1 points per game last season to 14.3 this season. He's shown up big for the Boilermakers in the NCAA Tournament regardless, proving he still has "it" when it matters.

The 6-foot-9 senior scored a buzzer-beater tip-in to give Purdue a 79-77 win over No. 11 Texas in the Sweet 16, avoiding an upset against the surging Longhorns. He finished the game with 20 points and eight rebounds on 8-of-10 shooting, after scoring 19 against Miami and 25 against Queens in the first round.

TREY KAUFMAN-RENN GAME-WINNER 🚨

PURDUE ADVANCES TO THE ELITE 8 🤯 pic.twitter.com/CYj7ltsGXT

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 27, 2026

Kaufman-Renn has been wildly efficient in the postseason, as far back as scoring 20 points on 10-of-15 shooting in Purdue's Big Ten Conference Championship win over No. 1 Michigan prior to the NCAA Tournament. His re-emergence has been huge for the Boilermakers' chances at getting back to the Final Four.

Sweet 16 losers

Houston offense

Houston narrowly fell to Florida in the national championship game last season, and brought back three stars along with two potential NBA first-round picks in Kingston Flemings and Chris Cenac Jr. However, an offensive cold spell doomed the Cougars against Illinois in the Sweet 16.

Making their seventh consecutive Sweet 16, Houston was held to an abysmal 34% mark from the field in its 65-55 loss, making just 22 of its 64 shots. The Cougars' defense held a stout Illinois offense in check, one that ranks No. 2 nationally in KenPom's adjusted offensive efficiency this season.

Still, it wasn't enough to get back to the Final Four, leaving Houston heading into next season still seeking its first-ever national championship under legendary coach Kelvin Sampson, one of the best coaches to have never won a title.

Joshua Jefferson-less Iowa State

Iowa State won't get to see how far it could've gone with star forward Joshua Jefferson, after the senior forward suffered an ankle injury in the opening minutes of the Cyclones' first-round win over East Tennessee State. He missed out on Iowa State's win over Kentucky in the second round and was unable to get ready for its 76-62 Sweet 16 loss to No. 6 Tennessee.

Jefferson, a second-team All-American, averaged 16.4 points with 7.4 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game this season, making him one of the best all-around players in college basketball. His presence was missed against the Vols, who finished with 16 offensive rebounds and outrebounded Iowa State 43-22 overall.

It's an unfortunate ending for Iowa State's veteran trio of Jefferson, Tamin Lipsey and Milan Momcilovic, who have started nearly every game for the Cyclones the past two seasons. Jefferson and Lipsey end their college careers with 232 regular season starts, while Momcilovic will likely lead the program as a senior next season.

Alabama

Alabama was on fire in the first half against No. 1 Michigan in the Sweet 16 on March 27, even leading the Wolverines 49-47 in the first half. The Crimson Tide came out of halftime and were dominated the rest of the game, however.

Alabama made nine 3-pointers in the first half and was led by star guard Labaron Philon Jr., who scored 19 points in the first 20 minutes before finishing with 35 points with seven rebounds and four assists. The shooting went cold as it was outscored by Michigan 43-28 in the second half, as the Crimson Tide were held to a 5-of-23 mark from 3-point range and only 10 field goals in general.

The Crimson Tide were close to pulling off an upset, but ultimately won't be heading to the Elite Eight for the third consecutive season.

Nebraska fans

Nebraska fans took over Oklahoma City for its first-ever wins in the NCAA Tournament against Troy and Vanderbilt in the first weekend. Cornhuskers fans arrived in droves for their Sweet 16 game against Big Ten foe Iowa in Houston, but to no avail after Nebraska lost in heartbreaking fashion to the Hawkeyes.

Nebraska led for all but 2:10 of regulation, which happened to be the final moments of the game. The Cornhuskers also had only four players on the court following a timeout, which led to a massive 3-point play for Iowa's Alvaro Folgueiras, which ultimately sealed the game.

Nebraska ultimately leaves March Madness as winners in 2026, laying the groundwork for where the program can go in the future. However, it squandered an opportunity to keep its run going against Iowa, which it already defeated once this season in conference play.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Winners of losers of men's NCAA Tournament Sweet 16

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Marvin Bagley III scored a season-high 26 points off the bench and Cooper Flagg had 24 to lead the Dallas Mavericks past the Portland Trail Blazers 100-93 on Friday night, snapping a five-game skid.

Naji Marshall had 19 points and five steals for the Mavericks, who had dropped seven of their previous nine games on the road and bounced back from a 142-135 loss at Denver on Wednesday night.

Bagley, who had his most points since scoring 25 last April, shot 11 of 14 from the field, including 3 of 5 from 3-point range, and had nine rebounds. Flagg had four steals for Dallas.

Jrue Holiday scored 23 points and Deni Avdija had 20 points and nine rebounds for the Trail Blazers, who had their two-game winning streak stopped and fell below .500 at 37-38. Portland, which has clinched a playoff spot and is currently in ninth place in the Western Conference, had won five of its previous six to get back to .500 for the first time in over two months.

Donovan Clingan had 17 rebounds and six points for the Trail Blazers.

The game was tied at 92 with 2:25 remaining after Holiday made a 3-pointer, but the Mavericks sealed the victory with an 8-1 run to end it. Bagley had a layup and a dunk to start the run and Marshall and Brandon Williams combined to make four free throws.

Up next

Mavericks: Host Minnesota on Monday night.

Trail Blazers: Host Washington on Sunday night.

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

Less than a week after avoiding a suspension because of an accumulation of technical fouls, Lakers star guard Luka Doncic picked up his 16th technical foul of the season on Friday night, meaning he’ll have to serve a one-game suspension in the team’s next game. 

Doncic picked up the technical foul after he and Nets forward Zaire Williams were double T’d up after an altercation midway through the third quarter of Friday’s matchup at Crypto.com Arena. 

After Doncic was called for an offensive foul against Nic Claxton on an inbounds play underneath the Lakers basket, Williams was yelling next to Doncic after the turnover. Doncic shoved Williams in the back before Williams hit Doncic in the face while his back was turned to him. 

The sequence that led to the double technicals for Luka Doncic and Ziaire Williams.

If Luka's technical foul (his 16th of the season), isn't rescinded like last time, by league rule he'll have to serve a one-game suspension Monday vs. Washington. https://t.co/Qjj7EOZcTBpic.twitter.com/esYjyebu9B

— Khobi Price (@khobi_price) March 28, 2026

The referees review saw a “push” from Doncic, followed by an “action” after the push by Williams, leading to the double technicals. 

“He [yelled] in my face three times,” Doncic said postgame. “I just wanted to get out of there. It’s a double tech, of course. What can I say? I didn’t even talk. I just wanted to get out of there. And they said I pushed. My push was exaggerated, which was obviously not. And I don’t know what else to tell you.”

Doncic is unlikely to dodge the league’s mandated one-game suspension for accumulation of technicals this time around. 

“I’m sure we will appeal it,” coach JJ Redick said. “I didn’t see what happened.”

Doncic was assessed a 16th technical during the March 21 road win over the Magic for a verbal back and forth with Magic center Goga Bitadze, who was also given a technical foul, but they later rescinded by the league, allowing Doncic to be eligible for the March 23 road loss to the Pistons.

Because the technical was rescinded, Doncic entered Friday with 15 technical fouls. 

If Friday’s technical foul isn’t rescinded, Doncic will have to serve the suspension for Monday’s home game against the Wizards.

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It’d mark the first suspension Doncic has had to serve because of an accumulation of technical fouls despite coming close in previous seasons. 

Before 2025-26, there had been three times in his NBA career (2020-23) that Doncic had finished a season with 15 technical fouls. 

He finished with 13 techs in 50 games last season with the Mavericks and Lakers after having 13 in 2023-24 with the Mavericks.

While playing for the Mavericks, Doncic narrowly avoided a one-game suspension in the season finale of the 2021-22 season after the NBA office rescinded his 16th technical foul.Doncic also picked up a 16th technical foul late in the 2022-23 season, which was also rescinded, resulting in him not having to serve a one-game suspension then either.

The Washington Wizards kept things interesting Friday but fell short 131-126 against a similarly undermanned Golden State Warriors squad at Chase Center.

The Wizards, fresh off a streak-snapping win over the Indiana Pacers, looked ready to roll over in the first quarter. Washington’s offense was stuck in the mud early and could only muster six points halfway through the period. The good guys trailed 38-25 through the first.

Will Riley and Bilal Coulibaly kept Washington close in the second quarter. The pair combined for 17 of the Wizards’ 35 points in the period as the Warriors led 72-60 at the half.

Coulibaly kept things going to start the third quarter, scoring the team’s first 10 points to key a 16-4 run that knotted the game up at 76. The bench mob followed Bilal’s lead to help Washington take a 94-92 advantage into the final period.

The Wizards were smelling a winning streak with a 111-106 lead at the 6:18 mark, but the Warriors countered with a 16-2 run that buried the D.C. boys for good.

Riley put up another efficient offensive outing with a team-high 22 points on just 12 shots to go along with 5 rebounds and 5 assists. The confidence he has offensively at this point is night and day compared to how he looked early in the season.

The handles tho 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/Dhl53qzsiL

— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) March 28, 2026

Coulibaly finished with 21 of his own, while Bub Carrington added 16 points and 5 assists.

Washington’s West Coast trip continued on Sunday against Deni Avdija and the Portland Trail Blazers.

Now THIS is how I like the Utah Jazz to lose basketball games; have the lead most of the game, find success with defense and energy, and barely lose at the very end when the other team finally remembers that they’re going up against a bunch of G-Leaguers and rookies. The Jazz were the easier team to root for throughout the night. They were more physical, more assertive, more vibrant, while the Nuggets meandered through the motions all night, only winning it at the end with sheer firepower. It’s especially nice when these tanking games are close – evaluation is easier and more important when the guys are playing in high-leverage situations, and when the other team cares about the win as well. So how did the youngsters stack up the former champion (and honestly, pretty disappointing) Denver Nuggets? Spoiler alert – there was a lot to like.

Ace Bailey – B–

After starting the game off with 3 first quarter fouls, it took Ace a little while to regain the momentum that’s been propelling him to potentially All-Rookie team heights the past few weeks. He finished the game with 5 fouls, and a lot of them weren’t pretty, either; his youth and unrestrained desire to make an impact on the game was definitely visible. There were some beautiful moves, strong displays of athleticism, and star-esque shots here and there, but on the whole? Ace fouled too much and passed too little.

Kennedy Chandler – A-

Kennedy sort of reminded me of 2026 draft prospect Tyler Tanner in this game – obviously undersized (the Nuggets announcers theorized 5’10) but just a dynamo on both ends of the court. The Nuggets point-of-attack defenders could not stay in front of Chandler all night, essentially rolling out a red carpet every time he dribbled the ball into the half court. On the other end, Chandler was only given 1 steal in the stat sheet, but he must’ve had triple that number of deflections; his fingerprints were all over this game. Sometimes he struggled with rotations (the Nuggets got quite a few open threes to end the game) but this was an impressive game from the 10-day player.

Kyle Filipowski – A

I originally had Filipowski listed with a lower grade – it seemed that a lot of the teams best moments happened without him on the court – but then I reconsidered; Filipowski was only off the court in those moments because Will Hardy knew that if Flip was playing the Jazz’s steadily growing lead would quickly accelerate its development. He felt like he was a step above the rest of the team offensively, able to get to his spots whenever and wherever he wanted. This was a common theme throughout the game, but Filipowski seemed to see red when Jokic was guarding him.

