Anthony Joshua knocked out Francis Ngannou in devastating fashion in the second round for a stirring victory in Friday’s heavyweight bout in Saudi Arabia.

Joshua, the British star, knocked down Ngannou in the first round, knocked him down again in the second round and then delivered the knockout punch at 2:38 of the second round.

The knockout blow, a powerful right hand, left Ngannou out cold. Ngannou, the former UFC champion, was down on the canvas for more than a minute and received oxygen, according to the DAZN broadcast.

The victory was the fourth straight for Joshua (28-3) after his back-to-back losses to Oleksandr Usyk of Ukraine.

“For me, I don’t know if I’m coming into my peak,’’ he said. “I’m just pushing day by day.’’

It was a stunning setback for Ngannou, who knocked down Tyson Fury during his pro debut in October and looked impressive in a split-decision loss. But Joshua, the two-time world champion, was in control from the outset Friday.

Joshua, 34, said he was captivated by Ngannou’s bout with Fury.

Recalled Joshua, “When I saw the fight with him and Fury, I was like, ‘Damn, this guy can fight.’ So I said, ‘I need a piece of that.’ “

But after the fight started Friday, Ngannou, the 37-year-old native of Cameroon, spent almost as much time on the canvas as he did on his feet.

“He’s a great champion,’’ Joshua said of Ngannou (0-2) after scoring the 25th knockout of his career. “And this doesn’t take away anything from his capabilities. …He can come back.’’

Watch Anthony Joshua knock out Francis Ngannou

Round 1: Ngannou opens with a nice left hook. Fighters measuring the situation. Ngannou looks composed. Big right, mostly blocked by Joshua. … Joshua drops Ngannou with a powerful right! Ngannou back on his feet and beats the eight count. Joshua looks ready to pounce, but time runs out. Joshua 10, Ngannou 8. 

Round 2: Ngannou not backing away, but looks a little more tentative. Understandably. Joshua lands hard right. Ngannou throw jabs but nothing connecting. Joshua drops Ngannou again! Another big right! Ngannou back on his feet. And down goes Ngannou again! And he’s down for good!

FIGHT’S OVER!

Anthony Joshua wins with a second-round KO.

Anthony Joshua, Francis Ngannou show mutual respect after fight

About 10 minutes after Anthony Joshua’s postfight press conference began, he had company.

In walked Francis Ngannou, the man Joshua had flattened with a devastating knockout punch in the second round of their heavyweight bout Friday.

The two shook hands and later posed for a photo that was posted on Joshua’s verified account on X, formerly Twitter.

Asked by a reporter how special Joshua was, Ngannou replied, “Well, he was quite special because he stopped me. He did what Tyson Fury couldn’t. It wasn’t my day and he was just way better than me today.’’

Results for AJ vs. Ngannou full fight card

Click the links to jump to the recap for each fight.

Main card

Anthony Joshua def. Francis Ngannou, 10 rounds, heavyweight
Joseph Parker def. Zhilei Zhang, 12 rounds, heavyweight – Zhang’s interim WBO heavyweight title
Nick Ball vs. Rey Vargas split draw, 12 rounds, featherweight – Vargas’ WBC featherweight title
Israil Madrimov def. Magomed Kurbanov, 12 rounds, super welterweight – vacant WBA title
Mark Chamberlain def. Gavin Gwynne, 12 rounds, lightweight
Justis Huni def. Kevin Lerena, 10 rounds, heavyweight

Preliminary card

Louis Greene def. Jack McGann, 10 rounds, super welterweight
Roman Fury def. Martin Svarc, 4 rounds, heavyweight
Ziyad Almaayouf def. Christian Lopez Flores, 6 rounds, super lightweight
Andrii Novytskyi def. Juan Torres, 8 rounds, heavyweight

Joshua vs. Ngannou ring walk

Joseph Parker def. Zhilei Zhang

Parker got knocked down twice but still beat Big Bang Zhang in the 12-round bout by majority decision and won the interim heavyweight title.

Zhang showed impressive power, but Parker remained the active fighter. In fact, according to the DAZN broadcast, Zhang did not land a single punch in the 12th round.

The judges scored the fight 113-113, 114-112, 115-111.

“Mr. Zhang is a tough man,’’ said Parker, who was knocked down in the third round and the seventh round.

Parker, a former world champion from New Zealand, improved to 35-3. China’s Zhang dropped 26-2-1. Here’s a round-by-round recap:

Round 1: Big Bang Zhang, 6-foot-6 and 256 pounds, towering over Parker, who’s listed as 6-4 but suddenly looks much smaller. Tactical here, as fighters gauging each other and range. Forgettable round, Zhang slightly more aggressive. Zhang 10, Parker 9.

Round 2: Zhang unleashes a left but misses. Crowd waiting on action. And waiting. Parker lands a right to Zhang’s chest. Zhang connects, and back comes Parker with a left. Zhang 19, Parker 19.

Round 3: Zhang fires a couple jabs with more authority – but nothing landing. Presses the action a little and lands a jab.  Zhang lands a left and down goes Parker! Zhang pressing the action and firing more lefts. Lands a barrage of punches before bell rings. Zhang 29, Parker 27.

Round 4: Parker bleeding from the nose as the round begins. Parker lands a right, but Zhang looks in control. Wow, Parker lands a combo. Parker firing. Staggers Zhang with a right and staying active. Zhang 38, Parker 37.

Round 5: No sign of fireworks as boxers grow measured again. Parker lands a couple of body punches. Zhang showing no urgency, and Parker remains the aggressor while landing late. Zhang 47, Parker 47.

Round 6: First minute the equivalent to watching paint dry. But Parker finally fires and hard to know what Zhang is blocking and what is getting through – but at least he’s throwing. Is Zhang already out of gas? Parker 57, Zhang 56.

Round 7: Welcome back to the fight Mr. Zhang, who throws a few punches. The third-round knockdown of Parker seems ages ago. Zhang connects again. But Parker remains the more active fighter. Parker 67, Zhang 65. 

Round 8: Parker stings Zhang with a hard right. Then connects with a looping left. Zhang still lacking urgency. Then lands a left and Parker drops to his knee! Second knockdown of the right. Parker easily beats the eight-count and action resumes. Zhang 77, Parker 75.

Round 9: Fighters just circling. Zhang not trying to capitalize on that knockdown but does lands a stiff jab that knocks Parker’s head back. Round up for grabs. Parker firing. And again. Many blocked, but now strikes Zhang in the side of the face. Zhang 86, Parker 85.

Round 10: Parker comes out firing. Zhang seems content to wait for an opening rather than creating one. Parker stepping forward with combos – most absorbed by Zhang’s massive arms. Parker showing plenty of energy. Parker 95, Zhang 95.

Round 11: Zhang coming forward. Sensing time is running out on him? Parker exposing self with right hands. Zhang can’t take advantage. Parker 105, Zhang 104.

Round 12: Zhang’s corner seems to know their man needs a knockout. Not sure what Zhang is waiting for. It’s Parker who’s throwing a steady diet of punches. Parker somehow managed to stay aggressive and avoid another Zhang knockdown punch. Parker 115, Zhang 113.

Rey Vargas vs. Nick Ball, split draw

Rey Vargas survived two knockdowns and retained his WBC featherweight title in a split draw with Nick Ball.

Ball, a 5-foot-2 Brit, was the aggressor through the 12-round bout. But Vargas, the 5-10 Mexican punished Ball with his left jab.

The judges scored the fight 114-112 for Vargas, 116-110 for Ball and 113-113.

“I was the aggressor in the fight, so I thought I’d done enough to win it,’’ Ball.

Vargas, who improved to 37-1, said he’ll give Ball a rematch. Ball suffered his first defeat, fall to 19-1. See a round-by-round recap below.

Round 1: A striking contrast with the 5-foot-2 Ball and 5-10 Vargas circling at the center of the ring. The diminutive Ball not backing down. But Vargas lands more punches. Vargas 10, Ball 9.

Round 2: Ball trying to get inside but running right into Vargas jabs. But Ball finally connecting. Maybe even steals the round? Vargas 19, Ball 19.

Round 3: The rough-and-tumble Ball sends Vargas flying to the canvas with…an MMA move? No point deduction, but doubtful the judges are impressed. Vargas does most of the scoring. Vargas 29, Ball 28.

Round 4: Ball rushing at Vargas, determined to negate Vargas’ reach advantage, then slips through the ropes. Almost out of control. Vargas delivering that jab again and again. Vargas 39, Ball 37.

Round 5: Ball is a bulldog and looks like he could do damage inside. But Vargas still mostly fending off his challenger with the jab. Vargas 49, Ball 46.

Round 6: Ball wrestles Vargas to the canvas. But Vargas sticking with his game plan – capitalize on his reach advantage. You can give Ball credit for scrappiness, but can’t give him the round. Vargas 59, Ball 55.

Round 7: Ball lands a solid right, and now Vargas backing away. Ball lands another right hand and Vargas looks shaken. An energized Ball rocks Vargas with another right hand! Vargas 68, Ball 55. 

Round 8: Vargas looks back in command – well, for the moment anyway. Ball pushes Vargas to the canvas again. Ball scores a knockdown at the end of the round! Vargas 76, Ball 75.

Round 9: The knockdown doesn’t seem to have affected Vargas. But Ball remains relentlessly aggressive. Putting lots of pressure of Vargas, who responds with a big right hand. Vargas 86, Ball 84.

Round 10: Vargas connects with a body shot and Ball backs up. But not for long. Ball, stalking and lunging, seems to be wearing down Vargas. Vargas 95, Ball 94.

Round 11: Ball chasing Vargas, clearly looking for a KO blow. Vargas responds with those long-armed punches. But ball still dictating the action. Another knockdown for Ball late in the round! Vargas makes the eight-count. Ball 104, Vargas 103.

Round 12: Ball still stalking, and that aggression may earn him what he needs. Vargas just looks spent. And Ball is the energizer bunny – er, bull. And Ball lands a solid left hand to finish things off. Ball 114, Vargas 112.

Notable ring walk: Manny Pacquiao

Legendary boxer Manny Pacquiao accompanied Rey Vargas of Mexico on his ring walk. Vargas, the WBC world featherweight champion is putting his belt on the line against Nick Ball of England in a bout scheduled for 12 rounds.

Israil Madrimov def. Magomed Kurbanov

Madrimov won the WBA super welterweight title when he stopped Kurbanov by TKO in the fifth round.

When the referee stopped the fight, the 25-year-old Uzbekistan boxer celebrated in the ring with a cartwheel followed by a backflip.

“Great feeling,’’ Madrimov said while holding the championship belt in the ring. “…This belt coming to Uzbekistan.’’

Madrimov improved to 10-0-1. Kurbanov, a 28-year-old from Russia, suffered his first loss and fell to 25-1.

Championship belt at stake

The WBO heavyweight championship belt, which now belongs to Zhilei Zhang, will be on the line when China’s Zhang fights Joseph in a heavyweight bout scheduled for 12 rounds. May the fighters look half as polished as the WBO heavyweight championship belt.

Acknowledging His Excellency

His Excellency Turki Alalshikh, the leading power broker in Saudi boxing, got a special welcome between fights. Wearing signature shades, he tapped his chest with a fist in acknowledgment of cheers.

Then the Saudi Arabian national anthem was played and the boxing resumed.

Mark Chamberlain def. Gavin Gwynne

Chamberlain stopped Gwynne by TKO in the fourth round of the lightweight bout.

A southpaw, Chamberlain battered Gwynne from the outset and left his opponent’s right eye badly swollen after the first round. The injury worsened and the referee waved off the fight at 2:46 of the fourth round.

“I wanted to make a statement out here,’’ Chamberlain said.

Chamberlain, a 24-year-old from England, improved to 16-0. Gwynne, a 33-year-old from Wales, dropped to 17-3.

Justis Huni def. Kevin Lerena

Huni survived a final-round barrage to beat Lerena by unanimous decision in the 10-round heavyweight fight.

But Lerena, from South Africa, bloodied in the sixth round, delivered an electrifying effort in the final round. Twice he rocked Huni, who wobbled but stayed on his feet and pulled out the victory.

The judges scored the fight 96-94, 96-94 and 98-92.

The Australian Huni, 24, improved to 9-0 and Lerena, 31, fell to 30-3.

Lerena’s mother died earlier this week.

“Emotionally it was tough,’’ he said. “But you can’t take anything away from this young man. …

“I had him hurt. I should have finished him. But kudos to him, he stayed up like a tough lion, a young lion.’’

Huni cited his training when asked about withstanding Lerena’s powerful shots in the 10th round.

“I’m glad my legs are strong enough to stick it out.

Tyson Fury assesses Joshua-Ngannou matchup

Fury, who got knocked down by Ngannou in October before pulling out a victory by split decision, offered his thoughts on the matchup between Joshua and Ngannou.

“I think if Joshua uses his jab, moves his feet, he wins comfortably,’’ Fury said during an interview on the DAZN broadcast. “But if he gets involved, he could get attacked like I did.

“I should’ve probably used me jab and danced around him…But I tried to jump in with big power shots and, bang-bang. I was having a lot of success early with the one-two, and he was taking them, to his credit.’’

Fury said he got greedy, leading to Ngannou scoring a knockdown in the third round of his pro boxing debut.

“With his limited boxing experienced, he doesn’t really have the ability to,’’ Fury said of Ngannou. “After he’s landed and hurt someone, he doesn’t have the ability to set more shots up on an elite level boxer to get him out of there.

“But, hey,  Anthony Joshua’s not as elusive as I am. Even on me worst not, he’s not as elusive as I am.”

Why is the bout taking place in Saudi Arabia?

There’s little mystery as to why Joshua and Ngannou will be fighting in Saudi Arabia instead of Las Vegas.

Follow the money.

Ngannou passed on a three-fight, $8 million contract with the UFC. Then he reportedly made at least $10 million for his pro debut against Tyson Fury, according to Fury, and is set for another hefty payday for his fight against Joshua.

The Saudis are particularly enchanted with the top-ranked heavyweights.

Fox Sports Australia reported Joshua and Ngannou will be paid more than $70 million combined.

“It will soon be the fight capital of the world,’’ veteran boxing promoter Frank Warren told the London Times.

What time is it in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia?

The main event may be scheduled for early evening Friday in the U.S., but it will be the wee hours of the morning local time. Riyadh is eight hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time (GMT+3), meaning it was 7 p.m. when the preliminary fights began and will be approximately 1:50 a.m. Saturday when the main event gets underway.

Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou betting lines, odds

Joshua is favored to defeat Ngannou, according to the BetMGM odds.

Win Outright: Joshua (-450); Ngannou (+320)
Win by KO/TKO: Joshua (-190); Ngannou (+380)
Win by points or Decision: Joshua (+400); Ngannou (+2,200)

Roman Fury defeats Martin Svarc

Roman Fury, younger brother of world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, improved to 4-0 with a victory by decision over Martin Svarc (2-2) of the Czech Republic in a four-round heavyweight bout.

Fury, 27, made his pro boxing debut in 2022.

Ziyad Almaayouf defeats Christian Lopez Flores

Christian Lopez Flores of Mexico lost his 16th straight bout, with the latest defeat coming to Ziyad Almaayouf in a super lightweight bout.

But Flores (14-36-2) has significant work ahead to make history. Precisely, he will need 35 more consecutive losses to match the 51-fight losing streak stitched together by Robin Deakin of England between 2007 and 2015. Deakin, who fought in the super lightweight division, finished his career with a record of 2-53.

Almaayouf, who was born in Saudi Arabia but lives in Los Angeles, improved to 5-0 with a victory by unanimous decision over Christian Lopez Flores in a six-round super lightweight fight.

Louis Greene def. Jack McGann

In a matchup with two Brits, Greene stopped McGann with a first-round TKO. Greene improved to 17-4 and McGann, a former MMA fighter, fell to 9-1-1.

Andrii Novytskyi def. Juan Torres

Novytskyi won via third-round KO.

Drake bets big on AJ vs. Ngaannou

Many fans are eager to make a profit by predicting the winner of the contest, including Canadian rapper Drake, who is notorious for placing large sums of money on sports bets. In this particular instance, Drake wagered an astonishing $615,000 on newcomer Ngannou to triumph over Joshua.

Read more about Drake’s bet.

Where to stream Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou fight card

The fight card begins at 11 a.m. ET with the main event taking place approximately at 5:50 p.m. ET, according to DAZN.

Game day: Friday, March 8
Game time: 11:00 a.m., ET
TV channel: Coverage available only on DAZN
Live stream: DAZN PPV
Cost: $39.99

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The field for next week’s Players Championship suffered a serious blow with fan favorite and 82-time PGA Tour winner Tiger Woods opting not to play.

Woods, the winner of the Players in 2001 and 2013, hasn’t played in the Tour’s signature event with the richest purse on the circuit, since 2019.

This season, Woods has played just one round, shooting an opening-round 72 at the Genesis Invitational in February before withdrawing from the tournament after hitting his tee shot at the seventh hole, citing the flu. According to Woods’ camp, the WD at Riviera wasn’t injury related.

Woods, 48, competed on Monday at the Seminole Pro-Member with partner Seth Waugh, the CEO of the PGA of America. They teamed to post a better-ball score of 70 and net 67, finishing outside the top 10 in both divisions. It was Woods’ first time playing in the exclusive club tournament.

