Category: NBA

PHILADELPHIA, PA — Connecticut and UCLA are two of the biggest brands in college basketball, but have a sparse history against each other, meeting only once in the Elite Eight of the 1995 Men's NCAA Tournament.

That all changes at 8:45 p.m. ET on Sunday inside Xfinity Mobile Area, where a berth to the Sweet 16 will be on the line.

REQUIRED READING: How UConn's Tarris Reed Jr. terrorized Furman to avoid March Madness upset

It also features two of the more passionate, emotional, and fierce coaches in men’s college basketball with UConn's Dan Hurley and the Bruins’ Mick Cronin.

"It’s ridiculous. Everybody needs to get a life," Cronin said Saturday, March 21 when asked if he cares about how people perceive Hurley and himself. "You want to win big? Do you think Coach Hurley’s not supposed to be intense, but you want to win? We’re not coaching Little League." 

UCLA associate head coach Darren Savino knows about Hurley and Cronin’s passion better than most. Savino grew up "literally on the same block" as Hurley in Jersey City, New Jersey and played for Hurley’s father, Bobby Hurley Sr., at St. Anthony High School alongside Hurley’s older brother, Bobby Hurley Jr. He has been on Cronin’s staff at UCLA for seven years and has been coaching with Cronin for 18 seasons. 

"Two of the most competitive coaches that you’ll come across," Savino told USA TODAY Sports. "Both guys don’t like to lose."

While there are other college coaches who are as fiery and competitive as Hurley and Cronin, Savino said what sets these two apart is how consistently they maintain their competitive edge.

"It’s not just on game day or once in a while. They’re elite at bringing the competitive edge every single day and that’s why their teams play that way," Savino added. 

"Coach Hurley's intensity is through the roof every single day."@dhurley15 and @UConnMBB describe how their intense mentality is preached on the practice floor pic.twitter.com/97jIRPGEdi

— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) March 14, 2025

REQUIRED READING: Top March Madness scorers: Who is leading scorer in 2026 NCAA Tournament?

Hurley and Cronin met three times in their careers, first in November 2016, as coaches at Rhode Island and Cincinnati, respectively. When Hurley moved to take over UConn in 2018-19, Cronin took a 2-1 lead in the all-time series, sweeping the regular-season series when both programs were in American Athletic Conference play.

Hurley recalled the culture of Cronin’s teams and “how hard they play” from those matchups.

"They (UCLA) play a lot differently than those teams played in Cincinnati, but the culture, the standards, how hard they play, the quality of shots they take, the discipline they play with. That never changes with a Mick Cronin team," Hurley said. 

They also share similar sources behind their coaching intensity: They are sons of high school coaches.

Hurley is the son of Bobby Hurley Sr., the legendary and Hall of Fame Jersey City basketball coach, while Cronin is the son of Harold Cronin, a Cincinnati high school coach. 

"I think it's a huge advantage growing up the way we grew up in the gym, which you don't realize until you go into coaching," Cronin said. "Everybody else has got to learn things that you learn through osmosis. ... Everybody doesn't have those dads."

REQUIRED READING: UCLA basketball's Skyy Clark all smiles after procedure repairs damaged tooth

Hurley and Cronin's styles have helped them to tremendous success, as Huskies and Bruins' coaches are two of the best in their profession. They have combined for 873 wins — including 33 in the NCAA Tournament — 24 NCAA Tournament appearances, three Final Four appearances and two national championships (both Hurley’s).

Sunday's coaching matchup nearly didn’t happen, either, with both programs facing legitimate upset threats in their first-round games against 15-seed Furman and 10-seed Central Florida, respectively. 

The Huskies saw their 11-point cut to four after with 5:49 to go, but a 12-4 run to end the game, fueled by Tarris Reed Jr., helped UConn pick up its 30th win of the season. Reed became the first player since Houston’ Elvin Hayes in 1968 to finish with at least 30 points and 25 rebounds in a March Madness game.

The Bruins, who saw guard Skyy Clark lose a tooth during the game, had to withstand a late push from the Knights, who cut the Bruins' lead to just three points with 10 seconds left in regulation.

So, get the popcorn ready: It’s not every year in March Madness, especially this early on, that you get a coaching matchup like this.

Follow all of Sunday's NCAA Tournament second round games with USA TODAY Sports' live updates.

Otega Oweh gave us the moment of the NCAA Tournament so far with his banked-in 3-pointer to force overtime against Santa Clara in the first round.

It saved Kentucky's season and Mark Pope from a likely avalanche of mean tweets.

What do the Wildcats do for an encore?

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

More: Kentucky's versatile defensive weapon has Iowa State's attention

No. 2 seed Iowa State absolutely demolished No. 15 seed Tennessee State in the first round, but it wasn't all good news for the Cyclones. All-American forward Joshua Jefferson went down with an ankle early injury and is listed as questionable to face the Wildcats.

Sunday's winner will advance to the Sweet 16 to meet the Virginia/Tennessee winner in Chicago next week.

Here's what you need to know about Sunday's second round game in St. Louis.

HIT REFRESH FOR UPDATES.

Kentucky vs Iowa State live score

What time is Kentucky vs Iowa State?

• Time: 2:45 p.m. ET, Sunday.

What channel is Kentucky vs Iowa State? How to watch, streaming info

• The game is airing on CBS, streaming via Paramount+.

Joshua Jefferson injury update: Will Iowa State star play today vs Kentucky?

Jefferson, a second-team All-American, suffered an ankle injury 2 1/2 minutes into the Friday's game and did not return. He is listed as questionable, though Cyclones coach T.J. Otzelberger didn't seem too optimistic.

"Right now, we're continuing to evaluate," Otzelberger said. "It appears unlikely, but you never want to rule anything out, so we'll just continue to do what we can in his best interest and we'll be prepared to go either way."

Asked what it would take for him to play Sunday, Jefferson said: "I need to feel like myself. …. What you guys have seen all season from me, being able to be versatile on the floor and make the moves I've been making all year."

Iowa State vs Kentucky prediction, odds

Odds provided by BetMGM, as of 9:30 a.m., Sunday.

∎ Eugene Rapay, Des Moines Register: Iowa State 79, Kentucky 73

Potentially being without Jefferson is tough, but if Heise and Killyan Toure can keep scoring as they did in the first round, that'll go a long way for the Cyclones. Iowa State has to stay true to its identity, with physicality and disruptive defense. Kentucky's size and athleticism may present problems, but the Cyclones have depth they can rely on. The margin for error shrinks without Jefferson, but the Cyclones will aim to survive and advance, and hope that he'll be in good shape for next week. 

∎Ryan Black, Courier-Journal: Iowa State 71, Kentucky 68 

With a healthy Joshua Jefferson, the Cyclones likely would be close to a double-digit favorite. But if he's hobbled, that hurts Iowa State. And if he's not able to play at all, that's even tougher. Yet it's not as if the Wildcats don't have injury issues of their own. Starting point guard Jaland Lowe has been out since January. And forward Jayden Quaintance would need a miracle to be cleared Sunday.

Kentucky used up more energy — physically (going to OT) and emotionally (barely keeping its season alive) — than Iowa State.

It'll be a bare-knuckled fight Sunday. But Iowa State will eke out a narrow victory to bring down the curtains on Kentucky's second season under Mark Pope.

• John Leuzzi: Iowa State
• Jordan Mendoza: Iowa State
• Ehsan Kassim: Kentucky
• Blake Schuster: Iowa State
• Moneyline: Iowa State (-220); Kentucky (+180)
• Spread: Iowa State (-5.5)
• Over/under total: 146.5

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kentucky vs Iowa State live score updates, highlights March Madness Round 2

BOSTON — The Celtics will be without Nikola Vucevic for the 8th consecutive game when they face the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday night. Vucevic is expected to be re-evaluated in the next 1-2 weeks as he continues to recover.

Jaylen Brown is probable to play as he deals with a left quad contusion. The rest of the Celtics, including Jayson Tatum, are available for Sunday’s match-up.

The Wolves, meanwhile, will be without Anthony Edwards, who is out with right knee soreness. Perennial Sixth Man of the Year candidate Naz Reid is questionable to play with a right ankle sprain.

How the Celtics, Timberwolves stack up

The Celtics have won four straight games and 7 of their past 10 games. They currently hold a 47-23 record, good for second-best in the Eastern Conference. The Celtics have the third-best net rating in the NBA at +8, the second-best offensive rating at 119.7, and the fourth-best defensive rating at 111.7.

The Timberwolves have been among the West’s playoff teams, and currently have the conference’s sixth-best record at 43-28. They have the league’s 10th-best net rating at +3.5, the 11th-best offensive rating at 116.2, and the 9th-best defensive rating at 112.7.

The Celtics and Timberwolves have faced off once this season, with the Wolves coming away with a 119-115 win on November 29th. Jaylen Brown tallied one of his best games of the season in the loss, finishing with 41 points, 7 assists, and 5 steals.

Celtics-Timberwolves will tip off at 8pm ET on Sunday at TD Garden.

Almost got it. The Brooklyn Nets gave the New York Knicks all they could handle, but ultimately fell short by one point, 93-92. The losing streak is up to six.

The opponent tonight is praying for some lottery luck. The Sacramento Kings have had a rough season but hope things turn around in the NBA Draft this April. They’ve been off since Thursday after losing to the Philadelphia 76ers 139-118.

Where to follow the game

YES Network on TV. Gotham Sports on streaming. WFAN on radio. Tip after 6 PM.

🤕 Injuries

The following are out:

• Michael Porter Jr
• Egor Demin
• Noah Clowney
• Day’ron Sharpe
• Nic Claxton

The following are out:

• Russell Westbrook
• Domantas Sabonis
• Keegan Murray
• Zach Lavine
• DeAndre Hunter
• Drew Eubanks

This the last game on Malachi Smith’s initial 10-day contract. Nets can simply let the contract expire, extend him another 10 days, essentially till season’s end ,

🏀 The game

This is the first meeting between the teams this season.

First night of a back-to-back for the Nets. They fly north to face the Portland Trailblazers tomorrow night.

I know what y’all want. I know what y’all need.

So we’ve got two teams that are racing to finish this season and get to the real season. Before we get there, we’re going to be subjected to some more ugly basketball to watch. For both of these trying to accomplish the big goal (a high draft pick) while also completing the small one (development of young players), it makes for a frustrating dynamic. Pooch wrote about it recently:

“The irony, of course, is that under the current system, math doesn’t even guarantee a miracle. Even if the Nets manage to secure one of the three worst records in the league, they are only rewarded with a 14% chance at the No. 1 pick. The league has created a system where teams are forced to torch their culture and disrespect their fans for a reward that is statistically unlikely to actually happen.“

Over at The Kings Herald, Akis Yerocostas is feeling the same way:

I knew the schedule was going to ease up for the Kings here but at this point in the season these wins are more annoying than anything else. It sucks that the league is structured in such a way that I can’t be happy when my team is winning, but I am finding very little joy in these recent victories, because in my mind, they’re just costing themselves opportunities for a higher draft pick. Yes, nothing is a guarantee, and yes no matter what the Kings will likely have an excellent shot at landing a top 4 pick. But winning makes those chances go down and the number one rule of being a Kings fan is basically to embrace the worst case possibility happening, which as of now would mean the Kings fall to the 8th pick.

