The road to the Final Four for the 2025 women’s NCAA Tournament has reached its conclusion.

Eight teams will compete in the Elite Eight on Sunday and Monday for four spots in the Final Four next weekend. Defending champion and No. 1 seed South Carolina took on No. 2 Duke, downing the Blue Devils for the second time this season to earn the first Final Four berth.

Elsewhere, No. 1 overall seed UCLA held off No. 3 seed LSU to not only round out Sunday’s games, but also claim the second spot in the national semifinals.

The action continues on Monday, when No. 1 seed Texas plays No. 2 seed TCU at 7 p.m. The last Final Four spot will go to the winner of No. 1 seed USC and No. 2 UConn, whose game is scheduled to tip off at 9 p.m. ET on Monday.

The four winners on Sunday and Monday will advance to the Final Four at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida. The Final Four games will be played on Friday, April 4, with the championship game scheduled for Sunday, April 6.

Here’s the full list of teams to make the Final Four in 2025, which will be updated as games conclude:

Who is in the Final Four?

This section will be updated.

No. 1 South Carolina (Birmingham 2 Regional)
No. 1 UCLA (Spokane 1 Regional)

Final Four schedule

This section will be updated. All times Eastern.

Friday, April 4

Final Four game 1: 7 p.m. on ESPN | Fubo (free trial)
Final Four game 2: 9:30 p.m. on ESPN | Fubo (free trial)

Sunday, April 6

Championship game: 3 p.m. on ABC | Fubo (free trial)

Watch women’s Final Four with Fubo (free trial)

Women’s March Madness bracket

All times Eastern.

Spokane 1 Regional

First round

No. 1 UCLA 84, Southern 64
No. 8 Richmond 74, No. 9 Georgia Tech 49
No. 5 Ole Miss 83, No. 12 Ball State 65
No. 4 Baylor 73, No. 13 Grand Canyon 60
No. 6 Florida State 94, No. 11 George Mason 59
No. 3 LSU 103, No. 14 San Diego State 48
No. 7 Michigan State 64, No. 10 Harvard 50
No. 2 NC State 75, No. 15 Vermont 55

Second round

No. 1 UCLA 84, No. 8 Richmond 67
No. 5 Ole Miss 69, No. 4 Baylor 63
No. 3 LSU 101, No. 6 Florida State 71
No. 2 NC State 83, No. 7 Michigan State 49

Sweet 16

No. 3 LSU 80, No. 2 NC State 73
No. 1 UCLA 76, No. 5 Ole Miss 62

Elite Eight

No. 1 UCLA 72, No. 3 LSU 65

Final Four

No. 1 UCLA vs. TBD

Birmingham 2 Regional

First round

No. 1 South Carolina 108, No. 16 Tennessee Tech 48
No. 9 Indiana 76, No. 8 Utah 68
No. 5 Alabama 81, No. 12 Green Bay 67
No. 4 Maryland 82, No. 13 Norfolk State 69
No. 3 North Carolina 70, No. 14 Oregon State 49
No. 10 Oregon 77, No. 7 Vanderbilt 73 (OT)
No. 2 Duke 86, No. 15 Lehigh 25

Second round

No. 1 South Carolina 64, No. 9 Indiana 53
No. 4 Maryland 111, No. 5 Alabama 108 (2OT)
No. 3 North Carolina 58, No. 6 West Virginia 47
No. Duke 59, No. 10 Oregon 53

Sweet 16

No. 2 Duke 47, vs. No. 3 North Carolina 38
No. 1 South Carolina 71, No. 4 Maryland 67

Elite Eight

No. 1 South Carolina 54, No. 2 Duke 50

Final Four

No. 1 South Carolina vs. TBD

Birmingham 3 Regional

First round

No. 1 Texas 105, No. 16 William & Mary 61
No. 8 Illinois 66, No. 9 Creighton 57
No. 5 Tennessee 101, No. 12 South Florida 66
No. 4 Ohio State 71, No. 13 Montana State 51
No. 6 Michigan 80, No. 11 Iowa State 74
No. 3 Notre Dame 106, No. 14 Stephen F. Austin 54
No. 7 Louisville 63, No. 10 Nebraska 58
No. 2 TCU 73, No. 15 Fairleigh Dickinson 51

Second round

No. 1 Texas 65, No. 8 Illinois 48
No. 5 Tennessee 85, No. 4 Ohio State 67
No. 3 Notre Dame 76, No. 6 Michigan 55
No. 2 TCU 85, No. 7 Louisville 70

Sweet 16

No. 1 Texas 67, No. 5 Tennessee 59
No. 2 TCU 71, No. 3 Notre Dame 62

Elite Eight

No. 1 Texas vs. No. 2 TCU

Spokane 4 Regional

First round

No. 1 USC 72, No. 16 UNC-Greensboro 25
No. 9 Mississippi State 59, No. 8 Cal 46
No. 5 Kansas State 85, No. 12 Fairfield 41
No. 4 Kentucky 79, No. 13 Liberty 78
No. 6 Iowa 92, No. 11 Murray State 57
No. 3 Oklahoma 81, No. 14 Florida Gulf Coast 58
No. 10 South Dakota State 74, No. 7 Oklahoma State 68
No. 2 UConn 103, No. 15 Arkansas State 34

Second round

No. 1 USC 96, No. 9 Mississippi State 59
No. 5 Kansas State 80, No. 4 Kentucky 79 (OT)
No. 3 Oklahoma 96, No. 6 Iowa 62
No. 2 UConn 91, No. 10 South Dakota State 57

Sweet 16

No. 2 UConn 82, No. 3 Oklahoma | 59
No. 1 USC 67, No. 5 Kansas State 61

Elite Eight

No. 1 USC vs. No. 2 UConn

Aaron Rodgers became the most prominent player on the NFL’s free-agent quarterback market upon his release from the New York Jets during the 2025 offseason.

Many anticipated Rodgers would quickly find work. The 41-year-old led the Jets to a 5-12 record in his lone full season as a starter for the team, but he still completed 63% of his passes for 3,897 yards, 28 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.

Instead, Rodgers has lingered on the market well into free agency. However, it doesn’t appear that’s due to a lack of interest from potential suitors.

