The game between the Detroit Pistons and the Cleveland Cavaliers experienced technical difficulties during the second half at the Little Caesars Arena on Friday, Feb. 27.

The Pistons held a 65-64 lead against the Cavaliers with 7:24 in the third quarter when the horn at the scorers’ table had a malfunction.

Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell was interviewed by ESPN during the third period when the horn started and would not stop.

The interview continued for several moments before Mitchell asked, “Do you guys hear the horn?”

The delay went on for at least 12 minutes before the arena staff managed to restart the scoreboard to stop the ongoing sound.

The staff then had to get the scoreboard back up and running before the game could continue. The area used a physical air horn to finish out the game.

Pistons defeat Cavaliers

The game went into overtime, where Detroit outscored Cleveland 8-5 to secure the 122-119 victory. Center Jalen Duren produced a double-double with 33 points and 16 rebounds against the Cavs.

‘All the things are coming together for him,” Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff said about Duren. “The game’s slowed down for him. His understanding of spacing and when to attack, all of those things have slowed down and are giving him opportunities.’

Pistons vs. Cavaliers highlights

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The English Premier League title race is heating up with Arsenal clinging to a five-point lead over Manchester City, which has a game in hand.

Arsenal host London rival Chelsea on Sunday in a showdown that also has implications for the Blues’ hopes of qualifying for next season’s Champions League. Manchester City visits Leeds on Saturday with the ability to apply some major pressure on the Gunners with a win.

Elsewhere in London, Tottenham is just four points off the relegation zone faces a tough test at Craven Cottage against Fulham.

The weekend’s action begins on Friday with last-place Wolves hosting Aston Villa, entering the match week in third on 51 points, five behind second-place Manchester City.

Watch Premier League live on Peacock

Premier League schedule this weekend

Friday, Feb. 27

Wolves vs. Aston Villa – 3 p.m. ET

Saturday, Feb. 28

Bournemouth vs. Sunderland – 7:30 a.m. ET
Liverpool vs. West Ham – 10 a.m. ET
Newcastle vs. Everton – 10 a.m. ET
Burnley vs. Brentford – 10 a.m. ET
Leeds United vs. Manchester City – 12:30 p.m. ET

Sunday, March 1

Manchester United vs. Crystal Palace – 9 a.m. ET
Brighton vs. Nottingham Forest – 9 a.m. ET
Fulham vs. Tottenham – 9 a.m. ET
Arsenal vs. Chelsea – 11:30 a.m. ET

Premier League standings, full table

Entering matches on Friday, Feb. 27

Arsenal – 61 pts (28 games played)
Manchester City – 56 pts (27 games)
Aston Villa – 51 pts
Manchester United – 48 pts
Chelsea – 45 pts (GD: +17)
Liverpool – 45 pts (GD: +7)
Brentford – 40 pts
Bournemouth – 38 pts
Everton – 37 pts (GD: -2)
Fulham – 37 pts (GD: -3)
Newcastle United – 36 pts (GD: -1)
Sunderland – 36 pts (GD: -5)
Crystal Palace – 35 pts
Brighton & Hove Albion – 34 pts
Leeds United – 31 pts
Tottenham Hotspur – 29 pts
Nottingham Forest – 27 pts
West Ham United – 25 pts
Burnley – 19 pts
Wolverhampton Wanderers – 10 pts

Bryce Lance, brother of NFL quarterback Trey Lance, is a wide receiver prospect from North Dakota State University.
He became a constant touchdown threat for the Bison, leading the FCS with 17 receiving scores in 2024.
Draft analysts believe his explosive traits could make him a Day 2 pick in the upcoming NFL draft.

INDIANAPOLIS − Bryce Lance has been a wide receiver from the start. That’s because he always had a talented quarterback throwing to him – his older brother, Trey.

“Caught from my brother growing up all the time, so that’s kinda how that happened,” Bryce Lance told USA TODAY Sports on Feb. 27 at the NFL’s annual scouting combine.

“I was tagging along with him and would end up catching from him in the backyard any chance we got.”

The tagalong often followed the paths taken by Trey, the No. 3 overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers. Bryce Lance, a North Dakota State University product like his older sibling, won’t get selected nearly that early this April. Yet he also seems well positioned to blaze a professional trail distinctly different than big bro’s – or even dad’s. (Carlton Lance played in the Canadian Football League and World League of American Football in the 1990s.)

“He was kind of living under Trey’s shadow. And having an older brother that is in the league is pretty cool, and I’m sure he’s learned so much from Trey,” says Cole Payton, Bryce Lance’s Bison quarterback in 2025.

“But the thing about Bryce is he made a name for himself – not because of Trey but because of Bryce. He’s an amazing talent, but it’s because he works his (butt) off. He’s a baller, great teammate.”

Bryce Lance carved out role as TD threat at SDSU

Bryce Lance, who arrived in Fargo in 2021 on the heels of Trey’s departure, wasn’t an immediate college football star. But having been around the North Dakota State program while Trey was there, Bryce never doubted he was in the right place.

“I had so many connections up there already and had obviously been to so many games and made connections with coaches and teammates and the community behind the whole program,” said Lance, who was offered a scholarship during his junior year of high school in Marshall, Minnesota.

“The thing about North Dakota is there’s no professional team. So really all they’ve got is NDSU football, which is really cool for us,” added Lance, who received compelling opportunities to transfer elsewhere but declined.

“The fans are second to none. … It’s a really cool spot.”

And a spot where his presence was unmistakable once he became a starter in 2024, when he led the FCS with a school-record 17 receiving touchdowns. That success continued into 2025, after which Lance was honored as an FCS All-American. Over the last two years, he racked up 126 receptions for 2,150 yards and 25 TD grabs. A consistent deep threat, he averaged 17 yards per catch.

“Bryce’s speed – it’s unmatched, the way he can move his body and get around defenders is so special,” said Payton.

“Really, I’m just throwing it up to Bryce, and I know he’ll be there because of how fast and athletic he is.”

Explosive traits could make Lance a Day 2 NFL draft pick

While agreeing with Payton’s assessment, ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller noted other traits that will help Lance in the NFL − and might just get him chosen on Day 2 of the draft.

“He has the ability to carry defenses down the field. He high points well, he tracks the ball so well over either shoulder,” said Miller. “And then he uses that speed to pull away from the defenders.”

Said Lance: “When the ball’s in the air, the only mentality you have is, ‘it’s mine or no one’s.’ That’s kinda the mindset I’ve had these past two seasons.”

Roughly 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds, Lance was ranked 34th on The Athletic’s “Freaks List” last year. He looks forward to showcasing his speed, vertical leap and broad jump – all indicators of high-end explosiveness – during the combine’s wide receiver testing on Feb. 28. He also hopes to surprise scouts with improved route running.

“If I’m known as the deep threat guy, that’s great. Obviously, I want to keep expanding my game into mid-level, short-level routes as well,” said Lance, who believes his ball skills are also a major strength.

“Deep routes are fun to run, not gonna lie. Catching a deep ball and going to score is fun for sure, but I want to be an all-around wide receiver at the end of the day.”

Still, Lance, whom Miller compares to Indianapolis Colts deep striker Alec Pierce, thinks his ability to stretch defenses could quickly earn him significant playing time in the NFL – something his brother has struggled to find during his five pro seasons. (Trey Lance spent the 2025 season as a backup with the Los Angeles Chargers, his third NFL team, and is scheduled to become a free agent in a few weeks.)

But, naturally, Bryce is leaning on Trey as he navigates the pre-draft process. The brothers talk daily and plan to get together following the combine. Bryce will also begin doing on-field work with Trey in preparation for North Dakota State’s March 19 pro day.

“The main thing my brother told me was to be myself, honestly,” said Bryce Lance. “He knows I’m a hard worker. He knows I do the right things, be at the right spot where I’m supposed to be. Really just this whole process is about being yourself, working hard and doing everything you can to make it.”

And Lance just might make it further, from a pro football perspective, than anyone else in his family.

“Tough man, playing to win. He’s fiery. He’s a competitor. He’s built for those moments, man,’ Miami (Ohio) coach Travis Steele said of Perry in a postgame interview. ‘So we put the ball in his hands there at the end. I told him to try and get to the rim, not settle. Which he did. He got right to that left hand. He’s really good, he can finish with either hand equally as well.”

The RedHawks trailed by as many as nine points with 6:38 left in the game. They only led the contest for 4:43 of gametime, but were able to steal a victory at the end. Peter Suder led Miami with 18 points, while Almar Atlason added 16 points and Perry finished with 14, including the game-winner.

The Broncos tied the game at 67-67 with 12 seconds on a second-chance jumper from Justice Williams. However, Perry’s layup kept the RedHawks quest for a perfect season alive. According to USA TODAY Sports’ latest bracket projections, they are slated to be an 11-seed in the East Region as an automatic qualifier out of the Mid-American Conference.

“If you look at our numbers since Jan. 1, we’re a top 60 team in defense in the country, analytically,’ Steele said. ‘We’re really trending in the right direction, when we get a little healthier, we’ll regain that offensive magic we had. But our guys figure it out. That’s what good teams do. They win when they didn’t play their best.”

There he was, minding his own business in the safety and security of his hometown, and new Florida football coach Jon Sumrall started catching strays. 

From Kirby Smart and Mario Cristobal, of all people.

Fortunately, Mike Norvell was nowhere to be found. 

Wouldn’t you know it, this whole deal began with the biggest prankster and humiliator of all, the Ol’ Ball Coach himself, Steve Spurrier. 

It was Spurrier’s annual dinner — that turned into a roast — to honor the best first-year coach in the nation, which was ironically delivered to first-year UNLV coach Dan Mullen. 

He was taking strays, too, as a former Florida coach. Even on his night to be celebrated. 

But what began as a fun mutual roast between Smart and Cristobal, quickly turned to Sumrall, who was simply sitting in the audience laughing at the back and forth between two of the best coaches in the game. 

“I don’t know what you’re laughing at,” Smart said to Sumrall, joking, of course, but nonetheless a precursor to some biting reality as Smart turned to Spurrier and asked a question. 

“Your daughter is a realtor, did I hear that right? Is she the best realtor in Gainesville?” Smart said to Spurrier, before turning back to Sumrall with the punchline. “Well, you’re the fourth (Gators) coach I’ve played since being at Georgia, so she’s getting a lot of money selling houses.”

Zing. 

Sumrall laughed, the crowd roared and everyone had a good time. But I flat out guarantee that moment will stick with Sumrall.

Just like Cristobal hitting the stage and proclaiming, “I never felt so welcomed in enemy territory. Except last year at the Swamp, 41-17.”

Zing.  

Those things leave a mark, especially for a coach who has promised a tough, unrelenting team that will fight every day to resurrect the once storied program. 

For a coach who took over a Troy program that won five games the season prior, and won 23 games and back-to-back Sun Belt conference championships. Who took over at Tulane, and played in back-to-back conference championship games — winning the 2025 title and reaching the College Football Playoff. 

Something Florida still hasn’t accomplished in the 12 years of the tournament. 

A new Florida coach who, early last season at Tulane, made it clear for the rest of college football what kind of coach he was — and what he expected from anyone his teams play. 

It was the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, and Sumrall asked Northwestern if Tulane could wear white uniforms at home in the season opener — NCAA rules state visiting teams wear white unless the schools agree otherwise — to honor the victims, and the hardship New Orleans has worked through since the tragedy. 

Northwestern promptly declined. 

Tulane then beat the brakes off Northwestern, holding the Wildcats to 237 yards in a 23-3 whitewash. After the game, Sumrall didn’t hold back. 

“When you disrespect the city of New Orleans,” Sumrall said, “You’re gonna run into it.”

Don’t think for a second Sumrall won’t use what happened at the Spurrier dinner as fuel for his team. Despite what the product has looked like in Gainesville for a majority of the last decade, there’s plenty of talent on the roster. 

Florida had a chance to beat Georgia in each of the last two seasons, but poor coaching (and once an untimely injury to then-quarterback DJ Lagway) contributed to blown leads and the game slipping away in the fourth quarter.

This past season at Miami, the Gators had the ball and trailed by six in the fourth quarter. The play calling on the critical drive from former coach Billy Napier: run, run, run, punt.

The Florida defense finally wore down, and Miami scored 13 points in the fourth quarter to back up the 41-17 Cristobal spoke of during the dinner-turned-roast in Gainesville. 

Florida won’t get another shot at Miami unless it’s in the postseason, but will get Georgia in November in Atlanta — when the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party temporarily moves because of stadium renovations in Jacksonville. 

There’s not a better time for paybacks, this time with Georgia (not Florida) playing in its home state and 80 miles from campus.

Time for Georgia to run into it.

First, the obvious: Everyone has an angle. 

So when we delve into the morass of fixing college sports, keep that at the forefront. 

Doesn’t matter how many blue ribbon commissions are held, or how many superstars or influencers or heroes of the past join the fight. Doesn’t even matter if the President of the United States decides to weigh in. 

You can’t sell a plan to fix what’s broken if someone doesn’t want to hear it. 

Unless they’re ordered — by law — to do so. 

But the front porch of any change begins and ends with the university presidents and chancellors of the Big Ten and SEC, and by proxy, their right-hand men, commissioners Tony Petitti and Greg Sankey. 

The same two men who can’t agree on a simple format change for a multibillion dollar College Football Playoff that would ensure even more money for all conferences. 

So keep that in mind when Trump and Nick Saban and Urban Meyer and Tim Tebow and university presidents and conference commissioners meet to discuss how to get their arms around the unwieldy mess — while also dealing with the intensely tribal environment of Washington D.C. 

There’s enough fault here to last two blue ribbon committees. It’s not just sharing media rights revenue, or returning to the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961. 

We are now in an era where college athletes — specifically football and basketball, because those sports drive revenue — have annual unfettered free agency. Season after season, schools can now bid for players to improve rosters.

Contracts aren’t being honored — because, in some cases, they’re really not contracts — and everyone from coaches to players to general managers to sports agents are gaming the system.

Meanwhile, we’ve all but eliminated the college experience. The ideals of growing and maturing, the joy of learning and loving, and yes, losing. 

Failure, long the greatest motivator of the college (and life) experience, has been all but eliminated. If you fail at one school, another will throw cash at you to try again. 

Academics are now secondary to team building, with every university turning admission processes into come one, come all — if you’re an athlete.

When Cal-Berkeley, the No.1 public institution in the United States — and not exactly the easiest place to be academically accepted — allows 32 transfers (many who have already played at multiple schools) in one transfer portal recruiting class, we may have a problem.

By comparison, Stanford, the No.1 private institution in the United States — and not exactly the easiest place to be academically accepted — allowed six transfers from Washington, Bucknell, UCLA, Michigan, Yale and Harvard. 

A veritable Who’s Who among academia.

I realize academics mean very little in this football/basketball equation, but the exercise of explaining just how far off course we’ve traveled in such a short time can’t go unnoticed by the Presidential commission. Or whatever they’re calling it. 

So they’ll argue about money next week, and they’ll give slight mention to academics. Meanwhile the lost value of the college experience, those four and five years of invaluable life learning and personal growth, have somehow morphed into an annual cash grab. 

I don’t blame the players; this is the setup they’ve been given, and they’re taking advantage of it until the legal system says otherwise. They were at the short end of the deal for the first 150 years of college football, given a degree and professional development in their sport in exchange for generating untold billions for universities.

So all of those important faces of college sports will talk about change at next week’s event, and they’ll look at numbers and projections of how much money the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961 can add to the pie. 

They’ll talk about how a collective television deal could lead to more money, and not limit the Big Ten and SEC earnings. The framework is everyone gets more — at their current percentages. 

In other words, if the Big Ten and SEC currently receive 50% of the overall revenue, they’ll still get 50% — only it will be 50% of more money. 

Is it realistic? Petitti and Sankey say it’s a pipe dream, that there’s no concrete evidence that shows schools can make more money by collectively bargaining with providers.

A billionaire booster at Texas Tech, Campbell says he has spent personal millions to research the potential increase in revenue the SBA will bring as part of his Saving College Sports campaign. 

The same campaign the Big Ten and SEC — who, remember, can’t agree on anything of late — criticized together Thursday when releasing their “white paper” to Congressional leaders. 

“I can’t, for the life of me, figure out why they released that right now,’ Campbell told USA TODAY Sports on Thursday.

I can: You can’t sell a plan to fix what’s broken if someone doesn’t want to hear it.

Ukrainian professional boxer Oleksandr Usyk has reportedly inked a fight with former kickboxing heavyweight champion Rico Verhoeven for the WBC heavyweight title to take place in Africa.

According to The Athletic, Usyk, who has held the unified heavyweight championship since 2025, is scheduled to fight Verhoeven on May 23.

Their fight is marketed as ‘Glory in Giza’ as the matchup is scheduled to be held at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt. It would be the first time that a heavyweight title fight is held in the country.

Their fight is the second scheduled one to take place on the African continent in 2026. Boxing legends Floyd Mayweather and Mike Tyson agreed to an exhibition fight in the Democratic Republic of Congo. That’s scheduled for April 25, a month before the Usyk-Verhoeven fight.

Usyk enters the fight with a 24-0 record, including 15 knockouts. Verhoeven won his only boxing match in 2014, against Janos Finfera, but he been a kickboxer.

The fight is expected to be aired on DAZN Pay-per-view.

Here’s what you need to know about both fighters:

Who is Oleksandr Usyk?

Usyk is 39 years old. He made his boxing debut in 2013 and hasn’t looked back since.

The 6-foot-3 southpaw currently holds three titles: IBF world heavyweight, IBO world heavyweight and WBC world heavyweight.

He has won 24 fights – 62 percent of them by knockout – and never lost.

His last fight was July 25, 2025 against Daniel DuBois, who went down twice in the fifth round and was counted out. Usyk has taken down some of heavyweight boxing’s biggest names such as Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.

Who is Rico Verhoeven?

Verhoeven just recently made his pro boxing debut at 36 years old. He’s known for being a professional kickboxer, who’s been touted by the nickname ‘The Prince of Kickboxing’ for years.

Born as Ricardo Verhoeven and hailing from the Netherlands, he stands at 6-foot-5 and has a 78.5 inch reach.

Verhoeven’s last boxing match was in 2014 but he won a unanimous kickboxing decision against Artem Vakhitov in July.

The 2026 NFL Combine is here, and as a result, football fans will soon find themselves consumed by their need for speed.

The combine is the NFL’s largest information-gathering convention ahead of the draft. Prospects go through many drills, interviews and medical tests that help the league’s 32 teams complete their respective evaluations.

But none of the drills is more popular than the 40-yard dash, which measures a prospect’s straight-line speed and offers fans a tantalizing glimpse at which players could be down-the-field playmakers.

There isn’t a direct correlation with logging a fast 40 time and finding success at the NFL level. And not all of the 319 NFL combine invitees will participate in the drill.

Still, plenty will, and prospects who blaze fast 40-yard dashes will have a chance to etch themselves into the collective consciousness of NFL fans ahead of the draft.

USA TODAY Sports is tracking the fastest 40-yard dashes at the 2026 NFL combine. Below is a look at the fastest overall players as well as the top 10 runner in every position group.

Fastest 40-yard dash times at 2026 NFL combine

Below is a look at the fastest 40-yard dashes from the 2026 NFL combine thus far.

(Asterisks indicate unofficial times.)

Lorenzo Styles Jr., S, Ohio State: 4.27
Toriano Pride Jr., CB, Missouri: 4.32
Robert Spears-Jennings, S, Oklahoma: 4.32
Treydan Stukes, S, Arizona: 4.33
Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon: 4.35
Daylen Everette, CB, Georgia: 4.38
Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon: 4.39
Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State: 4.40
Jalen Kilgore, S, South Carolina: 4.40
VJ Payne, S, Kansas State: 4.40
Chandler Rivers, CB, Duke: 4.40

NFL combine 40-yard dash results 2026

USA TODAY Sports will be tracking the 10 best 40-yard dash times at each position throughout the 2026 NFL Combine. Players scheduled to run the 40-yard dash at the combine will do so between Thursday, Feb. 26 and Sunday, March 1.

(Asterisks indicate unofficial times.)

Defensive linemen

Arvell Reese, Edge, Ohio State: 4.46
David Bailey, Edge, Texas Tech: 4.50
Malachi Lawrence, Edge, UCF: 4.52
Trey Moore, Edge, Texas: 4.54
Cashius Howell, Edge, Texas A&M: 4.59
Dani Dennis-Sutton, Edge, Penn State: 4.63
Jaishawn Barham, Edge, Michigan: 4.64
Romello Height, Edge, Texas Tech: 4.64
George Gumbs Jr., Edge, Florida: 4.66
R Mason Thomas, Edge, Oklahoma: 4.67

Linebackers

Sonny Styles, Ohio State: 4.46
Kalen Elarms-Orr, TCU: 4.47
Anthony Hill Jr., Texas: 4.51
Kyle Louis, Pittsburgh: 4.53
Namdi Obiazor, TCU: 4.53
Karson Sharar, Iowa: 4.56
Justin Jefferson, Alabama: 4.57
Jack Kelly, BYU: 4.57
Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech: 4.57
Jake Golday, Cincinnati: 4.62

Defensive backs

Lorenzo Styles Jr., S, Ohio State: 4.27
Toriano Pride Jr., CB, Missouri: 4.32
Robert Spears-Jennings, S, Oklahoma: 4.32
Treydan Stukes, S, Arizona: 4.33
Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon: 4.35
Daylen Everette, CB, Georgia: 4.38
Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State: 4.40
Jalen Kilgore, S, South Carolina: 4.40
VJ Payne, S, Kansas State: 4.40
Chandler Rivers, CB, Duke: 4.40

Tight ends

Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon: 4.39
RJ Maryland, SMU: 4.51
Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt: 4.51
Jaren Kanak, Oklahoma: 4.52
Matthew Hibner, SMU: 4.57
John Michael Gyllenborg, Wyoming: 4.60
Marlin Klein, Michigan: 4.61
Dallen Bentley, Utah: 4.62
Jack Endries, Texas: 4.62
Eli Raridon, Notre Dame: 4.62

Quarterbacks

Quarterback workouts begin Saturday, Feb. 28.

Running backs

Running back workouts begin Saturday, Feb. 28.

Wide receivers

Wide receiver workouts begin Saturday, Feb. 28.

Offensive linemen

Offensive line workouts begin Sunday, March 1.

What is the NFL combine 40-yard dash record?

Xavier Worthy set the NFL combine record in the 40-yard dash in 2024, logging an official time of 4.21 seconds during his run at Indianapolis.

Worthy’s run broke the previous 40-yard dash record of 4.22 seconds, which John Ross III set at the 2017 NFL combine. Below is a look at Worthy’s performance in the drill.

Worthy went on to be selected by the Kansas City Chiefs with the 28th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. The Chiefs traded up to select the Texas product, and he has generated 101 catches for 1,170 yards and seven touchdowns in 31 games across his first two NFL seasons.

Olympian and soccer legend Megan Rapinoe addressed President Donald Trump’s viral call with the U.S. men’s hockey team on her podcast this week.

‘The United States men’s hockey team, in their utter moment of glory … ruined it for themselves because they allowed themselves to be totally co-opted by a clown,’ Rapinoe said on A Touch More with Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe. ‘And now, you’re a clown. You look like a clown.’

During a locker room call with the men’s team, President Donald Trump invited the players to the State of the Union address. He briefly mentioned the women’s hockey team, which also won gold during the Olympics, saying he had to invite them too, or he would be ‘impeached.’ The men’s hockey team laughed at the President’s comment. President Trump also said he had medals for the team, which Rapinoe addressed in her discussion with Bird.’You have the medal. You have the medal swinging around your neck that you won, that you fought for, that you dreamt about your whole life, and then you just gave this whole moment over to this person who you know is just only gonna use it for him. Gonna totally co-opt it,’ Rapinoe said.

‘Why don’t you respect you more than to have that moment be taken by someone who, for no reason at all, just takes a huge swing and a jab at women who did the exact same thing that you did?’

President Trump’s now-viral call generated varying reactions and backlash, including rapper Flavor Flav extending an invitation to the women’s team for an alternative celebration. Team USA’s women declined the President’s invitation, citing timing and previous commitments. On Feb. 24, President Trump said they would ‘soon’ visit the White House.

Several members of the men’s team eventually addressed the chatter surrounding the call, including Olympian Jack Hughes and his brother, Quinn Hughes ‘People are so negative about things, Jack Hughes. ‘I think everyone in that locker room knows how much we support them, how proud we are of them, and we know the same way we feel about them, they feel about us.’

‘We’re just focusing on celebrating the women in our room, the extraordinary efforts, and continue to celebrate three gold medals in program history as well as the double gold for both men’s and women’s at the same time. And really not detract from that with a distasteful joke.’

In her conversation with Bird, Rapinoe said she understands that sometimes things happen in a locker room that can catch athletes off guard, putting them in an awkward position. Still, she explained that she didn’t understand the men’s team’s reaction to Trump’s ‘jab’ on the call.

‘I think, for me, I left this whole interaction and this whole kerfuffle, if you will, like, yes, why are you laughing at your friends?’ Rapinoe said.

‘But also like, why don’t you respect you enough to not be used in this moment for this unique achievement that is truly one of the greatest achievements in life? … And now this is what people think about your moment. And that sucks.’

‘Yeah, we should have reacted differently,’ Swayman told the media. ‘We know that we are so excited for the women’s team. We have so much respect for the women’s team, and to share that gold medal with them is something that we’re forever grateful for.’

‘I think, for me, I left this whole interaction and this whole kerfuffle, if you will, like, yes, why are you laughing at your friends? But also like why don’t you respect you enough to not be used in this moment for this unique achievement that is truly one of the greatest achievements in life … and now this is what people think about your moment. And that sucks.’

On some nights, UConn looks like the best team in the country. That was the case on Wednesday, when its defense held the Red Storm to just 19.6% shooting from the field. St. John’s was outscored 31-14 in the second half and missed its final 24 attempts.

The win avenges one of UConn’s three losses, which includes Arizona and Creighton. Arizona, Michigan and Duke are also on the No. 1 line.

The Huskies’ bump knocks Iowa State down a peg to a No. 2 seed. The Cyclones lost to Brigham Young last weekend but rebounded with a road win against Utah, which is tied for last place in the Big 12.

Alabama moves to a No. 4 on the back of a seven-game SEC winning streak highlighted by defeats of Auburn and Arkansas. Since the double-overtime loss in Tuscaloosa, the Razorbacks have topped Missouri and Texas A&M to climb to a No. 5.

There are 11 SEC teams in the field, led by defending national champion Florida on the No. 2 line. The conference sent a record 14 teams to last year’s tournament.

March Madness bracketology: NCAA Tournament projection

March Madness last four in

Indiana, Ohio State, Missouri, Santa Clara.

March Madness first four out

Southern California, California, Virginia Commonwealth, San Diego State.

NCAA tournament bids conference breakdown

Multi-bid leagues: SEC (11), Big Ten (10), ACC (8) Big 12 (8), Big East (3), West Coast (3).