Category: Sports News

The Spurs recently announced the addition of Native American Heritage Night to their promotional events calendar.

The San Antonio Spurs announced plans for their Native American Heritage Night game, in collaboration with American Indians in Texas at the Spanish Colonial Missions (AIT-SCM), the Lindy Waters III Foundation and Nike N7 on Monday, April 6 when the Spurs host the Philadelphia 76ers. The night will include special in-game performances from Native artists, the awarding of a grant to local community leaders and many more elements that purposefully celebrate and honor the Native community in South Texas and beyond. Tipoff is at 7 p.m. and tickets can be purchased at Spurs.com/Tickets.

Spurs shooting guard Lindy Waters III is an enrolled citizen of the Kiowa tribe is also of Cherokee Nation descent. The Lindy Waters III Foundation’s mission “enhances and supports Native American Indigenous communities through sports, health, and wellness, and leadership programs.”

Lindy Waters III shared,

“As a Kiowa and Cherokee person playing in the NBA, I’m honored to be a part of the Spurs Native American Heritage Night. Events like this honor our ancestors and create visibility for our people. Seeing our cultures celebrated in this arena gives young Native kids the confidence to pursue their dreams and reminds all of us that our voices belong in every space.”

American Indians in Texas at the Spanish Colonial Missions curated the evening’s theme “Sacred Like Me,” with planned cultural storytelling, interactive experiences, and in-arena programming.

Activations include:

• Land Acknowledgment Ceremony: Before tipoff, fans are invited to the ULTRA Club at 6:30 p.m. for a land acknowledgment led by a representative from AIT-SCM recognizing Indigenous peoples as the original stewards of this land. The space will also feature a vendor fair with information tables and interactive activities where fans can learn about Native history, culture, and community in San Antonio and discover ways to support Native-led organizations.
• National Anthem Performance: Spurs play-by-play analyst Jacob Tobey will give a special performance of the National Anthem to open up the night. A proud member of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, Tobey became one of the first Native American broadcasters in the NBA when he joined the Spurs in 2024 and has used his platform to promote visibility and appreciation for the Native community.
• In-Game Performances: Throughout the evening, fans will experience cultural performances curated in collaboration with AIT-SCM, highlighting the diversity and vitality of Native traditions through dance, music, and storytelling during pregame, halftime, and select in-game moments.
• Exclusive Jersey: Fans can purchase a custom Native American Heritage jersey, designed by AIT-SCM, at the Spurs Fan Shop during the game. The jersey is available while supplies last, with a portion of proceeds benefiting Native organizations through Spurs Give.
• Leaders & Legacies Grant: The Spurs will distribute a $5,000 grant to AIT-SCM in honor of Linda Ximenes, Tribal Council Member and Former Board President of AIT-SCM. The grant recognizes Ximenes and AIT-SCM for their work in providing access, opportunity, education and health programming for Native American communities across Texas. In partnership with Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages, Ximenes will also be honored during the in-game Leaders & Legacies tributes.

For information regarding Native American Heritage Night and other promotional games head to Spurs.com/Promotions or text PROMOTIONS to 210-444-5940.

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Expectations are the quickest path to disappointment. The Cleveland Cavaliers have learned that lesson the hard way.

Evan Mobley entered the 2025-26 NBA season with a bar that might have been too high to clear. Offseason buzz and previous success led to Mobley becoming a dark-horse contender for MVP. An award that’s exclusively won by the very best in the league.

It turns out Mobley is not that caliber of player. At least not yet. He’s nowhere near the MVP race and won’t even repeat as an All-NBA member this season. Projecting him to make that astronomical leap has backfired — and perhaps dampened what has otherwise been another season of steady progression from the 24-year-old star.

Look at it this way. Mobley is but a decimal point away from averaging career highs in both points and assists this season. Yet, the primary discussion revolves around whether he has taken a step backward in his development. What player flirts with personal bests while also trending in the wrong direction?

That logic doesn’t track.

The reason Mobley’s season has been framed as a disappointment is because of the expectations he rightfully set for himself. That extends to the prediction that Cleveland would once again trample the East following their 64-win season a year ago. The best-case scenario would have seen Mobley leading the MVP race while capping off consecutive campaigns at the top of the conference.

That didn’t happen. Mobely’s numbers have hardly changed while the Cavs are on pace to finish fourth in the Eastern Conference. There’s no denying that this outcome is one of the more disappointing ones.

But does it mean Mobley has actually regressed? Is failing to meet expectations the same thing as actually backsliding in development? I don’t think so. And Mobley has proven there’s still some evolution happening within his game.

Ups and Downs

While bold at the time, the prediction that Mobley could make a superstar leap was not entirely crazy. He had dominated as the third option on a historic offense last year. With injuries plaguing the roster in October, the path was cleared for Mobley to increase his usage and become Cleveland’s hero.

This led to Mobley attempting shots at a career-high rate. His team was force-feeding him the ball early and often, tossing him into the water to see if he would sink or swim. The early results leaned towards the former, with Mobley stumbling out of the gates to shoot just 46.1% from the floor in October.

Gradually, Mobley’s role was shrunk back to where he was before. He took 14.8 field goals per game in October, which decreased to 13.5 attempts in November, then finally down to 12.8 attempts in December — the exact number of shots he averaged last season. The experiment failed, and the Cavs had decided to pull the plug on Mobley taking another step forward.

Or so it seemed.

Would you believe that Mobley’s usage has not only returned, but has actually surpassed where he was in October? Mobley is now averaging 14.9 shot attempts in March, shooting nearly 60% from the floor while averaging 21.3 points, 10.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.8 blocks.

That type of production is more in line with what we hoped to see this season.

“Evan, I think post All-Star, his numbers are just through the roof,” Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson said. “Not just the raw numbers but the process numbers: paint shots, drive percentage, close-out efficiency. All the stuff we’re emphasizing, it’s great to confirm that he’s trending in the right direction.”

Of course, there are loads of context to go around.

Mobley was attempting twice as many three-pointers (5.8 per game) in October as he is in March (2.9). That shot diet is more in tune with his strengths. He doesn’t need to be Kevin Durant — just be Evan Mobley. Shifting his focus back to being a play-finisher in the paint has brought out the best in him.

He’s also playing next to a more traditional point guard in James Harden than he was during the early portion of the season when Darius Garland was injured, and Donovan Mitchell was running the show. That’s naturally led to easier and more efficient opportunities for Mobley.

Finally, Mobley is enjoying the benefit of playing at center now that Jarrett Allen is on the sidelines. This has granted him more space to operate and has given him the bulk of Harden’s attention in the pick-and-roll. Harden dished out five assists to Mobley in their previous win over the Chicago Bulls. Four of those came in the pick-and-roll.

All of this skews in Mobley’s favor. Yet unlike in October when he was thrown off the diving board — Mobley is actually taking this opportunity in stride. He’s swimming to his strongest stretch of the season and delivering an encouraging sign of life. This is the most Cleveland has leaned on Mobley offensively, and the best he’s responded to that additional weight.

This isn’t to say things are perfect. Mobley’s free-throw shooting has plummeted to 50% in March and a career-low 60.6% this season. He has some soul-searching to do at the line and still has to prove the rest of his success can last more than a few weeks.

But when taking nearly an entire season of work into account, it’s important not to get lost in your preseason expectations. Those are gone now. What’s left is the production on the court. Mobley has course-corrected from a slow start and gotten himself back to one of the better months of his career. That’s the furthest thing from regression.

The ultimate test will come in the playoffs, where Mobley’s performance will give us our conclusion as to whether or not he’s grown. Until then, let’s avoid lazy narratives and continue to monitor his development.

LONDON (AP) — Wimbledon will use video review technology for the first time at this year's tournament, the All England Club announced Saturday.

The oldest Grand Slam tennis tournament will have the technology available on Centre Court, No. 1 Court — the club's second-biggest stadium — plus four other show courts.

Players will be allowed to review specific calls made by the chair umpire — such as double bounces.

Video review made its Grand Slam tennis debut at the 2023 U.S. Open. The Australian Open also uses the technology.

Centre Court and No. 1 Court will have video review available throughout the tournament, which starts on June 29, and the technology will be used on No. 2 Court, No. 3 Court, Court 12 and Court 18 for singles matches.

Players will not be limited in the number of reviews they can request.

Video review is separate from the electronic line-calling used for ruling balls in or out.

Last year, Wimbledon replaced line judges with electronic line-calling, though it wasn't without hiccups.

The grass-court major is also adding visual indicators for electronic line-calling on scoreboards showing ‘out’ and ‘fault’ calls.

“This enhancement has been made as a result of feedback following the adoption of live electronic line-calling last year,” the All England Club said in Saturday's announcement.

___

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

With March Madness starting, Nets fans are going to be watching a lot of basketball on split screen.

One eye on the Nets, and the other on the NCAA Tournament.

One on their team tanking for lottery odds, the other on the potential franchise-changer(s) they hope all this losing buys them.

Nets fans will be paying special attention to the three stars at the top: Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer and AJ Dybantsa.

The Nets came into Friday with the third-worst record in the NBA, and having a 40.1 percent chance of landing one of those coveted top three picks in the draft.

Peterson made his NCAA Tournament debut while Brooklyn was hosting the Knicks on Friday, while Boozer made his Thursday afternoon. Dybantsa put on an all-time performance in BYU’s loss to Texas, looking like a potential No. 1 overall pick.

“He’s going to be a great player. People talk about comparisons to [Kevin Durant], Jayson Tatum, and it does look like it to me,” Nets rookie Egor Dëmin told The Post of his BYU successor. “It’s a lot of midrange, really aggressive driver, slasher, the transition game, physicality, crazy athlete. He’s got everything to be able to play on the highest level.”

Dybantsa was spectacular, albeit in defeat. He put the full package on display Thursday, attacking the rim, putting on a midrange show, making a couple of questionable decisions against a defense bent on crowding the paint to stop him.

They couldn’t. His 35 points were the most ever by a freshman in an NCAA Tournament debut, with none even topping 30 in an opener since Stephen Curry in 2007.

Dybantsa’s 894 points this season are the third-most by a freshman, behind only Chris Jackson’s 965 in 1988-89 and Kevin Durant’s 903 in 2006-07.

