NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – This week, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham honored the oldest living veteran in the country with the New Mexico Medal of Merit. James C. Flowers, born in 1915, served as a Tuskegee Airman, First Lieutenant, and pilot with the 99th Fighter Squadron in World War II. Officials presented Flowers with the medal and […]
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Iran has wielded crude as a cudgel on a scale unseen in decades, marking a new phase in the 21st-century competition for dominance.
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The UCLA Bruins and UConn Huskies are two of the most accomplished programs in the history of college basketball, and they’ll go head-to-head on Sunday in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament. UConn is 30-5 on the season and beat Furman 82-71 on Friday, while UCLA is 24-11 and edged out UCF in the first round 75-71. The Huskies are the No. 2 seed in the East Region, while UCLA is the No. 7 seed, and this is only the second time that the two programs have met in history, with UCLA winning a 1995 Elite Eight matchup 102-96.
Tipoff from the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia is at 8:45 p.m. ET. The Huskies are 4.5-point favorites in the latest UConn vs. UCLA odds, while the over/under is 137.5. Before making any UCLA vs. UConn picks, check out the UCLA vs. UConn predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every college basketball game 10,000 times. It entered the 2026 NCAA Tournament on a sizzling 11-1 run on its top-rated over/under college basketball picks dating back to last season, and is on a 28-22 run on top-rated CBB side picks.
Now, the model has simulated UConn vs. UCLA 10,000 times and just revealed its college basketball picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are several college basketball odds and college basketball lines for UCLA vs. UConn:
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UConn vs. UCLA spread: |
UConn -4.5 |
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UConn vs. UCLA over/under: |
137.5 points |
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UConn vs. UCLA money line: |
UConn -198, UCLA +165 |
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UConn vs. UCLA picks: |
See picks at SportsLine |
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UConn vs. UCLA TV: |
TNT |
After 10,000 simulations of UCLA vs. UConn, SportsLine’s model is going Over on the total (137.5 points). These two programs have combined for 17 national championships, but have only met once previously in the NCAA Tournament. The Bruins are coming off a matchup where they combined for 146 points while the Huskies hit 153 points in their first-round matchup.
On the season, both teams are 17-18 to the Under, but UConn games in particular have trended to the Over of late. Over has hit in 11 of the last 16 games the Huskies has played and the model predicts that it hits nearly 81% of the time on Sunday, with it projecting 148 combined points on average. You can get the spread pick at SportsLine.
Now, the model simulated every possession of UConn vs. UCLA 10,000 times and says one side of the spread hits nearly 60% of the time. You can only see that pick at SportsLine.
So who wins UConn vs. UCLA, and which side of the spread hits nearly 60% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the UCLA vs. UConn spread to back, all from the advanced model that just simulated this game 10,000 times, and find out.
President Donald Trump is threatening to send ICE agents into airports starting on Monday if Democrats don’t agree to fund the Department of Homeland Security, which has been partially shut down for more than a month due to stalled negotiations over immigration enforcement reforms.”If the Radical Left Democrats don’t immediately sign an agreement to let our Country, in particular, our Airports, be FREE and SAFE again, I will move our brilliant and patriotic ICE Agents to the Airports where they will do Security like no one has ever seen before, including the immediate arrest of all Illegal Immigrants who have come into our Country,” Trump wrote in a post on Saturday. The details of that plan were not immediately clear. Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, told CNN that planning discussions would happen later on Sunday. Homan said ICE is expected to assist with security at entrances and exits, but not in areas where they’re not trained, like passenger screenings. The announcement prompted swift backlash from Democrats. “Masked, armed police at travel checkpoints is a hallmark of dystopian movies,” said Rep. Bennie Thompson, the top Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee. “He is manufacturing chaos at airports for political leverage and trying to force Democrats to accept unaccountable secret police at security checkpoints around the country.” Airport security wait times have been growing since DHS funding lapsed more than a month ago. TSA agents are expected to work without pay until the partial