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College Basketball Best Bets: Conference Tournament Semifinal Picks

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Mar 12, 2026; Kansas City, MO, USA; Houston Cougars guard Emanuel Sharp (21) rebounds during the second half against the BYU Cougars at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn ImagesMar 12, 2026; Kansas City, MO, USA; Houston Cougars guard Emanuel Sharp (21) rebounds during the second half against the BYU Cougars at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images

Championship Week rolls on Friday with several semifinal games on the schedule featuring some of the best teams in the country. It’s definitely more fun to make picks for semifinal games with the stakes elevated even higher.

Today’s NCAA Basketball Best Bets will feature three conference semifinal contests.

Let’s get started by talking about the Big Easy Tournament Semifinal featuring the Georgetown Hoyas and No. 6 Connecticut Huskies before moving on to ACC and Big 12 Semifinal games.

Big East Tournament – Semifinal: Georgetown vs. No. 6 UConn

Georgetown ended the regular season with a 14-17 record after going 1-7 down the stretch. They should have been an early out in the Big East Tournament, but instead, they upset Villanova to earn a spot in the semifinals. Cinderellas win all the time; could they do it again?

If the regular season is any indication, maybe. The Hoyas and Huskies played twice, UConn won both, but by a two-point margin in one (64-62) and a four-point margin in the other (79-75). But on paper, these games shouldn’t have even been close.

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My Pick: UConn -13.5 at -106

I’m a little nervous about this one because of the regular-season games being so close. But after watching the beatdown they gave Xavier, the dominant version of UConn appears to be back. The Huskies will cover this large spread.

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ACC Tournament – Semifinal: Clemson vs. No. 1 Duke

If the Clemson Tigers were wondering how to beat Duke, the Florida State Seminoles were kind enough to give them a blueprint Thursday night: hit 52% of your shots, including 10+ three-pointers, force turnovers, and generate points from those turnovers.

In Clemson’s regular-season matchup with Duke, they shot 35% from the floor, hit 6 of 24 three-pointers, and scored eight points off nine turnovers (Duke scored 13 off ten).

The Tigers are certainly competitive on the defensive end (No. 23 in the country, 66.2 points per game allowed). But not so much on the offensive end (No. 223, 77.4 points per game). They are a decent three-point shooting team (34%) and are capable of generating turnovers (11.59 per game).

My Pick: Duke -11.5

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Clemson’s defense will keep them from getting blown out, but their offense is going to struggle against the Duke defense (No. 2 in the country, 62.5 points per game allowed).

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Big 12 Tournament – Semifinal: No. 14 Kansas vs. No. 5 Houston

Kansas was the third loss in Houston’s three-game losing streak late in the season and essentially beat the Cougars at their own game: they played better defense. Houston shot a dreadful 32% in that game, while Kansas made one more shot (22 to 21) and took 16 fewer shots (50 to 66).

The Jayhawks also won the three-point line, going 7-17 while holding Houston to 5-24.

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The Cougars rebounded with three strong wins to close the regular season and had a solid outing against BYU in their tournament opener. Kansas came out on top of a battle with TCU in the quarterfinals Thursday night.

My Pick: Houston -5.5

Kansas deserved to win their first meeting with Houston, but the Cougars defense is too good not to have a better performance this time around. Houston’s balanced offense will get the job done this time against the Jayhawks defense.

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Wizards apologize for April Fools’ half-court shot prank

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The Washington Wizards’ forgettable 2025-26 season drew attention across the NBA Wednesday night, but not for their latest on-court struggles.

Instead, the team’s April Fools’ attempt was an airball. The Wizards, who entered Wednesday’s game against the Philadelphia 76ers with the NBA’s worst record, had a fan attempt a blindfolded half-court shot for an apparent cash prize.

The fan’s shot ultimately fell well short of the net. But for a brief moment, the fan, along with the in-arena announcers and mascots, celebrated what they thought was a win.

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Wilson basketball on court during basketball game at Capital One Arena

A general view of a Wilson basketball on the court during the second half of the game between the Washington Wizards and the Philadelphia 76ers at Capital One Arena Oct. 28, 2025. (Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)

“Somebody’s rich,” the in-arena host said. “The mascots are going crazy. The contestant is going crazy. The crowd is going crazy.”

2025-26 NBA TITLE ODDS: THUNDER FAVORED; CAN NUGGETS TRULY CONTEND?

The fan later saw on a jumbotron replay that the shot missed, and the Wizards admitted the misdirection was part of an April Fools’ Day prank.

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Washington Wizards fans holding signs during basketball game at Capital One Arena

Fans hold signs during the second half of a game between the Washington Wizards and the Los Angeles Clippers at Capital One Arena Jan. 19, 2026, in Washington, DC. (Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)

“You didn’t see it, we all saw it. You want to see it?” the host continued as the fan held up an oversized presentation check. “All right, take a look at the screen for the replay.”

The team gave the fan an autographed jersey and courtside seats to a future game as a consolation prize. Amid backlash Thursday, the Wizards admitted they “missed the mark” in an apology for the scripted April Fools’ stunt.

“We apologize for last night’s April Fools’ joke that left many wondering if we had misled the fan. The skit involving our mascot and other members of our performance team was scripted and intended to celebrate the day. All participants were in on the joke, but we missed the mark. Our fans are our priority, and we continue to be committed to providing a positive experience to all who attend our games.”

Washington Wizards guard Tre Johnson shooting over Philadelphia 76ers center Andre Drummond at Capital One Arena

Washington Wizards guard Tre Johnson (12) shoots the ball over Philadelphia 76ers center Andre Drummond (1) in the second half at Capital One Arena on April 1, 2026; in Washington, District of Columbia. (Geoff Burke/Imagn Images)

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As for Wednesday’s NBA action, Washington came up short again, dropping its fourth straight game. The 153-131 loss helped the 76ers hold the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference as the playoffs near.

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Tiger Woods’ 911 audio released after DUI crash and arrest in Florida

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The conversation among police after Tiger Woods crashed a car while allegedly under the influence has been released.

The 911 audio reveals that police claimed the witness who originally called to report the crash was from Sirius XM.

“I have a caller on the line reporting from Sirius XM reporting a vehicle accident,” a sheriff’s office representative said.

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Someone else later adds, “I have Sirius XM on the line advising that a black Range Rover appears to be involved in (the) collision.”

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Tiger Woods facing forward in a mug shot with a crash photo in the background

Tiger Woods was arrested on a DUI charge after a crash in Florida on March 27, 2006. (AP/Martin County Sheriff’s Office)

At one point, appearing concerned about the state of the driver, the 911 operator asked, “OK, have you been able to get a hold of the driver or no?”

The sheriff’s office representative responded somberly, saying, “No ma’am, we haven’t gotten any voice response from them.”

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Woods was arrested for driving under the influence after appearing to cause a crash in Florida that resulted in his vehicle rolling over, Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek said Friday.

JUDGE GRANTS TIGER WOODS PERMISSION TO SEEK TREATMENT ABROAD AFTER DUI ARREST, COURT DOCUMENTS SAY

The sheriff confirmed at a news conference that Woods was traveling at “a high rate of speed” when his vehicle collided with another car, resulting in his vehicle rolling over onto the driver’s side. Budensiek said Woods appeared to have exited the vehicle by “crawling” out of the passenger side.

Authorities said Woods “exemplified signs of impairment.” He blew “triple-zeroes” for alcohol but refused a urine test.

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Tiger Woods watching a golf match at SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens Florida

Tiger Woods of Jupiter Links Golf Club after a match against Los Angeles Golf Club at SoFi Center March 24, in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. (Adam Glanzman/TGL/TGL Golf)

Woods was charged with DUI, property damage and refusal to submit to a test, all misdemeanor charges. No one was injured, authorities said. Woods was alone in the car and crawled out of the passenger door after the crash.

Fox News Digital’s Ryan Morik contributed to this report.

