KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr. hit a go-ahead RBI double in the seventh inning after Maikel Garcia tied it with a homer four batters earlier to help lead the Kansas City Royals over the Cleveland Guardians 4-3 on Saturday.

Garcia led off the seventh with a 405-foot homer off Paul Sewald (0-1). Cavan Biggio followed with a single and was replaced by pinch-runner Dairon Blanco, who stole second. With two outs, Witt lined a double to left to score Blanco with the go-ahead run.

Guardians six-time All-Star José Ramírez left in the sixth inning with a sprained right wrist after he was hurt in the third inning while attempting to steal second base. Gabriel Arias replaced Ramírez at third base.

Bo Naylor gave the Indians a 1-0 lead on an RBI single in the second, and Carlos Santana scored Steven Kwan on a sacrifice fly in the third.

Kwan's solo homer in the fifth put Cleveland up 3-1.

Royals starter Seth Lugo threw five innings and allowed three earned runs and four hits and struck out four with three walks. Daniel Lynch IV (1-0) followed Lugo and threw two perfect innings for the win. Carlos Estévez walked one and struck out one in the ninth to earn his first save for Kansas City.

Guardians starter Gavin Williams allowed two runs and four hits in five innints with one walk and two strikeouts.

Salvador Perez had RBI singles in the fourth and sixth innings.

The Royals' comeback in the bottom of the seventh inning was powered by Garcia's homer and Witt's double.

The top four hitters for Kansas City — Jonathan India, Witt, Vinnie Pasquantino and Perez — went 5 for 14 with five RBIs.

The Guardians send RHP Tanner Bibee to the mound against RHP Michael Wacha for Kansas City in Sunday’s series finale.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743297600088.png" alt="Kansas City Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia circles the bases after hitting a game-tying home run against the Cleveland Guardians on Saturday, March 29, 2025 in Kansas City, Mo. (Kansas City Royals photo)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia circles the bases after hitting a game-tying home run against the Cleveland Guardians on Saturday, March 29, 2025 in Kansas City, Mo. (Kansas City Royals photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr. hit a go-ahead RBI double in the seventh inning after Maikel Garcia tied it with a homer four batters earlier to help lead the Kansas City Royals over the Cleveland Guardians 4-3 on Saturday.Garcia led off the seventh with a 405-foot homer off Paul Sewald (0-1). Cavan Biggio followed with a single and was replaced by pinch-runner Dairon Blanco, who stole second. With two outs, Witt lined a double to left to score Blanco with the go-ahead run.Guardians six-time All-Star José Ramírez left in the sixth inning with a sprained right wrist after he was hurt in the third inning while attempting to steal second base. Gabriel Arias replaced Ramírez at third base.Bo Naylor gave the Indians a 1-0 lead on an RBI single in the second, and Carlos Santana scored Steven Kwan on a sacrifice fly in the third.Kwan's solo homer in the fifth put Cleveland up 3-1.Royals starter Seth Lugo threw five innings and allowed three earned runs and four hits and struck out four with three walks. Daniel Lynch IV (1-0) followed Lugo and threw two perfect innings for the win. Carlos Estévez walked one and struck out one in the ninth to earn his first save for Kansas City.Guardians starter Gavin Williams allowed two runs and four hits in five innints with one walk and two strikeouts.Salvador Perez had RBI singles in the fourth and sixth innings.<h2>Key moment</h2>The Royals' comeback in the bottom of the seventh inning was powered by Garcia's homer and Witt's double.<h2>Key stat</h2>The top four hitters for Kansas City — Jonathan India, Witt, Vinnie Pasquantino and Perez — went 5 for 14 with five RBIs.<h2>Up next</h2>The Guardians send RHP Tanner Bibee to the mound against RHP Michael Wacha for Kansas City in Sunday’s series finale.—

⚾ Garcia's homer and Witt’s go-ahead RBI double lead Royals past Guardians 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kyle Manzardo had a two-run double in the 10th inning to tie the club record for most RBIs on opening day and the Cleveland Guardians defeated the Kansas City Royals 7-4 on Thursday.

Manzardo joined Tris Speaker (1925) and Leon Wagner (1964) with four RBIs on opening day.

Manzardo also become the third MLB player with a double, triple and homer on opening day, joining Don Baylor (1973), Gee Walker (1937).

Steven Kwan led off the 10th with a run-scoring double. With two outs and Kwan at third, reliever Sam Long intentionally walked Carlos Santana to face Manzardo, who drove in both runners.

Emmanuel Clase took the win and Paul Sewald earned the save.

Vinnie Pasquantino broke the scoreless tie with a three-run homer in the third for Kansas City.

The Guardians answered with a run in the fourth. Manzardo hit a one-out triple and Jhonkensy Noel drove him in with a sacrifice fly.

The Guardians got another run in the fifth on another sacrifice fly. Cleveland put runners on first and second with no outs and Jose Ramirez drove in Gabriel Arias with the second run.

Manzardo homered on the first pitch he saw in the sixth to give the Guardians a 4-3.

The Royals tied it at 4-all in the bottom of the ninth off Clase on Michael Massey’s sacrifice fly.

The Royals had runners on first and third and no outs in the eighth, with the top of the order up. But Jonathan India hit into a fielder's choice, resulting in a double play.

Manzardo had 12 doubles, no triples and five home runs in 145 at bats in his debut last season.