It would be much better for the Kings to suck extremely hard for a short while than just be kinda bad for a long time like we just experienced during that recent playoff drought. I don’t blame the players for trying their hardest, and some guys are really balling out right now (shout out Precious Achiuwa). But I just can’t find myself enjoying these wins (although I do crack a small smile at the young guys putting on sun glasses and styling themselves as the Beam Boys). Hopefully the ping pong balls bless us and we can turn this around sooner rather than later so we don’t have to go through this for too long.

We’ll be spinning our wheels until the Draft Lottery.

But until then, we hold on to the small, yet meaningful moments. Over to you, Josh Minott:

Yeah, keep him around next year.

Nolan Traore will look to cut down on the turnovers. He’s coughed it up ten times in the past two games, and for a Nets team that is shorthanded and missing out on scorers, they have to take better care of the ball. If they don’t, it makes winning even more difficult.

👀 Player to watch: Maxime Raynaud

Maxime Raynuad has been a revelation. Since entering the starting lineup on February 6, the French rookie is averaging close to 17 points and nine rebounds on 59.7 percent shooting from the field. March is all for finding who your future prospects will be, and maybe Sacramento has something here with Raynaud.

Danny Wolf will get another start and another opportunity to make the most of his minutes. He’ll have all the opportunity in the world tonight and with Brooklyn even more shorthanded in the frontcourt, Jordi Fernandez will count on him a little bit more.

📺 From the Vault

Salute to the legendary Howie Rose

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

• Brooklyn Nets Game Notes – Brooklyn Nets
• Sacramento Kings Game Notes – Sacramento Kings
• Brooklyn takes on Sacramento on 6-game slide – AP

MIDRAND, South Africa (AP) — Bryson DeChambeau won for the second straight week by saving par on the final hole for a 6-under 65 and blistering a 3-wood from a wet lie in the rough on the par-5 18th in a playoff to set up birdie and defeat Jon Rahm at LIV Golf South Africa on Sunday.

DeChambeau's final start before the Masters brought out some of his best work in winning his fifth overall LIV title. He won last week in Singapore.

The large gallery began singing the national anthem as DeChambeau was just off the 18th green, needing to get up-and-down to force a playoff with Rahm (63), and to give his Crushers the team title over the South African-based Southern Guard.

He did that to finish at 26-under 258 and join Rahm in the playoff.

Returning to the par-5 18th, DeChambeau pulled his drive into the mud and muck left of the fairway on the rain-soaked course. He was given free relief and eventually allowed to place the golf ball. Keeping his feet stable, he ripped 3-wood onto the green to 12 feet.

Rahm from the fairway went into a bunker, blasted out to just beyond 12 feet and misread his birdie putt. That gave DeChambeau two putts for the win, and he left the eagle putt inches short.

DeChambeau is the third player with at least five LIV wins, joining Joaquin Niemann (seven) and Brooks Koepka (five), who is now back on the PGA Tour.

___

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

Jose Alvarado has made himself a fixture in the Knicks rotation in a short amount of time. Thanks to quality defense and good decision-making, Alvarado has already helped New York’s title hopes after he was acquired from the New Orleans Pelicans ahead of the trade deadline.

In 19 games with the Knicks, Alvarado has already proven to be an impact player down the stretch of the season. The cost to acquire the Brooklyn-born guard was minimal. The Knicks only had to send two second-round picks and Dalen Terry to the New Orleans Pelicans to acquire Alvarado.

Listed at just 6-foot, Alvarado has been an essential part of the Knicks’ defense, providing energy and effort. In 319 minutes with the soon-to-be 28-year-old guard on the floor, the Knicks are giving up just 102.8 points per 100 possessions, per NBA Stats, a number that would rank first in the Association.

Alvarado has been effective for the Knicks as a point-of-attack defender and has also excelled as a help defender. But where he makes a significant impact is his ability to be a defensive playmaker. Alvarado is averaging 2.4 steals per 36 minutes.

The stat fits perfectly with Alvarado’s “Grand Theft Alvarado” moniker. His ability to force turnovers has an effect on the offensive end, as it creates transition opportunities and easier looks for a Knicks team that can, at times, be methodical and stuck in the half court.

Most nights, Alvarado is facing a height disadvantage, but he’s been able to hold up mainly because of his smarts on the defensive end. It has allowed Knicks coach Mike Brown to trot out units with Alvarado and Jalen Brunson on the floor together. In 104 minutes together, the Brunson and Alvarado pairing has outscored opponents by 13.5 points per 100 possessions.

It’s a small sample size and not every opponent will make sense for the combination. But it gives the Knicks additional lineup options.

Scoring drought

Alvarado has gotten off to a slow offensive start with the Knicks, averaging 5.9 points in 16.8 minutes. The diminutive guard has struggled from deep, shooting a ghastly 29.2 percent from three on 65 attempts. Outside of a few electric nights, like a 26-point, eight-three-pointer night against the Philadelphia 76ers in February, Alvarado has been quiet.

Before scoring 16 points and hitting four three-pointers in a 136-110 win against the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday night, Alvarado went nine consecutive games without nailing a three.

Alvarado has never been a great shooter, but he’s been able to knock down shots at a passable efficiency. He shot 34.8 percent from downtown in his first four seasons. The point guard should probably rebound from his slow shooting start before the end of the season.

Alvarado is thriving as a caretaker of the ball. He has a 4.3 assist-to-turnover ratio. The guard has also formed some chemistry with Karl-Anthony Towns. The Knicks All-Star center is who Alvarado has passed the ball the most to so far. In 200 minutes on the floor together, Towns is averaging 39.9 points per 100 possessions, according to PBP Stats. When Alvarado is on the bench, that number falls to 30.8 points per 100 possessions.

With the potential return of Miles McBride either during the end of the regular season or during the playoffs, Alvarado isn’t guaranteed substantial postseason minutes. Both he and McBride could potentially play together in specific spots depending on the matchup.

With his defensive impact, ability to set his teammates up and constant energy, Alvarado could swing a playoff game or two for the Knicks. The guard is just what the Knicks needed for this playoff run.

The Toronto Raptors continue their travels to Arizona, where they will go toe-to-toe tonight with the Phoenix Suns. These teams meet twice a year, with the first contest going in Toronto’s favour. 

So far on this road-trip, the Raptors are 1-1. They beat Chicago effortlessly and followed that up with a close but frustrating loss to Denver. Now, they face the Phoenix Suns who are sitting 7th in the West, four games outside of guaranteed playoff contention. Toronto maintains only a one-game advantage on the Hawks who have won nine of their last ten games. 

Phoenix is currently on a five-game losing streak, with the first in that slide being handed to them by Toronto last Friday. The next three were all top-10 teams, making them understandable, but then last night they dropped one to the Bucks who are 29-41 this season. It’s safe to say that the Suns will be looking to end this slump.

Devin Booker and Jalen Green have been Phoenix’s biggest offensive players. Booker is averaging almost 26-4-6 and Green has almost 18-4-3. The tandem each had 30 points the last time they took on Toronto, so it would be unsurprising if they are called on again to have big scoring nights, especially while they remained shorthanded. Dillon Brooks continues to recover from hand surgery, Mark Williams with a stress reaction in his foot, and Grayson Allen with a knee injury. 

The depleted lineup should play in the Raptors’ favour, as well as their rest advantage. Pace and transition play, both big aspects of Toronto’s game can be factors tonight. With only CMB wavering on availability, their full-strength roster and fresh bodies should be able to outpace the Suns. 

To improve on their last contest with the Suns, they should look to slow Booker and Green and force others to score.

Their ability to close will be more important than anything else. Against Denver, like many games this season, they could get buckets to stay within striking distance in the last couple minutes, but a few poor decisions or selfish plays cost them the game. No amount of frustration with the whistle or missed calls should suggest driving into three defenders in the paint and forcing a shot is a good idea, or that it would yield points. And yet, all too often plays like that become the undoing of Toronto in the final seconds of games. 

With only a dozen games left after this one, the Raptors need to decide how they’re going to handle close games before the postseason starts. What better time to start than now?

Probable Starters

Toronto: Jakob Poeltl, Scottie Barnes, Brandon Ingram, RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley

Phoenix: Devin Booker, Jalen Green, Collin Gillespie, Oso Ighodaro, Royce O’Neale

Injury Report

Toronto: Chucky Hepburn (Out: G-League), A.J. Lawson (Out: G-League), Alijah Martin (Out: G-League), Collin Murray-Boyles (Questionable: Thumb sprain)

Phoenix: Grayson Allen (Out: Knee), Dillon Brooks (Out: Surgery recovery), Mark Williams (Out: Foot)

Where to Watch

Tune into Sportsnet at 9pm ET!

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

The Boston Celtics will look to extend their four-game win streak when they host the shorthanded Minnesota Timberwolves tonight at TD Garden.

Anthony Edwards is out, and my Timberwolves vs. Celtics predictions expect Ayo Dosunmu to fill his shoes admirably and keep things close on the road.

Here are my free NBA picks for this prime-time matchup on Sunday, March 22.

Timberwolves vs Celtics prediction

Timberwolves vs Celtics best bet: Ayo Dosunmu Over 26.5 points+rebounds+assists (-112)

Ayo Dosunmu has stepped up in a big way since Anthony Edwards went down, but he was starting to find his groove with Ant-Man on the court.

Across his last five, Dosunmu has averaged 29.6 PRA, hitting the Over on this line three times and finishing with 26 once more.

Over his last three as a starter, Dosunmu ranks second in points, rebounds, and assists, first in shot attempts, third in usage, and third in minutes.

The Minnesota Timberwolves' offense has been humming, and I expect Dosunmu to stay involved as a scorer, rebounder, and facilitator.

Timberwolves vs Celtics same-game parlay

The Timberwolves have covered the spread in 8 of 13 games without Edwards this season, including two of the last three.

The Boston Celtics have been average ATS at TD Garden, going 17-17 at home and 14-15 as the home favorite.

Minnesota’s offensive rating has climbed from 116.2 to 119.2 across its last three games. In that span, the team ranks third in points at a whopping 122.3.

Boston ranks 10th across the last three games at 119. Both defenses are elite, but offense has been the name of the game for both squads recently.

Timberwolves vs Celtics SGP

• Ayo Dosunmu Over 26.5 points+rebounds+assists
• Timberwolves +10
• Over 220

Our "from downtown" SGP: Wolf pack

Julius Randle has averaged 25.8 points across 13 games without Anthony Edwards. Randle has scored 21+ in 10 of those 13, including two of his last three.  

Bones Hyland has scored 12+ in seven of his last eight games and four straight. He's averaged 19 points over the last three games with Edwards on the sideline.

In 12 games played without Anthony Edwards, Rudy Gobert has averaged a healthy 13.8 rebounds, going for 12+ in 10 straight with Ant-Man out of action. 

Ayo Dosunmu posted a 17/10/8 line in his last game out and went for 23/9/6 in the game prior. His odds to record a double-double are +1000, bringing this parlay to +4500.

For bettors looking for a little less risk, adding his o26.5 PRA line instead of the double-double brings this parlay to +1000.

Timberwolves vs Celtics SGP

• Julius Randle Over 20.5 points
• Bones Hyland Over 11.5 points
• Rudy Gobert Over 11.5 rebounds
• Ayo Dosunmu double-double

Timberwolves vs Celtics odds

• Spread: Timberwolves +10 | Celtics -10
• Moneyline: Timberwolves +325 | Celtics -425
• Over/Under: Over 220 | Under 220

Timberwolves vs Celtics betting trend to know

The Minnesota Timberwolves have hit the game total Over in 16 of their last 24 away games (+7.20 Units / 27% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Timberwolves vs. Celtics.

How to watch Timberwolves vs Celtics

Timberwolves vs Celtics latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Follow all of Sunday's NCAA Tournament second round games with USA TODAY Sports' live updates.

Now that Braden Smith has the NCAA assists record, the Purdue senior can focus solely on what brought the Boilermakers point guard back to West Lafayette: a chance at a championship.

Purdue got close in 2024, reaching the national championship game with Zach Edey anchoring the post. Three starters on that team remain, including Smith.

In-depth: Matt Painter, Purdue and the honest quest for March Madness glory

More: Miami's record turnaround reflects Jai Lucas excellent coaching job

The Boilers completely out-everythinged No. 15 seed Queens in the first round and get a second round matchup against No. 7 Miami.

The Hurricanes were almost equally impressive in their 80-66 first round win over No. 10 Missouri. Miami was led by a player all-too-familiar with the Boilermakers. Indiana transfer Malik Reneau scored 24 points in the Canes' win over the Tigers and has had plenty of battles with Purdue's Trey Kaufman-Renn. So that should be a fun matchup.

Miami have been a revelation in Jai Lucas' first year as coach. After going 7-24 last season, the Hurricanes are 26-8 and one win away from their first Sweet 16 since reaching the Final Four in 2023.

Here's more of what you need to know for today's game with a spot in the Sweet 16 on the line. The winner will face No. 11 seed Texas next week in San Jose.

HIT REFRESH FOR UPDATES.

Purdue vs Miami live score

Purdue vs Miami live updates

Purdue-Miami March Madness score: Hurricanes 40, Boilermakers 38 (Halftime)

Purdue-Miami halftime stats

Halftime: Miami 40, Purdue 38

Miami holds a 40-38 halftime lead following a jumper from Tre Donaldson before the intermission. C.J. Cox hit three straight 3-pointers for Purdue to even the game before Donaldson's last-second shot.

At halftime, Trey Renn-Kaufman leads Purdue with 12 points, while Fletcher Loyer has added 10 points and Cox has nine points. Shelton Henderson leads Miami with 10 points, while Dante Allen has eight and three others have at least six points.

Miami jumps ahead at final media timeout of first half

Miami pulls ahead 31-29 with 3:59 left in the half on a dunk by Shelton Henderson, who is now up to 10 points for the game. Dante Allen also has eight points for the Hurricanes.

Trey Renn-Kaufman leads Purdue with 12 points, while Fletcher Loyer has added 10 points.

Purdue uses big run to take control early

Purdue uses a 13-2 run to take a 19-12 lead over Miami with 12:17 left in the first half. The Boilermakers are shooting 7-of-11 from the field, with six assists already.

Fletcher Loyer already has 10 points, while Braden Smith continues to add to his assist total with two more early on.

Miami leads Purdue early

Miami has jumped out to a 10-8 lead over Purdue following a pair of 3-pointers. The Hurricanes are 4-of-8 from the field and 2-for-3 from 3-point range. Meanwhile, the Boilermakers are 4-for-6 from the field.

Tre Donaldson hit Ernest Udeh Jr. for an alley-oop on the very first play of the game, eight seconds in.

Purdue-Miami is underway

The winner between the Boilermakers and Hurricanes advances to the Sweet 16. Miami last made the round in 2023, while Purdue was there last year.

Pregame

Purdue-Miami starters

Here's a look at the starting lineups for both Purdue and Miami for today's second-round game:

Miami:

• G: Tre Donaldson
• G: Dante Allen
• F: Malik Reneau
• F: Shelton Henderson
• C: Ernest Udeh Jr.

Purdue:

• G: C.J. Cox
• G: Fletcher Loyer
• G: Braden Smith
• F: Trey Kaufman-Renn
• C: Oscar Cluff

Who is Malik Reneau?

Miami forward Malik Reneau has been the team's leading scorer. He is an Indiana transfer who is playing his senior season with the Hurricanes.

Reneau leads Miami with 19 points per game, while also adding 6.6 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.0 steals per game.

Announcers for Purdue-Miami

Spero Dedes (play-by-play) and Jim Spanarkel (analyst) will have the call for the Purdue-Miami second-round matchup on Sunday, with Jon Rothstein serving as the sideline reporter.

What time is Purdue vs Miami?

• Time: 12:10 p.m. ET, Sunday.

What channel is Purdue vs Miami? How to watch, streaming info

• The game is airing on CBS, streaming via Paramount+.

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

Purdue vs Miami FL prediction, odds

Odds provided by BetMGM, as of 9:30 a.m., Sunday.

Nathan Baird, IndyStar: Purdue 73-65

"Malik Reneau and Tre Donaldson will be difficult matchups regardless of their Big Ten backgrounds. If the Boilers keep attacking inside out and controlling the boards, though, they're headed for San Jose."

Sam King, Journal & Courier: Purdue 87-77

"The much-improved defense from the last four games will have to carry over. If Purdue can get production from the post, where Miami thrived defensively against Missouri, packaged with solid enough defense, it'll win. Purdue's guards are good enough to expose the Hurricanes otherwise."

• John Leuzzi: Purdue
• Jordan Mendoza: Purdue
• Ehsan Kassim: Purdue
• Blake Schuster: Purdue
• Moneyline: Purdue (-350); Miami (+275)
• Spread: Purdue (-7.5)
• Over/under total: 147.5

Braden Smith breaks Bobby Hurley NCAA assists record

Smith broke Hurley's record in the first round of the NCAA Tournament against Queens on Friday, March 20. The senior from Indiana got the record on a dish to Trey Kaufman-Renn in the first half.

Smith finished the game with 1,083 career assists in his four year career with the Boilermakers. Purdue fans at the game gave Smith a standing ovation for the achievement.

Smith told USA TODAY Sports ahead of the tournament he was "ready to just get it over with" so he could put all of the attention toward winning Purdue's first national championship. Now with that in hand, the decorated guard can go for the two goals he had for his senior season.

"That's one of the reasons I came back, was to win and to get the record," he said. "Obviously, wanted to do it at a place that I've been for the three years prior. For me, just to be around a great bunch of guys and obviously great coaching staff, and do it with them, I think it makes it more special."

Who is Jai Lucas? Miami FL coach leads remarkable turnaround

Lucas came to Coral Gables from a star-making turn as recruiting director and assistant coach at Duke. He replaced a legend in Jim Larrañaga, who led the 'Canes to the Final Four in 2023 but saw the program fall apart after that, leading him to resign amid a horrid 7-24 season in 2024-25.

A little more than three months later, Lucas was brought in to get Miami back into the NCAA tournament. And that he did, using his recruiting acumen developed from his time at Texas through his tenure under Jon Scheyer to build an instant contender in the ACC, finishing third in the premiere basketball conference's regular-season standings. The Hurricanes went 25-8, by far the best single-season improvement in the country.

Matt Painter's March Madness record

Matt Painter has a 25-17 career record in the NCAA Tournament. This is his 18th trip to March Madness, 17th with Purdue (he led Southern Illinois to the NCAA Tournament before becoming Purdue's coach-in-waiting).

He's led the Boilermakers to eight Sweet 16s.

Dan Rorabaugh of the Palm Beach Post contributed to this story.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Purdue vs Miami live score: March Madness game updates, highlights

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There are just five games on the NBA’s schedule today, but still plenty of intriguing NBA player props to choose from.

My NBA picks target Donovan Clingan, Jayson Tatum, and Maxime Raynaud. Keep reading for the full breakdown.

Best NBA player props today

Player	Pick
Donovan Clingan	Record a double-double	-135
Jayson Tatum	Under 2.5 threes	+105
Maxime Raynaud	Under 10.5 rebounds	-130

Prop #1: Donovan Clingan to record a double-double

-135 at bet365

The Portland Trail Blazers are just barely clinging onto a play-in spot in the Western Conference, but Donovan Clingan is doing his best to bring his team to the promised land.

The sophomore center has logged 31 double-doubles this season — good for eighth-most in the NBA — and he enters Sunday with a double-double in each of his last six contests.

Clingan is averaging 15.5 points and 12.5 rebounds per game this month, so I don’t see him slowing down in a big game vs. the Denver Nuggets.

• Time: 5:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: BlazerVision, Altitude

Prop #2: Jayson Tatum Under 2.5 threes

+105 at bet365

Jayson Tatum returned to the Boston Celtics lineup earlier this month following a 10-month rehab from an Achilles tendon rupture.

Unsurprisingly, the C’s star has not looked quite like himself since getting back on the court. He's shooting just 29.4% from 3-point range, well under his career average of 36.9%. He’s also made Under 2.5 threes in three of his last four games. 

The Minnesota Timberwolves rank sixth in the league in threes allowed per game (12.5), so the treys won’t come easily for Tatum.

• Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: NBC/Peacock

Prop #3: Maxime Raynaud Under 10.5 rebounds

-130 at bet365

In my second fade of the day, I’m targeting Sacramento Kings center Maxime Raynaud.

The rookie is averaging just 7.3 boards per game, so the line being set at 10.5 is a bit ambitious. Raynaud has also logged Under 10.5 rebounds in four of his last five contests.

The Brooklyn Nets are averaging just 84.6 field goal attempts per game — the third-fewest in the NBA. There won’t be many rebounds available, and Raynaud will hit the Under for a third straight game.

• Time: 6:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: NBCS-California, YES

These props are available now at bet365, one of our best betting sites.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia Phillies have agreed to a new six-year contract with opening day starter Cristopher Sánchez.

The deal announced Sunday for last season's NL Cy Young Award runner-up begins in 2027 and will run through 2032 with a club option for 2033.

Terms were not immediately available.

Sánchez had been pitching under a $22.5 million, four-year contract that was through 2028.

He went 13-5 with a 2.50 ERA in 32 starts last season and struck out a career-high 212 batters. He's 30-21 overall in four full big league seasons.

Originally signed by the Tampa Bay Rays as an amateur free agent in 2013, Sánchez was acquired in a trade by the Phillies on Nov. 20, 2019, for infielder Curtis Mead.

Mead played in just 41 games for the Chicago White Sox last season while Sánchez has blossomed into one of the best pitchers in baseball and helped key the Phillies' run to consecutive NL East titles in 2024 and 2025.

The Phillies want to keep their postseason run going — four straight appearances headed into 2026 — and have locked up all veteran members of their staff to long-term deals.

Jesús Luzardo earlier this month finalized a $135 million, five-year contract that starts in 2027. Zack Wheeler has a $126 million deal through the 2027 and Aaron Nola a $172 million, seven-year agreement through 2030. Rookie Andrew Painter is under team control through 2031 and earned the fifth starter spot in the rotation.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

KVITFJELL, Norway (AP) — Dominik Paris won his second race in two days Sunday as Italy went a perfect four-from-four at the World Cup finals.

A day after winning the downhill, Paris also was the fastest in the super-G, beating Austrians Vincent Kriechmayr by 0.07 and Raphael Haaser by 0.38 seconds.

“It's a surprise for me,” Paris said. “When I saw the green light at the finish line, I had to look twice because I couldn't believe it.”

Paris also won two World Cup races in one weekend in the Norwegian resort a year ago.

On the women’s side, Sofia Goggia and Laura Pirovano triumphed in the super-G and downhill races, respectively, and both secured the discipline title this weekend.

That, though, didn’t apply to Paris, as Swiss star Marco Odermatt had already been confirmed as the World Cup super-G and downhill champion a week ago, when he also locked up his fifth overall title.

Odermatt had a disappointing run in the last super-G of the season when he finished 1.97 seconds behind Paris in 19th, meaning he didn’t even score World Cup points.

“It’s always much cooler if you can collect another globe after a good performance, but today was my worst performance in many years,” he said.

Odermatt is the only skier with multiple super-G wins this season, and he singled out his triumph in Kitzbühel in January as his best one.

“It’s for me the biggest super-G we have on the World Cup tour, and to win there the second time now in a row was a really cool race for me, a lot of emotions,” said Odermatt, who added Olympic bronze a few weeks later.

The next men’s race at the finals is Tuesday’s giant slalom, where Odermatt can secure his fourth globe of the season. He leads the GS standings by 48 points over second-placed Lucas Pinheiro Braathen.

___

AP skiing: https://apnews.com/hub/alpine-skiing

John Calipari, that clever ol’ dog. He just unleashed the oldest strategy in the book.

Calipari played possum his final few NCAA Tournament appearances at Kentucky. Jack Gohlke poked Cal with a stick, and there was no movement. Big Blue Nation took Calipari for roadkill, boxed him up and gladly shipped him off to Arkansas.

Enjoy your dead possum stew, Hog heads!

March Madness games today: Breaking down Sunday's NCAA Tournament matchups

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

Calipari continued the act and rolled over the first few months into his first season at Arkansas. Kentucky fans must have thought they’d suckered Arkansas with a Trojan horse, while the Razorbacks lost six straight games in January 2025.

Stick a fork in him, eh? Calipari’s been cooked to a crisp, right?

Bryan Hodgson's one-year tenure with South Florida men's basketball is leading to a bigger job.

The Bulls' head coach has been hired to become the next head coach at Providence basketball. Hodgson led USF to the NCAA Tournament following a 25-9 record during the 2025-26 season. Providence announced the hiring on Sunday, March 22.

"I'm incredibly honored and excited to be named the next head coach of the Providence Friars men's basketball program," Hodgson said in a news release from the school. "This is a program with a proud tradition, passionate fan base, and a city that truly embraces its team. We're going to build something that reflects that pride. We will be tough, disciplined, and relentless in our pursuit of excellence."

REQUIRED READING: College basketball coaches fired: Updated list of schools making changes

Welcome to Friartown! 🦈 pic.twitter.com/yzXUL5gWIy

— Providence Friars (@PCAthletics) March 22, 2026

Hodgson guided the Bulls to a 15-3 American Conference record, winning both the regular season and conference tournament with 12 wins to end the season to qualify for the NCAA Tournament for the first time as a head coach.

"We are thrilled to have Bryan Hodgson join Providence College as the leader of our men's basketball program," Providence College President Fr. Kenneth Sicard, O.P., said. "Bryan brings a strong track record of leadership and a deep commitment to developing student-athletes both on and off the court. His dedication to integrity, hard work, and competitive excellence aligns closely with the values of Providence College. I am confident that the future is bright for Friar men's basketball, and I eagerly anticipate seeing the team reach new milestones under their new leader's guidance."

"We are very excited to welcome Bryan Hodgson and his family to Providence College," Providence College Athletics Director Steve Napolillo added. "Today we begin a new journey with Providence College men's basketball. It was my goal to find a head coach who would fit with our great athletic and academic institution. In addition, in this new revenue share/NIL landscape, I knew we needed a coach with the energy, passion and the skills to get us back to competing for championships and playing in the NCAA Tournament. Bryan has revived two Division 1 programs and it is our goal for him to bring new life into Friar men's basketball.  He has 18 years of college basketball coaching experience, including five as an assistant coach at the University of Alabama. Over the last three years, Bryan has successfully used analytics, his recruiting skills and coaching to win 70 games. Bryan is a winner and we need a winning culture at Providence College. We are looking forward to the start of a new era in Friartown as we enter the 100th year of Providence College men's basketball."

Providence fired head coach Kim English on March 13 following a 15-18 record this season. English went 48-52 in three years with the program, never reaching the NCAA Tournament.

How old is Bryan Hodgson?

Hodgson was born on April 11, 1987, making him 38 years old during the 2025-26 college basketball season.

Bryan Hodgson coaching record

Here's a look at Hodgson's record as a head coach. He has never led a team to fewer than 20 wins in a season.

• 2023-24 (Arkansas State): 20-17, 11-7 Sun Belt
• 2024-25 (Arkansas State): 25-11, 13-5 Sun Belt
• 2025-26 (South Florida): 25-9, 15-3 American
• Career: 70-37

Bryan Hodgson's coaching career

Here's a look at Hodgson's coaching career:

Head coach unless otherwise specified. Assistant role listed in parentheses

• 2007-10: Fredonia State (assistant)
• 2010-13: Jamestown Community College (assistant)
• 2013-15: Midland (assistant)
• 2015-19: Buffalo (assistant)
• 2019-23: Alabama (assistant)
• 2023-25: Arkansas State
• 2025-26: South Florida
• 2026-present: Providence

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Providence basketball hiring USF coach Bryan Hodgson

The Milwaukee Bucks made up for their stinker in Utah, beating the Phoenix Suns 108-105, mainly due to a bunch of huge plays down the stretch. The Bucks moved the ball more and turned it over less than they did against the Jazz, resulting in a much more polished performance. Read our full summary of the game here and catch a six-minute audio recap on the Bucks+ podcast, Bucks In Six Minutes, below.

Player Grades

Ryan Rollins

33 minutes, 26 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals, 3 turnovers, 10/19 FG, 3/7 3P, +6

Obviously, Ryan made the biggest shot of the night, but I thought this was one of his best all-around games of the year. Had significant usage with KPJ out, and made good decisions with the ball, creating for himself and others. Showed great ability to play with the drop-man in pick-and-roll, pulling up from three and the mid-range, whether it was off a snake or a straight pull-up. Made an impact defensively as well.

Grade: A+

Myles Turner

20 minutes, 7 points, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 2/3 FG, 1/2 3P, -7

Made a massive three late, but was caught a tad too deep in the drop on a few occasions, allowing Oso Ighodaro too much space in the pocket to get that floater off.

Grade: C+

Kyle Kuzma

23 minutes, 20 points, 1 assist, 2 turnovers, 7/12 FG, 3/8 3P, +7

I thought Kuz was solid in this one, especially in the first half. Not much impact outside of scoring, but he made all his two-point shots (along with some timely threes), which is a good sign for him.

Grade: C+

AJ Green

17 minutes, 8 points, 5 rebounds, 3/6 FG, 2/5 3P, -8

Scored six of his eight points in the second quarter, but all came in a crucial stretch where the game could have gotten away from the Bucks. Also made an impact by rebounding and setting some of the grittiest screens I’ve seen from a dude his size.

Grade: C+

Ousmane Dieng

32 minutes, 11 points, 5/11 FG, 1/3 3P, -2

If you just looked at the box score, you might think Ous played just OK. No, he was really good. Dieng was given the primary assignment on Devin Booker, and held him to 4/17 shooting. Ous had him in hell, especially throughout the fourth quarter; his size seemed to bother Booker, and crucially, his foul discipline was excellent. Yes, it wasn’t Dieng’s night from a scoring standpoint, but his defence might have won them the game.

Grade: B+

Pete Nance

27 minutes, 5 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 2/3 FG, 1/1 3P, +1

Sneakily, Doc rolled with Nance over Kuzma to close this one, and it paid off in a huge way. It was him who located Myles Turner in semi-transition as the Bucks had a numbers advantage with just over a minute to go; ran down the middle of the lane and, without any wasted motion, caught it knowing he’d be swarmed, hitting Turner in the corner.

Grade: B

Jericho Sims

24 minutes, 5 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, 1/1 FG, +5

Back to his elite rebounding ways, eight of Sims’ 11 boards were of the offensive variety. Guess how many O-boards the team had? eight! Also had some great passes and, per usual, was great switching onto their guards and containing.

Grade: B+

Cam Thomas

15 minutes, 7 points, 3 turnovers, 2/5 FG, 0/1 3P, -6

Had some important buckets to start the fourth with Rollins resting, but still wasn’t great on the whole.

Grade: C-

Taurean Prince

21 minutes, 8 points, 3/8 FG, 2/6 3P, +6

Even ventured inside the three-point line for a dunk. Defence was solid.

Grade: C-

Gary Trent Jr.

23 minutes, 11 points, 4/10 FG, 3/6 3P, +13

Made two huge threes in the fourth—one self-created (which is rare for GT) and one out of an ATO. He’s been building lately.

Grade: B-

Doc Rivers

Thought Doc coached a solid game. Opting to use Ous on Booker was great thinking. He got the likes of AJ Green and Gary Trent Jr. shots out of ATOs when the team was desperately looking for a basket. Closing with Pete Nance for some extra size helped on defence down the stretch (along with his connective passing). Finally, I liked the strategy to blitz ball screens involving Suns rookie Khaman Maluach, who, at this stage in his career, needs a lot of work as a decision-maker on the short roll.

Grade: B+

DNP-CD : Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Cormac Ryan, Andre Jackson Jr.

Inactive: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Porter Jr., Alex Antetokounmpo, Bobby Portis, Gary Harris

Bonus Bucks Bits

• Dieng on being given the assignment to guard Booker:

“I just love the challenge of guarding those players. Wasn’t my best night offensively, so just trying to make winning plays on the defensive end. He’s great at getting those fouls and getting to the free throw line, so just trying to show my hands, guarding him with my chest, and that’s it.”

• Doc called this game “a team win,” highlighting how so many dudes contributed.
• The Bucks had no turnovers in the entire second quarter.
• The Suns had four fouls with 9:41 left in the fourth, which has to be some type of record.
• Wisconsin Badgers legend Frank Kaminsky joined Lisa and Marques on the broadcast to reminisce on his college days, among other topics.
• The game had nine lead changes.

Up Next

The West Coast trip rolls on tomorrow, when the Bucks face the LA Clippers. Catch the game at 9:30 p.m. CDT on FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin.