“I actually don’t really care from our point of view where we play and the times and all the rest of it.”
McInnes said the fixtures came as “no real surprise” as Hearts had been pre-warned.
“We’re just delighted to be part of the whole conversation, delighted that we’re going to be in amongst it and looking forward to the games when they come up,” he said.
“It’s not great for the fans that they don’t get Saturday three o’clock, but I think, you know, having three away games it was probably difficult to fit everything in.
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“I get how not everybody’s going to be happy. I think the league have got a tough job to try and keep every club happy and every set of supporters happy, but for us we’re just obviously excited about the games that’s coming up.
“I think you look at them, a lot of mouth-watering fixtures, we’ve said that the top six would sort everything out and these fixtures will. They’re brilliant fixtures.”
The SPFL explained that Hearts are away on the final day because it was unable to have both Glasgow or Edinburgh sides play at home on the final two fixture dates, as they all kick-off at the same time, and not to have a city derby on the final day.
Only around 600 visiting fans are likely to be at Celtic Park for what could be a pivotal day in Hearts’ history as they aim to clinch their first top-flight title since 1960.
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“That’s disappointing, that is, and I can understand the frustration from that,” McInnes said.
“Let’s hope that we are getting into that game with plenty to play for and we’ve got a lot of work to do before then, but I totally get that.”
However, McInnes realised that the SPFL was keen to have “a fixture at the death that would be pretty key” and said: “I think it’s an unbelievable fixture if we are and particularly if Celtic have still got a chance as well.
“If both teams are still in the mix for winning a league, it’s the most dramatic fixture you can have.”
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McInnes fully expects the title race to go down to the final day, when Rangers also visit Falkirk.
“They’ve got a difficult away game last game of the season as well, so I think it’s up to the league and the TV companies to try and maximise the drama,” he added.
Arman Tsarukyan recently shared his take on how a hypothetical fight against Khabib Nurmagomedov in his prime would go.
Nurmagomedov is widely considered to be the greatest lightweight champion in UFC history and boasts a perfect 29-0 record. The Dagestani grappling savant retired after beating Justin Gaethje via second-round submission in October 2020 and was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in July 2022.
Over the course of his storied career, Nurmagomedov beat high-profile opponents like Conor McGregor, Dustin Poirier, Al Iaquinta, and Edson Barboza. Meanwhile, Tsarukyan is considered to be among the best lightweights in the promotion today and is known for his incredible grappling prowess. Tsarukyan has a professional record of 23-3, with 15 of those wins coming via a finish.
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In a recent interview with Nawid Yosufi, Tsarukyan was asked if he could beat prime Nurmagomedov in an MMA fight. Claiming that he was more “well-rounded” than the UFC legend, he replied:
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“It’s probably a decision. [Biggest advantage is] my skills, I’m more well-rounded than him.”
Demetrious Johnson gets real about Arman Tsarukyan’s chances at UFC gold
Last month, Demetrious Johnson opened up about training with Arman Tsarukyan and shared his thoughts on the Georgian-born Armenian’s chances of becoming a UFC champion someday.
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In a video posted to his YouTube channel (via @RedCorner_MMA on X), ‘Mighty Mouse’ lauded Tsarukyan’s ability to adapt in the cage and heaped praise on his physical conditioning. He said:
“Super athletic, super strong, and very good at adapting. He would do something, then he would start to adapt to it. Well conditioned, he never gets tired, and he’s always willing to ask, always a student of the game… I was even more impressed by how good a training partner he is with the size difference… just a great f***** training partner.”
Kanye West has claimed no one can beat him in a Versus battle, leading to a multitude of reactions from netizens.
Ye was at Deon Cole’s show at the Hollywood Improv on April 7, where he was asked if anyone could ever beat him in a versus battle. The rapper believed there was no one. He was asked:
“He I don’t think that there’s anybody that can beat you in the verses, man, it’s just so anybody ever asked you that, Who? Who you’ll go against the versus?”
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West responded:
“Nobody.”
The others agreed, and said:
“Nobody could beat you, dog, for real. I know that’s crazy bunch of sh*t you didn’t do. You didn’t do go digger, bunch of songs you ain’t do. I was like this damn look. Did you know they thought she was about to come back out all them white kids. They kept running back to the curtain. They left the curtain up there like.”