Notably, Rodgers has drawn interest from the Pittsburgh Steelers. Pittsburgh’s moves in free agency – deciding not to retain Justin Fields, Russell Wilson and Kyle Allen while adding only Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson at quarterback – seem to indicate they are waiting on the veteran quarterback to make a decision about joining the team.

Where does the Steelers’ courtship of Rodgers currently stand? Here are the latest updates about Pittsburgh and the veteran quarterback.

Mike Tomlin addresses Aaron Rodgers-Steelers rumors

At the NFL’s annual league meeting Sunday, Mike Tomlin didn’t have much of an update on the Steelers’ possible interest in signing Rodgers, but he said the two parties met recently.

‘It was really good to spend some time together, man, and get to know each other more intimately, ‘ Tomlin said, per ESPN’s Brooke Pryor. ‘But it is free agency. It is a process. I have nothing of any more significance to add other than that.’

Tomlin didn’t ask Rodgers about his timeline for making a decision about his future during his visit.

‘I really wanted to spend more of our time just getting to know him better and things that he values as a player and a man and what he might be looking for with his next stop,’ Tomlin explained.

He also told reporters that the Steelers don’t have a deadline in place by which Rodgers needs to make a decision.

‘I don’t know that we’ve approached it from a deadline perspective,’ Tomlin detailed, per The Athletic’s Mike DeFabo. ‘Certainly, as I mentioned, you’d like to have settled circumstances. But, you know, deadlines don’t often bring that to a head.’

While Tomlin noted training camp as the ‘line of demarcation’ for having an incomplete quarterback room, Pittsburgh would probably still like to have an answer from Rodgers ahead of the 2025 NFL draft. That could inform when – or if – the Steelers will select one of the top signal-callers in the class.

Even so, that provides Rodgers with at least another month to make his decision about whether to play for the Steelers, pursue other opportunities or head off into retirement.

All the NFL news on and off the field. Sign up for USA TODAY’s 4th and Monday newsletter.

NEWARK, N.J. — With No. 1 Florida already booked for San Antonio, Texas, and another two schools set to play in Sunday’s regional finals, there’s no doubt the SEC is the best conference in college basketball.

The league went 185-23 in non-conference play, including a combined 42-6 against the Big 12 and the ACC. Fourteen teams from the SEC made the NCAA men’s tournament, shattering the previous record by three. The conference was the third in tournament history to send four teams to the Elite Eight, joining the ACC in 2016 and the Big East in 2009. Florida’s comeback to beat Texas Tech on Saturday was the league’s 20th win in the tournament, breaking the record set by the ACC nine years ago.

The conference could make up three-fourths of the Final Four should No. 2 Tennessee beat No. 1 Houston in the Midwest region and No. 1 Auburn top No. 2 Michigan State in the South. That’s been done only once before, by the Big East in 2013.

But it won’t be a four-by-four sweep. No. 1 Duke made sure of that in the East, clamping down on No. 2 Alabama’s top-ranked offense to win 85-65 despite landing an uncharacteristically off night from freshman Cooper Flagg, who scored 16 points on 6 of 16 shooting with nine rebounds.

The upshot from the Prudential Center is that the SEC might be the best conference in the country, but Duke is the best team. Even if the SEC places three teams in the Final Four, the Blue Devils should be the favorite to win the program’s first national championship under coach Jon Scheyer and sixth overall.

There’s no better support for this argument than the way Duke erased the Crimson Tide. The Blue Devils didn’t play close to their best game offensively — and still pulled out a fairly breezy, wire-to-wire win.

“I think it’s kind of something that I’ve said a lot through this whole year,” Flagg said, “is we just have such a talented team. Each night could be somebody else’s night.”

Behind a methodical offense and the most impressive defensive performance from any team in this tournament, Duke painted the picture of a virtually indestructible force buoyed by a supporting cast that has gone largely underrecognized amid the deserved focus on Flagg’s freshman-year brilliance.

Nothing came easy for the nation’s highest-scoring team. Only an uncontested dunk by senior forward Grant Nelson with under a minute to play allowed the Tide to sneak past their previous season-low scoring total of 64 points against Mississippi. This was just the second time in more than two years the program had been held below 70 points. Only four times this season had the Crimson Tide been held below 80 points.

“We just play our defense and it frustrates teams,” Duke sophomore guard Caleb Foster said.

Alabama scored 113 points two nights ago in beating No. 6 Brigham Young, setting a tournament record with 25 makes from deep. But the Tide went just 8 of 32 from behind the arc against the Blue Devils and 23 of 65 overall. The team’s leading scorer in Thursday night’s win against the Cougars, senior guard Mark Sears scored just 6 points on 2 of 12 shooting from the field and committed five turnovers.

Duke put on a defensive masterclass over the game’s final eight minutes. After a pair of free throws by freshman Alabama guard LeBaron Philon cut the lead to 65-58, Duke held the Crimson Tide without a field goal for the next 5:45 to push the advantage to 78-61 with 2:16 to play. That came after the Blue Devils held the Tide without a bucket from the 13:42 mark until 9:45 remained in regulation.

“They were just building out,” or closing out on shooters, Sears said. “When we would drive, they would build out, and they had a great rim protector at the rim making it hard on us, and they just did a really good job of doing that.”

As expected, the Tide struggled to combat Duke’s length. The nation’s tallest team with an average height of nearly 6-foot-7, the Blue Devils were able to switch primary defenders in their man-to-man defense and contest nearly every shot on the perimeter. Closer to the basket, center Khaman Maluach’s 9-foot-8 standing reach influenced action on both ends; Duke was plus-22 across the freshman’s 31 minutes on the court.

“We made the point to our guys we’re not going to go in and score on him, and we had a few guys still try to challenge him,” said Alabama coach Nate Oats. “We ended up having more blocks than them, but the way he challenges, it’s a problem.”

But the greatest example of the Blue Devils’ virtuosity is the way they dominated Alabama despite Flagg putting together his least productive game in months on the offensive end.

The 16 points are his fewest in a game when playing at least 30 minutes since scoring 13 points in a non-conference loss to Kansas in November. Not since making 6 of 17 attempts in a loss to Clemson in early February had he shot worse from the field, not counting an abbreviated appearance against Georgia Tech in the ACC tournament that ended after he suffered an ankle injury.

He had his shot blocked twice at the rim, including a vicious return by Alabama forward Grant Nelson on a dunk attempt in the second half. His handle was sloppier than usual, contributing to a four-turnover performance that matched his combined turnover output in Duke’s three previous tournament wins. He lacked the same burst that drove his 30-point game against No. 4 Arizona.

Teammates who have spent the regular season and most of the postseason in Flagg’s immense shadow stepped up to shoulder the load.

“Having so many talented guys on the team, it’s not going to be your night every night,” Flagg said. “Just don’t hang your head, just keep playing hard.”

Maluach had 14 points and 9 rebounds. Junior guard Tyrese Proctor, one of two holdovers from last season’s rotation, had 17 points on 7 of 10 shooting. Freshman guard Kon Knueppel — like Flagg, a five-star recruit — was able to get to the basket with ease and finished with a game-high 21 points.

“We’re an 11-deep team,” said Foster, who had 5 points and 3 assists. “All of us are dogs, man. It’s not just one of us. I think we’ve showed that time and time again.”

Flagg struggled. The offense can clearly be better. The Blue Devils still beat an SEC powerhouse by 20 points. Take note, SEC — and everyone else, for that matter: This is Duke’s Final Four to lose.

“We focused a lot of what we do on being ready to be at your best when your best is required,” said Scheyer. ‘And this isn’t a best out of seven. It’s a one-game shot you have at this. So a lot of our focus this preseason, summer, during the year has been about winning the mental game, winning the preparation, winning the energy you put into these moments.’

The No. 2 Tennessee Volunteers had dreams of dancing into the Final Four today, but those dreams were dashed by the No. 1 Houston Cougars on Sunday in the final day of the Elite Eight in the men’s NCAA Tournament.

Although Houston had looked somewhat mortal in the tournament, the Cougars were dominant on defense against Tennessee, refusing to allow the Volunteers to get close to the basket for the first half. That game plan, combined with Tennessee being ice cold from deep, gave Houston a massive first-half lead that Tennessee was not able to recover from.

Tennessee might have been more impressive coming into this game, but a historically bad stretch of shooting doomed it from the start. The Volunteers’ defense, which had been praised throughout the tournament, was met with a solid, consistent, but not outstanding effort from Houston. In fact, Tennessee held L.J. Cryer to a relatively tame 17 points on subpar shooting. That wasn’t enough though as other Cougars such as Emanuel Sharp and Mylik Wilson came up big with timely points to put the game on ice.

Here is a recap of how Houston toppled Tennessee to punch its ticket to the Final Four:

Houston vs. Tennessee highlights

FINAL: Houston 69, Tennessee 50

Houston’s stout defense and timely 3-point shooting was the key to the Cougars’ victory Sunday. Although Tennessee made a solid run at the Cougars in the second half, Emanuel Sharp put Houston’s offense on his shoulders.

Even with L.J. Cryer having a rare off game, shooting just 6-of-17 from the field, Houston’s interior defense was enough to carry them to a dominant 19-point victory. The Cougars will play Duke in the Final Four on Saturday, April 5.

Emanuel Sharp, Mylik Wilson 3-pointers might be dagger for Houston

With Tennessee making a run at Houston, the Cougars’ Emanuel Sharp, a 41% 3-point shooter for the season, knocked down back-to-back triples to give Houston its massive lead back, scoring 11 of their past 15.

Sharp’s 3-pointers were followed by a 3-pointer from Mylik Wilson as well, giving the Cougars a likely insurmountable 17-point lead with less than four minutes to play. It’s 59-42 Houston.

Tennessee cuts deficit to 10

After a few solid plays, a questionable call gave Tennessee’s Zakai Ziegler two free throws down 11. He sank one of them.

For the first time since early in the first half, Tennessee has some life, within 10 points of Houston. In fact, Tennessee nearly corralled the rebound on Ziegler’s second free throw, but ultimately gave it away. The Volunteers have certainly outplayed Houston in the second half, but their cold first half may have been just too poor to overcome.

Big swing in Houston’s favor

Down 15, Tennessee had an opportunity for a massive play with a fast break for Jahmai Mashack. Mashack’s layup attempt was blocked, but not only was he fouled but the block was called for a goaltend.

After review, though, the block was called clean instead, giving Mashack, a 75% free throw shooter, two shots at the stripe. He missed both.

Tennessee went from a three-point play opportunity to 0-for-2 from the line. Those types of opportunities cannot be passed up if Tennessee wants any hope at a comeback. With seven minutes left, it’s Houston 50, Tennessee 35.

Jordan Gainey last 10 points for Tennessee

The second half has been much kinder to the Volunteers, in large part due to the hot hand of Jordan Gainey. Although Tennessee is still down big, Gainey is doing his best to keep it close, hitting a 3 to give his team a little more momentum with 13 minutes left.

The Volunteers are 22-2 this season when Gainey scores more than nine points. He has 14 in this one.

Full-court press leads to 5-point swing for Volunteers

It’s been a slow start to the second half for both offenses. However, after a foul down low gave Tennessee two free throws, the Volunteers were able to apply significant pressure to the Cougars and force a rushed shot on the defensive end. That led to a 5-v-4 fast break for Tennessee that resulted in a triple, just their second of the game.

While Houston was able to answer quickly with an and-one on the other end, Tennessee’s aggressiveness to start the second half seems to be serving them much better than their game plan during the first 20 minutes.

Houston is up 38-20.

Halftime: Houston 34, Tennessee 15

In every aspect of this game, Tennessee has been dominated. Rebounding, Houston leads 26-17, epitomized by its final possession when Tennessee forced a stop and would’ve had a few seconds to get a last-second shot off if Houston had not grabbed the offensive board.

With Tennessee shooting 21% from the floor, Houston does not need to do much to secure the win. That said, the Volunteers can only improve in the second half, and they obviously have the talent to make the Cougars sweat if they can go on a decent run.

Tennessee hits a 3-pointer, HUZZAH!

With just over 30 seconds left in the first half, Tennessee finally hit its first 3-pointer of the game. Zakai Zeigler was the one to end the stretch, with the Volunteers now shooting 1-of-15 from beyond the arc. Unfortunately for Tennessee, it still trails by 19. It’s 34-15 Cougars and each team will only have one more possession in the first half.

It’s been all Houston

I’d like to say that any time Tennessee starts to get something going, Houston stops the Volunteers in their tracks. But in reality the Volunteers have not been able to get anything going at all. Houston hasn’t needed to stop Tennessee’s momentum because it hasn’t built any to begin with.

As has been the case all game, Tennessee has not been able to find any offense in the paint. Any move into the center of the court is met with big bodies and arms in the face of potential shooters. The Volunteers have had to rely on goaltending and fouls to get their points. They’ve been even worse on the perimeter, though. Tennessee is not a great 3-point shooting team, but it is ice cold even on open looks, going 0-for-14 from deep.

At this rate, Houston only needs to continue playing its game. While relying on such a cold shooting streak is a recipe for disaster, the Cougars are already so far ahead that it would take an enormous second half for them to blow this one.

Tennessee 0-8 on 3-pointers

It’s been a rough go for Tennessee. Although the Volunteers were finally able to get an easy dunk nearly 10 minutes into the game, they have already fallen behind by double-digit points thanks to Houston’s elite interior defense.

That defense has forced the Volunteers to take more outside shots, which does not fit their offensive game plan, with only two players shooting better than 35% from that distance. Clearly, Houston is playing into that weakness and Tennessee is having trouble adapting.

It’s 19-6 Houston with 10 minutes left in the first half.

Houston on 9-2 run to start game

It’s been a tough start for Tennessee, who has had serious problems getting the ball close to the basket. Houston’s stout interior defense is leading to turnovers and struggles for the Volunteers, who have been forced to rely on midrange shots and 3-pointers that just are not falling.

Meanwhile, the Cougars are 4-of-8 shooting to start this contest, with their latest points coming via a huge 3-pointer from L.J. Cryer. It’s been all Houston, but there’s still lots of game to go.

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.

Have the Tennessee Volunteers ever won a national championship?

The Tennessee Volunteers have never won a national championship. They have reached as far as the Elite Eight this season, as well as in 2024 and 2010. The program has now reached the Sweet 16 on 11 occasions.

Have the Houston Cougars ever won a national championship?

The Houston Cougars have never won a national championship but were runners-up in consecutive years, in 1983 and 1984. Houston has reached the Final Four six times and the Elite Eight eight times.

March Madness championship odds

Odds to win the men’s NCAA national championship, according to BetMGM odds as of Saturday, March 29. Here’s a full look at the favorites to win the men’s tournament:

Duke (+190)
Florida (+290)
Houston (+525)
Auburn (+550)
Tennessee (+1300)
Michigan State (+2800)

Tennessee toughness fuels Elite Eight berth

The NCAA Tournament has taught us that advantages can come and go in a flash, and seemingly safe leads can vanish in a flurry of baskets. For example, on Thursday night, Texas Tech overcame a 16-point, second-half deficit and beat Arkansas in overtime.

But Kentucky couldn’t make any headway against a Tennessee team that has demonstrated toughness as well as talent in its three consecutive NCAA Tournament wins. The Vols quickly seized a double-figure lead and didn’t loosen their grip on a one-sided game.

And never did anything to remind you how they lost two regular-season games to Kentucky. — John Adams, Knoxville News Sentinel

Men’s March Madness bracket: Dates, times, TV, results and scores

All times Eastern

Tuesday, March 18

First Four games

South region: No. 16 Alabama State def. No. 16 St. Francis, 70-68
South region: No. 11 North Carolina def. No. 11 San Diego State, 95-68

Wednesday, March 19

First Four games

East region: No. 16 Mount St. Mary’s def. No. 16 American, 83-72
Midwest region: No. 11 Xavier def. No. 11 Texas, 86-80

Thursday, March 20

Round of 64 games

South region: No. 9 Creighton def. No. 8 Louisville, 89-75
Midwest region: No. 4 Purdue def. No. 13 High Point, 75-63
East region: No. 3 Wisconsin def. No. 14 Montana, 86-66
Midwest region: No. 1 Houston def. No. 16 SIU-Edwardsville, 78-40
South region: No. 1 Auburn def. No. 16 Alabama State, 83-63
Midwest region: No. 12 McNeese State def. No. 5 Clemson, 69-67
East region: No. 6 BYU def. No. 11 VCU, 80-71
Midwest region: No. 8 Gonzaga def. No. 9 Georgia, 89-68
Midwest region: No. 2 Tennessee def. No. 15 Wofford, 77-62
West region: No. 10 Arkansas def. No. 7 Kansas, 79-72
South region: No. 4 Texas A&M def. No. 13 Yale, 80-71
West region: No. 11 Drake def. No. 6 Missouri, 67-57
Midwest region: No. 7 UCLA def. No. 10 Utah State, 72-47
West region: No. 2 St. John’s def. No. 15 Omaha, 83-53
South region: No. 5 Michigan def. No. 12 UC San Diego, 68-65
West region: No. 3 Texas Tech def. No. 14 UNC-Wilmington, 82-72

Friday March 21

Round of 64 games

East region: No. 9 Baylor def. No. 8 Mississippi State, 75-72
East region: No. 2 Alabama def. No. 15 Robert Morris, 90-81
South region: No. 3 Iowa State def. No. 14 Lipscomb, 82-55
West region: No. 12 Colorado State def. No. 5 Memphis, 78-70
East region: No. 1 Duke def. No. 16 Mount St. Mary’s, 93-49
East region: No. 7 Saint Mary’s def. No. 10 Vanderbilt, 59-56
South region: No. 6 Ole Miss def. No. 11 North Carolina, 71-64
West region: No. 4 Maryland def. No. 13 Grand Canyon, 81-49
West region: No. 1 Florida def. No. 16 Norfolk State, 95-69
Midwest region: No. 3 Kentucky def. No. 14 Troy, 76-57
South region: No. 10 New Mexico def. No. 7 Marquette, 75-66
East region: No. 4 Arizona def. No. 13 Akron, 93-65
West region: No. 8 UConn def. No. 9 Oklahoma, 67-59
Midwest region: No. 6 Illinois def. No. 11 Xavier, 86-73
South region: No. 2 Michigan State def. No. 15 Bryant, 87-62
East region: No. 5 Oregon def. No. 12 Liberty, 81-52

Saturday, March 22

No. 4 Purdue def. No. 12 McNeese, 76-62
No. 10 Arkansas def. No. 2 St. John’s, 75-66
No. 5 Michigan def. No 4 Texas A&M, 91-79
No. 3 Texas Tech def. No. 11 Drake, 77-64
No. 1 Auburn def. No. 9 Creighton, 82-70
No. 6 BYU def. No. 3 Wisconsin, 91-89
No. 1 Houston def. No. 8 Gonzaga, 81-76
No. 2 Tennessee def. No. 7 UCLA, 67-58

Sunday, March 23

No. 1 Florida def. No. 8 UConn, 77-75
No. 1 Duke def. No. 9 Baylor, 89-66
No. 3 Kentucky def. No. 6 Illinois, 84-75
No. 2 Alabama def. No. 7 Saint Mary’s, 80-66
No. 4 Maryland def. No. 12 Colorado State, 72-71
No. 6 Ole Miss def. No. 3 Iowa State, 91-78
No. 2 Michigan State def. No. 10 New Mexico, 71-63
No. 4 Arizona def. No. 5 Oregon, 87-83

Thursday, March 27

No. 2 Alabama def. No. 6 BYU, 113-88
No. 1 Florida def. No. 4 Maryland, 87-71
No. 1 Duke def. No. 4 Arizona, 100-93
No. 3 Texas Tech def. No. 10 Arkansas, 85-83

Friday, March 28

No. 2 Michigan State def. No. 6 Ole Miss, 73-70
No. 2 Tennessee def. No. 3 Kentucky, 78-65
No. 1 Auburn def. No. 5 Michigan, 78-65
No. 1 Houston def. No. 4 Purdue, 62-60

Saturday, March 29

No. 1 Florida def. No. 3 Texas Tech, 84-79
No. 1 Duke def. No. 2 Alabama 85-65

Sunday, March 30

No. 1 Houston vs. No. 2 Tennessee | 2:20 p.m. | CBS
No. 1 Auburn vs. No. 2 Michigan State | 5:05 p.m. | CBS

Saturday, April 5

Final Four

Game 1: 6:09 p.m. on CBS
Game 2: 8:49 p.m. on CBS

Monday, April 7

National championship game: 8:50 p.m. on CBS

When does the Final Four start?

On the men’s side, the Final Four is scheduled for Saturday, April 5. The NCAA championship game will take place two days later on Monday, April 7. All games will played at the Alamodome in San Antonio.

For the women, the Final Four will be played on Friday, April 4 at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida. The championship game will be Sunday at 3 p.m. ET at the same venue.

Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin continues to stay on pace to pass Wayne Gretzky’s NHL career goal record before season’s end.

Ovechkin, 39, entered this season needing 42 goals to break Gretzky’s record of 894 career goals, which has stood since 1999. The Washington captain, who scored his 890th goal on Sunday, has 37 goals this season and needs five more with nine games left to become the NHL’s all-time leader.

Ovechkin scored 15 times in his first 18 games before suffering a fractured left fibula during a Nov. 18 game against the Utah Hockey Club. He has scored 22 times in 39 games since he returned on Dec. 28.

This season, he moved into second place with 20 consecutive 20-goal seasons and set a record for number of goalies scored against in his career. He tied records for game-winning goals and most franchises against which he has a hat trick. And he became the first player to score 200 goals in three different decades.

If he doesn’t reach Gretzky’s goal record this season, he has one more season left on his contract.

Here’s where Ovechkin stands in his chase of Gretzky’s goal record (stats through March 30):

OVECHKIN VS. GRETZKY: Comparing the two greats

CAPITALS SCHEDULE: How Ovechkin has fared vs. remaining teams

How many goals does Alex Ovechkin have?

Ovechkin has 890 career goals.

How many goals does Alex Ovechkin need to pass Wayne Gretzky?

Ovechkin needs five goals to break Gretzky’s record.

Can Alex Ovechkin break Wayne Gretzky’s record this season?

Ovechkin has 37 goals and 26 assists in 57 games. Factoring in the 16 games he missed, that is a 43-goal pace, giving him a chance to break the record this season. As of Sunday, Ovechkin has played in four fewer career games than Gretzky.

What did Alex Ovechkin do in his last game?

Ovechkin had one goal, two assists and three shots in an 8-5 loss to the Buffalo Sabres. He tipped a Rasmus Sandin shot by James Reimer, the same goalie against whom he scored career goal No. 300 in 2011.

The two assists were the result of Ovechkin shots. Jakob Chychrun scored on a rebound in the first period and Pierre-Luc Dubois tipped in Ovechkin’s power-play shot in the third period.

When is Alex Ovechkin’s next game?

The Capitals play Tuesday at Boston. Ovechkin has 29 goals in 68 regular-season games against the Bruins, who shut him out in a previous meeting this season.

Alex Ovechkin vs. Wayne Gretzky stats

Games: Gretzky 1,487 | Ovechkin 1,483

Goals: Gretzky 894 | Ovechkin 890

Assists: Gretzky 1,963 | Ovechkin 723

Points: Gretzky 2,857 | Ovechkin 1,613

Alex Ovechkin goals in 2024-25

Oct. 19: 1 vs. New Jersey
Oct. 23: 1 vs. Philadelphia
Oct. 29: 2 vs. N.Y. Rangers
Oct. 31: 1 vs. Montreal
Nov. 2: 1 vs. Columbus
Nov. 3: 1 vs. Carolina
Nov. 6: 1 vs. Nashville
Nov. 9: 2 vs. St. Louis
Nov. 17: 3 vs. Vegas
Nov. 18: 2 vs. Utah
Dec. 28: 1 vs. Toronto
Dec. 29: 1 vs. Detroit
Jan. 2: 1 vs. Minnesota
Jan. 4: 1 vs. N.Y. Rangers
Jan. 11: 1 vs. Nashville
Jan. 16: 1 vs. Ottawa
Jan. 23: 1 vs. Seattle
Jan. 30: 1 vs. Ottawa
Feb 1: 1 vs. Winnipeg
Feb. 4: 1 vs. Florida
Feb. 6: 1 vs. Philadelphia
Feb. 23: 3 vs. Edmonton
Feb. 25: 1 vs. Calgary
March 1: 1 vs. Tampa Bay
March 5: 1 vs. N.Y. Rangers
March 9: 1 vs. Seattle
March 15: 1 vs. San Jose
March 19: 1 vs. Philadelphia
March 25: 1 vs. Winnipeg
March 30: 1 vs. Buffalo

Alex Ovechkin career goals breakdown

Even strength: 564, third overall
Power play: 321, a record
Short-handed: 5
Empty net: 65, a record
Game winners: 135, tied for first with Jaromir Jagr
Overtime goals: 27, a record
Multi-goal games: 178, second overall
Goalies scored against: 182, a record
Hat tricks: 32, tied for fifth overall. Ovechkin has hat tricks against 20 franchises, tying Brett Hull’s record.
20-goal seasons: 20, tied for second
30-goal seasons: 19, a record
40-goal seasons: 13, a record

Alex Ovechkin empty-net goals

Ovechkin has a record 65 empty-net goals, but Gretzky is up there, too, with 56. Ovechkin passed Gretzky in that category last season.

Alex Ovechkin goals by season

Season: Goals, career total

2005-06: 52, 52
2006-07: 46, 98
2007-08: 65*, 163
2008-09: 56*, 219
2009-10: 50, 269
2010-11: 32, 301
2011-12: 38, 339
2012-13: 32*, 371
2013-14: 51*, 422
2014-15: 53*, 475
2015-16: 50*, 525
2016-17: 33, 558
2017-18: 49*, 607
2018-19: 51*, 658
2019-20: 48*, 706
2020-21: 24, 730
2021-22: 50, 780
2022-23: 42, 822
2023-24: 31, 853
2024-25: 37, 890

*-led league in goals that season

NHL all-time goal scorers

The top 21 NHL all-time goal scorers all have 600 or more goals. All of the players are in the Hockey Hall of Fame, except Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby and Jagr, who are still playing.

1. Wayne Gretzky, 894 goals in 1,487 games

2. Alex Ovechkin, 890 goals in 1,483 games

3. Gordie Howe, 801 goals in 1,767 games

4. Jaromir Jagr, 766 goals in 1,733 games

5. Brett Hull, 741 goals in 1,269 games

6. Marcel Dionne, 731 in 1,348 games

7. Phil Esposito, 717 goals in 1,282 games

8. Mike Gartner, 708 goals in 1,432 games

9. Mark Messier, 694 goals in 1,756 games

10. Steve Yzerman, 692 goals in 1,514 games

11. Mario Lemieux, 690 goals in 915 games

12. Teemu Selanne, 684 goals in 1,451 games

13. Luc Robitaille, 668 goals in 1,431 games

14. Brendan Shanahan, 656 goals in 1,524 games

15. Dave Andreychuk, 640 goals in 1,639 games

16. Joe Sakic, 625 goals in 1,378 games

17. Jarome Iginla, 625 goals in 1,554 games

18. Sidney Crosby, 618 goals in 1,344 games

19. Bobby Hull, 610 goals in 1,063 games

20. Dino Ciccarelli, 608 goals in 1,232 games

21. Jari Kurri, 601 goals in 1,251 games

ESPN+ to present Ovicast

ESPN announced it would present an Ovicast on ESPN+ broadcasts on Thursday, April 10, 12, 15 and 17. Each OviCast will feature an isolated camera on Ovechkin in one box with record-breaking information below, alongside the traditional game feed in a second box with his game stats.

Kim Caldwell taking Tennessee Lady Vols to Sweet 16 in first season should count as a successful debut.
To elevate further, Tennessee requires more star power. Kim Caldwell’s first recruiting class is a good sign.
Kim Caldwell won over team and fans in first season. Beating UConn helped.

These Tennessee Lady Vols had no business reaching the Elite Eight – so there’s no shame in losing Saturday in the Sweet 16 to No. 1 Texas.

The Lady Vols showed elite buy-in to first-year coach Kim Caldwell and her high-intensity, high-substitution system, but this did not resemble an elite roster.

Texas possesses an elite roster, and the Longhorns outlasted No. 5 Tennessee 67-59 in a game during which Texas’ premier defense showed its horns.

Texas moved within a win of its first Final Four appearance since 2003. The Lady Vols still haven’t made a Final Four since Pat Summitt retired, but they have a blossoming coach in Caldwell, 36, who showed enough potential this season to inspire belief that she can end the drought. Tennessee’s last Final Four came in 2008.

The Lady Vols are not back, because reaching the Sweet 16 does not constitute being back for a program that’s never missed the NCAA Tournament. Reaching the Sweet 16 is not hard at Tennessee. The first two coaches to succeed Summitt, Holly Warlick and Kellie Harper, combined to take Tennessee to the Sweet 16 six times in 11 tournament appearances.

Even so, Caldwell reaching this round counts as an achievement considering the incomplete roster she inherited when Tennessee hired her in April to replace Harper.

Now comes the hard part: Elevating Tennessee from Sweet 16 to the sport’s elite stratosphere, where fellow SEC programs South Carolina, LSU and now Texas reside.

Sweet 16 good start for Kim Caldwell at Tennessee

Harper made coaching at Tennessee look harder than it is. The bluest of blood pumps through this program’s veins.

Harper never missed an NCAA Tournament in her five seasons. She never failed to reach at least the second round, other than in 2020, when COVID canceled March Madness. She also never advanced to the Elite Eight. That amounted to a fireable offense, and the coaching change reaffirmed the program’s standards.

Caldwell made reaching the Sweet 16 look easier than it should have been, though. She inherited a roster in need of repair. Harper signed only one high school recruit in her final two seasons. Rickea Jackson, the best player from Harper’s final team, headed to the WNBA.

Caldwell, after one season coaching Marshall, established with her first remarks at Tennessee that she wouldn’t let the job’s demands overwhelm her. She vowed her high-octane style that includes line-change substitutions, resembling a hockey substitution system, would work at Tennessee.

‘I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think we could do it here,’ Caldwell said confidently last April.

Caldwell’s moxie helped win over her roster, and also a fan base that possessed initial doubts about a coach who had only one season of Division I coaching experience, before Tennessee surprised even Caldwell by targeting her in its coaching search.

Caldwell gave birth to a son, her first child, in January. She returned to coaching one week after childbirth and missed only one game throughout the process. Seventeen days after childbirth, Caldwell’s Lady Vols beat rival UConn to snap the program’s four-game losing streak against the Huskies, and Rocky Top swooned over its new coach.

