When the sun rises on Saturday, the 2026 NCAA Tournament field will be cut in half. The 32 teams that make it to the weekend all enter into the “championship game” of their respective two-game tournaments, with a spot in the Sweet 16 serving as the prize. They don’t cut down nets for this round, but teams certainly understand the importance of that weekend win and extending their stay in the Big Dance. 

For some, the March Madness experience might be tampered by a busted bracket or a bad pick in your Bracket Games. Luckily, the tournament always provides many ways to predict how things play out, and here in the Expert Picks corner, we have found a couple of unique angles to spotlight from Saturday’s slate. 

Saturday’s schedule includes No. 11 seed VCU and No. 12 seed High Point, both upset winners in thrilling fashion from Thursday’s First Round. The ultimate test for any of these potential Cinderellas is always following up with a win on the weekend, and while the Rams and Panthers are incredible stories, the teams they face (No. 3 seed Illinois, No. 4 seed Arkansas) are an even tougher test. The Fighting Illini and Razorbacks are part of a group of top four seeds that went 8-0 on Thursday, as it was the mid-bracket chaos that really led the way. 

No. 1 overall seed Duke will be back in action after surviving an upset scare from No. 16 seed Siena. The Blue Devils will square off against No. 9 seed TCU, while fellow No. 1 Michigan will get the day started against a high-octane Saint Louis squad that dominated Georgia in the 8-9 game in the Midwest Region on Thursday night. There’s also a fascinating pair of games in Oklahoma City, first with a Texas tangle between No. 2 Houston and No. 10 Texas A&M and then No. 4 Nebraska will be looking for its second-ever NCAA Tournament win in a fascinating clash with No. 4 Vanderbilt. 

It’s an eight-game slate that will take fans from Noon ET to Midnight. Among those, we have spotlighted a few of our favorite picks below. If you prefer a more traditional straight-up or against-the-spread selection, we have included those as well, via the CBS Sports expert panel. 

(3) Michigan State vs. (6) Louisville 

2:45 p.m. on CBS | March Madness Live 

Michigan State is not typically an up-tempo team, but it generates offense by capitalizing on transition opportunities. With Louisville pushing the pace and getting shots up quickly, this matchup should feature more possessions — and, in turn, more chances for the Spartans to find easy points.

Michigan State’s defense also slipped late in the regular season, contributing to the over hitting in nine of its last 11 games. The Spartans have played faster in recent weeks than their season-long profile suggests, and in this matchup, pushing the pace before Louisville’s defense gets set could make them especially advantageous. Pick: Over 151 

(1) Duke vs. (9) TCU 

5:15 p.m. on CBS | March Madness Live 

TCU should be able to bring the fight to Duke early, using the same pressure and physicality that produced wins over Iowa State and Texas Tech in the regular season and helped eliminate Ohio State in the first round.

The concern for the Horned Frogs is foul trouble. That physical style can lead to quick whistles, and Duke star Cam Boozer excels at playing through contact and generating points at the free-throw line. It’s also unlikely the Blue Devils will shoot as poorly from 3-point range as they did against Siena (5 for 26), so positive regression should help the No. 1 overall seed advance from Greenville — perhaps with a few new nightmares, but with its title hopes intact. Pick: Duke -11.5  

(3) Gonzaga vs. (11) Texas 

7:10 p.m. on TBS | March Madness Live 

Gonzaga’s late-night performance Thursday was less than inspiring. The Zags took 10 minutes to reach double digits, missing 11 of their first 15 shots. Though they ultimately won by nine, they failed to cover as 18-point favorites.

Texas, meanwhile, enters with momentum after a pair of wins that have the Longhorns exceeding expectations by reaching the second round. Sean Miller has a strong track record in the Round of 32, and Matas Vokietaitis‘ first-round showing suggests Texas’ versatile big man is in form ahead of a matchup with WCC Player of the Year Graham Ike.

The Longhorns have a legitimate chance to win outright, making them a compelling play to cover the spread.Pick: Texas +6.5     

(3) Illinois vs. (11) VCU 

7:50 p.m. on CBS | March Madness Live 

Illinois has met expectations when heavily favored this season. Coach Brad Underwood is 4-0 against the spread as a double-digit favorite in the NCAA Tournament.

While history doesn’t favor double-digit seeds following up a big upset, this pick isn’t about fading VCU after its dramatic comeback. It’s more of a nod to how Illinois handles these situations. The Rams will face a different caliber of backcourt pressure against Keaton Wagler and Kylan Boswell, and Illinois has enough shooters to punish teams that can’t slow or stop the ball.

Illinois wins with size and shooting that most opponents can’t match, and when the team presses, it can snowball quickly. Expect a similar dynamic in the nightcap in Greenville. Pick: Illinois -10.5

(4) Nebraska vs. (5) Vanderbilt 

8:45 p.m. on TNT | March Madness Live 

It hardly felt like a neutral site in Oklahoma City as “Go Big Red” chants echoed through a red-clad Paycom Center for Nebraska’s first-ever NCAA Tournament win. The victory was methodical, and I don’t expect much of an emotional hangover for the Cornhuskers, who were in rhythm offensively and drained 14 three-pointers.

The key will be defense, though, especially after Tyler Tanner expertly guided Vanderbilt through McNeese’s defensive pressure to create easy baskets near the rim. This matchup shapes up as a major schematic battle between Fred Hoiberg and Mark Byington, and I wouldn’t be surprised by big swings and lead changes throughout.

At the end of 40 minutes, I expect Nebraska to advance to the Sweet 16, making a couple of points as the underdog a solid value play. Pick: Nebraska +2.5 

Only one person, Matt Wallace says, saw him accidentally move his golf ball. 

Or so he thought. 

The golf gods, remember, see all. 

The divine sequence played out Friday during the Valspar Championship’s second round, where Wallace shoved his tee ball right and into the pine straw on the Copperhead Course’s par-5 11th hole. Delicacy was needed. Wallace said his caddie, Jamie Lane, warned him, too. But a wayward twig forced Wallace to hover his club at address, he said, and as he waggled it, his ball relocated.  

Uh-oh. 

Wallace called for an official. He also said he’d never made his ball before in such a way. 

“Didn’t know whether it was in the action of my swing or anything,” he said afterward, “but I definitely touched it, and then the ball moved from that.”

Still, Wallace said no one else saw the violation. At the time, he was also two-over for the tournament and fighting to make the cut. You know the options in front of him. An ethical dilemma played out, at least in a golf sense. 

But so be it, Wallace said. And he took his one-stroke penalty. 

“You’d hope that everyone’s like that,” Wallace said. 

“Yeah. You kind of — you’re not just doing it for yourself though, even though it’s such an individual sport. You’re doing it to protect the rest of the field. You’re doing it for your caddie, your team, your family. I would rather miss the cut doing something like that by one shot, and then giving it my all for the rest, than making it and knowing something’s happened. So I called it on myself.

“And then I made a few birdies.”

Yeah, so about that golf gods thing.

After the penalty, Wallace hit his third shot to the left of the green, chipped on and made a par. “Obviously very much needed at the time,” Wallace said. Then he birdied 14, a par-4, on a 22-foot putt. Then he birdied 15, a par-3, after hitting his tee shot to 6 feet. Then he birdied 17, also a par-3, after rolling in a 27-footer. 

And a par on 18, a par-4, gave him a round of three-under 68 and a two-round total of one-under, which was good enough for the weekend. 

“Yeah,” Wallace said, “maybe a bit of good karma coming my way.”

You never know who’s watching, after all. 

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It was a return to Belfast for the first time since his defeat by Jordan Gill in December 2023 which left him with much to ponder in terms of his career.

After a 16-month hiatus, Conlan returned in March 2025 under new coach Grant Smith, producing a points win over Asad Asif Khan in Brighton before stopping Jack Bateson in Dublin six months later.

However, the SSE Arena once again proved to be the scene of one final night of disappointment that has resulted in his decision to retire.

It wasn’t a case of him being completely dominated this time, but there was self-awareness that his performance was not up to a level where he could threaten a standing champion.

Walsh will instead seek his own opportunity and called out WBC featherweight champion Bruce Carrington afterwards.

“It was definitely a close fight,” he told DAZN afterwards.

“Shout out to Mick Conlan – I’ve always been a fan of his but he couldn’t figure me out. He’s been a helluva fighter, but his time’s up.”

Those words rang true with Conlan confirming this is indeed time up.

“Boxing has given me an unbelievable life,” he reflected.

“I can never be bitter with the situation because it gives you so much and takes so much. I’ve always said you can never love the sport as it will never love you back.

“I want to walk away with my health intact and my family good. I’ve done really well in boxing, have reached some serious heights and fought in some serious arenas around the world, done things many fighters don’t get to do.”

He continued: “I’ve achieved an awful lot but have I reached my goal of becoming a world champion? No, and that’s the hardest part of all.

“I’m a stubborn person and would want to keep going, but I’ve missed a lot of my family’s lives. I’ve two kids, my daughter is 11 next week and my son is seven. I’ve missed maybe 65 or 70% of their lives through boxing and training camps, so it’s time to go home.”

American Conference Commissioner Tim Pernetti praised President Donald Trump after Trump signed an executive order to protect the exclusive broadcasting window for the annual Army-Navy football game.

Pernetti expressed the conference’s “deep gratitude” for the order.

“The American Conference is deeply grateful to President Trump for his strong leadership in issuing the historic executive order to preserve America’s Game,” Pernetti said in a statement.

“This is a meaningful step that protects a cherished national tradition and reinforces what makes the Army-Navy Game so special to our country.

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President Donald Trump holds up a signed executive order during the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy presentation with the Navy Midshipmen football team in the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., March 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

“The Army-Navy Game represents far more than football. It honors our service academies, highlights the character and commitment of our future leaders and brings Americans together around values that matter deeply, including service and sacrifice.

“This executive order is a positive step for the sport, for our service academies and for the enduring legacy of America’s Game. We are proud to be a part of the team working to protect it.”

ESPN ANALYST PAUL FINEBAUM QUESTIONS TRUMP’S COLLEGE SPORTS REFORM MEETING AS POTENTIAL ‘CIRCUS’

President Donald Trump is escorted onto the field to take part in the ceremonial coin toss before the start of a game between Army and Navy at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore Dec. 13, 2025. (Stephanie Scarbrough/AP Photo)

Trump signed the order Friday as he presented the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy to the Navy football team in the East Room of the White House. The order directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Department of Commerce to coordinate with relevant parties, including the NCAA, the College Football Playoff (CFP) and broadcast partners, to secure an exclusive broadcast window for the standalone game.

The executive order came amid growing concerns that an expanding College Football Playoff calendar could encroach on the game’s traditional date, which since 2009 has been played exclusively on the second Saturday in December.

The classic rivalry, first played in 1890, has been played annually since 1930 and typically draws 7 million to 8 million viewers, making it one of the highest-rated regular-season games in college football. The current television agreement with CBS Sports runs through 2038.

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President Donald Trump tosses a coin before a game between the Army and Navy in Baltimore Dec. 13, 2025.  (Alex Wroblewski/AFP via Getty Images)

Trump, who has attended multiple Army-Navy games as president, framed the move in January as an act of patriotism, writing on social media, “Under my Administration, the second Saturday in December belongs to Army-Navy, and ONLY Army-Navy!”

As the postseason structure of college football continues to evolve, this executive order signals a significant commitment by the administration to maintain the standalone grandeur of a matchup defined by the phrase “sing second.”

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In a training career spanning more than 30 years, Mick Price has come across only one similar instance to the problem that kept Reserve Bank out of action for almost a year.

The winner of The Goodwood prepares for a return via the Group 1 The Galaxy (1100m) at Rosehill on Saturday, arriving back at the stable for spring targets when handlers flagged odd behaviour.

“I walked in at four o’clock one morning and the girls said, ‘come and have a look at this’,” Price said.

“He was absolutely shaking life a leaf on the spot, which was really unusual.

“We couldn’t work it out initially. We thought it might have been a vertebrae problem, but it turned out to be Ross River virus based on his blood picture.”

This mosquito-spread virus, often seen in humans, also hits equines, manifesting as fever, swollen joints and sluggishness.

Having trained just one other horse with it, Price recalls that one failing to thrive post-issue, contrasting sharply with Reserve Bank’s positive rehabilitation signs.

“It was a horse called Blazing Harry. He came back and he did not race well, and he didn’t look to bloom,” Price said.

“I don’t have much experience or knowledge with it. I don’t know what to expect. But Blazing Harry, he didn’t have a lot of life looking at him, and this horse looks beautiful.

“I think he just needs racing.”

Last autumn the four-year-old secured three stakes wins in a row, highlighted by his Goodwood conquest.

He holds a fine fresh record yet Price views the Saturday assignment as preparatory and is sceptical about gate two’s prospects.

“The horse is going super, but I can’t picture how he wins a The Galaxy from that inside gate, first-up after a long time,” he said.

“He’s a four-year-old bull. I’m just looking for him to run well and please, and then I’ll work out a program.”

“He just needs to go to the races to bring him on.”

Damian Lane takes the mount on Reserve Bank, quoted at $8.50 in a wide-open betting contest.

Discover racing betting markets for The Galaxy among top betting sites.