KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Cincinnati coach Wes Miller is confident the Bearcats have done enough to warrant a spot in the NCAA Tournament field.
The problem is that decision doesn't rest with him.
Miller, considered to be on the hot seat a few weeks ago, led the Bearcats through an impressive finishing stretch in the rugged Big 12, winning six of their last eight in the regular season and beating Utah in the first round of the conference tournament.
Along the way, Cincinnati (18-15) routed No. 14 Kansas in Allen Fieldhouse and beat likely NCAA tourney teams BYU and UCF.
But an overtime loss to the Knights in the second round of the Big 12 Tournament on Wednesday, where the Bearcats blew an eight-point lead with about 2 1/2 minutes left in regulation, will make for a stressful Selection Sunday. Cincinnati's last shot to win the game ended when Jalen Celestine missed a potential go-ahead 3-pointer with 1.3 seconds left in the 66-65 defeat.
“I'm not in the room with the selection committee,” Miller said, “but if it's about the best teams at this point, we're one of the best teams in the country. Like, we're an NCAA Tournament team. If it's about overall resume, I'm sure you can make some arguments that we're not. But I think we've won seven of our last 10 Big 12 games. When's the last time somebody won seven out of 10 in the Big 12 and didn't play in the NCAA Tournament? Honestly? Like, we won seven out of 10 in this league.”
The Big 12 has long been considered among the toughest leagues in the country. It has three of the top seven in the AP Top 25.
Miller guided UNC Greensboro to the NCAA Tournament twice over a decade there, but he's yet to get the Bearcats to the dance. Their last appearance came in 2019, the last of nine consecutive tourney trips engineered by his predecessor, Mick Cronin.
Miller has had a winning season each of his five years at Cincinnati. But he has just two NIT trips and an appearance last season in the College Basketball Crown, the postseason event in Las Vegas for which the Big 12 is contractually obligated to provide teams.
“I mean, again, I don’t know what goes on. I certainly feel that we belong,” Miller said. "I know tonight would have helped, but it wasn’t like we got run out of the gym tonight. We have a three- or four-possession lead there late in the game.
“Again, if it’s about the best teams, I do believe we’d be in the field. But again, I don’t pretend to understand what goes on. So certainly we’ll hold out hope. But I realize tonight — tonight was difficult. I think everybody in our locker room understands that.”
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UCF center John Bol, center, tries to block a shot by Cincinnati forward Baba Miller, left, during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the second round of the Big 12 Conference tournament Wednesday, March 11, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Even without a host of Galacticos, Real Madrid was far too strong for Manchester City in the latest Champions League clash of these titans.
A 3-0 win at the Bernabeu on Wednesday put Madrid in control of this round-of-16 tie at the halfway mark after a stunning first-half hat trick by Federico Valverde. The Uruguay international took on the responsibility of inspiring the record 15-time champion in the absence of injured stars Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo.
"We are Real Madrid and you should never consider us dead,” Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa told broadcaster Movistar.
The victory could have been even more commanding, but Vinícius Júnior's casually taken second-half penalty was saved by Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Defending champion Paris Saint-Germain beat Chelsea 5-2 and tiny Bodø/Glimt is also in sight of the quarterfinals after a 3-0 win over Sporting Lisbon.
Arsenal drew 1-1 with Bayer Leverkusen.
By fulltime at a rocking Bernabeu, the only comfort City could cling to was the fact that it could have been so much worse.
When Vinícius stood over the ball on the penalty spot shortly before the hour mark, he looked certain add to the lead. But the Brazil forward skipped in his run-up and hit a weak side-footed effort that Donnarumma pushed away.
It will still take a massive turnaround to see City advance after being outclassed by Madrid.
Valverde's hat trick featured three outstanding goals. The pick of the lot was his third when he flicked the ball over the head of City defender Marc Guehi before volleying home.
TV cameras caught Bellingham watching in the stadium with his mouth wide open in awe of the move.
City manager Pep Guardiola will likely be worrying that history is set to repeat itself after his team was eliminated at the hands of Madrid in each of the last two seasons.
“Our game was not as bad as this result,” Guardiola said. “I’m not someone to say we are going to turn it round, but we will try.”
After losing to Chelsea in the final of the Club World Cup last year, PSG got some revenge.
A three-goal advantage after the first leg saw Luis Enrique's team take a big step toward the last eight.
Chelsea had twice leveled the game, but a mistake by goalkeeper Filip Jørgensen, who gave the ball away on the edge of his box in the 74th minute, allowed Vitinha to lift a shot into the open net.
