DULUTH, GA ― Duke head coach Kara Lawson believes the ACC is underrecognized nationally. She wants more acknowledgement for the league and its players.

‘There’s so much quality in our league. For whatever reason, our league doesn’t garner the same amount of headlines as other leagues, and our players don’t garner the same amount of headlines as other players, but the quality here is really high,’ Lawson said on Saturday after her team held off Notre Dame in the ACC Tournament semifinals.

‘Look at [Taina Mair] to my left. That’s one of the best point guards in the country. You just have to watch the games to realize that. She’s a winner, and she competes, and she wins. She plays both sides of the ball, and she does whatever we need to win the game. Somehow, that quality has gotten lost in how we evaluate players.’

Lawson said the most important stat for a point guard is winning. True to form, with under two minutes remaining in regulation, Duke was up by just one point when Mair made a critical 3-pointer to push Duke up by four. The Blue Devils advanced to the ACC Tournament Championship for the second consecutive year and will face Louisville at noon on Sunday (ESPN).

Lawson wasn’t the only ACC coach who recently asked for more national recognition. Louisville head coach Jeff Walz also wants more acknowledgement.

‘When we get a narrative, we stick with it. We aren’t very good, at as stories develop and teams develop, of talking about them. And we’re not the only team,’ Walz said.

‘We’re gonna beat that dead horse as long as we can. That’s just kinda what we do in women’s basketball. So, it doesn’t surprise me.’

Lawson said the ACC helped grow her team because of the level of competition, but many point to Duke’s non-conference schedule as a reason for the team’s success.

‘I don’t know if the schedule made us win today or not, but I know it’s gotten us to this point, and we grew to where we are now because of the schedule. Not just the non-conference, [but] also the league,’ Lawson said.

‘I want to say this about our league because we go against some of the top teams and the top coaches in the country in our league, and everyone wants to talk about our non-conference schedule and how that prepared us. Our league prepared us, too. The ACC prepares you. You go against top players. That’s how you grow and get better.’

Live updates: Follow Team USA’s WBC showdown with Great Britain here

HOUSTON — Team USA, which has scored 44 total runs in its two exhibitions and 2026 World Baseball Classic opener, shook up the lineup Saturday for the game against Great Britain.

Kyle Schwarber, who hit cleanup in Game 1, becomes the leadoff man, his customary spot with the Philadelphia Phillies. He’s followed in the lineup by Alex Bregman, who is certainly hoping to get more pitches to hit than Friday when he batted fifth in the opener. He was visibly frustrated, getting walked four times and hit by a pitch.

Right fielder Aaron Judge, who hit a two-run homer in the opener, and left fielder Roman Anthony are the only players who remain in the same spot in the batting order, third and seventh, respectively. Judge will be followed by Bryce Harper, who drops from second to cleanup.

Get in the game with 2026 WBC tickets

USA WBC lineup vs Great Britain

Starter: LHP Tarik Skubal

Kyle Schwarber, DH – Phillies
Alex Bregman, 3B – Cubs
Aaron Judge, RF – Yankees
Bryce Harper, 1B – Phillies
Will Smith, C – Dodgers
Gunnar Henderson, SS – Orioles
Roman Anthony, LF – Red Sox
Ernie Clement, 2B – Blue Jays
Pete Crow‑Armstrong, CF – Cubs

Catcher Will Smith replaces Cal Raleigh in the lineup and Gunnar Henderson will play shortstop instead of Bobby Witt Jr.. Ernie Clement replaces Brice Turang at second base despite the infielder’s three hits and four RBIs in the opener. Gold Glove center fielder Pete Crow‑Armstrong will bat ninth, replacing Byron Buxton, who left the game in the sixth inning Friday after being hit by a pitch an inning earlier.

 USA manager Mark DeRosa said that Buxton is fine and is available to come off the bench.

‘He got hit on the forearm,’ USA manager Mark DeRosa said. “X-rays are fine.’

With Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira set to face off in long overdue rematch Saturday, March 7, the notion that fists will be flying is more than a metaphor.

Holloway has landed 3,655 significant strikes during his UFC career, almost 1,350 more than anyone else. (Sean Strickland ranks second with 2,307 significant strikes.) Will Oliveira be able to survive Holloway’s astounding punch output? He might be among those best equipped to try.

Holloway is less effective on the mat than on his feet, and Oliveira leads the UFC in submission wins with 17.

With Holloway’s BMF title on the line, the primary hope is that it’ll be a more satisfying finish than their first fight. In that 2015 bout, Oliveira suffered a neck injury and indicated he could not continue. That prompted the referee to halt the fight at 1:39 of the first round and Holloway won by TKO.

USA TODAY Sports has everything you need to enjoy UFC 326, including updates, highlights and analysis:

UFC 326: Time, PPV, streaming for Holloway vs Oliveira

The highly anticipated rematch between Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira will take place on Saturday, March 7 and can be streamed on Paramount+.

Date: Saturday, March 7
Location: T-Mobile Arena (Las Vegas, NV)
Early Prelims start time: 5 p.m. ET
Early Prelims card stream: Paramount+
Prelims card start time: 7 p.m. ET
Prelims card stream: Paramount+
Main card start time: 9 p.m. ET on Paramount+
TV: Select coverage on CBS from 8-10 p.m.

Catch UFC action now all fights on Paramount+ Catch UFC action now all fights on Paramount+

UFC 326: Holloway vs Oliveira fight card results

Fight card according to ESPN.

Main Card:

Max Holloway vs. Charles Oliveira, lightweight
Caio Borralho vs. Reinier de Ridder, middleweight
Rob Font vs. Raul Rosas Jr., bantamweight
Drew Dober vs. Michael Johnson, lightweight
Gregory Rodrigues vs. Brunno Ferreira, middleweight

Prelims:

Cody Garbrandt vs. Xiao Long, bantamweight

Round 1: Xiao Long landed a nasty head kick. But Cody Garbrandt rallied with an to the head. Long responded with a knee to the head. Ouch.
Round 2: An unintentional head butt by Garbrandt knocked Long to the mat with 13 seconds left in the round. But the referee saw it for what it was, and Long stayed active with his kicks throughout the round.

***

Donte Johnson def. Cody Brundage by split decision, middleweight

Round 1: Cody Brundage scored a quick takedown and had Donte Johnson on the mat for more than three minutes. That’s probably where he wants to keep up. Back on his feet, Johnson started stalking and looked dangerous.
Round 2: Brundage took his foot off the gas and Johnson attacked with his wrestling. Little came of it, and maybe the biggest moment was he got away with an eye poke.
Round 3: Brundage emerged with more energy. Johnson matched it — and sustained it longer. The judges scored it 29-28, 28-29, 29-28 in favor of Johnson.

***

Alberto Montes def. Ricky Turcios by submission (2nd round), featherweight

Round 1: Ricky Turcios was aggressive, but Alberto Montes landed the cleaner and biggers shots.
Round 2: Turcios tried to run. No luck. Montes caught up to Turcios and ended by fight by Anaconda choke with 4:20 left in the round.

***

Nyamjargal Tumendemberel def. Cody Durden by unanimous decision, flyweight

Round 1: Most of the round was spent on the mat, and Nyamjargal Tumendemberel got the best of it. He threatened to end the fight early by guillotine and landed sharp blows during active grappling.
Round 2: More grappling, less interesting. Durden landed two nice shots as the round ended and Tumendemberel fired back after the air horn sounded. Round 3: Durden sticks with the grappling game plan and late in the round gains control on Tumendemberel’s back. But Tumendemberel shook free and ending any hope of an upset. The judges score it 30-27, 30-27, 29-28 in favo of Tumendemberel.

Early Prelims:

Sumudaerji def. Jesus Aguilar by unanimous decision, flyweight

Round 1: Sumudaerji towered over Jesus Aguilar and did a reasonably good job of exploiting the height advantage. But Aguilar did not struggle to survive the round. Nor did he win it.
Round 2: Waiting for Sumudaerji to dominate. And waiting, and waiting…
Round 3: It ended with the two men trading shots, with blood streaming down Aguilar’s nose and the crowd cheering. A gutsy performance from Aguilar, and a winning effort from Sumudaerji. All three judges score it 30-27 in favor of Sumudaerji.

***

Diyar Nurgozhay def. Rafael Tobias by unanimous decision, light heavyweight

Round 1: Rafael Tobias was given about two minutes to recover after taking an illegal punch to the crotch. But the bigger problem for him as the legal, left-handed shots Diyar Nurgozhay nailed him with throughout the round.
Round 2: Tobias, bleeding from the nose, stunned Nurgozhay with three solid punches and followed up with a takedown. But Nurgozhay pulled the reversal and punished Tobias as the round came to an end.
Round 3: Nurgozhay played it conservative in the final round and it turned out to be a wise move. The judges scored it 30-27, 29-28, 29-28 in favor of Nurgozhay.

***

Rodolfo Bellato def. Luke Fernandez by TKO (1st round), light heavyweight

Round 1: Luke Fernandez was controlling the fight with his right hand when Rodolfo Bellato, bleeding from his nose and near his left eye, suddenly dropped Fernandez with a left hook. Bellato pounced and commenced with the ground-and-pound, and the referee stopped the fight at 2:42 of the first round.

***

JeongYeong Lee vs. Gaston Bolanos, featherweight (canceled)

UFC 326: Holloway vs Oliveira predictions

Jake Skudder, Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online: ‘Holloway’s output accumulates punishment over the championship rounds, and Oliveira’s chin, tested by Makhachev and Poirier, likely eventually buckles under the volume.’ Prediction: Max Holloway wins by TKO, Round 4.

Alexander Volkanovski, UFC featherweight champion: ‘Max Holloway, you go 100 percent. Now he is going to get you tired, and he’s one guy who knows how to capitalize on someone being tired. If he sees you tired, he’s going to make you pay more and more and more, and he can definitely mentally and physically break you down.’’ Prediction: Holloway by finish, Round 3 or later.

Anatoly Pimentel, BetMGM: ‘My prediction is a submission victory for Oliveira over Holloway, since his grappling and jiu-jitsu skills are far superior, and it’s the best way to beat an elite striker like Holloway. Taking the fight on the ground against better strikers than him has been the weapon of choice for Oliveira.’ Prediction: Oliveira by submission.

UFC 326 odds: Holloway vs Oliveira full card

Fight card according to ESPN and odds according to BetMGM.

Main Card:

Max Holloway (-220) vs. Charles Oliveira (+180), lightweight
Caio Borralho (-235) vs. Reinier de Ridder (+190), middleweight
Rob Font (+190) vs. Raul Rosas Jr. (-235), bantamweight
Drew Dober (+120) vs. Michael Johnson (-100), lightweight
Gregory Rodrigues (-180) vs. Brunno Ferreira (+145), middleweight
Prelims
Cody Garbrandt (+140) vs. Xiao Long (-170), bantamweight
Donte Johnson (-900) vs. Cody Brundage (+600), middleweight
Ricky Turcios (+155) vs. Alberto Montes (-190), featherweight
Cody Durden (+140) vs. Nyamjargal Tumendemberel (-170), flyweight
Early Prelims:
Sumudaerji (-235) vs. Jesus Aguilar (+190), flyweight
Rafael Tobias (-185) vs. Diyar Nurgozhay (+150), light heavyweight
JeongYeong Lee (-275) vs. Gaston Bolanos (+275), featherweight (canceled)
Luke Fernandez (-235) vs. Rodolfo Bellato (+190), light heavyweight

Ring walk time for Holloway vs Oliveira main event

The main card starts at 9 p.m. ET. Ring walks for Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira are estimated to take place at about 11 p.m. ET.

Where is UFC 326: Holloway vs Oliveira?

UFC 326: Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira will be held at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 7, 2026.

UFC 326 preliminary and main card start times

Here are your start times.

Early Prelims: 5 p.m. ET (Paramount+)
Prelims: 7 p.m. ET (Paramount+)
Main card: 9 p.m. ET (Paramount+)

UFC 326 live stream

The Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira continues a new era for the UFC. All fights, from early prelims to the main card, will be available on Paramount+.

UFC 326 price

Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira will fight for a lightweight rematch in the main event of UFC’s bout on Paramount+. Say goodbye to the pay-per-view fees, but don’t forget the Paramount+ subscription fee of $8.99 that gets you access to UFC fights.

Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira: Tale of the tape

UFC moves to Paramount+ ending PPV era

UFC moves on from its PPV model with ESPN and ESPN+. With its seven-year, $7.7 billion deal with Paramount, the promise is upwards of 40 UFC events a year. It all began in 2026 with UFC 324 on Jan. 24, which was broadcast on Paramount+. UFC 326 will have select coverage on CBS.

The Big 12 women’s basketball tournament final is set.

No. 2 West Virginia defeated No. 6 Colorado 48-47 in the semifinal on Saturday to punch its ticket to the championship game on Sunday, where they will face No. 1 TCU.

Both teams struggled from the 3-point line for a majority of the game, but the closing minutes turned into a shootout. Colorado’s Desiree Wooten hit a 3-pointer with 1:08 remaining to give the Buffaloes a 45-43 lead. Then, West Virginia’s Gia Cooke knocked down a 3-pointer with 32 seconds left to retake the lead, 46-45.

Jordan Harrison hit two free throws to extend West Virginia’s lead to three points with 16 seconds remaining. Wooten attempted a game-tying 3-pointer with 2.9 second remaining, but was fouled by West Virginia’s Kierra Wheeler. Wooten was awarded three free throws, but only converted two to come within one point, 48-47.

Cooke missed two free throws with 2.2 seconds left, opening the door for Colorado. But the Buffaloes weren’t able to get a final shot off because Jordan Harrison, the Big 12 defensive player of the year, came up with a steal.

Harrison finished with a team-high 15 points, five rebounds and four steals. Gia Cooke added 14 points in the win.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Big 12 Tournament semifinal matchup between West Virginia and Colorado:

End of Q3: West Virginia 34, Colorado 30

West Virginia started to find some rhythm in the third quarter and outscored Colorado 17-13 in the third quarter to take a slight four-point lead into the fourth quarter. Defense has led to offense for the Mountaineers. West Virginia has scored 10 points off 11 Colorado turnovers and has nine fast break points, compared to none for Colorado. Jordan Harrison has a game-high 13 points for West Virginia.

Colorado trailed by as many as 12 points in the third quarter, but the Buffaloes closed the frame on an 8-0 run. Zyanna Walker leads Colorado with 12 points.

Halftime: West Virginia 17, Colorado 17

West Virginia and Colorado are tied after one half, 17-17, The combined score of 34 sets a new record for the fewest combined points in a half in the Big 12 women’s basketball tournament semifinals.

Both team’s struggled to find any offensive rhythm. West Virginia is shooting 23% from the field and 1-of-7 from the 3-point line. The Buffaloes are faring slightly better from the field (30%), but are 0-of-7 from the 3-point line.

End of Q1: West Virginia 13, Colorado 12

The second semifinal matchup of the Big 12 women’s basketball tournament is underway. West Virginia has a 13-12 lead over Colorado after one quarter and its proved to be a defensive battle.

What time is West Virginia vs. Colorado?

The Big 12 women’s basketball tournament’s semifinal round matchup between No. 2 West Virginia and No. 6 Colorado tips off Saturday, March 7 at 6:30 p.m. ET at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri. 

Date: Saturday, March 7
Time: 6:30p.m. ET
Location: T-Mobile Center (Kansas City, Missouri)

The winner will advance to the championship game on Sunday, March 8 (5 p.m. ET, ESPN+). Selection Sunday follows on March 15, with March Madness tipping off on March 18.

West Virginia vs. Colorado: TV, streaming

The Big 12 women’s basketball tournament semifinal game between West Virginia and Colorado will be shown exclusively on ESPN+.

Stream Virginia-Baylor/Colorado on ESPN+

West Virginia Mountaineers starting lineup

Head coach: Mark Kellogg

1 Carter McCray | F 6-1 – Junior
3 Gia Cooke | G 5-8 – Junior
5 Sydney Shaw | G 5-9 – Senior
10 Jordan Harrison | G 5-6 – Senior
22 Kierra Wheeler | F 6-1 – Senior

Colorado women’s basketball starting lineup

Head coach: JR Payne

1 Zyanna Walker | G 5’11 – Junior
13 Maeve McErlane | G 5-11 – Junior
14 Jade Masogayo | F 6-3 – Senior
15 Anaelle Dutat | F 6-0 – Senior
17 Tabitha Betson | F 6-2 – Sophomore

West Virginia Mountaineers Roster

Colorado Buffaloes Roster

Big 12 women’s basketball tournament 2026

All times Eastern

Saturday, March 7- Semifinals

Game 13: No. 1 TCU 74, No. 12 Kansas State 62
Game 14: No. 2 West Virginia vs. No. 6 Colorado | 6:30 p.m. (ESPN+)

Sunday, March 8

Championship: No. 1 TCU vs. Winner of Game 14 | 5:00 p.m. (ESPN+)

Reach USA TODAY National Women’s Sports Reporter Cydney Henderson at chenderson@gannett.com and follow her on X at @CydHenderson.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

Messi scored No. 899 of his career Saturday, March 7, leading Inter Miami to a 2-1 win against D.C. United in front of a record-setting crowd at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.

Rodrigo De Paul also scored for Inter Miami in front of 72,026 fans at the home of the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens, marking the largest crowd in D.C. United’s history and a top 10 standalone crowd all-time in MLS history.

Two days after Messi and Inter Miami visited President Donald Trump at the White House, Messi delivered a highlight moment early in the first half.

Messi converted after a stellar pass from Mateo Silvetti up through the left side of the pitch, floating the score over the head of D.C. United goalkeeper Sean Johnson in the 27th minute.

De Paul, Messi’s Argentine World Cup-winning teammate, opened the scoring in the 17th minute for the defending MLS Cup champions.

However, Messi failed to fire a shot in the second half – immediately leaving the pitch in frustration as time expired.

Inter Miami found themselves on the defensive end for much of the second half, especially in the closing moments.

D.C. United’s Tai Baribo scored a putback goal, rebounding a shot from Jackson Hopkins that was deflected by Inter Miami goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair in the 75th minute.

Still, Inter Miami hung on for their second victory of the season.

The club has started its season playing three league matches, following five preseason games, on the road as it awaits the April 4 opening of its new venue, Nu Stadium at Miami Freedom Park.

“I think we have to appreciate the positive things,” Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano said after the match. “Three games away, we’ve achieved two victories. There’s a lot to improve, but it’s always better to improve from a victory.”

Added St. Clair: “Obviously, we made it a little tougher on ourselves at the end there, but we were able to close up shop and make sure they don’t get the second to tie it up.”

Messi has scored 80 goals in 91 career matches with Inter Miami and is the young franchise’s all-time leader.

Inter Miami will visit rival Nashville SC in the first leg of their Concacaf Champions Cup round-of-16 matchup on March 11, then resume MLS play at Charlotte FC on March 14.

Check out these highlights from the D.C. United vs. Inter Miami match:

D.C. United vs. Inter Miami highlights

Inter Miami 2, D.C. United 1: Rodrigo De Paul misses in added time (92’)

Rodrigo De Paul had a chance to ice the match in added time, but his shot in front of the net soared into the stands.

Inter Miami 2, D.C. United 1: More than 70,000 fans in attendance

The most fans to watch a soccer match in Baltimore: An announced crowd of 72,026 fans attended the Messi match at M&T Bank Stadium.

Inter Miami 2, D.C. United 1: Tai Baribo scores goal (75’)

D.C. United’s Tai Baribo scores a putback goal, rebounding a shot from Jackson Hopkins that was deflected by Inter Miami goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair in the 75th minute. The final 15 minutes should be interesting.  

Inter Miami 2, D.C. United 0: Tadeo Allende comes on (71’)

Tadeo Allende, who scored nine goals during Inter Miami’s MLS Cup run last season, enters as a substitute in the 71st minute for Mateo Silvetti.

Inter Miami 2, D.C. United 0: Louis Munteanu misses bicycle kick (61′)

D.C. United’s Louis Munteanu, who came on as a substitute in the 61st minute, nearly converted a bicycle kick in the 64th minute. His shot missed just outside the left post.

Inter Miami 2, D.C. United 0: Another look at Messi’s goal

As the second half is underway, here’s another look at Messi’s goal scored in the first half.

Inter Miami 2, D.C. United 0: Halftime recap

It’s been a one-sided affair in Baltimore: Lionel Messi scored the 899th goal of his career (27’), Rodrigo De Paul started the scoring (17’) and Inter Miami leads D.C. United 2-0 at halftime.

Inter Miami 2, D.C. United 0: Messi nearly scores again (38’)

Messi fired another shot just outside the box in the 38th minute, trying to curl his shot toward the right post, but misses.

Inter Miami 2, D.C. United 0: Lionel Messi scores goal (27′)

Messi has gotten on the scoreboard, converting on a through pass from Mateo Silvetti to double Inter Miami’s lead. It’s Messi’s third goal of the MLS season, and No. 80 during his time with Inter Miami in 91 matches.

More important, Messi sits at 899 goals in his career – one away from No. 900.

Inter Miami 1, D.C. United 0: Rodrigo De Paul scores goal (17′)

Inter Miami midfielder Rodrigo De Paul scores in the 17th minute on an assist from Telasco Segovia to take a 1-0 lead. Inter Miami scored off an impressive defensive stop by Germán Berterame to start the sequence.

Messi, Inter Miami vs. D.C. United match underway

Messi goes through pregame warmups

It’s a chilly and cloudy 55 degrees in Baltimore, but Messi and Inter Miami are getting ready to kick things off.

How to watch D.C. United vs. Inter Miami match?

The match will be available to live stream on Apple TV.

Watch MLS live on Apple TV

What time does the D.C. United vs. Inter Miami match begin?

The match begins at 4:30 p.m. ET (6:30 p.m. in Argentina).

Messi, Inter Miami arrive to the Bank

Messi and Inter Miami have arrived for today’s match in Baltimore.

Is Messi playing today? Inter Miami, D.C. United starting lineups

Yes, Messi is healthy and in the starting lineup. Here’s the starting 11 for both sides.

Messi’s on all-time scoring list

Messi is second only behind Cristiano Ronaldo on soccer’s all-time scoring list (965 goals). If Messi scores twice against DC United, both players will be the only in history to surpass 900 goals.

Among active players: Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski (691) and Messi’s Inter Miami teammate Luis Suarez (600) are next on the list.

Messi meets Trump at White House visit

Messi stood beside Trump and Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas as his teammates and coaches stood behind them during a ceremony at the White House to commemorate the club’s 2025 MLS Cup title.

“We complied with a protocol that is a tradition to come to the White House for being the championships team,” Mascherano said Friday. “We were there a few hours, got to see a little bit of the White House, not much, what we could. The contact with President Trump was what was seen on TV, not much more than that.”

Check out these highlights from Inter Miami’s visit.

Messi’s upcoming schedule with Inter Miami, Argentina

March 11: Nashville SC vs. Inter Miami, 7:30 p.m. ET (Concacaf Champions Cup)
March 14: Charlotte FC vs. Inter Miami, 7:30 p.m. ET (MLS regular season)
March 18: Inter Miami vs. Nashville SC, 7 p.m. ET (Concacaf Champions Cup)
March 22: New York City FC vs. Inter Miami, 1 p.m. ET (MLS regular season)
March 27: Spain vs. Argentina, 2 p.m. ET (Finalissima)
March 31: Qatar vs. Argentina, TBD (International friendly)
April 4: Inter Miami vs. Austin FC, 7:30 p.m. ET (MLS regular season)

After upsetting Vanderbilt in the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament, No. 7 Ole Miss will play in the conference tournament semifinals on Saturday in Greenville, South Carolina, against No. 3 Texas.

Yolett McPhee-McCuin’s Rebels and Vic Schaefer’s Longhorns are playing with the winner will advance to Sunday’s championship game.

Ole Miss played Texas close earlier this season, losing to the Longhorns on their homecourt in Austin by just three points on Jan. 4. Texas is 9-1 all-time against Ole Miss and hasn’t lost to the Rebels since joining the SEC.

Texas advanced to the semifinals with a win over Alabama, a game in which Jordan Lee scored 16 points. Latasha Lattimore powered Ole Miss in its upset of Vanderbilt with 28 points.

Here’s live coverage of Texas-Ole Miss:

Third Quarter: Texas 57, Ole Miss 55

The Rebels have narrowed the gap with the Longhorns heading into the fourth quarter after outscoring them 23-15 in the third.

Latasha Lattimore scored eight points and Denim DeShields had nine points in the third frame to power Ole Miss. Cotie McMahon has 18 points so far to lead the Rebels, while Madison Booker has 18 for Texas.

Halftime: Texas 42, Ole Miss 32

Madison Booker has 12 points and Jordan Lee has seven as the Longhorns lead the Rebels by double figures at halftime.

Cotie McMahon has 16 points for Ole Miss, but the Rebels have been hampered by 11 turnovers and an inability to defend Texas inside. The Longhorns are outscoring the Rebels 30-14 in the paint.

First Quarter: Texas 22, Ole Miss 16

Despite 10 points from Cotie McMahon, the Rebels trailed the Longhorns at the end of the opening period of the SEC Tournament semifinals on Saturday in Greenville, South Carolina.

Madison Booker is powering Texas with eight points. The Longhorns have scored all of their points in the paint. Texas also has four steals and three blocks so far.

What time is Texas vs. Ole Miss?

Date: Saturday, March 7
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Location: Bon Secours Wellness Arena (Greenville, South Carolina)

Coach Yo’s Ole Miss Rebels face Vic Schaefer’s Texas Longhorns in the semifinals of the SEC Women’s Tournament at 7 p.m. ET Saturday, March 7 in Greenville, South Carolina.

Texas vs. Ole Miss: TV, streaming

TV: ESPN2
Stream: ESPN+, SlingTV

Ole Miss and Texas’ game will air live on ESPN2. Streaming options for the game include Sling TV.

The Big 12 women’s basketball tournament semifinal matchups are set.

The No. 2 West Virginia Mountaineers will duke it out against the No. 6 Colorado Buffaloes on Saturday, March 7 at 6:30 p.m. ET at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri. The winner will go on to face either No. 1 TCU or No. 12 Kansas State in the Big 12 Tournament championship game on Sunday.

West Virginia cruised to the semifinals with a 67-54 win over No. 10 Arizona State on Friday. Mountaineers senior guard Sydney Shaw finished with a team-high 19 points, shooting 7-of-18 from the field and 5-of-13 from the 3-point line. Gia Cooke added 16 points, while Jordan Harrison had 10 points and five assists. 

Meanwhile, Colorado punched its ticket to the Big 12 semifinal for the first time since 2003 with a 62-53 win over No. 3 Baylor on Friday. Desiree Wooten led the way with 21 points (8-of-16 FG, 3-of-7 3PT) and five rebounds off the bench. Zyanna Walker added 19 points and four rebounds. 

Here’s everything you need to know about the Big 12 Tournament semifinal matchup between West Virginia and Colorado:

End of Q1: West Virginia 13, Colorado 12

The second semifinal matchup of the Big 12 women’s basketball tournament is underway. West Virginia has a 13-12 lead over Colorado after one quarter and its proved to be a defensive battle.

What time is West Virginia vs. Colorado?

The Big 12 women’s basketball tournament’s semifinal round matchup between No. 2 West Virginia and No. 6 Colorado tips off Saturday, March 7 at 6:30 p.m. ET at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri. 

Date: Saturday, March 7
Time: 6:30p.m. ET
Location: T-Mobile Center (Kansas City, Missouri)

The winner will advance to the championship game on Sunday, March 8 (5 p.m. ET, ESPN+). Selection Sunday follows on March 15, with March Madness tipping off on March 18.

West Virginia vs. Colorado: TV, streaming

The Big 12 women’s basketball tournament semifinal game between West Virginia and Colorado will be shown exclusively on ESPN+.

Stream Virginia-Baylor/Colorado on ESPN+

West Virginia Mountaineers starting lineup

Head coach: Mark Kellogg

1 Carter McCray | F 6-1 – Junior
3 Gia Cooke | G 5-8 – Junior
5 Sydney Shaw | G 5-9 – Senior
10 Jordan Harrison | G 5-6 – Senior
22 Kierra Wheeler | F 6-1 – Senior

Colorado women’s basketball starting lineup

Head coach: JR Payne

1 Zyanna Walker | G 5’11 – Junior
13 Maeve McErlane | G 5-11 – Junior
14 Jade Masogayo | F 6-3 – Senior
15 Anaelle Dutat | F 6-0 – Senior
17 Tabitha Betson | F 6-2 – Sophomore

West Virginia Mountaineers Roster

Colorado Buffaloes Roster

Big 12 women’s basketball tournament 2026

All times Eastern

Saturday, March 7- Semifinals

Game 13: No. 1 TCU 74, No. 12 Kansas State 62
Game 14: No. 2 West Virginia vs. No. 6 Colorado | 6:30 p.m. (ESPN+)

Sunday, March 8

Championship: No. 1 TCU vs. Winner of Game 14 | 5:00 p.m. (ESPN+)

Reach USA TODAY National Women’s Sports Reporter Cydney Henderson at chenderson@gannett.com and follow her on X at @CydHenderson.

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Caitlin Clark last played in a basketball game in July for the Indiana Fever. 

The point guard’s idle spell will end at the FIBA World Cup Qualifying Tournament with USA Basketball in San Juan, Puerto Rico this week. Team USA is scheduled to play five games beginning March 11 against Senegal.

“It’ll probably take me a second to knock a little bit of the rust off,” Clark said over Zoom from USA Basketball camp in Miami. “I’ll probably be a little bit nervous, which I usually don’t get nervous, but that probably just will come from, you know, I haven’t really played basketball in a while. I’m sure after the first minute of running around on the court, I’ll be just fine. But more than anything, just really excited.”

Clark injured her right groin against the Connecticut Sun in Boston last July, three days before the WNBA All-Star break. She never made it back as the Fever advanced all the way to the WNBA semifinals with her cheering from the bench.

Limited to 13 games in 2025, Clark suffered a quad injury in training camp, a separate strain in the same quad a week into the season before straining her left groin in June and her right groin in July. She sprained her ankle in August while rehabbing from the groin injury. 

Clark spent the early offseason rehabbing the groin and ankle injuries, and said at USA Basketball’s camp in December that she was 100% healthy. But she hasn’t had an opportunity to play 5-on-5 against an opponent, only in practice.

“It’s definitely been a while since I played a game,” Clark said. “Obviously, I played in the camp we had in December, and then doing everything I can to simulate as much live play in training and pick up and things like that. But nothing quite emulates this type of environment.”

After eight months, Clark will be back on the court. And she feels better than ever.

“I know how much work and how much time I put in to make sure my body’s as healthy as it can be, and to get back not only to a point where I feel like I’m myself, but I feel like I’m even better than where I was at the beginning of last season,” Clark said. “I started off the season really well before I was hurt, and tried to play through being hurt. So more than anything, just excited to be out there, to be surrounded by a lot of really good players.”

Colorado quarterback Dominiq Ponder died in a car accident on March 1 at the age of 23.
Coach Deion Sanders delivered a eulogy, stating Ponder was ‘chosen’ by God to unite the team and community.
A memorial service was held on the University of Colorado campus for Ponder’s family, friends, and teammates.

Colorado football coach Deion Sanders delivered a eulogy for quarterback Dominiq Ponder on Saturday, March 7, telling Ponder’s family, friends and teammates that Ponder was “chosen” by God to unite them after dying in a car accident March 1 at age 23.

Sanders gave the final tribute, speaking for about four minutes at a memorial service for Ponder on the university campus in Boulder.

He asked a big question: Why did this have to happen?

“When we’re successful and we’re excelling and we’re overcoming adversity, we never ask God why then,” Sanders said. “But only in our demise and the sadness of life, we challenge and ask God why. I think I got the solution. Because as I look right there and look at a young man that was so full of life, full of respect, hustle and hard work and integrity. God, for real? And He whispered, `Dom was chosen.’ Dom was chosen to unite y’all. Dom was chosen to bring you together. Dom was chosen to override all ethnicities, social climates, background and ideologies and thought process. Dom was chosen.”

‘I’m struggling with this,’ Pat Shurmur says at memorial

Ponders’ death stunned his team a day before the Buffaloes began spring practice March 2. After playing high school football in Florida, Ponder redshirted at Bethune-Cookman in 2023 before arriving at Colorado as a non-scholarship quarterback. He only appeared in two games in 2025 as the team’s fourth-string quarterback.

But his big smile and personality touched the lives of many, including former Colorado offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur, who was asked to return to campus to speak about Ponder on Saturday after his contract expired in January.

“I’m struggling with this,” Shurmur said at the memorial, which was also livestreamed online.

Ponder’s father notes the significance of No. 7

Shurmur said Ponder inspired him and recalled Ponder’s “bright smile.” He said he said he could talk about him “for days” and noted he graded players in different categories on a scale of zero to five.

“He’s all fives,” Shurmur said of Ponder.

He also was No. 7, as his father Wendell told the congregants. He previously wore jersey No. 22 at Colorado but had earned the right to wear No. 7 for the first time when spring practice started March 2, the day after he died.

“Seven serves as a stamp of God,” Wendell Ponder said. “The seven is mentioned in the Bible — the number seven — over 700 times. Seven represents perfection, completion and fulfillment. It signifies God’s complete work, something finished, the way God intended. Now you were all number seven. Dom was with all of you. Forever. Amen.”

‘This should have never happened,’ Ponder’s sister says

A GoFundMe page has been created to help Ponder’s family with funeral expenses and had raised more than $14,000 by Saturday afternoon. His mother Catrina also spoke at the memorial and read a written tribute from his younger sister, Monroe, who stood on stage as she read it.

“My brother was one of the funniest, most outgoing people you could ever meet,” Monroe said through her mother. “He laughed at everything. He made jokes about everything. And if he was comfortable with you, you definitely saw his weird side. He would say the most random, corny things and somehow make them hilarious.”

She said she talked to him every day and wanted to be like him.

“You were an amazing big brother, and I honestly don’t know what I’m gonna do without you,” she said. “This should have never happened, but I know you’re OK. I know you’re up there smiling, probably already telling jokes, probably fighting for that starting position in heaven. And I feel so honored that I got to be your little sister. I love you.”

Sanders appeared to get emotional at one point during his final tribute when he spoke again about how parents send their children to college to grow into adults, not to never come back.

“Your parents sent you here and you chose to come here to evolve into a man, not to not make it back home,” Sanders said. “But Dom… was chosen. God bless you.”