– The Daily Telegraph reports that Tottenham are considering former Monaco manager Adi Hütter should they sack interim boss Igo Tudor as their relegation hopes took another major blow with defeat to Nottingham Forest on Sunday. Tudor did not attend the post-match news conference due to a family bereavement. Spurs have time to make a decision with their next match not until April 12 given the international break. Hütter lasted just 18 months at Monaco, who he guided to second in his only full season in charge. He has also had spells at Borussia Mönchengladbach, Eintracht Frankfurt and RB Salzburg among others.
– Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva is prioritising a move to Barcelona having decided to end his time at the Etihad Stadium when his contract expires this summer, reports Diario Sport. Barça see signing the 31-year-old as an interesting deal but he isn’t a priority for them due to an abundance of players in the position. The Portugal international is also considering other options, as he has large offers from the Saudi Pro League. Juventus have also made an offer, and Benfica dream of bringing him back to the club.
– Bayer Leverkusen’s Alejandro Grimaldo has emerged as the main option as Barcelona consider signing a left back, as reported by Diario Sport. There are concerns around Alejandro Balde’s injury record while they aren’t completely convinced about permanently signing João Cancelo from Al Hilal due to his defensive lapses. Grimaldo’s contract with Leverkusen ends in 2027, but the 30-year-old has openly stated that he wants to leave this summer and it would likely take less than his €20 million release clause to complete a move.
– Atlético Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann will make use of the international break by flying to the United States to complete a move to Orlando City, reports Marca. Atleti have given the France international the necessary permission to go and sign what will be the last long-term contract of his career. Due to his relationship with Atlético, Griezmann will stay until the end of the season and attempt to win the Copa del Rey and Champions League.
– Barcelona are considering extending Robert Lewandowski‘s contract for an extra year, Fabrizio Romano has reported, although he adds that it has not been decided. The striker is still considering his options. He could stay at Barça, move to another European team, join a Saudi Pro League club or head to MLS where there have already been approaches. The 37-year-old will make the final decision on his future.
OTHER RUMORS
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0:53
Nicol: Slot shouldn’t get sacked if Liverpool miss out on a UCL spot
Steve Nicol debates Arne Slot’s future after Liverpool’s 2-1 loss to Brighton in the Premier League.
– AC Milan have expressed an interest in Bayern Munich midfielder Leon Goretzka, whose contract expires in the summer. (Christian Falk)
– Juventus will hold an important meeting with Dusan Vlahovic‘s agent as they look to offer the striker a deal that runs until 2028. (Nicolo Schira)
– Brighton are ahead of Celtic and Brentford in their efforts to sign Sao Paulo midfielder Damian Bobadilla. (Football Insider)
– RB Leipzig and Nottingham Forest are interested in Celtic midfielder Arne Engels, while various clubs are keeping tabs on his teammate Reo Hatate. (Football Insider)
– Genoa, Udinese and Parma are all monitoring Luis Hasa, an attacking midfielder on loan at Serie B side Carrarese from Napoli. (Nicolo Schira)
– Leganes midfielder Seydouba Cisse has agreed a three-year deal to join Saudi Pro League club Al Kholood in July. (Fabrizio Romano)
– Torino are planning to trigger the clause in their loan for Enzo Ebosse to permanently sign the defender from Udinese. (Nicolo Schira)
– Left back Juan Cabal could leave Juventus in the summer. (Nicolo Schira)
– Elvis Rexhbecaj has received interest from Germany and abroad, as his Augsburg contract ends in the summer and is unlikely to be renewed. (Kicker)
First came the AI beauty pageant. Then the AI music contests. Now, there is an award for AI Personality of the Year — perhaps the inevitable next step for the AI influencer economy as it transforms from quirky novelty into a serious and lucrative industry.
The contest, a joint venture between generative AI studio OpenArt and AI-powered creator platform Fanvue, with backing from AI voice company ElevenLabs, opens on Monday and runs for a month. The organizers said it is intended to “celebrate the creative talent ‘behind’ AI Influencers” and recognize their growing commercial and cultural clout.
Contestants will compete for a total prize fund of $20,000, which will be split between an overall winner and individual categories of fitness, lifestyle, comedian, music and dance entertainer, and fictional cartoon, anime, or fantasy personality. Victors will be celebrated at an event in May that the organizers are dubbing the “‘Oscars’ for AI personalities.”
To enter, you must develop your AI influencer on OpenArt’s platform and submit it at www.AIpersonality.ai. You’ll be asked for social media handles across TikTok, X, YouTube, and Instagram, as well as the story behind the character, your motivations for creating it, and details of any brand work.