Elijah Harkless – A-

All Elijah needed to do to solidify an A grade (something I’m sure he really cares about) was not have one of the worst offensive games of his Jazz tenure. Inversely, this might be Harkless’s magnum opus of defensive outings, and that’s saying something. The Nuggets could not complete two successful passes in a row while Harkless was on the court – his hands were here, his hands were there, his hands were everywhere. Once again, he battled valiantly in the post against Jokic, and was a key reason Nikola had 7 ugly turnovers tonight. Even more than that, Harkless set the tone of one of the most fun Jazz games of the season. That won’t get counted in the stat sheet, but his influence was just about as all-encompassing as possible.

John Konchar – A

This was, by my money, clearly Konchar’s best game while donning the Utah purple and white. An efficient 16 points, a loud 8 rebounds, and constant, nagging activity on both ends of the court. Players who play like Konchar did tonight are found on every contending team in the league, because they can bring so much value without touching the ball. These are the types of games that endear a player to a fanbase; hustle is a necessary ingredient if you want to be remembered a decade after you leave the team. I’m hoping that Konchar sticks around, because he’s currently on the trajectory to be inducted into the “Utah Jazz deep role player Hall of Fame”, alongside heroes like Trevor Booker and Kris Dunn.

Bez Mbeng – B-

Bez wasn’t as in-your-face as some of our other defensive stalwarts were this game, but he fit the tone of the Jazz either way. I worry that the offense is just too far behind his defense for him to carve out a consistent role in the NBA – for example, Harkless wasn’t great on that end tonight but Mbeng was just invisible. But, your grade can only dip so far when it’s clear that your defense alone is changing the game. The Jazz might’ve set a season record in deflections tonight, and Mbeng was a big part of that, so I can’t drop the grade below a B-.

Brice Sensabaugh – B+

I don’t think there’s a non all-star, non blue-chip prospect in the league who gets more glowing reviews from opposing announcers than Brice Sensabaugh. While we didn’t see much of Brice during the big Jazz run of the 2nd half, his dynamite 1st half shot-making kept the Jazz in it and perhaps made the later momentum possible. He’ll never be a stalwart defender, but I don’t care what anyone says – his activity level on that end has been very slowly but nonetheless steadily improving as the season has progressed. There were some bad shots tonight (it wouldn’t be the Brice we love without them), but he made some! A cool 6 assists as well – this was not a shabby night for the 3rd year microwave scorer. Still, I’m glad that the team finished the game without him. He might’ve made for some more cohesive offensive sets as the team stalled in the final 5 minutes, but it was good for the other guys to learn how to function without this go-to guy.

Oscar Tschiewbe – B

I can’t justify the grade going too high with only 12 minutes of action, but those 12 minutes popped off the screen. He played like he was back at Kentucky again – 4 offensive rebounds in only a quarter of playtime is a skill you can hang your hat on. The defense was unfortunately rough. It’s hard to figure out exactly what his role looks like on a winning team as a shorter center who can’t anchor a defense, but he’s a fun guy to have around to gobble up rebounds and set bruising screens.

Cody Williams – A

Williams benefitted the most from the Nuggets horrendous half court defense. Even with a weak handle and sometimes-lackluster burst, Williams blazed past Nuggets defenders, both off the catch and on the roll. This has been said before, but the weight and strength that Williams has put on throughout the season is really remarkable – it went from being his most glaring weakness to now a key part of his developing game on both ends. The Jazz scored their most paint points of the season against the Nuggets, and that would’ve been impossible without each and every bench-press rep that Cody has sweated out as the season has gone on. The wingspan seemed longer than normal, the ball flowed whenever he caught it, he was quick in transition – these are the games that will make Cody Williams a playoff contributor as soon as next year.

For the second time in less than a week, Luka Doncic faces a one-game suspension because of technical foul accumulation.

Only a week after Doncic’s 16th technical foul was rescinded by the NBA, the Lakers superstar picked up another one in a 116-99 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Friday and is in line to miss the Lakers’ next game against the Washington Wizards on Monday.

In the third quarter with the Lakers trailing by one against the lowly Nets (17-57), Doncic was called for an offensive foul against Nic Claxton as the Lakers (48-26) were trying to inbound the ball after a dunk by Ziaire Williams. After the Lakers turnover, Williams and Doncic appeared to exchange words with Doncic pushing Williams aside with one hand. Williams then flailed his arms behind him and slapped Doncic in the throat.

Read more:Luka Doncic scores 43 as road weary Lakers hold off late Pacers rally

“He was yelling in my face three times,” said Doncic, who finished with 41 points, eight rebounds and three assists in the win. “I just wanted to get out of there. … I didn't even talk. I just wanted to get out of there. And they said I pushed. My push was exaggerated, which was obviously not [the case].”

Both were assessed technical fouls with 5:12 remaining in the third quarter, and Williams’ hit was reviewed for a possible flagrant, although it was not upgraded.

The NBA requires players to sit out for one game without pay after their 16th technical foul of the season. But Doncic avoided that fate after the NBA rescinded the foul that would have forced him to the bench for a critical road game last week. Lakers coach JJ Redick said the Lakers will try to appeal Doncic’s latest foul but he did not see what happened on the play.

Last week, Doncic avoided a suspension after the NBA rescinded the foul that would have forced him to the bench for a critical road game against the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons. Doncic is slated to miss Monday's game against the Wizards, who have lost 17 of their last 18 games and have the third-worst record in the Eastern Conference (17-56). 

Doncic picked up his first 16th technical foul last week against the Orlando Magic after getting into an argument with Orlando forward Goga Bitadze. Doncic claimed Bitadze directed a vulgar comment about Doncic’s family in Serbian toward the Lakers star guard. Bitadze refuted the story, saying it was actually Doncic who said the curse word out loud first and that he was only repeating what he heard.

The NBA rescinded both fouls upon review the following day.

Doncic, the NBA’s leading scorer, has scored 30 points or more in 12 consecutive games, the longest such streak in his career. He has 43 30-point games this season, tying Elgin Baylor and Jerry West for sixth-most in a season by a Lakers player. He has scored 40 points or more in the last 12 games.

Against the Nets, Austin Reaves finished with 26 points, eight rebounds and five assists and LeBron James had 14 points, eight assists and six rebounds.

Before the game, Redick said the Nets game would be like playing on the road since the Lakers had spent almost two weeks away from Crypto.com Arena and had returned home in the wee hours of Thursday morning from Indianapolis.

The challenge was to find the energy to play, which wasn't a problem for Doncic, who had 24 points in the first half. Doncic was nine for 15 from the field in the first half and four for six from three-point range in 20 minutes. He finished shooting 15 for 25 from the field as the Lakers shot 54% from the floor. They shot 44% (11 for 25) from three-point range.

That the Lakers were facing a Nets team with the second-worst record in the NBA didn’t matter.

That the Lakers were facing a Nets team had lost nine of its last 10 games didn’t matter.

That the Lakers were facing a Nets team that’s last in the league in scoring (106.3 points per game) didn’t matter.

What mattered to the Lakers was finding a way to win as the regular season winds down.

“I felt like we were a step slow,” Redick said. “And I told the guys at halftime, 'This is our seventh game of the road trip. Anytime you come back, there's a day in between, that's just you're in another city until you can get adjusted to the time zone and you get a couple days break.’ So the next two [off] days will be good for us.”

Notes: Lakers broadcast analyst Stu Lantz missed Friday night’s game against the Nets because of health issues. Derek Fisher, who won five NBA titles with the Lakers, took over Lantz’s role for the game. Public address announcer Lawrence Tanter also missed the game because of a health matter. Jason Barquero filled in for Lantz. “The entire Lakers organization is wishing Lawrence all the best in his recovery, and we look forward to welcoming him back soon,” the team said in a statement.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

No one wanted to win Friday’s game between the visiting Dallas Mavericks (24-50) Portland Trail Blazers (37-38) at Moda Center, but eventually someone had to. The Mavericks pulled the unlikely 100-93 win out of their hat amidst 16 combined fourth-quarter turnovers as the game got sloppier and sloppier down the stretch.

Cooper Flagg had 24 points and four steals in the win but scored just four of those after halftime. Marvin Bagley III notched a new season-high scoring mark with 26 points and nine rebounds to lead the Mavericks to victory off the bench. Bagley also helped limit Portland big man Donoval Clingan to just 2-of-9 shooting on the defensive win. Jrue Holliday led the Blazers with 23 points in the loss.

The Dwight Powell to Cooper Flagg connection was in full effect from the moment the ball was tipped. Flagg made a clever little back cut on the Mavericks’ second possession of the game and Powell got it right to him for an easy hoop to start the game. The next time down, Powell was on the receiving end of a pick-and-roll run to perfection between himself and Max Christie, and the Mavs were up 4-0 less than two minutes into the game.

Flagg scored six points in the game’s first four minutes on three makes in his first four attempts from the floor, including a running dunk in transition on a quick outlet pass from Naji Marshall. His incredible versatility at age 19 has been on display since the All-Star break and his return from a foot injury, when he’s become the only player in the NBA to average more than 20 points, seven rebounds, six assists, a steal and a block per game.

His closely contested up-and-under move midway through the first quarter tied the game, 14-14, for his fourth make. Two possessions later, Flagg found Bagley for a runner in the lane to give Dallas a 16-14 lead. Bagley scored on the offensive glass the next time down to put the Mavs back in front, 18-16. Christie and Klay Thompson knocked down the Mavericks’ first two 3-pointers on the next two possessions to extend their lead to double digits, up 26-16, and force a timeout by Blazers acting head coach Tiago Splitter with 3:09 left in the first.

Thompson’s first-quarter 3-ball put him at 174 made from distance off the bench this season, surpassing a Mavericks’ team record set two years ago by Tim Hardaway Jr.

Bagley was a menace for the Mavs as Dallas scored 20 paint points in the first quarter. He turned down a 3-point attempt for an open driving lane and a vicious slam to give him 11 points in the opening stanza and put Dallas ahead 32-22 with 57 seconds remaining. It was Bagley’s highest-scoring quarter of the 2025-26 season, and he did it on 5-of-7 shooting from the field.

COOP GREAT BUCKET!! *Love the no dribble attack pic.twitter.com/ohooBnMYng

— MavsHighlights (@MavsHighlights) March 28, 2026

Flagg picked up right where he left off in the second. He scored on an unstoppable drive in transition with 9:10 left before halftime to put the Mavs up 35-28, then nailed a jumper and the ensuing free throw on a 3-point play the next time down. He scored on another jumper through contact two possessions later to give the Mavericks a 40-30 edge with 8:15 left in the second. His athleticism and killer instinct are joys to watch as he sharpens his many knives late in his rookie campaign.

The Mavs continued to pour it on in the second, more than doubling up Portland in paint points through the game’s first 20 minutes, before coming back to earth a little bit in the final four minutes of the frame. Flagg piled up 20 points on 7-of-11 shooting in the first half, and the Mavericks took a 56-51 lead into the break. Portland outscored the Mavs 14-2 to end the second half, as Dallas shot 0-for-6 in the final 4:18 of the second quarter and turned the ball over three times.

The Blazers took their first lead of the game since early in the first quarter with 7:55 left in the third, 66-64, on Toumani Camara’s putback of his own missed airball, which should have been called a travel but was not. Portland outscored the Mavericks 27-12 in that nine-plus minute stretch that started with just over four minutes left in the second.

Bagley scored his first points since that 11-point first quarter on a corner 3-pointer in response to put the Mavericks back in front, 67-66, the next time down. His shooting touch has been a pleasant surprise since he arrived in Dallas in a deadline-day deal that sent Anthony Davis to the Washington Wizards in February. Bagley’s putback the next time down put him at 16 points and seven rebounds midway through the third, and he hit a turnaround to make it a person 7-0 run with 5:20 left in the third. Dallas led 71-66 at that point.

Bagley hit his third 3-ball of the game from near the top of the key with 2:31 left in the third to give the Mavs a 76-70 edge, getting to within one point of his season-high scoring mark of 22 points with a quarter still to play. He appeared to hurt his arm while setting a screen the next time down the floor. Dallas limped into the fourth holding onto a 79-76 lead.

The fourth quarter was downright ugly, as Portland turned the ball over four times in the first four minutes, allowing the Mavs to build the lead back up to seven points. Neither team built much momentum until Flagg leaked out in transition and received an over-the-shoulder pass from Ryan Nembhard for a quick slam to put Dallas up 85-78 and force a Portland timeout with 6:40 to play.

Flagg and Bagley: The post-Duke effect

AWESOME FINISH by Coop!! pic.twitter.com/gI7HkKzDsW

— MavsHighlights (@MavsHighlights) March 28, 2026

Is it just pure coincidence that both Flagg and Bagley had strong performances after their Duke Blue Devils outlasted the St. John’s Red Storm earlier in the evening in the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16 to get to the team’s third-straight Elite 8?

Flagg, of course, was part of the Duke team that bowed out last year in the Final Four. He played in 37 games for the Blue Devils, scoring 19.2 points, pulling down 7.5 rebounds and shooting 38.5% from 3-point range in his only college season. Bagley played 33 games for Duke during the 2017-18 season, averaging 21 points, 11 boards and shooting better than 39% from 3-point land as the team reached the Elite 8 that year.

The Mavericks whose college teams are still alive in this year’s NCAA Tournament have been sporting their college colors in pre-game shootarounds. As of Friday night, Brandon Williams, who played at Arizona, is the only other Maverick whose college team is still alive. His Wildcats beat Daniel Gafford’s Arkansas Razorbacks on Thursday, 109-88 in a Sweet 16 matchup.

Mavs offense: Good, then bad, then just good enough

The Mavericks have been quietly humming on offense in their last five games. Dallas had scored at least 120 points in regulation in each of their last four games coming into Friday’s game in Portland, and shot 13-of-25 (52%) from the field in the first quarter at Portland.

Flagg was the initiator early on before Bagley led the bench unit to a strong close to the first. The Mavs were making hay off Blazers turnovers to help build their early lead, taking a 12-1 scoring advantage off opponent miscues in the opener. It’s made for some unexpectedly exciting basketball as we trudge through the March doldrums in a lost season.

All it takes is one bad stretch to hand it all back, though, and that’s what we saw to end the first half on Friday. The Blazers, who are in the thick of the battle for Western Conference play-in positioning, went on a 14-2 run to end the first half and climb back into the game.

But Dallas had an answer each time the Blazers threatened. Bagley was a big part of that, and so was Flagg, but Portland’s penchant for giving the ball away at the worst moments on Friday was the biggest culprit. The Blazers coughed it up 24 times on Friday in the loss.

It had to happen sometime

Finally, a clutch win. Flagg made the little plays the Mavericks needed down the stretch, while Bagley made the two biggest buckets of the game after Portland went on a little 7-0 run to tie the game at 92-92 on Holliday’s third 3-pointer of the game with 2:25 left to play.

Brandon Williams found Bagley on a cut underneath the basket to break the tie with 2:04 left in the game, and then Williams’ fifth assist of the game found Bagley, who scored on a dunk after a pump fake in close with 40 seconds on the clock to put Dallas up 96-92.

The Mavs have been cheeks in clutch games all year. They had to win a close one at some point. And with seemingly every game going down to the wire, the Mavericks made just enough plays down the stretch to beat a Blazers team that turned the ball over 24 times and missed 10 free throws on their home floor.

CHICAGO – I owe you an apology, Big Ten.

I said after the Big Ten tournament the conference still didn’t have a team capable of winning the NCAA men’s title. That Michigan wasn’t all it was hyped to be. That Yaxel Lendeborg wasn’t the factor a Player of the Year candidate should be.

Don’t I look stupid now. That’s a rhetorical question. Of course I do. I was wrong about all of it.

More: Elliot Cadeau is a 'savant' for Michigan, his hearing and vision be damned

A story of unbreakable resolve: Inside Ben McCollum's 'insane' Iowa ride to Elite Eight

The Big Ten will have half the teams in the Elite Eight, with Michigan, Illinois, Iowa and Purdue still alive. Iowa, a ninth seed, is playing as well as anyone left. And Michigan? They’re not as good as initially advertised.

They’re better.

As for Lendeborg, all he did was suck the life out of Alabama with 10 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals in the first 7:51 of the second half. He’d finish with 23 points, 12 boards, seven assists and two steals in top-seeded Michigan’s 90-77 win on Friday, March 27.

“I think we're the best conference in the country,” Lendeborg said. “It was pretty much a dog fight almost every night. And it definitely helped us out.”

Big Ten's title drought

A Big Ten team hasn’t won the national men’s title since Michigan State’s Flintstones back in 2000. It’s not that the conference hasn’t had its chances. It has. Plenty of them. Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Purdue and Wisconsin have all played in the title game, with the Wolverines doing it twice.

But all of them seemed to be built more to survive the Hunger Games that is the Big Ten season than hang with the best from the ACC, SEC and Big East.  

Not this year. Rather than cannibalizing each other, it’s sharpened them.

“College basketball has been cyclical forever. Hopefully this is a long cycle for us in the conference,” Michigan coach Dusty May said.

The money that’s pouring into college athletics now is a factor. The Big Ten schools making a run this March haven’t flinched when it comes to finding the cash necessary to support top-tier programs.

But the addition of the West Coast teams — UCLA, USC, Oregon and Washington — has also helped, May said.

“We're developing a different type of basketball identity,” he said. “I do think some of the newer coaches have brought a different flavor. I think at times it seems the Big Ten is kind of cut and paste. You know, you turn on one game and it looks pretty much like the other three that are going on at the exact same time. Just wearing different color jerseys.”

The Big Ten is still rough and tumble. If you don’t have a couple of bruises after a conference game, you haven’t left the bench. But the days of first-team-to-40-wins are over.

Not the Big Ten of old

The Big Ten teams can play with pace. Any pace. You want to run and gun? They’ll grab their track shoes. You want to slow it down? They can work the shot clock.

They can hit 3s and they can score in the paint. And, of course, they can play defense.

Take Michigan. As tenacious as it is defensively — the Wolverines held the highest-scoring team in the country to 28 points in the second half — it’s got plenty of flash. It shot nearly 50% from 3-point range, and Lendeborg made a defender look silly with his step-back 3 to start the second half.

And when Big Ten teams are playing anybody else, it’s like the training wheels have been taken off.

“Today I felt like the game was a lot more free-flowing. Not many times did I get chucked while I was trying to cut,” Lendeborg said. “It definitely helps me out. It definitely makes me slow the game down a lot more. I can find more reads than I would in the Big Ten.”  

It's the same for the rest of the Big Ten teams. Purdue, Iowa, Illinois — they still have old-school sensibilities but without the stodginess. At this point, any one of them can win it all.

Only a fool would think otherwise.

Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Big Ten proving me wrong in March Madness. I owe it an apology