This is an exciting time. For the first time since 2019, the Spurs are heading to the playoffs. There are only nine games left in the regular season. If watching games surrounded by equally frenzied fans in a family-friendly environment, the The Rock at La Cantera has got you covered this weekend.
On Saturday, the Silver & Black are wrapping up a three-game road trip in Milwaukee.
The official game watch party at The Rock takes place this Saturday as the team takes on the Milwaukee Bucks. This is the last official watch party of the regular season. Details are below.
What: Official watch party for the Spurs vs Bucks game
When: Party begins at 1:30 p.m., game tips off at 2
Who: Hosted by Zay Zay with music by DJ Quake. Free facepainting, balloon artist and photobooth.
Fans are encouraged to bring their own chairs and blankets and can purchase food and beverages from Ice Ice Dady, Lil Bros BBQ Shack and other kiosks, or dine at Roca & Martillo.
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The Atlanta Hawks are red-hot as the NBA’s regular season winds down, having gone 15-2 since the All-Star break (14-1 in their last 15 games), soaring all the way up fifth place in the Eastern Conference standings in the process.
No, they haven’t faced the most arduous schedule, and the gap between tanking and non-tanking teams has been quite pronounced as of late, but even so, Atlanta has outscored their opponents by a whopping 230 points over this 15-game span – something only Oklahoma City and Charlotte have done this season.
Now, with just nine games remaining, every fixture on the schedule carries a little extra significance as the Hawks jostle for postseason positioning in the East’s crowded middle tier – with just two games separating fifth from tenth.
Could this be the year Atlanta finally escapes the Play-In Tournament?
It won’t be easy*, but with the confidence that this team is playing with at the moment, it’s a real possibility. Make sure your seatbelt is fastened for what’s going to be a thrilling finish to the regular season. We’ll see if the Hawks can keep the momentum going against Boston tonight.
*Atlanta faces the sixth-toughest remaining schedule in the league
Ahead of the home stretch, let’s take a look at a few of the numbers behind Atlanta’s impressive form over the past few weeks.
Hitting the glass, and winning the possession battle
As one would expect given their lofty winning percentage and point differential over the past few weeks, the Hawks have been excellent on both sides of the ball since the All-Star break, with a big part of their success being their focus on winning the possession battle from night to night.
Looking at the team’s turnover margin, while forcing turnovers has been a priority all season long*, the Hawks have been extra-disruptive as of late – ranking third in defensive turnover rate (16.6%) and first (!) in points off turnovers (23.9 ppg) since the All-Star break, boasting the league’s fourth widest turnover margin over this span.
*Atlanta ranked eighth in defensive turnover rate (15.4%), and sixth in points off turnovers (19.8 ppg) prior to the All-Star break
In addition to winning the turnover battle, perhaps the most startling difference in the team’s post-All Star break form has been the improvement we’ve seen from them on the boards.
Prior to the All-Star break, rebounding was a weakness for Atlanta as they ranked just 27th in offensive rebounding percentage (27.3%) and 21st in defensive rebounding percentage (68.9%). From night to night, the second chance points margin was typically something they would have to overcome in order to win.
Since the All-Star break however, things have changed. The Hawks have ranked fourth in both offensive rebounding percentage (34.2%) and defensive rebounding percentage (74.0%), winning the second chance points battle by an average of 5.9 points per game in the process – the third widest rebounding margin and the second widest second chance points margin in the league over this span.
As noted in the intro, the Hawks have faced more ‘poodles’ than ‘predators’ over the past few weeks, a reality that’s hard to ignore when trying to figure out how exactly the team has pulled off this implausible shift in identity.
Through taking a look at the individual player rebounding numbers from before and after the break, you can tell who has been putting in a little more work on the boards as of late.
Jalen Johnson* and Onyeka Okongwu have continued to crash the glass at an impressive rate, while Dyson Daniels** and Zaccharie Risacher have both seen their rebounding numbers soar since the All-Star break – pulling down 11.2 and 11.4 rebounds per 100 possessions respectively. Jock Landale has been a steady force, particularly on the offensive glass. Meanwhile, Mouhamed Gueye and Jonathan Kuminga have both been outstanding in this area.
*Johnson is ranked 12th in rebounds per 100 possessions on the season (min. 41 games played)
**Daniels ranks eighth amongst guards in offensive rebounds per 100 possessions since the All-Star break
It’s been a staggering turnaround on the glass for Atlanta over the past few weeks, and while their recent games against Houston and Detroit have shown* that there is still room for improvement, the progress that they have made in this area over the course of the season has been very encouraging – and it’s a credit to the organization for addressing an area of need that they probably didn’t see coming prior to the season.
*Detroit and Houston are two of the best rebounding teams in the league, but even so, both teams posted 30% offensive rebounding percentages against Atlanta in their matchups over the past week. Against Houston, Atlanta really struggled on the offensive glass, grabbing just 19% of the available offensive rebounds and scoring just seven second chance points.
Checking in on the perimeter shooting
Beyond the boards, Atlanta’s recent success has also been reflected in the quality of looks they’ve been generating — and conceding — from beyond the arc.
On the whole since the All-Star break, the Hawks rank in the middle of the pack in three-point accuracy (35.9%) and volume (43.3% 3-point attempt rate), and are just inside the top ten in opponent three-point accuracy (34.3%) and volume (40.4%). But do the ‘closest defender’ numbers reveal any hidden truths?
In the first plot, focusing on the offensive shooting numbers, it’s encouraging to see that the Hawks have been generating a solid amount of ‘open’ looks from the perimeter, ranking ninth in ‘open’ three-point frequency while converting these looks at a healthy 37.9% clip. They also don’t appear to be outliers in terms of their frequency or accuracy on ‘contested’ and ‘semi-contested’ three-point attempts.
On the defensive end, the Hawks have done a really great job closing out on shooters in recent weeks, as evidenced by their opponents taking the third-fewest rate of ‘open’ threes and the fifth-highest rate of ‘contested’ threes since the All-Star break. While they are getting a little unlucky in terms of their opponent’s conversion rate on ‘semi-contested’ threes*, opponents have shot a league-low 15.7% (11-for-70) on ‘contested’ threes against them so it somewhat evens out.
*35.2%, eighth-highest opponent accuracy on this shot type since the All-Star break
Looking at the individual player’s numbers over this stretch, Nickeil Alexander-Walker has been on a shooting tear since the break, shooting 45.5% from deep on 7.6 attempts per game (more on NAW below). Additionally, I’m happy to report that ‘post-ASB Risacher’ is back, with the second-year Frenchman shooting 42.9% on 7.4 three-point attempts per 100 possessions after shooting just 35.2% on 8.1 attempts per 100 possessions prior to the break. Jonathan Kuminga (12-for-25) and Mouhamed Gueye (7-for-18) have also shot it well from the perimeter lately – albeit on limited volume.