Woods will only have three more chances to play competitively ahead of the Masters – at the Valspar Championship, the Texas Children’s Houston Open and the Valero Texas Open. While he has played the Valspar near Tampa as recently as 2018 when he finished T-2, Woods may be headed into the first major with a fresh coat of rust.

As recently as last month during his pre-tournament press conference in Los Angeles, he reiterated he hoped to build his schedule around the four majors and play once a month.

There are four eligible players not committed: Will Gordon, David Lingmerth, Danny Willett and Tiger Woods.

Woods is the winner of 15 majors during his World Golf Hall of Fame career. He joined the Tour’s Policy Board last fall.

Federal authorities detailed in court documents how former Jacksonville Jaguars employee Amit Patel lived a ‘life of luxury’ after he stole $22 million from the team.

Patel was the administrator for the Jaguars’ virtual credit card program from September 2019 to February 2023 and conducted his scheme during that time period.

According to a sentencing memorandum obtained by USA TODAY Sports, Patel transferred approximately $20 million to FanDuel and $1 million to DraftKings and spent more than $5 million on items, including over $200,000 for golf memorabilia, such as $47,113.92 for Tiger Woods’ 1996 putter, $78,800 in private jets, and $278,000 for hotels, rental properties, and travel.

Patel also spent $95,000 on a single wristwatch and continued to spend cash after his firing, purchasing a game-used Trevor Lawrence jersey for $2,200 on eBay.

Other things that Patel spent money on include $69,025.26 with Ticketmaster, over $77,000 at the Ponte Vedra Beach Inn and Club, including a $25,581.30 initiation fee, and $5,508.35 for spa services.

All things Jaguars: Latest Jacksonville Jaguars news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.

Patel faced up to 30 years and up to a $500,000 fine, but he pled guilty in December, and prosecutors are recommending a mid-range sentence of seven years ‘given the immense scope of the defendant’s crimes and his recent efforts to shift the blame to his victim.’

According to court documents, Patel, who will be sentenced on Tuesday, ‘casted himself as a tragic figure who engaged “in a horribly misguided effort to pay back previous gambling losses.’

Federal prosecutors said that claim, at best, ‘is deceptive.’

Caitlin Clark’s list of superlatives keeps growing. Already the best scorer in the history of NCAA Division I basketball, she’s now broken Steph Curry’s single-season record for 3-pointers. 

After missing her first 11 shots from 3-point range, Clark connected with 8:39 left in the fourth quarter of the Big Ten tournament quarterfinals against Penn State. That gave her 163 for the year, one more than Curry made during his sophomore season at Davidson.

She added another later in the quarter, giving her 164 — and counting! — for the year.

‘Steph’s amazing,” she said after the game. “Somebody I grew up idolizing, so a cool moment.”

Clark has had a lot of them this season.

With a free throw late in the first half vs. Ohio State on March 3, Clark passed Pete Maravich of LSU with her 3,668th point to become the all-time leading scorer in NCAA Division I, regardless of gender. It happened in front of her childhood hero, former WNBA MVP Maya Moore, and numerous celebs took to Twitter to congratulate her on the milestone.

This comes after Feb. 15 vs. Michigan, when Clark broke the women’s NCAA Division I record set in 2017 by Washington’s Kelsey Plum. Fittingly, it came when Clark hit a logo 3 with 7:48 left in the first quarter. She finished with a career-high 49 points, and congratulations poured in from all over the sports world.

On Feb. 28, in a blowout win over Minnesota, Clark passed Lynette Woodard, who set the all-time women’s college scoring record at Kansas from 1977-81 when she scored 3,649 points for the Jayhawks. The NCAA didn’t run women’s basketball then, which means Woodard’s record has been confined to the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) record books. 

It’s an impressive run for the senior All-American, who led Iowa to the national championship game in April after being named the consensus national player of the year. Clark is expected to be the 2024 national player of the year, too. 

How many points did Caitlin Clark score in Iowa’s last game?

vs. Penn State, March 8: Despite an ‘off’ night in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten tournament, Caitlin Clark had a game-high 24 points in Iowa’s 95-62 win over Penn State. She added 10 rebounds, seven assists and one steal. She has 3,709 points heading into Saturday’s semifinal of the Big Ten tournament.

How many career points has Caitlin Clark scored?

Caitlin Clark has 3,709 career points (and counting!) after scoring 24 vs. Penn State.

Caitlin Clark’s next game on TV?

Clark and Iowa will return to the court Saturday when they play Michigan in the semifinals of the Big Ten tournament in Minneapolis. They will tip at 4:30 p.m. ET on the Big Ten Network. The championship game will be broadcast on CBS on Sunday at noon ET.

The Big Ten tournament is single-elimination, so if Clark & Co. lose, they’re done until the NCAA tournament starts. Iowa is expected to earn a top-4 seed and host the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament. All NCAA tournament games will be broadcast on ESPN’s family of networks.

What is Caitlin Clark’s shooting percentage?

In a word: impressive. Clark is currently connecting on 46% of her shots and 38.5% from 3-point range, eye-popping when you consider the attention she demands from defenses. Her ability to score consistently from long-range is especially impressive considering that she takes so many 3s from 25 feet or deeper (the college 3-point line is 22 feet, 1.75 inches).

How many points does Caitlin Clark average per game?

Through 31 games in the 2023-24 season, Clark is averaging 32.0 points. Over her career, she’s averaged 28.3 points.

One of the most impressive parts of Clark’s game is that she’s averaged more points each season. Here’s how it breaks down:

Freshman year: 26.6 points
Sophomore year: 27.0 points
Junior year: 27.8 points
Senior year: 32.0 points

What is Caitlin Clark’s highest-scoring game?

Clark’s highest-scoring game came on Feb. 16, 2024, when she dropped 49 points vs. Michigan in Iowa’s 106-89 win. It wasn’t just her single-game career high, but also a program record for single game scoring. Additionally, she handed out 13 assists and grabbed five rebounds, the 58th double-double of her career.

