March Madness 2026 Tournaments Kick Off with Key Quarterfinals

The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Dallas Mavericks 138-105 on March 13 in Dallas, improving their record to 41-26 while dropping Dallas to 22-45. Evan Mobley led Cleveland with 29 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 assists, supported by Donovan Mitchell's 24 points and 8 assists. Cooper Flagg added 25 points, 5 assists, and 4 rebounds for the Mavericks in the lopsided loss. This victory strengthens Cleveland's playoff positioning in the Eastern Conference as the NBA regular season progresses.

Vermont Catamounts won the America East Tournament championship against UMBC Retrievers on March 14, securing an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The game aired live on ESPN2 at 11 a.m. ET, highlighting Vermont's strong postseason run. This victory marks a significant milestone for the program amid conference realignment pressures. Next, Vermont awaits its NCAA seeding reveal during the Selection Sunday show.

Cornell Big Red narrowly defeated Yale Bulldogs in the Ivy League Tournament semifinal on March 14, aired on ESPNU from Ithaca, N.Y. The close contest advances Cornell toward the championship game and a potential NCAA bid. Yale fought valiantly but fell short in the tight matchup. The winner gains crucial momentum heading into Selection Sunday.

South Florida Bulls progressed in the American Athletic Tournament semifinals by defeating TBD on March 14 in Birmingham, Ala., broadcast on ESPN2 at 3 p.m. This upset victory boosts USF's NCAA Tournament resume with a key conference win. The semifinals showcase rising mid-major contenders. USF now eyes the championship for an automatic bid.

Detroit Tigers narrowly beat Toronto Blue Jays on March 14 in Dunedin, Fla., during MLB Spring Training, aired on MLBN at 1 p.m. The close victory helps Detroit fine-tune its roster ahead of the regular season. Key performances from Tigers pitchers and hitters shone in the Grapefruit League matchup. Both teams continue preparations for Opening Day.

The United States defeated Canada 5-3 on Friday night in Houston to advance to the World Baseball Classic semifinals, rebounding from a shocking 8-6 loss to Italy in pool play that had threatened their tournament survival. Aaron Judge doubled while Pete Crow-Armstrong and Brice Turang each contributed two hits in the victory, with the team demonstrating renewed focus after manager Mark DeRosa's premature comments about advancing had drawn criticism. The U.S. will face the Dominican Republic in Sunday's semifinal in Miami, with Paul Skenes starting against Luis Severino in what Manager DeRosa called "one of the best games of all time." This marks the team's third straight appearance in the WBC semifinals and fourth overall.

The Charlotte Hornets face the San Antonio Spurs at 3:30 p.m. ET in an NBA regular-season game streamed on Prime Video. This matchup features contrasting team strategies amid playoff positioning efforts. It kicks off a full slate including Wizards-Celtics and Nuggets-Lakers later Saturday. NBA action highlights key Western Conference battles.[2]

Sacramento Kings visit the LA Clippers at 10:30 p.m. ET on ESPN, closing out Saturday's NBA schedule with a Pacific Division clash. Both teams vie for improved Western Conference standings in a high-energy contest. This game follows marquee matchups like Denver at Lakers on ABC. It underscores intense late-season competition.[2]

Utah Royals FC travels to Kansas City Current at 4 p.m. ET on ION, as the NWSL regular season progresses with multiple U.S. matchups. This game follows Gotham FC at Boston on ABC, highlighting league expansion and talent depth. Subsequent fixtures include Denver at Bay FC and Houston at San Diego. NWSL aims to build on growing fan interest.[2]

The U.S. women's national basketball team plays Italy in FIBA World Cup Qualifying at 4:45 p.m. ET from San Juan, Puerto Rico, broadcast on TRUTV. This international matchup tests USA Basketball's depth ahead of future global competitions. It adds to Saturday's diverse sports slate including NWSL and NBA games. Qualifying success bolsters U.S. preparations for upcoming tournaments.[2]

An undetermined Big Ten Conference semifinal matchup airs at 1 p.m. ET on CBS from Chicago, continuing the conference's postseason push on Saturday. This game is part of a packed college basketball schedule including America East championship and Ivy League semifinal. The event builds excitement toward NCAA Tournament selection on Sunday evening. Viewers can follow parallel Atlantic 10 semifinal on CBSSN.[2]

The Atlantic 10 Conference semifinal with TBD teams begins at 1 p.m. ET on CBSSN in Pittsburgh, featuring high-stakes college basketball action. This matchup complements other conference semifinals amid a busy tournament weekend. It advances the race for automatic NCAA bids before Sunday's selection show. Broadcast schedule highlights growing intensity of postseason play.[2]