On the TNT broadcast, Bruce Pearl and former All-Star forward Jamal Mashburn gushed over the wing.

“This is the kid I would take with the No. 1 pick in the draft just because of the intangibles. Plus, the other thing you just can’t teach — that size and length,” Pearl said. “He’s got a chance to be a mismatch, even at the next level.”

Dybantsa has drawn comparisons to Durant, whose Big 12 tourney scoring record he broke. And Mashburn was full of praise for the phenom.

“He’s going to be special,” Mashburn said before the Nets’ heart-breaking 93-92 loss to the Knicks on Friday night at Barclays Center. “He’s going to learn. The kid’s only 18, 19 years old. He’s going to be something. He’s a generational [talent], a franchise-changer for somebody.”

• CHECK OUT THE LATEST NBA STANDINGS AND NETS STATS

Boozer was middling in his debut, with 22 points and 13 rebounds in Duke’s unconvincing first-round win over Siena.

Peterson debuted in Kansas’ opener Friday against California Baptist. With questions about his health after constant cramping cost him 11 games and forced him out of others, he can help himself the most of the trio in this Big Dance.

“I’m super excited. This is something I’ve dreamed of since I was a little kid. To be a part of it this year is huge for me and my family,” Peterson said. “No [cramp] concerns anymore. The last I don’t know how many games in a row I’ve been getting through without any issues. I feel like the cramps are behind me. I’ve been fine.”

Still, the first statement game of the Nets lottery targets was from Dybantsa, with ESPN analyst Sean Farnham saying the BYU star staked his claim to be the No. 1 pick.

“He’s been No. 1 all season for me. How do you watch him and not immediately close your eyes and believe that he’s going to be a star at the next level? Sure there’s holes in his game that he has to improve, but he’s accomplished everything you could ask,” Farnham said. “He’s as elite as you will find in a draft that has a lot of elite players.

“It’s loaded. But the energy AJ Dybantsa has played with this year separates him a little bit more, especially when you talk to NBA scouts. You talk to general managers, a lot of people you talked to down the stretch of the seasons, just the more they fell in love with his ability to draw fouls, lift defensive players; and they feel with the more open space of the NBA that he’s going to have a lot more success even at that next level.”

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

After weeks of anticipation, the most exciting two days in American sports have drawn to a close.

The first round of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament is a beautiful symphony of chaos, with 32 games crammed into a 36-hour window. Those highlight reels of buzzer-beaters, massive upsets and emotionally charged moments that air throughout March and into early April? A solid chunk of them take place in those first two full days of action, when millions of people across the country are skirting personal and professional obligations to soak in all the madness that March has to offer.

As it does almost every year, the first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament delivered. There were surprising results in thrilling games, with High Point knocking off Wisconsin in the time-honored 12-over-5 upset. There were furious comebacks, with VCU rebounding from a 19-point deficit to beat North Carolina. There were buzzer-beaters, with Kentucky’s Otega Oweh burying a prayer of a shot to get the Wildcats to overtime against Santa Clara. And whether it was High Point’s Flynn Clayman or VCU’s Phil Martelli Jr., there were post-game interviews that immediately went viral.

REQUIRED READING: March Madness scores: See the big shots, moments, highlights in today's first round

What stood out the most from an eventful couple of days? What teams, players and coaches were the most impressive in the win-or-go-home crucible of March?

Here are the 12 most impressive performances from the first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament:

March Madness first round biggest winners

Saint Louis

In 2024, a 28-6 Indiana State team that had captivated much of the country with its best season since Larry Bird was on campus ended up being one of the first four teams left out of the NCAA tournament. Two years later, at a different blue-and-white school in the midwest, the coach and star player from that team showed us all what we missed with the Sycamores’ exclusion.

No team turned in a more impressive first-round performance than Saint Louis, which continued its breakthrough 2025-26 season under coach Josh Schertz and stellar big man Robbie Avila. In a 102-77 dismantling of Georgia, the Billikens shot 58% from the field, had 27 assists on 42 made baskets, had eight players score at least nine points and persistently embarrassed a power-conference foe which had wins over the likes of Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky and Texas this season. In the process, they became just the second team in tournament history to be seeded ninth or worse to score at least 100 points in a game and win by at least 25, joining the famous 1989-90 Loyola Marymount team.

After winning 24 of its first 25 games this season, Saint Louis limped into the tournament, going just 4-4 in its final eight regular-season games. If the win against the Bulldogs is any indication, it’s moved way past whatever was ailing it.

High Point…and its coach

In an event that has a wonderful habit of making once-anonymous coaches, players and schools national celebrities overnight, it took only the fourth game of the first full day of action to get our first Cinderella story.

No. 12 seed High Point entered its game against No. 5 seed Wisconsin as a 10-point underdog, trailed for 34 of 40 minutes, never led by more than three and was down by four with 56 seconds remaining, but was able to pull off the upset after getting a fast-break layup from Chase Johnston with 11 seconds remaining for an 83-82 win. The result was only a small part of the Panthers’ charm. Johnston’s winning basket was his first made 2-pointer of the season, as each of his 68 previous made shots were from 3-point range. Immediately after the win, first-year head coach Flynn Clayman gave one of the most memorable post-game interviews in years, sticking up for mid-majors like his own that have difficulty scheduling non-conference games against teams from the sport’s major conferences.

