The Battlehawks are considered to be the biggest threat to unseat the three-time reigning champion Birmingham Stallions atop the spring league. That’s despite the team moving on from veteran quarterback AJ McCarron during the offseason and pivoting to the less-proven duo of Manny Wilkins and Max Duggan at quarterback.

Meanwhile, the Roughnecks are looking to bounce back after a trying 2024 season during which they posted a league-worst 1-9 record. Coach CJ Johnson is hopeful running back Kirk Merritt will be able to stay healthy while the team’s quarterback duo of Anthony Brown and Nolan Henderson can provide Houston’s offense with a spark.

NFL fans who tune into Friday’s game will see plenty of familiar faces on the field. Notably, Damon Arnette, a 2020 first-round pick by the Las Vegas Raiders, and Rodrigo Blankenship, who kicked for the Indianapolis Colts for three seasons, will be in action for the Roughnecks and Battlehawks, respectively.

USA TODAY Sports will be tracking all the action from Houston as the UFL season kicks off. Follow the major updates and highlight plays from the game below. All times are Eastern.

Jacob Saylors stats today: Battlehawks RB rips off 25-yard run

Saylors has been rock-solid for the Battlehawks, and his first carry of the second half goes for a 25-yard gain. That’s his longest of the night, and gives him 125 scrimmage yards for the game.

Roughnecks go three-and-out to start second half

Houston’s first play out of the halftime locker room was a microcosm of their evening so far. Kirk Merritt took too long to take a read-option hand-off and was tackled for no gain after dancing around in the backfield. He had a marginal gain on second down before Anthony Brown and Keke Chism failed to connect on a third-down pass just beyond the sticks.

The Battlehawks will get the ball back looking to improve upon their 18-point lead.

Roughnecks halftime stats

The Roughnecks have gotten off to a slow start. Houston failed to score in the first half and gained just 48 total yards while logging 8:22 of possession.

Below are the notable first-half stats for the Roughnecks:

QB Anthony Brown: 5-of-10 passing, 21 passing yards, 2 interceptions; 1 carry, 20 rushing yards
RB Kirk Merritt: 3 carries, 4 yards; 2 catches, 5 yards
WR Justin Hall: 3 catches, 16 yards
CB Damon Arnette: 5 tackles, 1 sack

Battlehawks halftime stats

The Battlehawks are off to a strong start, as they outgained the Roughnecks 265-48 in the first half. Manny Wilkins, Jacob Saylors and Jahcour Pearson were the main sources of offense while Rodrigo Blankenship contributed a couple of field goals.

Below are the notable first-half stats for the Battlehawks:

QB Manny Wilkins: 13-of-17 passing, 167 passing yards; 6 carries, 39 rushing yards, 1 rushing TD
RB Jacob Saylors: 11 carries, 53 rushing yards, 1 rushing TD; 4 catches, 47 yards
WR Jahcour Pearson: 5 catches, 75 yards
S Qwynnterrio Cole: 2 tackles, 1 interception
S Lukas Denis: 2 tackles, 1 interception

Battlehawks notch another field goal heading into halftime

After Houston went three-and-out, the Battlehawks had 57 seconds to go 47 yards thanks to a great Jahcour Pearson punt return. St. Louis managed to get into scoring range but couldn’t quite punch it in despite taking a couple of shots into the end zone.

Blankenship made his 33-yard chip shot to give the Battlehawks an 18-point lead heading into halftime. Battlehawks 18, Roughnecks 0

UFL score update: Rodrigo Blankenship makes 48-yard field goal to extend Battlehawks lead

The Battlehawks decided to attempt a 48-yard field goal, but not before faking a trick-play sneak in an effort to draw Houston offsides on fourth-and-2. The Roughnecks didn’t budge, and the Battlehawks’ timeout didn’t bother Rodrigo Blankenship, who sneaked the kick inside the left upright to extend St. Louis’ lead. Battlehawks 15, Roughnecks 0

Battlehawks convert second consecutive third-and-18

Houston forced St. Louis into a second consecutive third-and-18. Once again, the Battlehawks converted, as the Roughnecks defense failed to line up properly before Manny Wilkins fired off a dump-off to Jahcour Pearson, who took the catch 30 yards downfield.

That puts St. Louis on the edge of field-goal range.

Jacob Saylors turns third-and-18 screen into first down

The Roughnecks finally had the Battlehawks moving backward after sniffing out a flea-flicker and drawing a holding penalty on Hakeem Butler. However, St. Louis dialed up a well-timed screen pass to Saylors, who ran through a couple of tackles and dove across the line to gain to give St. Louis another first down.

The Battlehawks are still on their own side of midfield, but they will not have to punt.

Anthony Brown throws second interception

Houston finally got some offensive momentum, picking up a couple of first downs, but Lukas Denis undercut a third-and-10 pass by Brown to intercept the first-year UFL quarterback for a second time.

Denis caught the ball on St. Louis’ 31-yard line and was downed there. The Battlehawks will begin their next drive there, looking to expand upon their 12-0 advantage.

Battlehawks score again on 1-yard Manny Wilkins QB sneak

St. Louis gets on the board again with a short run. This time, Wilkins finds his way into the end zone a play after converting a third-and-6 on a crisp 12-yard pass to Frank Darby near the front pylon. Darby couldn’t get the ball across the goal line, so Wilkins dove over it on the next play.

Once again, St. Louis failed to convert the two-point attempt, so Houston finds itself trailing by 12. Battlehawks 12, Roughnecks 0

End of first quarter: Battlehawks lead Roughnecks 6-0

The Battlehawks have a one-score lead, but they are threatening to score again. They have the ball at Houston’s 17-yard line and have ripped off several chunk plays to Jacob Saylors and Jahcour Pearson to kick-start their season.

St. Louis outgained Houston 156-10 over the first 15 minutes with new starting quarterback Manny Wilkins going a perfect 7-for-7 for 81 yards. Meanwhile, Saylors has 70 total yards and a score on 11 touches.

The Roughnecks possessed the ball for just 2:33 in the first quarter, so CJ Johnson’s squad will need to put together some longer drives in the second quarter as they look to compete with the Battlehawks. Houston has yet to convert a first down while St. Louis has nine.

Score update: Jacob Saylors scores 4-yard touchdown

The Battlehawks get on the board first, as their star running back Saylors found a seam in Houston’s defense and dove across the line for an easy score.

St. Louis tried to trick the Roughnecks on its ensuing two-point conversion, as it allowed receiver Jahcour Pearson to throw a pass on an end-around. He just overthrew his target, so the Battlehawks came away with just six points. Battlehawks 6, Roughnecks 0

Anthony Brown throws interception on first pass attempt

The Roughnecks weren’t able to capitalize on good field position. Houston ran the ball once with Kirk Merritt before Brown attempted the first pass of his UFL career. Battlehawks safety Qwynnterrio Cole was able to tip the ball to himself and come down with an interception.

Roughnecks get early fourth-and-inches stop

Manny Wilkins nearly scrambled for a first down on a third-and-13 play, but Houston stopped him 0.2 inches short of the first down, according to the UFL’s first-down measuring technology. St. Louis decided to go for it on fourth-and-inches, but the Roughnecks were able to bottle up Jarveon Howard to force a turnover on downs.

The Roughnecks will get the ball for the first time of the 2025 UFL season near midfield.

Battlehawks receive opening kickoff to begin 2025 UFL season

The UFL’s second season is underway. It begins with Houston kicker Chris Blewitt launching a kickoff to St. Louis’ Blake Jackson. He gets out to the 30-yard line, where the Battlehawks will get their season started.

Who is the Roughnecks starting quarterback?

Anthony Brown is presently listed as the Roughnecks starting quarterback, though Nolan Henderson, who played with the team last season, is also on the roster. 

Brown went undrafted in 2022 after enjoying a solid college career playing for Boston College and Oregon. He landed with the Baltimore Ravens and made one start during the 2022 season. He completed just 44.9% of his passes for 309 yards with two interceptions. 

Brown, 26, signed with the Roughnecks on Feb. 7 after spending the 2024 NFL season playing for the Las Vegas Raiders, Buffalo Bills and Arizona Cardinals. 

Who is the Battlehawks starting quarterback?

Manny Wilkins is listed as the Battlehawks starting quarterback for Week 1, though Max Duggan may also get some playing time at the position. 

Wilkins, 29, is in his third season with the Battlehawks and is best known for posting a solid college career at Arizona State. He spent the 2019 season on the Green Bay Packers practice squad but was released in April 2020. 

What happened to AJ McCarron?

McCarron started the last two seasons at quarterback for St. Louis. However, the former Alabama star and nine-year NFL quarterback wasn’t retained by the team entering the 2025 season.

‘I just felt like, for me, it was time to just give other players and opportunity to shine and use this platform just like AJ did,’ Becht told USA TODAY in a phone interview.

Who is the St. Louis Battlehawks coach?

Anthony Becht is coaching the Battlehawks in 2025. It marks his third season with the franchise, and he has posted a 14-6 record in his first two seasons. 

Becht, 47, had a 10-season NFL career as a tight end, playing for the New York Jets, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, St. Louis Rams, Arizona Cardinals and Kansas City Chiefs. He will be seeking his first playoff win as the Battlehawks head coach while breaking in a new starting quarterback.

Who is the Houston Roughnecks coach?

CJ Johnson is coaching the Roughnecks in 2025. It’s his third season in charge of the team, and he is hoping to help Houston bounce back after a 1-9 campaign in 2024. 

Johnson, 63, was an NFL position coach for 12 years, mostly on Sean Payton’s staff with the New Orleans Saints. He also served as the head coach at Tulane from 2012-15, posting a 15-34 record during that stint.

Battlehawks vs. Roughnecks TV channel

TV channel: Fox 

Fox will broadcast the UFL season open between the Battlehawks and Roughnecks. The network will share rights to UFL games with the ESPN family of networks this season, but Fox will broadcast most of the league’s Friday night games. 

Fox’s top UFL broadcast team will be on the call for Friday’s game. Play-by-play announcer Curt Menefee and analyst Joel Klatt will be in the booth while Brock Huard will report from the sidelines. 

Battlehawks vs. Roughnecks start time 

Start time: 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT) 
Location: John O’Quinn Field at TDECU Stadium, Houston, Texas 

The Battlehawks vs. Roughnecks game will kick off at 8 p.m. ET on Friday. The game will be the first of four UFL contests to be played over the season’s opening weekend. 

How to watch UFL: live stream 

Live stream: Fubo

Cord cutters hoping to catch the UFL opener can turn to Fubo to live stream the game. Fubo carries Fox and the ESPN family of networks, meaning you can catch all of the UFL’s action for 2025 with the service.

Battlehawks vs. Roughnecks predictions, picks

Here’s how the USA TODAY Sports team feels the Battlehawks-Roughnecks game will go: 

Jacob Camenker: Battlehawks 19, Roughnecks 17 

Battlehawks vs. Roughnecks odds, moneyline, over/under

The Battlehawks are favorites to defeat the Roughnecks, according to the BetMGM UFL odds. 

Spread: Battlehawks (-6) 
Moneyline: Battlehawks (-275); Roughnecks (+225) 
Over/under: 37.5

Where do the Roughnecks play?

Houston plays at John O’Quinn Field at TDECU Stadium, which is the home of the Houston Cougars. The stadium is set to be renamed “Space City Financial Stadium” beginning with the 2025 college season and has a capacity of 40,000 plus standing room. 

What is the UFL?

The UFL is a spring football league that was created in 2024. The league formed after the USFL and XFL merged from two, separate eight-team leagues that competed head-to-head in the 2023 season into one eight-team league.

The UFL serves as a development ground for players on the NFL roster fringes and gives football fans a 12-week period of live games in the otherwise barren NFL offseason. 

Who owns the UFL?

The UFL is a joint venture between Fox Sports, RedBird Capital Partners, Dany Garcia and Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson. Fox Sports, which originally invested in the USFL, owns 50% of the league; the other 50% is shared by the other three partners, according to Fox Sports’ website. 

UFL teams 2025

The UFL will have eight teams in 2025. They are as follows: 

Arlington Renegades 
Birmingham Stallions 
DC Defenders 
Houston Roughnecks 
Memphis Showboats 
Michigan Panthers 
San Antonio Brahmas 
St. Louis Battlehawks 

Birmingham, Houston, Memphis and Michigan will compete in the USFL conference while Arlington, DC, San Antonio and St. Louis will be part of the XFL conference.

UFL coaches 2025

The UFL originally returned seven of its eight coaches from the 2024 season to its second season. However, DC Defenders coach Reggie Barlow left the team to take Tennessee State’s head coaching job on eve of the season while the league’s lone new hire, Ken Whisenhunt of the Memphis Showboats, stepped away from his team for personal reasons. 

Below are the coaches for the 2025 season: 

Bob Stoops, Arlington Renegades 
Skip Holtz, Birmingham Stallions 
Shannon Harris, DC Defenders (interim) 
CJ Johnson, Houston Roughnecks 
Jim Turner, Memphis Showboats (interim) 
Mike Nolan, Michigan Panthers 
Wade Phillips, San Antonio Brahmas 
Anthony Becht, St. Louis Battlehawks 

Best UFL to NFL players

Plenty of spring-league players have gone on to have successful NFL careers. Here are some of the most recent success stories: 

Brandon Aubrey, K, Dallas Cowboys 
Jake Bates, K, Detroit Lions 
KaVontae Turpin, WR/KR, Dallas Cowboys 
Dondrea Tillman, EDGE, Denver Broncos 
Jalen Redmond, DT, Minnesota Vikings 
Jeremiah Pharms Jr., DT, New England Patriots 
Adrian Martinez, QB, New York Jets 

UFL Week 1 schedule

Below is a full look at the UFL’s Week 1 schedule: 

Friday, March 28: St. Louis Battlehawks at Houston Roughnecks (8 p.m. ET) 
Saturday, March 29: San Antonio Brahmas at Arlington Renegades (4 p.m. ET) 
Sunday, March 30: Michigan Panthers at Memphis Showboats (Noon ET) 
Sunday, March 30: Birmingham Stallions at DC Defenders (3 p.m. ET)

UFL championship odds 2025

Below is a look at the favorites to win the 2025 UFL championship, per BetMGM’s UFL odds. 

Birmingham Stallions: +225 
St. Louis Battlehawks: +375 
D.C. Defenders: +600 
San Antonio Brahmas: +600 
Michigan Panthers: +650 
Arlington Renegades: +1100 
Memphis Showboats: +1400 
Houston Roughnecks: +1800 

Previous spring pro football league champions

Spring football has been played intermittently dating back to 1983. Below is a look at the teams to win spring football championships across the various leagues. 

UFL 

2024: Birmingham Stallions (over San Antonio Brahmas) 

XFL 

2023: Arlington Renegades (over D.C. Defenders) 

USFL 

2023: Birmingham Stallions (over Pittsburgh Maulers) 

2022: Birmingham Stallions (over Philadelphia Stars) 

XFL 

2001: Los Angeles Xtreme (over San Francisco Demons) 

World League of American Football/NFL Europe/NFL Europa 

2007: Hamburg Sea Devils (over Frankfurt Galaxy) 
2006: Frankfurt Galaxy (over Amsterdam Admirals) 
2005: Amsterdam Admirals (over Berlin Thunder) 
2004: Berlin Thunder (over Frankfurt Galaxy) 
2003: Frankfurt Galaxy (over Rhein Fire) 
2002: Berlin Thunder (over Rhein Fire) 
2001: Berlin Thunder (over Barcelona Dragons) 
2000: Rhein Fire (over Scottish Claymores) 
1999: Frankfurt Galaxy (over Barcelona Dragons) 
1998: Rhein Fire (over Frankfurt Galaxy) 
1997: Barcelona Dragons (over Rhein Fire) 
1996: Scottish Claymores (over Frankfurt Galaxy) 
1995: Frankfurt Galaxy (over Amsterdam Admirals) 
1992: Sacramento Surge (over Orlando Thunder) 
1991: London Monarchs (over Barcelona Dragons) 

USFL 

1985: Baltimore Stars (over Oakland Invaders) 
1984: Philadelphia Stars (over Arizona Wranglers) 
1983: Michigan Panthers (over Philadelphia Stars) 

The UFL and the United Football Players Association (UFPA) do not have a CBA in place for the 2025 campaign. As such, the spring league faced questions about a potential player strike as it began its second season following the USFL and XFL merger.

Ultimately, UFL players decided to participate in the league’s season opener between the Houston Roughnecks and St. Louis Battlehawks, ESPN’s Kevin Seifert reports.

However, the players are also planning to make a statement as they prepare for the opener. The UFPA wrote a letter that it plans to hand-deliver to Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, one of the UFL co-owners who is expected to attend the first UFL game of the season.

Here’s what to know about the UFL players’ letter to Johnson:

UFL players’ letter to The Rock

The UFPA’s letter to Johnson requested his assistance in helping to settle the organization’s ‘ongoing contract dispute with the UFL.’

The UFPA noted it has been negotiating with the UFL’s lawyers ‘for months’ about a potential new CBA and expressed displeasure with the way league management has handled negotiations.

‘We know that you – a former player and proud union member – would not be OK with how this has gone down,’ the UFPA said, addressing Johnson.

What have the UFL players been seeking? They mostly want an avenue to year-round health insurance, which isn’t currently provided as part of the league’s seasonal contract.

‘The players haven’t been asking for the moon and the stars – just year-round healthcare or a salary increase sufficient to ensure that players can afford it on their own,’ the letter read. ‘As a former player, you know how rough the sport of football can be and how vital healthcare is.’

The players also communicated that they ‘deeply appreciate’ what Johnson has done for the league and are hopeful he can help the two parties reach an equitable conclusion to their labor dispute.

‘Your success is an inspiration for many of the players and we know how passionate you are about doing right by the players,’ the UFPA wrote. ‘Please help us resolve this dispute so that the players can shift all of their attention to chasing their dreams and putting on a show for the great fans of the UFL.’

The UFPA did not clarify which players would present Johnson with the letter at Friday’s game.

What is UFL player salary 2025?

The exact value of UFL player salary for 2025 isn’t known, but it is reportedly a ‘negligible’ increase from the $55,000 base salary players received last season, per Ben Fischer of the Sports Business Journal.

Players are looking for a more substantial salary increase and year-round health insurance. They believe such requests are reasonable, especially ‘considering the UFL’s substantial investment this offseason in marketing and sales staff, as well as in the 111,000-square foot lease for its football operations headquarters,’ Fischer reports.

The UFL said in a statement it ‘continues to negotiate in good faith with the players union to finalize a collective bargaining agreement, which will be beneficial both to the players and the league.’

The Auburn Tigers and Michigan Wolverines will battle it out Friday as men’s March Madness continues for a chance to reach the Elite Eight in Atlanta.

The Tigers were ranked fourth in the KenPom Rankings, while the Wolverines were ranked 20th as of Wednesday. Auburn is the tournament’s No. 1 overall seed and the SEC’s regular-season champion but face a hot team in Michigan, which earned a No. 5 seed.

The Wolverines are making their 19th Sweet 16 appearance, having reached the round in each of their last six NCAA appearances. It will be the first time Michigan has played NCAA Tournament games in Atlanta since their run to the 2013 Final Four.

Follow along live for bracket updates, scores, highlights and more from Friday’s action:

What time is Auburn vs. Michigan basketball today?

March Madness continues Friday with the Sweet 16 matchup between the No. 1 seeded Auburn Tigers and the No. 5 seeded Michigan Wolverines. The action tips off at 9:39 p.m. ET

Where to watch Auburn vs. Michigan: 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 will be broadcast across CBS, TBS, and TruTV channels. You can also watch Sweet 16 action via these streaming options: Max and Sling for games carried on TNT, TBS, TruTV. Games carried on CBS are available on Fubo, which offers a free trial subscription to new users.

Watch March Madness games on CBS with Fubo

Auburn vs. Michigan odds and betting line

The Auburn Tigers are favorites to beat the Michigan Wolverines, according to BetMGM odds as of Friday, March 28.

Spread: Auburn (-8.5)
Moneyline: Auburn (-425); Michigan(+325)
O/U: 155.5

Auburn vs. Michigan predictions and picks

Jeremy Cluff: Michigan 81, Auburn 77
Craig Meyer: Auburn 82, Michigan 70
TaylorJones: Auburn 72 Michigan 63

Two of our three experts are expecting Auburn to take care of business and advance to the Elite Eight. AZ Central’s Jeremy Cluff, however, is calling for Michigan to pull off the upset and for the game to go over the 153.5-point total. USA TODAY’s Craig Meyer and Auburn Wire’s Taylo

The Charlotte Hornets star will undergo two minor procedures and will miss the rest of the season as result, the team announced Friday

Ball will have arthroscopic surgery for a right ankle impingement and a procedure on his right wrist. He is expected to make a full recovery and have a full off-season. The team added he will be able to return to full basketball activities within four to six weeks.

But the procedures mean another shortened season for Ball, who has only played more than 52 games in a season once in his five-year career, hitting 75 in his second season in 2021-22. The Hornets have 10 games left in the regular season.

LaMelo Ball injury history

The right ankle has caused issues for Ball ever since he fractured his ankle during the 2022-23 season. He suffered the injury in February 2023 and was out for the remainder of the season after playing in just 36 games. Last season, the ankle issues persisted, and Ball only played a career-low 22 games, missing the last 39 contests of the season.

La Melo Ball stats

This season was one of Ball’s best since his All-Star campaign in 2021-22. He averaged 25.2 points, 7.4 assists and 4.9 per game in 47 games. He also leads the NBA in fourth-quarter points average with 7.8 per game.

While Ball took a step forward after injury riddled season, Charlotte’s struggles continued. At 18-54, the Hornets have the third-worst record in the league ahead of the Washington Wizards and Utah Jazz. The Hornets are likely to be among the teams with the highest chance of acquiring the top pick in the NBA draft. If Charlotte secured the top selection in the NBA draft lottery, it would be picking first for the first time since 1991 when it selected Larry Johnson.

The University of Colorado has approved a new five-year contract for coach Deion Sanders that will nearly double his annual pay to $10 million and more through 2029, making him one of the nation’s highest-paid coaches.

Sanders earned $5.7 million in guaranteed pay last year and recently entered the third year of a five-year contract that ran through 2027. His new deal adds two years to that and makes one of only nine-public-school head football coaches paid at an annual rate of $10 million or more. His guaranteed pay also would rank first among public schools in the Big 12 Conference according to USA TODAY data for last year. Last year, he ranked fourth in that group.

‘I’m excited for the opportunity to continue building something special here at Colorado,’ Sanders said in a statement. ‘We’ve just scratched the surface of what this program can be. It’s not just about football; it’s about developing young men who are ready to take on the world. I’m committed to bringing greatness to this university, on and off the field. We’ve got work to do, and I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else but here, making history with these incredible players and this passionate fan base. Lastly, anybody got at least a five-bedroom home with acreage for sale?’

Sanders, also known as Coach Prime, was hired at Colorado in December 2022, when the Buffaloes were coming off of a 1-11 season as one of the worst programs in America. He went 4-8 in his first season in 2023 and 9-4 in 2024, pushing Colorado to extend his contract as speculation swirled about his future.

Why Colorado gave Deion Sanders this new contract

In addition to drastically improving the football program , Sanders, 57, brought massive interest and national attention to the university because of his fame, flamboyant personality and the star players he brought with him, including his quarterback son Shedeur and two-way star Travis Hunter, who won the Heisman Trophy in December.

He also arguably changed the game with his unconventional approach − building a roster with transfer players while showcasing his program to recruits on YouTube.

The new contract was obtained by USA TODAY Sports Friday after it was approved by the CU Board of Regents. It calls for him to be paid monthly at a $10 million annual rate this year and next year before increasing to $11 million in 2027 and $12 million in the final year of the deal in 2029.

It also increased what it would cost to buy out his contract if he voluntarily left Colorado before his contract expired. His previous contract would have cost him $8 million to buy out his contract in 2025 and $5 million in 2026. His new contract calls for him to pay Colorado $12 million to buy out his contract in 2025, $10 million in 2026, $6 million in 2027, $4 million in 2028 and $3 million in 2029.

“Coach Prime has revolutionized college football and in doing so, has restored CU football to our rightful place as a national power,” CU athletic director Rick George said in a statement. “This extension not only recognizes Coach’s incredible accomplishments transforming our program on and off the field, it keeps him in Boulder to compete for conference and national championships in the years to come.” 

Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer @Schrotenboer. Email: bschrotenb@usatoday.com

(This story was updated to add new information.)

USC’s star player JuJu Watkins suffered a season-ending injury during the NCAA tournament.
UConn’s Paige Bueckers, who has also experienced season-ending injuries, offered support to Watkins.
‘Your heart breaks for her, just the devastation,’ Bueckers said. ‘You just empathize for her.’

When the 2025 women’s NCAA Tournament bracket was first unveiled on Selection Sunday, many circled the potential Elite Eight matchup between the No. 1 USC Trojans and the No. 2 UConn Huskies, setting up a highly anticipated rematch between JuJu Watkins and Paige Bueckers.

Bueckers and the Huskies defeated Watkins and the Trojans 80-73 in the Elite Eight last year during the 2024 women’s NCAA Tournament and advanced all the way to the Final Four, before being eliminated by Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes. USC got its revenge earlier this season by defeating UConn 72-70 in December.

USC and UConn’s paths may cross again during March Madness, but the matchup will be down one superstar: Watkins suffered a season-ending injury early in the Trojans’ 96-59 win over No. 9 Mississippi State.

‘Your heart breaks for her, just the devastation,’ Bueckers said of Watkins on Friday, ahead of the Huskies’ Sweet 16 matchup against No. 3 Oklahoma on Saturday. ‘You just empathize for her, because I’ve been in that position before where you have this devastating injury. She had it at a time where it’s just the worst timing when you are playing for a national championship … so you just feel for her.’

Bueckers said she reached out to Watkins to offer support during her recovery.

‘I reached out to her offering my support and prayers and letting her know that we’ve exchanged numbers now, so we’re locked in,’ Bueckers said. ‘Whatever she needs mentally physically, to vent, ask questions.’

Bueckers can relate. She was named the AP Player of the Year and Naismith College Player of the Year in 2021 following a breakout freshmen campaign that saw her average 20 points, 5.8 assists and 4.9 rebounds per game, while shooting 46.4% percent from 3. She led the Huskies to a Final Four appearance.

But Bueckers’ next two years were plagued by injuries. She was limited to 17 games her sophomore year due to a tibial plateau fracture and meniscus tear and was forced to miss her entire junior season after tearing her ACL during a pickup game.

Bueckers recalled feeling ‘devastation, a sense of just hurt and disappointment’ after tearing her ACL in August 2022. She said she had ‘a why me sort of mentality, why now,’ asking herself ‘a lot of questions that are going to go unanswered.’ But then Bueckers said ‘your motivation, your strength, your faith, peace kicks in of, ‘Everything happens for a reason,’ and then surgery happens, and then you know that every single day that passes by is a day closer to you getting to play basketball again.’

Bueckers returned from the ACL injury during the 2023-24 season and played a career-high 39 games. She was named an unanimous first-team All-American and led the Huskies to the Final Four. Bueckers said she’s confident that Watkins will have a similar story to tell one day.

‘You don’t get to be as good as JuJu if you don’t have a great motor, a great work ethic, and she’s going to attack this process just as she’s attacked basketball,’ Bueckers said. ‘Just as she’s great at basketball, she’s going to be great at this recovery process. Just disappointed for her but know she will be back better than ever and this will just be a little setback to the great story she will have.’

UConn’s Azzi Fudd, who returned to the team this season after tearing her ACL during practice in November 2023, recalled wearing a bracelet that says ‘purpose’ on it during her own recovery.

‘I wore that, and I made sure that every day I was doing rehab, literally anything, I was doing it with a purpose because I didn’t want to take any shortcuts, and there would be a reason why a year comes, and I can’t be back on the floor playing,’ Fudd said. ‘ I know that JuJu’s going to come back from this and attack her rehab how she has every single day playing basketball like normal. But I was nauseous hearing the news for her. You don’t want to see anyone go through it, but she’s going to come back stronger.’

UConn is set to face No. 3 Oklahoma on Saturday, while USC will meet No. 5 Kansas State in the Sweet 16.

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The Memphis Grizzlies are 44-29, tied for the fourth-best mark in a very tough Western Conference. Taylor Jenkins had posted a .539 winning percentage and was about to clinch his fourth postseason berth in six seasons.

Yet, Friday, in a somewhat stunning move, the Grizzlies fired Jenkins — the winningest coach in franchise history — with nine games left in the regular season.

The Grizzlies had lost five of their last seven games and had been sliding down the Western Conference standings, but the timing nonetheless remains questionable. It also raises the question if Memphis can attract a clear upgrade at head coach.

Here are eight possible replacements the Memphis Grizzlies may consider to replace Jenkins:

David Adelman, Nuggets assistant coach

Serving as Denver coach Michael Malone’s lead assistant, Adelman has drawn head coaching interviews in recent hiring cycles and figures to be one of the top assistants available. The son of former NBA coach Rick Adelman, David spent the majority of his life around the NBA. Known to be an offensive-minded assistant, Adelman has evolved his father’s legacy of turning big men into attacking centerpieces; Nikola Jokić has become one of the dominant forces in the NBA and the Nuggets lead the league in points in the paint per game (58.2). The second-ranked team? The Grizzlies, averaging 56.4 per game.

Terry Stotts, Warriors assistant coach

What Adelman lacks in head coaching experience, Stotts has in abundance. Stotts, 67, has been an NBA head coach for 13 seasons. The Warriors hired Stotts this past offseason with the aim of reinvigorating Golden State’s offense; by and large, he has delivered. Known for his ability to develop and work with guards, Stotts was instrumental in the development of Damian Lillard with the Trail Blazers and has a reputation for working well with a team’s stars. Still the Blazers’ second-most winningest coach, Stotts would pair well with dynamic Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant.

Tuomas Iisalo, Grizzlies interim coach

If Memphis wanted to go the internal route, Iisalo, a former Finnish player, will be the option. The Grizzlies appointed him to be the interim coach for the remainder of the season, which can often be a trial run for aspiring coaches. He joined the Grizzlies this offseason when Jenkins overhauled his assistant coaching staff. Iisalo built his reputation in Europe, where he led Paris Basketball to a 22-1 record last season, winning the EuroCup championship and EuroCup Coach of the Year in his first season with the organization. Iisalo leaned on transition offense, pushing the ball up the court, something the Grizzlies have embodied in his one season in Memphis; the team ranks first in the NBA in pace (103.85).

Sam Cassell, Celtics assistant coach

This would be a hire that’s also geared toward guard play. Cassell, a 15-year point guard, has had assistant coaching stops with the Wizards, Clippers, 76ers and Celtics. Cassell has already drawn interest in previous coaching cycles. Given Boston’s success, it feels like a matter of time before he’s appointed as a head coach. Known for taking an honest approach with his players, Cassell has worked with stars like Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, James Harden and Joel Embiid.

Jarron Collins, Pelicans assistant coach

If the Grizzlies wanted to address defense with their hire, Collins, a former center, could be a viable option. Collins, 46, actually interviewed for the Grizzlies coaching vacancy during the 2019 cycle, before the team hired Jenkins. Collins served as an assistant with the Warriors under Steve Kerr from 2014-21, becoming Kerr’s trusted defensive specialist on staff. On staff for three championship teams in Golden State, Collins would almost certainly emphasize low-post defense with rookie Zach Edey and 2022-23 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr.

Kevin Young, BYU head coach

Though he made the jump to college this season, Young remains a coach with deep ties to the NBA, most notably his three seasons spent (2021-24) as the associate head coach of the Suns. Young worked closely with Suns star guard Devin Booker, helping him earn his first and only first-team All-NBA selection in 2021-22. In fact, that season, he helped Phoenix snap a 10-year postseason drought, with the Suns eventually falling to the Bucks in the NBA Finals. At BYU this season, he led the Cougars to a 26-10 record before Thursday night’s loss against the Crimson Tide in the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16.

Frank Vogel, Mavericks coaching consultant

There’s an argument to be made that Vogel should still be the head coach of the Suns, who fired him May 2024 after he spent just one season with the team. Vogel has since joined the Mavericks staff under coach Jason Kidd as a consultant. Vogel has 12 years of head coaching experience and led the Lakers to an NBA title in the 2019-20, COVID-19-impacted season. At his stops, Vogel has stressed discipline and attention to detail — traits the Grizzlies have lacked at times, as they’re tied for second-to-last in the NBA in turnovers per game (15.9). And offensively, he asks his teams to rely on passing and off-ball movement to exploit defenses.

Mike Brown, former Kings coach

It was rather surprising when Sacramento fired Mike Brown on Dec. 27 after he compiled a .549 winning percentage with the team. If the Grizzlies chose to go with Brown, though, it would present something of a philosophical shift; Brown’s teams have typically been in the middle of the pack of the league in pace. Nonetheless, Brown is an experienced coach who demands hustle and grit from his players, particularly on defense. That is one area where Sacramento has struggled this season without him; since the All-Star break, the Kings are dead last in defensive 3-point percentage, allowing teams to lace shots at an alarming 41.2% clip.

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BOSTON — We’re into Day 3 of the 2025 world figure skating championships at TD Garden, and it could be a historic night for Team USA.

The Americans have two skaters in podium position in the women’s singles competition, which will conclude Friday night. Alysa Liu, 19, is sitting in first place after the short program, followed by Isabeau Levito, who is in third. A U.S. woman has not won an individual world title in figure skating since 2006 − which is before Levito was born.

Amber Glenn, the defending U.S. champion, is also still in play for a podium spot after a ninth-place finish in the short program. The Americans’ top rivals will be Mone Chiba, Wakaba Higuchi and Kaori Sakamoto of Japan.

First, though, TD Garden hosted the start of the ice dance competition Friday afternoon. Reigning world champions Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the United States are in the lead after the rhythm dance portion of the event, more than three points clear of the Canadian team of Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier. The Americans are in strong position to defend their crown Saturday afternoon.

Here’s everything else you need to know from Day 3 of the world figure skating championships:

When do the U.S. figure skaters compete tonight?

Here’s a rundown of when the American women will be on the ice tonight.

8:33 p.m. ET: Amber Glenn, women’s free skate
9:28 p.m. ET: Isabeau Levito, women’s free skate
9:44 p.m. ET: Alysa Liu, women’s free skate

Madison Chock, Evan Bates wow in rhythm dance

Madison Chock and Evan Bates started off their world championships title defense with a bang, eclipsing the 90-point mark with their rhythm dance en route to a place atop the leaderboard.

Chock and Bates, who have indicated that next season will be their last, entered this year’s worlds as the favorites and proved why Friday against a compilation of music that ran through multiple decades. Their score of 90.18 was more than three points higher than that of Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier, their main rivals from Canada.

‘I would say that’s probably one of the best [times] that we’ve performed that program,’ Chock said.

The theme for the rhythm dance portion of ice dance is set every season, giving each team a genre or specified parameters within which to work. Bates said they took this year’s guidelines to heart and went to great lengths to weave actual dance moves and patterns into their program.

‘The theme this year was 50s, 60s, 70s. But the important part was it was social dance,’ Bates said. ‘So we really studied a lot, at the beginning of the year, all of the social dances from all the decades and tried to incorporate as much as we could.’

The ice dance competition will conclude with the free dance Saturday afternoon.

American, Canadian teams fill top of ice dance leaderboard

Chock and Bates weren’t the only American ice dancers to have a strong showing at TD Garden.

The first American team to take the ice, Caroline Green and Michael Parsons, had one of their best performances of the season en route to a score of 77.51. Then, moments later, their compatriots Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko scored even higher: 81.51. Both teams said their performances were among the best of the year.

‘This is a very demanding program, so I feel like it’s been a climb up stairs,’ Ponomarenko said. ‘And we finally are reaching that point in our cardio where we can do it and give energy. So it’s been a climb up, for sure.’

The Americans and Canadians have long dominated ice dance, and these world championships are no differnet. Teams from North America occupy five of the top seven spots on the leaderboard entering Saturday’s free dance.

Alysa Liu’s unique path to cusp of history

Alysa Liu was something of an American figure skating prodigy. She became the youngest American woman to win a national title in 2019, when she was just 13 years old. And at 16, she represented Team USA at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, where she finished sixth.

A few months later, though, Liu announced that she was retiring from figure skating − news that sent shockwaves throughout the U.S. figure skating community. She spent about two years away from the sport before unretiring last year.

Now, in her first season back in competition, she has a world medal − and perhaps championship − in sight.

‘I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t decide to retire for a little bit,’ Liu said Wednesday. ‘I just am glad that I listen to myself and just do whatever, because it just works out in the end.’

Is Amber Glenn still in the mix for a world podium spot?

Two-time defending national champion Amber Glenn is sitting in ninth entering the free skate, in large part because of the fall on the triple axel in her short program. But yes, there is certainly still a way for her to make the podium.

While competitions are split into short programs and free skates, the two are not weighted the same, in terms of the points at stake. Free skate points usually make up two-thirds, or more, of a skater’s overall score. So Glenn definitely has a chance.

The bronze medalist at last year’s worlds, Kim Chae-yeon, had a combined score of 203.59. If Glenn were to replicate her free skate score from the Grand Prix final, she would eclipse that mark tonight.

Isabeau Levito is back healthy, in contention for world medal

Isabeau Levito, the reigning world silver medalist, is not just back in the mix for a medal at the world championships but also back from injury. A bone injury in her foot kept her sidelined for roughly three months.

“Yeah, it was frustrating to just sit at home and do nothing,” Levito said Tuesday. “But it gave me a new perspective, and I take all of this for granted less. I feel much more grateful for what I do have and being able to skate every day and being able to jump.”Levito returned to competition for an Olympic test event last month but missed nationals. U.S. Figure Skating essentially gave her a bye to compete at worlds, based on past performance and pending her physical readiness. She finished third in the short program.

What do the world championships mean for Olympic qualifying?

To put it briefly: It’s significant. 

Without going into all of the nuances of the International Skating Union’s quota allocation system, how it basically works is that skaters here will earn Olympic spots for their countries. And those countries will then decide who gets to fill those spots at the end of this year or early in 2026. A total of 83 quota spots are at stake across the four disciplines.

Who are the NBC commentators for figure skating?

The portions of the world figure skating championships that are televised on NBC or USA Network will have many of the usual broadcasting voices. Terry Gannon will once again handle play-by-play duties, with Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir offering color commentary. The telecasts will also feature Gabriella Papadakis, a 2022 Olympic gold medalist, as an ice dance analyst, with Andrea Joyce and Adam Rippon as reporters.

Who are the favorites in ice dance?

It may not be the Four Nations hockey final, but ice dance has its own exciting Canada-U.S. rivalry. 

Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the U.S. are the reigning world champions, but they’ve been going back and forth with the Canadian team of Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier for years − more than a decade, in fact. Together, the two teams have racked up eight world medals since 2011, the first year that they competed as teams. 

Chock and Bates are probably the preliminary favorites, especially with the home crowd behind them. But this one could go either way. And it’s entirely possible that a third team − likely Italy’s Charlène Guignard and Marco Fabbri − could crash the proverbial party, too.

When does Ilia Malinin compete next at the 2025 world figure skating championships?

Ilia Malinin, the 20-year-old defending world champion from Reston, Virginia, is sitting atop the leaderboard in the men’s competition after an outstanding short program Thursday. He will next take the ice in the free skate Saturday night, likely around 9:45 p.m. ET. That portion of the session will be televised on NBC.

World figure skating championships 2025 TV schedule

Here is the complete schedule for the 2025 world figure skating championships, with channel and television coverage start times in parentheses. The entirety of all sessions will be available on Peacock.

Tonight, 6 p.m. to 9:52 p.m. ET: Women’s free skate (NBC, 8 p.m.)

Saturday, 1:30 p.m. to 4:50 p.m. ET: Free dance (USA Network, 3 p.m.)

Saturday, 6 p.m. to 9:52 p.m. ET: Men’s free skate (NBC, 8 p.m.)

World figure skating championships standings, results

Here are the standings in each discipline, as of Friday afternoon.

Ice dance (after rhythm dance)

Madison Chock and Evan Bates, USA: 90.18
Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier, Canada: 86.44
Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson, Great Britain: 83.86
Charlène Guignard and Marco Fabbri, Italy: 83.04
Marjorie Lajoie and Zachary Lagha, Canada: 81.77

Women’s singles (after short program)

Alysa Liu, USA: 74.58
Mone Chiba, Japan: 73.44
Isabeau Levito, USA: 73.33
Wakaba Higuchi, Japan: 72.10
Kaori Sakamoto, Japan: 71.03

Men’s singles (after short program)

Ilia Malinin, USA: 110.41
Yuma Kagiyama, Japan: 107.09
Mikhail Shaidorov, Kazakhstan: 94.77
Kevin Aymoz, France: 93.63
Shun Sato, Japan: 91.26

Pairs (final)

Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara, Japan: 219.79
Sara Conti and Niccolo Macii, Italy: 210.47
Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin, Germany: 219.08
Anastasiia Metelkina and Luke Berulava, Georgia: 202.21
Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps, Canada: 199.76

The women’s NCAA Tournament has brought some thrilling, unforgettable moments and some moments that will leave you laughing. And no, we’re not referring to LSU head coach Kim Mulkey’s sideline wardrobe choices.

With Birmingham, Alabama, serving as one of two regional sites for March Madness, USA TODAY Network’s Popi Marquez decided to quiz some of the top players on some Alabama state trivia. We asked players from Duke, North Carolina, South Carolina and Maryland if they knew who Kalen Deboer is, if they knew what city in the state they are in, and if they knew what a Yellowhammer is. The answers are hilarious.

Check out the video below and have a good laugh.