PSG substitute Khvicha Kvaratskhelia scored twice more to leave Chelsea with a mountain to climb back at Stamford Bridge.
“This is our most important moment in the competition,” Luis Enrique said. "We’ll try to play the second leg in the same way as we did today. We’ll try to win the game. That’s the best mentality as if we’re thinking about defending our lead, it could be a big mistake.”
Bodø/Glimt's fairytale run just keeps on going.
Manchester City, Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan have been left in the tiny Norwegian club's wake. Now Sporting Lisbon's Champions League hopes are hanging by a thread.
Bodø/Glimt — located north of the Arctic Circle and farther north than any team in Champions League history — took full advantage of playing the first leg at home and led 2-0 at halftime through Sondre Fet's penalty and Ole Blomberg's goal just before the break.
Kasper Hogh scored in the 71st to put his team on the brink of the next round.
Bodø/Glimt was already the first Norwegian team to the advance to the knockout rounds of the Champions League and could now go even further.
Kai Havertz returned to haunt Bayer Leverkusen and seal a late draw for Arsenal.
The Germany international struck an 89th-minute penalty against the team where he started his career and leveled the round-of-16 first leg tie at BayArena.
“I know the stadium well and have taken many penalties from this spot,” said Havertz, who left Leverkusen for Chelsea in a $95 million deal in 2020.
Premier League leading Arsenal fell behind on Robert Andrich's goal just after halftime. But Malik Tillman fouled Noni Madueke in the box, and Havertz fired low past Janis Blaswich from the spot.
“The time between the penalty whistle and the penalty kick felt like an eternity," Havertz said. “But in the end, you have to be mentally present in those moments.”
After dominating the league phase of this year’s tournament, Premier League teams were brought down to Earth in the round of 16.
Man City, Chelsea and Tottenham all fell to heavy defeats, while Liverpool also lost to Galatasaray.
In all, none of England’s six teams in the knockouts won their first leg, with Arsenal and Newcastle both picking up draws.
Arsenal will be favorite to overcome Leverkusen at home and Liverpool only has to overturn a 1-0 deficit in its second leg at Anfield.
But City, Chelsea and Tottenham face big deficits, while Newcastle travels to Camp Nou to play Barcelona.
James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Bodo/Glimt's Ole Didrik Blomberg celebrates after scoring their side's second goal of the game during the Champions League soccer match between Bodo/Glimt and Sporting Lisbon, in Bodo, Norway, Wednesday March 11, 2026. (Fredrik Varfjell/NTB Scanpix via AP)
PSG's Ousmane Dembele celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the first leg of the Champions League round of 16 soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea, in Paris, Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)
Real Madrid's Federico Valverde, center, celebrates after scoring his third goal during a first leg round of 16 Champions League soccer match between Real Madrid and Manchester City in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Jose Breton)
Real Madrid's Federico Valverde celebrates after scoring during a first leg round of 16 Champions League soccer match between Real Madrid and Manchester City in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Jose Breton)
Leverkusen's Robert Andrich celebrates after scoring the opening goal of his team during the Champions League round of 16 first leg soccer match between Bayer Leverkusen and Arsenal FC in Leverkusen, Germany, Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Arsenal's Kai Havertz scores a penalty, his side's first goal, during the Champions League round of 16 first leg soccer match between Bayer Leverkusen and Arsenal FC in Leverkusen, Germany, Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Arsenal's Gabriel celebrates the first goal of his team during the Champions League round of 16 first leg soccer match between Bayer Leverkusen and Arsenal FC in Leverkusen, Germany, Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Arsenal's Kai Havertz reacts after scoring a penalty, his side's first goal, during the Champions League round of 16 first leg soccer match between Bayer Leverkusen and Arsenal FC in Leverkusen, Germany, Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior falls during the second leg of the Champions League playoff soccer match between Real Madrid and Benfica in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Manchester City's head coach Pep Guardiola gives instructions during the fifth round FA Cup soccer match between Newcastle and Manchester City in Newcastle, England, Saturday, March 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Ian Hodgson)
Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior, duels for the balls with Celta's Javi Rodriguez during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Celta Vigo and Real Madrid in Vigo, Spain, Friday, March 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Lalo R. Villar)
Real Madrid's head coach Alvaro Arbeloa gives instruction inside the box team area during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Celta Vigo and Real Madrid in Vigo, Spain, Friday, March 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Lalo R. Villar)