What makes ‘NAW’ special?
It’s been an incredible debut season for Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who has seen his numbers rise alongside his playing time in Atlanta, without sacrificing any of the efficiency or attention to detail that made him such a valuable role player in Minnesota last season.
NAW has put together quite a compelling case for this season’s Most Improved Player award, with per-game averages of 20.4 points, 3.7 assists and 1.3 steals while shooting 39% from deep and 90% from the free throw line. While he does a lot of things well, one area of his game that’s really impressed me this season has been his transition finishing ability.
This is a skill that was perhaps under-utilized* on a Minnesota team that ranked 25th in pace last season, however now that he’s playing for an Atlanta team that keeps one foot on the gas pedal at all times (ranked fourth in pace this season), we’ve seen him blossom into one of the league’s most efficient high volume transition finishers, ranking 13th in transition scoring possessions per game (4.8) and in the 74th percentile in efficiency (1.25 points per possession (PPP))
*NAW was quite efficient in transition last season (1.21 PPP), though he averaged just 1.7 transition scoring possessions per game.
NAW gets it done both inside and outside the arc in transition. Check out this composed finish in the lane against Miami from a few weeks ago.
From the Dallas game earlier this month, the Hawks force a turnover, and NAW is immediately off to the races, finishing off the possession with a dunk.
Against Detroit on Wednesday night, he showed off the shooting range with a couple of transition triples.
As a team, the Hawks have improved from 21st in transition efficiency (1.11 PPP) last season to 12th in transition efficiency (1.15 PPP) this season, and Alexander-Walker has been a big part of that improvement.
Another area of NAW’s game that’s really impressed this season has been his catch-and-shoot three-point shooting proficiency. Similar to his transition scoring, he was quite efficient on these looks last season, shooting a stellar 42.5% on 3.6 attempts per game for Minnesota. Now this season, he’s been able to maintain his efficiency while significantly increasing his volume of attempts, shooting 41.6% on 5.9 attempts per game in Atlanta – one of the very best marks in the league.
Lastly, as the awards races heat up towards the end of the season, it’s worth pointing out that Alexander-Walker has been pushing hard to make his case for the ‘MIP’ award*, as he is currently in the midst of one of the most efficient scoring months in the NBA – averaging 23.3 points per game on a ridiculous 74.6% true shooting percentage.
*Alexander-Walker currently has the second shortest odds (Fanduel) to win the Most Improved Player award this season
Nickeil Alexander-Walker is having the most efficient scoring month of anyone in the NBA.
He has 74.0% (!) TS in March, and that is the highest mark of any player with any level of significant usage.
23.3 points on 55.6/50.6/96.0 shooting over 11 games.
I plotted the players averaging 20 or more points per game in March, and as you can see below, Alexander-Walker has been the league’s most efficient 20-point scorer this month – beyond impressive for a player that averaged just 7.5 field goal attempts per game last season.
It’s been a darn near flawless first season in Atlanta for Nickeil Alexander-Walker and the cherry on top is that he is under contract for the next two seasons at just around 8.7% of the team’s salary cap (great value for a starter) with a player option for 2028-29.
As his improvement from last season to this one shows, Alexander-Walker might be entering his prime at 27 years old, but he is a player that continues to add to his game year after year. I’m glad he’s a Hawk, and I am excited to watch how he develops over the next few seasons.
OTTAWA, CANADA - MARCH 26: Rickard Rakell #67 of the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrates his first-period goal against the Ottawa Senators with teammates at the players' bench on March 26, 2026 at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by André Ringuette/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
The Penguins got a bit of a boost Thursday night when it comes to their chances of making the NHL’s postseason for the first time since 2022.
Going into Thursday night’s game, HockeyViz had listed the Penguins as having an 83% chance of qualifying for playoffs as the team sat in third place in the NHL’s Metropolitan Division.
With the shootout win, the Penguins playoff chance jumped to 90%, according to HockeyViz.
Other results around the league including the Capitals win, Blue Jackets loss, Flyers win, and Islanders win brings the Penguins’ playoff chance back to around 87% at the conclusion of the night’s games.
Free of charge for the discerning reader.Happy birthday to Lynn McGlothen and a host of others, plus more baseball stories.
Today in baseball history:
1902 – The nickname Cubs is coined by the Chicago Daily News, when an unbylined column notes that managerFrank Selee will devote his strongest efforts on the team work of the new “Cubs” this year. In time, the Cubs will replace the Colts as the nickname for the ChicagoNational League club.
1978 – Oakland Athletics owner Charley Finley cancels the deal that would have sent the team to Denver, Colorado, under the sponsorship of oil magnate Marvin Davis. Objecting to some of the details, Finley decides to call off negotiations.
2011 – Cubs P Carlos Silva fails in his bid to become the team’s fifth starter, but says he will refuse an assignment to the minor leagues and makes disparaging remarks about pitching coach Mark Riggins. This pushes the Cubs to release him and swallow $8.5 million for the two years remaining on his contract, while the Seattle Mariners, who traded Silva to the Cubs before the 2010 season, are on the hook for another $5.5 million. Silva has a 10.90 ERA in spring training after a terrible second half last year, and made headlines earlier for getting into a fight in the dugout with 3B Aramis Ramirez.
2020: In the Season Opener for BCB’s The Show 2020 sim, we made our own history as the Brewers beat the Cubs. Yu Darvish walked his way into trouble and couldn’t get out of it, exiting in favor of Alec Mills in the fourth. Milwaukee starter Brandon Woodruff looked hittable but that turned out to be mostly theoretical as the Cubs rode solo home runs by Ian Happ and Javier Baez and an RBI single by Kris Bryant to defeat. The outcome was in doubt until the final strike, but in the end Josh Hader closed the door on any comeback hopes.
196 BC – Ptolemy V ascends to the throne of Egypt.
1513 – Spaniard Juan Ponce de León and his expedition first sight Florida.
1790 – The modern shoelace with an aglet patented in England by Harvey Kennedy.
1915 – Typhoid Mary [Mary Mallon] is arrested and returned to quarantine on North Brother Island, New York after spending five years evading health authorities and causing several further outbreaks of typhoid.
1964 – The Great Alaska Earthquake (9.2 magnitude) and resulting tsunami kill 139 people in the largest US earthquake and second largest ever recorded.
