Expert basketball coverage from around the world
Saturday’s Elite Eight slate features two matchups with Final Four stakes: Illinois vs. Iowa and Arizona vs. Purdue. ESPN’s college basketball panel has aligned on which teams it expects to move on.
Arizona enters the remaining field as the betting favorite to win the men’s college basketball national championship. Duke’s odds have improved, lifting the Blue Devils to second in the title market as updated prices outline each team’s path to advance and win it all.
The 2026 NCAA tournament has narrowed to eight teams, and the regional finals have largely followed the script. The one notable exception: No. 9 seed Iowa remains in the mix as the field gets ranked again.
After Michigan State’s Sweet 16 exit on Friday, Tom Izzo brushed aside questions about retirement. The longtime Spartans coach made it clear he isn’t entertaining the idea.
Alabama’s NCAA tournament run came to a close Friday night with a Sweet 16 defeat to Michigan. Forward Aiden Sherrell described the year as a season that included “some complicated things.”
Yaxel Lendeborg delivered a complete performance Friday night, powering Michigan past Alabama 90-77. His 23 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists helped send the Wolverines into the Elite Eight.
Tarris Reed Jr. scored 20 points and Alex Karaban added 17 as second-seeded UConn held off third-seeded Michigan State 67-63 in Friday night’s Sweet 16. The pair delivered key free throws in the final minute to help seal the win under pressure.
Champaign officials announced an emergency order that will limit alcohol sales on the University of Illinois campus Saturday night. The measure comes ahead of Illinois’ game against Iowa, with a Final Four berth at stake.
Tennessee leaned on its work on the glass and a decisive second half to pull away from second-seeded Iowa State. The 76-62 win sends the Vols to the Elite Eight for the third consecutive season.
Luka Doncic was assessed his 16th technical foul of the season in Friday’s game against the Brooklyn Nets. If the technical is upheld, he will face a one-game suspension.
Memphis rookie GG Jackson said he believes officials give more favorable calls to established veterans than to the Grizzlies. He pointed to stars such as Kevin Durant as examples of players who receive that benefit.
Jarrett Allen made an immediate impact in his return from injury, scoring 18 points in just 18 minutes. Cleveland’s offense erupted in a 149-128 win over Miami.
The NBA has fined Minnesota Timberwolves big man Naz Reid $50,000 for comments that questioned the integrity of game officials. The discipline comes after Minnesota’s 110-108 win over the Houston Rockets on Wednesday.
Caleb Foster returned from a broken foot and helped Duke rally past St. John’s 80-75 on Friday night. The top-seeded Blue Devils erased a 10-point second-half deficit to advance and keep their national title hopes alive.
Golden State will be without Stephen Curry for at least two additional games as he continues to deal with a knee issue. The extended absence is set to reach a minimum of 25 consecutive games.
Iowa head coach Ben McCollum said Friday he plans to remain with the Hawkeyes for the 2026-27 season. His comments come as several prominent coaching positions could be open this offseason.
Friday’s Sweet 16 slate comes with clear points of emphasis for every remaining program. A national panel breaks down the defining factors that could decide each game and outlines the paths teams need to follow to keep their tournament runs alive.
Aden Holloway will not be with Alabama on Friday for its Sweet 16 matchup against Michigan in Chicago. The school said his absence will continue even after an Alabama judge granted Holloway’s request to travel on Friday.
Less than a decade ago, Rick Pitino’s coaching career appeared to be finished. After multiple scandals, he is again doing what has long defined his résumé: winning in the NCAA tournament.
The NBA presented three wide-ranging anti-tanking concepts to its board of governors during meetings in New York on Wednesday. The proposals are expected to be modified before a formal vote in May.
Not every NCAA tournament defeat lands the same. A new “Pain Index” sorts March Madness losses from understandable exits to the kind that linger — with Florida cited as a prime example of the latter.
A federal judge has denied the NCAA’s request for a temporary restraining order aimed at stopping DraftKings from using registered trademarks tied to the NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments. The ruling allows DraftKings to continue using the terms for now.
San Antonio is generating increasing belief around the NBA, with Victor Wembanyama at the center of the conversation. The latest league chatter also includes updates on expansion and an Eastern Conference playoff race shaped by injuries.
Arizona powered past Arkansas 109-88 on Thursday night in the NCAA tournament, finally clearing the Sweet 16 hurdle under coach Tommy Lloyd. Brayden Burries led the Wildcats with 23 points as Arizona’s offense overwhelmed the Razorbacks.
Illinois delivered its sharpest defensive performance of the tournament, holding No. 2 Houston to 34% shooting in a 65-55 win. The Fighting Illini advanced to the Elite Eight after limiting the Cougars to their lowest-scoring game of the season.
After Houston’s NCAA tournament run ended in the Sweet 16, coach Kelvin Sampson addressed questions about what comes next. He offered a brief, open-ended reflection on coaching longevity and timing.
Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg said a late-game personnel mistake that left the Huskers with only four players on the floor was his fault. The blunder came just before a pivotal three-point play in the final minute of Thursday night’s Sweet 16 loss to Iowa.
Texas guard Jordan Pope said he played through a broken foot in the Longhorns’ 79-77 Sweet 16 loss to Purdue. Pope revealed the injury after the game as Texas’ NCAA tournament run came to an end.
Trey Kaufman-Renn delivered the decisive play with a tip-in with 0.7 seconds remaining as Purdue edged Texas 79-77 in the Sweet 16. The win sends the Boilermakers to the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament.
Ninth-seeded Iowa’s NCAA tournament surge continued with a 77-71 win over Nebraska in the South Region semifinal. The victory sends the Hawkeyes to their first Elite Eight since 1987 under first-year coach Ben McCollum.