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Tommy Lloyd’s Future in Question as UNC Job Looms During Final Four Run

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NDIANAPOLIS — Maybe this is already Tommy Lloyd’s last dance at Arizona. Or maybe he’s performing a MasterClass in contract negotiation.

Lloyd has nothing to lose with Arizona in the Final Four for the first time in 25 years and North Carolina milling around ready to offer the Wildcats’ coach a throne and septer in Chapel Hill. Lloyd’s value can only increase by this time Tuesday, when he could be a national champion.

Until then, he’s a Final Four coach who might or might not be available. His position? He’s not the first, nor the last, coach Arizona will ever have.

“It’s absolutely true. There’s going to be another coach. This is a great program,” Lloyd said. “I didn’t say when. People are going to speculate all they want, this team has my full focus. Nothing, nothing, I promise you, nothing is knocking me off that path. And, you guys might call them distractions because you’re distracted. That doesn’t mean I’m distracted or we’re distracted.”

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Distracted might be overstating it for fans outside of Tucson but the intrigue of the Tar Heels looming with a blank check and Lloyd vs. Dusty May and Michigan on Saturday night in the national semifinals to follow Illinois and UConn.

Perhaps the two best coaches this season and the two best teams bring the juicy subplot of whether North Carolina can be the trophy for one of these relative Johnny Come Lately stories. Lloyd was a longtime assistant at Gonzaga under Mark Few before his chance came at Arizona. With an openness to a windshield wiper approach to roster-building and deep enough pockets to outpay Big 12 mainstays, Lloyd had Arizona in the mix near the top of the national rankings all season.

That part was nothing new for the Wildcats.

Seeing it through has been the hard part.

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May isn’t a fresh face at the Final Four. He was here with FAU and then hired to fix a Michigan team coming off of an 8-24 season. He has more than 60 wins, two Sweet 16 runs and guides the favorite for the national title into the weekend.

Does he hear the Tar Heels’ footsteps?

“I’m incredibly happy at Michigan,” May said in an interview with Audacy’s Zach Gelb. “We love Ann Arbor. This place has been great to us, it’s made us feel like home.”

May sounds less likely to leave his current gig and that’s in part because Warde Manuel has shown he’ll pay up when others hover around his head coaches. Manuel isn’t hiding his protectiveness this time around, either.

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He openly said of the UNC rumors the desire is for May to “finish his career at Michigan.”

More wins are coming for both coaches. Where and when is to be determined.

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Cubs fan spotted working on laptop during cold Wrigley Field game

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The Chicago Cubs opened the 2026 season with a six-game homestand at historic Wrigley Field.

Among the thousands of Cubs fans who passed through the turnstiles at the famed ballpark on Chicago’s North Side was at least one who took Wednesday’s “businessman’s special” afternoon start to heart.

Temperatures in the Windy City didn’t climb above 40 degrees Wednesday, and one fan, bundled in a coat and hat, multitasked on his cellphone and laptop, apparently working after the 2 p.m. first pitch.

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A general view of Wrigley Field

The rear of the scoreboard before a game between the Washington Nationals and the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field March 28, 2026, in Chicago. (Patrick Gorski/Imagn Images)

The moment mirrors one from last season, when cameras caught a fan who, instead of winter gear, wore shorts and worked on his computer during an August 2025 game at Wrigley Field.

The fan even brought a computer mouse along as he intently focused on his computer while the Cubs faced the Milwaukee Brewers. 

Alex Bregman and Michael Busch celebrate

Alex Bregman (3) and Michael Busch (29) of the Chicago Cubs celebrate after defeating the Los Angeles Angels at Wrigley Field April 1, 2026, in Chicago.  (Jayden Mack/Getty Images)

The game broadcasters, however, questioned what he was up to.

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“There’s only one question: Is this guy working?” one broadcaster said. “Or maybe he’s reviewing his fantasy football draft.”

2026 MLB DIVISION WINNER ODDS: DODGERS, MARINERS FAVORED TO REPEAT

The Cubs’ broadcast network crafted a tongue-in-cheek work email: “Hi, per our last email, we have a hard stop. Let’s touch base Friday before the Cubs-Guardians game. All the best, Marquee.”

