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Printable men’s, women’s March Madness brackets for 2025

The brackets for the men’s NCAA Tournament and women’s March Madness were revealed Sunday, meaning the most action-packed month in American sports is underway.

The women’s bracket has UCLA as the No. 1 overall seed, and in the top spot in Region 1. The Bruins’ local rival USC, with national player of the year front-runner JuJu Watkins leading the way, is the top seed in Region 4, with South Carolina (Region 2) and Texas (Region 3) also grabbing No. 1 seeds in the 68-team field.

On the men’s side, Auburn, Duke, Houston and Florida claimed the top seeds. The Tigers, playing out of the South Region, are the No. 1 overall seed, while the Blue Devils (East) will have questions hanging over them as freshman sensation Cooper Flagg could miss time with an ankle injury.

Here’s where to find printable tournament brackets for the men’s and women’s editions of March Madness:

2025 men’s March Madness printable bracket

Click for your 2025 NCAA Tournament printable bracket

2025 women’s March Madness printable bracket

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

Men’s March Madness schedule: Dates, times, TV channels for 2025 NCAA Tournament

All times Eastern

Tuesday, March 18

First Four games

South region: No. 16 Alabama State 70, No. 16 St. Francis 68, 6:40 p.m. on truTV
South region: No. 11 North Carolina vs. No. 11 San Diego State, 9:10 p.m. on truTV

Wednesday, March 19

First Four games

Midwest region: No. 11 Texas vs. No. 11 Xavier, 9:10 p.m. on truTV
East region: No. 16 American vs. No. 16 Mount St. Mary’s, 6:40 p.m. on truTV

Thursday, March 20

Round of 64 games

South region: No. 8 Louisville vs. No. 9 Creighton, 12:15 p.m. on CBS
Midwest region: No. 4 Purdue vs. No. 13 High Point, 12:40 p.m. on truTV
East region: No. 3 Wisconsin vs. No. 14 Montana, 1:30 p.m. on TNT
Midwest region: No. 1 Houston vs. No. 16 SIU-Edwardsville, 2 p.m. on TBS
South region: No. 1 Auburn vs. No. 16 Alabama State, 2:50 p.m. on CBS
Midwest region: No. 5 Clemson vs. No. 12 McNeese State, 3:15 p.m. on truTV
East region: No. 6 BYU vs. No. 11 VCU, 4:05 p.m. on TNT
Midwest region: No. 8 Gonzaga vs. No. 9 Georgia, 4:35 p.m. on TBS
Midwest region: No. 2 Tennessee vs. No. 15 Wofford, 6:50 p.m. on TNT
West region: No. 7 Kansas vs. No. 10 Arkansas, 7:10 p.m. on CBS
South region: No. 4 Texas A&M vs. No. 13 Yale, 7:25 p.m. on TBS
West region: No. 6 Missouri vs. No. 11 Drake, 7:35 p.m. on truTV
Midwest region: No. 7 UCLA vs. No. 10 Utah State, 9:25 p.m. on TNT
West region: No. 2 St. John’s vs. No. 15 Omaha, 9:45 p.m. on CBS
South region: No. 5 Michigan vs. No. 12 UC San Diego, 10 p.m. on TBS
West region: No. 3 Texas Tech vs. No. 14 UNC-Wilmington, 10:10 p.m. on truTV

Friday March 21

Round of 64 games

East region: No. 8 Mississippi State vs. No. 9 Baylor, 12:15 p.m. on CBS
East region: No. 2 Alabama vs. No. 15 Robert Morris, 12:40 p.m. on truTV
South region: No. 3 Iowa State vs. No. 14 Lipscomb, 1:30 p.m. on TNT
West region: No. 5 Memphis vs. No. 12 Colorado State, 2 p.m. on TBS
East region: No. 1 Duke vs. No. 16 American/Mount St. Mary’s, 2:50 p.m. on CBS
East region: No. 7 Saint Mary’s vs. No. 10 Vanderbilt, 3:15 p.m. on truTV
South region: No. 6 Ole Miss vs. No. 11 North Carolina/San Diego State, 4:05 p.m. on TNT
West region: No. 4 Maryland vs. No. 13 Grand Canyon, 4:35 p.m. on TBS
West region: No. 1 Florida vs. No. 16 Norfolk State, 6:50 p.m. on TNT
Midwest region: No. 3 Kentucky vs. No. 14 Troy, 7:10 p.m. on CBS
South region: No. 7 Marquette vs. No. 10 New Mexico, 7:25 p.m. on TBS
East region: No. 4 Arizona vs. No. 13 Akron, 7:35 p.m. on truTV
West region: No. 8 UConn vs. No. 9 Oklahoma, 9:25 p.m. on TNT
Midwest region: No. 6 Illinois vs. No. 11 Texas/Xavier, 9:45 p.m. on CBS
South region: No. 2 Michigan State vs. No. 15 Bryant, 10 p.m. on TBS
East region: No. 5 Oregon vs. No. 12 Liberty, 10:10 p.m. on truTV

Watch 2025 men’s March Madness games on Sling

Saturday, March 22

Round of 32 games, Time and TV channel TBD

Sunday, March 23

Round of 32 games, Time and TV channel TBD

Thursday, March 27

East and West region Sweet 16 games, Time and TV channel TBD

Friday, March 28

Midwest and South region Sweet 16 games, Time and TV channel TBD

Saturday, March 29

East and West region finals, Time and TV channel TBD

Sunday, March 30

Midwest and South region finals, Time and TV channel TBD

Saturday, April 5

Final Four

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

Monday, April 7

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

2025 women’s March Madness schedule

Below are all the dates for the 2025 women’s NCAA Tournament:

First Four: Wednesday, March 19 through Thursday, March 20
First Round: Friday, March 21 through Saturday, March 22
Second Round: Sunday, March 23 through Monday, March 24
Sweet 16: Friday, March 28 through Saturday, March 29
Elite Eight: Sunday, March 30 through Monday, March 31
Final Four: Friday, April 4
National championship: Sunday, April 6

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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Dominican judge rules in Iowa witness’ favor in missing American student case

PUNTACANA, Dominican Republic – A Dominican Republic judge on Tuesday evening ruled in favor of witness Joshua Riibe’s writ of habeas corpus in the March 6 disappearance of University of Pittsburgh student Sudiksha Konanki from a Punta Cana resort.

Riibe appeared in court in the Dominican Republic, where he has been held in the disappearance of Konanki, 20, who has been missing since the early morning hours of March 6. Riibe has not been named a suspect in the case, which has been considered a missing person case and not a criminal one.

The 22-year-old appeared with his father as prosecutors argued that the witness’ freedom has not been limited while he has been held in the Dominican after his passport was confiscated, and he has the right to walk around the RIU Republica resort without issue.

It was not immediately clear when Riibe would be able to leave the country. Riibe will have another hearing on March 28, when he is expected to receive an explanation about the location of his passport. He can move freely within the Dominican Republic until then.

Riibe’s lawyers had said his passport was confiscated, but prosecutors argued that he lost his passport. Meanwhile, Dominican authorities returned Riibe’s friend’s passport on Tuesday afternoon.

Lawyers and prosecutors screamed at each other during a very heated hearing on Tuesday after Riibe’s counsel submitted photos of him surrounded by police and patrol cars.

Riibe is not paying for lodging; the RIU allowing him to remain there for free.

His lawyer, meanwhile, said the prosecutor is playing with the court and the public opinion. His lawyer claimed that Riibe always has police around for his safety.

The 22-year-old Iowa man and his father also had the opportunity to testify Tuesday.

‘Ever since my passport was taken, it’s very rare I’m alone.’

— Joshua Riibe

Riibe said on Sunday, he woke up and went to get breakfast, and when he returned to his hotel room, police ‘showed up saying that they were p—ed we didn’t tell them.’

He added that police eat with him, and officers went ‘crazy’ when he and his father went to the American embassy.

‘So we had to wait in the lobby for the tourist police to arrive to get escorted,’ he said. ‘That same day, I had another meeting, and when we grabbed lunch, the police [were] there. The issue is that we only have [one] method of communication, so every time they need us, we have to be in the room. I can’t go anywhere. I really want to be home. Hug my family and friends.’

Ribbe also said he ‘hugged’ Konanki’s parents before they left the Dominican and returned home to Virginia.

‘I understand there is an investigation, and I’ve cooperated, but haven’t been allowed to leave,’ he told the court on Tuesday. ‘When Sudiksha’s parents left, they said goodbye and even hugged me. She thanked me for saving her daughter the first time. All I’ve been doing is waiting in my hotel room to be interviewed but at this point. I just want to be home.’

Konanki went swimming in the ocean with the witness, identified as 22-year-old Riibe of Iowa, outside the RIU Republica resort in Punta Cana after drinking at a hotel bar. She has yet to be located.

Riibe has been detained in the Dominican since then and filed a writ of habeas corpus on Monday, challenging his de facto detention in the country. He arrived in court for a hearing Tuesday in which a judge will rule on whether he can return home, sources said.

The State Department confirmed to Fox News Digital earlier on Tuesday that it was assisting a witness in University of Pittsburgh student Sudiksha Konanki’s March 6 disappearance from the Dominican Republic.

‘We take seriously our commitment to assist U.S. citizens abroad and are providing consular assistance,’ the State Department said in a statement when asked about Riibe’s Monday filing of a writ of habeas corpus. ‘Due to privacy considerations, we have no further comment.’

Konanki had gone to the beach with a group of seven other friends after a night of drinking. Six of her friends returned to the RIU Republica around 6 a.m., leaving the 20-year-old student alone with Riibe, who was also on spring break at the RIU Republica and is believed to be one of the last people to see her alive.

Riibe, who is considered a witness in Konanki’s disappearance, apparently told Dominican authorities that while they were swimming, a large wave crashed over them, according to a translated transcript of his interview to police shared with Fox News. 

He said he tried to help her and last saw her wading through knee-deep water. He then began vomiting up seawater and noticed that Konanki was no longer in sight and assumed she had returned to her hotel room. Riibe said he fell asleep in a beach chair before eventually returning to his room. 

Hotel surveillance footage shows Riibe returning to his hotel room around 9 a.m. on March 6.

Konanki’s parents, Subbarayudu and SreeDevi Konanki, are not disputing Riibe’s account of what happened, according to a letter they sent to Dominican police on Monday. Her father had previously asked police to investigate all possibilities.

