Sports
One team from each seed line with best chance of advancing in tournament
Mar 26, 2025; Newark, NJ, USA; General view of a NCAA March Madness logo during a practice sessions in preparation for an East Regional semifinal games at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images There’s nothing wrong with all four No. 1 seeds barging their way into the Final Four. When it happened last March for the first time since 2008, it led to a terrific Final Four in San Antonio that didn’t determine the champion until the title game’s final possession.
So, if Duke, Arizona, Michigan and Florida reign supreme over the next two weekends and earn their way to Indianapolis, college basketball fans everywhere will relish the chance to watch them bash it out for the right to bask in One Shining Moment.
But let’s be honest: As amazing as each No. 1 seed’s talent happens to be — not to mention their metrics — none of these teams are unbeatable. The Blue Devils and Wolverines are dealing with injuries that test their depth at point guard. The Gators’ 3-point prowess (or lack thereof) sank them in the SEC tournament semifinals.
And, well, the Wildcats looked pretty phenomenal while blasting their way to the Big 12 tournament championship, but studs Jaden Bradley and Koa Peat have been dealing with injuries, including a wrist injury suffered by Bradley in the Big 12 title game.
So which teams might knock off a No. 1 seed and take their place in Indy? Here’s the team from each seed line with the best chance of advancing:
No. 2: Last year, Houston essentially had to be the road team in the Midwest Region in Indianapolis. The Cougars edged Purdue in the Sweet 16 before taking down Tennessee and the Big Orange Nation in the Elite Eight. For their troubles, the Cougars have the chance to play in Houston in the South Region this time. You think Florida is happy about this?
No. 3: Michigan State isn’t the most talented 3 seed, but it boasts the toughest point guard in likely All-American Jeremy Fears Jr. and he sets the tone for his squad. If it comes down the Spartans and second-seeded UConn in the East Region semifinals, the Huskies have indicated in recent weeks they’re lacking a killer instinct.
No. 4: Somehow the West Region features the Big 12 (Arizona), Big Ten (Purdue), West Coast (Gonzaga) and Southeastern Conference (Arkansas) tournament champions, with the Razorbacks the fourth seed. So everyone’s coming in hot, but nobody’s hotter than Arkansas freshman PG Darius Acuff Jr. In his last eight games, he has averaged 28.4 points and 7.4 assists while shooting 48.1% from 3-point range.
No. 5: Wisconsin and Vanderbilt have been rolling and feature great guard combos that can make a difference in March, but St. John’s gets stuck with a 5 seed after smacking UConn by 20 in the Big East title game? Nothing against Northern Iowa and Cal Baptist, but can’t wait to watch St. John’s and Kansas in Round 2.
No. 6: If you have the likely No. 1 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft, then you’ve got a chance to make something happen in March. AJ Dybantsa leads the nation with 25.3 points per game and he seems to be getting more comfortable from 3-point range. He gives BYU a chance to reach the Sweet 16 for the second year in a row.
No. 7: Saint Mary’s doesn’t have an easy draw. If the ultra-patient Gaels harness the Texas A&M whirlwind in the first round, then the Houston Cougars await in Round 2. But Saint Mary’s boasts terrific shooters (38.6% from 3) and a rock-ribbed defense. That’s the combo that can pay big in March.
No. 8: The last few years, Ohio State showed an alarming talent for fading down the stretch. Not this year. With all-time leading scorer Bruce Thornton leading the way, the Buckeyes are 4-1 this March with a narrow loss to Michigan the only demerit.
No. 9: As soon as the brackets were announced, the talking heads couldn’t wait to gush over Utah State. And with good reason. Led by Mountain West player of the year Mason Falslev, the Aggies are in the NCAAs for the fifth time in six seasons. No high-major would play them in nonconference.
No. 10: We have a compelling group of 10 seeds, but Santa Clara sticks out in the school’s first NCAA Tournament since 1996 — when Steve Nash ran the show. Herb Sendek’s Broncos play fast, yet they found a way to defeat Saint Mary’s two out of three.
No. 11: It has been 15 years since Shaka Smart led VCU to the Final Four from the 11 seed. That’s reason enough to single out VCU, but its band also delivers the tuffest song: “You don’t want to go to war with the Rams; Don’t start no stuff, won’t be no stuff.” Look it up on YouTube, people.
No. 12: Basically, this is where we predict the annual 5-12 upset. Akron retained five key players from last year’s NCAA Tournament crew, then coach John Groce added the Mahaffey Bros. (Eric and Evan) for even more energy and defense. The Zips won’t be favored against Texas Tech, but they won’t be scared, either.
No. 13: Hofstra traveled to Pittsburgh on Dec. 7 and Syracuse on Dec. 13 (bookending a classic trap game against Old Westbury on Dec. 10) and took care of those Atlantic Coast Conference squads. Speedy Claxton’s crew shoots the lights out (36.8% from 3) and protects the rim defensively.
No. 14: Did you see the end of the Ivy League championship game? Then you know why Penn gets the nod here. TJ Power, a four-star prospect who began his career at Duke, hit two ridiculous 3-pointers to force OT and highlight his 44-point, 14-rebound performance. Fran McCaffery wasted no time refurbishing his alma mater.
No. 15: Idaho finished seventh in the Big Sky, then promptly reeled off four tournament wins in five days to collect the school’s first NCAA bid since 1990. The Vandals don’t have any high-major transfers, but they have a balanced offense, they shoot the 3 well and they don’t turn it over much — but we imagine Houston will try to force a few miscues.
No. 16: Anyone remember the last time UMBC made the NCAA field? Anyone? Tony Bennett? Wahoo Nation? The Retrievers are back for the first time since 2018, when they slayed No. 1 Virginia in the first round. UMBC isn’t even favored to win in Tuesday’s First Four game against Howard, but it enters riding a 12-game winning streak during which only two games were decided by single digits.
–Lindsey Willhite, Field Level Media
Sports
Astros jump out to 7-run lead, add on in win over Astros
Jun 9, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Los Angeles Angels left fielder Wade Meckler (53) reacts after scoring a run against the Houston Astros during the second inning at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images Oswald Peraza had three RBIs and Jo Adell and Wade Meckler and drove in two apiece as the Los Angeles Angels built an early seven-run lead and cruised to a 10-1 victory over the Houston Astros on Tuesday night at Anaheim, Calif.
Meckler scored three times and reached base five times on three walks, one hit and once via error for the Angels, who had lost six of their previous eight games. Sebastian Rivero had two hits before exiting with a left wrist injury and Adell and Peraza also had two hits.
Brice Matthews had an RBI single for the Astros, who had won three of their previous four contests.
Walbert Urena (4-4) pitched five scoreless innings to win his third straight decision for the Angels. He gave up three hits, walked five and struck out seven before three relievers finished up.
Houston’s Kai-Wei Teng (3-5) was roughed up for seven runs (five earned) and seven hits over four innings. He struck out five and walked three.
Rivero had a streak of seven straight hits before the injury that occurred when he fouled off a pitch in the fifth. Logan O’Hoppe entered for the final two pitches of the at-bat and took a called strike three with the strikeout charged to Rivero to end his hit streak.
Los Angeles first baseman Nolan Schanuel (calf) departed before the top of the fourth inning due to left calf tightness.
The Angels scored twice without a hit in the first inning.
Los Angeles loaded the bases with one out on two walks and an error before Schanuel was hit by Teng’s pitch to force in a run. Peraza followed with a possible double-play grounder but Jose Altuve dropped the ball on the exchange after securing the out at second as Meckler scored.
The Angels erupted for five runs in the second inning.
The bases were loaded with one out when Meckler hit a two-run double to left to make it 4-0. Adell followed with another two-run double to make it a six-run game. Schanuel singled to put runners on the corners before Peraza hit into a fielder’s choice to score Adell.
Houston scored in the seventh while sending pinch hitters to the plate for Jeremy Pena, Yordan Alvarez, Christian Walker and Altuve in a five-batter span.
With two outs, Collin Price singled and starter Isaac Paredes walked before Matthews stroked an RBI single to right to get the Astros on the board.
Trey Mancini’s bases-loaded sacrifice fly in the eighth made it 8-1. Peraza’s infield hit and Denzer Guzman’s infield out also plated runs.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Veronica Burton, Gabby Williams guide Valkyries past Mercury
Jun 9, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Valkyries guard Kaila Charles (6) is called for the foul against Phoenix Mercury guard Lexi Held (10) during the first quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images Veronica Burton scored a season-high 25 points and dished out eight assists, Gabby Williams also had 25 points, and the Golden State Valkyries held off the Phoenix Mercury 87-81 in a Commissioner’s Cup game in San Francisco on Tuesday.
Kayla Thornton scored 12 points and Janelle Salaun added 11 for the Valkyries, who had their 17-point halftime lead trimmed to one before recovering in the final minutes to break a season-worst two-game losing streak.
Alyssa Thomas scored 20 of her 22 points in the second half for the Mercury, who had a two-game winning streak broken in the third game of a four-game road trip. Monique Akoa Makani put up a season-high 19 points.
Thomas, who missed the previous game with a calf injury, had nine assists and eight rebounds.
Akoa Makani’s 3-pointer brought the Mercury (4-9, 2-2 Commissioner’s Cup) within 76-75 with 3:09 left before Williams’ three-point play gave the Valkyries an 84-78 lead with 1:39 remaining.
Thomas’ three-point play closed the deficit to 84-81 on the next possession, but Williams intercepted Thomas’ pass and made 1 of 2 free throws with 11 seconds left. Thornton later sank two to ice it.
Williams finished with three 3-pointers for the Valkyries, who wound up 10 of 29 (34.5%) from long distance. Golden State (7-5, 2-2) made 6 of 12 from beyond the arc in the first half, when it built a 49-32 lead. The Valkyries lead the WNBA with 12.1 treys per game and a 37.9% success rate from long range.
Williams sank three 3-pointers while Burton, Thornton and Salaun had two apiece. Burton went 9-for-11 at the free-throw line.
The Valkyries have won the first two in the season series, including a 95-79 home victory on May 10.
Akoa Makani, playing her sixth game after finishing her season in France, had six points and Thomas had four assists in a 13-0 run for a 16-10 Mercury lead in the first quarter. The Valkyries responded with a 12-2 run for a 22-18 edge.
The Valkyries closed the second quarter on an 18-5 run to take a 49-32 halftime lead, their largest advantage to that point. Burton had 10 points in the period as Golden State outscored Phoenix 27-14. Thomas and Mercury teammate Kahleah Copper were given technical fouls during the half-ending stretch.
Thomas scored 13 points in the third quarter, when the Mercury outscored the Valkyries 29-17. Golden State led 66-61 entering the fourth.
–Field Level Media
Sports
A's continue HR barrage against Brewers to even series
Jun 8, 2026; Summerlin, Nevada, USA; Athletics left fielder Tyler Soderstrom (21) celebrates with teammates after hitting a home run against the Milwaukee Brewers during the seventh inning at the Las Vegas Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images LAS VEGAS — Tyler Soderstrom and Nick Kurtz each homered for the third time in two games to power the Athletics to a 7-5 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday night, evening the series in Las Vegas.
After homering seven times in the wild series opener, won by the Brewers 15-14 in 12 innings, the Athletics pounded out another five homers Tuesday at the hitter-friendly home of the A’s Triple-A affiliate.
The A’s scored three runs in the fifth off starter Robert Gasser (0-3) on homers by Soderstrom and Jonah Heim to go in front 6-3.
Shea Langeliers singled with one out and Soderstrom, who homered twice in the series opener, followed with his 11th homer. Heim added a two-out solo shot, his fifth.
The Brewers pulled within 6-5 in the sixth on two walks, two singles and an error, chasing starter J.T. Ginn. Elvis Alvarado relieved with two outs and fanned Jackson Chourio, stranding runners on second and third.
Zack Gelof opened the bottom half with his eighth homer off reliever Joel Kuhnel, acquired from the A’s on Saturday.
Ginn (4-3) allowed five runs on eight hits in 5 2/3 innings, striking out five and walking three. Mason Barnett tossed two scoreless for his first career save.
Henry Bolte put the A’s up 3-2 in the second with his first career homer, a 446-foot two-run shot to center after Heim’s leadoff single.
The Brewers tied it 3-all in the fourth on Sal Frelick’s RBI single.
Chourio staked the Brewers to a quick 2-0 lead, following Christian Yelich’s game-opening single with his fifth home run.
Kurtz, who also homered twice in the opener, answered in the bottom half with a one-out solo homer, his 15th.
The series with the Brewers will be followed by three games against Colorado. The A’s are currently playing home games in Sacramento until their new climate-controlled stadium opens in Las Vegas for the start of the 2028 season.
–Jim Hoehn, Field Level Media
Astros jump out to 7-run lead, add on in win over Astros
Veronica Burton, Gabby Williams guide Valkyries past Mercury
