Upon learning Friday night George Foreman had died at 76, Muhammad Ali’s daughter Rasheda Ali-Walsh said she sent a text message to George Foreman Jr., the oldest son of the former heavyweight champion.

“Please know that we’re here for you, sending much love and support,’’ Rasheda Ali-Walsh told USA TODAY Sports she texted, followed by, “Your dad is sparring with my dad in heaven.’’

Probably wearing not only boxing gloves but smiles. Ali-Walsh agreed.

In one of the biggest upsets in boxing history, Ali and Foreman went from bitter rivals who clashed in “The Rumble in the Jungle’’ to something altogether different.

“He and my dad became really good friends, and if I’m not mistaken, (Foreman) inspired my dad into being a pastor and a spiritual advisor,” Ali-Walsh said.

Foreman attended Ali’s memorial and funeral service when Ali died in 2016. But the relationship got off to a rocky start in 1974 leading up to ‘The Rumble in the Jungle,” their fight in Zaire.

Foreman, then 40-0 and one of the hardest punchers in the sport, said multiple times he was going to kill Ali, a heavy underdog. Ali continuously mocked Foreman, such as when he told reporters, “George Foreman is nothing but a big mummy. I’ve officially named him, ‘The Mummy.’ ”

Ali walked like a Mummy, delighting the press but not Foreman. Then their fight sent shockwaves around the world, not the least because Ali sent Foreman crashing to the canvas with an eighth-round knockout.

“Daddy was always trying to get in his opponent’s head,’’ Ali-Walsh said. “And I think he got in George’s head.’’

George Foreman, Muhammad Ali form friendship

Three years after “The Rumble in the Jungle,’’ Foreman said, he was hit by something more powerful than Ali. He called it a religious experience that prompted him to quit boxing in 1977 at age 28.

Hana Ali, one of the boxer’s seven daughters, said years later her father gave her 60 hours of taped phone conversations. One of her favorites, she told USA TODAY Sports in 2014, is an hour-long talk her father had with Foreman in 1979. She said Foreman was preaching while Ali, then in his later 30s, still was fighting and, in retrospect, showing early signs of Parkinson’s disease.

‘George Foreman begins by warning my father not to do these boxing exhibitions that are going to lead him back to the ring,’ Hana Ali told USA TODAY Sports in 2014, ‘and he doesn’t want him there. He said, ‘I had a dream,’ and he’s telling him, ‘God doesn’t want you in the ring. You need to stop.’ My dad says, ‘It’s just a boxing exhibition.’ And he goes, ‘No, stop now because it’s going to lead apparently to something else.’ And then, of course, my father only follows his own mind.’

Yet Foreman, after a decade-long absence from boxing, returned in 1987 at age 38. In 1994, at 45, Foreman knocked out Michael Moorer, then 26, and became the oldest heavyweight champion in history.

In 2014, Foreman told USA TODAY Sports that he received a congratulatory letter from his old nemesis, the one who called him a mummy.

‘Can you imagine that?’ Foreman said. ‘Who would think almost 20 years later, there’s Muhammad, my conqueror, congratulating me in fighting for the championship of the world and winning it.’

George Foreman, Muhammad Ali inspire celebration

In 2012, Foreman was at Ali’s 70th birthday party at the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Las Vegas. It was a fundraiser spurred by Ali, who suffered from Parkinson’s disease.

“They always was supportive of each other in their endeavors,’’ Rasheda Ali-Walsh said.

In an Instagram post Friday, Hana Ali said she used to FaceTime Foreman so her father could talk with him. ‘They’d reminisce, share laughs, and lovingly debate who had it better—George with his sons, or Daddy with his daughters,” Hana Ali wrote.

In December, Rasheda Ali-Walsh said, she and her six sisters gathered in Houston. It was near the home of Foreman, and they were there to celebrate the 50th anniversary of “The Rumble in the Jungle.’’

The daughters of Ali celebrated with some of Foreman’s children, Ali-Walsh said.

“It was like celebrating the lineage, legacy and the love between my dad and George Foreman,’’ she said. “There was, of course, the iconic fight. But just their relationship in general, how they had a deep love and respect for one another.’’

At the 50th celebration, according to d-mars.com, many of the children of both boxers gathered for a photo after which George Foreman Jr. said, ‘Our fathers spent so many years really talking about how much they cared for each other and loved each other. They passed that down to us. This was our first time as a group getting together for a picture and it was like we showed up to a family reunion with long-lost cousins. We didn’t skip a beat.’

Rasheda Ali-Walsh said her father’s old boxing rival-turned-friend was ailing then.

‘I got a chance to see George for the last time,” she said, ‘and thank him for the wonderful times that he spent with my dad and for his friendship, too.”

Another day of March Madness awaited college basketball fans on Saturday.

With the first round complete, the 2025 men’s NCAA Tournament progressed to the second round, which saw several high-profile team and coaching matchups on display.

Perhaps the biggest of those pitted national champion St. John’s and Arkansas against each other — or, perhaps more accurately, Rick Pitino and John Calipari. The two national title-winning coaches faced off against each other for the first time since December 2016, with Pitino, then with Louisville, beating his Kentucky counterpart.

Calipari got the better of his St. John’s counterpart on Saturday, however, with No. 10 seed Arkansas upsetting No. 2 St. John’s 75-66. Another notable game on Saturday includes No. 1 overall seed Auburn taking on a Creighton team that demolished 8-seed Louisville on Thursday.

Elsewhere, Kelvin Sampson and No. 1 seed Houston ended Mark Few and Gonzaga’s Sweet 16 streak, while Rick Barnes’ 2-seeded Tennessee kept alive its hopes of a first-ever Final Four appearance by beating Mick Cronin and 7 seed UCLA.

Check out all the bracket updates, scores, highlights and more from Saturday’s action:

Men’s March Madness games today

Saturday, March 22

(4) Purdue 76, (12) McNeese 62
(10) Arkansas 75, (2) St. John’s 66
(5) Michigan 91, (4) Texas A&M 79
(3) Texas Tech 77, (11) Drake 64
(1) Auburn 82, (9) Creighton 70
(6) BYU 91, (3) Wisconsin 89
(1) Houston 81, (8) Gonzaga 76
(2) Tennessee 67, (7) UCLA 58

Watch select March Madness games live with Sling TV

Tennessee beats UCLA 67-58

Mick Cronin and UCLA dragged it out a bit, but the foregone conclusion came to pass: Tennessee beats UCLA 67-58, advancing to the Sweet 16 for the third straight season under Rick Barnes.

Skyy Clark hits 3 to narrow gap between UCLA, Tennessee

Too little too late, but a Skyy Clark 3-pointer with 41 seconds remaining narrows UCLA’s deficit to Tennessee, with the Vols now leading 64-53. Credit to the Bruins for fighting till the last second.

Tennessee leading UCLA big

The final four minutes of play from Tennessee and UCLA’s second-round game is a mere matter of course. The Vols lead the Bruins 61-44 at the under-4 media timeout and, barring a massive breakdown, will advance to the Sweet 16 for the fourth time under Rick Barnes.

Chaz Lanier breaks Tennessee single-season 3-pointers record

Lanier hits a 3-pointer to reach 20 points against UCLA, breaking a Vols’ single-season record in the process.

His 119th 3-pointer of the season breaks the previous record of 118 set by Chris Lofton in 2007-08.

Houston ends Gonzaga’s Sweet 16 streak

Despite Gonzaga outscoring Houston 49-46 in the second half, the 1-seed Cougars hang on to defeat the Bulldogs 81-76 to reach their sixth straight Sweet 16.

Houston also ends Gonzaga’s previous record of nine consecutive Sweet 16 berths, with Houston taking over the active record.

L.J. Cryer was exceptional for the Cougars, scoring 30 points and nailing six 3-pointers to lead all scorers.

Tennessee leads UCLA 32-25 at halftime

Chaz Lanier is continuing his strong NCAA Tournament run, as the Vols’ leading scorer leads all players with 12 points as Tennessee leads UCLA 32-25 at halftime.

The Bruins are primed to give the Vols a tough test in the second half as Tennessee looks to move on to the second weekend for the third consecutive season.

BYU holds on, beats Wisconsin for Sweet 16 berth

John Tonje’s shot just before the buzzer is an airball, and BYU staves off Wisconsin’s late comeback attempt with a 91-89 win in Denver.

High-scoring game ends in upset fashion in one of the most exciting games of the NCAA Tournament so far. The Cougars make it to the second weekend for the first time since 2011.

John Tonje and-one!

Tonje is unconscious, as he shortens Wisconsin’s deficit to 91-89 on the 3-point play.

Wisconsin has a chance at pulling a comeback here, as BYU holds possession but calls timeout with 39 seconds remaining.

Richie Saunders having a career night

BYU guard Richie Saunders has the Cougars on the verge of reaching the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament, in large part to his huge showing against Wisconsin. The 6-foot-5 guard has 25 points and seven rebounds, shooting 9 of 16 from the field with three 3-pointers.

Wisconsin’s John Tonje has also been sensational, pouring in 34 points on 9-of-16 shooting. BYU leads 91-86 with 1:12 remaining.

Houston leads Gonzaga 35-27 at halftime

L.J. Cryer has been outstanding for Houston, leading all scorers with 16 points as the Cougars take a 35-27 lead into halftime over Gonzaga.

Both point guards for Gonzaga and Houston have been initiating offense well, as Ryan Nembhard and Milos Uzan have five and four assists, respectively.

BYU leads 47-36 at halftime

BYU takes a 47-36 lead into halftime against Wisconsin, as the Cougars look to continue their hot shooting into the second period.

BYU shot 6 of 14 from 3-point range in the first half and 17 of 36 from the floor. Richie Saunders and Egor Demin lead the way with 12 and eight points, respectively.

Wisconsin’s halftime deficit is the largest it has faced this season.

Auburn hangs on for Creighton win

Auburn avoids a scare, taking down Creighton 82-70 to advance to the Sweet 16 of the men’s NCAA Tournament.

The Bluejays proved to be a tough out, as their veteran roster that included Ryan Kalkbrenner and Steven Ashworth led 37-35 at halftime before the Tigers outscored them 47-33 in the second half.

Houston-Gonzaga tips off

Houston and Gonzaga, two teams in the top 10 of KenPom’s ratings, are midway through the first half. The Cougars have an early 17-8 lead as their stout defense is leading the charge early.

BYU with big 1st half lead over Wisconsin

The Cougars are firing on all cylinders early in the first half against Wisconsin, leading the Badgers 38-24 with under six minutes remaining until halftime.

Richie Saunders leads the way for BYU with 12 points, while Egor Demin has eight.

Chad Baker-Mazara injury update

Baker-Mazara left for the locker room but has since returned to the sideline with an ice pack on his hip. He hasn’t returned to game action, however.

BYU-Wisconsin tips off

The second-round matchup between BYU and Wisconsin has tipped off from Ball Arena in Denver. The Cougars jumped to a 7-5 lead in the first 1:31.

Auburn takes lead in second half over Creighton

The first media timeout arrived in the second half, and Auburn recaptured a 45-42 lead with 15:58 left in the game. The Tigers have connected on 4 of 7 shots to open the half.

Texas Tech beats Drake 77-64 to advance to Sweet 16

Texas Tech defeats Drake 77-64 to advance to the Sweet 16. The Red Raiders will play No. 10 Arkansas in the next round. Darrion Williams finished with 28 points, while JT Toppin added 25. Bennett Stirtz led the Bulldogs with 21 points.

Texas Tech leads Drake by 15 late

Drake hung around with Texas Tech most of the afternoon, but the Red Raiders lead 73-58 with 1:50 left and are headed back to the Sweet 16.

Creighton leads top-seeded Auburn 37-35 at halftime

The No. 1 overall seed in the tournament is officially on upset alert. Creighton holds a 37-35 lead over Auburn at halftime. Jackson McAndrews hit a 3-pointer before halftime to give the Blue Jays the lead. He has 12 points.

Michigan takes down Texas A&M

Michigan keeps the Big Ten’s success rolling in the NCAA Tournament by beating Texas A&M 91-79. The Wolverines trailed by 10 with 13:17 left in the game but dominated the Aggies over the final minutes to earn the win.

Rodd Gayle Jr. led the Wolverines with 26 points and Vladislav Goldin added 23. Pharrel Payne led the Aggies with 26 points.

Creighton leading top-overall seed Auburn

No. 9 seed Creighton holds a 25-23 lead over top-overall seed Auburn more than midway through the first half. We have arrived as the first media timeout with 7:33 left in the first half.

Michigan lead balloons to 9

Michigan leads 81-72 with 3:37 left in the game. It has been a 24-point swing in the second half for the Wolverines, as Texas A&M has gone cold from the field. The last field goal for the Aggies came 4:21 of game action ago.

Michigan takes lead after run

Michigan holds a 75-70 lead with 5:15 left in the game. The Wolverines are on a 14-3 run, including scoring nine unanswered points. Roddy Gayle Jr. leads Michigan with 22 points, while Vladislav Goldin has 18.

Pharrel Payne leads TAMU with 25 points.

Drake trails Texas Tech by three

Drake opens the second half with eight of the first 12 points and now trail Texas Tech by three points at the media timeout with 16:15 left in the game.

Texas A&M holding off Michigan

Wade Taylor IV hits a 3-pointer to push the Texas A&M lead to 70-66 with 7:56 left in the game. The Wolverines had cut the lead to one, but Taylor made sure Michigan would not have a chance to take the lead on its next possession.

The Aggies called a timeout after the basket, which led to the media timeout.

Michigan cuts Texas A&M lead to four

Early in the second half, Texas A&M pushed its lead to double digits, but Michigan cut the lead back down to four at 61-57 at the under-12-media timeout with 11:35 left in the game. The Wolverines have hit on five straight field goals.

Texas Tech leads Drake 37-30 at halftime

Texas Tech takes a 37-30 lead into halftime over Drake. JT Toppin leads the Red Raiders with 19 points on 9-of-10 shooting and eight rebounds. Darrion Williams has 14 points. The rest of the Red Raiders have four points.

Daniel Abreu leads Drake with nine points.

Texas Tech holds lead over Drake

Texas Tech holds a 31-27 lead over Drake with 3:31 left until halftime. The Bulldogs are sticking within striking distance against the Aggies.

Texas A&M leads Michigan at halftime

Texas A&M holds a 39-35 lead over Michigan at halftime. The Wolverines ended the half on a scoring drought, which lasted the final 2:19 and included seven missed shots in a row.

Pharrel Payne leads the Aggies with 14 points. Vladislav Goldin has 12 points to lead the Wolverines.

Texas Tech on upset alert?

Is No. 3 seed Texas Tech on upset alert early in its second-round game? No. 11 seed Drake holds a 18-12 lead over the Red Raiders at the under-12 media timeout following a 7-0 run. The Bulldogs upset No. 6 seed Missouri to advance to the second round.

Texas A&M holds narrow lead vs. Michigan

Texas A&M and Michigan are in a good one, with the Aggies holding a narrow 34-33 lead at the 2:18 mark in the first half.

Texas A&M and Michigan tied

At the second media timeout, Michigan and Texas A&M are tied 17-17 with 11:11 left in the first half.

Danny Wolfe leads the Wolverines with six points. Andersson Garcia leads the Aggies with his six points.

Michigan-Texas A&M underway

The third game of Saturday’s second-round action is underway between No. 5 Michigan and No. 4 Texas A&M. The winner of this matchup will face the winner of No. 1 Auburn and No. 9 Creighton in the Sweet 16.

John Calipari leads Arkansas to Sweet 16

John Calipari and No. 10 Arkansas are moving to the Sweet 16 following a 75-66 win over Rick Pitino and No. 2 St. John’s. The Razorbacks become the first double-digit seed to advance to the Sweet 16.

Billy Richmond III led Arkansas with 16 points and nine rebounds, while Karter Knox added 15 points and six rebounds. Zuby Ejiofor led St. John’s with 23 points in the loss.

Arkansas will play the winner of No. 3 Texas Tech and No. 11 Drake in the Sweet 16 next week.

St. John’s tightens game

With 2:51 remaining, it’s a four-point game with Arkansas leading 68-64. The Red Storm have gotten the game within two points a few times late in the second half, but have been unable to even the game.

Arkansas leads St. John’s by 8

The Razorbacks hold a 61-53 advantage at the under-8-media timeout with 7:57 left in the game. The Red Storm have continued to struggle from the field, shooting 18 of 62 (29%). However, they still have a shot to pull off the win if they can knock down a few more shots.

Arkansas lead up to 12 at media timeout

Arkansas is holding its largest lead of the game, 53-41, at the under-12-media timeout. The Razorbacks have outscored the Red Storm 18-9 in the second half. St. John’s is already at six fouls and will send Arkansas to the free throw line with each foul the rest of the game.

Arkansas’ lead balloons to 7

The Razorbacks’ momentum didn’t slow down during halftime, with Calipari’s team outscoring Pitino’s St. Johns’ team 5-1 in the opening two-and-a-half minutes to open the second half. Arkansas now leads 40-33 at the 17:29 mark.

Arkansas closes first half with 7-0 run vs. St. John’s

Following a disastrous run that included a flagrant and technical foul, John Calipari’s Razorbacks close the first half on a 7-0 run to give them a 35-32 lead over St. John’s.

St. John’s takes lead over Arkansas

After trailing for most of the first half, St. John’s holds a slim 28-27 lead at the under-4-minute media timeout. A flagrant foul against Arkansas helped the Red Storm in the comeback run.

St. John’s struggling from the field

At the under-8 media timeout, Arkansas holds a 22-14 lead over St. John’s with 7:58 left in the half. It’s been a struggle for the Red Storm from the court. St. John’s has missed 13 shots in a row and 14 of its last 16. The Red Storm is shooting 5 of 27 (18.5%) from the field and has not made a field goal in 6:25.

Arkansas leading St. John’s

Arkansas holds an 18-13 lead with 11:42 left in the first half at the second media timeout. Johnell Davis and Karter Knox each have seven points. Both teams are struggling from the field. The Red Storm are shooting 25%, while the Razorbacks are shooting 31.3%.

Arkansas holds early lead over St. John’s

Arkansas holds an early 11-6 advantage over St. John’s at the first media timeout with 15:55 left. Johnell Davis has five points to lead the Razorbacks, while Zuby Ejiofor has four points to lead the Red Storm.

St. John’s-Arkansas tips off

St. John’s and Arkansas have tipped off the second game of Saturday’s action. The second-round matchup pits legendary coaches Rick Pitino and John Calipari against one another. Pitino looks to make the Red Storm the fourth program he coaches to the Final Four.

Read Paul Myerberg’s article about the coaches’ respect for each other.

Purdue defeats McNeese 76-62

Purdue is onto the Sweet 16 following a 76-62 win over McNeese on Saturday. Trey Renn-Kaufman led the Boilermakers with 22 points and 15 rebounds, while Fletcher Loyer added 15 points and C.J. Cox added 11.

Sincere Parker led McNeese with 17 points in the loss. Purdue will take on the winner of No. 1 Houston and No. 8 Gonzaga in the Sweet 16.

Trey Renn-Kaufman leading Purdue

Trey Renn-Kaufman is up to 20 points after scoring five between media timeouts. The Purdue lead is 73-59 with 3:54 remaining.

The Boilermakers will play the winner of No. 1 Houston and No. 8 Gonzaga in the Sweet 16 next week.

Purdue up 21 over McNeese State in second half

Purdue is up 65-44 with 7:05 left in the game. Trey Renn-Kaufman has 15 points and 14 rebounds to lead the way for the Boilermakers. Javohn Garcia leads McNeese with 12 points.

Purdue leading, McNeese State losing cool

Purdue continues to lead, pushing the lead to 48-28 in the second half at the first media timeout. Will Wade and Christian Shumate were hit with technical fouls before the media timeout.

Purdue leads McNeese 38-20 at halftime

Purdue played a strong first half and lead McNeese 38-20 at halftime despite not scoring over the last 3:14 of the first half. Braden Smith leads the Boilermakers with 10 points and Trey Renn-Kauman has eight points.

Quadi Copeland leads McNeese with five points. The Cowboys shot 8 of 26 in the first half.

Purdue dominating McNeese in first half of second-round game

Purdue is in absolute control of the second-round matchup with McNeese. The Boilermakers have used a 7-0 run to push the lead to 20 at 34-14. Purdue is shooting 54.5% from the field and 50% from 3-point range.

McNeese is shooting just 5 of 19 from the field and has struggled to find a rhythm.

Purdue leads by 16 early

Purdue is not messing around today. The Boilermakers are shooting 11 of 15 from the field and hold a 27-11 lead with 9:35 left in the first half. Purdue’s defense has limited the Cowboys to 4 of 13 shooting.

Purdue builds early lead over McNeese

At the first media timeout, Purdue holds a 14-6 lead over McNeese with 15:05 left in the first half. The Boilermakers are shooting 6 of 8 from the field, including two 3-pointers early on. The Cowboys are shooting just 2 of 8 from the field.

Second round underway with Purdue-McNeese

The second round of the 2025 men’s NCAA Tournament is officially underway, with Purdue and McNeese tipping off. The Boilermakers have jumped out to a 7-6 advantage in the first two minutes.

How to watch Round 2, starting with Purdue vs McNeese

Meet Amir Khan

Bracket reset for Round 2

Need to catch up on what’s happened before Round 2 starts? Here’s a look at the current bracket and who’s remaining, along with which teams have been eliminated to date.

Houston, Gonzaga put Sweet 16 streaks on the line

Kelvin Sampson and Mark Few are no strangers to the second round, but something has to give in Houston vs Gonzaga Saturday. Houston has made five straight Sweet 16 appearances, whereas Gonzaga has nine straight second-weekend showings. Which streak will snap Saturday, and can the No. 8 Bulldogs upset the No. 1 Cougars?

Breaking down the full Round 2 slate Saturday

Michigan looks to get back Sweet 16

After two years of missing the Sweet 16, Michigan basketball hopes to get back to the second weekend in its second season under Dusty May. The Wolverines have a staunch test in Texas A&M, which is seeking its first Sweet 16 appearance since 2018. The Aggies, led by Buzz Williams in his sixth season, survived a tough Yale team to advance whereas Michigan barely held on against UC San Diego in Round 1.

Rick Pitino, John Calipari gear up for marquee coaching showdown

The players play the game, but coaches often act as figureheads for their teams.

Four Big Ten, SEC teams back in action Saturday

The Big Ten and the SEC sent a record eight teams each to the Round of 32, and both conferences will have four teams each playing Saturday.

For the Big Ten, (4) Purdue will tip off against (12) McNeese, (5) Michigan plays (4) Texas A&M, (3) Wisconsin will see (6) BYU, and (7) UCLA has the nightcap against (2) Tennessee.

On the SEC side, John Calipari and (10) Arkansas play Rick Pitino’s (2) St. John’s, the aforementioned Aggies will play Michigan, No. 1 overall seed Auburn plays a tough No. 9 Creighton, and the Vols will play the Bruins to end the day.

McNeese looks to prove it’s not an underdog

At this point, everyone already knows the saga of Amir ‘Aura’ Khan and Will Wade at McNeese. But the Cowboys didn’t just get by Clemson on good vibes. They outplayed the Tigers to advance.

Today, McNeese gets an early opportunity to go to the Sweet 16 against Matt Painter and Purdue. The resumes couldn’t be more different. It would be McNeese’s first Sweet 16 appearance vs Purdue’s 14th, and sixth since 2010.

Where to watch March Madness

TV channels: CBS | TBS | TNT
Streaming: March Madness Live | Sling TV | Fubo (free trial)

Each of CBS, TBS and TNT will carry men’s March Madness games on Saturday. Streaming options include March Madness Live, which requires a valid cable login.

Other streaming options include Sling TV, which carries TBS and TNT, and Fubo, the latter of which carries CBS and offers a free trial.

Watch select March Madness games with Fubo (free trial)

We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.

 The Women’s March Madness Round of 64 continued on Saturday with 16 games played throughout the day, keeping women’s basketball fans on the edge of their seats for better or worse.

The day’s action began with an eagerly awaited matchup between No. 11 seed Murray State and No. 6 seed Iowa. Iowa, making its sixth consecutive appearance in the tournament, overwhelmed Murray State, winning 92-57.

The UConn Huskies led by Paige Bueckers, the Oklahoma Sooners with Reagan Beers, the USC Trojans under JuJu Watkins, and the Texas Longhorns, led by Madison Booker, all advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament after convincing victories.

Between the 16 games played, six of the games resulted in the winning teams scoring 100 points, a March Madness record.

Here are all the women’s March Madness results and action on Saturday as teams battled it out in the crucial Round of 64.

Final: LSU 103, San Diego State 48

Flau’jae Johnson scored 22 points in LSU’s victory over San Diego State. Aneesah Morrow had a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds in the victory. The Tigers’ defense did not allow a single San Diego State player to score double-digit points in the game. Adryana Quezada had eight points for the Aztecs.

LSU will play Florida State in the second round.

Final: Texas 105, William & Mary 61

Madison Booker produced a double-double with 20 points and 14 rebounds (10 on defense) in the dominant victory for the Longhorns. Taylor Jones had 19 points and six rebounds while Kyla Oldacre had 15 points and 15 rebounds (11 on defense). Bella Nascimento had a team-high 19 points for the Tribe in the loss.

Texas will play Illinois in the second round.

South Dakota State’s statement win

Brooklyn Meyer of South Dakota State talks about the statement win in the first round against Oklahoma State.

Halftime: Texas 50, William & Mary 33

Madison Booker had 12 points and four rebounds for the Longhorns. Taylor Jones added nine points and four rebounds in the first half.

Final: Florida State 94, George Mason 59

Halftime: LSU 49, San Diego State 20

Aneesah Morrow had 12 points and eight rebounds in the first half for the Tigers. Mjracle Sheppard recorded 10 points.

Final: Illinois 66, Creighton 57

Kendall Bostic had 12 points and 17 rebounds (14 on defense) for the Illini. Genesis Bryant had 17 points and four assists in 40 minutes of play. Illinois will play Texas in the next round.

Halftime: Florida State 41, George Mason 29

Ta’Niya Latson leads Florida State with 16 points in the first half. Paula Suarez had 13 points for George Mason. They are the only two players to score double-digits for their respective schools.

Illinois leads Creighton in third quarter

Adalia McKenzie and Illinois lead Creighton 47-41 with 3:17 left in the third quarter. McKenzie has 12 points and four rebounds for the Illini. Genesis Bryant has contributed with 11 points.

JuJu Watkins hangs out with Jayden Daniels after USC’s victory

Watkins was spotted in the crowd for the Mississippi State vs. Cal game chatting with Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels and his mother.

The former Heisman Trophy winner played college football at Arizona State and LSU but the California native played high school football at Cajon High in San Bernardino, where he led the school to a CIF State Championship.

Daniels was also in attendance for the Los Angeles Lakers’ game against the Denver Nuggets earlier in the week.

FINAL: Mississippi State 59, California 46

Madina Okot had 14 points and 13 rebounds for the Bulldogs in the first-round victory over the Golden Bears. Eniya Russell added 14 points in the win. Mississippi State will play USC in the second round.

Ugonne Onyiah had 17 points and 15 rebounds in the loss.

How JuJu Watkins’ injury scare can help USC in March Madness

LOS ANGELES – No one bothered to bring out a hammock or Barcalounger courtside at the Galen Center.

But JuJu Watkins, Southern California’s All-American guard, got some rest as the Trojans beat No. 16 seed UNC Greensboro 71-25 Saturday in the first round of the women’s NCAA tournament.

‘We’re fortunate that we were able to sit everybody, all the starters down with about 6:30 to go,’ Southern California coach Lindsay Gottlieb said. “JuJu probably hasn’t played under 30 minutes in about a month and a half, or whatever, because the Big Ten season is hard.

‘So I think we earned the right to be in a game where we can rest some people somewhat.’ — Josh Peter

Mississippi State’s Jerkaila Jordan gets technical for ‘eating’ celebration

Mississippi State women’s basketball guard Jerkaila Jordan got a technical foul for celebrating in the second quarter of the Bulldogs’ first-round NCAA tournament game against Cal on Saturday at the Galen Center in Los Angeles.

Jordan stole the ball and took it to the other end to finish a layup through contact with 1:47 remaining in the first half, earning a foul call after the bucket.

Jordan quickly celebrated, mimicking eating out of a bowl, turning around to face the endline and her defender on the ground.

The referees immediately blew the whistle for a technical foul for celebrating toward an opponent. According to ESPN reporter Holly Rowe, Mississippi State coach Sam Purcell argued to the refs that Jordan was celebrating toward the TV cameras. — Evan Gerike, Mississippi Clarion Ledger

Michigan State beats Harvard

The Spartans are moving on after beating Harvard in Raleigh. It was a low scoring affair but Michigan State found a rhythm with an 11-0 run in the second half to get some breathing room. With a 10-point lead to start the fourth quarter, the Spartans went on an 15-4 run that extended the lead to 21 points with four minutes to go and end any chance for the Crimson. Michigan State moves onto the second round to face NC State on Monday.

North Carolina uses strong second half to beat Oregon State

The Tar Heels left little doubt in their opening round matchup against Oregon State after a dominant second half performance. North Carolina led by only two points at the start of the third quarter, and it went on to outscore the Beavers 30-9 in the third frame for a commanding lead. After that, it was smooth sailing toward a 70-49 win.

North Carolina forced Oregon State into 17 turnovers, which it turned into 22 points. The Tar Heels dominated the paint with 40 points near the bucket, and Lexi Donarski took care of business around the perimeter with 15 of her game-high 19 points from 3-point land.

Harvard hanging around with Michigan State

Could a third No. 10 seed be moving onto the second round? Ivy League champion Harvard trails No. 7 Michigan State 45-35 heading into the fourth quarter. It’s been a tough day shooting on both sides, but Crimson guard Harmoni Turner has kept her team in the game with a game-high 19 points.

JuJu Watkins injury update

JuJu Watkins walked into the postgame interview room without a limp, a positive sign after getting banged up during No. 1 Southern California’s 71-25 win over No. 16 UNC Greensboro.

So what happened?

‘I don’t know,’ Watkins said. ‘You know it’s end of the season, body’s a little banged up. But on to the next…’

And she’s OK?

‘Oh, yeah,’ she said. ‘I’m all right. Don’t worry.’’ — Josh Peter and Banji Bamidele

Maryland beats Norfolk State after trailing at half

No. 4 seed Maryland refused to panic on its home court and relied on Sarah Te-Biasu and Kaylene Smikle’s clutch 3-point shooting  to beat No. 13 seed Norfolk State 82-69. The Spartans, champions of the MEAC who entered with a 19-game win streak, didn’t make it easy, cutting Maryland’s lead to 60-56 with 8 minutes remaining. A 3-pointer from Te-Biasu and a pair of threes from Smikle gave the Terps a 69-58 lead.

The Terps meet No. 5 seed Alabama on Monday with a spot in the Sweet 16 on the line. — Roxanna Scott

North Carolina pulling away from Oregon State

An upset was brewing in Chapel Hill, but No. 3 North Carolina has taken a 13-point lead over No. 14 Oregon State 32-24 midway through the second half. The lead went back-and-forth in the first half and the Tar Heels went into halftime with a slim two-point lead. The Beavers have controlled the boards but turnovers have been an issue. North Carolina has 16 points off 12 Oregon State turnovers and started the third quarter on an 11-0 run.

South Dakota State upsets Oklahoma State

The No. 10 seed South Dakota State Jackrabbits defeated the No. 7 Oklahoma State Cowgirls 74-68 to advance to the next round of the NCAA Tournament. Brooklyn Meter led the Jackrabbits in scoring with 19 points and eight rebounds, while Paige Meyer contributed with 16 points, seven rebounds, and six assists. Together, they have propelled the Jackrabbits forward in their March Madness journey.

It’s over: Southern California 71, UNC Greensboro 25

The No. 1 seeded Trojans, who’d been off for two weeks, were not at their best. But they were more than good enough against No. 16 UNC Greensboro.

They overcame a ragged start thanks to a smothering defense that held UNC Greensboro in the first half to just 11 points and 3-of-25 shooting from the floor.

The Trojans also blocked 10 shots, including seven from senior post player Rayah Marshall.

Watkins finished with a game-high 22 points, eight rebounds and question about a banged up left wrist and rolled left ankle.

Southern California will play Mississippi State game Monday in the second round. — Josh Peter

South Dakota State holds slim lead in the 4th

The No. 10 seed, South Dakota State, leads No. 7 Oklahoma State 56-50 with 8:22 left in the fourth quarter.

How healthy is JuJu?

With 6:18 left in the game, she headed to the bench. Because the Trojans are burying UNC Greensboro or perhaps because the rolled left ankle could use the rest. She also sat the final 3:39 of the third quarter after she rolled her ankle on a drive to the basket. Then there’s the left wrist she hurt during a fall in the second quarter. But despite all of that, she’s got a game-high 22 points and eight rebounds. — Josh Peters

North Carolina and Oregon State underway

The No. 14 seed Oregon State Beavers are keeping it close against the No. 3 seed North Carolina Tar Heels in their first-round matchup. The Tar Heels lead 6-5 with 4:53 remaining in the first quarter.

Harvard and Michigan State underway

The No. 7 seed Michigan State takes an early 11-2 lead against No. 10 seed Harvard with 5:39 left in the first quarter.

OK, so these are the real Trojans?

The anxiety that circulated in this building is long gone.

Remember when Southern California led 12-10 and looked oddly disjointed against UNC Greensboro? What a distant memory.

Through three quarters, the Trojans are up by 37 points at 53-16.

Watkins leads all scorers with 20 points to go along with eight rebounds. After committing three turnovers in the first half, Watkins has been spotless with her ball handling. — Josh Peters

JuJu getting banged up

Watkins could need some attention from the training staff after this game ends. In the second quarter, she hurt her left wrist after a fall and afterward kept massing it.

Then, in the third quarter, she rolled her left ankle on a drive to the basket. Hobbling as she rejoined her teammates, he promptly buried a 3-pointer, and the Trojans have built a 30-point lead at 45-15 with 2:45 left in the quarter. — Josh Peters

Norfolk State comes out hot vs. Maryland

No. 13 seed Norfolk State came out hot on Maryland’s home court, jumping out to a 7-0 lead at Xfinity Center in College Park. The No. 4 seed Terps settled in with Sarah Te-Biasu’s 3-pointer cutting the deficit to one with 3:30 left in the first quarter. Allie Kubek gave Maryland its first lead with a layup at the 1:30 mark, and the Terps were up 18-12 after the first quarter. — Roxanna Scott

Oklahoma advances to the next round

The No. 3 Oklahoma Sooners defeated the No. 14 Florida Gulf Coast Eagles 81-58 to advance to the second round of the March Madness tournament. Raegan Beers had an impressive performance for the Sooners, scoring 25 points and grabbing an astounding 18 rebounds. Skylar Vann also made significant contributions to the victory, netting 24 points and recording nine rebounds.

Southern California pulling away

The Trojans opened the third quarter with an 8-0 run, with Watkins chipping in four points as Southern California went ahead 36-11 –  its largest lead. UNC Greensboro pulled back within 21 points, but back-to-back buckets for the Trojans prompted the Spartan to take a timeout. — Josh Peters

West Virginia moves on

The No. 6 West Virginia Mountaineers defeated the No. 11 Columbia Tigers 78-59 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. JJ Quinerly delivered an impressive performance, finishing with 27 points, four rebounds, and seven assists.

Southern California creates breathing room

The video from the first half of the Southern California-UNC Greensboro does not belong in a time capsule, with Southern California leading 28-11. The Spartans are shooting 12.0 % (3-for-25). The Trojans are shooting 35.7 % (10-for-28) but only 1-for-6 from 3 point range.

Watkins has 11 points and seven rebounds, both game highs.

While the offense has at time looked abysmal, the defense has been scintillating. UNC Greensboro entered the game 51.8 points a game, lowest in the nation. In a game that looked to close for comfort for the Trojans, they intensified the defense and it helped fuel a 14-0 run.

UNC Greensboro’s defense has been outstanding too. — Josh Peters

NC State moves on to the second round

The No. 2 seed NC State Wolfpack secured their spot in the next round of the women’s NCAA Tournament by defeating the No. 15 seed Vermont 75-55. The Wolfpack was led by Zoe Brooks, who scored 19 points while Aziaha James and Saniya Rivers combined for 30 in the first round victory.

USC turns up the heat

USC has turned up the heat on defense with backcourt traps, helping spark a 8-0 run. Watkins’ capped it with a layup that prompted UNC Greensboro to call a timeout with Southern California up 20-10 – its first double-digit lead. — Josh Peter

South Dakota State and Oklahoma State underway

No. 10 seed South Dakota and No. 7 seed Oklahoma State’s game has tipped off. The Jackrabbits hold a one-point lead over the Cowgirls, leading 9-8 with 5:12 left in the first quarter.

West Virginia holds healthy lead in the 4th

No. 6 seed West Virginia leads the No. 11 Columbia Lions 65-45 with 9:03 remaining in the fourth quarter. Jordan Harrison continues to shine for the Mountaineers with 23 points, four rebounds, and five assists.

UNC challenging Southern California

UNC Greensboro is holding the high-powered Southern California offense in check. After one quarter, the Trojans lead 12-8 and are shooting % 5-for-14. As good as UNC Greensboro has been on defense, it’s been just as horrific on offense. The Spartans are shooting 21.4 % (3-for-14). — Josh Peters

Alabama rolls past Green Bay

Aaliyah Nye hit four 3-pointers and scored 23 points to lead No. 5 seed Alabama past No. 12 Green Bay 81-67 in College Park, Maryland. Green Bay fought but couldn’t keep up with the Tide in the paint. The Phoenix pulled within five points early in the fourth quarter, but Nye hit two late 3-pointers to put the game out of reach. Alabama plays Maryland in the next round. — Roxanna Scott

Oklahoma has 10 point lead into halftime

No. 3 seed Oklahoma Sooners lead the No. 14 Florida Gulf Coast Eagles by 10 points, with a score of 36-26. Raegan Beer is the leading scorer for the Sooners with 13 points and eight rebounds.

USC and UNC Greensboro underway

So much for the early blowout. Southern California jumped out to an 8-0 lead, but scrappy UNC Greensboro then pulled within 8-5 with 4:45 left in the opening quarter. Both teams are playing impressive defense. The Trojans have three blocked shots and UNC Greensboro has two.

JuJu Watkins is 1-for-3 from the floor. —— Josh Peter

West Virginia lead Columbia into halftime

The No. 6 seed West Virginia Mountaineers are leading the No. 11 Columbia Lions 46-29 at halftime. JJ Quinerly and Jordan Harrison have each scored 16 points in the first half for the Mountaineers.

NC State hold slim lead over Vermont at the half

The No. 2 seed NC State lead the No. 15 seed Vermont 35-33 at the start of the second half.

JuJu Watkins’ bun is superpower for USC at March Madness

A first team All-American, JuJu Watkins is trying to lead USC to its first national title since 1984. She’s averaging 24.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.2 steals. A 6-foot-2 guard, she’s also tied for the team lead in blocked shots with 1.9 per game.

If you’re wondering how she plays at such a terrific level with a magnificent, crisp high bun, read more here. — Josh Peter

Love, hate mingle at USC game

The love: Sisters Aylah Johnson, 7, and Ari Johnson, wearing puffy buns and No. 12 jersey in tribute to USC superstar JuJu Watkins. They’re rocking the JuJu look since Watkins joined the team last year, said their father, Justin.

The hate: Art Ortiz, wearing around his neck a vanity plate that reads: “H8 BRUIN.’’ As in hating the UCLA Bruins. Ortiz took out his phone and showed a photo of Watkins autographing his license plate he said he pulled off one of his former cars.

“I’m a super fan of USC,’’ said Ortiz, who did not need to note he’s also a super hater of UCLA. — Josh Peter

No. 2 seed UConn advances in style

The No. 2 seed UConn Huskies dominated the No. 15 Arkansas State Red Wolves, winning 103-34. Azzi Fudd was a standout player for the Huskies, scoring 27 points and providing seven assists. Additionally, Sarah Strong and Ashlynn Shade teamed up to contribute an impressive total of 40 points in this Round of 64 victory.

Alabama leads Green Bay at the half

The No. 5 seed Alabama leads No. 12 seed Green Bay 38-29 at halftime. The Crimson Tide is led in scoring by Zaay Green with 14 points.

NC State and Vermont underway

No. 2 NC State is facing No. 15 Vermont, with the Wolfpack taking an early 16-8 lead against the Catamounts. There are 3:05 remaining in the first quarter.

UConn doesn’t let off the gas

No. 2 UConn leads No. 15 Arkansas 66-16 at halftime. Azzi Fudd is the leading scorer for the Huskies with 21 points and seven assists, while Ashlynn Shade contributed 13 points off the bench.

Columbia and West Virginia underway

No. 6 seed West Virginia and No. 11 seed Columbia are underway, with the Mountaineers holding a slim lead over the Lions. West Virginia leads Columbia 14-10 with 6:30 remaining in the first quarter.

Alabama and Green Bay underway

No. 5 Alabama and No. 12 Green Bay have tipped off, with the Crimson Tide taking a slim lead at the end of the first quarter. Alabama leads Green Bay 19-17 as the second quarter begins.

No. 6 Iowa cruises to the second round

The No. 6 Iowa Hawkeyes defeated the No. 11 Murray State Racers 92-57, advancing to the second round of the women’s NCAA Tournament. Ava Heiden led the scoring for the Hawkeyes, contributing 15 points and seven rebounds. Hannah Stuelk and Sydney Affolter combined for 22 points, aiding in the Hawkeyes’ victory in the first round.

Iowa extends lead by 30 in the final minute

The No. 6 Iowa Hawkeyes are dominating No. 11 Murray State 88-56 in the final minutes, ensuring their March Madness journey continues while sending the Racers home early from the tournament.

UConn running away with it early

The No. 2seed UConn Huskies are making a strong statement in the first quarter against the No. 15 seed Arkansas State Red Wolves, finishing the quarter with a score of 34-5. Both Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd contributed significantly, scoring 13 points each in the first quarter.

UConn-Arkansas State is underway

The No. 2 seed UConn Huskies are facing off against the No. 15 seed Arkansas State Red Wolves, and the Huskies have come out strong, quickly building an early double-digit lead in the first quarter. With 6:56 remaining in the first quarter, UConn leads Arkansas State 13-2.

Murray State’s Katelyn Young exits the game

Katelyn Young was helped off the court early in the third quarter due to what appeared to be a foot injury. She had scored six points and grabbed seven rebounds in the first half of the game against Iowa.

Iowa leads Murray State at the half

The No. 6 seed Iowa Hawkeyes lead the Murray State Racers 42-30 at halftime. Ava Heiden came off the bench to contribute 13 points, while Lucy Olson finished the first half with 12 points and six assists.

Murray State keeps it close against Iowa

No. 11 Murray State continues to battle against No. 6 Iowa, with Ava Learn leading the Racers by scoring six points and grabbing ten rebounds. Lucy Olsen is leading the Hawkeyes with ten points and six assists. Iowa holds a 33-26 lead over Murray State with just two minutes remaining in the second quarter.

Iowa up by 6 in the first quarter

No. 6 seed Iowa is leading No. 11 seed Murray State 18-12 at the end of the first quarter in the first matchup of the day.

Saturday’s women’s first round underway

Saturday’s women’s NCAA tournament round of 64 has begun with No. 11 Murray State going up against No. 6 Iowa. The next game of the day will feature No. 15 Arkansas facing No. 2 UConn at 1 p.m. ET on ABC.

What time are March Madness games today?

Women’s March Madness continues Saturday with another 16 games slated throughout the day. The action kicks off with No. 11 Murray State taking on No. 6 Iowa at 12 p.m. ET. The first-round concludes with No. 14 San Diego State vs. No. 3 LSU at 10:10 p.m. ET.

How to watch March Madness Friday: TV, streaming coverage 

TV channels: Coverage across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPN News
Live stream: March Madness Live | ESPN app | Fubo

Watch Women’s March Madness with Fubo

When is the Women’s Final Four?

The women’s NCAA Tournament comes to a close starting on Friday, April 4 at 7 p.m. with the second semifinal starting 30 minutes after the first game ends. Both games will be held at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida.

The championship game will take place two days later on Sunday, April 6 at 3 p.m. ET at Amalie Arena.

Must-see Women’s March Madness Games today

No. 6 Iowa vs. No. 11 Murray State

Time, TV: Saturday, 12 p.m. | ESPN (Fubo)

Murray State has the leading scoring offense in the nation (87.8 ppg) and averages 10.2 3-pointers per game. Speaking of threes, Iowa’s Lucy Olsen is averaging a career-high 36% from beyond the arc. Look forward to a high-scoring game. Look forward to a high-scoring game. — Cydney Henderson, USA TODAY

If you like points, be sure to tune into this one. Murray State, led by Katelyn Young, averages almost 90 points per game. Iowa will have to score a lot to fend off the Racers. — Cory Diaz, The Daily Advertiser

No. 7 Oklahoma State vs. No. 10 South Dakota State

Time, TV: Saturday, 3:30 p.m. | ESPN2

Oklahoma State had a great season but it faces a Jackrabbit team that knows how to win in March. South Dakota State has shown it is capable of playing against top teams, and the Cowgirls have a tough test awaiting them. — Jordan Mendoza, USA TODAY

These two teams have done a lot of winning this season and the Jackrabbits have hung around with top competition this season and could pull the upset on Saturday. — Maxwell Donaldson, Gadsden Times

No. 7 Michigan State vs. No. 10 Harvard

Time, TV: Saturday, 4:30 p.m. | ESPNews (Fubo)

Harmoni Turner is a three-level scorer with a signature three-point shot that’s hard to defend. Teams have struggled to contain her, making Michigan State a prime candidate for the upset list. — Meghan Hall, For The Win

Harmoni Turner is one of the best guards in the nation, and she just might lead Harvard to an upset on Saturday. — Cora Hall, Knoxville News Sentinel

No. 8 Cal vs No. 9 Mississippi State

Time, TV: Saturday, 5:30 p.m. | ESPN2 (Fubo)

Both teams hung with top talent late in the regular season (MSU almost beat Texas, Cal lost by 9 to Notre Dame) but both also have some interesting losses. Sam Purcell and his Bulldogs have a lot of heart, but can they stop five scorers from Cal who are averaging 11 or more points per game? — Lulu Kesin, Greenville News

What channel is March Madness on?

Coverage for Saturday’s Day 2 action will be broadcast The 2025 women’s NCAA Tournament will air on the ESPN family of networks, including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPNews. ABC will also carry two games today. You can also watch the conclusion of the first round via streaming options: March Madness Live, ESPN app and Fubo, which offers a free trial subscription to new users.

Women’s March Madness odds

March Madness championship odds, according to BetMGM. Odds as of Friday, March 21.

Here’s a full look at the favorites to win the women’s tournament, everyone who sits at better odds than +5000.

South Carolina (+220)
UConn (+240)
UCLA (+550)
Texas (+700)
USC (+700)
Notre Dame (+1100)
NC State (+3500)
LSU (+5000)
Duke (+5000)
TCU (+5000)

Women’s March Madness 2025 expert predictions

USA TODAY experts set their picks ahead of the NCAA Tournament. Here is who they picked to win the national championship.

Nancy Armour, USA TODAY: UConn over Duke
Jordan Mendoza, USA TODAY: USC over South Carolina
Cydney Henderson, USA TODAY: South Carolina over UCLA
Cora Hall, Knoxville News Sentinel: South Carolina over UConn
Lulu Kesin, Greenville News: South Carolina over UConn
Meghan Hall, For The Win: South Carolina over USC
Mike Sykes, For The Win: UConn over South Carolina
Cory Diaz, The Daily Advertiser: UConn over Notre Dame
Maxwell Donaldson, Gadsden Times: UConn over South Carolina
Jenna Ortiz, Arizona Republic: UConn over South Carolina

Norfolk State on a tear entering NCAAs

No. 13 Norfolk State enters today’s game against No. 4 Maryland on a 19-game win streak and a 30-4 overall record. The Spartans earned their third consecutive trip to March Madness and reached 30 wins for the second time in school history.

The team is led by guard Diamond Johnson, a graduate student who averages 19 points, 6.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists. Johnson, who transferred from NC State two seasons ago, says she’s proud to show the world what HBCU basketball is all about. It’s not just Norfolk State, Johnson says, after watching Southern beat San Diego in Wednesday’s play-in game.

“HBCU’s we kind of like the underdog.  Like you said, the SWAC, the MEAC, not a lot people know about a lot of HBCUs,” she said Friday. “It’s not just for us, it’s for literally every HBCU in the world and even just mid-majors that don’t get the recognition that I feel like they should.”— Roxanna Scott

Women’s March Madness printable bracket

Click here to print your 2025 NCAA women’s tournament printable bracket

2025 NCAA women’s tournament bracket: Schedule, scores and results

All times Eastern.

Wednesday, March 19 (First Four)

No. 11 Iowa State def. 11 Princeton, 68-63
No. 16 Southern U. def. No. 16 UC San Diego, 68-56

Thursday, March 20 (First Four)

No. 11 Columbia def. No. 11 Washington, 63-60
No. 16 Williams & Mary def. No. 16 High Point, 69-63

Friday, March 21 (First Round/Round of 64)

No. 6 Michigan def. No. 11 Iowa State, 80-74
No. 4 Kentucky def. No. 13 Liberty, 79-78
No. 9 Indiana def. No. 8 Utah, 74-68
No. 3 Notre Dame def. No. 14 Stephen F. Austin 106-54
No. 5 Kansas State def. No. 12 Fairfield 85-41
No. 4 Baylor def. No. 13 Grand Canyon 73-60
No. 2 TCU def. No. 15 FDU 73-51
No. 1 South Carolina def. No. 16 Tennessee Tech 108-48
No. 10 Oregon def. No. 7 Vanderbilt 77-73
No. 4 Ohio State def. No. 13 Montana State 71-51
No. 5 Ole Miss def. No. 12 Ball State 83-65
No. 7 Louisville def. No. 10 Nebraska, 63-58
No. 8 Richmond def. No. 9 Georgia Tech 74-49
No. 2 Duke def. No. 15 Lehigh 86-25
No. 5 Tennessee def. No. 12 South Florida 101-66
No. 1 UCLA def. No. 16 Southern U., 84-46

Saturday, March 22 (First Round/Round of 64)

No. 6 Iowa vs. No. 11 Murray State, 12 p.m.| ESPN
No. 2 UConn vs. No. 15 Arkansas State, 1 p.m. | ABC
No. 5 Alabama vs. No. 12 Green Bay, 1:30 p.m. | ESPN2
No. 2 NC State vs. No. 15 Vermont, 2 p.m. | ESPN
No. 6 West Virginia vs. No. 11 Columbia 2 p.m. | ESPNews
No. 3 Oklahoma vs. No. 14 FGCU, 2:30 p.m. | ESPNU
No. 1 Southern California vs. No. 16 UNC Greensboro, 3 p.m. | ABC
No. 7 Oklahoma State vs. No. 10 South Dakota State, 3:30 p.m. | ESPN2
No. 4 Maryland vs. No. 13 Norfolk State, 4 p.m. | ESPN
No. 3 North Carolina vs. No. 14 Oregon State, 4:30 p.m. | ESPNU
No. 7 Michigan State vs. No. 10 Harvard, 4:30 p.m. | ESPNews
No. 8 California vs. No. 9 Mississippi State, 5:30 p.m. | ESPN2
No. 8 Illinois vs. No. 9 Creighton, 7:15 p.m. | ESPNews
No. 6 Florida State vs. No. 11 George Mason, 7:45 p.m. | ESPN2
No. 1 Texas vs. No. 16 William & Mary, 9:45 p.m. | ESPN2
No. 3 LSU vs. No. 14 San Diego State, 10:15 p.m. | ESPN

Sunday, March 23 (Second Round/Round of 32)

No. 10 Oregon vs. No. 2 Duke, 12 p.m. | ESPN
No. 6 Michigan vs. No. 3 Notre Dame, 1 p.m. | ABC
No. 5 Kansas State vs. No. 4 Kentucky, 2 p.m. | ESPN
No. 9 Indiana vs. No. 1 South Carolina, 3 p.m. | ABC
No. 5 Ole Miss vs. No. 4 Baylor, 4 p.m. | ESPN
No. 7 Louisville vs. No. 2 TCU, 6 p.m. | ESPN
No. 5 Tennessee vs. No. 4 Ohio State, 8 p.m. | ESPN
No. 8 Richmond vs. No. 1 UCLA, 10 p.m. | ESPN

Monday, March 24 (Second Round/Round of 32)

TBD

Friday, March 28 (Sweet 16)

TBD vs. TBD, 2:30 p.m. | ESPN
TBD vs. TBD, 5 p.m. | ESPN
TBD vs. TBD, 7:30 p.m. | ESPN
TBD vs. TBD, 10 p.m. | ESPN

Saturday, March 29 (Sweet 16)

TBD vs. TBD, 1 p.m. | ABC
TBD vs. TBD, 3:30 p.m. | ABC
TBD vs. TBD, 5:30 p.m. | ABC
TBD vs. TBD, 8 p.m. | ESPN

Sunday, March 30 (Elite Eight)

TBD vs. TBD, 1 p.m. | ABC
TBD vs. TBD, 3 p.m. | ABC

Monday, March 31 (Elite Eight)

TBD vs. TBD, 7 p.m. | ESPN
TBD vs. TBD, 9 p.m. | ESPN

Friday, April 4 (Final Four)

TBD vs. TBD, 7 p.m. | ESPN
TBD vs. TBD, 9:30 p.m. | ESPN

Sunday, April 6 (National Championship game)

TBD vs. TBD, 3 p.m. | ABC

Women’s March Madness upset predictions: Cinderella team predictions

Ahead of the NCAA Tournament, USA TODAY experts highlight several potential bracket busters. Here is who they picked.

No. 13 Grand Canyon
No. 12 Green Bay
No. 10 Harvard
No. 7 Vanderbilt
No. 6 Florida State
No. 6 Michigan
No. 5 Tennessee

When is the Women’s Final Four?

The women’s NCAA Tournament comes to a close starting on Friday, April 4 at 7 p.m. with the second semifinal starting 30 minutes after the first game ends. Both games will be held at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida.

The championship game will take place two days later on Sunday, April 6 at 3 p.m. ET at Amalie Arena.

We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.

LeBron James is back.

After missing seven games with a left groin muscle strain, the Los Angeles Lakers star forward returned for Saturday night’s 146-115 loss to the Chicago Bulls, two weeks after he sustained the injury March 8 against the Celtics.

This comes as welcome news for Los Angeles, which struggled at times to keep pace in the Western Conference since James got hurt; after winning eight of the first 11 games Luka Dončić played in since the team acquired him in a blockbuster trade, the Lakers lost four of the seven games James missed with the groin issue.

Los Angeles (43-26) also has been dealing with various other injuries, including respective knee ailments that sidelined center Jaxson Hayes and forward Rui Hachimura — both starters — and an ankle issue backup forward Dorian Finney-Smith has been managing.

With so many key players absent, opposing defenses swarmed Dončić, trying to force the ball out of his hands and disrupting Los Angeles’ offensive rhythm.

James, 40, had been producing at levels comparable to his final MVP season, which came during the 2012-13 season when he played for the Miami Heat. In 58 games this year, James is averaging 25.0 points, 8.2 rebounds and 8.5 assists per game.

Before Los Angeles’ first game without James, a March 10 loss against a Brooklyn Nets team that entered the night on a seven-game losing streak, coach JJ Reddick had said he had not gotten any clarity on the severity of the injury and that James was “still being evaluated to some degree.”

James, however, did not appear to favor the injury as he walked around the floor during timeouts and during celebrations when the Lakers scored. He remained an active presence with the team as he received treatment for the injury.

“Not much concern,” James had said March 8 of the injury. “Obviously day-to-day and look at it each day and see if it gets better and then take the proper measures and see what we need to do moving forward.”

James has previously dealt with groin issues; during the 2018-19 season, James missed 17 games with a groin strain suffered Christmas Day, though the injury lingered through the remainder of that season.

The NBA’s all-time leading scorer, James recently became the first player in league history to surpass 50,000 combined points in the regular season and playoffs.

What did LeBron James do during return vs. Bulls?

James played 31 minutes, 25 seconds, recording 17 points, six rebounds, four assists and three assists.

On Saturday, the No. 1 seed Trojans secured a 71-25 win over the 16-seed Spartans following a solid outing from Watkins, who scored 22 points and had eight rebounds, two assists and three steals. Watkins suffered multiple injuries, including a wrist and ankle, but was able to finish her day through part of the fourth quarter before being pulled.

‘We’re fortunate that we were able to sit everybody ― all the starters down with about 6:30 to go,’ Trojans coach Lindsay Gottlieb said postgame. “JuJu [Watkins] probably hasn’t played under 30 minutes in about a month and a half, or whatever, because the Big Ten season is hard. So, I think we earned the right to be in a game where we can rest some people somewhat.’

Despite getting banged up against UNC Greensboro, Watkins still smiled. After the game, she sat in the stands with NFL Rookie of the Year and Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, who came to see her play during March Madness.

BATON ROUGE, La. – Flau’Jae Johnson and Aneesah Morrow showed no signs of injuries bothering them on Saturday night, leading No. 3 LSU to a 103-48 victory over No. 14 San Diego State in the first round of the women’s NCAA Tournament.

“I was nervous, I ain’t going to lie,” Johnson said about coming back from lingering shin inflammation in her right leg. Saturday marked the first time Johnson had played since the Tigers’ Feb. 27 loss to Alabama.

Johnson led the team with 22 points on 9-of-15 shooting, pushing her past the 1,500-point mark for her career, and Morrow grabbed her nation-leading 28th double-double of the season of 12 points and 12 rebounds. Their offensive effort was key to LSU’s 103 points, a program record for points in an NCAA Tournament game.

