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Two of men’s college basketball’s winningest coaches squared off in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday in Kansas’ Bill Self and Arkansas’ John Calipari.

And it went to Calipari and Arkansas.

Thanks to a late 15-5 run to close the second half, the No. 10 seeded Razorbacks knocked off the No. 7 seeded Jayhawks 79-72 at Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence, Rhode Island — marking the first time in nearly two decades that Self’s program won’t play past the first round.

It appeared that Kansas was going to be able to avoid the upset to Arkansas after KJ Adams hit a jumper to put the Jayhawks up 67-64 with 4:55 remaining in the second half, as the Razorbacks didn’t have an answer for Kansas’ zone defense. However, when Adams went down with an injury shortly thereafter, Arkansas was able to come back and pull the upset off.

As noted by ESPN’s Jeff Borzello, Kansas became the second Associated Press preseason No. 1 ranked team to lose in the first round of the tournament, with the only other team being Kansas itself in 2005.

Arkansas’ win also over Kansas dropped the number of perfect brackets in the country to 0.69%, per the NCAA’s official March Madness X (former Twitter account). That number was then cut down to 0.47% after No. 4 seed Texas A&M beat No. 13 Yale in Denver.

As previously noted by USA TODAY, the odds of having a perfect NCAA Tournament bracket is approximately 1 in 9,223,372,036,854,775,808, or 1 in 9.2 quintillion for the everyday fan. The odds are improved to 1 in 120.2 billion if one is an avid college basketball fan.

Thursday’s first-round contest was the first meeting between Self and Calipari since 2023, when Calipari was then at Kentucky. The win for Calipari evened his all-time head-to-head record with Self to 7-7, while improving his postseason record against Self to 2-1.

Arkansas now advances to the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday, March 22, where it will face the winner of No. 2 seed St. John’s and No. 15 seed Omaha.

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This post appeared first on USA TODAY

The 2025 men’s NCAA Tournament was as advertised on Thursday’s opening day of first-round games, with a few upsets leading the charge.

No. 12 seed McNeese dominated Clemson through the first half before surviving a late comeback scare in the second half, securing the program’s first-ever March Madness win with a 69-67 victory. Then, No. 11 seed Drake took down Missouri, earning a 67-57 win in Ben McCollum’s first season as head coach.

Arkansas also handed Kansas a 79-72 loss, marking the Jayhawks’ first loss in the first round since 2006. The win also sets up an all-time coaching matchup between the Razorbacks’ John Calipari and St. John’s Rick Pitino, who both won national championships at Kentucky.

USA TODAY Sports chronicled the action from all of Thursday’s games, including highlights and more. Scroll below for a recap of all the games.

Men’s March Madness games today

All times Eastern. Final scores will be updated.

Thursday, March 20

(9) Creighton 89, (8) Louisville 75
(4) Purdue 75, (13) High Point 63
(3) Wisconsin 85, (14) Montana 66
(1) Houston 78, (16) SIU Edwardsville 40
(1) Auburn 83, (16) Alabama State 63
(12) McNeese 69, (5) Clemson 67
(6) BYU 80, (11) VCU 71
(8) Gonzaga 89, (9) Georgia 68

March Madness games tonight

All times Eastern. Final scores will be updated.

Thursday, March 20

(2) Tennessee 77, (15) Wofford 62
(10) Arkansas 79, (7) Kansas 72
(4) Texas A&M 80, (13) Yale 71
(11) Drake 67, (6) Missouri 57
(7) UCLA 72, (10) Utah State 47
(2) St. John’s 83, (15) Omaha 53
(5) Michigan 68, (12) UC San Diego 65
(3) Texas Tech 82, (14) UNC Wilmington 72

Texas Tech survives

Texas Tech holds on, surviving UNC Wilmington with an 82-72 win behind Kerwin Walton’s game-high 27 points with a whopping eight 3-pointers. Kevin Overton added 18 points off the bench.

With that, the first day of first-round NCAA Tournament games is complete. On to day two.

St. John’s handles Omaha, sets up matchup with Arkansas

St. John’s survives the early scare, defeating Omaha with ease 83-53. RJ Luis led the way with 22 points, setting up a second-round matchup between legendary coaches Rick Pitino and John Calipari of Arkansas.

Did someone say fireworks?

Michigan advances with 68-65 win over UC San Diego

A trendy upset pick can’t get it done, as Michigan holds on for a 68-65 win over the 12-seeded Tritons.

UC San Diego held up against Michigan’s pair of 7-footers, holding Vladislav Goldin and Danny Wolf to 14 and nine points, respectively. UCSD’s Tyler McGhie led the way for the Tritons with 25 points in a valiant effort.

UNC Wilmington, UC San Diego both in close games

UC San Diego trails Michigan 63-58, while UNC Wilmington trails Texas Tech 45-43. The 12 seed and 14 seed, respectively, are holding strong in the second half and could have a chance for some huge late-night upsets.

UNC Wilmington holding strong with Texas Tech

UNC Wilmington is proving to be a tough out, as Texas Tech leads just 38-34 at halftime in a 3 vs. 14-seed game.

Wilmington has a balanced scoring effort, with eight players in the scoring book with Nolan Hodge leading the way with seven points. Texas Tech’s Kerwin Walton was sensational in the first half, with 15 points and five 3-pointers.

UCLA dominates Utah State

UCLA handles Utah State with ease, coming away with a 72-47 win. Skyy Clark and Eric Dailey Jr. led the way with 14 points each.

Michigan holding strong, Texas Tech underway

UC San Diego was a trendy upset pick over No. 5 Michigan, but the Wolverines have held fast out of the gate. They lead 28-19 coming into the last five minutes of the first half.

Texas Tech, meanwhile, has tipped off against UNC Wilmington, marking the nightcap for Day 1.

Omaha continues to hang around with St. John’s

St. John’s has battled back to take the lead against Omaha in the last quarter of the first half, but the Mavericks have hung around.

With under five minutes left until half, St. John’s leads 28-22 in what has been a back-and-forth game. St. John’s has found success from beyond the arc.

UCLA leads Utah State 39-27 at halftime

Bruins with no issues against the Aggies through the first half, as UCLA holds a 39-27 lead heading into the second period.

UCLA shot 16 of 29 from the field, led by Skyy Clark, Dylan Andrews and Aday Mara, who all have eight points each.