‘Following an extensive search, Dominican authorities have concluded that Sudiksha is believed to have drowned,’ her parents wrote in a letter to La Policia Nacional, the country’s national police force, Monday night. ‘Her clothes were discovered on a beach near where she was last seen. The individual last seen with her is cooperating with the investigation, and no evidence of foul play has been found.’

They said they made the request after ‘much deliberation’ and thanked supporters for the international search effort.

The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office in Virginia, where Konanki is from, issued a statement sharing her family’s belief that she drowned.

‘While a final decision to make such a declaration rests with authorities in the Dominican Republic, we will support the Konanki family in every way possible as we continue to review the evidence and information made available to us in the course of this investigation,’ the sheriff’s office said.

Riibe, a senior at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota who has not been accused of a crime but is considered a crucial witness in the case, has been held under surveillance at the resort since Konanki was reported missing.

His family has called his continued required presence in the country ‘irregular.’

Riibe is not accused of a crime, but authorities confiscated his passport while investigating his account of what happened.

Fox News’ Mara Robles and Nate Foy contributed to this report.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS
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First Four live updates: Scores, highlights from Tuesday games

Take a breath, college basketball fans. You’ve made it. The 2025 men’s NCAA Tournament is here, starting with Tuesday’s slate of First Four games.

The first of Tuesday’s games will pit 16 seeds Alabama State and Saint Francis — champions of the SWAC and NEC, respectively — against each other. The winner of that game will advance into the final 64-team field, and will play Auburn, the top overall seed, for their troubles.

The headliner of Tuesday’s doubleheader, of course, comes after the Hornets and Red Flash’s game finishes. It will see No. 11 seeds San Diego State and North Carolina face off, with the winner advancing to face No. 6 seed Ole Miss. The Tar Heels’ entry into the tournament has been widely controversial, especially considering teams such as West Virginia and Indiana were snubbed for the last team in.

Whether Hubert Davis can prove his team belongs in the field remains to be seen against the Aztecs.

With that, follow along for live updates, scores and highlights from Tuesday’s First Four games:

First Four score updates

This section will be updated when First Four games begin.

First Four live updates

What channel are the First Four games on? What to know of truTV

First Four times today

Game 1: (16) Alabama State vs. (16) Saint Francis | 6:40 p.m. ET
Game 2: (11) San Diego State vs. (11) North Carolina, 9:10 p.m. ET
Location: UD Arena (Dayton, Ohio)

Tuesday’s First Four games are scheduled to tip off at 6:40 p.m. ET between 16 seeds Alabama State and Saint Francis. The second game of the night, between 11 seeds San Diego State and North Carolina, is scheduled to tip off at 9:10 p.m. ET, though it could be pushed back depending on how late the first game runs.

The entirety of the men’s First Four will take place at UD Arena on the campus of the University of Dayton in Ohio.

Watch First Four games live with truTV

What channel are First Four games on today?

TV channel: truTV
Streaming: March Madness Live | Sling TV

Both of Tuesday’s First Four games will air live on truTV. Streaming options for both games include March Madness Live, which requires a valid cable login. Another option is Sling TV, which carries truTV and the TBS family of networks.

Alabama State vs Saint Francis history

Series record: N/A

This will be Alabama State and Saint Francis’ first meeting in both programs’ respective histories.

North Carolina vs San Diego State history

Series record: North Carolina leads 2-0
North Carolina’s last win: Nov. 24, 1990 (99-63)
San Diego State’s last win: N/A

This will be the Tar Heels and Aztecs’ third all-time meeting, with UNC winning both prior matchups, according to a North Carolina preview of the game. North Carolina first beat San Diego State on Dec. 29, 1988 by a score of 103-92 in San Diego. Two years later, UNC beat the Aztecs 99-63 in Chapel Hill on Nov. 24, 1990.

Curiously, North Carolina coach Hubert Davis played in both games for the Tar Heels.

First Four predictions

Alabama State vs. Saint Francis

Emilee Smarr, The Tuscaloosa News: Alabama State
Gentry Estes, The Tennessean: Saint Francis
Jeremy Cluff, Arizona Republic: Alabama State 71, Saint Francis 69

North Carolina vs. San Diego State

Rodd Baxley, Fayetteville Observer: North Carolina 75, San Diego State 69
Emilee Smarr, The Tuscaloosa News: San Diego State
Gentry Estes, The Tennessean: San Diego State
Jeremy Cluff, Arizona Republic: North Carolina 77, San Diego State 70

First Four injury updates

Alabama State: N/A
Saint Francis: N/A
North Carolina: N/A
San Diego State: Magoon Gwath (knee)

The only notable player injury update for Tuesday’s First Four games is Magoon Gwath of San Diego State, who is set to return from an injury suffered in late February.

The 7-foot center both the Mountain West’s freshman and defensive player of the year in 2024-25, averaging 8.5 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game. He leads the Aztecs in both rebounds and blocks per game, despite not playing since Feb. 22.

Alabama State basketball schedule 2024-25

Below are the five most recent results for Alabama State. To see the Hornets’ full schedule, click here.

Thursday, March 6: at Southern (W, 66-65)
Saturday, March 8: at Grambling (W, 59-47)
Thursday, March 13: vs. Texas Southern (W, 84-79) (SWAC tournament)
Friday, March 14: vs. Grambling (W, 64-62) (SWAC tournament)
Saturday, March 15: vs. Jackson State (W, 60-56) (SWAC tournament)

Saint Francis basketball schedule 2024-25

Below are the five most recent results for Alabama State. To see the Red Flash’s full schedule, click here.

Saturday, Feb. 22: vs. Fairleigh Dickinson (W, 85-80)
Saturday, March 1: vs. Chicago State (W, 80-71)
Wednesday, March 5: vs. Wagner (W, 58-55) (NEC tournament)
Saturday, March 8: vs. LIU (W, 71-68) (NEC tournament)
Tuesday, March 11: vs. CCSU (W, 46-43) (NEC tournament)

North Carolina basketball schedule 2024-25

Below are the five most recent results for Alabama State. To see the Tar Heels’ full schedule, click here.

Tuesday, March 4: at Virginia Tech (W, 91-59)
Saturday, March 8: vs. Duke (L, 82-69)
Wednesday, March 12: vs. Notre Dame (W, 76-56)
Thursday, March 13: vs. Wake Forest (W, 68-59)
Friday, March 14: vs. Duke (L, 74-71)

San Diego State basketball schedule 2024-25

Below are the five most recent results for Alabama State. To see the Aztecs’ full schedule, click here.

Tuesday, Feb. 25: vs. New Mexico (W, 73-65)
Saturday, March 1: at Wyoming (W, 72-69)
Tuesday, March 4: at UNLV (L, 74-67)
Saturday, March 8: vs. Nevada (W, 80-61) (MWC tournament)
Thursday, March 13: vs. Boise State (L, 62-52) (MWC tournament)

First Four news

NCAA Tournament winners and losers: North Carolina, Michigan lead March Madness list
March Madness First Four bracket odds for men’s NCAA Tournament
North Carolina’s arrival to March Madness First Four delayed by ‘travel issues’

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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Players opting in EA Sports college football video game will get pay increase

EA Sports sent out emails to current college football players Tuesday to confirm their name, image and likeness be included in the game, the company confirmed to USA TODAY Sports. If players accept, they will receive a deluxe edition of the game and a $1,500 payment, a significant increase from the first installment of the revived franchise.

When EA Sports brought back the college football video game franchise last year, players that had their likeness in the game received a deluxe copy of the game and $600. EA Sports has strong expectations for the future of the franchise, a company representative told USA TODAY Sports, and the increase payout was determined on the expectations for College Football 26 and making sure athletes are fairly compensated for the game.

‘We’re incredibly proud to build this opportunity around you, the athletes, prioritizing fairness and inclusion while celebrating your talent and dedication,’ reads the email, obtained by USA TODAY Sports.

EA Sports said it had overwhelming excitement from college football players to be part of last year’s edition. More than 11,000 players were included in College Football 25, and it is expected to be around the same figure or more for the next installment of the franchise. There will also be additional promotion opportunities for athletes where they could earn more NIL payments.

Current or incoming college football players received the email through their school accounts and the deal is done through the COMPASS NIL app. Players just need to make sure their banking information is correct in the app and they will received the payments on July 1. Players can opt-out of the deal, and those that were in the 2024 version of the game will automatically be part of the game and receive the NIL payment unless they choose to opt-out.

“EA Sports College Football 25 was a tremendous success, and we’re grateful to the fans, our partners and the thousands of college athletes who helped bring the game to life,’ Sean O’Brien, vice president of business development at EA Sports, said in a statement. ‘This approach empowers each athlete to make their own decision. College sports are growing and changing, and our focus at EA Sports is on continuing to put athletes first as we bring them in the game in College Football 26 and beyond.”

When does EA Sports College Football 26 come out?

The upcoming video game will be the second installment of the franchise that returned in 2024 after an 11-year hiatus. It brought back many of the features that helped the franchise develop a strong following and why the game continued to be played years after the last version was released in 2013. According to Inside Gaming, EA Sports College Football 25 was the top selling video game of 2024 and became the best-selling sports game in U.S. history.

No release date for the next version game has been announced, but past trends give an estimate when it will come out. Prior to the game’s hiatus, the game typically came out in mid-July. EA Sports followed that trend with College Football 25 when it was released on July 19 and early access was available on July 15.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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Dodgers star to own World Bowling League franchise

Avid bowler — and Los Angeles Dodgers star — Mookie Betts has bought the first announced team in the new World Bowling League.

The league’s owner, League Sports Co., announced the purchase on Tuesday but didn’t reveal financial terms.

Betts is buying the team with Cam Lewis, his business partner with The One Marketing Group. They have named it Team OMG.

An eight-time All-Star, three-time World Series champion and former American League MVP, Betts was a competitive bowler while growing up in Tennessee. And he still bowls. The morning after his 30th birthday party in 2022, Betts bowled a perfect 300.

The World Bowling League hasn’t announced the remainder of its team lineup, but there are expected to be franchises around the world, including in Dubai.

When the league’s formation was announced in 2023, organizers said the WBL would have 12 to 15 events per year, held from the United States to Europe to Asia, with hopes of expansion within five years. Between eight and 12 franchises were expected to compete in the first year, with each team featuring at least two women to promote gender balance.

