With less than 45 days until the Final Four, men’s college basketball fans were given a preview of potential national semifinal matchups in Indianapolis.

The top four teams in the latest AP poll headlined a loaded Saturday slate, with No. 3 Duke taking down No. 1 Michigan, and No. 4 Arizona taking down No. 2 Houston. It was the first time the Nos. 1 and 2 teams lost on the same day since Feb. 8, 2025.

What did the results teach us about each contender? And how should all four be ranked coming out of the day? ESPN’s Jeff Borzello and Myron Medcalf break it down.

How would you rank Michigan, Houston, Duke and Arizona after Saturday’s results?

Jeff Borzello

1. Duke: Can I really put any other team at the top? Duke just beat Michigan on a neutral court, and proved it doesn’t need the most explosive offense in the country to beat an elite team. The Blue Devils have just two losses all season: by one to Texas Tech in a game they led by 17, and by three to North Carolina in a game they led by 13. Saturday showed they can close against a high-level opponent.

2. Arizona: Tommy Lloyd’s team has an incredible set of wins, adding the victory at Houston to a group that already included victories at UConn, over Florida in Las Vegas and over Alabama in Tuscaloosa. It was one of the more gritty, tough-minded wins we’ve seen from any team all season. No Koa Peat, no Dwayne Aristode and a less-than-100% Brayden Burries with Motiejus Krivas and Tobe Awaka in foul trouble. That they were able to get a win shows this team has a certain level of toughness past Arizona teams haven’t quite possessed.

3. Michigan: The Wolverines are still arguably the favorites to win the national championship, despite the loss. The fact they were right in the game in the final minute despite getting dominated in the paint and missing a dozen open 3s is evidence of their ability. But they were certainly knocked off their pedestal, and questions will be raised about where they go for offense late in games.

4. Houston: A two-loss week for the Cougars. What most concerns me after this stretch is how dependent they are on their defense forcing turnovers. When they can’t get easy points or put teams on the backfoot, they rely so heavily on the shotmaking of their guards. Their guards are elite, so it’s not necessarily a dealbreaker, but it’s worth monitoring. Iowa State and Arizona combined to turn the ball over just eight times against Houston, and allowed a combined three points off turnovers; the Cougars entered the week forcing nearly 15 turnovers per game and scoring 19 points off turnovers.

Myron Medcalf

1. Duke: The Blue Devils made the plays they had to make down the stretch of a close, incredible game — one that could set the stage for a rematch in March. They proved that they’re the best team in America right now. They are also led by the best player in the country with Cameron Boozer. Hard to make a case for anything but the top spot for them.

2. Michigan: The Wolverines stayed close throughout the loss to Duke until the 3s stopped falling and they couldn’t outduel the Blue Devils in those precious final minutes.

3. Arizona: Even though they were shorthanded without Koa Peat, the Wildcats were the better team against Houston. Jaden Bradley made big plays down the stretch that helped the Wildcats overcome another outing with limited impact from the 3-point line. But what really stood out was a defensive effort that fueled Houston’s drought of 10-plus minutes without a field goal in the second half.

4. Houston: The Cougars squandered two opportunities this week to prove that they belong with the other national title contenders on this list — if Iowa State was here, I’d put Houston after the Cyclones. The Cougars were up by double digits against Iowa State but fell apart in the final minutes. They also couldn’t find a shot for most of the second half in the loss to Arizona, ruining their second opportunity to make a strong case for a spot on the top line come Selection Sunday.

What we learned from Saturday’s results

What we learned about Duke

Duke is as good as any team in college basketball. While its record and ranking already reflected that, it hadn’t really yet been considered among the top of the national championship contenders this season. Michigan, Arizona, UConn (at times) and Houston (more recently) have all been in that conversation. Now, Duke is too, placing the Blue Devils squarely in the mix to earn the No. 1 overall seed on Selection Sunday.

If there was any doubt, Duke’s Cameron Boozer is the clear National Player of the Year favorite. Michigan senior Yaxel Lendeborg outscored the freshman in the first half, but Boozer put Duke’s offense on his back when it mattered. Boozer finished with 18 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists, and he scored seven straight Duke points in the final minutes to give the Blue Devils the edge.

