In last season's NCAA Tournament, Amir Khan became a viral star.
Commonly referred to as "Aura", he served as McNeese basketball's student manager, and more importantly, hype man.
He went viral Feb. 2025 thanks to a video of him rapping while wearing a boombox around his neck as he led the Cowboys out of the locker room. It became a tradition and he'd often be spotted with jewelry and other notable accessories. He even received sponsorship deals.
"(The aura) really just comes from all these players," Khan told The Oklahoman ahead of McNeese's first round game against Vanderbilt in Oklahoma City. "I'm just holding the speaker, walking out with them, and it comes from their excitement, their hype, and what they do on the court. If we weren't three-peat Southland champions, I don't think all of this would've happened."
When Will Wade left McNeese to take the coaching job at NC State after last season, Khan followed him to Raleigh, where he took on a similar role for the Wolfpack. However, earlier this year, Khan returned to McNeese and is back for another Cowboys' ride in March Madness.
"I don't feel the need to change anything just because I walk out with the speaker," Khan said. "I've been able to experience a lot, and I'm just blessed to be able to do this position. I appreciate all the love from everybody, it means a lot and we'll keep it going as long as we can."
Expect to see him front and center as McNeese tries pull off a second NCAA upset in as many years. Khan watched McNeese beat Clemson last year, and he believes another surprise could be in the cards Thursday.
"(Teams) don't wanna play us," he said. "I saw Vanderbilt's reaction. I don't think they were too excited to play us as a 12-seed. I think that's something that's gonna keep going forward."
The Oklahoman reporter Isa Almeida contributed to this story.
The Chicago Blackhawks and Minnesota Wild are going to match up for the second time this week and the third time this month. All three results between these two teams so far this season have been Minnesota Wild wins in extra time by a score of 4-3.
On Tuesday, Mats Zuccarello scored the overtime winner after the Blackhawks battled back to get it tied late in the third period. Now, the Blackhawks have one final chance to get a win over their Stanley Cup-contending rivals.
Scouting Minnesota
The Minnesota Wild, despite winning on Tuesday, are not too happy with the way they've played over the last couple of weeks.
They aren't likely to catch the Dallas Stars ahead of them, and they aren't in any danger of falling into the Wild Card spot held by the Utah Mammoth, so it's easy to get complacent, but that can't be how they go into the playoffs.
This game against the Blackhawks is a chance for them to continue working to get back on track with another win over a pesky young team.
Kaprizov - Yurov - Boldy
Zuccarello - Hartman - Tarasenko
Johansson - McCarron - N Foligno
Trenin - Sturm - Brink
Hughes-Spurgeon
Brodin-Faber
Middleton-Petry
Wallstedt
Jesper Wallstedt is going to start in goal for the Wild. Filip Gustavsson was in goal during the win on Tuesday, and now they will go with their other Swedish Olympian.
Bobby Brink will draw into the lineup in place of Robby Fabbri. Other than that, their deep forward group will remain mostly the same.
On defense, the pairs are getting a bit of a makeover compared to the last game. The bottom pair will remain the same, but there will be two new pairs in the top four. Quinn Hughes will get Jared Spurgeon, while Brock Faber will move down to play with Jonas Brodin.
Brodin and Spurgeon are very good defensive defensemen who play a strong leadership role in the locker room, while Hughes and Faber are the younger, more skilled players. This could give them more depth on the back end.
Projected Lines, Defense Pairs, & Goalie For Chicago
The Blackhawks scratched Matt Grzelcyk on Tuesday in favor of Ethan Del Mastro. That meant that all six defensemen in the lineup were 24 or under. That could be the case again on Thursday in Minnesota.
Sacha Boisvert is not ready to join the team yet due to visa issues, so his NHL debut will have to wait.
Greene-Bedard-Burakovsky
Bertuzzi-Nazar-Teravainen
Mangiapane-Donato-Mikheyev
Lardis-Lafferty-Slaggert
Vlasic-Levshunov
Kaiser-Rinzel
Del Mastro-Crevier
Grzelcyk
Soderblom
Arvid Soderblom hasn't started since Spencer Knight returned from his illness. Project him to get the nod in this one. With the second half of a back-to-back looming on Friday, expect Spencer Knight to get that game against the Colorado Avalanche, who are one of the few teams ahead of the Minnesota Wild in the overall NHL standings.
UPDATE: Spencer Knight started in goal. They went 11/7 with their skaters. Sam Lafferty came out, Matt Grzelcyk went in.
How To Watch
The game can be heard locally on AM 720 WGN in the Chicagoland area. To view this game, it can be found on ESPN+ and Hulu. The puck will drop shortly after 6:30 PM CT.
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It was another crazy, back-and-forth game, but the Carolina Hurricanes got back in the win column Wednesday night with a 6-5 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The win got the Canes back into the win column and helped to build on their division lead.
Here are five takeaways from the win:
Sean Walker postgame (3/18/26)
1. A Historic Back-And-Forth
According to the NHL, Wednesday's game featured four third-period, game-tying goals, which matches the most ever in a single game in league history.
The game went from 2-1 heading into the third, to a 5-5 game after the 20 minute frame, so it was certainly a wild one.
"Going into the third it was 2-1 and then it ended up 6-5," said Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour. "You would never have thought that the way the game was going."
Fans certainly got their moneys worth and in the end, the Canes still won anyway.
2. For The First Time Ever, Sean Walker Called Game In OT
Sean Walker has played a good bit of overtime hockey throughout his career.
The 31-year-old defenseman has just under 60 total minutes of career, 3v3 OT experience under his belt, but before Wednesday, he had never once scored beyond regulation.
However, that all changed last night though as he put home a Sebastian Aho feed for his first career OT goal.
"Walks getting that OT winner, you love seeing that for guys that maybe don't get them all the time," said Jordan Martinook, who himself has never scored at OT winner. "Those ones feel a little better sometimes."
It was also, in fact, Walker's first game-winning goal as a Hurricane and just the third total of his career.
On that note though, Hurricanes assistant coach Tim Gleason actually holds the record for the most career games played (727) without a single game-winning goal.
3. Jackson Blake Hits The 20-Goal Mark
Ain't no sophomore slump for Jackson Blake it seems.
In Year 2, the 22-year-old winger has continued to take big steps in his development, already setting new career highs in goals, assists and points with still 14 games to go in the year.
And last night against the Penguins was just another example of his ability to take over a game.
Blake had three points in the win, contributing on three straight go-ahead goals for the Canes.
He also registered his 20th goal of the season, becoming the team's fifth 20 goal scorer this season and also just the second Hurricanes fourth-round or later draft pick to ever register 20 goals in a season (credit Cory Lavalette for that stat)
His line with Logan Stankoven and Taylor Hall has been Carolina's best since returning from the Olympic break.
"Those two are unbelievably good players and they came up big for us tonight," Blake said on his linemates. "I love playing with those guys because you know what you can get from them. It's awesome. We've had chances, but tonight, fortunately they went in."
4. Penalty Kill Steps Up
Since returning from the Olympic break, the Hurricanes' penalty kill has really struggled, operating at just around a 70% success rate.
And after giving up two against the Columbus Blue Jackets the day before, Carolina knew they needed to be better against the Penguins.
Well, you can't draw up any better of a start to the penalty killing then scoring a goal nine seconds into your very first opportunity.
After winning the opening draw, Jordan Staal got to a loose puck and sent it up the boards to a streaking Jordan Martinook, who then ripped it past Stuart Skinner.
Overall, the Canes did very well on the PK, killing off around seven minutes of shorthanded time.
The only time they got burned was when Pittsburgh was handed a 5-on-3 power play, but those scenarios are very challenging for any team.
"When you go down 5-on-3, it's tough to kill that one off, but I think we battled hard," Martinook said. "They have dynamic players over there. But I felt like we were on it pretty good. When you go down 5-on-3, it's tough, but overall, we were pretty good out there."
5. Goaltending
Even though he gave up five goals, I really liked Frederik Andersen's game.
He made quite a few big saves for the Canes, including a huge stop on Ben Kindel in overtime right before Sean Walker's winner.
I get that fans are going to be upset at any netminder when they see goals go past them, but you have to look at these things with a bit more context.
Of Pittsburgh's five goals, two were from breakaways, one was a backhander by Sidney Crosby alone in front of the net, one was a post-and-in rocket at 5-on-3 through a screen and the fifth one was also a top corner snipe through heavy traffic.
The Penguins are a good finishing team and the expected goals at the end of that game for them was over four, so, in my opinion, Andersen wasn't poor by any stretch.
He's been pretty good overall since returning from the Olympics and it seems that that event was a good reset for him.
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CINCINNATI, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 24: Paul Skenes #30 of the Pittsburgh Pirates throws during a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on September 24, 2025 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Jeff Dean/Getty Images) | Getty Images
As if there was any doubt, the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner will start the first game of the year.
The Pittsburgh Pirates announced on Thursday that Paul Skenes will get the ball in New York to start Opening Day against the Mets.
Skenes tallied 1.97 ERA and struck out 216 batters in 187.2 innings, the most strikeouts but a Pirates starting pitcher in franchise history.
Skenes only allowed 31 earned runs and totaled a 0.95 WHIP en route to his first Cy Young.
The 2023 No. 1 overall pick and 2024 NL Rookie of the Year will make his second-career Opening Day start.
Skenes, 23, posted a 7.7 WAR last year and started his second-consecutive All-Star Game for the NL.
He continues to accumulate accolades rarely seen in over 100 years. Skenes started two games for the United States in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, allowing one run over 8.1 innings.
Facing potentially the greatest lineup he’ll ever face against the Dominican Republic in the semifinals, Skenes allowed only one run in 4.1 frames. Outside of a Junior Caminero solo home run, Skenes silenced the Dominican Republic offense.
In 55 starts, Skenes owns a 21-13 record, 1.96 ERA, 386 strikeouts, 2.40 FIP, and a 0.948 WHIP.
Skenes starts game one of 162 at Citi Field on Thursday, March 26 at 1:15 p.m.
Brad Nessler, Wally Szczerbiak and Jared Greenberg will call the game for TBS.
Arkansas vs Hawaii March Madness game start time today
Date: Thursday, March 19
Time: 4:25 p.m. ET
Location: Portland, Ore.
No. 13 Hawaii vs No. 4 Arkansas predictions
John Leuzzi: Arkansas
Ehsan Kassim: Arkansas
Austin Curtright: Arkansas
Craig Meyer: Arkansas
Hawaii vs Arkansas odds
Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Thursday, March 19
Spread: Arkansas (-14.5)
Over/under: 158.5
Moneyline: Arkansas (-1400); Hawaii (+825)
Nick Pringle injury update: Arkansas center questionable vs Hawaii
Pringle did not participate in Arkansas' open practice on Wednesday. He had a sleeve on his right leg and stood off to the side for a majority of the workout, occasionally going through dribbling drills, grabbing rebounds and passing to his teammates.
Pringle is averaging 4.6 points and 3.9 rebounds this season. He plays 19 minutes per game.
John Calipari has history of early March Madness upsets
Although it seems like a no-brainer to have Arkansas over Hawaii, Calipari's recent history might suggest otherwise.
In his final three seasons at Kentucky, Calipari's teams lost in the first weekend of the NCAA men's basketball tournament, two of them truly shocking upsets. Kentucky lost in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament in 2024. The Wildcats were a No. 3 seed that season but fell to No. 14 Oakland by a final of 80-76.
Kentucky was a No. 2 seed in the 2022 NCAA men's basketball tournament when it went up against No. 15-seed Saint Peter's. It was arguably the biggest upset of the year.
Darius Acuff Jr. stats
22.9 points per game
3.2 rebounds per game
6.5 assists per game
48.6% field goal percentage
44.5% 3-point field goal percentage
Darius Acuff Jr. 2026 NBA Draft prediction
Projected as the No. 6 to Dallas Mavericks, by For The Win:
"Now led by Cooper Flagg, the Mavericks need to find players who can help Dallas stay competitive on offense and Arkansas freshman Darius Acuff Jr. can do exactly that. The SEC Player of the Year is excellently efficient at operating ball screens or in isolation. He leads freshmen for points created per 40 minutes (43.1) either by himself or through an assist, per CBB Analytics. He can score well from either side of the court and is among the freshmen leaders in both alley-oop assists (15) and field goals made in transition (62) this season. There is a reason rival coach Sean Miller thinks this generational guard should have his name in the mix at No. 1 overall."
Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid are out for the Philadelphia 76ers. Domantas Sabonis and Zach LaVine are out for the Sacramento Kings. And that’s just the star players.
This means my 76ers vs. Kings predictions are for true NBA junkies. Luckily, there’s one guy on the floor who always gives his all, even if he’s not the most efficient.
Yes, I’m talking about Russell Westbrook. The former MVP highlights my NBA picks for this matchup set to tip off at 10 pm ET at Sacramento's Golden 1 Center on Thursday, March 19.
76ers vs Kings prediction
76ers vs Kings best bet: Russell Westbrook Over 5.5 rebounds (+110)
Say what you will about his efficiency, no one can complain about Russell Westbrook's effort, and he’s playing some of his best basketball of the season for the Sacramento Kings.
The former MVP is averaging 16.9 points, 8.1 assists, and 5.1 rebounds over his last nine games.
Tonight, I’ll focus on the rebounds. With no Joel Embiid or Kelly Oubre Jr., the Philadelphia 76ers are light on the boards. And with no Tyrese Maxey, they rank dead last in eFG% this month.
That means lots of boards for Westbrook to scoop up.
76ers vs Kings same-game parlay
Good teams have beaten up on the Kings recently, but Sacramento's done a surprisingly good job against the bottom feeders, going 5-1 ATS in its last six games, winning four outright.
The Sixers are not a good team right now, ranking 25th in net rating in March. There’s value with Sacramento as short home dogs here.
Speaking of the Sixers, Andre Drummond is arguably the last man standing, and he could be their lone option to clean the glass. And while I like Westbrook individually, Sacramento has the fourth-worst rebounding rate as a team.
76ers vs Kings SGP
Russell Westbrook Over 5.5 rebounds
Kings moneyline
Andre Drummond Over 9.5 rebounds
Our "from downtown" SGP: Triple double-double
Westbrook has three double-doubles in his last five games. Precious Achiuwa has been getting more run and has two in his last three. Meanwhile, Drummond has point and rebounding totals of 9.5.
76ers vs Kings SGP
Russell Westbrook double-double
Precious Achiuwa double-double
Andre Drummond double-double
76ers vs Kings odds
Spread: 76ers -2.5 (-110) | Kings +2.5 (-110)
Moneyline: 76ers -140 | Kings +120
Over/Under: Over 226 (-110) | Under 226 (-110)
76ers vs Kings betting trend to know
The Kings have hit the 1H Moneyline in 10 of their last 19 games at home for +8.25 Units and a 38% ROI. Find more NBA betting trends for 76ers vs. Kings.
How to watch 76ers vs Kings
Location
Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, CA
Date
Thursday, March 19, 2026
Tip-off
10:00 p.m. ET
TV
NBC Sports Philadelphia, NBC Sports California
76ers vs Kings latest injuries
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Xavier Edmonds' shot with 4.1 seconds remaining gave the No. 9 seed Horned Frogs a 66-64 win over No. 8 Ohio State to kick off March Madness action on Thursday, March 19, in the first game of the tournament. Bruce Thornton attempted a halfcourt heave as time expired, but the shot clanked off the top of the backboard.
The Buckeyes trailed 39-24 at halftime but outscored the Horned Frogs 40-27 in the second half to pull within reach. TCU's Micah Robinson gave the Horned Frogs a 64-61 on a 3-pointer with under a minute left, but Thornton responded with a 3-pointer of his own to tie the game at 64-64 with 33.7 seconds left.
Fifty of TCU's 66 points came from Robinson, Edmonds and David Punch, who scored 16 points with 13 rebounds and three blocks. Robinson led all scorers with 18 points with Edmonds adding 16 points with eight rebounds.
The Horned Frogs' 3-point shooting was ultimately their path to victory, despite ranking No. 233 nationally in 3-point percentage (33.11%). TCU made nine 3-pointers and shot 39% from distance in the win, compared to Ohio State's six makes and 26% mark.
Ohio State all-time leading scorer Bruce Thornton, who entered the game averaging 20.2 points per game this season, didn't have his best showing in his final game as a Buckeye. The senior guard was held to 10 points on 3-of-9 shooting with four rebounds, four assists and a turnover in the loss.
TCU will now likely face No. 1 overall seed Duke in the second round, should the Blue Devils expectedly defeat No. 16 Siena on March 19. The Horned Frogs have never won two NCAA Tournament games in the same season, and will have a tough task ahead to complete the record in 2026.
Sandfort was in the crowd at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on Thursday, March 19 as Pryce Sandfort's barrage of 3-pointers helped ignite the Cornhuskers in their quest for the first NCAA Tournament win in program history. Except Pryce Sandfort didn't know he was going to be there. The Thunder had a game in Brooklyn on Wednesday and have a game in Washington, D.C. on Saturday.
Turns out there was time for a pit stop to celebrate what's got to be the best two days in Sandfort basketball history.
Pryce Sandfort, the Big Ten's 3-point leader this season, had the pro-Nebraska crowd going bonkers in the first half when he hit five 3-pointers after the Cornhuskers got off to a slow start. Perhaps he was inspired by his brother.
Payton Sandfort not only made his NBA debut with the Thunder on Wednesday, but also scored his first NBA basket against the Nets. Fittingly, it was a 3-pointer. Sandfort, who signed a two-way contract with the Thunder earlier this month, said the team "got me back here on a plane to watch the game."
“He’s been lying to me this whole week," Pryce Sandfort told reporters after the first-round game. "He’s been telling me he couldn’t make it, so I’m telling everybody that, telling media that, and he shows up and I see him in the stands 10 minutes before the game. ... It was unreal seeing him up there."
Payton and Pryce Sandfort played together at Iowa for two years prior to this season. Pryce Sandfort then transferred to rival Nebraska this past offseason after the Hawkeyes moved on from longtime coach Fran McCaffrey.
So there was Payton Sandfort wearing a Cornhusker red T-shirt on Thursday with the words, "The Pryce is Right" emblazoned in bold letters.
As the Mets continue to trim their roster ahead of Opening Day, they made four moves on Thursday.
Infielder Ronny Mauricio and right-handed pitcher Joey Gerber were optioned to Triple-A Syracuse.
Left-handed pitcher Brandon Waddell and right-handed pitcher Mike Baumann were reassigned to minor league camp.
Mauricio never really had a path to a spot on the Opening Day roster due to a full infield and the possibility that New York will not carry a backup shortstop.
The Mets' roster is at 42 with Opening Day one week away.
WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 10: Jose Altuve #27 of the Houston Astros looks on during a spring training game against the Baltimore Orioles at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on March 10, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Astros aren’t dead yet.
It felt like the AL West would run through Houston forever. The Astros won seven consecutive division titles in non-COVID seasons, collecting three pennants and two World Series’ trophies between 2017 and 2024. Few teams had ever been more successful, and few teams had ever been more relevant. They were a mix of intoxicating tropes: the classic Worst To First, the contemporary Pioneers In Economics, and the forever elegant I’m Not Aware Of The Allegations. From doubted to destined to despised.
To denied, in 2025. The Mariners yoinked the throne from behind over three nights in Houston. Their buttocks now shape the seat, paranoid thoughts of usurpation already taking hold. Who should dare challenge their new title?
Well, perhaps still the Astros. They enter 2026 in the death throes of dynasty, but still contained within their hulking frame. They are projected 12th in the majors by FanGraphs Depth Charts, well behind the Mariners, but still above average, and very much in striking distance.
Position
Astros Projected WAR
Mariners Projected WAR
Edge
Catcher
3.0
6.1
Mariners
First Base
2.0
2.9
Mariners
Second Base
2.8
2.7
Astros
Shortstop
4.0
2.8
Astros
Third Base
4.1
3.0
Astros
Left Field
2.1
2.2
Mariners
Center Field
2.8
6.0
Mariners
Right Field
1.4
1.9
Mariners
Designated Hitter
3.8
1.5
Astros
Starting Pitching
11.1
14.3
Mariners
Relief Pitching
3.7
3.5
Mariners
Total
40.8
46.9
Mariners
FanGraphs Depth Charts Projections
The lineup is familiar. Jose Altuve is in the compiler stage of his Hall of Fame career, continuing to post solid but diminishing seasons, hoping to amass just enough value that future voters might look the other way. The same could be said for Carlos Correa, who was returned to sender (in a fair amount of bubble wrap) at the last trade deadline. Yordan Alvarez is back in action — his injury saga perhaps the difference in the AL West in 2025 — though he’s relinquished his status as the best left-handed hitter in baseball. Jake Meyers continues to roam the space where Tal’s Hill once lay, and Isaac Paredes continues to pepper the Crawford Boxes. Jeremy Peña should join them shortly. Really, it’s not that bad. No, seriously, the stain isn’t noticeable at all, don’t even worry about it.
The pitching is less familiar. This is not the vaunted staff of Astros’ past, nor even the tepid encore of 2025. Hunter Brown and Bryan Abreu are great, but everyone else is hurt or unknown or lost to free agency. It’s tough to see the upside; it’s very easy to see the downside. The thing about pitching, of course, is everybody’s down side is the same.
Premonitions have followed the Astros their entire competitive cycle. They’ve had projection lulls before and found new life. But where 2025 was the first year they weren’t obvious favorites, 2026 is the first year they’re projected below .500. It’s not clear where they plan to find more wins.And so they teeter, and so the totter, on the precipice of oblivion. Nobody knows what comes next. -RB
2026 FanGraphs Depth Charts projections: 80.5-81.5, 3rd in AL West, 35.0% playoff odds
2026 PECOTA projections: 85.0-77.0, 2nd in AL West, 53.3% playoff odds
If it all goes right
The Astros were a joke in 2012. But they weren’t laughing; they were planning. When their rise began in earnest in the summer of 2015, many of us still found it hard to take them too seriously. But by 2017, nobody could deny that they were a force to be reckoned with. For years after that, they were impossible, aggravating, and ever-present. They seemed wrapped in teflon, with scandal after scandal outraging so many of us but resulting in essentially no consequences.
Then, there was a moment. For one moment, it felt like it might finally be over. It was still a close race, but the Mariners came storming in and took the division crown, leaving the Astros out of the playoffs. Yet they finished 87-75, led the division deep into the summer, and weird circumstances intervened in ways that felt more like luck than justice. Certainly the 2025 Mariners division win was thrilling, but they were an imperfect vehicle for hope. We got the result we wanted, but not the reckoning. The Astros lost, but retained their core talent and hardly conceded.
Their comeback shouldn’t have felt as gobsmacking as it did. They were always lurking, and clearly a threat. But even though it was an obvious possibility, it was a little too horrible a thought to engage with. We wanted a little too badly to just move on.
But wanting it isn’t enough when the enemy has amassed too much power. Their 23-win April was immediate, horrifying, and inevitably powered by the guys who never had to face the music: Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa each had the best month of their careers, totaling a nauseating 16 home runs and 68 hits between them. The whole season was over before you could even catch your breath. The rest of the summer was a tour of vengeance, with Yordan Álvarez and Jeremy Peña taking the lead. Yes, the 2025 Astros had lost, but injuries to their core played too big a role to ignore in retrospect. Peña’s fractured rib wasn’t a reckoning, just a setback. It didn’t stop him from coming right back and putting up a full season at the 135 wRC+ he had in his partial season. No one was safe. Julio, robbed of four hits in the same game; Muñoz, taken deep three times to turn wins into blown saves; Woo, taking a 105-mph comebacker off his hand.
We’d seen it all before of course, and there was some emotional armor from that experience. But where worse came to worst was that it all looks so permanent. Hunter Brown, the heir to Verlander, opened Game 1 with six perfect innings before settling into a two-hit complete game, utterly dismantling the Dodgers—the best resistance the rest of MLB could put up. The extension he signed the day after he hoisted the Commissioner’s Trophy will keep him in Houston for an additional six years. For a moment, it seemed like it might be over, but it hasn’t even started.
We’ll carry on. The Mariners will too, continuing to put up their best. Because what other choice is there? But it’s the Astros’ world again, as it’s been for a decade, and after this, it feels like it will be forever. —ZAM
If it all goes wrong
When did the Roman Empire end? Was it Marcus Aurelius’s death, which ended the run of the Five Good Emperors? Was it the Crisis of the Third Century, when Rome went through 26 emperors in 50 years? How about the death of Theodosius I, when the Eastern and Western Empires permanently split? Or perhaps when Aetius was murdered, leading to the Vandals sacking Rome within a year? By the time the last Western emperor, Romulus Augustulus, was deposed by a Germanic chieftain, there was nothing left of Rome to fall. It was a climactic event, but things had been over for a while. It clarified what in retrospect should have been obvious.
With the Houston Astros falling to fourth place in 2026, the question is the same: when did it end?
The franchise once famous for taking nameless minor leaguers and turning them into stars just couldn’t pull it off anymore. Gone were the days of replacing Carlos Correa with Jeremy Peña. Instead, the franchise was replacing Kyle Tucker with Cam Smith. Smith’s rookie year was easy to write off, especially given how young he was. But his 41 wRC+ in the second half was the signal, not the noise, and by the 2026 All-Star break, he was back in AAA, where he carried a strikeout rate north of 30%.
The franchise once boasted the most fearsome rotation in all of baseball, with a front three of Justin Verlander, Gerrit Cole, and Zack Greinke. But 11 guys made more than five starts for them in 2025 and it only got worse this year. A mid-June labrum tear for Hunter Brown shattered the rotation into a mishmash of spot starts and bullpen days. NPB transplant Tatsuya Imai was the only player to make at least 20 starts, and while Joe Espada was grateful for the innings he ate, Imai’s ERA approached 5. Lance McCullers Jr. finally pitched again, but only for four innings before heading right back to the IL. It was a team that really could have used Framber Valdez, but they let him get scooped up by Detroit on a deal they could have afforded if they hadn’t spent so much on Christian Walker.
The last members of the dynasty—Peña and Yordan Álvarez—were the bright spots. Álvarez stayed on the field for a career-high 150 games, and Peña put together a second consecutive 5-WAR campaign. But the old hands showed their age, with Altuve batting under .250 for the first time in a full season and Correa having an on-again-off-again relationship with the IL and offering streaky performances when available.
It was so clear that these Astros were going nowhere that they did something they haven’t done in more than a decade: sell at the deadline. Mariners fans had a thrilling weekend when it looked like Seattle might be the team to get their best chip, Bryan Abreu—a moment to savor the true transition of power. But it’s hard to blame the Mariners for not wanting to give up the reported ask of Michael Arroyo for a rental. Ultimately, since Abreu hit free agency at the end of the year, Houston only got one backend top-100 prospect for all their trouble. So Mariners fans can take comfort in not having helped restore Houston’s farm system.
For four offseasons in a row, the AL West mantra has been: the Astros are both very good and also worse than they’ve been since 2014. Eventually, that worse and worse and worse boiled over. Headed into 2027, the new line is: the Astros are not very good. It’s been headed this way for a while, but only now is it finally clear. It’s finally time for the autopsy. —ZAM
"The Heat is expected to waive Rozier before the end of the regular season to open a roster spot to add a player for depth in the postseason."
Miami had kept Rozier on the roster — listing him as "away from the team" — in part because his expiring $26.6 million contract could have been a valuable trade chip in a larger deal at the trade deadline. Nothing like that developed, but with the Heat depth being so strong and the team playing well of late, there was no urgency to release him for the roster spot. (Rozier's salary for this season was originally held in escrow, however, he won a case, with an arbitrator ruling that he should be paid his contract for this season.)
Miami has a full 15-man roster, plus three two-way players. Waiving Rozier opens up a spot, although the Heat are in no rush to do that, reports Chiang. With the team finally close to fully healthy, they don't have the minutes to go around to the players they already have, so the Heat can be patient. If an injury occurs, then they can move to help fill that gap. If not, they can make whatever move seems best in the final days of the season. That could include converting one of their two-way players into a standard contract (making him playoff eligible).
The Vancouver Canucks welcome the slumping Tampa Bay Lightning to Rogers Arena on Thursday, March 19.
My top Lightning vs. Canucks predictions and NHL picks are headlined by Vancouver winger Liam Ohgren tonight.
Lightning vs Canucks prediction
Lightning vs Canucks best bet: Liam Ohgren Over 1.5 shots (+100)
Winger Liam Ohgren has been a rare bright spot for the Vancouver Canucks, rankingsecond in shots and third in attempts at 5-on-5 across the past 12 games.
Ohgren and the Canucks are drawing the Tampa Bay Lightning at the right time, too.
The Lightning have lost seven of their past 10 while allowing the fourth-most shots per game (30.1) and ninth-most shots per 60 minutes at 5-on-5.
Lightning vs Canucks same-game parlay
This is a slump-busting spot for Tampa Bay, and I fully expect them to have a solid defensive showing, with Vancouver scoring just 2.6 goals per game since the Olympic break.
Simply put, I don’t anticipate the Canucks doing enough offensively to push this total Over.
The final leg of this same-game parlay turns for Vancouver center Elias Pettersson, as he's registered two or more shots in six of his past seven games for 16 total on 31 attempts.
The Vancouver Canucks have covered the first-period puck line in eight of their last nine home games (+5.95 Units / 36% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Lightning vs. Canucks.
How to watch Lightning vs Canucks
Location
Rogers Arena, Vancouver, BC
Date
Thursday, March 19, 2026
Puck drop
10:00 p.m. ET
TV
Sportsnet Pacific
Lightning vs Canucks latest injuries
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.
The ball has been tipped. Now it's all about survive and advance.
March Madness' first round kicked off Thursday, March 19 with day one of the first round, arguably one of the best days in sports as teams start their quest to the Final Four, with sprinkles of upsets in between. Thirty-two teams will play on the loaded docket, and only 16 will be playing another game, advancing to play in the second round on Saturday, March 21.
So who lives another day? Keep tabs on the teams that win in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament here, as well as an updated look at the bracket:
Who advanced in March Madness bracket to NCAA Tournament second round?
Edmonton Oilers' captain Connor McDavid was asked about the response to his comments on NHL player safety and how suspensions are handled. A few days ago, he was fairly vocal about not liking the process and about players being frustrated. He believed it was time to revisit the way things work.
Head of the NHL Department of Player Safety, George Parros, stood his ground in the face of criticism.
Following a controversial decision to only suspend Radko Gudas for five games after a knee-on-knee hit, Parros said:
“We sweat over these decisions and pore over these decisions every night, all season long. We have a process in place that’s consistent, and we have a team that works for me, and together with me, that evaluates all these plays. A very experienced team, a veteran team. Guys who have been there since the beginning of the department. Not to mention all the former players who have a large set of experiences playing NHL games and accolades. Some of the best guys who have played the game work for this department, helping make decisions. So, our process, I feel very confident in. We’ve got great guys who make these decisions, and I think the players should be confident in this team to do so.”
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NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman backed Parros and added that if the players wanted something different, it should have been mentioned in the recent CBA renegotiation. It wasn't. Bettman seemed to hint that it was on the players.
McDavid was asked if he was OK with Parros' comments.
"Yeah, I mean, obviously, you know, I said what I said a couple days ago. Obviously, the league disagrees, and that’s fine. But, you know, as I said, there’s obviously frustration from the players. Every single time one of these things comes up, I think everyone kind of voices that."
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He added, "So the status quo doesn’t matter—nothing has to change—but, you know, I think things like this leave an opportunity to have those discussions. And obviously, if there’s a better way, there’s a better way. If there’s not, there’s not. But we’ll never know if we don’t have that conversation."
"It takes all of us to be a bit more dangerous, shoot the puck a little bit more."
McDavid was also asked about Leon Draisaitl's injury and losing the team's star for the rest of the regular season. He said it was unfortunate but called it another opportunity for players to step up. Understanding what Draisaitl brings, he'll never be replaced. But, when it comes to goal scoring, maybe the Oilers can do it by committee.
"It takes all of us to be a bit more dangerous, shoot the puck a little bit more."
The Oilers will take on the Florida Panthers Thursday night, looking for some retribution after two consecutive Stanley Cup Final losses. The Oilers have played better hockey of late and are looking to win three in a row for the second time this season.
The Panthers are not the team they were last season, but the Oilers will need to be cautious not to take them too lightly.
With an entertaining World Baseball Classic coming to a close, it's time to turn our attention to the start of the 2026 MLB season. Below is everything you need to know about Opening Day for all 30 clubs.
⚾️ Coming soon: MLB returns to NBC and Peacock in 2026! In addition to becoming the exclusive home of Sunday Night Baseball, NBC Sports will broadcast MLB Sunday Leadoff, “Opening Day” and Labor Day primetime games, the first round of the MLB Draft, the entire Wild Card round of the postseason, and much more.
When is 2026 MLB Opening Day?
The 2026 MLB season will begin in three parts. The first game of the season will be on Wednesday March 25, as the Yankees and Giants play in San Francisco. Most teams will begin their season on Thursday, March 26, however a handful of teams will get things underway on Friday, March 27.
