Don’t look now, but with Selection Sunday just four weekends away, the Florida Gators look like they intend to win another national championship.
Thanks to Wednesday’s 20-point win at Georgia…which followed a 19-point win at Texas A&M…which followed a 23-point home thrashing of Alabama…which followed a 47-point win at South Carolina, the Gators (18-6, 9-2 SEC) have built a one-game Southeastern Conference lead heading into Saturday’s first-place showdown with Kentucky in Gainesville, Fla.
They are a top-ten ranked team in the NET rankings as of Friday morning but fifth in KenPom, which is exactly where they were one year ago today. That’s just one of many good signs for the Gators.
Thanks to the nation’s most productive frontcourt — key returnees Thomas Haugh (17.5 ppg, 6.2 rpg), Alex Condon (13.3 ppg, 7.9 rpg) and Rueben Chinyelu (11.8 ppg, 11.8 rpg) — Florida leads the country in rebounding margin at plus-15.3 per game.
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Per KenPom.com, the Gators boast the nation’s fifth-best defense as they allow just 91.1 points per 100 possessions. That’s a tad better than last year’s defense (91.8) that was good enough to win the NCAA title.
The sharps believe in the Gators, too. When you take a spin around the nation’s top online sportsbooks, Florida generally holds the fifth-best odds to take it all on April 6 in Indianapolis — trailing only Arizona, Michigan, Duke and Houston.
Long story short, the Gators are the best team in what continues to be college basketball’s best league. So of course they’re in the hunt for the national title.
So why doesn’t Florida have a legitimate shot to go back-to-back? Because they don’t have enough legitimate shooters.
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Here’s what we mean: While the Gators enjoyed their best 3-point shooting night in months on Wednesday night at Georgia — going 10 of 26 (38.5%) from long range – they’re still below 30% for the year. Specifically, they’re at 29.2%, which ranks last among all power-conference teams and 353rd out of Division I’s 365 squads.
There’s nothing in modern college hoops history that suggests this is good enough to become the national champion.
Since the NCAA moved the 3-point line back to the international distance (22-foot-1¾) prior to the 2019-20 season, here’s how each NCAA champ has shot.
2025: Florida 35.6% 82nd in nation
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2024: UConn 35.8% 72nd
2023: UConn 36.3% 62nd
2022: Kansas 36.1% 51st
2021: Baylor 41.3% 1st
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2020: No tournament, but Kansas was the clear No. 1 per KenPom when the season was cancelled due to COVID — and the Jayhawks ranked 132nd nationally at 34.1%
If you look at last year’s Sweet Sixteen, only Michigan State (31.1%) was within a few percentage points of Florida’s current rate. It’s just too much to expect a bad 3-point shooting team to reel off six straight wins — especially when so many of the nation’s other top teams have embraced offenses with four or five shooters on the floor.
The Gators have just three guys who are hitting at least one 3-pointer per game: sixth man Urban Klavzar (49 of 127; 38.6%), Haugh (45 of 130; 34.6%) and shooting guard Xaivian Lee (37 of 145; 25.5%). As a team, Florida makes just 7.4 3-pointers per game.
Now look at the NET’s top 10 through Wednesday’s games. Here’s how they shoot from 3-point range, where that ranks nationally and how many guys average at least one 3-pointer per game:
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Michigan: 35.4% 102 Six
Arizona: 35.7% 81 Three
Duke: 34.1% 175 Four
Houston: 34.1% 176 Four
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Illinois: 36.1% 65 Seven
Gonzaga: 34.9% 133 Three
Florida: 29.2% 353 Three
UConn: 37.0% 39 Four
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Iowa State: 40.0% 5 Four
Purdue: 37.7% 28 Five
One of these things is not like the others. That’s why the Gators won’t be able to separate themselves from the rest for another “One Shining Moment.”
One less lefty will be teeing it up at Augusta National.
Phil Mickelson withdrew from the Masters as his “family continues to navigate a personal health matter,” he announced on Thursday.
Mickelson, 55, has played at every Masters but one since 1995, winning the green jacket three times.
