SARASOTA, FL - MARCH 20: Enrique Bradfield Jr. #99 of the Baltimore Orioles bats during the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Baltimore Orioles at Ed Smith Stadium on Friday, March 20, 2026 in Sarasota, Florida. (Photo by Scott Audette/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Norfolk Tides’ season opener was a wet and wacky one. For six innings, the Tides’ offense looked hopeless, garnering just two hits as they fell into a 4-0 hole. But the game flipped on its head in a wild, six-run bottom of the seventh — and I literally mean “wild.” Nashville pitchers issued three consecutive walks after an inning-opening error, with Enrique Bradfield Jr. taking a four-pitch free pass to force home the first run.
That opened the floodgates for the Norfolk bats. Pinch-hitter Willy Vasquez roped a double to score two more runs before Weston Wilson’s RBI single tied the game at four. The Sounds got wild again, uncorking a wild pitch that plated Vasquez with the go-ahead run. With two down, Sam Huff’s RBI knock added an insurance run, completing an inning in which the Tides sent 10 batters to the plate.
The rally came just in the nick of time, as heavy rain enveloped the Harbor Park Field and forced the cancellation of the final two innings. That goes down as a win for the Tides, unconventional as it may be.
Before the late dramatics, Norfolk starter Trey Gibson — the Orioles’ top pitching prospect — struggled in his Opening Day assignment. Gibson lasted only three innings and threw just 44 of his 79 pitches for strikes, issuing an ugly five walks. He also got himself into trouble in the second inning by failing to cover the bag on a grounder to first, putting a runner on base who later scored. It’s safe to say that Gibson still has some things he needs to work on.
Jackson Holliday has already begun his rehab assignment, so it shouldn’t be too long before he’s back with the Orioles. He looked a little rusty in this one, going 0-for-2 with two strikeouts and a walk. Bradfield, meanwhile, did a good job setting the table from the leadoff spot, reaching base twice. Catcher Creed Willems had a tough time behind the plate, failing to throw out any of the Sounds’ three basestealers and also committing an error.
TOKYO, JAPAN - MARCH 09: Travis Bazzana #64 of Team Australia celebrates hitting a RBI single in the eighth inning during the 2026 World Baseball Classic Pool C game between South Korea and Australia at Tokyo Dome on March 9, 2026 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Toru Hanai/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Clippers are now 0-1, but there’s still time for us to preview their 2026 season.
The Clippers released a preliminary roster yesterday… we say preliminary because some prominent names were missing. One would assume Logan Allen and Franco Aleman are on hold until more clarity is reached with the Tanner Bibee situation. Pedro Avila, Kolby Allard, Jack Leftwich, Doug Nikhazy, Trevor Stephan, also, should be there eventually. Anyway, here’s what we have so far:
Pitchers:
Tanner Burns, RHP, Jack Carey, RHP, Will Dion, LHP, Jay Driver, RHP, Magnus Ellerts, RHP, Daniel Espino, RHP, Yorman Gomez, RHP, Matt Jahec, RHP, Jack Jasiak, RHP, Tommy Mace, RHP, Robin Maltrud, RHP, Izaak Martinez, LHP, Jake Miller, RHP, Steven Perez, LHP, and Ryan Webb, LHP.
Analysis:
This is an interesting group, if not particularly exciting aside from the notable exception of Daniel Espino. We will all follow Espino’s attempt to re-establish himself as a pitcher whose talent will be reckoned with by major league hitters sooner rather than later.
Yorman Gomez, Will Dion and Ryan Webb have fifth starter in the big leagues potential (with Gomez seemingly having a good reliever floor) and I haven’t quite given up on groundball artist Tommy Mace, yet. Steven Perez and Magnus Ellerts highlight the non-Aleman/Espino arms to monitor in the bullpen. Avila is, of course, a delight. We will see if Kahl Stephen and Josh Hartle can join this group, soon. I am also interested to see how Allard takes to being stretched out as a starter as rumored to be planned.
Catchers:
Kody Huff, RHH, Cooper Ingle LHH, and Dom Nunez, RHH.
