CHICAGO — It’s easy to go to the experts to fill out your NCAA Tournament pool sheets.

And there are plenty of experts out there, including some at The Athletic, which did more than 1 million simulations of the men’s field and projected Duke over Michigan in the title game, with Houston and Arizona as the other two Final Four teams.

It ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — This part of the schedule was already a trying one for the Timberwolves, who have slid down the NBA standings after losing four of five. Now they will continue to make a playoff push without their best player.

Anthony Edwards will miss at least one to two weeks with what the team said is “right knee inflammation.” The Wolves...Read more

Needing to fill a roster spot over the weekend to satisfy NBA rules, the Celtics reacquired a familiar face.

Boston on Sunday signed veteran big man Charles Bassey — a 6-foot-10 journeyman who starred for the Celtics’ Summer League squad last July — to a 10-day contract.

The team also converted rookie guard Max Shulga’s two-way ...Read more

CHICAGO — If the Wolverines needed a reminder of what’s to come and the battles that lie ahead in the NCAA Tournament, the Big Ten tournament provided that.

And if they needed any fuel heading into the Big Dance, Sunday’s setback to Purdue in the conference tournament final at United Center certainly provided that, too.

“I think that ...Read more

Was is it about Duke and Indy?

Duke has won three of its five NCAA basketball championships in Indianapolis, making it a historic landing spot for the Blue Devils in a Final Four.

But to get to Indy this year for the 2026 Final Four, the Devils will have to traverse an NCAA East Region bracket that’s ridiculously stacked, one with a trio of ...Read more

HOUSTON — In their first meeting of the season on Christmas Day, Lakers coach JJ Redick said the Lakers were “punked” by the Houston Rockets and vowed not to let it happen again.

On Monday, the Lakers displayed their toughness in a 100-92 win over the Rockets at Toyota Center.

Even when they were faltering in the fourth quarter amid a ...Read more

ATLANTA — The Magic believed they had turned a corner out of the NBA All-Star break when they entered Monday’s game against the Hawks on a seven-game winning streak.

But Orlando reverted to bad habits when they failed to start strong, couldn’t convert from distance and allowed Atlanta to gain extra possessions whether through offensive ...Read more

WASHINGTON D.C. – With four NBA titles and one Coach of the Year honor, Steve Kerr is already one of the most decorated coaches in NBA history.

On Monday night at Capitol One Center in the nation’s capitol, the day after Kerr’s project “All The Empty Rooms” won an Oscar, he reached another impressive milestone in the Warriors’ 125-...Read more

NEW YORK — The Nets fell behind immediately Monday night at Barclays Center, and that was that.

The Portland Trail Blazers opened on a 10-0 run, and Brooklyn never recovered in an 114-95 loss, its fourth straight. The Nets are 17-51 with 14 games left, and the final stretch is brutal.

Nic Claxton finally got the Nets on the board with 8:45 ...Read more

Hofstra waited 25 years to return to the NCAA Tournament.

It sure as heck doesn’t want its comeback to end in one day.

“We’re not just one of those teams that’s happy to be here,” head coach Speedy Claxton said Sunday on CBS Sports Network.

“We fully expect to win.”

Hofstra is one of three New York teams competing in this year�...Read more

The NCAA tournament bracket is set and the games are set to begin Tuesday with the First Four.

Here’s a rundown of the players to watch, potential underdog teams and what to know about the 2026 NCAA men’s basketball tournament.

East region

No. 1 Duke: The Blue Devils enter as the No. 1 overall seed, riding an 11-game winning streak and ...Read more

NBA expansion could be getting closer.

In a significant first step, the NBA will hold a vote next week to move forward with adding expansion teams in Las Vegas and Seattle, according to ESPN.

Should 23 of the 30 team governors vote in support of the move, the NBA can focus solely on adding teams in those markets and begin the bidding process. ...Read more

DENVER — Lizzy Evans’ view of her big brother is clearer than ever this year. When the Nuggets are on TV, her focus is at the top of the frame, where she can usually spot him on Denver’s sideline. Beaming, she takes photos of him through the screen. He’s easier to find now that he’s in the foreground.

“He’s on the front of the ...Read more

CHICAGO — Is this finally the Big Ten’s year to break the drought?

Are we tired of hearing this question every March?

It has been 26 years since the last NCAA championship in men’s basketball for a power conference that’s perennially touted as one of the country’s best. To put things in perspective, that 2000 Michigan State team that...Read more

NEW YORK – Steve Kerr jokingly opened his pregame press conference at Madison Square Garden by telling reporters that he had cooked up a revolutionary scheme that would perplex New York Knicks coach — and former Golden State Warriors assistant — Mike Brown.

It turned out that the Xs-and-O’s Kerr alluded to were actually just playing ...Read more

SAN DIEGO — San Diego State tuned in to Sunday’s NCAA Tournament selection show hoping its 22 wins and big-name opponents would be enough to extend its March Madness streak.

It wasn’t. The Aztecs were left out of the 68-team bracket for the first time since 2019, marking a disappointing end to a season that never quite took off. CBS ...Read more

CHICAGO — The Illinois men’s basketball team received a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament on Sunday and will play 14th-seeded Penn in the first round Thursday in Greenville, S.C.

The winner will face No. 6 seed North Carolina or No. 11 VCU on Saturday.

The Illini are in the South Region along with No. 1 seed Florida and No. 2 Houston. The ...Read more

RALEIGH, N.C. — Duke’s Blue Devils are growing accustomed to being No. 1.

The Devils are ranked No. 1 in the AP basketball poll and the NCAA NET rankings. They won the ACC regular-season title and then added the tournament championship in Charlotte, N.C., with a 74-70 victory over Virginia.

When the selections and seedings were announced ...Read more

DETROIT — Michigan men's basketball always was locked into a 1 seed.

But its position in the NCAA Tournament bracket did change slightly Sunday, following its 80-72 loss to Purdue in the Big Ten championship game in Chicago.

The loss dropped Michigan to the third overall No. 1 seed, and the Wolverines (31-3) will open Thursday in Buffalo, N....Read more