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North Carolina athletic director Bubba Cunningham said Saturday the school is evaluating “all facets” of its tradition-rich men’s basketball program after another early exit from the NCAA Tournament under Hubert Davis. Cunningham said in a statement he is working with UNC chancellor Lee Roberts and executive associate athletic director Steve Newmark — who will take over as Cunningham’s successor in the coming months — in that review. “Every year at the end of the season, it’s important to evaluate all facets of the program and look for ways to improve,” Cunningham said. “The chancellor, Steve and I are doing that together now and will continue to have discussions over the coming days.” Davis closed his fifth season Thursday as successor to retired Hall of Fame coach Roy Williams with an overtime loss to VCU in the South Region, coming after the Rams rallied from 19 down for the biggest comeback in first-round history. The program, with six NCAA titles and a national-record 21 Final Fours, now has just three March Madness wins in the four seasons since an unexpected run to the 2022 national title game in Davis’ debut season. That includes reaching the Round of 32 only once in that span, a Sweet 16 appearance two years ago as a No. 1 seed that lost in an upset to Alabama. Davis signed a two-year extension last season running through 2029-30. The school would owe Davis $5 million in base salary payments for the remaining years of his deal, plus additional payments for the remaining months of the 2025-26 season. Reporting by The Associated Press.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Darrell Green already has a gold jacket as a Pro Football Hall of Famer. He’s returning to the field at 66 years old for a chance at a gold medal in flag football. Green, the longtime defensive back for Washington who hasn’t played in the NFL since 2002, is taking part in the national team trials this weekend in Chula Vista, California. He joins a host of athletes trying out with all levels of football experience, from flag to tackle to 20 NFL seasons (see: himself). At stake is an invitation to training camp next month and possibly a roster spot on the 2026 national flag football squad that will compete at the world championships in Germany this summer. It’s just another step in a series of steps ahead of flag football making its Olympic debut at the 2028 LA Games. “Darrell qualified through our digital combine. He’s later in his career than the other trials participants, but his testing results were impressive,” said Callie Brownson, the senior director of high performance and national teams for USA football. “Our coaches and staff felt he deserved a closer look. … He’s a rare athlete who has stayed in shape and is ready to compete this week.” Lockdown defensive back with 20 years of NFL experience Green was known for his lockdown coverage skills, blazing speed and durability over a career that spanned 20 seasons. A first-round pick in 1983, Green helped Washington to a pair of Super Bowl titles. He had 54 interceptions and another six in the postseason, including a pick of Jim Kelly in Super Bowl 26 when Washington beat the Buffalo Bills, 37-24. At 66, Green has his work cut out for him to make the roster. The U.S. men’s flag football squad is already the gold standard, winning six of the last seven IFAF world championship tournaments since 2010. On USA Football’s Instagram page, Green said: “I’m going to give it my best, and I’ll walk away with my head up, either way.” There are roughly 100 men and women attempting to stand out in front of U.S. national team coaches and personnel this weekend. Other players at trials include basketball standouts Loryn Goodwin, who was a second-round selection in the 2018 WNBA draft, and O’Mariah Gordon, an all-ACC guard for Florida State. “The agility, creativity, hand-eye coordination and vertical leaping ability on the basketball court translates well to a flag football field,” Brownson said. “Our pipeline continues to gain traction with athletes from many different backgrounds. We’ll keep putting a lot of effort into exploring talent transfers as we build towards flag’s Olympic debut at LA28.” The players who are selected out of training camp will join those from last year’s squads and compete to earn spots on the 2026 U.S. national team roster. The squads will take part in the IFAF flag football championships in Düsseldorf, Germany from August 13-16. “When you see a Hall of Famer, players with high-level tackle football backgrounds, former flag football gold medalists and elite athletes from other sports showing up to compete for a spot on this team, that tells you something,” Brownson said. “It speaks to the legitimate level of excitement and interest high-performing athletes have in Olympic flag football. It’s the deepest pool of athletes we’ve ever had at trials.” A busy weekend for flag football Meanwhile, up the road in Los Angeles, a cast of Team USA players will be facing a group of NFL players in the Fanatics Flag Football Classic on Saturday. The event will be held at BMO Stadium, which will be the home site when flag football makes its Olympic debut. The list of players taking part includes Tom Brady, the retired seven-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback, Jalen Hurts, Jayden Daniels and Joe Burrow. In addition, there will be pass rushers Von Miller and Myles Garrett, along with numerous others. Three teams, including Team USA, will square off in a round-robin tournament. The top two squads earn a spot in the championship game. “We wanted this opportunity to be able to face these guys,” U.S. team quarterback Darrell “Housh” Doucette III said. “Just show what flag football is truly about.” Reporting by The Associated Press.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

One day was madness, the other was mundane. Split across Thursday and Friday, the opening round of this year’s NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament became an exercise in polarity. The former dripped with excitement in the form of Ohio State-TCU, Wisconsin-High Point, VCU-North Carolina and an instant classic between Siena and Duke in which the event’s No. 1 overall seed was nearly felled. The latter brought an onslaught of predictability as every single betting favorite advanced to the Round of 32 in the chalkiest of slates. Now we move onto the weekend. Here are my takeaways from the opening round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament: 1. St. John’s sends a message to the selection committee [NCAA Men’s Tourney: 68 Names To Know] By and large, there wasn’t much for the masses to complain about when this year’s men’s NCAA Tournament bracket was revealed earlier this month. The four No. 1 seeds had separated themselves enough during the regular season to quiet any debate about who deserved to land on the top line. The bubble was so weak and barren that nobody on the outside looking in could really have a legitimate gripe. Every team and every seed felt comfortably within the expected margin for error — except what happened to St. John’s. Winners of both the Big East regular season and tournament titles for the second consecutive season, the Red Storm (28-6 overall) were inexplicably handed a No. 5 seed and shipped across the country to play first- and second-round matchups in San Diego. Head coach Rick Pitino voiced his displeasure in a pregame news conference on Thursday afternoon. “We’re a 5-seed because the Big East is not regarded the way they used to be when I was at Louisville,” Pitino said. “So that’s the problem.” There’s no question that the Big East largely endured a down season, evidenced by only three teams reaching the NCAA Tournament in St. John’s, UConn and Villanova. While Seton Hall (21-12, 10-10) permeated most bubble conversations down the stretch, other perennial league powers like Creighton and Marquette finished below .500 in conference play. When eighth-seeded Villanova lost its opening-round game by double digits to Utah State on Friday afternoon, the league’s reputation took yet another hit. But punishing a Red Storm team that doled out a 20-point thumping of UConn in the Big East Tournament last weekend simply because the rest of the league is soft never made much sense. Especially considering how favorably the committee treated Duke (1-seed) and Virginia (3-seed) in what was nothing more than a modest season in the ACC. Two things can be true simultaneously: Sure, the Big East struggled this year, but St. John’s still performed well enough to receive a higher seed in the NCAA Tournament. Though Pitino downplayed the idea that his team would harbor any kind of grudge when it took the floor against No. 12 Northern Iowa, the instant domination seemed to speak for itself. St. John’s opened the game on a 13-0 run and led by 19 points at halftime, smashing the Panthers on the glass and burying them with a barrage of seven makes from beyond the arc. When the game finally and mercifully ended late on Friday evening, the Red Storm had cruised to an emphatic 79-53 victory that set up a meeting with fourth-seeded Kansas on Sunday. Just imagine what Pitino’s team could have done to an even lesser opponent if the committee seeded St. John’s properly. 2. An injury to Iowa State star Joshua Jefferson could radically change the Midwest Region [MEN’S BRACKET: NCAA Tournament Bracket, Leaders & Stats] Everything about the potential outcome in the Midwest Region, where Michigan holds the 1-seed, quaked and quivered when Iowa State forward Joshua Jefferson suffered an injury fewer than three minutes into his team’s opening-round game against No. 15 Tennessee State on Friday afternoon. Jefferson soared toward the hoop for an attempted layup with 17:23 remaining in the first half when he landed awkwardly beneath the basket, his left ankle rolling quite significantly. He slapped the floor in frustration and rocked back and forth in pain before the Cyclones’ trainer arrived at his side. Eventually, Jefferson was helped off the floor and into the locker room without putting any weight on his injured leg. Television cameras later showed Jefferson on crunches in the tunnel. He wore a boot in the locker room after the game. “He has a sprained left ankle,” Iowa State head coach T.J. Otzelberger said in his postgame news conference. “We had an X-ray and the X-ray was negative. So we’ll continue to reevaluate over the next day or two and just see where things are when we get to Sunday.” Though Iowa State pounded Tennessee State, 108-74, the Cyclones will need to adapt their game plan significantly if the injury to Jefferson proves significant enough to sideline him in the Round of 32 against No. 7 Kentucky on Sunday. Jefferson, a senior, is second on the team in scoring (16.9 points per game), first in rebounding (7.6 per game), second in assists (4.9 per game), second in steals (1.7 per game) and tied for first in blocks (0.9 per game). He is second in this season’s Player of the Year rankings on KenPom behind power forward Cameron Boozer of Duke.Losing a player of Jefferson’s ilk for any prolonged period of time would drastically lower the Cyclones’ ceiling in a season when they’ve established themselves as one of the best teams in the country. Otzelberger’s group entered the Big Dance having notched victories over fellow NCAA Tournament teams St. John’s, Purdue, Iowa, UCF, Kansas, Houston and Texas Tech. They lost the Big 12 Tournament title game to then-No. 2 Arizona by just two points, pushing an elite 1-seed to the brink.The short-term benefactor in this situation could be Kentucky, which needed a 40-foot shot at the end of regulation to force overtime against No. 10 Santa Clara on Friday before ultimately prevailing. Beyond that, No. 3 Virginia and top-seeded Michigan loom as the other heavyweights in this quadrant. How much time Jefferson might miss and how impactful he’ll be after a potential return are now the defining storylines in the Midwest Region. 3. New head coaches make an immediate splash in Round 1 In all likelihood, the heartrate for Duke head coach Jon Scheyer still hadn’t returned to normal levels during his postgame interview after an incredible scare. His Blue Devils, the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament, narrowly escaped what would have been just the third 16-over-1 upset in the event’s history, erasing a double-digit deficit to fend off Siena. Scheyer promptly acknowledged what everyone who watched the game could plainly see. “G-Mac,” Scheyer said in reference to Saints’ head coach Gerry McNamara, “he outcoached me. They were more ready to play. And the readiness and toughness by our guys just to weather that storm in the second half, I’m proud of them. It’s great to get this win. I think there’s a lot that we can learn for moving forward.” Though the Saints ultimately deflated in an eventual 71-65 loss to Duke, the nature of Siena’s performance was emblematic of a theme that personified the opening round: A flurry of first-year coaches guiding their teams to the Big Dance and then either pushing the powers that be to the brink or defeating them outright. Never has program building and roster reconstruction happened faster than it is right now — thanks to the transfer portal, an influx of talent from abroad and a new wave of forward-thinking coaches whose schemes are built on modern analytics. No. 12 High Point, under the direction of first-year coach Flynn Clayman, scored the biggest upset of the opening day by toppling No. 5 Wisconsin and burying 15 shots from beyond the arc. No. 11 VCU, led by first-year coach Phil Martelli Jr., the son of former Saint Joseph’s head coach Phil Martelli, roared back from a 19-point deficit to stun No. 6 North Carolina in overtime, riding a starting lineup that included three transfers and one true freshman. No. 11 Texas, navigating its first season under head coach Sean Miller, buried a last-second shot to beat fellow No. 11 seed NC State in the First Four before toppling No. 6 BYU in the opening round, matching its deepest NCAA Tournament run since getting to the Elite Eight in 2008. No. 10 Texas A&M, which made the bold decision to hire then-41-year-old Bucky McMillan last April, only a few years removed from when he was still coaching high school basketball, smothered No. 7 Saint Mary’s in a convincing double-digit win. All of those results speak to how quickly a program’s trajectory can change in the modern era. The age when athletic directors were willing to wait three, four and five years for new coaches to settle in is almost certainly gone. 4. This version of Texas can make a deep run [NCAA ODDS: Latest Men’s March Madness Odds, Favorites] From now until the trend no longer holds true, one particular stat will continue to make the rounds in college basketball circles as fans across the country fill out their brackets. The most updated version looks like this: Twenty-two of the last 23 national champions have finished the season ranked among the top 25 nationally in both offensive and defensive efficiency. The lone outlier? A UConn team from 2014 that, improbably, won the whole thing as a 7-seed behind star guard Shabazz Napier. Some of the more interesting groups to consider in a tournament setting are the ones who navigated their entire pre-March Madness season with wildly lopsided metrics. Which brings us to 11-seed Texas, a team that arrived at the SEC Tournament with an offense ranked 16th nationally and a defense that checked in 119th, according to Torvik. Not exactly the balanced recipe that, in the 21st century, tends to produce national champions. But if you fast-forward a few weeks, the circumstances surrounding the Longhorns suddenly seem quite different. Back-to-back wins over fellow No. 11 seed NC State in the First Four and No. 6 BYU in the Round of 64 have painted head coach Sean Miller’s team in a far different light. Suddenly, Texas’ defense, which held the Wolfpack to 66 points and the Cougars to 71 points, now ranks 13th nationally since the NCAA Tournament began. “I think the last couple of games, from a defensive perspective, is about as good as we’ve done all year,” Miller said in his postgame news conference after defeating BYU on Thursday night. “When you connect the defense with the offense that we’ve played, you have a team that’s certainly dangerous. That’s what I would call us right now.” Miller is absolutely correct. His teams have always played high-level offense across prior coaching stints at Xavier (twice) and Arizona, with this year’s Texas squad following right along. The Longhorns have four players averaging at least 13 points per game entering Saturday’s matchup with No. 3 Gonzaga, and they draw more free throws than all but two teams in the country: Dayton and New Orleans. If the defense holds firm, Texas can hang with just about anyone. 4½. What’s next? Here are a few storylines to watch over the weekend as we move into the Round of 32: No. 5 Vanderbilt vs. No. 4 Nebraska (Saturday) — Whichever team emerges victorious on Saturday will be operating in rarified air. The Cornhuskers had never won an NCAA Tournament game prior to hammering No. 13 Troy in the opening round. The Commodores have not reached the Sweet 16 since 2007 and would be seeking the first Elite Eight appearance in school history. No. 10 Texas A&M vs. No. 2 Houston (Saturday) — This is a fascinating contrast in styles when it comes to pace. The Aggies employ a hectic, up-tempo brand of basketball under McMillan that operates at a rate of 70.2 possessions per 40 minutes, which ranks 39th nationally. The Cougars are far more methodical and deliberate under head coach Kelvin Sampson, playing an average of 63.4 possessions per 40 minutes, which ranks among the 15 slowest teams in the country. No. 9 Utah State vs. No. 1 Arizona (Sunday) — Analytically speaking, Utah State has an excellent résumé for a mid-major program. The Aggies rank 27th nationally in offensive efficiency, 43rd in defensive efficiency and 31st in Wins Above Bubble. But prior to Friday’s win over Villanova, they had only played two games against teams in this year’s NCAA Tournament: a win over VCU and a loss to South Florida. Now, Arizona presents what is by far the toughest challenge of the season for a team that — at least on paper — should acquit itself reasonably well. No. 5 Texas Tech vs. No. 4 Alabama (Sunday) — A fun game between two high-flying offenses projects as a battle of the supporting casts now that both teams are operating without key contributors. Texas Tech lost first-team All-American power forward JT Toppin (21.8 points, 10.8 rebounds per game) to a torn ACL on Feb. 17. Alabama entered the NCAA Tournament without guard Aden Holloway (16.8 points per game) following his arrest earlier this week on a felony drug charge.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Santa Clara was less than three seconds away from pulling off an upset over No. 7-seeded Kentucky and advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Then, the improbable happened. After Santa Clara forward Allen Graves hit a 3-pointer with 2.4 seconds remaining in the game for No. 10-seeded Santa Clara, Kentucky’s Otega Oweh made a near-halfcourt shot off-glass for Kentucky to tie the game at 73-all and force overtime. Kentucky went on to win in overtime, 89-84. But in the eyes of Santa Clara head coach Herb Sendek, the final Kentucky possession of the second half should’ve been stunted. [NCAA Men’s Tourney: 64 Names To Know] “I unequivocally called timeout [after Graves’ 3-pointer], but they [the referees] didn’t grant it, and I think the video evidence is clear [of that],” Sendek said in his postgame press conference. “Anybody’s able to pull it up, which is a likely response after Allen [Graves] hits the 3-pointer that the coach would be calling timeout to set the defense, which I tried to do, and I was successful in doing other than it wasn’t acknowledged or recognized.” [MEN’S BRACKET: NCAA Tournament Bracket, Leaders & Stats] The aforementioned Oweh finished with a game-high 35 points, eight rebounds and seven assists for the Wildcats. Senior forward Elijah Mahi had a team-high 20 points for Santa Clara. The soul-crushing first-round loss puts the finishing touches on a 26-9 season (15-3 in West Coast play) for the Broncos, who made the NCAA Men’s Tournament for the first time in 30 years (1995-96). The combined 26 wins are the most for the Broncos in a single season across Sendek’s 10 seasons at the helm. Next, Kentucky will play No. 2-seeded Iowa State in the second round of the tournament on Sunday.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

When Alex Karaban decided to return to UConn for another season, his fifth with the program, the clear and obvious goal was to win another national championship. Now a redshirt senior, Karaban entered the 2025-26 campaign having already won two titles with the Huskies. And after the chance for a three-peat fell short last spring, the star forward bypassed the chance to turn pro for one more run alongside head coach Dan Hurley. There were three championships to chase for a team that entered the year with sky-high expectations: a Big East regular season title, a Big East Tournament title and the school’s third national championship in four years. The first two opportunities came and went. UConn stumbled in its final regular season game against Marquette, which handed St. John’s the outright title, and then got walloped by the Red Storm in the Big East title game last weekend. Now, the only championship remaining for Karaban to chase is the sport’s ultimate prize. The Huskies earned a No. 2 seed in the East Region and will begin their pursuit on Friday night against No. 15 seed Furman in Philadelphia. It’s officially Karaban’s last dance. “I feel no pressure whatsoever,” Karaban told me this week during an interview that also promoted his brand partnership with Great Clips. “Yes, we didn’t accomplish the goals that we wanted, but that only means that people don’t believe in us. People [picked] us to win the Big East, people saw all these accomplishments for us, and we didn’t do it. We didn’t do it. It was our fault. It’s obviously a disappointing feeling that we have. But at the end of the day, I think that just made people not believe in us. So if people don’t want to believe in us, that’s their choice.” Here’s our conversation, which has been condensed and edited for clarity. You’ve gone through a few Selection Sundays by now. What was the emotion for you knowing that this was your last one? Karaban: It was cool going through Selection Sunday. I think the nerves never really change. You always get excited just knowing who you’re going to play and where you’re going to go. March Madness, it’s almost like a new season in a way, and it’s an exciting feeling. It’s exciting to see your teammates that haven’t been a part of March Madness kind of feel those emotions as well. You work so hard the entire year for March Madness, so it’s exciting. And now it’s really time to lock in one game at a time. What is the mood of the team after the Big East title game didn’t go your way? You’re still 29-5. How are you feeling about where the group is mentally right now? Karaban: We’re in a good spot. Obviously, Saturday didn’t go the way that we wanted to, and a lot of disappointment and really trying to still flush that game out of our system. But at the end of the day, we’ve gotta move on, knowing the opportunity that we have ahead of us and how exciting March Madness is for everybody. I was part of a team where we didn’t win the Big East Tournament, and we were able to flip that to winning a national championship [in 2022-23]. We can’t let what happened on Saturday define how our season goes, and we’ve really just got to continue to move forward and learn from it — but also make sure that doesn’t happen again. [MEN’S TOURNEY: 68 Names To Know In March Madness] Both championship teams during your time at UConn were very dominant in the NCAA Tournament. What were some of the keys to finding that level of consistency to win six straight games? Karaban: We never looked ahead in the bracket. We started one game at a time. For us, it will be Furman to start [this run]. Just locking in and really blocking out all the outside noise. We didn’t want to hear anything from other people besides the people in our circle. Those were the only voices that mattered. We stayed with it, we had a positive attitude every single day, and really just trusted one another, trusted the coaches and leaned on each other as teammates to ultimately get what we wanted. There are many times throughout the year when Coach Hurley talks about how much credit he gives to the coaching staff for drawing up game plans and scouting. Is that side of the game amplified during these quick turnarounds in the NCAA Tournament? Karaban: I always have confidence in the coaching staff. Every single game this year, I felt more than prepared, and I felt ready for every single game. It’s just on us as players to go out there and execute what they want us to do. Whatever assistant [coach] has the scout always does a great job, and throughout my experience in March Madness, they’ve been preparing nonstop for any opponent. So I feel more than ready. I know we’ve got the best coaches, and Coach Hurley also chimes in, too, for the scouts on every single game and makes sure that we’re locked in for it. It’s always a collective effort from the coaches, and they’re the best. They’re truly the best coaches. [NCAA TOURNAMENT: Expert Men’s Bracket Picks and Analysis] The non-conference schedule that you played early in the year included numerous teams that are now seeded quite high in the NCAA Tournament. How well do you think that prepared you for some of the teams you’ll see now that aren’t necessarily from the Big East? Karaban: Oh, that prepared us a lot. All the schools that we played — Arizona, Kansas, BYU — just all those elite, non-conference opponents that we played, one, it gives us confidence in how good of a team we are. But also, [it showed us] what it’s like to play against the best. We felt like we had the best non-conference [schedule] to prepare us for moments like March Madness. We’ll be ready. We’re going to prepare. We’re really going to have our sights locked in on Furman and move forward. I’m excited. I think there’s just a whole belief system going through our program, knowing what we did in the non-conference could really translate to March. In the moments this season when UConn has played its best basketball, what clicks for this particular team? Karaban: I think we were out there just really leaning on each other. We were out there giving each other confidence. We were out there having fun. And we were really playing like we just let loose out there. Really just playing as if there was no worry in the world. You saw the joy that we had, you saw the excitement. But really, I think it started on the defensive end, too. We were really bought in defensively. We were taking care of the basketball and just played off one another. I think that’s something we’ve got to do in March and really just enjoy everything that we’re part of. Why do you think the style of UConn’s offense, which includes so many actions and movements, is so difficult for teams to defend in the NCAA Tournament? Karaban: I think it starts with we’re definitely the team that uses the most off-ball movement and all those complicated actions. There’s not really other teams in other conferences that do as much off-ball [movement] as we do. I think that can throw teams for a loop knowing that most [of the time] they’re just guarding ball screens or just guarding a single pin down, when we have so many actions with so many counter-punches to a certain action, too. I think that’s extremely difficult. And then also, if we’re able to win on Friday, you get a one-day prep as well for us. And I think having such a short prep for us can really be an advantage for us with teams not able to see us the entire year. [NCAA ODDS: Latest Men’s March Madness Odds, Favorites] When you get a chance to talk to some of your teammates who haven’t played in the NCAA Tournament yet, whether those are freshmen or some of the transfers, what do you tell them about the seriousness it takes — but also what it’s like to enjoy the experience? Karaban: There’s obviously a level of seriousness that you need to have. Every team that makes March Madness is good. I mean, they’re all in it for a reason. So you’ve got to have a level of seriousness and ultimate respect for anyone you’re going to play against. But you’ve got to have fun with it, too. You’ve dreamed of playing in March Madness. We all dreamed of playing college basketball, and we all watched March Madness growing up. So to be a part of it is always special, it’s always a blessing, and you can’t take it for granted. In Who Is?, we’ll help you get to know breakout stars, newcomers and more with this Q&A series.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

The World Baseball Classic Final had it all. A pitcher’s duel. A game-tying home run. A clutch response. It all made for a historic night on FOX, with Tuesday night’s game drawing over 10.78 million viewers, making it the most-watched WBC telecast on any network in the history of the tournament. The viewership for Tuesday’s final broke the previous record, which was set during Sunday’s semifinal game between team USA and the Dominican Republic. Venezuela beat team USA 3-2, scoring the decisive run in the top of the ninth inning when Eugenio Suarez’s double scored Javier Sanoja. Viewership peaked in those final innings, reaching over 12 million viewers. Team USA met that moment, its bats waking up as Bryce Harper launched a two-run home run to straightaway center field. Ultimately, it wasn’t enough to reclaim the WBC title, as relief pitcher Garrett Whitlock conceded that run in the top of the ninth and the U.S. couldn’t answer.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

It’s quite clear there is nothing timid about Michigan, as the 2026 men’s NCAA Tournament is upon us. Not the way head coach Dusty May attacked the transfer portal to construct one of the strongest rosters in the sport. Not the way his players began referring to themselves as “the best team ever assembled” during interviews. And certainly not the way the Wolverines have blasted one opponent after another to post an average scoring margin of plus-17 points per game en route to a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. So it was no surprise earlier this week when star forward Yaxel Lendeborg, who earned Big Ten Player of the Year honors, laid out the loftiest of goals for 31-3 Michigan in the coming weeks. “We want to say, ‘Natty or bust,’ honestly,” Lendeborg told me during an interview that also promoted his brand partnership with TurboTax. “We still think that we’re the best team in college basketball. We let three [games] slip away now. We still won’t let that define us, regardless of what’s going on. We know that in order to win a championship, we can’t slip up again. So we’re going to play our hearts out, we’re going to play as hard as we have to and just continue to try to dominate.” For Michigan, that journey begins Thursday against No. 16 Howard in Buffalo. The Wolverines are now chasing just the second national championship in school history, with Lendeborg leading the way. Here’s our conversation, which has been condensed and edited for clarity. How would you describe the Selection Sunday experience and seeing your name pop up? Lendeborg: It was fun. Being able to have another game after losing the [Big Ten Tournament] championship [to Purdue], it definitely adds a brighter side to such a gloomy day or such a gloomy finish. But still, we’re super excited to be able to continue to play for Michigan and continue to keep our hopes of a national championship alive. How much pride do you take in earning a 1-seed based on how well the team has played all season? Lendeborg: We take a lot of pride in that, you know? We work really hard. We tried to make this season as historic as possible. Obviously, we failed in that [against Purdue on Sunday] in terms of adding another hit to the legacy, but we’re still super happy, super excited for what’s coming ahead. How can you bounce back from the loss to Purdue? Lendeborg: We’ve just got to learn. We’re all going to be watching film and figuring out what went wrong and what they were doing to exploit our defense the way they did. And then once we figure that out, we’re just going to play more aggressive, you know? Dictate the tempo in the rest of these games and then continue to out-tough every team that we [face]. [NCAA TOURNAMENT: Expert Men’s Bracket Picks and Analysis] When Michigan lost games during the regular season, the team responded well each time. What is it about this group that allows you to be resilient and not let one loss turn into two or three or four? Lendeborg: I would say it’s just because of how many assets we have. It makes it a lot easier for us to lean on each other. Those first two games [that we lost], I wasn’t having the best games that I wanted, but those guys really harped on me and were just talking to me about how they have my back regardless. And we just give each other confidence to continue to drive, continue to do more. Every other game we played, our defense always travels, you know? Regardless of how our offense is going, our defense is going to make up for that. And then eventually, it’s just going to start clicking. Was there a moment when you looked around the gym in Ann Arbor and realized this team could be special? Lendeborg: When I first got there, I was already like, “Yeah, this team is really good.” But then when it really clicked, I would probably say it was in [the Players Era Championship] in Las Vegas. Everything really changed for us there. We had a different goal to play for, rather than just being the best team Michigan ever had. Seeing how hard we played for each other and how much we all sacrificed to get those wins for each other was really inspiring. I was super, super happy. And it made me feel really grateful that I was able to play for this team. One of the talking points surrounding Michigan this season has been the frontcourt and the tremendous size this team has. How would you describe the process of jelling with power forward Morez Johnson Jr. and center Aday Mara to become as in-sync as you are right now? Lendeborg: Honestly, jelling with them was super easy. Morez is super, super professional. A super tough kid that is all about business. Aday is more like the goofy kind, but he still wants to win at all costs. So we all had an even balance, pretty much. Me and Aday are kind of the same, goofy but still want to win. Morez is all about winning. So it was great. And then on the court, we all have different things that we bring. Aday is pretty much a post mismatch for whoever is guarding him, blocks all the shots that come his way. Morez is a dog on the rebounds. If you hit him on the short roll, it’s pretty much going to be a dunk every time. And then me, I try to even out both of their talents and just try to give them space. We all have our different things that we bring to the team, and it’s been fun. [MEN’S TOURNEY: 1 Thing To Know About Every Men’s Team] There have been interviews this season where you’ve talked about feeling like it’s important to take over offensively with scoring. How do you pick those moments? What do they feel like? Lendeborg: It’s like an instant feeling of anger, I guess you could say. Throughout the whole game, I am pretty even-keeled. I’ll use [the last Purdue game] as an example. We were down by 10 with about 10 or 12 minutes left, and now it’s starting to feel like all the wind is getting taken out of us. I was just like, “I’ve got to try to make something happen.” I get one layup to go, OK, now let me get another one, boom. Now it’s starting to feel a lot more energetic, I’m starting to feel a lot more hot. And then it’s like, “All right, let me pick it up on the defensive end.” And energy travels, you know? You make one or two plays, and the rest of the team is getting excited, the bench gets into it a little bit more, and it just starts working out for you. With the versatility that you have defensively, it’s been interesting to watch you defend point guards that are a lot smaller at times. What are you focusing on during those matchups? Lendeborg: I found joy in kind of full-court pressing guards this year. This is my first time ever doing it. The reasoning behind it is because when I was going through all the NBA stuff [last summer], the scouts and execs, they wanted to see me be a more versatile defender. So I just took that personally. There’s been times this year when I took matchups a little too personal, and I kind of was disregarding our switches and stuff like that. But I find it super fun. I like harassing guards. I get a little bit of a joy out of it when they start trying to purposefully get me off of them. During Michigan broadcasts, fans can often hear announcers say that because of the versatility you and Morez Johnson Jr. have, the team can switch defensively at four positions — if not all five. Can you explain how valuable it is to have defenders capable of guarding multiple positions? Lendeborg: It’s super valuable. It makes it a lot easier on the guy guarding the ball. They don’t have to worry about getting over the screen. It pretty much bogs down a lot of the offensive plays that they’re running in the moment. It does make life a lot easier. And then if we do have a switch and there’s sort of a mismatch, it’s not like our big man is up at the 3-point line. He’s going to be down low to protect you. So we’ve been thriving off of that, especially with Aday down there getting blocks. It’s been working out very well for us. [NCAA ODDS: Latest Men’s March Madness Odds, Favorites] When Michigan’s defense has been at its absolute best, what is clicking? Lendeborg: I would say [defending] our gaps, our aggressiveness in that manner. We always try to guard the ball as aggressively as possible. But then when there’s a drive [by the opponent] and they think they have it, as soon as you take one dribble you see somebody else rushing at you. I wouldn’t say that puts fears in your mind, but you start to second guess whether you should go that way or not. So whenever that really gets clicking [for us], it’s like, where are you gonna go? And then teams start forcing up bad shots after that. Then we go on our run. In terms of preparing for the NCAA Tournament, how has Michigan weathered the season-ending injury to guard L.J. Cason? How have you seen teammates step forward into roles that were bigger than what they might have had before? Lendeborg: Trey [McKenney] has been doing a good job stepping up lately. Pretty much trying to provide instant offense for us, because that’s what L.J. was for the team. So Trey has been getting a lot more comfortable just getting in his bag and creating his shot for the team. I would say it was kind of a big adjustment because now we’re trying to figure out do I need to be the backup ball handler whenever EC [Elliott Cadeau] is getting pressure? Do I need to do something to relieve the pressure a little bit more? We’re still kind of experimenting with who will kind of be that backup point guard, you know? There’s been games where it’s me, Roddy [Gayle] or Trey — but it’s just like, we’ve gotta figure out who the designated one will be. We still have to learn the plays and figure out what’s going to work with me at the “1” and Trey at the “1.” So I would say that’s the biggest adjustment is just figuring out when EC can take a break and what lineup can be on the court. You’ll have to win six games in a row to cut down the nets in Indianapolis. What are the keys to maintaining the consistency needed to climb that mountain? Lendeborg: Making sure our defense travels, man. That’s the key to all of our success, you know? There’s been games where we let our offense dictate how we play defense, and those pretty much have been all the games that we’ve lost. Duke, they did a good job defending us. We were missing shots we shouldn’t miss. Now we start feeling a little lazy, a little bit sorry for ourselves and don’t play as aggressively on defense. But as long as we bring that [defense], we should be able to beat anybody. From what you’ve observed this season, what makes Dusty May capable of flipping the program as quickly as he has — and to the level that you guys are now performing? Lendeborg: I would say just the people that he brings on board. It’s like a different level of kumbaya that he has, you know? As soon as you get there, you feel the love, you feel the passion that he has for you. And he’s a big basketball head, man. He’s watching basketball on all levels to figure out what schemes, what plays he can run to get somebody open. And then, just the way he articulates everything works out well. He gives you confidence and ultimate belief in his team. That’s what really drives all of us. No one is going to feel sorry for each other because we know we played as hard as we could for him. And he’s not going to feel sorry for us because we didn’t do what we have to do. The only thing he cares about is effort, and that’s the only thing he really tries to harp on us. Whether it’s a big thing or a small thing, what would you say is one ingredient in the secret sauce that has made Michigan so good this season? Lendeborg: That’s a good one. I’m gonna bring it back to two [things]. One, everybody talks about the unselfishness thing. That’s pretty much the biggest thing, you know? We always play for each other. The roles that we all have, everybody buys into those roles. We’ve had players that were the No. 1 option in high school, No. 1 option at their other school, and we’ve all taken a lesser role for the team. I would say Will [Tschetter] and Nimari [Burnett], Roddy, L.J. and those guys, they were all here. They sacrificed their points for the team. And then secondly, I would just say Elliott’s control of the game. Whether he’s having a bad game or not, just his gravity really helps all of us out. Him coming off a ball screen, you’re really worried about him not just as a passer but as a scorer. There’s been games where he’s leading us as a scorer, too. So however he can handle the game is really what sets us apart. In Who Is?, we’ll help you get to know breakout stars, newcomers and more with this Q&A series.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

It’s rare, at this point in the offseason, to have such a good sense of who will be starting where. But there aren’t many openings at quarterback around the NFL. Given that only the Las Vegas Raiders are certain to draft a QB in the first round, other teams have scrambled to put their guys into place via free agency. So, obviously, let’s rank the starters. What else are we going to do with our free time in the offseason? But let’s acknowledge that — while the identity of nearly every team’s QB1 is fairly clear — there is plenty of uncertainty around each starter’s situation. So, along with the ranking, I’m here to offer one burning question for every QB. Previous: 2025 final rankings 2025 final rank: N/A If Aaron Rodgers isn’t coming back, what the heck are the Steelers going to do at QB? 2025 final rank: 27 With the Browns obviously thinking about the QBs in the 2027 NFL Draft, can Shedeur prove he’s QB1 material despite this bad situation? 2025 final rank: N/A Was all that 2025 production a sign of competence — or just a result of garbage time? 2025 final rank: 30 With a competent offensive-minded head coach and an impressive supporting cast, could Tua actually be good again? 2025 final rank: 24 Is he the guy — and then some — who showed up in the second half of the year? 2025 final rank: 29 Same city. Different Geno? 2025 final rank: 21 Just how long will it take him to get fully back from his injuries (Achilles, broken fibula)? 2025 final rank: N/A Everyone keeps saying the presumptive No. 1 pick is pro-ready, so how long can the Raiders keep him on the bench? 2025 final rank: 22 Can Young close the gap between an upward-trending QB (what he is now) to a franchise QB (what he needs to be to earn an extension and have a future in Carolina)? 2025 final rank: N/A Is Willis the second coming of Matt Flynn or Jalen Hurts? 2025 final rank: 23 Is new Titans OC Brian Daboll about to do with Ward what he did with Josh Allen? 2025 final rank: 25 Can new Giants HC John Harbaugh get Dart to stop taking massive hits? 2025 final rank: 16 What the heck has happened to Stroud since his rookie season? 2025 final rank: 26 Will Murray unlock something new for HC Kevin O’Connell’s offense — or cause pure chaos? 2025 final rank: 9 Is he HC Sean Payton’s puppet in the pocket — or can Nix evolve into a game-changer? 2025 final rank: 20 Was Mayfield’s success a product of a strong supporting cast or will a declining group continue to drag him down? 2025 final rank: 11 Has he grown out of the meltdown games? 2025 final rank: 18 Is Hurts an at-any-cost winner or is he really just struggling to be a system quarterback? 2025 final rank: 19 Will he stay healthy enough to dominate in the ways he did during the second half of his rookie season? 2025 final rank: 10 Can Williams improve his career 60.3% completion rate to league average (64.3% in 2025) in HC Ben Johnson’s offense? 2025 final rank: 8 Is this the season when Lawrence establishes himself among the unquestioned elite? 2025 final rank: 7 Is new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, who had Jacoby Brissett averaging 240 passing yards per game in Arizona, as underrated as I think he is? 2025 final rank: 15 What led to Jackson’s major statistical regression last year: injuries, coaching tensions or a more serious athletic decline? 2025 final rank: 5 Can he recreate his 2025 season — but this time while supported by a legitimate defense? 2025 final rank: 6 Was Purdy’s creativity and playmaking a sign that his ceiling is higher than generally believed? 2025 final rank: 12 Can new OC Mike McDaniel make sure the offense doesn’t completely implode around Herbert this year? 2025 final rank: 13 Can Mahomes get back on top despite his ACL injury — and on the heels of the worst season of his career? 2025 final rank: 1 How much can guard Alijah Vera-Tucker and slot receiver Romeo Doubs help Maye fight off what feels like inevitable regression? 2025 final rank: 4 Even knowing that his advanced statistics are among the league’s best, can he level up to the top tier of QBs? 2025 final rank: 14 Will this be a make-or-break year for Bengals coach Zac Taylor? 2025 final rank: 2 Can he play like the MVP again? 2025 final rank: 3 Are the Bills building a team that can, at least, stop holding Allen back?​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

It’s almost time for college basketball’s biggest stars to hit the dance floor and make their mark on March Madness. This year’s NCAA Men’s Tournament field is loaded with star power from freshman standout Cameron Boozer at No. 1-seeded Duke to junior forward TJ Power at 14th-seeded Penn. It’s a lot to know, but we’re here to sort through it all. Here are the 68 names to know heading into the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. [MEN’S BRACKET: NCAA Tournament Bracket] EAST REGION Cameron Boozer, Duke He’s the most dominant player in college basketball this season – full stop. The 6-foot-9, 250-pound freshman standout is averaging 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game, all of which lead the No. 1-seeded Blue Devils. Boozer is the betting favorite to take home both the Wooden and Naismith Awards and is the top-ranked player in FOX Sports’ Casey Jacobsen’s final Player of the Year Ladder. He has a chance to lead Duke to the program’s first national championship in 11 years. Bruce Thornton, Ohio State Ohio State’s all-time leading scorer is one of the top bucket-getters in the country. Thornton has the ability to take over a game with his deadly outside shooting and strength to dominate smaller guards. He is one of just 22 current power-conference players to play at the same school all four years. Zuby Ejiofor, St. John’s The Red Storm are a dangerous 5-seed, and Eijofor is a big reason why. He plays the game in a throwback style and is instinctually gifted with the ability to finish strong around the basket. The 6-foot-9 senior big man leads St. John’s in scoring, rebounding, assists and blocks. It will be exciting to see how far he can carry the Johnnies in the Big Dance. Darryn Peterson, Kansas The most perplexing player in the sport, Peterson’s freshman campaign has not gone as expected due to his lack of availability throughout the season. When he’s at his best, he looks like a future NBA All-Star. But there have been too many questions surrounding his play and availability to feel confident about what version of Peterson is going to show up during the Big Dance. If it’s the version fans saw in the Jayhawks’ regular-season finale against Kansas State – 27 points, five rebounds, four assists on 10-15 shooting from the floor in 29 minutes – this is a Kansas team that could make a Final Four run. Dominique Daniels Jr., Cal Baptist The 5-foot-10 senior guard from Compton, California is the nation’s fifth leading scorer, putting up 23.2 points per contest. He has scored 30 or more points on seven occasions this season, including a massive 41-point outing in the Lancers’ WAC Tournament semifinal win over Utah Tech. Mikel Brown Jr., Louisville How healthy will Brown be for the Big Dance? Louisville announced that their star freshman guard will be out for the Cardinals’ first-round game against South Florida due to a back injury. His availability for a potential second-round game seems to be up in the air. If the Cardinals are going to make a run this March, they will need their standout freshman, who averages 18.2 points per game and put up a 45-point performance on 10-16 shooting from 3-point range in a regular-season win over NC State. Izaiyah Nelson, South Florida Nelson followed head coach Bryan Hodgson from Arkansas State to South Florida and developed into the American Conference Player of the Year. The 6-foot-10 senior forward is a double-double machine, recording 18 so far this season. He has played outstanding against good competition, with arguably the best game of his season coming against then-No. 16 Alabama, when he posted 25 points and 12 rebounds in a 104-93 loss to the Crimson Tide. Jeremy Fears, Michigan State One of the toughest players in the nation, Fears has enjoyed a memorable redshirt sophomore campaign. The Spartans’ do-it-all guard is averaging 15.7 points per game and leads the country in assists at 9.2 per contest. There have been a few questionable moments late in the season involving extracurricular activity, but that shouldn’t take away from what a magical year Tom Izzo’s point guard has had. Michigan State will go as far as Fears take them. Donovan Dent, UCLA No player has improved more throughout the season than Dent, who averaged 16 points and 11 assists per game during a seven-game stretch from Feb. 21-March 13 where the Bruins went 6-1 and cemented their spot in the Big Dance. His ability to get to the lane and create shots for his teammates is second to none. He recorded the first triple-double in Big Ten Tournament history with 12 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists in a quarterfinal win over Rutgers. Alex Karaban, UConn One of the most beloved players in college basketball, Karaban chose to forgo the NBA on multiple occasions to return to UConn. Now a senior, the 6-foot-8 forward has helped lead the Huskies to a 29-5 record and a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament. He is the heart and soul of a UConn team that is looking to get back to college basketball’s biggest stage after winning back-to-back national championships in 2023 and 2024. Isaiah Evans, Duke Evans has also been one of the most improved players in college basketball, going from 6.8 points to 14.9 points per game while shooting 39% from 3-point range in ACC play. He is a mismatch for smaller guards, standing at 6-foot-6 with the ability to score in a variety of ways. Tarris Reed, UConn The 6-foot-11 senior is having a career year, averaging 13.7 points and 8.1 rebounds for the second-seeded Huskies. While Karaban is the emotional leader of this UConn team, Reed is the player who elevates this team’s ceiling. When he is at his best, Dan Hurley’s group can play with any team in the country. Jon Scheyer, Duke He did the impossible — taking over for a legend in Mike Krzyzewski and not allowing the Blue Devils to miss a beat. Since becoming Duke’s head coach in 2022, he has compiled a 121–24 record and now has his sights set on leading the program to its first national title of his tenure. Rick Pitino, St. John’s What he’s accomplished in just his third season as the head coach at St. John’s is nothing short of remarkable. After taking over a program that hadn’t won more than 21 games in a season since back in 1998, Pitino has compiled a 78-24 mark in three years, which includes back-to-back Big East regular-season and tournament titles. He has the Red Storm playing as well as any team in the nation right now, winning 19 of their last 20 games heading into the NCAA Tournament. Bill Self, Kansas This has been a tricky season for Self, who has had to answer question after question about his star freshman Darryn Peterson and his health. Nonetheless, Self has led the Jayhawks to another NCAA Tournament appearance, this time as a No. 4 seed in the loaded East Region. Self is just the seventh head coach in college basketball to win multiple NCAA Tournament championships since the field expanded to 64 teams in 1985. Tom Izzo, Michigan State The longest-tenured coach in the Big Ten, Izzo is a staple of the NCAA Tournament. He has guided the Spartans to 28 consecutive appearances in the Big Dance — the longest active streak in the nation. Izzo has also taken Michigan State to eight Final Fours, including winning a national championship in 2000 — the last time a Big Ten team won it all. Mick Cronin, UCLA Cronin has drawn some headlines this season, but the fiery head coach — now in his seventh year in Westwood — has helped turn the Bruins’ season around. After sitting at 17–9 and squarely on the tournament bubble in mid-February, Cronin’s team has won six of its last eight, including a trio of impressive ranked wins over Illinois, Nebraska, and Michigan State. Dan Hurley, UConn He’s 194-74 in eight seasons as UConn’s head coach. He has two national championships and has won 23 or more games in five straight years. He’s never finished worse than third in the conference standings since UConn moved back to the Big East ahead of the 2020 season. If Dan Hurly is on the sideline, UConn has a chance to win it all. [NCAA ODDS: Latest Men’s March Madness Odds, Favorites] SOUTH REGION Thomas Haugh, Florida There wasn’t a hotter team in college basketball at the end of the regular season than the Florida Gators. Haugh is the engine that makes this Florida team go, averaging 17.1 points and 6.2 rebounds per game for the defending national champs. He has reached double figures in 30 of the Gators’ 33 games this season. Bennett Stirtz, Iowa A standout transfer from Drake, Stirtz is a do-it-all guard who averages 20 points and 4.5 assists per game for the ninth-seeded Hawkeyes. He has scored in double figures in all but two games this season en route to earning All-Big Ten honors. This Iowa team plays at one of the slowest paces in the nation under first-year head coach Ben McCollum, which makes Stritz’s scoring numbers all the more impressive. Tyler Tanner, Vanderbilt Tanner is the floor general for a Vanderbilt team that is playing outstanding basketball heading into the NCAA Tournament. He leads the Commodores in both scoring and assists, putting up 19.1 points and 5.1 assists per game. Tanner’s 34-point, seven-assist, five-rebound outing against Ole Miss earlier this month was one of the top individual performances of the year. Larry Johnson, McNeese Johnson leads the Cowboys in scoring and rebounding, putting up 17.5 points and 5.5 boards per game this season. The redshirt freshman guard has a chance to make some noise in this year’s tournament and lead McNeese on another memorable March run. Pryce Sandfort, Nebraska An argument can be made that there hasn’t been a better story in college basketball this season than the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Having made just eight previous NCAA Tournament appearances and never won a game in the Big Dance, Sandfort has helped lead Nebraska to a 26-6 record to a No. 4 seed in this year’s Big Dance. The 6-foot-7 junior forward leads the Cornhuskers in scoring at 17.8 points per game on 47% shooting from the floor and 40% from 3-point territory. Henri Veesaar, North Carolina When star freshman Caleb Wilson went down with a season-ending injury, all eyes turned to the 7-foot junior.  After spending his first two years at Arizona, Veesaar transferred to UNC this offseason and has been a force on both ends of the floor for the Tar Heels. He has scored in double digits in 10 straight games, including a 28-point, 17-rebound outing against Clemson in the ACC Tournament. Keaton Wagler, Illinois One of the top breakout performers in college basketball this season, Wagler arrived at Illinois as a three-star prospect and quickly became the team’s go-to player. The Big Ten Freshman of the Year is averaging 17.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.4 assists for a roster loaded with talent from top to bottom. TJ Power, Penn The 6-foot-9 junior forward put together one of the single-best performances in college basketball this season, scoring 44 points and grabbing 14 rebounds in the Quakers’ win over Yale in the Ivy League Tournament championship game. He started his career at Duke before transferring to Virginia and eventually landing at Penn. Look for Power to make his presence felt in a first-round matchup against Illinois. Paulius Murauskas, Saint Mary’s Murauskas, a junior forward from Lithuania, has been the best player all season for a Saint Mary’s team that sits at 27-5 heading into the Big Dance. He averages 18.8 points and 7.7 rebounds per game for the Gaels, who open up tournament play against Texas A&M. Murauskas has scored in double-digits in 30 of Saint Mary’s 32 games this season, including a 32-point, 15-rebound outburst against Pacific back on Feb. 15. Kingston Flemings, Houston The Big 12 Conference featured a flurry of freshman standouts this season and Flemings was among the best of the group. He is the top player for the second-seeded Cougars, averaging 16.4 points, 5.3 assists and 3.9 rebounds per game. If Houston is going to get back to the Final Four for a second consecutive year, Flemings will be a big reason why. Rueben Chinyelu, Florida Chinyelu is arguably the best defensive big man in college basketball. The 6-foot-10, 265-pound junior anchors a Florida defense that ranks sixth in the nation in adjusted defensive efficiency. He is a stat-sheet stuffer, averaging 11.2 points, 11.5 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game for the No. 1-seeded Gators. Todd Golden, Florida Considered by many to be the best young coach in the sport, Golden is looking to lead the Gators back to college basketball’s biggest stage after capturing the program’s third national championship last year. He is 159-76 in four years in Gainesville, including an impressive 16-2 mark in SEC play this season. Fred Hoiberg, Nebraska Nebraska has never won an NCAA Tournament game. After cruising to a 26-6 record and a No. 4 seed in this year’s Big Dance, that could change this year for Hoiberg and the Cornhuskers. A two-time Big Ten Coach of the Year, Hoiberg owns a 110-114 record since being named Nebraska’s head coach ahead of the 2019 season. Brad Underwood, Illinois This marked the seventh straight year that Underwood has led the Illini to a 20-win campaign, finishing the regular season with a 24-8 record and 15-5 mark in Big Ten play. He is 189-109 in nine years as the program’s head coach, which includes two Big Ten Tournament titles and one regular-season championship. Despite his regular-season success, Underwood has only led the Illini past the Sweet 16 once, which came in 2024 when the team reached the Elite Eight before falling to eventual national champion UConn. Kelvin Sampson, Houston He is approaching 50 years in the college coaching profession after beginning his career as a graduate assistant at Michigan State under Jud Heathcote back in 1979. Now, 12 years into his fifth head coaching stop, Sampson has revived Houston’s program. He is 327-90 since taking over as the head coach of the Cougars back in 2014. Sampson has led Houston to the Sweet 16 or further in each of the past six NCAA Tournaments, including a trip to the national championship game last year. [MEN’S TOURNEY: 1 Thing To Know About Every Men’s Team] MIDWEST REGION Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan There isn’t a player in the sport who offers more positional versatility than Lendeborg. The Wolverines’ senior standout can guard all five positions, and there isn’t a weakness to his game. Lendeborg averaged 14.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per game while leading the Wolverines to a Big Ten regular-season title. He was also named the Big Ten Player of the Year, the first Michigan player to receive that honor since Nik Stauskas back in 2014. Robbie Avila, Saint Louis The Billikens have seven players averaging at least nine points per game, led by A-10 Conference Player of the Year, Robbie Avila. The 6-10 senior is a stat-sheet stuffer, averaging 12.9 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game. After starting the season 24-1, Saint Louis has lost four of its last eight games. This group might not be ready for the big stage, especially with Avila dealing with a sore foot. Christian Anderson, Texas Tech After losing All-American JT Toppin to a season-ending injury, there was a fear that Anderson was the next Texas Tech star to go down after he lost his footing and limped to the sideline in the team’s Big 12 Tournament loss to Iowa State. However, Anderson appears to be good to go in the Big Dance, which is a huge relief for the Red Raiders. He is averaging 18.9 points per game and dishing out 7.6 assists, which ranks fourth in the nation. Tavari Johnson, Akron Johnson is a rarity in college basketball: a senior who has stayed at a Mid-Major program for four years. He has established himself as one of the premier mid-major scorers in the country, averaging 20.1 points per game while shooting 51.2% from the field. He is capable of big-time performances, which Akron will need if they are going to pull off a 12-5 upset over Texas Tech. Labaron Philon Jr., Alabama One of the top bucket-getters in America, Philon powered the Crimson Tide to a 23-9 record and a No. 4 seed in the Big Dance by averaging close to 22 points per game on 51% shooting from the floor and 40% from 3-point territory. When Philon is on, he’s as potent as any guard in the country. Cruz Davis, Hofstra After stops at Iona and St. John’s, Davis has found his place at Hofstra under head coach Speedy Claxton. The 6-foot-3, Plano, Texas native is averaging 20.2 points per game this season, which led all CAA players. Davis had a 30-point showing on 5-of-9 shooting from 3-point range in Hofstra’s CAA Tournament quarterfinal win over William & Mary. Nate Ament, Tennessee One of the top recruits in the nation, Ament has had an up-and-down freshman year for the Vols, but when he’s on his A-Game, there aren’t many better pure scorers in the sport. At 6-foot-10 with the ability to play multiple positions, Ament can be a mismatch for opposing players. He has scored 22 or more points in five of the Vols’ last 11 games. Peter Suder, Miami (OH) He’s the best player on the team that has been the best story in college basketball this season. Suder is averaging 14.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.0 assists while shooting 43% from 3-point range for a Miami team that finished the regular season with a perfect 31-0 record. Thijs De Ridder, Virginia The 6-foot-9, 238-pound freshman from Belgium has been exceptional for the Virginia Cavaliers this season. He has scored in double-digits in eight of the team’s last nine games and has helped guide Virginia to a 29-5 mark and a No. 3 seed in the Big Dance. Otega Oweh, Kentucky The Wildcats reportedly spent over $20 million on their roster this year, which included retraining Oweh, the SEC’s preseason Player of the Year. The 6-foot-4 senior guard has averaged over 18 points per game for Kentucky this season, but things haven’t exactly gone accordingly to plan for Mark Pope’s team, which enters the tournament with a 4-6 record in their last 10 games. Joshua Jefferson, Iowa State Iowa State has been among the top teams in the country throughout the entire season, and Jefferson is a big reason why. The 6-foot-9, 240-pound senior forward averages 16.9 points, 7.6 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game for the second-seeded Cyclones. Every hardcore college hoops fan knows him by now, but he hasn’t taken off with casual fans yet. That’s about to change. Morez Johnson Jr., Michigan While Lendeborg was the most valuable player for the Wolverines this season, it’s Johnson who might have the highest ceiling. The 6-foot-9 transfer from Illinois has been a stalwart on both sides of the ball for No. 1-seeded Michigan. He has made 67% of his attempts round the rim and has managed to hold opposing players to 46% on the same attempts. Aday Mara, Michigan The 7-foot-4 big man has been one of the most improved players in the sport this season. After starting only nine games at UCLA last season, Mara has developed into a dominant force down low for the Wolverines, averaging 11.6 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game for a team that ranks in the top 10 nationally in both offensive and defensive efficiency. Milan Momcilovic, Iowa State He is the top 3-shooter in the country and is on pace to have one of the greatest single seasons in college basketball history in that category, currently shooting it at a 49.6% clip from downtown. If Momcilovic is hitting from beyond the arc, this Iowa State team will be tough to beat. Dusty May, Michigan After a memorable six-year stretch at Florida Atlantic, which included leading the Owls to a Final Four in 2023, May has been a revelation in his second season in Ann Arbor. The 49-year-old head coach led the Wolverines to an impressive 31-3 mark this season, which included a Big Ten regular-season title and a No. 1 seed in the Big Dance. Nate Oats, Alabama Oats has brought this Alabama program back to national relevance after arriving in Tuscaloosa ahead of the 2019 season. He has posted an impressive 168-72 record in seven seasons, which includes six NCAA Tournament appearances, four Sweet 16s, three Elite Eights and one Final Four. He will have to navigate being without one of his top players this postseason after junior guard Aden Holloway was arrested Monday morning on a felony drug charge. Rick Barnes, Tennessee Barnes is one of the most successful coaches in college basketball history. His 858 career wins currently ranks second among all active coaches, trailing only Calipari. He has led the Volunteers to eight straight NCAA Tournament appearances, which includes four Sweet 16 and two Elite Eights. Mark Pope, Kentucky Pope, who is in his second season at Kentucky, has led the Wildcats back to the Big Dance this season, but the pressure is on to have a good showing on college basketball’s biggest stage. He has helped guide UK to a 21-13 mark and a No. 7 seed in the NCAA Tournament, but that’s not enough for this fan base. They demand success. T.J. Otzelberger, Iowa State He has had immense success since arriving at Iowa State in 2021, guiding the Cyclones to the Big Dance every season since he took over. Otzelberger has posted a 122-52 record at the helm, which includes three straight 25-plus win seasons, a conference tournament title and a pair of Sweet 16 appearances. [MEN’S TOURNEY: Expert Predictions and Analysis] WEST REGION Brayden Burries, Arizona The Wildcats feature one of, if not the best backcourt in college basketball, and Burries is one of the main reasons why. A five-star prospect out of San Bernardino, California, Burries made an immediate impact during his freshman campaign, helping guide the Wildcats to a 32-2 record and a Big 12 regular-season and conference tournament title. He is a pure scorer, putting up 20 points or more on 13 different occasions this season, including a 21-point outing against Houston in the Big 12 Tournament championship. MJ Collins Jr., Utah State Collis is at his third school in four years, but he’s finishing his senior season with the best scoring numbers of his career. The 6-foot-4 guard is averaging a team-high 17.6 points per game this season and has a 40-point outing to his name, which came in a 94-60 win over Davidson back in late November. Collins will play a big role if Utah State is going to get by Villanova in the first round. Nick Boyd, Wisconsin The Badgers’ sharp-shooting guard can get hot in an instant, which could spell trouble for High Point, or potentially Arkansas in the second round. This is a Wisconsin team that has wins over Michigan, Michigan State and Illinois (twice) this season. Boyd has scored 25-plus points on eight separate occasions, including a 38-point outburst against Illinois in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals. Terry Anderson, High Point An elite-level wing who leads the Panthers in scoring and rebounding, Anderson has established himself as one of the top mid-major players in the nation. He has scored in double-digits in nine straight games, including a 25-point, 12-rebound outing in the Panthers’ Big South Tournament semifinal win over UNC Asheville. Darius Acuff Jr, Arkansas The SEC Player of the Year and AP first-team All-American rolls into the Big Dance playing his best basketball of the year, having scored 20 points in 13 of his last 14 games. He averaged 30.3 points and 7.6 assists per game in the SEC Tournament, leading the Razorbacks to a conference title. The NBA compassion to Stephon Marbury is spot on for this superstar freshman. AJ Dybantsa, BYU There is no better pure scorer in college basketball than Dybantsa. While the Cougars have lost five of their past nine entering the NCAA Tournament, this is a time for the freshman phenom to step up and show why he is worthy of the top pick in this year’s NBA Draft. He led the nation in scoring at 25.3 points per game and topped the 30-point mark on seven separate occasions this season. This is Dybantsa’s time to shine. Graham Ike, Gonzaga The WAC Player of the Year has been a force for the Zags this season. Ike leads Gonzaga in both scoring (19.7 PPG) and rebounding (8.2 RPG) and has produced 14 double-doubles while leading his team to an impressive 30-3 mark and a No. 3 seed heading into the Big Dance. He is the only active Division I player who has totaled 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds in his college career. Malik Reneau, Miami The former Indiana big man has emerged as one of the top transfers in the sport this season. He’s averaging 18.8 points and 6.6 rebounds per game en route to earning first-team all-conference honors. He has recorded nine double-doubles this season and has developed into one of the elite big men in college basketball, combining length with explosive athleticism. Mark Mitchell, Missouri After spending the first two years of his college career at Duke, Mitchell has blossomed into one of the top players in America since transferring to Missouri. Now in his second season at Mizzou, the 6-foot-9 wing is putting up 18.3 points and 5.3 rebounds per game while shooting 55.1% from the field. He is fresh off back-to-back 32-point games against Arkansas and Kentucky. Braden Smith, Purdue Smith is one of the most well-respected players in the nation. He’s a senior who has spent all four years of his collegiate career at the same school, which is rare in this day and age. He has also played incredible basketball for the Boilermakers, only needing two assists to pass former Duke star Bobby Hurley for the most in Division I history. Smith wants to finish his college career with a bang, and he has the chance to do that with the Final Four taking place in Indianapolis, which is 60 miles from Purdue’s campus. Jaden Bradley, Arizona He is the closer for an Arizona team that is a popular pick to cut down the nets this season. Bradley averages 13.3 points, 4.5 assists and 3.6 rebounds per game for the No. 1-seeded Wildcats and makes his presence felt on both sides of the ball. If Arizona is going to win the program’s first national title since 1997, Bradley will have a big part in that. Tommy Lloyd, Arizona Lloyd, who is in his fifth season at Arizona, has been as good as any head coach in the sport. In fact, his 144 wins in those five seasons is the most by any head coach in Division I history. Despite all the success in the regular season, Lloyd has yet to lead the Wildcats past the Sweet 16. John Calipari, Arkansas Calipari is one of the top coaches in the sport of college basketball, currently ranking fifth on the NCAA Division I all-time winningest coaches list. In his second year at Arkansas, Calipari helped guide the Razorbacks to a 26-8 record and a No. 4 seed in the Big Dance. He led the Razorbacks to a 15-5 record in SEC play this season, which included a conference tournament title. Sean Miller, Texas Miller has the Longhorns back in the NCAA Tournament in his first year at the helm. He helped guide Texas to a 19-14 mark and a win over NC State in a first-four game on Tuesday night. Now, Miller’s team faces a stiff test against the nation’s leading scorer, AJ Dybantsa, and the BYU Cougars. Mark Few, Gonzaga One of the most successful active coaches in college basketball, Few has been the head coach at Gonzaga since 1999, posting an impressive 722-155 record. He is a 14-time WCC Coach of the Year and two-time Naismith Coach of the Year, leading the Bulldogs to the NCAA Tournament every season he’s been at the helm. Matt Painter, Purdue A five-time Big Ten Coach of the Year, Painter is among the most successful head coaches in the sport. This will mark the 17th time he has guided the Boilermakers to the Big Dance in his 21 years at the helm. Painter has a 498-223 record during his time as Purdue’s head coach, which includes eight Sweet 16 appearances, two Elite Eight appearances, one Final Four and one title game appearance.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Welcome to March Madness — a nickname earned through decades of chaos, where little-known programs take down the sport’s biggest brands. We call those bracket-busting teams “Cinderellas.” They’re fun to root for, but picking the right ones? That’s where things get tricky. Even with a job that revolves around studying these teams, predicting what happens in a single-elimination tournament is never easy. So while I can’t promise perfection, I can give you a head start. Here are five Cinderella candidates I believe have the best chance to win a game — or maybe even make a run in this year’s NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. How are we defining a Cinderella Team? A team seeded No. 9 or lower that also comes from outside the five power conferences: ACC, SEC, Big Ten, Big 12, and Big East. [MEN’S BRACKET: NCAA Tournament Bracket] 5. Santa Clara, WCC, 26-8 (15-13) The Broncos proved how dangerous they can be with a win over a strong Saint Mary’s team in the WCC semifinals. Head coach Herb Sendek has been around the block and knows what it takes to win in March — and he’s got the talent to do it. Santa Clara leans heavily on the 3-point shot, with nearly 45% of its attempts coming from beyond the arc. When those shots don’t fall, they crash the glass hard, ranking among the top 25 teams in the nation in offensive rebounding percentage. Player to watch: Sophomore guard Christian Hammond averages 16 points per game, shoots 40% from deep, and poured in 24 points against Gonzaga in the WCC title game. 4. Utah State, Mountain West, 28-6 (15-5) Head coach Jerrod Calhoun (no relation to UConn legend Jim Calhoun) is in his second season in Logan, and this group has taken a clear step forward from last year’s team that fell to UCLA in the first round as a 10-seed. The Aggies are disruptive on defense, ranking 16th nationally in forced turnovers, but their real strength is on the offensive end, where they sit inside the top 30 in efficiency, according to KenPom. Player(s) to watch: Mason Falslev and MJ Collins, who combine to average 34 points per game. 3. Saint Louis, A-10, 28-5 (15-3) On Feb. 13, the Billikens were 24-1 and ranked in the top 25. They’ve gone just 4-4 since and now find themselves in Cinderella territory. St. Louis plays fast, shoots a blistering 40.5% from 3-point range, and features incredible balance, with seven players averaging nine points or more. The Billikens’ résumé is legit too, with wins over Santa Clara and a regular-season sweep of VCU. The question now is, can they take down one of the heavyweights? Player to watch: The headliner is Robbie Avila, a 6-foot-10, goggle-wearing center who leads the team in both points and assists and goes by the nickname “Cream Abdul Jabar.” He might not have the signature hook shot, but he’s knocked down 62 3-pointers this season. 2. South Florida, American, 25-8 (15-3) Led by first-year head coach Bryan Hodgson, the Bulls enter the NCAA Tournament on an 11-game winning streak with a 25–8 record. They’ve built their identity on defense, ranking 40th nationally in efficiency according to KenPom. Offensively, they push the pace and relentlessly attack the offensive glass. Player(s) to Watch: Wes Enis has emerged as a go-to scorer, putting up 19 or more points in seven of the team’s final eight games. But the heart and soul of this group is 6-foot-10 senior Izaiyah Nelson, the American Athletic Conference Player of the Year, who nearly averages a double-double (15.7 points, 9.6 rebounds). He has all the makings of an NCAA Tournament darling. [MEN’S BRACKET: Expert Predictions and Analysis] 1. Akron, MAC, 29-5 (17-1) The Zips are 0-7 all-time in the NCAA Tournament, but I’ve got them winning a couple of games. It’s hard not to love their offensive firepower, especially with a 10-game winning streak heading into March. Their path hasn’t been perfect — they split with Miami (OH), dropping a three-point game on the road — but they bounced back to win the MAC Tournament, and they’re playing their best basketball at the right time. Akron is elite offensively, ranking in the top 15 nationally in both 3-point percentage (38.5%) and 2-point percentage (59.1%). They’ll need every bit of that efficiency against Texas Tech. Player(s) to watch: The backcourt duo of Tavari Johnson and Shammah Scott has combined for 146 made threes this season. At this point, the formula is simple: let it rip.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports