It is a surprise to nobody who has watched college basketball over the last half-decade that Houston has looked like one of the most dominant teams in the country during the first weekend of the tournament. The Cougars have not lost a game in the first weekend of the tournament since 2018, and have an average margin of victory of over 20 points a game during the first weekend.

Kelvin Sampson deserves all the credit in the world for reviatilizing a dormant Houston program; however, more than just reviving a sleeping giant, he has an innate ability to get his guys to buy in. It can be easy for a heavy favorite to sleepwalk early in the tournament, just ask Jon Scheyer how he felt Duke’s energy looked in their first two games this weekend.

Houston can suffocate opponents with its defense. Many teams can lose focus on defense, but Sampson has his guys locked in from tip to buzzer. They hound ball handlers with relentless pressure. Unlike other teams that specialize in their elite defenses, Houston can turn their stops into points on the other end.

The Cougars are once again great at generating “Kill Shots”. A Kill Shot is a 10-0 that happens in a game. Houston was second in the country entering the tournament in kill shots with 38 on the season, while allowing only 11, good for fifth in the country. With that being said, the level of competition increases going into the Sweet 16, and they’ll be facing Illinois, a team that is third best in the country in adjusted Kill Shot margin.

Illinois is a bit underseeded as a three seed and will be the toughest matchup for any two seed entering the second weekend. The Illini have the second-best offensive rating in the country and can attack Houston’s interior with a ton of lengthy big men who can cause issues for Houston’s front court, which has dealt with foul issues. Illinois can also punish them at the line if they’re too aggressive, as they shoot 78.4% as a team, good for 13th in the country.

Houston has struggled at times this year to find consistent offense and can deal with scoring droughts. That cannot happen against Illinois, as they will bury Houston if they go multiple minutes without scoring.

It’ll be a tough matchup for Houston, but they’ll essentially be playing a road game, as the game will be at the Toyota Center, home of the Houston Rockets. Illinois has also struggled when they’re matched up with tough defenses. They are 2-4 this season against teams with a top-25 defensive rating, scoring only 74 points per game, 10 fewer than their season average.

Houston opens this game as 2.5-point favorites, and it doesn’t make a ton of sense. Neither team likes to speed the game up, and if Illinois can deal with Houston’s elite ball pressure, they could be in line to pull off the minor upset. 

I really like Balkan Bloc on the road in the Sweet 16.

The first major domestic trophy of the season is Manchester City ‘s. And after a dominant 2-0 win against Arsenal in the English League Cup final on Sunday, it may not be the last.

Manchester-born Nico O’Reilly sealed victory with both goals in the second half at Wembley Stadium. The win could also have delivered a psychological blow in the race for the Premier League title as Pep Guardiola aims to chase down Arsenal’s nine-point lead at the top of the standings.

“(It’s an) unbelievable feeling to win a final and to beat this team. We know how good they are,” O’Reilly told Sky Sports. “We need to build on it now, it’ll give us momentum.” 
This was serial trophy-winner Guardiola flexing his muscles. It was his 16th major trophy as City manager and a record fifth League Cup. He has won 34 career titles as a manager including his time at Barcelona and Bayern Munich.

And, once again, he was stamping out Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta’s own ambitions, having twice beaten his former assistant to the league title in recent years.

“I’m really pleased because I know the opponent we played. Mikel created a team that is almost unbeatable,” Guardiola said. “Every time you win a title it looks more difficult than in the past. It is really difficult for many reasons.” 
Arsenal remains favorite to be crowned league champion this season for the first time since 2004, given its big lead. But with second-place City having a game in hand and the teams still to play each other in Manchester at the Etihad Stadium, the picture could look very different in the coming weeks.

City’s win also ended Arsenal’s bid this season for an unprecedented quadruple of major trophies by an English team – including the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup. 

“I’m very sad. It is a very hard one to take, especially for our players and our supporters because we know how much it means to them and how much we want that,” Arteta said. “We will manage that energy in the right way and we have to go through that pain and disappointment. It’s normal and it’s part of football.” 
The 21-year-old O’Reilly, who came through City’s academy, was the unlikely hero with both goals from left back.

He took advantage of Arsenal goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga’s fumble to head City in front on the hour. And he headed in a second four minutes later to effectively kill off the match.

“My whole family came down today (to watch) … I know they’ll be buzzing and I can’t wait to see them,” O’Reilly said.

