NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen: St. John's Takes On Duke in Washington

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• Women's NCAA tournament second round play continues Monday, March 23, with eight games scheduled across ESPN and ESPN2, featuring matchups including Alabama at Louisville (noon ET) and Virginia at Iowa (2 p.m. ET). • Additional second round games include Notre Dame at Ohio State, Kentucky at West Virginia, Syracuse at UConn, Illinois at Vanderbilt, Southern Cal at South Carolina, and Oklahoma State at UCLA. • The women's tournament second round concludes Monday's schedule, with the most successful teams advancing to regional play in subsequent rounds.

• The 2026 March Madness men's tournament Sweet 16 begins Thursday, March 26, and Friday, March 27, with games at four regional sites: Houston (South), San Jose (West), Chicago (Midwest), and Washington D.C. (East). • The Elite Eight follows Saturday, March 28, and Sunday, March 29, setting up the Final Four in Indianapolis at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 4 and 6, with the championship game on Monday, April 6. • The tournament features 16 teams advancing from the first and second rounds, competing for the right to advance through regionals to the national semifinals and title game.