β’ Third-seeded Illinois beat Houston 65-55 in the South Region semifinals of the NCAA Tournament on March 26, 2026, in Houston.
β’ David Mirkovic led Illinois with 14 points and 10 rebounds, as the team showcased strong defense to eliminate last year's national runner-up.
β’ The win advances Illinois (27-8) to its 11th Elite Eight, facing ninth-seeded Iowa on Saturday to determine a Final Four participant.
β’ 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.
β’ 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.
β’ 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.
β’ 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.
β’ 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.
β’ This season opener marks the start of the 2026 MLB campaign in Cincinnati, drawing local excitement for the homestand.
β’ 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.
β’ Nuggets now tied for fourth in Western Conference with Minnesota, holding tiebreaker via season series win.
β’ The victory strengthens Denver's playoff positioning amid tight race for top seeds.
β’ Marian (Indiana) women's basketball defeated Dordt 73-61 to win the NAIA national championship on March 25, 2026.
β’ 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.
β’ 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.
β’ The Cincinnati Reds lost to the Milwaukee Brewers 4-1 in their final exhibition game of spring training on March 24, 2026.
β’ The Reds will open their regular season on March 26, 2026, against the Boston Red Sox in downtown Cincinnati.
β’ In related news, Joe Flacco is returning for his 19th NFL season as backup quarterback to Joe Burrow with the Cincinnati Bengals.
β’ No. 2 seed Vanderbilt beat seventh-seeded Illinois 75-57 in Nashville to advance to the Sweet 16 of the women's NCAA tournament.
β’ Mikayla Blakes led Vanderbilt with 25 points in the decisive victory.
β’ This SEC matchup underscores Vanderbilt's strong postseason run in the latest tournament action.
β’ In Regional 4 at Sacramento, California, the Virginia Cavaliers defeated the Iowa Hawkeyes 83-75 in overtime.
β’ This college basketball victory advances Virginia in the tournament bracket.
β’ The game highlights intense regional semifinal competition on March 24.
β’ 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.
β’ Pascal Siakam led with 37 points and sealed the victory by blocking Paolo Banchero's driving layup at the buzzer.
β’ This win boosts Pacers' momentum as they host the Los Angeles Lakers tomorrow night to open a three-game homestand.
β’ 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.
β’ 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.
β’ The victory highlights St. John's rapid resurgence to college basketball prominence in three seasons.
β’ 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.
β’ 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.
β’ 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.