Category: Sports

Check out the locations and dates for upcoming Super Bowls, including next season in Inglewood, California.

England coach Thomas Tuchel has confirmed that Phil Foden is not a sure thing to make the World Cup squad. The Manchester City player started both of England’s friendly games in the final camp before Tuchel selects his squad for this summer’s tournament. England lost to Japan 1-0 on Tuesday at Wembley Stadium, after last Friday’s 1-1 draw with Uruguay. The 25-year-old Foden played as a number 10 against Uruguay before being used as a “false nine” against Japan. Tuchel said Foden was “excellent in camp” but “he struggles to show it on the pitch.” The German coach added: “Well, it’s not a guarantee that he will come.” Cole Palmer also failed to impress on Tuesday. With Morgan Rogers and Jude Bellingham other options as attacking midfielders, Palmer and Foden face anxious waits to see if they make the plane for the tournament. Reporting by The Associated Press.

Alexander Isak’s expected return to team training on Thursday comes at a good time for both Liverpool and Sweden. The striker has recovered from a broken ankle and fibula with Liverpool chasing a Champions League spot and Sweden celebrating qualification to the World Cup. Isak needed surgery to repair injuries sustained from an opponent’s tackle during a Dec. 20 game against Tottenham. “To have him again in a team that’s usually generating quite a lot chances — and maybe not immediately from the first moment that he can start — but to have him back for the last two months is, I think, very helpful for us,” Liverpool coach Arne Slot told club media Wednesday. The 26-year-old Isak joined Liverpool on a British-record fee of $170 million after protracted negotiations with Newcastle at the end of last summer’s transfer window. Slot’s team is in fifth place in the Premier League. It plays at Manchester City in the FA Cup quarterfinals on Saturday before traveling to face Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals on Wednesday. Slot added: “Alex is in a really good place because Sweden qualified for the World Cup yesterday evening and apart from that he’s going to train with the group again for the first time tomorrow.” Sweden was one of the last teams to qualify for this summer’s World Cup. The Swedes clinched their spot Tuesday with a 3-2 win over Poland in a European playoff final. Reporting by The Associated Press.

As the 2026 World Cup co-tournament hosts, the United States faces the pressure to perform as a home team. However, a pair of friendly losses have raised questions for the men’s team ahead of the tournament. Former USA midfielder Cobi Jones joined “First Things First” to discuss the recent struggles of the United States in its pursuit of its first World Cup quarterfinals appearance since 2002. The U.S. recently dropped two friendlies this week, including a 5-2 loss to Belgium on Sunday and a 2-0 defeat to Portugal on Wednesday. Jones reacted to Christian Pulisic’s comments following the Portugal loss, and defended the U.S. star’s optimism. “Just looking at the results, you can’t be happy regardless of who the opponent is, especially with the timing, as you’re leading into the World Cup,” Jones said. “As one of the leaders of the team, he has to be positive, he’s got to find the way to get this team moving in the right direction, because two losses and only a couple of games left before the World Cup starts, you’re kind of looking at every way to bring that team together, to be that one unit.” The talent gap between Portugal and the United States was apparent, and it was highlighted after the match, with coach Mauricio Pochettino saying that he doesn’t think the U.S. has any top-100 players — not even Pulisic. But was it meant for Pulisic to take personally? Jones doesn’t think so. “I wouldn’t say that it’s a slight towards Pulisic especially, I think it’s just saying, when we look at the world of soccer, you don’t have a lot American players that are considered to be in that top-100,” Jones said. “I would hope that he’s not so negative with the team going into the World Cup; I think he knew what he was getting into, or at least should have known what he was getting into coming to coach the U.S. team.” Pulisic hasn’t scored a goal for the U.S. since 2024 and has not found the back of the net for AC Milan this year. Jones thinks ending Pulisic’s dry spell with the U.S. will come from discovering where he is the most dangerous on the field. “To score goals, you have to have the right people around you, and you have to be the right people in the right positions,” Jones said. “He was being experimented with on the left (and) in the center. “I think they’ve got to just figure out his best position, where he can be the most dangerous, where I think he likes to come in off that wing and cut inside and have a go. I think that’s probably the best position for him.” The U.S. now turns towards a pair of friendlies leading into group stage of the World Cup, with Senegal on May 31 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC and Germany on June 6 at Soldier Field in Chicago.

PHOENIX — Rule changes were at the forefront of the NFL owners meeting this week, with the most notable approved proposal being a one-year rule that allows officials “to correct clear and obvious mistakes” as the league’s referees face a potential lockout. It’s clear the NFL anticipates having to use replacement referees — and because it was a largely damaging decision last time, with the replacement refs struggling enormously in 2012 (see: the Fail Mary), the league is doing what it can to help preserve the product in the event of a work stoppage. But there were other newsworthy items that came from coaches, execs and owners about their respective teams during the week. What potential moves might come next in the NFL this offseason? Who should we keep an eye on as we’re five months away from the start of the regular season? Let’s dive into those items as we share our four takeaways from our time in Arizona. 1. Teams only created more burning questions around some of the league’s top wide receivers Henry McKenna: At any given time of year, the quarterbacks are typically the most polarizing players, a lightning rod for discussion. But it was the receivers who — for better and for worse — generated the most buzz at the NFL owners meeting. Puka Nacua: If you look at the NFL’s receiving yards leaders, you’ll see Nacua up there at No. 2 behind Seattle Seahawks star Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who received an extension for four years worth $168.6 million. Nacua is eligible for a new contract, and could demand as much as Smith-Njigba. But that ignores the ways their careers have diverged off the field, with Smith-Njigba acting as a leader in the locker room and a no-nonsense professional. Nacua, meanwhile, has struggled to conduct himself with the same professionalism. This offseason, after several incidents, the Rams receiver has checked himself into rehab, his attorney confirmed. Prior to the news that Nacua was in rehab, Rams general manager Les Snead was asked how Nacua’s off-field issues could impact a future contract. “The impact is continuing to evolve,” Snead said at the owners meeting. “Not only as a person but as a football player. And you need to be on your P’s and Q’s in both categories to earn that type of contract. Right now we’re focused on the human being, and then we’ll get to that stuff.” George Pickens: Pickens proved he is capable of being a WR1 in the times when CeeDee Lamb was hurt — and so that probably makes Pickens the best WR2 in the NFL. That should increase the Dallas Cowboys’ urgency to get a deal done, rather than force him to play on the franchise tag. And yet Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said on Tuesday that he has not been in touch recently with Pickens’ agent, who — by the way — has a history of encouraging his franchise-tagged players to hold out. “The franchise tag is an integral part of all teams and certainly an integral part of our strategy over the next two or three years as we look at how to keep the best players,” Jones said. To Jones’ credit, the Cowboys are getting Pickens on a discount on the tag (one-year, $28 million). So you can see why he’d like to have the wide receiver play on those terms. It’s just unrealistic to expect that to go smoothly — and without Pickens putting up a fight. Given the way everything fell apart with Micah Parsons and Jones last offseason, you’d think the Cowboys wouldn’t want to make the same mistake twice — overcomplicating their relationship with one of their best players. But maybe that contract dispute won’t inform this one. A.J. Brown: The Philadelphia Eagles appeared to spend the meetings working to create leverage in the trade, which now seems extremely likely. Both general manager Howie Roseman and coach Nick Sirianni told reporters that “A.J. is an Eagle.” And while that’s factually accurate, it still left us without an answer about whether he’ll be an Eagle in September for Week 1. But if you listen to what New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel had to say about Brown, you’ll hear a coach who is deeply interested in taking on Brown, for all his pros (outstanding play) and cons (outspokenly critical, at times). Do I think Brown will be a Patriot? Yes. But we likely won’t know for sure until after June 1, when the receiver’s contract becomes easier to trade from a salary cap standpoint. 2. Rams’ GM Les Snead offers remedy to avoid another Maxx Crosby trade debacle Eric D. Williams: Las Vegas Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby’s rescinded trade by the Baltimore Ravens due to a failed physical over his surgically repaired left knee serves as a cautionary tale for the rest of the league. The Ravens traded two first-round picks for Crosby, including the 14th overall selection in the upcoming draft. It marked the first time Baltimore relinquished a first-round pick for a player via trade in franchise history, so the Ravens were certainly excited to acquire Crosby. However, less than 24 hours before the trade could become official at the start of the new league year, the Ravens informed the Raiders they were backing out after Crosby failed his physical in Baltimore. A long-time NFL medical staff member familiar with the process of team physicals told me the issue could have been avoided had the two sides agreed to have Crosby evaluated by a Ravens team doctor before the announcement of the trade. Count Rams general manager Les Snead as someone who believes a more uniform, collaborative process needs to be installed by the NFL. “There’s a conundrum there, where a lot of times these things get announced, or maybe even reported before the league year,” Snead told reporters at the NFL annual meeting this week. “And then people can go and do physicals. But here’s what I would say: I think we as clubs need to be more proactive. “We can wait on the governing body, per se. But I think you should get into really sharing the information before you bring someone in, if you can, or you’re going to have that issue. The trade gets announced or reported. A week later, he shows up for a physical [and he fails]. … You should be able to put your medical people on with their medical people and make that a sensible thing.” While Crosby says he’s staying with the Raiders for this season, that doesn’t mean other teams are not interested. Dallas was one of the teams interested in Crosby before the trade, and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones indicated he hasn’t shut the door on the possibility of seeking the talented pass rusher’s services. “I don’t anticipate — standing here right now — revisiting that situation,” Jones told reporters at the NFL owners meeting. “I don’t anticipate it. Is it possible? Yes.” 3. Cowboys HC Brian Schottenheimer has a plan to upgrade Dallas’ miserable defense Williams: With Dak Prescott leading the offense, the Cowboys averaged 28 points a game, good for seventh in the NFL this past season. However, the defense let the Cowboys down all season, giving up a league-high 30 points per game. Specifically, Dallas struggled in the back end defensively, allowing a league-high 252 passing yards per contest, the second-most passing touchdowns in the league (35) and totaling just six interceptions on the year. But Schottenheimer believes he’s created an opportunity to improve the defense by moving on from Matt Eberflus and replacing him with former Philadelphia Eagles defensive passing game coordinator Christian Parker as his new defensive coordinator. Schottenheimer said he would like to see more pre-snap disguise and multiplicity from his defense, like Parker’s protégé Vic Fangio. That could also mean the Cowboys using more defensive groupings with six defensive backs. The Cowboys signed former Arizona Cardinals safety Jalen Thompson, former Denver Broncos safety P.J. Locke and ex-Los Angeles Rams cornerback Cobie Durant in free agency, adding versatility and playmaking ability to the secondary. The Rams used six defensive backs on a league-high 347 defensive plays last season, while the Cardinals used six defensive backs in 176 defensive plays. The Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks used six defensive backs on 167 defensive snaps in 2025. The Cowboys? They used six defensive backs on just four plays last year. “The disguise element to me is exciting,” Schottenheimer said when I asked for a couple of characteristics he wants to see from his defense. “It’s one of the things I fell in love with – maybe not fell in love with because it sucks going against Vic Fangio’s style of schemes – but just the confusion that they give you at the start of the snap, because they’re all sitting back there at the quarter shell. “When I listen to these guys talk, because it’s still a little bit of a foreign language when I listen to Christian Parker, [passing game coordinator] Derrick Ansley and [inside linebackers coach] Scott Symons talk about some of the coverage variations we can get to, what I love about it is the ability to take away the side of the field, a player and different ways to take away the leverage of a slot receiver. Christian is a great coach at every level, but I think he’s a Superstar when it comes to the secondary.” 4. There is no more compelling experiment than Kyler Murray and Kevin O’Connell McKenna: Every offseason, there’s a rearranging of personnel — a change of scenery — that has the potential to be special. Or to fail fabulously. The Vikings’ signing of Murray might be the transaction with the greatest boom-bust potential. Murray has enjoyed legitimately elite quarterback play, but he has never sustained it. And O’Connell has a track record of doing just that, with Kirk Cousins and Sam Darnold putting together seasons that completely rearranged what we thought we knew about them. In this sense, Murray should be the next guy in line. It would be oversimplistic to call Murray a reclamation project. But it’s fair to say he has yet to realize his full potential. The problem with this narrative is that O’Connell hit his first snag in QB development with J.J. McCarthy, a former first-round pick who was probably the league’s worst starter in 2025. Even after two seasons in the NFL, we have no idea what McCarthy can offer. O’Connell’s reputation is on the line with Murray. Murray’s career is on the line with O’Connell. And to make it even more compelling, Murray’s outstanding mobility makes him unlike the pocket passers who have preceded him in O’Connell’s system. “I don’t think he’s gotten enough credit for, you know, playing in-rhythm,” O’Connell told reporters at the owners meeting in Phoenix. “We all recognize some of the highlight reel ability that he has, and Kyler Murray has always had that level of talent. But I think sometimes what we don’t recognize is … him play with really, really good technique and fundamentals either in the dropback game.” Let’s see it.

As far as results are concerned, things could have gone much better for the United States men’s national team this past international window. Not only did the U.S. lose both of their friendlies against Belgium and Portugal, but its path to the 2026 FIFA World Cup knockout stage got notably more difficult with the introduction of Türkiye in Group D. “I’ve been talking them up,” David Mosse said on the latest episode of “State of the Union.” “They’re a proper team. They got the quarterfinals of the Euros. The only reason they were in this playoff is because they were in the same group as Spain … I think that will be a tough, tough game for the U.S.” Türkiye punched its ticket to the World Cup with a 1-0 win over Kosovo in the final of the 2026 World Cup European playoffs. Its performance in the tournament saw it move from No. 25 to No. 22 in the latest FIFA men’s world ranking. Meanwhile, the U.S. moved down from 15 to 16. The United States won’t see Türkiye until the final match of the group stage, but that arguably complicates things further for a U.S. team that has lost its last eight consecutive matches against European competition. “That first game now for the U.S. is just absolutely paramount,” Stone said. “Not that it hasn’t been in the beginning, but if you stumble out of the gates in L.A. against Paraguay — uh oh. And like a real big uh oh, because you have to get your business taken care of before you see Türkiye in L.A. to close out the group stage. “I think Türkiye is the favorite. I think they’re going to win their first two games fairly comfortably. I think for the U.S., it’s going to be more of a struggle. Can they win those two games? Absolutely. Should the U.S. get through? Absolutely, but I think Türkiye is the favorite right now — right now. There’s a long time to go.” Lalas, meanwhile, is still bullish on the United States’ chances of advancing — and winning — Group D. “I would put this group against any other group in the past in terms of not just coming out, but winning the group,” Lalas said. “I do think this team, despite the problems we’re talking about right now, will rise to the occasion.” If the U.S. doesn’t win Group D, its hopes of advancing to its first World Cup quarterfinals become much slimmer, even with the benefit of a home crowd. “There is a massive advantage to winning your group,” Stone said. “The path has been laid out, in red carpet fashion, for the U.S. and it’s all going on the fact that they win the group. Things get significantly more challenging if they don’t.” The U.S. wil play Türkiye at Los Angeles Stadium in its group stage finale on June 25. “We welcome Türkiye to the World Cup, we welcome Türkiye, and we want to beat up on them,” Lalas said.

Kansas basketball coach Bill Self is returning for a 24th season with the Jayhawks. The program released a statement from Self on Wednesday confirming his return for another year with the program he has led to 21 regular-season conference championships, four Final Fours and a pair of national championships. “With renewed clarity and the ongoing support from our administration, I remain focused and committed to Kansas Basketball competing for a national championship,” Self said. “I look forward to seeing and hearing the best fans in college basketball next season at Allen Fieldhouse.” The 63-year-old Self has a record of 840-272, not including the 15 wins that were vacated by the NCAA, putting him 12th on the career list. He passed Phog Allen as the winningest coach at Kansas with a 77-69 win over Michigan State on November 12, 2024, and finished with a record of 633-167 while leading one of college basketball’s most storied programs. Kansas’ season ended March 22 against St. John’s and fellow Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Jayhawks rallied from a 13-point deficit with 7 1/2 minutes left, tying it with 13.1 seconds to go, only for the Red Storm’s Dylan Darling to hit a layup as time expired to end their season. The Jayhawks have not survived the opening weekend of the tournament since 2022, when Self won his second national title. “I’ve gone through some stuff off the court, so I’ll get back and get with family and visit and see what’s going on,” Self said following the loss in San Jose, California. “I love what I do. I need to be able to do it where I’m feeling good and healthy to do it fairly well. I’ll get back home and it will all be discussed.” Self’s health has been a factor to monitor. He was hospitalized just before the Big 12 Tournament in 2023 after feeling unwell, and had two stents inserted into his heart, which forced him to miss the NCAA tourney. Self had two more stents inserted last year, and this past January, he missed a game at Colorado after doctors advised him not to travel following a precautionary trip to the hospital. “When you get to be doing it as long as I’ve done it, I looked at it in five-year increments. Now I’m probably looking at it in more two-year increments, so to speak,” he said. “So I try to focus on this season and try to get us to a second weekend — which we failed at — so I’ll go back now and break it down and see where that leads.” Self won national titles at Kansas in 2008 and 2022. And he’s been especially good at Allen Fieldhouse, historically one of college basketball’s toughest venues. He is 27-6 against top-10 opponents at home, and his 131-81 record against Top 25 opposition is the third-best winning percentage among Division I coaches. He also has sent 43 players to the NBA, and more could be on the way. Darryn Peterson is expected to be among the first three players to hear his name called in June, while Flory Bidunga and others could also be selected in the upcoming NBA draft. Self was selected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017. Reporting by the Associated Press.

A big-time performance — or a key injury — can be the difference for teams in March Madness, which is already upon us. Keeping track of notable injuries, news and happenings across men’s and women’s college basketball as the 2026 NCAA Tournament ensues. Apr. 1 Bill Self provides clarity on his future Kansas head basketball coach Bill Self announced he will return to the Jayhawks for his 24th season, per a post on the team’s social media account. After Kansas’ season ended in a Round of 32 loss to St. John’s on March 22, Self, 63, said he was going to discuss his future with his family. He missed a game against Colorado this season and the Big 12 Tournament last season for health reasons. Those issues were a part of his thinking process, but he decided to return “with renewed clarity and the ongoing support from our administration,” Self said. Elliot Cadeau treated for allergic reaction ahead of Final Four Michigan point guard Elliot Cadeau is receiving medical attention for a possible allergic reaction before traveling to Indianapolis for the Final Four, the team said Wednesday. Detroit radio station WWJ 950 posted a video on X on Wednesday showing a covered individual being wheeled out of Michigan’s player development center on a gurney and loaded into a Huron Valley ambulance. Michigan later confirmed it was Cadeau, who complained of a possible allergic reaction. “Before the team departed the Player Development Center today, Elliot alerted the medical staff that he may have had an allergic reaction to something that he ate,” the team said in a statement. “The doctors evaluated Elliot and he is fine. Out of an abundance of caution, he is receiving medical supervision and will be traveling to Indianapolis later today.” Cadeau will meet the team in Indianapolis, where Michigan is set to take on Arizona on Saturday in a Final Four clash between No. 1 seeds. Reporting by The Associated Press. Andrzejek steps down as Campbell coach John Andrzejek stepped down as Campbell’s men’s basketball coach on Wednesday, citing the school’s shifted priorities in a post on social media. “Over the last 6 months, it has become clear that Campbell has made the decision to shift their commitment from basketball,’ Andrzejek wrote. ‘Simply put — the institution now has different priorities, and they are not compatible with putting the kind of team on the floor that you deserve. As difficult as this is, I respect the decision and understand it as one that the University feels it must make in what are unprecedented times in higher education.” Andrzejek joined Campbell in 2025 after a two-year stint as an assistant at Florida, where he helped lead the Gators to a national title. In his sole season in Buies Creek, he led Campbell team to a 16-18 overall record and an 8-10 record in Colonial Athletic Association play. Campbell was eliminated in the semifinals of the CAA Tournament with a 74-64 loss to Monmouth. The coach said he explored several options with Campbell’s athletic department in hopes to move forward with the team, but it became clear that the school cannot support the program. “Despite months of intense work and collaboration with AD Hannah Bazemore and our terrific athletics administration, and several creative options that were proposed and thoroughly explored, there are no pathways that the institution will support to fund the program appropriately moving forward,” he wrote. Andrzejek will join Louisville as associate head coach, serving under coach Pat Kelsey, Campbell said in a statement. Mar. 31 NC State hires former player Justin Gainey as head coach Will Wade left NC State after one season, leaving the head coaching position open. After a five-day search, the Wolfpack hired Tennessee associate head coach — Justin Gainey. Gainey helped lead Tennessee to the NCAA Tournament, where they lost against Michigan in the Elite Eight. Though this is his first coaching stint with the Wolfpack, he previously played with NC State for four seasons as a point guard from 1996 until 2000. He averaged 6.9 points, starting 103 of his 128 games with the Wolfpack. St. Bonaventure hires MacDonald of D-II power Daemen St. Bonaventure has hired Mike MacDonald of Division II Daemen University to succeed the retired Mark Schmidt as men’s basketball coach, the school announced Tuesday. MacDonald returns to his alma mater after leading Daemen, in nearby Amherst, to a 61-3 record over the last two seasons and an appearance in the Division II Elite Eight last week. MacDonald was named Division II national coach of the year in 2025. He previously was head coach at Division I Canisius and Division III Medaille and is the only coach in college basketball history to win at least 100 games at each NCAA level. “We are extremely excited to bring Mike back to St. Bonaventure,” athletic director Bob Beretta said. “As we set out to identify the next leader of our men’s basketball program, we developed a list of more than 20 characteristics that we would look for in the person who would succeed Mark Schmidt as head coach. Mike checked every box.’ Schmidt, the Bonnies’ all-time wins leader with 341, retired after his 19th season. St. Bonaventure finished 17-17 this season after reaching the quarterfinals of the Atlantic 10 Tournament. Daemen went 33-2 in 2025-26, winning the school’s second regional championship over Saint Anselm to reach the Elite Eight. Thirty-one of Daemen’s 33 wins were by double digits, with 14 wins by 20-plus points and five by more than 30. The Wildcats’ only two losses were to national finalists Gannon and Lander. Mar. 30 Pitino, St. John’s agree to extension St. John’s says Hall of Fame basketball coach Rick Pitino has signed a new agreement that will keep him under contract with the school through the end of this decade. Pitino was hired in March 2023 and given a six-year contract through 2029. Several media outlets, citing anonymous sources, reported Sunday his restructured deal includes an additional year through the 2029-30 season and a raise that will make him the second-highest paid coach in the Big East behind Dan Hurley at UConn. “We’re thrilled that Coach Pitino has signed a new agreement to remain at St. John’s, a deal that will keep him in Queens through the end of the decade,” athletic director Ed Kull said in a statement. “This extension reflects our strong confidence in his leadership, vision, and commitment to our student-athletes. “Coach Pitino has changed the culture of our community and we want his presence to be felt on this campus for years to come. We look forward to more Big East championships and NCAA Tournament runs with Coach Pitino at the helm.” In three seasons with the Red Storm, the 73-year-old Pitino has led a remarkable resurgence for the New York City program, coaching the Johnnies to consecutive Big East regular-season and tournament championships. St. John’s reached the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 27 years before losing 80-75 to No. 1 overall seed Duke on Friday night. Pitino earned his 900th career win on the court this season and said he’d like to reach 1,000. He is 81-25 at St. John’s and coming off consecutive 30-win seasons. Utah State hires Northern Iowa’s men’s basketball coach Utah State has hired longtime Northern Iowa coach Ben Jacobson to be its men’s basketball coach, the school announced Monday. Jacobson, who agreed to a five-year deal with the Aggies, succeeds Jerrod Calhoun, who left to take over at Cincinnati. Jacobson becomes the fifth head coach in seven seasons at Utah State. He takes over an Aggies program that has reached the NCAA Tournament in four straight seasons. “I’m thankful for the opportunity to join Utah State as it enters its next chapter in the Pac-12,” Jacobson said in a news release. “I’m grateful to Cameron Walker for trusting me to lead such a historic program and to continue its tradition as one of the top men’s basketball programs in the West.” Jacobson spent 20 seasons at Northern Iowa and made five NCAA Tournament appearances with the Panthers — highlighted by a Sweet 16 appearance in 2010 as a No. 9 seed. He compiled a 397-259 record at Northern Iowa and had a school- record 31 wins in the 2014-15 season. Jacobson is the all-time leader in conference game victories (220) and conference tournament victories (24) in the Missouri Valley Conference. Calhoun guided the Aggies to a 55-15 record and two NCAA Tournament appearances over two seasons before leaving for Cincinnati, his alma mater. Utah State will move to the Pac-12 Conference from the Mountain West Conference, starting with the 2026-27 season. Mar. 27 Alabama’s Holloway granted permission to travel out of state Alabama guard Aden Holloway, who was arrested on felony drug charges, was granted permission by a judge to leave the state on Friday as his team prepares to face Michigan in the Sweet 16 in Chicago. It was initially unclear whether the travel permission opened the door for Holloway to play in the NCAA Tournament game that is scheduled to tip off at 7:35 p.m. Eastern, but Alabama released a statement saying that, “Nothing has changed with regard to Aden’s status with the team,” per ESPN. The university removed him from campus last week “pending further investigation by the UA Office of Student Conduct.” Holloway, Alabama’s No. 2 scorer, was arrested March 16 after authorities found 2.1 pounds of marijuana in his apartment. He was suspended indefinitely following the arrest, but coach Nate Oats has not ruled out the possibility of his return in the NCAA Tournament. Holloway’s attorney, Jason Neff, had requested his client be allowed to travel “on a trip out of the state’ — without specifying where — departing Friday and returning Tuesday. Tuscaloosa County District Court Judge Joanne Jannik approved that travel Friday morning, according to court documents. If Alabama were to win Friday night, it would play in the Elite Eight on Sunday. Mar. 26 Boston College hires Luke Murray Boston College men’s basketball has hired Luke Murray as its next head coach. Murray had been an assistant coach at UConn since 2021. He helped the Huskies win back-to-back national titles in 2023 and 2024. LSU Tigers hire Will Wade (again) Let Act 2 begin! LSU is hiring Wade, previously the head coach of the NC State Wolfpack, for his second stint as the Tigers’ head coach on a seven-year deal, according to The Field of 68. The Tigers are coming off a 15-17 overall season (3-15 in SEC play, good for last in the conference), which marked their second consecutive losing season and third in four years. LSU head coach Matt McMahon has been fired and is due over $8 million, per ESPN. LSU fired Wade in 2022 after a recruiting scandal came to light, with him later becoming the head coach of the McNeese Cowboys for the 2023-24 season. After McNeese made the NCAA Tournament in each of Wade’s first two seasons, he left to become NC State’s head coach for the 2025-26 season. The Wolfpack were eliminated by the Texas Longhorns in the First Round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament last week. Over Wade’s five seasons as LSU’s head coach (2017-18 to 2021-22), the Tigers went a combined 105-51. Mar. 25 USF hires Chris Mack The Bulls have hired former Louisville and Xavier coach Chris Mack as their next head coach. Mack had spent the last two seasons at College of Charleston before being hired at USF. He will succeed Bryan Hodgson, who took the head coach position at Providence, after one season at USF, in which he led the Bulls to an American Athletic Conference Tournament regular- and post-season title, and an NCAA Tournament appearance. Mack will be USF’s fourth coach in four years. Butler hires Ronald Nored The Bulldogs have hired long-time NBA assistant coach and former Butler guard Ronald Nored as their new head coach, the school announced. “In a rapidly evolving college basketball landscape, our priority was identifying the absolute best leader to spearhead the future of Butler Basketball. Ronald Nored is that leader,” Butler Vice President and Director of Athletics Grant Leiendecker said in a statement about hiring Nored. “Ron is a relentless worker with an elite basketball IQ and a proven track record of developing talent at the highest level of basketball. He is the ultimate competitor, and he will cultivate that same quality within his team and staff. He is a gifted relationship builder who commands respect through his character and his craft.” Nored, who’s in his third season as an assistant coach for the Atlanta Hawks, also has assistant NBA coaching stints with the Indiana Pacers, Charlotte Hornets and Boston Celtics under his belt, among other roles; he was the head coach of the Long Island Nets, the Brooklyn Nets’ G League affiliate, for the inaugural two seasons of the program (2016-17 and 2017-18). Nored played four seasons at Butler (2008-09 to 2011-12), serving as a primary starter in each of his four seasons with the program. The four-year guard was a two-time Horizon Defensive Player of the Year and earned All-Horizon honors in his senior season. Mar. 24 Syracuse announces Gerry McNamara hire Syracuse announced that it has hired Gerry McNamara as its next head coach less than two weeks after firing Adrian Autry. McNamara spent two seasons at Siena, leading the Saints to a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament title and an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2026. McNamara has deep Syracuse ties, spending 12 years as an assistant with the program (2011-2023) and playing for the school from 2002-2006 — highlighted by winning a national championship with the Orange in 2003 as a freshman alongside Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony. Mar. 23 Saint Mary’s to promote associate HC Mickey McConnell After the recent departure of Saint Mary’s head coach Randy Bennett, the team has tabbed its next head coach. The Gaels did not have to search long after settling on associate head coach Mickey McConnell. McConnell is no stranger to the Gaels as his first stint with them was as a player. He was recruited in 2007, where he played four seasons as a sharpshooter. He averaged 10 points and four assists on nearly 50% shooting and 46% from 3-point range. His first coaching gig came in 2019 where he held a position as assistant coach at Saint Mary’s. Then in 2022, he earned his first promotion to associate head coach. After four strong years in that role, he earned his most recent elevation to head coach. Arizona State set to hire St. Mary’s HC Randy Bennett After 25 seasons at St. Mary’s, Randy Bennett is moving on. The 63-year-old head coach has agreed to a deal to become Arizona State’s next head coach, CBS Sports reported Monday. Bennett had helped turn St. Mary’s into one of the top non-power conference programs in college basketball during his tenure. The Gaels made the tournament 12 times during his tenure, including each of the last five seasons. Bennett went 589-228 during his time at St. Mary’s. At Arizona State, Bennett will take over for Bobby Hurley, who was fired earlier in March. Hurley failed to lead Arizona State to the NCAA Tournament in each of the last three seasons, and went 185-167 during his 11-year tenure. Cincinnati to hire Utah State HC Jerrod Calhoun Utah State’s Jerrod Calhoun is going home. The Cincinnati alum will become the school’s next men’s basketball head coach, CBS Sports reported Monday. Calhoun, 44, has quickly risen up the coaching ranks in recent years. He became Utah State’s head coach in 2024 following successful stints at Division II’s Fairmont State and at Youngstown State. Utah State went 55-15 during Calhoun’s tenure as head coach, making the NCAA Tournament in both seasons. Calhoun will replace Wes Miller, who failed to make the NCAA Tournament in his five seasons at Cincinnati. Creighton’s McDermott retiring Greg McDermott announced Monday he would retire as Creighton’s coach after the Bluejays’ final game in the College Basketball Crown tournament next month. Alan Huss, who returned to his alma mater last year as associate head coach and head coach in waiting, will succeed McDermott. “It has been an incredible honor to lead the Creighton men’s basketball program for the past 16 years,” the 61-year-old McDermott said in a statement. “I’m very proud of the young men that have proudly worn the Bluejay uniform and represented our program in a first-class manner. Witnessing their growth and development on and off the playing floor was especially gratifying. “I’m deeply grateful for the support of my family, our players, coaching staff and support staff, as well as the presidents, athletic directors, and all the University and athletic administrators. The support of the Omaha community consistently packing our arena with 17,000 fans has created many fond memories.” McDermott is 365-188 at Creighton and 645-383 in 32 seasons as a head coach. He led Creighton to 14 seasons of 20-plus wins and 10 appearances in the NCAA Tournament, including to the Elite Eight in 2023 and the Sweet 16 in 2021 and 2024. Creighton won the Big East regular-season title in 2020. The team is 15-17 this season. Huss played at Creighton from 1997-2001, was an assistant under McDermott from 2017-23 and then left to become head coach at High Point. He was 56-15 in two seasons and led High Point to its first NCAA Tournament appearance in its Division I history in 2025. “I am incredibly honored and humbled to be named the head men’s basketball coach at Creighton University,” Huss said. “This University has meant so much to me as a former player, as an alumnus and through the seven years I’ve spent serving this program. Creighton helped shape who I am, and the opportunity to now lead this program is something I do not take lightly.’ Florida hires Rhode Island’s Weiss Florida hired Rhode Island’s Tammi Reiss as the program’s next women’s basketball coach Monday, tasking her with rebuilding the least-accomplished program on campus. Reiss, a three-time Atlantic 10 coach of the year, spent seven seasons with the Rams and led them to the NCAA Women’s Tournament for the first time in 30 years earlier this month. Rhode Island lost to Alabama in the opening round. Nonetheless, the Rams won a school-record 28 games to go along with a share of the A-10 regular-season championship and the league tournament. Reiss, 55, played alongside Dawn Staley at Virginia and appeared in three consecutive Final Fours (1990, 1991 and 1992), including the 1991 national title game. She was part of eight NCAA Women’s Tournament appearances as an assistant coach, including four at Syracuse, before arriving at Rhode Island. She replaces Kelly Rae Finley, who was fired two weeks ago while the Gators were poised to miss the NCAA Tournament for the fourth consecutive year. The 40-year-old Finley went 93-75 in five seasons in Gainesville, including 30-50 in Southeastern Conference play. She put together one of the program’s best collections of talent in recent years, with Liv McGill, Me’Arah O’Neal and Laila Reynolds giving the team three McDonald’s All-Americans in its starting lineup. But the trio was unable to deliver enough wins in one of the country’s deepest leagues. The Rams tripled their average attendance during Weiss’ tenure and raised the program’s first three conference banners. Her overall record is 138-73, including 96 wins over the last four seasons. She twice set the program record for victories. Charlotte hiring ex-Cincinnati coach Miller The Charlotte 49ers have hired Wes Miller as their basketball coach. Miller spent the past five seasons at Cincinnati before being fired on March 13 with three years left on his contract after failing to get the Bearcats to the NCAA Tournament. He was 100-74 at Cincinnati. The Bearcats finished 18-15 this season. They had recovered from a disappointing start to win seven of nine games down the stretch and were considered an NCAA Tournament bubble team heading into the Big 12 Tournament. But the Bearcats lost to UCF 66-65 in overtime in the second round after surrendering an eight-point lead in the final two minutes of regulation, paving the way for Miller’s departure. The 43-year-old Miller has strong ties to North Carolina, leading the Tar Heels to a national championship as a player. He also coached a decade at UNC Greensboro, where he earned Southern Conference Coach of the Year honors in 2012 and 2018. He helped UNC Greensboro win 25 or more games in three consecutive seasons, won three conference titles and led the Spartans to NCAA Tournament appearances in 2018 and 2021. He left UNCG for Cincinnati considered one of the bright young coaches in the game after recording a school-record 185 wins, including an average of 25 wins per season over his final five years. Miller posted the most wins (217) by a coach by the age of 40. Athletic director Kevin White called Miller a “proven leader with a deep understanding of the game and strong ties to basketball in our state.’ Kansas coach Self deciding whether to continue coaching Bill Self says he hasn’t decided whether he will continue his Hall of Fame coaching career after the Kansas Jayhawks’ season ended with a heartbreaking loss to St. John’s in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday. The 63-year-old Self has won two national championships and built a powerhouse during his 23 seasons in charge of the Jayhawks, but he has missed several games over the past few seasons due to heart issues and other health concerns. “I’ve gone through some stuff off the court, so I’ll get back and get with family and visit and see what’s going on,” Self said. “I love what I do. I need to be able to do it where I’m feeling good and healthy to do it fairly well. I’ll get back home and it will all be discussed.” Self most recently missed a game at Colorado in January after taking a precautionary trip to the hospital. He also had two stents inserted in his heart in 2023, and two more last year. Self has been one of college basketball’s most successful coaches since he replaced Roy Williams in Lawrence in 2003. He joined the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017, and he became the winningest coach in Kansas history in November 2024, passing Phog Allen. “My career ain’t going to be based on one game,” Self said when asked if