Despite having a big year, it is being reported that Sherrell will be playing college basketball elsewhere next season as he is expected to enter the transfer portal when it officially opens tomorrow.

As a freshman, he had a limited role, as he averaged 3.4 points and 2.8 rebounds. This season, he started every single game he played in, and was one of the best defensive players in the SEC.

It is a big loss for coach Nate Oats and his team. While talking to reporters last week, one thing Oats talked about was that his team can win playing their up-tempo style of basketball, but he did admit they needed to get bigger.

Now, a small team is even smaller as their 6-foot-10 shot blocker is leaving.

Sherrell officially can’t enter the transfer portal until Tuesday, but the Crimson Tide now have a glaring need inside when it comes to bringing in talent for next year’s team.

The post Alabama basketball will lose starting big to transfer portal, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Tar Heels had originally been linked to Dusty May and Tommy Lloyd, but both Final Four coaches announced that they would be staying with their respective schools. Another popular candidate for the job was former Florida coach Billy Donovan, who currently coaches the Chicago Bulls.

While North Carolina was reportedly interested in Donovan, Goodman said conversations never truly materialized because the Tar Heels wanted to move quickly with their decision after May and Lloyd decided to stay put.

Donovan enjoyed a ton of success coaching at the college level, where he won back-to-back national championships at Florida in 2006 and 2007. However, with the Chicago Bulls season still ongoing, Donovan wasn’t going to make a decision until after the season. It’s worth noting that Michael Malone was unlikely to be hired elsewhere within the next week, however.

The timing is very important in this hiring, as the NCAA men’s basketball transfer portal officially opens on Tuesday. It closes on April 21. Not having a head coach during this time, at a program as big as North Carolina, no less, could be devastating in today’s college basketball.

The Tar Heels now have a coach who won an NBA Championship in 2023 with the Denver Nuggets, which could go a long way in bringing in the proper talent for UNC to get back to truly competing next season.

It all comes to an end tonight. Here’s a look at the latest odds to win the national title, via Kalshi:

The post Jeff Goodman explains why Billy Donovan to North Carolina deal never materialized appeared first on Saturday Down South.

He helped lead the Wildcats to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, where they ended up bowing out against Iowa State.

While they were able to bring him in last offseason, it appears that his time in Lexington will be ending soon as it is being reported that he is going to enter the transfer portal on Tuesday:

Dioubate had an outstanding game in the incredible victory against Santa Clara in the first round of the NCAA, as he finished that game with 17 points and eight rebounds.

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He spent his first two seasons at Alabama, where he helped the Crimson Tide make it to the Elite Eight.

The Wildcats are also expected to lose guard Jaland Lowe to the transfer portal this offseason.

The transfer portal doesn’t officially open until Tuesday, so there is going to be plenty more guys entering across the country. This will be a big offseason for Mark Pope, as the Wildcats underachieved despite a roster that was reported to be valued at over $20 million.

The post Kentucky basketball loses key contributor to transfer portal, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Volunteers entered the NCAA Tournament as a No. 6 seed, but they were able to pull an upset over the No. 3 seed Virginia Cavaliers, as well as the No. 2 seed Iowa State.

Despite all that success, in today’s college sports, that doesn’t guarantee that teams are going to be able to keep all of their guys for the following season. Guard Bishop Boswell, who started 33 games for the team, is expected to be entering the transfer portal when it opens on Tuesday.

On3’s Joe Tipton first reported that news:

Boswell averaged 6.2 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game. Arguably one of the best games of his career was in the second round win against Virginia, when he tied a career-high with 13 points, while also dishing out 9 assists.

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That isn’t the only bad news that Tennessee received on Monday, as forward JP Estrella is also reportedly entering the transfer portal. Estrella also was a key contributor for the Volunteers this season, as he averaged 10 points and 5.4 rebounds.

The transfer portal officially opens up tomorrow, and there figures to be many more players entering and hoping to land somewhere new. Coach Rick Barnes and the Volunteers have shown they can navigate the transfer portal, while also being able to contend and make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.

The post Tennessee basketball loses key starter to transfer portal, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

To make things worse, the entire roster has either entered the transfer portal or graduated, meaning there isn’t one single active player on the roster. Only high school senior Gabby Minus is committed to the team.

Rowe had some pointed comments for Tennessee athletic director Mike White as multiple players announced transfer portal plans on Monday:

“What Danny White is allowing to happen to Tennessee women’s basketball is making me so sad,” Rowe posted on X. “Gut wrenching to watch him let one of the greatest programs in women’s sports history disintegrate. I am devastated.”

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The Volunteers actually got off to a good start this past season. They were 14-3 early in the year while also boasting a 6-0 start to SEC play. However, the wheels came off, as they went 2-11 to end the season, and were knocked out in the first round of the NCAA Tournament by NC State.

In two seasons as the head coach, Caldwell is 40-24, but only 16-16 in SEC play. In today’s college basketball, players entering the transfer portal is not a weird thing. However, not having a single player on the active roster means it is going to be a weird next couple of weeks in Knoxville.

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Malone has won 510 games as a head coach in the NBA, as well as an NBA Championship with Denver in 2023. However, his time ended abruptly in Denver, as he was fired by the Nuggets just before the start of the playoffs last year.

After Tommy Lloyd and Dusty May announced they were staying at Arizona and Michigan, the Tar Heels had to go a different way.

Here’s the best of the reaction to the news on social media:

The last time that Malone coached in college was in 2001 as an assistant at Manhattan. The move is especially shocking because North Carolina has long been known to hire internally, or bring someone in with ties to North Carolina.

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Malone is the first coach in 74 years that North Carolina has hired without any previous ties to the school.

The Tar Heels are bringing Malone in to get the program back competing for national championships. Hubert Davis had North Carolina in the NCAA Championship in his first season in Chapel Hill, but his team has been eliminated in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in consecutive seasons.

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Texas hit a rough patch where the Longhorns lost at Florida, but also struggled to beat teams like Kentucky and Mississippi State. While the team wasn’t able to live up to the expectations last season, Sarkisian told reporters on Monday that the team is different heading into next year.

“I would say probably for the first time I feel like we have the top-level talent across the board position by position on both sides of the ball,” Sarkisian said. “But, yet, we also have the depth behind it across the board.”

One area where the Longhorns weren’t quite as good last season was on the offensive line. In 2024, Texas had arguably the best offensive line in all of college football. Last season, the Longhorns really struggled to run the ball, and that forced Arch Manning to have to do a lot, especially early in the season.

However, Sarkisian is confident that the team not only has the talent in the starting lineup, but that it also has the depth to overcome any injuries as well as having the ability to wear out his opponents.

The Longhorns will open the season against Texas State next season, but will host Ohio State in a rematch of the Week 1 game from this year.

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Predicting AP No. 1 team (Week 1)

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Kalshi

Texas

38%

Ohio St.

37%

Notre Dame

16%

Oregon

10%

Indiana

9%

Georgia

3%

Predict

The post Steve Sarkisian says Texas has a ‘different’ feel heading into 2026 season appeared first on Saturday Down South.

On Monday, the Tigers received more good news for the team next season, as Trent Pierce will be back in Columbia next season.

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The 6-foot-10 junior scored 10.4 points last year for the Tigers, while shooting 38% from the 3-point line. His ability to stretch opposing defenses with his shooting ability is huge for the Missouri offense. He is able to pull away opposing bigs from the rim, which opens up driving lanes and more uncontested shots at the rim.

According to the 247Sports Composite Rankings, the Tigers have the No. 11 class in the country. Leading the way is guard Aaron Rowe, who is the No. 5 prospect in the class. Both Tony Bryant (No. 27) and Aidan Chronister (No. 72) are the other two players in the class who figure to contribute immediately.

There is a lot to be optimistic for Missouri heading into next season, and getting Pierce back is big news for Gates and the program.

The post Mizzou key starter announces return for 2026-27 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Many college basketball pundits believe the matchup between Arizona and Michigan will feature the two most talented teams in the country. While Arizona has been the No. 1-ranked team for much of the season, Cowherd believes it is the Wolverines who are the clear-cut favorites to win the national championship.

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“Michigan checks all the boxes,” Cowherd said on his show. “They have got old guys, youngest guys, the hottest coach in the market the last two years. They’ve got scorers, they have got size and they got the defensive player of the year. I went and watched them in person and they do everything well.”

It is hard to argue with Cowherd after the performance the Wolverines have put together in their run to the Final Four. The closest NCAA Tournament game for the Wolverines is 13, and in the Elite Eight, they won against Tennessee by 33 points.

The Wolverines and the Wildcats will be the second matchup of the Final Four. The Fighting Illini’ and the Huskies will get started at 6:09 p.m. ET, while the second game is scheduled for 8:49 p.m. ET with the games live from Indianapolis.

Will Michigan win it all? Predict the college basketball champion on Kalshi!

The post Colin Cowherd names clear favorite in Final Four appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Malzahn was the coach of the Tigers from 2013-2020, finishing with a record of 68-35. While he got things off to a phenomenal start in his first season, the Tigers were never able to get close to that level again.

From 2021-2024, he was the head coach at UCF, finishing with a record of 28-24. Last season, he joined Mike Norvell’s staff at Florida State as the offensive coordinator. He helped the Seminoles have the third best scoring offense in the conference. He announced on Feb. 2 that he would be retiring from coaching football, but he is still going to be heavily involved with a sport in a big way.

Joining Malzahn on the committee for this upcoming season is former California coach Jeff Tedford and Dr. Bryan Maggard. Hunter Yurachek will return as selection committee chair, after being in that same position last year as well.

Who will make the College Football Playoff this season? Predict the qualifiers at Kalshi!

Prediction Markets

College Football Playoff Qualifiers 2026

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Kalshi

Notre Dame

88%

Ohio St.

79%

Oregon

76%

Georgia

70%

Texas Tech

70%

Texas

69%

Indiana

67%

Miami (FL)

65%

LSU

45%

Ole Miss

40%

Predict

The post Gus Malzahn joins College Football Playoff selection committee for 2026 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

On Monday, it was announced that former NBA player and Jackson State head coach Mo Williams would be resigning from his job and joining the Kentucky staff.

It doesn’t come as a complete surprise that Williams is joining Pope’s staff, as his son Mason announced he was committing to UK last weekend.

Williams was the head coach at Jackson State for the past four seasons, where he finished with a record of 56-74. However, his team did a very good job within the conference, as they went 47-25 during his time there. Before that, he was the head coach at Alabama State.

He had a very successful run in the NBA, as he averaged 13.2 points during a career that spanned 13 seasons. He won an NBA Championship in 2016, while making an All-Star game in 2009.

The Wildcats, at times, were really good last season, but at times they didn’t live up to a team that was rumored to be spending over $20 million on their roster. Bringing in a guy with head coaching and NBA playing experience is something that could be beneficial in Lexington.

The post SWAC head coach stepping down to join Kentucky staff as assistant, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

On Monday, he was talking to the media about the opportunity to be back at LSU, and he made a joke saying it was either going to be amazing, or he would be the first coach to get fired by a school twice.

“We’re going to make history one way or another,” Wade said. “We’re either hanging banners and winning a national championship, or I’m going to be the first coach fired from the same school twice.” “It’s going to be a fun ride one way or another. No doubt about that.”

Will Wade (re)introduced at LSU:

"We're gonna make history one way or the other. We're coming back to try to hang a banner and win a national championship, or I'm gonna be the first coach fired from the same school twice. One way or another, we're gonna make history!&quot pic.twitter.com/jZOZP9SObN

— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) March 30, 2026

During his first stint in Baton Rouge, Wade and the Tigers had a record of 105-51. They made it to the NCAA Tournament in three of the five seasons, and one of the seasons they missed was during COVID in a year they went 21-10 and tied for 2nd in the SEC. Under coach Tim McMahon, the Tigers haven’t been able to experience near that type of success, as they went only 60-70 in the four years since he has been gone.

The excitement for Wade and LSU is extremely high. The administration is committed to helping the team be able to compete in the NIL era, as they budget to improve the team is going to be over $10 million.

The post Will Wade jokes about avoiding second firing at LSU appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The shot sent fans in the arena into an absolute frenzy. Ian Eagle, Grant Hill and Bill Raftery were on the call for CBS, and even the announcers had a reaction for the ages.

Raftery delivered his staple and famous ‘Onions’ call, while the Duke alum Hill sat there in just disbelief.

The Huskies were down by 15 points at the half, and were struggling on offense for much of the evening. They missed their first 17 3-point attempts, but finished by making four of their last five attempts.

UConn was trailing 72-69 with 10 seconds left when guard Silas Demary Jr. went to the free throw line for two shots. He missed the first, but made the second, cutting the deficit to 2.

Duke just had to hold the ball, but the Blue Devils turned the ball over, setting up the final five seconds before Mullins hit the shot that will be talked about forever.

Will UConn win it all? Predict the college basketball champion on Kalshi!

The post Video shows CBS broadcasters’ stunned reactions to UConn’s last-second win over Duke appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Wrightsell doesn’t have a huge complaint with that though, as he understands why people are picking the Wolverines.

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“I mean, we’re not really opposed to it,” Wrightsell said. “We know that Michigan is a really good team, and they’ve proven that multiple times throughout the season and stuff like that. We have the ultimate respect.”

Wrightsell has been a huge part of the Crimson Tide’s offense this year, as he averaged 13.1 points. In the Round of 32 win against Texas Tech, he scored 24 points while hitting six 3-pointers.

While he understands while the Wolverines are favored, he is very confident in his Alabama teammates.

“But we also know what we can do, too. And we know if we put in the work and we play our best and we play hard and we play for each other and have fun out there, we can compete with anybody in the country,” Wrightsell said. “We know that they have a really good size and they have really good bigs and really good guard play, and they’re a full team. But we put in the work to be here, too. We lace our shoes the exact same way. We know we have the talent. We have the coaching staff. We have the game plan, and we have everything we need to be successful as well.”

The Crimson Tide have been one of the most consistent teams in college basketball the last four years. This is the fourth consecutive time they have made it to the Sweet 16, while also having two Elite Eight appearances and a Final Four appearance during that time.

It is going to take a huge performance from Wrightsell and his teammates if they are going to knock off the Wolverines. However, as this program has shown, it is more than capable of winning these types of games.

Will Alabama or Michigan win the big Sweet 16 showdown? Kalshi is taking action on predictions!

The post Latrell Wrightsell Jr. says Alabama understands being big underdog to Michigan appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Many people say it is literally perfect, and there doesn’t need to be changes. However, there are other people that think more teams can only make it better.

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Barnes was asked about tournament expansion during Thursday interviews with the media. He said he wouldn’t have an issue with more play-in games, but he doesn’t want the tournament going longer than three weeks.

More play-in games, but… “I don’t think you can ask the national champion to play more than 3 weeks, with what’s at stake,” Barnes said. “We have a three week window where we capture this country. Every state can be involved.”

No other sport’s postseason can duplicate the excitement of the NCAA Tournament. It doesn’t matter how many years you have watched it, it is almost a guarantee you will see something you have never seen.

This year has been no different, as the first weekend ratings were as high as they have ever been. It feels like expansion is almost inevitable at this point, but fans no matter what are going to continue to tune in.

Will Tennessee or Iowa State advance to the Elite 8? Kalshi is taking action on predictions!

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However, coming off a Round of 32 win against Kansas last weekend, Pitino believes those schools don’t have nearly the same advantage anymore.

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“I don’t mean the blue bloods are dead, it’s just they don’t have the advantage they once had,” Pitino told reporters. “Everybody is now on the same level of playing field. There is no difference between an NC State and North Carolina. You are no longer going to Kentucky because of the facilities and great history. You are going there because you want to play for that coach, and obviously your contract is very good.”

We have seen it in many different sports. In college football this season, Indiana was able to win a national championship. The Hoosiers haven’t had nearly that type of success in their program history, but it is now about how invested your athletic department is.

After Arkansas’ win against High Point, John Calipari told reporters that coaches win games, administrations win championships.

While he took one blue blood down last weekend, Pitino and his team will face another tough one on Friday in the Sweet 16 when they take on the Duke Blue Devils. Tip-off in that game is at 7:10 p.m. ET and the game will be on CBS.

The post Rick Pitino says blue bloods no longer have big advantage in college basketball appeared first on Saturday Down South.

While the Gators were eliminated from the NCAA Tournament by Iowa last weekend, Klavzar was quick to make the decision to come back to Gainesville for his senior season.

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Every year, teams are having to go through major roster transition with the NIL, as well as the transfer portal. Florida could be losing many of its top players, as guys like Thomas Haugh and Alex Condon have tough decisions to make when it comes to the NBA.

Getting a guy like Klavzar to already announce that he is going to be back is huge for coach Todd Golden. Klavzar scored in double-figures 18 times this past season, and that is while playing less than 21 minutes. He could be ready to take that next step and be a leading scorer on one of the top teams in the country.

The college basketball portal officially opens on Apr. 7, which is the day after the national championship, and it will close on April 21. Many players across the country like Klavzar will have to be making similar decisions in the near future.

The post Urban Klavzar, SEC Sixth Man of the Year, reveals plans for 2026-27 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Even though he played his college basketball in the state of Alabama, the Crimson Tide weren’t interested in bringing in Lendeborg.

Just over 24 hours away from a tipoff against the Crimson Tide in a Sweet Sixteen game, Lendeborg recalled how he was surprised that Alabama didn’t recruit him.

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“Yeah, once I entered the transfer portal out of UAB, I was hoping to get recruited by Alabama,” Lendborg told reporters. “And when I didn’t, it kind of hurt me a little bit. Not in a way with I can say I hate them and all that. It’s just it bothered me a little bit.”

Lendeborg has been a perfect fit for the Wolverines this year, as he leads one of the most balanced offensive attacks in the country with 14.7 points. He has developed with his perimeter shooting, as he is shooting 36.1% on 3-pointers this year. He made only 37 in his first two years at UAB, but has already made 57 for the Wolverines this year.

With the transfer portal and the NIL, there are all kinds of stories like Lendeborg during the NCAA Tournament.

Both Michigan and Alabama have to be happy with how the season has gone thus far, as they are both in the Sweet Sixteen. However, if Lendeborg is able to have a big game on Friday night and help the Wolverines advance to the Elite Eight, there may be many Alabama fans hurt just like he was.

Alabama or Michigan? Make a prediction on Kalshi!

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It didn’t take too long, as NC State athletic director Boo Corrigan confirmed to the media that LSU has agreed to pay the Wolfpack $4 million. Wade’s buyout was set to drop from $5 million to $3 million on April, so the two sides ultimately met in the middle.

According to Matt Norlander, Wade’s salary will see a significant bump with this move to LSU. After earning $2.5 million in 2025-26 with the Wolfpack, Norlander reports Wade is set to sign a 7-year deal worth more than $4 million annually.

He was previously the coach in Baton Rouge from 2017-2022, before he was fired after LSU was handed a Notice of Allegations by the NCAA. He spent two years at McNeese State, taking the Cowboys to the NCAA Tournament in consecutive seasons before jumping to NC State.

Last year was his first season in Raleigh, and he led the Wolfpack to the NCAA Tournament before losing to Texas in a First Four game.

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When asked on Wednesday about Wade’s decision, Corrigan said it caught him off guard.

“Over the course of the last year we developed a relationship that I believed was on trust and accountability,” Wade said at his press conference on Thursday, noting Wade told him he wanted to be at NC State as recently as Tuesday.

Wade became the coach at NC State last year, after leading McNeese State to the NCAA Tournament in consecutive years. He had big expectations entering Raleigh, but the Wolfpack were up-and-down, with their season ending against Texas in a First Four game.

