Sports Illustrated

Duquesne, the No. 11 seed in the East Region, knocked off No. 6 seed BYU 71–67 in the opening round of the NCAA tournament Thursday afternoon at CenturyLink Center Omaha.

The victory for the Dukes marked the program’s first NCAA tournament win since 1969.

It was a significant milestone for coach Keith Dambrot, who announced earlier this week that he will retire at the end of the season. Dambrot was praised for Thursday’s victory by Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, who played for the 65-year-old Dambrot at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio.

“AYYYYYYYEEEEE!!! First tournament win in 55 years! ... Keep it going,” James posted on social media.

AYYYYYYYEEEEE!!! First tournament win in 55 years! @CoachDambrot 🐐 @DuqMBB 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾. Keep it going

— LeBron James (@KingJames) March 21, 2024

Duquesne will now await the winner of No. 3 seed Illinois and No. 14 seed Morehead State on Thursday afternoon, to see if the Dukes can keep their dream season alive. 

[ March Madness 2024: News & Analysis | Schedule | Bracket ]

A chance at the school’s first Sweet 16 appearance since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985 awaits.

Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green saved his harshest words about Memphis Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins for Thursday’s episode of his podcast.

One of the viral moments from the Warriors’ 137–116 victory over the Grizzlies on Wednesday was a second-quarter skirmish that resulted in a technical for both Green and Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane.

During the on-court scuffle, Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins ended up falling to the ground after being bumped from behind by a scrum of players.

One day after the incident, Green didn’t show any pity for Jenkins and said the fifth-year Memphis coach “milked it.”

“Taylor Jenkins took a dive,” Green said on The Draymond Green Show. “I could not believe that he milked it like that. … He’s walking back to our bench and the trainer asks Taylor Jenkins, like, ‘You okay?’ And he’s like ‘I’m okay, I’m okay.’ Like trying to milk it. And that to me is absolutely insane.”

Draymond on Taylor Jenkins falling last night during a scuffle: pic.twitter.com/wEwFk4wxe1

— TheWarriorsHouse (@GSWarriorsHouse) March 21, 2024

The conflict started with Green and the Grizzlies’ Santi Aldama getting into a physical confrontation under the basket, which caused Jenkins to complain to the officials at the next stoppage. During their conversation, Bane didn’t like how close Green was standing next to Jenkins and pushed Green, resulting in more players and coaches entering the scrum. Green and Warriors guard Gary Payton II were then pushed into Jenkins, who had his back turned and was sent tumbling to the floor.

Green and Bane dapped it out after the fracas, and neither player has been disciplined by the league at this time. After Green’s latest comments, though, there appears to be no shortage of bad blood simmering between the two Western Conference rivals.

• Nadkarni: NBA Games Have Been Better Since the Scoring Dip

“We have a history with this team and it’s always been very competitive,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said after the game. “They’re tough. When we play them there’s usually some kind of dustup.”

Following Wednesday’s win, the Warriors improved to 36–32 and sit in 10th place in the West while the Grizzlies (23–47) were eliminated from playoff contention. 

Five days after being arrested for operating a vehicle while intoxicated, Michigan defensive line coach Greg Scruggs has resigned. Coach Sherrone Moore confirmed the news on Thursday.

Moore declined further comment, citing that the arrest is a “university matter.”

Scruggs, who was hired earlier this month, was pulled over early Saturday morning in Ann Arbor, after a police officer saw him stopped at an intersection with hazard lights on, according to a police report obtained by The Detroit News. Despite saying he had two drinks with dinner, he reportedly blew a 0.16 and then a 0.17 in a breathalyzer test, more than twice the legal limit in Michigan.

“Greg made an unfortunate mistake and was arrested for operating a vehicle while intoxicated. He made no excuses and has taken accountability for his actions. The football program and athletic department have suspended Greg indefinitely while we review details of the incident,” Moore said in a statement after the arrest.

Greg Scruggs coached at Wisconsin before joining Michigan’s staff earlier this month.

Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel/USA TODAY Network

Scruggs, a Louisville grad, served as defensive line coach at Wisconsin in ’23, after stints with the New York Jets and the Cincinnati Bearcats. He spent four years in the NFL, playing for the Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears and New England Patriots from 2012 to ’16.

The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers to this website may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website.

One philosophy for putting is to employ a shoulder-rocking motion to guide the putter squarely through the ball, “using the big muscles” for success on the greens.

Take the hands out of the stroke, they say.

That’s all fine and good—unless you’re in the business of selling grips.

“We’re at the other end of the spectrum,” says Bruce Miller, retail product manager for Golf Pride. “We want players to use their hands.”

Shop Golf Pride Grips Through Our Partner at PGA TOUR Superstore

Miller likes to say that grips are equipment for golfers’ hands, and to that end his company has a new equipment launch dropping April 15: Golf Pride’s Reverse Taper putter grips. The grips are just like they sound, having a shape that’s opposite to conventional grips which are widest under the top hand and then slimming beneath the bottom hand.

Golf Pride's Reverse Taper grips come in three shapes, all in medium and large sizes.

Courtesy Golf Pride

A problem with those conventional grips, Golf Pride found through extensive research with players of all abilities, is that the lower hand can become a focus when struggling on the greens and an overcompensation would occur.

“Yippiness, flipping, de-cels, giving it the gas, jabbing it,” Miller recites. “An overactive lower hand.”

But if the grip itself could be inverted, reversing the taper and becoming progressively larger from the end cap to the where the grip stops, Golf Pride found it would negate some of those overactive faults. Just don’t call it “taking the hands out.”

As Miller says, it’s more like “optimizing each hand in the stroke.” And getting them to work together again.

Golf Pride’s Reverse Taper grips are available in three shapes: round, pistol and flat. The round is the universal style, with a distinct flat front that would appeal to the way most golfers hold their putters. The pistol’s substantial flat sides can be popular with a left-hand low (for righthanders) grip. The flat is more of an oval shape, much larger on the sides and conducive to straight-back/straight-through putting styles.

They're all made with polyurethane for softness and texture, and all shapes are available in medium and large sizes, following a trend toward larger putting grips overall. Golfers have also long been more receptive to putter grip changes than swing grips—maybe Golf Pride Tour Velvets have always been reliable on the irons and woods so there’s no need to go to the effort of changing all those clubs, but the trusty flatstick hasn’t been so trusty lately, so …

Reverse Taper grips may be the answer. Just don’t call them a tool to take your hands out of the equation. 

Golf Pride's Reverse Taper grips will be available beginning April 15 at golf courses and leading retailers including PGA TOUR Superstore. 

As it prepares for membership in a new conference, SMU is reportedly making a change on the hardwood.

The Mustangs dismissed coach Rob Lanier on Thursday after two seasons, Field of 68’s Jeff Goodman first reported.

The reported move comes less than 24 hours after SMU lost 101–92 to Indiana State in the first round of the NIT. The Mustangs finished 20–13 this season, their final campaign in the American Athletic Conference before moving to the ACC in 2024.

In two years with SMU, Lanier went 30–35. The veteran coach is 141–135 lifetime across nine Division I seasons between Siena, Georgia State and the Mustangs. He led the Saints to the NCAA tournament in 2002 and the Panthers in ’22.

Rob Lanier has been fired at SMU after just two seasons, source confirms to CBS Sports. @GoodmanHoops first to report. That's a stunner. SMU moves into the ACC later this year.

— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) March 21, 2024

SMU, which enjoyed a brief men’s basketball renaissance in the mid-2010s under coaches Larry Brown and Tim Jankovich, has not made the NCAA tournament since 2017.

The Mustangs’ shift to the ACC will mark their fourth conference move in the past 30 years.

Samford’s first-round matchup in the 2024 NCAA tournament against Kansas is a tall task, as the Bulldogs will try to take down one of college basketball’s historically great programs. 

Samford, however, doesn’t appear to agree with the assessment that it is a big underdog.

Bulldogs forward Jermaine Marshall spoke with the media on Wednesday, and he explained that he expects Samford to pull off the upset.

“I don’t feel like it’s an upset, I feel like we’re gonna win and when we win, it’s not gonna be a surprise to us,” Marshall said. “It might be a surprise to all these brackets that are gonna be messed up, but it definitely won't be a surprise to us.”

#Samford forward Jermaine Marshall on playing #Kansas: "When we win, it's not going to be a surprise to us." #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/qEbCgjTQpw

— Rob Collins (@RobCollinsTV) March 20, 2024

Samford, the No. 13 seed in the Midwest Region, enters the NCAA tournament with a 29–5 record as the Southern Conference champions. The Bulldogs averaged 86 points per game this season, which ranked fifth among all Division I programs.

• March Madness 2024: News & Analysis | Schedule | Bracket

The Bulldogs have not appeared in March Madness since 2000, and they are still looking for their first NCAA tournament victory in program history. Still, they are a potential upset pick against No. 4 seed Kansas, as the Jayhawks are coming off a disappointing 22–10 season and will play without star guard Kevin McCullar Jr.

Kansas and Samford will tip-off late Thursday night in one of the final matchups of the NCAA tournament’s opening day, but the Bulldogs believe it will be worth the wait.

Prosecutors in Jackson County, Mo. charged a Kansas City man Wednesday with the theft of approximately $46,000 worth of equipment from the Miami Dolphins in January.

Joseph Brown Sr. is facing a $50,000 cash bond after being charged with a class C felony.

The alleged crime took place on Jan. 13, when the the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Dolphins 26–7 in arctic conditions to reach the AFC divisional round.

The day after the wild-card game, a Miami representative reported the theft to police of “a box truck containing team gear/equipment,” per WDAF-TV’s Brian Dulle, citing court documents.

According to those documents, the stolen goods included football pads, gloves, shoes, game film and other miscellaneous items—later traced to a vehicle belonging to Brown, per police.

The Dolphins valued the goods in total at $46,000.

This would be the second large-scale alleged equipment theft in the NFL in the past six months, following a massive loss of equipment by the Chicago Bears in September.

Deion Sanders has emphasized the transfer portal over traditional high school recruiting since taking over as coach at Colorado in late 2022. However, his biggest recruiting addition ahead of the 2024 season is Jordan Seaton, an IMG Academy offensive tackle and consensus five-star prospect.

Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders faced constant pressure in 2023, and Seaton will be tasked with keeping the Buffaloes signal-caller upright this fall. 

Seaton, who had scholarship offers from myriad Power 4 schools, was introduced to the Colorado media Wednesday, and he spoke glowingly about Sanders’s recruiting approach.

Jordan Seaton (right) will be tasked with protecting Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders (left) this fall.

Ron Chenoy/USA TODAY Sports

Sanders got right into coaching the coveted tackle, offering three areas for improvement rather than simply saying whatever he believed Seaton wanted to hear. That approach really impressed the IMG star.

“He told me I need to bend my hips a little bit more, so I’m like, ‘I can work with that,’” Seaton said. “Right now you’re trying to elevate me, and I’m not even here. You’re invested in me and just want me to win, and I haven’t even came to your school yet. So that kind of stood out to me the most. I don’t really like the yes men in your ear.”

"Every other visit I went on they told me how good I was... Coach Prime told me three things he wants me to work on." pic.twitter.com/Q48XR497gj

— DNVR Buffs (@DNVR_Buffs) March 20, 2024

As a whole, Seaton was impressed with the unified vision he sees at Colorado, where he says “everybody just clicks.”

“I haven’t really seen that on a lot of my visits,” Seaton said. “I’ve kinda been everywhere in the nation, from Oregon to all the way back in Maryland where I’m from. So I kinda seen it all, seen what every university brought, and right here, this is the best fit for me. And then Coach Prime, he’s Coach Prime. Who wouldn’t want to play for him?”

The comments come days after USA Today revealed just how different Sanders’s recruiting approach is from many of his peers. Records obtained by the publication show Sanders hasn’t made a single off-campus recruiting visit since taking over at Colorado, a fact the school confirmed. Despite having a $200,000 private air travel budget for recruiting, Sanders is confident he can build the program without having to venture too far from Boulder.

He specifically cited IMG, Seaton’s alma mater in Bradenton, Fla., in his explanation of the approach on Wednesday.

“My approach is totally different than many coaches,” Sanders said, via The Athletic. “I’m a businessman as well, so I try to save our university money every dern chance I get. For me to go, let’s say I go to Florida and I’m visiting IMG, you don’t think those coaches are going to be a little upset if I don’t come by the school down the street? You don’t think it’s going to be pandemonium, or I’m gonna get naysayed if I don’t go another 45 minutes? Then if I go to that one, why didn’t I come to that school? Now the coach is mad and he’s not gonna let the kid come because I chose that school over that school. Other coaches, they can do that, but I can’t.

“I have never heard one guy say I chose this college because this coach came by my crib. Have you?” Sanders continued. “I can’t do the things other coaches can do. You know why? I’m Coach Prime. And I didn’t stutter when I said it.”

Results are inconclusive so far after a 4–8 record in 2023 (a three-win improvement from a year before), but Sanders has brought more hype to the program than it’s had in many years. Landing Seaton shows that talent may very well follow the hype to Boulder.

As has been outlined by several people now, the NBA seems to have undergone a not-so-subtle downturn in scoring, roughly since the All-Star break.

Tom Haberstroh has been all over this topic on his Substack. As has Ethan Strauss. You may have heard about it on a podcast from Bill Simmons and Ryen Russillo. The NBA even sent Joe Dumars and Monty McCutchen on Zach Lowe’s podcast to discuss the league-wide dip in scoring, and whether the NBA itself was responsible. ESPN would later report the league office even sent a memo to teams outlining an increased focus on eliminating foul hunting, which could be the reason for scoring going down.

Related: NBA Power Rankings: Knicks Surge Into Top 10 As L.A. Teams Falter

The gist of all this, really, is simple. Whether the league put its thumb on the scale or not (they almost definitely did), referees are calling fewer fouls. Scoring has tightened. And most importantly, in my opinion, the games have gotten a lot better.

For exactly how much the foul rate has reduced, I recommend Haberstroh, who has broken down in great detail over multiple stories how sharp the decline in the free throw rate is, and some of its effects on the game. The league seems to be trying to distance itself publicly from the idea that they specifically told refs to call fewer fouls.

Frankly, I personally don’t care whether or not Dumars or Adam Silver or the people who respond to the NBA referee X (formerly known as Twitter) account want to take credit for the resulting style of play. I just want to say how much I love the current version of the game, and I hope it's the norm going forward.

Players have taken fewer trips to the line since the All-Star break, with scoring dipping as well.

Trevor Ruszkowski/USA TODAY Sports

I understand people who are concerned about the league perhaps trying to manipulate scoring. And there’s a gambling angle here that I have no interest in diving into. I just think what we’ve seen in games since the All-Star break (seemingly the inflection point for The Great Reduction) is how the NBA should be called all the time. Which brings me to the real point of contention here: consistency.

What matters to me less are directives from the league. It would be naive to think Silver doesn’t have an opinion on the quality of day-to-day games. What’s important is that everyone is on the same page about how things will be called, and that they will be called the same way moving forward.

And for the most part, teams seem to have adjusted! Are certain players perhaps a little perturbed on a given night with the level of physicality? Sure, but many stars are going to complain about calls no matter what. That’s part of the gamesmanship of the, uh, game. I do think the new level of physicality (obviously very broadly speaking here) has added a little bit of an edge to these last few weeks of the season. The games feel more intense. And it’s plausible to see a team win by getting stops.

Related: The Heat Need Bam Adebayo to Keep Letting It Fly

I’m not some get-off-my-lawn, get-rid-of-the-three-point-line fundamentalist. It’s great how sophisticated NBA offenses have become. Teams should be smart about maximizing efficiency every time down the floor. At the same time, I’m sick of the moments when playing good defense either feels impossible or futile. Do I need an offensive player to get two free throws every time they drive and initiate contact with their shoulder on someone in an otherwise good position? I really don’t!

Again, if this actually is the new normal, then it should be celebrated. It’s unfair to say scoring became too easy. But playing defense was probably becoming a little too difficult. Is it “fair” to, in the middle of the season, dramatically change the style of play by allowing more physicality? Maybe not. As long as it continues, though, then at least it will be a level playing field for everyone.

In fact, my biggest fear is whoever is in charge of the foul dip pulling a 180. I remember a few years ago when one of the officiating focuses was eliminating some of the bad-faith shooting fouls—like jumping backward or sideways into a defender. I reported a piece on it, and while perimeter stoppers such as Mikal Bridges and Joe Ingles liked the new focus, they were worried the league wouldn’t stick with it for the whole season.

What remains to be seen is if the current free-throw reduction continues, both through the playoffs and into next season. Whoever made the decision, though, I applaud you. Because the games have improved as a result. 

Friday’s NCAA Tournament schedule brings 16 more Round of 64 games and draws perhaps the most exciting 36-hour stretch in sports to a close.

Three No. 1 seeds, including the defending national champion and title favorite UConn Huskies, are on the docket on Day 2 of March Madness, but our attention is elsewhere with a pair of best bets in two games with tight spreads.

[ March Madness 2024: News & Analysis | Schedule | Bracket ]

(Odds via FanDuel.)

No. 11 New Mexico Lobos vs. No. 6 Clemson Tigers

Game Info: 3:10 p.m. ET | truTV
Spread: New Mexico -2.5 (-102) | Clemson +2.5 (-120)
Moneyline: UNM (-128) | CLEM (+106)
Total: 151.5 — Over (-110) | Under (-100)

New Mexico guard Jaelen House

Troy Babbitt/USA TODAY Sports

The Lobos are back in the bracket for the first time since 2014 after winning the Mountain West conference tournament. Though not a Power 6 league, the MWC sent six of its 11 schools to the Big Dance and New Mexico beat three of them — Boise State, Colorado State and San Diego State — en route to its title. The Tigers return to the field after a two-year absence, but unlike the Lobos, who beat the best their conference had to offer in the buildup to the Big Dance, Clemson lost to two of the worst teams in the ACC — Notre Dame and Boston College — since the start of March.

New Mexico’s profile is not that of a typical No. 11 seed. The Lobos (26–9) are ranked 22nd in KenPom and NET, sandwiched between teams that earned No. 4 and 5 seeds. There’s great basketball lineage all over this roster: coach Richard Pitino, son of Rick Pitino; Jaelen House, whose father is Eddie House; Jamal Mashburn Jr., named for his NBA All-Star father; and JT Toppin, brother of Knicks player and former Dayton standout Obi Toppin. Though House (16.1 ppg) and Mashburn (14.4 ppg) both shoot below 40% from the field, New Mexico is still a scary offensive team.

The Lobos average 81.5 points per game, create second chances with offensive rebounds and do not commit many turnovers. On the other side of the ball, they allow just over 70 points per game, boast a plus-11.2 scoring margin and rank top 20 in blocks (5.5) and steals (8.8) per game.

The Tigers (21–11) have a stronger offensive profile than their first-round foe. Though they operate at a significantly slower pace, they still average 77.4 points per game, hit free throws at a near-80% clip and have one of the best three-point threats in the country in Joseph Girard III (42.5%). Center PJ Hall (18.8 ppg) and Girard (15.7 ppg) are Clemson’s top two scorers. The Tigers don’t create much chaos on defense as they average 4.5 steals and 3.9 blocks, though they hold opponents to 71.3 points per game.

New Mexico (23–11 against the spread) has been one of the best teams to bet on all year while the Tigers (17–14–1) have been slightly above average. Look a little deeper and the Lobos (19–7) have been up to the task when they’re favored and Clemson (6–1) has a sterling record as an underdog.

That doesn’t bode well for New Mexico, the betting favorite despite being the lower seed, but its play outside of Albuquerque is encouraging. The Lobos are 8–0 in neutral site games this season and 5–6 on the road. They just rattled off four straight wins in Las Vegas to punch their ticket to the tourney while the Tigers (6–6 on the road, 3–1 at neutral sites) have lost their last four outside of Clemson. Defense travels and New Mexico has the edge on that side of the ball.

Bet: New Mexico -2.5 (-102)No. 9 Texas A&M Aggies vs. No. 8 Nebraska Cornhuskers

Game Info: 6:50 p.m. ET | TNT
Spread: Texas A&M +1.5 (-112) | Nebraska -1.5 (-108)
Moneyline: TAMU (-102) | NEB (-118)
Total: 146.5 — Over (-115) | Under (-105)

Texas A&M guard Wade Taylor IV averages a team-best 18.9 points per game.

Steve Roberts/USA TODAY Sports

The Aggies got hot late in the year to secure a second consecutive at-large bid in the NCAA Tournament. Before falling to Florida 95–90 in the SEC Tournament semifinals, Texas A&M had won five straight, including a 97–87 upset against Kentucky in Nashville. The Cornhuskers are making their first NCAA Tournament appearance in a decade after finishing with their second-best record in program history. Nebraska has won seven of nine heading into March Madness, and one of those losses was to eventual Big Ten Tournament champion Illinois in the semifinals.

Buzz Williams’s Aggies are not an especially efficient offensive unit. They are among 14 DI teams that shoot worse than 40% from the field (amazingly, two other sub-40% teams are also in the tournament: No. 15 Saint Peter’s and No. 16 Wagner). Texas A&M’s leading scorer Wade Taylor IV (18.9 ppg) is a volume shooter who scored 82 points across three SEC Tournament games, but he also only connects on 36.9% of his attempts. The Aggies are also a dismal three-point shooting team (28.4%) and free throw shooting (70.9%) is a weakness as well.

So how does a team with that offensive profile score 90 in back-to-back games and 80-plus in four straight? Texas A&M leads the country in offensive rebounds (17.26) by a wide margin and limits turnovers (9.7). The Aggies aren’t always in — or winning — shootouts, which is where their sound defense (70.8 ppg) comes into play.

Conversely, the Cornhuskers are a highly efficient offense, led by four double-digit scorers, a few of whom are standout three-point shooters. Keisei Tominaga (14.9 ppg) shoots 37.2% from beyond the arc while Brice Williams (13.1 ppg) is a 39.2% shooter from deep. Nebraska’s 9.5 threes per game puts the team among the top shooting programs in the country.

The Cornhuskers shot 14-23 from the three-point line in their 88–72 upset of then-No. 1 Purdue in January — Tominaga was 5-9 from deep in that game. Nebraska allows roughly as many points per game (70.1) as Texas A&M and defends the arc especially well. Fred Hoiberg’s team, however, is not as strong on the boards.

Despite their different profiles, overs are abundant for both the Cornhuskers (21–11–1) and Aggies (21–13). Over Nebraska’s last 12 games, the over has hit eight times and overs are 11–2 in the last 13 for Texas A&M. In February and into March, these teams have scored at will and given up their fair share of points as well, specifically the Aggies. Bet on that trend to continue into the tournament.

Bet: Over 146.5 (-115)

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call the National Council for Problem Gambling 1-800-522-4700. The Arena Media Brands, LLC and its partners may receive compensation for links to products and services on this website.

Kobe Bryant’s father, Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, has put Kobe’s 2000 Los Angeles Lakers NBA championship ring up for auction.

Bryant gifted his parents his first NBA championship ring, and the Bryants reportedly considered selling it in 2013 along with several other pieces of memorabilia. They later took the ring off the market, instead opting to keep the championship ring.

The ring is not an executive version of the team-issued ring, according to Goldin auctions. Instead, Bryant ordered an identical copy at the time as a special gift to his father. The duplicate ring is the item up for auction.

The ring will be up for bid until March 30, with the top offer sitting at $94,000 as of early Thursday afternoon.

Kobe Bryant’s father is auctioning off his 2000 championship ring.

Kamil Krzaczynski/USA Today sports

“Obtained directly from the Bryant family, this ring is a true one-of-a-kind, and we can confirm that it is the only championship ring ever given by Kobe to his father,” the auction description says.

The ring is made of 14-karat gold and weighs 59.6 grams. It contains 40 diamonds and is engraved with the words “WORLD CHAMPIONS,” “LAKERS,” BRYANT,” and “BLING BLING.”.

Virginia Tech women’s basketball star Elizabeth Kitley will not play in the women’s NCAA tournament, coach Kenny Brooks announced on Thursday.

Kitley, who injured her knee in a loss in the regular season finale against Virginia on March 3, did not play in the ACC tournament, and up until Thursday was listed as questionable for the NCAA tournament. 

• March Madness 2024: News & Analysis | Schedule | Bracket

“Elizabeth Kitley will not participate in the NCAA tournament this year due to a lower leg injury that she suffered on March 3,” Brooks said. “We’re just praying for her and her mental health right now, and she’s still a part of what we do and she’s big in what we’ve done. So, heartfelt, you know, just goes out to her, because everything that she’s done for this program and everything that she will continue to do through her legacy. So right now, our prayers are just up for her.”

Virginia Tech center Elizabeth Kitley will miss this year’s women’s NCAA tournament with an injury.

Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports

Brooks confirmed that it is a torn ACL for his star center, who was named an Associated Press second-team All-American on Wednesday. It is the third time in her career that she has received All-American honors from the Associated Press, after she was named as a second-team All-American last season, as well as a third-team All-American in 2021–22. Kitley also was named first-team All-ACC in four of her five seasons in Blacksburg.

• March Madness Bracket Predictions: Expert Picks for Women’s Tournament

In 29 games this season, Kitley averaged 22.8 points per game to go along with 11.4 rebounds on 55.6% shooting from the floor. She returned to school this season to use her extra year of eligibility due to COVID-19, and was intent on leading Virginia Tech back to the Final Four.

Even though she will not get that opportunity on the floor, she has cemented herself as one of the best athletes in school history.

1. In Wednesday's Traina Thoughts, I took shots at Major League Baseball for making Opening Day as unspecial (if that's even a word) as possible. I went after MLB even harder about starting the 2024 season with two teams whose game aired at 3 a.m. local time and being horrible at marketing the sport on this week's SI Media With Jimmy Traina podcast. 

Well, a miracle has happened. Baseball has stolen the spotlight from the first day of the NCAA tournament. Of course, this happened because Shohei Ohtani, who just signed a $700 million contract with the Dodgers in the offseason, is tied up in some sort of gambling scandal.

The details of the story are still changing and a lot is still unknown and Ohtani hasn't been accused of anything and he may very well be guilty of absolutely nothing, but he is involved.

So just be being attached to the story, that makes Ohtani open to social media mocking.

Especially when one of the things we do know is that $4.5 million in wire transfers were sent from Ohtani's bank account to a bookmaking operation. Why exactly that was done is TBD. Ippei Mizuhara, the longtime interpreter for Ohtani, incurred the gambling debts to a Southern California bookmaking operation that is under federal investigation, multiple sources told ESPN. Naturally, not everyone believes Mizuhara was making those bets for himself.

So while most people were focused on making Pete Rose jokes, there was much more amusing and creative takes on the Ohtani scandal. What made this entire saga even more surreal is that the story was just picking up steam across the internet as the Dodgers were in the middle of their game against the San Diego Padres, which San Diego won, 16–11, as Yoshinobu Yamamoto got lit up in his debut, allowing five runs in one inning.

Here is a roundup.

My read on the story is that either Ippei or Ohtani is the best friend of all time.

— Kevin Clark (@bykevinclark) March 21, 2024

So Ohtani didn’t get a notification from his bank.
I waste .99 cents and I get a notification on my phone, so imagine a couple of wireless transfers to the total of $4.5 million dollars.
With that said I didn’t know you can’t help a friend to pay a gambling debt.

— Wilson Lopez 🇵🇷 (@willNYYanks) March 21, 2024

“Welcome back to SportsCenter Presented by ESPN Bet, for more on the Ohtani situation we go to our FanDuel MLB Insider Jeff Passan at our DraftKings Studio in Los Angeles brought to you by Caesar’s Sportsbook. Jeff, how could something like this happen?”

— JEFF (@jeffisrael25) March 21, 2024

Unfortunately worded CNN tweet about Shohei Ohtani resurfaces https://t.co/OTFwU6hGk6 pic.twitter.com/J91NdORy2s

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 21, 2024

There’s no way Ohtani could ever truly intentionally affect the outcome of a baseball game.

You’d have to be the pitcher AND a great hitter.

Impossible.

— Ross Tucker (@RossTuckerNFL) March 21, 2024

Me liking all the Ohtani and Ippei conspiracy theories pic.twitter.com/uGoSTxKUnA

— K*rk (@krktwe3ts) March 20, 2024

Ohtani when the MLB came to investigate his gambling debt pic.twitter.com/Hte1GQCa26

— Shooter McGavin (@ShooterMcGavin_) March 21, 2024

Ippei taking his NDA money from Ohtani and cashing it on “Anthony Rendon under 30 games played” pic.twitter.com/F8EHvaxttD

— Jake (@D1SCHER) March 20, 2024

Ippei and Ohtani after betting the under on Yamamoto's total outs pic.twitter.com/2tN2t2V1iT

— Joshua Sánchez (@jnsanchez) March 21, 2024

Ohtani when the Dodgers win 4-3 but he had -1.5 pic.twitter.com/Rx7X1d74Qp

— Astros 2024 Champs (@AstrosOptimism2) March 21, 2024

Ippei Mizuhara after Shohei Ohtani deferred over 600 million instead of taking 70 mil a year: pic.twitter.com/FYORyNmfot

— pardo🧸 (@Hardpard) March 20, 2024

2. A brand-new episode of SI Media with Jimmy Traina dropped today and it features a conversation with The Ringer‘s editor-at-large, and host of The Press Box Podcast, Bryan Curtis about all the latest sports media news.

Among the topics covered with Curtis: Is Stephen A. Smith a $25-million man? How is Pat McAfee factoring into Smith’s desire for a massive pay day? The ESPN-Aaron Rodgers headache. Excitement for Ian Eagle and Bill Raftery to call the Final Four for CBS/Turner. LeBron James getting into the podcast game. The networks reliance on live sports growing more and more. The backlash against AppleTV+’s series on the New England Patriots dynasty and much more.

Following Curtis, Sal Licata from WFAN and SNY joins me for our weekly “Traina Thoughts” segment. This week’s topics include Major League Baseball botching Opening Day in a massive way, whether I’m justified in muting certain people on X (formerly Twitter), NCAA tournament snubs, the latest episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm and more.

You can listen to the podcast below or download it on Apple, Spotify and Google.

You can also watch SI Media With Jimmy Traina on Sports Illustrated’s YouTube channel.

3. Just watch what James Harden did here after passing the ball to Kawhi Leonard in the third quarter of last night’s Los Angeles Clippers game against the Portland Trail Blazers.

James Harden contesting Kawhi’s shot. 😂😂

pic.twitter.com/OUe5kdfGEf

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) March 21, 2024

Here's Harden's explanation for guarding his own teammate.

James Harden said he was trying to lighten the mood and get the Clippers out of the fog they’ve been in lately when asked about how he closed out on a Kawhi 3-point attempt when they were up by 21. pic.twitter.com/Y9XOBeXRos

— Ohm Youngmisuk (@NotoriousOHM) March 21, 2024

4. Long Beach State coach Dan Monson was fired two weeks ago. The school let him close out the season, though. Long Beach State, which finished the regular season 18–14, won the Big West tournament, giving them an automatic berth in to the NCAA tournament.

Monson addressed this awkward situation at a press conference Wednesday by using a wonderful Seinfeld reference.

"I'm a Seinfeld episode going on in real life."

After mutually agreeing to part ways with Long Beach State before winning the Big West tournament, coach Dan Monson still has time for jokes 🤣 #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/PxReiAmzeW

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 20, 2024

And now I’ll be rooting for Long Beach State in the tourney.

5. Click in and enjoy this tremendous thread on what NCAA coaches actually look like they do for work.

What NCAA Tournament coaches look like they ACTUALLY do for a living

Thread:

— Pregame Empire (@PregameEmpire) March 19, 2024

6. Here are the price points for ESPN's upcoming move to go Direct To Consumer.

ESPN DTC price planning per month
1) Standalone: $25-30
2) Fox/TNT trio: $40-50
3) YouTube TV package: $73 package
4) Cable package: $100+ https://t.co/KQllxTIfj8

— Andrew Marchand (@AndrewMarchand) March 20, 2024

7. RANDOM VIDEO OF THE DAY: On this week's SI Media Podcast with guest Bryan Curtis, we talked about the 1987 incident in which CBS News anchor Dan Rather walked off the set when a U.S. Open tennis match ran long and cut into the evening news, leaving the newscast dark for six full minutes. Curtis and I discussed how this is a top "Imagine If Twitter Was Around For This Moment." Here is Rather discussing the incident.

Be sure to catch up on past editions of Traina Thoughts and check out SI Media With Jimmy Traina on Apple, Spotify or Google. You can also follow Jimmy on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok.

Matt Lampson—a goalkeeping coach for the NWSL’s Houston Dash—has been fired and suspended for the remainder of the 2024 season after allegedly engaging in a relationship with a player, according to a Wednesday report from Theodore Lloyd-Hughes of The Equalizer.

“Houston Dash goalkeeper coach Matt Lampson was terminated on March 18. We respect the privacy and confidentiality of our players and employees and will not comment on specific details of Club employment matters,” the Dash told Lloyd-Hughes in a statement.

On Thursday, the NWSL confirmed to The Athletic that Lampson was fired for violating the league’s anti-fraternization policy, adding that it “did not find a violation of the NWSL Anti-Harassment Policy which is focused on preventing abusive, discriminatory, or harassing behavior.”

Lampson, a former MLS goalie for four teams, had worked for Houston since 2022.

The NWSL’s work culture has been in the national spotlight for years, and particularly since a 2022 report from former acting Attorney General Sally Yates found that “institutional failures” perpetuated a “misconduct issue.”

Mark Grant has been calling San Diego Padres games since 1996. Before that, he was a pitcher in the major leagues for eight seasons. So he’s no stranger to baseball road trips. And yet, Grant remains in awe of the fact that you can just hop on an airplane and go play a baseball game in some faraway place. 

In the eighth inning of the Padres’ game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Seoul, South Korea, on Thursday, Grant went off on a tangent, telling broadcast partner Don Orsillo just how fascinated he is with the fact that they’ll be back home in San Diego in no time. 

Padres broadcast is tripping out just thinking about air travel pic.twitter.com/UGsEn16z1I

— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) March 21, 2024

“Isn’t it amazing, Donny? [Sideline reporter] Mariluz [Cook] was just in San Diego. We saw Petco Park,” Grant said after the broadcast aired Cook’s report from back home. “We are on the other side of the planet. And after this game, we’re gonna get in a big metal tube and fly for 11 hours and be in San Diego. Isn’t that incredible when you get down to think about it?”

Orsillo’s response was gold: “Yeah, it’s far away!”

The Padres won the game to split the two-game overseas series. They’ll return home and resume regular season games on March 28. Their first road trip of the season is to San Francisco. Grant should have an easier time wrapping his head around that one. 

Russell Wilson is now a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers after signing a team-friendly, one-year deal last week with the franchise that boasts six Super Bowl titles. 

The QB has been fired up about the move, as he posted a hype video after the deal got done. The Steelers later added another QB, Justin Fields, in a trade with the Chicago Bears, so Wilson might have some competition for the starting job in Pittsburgh. 

On Wednesday, Wilson, who is coming off a disappointing two-year stint with the Denver Broncos, shared another video on social media, which showed him working on his footwork while wearing sunglasses. 

Check this out:

Love the Work. The Best Is Ahead. pic.twitter.com/4dl997br5g

— Russell Wilson (@DangeRussWilson) March 20, 2024

NFL fans had jokes: 

This is what I keep thinking of 😂😂 https://t.co/rBkzgPjyhx pic.twitter.com/ThdCvcXw6z

— Anthony95 (@AnthonyDayboch) March 20, 2024

bro posted the same thing when we got him😭 https://t.co/U93136hqBY pic.twitter.com/N561pJ8st1

— Big Mike || Quinn Meinerz’s #1 Fan (@MeinerzMuse) March 20, 2024

That’s weird.. usually he runs in a circle and takes a sack. https://t.co/rMSYS8vikk

— MileHighGreco (@MileHighGreco) March 20, 2024

Russ wishes he could move like Jameis

pic.twitter.com/poE5LwUrVd https://t.co/PM1qDr49Ev

— BIGPLAY Dave (@BIGPLAY_Dave) March 20, 2024

Wait till there’s a pass rush Steelers fans. https://t.co/CQvh9Y5nH5

— Apollo (@SurtainStraps) March 20, 2024

“The best is ahead” https://t.co/kcEl4uyNbg pic.twitter.com/ye0zss8Rd4

— Adam Awes (@AdamAwes10K) March 21, 2024

Live look at the Wilson & Fields QB Battle for the Steelers: https://t.co/0HLUBLVga4 pic.twitter.com/HgSLJgVPVA

— Titans Tribe (@TitansTribe) March 20, 2024

With speculation surrounding his relationship with former translator Ippei Mizuhara, Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter and pitcher Shohei Ohtani had little to say to reporters Thursday morning.

Ohtani left the Dodgers’ clubhouse in Seoul without taking any questions after Los Angeles’s 15–11 loss to the San Diego Padres in the finale of their two-game series in Seoul, South Korea.

Per Chelsea Janes of The Washington Post, the Dodgers’ public relations team told reporters Ohtani would not be speaking, and then he left telling the press in Japanese to “have a good night.”

• Verducci: Shohei Ohtani’s Translator Fired Amid Accusations of Theft of ‘Millions of Dollars’

On Wednesday, Tisha Thompson of ESPN published a stunning story outlining Ohtani’s allegation that Mizuhara stole $4.5 million from him to finance a gambling habit—after an Ohtani representative initially suggested the two-time American League MVP transferred the money to Mizuhara voluntarily.

Dodgers PR guarded Ohtani’s locker as he changed, then told reporters he would not be speaking. When reporters surrounded his locker, asking if he had a second anyway, he walked by and out of the clubhouse saying what the Japanese reporters translated as “have a good night.”

— Chelsea Janes (@chelsea_janes) March 21, 2024

Los Angeles quickly moved to dismiss Mizuhara, and Dodgers manager of performance operations Will Ireton reportedly will serve as Ohtani’s interpreter going forward.

Will Ireton, the Dodgers current Manager of Performance Operations, will take over as Shohei Ohtani's translator following the firing of Ohtani's longtime translator Ippei Mizuhara. Ireton was previously Kenta Maeda's translator during his time with the Dodgers.

— Doug McKain (@DMAC_LA) March 21, 2024

With the 2024 NFL draft just over one month away, rumors and reports about potential trades are ramping up. One team at the center of such conversations is the Arizona Cardinals, who possess the No. 4 pick in April’s draft.

Arizona general manager Monti Ossenfort confirmed the team is “open for business” in terms of fielding offers for its first-round pick, and he expects trade conversations to pick up at the annual league meetings, which take place March 24-27.

“I think we’ll always have the conversation,” Ossenfort said, via NFL Network’s Grant Gordon. “We may not get to a point where a deal makes sense, whether it’s at [No.] 4 or anywhere we’re picking, but we’re always going to have the conversation, and if it makes sense, if it’s attractive to building our team, then it’s something that we’ll certainly consider no matter where we’re at in the draft.”

Ossenfort said trade inquiries have started to pick up recently, but he doesn’t believe conversations will intensify until the week of the draft.

Arizona was extremely active in last year’s draft, making five deals, and currently sits in one of the most intriguing positions based on the incoming draft class. There’s a realistic scenario where the top three players selected are all quarterbacks, with USC’s Caleb Williams, LSU’s Jayden Daniels, and UNC’s Drake Maye all drawing considerable interest.

If the top three picks feature three signal-callers, the Cardinals’ pick could attract a high level of trade interest. Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy’s stock has been on the rise, and this scenario also could drive interest from teams targeting a top wide receiver, such as Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. and LSU’s Malik Nabers.

Free agent wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. intends to visit the Miami Dolphins on Thursday, according to CBS Sports’s Josina Anderson.

The Miami Herald and The Athletic confirmed Anderson’s report Wednesday night.

The 31-year-old Beckham was released by the Baltimore Ravens earlier this month. Last season, he recorded 35 catches for 565 yards and three touchdowns in 14 regular-season games in Baltimore, averaging a career-high 16.1 yards per catch. 

The Herald noted that the Dolphins have “shown interest” in Beckham this offseason, hoping to add an additional weapon to bolster Miami’s No. 1-ranked offense led by last year’s NFL receiving yards leader, Tyreek Hill. 

The Dolphins have an estimated $13.5 million in salary cap space to potentially sign Beckham, who is two years removed from his second ACL tear.

Beckham was the No. 12 pick by the New York Giants in the 2014 NFL draft. He spent his first five pro seasons with the Giants before joining the Cleveland Browns in 2019, where he suffered his first ACL tear. Cleveland released him in 2021. 

The three-time Pro Bowler signed with the Los Angeles Rams later that year and helped them win Super Bowl LVI, racking up 288 yards and two touchdowns in the 2021-22 postseason, including a 113-yard game in the Rams’ 20—17 NFC title victory over the San Francisco 49ers.

Alabama cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry is hoping to be one of the top defensive backs off the board in the NFL draft next month, and his 40-yard-dash at Alabama’s pro day on Wednesday likely helped his draft stock.

Despite having a Jones fracture in a toe in his foot, McKinstry clocked a 4.47-second 40-yard dash. His ability to run a time that fast with a broken toe that will require surgery on Friday is a testament to his speed, athleticism and durability.

Alabama CB Kool-Aid McKinstry probably made himself some money here at pro day, running a 40 that scouts clocked as low as 4.47 — despite a Jones fracture that doctors discovered at the combine. He’ll have surgery Friday and is expected to be full go for camp. pic.twitter.com/mee0fEihE3

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 20, 2024

McKinstry is expected to be ready for the start of rookie mini camp later this spring, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

McKinstry played 42 games across his three seasons with the Crimson Tide, recording 62 total tackles, five tackles for loss, two sacks and two interceptions. He was named first-team All-SEC in 2022 and ’23, and was an Associated Press first-team All-American selection last season as he helped Alabama reach the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Rose Bowl.