“Setting the record that’s something no one can ever take away from you,” Morrow said. “That’s something very powerful.”

LSU women’s basketball highlights

The duo played with passion and confidence on both offense and defense.

“I told myself that when I came back that I want to be the energy for the team,” Johnson said. “I feel like when you don’t get a chance to play basketball, it really changes your perspective on coming out and giving it everything you got.”

After a steal and layup early in the first quarter, Johnson looked to the crowd while hitting her chest and jumping up and down.

In a similar fashion, Morrow banked in a jumper and blew a kiss to the crowd to close out the first quarter. The fans’ response was blaring. 

Johnson ended the third quarter with another layup off a fast break. When the buzzer sounded, she looked up to the crowd, raising her hands to booming cheers.

Both Johnson and Morrow have been recovering from injuries that caused them to miss time at the tail end of the season. Morrow re-aggravated a left foot sprain in the third quarter of LSU’s second-round loss to Texas in the SEC tournament.

The duo took their recovery seriously, sporting the Nike x Hyperice boot while speaking with reporters on Friday. 

Earlier this week, Morrow and Johnson were recognized as second- and third team AP All-Americans, respectively. In games the duo have started, the Tigers are 26-3 on the season.

Who does LSU women’s basketball play next?

With the win, the Tigers move on to play No. 6 Florida State in the second round on Monday.

Tatum Esparza is a student in the University of Georgia’sSports Media Certificate program.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — First, Arkansas men’s basketball team had to make the NCAA Tournament.

That was in serious doubt right out of the gate in SEC play. The Razorbacks and first-year coach John Calipari opened 0-5 in the conference, ending with an 83-65 humbling at Missouri, and after losing 65-62 at home to Oklahoma on Jan. 24 stood at 12-8 overall and 1-6 in the SEC.

“It definitely wasn’t fun, going through that time,” said sophomore guard D.J. Wagner.

“I feel like that made us who we are. It built all of our characters, as players, as coaches, even as people. It’s a life lesson you can take. No matter how down you are, it’s always going to get better as long as you keep working. Don’t ever put your head down and mope.”

Two months have passed, and here we are: After pulling things together and rallying to the finish line heading into Selection Sunday, Arkansas is off to the Sweet 16 after grinding out a highly physical 75-66 win against No. 2 St. John’s that gives Calipari another feather in his cap in the longtime rivalry with Rick Pitino.

The Razorbacks held St. John’s to 28% percent from the field and 2 of 22 from 3-point range, overcoming the Red Storm’s 28 offensive rebounds and 25 second-chance points. Matching the intensity of the Big East champions, Arkansas showed the long-term payoff from its regular-season struggles.

“We had to fight to get here,” freshman forward Karter Knox said. “It’s a blessing that my guys right here, that we worked hard in practice and the gym.”

This is a team shaped by adversity, heating up at the right time thanks to the pitfalls that pockmarked a regular season that was once on life support before a second-half surge against one of the toughest schedules faced by any team in this year’s bracket.

No hurdle was harder to overcome than the poor league start. This forced the Razorbacks to figure out “that we absolutely need each other or we’re going down together,” said Calipari, “and they became one heartbeat.”

“I was with these guys. We had guys in a dark place where they would look like that, but now they know I can be in a dark place like that and overcome it. I hope they also understand that saying, that you can go fast alone but if you want to go far, you go with others. I think they now understand that we all got to do what we’re supposed to do and we got to do this together. We can’t be selfish trying to get our own. Let’s play off one another, and they’re doing it.”

The grind of life in the SEC, which sent a record 14 teams into this year’s field, prepared Arkansas for the grind of gutting out single-digit wins against the Red Storm and No. 7 Kansas in the first two rounds. Of the Razorbacks’ 18 league games, just four came against an opponent that missed the tournament: two against LSU and another pair against South Carolina.

With nearly every game these past two months carrying major postseason implications, it’s not a stretch to say that Arkansas had already been in a win-or-go-home mindset long before Thursday.

“It prepares you a lot,” Wagner said. “The SEC is a very physical conference. Every game, you’re going to play against teams like that. Very physical, very talented like that. Every game we played in the SEC was like that game. That’s how it prepared us.”

In hindsight, however, these early stumbles can also be explained in part by the adjustment to Calipari’s style and the offseason turnover in personnel that completely remade last year’s roster.

Thirteen players left the program after former coach Eric Musselman’s departure for Southern California, with five exhausting their eligibility and the rest entering the transfer portal. In their place came a six-member transfer class ranked among the nation’s best along with another six freshmen, including five-star guard Boogie Fland.

Another factor was injuries. Fland suffered a hand injury in January, when he was averaging 15.1 points, 5.7 assists and 3.4 rebounds per game, and was expected to miss the rest of the season. But the extended runway provided by the tournament berth gave time for Fland to recover, and he played 24 crucial minutes against the Jayhawks and another 20 against the Red Storm.

One key contributor who is still sidelined is leading scorer Adou Thiero, a junior forward who followed Calipari from Kentucky and hasn’t played since Feb. 22 because of a knee injury. Thiero practiced with the team this week and could return for the Sweet 16 when the Razorbacks play the winner of Texas Tech-Drake in San Francisco.

“Everybody had something going on this season,” senior forward Jonas Aidoo said.

One transfer in particular has proven to be vitally important to this surprising run out of the opening weekend. Former Florida Atlantic guard Johnell Davis was part of the Owls’ run to the Final Four two seasons ago, giving him an unmatched perspective on what it takes to win as the underdog on the tournament stage.

After averaging 11.3 points per game on 38.8% shooting during the regular season, Davis has scored a combined 31 points in two tournament games, making 10 of his 20 attempts and 5 of his 13 shots from 3-point range.

“Of course we rely on him,” Aidoo said. “Just having him with that experience means a lot to us, because he’s been here before.”

Nurtured along slowly but steadily, it’s the young core of Arkansas’ roster that has stepped up in the postseason to create an exponentially more complete and more dangerous team than the one that once seemed headed for a losing finish.

“We knew we were a really talented team,” said Aidoo. “It was just a matter of putting it together.”

Fland’s return has broadened Calipari’s options in the backcourt; he should continue to improve as he shakes off the dust from his extended absence. Knox had 15 points against St. John’s and has scored in double figures in eight of his past 11 games. After averaging 9.3 minutes of action in Arkansas’ first eight SEC games, freshman forward Billy Richmond has played an average of 25.6 minutes in his past eight appearances and had a team-high 16 points on Saturday.

“Well, they’re not afraid and they want to prove themselves,” said Calipari.

The play of these freshmen makes you wonder if there’s even more in the tank. After fighting through the hardships of the regular season, could there be enough, maybe, to make an utterly unexpected run all the way to the Final Four?

“To be where we are, still playing and still fighting and having fun, I’m enjoying it,” Calipari said. “Like I said, I’m not going to let anything faze me in this. Here we are, let’s have fun.”

Through 40 games and three days of men’s NCAA Tournament competition, somehow, someway, there are still perfect brackets out there.

Those who’ve yet to have a bracket buster have either studied the analytics, received some luck or most likely had a little bit of both to get here after the first day of second-round games.

Playing in those perfect bracket-makers’ favor has been a somewhat chalky start to March Madness, as only three double-digit seeds won first-round games, with 12-seeded McNeese and 11-seeded Drake falling in the second round on Saturday. 12-seed Colorado State has a chance to bust some brackets on Sunday if it can upset 4-seed Maryland to reach the Sweet 16.

6-seed BYU likely also busted some brackets on Saturday after upsetting 3-seed Wisconsin 91-89 to advance to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2011.

It’ll be quite the feat if any of those brackets are still perfect after Sunday’s games, meaning teams correctly picked the winners of 48 games through four days.

Here’s a look at how many perfect brackets remain through the first three full days of NCAA Tournament action:

Men’s March Madness perfect bracket tracker

There are only three perfect brackets remaining on ESPN’s tournament challenge, with 24,388,541 brackets busted through 48 games of action.

At least one bracket will be busted in UConn vs. Florida on Sunday, as one of the remaining brackets has the Huskies advancing with the other two taking the Gators in the game.

It shouldn’t be long until there are no perfect brackets remaining, unless one of the three bracket-makers somehow can predict the future.

Women’s March Madness perfect bracket tracker

There were around 7,000 perfect brackets left before 8-seed Creighton and 9-seed Illinois played on Saturday, and the Fighting Illini’s win eliminated about 4,000 perfect brackets.