EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — Doña Ana County Fire Rescue crews battled a house fire early Friday morning, March 21 in the Las Alturas area, the County said in a news release. Firefighters from both DAFR and Las Cruces Fire were dispatched just before 3:30 a.m. to the 4500 block of Mockingbird Street, following reports […]
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Actor and martial arts legend Chuck Norris is dead. The 86-year-old died on Thursday morning (March 19) after a brief hospitalization.
Norris’ family shared the news on social media. A photo and caption remembers him as not only a martial artist, actor and symbol of strength, but, “a devoted husband, a loving father and grandfather, an incredible brother, and the heart of our family.”
While our hearts are broken, we are deeply grateful for the life he lived and for the unforgettable moments we were blessed to share with him. The love and support he received from fans around the world meant so much to him, and our family is truly thankful for it. To him, you were not just fans, you were his friends.
We know many of you had heard about his recent hospitalization, and we are truly grateful for the prayers and support you sent his way.
As we grieve this loss, we kindly ask for privacy for our family during this time.
“Please know that he was surrounded by his family and was at peace,” Norris’ family says.
On Thursday, TMZ was first to share that Norris had been hospitalized in Hawaii, but the celebrity news outlet’s report indicated he was in good spirits.
The actor was in Kaui, and reportedly went to the hospital on Wednesday for an undisclosed medical emergency. It’s now clear that around the time of this report, Norris actually died.
The news and Norris’ death comes just days after his 86th birthday (March 10). On that day he shared a post on social media where he looked strong. In fact he was boxing someone, and getting the best of his opponent. Later he’d boast about his health.
“I don’t age. I level up,” Norris wrote in the caption. “I’m 86 today! Nothing like some playful action on a sunny day to make you feel young. I’m grateful for another year, good health and the chance to keep doing what I love.”
Related: Remembering the Country Artists Who Died In 2026
This context makes the death of Chuck Norris seem quite sudden, a point confirmed by family in the announcement. “It is with heavy hearts that our family shares the sudden passing of our beloved Chuck Norris yesterday morning,” the note begins.
The author goes on to write that they’ll keep the circumstances of his death private, meaning at this point Norris’ cause of death is unknown.
After serving in the United States Air Force for four years (1958-62), Chuck Norris began an acting career in the late 1960s. A 1972 role in Bruce Lee’s The Way of the Dragon was his first major role, but in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s he’d become a star in movies such as Good Guys Wear Black, A Force of One and Lone Wolf McQuade.
Screen Archives, Getty Images
Throughout the ‘80s, Norris was an American action hero in films such as Firewalker and the Delta Force. The Missing In Action trilogy was among his most successful roles during a time that led up to his most famous part.
In 1993, Norris took the titular role of the CBS action series, Walker, Texas Ranger. As Sergeant Cordell Walker, he led the Texas Rangers in fighting crime for eight years. It was a ratings winner for the network and a vehicle for several spinoffs and cameo appearances.
His final film role to date was Agent Recon (2024). Over the last 20 years he often appeared as himself, most memorable in the movie Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story.
In addition to his wife Gena (m. 1998), Norris leaves behind his children Mike, Dina, Eric, Daniel and Dakota.
So far in 2026, country fans have mourned the deaths of a few of their favorite musicians and other large-looming figures of pop culture. Keep reading to remember the singers, musicians, actors and other notable figures we’ve lost so far this year.
Gallery Credit: Carena Liptak
Purdue senior guard Braden Smith broke the men’s NCAA Division I record for career assists in the first half of an eventual 104-71 win over No. 15 seed Queens University on Friday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Smith passed former Duke star Bobby Hurley after finding Trey Kaufman-Renn for a bucket with 12:11 remaining in the first half for the 1,077th assist in his career. He set the record after tying it minutes before, after dishing out an assist to big man Oscar Cluff.
Smith now has 1,083 assists and counting during what will be his final season of college basketball after finishing with eight in the blowout win. The No. 2 seed Boilermakers face either No. 10 seed Missouri or No. 7 seed Miami in the second round on Sunday.
Smith, a four-year player at Purdue, has become a rarity in the modern college basketball landscape because he stayed at the same school for the entirety of his career. He is averaging a career-high 9.1 assists per game this season, which surpassed his mark of 8.7 assists per game last year. He dished out 11 assists during Purdue’s win over Michigan in last weekend’s Big Ten title game.
Since arriving ahead of the 2022-23 campaign, Smith has been a major building block for the program. During the 2023-24 season, he helped Purdue reach the Final Four for the first time in 44 years, serving as a co-star next to former national player of the year Zach Edey.
| Rank | Player | Team (Years) | Total Assists |
| 1 | Braden Smith | Purdue (2022–present) | 1,083-x |
| 2 | Bobby Hurley | Duke (1989–1993) | 1,076 |
| 3 | Chris Corchiani | NC State (1987–1991) | 1,038 |
| 4 | Ed Cota | North Carolina (1996–2000) | 1,030 |
| 5 | Jason Brickman | LIU Brooklyn (2010–2014) | 1,009 |
| 6 | Keith Jennings | East Tennessee State (1987–1991) | 983 |
| 7 | Steve Blake | Maryland (1999–2003) | 972 |
| 8 | Sherman Douglas | Syracuse (1985–1989) | 960 |
| 9 | Tony Miller | Marquette (1991–1995) | 956 |
| 10 | Aaron Miles | Kansas (2001–2005) | 954 |
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Hurley, a four-year player at Duke under coach Mike Krzyzewski, won two national titles with the program in 1991 and 1992 and was named Final Four Most Outstanding Player in 1992. He held the all-time assist record for almost 33 years before Smith was able to break it during the NCAA Tournament.