Caitlin Clark game log

Here’s a breakdown of Clark’s scoring this season for the Hawkeyes:

vs. Penn State, 3/8/24: 24 points
vs. Ohio State, 3/3/24: 35 points
at Minnesota, 2/28/24: 33 points
vs. Illinois, 2/25/24: 24 points
at Indiana, 2/22/24: 24 points
vs. Michigan, 2/15/24: 49 points (career-high)
at Nebraska, 2/11/24: 31 points
vs. Penn State, 2/8/24: 27 points
at Maryland, 2/3/24: 38 points
at Northwestern, 1/31/24: 35 points
vs. Nebraska, 1/27/2024: 38 points
at Ohio State, 1/21/2024: 45 points
vs. Wisconsin, 1/16/2024: 32 points
vs. Indiana, 1/13/2024: 30 points
at Purdue, 1/10/2024: 26 points
at Rutgers, 1/5/2024: 29 points
vs. Michigan State, 1/2/2024: 40 points
vs. Minnesota, 12/30/2023: 35 points
vs. Loyola Chicago, 12/21/2023: 35 points
vs. Cleveland State, 12/16/2023: 38 points
at Wisconsin, 12/10/2023: 28 points
vs. Iowa State, 12/6/2023: 35 points
vs. Bowling Green, 12/2/2023: 24 points
vs. Kansas State, 11/26/2023: 32 points
vs. Florida Gulf Coast, 11/25/2023: 21 points
vs. Purdue Fort Wayne, 11/24/2023: 29 points
vs. Drake, 11/19/2023: 35 points
vs. Kansas State, 11/16/2023: 24 points
at UNI, 11/12/2023: 24 points
vs. Virginia Tech, 11/9/2023: 44 points
vs. FDU, 11/6/2023: 28 points

Who is Pete Maravich, men’s NCAA all-time leading scorer?

The NCAA’s all-time leading scorer, ‘Pistol’ Pete Maravich of LSU, was a shooting, dribbling and passing whiz who dominated the college game during his three seasons in Baton Rouge.

The son of Tigers coach Press Maravich averaged an astounding 44.2 points per game for his career, finishing with an NCAA record 3,667.

Unlike Clark, Maravich did not have the advantage of the 3-point shot, which was universally implemented by the NCAA for the 1987 season. He also accumulated his record-setting point total in just three seasons of college basketball.

Who is Lynette Woodard, women’s college basketball’s previous all-time leading scorer?

Woodard is a Wichita, Kansas, native and after her high school playing days, she arrived at the University of Kansas in 1977.

Woodard was the captain and second-leading scorer for the United States as Team USA took the gold medal in basketball at the 1984 Olympic games in Los Angeles. A year later, she became the first woman ever to play for the Harlem Globetrotters.

When Woodard started playing college basketball, the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women was the governing body for women’s college sports. The NCAA did not start sponsoring women’s sports until 1982, holding the first NCAA women’s tournament that season.

Because Woodard’s 3,639 career points at Kansas predates the NCAA’s sponsor of women’s sports, her stats and records are not found or recognized in the NCAA’s official record books.

The NHL’s trade deadline eve ended with a major deal as the Pittsburgh Penguins sent winger Jake Guentzel to the Carolina Hurricanes for a veteran, three prospects and two conditional draft picks.

Friday morning, the Hurricanes were at it again, acquiring Evgeny Kuznetsov from the Washington Capitals to boost their scoring depth and playoff experience.

The biggest shock was the Vegas Golden Knights trading for San Jose Sharks All-Star Tomas Hertl, adding to the defending champions’ acquisitions of Noah Hanifin and Anthony Mantha earlier in the week.

The New Jersey Devils made their long-awaited goaltending move, trading for Jake Allen, but moved out pending unrestricted free agent Tyler Toffoli to the Winnipeg Jets.

USA TODAY Sports’ news and analysis on the trades and other moves that took place on Friday (trades since Feb. 28; transactions before Feb. 28):

Kaapo Kahkonen to Devils, Vitek Vanecek to Sharks in goalie trade

San Jose’s Kaapo Kahkonen is heading to New Jersey and Vitek Vanecek and a 2025 seventh-round pick are going to San Jose. Kahkonen is a pending unrestricted free agent and Vanecek has a year left on his contract. With the Devils earlier acquiring Jake Allen, the struggling and injured Vanecek became expendable.

New York Rangers acquire Columbus Blue Jackets’ Jack Roslovic

The Rangers were expected to be pursuing a big name right wing after the injury to Blake Wheeler. Jack Roslovic isn’t a big name but he can play center or the wing. He has 13 points in his last 12 games, and the price, a conditional 2026 fourth-round pick, is lower than what the bigger names would have required.

Vegas Golden Knights acquire Tomas Hertl

This is a shocker. Tomas Hertl is currently on the injured list but is expected back for the playoffs. The two-time All-Star is signed through 2029-30, which will help the Golden Knights as they deal with several of their forwards heading toward free agency. Hertl brings a lot of skill and with the recent acquisitions of Noah Hanifin and Anthony Mantha, the Golden Knights are geared up for their bid to repeat. The Sharks retain a reported 17% of Hertl’s salary. Because the Golden Knights moved their 2025 first-round pick for Hertl, Vegas will send its 2026 first-rounder to Calgary in the Hanifin deal.

It’s 3 p.m. ET: Trade deadline has passed

But don’t forget. Deals always get announced afterward.

Tampa Bay Lightning acquire Matt Dumba, per report

The Lightning have needed help on defense since Mikhail Sergachev suffered a broken leg. Dumba doesn’t play the same style, but he averaged 20 minutes a game and had 150 hits this season with the Arizona Coyotes. He’s a top-four defenseman.

Boston Bruins, Columbus Blue Jackets swap defensemen

Andrew Peeke is heading to Boston and Jakub Zboril and a 2027 third-round pick is heading to Columbus. Peeke has two years left on his deal and Zboril is a pending unrestricted free agent. Peeke led the Blue Jackets in shots per 60 minutes. Zboril is heading to the American Hockey League.