He has spent the past four years playing on the LIV Golf circuit, but has competed in just one of five events this season. He added Thursday that his absence will be for an “extended period of time.”
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Earlier this week, five-time Masters champion Tiger Woods also announced his withdrawal in wake of his DUI arrest following a rollover crash in Florida.
With both Woods and Mickelson out, it will mark the first time neither tees it up at the Masters since 1994.
The Masters begins next Thursday with Rory McIlroy set to defend his breakthrough title.
Terence Crawford walked away from the sport as one of boxing’s modern greats, having ruled in five divisions and overcome a host of major names.
However, there is one active contender that Hall of Fame legend Roy Jones Jr believes would have provided ‘Bud’ with a tough test.
Crawford claimed the undisputed title at super-lightweight, welterweight and super-middleweight, trumping the likes of Kell Brook, Errol Spence Jnr and Canelo Alvarez over the course of a phenomenal and undefeated 42-fight career.
Speaking to Sean Zittel, Jones admitted that he would be interested to see how that contest would have played out, with both mens adaptability making for a fascinating scrap.
“It would have been a tough fight for him. We would have found out what he [Boots] is made of, but it would have been a tough fight for both of them because Crawford is that guy that knows how to adapt and make changes too. Ennis is a guy that can definitely make changes on the spot.
“Those are the makings of great fighters, so both of those guys in front of each other would have been a hell of a fight to see because they are both so adaptable.”
Jones praised Boots’ fighting style, likening it to how he systematically took apart opponents.
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“[He reminds me of myself] a lot. He has got so many things that he can do, he knows how to change things up on the spot. When you can adapt and change up on the spot, that is what you don’t find in many fighters nowadays.”
Crawford recently revealed that Ennis turned down the chance to face him back in 2021, forcing him to instead defend his WBO world title against Shawn Porter.
Everton hope to strike a second deal with Manchester City for Jack Grealish and to bring the England international back to Hill Dickinson Stadium next season.
While they are not likely to take that up – and that would require a club record fee – David Moyes is keen to keep Grealish. A loan is the likeliest scenario though it is probable nothing will be arranged until after the end of this season.
But he made an immediate impact after joining, winning the Premier League player-of-the-month award for August.
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While he has not played for 10 weeks, only three players in the division have more than his six assists, while he has also scored twice.
Grealish has a season left on his contract at City after signing a six-year deal when he joined from Aston Villa for a British record £100m in 2021.
But he has been surplus to requirements after losing his place last season and being omitted from the squad for the Club World Cup.
Manager Pep Guardiola has signed a series of other wingers and attacking midfielders, including Omar Marmoush last January, Rayan Cherki and Tijjani Reijnders last summer and then Antoine Semenyo three months ago, signalling that he sees no way back for Grealish.
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City have hoped to bring in a transfer fee for Grealish, who scored 17 goals in 157 games for them, but Everton’s preference could be to borrow him again.
NEW DELHI: Sunrisers Hyderabad return to winning ways with a dominant 65-run victory over Kolkata Knight Riders, thanks largely to Heinrich Klaasen’s calm and experienced knock. While Blessing Muzarabani shines with four wickets for KKR, Klaasen’s steady 52 helps SRH post a strong 226/8 after being put in to bat. In reply, KKR never really get going and are bowled out for 161 in just 16 overs, slipping to another defeat.
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Rohit Sharma unleashed: MI coach explains tactical calls after explosive knock
SRH build big total despite stumbles
SRH get off to a flying start as Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma put together a rapid 82-run opening stand, attacking from the outset. Just when it looks like a huge total is on the cards, KKR fight back through Muzarabani, who removes key batters and briefly slows things down. At one stage, SRH lose wickets quickly and the innings looks shaky.That’s when Klaasen steps in and steadies things. He plays smart cricket, rotating strike and keeping the scoreboard ticking even when boundaries dry up. Alongside Nitish Kumar Reddy, he builds a crucial partnership that keeps SRH on track for a big total. The duo adds important runs in the middle overs, ensuring the early momentum doesn’t go to waste and helping SRH reach a competitive score.