He will be heading back to Baton Rouge where he was the coach from 2017-2022. During his time as the LSU coach, the Tigers had a record of 105-51. They made it to the NCAA Tournament in three of the five seasons he coached there. One of the two years they missed it was during COVID. He was fired after 2022 because of recruiting violations.

Wade’s contract is expected to go from $2.5 to $4 million, while the NIL money is expected to be higher in Baton Rouge.

The post NC State AD reacts to Will Wade’s departure appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Oats addressed those rumors on Thursday, telling reporters that he loves being in Tuscaloosa.

“As a young high school coach, maybe –shoot, I didn’t think I’d even be in this spot to be honest with you that long ago,” Oats said. “If you’ve gotten to know me, I’m not a guy that’s trying to always jump around. The grass is not always greener. I love Alabama. My girls love Alabama. They’re here with me. I love working with the administration that I work with. I think Greg Byrne is the best AD in the country. I love working with him. Would be great if I was able to work with him the rest of my career.

“They’re doing everything they can to make sure that we’ve got a competitive program. And as long as we’re able to compete to win championships here, SEC — National Championships, we haven’t done that here yet. I’d love to be the coach to bring us our first National Championship. We got to a Final Four. To me there’s absolutely no reason to leave here.”

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Since he took over at Alabama, the Crimson Tide have become one of the most consistent programs in the country. He currently has a record of 170-72. With this Sweet 16 appearance, he has made it this far in five of his last six seasons. He has made it to the Elite Eight twice and the Final Four once.

Oats will be going up against a friend in Dusty May, and the Wolverines coach has also had his name linked to the North Carolina job.

For now, both of these coaches are focused on getting their team to the Elite Eight, but the losing coach on Friday night could hear his name become more involved in the rumor mill.

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Sean Miller’s team had to make it here the tough way, as the Texas Longhorns had to face-off against NC State in a First Four game. However, they have been on a tear since the, knocking off BYU and then the No. 3 Gonzaga Bulldogs en route to the Sweet 16.

The Longhorns have only a 24.4% chance of winning this game, according to the ESPN Analytics. The matchup will be on Thursday night, and the game will tip at 7:10 p.m. ET with the game being aired on CBS.

What has made this run by Texas even more impressive is that the Longhorns limped into the NCAA Tournament. They lost 5 of their last 6 games entering the tournament, but are playing their best basketball right now. Matas Vokietaitis has been huge for Texas during the Big Dance, as he is averaging 18.3 points and 11 rebounds over the last three games.

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The Boilermakers had a stretch early in B1G play where they weren’t playing their best, but they went and won the B1G Championship and have resembled the preseason national title contender people expected.

Here’s a look at the latest odds for this game on Kalshi:

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The Razorbacks have been one of the best teams in the country as of late, as they have won 7 consecutive games including an SEC Championship win against Vanderbilt.

According to the ESPN Analytics, the Razorbacks have only a 23.4% chance to win over Arizona. The matchup will be on Thursday on CBS, with the game being scheduled for a 9:45 p.m. ET tip.

A big reason why Arkansas is playing its best basketball is because the Razorbacks are scoring the ball as well as anybody in the country. During the Razorbacks’ 7-game winning streak, they have scored at least 82 points in every game. In the NCAA Tournament, they scored 97 and 94 in their first 2 games.

Guard Darius Acuff Jr. has been leading the way, as he is averaging 30 points and 6.5 assists in the NCAA Tournament.

For much of the year, Arizona has been the best team in the country. The Wildcats have as much size as any team in college basketball, and are led by Koa Peat.

Here are the latest odds for this game on Kalshi:

The post ESPN Analytics predicts outcome of Arkansas-Arizona Sweet 16 matchup appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Losing players as talented as Hoover can be frustrating for coaches, but it has become a big part of the sport.

During a recent interview, Dykes called out his former quarterback for being turnover prone.

“Josh started 31 games here as a quarterback, and he turned the ball over 42 times in those 31 starts,” Dykes said.

During his time as the quarterback at TCU, Hoover threw 33 interceptions and fumbled the ball nine times. Those 42 turnovers are the third most in college football. Only Joey Aguilar and EJ Warner have more with 44.

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While Hoover did turn the ball over a lot, he also did some big things at TCU. He threw for 9,629 yards and 71 touchdowns, while also rushing for eight touchdowns.

TCU also brought in a transfer quarterback this offseason to replace Hoover: Jaden Craig, who was a star for Harvard in 2025. He threw for 2,869 yards and 25 touchdowns last season.

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College Football Playoff Qualifiers 2026

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Kalshi

Notre Dame

88%

Ohio St.

79%

Oregon

76%

Georgia

70%

Texas Tech

70%

Texas

69%

Indiana

67%

Miami (FL)

65%

LSU

45%

Ole Miss

40%

Predict

The post College head coach bluntly calls out QB’s turnover woes after controversial transfer appeared first on Saturday Down South.

However, Gary Bedore of the KC Star reached out to Self, and the KU coach said the reports out that he was retiring was ‘bad info’.

Self also told Bedore that there’s no timeframe for him to make a decision at this point:

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After the Jayhawks were eliminated at the buzzer against St. John’s in the Round of 32, Self told reporters that he was going to take some time and go home and speak with his family before making any type of decision on his future.

It has been a challenging last couple of seasons for Self, as the Jayhawks failed to make it to the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament for a fourth consecutive season. He has also dealt with some health issues that has forced him to miss games in multiple seasons the last couple of years.

As of now, the 2026 class is setting up to be one of the best recruiting classes in the country. According to 247Sports, the Jayhawks have the No. 4 class, highlighted by point guard Taylen Kinney. They are also considered the leader for Tyran Stokes, who is the No. 1 player in the class.

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According to Jon Rothstein, LSU is “on the verge” of bringing Wade back to Baton Rouge.

LSU is looking to bring in McNeese State athletic director Heath Schroyer as a senior administrator. LSU president Wade Rousse was at McNeese State when he and Schroyer hired Wade as the basketball coach, and they would love a reunion with the coach.

McMahon has been the head coach for four seasons at LSU, and the Tigers are 60-70 during that time. They have been over .500 only one time, with their lone postseason appearance being a one-and-done in the NIT.

Wade was the coach at LSU from 2018-2022, where he finished with a record of 105-51. The Tigers made the tournament three of his five seasons, with one of those years being when COVID shut down the entire tournament.

He was fired from LSU for recruiting violations, but went to McNeese State for two years and finished 50-9 record while making the NCAA Tournament both years. He was the coach at NC State this season, and once again led his team to the NCAA Tournament.

The post LSU ‘on the the verge’ of hiring Will Wade away from NC State, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

On Tuesday night, North Carolina coach Hubert Davis was fired after five seasons as the coach in Chapel Hill.

During a segment on First Take on Wednesday morning, Stephen A. let it be known that he believes his colleague should be the next coach at North Carolina.

“Knowing North Carolina, they’re looking internally first,” Smith said. “I believe that Kenny “The Jet” Smith is that dude.”

While he is beloved at North Carolina, Smith has never been a coach at the college or NBA levels. While he doesn’t have the experience, he has been interviewed to coach before. The Houston Rockets interviewed him in 2016, while the New York Knicks interviewed him for their job in 2018.

One thing that Stephen A. said that is true is that North Carolina has traditionally looked for a former Tar Heel to be the coach. While the Tar Heels haven’t been elite the last couple of years, this is still a job that figures to garner a ton of interest.

Here’s the latest Kalshi odds on North Carolina’s next head coach:

The post Stephen A. Smith floats unexpected candidate for North Carolina basketball coaching job appeared first on Saturday Down South.

On Monday, in front of many NFL teams and scouts, Delane did just that as he showcased his elite speed, as he ran a 4.38 40-yard dash at the LSU Pro Day. Not only did he run it one time, but he ran it twice.

Delane began his career at Virginia Tech, where he played the first three years of his career. During his time in Blacksburg, he finished with 146 tackles, 6 interceptions and 4 forced fumbles.

In his lone season in Baton Rouge, he had 45 tackles and 2 interceptions. At 6-foot-0, 190 pounds, Delane has the type of size that NFL teams want in a top-line cornerback. Him showcasing the speed on Monday showed a rare combination that could make him one of the elite cornerbacks in the NFL. He is regarded as a top 15 prospect, and could hear his name in the top 10.

Can Lane Kiffin take LSU to the College Football Playoff? Make a prediction today at Kalshi!

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College Football Playoff Qualifiers 2026

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Kalshi

Notre Dame

88%

Ohio St.

79%

Oregon

76%

Georgia

70%

Texas Tech

70%

Texas

69%

Indiana

67%

Miami (FL)

65%

LSU

45%

Ole Miss

40%

Predict

The post Mansoor Delane posts blazing fast 40 time at LSU Pro Day appeared first on Saturday Down South.

On Monday, Heinecke filed a lawsuit against the NCAA, as he is seeking an eligibility injunction for the upcoming 2026 season.

On Jan. 29, Heinecke filed an initial petition, as well as an appeal on Feb. 24. The NCAA is saying his eligibility is up because he played lacrosse at Ohio State during his freshman year.

For Oklahoma, having Heinecke back would be a huge addition to the defense as he was a key contributor on that side of the ball. He finished the 2025 campaign with 74 tackles and 12 TFLs, while finishing Second-Team All- SEC.

This isn’t the first case of a player suing the NCAA, and it certainly won’t be the last. The most popular case right now involves Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, who won his case. The NCAA is currently appealing that ruling, but as of now, Chambliss will be able to play at Ole Miss next season.

With the NFL Draft coming up soon, Heinecke will need a quick decision if he has a chance to be back in Norman next season playing for the Sooners.

Can Oklahoma return to the College Football Playoff in 2026? Kalshi is taking action on predictions!

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College Football Playoff Qualifiers 2026

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Kalshi

Notre Dame

88%

Ohio St.

79%

Oregon

76%

Georgia

70%

Texas Tech

70%

Texas

69%

Indiana

67%

Miami (FL)

65%

LSU

45%

Ole Miss

40%

Predict

The post Oklahoma LB Owen Heinecke files lawsuit against NCAA seeking eligibility injunction for 2026 season appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Every year, fans get excited and hope the NCAA Tournament can live up to the hype that it is does, and every single year it delivers. The ratings for the first weekend are out, and to nobody’s surprise, the tournament delivered some record-breaking numbers.

Thursday’s games averaged 9.8 million viewers, which is the best opening day on record. That was up 6 % from the 2025 NCAA Tournament. The primetime record was even better, as it averaged 12.5 million viewers, which was also a record.

College basketball fans have a few days off before the Sweet Sixteen games get started on Thursday. There will be a new national champion as the Iowa Hawkeyes knocked off the Florida Gators on a last-second shot on Sunday.

The first game on Thursday will be Texas against Purdue. The Longhorns had to start their run in the NCAA Tournament in the First Four, but they were able to rattle off three wins in five days to make it to the Sweet Sixteen.

If the ratings were that good during the first weekend, then there could be more records broken next weekend as well.

Which team will win it all? Kalshi is taking action on predictions!

The post 2026 NCAA Tournament opening round delivers record ratings for CBS Sports, TNT Sports appeared first on Saturday Down South.

While the games are a long ways away, the fans will have an opportunity to see how the team is looking at the annual spring, as the school announced the game will be on April 11.

The annual Walk of Fame ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. Kalen DeBoer will be joined by 2025 captains Ty Simpson, Parker Braislford, Deontae Lawson and Tim Keenan III. The 2026 roster will walk into the stadium at 12:45, and then a 2-hour scrimmage will start at 1 p.m.

The stadium will enforce its clear bag policy for fans, while the first 5,000 fans in will get a commemorative poster for the event. It is a busy weekend on campus for Alabama fans, as there will be other sporting events going on such as track and field, baseball as well as a soccer game.

Alabama will officially get the 2026 season started on Sept. 5, when it hosts East Carolina.

Can Alabama get back to the College Football Playoff? Kalshi is taking action on predictions!

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College Football Playoff Qualifiers 2026

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Kalshi

Notre Dame

88%

Ohio St.

79%

Oregon

76%

Georgia

70%

Texas Tech

70%

Texas

69%

Indiana

67%

Miami (FL)

65%

LSU

45%

Ole Miss

40%

Predict

The post Alabama announces details of 2026 A-Day spring game appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Gators, of course, won the national championship last season and have been on an absolute tear as of late, having won 18 of their last 20 games entering Sunday’s matchup against the Hawkeyes.

Florida looked every bit a team capable of winning another national championship in their first-round game against Prairie View A&M. 13 players scored for Florida in the 114-55 win, with all five starters scoring in double-figures. Guard Boogie Fland led the way with 16 points.

The Hawkeyes advanced to the second round by taking care of Clemson on Friday, winning that game by a score of 67-61. Ben McCollum is as good of a coach as there is in the country at controlling the pace, and that is just what Iowa will need to do in this game. Guard Bennett Stirtz led the way with 16 points, and has proven to be one of the best point guards in the country.

Here’s a quick look at Kalshi’s odds to win tonight’s game, which is set to tip off at 7:10 p.m. on TBS.

The post ESPN Analytics predicts the outcome of Florida vs. Iowa appeared first on Saturday Down South.

During his three years there, he led the team to a 57-36 record, while making it to the NCAA Tournament in his final season. He understands what is like to coach at that level, and he had an interesting take on why the mid-majors have struggled in the Big Dance the last couple of seasons. Specifically, Golden is looking at the style-of-play — which has shifted high major programs to favor a more physical system with 2 bigs rather than a 5-out offense that has been all the rage in seasons past, especially among mid-major programs.

“That was kind of the wave for a couple years, teams that sold themselves as playing a ‘pro-style’ offense and spread out … but when you play that way, you allow a lot of volatility to enter the equation,” Golden says, via Kevin Sweeney of Sports Illustrated. “When you have the opportunity to recruit bigger, stronger, faster athletes and play a style that allows you to raise your floor with high two-point field goal percentage and get on the glass, that just gives you a better chance to be consistently successful.”

In so many instances, the moment a really talented player at a mid-major has a big season, then the Power-4 schools are going to come and try and bring him in.

There were still a few upsets in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament, as High Point and VCU knocked off Wisconsin and North Carolina respectively. College basketball is changing every year, and this could just be a small sample size. However, it hasn’t been better to be a big dog in the NCAA Tournament in quite some time.

Florida faces off against Iowa on Sunday night for a shot at the Sweet 16. Here’s a look at the odds for tonight’s game, via Kalshi:

The post Todd Golden offers unique perspective on mid-major struggles in March Madness appeared first on Saturday Down South.

However, when the Longhorns needed a huge shot late in the game while nursing a 1-point lead, Miller brought Heide back in who delivered the dagger shot. After the game, Miller talked to reporters about why he subbed Heide back in.

“These guys will tell you, I will take credit for it,” Miler said. “In the last possession of the game, Just to have that other guy out there that is capable. In Cam’s case, you could make the case he is our best 3-point shooter. To not have him in there, I just don’t think made any sense. In that situation, it was great to see him knock it in. I was really happy for him. These guys will tell you, Cam has been a huge part of our team this year.”

For much of the year, the Longhorns didn’t look like a team that was going to make it to the NCAA Tournament. However, they have responded in a big way, first winning the First Four matchup against NC State, before knocking off BYU and Gonzaga to make it to the Sweet Sixteen.

With the win, Miller has now taken three teams to the Sweet Sixteen, as he also took Xavier and Arizona to that round as well. The Longhorns will take on the winner of the game between Purdue and Illinois on Sunday.

The post Sean Miller explains thought process behind subbing in Cam Heide ahead of game-winning shot appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Before he became a head coach, he was an assistant for Nate Oats from 2019-2023. The Crimson Tide were extremely successful during his time there, as they went 92-42 while making it to the Sweet Sixteen twice. After his time on the Alabama staff, the Hodgson became the head coach at Arkansas State. During those two years, he went 45-28, helping the Red Wolves go to the postseason both years before going to USF.

The Bulls had a spectacular season, finishing the regular season 25-9 while winning the American before going to the NCAA Tournament. The Bulls fell to Louisville in the first round of the Big Dance.

Hodgson was rumored to potentially to be going to Syracuse, but he turned it down. Now, he will go and replace former coach Kim English, who was let go after going 48-52 in the last three season.

The post Former Alabama assistant named next HC for Providence basketball appeared first on Saturday Down South.

He helped lead the Aggies to the NCAA Tournament, and even got a win against St. Mary’s in the first round. However, the Aggies ran into a buzz saw on Saturday night as they were knocked off by the Houston Cougars, ending their season.

While the long stings in the moment, McMillan talked to reporters after the game about the season and how it sets the team up moving forward.

 “It’s great when you can be a tournament team and compete in our league. We have an identity to who we are,” McMillan said. “We’ve showed we can play with a lot of teams, but came up short today. This was a major step that should continue to grow from here. We had no returners, and these guys came together for nine months from all across the world. I’ve done this before, I’ve started programs, and everywhere I’ve been, the first year was the lowest we achieved and we rallied from there. If you look at where we started and where we got to, what we accomplished was a big deal for this group.”

Coming to College Station, McMillan wanted to bring his ‘Bucky Ball’ to the SEC. His teams are known for pressuring the ball and making things difficult for opposing offenses. It’s a chaotic system that led the Aggies to a 22-12 record and one NCAA Tournament win in Year 1.

In today’s college basketball, every year is truly a new season. Guys are transferring in and out, and it can be hard to build any continuity. The fact that the Aggies were able to do this on the fly with a brand new roster shows that McMillan is more than capable of competing in the SEC.

As he said in his press conference, he has done a fantastic job in his career of taking a big step after year one, and that should have fans in College Station very excited for the future.

The post Bucky McMillan recaps first season at Texas A&M, comments on vision for the future appeared first on Saturday Down South.

 Trolling has become a major part of college sports, and the Rams band director did just that by wearing a Michael Jordan North Carolina jersey during the game against Illinois on Saturday night.

CBS broadcaster Ian Eagle noticed the band director during the game, and commented that he was trolling North Carolina fans across the country.

For much of the game against the Tar Heels, VCU was in big trouble, but Terrence Hill Jr. delivered a game for the ages by scoring 34 points. He hit the dagger 3-pointer late to give the Rams a 2-point lead late in overtime.

The loss for North Carolina has been a tough one to deal with, as it is the second consecutive year they lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament. There have been calls for Hubert Davis to lose his job, and this is only going to be another thing that will drive North Carolina fans crazy.

The post VCU band director trolls North Carolina, dons Michael Jordan jersey  appeared first on Saturday Down South.

While talking to reporters on Saturday, Pitino talked about what separates the sport from any other sporting event in the country.

“March Madness is the greatest month in all of sports, better than the Super Bowl, better than the Grand Prix Monaco,” Pitino said. “It’s the best because it’s madness the entire month. It’s not one game in the Super Bowl. So it’s the greatest event there is.”

Up next for the Red Storm is a matchup against the Kansas Jayhawks in one of the more intriguing second round games on Sunday. The coaching matchup between Pitino and Bill Self is as good as you can find in college basketball, as they are both in the basketball Hall of Fame.

St. John’s star big man Zubi Ejifor began his college career at KU, but transferred out and has now became a star for the Red Storm. The game also features KU star Darryn Peterson, who is a guy who could be drafted with the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

Tip-off between the two teams is scheduled for 5:15 p.m. ET, and the game will be on CBS.

St. John’s is looked at as a team that is more than capable of making it to the Final Four, as they have an 11% chance of making it according to the Kalshi odds.

The post Rick Pitino explains why March Madness is ‘the greatest event there is’ appeared first on Saturday Down South.

On Saturday, the Tennessee baseball team honored Rucker and his family by having his son throw out the ceremonial first pitch in a home game against the Missouri Tigers.

Rucker was a staple in Tennessee coverage, as he covered both football and basketball for WBIR Channel 10. He had been covering Tennessee sports since 2000, when he was a student reporter for the campus newspaper.. He also hosted several podcasts as part of his work covering the Vols, including 10 at 3 with Wes Rucker, the GoVols247 podcast during his time with 247 Sports, and The Wes Rucker Show on ESPN Radio Knoxville.

Tennessee baseball previously honored Rucker with an open seat in the press box at Tennessee’s newly renovated stadium.

The post Son of late Tennessee beat reporter Wes Rucker throws out first pitch before Tennessee-Mizzou appeared first on Saturday Down South.

That success on the field is starting to pay dividends for the team off the field, as the Bulldogs are bringing in some of those top recruits. On Saturday, Lebby and his team got another talented receiver as receiver Javarious Griffin announced he would be staying home. He chose the Bulldogs over other schools such as Ole Miss, Vanderbilt and Houston.

The next step for the Bulldogs is to start competing for an SEC Championship, and Kalshi sees Mississippi State with still a little way to go before contending for it.

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Kalshi

Texas

24%

Georgia

23%

LSU

15%

Texas A&M

12%

Alabama

11%

Florida

11%

Missouri

10%

Oklahoma

10%

Arkansas

6%

Vanderbilt

3%

Predict

According to the 247Sports Composite Rankings, Griffin is a 3-star recruit ranked as the No. 17 prospect in the state of Mississippi. He is also the No. 74 receiver in the class, as well as the No. 642 overall player in the class.

He joins a solid Mississippi State class that is currently ranked No. 25 in the 2027 class that is led by Caleb Unger.

The post Mississippi State adds key 3-star, in-state WR to Class of 2027 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

In the tournament opening win against Miami (OH), Gillespie had 29 points and nine assists while making 6 3-pointers. While he helped carry the team to a win, there was an instance where he tried to make the highlight play on a dunk to get to 30 points.

While Barnes will praise his guards in many instances, he had to make sure to give him a little grief for the attempt on Friday.

“He thought he was going to dunk it,” Barnes told reporters on Saturday. “He can’t dunk it in traffic.”

While he may not be able to quite dunk the ball on people in traffic, one thing that is for sure is that he is going to play a huge role in how far the Volunteers ultimately go this season.

Up next in the Round of 32 is a game against the Virginia Cavaliers for the right to advance to next week’s Sweet Sixteen. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:10 p.m. ET and the game will be in Philadelphia with the game being aired on TNT.

Here’s a look at the latest odds for Tennessee vs. Virginia, via Kalshi:

The post Rick Barnes ribs Ja’Kobi Gillespie for ill-advised dunk attempt: ‘He can’t dunk in traffic’ appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Whatever method fans use for their brackets, they are all looking to get that perfect bracket. After Day 1 though, very few brackets across the country remain perfect, as just 0.04% of the brackets went 16-0 on Thursday.

Two of the biggest upsets on Thursday were High Point beating Wisconsin, while VCU came back from a 19-point deficit to knock off North Carolina. For much of the matchup between Duke and Siena, we were on the verge of one of the biggest upsets in NCAA history. However, the Blue Devils overcame a double-digit deficit to come back and win.

Friday has more storylines as we get another 16 games. For much of the year, Miami (OH) has been the darling of the college basketball world. The RedHawks picked up a huge win against SMU, and will go up against Tennessee in an intriguing day.

With the chaos of yesterday, we could be down to zero perfect brackets remaining early on Friday.

Bracket busted? You can still get in on prediction action at Kalshi!

The post Less than 1% of perfect brackets remain after Thursday’s NCAA Tournament action appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Razorbacks have been one of the best teams in the country as of late, as they won five consecutive games entering the NCAA Tournament, including a run to an SEC Championship.

The Razorbacks have a 78.8% chance to win over High Point, according to ESPN Analytics. The matchup will be on Saturday on TruTV, with the game being scheduled for a 9:45 p.m. ET tipof.

A big reason why Arkansas is playing its best basketball is because the Razorbacks are scoring at a high clip. In the five previous games before the NCAA Tournament is because they’ve scored at least 82 points in each game.

They went to a different level on Thursday, as they scored 97 points in the victory against Hawaii. All five of their starters scored in double-figures, led by star freshman guard Darius Acuff Jr. with 24.

The biggest upset on the first day was High Point pulling off a shocking 83-82 upset against Wisconsin. Guard Rob Martin led the way with 23 points, while guard Chase Johnston caught fire from deep late to help complete the comeback.

Predict the Arkansas-High Point game today on Kalshi!

The post ESPN Analytics predicts the outcome of Arkansas vs. High Point appeared first on Saturday Down South.

This is McMillan’s first year as the head coach in College Station, and things have went well for the Aggies. They finished the regular season with a record of 21-11 entering the NCAA Tournament, and was a No. 10 seed heading into the first round game against St. Mary’s.

ESPN Analytics suggests that the Aggies don’t have much of a chance in this game though against Houston, as they are being given only an 18.7% chance to beat the Cougars, according to the model. The matchup will be on Saturday on TNT, with tipoff currently scheduled for 6:10 p.m. ET

The Aggies put together one of their best defensive performances on the season, as they knocked off the Gaels 63-50. On the season, the Gaels averaged 78.2 points. They also did a great job of limiting the turnovers, as they averaged 10.8 on the season.

On Thursday, they were able to only get to 50 while turning the ball over 18 times against the ‘Bucky Ball’ defense.

While that was a great performance, the matchup Saturday is a different level. The Cougars are one of the best defensive teams in the country, and have future NBA lottery pick guard Kingston Flemings running the show.

Predict the winner of Texas A&M vs. Houston today on Kalshi!

The post ESPN Analytics predicts the outcome of Texas A&M vs. Houston appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Stoudamire was the coach for three seasons, but he was unable to lead Georgia Tech to the NCAA Tournament during his time. Cross, on the other hand, has led Troy to the NCAA Tournament in back-to-back years, while also winning the Sun Belt regular-season championship in both of those years.

Per an ESPN source, Scott Cross has agreed to a five-year deal to become the next coach at Georgia Tech. Deal is done. https://t.co/AKoMYEUkJL

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) March 20, 2026

The Trojans lost 76-47 on Thursday to Nebraska in the first round, ending their season with a record of 22-12.

Cross has been a head coach for 19 seasons in his career, and has won 350 games during his time at Troy as well as UT-Arlington.

The last time that Georgia Tech made it to the NCAA Tournament was in 2021, when the Yellow Jackets lost to Loyola Chicago in the first round under then-coach Josh Pastner.

The post Georgia Tech set to hire head coach of NCAA Tournament team, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Rick Barnes and the Volunteers lost 4 of their last 6 games, with all of those losses being by 7 points or less. They were able to beat Auburn in their first SEC Tournament game, but lost to Vanderbilt the next day.

Still, the Volunteers made the field of 68 teams and are a No. 6 seed in the Midwest Bracket, with an interesting potential path to the Sweet 16. So with that said, let’s make some predictions. 

Here’s how far Saturday Down South predicts Tennessee will advance in the 2026 NCAA Tournament:

Round 1: No. 11 SMU or Miami (OH) (in Philadelphia)

RECORD: SMU 20-13; Miami (OH), 31-1

The Volunteers will get to watch their future opponent playing in a First Four game, as SMU and Miami (OH) will face off on Wednesday night.

The Mustangs had an up-and-down showing in the ACC this year, and have lost 4 of their last 5 games entering the NCAA Tournament. Guard Boopie Miller is one of the better guards in the country, as he averaged 19.2 points and 6.4 assists, while shooting 41% on 3’s.

No team has won the hearts of college basketball fans more than the RedHawks of Miami, who went 31-0 during the regular season in the MAC. While they lost their first MAC Tournament game against UMass, this is still a team that has been in countless one-possession games throughout the year.

While these 2 teams present different types of challenges, the Volunteers are simply too good for either of these matchups. In a matchup against the RedHawks, the athleticism and ability to pressure the ball would be too much.

Round 2: No. 3 Virginia (in Philadelphia)

RECORD: Virginia 29-5

The Cavaliers will provide a very different type of test for the Volunteers, as they are once again one of the better defenses in the country. They have lost only 2 games since January 25, with both of those being to the Duke Blue Devils.

One area where Virginia is very stingy is when it comes to contesting shots at the rim. The Cavaliers average 6.5 blocks per game, which leads all of college basketball. Ugonna Onyenso leads the team with 3 blocks per game.

While they are still stingy on defense, this Cavaliers team is able to put the ball in the basket and averaged 80.6 points. Thijs De Ridder leads the team with 15.5 points, while also averaging a team-high 6.2 rebounds.

This has the makings of a slugfest type of Round of 32 game, but the Cavaliers’ ability to protect the rim will end the Volunteers’ season in this game.

Prediction: Virginia 71, Tennessee 67

Will we be proven wrong? Will Tennessee advance to the Sweet 16? Here’s what Kalshi has to say about the Vols getting through the first weekend:

The post How far will Tennessee advance in the 2026 NCAA Tournament? appeared first on Saturday Down South.

As soon as the teams were announced, fans all across the country started to get to work in doing their research to fill out what they hope is a perfect bracket. However, Vitale wasted no time in making his picks for the ‘Big Dance’, as he posted on social media that he thinks there will be a repeat in college basketball, going with Florida as his 2026 national champion.

If the Gators were able to achieve this, they would be the first team to do it since they did it in 2006 and 2007. Florida has been on a tear as of late, but the Gators lost to Vanderbilt in the SEC Tournament semifinals.

The rest of Vitale’s Final Four is some of the best teams in the country, as he has Arizona, Iowa State and Duke making it to the final weekend, with the Gators knocking off Arizona in a championship.

The Madness starts on Tuesday with the beginning of the First Four in Dayton. The 64-team Round 1 plays out on Thursday and Friday.

Can Florida repeat as NCAA Tournament champion? Kalshi is taking action on predictions!

The post Dick Vitale reveals pick to win 2026 NCAA Tournament appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Volunteers have made the NCAA Tournament in eight consecutive seasons. While many teams from the SEC joined them in the Big Dance, one of the more talked about teams was Auburn, who was left out with a record of 17-16.

Despite having many big wins, Auburn and coach Steven Pearl were left out of the NCAA Tournament in his first season as the coach.

Barnes was asked about whether or not he thinks his conference rival should have made it in the field, and he believes they should have been.

“I do. When you think about our league and how hard it is, and I think Ole Miss just proved it,” Barnes told reporters when asked. “I they had lost how many games in a row, and they go there and make a run. And it is hard. It’s hard to come all the way through.”

The irony of Barnes saying that Auburn should be in the NCAA Tournament is the fact it was the Volunteers who delivered the final nail in the coffin when it came to the Tigers making the tournament. Tennessee was able to overcome a big deficit in a 2nd round game in the SEC Tournament to defeat Auburn, 72-62.

The team looked at as one of the biggest competitors for Auburn to make it was Miami (OH), who finished the regular season with a 31-0 record. If the RedHawks are able to knock off SMU, then Tennessee will have the opportunity to end their season as well.

The post Rick Barnes weighs in on whether Auburn should have made the NCAA Tournament appeared first on Saturday Down South.

After going 2-2 in their first four games, the Sooners won 9 of 10 games to enter SEC play with a record of 11-3.

However, as good as Oklahoma was right before the start of SEC play, the Sooners were that bad for much of the conference season. After knocking Ole Miss in the conference opener, the Sooners lost their next nine games,

They were finally able to break that skid against Vanderbilt. On Feb. 21, the Sooners locked to be all but eliminated from the NCAA Tournament. However, the Sooners once again showed the potential they had at the start of the year, as they won six straight games before losing to Arkansas 82-79 in a heartbreaking game in the SEC Tournament.

Despite the inconsistent play this year, it was announced that Moser will be back in Norman next year as the head coach, with a promised improvement when it comes to NIL.

The post Oklahoma learns postseason fate with NCAA Tournament bracket reveal appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Oklahoma looked to be almost eliminated from the NCAA Tournament conversation after losing to the Aggies late in the regular season. However, the Sooners have started to play their best basketball of the year, and have won five straight games entering Thursday’s game.

The Aggies have won two straight games to end the regular season, and will be looking to increase their seeding for the NCAA Tournament.

The Aggies have a 58.7 % chance to prevail over Oklahoma, according to the ESPN Analytics. The matchup will be on the SECNetwork, being placed in the 9:30 p.m. ET window.

The Sooners got things started in the SEC Tournament with an 86-74 victory over the South Carolina Gamecocks. Guard Nigel Pack scored 24 points, while Derrion Reid scored 20. Oklahoma needs to go on a magical run in the SEC Tournament if it wants to make the NCAA Tournament, as the Sooners may only make it with the automatic bid.

Texas A&M will be playing its first game of the SEC Tournament, after earning the No. 6 seed in the conference.

The post ESPN Analytics predicts outcome of Oklahoma-Texas A&M game in SEC Tournament appeared first on Saturday Down South.