Three players claimed off waivers

From the Associated Press

Philadelphia Flyers acquire Erik Johnson from the Buffalo Sabres

The Flyers didn’t get back a defenseman in the Sean Walker trade so Erik Johnson will add to the team’s blue-line depth. The 35-year-old won a Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche in 2022. The Sabres get a 2024 fourth-round pick. Multiple reports also said the Flyers acquired forward Denis Gurianov from the Nashville Predators for forward Wade Allison.

New Jersey Devils acquire Jake Allen from Montreal Canadiens, per report

Jake Allen was available because the Canadiens are set in net with Sam Montembeault, who signed an extension next season, and Cayden Primeau. The Devils’ goaltending has been an issue this season. Allen will provide stability in net and mentorship to the Devils’ young netminders. He has another year left on his contract. The Devils had reportedly been trying to acquire Jacob Markstrom.

Detroit Red Wings trade Klim Kostin to San Jose Sharks

Nashville Predators acquire Jason Zucker from Arizona Coyotes

The Coyotes get a sixth-round pick. The Predators are light on secondary scoring beyond their productive first line. Jason Zucker had 27 goals last season, though only 25 points this season.

New York Rangers acquire Chad Ruhwedel from Pittsburgh Penguins

The Rangers give up a 2027 fourth-round pick. This is a depth move. Ruhwedel kills penalties.

Anaheim Ducks acquire Ben Meyers from Colorado Avalanche

The Avalanche added forwards this week with Casey Mittelstadt, Yakov Trenin and Brandon Duhaime, so they get a 2024 fifth-round pick for Ben Meyers.

Florida Panthers acquire Kyle Okposo from Buffalo Sabres

In exchange for Kyle Okposo, the Sabres get a conditional 2024 seventh-round draft pick and American Hockey League defenseman Calle Sjalin. Okposo has been the Sabres’ captain since last season.

Boston Bruins acquire Pat Maroon from the Minnesota Wild

This is the Boston Bruins’ first trade deadline move. They give up a conditional 2026 sixth-round pick and American Hockey League forward Luke Toporowski to add a three-time Stanley Cup winner who reached the Final four years in a row. He has 150 games of playoff experience. Pat Maroon adds size and grit to the Bruins’ fourth line and follows a feisty game between Boston and the Toronto Maple Leafs, a likely first-round matchup. As an aside, Bruins announcer Jack Edwards had made fun of Maroon’s weight on air, though he later apologized.

Winnipeg Jets acquire Tyler Toffoli from New Jersey Devils

In a separate trade between the teams, the Devils sent defenseman Colin Miller to the Jets for a 2026 fourth-round pick.

Columbus Blue Jackets, St. Louis Blues make minor league deal

The Blue Jackets acquired minor league goalie Malcolm Subban from the Blues for future considerations. Subban will report to the Blue Jackets’ affiliate in Cleveland.

Seattle Kraken re-sign Jordan Eberle

Washington Capitals trade Evgeny Kuznetsov to Carolina Hurricanes

The Capitals will get a 2025 third-round pick and Washington will retain 50% of his salary Though Evgeny Kuznetsov has had a tough season, he has 87 games of playoff experience and had a playoff-high 20 assists and 32 points during the Capitals’ 2018 run to the Stanley Cup title. With the earlier Jake Guentzel deal, the Hurricanes enter the postseason with two new proven playoff scorers.

Washington Capitals, Carolina Hurricanes discuss Evgeny Kuznetsov deal

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported the talks. Evgeny Kuznetsov has been cleared from the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program and the Capitals waived him and assigned him to the American Hockey League. Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan said at the time he would look for ‘a fresh start for Kuzy.’

Boston Bruins give extension to Parker Wotherspoon

Defenseman Parker Wotherspoon, 26, agreed to a one-year, $800,000 extension, according to reports. He has six assists and 23 penalty minutes this season, five of which occurred during a fight Thursday night against the Toronto Maple Leafs’ Tyler Bertuzzi. Bruins defensemen Matt Grzelcyk, Derek Forbort and Kevin Shattenkirk are potential unrestricted free agents this summer.

What are the New York Rangers looking for?

The Rangers added center Alex Wennberg this week, but need a winger after the injury to Blake Wheeler. Here’s what Vincent Z. Mercogliano of lohud.com, part of the USA TODAY Network, says about the Rangers’ hunt:

‘A couple quick morning RW updates: – Vatrano is considered the most likely #NYR pivot, but word is that he likes it in SoCal and ANA is fine with holding him. It will require substantial offer to make a trade. I imagine there will be significant back and forth today.

‘- Due to popular demand, I asked around about a (Pavel) Buchnevich reunion. Most don’t see it happening, but one person wondered if the lack of appealing options would force #NYR to swallow pride. Why rule out best available? Price even higher than Vatrano. Consensus is it’s a long shot.’

When is the NHL trade deadline?

The NHL trade deadline is at 3 p.m. ET on Friday, March 8.

What was the Jake Guentzel trade?

Late Thursday night, the Carolina Hurricanes acquired forward Jake Guentzel and defenseman Ty Smith from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for forwards Michael Bunting, Ville Koivunen, Cruz Lucius and Vasily Ponomarev, as well as conditional first-round and fifth-round picks in the 2024 draft. The Penguins will retain 25% of Guentzel’s salary.

The Penguins will get a 2024 first-round pick if Carolina reaches the Stanley Cup Final. If the Hurricanes do not get there, the pick becomes a second-rounder. If Carolina wins the Stanley Cup, Pittsburgh gets an additional 2024 fifth-round pick.

Who won the Jake Guentzel trade?

In the short term, the Hurricanes did because Guentzel is a top playoff scorer and could be a difference-maker for a team that lost four consecutive one-goal games in last year’s conference final. The prospects are promising, but not their top ones. Regardless the Hurricanes gave up a lot of players for someone they don’t know will re-sign with them in the summer.