“It looks pretty obvious to me that high-majors need to play mid-majors during the season,” Clayman said. “They said we ain’t played nobody — we played somebody now.”

"Looks pretty obvious to me that high-majors need to play mid-majors early in the season. Because they said we didn't play nobody. We played somebody now."

-High Point HC Flynn Clayman pic.twitter.com/IpObzgJSGm

— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) March 19, 2026

High Point doesn’t perfectly fit the bill as a plucky little upstart. The Panthers’ roster is reportedly worth more than the rest of the Big South Conference combined and the university itself is perhaps most famous on social media for having a steakhouse on campus. But on one afternoon, High Point reminded us all why we love March Madness underdogs so much.

VCU

With 15 minutes remaining in regulation in its first-round game on March 19, VCU trailed North Carolina by 19. The Rams were a popular 11-over-6 upset pick, but in that moment, the Atlantic 10 tournament champions looked to be just about finished. Then, in an instant, everything changed. VCU outscored the Tar Heels 19-4 in the final 6:11 of regulation, forcing overtime and ultimately pulling out an improbable 82-78 victory.

Though much of the attention after the game has focused on North Carolina’s collapse, and what it might mean for coach Hubert Davis’ future, the Rams deserve more than a sizable share of credit for the result. Terrence Hill Jr. was brilliant, scoring a career-high 34 points while making 13 of his 23 shots, including seven of his 10 3s. Twenty-three of those points came in the second half and overtime. The Rams continued their giant-killing ways, knocking off North Carolina as a No. 11 seed after having done the same to Duke and Kansas earlier this century. Then, after the game, first-year VCU head coach Phil Martelli Jr. took a moment to heap praise on the student reporters who have been covering his team throughout the season.

Really cool moment tonight postgame after VCU upset UNC. VCU head coach Phil Martelli Jr. made a point to shoutout the student reporters that made the trip.

Lots of great stuff this time of year, but this was a really awesome, genuine exchange. pic.twitter.com/9NiDQHfz63

— Ben Portnoy (@bportnoy15) March 20, 2026

What’s not to love about this group?

Otega Oweh

Kentucky’s All-SEC guard saved his team’s season on more than one occasion on Friday, scoring a career-high 35 points along with eight rebounds and seven assists in the Wildcats’ 89-84 victory against Santa Clara. He provided what’s likely the highlight of the tournament thus far with a 32-foot 3-poiner that banked off the glass as time expired to send the game to overtime, a shot that came less than three seconds after Santa Clara took a 73-70 lead.

NO. WAY. 😱

WE'RE GOING TO OVERTIME!!! #MarchMadnesspic.twitter.com/3n8rDxkY3h

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 20, 2026

Heading into its second-round game Sunday against No. 2 seed Iowa State, Kentucky has been one of the bigger disappointments in the sport this season, with a 22-13 record despite having a $22 million roster. But with the Wildcats’ season on the line, Oweh did everything he could to make sure it kept going.

Tarris Reed Jr.

The most eye-popping numbers of the first round came in its final game, when the UConn senior had 31 points and 27 (27!!) rebounds in the Huskies' 82-71 victory against Furman on Friday. Reed was efficient on the offensive end, making 12 of his 15 shots. On the glass, he was a different kind of monster, outrebounding the Paladins by himself.

A MONSTER game for Tarris Reed Jr... 30 points, 27 rebounds and counting 🤯🤯 @UConnMBBpic.twitter.com/yXuy4A5IpY

— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) March 21, 2026

Just how impressive was the Michigan transfer? Reed became the first player in NCAA tournament history with at least 30 points and 25 rebounds in a game while shooting at least 80% from the field.

Nebraska

The Cornhuskers notoriously were the only program from one of college basketball’s five major conferences that had never won an NCAA tournament game. All those years of misery came to a halt on one cathartic afternoon, with Nebraska blowing out Troy 76-47 on Thursday. The win continued a magical season for coach Fred Hoiberg’s team, which got the season off to a 20-0 start and has now won a program-record 27 games.

Now, with that ignominious historical qualifier behind it, the Huskers can focus on another first heading into its matchup Saturday against No. 5 seed Vanderbilt: a first-ever trip to the Sweet 16.

Braden Smith

Heading into his team's first-round game against Queens on Friday, the Purdue All-American point guard needed only two assists to break Bobby Hurley's NCAA career record. He managed to do much more than that, dishing out eight dimes to move to 1,083 for his exemplary career.

CONGRATS TO BRADEN SMITH 👏#MarchMadnesshttps://t.co/QOD4ei9qTYpic.twitter.com/mX8sx2kIPC

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 20, 2026

For good measure, he also scored a game-high 26 points on 10-of-15 shooting.

Texas Tech

With All-American forward JT Toppin sidelined for the remainder of the season, the Red Raiders were on the receiving end of a popular upset pick in their 5-versus-12 matchup against Akron. By the time they were done with the Zips, they made those predictions of an early exit from the tournament look foolish. 

