Second-seeded UConn survived a dramatic Michigan State fightback to secure a 67-63 victory in Washington and set up a blockbuster Elite Eight clash against Duke in the NCAA tournament.
Tarris Reed Jr scored 20 points and Alex Karaban added 17 as Dan Hurley’s side navigated a tense finish in Friday’s Sweet 16 encounter.
The Huskies squandered an early 19-point advantage but held their nerve from the free-throw line during a frantic final minute.
Karaban calmly converted a crucial one-and-one opportunity with 22.5 seconds remaining to establish a three-point cushion.
Spartans fall short after spirited comeback
Michigan State had trailed 25-6 in the opening stages after succumbing to a devastating 15-1 run fuelled by the perimeter shooting of Malachi Smith, Solo Ball and Jaylin Stewart.
However, the third seeds demonstrated remarkable resilience, eventually taking a 45-44 lead midway through the second half following a Jaxon Kohler three-point play.
The East Lansing outfit’s momentum was ultimately undermined by their struggles from distance, shooting just four of 16 from beyond the arc.
Carson Cooper missed a vital late free throw for the Spartans with under five seconds remaining, allowing Reed to secure the rebound and seal the contest from the charity stripe.
Heavyweight showdown awaits against Duke
Victory ensures the defending national champions will face top seeds Duke in Sunday’s East Region final.
The Blue Devils booked their place in the regional showpiece following a narrow 80-75 triumph over St John’s in Friday’s opening matchup.
Sunday’s highly anticipated encounter brings together two of college basketball’s most storied programmes and will carry the intensity of a Final Four showdown.
It will also serve as a rematch of the iconic 1999 national championship game, which saw the Connecticut-based institution claim their first national title.
Yaxel Lendeborg delivered a commanding 23-point performance to lead Michigan to a 90-77 victory over Alabama in Chicago on Friday, securing their first NCAA Elite Eight appearance in five years.
The top-seeded Wolverines established a new school record with their 34th victory of a remarkable season.
Big Ten player of the year Lendeborg dominated the second half, adding 12 rebounds and seven assists to his impressive scoring tally.
Crucial contributions also came from the Michigan bench, who outscored their opponents 33-6 largely thanks to Trey McKenney and Roddy Gayle Jr.
Crimson Tide fall short without suspended Holloway
Alabama put up a resilient fight in the high-tempo contest despite missing star guard Aden Holloway.
The sophomore was suspended indefinitely following a March arrest on felony drug charges.
Labaron Philon Jr attempted to shoulder the scoring burden for the fourth seeds, registering 35 points in a losing effort.
Latrell Wrightsell Jr also chipped in with 15 points, but the Crimson Tide could not match their opponents’ second-half intensity.
Historic run continues in Midwest Region
Elliot Cadeau matched McKenney’s output with 17 points to ensure the Michigan offense operated smoothly throughout the regional semifinal.
Defeat ends a streak of two consecutive Elite Eight appearances for the Crimson Tide, who finish their campaign with a 25-10 record.
The Wolverines will now turn their attention to Sunday’s Midwest Region final, where they face the winner of the clash between Tennessee and Iowa State.
Caleb Foster returned from a broken foot to score 11 crucial second-half points as top-seeded Duke rallied from a 10-point deficit in Washington to defeat St. John’s 80-75 and advance to the Elite Eight.
Playing less than three weeks after foot surgery, the resilient guard rescued his team’s national title hopes on Friday night.
Isaiah Evans led the scoring with 25 points, while Cameron Boozer added 22 points and 10 rebounds for the Blue Devils.
The victory extends the nation’s longest active winning streak to 14 matches for the heavily fancied outfit.
Sloppy start threatens Duke’s campaign
Despite a relatively controlled first half, the tournament favourites emerged after the interval looking disjointed.
A series of turnovers allowed Zuby Ejiofor to capitalise with back-to-back dunks, propelling the tenacious Red Storm into a 48-44 lead.
When 6-foot-11 Ruben Prey sank his fourth consecutive three-pointer, the New York-based programme suddenly found themselves ahead by nine.
The deficit eventually stretched to 10 points before the Duke coaching staff turned to their recovering star.
Foster sparks dramatic late turnaround
Introduced in place of Cayden Boozer, the returning playmaker immediately settled the offence while his team shifted to a zone defence.
An acrobatic layup from Evans eventually tied the contest, initiating a frantic chase to the final buzzer.
