First Four games to tip off NCAA Tournament today
A year ago, Fairleigh Dickinson landed in the First Four and by the following weekend became one of the most improbable bracket-busters in NCAA Tournament history.
After routing Texas Southern in Dayton, the 16th-seeded Knights — one of the shortest teams in the tournament facing the tallest — upset No. 1 seed Purdue 63-58, only the second time a No. 16 seed had beaten a top-seeded team.
“Anybody has a chance. Anything can happen, no matter what's going on,” said Donald Copeland, the coach of an injury-depleted Wagner team that opens this year's First Four against Howard today. “Now our path is probably different, but it gives you motivation to want to hopefully achieve something like that.”
The winner of that game will advance as the No. 16 seed to face top-seeded North Carolina on Thursday in the West Region.
In an unusual twist, the First Four brings together both Colorado and Colorado State. Both finished 24-10.
Six Pac-12 teams went into the tournament ahead of Colorado, despite the Buffs being the runner-up in the conference tournament. They play Boise State (22-10, 13-5 Mountain West) in the late game on Wednesday, with the winner moving on as the 10th seed to face seventh-seeded Florida in a South regional.
Colorado State draws Virginia (23-10, 13-7 ACC) in the late game tonight for the right to move on as the 10th seed in the Midwest to play No. 7 seed Texas. Virginia has made 10 NCAA appearances in the last 12 seasons under coach Tony Bennett and won the national title in 2019.
Wagner, a school with around 2,000 students in Staten Island, N.Y., returns to the NCAA Tournament after a drought of 21 years.
Howard — the Seahawks' opponent today — was in last year, but hopes to make a better showing this time around.
Wagner (16-15, 7-9 Northeast Conference) finished in sixth place in the conference in the regular season. After losing their final two regular-season games, the Bison won three straight in the NEC tournament, beating Merrimack in the final, despite Copeland's rotation being down to seven players because of injuries.
In fact, it got so bad that Damen Mazil, the quarterback of the Wagner football team, was added to the roster in February for some depth.
Howard (18-16, 9-5 MEAC) was 9-14 in early February but roared back, winning nine of its last 11 games, including the conference tournament.
Grambling State is making its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament after winning nine of its last 10 games, including the SWAC regular-season title and the conference tournament.
Grambling (20-14, 14-4 SWAC) is facing Montana State on Wednesday to advance as the 16th seed in the Midwest for the right to play top-seeded Purdue on Friday.
Montana State (17-17, 9-9 Big Sky) is fortunate to be in the tournament for the third straight season. The Bobcats were 13-17 on March 2 before winning their last four games to pull even. They beat Montana in the Big Sky tournament to earn the automatic bid.
• Reigning national champion Connecticut is back at No. 1 in the AP Top 25 men's college basketball poll a day after being named the top overall seed for the NCAA Tournament.
South Carolina, Iowa, USC and Texas are the top four teams in the AP Top 25 women's basketball poll, a day after all four were chosen as the No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament that begins later this week.
• New Alabama football coach Kalen DeBoer received an eight-year contract worth at least $87 million, and the school also gave basketball coach Nate Oats and athletic director Greg Byrne raises and extensions. DeBoer, 49, who replaced seven-time national champion Nick Saban after leading Washington to the national championship game in his second season, is set to make $10 million in his first year.
Dallas reworks Prescott's contract
The Dallas Cowboys are slightly reducing quarterback Dak Prescott's huge salary cap hit by reworking his contract going into the final year of the deal, multiple sources reported.
A $5 million roster bonus has been converted into a signing bonus to reduce the 2024 cap hit by $4 million, to about $55 million, reports said. The club doesn't release details of contracts.
• The New Orleans Saints agreed to terms of a oneyear contract with free agent defensive end Chase Young.
• Leighton Vander Esch retired following six NFL seasons, with the linebacker stepping away after missing 12 games for the Dallas Cowboys last year because of the latest in a series of neck injuries.
• The San Francisco 49ers agreed to a deal with quarterback Joshua Dobbs to give the team another option at backup behind Brock Purdy. Dobbs' agent, Mike McCartney, confirmed that Dobbs will join the 49ers, filling the spot vacated when Sam Darnold signed with Minnesota last week.
• The Buffalo Bills signed nickel cornerback Taron Johnson to a three-year contract extension.
• The Atlanta Falcons signed receiver Ray-Ray
McCloud to a two-year contract. McCloud is a return specialist who also provides new Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins with another potential target on offense.
• The Pittsburgh Steelers signed special teams ace Miles Killebrew to a two-year contract and also came to terms with wide receiver Van Jefferson on a one-year deal.
• The Detroit Lions and Pro Bowl guard Kevin Zeitler agreed to a oneyear contract, multiple reports said.
• The Chicago Bears and defensive end Byron Cowart agreed to a one-year contract.
Boxing icon Durán receives pacemaker
Boxing great Roberto Durán received a pacemaker after he was hospitalized in Panama on the weekend, his family said.
• Lionel Messi will not play in Argentina's two friendlies in the United States this month due to a right leg muscle injury, the Argentine Football Association said.