It’s almost dancing time.

As everyone flips their calendars to March, the countdown to women college basketball’s 2026 NCAA Tournament is officially on. Before March Madness begins on March 18, the participants must be determined. And the first spots are up for grabs as conference tournaments kick off around the nation on Wednesday.

South Carolina (SEC), UCLA (Big Ten), Duke (ACC) and TCU (Big 12) each earned No. 1 seeds and double-byes in their respective conferences and have the easiest path to winning their postseason tournaments. All four teams won their conference tournament last season and are looking to repeat.

The winners of the conference tournaments earn an automatic bid into March Madness. Every other team will have to sweat it out on Selection Sunday on March 15 to see if they received at-large bid.

USA TODAY Sports is following along with the Power Four conference tournaments. Follow along for live updates, highlights and results here:

Final: Kansas 56, UCF 35

Kansas is moving on to the second round after a blowout win over UCF, which didn’t score more than 10 points in any frame in the game.

Jaliya Davis led Kansas with 10 points, while Lily Meister and Elle Evans added eight points each. Jacorriah Bracey of UCF had 10 points in the loss.

Final: Oregon 82, Purdue 64

Oregon built up a 23-point lead in the first half and never surrendered. Purdue attempted to mount a comeback in the second half, getting the deficit down to 12 points in the fourth quarter, but it wasn’t enough.

Purdue and Oregon each had 25 made field goals in the game, and the Boilermakers had eight 3-pointers compared to the Ducks’ five.  What put Oregon over the edge was the free throw disparity: Oregon went 27-of-29 from the line, accounting for one-third of its points, while Purdue went just 6-of-13. Three Boilermakers fouled out in the fourth quarter.

Katie Fiso led Oregon with 20 points on 7-of-14 shooting, including a 6-of-7 from the free throw line. Ehis Etute had a double-double for the Ducks, putting up 16 points and 12 rebounds.

No. 11 Oregon will advance to play No. 6 Maryland on Thursday at approximately 9 p.m.

Final: Alabama 65, Missouri 48

Ace Austin scored 14 points and was one of four Alabama players to score in double figures as the No. 11 Crimson Tide beat the No. 14 Tigers on Wednesday night at the SEC Tournament in Greenville, South Carolina.

Alabama (22-9) also got 13 points from Diana Collins, 12 points from Ta’Mia Scott and 10 points from Essence Cody. Karly Weathers also grabbed a game-high 16 rebounds.

Jordana Reisma paced Missouri (16-16) with 15 points, while Grace Slaughter had a double-double of 11 points and 11 rebounds.

Alabama grabbed 14 offensive rebounds and turned them into 23 points. The Crimson Tide outscored the Tigers 24-11 in the fourth quarter to pull away.

The Crimson Tide will face No. 6 Tennessee at 8:30 p.m. ET on Thursday on the SEC Network. −Mitchell Northam

Halftime: Kansas 27, UCF 19

Kansas women’s basketball has a 10-point lead over UCF heading into halftime.

The Jayhawks’ bench has kept Kansas in the driver’s seat, outscoring the starters 16-11. Brittany Harshaw has six points off the bench, while Jaliya Davis added six points and two assists.

UCF shot 26% from the field and was kept off the free throw line in the first half. Jacorriah Bracey has a team-high six points for UCF. − Cydney Henderson

No. 11 Kansas vs. No. 14 UCF , 9 p.m. | (ESPN+)

UCF starting lineup

Head coach: Sytia Messer

• 2 Kristol Ayson | G 5’9 – Senior
• 3 Jacorriah Bracey | G 5’9 – Senior
• 13 Summer Yancy | G/F 5’11 – Sophomore
• 33 Mahogany Chandler-Roberts | F 6’2 – Sophomore
• 35 Khyala Ngodu | C 6’3 – Junior

Kansas starting lineup

Head coach: Brandon Schneider

12 S’Mya Nichols | G 6’0 – Junior

13 Libby Fandel | G 6-1 – Freshman

22 Sania Copeland | G 5-7 – Senior

25 Jaliya Davis | F 6-2 – Freshman

52 Lilly Meister | F 6-3 – Senior

Halftime: Alabama 31, Missouri 20

Behind 10 points from Essence Cody, the No. 11 Crimson Tide led the No. 14 Tigers at the break in the final game on the opening day of the SEC Tournament in Greenville, South Carolina.

Alabama knocked down five 3-pointers in the first half, and turned six offensive rebounds into nine second-chance points. Sitting courtside supporting the Crimson Tide is Sarah Ashlee Barker, a former two-time All-SEC selection who was picked in the first round of the WNBA Draft last spring by the LA Sparks.

The winner of this game will face No. 6 Tennessee at 8:30 p.m. ET on Thursday on the SEC Network. −Mitchell Northam

Halftime: Oregon 47, Purdue 24

Oregon methodically built up its lead in the second quarter, outscoring Purdue 26-12 to go into halftime with a 23-point advantage. Oregon finished the second quarter on a 6-0 run, holding Purdue to a two-minute scoring drought.

The Ducks have dominated inside, with 22 points in the paint and 16 second-chance points off seven offensive rebounds. Purdue has eight offensive rebounds, but hasn’t been able to capitalize with seven second-chance points. 

Ehis Etute is leading Oregon with 12 points and eight rebounds in just 11 minutes of play. − Chloe Henderson

Final: Arizona State 54, Arizona 51

The victory marked the third time the Sun Devils have defeated the Wildcats this season.

Heloisa Carrera has 16 points for the Sun Devils, who got points from every one of the nine players that saw the court. Arizona State shot 40% from the field and dominated the paint, outscoring Arizona 36-18.

Daniah Trammell and Sumayah Sugapong each had 12 points for Arizona.

It wasn’t a clean game by either team. Arizona State (20) and Arizona (18) combined for 38 turnovers. — Cydney Henderson

#14 Missouri vs. #11 Alabama, 8:30 p.m. ET | SEC Network

Missouri starting lineup

Head coach: Kelli Harper

• 10 Jordana Reisma | F 6-3 Senior
• 22 Chloe Sotell | G 6-0 Sophomore
• 1 Shannon Dowell | G 5-10 Junior
• 23 Abbey Schreacke | G 6-0 Junior
• 0 Grace Slaughter | G 6-2 Junior

Alabama starting lineup

Head coach: Kristy Curry

• 21 Essence Cody | F 6-4 Junior
• 20 Diana Collins | G 5-9 Junior
• 15 Ta’Mia Scott | G 6-0 Senior
• 22 Karly Weathers | G 5-11 Senior
• 23 Jessica Timmons | G 5-8 Senior

No. 11 Oregon vs. No. 14 Purdue | 8:30 p.m., Peacock

Oregon starting lineup

Head coach: Kelly Graves

• 2 Katie Fiso | G 5-11 Sophomore
• 14 Ari Long | G  6-0 Junior
• 3 Sofia Bell | G 6-0 Junior
• 1 Mia Jacobs | F 6-2 Senior
• 35 Ehis Etute | F 6-0 Freshman

Purdue starting lineup

Head coach: Katie Gearlds

• 3 Nya Smith | G 5-9 Sophomore
• 11 McKenna Layden | G 6-2 Junior
• 23 Kiki Smith | G 5-7 Junior
• 44 Tara Daye | G 5-10 Junior
• 22 Kendall Puryear | F 6-3 Sophomore

Final: Auburn 50, Texas A&M 49

Khady Leye’s layup with 5.3 seconds to play lifted No. 15 Auburn to an upset win over No. 10 Texas A&M in the opening round of the SEC Tournament on Wednesday night in Greenville, South Carolina.

Leye finished with 11 points and a career-high 15 rebounds in the first SEC Tournament victory for the Tigers (15-16) under first-year coach Larry Vickers. Kaitlyn Duhon added 14 points for Auburn, while Harissoum Coulibaly chipped in 11.

Ny’Ceara Pryor powered the Aggies (14-12) with 25 points and four assists. The loss for Texas A&M snaps a five-game winning streak and likely ends their hopes of making the NCAA Tournament under fourth-year coach Joni Taylor.

The Aggies lost leading rebounder Fatmata Janneh to an apparent right knee injury just before halftime when she hit the floor hard after a foul. Janneh did not return to the game, but was seen near the Aggies bench in the fourth quarter using crutches.

Auburn will face No. 7 Ole Miss on Thursday at 6 p.m. ET on the SEC Network. −Mitchell Northam

Final: Illinois 82, Wisconsin 70

Illinois controlled from the beginning, and an early 10-0 run helped the Illini keep a safe distance from its border rival for the entire game.

Illinois heavily benefitted from the free throw line, going 24-of-29. That helped the Illini overcome a dismal 2-of-19 shooting from the 3-point line. Destiny Jackson led Illinois with 21 points on 5-of-8 shooting, including an 11-of-13 from the free throw line.

Wisconsin made 7 of its 11 shots from the free throw line and 8 of 21 free throws, but that wasn’t enough for the Badgers. Gift Uchenna led the Badgers with 26 points.

Illinois will advance the second round and play No. 7 Michigan on Thursday. −Chloe Peterson

Halftime: Arizona State 29, Arizona 28

Arizona State has a one-point advantage over Arizona heading into halftime of the first round matchup at the Big 12 women’s basketball tournament.

Buckets are hard to come by in the physical battle. The Sun Devils are shooting 13-of-29 from the field and have an edge in the paint, outscoring the Wildcats 18-6. Heloisa Carrera and Marley Washenitz each have eight points for Arizona State.

The Wildcats are shooting 11-of-30 from the field. Sumayah Sugapong leads Arizona with 10 points and three rebounds.

Arizona vs. Arizona State: Flagrant 1 foul called

Things are getting chippy between the in-state rivals. Arizona forward Nora Francois was called for a Flagrant 1 foul on Arizona State guard Marley Washenitz on a rebound attempt. Referees determined the contact was excessive, hard and unnecessary.

Wisconsin starter Destiny Howell leaves game with injury

Destiny Howell left the Wisconsin-Illinois game with an apparent leg injury in the third quarter. Howell was helped off the floor by Wisconsin’s trainers, briefly sat at the end of the bench, then walked to the locker room under her own power. She then returned to the bench later in the quarter.

Howell averages 14.1 points per game for the Badgers. She had four points on 1-of-5 shooting, along with three rebounds and two assists, at the time of her injury on Wednesday night. She returned to the game with five minutes left in the third quarter. −Chloe Peterson

Arizona State goes on 9-0 run vs. Arizona

A lot is riding on this matchup for Arizona State. The Sun Devils need a win to keep their March Madness hopes alive as one of the first four out in USA TODAY Sports latest bracketology. With the stakes high, Arizona State appeared to have early jitters. They started the game 2-of-7 from the field with four turnovers and quickly found themselves in 10-2 hole early against Arizona. But Arizona State went on a 9-0 run to take a 11-10 lead over Arizona. − Cydney Henderson

Texas A&M’s leading rebounder goes down with apparent knee injury

Seven seconds before halftime of Texas A&M’s opening round SEC Tournament game against Auburn, junior forward Fatmata Janneh was fouled and hit the floor hard. Bon Secours Wellness Arena went quiet as Janneh grabbed her right knee and screamed in pain.

Texas A&M head coach Joni Taylor and the team’s trainer rushed to the floor to console a visibly emotional Janneh. After a few minutes, Aggies assistant coach Darius Taylor and another staffer helped the 6-foot-2 forward off the floor, keeping her from putting any weight on her right leg.

At halftime, Texas A&M trailed 23-21 with Janneh contributing two points and three rebounds. On the season, the transfer from Saint Peter’s is averaging 12 points and 10.2 rebounds per game — one of five SEC players averaging a double-double this season. — Mitchell Northam

Halftime: No. 10 Illinois 41, No. 15 Wisconsin 33

Illinois used an early 10-0 run in the first quarter to take the lead two minutes into the game, and hasn’t relinquished it since. Berry Wallace is leading the Illini with 11 points.

Wisconsin has had trouble taking care of the ball, turning it over 12 times in the first half. That has led to 13 Illinois points off of those turnovers. — Chloe Peterson

No. 10 Arizona State vs. No. 15 Arizona

How to watch Arizona State vs. Arizona

The Battle of the desert tips off at 4:30 ET on ESPN+

Arizona State starting lineup

Head coach: Molly Miller

• 0 Gabby Elliott | G 5-10 – Senior
• 11 Marley Washenitz | G 5-7 – Senior
• 13 Last-Tear Poa |  G 5-11 – Senior
• 14 Heloisa Carrera | F 6-2 – Sophomore
• 21 McKinna Brackens | F 6-1 – Junior

Arizona Wildcats starting lineup

Head coach: Becky Burke

• 3 Sumayah Sugapong | F 5-7 – Junior
• 4 Noelani Cornfield | G 5-6 – Senior
• 11 Tanyuel Welch | G 5-10 – Junior
• 13 Nora Francois | F 6-2 – Senior
• 33 Daniah Trammell | F 6-1 – Freshman

Colorado extends coach JR Payne through 2031

Colorado enters the Big 12 Tournament this week hoping to secure the wins necessary to make what would be its fourth NCAA Tournament trip in five years. And the Buffs will keep around the coach that has guided them to the Big Dance for the long term.

JR Payne received a contract extension through 2031, Colorado announced Wednesday afternoon. Already in her 10th season at the helm of the Buffs, she is the second-longest tenured coach in program history.

