Sports
What we learned in Duke’s win over Michigan, Arizona’s over Houston
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Myron Medcalf
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Myron Medcalf
ESPN Staff Writer
- Covers college basketball
- Joined ESPN.com in 2011
- Graduate of Minnesota State University, Mankato
Multiple Authors
With less than 45 days until the Final Four, men’s college basketball fans were given a preview of potential national semifinal matchups in Indianapolis.
The top four teams in the latest AP poll headlined a loaded Saturday slate, with No. 3 Duke and No. 4 Arizona taking down No. 1 Michigan and No. 2 Houston, respectively. It was the first time the Nos. 1 and 2 teams lost on the same day since Feb. 8, 2025.
What did the results teach us about each contender? And how should all four be ranked coming out of the day? ESPN’s Jeff Borzello and Myron Medcalf break it down.
What we learned about Duke
Duke is as good as any team in college basketball. While its record and ranking already reflected that, it hadn’t really yet been considered among the top of the national championship contenders this season. Michigan, Arizona, UConn (at times) and Houston (more recently) have all been in that conversation. Now, Duke is too, placing the Blue Devils squarely in the mix to earn the No. 1 overall seed on Selection Sunday.
If there was any doubt, Duke’s Cameron Boozer is the clear National Player of the Year favorite. Michigan senior Yaxel Lendeborg outscored the freshman in the first half, but Boozer put Duke’s offense on his back when it mattered. Boozer finished with 18 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists, and he scored seven straight Duke points in the final minutes to give the Blue Devils the edge.
Saturday’s outing was about more than Boozer, though. Blue Devils guard Caleb Foster hit some big shots from the perimeter and took care of the ball. Patrick Ngongba II made an impact at both ends. Nikolas Khamenia gave Duke some really good minutes off the bench. Isaiah Evans didn’t shoot well, but the confidence he has on the offensive end didn’t waver.
Duke’s offense isn’t as explosive as that of other contenders. But when the defense plays like it did on Saturday, the Blue Devils don’t need to score 80 or 90 points. That’s what could separate them come March. — Borzello
What we learned about Michigan
Essentially all the ingredients that have made Michigan the most dominant team in college basketball this season — all the things that allowed the Wolverines to have a comfortable win at Purdue earlier this week — weren’t there on Saturday.
The biggest eyebrow raiser came up front. Michigan’s frontcourt has been unparalleled, with coach Dusty May relying on jumbo lineups to bully and overpower teams. On Saturday, the Wolverines struggled against an opposing frontcourt for maybe the first time all season. They entered the game averaging 41 paint points per game and had an average rebound margin of nearly 10 boards. Duke outscored the Wolverines 34-24 in the paint and outrebounded them 41-28. It was the first time this season Michigan was outrebounded by double digits.
Michigan might have been able to overcome its lack of production on the interior had it shot the way it did against the Boilermakers, against whom it went 13-for-23 from 3. But the Wolverines were just 6-for-25 from beyond the arc versus Duke, making only one 3-pointer from the 9:40 mark of the first half until the 3:50 left in the second. Elliot Cadeau, Trey McKenney, Nimari Burnett and L.J. Cason combined to hit two treys.
It’s not a loss that will truly impact their perception as the favorites to win the national championship — on another day, those open 3s fall, Aday Mara doesn’t get in foul trouble and so on — but what looked like a waltz to a national title has hit a bump in the road. — Borzello
What we learned about Arizona
The Wildcats can still beat any team in America, and they proved as much in one of college basketball’s most hostile environments against one of its best teams.
Arizona had been nearly flawless until last week, suffering its first losses of the season at Kansas and then to Texas Tech. Despite that two-game slide, the Wildcats have been one of the nation’s most consistent contenders for four months. More importantly, they have excelled in the crucial moments that define a season, and proved that once again Saturday.
Arizona’s defense was excellent after halftime, when Houston struggled to score. The Cougars didn’t score for nearly eight minutes in the second half, their longest scoring drought of the season. Jaden Bradley made big shots down the stretch and finished with 17 points. Anthony Dell’Orso had 22 off the bench, and Ivan Kharchenkov added 16 points. The Wildcats shot 25% from beyond the arc Saturday and failed to extend the lead by more than 10 points. — Medcalf
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Arizona Wildcats vs. Houston Cougars: Game Highlights
Arizona Wildcats vs. Houston Cougars: Game Highlights
What we learned about Houston
This was the type of battle Kelvin Sampson’s Houston teams seemed to enjoy, but the Cougars once again suffered a scoring drought that they couldn’t overcome.
