We get it, sports fans. There’s an event this weekend that’s grabbing all the headlines.

But in this little corner of the department, Selection Sunday beats Super Bowl Sunday, and the action on the hardwood is intensifying with the big bracket coming out in just a month.

There are a lot of viewing options, and of course if your school’s team is in action you will seek it out. But here at the Starting Five, we try to point out the best televised options for the coming weekend to the casual fan. Here then are our picks, with the standard advice to keep the remote handy.

No. 24 Duke at No. 9 Virginia

TIME/TV: Saturday, 4 p.m. ET, ESPN

Follow every game: Latest NCAA Men’s College Basketball Scores and Schedules

After the intensity of the North Carolina win, the Blue Devils faced a quick turnaround for the long trip to Miami. That predictably did not go well Monday night as the Hurricanes rolled easily, but Duke should be better rested for this shorter road trip. It won’t be any easier, however, as the Cavaliers appear poised to finally take charge of the ACC race. Topping the marquee is the matchup of Virginia’s Kihei Clark and Duke’s Jeremy Roach, two of the league’s premier floor generals.

No. 12 Baylor at No. 19 TCU

TIME/TV: Saturday, 4 p.m. ET, ESPN2

It’s unfortunate that both the day’s Top 25 clashes are in the same timeslot, but those are the breaks. The Horned Frogs aren’t in bubble jeopardy by any stretch, but the reality of life in the Big 12 is any small lapse in performance means you’re never far removed from a losing streak. They’ll look to protect their home court and snap a mini slide, but the Bears have been trending upward since a rough start in league play. TCU likely will still be without point guard Mike Miles, who poured in 33 points in the Frogs’ earlier win against Baylor in Waco. The smallish Bears can struggle on the boards at times, but it hasn’t mattered of late the way they’ve been shooting.

No. 3 Alabama at Auburn

TIME/TV: Saturday, 2 p.m. ET, ESPN

We can’t promise a kick-six, but there’s always a chance for fireworks whenever these rivals schools get together regardless of the sport. The Crimson Tide are comfortably atop the SEC with the Tigers hoping to bolster an otherwise lackluster resume that features just one Quad 1 win to date. Auburn has dropped four of its last five due to inconsistent play at both ends. Alabama will want to start fast to take the Tigers’ crowd out of the game.

No. 21 Connecticut at Creighton

TIME/TV: Saturday, 2 p.m. ET, Fox

Sitting just outside the Top 25, the Bluejays are the hottest team in the Big East. They’ll try to run their winning streak to eight and pick up another top-tier victory in the process. The Huskies, however, have won three in a row themselves and seem to have snapped out of last month’s funk. Creighton’s hot streak coincides with the return of big man Ryan Kalkbrenner, who missed three games due to illness. Connecticut guard Tristen Newton posted a triple double in Tuesday night’s win against Marquette but will need to be sharp again in hostile environs.

No. 1 Purdue at Northwestern

Time/TV: Sunday, 2 p.m. ET, BTN

This one might be worth a look as you await the kickoff for that big football game that closes out the NFL season. The Boilermakers look to defend their lofty poll position, while the upstart Wildcats look to collect another high-end victory that can get them their second NCAA berth in school history. Northwestern likely won’t have an answer for Purdue’s Zach Edey – not that anybody does really –, but they might be able to pressure the ball enough to limit the entry passes.

PHOENIX — Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes added more hardware to his trophy case days before Super Bowl 57.  

Mahomes was named the 2022 NFL MVP at Thursday’s NFL Honors. It’s the second time the Chiefs quarterback has won the award, previously capturing it in 2018.

Mahomes earned the honor after pacing the league with 5,250 passing yards and 41 touchdowns in the regular season, the only quarterback to eclipse 5,000 passing yards and 40 touchdowns this year. His 308.8 passing yards per game was also an NFL-high. With Mahomes under center, the Chiefs led the NFL in total offense, passing and scoring during the regular season.

The Chiefs (14-3) won their seventh straight AFC West championship, tying for the second-longest streak in NFL history, and earned the No. 1 playoff seed in the AFC playoffs.

Super Bowl Central: Super Bowl 57 odds, Eagles-Chiefs matchups, stats and more

The 27-year-old quarterback was named a first-team All-Pro for the second time and received his fifth career Pro Bowl invitation this year.

