• The NCAA is appealing a court ruling that granted Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss eligibility for the 2026 season.
• If the NCAA wins its appeal, Ole Miss’s chances of reaching the College Football Playoff could be significantly diminished.
• Without Chambliss, the Rebels would rely on a less experienced quarterback room, potentially impacting their season’s outcome.

The NCAA has a bone in its mouth, everyone. And it’s not letting go. 

Not for Tom Mars or any other attorney brazenly judge shopping to rig the system. And certainly not for Mississippi quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, no matter how inspiring his story. 

But here’s the problem with the NCAA digging in on player eligibility limits and Mars’ history of paddling the NCAA in court: those two familiar combatants won’t feel the fallout. 

Because no matter what happens in court, Chambliss will be paid to play football in 2026 — be it with Ole Miss, or as a potential first-round pick in the NFL Draft next month.

But if the NCAA wins its appeal with the Mississippi Supreme Court and Chambliss is ruled ineligible, Ole Miss goes from a favorite to reach the 12-team College Football Playoff, to a team that may not win seven games.

With Chambliss, Ole Miss is a dangerous offense that’s a problem for every team on the schedule. Without him, it gets interesting. 

Deuce Knight transferred from Auburn prior to Chambliss being ruled eligible by a county judge — in between the judge’s blubbering from the bench while reading his ruling — and then removed any mention of Ole Miss from his social media accounts (though he kept a picture of himself in Ole Miss gear).

So if the Mississippi Supreme Court overrules the local county judge and sides with the NCAA, then what?

The Rebels are left with a quarterback room of sophomore AJ Maddox, sophomore transfer Maealiuaki Smith (Oklahoma State) and senior walk-on transfer George Hamsley (Tennessee State). And as far as we know, Knight.  

Smith played briefly at Oklahoma State in 2024, and had two touchdowns and four interceptions in 74 attempts. Maddox and Hamsely haven’t thrown a college pass.

I don’t think I’m overselling it when I say Ole Miss better hope the Supremes in Mississippi are just as wildly provincial as the judge who originally wept when ruling. 

It’s not like Knight — a former five-star recruit — was a difference-maker at Auburn. He showed flashes, but nothing that would make anyone think Ole Miss could win more than six or seven games unless things drastically change. 

To be fair, Knight was dealing with former Auburn coach Huge Freeze, who was at best disinterested in his time on The Plains — and at worst lallygagging through professional malpractice.

So maybe Knight is the answer, and all he needs is a new team and a new focus and to wait and see how it all shakes out with Chambliss. 

All he needs is a first-year coach who hitched himself to the momentum of hot quarterback and hot team full of motivation, and nearly got a trip to the national championship game out of it. A new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, and a new system, too.

What could go wrong? 

Ole Miss better hope nothing does go awry in the Mississippi Supreme Court. 

Or we’ll find out just how ugly it can get. 

This isn’t about Miami (Ohio) and its 30-0 record against a soft schedule.

This is about Auburn basketball’s collapse, and instead of owning up to his part in it, Bruce Pearl made the RedHawks out to be the scapegoat.

All Miami has done is beat 30 consecutive opponents. What’s Auburn (16-14) done? Well, it lost seven of its last nine, as Aubie fights to keep his head above .500.

Somehow, Auburn’s position on the NCAA men’s tournament bubble is all Miami’s fault, that mid-major that just keeps beating everybody on its schedule.

“Here’s the deal. Are we going to select the 68 most deserving teams? Or are we going to select the 68 best teams?’ Pearl said this week from his spot in the TNT studio.

Pearl’s stance: If Miami loses even one single game and fails to win its conference tournament, it shouldn’t receive an at-large bid to the tournament.

He subsequently stumped for Auburn’s credentials.

What’s this all about?

Nepotism, of course. A tale as old as time.

Pearl’s son, Steven, coaches Auburn — in part, because Pearl helped him get the job, a fact he admits.

Pearl kept Auburn in limbo leading up to this season: Would he coach? Would he run for political office? Would he retire?

He chose retirement, but not until six weeks before the season tipped off. His timing helped ensure Auburn would promote his son from associate coach to the head chair, while the elder Pearl shifted into an ambassador role and a special assistant to athletic director John Cohen.

Bruce Pearl admits to nepotism, helping Steven Pearl

Pearl, though, insists he’s not acting from a place of bias when he polishes Auburn.

“That’s objectively how I feel,” he told OutKick.

Pearl, an experienced liar, might think that’s the case, but the truth is, we cannot possibly know how he’d objectively feel about this situation. Let us reiterate: Pearl coached Auburn for many years. He remains on Auburn’s payroll. His son coaches Auburn.

Does this sound like someone who could be objective?

“Am I rooting for son to make the NCAA Tournament? Of course I am!” Pearl said to OutKick. “Did I help my son get the job? Nepotism? Of course I did!”

Well, you said it.

No shame in rooting for your son, and Pearl is hardly the first coach to grease the wheels of nepotism. But, please, spare us from pretending you’re unbiased in this debate.

Miami (Ohio) athletic director calls Bruce Pearl’s remarks ‘disgusting’

Auburn is currently listed as the last team in the field in USA TODAY’s latestbracket projection, while Miami (Ohio) is projected into the field as a No. 11 seed.

Indefatigable, Pearl kept his barrage of barbs coming at Miami (Ohio). He told Barstool he thought it possible the RedHawks would be in last place if they played in the Big East, which is experiencing the worst season of any of the major conferences.

David Sayler, the athletic director at Miami (Ohio), fired back that Pearl’s denigration of the RedHawks was “disgusting.”

At the very least, it’s blatantly biased, but none of it changes that the RedHawks are flourishing, and Auburn is suffering after Pearl’s ill-timed retirement and the Tigers’ subsequent nepo-hire.

Blake Toppmeyer is a columnist for the USA TODAY Network. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer.

LeBron James has broken yet another NBA record held by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

In the final seconds of the first quarter of the Los Angeles Lakers’ game against the Denver Nuggets on Thursday night, James posted up Zeke Nnaji along the baseline before hitting him with a turnaround fadeaway for the 15,838th made field goal of his career — the most all-time by a player.

Though he passed Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA’s all-time leading scorer in 2023, the fact that it took another three years to surpass him in made field goals speaks to the evolution of the game, and the power that the 3-ball and the free throw line have in today’s NBA.

James and Abdul-Jabbar are the only two players to score at least 15,000 career field goals; the next closest is Karl Malone with 13,528. The only other active player in the top 10 is Kevin Durant, who is in ninth with 11,075.

Most field goals made in NBA history

Here’s the top 10 list, per the NBA:

• Teams on the NCAA men’s tournament bubble face a crucial final weekend of the regular season.
• Key matchups include VCU at Dayton, Indiana at Ohio State, and Auburn at Alabama.
• While this is the last regular season chance, conference tournaments offer another opportunity to impress the selection committee.

Teams still out to prove they belong in the NCAA men’s tournament have one final shot to impress in the last weekend of the regular season, and there are plenty of opportunities up for grabs.

Every team on the bubble in the latest USA TODAY Sports Bracketology plays one more scheduled contest, and most of them aren’t just playing a game, but going against opponents that can significantly alter their resume. Ranked foes, conference leads and fellow bubble members can very well change the tournament picture a week before the bracket is revealed.

This won’t be the last chance to impress the March Madness selection committee with conference tournaments on the horizon, but every result is magnified, and momentum could be just the secret sauce needed to go on one last run that leaves no doubt about making it on Selection Sunday.

Virginia Commonwealth at Dayton

Time/TV: Friday, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN2

Currently among the first four out, VCU gets a rare conference Quad 1 game at Dayton, giving the Rams an opportunity to improve their 1-5 mark in the category. A win could push VCU into the last four in range, and they can get a share of the Atlantic 10 championship with a victory and a Saint Louis loss to George Mason. However, the Flyers are hot, winners of six in a row, which includes a defeat of Saint Louis. Lose and the Rams likely need to win the conference tournament to make the NCAA field.

No. 20 Miami (Ohio) at Ohio

Time/TV: Friday, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN2

One of the most-discussed teams in the country, Miami (Ohio) is one win away from a perfect regular season, yet there’s still debate if it deserves to be in the tournament without an automatic bid. The RedHawks defeating the Bobcats would likely lock up a spot by pushing their record to 31-0. Since March Madness expanded in 1985, no team has ever had a perfect regular season and didn’t make the bracket. The critics could be silenced and the rest of the bubble teams will be rooting for Miami to get the auto spot so it doesn’t have to worry about another MAC team stealing a bid..

New Mexico at Utah State

Time/TV: Saturday, 4 p.m., Mountain West Network

The Lobos are holding onto a projected spot by a thread after a Senior Day loss to Colorado State was the second Quad 3 defeat of the season – a major no-no at this point of the calendar. The defeat can be rectified, but it comes in the biggest game of the year at Mountain West-leading Utah State. The Aggies are tough at home with a 13-1 record in Logan, and New Mexico was badly beaten by them on Feb. 4. A win will keep the Lobos afloat, but another loss surely makes way for someone to take their place.

Indiana at Ohio State

Time/TV: Saturday, 5:30 p.m. ET, Fox

A major Big Ten bubble battle. The Hoosiers are the first team on the wrong side of the cutline, coming off a dominant win at Minnesota to snap a four game skid. It’s a Quad 1 chance at Ohio State – a type of win Indiana needs since it has a disastrous 2-10 record in the category. An impressive road victory could get it on the right side of the tournament outlook, but another lose could really make it bleak. The Buckeyes pretty much wrapped up a tournament spot last week after beating Purdue, but doesn’t want to test its fate.

Auburn at No. 16 Alabama

Time/TV: Saturday, 8:30 p.m., ESPN

Another hot topic team, Auburn is the last team in the field and it will have to really earn that spot playing against rival Alabama. Even though the Tigers have an ugly 16-14 record, their four Quad 1 wins can’t be dismissed and getting a fifth one − on the road against a ranked foe − would be noteworthy. However, Alabama has been really clicking recently and beat their in-state enemy already this season. Should Auburn lose for the eighth time in 10 contests, it’ll be hard to justify they belong, even if Bruce Pearl continues to shout from mountain tops.

Other bubble games to watch

All times Eastern

Friday

• Central Florida at West Virginia (8 p.m., CBS Sports Network): A pair of bad losses have UCF reeling and in need of a win to avoid being a double-digit seed.

Saturday

• No. 19 Arkansas at Missouri (12 p.m., ESPN): With a rough NET ranking of 60, Missouri could use a ranked victory to stay away from being in the last four in range.
• Cincinnati at TCU (2 p.m., TNT/truTV): Back from the dead, Cincinnati can continue its climb toward the conversation with another road victory against a tournament team.
• SMU at Florida State (2 p.m., ACC Network): The Mustangs have lost three in a row and cannot afford falling to upstart Florida State if they wish to stay away from the First Four.
• California at Wake Forest (4 p.m., ACC Network): Plenty of work still needed from the Golden Bears, and improving a 4-5 Quad 1 record is a necessary step.
• Texas A&M at LSU (6 p.m., SEC Network): After a much-needed win over Kentucky, the Aggies can’t fall against a SEC cellar-dweller if it wants to find a much more secure spot.
• UCLA at Southern California (9 p.m., FS1): Another top-10 win has UCLA back on solid ground, and it needs to take advantage of its reeling rival.

HOUSTON — If it wasn’t already clear from Dante Bichette Jr.’s jersey which contingent he was a part of at the World Baseball Classic, his head offered a less-than-subtle clue.

Two weeks ago, Bichette Jr. enlisted the help of a hairstylist friend in Los Angeles to dye his shoulder-length hair bright green, matching one of the main colors in the Brazilian flag.

During Team Brazil’s pre-WBC workout Thursday at Daikin Park, Bichette Jr. added a bandana of the Brazilian flag on top of his colorful mane prior to donning a blue-and-yellow cap.

“Last year I had green that turned into yellow, this year I put dark green so it would stay a little bit,” Bichette Jr. explained.

After going 3-1 in last year’s qualifiers, Team Brazil is back in the World Baseball Classic for the second time ever and first time since 2013. Brazil opens the tournament with a game against host country USA on Friday night in Houston.

The Brazilians are acutely aware of their underdog label. They wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Any good movie I’ve ever seen starts with an underdog story, you know?” Bichette Jr. said. “Now, this is a challenge, for sure. But nine innings and it’s a baseball game, and a lot of the time this type of games comes down to heart. When it comes to heart, we can hang.”

Brazilian pitcher Rodrigo “Bo” Takahashi added, “The pressure, it’s on them.”  

After a painstaking yearslong fight to get back into the WBC, though, Brazil is aware that the WBC presents a significant opportunity to showcase its baseball talent on a global stage and pave the way for the sport’s continued growth.

Leonardo Reginatto, 35, is a veteran infielder who played for Brazil in the 2013 WBC alongside many members of this year’s coaching staff, including manager Daniel Yuichi Matsumoto. Back then, Brazil was considered a sleeping baseball giant. It never fully awoke.

“It’s been tough, in a way, that we didn’t qualify twice. But I think that makes us better as a whole,” said Reginatto, Brazil’s team captain. “So now, it’s up to us to stay here and win a couple games.”

There have been just five Brazilian-born players to compete in the major leagues. The first, former MLB catcher Yan Gomes, is a catching coach on Brazil’s WBC staff.

While there aren’t any active MLB players on Brazil’s 2026 WBC roster, the team includes several notable connections to the majors. Bichette Jr. is the son of four-time All-Star Dante Bichette. Lucas Ramirez, the son of Manny Ramirez, plays for the Los Angeles Angels’ High-A team. High school prospect Joseph Contreras, whose father is José Contreras, is 17 and the youngest player on any WBC roster.

The American-born Ramirez, whose mother is Brazilian, could have chosen to play for the United States or for his father’s native country, the Dominican Republic. He chose Brazil for reasons both practical and sentimental. Ramirez figured he would get more playing time with Brazil, but he also has fond memories of Christmastime visits to Brazil, where his grandfather owns a livestock farm inhabited by cows and goats.

Ramirez said his aunt and uncle are flying from Brazil to Houston to watch him compete in the WBC, along with his parents. His grandparents will watch from Brazil on television.

“It’s awesome,” Ramirez said. “I would never expect that Brazil would fall in love with baseball, but I’m just grateful they did because it gave me the opportunity to come out here and showcase my abilities.”

Bichette and his brother, New York Mets infielder Bo Bichette, have both played for Brazil because their mother is a Brazilian native. Bo Bichette withdrew from the WBC this month to focus on transitioning to play third base for the Mets after signing there this offseason. But Dante Jr. said his family is ecstatic that he is representing Brazil – particularly his maternal grandparents, who both live there.

“My grandma, my vovó, is my best friend,” Dante Bichette Jr. said. “She’s the only person who we speak 100% transparently with each other. She is overwhelmed with joy that I’m even here. She loves to see the Brazil jersey on me.”

In 2025, MLB launched its development academy in the Brazilian state of São Paulo. But soccer remains the country’s pre-eminent sport.

On Thursday, Brazilian outfielder Osvaldo Carvalho delighted onlookers by using his feet to juggle a baseball on the grass down the third-base line.

Children in Brazil are usually only exposed to baseball if they know somebody who plays – and even then, it can be difficult to acquire the necessary equipment or find a field, explained Reginatto. He was introduced to the sport by Japanese neighbors in his hometown of Curitiba, Brazil, where today there are still only two baseball teams in the city with a population of one million people.

“There aren’t a lot of places to practice or things like that, but we always find a way,” Reginatto said. “The hardest part is that everybody was from a different area of the city and we all had to come from a different place to practice because there was only one field and only one cage.”

Japanese immigrants were responsible for helping popularize baseball in Brazil and developing infrastructure to help the game take root there. Many Brazilian baseball players play professionally in Japan; Matsumoto previously played for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows in Nippon Professional Baseball.

Reginatto said that while in recent years American influence has injected more power hitting into Brazil’s traditionally small-ball style, he described Brazilian baseball as a unique melting pot blended with Cuban and Venezuelan culture.

“We have players here who have never played professional baseball before and they’re facing big-league guys and having fun,” Reginatto said. “We know it’s hard but we have talent. We have a lot of Japanese people behind us, a lot of Cubans that came to Brazil, guys that came here to play in the major leagues, guys that play in the minors. Brazil is a big mix of baseball. Everything’s combined and we’re like a family. It means a lot to all of us.”

Describing the Brazilian game, Takahashi said, “It’s own style. It is something else, for sure.”

When Takahashi was a teenager, he woke up at 5 a.m. to watch the national team play in the 2013 WBC, which took place in Japan. Now Takahashi, a 29-year-old righthander, is preparing to pitch in the Classic himself.

“To have that memory, to watch them but now share the same field with them, that’s amazing for me,” Takahashi said.

Brazil is searching for its first WBC win after it went 0-3 in the 2013 tournament. But there is a sense of optimism stemming from Brazil’s second-place finish in the 2023 Pan American games and three wins in last year’s WBC qualifiers.

“This group is very special,” Bichette Jr. said. “The coaching staff all the way down to the players and then the additional people that have joined us on the way. Honestly, more than anything, this is a bit of a celebration.”

Brazilian players said they feel their country’s passion behind them and they hope their performance in the WBC can help sustain that excitement.

“Even people that didn’t know Brazil has baseball are commenting on social media and stuff like that, ‘Oh, we don’t understand the rules but we’re gonna be rooting for you guys!’” Reginatto said. “So that’s pretty cool. I hope that will expand baseball in the future at some point.”

They are well-decorated, yet many are still in their prime. A handful with extremely bright futures, but already a significant number of accomplishments on their dossier. A few more who might merely be hood ornaments on this ride, yet can add gravitas and depth, nonetheless.

It isn’t hard to argue that Team USA is sending its most talented group to the World Baseball Classic in the six iterations of this tournament.

Four players have won MVP awards, with four more claiming runner-up finishes, including two guys, Cal Raleigh and Bobby Witt Jr., who would have won top AL honors the past two seasons were it not for three-time winner Aaron Judge.

Oh yeah, he’s on the team, too.

Sure, you can’t overwhelm opponents merely with star power, nor can you field more than 10 guys at a time. Still, this squad is both well-accomplished but also largely in its prime.

Outside the bullpen, every guy save for youngsters Roman Anthony, Brice Turang and Nolan McLean, along with veteran Ernie Clement – who’s merely coming off a record-setting 30-hit postseason – has been an All-Star.

Here’s a breakdown of the roster and each guy’s role in the effort to win a second WBC crown:

Catchers

Cal Raleigh, C, Mariners

Age: 29

All-Star appearance: 2025

Honors: Platinum Glove

Last year: 7.4 WAR, 60 homers, 125 RBI, .948 OPS.

Likely role: Starting catcher. Big Dumper can take a load off after years of carrying Seattle’s offense at various times in recent years, and his switch-hitting power will give manager Mark DeRosa significant lineup flexibility.

Will Smith, C, Dodgers

Age: 30

All-Star appearances: Three

Last year: 4.5 WAR, 17 homers, .404 OBP, .901 OPS in 110 games

Likely role: Part-time catcher. Smith flirted with a batting title for a while last year and showed he’s the Dodgers’ off-Broadway MVP by catching every postseason inning and striking the go-ahead, 11^th-inning home run in World Series Game 7. Yes, the man will not shrink from this global stage.

Infielders

Alex Bregman, 3B, Cubs

Age: 31

All-Star appearances: Three

Honors: Gold Glove

Last year: 3.5 WAR, .821 OPS, 18 homers in 114 games

Likely role: Primary third baseman. This will be Bregman’s first WBC since earning five plate appearances with the 2017 champions; his role should be much larger this time. Suddenly a veteran of three teams, Bregman’s Pied Piper leadership and ball knowledge will be a significant asset this time around.

Ernie Clement, 2B, Blue Jays

Age: 29

Last year: 4.3 WAR, 35 doubles, .711 OPS in 157 games

Likely role: Deluxe utility guy. Clement can play any position on the infield – and roam the outfield in a pinch – and is coming off a record 30-hit postseason that capped a stellar all-around season.

Paul Goldschmidt, 1B, Yankees

Age: 38

All-Star appearances: Seven

Honors: 2022 NL MVP, four-time Gold Glove winner

Last year: 1.2 WAR, 10 homers in 534 plate appearances

Likely role: Right-handed bat off the bench. Goldschmidt’s splits went extreme last year: .336/.411/.570 against left-handers, .247/.289/.329 against righties.

Bryce Harper, 1B, Phillies

Age: 33

All-Star appearances: Eight

Honors: 2015 NL MVP, 2021 NL MVP, 2012 Rookie of the Year

Last year: 3.1 WAR, 27 homers, .844 OPS in 132 games

Likely role: Primary first baseman. Harper’s first high-profile chance to reclaim the “elite” tag his club president questioned this winter. Harper’s 126 adjusted OPS was his lowest since 2019.

Gunnar Henderson, SS/3B, Orioles

Age: 24

All-Star appearance: 2024

Honors: 2023 AL Rookie of the Year

Last year: 5.3 WAR, 17 homers, .787 OPS in 154 games

Likely role: Part-time third baseman. Henderson will likely share time with Bregman at third, the start of a campaign he hopes looks much more like his 37-homer 2024 after playing through a shoulder impingement last season.

Brice Turang, 2B, Brewers

Age: 26

Honors: Platinum Glove

Last year: 5.6 WAR, 18 homers, 97 runs, .794 OPS

Likely role: Primary second baseman. Turang is a fantastic all-around player whose presence will only help in the always-tricky area of team adhesion in a brief sample size.

Bobby Witt Jr., SS, Royals

Age: 25

All-Star appearances: 2024, 2025

Honors: Two-time Gold Glove winner

Last year: 7.1 WAR, 23 homers, 38 stolen bases, .852 OPS

Likely role: Primary shortstop. Witt was a bit player as Trea Turner starred in 2023. Little reason to think he won’t be that guy this time around.

Outfielders

Roman Anthony, LF, Red Sox

Age: 21

Last year: 3.1 WAR, eight homers, .859 OPS in 71 games

Likely role: Part-time left fielder. As you likely know well, Anthony’s sparse resume belies his status as one of the game’s most imposing hitters. Will be a weapon in the top or middle of the lineup or as a bat off the bench.

Byron Buxton, CF, Twins

Age: 32

All-Star appearances: 2022, 2025

Honors: Platinum Glove

Last year: 4.9 WAR, 35 homers, 97 runs, .878 OPS

Likely role: Center field platoon. Buxton’s power and defense – he put up those 35 homers in 126 games a year ago – will be a significant asset, especially against lefty starters.

Pete Crow-Armstrong, CF, Cubs

Age: 23

All-Star appearance: 2025

Honors: Gold Glove

Last year: 6.0 WAR, 31 homers, 35 stolen bases, .768 OPS

Likely role: Center field platoon. Team USA isn’t expecting First Half PCA – when he hit 25 homers with an .847 OPS, compared to six and .634 after the break – but will settle for elite defense and the ability to ambush at the bottom of the order.

Aaron Judge, RF, Yankees

Age: 33

All-Star appearances: Seven

Honors: 2022, 2024-25 AL MVP, 2017 Rookie of the Year

Last year: 9.7 WAR, 53 homers, .331 average, 1.144 OPS

Likely role: Starting right fielder. After leading the majors in all the slash categories and WAR, Judge enters this WBC on a career high. And will have unparalleled lineup protection in this sprint to the finals.

Designated hitter

Kyle Schwarber, DH, Phillies

Age: 32

All-Star appearances: Three

Last year: 4.7 WAR, 56 homers, .928 OPS

Likely role: Starting DH. Schwarber is immediate danger wherever DeRosa pencils him in – perhaps tucked between Witt and Judge? – and seems destined to have at least one meet-the-moment sequence in this tourney.

Starting pitchers

Matthew Boyd, LHP, Cubs

Age: 35

All-Star appearance: 2025

Last year: 2.5 WAR, 14 wins, 1.09 WHIP in 179 2/3 innings

Likely role: Should get a start or two and perhaps be deployed out of the bullpen against a lefty-heavy pocket. Steady, deceptive and occasionally dominant despite a 92 mph fastball.

Clay Holmes, RHP, Mets

Age: 32

All-Star appearances: 2022, 2024

Last year: 1.9 WAR, 3.53 ERA over 165 2/3 innings

Likely role: He’s been an All-Star closer and successfully reverted to a starting role last year, especially in the first half. That makes him particularly valuable in this format, able to log multiple innings in any role behind his sinker- and sweeper-heavy arsenal.

Clayton Kershaw, LHP, retired

Age: 37

Last year: 1.6 WAR, 11 wins, 3.36 ERA over 112 2/3 innings

All-Star appearances: 11

Honors: NL Cy Young winner (2011, 2013, 2014), NL MVP (2014), Gold Glove

Likely role: Sure, it might be largely ceremonial and perhaps his biggest value will be as clubhouse sage and, as they say, showing the younger guys “how to go about your business.” But Kershaw was very good as a starter last season, got one huge out in Game 5 of the World Series and was on the verge of entering Game 7 in the 11^th inning when the Dodgers won it. The man will get the ball. Question is, how big of a spot?

Nolan McLean, RHP, Mets

Age: 24

Last year: 1.8 WAR, 5-1, 2.06 ERA over eight major league starts

Likely role: A big wild card – McLean has a dominant fastball, a legitimate six-pitch mix and a nearly unsullied big league resume to this point. How much do you pour into a guy with just eight starts to his name? For now McLean is slated to start the fourth pool play game against a respectable Italy squad – and leave him on turn should Team USA reach the championship.

Joe Ryan, RHP, Twins

Age: 29

All-Star appearance: 2025

Last year: 4.5 WAR, 194 strikeouts in 171 innings.

Likely role: A back injury will keep Ryan out of pool play and might force his removal from the roster.

Paul Skenes, RHP, Pirates

Age: 23

All-Star appearances: 2024, 2025

Honors: 2023 Rookie of the Year, 2024 NL Cy Young Award

Last year: 7.7 WAR, 1.97 ERA, 216 strikeouts in 187 2/3 innings

Likely role: Ace. Simple enough? With AL Cy Young counterpart Tarik Skubal limited to one start, Skenes will start a pool play game – March 9 against Mexico – and likely get the semifinal nod should Team USA get there.

Tarik Skubal, LHP, Tigers

Age: 29

All-Star appearances: 2024, 2025

Honors: 2024, 2025 AL Cy Young Awards

Last year: 6.5 WAR, 241 strikeouts, 2.21 ERA, AL-best 2.45 FIP, major league-best 0.89 WHIP.

Likely role: One and done. Skubal, entering a season after which he’s expected to be the most coveted pitching free agent in history, has said he’ll start just one game and head back to Florida and resume training with the Tigers. He got his pitch count up to 44 – and hit 99 mph on his fastball – in his final exhibition start before the WBC and should top the 50-pitch mark in his March 7 start against against Great Britain.

Michael Wacha, RHP, Royals

Age: 34

All-Star appearance: 2015

Last year: 2.8 WAR, 3.86 ERA over 172 2/3 innings.

Likely role: Innings eater. Team USA has so much dominant swing-and-miss – a facet they’ve missed in many past WBCs – that Wacha can be looked to for coverage, particularly in pool play action.

Logan Webb, RHP, Giants

Age: 29

All-Star appearances: 2024, 2025

Honors: Gold Glove

Last year: 3.8 WAR, MLB-high 207 innings pitched, NL-high 224 strikeouts

Likely role: Frontline starter. While Skubal and Skenes stole the headlines, Webb’s commitment might be the most important on this squad, giving it pitching depth no previous USA group enjoyed. He’ll get the ball in the March 6 opener against Brazil and almost certainly a starting assignment in the knockout rounds.

Relievers

David Bednar, RHP, Yankees

Age: 31

All-Star appearances: 2022, 2023

Last year: 2.2 WAR, 27 saves, 86 strikeouts in 66 2/3 innings

Likely role: Potential closer. Bednar flourished after a trade to the Yankees, seizing the ninth-inning role and saving 10 games. Reliable presence after the high-leverage heat enters earlier.

Garrett Cleavinger, LHP, Rays

Age: 31

Last year: 1.9 WAR, 2.35 ERA, 82 strikeouts in 61 1/3 innings.

Likely role: Lefty-leaning specialist. Cleavinger’s splits were fairly neutral last season – really good against both right- (.183/.264/.338) and left-handed (.187/.274/.347) hitters. He’ll be joined by Gabe Speier and potentially Kershaw as lefties out of the bullpen.

Griffin Jax, RHP, Rays

Age: 31

Last year: 0.5 WAR, 4.23 ERA, 99 strikeouts in 66 innings

Likely role: Lower-leverage strikeout specialist. Jax got all but 11 of his punchouts on his sweeper and changeup last season, presenting a different look between Team USA’s starters and highest-leverage guys.

Brad Keller, RHP, Phillies

Age: 30

Last year: 1.4 WAR, 0.96 WHIP, 75 strikeouts in 69 2/3 innings.

Likely role: Seventh- or eighth-inning guy. Keller was a reliable piece for the Cubs last season, prompting the Phillies to sign him to work ahead of closer Jhoan Duran.

Mason Miller, RHP, Padres

Age: 27

All-Star appearance: 2024

Last year: 2.2 WAR, 15.2 strikeouts per nine innings, 0.91 WHIP

Likely role: Fireman. Miller’s 101 mph fastball and wipeout slider are an almost unparalleled combo in this tournament or on any given major league day. So think of him deploying in the hottest spots possible – say, to handle Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Junior Caminero and Manny Machado in the late innings against the Dominican – regardless of closer designation.

Gabe Speier, LHP, Mariners

Age: 30

Last year: 1.4 WAR, 0.87 WHIP, 82 strikeouts in 62 innings

Likely role: Left-on-left arm of death. Speier was great against all comers but, even moreso than Cleavinger, was merciless on lefties, holding them to a .179/.214/.302 line and 42 strikeouts to just two walks in 112 plate appearances.

Garrett Whitlock, RHP, Red Sox

Age: 29

Last year: 2.4 WAR, 1.08 WHIP, 91 strikeouts in 72 innings

Likely role: Set-up man. Whitlock owned the eighth inning in Boston, and gave up just two home runs, using his power sinker to induce whiffs, ground balls and chase.

• Many of these contests have implications for conference tournament seeding and March Madness positioning.
• Key matchups include North Carolina at Duke, Florida at Kentucky, and Michigan State at Michigan.
• Several teams, including Duke and Florida, have already secured their conference’s regular-season titles.

The final weekend of the regular season in many collegiate sports usually means a rivalry game. That is indeed the case in many basketball hotbeds around the nation as the men’s campaign concludes.

While these contests always mean bragging rights, there’s a bit more on the line for some of the involved teams as they hope to improve their positions for upcoming conference tournaments and of course for March Madness. Our last edition of the Starting Five offers Saturday double dips in the ACC and SEC, and the weekend lineup concludes with a Sunday top-10 showdown in the Big Ten.

Here’s a look at our picks of games to watch.

No. 22 Vanderbilt at No. 25 Tennessee

Time/TV: Saturday, 2 p.m. ET, ESPN.

A Tennessee win would complete a sweep of its in-state foe as well as lock in an SEC tourney double bye for the Volunteers. The 4 seed could also be in play for the Commodores if some tiebreakers go their way, but toppling the archrival Vols will be incentive enough. Their first encounter in Nashville was played at Tennessee’s preferred deliberate pace resulting in a 69-65 victory, so Vandy’s back-court duo of Tyler Tanner and Duke Miles will need some early makes to increase the tempo. Tennessee hopes to have top scorer Nate Ament back in the lineup after he sat out the win at South Carolina, but if he can’t go the interior defense will still be formidable thanks to J.P. Estrella and Felix Okpara.

Louisville at No. 23 Miami (Fla.)

Time/TV: Saturday, 2 p.m. ET, ESPNU.

The Hurricanes’ win at SMU this week effectively locked them into the No. 3 seed for the ACC tournament, but they’d still like to close the regular season on a high note on their home floor. The Cardinals have dropped their last three league road contests and could use a confidence boost entering the postseason. While a healthy Mikel Brown is capable of going nuclear, Ryan Conwell has been the steady hand in the Louisville lineup who will also demand attention from the Miami defense. The Hurricanes are led by the inside-out combo of Malik Reneau and Tre Donaldson.

No. 5 Florida at Kentucky

Time/TV: Saturday, 4 p.m. ET, ESPN.

With the SEC regular-season title secured, the Gators now turn their attention to improving their path to a repeat NCAA crown with a top regional seed. They’ll look to take the next step toward that goal at the expense of the wildly inconsistent Wildcats, who have likely done enough to remain on the right side of the bubble but seem destined for a brief stay in the dance. The Gators’ nine-point triumph over Kentucky in Gainesville three weeks ago was part of the late-season scoring surge for Xaivian Lee, whose contributions from the perimeter have made Florida’s experienced front line even more dangerous. The Wildcats will have to count on Otega Oweh to take advantage of the friendly rims at Rupp Arena.

No. 18 North Carolina at No. 1 Duke

Time/TV: Saturday, 6:30 p.m. ET, ESPN.

Like the SEC, the ACC race is already settled with the Blue Devils again ahead of the field. That will hardly affect the charged atmosphere at Cameron Indoor Stadium as Duke looks to avenge its lone league loss at the expense of its most despised rival. The Tar Heels will likely see Duke again in less than a week, but again, there will be no lack of intensity on either side. There might be good news for UNC if Caleb Wilson is able to return from a month-long absence due to a hand injury. The Heels have handled several opponents without him, but that likely won’t apply to Duke. Expect another big night from the Blue Devils’ Cameron Boozer as he plays for what will almost certainly be the final time in front of the Crazies.

No. 8 Michigan State at No. 3 Michigan

Time/TV: Sunday, 4:30 p.m. ET, CBS.

The Big Ten race is – stop us if you’ve heard this one before – over. The Wolverines have the top seed in hand, and the Spartans also have a double bye clinched. But did we mention this is a rivalry game? This one is also a rematch, with the Wolverines taking the first meeting 83-71 in East Lansing on Jan. 30. The Spartans had no answer for Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg in that one, though they’re hardly alone in that regard. When Michigan State needs to make something happen, Jeremy Fears is usually involved.

The Washington Capitals traded longtime defenseman John Carlson to the Anaheim Ducks early Friday morning in one of the surprise moves of the NHL trade deadline. At least on the surface.

Carlson, 36, has been a career Capital, appearing in 1,143 games for the franchise over 17 seasons after he was selected with the 27th overall pick in the 2008 NHL Draft. He owns basically every major franchise record for a defenseman — games played, goals (166), assists (605) and points (771) — and was a key component of the franchise’s breakthrough Stanley Cup win in 2018. He finished in the top five in Norris Trophy voting three times, including a runner-up finish in 2019-20.

‘Since joining our organization 17 years ago, John Carlson has exemplified what it means to be a Washington Capital every day,” Capitals GM Chris Patrick said in a statement. “John’s determination, leadership, persistence and skill helped our franchise reach new heights and cemented him as a cornerstone and one of the greatest players in Capitals history. His contributions to our organization and the Washington, D.C., community both on and off the ice have been immeasurable.

‘We are incredibly grateful for everything John has given to our team and wish him and his family nothing but the best moving forward with Anaheim.”

So … who won the deal?

Capitals trade grade: A-

Sentimentality aside, getting a first-round pick — either this summer if the Ducks make the playoffs or next year — and third-round pick for a 36-year-old defenseman who will be a free agent this summer is a tidy bit of business. The Capitals are just four points out of the playoffs, but they are tied for the most games played in the conference. They made a shrewd decision to throw in the towel in what seems to be a seller’s market, earlier on Thursday trading another veteran in Nic Dowd.

The Capitals now have 22 picks in the next three NHL drafts and clearly have their eyes on the future … which could also see franchise icon Alex Ovechkin depart this summer with the 40-year-old’s contract set to expire. A trade of a franchise icon is never fun, but this move helps set the Capitals up for more winning down the road.

Ducks trade grade: B+

This trade feels very much like a win-win as the Ducks are adding a defenseman who can still get it done, particularly on the offensive end. Carlson has been quite productive again this season, scoring 10 goals and dishing 36 assists for 46 points in 55 games. He carries a plus-11 rating.

He also brings loads of playoff experience for a team that hasn’t played spring hockey in a while, having appeared in 137 postseason contests, winning the Stanley Cup in 2018. That’s the last year the Ducks made the playoffs. Maybe you’d like to keep your first-round pick, but getting a player like Carlson comes at a price; plus, Anaheim is already oozing with young talent thanks to its years in the wilderness.

On the fifth day of March, men’s college basketball got its first true moment of madness during the sport’s trademark month.

In the quarterfinals of the Patriot League tournament, Lehigh guard Nasir Whitlock sank a half-court heave as time expired to lift the Mountain Hawks to a 69-66 victory against Holy Cross on Wednesday, March 5.

The basket served as an exclamation mark on a night in which Whitlock had 29 points on 11-of-24 shooting, including a 4-of-6 effort from 3-point range.

Even before his buzzer-beater, Whitlock had been the star of the game’s final minutes. He made a driving layup to tie the score at 66 with 11 seconds remaining and forced a turnover on Holy Cross’ ensuing possession, giving Lehigh the ball back near the opposing basket with 2.1 seconds remaining.

After leading by five at halftime, the Mountain Hawks trailed 64-58 with 2:43 remaining before finishing the game on an 11-2 run, with all 11 points coming from Whitlock.

At a school that’s had its share of excellent guards — most notably, NBA standout CJ McCollum — Whitlock has been a revelation for Lehigh this season, averaging 20.8 points per game and shooting 43.1% from 3. The 6-foot-2 junior from Minnesota has nearly doubled the 10.8 points per game he averaged last season.

With the victory, Lehigh advances to the semifinals of the Patriot League tournament, where it will host Colgate on Sunday, March 8. The Mountain Hawks are the event’s No. 2 seed. Colgate, the No. 3 seed, has won the conference and earned its automatic berth to the NCAA tournament in five of the past seven seasons.

No. 1 seed Navy will host No. 4 seed Boston University in the other semifinal.

Australia managed to get the best of Czechia in Tokyo for its second win in as many days to start the World Baseball Classic.

Curtis Mead broke the game open with a home run that gave Australia a 3-1 lead in the third inning.

Australia added a pair of insurance runs in the top of the ninth, after Alex Hall and Jarryd Dale both scored.

Australia produced nine hits in the game, while Czechia produced four. Coen Wynne was tabbed as the winning pitcher.

Wynne allowed just one hit in two innings pitched. Starting pitcher Josh Hendrickson allowed two hits, an earned run and a walk. He struck out two during his three innings pitched.

Check out the top moments from the Australia-Czechia game:

Final: Australia 5, Czechia 1

Alex Hall added an insurance run with a solo home run in the top of the ninth to increase Australia’s lead to 4-1.

Robbie Perkins singled on a pop-up to right field, bringing in Jarryd Dale to score. Australia now leads the game 5-1.

Australia leads Czechia after seven innings

Australia still leads Czechia 3-1 after 6½ innings of play.

Czechia has leaned on Tomáš Ondra and Ondrej Satoria on the mound throughout the game. The duo has allowed four hits, three earned runs and two walks in seven combined innings pitched. They have struck out five total batters.

Ky Hampton entered the game to start the bottom of the seventh for Australia.

Australia has used three other pitchers during the game, including Josh Hendrickson. Hendrickson allowed two hits, an earned run and a walk. He struck out two during three innings pitched.

What do Czechia baseball players do for a living?

Czechia is well represented on one of the biggest stages in baseball, but most of its players spend the majority of the year working a ‘normal’ job. Here’s what they do.

Curtis Mead helps Australia jump ahead

Curtis Mead hits a home run to left center field to give Australia a 3-1 lead in the top of the third inning.

Martin Červenka provides Czechia with early lead

Martin Červenka scored the first run of the game, giving Czechia the 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. Vojtech Mensik’s sacrifice fly to center field provided Červenka with the opportunity to score from third.

Czechia and Australia scoreless early

Australia and Czechia were scoreless through the first inning of play. Martin Červenka produced the first hit of the game for a double in the second inning against Josh Hendrickson.

Czechia’s starting lineup vs. Australia

DH – Milan Prokop

3B – Martin Červinka

SS – Terrin Vavra

C – Martin Červenka

CF – Marek Chlup

1B – Martin Mužík

2B – Vojtěch Menšík

LF – William Escala

RF – Max Prejda

Australia’s starting lineup vs. Czechia

2B – Travis Bazzana

3B – Curtis Mead

CF – Aaron Whitefield

DH – Alex Hall

SS – Jarryd Dale

1B – Rixon Wingrove

C – Robbie Perkins

LF – Chris Burke

RF – Tim Kennelly

Who is Australia’s WBC starting pitcher vs. Czechia?

Josh Henderickson will serve as the starting pitcher for the Australian team. He spent some time playing at the minor league level but never played in an MLB game. He was originally drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 28th round of the 2019 MLB draft from the University of San Diego.

Who is Czechia’s WBC starting pitcher vs. Australia?

Tomas Ondra will serve as the starting pitcher for Czechia on Thursday against Australia.

How to watch Australia vs. Czechia: WBC TV channel, stream

• Time: 10 p.m. ET
• Location: Tokyo Dome
• TV: FS1
• Streaming: FOX One App

Stream the World Baseball Classic on Fubo

Australia WBC roster

Pitchers

• Kieren Hall, Ky Hampton, Josh Hendrickson, Sam Holland, Jon Kennedy, Connor MacDonald, Cooper Morgan, Mitch Neunborn, Jack O’Loughlin, Warwick Saupold, Blake Townsend, Todd Van Steensel, Alex Wells, Lachlan Wells, Coen Wynne

Catchers

• Mitchell Edwards, Alex Hall, Robbie Perkins

Infielders

• Travis Bazzana, George Callil, Jarryd Dale, Robbie Glendinning, Curtis Mead, Logan Wade, Rixon Wingrove

Outfielders

• Ulrich Bojarski, Chris Burke, Max Durrington, Tim Kennelly, Aaron Whitefield

Czechia WBC roster

Pitchers

• Jeff Barto, Filip Čapka, Tomáš Duffek, Lukáš Ercoli, Lukáš Hlouch, Filip Kollmann, Michal Kovala, Marek Minařík, Jan Novák, Tomáš Ondra, Daniel Padyšák, Ondřej Satoria, Martin Schneider, Ondřej Vank, Boris Večerka

Catchers

• Matouš Bubeník, Martin Červenka, Martin Zelenka

Infielders

• Martin Červinka, Ryan Johnson, Vojtěch Menšík, Martin Mužík, Jan Pospíšil, Milan Prokop, Terrin Vavra

Outfielders

• Marek Chlup, William Escala, Marek Krejčiřík, Max Prejda, Michal Šindelka

What WBC pool are Czechia and Australia in?

Czechia and Australia are two of the five teams playing in Pool C of the World Baseball Classic. The rest of the group includes Japan, Korea and Chinese Taipei.

WBC Pool C standings

1. South Korea: 1–0 (1.000) | +7 Run Diff
2. Australia: 1–0 (1.000) | +3 Run Diff
3. Japan: 0–0 (—) | 0 Run Diff
4. Chinese Taipei: 0–1 (.000) | -3 Run Diff
5. Czechia: 0–1 (.000) | -7 Run Diff