Category: Basketball

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here are some thoughts at the buzzer.

First Quarter

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

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

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

Second Quarter

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

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

— Drew Peltzman (@dapeltz13) March 22, 2026

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

Third Quarter

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

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

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) March 22, 2026

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

Fourth Quarter

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

GRIMES‼️ pic.twitter.com/3rgPD9zkFO

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

OH. MY. GOODNESS.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

So much for the Jonathan Kuminga revenge game.

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

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

What it means

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

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

Turning point

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

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

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MVP: Mike Dunleavy Jr.

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

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

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

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

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

Up next

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Up next

Houston: Hosts the Seattle Sounders on April 4.

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

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

WASHINGTON (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 40 points and the Oklahoma Thunder pulled away in the fourth quarter to beat the Washington Wizards 132-111 on Saturday night for their 11th straight win, a game during which four players were ejected following a scuffle in the first half.

Gilgeous-Alexander extended his NBA record of 63 consecutive road games with at least 20 points.

Oklahoma’s Jaylin Williams and Washington’s Justin Champagnie began shoving each other after a basket by the Wizards with 27 seconds left in the second quarter. Several players joined in and the scrum spilled into the stands behind the basket.

In addition to Williams and Champagnie, Ajay Mitchell and Cason Wallace of the Thunder each received a technical foul and were ejected.

Despite losing three players, the Thunder were able to send the Wizards to their season-worst 15th straight loss.

Isaiah Hartenstein had 20 rebounds, 10 assists and 9 points for Oklahoma City. Chet Holmgren had 18 points and 10 rebounds and Jared McCain added 18 points.

Bilal Coulibaly scored 21 points and Bub Carrington added 19 for the Wizards, who are one game from matching a franchise-worst skid of 16 consecutive losses, which happened most recently in March 2024.

HORNETS 124, GRIZZLIES 101

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — LaMelo Ball scored 29 points and finished 7 of 14 from 3-point range to help lift Charlotte to their third straight victory, over struggling Memphis.

Brandon Miller had 22 points and Moussa Diabate had 14 rebounds and 11 points for the Hornets, who have won five of their last six and are 21-6 since Jan. 22 to make a push for a play-in spot.

GG Jackson scored 19 points and Javon Small added 17 points and seven rebounds for the Grizzlies, who have lost two in a row and 10 of their last 11.

CAVALIERS 111, PELICANS 106

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Donovan Mitchell scored 27 points and James Harden, held scoreless in the first half, added 20 second-half points to power Cleveland to a comeback victory over New Orleans.

Cleveland trailed 88-76 entering the final period, but outscored the Pelicans 35-18 in the fourth — with Harden scoring 13 and Mitchell 12 in the quarter. It was the Cavaliers’ eighth victory in their last nine games against New Orleans, which had its seven-game home winning streak snapped.

Harden made three 3-pointers and a layup in the first five minutes of the fourth quarter to spark an 18-7 run, and the Cavs took the lead for good, 100-99, on a layup by Max Strus, during a 15-7 surge.

Zion Williams, who picked up three early fouls and was quiet offensively in the first half, scored 15 of his team-high 25 points in the third quarter. In a 2:16 span of the third, Williamson scored 11 points and assisted on a 3-pointer by Saddiq Bey in the left corner during a 14-2 run that gave the Pelicans a 72-61 lead. Bey finished with 19.

ROCKETS 123, HEAT 122

HOUSTON (AP) — Kevin Durant scored 27 points to move past Michael Jordan for fifth place on the NBA’s career scoring list and Amen Thompson had a tip-in at the buzzer to lift Houston to a win over Miami.

Durant’s shot for the win bounced off the rim and Thompson tipped it in to give Houston the thrilling victory. Durant has 32,294 points in his career, two more than Jordan.

Miami trailed by eight before using a 9-2 run, with a 3 from Simon Fontecchio, to get within 119-118 with 46.3 seconds to go. Reed Sheppard made a shot in the lane to push the lead to 121-118 with 12.7 seconds left.

Bam Adebayo made two free throws after that before Jabari Smith Jr. was called for goaltending on a layup by Fontecchio to put the Heat on top 122-121 with 5.4 seconds remaining and set up the wild ending.