This season was Mahomes’ fifth as the Chiefs’ starting quarterback, and he’s led the franchise to five straight home AFC championship games and three Super Bowl appearances, including Super Bowl 57 on Sunday in Glendale, Arizona.

“He’s a straight warrior and we know that. He’s our leader and we follow behind him,” Chiefs tackle Orlando Brown said after the team’s AFC championship win. “He’s the best at what he does in the world.”

Mahomes is the 10th quarterback in NFL history with multiple MVP awards.

The Chiefs drafted Mahomes No. 10 overall in the 2017 NFL draft out of Texas Tech. He became the team’s full-time starter in 2018. Since 2018, Mahomes leads the NFL in passing yards and touchdowns, registering a 64-16 career regular-season record.

“I want to thank God for giving me this platform and putting so many amazing people around me to help support this dream I’ve had since I was a little kid. Without Him, none of this would even be possible,” Mahomes said on video before thanking his family. “To the Chiefs organization, Clark Hunt, Brett Veach, Andy Reid, the staff and most of all my teammates, I would never be standing here today without y’all. Every day giving everything that we have together to go for the ultimate goal, the Super Bowl. Let’s continue to go for that dream this weekend.”

Offensive Player of the Year – Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson 

Jefferson broke the Minnesota Vikings single season receiving record once occupied by Hall of Famer Randy Moss. The standout wide receiver compiled 128 catches, 1,809 receiving yards, 8 touchdowns. He led the NFL in both catches and receiving yards in 2022.

Defensive Player of the Year – San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa

Bosa was a key cog on the 49ers’ No. 1 ranked total defense and top scoring defense. He had a league-high 18.5 sacks this season. He was the first 49er to lead the NFL in sacks since the stat became official. He also produced 51 tackles and 19 tackles for loss.

‘It feels amazing. Just entire lives work of grinding and ups and downs and you’re finally here,’ Bosa said. ‘It’s time to look look back and enjoy it a little bit.’

Offensive Rookie of the Year – New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson

Wilson had 83 receptions and 1,103 receiving yards for New York this season, which were both Jets franchise records. The Ohio State product is the first Jets rookie to win the award since the merger.

‘This means everything. It’s something that no one can ever take from me,’ Wilson said. ‘Put in a lot of work to end up at this point and to see it come to fruition is awesome.’

Defensive Rookie of the Year – New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner

The No. 4 overall pick produced 75 tackles and two interceptions in his inaugural season. His 20 pass deflections led the NFL. He’s the fifth Jets player to win the award.

‘I was more happy for Garrett (Wilson),’ Gardner said after both Jets rookies walked away with awards. ‘It’s a true blessing.’ 

Comeback Player of the Year – Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith

Smith’s bounce-back year was rewarded on Thursday. Smith had career-highs in passing yards (4282) and touchdown passes (30). He also had a league best 69.8 completion percentage.

Smith’s career season earned him his first Pro Bowl invite.

Coach of the Year – New York Giants coach Brian Daboll

Daboll helped turn around the Giants in his first season in New York. He led the Giants to a 9-7-1 record and their first playoff appearance since 2016.

Daboll won Assistant Coach of the Year in 2020 when he was the Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator. He is the first person to win both Coach of the Year and Assistant Coach of the Year.

Assistant Coach of the Year – San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans

Ryans was in charge of the 49ers’ stingy defense. San Francisco had the NFL’s No. 1 ranked total defense and scoring defense with Ryans at the helm. His efforts leading the 49ers defense earned him a job as the Houston Texans head coach.

Man of the Year – Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott

Prescott is the fourth Cowboys player to receive the Walter Payton Man of the Year award, recognized as the NFL’s most prestigious honor. The award is given to an NFL player for outstanding community service and excellence on the field.

Prescott’s Faith Fight Finish foundation focuses on colon cancer research, mental health, suicide prevention, helps bridge the gap between law enforcement and the communities they serve and offers assistance to those facing life-challenging hardships.

The Big 12 announced Thursday that the league had reached an agreement with Oklahoma and Texas for those schools to depart for the Southeastern Conference one year before the expiration of the their grant of rights expired with the league.

Here’s a breakdown of the highlights of the announcement and what it means:

When will Oklahoma and Texas enter the SEC?

The official date of the two schools joining their new league is July 1, 2024, a year earlier than the league’s grant of rights contract with the schools and television deal called for. 

How much will it cost Oklahoma and Texas?

The schools will forgo a combined $100 million in distributable revenue that will go largely to the eight Big 12 schools remaining from before the Sooners and Longhorns departed. Big 12 members that join this summer – Brigham Young, Central Florida, Cincinnati, and Houston – won’t be a part of that revenue influx. The Big 12 announcement said Oklahoma and Texas would be able to partially offset that amount with future revenues. 

Does this affect the recently released 2023 Big 12 football schedule?

No. That schedule remains the same. Oklahoma will play three of the four new teams in the league, hosting Central Florida and traveling to Cincinnati and Brigham Young. The Sooners do not play longtime conference rivals Baylor, Kansas State and Texas Tech in their final season. Texas travels to Houston and hosts BYU in its two games against the new arrivals. The Longhorns won’t face either West Virginia or Oklahoma State.

How does this affect the Big 12’s television deal?

That remains to be seen. One of the biggest holdups, according to multiple reports, was how to compensate Fox for the loss of Oklahoma and Texas games in 2024 (expected to be six to eight games). How that was resolved remains unclear but Fox is expected to receive compensation either financially or with additional inventory to make up for the loss. That could include Fox getting games that would otherwise go to ESPN, including non-conference games featuring the departing schools.

What will the SEC football schedule look like in 2024?

That remains up in the air, but the SEC is expected to move to a nine-game conference schedule. The league isn’t expected to be broken up by divisions, with each team having three permanent opponents with the other 12 members rotating on the schedule. Under this format, every member will play every other team in the league at least twice every four years

When will that be determined?

The Sooners and Longhorns don’t figure to have to wait nearly as long to find out their 2024 schedules as they did for 2023. The schedule for what ultimately turned out to be the only season with OU and Texas and the four new members was released just last week. The SEC announced its 2023 schedule in late September. The league’s athletic directors — including OU’s Joe Castiglione and Texas’ Chris Del Conte — met last week and continue to work toward a scheduling format. The format could be determined when the group convenes again in March.

What does this mean for rivalry games?

The Bedlam matchup this season between Oklahoma and Oklahoma State — scheduled Nov. 4 for Stillwater — figures to be the last for awhile at least. The schools could continue to meet in other sports, but it’s hard to see the football series resuming in the near future. For Texas, the move should reignite the dormant rivalry with Texas A&M that hasn’t been played since the Aggies departed the Big 12 after the 2011 season.

How much will Oklahoma and Texas make in the SEC? 

The exact figure remains to be seen, but USA TODAY Sports reported Thursday that the SEC had revenue of just more than $802 million for the year ending Aug. 31, 2022. The per-school distributions came out to be about $49.9 million per school, down about $4.7 million from the distributions the conference reported in the 2021 fiscal year. That amount is expected to grow with the additions of Oklahoma and Texas and the beginning of the SEC’s new television deal with ESPN. The SEC is the first of the Power Five conferences to release its tax records for the 2022 fiscal year. Last year, the Big 12 announced an average distribution of $42.6 million per school.

What does this mean for the Big 12?

The league can move forward with its future, which includes not only the newest four members but also could include future expansion. The league has courted basketball power Gonzaga and could target Pac 12 programs as well. In the short term, the new schools agreed to take a smaller cut of the revenue distribution in their first two years in the league, and that $100 million from Oklahoma and Texas figures to assure that the eight “legacy” Big 12 members won’t take a financial hit in 2024 at least.

Super Bowl 57 is only a few days away and both the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles are finalizing their preparations.

The game will be determined by a series of fascinating matchups. And while the quarterbacks — Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs and Jalen Hurts of the Eagles — will certainly generate the most interest, the game will likely be determined along both lines of scrimmage. The Eagles and Chiefs boast two of the better offensive lines in the NFL. Philadelphia is five sacks away from an NFL record that one of the greatest defenses of all time, the 1984 Bears, hold.

There’s also a captivating wrinkle in the coaching staffs, as current Kansas City coach Andy Reid actually fired current Eagles coach Nick Sirianni in 2013, when Reid took over the Chiefs and Sirianni was an incumbent on the staff.

Super Bowl Central: Super Bowl 57 odds, Eagles-Chiefs matchups, stats and more

Here’s a breakdown of each position and a look at which team holds an advantage headed into Super Bowl 57.