it would be tough to end his career on such a crushing defeat. “I said I was going to get back and evaluate my health situation.” Mar. 22 Joshua Jefferson injury update Iowa State star forward Joshua Jefferson was ruled out for the No. 2-seeded Cyclones’ second-round game against No. 7 seed Kentucky. Jefferson sustained an ankle injury in Iowa State’s game against Tennessee State on Friday, and was unable to recover in time for Sunday. If the Cyclones advance to the Sweet Sixteen, Jefferson will have five days to recover and prepare for the next opponent, which would be No. 6 seed Tennessee or No. 3 seed Virginia. Mar. 20 Georgia Tech hires HC Scott Cross The Yellow Jackets announced that they’ve hired Troy and former UT Arlington coach as their new head coach. Cross leaves Troy, which was a No. 13 seed in this year’s NCAA Tournament before losing to No. 4 seed Nebraska on March 18, after posting a combined 125-99 record over seven seasons in his respective position. He takes over a Georgia Tech program coming off a season that saw it record an 11-20 overall record and a 2-16 record in ACC play; head coach Damon Stoudamire was fired after three seasons on the job, failing to produce a winning season. Mar. 18 Belmont hires Evan Bradds as its next head coach Belmont reportedly hired Evan Bradds as its next head coach on Wednesday. Bradds was most recently an assistant coach at Duke, where he spent one season. He played at Belmont for four years from 2013-17, averaging 20 points per game as a senior. Bradds also spent multiple seasons as a coach with the Boston Celtics and Utah Jazz. Bradds, 31, becomes the second-youngest active head coach in Division I basketball, behind just Nicholls coach Tevin Saddler. He follows former Belmont coach Casey Alexander, who spent seven seasons at Belmont, leading the Bruins to three Missouri Valley Conference regular-season titles, before taking the position at Kansas State on March 13. Mar. 17 Louisville star Mikel Brown Jr. out the first weekend of the tournament The Cardinals’ star freshman will miss the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament due to an ongoing back injury, the school announced. “I just don’t feel 100%,” Brown said in the locker room, according to The Associated Press. “I don’t feel like I can play to our standard.” Brown hasn’t played since Feb. 28. Through 21 games this season, Brown is averaging 18.2 points, 4.7 assists and 1.2 steals per game, while shooting 41.0/34.4/84.4. Louisville is a No. 6 seed in the East Region of the tournament and faces No. 11 seed South Florida in the first round on Thursday. Mar. 16 Alabama’s Aden Holloway arrested on felony drug charge The second-leading scorer for the Crimson Tide was arrested on Monday morning, days before the NCAA tournament. He was booked after agents with the West Alabama Narcotics Task Force searched a home near the Alabama campus. It was there they found and “recovered more than a pound of marijuana, paraphernalia and cash” that belonged to Holloway, according to police spokesperson Stephanie Taylor’s email to The Associated Press. Following the arrest, Holloway was reportedly “removed from campus” and will not be with the team as the UA Office of Student Conduct investigates his case, the school announced Monday. Holloway has had his best season, averaging 16.8 points, shooting a prolific 43.8% from beyond the arc. This could hurt Alabama in their NCAA tournament matchup on March 20 at 12:15 PM ET against Hofstra. Matta retiring from coaching Longtime college basketball coach Thad Matta announced Monday he is retiring after a career that included 13 NCAA Tournaments and a national title game appearance with Ohio State. Matta spent the past four seasons at Butler, his second stint at the helm of his alma mater. The Bulldogs suffered a season-ending 91-81 loss to Providence in the Big East Tournament. Matta, 58, will remain on staff as a special counselor to President Jim Danko and athletic director Grant Leiendecker. Butler officials said they have begun searching for his successor. “The love my wife, my daughters and I have for Butler is what brought us back four years ago, and it feels especially meaningful that I conclude my coaching career here,” he said in a statement. “Butler has always meant more to us than just basketball — and that connection is why I’m grateful to continue working with the university and offering my help in any way I can. I want this program to compete at the highest levels of the Big East and national landscape, and I am excited to be part of what we continue to build here.” Matta finishes his head coaching career with a 502-223 record, winning eight conference regular-season titles at three different stops — Butler, Xavier and Ohio State. He led the Buckeyes to two Final Fours, losing to Florida in the 2007 title game. He is Ohio State’s winningest coach, compiling 337 wins over 13 seasons. Mar. 13 Billikens extend coach Josh Schertz Second-year Saint Louis coach Josh Schertz has agreed in principle to a long-term contract extension, athletic director Chris May announced Friday before the Billikens’ game in the Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament. The Billikens (27-4) tied with Virginia Commonwealth for the A-10 regular-season championship and were the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament. May locked up Schertz as the coach’s name was bandied for a number of jobs in power conferences. Saint Louis entered Friday one win away from tying its season record, and in January the Billikens made their first appearance in The Associated Press Top 25 since 2020-21. They were ranked as high as No. 18 and appeared in seven straight polls before dropping out Monday. Saint Louis hired Schertz away from Indiana State in 2024 after he led the Sycamores to their first Missouri Valley regular-season championship since 2000. The Billikens were 19-15 with an appearance in the National Invitation Tournament last season. Pitt keeping embattled Capel Athletic director Allen Greene announced Friday that Jeff Capel will be back for a ninth season with Pitt despite a disappointing 13-20 mark this year, that ended with a 98-88 loss to North Carolina State in the second round of the ACC tournament. “I believe our best path forward is leadership continuity paired with clear expectations and a willingness to evolve,” Greene said in a statement. Capel, who has four years left on the contract extension he signed in 2024, is 127-127 at Pitt. The Panthers have made the NCAA tournament just once during Capel’s tenure, when the 2022-23 team won 24 games and advanced to the second round. Pitt narrowly missed the tournament in 2024 and saw a 12-2 start to the 2024-25 season turn into a sluggish 17-15 finish. Things weren’t any better this winter, leading to a dwindling of fan support and speculation about Capel’s job security. Greene put that speculation to rest, for now anyway. He pointed to the way the Panthers played down the stretch while winning four of their final seven games as proof that all is not lost. “They fought until the end and represented this university with toughness,” Greene said. “Effort alone is not enough. We must be better going forward. I know it. Jeff knows it.” Mar. 12 Syracuse introduces Bryan Blair as new AD Syracuse University hired Bryan Blair as its athletic director on Thursday, at a time the ACC school is searching to regain relevance and with its once-proud men’s basketball program in transition. The 40-year-old Blair takes over after spending the past four years holding the same job at Toledo, where in 2022 he was nation’s youngest AD. And Syracuse is counting on Blair’s youth and familiarity with the NCAA’s changing revenue landscape to guide Orange athletics into the future. “Bryan Blair is the athletics leader for this moment and for the future of Syracuse University,” Syracuse chancellor-elect Michael Haynie said in a release. “He is a fierce competitor who knows how to build winning programs, a visionary who approaches the business of college athletics with genuine creativity and ingenuity.” He will be replacing John Wildhack, who had previously announced his retirement in July following a 10-year tenure. One of Wildhack’s final decisions was firing men’s basketball coach Adrian Autry on Wednesday. Autry was fired after three largely unsuccessful seasons in which he struggled in replacing Jim Boeheim. Anderson slips, injured on Big 12 tournament glass floor Texas Tech guard Christian Anderson strained a muscle while slipping on the new glass floor at the Big 12 Tournament, leaving the all-conference player to watch from the bench as No. 7 Iowa State beat the No. 16 Red Raiders 75-53 on Thursday. Anderson was hurt on an inbounds pass when his foot slipped near his own free throw line with about 8 and a half minutes remaining in the game. He immediately grabbed at his groin area while Iowa State proceeded to score a basket and play was stopped. Anderson limped over to the end of the Texas Tech bench, was examined by a trainer and spent the rest of the game there. “I’m feeling good,” Anderson said afterward. “Obviously the floor is a bit slippery, so I think I just kind of misstepped or did a movement that caused me to slip and kind of ended up in a little unnatural position. That’s what it was.” The innovative glass surface has drawn mixed reviews during the Big 12 women’s tournament last week and the first two days of the men’s tournament this week. It has been praised by coaches and players alike for its glitzy ability to display graphics and hype up the fans, but numerous players in both of the events have complained about its relatively slick nature. Mar. 11 Arizona State parts with Bobby Hurley The Sun Devils will be pivoting in another direction as Bobby Hurley’s coaching tenure at ASU has finished after 11 seasons, according to Chris Karpman. He will be sent on paid administrative leave for the rest of his contract in June. Previously an NBA player, Hurley took his talents to the whiteboard in 2010, assisting his brother at Wagner College, 12 years after his time in the league. He then transitioned to a head coaching position at the University of Buffalo in 2013, before taking his most recent gig with the Arizona State Sun Devils in 2015. With the Sun Devils, Hurley went 185-167 overall and held a conference game record of 90-115. Syracuse fires Adrian Autry The Orange are turning the page at head coach, as they’ve fired Autry after three seasons at the helm, according to CBS Sports. Syracuse lost to SMU in the first round of the ACC Tournament on Tuesday night, 86-69. This season, they went 15-17 overall and 6-12 in ACC play, good for 14th in the conference. Over Autry’s three seasons at Syracuse, the Orange went a combined 49-48. Autry, who played four seasons at Syracuse (1990-91 season to 1993-94 season) and was a two-time All-Big East honoree, was an assistant coach at Syracuse under Jim Boeheim for 13 seasons before succeeding his former head coach in 2023. Mar. 10 Injuries rock Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer revealed that junior guard Caleb Foster suffered a fracture in his right foot and is out for the foreseeable future following recent surgery for the matter, per ESPN. Scheyer also announced that sophomore center Patrick Ngongba II will miss this week’s ACC Tournament due to foot soreness. This season, Foster is averaging 8.5 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game, while shooting 44.2/40.2/58.5. Meanwhile, Ngongba is averaging 10.7 points, six rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game, while shooting 60.2% from the field. Duke (29-2, 17-1) is the No. 1 seed in the ACC. Mar. 6 North Carolina star Caleb Wilson’s season is over UNC’s star freshman forward broke his right thumb in a non-contact drill at practice on Thursday and will need surgery. As a result, Wilson’s season is officially over. Wilson previously sustained a fractured left hand during the team’s loss to Miami (Fla.) on Feb. 10. Through 24 games this season, Wilson averaged 19.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.4 blocks per game, while shooting 57.8% from the field. Mar. 3 Tennessee Tech fires coach John Pelphrey Pelphrey is out after his seventh consecutive losing season ended with the Golden Eagles failing to qualify for the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament. Pelphrey, 55, posted a 79-138 record that included a 13-18 mark this season. Tennessee Tech was the third head coaching stop for Pelphrey, who owns an overall record of 228-264 in 16 seasons. He posted an 80-67 record at South Alabama (2002-07) and went 69-59 at Arkansas (2007-11) before his seven-year run at Tennessee Tech. Pelphrey reached the NCAA Tournament with South Alabama in ’06 and with Arkansas in ’08. Michigan considers options at point guard Michigan lost the best backup point guard in college basketball, according to coach Dusty May, when L.J. Cason tore a knee ligament as the team clinched an outright Big Ten title with a win at then-No. 10 Illinois. The Wolverines will certainly miss the smooth-shooting sophomore, who averaged 8.4 points and more than one 3-pointer per game, but May said the injury will give guards an opportunity to play larger roles. Starting point guard Elliot Cadeau plays about 25 minutes a game, a number that may increase if he can avoid foul trouble. Freshman Trey McKenney, sixth-year player Nimari Burnett and senior Roddy Gayle each average about 20 minutes a game — and all of them will have a chance to be on the court more without Cason. Rutgers fires women’s basketball coach Coquese Washington is out after Rutgers ended the season with 11 consecutive losses and failed to win 10 games for the second time in three years. Rutgers was 9-20 this season; its 1-17 Big Ten record was the worst in program history in conference play. Washington succeeded Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame coach C. Vivian Stringer, who retired in 2022. A national search for a new head coach will begin immediately, Keli Zinn, Rutgers’ athletic director, said. Mar. 1 USC, Chad Baker-Mazara part ways The USC men’s basketball team announced that guard Baker-Mazara is no longer a member of the program on Sunday. He sustained an injury during the Trojans’ loss to Nebraska. It was USC’s fifth consecutive loss as it continues to fall off the NCAA Tournament bubble. Baker-Mazara dealt with multiple injuries this season. He sustained a knee injury in a Feb. 3 game against Indiana, which kept him out three games. He returned for USC’s games against Oregon and UCLA before getting re-injured against Nebraska and parting ways with the team. That said, there’s no specific reason — injury or otherwise — that’s been released as the cause of his departure. Baker-Mazara was a fifth-year senior, so this could mean the end of his college basketball career. His journey included multiple different spots — Duquense, San Diego State, Auburn and one season at the junior college level. Feb. 27 Tarleton State coach Billy Gillispie won’t return Gillispie, who has been away from the bench for more than a month because of medical issues, won’t return next season, the school announced Friday. Glenn Cyprien was named acting head coach on Jan. 30, about two weeks after Gillispie stepped away. The 66-year-old Gillispie said earlier this month that he was dealing with heart and blood-pressure issues that have plagued him for years. The former Kentucky coach had a kidney transplant in 2018. Feb. 18 Texas Tech star JT Toppin has torn ACL Toppin was doing his usual work in the paint Tuesday night, pouring in buckets and grabbing rebounds against Arizona State in a tough road environment. Then, late in the second half, the junior forward drove to the basket before going down in a heap, holding his right leg. Toppin stayed down for a few minutes before needing assistance to gingerly limp off the court. The school announced on Feb. 18 that Toppin suffered a torn ACL, ending his season. Toppin finished with 20 points, eight rebounds, four assists and four blocks, and the Red Raiders were obviously shaken when he left the floor. He sat on the bench for a brief period before going back to the locker room. Texas Tech was trailing 61-56 at the time of the injury and fell behind 67-56 over the next few minutes. The Red Raiders regrouped and pulled to 70-67 in the final seconds, but Christian Anderson turned the ball over, costing them a chance to tie the game with a 3-pointer. San Diego fires Steve Lavin Lavin is out as the Toreros’ head coach after three-plus seasons. In four combined seasons, San Diego went 46-79 under Lavin, including 11-17 this season. He had previous head-coaching stints at UCLA and St. John’s. Feb. 16 Gonzaga forward Braden Huff injury update Huff will miss the remainder of the 2025-26 regular-season because of a left knee injury sustained in practice on Jan. 14. He was given an original timeline of 4-to-8 weeks, which meant there was a chance he’d return before the end of the regular season. However, on Feb. 16, Bulldogs coach Mark Few said that his return will likely be at least eight weeks, meaning he won’t return until after the West Coast Conference Tournament concludes. Feb. 15 Kansas State fires coach Jerome Tang K-State fired Tang on Sunday “for cause,” per the athletic department, citing Tang’s “public comments and conduct, in addition to the program’s overall direction.” Moreso, athletic director Gene Taylor filed this statement as a reason to fire Tang for cause: “There’s language in his contract that addresses certain things that can potentially bring embarrassment,” Taylor said. “Basically, his comments about the student-athletes and the negative reaction to those comments from a lot of sources, both nationally and locally, is where I thought we needed to make the decision.” After K-State’s 91-62 loss to Cincinnati on Feb. 11, Tang said his players “do not deserve to wear this uniform.” “There will be very few of them in it next year,” Tang added. “I’m embarrassed for the university, and I’m embarrassed for our fans, our student section. It is just ridiculous. We’ve got practice at 6 a.m. tomorrow morning, and we will get this thing right. I have no answer and no words. … Right now, I’m like pissed.” Tang defended those comments in a statement. “I am deeply disappointed with the university’s decision and strongly disagree with the characterization of my termination,” he wrote. “I have always acted with integrity and faithfully fulfilled my responsibilities as head coach.” Tang coached at K-State for the better part of four seasons. He led the Wildcats to the Elite Eight in 2023, his first season. Following that year, Kansas State rewarded him with a seven-year contract extension, starting with a $3.6 million base salary, including a $100,000 increase each year, and an $18.7 million buyout. The Wildcats were 10-15 overall at the time of Tang’s for-cause firing. Feb. 14 BYU forward Richie Saunders sustains season-ending injury Saunders sustained a torn ACL during the Cougars’ win against Colorado on Valentine’s Day. The injury effectively ends the senior’s college basketball career. He has played all four seasons at BYU and leads the team with 64 made 3-point shots this season. The Cougars had dropped four of their past five games previous to a 90-86 overtime victory against Colorado. They had also lost senior guard Dawson Baker to a season-ending ACL injury earlier this season. Saunders’ injury is another obstacle contributing to BYU’s dwindling national championship chances. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Alexi Lalas isn’t hitting the panic button on the United States men’s national team’s chances of making it out of Group D at the 2026 World Cup, but he is concerned about manager Mauricio Pochettino’s process following its 0-2 showing during its latest stage of friendlies. Following the USA’s 2-0 loss to Portugal on Tuesday, Lalas questioned why Pochettino has continued to mess around with the squad’s formation with the World Cup just over two months away. “We’re not fooling anybody. We’re not sneaking up on anybody with the way we’re playing,” Lalas said on the latest episode of “State of the Union.” “If Pochettino honestly believes playing four is better for this team and is the primary way we’re going to play, even though we’re going to come out as three, that’s fine. That’s OK. I want some consistency. From the outside, I want some consistency.” Prior to the losses to Belgium and Portugal over the last week, the United States had largely deployed a 3-4-2-1 formation in its recent matches. However, it appeared to use a 4-2-3-1 formation as it was outscored, 7-2, in the last two friendlies, showing signs of weakness on the defensive end. But that wasn’t the only notable change Pochettino made during one of the friendlies. He gave Matt Turner his first start in net in nearly a year during Saturday’s friendly against Belgium. Turner allowed five goals in that match, leading some to wonder why he was even out there in the first place, considering how well Matt Freese has played as of late. For Lalas, Pochettino’s constant tinkering during important friendlies sent a reminder of a bad World Cup memory, and he is worried that Pochettino might be walking down the same path. “I remember back in ‘98 when we changed to the 3-6-1, and everyone kind of looked around under Steve Sampson — and he might believe that’s the way we should’ve gone, and it’s oftentimes associated to a game or a moment when things go great like and it’s like, ‘Ah, this is great. This is how we should’ve been playing all the time,'” Lalas said. “That’s very, very dangerous to do, especially as you get closer to the World Cup. This window, I went back to scratching my head more when it came to Mauricio Pochettino because of the experimentation.” FOX Sports soccer studio host Rob Stone not only shared the same concerns as Lalas, but he also wondered if Pochettino’s squad might put itself in a hole if what he does works in the United States’ friendlies against Senegal and Germany. “It’s a sign to me of borderline panic. What’s working is not working. My best-laid plans are not happening right now, and I need to figure something out because clearly things aren’t happening,” Stone said. “I don’t know where the US is going to get any confidence before they take on Paraguay. Like, two real good quality tests in May and June. If something works in one of those two games, all of a sudden, we’re putting chips over there like, ‘Here we go. This is now what we’ve got to do.’ That worries me.” Still, Lalas is bullish about the United States advancing out of its group. Türkiye, which beat the United States in a friendly last year, completed its impressive run to qualify for the World Cup and join the United States in Group D on Tuesday, but Lalas thinks the overall talent in the group should allow the Americans to advance to the knockout stage. “Not for me. I’m not happy about this window, and I would’ve liked to have been more confident coming out of this window. I would put this group against any other group in the past in terms of not just coming out, but winning the group. I do think this team, despite the problems we’re talking about right now, will rise to the occasion. I’m not in a worse place after this window. Of course, I’m disappointed and concerned. But I don’t think [the USA] has regressed.”

The men’s college basketball season is coming to an emphatic end with the College Basketball Crown tournament in Las Vegas, where drama, buzzer-beaters and everything in between is all but guaranteed. The second-year tournament will tip off on Wednesday with the elimination-style bracket leading up to the championship game Sunday. The new College Basketball Crown format features eight teams, all from power conferences, and will include a $500,000 NIL prize pool. Below is everything you need to know about this year’s tournament, from the official bracket to ticket information. Who is in the 2026 College Basketball Crown tournament? The College Basketball Crown tournament is made up of an eight-team field. Below are this year’s participants: [COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Expert Predictions and Analysis for Crown] Where is the 2026 College Basketball Crown? The 2026 College Basketball Crown will take place in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in the quarterfinals and T-Mobile Arena for the semifinals and final. Where can I watch the College Basketball Crown? The 2026 College Basketball Crown will air on FOX, FOX One and FS1, with the quarterfinals broadcast on FS1 and the semifinals and final on FOX. [COLLEGE BASKETBALL CROWN: Purchase Tickets Here] College Basketball Crown Schedule and Bracket Crown Quarterfinals Wednesday, April 1Oklahoma vs. Colorado (8 p.m. ET on FS1)Baylor vs. Minnesota (10:30 p.m. ET on FS1) Thursday, April 2Stanford vs. West Virginia (8 p.m. ET on FS1)Rutgers vs. Creighton (10:30 p.m. ET FS1) Crown Semifinals Saturday, April 41:30 p.m. ET: TBD vs. TBD (FOX)4 p.m. ET: TBD vs. TBD (FOX) Crown Finals Sunday, April 55:30 p.m. ET: TBD vs. TBD (FOX) How do I purchase tickets to the College Basketball Crown? Vivid Seats will serve as the official ticket provider of the College Basketball Crown. Tickets for all match-ups can be purchased using this link.