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KKR collapse under pressure
Chasing 227, KKR start brightly with Finn Allen’s quick 28, but things fall apart soon after his dismissal. There is visible lack of coordination as run-outs and poor shot selection hurt them badly. Cameron Green is involved in a mix-up and gets run out cheaply, and even Angkrish Raghuvanshi, who plays a fine knock of 52, is run out after another misunderstanding.The innings never recovers as wickets keep falling regularly. Rinku Singh tries to fight back with a 35, but once he departs, the chase is effectively over. SRH bowlers, led by Jaydev Unadkat, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Eshan Malinga, keep things tight and finish the job comfortably, sealing a comprehensive win.
Scotland closed in on a bye to the semifinals at the world men’s curling championship with a 7-4 win over Switzerland in Thursday’s morning draw.
Ross Whyte’s team went ahead 5-4 with a point in the ninth end, then capped the match with a steal of two in the 10th.
Scotland moved into a tie with idle Sweden atop the standings at 9-2 with two round-robin draws to play.
Marco Hoesli’s Swiss side, which is assured of a playoff berth, fell into a tie for fourth with the United States at 8-3. The U.S. defeated Italy 9-8 in the morning in a matchup of two more playoff-bound teams.
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The Italians were sixth at 7-4.
Matt Dunstone’s playoff-bound Canada team was idle in the morning. The Winnipeg rink sat in third at 8-2 heading into games later Thursday against Germany and Norway.
The top two teams at the end of the round-robin earn a direct berth in the semifinals, while the other four teams that make the playoffs play in a qualification round.
In other results from Thursday’s early round, Japan beat Poland 10-2, and China downed Germany 9-5.
With a new collective bargaining agreement in tow, the WNBA is barreling toward the start of the 2026 season on May 8. But first, the majority of players still need to sign contracts.
Every veteran is a free agent this offseason, with the exception of Kalani Brown and Lexie Brown. Veterans signed deals that ended after the 2025 season to take advantage of higher salaries under the new CBA.
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Some key figures for free agency:
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The salary cap will rise from $1.5M to $7M, a 466% jump
Supermax contracts are up 561% to $1.4M, from around $250K
Minimum salaries above $300,000, with the average salary around $600,000
So when will this free agency bonanza begin? Great question. The WNBA has not officially announced dates for qualifying offers or free agency, though tentative dates of April 7-8 (qualifying offers), April 9-11 (free agency negotiations) and April 12 (official start of free agency) were provided. The expansion draft for the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo is April 3, the collegiate draft is April 13 and the preseason begins April 19.
For more on each team’s free agency situation, check out our team-by-team free agency primer. And click on the team name below to jump to view notable free agents and the latest developments in each city:
The two brought New York its first championship in 2024, though their title-winning coach, Sandy Brondello, moved on to join the expansion Toronto Tempo this offseason. Former Warriors assistant Chris DeMarco will be at the helm for the 2026 season.
Under contract: Sonia Citron, Kiki Iriafen, Georgia Amoore, Jacy Sheldon, Lucy Olsen Restricted: Sug Sutton, Shakira Austin Reserved: Emily Engstler, Madison Scott Notable free agents: Alysha Clark, Stefanie Dolson
Golden State Valkyries
Under contract: Carla Leite, Kate Martin Restricted: Veronica Burton, Cecilia Zandalasini Reserved: Janelle Salaün, Laeticia Amihere, Kaitlyn Chen, Iliana Rupert Notable free agents: Kayla Thornton, Tiffany Hayes, Temi Fagbenle
Los Angeles Sparks
Under contract: Cameron Brink, Rickea Jackson, Sarah Ashlee Barker, Sania Feagin Reserved: Rae Burrell, Julie Vanloo, Alissa Pili Notable free agents: Kelsey Plum, Dearica Hamby
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Dallas Wings
Under contract: Diamond Miller, Maddy Siegrist, Paige Bueckers, Aziaha James, JJ Quinerly Reserved: Luisa Geiselsöder, Li Yueru, Halley Jones, Grace Berger Notable free agents: Arike Ogunbowale
Connecticut Sun
Under contract: Aneesah Morrow, Saniya Rivers, Aaliyah Edwards, Leila Lacan, Rayah Marshall Restricted: Olivia Nelson-Ododa, Haley Peters Reserved: Mamignan Touré Notable free agents: Marina Mabrey, Tina Charles
Chicago Sky
Under contract: Kamilla Cardoso, Angel Reese, Hailey Van Lith, Maddy Westbeld Reserved: Sevgi Uzun Notable free agents: Courtney Vandersloot, Rebecca Allen, Kia Nurse, Ariel Atkins
Chris Jericho made his return to AEW. Following his return, a WWE legend has offered some advice to Tony Khan’s company.
Matt Hardy is the latest to comment on Chris Jericho’s return. Jericho has been absent from AEW TV for the past year. During this time, there has been a lot of speculation about his future. Many reports emerged that suggested that Jericho could be headed back to WWE after his contract expired on December 31, 2025. However, that did not happen. This week on Dynamite, Jericho made his highly anticipated return to the Jacksonville-based promotion to address the fans.
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Speaking on his The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy podcast, the WWE legend said that Jericho’s return depends on how the company utilizes him. He also said that the fan base won’t be crazy about the former World Champion since they want the younger guys to succeed. He also noted that Jericho is a massive star who could contribute in many ways to the show.
“I mean, I really, I really think it’s all in how you utilize him [Chris Jericho]. If you put him in a certain position, I don’t think that their fan base, which is a pretty, pretty loyal fan base, I would say, I don’t, you know, think they’re gonna be crazy about Chris, you know, because they are, they want their younger guys who are out there with the highest work rate possible and are just go, go, go, go, go, five-star bangers. I mean, you know, that’s kind of, that’s kind of how, that’s what they’re building the place on, right? Where the best wrestle and the best wrestling content and what not. So I mean, Chris being an older act would be just such a star. He has so much star power. There’s so many ways he can contribute to the show, it’s just, they would have to utilize him in the correct way.”
Dave Meltzer commented on the reason Chris Jericho chose to return to AEW over WWE
For the past few months, there have been reports that Chris Jericho could return to WWE, where he could wrap up his career. However, he decided to return to Tony Khan’s company instead.
Connections of Linebacker are buzzing not solely due to Zac Lloyd’s blistering run, but for enlisting the jockey in their quest for Doncaster Mile vindication at Randwick.
Lloyd boasts seven Saturday winners lately, capped by the $5 million Golden Slipper conquest on Guest House, while maintaining his role as the horse’s pilot through the last year with complete insight.
Last year’s Doncaster saw the young jockey steer Linebacker from a poor start to a dashing finish, securing a gallant eighth spot just over a length shy.
Tom Charlton, the trainer, emphasised Lloyd’s profound understanding of the four-year-old as a boon for Saturday, even as favourite Sheza Alibi with 49kg sets the standard.
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“He knows him well, and he got him to jump out of the gates well the other day, which is something that has let him down a bit, that horse,” Charlton said.
“When he missed the break in the Doncaster last year, I daresay it cost him the race.
If we can execute well, he will run well. It’s just whether the 49 kilo filly might have a bit more, but we can’t worry about that.”
Differing from last year’s Randwick Guineas lead-in, Linebacker pursues weight-for-age races this time.
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Just 1-1/2 lengths adrift of Joliestar in the Canterbury Stakes (1300m) first-up, midfield versus Autumn Glow in the George Ryder Stakes (1500m), he sheds six kilos for the big race.
Trainer Charlton expressed mild disappointment with the latest effort but noted Linebacker’s habit of even second-up runs, like before his Guineas win post-Hobartville last fall.
“He just felt the pinch the other day in a tough-run 1500,” Charlton said.
“He had a good blow, and he can do that second-up. He will run well third-up, and he gets a significant, six-kilo drop in weight.
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I don’t think he will be far away.”
Drawn nine of 16, the horse sat at $17 Wednesday, behind Randwick Guineas duo Sheza Alibi ($2.10) and Autumn Boy ($7) as the market’s only sub-$10 hopes.
Visit trusted betting sites to check betting markets for the race in the Doncaster Mile.
Manchester United will be in the market for a new midfielder in the summer transfer window as they prepare to bid farewell to Casemiro after four seasons at the club
United’s decision not to offer the experienced midfielder a new deal forms part of their wider squad overhaul. Casemiro joined from Real Madrid for an initial £60million in 2022, with add‑ons taking the total fee to £70million.
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He earns around £300,000 per week, rising closer to £350,000 if United are in the Champions League. Manuel Ugarte’s future at M16 is also uncertain; several names have been linked as potential replacements for the pair.
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Carlos Baleba, Sandro Tonali and Adam Wharton have also been mentioned, but Barry believes Anderson would be the best fit for the role.
Speaking to BOYLE Sports, who offer the latest football odds, the former Aston Villa man said: “Man United are certainly going to be looking for a Casemiro replacement. Elliot Anderson is probably a slightly different player and a very different age, his skillset is a lot different.
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“I like Elliot Anderson. If you’re a Man Utd scout, you’ll mention him. He’s one of the best off-the-ball players. He presses to limit the attacking player’s space. He’s one of the best around, and he’s capable of going the other way as well.
“That’s why Thomas Tuchel’s got him in his starting eleven over a lot of big-name players with England, and he’s a possible starter for the World Cup team. So I’m sure he’s being discussed in the Man United boardroom, as well as maybe other teams.
“I think, from that sort of experience for a player and a club, if the deal is going to happen, try to get it done as soon as possible. I think it just helps everyone. It helps both clubs and helps the player, especially going into a big tournament.
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Barry continued: “He doesn’t want to be thinking about his club future while trying to win the World Cup for England. It’s not going to help anyone. Also, the price tag could be a bit steeper if he has a good tournament.
“If something like that is going to happen and the player’s got his head around the fact that it’s time for a move, it’s certainly better to be done before the tournament than after.”
However, Nottingham Forest are unlikely to let the 23‑year‑old leave after he has established himself as a key defensive midfielder at the City Ground following his move from Newcastle United in 2024. While a £100million fee was previously touted to prise him away, Forest’s battle against relegation could affect that valuation.
Vítor Pereira’s side sit 16th in the table, just three points above the drop zone with seven games remaining.
Eden Gardens in Kolkata is hosting the sixth match of IPL 2026 between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) tonight (April 2). Home team captain Ajinkya Rahane won the toss and opted to field in batting-friendly conditions.
Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma set a great platform for SRH with a blazing 82-run opening partnership in just 5.4 overs. Head smashed three sixes and six fours en route to 46 (21) before perishing in the sixth over. Abhishek also found some rhythm after failing in the previous match, but fell two runs short of a half-century in the ninth over. Varun Chakaravarthy’s sensational diving catch in the deep ended Sharma’s stay at the crease and gave KKR a crucial breakthrough.
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Heinrich Klaasen (52) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (39) then put on an 82-run partnership for the fifth wicket to take SRH over 200. They eventually reached 226/8 in 20 overs, setting a daunting target for the opposition. Blessing Muzarabani scalped four wickets for KKR in the bowling department.
Fans enjoyed the high-scoring first innings of the sixth match of IPL 2026 on Thursday night. They conveyed their reactions by sharing hilarious memes on X (formerly Twitter). Here are some of the best memes:
“Bud is getting 13cr to yawn in the dugout” an X post read.
“Looked like it slowed up during the innings” – Travis Head after 1st innings of SRH vs KKR IPL 2026 clash
During the mid-innings break, SRH opener Travis Head reflected on his team’s batting performance, saying (via Cricbuzz):
“It was nice to get away. Bit dicey in the first over but got some out in the middle. Got off to a good start with Abhi. Looked like it slowed up during the innings. Yeah, good score. If Klaasy normally normally faces that many balls, he’s normally striking, felt it was a little bit difficult in the middle, it slowed which is a good thing for us having runs on the board.”
“It’s always good fun batting with Abhi. We are in a really good space. We got to execute with the ball now. They’ve got some dangerous players at the top. Looks a good score,” Travis added.
What were your favorite moments from the first innings of this IPL match? Let us know in the comments section.
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