Quarterbacks

This margin isn’t as wide as you might think. Jalen Hurts, 24, is a star who is going to be a problem in the NFC for a long time. He worked with Tom House this offseason and has refined his mechanics. His ability to compromise defenses with his rushing ability has made it increasingly difficult to defend Philadelphia. And, if the Chiefs use a spy to try to limit what Hurts can do out in open space, it takes away a potential defender Kansas City can use in the secondary. 

All that said, Patrick Mahomes is the most gifted passer in the NFL, possibly of all time. His arm makes it so that the Chiefs can score on any given play. And while he may not rack up rushing yards, his mobility — though it may be tested Sunday by a high ankle sprain — allows him to extend plays and find receivers who can break off their routes.

Advantage: Chiefs

Running backs

Where Kansas City has a potential home run hitter in Isiah Pacheco, the Eagles carry significant depth in the backfield. Philadelphia’s top three running backs — Miles Sanders, Boston Scott and Kenneth Gainwell — are all capable of taking over a game. Just look at Gainwell’s production; he averaged just 3.1 rushes per game in the regular season. In the playoffs, that number has jumped to 13 per and he has responded by leading the Eagles in rushing in both the divisional and conference championship rounds. Sanders, meanwhile, has a nose for the end zone.

Pacheco is explosive both rushing the ball and catching it out of the backfield, but Kansas City often doesn’t give him enough touches to be a major factor. The team also activated Clyde Edwards-Helaire (ankle) off of injured reserve and he’d provide a huge boost if he’s able to play.

Advantage: Eagles

Wide receivers

This is perhaps the one position where a team has the strongest advantage over the other. A.J. Brown and Devonta Smith are both star playmakers whose different skill sets complement each other; Brown is physical and quick and can beat defenders with power and Smith is a silky route runner who is elusive in space.

On the other side, the Chiefs have navigated their first season without Tyreek Hill quite well, with Marquez Valdes-Scantling, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Kadarius Toney making plays. Still, no Kansas City wideout eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards in the regular season. Making matters worse for the Chiefs is that they are facing several nagging injuries at the position, with Mecole Hardman placed on injured reserve. Better put this way, Mahomes and the Chiefs system elevate Smith-Schuster, Valdes-Scantling and Toney, while Brown and Smith are stars who would flourish anywhere.

Advantage: Eagles

Tight ends

Dallas Goedert has been a solid and steady option for Hurts. But in 14 games this season, including the playoffs, he reached the 100-yard mark only once.

Travis Kelce isn’t just in the conversation for the best tight end in football — he’s already there — he’s in the conversation for the best of all time. Kelce has secured four All-Pro nominations in the last seven seasons, he’s rewriting the record book and he has become Mahomes’ preferred target and a near-unguardable player in the middle of the field.

Goedert does have a clear advantage over Kelce in run blocking; because Philadelphia sets its identity on the ground, Goedert has become a key piece in the scheme. Still, Kelce is generational.

Advantage: Chiefs

Offensive line

This is another fascinating battle, as these are two of the top units in the NFL. The Eagles, however, have the best O-line in football. Their communication and ability to work together are unrivaled. They have two of the best players at their positions, center Jason Kelce and right tackle Lane Johnson (both of whom were first-team All-Pro selections). They bore open holes in Nick Sirianni’s zone read offense and are disciplined and clean in avoiding penalties.

But where Philadelphia has two All-Pros on its offensive line, the Chiefs have a pair of second-teamers in center Creed Humphrey and left guard Joe Thuney. Orlando Brown has been excellent after moving to left tackle and, considering this is a unit that has been remade, it has done a remarkable job of keeping Mahomes clean.

Advantage: Eagles

Defensive line

The Eagles are five sacks in the Super Bowl from breaking the record of the 1984 Bears for total sacks in the regular and postseason combined (82). Three of Philadelphia’s starting four defensive linemen, defensive tackle Javon Hargrave and defensive ends Josh Sweat and Brandon Graham notched double-digit sack totals in the regular season, as each posted 11. The other starter, defensive tackle Fletcher Cox, is one of the game’s best interior linemen and recorded seven. The unit has depth with end Robert Quinn and tackles Linval Joseph and Ndamukong Suh coming on in relief.

To be clear, the Chiefs aren’t bad, they’re just not this good. Chris Jones is a force and the best interior lineman in football and Frank Clark can disrupt the timing and rhythm of opposing offenses. Kansas City just doesn’t have the depth or wealth of star talent to match Philadelphia in this spot.

Advantage: Eagles

Linebackers

It’s almost unfair to consider Haason Reddick as a pure linebacker, since Philadelphia loves using him in five-man fronts, rushing off the left side of the line of scrimmage — or even at defensive tackle — so his presence is frankly more of a consideration for the defensive line. With that in mind, where this Eagles defense is weakest is at the other two linebacker spots. And, considering that linebackers and safeties are among the players asked to cover tight ends, this could be a spot where the Chiefs exploit Philadelphia, using Travis Kelce.

The Chiefs unit that included Nick Bolton and Willie Gay Jr. took some time to get settled this season, but it improved after Gay returned from suspension and as the group got healthier. They have speed and excellent range, though they are sometimes caught out of position, in part because of the relative inexperience of Bolton and Gay.

Advantage: Chiefs

Defensive backs

This is another spot in which Eagles executive vice president and general manager Howie Roseman’s aggressive moves in recent seasons have paid off. The three best players on the unit — corners James Bradberry and Darius Slay and strong safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson — were all acquired via trade or free agency. Bradberry had bounced around the league but found a home in Philadelphia’s defense, earning a second-team All-Pro nod.

For the Chiefs, cornerback L’Jarius Sneed clearing concussion protocol is a welcome sight; he doesn’t shy away from contact and actually helps out quite a bit in stopping the run along the outside. Trent McDuffie is a player who has perhaps been overlooked, though he has had a huge impact as a press corner. Rounding out the starters, at safety, Justin Reid and Juan Thornhill have become capable players. The biggest issue with the Kansas City secondary is the occasional blown coverage that can lead to chunk plays.

Advantage: Eagles

Special teams

As far as kicking and punting goes, this becomes tricky because where the Eagles are strong with place kicker Jake Elliott, the Chiefs are stronger with punter Tommy Townsend, a first-team all-pro. Kansas City place kicker Harrison Butker had the worst season of his career, missing six field goals for a 75% conversion rate. Still, in his last three games, Butker has converted all field goals and extra points.

The Eagles may be without punter Arryn Siposs (ankle), who has said he is ready to play. He presents an upgrade, though backup Brett Kern has been solid in relief. Where the Chiefs separate themselves is with their return men. Both Isiah Pacheco and Skyy Moore are flashes of lightning who can slip through creases and flip field position.

Advantage: Chiefs

Coaching

The Chiefs have the wealth of experience and Andy Reid may be the best coach not named Belichick over the last three decades. Offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy should be a head coach. And defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has kept Kansas City’s defense competitive and loves to disguise blitzes, making it difficult for young quarterbacks to read the field.

The narrative that the Eagles have had a favorable path to the Super Bowl, while accurate, shouldn’t discount the effort and work it takes to win week in and week out. Coach Nick Sirianni’s players swear by him and offensive coordinator Shane Steichen could end up as a head coach this cycle. The zone read offense the pair have assembled requires defenses to make decisions in split seconds. Defensive line coach Tracy Rocker brings decades of experience and coordinator Jonathan Gannon oversees a unit that has taken a huge stride since last season.

Advantage: Chiefs

Next time the NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell brag about how supportive they are of women, touting the number of female executives and coaches the league has, pull out the press release on Jim Brown.

You know, the Hall of Fame running back who was accused of either domestic violence or rape, or both, a half-dozen times, including one instance in which he allegedly threw a woman off a balcony. The one Goodell lionized Thursday night by saying, “It’s hard to think of a player who has impacted the game and society as much as Jim Brown.”

Oh, I’m sure there are plenty of people in society impacted by Jim Brown. Women left cut and bruised, their emotional scars remaining long after the physical ones healed.

“This award is our way of ensuring that recognition of Jim’s impact on the NFL and society continues forever,” Goodell said in the release announcing that the award for most yards rushing in a season will now be the ‘Jim Brown Award.’

And a pointed reminder of how little regard the NFL has for women.

Brown’s history of violence is not some secret. It’s been written about many, many, many times – and not simply because he was accused of it many, many, many times. Brown himself acknowledged slapping women, writing in his book, Out of Bounds, ‘I don’t start fights, but sometimes I don’t walk away from them.’ It’s prompted debate about whether Brown is worthy of being considered among the NFL’s greatest players, what affect it should have on his legacy.

All the NFL communications staff had to do was Google, and they’d have realized canonizing Brown as football’s version of Mother Teresa probably wasn’t the best choice. Goodell could have edited the words attributed to him, too, for that matter.

Yet none of them did. Because they don’t care. They never have and they never will.

It’s been almost a decade since that ugly video surfaced of Ray Rice beating his now-wife unconscious in an elevator, prompting so much supposed soul-searching by Goodell and the NFL. Yet here we are again. The pain and suffering of women marginalized, their very presences erased, because it’s easier than holding a man accountable for his failings. Less messy than acknowledging we’ve been wrong in making mortals into gods.

This isn’t about the award itself – though Barry Sanders or Emmitt Smith would seem to be a more appropriate choice for this one. The NFL could even have noted the work Brown has done for civil rights if it felt it must.

But to champion Brown as some kind of hero is as brutal a blow as the ones he was repeatedly accused of delivering. Words matter. The impressions we create of people matter. Celebrating Brown the way Goodell and the NFL did Thursday night makes those who don’t know his whole history, and maybe even some who do, believe he is someone to emulate rather than a cautionary tale.

“His role as a leader off the field showed his unwavering strength and commitment to the community,” Josh Jacobs, the first recipient of the Jim Brown Award, said in the NFL’s release. “Jim’s impact can be felt today and his legacy continues through everyone that strives to make a difference.”

Oh, Brown’s legacy continues all right. Goodell and the NFL might not be laying hands on women as Brown and other players have, but their indifference to that kind of cruelty and harm does damage just the same. 

Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on Twitter @nrarmour. 

PHOENIX — Buffalo Bills receiver Stefon Diggs says he wanted to win this season for Bills Mafia.

The Bills weathered many storms this season, figuratively and literally. Safety Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest in the Bills’ Week 17 game against the Cincinnati Bengals and the team rallied around the community after a mass shooting at a Buffalo supermarket left 10 people dead in May. 

‘It felt like the world was pulling for us and we let them down,’ Diggs told USA TODAY Sports at Super Bowl 57 Radio Row.

The Bills’ season ended with a 27-10 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC divisional playoff round. Diggs said their team lost their identity as the season progressed. 

‘It weighs on your emotions a little bit, especially considering Buffalo is that tight knit, family town,’ Diggs said. ‘You want to win for them. You want to do everything for them, but it’s just so much going on in the world. You kind of try to put it in the back of your mind or compartmentalize momentary, just so you can focus on games… Went through a lot, it’s never any excuses but it was tough.’

Super Bowl Central: Super Bowl 57 odds, Eagles-Chiefs matchups, stats and more

BUFFALO BILLS: Damar Hamlin makes surprise appearance at NFL Honors awards 

OPINION: With Super Bowl mission derailed again, there are hard lessons for Bills to swallow

Diggs said it was ‘amazing’ to see Hamlin make a surprise appearance at the NFL Honors awards show on Thursday: ‘It’s definitely a different scope and different point of view, so I’m appreciative of it and thankful.’

Diggs said his dream is to one day play with his brother Trevon Diggs, who recently enlisted Cowboy Nation to ‘help and tweet’ to get the Bills’ receiver to Dallas.

‘I always wanted to be with my brother,’ Diggs said. ‘That’s the thing. He knows that though, so he’s playing on the heartstrings a little bit.’

Like Jason Kelce and Travis Kelce, Diggs said he and Trevon Diggs want to play in the Super Bowl – but they would prefer to be on the same side. 

‘In a perfect world, we would be on the same team in the Super Bowl,’ he said. But beggars can’t be choosers. ‘We’ll play against each other. I’ll take it any way we can get it.’

Everyone plans their lives around major sporting events on the calendar, right? Oh, just us?

Well, if there are any more of you like that out there, your interest in NCAA men’s basketball tournament bracketology will likely increase after Sunday once a certain contest involving a different shaped ball is concluded. But we like to be ahead of the curve here, so we have updated our own bracket projection ahead of another full weekend of conference action on the hardwood.

The first thing you’re likely to notice if you looked at our initial projection earlier this week is that the No. 1 seeds have changed. Tennessee’s loss at Vanderbilt Wednesday knocks the Volunteers down to a No. 2 seed. Pac-12 leader UCLA now joins Purdue, Houston and Alabama on the top line.

Regular hoops followers will also notice that a couple of the sport’s name-brand programs are barely holding on to spots in the 68-team field. With just a month to go in the regular season, both Kentucky and North Carolina face the prospect of being sent to Dayton for the play-in round or worse yet missing the field altogether.

Both are in for the moment, but they need to return to winning ways to help their devoted followers feel less anxious.

Follow every game: Latest NCAA Men’s College Basketball Scores and Schedules

No. 1 seeds

Purdue, Alabama, Houston, UCLA.

Last four in

Nevada, Kentucky, North Carolina, New Mexico.

First four out

Missouri, Wisconsin, Utah State, Florida.

Next four out

Seton Hall, Penn State, Mississippi State, Virginia Tech. 

Multi-bid conferences: Big 12 (8), Big Ten (8), ACC (7), SEC (6), Big East (5), Mountain West (4), Pac-12 (3), American Athletic (2), West Coast (2).

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Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis wanted to set the record straight. In the third quarter of Tuesday’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Davis was seemingly unfazed by teammate LeBron James breaking the NBA’s all-time scoring record.

James broke Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s iconic milestone with a mid-range fadeaway over Thunder forward Kenrich Williams. As fans at Crypto.com Arena erupted, Davis was seen not celebrating the moment with teammates.

REACTIONS: How the sports world reacted to LeBron’s historic night

NEXT UP: Who could pass LeBron James on the NBA all-time scoring list?

Davis addressed the situation on Thursday. He denied being unsupportive of James or his historic accomplishment. Instead, Davis relayed that his despondent mood was the result of the team’s struggles on the court.

Follow every game: Latest NBA Scores and Schedules

‘It’s about the game,’ Davis told reporters, via ESPN. ‘I mean, we’re losing to the Oklahoma City Thunder, a game we needed. And I was pissed off that we were losing. It’s that simple. It’s nothing that has to do with Bron. He knows that. Everybody else is outside looking in, it’s their opinion. But I was pissed off that we were losing the game.’

In the moment, he had just returned to the Lakers bench after releasing some frustrations in the tunnel. Davis later apologized to James in person and during a team walkthrough as well.

James took the situation in stride. TNT broadcast cameras provided in-game audio of James showing love to Davis during the game.

‘I love you,’ James told Davis. ‘I’ll just let you know I love you, bro. That’s all I want you to know.’

The Lakers look to make a playoff run in the second half of the season  with help on the way as well.

The Lakers acquired point guard D’Angelo Russell, combo guard Malik Beasley and forward Jarred Vanderbilt in a three-team deal at the NBA trade deadline. They also added backup center Mo Bamba from the Orlando Magic.

The new-look roster will be back in action on Saturday night against the Golden State Warriors.

LIV Golf reportedly is adding two PGA Tour players who will give the league a boost for its season-opening tournament in Mexico.

Sebastian Munoz told Colombian El Tiempo he was jumping to LIV and is being joined by Chilean Mito Pereira. Pereira has been rumored to be making the jump since August.

Munoz, a native of Colombia, and Pereira are expected to join Joaquin Niemann’s Tourque team, giving Greg Norman’s league an all-South American team less than two weeks before the season starts at El Camaleon in Mexico.

Pereira, 27, is close friends with fellow countryman Niemann. Now he is also following Niemann to LIV.

Pereira, 45th in the World Golf Rankings, is coming off his rookie season on the PGA Tour in which he had three top-10 finishes in 27 starts. But he is best known for surrendering the lead on the 72nd hole of the PGA Championship at Southern Hills in Tulsa. He hit an awkward tee shot that landed in a creek and led to a double-bogey, resulting in a third-place finish behind Justin Thomas, who defeated Will Zalatoris in a playoff.

Pereira, who has never won a PGA Tour event, handled the shocking finish with class. He had another top-10 finish the next week, placing seventh at the Charles Schwab. But after closing 13th at the Memorial, he missed four consecutive cuts, as many as he had missed the previous nine months. He has played in 37 career PGA Tour events, earning $3.7 million.

Munoz, 30, is ranked 93rd. He turned pro in 2015 and has one win on the PGA Tour, the 2019 Sanderson Farms Championship. Munoz has made $9.2 million in 134 PGA Tour events.

LIV, which is financed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, is rebranding as the LIV Golf League this year and will include 14 events with a total prize purse of $405 million. Eight events are in the U.S., including two in Florida: March 31-April 2 at Orange County National in Winter Garden, and Oct. 20-22 at Trump National Doral.