Even without its best player, Texas Tech shot 64% from the field, 55% from 3 and had five players finish with at least 14 points in a 91-71 rout on Friday. Coach Grant McCasland has built one of the toughest programs in the country, one that has enough talent and wherewithal to withstand losing one of the country’s most productive stars. After their first-round showing, and given that they’re playing an Alabama team likely without its No. 2 scorer, the Red Raiders look poised to make it to the tournament’s second week for a second-consecutive season.

David Mirkovic

Though Keaton Wagler has deservedly gotten much of the attention for Illinois this season, his fellow Fighting Illini freshman was the brightest star during their 105-70 rout of Penn and former Big Ten foe Fran McCaffery on Thursday. The 6-foot-9 Montenegro native turned in arguably the most impressive individual performance of the first round, scoring a game-high 29 points on 11-of-17 shooting, along with 17 rebounds. It continued a late-season surge for Mirkovic, who is averaging 21.5 points per game over Illinois’ past four contests.

Siena

The Saints weren’t able to pull off the third-ever 16-over-1 upset in NCAA men’s basketball tournament history, but for the vast majority of their game against Duke on Thursday, it looked like a distinct possibility. They led for 71% of the game against the tournament’s No. 1 overall seed and were up by as many as 13 before the Blue Devils eventually pulled away for a 71-65 victory.

Siena did all of that while coach Gerry McNamara channeled his inner Norman Dale and played only five players, with each of his starters logging a full 40 minutes. After the game, Duke coach Jon Scheyer said that McNamara out-coached him, believing the Saints were “way more ready to play” than the Blue Devils. If McNamara ends up leaving after this season to take over at Syracuse, his alma mater, his brief Siena tenure ended on a high note…even in a loss.

Jacari White

With a Virginia program used to NCAA tournament heartbreak on the ropes against Wright State in a 3-versus-14 matchup Friday, the North Dakota State transfer came up huge for the Cavaliers, coming off the bench to score a game-high 26 points in an 82-73 victory. White sank 10 of his 12 shots, including six of his eight 3s. He scored 15 points in the final 13:20, helping the Hoos outscore the Raiders 32-23 during that time.

Florida

Listen, when you win a game by 59 points, the second-largest margin of victory in NCAA tournament history, you’re going to make this list.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Best March Madness performances: Who impressed most in first round

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

The NCAA Tournament brings jubilation for some. For others, it results in devastation.

While High Point fans are enjoying the ride after the Panthers upset No. 5 seed Wisconsin in the first round to earn the first NCAA Tournament win in program history, others like North Carolina are left searching for answers after blowing a 19-point lead to No. 11 VCU.

REQUIRED READING: BYU envisioned success with AJ Dybantsa. It ended with early March Madness exit

Will the Tar Heels move on from Hubert Davis? If so, would North Carolina hire a coach outside the family for the first time?

The NCAA Tournament giveth and taketh.

Here's a look at our five worst moments from the first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament:

North Carolina collapses

The most obvious loser of the NCAA Tournament's first round is North Carolina, which has gone one-and-done in March Madness for the second consecutive seasons.

It's been a rough for years for the Tar Heels, one of, if not college basketball's most iconic brand. Davis led North Carolina to an unlikely national championship runner-up finish as a first-year coach in 2021-22, and has since declined an NIT invite, made the Sweet 16 once and been knocked off in the first round twice.

To make matters worse, North Carolina was in the driver's seat against No. 11 seed VCU on March 19. It blew a 19-point lead, the sixth largest in NCAA Tournament history and the biggest since Nevada's comeback against Cincinnati in 2022.

UNC was playing without star freshman Caleb Wilson, a likely top-five pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, but the excuses are starting to run out, especially for the Tar Heels' national-championship-or-bust standards.

AJ Dybantsa's career comes to an end

College basketball fans were robbed of freshman phenom AJ Dybantsa making a run at the 2026 NCAA Tournament after No. 6 seed BYU was upset Texas 79-71 in the first round, with his college career likely ending as a result.

Dybantsa played his best ball of the season as the Cougars limped into March Madness following the loss of Richie Saunders to a season-ending injury. The projected No. 1 overall pick of the 2026 NBA Draft scored 35 points against the Longhorns, which succeeding a 26-point performance vs. Houston in the Big 12 tournament and a pair of 27- and 40-point showings against West Virginia and Kansas State, respectively.

BYU lost eight of its last 12 regular season games, despite Dybantsa leading the country averaging 25.5 points per game. His career is likely over, and Cougars coach Kevin Young said postgame it's pretty clear he's a bit different than others on the floor.

"There were moments in tonight's game where he just looked like that Portland Trailblazer floor should have been down there,” Young said. “Just look like an NBA player, the stuff he's able to do on the court.”

Joshua Jefferson leaves Iowa State game with injury

Iowa State forward Joshua Jefferson, a second-team All-American this season, only played three minutes in the Cyclones' huge 108-74 win over East Tennessee State in the first round due to injury.

It's unclear the severity, but losing Jefferson would be a huge loss for Iowa State, a team capable of making a Final Four run. Coach T.J. Otzelberger said he sprained his ankle and that x-rays were negative but added he was unsure of his status for the second round against Kentucky.

"We'll continue to reevaluate over the next day or two and just see where things are when we get to Sunday and we figure out what time we play," Otzelberger said.

Wisconsin exits in first weekend again

For the third consecutive season, Wisconsin failed to advance past the first weekend despite being the higher seed in all three of its losses.

The Badgers lost to No. 12 seed High Point in the first round on March 19, which marks its second loss to a No. 12 seed in three seasons after falling to James Madison in 2024. Wisconsin won its first-round game over No. 14 seed Montana last season, before falling to No. 6 seed BYU in the second round.

It's an unfortunate series of trips to the NCAA Tournament for longtime coach Greg Gard and Co. Gard hasn't led Wisconsin to a Sweet 16 appearance since his first two seasons at the helm in 2016 and 2017, despite having made the NCAA Tournament, despite reaching the big dance in six of his eight eligible seasons since.

Kevin Willard's "jokes"

Kevin Willard joked he was going to fire his coaching staff after Villanova's slow start against No. 9 seed Utah State on March 20 during an in-game interview with TNT's Lauren Shehadi.

After Villanova's eventual loss to the Aggies, he made the joke again in his postgame press conference but had to clarify he was joking after his intentions were a bit unclear originally.

"It's a joke, god bless," Willard said after the game. "I don't care. Welcome to my life. It's a joke."

It was an odd sequence for the first-year Villanova coach, who led the Wildcats to their first NCAA Tournament appearance since reaching the Final Four in 2022.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: March Madness worst moments of 2026 NCAA Tournament first round

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

They said name, image and likeness killed mid-majors at the NCAA Tournament. Well, March Madness delivered in vintage fashion in the first round.

No. 12 seed High Point took down No. 5 Wisconsin, No. 11 VCU stormed back to defeat North Carolina in historic fashion and Otega Oweh hit a logo 3-pointer at the buzzer to send Kentucky to overtime against No. 10 Santa Clara, saving the Wildcats' season in the process.

REQUIRED READING: High Point upset was going to take everything — including a first layup of the season

A few highly seeded teams were also tested in the first round. No. 1 overall seed Duke trailed Siena 43-32 at halftime before storming back to avoid upset and No. 3 Virginia also trailed No. 14 Wright State by five points at halftime before holding on for a first-round win.

Onto the second round, where the NCAA Tournament hopefully continues to provide bangers.

Here's a recap of the top moments so far in the NCAA Tournament:

Chase Johnston, High Point upset Wisconsin

No. 12 seed High Point upset No. 5 Wisconsin 83-82, thanks to some late heroics from guard Chase Johnston, a seventh-year senior who scored his first 2-point basket of the season on a game-winning layup.

FIRST 2-POINTER OF THE YEAR FOR CHASE JOHNSTON 😱

HIGH POINT LEADS!!! pic.twitter.com/N2ZWYSb9Dz

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 19, 2026

The 3-point specialist also hit a deep shot from the March Madness logo and hit another late in the game to pull High Point within a point during crunch time. He finished with 14 points on 4-of-6 from 3-point range off the bench, channeling former March Madness hero Jack Gohlke.

CHASE JOHNSTON FROM THE LOGO 🎯 pic.twitter.com/BW4gGNkHW2

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 19, 2026

First-year coach Flynn Clayman also had a banner postgame interview, calling out high-major programs for avoiding mid-majors like High Point. High Point's strength of schedule was used as a negative talking point against the program leading up to March Madness.

"It looks pretty obvious to me that high-majors need to play mid-majors during the season," Clayman said. "Because they said we ain't played nobody? We played somebody now."

Even High Point's student broadcasters went viral for their call of Johnston's game-winning layup and aftermath of the win. Vibes are high with the Panthers.

Otega Oweh saves Kentucky

Senior guard Otega Oweh saved his career-best performance for an opportune time on March 20, becoming the first player since Larry Bird in 1979 with at least 35 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in an NCAA Tournament game.

On top of the 2024-25 SEC Player of the Year's prolific performance, he also saved Kentucky with a wild shot in its 89-84 overtime win over No. 10 seed Santa Clara. The Broncos took a 73-70 lead with 2 seconds remaining before Oweh caught the inbounds pass and banked a 32-foot 3-pointer off the backboard to send the game to overtime.

NO. WAY. 😱

WE'RE GOING TO OVERTIME!!! #MarchMadnesspic.twitter.com/3n8rDxkY3h

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 20, 2026

There was some controversy surrounding the shot as Santa Clara coach Herb Sendek attempted to call a timeout, but the officials didn't notice. Still, Oweh's shot not only saved Kentucky's season, but also kept the Wildcats from being a first-round exit amid an up-and-down year.

Second-year coach Mark Pope owes Oweh, as he likely avoids widespread criticism from Kentucky's rabid fanbase with huge expectations.

Nebraska wins first NCAA Tournament game

Nebraska entered the NCAA Tournament on March 19 against No. 13 seed Troy with an 0-8 career record in March Madness games. That mark improved to 1-8 all-time after its 76-47 win over the Trojans.

The Cornhuskers made 14 3-pointers in the dominant win, one of the biggest in program history. Their fans showed up big, too, taking over the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City in what was a virtual home game for the dedicated fanbase.

Seventh-year coach Fred Hoiberg has done one of the most impressive jobs in college basketball this season, and the Cornhuskers will look to make their first-ever Sweet 16 with a win over Vanderbilt on March 21.

VCU completes 19-point comeback vs. North Carolina

North Carolina was cruising against 11-seeded VCU. Until it wasn't.

The Rams defeated North Carolina 82-78 in overtime after completing a 19-point comeback in the second half against the Caleb Wilson-less Tar Heels. To make matters worse, North Carolina was held without a field goal in the overtime period.

The win was VCU's first in the NCAA Tournament since 2016, despite being led by a first-year coach in Phil Martelli Jr. It was the sixth-largest comeback in NCAA Tournament history, and biggest since Nevada's 22-point deficit against Cincinnati in 2022.

VCU's win could also put North Carolina coach Hubert Davis in trouble after a disappointing finish to the season.

Saint Louis destroys Georgia

Second-year Saint Louis coach Josh Schertz is among the fastest risers in the coaching ranks, although he hadn't coached in an NCAA Tournament game in his career until March 19.

It was pure domination.

The Billikens defeated Georgia 102-77 and shot 58% from the field with five players scoring in double figures. They also held the Bulldogs to 35% shooting on 72 attempts and finished the game with 27 assists collectively.

Saint Louis faces No. 1 seed Michigan in the second round on March 21 and will be a tough test for the Wolverines.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: High Point, Otega Oweh lead 5 best moments of March Madness so far

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

Just like that more than half the men's NCAA Tournament field has been eliminated. Less than seven days after Selection Sunday, there are 32 teams left fighting for a place in next week's Sweet 16.

The eight-game schedule for Saturday features a little bit of everything as a cross-section of teams looking to keep their seasons alive on the road to the Final Four. A pair of No. 1 seeds will look to avoid a stumble before the regional round, while four double-digit seeds are hoping to pull off another upset against a favored opponent. Other potential Final Four contenders look to avoid potential dangerous obstacles.

So which games are the best matchups that will take place from the four sites hosting doubleheaders across the country? We ranked them all and broke down the matchups to give you a lookahead at the schedule.

1. No. 4 Nebraska vs. No. 5 Vanderbilt

Time/TV: 8:45 p.m. ET, TNT

With their first tournament win the books, the Cornhuskers can now turn their attention to making their initial Sweet 16. A slow first 10 minutes against Troy was overcome by the shooting of Pryce Sandfort. He will have to be on his game again against the Commodores, who also got behind McNeese State early before finding their footing. Vanderbilt will look to its backcourt of Tyler Tanner and Duke Miles to calm things against what should be a vocal Nebraska crowd in Oklahoma City.

2. No. 3 Michigan State vs. No. 6 Louisville

Time/TV: 2:45 p.m. ET, CBS

It was a classic professional effort from the Spartans and coach Tom Izzo in the first round. as they look to get back to their first Final Four since 2019. The Cardinals didn't appear to miss leading scorer Mikel Brown for most of their win against upstart South Florida before the Bulls made a furious rally. The task will be more difficult against Michigan State and require big efforts again from Ryan Conwell and Isaac McKneely.y

3. No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 9 Saint Louis

Time/TV: 12:10 p.m. ET, CBS

You like points? This is your game. Both the Wolverines and Billikens exceeded the century mark in the first round and this matchup should be up-tempo throughout. Michigan has the size and star power with center Aday Mora and do-everything forward Yaxel Landeborg. But Saint Louis will counter with its unique offense that blew away Georgia and relies on multiple scoring options.

4. No. 1 Duke vs. No. 9 TCU

Time/TV: 5:15 p.m., CBS

After it's scare against Siena, the Blue Devils won't be caught napping in the second round. But that doesn't mean the Horned Frogs aren't capable of taking down the ACC champions. Duke remains short-handed without guard Caleb Foster and forward Patrick Ngongba which puts more pressure on star Cameron Boozer. His twin Cayden Boozer was critical filling in for Foster in the first round. TCU won't be overawed in this matchup. It played the other three No. 1 seeds during the regular season, including a defeat of Florida.

Robbie Avila stole the hearts of the men's college basketball world when he led Indiana State to a magical yet viral run in the NIT two years ago.

He garnered the nicknames of "Cream Abdul Jabbar" and "The College Jokic" as he stuffed the box score with his 6-foot-10, 240-pound frame for the Sycamores.

It's a run that saw him follow Josh Schertz to the Atlantic 10 and Saint Louis, where his second season with the Billikens has sort of been an "under the radar" one, just like that Indiana State 2023-24 season was operating until he became a viral sensation.

REQUIRED READING: Complete March Madness schedule: Dates, times, TV channels for 2026 NCAA Tournament

The Billikens center's numbers are down a bit from last season, but he remains a key focal point of the roster as he helped Saint Louis to its first Atlantic 10 regular season title since 2014. He finished with 12 points in Saint Louis' dominant first-round win over No. 8 Georgia on Thursday, along with five rebounds, four assists, two blocks, and a steal.

"He’s the most team guy that we have," Saint Louis guard Trey Gray said of Avila after the Georgia win. "He leads us. He could’ve gone anywhere in the country, and he came here for a reason. He came back for this."

Saint Louis will look to to extends its stay in March Madness with win on Saturday at 12:15 p.m. ET against No. 1 Michigan in Buffalo, New York.

Here's everything to know about Avila ahead of Saint Louis' second round game:

Robbie Avila stats

Here's a breakdown of Avila's stats this season at St. Louis:

• 2025-26: 12.9 points per game, 4.5 rebounds and 4.1 assists with a 50.6% field goal shooting percentage

Here's a game-by-game breakdown of Avila's stats in the Atlantic 10 tournament:

• Game 1 vs. George Washington (Quarterfinals): 22 points on 7-of-9 shooting with four assists, three rebounds and two blocks
• Game 2 vs. Dayton (Semifinals): 14 points on 3-of-11 shooting with nine rebounds and four assists

Here's a breakdown of Avila's stats in March Madness:

• Game 1 vs. Georgia (First Round): 12 points on 4-of-6 shooting with five rebounds, four assists, two blocks and a steal

How tall is Robbie Avila?

Robbie Avila is listed at 6-foot-10 on Saint Louis' official roster.

How old is Robbie Avila?

Robbie Avila is 22 years old. He'll turn 23 on September 10, 2026.

Robbie Avila transfer: How did he end up at Saint Louis?

Robbie Avila followed Saint Louis coach Josh Schertz from Indiana State following the Cyclones' run to the NIT championship game in the 2023-24 season.

The 6-foot-10 center entered the transfer portal with a "no contact tag," which is put on a player's profile when they already know where they are committing to, and after Schertz turned down a record contract extension from the Sycamores, according to the Indianapolis Star, part of the USA TODAY Network.

"I will be going there to play under Josh Schertz again," Avila said of his commitment to Saint Louis on "The Field of 68" in April 2024. "I trusted his path for me the last two years and trust what he has planned for me these next few years. I'm excited to get over there and do the same thing we did at Indiana State, win some games."

Robbie Avila nicknames

Robbie Avila, who wears Rec-Spec style sports goggles, is known mainly by two nicknames: "The College Jokic" and "Cream Abdul Jabbar." There's also "Larry Nerd," though Avila has said over the years that this one isn't his favorite. All of his nicknames date back to his sophomore season at Saint Louis in 2023-24.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who is Robbie Avila? Former Indiana State star leads SLU to March Madness

There haven't been many playmakers in college basketball better than Michigan State guard Jeremy Fears Jr. this season.

The Spartans' 6-foot-2 point guard is second in the country in assists per game, only behind Purdue's Braden Smith. Fears also entered the Men's NCAA Tournament as one of the top guards in the 68-team field, and a reason why the Spartans are seen as a team that could make a deep run to the Final Four.

REQUIRED READING: Complete March Madness schedule: Dates, times, TV channels for 2026 NCAA Tournament

But his playmaking isn't the only part of his game that has helped him earn a spot on the finalist list for the Wooden Award or be in the mix for the top player in the Big Ten. He's also been able to impact games for the Spartans with his ability to score in all three levels.

Fears finished with seven points in Michigan State's opening-round win over North Dakota State on Thursday, his seventh game this season in which he finished with single-digit points. He'll look to improve that stat line on Saturday when the Spartans take on 6-seed Louisville in the second round of the East Region at 2:45 p.m. ET in Buffalo, New York.

Here's what to know about Fears:

Jeremy Fears Jr stats

Here's a breakdown of Fears' stats this season at Michigan State:

• 2025-26: 15.7 points per game, 9.2 assists, 2.4 rebounds and 1.3 steals with a 44.5% field goal shooting percentage

Here's a game-by-game breakdown of Fears' stats in the Big Ten tournament:

• Game 1 vs. UCLA (Quarterfinals): 21 points on 7-of-14 shooting with 13 assists, a rebound and a steal

Here's a breakdown of Fears' stats in March Madness:

• Game 1 vs. North Dakota State (First Round): Seven points on 2-of-6 shooting with 11 assists and two rebounds

How old is Jeremy Fears Jr?

Jeremy Fears Jr. is 20 years old. He'll turn 21 on April 19, 2026.

Is Jeremy Fears Jr a dirty player?

It really depends on who you ask and how you analyze Fears' game.

Some notable examples of this include him kicking Minnesota’s Langston Reynolds in the groin, for which he received a technical foul for in a 76-73 loss, and being called out by Michigan coach Dusty May for "dangerous" plays in the first meeting between the two Big Ten rivals.

"I go out every game and I play hard. I don't intentionally try to hurt anyone,” Fears said after Michigan State's game at Minnesota back in February, according to the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network. "I go out and play every game like it's my last, because at one point it was my last. So I don't take a game for granted. I don't take a moment for granted. So I'm going to go out there and play as hard as I can every possession, every game.

"Like at one point, I had basketball taken away from me, so something I love to do, I couldn't do it for a whole year. So most people wouldn't understand that. And that's on them, I guess. At the end of the day, it doesn’t change who I am or what I do. I'm just go out there and play 150(%) no matter what."

Are Jeremy Fears Jr and Jeremiah Fears related?

Yes, the Michigan State point guard is the brother of now New Orleans Pelicans guard Jeremiah Fears, who was a one-and-done at Oklahoma. Jeremiah Fears was drafted by the Pelicans with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who is Jeremy Fears Jr.? What to know about Michigan State point guard