Saturday’s outing was about more than Boozer, though. Blue Devils guard Caleb Foster hit some big shots from the perimeter and took care of the ball. Patrick Ngongba II made an impact at both ends. Nikolas Khamenia gave Duke some really good minutes off the bench. Isaiah Evans didn’t shoot well, but the confidence he has on the offensive end didn’t waver.

Duke’s offense isn’t as explosive as that of other contenders. But when the defense plays like it did on Saturday, the Blue Devils don’t need to score 80 or 90 points. That’s what could separate them come March. — Borzello

What we learned about Michigan

Essentially all the ingredients that have made Michigan the most dominant team in college basketball this season — all the things that allowed the Wolverines to have a comfortable win at Purdue earlier this week — weren’t there on Saturday.

The biggest eyebrow raiser came up front. Michigan’s frontcourt has been unparalleled, with coach Dusty May relying on jumbo lineups to bully and overpower teams. On Saturday, the Wolverines struggled against an opposing frontcourt for maybe the first time all season. They entered the game averaging 41 paint points per game and had an average rebound margin of nearly 10 boards. Duke outscored the Wolverines 34-24 in the paint and outrebounded them 41-28. It was the first time this season Michigan was outrebounded by double digits.

Michigan might have been able to overcome its lack of production on the interior had it shot the way it did against the Boilermakers, against whom it went 13-for-23 from 3. But the Wolverines were just 6-for-25 from beyond the arc versus Duke, making only one 3-pointer from the 9:40 mark of the first half until the 3:50 left in the second. Elliot Cadeau, Trey McKenney, Nimari Burnett and L.J. Cason combined to hit two treys.

It’s not a loss that will truly impact their perception as the favorites to win the national championship — on another day, those open 3s fall, Aday Mara doesn’t get in foul trouble and so on — but what looked like a waltz to a national title has hit a bump in the road. — Borzello

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Arizona Wildcats vs. Houston Cougars: Game Highlights

Arizona Wildcats vs. Houston Cougars: Game Highlights

What we learned about Arizona

The Wildcats can still beat any team in America, and they proved as much in one of college basketball’s most hostile environments against one of its best teams.

Arizona had been nearly flawless until last week, suffering its first losses of the season at Kansas and then to Texas Tech. Despite that two-game slide, the Wildcats have been one of the nation’s most consistent contenders for four months. More importantly, they have excelled in the crucial moments that define a season, and proved that once again Saturday.

Arizona’s defense was excellent after halftime, when Houston struggled to score. The Cougars didn’t score for nearly eight minutes in the second half, their longest scoring drought of the season. Jaden Bradley made big shots down the stretch and finished with 17 points. Anthony Dell’Orso had 22 off the bench, and Ivan Kharchenkov added 16 points. The Wildcats shot 25% from beyond the arc Saturday and failed to extend the lead by more than 10 points. — Medcalf

What we learned about Houston

This was the type of battle Kelvin Sampson’s Houston teams seemed to enjoy, but the Cougars once again suffered a scoring drought that they couldn’t overcome.

Houston went scoreless for nearly eight minutes in the second half against Arizona. And though the Wildcats’ defense played a significant role in that drought, the Cougars can’t expect to cut down the nets in April if they can’t get a much-needed bucket. They were also outscored 21-9 in the last 11 minutes of their 70-67 loss at Iowa State on Monday.

Do they have the offensive output to trade punches with the best teams in America? The NCAA tournament is decided by playmakers and stars, and the Cougars have them, but their inability to overcome a pair of ugly stretches in back-to-back games is concerning. This week’s losses suggest that unless star freshman Kingston Flemings can create shots in clutch moments, they might be vulnerable to more droughts at the most critical juncture of the season. — Medcalf

The 2026 Winter Olympic men’s hockey tournament has ended with Team USA players wearing gold medals around their necks.

That means it’s time to start thinking about who will represent the United States at the 2030 tournament in the French Alps — keeping in mind that the NHL and the NHLPA agreed to send players to those Games in their collective bargaining agreement.

Predictably, many of the players who battled Canada in the gold medal game Sunday will be back for more in France. But due to the age of some players and the maturation of the next wave of American stars, there will be roster turnover.

