Wemby states MVP case: Want to leave no debate

Victor Wembanyama is making it clear: He wants to win the NBA’s MVP Award this season.

‘Four more to go’: KD passes MJ on scoring list

Kevin Durant passed Michael Jordan for fifth on the NBA’s career scoring list after finishing with 27 points in a win over the Heat.

Kennard steals show, wins it for red-hot Lakers

Luke Kennard drained a go-ahead 3-pointer with 0.6 seconds left for the Lakers, who won their ninth straight on a night LeBron James made history with his record-breaking 1,612th regular-season game.

Curry (knee) gearing up for live contact in practice

The Warriors have ruled Stephen Curry out for their next two games but plan to incorporate him into live contact practices in the coming days.

Mexican prospect Lopez declares for NBA draft

Karim Lopez, who spent two seasons in the Australian NBL, has declared for the NBA draft and is poised to become the first player born in Mexico to be picked in the first round.

Wizards’ Young out with no timetable for return

Wizards PG Trae Young is dealing with a pair of injuries and is out indefinitely, the team announced before Saturday’s game against the Thunder.

Arizona vs Utah State live updates: Prediction, how to watch March Madness Round 2 game

Follow all of Sunday’s NCAA Tournament second round games with USA TODAY Sports’ live updates.

No. 1 seed Arizona made it look easy against No. 16 Long Island in the first round, even if Wildcats players said it wasn’t.

Arizona jumped out to a 27-point lead in the first half and got at least 14 points from three freshman starters and coasted to a 92-58 win over the Sharks.

March Madness conference records: Big Ten leads at 11-2; How are SEC, Big 12 doing?

No. 9 Utah State played in a much closer game, surviving No. 8 Villanova, 86-76, in one of the more entertaining first round games.

Mason Falslev had 22 points and MJ Collins Jr. had 20 points as Jerrod Calhoun’s Aggies put on an offensive clinic that had broadcasters and studio analysts gushing afterward.

The winner of today’s game advances to next week’s Sweet 16 to play No. 4 Arkansas in San Jose.

Here’s what you need to know about today’s game.

HIT REFRESH FOR UPDATES.

Arizona vs Utah State live score

TEAMS	1H	2H	F
Utah State	—	—	—
Arizona	—	—	—

What time is Arizona vs Utah State?

• Time: 7:50 p.m. ET, Sunday.

What channel is Arizona vs Utah State? How to watch, streaming info

• The game is airing on truTV, streaming via Fubo.

Arizona vs Utah State prediction, odds

∎ Jeremy Cluff, Arizona Republic: Arizona 83, Utah State 72

The Wildcats are seeking their first Final Four appearance since 2001. They will get one step closer with a win over Utah State, although it won’t come quite as easily as the win over Long Island.

• John Leuzzi: Arizona
• Jordan Mendoza: Arizona
• Ehsan Kassim: Arizona
• Blake Schuster: Arizona
• Moneyline: Arizona (-800); Utah State (+550)
• Spread: Arizona (-11.5)
• Over/ under total: 153.5

Who is Jerrod Calhoun? What to know about Utah State coach and Aggies offense?

“This guy is an offensive genius,” CBS commentator and former NBA coach Stan Van Gundy said of Calhoun during Utah State’s first round win over Villanova.

CBS Sports analyst Jamal Mashburn, who played 11 NBA seasons, also had high praise for Calhoun and what he’s done with the Aggies program.

“Just a masterful job of what he’s been able to do,” Mashburn said. “Teach these kids how to play that way, and also put them in a position to be aggressive and not be afraid to make mistakes.”

Even TNT Sports host Adam Lefkoe had to admire Calhoun’s coaching prowess.

“Many of you have not seen Utah State. But we sat here and went, ‘Coaches around the country need to steal their plays.’ Hopefully they don’t steal their players,” Lefkoe said. “Utah State’s offense was phenomenal. … Let’s look at the highlights because almost every play you see is a masterclass from coach Calhoun.”

Is Jerrod Calhoun a candidate for Cincinnati coach job?

Calhoun, who’s in his second season as head coach at Utah State, is being linked with a number of power conference openings, including Cincinnati.

An Ohio native, Calhoun got his start in coaching as a student assistant on the Bearcats staff in 2003-04. He spent seven years as head coach at Ohio’s Youngstown State before heading to USU.

“Calhoun is going to be great walking the sidelines at UC,” former Bearcat great Nick Van Exel tweeted after Calhoun’s Aggies defeated Villanova. “Offense is great. Lots of ball/body movement and paint touches. And he gets the history of the program and understands that the UC vs X is a rivalry and not just another game.”

Koa Peat 2026 NBA Draft, mock draft prediction

No. 19 overall to Miami Heat

Kalbrosky’s Analysis:

The Miami Heat have drafted several prospects known for their athleticism, which means a player like Arizona forward Koa Peat will probably have some appeal to their organization. Peat is an ideal match for this franchise given his versatility as a playmaking forward. The All-Big 12 forward just needs a jumper to carve out regular minutes as a high-impact pro. Arizona plays at a significantly faster pace (4.6 extra possessions) when Peat is on the floor relative to when he is not, per CBB Analytics, which would fit very well with Miamis fastest-paced offense in the NBA.

See USA TODAY’s full mock draft here

Koa Peat stats

(all stats as of March 15)

• 13.6 points per game
• 5.3 rebounds per game
• 2.7 assists per game
• 53.7% field goal percentage
• 31.6% three-point field goal percentage

Brayden Burries 2026 NBA Draft, mock draft prediction

No. 10 overall to Milwaukee Bucks.

Kalbrosky’s Analysis:

Arizona freshman Brayden Burries had two breakout games in January, which helped solidify his draft stock. But the All-Big 12 guard has continued to display his tantalizing talent, scoring 31 points with seven rebounds and five steals against Colorado on March 7 and 20 points with 12 rebounds and five assists during a victory against No. 14 Kansas on Feb. 28. Burries has proven productivity and that he is able to defend, relocate, move the ball and make 3-pointers off the dribble.

See USA TODAY’s full mock draft here

Brayden Burries stats

(all stats as of March 15)

• 15.9 points per game
• 4.7 rebounds per game
• 2.6 assists per game
• 49.2% field goal percentage
• 36.7% three-point field goal percentage

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Arizona vs Utah State live score updates, highlights from March Madness Round 2

LeBron James breaks mark for NBA games played. See his record vs. each team

LeBron James has added another NBA record to his resume.

With his appearance in the Los Angeles Lakers‘ game against the Orlando Magic March 21, the 22-time NBA All-Star broke Robert Parrish’s all-time games played record. Now, LeBron stands alone with 1,612 games played in his career.

While James has numerous iconic moments under his belt, any NBA fan can probably pinpoint one or two moments where the four-time MVP went off against their favorite team. It may not be a fond memory for them, but it’s just another example of the type of legacy James has left on the league.

But which team has James played the most games against? Has he won a game against every team in the league? Has he won a playoff game against every team in the league? Here’s a full breakdown of James’ 1,612 career games (and 292 playoff games).

LeBron James’ games played, regular-season record vs. each team

*- record against each team is listed in parentheses following total games played

NOTE: Teams no longer in existence (e.g. Seattle Supersonics, New Jersey Nets, etc.) are not listed, but are counted as part of the franchise’s current location (e.g. Supersonics are counted with Oklahoma City Thunder).

• Atlanta Hawks: 67 (48-19)
• Boston Celtics: 62 (34-28)
• Brooklyn Nets: 63 (40-23)
• Charlotte Hornets: 59 (50-9)
• Chicago Bulls: 68 (37-31)
• Cleveland Cavaliers: 25 (19-6)
• Dallas Mavericks: 49 (31-18)
• Denver Nuggets: 48 (23-25)
• Detroit Pistons: 66 (42-24)
• Golden State Warriors: 47 (27-20)
• Houston Rockets: 50 (27-23)
• Indiana Pacers: 67 (42-25)
• Los Angeles Clippers: 53 (31-22)
• Los Angeles Lakers: 30 (22-8)
• Memphis Grizzlies: 53 (36-17)
• Miami Heat: 48 (26-22)
• Milwaukee Bucks: 62 (43-19)
• Minnesota Timberwolves: 45 (33-12)
• New Orleans Pelicans: 55 (38-17)
• New York Knicks: 62 (44-18)
• Oklahoma City Thunder: 43 (28-15)
• Orlando Magic: 66 (42-24)
• Philadelphia 76ers: 60 (42-18)
• Phoenix Suns: 52 (31-21)
• Portland Trail Blazers: 45 (30-15)
• Sacramento Kings: 48 (30-18)
• San Antonio Spurs: 47 (25-22)
• Toronto Raptors: 64 (48-16)
• Utah Jazz: 47 (32-15)
• Washington Wizards: 61 (40-21)

LeBron James’ games played, playoff record vs. each team

• Atlanta Hawks: 12 (12-0)
• Boston Celtics: 41 (25-16)
• Brooklyn Nets: 11 (8-3)
• Charlotte Hornets: 5 (4-1)
• Chicago Bulls: 21 (16-5)
• Cleveland Cavaliers: N/A
• Dallas Mavericks: 6 (2-4)
• Denver Nuggets: 14 (5-9)
• Detroit Pistons: 21 (15-6)
• Golden State Warriors: 18 (11-17) — James has an additional win against the Warriors in the NBA’s play-in tournament.
• Houston Rockets: 5 (4-1)
• Indiana Pacers: 30 (20-10)
• Los Angeles Clippers: N/A
• Los Angeles Lakers: N/A
• Memphis Grizzlies: 6 (4-2)
• Miami Heat: 6 (4-2)
• Milwaukee Bucks: 5 (4-1)
• Minnesota Timberwolves: 5 (1-4)
• New Orleans Pelicans: N/A — James did beat them in a play-in tournament game in 2024, though.
• New York Knicks: 5 (4-1)
• Oklahoma City Thunder: 5 (4-1)
• Orlando Magic: 6 (2-4)
• Philadelphia 76ers: 5 (4-1)
• Phoenix Suns: 6 (2-4)
• Portland Trail Blazers: 5 (4-1)
• Sacramento Kings: N/A
• San Antonio Spurs: 16 (5-11)
• Toronto Raptors: 14 (12-2)
• Utah Jazz: N/A
• Washington Wizards: 16 (12-4)

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: LeBron James games played, record, playoff success vs every NBA Team

How much will hurt Vols star Nate Ament play vs UVA in March Madness Round 2?

Tennessee‘s star freshman is playing in the NCAA Tournament banged up.

Forward Nate Ament is pushing through the Big Dance with an injury that has been bothering him for nearly a month, and kept him out of the last week of the regular season. While he did play in the first round game against Miami (Ohio), he clearly wasn’t 100%. Ament didn’t score in the 18 minutes of action.

March Madness live scores, highlights: An upset, near-misses alter Sweet 16 bracket

It was a concerning outing, and will be something to monitor as the Volunteers continue their March Madness run. So how will it affect Ament’s status for the second round matchup against Virginia?

Will Nate Ament play today vs Virginia?

Yes, Ament will play. The All-SEC freshman is still dealing with soreness but expects to play against the Cavaliers and through the rest of the tournament.

“There’s no chance I’d sit out a March Madness game,” he said. “It’s about what can we do to get back to 100%, or as close to it as we can.”

Tennessee coach Rick Barnes called the injury a “problem,” and Ament won’t be fully healthy until he gets time off at the end of the season. While he will play, it’s unknown if there will be a minutes restriction, as it will all depend on how he looks and feels

“We need Nate. He knows it, but he will give us everything that he can, and that’s really all I can say about it. If it’s up to him, he would play every minute if he could. We’ll see game time,” Barnes said.

What happened to Nate Ament?

Ament suffered a high ankle sprain against Missouri on Feb. 24, and then hurt his knee in the next game against Alabama on Feb. 28. He missed the final two regular season games as a result.

Ament averages 17 points and a team-high 6.5 rebounds per game.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Nate Ament injury update: Will Vols star play vs. Virginia in March Madness?

Virginia outlasts Georgia in overtime, 82-73, to advance to second round of March Madness

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Kymora Johnson scored 28 points and Sa’Myah Smith added a career-high 23 to go with 11 rebounds as 10th seed Virginia beat seventh seed Georgia 82-73 in an NCAA Tournament =first-round game on Saturday.

The Cavaliers (21-11) became the first lower seed to win in March Madness this season. Virginia will play either second seed Iowa or 15th seed Fairleigh Dickinson in Monday’s second round.

Virginia, which became the second team ever that played in the first four to win a game, outscored Georgia (22-10) 11-2 in overtime. Smith, who was held scoreless in the second half, scored five of the Cavaliers’ points.

Georgia had two chances to win the game in the final seconds of regulation. Trinity Turner’s shot with four seconds left missed, and Savannah Henderson grabbed the offensive rebound before being tied up by Smith. The possession arrow favored Georgia with seven-tenths of a second remaining, giving the Bulldogs a final shot. But Mia Woolfolk’s 10-foot jumper hit off the left rim as the buzzer sounded.

It was warm inside the building with temperatures in the 80s as the arena doesn’t have air conditioning.

Woolfolk led Georgia with 27 points. Rylie Theuerkauf had 22 points, all but two points coming in the first half. Henderson had 11 points.

Romi Levy added 14 points for Virginia.

Virginia led 26-16 with 9:16 left in the second quarter before the Bulldogs rallied to lead 43-42 at halftime. Theuerkauf, who was 5 of 5 in 3-point shooting in the quarter, scored 17 points in the final 9:03 of the half.

Up next

The Cavaliers will be playing their third game in five days on Monday. They defeated Arizona State 57-55 in Thursday’s First Four game.

___

AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness