It’s good to be seeded No. 1 in March Madness. Quite good.

Four conferences combined to supply every team in this men’s Sweet 16. That’s a first. One conference, the SEC, advanced seven teams into the Sweet 16. That’s also a first.

What’s not a first? Four No. 1 seeds running strong into the NCAA Tournament’s second week.

Nearly 40% of the Final Four spots have been claimed by No. 1 seeds in the past 39 tournaments, since the tournament expanded to include at least 64 teams. No. 1 seeds make the Final Four nearly twice as frequently as a No. 2 seed, and nearly four times as often as a No. 3 seed.

We’re seeing that math unfold. All four No. 1 seeds reached the Sweet 16. One No. 2 seed, St. John’s, has been eliminated, along with two No. 3 seeds: Iowa State and Wisconsin.

Only once, in 2008, did No. 1 seeds claim all four Final Four spots. Considering the overall strength of this bracket’s top seeds, it would come as no great shock if that history repeats.

Here’s my assessment of the top threats remaining to the No. 1 seeds, within each region:

Auburn’s top threat: No. 5 Michigan

Region: South

When they’ll meet: Sweet 16

Auburn beat Creighton 82-70 in the second round despite receiving just eight points from national player of the year candidate Johni Broome. Creighton’s Ryan Kalkbrenner won the big-man battle. The Tigers prevailing is a compliment to Tahaad Pettiford scoring 23 points off the bench.

Auburn proved it’s more than Broome, but a vintage performance from the senior forward would be mighty helpful when the Tigers play Michigan on Friday. The Wolverines start two centers, Vladislav Goldin and Danny Wolf, who stand at least 6-feet-10 inches tall. You might remember Goldin from Florida Atlantic’s 2023 run to the Final Four. You might remember Wolf from Yale’s upset of Auburn last season.

Auburn landed in a brutal region despite earning the No. 1 overall seed. This next matchup comes against an opponent that got hot in the Big Ten Tournament and stayed hot last week. The Wolverines will try to corral Broome with their 167 inches of starting frontcourt.

Florida’s top threat: No. 3 Texas Tech

Region: West

When they’d meet: Elite Eight

Houston lost to exactly one Big 12 team this season: Texas Tech toppled the Cougars in overtime in February. The Red Raiders pulled it off without their best player, JT Toppin, who was ejected four minutes into that win.

So it’s not hyperbole to say the Red Raiders can play with anybody. They’re elite on offense, with no shortage of players who can reach double-figures scoring. Kerwin Walton, a bench player, scored 27 points in Texas Tech’s first-round win against North Carolina-Wilmington. Two nights later, Walton didn’t score at all, and Darrion Williams, who had a quiet first round, went off for 28 points against Drake.

Toppin scored 25 points in four of his last six games. He’d be the best big man in a matchup with Florida, and the Red Raiders feature a nice collection of guards, too, who could try to keep up with Florida’s dynamite backup.

Give the Gators truth serum, and they’d probably tell you they wouldn’t mind seeing Arkansas upset Texas Tech in the Sweet 16 to set up an all-SEC Elite Eight matchup, if Florida first beats Maryland. The Gators already beat Arkansas by 12 this season, and the Razorbacks lack the scoring punch to keep up with Florida. The Red Raiders ooze scoring weapons.

Duke’s top threat: No. 2 Alabama

Region: East

When they’d meet: Elite Eight

Seventy-five points. That’s the magic number required to beat the Blue Devils. Duke allowed at least 75 points to just four opponents. Three of those four – Kentucky, Kansas and Clemson – beat Duke. Only against Auburn did Duke prevail when allowing at least 75 points.

Alabama could score 75 points against Duke, because Alabama can score 75 points against anybody. The Crimson Tide averaged 85 points in their two NCAA Tournament wins. They last failed to reach 75 in a 74-64 loss to Mississippi – on Jan. 14. That’s more than two months ago.

Alabama treats defense as an optional endeavor, and it twice lost games when eclipsing 90 points. Duke scores plenty, as well, so Alabama piling up points would not guarantee an upset, but Alabama’s scoring potential at least would give it a chance against sizzling Duke.

Duke’s next opponent, Arizona, scored just 55 points in a November loss to the Blue Devils. Alabama might have its hands full with high-scoring Brigham Young in the Sweet 16. Survive that test, and Duke-Alabama would be appropriately billed as an Elite Eight thriller.

Houston’s top threat: No. 2 Tennessee

Region: Midwest

When they’d meet: Elite Eight

Purdue’s high-scoring standout, Trey Kaufmann-Renn, gives the Boilermakers hope of upsetting Houston in the Sweet 16. Better chance, though, that the Cougars roll into the Elite Eight, where they could meet Tennessee in what would be a clash of elite defenses.

The Cougars are armed with better scorers, and they shoot well from 3-point range, but Tennessee – like a lot of Rick Barnes’ teams – is just remarkably stingy.

The Vols make scoring difficult against even elite opponents. They held Alabama to 76 points earlier this season, a paltry output by the Tide’s standards. Tennessee limited Florida to 44 points in a takedown of the Gators. Auburn beat Tennessee in an ugly game despite scoring 53 points.

Tennessee’s slick-shooting guard, Chaz Lanier, has been swishing his jumpers. Pair a dialed-in Lanier with Tennessee’s defense, and the Vols finally could have a recipe for their first Final Four in program history.

Final Four prediction

The lack of Sweet 16 Cinderellas means the No. 1 seeds won’t enjoy any gimme matchups from here forward. However, there is no weak link among the No. 1 seeds, and I favor each top seed to survive and advance to the Final Four.

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.

LOS ANGELES — JuJu Watkins’ season is done.

The USC star suffered a season-ending knee injury during Monday night’s women’s March Madness game against Mississippi State.

‘She will undergo surgery and then begin rehabilitation shortly thereafter,’ USC said.

Watkins tore her anterior cruciate ligament, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. The team has not yet confirmed the diagnosis.

Early in the first quarter, Watkins was on a fast break with just under five minutes to go when she became entangled with a Mississippi State player. She immediately went down, grabbed her right knee and was visibly in pain. A foul was called on Mississippi State’s Chandler Prater.

Medical staff came to assist as the crowd inside the Galen Center went silent. Watkins was carried off the court and she did not put any weight on her knee. The Trojans were ahead 13-2 at the time.

‘She’s a key piece for us. But we don’t want to let her down, we don’t want to let all of our fans down,’ USC’s Kiki Iriafen said on the broadcast after finishing the game with a team-high 36 points. ‘Just keeping our foot on the gas, trusting everything our coaches have for us and knowing we’re more than capable to win this game.’

Referees reviewed the play for a potential flagrant call, but it was determined to be a common foul. USC fans were audibly upset and booed the Bulldogs for the majority of the game after Watkin’s injury.

Did JuJu Watkins tear her ACL?

Yes, Watkins tore her anterior cruciate ligament, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. The team has not yet confirmed the diagnosis, saying only it was a season-ending injury. The average recovery time for an ACL injury is around nine months, according to a study from Stanford, though some athletes have returned sooner than that.

ESPN’s Holly Rowe said on the broadcast USC athletic director Jennifer Cohen left the stands to go check on Watkins, and she later left the building.

‘There is not an MRI machine here at the (Galen Center), so we did see JuJu Watkins being wheeled out of the building,’ Rowe said on the broadcast. ‘We’re believing she’s going to a tech medical center for further MRI imaging. You can only do so much with a manual ligament test.’

Watkins’ injury comes after she had a scare in the opening round matchup against UNC Greensboro. She took a fall in the second quarter and had a taped up wrist and fingers, but she later twisted her ankle on a drive to the basket. She hobbled and stayed in the game before she exited with a trainer. She later returned to the bench and got back in action.

USC head coach comments on JuJu Watkins injury

Trojans head coach Lindsay Gottlieb spoke about Watkins’ injury on the ESPN broadcast.

‘She’s getting seen by our great medical team. And just that we have a group and a fanbase and a team that’s going to have her back no matter what. She gives this community and all of us so much, so we’ve got her back, no matter what it is,’ she said.

‘It’s obviously talking about the Xs and Os, and what we need to do to win this game. And we have great confidence that we can keep the foot on the gas and go.’

Who is JuJu Watkins’ replacement? USC roster breakdown

With Watkins out, the Trojans will turn to Talia von Oelhoffen to handle point guard duties. An Oregon State transfer, von Oelhoffen is a graduate student and has plenty of experience commanding the offense. Another option to lead the offense is Kennedy Smith. The freshman has carved out her spot in the starting lineup and has become a key member on both sides of the court for USC.

Watkins’ backup Malia Samuels also remains in the rotation to handle the guard duties. USC can still stick to its normal lineup of three guards with forwards Kiki Iriafen and Rayah Marshall.

Malia Samuels injury

The Trojans had another injury scare in the second quarter when guard Malia Samuels took some hard contact on a layup attempt. She appeared to hit her shoulder and head on the court. Medical staff came to assist her and she appeared to say she was fine. She went back to the locker room and returned to the game a few minutes later.

(This story was updated to change a video and will be updated with more information.)

LOS ANGELES — Southern California superstar guard JuJu Watkins’ suffered a season-ending knee injury Monday night.

It’s an injury that not only drastically changes the USC’s season, but the entire women’s NCAA Tournament. Arguably the biggest star in the sport, Watkins has been the leader for USC this season as the Trojans secured the No. 1 seed in March Madness for the second straight year. The Trojans are in the Sweet 16 and with a loaded roster led by Watkins, it was a favorite to bring home USC’s first national championship since 1984. But that may be in doubt now with her no longer available for the rest of the NCAA Tournament.

Here’s what we know about Watkins’ knee injury.

What happened to JuJu Watkins?

Watkins suffered her season-ending knee injury early in the first quarter of the second round matchup against Mississippi State. About five minutes into the contest, Watkins was driving toward the basket when it appeared her knee buckled as Mississippi State defenders surrounded her.

She immediately fell to the ground and was visibly in pain as she grabbed her right knee. Medical staff attended to her as a hush fell over the Galen Center crowd. Watkins was carried off the court and into the locker room.

Did JuJu Watkins tear her ACL?

Yes, Watkins tore her anterior cruciate ligament, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. The team has not yet confirmed the diagnosis, saying only it was a season-ending injury. The average recovery time for an ACL injury is around nine months, according to a study from Stanford, though some athletes have returned sooner than that.

How long will JuJu Watkins be out for?

Watkins will be out for the remainder of the 2025 women’s NCAA Tournament, and could end up missing a significant portion of the 2025-26 season.

What USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb said

Prior to learning about Watkins’ season-ending injury, Gottlieb said she was feeling ‘a lot of emotions.’

‘Something didn’t go right for us,’ Gottlieb said. ‘You never want anyone to go down, especially someone like JuJu, that we all lean on in so many ways. But this team rallied. They rallied for her. They rallied for each other. Our fans had our back. I’m just really proud. I think we showed what kind of team we are.

‘It was a true team effort, and I don’t think I’ll forget this night for a lot of reasons.’

How did Watkins’ USC teammates react?

The Trojans didn’t let the injury to their star player deter them in the 37-point victory over the Bulldogs. USC led by 46 points at one point in the fourth quarter. Kiki Iriafen, who had a game-high 36 points with nine rebounds, said the team didn’t want their season to end.

‘It’s hard when you have such a key player not with you, but at the end of the day we have to win the game,’ she said. ‘For us, it’s just that we want to make sure we got the job done, want our season to be extended. Rallying, doing whatever we can to make sure we could get out of Galen (Center).’

Gottlieb said after the injury happened, she tried to look her team in the eye and say they could still win the game if they focused and locked in.

‘They had her back. I think they had each other’s back. They stuck together,’ Gottlieb said.

What’s next for USC women’s basketball?

USC will play in the Sweet 16 against Kansas State in the Spokane 2 Regional. As for how USC tries to replace their star player, it does have options.

Oregon State transfer Talia von Oelhoffen is the likely choice to step into point guard duties instantly given her experience, while the Trojans can also lean on freshman sensation Kennedy Smith. She has a yearlong chemistry with Watkins and has been a force in the starting lineup. Gottlieb also could also turn to Watkins’ current backup, Malia Samuels, to take over. Freshman Kayleigh Heckel showed some point guard capabilities on Tuesday and could see an expanded role off the bench.

LOS ANGELES – Southern Cal women’s basketball will enter the Sweet 16 without their star player, JuJu Watkins. It’s doubtful No. 1 seed USC will get much sympathy from their next opponent: the Kansas State Wildcats.

No. 5 seed Kansas State outlasted No. 4 Kentucky 80-79 in overtime Monday in a second-round game. By virtue of the last-gasp victory, the Wildcats will be making their first appearance in the Sweet 16 since 2002.

After losing Watkins to a season-ending injury in the first quarter, USC still powered its way to a 96-59 victory over No. 5 seed Mississippi State. Based on seeding and reputation, USC (30-3) could coast when the two teams play Saturday in Spokane, Washington. But overlooking Kansas State (28-7) could be perilous for the Trojans — especially with Watkins unable to play.

The Wildcats have experience, with three seniors and a graduate student in their starting lineup. And battle-tested might be an appropriate description after Kansas State prevailed in overtime against Kentucky.

 “I think everybody just witnessed one of the great games in the tournament right now,’’ Kansas State coach Jeff Mittie said. “You go the last 10 minutes of the game, and there were just huge shots by both teams and different players.’’

The Wildcats, who finished tied for third in the Big 12, have a potent offense (79.5 points per game, 17th nationally) and a solid defense (58.6 points allowed per game, 55th nationally.) And at this point in the season, Kansas State was expected to be more formidable behind 6-foot-6 center Ayoka Lee.

In January, Lee set a single-game NCAA record for points when she scored 61 against Oklahoma. But the consensus preseason All-America missed more than a month leading up the women’s NCAA tournament because of foot injuries.

Can Ayoka Lee star for Kansas State in absence of Juju Watkins?

As a junior, Lee averaged 22 points, 10.3 rebounds and 2.9 blocks. Those numbers have dipped to 15.6 points and 6.4 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game during her injury-marred season.

Returning from a long layoff raise doubts about whether Lee can regain her top form in time for the Trojans. But she’s shown some encouraging signs.

Returning to action in the first round of the tournament, Lee played 15 minutes against Fairfield. She posted a double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds and helped lead Kansas State to an 85-41 victory.

Against Kentucky, Lee played 28 minutes and finished with 16 points, nine rebounds and two blocked shots. She also had four fouls in a game where Kansas State had to look elsewhere for impact.

“They’ve been a resilient group,’’ Mittie said of his team. “I don’t think that you guys got to witness, when we have Lee, how good this team can be. She’s a factor at both ends of the floor. She offensively makes people pay attention.

“You don’t replace All-Americans, and we know that, but she gave us everything she could give us today through foul trouble.’’

Again, the question is, how much can Lee give against USC?

Meet Temira Poindexter, Kansas State’s long-range threat

With Lee having been saddled with foot injuries, the Wildcats have turned to players like Temira Poindexter, a senior forward who transferred to Kansas State after three years at Tulsa.

Poindexter helped rescue Kansas State against Kentucky with 24 points, all on 3-pointers. Meaning USC better keep a track Poindexter on the perimeter.

She is Kansas State’s third-leading scorer with 12.7 points per game and can do more than shoot. On Sunday, she also had six blocked shots.

Even more impressive, Poindexter started the game 0-for-5 from 3-point range before heating up. On Kentucky’s home floor in Lexington.

“We were prepared,’’ Poindexter said.

But sounds like her coach was unprepared for what happened after the game amid the excitement of the victory and Poindexter’s play.

“Her dad just about broke my ribs out there with a little hug,’’ Mittie said. “He’s a big man.’’

As if the women’s NCAA tournament first-round games weren’t enough of a ride, the No. 2 seed Duke Blue Devils started a roller coaster of back-and-forth games with a nail-biting win over No. 10 seed Oregon. No. 5 seed Kansas State and No. 4 seed Kentucky decided regulation wasn’t enough. It had to be an overtime March Madness banger. The No. 5 seed Alabama Crimson Tide and No. 4 seed Maryland Terrapins also wanted in on the madness with a thrilling double-overtime cinematic matchup that was the best game of the women’s NCAA tournament thus far.

Several 5-seed teams pulled out stunning upsets over 4-seeds during the Round of 32, upending the women’s March Madness bracket ahead of the Sweet 16. However, the second round didn’t come without peril. On Monday, USC Trojans superstar JuJu Watkins suffered a knee injury against No. 9 Mississippi State, immediately unable to put any weight on her leg. The second round of the women’s NCAA tournament is done. Let’s examine which teams solidified their cases to remain in the Big Dance and which teams need a long look in the mirror.

These are the winners and losers from the second round of March Madness:

Loser: USC and star JuJu Watkins’ injury

USC Trojans guard JuJu Watkins went down with a season-ending knee injury during the No. 1 seed Trojan’s matchup against 9-seed Mississippi State, the program confirmed. During the first quarter, Watkins ran down the court in lockstep with a Mississippi State defender when she suddenly fell to the floor, clutching her right knee. Watkins was down for several moments before being helped to her feet and carried off the court.

Watkins’ knee injury is just the latest in a slew of other injuries the USC star suffered this March Madness. She also hurt her left hand and ankle during the Trojan’s first-round matchup. An update on Watkins’ injury was not immediately provided, but later, the Trojans shared she would not return. If Watkins is out for an extended period of time, the question now becomes: How far can USC go without its biggest star?

Winner: UConn’s Paige Bueckers and her standout performance vs. South Dakota State

‘On behalf of our seniors ― our whole entire team ― I’ve had the time of my life here. It’s been five years [that] I dreamt of as a kid…. Thank you for this season, for everything… I love you. This will always be my home,’ Bueckers said postgame to the UConn faithful. The Huskies move on to face center Raegan Beers and the No. 3 seed Oklahoma Sooners in the Sweet 16.

Loser: Maryland’s endurance after double-OT vs. Alabama

No. 4 seed Maryland will need every bit of rest before its date with No. 1 seed South Carolina in the Sweet 16. It survived a heart-pumping 111-108 matchup Monday with No. 4 Alabama in a game that seemingly never wanted to end. Maryland climbed from the depths of defeat, down 17 in the third quarter, to force the game into extra time.

Crimson Tide guard Sarah Ashlee Barker lit up the floor with a show-stopping 45 points, eight rebounds and three steals, and Terrapins guard Sarah Te-Biasu answered for Maryland with 26 points, six assists, four rebounds and three steals, including five colossal shots from 3-point range. After the lead switched too many times to count during both additional periods, the matchup was inching toward three overtimes ― as if everyone watching could stand more ― when Maryland shut the door on Alabama with a gutsy deflection as time expired.

Winner: South Carolina’s second-half heroics vs. Indiana

Another year and another Indiana-South Carolina matchup is making fans sweat. On Sunday, the No. 1 seed Gamecocks were down one at the half, 26-25, to the 9-seed Hoosiers. The game was too close for comfort ― very similar to a 2024 Sweet 16 matchup between the two ― for a South Carolina program used to controlling the tempo against opponents.

However, the Gamecocks went deep into their bag and pulled out some fantastic sequences from forward Sania Feagin in the third quarter to create breathing room. Forward Chloe Kitts added 10 second-half points and 11 rebounds that shut the door on Indiana, secured the 64-53 victory and quelled whatever panic the team had before the Sweet 16.

Loser: Texas’ Rori Harmon and her up-and-down March Madness run

Texas Longhorns guard Rori Harmon needs more production if Texas wants to make it to the Final Four or national championship game. The No. 1 seed Longhorns play in the Sweet 16 next against a hungry 5-seed Tennessee Lady Volunteers team. When Texas played Tennessee in January, it only won by four points, and despite an eight-assist day from Harmon, the senior guard had just eight points on an abysmal 27% shooting. Tennessee will likely look to avenge that loss and keep Harmon in a shooting funk.Ahead of the Sweet 16 showdown with the Volunteers, Harmon only had a single field goal against the No. 8 seed Illinois Fighting Illini after putting up a near double-double against No. 16 William & Mary. She has to create more for herself. If she can produce anywhere from 12-15 points and keep up her assists production, she gives Texas a chance to make the Elite Eight with fewer worries.

Winner: TCU’s Hailey Van Lith and her chances of being a WNBA first-round pick

If there were any questions about TCU Horned Frogs guard Hailey Van Lith, she seemed to answer them with a standout performance against her former team, 7-seed Louisville. Van Lith had 16 points and 10 assists, plus five rebounds in 2-seed TCU’s win.

Her WNBA stock is rising with each March Madness matchup, building on her stellar season with career-highs in field goal percentage and assists per game. Through two NCAA tournament games, she has 29 points, 17 assists and nine rebounds. If she keeps this pace through TCU’s Sweet 16 appearance, Van Lith could be a first-round draft pick.

Loser: Kentucky’s Georgia Amoore and her painful game-winning shot vs. Kansas State

Kentucky guard Georgia Amoore couldn’t save the Wildcats against No. 5 seed Kansas State. Unfortunately, No. 4 seed Kentucky failed to end the game in regulation and found itself in a wild overtime shootout. The two teams traded baskets in extra time, stealing the lead from moment to moment until Kansas State forward Temira Poindexter sent a lofty 3-point shot into the air to take the lead 80-79.

As more time ticked off the clock, Kentucky was left with one last attempt to keep their March Madness run alive. Amoore inbounded the ball with about three seconds left, got it back with two seconds remaining and pushed up a floater. It brutally bounced off the rim and onto the floor as time expired. Her college career ended sourly, but the result seemingly didn’t faze Amoore. ‘I’m not gonna let one shot affect five years,’ Amoore said. ‘That’s pretty much it.’

Winner: Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Head coach Niele Ivey is likely breathing better after the No. 3 seed Notre Dame Fighting Irish rolled past No. 6 seed Michigan, 76-55. Notre Dame had three starters in double figures, including guard Hannah Hidalgo, who had 21 points and two steals against the Wolverines.

The Fighting Irish’s other star, guard Olivia Miles, who suffered an ankle injury during the first round, played limited minutes but looked good in her time on the floor. Miles had eight points, five assists, four rebounds and one steal. After underwhelming games before the NCAA tournament with lackluster defense, Notre Dame forced 16 Michigan turnovers, had nine steals and scored 10 points from takeaways.

Loser: Louisville squandering Jayda Curry’s 40-point day

Winner: Duke’s Ashlon Jackson and her ‘Night Night’ celebration vs. Oregon

Nobody had a more clutch second-half performance Sunday than Duke guard Ashlon Jackson. Jackson didn’t hit a single 3-point bucket in the first half while the Blue Devils were down five points to the 10-seed Oregon Ducks. However, she met the moment when Duke’s season was on the line.

She opened the second half with back-to-back-triples, eventually working her way up to five 3-point shots and 20 total points on the day, including a clutch game-sealing three with under a minute left in regulation. After her colossal basket, she gave Oregon a little Steph Curry-inspired ‘Night Night’ celebration. Duke advanced to the Sweet 16 with a 59-53 victory.

Winner: Tennessee Lady Volunteers

For all the questions about the 5-seed Tennessee Volunteers ahead of the NCAA tournament, Kim Caldwell’s team silenced many of them during the first two rounds of March Madness. Tennessee opened the NCAA tournament with an emphatic 101-66 win over No. 12 South Florida, one of six 100-point blowout wins in the Round of 64, followed by an upset victory over No.4 Ohio State.

For the third time in three years, the Volunteers have a date with the Sweet 16. ‘I felt like it’s kind of personal,’ Zee Spearman said. ‘Everybody been sleeping on us all year, and we just showed them what we can do.’

For the first time in nearly a decade, the world figure skating championships are back on U.S. soil.

The world’s best figure skaters will converge at TD Garden in Boston this week for the latest edition of the annual world championships, which will serve as both a coda to the 2024-2025 season and a key benchmark for the year to come. The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina are now less than 11 months away.

The U.S. will be trying to improve on its performance at last year’s world championships in Montreal, where it won medals in three of the sport’s four disciplines: Men’s singles, women’s singles and ice dance.

Ilia Malinin, the Olympic gold-medal favorite for 2026, and the ice dance team of Madison Chock and Evan Bates enter the week as the defending world champions, while Isabeau Levito is the reigning world silver medalist. (In pairs competition, which is the fourth discipline, the three American teams placed 11th, 12th and 13th overall.)

Here’s what you need to know about the 2025 world figure skating championships.

When are the 2025 world figure skating championships?

Competition will stretch across parts of four days, starting Wednesday and concluding Saturday. The winning skaters will also perform in an exhibition Sunday.

How to watch the 2025 world figure skating championships

The 2025 world figure skating championships will be streamed in their entirety on NBC’s streaming service, Peacock. And portions of nearly all of the sessions will also be televised on USA Network and NBC.

NBC will also air a recap show on Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m.

World figure skating championships schedule, TV listings

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.

Wednesday, 12:05 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. ET: Women’s short program (USA Network, 3 p.m.)

Wednesday, 6:45 p.m. to 10:21 p.m. ET: Pairs short program

Thursday, 11:05 a.m. to 4:44 p.m. ET: Men’s short program (USA Network, 3 p.m.)

Thursday, 6:15 p.m. to 9:55 p.m. ET: Pairs free skate (USA Network, 8 p.m.)

Friday, 11:15 a.m. to 4:54 p.m. ET: Rhythm dance (USA Network, 3 p.m.)

Friday, 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.)

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

Ilia Malinin, the 20-year-old defending world champion, will first take the ice at TD Garden on Thursday afternoon. The session schedule, including the exact time for Malinin’s short program, has not yet been announced.

Malinin will then return to the ice again Saturday night, likely around 9:30 p.m. ET, for his long program − which could feature as many as seven quadruple jumps. He is the only skater to attempt that many quads in a program, and the only skater in history to land a quad axel. Malinin told reporters last week that he might pare down his program on the day of competition, depending on how he is feeling.

Isabeau Levito, Amber Glenn among other names to watch

With the continued absence of Russian skaters from international competition following the country’s invasion of Ukraine, the metaphorical door has been left ajar for the rest of the world to compete in women’s singles − a discipline that the Russians have historically dominated.

Isabeau Levito, 18, is the reigning world silver medalist and will be looking to return to the podium after missing U.S. nationals with an injury. But Amber Glenn, 25, also has a strong shot at a medal after winning the 2024-25 Grand Prix final − one of the premier events in the sport, outside of worlds and the Winter Olympics. She is in the midst of the best season of her career.

Alysa Liu, a 2022 member of the U.S. Olympic team, is another key name to watch on the women’s side. And in ice dance, of course, all eyes will be on Americans Madison Chock and Evan Bates. They have won five world medals and helped the U.S. to the team gold in Beijing.

Six-time All-Star Jayson Tatum sustained a left ankle sprain in the third quarter and did not return to the Boston Celtics’ 113-95 road win over the Sacramento Kings on Monday.

Tatum, who scored a game-high 25 points and added seven rebounds and eight assists in 26 minutes, came down on the foot of the Kings’ Domantas Sabonis after a 3-point attempt with 3:35 left in the third quarter.

After several minutes on the floor, Tatum was able to take the two free throws — making one — before being replaced. The Celtics (53-19) led 79-68 at the time. Sabonis was assessed a flagrant foul for having run under a 3-point shooter.

‘He seems to be doing OK, he’s just icing it right now,’ Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said postgame. ‘I didn’t see the play. They made the right call, it was a flagrant foul. Fortunate he was able to shoot the free throw and (he’s) just taking care of it right now.

‘I know he’ll do anything and everything to make sure he gets better.’

Through 66 games this season, Tatum leads the Celtics in scoring (27.1 points per game), rebounding (8.7) and assists (6.0).

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Puka Nacua just completed his second NFL season, but the Los Angeles Rams receiver has already identified a natural endpoint for his career.

‘I know I want to retire at the age of 30,’ Nacua said in an appearance on the ‘Join the Lobby’ podcast.

Nacua is 23 years old, which would put him on track to play about seven more seasons. It would also allow him to follow in the footsteps of his teammate Aaron Donald and head for an early retirement.

‘I think of Aaron Donald – to go out at the top, I think it would be super cool,’ Nacua said.

Nacua also noted his desire to retire early stems from his aspiration to have a big family. He said he wants to have at least ‘a starting five’ – ‘I need five boys for sure,’ he said – after growing up as one of six siblings.

‘I want to be able to be a part of their lives and be as active as I can with them,’ Nacua said, referencing his future children.

Nacua acknowledged that injuries ‘are something you can’t control’ but communicated that retiring at 30 would at least mitigate some of the injury risk.

‘Hopefully, the rest of the career can go healthy, but you have shoulder surgery, you have knee surgery, you have ankle. By the time my kids could be 18, I could be barely walking if you play the game and sustain all the injuries and stuff like that,’ Nacua said. ‘But I want to retire early.’

What would Nacua do after retiring? The 23-year-old is planning to get into real estate and will explore that avenue before his NFL career ends.

Nacua set the NFL’s all-time rookie receiving record in 2023 when he caught 105 passes for 1,486 yards and six touchdowns. He had 79 catches for 990 yards and three touchdowns across 11 games during the 2024 NFL season.

USC Trojans superstar JuJu Watkins’ season-ending knee injury drastically changes USC’s March Madness run.

Watkins suffered the knee injury during a women’s NCAA Tournament matchup between the No. 1 seed Trojans and the 9-seed Mississippi State Bulldogs. As the Trojans were up by double-digits in the first quarter, Watkins ran down the court, potentially pushing for her next score in transition to extend the lead. The sophomore guard and a Bulldogs defender were in lockstep when suddenly, she went down to the floor and immediately grabbed her right knee.

A hush fell over the crowd as Watkins winced in pain, and Trojans training staff ran to be by her side. She was down for several moments before being helped to her feet, unable to bear weight on her injured leg. Watkins was carried off the court and into the locker room and did not return during the Trojans’ 96-59 second-round win.

While USC advanced to the Sweet 16, the Trojans’ national championship chances are murkier. What will USC look like without Watkins? Who could replace her?

The answers to those questions aren’t easy. Replacing a generational talent is daunting.

Kiki Iriafen could play more important role

However, if USC wants to keep its championship hopes alive, it starts with forward Kiki Iriafen. Head coach Lindsay Gottlieb likely will call on her early and often, and ask the team to play inside-out, feeding Iriafen in the paint for quick, easy points, exploiting matchups and pushing her to lean into her rim protection duties. Gottlieb also might ask Iriafen to dig deeper into her skill set, drawing on her for more mid-range jump shots to help with the loss of Watkins’ production.

Additionally, although Iriafen is not typically a 3-point specialist, seeing her take more risks from beyond the arc wouldn’t be shocking. Replacing the Trojans’ star guard’s 3-point abilities potentially will take a village.

More help could come from trio of guards

The Trojans also will turn to the guards on their roster to replace Watkins. Oregon State transfer Talia von Oelhoffen is the likely choice to step into point guard duties instantly. The Trojans’ guard has the experience to handle being USC’s floor general, and while not the defender that Watkins is, she’s solid on the defensive as long as she stays out of trouble.

USC also might turn to freshman sensation Kennedy Smith, who has built a strong on-court chemistry with Watkins through the season as she found a spot in the Trojans’ starting lineup. Like von Oelhoffen, she’s also good on both sides of the ball.

Finally, Gottlieb also could ask Watkins’ current backup, Malia Samuels, to step into her role, keeping things as status quo as possible.

The Trojans have little time to think about a plan for life without Watkins. On Saturday, they play No. 5 seed Kansas State in the Sweet 16 at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN.

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