shutdown ends, as is the case for other federal employees deemed “essential.” Others have been furloughed. Democrats are still demanding new restrictions on immigration enforcement before fully funding DHS, which is also home to ICE and Border Patrol. Those agencies haven’t been hit as hard by the funding lapse since Congress surged immigration enforcement funding as part of Trump’s megabill, which was signed into law last summer. Democrats have proposed moving forward with TSA funding while talks about reforming ICE continue, but Republicans rejected that approach Saturday as the Senate met for a rare weekend session.Meanwhile, there has been some movement on negotiations. A bipartisan group of lawmakers has been meeting in recent days, but no compromise has publicly emerged yet. Calls for reform ramped up after two U.S. citizens were fatally shot by federal immigration officers in Minneapolis as protesters pushed back on the president’s sweeping immigration crackdown. The Minnesota operation was in part motivated by allegations of fraud involving Somali residents. Trump said in his post on Saturday that ICE officers sent to airports would focus on arresting immigrants from Somalia who are in the United States illegally. The funding turbulence comes as DHS is also bracing for possible changes under new leadership. The Senate could vote as early as this week to confirm the president’s pick to take over the department, Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem was ousted from the role after her leadership faced criticism from both sides of the aisle. More Washington News Bureau coverage:
President Donald Trump is threatening to send ICE agents into airports starting on Monday if Democrats don’t agree to fund the Department of Homeland Security, which has been partially shut down for more than a month due to stalled negotiations over immigration enforcement reforms.
“If the Radical Left Democrats don’t immediately sign an agreement to let our Country, in particular, our Airports, be FREE and SAFE again, I will move our brilliant and patriotic ICE Agents to the Airports where they will do Security like no one has ever seen before, including the immediate arrest of all Illegal Immigrants who have come into our Country,” Trump wrote in a post on Saturday.
The details of that plan were not immediately clear. Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, told CNN that planning discussions would happen later on Sunday. Homan said ICE is expected to assist with security at entrances and exits, but not in areas where they’re not trained, like passenger screenings.
The announcement prompted swift backlash from Democrats.
“Masked, armed police at travel checkpoints is a hallmark of dystopian movies,” said Rep. Bennie Thompson, the top Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee. “He is manufacturing chaos at airports for political leverage and trying to force Democrats to accept unaccountable secret police at security checkpoints around the country.”
Airport security wait times have been growing since DHS funding lapsed more than a month ago. TSA agents are expected to work without pay until the partial shutdown ends, as is the case for other federal employees deemed “essential.” Others have been furloughed.
Democrats are still demanding new restrictions on immigration enforcement before fully funding DHS, which is also home to ICE and Border Patrol. Those agencies haven’t been hit as hard by the funding lapse since Congress surged immigration enforcement funding as part of Trump’s megabill, which was signed into law last summer.
Democrats have proposed moving forward with TSA funding while talks about reforming ICE continue, but Republicans rejected that approach Saturday as the Senate met for a rare weekend session.
Meanwhile, there has been some movement on negotiations. A bipartisan group of lawmakers has been meeting in recent days, but no compromise has publicly emerged yet.
Calls for reform ramped up after two U.S. citizens were fatally shot by federal immigration officers in Minneapolis as protesters pushed back on the president’s sweeping immigration crackdown.
The Minnesota operation was in part motivated by allegations of fraud involving Somali residents. Trump said in his post on Saturday that ICE officers sent to airports would focus on arresting immigrants from Somalia who are in the United States illegally.
The funding turbulence comes as DHS is also bracing for possible changes under new leadership. The Senate could vote as early as this week to confirm the president’s pick to take over the department, Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem was ousted from the role after her leadership faced criticism from both sides of the aisle.
More Washington News Bureau coverage:
The first half of the Sweet 16 is set, with 16 teams playing for one of the final eight tickets to the second weekend of the 2026 men’s NCAA tournament as the second round continues Sunday.
ESPN’s college basketball reporters Jeff Borzello and Myron Medcalf detail the keys to each team advancing.
All times Eastern.
12:10 p.m., CBS
How Purdue can advance to the Sweet 16: Purdue can win if Braden Smith (26 points, 8 assists against Queens) controls the pace of the matchup and its frontcourt gets the upper hand over Miami’s frontcourt. Over the past five games, Trey Kaufman-Renn (25 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists) has averaged 17.4 points and 7.4 rebounds. That inside-outside threat was the catalyst for a run to the Big Ten tournament title game. Add Fletcher Loyer‘s sharpshooting, and the Boilermakers can beat anyone — they’re a tough team to stall with their size inside and Smith’s ability to dictate the flow of any game. In their last loss this season, Wisconsin made 18 3-pointers. Miami doesn’t present a similar threat in this matchup. — Myron Medcalf
How Miami can advance to the Sweet 16: Jai Lucas has already orchestrated one of the biggest turnarounds in Division I basketball this season. A win over Purdue and a Sweet 16 appearance would be another achievement in a remarkable first season at the helm, but it won’t come easily. Malik Reneau will have to be the best player on the court to give Miami — a team that doesn’t have wins against any national title contenders — a chance to win. The Hurricanes will also have to pressure Smith and play disciplined in the paint. Even if they do just that, though, they’ll still need Reneau, Tre Donaldson and Shelton Henderson to match — or exceed — whatever Smith, Kaufman-Renn and Loyer bring. This is the kind of game where Miami’s best players will have to be better than Purdue’s. — Medcalf
0:17
Malik Reneau hits a clutch 3-pointer
Miami’s Malik Reneau lets it fly from deep.
2:45 p.m., CBS
How Iowa State can advance to the Sweet 16: Even with Joshua Jefferson unlikely to play, Iowa State has enough to beat Kentucky. The Cyclones have the individual perimeter defenders to slow down the trio of Otega Oweh, Collin Chandler and Denzel Aberdeen — particularly Tamin Lipsey and Killyan Toure — and could have success forcing turnovers. Kentucky also doesn’t have an answer for Milan Momcilovic, who has a case to make as the best shooter in the country and stands at 6-foot-8. The Wildcats will likely have to guard him with 6-4 Oweh or 6-5 Chandler, so Momcilovic should have the edge there. Without Jefferson, TJ Otzelberger could opt to go with a smaller lineup that features Momcilovic at the 4, which might create a tougher individual matchup but would also space out the Kentucky defense and remove some of its shot-blockers from the paint. — Jeff Borzello
How Kentucky can advance to the Sweet 16: It starts with taking care of the ball. Iowa State thrives when it can force turnovers and get out in transition for easy baskets. The Cyclones are fourth in the country in defensive turnover percentage and in points off turnovers per game. Kentucky was 12th in the SEC in turnover percentage, although the Wildcats have tightened things up lately, giving it away just 46 times in their last five games. Still, they’ve had issues against teams applying aggressive ball pressure, including against Vanderbilt and Texas A&M, the most turnover-prone defenses in the SEC. They will also need to make shots from the perimeter — they shoot better than 37% from 3 in wins compared to just 29% in losses. Iowa State can guard the 3, but Kentucky’s trio of Oweh, Chandler and Aberdeen have to get going. — Borzello
5:15 p.m., CBS
How Kansas can advance to the Sweet 16: Flory Bidunga has to be the key for Kansas against St. John’s. He will have his hands full against Zuby Ejiofor, one of the best two-way big men in the country, but Bidunga has held his own in matchups against Motiejus Krivas and JT Toppin. Bidunga has also struggled mightily in other big games, five points and four points in two games against Houston, two points against Arizona and eight points against North Carolina, and his win/loss splits are telling. In Kansas’ wins, Bidunga averages 15.1 points and shoots better than 70% from the field. In losses, he averages 9.9 points and shoots 50.6% from the field. Defensively, the Jayhawks have to keep St. John’s out of transition and force the Red Storm to make perimeter shots. They ranked near the bottom of the Big East in 3-point attempt rate and percentage of points from 3s. Their 10 3s against Northern Iowa was the first time they made double-digit 3s in a game since Jan. 10. — Borzello
How St. John’s can advance to the Sweet 16: The biggest edge St. John’s will have against Kansas is on the offensive glass. The Red Storm are one of the most effective offensive rebounding teams in the country, ranking 17th nationally in second-chance points per game. Kansas, meanwhile, was one of the worst defensive rebounding teams in the Big 12, allowing opponents to rebound nearly 32% of their misses. Ejiofor and Dillon Mitchell should get extra possessions for the Red Storm. With the exception of the drubbing at UConn in late February, St. John’s defense has been operating at an incredibly high level for several weeks. The Red Storm have allowed their past five opponents to make an average of just 3.4 3-pointers per game. — Borzello
6:10 p.m., TNT
How Virginia can advance to the Sweet 16: This isn’t Tony Bennett’s team anymore. The Cavaliers knock down 3s and also score with a rugged game in the paint. They also have a top-25 defense. They’ll need all of those tools against Tennessee, which is No. 1 in the country in offensive rebounding rate. They can’t allow the Vols to dominate with second-chance points, and the Cavaliers are equipped to do that thanks to a top-five defense inside the arc. They’ll also have to limit the touches of projected NBA draft lottery pick Nate Ament. Tennessee is 2-3 in its past five games when he shoots nine or fewer shots inside the arc. They also have to pressure Ja’Kobi Gillespie (11 turnovers in the past four losses). The Cavaliers’ 3-point barrage must continue after Virginia made 13 against Wright State. The Cavaliers probably can’t win without a big game from Thijs De Ridder, but they will struggle if they go cold from the 3-point line. — Medcalf
How Tennessee can advance to the Sweet 16: Rick Barnes’ team ended Miami (Ohio)’s fairy tale Friday. The Volunteers outscored Travis Steele’s squad 40-16 in the paint to advance — and they did it despite projected NBA draft lottery pick Ament going 0-for-3 in the game. The Vols will need Ament to look more like the player who scored 27 points in an SEC tournament win over Auburn to reach the Sweet 16. Ja’Kobi Gillespie continues to make this group soar. If he gets to his spots, Ament plays to his potential and the Vols dominate the offensive glass, they will have the offensive tools to win. But nearly 50% of Virginia’s field goal attempts are 3-pointers, and the Cavaliers are a top-10 offensive rebounding team. They can play Tennessee’s game, too. The Vols will have to play it better. — Medcalf
7:10 p.m., TBS
How Florida can advance to the Sweet 16: Florida’s game prep will focus on stopping Bennett Stirtz and getting the ball out of his hands. Stirtz is a high-usage point guard, and Ben McCollum’s system revolves around him having a hand in nearly every possession. Boogie Fland has really developed as a defender this season and will likely be tasked with guarding Stirtz. The rest of Florida’s plan will be about imposing its will. The Gators are bigger and more athletic than Iowa, and they’re elite on defense. If they can speed the game up and make Iowa uncomfortable, it’s hard to picture the Hawkeyes keeping up. Iowa hasn’t played a game with more than 70 possessions this season; Florida averages 70.7 possessions per game, per KenPom. — Borzello
0:39
No. 1 Florida vs. No. 9 Iowa game preview
Check out some stats on the matchup between Florida and Iowa in the NCAA men’s tournament.
How Iowa can advance to the Sweet 16: On paper, Iowa is in for a tough night down low against Florida. The Gators have one of the most dominant frontcourts in the country, ranking second nationally in paint points per game and third in second-chance points per game. They also lead the country in offensive rebounds per game. Iowa doesn’t block shots and allows opponents to shoot 56.5% inside the arc in Big Ten play, but the Hawkeyes played a frontcourt with comparable size and ability when they faced Michigan earlier this month. And though they lost, they held their own up front, outscoring the Wolverines in the paint and scoring more second-chance points. Can the Hawkeyes repeat the feat against Florida? Iowa will also have to get the game at its preferred pace, one of the slowest in the country, forcing the Gators to play in the halfcourt more than they would like. — Borzello
7:50 p.m., truTV
How Arizona can advance to the Sweet 16: Arizona doesn’t have to tweak anything to its game plan to reach its third consecutive Sweet 16. Big 12 Player of the Year Jaden Bradley scored just seven points against LIU on Friday, and the Wildcats still put up 92 points. If they continue to rely on that depth, they’ll be difficult to stop; five Arizona players scored at least eight points in the win over Long Island. Plus, the Wildcats, who have been criticized after making just 33% of their 3-point attempts in Big 12 play, have made 39% of their shots from beyond the arc over their current 10-game winning streak. They’re different now. To stop Utah State’s offense, Arizona will have to defend well against numerous ball screens that put MJ Collins Jr. and Mason Falslev in positions to score. The Aggies will probably attack 7-foot-2 Arizona center Motiejus Krivas more than anyone else on those ball screens, and attempt to use their speed to set up big plays for their top guards. Utah State will need a magical effort to beat Arizona. — Medcalf
How Utah State can advance to the Sweet 16: Utah State will need another clutch effort from Collins and Falslev — one of the best guard duos in America who combined for 42 points against Villanova — to advance past Arizona, a team with just two losses. In the second half of Friday’s game, the pair got hot thanks in part because of off-ball screens and backdoor cuts to the basket. They have to find their spots to have a chance against Arizona, too. On defense, the Aggies could follow two blueprints against Arizona: Kansas refused to relent to Arizona’s bruising frontcourt, and Texas Tech needed a combination of 31 points from JT Toppin and perimeter pressure that held the Wildcats to a 4-for-16 clip from 3. But the Wildcats are diverse, so Utah State will need 6-foot-10 Zach Keller and 6-foot-9 Adlan Elamin to protect the paint. The Aggies will also need their guards to limit an Arizona team that has been hot from beyond the arc in recent weeks. — Medcalf
8:45 p.m., TNT
How UConn can advance to the Sweet 16: UConn can win most of its matchups in this game, even if Silas Demary Jr. is unavailable. Solo Ball can create shots off the dribble, Alex Karaban is a threat on the perimeter as a 38.6% 3-point shooter, Tarris Reed Jr. just finished with 31 points and 27 rebounds in the win over Furman, and Braylon Mullins is a first-round NBA prospect. The Huskies have dealt with efficiency issues and turnovers in recent weeks, but if they can play with more rhythm, they can beat any team in the country. If Tyler Bilodeau returns, however, their bigs — including Reed — will be challenged to defend in space. Still, a Huskies team with wins over Florida, BYU and St. John’s has overcome more star power than UCLA has on its roster. UConn can keep things simple and win. — Medcalf
0:52
No. 7 UCLA vs. No. 2 UConn game preview
Check out some stats on the matchup between UCLA and UConn in the NCAA men’s tournament.
How UCLA can advance to the Sweet 16: It would help if Bilodeau returned. The 6-foot-9 star is UCLA’s best 3-point shooter — he spaces the floor for the Bruins in a unique manner that balances their offense. Against UConn, his presence would be a difference-maker because of his size and talent. Without him, the Bruins have to work harder to find open looks against a UConn squad with a top-15 defense. And Donovan Dent, who was 4-for-17 from the field against UCF, can’t be a spectator in this game. He was one of the most coveted transfers in the portal during the offseason. He has to play to his ceiling to help UCLA beat a team that has won two of the past three national titles.
On defense, Xavier Booker will have the responsibility of containing Reed, who just finished with 31 points and 27 rebounds in a win over Furman. If the 6-foot-11 Booker can’t slow down Reed, UCLA won’t have a chance. The Bruins should also look to exploit UConn’s ballhandling woes — the Huskies have committed 79 turnovers in their past six games — especially if Demary is out again. — Medcalf
9:45 p.m., TBS
How Alabama can advance to the Sweet 16: Similar to Tech’s keys, Alabama has to win the perimeter battle. The Crimson Tide shoot the ball at an incredible volume from beyond the arc, but are not quite as accurate as the Red Raiders — and the Tide have lost four of the six games in which they have made fewer than 10 3s. Moreover, Alabama’s 3-point defense is far worse than Texas Tech’s 3-point defense. Without Aden Holloway, Alabama has fewer players who can get their own shot off the dribble, making the Crimson Tide more reliant on Labaron Philon Jr. to have another big game. As one of the elite playmakers and shotmakers in the sport, Philon is likely up for the task. But he’ll be facing a fellow All-American and first-round pick in Christian Anderson. Who wins that matchup? That’s the key. — Borzello
How Texas Tech can advance to the Sweet 16: Texas Tech is one of the few teams in America that can keep up with Alabama from the perimeter. Though the Crimson Tide lead the country in 3-point attempt rate and made 3-pointers per game, the Red Raiders aren’t far behind — they’re third nationally in 3-point shooting percentage and fifth in made 3-pointers per game. They’ve leaned into it even more since JT Toppin suffered a season-ending right knee injury, with a 3-point attempt rate above 51% in four of its past five games. At the other end, can Tech keep Philon from getting into the lane at will? He is a bit bigger than Anderson, but Donovan Atwell has shown promise as an individual defender and could draw the assignment. — Borzello
ISTANBUL — A natural gas explosion in Istanbul’s central Fatih district brought down two buildings on Sunday.
Search and rescue personnel were immediately dispatched to the site of the noon explosion, and determined nine people were caught under the rubble.
Istanbul Governor Davut Gul said they had recovered seven people, who are undergoing treatment in nearby hospitals. State-run news channel TRT reported an eighth has also been recovered and sent to hospital. Rescue operations are still working to find the final person.
TRT reports that none of the survivors is in critical condition.
One of the collapsed buildings was two stories, the other one.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – The community is giving back to families in need Saturday by donating clothes. This weekend is the return of the annual Recyclothes Donation Drive. This is Locker 505’s 15th year putting on this clothing drive. The event gave people the opportunity to donate gently used clothing, along with new makeup kits, new […]
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Vince Gill says it was a “hard yes” to speak and sing at the Kennedy Center Honors in late 2025, despite the fact that the venue has become a controversial one during U.S. President Donald Trump’s second term.
The reason why he was so willing to play the event had nothing to do with politics. He was there to tribute his longtime friend and one of the night’s honorees, George Strait.
Read More: Garth Brooks Attended the Kennedy Center Honors, But It’s Not What You Think
“George has been my friend for 43 years and I did it for George,” Gill explains during a new appearance on Rolling Stone’s Nashville Now podcast.
Gill had the honor of speaking on Strait’s behalf. Later on in the night, he’d sing Strait’s “Troubadour,” becoming one of three to perform during the tribute (Brooks & Dunn and Miranda Lambert also sang for Strait.)
Read More: George Strait Accepts Kennedy Center Honors Medal From Pres. Trump
Several artists have turned down performance slots at the Kennedy Center in recent years due to changes in the venue from Trump’s administration. But Gill says he didn’t want to highlight that controversy.
“I’m not gonna try to make a point. I’m not gonna try to encourage anybody else to think like I do. You don’t see me out there stumping for anybody,” the singer reflected.
Gill didn’t directly name Trump in his interview with Rolling Stone, but he made it clear who he was talking about — and that he’s not a huge fan of the administration.
“I don’t have very much respect for the kind of person you’re talking about,” the singer said. “And I’m not a political guy. I’m not gonna run somebody down. It’s not in my way to do that.”
“I met the man twice and was completely uninspired,” Gill continued. “I just can’t fathom treating people that way on any level.”
Those changes have brought backlash from artists and those formally involved with the center. Shonda Rimes, Ben Folds, Issa Rae and Renée Fleming are among those who have resigned from roles or canceled Kennedy Center events in response.
Read More: 20 Country Songs Turning 20 Years Old in 2026
Trump announced the 2025 honorees in August, saying that he was “about 98 percent involved” in choosing this year’s crop, and adding that he “turned down” several artists in consideration because they were “too woke.”
That’s a change from previous years, as Kennedy Center honorees have historically been selected by a committee.
Gill says he doesn’t fall fully on either side of the spectrum, admitting that “you can call me woke, you can call me Bible-thumper, you can call me all those things and I think a lot of them are true.”
He doesn’t speak publicly about his politics very often. “The moment you do, you p–s off half the people right away,” the singer points out.
Vince Gill George Strait Kennedy Center Honors
“And it’s not that I’m afraid…but it’s not part of my DNA to draw attention to myself, so I stay out of the fray,” Gill continues. “I want people to be kind to each other.”
He stressed that that kindness is what’s really important, and says that it would solve quite a bit of the current cultural divide between right and left.
“Both sides are equally as ugly to me, and deserve a good bit of the reason why it is the way it is,” Gill adds. “Kindness would cure it all.”
Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes
The moves by the financial technology company are meant to shore up a sagging stock price as investors worry AI will degrade software providers’ businesses.
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