SPURS 134, PACERS 119

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Keldon Johnson and Dylan Harper each scored 24 points and San Antonio never trailed in a victory over Indiana.

San Antonio All-Star Victor Wembanyama had 20 points, eight rebounds, six assists and five blocks. Harper was 9 for 13 from the field in his first NBA start.

Andrew Nembhard scored 25 points and Jarace Walker added 21 for the Pacers, whose franchise-record losing streak reached 16 games. Indiana fell to 15-56 overall and is in last place in the Eastern Conference after losing to Oklahoma City in seven games in last season’s the NBA Finals.

San Antonio has won 21 of its last 23 games and improved to 53-18, securing its most victories since finishing 61-21 in 2017.

The Pacers had three players out and 10 questionable with various injuries Saturday. Nine of the 10 in question played, with the exception being Ethan Thompson, who is on a G League assignment.

HAWKS 126, WARRIORS 110

ATLANTA (AP) — Dyson Daniels scored a season-high 28 points and CJ McCollumn had 23 points as Atlanta bounced back after having their 11-game win streak snapped with a win over Golden State.

Zaccharie Risacher had 17 points for the Hawks, who were without Jalen Johnson (left shoulder inflammation).

Mouhamed Gueye had 16 points and 10 rebounds and Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 17 as the Hawks shot 54% from the floor to win their 10th straight home game.

Daniels had 15 points in the first quarter, a career-high for one quarter, and finished with six assists and four steals. The Hawks had won 11 in a row before a 117-95 loss to Houston on Friday night.

Jonathan Kuminga struggled for the Hawks in his first game against the team he spent four-plus seasons with. He had two points on 1 for 9 shooting.

De’Anthony Melton had 20 points to lead the Warriors, who have lost eight of their last nine games as they await the return of several injured players.

CLEVELAND (AP) — Mitchell Mesenbrink and Levi Haines each won their second individual championship on Saturday to help Penn State win its fifth consecutive team title at the NCAA men's wrestling championships.

Penn State, which clinched the team title during the consolation matches earlier Saturday, finished with four national champions and a record 181.5 points, breaking its own mark of 177 set last year. The Nittany Lions have won 13 of the last 15 national championships.

Mesenbrink, the defending national champion and No. 1 seed, beat Mikey Caliendo by technical fall (20-4) in the third round to finish the season undefeated and win the 165-pound title. No. 1 seed Haines beat Nebraska’s Chris Minto 2-1 to take gold at 174 pounds and win his second national championship. Haines also beat the third-seeded Minto 2-1 in the Big Ten Conference finals.

Josh Barr beat Oklahoma State's Cody Merrill 6-3 at 197 pounds and Luke Lilledahl took the 125-pound title with a 2-1 win over Princeton's Marc-Anthony McGowan.

Oklahoma State was second with 131 points, including three national champions, and third-place Nebraska had 100.5.

Freshmen Sergio Vega, Landon Robideau and Jax Forrest won titles for Oklahoma State. Vega beat No. 1 seed Jesse Mendez of Ohio State 4-1 on a takedown in overtime to claim the title at 141 pounds. Vega, who was not taken down this season, became the first undefeated freshman national champion since Oklahoma A&M's Dick Hutton in 1947. Mendez, a two-time NCAA champion, had his 31-match win streak (which dated to last season) snapped.

Robideau beat defending national champion Antrell Taylor of Nebraska 4-2 to take gold at 157 pounds. A visibly frustrated Taylor appeared to have thrown his ankle band at Robideau — who stalled in the third round — after the match. Taylor and Robideau were each awarded a point for stalling in the final three minutes.

Forrest, who trailed 1-0 at the end of the second round, beat Ohio State's Ben Davino 5-2 for the 133-pound title.

Tenth-seeded Aden Valencia of Stanford beat top-seeded and previously unbeaten Shayne Van Ness 8-5 in overtime to win at 149 pounds and became the third individual national champion — and first freshman — in program history. Van Ness was the first of six finalists to compete for Penn State.

North Carolina State's Isaac Trumble beat Yonger Bastida of Iowa State 5-0 to win the 285-pound title and his first national championship.

Max McEnelly of Minnesota beat previously undefeated Rocco Welsh of Penn State 4-3 for the crown at 184 pounds.

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AP college sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Marcel Hartel had the lone goal of the second half on Saturday night, and St. Louis City spoiled New England's first trip to Energizer Park with a come-from-behind 3-1 victory over the Revolution.

St. Louis City (1-3-1) had just one goal — by Hartel — through its first four matches before coming to life after spotting New England (1-3-0) an early lead.

The Revolution jumped in front in the 14th minute when defender Ilay Feingold used assists from Luca Langoni and Carles Gil to score for the first time this season. Feingold had three goals in 29 appearances as a rookie last year. Langoni's four assists on the season have come in the last two matches. Gil's first assist of the campaign gives him 74 in 197 career appearances — all with the Revs.

St. Louis City answered with the equalizer in the 29th minute after Simon Becher took a pass from Daniel Edelman and scored his 12th goal in 66 career appearances. Edelman also assisted on the club's first goal by Hartel.

Chris Durkin scored in the third minute of stoppage time and St. Louis City took a 2-1 lead into halftime. It was his seventh career goal in 147 appearances. Defender Rafael Santos notched his first assist in his first season with the club and his seventh in 87 career matches.

Hartel added the insurance goal unassisted in the 83rd minute.

Roman Bürki saved one shot for St. Louis City.

Matt Turner turned away three shots for New England.

The Revolution, who were coming off a 6-1 romp over FC Cincinnati in their home opener, have lost their first three road matches under first-year coach Marko Mitrović.

St. Louis City played the Revs to a 2-2 draw at Gillette Stadium on Sept. 7, 2024, in the only other matchup.

Up next

New England: Hosts CF Montreal on April 4.

St. Louis: Visits New York City FC on April 4.

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

The Atlanta Hawks were in action on Saturday evening to face the Golden State Warriors. After a tough loss to the Houston Rockets last night, which ended their 11-game winning streak, the Hawks were looking to see if they could get another streak going.

As for the Warriors, they were also coming off a loss the night before against the Detroit Pistons. It’s been a rough season for Golden State, and it’s mostly been because of the injuries. As for the Hawks, they were without Jalen Johnson in this one with shoulder inflammation.

Dyson Daniels got it going early with a three-pointer.

Dyson for 3 from the top of the key 🔑 pic.twitter.com/zt9tdpzTQT

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) March 22, 2026

Daniels did a little bit of everything early in the first, and got Onyeka Okongwu this easy dunk.

DD feeds OO for the slam 💪 pic.twitter.com/CoSuRFnaLl

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) March 22, 2026

The Hawks started off fast, but the Warriors answered quickly with a run of their own. That didn’t bother Daniels, because he knocked down another three-pointer in the first.

Another 3 for Dyson ‼️

He has 11 PTS in 6 MIN pic.twitter.com/HAVmZadjX8

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) March 22, 2026

The Warriors stormed back again and took the lead once again, but the Hawks kept it close down the stretch. They trailed 36-35 going into the second.

The Hawks still trailed behind for most of the second, but they kept it within striking distance. Zaccharie Risacher was rolling in the second and knocked down a few three-pointers.

Zacch is feeeeeling it ♨️

Stepback triple has him up to 11 PTS in 12 MIN pic.twitter.com/Rejo4FhUtW

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) March 22, 2026

The Hawks found a rhythm down the stretch, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker’s bucket got them within two points.

NAW connects 🏹 pic.twitter.com/haw4dsmy41

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) March 22, 2026

The Hawks grabbed the lead late, and wet into halftime winning 63-61.

It was an avalanche in the third by the Hawks, and McCollum came out and went on a scoring tear.

CJ COOKING to start the 3rd

Just like that we're up 15 pic.twitter.com/UO7VMgVedJ

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) March 22, 2026

CJ EN FUEGO 🔥

6-6 for 13 PTS in the quarter pic.twitter.com/VNwk9rdhoh

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) March 22, 2026

What was just a two-point lead going into the third turned into a 24-point lead for the Hawks, and they maintained it throughout the quarter.

Daniels continued his strong game, and got to the rim off a series of moves.

Dyson behind-the-back dribble and finger roll 😯😯 pic.twitter.com/XemlAkYPus

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) March 22, 2026

Going into the fourth, the Hawks led 102-81.

It was another strong start for the Hawks to start a quarter, and Corey Kispert was a part of it with two strong drives to the rim.

Whoooaaa Corey bounce!😮 pic.twitter.com/pW4eQn7oQm

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) March 22, 2026

Alexander-Walker got the and-one.

NAW gets the friendly roll for the and-1 🙂‍↕️ pic.twitter.com/5mMLx6BeZO

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) March 22, 2026

The Hawks controlled the game for the rest of the quarter, and the Warriors waved the white flag early.

Daniels finished with 28 points, seven rebounds, and six assists, McCollum finished with 23 points, Risacher finished with 17 poonts, and Gueye finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds.

The Hawks will be back in action on Monday against the Memphis Grizzlies.

The San Antonio Spurs have a habit of playing with their food, but the talent difference between them and their opponents makes up for it on most nights.  Eventually, they flexed their muscles and there was nothing the visitors could do.

They overwhelmed the Indiana Pacers with paint pressure, which also opened up the outside game, and everyone who got time was a contributor. Victor Wembanyama was like an angry killer wasp on defense, constantly harassing ball handlers, racking up four of his five blocks in the first half. Everything was going smoothly, but his teammates started allowing too much penetration, and their 21-point lead was reduced to eight. It was just three players doing most of the heavy lifting offensively for the Pacers, and the Spurs spent the rest of the game, denying them from getting within striking distance.

Observations

• This is a gap year for the Pacers, and despite their abysmal record, they have flashes of being a strong team since a lot of their DNA from the finals run remains. They were searching for 3-pointers in the fourth plus their ball and body movement gave the Spurs some trouble, but the latter’s significant rebounding edge gave them more shots. Keep in mind that the Spurs had three players log multiple offensive rebounds.
• These games are valuable at the end of the season because there may be someone who shows coach Mitch Johnson that the playoff rotation should be a bit longer. At the very least, they are showing they can be capable replacements in case of emergencies. Credit to Wemby for being a good teammate by taking a step back to let others shine for most of the game as he focused on defense. He and De’ Aaron Fox were the stars of the fourth quarter.
• Dylan Harper and Harrison Barnes were slotted into the lineup for Stephon Castle and Devin Vassell. Harper played eight minutes before taking his rest in his first start, and had most of the first-half playmaking duties while being in attack mode. He got into the lane easily, and had one of his best games of his young career. Barnes was Mr. Reliable, making shots from inside and out. Moreover, the team didn’t get to the line much, yet the offense scored 136.7 per 100 possessions, good enough for the 95th percentile, per Cleaning the Glass.
• Keldon Johnson led the cavalry off the bench, getting inside at will as bodies bounced off him. He was the team’s leading scorer at halftime with 16 points on 87.5 percent shooting. He’s a physical presence, sort of like the greater of the Ajaxes in The Iliad (ruler of Salamis). 
• The Spurs are just as good as any team when they raise the pace. They finished with 24 fastbreak points, and Indiana’s turnovers and misses caused it, wearing out their legs.
• The zone is risky because of all the space available up top. They went to it with Luke Kornet, but it’s suboptimal with him instead of Wemby because he’s not as laterally quick. Still, Kornet had a solid night, and one of his finest moments was a chase-down block in transition.

Eleven games remain on the regular season slate for our heroes. If they hope to leapfrog Boston for the second seed, New York needs to win at least those games in which they are favored. This week offers the Knicks three chances to stack wins against weaker opponents. The last game in this batch will be the first of a four-game road trip, and next week promises stiffer competition. So this week, run the table Knickerbockers!

Sunday, March 22 — Knicks vs Washington Wizards, 7:30 PM (MSG)

The Knicks host the woeful Washington Wizards at Madison Square Garden. Obviously, the Knicks are heavily favored—the ‘Zards are underdogs against everyone, save perhaps the Pacers, the only club with a worse record. Even the contemptible Kings can look down their noses at Washington!

The Knicks have beaten the Wizards in 11 straight games and twice already this season. In their last meeting, on February 3, the Knicks won 132-101 with Mikal Bridges scoring 23 points and Jalen Brunson adding 21. Will Riley scored 17 for the losing team. 

Tuesday, March 24 — Knicks vs New Orleans Pelicans, 7:30 PM (MSG)

When they met on December 29, the Pels pushed New York to the wire but fell short. The Knicks won 130-125 with Jalen Brunson posting 28 points and 10 dimes. Zion Williamson scored 32 in their loss.

The buzz about freshman Derik Queen has quieted of late. Zion’s put up solid numbers, but is not a leader sufficient enough to lift this team out of the bottom tier in the West. Still, they can be feisty and have won six of their last ten. Slacking is discouraged in this one.

Thursday, March 26 — Knicks at Charlotte Hornets, 7:00 PM (MSG)

The Knicks have beaten the Hornets twice this season and will have two more chances before the playoffs. When they played on December 3, the Knicks won 119-104 with Karl-Anthony Towns logging a 35-18 double-double.

Kon Knueppel has shot 7-of-28 in two games against the Knickerbockers this season. He’s a much better shooter than that, so prepare for the double K rookie to deliver better performances in at least one of their next two tilts.

Go Knicks. 

MONTREAL (AP) — Cole Caufield scored three goals to push his season total to 43 and added two assists to help the Montreal Canadiens beat the New York Islanders 7-3 on Saturday night.

Caufield is second in the NHL in goals, two behind Colorado star Nathan MacKinnon.

The Canadiens are third in the Atlantic Division, while the Islanders are a point behind Detroit for the second wild card in the tight Eastern Conference.

Juraj Slafkovsky had two goals and two assists, and Nick Suzuki had four assists to bring his season total to 61. Kaiden Guhle added a goal and two assists, Alex Newhook also scored and Jacob Fowler made 19 saves.

Emil Heineman, Simon Holmstrom and Matthew Schaefer scored for New York.

Ilya Sorokin allowed six goals on 32 shots before he was pulled midway through the third period. David Rittich stopped three of four shots in relief as the Islanders dropped their second second straight game.

After Schaefer beat Fowler with a one-timer from the point to tie it 45 seconds into the third period, the Canadiens responded with four goals in a row,

Guhle restored the lead when his shot from distance deflected off forward Marc Gatcomb and into the net at 3:17.

Slafkovsky made it 5-3 at 8:08, and Caufield chased Sorokin with a shot between the goalie’s pads with 8:40 to go. Hats rained down on the ice when the American winger buried his 43rd with 5:01 left.

Up next

Islanders: Host Columbus on Sunday night.

Canadiens: Host Carolina on Tuesday night.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — The Ottawa Senators had a dominant game against their provincial rivals beating the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-2 on Saturday night.

Anthony Stolarz was expected to get the start but took a puck to the throat during warm-ups and was sent to hospital for precautionary imaging putting Joseph Woll back in action. Woll had faced 36 shots in a 4-3 overtime loss to Carolina on Friday night.

Tim Stutzle, Claude Giroux, Warren Foegele, Michael Amadio and Ridly Greig scored for Ottawa. Tyler Kleven and Jordan Spence added two assists each, and Woll stopped 38 shots.

John Tavares and Easton Cowan scored for the Maple Leafs, who were without captain Auston Matthews who had knee surgery on Thursday. Linus Ullmark made 12 saves.

Trailing 3-1 to start the third the Leafs made it close with a goal by Cowan.

The Senators regained the two-goal lead midway through the period when Amadio scored his 12th of the season, tucking in Spence's rebound. On an odd-man rush Dylan Cozens found Greig in the slot.

The Senators made it 2-0 midway through the period when Giroux grabbed Kleven's rebound and backhanded it past Woll.

Foegele made it 3-0 with just over two minutes remaining when his shot deflected off Simon Benoit, but 21 seconds later Tavares completed the give-and-go with Cowan and beat Ullmark under the arm.

Ottawa opened the scoring at 14:58 of the first with a power-play goal. Stutzle stepped into the faceoff circle and wristed a shot clean past Woll.

Morgan Rielly missed the game and is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

Up next

Maple Leafs: At the Boston Bruins on Tuesday.

Senators: At the New York Rangers on Monday.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl