Alabama basketball star Aden Holloway was arrested on Monday, March 16, four days before the Crimson Tide is scheduled to play in the Men's NCAA Tournament.

According to the Tuscaloosa News — part of the USA TODAY Network — Holloway was charged with first-degree possession of marijuana and failure to affix a tax stamp. More than a pound of marijuana, paraphernalia and cash were found inside the residence on the 400 block of 30th East Avenue on Monday morning by the West Alabama Narcotics Task Force.

REQUIRED READING: March Madness Cinderella predictions: VCU, Akron top NCAA Tournament upset picks

Holloway, 21, was transported to the Tuscaloosa County Jail and had his bond set for $5,000, according to the Tuscaloosa News. He was no longer listed as an inmate, which indicates he was released on that bond.

With Alabama as a 4-seed in the NCAA Tournament, it is scheduled to open the tournament against at 3:15 p.m. Friday, March 20, from the Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, Florida.

It is unclear if Holloway will face a suspension from the program following the arrest and felony charge. The junior guard was second on the Crimson Tide with 16.8 points per game, while also adding 3.8 assists and 2.8 rebounds per game.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Alabama basketball guard Aden Holloway arrested, charged with felony

There’s no doubt in Steve Kerr’s mind that Steph Curry will return this season.

“We expect him back,” the Warriors coach told NBC’s Bob Costas in an on-court interview before their 110-107 loss to the Knicks on Sunday.

Curry, who turned 38 over the weekend, missed his 17th consecutive game with inflammation in his right knee, commonly known as runner’s knee. He has been ruled out for at least three more contests but joined Golden State as it began a six-game road trip.

The loss to the Knicks dropped Golden State to 9-19 without Curry this season and 5-12 over his current absence. Their current five-game losing streak is the Warriors’ longest of the season.

Curry will be re-evaluated again Saturday, before the Warriors visit the Mavericks. The team said in its last update that he had made “good progress” and was intensifying individual work but had not begun doing anything with the rest of the team.

“He’s trending in the right direction,” Kerr said. “It’s been a tricky injury. But I think he’ll be back, for sure.”

Curry also appeared on the broadcast for an in-game interview with Mike Tirico, Reggie Miller and Jamal Crawford. He wasn’t asked about his status, but they did ask about playing with his younger brother, Seth, a 13th-year vet who the Warriors signed in December.

One problem: Injuries have prevented the Curry brothers from sharing the floor yet this season.

“We’ve been the rehab brothers,” Curry said. “That’s not a good title to have.”

A miracle comeback that ended the way people wanted it to. The Brooklyn Nets rallied from a 28 point deficit to take a lead in the fourth quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers. However, they couldn’t bring it all the way home and lost in the end.

The opponent tonight will be competing in the postseason for the first time in a long time. At the very least, the Portland Trailblazers will be in the play-in tournament this spring. It will be their first postseason game of any kind since the 2021 Playoffs. They were in Philadelphia last night and lost to a shorthanded 76ers team, 109-103.

Where to follow the game

YES Network on TV. WFAN on radio. Gotham Sports on streaming. Tip after 7:30 PM.

🤕 Injuries

The following are out:

• Michael Porter Jr
• Day’Ron Sharpe
• Noah Clowney
• Egor Demin
• Terance Mann

Ben Saraf is questionable. The three two-ways — Tyson Etienne, E.J. Liddell and Chaney Johnson – remain with the big team as does 10-day Malachi Smith.

Shaedon Sharpe and Damian Lillard are out. Night two of a back-to-back so we’ll see who else sits for Portland. Hansen Yang remains with the Remix, the Blazers G League club.

🏀 The game

Amazingly, this is the first meeting between the two teams this season.

This is the second night of a back-to-back and game two of a six game road trip for the Blazers.

Former Nets assistant coach Tiago Splitter is coaching the Blazers these days. And it feels like a lifetime ago, but Splitter got the job because the feds got Chauncey Billups in a sweep. If he can get them into the playoffs, there’s a chance he’ll be there permanently.

So where’s the scoring going to come from for the Nets? With no MPJ and Clowney out, perhaps Nolan Traore will be the guy? The Nets could use all the punch that they can get and Traore can stand to up the aggressiveness when he’s on the court. He’ll likely have Jrue Holiday assigned to him, so it will serve as a great learning lesson either way.

Without Day’ron Sharpe, the Nets are even more compromised on the glass. This is especially painful against a Blazers team that is top ten in the league in rebounding this season. Donovan Clingan is third in the NBA in rebounds at close to 12 per game, and Nic Claxton is going to have his hands full battling him and perhaps Robert Williams III on the inside tonight.

As for the NBA lottery, the Nets are back in third going into tonight’s game by percentage points over the Kings. They’re two and a half games back of the Pacers who remain in the top spot, and two and a half ahead of the Utah Jazz. The Nets have 15 games left and considering they were 2-13 in their last 15, it’s getting harder to imagine the Nets winning enough games to fall back to fifth prior to the May 10 Draft Lottery.

👀 Player to watch: Deni Avdija

Slow and steady wins the race. Avdija got better each season he’s been in the league, and it paid off with the first All-Star appearance of his career this season. He’s averaging career highs across the board and is taking on new roles. Over at Blazers Edge, Dave Deckard took a look at where Portland could get the most out of Deni:

I’m calling this right now. As long as he’s on the team, Deni Avdija needs to be the point guard. Things go better for him and his teammates when he runs the show. He’s the spiritual captain of the squad already, also its leading scorer right now. Taking the reins is a natural step. His vision and passing just keep getting better. Frankly, the team plays differently when Deni has the ball up top than they do with anybody else, even Jrue Holiday. The Blazers get better looks too.

I know Portland has approximately 56 true point guards right now. I’m not trying to insinuate what will, or should, happen with any of them. But I am saying that this is almost certainly Deni’s best destiny. The way the team is built now, that also makes it the Blazers’ best destiny.

Deni at point. Book it.

That’s the good thing about being a team that’s on the rise. You have room to explore, try stuff out, and see what works. And if you land on something, you can take it with you into an exciting future. Win-win!

Danny Wolf has gotten the start in each of the last two games and figures to do so as long as Porter Jr is out. He’s been filling up the box score in recent games and similar to Traore, will have all the opportunity in the world to figure things out and do more with an increased role.

📺 From the Vault

The last time the Blazers were in the playoffs, this happened

Also, it’s 3:16!

More reading: Blazers Edge, SB Nation NBA, New York Post, New York Daily News, Clutch Points, Nets Wire, Steve’s Newsletter

• Brooklyn Nets Game Notes – Brooklyn Nets
• Portland Trailblazers Game Notes – Portland Trailblazers
• Nets face the Trail Blazers on 3-game skid – AP
• Nets’ Josh Minott hoping career night can be first building block for future – Brian Lewis – New York Post

On today’s episode, Ryan Eichten and Leo Sun discuss the Minnesota Timberwolves’ 116-103 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, the brutal last week for the team, and much more:

— The Wolves’ loss to the Thunder on Sunday afternoon was their fourth loss in five games, ending a truly awful four-game road trip.

— Julius Randle has his best performance since the All-Star break, putting up 32 points on 11-18 shooting to go along with seven rebounds, six assists, and only one turnover. Minnesota will need to see this version of Randle come the Playoffs if they want to make it back to the Conference Finals.

— Rudy Gobert had a rough night against OKC, something that has become a bit of a trend against higher-caliber opponents. The issue might speak to a team-wide issue more than a Gobert-specific problem, as the ball movement that helps Gobert’s offense has been severely lacking of late.

— Jaden McDaniels had one of his worst games of the season, scoring two points in just 16 minutes. How can the Wolves find a more consistent offensive role for Jaden?

— Anthony Edwards has had an up-and-down past few games. He’s had a pair of incredibly high-scoring performances in between two inefficient nights where his jumpshot has been unreliable. With his defensive production even more inconsistent, the Wolves need more from their star player on both ends of the court.

— The Wolves are now 12th in offensive rating, 11th in defensive rating, and 11th in net rating. While being top-ten on both sides of the ball signals a team’s status as a contender, the Wolves being 11th or worse on both sides of the ball makes for a tough sell that Minnesota is one of the league’s best.

— Ayo Dosumnu has been outstanding since the Wolves acquired him at the trade deadline. He scored 18 points, including four 3-pointers, against OKC and projects to be a sizeable part of the Timberwolves’ future if they can re-sign him this summer.

It's time to get those brackets filled out.

In just three days, the Men's NCAA Tournament will officially get underway with TEAM 1 vs. TEAM 2 at XX p.m. ET inside LOCATION, the first of 16 Round of 64 games set to be played out across Thursday's slate of March Madness games.

Filling out an NCAA Tournament bracket is one of the all-time great March Madness traditions, and a viral one at that.

Think you can beat our experts? Join USA TODAY’s Bracket Challenge today!

There are several ways to approach making NCAA Tournament bracket picks — either randomly by choosing the better mascot in a matchup or by overanalyzing bracketology metrics — that make it a fun event for all involved. Then there is the fun (and stress) of hoping to have that perfect bracket — or what later becomes the best bracket — in a bracket group.

Here's what you need to know on whether there has been a perfect March Madness bracket before and more:

Has anyone ever had a perfect March Madness bracket?

No, there have not been any confirmed perfect March Madness bracket entries in the history of the NCAA Tournament, according to the NCAA.

The NCAA notes that the longest a bracket has remained perfect — or at the very least verifiable through one of the bracket challenge websites — has been 49 consecutive games. This took place during the 2019 NCAA Tournament, and was snapped when 3-seed Purdue beat 2-seed Tennessee 99-94 in overtime in the Sweet 16. The previous record was 39 consecutive correctly picked games.

The longest streak in last year's sets of men's brackets submitted was 42 games, the best run for a bracket user since 2019. Per the NCAA, the bracket was named "#RoadToPerfection" and was a part of ESPN's bracket challenge, and was snapped when 3-seed Kentucky upset 6-seed Illinois in the round of 32.

Ready to win March Madness? Join USA TODAY’s Survivor Pool today!

Longest surviving March Madness bracket streaks

Here's a look at the top five longest surviving NCAA Tournament brackets, according to the NCAA:

Round busted in parentheses

1. 2019: 49 games (Sweet 16)
2. 2025: 42 games (Second Round)
3. 2017: 39 games (Second Round)
4. 2014: 36 games (Second Round)
5. 2015: 34 games (Second Round)

March Madness bracket deadline: When do NCAA Tournament picks need to be submitted?

Though specific times vary depending on which bracket challenge you enter, you have to get your bracket entry (or entries) in before the start of the first set of first-round games on Thursday, March 19. Here's a breakdown of deadlines for Men's NCAA Tournament bracket entries, including the USA TODAY Sports Men's Bracket Challenge.

• USA TODAY: Thursday, March 19 at noon
• CBS: Thursday, March 19 at noon
• Yahoo!: Thursday, March 19 at 12:15 p.m.
• ESPN: Thursday, March 19 at 12:15 p.m.
• NCAA: Thursday, March 19 at noon

Click here to enter the USA TODAY Sports Men's Bracket Challenge.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: March Madness: Has there ever been a perfect NCAA Tournament bracket?

For some reason, the Knicks have decided to play down to the level of their opponents.

Nearly lost in Indianapolis. Damningly close to dropping one to a G League-like Warriors. Will it finally happen when the Pacers visit MSG on Tuesday?

Here’s what the protagonists had to say, including Steve Kerr.

"I was not happy with the way that we started the game and the way we played most of the game…we have to figure out how to start games better"

Mike Brown's thoughts following the Knicks' 110-107 win last night over the Warriors: pic.twitter.com/CVkQj6fWy5

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) March 16, 2026

Mike Brown

On whether he will change the starting lineup before or for the playoffs:

“Right now I don’t feel the need to. But like I said, if I felt the need to, I would. I don’t feel the need to right now.

“It’s not too late to do anything. And if I feel the need, I will. I’m not thinking that right now. I’m not concentrating on each individual because, like you said, we’ve started different people at different times.”

On demanding better starts despite the recent wins:

“We have to figure out individually, collectively, how we can start games better…. I’m not talking about the outcome, win or loss, I’m talking about the start of the game. (We need to start games) with a level of focus, a level of physicality, so that they’re feeling us to start the game. This group knows it. They understand it. Now we’ve just gotta go do it.”

On Mikal Bridges’ overall impact on the game:

“It’s no secret Mikal has not shot the ball well. But he’s given us life at times, and he’s given us life at the right time at times. I thought he was fantastic in Indiana. On both ends of the floor. So it’s not just Mikal. It’s us collectively as a group.”

On expecting more from the team despite the strong defensive numbers:

“I’m sitting here bitching about this and somebody told me from the first of January on, we had the No. 1 defense in the league. Something like that. We can play better. I know for myself and every man in that locker room, every person in that locker room, expects more. And somehow, someway, we got to figure it out.”

On Steve Kerr’s pregame warning text:

“Steve texted me and he said he came up with some killer plays that were going to make us spin backwards and forward. I believe him. Situations like this, we faced it in Utah. We faced it to a certain degree in Indiana. They’re tough. But if you expect to be who you think you are at the end of the day, you will approach this in a business-like manner.”

On not skipping details against undermanned teams:

“The biggest thing is making sure you don’t skip any details. I think in games like this, the details or the small things are huge. And playing with a sense of urgency while making them feel you on both ends of the floor — that doesn’t mean going out and blowing them out, but if you’re lackadaisical at any point in the game for any stretch, they’re NBA players. A lot of these guys are hungry and some of them have proven that they belong on this level and in a pretty good spot in terms of a rotation. If you relax at any moment in time and they see one, two, three go in, like the guys did in Utah, it can be a climb back up the hill to get back in the game.”

On road trip fatigue not being an excuse:

“I think every game can be challenging for a lot of different reasons. Mainly, all teams are in the NBA, and they’re here for a reason. That stuff’s above my head. A lot of times they say, ‘it’s because of your clock’ or whatever. You win some, you lose some, and I don’t see rhyme or reason for it.”

On prioritizing playing the right way over seeding:

“It’s tricky because let’s say we were in second, and we were a game in front of somebody. Are we just gonna play better because of that? I hope at this point of the season we’re playing the right way regardless of seeding, and sometimes, you’ll lose while playing the right way, but you’re playing the right way all the time—not just to try to catch Boston. That’s part of the equation, but that’s not the end-all, be-all.

“I want us to play the right way because it’s time to do that. We’re going into the playoffs. Play the right way. Again, you’ll lose sometimes playing the right way, but you want to go into the playoffs doing this, not just with your play but with your confidence or your belief, and so I think that’s just as much of it as opposed to — hey let’s find a way to win just to catch these guys. No, no: handle all the small details, embrace the details, embrace the journey. All that stuff and go get a win. So there are a lot of factors, not just those guys are ahead of us by a game-and-a-half and the guys are behind us by two games.”

Josh Hart stops by the NBA Showtime desk before Sunday Night Basketball tips off!

📺 NBC and Peacock pic.twitter.com/Hd3YYmCvVb

— NBA on NBC and Peacock (@NBAonNBC) March 16, 2026

Josh Hart

On the possibility of the NBA reducing the 82-game schedule:

“I probably be retired before that happens. So I don’t care. Nah, do I think it will be probably be better for the game and the quality on the court? I think so. Do I think it will happen? Probably not because everybody is so money-hungry and money-driven. I think everybody puts that above everything else.”

On the need for respecting undermanned opponents:

“At the end of the day, you got to respect everybody. And if you’re in a situation like this against a team without its starters, you never want to play with a game or anything like that because you’ll never what’ll happen at the end of a game. You don’t want to put yourself in that position for someone to make a shot, someone to miss a shot or a ref to call a call you don’t agree with. So we got to approach this like any other game. And if that’s the case, then we should handle business early and it should be a game where everybody gets to play. But these guys are good. They’re in the NBA for a reason.”

On his knee soreness leaving him out of two games of late:

“It was just a play in the Laker game where I did my normal fastbreak finish, but just the landing on it kind of irritated it. So I think that kind of flared it up.”

On whether the knee will linger:

“I hope not. We’ll see. Time will tell.”

On not making excuses based on the injury:

“Ehh. I was out there. If I’m out there and able to play, there’s no excuses.”

Karl-Anthony Towns says the final call in tonight's WBC game against his Dominican Republic team was "some bulls–t" pic.twitter.com/iuDTV9ypP5

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) March 16, 2026

Karl-Anthony Towns

On avoiding slow starts:

“Don’t play like that. I think it’s pretty simple.”

On Brown’s frustration even after the win:

“Yeah, he was frustrated. Obviously, the win’s everything, but we don’t want to win games like that, especially this late in the year when we should have better standards and a better execution in playing. I understand it.”

On Jordan Clarkson’s impact off the bench:

“Special. The stats don’t lie. One of the best players coming off the bench in NBA history. He does one thing better than almost anybody in the league, and that’s put the ball in the basket. When he’s doing that, he’s playing with that fire and that passion he has; there’s not many players in the NBA coming off the bench you feel better about.”

On the Dominican Republic’s elimination from the WBC at the hands of the USA:

“Hell yeah, that was a ball, man! That was some bulls**t. They should have had a chance. They had Tatis Jr. coming up. Come on, man.”

"A win is a win, definitely not the prettiest."

Jalen Brunson talks with Zora Stephenson after the Knicks' win over an undermanned Warriors team. pic.twitter.com/P5nrc60ufR

— NBA on NBC and Peacock (@NBAonNBC) March 16, 2026

Jalen Brunson

On the need to avoid playing catch-up every damn game:

“If we play better from the start, we don’t have to play catch-up. It’s definitely something that we need to get better at and it has to be our focus.”

Steve Kerr wants the NBA to shorten the 82-game regular season by 10 games to prevent injuries:

“I’m well aware fewer games would mean less revenue which means everybody takes a pay cut and I’m willing to stick my neck out and say I’m all for that because I think the quality of… pic.twitter.com/rfY2KhRuOE

— NBA Base (@TheNBABase) March 16, 2026

Steve Kerr

On shortening the NBA season:

“I’m willing to stick my neck out and say I’m all for that because I think the quality of the product is the most important thing.”

On managing player workloads:

“In talking to performance people, looking at the data, hearing the experts in our own group talk about the load that these guys are facing and then you get older players like Steph or Al or Jimmy – we have to manage them through 82 games. So there are nights where you just have to say, can’t play this guy. I get emails all the time from fans saying ‘I spent $2,000 on tickets to go to this game and Steph didn’t play.’ And it wasn’t an injury designation and I held him out. Shouldn’t we reconcile that somehow? Maybe it’s stretching the season out a little bit. If you can’t give up 10 games, can you extend the season by two weeks and give players more time in between games? I don’t know. I know there’s no guarantee that players are going to be out there every night, but I know that we have enough issues all clumped together that if we put our heads together – we’ve got a lot of really smart people in this league. I think we can address a lot of them and satisfy the fans, the owners, the TV partners. I believe that’s possible. Maybe I’m naïve. But I think it’s important to put it out there just for discussion and see where it goes.”

On advocating for a shorter season:

“I’m just saying what I see with all the injuries. The soft tissue injuries. I see all the data about how fast the guys are running, how much distance guys are covering now compared to 20-30 years ago. I see all the injuries, the tanking. I see everything. I’ve been in the league a long time. I’m well aware fewer games would mean less revenue, which means everybody takes a pay cut, and I’m willing to stick my neck out and say I’m all for that because I think the quality of the product is the most important thing. So I don’t say these things flippantly. I say these things because I mean them. I think there’s a meaningful discussion to be had, and I love the league, I’ve loved the NBA my whole life. My whole adult life has been spent in the NBA in some form and it’s an amazing league. We have incredible people in this league and great fans. I just want to make sure we give our fans the very, very best product we can and try to satisfy all of our corporate partners, and I just think there’s probably a way to do that without just completely ignoring some of the obvious issues we’ve established.”

USA beats the Dominican Republic on a really really bad call and the stream is dead quiet pic.twitter.com/sCBRTm322M

— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) March 16, 2026

Two days after announcing he would return, Butler announced on Monday, March 16, that men's basketball coach Thad Matta is retiring.

The school announced the news in a press release on Monday. Matta, 58, had been the Bulldogs coach since the 2022-23 season. He will remain with the university with a role as a special assistant to the president and athletics director.

REQUIRED READING: March Madness Final Four predictions to win 2026 NCAA Tournament regions

"After taking some time to reflect following the end of the season, I have decided that the time has come for me to step away from the sidelines," Matta said in the news release. "The love my wife, my daughters and I have for Butler is what brought us back four years ago, and it feels especially meaningful that I conclude my coaching career here. Butler has always meant more to us than just basketball—and that connection is why I'm grateful to continue working with the University and offering my help in any way I can. 

"My commitment to Butler and to the future of this program remains as strong as ever. I want this program to compete at the highest levels of the BIG EAST and national landscape, and I am excited to be part of what we continue to build here."

Matta finishes his head coaching career with a 502-223 overall record. He won a combined eight conference regular-season championships at Butler, Xavier and Ohio State, while also appearing in the NCAA Tournament 13 times, earning two berths in the NCAA Final Four and one appearance in the national championship game in 2006-07 with the Buckeyes.

"It is hard to fully capture in words what the Matta family has meant to Butler University and to our men's basketball program," Butler athletics director Grant Leiendecker said. "As a student-athlete, two assistant coaching tenures and then twice as head coach at Butler, Thad has given so much to our university and his impact on our student-athletes has been life-changing.

"Today is bittersweet in that Thad will no longer be leading our program on the sidelines but we are grateful that he has accepted President (Jim) Danko and my offer to remain at Butler University to continue to elevate the institution, as his wisdom and experience are invaluable and will help maintain stability in our program."

In his first stint with Butler, the Bulldogs went 24-8, won the Midwestern Collegiate Conference and advanced to the Round of 32. After stops at Xavier and Ohio State, Matta returned to Butler ahead of the 2022-23 season.

Matta finished his second stint with the Bulldogs with a 63-69 record, failing to make the NCAA Tournament in any of the four years.

"I want to sincerely thank (President) Jim Danko, (Vice President and Athletic Director) Grant Leiendecker, and (former Athletic Director) Barry Collier for their trust, leadership and friendship," Matta said. To our players, coaches and staff, past and present, thank you for everything you've poured into this program and for living The Butler Way. To our fans and the countless people who support us, you are what makes this place so special.

"I will always be grateful for the experiences, the relationships, and the memories Butler has given me and my family. I'm proud of what we've built together, and I look forward to staying connected and contributing in a new way as the next chapter begins."

Before his head coaching career, Matta served as a Butler assistant twice before being named head coach of the Bulldogs in 2000. He was a two-year starter with Butler after he transferred in as a player from Southern Illinois.

Thad Matta career record

Here's a look at Matta's coaching career with Butler, Xavier and Ohio State:

• Butler (2000-01): 24-8, 11-3 MCC
• Xavier (2001-02): 26-6, 14-2 Atlantic 10
• Xavier (2002-03): 26-6, 15-1 Atlantic 10
• Xavier (2003-04): 26-11, 10-6 Atlantic 10
• Ohio State (2004-05): 20-12, 8-8 Big Ten
• Ohio State (2005-06): 26-6, 12-4 Big Ten
• Ohio State (2006-07): 35-4, 15-1 Big Ten
• Ohio State (2007-08): 24-13, 10-8 Big Ten
• Ohio State (2008-09): 22-11, 10-8 Big Ten
• Ohio State (2009-10): 29-8, 14-4 Big Ten
• Ohio State (2010-11): 34-3, 16-2 Big Ten
• Ohio State (2011-12): 31-8, 13-5 Big Ten
• Ohio State (2012-13): 29-8, 13-5 Big Ten
• Ohio State (2013-14): 25-10, 10-8 Big Ten
• Ohio State (2014-15): 24-11, 11-7 Big Ten
• Ohio State (2015-16): 21-14, 11-7 Big Ten
• Ohio State (2016-17): 17-15, 7-11 Big Ten
• Butler (2022-23): 14-18, 6-14 Big East
• Butler (2023-24): 18-15, 9-11 Big East
• Butler (2024-25): 15-20, 6-14 Big East
• Butler (2025-26): 16-16, 7-13 Big East

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Thad Matta to retire from coaching Butler basketball

Over the next few weeks, 68 different Division I men's college basketball teams will go head-to-head in March Madness at different venues and arenas around the country in the hopes of winning a national championship.

But for two nights before the Round of 64 begins on Thursday, March 19, the Men's NCAA Tournament will tip off the very same way it has for all but two years since 2011: with the First Four, hosted on the campus of the University of Dayton.

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It's part of the pageantry of what has made the First Four a tradition like no other in March Madness, as it takes place across two nights on a college campus in winner-take-all games to kick off one of the best postseason tournaments in all of sports.

Action gets underway on Tuesday, March 17 with UMBC vs. Howard in the 16-seed game at 6:40 p.m. ET and Texas vs. North Carolina State in the 11-seed game at 9:15 p.m. ET.

No. 16 Prairie View A&M will take on No. 16 Howard at 6:40 p.m. ET on Wednesday, March 18, with the winner advancing to play No. 1 seed Florida in the South Region. But perhaps the biggest game of this year's First Four is the March 18 nightcap as No. 11 seed Miami (Ohio) takes on No. 11 seed Southern Methodist.

Will one of these teams go on a March run that is talked about for years? Time will tell as they look to punch their official ticket to the NCAA Tournament. Here's your guide on the history of First Four teams, and their success in March Madness:

What’s the furthest a First Four team has gone in NCAA Tournament?

The furthest a First Four team has advanced in the NCAA Tournament has been the Final Four. Two teams have achieved this feat: VCU in 2011, and UCLA in 2021.

The Rams, coached then by a young Shaka Smart and featuring players Joey Rodriguez, Bradford Burgess and Jamie Skeen, defeated USC in the First Four and then knocked off three top-10 seeds — No. 6 Georgetown (first round), No. 3 Purdue (second round) and No. 10 Florida State (Sweet 16) — to make the Elite Eight. To make the Final Four, VCU knocked off a Kansas team that was the No. 1 seed in the tournament and featured the talent of Markieff and Marcus Morris. The run ended against Butler in the Final Four.

The Bruins went on a similarly magical run from the First Four to the Final Four in the Indianapolis COVID-19 bubble. It started with a comeback from an 11-point halftime deficit against Michigan State at Mackey Arena, and then led to wins over No. 6 BYU, No. 14 Abilene Christian, No. 2 Alabama and No. 1 Michigan to get to the program's first Final Four since 2008. The run came to an end in the national semifinal in a March Madness thriller against No.1 Gonzaga.

According to the NCAA, at least one team that played its way into the 64-team field advanced to at least the second round in 12 of the last 14 editions of the First Four.

Some examples include LaSalle winning its First Four game in 2013 and then going on a Sweet 16 run that featured upsets of No. 4 Kansas State and No. 12 Ole Miss. No. 16 seed Fairleigh Dickinson also won its First Four game in 2023 and then upset No. 1 seed Purdue in its first-round game.

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Has any First Four team won a national championship?

No, there hasn't been a First Four team to win the national championship game.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: First Four history: What's furthest team has gone in NCAA Tournament?

The NBA has been experiencing Western Conference supremacy since the moment Michael Jordan retired from the Chicago Bulls for the second time following the 1998 NBA Finals. East teams have won plenty of championships over that time period — most recently, the 2019 Toronto Raptors, 2021 Milwaukee Bucks, and 2024 Boston Celtics — but no one disputes that life is always harder in the West. With recent No. 1 overall picks Victor Wembanyama and Cooper Flagg both landing in the West via the draft lottery, the Western Conference should continue to be superior moving forward.

NBA expansion is just ahead, with a vote coming at this week’s board of governors meetings to start the process of adding two new teams for the 2028-29 season. With franchises in Seattle and Las Vegas expected to be added, one existing team is going to move East. The league has narrowed its choices down to two candidates, per Shams Charania:

Executives across the NBA expect either the Minnesota Timberwolves or Memphis Grizzlies to move to the East to realign conferences with 16 each when Seattle and Las Vegas become West teams.

For the Memphis Grizzlies and Minnesota Timberwolves, the opportunity to move to the East feels almost as important as draft lottery results. One of these teams is about to have a much easier path to contention going forward in the weaker conference due to factors totally outside of their control.

Here’s one mock up of what the conferences could look like if the Wolves move East:

Wolves make the most sense pic.twitter.com/FvYrCogRDZ

— Ev (@EvInFour) March 16, 2026

It’s pretty difficult to project what the league is going to look like in 2028-29 and beyond. What if the big three from this year’s NBA draft class — Cameron Boozer, AJ Dybantsa, and Darryn Peterson — all end up in the East? Suddenly that conference looks a lot harder moving forward. Who’s to say that Anthony Edwards will even be on the Wolves by then? A few years ago, no one would have thought the Grizzlies would move on from Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane while begging teams to take Ja Morant, but it’s all happened.

It’s fair to point out that the East has closed the gap a bit this season, but the West still looks much better going forward with Wembanyama and Flagg just starting their rise, plus the Thunder being flush with draft assets and young stars. If the Wolves were in the East this year, I might pick them to reach the NBA Finals. Instead, they will have to fight just to make it out of the first round in the West.

Can the Wolves or Grizzlies bride the committee making this decision in any way? It would be worth it. The West continues to dominate the NBA, and moving East would be a huge deal for any franchise.

The NCAA Tournament bracket is set. And if you're a veteran of filling out a bracket, you might feel like you know best. Well, here's your chance to prove it.

Below are our USA TODAY Sports' experts picks for March Madness. They predict every game from the first round to the national championship.

March Madness winners, losers: Miami Ohio gets in, St. John's gets hosed

Sign up for USA TODAY's Bracket Challenge, presented by AutoZone, and test your knowledge against our experts. You will have a chance to win up to $40,000 in prizes and a shot at a $1 million perfect bracket.

Want more in-depth analysis of the region? Here are our breakdowns of the East, West,  Midwest and South.

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Here are USA TODAY Sports' reporters predictions:

Blake Toppmeyer

• Final Four: Arizona, Michigan, Houston, Michigan State
• Final: Houston vs. Arizona
• National champion: Arizona
• Click here for Blake's full bracket.

Jordan Mendoza

• Final Four: Arizona, Michigan, Duke, Florida
• Final: Duke vs. Arizona
• National champion: Arizona
• Click here for Jordan's full bracket.

Paul Myerberg

• Final Four: Arizona, St. John's, Iowa State, Houston
• Final: St. John's vs. Arizona
• National champion: St. John's
• Click here for Paul's full bracket.

Brent Schrotenboer

• Final Four: Duke, Florida, Iowa State, Arkansas
• Final: Florida vs. Iowa State
• National champion: Florida
• Click here for Brent's full bracket.

John Brice

• Final Four: Duke, Illinois, Arizona, Michigan
• Final: Duke vs. Arizona
• National champion: Arizona
• Click here for John's full bracket.

Matt Glenesk

• Final Four: Arizona, Iowa State, Michigan State, Florida
• Final: Florida vs. Iowa State
• National champion: Florida
• Click here for Matt's full bracket.

Eddie Timanus

• Final Four: Duke, Florida, Arizona, Michigan
• Final: Duke vs. Arizona
• National champion: Arizona
• Click here for Eddie's full bracket.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NCAA Tournament expert predictions, March Madness 2026 bracket picks

Cinderella, the floor is yours.

Last year’s NCAA Tournament belonged to the 1-seeds. This one might, too, with an excellent lineup of Duke, Arizona, Michigan and Florida atop the seeding.

Underdogs own the tournament's first week, though. Even in a quiet year for upsets, last season’s bracket saw two No. 12 seeds supply first-round upsets, plus an 11-seed and two 10-seeds.

So, who's primed to supply heroics this year? First-round triumphs by a No. 9 seed hardly qualify as upsets, so we're looking for teams seeded no better than No. 10 as our possible Cinderellas.

Toppmeyer: My eight burning March Madness hot takes before NCAA Tournament

Snubs and good fortune: March Madness winners, losers on Selection Sunday

From the 10- through 14-seed line, here are my teams that offer top Cinderella potential:

No. 10 Santa Clara

First-round opponent: (7) Kentucky

This is Santa Clara’s first NCAA Tournament bid in 30 years. It got here with an offense that can score 80-plus points with relative ease. Two wins against Saint Mary’s proved Santa Clara’s mettle. Santa Clara coach Herb Sendek, a former Kentucky assistant under Rick Pitino, has won NCAA Tournament games with three different schools.

No. 10 Missouri

First-round opponent: (7) Miami

The Tigers received a better seed than they deserved after going 5-5 down the stretch. Along with the seed, the committee gave Missouri the gift of a de facto home game in St. Louis. Tigers guard Mark Mitchell used to be a starter at Duke, and he’s going out strong as a senior. He dropped 32 points in each of his last two games.