Arteta said he had no regrets about selecting Kepa – who had played in previous rounds – rather than first-choice David Raya.

Premier League crisis deepens for Tottenham 
Tottenham’s Premier League survival fight was plunged deeper into crisis with a 3-0 loss to Nottingham Forest, one of three league games played on Sunday.

The relegation six-pointer left Spurs one place and one point above the drop zone and raised further questions about the future of coach Igor Tudor.

“The season is tough, especially in this moment. Another very bad (result) for us,” said Tottenham captain Cristian Romero. “The situation is tough, but most important thing is play (every game) like a final now.” 
Fellow relegation-fighting Forest climbed above Spurs to 16th in the standings. The only positive on another miserable day for Tottenham was defeat for West Ham at Aston Villa to keep it in the bottom three.

Tottenham – one of English soccer’s most iconic teams and a founding member of the Premier League – is still without a win in the top flight in 2026. Its last win was Dec. 28 and it has lost six of its last seven games.

Igor Jesus’ header just before halftime gave Forest the lead at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and Morgan Gibbs-White added a second just after the hour mark.

Taiwo Awoniyi completed Forest’s first league win under coach Vitor Pereira in the 87th to leave home fans fearing the end of its ever-present stay in England’s top division since the inception of the Premier League in 1992.

Tudor was hired last month to try to turn Spurs’ season around, but has lost five of his seven games in charge in all competitions and seen his team eliminated from the Champions League.

Tottenham remains one point above 18th-place West Ham, which lost 2-0 to Villa.

Villa boosted its chances of Champions League qualification and took advantage of all of its immediate rivals dropping points.

Villa is fourth, one point behind Manchester United and five points above fifth-place Liverpool.

Brian Brobbey struck in the 90th minute to give Sunderland bragging rights in the Tyne-Wear derby against Newcastle.

Brobbey’s close-range effort sealed a 2-1 comeback win at St. James’ Park and saw Sunderland complete a league double over its fiercest rival.

Earlier, the game had been halted due to a report of discriminatory abuse from the crowd towards Sunderland’s Lutsharel Geertruida.

Before kickoff, there had been tense scenes between fans outside the stadium. Northumberland police said one arrest was made.

This is an article version of the CBS Sports HQ AM Newsletter, the ultimate guide to every day in sports. You can sign up to get it in your inbox every weekday morning here.

🏀 Five things to know Monday

1. The men’s and women’s Sweet 16 fields are almost set. Today’s slate of second-round games in the women’s NCAA Tournament will put a bow on the first weekend of March Madness. From the downfall of No. 1 seed Florida to numerous buzzer-beaters in the men’s bracket, and from the dominance of the top seeds in the women’s field to the potential end of the Audi Crooks era, March has been plenty mad. We have all of the scores and upcoming tip times in one place on the men’s side, and here’s the rundown on every women’s game.
2. The Phillies extended Cristopher Sánchez through 2032. A new six-year contract will keep the ace in Philadelphia, where he posted a 3.00 ERA across the past three seasons and developed into one of the best lefties in baseball. Sánchez will make $107 million over the life of the deal, which also includes a club option for 2033. The 29-year-old has the third-best odds to win the NL Cy Young Award this season, per Caesars.
3. Team USA made a statement in the Fanatics Flag Football Classic. While numerous NFL players including Joe Burrow have made it clear that they want to chase a gold medal when flag football makes its Olympic debut in 2028, Saturday’s event suggested the current United States National Team is equipped to dominate without them. Led by Velton Brown Jr. and Housh Doucette, Team USA made light work of its opposition with three blowout victories en route to the championship. Burrow, Tom Brady, Odell Beckham Jr., Stefon Diggs and other current and former NFL stars were among those on the two losing rosters.
4. We have the details of the WNBA’s new collective bargaining agreement. The league and players union announced the terms of their historic CBA, which delivers unprecedented benefits to players beginning this season. Among the highlights are significant pay raises (thanks to a salary cap that will grow by nearly 200% by 2032), the continuation of league-provided housing, chartered flights, new facility standards and more.
5. Manchester City are EFL Cup champions. Behind a brace from Nico O’Reilly, Manchester City defeated Arsenal 2-0 to claim their ninth cup. Only Liverpool (10) have more wins in the 65-year history of the tournament. This is City’s first cup win since 2021 when they rattled off four straight, and it is the product of an aggressive second half that saw O’Reilly, a defender, net two goals in five minutes.

🎠 Do not miss this: College basketball coaching carousel moves, rumors

The first big wave of high-major college basketball coach hirings hit over the weekend. Three power conference jobs are filled, including one of the biggest in the sport. Here are the latest hires:

• Gerry McNamara, Syracuse
• Bryan Hodgson, Providence
• Scott Cross, Georgia Tech

Georgia Tech made the Cross hiring official on Friday after Troy’s season came to an end in the NCAA Tournament. Once South Florida fell out of the bracket, Providence announced that Hodgson will make the jump to the Big East on a five-year contract. The highest-profile move of the bunch is nearly official. McNamara, a program great at Syracuse, is set to take his alma mater’s job on the heels of a terrific run at Siena (which nearly included a first-round upset of Duke on Thursday).

With these three positions off the board, all eyes are on North Carolina and whether one of the biggest brands in all of college athletics will make a move. Hubert Davis’ future with the Tar Heels is in doubt, according to Matt Norlander, following a first-round loss to VCU in which UNC squandered a 19-point lead and fell in overtime. If the Tar Heels do, in fact, part ways with Davis, it would come with a hefty price tag in the form of a $5.3 million buyout.

🏀 Men’s NCAA Tournament delivers all the drama

Even though the first two rounds of the men’s NCAA Tournament were fairly light on upsets and Cinderellas, the pageantry was absolutely off the charts. It’s been three days since our last morning newsletter, so let’s cover everything that unfolded from Friday through Sunday.

• Friday (first round): A loss to No. 6 Tennessee ended No. 11 Miami (Ohio)’s remarkable season, Iowa State lost Joshua Jefferson to an ankle injury, No. 7 UCLA fended off No. 10 UCF even without Tyler Bilodeau and double-digit seeds went 0-14.

No. 5 St. John’s was among the biggest winners of the day as the underseeded Big East champion fended off a tough draw and dispatched No. 12 Northern Iowa 79-53. College basketball fans at large came away victorious from the thrilling No. 7 Kentucky vs. No. 10 Santa Clara battle when Otega Oweh delivered the most electric shot of the tournament. His buzzer-beater to send the game to overtime helped the Wildcats avoid disaster.

• Saturday (second round): No. 11 Texas pulled off a sizable upset over No. 3 Gonzaga, No. 1 Duke looked much more impressive when it pulled away from No. 9 TCU, Mikel Brown Jr. missed another game as No. 6 Louisville fell out of the bracket and No. 4 Nebraska reigned supreme in an unforgettable showdown against No. 5 Vanderbilt.

You have to feel for the Commodores, who came away on the losing end of that instant classic. Tyler Tanner watched as a last-second heave from well beyond midcourt hit the backboard and danced around the rim in a moment where time stood still. The narrow miss made the loss even tougher to stomach.

• Sunday (second round): No. 9 Iowa delivered the upset of the tournament with a go-ahead 3 in the closing seconds against No. 1 Florida, the second year of the Mark Pope era ended in a 19-point loss for No. 7 Kentucky and No. 5 St. John’s shut the door on a late surge from No. 4 Kansas with a buzzer-beater.

The last-second layup from Dylan Darling will give the Red Storm a high-profile spot in “One Shining Moment” as one of the biggest shots of the tournament. The funny thing? Rick Pitino said Darling called his own number despite being scoreless over the game’s first 39 minutes. Sadly, the dramatic finish all but certainly means the college basketball world has seen the last of Kansas star Darryn Peterson, who is NBA-bound as the projected No. 1 overall pick.

🏀 Favorites reign supreme in Women’s NCAA Tournament

The women’s bracket was even chalkier than the men’s through the first round. Here’s a day-by-day breakdown of the action.

• Friday (first round): There was not a single upset across the first 16 games, which is not entirely uncommon. No. 4 Minnesota had to erase a fourth-quarter deficit against No. 13 Green Bay, though, and No. 12 Colorado State gave No. 5 Michigan State a scare down to the final shot.

The absence of upsets means No. 10 Tennessee is one-and-done in the dance. An eight-game losing streak brought an end to what Kim Caldwell called the “worst year of my professional career.” Caldwell said her players deserve better than what she gave them in the 76-61 loss to No. 7 NC State.

• Saturday (first round): No. 10 Virginia became the only double-digit seed to advance, while No. 1 seeds UConn, South Carolina and UCLA won by a combined 164 points.

