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Darden Restaurants sales disappoint as Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse miss expectations

Darden Restaurants on Thursday reported weaker-than-expected sales as Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse underperformed analysts’ projections.

Shares of the company were up in premarket trading.

Here’s what the company reported compared with what Wall Street was expecting, based on a survey of analysts by LSEG:

Darden reported fiscal third-quarter net income of $323.4 million, or $2.74 per share, up from $312.9 million, or $2.60 per share, a year earlier.

Excluding costs related to its acquisition of Chuy’s, Darden earned $2.80 per share.

Net sales rose 6.2% to $3.16 billion, fueled largely by the addition of Chuy’s restaurants to its portfolio.

Darden’s same-store sales rose 0.7%, less than the 1.7% increase expected by analysts, according to StreetAccount estimates.

Both Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse, which are typically the two standouts of Darden’s portfolio, reported underwhelming same-store sales growth. Olive Garden’s same-store sales rose 0.6%. Analysts were anticipating same-store sales growth of 1.5%. And LongHorn’s same-store sales increased 2.6%, missing analysts’ expectations of 5% growth.

Darden’s fine dining segment, which includes The Capital Grille and Ruth’s Chris Steak House, reported same-store sales declines of 0.8%.

The last segment of Darden’s business, which includes Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen and Yard House, saw same-store sales shrink 0.4% in the quarter.

For the full year, Darden reiterated its forecast for revenue of $12.1 billion. It narrowed its outlook for adjusted earnings from continuing operations to a range of $9.45 to $9.52 per share. Its prior forecast was $9.40 to $9.60 per share.

Darden’s fiscal 2025 outlook includes Chuy’s results, but the Tex-Mex chain won’t be included in its same-store sales metrics until the fiscal fourth quarter in 2026.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

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Art created autonomously by AI can’t be copyrighted, federal appeals court rules

A federal appeals court ruled that art created autonomously by artificial intelligence cannot be copyrighted, saying that at least initial human authorship is required for a copyright.

The ruling Tuesday upheld a decision by the U.S. Copyright Office denying computer scientist Stephen Thaler a copyright for the painting “A Recent Entrance to Paradise.”

The picture was created by Thaler’s AI platform, the “Creativity Machine.”

The “Copyright Office’s longstanding rule requiring a human author … does not prohibit copyrighting work that was made by or with the assistance of artificial intelligence,” a three-judge panel of the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia said in its unanimous ruling.

“The rule requires only that the author of that work be a human being — the person who created, operated, or use artificial intelligence — and not the machine itself,” the panel said.

The panel noted that the Copyright Office “has allowed the registration of works made by human authors who use artificial intelligence.”

Copyright grants intellectual property protection to original works, giving their owners exclusive rights to reproduce the works, sell the works, rent them and display them.

Tuesday’s ruling hinged on the fact that Thaler listed the “Creativity Machine” as the sole “author” of “A Recent Entrance to Paradise” when he submitted a registration application to the Copyright Office in 2018.

Thaler listed himself as the picture’s owner in the application.

Thaler told CNBC in an interview that the Creativity Machine created the painting “on its own” in 2012.

The machine “learned cumulatively, and I was the parent, and I was basically tutoring it,” Thaler said.

“It actually generated [the painting] on its own as it mediated,” said Thaler.

He said his AI machines are “sentients” and “self-determining.”

Thaler’s lawyer, Ryan Abbott, told CNBC in an interview said, “We do strongly disagree with the appeals court decision and plan to appeal it.”

Abbott said he would first ask the full judicial lineup of the Circuit Court of Appeals to rehear the case. If that appeal is unsuccessful, Abbott could ask the U.S. Supreme Court to consider the issue.

The attorney said the case detailed “the first publicized rejection” by the Copyright Office “on the basis” of the claim that a work was created by AI.

That denial and the subsequent court rulings in the office’s favor, “creates a huge shadow on the creative community” he said, because “it’s not clear where the line is” delineating when a work created by or with the help of AI will be denied a copyright.

Despite the ruling, Abbott said he “was very pleased to see that the case has been successful in drawing public attention to these very important public policy issues.”

The Copyright Office first denied Thaler’s application in August 2019, saying, “We cannot register this work because it lacks the human authorship necessary to support a copyright claim.”

“According to your application this work was ’created autonomously by machine,” the office said at the time.

The office cited an 1884 ruling by the Supreme Court, which found that Congress had the right to extend copyright protection to a photograph, in that case one taken of the author Oscar Wilde.

The office later rejected two requests by Thaler for reconsideration of its decision.

After the second denial, in 2022, Thaler sued the office in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., seeking to reverse the decision.

District Court Judge Beryl Howell in August 2023 ruled in favor of the Copyright Office, writing, “Defendants are correct that human authorship is an essential part of a valid copyright claim.”

“Human authorship is a bedrock requirement of copyright,” Howell wrote.

Thaler then appealed Howell’s ruling to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals.

In its decision Tuesday, the appeals panel wrote, “This case presents a question made salient by recent advances in artificial intelligence: Can a non-human machine be an author under the Copyright Act of 1976?”

“The use of artificial intelligence to produce original work is rapidly increasing across industries and creative fields,” the decision noted.

“Who — or what — the ‘author’ of such work is a question that implicates important property rights undergirding growth and creative innovation.”

The ruling noted that Thaler had argued that the Copyright Office’s human authorship requirement “is unconstitutional and unsupported by either statute or case law.”

Thaler also “claimed that judicial opinions ‘from the Gilded Age’ could not settle the question of whether computer generated works are copyrightable today,” the ruling noted.

But the appeals panel said that “authors are at the center of the Copyright Act,” and that “traditional tools of statutory interpretation show that within the meaning of the Copyright Act, ‘author’ refers only to human beings.”

The panel said that the Copyright Office “formally adopted the human authorship requirement in 1973.”

That was six years after the office noted in its annual report to Congress that, “as computer technology develops and becomes more sophisticated, difficult questions of authorship are emerging.”

Abbott, the attorney who represented Thaler in the appeal, told CNBC that the Copyright Act “never says” that “you need a human author at all for a work … or a named author.”

Abbott noted that corporations are granted copyrights, as are authors who are anonymous or pseudonymous.

Protecting a ‘beautiful picture’

The Copyright Office, in a statement to CNBC, said it “believes the court reached the correct result, affirming the Office’s registration decision and confirming that human authorship is required for copyright.”

Thaler said that he will continue to pursue his bid for a copyright for the painting.

“My personal goal is not to preserve the feeling of machines,” Thaler said. “It’s more to preserve, how should I say, orphaned intellectual property.”

“A machine creates a beautiful picture? There should be some protection for it,” Thaler said.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

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How new professional sports leagues like SailGP are putting women at the fore

As women’s sports surge in popularity, professional leagues are increasingly touting the value of female athletes. New professional leagues like SailGP are launching with the advantage of building from the ground up, with gender diversity as part of their DNA.

Noncontact and noncollision sports are leading the way. Formula 1′s F1 Academy has created a pipeline for women into motorsports, with a goal of increasing female participation and representation on and off the racetrack. At the same time, it’s drawing a more diverse fanbase. Roughly 41% of F1 fans now are female, with women aged 16 to 24 years old making up the fastest-growing fan group, according to Nielsen Sports.

Professional male and female athletes are already competing alongside and against each other in the United Pickleball Association’s unified league, the Global Mixed Gender Basketball league and in SailGP, the international sailing league co-founded by Oracle founder Larry Ellison and champion yachtsman Russell Coutts. 

Founded in 2018, the upstart sailing league involves 12 international teams racing on high-speed, 50-foot catamarans known as F50s. At speeds of more than 60 mph, SailGP is gaining a reputation as a sort of Formula 1 on the water.

“The whole goal is to train athletes to be capable of racing on an F50, which is one of the more complex boats in the world — maybe the most difficult boat to race in the world right now,” said Coutts, who is also SailGP’s chief executive officer. 

The league didn’t set out with gender equity goals in mind, Coutts said, but simply sought to create the most compelling competition.  

“We believe that male and female athletes can compete at the top of our sport against each other and with each other, so when we we saw that there was a difference in participation levels — and didn’t really see any logical reason for that — we took some steps to address that and we’ll take further steps in the future,” said Coutts. 

To bridge the experience gap most female sailors face, SailGP created programs to draw and train talent. In December, its Women’s Performance Camp in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, marked its largest on-the-water women’s athlete training camp to date. 

The league also requires each team to have at least one female athlete onboard during races and has set targets to have at least two female athletes per race crew in key positions within the next five years. Those key positions are the driver, who steers the boat; the strategist, who advises on tactics; the wing trimmer, who adjusts the 85- to 90-foot carbon-fiber wing sail; and the flight controller, who dictates how high or low the boat flies over the water.

The next SailGP races take place Saturday and Sunday in San Francisco, the second in back-to-back U.S. weekend races. 

SailGP has embedded inclusivity and sustainability into the competition via an Impact League that runs parallel to the on-the-water championship. Teams earn points for taking action to make sailing more accessible and to protect the environment in order to reach the podium. Winning teams earn cash prize donations to their partners. The Canadian team is in the lead in the Impact League thanks to its work to offer training opportunities, sailing camps and demo days to introduce foiling to new Canadian athletes.

“That changes the mindframe of very competitive people to care, and to compete, in a world of impact and sustainability as well,” said SailGP Chief Marketing Officer Leah Davis. “When you challenge the world’s most competitive people to be good at something else, they will turn their eyes to that pretty quickly, and in a pretty impactful way.”

Off the water, 43% of SailGP’s C-suite is female, up from just 14% in 2021. For comparison, 29% of C-suite roles at Fortune 500 companies are held by women, according to McKinsey’s Women in the Workplace 2024 report. The league last year introduced Apex Group’s accelerator program, aimed at increasing female representation at senior levels of the company. 

It has also introduced initiatives to train more women on the operations, technology and boat-building side of the business. For example, SailGP Technologies based in Southampton, U.K., offers an apprenticeship training scheme — eight participants join the program each year, four male and four female. Today, 33% of directors at SailGP and 52% of heads of departments are female.

The overall business strategy is helping to grow the league’s appeal to a new set of fans. For the first time in its history, more than half of the ticket holders in attendance at last season’s New Zealand Championships in March were female, a trend that has held steady this season.

“This demographic has been underserved in sports,” said SailGP Chief Purpose Officer Fiona Morgan. “A huge part of our headroom in fans is young fans — and actually they’re female fans — who probably didn’t think about sailing, but they like extreme sports or sustainability, or they like sports that have gender equity at the heart.”

In June, Tommy Hilfiger was announced as the United States SailGP team’s official lifestyle apparel partner, joining brands such as Red Bull, Emirates, Mubadala, Rockwool and Deutsche Bank in sponsoring individual teams. In November, SailGP announced it had signed Rolex as its first title sponsor.

“I don’t think many brands nowadays will go into sponsorship that doesn’t have diversity or equity at some point in it,” said Morgan. “Their consumers and their investors will ensure they do that.” 

In September, the league achieved a major milestone, announcing its first female driver. Two-time Olympic sailing champion Martine Grael joined for the 2024-25 season to skipper the new Mubadala Brazil SailGP Team, making history and immediately climbing the leaderboard. 

After championships in Dubai, Auckland, New Zealand, Sydney and Los Angeles, teams from the UK, Australia and New Zealand are leading the league. Grael has steered her team ahead of the Germany SailGP team, and is proving competitive against the more experienced United States team.

“In the past — and still nowadays — you see a lot of people say, ‘Girls shouldn’t do that,’” Grael said. Her response is to call out that old way of thinking: “Shouldn’t do what?”

Grael credits much of her early success to familiarizing herself with the boats using SailGP’s simulator, developing muscle memory before even getting on the water. Unlike traditional boats built with male sailors in mind, SailGP’s modern foiling boats open opportunities for women in roles that do not require as much physical strength, she said. Knowing when to push a button and developing a good feel for the boat are equally important to the more physical functions, said Grael. 

“Some guys have failed to understand that a girl is very much capable of doing the same role they’re doing,” she said.

Grael is among a number of top female athletes competing in key positions in SailGP — including Emirates Great Britain Team’s strategist Hannah Mills and the U.S. team’s Anna Weis — and says though women are still in the minority, things are changing.

Together with women competing in marquee races — like Switzerland’s Justine Mettraux, who took eighth place in the Vendée Globe single-handed, nonstop, nonassisted round-the-world race this year — they are carving a path for a new cohort of women to gain opportunities and make their mark.

“We have been less limited — I grew up never being told I shouldn’t do something,” said Grael. “There’s a big generation of others looking at us, and they’re going to come out strong.”

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

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Klarna lands buy now, pay later deal with DoorDash, notching another win ahead of IPO

Klarna, the buy now, pay later lender that’s headed for an initial public offering, said on Thursday that it’s signed on DoorDash as a partner, another sign of momentum for public market investors.

It’s DoorDash’s first BNPL alliance and gives users of the restaurant delivery service a new way to pay for meals. Klarna said in a press release that DoorDash customers will be able to pay in full at checkout, split payments into four equal interest-free installments, or defer to dates that align conveniently with payday schedules.

Klarna, which is headquartered in Sweden, filed its prospectus last week to list on the New York Stock Exchange. Revenue last year increased 24% to $2.8 billion, and adjusted operating profit was $181 million, swinging from a loss of $49 million a year earlier. CNBC reported on Monday that Klarna will be the exclusive provider of buy now, pay later loans for Walmart, taking a coveted partnership away from rival Affirm.

“Our partnership with DoorDash marks an important milestone in Klarna’s expansion into everyday spending categories,” said David Sykes, Klarna’s chief commercial officer, in Thursday’s release.

Klarna, founded in 2005, said in its prospectus that it has 675,000 merchant partners in 26 countries. It’s among the most hotly anticipated IPOs of the year following an extended stretch of historically little activity for new offerings.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

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New SPX Correction Signal! How Long Will It Last?

In this exclusive StockCharts video, Joe breaks down a new SPX correction signal using the monthly Directional Lines (DI), showing why this pullback could take time to play out. He explains how DI lines influence the ADX slope and how this impacts shorter-term patterns. Joe also reveals a strong area in the commodity market defying the correction and highlights top stocks within that sector. Plus, he analyzes QQQ and IWM, covering their recent weakness and key resistance levels, before analyzing viewer symbol requests for the week, including ADMA, CSCO, and more.