The Cubs celebrated a 6-2 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday to take two of three games in the series. Matthew Boyd struck out ten batters and picked up the win. 

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Matthew Boyd walks off the baseball field

Matthew Boyd of the Chicago Cubs exits the field during a game against the Los Angeles Angels at Wrigley Field April 1, 2026, in Chicago. (Matt Dirksen/Chicago Cubs/Getty Images)

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The Cubs were off on Thursday and resume action on Friday in Cleveland as they open a three-game series with the Guardians.

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Kirk Cousins Cashes In Again as Raiders Make Questionable Move

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The Las Vegas Raiders have signed veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins to a five-year, $172 million deal, kind of. The deal is really just $20 million guaranteed over one season, or, if things go incredibly well, a clause allows it to become a two-year deal for $80 million.

This deal feels pretty crazy for the Raiders. In less than one month, Heisman trophy-winning quarterback, Fernando Mendozza, will walk across the stage wearing a Raiders cap as they will most likely select him with the first overall pick. I don’t mind Las Vegas adding a veteran quarterback to help mold their young draft pick, but why would they get one that’s as expensive as Cousins?

Las Vegas is a team with so many deficiencies across the board, so I can’t understand why they would pay $20 million for Kirk Cousins. His stint in Atlanta was a bit of a disaster for the Falcons, as he had two of his three lowest QBR seasons of his career and higher turnover numbers than usual.

Cousins won’t be getting any younger either; he will turn 38 this season, and his legs never really seemed to bounce back after his Achilles tear. This feels like a bit of a waste of money for the Raiders, but there is one person who comes out of this deal a winner, and it’s Mike McCartney.

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You might be wondering who McCartney even is, and he’s one of the NFL’s biggest thieves. McCartney is Kirk Cousins’ agent who has represented him throughout his entire NFL career. Cousins is far from being a bad NFL player, maybe even underrated at certain points in his career.

Despite being underrated in terms of status in football circles, Cousins has never been underpaid. With this contract, Cousins becomes the third-highest earning player in NFL history, only behind Matthew Stafford, a future Hall of Famer, and Tom Brady, another first ballot Hall of Famer. Cousins is a four-time Pro Bowler, and that’s nothing to be ashamed of, but his agent has turned that into $321 million in career earnings.

Since moving off his rookie deal in Washington, Cousins has earned at least $19.9 million every year of his career, and in 2024, he was paid $62.5 million from the Falcons, after tearing his Achilles.

Unless Kirk Cousins has some surprise ending to his career where he magically wins a Super Bowl, I don’t think he will end up in the Hall of Fame; however, Mike McCartney needs to end up in the agent Hall of Fame.

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Kirk Cousins’ $172 Million Deal Explained

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Oct 14, 2018; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Kirk Cousins during the third quarter against the Arizona Cardinals at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports.

Former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins has made some good money during his long NFL career. He’s known as a player who always signs fully guaranteed contracts. In fact, the last time his salary wasn’t guaranteed was over a decade ago, in Washington, during the final year of his rookie contract.

On Thursday, he announced that his next stop will be the Las Vegas Raiders, where he’ll mentor the likely first overall pick, Fernando Mendoza.

kirk cousins
Dec 29, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) celebrates after a victory over the Los Angeles Rams at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images

His deal with his new squad has turned some heads. ESPN’s Adam Schefter revealed the inflated numbers in a tweet, saying:

Comp update: Kirk Cousins will sign a five-year, $172 million deal with the Raiders that in reality is a one-year, fully-guaranteed $20 million deal that also contains a club option for two years at $80M.

The Falcons will pay Cousins $8.7 million this season, the Raiders another $1.3 million and Las Vegas also agreed to pay its new QB a fully-guaranteed $10 million roster bonus on the third day of the 2027 new league year.

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And maybe most notably, it also sets another new mark: this will be the 11th straight NFL season in which Cousins’ contract will be fully guaranteed.

He ultimately used a bunch of words to describe a contract that will be shredded in a year. The last four years of the five-year deal are pretty much made up. Cousins will make $20 million for one season. Of that salary, his former team, the Atlanta Falcons, will be on the hook for $8.7 million. Las Vegas will pay the other $11.3 million.

Kirk Cousins with the Atlanta Falcons on the sidelines in 2025
Aug 8, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) on the sideline against the Detroit Lions in the first quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images

But there’s one caveat that Atlanta can’t be happy about. The roster bonus will be due in March of 2027. Therefore, it doesn’t count against this year’s money he’s owed by Atlanta. Cousins had $10 million of guaranteed money left on his deal when the Falcons released him. He’d make that money whether he’s sitting on a beach or playing for someone else.

These contracts have offset language, however, meaning his new salary will reduce the money the old team has to pay him. The Vikings benefit from that rule multiple times this year. Because the Bengals pay Jonathan Allen more than the Vikings owed him, they no longer owe him that money.

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Cousins found a way to get the money from the Falcons, but also make more than they would’ve paid him.

Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio commented, “It seems too easy, too convenient. Cousins’s market value was $20 million. The Raiders found a way to get him there by making the Falcons pay $8.7 million of it. The Falcons, frankly, should be pissed. It’s one thing to sign a guy to a one-year deal for the minimum and to stick his former team with the rest of it, like Tagovailoa and Murray did. It’s another to come up with a way to pay Cousins more than the money he’s owed by the Falcons by bumping some of the guarantee into the next year.”

The Vikings got Kyler Murray for the same $1.3 million while the Arizona Cardinals are stuck with over $35 million. If the Raiders signed Cousins for $5 million, the Falcons would pay the remaining $5 million. If Las Vegas signed Cousins for $10 million or more, Atlanta would owe nothing.

Dec 8, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) and Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell talk after the game at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.

Long story short, the Falcons still owe Cousins $8.7 million of his initial $10 million, while the Raiders pay him the difference. Then, Cousins will get another $10 million next year that doesn’t count towards that Falcons money due to contract magic.

Next offseason, Cousins will likely be released and land on the open market once again, as the two-year. $80 million club option triggers in March and it would be shocking if Cousins played well enough to be worth that.

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According to Over the Cap, Cousins ranks third in NFL history in career earnings. He’ll likely be passed by some players who entered the league after him in the near future, but as his earnings appraoch $350 million, he can’t be too mad about that.

Cousins will turn 38 in August.

Editor’s Note: Information from PFFOver The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.

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Janik Eckardt is a German sports nerd, who likes numbers and stats. He chose the Vikings to be his … More about Janik Eckardt
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Roman Reigns breaks character to share heartfelt message for young fan

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Roman Reigns had a heartfelt interaction with a young fan. He also shared a nice message for the fan.

Reigns is one of the biggest stars in the world of professional wrestling. He has gained a massive fan following over the years. Given that Reigns’ appearances are treated as box office, he always gets a huge pop when he shows up. While he puts on the tough persona of someone who doesn’t care about anyone else but himself, that doesn’t seem to be the case.

The OTC recently granted a wish for a young fan named Javion. The former WWE Champion even went the extra mile and posted the pictures of his interaction with the young fan on Instagram with a heartfelt message. This was out of character for Reigns.

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“It was a pleasure meeting you and your family, Javion. Keep pushing, and keep inspiring others. I can’t wait to see your growth and what you do in the future. ☝🏽”

Check out his post here:


Trick Williams wants to face Roman Reigns

Roman Reigns is one of the most sought-after stars on the WWE roster. Therefore, there are a lot of people who want his spot. There are also a lot of stars who want to face The OTC to find out who is the best. One of those stars is Trick Williams.

During an interview with ESPN’s The 3 Count, Trick Williams was asked to name his dream opponent. He first chose Booker T, but since that match can’t happen, he chose Reigns.

“I would love to get in the ring with Booker T, but in the event that day has passed, I want to lock up with Roman Reigns, The Big Dog, The Tribal Chief. He said he’s the greatest, so let’s find out,” Williams said.

If Trick Williams keeps improving in the ring, then this match won’t be too far away.

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