Among those assessing contestants are 13‑time Emmy‑winning comedy writer Gil Rief, the creators of Spanish AI model Aitana Lopez, and Christopher “Topher” Townsend, the MAGA rapper behind AI-generated gospel singer Solomon Ray. According to a copy of the judges’ briefing seen by The Verge, contestants will be scored on four criteria: quality, social clout, brand appeal, and the inspiration behind the avatar. Specific points include reliably engaging with followers, portraying a consistent look across social channels, accurate details like having the “right number of fingers and thumbs,” and having “an authentic narrative” behind the avatar.
The contest is open to established creators and novices alike, though existing AI influencers will still need to submit material produced on OpenArt’s platform, Matt Jones, head of brand at Fanvue, told The Verge.
Despite being designed to celebrate creators of virtual influencers, Jones said that entrants don’t need to publicly identify themselves. “If a person who created this amazing piece of work wants nothing to do with the press or to expose themselves or to have their name out there, that’s obviously fine,” he said. “There would be no need to thrust anybody into the limelight here. We would just celebrate the piece of work.”
That creators can remain anonymous feels odd for a contest judging authenticity, particularly in an AI influencer ecosystem built on fictional people, fake personas, and fabricated backstories. That same anonymity has also helped grifts flourish with little accountability, from the AI white nationalist rapper Danny Bones to MAGA fantasy girl Jessica Foster.
There’s familiar baggage too, including persistent questions about originality, whether AI-generated work, or even a likeness, has been lifted from real creators, and whether these tools simply reproduce the same old biases in synthetic form. Organizer Fanvue has already faced criticism for this in the past: in 2024, a Guardian columnist described its “Miss AI” beauty pageant as something that “take(s) every toxic gendered beauty norm and bundle(s) them up into a completely unrealistic package.”
To Fanvue’s Jones, creators inevitably leave something of themselves in the AI characters they make. “You can’t help but put a little bit of yourself into the stories that you tell and the characters that you make,” he said, urging creators to “lean into that.” The idea feels at home in the influencer economy: not strictly real, but a form of synthetic authenticity the internet already knows how to handle.
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The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star’s journey to finding the one was ultimately shelved on March 19 after a 2023 video of a physical altercation between her and then-boyfriend Dakota Mortensensurfaced. Shortly afterwards, a spokesperson for Disney Entertainment, the parent company to ABC and Hulu, shared insight into the company’s resolution.
“In light of the newly released video just surfaced today,” the spokesperson said in a statement to E! News, “we have made the decision to not move forward with the new season of The Bachelorette at this time, and our focus is on supporting the family.”
As for Taylor—who shares a son with Dakota, as well as two other kids with ex Tate Paul—her rep addressed the footage in a statement to E! News, saying that the video was part of “a destructive campaign to harm Taylor” and categorized the release as “a reprehensible attempt to distract from” Dakota’s behavior.
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ESPN reporters across the country are recapping how each second-round game is decided Sunday.
How Purdue won: Leave it to the seniors to bring it home for Purdue. Fletcher Loyer had a game-high 24 points and Trey Kaufman-Renn added 19 to send the 2-seed Boilermakers back to the Sweet 16 for the third straight season.
After alternating the guards early in the first half, Matt Painter kept Loyer and point guard Braden Smith on the floor for the entire second half — and the senior tandem not only stabilized Purdue but helped neutralize a Miami squad that looked potent in the first half. In an era when rosters can be flipped on a yearly basis, Purdue is making a strong case for homegrown continuity. It seemed to be the difference Sunday in St. Louis.
Still, give Miami and Jai Lucas a ton of credit. The Hurricanes had a 19-win differential in Lucas’ first season at the helm. — Ben Baby
Purdue’s second-round opponent: Texas
How the Boilermakers can advance to the Elite Eight: The late-season return to form of Kaufman-Renn and Loyer has taken Purdue to a different level — and is likely the Boilermakers’ biggest key moving forward. Kaufman-Renn had 20 points in the Big Ten tournament title game, 25 points in the first-round NCAA tournament win over Queens, then went for 19 points and nine rebounds in the second-round victory against Miami. Loyer was perfect from 3-point range (4-for-4) against the Hurricanes and is now shooting 19-for-35 from beyond the arc in his last five games.
While Texas’ defense has tightened up recently, it was still ranked in the bottom half of the SEC, while Purdue enters the Sweet 16 with the best offense in the country. Moreover, the Boilermakers rank in the top 10 nationally in 3-point percentage, while the Longhorns are in the bottom third in 3-point defense. If C.J. Cox is healthy and can make shots alongside Loyer and Kaufman-Renn, Purdue should be able to light up the scoreboard. — Jeff Borzello
Lux Optics co-founder Sebastiaan de With made headlines when he joined Apple in late January. The company was behind Halide, one of the most popular photography apps for the iPhone, which gained a cult following for its robust pro-level controls.