No. 11 South Florida

First-round opponent: (6) Louisville

USF coach Bryan Hodgson used to be an assistant for Alabama’s Nate Oats. You can see it in the way the Bulls play. Much like Alabama, USF never saw a 3-point shot it didn’t like to launch. If the Bulls get hot, they can add to their 11-game win streak. USF is 8-5 in games against Quad 1 and Quad 2 opponents. That’s enough to make a 6-seed sweat.

No. 11 VCU

First-round opponent: (6) North Carolina

VCU needs no introduction to the Cinderella role. Fifteen years ago, it went from First Four to Final Four. The red-hot Rams have won 16 of their last 17 games. The 3-point shot is an equalizer in games like this, and VCU shoots well from the perimeter, including 11 3s in the Atlantic-10 Tournament championship win over Dayton.

No. 12 Northern Iowa

First-round opponent: (5) St. John’s

The Missouri Valley enjoys a rich history of NCAA Tournament upsets. That includes Northern Iowa stunning No. 1 Kansas to reach the Sweet 16 in 2010. Ben Jacobson coached that team. He’s still coaching UNI. True to Jacobson’s brand, this team plays tough defense. Each of his last three teams that reached the NCAA Tournament won at least one game.

No. 12 Akron

First-round opponent: (5) Texas Tech

All of the attention on 31-win Miami (Ohio) overshadowed Akron winning the Mid-American Conference Tournament. The Zips have been playing like the MAC’s best team for the past month. An excellent shooting team, they average nearly 11 3-pointers per game. One of those sharpshooters, Tavari Johnson, averages more than 20 points.

No. 13 Hofstra

First-round opponent: (4) Alabama

Hofstra went 2-0 against ACC teams. Granted, those wins came against Pittsburgh and Syracuse, two of the ACC’s worst teams. Hofstra will need a big game from super scorer Cruz Davis, who shoots nearly 40% from 3-point range. My knock on Hofstra? Hofstra Flying Dutchmen sounds way better than Hofstra Pride. The school never should’ve rebranded.

No. 14 North Dakota State

First-round opponent: (3) Michigan State

The Bison didn’t play any top-tier competition in the regular season, but they were excellent within the Summit League. They shoot it well from 3-point range, and the lineup is filled with veterans. A dozen years ago, North Dakota State delivered an upset from the 12-seed line. An upset in this one would be more stunning, a true glass slipper moment.

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

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Most likely upsets March Madness 2026: NCAA Tournament predictions

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The Memphis Grizzlies and Chicago Bulls clash this evening in the Windy City, with tip-off scheduled for 8 p.m. ET at the United Center. 

My Grizzlies vs. Bulls predictions expect Chicago to hand flailing and shorthanded Memphis yet another loss. 

Read more in my NBA picks for Monday, March 16. 

Grizzlies vs Bulls prediction

Grizzlies vs Bulls best bet: Bulls -6 (-110)

The 27-40 Chicago Bulls have lost two in a row, but are returning home, where they have a 16-18 record. Meanwhile, the Memphis Grizzlies — losers of seven straight — are 11-22 on the road. 

The Bulls have won four of the last five against Memphis, and they’ve covered tonight’s spread in all but one of those victories. The Grizz have lost by at least eight points in each of their last four defeats. 

Memphis is dealing with a slew of injuries, and several "active" players like Jaylen Wells, Walter Clayton Jr., and Santi Aldama are on nursing ailments despite being listed as day-to-day.

Grizzlies vs Bulls same-game parlay

Josh Giddey has cashed the Over in assists in four straight, and he’s compiled 15 dimes across his last two games alone. He’s averaging 11.8 assists in March and will pick apart the Memphis defense tonight. 

Matas Buzelis is playing at a different level over these last few games, which is exactly why his total is sitting higher. The second-year forward has hit the Over in two of his last three outings. 

He dropped 22 against the Lakers last week, and just two days prior, Buzelis erupted for a career-high 41 points vs. the Warriors.

Grizzlies vs Bulls SGP

• Bulls -6
• Josh Giddey Over 9.5 assists
• Matas Buzelis Over 21.5 points

Our "from downtown" SGP: Tre Cool

Tre Jones has hit the Over in points in three straight, posting 20+ in two of those contests. 

Grizzlies vs Bulls SGP

• Bulls -6
• Josh Giddey Over 9.5 assists
• Matas Buzelis Over 21.5 points
• Tre Jones Over 15.5 points

Grizzlies vs Bulls odds

• Spread: Grizzlies +6 (-110) | Bulls -6 (-110)
• Moneyline: Grizzlies +195 | Bulls -240
• Over/Under: Over 243 (-110) | Under 243 (-110)

Grizzlies vs Bulls betting trend to know

The Chicago Bulls have hit the Game Total Under in 20 of their last 30 games at home (+10.10 Units / 31% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Grizzlies vs. Bulls.

How to watch Grizzlies vs Bulls

Grizzlies vs Bulls latest injuries

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