The announcement came the day the Dodgers began the 2025 season with a win against the Chicago Cubs in Tokyo. Manager Dave Roberts said Betts will not play in the two-game Tokyo Series because he is still recovering from an illness that caused him to lose 15 pounds.

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March Madness for dummies: Explaining super regionals, units and more

Whether you’re a diehard fan, want to be one or you realized last year you just really like the NCAA tournament and came back for more, we’ve got you covered!

The brackets are out, the griping has begun and we’re here to catch you up on everything you need to know. Who’s in (JuJu Watkins and Paige Bueckers), who’s out (Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese), who’s hot (South Carolina), who’s not (Notre Dame) and what’s this about the women finally getting money like the men’s participants have for years?  

Grab your bracket and a sharpie and settle in. Here’s all you need to know about the NCAA women’s tournament to be an expert before the First Four kicks off Wednesday:

What is March Madness?

March Madness is the NCAA basketball championship, played by both the men and women. It’s a 68-team tournament, with 31 teams qualifying as conference champions and 37 that are selected by a committee. The format is one-and-done, meaning you win or you go home.

Oh, and not-so-fun fact? The women’s tournament was barred from using “March Madness” until the 2022 tournament. No good reason. Just plain old misogyny.

Who are the No. 1 seeds?

UCLA is the overall No. 1 seed because, duh. The Bruins spent most of the season atop both the USA TODAY and Associated Press polls, including this week. Their only two losses were to crosstown rival USC, and they avenged those by beating the Trojans to win the Big Ten tournament title.

Oh, they also routed South Carolina earlier in the season, negating the Gamecocks’ claim to the overall No. 1.

South Carolina, Texas and Southern California are the other three No. 1s.

Will all four No. 1s make the Final Four?

Highly unlikely.

There was a time when you could predict the Final Four before the season began and likely be right. But the caliber of play has improved so much that the women’s tournament is now ripe for the upsets that make the men’s tournament so enjoyable.

Remember Middle Tennessee State taking out sixth-seeded Louisville in the first round last year? Or seventh-seeded Iowa State upsetting second-seeded Stanford?

This year, keep your eyes on a pair of 12-seeds, Green Bay and Fairfield, along with 10-seed Harvard. And don’t be surprised if Duke and Ohio State blow up some brackets.

You’re welcome.

Why is the women’s tournament format different than the men’s?

First- and second-round games in the women’s tournament are played at campus venues, while this is the second year the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight are being played at two ‘super regional” sites. This year’s sites are in Spokane, Washington, and Birmingham, Alabama.  

This is in contrast to the individual, neutral venues the men use for every round. The thinking being that as the women’s tournament grew – it only began in 1982, remember, almost 60 years after the men’s tournament – it was better to play the early-round games at smaller venues where there was a built-in fan base.

It seems to have worked; attendance records were set for both the first- and second-rounds (292,456) and regional sites (103,587) last year.

Speaking of interest, will the women’s title game outdraw the men’s again this year?

Probably not.

Now, this is not a cause for panic or a sign that interest in the women’s game has plateaued. When the women’s championship game outdrew the men’s last year, 18.9 million to 14.82 million, it was fueled partly by Caitlin Clark and Iowa going up against Dawn Staley’s South Carolina team. But the men’s game was also broadcast on TBS, a cable station that not every household gets, while the women’s final was on ABC.

This year, the men’s final is back on CBS, which should generate higher ratings.

That’s not to say the women won’t do a big number. And if Watkins or Bueckers is in the final and playing Staley and South Carolina? It could be big big.

What are ‘units’ and what do they mean?

It means the women are finally getting paid.

For years, and I do mean years, men’s conferences got ‘units’ based on the number of their teams that made the tournament and how many games they played. The conferences then distributed the money from those units to their respective schools.

This isn’t pocket change, either. Last season, each men’s unit was worth about $2 million. That means the Big Ten, which got six teams into the tournament and had one, Purdue, reach the title game, got roughly $32 million.

The NCAA didn’t give the women units, claiming the tournament didn’t have a large enough unique revenue stream, like the men’s TV deal. But now that the NCAA’s deal with ESPN includes a specific valuation for the women’s tournament, $65 million per tournament, the NCAA earlier this year approved giving units to the women.

The fund is $15 million this year, or 25% of the TV contract. The money is paid out over time, just as the men’s units are.

‘It really gives the women a seat at the table,’ Atlantic-10 commissioner Bernadette McGlade, who was a member of the NCAA’s women’s basketball committee when it first requested units some 25 years ago, told USA TODAY Sports.

‘Obviously the dollars are drastically different (between the men’s and women’s) because the media contracts are so drastically different,’ McGlade said. ‘But you have to start somewhere.’

Who’s going to win it all?

Will South Carolina become the first team to repeat as champions since UConn won its fourth straight in 2016? Will UCLA finally win a women’s championship? Will Bueckers leave UConn with the only title she’s yet to win? Will JuJuMania sweep the nation?

If I knew the answers, I’d be in Las Vegas, not writing this. But what I do know is this year’s tournament is going to be entertaining, worth your time no matter what kind of fan you are.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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Trump, Putin on same page about Iran’s nuclear weapon capabilities, White House says

President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are in sync when it comes to Iran obtaining nuclear weapons, according to the White House. 