Fans took to X to react to Kanye West‘s response with some claiming he is delusional. One X user wrote:
“He’s just as delusional as his fans.”
@Kurrco He’s just as delusional as his fans
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Some other reactions were as follows:
@Kurrco In Hip-Hop, Drake and Wayne got him beat ngl. Other than them 2 he’s untouchable
@Kurrco this aint the early 2000s anymore buddy, nine clears him in a verzuz
@Kurrco He seems so confident for a guy who hired ghostwriters on all of his projects.
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Meanwhile, some users also agreed with Ye’s superiority in a versus:
@Kurrco Not even Michael Jackson can beat Ye in a Versus
@Kurrco Bruh not lying. No one in hip hop can step to film he has ANTHEMS. And don’t say Drake cause most his crazy hit songs are girl songs 💯
@Kurrco He has spent the last 20 years building a discography which is untouchable.
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Kanye West hosts two sold-out shows at SoFi Stadium following the release of BULLY
Celebrity Sightings : Day Six – Paris Fashion Week – Menswear F/W 2022-2023 – Source: Getty
Earlier this month, Kanye West hosted two sold-out concerts at the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, California, to promote his latest studio album, BULLY. The shows took place on April 1 and 3, respectively.
During the second sold-out show, Ye was joined by multiple special guests, including his collaborators on BULLY, Travis Scott and CeeLo Green. Both of them performed their respective tracks from the album alongside Ye. Scott was featured in the track Father in the album, while Green lent his voice for the title track.
Apart from the collaborators, West’s eldest daughter, 12-year-old North West, also performed alongside her father. Ye shares North with his former wife, Kim Kardashian. They have three other children and have a co-parenting relationship for them.
Another notable surprise appearance was that of Lauryn Hill, who performed with Kanye West for the first time. Hill lent her voice to the 2004 hit All Falls Down that was originally inspired by one of her own songs, Mystery of Iniquity. She also sang along Ye’s Believe What I Say that included a sample of her song Doo Wop. For a few other tracks, Lauryn Hill was also joined on stage by her sons, Zion and YG Marley.
The release of BULLY marks Kanye West’s first solo studio album release since 2021’s Donda 2. The rapper has since collaborated with TY Dolla $ign on Vultures 1 and 2 but has not released a solo album until BULLY. This album comes after Ye faced major controversy for his anti-Semitic comments online, while also releasing a track titled Heil H*tler last year.
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BULLY, released on March 28, debuted at number 2 on the Billboard 200. 16 of the album’s 18 tracks featured on the Billboard Hot 100 list. It is available on all streaming platforms.
The Pittsburgh Pirates are keeping Konnor Griffin in town. The 19-year-old shortstop has signed a nine-year extension that locks him up through 2034, the team announced Wednesday. The deal is worth $140 million with no options or deferrals, according to the New York Post. Awards escalators can take the contract up to $150 million.
This marks the largest contract the Pirates have ever handed out, surpassing Bryan Reynolds’ $106.75 million extension in 2023.
“Since joining the organization, Konnor has consistently demonstrated the traits we want in a Pirate — a daily commitment to improvement, a team-first mindset and a strong desire to win,” Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said in a statement. “He has met every challenge in front of him, and we are excited to watch him continue that growth alongside his teammates in Pittsburgh. We are thrilled he will be with a Pirate for a long time.”
The news comes just days after Griffin’s major-league debut, which made him the first teenager to appear in the big leagues since Elvis Luciano and Juan Soto in 2019. The No. 9 pick in the 2024 Draft skyrocketed through the minors last season, slashing .333/.415/.527 with 21 home runs and 65 steals while climbing from Low Class-A to Double-A. Griffin is 7 for 16 (.438) with three doubles in five Triple-A games this year.
The rap on Griffin during his amateur days was that he had every tool but the hit tool, the most important of the bunch. It was encouraging, then, to see him ease concerns about his swing-and-miss during his first pro season. He connected on more than 75% of his attempts while showing off the power (he cleared the 114 mph threshold) and speed (he stole 65 bases) combination that gave him a high ceiling. Griffin even kept his strikeout rate under 24% during a 21-game stint in Double-A, suggesting that he wasn’t just feasting on younger pitchers or those with less raw talent. Knowing when to adjust priors is one of the trickiest parts of evaluating players. Given everything about Griffin’s year, it would be silly to ignore how much higher his chances of reaching his star ceiling are now than they were 365 days ago.
Robert Griffin III wore a few different jerseys during his NFL career as he’s spent time with the Washington Redskins, Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens in eight seasons.
Griffin is hoping to don three more colors by the time the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics roll around – red, white and blue.
ESPN college football and NFL analyst Robert Griffin III reacts on the sidelines before the 2024 AFC divisional round game between the Houston Texans and Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Md., on Jan. 20, 2024.(Tommy Gilligan/USA TODAY Sports)
The one-time Pro Bowler received an invitation last month to Team USA flag football training games as the squad prepares for the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) world championships later this year. The first round of training camp will be held April 16-19 and the second round will be held May 21-24.
“That is the goal, and we’ve already taken the first step in that process,” Griffin told TMZ Sports of making the Olympic team. “It’s 2026. What we’re all fighting for is to be a part of the 12 that goes to Germany and plays in the IFAF 2026 World Championships. Team USA, since (Darrell Doucette III) has joined the team, has not lost a game. I think they’re the five-time reigning IFAF world champions. They are doing this at a high level and all I’m trying to do is add to that greatness.
Cleveland Browns quarterback Robert Griffin III warms up before the game against the Chicago Bears at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio, on Sept. 1, 2016.(Ken Blaze/USA TODAY Sports)
“But in 2028, I’ve already put that and said that is the goal. I want to go for gold with Team USA and I’m just going through every single step to make that happen and respecting these guys and respecting the flag football community along the way.”
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Following the final training camp, a selection committee will trim the list of possible players from 24 to 18 for a third camp in June. The committee will then take the best 12 players for the world championships, taking place Aug. 13-16.
Team USA quarterback Darrell Doucette III carries the ball during the Fanatics Flag Football Classic at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, Calif., on March 21, 2026.(Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)
Darell Doucette III has already proven to be one of the best flag football players in the world, as he led Team USA to victories in the Fanatics Flag Football Classic against NFL players.
John Sadler seems primed to go after key Black Type honours for Merrigold at the Caulfield meeting.
The mare scored a win in benchmark 84 level at 1400m on Caulfield last Saturday, leading Sadler to consider entry in the Listed Anniversary Vase (1600m) at Caulfield on the upcoming Saturday.
Sadler commented that Merrigold excels at backing up post-race as a mare, and the Black Type incentive makes it a prospect the owners will probably seize.
Entry by Merrigold on Saturday would represent her second Stakes race only, having tailed the field in the Group 3 How Now Stakes (1200m) conducted at Caulfield in November.
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That said, Merrigold has proven one of the steadiest mares competing since the new year, boasting two successes and three next-best efforts in five runs from January onward.
“She backs up very, very well,” Sadler said.
“That win on Saturday was good and I haven’t got a problem backing her up.
“She comes through her races super and the whole idea this preparation has been, hopefully, being a mare, to get some Black Type.
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“We’ve got a Listed race on Saturday and looking at the nominations, it’s not going to be an easy race, but I think she well and truly deserves her place in the field.
“Saturday is Black Type, so that will do me, but then perhaps we could go to Adelaide, but I don’t want to get too greedy, as I still think she’s climbing the ladder.”
Sadler pointed out that backing up a horse Saturday to Saturday relies solely on how the horse handles the aftermath at the stable.
Merrigold suits this scenario to a tee, he noted.
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“She just flies through her races,” Sadler said.
“On Monday morning she was five kilos heavier than she was on Saturday morning, which is quite incredible.
“She’s a very professional racehorse, one everyone would like.”
Saturday’s Anniversary Vase has attracted 30 nominations, including Melbourne Cup third-placed Middle Earth via Melbourne Cup.
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Merrigold picked up a 54kg impost when weights came out Tuesday.
Punters looking for value in the Anniversary Vase can check the latest betting markets for the race across leading sites.
Harry Maguire has signed a new contract at Man Utd and the veteran is still the best defender at the club while others suffer injury issues.
In theory, the age profile of Manchester United’s centre-backs should be perfect. You have the grizzled veteran in 33-year-old Harry Maguire, the next cabs off the rank in Leny Yoro, 20, and Ayden Heaven, 19, and then the pair who should be in their prime years, with Matthijs de Ligt, 26 and Lisandro Martinez now 28.
But the best laid plans don’t always come off. In recent weeks, it has been Maguire and Yoro who have formed the heart of defence, with that partnership only being broken up next week by Maguire’s suspension. Martinez’s return from injury should see him return after five games out.
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Injuries are becoming a recurring theme for the Argentine, however, and with his contract about to enter its final year, United might soon have to make a decision. They have the option to extend the deal by one further year, and at the moment, there might be a reluctance to do more than that.
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On his day, there is no question that Martinez makes United a better side. His quality on the ball, the aggression of his defending, and his left-footedness are all positives. But his calf injury is his seventh separate spell out of the side since he signed, and having suffered a serious knee injury, he might now be in a cycle where muscle problems and minor injuries become a regular occurrence.
Martinez suffered two different foot injuries that cost him around 40 games and then a cruciate ligament injury last February. That is the injury players fear most and what was expected to be a one-game absence this time has crept up to five.
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The £57million defender did return to training at Carton House near Dublin on Tuesday and he will be desperate to stay fit now for the remainder of the season. If he does so, he might edge out Yoro when Maguire is back from his ban.
For De Ligt, a return seems no closer. His absence is now closing in on five months, having initially been diagnosed with a back problem that was supposed to be fixed in a matter of weeks.
He has been close to resuming training a couple of times, only to feel more pain, and he was noticeably absent from the 25-man squad flying to Dublin on Monday. Patrick Dorgu travelled despite the fact he is not yet back in group training, but United felt De Ligt’s injury meant he was better off staying behind at Carrington to continue working there.
De Ligt is becoming the forgotten man of this squad and his fitness also can’t be relied on. United can’t afford to carry two prime-age centre-backs who are costing them the best part of £350,000-a-week if they can’t get them on the pitch often enough. At least one of them might have to pay the price.
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That is why extending Maguire’s contract became such a no-brainer. Towards the end of 2025, it might have been expected this would be his final season, but he has got himself back fit and, when given a run of games, has reminded everyone of his quality.
In an ideal world, United might well look to pair De Ligt and Martinez together, but that is proving impossible. They can’t afford to let Maguire leave when their £99million defenders have fitness questions hanging over them.
Maybe next season that duo can prove the doubters wrong, but if not, then something has to give. In the Ineos era, when prudence has become a watchword, getting your most expensive assets on the pitch is essential.
This time next month, all eyes will be on Fabio Wardley and Daniel Dubois as they collide in an intriguing battle for the WBO heavyweight world title. Now, Filip Hrgovic, who faced Dubois back in 2024, has laid out his prediction for the fight.
Victory for ‘Triple D’ saw him then upgraded to full IBF world champion, and he went on to halt Anthony Joshua to prove he was a worthy heavyweight ruler before losing his title to Oleksandr Usyk. He now looks to bounce back in a third straight world title bout, this time against newly crowned WBO titleholder Wardley.
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Speaking to iFL TV, Hrgovic said that he favours Dubois in the clash, predicting that the Londoner will become the United Kingdom’s fifth two-time heavyweight champion.
“Yeah, I give him the advantage. I think that he will win.”
‘El Animal’ then went on to reveal both his eagerness to fight Dubois once again and his doubts as to whether such an opportunity will ever arise.
“I want to have a rematch with him [Dubois] one day.”
“That [rematch for the WBO world title] would be great but I don’t think that is happening because I am not from Great Britain. You motherf***ers give your guys all of the opportunities!”
I Am Maximus heads the maximum field of 34 declared runners as he attempts to emulate Red Rum in Saturday’s Grand National.
No horse since Ginger McCain’s Aintree legend has won the world’s most famous steeplechase, lost the title and then regained it. Red Rum won in 1973 and 1974 and was second in 1975 and 1976 before bringing the house down with a third victory in 1977.
Willie Mullins’ I Am Maximus – who will be sporting cheekpieces for just the second time, the first being back in December 2022 – won two years ago in the hands of Paul Townend and found only stablemate Nick Rockett too good in 2025 when aiming to be the first dual winner since Tiger Roll.
I Am Maximus won the 2024 Grand National and is fancied again (PA)
As well as the past two winners, Mullins also runs Grangeclare West, who was third last year, Spanish Harlem, owned by Dr Peter Fitzgerald, founder and owner of the sponsors Randox, Lecky Watson, Champ Kiely, High Class Hero, Captain Cody and Quai De Bourbon.
The Rebecca Curtis-trained Haiti Couleurs is another aiming for a slice of history as no horse has won the Welsh and Irish Nationals as well as the Aintree version, while Banbridge, Gerri Colombe, Firefox, Monty’s Star and Oscars Brother enhance Ireland’s traditionally strong hand.
Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero have two big chances, with last year’s fourth Iroko joined by stablemate Jagwar. Similarly to I Am Maximus, both are owned by JP McManus, who also has Cheltenham Festival winner Johnnywho on his UK-trained team.
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Iroko is a big chance for Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero (PA)
Ben Pauling’s Twig finished 10th last year and Becher Chase success over the fences earlier this season has reignited the National dream for his connections, who picked him up for £100. He will be ridden by the owner’s 21-year-old son, Beau Morgan.
“He ran well in the race last year when he was ridden to come home well, but I don’t think the plan was to be quite so far back,” said Pauling.
“He acts on the track, he obviously enjoys it there having won the Becher and if we can get him into a rhythm closer to the pace, as it’s much harder these days to come from off the pace, that would be better.
“If he can travel in the first half of the field on the first circuit and just hold our own on the second circuit, as we know he stays very well, then we’ll see if we can beat last year’s result. Anything inside the top 10 and we’d be thrilled, anything else is a bonus.
“He’s not thrown in or anything like that but he’s got his ground and he likes the fences so I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s there with a shout two out, after there we’ll see.
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“He’s very much a fairytale National story, he cost next to nothing, he’s ridden by the son of the owner, but we’ll see if we have a fairytale result.”
Twig, trained by Ben Pauling, finished 10th last year and is the final entry into the Grand NAtional (PA)
There were no withdrawals at the 72-hour declaration stage, although Jimmy Mangan’s Spillane’s Tower is also declared to run in Thursday’s Racing Welfare Bowl Chase. Should that be the case, Pied Piper, who is the first of six reserves, would be number 34 and line up as a sixth runner in the race for Gordon Elliott.
In the event of a non-runner, the deadline for reserves to make the final field is 1pm on Friday.
Full list of runners and riders for the 2026 Grand National
Horse; jockey; trainer
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1. I Am Maximus; Paul Townend; Willie Mullins
2. Nick Rockett; Tom Bellamy; Willie Mullins
3. Banbridge; JJ Slevin; Joseph O’Brien
4. Grangeclare West; Patrick Mullins; Willie Mullins
5. Gerri Colombe; Jack Kennedy; Gordon Elliott
6. Haiti Couleurs; Sean Bowen; Rebecca Curtis
7. Spillane’s Tower; TBC; Jimmy Mangan
8. Firefox; Keith Donoghue; Gordon Elliott
9. Monty’s Star; TBC; Henry de Bromhead
10. Spanish Harlem; Brian Hayes; Willie Mullins
11. Lecky Watson; Sean O’Keeffe; Willie Mullins
12. Champ Kiely; Danny Mullins; Willie Mullins
13. Iroko; Jonjo O’Neill Jr; Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero
14. Favori De Champdou; Danny Gilligan; Gordon Elliott
15. Three Card Brag; Jordan Rainford; Gordon Elliott
16. Oscars Brother; Daniel King; Connor King
17. Mr Vango; Jack Tudor; Sara Bradstock
18. High Class Hero; James Bowen; Willie Mullins
19. Stellar Story; Robert Dunne; Gordon Elliott
20. Beauport; Sam Twiston-Davies; Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies
21. Captain Cody; Jonathan Burke; Willie Mullins
22. Jagwar; TBC; Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero
23. Perceval Legallois; Harry Cobden; Gavin Cromwell
24. Gorgeous Tom; Sean Flanagan; Henry de Bromhead
25. The Real Whacker; Gavin Sheehan; Patrick Neville
26. Quai De Bourbon; Donagh Meyler; Willie Mullins
27. Answer To Kayf; John Shinnick; Terence O’Brien
28. Jordans; Ben Jones; Joseph O’Brien
29. Final Orders; Conor Stone-Walsh; Gavin Cromwell
30. Marble Sands; Kielan Woods; David Killahena & Graeme McPherson
31. Panic Attack; Harry Skelton; Dan Skelton
32. Top Of The Bill; Toby McCain-Mitchell; Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies
33. Johnnywho; Richie McLernon; Jonjo & A J O’Neill
34. Twig; Beau Morgan; Ben Pauling
Reserves (in order of who will get a run should there be a withdrawal):
Bayern Munich won 2-1 away at Real Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals. The second leg will take place in Munich on April 15.
Arsenal won away at Sporting. Paul Seixas showed utter dominance in Tour of the Basque Country stage 2. In tennis, Gaël Monfils played his last game in Monte-Carlo tournament, while Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner made short work of their opponents.
Now that I’ve had a little time to process Michigan beating UConn in the men’s national championship game Monday night, ending the Wolverines’ four-game skid in title games and giving the Big Ten its first championship since 2000, I can start to at least picture the 2026-27 season. And to no surprise in the NIL era, it is the wealthy blue-bloods like Duke and the Wolverines who have opened atop the BetMGM board.
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Michigan was never close to an underdog in this this year’s tournament in becoming the first school all-time to start five transfers in a national title game. It was clearly the best team, finishing with a plus-114 point margin, the seventh-highest total ever by a national champion and sixth-best since the field expanded in 1985.
Favorites went a whopping 49-18 SU in the dance (that’s NIL talking) — including one run of 22 straight wins — and 36-31 ATS. It finished as the highest-scoring tournament (averaged 149.7 PPG) since 1993 and featured the highest points-per-game differential (+14.4) since 1993. Freshmen totaled their most points ever.
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Should Michigan return to the championship game on April 5, 2027, it would basically have home-court advantage because next year’s Final Four is at Ford Field in Detroit (though technically Michigan State is the host). The Spartans had been the last Big Ten school to win it all in men’s hoops, in 2000. How long ago was that? No current Michigan player was alive, and head coach Dusty May was Indiana’s student manager.
There already has been some decent futures movement at BetMGM even with the 2027 national championship odds not having been active long. Duke, the only non-Big Ten team to beat the Wolverines this season, opened +1100 but is now +800. So is Michigan, which was +1300 for next season entering the title game but has taken the most handle (34.3%) and tickets (14.9%) so far. Duke is second in both, with Florida third.
I sure would have liked to have seen a Duke-Michigan rematch on Monday, but UConn of course staged that epic comeback in the Elite Eight. The transfer portal is currently open, so there’s not much point giving out any 2026-27 recommendations yet.
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I’ll also address the University of North Carolina, which hasn’t moved from its open of +2500 at BetMGM but is taking just 2.0% of tickets and 1.8% of handle. The Tar Heels were rejected by the likes of May, Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd and Iowa State’s TJ Otzelberger for their head coach opening, so perhaps school officials panicked a bit in hiring Michael Malone. He is UNC’s first hire outside of the Tar Heels “family” since Frank McGuire in 1952.
Yes, Malone won the NBA championship with the Denver Nuggets in the 2022-23 season but was fired in 2024-25 and has never been a college head coach — and not even an assistant at that level since 2001 at Manhattan. Malone is well-respected for his X’s and O’s acumen and has spent the past 10-plus months as an ESPN analyst. Such a baffling hire, as Malone had no formal ties to North Carolina other than his daughter Bridget being a sophomore on UNC’s volleyball team.
Reportedly, the Heels felt they had to make a move quickly with the transfer portal opening and could not wait on a decision from Chicago Bulls coach Billy Donovan, a two-time national championship coach at Florida. Donovan wasn’t going to make a decision until the Bulls’ season ended on April 12, but the team just overhauled its front office so he likely leaves anyways.
Again, it’s not clear exactly what the Heels might look like next season with the portal currently open – a few UNC guys have already entered, led by former four-star freshman and starting point guard Derek Dixon. Malone has no modern-day recruiting experience (he does have a connection with prominent international agent Misko Raznatovic through Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic), but UNC surely will be a preseason AP Top 25 club on name alone.
When looking at the below odds, again notice no West Coast teams among the favorites (with the Pac-12 coming back). We still haven’t had a team from out West win the dance since Arizona in 1997, although the UCLA women won their first crown Sunday.
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