TAMPA, FL - FEBRUARY 24: Spencer Jones #78 and Jasson Domínguez #24 of the New York Yankees participate in a spring training workout at George M. Steinbrenner Field on February 24, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Farm systems go through cycles. There are strong classes and cycles that rise through the minor leagues together, graduate together, and recycle through. In a situation like the Yankees’, where minor league depth is routinely pillaged for deadline upgrades, the surviving prospects who rise through the system leave chasms in their wake.
This happened to the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders in 2025. While polarizing top prospect Spencer Jones spent the year in Moosic, he was surrounded by veterans on minor league contracts, older prospects without much value or big league potential, and journeymen. The recent graduation of players like Will Warren, Anthony Volpe, Austin Wells, Ben Rice, Jasson Domínguez, and, later, Cam Schlittler, left a chasm at the top minor league level, while development continued below with reinforcements.
After another trade deadline which saw the Yankees’ farm system once again cleaned out of its depth, the top prospects that remained are continuing the cycle. Thanks to those promoted prospects, conjoined with a strong group of the yearly veterans on minor league deals and some demoted major leaguers due to newfound depth, there’s a chance that the RailRiders team we see to start the season is one of the best Triple-A teams in recent memories.
The one area they’ll likely be weak, especially with J.C. Escarra starting the year in the majors, is at catcher. A big part of the Yankees’ deadline prospect purge saw them deal from their catching depth, which included Rafael Flores. This year, expect to see two non-roster invites splitting time between Ali Sánchez and Payton Henry. Both have bounced around the league and have gotten time in the majors as midseason fill-ins due to injury, but aren’t particularly known for their bats.
In the infield, it’s full of veterans who are looking to rebuild themselves and get back to the big leagues. You saw plenty of Paul DeJong and Max Schuemann in spring training, and you figure if any Yankee infielder goes down in the early going, they’ll be seriously considered for a promotion. DeJong has over 900 games of MLB experience across the last nine years, and the former All-Star will play a lot of shortstop, while Schuemann, the former Athletic, is more flexible. Jonathan Ornelas and Braden Shewmake, two more guys with limited big league experience, also factor into the mix, while Ernesto Martinez Jr., signed out of the Brewers’ organization, should start at first base.
Where this team really shines, however, is in the outfield. The Yankees have a numbers problem in the outfield, and with them running back MLB’s top outfield from 2025 and looking to optimize their bench with a right-handed platoon bat, it’s pushed two players coming off tremendous springs into Triple-A. Domínguez and Jones would both be starting on numerous teams in the league, but find themselves on the outside looking in here.
There’s a lot to prove for both of them, who are the biggest storylines of the spring. Domínguez needs to at least be a passable defender in left field and needs to show he’s more than a platoon bat (the spring data is encouraging!). Jones has so many positive traits, but he has to show he can make enough contact for his tremendous power to have an impact against big league pitching.
The rest of the outfield is equally stacked. Seth Brown is just two years removed from being in the heart of the Athletics’ order, Yanquiel Fernandez played 52 games for the lowly Rockies last season, and there’s, of course, Oswaldo Cabrera. He was the odd man out on the Yankees’ bench, and the super-utilityman will start in Scranton as he works his way back from his nasty ankle injury last May. This hitting core has a baffling amount of talent.
Rotations are always in flux at any level, and we’ll likely only see this rotation for a few weeks, but the top of the RailRiders’ rotation has a lot of talent. Luis Gil isn’t needed in the bigs for the next few weeks, so he’ll look to refine his arsenal with a few Triple-A starts. He’s followed up by top prospects Elmer Rodriguez and Carlos Lagrange. Rodriguez, who boasts a diverse, six-pitch arsenal, got a cup of coffee at this level last year and could be in the Bronx sooner than later in a starting capacity.
With the flamethrowing Lagrange, it’s a matter of how long the Yankees hold onto the tantalizing potential of him as a starting pitcher. His stuff and the way he maintains his velocity inning after inning is legitimately one-of-a-kind. What holds him back is his command, which he improved significantly in 2025, but he still walks too many batters to be an effective MLB starter. The Yankees’ bullpen has a scarily low floor with a lot of question marks, so you cannot rule out that management deems his stuff as too good to keep in the minors and puts him in the big league bullpen this summer.
The rest of the rotation figures to include soft-tossing righty Brendan Beck and some non-roster invite veterans like Adam Kloffenstein or Dom Hamel. The bullpen has several arms who will frequent the Scranton Shuffle all season, like Yerry De los Santos, Kervin Castro, and Angel Chivilli. Some non-40-man arms that will get big innings for this team include Harrison Cohen, who pitched for Israel in the World Baseball Classic, Yovanny Cruz, who flashed triple digits in limited spring action, and former Royals reliever Dylan Coleman. There’s also former Astro Rafael Montero if he ever gets his visa issue figured out.
In a perfect world, the Yankees can lean on their current 26 (and reinforcements) all season and won’t have to dip much into Scranton to replace injured players, but it’ll undoubtedly happen. Last year, there wasn’t much depth at their disposal with a general void in the upper minors. But this year? This is the deepest and most talented minor league team I’ve ever seen. I legitimately wonder what a seven-game series would look like against the Rockies, which would probably not be as competitive as I think, but it tells you how much talent there is that could play in the majors elsewhere.
Sep 10, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; General view of the helmet used by the Milwaukee Brewers before the start of the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images | Stan Szeto-Imagn Images
Greetings, Brew Crew Ball community. The 2026 season is now underway, as the Brewers came away with a big 14-2 victory over the White Sox on Opening Day!
Feel free to use this thread to chat about (almost) anything you want: video games, food, movies, non-baseball sports, the Brewers, you name it. As long as it’s appropriate and is allowed by our moderators, it’s fair game here.
BALTIMORE, MD - MARCH 26: Adley Rutschman #35 and Ryan Helsley #21 of the Baltimore Orioles react to inning a game against the Minnesota Twins at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on Thursday, March 26, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Happy Friday, Camden Chatters! And it’s a very happy Friday indeed because the Orioles won their first game on 2026, a 2-1 victory over the Twins. Trevor Rogers pitched seven scoreless innings. The offense put together a productive string of singles and one big sacrifice fly to score just enough runs. And new closer Ryan Helsley looked dominant, thanks in part to throwing six pitches over 100 mph. Sign me up for more of that, please.
You can get the full details of the win in Tyler Young’s game recap. Hey, the Orioles are in first place!
