Illinois Defeats Houston 65-55 to Reach NCAA Elite Eight

• The Milwaukee Brewers added bullpen depth by acquiring reliever Jake Woodford from the Tampa Bay Rays on March 27, 2026. • Woodford, a right-handed pitcher, bolsters Milwaukee's pitching staff ahead of the MLB season. • The trade addresses Brewers' needs for relief pitching reliability amid early season preparations.

• The NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament continues with St. John's facing Duke in a Sweet Sixteen matchup scheduled for Friday, March 27 at 7:10 p.m. ET on CBS from Washington. • This Sweet Sixteen round features multiple games across the day, including Alabama vs. Michigan at 7:35 p.m. ET on TBS and TRUTV from Chicago. • The Sweet Sixteen represents a critical stage where 16 teams compete for spots in the Elite Eight, with each victory bringing teams closer to the Final Four.

• Cincinnati Reds face the Boston Red Sox on Opening Day March 26, 2026, at Great American Ball Park, starting at 3:40 PM airtime on 103.9 WRBI. • All-Star left-handers Andrew Abbott for Reds and Garrett Crochet for Boston headline the matchup; Reds reliever Caleb Ferguson placed on 15-day IL retroactive to Sunday due to oblique strain. • This season opener marks the start of the 2026 MLB campaign in Cincinnati, drawing local excitement for the homestand.

• Jamal Murray erupted for a season-high 53 points while Nikola Jokic recorded 23 points, 21 rebounds, and 19 assists to lead Denver Nuggets over Dallas Mavericks 142-135 on March 26, 2026. • Nuggets now tied for fourth in Western Conference with Minnesota, holding tiebreaker via season series win. • The victory strengthens Denver's playoff positioning amid tight race for top seeds.

• Marian (Indiana) women's basketball defeated Dordt 73-61 to win the NAIA national championship on March 25, 2026. • The team dominated the second half with a decisive 27-point third quarter and controlled the glass with a 49-35 rebounding advantage; Madisyn Bailey led all scorers with 23 points while Abbey McNally added 17 points and 15 rebounds. • Dordt finished their season 34-3, falling short of a third consecutive national title after rallying to a 32-28 halftime lead before Marian's second-half surge.

• The Cincinnati Reds lost to the Milwaukee Brewers 4-1 in their final exhibition game of spring training on March 24, 2026. • The Reds will open their regular season on March 26, 2026, against the Boston Red Sox in downtown Cincinnati. • In related news, Joe Flacco is returning for his 19th NFL season as backup quarterback to Joe Burrow with the Cincinnati Bengals.

• No. 2 seed Vanderbilt beat seventh-seeded Illinois 75-57 in Nashville to advance to the Sweet 16 of the women's NCAA tournament. • Mikayla Blakes led Vanderbilt with 25 points in the decisive victory. • This SEC matchup underscores Vanderbilt's strong postseason run in the latest tournament action.

• In Regional 4 at Sacramento, California, the Virginia Cavaliers defeated the Iowa Hawkeyes 83-75 in overtime. • This college basketball victory advances Virginia in the tournament bracket. • The game highlights intense regional semifinal competition on March 24.

• The Indiana Pacers defeated the Orlando Magic 128-126 on March 23, snapping their franchise-record 16-game losing streak since the All-Star break. • Pascal Siakam led with 37 points and sealed the victory by blocking Paolo Banchero's driving layup at the buzzer. • This win boosts Pacers' momentum as they host the Los Angeles Lakers tomorrow night to open a three-game homestand.

• Fifth-seeded St. John's defeated Kansas 67-65 in San Diego on Sunday with Dylan Darling's driving layup as time expired, marking their first Sweet 16 since 1999. • Zuby Ejiofor and Bryce Hopkins each scored 18 points for the Red Storm (30-6), who blew a 13-point lead but rallied under coach Rick Pitino. • The victory highlights St. John's rapid resurgence to college basketball prominence in three seasons.

• No. 9 seed Iowa defeated defending national champion Florida 73-72 in Sunday's second round, ending the Gators' title repeat hopes with a stunning upset victory. • Iowa shot over 70% from 2-point range, a feat no team had accomplished against coach Todd Golden in his 144-game tenure at Florida, showcasing elite offensive execution. • Florida's interior defense, typically one of the nation's best, was overwhelmed, though Alex Condon contributed 21 points; Iowa's balanced attack proved too much in a tight final possession.