The Sweet 16 in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament continues Friday. The night’s action tips off in Dallas for the South Regional, with the Midwest Regional in Indianapolis getting the slightly later staggered start times. The regionals are headed by Houston playing in its home state and Purdue playing in a neighboring state, but the path to the Final Four is hardly easy for either of them.

Once again, we’re here to provide all the viewing information you need to take in the action, with a brief breakdown of the matchups. We expect many of you will have your own rooting interests, but our main hope is for exciting finishes and few monitor reviews.

No. 2 Marquette vs. No. 11 North Carolina State, 7:09 p.m. ET, CBS

The evening begins in Big D, where the Golden Eagles seek their first trip to the Final Four since Dwyane Wade made Milwaukee famous in 2003. Standing in the way are the Wolfpack, who’ve gone from unlikely ACC champs to even unlikelier bracket buster. Marquette is a scrappy bunch, and Tyler Kolek and Cam Jones lead a dynamic backcourt that can score with anyone. The Eagles might not have an answer inside for N.C. State’s D.J. Burns, but lockdown defender Stevie Mitchell could bother the Wolfpack’s D.J. Horne.

No. 1 Purdue vs. No. 5 Gonzaga, 7:39 p.m. ET, TBS

In terms of recent history, Gonzaga is the most accomplished program to reach Detroit as it participates in its ninth consecutive Sweet 16. The Bulldogs will nevertheless be underdogs as Purdue will look to continue its redemption tour with the home crowd on its side. This game is actually a rematch of a November meeting at the Maui Invitational, a 10-point win for the Boilermakers en route to the tourney title. The Zags had no answers for Zach Edey in that encounter, though they’re hardly alone in that regard. Gonzaga’s offensive efficiency has improved over the latter half of the campaign, and they’ll need Nolan Hickman to keep knocking down threes in order to stay with the Boilermakers. When Purdue struggles to close it is usually because of turnovers, but Braden Smith has done better against heavy ball pressure as a sophomore.

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No. 1 Houston vs. No. 4 Duke, 9:39 p.m. ET, CBS

The nightcap in Dallas features a pair of programs with recent Final Four trips, though the Cougars are still seeking that elusive first championship. Houston still owns the nation’s stingiest defense, and Jamal Shead is one of the hardest working men in the game at both ends of the floor. The experienced hands of Jeremy Roach could help the Blue Devils weather the Cougars’ press, but what Duke might need most is a big game from Kyle Filipowski in the paint.

No. 2 Tennessee vs. No. 3 Creighton, 10:09 p.m. ET, TBS

The last contest of the round could be the best. The Bluejays look to reach the Elite Eight for a second consecutive season, while the Volunteers hope to get at least one step farther than they managed in 2023. How this game will unfold is a bit of a mystery. The fire power is there on both sides for a track meet to break out, but it could also bog down into a defensive struggle. It largely hinges on whether Tennessee’s first few three-point attempts go. Dalton Knecht and Josiah-Jordan James are capable of matching daggers with Creighton’s Baylor Scheierman and Trey Alexander, but the Volunteers are also equipped to clamp down on defense if their shots aren’t falling. If it comes down to a battle of the boards, Bluejays big man Ryan Kalkbrenner could find himself outnumbered.

Anthony Rendon froze, helpless to avoid his fate as Burnes’ 11th strikeout, and as the right-hander walked off the mound, the crowd of 45,029 stirred.

Slowly, they rose to their feet, a far from thunderous roar given that the Baltimore Orioles held a six-run lead over the Los Angeles Angels, but an acknowledgement that what they’d seen was significant.

Burnes is an Oriole, and in his first outing in the American League, served notice that a 101-win team might indeed be the pennant favorite with his considerable talents in tow.

He gave up a first-inning home run to the generational Mike Trout, and then did not permit another Angel to reach base the rest of the day, using a devastating four-pitch mix to push the Orioles to an 11-3 victory in their 2024 opener.

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Sure, he’s new to the AL, but Burnes was no secret: The 2021 National League Cy Young Award winner had struck out at least 200 batters the past three seasons, including an NL-best 243 in 2022. His January acquisition from the Milwaukee Brewers gave the Orioles what they lacked: A true ace, one who could set the tone in Game 1 of the season or Game 1 of a far more significant series, months later.

Consider the former assignment completed to near perfection.

“Couldn’t have asked for anything more than that,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. “Maybe one bad pitch through six innings. Just an awesome, awesome performance.

“That’s not easy to do – a new team, Opening Day, a lot of jitters, probably pretty anxious. To go out and do what he did, that’s really impressive.”

It was Burnes’ first win in three career Opening Day assignments, and he joined Bob Gibson as the only pitchers to strike out 11 with no walks and one or fewer runs allowed in an opener.

To call it Gibson-esque might be a stretch. Yet Burnes’ finest weapon, a cutter that touches 96 mph on the radar gun, was on full display.

After Trout golfed a homer off his slider in the first inning, Burnes fired three straight cutters at Trout in the fourth inning. The three-time MVP looked at the first two and flailed at the third.

The next batter, Taylor Ward, ran the count full before flailing at a curveball, epitomizing the pick-your-poison quandary for a hitter facing Burnes.

They swung eight times at Burnes’ curve, whiffing six times and looking at seven more called strikes. Fifty-six of his 82 pitches were strikes, and his 11-0 strikeout-walk ratio was no accident: His 6.88 rate for the 2021 season led the major leagues.

“That was a pleasure to play behind. That was unbelievable,” Orioles first baseman Ryan Mountcastle said.

Meanwhile, Anthony Santander hit a two-run homer and Cedric Mullins a three-run shot, while Adley Rutschman enjoyed his second dominant Opening Day in as many outings, scoring three runs and hitting a two-run single.

The potent offense – which was swept out of the AL Division Series by the eventual champion Texas Rangers in October – now has a bona fide ace alongside, a symbiotic relationship just blooming.

“He’s going to do great here,” says Santander.

Burnes saved one of his best deliveries for last when he punched out Rendon, knowing that was likely the capper for his afternoon. As debuts go – in a new league, no less – it couldn’t have gone much better.

“I knew I was at the end there,” he said of the fans rising to their feet. “I knew it was a good start. The fan base was great today – sellout crowd, they were loud. It was a great atmosphere, a fun Opening Day.”

And it looked an awful lot like a prelude to much bigger things.

As we approach the 2024 NFL draft, the top prospects are being scrutinized online by thousands of eyes. Every throw they’ve made in college, every DoorDash order they put in, every tweet they wrote more than 10 years ago is being looked at thoroughly by every NFL analyst in America in order to ensure that they can succeed at the next level.

Much like Icarus though, sometimes they delve into a player’s history flies too close to the sun and we find something we never wanted to find.

Most of the time it’s just strange tweets from the minds of 12-year-olds, as was the case with Josh Allen and Mitch Trubisky. However, other times we find images that shatter our very being and make us, the casual fan, go ‘What in the world am I looking at?’

That’s exactly what’s happening with Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels right now.

JUMPIN’ JELLYFISH BATMAN! What in the world could that be?

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Obviously, the human body is a gross cesspool of strange phenomena when looked at closely, but this is enough to turn stomachs and heads alike. Here are some of the best reactions to…whatever this is.

Internet reacts to Jayden Daniels’ elbow

When was Jayden Daniels’ pro day?

Daniels’ pro day took place on March 27. The photo of Daniels had already gone viral by the time his workout started, and ironically, Daniels chose to wear a long sleeve shirt while throwing.

The validity of this tweet has not been confirmed. It’s very likely that Daniels’ elbow has always looked like this, which means NFL scouts likely already knew about any issue before the image went viral. If anything, this would not affect his build/frame though, this would affect his durability and technique.

Daniels is still expected to be picked within the top-three selections of the upcoming NFL draft.

When and where is the 2024 NFL draft?

LOS ANGELES — Normalcy, at long last the Dodgers say, finally arrived Thursday afternoon.

Well, other than that 395-foot walk along a blue carpet from center field to the third-base line during pre-game introductions.

Unless you think it’s normal having Hollywood stars announce the starting lineup and Hall of Famers from two different sports firing up the crowd before the game.

Then yes, the most anticipated Dodgers’ home opener in franchise history was just like any other baseball game in the middle of a long season.

“It was awesome,’ said Los Angeles native Tyler Glasnow, the Dodgers’ starting pitcher.

MLB SALARIES: Baseball’s top 25 highest-paid players in 2024

The Dodgers, who have 162 games on their schedule this year with hopes of playing as many as 19 encores in October, couldn’t have scripted a better home opener for what they believe could be one the most memorable season since the franchise moved to Los Angeles.

The Dodgers put on a show for all of baseball to take notice in their 7-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals in front of a delirious sellout crowd of 52,667 at Dodger Stadium, who cheered about anything, and everything.

It began with a brass band playing in the stands as the crowd settled into their seats, watching the Dodgers stroll from center field on a blue carpet who were then introduced by actor Bryan Cranston. Hall of Fame third baseman Adrian Beltre, who opened his career with the Dodgers, threw out the ceremonial first pitch to future Hall of Fame pitcher Clayton Kershaw. Tennis Hall of Famer Billie Jean King got behind the mic with Beltre to shout out, “t’s time for Dodger baseball,’ with legendary pitcher Sandy Koufax cheering from his seat.

Then, for the next 2 hours and 23 minutes, the Dodgers went out and showed just why they’re favored to win the World Series.

The first three hitters in the Dodgers’ lineup – Mookie Betts, Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman – ‘daunting’ as Roberts describes them, were relentless, reaching base nine times with two homers and four RBI.

“I was the only guy who couldn’t hit a homer,’ Shohei Ohtani, their $700 million man, joked afterwards, “but otherwise it was a good game today.’

Glasnow mowed down the Cardinals for six innings and has a 2.45 ERA in his first two starts with the Dodgers.

“The most impressive thing is he hasn’t had his best stuff,’ Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “Those are his words, not to sound arrogant.’

Betts, who hasn’t been an everyday shortstop since high school, looked like a natural, even though he thew one ball away and received a loud ovation simply when he cleanly fielded the first ground ball hit to him in the third inning. He also has now reached base 11 times in three games since their season started in South Korea.

“It’s impressive,’ Roberts said. “This is one of the things he does a good job separating the defense from the offense. Clearly, the toughest position to handle on the defensive side, but not to have any drop-off offensively. He’s just a unique player.’

While the Dodgers are baseball’s most star-studded team, with four MVP awards and seven All-Stars in the starting lineup, the main attraction, of course, is Ohtani.

He’s the one who received the largest contract in sports history, paying him for the next 20 years with his $680 million in deferred payments.

He’s the one who earns about $65 million in endorsements, with the Dodgers anticipating that he’ll bring in $50 million alone with ticket sales, advertising, sponsorships, and marketing.

Besides his replica jerseys flying off the shelves at the Dodgers souvenir shops, the line was packed at the Japanese concession stands where you could buy an assorted sushi box for $32.99, a chicken katsu sandwich for $14.99 or $9.99 for sake.

He also is the one who is ensnared in a gambling scandal after his former interpreter allegedly paid $4.5 million to an illegal bookmaker.

Yet, Ohtani acted as if it were no more of an inconvenience than any of his teammates, who struggled trying to maneuver through a jammed clubhouse of reporters just to retreat to their locker.

“He’s handled it with flying colors,’ Roberts said. “I just don’t think it’s going to affect his performance. I really don’t.’

Ohtani, who received the biggest ovation of any player during introductions, reached base all three times he stepped to the plate with a double, walk and single.

The only flaw in his debut was when Betts led off the bottom of the first inning with a walk, he doubled to right field, put his head down, and kept on running towards third.

One problem.

Betts, who led off the game with a walk, was standing on third base, held up by third-base coach Dino Ebel.

Ohtani was out, but still got a thunderous ovation from the crowd.

“He can run very fast,’ Roberts cracked, “but he’s got to understand that there’s a guy in front of him, too.’

Ohtani was able to laugh about it afterwards, and said he thoroughly enjoyed the festivities except for well, that walk from the center field fence wall for introductions.

“I felt the walk was a little too long,’ Ohtani said, “but the ceremony was well done.’

Roberts said: “I got my steps in today. I don’t need to check my watch. I’m good.’

The Dodgers are hoping that days like this will quiet the noise surrounding MLB’s investigation with Ohtani and Ippei Mizuhara, Ohtani’s interpreter, while the federal government’s probe centers around the illegal bookmaking operation.

Ohtani insists he’s innocent, claiming Mizuhara stole from him, and plans to cooperate with the investigation.

In the meantime, the Dodgers plan on winning, insisting that nothing will stop them from their ultimate goal.

“When you get in between the lines,’ said Freeman, who homered, singled and drove in three runs, “the outside stuff kind of goes away … Today is a good start.’

The outside noise went away for one glorious afternoon.

“There’s going to be distractions, there always are off the field,’ Roberts said. “But the core group of guys have weathered a lot of things.. … You have to be able to compartmentalize. We have a lot of guys in the clubhouse that are professionals. That’s not to say they’re not emotional, they’re not empathetic, but we all have jobs.

“We’ve got to focus on baseball.’’

Maybe now, after spring training, the Korea trip, and all of the drama involving the gambling investigation, normalcy has arrived in the shadows of Hollywood.

The most tumultuous spring of Roberts’ managerial career, he proudly says, is now over.

“This takes the cake,’ Roberts says, “in every single way.’’

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