Analysis:
This group is all about Ingle. Can he improve behind the plate and continue his excellence in contact and plate discipline while getting to more of his power? That’s what we need to watch with this group. If Bo Naylor is having a great season, Ingle could even land a whale in July if needed if he is performing well…
Infielders:
Travis Bazzana, LHH 2B, Juan Brito, SH 2B/3B/1B, Milan Tolentino, LHH SS/3B, Dayan Frias, SH 3B/SS.
Analysis:
Obviously, this is all about Bazzana and him realizing his potential, as well as Brito showing enough to get his shot (three hits including two doubles in game one). But, Tolentino and Frias should be good depth pieces.
Outfielders:
Stuart Fairchild, RHH OF, Petey Halpin, LHH CF, Nolan Jones, LHH OF, and Kahlil Watson, LHH CF.
Analysis:
I am very happy Fairchild ended up in Columbus. His presence will put pressure on Angel Martinez to stop swinging at pitches in the other batter’s box. Watson had a breakout 2025 and looked great in Spring Training and may make himself an option this season. Halpin and Jones are good depth pieces to have. One would expect Wuilfredo Antunez will join this group soon, also.
Columbus should be a fun group to follow as we enjoy seeing a strong Guardians farm system continue to develop.
Which players are catching your eye as the Triple-A season starts? Tell us in the comments below:
Mar 27, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies (1) is introduced before a game against the Kansas City Royals on opening day at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images
How great does it feels to win on Opening Day? Winning > Losing.
The Atlanta Braves blanked the Kansas City Royals in Atlanta last night, and in doing so, two prominent members of the organization moved up on some notable Braves and MLB leader boards.
When Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies took the field to start the game, his ninth consecutive Opening Day start at second base in his career with the Braves, he broke a tie with Glenn Hubbard for the most consecutive starts at second base in franchise history. (The last Braves player to start on Opening Day at second base? None other than “Dat Dude BP”, Brandon Phillips [AKA Mr. Jade Cargill].)
Albies wasn’t done with some notable Braves historical moments.
When he put the Braves on the board with a solo home run in the bottom of the first inning, he became eighth Brave all-time to record three or more career home runs on Opening Day.
That list is a who’s who of organizational legends: MLB and Braves Hall of Famers Eddie Mathews (7), Joe Torre (4), Andruw Jones (3) and Fred McGriff (3) as well as Braves Hall of Famers Brian McCann (3) and Dale Murphy (3). Future both-of-those-things Freddie Freeman also hit three with the Braves. (Hat-tip to MLB.com’s Mark Bowman for that information).
The two hits Albies had on the night also moved him past Torre into 23rd in hits all-time in Braves franchise history. He is nine games away from passing Torre for 27th in games played with the Braves. He’s also now tied with Johnny Logan for 20th for runs scored in franchise history.
Braves left-handed starting pitcher Chris Sale tossed six shutout innings on the way to picking up the win on Opening Day, ringing up six batters along the way. Those strikeouts brought his career total to 2,585 and moved him past Braves legend and inner circle Hall of Fame left-hander Warren Spahn to 30th place in MLB history.
Sale is 23 strikeouts away from passing another Hall of Fame left-hander, and former Brave pitcher, Tom Glavine.
One last Opening Day note, it was Austin Riley’s seventh-consecutive start at third base on Opening Day. That ties him with Chipper Jones and Bob Horner who both started seven consecutive times on Opening Day at third base for the Braves. That is the longest streak for a third-baseman while exclusively in Atlanta. A reminder, Chipper Jones’s overall Opening Day start streak included three seasons as the team’s starting left fielder.
Mathews started 15-consecutive times on Opening Day at third base with the Braves, but only the final year of his streak took place after the team moved to Atlanta.
If Riley can start the next three season at third base on Opening Day with Atlanta, he would become the first third baseman in franchise history to be the only starter at the position for every year in a decade.
NEW YORK, NY - MAY 15: Tom Wilhelmsen #54 slides down the Home Run Slide into his teammates Brandon Maurer #37 and Charlie Furbush #41 of the Seattle Mariners during a visit to the MLB Fan Cave on May 15, 2013 at Broadway and 4th Street in New York City. (Photo by Thomas Levinson/MLB via Getty Images) | MLB via Getty Images
The Mariners won their first game of (hopefully) many, it’s a glorious Saturday and today our beLLoved LLinks master gets married! Ders has been writing here for 12 years, while also doing things like high school graduation, college graduation, broadcasting around the country, getting engaged and now, literally today, perhaps even at this very minute as you are reading, getting married. He is dedicated, thoughtful, warm and brilliant, and we are just so fortunate that he chooses to gift us with his time and energy day in and day out. Here’s to a lifetime of joy, a partnership that remains strong even when that joy flags and, of course, to many more links. We love ya!
Sometimes nostalgia halts progress or stifles creativity. Not so with The Late Innings Show, which features beloved former Mariners relievers Charlie Furbush and Tom Wilhelmsen. The first episode drops this weekend!
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - MARCH 27: Salvador Perez #13 of the Kansas City Royals hits a single against the Atlanta Braves during the second inning of the home opener at Truist Park on March 27, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
“We’ll go day to day with the catching, but Carter’s going to catch,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “He and Salvy are going to split — not evenly, 50-50, but game times, travel, the type of game one of them has to catch will dictate what happens the next day. And as far as hitting, [Jensen] will get DH reps as well. We think he’s a really good hitter, so we’re going to find ways to get him in the lineup.”
The Royals scored 84 fewer runs in 2025 than they did in 2024. A few of the above items already covered some ways they can close the gap.
But another? Their swing decisions.
It’s among the items hitting coach Alec Zumwalt and general manager J.J. Picollo mention most frequently. But the Royals swung at the sixth-fewest strikes in baseball — including swinging at the sixth-fewest meatballs — yet they had the ninth-highest chase rate
They had the lowest walk rate in the American League.
Doing more damage at the plate starts with using the pitches on which you can inflict the damage.
When I asked him in January about the Royals realizing along the way last year that they needed more veteran leadership, Picollo said he had put a lot of thought into that dynamic — especially when it comes to the young nucleus of Bobby Witt Jr., Pasquantino and Maikel Garcia.
“When you are getting into Year 3, 4 and 5 in the major leagues, at some point it’s your time,” he said. “Right now, Bobby, Vinnie, Maikel, it’s your time.”
“It was a strange night because we had to wait for some results and we were inside,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro recalled. “And do we stay? You know, there was a rain delay in one of the other games.”
Would you believe that the Royals have had four seasons in their history where their offense walked at least 9 percent of the time? Of course you would. The only thing unbelievable about that is that you might have expected it to be fewer than four times. For what it’s worth, the four times are 1973 (10.3%), 1975 (9.5%), 1972 (9.1%) and 1989 (9.0%). This group is one that I believe will join them.
Franchise temperature: 57 degrees. This feels like a good temperature for the Royals, who went into a period of rapid cooling after their contending rosters from the mid-2010s broke up. To the credit of J.J. Picollo and his staff, the Royals have curbed that decline and managed to settle in tepid waters. With a contention-worthy 26-man roster heading into 2026, they hope to wade a little closer to the warm sands of the shoreline ahead.
It’s a full slate of games across the majors today, with a total of 15 contests on the schedule.
My MLB player props and home run predictions will focus on Pete Crow-Armstrong, Colton Cowser, and Eugenio Suarez.
Best MLB home run props today
Player to hit a HR
Odds
Pete Crow-Armstrong
+320
Colton Cowser
+520
Eugenio Suarez
+420
💲Today's HR parlay
+15188
Pete Crow-Armstrong (+320)
Pete Crow-Armstrong showed glimpses of brilliance in his first full season in 2024, but 2025 was the true coming-out party. The Chicago Cubs star smacked 31 home runs while hitting .247.
For a small guy, PCA has serious power.
While he’s yet to go deep this season, Crow-Armstrong is already hitting .400, and he’ll be looking forward to today’s matchup. The Cubbies face Miles Mikolas of the Washington Nationals, and PCA is 7-for-9 against him.
Five of those hits have left the yard. He has absolutely terrorized the righty, and this is the perfect time for PCA’s first bomb of the year.
Time: 2:20 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Nationals.TV, MARQ
Colton Cowser (+520)
Colton Cowser has shown some pop in his bat over the last couple of seasons for the Baltimore Orioles. He clubbed 24 homers in ‘24 before 16 long balls last season in just 92 games.
Cowser is capable of leaving the yard at any given moment.
The O’s take on the Minnesota Twins once again today, who hand Taj Bradley the baseball. Cowser is 4-for-10 lifetime off the 25-year-old right-hander, going deep once. He hit 11 of his bombs off righties in 2025.
Bradley was also HR prone at times last season, surrendering 19 in 27 starts.
Time: 4:05 p.m. ET
Where to watch: FS1
Eugenio Suarez (+420)
Eugenio Suarez is back in a Cincinnati Reds uniform, and he’s still one of the most feared power hitters in the show. The slugger went deep 49 times last season between stints with the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Seattle Mariners.
The Venezuelan’s eyes will be lighting up with who is on the mound today for the Boston Red Sox. Sonny Gray takes the ball, and Suarez is 7-for-13 lifetime off the veteran with two home runs.
He hit 36 of his bombs off right-handed hurlers last year.
Time: 4:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: NESN, Reds.TV
2026 Transparency record
HR picks: 2-for-6, +2.0 units
Today’s HR parlay
Pete Crow-Armstrong
Bet Now +15188
Colton Cowser
Eugenio Suarez
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Peter Chiarelli could be back in the saddle and managing an NHL front office. The former Edmonton Oilers general manager is reportedly on the radar for a GM role after several years out of the spotlight.
New reports are that he's leaving the St. Louis Blues as changes are made with their management group. He is now a candidate for the Nashville Predators GM job, per Darren Dreger.
"The @StLouisBlues front office is changing with Kevin Maxwell and Peter Chiarelli leaving the club to pursue other opportunities. Chiarelli is a candidate in Nashville’s interview process and Maxwell is expected to return to the New York Rangers in a management role."
Chiarelli's Time in Edmonton Was Polarizing
Chiarelli’s time in Edmonton didn’t end well. He was let go in 2019 after four rocky seasons, remembered largely for a string of questionable moves—most notably trading away Taylor Hall, who went on to win the Hart Trophy, and dealing Jordan Eberle, along with parting with high draft capital in the Griffin Reinhart deal. He traded Ryan Strome for Ryan Spooner, then acquired Brandon Manning, after Manning took out Connor McDavid and broke his collar bone.
Many fans might not even have realized that Chiarelli had been working behind the scenes with the St. Louis Blues, first as a consultant and later as Vice President of Hockey Operations. But, as GM Doug Armstrong moves on and other changes are being made, Chiarelli is exploring his options, including throwing his hat into the mix for the Nashville Predators GM job, with Barry Trotz stepping aside.
It’s a fascinating development. Chiarelli played a major part in building the Boston Bruins team that won the Stanley Cup in 2011, but his reputation took a hit in Edmonton.
Whether he gets another chance to run a team remains to be seen—but he’s clearly back in the conversation.
Pierre LeBrun reported, "My sense of the Preds' executive search is that they are not feeling rushed by any deadline, they've cast a wide net (spoken to 15 or so people) and it'll take as long as it needs to take until they make the hire(s) they feel are right. So if outgoing GM Barry Trotz needs to run the June draft, so be it. But obviously a hire could happen before then."
In other words, Chiarelli isn't a shoo in. This decision could take some time.
The Detroit Tigers have kicked off the 2026 campaign strong, having already clinched the season-opening series against the San Diego Padres with a 5-2 win on Friday night. On Saturday, they go for the sweep, which would complete the reversal of last season’s start.
So far, the visitors have outscored the home team, 13-4, behind solid performances by Tarik Skubal and Framber Valdez, respectively. Rookie Kevin McGonigle added two more hits to his team-leading total of five and shares the team lead of four RBIs with Dillon Dingler.
Next up in the rotation is right-hander Jack Flaherty, who takes the mound opposite of fellow righty Randy Vásquez on Saturday. Here is a brief look at how they match up.
The Los Angeles Dodgers (2-0) are looking to take their third straight game against the Arizona Diamondbacks (0-2). The Dodgers are favored with a -220 moneyline and a -1.5 spread. Tyler Glasnow will start for the Dodgers against the Diamondbacks’ Eduardo Rodriguez.
How to Watch Arizona Diamondbacks vs Los Angeles Dodgers
The Florida Panthers are in New York for a quick weekend back-to-back set against the two teams that play on the east side of the Hudson River.
All the fun will begin Saturday when Florida lines up against the New York Islanders at UBS Arena in Elmont.
Florida arrives on Long Island with an injury-riddled roster, most recently losing forward Evan Rodrigues to a broken finger.