Officials overturned what appeared to be a game-winner at the buzzer for No. 8 Clemson, which precipitated a heartbreaking overtime loss for a “sleeping giant” of a Tigers program that looks very much awake. Meanwhile, four teams battled 80-degree indoor temperatures at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City. And Audi Crooks was noncommittal about her future at Iowa State following the Cyclones’ first-round exit.

• Sunday (second round): The same teams that avoided upsets on Day 1 delivered another dose of chalk in the second round. Two teams even hit 100 points with No. 1 Texas obliterating No. 8 Oregon and No. 2 LSU pulverizing No. 7 Texas Tech.

Some of the biggest drama of the day occurred on the Maryland sideline, where coach Brenda Frese had an intense moment with Terrapins star Oluchi Okananwa. It was all in the spirit of competition, though, according to Okananwa.

👍👎 The best (and not-so-best) of the rest

📺 What we’re watching Monday

🏀 March Madness continues today with the women’s second round. Here’s how to watch all eight games.

⚾ Spring training: Orioles at Nationals, 1:05 p.m. on MLB Network

🏀 Spurs at Heat, 7 p.m. on NBC Sports Network

🏒 Senators at Rangers, 7:30 p.m. on NHL Network

⚾ Spring training: Royals at Rangers, 8:05 p.m. on MLB Network

⛳ TGL finals, Game 1: Jupiter Links Golf Club vs. Los Angeles Golf Club, 9 p.m. on ESPN2

🏀 Warriors at Mavericks, 9:30 p.m. on NBC Sports Network

Mohsin Naqvi responded to Gary Kirsten’s accusation© X | AFP

Axar Patel celebrates after the T20 World Cup win© AFP

There is not much Alexandra Popp hasn’t achieved in her career. Three Champions League titles, one Olympic gold medal, seven Bundesliga titles, 13 German Cup titles and an incredible 145 caps for Germany makes for quite the resume.

Now though, the 34-year-old will join the club her “heart beats for” after agreeing to leave Wolfsburg for Borussia Dortmund in the summer on a three-year deal. Popp grew up in the region, but for one of Germany’s most decorated footballers, this is more than a homecoming. Popp is once again playing her part in developing the game in Germany, moving to a lower-league club that didn’t even exist five years ago.

Borussia Dortmund’s women’s team first played a match in 2021, 13 years after Popp became a professional. It was a long-term project, and rather than injecting lots of money to quickly jump into the Bundesliga, the club have made the slow climb from the lower leagues. They are currently in the third division, and are aiming to be in the Bundesliga in the next two years.

Managing Director Svenja Schlenker called Popp’s signing a clear statement of the club’s ambitions. It’s apparent Dortmund’s women are ready to take the next step.

“Alexandra Popp has become one of the defining figures of modern German women’s football. She represents more than sporting performance. She brings credibility, leadership and visibility. For a project like Dortmund’s, a figure like Popp also signals to the wider football market that the project has serious ambitions,” Dominik Schreyer, a Professor of Sports Economics at Germany’s Otto Beisheim School of Management, told DW.

“She is also likely to draw fans to the stands because, whether it is men’s or women’s football, people want to see familiar faces. In sports economics it is widely accepted that star players increase demand and media interest. And there is certainly no debate that Popp is one of the few true stars in the German market,” Schreyer added, noting that a strong Dortmund would be a boost to league attendance and media interest.

The current women’s Bundesliga average attendance is unclear, but a 2024 attendance review on search by sports marketing company “Two Circles” revealed that the women’s Bundesliga had an average of 2,894 fans per game in 2024. A further report at the end of the season showed that while growth had slowed compared to previous years, growth was more spread out rather than concentrated on one or two clubs and attendances were more consistently between 1,000 and 5,000. Borussia Dortmund’s women pulled in 10,000 fans for a game against rivals Schalke in 2025, and with 230,000 club members there is real reason to believe many supporters of the men’s side will also cheer for the women’s team despite more established local sides.

Support from men’s clubs the only way forward?

Popp’s move does however also ask further questions about how football clubs not connected to men’s clubs can survive. SGS Essen are struggling at the bottom of the league and Turbine Potsdam, a two-time Champions League winner, have fallen into the depths of the second division. In their place, RB Leipzig and Union Berlin are looking to establish themselves in the Bundesliga. While the dispute with the German FA (DFB)  about structure rumbles on, the picture being painted is becoming clearer. Popp’s move to Dortmund simply serves as a further reminder of the game’s direction of travel.

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“The idea that clubs backed by large men’s organizations have structural advantages is well established, but it is not something that can be verified as clearly as a transfer,” Schreyer said.

“Integration alone does not guarantee success. Real progress still requires deliberate effort to actually realize synergies between the men’s and women’s sides. That said, for clubs without that backing the pressure will grow. They will need clear strategies, for example strong youth development, smart recruitment or a distinctive club identity. In some cases, external investment might also play a role in helping clubs remain competitive.”

Just two years ago, Schreyer was part of a trio of researchers and experts who published a paper called “Football but better? Professional women’s football in Germany by 2031.” In that paper, the most likely of the projections was “integrated football clubs crowding out all independent women’s clubs in Germany.”

Slow rise aided by structural support

Popp’s signing is one part of Dortmund’s ambitions. Not long before, Ralf Kellermann, the man often credited with the rise of Wolfsburg’s women’s team, also agreed to join Dortmund. Kellermann joined Wolfsburg first a coach in 2008, before later becoming sporting director. In both roles he helped the club win 20 titles, including the famous 2013 treble when Kellermann the coach helped Wolfsburg to win it all.

His signing is another clear sign of Dortmund’s ambitions, but also recognition that it takes more than money and one star signing to make it all work.

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“If investment is sustained, progress can come quickly,” Schreyer said of the timeline behind Dortmund reaching a level to challenge Bayern Munich and Wolfsburg. “But building a top women’s football program is not just about money. It is about recruitment networks, sporting structures and organizational know-how. Clubs often underestimate how long that takes.”

At this point, both Alexandra Popp and Borussia Dortmund don’t look like they have underestimated anything. That’s exciting news for a domestic scene desperate to compete in Europe and for a national side aiming to win a home European Championship in three years.

Edited by: Matt Pearson

Remo Stars and Kano Pillars strengthened their chances of staying in the Nigeria Premier Football League with important victories on matchday 31, easing pressure at the lower end of the table.

In Ikenne, Remo Stars rallied from behind to beat Kwara United 3-1 in a thrilling contest between two teams unexpectedly fighting relegation.

Kwara United took the lead in the 34th minute when Ibrahim Yahaya converted Junior Aimufua’s cross. The home side responded quickly, with Ahmed Akinyele equalising just four minutes later. Kwara had a chance to regain the lead before half-time, but Ini Emmanuel Okon missed a penalty in added time, keeping the scores level at the break.

Remo Stars took control after the interval, scoring twice in quick succession. Haruna Hadi struck in the 70th minute, and Victor Mbaoma added a third three minutes later to secure the comeback. The win lifted Remo Stars from 19th to 18th with 36 points, while Kwara United fell to the bottom with 33 points.

In Kano, Pillars claimed a 2-0 win over Enyimba, moving further away from the relegation zone. Chiedozie Okorie opened the scoring in the 11th minute, and former Super Eagles captain Ahmed Musa doubled the lead just before half-time. The victory moved Pillars up to 14th with 39 points, while Enyimba dropped to 16th, level on points with Wikki Tourist, who occupy 17th place.

Rangers extended their unbeaten run to eight matches with a 2-0 win over El-Kanemi Warriors. Daniel Itodo gave Rangers the lead in the 30th minute, and Godwin Obaje sealed the victory with a second goal in the 80th minute, temporarily moving them to the top of the table ahead of Rivers United’s match at Nasarawa United.

Elsewhere, Katsina United edged Shooting Stars 1-0, while Plateau United also won 1-0 against Bayelsa United thanks to Farouk Umar’s strike in the 50th minute. Warri Wolves and Bendel Insurance played a goalless draw in a tightly contested match.

In Owerri, Ikorodu City were held to a 2-2 draw by Kun Khalifat after conceding a stoppage-time equaliser. Joseph Arumala cancelled the hosts’ opener before Folarin Temitope put Ikorodu City ahead in the 53rd minute. Kun Khalifat were reduced to 10 men after Olanrewaju Molade was sent off, but Uchechukwu Onuoha scored deep into added time to secure a point. The draw kept Ikorodu City in contention for continental qualification while giving Kun Khalifat a valuable boost in their survival fight.

Matchday 31 concludes today with Niger Tornadoes facing Abia Warriors at Enyimba Stadium, and Rivers United traveling to Lafia City Stadium to face Nasarawa United as they aim to regain early-season form.