A Russian drone strike on the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia killed at least two people and wounded two children Saturday, a regional official said, as a Ukrainian delegation headed to the United States for talks aimed at restarting stalled peace negot…
KYIV, Ukraine — A Russian drone attack on the city of Zaporizhzhia killed at least two people, a Ukrainian official said, ahead of expected U.S.-Ukraine talks.
Zaporizhzhia regional head Ivan Fedorov said a man and a woman were killed and two children wounded when a Russian drone hit a private house on Saturday morning.
The attack came ahead of expected U.S.-Ukraine talks, which Ukrainian state media reported would take place later in the day in Miami.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said late Thursday he had sent an official delegation to the United States in a bid to move forward suspended U.S.-brokered talks on ending Russia’s invasion.
Trilateral talks involving Russia, which have yet to produce any breakthrough on key issues, have been on ice while the Iran war has dominated international attention.
The White House did not confirm any meeting with the Ukrainian delegation.
Zelenskyy said the main tasks in the U.S. will be to ensure that the trilateral talks resume and that Washington continues to allow other NATO countries to purchase American weapons to send to Ukraine.
A senior Kremlin official indicated Friday that a new round of U.S.-mediated negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv will likely take place soon.
“The pause is temporary, we hope it’s temporary regarding the continuation of the trilateral format,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
Western European officials have over the past year repeatedly accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of dragging his feet in negotiations while he tries to press his bigger army’s battlefield initiative and capture more Ukrainian land. Russian forces hold nearly 20% of Ukraine.
The latest conflict in the Middle East that began Feb. 28 with Israeli and U.S. strikes on Iran has diverted international attention from Ukraine’s plight.
At the same time, Russia is getting a financial windfall from a temporary U.S. waiver on oil sanctions, while Ukraine is desperately short of cash and still waiting for a 90-billion-euro ($103 billion) loan promised by the European Union.
___
Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
U.S. President Donald Trump said he was considering “winding down” military operations in the Middle East even as the United States is sending three more amphibious assault ships and roughly 2,500 additional Marines to the region.Trump’s post Friday on social media followed an Iranian threat to attack recreational and tourist sites worldwide and another day of the airstrikes and drone and missile attacks that have engulfed the region.The mixed messages from the United States came after another climb in oil prices plunged the U.S. stock market, and was followed by a Trump administration announcement it was lifting sanctions on Iranian oil already loaded on ships, a move aimed at wrangling soaring fuel prices.The 3-week-old war has shown no signs of abating, with Israel saying Iran continued to fire missiles at it early Saturday, while Saudi Arabia said it downed 20 drones in just a couple of hours in the country’s eastern region, which is home to major oil installations.The attacks came a day after Israeli airstrikes hit in Tehran as Iranians celebrated the Persian New Year, known as Nowruz, a normally festive holiday that has been muted by the war.Trump says US near completion of its goalsThe U.S. and Israel have offered shifting rationales for the war, from hoping to foment an uprising that topples Iran’s leadership to eliminating its nuclear and missile programs. There have been no public signs of any such uprising and no end to the war in sight.On social media, Trump said, “We are getting very close to meeting our objectives as we consider winding down our great Military efforts in the Middle East.”That seemed at odds with his administration’s move to bolster its firepower in the region and request another $200 billion from Congress to fund the war.The United States is deploying three more amphibious assault ships and roughly 2,500 additional Marines to the Middle East, an official told The Associated Press. Two other U.S. officials confirmed that ships were deploying, without saying where they were headed. All three spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military operations.Days earlier the U.S. redirected another group of amphibious assault ships carrying another 2,500 Marines from the Pacific to the Middle East. The Marines will join more than 50,000 U.S. troops already in the region.Trump has said he has no plans to send ground forces into Iran but also has asserted that he retains all options.Iran threatens attacks beyond the Middle EastIran’s top military spokesperson, Gen. Abolfazl Shekarchi, warned Friday that “parks, recreational areas and tourist destinations” worldwide will not be safe for the country’s enemies. The threat renewed concerns that Tehran may revert to using militant attacks beyond the Middle East as a pressure tactic.Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei praised Iranians’ steadfastness in the face of war in a written statement read on Iranian television to mark Nowruz. Khamenei has not been seen in public since he became supreme leader following Israeli strikes that killed his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and reportedly wounded him.With little information coming out of Iran, it was not clear how much damage its arms, nuclear or energy facilities have sustained in the punishing U.S. and Israeli strikes, which began Feb. 28 — or even who was truly in charge of the country. But Iran’s attacks are still choking off oil supplies and raising food and fuel prices far beyond the Middle East.Israel continues wave of strikes against Hezbollah militantsThe Israeli military said early Saturday that it began a wave of strikes targeting Iran-backed Hezbollah militants in Beirut’s southern suburbs.Smoke was seen rising, fires broke out and loud explosions were heard across parts of central Beirut, hours after the Israeli army renewed evacuation warnings for seven neighborhoods.Israeli strikes targeting Hezbollah in Lebanon have killed more than 1,000 people and displaced more than 1 million, according to the Lebanese government.More than 1,300 people have been killed in Iran during the war. In Israel, 15 people have been killed by Iranian missiles and four others have died in the occupied West Bank. At least 13 U.S. military members have been killed.US pauses sanctions on Iranian oilBrent crude oil, the international standard, has soared during the fighting and was around $106 per barrel, up from roughly $70 before the war.The newly announced U.S. pause in sanctions applies to Iranian oil loaded on ships as of Friday and is set to end April 19.The new move does not increase the flow of production, a central factor in the surging prices. Iran has managed to evade U.S. sanctions for years, suggesting that much of what it exports already reaches buyers.Looking for ways to boost global oil supplies during the Iran war, the Trump administration has previously paused sanctions on certain Russian oil shipments for 30 days, which critics said rewarded Moscow while having only a modest effect on markets.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he was considering “winding down” military operations in the Middle East even as the United States is sending three more amphibious assault ships and roughly 2,500 additional Marines to the region.
Trump’s post Friday on social media followed an Iranian threat to attack recreational and tourist sites worldwide and another day of the airstrikes and drone and missile attacks that have engulfed the region.
The mixed messages from the United States came after another climb in oil prices plunged the U.S. stock market, and was followed by a Trump administration announcement it was lifting sanctions on Iranian oil already loaded on ships, a move aimed at wrangling soaring fuel prices.
The 3-week-old war has shown no signs of abating, with Israel saying Iran continued to fire missiles at it early Saturday, while Saudi Arabia said it downed 20 drones in just a couple of hours in the country’s eastern region, which is home to major oil installations.
The attacks came a day after Israeli airstrikes hit in Tehran as Iranians celebrated the Persian New Year, known as Nowruz, a normally festive holiday that has been muted by the war.
The U.S. and Israel have offered shifting rationales for the war, from hoping to foment an uprising that topples Iran’s leadership to eliminating its nuclear and missile programs. There have been no public signs of any such uprising and no end to the war in sight.
On social media, Trump said, “We are getting very close to meeting our objectives as we consider winding down our great Military efforts in the Middle East.”
That seemed at odds with his administration’s move to bolster its firepower in the region and request another $200 billion from Congress to fund the war.
The United States is deploying three more amphibious assault ships and roughly 2,500 additional Marines to the Middle East, an official told The Associated Press. Two other U.S. officials confirmed that ships were deploying, without saying where they were headed. All three spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military operations.
Days earlier the U.S. redirected another group of amphibious assault ships carrying another 2,500 Marines from the Pacific to the Middle East. The Marines will join more than 50,000 U.S. troops already in the region.
Trump has said he has no plans to send ground forces into Iran but also has asserted that he retains all options.
Iran’s top military spokesperson, Gen. Abolfazl Shekarchi, warned Friday that “parks, recreational areas and tourist destinations” worldwide will not be safe for the country’s enemies. The threat renewed concerns that Tehran may revert to using militant attacks beyond the Middle East as a pressure tactic.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei praised Iranians’ steadfastness in the face of war in a written statement read on Iranian television to mark Nowruz. Khamenei has not been seen in public since he became supreme leader following Israeli strikes that killed his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and reportedly wounded him.
With little information coming out of Iran, it was not clear how much damage its arms, nuclear or energy facilities have sustained in the punishing U.S. and Israeli strikes, which began Feb. 28 — or even who was truly in charge of the country. But Iran’s attacks are still choking off oil supplies and raising food and fuel prices far beyond the Middle East.
The Israeli military said early Saturday that it began a wave of strikes targeting Iran-backed Hezbollah militants in Beirut’s southern suburbs.
Smoke was seen rising, fires broke out and loud explosions were heard across parts of central Beirut, hours after the Israeli army renewed evacuation warnings for seven neighborhoods.
Israeli strikes targeting Hezbollah in Lebanon have killed more than 1,000 people and displaced more than 1 million, according to the Lebanese government.
More than 1,300 people have been killed in Iran during the war. In Israel, 15 people have been killed by Iranian missiles and four others have died in the occupied West Bank. At least 13 U.S. military members have been killed.
Brent crude oil, the international standard, has soared during the fighting and was around $106 per barrel, up from roughly $70 before the war.
The newly announced U.S. pause in sanctions applies to Iranian oil loaded on ships as of Friday and is set to end April 19.
The new move does not increase the flow of production, a central factor in the surging prices. Iran has managed to evade U.S. sanctions for years, suggesting that much of what it exports already reaches buyers.
Looking for ways to boost global oil supplies during the Iran war, the Trump administration has previously paused sanctions on certain Russian oil shipments for 30 days, which critics said rewarded Moscow while having only a modest effect on markets.
Darkthrone is celebrating 40 years of pretty much doing whatever the fuck they want with a new album called Pre-Historic Metal, due out May 8. It’s not black metal, but it’s definitely the closest thing to black metal we’ve gotten from the band in a while (or at least that one section toward the middle is). But I’m also a big fan of every Darkthrone era, so make up your own damn mind below.
“Prehistoric is a loose term. I just figure it’s our vibe – our take on things – and it’s more a statement that we use old styles to create something new,” said Fenriz of the new material.
Summarizing what the album represents, Fenriz explains: “It means that we are metal, with very loud guitars. ‘Frightfully barbaric but not without finesse,’ I call it. We collaborated in the studio more than ever – who’s playing what is still in a purple haze – but last but not least, it was a sort of hardening of the arteries. We decided to tighten the tourniquet and do eight effective songs brimming with riffs instead of the airy plodding we so much enjoy usually.”
Pre-Historic Metal was recorded at Chaka Khan Studios in Oslo, with production work conducted by Ole Øvstedal, Silje Høgevold, and Mads Luis. Mastering was carried out by Jack Control at Enormous Door and Maor Appelbaum Mastering.
Pre-orders are available here. You can also catch Darkthrone at one of their many tour dates below. Just kidding – that ain’t happening.
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The network news heads said challenging economics “made it impossible to continue the service.”
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Myron Medcalf
Multiple Authors
We’re back to rank the remaining 32 teams in the 2026 men’s NCAA tournament.
In past years, we called this a reseeding, but we’ve scrapped that approach to answer this question: Who are the best remaining teams in the field?
This season, the answer is complicated. Partially because we don’t know who will be available for the second round. Will Patrick Ngongba II return for Duke? What about Iowa State star Joshua Jefferson, who suffered an ankle injury early in Friday’s win over Tennessee State? Tyler Bilodeau missed UCLA’s victory over UCF in the opening round. UConn’s Silas Demary Jr. similarly sat out Friday. Alabama didn’t have an injury, but it did seem to take a step back without embattled star Aden Holloway as it advanced past Hofstra.
The next round also doesn’t look particularly chalky. The top four seeds in each region went 4-0 in the round of 64 for the second straight year and for the seventh time since expansion in 1985. But all four 9-seeds also advanced — the first time this has happened since 2019 and the sixth time overall in tournament history. And, we have a handful of double-digit seeds.
Still, based on what we know right now, and looking at the results from the opening round — and mostly the complete body of work for each team — we’ve produced these rankings.
See how the round of 32 was set:
Thursday | Friday
1. Arizona Wildcats
Original seed: No. 1 (West)
First-round result: Defeated No. 16 Long Island 92-58 (Friday)
Jaden Bradley, the Big 12 Player of the Year, scored just seven in Friday’s win over Long Island — and the Wildcats still had 92 points. Brayden Burries (18 points) and Koa Peat (15 points), a pair of NBA prospects, were two of five Zona players who had eight or more points, continuing their success as a balanced squad. Also of note: Tommy Lloyd’s squad is 39% from the 3-point line during its current 10-game winning streak.
Up next: vs. Utah State (Sunday, 7:50 p.m. ET, truTV)
2. Duke Blue Devils
Original seed: No. 1 overall (East)
First-round result: Defeated No. 16 Siena 71-65 (Thursday)
Cameron Boozer and his team were short-handed against Siena, and it showed. The Blue Devils became the first 1-seed in the history of the NCAA tournament to trail a 16-seed by double digits at halftime Thursday, per ESPN Research. They clearly missed Patrick Ngongba II‘s defense and Caleb Foster‘s 3-point shooting. But Boozer overpowered the Saints, finishing 13-for-14 from the free throw line in the win. The Blue Devils also held Siena to 8-for-34 shooting after halftime, with the same elite defense (second in adjusted efficiency on KenPom) that fueled wins this season over Kansas, Arkansas, Florida, Michigan and Michigan State.
Up next: vs. TCU (Saturday, 5:15 p.m. ET, CBS)
1:30
TCU set to face Duke in 2nd round of NCAA tournament
Check out some of the best highlights from TCU and Duke ahead of their round of 32 matchup in the NCAA tournament.
3. Florida Gators
Original seed: No. 1 (South)
First-round result: Defeated No. 16 Prairie View A&M 114-55 (Friday)
The Gators’ 39-point halftime advantage over Prairie View A&M is tied for the second largest lead at the break in NCAA tournament history, per ESPN Research. Their performance is also an extension of their near-flawless finish to the 2025-26 season. Florida has won 13 of its past 14 games, including 12 straight before a loss to Vanderbilt in the SEC tournament semifinal. Seven of those were won by 19 or more points, including a 100-77 win over Alabama on Feb. 1 and an 111-77 rout of Arkansas on Feb. 28. No team in America is playing better.
Up next: vs. Iowa (Sunday, 7:10 p.m. ET, TBS)
4. Michigan Wolverines
Original seed: No. 1 (Midwest)
First-round result: Defeated No. 16 Howard 101-80 (Thursday)
The Wolverines’ massive frontcourt was the anchor of a dominant season for Dusty May’s squad, which won the Big Ten regular-season title. On Thursday, those big stars were kept out of the lane by Howard’s zone. Once Michigan figured it out, though — with 7-foot-3 center Aday Mara playing over the top and dominating — it couldn’t be stopped. The Wolverines made 46% of their 3-point attempts. This season, they’ve only lost to a Wisconsin team that made 15 3-pointers, a Duke squad that was led by the national player of the year front-runner and a Purdue unit that made 60% of its shots inside the arc.
Up next: vs. Saint Louis (Saturday, 12:10 p.m. ET, CBS)
5. Houston Cougars
Original seed: No. 2 (South)
First-round result: Defeated No. 15 Idaho 78-47 (Thursday)
The Cougars’ win over Idaho in the opening round was more proof Houston can pummel opponents with its defensive pressure. The Vandals scored just 47 points (72 points per 100 possessions). Beyond their three-game losing streak in February (at Iowa State, vs. Kansas, at Arizona), the Cougars have played like a national championship contender a year after losing to Florida in the title game. Freshman Kingston Flemings (18 points, six rebounds, four assists, two steals against Idaho) seems capable of leading them back to the championship game.
Up next: vs. Texas A&M (Saturday, 6:10 p.m. ET, TNT)
6. Iowa State Cyclones
Original seed: No. 2 (Midwest)
First-round result: Defeated No. 15 Tennessee State 108-74 (Friday)
On the one hand, it’s admirable Iowa State managed to score 108 points in its win over Tennessee State, despite Joshua Jefferson playing only three minutes due to a sprained ankle. On the other hand, it’s hard to imagine Iowa State going on a deep run if Jefferson, the AP second-team All-American, who sat on the bench in a walking boot for the rest of the game, is unavailable. Per EvanMiya, the Cyclones have been 20.5 points per 100 possessions better this season with him on the floor. Without him, they’re a different team.