This video was originally published on March 19, 2025. Click this link to watch on Joe’s dedicated page.

Archived videos from Joe are available at this link. Send symbol requests to stocktalk@stockcharts.com; you can also submit a request in the comments section below the video on YouTube. Symbol Requests can be sent in throughout the week prior to the next show.

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6 best women’s March Madness players in 2025 NCAA Tournament bracket

Who is your favorite player in the 2025 women’s NCAA Tournament? There’s so much talent across the March Madness bracket to make any hoops head pumped about the action ahead.

So we asked our USA TODAY Sports Network experts to weigh in. Some players on this list – Hello, Paige Bueckers – are unsurprising. Others are also walking buckets, like Harvard’s Harmoni Turner and Florida State’s Ta’Niya Latson. All are exhilarating hoopers on a mission this March.

So, here are our favorite players in the women’s bracket.

Women’s March Madness favorites: Best players in NCAA Tournament

Paige Bueckers, UConn

Stream women’s NCAA Tournament games on Fubo

Harmoni Turner, Harvard

Kennedy Smith, USC

Ta’Niya Latson, Florida State

Sonia Citron, Notre Dame

Hailey Van Lith, TCU

Women’s March Madness schedule

  • First Four: March 19-20
  • First round: March 21-22
  • Second round: March 23-24
  • Sweet 16: March 28-29
  • Elite Eight: March 30-31
  • Final Four: Friday, April 4 (both semifinals; first game begins at 7 p.m. ET)
  • NCAA championship: Sunday, April 6 (Game scheduled for 3 p.m. ET)

Where to watch Women’s March Madness

All games will be televised on the ESPN family of networks, which includes ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, and ESPNews. Games can be streamed on Fubo, which is offering a free trial to new subscribers.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

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Luka Dončić, Lakers hold off Nuggets, move up standings

LOS ANGELES — Luka Dončić led the way for the Los Angeles Lakers in their 120-108 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night.

Dončić scored 25 of his 31 points in the first half against the Nuggets in a game in which Los Angeles led by as many as 30 and never allowed Denver to lead.

Los Angeles’ quick start led to 46 points in the first quarter, the most the team had scored in any single quarter this season. The Lakers also set a franchise mark with nine three-pointers made in a single quarter.

Austin Reaves nearly produced a double-double with 22 points and eight assists as part of the Lakers’ offensive attack.

The Lakers were without LeBron James and Rui Hachimura while the Nuggets were missing Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray in the starting lineup of a crucial game for both teams. Center Aaron Gordon scored a team-high 26 points for Denver.

The Lakers (43-25) move into third place in the Western Conference standings with the victory. 

The Lakers were one game behind the Nuggets (44-26) coming into the game on Wednesday. Both teams are 13.5 games behind the Oklahoma City Thunder (57-12), which sits atop the conference standings.

Lakers vs. Nuggets highlights:

Luka Dončić stats vs. Nuggets

  • Points: 31
  • FG: 10-for-21
  • 3PT: 4-for-9
  • FT: 7-for-10
  • Rebounds: 9
  • Assists: 7
  • Steals: 2
  • Blocks: 1
  • Turnovers: 6
  • Fouls: 3
  • Minutes played: 32:16

Lakers’ next game

The Lakers will host the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday and the Chicago Bulls on Saturday before playing the next four games on the road.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

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Men’s March Madness results: Scores, highlights for First Four action

The No. 11 Xavier Musketeers have a date with the No. 6 Illinois Fighting Illini.

Xavier overcame a 13-point deficit to defeat the No. 11 Texas Longhorns 86-80 in the First Four matchup on Wednesday to advance to the first round of the men’s NCAA Tournament. The win represented sweet revenge for Xavier, which lost to Texas in the 2023 Sweet 16.

‘This may be one of the best (wins) that I’ve ever been part in terms of the game. I thought we were dead in the water two different times,’ Xavier coach Sean Miller admitted. ‘The resiliency of the group has always won out for us.’

The Musketeers closed the game on a 16-6 run to win, overcoming their largest deficit of the season. Senior forward Zach Freemantle provided the knockout punch with a slam dunk in the final seconds of the contest. Freemantle finished with 15 points. 

Xavier erases 13-point deficit; leads Texas 78-74

Xavier went on an 8-2 run to take a 78-74 lead over Texas with 4:36 remaining in the game, marking the Musketeers’ first lead since 14:48 remaining in the first half. Xavier’s John Hugley IV hit a three to take the lead 75-74, followed by a layup by teammate Dailyn Swain. Swain was fouled on the layup and knocked down his free throw to go up 78-74.

Zach Freemantle back in foul trouble

Xavier forward Zach Freemantle picked up his fourth foul after pulling on the jersey of Texas’ Kadin Shedrick as he cut for the basket. Shedrick knocked down both free throws to give Texas a 69-67 advantage with 7:10 remaining in the game. Freemantle was immediately subbed out of the game due to foul trouble. 

Xavier ties it on Jerome Hunter’s three

We’re all tied up! Xavier’s Jerome Hunter knocked down a three to tie it up, 65-65, with 8:10 remaining in the game. The Musketeers’ run was fueled by six Texas turnovers in the second half. The Longhorns are up to 10 turnovers in the game, which Xavier has cashed in for 16 points. Hunter has nine points off the bench and is a perfect 3-of-3 from beyond the arc. 

Texas withstands Xavier’s surge; up 62-52

Xavier closed Texas’ lead to four points, but the Longhorns responded and built up a double-digit advantage again. Texas’ Tre Johnson knocked down a 3-pointer to go up 62-52 over Xavier with 12:00 remaining in the game. Johnson has a game-high 18 points and four rebounds. 

Can Xavier rally and make a come back? History is not on their side. The Musketeers are 7-11 when trailing at halftime. Three of Xaviers’ starters each have three fouls — Zach Freemantle, Ryan Conwell and Dailyn Swain.

Xavier opens second half on 7-3 run; trails 50-46

Xavier opened the second half on a 7-3 run to come within four points of Texas. Zach Freemantle was held to two points in the first half after picking up two early fouls, but his presence was immediately felt to start the second half. Freemantle hit a 3-pointer and, following a steal from teammate Dailyn Swain, slammed down a dunk in back-to-back possessions to send the crowd into a frenzy. He’s up to seven points. The Musketeers trail 50-46 with 17:00 remaining in the game. 

Halftime: Texas 47, Xavier 39

Xaviers’ Jerome Hunter knocked down a 3-pointer with 23 seconds remaining in the first half to cut Texas’ lead to six. Longhorns’ Tramon Mark answered right back, hitting a jumper as time expired to extend Texas’ lead to 47-39 at halftime.

Texas led by as many as 13 points in the first half and dominated the paint, outscoring Xavier 26-16. Texas’ Tramon Mark has a game-high 11 points, while Tre Johnson added 10 points and four rebounds.

Xavier’s Dante Maddox Jr. has a team-high 10 points off the bench. Ryan Conwell added seven points. 

Texas 41, Xavier 30 

Miscues are starting to pile up for Xavier, which trails Texas 41-30 with 3:24 remaining before halftime. The Musketeers have surrendered four turnovers so far, which Texas has converted into five points. Xavier is also only shooting 40% from the free throw line. To make matters worse, Xavier’s Zach Freemantle (2) and Ryan Cowell (3) are limited due to foul trouble. 

Texas 32, Xavier 21

Texas extended its lead over Xavier to double digits, leading 32-21 with 7:15 remaining in the first half. The Longhorns have superb shooting to thank for that. Texas is collectively shooting 57.1% from the field and 4-of-7 from three, led by eight points from Tre Johnson. Meanwhile, Xavier is shooting 40% from the field and 3-of-9 from three. Texas has held Xavier’s Zach Freemantle to two points so far (1-of-5 FG, 0-of-2 3PT).

Texas goes on 9-0 run; Zach Freemantle in foul trouble

Xavier’s Zach Freemantle went to the bench early after picking up his second foul with 14:11 remaining in the first half. Texas capitalized and went on a 9-0 run to take an eight-lead, 18-10, with 13:16 remaining in the half. Texas’ Tre Johnson has a team-high six points (2-of-5 FG, 1-of-3 3PT) for the Longhorns. Freemantle has zero points.

Xavier vs. Texas tips off

We are underway in Dayton, Ohio for the final First Four matchup between Texas and Xavier, marking a 2023 Sweet Sixteen rematch. (Texas won 83-71). Both teams have struggled offensively to open the game on Thursday, with the Musketeers shooting 2-of-6 from the field, while the Longhorns are 2-of-8 from the field. 

Xavier’s Ryan Cowell is responsible for all five of the Musketeers’ points so far. Things are all tied up 5-5 with 15:58 remaining in the first half. 

Final: Mount St. Mary’s 83, American 72

The Mountaineers will move into the Round of 64, where they will take on Duke, the East Region’s No. 1 seed. Dola Adebayo and Jedy Cordilia each finished with 22 points for Mount St. Mary’s, and Dallas Hobbs added 17.

American was led by Geoff Sprouse’s 18 points, all which came on 3-pointers.

Duane Simpkins receives technical

After American made it a nine-point game with a pair of Matt Mayock free throws, Eagles coach Duane Simpkins earned an untimely technical foul when he flopped to the court in disagreement to a foul call. Arlandus Keyes made both free throws to stretch the Mountaineers’ lead back to 11 at 83-72.

American cuts into deficit

The Eagles are not going away, staging a 7-0 run to cut their deficit to 81-70 with 3:27 remaining.

After Dolan Adebayo made two free throws to put Mount St. Mary’s ahead by 18 points, American got a dunk by Matt Mayock, a 3-pointer by Geoff Sprouse and a layup by Lincoln Ball in a span of 1:31.

Dalo Adebayo with massive dunk

Mount St. Mary’s has been dominant in the paint all game long, but that came to a front with seven minutes left in the game when the Mountaineers’ Dalo Adebayo got up for a loud dunk right in the face of American’s Greg Jones.

Adebayo reached 20 points on the night with that bucket.

Eagles 0 for their last 5 from three

As if on cue, the Eagles’ shooters have suddenly gone cold. Their inability to score has led to a 5-minute scoring drought for American.

Mount St. Mary’s is taking full advantage, winning in transition and finding consistent looks close to the basket. Dola Adebayo and Dallas Hobbs have taken control of this game. If they’re not the ones scoring for the Mountaineers, they’re the ones that are driving in and forcing American defenders into the middle before kicking it out to Lipscomb or any of Mount St. Mary’s shooters.

The Mountaineers lead by 19 with nine minutes to play.

Eagles reliant on three-pointers to stay close

American is staying close in this game thanks to lights out shooting from beyond the arc. However, this reliance on three-pointers could prove volatile down the stretch. Any cold streak could give Mount St. Mary’s an insurmountable lead.

As it stands though, American’s shooters − Sprouse, Stephens, Mayock − are the only thing keeping the Eagles in this game. Mount St. Mary’s leads 61-51 with 13 minutes to play.

Mount St. Mary’s still scoring despite American’s defensive changes

So far in the second half, it’s been much of the same, great offense on both sides. However, American has made an effort to limit the Mountaineers’ high-percentage looks down low. That hasn’t stopped the Mountaineers though. They’re making off-balance shots, finding lanes, and getting to the line regardless.

You can tell that the Eagles have improved defensively, but Mount St. Mary’s is getting a lot of lucky bounces and staying just out of reach of American, even if the Eagles are hitting three-pointers at a solid rate.

Five minutes into the second half, Mount St. Mary’s is up eight.

End of 1st Half: Mount St. Mary’s 48, American 38

It was a spectacular offensive half for Mount St. Mary’s, particularly Jedy Cordilia and Dallas Hobbs. Cordilia was incredibly efficient, shooting at an 8-of-9 clip in the first half to lead the Mountaineers with 16 points. Hobbs, meanwhile, was 4-of-7 from beyond the arc, including a buzzer beater at the end of the first half that likely decimated American’s spirits.

The loss of Matt Rogers hurts American’s chances moving forward, but there were some positives. Geoff Sprouse has been phenomenal from three-point land, leading the Eagles in scoring. Their defense will certainly need to make some changes going forward if they want any hope of earning a spot in the Round of 64.

Rogers declared out for game

American’s top scorer Matt Rogers was announced out for the rest of this game after re-aggravating a knee injury he suffered early in tonight’s tilt. Rogers had played spectacularly when he was on the court, but after hurting his knee for the second time, he was barely able to walk into the locker room on his own.

The Eagles will be forced to play the rest of this game without their best offensive weapon. Thankfully for them, Elijah Stephens and Geoff Sprouse have been shooting extremely well in the first half. If they maintain their hot hands into the second half, they could very well win this game.

American answers with back-to-back threes

Eagles Geoff Sprouse and Elijah Stephens avenged their fallen ally Rogers with back-to-back threes to bring the Eagles back within two points. Although the Mountaineers were able to answer back with a layup to make it a two-possession game, the Eagles have shown an ability to score points quickly. Any lapse in defense from Mount St. Mary’s could give the lead right back to American.

Matt Rogers aggravates knee

Rogers has been the best offensive player for American since he returned to the floor, but his knee took a bad turn while defending a spin move from Jedy Cordilia.

Rogers was able to return after suffering the injury early on, but he could barely put any weight on his leg as he left the court. Thankfully, he did start walking under his own power as he entered the locker room. Mount St. Mary’s leads 36-28.

Eagles turnovers costing them early

Despite the close score, American has not been very careful with the ball, committing five turnovers already. Most recently, Matt Rogers lost the ball while trying to back down his defender in the paint. That led to an uncontested three-point attempt for Mount St. Mary’s. They missed, but American proceeded to commit an illegal screen for another turnover which led to a pair of Mountaineers free throws at the other end. Mount St. Mary’s leads 26-22 with eight minutes to play.

Matt Rogers returns for American

After an early injury scared fans, Matt Rogers has returned to the floor. Given American’s ability to score with ease, Rogers’ presence could elevate American to a another level. Rogers led the Eagles in scoring leading into the tournament with 17 points per game.

American goes on 8-0 run

While they certainly hadn’t gotten off to a slow start, they picked up stream coming out of the first TV timeout. A combination of patience and offensive rebounding put American on top 18-15.

The Eagles bounced back nicely though, hitting a corner three to get to 20 points, but American has matched them blow for blow early on.

Mount St. Mary’s and American both shooting lights out to start game

While injuries have already started to take their toll in this contest, the offense from both teams has been spectacular to start this contest. Through just four minutes, both teams are on pace to score over 80 points in this game. In all fairness though, each team has been putting up their points in different ways.

Mount St. Mary’s has been able to find consistent space and hit three-pointers, but American has been incredible down low, scoring most of their points in the paint. It’s 15-10 Mount St. Mary’s.

What time is March Madness First Four games today?

March Madness continues with a second night of First Four action. No. 16 Mount St. Mary’s takes on No. 16 American University at 6:40 p.m. ET. That will be followed by the 11-seed game between Xavier and Texas, with an estimated tip off time of 9:10 p.m.

How to watch First Four Wednesday: TV, streaming coverage 

  • TV channels: TruTV
  • Live stream: Max and Sling

Watch March Madness and First Four with Sling

March Madness First Four odds

March Madness First Four odds, according to BetMGM.

Odds as of Tuesday, March 18

Mount St. Mary’s vs. American University

  • Spread: American (-2.5)
  • Moneyline: American (-145); Mount St. Mary’s (+118)
  • Total: 129.5

Xavier vs. Texas

  • Spread: Xavier (-2.5)
  • Moneyline: Xavier (-155); Texas (+125)
  • Total: 149.5

American vs. Mount St. Mary’s predictions

ESPN: American has 53.4% chance to beat Mount St. Mary’s

ESPN’s matchup predictor gave American a 53.4% chance to win its First Four game against Mount St. Mary’s, as of Tuesday afternoon.

NBC Sports: Go with American

‘American University earned the right to play in the NCAA Tournament as champions of the Patriot League. Winners of their last four games, American is led by Matt Rogers who averages 17 points per game. Rogers scored 25 in the Patriot League title game against Navy. … These teams have met in years past with American winning the last four meetings and six of the last ten.’

Sports Illustrated: American wins

‘The key will be for American to dictate the pace. It ranks in the bottom 10 in adjusted tempo according to KenPom … It can do that against a conservative (Mount St. Mary’s) defense that won’t generate turnovers and allow the team to run its preferred offense throughout.’

Arizona Republic: Mount St. Mary’s 69, American 66

‘Both of these schools went 22-12 in the regular season. Both have four-game win streaks. Both won their conference tournaments. We’re taking the underdog in a very close game in Dayton.’

Texas vs. Xavier NCAA Tournament 2025 predictions

ESPN: Texas has 53.6% chance to beat Xavier

ESPN’s matchup predictor gave Texas a 53.6% chance to win their First Four game against Xavier, as of Tuesday afternoon.

Arizona Republic: Xavier 75, Texas 70

‘The SEC sent 14 of 16 teams to the tournament and Texas was No. 14. Did the Longhorns deserve the bid? We’re about to find out against an Xavier team that won seven straight games before losing in the first round of the Big East Tournament.’

NBC Sports: Take Xavier

‘Xavier lost to Marquette in the Big East Tournament, 89-87. The loss snapped a seven-game win streak for the Musketeers. Zach Freemantle is averaging 17.3 points and 7.1 rebounds per game to lead Xavier.’

Action Network: Xavier

‘A rematch of the 2023 Sweet 16 game that helped Rodney Terry earn the full-time head coaching job at Texas, this game could end up being a full-circle moment for Terry’s tenure in Austin, as rumors about his job security have been rampant in recent weeks … Xavier has an element that Texas lacks: a go-to interior scorer in sixth-year senior Zach Freemantle.’

First Four scores: Results from March Madness games

Tuesday, March 18

First Four games

  • South region: No. 16 Alabama State def. No. 16 St. Francis, 70-68
  • South region: No. 11 North Carolina def. No. 11 San Diego State, 95-68

2025 Men’s March Madness Printable Bracket

  • Click for your 2025 NCAA Tournament printable bracket

March Madness bracket predictions: Expert picks for NCAA Tournament

Jordan Mendoza

Full bracket

  • Final Four: Michigan State, Florida, Duke, Houston
  • Final: Florida vs. Houston
  • National champion: Houston

Paul Myerberg

Full bracket

  • Final Four: Auburn, St. John’s, Duke, Tennessee
  • Final: Auburn vs. Duke
  • National champion: Duke

Erick Smith

Full bracket

  • Final Four: Michigan State, Texas Tech, Duke, Tennessee
  • Final: Michigan State vs. Duke
  • National champion: Duke

Eddie Timanus

Full bracket

  • Final Four: Auburn, Florida, Duke, Houston
  • Final: Florida vs. Duke
  • National champion: Florida

Dan Wolken

Full bracket

  • Final Four: Michigan State, Florida, Duke, Houston
  • Final: Florida vs. Duke
  • National champion: Duke

March Madness bracket: First Four/Round of 64 dates, times, TV, results and scores

All times Eastern

Tuesday, March 18

First Four games

  • South region: No. 16 Alabama State def. No. 16 St. Francis, 70-68
  • South region: No. 11 North Carolina def. No. 11 San Diego State, 95-68

Wednesday, March 19

First Four games

  • East region: No. 16 American vs. No. 16 Mount St. Mary’s, 6:40 p.m. on truTV
  • Midwest region: No. 11 Texas vs. No. 11 Xavier, 9:10 p.m. on truTV

Thursday, March 20

Round of 64 games

  • South region: No. 8 Louisville vs. No. 9 Creighton, 12:15 p.m. on CBS
  • Midwest region: No. 4 Purdue vs. No. 13 High Point, 12:40 p.m. on truTV
  • East region: No. 3 Wisconsin vs. No. 14 Montana, 1:30 p.m. on TNT
  • Midwest region: No. 1 Houston vs. No. 16 SIU-Edwardsville, 2 p.m. on TBS
  • South region: No. 1 Auburn vs. No. 16 Alabama State, 2:50 p.m. on CBS
  • Midwest region: No. 5 Clemson vs. No. 12 McNeese State, 3:15 p.m. on truTV
  • East region: No. 6 BYU vs. No. 11 VCU, 4:05 p.m. on TNT
  • Midwest region: No. 8 Gonzaga vs. No. 9 Georgia, 4:35 p.m. on TBS
  • Midwest region: No. 2 Tennessee vs. No. 15 Wofford, 6:50 p.m. on TNT
  • West region: No. 7 Kansas vs. No. 10 Arkansas, 7:10 p.m. on CBS
  • South region: No. 4 Texas A&M vs. No. 13 Yale, 7:25 p.m. on TBS
  • West region: No. 6 Missouri vs. No. 11 Drake, 7:35 p.m. on truTV
  • Midwest region: No. 7 UCLA vs. No. 10 Utah State, 9:25 p.m. on TNT
  • West region: No. 2 St. John’s vs. No. 15 Omaha, 9:45 p.m. on CBS
  • South region: No. 5 Michigan vs. No. 12 UC San Diego, 10 p.m. on TBS
  • West region: No. 3 Texas Tech vs. No. 14 UNC-Wilmington, 10:10 p.m. on truTV

Friday, March 21

Round of 64 games

  • East region: No. 8 Mississippi State vs. No. 9 Baylor, 12:15 p.m. on CBS
  • East region: No. 2 Alabama vs. No. 15 Robert Morris, 12:40 p.m. on truTV
  • South region: No. 3 Iowa State vs. No. 14 Lipscomb, 1:30 p.m. on TNT
  • West region: No. 5 Memphis vs. No. 12 Colorado State, 2 p.m. on TBS
  • East region: No. 1 Duke vs. No. 16 American/Mount St. Mary’s, 2:50 p.m. on CBS
  • East region: No. 7 Saint Mary’s vs. No. 10 Vanderbilt, 3:15 p.m. on truTV
  • South region: No. 6 Ole Miss vs. No. 11 North Carolina, 4:05 p.m. on TNT
  • West region: No. 4 Maryland vs. No. 13 Grand Canyon, 4:35 p.m. on TBS
  • West region: No. 1 Florida vs. No. 16 Norfolk State, 6:50 p.m. on TNT
  • Midwest region: No. 3 Kentucky vs. No. 14 Troy, 7:10 p.m. on CBS
  • South region: No. 7 Marquette vs. No. 10 New Mexico, 7:25 p.m. on TBS
  • East region: No. 4 Arizona vs. No. 13 Akron, 7:35 p.m. on truTV
  • West region: No. 8 UConn vs. No. 9 Oklahoma, 9:25 p.m. on TNT
  • Midwest region: No. 6 Illinois vs. No. 11 Texas/Xavier, 9:45 p.m. on CBS
  • South region: No. 2 Michigan State vs. No. 15 Bryant, 10 p.m. on TBS
  • East region: No. 5 Oregon vs. No. 12 Liberty, 10:10 p.m. on truTV

When does the Final Four start?

On the men’s side, the Final Four is scheduled for Saturday, April 5. The NCAA Championship Game will take place three days later on Tuesday, April 7. Starting at the Final Four, all games will played at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

For the women, the Final Four will be played on Friday, April 4 at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida. The championship game will Sunday at 3 p.m. at the same venue.

Women’s March Madness schedule

Here is the women’s schedule: 

  • First Four: March 19-20
  • First round: March 21-22
  • Second round: March 23-24
  • Sweet 16: March 28-29
  • Elite Eight: March 30-March 31
  • Final Four: Friday, April 4, 7 p.m. ET on ESPN, hosted at Amalie Arena in Tampa. Second game starts 30 minutes after first game ends.
  • NCAA championship game: Sunday, April 6 at 3 p.m. ET on ABC, hosted at Amalie Arena in Tampa.

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March Madness odds: Favorites for men, women in NCAA Tournament

The stage is set. March Madness has commenced.

For the next three weeks, the sporting world’s eyes will be firmly fixated on college basketball, as 128 college basketball teams — 64 men’s and 64 women’s — vie for a national championship.

For the men, all roads lead to San Antonio, a city with plenty of familiarity hosting the Final Four. The women, meanwhile, are trying to get to the Southeast. Tampa, Florida hosts the Final Four at Amalie Arena, home of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Watch select March Madness games on Fubo (free trial)

While March Madness has always been a wildly popular tournament, the chaos implicit in it has made it an absolute hotbed for sports betting. Few tournaments boast as many upsets as the NCAA Tournament, and that makes every victory all the sweeter (and every loss more bitter).

While any team can make a run, fortune smiles upon some more than others. Here’s a look at the favorites on both the men’s and women’s sides as Nos. 1-64 try to make it to April 6 for the women and April 7 for the men.

(All odds courtesy of BetMGM)

Men’s March Madness favorites 2025

Naturally, the No. 1 seeds are the favorites. No. 2 overall seed Duke and consensus No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft Cooper Flagg lead the way at +325, tied with Florida, whereas No. 1 overall seed Auburn is third in odds at +400. Houston is the ‘longshot’ No. 1 seed at +600.

Here’s a full look at the favorites to win the men’s tournament, everyone who sits at better odds than +2500.

  • T1. Duke (+325)
  • T1. Florida (+325)
  • 3. Auburn (+400)
  • 4. Houston (+600)
  • 5. Alabama (+1600)
  • 6. Tennessee (+1800)
  • T7. Michigan State (+2500)
  • T7. St. John’s (+2500)

Women’s March Madness favorites 2025

It’s a similar story on the women’s side for the most part, although No. 2 seed UConn has eked its way into the favorites conversation behind superstar Paige Bueckers. Even so, South Carolina stands as a slight favorite at +220, with UConn trailing at +240. No. 1 overall seed UCLA is at +525, while JuJu Watkins and USC are tied with Texas at +700. Hannah Hidalgo and Notre Dame round out the favorites at +900 before a steep drop-off.

Here are the women’s squads who sit above +2500 to win the tournament.

  • 1. South Carolina (+220)
  • 2. UConn (+240)
  • 3. UCLA (+525)
  • T4. Texas (+700)
  • T4. USC (+700)
  • 6. Notre Dame (+900)

Men’s March Madness longshots 2025

If you’ve made it this far, you hate chalk.

So you don’t think it’s going to be the best player in the country in Flagg or possibly the most impressive coaches in the country in Tom Izzo (Michigan State) or Rick Pitino (St. John’s). Which team is going to obliterate brackets this year? Here’s a look at who oddsmakers are giving a shot. Could it be Bill Self and Kansas, in the midst of a down season? Or John Calipari in his first season with Arkansas? Maybe Dan Hurley and UConn right the ship in time to make a third consecutive run.

Here is who oddsmakers think are longshots to win the NCAA Tournament this season.

  • T9. Iowa State (+3500)
  • T9. Texas Tech (+3500)
  • T11. Kentucky (+5000)
  • T11. Arizona (+5000)
  • T11. Gonzaga (+5000)
  • T11. Wisconsin (+5000)
  • T11. Maryland (+5000)
  • 16. Clemson (+6000)
  • T17. BYU (+6600)
  • T17. Texas A&M (+6600)
  • T19. Kansas (+8000)
  • T19. UConn (+8000)
  • T19. Purdue (+8000)
  • T19. Illinois (+8000)
  • T19. Michigan (+8000)
  • T19. Missouri (+8000)
  • T25. Marquette (+12500)
  • T25. Saint Mary’s (+12500)
  • T25. UCLA (+12500)
  • T25. Ole Miss (+12500)
  • T25. Louisville (+12500)
  • T30. Creighton (+15000)
  • T30. Oregon (+15000)
  • T32. North Carolina (+20000)
  • T32. Baylor (+20000)
  • T32. Mississippi State (+20000)
  • 35. VCU (+25000)
  • T36. Arkansas (+30000)
  • T36. New Mexico (+30000)
  • T36. Vanderbilt (+30000)
  • T36. Memphis (+30000)
  • 40. Georgia (+35000)
  • T41. Utah State (+50000)
  • T41. Oklahoma (+50000)
  • T41. Colorado State (+50000)
  • T41. Drake (+50000)
  • T41. UC San Diego (+50000)
  • T46. Grand Canyon (+100000)
  • T46. McNeese (+100000)
  • T46. Yale (+100000)
  • T46. Liberty (+100000)
  • T46. Troy (+100000)
  • T46. Wofford (+100000)
  • T46. Robert Morris (+100000)
  • T46. UNC Wilmington (+100000)
  • T46. High Point (+100000)
  • T46. Lipscomb (+100000)
  • T46. Omaha (+100000)
  • T46. Montana (+100000)
  • T46. Bryant (+100000)
  • T46. Akron (+100000)
  • T60. SIU Edwardsville (+200000)
  • T60. Mount St. Mary’s (+200000)
  • T60. Norfolk State (+200000)
  • T60. Alabama State (+200000)

Women’s March Madness longshots 2025

Taking women’s longshots is a bit of a different beast. Eleven of the past 12 national champions have been No. 1 seeds.