He joins the Panthers’ CVS receipt of an injured list, which features Sasha Barkov, Sam Reinhart, Brad Marchand, Anton Lundell, Niko Mikkola, Uvis Balinskis, Jonah Gadjovich, and Cole Schwindt.
Youngster Mackie Samoskevich, who has missed each of the past three games after suffering a laceration on his neck, could be back in the lineup on Saturday.
As for the Islanders, they are pushing hard for a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Entering play Saturday, New York holds the second Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference with 87 points, one point ahead of both the Ottawa Senators and Detroit Red Wings.
They are also tied in points with the Columbus Blue Jackets, who are third in the Metropolitan Division, and one point behind Pittsburgh for second place.
The Panthers, meanwhile, remain in a fight to retain their top-10 protected first-round pick.
Currently the Cats hold the eighth-worst record, one point behind the Seattle Kraken and two back of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Here are the Panthers projected lines and pairings for Saturday’s showdown on Long Island:
Photo caption: Mar 1, 2026; Elmont, New York, USA; Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett (9) skates with the puck defended by New York Islanders defenseman Tony DeAngelo (77) during the third period at UBS Arena. (Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images)
SACRAMENTO, CA - MARCH 22: Tyson Etienne #10, Channey Johnson #31, Malachi Smith #18, and E.J. Liddell #9 of the Brooklyn Nets talk during the game against the Sacramento Kings on March 22, 2026 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
We’re almost there! The Nets have just eight games remaining on their schedule in the regular season. This isn’t just the end of a season for the Nets…it’s the end of a two year “tank run” we knew wouldn’t be fun, but we had to go through. It’s the end of a jail sentence. The end of a depressing, laborious chore. Friend of the show Jordan Greene is here to help us get a few steps closer to the finish line.
In this episode of The Brooklyn with Pooch & Collin, we touch on:
San Diego, California - March 27: Jeremiah Estrada #56 of the San Diego Padres walks back to the dugout after being pulled from the game during the eighth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Petco Park on Friday, March 27, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Meg McLaughlin / The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images)
San Diego Padres pitchers have allowed a combined 12 walks over the first two games of the season against the Detroit Tigers. In each game there was one inning in which a Padres pitcher allowed three walks and four runs scored in the inning. Nick Pivetta allowed three walks in the top of the first inning, which resulted in four runs for the Tigers who beat the Padres 8-2 in the season opener. Jeremiah Estrada allowed three walks in the top of the eighth inning, which resulted in four runs for Detroit which beat San Diego, 5-2. The back-to-back losses have led to an 0-2 start for new manager Craig Stammen and as charitable as the pitching staff has been, the offense has not provided much excitement either, although facing Tarik Skubal and Framber Valdez to start the season seems like an exercise in futility. The Padres have managed just four runs in two games and have 13 hits during that span. San Diego will try to salvage the series with a win today at Petco Park at 5:40 p.m.
Padres News:
Joe Musgrove has started throwing again and while there is no official timeline for his return, the fact that he is throwing for the first time since March 8 generates some buzz.
The San Diego farm system took a lot of arrows throughout the offseason with some ranking systems listing the Padres as the worst in baseball. The minor league players will have an opportunity to change some minds and their rankings with the minor leagues opening play this week.
Annie Heilbrunn of the San Diego Union-Tribunesat down with pitcher Michael King as he prepared for his season opening start against the Detroit Tigers.
Baseball News:
Chase DeLauter of the Cleveland Guardians celebrated his first MLB game with two home runs. He followed that up with another home run in the second game of the season.
Kevin Gausman took the mound as the Opening Day starter for the Toronto Blue Jays and proceeded to strikeout 11 batters in the game.
Iowa is known for its Field of Dreams. This Hawkeyes' improbable run to the Elite Eight is what dreams are made of.
“Every time someone asks how you’re feeling, like, ‘Man, it’s just super crazy,’” Iowa junior Cam Manyawu said. “To really think, ‘Yeah, I'm in the Elite Eight, and I have a chance to really make it to the Final Four and go on a run.’ I mean, this is literally the stuff that kids dream about.”
This is the Hawkeyes' first trip to the Elite Eight since 1987. "Walk Like An Egyptian" was the top song and gas cost $0.96 a gallon.
Iowa's coach has proven to be a March wizard. He won four Division II national titles at Northwest Missouri State, sprung a first round upset in his lone year at Drake, and now in Year 1 in Iowa City has the Hawkeyes on the cusp of their first Final Four since 1980.
The Illini are back in the Elite Eight for the second time in three years and have been among the most impressive teams in this NCAA Tournament. Illinois' wins have been comprehensive. It beat Penn by 25 in the first round, VCU by 21 in the second round and beat Houston — in a home game for the Cougars — by 10 in the Sweet 16.
The winner of today's game advances to next week's Final Four in Indianapolis. Here's what you need to know about the matchup:
HIT FRESH FOR UPDATES.
Iowa vs Illinois live score
TEAMS
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What time is Iowa vs Illinois in Elite 8?
Time: 6:09 p.m. ET, Saturday, March 28.
What channel is Iowa vs Illinois ? How to watch, streaming info
The game is airing on TBS/truTV, streaming via Sling TV.
Once the Hawkeyes took down Florida in the Round of 32, the path to the Elite Eight was pretty clear and not a far-fetched idea. But the path to the Final Four is a whole heck of a lot different with Illinois in the way.
The Illini took down the Hawkeyes, 75-69, back in January, and the game honestly wasn't as close as the score indicated. In the second half of that game, the Hawkeyes only had an 18.3% chance to win at their best moment, according to ESPN. Iowa did not lead for a single second in that meeting. With a trip to the Final Four on the line, Illinois won't be letting up either.
Look for Illinois guard Andrej Stojakovic to once again be a big factor off the bench. His offensive output in the last three tourney games as resulted in 14.3 points per game. But the Illinois defense stepped up big time, holding Houston to its lowest point total since 2024. Now, the Hawkeyes will try to dictate the tempo and play at its own pace. Iowa has won its three tournament games all by single digits and a combined 13 points. First-year coach Ben McCollum looks to put Iowa into the Final Four for the first time since 1980.
John Leuzzi: Iowa
Jordan Mendoza: Illinois
Ehsan Kassim: Illinois
Austin Curtright: Illinois
Moneyline: Illinois (-300), Iowa (+240)
Spread: Illinois (-6.5)
Over/under total: 137.5
Illinois will advance to Final Four if...
John Leuzzi: It replicates what it did defensively against Houston.
Jordan Mendoza: It controls the interior.
Ehsan Kassim: Wagler can win the matchup against Stirtz.
Austin Curtright: If its defense plays like it did against Houston.
Iowa will advance to Final Four if...
John Leuzzi: It limits Illinois on offensive rebounds, and second chance opportunities.
Jordan Mendoza: it's knocking down 3-pointers.
Ehsan Kassim: Hawkeyes can make the game slower paced and Illinois misses shots.
Austin Curtright: Its bench contributors of Alvaro Folgueiras, Tate Sage and others continue their strong play.
What happened when Illinois, Iowa played in regular season?
Iowa and Illinois played just once this season, a top-20 matchup on Jan. 11 in Iowa City. Illinois led by 11 at halftime, but the Hawkeyes made a push before an eventual 75-69 Illinois win.
"I think Iowa's a team that's not going to go away," Illinois freshman Keaton Wagler said. "When we played 'em, we got up early on them, and then we let them back in the game. We can't get lackadaisical on that side of the ball on defense, just stick to our process throughout the whole game."
Wagler led the Illini with 19 points, while Bennett Stirtz struggled, going 5-of-17 from the field.
Is Andrej Stojakovic related to Peja Stojakovic?
Yes, Peja is his dad. Peja Stojakovic played 13 seasons in the NBA, primarily for the Sacramento Kings, and was a three-time All-Star.
Andrej played at Cal and Stanford before transferring to Illinois.
When was last time Iowa was in Final Four? How many times has Iowa been to Final Four?
Iowa has been to three Final Fours. Their last appearance in the Final Four is in 1980 under Lute Olsen. The Hawkeyes have never won a national championship.
When was last time Illinois was in Final Four? How many times has Illinois been to Final Four?
The Illini have been to the Final Four times. Their last appearance was in 2005 under Bruce Weber. Illinois has never won a national championship.
How many Europeans are on Illinois' team? Why does Illinois have so many Europeans on its roster?