With the game hanging in the balance, a crucial pull-up jumper from the recently injured guard put the Blue Devils ahead 75-69.
He then produced a driving layup in the closing stages to establish a five-point cushion and force their opponents into desperation mode.
Pitino suffers rare Sweet 16 heartbreak
The dramatic finish marks only the second defeat for legendary coach Rick Pitino in 14 career appearances at this stage of the competition.
It also brings a bitter end to an exceptional run for his squad, who had lost just once in their previous 22 fixtures.
A desperate late three-point attempt from Dylan Darling missed the target entirely, allowing Cameron Boozer to seal the result from the free-throw line.
The victorious side will now face either second-seeded UConn or third-seeded Michigan State in Sunday’s East Region final.
Defending national champions UConn have marched into their 30th women’s NCAA tournament Elite Eight after overwhelming North Carolina 63-42 in Fort Worth on Friday.
The top-seeded outfit extended their remarkable overall winning streak to 53 games in a dominant defensive display.
Sophomore forward Sarah Strong spearheaded the victory, registering 21 points and 10 rebounds against her home-state program.
Strong orchestrates decisive second-quarter surge
The Big East Player of the Year took control during a critical stretch, scoring four consecutive field goals within a devastating two-minute window.
Her commanding performance helped the tournament favourites outscore their opponents 17-8 in the second period to establish a 28-20 halftime advantage.
Blanca Quiñonez also proved instrumental for the reigning champions, contributing 16 points and initiating the pivotal scoring run with a timely layup.
As the league’s pre-eminent defender, the 21-point star also suffocated the opposition, finishing the contest with five steals and two blocked shots.
Tar Heels stumble against relentless defence
Emerging from the interval, the Huskies delivered the final blow with an unanswered 12-0 run.
All-American guard Azzi Fudd overcame a sluggish first half to ignite the third-quarter charge, sinking a crucial three-pointer to bury any hopes of a comeback.
Fourth-seeded North Carolina endured a miserable offensive outing, committing 24 turnovers and shooting a season-low 28% from the floor.
Despite 20 points from Indya Nivar, the Tar Heels suffered their second consecutive Sweet 16 exit, having fallen to Duke at the same stage last season.
Historic rivalry awaits in regional final
The unbeaten juggernaut will now face sixth-seeded Notre Dame on Sunday for a coveted spot in the Phoenix Final Four.
The Fighting Irish secured their progression earlier on Friday following a sensational 31-point triple-double from Hannah Hidalgo against Vanderbilt.
Sunday’s encounter will mark the ninth March Madness meeting between the storied collegiate programs.
Their previous eight tournament battles all occurred in the Final Four, including back-to-back national championship showdowns which the Connecticut side swept in 2014 and 2015.
The Connecticut Sun franchise has been sold to the Fertitta family for a record $300m (£238m) to bring the WNBA back to Houston in 2027.
An official announcement confirming the historic purchase is expected on Monday.
The team will play their final season at their current home in Uncasville during the 2026 campaign before making the transition to Texas.
Reviving an iconic basketball brand
Sources indicate the newly relocated franchise is expected to adopt the Comets name.
This decision harkens back to the original Houston Comets, an iconic founding member of the league.
The legendary Texas side dominated the early years of the competition, securing four consecutive championships between 1997 and 2000.
Returning to the city has been a clearly stated priority for the WNBA over recent years.
During an expansion announcement last June, the league made its geographical intentions clear.
Houston and Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta are up next and the one we have our eye on.
Cathy Engelbert, WNBA Commissioner
Expanding the NBA ownership model
This landmark agreement marks a further shift towards aligning women’s basketball teams with existing NBA ownership groups.
The Mohegan tribe had previously owned the Sun since 2003.
They originally purchased and relocated the franchise from Florida, where the side was known as the Orlando Miracle.
The tribal ownership group launched a process to explore investment options in the autumn of 2024 to help fund infrastructure projects.
They initially reached a $325m (£258m) agreement with former Boston Celtics minority owner Steve Pagliuca.
However, the WNBA governing body effectively blocked that transaction from progressing any further.
The league held firm that relocation decisions rest strictly with the Board of Governors.
This ensured that cities completing the formal expansion process maintained priority over a potential move to Boston.
The WNBA and its players union have agreed a historic seven-year collective bargaining agreement featuring unprecedented salary increases and a new revenue-sharing model.
Following months of protracted negotiations and a marathon week-long bargaining session, the two sides have secured labour peace until at least the 2031 season.
The new framework promises to fundamentally reshape the financial landscape of North America’s premier women’s basketball competition.
Revenue sharing and historic salaries
Under the terms of the new deal, team salary caps will skyrocket from $1.5m in 2025 to $7m for the 2026 campaign.
Individual compensation will also see extraordinary growth, with minimum wages set at $270,000 and maximum player salaries reaching a ceiling of $1.4m.
The agreement includes a landmark provision guaranteeing the athletes a 20% share of gross league revenue.
While this figure falls short of the union’s initial demands, it firmly ties future compensation directly to the overarching commercial growth of the sport.
Honouring past pioneers
The benefits of the transformational pact extend beyond the current crop of active stars.
Retired competitors who amassed at least five years of service while building the league will receive targeted cash recognition payments.
These legacy rewards arrive as the competition prepares to embark upon its landmark 30th season.
The WNBA and the players association accomplished their mutually stated goal of a transformational collective bargaining agreement that permanently and positively changes the landscape of the league.
Franchise owners will now enjoy increased roster-building flexibility and the security of a long-term economic model to protect their investments.
Both parties have the option to opt out of the sweeping arrangement following the conclusion of the 2031 campaign.
The NBA has presented three radical proposals to overhaul the draft lottery system to its board of governors in New York, aiming to eliminate strategic losing.
Modifications are expected for all three concepts before a formal vote takes place in May.
Each framework represents a significant departure from the current setup by bringing playoff-calibre teams into the lottery process.
Expanding the lottery field
The first concept involves 18 franchises, incorporating the bottom 10 teams alongside the eight play-in tournament qualifiers.
Under this model, the 10 worst performers would share an equal 8% chance of securing the top pick.
The remaining 20% of the odds would then be distributed among the eight play-in participants in descending order.
A two-season weighting system
A second proposal widens the field to 22 teams, introducing four franchises that suffer first-round postseason exits.
This framework would rank participants based on their combined record across two consecutive seasons, mirroring the existing WNBA system.
To mitigate the incentive to purposefully lose every game, the basketball association would introduce a minimum win total floor for calculating lottery odds.
For example, a franchise finishing a campaign with 14 wins would still be counted as having 20 victories if the seasonal floor was set at that mark.
The tiered drawing approach
The final option presented to the executives is a complex structure featuring multiple separate draws.
This method utilises the same 18 teams from the first proposal but guarantees the five worst records share identical top odds.
A secondary draw for the remaining 13 teams would follow the initial selection of the premier five draft picks.
This structure features a built-in safety net, preventing the weakest franchises from falling lower than 10th in the draft order.
Team executives and basketball operations departments will now scrutinise these concepts to identify any potential unintended consequences.
Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs have emerged as shock contenders for the NBA Championship following a remarkable 23-2 run since February.
The Texas franchise currently sits just two games behind the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder at the top of the Western Conference.
San Antonio holds a crucial tiebreaker over their divisional rivals after securing a dominant 4-1 series advantage this season.
Despite their relative youth, league insiders increasingly believe the team can secure one of the most unexpected titles in basketball history.
‘Full-on nightmares’ for opponents
The phenomenal rise of their sophomore French center has completely reshaped the upcoming postseason landscape.
Rival scouts are warning that the 21-year-old’s two-way dominance will only amplify when the elimination games begin.
“His game is going to be even more dominant in the playoffs and every game he’s going to get more and more into your head.”
The 7ft 4in superstar recently showcased his terrifying potential by blocking a shot on the defensive end before sprinting the floor to finish with a ferocious dunk.
Rival executives admit that game-planning against the generational talent has become an increasingly futile exercise.
Experience beyond their years
Critics have frequently pointed to a lack of deep playoff experience as the primary obstacle for this rising roster.
Navigating the physical and mental fatigue of a grueling seven-game series is a unique challenge that cannot be simulated during the regular season.
However, strategic acquisitions made by the front office have provided invaluable veteran leadership to balance the youthful core.
Key rotation players such as Harrison Barnes and Luke Kornet bring championship-winning pedigree directly into the locker room.
Furthermore, the high-profile addition of De’Aaron Fox equips the squad with a proven, clutch performer for high-pressure moments.
“Everyone says they don’t have experience, but they have a lot more than anyone gives them credit for.”
With a brilliantly constructed roster and an unguardable anchor leading the charge, the rest of the league is officially on high alert.