We’ve organized the candidates for the 2030 U.S. men’s Olympic hockey team into several tiers and included how old they’ll be when that tournament plays out. Who makes the cut for the next shot at Olympic glory?

The locks

Jack Eichel, C, Vegas Golden Knights (33)
Jack Hughes, F, New Jersey Devils (28)
Quinn Hughes, D, Minnesota Wild (30)
Dylan Larkin, C, Detroit Red Wings (33)
Auston Matthews, C, Toronto Maple Leafs (32)
Charlie McAvoy, D, Boston Bruins (32)
Tage Thompson, F, Buffalo Sabres (32)
Brady Tkachuk, F, Ottawa Senators (30)
Matthew Tkachuk, F, Florida Panthers (32)
Zach Werenski, D, Columbus Blue Jackets (32)

If there’s a core group for Team USA, these are the players who encompass it. This group includes the first six players named to the 2026 roster as well as some of the players who were integral in the Olympic tournament.

Eichel and the Tkachuks played on the same line for coach Mike Sullivan. Matthews was the team captain, and it’s hard to imagine Team USA without him provided he’s still scoring goals at his current clip in the NHL. Quinn Hughes was Team USA’s best all-around defenseman, and Werenski was in the conversation, too. McAvoy was usually second to Hughes in average ice time during the tournament.

That fact that Jack Hughes’ status was never in question for the 2026 team is a testament to how much Team USA values his singular talents. He battled through injuries in the NHL regular season. He looked lost as a winger at 4 Nations. But he rewarded that faith but being one of the team’s most productive offensive forces in Milan, looking more like Patrick Kane 2.0 than a center flailing on the wing. And of course, scoring the golden goal to win the tournament helps.

Jack Hughes started on the fourth line but played his way up to skate with Larkin. The Red Wings center followed up his outstanding 4 Nations tournament with an Olympic run filled with huge moments. Eichel, Matthews and Larkin gave the Americans some of their best center depth ever on a national team, and they could run the trio back in 2030.

Thompson was potentially the only player whose “lock” status I had a question about. Unlike everyone else here, Thompson wasn’t named to the 4 Nations roster. He used that snub as motivation to stake a claim on an Olympic spot, and his worthiness became undeniable: From the end of 4 Nations to the beginning of the Olympics, only Nathan MacKinnon (51) scored more goals than the Sabres star (48). His play in the 2026 Games only bolstered his case.

BLINK AND YOU’LL MISS IT.

Tage Thompson extends the USA’s lead. pic.twitter.com/6CQUSRxdYA

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) February 20, 2026

Strong candidates from 2026

Matt Boldy, F, Minnesota Wild (31)
Brock Faber, D, Minnesota Wild (27)
Jackson LaCombe, D, Anaheim Ducks (29)
Jake Oettinger, G, Dallas Stars (31)
Jake Sanderson, D, Ottawa Senators (27)

Boldy was a borderline lock based on his play at 4 Nations and in the 2026 Games. He was one of the leading shooters on Team USA, and wasn’t afraid to go to the tough parts of the ice to generate those shots. He’s seventh in points among American-born player over the last two seasons (135 in 136 games) and figures to be a part of Team USA going forward.

Faber and Sanderson played regularly on the American blue line at the Olympics. Faber took his place next to Jaccob Slavin, as he did at 4 Nations. That’s the tournament where Sanderson replaced an injured Quinn Hughes and ended up scoring in their championship game loss to Canada.

LaCombe was added to the roster as an injury replacement for Seth Jones and didn’t see the ice during the tournament. That’s less about his abilities than it is about the Americans having the best depth in the tournament on the blue line. LaCombe has just scratched the surface of his talents in the NHL. His selection, and this experience in Italy, felt very much designed for LaCombe to have a role in 2030.

There’s little reason to believe that Oettinger won’t still be one of the NHL’s best goaltenders four years from now, which is one reason he’ll be strongly considered for the 2030 roster. It was curious that he didn’t see the ice in group play but was the backup during the medal round.

Question marks from 2026

Kyle Connor, F, Winnipeg Jets (33)
Noah Hanifin, D, Vegas Golden Knights (32)
Clayton Keller, F, Utah Mammoth (31)
Jeremy Swayman, G, Boston Bruins (31)

Only two American-born players have scored more goals than Connor (100) over the past three seasons. That earned him a healthy scratch for the 4 Nations championship game, and then a series of scratches in the Olympics as a spare forward. Who knows, maybe he’ll be a scratch in 2030, too?

Keller was used sparingly during these Olympics, and he played as a reserve in the medal round. He does a lot of good things, but ultimately does he do them better than other 2030 candidates?

Given his age in 2030 and his usage at the Milan Games, Hanifin is anything but a lock, but he has fans in Team USA management and didn’t do anything in Milan to shake their faith in admittedly limited ice time.

Swayman was a given a shot in group play against Denmark … and gave up a shot from center ice, which led to Oettinger becoming the backup in the elimination round. He’s still young enough to grab an Olympic spot — and certainly has experience on that stage that others won’t — but the U.S. goaltending pool is deep.

Noah sneakin’ one over 👀 #WinterOlympics pic.twitter.com/eoUfcgSlWD

— USA Hockey (@usahockey) February 14, 2026

If age is just a number

Connor Hellebuyck, G, Winnipeg Jets (36)
Jake Guentzel, F, Tampa Bay Lightning (35)
Seth Jones, D, Florida Panthers (35)
J.T. Miller, F, New York Rangers (36)
Brock Nelson, F, Colorado Avalanche (38)
Jaccob Slavin, D, Carolina Hurricanes (35)
Vincent Trocheck, F, New York Rangers (36)

At 32, Hellebuyck was older than the previous three Team USA starters in best-on-best Olympic tournaments: Jonathan Quick (28), Ryan Miller (29) and Rick DiPietro (24). Which is to say that he would be significantly older than the typical U.S. starter at the 2030 Games. But given how Hellebuyck has played for Team USA at 4 Nations and then in Milan, where he had a tournament-leading .947 save percentage heading into the gold medal game, the Jets netminder could certainly be in the mix again.

Defensive defensemen have a pretty long shelf life, so it’s hard to imagine Slavin won’t still be a foundational player for the Americans four years from now. Jones was named to the initial roster and unable to play due to injury. There might be better options by the time 2030 rolls around, but that can’t be ignored.

Guentzel is only here because he’s a few years older than the majority of the other forwards who could return from the 2026 team. He’s seventh in points among American players over the past three seasons (217 in 202) and should keep collecting them as a member of the potent Tampa Bay offense. Provided there’s no erosion in his game, Guentzel should be right back in the mix.

Nelson, Miller and Trocheck were USA GM Bill Guerin’s blue-collar veteran grunts down the lineup to balance out the pure skill guys. The Rangers forwards were vital on the penalty kill for the Americans. Nelson had a great scoring impact during group play until Jack Hughes was moved off his line. But given his age, Nelson is probably closer to retirement than a spot on the 2030 roster.

Everything coming up BROCK. NELSON. #WinterOlympics pic.twitter.com/yy7xGkXiR0

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) February 12, 2026

The 2026 snubs

Cole Caufield, F, Montreal Canadiens (29)
Alex DeBrincat, F, Ottawa Senators (32)
Adam Fox, D, New York Rangers (32)
Lane Hutson, D, Montreal Canadiens (26)
Jason Robertson, F, Dallas Stars (30)
Alex Tuch, F, Buffalo Sabres (33)

Fox was one of the few players from the 4 Nations roster that wasn’t invited back for the Olympics after being on the ice for McDavid’s OT winner. He had 28 points in 30 games this NHL season, playing fantastic hockey in a campaign truncated by injury. Could the former Norris Trophy winner restate his case over the next four years?

Neither Caufield nor Hutson were invited to USA Olympic orientation camp, after opting not to play in the 2025 IIHF world championships. Caufield is one of the most dynamic scoring wingers in the NHL, but his lack of size might have worked against him. Hutson, last season’s NHL rookie of the year, is one of the highest-scoring defensemen in the league, but he was seen as a redundancy based on the puck-moving defensemen already on the Olympic roster.

Along with Caufield, Robertson was considered the most egregious offensive snub for Team USA. He was third among all American-born scorers in points over the past three seasons (226). DeBrincat was 11th in that span (194 points), but like Caufield didn’t have the size Team USA was looking for on the wing.

Tuch has the size, the scoring and the tenacity that the Americans wanted up front. But he’ll have a few more miles on his frame come 2030.

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Jason Robertson nets go-ahead goal with 1 minute to go

Jason Robertson scores goal with 1 minute to go to give Dallas the lead.

The orientation class

Logan Cooley, F, Utah Mammoth (25)
Luke Hughes, D, New Jersey Devils (26)
Matthew Knies, F, Toronto Maple Leafs (27)
Frank Nazar, F, Chicago Blackhawks (26)
Shane Pinto, C, Ottawa Senators (29)
Alex Vlasic, D, Chicago Blackhawks (28)

All of these players were on the USA Hockey Olympic orientation camp roster, but they didn’t make the cut for Milan Cortina.

Cooley would have been an interesting option for the 2026 Games, but his season was cut short because of injury after scoring 14 goals in 29 games. Knies was also an intriguing option, given his chemistry with Matthews. He’s going to be the American power forward of the future. Pinto might need to find another gear over the next four seasons to make a serious run at a roster spot, but he’s got a strong two-way game.

Could the 2030 Olympic team unite the Hughes Triforce? Luke Hughes would have to break through within the deepest position in the American talent pipeline, but he’s got the talent to do so.

Vlasic is a defensive defenseman for the Blackhawks, while Nazar has a loud of offensive upside.

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Logan Cooley tallies 4 goals in Utah win vs. Vegas

Logan Cooley puts on a show with four goals in the Mammoth’s 5-1 win over the Golden Knights.

The next wave

Matty Beniers, C, Seattle Kraken (27)
Jackson Blake, F, Carolina Hurricanes (26)
Zeev Buium, D, Vancouver Canucks (24)
Josh Doan, F, Buffalo Sabres (27)
Cutter Gauthier, F, Anaheim Ducks (26)
James Hagens, C, Boston Bruins (23)
Spencer Knight, G, Chicago Blackhawks (28)
Ryan Leonard, F, Washington Capitals (25)
Will Smith, F, San Jose Sharks (24)
Jimmy Snuggerud, F, St. Louis Blues (25)
Dustin Wolf, G, Calgary Flames (28)

This tier is a collection of young players that have either made an impression in the NHL or have the potential to do so.

Beniers is in his fifth season with the Kraken, having won rookie of the year in 2022-23. It’s not too difficult to see him maturing into one of those “do-everything” bottom-six forwards on Team USA.

Smith gets understandably overshadowed by teammate Macklin Celebrini on the Sharks, but he is one of the best young offensive players in the NHL. Ditto Gauthier, who has 45 goals in his first 138 NHL games. Leonard has 30 points in 52 games with the Capitals as a rookie, and like others on the list has some impressive Team USA history in world juniors.

Blake, Doan and Snuggerud all have some work to do before the next Olympics to make their cases. Hagens is just 19 years old and in his second season at Boston College after being selected seventh overall by the Bruins last summer, but the potential is there.

Buium was the centerpiece of the Quinn Hughes trade for the Canucks, and the San Diego native could blossom into a top puck-moving defenseman.

Wolf was second in the rookie of the year voting last season, but he has struggled for an encore. Knight, conversely, is having a star-making season with the Blackhawks in his best NHL season to date.

WASHINGTON — Cameron Boozer scored 18 points, and No. 3 Duke handed another neutral-site loss to fellow blueblood Michigan, knocking off the top-ranked Wolverines 68-63 on Saturday night in a raucous possible Final Four preview in the nation’s capital.

The Wolverines had won 11 straight games and replaced Arizona atop the AP Top 25 poll this week. The now-fourth-ranked Wildcats won at No. 2 Houston earlier Saturday, making it the first time since Feb. 8, 2025, that the teams ranked Nos. 1 and 2 in the poll lost on the same day.

With his dad, former Duke and NBA star Carlos Boozer, in attendance, Cameron Boozer hit a 3-pointer with 1:55 left to give the Blue Devils a 64-58 lead. Isaiah Evans added 14 points for the Blue Devils (25-2), who could return to Capital One Arena in just over a month for the East Regional of the NCAA tournament.