The Penguins are the winners in the long run because they needed to get younger and replenish their prospect pool. This trade accomplished that, especially if the Hurricanes reach the Final and Pittsburgh gets a first-round pick.

Which NHL players were traded in recent days?

In addition to Guentzel, Noah Hanifin and Anthony Mantha (Vegas Golden Knights), Vladimir Tarasenko (Florida Panthers), Adam Henrique (Edmonton Oilers), Casey Mittelstadt, Sean Walker, Yakov Trenin and Brandon Duhaime (Colorado Avalanche), Alex Wennberg (New York Rangers) and Anthony Duclair (Tampa Bay Lightning).

How busy was last season’s trade deadline day?

Most of the big trades happened in the week leading up to deadline day. But on deadline day, there were 19 trades involving 34 players and 14 draft picks. The Penguins made a couple moves but weren’t able to keep their playoff streak alive.

The NFL’s version of March Madness is nearly here.

The opening of NFL free agency coincides with the new league year, which starts Wednesday after 4 p.m. ET.

However, despite the start of the new league year officially marking the free agency signing period, teams also have another tool to enter negotiations with prospective free agents, commonly known as the ‘legal tampering period.’ The ‘legal tampering period’ begins Monday at noon ET. It is during this time when reports will emerge of teams agreeing to contracts with free-agent players.

Where might the top free agents land next week (or beyond)?

Here are predictions for the top free agents:

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

1. Chris Jones, DT

Predicted destination: Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs using the franchise tag on cornerback L’Jarius Sneed, and not Jones, seems like an indication that the two-time defending Super Bowl champions are confident they can sign Jones to a long-term contract.

2. Saquon Barkley, RB

Predicted destination: Chicago Bears

The Bears appear set to jettison quarterback Justin Fields in order to make room for presumptive No. 1 overall draft pick Caleb Williams. And armed with a second top-10 pick, the Bears could add one of the draft’s premier wide receivers, too. Why not execute a complete offensive skill position overall? The Bears’ only other running back options are Khalil Herbert and Roschon Johnson, so Barkley would be a significant upgrade.

3. Kirk Cousins, QB

Predicted destination: Minnesota Vikings

Why would the Vikings not want to keep Cousins around? The quarterback seemingly has a good rapport with head coach Kevin O’Connell and does a good job getting the football into the hands of all-world wide receiver Justin Jefferson. Cousins was injured during the 2023 season, but at full health in his first season under O’Connell led the Vikings to the NFC North title in 2022.

4. Christian Wilkins, DT

Predicted destination: Chicago Bears

Armed with oodles of salary cap space and a restart contract-wise (probably) at the quarterback position, the Bears are poised to make a lot of moves in free agency. Wilkins, who had a career-high nine sacks in 2023, would immediately fit a major area of need for the Bears.

5. Derrick Henry, RB

Predicted destination: Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens came close to acquiring Henry from the Tennessee Titans at least season’s trade deadline. Now that Henry is free to sign with any team, this might be time for Baltimore to add an explosive piece to what it hopes will be a Super Bowl-caliber roster. Running backs J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards (plus, Dalvin Cook and Melvin Gordon, who each spent part of last season in Baltimore) are set to be free agents, thus opening the door for the four-time Pro Bowler Henry to team up with two-time league MVP Lamar Jackson in the backfield. Doesn’t that sound like fun?

6. Josh Jacobs, RB

Predicted destination: Houston Texans

Devin Singletary, the Texans’ leading rusher in 2023, is a free agent. That opens the door for the team to add Jacobs, the NFL’s leading rusher in 2022, as a complement to incumbent Dameon Pierce. In five seasons with the Raiders, Jacobs posted three 1,000-yard rushing campaigns. Jacobs’ addition would benefit the further development of second-year quarterback C.J. Stroud, last season’s NFL offensive rookie of the year.

7. Tyron Smith, OT

Predicted destination: Kansas City Chiefs

Smith reportedly is unlikely to return to the Dallas Cowboys, ending a 13-season tenure during which Smith earned eight Pro Bowl selections and two first-team All-Pro nods. The 33-year-old Smith might not have a lot of suitors in free agency, despite his strong Pro Football Hall of Fame résumé. However, there is one team that could use a stop-gap option at offensive tackle − the two-time reigning Super Bowl champions. Left tackle Donovan Smith is a free agent and moving penalty flag-happy right tackle Jawaan Taylor over to quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ blind side seems ill-advised.

8. Chase Young, DE/OLB

Predicted destination: Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens have cycled through veteran pass rushers in recent years, so why not add Young’s name to a mix that also included Jadeveon Clowney, Justin Houston and Calais Campbell?

9. Danielle Hunter, DE/OLB

Predicted destination: Arizona Cardinals

The paths of Hunter and Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon have crossed before, when Gannon was an assistant coach for the Vikings. The Cardinals have a massive need at edge rusher, and Hunter would sufficiently fill that need. The Cardinals own the No. 4 and 27 overall picks in the 2024 NFL draft, but this year’s class of edge rushers isn’t that strong. This presents the possibility that the Cardinals could use their first-round pick on a wide receiver and then use that second first-round selection on a pass rusher. However, Hunter is a proven commodity and likely would make an instant impact in Arizona.

10. Calvin Ridley, WR

Predicted destination: Kansas City Chiefs

The Jaguars used their franchise tag on DE/OLB Josh Allen, which frees Ridley to sign wherever he pleases coming off his most productive NFL season. The Chiefs might have won the Super Bowl, but the team endured a season of dropped passes from its receiving corps. Marquez Valdes-Scantling is a free agent, so adding Ridley to pair with emerging talent Rashee Rice would be an upgrade.

11. Patrick Queen, LB

Predicted destination: Dallas Cowboys

The Ravens made Roquan Smith the highest-paid linebacker in the NFL in 2023, which makes keeping the highly productive Queen around a challenge. Down in Dallas, the Cowboys have a talent shortage at the position − look no further than the team’s embarrassing wild-card playoff defeat at the hands of the Green Bay Packers. Yes, we know Micah Parsons is listed as a ‘linebacker,’ but his primary duties are getting to the quarterback and he shouldn’t have to play a traditional linebacker role as well.

12. Jordyn Brooks, LB

Predicted destination: Dallas Cowboys

No, the Cowboys aren’t going sign both Queen and Brooks. But, this is just an indication of how dire the team’s need is at linebacker. The Cowboys should sign one of these two linebackers after the Packers clearly exposed this glaring team weakness.

13. Jonathan Greenard, DE/OLB

Predicted destination: Chicago Bears

Greenard benefitted from the presence of NFL defensive rookie of the year Will Anderson Jr., registering a team-high 12.5 sacks after having 10.5 total sacks in his first three seasons. That was serendipitous timing for Greenard, who likely will cash in with a lucrative contract in the edge rusher-hungry NFL. Some team − probably not the Texans − will pay up, despite just one impressive season. Despite only playing half the season in Chicago after a trade by the Washington Commanders, Montez Sweat led the Bears in sacks (six) in 2023. Paired with Sweat, Greenard could enjoy the same level of production as he did in Houston while teamed with Anderson.

14. Leonard Williams, DE

Predicted destination: Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks dealt a 2024 second-round pick and a 2025 fifth-round selection to the New York Giants in order to acquire Williams at the trade deadline. Giving up that much draft capital for a half season of work (which was impressive) would be a bad look for the Seahawks.

15. Mike Onwenu, OL

Predicted destination: Detroit Lions

Center Graham Glasgow and guard Halapoulivaati Vaitai are both free agents, which could set up some urgency in Detroit to bring in the versatile Onwenu, who can play guard or tackle. The prospect of teaming Onwenu — who started 56 games for the New England Patriots over four seasons — next to All-Pro tackle Penei Sewell would be enticing. Add in the fact that Onwenu played for the Michigan Wolverines, and this seems like a slam dunk.

16. Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, S

Predicted destination: Philadelphia Eagles

After leading the league with six interceptions during his lone season with the Eagles, Gardner-Johnson left as a free agent to join the Lions. The Eagles’ secondary was injury-riddled in 2023, so a return to Philly could be in the offing for Gardner-Johnson, who could at the very least provide solid depth, if not start.

17. Marquise Brown, WR

Predicted destination: Tennessee Titans

Like DeAndre Hopkins before him, Brown could be another Cardinals wide receiver to make the transition to Tennessee. The Titans will lose Derrick Henry to free agency and need to build talent around second-year quarterback Will Levis.

18. Kendall Fuller, CB

Predicted destination: Las Vegas Raiders

The Raiders are solid up front defensively with Maxx Crosby wreaking havoc on opposing linemen and quarterbacks, so acquiring a solid back-end player would do this team real nicely.

19. Stephon Gilmore, CB

Predicted destination: Detroit Lions

With L’Jarius Sneed and Jaylon Johnson receiving the franchise tag, both Fuller and Gilmore could benefit tremendously as the next-best available cornerbacks on the market. While the Lions will lose the safety Gardner-Johnson to free agency, the team brings in Gilmore to team with 2023 second-round pick Brian Branch and Cameron Sutton. This pickup also would team Stephon up with his brother Steven Gilmore, who is a backup cornerback for the Lions.

20. Jordan Poyer, S

Predicted destination: San Francisco 49ers

Talk about the rich getting richer. Tashaun Gipson is a free agent, which creates a convenient slot for Poyer − one of the Buffalo Bills’ salary cap-saving cuts − to slide right into on the 49ers’ talent-laden defense.

21. Bryce Huff, LB

Predicted destination: Washington Commanders

The Commanders have a lot of team needs, and likely will use the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft on filling the quarterback position. After dealing away pass rushers Chase Young and Montez Sweat at last season’s trade deadline, the Commanders also need players who can get to the quarterback. Huff was the New York Jets’ team leader in sacks (10) and would fill Washington’s edge rusher need quite nicely.

Will players on the franchise tag stay or go?

Josh Allen, DE/OLB

Predicted destination: Jacksonville Jaguars

Allen, one of the league’s top pass rushers, trailed only league-leader T.J. Watt (17.5 sacks to 19) last season. Allen will be a vital piece for the Jaguars to retain as they look to put a disappointing finish to the 2023 season in the rearview.

Brian Burns, DE/OLB

Predicted destination: Carolina Panthers

The Panthers used the franchise tag on Burns, but could field trade offers for the two-time Pro Bowl selection. The Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars and San Francisco 49ers all expressed interest in Burns at last season’s trade deadline.

Tee Higgins, WR

Predicted destination: Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals are wise to keep Higgins — a valuable complementary piece for Ja’Marr Chase in the offense — in the fold with quarterback Joe Burrow returning from injury.

Justin Madubuike, DT

Predicted destination: Baltimore Ravens

Madubuike registered a career-high 13 sacks last season. If Madubuike and the Ravens can’t agree on a long-term deal by mid-July, Madubuike will play the 2024 season under the one-year franchise tag tender.

L’Jarius Sneed, CB

Predicted destination: Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs are hoping to keep Sneed. However, one of the best cover corners in the NFL could receive outside interest, despite the fact that another team would have to pay dearly in a possible trade scenario. Sneed has permission to seek a trade despite the designation, a few teams have expressed interest in the cornerback, a person with direct knowledge of the situation told USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon.

Antoine Winfield Jr., S

Predicted destination: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Buccaneers have a number of key impending free agents — quarterback Baker Mayfield, and linebackers Lavonte David and Devin White among them (receiver Mike Evans got a two-year extension) — but used their franchise tag on Winfield. Winfield is coming off an All-Pro season in which he recorded three interceptions and tied for the league lead with six forced fumbles.

Michael Pittman, WR

Predicted destination: Indianapolis Colts