Up next: vs. Kentucky (Sunday, 2:45 p.m. ET, CBS)
7. Illinois Fighting Illini
Original seed: No. 3 (South)
First-round result: Defeated No. 14 Penn 105-70 (Thursday)
The best offensive team in the country might have exceeded its own expectations when it registered an unworldly 197 points per 100 possessions in the second half of its win over Penn in the first round. David Mirkovic scored 29 points and grabbed 17 rebounds, and Keaton Wagler, a second-team AP All-American, added 18 points. That game marked the ninth instance of the Illini scoring 90 or more points this season. If it wasn’t clear before, Illinois’ offense, at its best, can reach a level few teams in the field can match.
Up next: vs. VCU (Saturday, 7:50 p.m. ET, CBS)
8. Purdue Boilermakers
Original seed: No. 2 (West)
First-round result: Defeated No. 15 Queens University 104-71 (Friday)
On Dec. 6, following a lopsided home loss to Iowa State, many wrote Purdue off. There was no reason to believe otherwise as the season went on. In league play, Purdue — the AP preseason No. 1 team — was overshadowed by more compelling storylines at Michigan, Michigan State, Illinois and Nebraska. Yet, in their current five-game winning streak, a run that includes the Big Ten tournament title-game victory over Michigan, the Boilermakers have, finally, lived up to the preseason buzz. Trey Kaufman-Renn (17.2 PPG, 7.4 RPG in five games) is playing like an All-American again and Purdue has had the best offense in the country during that stretch.
Up next: vs. Miami (Sunday, 12:10 p.m. ET, CBS)
0:39
Braden Smith’s 26 points, 4 treys power Purdue win
Braden Smith scored 26 points, including four 3-pointers, to help Purdue defeat Queens University.
9. St. John’s Red Storm
Original seed: No. 5 (East)
First-round result: Defeated No. 12 Northern Iowa 79-53 (Friday)
Last year’s St. John’s team was the talk of New York City and even made an appearance on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.” But what if this version of Rick Pitino’s squad is even better? The metrics between the two teams might be comparable, but this group has an offensive chemistry that eluded last year’s team. Led by Zuby Ejiofor (16.3 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 2.1 BPG), the Johnnies won their 11th game Saturday by a margin of 20-plus points. They’ve been 37th in adjusted offensive efficiency during their current 20-1 streak too. Last year’s group was 74th overall.
Up next: vs. Kansas (Sunday, 5:15 p.m. ET, CBS)
10. UConn Huskies
Original seed: No. 2 (East)
First-round result: Defeated No. 15 Furman 82-71 (Friday)
With five minutes to go in its win over Furman in the opening round, the Huskies were in a five-point game. They still have the players to win their third national title in four years — a feat that hasn’t been achieved since John Wooden walked the sidelines at UCLA — but they didn’t get through the first round with the same excellence as the other contenders. They’re clearly a better team when Tarris Reed Jr. (31 points, 27 rebounds against Furman) takes over, especially with Silas Demary Jr. out Friday due to an ankle injury. They just haven’t looked like future champions in weeks.
Up next: vs. UCLA (Sunday, 8:45 p.m. ET, TNT)
11. Michigan State Spartans
Original seed: No. 2 (East)
First-round result: Defeated No. 15 Bryant 92-67 (Thursday)
The Spartans are led by one of America’s best point guards in Jeremy Fears Jr., who recorded seven points and 11 assists in the first round against North Dakota State on Thursday. It was the fifth time that Michigan State, which finished in a three-way tie for second place in the Big Ten race, scored 90 points or more this season. That offensive threshold is the result of Michigan State’s recent effectiveness from the 3-point line (50% from beyond the arc against NDSU). The Spartans have made 44% of their 3-point attempts over their past five games.
Up next: vs. Louisville (Saturday, 2:45 p.m. ET, CBS)
12. Arkansas Razorbacks
Original seed: No. 4 (West)
First-round result: Defeated No. 13 Hawai’i 97-78 (Thursday)
No player in the country has outperformed Darius Acuff Jr. over the past month. On Thursday, the 6-foot-3 point guard finished with 24 points (2-for-5 from beyond the arc) and seven assists — his fifth consecutive game with at least 24 points, five assists and two 3-pointers — against Hawai’i. But this team is also not just Acuff. Trevon Brazile and Meleek Thomas have been equally important contributors for an Arkansas squad that’s now won six games in a row, a run that includes the SEC tournament championship. During this streak, the Razorbacks have been 16th in adjusted offensive efficiency nationally and connected on 43% of their 3-point attempts.
Up next: vs. High Point (Saturday, 9:45 p.m., truTV/TBS)
13. Nebraska Cornhuskers
Original seed: No. 4 (South)
First-round result: Defeated No. 13 Troy 76-47 (Thursday)
Nebraska has the Big Ten’s best defense. That was evident in its victory over Troy, which also resulted in the Huskers’ first NCAA tournament win. These Trojans were not easy, either. In November, they scored 108 points in a double-overtime victory against San Diego State, a top-20 defensive team nationally. But on Thursday, they scored just 47 points and registered 77 points per 100 possessions against the Cornhuskers. Offensively, Pryce Sandfort (23 points) and his teammates connected on 34 3-pointers in their past three games, but the elite defense has been the story of their season.
Up next: vs. Vanderbilt (Saturday, 8:45 p.m., TNT)
14. Vanderbilt Commodores
Original seed: No. 5 (South)
First-round result: Defeated No. 12 McNeese 78-68 (Thursday)
The Commodores followed Tyler Tanner‘s lead again to beat a tough McNeese team. That has been the ongoing narrative for Vanderbilt. When Tanner (26 points on Thursday), a 6-foot point guard who is a projected first-round pick in the NBA draft, plays well his team usually wins. The Dores are 13-3 this season when he scores at least 20 points. The return of Duke Miles from a knee injury late last month has mattered, too: Vanderbilt has been seventh in adjusted offensive efficiency since he returned to help his team reach the SEC tournament title game and advance to the second round of the NCAA tournament.
Up next: vs. Nebraska (Saturday, 8:45 p.m., TNT)
15. Virginia Cavaliers
Original seed: No. 3 (Midwest)
First-round result: Defeated No. 14 Wright State 82-73 (Friday)
This Virginia team doesn’t look like the groups that were more methodical under Tony Bennett. In the Ryan Odom era, nearly half of the Cavaliers’ field goal attempts are 3-pointers, which might have seemed sacrilegious under the old guard. Yet, it works: Virginia took down Wright State on Friday after making 13 shots from beyond the arc. The Cavs also play a defense that’s allowed just one team (Miami) to exceed a 42% clip inside the arc over their past four games. Even Duke finished 17-for-40 from 2 against them in the ACC tournament. With Thijs De Ridder (double figures in nine of his past 10 games) and a strong defense, Virginia is a tough opponent for any team.
Up next: vs. Tennessee (Sunday, 6:10 p.m. ET, TNT)
16. Gonzaga Bulldogs
Original seed: No. 3 (West)
First-round result: Defeated No. 14 Kennesaw State 73-64 (Thursday)
The wins are not always pretty for Gonzaga, but they don’t have to be. This season, the Zags have won 31 games, a WCC tournament title and defeated teams such as Kentucky, Alabama and UCLA, all with a scrappy approach that relies on second-chance opportunities, elite defense and dominance in the paint. Graham Ike (19 points, eight rebounds against Kennesaw State) is the captain of the ship for Mark Few’s squad, which is ranked ninth nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency. But this is the worst 3-point shooting team (33.5%) Few has had at Gonzaga. The Bulldogs overcame a 3-for-18 clip from beyond the arc against the Owls on Thursday.
Up next: vs. Texas (Saturday, 7:10 p.m. ET, truTV/TBS)
17. Alabama Crimson Tide
Original seed: No. 3 (Midwest)
First-round result: Defeated No. 13 Hofstra 90-70 (Friday)
Nate Oats’ squad steamrolled a Hofstra team that had been a popular upset pick after star Aden Holloway was arrested on a felony drug charge Monday, removed from campus and separated from the team. Instead, Labaron Philon Jr. (29 points, eight rebounds, seven assists) proved he could carry the load without the team’s most impactful offensive player, per EvanMiya. However, Philon also had five turnovers. And Alabama missed 24 of its 36 3-point attempts. Holloway is their best 3-point shooter. The Crimson Tide can still overwhelm opponents with their scoring attack in this tournament, but they will miss Holloway as the level of competition rises.
Up next: vs. Texas Tech (Sunday, 9:45 p.m. ET, TBS)
18. Texas Tech Red Raiders
Original seed: No. 5 (Midwest)
First-round result: Defeated No. 12 Akron 91-71 (Friday)
Despite being without All-American JT Toppin, the Red Raiders remain one of America’s top 3-point shooting teams. They’ve also been third in adjusted offensive efficiency without Toppin — although they’re a sub-100 team defensively, per BartTorvik. That offensive strength gave them a boost when they scored 51 points in the second half against Akron. Jaylen Petty recorded a career-high 24 points, while Christian Anderson added 18. It is unknown if this team can reach the same heights without Toppin. But it is clearly a squad with second-weekend potential, even short-handed.
Up next: vs. Alabama (Sunday, 9:45 p.m. ET, TBS)
19. Kansas Jayhawks
Original seed: No. 4 (East)
First-round result: Defeated No. 13 California Baptist 68-60 (Friday)
We never remember teams when we talk about the NCAA tournament, only the stars. Carmelo Anthony in 2003. Kemba Walker in 2011. Anthony Davis in 2012. Jalen Brunson in 2018. For all its flaws, Kansas has a standout performer in Darryn Peterson (28 points against Cal Baptist on Friday), the most polarizing player in college basketball this season. But just when it felt safe to believe in the promise of Kansas, the Jayhawks surrendered an 18-2 run that allowed Cal Baptist to cut its deficit to six points late. (They, of course, survived and advanced.) We’ve seen the same movie with Kansas all season. And we’re still waiting for them to play 40 minutes of great basketball.
Up next: vs. St. John’s (Sunday, 5:15 p.m. ET, CBS)
20. Kentucky Wildcats
Original seed: No. 7 (Midwest)
First-round result: Defeated No. 10 Santa Clara 89-84 in overtime (Friday)
Friday’s win over Santa Clara featured the same chaos that’s defined Kentucky all season — topped by a tying, buzzer-beating 3-pointer from Otega Oweh near half court at the end of regulation. The Wildcats have been a mess despite their elite talent. But on Friday, Oweh, the preseason SEC Player of the Year, had a career-high 35 points, plus eight rebounds and seven assists. Denzel Aberdeen, who won a national title with Florida last year, had 16 points. Mouhamed Dioubate and Brandon Garrison, both four-star recruits in high school, combined for 27 points, 15 rebounds and nine blocks. The chemistry isn’t always obvious with this group — but it has the personnel to compete against any opponent.
Up next: vs. Iowa State (Sunday, 2:45 p.m. ET, CBS)
0:25
Santa Clara-Kentucky trade late 3s in wild sequence to force OT
Santa Clara’s Allen Graves and Kentucky’s Otega Oweh hit clutch 3-pointers to send the game to overtime.
21. Tennessee Volunteers
Original seed: No. 6 (Midwest)
First-round result: Defeated No. 11 Miami (Ohio) 78-56 (Friday)
The Vols stopped Miami (Ohio) on Friday even though Nate Ament, the 6-10 projected lottery pick, finished 0-for-3. Ja’Kobi Gillespie instead continued to be the catalyst with 29 points. The Vols are the top offensive rebounding team in the country and, for the past six weeks, have also been top-10 defensively. They did have a letdown of a 2-4 stretch before the NCAA tournament despite wins over Vanderbilt, Alabama and Tennessee. If they keep playing to their strengths, they can reach the second weekend.
Up next: vs. Virginia (Sunday, 6:10 p.m. ET, TNT)
22. Louisville Cardinals
Original seed: No. 6 (East)
First-round result: Defeated No. 11 South Florida 83-79 (Thursday)
Mikel Brown Jr., a projected first-round draft pick, missed his 13th game of the season Thursday and will miss his 14th on Saturday. So the team that showed up Thursday in the win over South Florida is the same one that’s played more than two-thirds of this season without its young star. The good news is the Cardinals are 8-5 without Brown, including Thursday. Isaac McKneely, J’Vonne Hadley and Ryan Conwell combined to score 51 points against South Florida and steady the ship, the way they have all season.
Up next: vs. Michigan State (Saturday, 2:45 p.m. ET, CBS)
23. Miami Hurricanes
Original seed: No. 7 (West)
First-round result: Defeated No. 10 Missouri 80-66 (Friday)
First-year head coach Jai Lucas led Miami back to the NCAA tournament for the first time in three years. When he arrived last offseason, he built his team around Malik Reneau, the 6-foot-9 forward who transferred from Indiana. On Friday, Reneau recorded 24 points, eight rebounds and three assists. The Hurricanes may not have secured a bunch of earth-shattering wins this season, but they were steady (top five in offensive and defensive efficiency in ACC play) all season. That was enough to advance to the next round.
Up next: vs. Purdue (Sunday, 12:10 p.m. ET, CBS)
24. UCLA Bruins
Original seed: No. 7 (East)
First-round result: Defeated No. 10 UCF 75-71 (Friday)
The Bruins missed Tyler Bilodeau (17.6 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 46% from beyond the arc) when he was out against UCF on Friday due to a knee injury. As a result, they had to hold off a tough Big 12 squad in the final minutes. It wasn’t a fan-friendly affair: The Bruins missed a lot of shots. But they also forced 17 turnovers. Eric Dailey Jr. (20 points) was one of four UCLA players in double figures. If anything, the Bruins proved that, despite missing their best player, they can play the suffocating defense they’ll need to see the second weekend of the NCAA tournament. They’ll hope Bilodeau can return though.
Up next: vs. UConn (Sunday, 8:45 p.m. ET, TNT)
25. Saint Louis Billikens
Original seed: No. 9 (Midwest)
First-round result: Defeated No. 8 Georgia 102-77 (Thursday)
After winning 24 of its first 25 games, Saint Louis seemed to hit a wall in the final weeks of the regular season, finishing 4-4. Still, the Billikens’ body of work always suggested they were a team with an offense capable of dominance. We witnessed the latter Josh Schertz’s team registered 128 points per 100 possessions against a Georgia squad that finished 10-8 in the SEC. With Robbie Avila and five other players who’ve shot at least 37% from 3 this season, the Billikens remain an offensive powerhouse.
Up next: vs. Michigan (Saturday, 12:10 p.m. ET, CBS)
26. VCU Rams
Original seed: No. 11 (South)
First-round result: Defeated No. 6 North Carolina 82-78 in overtime (Thursday)
Down 19 points in the second half against North Carolina, VCU never lost its cool. Terrence Hill Jr. (34 points) and Lazar Djokovic (15 points, five rebounds, two blocks) led the Rams to their seventh win in a row. For the past 18 games — that’s included just one loss — they’ve been around a top-50 offensive and defensive team nationally. It’s that proficiency on both ends that they used to win a share of the Atlantic 10 regular season and tournament titles. It’s also how the Rams can advance to the Sweet 16.
Up next: vs. Illinois (Saturday, 7:50 p.m. ET, CBS)
0:35
Terrence Hill Jr.’s 3, UNC’s missed FTs lift VCU to upset in OT
Terrence Hill Jr. knocks down a huge step-back 3-pointer, then Henri Veesaar misses pivotal free throws as VCU knocks off UNC.
27. Utah State Aggies
Original seed: No. 9 (West)
First-round result: Defeated No. 8 Villanova 86-76 (Friday)
Mason Falslev, the Mountain West Player of the Year, and MJ Collins Jr., a top transfer from Saint Louis, combined to score 42 points in Friday’s win over Villanova. Jerrod Calhoun’s squad has registered 120 points per 100 possessions this season with Collins and Falslev on the court together, per EvanMiya. They’re the spark for the Mountain West’s best offense — and Utah State’s best chance to advance. The Aggies also have an improved defense in recent weeks going for them. Only one opponent in their past four games has surpassed a 45% clip inside the arc.
Up next: vs. Arizona (Sunday, 7:50 p.m. ET, truTV)
28. Texas A&M Aggies
Original seed: No. 10 (South)
First-round result: Defeated No. 7 Saint Mary’s 63-50 (Thursday)
Thursday’s win over Saint Mary’s allowed the Aggies to showcase their ability to play at a slower tempo and still prevail. The 59-possession game was the slowest of the season for the Aggies, who’ve played at a top-20 tempo. Yet, they secured their third victory in four games with a dominant effort inside, outscoring the Gaels 28-12 in the paint. It also helped that Rashaun Agee had his sixth game with at least 20 points and eight rebounds. The Aggies are 5-1 in those matchups.
Up next: vs. Houston (Saturday, 6:10 p.m. ET, TNT)
29. TCU Horned Frogs
Original seed: No. 9 (East)
First-round result: Defeated No. 8 Ohio State 66-64 (Thursday)
TCU knocked off some of the top teams in America this season. Two weeks after losing to Michigan in a tight game in November, the Horned Frogs defeated Florida and Wisconsin in back-to-back contests. In Big 12 play, they beat Iowa State and Texas Tech. For the past month, they have been top 25 in offensive rebounding rate, per BartTorvik. Their gutsy win against Ohio State punctuated that 7-1 stretch. The Frogs continue to win with collective grit and a roster that doesn’t have an NBA prospect but relies on four players averaging double figures — including Xavier Edmonds, who had 16 points and eight rebounds against the Buckeyes.
Up next: vs. Duke (Saturday, 5:15 p.m. ET, CBS)
0:22
Edmonds’ late bucket helps TCU hold off Ohio State
Xavier Edmonds hits the go-ahead basket with 4.1 seconds left to lead TCU to a 66-64 win over Ohio State.
30. Iowa Hawkeyes
Original seed: No. 9 (South)
First-round result: Defeated No. 8 Clemson 67-61 (Friday)
For a third consecutive season, the Bennett Stirtz-Ben McCollum pairing has resulted in an NCAA tournament win. The two did it at Division II Northwest Missouri State in 2024 and did it at Drake last year. On Friday, the 6-foot-4 Stirtz led all scorers with 16 points as he and McCollum prevailed again.
Up next: vs. Florida (Sunday, 7:10 p.m. ET, TBS)
31. Texas Longhorns
Original seed: No. 11 (West)
First-round result: Defeated No. 6 BYU 79-71 (Thursday)
The Longhorns were 1-5 entering the tournament and ranked 161st in adjusted defensive efficiency during that stretch. They’ve been better this week, holding NC State to 98 points per 100 possessions in the First Four and then beating BYU despite A.J. Dybantsa’s 35-point effort. Sean Miller continues to ride the hot hand, whether that’s Dailyn Swain (28 assists in his past five games), Matas Vokietaitis (38 points combined in two NCAA tournament games) or Tramon Mark (18.0 PPG, 45% from beyond the arc in the tournament).
Up next: vs. Gonzaga (Saturday, 7:10 p.m. ET, truTV/TBS)
32. High Point Panthers
Original seed: No. 12 (West)
First-round result: Defeated No. 5 Wisconsin 83-82 (Thursday)
Entering the NCAA tournament, Wisconsin had one of the field’s most impressive collections of wins, with victories over Illinois (twice), Michigan, Michigan State and Purdue. High Point couldn’t match that résumé, but it had the most efficient offense and defense in the Big South this season. And the Panthers had lost just once since Dec. 14. They went on to force 10 key turnovers (they’re ranked fifth in the nation in defensive turnover rate) in the upset win over Wisconsin. Rob Martin and Terry Anderson (38 points combined against the Badgers) could be a handful for Arkansas.
Up next: vs. Arkansas (Saturday, 9:45 p.m., truTV/TBS)
The wife of Joseph Garrett Duggar, who starred on the TLC reality show “19 Kids and Counting,” was arrested on misdemeanor counts Friday, days after Duggar was arrested on a charges that he molested a young girl in 2020, according to officials and jail records.
An arrest warrant for Kendra Duggar, 27, was issued Friday on four counts each of second-degree endangering the welfare of a minor, and second-degree false imprisonment, the Tontitown, Arkansas, police department said in an update on the case involving her husband.
“This remains an active and ongoing investigation,” the department said in a statement, and it said that Arkansas law limits the information allowed to be released in cases involving minors.
“To protect the integrity of the investigation and the privacy of those involved, no further details will be provided at this time.”
The police department said Friday that Joseph Duggar was also charged with the same misdemeanor counts.
Online detention records for the Washington County, Arkansas, sheriff’s office show that Kendra Duggar was booked there at just before 5 p.m. local time and was released at around 6:19 p.m.
Online court records did not appear to be available online late Friday and it was not immediately clear whether Kendra Duggar had been officially charged or if she had an attorney in the case.
Joseph Duggar was arrested Wednesday in Tontitown after he was accused of molesting a 9-year-old girl six years ago during a vacation in Florida, authorities said.
There he is charged with molestation of a victim less than 12 years old and lewd and lascivious behavior conducted by a person 18 years or older, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office in Florida said in a news release this week.
The office said that Joseph Duggar was awaiting extradition to Florida on the charges. It was not clear if he had an attorney who could speak on his behalf.
It did not appear Friday that Joseph Duggar had been extradited. The Washington County sheriff’s office listed him as a detainee at their center late Friday.
Jill Duggar Dillard, who is Joseph Duggar’s older sister, this week released a family statement in which they said they were shocked by the arrest and allegations.
“Our hearts go out to the innocent juvenile victim of this unspeakable crime and her family,” they said in the statement.
“19 Kids and Counting” was a reality television show that aired on TLC about Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar and their 19 children.
It aired for 10 seasons from 2008 to 2015, but was canceled after allegations that the eldest son, Josh Duggar, molested five children, including four of his sisters.
In a federal trial Josh Duggar was not charged with sexual assault but he was charged with receiving and possessing child sex abuse images. He was convicted in December of 2021 and sentenced to 12 ½ years in federal prison.
The Duggar family did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent through their website late Friday.
