Let the madness begin!
March Madness arrived Sunday evening when the NCAA released its 68-team tournament bracket, sending hundreds of thousands of fans scrambling to study college basketball before filling out their brackets before first-round games begin Thursday.
Duke, Arizona, Michigan and Florida are the favorites. Miami (Ohio) made it. Indiana, Oklahoma and Auburn didn't.
If you like the tourney at 68 teams, enjoy the moment! Discussions continue on whether to expand the field by at least four teams and possibly more. And keep an eye out for the NCAA punishing teams that fail to provide player availability reports. Fines begin at $10,000.
According to BetMGM Sportsbook, Michigan (plus-325) is a slight favorite to win the national championship over Duke (plus-333) despite the Wolverines' 80-72 loss to Purdue in Sunday's Big Ten tourney title game.
Michigan and Duke are followed by Arizona (plus-425), defending champion Florida (plus-600) and last year's national runner-up, Houston (plus-1,000). UConn, which won back-to-back national titles in 2023 and 2024, is fifth at plus-1,800.
Duke, Arizona, Michigan and Florida earned the No. 1 seeds in the four respective regions.
Food for thought: Michigan State in 2000 was the last Big Ten team to win the national championship, which was played that year in Indianapolis, the site of this year’s Final Four. But remember: Three of Duke’s five national championships (1991, 2010 and 2015) were won in Indianapolis while Arizona captured its only national title in Indy in 1997. Florida also won the first of back-to-back national championships in 2006 — in Indy.
No. 2 seed Purdue (27-8) vs. No. 15 Queens (21-13), Friday, West Region. The Big Ten tourney champs and No. 1 team in the AP preseason poll faces a first-time NCAA tourney entrant and has a history of early departures against smaller-school teams. Purdue guard Braden Smith needs two assists to break Bobby Hurley’s Division I career record (1,076).
No. 5 seed Wisconsin (24-10) vs. No. 12 High Point (30-4), Thursday, West Region. Showtime! The Big South tourney champs are tied for the third-highest scoring average in Division I (90.0 points). Wisconsin isn’t far behind at 83.5 points (30th). The fact it’s a five-12 matchup could be a fun upset pick.
No. 11 seed Miami (Ohio) (31-1) vs. No. 11 SMU (20-13), Wednesday, First Four. Some bracketologists thought the Mustangs didn’t belong while others thought the lack of schedule strength and quality wins should leave Miami out. Instead, both teams now have a chance to prove they belong.
No. 7 Miami (Florida) (25-8) vs. 10 Missouri (20-12), Friday, West Region. The Hurricanes got a tough draw against a lower seeded foe that will play just about 90 minutes away from its campus. Sure, Missouri has lost three straight. But a home-like crowd could make this an upset special.
Every game of the men’s tournament will be aired and here is the schedule. Games will be telecast either on CBS, TBS, TNT or TruTV and their digital platforms, including Paramount+. TBS will broadcast the Final Four and national title game this year. The NCAA will also stream games via its March Madness Live option.
The 31 conference tourney winners received automatic bids into the field. Twelve selection committee members chose the remaining 37 at-large teams, leaving some of the missing teams miffed as usual.
After this week's First Four games, first- and second-round games will be played Thursday and Saturday in Buffalo, New York; Greenville, South Carolina; Portland, Oregon and Oklahoma City. Games played Friday and Sunday will be in Philadelphia, San Diego, St. Louis and Tampa, Florida.
Sweet 16 games will be played March 26-29 in Houston (South), Washington (East), Chicago (Midwest) and San Jose, California (West).
The Final Four is Saturday, April 4, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, with the title game the night of Monday, April 6, at 8:30 p.m. Eastern.
AP March Madness: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness
Houston's Joseph Tugler (11) chases a loose ball between Arizona's Tobe Awaka (30) and Anthony Dell'Orso (3) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the championship of the Big 12 Conference tournament Saturday, March 14, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Arizona's Jaden Bradley celebrates after making the game-winning shot at the buzzer to defeat Iowa State during an NCAA college basketball game in the semifinal round of the Big 12 Conference tournament Friday, March 13, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
MIAMI (AP) — Dylan DeLucia pitched four scoreless innings against Puerto Rico to help boost Italy to its first World Baseball Classic semifinal and immediately was aware of the impact created by a team celebrating home run shots with shots — of espresso.
“I opened my phone after the game to like 60 DMs and it was in words ... I didn't know how to say,” the pitcher explained Sunday of his direct messages. "So definitely going to have to do some Google translate, for sure."
Italy plays Venezuela on Monday night for a berth in the championship against the United States or the Dominican Republic.
Just three players listed on Italy’s roster were born in Il Bel Paese: Los Angeles Angels left-hander Sam Aldegheri; Gabriele Quattrini, a 29-year-old right-hander who has pitched in the Italian Serie A; and Claudio Scotti, a 27-year-old right-hander released from a minor league contract by the New York Mets in 2023.
Italy's roster also includes Philadelphia All-Star pitcher Aaron Nola, who would start Tuesday's final, and Kansas City All-Star first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino, the team captain, who gives his each home-run hitting teammate a kiss on each cheek.
Long ball hitters cut a bella figura, honored with a Giorgio Armani jacket during the dugout celebrazione,
Following each win in a 5-0 start, the team luxuriated la dolce vita, with pitchers and players each given a bottle of wine, a suggestion of team publicist Jason Zillo of the New York Yankees. Pedigree increases with each win, and selections have included Francesco Rinaldi Barolo, Barbaresco Montefico, Antinori Prunotto: Bric Turot and Bertani Amarone della Valpolicella Classico.
“Last night I forgot to take the brown paper bags off of them when I handed them out. so it looked like I was passing 40s around to guys on the team after we won,” Pasquantino said after he became the first player with a WBC three-homer game, in the group stage win over Mexico.
In a soccer-mad nation where calcio is omnipresent, the baseball Azzurri have managed to make some impact.
Sunday's front page of La Gazzetta Sportiva was dominated by Inter Milan, AC Milan and Juventus but included a small box at the bottom featuring baseball with the headline “CHE ITALIA” followed by a subhead that started “Altra impresa” (What an Italy ... another feat)."
“In the south of Italy they don’t play that much baseball and yesterday everyone was watching the game,” Italy manager Francisco Cervelli said. “They send me pictures all the time. It’s like the family reunion watching baseball."
A big league catcher from 2008-20, Cervelli was born in Venezuela to an Italian father, and he played for the Azzurri in the 2009 and 2018 WBCs. He moved to Florence, Italy, last year after he replaced Hall of Famer Mike Piazza as manager.
A Juventus fan, he of course follows Serie A.
“If you watch the newspaper, it’s going to be five, six pages about soccer,” he said. “And now we’re in. Yesterday I think was the first time for the national team on TV.”
Pasquantani was born in Richmond, Virginia, and says he became eligible for the Azzurri because his paternal great grandfather was from Italy.
Home runs are celebrated this year with sips from a Lavazza Classy Mini, and Pasquantino is the current barrista. He took over from Piazza, who had a Nespresso machine in the dugout at the 2023 WBC.
“I think it kind of comedically worked out that they were too hot the first day. So people were spitting them out,” Pasquantino said. “But it is just coffee. I’m not spiking it with anything other than coffee.”
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Italy catcher JJ D'Orazio celebrates a victory over Puerto Rico following a World Baseball Classic quarterfinal game, Saturday, March 14, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)
Italy's Andrew Fischer celebrates after hitting a two-run double during the fourth inning of a World Baseball Classic quarterfinal game against Puerto Rico, Saturday, March 14, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)
Italy manager Francisco Cervelli (29) removes starting pitcher Sam Aldegheri as catcher JJ D'Orazio (28) watches during the second inning of a World Baseball Classic quarterfinal game against Puerto Rico, Saturday, March 14, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)
Italy first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino celebrates a home run with an expresso in the second inning of a World Baseball Classic game against Mexico, Wednesday, March 11, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Puerto Rico pitcher Eduardo Rivera celebrates after striking out Italy's Vinnie Pasquantino during the second inning of a World Baseball Classic quarterfinal game, Saturday, March 14, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)