Trump and Putin, who spoke over the phone Tuesday morning about how to draw an end to the war in Ukraine, agreed that Iran must not obtain access to weapons permitting Tehran to obliterate Israel, the White House said. 

‘The leaders spoke broadly about the Middle East as a region of potential cooperation to prevent future conflicts,’ the White House said in a statement after the call. ‘They further discussed the need to stop proliferation of strategic weapons and will engage with others to ensure the broadest possible application. The two leaders shared the view that Iran should never be in a position to destroy Israel.’

Meanwhile, Russia is urging the U.S. to loosen its sanctions on Iran, which have crippled Tehran’s economy. Representatives from Russia met with Chinese and Iranian counterparts in Beijing Friday, and pressed the U.S. to withdraw the ‘unlawful’ sanctions and resume nuclear discussions, according to a statement from the three countries. 

‘The three countries reiterated that political and diplomatic engagement and dialogue based on the principle of mutual respect remains the only viable and practical option in this regard,’ China’s Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu read aloud in a joint statement Friday. 

Russia has maintained a cozy relationship with Iran and has utilized Iranian drones in the war against Ukraine. For example, Russia started to employ the Iranian-made Shahed-131 and Shahed-136 series drones in 2022 to hit Ukrainian artillery targets and areas of Ukraine’s electricity distribution grid, according to the nonprofit organization Washington Institute for Near East Policy. 

The Defense Intelligence Agency also released a report in 2023 detailing how Iran had given Russia access to ‘hundreds’ of one-way attack air drones. Although Iran denied that the drones originated from Tehran, the Defense Intelligence Agency said it obtained debris from attacks in Ukraine that ‘clearly prove Iran’s support to Russia.’ 

Trump cautioned in February he believed that Iran was ‘close’ to developing a nuclear weapon, and his administration reinstated a maximum pressure campaign against Iran through sanctions targeting Iran’s oil exports in February. 

Additionally, Trump revealed March 7 that a nuclear deal with Iran could emerge in the near future and that he sent a letter to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, urging Tehran to agree to a nuclear agreement. 

 

Failure to do so could mean military intervention, he said. 

‘I would rather negotiate a deal,’ Trump told Fox Business in an interview March 9. ‘I’m not sure that everybody agrees with me, but we can make a deal that would be just as good as if you won militarily.’ 

‘But the time is happening now, the time is coming up,’ he said. ‘Something is going to happen one way or the other. I hope that Iran, and I’ve written them a letter saying I hope you’re going to negotiate, because if we have to go in militarily, it’s going to be a terrible thing for them.’

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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Schumer says ‘oligarchs’ keep him up at night, despite his own ties to billionaires

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer told the hosts of ‘The View’ on Tuesday morning that ‘oligarchs’ running the United States keep him up at night, despite his ties to the billionaire Soros family. 

‘I wake up at 3 in the morning sometimes so worried about the future of this country under these oligarchs,’ Schumer said on ‘The View.’  

Mega-donor George Soros donated millions to Schumer’s Senate Majority PAC during the 2024 election, and Schumer maintains a well-documented relationship with the billionaire’s son, Alex Soros. 

Campaign finance reports revealed Democracy PAC II, primarily funded by Soros, gave $2.5 million to Senate Majority PAC in 2024, Fox News confirmed. Democracy PAC II gave $3.5 million in calendar year 2022, and $2.5 million in calendar year 2021, for a combined $6 million, records show. 

A 2023 Fox News Digital review of Alex’s Instagram found dozens of pictures with top Democrats in the House and the Senate between 2018 and 2022, including at least nine meetings with Schumer.

‘Good to see majority leader [Schumer] earlier this week! Energized to elect at least two more Democratic senators so we can secure voting rights and a woman’s right to chose!’ Soros posted on his Instagram in July 2022 along with a picture of the pair.

In a December 2021 Instagram post, Alex called Schumer his ‘good friend’ and said he had a ‘great meeting’ with him at the Capitol. A few months earlier, Alex took a selfie with Schumer wearing a bicycle helmet and said it was ‘good to see our senate majority leader [Schumer] the other day, biking and in good shape, and so focused on [voting rights] legislation.’

A Fox News Digital review of visitor logs found Alex visited the White House six times from October 2021 to December 2022, during former President Joe Biden’s administration. A White House official confirmed to Fox News Digital that two of the visits were with Ron Klain, Biden’s chief of staff. 

Alex’s social media presence has consistently showcased his relationship with leading Democrats, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and candidates from the most contested down-ballot races of 2024, such as Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz. 

Biden awarded George Soros with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in January, which Alex accepted in his honor. 

‘His inspiring generosity reminds us all of our capacity and our obligation to stand up to the abuse of power and to be guardians of democracy and all people yearning to be free,’ Biden said during the ceremony. 

‘A travesty that Biden is giving Soros the Medal of Freedom,’ Elon Musk, who has been at the center of Democrats’ accusations of rising oligarchy, posted on X in response to Soros accepting the nation’s highest civilian honor. 

MoveOn.org, a group that has accepted millions from Soros and his Open Society Policy Center in recent years, led the ‘Congress Works for Us, Not Musk’ initiative that shut down town halls and Republican offices across the country. 

National Students for Justice in Palestine (NSJP), a national organization on the forefront of the pro-Palestine Columbia University protests, accepted fiscal sponsorship from the Westchester Peace Action Committee Foundation (WESPAC). Fox News Digital reported last year that WESPAC received a six-figure donation from a nonprofit funded by Soros’ network.

The Democratic Party also leaned on wealthy surrogates on the campaign trail in 2024. Former Vice President Kamala Harris hosted events with celebrities, including Beyoncé, Eminem, Bruce Springsteen and Mark Cuban. 

FEC filings show the Harris campaign made two $500,000 payments to Oprah Winfrey’s production company on Oct. 15, a month after Winfrey appeared with Harris at a town hall event and weeks before Oprah was on stage with Harris at a Philadelphia rally before election day.

Despite the Democrats’ own recorded ties to billionaire donors, the term ‘oligarchy’ has been used by Democrats to describe President Donald Trump’s second term. 

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., has drawn thousands of supporters to his ‘Fighting Oligarchy’ rallies across the country, with stops in Michigan and Wisconsin this past weekend. The events are billed as an opportunity to ‘discuss how we take on the greed of the billionaire class and create a government that works for all and not just the few.’

Democrats were outraged by Trump inviting billionaires like Musk, Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg to his inauguration, and Biden used the term ‘oligarchy’ in his farewell address to the nation. 

‘Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power, and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms, and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead,’ Biden told Americans on Jan. 13. 

Schumer defended his leadership on ‘The View’ following his decision to vote for a Republican spending bill to avert a government shutdown and subsequently canceling stops on his book tour over ‘security concerns.’

‘We are fighting them tooth and nail in every way we can, but you’ve got to fight them smart and if you led yourself into a shutdown, which, by the way, Musk, DOGE, Vought, they wanted a shutdown. They said they wanted a shutdown, and they thought we’d play into their hands,’ Schumer continued to ‘The View’ on Tuesday. 

Schumer said ‘MAGA right-wing Republicans,’ including Musk and Director of Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Russell Vought, wanted to shut down the government to deliver ‘tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans.’

‘The MAGA right-wing Republicans dream of decimating the government. You know why they do it? They want tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans. They want to destroy government, give it all to the wealthy and get rid of any regulations they might have, so I felt an obligation to stop it.’

Schumer said ‘a small group of wealthy, greedy’ Republicans are seizing power from the people and mocked Republicans who want to protect their hard-earned money from increased taxes. 

‘The Republican Party is a different kettle of fish than it used to be, and that’s why we’re fighting them so hard. They are controlled by a small group of wealthy, greedy people. You know what their attitude is? ‘I made my money all by myself. How dare your government take my money from me? I don’t want to pay taxes. I built my company with my own bare hands. How dare your government tell me how I should treat my customers, the land and water that I own, or my employees?’ They hate government. Government is a barrier to people, a barrier to stop them from doing things. They want to destroy it. We are not letting them do it. And we are united,’ Schumer said. 

Schumer’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

Fox News Digital’s Cameron Cawthorne, Andrew Mark Miller, Stephany Price and Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.

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White House says it didn’t create a banned word list, leaves language choices up to agencies

The White House does not have a list of banned words that are restricted from use in official documents, and instead charges individual agencies with word choice in government documents, Fox News Digital learned.

Media outlets in recent weeks have promoted reports that the Trump administration has banned hundreds of words from official documents, including words such as ‘diverse’ or ‘LGBTQ’ or ‘unconscious bias.’ 

An administration official told Fox Digital that the White House does not have a list of banned words. Instead, individual agencies hold discretion over word choice in compliance with President Donald Trump’s executive orders. 

Trump has signed 92 executive orders since his inauguration in January, including ones that have targeted diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in the public and private sectors, as well as ones addressing transgender issues, such as banning biological men from playing in women’s sports or banning transgender surgical procedures for children. 

A handful of the executive orders rescinded Biden-era policies, such as ending DEI programs that were woven into the fabric of the federal government during his term. 

The New York Times reported that about 250 words were removed from the Trump administration’s lexicon or used with discretion. The list included a handful of words that could defy Trump’s executive orders on trans issues and DEI, including: ‘they/them,’ ‘breastfeed + people,’ ‘antiracist,’ ‘people + uterus’ or ‘confirmation bias.’ 

In February, the White House hit back on a report that Food and Drug Administration officials were instructing scientists to stop using words such as ‘woman,’ ‘disabled’ and ‘elderly’ in external documents, as they were on an alleged FDA list of banned words for the administration. 

A White House official told Reuters in February that the majority of words listed as allegedly banned did not need to be removed from external communications and documents, arguing the agency likely misinterpreted Trump’s executive orders on gender ideology. 

The White House specifically identified words such as ‘gender,’ ‘inclusion,’ ‘identity,’ ‘diversity,’ ‘intersex,’ ‘equity,’ ‘equitable,’ ‘transgender’ and ‘trans’ as ones that do not need to be prohibited in order to comply with Trump’s executive orders, according to Reuters. 

Presidential administrations have a long history of adjusting the language used in their official documents and external communications in an effort to realign the federal government with the administration’s policies and vision for the future. 

The Biden administration, for example, used the phrase ‘birthing people’ instead of ‘mothers’ in a 2022 budget proposal before the phrase — and similar ones such as ‘menstruators’ — were used by other federal officials and agencies. The Obama administration favored the phrase ‘undocumented immigrants’ versus ‘illegal immigrant’ in official text and presidential speeches.

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Klarna, nearing IPO, plucks lucrative Walmart fintech partnership from rival Affirm

Swedish fintech firm Klarna will be the exclusive provider of buy now, pay later loans for Walmart, taking a coveted partnership away from rival Affirm, CNBC has learned.

Klarna, which just disclosed its intention to go public in the U.S., will provide loans to Walmart customers in stores and online through the retailer’s majority-owned fintech startup OnePay, according to people with knowledge of the situation who declined to be identified speaking about the partnership.

OnePay, which updated its brand name from One this month, will handle the user experience via its app, while Klarna will make underwriting decisions for loans ranging from three months to 36 months in length, and with annual interest rates from 10% to 36%, said the people.

The new product will be launched in the coming weeks and will be scaled to all Walmart channels by the holiday season, likely leaving it the retailer’s only buy now, pay later option by year-end.

The move heightens the rivalry between Affirm and Klarna, two of the world’s biggest BNPL players, just as Klarna is set to go public. Although both companies claim to offer a better alternative for borrowers than credit cards, Affirm is more U.S.-centric and has been public since 2021, while Klarna’s network is more global.

Shares of Affirm fell 13% in morning trading Monday.

The deal comes at an opportune time for Klarna as it readies one of the year’s most highly anticipated initial public offerings. After a dearth of big tech listings in the U.S. since 2021, the Klarna IPO will be a key test for the industry. The firm’s private market valuation has been a roller coaster: It soared to $46 billion in 2021, then crashed by 85% the next year amid the broader decline of high-flying fintech firms.

CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski has worked to improve Klarna’s prospects, including touting its use of generative artificial intelligence to slash expenses and headcount. The company returned to profitability in 2023, and its valuation is now roughly $15 billion, according to analysts, nearly matching the public market value of Affirm.

The OnePay deal is a “game changer” for Klarna, Siemiatkowski said in a release confirming the pact.

“Millions of people in the U.S. shop at Walmart every day — and now they can shop smarter with OnePay installment loans powered by Klarna,” he said. “We look forward to helping redefine checkout at the world’s largest retailer — both online and in stores.”

As part of the deal, OnePay can take a position in Klarna. In its F-1 filing, Klarna said it entered into a “commercial agreement with a global partner” in which it is giving warrants to purchase more than 15 million shares for an average price of $34 each. OnePay is the partner, people with knowledge of the deal confirmed.

For Affirm, the move is likely to be seen as a blow at a time when tech stocks are particularly vulnerable. Run by CEO Max Levchin, a PayPal co-founder, the company’s stock has surged and fallen since its 2021 IPO. The lender’s shares have dipped 18% this year before Monday.

Affirm executives frequently mention their partnerships with big merchants as a key driver of purchase volumes and customer acquisition. In November, Affirm’s chief revenue officer, Wayne Pommen, referred to Walmart and other tie-ups including those with Amazon, Shopify and Target as its “crown jewel partnerships.”

An Affirm spokesman had this statement: “We win business when merchants want superior performance and maximum value, given our underwriting and capital markets advantages. We will continue our long-term strategy of competing on our products and entering into sustainable partnerships.”

The deal is no less consequential to Walmart’s OnePay, which has surged to a $2.5 billion pre-money valuation just two years after rolling out a suite of products to its customers.

The startup now has more than 3 million active customers and is generating revenue at an annual run rate of more than $200 million.

As part of its push to penetrate areas adjacent to its core business, Walmart executives have touted OnePay’s potential to become a one-stop shop for Americans underserved by traditional banks.

Walmart is the world’s largest retailer and says it has 255 million weekly customers, giving the startup — which is a separate company backed by Walmart and Ribbit Capital — a key advantage in acquiring new customers.

Last year, the Walmart-backed fintech began offering BNPL loans in the aisles and on checkout pages of Walmart, CNBC reported at the time. That led to speculation that it would ultimately displace Affirm, which had been the exclusive provider for BNPL loans for Walmart since 2019.

OnePay’s move to partner with Klarna rather than going it alone shows the company saw an advantage in going with a seasoned, at-scale provider versus using its own solution.

OnePay’s push into consumer lending is expected to accelerate its conversion of Walmart customers into fintech app users. Cash-strapped consumers are increasingly relying on loans to meet their needs, and the installment loan is seen as a wedge to also offer users the banking, savings and payments features that OnePay has already built.

Americans held a record $1.21 trillion in credit card debt in the fourth quarter of last year, about $441 billion higher than balances in 2021, according to Federal Reserve Bank of New York data.

“It’s never been more important to give consumers simple and convenient ways to access fair credit at the point of sale,” said OnePay CEO Omer Ismail. “That’s especially true for the millions of people who turn to Walmart every week for everything.”

Next up is likely a OnePay-branded credit card offered with the help of a new banking partner after Walmart successfully exited its partnership with Capital One.

“We’re looking forward to going down this new path where not only can they provide installment credit … but also revolving credit,” Walmart CFO John David Rainey told investors in June.

— CNBC’s MacKenzie Sigalos and Melissa Repko contributed to this report.

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