David Mirkovic is from Montenegro
Andrej Stojakovic lists Thessaloniki, Greece as his hometown
Tomislav Ivisic is from Croatia
Zvonimir Ivisic is from Croatia
Mihailo Petrovic is from Serbia
Toni Bilic is from Croatia
"Geoff Alexander, Orlando Antigua deserve most all of the credit in terms of building the relationships in Europe," Illinois coach Brad Underwood said. "It's taken years. NIL has obviously helped enhance our abilities to attract some of the best players in Europe. But they're a great fit for us. It's not for everybody. I enjoy coaching 'em. They fit our university. We're a diverse university with a lot of international students, so it's a perfect fit for them.
"Basketball-wise it's a great fit for me, and I like coaching them. The way we're playing with positional size and shooting, it's just — it's a great marriage and a great fit. So we'll continue it. I would think others will continue to migrate over there and keep trying to recruit those guys."
Bennett Stirtz followed Ben McCollum from Northwest Missouri State to Drake to Iowa
The Hawkeyes' leading scorer Bennett Stirtz (19.7 ppg) has followed Ben McCollum from Northwest Missouri State to Drake, transferred from Drake to Iowa, following McCollum again. The two were key to the Bulldogs' first-round upset of Missouri in the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
"Yeah, the amount of trust I have in him, and that he never lies to anyone on this team, including me. He shoots it straight," Stirtz said on his relationship with McCollum. "Even when it's tough and even when it's hard. He pushes you past your limit and I think that's where the trust comes in and he cares about you a lot and wants to make you a better person. So, yeah, he just pushes everyone on this team and honestly you can see the benefit from that and even in the wins that he's all had throughout his career, he doesn't get complacent. So that's what we need to do and continue to do is even though we beat a 1 seed, we can't get complacent, we got to keep getting better every day and get ready for the game tomorrow."
Why does Alvaro Folgueiras point to sky after 3-pointers?
Folgueiras points up at the sky after every 3-pointer he makes in honor of his dad, who died when he was 9 years old. He pointed at the sky after hitting his eventual game-winner against Florida, although he waited for the Gators' timeout after running back on defense.
Folgueiras expressed what his family means to him after the game, and mentioned his mom being a rock throughout his childhood without his dad.
"He left us with my mom and my brother in my house," he said. "It was kind of hard. We didn't really feel it as much because my mom always made sure that we didn't need anything, absolutely nothing. So, I cannot say that I grew up in an environment where I needed some things. No, that's not the truth.
"Sometimes I can say that because I feel his absence. I was just going in the court and playing to get away of my house to be with something else. But I can say that I had a happy childhood. Something that we all said, and everyone has these kinds of things on their life.
"It's that we are not victims. I never let things like that make me a victim. Not to me and not to my brother, not to my mom. We are like that because my mom was showing out every single day. Yeah."
Keaton Wagler 2026 NBA Draft mock draft prediction
Atlanta Hawks, pick No. 7.
Kalbrosky's Analysis:
After trading away Trae Young, the Hawks could find their point guard of the future in Illinois standout Keaton Wagler using a first-round pick they received from the Pelicans. The 19-year-old guard scored 46 points while shooting 9-of-11 on 3-pointers against No. 12 Purdue on Jan. 24. He projects as one of the best 3-point shooters in this class, shooting 41.0 percent from beyond the arc as a freshman this year. The Big Ten Rookie of the Year is a cerebral basketball player who is also averaging 4.9 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game this season.
The New York Yankees (2-0) face the San Francisco Giants (0-2) are taking the first two games of the series. Aaron Judge hit his first home run of the season in New York’s victory on Friday. Will Warren, who had a 4.44 ERA last season, will be the starting pitcher for the Yankees. He’ll face the Giants’ Tyler Mahle (ERA: 2.18) in 2025. New York is favored again with a moneyline of -130 at BetMGM.
How to watch New York Yankees vs. San Francisco Giants
Mar 27, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh (29), left, tags out Cleveland Guardians first baseman Rhys Hoskins (8) at home plate during the fifth inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images | Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images
I had forgotten for a minute what losing felt like. There it is. Let’s get back to winning.
Nick has your recap of last night’s loss. Need to get Manzardo, Kwan and Bo going.
Pete Crow-Armstrong
Colton Cowser
Eugenio Suarez