However, if betting the underdog does tickle anyone’s fancy, there are few intriguing options. Kim Mulkey’s LSU Tigers sit at +5000, while Ohio State — which was overshadowed by newcomers UCLA and USC in the Big Ten this season — sits at +15000. Here’s a full list of the longshot odds for the women’s side.

  • 7. NC State (+3500)
  • T8. LSU (+5000)
  • T8. Duke (+5000)
  • T8. TCU (+5000)
  • T11. Kansas State (+15000)
  • T11. Tennessee (+15000)
  • T11. Kentucky (+15000)
  • T11. Ohio State (+15000)
  • T15. North Carolina (+20000)
  • T15. Baylor (+20000)
  • T15. Oklahoma (+20000)
  • T15. Ole Miss (+20000)
  • T15. Michigan State (+20000)
  • T15. Maryland (+20000)
  • T15. Iowa (+20000)
  • T22. Iowa State (+25000)
  • T22. West Virginia (+25000)
  • T22. Louisville (+25000)
  • T22. Florida State (+25000)
  • T22. Alabama (+25000)
  • T22. Michigan (+25000)
  • T22. Vanderbilt (+25000)
  • 29. Utah (+30000)
  • T30. Nebraska (+50000)
  • T30. Creighton (+50000)
  • T30. Indiana (+50000)
  • T30. Georgia Tech (+50000)
  • T30. Cal (+50000)
  • T30. South Dakota State (+50000)
  • T30. Oregon (+50000)
  • T30. Washington U (+50000)
  • T30. Oklahoma State (+50000)
  • T30. Grand Canyon (+50000)
  • T40. Oregon State (+100000)
  • T40. Mississippi State (+100000)
  • T40. Arkansas State (+100000)
  • T40. Florida Gulf Coast (+100000)
  • T40. Wisconsin Green Bay (+100000)
  • T40. Ball State (+100000)
  • T40. Fairfield (+100000)
  • T40. Tennessee Tech (+100000)
  • T40. UNC Greensboro (+100000)
  • T40. High Point (+100000)
  • T40. Montana State (+100000)
  • T40. South Florida (+100000)
  • T40. San Diego State (+100000)
  • T40. Stephen F. Austin (+100000)
  • T40. Vermont (+100000)
  • T40. Southern (+100000)
  • T40. Lehigh (+100000)
  • T40. Murray State (+100000)
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Women’s March Madness results: Iowa State holds on for First Four win

Two First Four games tipped off the 2025 women’s NCAA Tournament on Wednesday, with Iowa State and Southern advancing to the first round as 11 and 16 seeds, respectively.

Iowa State rallied from a 13-point halftime deficit to beat Princeton 68-65 behind dynamic duo Audi Crooks and Addy Brown’s stellar performances, as Crooks scored 27 points and Brown added 22 points with seven rebounds and eight assists. The Cyclones will face 6-seed Michigan on Friday.

Southern then took down UC San Diego with relative ease, besting the Tritons 68-56 behind Soniyah Reed’s game-leading 24 points. The path gets much harder for the Jaguars, who face top-seeded UCLA in the Los Angeles Regional in the first round.

Here’s a look at the highlights and updates from the first day of the women’s First Four, which concludes with two more matchups between Washington and Columbia and William & Mary and High Point on Thursday:

Women’s First Four score updates

This section will be updated when games tip off.

Women’s First Four live updates

Southern holds on for 68-56 win

Southern hangs on to win, earning a spot against 1-seed UCLA in the first round of the Los Angeles Regional.

Soniyah Reed led all scorers with 24 points off the bench, while Aniya Gourdine added 17.

UC San Diego cuts deficit to 49-40 after 3rd quarter

The Tritons outscore Southern 20-9 in the third quarter to move their deficit to single digits, putting themselves in position to attempt a comeback heading into the final period.

UCSD’s Sumayah Sugapong has 16 points and four assists on 6 of 16 shooting and was paramount in UC San Diego’s strong third quarter showing. Parker Montgomery also made two 3-pointers in the quarter.

UC San Diego trying to claw back

UC San Diego trying to claw its way back, as it has outscored Southern 13-7 in the third quarter so far.

Southern still maintains a 47-33 lead midway through the third quarter, however.

Southern leads 40-20 at halftime

Southern takes a 40-20 lead into the second half after a dominant showing through two quarters, led by Reed’s 19 points and a stellar 8-of-9 shooting. Aniya Gourdine also scored 10.

UC San Diego is shooting just 8 of 28 from the field and 2 of 10 from 3-point range.

Southern pulling away

Southern finding its groove in the second quarter, as it grabs a 27-13 lead. The Jaguars are holding UC San Diego to poor shooting so far, as the Tritons are 5 of 17 shooting to Southern’s 11 of 17 shooting.

Southern leads 17-11 after 1st quarter

Despite both teams struggling to score through the first half of the first quarter, both teams found their groove offensively. It’s Southern, though, that takes a 19-11 lead into the second quarter.

Southern’s Soniyah Reed leads all scorers with 11 points on 4-of-4 shooting with three 3-pointers off the bench.

Southern, UC San Diego tip off

The second First Four game of the women’s NCAA Tournament is underway, as Southern and UC San Diego tip off.

The winner gets a chance at UCLA in the Los Angeles Regional.

Iowa State holds strong, wins 68-63

Iowa State holds strong, earning a 68-63 win over Princeton in the First Four. The Cyclones will face 6-seed Michigan on Friday.

Audi Crooks leads the way with 27 points for the Cyclones, 18 of which came in the second half. Addy Brown was also stellar, with 22 points, seven rebounds and eight assists.

Iowa State, Princeton trading buckets in 4th quarter

Princeton not going away without a fight, as the Tigers have already outscored their output from the third quarter with 10 points in the fourth so far.

Iowa State has also scored 10, however, as the Cyclones hold a 62-57 lead midway through the final period.

Crooks leads all scorers with 23 points on 11 of 18 shooting.

Iowa State leads 52-47 after 3 quarters

What a response for Iowa State, which outscores Princeton 27-9 to take a 52-47 lead into the fourth quarter. Emily Ryan’s jumper as time expires makes it 27 points in the quarter, as the Cyclones outscore Princeton 27-7 in the third.

Brown and Crooks lead the way with 22 and 15 points, respectively.

Iowa State takes lead

They say basketball is a game of runs, and this one has been exactly that so far. Iowa State has outscored Princeton 20-4 so far in the third quarter to take a 46-42 lead with a few minutes left until the fourth quarter.

The run comes after Princeton outscored Iowa State 27-7 in the second quarter. Quite a change of events.

Iowa State starts 2nd half strong

The Cyclones shorten their deficit to 42-37 in the third quarter with a 12-4 run to start the second half.

Brown and Crooks are unstoppable right now, with 16 and 13 points each.

Princeton leads 38-25 at halftime

What a second quarter from Princeton, as the Tigers trailed 18-11 after the first quarter but outscore Iowa State 27-7 in the second period to take a 38-25 lead into halftime.

Chea and Fadima Tall have 15 and 10 points, respectively, whereas 20 of Iowa State’s 25 points have come from Brown and Crooks (11 and nine points, respectively).

Princeton ends the first half on a 14-0 run, completely shifting momentum heading into the second half.

Ashley Chea cooking for Princeton

What a quarter for Princeton’s Ashley Chea, has her two 3-pointers late in the first half have helped the Tigers to a 12-0 run in the second quarter.

Chea’s deep 3-pointer has her up to 15 points with three rebounds and two assists with three 3-pointers so far as Princeton leads 36-25.

Addy Brown, Audi Crooks leading way for Iowa State

Brown and Crooks are doing it all for Iowa State right now, as Brown enters double figures with 11 points so far after a driving layup. Crooks has also added nine points, as the duo has combined for 20 of the Cyclones’ 25 points.

Princeton leads 26-25, however, as it has outscored Iowa State 17-7 in the second quarter.

Princeton with 10-2 run to start 2nd quarter

Here comes Princeton. The Tigers start the second quarter with a 10-2 run to tie the game at 20.

Forward Fadima Tall is up to six points now for Princeton.

Cyclones take 18-11 lead into 2nd quarter

Iowa State has set the tone early, shooting 8 of 16 as a team behind Brown’s seven points and Crooks’ six points. Brown has also added two rebounds and three assists, as the Cyclones’ post presence has been too much for Princeton to handle through a quarter.

Iowa State leads early

The Cyclones lead 13-9 midway through the first quarter, with Iowa State’s Addy Brown already up to seven points.

Seven of Princeton’s nine points have come from Ashley Chea, who’s 3 of 5 shooting with seven points in the first quarter.

Women’s First Four 20 minutes from tip off

Iowa State and Princeton are getting set for the first women’s NCAA Tournament game this season, with star forward Audi Crooks leading the Cyclones against the Tigers’ Skye Belker and Co.

The winner faces Michigan in the first round of the Notre Dame Regional.

What is the First Four?

The First Four is essentially a play-in game for the men’s and women’s NCAA Tournament, where eight teams compete for four spots in the first round of March Madness. The eight teams are selected based on the NCAA Committee’s last four ranked at-large teams at last four ranked automatic qualifiers.

The two winners of the at-large First Four games earn 11 seeds, whereas the winners of the last four ranked automatic qualifiers take 16 seeds.

Women’s First Four times today

  • Game 1: (11) Iowa State vs. (11) Princeton | 7 p.m. ET
  • Game 2: (16) UC San Diego vs. (16) Southern | 9 p.m. ET

The first of Wednesday’s women’s First Four games, Iowa State vs. Princeton, is scheduled to tip off at 7 p.m. ET from the Purcell Pavilion in Notre Dame, Indiana. The winner will advance to play 6 seed Michigan.

The second game, UC San Diego vs. Southern, is scheduled to tip off at 9 p.m. ET from Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles, with the winner advancing to face No. 1 overall seed UCLA.

Watch women’s First Four with Fubo (free trial)

What channels are women’s First Four games today?

  • TV channel: ESPNU
  • Streaming: March Madness Live | ESPN app | Fubo (free trial)

Both of Wednesday’s games will air on ESPNU. Streaming options include March Madness Live and the ESPN app, which require valid cable logins. Another option is Fubo, which offers a free trial

Iowa State vs Princeton history

  • Series record: N/A

This will be Iowa State and Princeton’s first time meeting, according to both teams’ histories.

UC San Diego vs Southern history

  • Series record: N/A

This will be UC San Diego and Southern’s first time meeting, according to both teams’ histories.

Women’s First Four predictions

Iowa State vs Princeton

  • USA TODAY Network: Iowa State 72, Princeton 64
  • South Bend Tribune: Iowa State
  • Des Moines Register: Iowa State 84, Princeton 65

UC San Diego vs Southern

  • USA TODAY Network: UC San Diego 59, Southern 56
  • South Bend Tribune: UC San Diego

Women’s First Four betting odds

Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Wednesday, March 19

Iowa State vs Princeton

  • Spread: Iowa State (-4.5)
  • Over/under: 136.5
  • Moneyline: Iowa State (-210) | Princeton (+170)

UC San Diego vs Southern

  • Spread: UC San Diego (-3.5)
  • Over/under: 111.5
  • Moneyline: UC San Diego (185) | Southern (+150)

Iowa State women’s basketball schedule 2024-25

Below are Iowa State’s five most recent games. For the Cyclones’ full schedule, click here.

  • Saturday, Feb. 22: at Baylor (L, 67-62)
  • Tuesday, Feb. 25: at UCF (W, 98-73)
  • Sunday, March 2: vs. Kansas State (W, 85-63)
  • Thursday, March 6: vs. Arizona State (W, 96-88) (Big 12 tournament)
  • Friday, March 7: vs. Baylor (L, 69-63) (Big 12 tournament)

Princeton women’s basketball schedule 2024-25

Below are Princeton’s five most recent games. For the Tigers’ full schedule, click here.

  • Saturday, Feb. 22: vs. Columbia (L, 64-60)
  • Friday, Feb. 28: at Harvard (W, 70-58)
  • Saturday, March 1: at Dartmouth (W, 67-55)
  • Saturday, March 8: vs. Penn (W, 67-53)
  • Friday, March 14: vs. Harvard (L, 70-67) (Ivy League tournament)

UC San Diego women’s basketball schedule 2024-25

Below are UC San Diego’s five most recent games. For the Tritons’ full schedule, click here.

  • Thursday, March 6: at Long Beach (W, 82-51)
  • Saturday, March 8: vs. UC Davis (L, 69-58)
  • Thursday, March 13: vs. Cal Poly (W, 59-54) (Big West tournament)
  • Friday, March 14: vs. Hawaii (W, 51-49) (Big West tournament)
  • Saturday, March 15: vs. UC Davis (W, 75-66) (Big West tournament)

Southern women’s basketball schedule 2024-25

  • Thursday, March 6: vs. Alabama State (W, 61-38)
  • Saturday, March 8: vs. Alabama A&M (L, 48-35)
  • Wednesday, March 12: vs. Mississippi Valley State (W, 63-43) (SWAC tournament)
  • Friday, March 14: vs. Jackson State (W, 51-47) (SWAC tournament)
  • Saturday, March 15: vs. Alcorn State (W, 64-44) (SWAC tournament)

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