Apple was apparently a big enough fan that it tried to acquire the developer last summer. Those talks never bore fruit, and eventually the company simply hired de With. At the time, it was widely believed that Apple had poached him from Lux. But new allegations from a lawsuit filed by co-founder Ben Sandofsky in the California Superior Court of Santa Cruz claim de With was fired for financial misconduct in December of 2025.
According to The Information, the suit “accuses de With of improperly using more than $150,000 in Lux corporate funds to pay for personal expenses,” as well as “taking Lux source code and confidential material with him when he joined Apple.”
An attorney for de With denied those claims and said that “The attempt to insert Apple into this dispute appears designed to create leverage and attract attention.“
Doncic has been on an historic eight-game run and capped it off with a 60-point bonanza in a win over Miami on Thursday night, the Lakers’ 11th win in their last 12 games. Doncic has averaged 50 points over the last two days/games and has scored at least 30 points in eight straight, all of which were Lakers wins.
The fact that he averaged 50 points in a back-to-back set in March is mind blowing and he had averaged 34.9 points, 9.0 rebounds, 7.9 assists and 5.0 3-pointers for the month going into Thursday’s game. He then hit nine 3-pointers and had five steals in that one, and is carrying fantasy teams right now.
He’s the first Laker to score 60 since Kobe Bryant did it in the “Mamba Out” game and his fantasy managers have been on easy street during the run. The only question left in fantasy is, did he peak too early? Unfortunately, the answer is probably ‘yes,’ as the fantasy playoffs are just getting ready to start for most of us. The good news is that the Lakers are going to keep trying to hang onto third-place in the West so Luka should keep putting up stellar numbers through the end of the season. And if he keeps playing like this he might end up with some MVP hardware, while his fantasy managers might end up with some hardware of their own.
Cade Cunningham left Tuesday’s game after just five minutes with what was originally reported as back spams, but it turned out to be a serious injury in the form of a collapsed lung. He’ll be re-evaluated in two weeks, which is some of the worst fantasy news I’ve heard this season.
Jenkins stepped in for Cunningham on Tuesday and finished with 15 points and seven assists in 21 minutes, and then got the start on Thursday. Unfortunately, he hit just 3-of-16 shots to finish with nine points and five dimes in a win over Washington. But the good news is that he started, played 34 minutes, took more shots than anyone else on his team and even had a block.
Jenkins, who has played well when given an opportunity this season, was likely grabbed in 12-team leagues as soon as the Cunningham news broke thanks to his potential to help in most categories, including steals, blocks and threes. But regardless of what size league you play in, go check and make sure he’s not still available. He’s about to go on a two-week tear, if not longer.
Dosunmu is going to get a huge opportunity due to Anthony Edwards‘ right knee inflammation, which will cause him to miss one-to-two weeks. Dosunmu has already played two games without Edwards and he’s been stellar, to the tune of 21 points, 7.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.5 steals and 2.0 3-pointers in two wins for the Wolves.
Dosunmu gets a bad rap in fantasy circles thanks to a lack of steals, blocks and 3-pointers and much of it is deserved, but he did have three steals on Thursday night and he should get about 34 minutes per game for the next two weeks.
Flip a coin as to whether he or Jenkins is the better pickup right now.
Fallers
play
1:32
Shams reveals latest on Giannis’ back-and-forth with Bucks
The ‘Get Up’ crew discusses the tension between Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks over shutting him down for the rest of the season.
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on Thursday that the Bucks and Antetokounmpo are in disagreement over whether or not he should play again this season. To his credit, Antetokounmpo wants to play, despite a current hyperextended knee. The reality is that while the Bucks have yet to be mathematically eliminated, they’re not going to make the playoffs … and Antetokounmpo is not healthy.
Even if he comes back to play this season, how many minutes are the Bucks going to be willing to give their franchise player in meaningless games? And what kind of damage will this impasse do to his relationship and future with the franchise? My guess is the team will get its way in the end and I’ll put Antetokounmpo’s over/under for games played the rest of the season at 2.5.
With those kinds of odds, I’m afraid he probably belongs on the waiver wire, assuming you don’t have an injured reserve spot available on your roster. Hold Antetokounmpo for as long as you can, but if you need to drop him to make the playoffs — or to win in the playoffs — it makes sense.
Bobby Portis (55.9% rostered) has been playing very well for the Bucks of late, while Ousmane Dieng (1.8% rostered) should be widely available and have a big opportunity for the final few weeks of the season.
The Knicks are sitting comfortably in third place in the East and are 7-3 over their last 10 games. And while they haven’t played much competition, they did have a big win at Denver on March 6. But the Knicks’ player not getting much attention on SportsCenter, or anywhere else right now, is Bridges.
Over his last seven games Bridges is averaging just 7.0 points, 1.0 3-pointers, 0.7 steals and 1.3 blocks while shooting a dreadful 32% from the floor. Most of his fantasy appeal comes from his efficiency and ability to steal, block and hit 3-pointers, but it just isn’t happening for him right now. And with Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns doing all the heavy lifting for the Knicks, I don’t see it changing any time soon.