Houston went scoreless for nearly eight minutes in the second half against Arizona. And though the Wildcats’ defense played a significant role in that drought, the Cougars can’t expect to cut down the nets in April if they can’t get a much-needed bucket. They were also outscored 21-9 in the last 11 minutes of their 70-67 loss at Iowa State on Monday.
Do they have the offensive output to trade punches with the best teams in America? The NCAA tournament is decided by playmakers and stars, and the Cougars have them, but their inability to overcome a pair of ugly stretches in back-to-back games is concerning. This week’s losses suggest that unless star freshman Kingston Flemings can create shots in clutch moments, they might be vulnerable to more droughts at the most critical juncture of the season. — Medcalf
How would you rank these teams now?
Borzello: Duke, Arizona, Michigan, Houston.
1. Duke: Can I really put any other team at the top? Duke just beat Michigan on a neutral court, and proved it doesn’t need the most explosive offense in the country to beat an elite team. The Blue Devils have just two losses all season: by one to Texas Tech in a game they led by 17, and by three to North Carolina in a game they led by 13. Saturday showed they can close against a high-level opponent.
2. Arizona: Tommy Lloyd’s team has an incredible set of wins, adding the victory at Houston to a group that already included victories at UConn, over Florida in Las Vegas and over Alabama in Tuscaloosa. It was one of the more gritty, tough-minded wins we’ve seen from any team all season. No Koa Peat, no Dwayne Aristode and a less-than-100% Brayden Burries with Motiejus Krivas and Tobe Awaka in foul trouble. That they were able to get a win shows this team has a certain level of toughness past Arizona teams haven’t quite possessed.
3. Michigan: The Wolverines are still arguably the favorites to win the national championship, despite the loss. The fact they were right in the game in the final minute despite getting dominated in the paint and missing a dozen open 3s is evidence of their ability. But they were certainly knocked off their pedestal, and questions will be raised about where they go for offense late in games.
4. Houston: A two-loss week for the Cougars. What most concerns me after this stretch is how dependent they are on their defense forcing turnovers. When they can’t get easy points or put teams on the backfoot, they rely so heavily on the shotmaking of their guards. Their guards are elite, so it’s not necessarily a dealbreaker, but it’s worth monitoring. Iowa State and Arizona combined to turn the ball over just eight times against Houston, and allowed a combined three points off turnovers; the Cougars entered the week forcing nearly 15 turnovers per game and scoring 19 points off turnovers.
Medcalf: Duke, Michigan, Arizona, Houston.
1. Duke: The Blue Devils made the plays they had to make down the stretch of a close, incredible game — one that could set the stage for a rematch in March. They proved that they’re the best team in America right now. They are also led by the best player in the country with Cameron Boozer. Hard to make a case for anything but the top spot for them.
2. Michigan: The Wolverines stayed close throughout the loss to Duke until the 3s stopped falling and they couldn’t outduel the Blue Devils in those precious final minutes.
3. Arizona: Even though they were shorthanded without Koa Peat, the Wildcats were the better team against Houston. Jaden Bradley made big plays down the stretch that helped the Wildcats overcome another outing with limited impact from the 3-point line. But what really stood out was a defensive effort that fueled Houston’s drought of 10-plus minutes without a field goal in the second half.
4. Houston: The Cougars squandered two opportunities this week to prove that they belong with the other national title contenders on this list — if Iowa State was here, I’d put Houston after the Cyclones. The Cougars were up by double digits against Iowa State but fell apart in the final minutes. They also couldn’t find a shot for most of the second half in the loss to Arizona, ruining their second opportunity to make a strong case for a spot on the top line come Selection Sunday.
Sports
Tiger Woods’ former caddie makes bold Masters claim about famed golfer: ‘Wouldn’t put anything past the guy’
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Tiger Woods may be down, but his former right-hand man does not believe he is out.
Joe LaCava was Woods’ caddie when he broke his 11-year major drought and miraculously won the 2019 Masters, his first green jacket since 2005.
Woods is now 50, and in recent memory, his performances on the course have been plenty to forget.
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Tiger Woods celebrates with caddie Joe LaCava on the 18th green after winning the final round of the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, on April 14, 2019. (David Cannon/Getty Images)
But LaCava, now on Patrick Cantlay’s bag, is not putting “anything” past the 15-time major champion, who certainly has a flair for the dramatic.
“He’s got anything in him, and he’s proven that. But yeah, that’s the hope for me. He’s done everything, right?” LaCava told The Athletic when asked if he could one day again contend at Augusta.
LISTEN TO CRIME & JUSTICE PODCAST ON TIGER WOODS
“He’s going to be 50-plus, I get it. But I wouldn’t put anything past the guy. So I’d never write him off.”
LaCava said he has not reached out to Woods since his DUI arrest, instead “leaving him alone and letting him figure it out for himself.”
“He’s got to help himself, which is what I’m hoping he’ll do. But I have not made any contact with him …” LaCava said.
Golfer Tiger Woods stands by his overturned vehicle in Jupiter Island, Fla., Friday, March 27, 2026. (Jason Oteri/AP)
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“He’s got enough people probably texting him and hounding him, right? I don’t need to bother him. I care greatly about him. I’m not p—-d at him. He knows that. He knows that I care deeply about him. He’s got enough stuff going on, so I’m sure we’ll communicate once he’s back home. I’m assuming he doesn’t have access to his phone anyway.”
In 14 majors since his last victory, he has failed to muster a top 20 finish. It’s his longest such streak since failing to finish in the top 20 in the first six majors of his career in 1995 and 1996. In his last 26 majors, he has only four top 20 finishes.
Since finishing tied for ninth at the 2020 Farmers Insurance Open, his best finish in his 18 official events since then has been a tie for 37th at the 2020 PGA Championship.
He has not competed since 2024, when he competed in just five events — the Genesis Invitational and the four majors. He withdrew from the Genesis, finished dead last in the Masters and missed the cut in the other majors.
Tiger Woods celebrates during the trophy presentation after winning the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 14, 2019, in Augusta, Georgia. (Allen Eyestone/The Augusta Chronicle Syndication: Palm Beach Post)
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Woods ruptured his Achilles last year just before the Masters, returning from the injury in the The Golf League championship just four days before his arrest.
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Sports
NFL faces Justice Department probe after fans express frustration with streaming pivot: report
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The Justice Department reportedly opened an investigation into the NFL on Thursday over whether the league used anticompetitive tactics against fans.
The Wall Street Journal first reported the investigation.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Justice Department and the NFL for comment.
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NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell speaks during a press conference after Super Bowl LX at Moscone Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Feb. 9, 2026. (Matthew Huang/Icon Sportswire)
The reported investigation comes as Trump administration officials and lawmakers have warned about revisiting the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961. The law allows the NFL to negotiate league-wide TV deals without violating U.S. antitrust rules, provided it meets certain conditions, including protecting customer access.
Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, the chair of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights, addressed the issue in a letter to the Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission. He requested a review of the league’s antitrust exemption status.
Meanwhile, surging streaming prices and sky-high ticket costs have combined to leave the average American NFL fan boxed out of watching their beloved game altogether or making it impossible to find.
A Fox News poll in March indicated that 72% of sports fans think major sporting events should stay free on broadcast TV, amid reports that the NFL is considering allowing teams to sell the rights to preseason games to streaming services.
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FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said on “Fox & Friends” last month that officials are reviewing thousands of comments on whether a significant share of sports should remain free on broadcast television.
The Amazon Prime Video Thursday Night Football logo appears on a television camera during the second half of the game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Las Vegas Raiders at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., on Nov. 29, 2024. (Aaron M. Sprecher/Getty Images)
Carr said the FCC is looking into whether sports leagues should continue to benefit from a special antitrust exemption, and that public comments solicited on the matter largely support keeping games more accessible.
“We actually got thousands and thousands of comments. It was a big number for the FCC… The vast majority so far, based on an initial assessment, support keeping a significant portion of these sports games on free, over-the-air broadcast TV,” Carr said.
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“So, we’ll be looking at it. There could be actions at other portions of the government, and Congress as well, if these sports leagues continue to push this issue.”
Carr made his feelings clear, stating he thinks the experience of finding a game to watch has become frustrating and costly.
“You effectively have to have a computer science degree to decipher this,” he said, adding that, historically, broadcast TV and sports leagues have had a mutually beneficial relationship that allowed leagues to grow while supporting local news.
“We’re at a tipping point where these leagues can push it so far, putting games behind paywalls, that they undermine their ability to claim that antitrust exemption.”
NFL fans themselves have also spoken out about the league’s streaming strategy.
OutKick’s Davey Hudson took to the streets of Nashville and New York City last month to talk to aggrieved football fans.
“I think it’s frustrating when you just want to watch a game, and you have to figure out what app it’s on. And then you’re paying for multiple apps all the time,” one fan said.
Another fan was blunt, calling the current system of watching games “f—ing stupid.”
“Well, it’s f—ing stupid, you have to get five different platforms to watch all of the games that you want to, and still you have to pay on top. It’s ridiculous at this point,” the fan said.
One fan called it a “pain in the a–” to keep track of where and when the games are being streamed.
A different fan called it a “money grab,” citing Netflix as the latest streaming service the NFL brought in to start broadcasting its games.
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NFL fans who want access to every game need to purchase YouTube TV for “NFL Sunday Ticket,” in addition to the costly subscriptions for all the streaming services the NFL broadcasts on. Those streaming services are Amazon Prime, Peacock and Netflix. The combination of those respective services is over $1,500 a year, and that doesn’t include the fees that come with basic cable packages or high-speed Wi-Fi that is needed to accommodate the platforms.
Fox News’ Ryan Canfield contributed to this report.
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Islamabad United clinched a commanding victory over defending champions Lahore Qalandars in the 16th match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 at Karachi’s National Bank Stadium on Thursday.
Chasing a modest target of 101, United lost just one wicket by the 11th over, thanks to an outstanding batting display from Devon Conway.
Islamabad got off to a shaky start as opener Sameer Minhas was dismissed for five runs off eight balls, which included a boundary, by Shaheen Afridi on the first delivery of the third over.
Conway then combined with Mohammad Faiq to build a steady partnership, taking their side past the 50-run mark by the sixth over.
The pair batted sensibly, scoring at a healthy pace and dominating the Qalandars’ bowling attack, boosting their team’s morale and bringing up a half-century stand.
Conway was in scintillating form, striking boundaries at regular intervals to reach his maiden PSL fifty.
He finished unbeaten on 59 off 35 deliveries, including seven fours and three sixes, while Faiq contributed a brilliant 34 from 19 balls, hitting six fours, to guide Islamabad United to a comfortable win.
Batting first, Qalandars were bowled out for 100 in 18.3 overs, largely due to United’s dominant spin attack.
The innings suffered an early setback when Imad Wasim dismissed Mohammad Naeem for a first-ball duck on the second delivery of the opening over.
Haseebullah Khan and Abdullah Shafique steadied the innings with a 26-run partnership, but Imad struck again to remove Shafique for 10 off 12 deliveries, which included a six, leaving Qalandars at 27-2 in 4.3 overs.
Despite occasional runs, Lahore continued to lose wickets. Chris Green claimed his first wicket by clean bowling Haseebullah for 19 off 22 balls, which included two boundaries, on the final delivery of the eighth over.
In the very next over, Islamabad captain Shadab Khan dismissed Rubin Hermann for four off 14 deliveries, leaving Qalandars struggling at 41-4 in 8.1 overs.
Asif Ali and Sikandar Raza combined to rebuild the innings, taking the total past the 50-run mark. However, their 31-run stand was broken by Shadab, who removed Asif for 15 off 12 balls, which included a four and a six.
Debutant Ryan Burl was caught and bowled by Chris Green for two off six deliveries, leaving Qalandars at 76-6 in 13.3 overs.
Sikandar battled with the bat to take the team’s total to a defendable score, while Shaheen Afridi contributed from the other end.
Their efforts were cut short as Chris Green claimed his third wicket, dismissing Raza for 25 off 19 balls, which included three fours.
Richard Gleeson became the latest United bowler to take a wicket, clean bowling Haris Rauf for two off three deliveries.
He followed it up by dismissing Ubaid Shah for one, while Shaheen Afridi was the final wicket to fall, taken by Faheem Ashraf in the 19th over.
Chris Green bowled brilliantly for Islamabad United, taking three wickets for 19 runs in four overs. Imad Wasim, Richard Gleeson and Shadab Khan claimed two wickets each, while Faheem Ashraf contributed with one wicket.
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