Payne — who grew up in Vancouver, played at Saint Mary’s, and previously coached at Southern Utah and Santa Clara — took over at Colorado in 2016. She’s had just two losing seasons and has won at least 20 games in each of the last five years. With Jaylyn Sherrod leading the way, the Buffs went to the Sweet 16 in 2023 and 2024, snapping a two-decade drought for the program of not making the second weekend of March Madness.

Colorado will face the winner of UCF and Kansas in the Big 12 Tournament on Thursday night at 8 p.m. ET in Kansas City. — Mitchell Northam

No. 15 Auburn vs No. 10 Texas A&M

How to watch Auburn vs Texas A&M

The first-round matchup between Auburn and Texas A&M tips off 6 p.m. ET on SEC Network.

Auburn Tigers starting lineup

Head coach: Larry Vickers

• 1 Mya Petticord | G 5-9 Senior
• 2 Ja’Mia Harris | G 5-11 Junior
• 3 Harissoum Coulibaly | G 5-10 Freshman
• 4 Kaitlyn Duhon | G 5-10 Junior
• 6 Khady Leye | F 6-2 Sophomore

Texas A&M Aggies starting lineup

Head coach: Joni Taylor

• 1 Ny’Ceara Pryor | G 5-3 Senior
• 10 Lemyah Hylton | G 5-11 Senior
• 20 Janae Kent | G 6-1 Junior
• 32 Lauren Ware | F 6-5 Graduate
• 44 Fatmata Janneh | F 6-2 Junior

Final: Georgia Tech 72, Florida State 60

Georgia Tech moves on to the second round of the ACC tournament after a 72-60 win over Florida State. The Yellow Jackets will face No. 6 Virginia Tech on Thursday. Georgia Tech, who was led by La’Nya Foster and her 18 points, shot 47% from the field. In addition to Foster’s contributions, it was sophomore guard Erica Moon who made several clutch baskets in the fourth quarter to help seal the win.

Florida State scored 21 points off 16 Yellow Jacket turnovers and had 34 bench points to Georgia Tech’s eight, but ultimately, the Yellow Jackets were too much for the team. Florida State, which finished the Wednesday match shooting 37%, was led by Sydney Bowles. Bowles was the lone player in double figures with 16 points.

Final: Indiana 72, Nebraska 69

Nebraska dominated early, using a 29-15 first quarter to stretch its double-digit lead into the third.

But the Hoosiers weren’t phased. Indiana, down 18 with five minutes left in the third quarter, went on a 10-0 run over three minutes. The Hoosiers took their first lead with less than one minute left in the game, then fended off multiple last-second Nebraska attempts to steal the game.

Indiana will play No. 5 Ohio State on Thursday at around 2:30 p.m. for a chance to advance to the quarterfinals. — Chloe Peterson

Indiana women’s basketball making a push

Indiana is making a late push against Nebraska in the fourth. The Hoosiers were down by as many as 15 points in the second quarter, but they’ve cut that deficit to as little as three points with six minutes left in the game.

Indiana has been able to limit Amiah Hargrove, who had 19 points in the first half but just two so far in the second, and Britt Prince, who has just five second-half points after 13 in the first half. — Chloe Peterson

Halftime: Nebraska 45, Indiana 28

Nebraska ran away early in this game, outscoring Indiana 29-15 in the first quarter. Indiana spent much of the second quarter trying to play catchup.

But the Hoosiers have been hampered by early foul trouble to three starters, as Shay Ciezki and Maya Makalusky each picked up two fouls in the first quarter. Ciezki led the Hoosiers with 11 points in the first half, while no other Indiana player had more than six.

Nebraska, on the other hand, has been firing on all cylinders. Amiah Hargrove had 19 points on 8-of-9 shooting in the first half, and Britt Prince had 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting. — Chloe Peterson

No. 12 Nebraska vs. No. 13 Indiana starting lineups

Nebraska starting lineup

Head coach: Amy Williams

• 2 Logan Nissley | G
• 14 Callin Hake | G
• 23 Britt Prince | G
• 4 Petra Bozan | F
• 33 Amiah Hargrove | F

Indiana starting lineup

Head coach: Teri Moren

• 2 Nevaeh Caffey | G
• 5 Lenee Beaumont | G
• 10 Shay Ciezki | G
• 3 Maya Makalusky | F
• 8 Edessa Noyan | F

Iowa hopes Hannah Stuelke can return

Iowa senior Hannah Stuelke, who missed the Hawkeyes’ win over Wisconsin on March 1 after suffering an elbow injury against Illinois three days prior, could return for the postseason. But Stuelke will have to clear a few hurdles.

‘It’s a pretty severe elbow injury — the torque of it, the swelling, the range of motion, the pain, the length of time that what really takes an injury like this one to feel better, better,’ Jensen told the Des Moines Register on Wednesday, two days before Iowa’s Big Ten Tournament opener. ‘So she has not practiced. We’re trying to figure out when to try it.

‘If she can go, I think she’ll go through that with some adrenaline. But it’s her strong hand, her dominant arm. So we’re just trying to give it as much rest to see what it feels like. But there’s a lot more than just the pain tolerance. If it can’t move, it can’t move. You can do some things with it. So we’re just trying to give it every minute.’ — Heather Burns

Georgia Tech goes coast-to-coast

Junior guard D’Asia Thomas-Harris built upon the Yellow Jackets’ promising outing against Florida State with a nifty steal-and-score that extended the team’s third-quarter lead to 14. — Meghan L. Hall

Halftime: Georgia Tech 39, Florida State 29

Georgia Tech leads Florida State, 39-29, after two quarters. Despite missing six players for Wednesday’s matchup, the Yellow Jackets have played with plenty of pace and space. They’re crashing the boards as they typically do and haven’t lost a step offensively despite some pressing defense from Florida State.

The Yellow Jackets shot 46% from the field, and on the other end of the ball, held Florida State to 35% shooting and just eight percent (1-of-12) from 3-point range. Georgia Tech also 80% from the line, while Florida State didn’t take or make a single free throw in the half.

The Yellow Jackets are led by La’Nya Foster, who has 13 points and five rebounds at the half. Sydney Bowles has 7 points for Florida State. — Meghan L. Hall

Cal coach gets 100th career win at ACC Tournament

During the first round of the ACC Tournament, Cal coach Charmin Smith earned her 100th career win after a 75-52 victory over Wake Forest

‘Really proud of our group today,’ Smith said postgame. ‘We settled in in the second quarter and were able to get a convincing win. All we want to do is just try to stay in Atlanta as long as possible. It’s a good day for the Bears.’ — Meghan L. Hall

Final: BYU 76, Houston 66

The game was tied at halftime, but BYU came out the locker room motivated and outscored Houston 27-15 in the third quarter to take a double-digit lead into the fourth quarter. BYU was able to hold off Houston for the win.

Olivia Hamlin led the way or BYU with 16 points off the bench, while Delaney Gibb and Lara Rohkohl each added 15 points. Meanwhile, Shun’teria Anumele had a game-high 17 points in the loss. — Cydney Henderson

No. 9 BYU vs. No. 16 Houston

BYU starting lineup

Head coach: Lee Cummard

• 2 Sydney Benally | G 5-9 – Freshman
• 11 Delaney Gibb | G 5-10 – Sophomore
• 13 Lara Rohkohl | F 6-3 – Senior
• 14 Kambree Barber | G 6-0 – Sophomore
• 24 Brinley Cannon | G/F 6-1 -Sophomore

Houston Cougars starting lineup

Head coach: Matthew Mitchell

• 26 Jorynn Ross | F 6-3 – Junior
• 0 TK Pitts | G 6-1 – Senior
• 1 Briana Peguero | G 5-7 – Senior
• 7 Kyndall Hunter | G 5-7 – Senior
• 14 Jade Jones | F 5-10 – Freshman

Big 12 court has flaw

The Big 12 women’s basketball tournament is being played on ASB GlassFloor LED court at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri. The state-of-the-art LED court, the same one used during 2024 NBA All-Star Game events, features visual effects, including dynamic court design, shot charts and immersive animations.

“Our team had the opportunity to practice on it back in November, and it was an incredible experience for our players,’ Baylor Women’s head coach Nicki Collen said in a statement.’The court is not only visually impressive, but it plays well and represents where our sport is headed.’

However, some eagle-eyed viewers have noticed at least one flaw. The half-court line is hard to see on the court due to the design. — Cydney Henderson

No. 10 Illinois women’s basketball vs. No. 15 Wisconsin

Illinois starting lineup

Head coach: Shauna Green

• 1 Aaliyah Guyon | G 5-7 Sophomore
• 2 Destiny Jackson | G 5-6 Freshman
• 8 Jasmine Brown-Hagger | G 5-9 Junior
• 23 Berry Wallace | F 6-1 Sophomore
• 30 Cearah Parchment | F 6-3 Freshman

Wisconsin starting lineup

Head coach:Robin Pingeton

• 1 Destiny Howell | G 6-0 Graduate Student
• 13 Ronnie Porter | G 5-2 Senior
• 15 Gift Uchenna | F 6-3 Senior
• 20 Kyrah Daniels | G 6-0 Junior
• 24 Laci Steele | G 5-11 Junior

Georgia Tech center splashes 3-pointer

Georgia Tech center Ariadna Termis showed no fear when she was passed the ball. Termis sank a beautiful 3-pointer in the first quarter, something you don’t see as often from those who play the position. — Meghan L. Hall

Georgia Tech injury report

Georgia Tech will be without six players when it takes on Florida State during the first round of the ACC Tournament later Wednesday. The following players are out:

• #1 McKayla Taylor | C 6-1 – Freshman
• #4 Leyre Urdiain | G 5-11 – Freshman
• #12 Jada Crawshaw | F 6-0 – Junior
• #13 Deborah Mukeba | C 6-5 – Sophomore
• #22 Ines Noguero | G 5-11 – Senior
• #33 Savannah Samuel | G 6-1 – Senio

UCLA’s Lauren Betts performs halftime show

UCLA women’s basketball doesn’t tip off its postseason until the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal round on Friday, but some players are already dancing.

Charlisse Leger-Walker, Lauren Betts and Gabriela Jaquez joined UCLA cheerleaders for a special halftime performance to Tate McRae’s ‘Just Keep Watching’ during UCLA men’s 72-52 win over Nebraska on Tuesday.

— Cydney Henderson

Wake Forest ‘nervous’ in Cal matchup

Wednesday’s matchup against the Cal Golden Bears did not go as Wake Forest hoped. The Deamon Deacons fell 75-52. Head coach Megan Gebbia said postgame she believed nerves played a factor.

Wake Forest only has one player on its roster who had been to the ACC Tournament before this season, plus four transfers, including Cal Poly’s Mary Carter. On Wednesday, Carter led Wake Forest with 13 points.

‘I felt like we were a little nervous early on. I had to go in at halftime and say, ‘Shoot when you’re open,” Gebbia said. ‘As a coach, you don’t want to have to say that at halftime to some of the players that I felt were playing a little tentative. You have to come out with a lot of energy and a lot of effort and just confidence in yourself.’It’s unfortunate that it had to be this type of loss I would have liked for it to be a little bit closer, but the lesson is it’s a 40-minute game.’ — Meghan L. Hall

Final: Florida 86, Mississippi State 68

Me’Arah O’Neal and Liv McGill each scored 22 points apiece as the Gators kept their postseason alive with a win over the Bulldogs on Wednesday in the opening round of the SEC Tournament in Greenville, South Carolina.

It’s the fifth time O’Neal, a sophomore and the daughter of NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal, has scored north of 20 points. She also added four rebounds for Florida (18-14), while McGill had seven rebounds and 10 assists.

Destiney McPhaul and Favour Nwaedozi paced Mississippi State (18-13) with 12 points apiece in the fifth consecutive loss for the Bulldogs. Sam Purcell’s team is now at the mercy of the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee when it comes to March Madness inclusion. The Bulldogs end the regular season with a 2-9 record in Quad 1 games and a 1-3 record in Quad 2 games.

Florida will face No. 6 Oklahoma on Thursday at 1:30 p.m. ET on the SEC Network. — Mitchell Northam

Final: California 75, Wake Forest 52

Cal led 32-21 in the first half and outscored Wake Forest 29-12 in the third period and ran away with the win. By the time the fourth quarter arrived, the lead had ballooned to as high as 29 points. Cal will play No. 7 Syracuse in the second round of the ACC Tournament.

The Golden Bears shot 44% from the field and held the lead for 35 minutes, 46 seconds. Calwas led by Sakima Walker, who finished her day with 17 points and 10 rebounds. The Golden Bears also added 19 points from their bench on Wednesday, which is noteworthy.

Wake Forest, which shot 38% from the field, was led by Mary Carter. Carter was one of two Demon Deacons who finished in double figures The Wake Forest guard finished with 13 points and five rebounds. — Meghan L. Hall

8 players ejected at Sun Belt Tournament

Eight players were ejected from a second round game in the Sun Belt Women’s Basketball Tournament in Pensacola, Florida, on Wednesday afternoon after a fight broke out between No. 9 Coastal Carolina and No. 12 South Alabama.

South Alabama led by nine points with about 5:39 remaining in the fourth quarter when a scuffle ensued between Cordasia Harris of South Alabama and Tracey Hueston of Coastal Carolina. Coaches and players from the benches spilled out onto the floor and one referee was caught in the crossfire, hitting the floor after taking a hit from a player. Read more here. — Mitchell Northam

Halftime: BYU 29, Houston 29

The first-round matchup between BYU and Houston, the Battle of the Cougars, has proved to be a low-scoring affair so far and we’re all tied up at halftime. 

Neither team is shooting particularly well. BYU is 9-of-23 (39%) from the field, while Houston is 10-of-33 (30%) from the field.

BYU’s Delaney Gibb leads all scorers with 11 points and four rebounds. Sydney Benally has five points, while Lara Rohkohl has four points. However, BYU has given up 15 turnovers that have kept Houston in the game. 

Jade Jones and Kierra Merchant each have seven points for Houston. — Cydney Henderson

Halftime: Florida 46, Mississippi State 30

Me’Arah O’Neal — yes, the daughter of NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal — is powering the Gators in the first half with 15 points on 5-of-10 shooting from the floor and 3-of-5 from 3-point land. Florida has also scored 14 points off 12 turnovers by the Bulldogs, while Mississippi State has two points from nine turnovers by the Gators.

NCAA Tournament hopes for both teams hinge on the outcome of this game. Mississippi State is in a better position on the bubble currently with a NET of 39, but would feel more optimistic about its prospects of cracking the field of 68 with a win here. Florida likely needs to win multiple games in Greenville, South Carolina this week to get in a bubble position. — Mitchell Northam

Cal forward exits with injury

Cal forward Claudia Langarita, a starter for the Golden Bears, exited the second quarter of Wednesday’s matchup with Wake Forest with 9:41 remaining in the period. It’s unclear how Langarita was hurt, but she went down and stayed down for several moments before being helped off the court by nearby training staff.

Langarita attempted to stretch her out to the side, but she ultimately went back to the locker room. The Cal forward had a visible limp and appeared to be rubbing her right hip.

Langaratia emerged from the locker room minutes later, standing behind the Cal bench with a heat wrap on her back. She eventually sat down on the bench with just under three minutes left in the period, but did not return to action before the half. — Meghan L. Hall

Wake Forest and Cal struggle to score

In the opening quarter of Wake Forest and Cal’s matchup, neither team could get many shots to fall. Wake Forest shot 31% from the field and Cal shot 24%. Both teams made four field goals. Cal leads 11-10 over Wake Forest. — Meghan L. Hall

Final: Kansas State 91, Cincinnati 66

No. 12 Kansas State cruised to the second round of the Big 12 women’s basketball tournament following a dominant 25-point win over No. 13 Cincinnati, where the Wildcats shot a whopping 53% from the 3-point line.

Taryn Sides (20 pts) and Jordan Speiser (20) combined for eleven of Kansas State’s 17 made 3-pointers, which set a Big 12 Tournament record. Nastja Claessens made five 3-pointers and finished with 18 points in the win.

Mya Perry led Cincinnati with 23 points (7-of-19 FG, 4-of-7) and was in tears when she checked out of the final game of her college career. Perry put her jersey over her face as head coach Katrina Merriweather tried to console her.

Florida out in front early

The Gators are off to a quick and balanced start with four of their five starters scoring to build a 10-4 lead halfway through the first quarter.

Neither team is shooting particularly well with Mississippi State hitting 33% of its shots from the field and Florida 30%.

No. 13 Mississippi State vs. No. 12 Florida

Mississippi State Bulldogs starting lineup

Head coach: Sam Purcell

• 4 Tryanna Crisp | G 5-8 – Senior
• 5 Chandler Prater | G/F 5-10 – Senior
• 25 Favour Nwaedozi | F 6-3 – Junior
• 33 Kharyssa Richardson | F 6-2 Senior
• 40 Madison Francis | F 6-2 – Freshman

Florida Gators starting lineup

Head coach: Kelly Rae Finley

• 13 Laila Reynolds | G 6-1 – Junior
• 23 Liv McGill | G 5-9 – Sophomore
• 8 Me’Arah O’Neal | F 6-4 – Sophomore
• 9 Alexa Dizeko | F 5-111- Senior
• 14 Caterina Piatti | F 6-4 – Freshman

No. 12 Miami vs No. 13 Stanford

Final: Miami 83, Stanford 76 (OT)

Stanford tried to continue its push in overtime, but ultimately ran out of steam. Miami moves on into the second round of the ACC Tournament with an 83-76 win. The Hurricanes will play No. 5 Notre Dame next.

Miami finished shooting 51% from the field, with three scorers in double digits, including Ra Shaya Kyler, who had a double-double with 24 points and 11 rebounds, and Gal Raviv, who had 20 points, six rebounds and six assists.

Stanford shot 43% from the field and 44% from deep behind 12 3-pointers.. Courtney Ogden led the Cardinal with 22 points. — Meghan L. Hall

Stanford and Miami go to overtime

Miami led 65-52 after three quarters (and by as much as eight in the waning minutes of the fourth), but Stanford forced several Hurricane turnovers that helped the Cardinal climb back into the game. Stanford switched to a zone defense and that made the difference.

Stanford’s Courtney Ogden cashed in on five straight points with less than a minute remaining to tie the game up at 70 and force overtime. Ogden has 22 points on the day.

Miami pulling away

With about five minutes left in the third quarter, the game was tied at 49. However, Miami turned up the heat. The Hurricanes finished the period on a 16-3 run, punctuated by a deep 3-pointer from Natalie Wetzel to close the quarter. Wetzel’s 3-pointer pushed Miami’s lead to 13.

Stanford and Miami trading baskets

At the halfway point of the third quarter, the Cardinal and Hurricanes are trading 3-pointers and baskets in the paint. The defense has intensified and so has the scoring.

Stanford has a 51-49 lead with 4:49 left in the third, led by 14 points from Hailee Swain. Ra Shaya Kyle has 17 for Miami.

Halftime: Stanford 39, Miami 37

With Stanford’s season and NCAA Tournament dreams seemingly hanging in the balance against Miami, the Cardinal survived an early surge from the Hurricanes. After a 19-10 first quarter from Miami, it was all Stanford in the second quarter. The Cardinal took the period 29-18.

