MLS Cup champion Inter Miami will visit President Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday, March 5 to commemorate their 2025 title.

Lionel Messi – the two-time MLS MVP, eight-time Ballon d’Or winner and Argentine World Cup champion – is expected to attend. It’s unclear whether co-owner and former soccer star David Beckham will also attend.

Inter Miami is taking part in what has become a customary event for professional and college sports champions in the United States to be congratulated by the president.

The ceremony is expected to begin around 4 p.m. ET in the East Room of the White House.

Inter Miami traveled to Washington D.C. on Thursday morning – two days before a match against D.C. United in Baltimore on Saturday, March 7 ahead of the visit.

‘We are going because we are champions from last season,’ Inter Miami midfielder Telasco Segovia said earlier this week. ‘I don’t get involved with politics, but I know it’s an important occasion.’

How to watch Inter Miami’s White House visit?

The visit can be live streamed from the White House’s YouTube channel.

Messi makes the trip with Inter Miami

Messi is included in a pre-flight video before Inter Miami’s trip to D.C. on Thursday morning.

Inter Miami takes off for White House trip

Inter Miami departed from South Florida early Thursday, sharing social media posts – which did not include Messi in the photos.

Has Messi visited the White House before?

Not yet – this would be Messi’s first visit to the White House.

Messi was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Joe Biden in January 2025, but he did not attend the ceremony due to a scheduling issue during Inter Miami’s offseason.

What does Messi’s visit mean for World Cup?

If Messi visits the White House, Trump will have met two of soccer’s greatest players in the past five months before the 2026 FIFA World Cup co-hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

Soccer’s all-time leading goal scorer Cristiano Ronaldo attended a black-tie dinner at the White House when Trump hosted Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman last November.

Trump and FIFA president Gianni Infantino have become good friends in the past few years, highlighted by several White House visits. Infantino also awarded Trump with FIFA’s Peace Prize during the World Cup draw in December.

Messi, who plays for reigning World Cup champion Argentina, has yet to declare he will play in the tournament. But it’s a safe bet he will.

Why is the visit to the White House controversial?

The United States and Israel began strikes on Iran early on Saturday, Feb. 28, in a campaign that killed the nation’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several top officials, among others. Iran is a participating nation in the World Cup, though Trump recently said ‘I really don’t care’ if the country takes part in the tournament.

Also in late February, Trump invited the U.S. men’s and women’s hockey teams after both winning gold medals at the Milan Cortina Olympics. However, Trump made what was seen as a sexist remark on a phone call with the men’s team after their win, joking that he would also have to invite the women’s team to the White House. While the men’s team visited, the women’s team declined their invitation.

Trump’s widespread immigration crackdown with U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) is also an ongoing controversy. ICE officials could be present at World Cup games this summer, acting director Todd Lyons said last month.

Have MLS Cup-winning teams visited the White House before?

Inter Miami will be the first MLS Cup winner to visit the White House during either of Trump’s presidencies.

David Beckham, an Inter Miami co-owner, attended a White House ceremony with the LA Galaxy in 2012 after winning the 2011 MLS Cup. The Galaxy also visited for titles won in 2012 and 2014 with President Barack Obama. Obama also welcomed the Columbus Crew (2008), Real Salt Lake (2009), Colorado Rapids (2010) and Sporting Kansas City (2013) to the White House.

The last MLS club to visit the White House was the Columbus Crew, who visited Biden in 2024 to celebrate their 2023 title.

D.C. United was the first MLS winner to visit the White House in 1998 when President Bill Clinton was in office.

How did Messi, Inter Miami win MLS Cup?

Inter Miami beat the Vancouver Whitecaps 3-1 to win the 2025 MLS Cup on Dec. 6, 2025.

When is Messi’s next game?

Messi is expected to play when Inter Miami faces D.C. United at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore on Saturday, March 7 at 4:30 p.m. ET. The match will be streamed by Apple TV.

NEW YORK — It’s no secret that Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has a reputation for baiting opposing players into contact to get to the line. Add Knicks coach Mike Brown to the list of opposing coaches who bemoan it.

After New York’s 103-100 loss against the Thunder Wednesday, March 4, Brown expressed his displeasure with officiating during the game, and in particular the crew’s management of Gilgeous-Alexander’s play.

“SGA, he’s a tough cover,” Brown told reporters after the game. “And he does a great job of convincing the referees — probably better than anybody in the league — that he’s getting hit.”

Brown’s criticism, in part, stemmed from a controversial no-call that prompted Brown to be called for his first technical foul since he joined the Knicks in July.

The play came with 2:02 left in the first quarter, when Gilgeous-Alexander cut to the basket and crashed into Knicks guard Jalen Brunson, before gathering his dribble and putting in an uncontested layup.

Brunson appeared to have a clear, established position, but officials did not call any foul — offensive or defensive — on the play. Gilgeous-Alexander, at the time, had already picked up his second foul and the no-call would’ve been his third, possibly prompting him to sit extended minutes on the bench.

Immediately after the play, Brown gestured emphatically and berated the closest official, Brian Forte. Play continued and Brown didn’t relent with his arguing, eventually drawing the technical foul with 1:40 left to play. Brown appeared to make light contact with Forte during the interaction, but he remained in the game.

“You guys saw the play,” Brown said. “SGA had two fouls, and Jalen was there. And he ran him over … I just don’t understand why that wasn’t a no-call. But that should’ve been his third, the bucket shouldn’t have counted, and we should’ve gone the other way with the basketball.

“To see that, knowing that Jalen is standing there, and he’s putting his body on the line, and our guys are fighting their asses off to try to win the ball game — it didn’t sit well with me, obviously.”

The non-call drew a sharp reaction from social media, with actor and comedian Ben Stiller, a notable Knicks fan, leading the charge.

“This is abhorrent,” Stiller wrote in a message posted shortly after the no-call.

Gilgeous-Alexander would convert the technical free throw and finished the game with 26 points on 9-of-16 shooting, including a perfect 7-of-7 from the line.

Last year’s Most Valuable Player, Gilgeous-Alexander is tied for third this season in free throw attempts per game, with 9.2.

“That early in the game, I trust Coach, just because there’s still so much time to decide the game, so if I need to come out, I’d come out,” Gilgeous-Alexander said when asked about playing with the two early fouls. “Nothing’s worse than having three fouls in the first quarter, so usually, they’ll take me out if I get two quick ones.

“But, yeah, I was able to control my foul count the rest of the game.”

He finished the game with three personal fouls.

March Madness is ramping up with women’s college basketball conference tournaments.

The 2026 NCAA Tournament begins on March 18 and the conference tournaments will go a long way in figuring who is in and who is out. Conference tournament winners get an automatic an bid. Every other team will have to sweat it out on Selection Sunday on March 15 to see if they received at-large bid.

South Carolina (SEC), UCLA (Big Ten), Duke (ACC) and TCU (Big 12) each earned No. 1 seeds and double-byes in their respective conferences and start play on Friday. All four teams won their conference tournament last season and are looking to repeat.

USA TODAY Sports is following along with the Power Four conference tournaments. Follow along for live updates, highlights and results here:

No. 9 BYU vs. No. 8 Utah | 2:30 p.m. (ESPN+)

BYU Cougars starting lineup

Head coach: Lee Cummard

• 2 Sydney Benally | G 5-9 – Freshman
• 11 Delaney Gibb | G 5-10 – Sophomore
• 13 Lara Rohkohl | F 6-3 – Senior
• 14 Kambree Barber | G 6-0 – Sophomore
• 24 Brinley Cannon | G/F 6-1 -Sophomore

Utah Utes starting lineup

Head coach: Gavin Petersen

• 0 Lani White | G 6-0 – Senior
• 2 LA Sneed | G 5-6 – Freshman
• 12 Chyra Evans | F 6-3 – Junior
• 20 Reese Ross | F 6-1 – Junior
• 23 Maty Wilke | G 5-10 -Senior

Halftime: Oklahoma 40, Florida 38

Liv McGill has already piled up 19 points for the Gators as their NCAA Tournament hopes are on the line in this second-round matchup in the SEC Tournament in Greenville, South Carolina.

Aaliyah Chavez has 13 points for the Sooners.

The winner will face No. 4 LSU on Friday on ESPN.

Halftime: Notre Dame 37, Miami 23

Miami is playing with a ton of pace, but Notre Dame is matching it and causing a lot of problems defensively. Notre Dame has 12 points off 11 Miami turnovers. The Fighting Irish have switched between zone and man-to-man looks, and both have been successful. At the half, the Hurricanes are shooting 38% overall, after they shot just 18% in the second.

Notre Dame, which is shooting 50% from the field, is led by Hannah Hidalgo’s non-stop energy. The junior guard leads all scorers with 14 points, five rebounds and three steals. Cassandre Prosper is right behind Hildago with nine points and one block.

No. 13 Indiana vs. No. 5 Ohio State | 2:30 p.m. Big Ten Network

Indiana starting lineup

Head coach: Teri Moren

• Shay Ciezki | G 5-7 Senior
• Nevaeh Caffey G 5-10 Freshman
• Lenee Beaumont | G 6-1 Sophomore
• Maya Makalusky | F 6-3 Freshman
• Edessa Noyan | F 6-3 Junior

Ohio State starting lineup

Head coach: Kevin McGuff

• Jaloni Cambridge | G 5-7 Sophomore
• Ava Watson | G 5-8 Sophomore
• Chance Gray | G 5-9 Senior
• Kennedy Cambridge | G 5-8 Junior
• Elsa Lemmila | C 6-6 Sophomore

Final: Kansas State 58, Texas Tech 51

Texas Tech led by as many as 14 points in the fourth quarter, but Kansas State went on a 21-0 run to not only take their first lead of the game with 2:39 remaining, but defeat the Red Raiders 58-51 in the second round.

The Lady Raiders’ nearly eight-minute scoring drought and the Wildcats’ subsequent run was fueled by Texas Tech turnovers. Texas Tech finished with 16 turnovers, with three coming in the fourth quarter. Texas Tech was held to four points in the fourth quarter and finished the game shooting 29% from the field and 6-of-23 from the 3-point line.

Junior forward Nastja Claessens led the way for Kansas State with 14 points. Tess Heal scored eight of her 10 points in the second half, including a pair of clutch free throws to ice the game.

It marked Kansas States fifth straight victory over Texas Tech.

Texas Tech’s Snudda Collins finished with 14 points in the loss. She was the only Red Raider to reach double digits. Gemma Nuñez had nine points and Bailey Maupin had eight points.

Final: Washington 76, USC 64

Elle Ladine scored a game-high 25 points on 10-of-13 shooting to lead Washington over USC in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament.

Washington controlled the entire game, shooting 50% from the field as a team and finishing with four players in double figures.

USC shot 31% from the field (18-of-58).

Big Ten Freshman of the Year Jazzy Davidson scored eight points on 2-of-13 shooting for USC, but she was seemingly hampered by a right arm injury. She briefly went to the locker room holding her shoulder early in the first quarter and returned to the court, but she was shaking out her right arm after shots for the rest of the game.

Washington will advance to play top-seeded UCLA on Friday at noon.

Hannah Hidalgo is cashing in early against Miami

Notre Dame guard Hannah Hidalgo is the first player in the game to score in double figures. At the 4:46 mark of the second quarter, she has 11 points on 50% shooting, four rebounds and two steals.

ACC teams make NCAA Tournament cases

Following Clemson’s 63-50 win over Virginia, both head coaches made cases for their teams to make the NCAA Tournament.

‘Super, super proud of this group. I thought that was a gritty, hard-fought, tough win. In my opinion, that’s an NCAA Tournament game with two NCAA Tournament teams,’ Clemson coach Shawn Poppie said.

‘We kind of took this as our season is on the line. We felt like a win today would get us in the NCAA Tournament no matter what happens the rest of the way out. That’s how they focused and fought and competed. But ultimately that’s just basketball. How you start and how you finish quarters.’

Before Thursday’s win, Clemson was on the bubble, but still needed help to get in the Big Dance. Now, the victory over Virginia all but guarantees the Tigers will go dancing.

For Virginia, the loss to Clemson makes their NCAA Tournament bid a bit more unclear. The Cavaliers will likely be nervous come Selection Sunday, now all but assuredly on the bubble. Virginia head coach Amaka Agugua-Hamilton also made a case for the NCAA tournament.

‘We’ve got to take ownership of our part today. We didn’t compete. We weren’t urgent for 40 minutes. We didn’t stick to the gameplan. We didn’t do the things we could do to control the outcome of that game,’ Agugua-Hamilton said.

‘But if you’re talking about the course of the season, there’s been a lot of ups and downs due to some adversity. I do think that we’ll be ready to go, come NCAA Tournament. We’ve got a little bit of a break where we can get better and get more connected and be on the same page.’

Agugua-Hamilton also added she wasn’t ready to throw in the towel on the season, given all that Virginia has accomplished, including 11 wins in the ACC regular season for the first time in 26 years.

‘There’s so many highlights of the season, but to me, it can’t be done yet,’ Agugua-Hamilton said. −Meghan L. Hall

Kansas State goes on 11-0 run vs. Texas Tech

Not so fast. After trailing by as many as 14 points in the fourth quarter, Kansas State went on a 11-0 run to cut their deficit to three points with 5:22 remaining. Texas Tech has not scored in over two minutes.

Texas Tech takes double-digit lead vs. Kansas State

Texas Tech women’s basketball took a commanding 14-point lead over Kansas State with 7:42 remaining in the game after Snudda Collins made a wide-open layup. Collins leads all scorers with 14 points off the bench. Can Kansas State muster a comeback? The Wildcats have struggled to find any offensive rhythm and are shooting 31% from the field and 5-of-24 from the 3-point line, one day removed from setting a Big 12 Tournament record with 17 made 3-pointers in their win over Cincinnati on Wednesday.

No. 12 Florida vs. No. 5 Oklahoma, 1:30 p.m. ET | SEC Network

Florida Gators starting lineup

Head coach: Kelly Rae Finley

• 13 Laila Reynolds | G 6-1 – Junior
• 23 Liv McGill | G 5-9 – Sophomore
• 8 Me’Arah O’Neal | F 6-4 – Sophomore
• 9 Alexa Dizeko | F 5-111- Senior
• 14 Caterina Piatti | F 6-4 – Freshman

Oklahoma Sooners starting lineup

Head coach: Jennie Baranczyk

• 2 Aaliyah Chavez | G 5-10 – Freshman
• 3 Zya Vann | G 5-9 – Sophomore
• 6 Sahara Williams | F 5-11 – Junior
• 12 Payton Verhulst | G 6-1 –  Senior
• 15 Raegan Beers | C 6-4 – Senior

Halftime: Washington 32, USC 20

USC survived an injury scare when Big Ten Freshman Jazzy Davidson briefly went back to the locker room with an apparent shoulder injury, but returned to the court just a minute of game time later.

The Trojans still have some work to do if they want to extend their stay in Indianapolis.

USC shot just 25% (6-of-24) from the field and 20% (2-of-10) from 3-point range in the first half.

Washington is dominating the boards, pulling down 24 compared to USC’s nine. The Huskies have 10 offensive rebounds alone, with six second-chance points. 

Elle Ladine is leading Washington with 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting, while Avery Howell has 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting. Davidson and Kennedy Smith are leading the Trojans with five points each.

Miami vs. No. 5 Notre Dame, 1:30 p.m. | ACC Network

Notre Dame Fighting Irish starting lineup

Head coach: Niele Ivey

• 3 Hannah Hidalgo | G 5-6 – Junior
• 2 Vanessa De Jesus | G 5-8 – Senior
• 23 Iyana Moore | G 5-8 – Senior
• 8 Cassandre Prosper | G 6-3 – Senior
• 5 Malaya Cowles | F 6-3- Senior

Miami Hurricanes starting lineup

Head coach: Tricia Cullop

• 0 Ra Shaya Kyle | C 6-5 – Senior
• 33 Amarachi Kimpson | G 5-8 – Junior
• 12 Natalie Wetzel | F 6-3 – Freshman
• 5 Ahnay Adams | G 5-6 – Sophomore
• 14 Gal Raviv | G 5-9 – Sophomore

Final: Kentucky 76, Georgia 61

Clara Strack scored a career-high-tying 33 points to power the Wildcats to a second straight victory at the SEC Tournament in Greenville, South Carolina, on Thursday afternoon.

Strack, a 6-foot-5 junior, made a career-best five 3-pointers in the victory for Kentucky (23-9) and collected eight rebounds, three blocks and two assists. The Wildcats also got 14 points and 12 boards from Teonni Key, and 14 points and seven assists from Tonie Morgan.

Morgan’s final assist came on a 3-pointer to Amelia Hassett, which highlighted a 14-2 fourth quarter run for the Wildcats.

Dani Carnegie led Georgia (22-9) with 18 points in the loss.

Kentucky will face top-seeded South Carolina on Friday at 12 p.m. ET on ESPN. The Wildcats and Gamecocks met in the regular season finale for both teams last Sunday, with South Carolina winning by four points. −Mitchell Northam

Final: Clemson 63, Virginia 50

After a grind-it-out matchup, the Clemson Tigers move on to the third round of the ACC Tournament. Clemson will play No. 1 seed Duke on Friday. Tigers guard Mia Moore had a game-high 20 points on 87.5% shooting in 22 minutes of play. Unsurprisingly, the Tigers also finished the matchup shooting 50% from deep with 10 triples.Paris Clark led the Cavaliers with 15 points, while Kymora Johnson added 12. Clemson’s defense overwhelmed Virginia down the stretch, holding the Cavaliers to 33% shooting as the game wound down. Additionally, Virginia finished with 11 bench points to Clemson’s 25. −Meghan L. Hall

Halftime: Texas Tech 34, Kansas State 29

Texas Tech scored 11 points off eight Kansas State turnovers in the first half of a defensive battle. The Red Raiders are also leading the battle of the boards, outrebounding the Wildcats, 14-11.

Snudda Collins is leading Texas Tech with 10 points off the bench. Gemma Nuñez has nine points and five rebounds.

Clemson extends lead over Virginia

In the third quarter, Virginia scored 10 straight points to bring a bit closer to the Tigers, but since the 2:15 mark of the third, it’s been all Clemson. The Tigers built their lead to as high as 12 with 3:38 to go in the fourth. With the lead at 12, the Clemson faithful cheered even louder.

Jazzy Davidson leaves game briefly with apparent shoulder injury

Big Ten Freshman of the Year Jazzy Davidson briefly went back to the locker room holding her right shoulder in the first quarter of No. 9 USC’s game against No. 8 Washington, but quickly checked back in after one minute of game time and two reviews.

Davidson was running up the court on offense when she was hit in the backcourt. The play was reviewed for a potential upgrade, but officials deemed the contact incidental.

Davidson, who looked to be in pain, was surrounded by coaches and medical staff on the USC bench. She briefly went back to the locker room with a trainer, but returned to the bench then checked back in after a quick chat with USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb.

Officials reviewed a separate play off of a USC challenge while Davidson was in the locker room. USC lost that challenge. −Chloe Peterson

No. 12 Kansas State vs. No. 5 Texas Tech, 12 p.m. | ESPN+

Kansas State starting lineup

Head coach: Krista Gerlich

• 4 Nastja Claessens | G 5-8 Sophomore
• 6 Gina Garcia | G 5-10 Freshman
• 3 Brandie Harrod | G 6-1 Freshman
• 11 Taryn Sides | G 5-7 Junior
• 34 Tess Heal | G 5-10 Senior

Texas Tech starting lineup

Head coach: Jeff Mittie

• 11 Sarengbe Sanogo | F 6-3 Senior
• 1 Jalynn Bristow | G 6-2 Junior
• 2 Gemma Nuñez | G 5-7 Senior
• 20 Bailey Maupin | G 5-10 Senior
• 5 Denae Fritz | G 5-11 Senior

Clemson hot from the 3-point line vs. Virginia

The Clemson Tigers are red hot from beyond the arc. As a team, the Tigers are shooting 44% from deep and have seven triples.

Halftime: Georgia 36, Kentucky 35

Trinity Turner has 12 points and Dani Carnegie has scored 10 as the Bulldogs lead Wildcats at the break in the second round of the SEC Tournament on Thursday in Greenville, South Carolina.

Clara Strack is powering Kentucky with 18 points, but Georgia is winning the rebounding margin by three and has made one more free throw.

The two teams are even in many statistical categories at halftime, which could make for a closely contested second half and an exciting finish. There have been six lead changes so far. The winner will face top-seeded South Carolina on Friday morning. − Mitchell Northam

Halftime: Clemson 28, Virginia 26

Thursday’s matchup between the Tigers and Cavaliers is a defensive battle at halftime. Clemson has three steals, but Virginia has three blocks in a virtual tug-of-war that left both teams shooting under 30% in the first quarter. During the second quarter, Clemson found itself in a slump, shooting as low as 16%, but its defense helped the Tigers stay in it, and scoring from seven players has them out in front.

On Virginia’s side, the Cavaliers are shooting 33% and have given up the ball eight times. Still, their shooting keeps them within an arm’s length of Clemson. The Cavaliers have 10 points in the paint and scoring from seven players.Virginia’s Paris Clark leads all scorers with seven points.  Rusne Augustinaite leads Clemson with six points. −Meghan L. Hall

No. 8 Washington vs. No. 9 USC, 12 p.m. ET | BTN

Washington Huskies starting lineup

Head coach: Tina Langley

• 0 Sayvia Sellers | G 5-7 Junior
• 1 Hannah Stines | G 5-11 Senior
• 2 Avery Howell | G 6-0 Sophomore
• 24 Elle Ladine | G 5-11 Senior
• 21 Brynn McGaughy | 6-3 F Freshman

USC Trojans starting lineup

Head coach: Lindsay Gottlieb

• 6 Laura Williams | F 6-1 Freshamn
• 9 Jazzy Davidson | G 6-1 Freshman
• 11 Kennedy Smith | G 6-1 Sophomore
• 25 Kara Dunn | G 5-11 Senior
• 3 Londynn Jones | G 5-4 Senior

Wake Forest expected to retain head coach Megan Gebbia

Wake Forest’s regular season came to an end on Wednesday in Duluth, Georgia, when it lost 75-52 to Cal in the opening round of the ACC Tournament.

Despite this being the third consecutive losing season for the Demon Deacons under coach Megan Gebbia, multiple sources told USA Today Sports that Wake is expected to retain its head coach for at least one more season. Gebbia is 47-79 in four seasons in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Formerly the coach at American where she won five Patriot League titles and went to three NCAA Tournaments, Gebbia was hired in May 2022 after athletic director John Currie fired longtime head coach — and Wake alum — Jennifer Hoover at the ACC’s spring meetings. Wake has only been to the NCAA Tournament twice, and Hoover was a player on one of those teams and head coach for the other. Hoover is now an assistant coach at Virginia Tech.

Wake had an up-and-down season, opening it with a nine-game win streak, but also suffering eight straight losses in ACC play between January and February. Because Wake Forest is a private school, it’s unclear what Gebbia’s contract length is. She signed an extension after a 17-17 season in 2023. − Mitchell Northam

Clemon’s leading scorer in foul trouble

Clemson’s leading scorer, Mia Moore, already has two fouls at the 5:49 mark of the first quarter. Moore has played just four minutes. Head coach Shawn Poppie was not happy over the second foul and gave a nearby official an earful. −Meghan L. Hall

UConn sweep Big East awards

UConn sophomore forward Sarah Strong was named the 2025-26 Big East Player and Defensive Player of the Year. Strong leads the top-ranked Huskies in points, rebounds, blocks and steals this season. She ranks seventh nationally in steals (97), 15th in assist-turnover ratio (2.37) and 15th in field goal percentage (59.5). Strong is averaging 18.6 points per game on a .595/.407/.881 shooting split.

Forward Blanca Quiñonez was named the conference’s Freshman and Sixth Woman of the Year. Strong and graduate student guard Azzi Fudd were unanimously selected first-team All-Big East. Junior guard KK Arnold joined thema on the first team. 

Head coach Geno Auriemma was selected as the Big East Coach of the Year. −Heather Burns

No. 9 Kentucky vs No. 8 Georgia, 11 a.m. ET | SEC Network

Kentucky Wildcats starting lineup

Head coach: Kenny Brooks

• 5 Tonie Morgan | G 5-9 Senior
• 8 Asia Boone | G 5-8 Junior
• 7 Teonni Key | F 6-5 Senior
• 32 Amelia Hassett | F 6-4 Senior
• 13 Clara Strack | F 6-5 Junior

Georgia Bulldogs starting lineup

Head coach: Katie Abrahamson-Henderson

• 0 Trinity Turner | G 5-6 Sophomore
• 2 Savannah Henderson | G 6-3 Junior
• 3 Dani Carnegie | G 5-9 Sophomore
• 14 Rylie Theuerkauf | G 5-9 Junior
• 33 Mia Woolfolk | F 6-3 Sophomore

Texas A&M has NCAA Tournament hopes, but would play in WBIT

Despite losing to Auburn in the first round of the SEC Tournament on Wednesday night, Texas A&M still believes it is a team worthy of inclusion in the NCAA Tournament. Before losing to the Tigers, the Aggies had won five games in a row.

“I think we have done everything that we can do to put ourselves in this position to be a NCAA Tournament team, considering the conference that we’re playing in,” Texas A&M coach Joni Taylor said. “There should be 12 teams in the NCAA Tournament from the SEC.”

The Aggies are 33rd in WAB, a perfect 5-0 in Quad 2 games and have the fourth-best strength-of-schedule in the country, based on the average NET ranking of their opponents. But Texas A&M is also just 2-9 in Quad 1 games and has a NET ranking of 61. The reality is that getting into the field of 68 this year is a longshot for Taylor’s team.

However, should Texas A&M be excluded from the NCAA Tournament field, Taylor says they would still entertain an invitation from a lower-tier tournament, like the WBIT.

“Absolutely, we’re going to play postseason basketball,” Taylor said. “This team deserves that. They’ve earned the right to do that.” − Mitchell Northam

No. 8 Clemson vs. No. 9 Virginia, 11:00 a.m. | ACC Network

Clemson Tigers starting lineup

Head coach: Shawn Poppie

• 12 Mia Moore | G 5-6 – Senior
• 11 Rusne Augustinaite | G 6-0 – Junior
• 14 Rachel Rose | G 5-7 – Senior
• 25 Demeara Hinds | F 6-2- Senior
• 32 Raven Thompson | F 5-10 – Senior

Virginia Cavaliers starting lineup

Head coach: Amaka Agugua-Hamilton

• 21 Kymora Johnson | G 5-7 – Junior
• 1 Paris Clark | G 5-8 – Senior
• 23 Romi Levy | G 6-3 – Senior
• 12 Caitlin Weimar | F 6-4- Senior
• 7 Tabitha Amanze | F 6-4 – Senior

SEC Tournament schedule, bracket, scores

Wednesday, March 4 – First round

• #9 Kentucky 94, #16 Arkansas 64
• #12 Florida 86, #13 Mississippi State 68
• #15 Auburn 50, #10 Texas A&M 49
• #11 Alabama 65, #14 Missouri 48

Thursday, March 5 – Second round

• Game 5 | #9 Kentucky vs. #8 Georgia | 11 a.m. ET | SEC Network
• Game 6 | #12 Florida vs. #5 Oklahoma | 1:30 p.m. ET | SEC Network
• Game 7 | #15 Auburn vs. #7 Ole Miss | 6 p.m. ET | SEC Network
• Game 8 | #11 Alabama vs. #6 Tennessee | 8:30 p.m. ET | SEC Network

Friday, March 6 – Quarterfinals

• Game 9 | G5 winner vs. #1 South Carolina | 12 p.m. ET | ESPN
• Game 10 | G6 winner vs. #4 LSU | 2:30 p.m. ET | ESPN
• Game 11 | G7 winner vs. #2 Vanderbilt| 6 p.m. ET | SEC Network
• Game 12 | G8 winner vs. #3 Texas | 8:30 p.m. ET | SEC Network

Saturday, March 7 – Semifinals

• Game 13 | G9 winner vs. G10 winner | 4:30 p.m. ET | ESPN2
• Game 14 | G11 winner vs. G12 winner | 7 p.m. ET | ESPN2

Sunday, March 8 – Championship

• Game 15 | G13 winner vs. G14 winner | 3 p.m. ET | ESPN

ACC Tournament schedule, bracket, scores

March 4

First round

• Game 1: No. 12 Miami 83 vs. No. 13 Stanford 76
• Game 2: No. 10 Cal 75 vs. No. 15 Wake Forest 52
• Game 3: No. 11 Georgia Tech 72 vs. No. 14 Florida State 60

March 5

Second round

• Game 4 No. 9 Clemson vs. No. 8 Virginia (11:00 a.m.; ACCN)
• Game 5: Miami vs. No. 5 Notre Dame (1:30 p.m.; ACCN)
• Game 6: Cal vs. No. 7 Syracuse (5:00 p.m.; ACCN)
• Game 7: Georgia Tech vs. No. 6 Virginia Tech (7:30 p.m.; ACCN)

March 6

Quarterfinals

• Game 8: Winner Game 4 vs. No. 1 Duke (11:00 a.m.; ESPN2)
• Game 9: Winner Game 5 vs. No. 4 NC State (1:30 p.m.; ACCN)
• Game 10: Winner Game 6 vs. No. 2 Louisville (5:00 p.m.; ESPN2)
• Game 11: Winner Game 7 vs. No. 3 UNC (7:30 p.m.; ACCN)

March 7

Semifinals

• Game 12: Winner Game 9 vs. Winner Game 8 (Noon ET; ESPN2)
• Game 13: Winner Game 11 vs. Winner Game 10 (2:30 p.m. ET; ESPN2)

March 8

• Championship: Winner Game 12 vs. Winner Game 13 (1:00 p.m. ET; ESPN)

Big Ten Tournament schedule, bracket, scores

The 2026 Big Ten women’s basketball tournament unfolds over five days during March, with all games played in Indianapolis.

Here’s the daily schedule:

Wednesday, March 4 – First round

• #13 Indiana 72, #12 Nebraska 69
• #10 Illinois 82, #15 Wisconsin 70
• #11 Oregon 71, #14 Purdue 65

Thursday, March 5 – Second round

• Game 4 | #8 Washington vs. #9 USC | 12 p.m. ET | BTN
• Game 5 | #5 Ohio State vs. #13 Indiana | 25 minutes following Game 4 | BTN
• Game 6 | #7 Michigan State vs. #10 Illinois | 6:30 p.m. ET | BTN
• Game 7 | #6 Maryland vs. #11 Oregon | 25 minutes following Game 6 | BTN

Friday, March 6 – Quarterfinals

• Game 8 | #1 UCLA vs. G4 winner | 12 p.m. ET | BTN
• Game 9 | #4 Minnesota vs. G5 winner | 25 minutes following Game 8 | BTN
• Game 10 | #2 Iowa vs. G6 winner | 6:30 p.m. ET | BTN
• Game 11 | #3 Michigan vs. G7 winner | 25 minutes following Game 10 | BTN

Saturday, March 7 – Semifinals

• Game 12 | G8 winner vs. G9 winner | 2 p.m. ET | BTN
• Game 13 | G10 winner vs. G11 winner | 4:30 p.m. ET | BTN

Sunday, March 8 – Championship

• Game 14 | G12 winner vs. G13 winner | 2:15 p.m. ET | CBS

Big 12 Tournament schedule, bracket, scores

All times Eastern

March 4

First Round

• Game 1: No. 12 Kansas State 91, No. 13 Cincinnati 66
• Game 2:No. 9 BYU 76, No. 16 Houston 66
• Game 3: No. 10 Arizona State 54, No. 15 Arizona 51
• Game 4: No. 11 Kansas 56, No. 14 UCF 35

March 5

Second Round

• Game 5: No. 12 Kansas State vs. No. 5 Texas Tech | noon (ESPN+)
• Game 6: No. 9 BYU vs. No. 8 Utah | 2:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
• Game 7: No. 10 Arizona State vs. No. 7 Iowa State | 6:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
• Game 8: No. 11 Kansas vs. No. 6 Colorado | 9 p.m. (ESPN+)

March 6

Quarterfinals

• Game 9: Winner of Game 5 vs. No. 4 Oklahoma State | noon (ESPNU)
• Game 10: Winner of Game 6 vs. No. 1 TCU | 2:30 p.m. (ESPNU)
• Game 11: Winner of Game 7 vs. No. 2 West Virginia | 6:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
• Game 12: Winner of Game 8 vs. No. 3 Baylor | 9 p.m. (ESPN+)

March 7

Semifinals

• Game 13: Winner of Game 9 vs. Winner of Game 10 | 4:00 p.m. (ESPN+)
• Game 14: Winner of Game 11 vs. Winner of Game 12 | 6:30 p.m. (ESPN+)

March 8

• Championship: Winner of Game 13 vs. Winner of Game 14 | 5:00 p.m. (ESPN+)

U.S. men’s national team legend Tim Howard called on Alex Henderson to apologize for calling him a ‘weirdo’ on ‘Love is Blind.’ It did not take Henderson long to oblige.

Henderson released an apology through a video on his Instagram Stories, quickly complying with Howard’s demand.

‘Tim Howard, first and foremost, I apologize. Candidly, that is one of my lowest moments on this show is calling that out,’ Henderson said.

‘I don’t think that that’s true. I think you are one of the greatest U.S. national team goalkeepers of all time. As a goalkeeper, I understand our culture. I’m not going to try to explain what I was really saying there. It’s an egregious mistake and I think you’re handling with class.”

Henderson made the comment toward a fellow contestant on the Netflix reality dating show.

“He’s American. I met him already. He’s a weirdo,’ Henderson says of Howard, who earned 121 USMNT caps during his career.

On his ‘Unfiltered Soccer’ show, Howard issued an angry response to Henderson’s comment.

‘Here’s what I would say: I know you’re a fan, and I have this on good authority,’ Howard said. ‘So all I’ll say is, we can make everything right with the world, and you just issue a public apology on whatever platform you’re on.

‘You can issue a public apology and I’ll accept it in advance. If not, then I’ll have more things to say about you. So we’ll leave it there.’

Henderson, who was previously known as Alec Ferrell, was a standout college goalkeeper at Wake Forest. Minnesota United selected him in the second round of the 2017 MLS SuperDraft, but he never played in MLS.

Howard wasn’t the only soccer legend Henderson bad-mouths on the show. He also said longtime England star David Beckham was ‘not even good.’

In contrast to his approach on Howard, Henderson wasn’t as apologetic when it came to Beckham.

“All due respect to David Beckham, is he in your best 11 of all time?” Henderson said.

The NHL trade deadline is at 3 p.m. ET on Friday, March 6, but teams also like to get deals done early.

Already this season, the Minnesota Wild have acquired defenseman Quinn Hughes from the Vancouver Canucks, the Los Angeles Kings have traded for high-scoring New York Rangers forward Artemi Panarin and the Utah Mammoth acquired defenseman MacKenzie Weegar from the Calgary Flames. 

In the latest moves, the Colorado Avalanche acquired center Nicolas Roy from the Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Vegas Golden Knights acquired center Nic Dowd from the Washington Capitals on Thursday, March 5.

Plenty of players remain, and the Rangers, Canucks, St. Louis Blues, Flames, Maple Leafs and Philadelphia Flyers could be sellers.

Here are some of the more notable trades this season. Follow along for analysis on deals as the NHL trade deadline approaches:

March 5: Blues’ Colton Parayko turns down trade to Sabres

From NHL insider Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet:

March 5: Avalanche acquire Nicolas Roy

The trade: The Colorado Avalanche acquire forward Nicolas Roy from the Toronto Maple Leafs for a conditional first-round draft pick in 2027 and a conditional 2026 fifth-round draft pick.

Analysis: Roy gives the Avalanche playoff experience and depth down the middle. He won a Stanley Cup with the Golden Knights in 2023 and has won 52.9 percent of his faceoffs this season. Roy was in his first season in Toronto after being part of the Mitch Marner sign-and-trade. He has a year left on his contract. If Colorado’s 2027 first-round selection is in the top 10, Colorado will send its unprotected 2028 first-round pick to Toronto. The fifth-round pick will be the lowest of the three that the Avalanche currently hold.

March 5: Golden Knights acquire Nic Dowd

The trade: The Vegas Golden Knights acquire forward Nic Dowd from the Washington Capitals for goaltender Jesper Vikman, a 2027 third-round pick and a 2029 second-rounder.

Analysis: Dowd has been with the Capitals since 2018-19 and is a solid bottom six forward who kills penalties. He has another year left on his contract. Vikman plays in the American Hockey League.

After acquiring Dowd, the Golden Knights placed Mark Stone on the injured list.

March 4: Oilers acquire Jason Dickinson, Colton Dach

The trade: The Edmonton Oilers acquire forwards Jason Dickinson and Colton Dach from the Chicago Blackhawks for forward Andrew Mangiapane and a conditional 2027 first-round pick.

Analysis: Edmonton continues to go all in after falling just short in the Stanley Cup Final two consecutive years, sending out another future first-round pick. Dickinson and Dach are hardly needle-movers (the veteran Dickinson has 13 points in 47 games and Dach, 23, has 9 points in 53 games) but they add to the Oilers’ depth. Plus, Dickinson comes at a bit of a discount, the Blackhawks retaining half of his $4.25 million salary.

It also creates some future cap room, with Mangiapane’s 2026-27 cap hit of $3.6 million off the books and Dickinson set to be a free agent this summer (Dach is an RFA). While that seems like a decent bit of business, it solves a problem the Oilers created themselves by giving Mangiapane, who has just 14 points in 52 games, a two-year deal. And it comes at the cost of a first-round pick and removes all protections from their 2026 first-round pick, which they had previously traded to the San Jose Sharks.

March 4: Avalanche acquire Nick Blankenburg

The trade: The Colorado Avalanche acquire defenseman Nick Blankenburg from the Nashville Predators for a 2027 fifth-round pick.

Analysis: You can never have enough defensive depth, and Blankenburg provides a left shot on a Colorado team heavy on right shots. Blankenburg, who ranked second among Nashville defensemen with 21 points, is the third Predators player to be dealt in two days. Nashville now has 12 picks in the 2027 draft and added two in 2028 from the Michael McCarron and Cole Smith trades. The Avalanche earlier changed up their blue line by trading Samuel Girard for Brett Kulak.

March 4: Mammoth acquire MacKenzie Weegar

The trade: The Utah Mammoth acquire defenseman MacKenzie Weegar from the Calgary Flames for defenseman Olli Maatta, Cornell center Jonathan Castagna and three second-round picks.

Analysis: The Mammoth have upgraded their defense since moving to Utah in 2024. Weegar is the latest in a list that includes Mikhail Sergachev. Weegar is a right-shot defenseman who scored 20 goals two seasons ago, though he has only three this season. That (and his minus-35 rating) should improve on a Utah team that sits in a wild-card position. He is signed through 2031 while Maatta is a pending unrestricted free agent.

The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Castagna is in his third year at Cornell and has 32 points in 29 games.

March 4: Colton Parayko, MacKenzie Weegar deals in works?

TSN’s Darren Dreger reports that the Blues and Sabres are working on a deal to send defenseman Colton Parayko to Buffalo. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that defenseman MacKenzie Weegar could be traded to the Utah Mammoth. Both would have to approve the moves.

March 4: Maple Leafs sit out Oliver Ekman-Larsson, 2 others

Analysis: Defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson and forwards Bobby McMann and Scott Laughton won’t play for roster management reasons, the team said. All three players have been mentioned in trade rumors. Laughton and McMann are pending unrestricted free agents and Ekman-Larsson is signed through 2028.

March 4: Sharks re-sign Kiefer Sherwood

The details: He gets a five-year, $28.75 million contract extension, a cap hit of $5.75 million.

Analysis: The Sharks dealt two draft picks and a minor leaguer to land Sherwood, who has 18 goals and is second in the league in hits. The extension means they won’t have to flip him. He said he’s ‘just fired up’ about the extension.

March 4: Stars acquire Tyler Myers

The trade: The Dallas Stars acquire defenseman Tyler Myers from the Vancouver Canucks for a 2027 second-round pick and a 2029 fourth-rounder.

Analysis: The Stars have won 10 in a row and Houston native Myers gives them veteran depth on their blue line. The right shot defenseman has another year left on his contract, and the Canucks are retaining 50% of his salary. The Stars have the 6-foot-8 Myers and 6-foot-7 Liam Bischel on their defense corps.

March 3: Golden Knights acquire Cole Smith

The trade: The Vegas Golden Knights acquire forward Cole Smith from the Nashville Predators for defenseman Christoffer Sedoff and a third-round pick in the 2028 draft.

Analysis: That’s two trades in one day for the Predators. Just like Michael McCarron, who was dealt to the Wild, Smith kills penalties. He was tied for second in hits in Nashville (behind McCarron) with 119. Sedoff has spent the last three seasons in the American Hockey League.

March 3: Wild acquire Michael McCarron

The trade: The Minnesota Wild acquire forward Michael McCarron from the Nashville Predators for a second-round pick in the 2028 draft.

Analysis: Minnesota adds to its depth as it eyes a deep playoff run, importing the hulking McCarron, who stands 6-foot-6. He has 12 points, 73 penalty minutes and 165 hits in 59 games this season for Nashville, kills penalties and has a 52.8 faceoff winning percentage.

March 2: Oilers acquire Connor Murphy

The trade: The Edmonton Oilers acquire defenseman Connor Murphy from the Chicago Blackhawks for a 2028 second-round pick.

Analysis: The Blackhawks retain 50 percent of the $4.4 million cap hit for the pending unrestricted free agent. The Oilers have been leaking goals, and the 6-foot-4 Murphy is a solid defensive defenseman. He played on the No. 1 unit of the league’s best penalty kill, led the Blackhawks in blocked shots and was third in hits.

Feb. 24: Penguins, Avalanche swap defensemen

The trade: The Pittsburgh Penguins acquire defenseman Samuel Girard and a 2028 second-round pick from the Avalanche for defenseman Brett Kulak.

Analysis: The Avalanche pick up salary cap space and add a defenseman who has been to the Stanley Cup Final the past two seasons. The Penguins had acquired pending unrestricted free agent Kulak in the Stuart Skinner trade, Girard is also a pending UFA, and Pittsburgh gets a draft pick in the deal by flipping Kulak.

Feb. 4: Kings acquire Artemi Panarin

The trade: The Los Angeles Kings acquire forward Artemi Panarin from the New York Rangers for forward Liam Greentree and conditional third-round (2026) and fourth-round (2028) picks.

Analysis: The Kings are hurting for offense and Panarin can provide plenty. He also signed a two-year extension with an $11 million cap hit, ensuring he’ll be around after Anze Kopitar retires at season’s end. It didn’t help the team, though, that Kevin Fiala broke his leg at the Olympics before Panarin suited up. Panarin had a full no-movement clause, so the Rangers were limited in their return, but Greentree was the Kings’ top prospect and the third-round pick could become a second-rounder.

Feb. 4: Devils acquire Nick Bjugstad

The trade: The New Jersey Devils acquire forward Nick Bjugstad from the St. Louis Blues for forward Thomas Bordeleau and a conditional fourth-round pick.

Analysis: This is the third time Bjugstad has been moved near the trade deadline because the 6-6 forward is a good fit in the bottom six. He has another year left on his contract.

Jan. 27: Islanders acquire Ondrej Palat

The trade: The New York Islanders acquire left wing Ondrej Palat, a 2026 third-round pick and a 2027 sixth-round pick from the New Jersey Devils for forward Maxim Tsyplakov.

Analysis: That’s two trades in two days with a division rival. Palat is a two-time Stanley Cup winner (with the Lightning) and kills penalties. Tsyplakov didn’t get a lot of ice time with the Islanders but has potential.

Jan. 26: Islanders acquire Carson Soucy

The trade: The New York Islanders acquire defenseman Carson Soucy from the New York Rangers for a third-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.

Analysis: Soucy was the first player moved after the Rangers informed fans that the team would retool. It’s a rare deal completed between the Islanders and Rangers.

Jan. 20: Sharks acquire Kiefer Sherwood

The trade: The San Jose Sharks acquire forward Kiefer Sherwood from the Vancouver Canucks for second-round picks in 2026 and 2027, plus defenseman Cole Clayton.

Analysis: Sherwood had been mentioned as a trade candidate since the Canucks started slowly. The pending free agent is among the leader in hits and had 17 goals at the time of the deal. The Sharks are playing better than expected and this deal shows they are trying to push for a playoff spot.

Jan. 19: Golden Knights acquire Rasmus Andersson

The trade: The Vegas Golden Knights acquire defenseman Rasmus Andersson from the Calgary Flames for defenseman Zach Whitecloud, defense prospect Abram Wiebe, a conditional first-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft and a conditional second-rounder in 2028.

Analysis: The Golden Knights had been without Alex Pietrangelo all season and Andersson gives Vegas another puck-moving defenseman. The Flames get a good return for a pending unrestricted free agent. Andersson is the second defenseman Vegas had acquired from Calgary recently after the 2024 trade for Noah Hanifin. Hanifin eventually signed an extension and the Golden Knights will seek the same from Andersson.

Dec. 29: Penguins acquire Yegor Chinakhov

The trade: The Pittsburgh Penguins acquire forward Yegor Chinakhov from the Columbus Blue Jackets for forward Danton Heinen, a 2026 second-round draft pick and a 2027 third-rounder.

Analysis: Chinakhov had requested a trade last season. He’s a pending restricted free agent so the Penguins have control over his future. Heinen is a pending UFA.

Dec. 19: Canadiens acquire Phillip Danault

The trade: The Montreal Canadiens acquire center Phillip Danault from the Los Angeles Kings for a 2026 second-round pick.

Analysis: Danault is coming back to Montreal. He was a key shutdown player during the Canadiens’ 2021 run to the Stanley Cup Final.

Dec. 19: Blue Jackets acquire Mason Marchment

The trade: The Columbus Blue Jackets acquire forward Mason Marchment from the Seattle Kraken for a 2026 fourth-round pick and a 2027 second-round pick.

Analysis: Marchment had been off to a slow start after an offseason trade in which Seattle gave up a third- and a fourth-round pick. But he scored 22 goals in each of his last two seasons in Dallas.

Dec. 12: Wild acquire Quinn Hughes

The trade: The Minnesota Wild acquire Quinn Hughes from the Vancouver Canucks for Marco Rossi, Zeev Buium, Liam Ohgren and a 2026 first-round pick.

Analysis: This is a sign that the Wild are going for it and it gives them a dynamic former Norris Trophy winner to match Cale Makar if they face the Avalanche in the playoffs. The Wild gave up a lot – Buium was great at Denver and for the USA at the world junior championships – and Hughes acknowledged that and appreciated it. That could help sway Hughes when he’s eligible to sign a contract extension in July.

Dec. 12: Oilers, Penguins swap goalies

The trade: The Edmonton Oilers acquire Tristan Jarry and forward Samuel Poulin from the Pittsburgh Penguins for Stuart Skinner, defenseman Brett Kulak and a 2029 second-round pick.

Analysis: The Oilers pull the plug on Skinner, who was either spectacular or bad during back-to-back runs to the Stanley Cup Final. But they land another inconsistent goalie in Jarry, who has had injury troubles. Skinner and Kulak are pending free agents, so the Penguins could flip them at the deadline. If Skinner works out, it would allow the Penguins to continue developing goalie Sergei Murashov in the American Hockey League.

Andrew McCutchen turns 40 this October. Yet his desire to extend his Major League Baseball career runs deep enough that he’s willing to try and make a team to keep it going.

McCutchen agreed to a minor-league contract with the Texas Rangers, the Dallas Morning News reported, ending a three-season rekindling of his relationship with the Pittsburgh Pirates in which the club could not rekindle its days of playoff contention when the outfielder was in MVP form a decade ago.

Though McCutchen batted just .242 in his three-season reunion in Pittsburgh, he remained a league average hitter for the stint, posting a .736 OPS and 104 adjusted OPS as the Pirates continued to struggle creating a contender. This season, the seemingly open invitation McCutchen had in Pittsburgh faded away, as the club signed Ryan O’Hearn to be their primary right fielder.

It seemed a lane might exist for McCutchen to get at-bats against left-handed pitchers, but trades with Boston and Tampa Bay that added Jhostnyxon Garcia and Jake Mangum, respectively, closed that off.

So, McCutchen will aim to win a job out of the Rangers’ camp in Surprise, Arizona. The club has emerging star Wyatt Langford, oft-injured Evan Carter and recently acquired Brandon Nimmo as their primary outfielders, but several iterations remain where McCutchen is a fit, particularly against left-handed pitching.

McCutchen won the 2013 NL MVP for the Pirates and has hit 332 homers that also included stops with San Francisco, Philadelphia, Milwaukee and the New York Yankees.

Andrew McCutchen stats

• 2025 (PIT): 135 G, .239 AVG, 13 HR, 57 RBIs, .700 OPS
• 2024 (PIT): 120 G, .232 AVG, 20 HR, 50 RBIs, .739 OPS
• 2023 (PIT): 112 G, .256 AVG, 12 HR, 43 RBIs, .776 OPS
• 2022 (MIL): 134 G, .237 AVG, 17 HR, 69 RBIs, .700 OPS
• 2021 (PHI): 144 G, .222 AVG, 27 HR, 80 RBIs, .778 OPS

When Team USA takes the court next week in Puerto Rico in a qualifying tournament for the upcoming FIBA Women’s World Cup, Aliyah Boston and Sonia Citron won’t be suiting up.

Team USA announced Thursday morning Boston and Citron are “no longer available” to compete in the tournament. They have been replaced on the roster by Rae Burrell and Monique Billings.

Boston and Citron both suffered injuries while playing in Unrivaled, the 3-on-3 league that finished its second season on Wednesday.

The former No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA Draft in 2023 out of South Carolina, Boston was playing for Phantom BC at Unrivaled and the club ruled her out for the remainder of the season on March 1 with what it called a “right lower extremity” injury. The Indiana Fever center averaged 18.9 points in Unrivaled this season and led the league in blocks per game (2.1).

Citron missed the end of the Unrivaled regular season with the same injury designation as Boston. The Notre Dame product was named to the WNBA’s All-Rookie and All-Star teams last season with the Washington Mystics. She had been averaging 15.2 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game in Unrivaled.

Boston and Citron both participated in the first training camp for Team USA head coach Kara Lawson on the campus of Duke University in December. Citron was set to make her debut with the senior national team in Puerto Rico, while it would’ve been the first appearance for Boston since the 2021 FIBA AmeriCup.

Billings was a member of the 2017 USA U23 Women’s National Team which went 3-0 at the FIBA U24 Four Nations Tournament. For Burrell, she will be making her debut with Team USA, but did participate in a USA Basketball 3×3 development camp in 2024.

An eight-year WNBA veteran, Billings — a UCLA product — averaged 7.3 points and 4.5 rebounds per game last season with the Golden State Valkyries. She had a career-high effective field goal percentage of 51.1%.

Burrell, a former Tennessee Lady Vol, has spent her entire four-year WNBA career with the LA Sparks. She averaged career-bests in scoring and rebounding this past season, posting 7.5 points and 2.3 boards per game.

Team USA will convene in Miami this weekend for a camp before departing for Puerto Rico. The Americans — with a team headlined by Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers, Kelsey Plum and Chelsea Gray — will open play on March 11 against Senegal.

For a second consecutive offseason, a star player from an NFC East team is the subject of trade speculation.

Only time will tell if Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown will follow in the footsteps of former Dallas Cowboys edge rusher Micah Parsons, ending up elsewhere via trade like Parsons late last offseason.

During the past week, as the free agency negotiating period and 2026 league year inch closer, discussion surrounding a potential trade involving Brown has heated up. According to NFL Media’s Mike Garafolo, the Eagles have received multiple trade offers for their leading receiver but none have reached the asking price they’re seeking.

Garafolo said Philadelphia is seeking a ‘Quinnen Williams-type deal,’ referring to the New York Jets’ move at last year’s trade deadline. New York got a 2026 second-round pick, a 2027 first-round pick and defensive tackle Mazi Smith from the Cowboys for Williams.

Here’s what to know about a possible trade for Brown, including latest rumors, news and contract details for the wide receiver:

Will the Eagles trade AJ Brown?

Latest rumors and reports indicate that Philadelphia does not plan to trade Brown unless they can recoup significant value in a deal. The wideout led the Eagles in targets and receptions last year and is still under contract through 2029.

What ‘significant value’ looks like, according to NFL Media’s Mike Garafolo, is ‘a potential first-round pick with a second-round sweetener,’ similar to the Jets’ return for Williams at last year’s trade deadline.

‘If they don’t get close to that point – or to that point – I don’t think (Eagles general manager) Howie Roseman moves him,’ Garafolo said. ‘I think he keeps A.J. Brown in the fold. He’s a really good player; he is highly valued inside that building.’

On March 4, NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport reported that ‘there’s really just a select few teams that would meet the criteria of the Eagles and of A.J. Brown himself’ in terms of available draft capital and Brown’s willingness to play for that team. Rapoport mentioned the New England Patriots and Los Angeles Rams as two potential suitors.

Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel spoke about his relationship with Brown – who played for Vrabel’s Titans to begin his pro career – during the NFL combine last week.

‘I’ve watched him grow. I’ve watched him mature. I’m proud of him, proud of the father that he is. I’m proud of the husband,’ Vrabel said. ‘That has nothing to do with where he plays or where he played. Those are the things that are important.

‘We reach out and text each other during the good things that happen to each other. Sometimes things don’t go so well for the people that you’re close with, and you text for those as well. It’s a two-way street of support and reminders of what got us to where we are here today.’

Brown said in a recent appearance on Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman’s podcast, ‘Dudes on Dudes,’ that he appreciated Vrabel for holding him accountable during his early years in the league.

‘When I say he holds every single player accountable from top to bottom, I don’t care who it is, like that’s who he is,’ Brown said. ‘And it makes the team come together because nobody is bigger than the team.’

AJ Brown contract

• Length: 3 years
• Total value: $96 million

This season, Brown is set to play out the final year of the four-year, $100 million extension he signed with the Eagles in 2022. However, the three-time Pro Bowl selection signed a three-year, $96 million extension in 2024 that goes through the 2029 season, so Philadelphia could choose to keep him on its roster through the end of the decade.

Brown does not yet have any money guaranteed past 2026, since most of the guarantees on his $96 million extension were as a signing bonus, 2024 salary and 2025 compensation, according to Spotrac. It stands to reason he would want a new deal soon to make his future – with the Eagles or another team – more certain.

Brown will get $4 million in 2027 guaranteed salary on the third day of the 2026 league year, which is March 14.

One potential snag the Eagles might have with trading Brown is the cap implications that would come out of such a transaction. According to OverTheCap, if the Eagles trade Brown before June 1, they’d take on $43.4 million in dead cap – an increase of more than $20 million above his current 2026 cap hit of $23.4 million.

Alternatively, the Eagles could wait to trade Brown until after the early free agency period in March and the NFL draft in April. Trades can’t be designated for post-June 1 dates like releases can be, so a later trade means the Eagles would not be able to receive 2026 draft capital. However, Philadelphia would save $7 million in 2026 cap space with a later trade rather than taking on an additional $20 million as they would in a pre-June 1 trade.

AJ Brown stats

2025:

• Games (starts): 15 (15)
• Receptions: 78
• Receiving yards: 1,003
• Yards per reception: 12.9
• Touchdowns: 7

Career:

• Games (starts): 105 (97)
• Receptions: 524
• Receiving yards: 8,029
• Yards per reception: 15.3
• Touchdowns: 56

This isn’t quarterback rocket science, or a gut feeling. It couldn’t be more clear and concise. 

The one-year wonders at the quarterback position don’t work in the NFL. 

Yet there they are, the talking heads all over the sport, falling for it again with Ty Simpson. The former Alabama quarterback showed up last week at the league’s annual NFL Scouting Combine — with all of 15 career starts in his pocket — and had an impressive throwing session for the assembled scouts and team personnel.

Throwing session.  

Suddenly, he’s a Top 15 pick. Even ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky — as smart and measured analyst as there is — declared Simpson’s tape “from his first eight games” of the 2025 season is better than projected No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza. 

Has the entire NFL scouting world gone mad? This isn’t that difficult to process, everyone. 

Anthony Richardson started one season at Florida. Trey Lance started one season at North Dakota State. 

Kyler Murray (Oklahoma), Dwayne Haskins (Ohio State) and Mac Jones (Alabama) started one season in college, too. All flamed out. 

Meanwhile, I give you (since the 2018 draft) these multiple-season college starters who are all ascending in their careers: two MVPs (Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen), two Super Bowl champions (Jalen Hurts, Sam Darnold), and eight who have led teams to the playoffs (Joe Burrow, Baker Mayfield, Trevor Lawrence, Justin Herbert, Caleb Williams, CJ Stroud, Bryce Young, Bo Nix). 

Obviously there are multiple-season college starters who don’t pan out, but the odds of success are much higher for a player with elite skills who has spent extended time leading a team, managing games and experiencing every possible win-lose scenario on the grass.

Not a throwing session. 

The last time we saw Simpson on the field at Alabama, he and the Tide were getting clobbered by Indiana in the Rose Bowl — where Simpson completed 12 passes for 67 yards before getting knocked out of a 38-3 loss.

It’s almost as if these NFL guys, whose very livelihood depends on getting it right more than getting it wrong, never learn.

Simpson is a talented player. He has a live arm, and is sneaky athletic. He’s accurate, and he has played well at times in big games. 

But it’s hard to fathom a position that demands as many game repetitions as possible to develop and reach potential, could have an obvious red flag so flippantly ignored by the best of the best in the sport.

It’s the quarterback obsession. The game — no matter the level — revolves around the play of the quarterback. 

The better he is, the better you are. 

But when we reach the elite of the game, where everyone runs fast and everyone is freakishly athletic, football IQ is heightened to an unreal level. Knowledge of the game, understanding the nuances, knowing the answers ― all before the ball snaps at the line of scrimmage. 

Translation: The more reps, the more you know before making the pick.

I can’t imagine why any NFL owner, now spending more than $300 million annually in salary cap revenue, would trust his franchise to a quarterback who has played one college season. It’s blind faith on steroids. 

This isn’t learning on the job, or sitting behind a cagey veteran. You’re drafted, and we’re paying you millions ― and you’re playing Week 1.

The enormity of the moment crushes some, overwhelms others. Typically, it impacts every quarterback. 

It’s rare that a rookie quarterback steps into the breach and starts making plays all over the field. Rare that he’s so good, teams win because of him — not with him. 

It takes two or three years (or more) for these guys to feel completely comfortable when they walk to the line of scrimmage. When they can look at grown men on the other side of the ball — whose coaches (the best in the sport, no less) spend an entire offseason scouting the player and the offense — and feel completely at ease.

When they can consistently win games at the highest level of football, and give their team — one that plays in a league designed for parity — an advantage more than the other guy. 

Now we’re ready to bet all that on a guy with 15 career college starts, and a throwing session?

The entire NFL scouting world has gone mad.