Bridges still has some fantasy appeal, but it’s crunch time in fantasy right now, and tough decisions are in order. If your team with Bridges on it is struggling, or if you’re in a field goal percentage battle, dropping Bridges isn’t a crazy idea. He’ll break out of the funk at some point, but the fact remains he’s going to likely be the fifth offensive option in New York the rest of the way.
Gordon is playing for the Nuggets again after a hamstring injury but Peyton Watson (hamstring) should be back any day now. That’s going to leave the Nuggets crowded up front with Gordon, Watson and Spencer Jones all needing minutes, not to mention Christian Braun, Bruce Brown and Tim Hardaway Jr. And the only thing the Nuggets should really care about is having Gordon healthy for the playoffs.
Gordon is struggling over his last five games, averaging just 13 points and 5.4 rebounds on 42% shooting. Meanwhile, Watson was playing at a pretty high level when he went down with his injury. I expect Gordon and Watson to be in a timeshare, at best, over the final few weeks of the season and I can envision Gordon’s minutes being monitored closely in hopes of having him 100% for the start of the playoffs.
Gordon is more important to the Nuggets than he is to your fantasy team and it makes sense for managers to look for a potential “silly-season” hero with upside for their playoff run. I would drop Gordon to pick up Jenkins, for example.
Upon her return to Los Angeles, the Your Friends and Neighbors star—who shares kids Frances, 19, Molly, 15, and Henry, 11, with husband David Benioff—learned that her illness was thankfully “hormone-receptor-positive” and “HER2-negative,” giving her a brief moment of feeling “happier than I’d been pre-diagnosis.” Her MRI later revealed a second mass in the same breast, which was eventually determined to be benign and would not require chemotherapy or a double mastectomy.
Amanda concluded her essay by describing her bittersweet farewell with her mom—who battled Parkinson’s disease—offering comfort in her final moments.
“The morphine was taking forever to kick in, and she was looking at the ceiling and whimpering, so I climbed onto her rented hospital bed to get in her line of vision,” Amanda recalled. “We locked eyes and she quieted down, and then she and I continued to stare at each other for what felt like several minutes.”
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Sixteen games are in the books. That’s a wrap for the first half of the first round of the 2026 women’s NCAA tournament.
We tracked every game Friday, from blowouts to big performances, including Olivia Miles‘ triple-double for TCU, Oklahoma freshman Aaliyah Chavez‘s NCAA tournament debut (no turnovers in 31 minutes) and Tennessee‘s historic end to its season.
There was also a whole lot of chalk as the better seed went 16-0 on Friday.
Here is ESPN’s guide to all the Day 1 results, with analysis from reporters of how each game was won, and our experts’ takes on each winner’s chances to advance to the Sweet 16.
How NC State won: In the opening half, NC State set the pace. The Wolfpack led by 15 with less than five minutes left in the first quarter. The Lady Vols couldn’t keep up and shot 33% from the field and 19% on 3-pointers for the game.
Trailing 40-29 at halftime, Tennessee hit back-to-back 3s and tried to swing momentum, but NC State maintained consistency in the paint. Before the fourth quarter, Wolfpack forward Khamil Pierre recorded her 22nd double-double this season — the most by an NC State player since Khadijah Whittington in 2007-08. When NC State guard Zoe Brooks exited the game midway in the third quarter with a right leg injury, the Wolfpack relied on Zamareya Jones, who had a career-high 30 points.
Tennessee ends the season on an eight-game losing streak (its last win was Feb. 12) — and it’s the first time since the NCAA tournament started in 1982 that the Lady Vols went winless in the month of March.
NC State’s second-round opponent: Michigan
How the Wolfpack can advance to the Sweet 16: With the uncertainty around Brooks’ injury, the Wolfpack will have to lean on each other to push through the next round. Players like Jones need to create bigger opportunities in the paint. Tennessee was able to limit NC State’s offense when keeping the Wolfpack out of transition, so the Wolfpack have to find a way to get to the basket. — Charlotte Gibson
play
1:19
Tennessee Lady Volunteers vs. NC State Wolfpack: Game Highlights
Tennessee Lady Volunteers vs. NC State Wolfpack: Game Highlights
How Texas won: Everyone got a chance to play for the Longhorns, who shot 50% from the field (34-of-68) and 81% from the foul line (17-of-21). Sophomore guard Jordan Lee led Texas in scoring with 19 points, and junior forward Madison Booker had 14 points and 12 rebounds. Texas outrebounded Missouri State 49-27 and scored 28 points off the Lady Bears’ 19 turnovers.
Despite the NCAA tournament exit, this postseason was still a big success for Missouri State. The Lady Bears won the Conference USA tournament as a No. 6 seed in their first season in the league, upsetting top-seeded Louisiana Tech in the final. Then they beat Stephen F. Austin 85-75 in their First Four game. Missouri State finishes the season 23-13.
Texas’ second-round opponent: Oregon
How the Longhorns can advance to the Sweet 16: The Longhorns, who have made it to at least the Elite Eight four of the past five years, face No. 8 seed Oregon in the second round. The Ducks beat Virginia Tech 70-60 in the first round. You can be sure Texas coach Vic Schaefer is focusing on a defensive game plan to limit Oregon standout guard Katie Fiso, who had 22 points on 9-of-12 shooting against the Hokies. — Michael Voepel
How Oregon won: In the rare 8-9 seed mismatch, Oregon cruised over Virginia Tech in a game that was not as close as the final score suggests. The Ducks led by as many as 21 points in the fourth quarter. Katie Fiso, one of only nine players this season to average more than 15 points and five assists, almost hit that mark against the Hokies with 22 points and four assists.
In their first NCAA tournament game under Megan Duffy, the Hokies never looked comfortable and Oregon settled in quickly. After the Ducks grabbed an 11-9 lead midway through the first quarter, they played in front the rest of the way. A Virginia Tech spurt near the end of the second quarter was quickly washed away when Oregon went on an 18-0 run in the third quarter to effectively end the game. Fiso and Ehis Etute combined for 10 of those points. Etute had 11 points and 11 rebounds, and Mia Jacobs had 13 points, making 3 of 4 3-pointers.
Oregon’s second-round opponent: Texas
How the Ducks can advance to the Sweet 16: The Ducks, who beat Maryland in the second round of the Big Ten tournament, have now won three of their past four games, their best streak since winning four in a row in late January. When Oregon beat Maryland in Indianapolis, Michigan was up next — and the Wolverines handed the Ducks a 22-point loss. Oregon’s likely next opponent, Texas, offers an even bigger challenge.
This was also the 23rd win of the season for the Ducks, making this their most successful campaign since Sabrina Ionescu’s senior year in 2020, when the NCAA tournament was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. — Charlie Creme
play
1:18
Virginia Tech Hokies vs. Oregon Ducks: Game Highlights
Virginia Tech Hokies vs. Oregon Ducks: Game Highlights
How Michigan won: With an 8-0 run in the first two minutes of the first quarter, Michigan established the pacing of the game. Holding Holy Cross to a season-low six points in the first period, Michigan created opportunities in the paint, shooting 9-of-13 within the first quarter. The momentum continued in the second half, with nine different players scoring in the paint. Michigan’s transition defense and ability to hit tough shots also drove the rout.
The Wolverines’ success came down to sophomore Mila Holloway, who scored or assisted on 34 points, which is tied for the third most in a tournament game by a Michigan player over the past six tournaments.
Michigan’s second-round opponent: NC State
How the Wolverines can advance to the Sweet 16: Consistency over the next couple of games will be key for Michigan. The best part about this team is its strength in numbers. Holloway led the charge Friday, but fellow sophomores Olivia Olson and Syla Swords are the team’s top two scorers this season. Look for them to keep contributing with big numbers. — Charlotte Gibson
SACRAMENTO 4
How TCU won: Like most of the season, Olivia Miles fueled TCU’s win over UC San Diego. She was short of her 19.6 PPG average, but Miles still dominated and registered a triple-double with 12 points, 16 rebounds and 14 assists. She becomes the third player to record multiple triple-doubles in NCAA tournament play, joining Oregon’s Sabrina Ionescu and Stanford’s Nicole Powell. The Horned Frogs shot 14-of-20 for 36 points off Miles’ passes, the most points produced by one player’s passes in an NCAA tournament game since 2021.
TCU jumped out to a 15-4 early lead and was never threatened by the Tritons, who shot just 23.0% from the field.
With Miles doing most of the setting up, three other Horned Frogs finished in double figures, led by senior Taylor Bigby‘s 27 points on 7-of-9 3-point shooting. Clara Silva had 13 points and Marta Suarez had 11, all in the first half.
TCU’s second-round opponent: Washington
How the Horned Frogs can advance to the Sweet 16: The Horned Frogs scored just 53 points in the Big 12 tournament championship game against West Virginia. TCU scored 48 in the first half against UC San Diego, erasing the memory of their second-lowest offensive output of the season. The Tritons are certainly not the Mountaineers, but an offensive game like this helps restore TCU’s confidence. The pick-and-roll offense looked sharp again with the Horned Frogs registering 23 assists on their 32 field goals. The 13 3-pointers on 26 attempts were also the most for TCU since early December. Having that shooting stroke against either Georgia or South Dakota State in the second round will be important. — Charlie Creme
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UC San Diego Tritons vs. TCU Horned Frogs: Game Highlights
UC San Diego Tritons vs. TCU Horned Frogs: Game Highlights
How Oklahoma won: Oklahoma overwhelmed Idaho in nearly every aspect of the game — the Sooners’ sixth 30-point NCAA tournament win in program history — but none was more significant than the Sooners’ presence in the post. Led by Wooden Award finalist Raegan Beers, OU outscored Idaho 38-14 in the paint. Beers scored 18 points along with 10 rebounds and four blocks. Forward Sahara Williams also added 10 rebounds with 17 points. Williams and Beers are the first OU duo to each have at least 15 points and 10 rebounds in a tournament game since 1999-2000, according to ESPN Research. Oklahoma shot 76% in the paint, its highest mark in an NCAA tournament game over the past six seasons.
Meanwhile, freshman point guard Aaliyah Chavez finished with 15 points, six rebounds and five assists to become the first Oklahoma player with at least 15 points, five rebounds and five assists in an NCAA tournament game since Peyton Little in 2017. — Brooke Pryor
Oklahoma’s second-round opponent: Michigan State
How the Sooners can advance to the Sweet 16: Keep doing what they’re doing. Oklahoma was effective in the frontcourt and backcourt, shot 51% from the field and had four players in double-digit scoring. As impressive as Beers and Williams were, it’s perhaps most notable that Chavez — making her NCAA tournament debut — had zero turnovers in 31 minutes. — ESPN
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Idaho Vandals vs. Oklahoma Sooners: Game Highlights
Idaho Vandals vs. Oklahoma Sooners: Game Highlights
How Michigan State won: Even playing without its leading scorer, Colorado State nearly pulled off the upset as Rams guard Brooke Carlson poured in a career-high 26 points, including 13 in the fourth quarter. But thanks to a second-half surge by Grace VanSlooten and Kennedy Blair, MSU’s 12-2 edge in second-chance points and an improved shooting performance from outside the paint, the Spartans managed to survive the resilient Rams.
Though Michigan State, which was an 18.5-point favorite entering the game, was uncharacteristically cold from beyond the arc (4-of-21), VanSlooten dominated inside with 18 points and 10 rebounds, becoming only the seventh Division I player this century to record a double-double in each of their first three NCAA tournament games, per ESPN Research. Blair, meanwhile, racked up three blocks and 18 points, including 12 in the second half. — Brooke Pryor
Michigan State’s second-round opponent: Oklahoma
How the Spartans can advance to the Sweet 16: If Michigan State meets No. 4 seed Oklahoma in the second round, the Spartans will have to deal with the home crowd and one of the best point guards in the game in freshman Aaliyah Chavez — not to mention one of the most dominant centers in Raegan Beers. The Spartans need to knock down some 3-pointers to help stretch the floor and open the court up for VanSlooten down low. Michigan State’s guard-heavy lineup has been here before and is more experienced, which could be an X factor against Chavez. — ESPN
How Washington won: After falling behind by 10 points in the first five minutes, the Huskies found their rhythm and never looked back. They led by as much as 24 points in the fourth quarter.
Washington sophomore guard Avery Howell became the fifth player in program history to score 30 points in an NCAA tournament game. Finishing with 30 points (hitting seven 3-pointers) and nine assists, Howell was one assist shy of recording her eighth double-double of the season. She’s the first Washington player with 30 points and no turnovers in a game since Kelsey Plum in 2016.
The Huskies’ turnaround was historic; their 14-point halftime lead was their biggest in an NCAA tournament game since 2001. They outscored the Jackrabbits 35-8 over the final 15 minutes of the first half as their defense fueled their offense. South Dakota State’s Brooklyn Meyer finished with 29 points and seven rebounds, and Emilee Fox — the nation’s top 3-pointer shooter — knocked down four 3s, but Washington kept everyone else quiet.
Washington’s second-round opponent: TCU
How the Huskies can advance to the Sweet 16: This was Washington’s first tournament win since 2017, the year the Huskies made it to the Sweet 16 behind Plum’s 30 points per game. Washington will face No. 3 seed TCU — and triple-double threat Olivia Miles — in the second round. The Huskies cannot fall into an early hole like they did against South Dakota State. Washington must make sure its defense is clicking early. — Kendra Andrews
SACRAMENTO 2
How LSU won: Everything went the Tigers’ way. LSU, which has the best scoring offense in the nation, recorded its 15th 100-point game of the season, tying a Division I record. It was the Tigers’ third-highest-scoring game this season.
Mikaylah Williams led the Tigers in points with 18, but her playmaking was just as important. She finished the game with a career-high 10 assists, the first Tiger to do that in the NCAA tournament since 2005. Her teammates scored 21 points off her passes. Flau’jae Johnson added 20 points, and seven Tigers finished with double-digit scoring, which ties an NCAA record in a tournament game.
LSU scored 66 points in the paint and outrebounded Jacksonville 45-22.
LSU’s second-round opponent: Texas Tech
How the Tigers can advance to the Sweet 16: The Tigers have made it to the Elite Eight the past two seasons, and all the way to the title game — which they won — in 2023 as a No. 3 seed. As strong as their offense was against Jacksonville, LSU coach Kim Mulkey said she wanted their defense to improve after the first half (the Dolphins had 36 points at the break). Tightening up that defense going forward is a must if LSU wants to continue to grow each round. — Kendra Andrews
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Mikaylah Williams beams after 58-point NCAA Tournament win for LSU
Williams discusses what the Tigers are focused on during the first weekend of the tournament while shouting out Flau’jae Johnson for drawing up a play for her to reach a double-double.
How Texas Tech won: Texas Tech took control midway through the fourth quarter and then had to hold off Villanova to win its first NCAA tournament game since 2005. Villanova did not get its first field goal of the final quarter until nearly six minutes had gone by, and at that point, Texas Tech had built a seven-point lead. The Lady Raiders needed that cushion to win, as Villanova had a chance to tie the score with eight seconds left, but Denae Carter missed a 3-pointer. Lady Raiders leading scorer Bailey Maupin struggled from the floor — going 4-of-13 — but she scored 15 second-half points to finish with 17. That includes going 7-of-7 from the free throw line. Villanova benefited from its aggressive defense but simply lacked the offense to keep up. The Wildcats had zero bench points for the first time since 2022.
Texas Tech’s second-round opponent: LSU
How the Lady Raiders can advance to the Sweet 16: There is no doubt LSU will provide a different challenge, but having played a defense as tough as Villanova on Friday should serve the Lady Raiders well. They cannot afford to get off to a slow start, though, because LSU has the type of offense to put the game out of reach early. The Lady Raiders will have to limit their turnovers — 20 against Villanova is simply not going to get the job done if they are going to have any chance at pulling the upset on LSU. — Andrea Adelson
How Minnesota won: Green Bay gave Minnesota a scare through three quarters, but the Gophers finally found themselves. The Phoenix led 49-45 heading into the final quarter but then were outscored 30-8 the rest of the way. The No. 13 seed has won seven times in previous first-round games, but in front of a big crowd at home, Minnesota didn’t let that happen Friday.
Senior guard Amaya Battle led the Gophers with 21 points and eight rebounds, while Sophie Hart had 19 and six, shooting 8-of-13 from the field.
Maddy Skorupski had 19 points and six rebounds to lead Horizon League champion Green Bay, which finished 25-9.
Minnesota’s second-round opponent: Ole Miss
How the Gophers can advance to the Sweet 16: The Gophers can’t afford another slow start in the second round, because No. 5 seed Ole Miss will make them pay. The Rebels defeated Gonzaga 81-66 in the first round of the Sacramento 2 Regional; Ole Miss had 40 points in the paint, plus scored 23 points off turnovers. The Gophers will have their hands full with Ole Miss, which made it to the SEC tournament semifinals. — Michael Voepel
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Green Bay Phoenix vs. Minnesota Golden Gophers: Game Highlights
Green Bay Phoenix vs. Minnesota Golden Gophers: Game Highlights
How Duke won: Duke set the tone early by making it difficult for Charleston to get into any rhythm offensively. The Cougars shot just 19% in the first half and trailed 45-26. But in the second half, Charleston outscored Duke 38-36. At one point, Duke coach Kara Lawson tossed her dry erase board in frustration because the Blue Devils weren’t playing with the precision she knows they will need for the rest of the tournament.
That said, a lot of credit should go to Charleston junior guard Taryn Barbot, the Coastal Athletic Association Player of the Year. She had 36 points, her fourth 30-plus game this season and 10th of her career. It’s the most points the Blue Devils have allowed to any player this season — and they have played a difficult schedule.
Ultimately, the ACC champion Blue Devils had too much offense of their own, led by sophomore forward Toby Fournier‘s 24 points on 11-of-18 shooting. Delaney Thomas had 19 points and Jordan Wood came off the bench for 17.
Duke’s second-round opponent: Baylor
How the Blue Devils can advance to the Sweet 16: The Blue Devils have had one of the best defenses in the country, and that showed more in the first half Friday than the second. That’s something Duke needs to be more consistent about in the second round. The Blue Devils moved the ball well with 25 assists, but part of Lawson’s irritation was turnovers, as Duke had 20. The Blue Devils won the rebounding battle 47-39, but Lawson wants more dominance in that category as well. — Michael Voepel
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Charleston Cougars vs. Duke Blue Devils: Game Highlights
Charleston Cougars vs. Duke Blue Devils: Game Highlights
How Ole Miss won: Defense fueled the Rebels. Gonzaga scored a season-low 37 points entering the fourth quarter, marking the 12th time this season Ole Miss has held an opponent to fewer than 40 points through the first three periods. The Rebels also thrived in the paint, outscoring Gonzaga 38-20 down low heading into the fourth. Four players finished in double-figure scoring, led by Latasha Lattimore with 15 points. Cotie McMahon added 13, and Sira Thienou scored 12 points while also blocking four shots.
Ole Miss’ second-round opponent: Minnesota
How the Rebels can advance to the Sweet 16:
Ole Miss will have to go through either No. 4 seed Minnesota or No. 13 seed Green Bay to make it back to the Sweet 16. The Rebels reached the regional semifinals a year ago, but this group is entirely different from last season’s team. The Rebels brought in eight new players this season but figured out how to make the transition as seamless as possible. One thing to watch for: Though Ole Miss dominated Gonzaga early, the Bulldogs put together a 17-0 run in the fourth quarter to cut into the Rebels’ 30-point lead. The Rebels need to keep their foot on the gas. — Kendra Andrews
How Baylor won: Baylor won the first and fourth quarters; Nebraska won the second and third. But ultimately, the Bears’ 26-15 fourth-quarter edge over the Huskers decided the game. Taliah Scott, Baylor’s leading scorer who entered the game averaging 20 PPG, was 3-of-12 from the field, including 0-of-8 from 3-point range. But she made 9 of 12 free throws and finished with 15 points. Darianna Littlepage-Buggs had 13 points and 11 rebounds.
A flagrant foul by Nebraska’s Jessica Petrie with 3:48 left — initially unobserved by the officials but then confirmed after a challenge from Baylor coach Nicki Collen — proved crucial. The score was tied 53-53, but Scott hit two throws after the flagrant, putting Baylor up for good. Petrie then fouled out with 3:21 left with 10 points.
Huskers sophomore guard Britt Prince led all scorers with 27 points, but it wasn’t enough for Nebraska, which ended the season 19-13.
Baylor’s second-round opponent: Duke
How the Bears can advance to the Sweet 16: The Bears will have to beat the No. 3 seed Blue Devils on their home court. Duke lost just once at Cameron Indoor Stadium this season: Dec. 4 to LSU. But the Bears have a win over the Blue Devils already this season: 58-52 in the opener on Nov. 3 in Paris. Expect these teams’ NCAA second-round game to be a similar defensive battle. Last year, Duke made the Elite Eight, while Baylor lost in the second round to Ole Miss. — Michael Voepel
FORT WORTH 1
How North Carolina won: The Tar Heels made just 10 of their 40 3-point attempts, but that was more than enough considering Western Illinois made two 3-pointers. Overall, the Leathernecks hit just 17 of 56 shots (30%) and were outrebounded 47-32. Ohio Valley Player of the Year Mia Nicastro had 21 points and nine rebounds for Western Illinois, which finished the season 26-6.
Nyla Harris led North Carolina with 17 points and 12 rebounds, and Lanie Grant had 15 points.
North Carolina’s second-round opponent: Maryland
How the Tar Heels can advance to the Sweet 16: The Tar Heels face former ACC rival Maryland in the second round, which could be a very competitive game. The Terps beat Murray State 99-67 in the opening round and outrebounded the Racers 51-21. North Carolina will need to try to limit Maryland on the boards and also keep the Terps off the line as much as possible. Maryland made 19 of 22 free throws vs. Murray State. — Michael Voepel
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Western Illinois Leathernecks vs. North Carolina Tar Heels: Game Highlights
Western Illinois Leathernecks vs. North Carolina Tar Heels: Game Highlights
How Maryland won: Brenda Frese has lost in the first round only once in her 21 NCAA tournament appearances as head coach at Maryland. And the only game this season in which the Terrapins scored more points was a double-overtime win over Minnesota.
The Terps made the most of their big size advantage over the Racers. They dominated on the glass 51-21 and turned that into extra offense with 52 points in the paint as well as 33 second-chance points (Murray State had five). Those 33 second-chance points were the most for Maryland in 10 years.
Two different Terps had season highs: Freshman Kyndal Walker came off the bench for 20 points, and senior Mir McLean scored 19. McLean also led the way with 14 rebounds.
Maryland’s second-round opponent: North Carolina
How the Terps can advance to the Sweet 16: That one first-round loss came in 2023. Otherwise, Maryland has reached the Sweet 16 in every NCAA tournament dating to 2021. Frese has a successful history in the second round, too. The production from McLean and Walker is a good sign. So much had fallen on leading scorer Oluchi Okananwa and Isimenme Ozzy-Momodu in other games, but the help wasn’t there. That was largely to blame for Maryland losing two games prior to the NCAA tournament — which cost the Terps the ability to host games this weekend. That duo combined for just 13 points on Friday, yet the Terps still won comfortably. — Charlie Creme