Gavin Williams of Cleveland is scheduled to face Seth Lugo for Kansas City when the clubs resume the three-game series on Saturday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743118799657.png" alt="Kansas City Royals' Vinnie Pasquantino hit a three-run home run during the third inning of&nbsp; the game. Image courtesy KC Royals" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals' Vinnie Pasquantino hit a three-run home run during the third inning of&nbsp; the game. Image courtesy KC Royals</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kyle Manzardo had a two-run double in the 10th inning to tie the club record for most RBIs on opening day and the Cleveland Guardians defeated the Kansas City Royals 7-4 on Thursday.Manzardo joined Tris Speaker (1925) and Leon Wagner (1964) with four RBIs on opening day.Manzardo also become the third MLB player with a double, triple and homer on opening day, joining Don Baylor (1973), Gee Walker (1937).Steven Kwan led off the 10th with a run-scoring double. With two outs and Kwan at third, reliever Sam Long intentionally walked Carlos Santana to face Manzardo, who drove in both runners.Emmanuel Clase took the win and Paul Sewald earned the save.Vinnie Pasquantino broke the scoreless tie with a three-run homer in the third for Kansas City.The Guardians answered with a run in the fourth. Manzardo hit a one-out triple and Jhonkensy Noel drove him in with a sacrifice fly.The Guardians got another run in the fifth on another sacrifice fly. Cleveland put runners on first and second with no outs and Jose Ramirez drove in Gabriel Arias with the second run.Manzardo homered on the first pitch he saw in the sixth to give the Guardians a 4-3.The Royals tied it at 4-all in the bottom of the ninth off Clase on Michael Massey’s sacrifice fly.<h2>Key moment</h2>The Royals had runners on first and third and no outs in the eighth, with the top of the order up. But Jonathan India hit into a fielder's choice, resulting in a double play.<h2>Key stat</h2>Manzardo had 12 doubles, no triples and five home runs in 145 at bats in his debut last season.<h2>Up next</h2>Gavin Williams of Cleveland is scheduled to face Seth Lugo for Kansas City when the clubs resume the three-game series on Saturday.

⚾ Manzardo shines for Cleveland in opening day win over the Royals

K-State Athletics announced that the Sweet 16 Cats are hitting the road Thursday, The KSU women's basketball team will be leaving from the Ice Family Basketball Center, located on the east side of Bramlage Coliseum (2201 Kimball Ave), at&nbsp;11am. Come show your support, cheer them on, and wish them good luck as they head to Spokane, WA for the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament. Be sure to wear purple and bring signs.

Enter through Gate 8 off of Kimball Avenue and head towards the south end of the parking lot in front of the Ice Family Basketball Center. Please note that the Denison/Kimball intersection will be closed.&nbsp;&nbsp;

K-State Athletics announced that the Sweet 16 Cats are hitting the road Thursday, The KSU women's basketball team will be leaving from the Ice Family Basketball Center, located on the east side of Bramlage Coliseum (2201 Kimball Ave), at&nbsp;11am. Come show your support, cheer them on, and wish them good luck as they head to Spokane, WA for the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament. Be sure to wear purple and bring signs.Enter through Gate 8 off of Kimball Avenue and head towards the south end of the parking lot in front of the Ice Family Basketball Center. Please note that the Denison/Kimball intersection will be closed.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Attend a sendoff for the Cats

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Kansas State forward Temira Poindexter missed her first six shots against Kentucky in the second round of the women's NCAA Tournament. She finished by hitting eight 3-pointers, and the last one sent the visiting Wildcats to the Sweet 16.

Poindexter made a&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/MarchMadnessWBB/status/1903901655135088762">corner 3 with 56 seconds</a>&nbsp;left in overtime, and Kansas State's defense did the rest to preserve an 80-79 victory Sunday on Kentucky's home court.

“In those moments, I do get down on myself,” Poindexter said. “My teammates come in and have my back and tell me to keep shooting so it really lifts me up and gives me confidence.”

Fifth-seeded Kansas State (28-7) dodged four misses by No. 4 seed Kentucky (23-8) in the closing seconds to advance to face either JuJu Watkins and top-seeded Southern California or No. 9 seed Mississippi State in a regional semifinal in Spokane, Washington.

Kentucky star Georgia Amoore missed a jumper with 21 seconds left, a 3-pointer with 16 seconds remaining and then a baseline layup at the buzzer. Amelia Haslett also missed a 3 that would have put Kentucky ahead at Rupp Arena.

“As soon as I caught it, I realized how open I was and it’s up to fate at that point,” Amoore said about her final attempt.

Poindexter finished 8 of 15 beyond the arc to score 24 points.

“Give her credit. She knocked down some very tough shots and we had a couple of situations where we had miscommunication and she got free,” Kentucky coach Kenny Brooks said.

Serena Sundell added 19 points and 14 assists for Kansas State, and her turnaround jumper with 8 seconds left forced overtime. Ayoka Lee scored 16.

Clara Strack led Kentucky with 22 points. Amoore scored 18 points on 7-of-23 shooting.

Amoore hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key to give Kentucky a 69-67 lead with 32 seconds left in regulation. After Sundell's basket, Kentucky's Dazia Lawrence could not get a clean look before time expired.

There were 21 lead changes, seven in the fourth quarter and overtime.

“You go the last ten minutes of the game and there were just huge shots by both teams and different players,” Kansas State coach Jeff Mittie said. “I’m really proud of our group to to be down five and to need to really dig deep defensively and make plays, but also very little margin for the other end.”

Kansas State: Sundell had 11 points in the first quarter to steady the visiting Wildcats after Kentucky jumped out to an early 7-0 lead. She also became the school's career assist leader.

Kentucky: The host Wildcats built small leads but could never extend their advantage to double digits.

Teonni Key rebounded her own missed jumper to make a layup that gave Kentucky a 66-61 lead with 2:11 to play. Kansas State responded with 3-pointers by Jaelyn Glenn and then Poindexter in a 40-second span. Key finished with 13 points and 15 rebounds.

Kentucky came in averaging seven blocks per game, but it was Kansas State denying shots with 13 blocks, including two on 3-point attempts in the second quarter. Those fueled a 12-3 run that propelled Kansas State to a 33-31 halftime lead.

Kansas State will have to wait until late Monday night to learn its regional semifinal opponent. Kentucky will have to replace Amoore, a second-team All-American, and Lawrence, a key contributor and another transfer.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742812835573.jpeg" alt="Kansas State Athletics photo" />
 <figcaption>Kansas State Athletics photo</figcaption>
 </figure>LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Kansas State forward Temira Poindexter missed her first six shots against Kentucky in the second round of the women's NCAA Tournament. She finished by hitting eight 3-pointers, and the last one sent the visiting Wildcats to the Sweet 16.Poindexter made a&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/MarchMadnessWBB/status/1903901655135088762">corner 3 with 56 seconds</a>&nbsp;left in overtime, and Kansas State's defense did the rest to preserve an 80-79 victory Sunday on Kentucky's home court.“In those moments, I do get down on myself,” Poindexter said. “My teammates come in and have my back and tell me to keep shooting so it really lifts me up and gives me confidence.”Fifth-seeded Kansas State (28-7) dodged four misses by No. 4 seed Kentucky (23-8) in the closing seconds to advance to face either JuJu Watkins and top-seeded Southern California or No. 9 seed Mississippi State in a regional semifinal in Spokane, Washington.Kentucky star Georgia Amoore missed a jumper with 21 seconds left, a 3-pointer with 16 seconds remaining and then a baseline layup at the buzzer. Amelia Haslett also missed a 3 that would have put Kentucky ahead at Rupp Arena.“As soon as I caught it, I realized how open I was and it’s up to fate at that point,” Amoore said about her final attempt.Poindexter finished 8 of 15 beyond the arc to score 24 points.“Give her credit. She knocked down some very tough shots and we had a couple of situations where we had miscommunication and she got free,” Kentucky coach Kenny Brooks said.Serena Sundell added 19 points and 14 assists for Kansas State, and her turnaround jumper with 8 seconds left forced overtime. Ayoka Lee scored 16.Clara Strack led Kentucky with 22 points. Amoore scored 18 points on 7-of-23 shooting.Amoore hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key to give Kentucky a 69-67 lead with 32 seconds left in regulation. After Sundell's basket, Kentucky's Dazia Lawrence could not get a clean look before time expired.There were 21 lead changes, seven in the fourth quarter and overtime.“You go the last ten minutes of the game and there were just huge shots by both teams and different players,” Kansas State coach Jeff Mittie said. “I’m really proud of our group to to be down five and to need to really dig deep defensively and make plays, but also very little margin for the other end.”<h2>Takeaways</h2>Kansas State: Sundell had 11 points in the first quarter to steady the visiting Wildcats after Kentucky jumped out to an early 7-0 lead. She also became the school's career assist leader.Kentucky: The host Wildcats built small leads but could never extend their advantage to double digits.<h2>Key moment</h2>Teonni Key rebounded her own missed jumper to make a layup that gave Kentucky a 66-61 lead with 2:11 to play. Kansas State responded with 3-pointers by Jaelyn Glenn and then Poindexter in a 40-second span. Key finished with 13 points and 15 rebounds.<h2>Key stat</h2>Kentucky came in averaging seven blocks per game, but it was Kansas State denying shots with 13 blocks, including two on 3-point attempts in the second quarter. Those fueled a 12-3 run that propelled Kansas State to a 33-31 halftime lead.<h2>Up next</h2>Kansas State will have to wait until late Monday night to learn its regional semifinal opponent. Kentucky will have to replace Amoore, a second-team All-American, and Lawrence, a key contributor and another transfer.___

🏀 K-State women headed to Sweet 16 after OT win over Kentucky

NEW YORK (AP) —George Foreman, the fearsome heavyweight who lost the “Rumble in the Jungle” to Muhammad Ali before his inspiring second act as a 45-year-old champion and a successful businessman, died Friday night. He was 76.

Foreman's family&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DHe5UtIJ4IQ/" target="_blank">announced his death on social media</a>.

“A devout preacher, a devoted husband, a loving father, and a proud grand- and great-grandfather, he lived a life marked by unwavering faith, humility and purpose," his family wrote.

A native Texan, Foreman began his boxing career as an Olympic gold medalist who inspired fear as he climbed to the peak of the heavyweight division by stopping Joe Frazier in 1973. His formidable aura evaporated only a year later when Ali pulled off one of the most audacious victories in boxing history in Zaire, baiting and taunting Foreman into losing his belt in one of the greatest fights ever staged.

Foreman left the sport a few years later, but returned after a 10-year absence and a self-described religious awakening.

He then pulled off one of the most spectacular knockouts in boxing history in 1994, flooring Michael Moorer — 19 years his junior — with one perfect combination to claim Moorer's two heavyweight belts.

Foreman's transformation into an inspirational figure was complete, and he fought only four more times before moving onto his next career as a genial businessman, pitchman and occasional actor.

He was best known as the face of the George Foreman Grill, a rudimentary cooking machine which sold more than 100 million units and made him much wealthier than his sport ever did.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742612515555.jpeg" alt="Heavyweight boxer George Foreman flexes his muscles after weighing in at 260 pounds for his upcoming fight against Shannon Briggs at the Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort in Atlantic City., N.J., Thursday, Nov. 20, 1997. ((AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast, File)" />
 <figcaption>Heavyweight boxer George Foreman flexes his muscles after weighing in at 260 pounds for his upcoming fight against Shannon Briggs at the Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort in Atlantic City., N.J., Thursday, Nov. 20, 1997. ((AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) —George Foreman, the fearsome heavyweight who lost the “Rumble in the Jungle” to Muhammad Ali before his inspiring second act as a 45-year-old champion and a successful businessman, died Friday night. He was 76.Foreman's family&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DHe5UtIJ4IQ/" target="_blank">announced his death on social media</a>.“A devout preacher, a devoted husband, a loving father, and a proud grand- and great-grandfather, he lived a life marked by unwavering faith, humility and purpose," his family wrote.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742612646985.jpeg" alt="George Foreman (AP Photo, file)" />
 <figcaption>George Foreman (AP Photo, file)</figcaption>
 </figure>A native Texan, Foreman began his boxing career as an Olympic gold medalist who inspired fear as he climbed to the peak of the heavyweight division by stopping Joe Frazier in 1973. His formidable aura evaporated only a year later when Ali pulled off one of the most audacious victories in boxing history in Zaire, baiting and taunting Foreman into losing his belt in one of the greatest fights ever staged.Foreman left the sport a few years later, but returned after a 10-year absence and a self-described religious awakening.He then pulled off one of the most spectacular knockouts in boxing history in 1994, flooring Michael Moorer — 19 years his junior — with one perfect combination to claim Moorer's two heavyweight belts.Foreman's transformation into an inspirational figure was complete, and he fought only four more times before moving onto his next career as a genial businessman, pitchman and occasional actor.He was best known as the face of the George Foreman Grill, a rudimentary cooking machine which sold more than 100 million units and made him much wealthier than his sport ever did.

George Foreman, the glowering heavyweight who became a lovable champion, dies at 76

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Jonas Aidoo scored 22 points to help 10th-seeded Arkansas to a 79-72 opening-round&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness">NCAA Tournament</a>&nbsp;victory over No. 7 seed Kansas on Thursday night in the latest meeting between two of college basketball’s winningest coaches.

Johnell Davis added 18 points, including some crucial late free throws, to help John Calipari to his first tournament victory as Razorbacks coach. Freshman standout Boogie Fland played for the first time since having right thumb surgery in January and scored six points in 24 minutes.

Arkansas will get either No. 2 seed St. John’s or No. 15 Omaha in the second round of the West Region on Saturday.

Zeke Mayo had 18 points for Kansas (21-13), which has made 35 straight NCAA Tournaments and hadn't lost in the first round since 2006. AJ Storr&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/MarchMadnessMBB/status/1902876748573790487">finished</a>&nbsp;with 15 points and Hunter Dickinson added 11 points and nine rebounds.

Thursday’s matchup was the third March Madness meeting between two of the four active win leaders in men’s college basketball. Calipari is second (876), with Bill Self of Kansas fourth (831) on the list. Both previous meetings were in the national championship game, with each winning once.

Kansas erased what was an 11-point, second-half deficit and nudged ahead 65-64 on a follow shot by Storr with less than six minutes remaining.

The Jayhawks kept the lead until Aidoo connected on a pair of free throws to put the Razorbacks back in front. Arkansas got a stop on the other end and then got a 3-pointer by Davis that gave it a 71-67 cushion with less than two minutes on the clock.

Arkansas’ edge was down to 71-69 before Davis dropped in a pair of free throws. Dickinson missed a 3 on Kansas’ next trip and Arkansas added two more free throws.

The Jayhawks got it back down to 75-72 on a 3-pointer by Rylan Griffen with 13 seconds left. The Razorbacks called back-to-back timeouts trying to get the ball inbounds. They finally did and Davis calmly sank two free throws to help close it out.

Arkansas: Posted its first tournament victory since reaching the Sweet 16 in 2023 under former coach Eric Musselman.

Kansas: Kansas fell to 47-6 record in first-round games all-time.

The Razorbacks could now face the active coach with the most wins – St. John’s Rick Pitino (884) – in Saturday’s second round. The pair were longtime rivals when Calipari was Kentucky and Pitino coached at Louisville.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742520751413.png" alt="Photo Courtesy Kansas Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy Kansas Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Jonas Aidoo scored 22 points to help 10th-seeded Arkansas to a 79-72 opening-round&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness">NCAA Tournament</a>&nbsp;victory over No. 7 seed Kansas on Thursday night in the latest meeting between two of college basketball’s winningest coaches.Johnell Davis added 18 points, including some crucial late free throws, to help John Calipari to his first tournament victory as Razorbacks coach. Freshman standout Boogie Fland played for the first time since having right thumb surgery in January and scored six points in 24 minutes.Arkansas will get either No. 2 seed St. John’s or No. 15 Omaha in the second round of the West Region on Saturday.Zeke Mayo had 18 points for Kansas (21-13), which has made 35 straight NCAA Tournaments and hadn't lost in the first round since 2006. AJ Storr&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/MarchMadnessMBB/status/1902876748573790487">finished</a>&nbsp;with 15 points and Hunter Dickinson added 11 points and nine rebounds.Thursday’s matchup was the third March Madness meeting between two of the four active win leaders in men’s college basketball. Calipari is second (876), with Bill Self of Kansas fourth (831) on the list. Both previous meetings were in the national championship game, with each winning once.Kansas erased what was an 11-point, second-half deficit and nudged ahead 65-64 on a follow shot by Storr with less than six minutes remaining.The Jayhawks kept the lead until Aidoo connected on a pair of free throws to put the Razorbacks back in front. Arkansas got a stop on the other end and then got a 3-pointer by Davis that gave it a 71-67 cushion with less than two minutes on the clock.Arkansas’ edge was down to 71-69 before Davis dropped in a pair of free throws. Dickinson missed a 3 on Kansas’ next trip and Arkansas added two more free throws.The Jayhawks got it back down to 75-72 on a 3-pointer by Rylan Griffen with 13 seconds left. The Razorbacks called back-to-back timeouts trying to get the ball inbounds. They finally did and Davis calmly sank two free throws to help close it out.<h2>Takeaways</h2>Arkansas: Posted its first tournament victory since reaching the Sweet 16 in 2023 under former coach Eric Musselman.Kansas: Kansas fell to 47-6 record in first-round games all-time.<h2>Up next</h2>The Razorbacks could now face the active coach with the most wins – St. John’s Rick Pitino (884) – in Saturday’s second round. The pair were longtime rivals when Calipari was Kentucky and Pitino coached at Louisville.

🏀 Arkansas holds off Kansas to post win in matchup of marquee coaches

(AP) — Auburn is the top overall seed in the NCAA Tournament, with Duke, Houston and Florida joining the Tigers on the No. 1 line in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness">March Madness brackets</a>&nbsp;released Sunday.

The NCAA selection committee favored the regular-season champs of the record-setting Southeastern Conference despite three losses in their last four games, along with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/auburn-duke-basketball-score-14ea6fd696d93d62d6edc4b47073d608">a loss to Duke</a>&nbsp;back in December.

The Tigers (28-5) and Gators were two of the 14 SEC teams to make the field, which are the most for a conference in the history of the tournament.&nbsp;

It’s Florida, which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tennessee-florida-score-49478f25c45a901113aef95e22911f58">captured the SEC tournament</a>&nbsp;by winning three games with an average margin of 15 points, that opens as a slight favorite to win it all at the Final Four in San Antonio on April 5 and 7, according to BetMGM Sportsbook.

In something of a surprise, both North Carolina and Texas slid in off the bubble, while Indiana, West Virginia and Boise State did not.

The 68-team bracket starts whittling down on Tuesday with preliminary games, and the main draw kicks off on Thursday and Friday, with 32 games at eight sites around the country.

A tribute, then a bracket with plenty to talk about

The selection show began with a heartfelt tribute to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/greg-gumbel-died-ace2925dbb23282079fb2dba06efe9bb">the late Greg Gumbel,</a>&nbsp;the CBS stalwart who oversaw the bracket unveiling for decades.

Then, just as Gumbel would have preferred, it was about the basketball – and this time there was plenty to talk about.&nbsp;

North Carolina looked all but out, a victim of a 1-12 record against so-called Quad 1 opponents and part of a conference (ACC) teetering on the verge of a historically bad season. But the Tar Heels made it, thanks maybe to a strong nonconference slate, while Texas was also in — its seven wins against Quad 1 teams outweighing its overall 15 losses.

The SEC’s 14 teams were followed by the Big Ten with eight and Big 12 with seven. The ACC, meanwhile, ended up with four teams, barely avoiding its worst showing since 2000, back when the conference was half the size it is now.&nbsp;

Even in a down cycle, the ACC has Duke, and Duke has arguably the best player in the country in freshman Cooper Flagg, a 19-point, 7.5-rebound-a-game freshman whose ankle injury, the school says, will not keep him out of March Madness.

Bracket gives Pitino and St. John’s a long and interesting road&nbsp;

Elsewhere in the bracket, coach Rick Pitino leads his unprecedented sixth program into the tournament, and what a road he would have to take to get to the Final Four.

First, he will travel to Providence, the same building where the coach led the Friars to a surprise Final Four trip back in 1987, to lead St. John’s in a first-round game against Omaha. Pitino’s second game could come against Arkansas and John Calipari in what would be a titanic matchup between two of the game’s biggest coaching names.&nbsp;

Another coaching icon, Tom Izzo, leads Michigan State to its 27th straight tournament. The Spartans are seeded second and will face America East champion Bryant in its opener.&nbsp;

And Gonzaga is in for the 26th time, though extending its streak of making the second weekend to 10 years will be tough. The Bulldogs, after an “off” year in which they still won the West Coast Conference, are seeded eighth and could face Houston in the second round.

AP March Madness bracket:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket">https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket</a>and coverage:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness">https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741021637501.jpeg" alt="FILE - March Madness branding is displayed (AP Photo/Michael Caterina, File)" />
 <figcaption>FILE - March Madness branding is displayed (AP Photo/Michael Caterina, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>(AP) — Auburn is the top overall seed in the NCAA Tournament, with Duke, Houston and Florida joining the Tigers on the No. 1 line in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness">March Madness brackets</a>&nbsp;released Sunday.The NCAA selection committee favored the regular-season champs of the record-setting Southeastern Conference despite three losses in their last four games, along with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/auburn-duke-basketball-score-14ea6fd696d93d62d6edc4b47073d608">a loss to Duke</a>&nbsp;back in December.The Tigers (28-5) and Gators were two of the 14 SEC teams to make the field, which are the most for a conference in the history of the tournament.&nbsp;It’s Florida, which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tennessee-florida-score-49478f25c45a901113aef95e22911f58">captured the SEC tournament</a>&nbsp;by winning three games with an average margin of 15 points, that opens as a slight favorite to win it all at the Final Four in San Antonio on April 5 and 7, according to BetMGM Sportsbook.In something of a surprise, both North Carolina and Texas slid in off the bubble, while Indiana, West Virginia and Boise State did not.The 68-team bracket starts whittling down on Tuesday with preliminary games, and the main draw kicks off on Thursday and Friday, with 32 games at eight sites around the country.<h2>A tribute, then a bracket with plenty to talk about</h2>The selection show began with a heartfelt tribute to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/greg-gumbel-died-ace2925dbb23282079fb2dba06efe9bb">the late Greg Gumbel,</a>&nbsp;the CBS stalwart who oversaw the bracket unveiling for decades.Then, just as Gumbel would have preferred, it was about the basketball – and this time there was plenty to talk about.&nbsp;North Carolina looked all but out, a victim of a 1-12 record against so-called Quad 1 opponents and part of a conference (ACC) teetering on the verge of a historically bad season. But the Tar Heels made it, thanks maybe to a strong nonconference slate, while Texas was also in — its seven wins against Quad 1 teams outweighing its overall 15 losses.The SEC’s 14 teams were followed by the Big Ten with eight and Big 12 with seven. The ACC, meanwhile, ended up with four teams, barely avoiding its worst showing since 2000, back when the conference was half the size it is now.&nbsp;Even in a down cycle, the ACC has Duke, and Duke has arguably the best player in the country in freshman Cooper Flagg, a 19-point, 7.5-rebound-a-game freshman whose ankle injury, the school says, will not keep him out of March Madness.<h2>Bracket gives Pitino and St. John’s a long and interesting road&nbsp;</h2>Elsewhere in the bracket, coach Rick Pitino leads his unprecedented sixth program into the tournament, and what a road he would have to take to get to the Final Four.First, he will travel to Providence, the same building where the coach led the Friars to a surprise Final Four trip back in 1987, to lead St. John’s in a first-round game against Omaha. Pitino’s second game could come against Arkansas and John Calipari in what would be a titanic matchup between two of the game’s biggest coaching names.&nbsp;Another coaching icon, Tom Izzo, leads Michigan State to its 27th straight tournament. The Spartans are seeded second and will face America East champion Bryant in its opener.&nbsp;And Gonzaga is in for the 26th time, though extending its streak of making the second weekend to 10 years will be tough. The Bulldogs, after an “off” year in which they still won the West Coast Conference, are seeded eighth and could face Houston in the second round.AP March Madness bracket:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket">https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket</a>and coverage:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness">https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness</a>

