The NCAA could formalize expansion of the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments to a 76-team format as soon as Thursday, ESPN reported on Wednesday night.

The tournament fields will expand from 68 teams beginning in 2027, with NCAA calls scheduled for Thursday as the final steps in the process, ESPN reported.

The NCAA denied any final decision had been made following multiple reports in late April that plans for expansion are expected to be approved by NCAA committees and formalized as soon as this month.

“Expanding the basketball tournaments would require approval from multiple NCAA committees, including the men’s and women’s basketball committees, and no final recommendations or decisions have been made at this time,” the NCAA’s April 28 statement read.

The format change requires approval from the men’s basketball committees, the men’s and women’s basketball oversight committees, the Division I cabinet and the Division I Board of Governors.

ESPN reported on Wednesday that after expansion talks for more than a year, and contracts with the men’s tournament media partners near completion in late April, the final steps are expected to be smooth.

Multiple outlets reported last month that the NCAA plans for 52 teams to slot into the main bracket and the other 24 teams will face off in 12 games on the Tuesday and Wednesday after Selection Sunday, filling out the Round of 64 with the winners. It will no longer be called the “First Four,” with the terminology expected to be “opening round” for the play-ins and “first round” for the Round of 64.

The 12 games are expected to be in Dayton, Ohio, current site of the First Four, and a second site to be determined.

It would mark the first expansion of the tournament since the field moved from 65 to 68 teams with the addition of the First Four games in 2011. The field had previously been 64 or 65 teams since 1985.

The Big 12 and Atlantic Coast Conference were the leading voices behind tournament expansion, Yahoo Sports reported in April. NCAA president Charlie Baker has also voiced his support.

“I said all along that I think there are some very good reasons to expand the tournament,” Baker told ESPN in February. “So, I would like to see it expand.”

–Field Level Media

Lukas Dostal made 22 saves while leading the Anaheim Ducks to a 3-1 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday in Las Vegas, evening their best-of-seven Western Conference second-round playoff series at one win each.

Beckett Sennecke, Leo Carlsson and Jansen Harkins scored for the Ducks.

The series now shifts to Anaheim for Game 3 on Friday and Game 4 on Sunday.

Mark Stone scored a late power-play goal and Carter Hart finished with 25 saves for Vegas, which lost in regulation at home to the Ducks for only the fourth time (16-4-1) in franchise history.

Vegas killed off eight minutes of penalties in the first half of a scoreless opening period, including 1:37 of a 5-on-3 after Jack Eichel picked up a four-minute double minor for high-sticking Mikael Granlund.

The Ducks, who scored on eight of their 16 power-plays chances while defeating the Edmonton Oilers in six games in their first round matchup, have yet to score with the extra man in the series against the Golden Knights. Anaheim is now 0-for-9 on the power play.

Anaheim took a 1-0 lead midway through the second period on Sennecke’s second goal of the playoffs. Jeffrey Viel picked up the primary assist, stealing the puck from Vegas defenseman Kaedan Korczak along the boards behind the net and then passing to Sennecke in the low slot. The Calder Trophy finalist for rookie of the year, who scored 23 goals in the regular-season, then chipped a shot past Hart’s glove side.

The Ducks extended the lead to 2-0 at the 6:36 mark of the third period on Carlsson’s fourth goal of the playoffs. Troy Terry set up the score with a crossing pass from the left circle to Carlsson alone on the backdoor by the right post. Carlsson then roofed a wrist shot past Hart’s glove side.

Vegas pulled Hart with four minutes remaining for an extra attacker and Harkins sealed the win with an empty-netter thirty seconds later, his first goal since New Year’s Eve against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The Golden Knights spoiled Dostal’s shutout bid with just 5.6 seconds on to go when Stone redirected a Eichel shot from along the right boards for his third goal of the playoffs.

–Field Level Media

Andy Pages’ career-best three home runs and six RBIs carried the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers to a 12-2 victory over the Houston Astros on Wednesday.

Los Angeles starter Tyler Glasnow left after an inning with back spasms, but manager Dave Roberts said he didn’t think the injury was serious or a long-term issue. Jack Dreyer (2-1) earned the win by throwing two scoreless frames. Six Dodgers relievers combined to hurl eight innings of one-run, four-hit ball.

Shohei Ohtani posted two hits, two runs and an RBI for the Dodgers, who won their third game in four tries and took the three-game set.

Astros starter Lance McCullers Jr. (2-3) lasted just 2 2/3 innings, allowing six runs on four hits. Reliever Jason Alexander yielded five runs on nine hits across 4 1/3 frames. Brice Matthews homered for Houston.

Pirates 1, Diamondbacks 0

Paul Skenes allowed two hits over eight stellar innings and Brandon Lowe hit a towering homer as Pittsburgh edged Arizona in Phoenix.

Lowe’s first-inning blast off Michael Soroka was all the offense Skenes (5-2) needed as he silenced Arizona hitters. The right-hander struck out seven and walked none while pitching at least eight innings for the fourth time in his career.

It was the longest scoreless outing ever produced by Skenes, who has yet to last nine innings in a game. Gregory Soto worked around a one-out walk in the ninth for his second save. Soroka (4-2) allowed one run and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings.

Cubs 7, Reds 6 (10 innings)

Michael Busch drew a bases-loaded walk with two outs in the 10th inning and Chicago beat visiting Cincinnati for its eighth straight win.

Ian Happ went 3-for-5 with a two-run homer for the Cubs, who have opened the four-game series with three straight walk-off victories. Trent Thornton (1-0) pitched a scoreless 10th inning in his Cubs debut. Chicago has won 14 straight games at Wrigley Field, matching the team’s longest home-winning streak since winning 14 in a row in 2008.

Matt McLain homered among his two hits for the Reds, who have lost a season-high six consecutive games and eight of their past 10.

Angels 8, White Sox 2

Travis d’Arnaud hit a three-run homer to highlight a five-run second inning and Walbert Urena (1-3) allowed one run on two hits over six innings to pick up his first major league win as Los Angeles defeated Chicago in Anaheim, Calif.

It marked the first time since April 16-17 that the Angels won back-to-back games. It also was just their third series win of the season and the first at home since April 3-5 against the Seattle Mariners.

Colson Montgomery doubled and scored a run and Chase Meidroth had two hits and a walk and scored a run for the White Sox, who have lost three of the past four.

Rays 3, Blue Jays 0

Shane McClanahan fired 5 2/3 scoreless innings and Tampa Bay recorded its 10th straight home victory by shutting out Toronto in St. Petersburg, Fla.

McClanahan (4-2) allowed just two hits to stretch his scoreless streak to 16 2/3 innings over the past three starts and drop his ERA to 2.60. The Rays swept their six-game homestand over the San Francisco Giants and the Blue Jays and moved to 12-1 over the past 13 games with a sixth straight win.

Myles Straw went 2-for-3 with a double, but the Blue Jays, on a four-game losing streak, managed only four hits. Patrick Corbin (1-1) tossed 5 1/3 innings and allowed two runs on five hits.

Brewers 6, Cardinals 2

Andrew Vaughn hit a three-run homer and Milwaukee used five pitchers to limit host St. Louis to four hits.

Vaughn, reinstated from the injured list Monday after breaking the hamate bone in his left hand on Opening Day, capped a four-run first with his first homer of the season, which he hit off Andre Pallante 403 feet to left-center field.

Aaron Ashby (6-0) fired two scoreless innings for the Brewers, who pounded out 11 hits to split the abbreviated two-game series. Pallante (3-3) permitted five runs on eight hits in six innings.

Padres 5, Giants 1

Ty France broke a seventh-inning tie with a two-run, pinch-hit triple, Xander Bogaerts added a two-run homer in the eighth, and San Diego captured a series win at San Francisco.

After taking over from opener Bradgley Rodriguez, Matt Waldron (1-1) threw five innings of one-run ball. Adrian Morejon and Mason Miller combined for six strikeouts over the final three innings, allowing just one hit.

Jesus Rodriguez went 2-for-3 with a pair of singles for the Giants, who have lost eight of their past nine.

Rangers 6, Yankees 1

Nathan Eovaldi pitched eight stellar innings and was backed by two early homers as visiting Texas quieted New York.

Eovaldi (4-4) struck out a season-high eight and walked none for the second time this season. The Rangers’ Corey Seager homered three batters into the contest, and Evan Carter hit a two-run shot in the third.

Aaron Judge hit his 12th homer in his past 23 games, but the Yankees saw a five-game winning streak end and lost for the third time in their past 18 games. Will Warren (4-1) was tagged for six runs on seven hits in four innings.

Mariners 3, Braves 1

Bryan Woo allowed just one hit over six scoreless innings and Julio Rodriguez homered as Seattle defeated visiting Atlanta.

The only hit Woo (2-2) gave up was a two-out single to right by Mauricio Dubon in the fourth inning. The right-hander walked two and matched his season high with nine strikeouts.

Dominic Smith drove in the lone run for the Braves, who took their first series loss of the season by dropping two of the three games.

Red Sox 4, Tigers 0

Sonny Gray pitched five scoreless innings in his return to action and visiting Boston completed a three-game sweep of Detroit.

Gray (3-1) came off the injured list and gave up four hits while recording two strikeouts. Gray strained his right hamstring in a start last month against the Tigers. Tyler Samaniego struck out three in two innings. Zack Kelly and Greg Weissert each pitched an inning to complete the shutout.

Masataka Yoshida had two hits and scored a run for Boston while Caleb Durbin supplied an RBI double. Riley Greene had two hits for the Tigers. Detroit starter Jack Flaherty (0-3) fanned 10 while yielding four runs, two earned, in five innings.

Orioles 7, Marlins 4

Pete Alonso hammered a three-run homer and Adley Rutschman smacked two run-scoring doubles as Baltimore beat host Miami.

Orioles starter Brandon Young (3-1) worked six innings, allowing three runs on four hits. Rico Garcia pitched the ninth for his second save as four pitchers combined on a six-hitter.

Jakob Marsee drove in two runs, but the Marlins lost their fourth game in a row and fell for the fifth time in six games.

Nationals 15, Twins 2

CJ Abrams had three hits including a grand slam, Miles Mikolas pitched into the sixth inning and host Washington routed Minnesota.

Brady House, Drew Millas and Jose Tena each had two hits including a home run for the Nationals, who collected 14 hits. Abrams also had two doubles and five RBIs, and James Wood and Jacob Young each had two hits.

Three Washington pitchers held the Twins to three hits. Matt Wallner had two hits including a home run for Minnesota, which had won two straight.

Guardians 3, Royals 1

Rookie Chase DeLauter’s two-run, go-ahead single in the fifth inning highlighted a two-hit night, and Joey Cantillo yielded one run over five innings as visiting Cleveland defeated Kansas City.

DeLauter extended his hitting streak to 10 games. Cantillo (2-1) allowed three hits as the Guardians snapped a three-game skid.

Maikel Garcia had two of the four hits collected by the Royals, who had a five-game winning streak end.

Phillies 6, Athletics 3

Edmundo Sosa delivered a go-ahead two-run single in the eighth inning as host Philadelphia rallied past the visiting Athletics.

Brandon Marsh had three hits and an RBI for the Phillies, who improved to 8-1 under interim manager Don Mattingly. Adolis Garcia homered for the Phillies while J.T. Realmuto, Garcia and Sosa each had two hits.

A’s left-hander Jeffrey Springs gave up two runs and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings. Nick Kurtz finished with two hits and an RBI as he reached base for the 30th straight game.

Mets 10, Rockies 5

Marcus Semien had four hits, including a home run, Juan Soto led off the game with a homer, and New York beat Colorado in Denver for its third win in a row.

MJ Melendez, Bo Bichette, Carson Benge, Brett Baty and Francisco Alvarez had two hits apiece for the Mets. Freddy Peralta (2-3) scattered four hits in five shutout innings, and Devin Williams got two outs to earn his fifth save.

TJ Rumfield homered among his three hits and Jake McCarthy also went deep as the Rockies took their sixth consecutive loss. Michael Lorenzen (2-4) allowed seven runs on 11 hits in five-plus innings.

–Field Level Media