Drake completes upset over Missouri

Make it two mid-major programs heading to the second round, as Drake defeats Missouri 67-57 behind Bennett Stirtz’ 21 points. The Bulldogs join McNeese as mid-majors headed to the Round of 32.

Drake improves to 31-3 on the season as first-year coach Ben McCollum and his influx of Division II transfers continue to shock college basketball.

Omaha with early 7-0 lead over St. John’s

Could a 15 vs. 2 seed upset be brewing? Omaha takes a 7-0 lead over St. John’s three minutes into the first half, although there’s a ton of time left in the game, of course.

Texas A&M hangs on vs. Yale

Texas A&M is moving onto the Round of 32, where it’ll take on the winner of Michigan-UC San Diego after its 80-71 win over Yale.

The Bulldogs actually outscored the Aggies 42-40 in the second half, but Texas A&M’s 11-point lead at halftime was the difference in the first-round matchup. Aggies forward Pharrel Payne led all scorers with 25 points off the bench.

UCLA, Utah State tip off

A 7-10 battle between UCLA and Utah State is underway, with the Bruins and Aggies tied at 10 early in the first half.

Arkansas beats Kansas 79-72

Arkansas hangs on for a hard-fought victory over Kansas, which suffers its first loss in the first round of the NCAA Tournament since 2006. A disappointing season for the Jayhawks ends in a fashion that legendary coach Bill Self hasn’t seen in a long time.

Jonas Aidoo and Johnell Davis led the way for the Razorbacks with 22 and 18 points, respectively, setting up a potential John Calipari vs. Rick Pitino coaching matchup in the Round of 32 if St. John’s moves past 15-seed Omaha tonight.

Kansas takes lead over Arkansas

Kansas takes a 67-64 lead over Arkansas in one of the best games of the NCAA Tournament so far. The Jayhawks’ zone defense is giving the Razorbacks offense fits after Arkansas was getting whatever it wanted in the first half.

Four Kansas players are in double figures, with Zeke Mayo leading the way with 18 points. AJ Storr and KJ Adams have 13 each while Hunter Dickinson has scored 11, all of which came in the first half.

Tennessee moves on with win over Wofford

Wofford gave Tennessee more trouble than the Vols likely thought, but they hold on for a 77-62 win.

Chaz Lanier led all scorers with 29 points, pouring in six 3-pointers. Zakai Ziegler was also in double-figures, adding 12 points.

Drake leads Missouri at halftime

Drake has Missouri on upset alert, as the Bulldogs lead 30-23 at halftime. Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year Bennett Stirtz has been as advertised, with 14 points and two assists. Not bad for a first-year Division II transfer.

Arkansas on an 8-0 run to start second half

The Razorbacks’ offense is flying right now, as they start the second half on an 8-0 run to take a 55-44 lead over Kansas. Aidoo, DJ Wagner and Johnell Davis have combined for 41 of Arkansas’ 55 points so far.

High-scoring first half results in slight Arkansas edge

In the battle of two legendary coaches, Arkansas leads after the first half in a high-scoring affair, 47-44. This one is shaping up to be quite the finish.

Razorbacks forward Jonas Aidoo was sensational in the first period, with 16 points and three blocks on 8-of-13 shooting. Kansas forward Hunter Dickinson was also doing it all, adding 11 points with six rebounds and four assists.

Drake-Missouri tips off

One of the most intriguing matchups of the first day of action — (6) Missouri vs. (11) Drake — is underway. The Bulldogs and first-year coach Ben McCollum went 30-3 this season but are matched up with a potent offense in the Tigers.

Texas A&M leads Yale early

The Aggies hold a 25-12 advantage over Yale midway through the first half, despite the Bulldogs being a trendy upset pick for many. We’ll see if the Bulldogs can cut into this deficit with plenty of time still remaining.

Arkansas has early edge over Kansas

The highly anticipated John Calipari-Bill Self coaching matchup has been a good one so far. No. 10 seed Arkansas has a 16-14 advantage over No. 7 seed Kansas with about 13 minutes remaining in the first half. Forward Jonas Aidoo has been the most active player so far for the Razorbacks, with six points. Hunter Dickinson, appearing in what feels like his 29th NCAA Tournament, has seven points for Kansas.

Tennessee starting strong vs Wofford

Tennessee’s push for its first-ever Final Four appearance is off to an encouraging start. The No. 2 seed Volunteers are out to a 17-8 lead over No. 15 seed Wofford with about 12 minutes remaining in the first half. Coach Rick Barnes’ two All-Americans, guards Zakai Zeigler and Chaz Lanier, have five and seven points, respectively, while making a combined five of seven shots.

Gonzaga wins, sets up second-round matchup with Houston

Even in what’s a relative down year for Gonzaga, the Bulldogs continue to win in the NCAA Tournament. Gonzaga got out to a 30-5 lead and never really looked back from there, riding an outrageously efficient offensive performance in a 89-68 thumping of Georgia in a meeting of No. 8 and No. 9 seeds Thursday in the tournament’s first round.

The Zags were carried largely by three players — Khalif Battle, Braden Huff and Nolan Hickman — who combined to score 60 points while making 22 of their 31 shots. Battle, an Arkansas transfer, added a team-high eight rebounds. As a team, Gonzaga made 12 of its 20 3-pointers while holding Georgia to a 5-of-26 mark from beyond the arc.

The resounding victory sets up a second-round date with No. 1 seed Houston on Saturday. With a win, Gonzaga would advance to the Sweet 16 for a 10th-consecutive tournament. With Thursday’s victory, the Bulldogs haven’t lost a first-round tournament game since 2008 — when they were ousted by Davidson and some lanky kid named Steph Curry.

Gonzaga up big on Georgia

Coach Mark Few’s team is wrapping up the last game of the afternoon slate in style. In a matchup of Bulldogs, No. 8 seed Gonzaga is having little trouble with No. 9 seed Georgia, with a 25-point lead with about six minutes remaining.

The Bulldogs (the ones from Spokane, Washington, that is) have been on an absolute shooting tear today, making 60.8% of their shots and 70.8% of their 3-pointers.

BYU gets past VCU

A BYU team that got hot at the end of the season has stretched its excellent play into the NCAA Tournament. Behind 16 points from Richie Saunders, the great grandson of the man who invented the tater tot, the Cougars defeated VCU 80-71 Thursday in Denver in a matchup of two teams with the potential to make the tournament’s second weekend.

For BYU, it marked the end of a not-so-desirable run for the otherwise successful program. Entering the day, the Cougars had lost five consecutive games in the Round of 64, with their last victory coming all the way back in 2011, when Jimmer Fredette was starring for the team. With the win, BYU advances to face off against No. 3 seed Wisconsin Saturday.

McNeese upsets Clemson, advances to second round

The first major upset of March Madness is officially in the books, as No. 12 seed McNeese upsets No. 5 seed Clemson in the first round Thursday in Providence, Rhode Island. It’s the first NCAA Tournament win for McNeese, who was led by Brandon Murray’s 21 points.

The Cowboys led the whole way and held off a late run in the second half by the Tigers to advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history. McNeese will get No. 4 seed Purdue on Saturday, March 22 in the second round for a trip to the Sweet 16.

Gonzaga up at halftime over Georgia

Gonzaga came into Thursday’s NCAA Tournament first-round game ready to play.

A 30-5 start to the first half gives the No. 8 seed Bulldogs a 48-27 halftime lead over No. 9 Georgia in Wichita, Kansas. Gonzaga shot an impressive 58.6% from the field in the opening 20 minutes of action of the Midwest region contest.

Clemson knocking on door of McNeese

Clemson appears to not be going down with a fight.

The Tigers get a big-time 3-pointer from Chase Hunter to get within eight of No. 12 McNeese with two minutes to go in the second half of Thursday’s first-round game in Providence, Rhode Island.

Auburn advances to second round

After a slow start, No. 1 overall seed Auburn largely had its way with No. 16 seed Alabama State in an 83-63 victory in the first round Thursday in Lexington, Kentucky. The Tigers outscored the Hornets 51-32 after Alabama State cut the Auburn lead to 32-31 with less than two minutes remaining in the first half.

Miles Kelly had a team-high 23 points for Auburn and made seven of his 15 3-pointers while Johni Broome finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds. A nice run and a valiant effort from Alabama State. The Tigers advance to the second round Saturday, when they’ll meet No. 9 seed Creighton.

BYU up on VCU at halftime

What figured to be one of the more competitive first-round matchups is halfway over.

No. 6 seed BYU has the lead over No. 11 seed VCU 39-28 at halftime in Denver. The Cougars were one of the hottest teams in the country in the final month of the regular season, winning nine of their final 10 games, and have continued that momentum into March Madness. BYU ended the half on a 12-2 run, with five of those points coming from Fousseyni Traore. Highly touted freshman Egor Demin has a game-high 11 points for the Cougars, who are shooting 50% from the field and from 3-point range.

VCU had only one made field goal in the final 6:43 of the first half.

Gonzaga off to strong start vs Georgia

Gonzaga has won at least one game in 15 consecutive NCAA Tournaments. Its hopes of extending that to 16 is off to a good start. The Bulldogs, a No. 8 seed in this year’s tournament, has scored the game’s first 13 points in its first-round matchup against No. 9 seed Georgia in Wichita, Kansas.

The winner of the matchup will advance to take on No. 1 seed Houston in the second round of the tournament’s Midwest Region.

Auburn pulling away from Alabama State

Whether it’s simply a much more talented team starting to assert itself or a rousing halftime speech from coach Bruce Pearl paying off, Auburn is starting to run away with its first-round game. After leading by only two late in the first half, the Tigers have come alive in the second half, stretching their lead to 18, 58-38, with about 13 minutes left in regulation. Miles Kelly is leading the way for Auburn, with a game-high 17 points on 5-of-10 shooting from 3-point range.

McNeese up big on Clemson at halftime

One of the most popular 12-over-5 upset picks on brackets is so far is playing out like some hoped. McNeese, the Southland champion, is having its way so far with Clemson, carrying a 31-13 lead into halftime against coach Brad Brownell’s Tigers.

Clemson wasn’t always the most dynamic team offensively on its way to a program-record 27 wins this season, but the first half of its most important game of the reason represented a new low. The Tigers missed 19 of their 24 shots and 14 of their 15 3-pointers, along with 10 turnovers.

Houston rolls to second round

Coach Kelvin Sampson’s Cougars had little, if any, trouble in their first-round matchup, blowing past No. 16 seed SIU Edwardsville 78-40 in a first-round matchup in the Midwest Region. Milos Uzan made six of his seven shots for a team-high 16 points while Houston held SIUE to just 30.6% shooting, including a 2-of-24 mark from 3-point range.

McNeese off to hot start against Clemson

Before he reportedly heads off to NC State, Will Wade will look to secure at least one more emphatic win at McNeese.

The former LSU coach has the Cowboys out to an 18-8 lead over No. 5 seed Clemson in the first round Thursday in Providence. Brandon Murray has come off the bench for a team-high eight points while his team is holding the normally disciplined Tigers to just three made shots on 14 attempts, along with seven turnovers. Christian Shumate provided an exclamation point for McNeese, with a put-back dunk to stretch his team’s lead to 10.

Auburn getting early test from Alabama State

The tournament’s No. 1 overall seed is in some early trouble. Auburn, which entered its matchup against No. 16 seed Alabama State as a heavy favorite, is only leading the Hornets by two points, 29-27, with about three minutes remaining in the first half of their first-round matchup Thursday at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky.

It’s been a rough offensive start for the Tigers, who have made only 10 of their first 25 shots. Potential national player of the year Johni Broome has only three points.

Wisconsin moves on to second round

Wisconsin had a quick and painful exit from last year’s NCAA Tournament, with a 72-61 loss to James Madison in the first round.

This year, the Badgers are sticking around at least a little longer. Coming off a 26-win regular season and a run to the Big Ten Tournament championship game, No. 3 seed Wisconsin rode a balanced offensive effort to an 85-66 victory against No. 14 seed Montana. Five players finished in double figures for coach Greg Gard’s team, which advances to the second round, where it will take on either No. 6 seed BYU or No. 11 seed VCU in Denver.

Houston rolling past SIUE

One of the tournament’s four No. 1 seeds looks every bit the part so far. Fresh off its Big 12 regular-season and tournament championships, Houston came out hot against No. 16 seed SIU Edwardsville, building a 28-9 lead in the game’s first 11 minutes. After going into halftime with a 52-24 advantage, the Cougars are up 58-30 with about 14 minutes remaining.

Wisconsin pulling away from Montana

In the first game of the day from Denver’s Ball Arena Thursday, No. 3 seed Wisconsin is starting to asset itself about midway through the second half against No. 14 seed Montana, the Big Sky champio. After seeing its lead cut to four in the opening minutes of the second half, the Badgers have created a cushion for themselves, with a 72-54 advantage with about eight minutes remaining.

Five Wisconsin players are already in double figures, including newly-minted second-team All-American John Tonje, who has 13 points and has made all seven of his free-throw attempts.

Purdue gets past High Point

It was touch-and-go a bit for Purdue in its first-round game Thursday against High Point, leading by just three with seven minutes remaining.

From there, though, the Boilermakers pulled away, going on a 12-2 run to put away the Panthers 75-63 in Providence, Rhode Island. Trey Kaufman-Renn and Braden Smith finished with 21 and 20 points, respectively, while Camden Heide came off the bench to add 11 points and 10 rebounds. Coach Matt Painter’s team will take on the winner of No. 5 seed Clemson’s game against No. 12 seed McNeese.

Creighton knocks off Louisville

And there we have our first ‘upset’ of the game. Creighton, the 9 seed, upends 8-seed Louisville and ACC Coach of the Year Pat Kelsey 89-75. The Cardinals will make the short trek back home from Rupp Arena, while the Bluejays will advance to play the winner of Auburn and Alabama State on Saturday.

Pat Kelsey gets technical, fan throws water on court

Tempers are flaring among Louisville faithful in their first-round game vs. Creighton. Cardinals coach Pat Kelsey is called for a technical foul after talking to an official as they made their way up court on a Creighton possession. The game was further delayed after a presumed Louisville basketball fan threw a water bottle onto the court to voice their disapproval on the technical.

Creighton’s Steven Ashworth hit both free throws to extend the Bluejays’ lead to 77-63 with 3:15 to play.

Reyne Smith leaves for Louisville with injury

Reyne Smith has been a critical piece in Louisville’s rapid turnaround under first-year coach Pat Kelsey, leading the ACC in made 3-pointers after following Kelsey over from the College of Charleston.

He entered the NCAA Tournament, however, having missed the Cardinals’ previous four games with an ankle injury. Though he tried giving it a go, he was moving around gingerly and fell down to the floor after appearing to reaggravate his ankle as he rose up for a 3-pointer about midway through the second half. While in obvious pain, he was tended to by team trainers before being helped back to the locker room by two of his teammates, unable to put any weight on the injured ankle.

Purdue up on High Point at halftime

The Boilermakers withstood an early push from High Point to take a 37-27 lead into halftime of their first-round matchup in the Midwest Region in Providence, Rhode Island.

Braden Smith looks every bit of the first-team all-American that he was this season, with 10 points, four assists and two steals for coach Matt Painter’s Boilermakers squad, though he has struggled shooting, making only three of his 11 attempts from the field.

CBS paid tribute to Greg Gumbel

The first day of the first round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament opened on an understandably somber note.

The CBS studio crew of Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Clark Kellogg paying tribute to the late CBS broadcaster Greg Gumbel, whose face and voice had become synonymous with March Madness. Gumbel died in December after a battle with cancer. The show began with an archived audio clip of Gumbel, along with a song from the Rolling Stones, Gumbel’s favorite band.

Read more about it here.

Purdue starting to pull away from High Point

High Point was hanging close earlier, but Purdue is starting to show why it’s nine seed lines higher than its opponent.

The Panthers have gone scoreless for the past three minutes as the Boilermakers have extended their advantage to 10, 35-25, with 1:53 remaining in the first half. The run was highlighted by thunderous put-back dunk by Myles Colvin.

High Point hanging with Purdue early

High Point is doing its best so far to make sure making the NCAA Tournament isn’t the, pardon the pun, high point of its season.

The Panthers were a somewhat trendy 13-over-4 pick in brackets and are showing why early, trailing the Boilermakers by just two, 25-23, with about six minutes left in the first half in Providence, Rhode Island. Purdue has been carried by its star tandem of guard Braden Smith and forward Trey Kaufman-Renn, who have 10 points apiece.

Creighton up on Louisville by 15 at half

In a matchup of two of the tournament’s most under-seeded teams, Creighton holds a sizable halftime lead over Louisville, with a 49-34 advantage at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky.

The Bluejays, customarily one of the best offensive teams in the sport under coach Greg McDermott, have been on fire from beyond the arc, making nine of their 16 3-pointers in the opening 20 minutes. Sharpshooter Steven Ashworth has been leading the way with a team-high 13 points while making three of his six 3s, but the biggest difference-maker may have been Jamiya Neal, who has 12 points and a game-high seven rebounds.

Chucky Hepburn, the ACC defensive player of the year, has a game-high 18 points for Louisville, accounting for more than half of his team’s points.

Creighton surging ahead of Louisville

In the first game of the most jam-packed day in college basketball, Creighton’s starting to get hot.

After the Bluejays missed their first five 3-pointers, they’ve caught fire, making five of their past nine as part of a 12-0 run to build a 15-point lead over Louisville late in the first half in what’s a pseudo-road game for Creighton in Lexington, Kentucky, about 70 miles from the Cardinals’ campus.

Ryan Kalkbrenner spurring Creighton lead

Creighton’s 7-1 senior forward Ryan Kalkbrenner has seven points on 3-of-3 shooting, helping the Bluejays to a 28-21 lead.

Creighton, Louisville trading blows

The Cardinals and Bluejays are engaged in a back-and-forth battle nearing the 12-minute timeout. Creighton leads 16-15, with both teams shooting 50% from the field.

Louisville, Creighton tip off

And we are underway! No. 8 seed Louisville and No. 9 seed Creighton tip off the action on CBS. The winner will advance to play the winner between No. 1 overall seed Auburn and 16 seed Alabama State.

Watch select March Madness games live with Sling TV

Where to watch March Madness 2025

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

The 2025 men’s NCAA Tournament will be broadcast across multiple TV channels and streaming platforms, including CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV. Per a joint release from the NCAA and Turner Sports:

CBS will broadcast 24 games throughout the tournament including the national championship, Final Four semifinals, Elite Eight, Sweet 16 and first and second rounds.
TBS will televise 18 games, including the Elite Eight, Sweet 16 and first and second round games.
TruTV will air or simulcast a total of 21 games, including the First Four games, Elite Eight, Sweet 16 and first and second round games.
TNT will televise 12 games, including First and Second round matchups

March Madness Live will carry all NCAA Tournament games, though fans hoping to use this option must provide a valid cable login. For games that air on the Turner broadcast network (TBS, TNT and truTV), Sling TV is an option. Fubo also carries CBS and offers a free trial to potential subscribers.

March Madness AI picks

AI has picked the entire March Madness bracket for USA TODAY. It has Kanas beating Alabama in the national championship game. Here’s how it got there.

Barack Obama bracket

Former President Barack Obama has released his bracket, picking Duke to beat Florida in the national championship game. For a full breakdown of his bracket, including Final Four picks, upsets and more, click here.

March Madness upset picks

Looking for reasonable upsets to give you a boost in your bracket group? Check out five potential bracket-busters here.

March Madness channels

CBS | TBS | TNT | truTV

Four channels will carry March Madness in 2025. For those who need refreshers on where to find TBS and TNT, look no further.

March Madness schedule by round

Here is a full round-by-round look at the schedules and dates for the 2025 men’s NCAA Tournament:

First round: March 20-21
Second round: March 22-23
Sweet 16: March 27-28
Elite Eight: March 29-30
Final Four: Saturday, April 5
National championship: Monday, April 7

What time is first men’s NCAA Tournament game?

Time: 12:15 p.m. ET

The first game of the day will pit No. 8 seed Louisville vs. No. 9 seed Creighton at 12:15 p.m. ET on CBS.

TruTV channel

TruTV will broadcast four games in Thursday’s first round, starting with No. 4 seed Purdue vs. No. 13 seed High Point at 12:40 p.m. ET. For a full rundown of where you can find truTV, click here.

March Madness locations

Here’s a full look at the locations for the 2025 men’s NCAA Tournament, beginning with the first round:

First, second rounds

Amica Mutual Pavilion (Providence, R.I.)
Rupp Arena, (Lexington, Ky.)
Intrust Bank Arena (Wichita, Kan.)
Ball Arena (Denver)
Rocket Arena (Cleveland)
Fiserv Forum (Milwaukee)
Lenovo Center (Raleigh, N.C.)
Climate Pledge Arena (Seattle)

How to stream March Madness games for free

There are no true ways to stream March Madness games for free. However, fans do have a few ways to watch the games at no cost to them.

One option is March Madness Live, which will carry every game of the 2025 men’s NCAA Tournament for free — but which requires a valid cable login to use. Another option is Fubo, which offers a limited free trial but which only carries games on CBS.

Printable March Madness bracket

Time is running out to fill out a bracket! Need a printable one? USA TODAY Sports has you covered.

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.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

Taliban hostage George Glezmann landed at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on Friday after more than 800 days in captivity in Afghanistan, where he received a ‘champion’s welcome.’

‘I feel born again,’ Glezmann told Fox News. ‘I have no words. 

‘President Trump is amazing,’ he added before thanking Secretary of State Marcon Rubio, national security advisor Mike Waltz and hostage envoy Adam Boehler. 

‘A free American individual…abducted because of my U.S. passport.’

‘I’ve got no words to express my gratitude for my liberty,’ Glezmann added.

His wife, Aleksandra, arrived shortly after her husband landed, and the two embraced after she got out of the car for the first time since his Dec. 5, 2022, capture in Kabul. 

Ryan Corbett, who was released in January after nearly 900 days in Taliban captivity greeted Glezmann upon arrival.

Both Glezmann and Corbett were held together in Afghanistan.

News of Glezmann’s release was first revealed to Fox News Digital on Thursday after he departed from the Kabul International Airport headed for Doha, Qatar.

His release was secured after Boehler and Qatari officials engaged in direct communications with the Taliban in Afghanistan.  

Boehler met Glezmann in Kabul before the former captive flew from Doha to the Maryland base located just outside of Washington, D.C.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, is joining President Donald Trump this weekend at the NCAA men’s wrestling championships, a source familiar with his plans tells Fox News Digital.

The White House confirmed Friday that Trump would attend the event with Jordan and Sen. Dave McCormick, R-Pa.

McCormick previously confirmed that Trump would be in attendance at the event in the senator’s home state of Pennsylvania.

‘I’m thrilled to be in Philadelphia this weekend with [Trump] for the [NCAA Wrestling] Championship,’ McCormick wrote on X. ‘I grew up wrestling in small towns across PA and at West Point. It taught me grit, resilience, and hard work.’

Jordan himself was a noted wrestling champion during his time in high school and later at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he won the NCAA Division I men’s wrestling title twice. 

He was later an assistant coach at Ohio State University’s wrestling program from 1987 to 1995.

Fox News Digital emailed Jordan’s office for comment but did not immediately hear back.

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The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has canceled hundreds of National Institutes of Health (NIH) research grants—worth over $350 million—funding projects related to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and gender ideology, according to a department official.

The cuts included slashing projects studying ‘multilevel and multidimensional structural racism,’ ‘gender-affirming hormone therapy in mice’ and ‘microaggressions,’ among others. 

In total, there were more than 500 research grants related to DEI and progressive gender ideology that the administration terminated.

‘HHS is taking action to terminate more than $350 million in research funding that is not aligned with NIH and HHS priorities,’ HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon said in a statement. ‘The terminated research grants are simply wasteful in studying things that do not pertain to American’s health to any significant degree, including DEI and gender ideology. As we begin to Make America Healthy Again, it’s important to prioritize research that directly affects the health of Americans.’ 

One of the grants cut included nearly $1 million to scientists at the University of Maryland-Baltimore for a research project titled, ‘Assessing intersectional multilevel and multidimensional structural racism for English- and Spanish-speaking populations in the US.’ The project included work to create an ‘intersectional, multilevel, and multidimensional Structural Racism Measure’ in order to ‘eliminate health disparities and discrimination’ for racial minorities.

‘There is an urgent public health need to collect valid and reliable data on structural racism before effective interventions to reduce structural racism can be designed,’ the project’s description stated. 

Multiple projects studying transgender medical treatments in mice were also among those cut. One of those grants provided close to $1 million to Emory University researchers to study how transgender hormone treatments impact the skeletal maturation of mice, titled, ‘Microbiome mediated effects of gender affirming hormone therapy in mice.’ Another project worth roughly $50,000 worked to understand ‘how chromosomal makeup and cross-sex hormone administration’ impacts wound healing in mice.

A separate research project that did not use mice got nearly $1 million ‘to study possible genomic associations with gender identity.’ 

Grants focused on recruiting scientists based on their race or ethnicity were also slashed by the Trump administration. A grant worth more than $5 million to researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center to help ‘achieve more racial and ethnic diversity among our scientific research faculty,’ included a commitment to hire at least 18 tenure-track faculty ‘from minoritized racial and ethnic groups.’

Soon after President Donald Trump was inaugurated, he directed federal agencies, including HHS, to temporarily freeze the issuance of new federal grants. The action was to ensure each agency’s funding was in compliance with Trump’s new policies and requirements, including those around getting rid of DEI and progressive gender ideology in the public sector.

A judge subsequently issued an order temporarily blocking the administration’s funding freeze, and shortly thereafter, the Trump administration rescinded its memo directing the funding halt. A short time after that, the NIH resumed important meetings and travel associated with the agency’s grant-review process.  

In addition to reviewing NIH’s grant funding to ensure it aligns with the president’s policies, Trump also implemented a 15% cap on facilities and administrative costs included in research grant awards.

The administration’s actions targeting NIH research have generated widespread backlash. Earlier this month, Trump’s pick to be the next NIH director, Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, was peppered with questions from Democrats during his confirmation hearing over whether he would step in to prevent the president from slashing what they deemed critically important research projects. 

Bhattacharya would not explicitly say he disagreed with the cuts, or that, if confirmed, he would step in to stop them. Rather, he said he would ‘follow the law,’ while also investigating the impact of the cuts and ensuring every NIH researcher doing work that advances the health outcomes of Americans has the resources necessary to do their work. 

Bhattacharya also laid out what he called a new, decentralized vision for future research at NIH that he said will be aimed at embracing dissenting ideas and transparency, while focusing on research topics that have the best chance at directly benefiting the health outcomes of Americans. Bhattacharya said that he wants to rid the agency’s research portfolio of other ‘frivolous’ efforts that he says do little to directly benefit health outcomes.

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The 2025 women’s NCAA Tournament is finally here.

The most pressing question that comes with the arrival of March Madness, of course, is who will emerge on the other end as national champion. The likely suspects include No. 1 seeds South Carolina, winner of two of the last three titles; USC, with likely player of the year JuJu Watkins on the roster; UCLA, which beat the Trojans in the women’s Big Ten title game; and Texas, which had an outside shot at the No. 1 overall seed prior to its loss to the Gamecocks in the SEC championship.

To seek no other answer, however, is a reduction of the madness that is March. What awaits between the start of the tournament and its end remains to be seen, though fans can only hope that bracket-breaking underdogs, buzzer-beaters and lovable Cinderellas are present throughout.

The only thing left to do is to watch the madness unfold.

With that, follow along for live updates, scores, highlights and more from Friday’s first-round action of the 2025 women’s NCAA Tournament.

Women’s March Madness games today

All times Eastern

(6) Michigan vs. (11) Iowa State | 11:30 a.m. | ESPN2 (Fubo)
(4) Kentucky vs. (13) Liberty | noon | ESPN (Fubo)
(8) Utah vs. (9) Indiana | 1:30 p.m. | ESPN2 (Fubo)
(3) Notre Dame vs. (14) Stephen F. Austin | 2 p.m. | ESPN (Fubo)
(5) Kansas State vs. (12) Fairfield | 2:30 p.m. | ESPNews (Fubo)
(4) Baylor vs. (13) Grand Canyon | 3:30 p.m. | ESPNU (Fubo)
(2) TCU vs. (15) FDU | 3:30 p.m. | ESPN2 (Fubo)
(1) South Carolina vs. (16) Tennessee Tech | 4 p.m. | ESPN (Fubo)
(7) Vanderbilt vs. (10) Oregon | 5:30 p.m. | ESPNews (Fubo)
(4) Ohio State vs. (13) Montana State | 5:30 p.m. | ESPN2 (Fubo)
(5) Ole Miss vs. (12) Ball State | 6 p.m. | ESPNU (Fubo)
(7) Louisville vs. (10) Nebraska | 6 p.m. | ESPN (Fubo)
(8) Richmond vs. (9) Georgia Tech | 7:30 p.m. | ESPNews (Fubo)
(2) Duke vs. (15) Lehigh | 8 p.m. | ESPNU (Fubo)
(5) Tennessee vs. (12) South Florida | 8 p.m. | ESPN (Fubo)
(1) UCLA vs. (16) Southern | 10 p.m. | ESPN (Fubo)

Watch women’s March Madness with Fubo (free trial)

Women’s March Madness schedule by round

Here’s a round-by-round look at the women’s March Madness schedule, from the first round through the national title game:

First round: March 21-22
Second round: March 23-24
Sweet 16: March 27-28
Elite Eight: March 29-30
Final Four: April 4
National championship: April 6

What time is first women’s NCAA Tournament game?

11:30 a.m. ET

The first tip of the day will come at 11:30 a.m. ET, when No. 6 seed Michigan takes on No. 11 seed Iowa State at 11:30 a.m.

How to stream women’s March Madness games for free

While there are no ways to stream women’s March Madness games for absolutely free, there are a few ways to watch it at no cost. For those who already have a cable subscription, March Madness Live will cover every game online. Another option is Fubo, which covers the entire ESPN family of networks and offers a limited free trial.

Printable March Madness bracket

Time is running out to fill out a bracket for women’s March Madness. Click here for a printable copy.

Where to watch women’s March Madness

TV channels: ESPN | ESPN2 | ESPNU | ESPNews
Streaming: March Madness Live | ESPN app | Fubo (free trial)

The 2025 women’s NCAA Tournament will air on the ESPN family of networks, including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPNews. Streaming options include March Madness Live and the ESPN app, both of which require a valid cable login.

Another option is Fubo, which carries the ESPN family of networks and offers a free trial to potential subscribers.

Women’s March Madness bracket predictions

Here’s a look at the bracket predictions for several experts throughout the USA TODAY Sports Network:

Nancy Armour

Final Four: UCLA, UConn, Texas, Duke

Cora Hall

Final Four: South Carolina, UConn, NC State, Notre Dame

Meghan L. Hall

Final Four: UCLA, USC, South Carolina, Notre Dame

Cydney Henderson

Final Four: UCLA, UConn, South Carolina, TCU

Jordan Mendoza

Final Four: UCLA, USC, South Carolina, Notre Dame

For a full look at each expert’s Final Four and national champion picks, click here.

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.

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 Hostage envoy Adam Boehler met in person with Taliban officials at the Kabul International Airport, Qatari sources told Fox News Digital, marking the first known time the White House has engaged with Afghanistan’s ‘interim government’ following the 2021 takeover by the terrorist organization.

While the meeting between Boehler and Afghan officials representing the Taliban’s foreign ministry met to secure the release of George Glezmann on Thursday, advisor and spokesman to Qatar’s prime minister, Dr Majed al-Ansari, told Fox News Digital that other ‘beneficial’ issues were discussed. 

‘U.S. envoy Adam Boehler came to Doha. He had meetings over here, and then we moved to Kabul, where he had meetings in the airport with the foreign minister and other Afghan officials,’ al-Ansari said. ‘That was the first meeting of its kind and opened the door for a lot of dialogue on lots of issues, including the issues of detainees.’

‘But also other issues that can be very beneficial for the Afghan people and for the people of the United States, and providing security regionally for Afghanistan, but also in general,’ he added. ‘It was a good first step that we helped facilitate.’

The White House did not return Fox News Digital’s questions on whether Boehler’s in-person meeting suggests the Trump administration may look to establish ties with the Taliban government – a subject that has been taboo among Western nations following the toppling of the democratically elected government and the subsequent severe human rights violations, including the removal of essentially all women’s rights. 

Al-Ansari confirmed that while Qatar has been working with the U.S. since 2022 to facilitate dialogue between Washington and Kabul in the more than three years since the deadly takeover, this is the first time the White House has directly engaged with the Taliban government. 

‘We always said that the way to resolve all of these issues all around the world is through dialog, is through talking, and is through beginning a mode of engagement that is positive and that would bring about more trust between the parties, and would bring about positive results,’ al-Ansari added, nodding toward Qatar’s heavy involvement in negotiations between Israel and Hamas. 

Boehler, who has not been confirmed by the Senate after he removed his nomination as special envoy to avoid divestment stipulations, serves as a ‘special government employee focused on hostage negotiations,’ according to a statement by White House deputy press secretary Anna Kelly.

The freedom of Glezmann is the second major release Boehler secured this month after Marc Fogel was returned from Russia following his August 2021 arrest. 

Boehler, who helped secure the Abraham Accords as a lead negotiator during the first Trump administration, turned heads following the revelation that he met with another terrorist organization earlier this month – Hamas.

The hostage envoy met directly with Hamas officials in an attempt to secure the release of the five American hostages still held in the Gaza Strip, including Edan Alexander, who is the only remaining American hostage still alive. 

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

Ovechkin, 39, entered this season needing 42 goals to break Gretzky’s record of 894 career goals, which has stood since 1999. The Washington captain, who scored Thursday, has 35 goals this season and needs seven more with 13 games left to become the NHL’s all-time leader.

Ovechkin scored 15 times in his first 18 games before suffering a fractured left fibula during a Nov. 18 game against the Utah Hockey Club. He has scored 20 times in 35 games since he returned on Dec. 28.

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

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

Here’s where Ovechkin stands in his chase of Gretzky’s goal record (stats through March 20):

OVECHKIN VS. GRETZKY: Comparing the two greats

CAPITALS SCHEDULE: How Ovechkin has fared vs. remaining teams

How many goals does Alex Ovechkin have?

Ovechkin has 888 career goals.

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

Ovechkin needs seven goals to break Gretzky’s record.

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

Ovechkin has 35 goals and 22 assists in 53 games. Factoring in the 16 games he missed, that is a 44-goal pace, giving him a chance to reach the 42 goals he needs to break the record this season. As of Thursday, Ovechkin has played in eight fewer career games than Gretzky.

What did Alex Ovechkin do in his last game?

Ovechkin scored one goal on four shots in a 3-2 victory against the Philadelphia Flyers. He took a pass from Aliaksei Protas outside the crease and beat goalie Samuel Ersson in the first period. The victory helped the Capitals become the first NHL team this season to clinch a playoff berth.

When is Alex Ovechkin’s next game?

The Capitals play Saturday at home against Florida. He has 45 goals in 73 career regular season games against the Panthers.

Alex Ovechkin vs. Wayne Gretzky stats

Games: Gretzky 1,487 | Ovechkin 1,479

Goals: Gretzky 894 | Ovechkin 888

Assists: Gretzky 1,963 | Ovechkin 719

Points: Gretzky 2,857 | Ovechkin 1,607

Alex Ovechkin goals in 2024-25

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

Alex Ovechkin career goals breakdown

Even strength: 562, third overall

Power play: 321, a record

Short-handed: 5

Empty net: 65, a record

Game winners: 135, tied for first with Jaromir Jagr

Overtime goals: 27, a record

Multi-goal games: 178, second overall

Goalies scored against: 182, a record

Hat tricks: 32, tied for fifth overall. Ovechkin has hat tricks against 20 franchises, tying Brett Hull’s record.

20-goal seasons: 20, tied for second

30-goal seasons: 19, a record

40-goal seasons: 13, a record

Alex Ovechkin empty-net goals

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

Alex Ovechkin goals per season

Season: Goals, career total

2005-06: 52, 52
2006-07: 46, 98
2007-08: 65*, 163
2008-09: 56*, 219
2009-10: 50, 269
2010-11: 32, 301
2011-12: 38, 339
2012-13: 32*, 371
2013-14: 51*, 422
2014-15: 53*, 475
2015-16: 50*, 525
2016-17: 33, 558
2017-18: 49*, 607
2018-19: 51*, 658
2019-20: 48*, 706
2020-21: 24, 730
2021-22: 50, 780
2022-23: 42, 822
2023-24: 31, 853
2024-25: 35, 888

*-led league in goals that season

NHL all-time goal scorers

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

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

2. Alex Ovechkin, 888 goals in 1,479 games

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

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

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

6. Marcel Dionne, 731 in 1,348 games

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

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

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

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

11. Mario Lemieux, 690 goals in 915 games

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

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

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

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

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

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

18. Sidney Crosby, 616 goals in 1,340 games

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

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

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

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As Ian Eagle prepares for the men’s NCAA Tournament and his run through calling the Final Four, he’s been finding himself going through old text messages with Greg Gumbel.

Eagle had known Gumbel since he arrived at CBS in 1998 and remembered how humble and approachable he was from the moment they met. Eagle gets a laugh out of the messages, remembering how kind of person Gumbel was, but reading them also made him emotional.

There’s certainly been an empty presence during the coverage of 2025 March Madness, the first tournament since Gumbel’s death. The voice that welcomed Selection Sunday and each day of the tournament for 25 years died from cancer in December at the age of 78.

“It’s very sad,” Eagle told USA TODAY Sports. “He just had a major impact on the people at our network and people that work this event.”

Gumbel wasn’t part of last year’s tournament coverage as he stepped away from his hosting duties. The void was certainly noticeable considering he was the quintessential voice of March Madness. But knowing he’s gone this year has made it hard to work the tournament.

“He was such an integral part of what the public got to experience and what we got to experience as his colleagues and friends,” CBS studio analyst Clark Kellogg said. “I got to spend 20-plus years next to him and the seat that he sat in as the host of the road to the Final Four.

“There’s no way you aren’t impacted by who he was as a man and as a broadcaster.”

CBS has made sure to honor Gumbel since the NCAA Tournament bracket got revealed. On Selection Sunday, CBS aired a tribute video and The Rolling Stones – Gumbel’s favorite band – played through the studio. The off-camera crew donned The Rolling Stones shirts, and host Adam Zucker said it was an honor to fill his seat. The rest of the studio crew spoke about his impact on the tournament. 

The tributes continued as the first round kicked off Thursday. The Rolling Stones played on the broadcast of opening day of the first round, and host Ernie Johnson and crew remembered Gumbel. Kellogg said  “it’s sad and surreal” he wasn’t in the host chair. All broadcasters are wearing a gold microphone pin on their suits in memory of Gumbel throughout the tournament, and each commentary team made sure to take some time to speak about Gumbel.

“He was synonymous with this event because of the excellence in which he did his job for all of these years,” Eagle said.

It has felt empty without Gumble on camera. Kellogg spent decades to his left and said “I miss him terribly.” 

But Kellogg remembered what made Gumbel such an icon. He had a deep appreciation for the NCAA Tournament and the moments that made it special. Anyone that worked with him felt the spirit and class he displayed, and it made those working with him better suited to showcase the tournament.

“My life has been enhanced,” Kellogg said. “I trust that I’m better in my role as a person, but also in my role as a broadcaster, because I got a chance to be in his orbit for the years that I did.”

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SUN VALLEY, Idaho — Mikaela Shiffrin is getting a head start on the Olympic season. First, though, she and the rest of the world’s top skiers have to wrap up this one.

The World Cup finals, the last event on a circuit that began in late October, begin Saturday. While most of the attention will be on the season titles still to be decided, skiers also will be focusing on adding to their points total to improve or solidify their start positions for next year.

And for Shiffrin and the rest of the Americans, it’s a chance to show the world that the U.S. team will be a formidable one at next year’s Milan-Cortina Olympics.

Of the 14 skiers on the U.S. team for the finals, which run through March 27, six made the podium in a World Cup race or at the world championships. And that doesn’t even include Lindsey Vonn, who ended a five-year retirement last fall after having a partial knee replacement.

But much of the focus will be on Shiffrin, who missed two months with a deep gash in her oblique muscles after crashing during the giant slalom race at the World Cup in Killington, Vermont. She’s returned to form in slalom, claiming her 100th World Cup win at the World Cup in Sestriere, Italy, last month, and will be a favorite in the slalom final next Thursday.

GS has been trickier, however, with Shiffrin acknowledging she was dealing with PTSD from the crash. She didn’t qualify for the GS race at the World Cup finals, but posted photos of herself training Thursday with the caption, ‘GS Season 2025/26 starts now… Buckle up, buttercup.’

Here’s all you need to know about the World Cup finals:

What are the World Cup finals?

The World Cup finals are the last event of the season, featuring the top men’s and women’s skiers in downhill, super-G, giant slalom and slalom races. Smaller than other World Cup races, only the top 25 men and women in each discipline qualified.

This is the last chance skiers have to earn points for the season standings, which also dictate starting list positions for next year.

Where are the World Cup finals being held?

All of the races will take place on the International Trail on Bald Mountain in Sun Valley, Idaho.

Have the World Cup finals been in the United States before?

This will be the fourth time the World Cup finals have been held in the United States since the event began in 1993. They were in Vail in 1994 and 1997, and in Aspen in 2017.

Which U.S. skiers qualified?

Shiffrin, who has more World Cup wins than any other skier in history, leads the U.S. contingent of 14 skiers. It’s a star-studded group, too. In addition to Shiffrin, who won three slalom World Cups and placed third in another, five of the other Americans had podium finishes this season.

Lauren Macuga won a super-G and got a silver in the downhill. Paula Moltzan won two giant slalom bronzes and Breezy Johnson won a downhill bronze. All three also medaled at the world championships, with Johnson winning the downhill and pairing with Shiffrin to win the team combined, Macuga claiming bronze in the super-G and Moltzan winning bronze in the slalom.

For the men, Jared Goldberg won a silver in super-G and Ryan Cochran-Siegle won a downhill bronze

What races are U.S. skiers doing?

The Americans will have at least one entrant in each race, with Macuga, Cochran-Siegle, Moltzan and Lindsey Vonn each qualifying for two races.

Here’s the lineup:

Women

Downhill: Johnson, Macuga, Vonn, Jacqueline Wiles

Super-G: Macuga, Vonn

Giant slalom: Moltzan, Katie Hensien, AJ Hurt, Nina O’Brien

Slalom: Shiffrin, Moltzan

Men

Downhill: Cochran-Siegle, Bryce Bennett

Super-G: Cochran-Siegle, Goldberg

Giant slalom: River Radamus

Slalom: Ben Ritchie

What’s the schedule?

Saturday, March 22

1 p.m. Men’s downhill

2:30 p.m. Women’s downhill

Sunday, March 23

1 p.m. Women’s super-G

2:30 p.m. Men’s super-G

Tuesday, March 25

11:30 a.m., first run, women’s giant slaom

2 p.m., second run, women’s giant slalom

Wednesday, March 26

11:30 a.m., first run, men’s giant slaom

2 p.m., second run, men’s giant slalom

Thursday, March 27

11 a.m., first run, women’s slalom

Noon, first run, men’s slalom

2 p.m., second run, women’s slalom

3 p.m., second run, men’s slalom

How can I watch the World Cup finals?

NBC will have live coverage of the World Cup finals across its various platforms, as well as a highlights show March 29. Outside+ is also streaming all of the races live.

Here’s NBC’s schedule:

Saturday, March 22

1 p.m. on NBC, Peacock

Sunday, March 23

1 p.m., NBC, Peacock

2:30 p.m. CNBC, Peacock

Tuesday, March 25

2 p.m. USA Network

Wednesday, March 26

2 p.m., USA Network

Thursday, March 27

2 p.m., USA Network

Saturday, March 29

2 p.m., NBC, Peacock

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