Camden Yards was rocking yesterday with a new sound system, a new video board, and a lot of new faces on the roster. The biggest cheer during introductions was not for Gunnar Henderson, it was for Pete Alonso. Alonso blew kisses to the sky as he ran down the orange carpet and acknowledged the crowd’s ovation before his first at-bat. Unfortunately, that’s about all Pete did yesterday aside from taking a walk in one plate appearance. It’s ok! I’m not worried about it. But it sure would have been nice to see him sock a dinger after all the hullabaloo.
So who looked good yesterday? Adley Rutschman, for one. He was the only Oriole with multiple hits and the only Oriole with an extra-base hit. His single, double, and a fly out all clocked an exit velocity of over 96.5, and he had the hardest hit ball by an Oriole all day. I’m not declaring that Adley is back (not yet), it’s only been one game. But seeing him succeed sure is better than the alternative.
Despite his two hits, Rutschman wasn’t involved in the scoring. Samuel Basallo singled and then did a nice job moving from first to third base on a hit by O’Neill. That put him in place to score on Colton Cowser’s sac fly. A good job all around for Basallo.
The concern for the Orioles’ defense is well documented, and we saw why yesterday. O’Neill dropped a fly ball in right field that luckily didn’t result in any runs. Taylor Ward read a carom wrong in left field and allowed the batter to get all the way to third.
But one player whose defense has been a major worry is Coby Mayo, and he made several nice plays yesterday. With runners on first and second in the third inning, Ryan Jeffers smoked a ball at 107 mph to Mayo at the hot corner. Mayo made a slick play to snag the ball and fired to second base to start an inning-ending double play. He made another more routine double play later in the game. It was nice to see; I hope he continues to play well over there.
Today is the annual day off after Opening Day, which is always a bummer, even if it’s understandable. The Orioles will be back in action tomorrow at 4:05 PM with Kyle Bradish set to make his season debut.
Excuse Me?! Our Bold Predictions for the 2026 Season – FanGraphs Before the festivities began yesterday, the FanGraphs stats threw out their wild predictions. The Orioles are mentioned a couple of times, most notably when it’s predicted they will have five players with 30+ home runs.
Birthdays and History
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! You have three Orioles birthday buddies. Junior Lake (36) appeared in eight games with the 2015 Orioles. He came to the team in a trade with the Cubs that sent Tommy Hunter to Chicago. Also born on this day in history is Matt Harvey (37). In Harvey’s final Major League season, 2021, he pitched to a 6.27 ERA in 28 starts with the Orioles. And Dave Van Gorder (b. 1957, d. 2025) had 24 plate appearances with the 1987 Orioles. I gotta say, not a banner day for Orioles birthday buddies.
On this day in 1985, the Orioles traded Mark Brown to the Twins for Brad Havens. This is really only significant because of the name Mark Brown, who, of course, is my friend and the guy who runs this website. But not THAT Mark Brown. It’s two different ones. It’s just kinda cool.
In 1994, the Orioles traded David Segui to the Mets. Segui had been an Oriole for four seasons. He later returned to the Orioles to finish his career from 2001-04.
In 2023, the Orioles purchased Danny Coulombe from the Minnesota Twins. Coulombe was outstanding for the Orioles in both 2023 and 2024. Many fans were disappointed the Orioles didn’t bring him back in 2025. He is currently pitching for the Boston Red Sox.
And one year ago today, the Orioles opened their season with a huge win over the Toronto Blue Jays. Adley Rutschman and Cedric Mullins had two home runs apiece, while Tyler O’Neill and Jordan Westburg settled for just one. Zach Eflin pitched six innings in the 12-2 win. The Orioles looked great and the Blue Jays looked awful. Sadly, things did not remain that way.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - MARCH 26: Justin Crawford #2 of the Philadelphia Phillies hugs Alec Bohm #28 during introductions on Opening Day against the Texas Rangers at Citizens Bank Park on March 26, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Opening Day is over. It was a joyous occasion, with only a brief bullpen blip to mar the otherwise unblemished affair. Now, an off day. We’ll have to do with watching non-Phillies clubs. But Phillies baseball, proper baseball, will return tomorrow.
Hodgson replaces Gerhard Struber for rest of season
He last managed second-tier club back in 1982
Roy Hodgson has made a sensational return to management at the age of 78 with Bristol City after Gerhard Struber was sacked by the Championship club.
Hodgson, who has been out of work since leaving Crystal Palace in February 2024, will take charge of City for the remaining seven games of the season. They are currently 16th in the Championship.
ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 15: Outfielder Drew Burress #8 of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets leads off first base during the Spring Classic college baseball game between the Georgia Bulldogs and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on April 15, 2025 at Truist Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Who’s the Pack playing?
Opponent: Georgia Tech
Mascot: Andre 3000 | School Location: Waffle House, GA | Conference: ACC
If you thought Florida State’s lineup could hit, just wait until you meet this Georgia Tech squad. The lineup is hitting a combined .373/.495/.644, 68 2B, 50 HR, 16.4 BB%, 16.8 K%, 26-31 SB, with pretty much all of those numbers sans stolen bases being up there among the national leaders, if not the outright leader. The Yellow Jackets have scored double-digits runs in 16 of their 24 games.
If you’re looking for a weak point, good luck. In the latest D1 Baseball Week Six positional rankings, here’s how GT stacks up:
Catcher – 1st
1st Base – 32nd
2nd Base – 1st
3rd Base – 8th
Shortstop – 6th
Outfield – 8th, 11th, 46th, and 53rd
That is just an absurd abundance of riches. And while the lineup is busy destroying the ball when they step in the batters box, they’re just as equally taking care of it in the field, sporting a .975 fielding percentage as a team with no single player having more than three errors on the season.
If there’s a weakness on this team, it’s pitching. Friday starter Tate McKee has all the makings of a top three round draft pick, but hasn’t been able to put it all together. Dylan Loy and Jackson Blakely have been a mixed bag in the Saturday and Sunday roles, respectively, while there’s no clear answer in the midweek starters. The bullpen runs deep and there’s plenty of talent, but not the high-end arms like the Wolfpack ran into with Florida State last week.
If Tate can turn the corner and start pounding the zone more and they can find a reliable and productive second starter, this team will be a national seed. The lineup alone likely hits this team into a regional host, but it’s that pitching staff that really holds the keys to how great of a year this will be for first-time head coach James Ramsey.
Pitching Matchups
Friday: LHP Ryan Marohn (JR) vs RHP Tate McKee (JR)
Saturday: RHP JacobDudan (JR) vs TBD
Sunday: TBD vs RHP Jackson Blakely (SO)
Key Players:
Offense
C/DH Vahn Lackey (JR) – .425/.545/.851, 8 2B, 9 HR, 19.1 BB%, 12.7 K%, 7-7 SB. Is rocketing up draft boards and will be selected in the top half of the first round of this year’s draft. Had a breakout 2025 in his first year as a starter and is taking that to an even higher level this year. Not just a bat, he’s as good defensively as State will see this year. Threw out 14-of-43 last year (32.6%). Not having the same success this year (2-of-16, 12.5%), but teams aren’t trying him as much.
