Final Four berths will be earned in the men’s and women’s NCAA Tournaments on Sunday.

In the men’s NCAA Tournament, No. 2 seed Tennessee will play No. 1 seed Houston in the Midwest Region, while No. 1 overall seed Auburn will play Tom Izzo and No. 2 seed Michigan State in the South, finalizing the Final Four.

On the women’s side, Duke-South Carolina and LSU-UCLA will determine the first two Final Four berths.

Duke and Florida both secured Final Four berths on Saturday with wins over No. 2 seed Alabama and No. 3 seed Texas Tech in the Elite Eight, respectively. Duke will face the winner of Tennessee-Houston, while Florida faces the winner of Auburn-Michigan State for a spot in the national championship on Monday, April 7.

LSU-UCLA headlines the women’s slate on Sunday, as the Tigers and Bruins rematch from their Sweet 16 matchup a season ago. LSU and coach Kim Mulkey got the best of UCLA in 2024, defeating the Bruins 78-69.

Here’s a look at the Sunday slate of NCAA Tournament games across men’s and women’s action:

What time does March Madness start today?

All times Eastern.

Here are the start times for men’s and women’s NCAA Tournament games today:

Men’s NCAA Tournament games: 2:20 p.m. | 5:05 p.m.
Women’s NCAA Tournament games: 1 p.m. | 3 p.m.

March Madness schedule today

Here’s the full schedule for Sunday games in both March Madness tournaments:

Men’s NCAA Tournament

(2) Tennessee vs. (1) Houston | 2:20 p.m. | CBS (Fubo)
(2) Michigan State vs. (1) Auburn | 5:05 p.m. | CBS (Fubo)

Women’s NCAA Tournament

(2) Duke vs. (1) South Carolina | 1 p.m. | ABC (Fubo)
(3) LSU vs. (1) UCLA | 3 p.m. | ABC (Fubo)

What channel are March Madness games on today?

Men’s NCAA Tournament

TV channel: CBS
Streaming: March Madness Live | Fubo (free trial)

Women’s NCAA Tournament

TV channel: ABC
Streaming: March Madness Live | ESPN app | Fubo (free trial)

CBS and ABC will air the men’s and women’s NCAA tournaments on Sunday, respectively. A catch-all streaming option for all March Madness games is March Madness Live, which requires a valid cable login. The ESPN app is also a potential option for anyone wanting to stream the women’s March Madness games.

Otherwise, Fubo carries both ABC and CBS, and offers a free trial to potential subscribers.

LOS ANGELES − It was everything Jack Flaherty dreamed of being born and raised in nearby Burbank.

Growing up to be a major-league baseball player, playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers, winning the World Series, and getting his World Series ring in front of friends and family.

Only, this one had a bit of a twist.

Flaherty, who won the championship with the Dodgers last season, received his ring on Saturday, but there was no elegant production. The Dodgers ownership group wasn’t standing on stage.

Flaherty walked out wearing a Detroit Tigers sweatshirt and got a bear hug from former teammate Mookie Betts, who presented him a Dodgers gold-lettered championship uniform. He was also greeted by manager Dave Roberts and about 10 of his former teammates. And then he received his World Series ring from Dodgers pitching coach Mark Prior.

Flaherty became emotional after the ceremony, hugging his mother in a long embrace, and then taking pictures with his family afterwards.

And finally, for Flaherty, there is closure.

He arrived at the trade deadline from the Tigers last season, helped lead the Dodgers to the NL West title, going 6-2 with a 3.58 ERA, covering 55 ⅓ innings in the regular season. One of just three healthy starting pitchers, he helped guide the Dodgers through October, making five starts. He started Game 1 of the NLCS against the New York Mets, Game 1 of the World Series and their Game 5 clinching victory against the New York Yankees.

“He was a true professional who really wants to be great,’’ Dodgers three-time Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw said. “And he goes about his business great. Great addition to our team last year.

“It helped us out a ton.’’

Simply, the Dodgers don’t win the World Series without the man.

“Somewhat of a savior, to be honest with you,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “Jack, hometown guy, it was his dream to pitch for the Dodgers, and he delivered.

“So, he’s going to be a friend of mine for life. … He was the right person at the right time for our club. And I’m happy that he got family and friends to see him in a Dodger uniform.”

Flaherty, who had to watch the Dodgers’ ring ceremony from the Tigers’ bullpen as he warmed up before the game Friday, stopping long enough to clap for Kershaw when he received his ring, badly wanted to be part of the festivities. Yet, since he was starting, he had to wait with emotions searing through his body.

“It kind of felt like my first time back here,’’ Flaherty said, “my first start in 2018 where it was more emotion than heart rate or anything. It was almost out-of-body-ish.”

Flaherty had tried to downplay his emotions to family and friends before he arrived into town, but who was he kidding? The truth is that he wanted to be back in a Dodger uniform, pleading his case all winter. Yet, the Dodgers instead signed two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell to a five-year, $182 million contract in November. Two months later, they signed Japanese sensation Roki Sasaki to a $6.5 million signing bonus.

The cruel reality for Flaherty is they no longer needed him.

“The whole focus on this winter,” Flaherty said, “was figuring out where the best place was for me to end up and let the pieces fall where they may.”

Flaherty wound up back with the Tigers, signing a two-year, $45 million contract, but no matter how much he wanted to return, those glorious memories will never fade.

“It’s an incredible thing to think about,’’ Flaherty said, “and an incredible thing to be a part of. I got lucky enough to be on a team that got to win it in the fashion we did.

“Growing up here and being a part of this, to give it all back and live it out in real time was awesome.”

The ultimate dream, of course, would have been for Flaherty to do everything in his power Friday to help keep the Dodgers from winning another title. He had a no-hitter for four innings. He was pitching a shutout through five innings. But then there was Freddie Freeman hitting a two-run homer in the sixth inning, ending his night, and was serenaded by the fans with a loud, appreciative ovation.

“It means a lot,’’ Flaherty said, “especially growing up here and spending a lot of time here. It was very special.”

Now, the ultimate dream, he said, is to help the Tigers win their first World Series since 1984.

“I wish he would have stayed with us, selfishly, but it was awesome watching him and win a World Series,’’ Tigers outfielder Riley Greene said. “When he signed back here, I shot him a text with some words I can’t say, but I’m very excited.’’

Considering the Tigers came roaring back to reach the postseason, stunned the Houston Astros, and came within one game of beating the Cleveland Guardians in the Division Series, who knows what would have happened if they had kept Flaherty.

Tigers Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal hates to ponder the thought, knowing that while they certainly could have used Flaherty, they also received valuable shortstop Trey Sweeney in the deal. All he knows is that he wants that piece of jewelry that Flaherty will be wearing.

“I wasn’t a fan of trading him away,’’ Skubal said. “I didn’t want him to go. But I’m happy for him because he ended up getting the ring that I’m striving to get.

“I want to see it. I’ll probably wear it. I can’t wait to see which finger fits for me.

“He has what we all want.’’

Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale

The No. 2 Tennessee Volunteers have dreams of dancing into the Final Four, but will have to make it past the No. 1 Houston Cougars on Sunday in the final day of the Elite Eight in the men’s NCAA Tournament.

March Madness is nearing its final salvo with a few more flourishes in store. Houston has looked somewhat mortal in the tournament. After slicing through SIU Edwardsville in the first round, it staved off a comeback from Gonzaga in the second round, 81-76. The Cougars then needed late heroics from Milos Uzan to get past Purdue in the Sweet 16.

For Tennessee, things have been relatively drama-free. Its most recent win, a 78-65 takedown of Kentucky, showcased this squad’s prowess on defense.

Follow along live for bracket updates, scores, highlights and how to watch Sunday’s action:

What time is Houston vs. Tennessee basketball today?

March Madness continues Sunday with the Elite Eight matchup between the No. 1-seeded Houston Cougars and the No. 2-seeded Tennessee Volunteers. The action tips off at 2:20 p.m. ET

Where to watch Houston vs. Tennessee: TV, streaming coverage 

TV channel: CBS
Live stream: Paramount+ and Fubo (Fubo offers a free trial subscription)

Watch March Madness with Fubo

What channel is March Madness on?

Men’s NCAA Tournament games on Sunday will be broadcast on CBS. You can also watch Elite Eight action via these streaming options: Paramount+ and Fubo. Fubo offers a free trial subscription to new users.

Houston vs. Tennessee odds and betting line

The Houston Cougars are favorites to beat the Tennessee Volunteers, according to BetMGM odds as of Sunday, March 30.

Spread: Houston (-3.5)
Moneyline: Houston (-155); Tennessee (+130)
O/U: 125.5

Houston vs. Tennessee predictions and picks

The Arizona Republic: Houston 64, Tennessee 63

Jeremy Cluff writes: ‘The point spread for this game is the lowest of the four Elite Eight games, with Houston favored by just 3.5 points. The Cougars have won their most recent two NCAA Tournament games by a combined seven points, but they keep finding ways to win. Kelvin Sampson will find a way to lead his team to the Final Four with a very close win over Tennessee on Sunday.’

Sportsbook Wire: Houston 69, Tennessee 66

The site states: ‘Houston has compiled a 19-18-0 ATS record so far this year. Tennessee has covered 20 times in 37 chances against the spread this season. The 74.2 points per game the Cougars record are 11.3 more points than the Volunteers give up (62.9).’

Houston vs. Tennessee all-time head-to-head record, history

The Tennessee Volunteers and Houston Cougars have played one another five times since 1970. The Volunteers enjoy a 3-2 record in the series and won the most recent matchup, a 69-49 victory on Dec. 19, 1995.

NEWARK, N.J. – Even when Cooper Flagg wasn’t at his best in the NCAA men’s tournament East Regional Final against Alabama, his potential NBA lottery-bound teammates picked up the slack, and it was good enough for Duke to advance to another Final Four.

Kon Knueppel scored 21 points, Tyrese Proctor added 17 despite an off-game from Flagg, Duke held off a cold-shooting Alabama in the second half to win 85-65 on Saturday,

The top-seeded Blue Devils will play the winner of the South Regional Final between Houston and Tennessee next Saturday in San Antonio, Texas. It will be their 18th Final Four (and first since 2022), tying them with UCLA for the second-most appearances all-time.

Alabama, the nation’s highest-scoring team, kept the game close in the first half despite a dreadful shooting performance, hitting five of its 19 shots beyond the arc, and All-America guard Mark Sears struggling. After a 34-point, 10 3-pointer performance in the regional semifinal against Brigham Young, Sears didn’t hit his first bucket until two minutes left in the first half. He finished with six points on 2-12 shooting and five turnovers in 30 minutes.

Duke, who allowed only 61 points a game in the regular season, put that defensive prowess to work, as Alabama went stretches of four and five minutes in the second half without a field goal. It was anchored by 7-2 center Khaman Maluach, who clogged the paint and harassed Alabama shooters, allowing the Duke perimeter defenders to force low-percentage shots. He had 14 points, eight rebounds, and two blocks for Duke, who shot 53.6% from the field and had 40 points inside the paint.

The Blue Devils used a final 13-1 run, highlighted by a Knueppel dunk, to stretch the lead to 72-58 with four minutes remaining to seal the contest.

The Crimson Tide, who were aiming for a second consecutive trip to the Final Four, simply couldn’t find their way, especially their outside shooting. When it seemed everything went against BYU, hitting an NCAA Tournament record 25 three-pointers on 51 attempts, most of their long-range shots misfired, finishing 8-31 from downtown against the Blue Devils.

Flagg, the Most Outstanding Player of the East Region, scored 16 points, but had only six in the second half, and added nine rebounds. The Blue Devils have won 31 of their last 32 games, and now have won 15 consecutive games.

Labaron Philon had a team-high 16 points, Chris Youngblood added 10 for Alabama, who shot 35.4% from the field, made just 8 of 32 of its 3-pointers, and was held to 26 points below its average. It was only the second time all season that Alabama failed to score 70 points.

The game plan for Texas Tech on Saturday afternoon was to limit Florida’s Walter Clayton Jr. Do that, and the Red Raiders had a good shot to return to the Final Four since their first trip in 2019.

For most of the Elite Eight matchup, Texas Tech did that, and with just under eight minutes to go, led the Gators by 10. At that point, Clayton had 17 points, with 11 coming from the free-throw line. He was 3-for-8 from the field − all layups − and had gone more than 15 minutes without making a shot.

BOSTON — Ilia Malinin’s top rival said this week that he’s starting to think the self-proclaimed ‘Quad God’ is invincible. But with every effortless quadruple jump Saturday at TD Garden, every elegant twist, every precise bend of his skate, a slightly different word came to mind: Inevitable.

Malinin defended his world title in mesmerizing and dominant fashion at the 2025 world championships in Boston, landing six quads during his free skate before laying in the middle of the ice, then basking in the cheers from the home crowd. He is just the sixth American man to win consecutive world figure skating championships, joining a who’s who of the sport’s biggest names − Nathan Chen, Brian Boitano and Dick Button among them.

When asked on NBC afterwards how it felt to be Ilia Malinin in this moment, he smiled.

‘I don’t know,’ he said. ‘I’m tired.’

It was yet another memorable performance from Malinin, the 20-year-old from Vienna, Virginia, who will enter the 2026 Winter Olympics as the heavy favorite to win gold − and likely one of the most-hyped stars on Team USA.

Over the span of 4 minutes, 13 seconds, Malinin landed a quad flip, quad axel, quad lutz, quad loop, quad toe loop and quad salchow, in that order. Then he did his signature element, a side-winding aerial that he’s dubbed a ‘raspberry twist,’ and a backflip for good measure. On the NBC broadcast, the exasperation was audible.

‘That should not be possible,’ Tara Lipinski said. ‘It’s like he undoes gravity.’

Malinin’s total score of 318.56 put him a whopping 31 points ahead of Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Shaidorov, who finished second. It was the figure-skating equivalent of a playoff blowout. And yet, Malinin seemed almost indifferent to the final result. He was mostly thrilled that he had landed his first quad loop of the season, and annoyed that the seven-quad program had once again eluded him.

‘That seven-quad layout, for me, it’s really my ideal layout,’ Malinin said. ‘And I really want to nail this and have it be comfortable, effortless. I really want it so I can have another history marking.’

Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama, who has been the only other skater at recent competitions to even be in the same ballpark as Malinin, finished a distant third, while American Jason Brown’s emotional free skate boosted him to ninth. Andrew Torgashev, the other U.S. skater in the field, finished 22nd.

Malinin’s title-clinching performance Saturday followed Madison Chock and Evan Bates’ victory in ice dance earlier in the day, and Alysa Liu’s stunning performance to win the women’s singles competition one night earlier. It’s the first time Team USA has ever had three winners at the same edition of the world figure skating championships, which have had at least three disciplines since 1908.

Of those three American titles, Malinin’s might come as the least surprising. But that doesn’t make it any less impressive.

It’s telling that, ahead of these world championships, the most compelling question around Malinin’s title defense was how many quads he would attempt. He entered Saturday as the only person in history to land six in one program, as well as the only one to attempt seven. Malinin is also the only skater to successfully land a quad axel − which, despite its name, actually features 4.5 rotations.

Malinin repeatedly danced around questions this week about his free skate plans, instead stressing the changes in mentality and training approach that he’s implemented since nationals in January − which he also won in dominant fashion. He has said that he considers himself to be his chief rival in figure skating.

‘I really like to try these difficult quad-quad combinations – really kind of play around with how many different quads I can put in a single combination,’ Malinin said. ‘I find joy and I kind of find happiness just trying to go for these (big combinations), trying to make new ones.”

He wants to be recognized not just for his composure and skill on the ice, but also the way that he is constantly improving and attacking his own weaknesses. His competitors and teammates have certainly taken notice.

‘It’s not just his jumps, but I feel like his skating and his artistry, his expression is getting better year by year,’ said Kagiyama, the one who dubbed him possibly ‘invincible.’

‘Technically, he’s out of this world,’ added Brown.

‘I think what is most remarkable to me, and obviously it’s all up to Ilia, but I just feel like he has more in him. That’s to me what I think is so mind-blowing.’

Malinin’s free skate put an exclamation mark on the first world championships to be held in the U.S. since 2016, and marked the start of what will be a pivotal offseason for the world’s best figure skaters. The next Olympics will begin in about 10 months in Italy. Many skaters said this week that they have already started to think about their music selections for next season. Before too long, the pressure and anticipation around the Games will start to build.

Malinin figured he might give himself 48 hours away from the rink following Sunday’s exhibition gala. Then he’s off to Japan, which will be the first stop in a series of skating shows that he said he loves to have as a creative outlet, a non-competitive space where he can really express himself. Then maybe some time off. Then the game-planning for Milan-Cortina begins.

It’s all an opportunity to bring more fans to figure skating, to finally land his seven quads, to continue to break boundaries that were once thought unbreakable.

‘I really want to push the sport to be one of the bigger sports again,’ he said.

Contact Tom Schad at tschad@usatoday.com or on social media @tomschad.bsky.social.

This story was updated with new information.

SPOKANE, Washington — UCLA’s historic season is rooted in loss. The one to LSU in last year’s NCAA tournament, specifically.

UCLA’s first-ever No. 1 ranking in both the USA TODAY and Associated Press polls, the unbeaten streak that lasted until mid-February, the overall No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament — all of it can be traced back to that disappointing loss to LSU in last year’s Sweet 16.

‘Maybe panic is too strong a word, but we definitely didn’t like the way in which we approached our game with LSU last year, both physically and our tempo and aggression. But, also, mentally in terms of our confidence that we came into the game with,” Bruins coach Cori Close said Saturday.

“This team has earned different levels of confidence and aggression,” she added, “that I think puts us in a better position to be our best.”

UCLA was clinging to a 3-point lead with just under three minutes to play last year, its third-ever Elite Eight appearance within reach. And then the wheels came off.

Fueled by Flau’jae Johnson, LSU went on a tear and outscored the Bruins 14-2 down the stretch. Those two points came on free throws, with UCLA missing its last eight shots.

‘A lot of our learning from last year was from that game,’ Kiki Rice said. ‘I think we felt like last year LSU was the tougher team in that matchup, and a lot of our work during the off-season, just throughout this entire year, has been how can we kind of build that collective toughness to be ready for those matchups and be ready for physical teams, be ready for these kind of environments.”

That newfound toughness will be put to the test Sunday, when UCLA and LSU meet again, this time with a first-ever trip to the Final Four on the line for the Bruins.

“I think everything that we have worked on will prepare us for our game tomorrow, and I’m just really excited for everyone to see that,” Rice said.

There is no shame in losing to LSU. The Tigers won the national title two years ago, and this is their third consecutive appearance in the Elite Eight.

But if you want to be one of the country’s elite programs, as Close and UCLA do, you have to be as tough as you are talented. And not just physically. Mentally, too, able to weather the ups and downs that inevitably occur through a quarter, a game, a season.

That the Bruins weren’t last year was as much on her as her players, Close said.

When she evaluated that game, and all of last season, Close said she felt her players were too mechanical. Being disciplined is one thing, being hamstring by rigidity is another.

“I want a team that plays like an art project, not a scientific formula,” Close said.

She began subjecting her team to chaos at practice. Adding extra defenders. Making several terrible calls in a row. Instructing the male practice players to up their annoyance factor by playing fast and loose with the rules.

“I’m the least favorite coach from pretty much November (on),” Close said. “It had to be my role. I needed to push them out of that comfort zone and create the struggle and adversity that was going to make them learn to be empowered to make their own decisions.”

It has worked, and not simply because UCLA has spent most of the year as the country’s top team. The Bruins have a resilience they didn’t have last year, an edge that, with the exception of their two losses to their crosstown rival, makes them unflappable.

UCLA found itself in dogfights with both Richmond and Ole Miss. Yet rather than crumbling, the Bruins regrouped and dug in, finding a way to assert their will. Lauren Betts, in particular, continues to be a revelation, absorbing loads of contact without flinching and displaying a deft touch for someone who is 6-foot-7.

Her efficiency against both Ole Miss and Richmond was jaw-dropping, missing just four of 33 shots in the two games. She finished with 30-plus points in both games, as well as double-digit rebounds.

‘Lauren Betts is a lot better basketball player. She was good in that game (last year against LSU), but she’s a lot better now,” Close said.

UCLA also has a maturity it didn’t have last year. After its second loss to USC, Rice and Gabriela Jaquez called a players-only film session early the following Monday. The team spent almost 90 minutes dissecting the film and their failings, holding one another accountable and challenging each other to do better.

The result? Five of the Bruins’ six games since then have been double-digit wins. The outlier? A decisive win over USC in the Big Ten tournament championship game that avenged those regular-season losses and solidified their claim on the overall No. 1 seed.

‘The most important thing for us this season is just the growth that we experienced and how much better we’ve gotten as a program. That will continue to lay the ground work and the standard going forward for many years for this program,’ Rice said. ‘Obviously we have aspirations of Final Four and a national title and all of that. But right now we’re just focused on our next opponent.’

Losing to LSU got UCLA to this point. Where the Bruins go from here is up to them.

Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.