Miami’s Gal Raviv leads all scorers with 12 points. Hailee Swain and Courtney Ogden both have 11 points for Stanford. — Meghan L. Hall

Stanford on an 18-11 run

After trailing 19-10 after the first quarter, Stanford went on an 18-11 run to cut Miami’s nine-point lead to 2 points with 3:39 remaining in the half. Courtney Ogden leads Stanford with 11 points. The Cardinal have NCAA Tournament hopes hanging in the balance as one of the first four out in USA TODAY Sports latest bracketology. — Meghan L. Hall

Miami Hurricanes starting lineup

Head coach: Tricia Cullop

• 0 Ra Shaya Kyle | C 6-5 – Senior
• 33 Amarachi Kimpson | G 5-8 – Junior
• 12 Natalie Wetzel | F 6-3 – Freshman
• 5 Ahnay Adams | G 5-6 – Sophomore
• 14 Gal Raviv | G 5-9 – Sophomore

Stanford Cardinal starting lineup

Head coach: Kate Paye

• 2 Hailee Swain | G 5-11 – Freshman
• 6 Shay Ijiwoye | G 5-6 – Sophomore
• 40 Courtney Ogden | F 6-1 – Junior
• 12 Lara Somfai | F 6-3 – Freshman
• 3 Nunu Agara | F 6’2 – Junior

No. 12 Kansas State vs. No. 13 Cincinnati

Halftime: Kansas State 40, Cincinnati 29

It’s raining 3-pointers in Kansas City. Kansas State (8-of-15) and Cincinnati (4-of-8) are shooting over 50% from beyond the arc in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament, but the Wildcats have an eleven-point edge heading into halftime.

Nastja Claessens (12 points) and Taryn Sides (11 points) combined for six of Kansas State’s eight 3-pointers.

Cincinnati is outrebounding Kansas State 27-18, including 10 offensive rebounds, yet find themselves down double-digits because of turnovers. The Bearcats have given up 13 turnovers, which Kansas State converted to nine points. Mya Perry has a team-high nine points (3-of-5 from 3) for Cincinnati. — Cydney Henderson

Kansas State Wildcats starting lineup

Head coach: Jeff Mittie

• 3 Brandie Harrod | G 6-1 – Freshman
• 4 Nastja Claessens | F 6-1 – Junior
• 6 Gina Garcia | G 5-10 – Freshman
• 11 Taryn Sides  | G 5-7 – Junior
• 34 Tess Heal | G 5-10 – Senior

Cincinnati Bearcats starting lineup

Head coach: Katrina Merriweather

• 1 Mya Perry | G 5-11 – Senior
• 3 Reagan Jackson | G 5-8 – Junior
• 4 Caliyah DeVillasee | G 5-8 – Freshman
• 10 Kylie Torrence | F 6-2 – Freshman
• 32 Destiny Thomas | C 6-4 -Junior

No. 16 Arkansas vs. No. 9 Kentucky

Final: Kentucky 94, Arkansas 64

The Wildcats outscored the Razorbacks 29-10 in the third quarter and never looked back. Kentucky outrebounded Arkansas 35-20 and outscored them in the paint 40-30.

Although the Razorbacks were perfect on 10 3s, the Wildcats were 16 for 22 from behind the arc to keep pace.

Kentucky had six players in double figures including all of their starters. Carla Strack had a double-double with 20 points and 13 rebounds. Amelia Hassett added 18 points on 6-of-11 from behind the arc.

Kentucky faces Georgia in the tournament quarterfinals at 11 a.m. ET on Thursday (SEC Network).

Tonie Morgan pacing Kentucky run

Tonie Morgan has more points than the entire Arkansas team in the third quarter. The senior has scored 12 with six rebounds. The Wildcats now have four players in double figures and lead 70-43. The Razorbacks season looks to be coming to an end.

Kentucky taking charge

The Wildcats have gone on a 12-2 run to start the third quarter and their lead has ballooned back to 19 points. Amelia Hassett made her fifth 3-pointer to trigger an Arkansas timeout. Clara Strack has a double-double for Kentucky with 14 points and 11 rebounds.

Halftime: Kentucky 42, Arkansas 33

The Razorbacks closed out the first half on a 15-4 run to get back within single digits of the No. 19-ranked Wildcats. Arkansas is outscoring Kentucky 18-12 in the paint. Taleyah Jones has 12 points to lead the Razorbacks.

Amelia Hassett has 12 points and Clara Strack 11 points and eight rebounds for Kentucky, which had led by as many as 20 points. — Heather Burns

Arkansas trying to claw back

The Razorbacks have outscored the Wildcats 23-13 in the second quarter. Emily Robinson has eight points including two 3-pointers. Taleyah Jones has 12 points, two rebounds and two assists.

Kentucky on a 7-0 run

The Wildcats have jumped out to a 16-4 lead early after a 7-0 run against Arkansas. Asia Boone leads Kentucky with six points on a pair of 3-pointers. — Heather Burns

Arkansas Razorbacks starting lineup

Head coach: Kelsi Musick

• 11 Wyette Mayberry | G 5-7 – Senior
• 22 Bonnie Deas | G 5-9 – Freshman
• 10 Taleyah Jones | G 5-10 – Senior
• 21 Ashlynn Chlarson | C 6-3 – Junior
• 23 Emily Robinson | G 5-10 – Junior

Kentucky starting lineup

Head coach: Kenny Brooks

• 5 Tonie Morgan | G 5-9 – Senior
• 7 Teonnie Key | F 6-5 – Senior
• 8 Asia Boone | G 5-8 – Junior
• 13 Clara Strack | C 6-5 – Junior
• 32 Amelia Hassett | F 6-4 -Senior

SEC women’s basketball tournament bracket

Women’s college basketball bracketology

Conference tournaments begin Wednesday in women’s college basketball for a handful of leagues, including the ACC, SEC, Big Ten, Big 12, Big East, Atlantic 10 and Summit.

It’s possible a lot of the projections will change by the time USA Today Sports rolls out another bracketology next week as teams will play in high-stakes games against marquee in-conference opponents on neutral courts. Up for grabs are a few undecided spots in the top 16 and positioning on the bubble. Read more.

Big 12 women’s basketball tournament schedule today

All times Eastern

Wednesday, March 4

First Round

• Game 1: No. 12 Kansas State 91, No. 13 Cincinnati 66
• Game 2: No. 9 BYU 76, No. 16 Houston 66
• Game 3: No. 10 Arizona State vs. No. 15 Arizona | 6:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
• Game 4: No. 11 Kansas vs. No. 14 UCF | 9 p.m. (ESPN+)

Big 12 women’s basketball tournament bracket

SEC women’s basketball tournament schedule today

All times Eastern

Wednesday, March 4 – First round

• Game 1: #16 Arkansas vs. #9 Kentucky | 11 a.m. ET (SEC Network)
• Game 2: #13 Mississippi State vs. #12 Florida | 1:30 p.m. ET (SEC Network)
• Game 3: #15 Auburn vs. #10 Texas A&M | 6 p.m. ET (SEC Network)
• Game 4: #14 Missouri vs. #11 Alabama | 8:30 p.m. ET (SEC Network)

SEC women’s basketball tournament bracket

Ranking March Madness top players

The 2025-26 women’s college basketball regular season is over for the Power 4 conferences and a handful of players rose to the top ahead of the 2026 NCAA Tournament.

UConn’s Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd are among the top players set to tipoff March Madness later this month. USA TODAY Sports ranked the top 10 players in women’s college basketball ahead of the conference tournaments that begin Wednesday, March 4, for the Power 4. Read more.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

Australia pulled away late to produce a 3-0 victory over Chinese Taipei in the 2026 World Baseball Classic opener at the Tokyo Dome.

Catcher Robbie Perkins led Australia with a two-run home run to break a scoreless tie in the bottom of the fifth inning. Travis Bazzana added an insurance run in the bottom of the seventh inning with a solo home run.

Perkins worked with three different pitchers including Alex Wells, who pitched three scoreless innings as the starter and struck out six. He threw 28 strikes on 46 pitches.

Chinese Taipei struggled to produce any offense throughout the game. The team had a chance at the end, managing to get a pair of runners on base before Australia secured the final out.

‘Growing up, I always looked ahead and kind of had a vision of things I wanted to do in this game, and this was a big part of it,’ Bazzana, the top pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, said leading up to the opener. ‘Young me would be dreaming of (this) and now it’s here. Just got to make the most of it.’

Check out highlights from the contest:

Final: Australia 3, Chinese Taipei 0

Chinese Taipei managed to get runners on first and second base in the ninth inning but were unable to get the runners home to tie the game.

Australia pitcher Jon Kennedy caught the bouncing ball and made a running attempt toward first base, where he nearly stumbled but tossed the ball to record the final out.

It was just the second shutout victory for Australia in WBC play.

Australia adds to lead in seventh

Travis Bazzana hits a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to increase Australia’s lead to 3-0. Bazzana sent the ball 383 feet to right field.

Bazzana was the first overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft by the Cleveland Guardians.

Australia takes first lead against Chinese Taipei

Robbie Perkins put Australia on the board with a homer, taking a 2-0 lead against Chinese Taipei in the bottom of the fifth inning against pitcher Po-Yu Chen.

Chinese Taipei records first hit after Australia’s pitching change

Yu Chang produced Chinese Taipei’s first hit of the game in the third inning against Australia pitcher Jack O’Loughlin.

O’Loughlin was called out of the bullpen to replace Alex Wells. Wells struck out six and allowed just one walk on 46 pitches (28 strikes).

Chinese Taipei and Australia scoreless through two innings

Australia pitcher Alex Wells has not allowed a hit through the first two innings of play. He has struck out three while allowing just one walk. He has thrown 33 pitches.

Jo-Hsi Hsu of Chinese Taipei did not allow a hit in the second inning. Hsu had 21 of his first 27 pitches result in a strike. He has struck out two batters.

Chinese Taipei and Australia remain scoreless after first inning

The two teams remain scoreless after the first inning of play to open the World Baseball Classic. Chinese Taipei pitcher Jo-Hsi Hsu produced the third out to end the inning after striking out Alex Hall of Australia. Curtis Mead recorded the only hit of the inning against Hsu.

Australia pitcher Alex Wells produced one strikeout and a walk against Chinese Taipei in the first inning.

How to watch Chinese Taipei vs Australia: TV channel, stream

• Matchup: Chinese Taipei vs. Australia
• Time: 10 p.m.
• Location: Tokyo (Tokyo Dome)
• TV: FS1
• Streaming: FOX One App

Stream the World Baseball Classic on Fubo

Why is Stuart Fairchild playing for Chinese Taipei?

Stuart Fairchild will serve as the leadoff batter for Chinese Taipei in World Baseball Classic action against Australia.

Fairchild is eligible to play for Chinese Taipei because his mother is Taiwanese.

He credits catcher Lyle Lin for recruiting him to the Chinese Taipei roster, according to Taiwan’s Overseas Community Affairs Council.

Chinese Taipei’s starting lineup vs. Australia

CF – Stuart Fairchild

DH – An-Ko Lin

RF – Chen Chieh-hsien

3B – Yu Chang

1B – Nien-ting Wu

SS – Kun-yu Chiang

2B – Tzu-wei Lin

C – Shao-Hung Chiang

LF – Chen-wei Chen

Australia’s starting lineup vs. Chinese Taipei

2B – Travis Bazzana

3B – Curtis Mead

CF – Aaron Whitefield

DH – Alex Hall

SS – Jarryd Dale

1B – Rixon Wingrove

C – Robbie Perkins

LF – Chris Burke

RF – Tim Kennelly

Who is Australia’s WBC starting pitcher vs. Chinese Taipei?

Alex Wells will serve as Australia’s starting pitcher on Wednesday against Chinese Taipei. Wells previously played for the Baltimore Orioles in 2021 and 2022.

He started eight of the 13 games he played in, allowing 58 hits and 34 earned runs while striking out 32 in 46.1 innings pitched.

Who is Chinese Taipei’s WBC starting pitcher vs. Australia?

Jo-Hsi Hsu will serve as the starting pitcher for Chinese Taipei on Wednesday against Australia. He does not have any MLB experience.

Hsu spent the past four years in the CPBL. He has a 16-18 record, starting in 60 of the 64 games he played in. He’s allowed 229 hits, 82 earned run and nine home runs while striking out 349 in 305 innings pitched.

Australia WBC roster 2026

Pitchers

• Kieren Hall (RHP) – Perth Heat
• Ky Hampton (RHP) – Adelaide Giants
• Josh Hendrickson (LHP) – Adelaide Giants
• Sam Holland (RHP) – Brisbane Bandits
• Jon Kennedy (LHP) – Brisbane Bandits
• Connor MacDonald (RHP) – Brisbane Bandits
• Cooper Morgan (LHP) – Adelaide Giants
• Mitch Neunborn (RHP) – Philadelphia Phillies org
• Jack O’Loughlin (LHP) – Adelaide Giants
• Warwick Saupold (RHP) – Perth Heat
• Blake Townsend (LHP) – Texas Rangers org
• Todd Van Steensel (RHP) – Adelaide Giants
• Alex Wells (LHP) – Sydney Blue Sox
• Lachlan Wells (LHP) – LG Twins (KBO)
• Coen Wynne (RHP) – Sydney Blue Sox

Catchers

• Mitchell Edwards – Adelaide Giants
• Alex Hall – Perth Heat
• Robbie Perkins – Brisbane Bandits

Infielders

• Travis Bazzana – Cleveland Guardians org
• George Callil – Brisbane Bandits
• Jarryd Dale – KIA Tigers (KBO)
• Robbie Glendinning – Adelaide Giants
• Curtis Mead – Chicago White Sox
• Logan Wade – Brisbane Bandits
• Rixon Wingrove – Brisbane Bandits

Outfielders

• Ulrich Bojarski – Melbourne Aces
• Chris Burke – Melbourne Aces
• Max Durrington – Oakland Athletics org
• Tim Kennelly – Perth Heat
• Aaron Whitefield – Melbourne Aces

Chinese Taipei WBC roster 2026

• Pitchers: Hsu Jo-hsi, Gu Lin Ruei-yang, Lin Yu-min, Lin Wei-en, Po-Yu Chen, Zhuang Chen Zhong-Ao, Sha Tzu-chen, Sun Yi-lei, Tseng Jyun-yue, Lin Kai-wei, Lin Shi-xiang, Chang Yi, Chen Kuan-yu, Hu Chih-wei, Cheng Hao-chun, and Zhang Jun-wei.
• Catchers: Kungkuan Giljegiljaw, Lyle Lin (Lin Chia-cheng) and Jiang Shao-hong.
• Infielders: Yu Chang, Tsung-Che Cheng, Lee Hao-yu, Chiang Kun-yu, Wu Nien-ting and Lin Tzu-wei.
• Outfielders: Stuart Fairchild, Chen Chieh-hsien (Captain), Lin An-ko and Chen Chen-wei.

What WBC pool are Chinese Taipei and Australia in?

Chinese Taipei and Australia are two of the five teams playing in Pool C of the World Baseball Classic. The rest of the group includes Japan, Korea and Czechia.

World Baseball Classic Pool C schedule

• March 5: Chinese Taipei vs. Australia
• March 5: Czechia vs. South Korea
• March 6: Australia vs. Czechia
• March 6: Japan vs. Chinese Taipei
• March 7: Chinese Taipei vs. Czechia
• March 7: South Korea vs. Japan
• March 8: Chinese Taipei vs. South Korea
• March 8: Australia vs. Japan
• March 9: South Korea vs. Australia
• March 10: Czechia vs. Japan

Jurickson Profar upended his career and the Atlanta Braves’ season for a second consecutive year after testing positive for a banned substance, a second offense that will result in a 162-game ban for the 2026 season, Major League Baseball announced March 3.

Profar tested positive for exogenous testosterone, MLB said, a performance-enhancing substance banned from Olympic competition since 1976 and classified as a steroid in the U.S. since 1990, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Profar, 33, was entering the first season of a three-year, $42 million contract when he was suspended March 31, 2025, just four games into last season, after a positive test for a fertility drug classified as a performing-enhancing substance. He was suspended 80 games and returned July 2, hitting 14 homers with a .787 OPS over the remaining 80 games.

This suspension will be far more costly.

Profar will lose his entire 2026 salary of $15 million, bringing his docked pay for his two positive tests to around $21 million over two seasons. He’s also ineligible to represent the Netherlands in the upcoming World Baseball Classic.

Profar was entering his 13th major league season after debuting as a 19-year-old in 2012. He earned his first All-Star appearance in 2024 for the San Diego Padres, establishing career bests in home runs (24) and OPS (.839), prompting the Braves to sign him as their left fielder entering 2025.

Now, he won’t be seen on the Truist Field diamond until 2027.

Profar joins five other players to earn at least a 162-game ban under MLB’s policy, most notably Robinson Cano, who earned two suspensions amid a $240 million contract he originally signed with Seattle, the bans sidetracking what looked like a Hall of Fame career.

For the Braves, the timing is certainly suboptimal though not as bad as last season, when the season had started and they scrambled to fill Profar’s absence, eventually signing free agent Alex Verdugo. This year, they can roll out Mike Yastrzemski in an enhanced role, but Profar’s absence will hamper their depth significantly.

• Chicago Bears center Drew Dalman is retiring from the NFL at age 27, according to multiple reports.
• Dalman earned a Pro Bowl selection after starting all 17 games for the Bears last season.
• He signed a three-year, $42 million contract with Chicago during the previous offseason.
• The Stanford alum was originally a fourth-round draft pick by the Atlanta Falcons in 2021.

The 27-year-old signed a three-year, $42 million ($26.5 million guaranteed) during free agency last offseason as part of the Bears’ rebuild of their interior offensive line. Dalman rewarded Chicago by starting all 17 games and earning a Pro Bowl nod.

Tyler Biadasz, the former Dallas Cowboys and Washington Commanders center who was released by the Commanders on Monday, is visiting with the Bears, according to NFL Media. 

Dalman, who played collegiately at Stanford, was a fourth-round pick in the 2021 draft by the Atlanta Falcons; he spent the first four seasons of his career with the team. He suffered an ankle injury that cost him half of his 2024 season and missed three games the year prior.

Dalman’s father, Chris, was also a NFL offensive lineman (and Stanford alum) and spent seven years in the league (1993-1999).

Bears starting quarterback Caleb Williams paid a one-word tribute to Dalman on X following the news:

‘Hulk…,’ he posted with a smiling crying emoji, a reference to Dalman’s nickname.

“It’s a huge privilege, having that caliber of coach as my high school line coach, I felt pretty spoiled,” Dalman told USA TODAY Sports during training camp last July. “He was a phenomenal player and coach, so that was a huge asset.”

Beyond football, Dalman admired his father as a kid. But as his football journey progressed he said he wanted to achieve the same goals “and you just relate more and more.”

“There are things that he knows that I understand that I didn’t before,” Dalman said. 

Trey Hendrickson’s tenure with the Cincinnati Bengals is over.

As expected, the Bengals elected not to franchise tag Hendrickson before the March 3 4 p.m. ET deadline to do so. The edge rusher will now enter free agency.

Hendrickson’s farewell to Cincinnati came shortly after the franchise tag deadline.

“Thank you for the opportunity to play the game I love at the highest level. The last 5 years have been filled with great wins and Tough losses. Personal achievements & humbling adversities,” Hendrickson wrote on social media. “I was & always will be proud to have worn the Cincinnati Bengals logo & honor the history behind it.”

Hendrickson went on to personally thank his Bengals teammates, Bengals coaches, staff members and Cincinnati fans in a lengthy Instagram post.  

Hendrickson’s farewell letter marks the end of a chapter that was anticipated to end in a divorce.

Hendrickson and the Bengals went through a multi-year contract standoff that included two trade requests. Hendrickson hoped for a long-term contract but the Bengals never obliged.

The Bengals edge rusher requested a trade in April of 2024. The following year, Hendrickson asked for a trade again and had an impromptu press conference before the 2025 season in which he stated his unwillingness to play for the Bengals on his current contract. The Bengals eventually gave Hendrickson a raise for the year.

Hendrickson’s final season in Cincinnati was slowed by injury. He only played in seven games. The Bengals placed Hendrickson on injured reserve due to hip and pelvis injuries in December.

Hendrickson was a prized acquisition for the Bengals during the 2021 free agency period. He was named to four Pro Bowl teams and tallied 17.5 sacks in back-to-back season from 2023-2024.

Hendrickson was originally a 2017 third round pick by the New Orleans Saints. The 31-year-old has collected 81 career sacks in nine seasons.

The edge rusher now enters free agency as one of the top players available.

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.