WEDNESDAY SPORTS, MARCH 25, 2026
NAIA
— Marian (Ind.) women’s basketball pulled away in the second half to defeat Dordt 73-61 to win the NAIA national championship. Dordt rallied from an early deficit to take a 32-28 halftime lead, but Marian took control with a decisive 27-point third quarter. Marian dominated the glass with a 49-35 rebounding edge. Madisyn Bailey led all scorers with 23 points, while Abbey McNally added 17 points and 15 rebounds. For Dordt, Macy Sievers and Gracie Schoonhoven each scored 15 points in the loss. The Defenders finish the season 34-3, falling just short of a third straight national title.
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
1st Team
- Rylee Rosenquist, Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.)
- Madison Bailey, Marian (Ind.)
- Gracie Schoonhoven, Dordt (Iowa)
- Macy Sievers, Dordt (Iowa)
- Abby McNalley, Marian (Ind.)
2nd Team
- Bria Wasmund, Dakota State (S.D.)
- Avery Broughton, Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.)
- Tabor Teel, Dakota State (S.D.)
- Willow Bleeker, Dordt (Iowa)
- Kiley McNalley Marian (Ind.)
Hustle Award – Macy Sievers, Dordt (Iowa)
Tournament MVP – Abby McNalley, Marian (Ind.)
DAKOTA WESLEYAN
— Dakota Wesleyan baseball split a doubleheader at Morningside on Tuesday, winning game one 8-6, before losing game two 7-2. Alex Mizsak went all seven innings in game one for the Tigers, allowing six runs on nine hits on 135 pitches to pick up the victory. DWU will be at Doane on Friday at 1 pm for a doubleheader.
— Dakota Wesleyan softball, 20-11 on the season and 3-1 in the GPAC, will be at the College of St. Mary on Friday for a doubleheader at 3 pm.
SOUTH DAKOTA STATE
— South Dakota State baseball, 7-17 overall and 2-4 in the Summit League, will be at Creighton on Wednesday for a single game at 6 pm.
— South Dakota State softball, 17-20 on the season and 2-1 in the Summit League, host North Dakota for a three-game series starting on Friday at 4 pm. USD will be at St. Thomas for a three-game series this weekend starting Friday at 2 pm.
SOUTH DAKOTA
— USD women’s basketball will host Pepperdine in the WNIT Round of 16 on Thursday at 7 pm.
NCAA TOURNAMENT SWEET 16 – THURSDAY
No. 2 Purdue vs. No. 11 Texas – 6:10 pm on CBS
No. 4 Nebraska vs. No. 9 Iowa – 6:30 pm on TBS
No. 1 Arizona vs. No. 4 Arkansas – 8:45 pm on CBS
No. 2 Houston vs. No. 3 Illinois – 9 pm on TBS
NCAA TOURNAMENT SWEET 16 – FRIDAY
No. 1 Duke vs. No. 5 St. John’s – 6:10 pm on CBS
No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 4 Alabama – 6:35 pm on TBS
No. 2 UConn vs. No. 3 Michigan State – 8:45 pm on CBS
No. 2 Iowa State vs. No. 6 Tennessee – 9:10 pm on TBS
NFL
— The NFL is preparing for the possibility of replacement officials in the 2026 season, proposing a rule change for one season that would allow the replay center in New York to correct any “clear and obvious” mistakes by on-field officials in case of a work stoppage. The competition committee released its proposed rule changes for next season, including some small tweaks to the kickoff rule and allowing the replay center to eject players for flagrant acts on plays that were not penalized on the field. The changes will be considered by the owners at next week’s league meetings and would need to be approved by at least 24 of the 32 teams.
— QB Joe Flacco has agreed to terms to return to the Cincinnati Bengals, where he will serve as a backup for Joe Burrow. Flacco was dealt to the Bengals from the Cleveland Browns in October and made six starts for Cincinnati while Burrow was out with a toe injury. The 41-year-old Flacco played well despite going 1-5 as a starter with the Bengals. Flacco, who was Super Bowl MVP with Baltimore during the 2012 season, has played for the Broncos, Jets, Eagles, Jets again, Browns, Colts, Browns again and the Bengals.
— The Tennessee Titans say their new enclosed stadium in Nashville remains on schedule for completion in February 2027. Team officials report construction is progressing on the $2.1 billion stadium, with the goal of opening for the 2027 NFL season. The facility will feature a significantly larger locker room, upgraded player amenities, and expanded spaces for families and female coaching staff. For fans, the stadium will include major accessibility upgrades, with 44 escalators and 27 elevators to improve movement throughout the venue. Construction crews are preparing to install the stadium’s enclosed roof system this spring, with translucent panels expected to be in place by October.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
— North Carolina has parted ways with men’s basketball coach Hubert Davis after five seasons leading his alma mater. The school announced the decision Tuesday night, saying it had made “a leadership change” to end Davis’ tenure as successor to Hall of Fame coach Roy Williams. David led North Carolina to the national championship game his first season, but the final blow was Thursday’s first-round loss to VCU in the NCAA Tournament, where the Tar Heels blew a 19-point lead.
— The NCAA Tournament is drawing record audiences, with the opening week averaging 10.1 million viewers across CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV. That marks a 7% increase from last year, making it the most-watched first week in tournament history. The first round averaged 9.5 million viewers, while the second round jumped to 11 million, the highest since 1993. Sunday’s early prime-time window averaged nearly 20 million viewers, the largest audience ever for a first-week broadcast window.
WORLD CUP
— Soccer fan groups have filed a formal complaint with the European Commission accusing FIFA of unfair World Cup ticket pricing. Football Supporters Europe and Euro consumers claim FIFA abused its monopoly by charging as much as $8,600 for final tickets and using dynamic pricing, which they say drives up costs and limits access for fans. The groups also criticized a lack of transparency and resale practices, calling for price freezes and an end to dynamic pricing in future sales. FIFA says it hasn’t received the complaint but maintains ticket demand is extremely high and revenues are reinvested into the sport.
MLB
— The Chicago Cubs have locked up center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong with a reported six-year, $115 million contract. The deal begins in 2027 and could reach up to $133 million with incentives, making it one of the largest contracts ever for a player with significant team control remaining. Crow-Armstrong, 24, is coming off a breakout season that included 31 home runs, 95 RBIs and 35 stolen bases, along with a Gold Glove.
NBA
— Detroit guard Cade Cunningham’s eligibility for individual honors such as a spot on the All-NBA team is in some doubt because of the 65-game rule for such awards. The players’ association said Tuesday that shouldn’t be the case. The Players Association said it wants to see the rule that it agreed to through collective bargaining be amended. Cunningham has appeared in 61 games this season. He is expected to miss several more games while recovering from a collapsed lung. If he misses too many, he’ll fall short of the 65-game threshold.
— Philadelphia’s Paul George declined to get into the specifics of his failed drug test that landed him a 25-game suspension. George says he is mentally and physically ready to help the 76ers with their playoff push over the last 10 games of the season. George will play for the Sixers on Wednesday night against Chicago. George was suspended in late January for violating the terms of the NBA’s anti-drug program. He said Tuesday that his choice to take a banned substance was connected to a mental health issue that developed because of an offseason knee injury.
— The NBA could be taking a major step toward expansion, with team owners set to vote on a plan that would begin the process of adding franchises in Seattle and Las Vegas. If approved, the league would move forward in working with ownership groups interested in bringing teams to both cities, though expansion would still be years away, likely no earlier than the 2028-29 season. Seattle has been without a team since the SuperSonics relocated in 2008. Commissioner Adam Silver and players with Seattle ties have voiced strong support, calling both cities prime markets for future teams. Key details, including expansion fees, timelines and league realignment, would still need to be finalized if the process moves forward.
— Nikola Jokic had 23 points, 17 rebounds and tied a season high with 17 assists to lead the Denver Nuggets over the Phoenix Suns 125-123. Jokic made the go-ahead basket, knocking down a 12-foot jumper with 11 seconds left. Phoenix’s Devin Booker got a good look at a potential winning 3-pointer, but it bounced off the rim. Jokic had his NBA-leading 29th triple-double of the season.
— Donovan Mitchell scored 42 points as the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Orlando Magic 136-131. It is Mitchell’s sixth game with at least 40 points this season, tied for fourth-most in the league. Paolo Banchero had 36 points for Orlando, which has dropped six straight and dropped into a three-way tie with Charlotte and Miami for eighth place in the Eastern Conference.
— Jalen Brunson scored 32 points, including 15 in the fourth quarter, as the New York Knicks beat the New Orleans Pelicans 121-116 for their seventh straight victory. Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby each added 21 points for the Knicks, who pulled within percentage points of the Boston Celtics for second place in the Eastern Conference.
— Coby White made six of Charlotte’s franchise-tying 26 3-pointers and finished with 27 points as the Hornets routed the Sacramento Kings 134-90 for their fourth straight win. LaMelo Ball had 20 points on six 3s and Moussa Diabate added 17 points and 11 rebounds for the Hornets, who pulled within two games of the Atlanta Hawks for sixth place in the Eastern Conference.