March Madness bracket anything but sleepy as Auburn, Tar Heels picks highlight wild Selection Sunday
Auburn is the top overall seed in the NCAA Tournament, with Duke, Houston and Florida joining the Tigers on the No. 1 line in the March Madness bracket. The NCAA selection committee favored the regular-season champs of the record-setting Southeastern Conference despite three losses in their last four games, along with a loss to Duke back in December. A record-setting 14 teams from the SEC made the tournament.
March Madness: How to win your NCAA men’s tournament pool and a look at what history tells us
Before we begin, a disclaimer: Your bracket will probably be a mess by Saturday. Or by Friday. And let’s be honest, some of us will out of the running by Thursday night. Welcome back to the world’s largest lottery, the NCAA tournament and all of its various bracket pools that millions of people will be joining over the next few days. Some will play for fun, some for a few bucks, some for big bucks. No matter the stakes, we encourage you to remember that you are not an expert — and even the experts didn’t know much this season.
March Madness: UCLA, South Carolina, USC, Texas are No. 1 seeds in women’s NCAA Tournament
UCLA is the top overall seed in the women’s NCAA Tournament. The Bruins were joined by South Carolina, Southern California and Texas as No. 1 seeds that the NCAA revealed Sunday night. It’s the first time in school history that the Bruins are the top team in the tournament. They had two losses on the season, both of which came to the Trojans.
March Madness: How to win your NCAA women’s tournament pool and a look at what history tells us
Congratulations to the 12 teams left in the chase for the women’s Division I national championship. Wait. We mean 68, right? Not really. Technically, yes, there are 68 teams in the women’s tournament field, but history tells us that only 12 have a chance to be the last team standing in Tampa in a few weeks at the Final Four. Since the NCAA women’s tournament was born in 1982, there have been 32 No. 1 seeds that have gone on to win the national championship, along with seven No. 2 seeds and three No. 3 seeds. That’s it. No other seeds need apply.
Rory McIlroy and J.J. Spaun tie at The Players Championship to set up Monday playoff
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Rory McIlroy and J.J. Spaun are headed for a three-hole playoff to decide The Players Championship. But it won’t happen until Monday. A four-hour rain delay in the final round made it fortunate the final round even finished. McIlroy had a three-shot lead at one point on the back nine and looked to be cruising toward another Players Championship title. He played the final six holes in 1 over and Spaun hit some marvelous shots to catch him. McIlroy shot a 68 to overcome a four-shot deficit. Spaun had a 72. At stake Monday is a $4.5 million prize.
Josh Berry races to 1st Cup Series victory, gives Wood Brothers 101st win with Las Vegas score
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Josh Berry raced to the first Cup Series victory of his career, taking NASCAR’s oldest team to victory lane Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Berry, in his first season driving the famed No. 21 for Wood Brothers Racing, had the first victory for a Ford team through five races this season. William Byron opened the year with a Daytona 500 victory in a Chevrolet and Christopher Bell in a Toyota won the next three races. Berry, meanwhile, had to run down Daniel Suarez following a restart with 19 laps remaining to take control. Although Harrison Burton won at Daytona last summer for the Wood Brothers, Berry’s victory is the first not at a superspeedway since 2017.
No. 4 Florida Gators win their 1st SEC Tourney title since 2014 by beating No. 8 Tennessee 86-77
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Walter Clayton Jr. scored 22 points as fourth-ranked Florida won its fifth Southeastern Conference Tournament title and first since 2014 Sunday, beating the No. 8 Tennessee Volunteers 86-77. The Gators lost in this game a year ago. They made sure to finish their 12th appearance in this game all-time to add to the list that started with three straight titles between 2005-07. Fourth-seeded Tennessee goes home still looking for its first title in this event since 2022. The Vols have five SEC championships, but dropped to 1-3 under coach Rick Barnes with this the Vols’ fourth final in the past seven tournaments.
Magic end Cavaliers’ winning streak at 16 games as Banchero scores 24 points in 108-103 victory
CLEVELAND (AP) — Paolo Banchero scored 24 points, Franz Wagner added 22 and the Orlando Magic stunned Cleveland 108-103 to end the Cavaliers’ winning streak at 16 games. The Cavs lost for the first time since Feb. 4 as the Eastern Conference leaders were unable to put away the Magic in the final minutes. Cleveland missed five shots — three by All-Star Donovan Mitchell — in the final minute. Wendell Carter Jr. added 16 points and 14 rebounds for Orlando. Mitchell returned after missing two games with a sore groin and finished with 23 points. Jarrett Allen added 20 for the Cavs, who were denied becoming the first team since Phoenix in 2021 to win 17 straight.
Stars forward Mikko Rantanen receives cheers, some boos, in 1st game against Avs since he was traded
DENVER (AP) — Mikko Rantanen tapped his heart as the video screen showed highlights of his Colorado Avalanche career, culminating with him hoisting the Stanley Cup. The crowd greeted him Sunday with a mix of cheers of “Moose” — his nickname — and, of course, some boos. Once a fan favorite, Rantanen is now a fierce rival following his arrival with Central Division-foe Dallas. For the first time in his NHL career, Rantanen was a visitor in a building he’s called home for a decade. He heard the most boos, when his name was announced on an assist to set up the first goal of the game.
Going for gold: A look at the political and sporting challenges facing the next IOC president
COSTA NAVARINO, Greece (AP) — An in tray of Olympic challenges spanning political, social, sporting and operational issues awaits the next International Olympic Committee president. The election is on Thursday at a resort near the site of Ancient Olympia in Greece. Seven candidates are competing in the first contested IOC election since 2013 to replace Thomas Bach who formally leaves office in June. They include two Olympic gold medalists, Sebastian Coe and Kirsty Coventry, and the son of a former IOC president, Juan Antonio Samaranch. Most of the pressing issues center on the 2028 Summer Games being hosted in Los Angeles.