RF/1B Alex Hernandez (SO) – .424/.542/.624, 2 2B, 5 HR, 17.8 BB%, 16.8 K%, 2-2 SB. 2025 Freshman All-American with some legit power (16 HR last year) from his right-handed bat. Solid defender who played mostly 2B last year and should move across to 3B next year, although he’s draft-eligible this year.
SS Carson Kerce (JR) – .420/.530/.679, 16 2B, 1 HR, 15.0 BB%, 8.0 K%, 2-2 SB. Spent both of his first two years as the Yellow Jackets’ starting third baseman before moving to shortstop this year. Not the power bat that seemingly every other player that steps to the dish is, but the dude can flat out hit and probably could launch some more dingers if he prioritized power over contact.
2B JarrenAdvincula (JR) – .390/.470/.530, 2 2B, 4 HR, 10.2 BB%, 8.5 K%, 4-5 SB. Lefty hitting transfer from Cal who spent each of the last two summers in the Cape Cod League. 1st Team All-PAC12 in 2024 and 2nd Team All-ACC in 2025. He’s a complete hitter and could sneak into the 1st round of this year’s draft, even though he’s a 2B-only prospect.
DH Will Baker (SO) – .390/.510/.649, 12 2B, 2 HR, 18.3 BB%, 12.5 K%, 1-1 SB. A part-time starter last year, the Australian is crushing it this year. His line-drive approach doesn’t have him run into many home runs, but he handles the bat very well.
3B Ryan Zuckerman (JR) – .364/.486/.773, 7 2B, 9 HR, 17.1 BB%, 27.9 K%, 1-1 SB. Righty power bat transfer from Pitt (22 HR over two years with the Panthers) who strikes out a ton. He didn’t walk much at Pitt, so he’s become more of a three-outcomes hitter with GT. Seems destined to move to 1B at the pro level.
1B KentSchmidt (JR) – .347/.548/.490, 4 2B, 1 HR, 27.4 BB%, 15.1 K%, 3-3 SB. Former transfer from Georgia Southern who transferred to GT ahead of the 2025 season. Missed 20 games due to injury last year, otherwise would have been racked up a bunch of accolades. The stocky lefty batter can, but it’ll be interesting to see how MLB clubs view him come draft time.
LF Caleb Daniel (SO) – .324/.429/.662, 5 2B, 6 HR, 11.9 BB%, 26.2 K%, 0-0 SB. 2025 Freshman All-American. The power is legit, but the strikeouts are an issue for the lefty hitter.
CF Drew Burress (JR) – .276/.432/.531, 8 2B, 5 HR, 16.8 BB%, 15.2 K%, 3-7 SB. Yeah, I listed the entire lineup just to show how absurdly stacked this group is. Their statistically worst hitter this season is also a projected high 1st round pick in this year’s MLB Draft and a guy with 46 career 2B and 49 career HR. 2024 ACC and National Freshman-of-the-Year and a 2025 1st Team All-American.
C/DH Drew Rogers (SO) – .313/.424/.646, 1 2B, 5 HR, 8.5 BB%, 25.4 K%, 0-0 SB. Yeah, I’m throwing one more on here to round out the group of regulars. Rogers is a draft-eligible sophomore and it’ll be interesting to see what he’ll do come draft time because the tools both at the plate and behind the dish are legit. Strikeouts are an issue, but he’s improved significantly from last year.
Pitching
RHP Tate McKee (JR) – 3-0, 4.44 ERA, 26.1 IP, 15.3 BB%, 26.3 K%. The ace of the staff, who was also GT’s Friday night starter all last year. Has struggled with control this year, including issuing 10 BB over his last 10.0 IP. Has a five-pitch mix including a mid-90’s fastball, but should pare that selection down.
LHP Dylan Loy (JR) – 1-1, 4.30 ERA, 23.0 IP, 5.0 BB%, 23.0 K%. Transfer from Tennessee who has transitioned from a reliever in the SEC to a GT’s Saturday guy. A finesse lefty who pounds the zone, setting up hitters to chase on the breaking ball in two-strike counts.
RHP Jackson Blakely (SO) – 2-1, 3.12 ERA, 17.1 IP, 6.2 BB%, 29.6 K%. The 6’0, 220 pounder is in his first full season after recovering from Tommy John Surgery and pitching just 4.2 innings over five appearances late last year. Inserted into the starting rotation over the last two weeks with mixed results. Three-pitch mix starting with a low-to-mid-90’s fastball.
RHP Justin Shadek (rSO) – 1-0, 3.38 ERA, 10.2 IP, 13.7 BB%, 27.5 K%. Big 6’6, 235 pound frame on the Rutgers transfer. Missed his first year at Rutgers with Tommy John Surgery and control has been an issue for him since. Is an upper-90’s arm who can touch triple digits, and relies heavily on that level of heat.
RHP Mason Patel (rSR) – 2-0, 1 SV, 5.25 ERA, 12.0 IP, 9.6 BB%, 21.2 K%. Sixth-year senior who spent his first three seasons at Georgia State. Turned into the Jackets’ key reliever last year, posting 11 wins and 5 saves over 70.0 innings, all in relief. Low-90’s guy with a great changeup and a slider.
RHP Jake Lankie (rSO) – 0-0, 1 SV, 5.73 ERA, 11.0 IP, 3.9 BB%, 29.4 K%. Former transfer from Georgia who redshirted with the Bulldogs in 2024 and pitched just 10.1 innings with GT last year. Has been shelled in his last two outings (3.2 IP, 7 ER) in appearances against Auburn and Pittsburgh.
Quick! Fun Facts!
Georgia Tech had nine former players play at the MLB level in 2025, with five of those making their MLB debuts last season: INF Kristian Campbell (Red Sox), 1B/OF Tristin English (Diamondbacks), RHP Zach Maxwell (Reds), OF Chandler Simpson (Rays), and LHP Connor Thomas (Brewers). The other MLB players from last year were LHP Brant Hurter (Tigers), OF Justyn-Henry Malloy (Tigers), RHP Xzavion Curry (Marlins), and C Joey Bart (Pirates).
The Yellow Jackets are offering $3 beers for Friday’s and Sunday’s games. This needs to be more common at baseball games. Also outlaw artificial turf fields. I’m dying on these hills!
Georgia Tech holds an 81-62 lead in the all-time series between the two programs, including a 40-16 mark at home.
Not a single player on GT’s squad is from the state of North Carolina.
The Key To A Series Win For State
NC State’s lineup is going to have to produce. The Wolfpack is averaging just 5.0 runs/game in ACC play so far. Georgia Tech has been held to fewer than 6 runs in a game only 3 times this year (vs Auburn and twice versus Georgia State – side bar, but the Panthers are just 13-13 on the year and 2-4 in the Sun Belt; strange). Anything is possible, especially with the Pack rolling out Marohn and Dudan, but if State is going to win this series, it’s more than likely going to be on the backs of an offensive eruption.
Prediction
Given NC State’s struggles with producing runs over the last three games and the bullpen’s struggles, it’s hard to see this one going the Wolfpack’s way.
Boston, MA - March 25: Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum gestures after making a 3-pointer in the second quarter. The Celtics played the Oklahoma City Thunder at TD Garden on March 25, 2026. (Photo by Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
The Boston Celtics are coming off of perhaps their best win of the season, a 119-109 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder who were fully healthy for the first time all year. It’s just one game, but the importance of the win can’t be overstated.
For starters, it shows that the Celtics can keep up with one of the Western Conference favorites to reach, or even win the Finals. Statement wins like this can go a long way for a team’s confidence heading into the playoffs. Along with that, the Knicks are hot on Boston’s tail for the second seed, and holding off the most difficult remaining opponent after a disappointing loss to the Timberwolves gives the Celtics just a bit of breathing room.
As things currently stand, Boston is one game ahead of the Knicks for the second seed, with two less games in the loss column. If the two teams were to end up with the same record by the end of the regular season, New York would earn the higher seed, having secured the tie-breaker by having a better record against teams in the same division. The Celtics and Knicks do face off against each other once more before the season ends though, a game which could create the separation Boston is looking for, or put New York in prime position to overtake them.
Along with their race with the Knicks, the Celtics are also still technically in play for the best overall record in the East, currently sitting 4.5 games behind the Pistons. In reality, it should be considered a 5-game gap, since the Pistons took the season series 3 games to 1. It’s going to be extremely difficult for Boston to make up that gap, but a possibility nonetheless. The Cleveland Cavaliers sit 2.5 games behind the Knicks, and four games ahead of the Hawks, so they might have an opportunity to jump up if all goes their way, but are otherwise likely going to end as the 4th seed.
BOSTON, MA – FEBRUARY 8: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics drives to the basket during the game against the New York Knicks on February 8, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
So, what should Celtics fans keep an eye on in Boston’s final 10 games of the regular season?
Well, there’s actually quite a bit to consider. Of the remaining games, nine of them are against Eastern Conference opponents, the New Orleans Pelicans being the lone Western Conference competitor. Out of the eight East matchups, the Milwaukee Bucks are the only remaining opponent who seem to be on the outs for Play-In contention, sitting 9 games behind the 10th seed Magic.
We’ve already mentioned that one of the remaining matchups is against the Knicks, the best remaining team that Boston will face in this final stretch. That still leaves 7 more games against potential playoff teams: the Atlanta Hawks (x2), Charlotte Hornets (x2), Miami Heat, Toronto Raptors, and Orlando Magic.
Those five teams are separated by at most 2 games in the standings, and they make up the 5-10 spots in the East, along with the 7th seed Sixers which the Celtics will not face again this regular season. Any single one of them could be Boston’s eventual first-round matchup in the playoffs, and the Celtics could heavily influence their ultimate landing spots given the upcoming schedule.
Here’s where each team stands as of today:
5th. Atlanta Hawks (1-1 vs Celtics, 41-32 overall)
6th. Toronto Raptors (0-3 vs Celtics, 40-32 overall)
7th. Philadelphia 76ers (2-2 vs Celtics, 40-33 overall)
8th. Orlando Magic (1-2 vs Celtics, 39-34 overall)
9th. Charlotte Hornets (1-0 vs Celtics, 39-34 overall)
10th. Miami Heat (0-3 vs Celtics, 39-34 overall)
If this were to be how the season ended, Boston as the 2 seed would play the winner of the 7-8 Play-In matchup, that being between Philly and Orlando. These standings are very volatile, however. With the Celtics facing the Hawks twice in the next three games, Boston winning both could drop Atlanta down into that 7th seed.
Similarly, Boston has two games against Charlotte coming up. If the Hornets were to win both, they could potentially jump up the standings, again making them a possible first round matchup for the Celtics assuming Boston still manages to maintain their own spot as the 2nd seed.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – MARCH 04: LaMelo Ball #1 of the Charlotte Hornets drives to the basket against Derrick White #9 of the Boston Celtics during the second half at the TD Garden on March 04, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 License Agreement. (Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With the records being so close, every game matters down this stretch for nearly every remaining team in the East. Boston has a slight advantage over the Knicks by having two less losses. The Knicks also have some competition in their remaining games: the Thunder, Rockets, Hawks, Hornets (who they just lost to), Raptors, and us, of course.
Ultimately, it comes down to the Celtics taking care of their own business. Along with holding their spot in the standings, they’ll be looking for Jayson Tatum to keep building rhythm, while also trying to integrate Nikola Vucevic back into the lineup as soon as he returns from nursing the broken finger he suffered earlier this month. Vuc is expected to be back before the end of the regular season, though we don’t have an exact date yet.
It’s important to note that Boston’s last two opponents are the Pelicans and the Magic. These two games, could see a lot of the starters sitting to make sure they get to the playoffs as healthy and rested as possible. Additionally, the Celtics have one more back-to-back, that coming in Charlotte and Atlanta on March 29th and March 30th. We may very well see Jayson Tatum at minimum rest one of those nights, potentially along with any other players who may be feeling a bit banged up at this point of the season.
We did see several new players pop up on the injury report for Boston’s game against Atlanta tonight. Jaylen Brown is questionable with calf tightness, Neemias Queta is questionable with a thumb sprain, and Derrick White is questionable with a bruised knee. This means Boston could potentially be without three starters in a key matchup against a red-hot Hawks team.
We don’t know the severity of these injuries, and it is possible that JB, Neemi, and Derrick are just due for some rest. Regardless, whoever plays for Boston will have to be able to execute if they want to maintain their standings, in this game, and every other for the rest of the season.
WASHINGTON - No, it’s not the Final Four. It just feels that way.
Between No. 1 Duke, No. 2 Connecticut, No. 3 Michigan State and No. 5 St. John’s, the East region foursome in Washington, D.C., would have enough star power to light up Indianapolis, host of this year’s national semifinals and final.
“This is like a Final Four, if you ask me,” said Michigan State coach Tom Izzo. “I think this is almost a chalk tournament. I'm just proud and excited to be part of it.”
Instead of playing for the national championship, the group will meet to decide which team advances out of this loaded region. The Blue Devils and Red Storm will get things started on Friday night, followed by the Huskies and Spartans.
Yet these are undoubtedly some of the biggest brands in the country. Each head coach brings glittering résumés into the Sweet 16, including a combined five national championships and 18 Final Four appearances. The four teams are led by a parade of All-America selections and future NBA draft picks.
On paper, it’s hard to find another regional bubble like this in recent tournament history.
“A ton of respect for each coach and their programs,” said Duke coach Jon Scheyer. “I think that's what makes it exciting, right? It's going to be an exciting atmosphere, high-level basketball, high-level coaching for sure.”
Elite programs, teams meet on an elite stage
Duke, UConn and Michigan State have combined for 13 national championships, with the Huskies most recently capturing back-to-back crowns in 2023 and 2024. They make up three of the nine programs to win multiple championships in the past 50 seasons.
The Blue Devils (34-2) won the ACC regular-season and tournament titles after losing just twice leading into March Madness by a combined four points. St. John’s (30-6) did the same in the Big East, though the Red Storm were given a No. 5 seed by the selection committee due to fewer Quad 1 wins that the other elite teams.
UConn (31-5) finished one game behind the Red Storm in the Big East and then dropped the conference championship game between the schools, giving St. John’s a 2-1 edge in the season series. Let’s put the rivalry aside for one night and root for each other to meet against in the Elite Eight, UConn coach Dan Hurley said.
"It's probably a little bit early, but obviously, I think we've got to support each other,” said Hurley. “It's pretty brutal on Twitter, I think, and socials between our fan bases, but I think we have to try to come together Friday night against our opponent so we can have a bloodbath on Sunday."
And Michigan State (27-7) has rebounded from losses to Michigan and UCLA to end the regular season and conference tournament, respectively, to post impressive wins against No. 14 North Dakota State and No. 6 Louisville to reach the Sweet 16 for the second year in a row and the third time in four years.
“We want to make it as far as we can,” Michigan State forward Jaxon Kohler said. “Playing with all these guys is something that's really special in my life, honestly.”
East region features four of college basketball’s best coaches
Here’s the best way to describe four head coaches still standing in the East region: Scheyer is the least accomplished of the bunch.
That’s a telling statement given how capably Scheyer has stepped into Mike Krzyzewski’s shoes since being promoted from associate head coach in 2022.
All he’s done in his four seasons is go 123-24 overall and 65-13 in the ACC, reaching the Elite Eight in 2024 and the Final Four last season, though the Blue Devils’ season ended with a heartbreaking collapse against Houston in the national semifinals. Given the difficulties of replacing a legend, Scheyer has become the poster child for seamless caching transitions.
Izzo followed similar path as an assistant to title-winning coach Jud Heathcote before assuming the job in 1995 at the age of 40 - five years older than Scheyer was when he replaced Coach K.
The résumés speak for themselves of the three veterans speak for themselves.
Izzo has gone 764-308 with 11 Big Ten regular-season titles, six Big Ten tournament titles, 17 trips to the Sweet 16, eight appearances in the Final Four and one national championship, in 2000.
“I don't know how Coach Izzo has done it,” Hurley said. “I don't.”
Hurley is one of eight coaches to win back-to-back national titles, joining Krzyzewski, Billy Donovan (Florida), Henry Iba (Oklahoma State), Ed Jucker (Cincinnati), Adolph Rupp (Kentucky), John Wooden (UCLA) and Phil Woolpert (San Francisco).
Now in his third season with the Red Storm, Pitino is already the only coach to reach the Sweet 16 in five separate decades, the only coach to win national championships at two schools — Kentucky in 1996 and Louisville in 2013, though the second was later vacated by the NCAA — and one of two to lead three different teams to the Final Four (Providence, Kentucky and Louisville), along with current Arkansas coach John Calipari.
Breaking down the East region Sweet 16 matchups
There’s one very interesting quirk to the Blue Devils’ matchup with the Red Storm. Duke beat St. John’s in each of the program’s five national-championship seasons (1991, 1992, 2001, 2010 and 2015), including a 78-61 win in the 1991 Elite Eight.
Duke is preparing for a battle against the Red Storm’s physical, end-to-end style, which paced a 67-65 win against No. 4 Kansas in the second round.
“I think that's part of our identity, too, is being a physical team,” Duke freshman Nikolas Khamenia said. “I think we've played a lot of teams that have been physical, which is obviously going to help prepare us for tomorrow.”
St. John’s will have to contend with Duke forward Cameron Boozer, a favorite for national player of the year while leading the team with 22.4 points, 10.3 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game.
“You have to be really hungry and believe,” Pitino said. “If you don't, usually you go home. So we just want to get after it. We know we're playing a great team. There's no question about that. They haven't lost very much. But we want to foster that type of belief, that we're going to win this game.”
Like Duke and St. John’s, the matchup between Michigan State and UConn should have a high-intensity feel driven by two of the top defenses remaining in the tournament.
According to the analytics site KenPom.com, the UConn defense ranks 11th nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency and the Spartans rank 13th. And both offenses look to get into transition but will focus on frontcourt play in the halfcourt set, with the Huskies led by center Tarris Reed Jr. (41 points and 40 rebounds through two tournament games) and Michigan State centered on Kohler, center Carson Cooper and junior forward Coen Carr.
While the two teams didn’t face off during the regular season, they did meet in a charity exhibition game in late October, with the Huskies pulling out a 76-69 win.
“You remember the physicality they play with, the rebounding, how fast they play, the pace they play at,” said UConn forward Alex Karaban.
The Big Ten entered the 2026 Men's NCAA Tournament riding a 26-year drought since the conference last produced a national champion.
Nearly halfway through the event, the league is doing just about everything it can to make sure that skid comes to a long-awaited end.
What was arguably the best conference in the sport during the regular season has continued to show its strength during March Madness. Many of the conference’s best teams, like Michigan, have looked dominant thus far during the Big Dance, while others, like Iowa, have pulled off a handful of upsets to advance deeper than many predicted they would.
On Thursday night, on the first day of the Sweet 16, that dominance was on display. Illinois stymied Houston 65-55 to earn its second Elite Eight appearance in the past three years under coach Brad Underwood. Purdue got a buzzer-beating tip-in from Trey Kaufman-Renn to edge Texas 79-77. And in an intra-conference matchup, Iowa continued its unexpectedly lengthy run in the tournament with a 77-71 victory over fellow corn enthusiast Nebraska.
Four tickets have been punched to the Elite Eight, with three of those belonging to a single league — and with two of its best teams, Michigan and Michigan State, trying to join them there tomorrow.
Just how good has the Big Ten been in the 2026 NCAA Tournament? Here’s a look:
How many Big Ten teams are in Elite 8?
After the first night of Sweet 16 games on Thursday, March 26, the Big Ten has three teams in the Elite Eight: Purdue, Iowa and Illinois.
The conference could add two more on Friday with No. 1 seed Michigan taking on No. 4 seed Alabama and No. 3 seed Michigan State squaring off against No. 2 seed UConn. The Wolverines, the Big Ten regular-season champions, are a 9.5-point favorite while the Spartans are a 1.5-point underdog.
What’s the record for most Big Ten teams in Elite 8?
Even if Michigan and Michigan State both lose, the Big Ten’s performance on Thursday already made a bit of history.
Halfway through the Sweet 16, the Big Ten has already tied its record of three teams in the Elite Eight, a mark it had previously reached in 2000, 2005 and 2019.
The record for most Elite Eight teams from one conference is four, a mark that has been reached three times since the NCAA tournament field expanded to 64 in 1985.
That figure was achieved by the Big East in 2009 (UConn, Pitt, Louisville and Villanova), the ACC in 2016 (North Carolina, Notre Dame, Syracuse and Virginia) and the SEC in 2025 (Florida, Auburn, Tennessee and Alabama).
When’s the last time a Big Ten team won March Madness?
Despite the success of its teams this season, the Big Ten hasn’t had a member win the national championship in men’s basketball since Michigan State all the way back in 2000. Maryland, a current Big Ten member, won it all in 2002, but the Terrapins were in the ACC at that time.
Big Ten NCAA tournament record
The nine Big Ten teams that made it into the field for the 2026 NCAA Tournament have combined to go 16-4.
By the time the final buzzer sounds Friday, the NCAA men’s basketball tournament field will officially be down to the Elite Eight.
The round of 16 concludes with games in the East and Midwest Regionals, with the action taking place in Washington, D.C., and Chicago, respectively. A loaded field of programs with multiple championships will hit the floor in the East, while the foursome in the Windy City features a pair of SEC squads looking to take down a couple of top seeds. Once again, we’re here to break down the matchups for you, with all the information you’ll need about how and when to watch.
No. 1 Duke vs. No. 5 St. John’s
Time/TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, CBS
Even if this matchup is happening in an earlier round than it probably should be, it’s arguably the most compelling of the round. History and coaching achievements aside, they’re two of the hottest teams in the field having won their respective power conference tournaments. That the Blue Devils have run their winning streak to 13 despite being down a couple of starters certainly speaks to their depth, though Patrick Ngongba’s return to the lineup was nonetheless a welcome development. His presence near the bucket could force the Red Storm to find a source for points other than Zuby Ejiofor, but fortunately Bryce Hopkins has been shooting well of late. Duke’s Cayden Boozer has handled his increase in minutes and responsibilities well since the injury to Caleb Foster, but the waves of pressure he’ll see from the Red Storm will test his mettle.f
No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 4 Alabama
Time/TV: 7:35 p.m. ET, TBS/truTV
Opening the festivities at the United Center is this clash of programs led by coaches who have experienced the Final Four stage, although in this iteration the top-seeded Wolverines appear to be better constructed to get there. Not only do they put up 87.4 points a game, but their array of interior defenders reject around six shots a game and challenge countless others. But the 3-point arc can be an equalizer, and the high-octane Crimson Tide utilize it better than most knocking down nearly 13 treys a game as part of their nation's-best 91.6-point per game average. The other factor that might spell success for Alabama is ball security, if primary handler Lebaron Philon can limit miscues better than Michigan counterpart Elliot Cadeau.
No. 2 Connecticut vs. No. 3 Michigan State
Time/TV: 9:45 p.m. ET, CBS
The second contest at Capital One Arena is yet another heavyweight showdown in the East, a region that would be dubbed the group of death if this were a World Cup draw. This pairing of name-brand programs led by – shall we say – high-intensity coaches figure to add up to one of the more physical confrontations of the tournament. Feisty Spartans point guard Jeremy Fears will need to keep his notorious temper in check, while UConn’s Tarris Reed must do his best to avoid early foul trouble. Michigan State has a lot of options if a clutch bucket is needed, but there’s no substitute for the big-game experience of veteran Huskies captain Alex Karaban.
No. 2 Iowa State vs. No. 6 Tennessee
Time/TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, TBS/truTV
The nightcap in the Windy City could be a low-scoring affair, as playing lock-down defense is hardwired into both programs. The health status of a couple of the game’s top offensive weapons could also keep the point total down. Iowa State’s Joshua Jefferson is officially a game-time decision but seems unlikely to play, and Tennessee’s Nate Ament hasn’t been 100% for some time. The Cyclones theoretically have more reliable shooters in their lineup, especially if facilitator Tamin Lipsey is on target, but Volunteers guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie can also get hot.
OTTAWA, CANADA - MARCH 26: Ben Kindel #81 of the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrates his game-winning shootout goal against the Ottawa Senators on March 26, 2026 at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by André Ringuette/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Here are your Pens Points for this Friday morning…
The Pittsburgh Penguins traveled up to Canada’s capital city on Thursday night to fight the Senators, another team jockeying for position in the Eastern Conference playoff race. Pittsburgh lost Sidney Crosby to injury early in the second period, but others stepped up, leading to the second shootout win over the last five days. [Recap]
With the Penguins’ recent run of form in goal, how much sense does it make calling up Sergei Murashov to stop the bleeding? One argument is that a call-up is becoming increasingly justified. The “right time” may be sooner than later, especially if Stuart Skinner and Arturs Silovs continue to falter, but only if Murashov can be supported. [PensBurgh]
The Penguins recalled forwards Avery Hayes and Joona Koppanen from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Thursday morning, as the team deals with a sudden barrage of injuries to Evgeni Malkin, Blaze Lizotte, Anthony Mantha (potentially now Sidney Crosby), among others. [Trib Live]
News and notes from around the NHL…
Former Buffalo Sabres coach Don Granato has been named as the U.S. coach for the IIHF World Championships. [Sportsnet]
The 2026 NHL Draft Lottery will take place on May 5. [Sportsnet]
Mike Sullivan’s first season with the New York Rangers has not gone as planned, as the Original Six franchise has been officially eliminated from postseason contention. [TSN]