🏀 March Madness brackets have Auburn as the overall No. 1 followed by Duke, Houston, Florida

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Henri Veesaar and KJ Lewis scored 19 points apiece and Arizona pulled away late to beat Kansas 88-77 in a Big 12 Conference Tournament quarterfinal at T-Mobile Center on Thursday night.

Veesaar came off the bench to sink 7 of 11 shots with two 3-pointers for the third-seeded Wildcats (21-11), who move on to play second-seeded and ninth-ranked Texas Tech in a Friday semifinal. No. 1 seed Houston plays No. 4 seed BYU in the other semifinal.

Veesaar scored 10, leading Arizona to a 45-37 advantage at halftime. Dajuan Harris Jr.'s 3-pointer gave No. 6 seed Kansas (21-12) its only lead of the half at 3-2. The Wildcats twice built 12-point leads. KJ Adams made two free throws to get the Jayhawks within 40-37, but Veesaar answered with a 3-pointer and Arizona stayed in front.

Arizona played with a lead until Zeke Mayo hit back-to-back 3-pointers for Kansas to knot the score at 50 with 15:43 remaining. Harris hit a 3-pointer to give the Jayhawks their second lead at 56-54. Rylan Griffen hit a jumper with 8:44 left to put Kansas up for the last time at 63-61. Trey Townsend followed with a dunk and a three-point play and Arizona maintained a lead over the final 7:48.

Towsend had 16 points and Love scored 11 with six assists.

Mayo scored 20 to lead Kansas. Hunter Dickinson totaled 19 points and 12 rebounds. Harris hit four 3-pointers and scored 16.

The Jayhawks wore their blue jerseys in the tournament for the first time since the 2008 title game against the Texas Longhorns. They were the higher seed and wore white in their previous 36 straight games. Kansas — the two seed in '08 — beat the top-seeded Longhorns 84-74.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741920672474.png" alt="Photo Kansas Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo Kansas Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Henri Veesaar and KJ Lewis scored 19 points apiece and Arizona pulled away late to beat Kansas 88-77 in a Big 12 Conference Tournament quarterfinal at T-Mobile Center on Thursday night.Veesaar came off the bench to sink 7 of 11 shots with two 3-pointers for the third-seeded Wildcats (21-11), who move on to play second-seeded and ninth-ranked Texas Tech in a Friday semifinal. No. 1 seed Houston plays No. 4 seed BYU in the other semifinal.Veesaar scored 10, leading Arizona to a 45-37 advantage at halftime. Dajuan Harris Jr.'s 3-pointer gave No. 6 seed Kansas (21-12) its only lead of the half at 3-2. The Wildcats twice built 12-point leads. KJ Adams made two free throws to get the Jayhawks within 40-37, but Veesaar answered with a 3-pointer and Arizona stayed in front.Arizona played with a lead until Zeke Mayo hit back-to-back 3-pointers for Kansas to knot the score at 50 with 15:43 remaining. Harris hit a 3-pointer to give the Jayhawks their second lead at 56-54. Rylan Griffen hit a jumper with 8:44 left to put Kansas up for the last time at 63-61. Trey Townsend followed with a dunk and a three-point play and Arizona maintained a lead over the final 7:48.Towsend had 16 points and Love scored 11 with six assists.Mayo scored 20 to lead Kansas. Hunter Dickinson totaled 19 points and 12 rebounds. Harris hit four 3-pointers and scored 16.The Jayhawks wore their blue jerseys in the tournament for the first time since the 2008 title game against the Texas Longhorns. They were the higher seed and wore white in their previous 36 straight games. Kansas — the two seed in '08 — beat the top-seeded Longhorns 84-74.___

🏀 Arizona tops Kansas in a Big 12 Conference Tournament quarterfinal

WASHINGTON (AP) — John Feinstein, one of the country's foremost sports writers and the author of numerous bestselling books, including the groundbreaking “A Season on the Brink” about college basketball coach&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bob-knight-death-indiana-army-college-basketball-c29a7cb601f64e9181564037e8c78758">Bob Knight</a>, died unexpectedly Thursday. Feinstein was 69.

He died of natural causes at his brother's home in McLean, Virginia, according to Robert Feinstein, who said he discovered John's body.

John Feinstein was a full-time reporter for The Washington Post from 1977 to 1991, a commentator for outlets such as ESPN and the Golf Channel and a voter for more than 20 years in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll">AP Top 25</a>&nbsp;men's college basketball poll. He remained with the Post as a contributing columnist, and he also hosted satellite radio programs on SiriusXM.

“He was very passionate about things,” Robert Feinstein said in a telephone interview. “People either loved him or hated him — and equally strongly.”

John Feinstein — always a storyteller, whether via the written word or when chatting with other journalists in an arena's media room or press box — was working until the time of his death. He was in Washington this week to cover the Atlantic 10 Tournament, and he&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/03/13/tom-izzo-michigan-state/">filed a column for the Post</a>&nbsp;about Michigan State coach Tom Izzo that appeared online Thursday.

Feinstein was comfortable writing about an array of sports, including golf and tennis, but he was known most for his connection to college basketball because of “A Season on the Brink.” He took a leave of absence from the Post in 1985 to embed with Knight's Indiana team, and the book highlighted the author's flair for the dramatic and ability to capture his subjects' personalities.

Knight's reputation for having a hot temper was well-established by then, and Feinstein brought it to life. Feinstein also effectively portrayed the personal relationships Knight had with his players, which alternated between warm and abusive.

Feinstein went on to write more than 40 books, including “A Good Walk Spoiled” (1995), about professional golf, and “A Civil War” (1996), about the Army-Navy football game. After that book's publication, he worked for many years as a radio commentator for Navy football.

“The Ancient Eight,” about Ivy League football, was published last year. Feinstein also wrote sports novels aimed at younger readers.

In addition to Robert, John Feinstein is survived by his wife, Christine, daughters Brigid and Jayne, and son Danny, as well as a sister, Margaret.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741903303400.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — John Feinstein, one of the country's foremost sports writers and the author of numerous bestselling books, including the groundbreaking “A Season on the Brink” about college basketball coach&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bob-knight-death-indiana-army-college-basketball-c29a7cb601f64e9181564037e8c78758">Bob Knight</a>, died unexpectedly Thursday. Feinstein was 69.He died of natural causes at his brother's home in McLean, Virginia, according to Robert Feinstein, who said he discovered John's body.John Feinstein was a full-time reporter for The Washington Post from 1977 to 1991, a commentator for outlets such as ESPN and the Golf Channel and a voter for more than 20 years in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll">AP Top 25</a>&nbsp;men's college basketball poll. He remained with the Post as a contributing columnist, and he also hosted satellite radio programs on SiriusXM.“He was very passionate about things,” Robert Feinstein said in a telephone interview. “People either loved him or hated him — and equally strongly.”John Feinstein — always a storyteller, whether via the written word or when chatting with other journalists in an arena's media room or press box — was working until the time of his death. He was in Washington this week to cover the Atlantic 10 Tournament, and he&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/03/13/tom-izzo-michigan-state/">filed a column for the Post</a>&nbsp;about Michigan State coach Tom Izzo that appeared online Thursday.Feinstein was comfortable writing about an array of sports, including golf and tennis, but he was known most for his connection to college basketball because of “A Season on the Brink.” He took a leave of absence from the Post in 1985 to embed with Knight's Indiana team, and the book highlighted the author's flair for the dramatic and ability to capture his subjects' personalities.Knight's reputation for having a hot temper was well-established by then, and Feinstein brought it to life. Feinstein also effectively portrayed the personal relationships Knight had with his players, which alternated between warm and abusive.Feinstein went on to write more than 40 books, including “A Good Walk Spoiled” (1995), about professional golf, and “A Civil War” (1996), about the Army-Navy football game. After that book's publication, he worked for many years as a radio commentator for Navy football.“The Ancient Eight,” about Ivy League football, was published last year. Feinstein also wrote sports novels aimed at younger readers.In addition to Robert, John Feinstein is survived by his wife, Christine, daughters Brigid and Jayne, and son Danny, as well as a sister, Margaret.

John Feinstein, bestselling author and one of country's foremost sports writers, dies

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Hunter Dickinson had 23 points and 13 rebounds, Zeke Mayo poured in 24 points, and sixth-seeded Kansas rallied to force overtime before holding off No. 14 seed UCF 98-94 on Wednesday night in the second round of the Big 12 Tournament.

AJ Storr scored a season-high 19 points before fouling out in the closing seconds of OT, and KJ Adams had 15 points and seven boards for the Jayhawks (21-11), who narrowly avoided dropping their conference tourney opener for a second straight year.

Instead, they will face third-seeded Arizona on Thursday night in a rematch of a game Kansas won last weekend.

Jordan Ivy-Curry pulled UCF to within 94-93 when he converted a three-point play with 18.2 seconds to go, and Mayo missed the second of two foul shots at the other end. But UCF big man Moustapha Thiam came up short on a jumper with a chance to tie the game, Kansas got the rebound and Dickinson made the second of two free throws with 2.4 seconds remaining.

The Knights' Deebo Coleman was quickly fouled. He made the first foul shot with 0.9 seconds left to make it 96-94, but when he tried to intentionally miss the second to give his team a chance, Coleman failed to hit the rim and the Jayhawks got possession.

David Coit was fouled and added two more free throws for the final margin.

Keyshawn Hall led UCF (17-16) with 25 points. Darius Johnson had 22 before fouling out with a minute to go in regulation.

The Jayhawks blew a 13-point second-half lead, then had to rally once UCF pulled ahead with 7 minutes to go. The teams traded buckets down the stretch, and Ivy-Curry's 3-pointer tied the game 83-all with 14.1 seconds left in regulation.

Kansas tried to set up a winning play, but Adams stepped on the baseline on his drive, giving the Knights a shot. Ivy-Curry raced up the floor and got a decent look from the wing, but his 3-pointer came up well short as time expired.

