Sports
Expect a grind when No. 2 UConn, No. 7 UCLA face off in East Region
Mar 20, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; UConn Huskies forward Tarris Reed Jr. (5) reacts in the first half during a first round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images PHILADELPHIA — Sweat, spittle and even a tooth flew Friday night in UConn’s and UCLA’s NCAA Tournament openers, setting up a second-round battle of blue bloods.
Two no-nonsense head coaches in Dan Hurley and Mick Cronin are preparing their teams for another tough battle Sunday night when No. 2 seed UConn and No. 7 seed UCLA play for a Sweet 16 berth out of the East Region.
The programs are on opposite ends of the blue-blood spectrum: UCLA has a record 11 national championships, but only one (1995) since the end of the John Wooden era. UConn is the newest member of the club with six national titles since 1999 under three head coaches, including Hurley in 2023 and ’24.
Their only meeting on the court came in the Elite Eight in 1995, when the Bruins prevailed 102-96 on their way to the title.
Don’t expect Sunday’s meeting to see either team touch triple digits, not with the way the defenses have been playing. Per BartTorvik.com, UConn ranks 15th in adjusted defensive efficiency since Feb. 21, while UCLA’s defense has risen steadily over the course of the winter.
The Bruins finished with nine blocks and 13 steals while holding 10th-seeded UCF to 37.5% shooting on 2-pointers in Friday’s grimy 75-71 win.
“We pushed a lot of buttons schematically,” Cronin said Saturday. “But generally, our care factor has been much better. Defense and rebounding are more effort than anything else.”
Skyy Clark showed how much he cared when he lost part of a tooth from an opponent’s inadvertent elbow late in the UCF game. Clark stayed in the game before going for some after-hours dental work.
“(The dentist) shot me up with anesthesia. He had to take the nerve out, take the root out, shave my tooth down to a nub, put in a new one, and it was like new,” said an appreciative Clark.
UConn’s 82-71 win over No. 15 Furman, which didn’t tip till 10:30 p.m. local time, was all about Tarris Reed Jr., who owned the paint as he went for 31 points (12-of-15 shooting) and 27 rebounds, both career bests by a mile.
Reed will have a much different task against UCLA. Leading scorer and usual starting center Tyler Bilodeau, whose strength is in his 46.4% 3-point shooting, was held out against UCF as he recovers from a right knee sprain sustained in the Big Ten tournament. Xavier Booker, a more traditional center at 6-foot-11, had 15 points, eight rebounds and four blocks.
“They have a very good and tall, elite frontcourt,” Reed said. “We have to set the tone from the jump knowing the stretch shooting, they have fives that can really step out and shoot it. I mean, me, (Eric Reibe) and (Alex Karaban) have been comfortable guarding guys who can step out and shoot.”
Hurley and Cronin are both demonstrative on the sideline and have drawn their share of criticism from onlookers.
Both dismissed the idea that they should be anything different.
“When I look at Mick and coaches like Mick, they’re all the coaches I have either modeled myself after or admired, the ones who can balance holding their players to the highest standard where the players have that respectful fear of their coach, and they love playing for their coach, you know?” Hurley said. “I think it takes a special coach to pull that off.”
Or, as Cronin put it, “You want to win big? But you think Coach Hurley is not supposed to be intense, but you want to win? Come on, man. We’re not coaching little league, buddy, everybody doesn’t get an at-bat.”
–Adam Zielonka, Field Level Media
Sports
Mason Jones takes decision in bloody win over Axel Sola at UFC London
Mar 20, 2026; London, UNITED KINGDOM; Axel Sola of France and Mason Jones of Wales at weigh-ins for UFC Fight Night at O2 Arena. Mandatory Credit: Peter van den Berg-Imagn Images Fireworks erupted early between lightweights Mason Jones and previously unbeaten Axel Sola in the fight of the night at UFC London on Saturday.
Jones, a winner by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28), improved to 18-2 and both fighters left the octagon bloodied.
Jones was knocked down with a spinning elbow in the first round and absorbed multiple direct blows. He had a cut above his right eye and under his nose when his hand was raised, but Sola (11-1-1) had at least three cuts and was covered in blood at the final bell.
“I just like fighting people. Axel wanted to fight. I took it to him,” Jones said. “I opened him up. There was fear in his eyes at the end of the first round. There was fear in his eyes in the end.”
In a featherweight match, Nathaniel Wood (11-3) got his fourth consecutive win and dealt Losene Keita his first loss in a split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28). Keita was 5-0 in the past three years and now has a 16-2 record overall in mixed martial arts.
Michael Page (25-3), who questioned whether he’d upset UFC officials because of the low-level spot on the card and his relatively anonymous opponent, defeated Sam Patterson (14-3-1) via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) in a welterweight match. “MVP” had more to say post-fight about a bout that drew plenty of pro fighting critics on social media for a lack of action.
“It’s getting more and more difficult when nobody really wants to engage. Everyone’s on the back foot,” Page said. “He knew how to frustrate me by not wanting to engage. It’s more difficult to fight somebody that doesn’t want to fight than fight someone difficult that wants to fight.”
Light heavyweight Iwo Baraniewski (8-0) struck Austen Lane, a former NFL defensive lineman, with a quick left hook and then landed repeated right hands to win in just 28 seconds. Lane (13-8) was dazed and rocked back before ever throwing a punch or kick as the referee stopped the fight with Lane planted on his back taking cover.
Baraniewski, a graduate from the Contender Series, could be in line for a marquee opponent in his next bout. He’s been buzzworthy since the December action-packed duel with Ibo Aslan at UFC 323.
Abdul-Kareem Al-Selwady (16-4) scored his first UFC win with a 30-27 unanimous decision over Shem Rock (12-3-1). Al-Selwady dropped Rock with an overhand right in the first round, but he rebounded off the mat quickly with an attempt to lock up Al-Selwady. Rock kept moving toward Al-Selwady and made contact after the ball, narrowly ducking a haymaker in retaliation before being led to his corner.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Auburn's home streak presents tall task for visiting Seattle in NIT
Auburn Tigers guard Tahaad Pettiford (0) celebrates with guard Kaden Magwood (5) as Auburn Tigers take on South Alabama Jaguars during the first round of the National Invitation Tournament at Neville Arena in Auburn, Ala. on Tuesday, March 17, 2026. Auburn Tigers defeated South Alabama Jaguars 78-67. Soon after his Seattle University squad defeated St. Thomas in the opening round of the NIT, Redhawks coach Chris Victor was asked about facing top-seeded Auburn in its next matchup.
At that moment, Victor wasn’t concerned about how his team is one step away from the quarterfinals.
“I haven’t thought about it yet,” Victor said, smiling. “Really, I’m just worried how we’re going to get out there.”
The Redhawks (21-13) will be meeting an 18-16 Auburn team Sunday afternoon minus one of its starters, as Tigers forward KeShawn Murphy, who averaged 10.7 points and a team-high 6.8 rebounds, decided against participating in the NIT.
Auburn rallied from a six-point halftime deficit to defeat South Alabama 78-67 in its tourney opener Tuesday, as Kevin Overton and Keyshawn Hall each scored 21 points.
Overton made 7 of 8 3-point attempts after the intermission after going 0 for 5 in the first half.
“The shots were falling in the second half,” said Overton, who added seven rebounds and four assists. “In the first half I was trying to find that rhythm. When you make those simple ones, the other ones become easier.”
Hall leads the Tigers with 19.9 points per game, with Tahaad Pettiford next with 15.4 points and a team-best 3.6 assists.
Seattle beat St. Thomas 67-52 as Brayden Maldonado had 15 points, six rebounds and five assists.
Maldonado leads the Redhawks with 14.4 points per game, with Will Heimbrodt averaging 12.3 points and a team-high 5.3 rebounds.
“We’ve shown that we can beat some really good teams,” said Heimbrodt, who added 13 points and five rebounds in Tuesday’s victory. “We had an ACC win (against Stanford) and a Big Ten win (against Washington). So going into Auburn … it’s going really fun.
“They’re a great team, but I think we can hang in there with anyone.”
It won’t be easy, as the Tigers have won 65 consecutive nonconference games at home dating to the 2016-17 season. That’s the longest current streak in the nation.
But the Redhawks boast the No. 23 scoring defense in the country this season, giving up fewer than 67 points per game.
“One of the better defensive teams we’ll have gone against all year,” Auburn coach Steven Pearl said. “Incredibly active, they really fly around and make what you do really difficult.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
No. 2 Purdue knows No. 7 Miami's top two players well
Purdue Boilermakers guard Braden Smith (3) passes the ball while being defended by Queens University of Charlotte Royals forward Gus Larson (7) during a NCAA Tournament first round game Friday, March 20, 2026, at Enterprise Center in St. Louis. Second-seeded Purdue may not necessarily be familiar with the strengths and weaknesses of No. 7 seed Miami ahead of the teams’ meeting in West Region second-round play on Sunday in St. Louis.
But the Boilermakers certainly know what to expect from the Hurricanes’ top two scorers, having played them last season when they were in the Big Ten.
Malik Reneau, a 6-foot-9 senior who averaged 13.1 points and grabbed 5.6 rebounds in his third season at Indiana, transferred home to Miami and has enjoyed his best season. Reneau, who scored a game-high 24 points Friday night in the Hurricanes’ 80-66 elimination of Missouri, averages 19.0 points and 6.6 rebounds.
Then there’s 6-2 combo guard Tre Donaldson, who tallied 11.3 points per game a season ago for Michigan. This season, Donaldson supplies career-high averages in points (16.5) and assists (5.8) for the Canes. He comes off a 22-point effort Friday night, including multiple clutch 3-pointers down the stretch.
“It definitely helps,” said Purdue point guard Braden Smith of their familiarity with Reneau and Donaldson. “You gotta be ready to just bounce back quickly.”
Both teams are dealing with a quick turnaround after winning first-round games Friday night. It will be a bit quicker for Miami, which got off the floor at 11:28 p.m. local time after quieting a large Tigers crowd in Enterprise Center.
The Hurricanes (26-8) have defied expectations all season, though. First-year coach Jai Lucas inherited a bare cupboard, but he recruited a blend of veterans and freshmen that have played with poise and set a school record for wins by a new coach.
Friday night might have been its most impressive exhibition of poise. Missouri led 54-52 with less than eight minutes left when Lucas called a timeout. One 11-0 run later – highlighted by five straight points from Reneau and four from freshman Shelton Henderson — Miami was ahead for good.
“Just stay the course and continue to just keep pushing and pushing,” Donaldson said. “Don’t change nothing. Attack it the same way we have been all year.”
While the Hurricanes might be playing with house money, the Boilermakers (28-8) have been playing with high expectations for years. The 2024 national finalists were picked No. 1 in multiple preseason national polls. After a late-season lull knocked them down to the No. 7 seed in the Big Ten tournament, they’ve found that championship form.
Purdue won four games in four days to win the conference tourney and carried that standard of play into Friday night’s 104-71 rout of Queens in the first round. Smith scored 26 points and dished out eight assists to break Bobby Hurley’s 33-year old NCAA mark for most assists in a career. Smith goes into Sunday’s game with 1,083 helpers in four seasons.
Boilermakers coach Matt Painter said Friday’s performance was another display of Smith’s judgment in terms of hunting his shot versus feeding his teammates.
“We let his instincts take over and if they’re going to play deeper, he has to look for his pullup,” Painter said. “It just depends on what we’re running, the angles we’re running … he took the shots that were there.”
The winner advances to a Thursday night semifinal against either third-seeded Gonzaga or 11th-seeded Texas.
–Bucky Dent, Field Level Media
Mason Jones takes decision in bloody win over Axel Sola at UFC London
Auburn's home streak presents tall task for visiting Seattle in NIT