Caldwell made a single promise before her first season: ‘We want to be the hardest-playing team in the country.’

Hard to argue that Tennessee failed to achieve that goal. The Lady Vols played harder and smarter in Caldwell’s first season than in Harper’s last, but they lacked the star power to reach the Final Four.

Because, that’s what reaching a Final Four requires: elite players.

It’s not an accident that Paige Bueckers, Lauren Betts and Aneesah Morrow are still playing in the Elite Eight. Or, Madison Booker, the Texas standout who went for 17 points in the Sweet 16.

Amassing elite talent becomes Caldwell’s next task. Her initial season should impress donors, whose checkbooks influence recruiting in this NIL-driven landscape.

Lady Vols’ recruiting skyrockets behind Kim Caldwell

Insufficient recruiting contributed to Harper’s ouster. Caldwell began remedying that by signing the nation’s No. 2-ranked class, featuring five recruits ranked in the ESPN top 60.

And still, I wonder how Caldwell’s high-substitution system will work after the program’s talent upgrades. Tennessee had one player, Talaysia Cooper, earn first- or second-team all-SEC accolades this season. She averaged fewer than 24 minutes per game. No Tennessee player averaged 25 minutes.

High-volume substitution helped Tennessee this season and, apparently, Caldwell’s style is not dissuading recruits.

Texas coach Vic Schaefer, before the Sweet 16, said such a system wouldn’t fly with some of his players.

‘I’ve got some competitors on my team. If I was yanking them out of the game, they’d be (ticked) off at me,’ Schaefer said. ‘They like to play.’

To his point, Booker played 33 minutes against Tennessee. Point guard Rori Harmon played 37.

Stars like those two are why Texas remains alive in this tournament. Caldwell’s first squad didn’t include anyone like Booker or Harmon, so count this Sweet 16 as a sufficient start.

‘This team has laid the foundation,’ Caldwell said.

Next stop, becoming elite, after building a roster that can achieve that feat.

Blake Toppmeyer is a columnist for the USA TODAY Network. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer. Subscribe to read all of his columns.

After a week of speculation that often overshadowed his team’s run to the Sweet 16, Maryland men’s basketball coach Kevin Willard is leaving College Park to become the head coach at Villanova.

The school made Willard’s hiring official Sunday.

‘Coach Willard quickly stood out among an impressive pool of candidates during a comprehensive national search,’ Villanova University President Rev. Peter M. Donohue said in a news release.

Willard led the Terrapins to a 27-9 record this past season, including a pair of wins in the NCAA Tournament before they fell to top-seeded Florida on Thursday.

Along the way, Willard’s name popped up as a leading candidate for the Villanova job, though he kept insisting he hadn’t thought about the possibility.

‘I don’t know what I’m doing,’ he said after the 87-71 loss. ‘I haven’t talked to my agent. I haven’t talked to my wife. I made a promise to this team that I was gonna just focus on this team, and that’s all I’ve done. So, I haven’t talked to anybody.’

The fourth-seeded Terps provided one of the most exciting moments in this year’s tournament when freshman Derik Queen’s buzzer-beater lifted them over Colorado State.

But all along, there was speculation Williard would leave at season’s end. He blamed the media for the controversy, but some fans weren’t buying it, even booing Willard as he left the team hotel for Thursday’s game.

Williard conceded he would ‘have to take everything into consideration’ when making a decision about his future.

Over his three seasons at Maryland, Willard’s teams compiled a 65-39 record with two NCAA tournament appearances. He returns to the Big East after previously serving as Seton Hall’s coach for 12 seasons before taking the Maryland job.

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers, after a week in Tokyo and three days of celebrations filled with pageantry, insist they now have closure on their World Series championship season.

Oh, they had a blast, with the World Series banner being hoisted one day, receiving their glorious championship rings filled with more than 300 diamonds the next, and the presentation of Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards on the third day. But now, it’s back to business.

They still have nearly an entire season to be played — well, 157 more regular-season games, to be exact. But they also now have visions of history dancing in their heads.

The Dodgers, despite Japanese sensation Roki Sasaki’s meltdown, won yet again Saturday night, 7-3 over the Detroit Tigers, giving them a 5-0 record for the first time since 1981.

Just like that, the record of 116 regular-season victories by the 1906 Chicago Cubs and 2001 Seattle Mariners could be in danger.

“I think this team deserves everything that is happening right now,’’ Dodgers shortstop Miguel Rojas said. “All of the hard work, all of the things the front office did, I mean, we got guys that are hungry. Our mentality right now is to win every single day, no matter who we’re playing, or where we’re playing.

“I’m not going to back off what I said before, we can do it. We’re good to go. Our main goal now is to be healthy when October comes.’’

Yes, it may be the first week of the season, but the Dodgers are showing the kind of resiliency that was their trademark last season, surviving a horrid start by Sasaki, who lasted just 1.2 innings before turning the game over to the vaunted bullpen. It was reminiscent of their playoff stretch last season in which they used four bullpen games, and, of course, it was only fitting that Freddie Freeman sent another home run into the right-field pavilion, just like he did in Game 1 of the 2024 World Series.

“It’s been a great weekend,’’ Freeman said. “You appreciate what we did last year, celebrated with our fans this whole weekend, and then went out there and played the game, and win the game. I thought today was a special job from our bullpen.’’

Deja vu?

“It’s like five months ago, we saw what they just did,’’ Freeman said, “especially early on in the season. That’s hard for them to do. For them to want the ball and go out there and execute. … Pretty amazing.

“Just smiles on our face, each and every day.’’

The only negative of the Dodgers’ glorious first week are the struggles of Sasaki, the 23-year-old sensation every team in baseball coveted. He had command problems in his major-league debut in Japan, walking five batters in just three innings, and then was worse in his Dodger Stadium debut. He recorded only five outs, walked four batters, and threw just 32 strikes in his 61 pitches.

He looked rattled, appeared to lose his composure at times, and was visibly frustrated when he left the game. He didn’t hand the ball over to Dodgers manager Dave Roberts when he came out. He headed straight to the dugout, down the tunnel to the clubhouse, before Roberts called him back.

“Dodger Stadium is intimidating,’’ Dodgers catcher Will Smith said. “There’s four decks here. It’s loud. It’s fun. It takes a lot to be able to perform here.’’

Sasaki denied that nerves were a problem, saying simply he didn’t have his command, but is confident it will come.

“Overall, I didn’t feel that I had a good feel for my pitches,” Sasaki said. “My slider felt pretty good. But my fastball-split – velo-wise, command-wise – wasn’t there. … I don’t expect myself to be able to fix everything in a short period of time. That being said, I am going to be pitching every week so I do expect as a major-league pitcher to be able to put up quality outings.’’

Besides his lack of command, Sasaki, who averaged 98 mph on his fastball and hit 102 in Japan, has yet to show the same velocity. He averaged 96.1 mph on his fastballs, topping off at 96.9 mph, and generated only two swings-and-misses.

The Dodgers say there’s no reason to panic. It’s only two games. Give him time, Roberts says, and he’ll show everyone why the entire world wanted him.

“He wants to perform,’’ Roberts said. “All he’s known is success. And, so, I think that he’s certainly upset, disappointed. But you’ve got to be a pro and get back to work. It’s not the first time that a starting pitcher has had two bad outings.

“This is all a learning curve. We’ve still got a good ballclub. We’re going to need him.’’

Besides, when you’re winning like the Dodgers, and can overcome virtually any adversity with $400 million worth of talent, why worry?

“It kind of feels,’’ Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy says, “like we’re just picking up where we left off last year.’’

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NEW YORK – Right off the bat, the Yankees’ “torpedo’’ bats are legal.

“They made sure before they even brought it to us, with MLB, that it was all within regulation,’’ said Cody Bellinger, a day after the Yanks’ historic home run barrage.

During Saturday’s franchise record nine-home run game, some of the Yankees’ outsized barrel bats set the Internet ablaze with commentary.

“It’s all within major league standards,’’ said manager Aaron Boone, though the Yankees’ 20-9 thumping of the Milwaukee Brewers brought the new bats into a new light.

“I think that was always going to happen,’’ said Anthony Volpe. “Part of our clubhouse and our team wanted to keep it a secret, but you know it was bound to happen.’’

Yankees’ torpedo bat home run barrage

Bellinger estimates that “four or five’’ Yankees are using the newer torpedo bats.

That group includes Bellinger, Volpe, Paul Goldschmidt, Austin Wells and Jazz Chisholm Jr., with Goldschmidt and Bellinger connecting in Saturday’s first inning.

Ex-Yankee Nestor Cortes surrendered homers on his first three pitches (Wells later homered in the first inning), with Judge being the only torpedo bat “holdout.’’

“Why try to change something if you’ve got something working?’’ asked Judge, the reigning AL MVP who belted 58 homers in 2024.

But his teammates were more compelled to switch bats, a process that began well before Opening Day.

“I tried four or five different models this spring, including my own,’’ said Bellinger, who first tried the torpedo bat during one BP session last summer with the Chicago Cubs.

Cody Bellinger’s switch to the ‘torpedo’ bat

Bellinger recalled the Cubs thinking, “Hmm, what is this thing? It was so unique,’’ but he never considered it for an MLB game since his brand didn’t yet make a torpedo model.

That changed over the winter, when Louisville Slugger sent him some sample bats.

These torpedo bats were made of birch wood, an ounce lighter than Bellinger’s usual maple bat and he eventually found one that felt comfortable.

“The weight is closer to my hands… that was the biggest benefit,’’ said Bellinger. And with the larger barrel, “the bigger the sweet spot, the greater margin for error.’’

“It makes sense,’’ said Volpe, who “kind of bought into it this year’’ during spring training.

“We were just talking and saying if it can help you foul off one pitch a season, buys you one more pitch, you might as well try it,’’ said Volpe, whose opposite-field power was more notable in camp.

Yankees’ trial and error with the torpedo bat

Former Yankees’ MLB analytics supervisor Aaron Leanhardt, an MIT physicist now with the Miami Marlins, is credited for innovating the “torpedo’’ trend in 2024.

But it’s consistent with MLB rules about barrels being no more than 2.61 inches around, so the Yanks feel it’s just another advance in sports equipment – maybe like golf drivers with bigger surfaces.

“We’re trying to win on the margins, and that shows up in so many different ways,’’ said Boone. “We have a big organization that’s interested in a lot of different things.’’

Volpe’s first “torpedo’’ sample bat felt “horrible’’ in his hands, but he eventually received one with the right weight distribution.

“It’s exciting,’’ said Volpe. And whether it’s truly beneficial or not, “I think any .001 percent mentally can give you a confidence boost.’’

For now, put Judge in the “no torpedo’’ category.

The Yankees captain won’t even take a BP swing with it, but he’s not opposed to trying it down the road.

“There’s a lot of new things in the game, like the adding the little hockey puck on the (knob) that some guys have,’’ as a counter weight to the barrel.

“Hopefully, as my career goes on, I can try adding some of those if I start losing something,’’ said Judge. “But I’m good where I’m at.’’

The San Francisco 49ers already traded one of their top receivers, Deebo Samuel, during the 2025 NFL offseason. It doesn’t look like Brandon Aiyuk will meet the same fate.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports the 49ers ‘are not expected to trade’ Aiyuk before Tuesday, when he is due a $22.85 million roster bonus. Once that bonus is paid, it is expected the 49ers will prefer to keep the 27-year-old receiver for the 2025 season.

Aiyuk has been the subject of trade rumors since his holdout from 49ers camp during the 2024 NFL offseason. He was seeking a long-term contract after a 2023 season during which he made 75 catches for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns while earning an All-Pro second team nod.

Aiyuk missed the entire preseason while away from the team, and it appeared the 2020 first-round pick might legitimately consider sitting out regular-season games. However, the two parties avoided that reality by agreeing to a four-year, $120 million season on Aug. 29, just 11 days before San Francisco’s Week 1 game.

Aiyuk was able to start Week 1 but played a career-low seven games for the 49ers in 2024. He made 25 catches for 374 yards and no touchdowns before suffering a season-ending ACL and MCL tears in the team’s Week 7 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

It isn’t clear exactly when Aiyuk will be ready to play in 2025, but it might not be in Week 1. Schefter reported on his podcast that he ‘would think (Aiyuk is) ready to play by midseason.’