“That was a game that didn’t feel like it was played in February,” Duke coach Jon Scheyer said. “That felt like a March or April game. Obviously, we have a ton of respect for Michigan, the staff, and how good they are. And I thought it just was a big-time game where our guys were ready to compete at a high level.”

In the programs’ first meeting in 12 years, Duke improved to 23-8 against Michigan and 7-0 on neutral courts, a series that includes the 1992 national title game. Michigan hasn’t beaten Duke since Dec. 6, 2009, in Ann Arbor.

Yaxel Lendeborg scored 21 points for the Wolverines (25-2), who had not lost since a home defeat by three points to Wisconsin on Jan. 10.

Though second-year coach Dusty May’s Michigan squad has been hailed for unselfishness, Scheyer’s Blue Devils showed more versatility on offense. Caleb Foster scored 12 points, and Patrick Ngongba II added 11 as Duke found soft spots in the Wolverines’ top-rated defense.

Meanwhile, Duke won the rebounding battle 41-28 as Michigan settled for too many one-and-done perimeter shots, going 6-of-25 from 3-point range.

“When you schedule a game like this, you don’t know what it’s going to look like after the fact, and even the preparation leading up to it. We know more about our team now. We’ll be better because of this game and overall,” May said. “We didn’t rebound the way we needed to, and we made some timely errors, and when you’re playing someone like Duke, they make you pay for every mistake. And they did that tonight.”

Fans traded chants of “Let’s go Duke!” and “Let’s go Blue!” for the rare must-see matchup in a city starved for meaningful basketball. ESPN’s “College GameDay” was broadcast from inside the arena during the teams’ morning shootaround, and tickets for upper-level seats were selling in the $600 range in the hours before the game, with courtside seats upwards of $6,000.

Defense had the upper hand in a spirited, physical first half in which neither team led by more than five points. Ngongba was fouled while fighting for a rebound with 0.8 seconds left and made both free throws to give the Blue Devils a 35-33 lead at the break.

Surprisingly, Duke never trailed again.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Just days before his 49th birthday, Floyd Mayweather Jr. has announced that he will end his retirement and resume his professional boxing career after his spring 2026 boxing exhibition with Mike Tyson

Mayweather has signed an exclusive agreement with CSI Sports/Fight Sports as his promoter for the next stage of his career.

“I still have what it takes to set more records in the sport of boxing,” Mayweather said in a written statement to ESPN. “From my upcoming Mike Tyson event to my next professional fight afterwards — no one will generate a bigger gate, have a larger global broadcast audience and generate more money with each event — then my events. And I plan to keep doing it with my global media partner, CSI Sports/FIGHT SPORTS.”

Mayweather retired from boxing at the age of 40 after his August 2017 knockout win over MMA star Conor McGregor, running his record to a perfect 50-0 with 27 wins by stoppage. Mayweather has since competed in several exhibition boxing matches with the likes of Logan Paul, Mikuru Asakura and John Gotti III.

It was announced last September that Mayweather and Tyson would meet in an exhibition match in spring 2026. There have been reports that the fight will take place on April 25 in the Democratic Republic of Congo, but ESPN could not confirm that it will happen on that date, and no network has been established to carry the bout.

Mayweather has been in the news over the past few weeks as he filed a multimillion-dollar lawsuit against Showtime earlier this month. Mayweather claims he is owed “at least” $340 million from his reported $1.2 billion in career fight purses.

Mayweather would be returning to a sport with a completely new set of competitors who are nearly half his age. However, the recent return of Manny Pacquiao to the pro ranks would suggest that a much-talked-about rematch between the two fighters after their 2015 meeting could take place as a professional boxing match.

“Signing Floyd Mayweather to un-retire after he captures another world-wide audience with his Mike Tyson match-up, highlights our commitment to providing our global audience with the most high-profile fighters in the sport,” Richard and Craig Miele, co-founders of CSI Sports/Fight Sports, said in a written statement. “Floyd will once again continue to dominate boxing with the biggest audience and highest gross events of all time, and we are proud and privileged to be able to do with our global team at CSI Sports/FIGHT SPORTS. We look forward to even more announcements that will excite fans and continue to build the sport in 2026!”