UCF came a long way from January, when it lost 99-48 to the Jayhawks at home. It had won four of its past six games.

Kansas has gone with a shortened lineup late in the season and it seems to be paying off for the Jayhawks.

Thiam's miss from about 6 feet along the baseline with a few seconds left in overtime would have tied the game.

Three players fouled out of the game. Kansas guard Dajuan Harris also finished with five fouls.

The Jayhawks play Arizona on Thursday night. They beat the Wildcats 83-76 last Saturday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741834238328.png" alt="Photo Kansas Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo Kansas Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Hunter Dickinson had 23 points and 13 rebounds, Zeke Mayo poured in 24 points, and sixth-seeded Kansas rallied to force overtime before holding off No. 14 seed UCF 98-94 on Wednesday night in the second round of the Big 12 Tournament.AJ Storr scored a season-high 19 points before fouling out in the closing seconds of OT, and KJ Adams had 15 points and seven boards for the Jayhawks (21-11), who narrowly avoided dropping their conference tourney opener for a second straight year.Instead, they will face third-seeded Arizona on Thursday night in a rematch of a game Kansas won last weekend.Jordan Ivy-Curry pulled UCF to within 94-93 when he converted a three-point play with 18.2 seconds to go, and Mayo missed the second of two foul shots at the other end. But UCF big man Moustapha Thiam came up short on a jumper with a chance to tie the game, Kansas got the rebound and Dickinson made the second of two free throws with 2.4 seconds remaining.The Knights' Deebo Coleman was quickly fouled. He made the first foul shot with 0.9 seconds left to make it 96-94, but when he tried to intentionally miss the second to give his team a chance, Coleman failed to hit the rim and the Jayhawks got possession.David Coit was fouled and added two more free throws for the final margin.Keyshawn Hall led UCF (17-16) with 25 points. Darius Johnson had 22 before fouling out with a minute to go in regulation.The Jayhawks blew a 13-point second-half lead, then had to rally once UCF pulled ahead with 7 minutes to go. The teams traded buckets down the stretch, and Ivy-Curry's 3-pointer tied the game 83-all with 14.1 seconds left in regulation.Kansas tried to set up a winning play, but Adams stepped on the baseline on his drive, giving the Knights a shot. Ivy-Curry raced up the floor and got a decent look from the wing, but his 3-pointer came up well short as time expired.<h2>Takeaways</h2>UCF came a long way from January, when it lost 99-48 to the Jayhawks at home. It had won four of its past six games.Kansas has gone with a shortened lineup late in the season and it seems to be paying off for the Jayhawks.<h2>Key moment</h2>Thiam's miss from about 6 feet along the baseline with a few seconds left in overtime would have tied the game.<h2>Key stats</h2>Three players fouled out of the game. Kansas guard Dajuan Harris also finished with five fouls.<h2>Up next</h2>The Jayhawks play Arizona on Thursday night. They beat the Wildcats 83-76 last Saturday.

🏀 KU holds off UCF in OT to reach Big 12 Tournament quarterfinals

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — VJ Edgecombe had 19 points and 10 rebounds, Norchad Omier added 12 points and 14 boards, and seventh-seeded Baylor rolled to a 70-56 victory over No. 10 seed Kansas State in the second round of the Big 12 Tournament on Wednesday night.

Jayden Dunn also scored 18 points for the Bears (19-13), who built a 20-point lead early in the second half and then cruised into a quarterfinal matchup with ninth-ranked and No. 2 seed Texas Tech on Thursday night.

David N'Guessan had 20 points and Dug McDaniel finished with 14 for the Wildcats (16-17), who edged Arizona State in the first round but were unable to keep the momentum going against the same team that rallied from 12 down to beat them in January.

The Bears ended the first half Wednesday night on a 9-0 run to take a 41-24 lead into the locker room. Kansas State was just 1 for 12 from beyond the 3-point arc at that point, and veteran forward Coleman Hawkins — who scored 26 points against the Sun Devils — was 0 for 4 from the field and quickly growing frustrated.

Kansas State closed within 58-46 with 8 minutes to go, but Hawkins was whistled for a flagrant foul contesting Edgecombe's dunk, and Jeremy Roach added a basket after his foul shots to help Baylor pull away again.

Kansas State finished 3 of 25 from beyond the arc. Hawkins and McDaniel were each 1 for 6.

Baylor improved to 15-2 when holding an opponent to 70 points or less this season.

Baylor was leading 32-24 with 2:40 left in the first half when it scored the next nine points to take control.

Baylor got 27 points from its bench. Kansas State only got four.

The Bears will play the Red Raiders on Thursday night. Texas Tech beat them 73-59 last month.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741830663550.png" alt="Photo K-State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo K-State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — VJ Edgecombe had 19 points and 10 rebounds, Norchad Omier added 12 points and 14 boards, and seventh-seeded Baylor rolled to a 70-56 victory over No. 10 seed Kansas State in the second round of the Big 12 Tournament on Wednesday night.Jayden Dunn also scored 18 points for the Bears (19-13), who built a 20-point lead early in the second half and then cruised into a quarterfinal matchup with ninth-ranked and No. 2 seed Texas Tech on Thursday night.David N'Guessan had 20 points and Dug McDaniel finished with 14 for the Wildcats (16-17), who edged Arizona State in the first round but were unable to keep the momentum going against the same team that rallied from 12 down to beat them in January.The Bears ended the first half Wednesday night on a 9-0 run to take a 41-24 lead into the locker room. Kansas State was just 1 for 12 from beyond the 3-point arc at that point, and veteran forward Coleman Hawkins — who scored 26 points against the Sun Devils — was 0 for 4 from the field and quickly growing frustrated.Kansas State closed within 58-46 with 8 minutes to go, but Hawkins was whistled for a flagrant foul contesting Edgecombe's dunk, and Jeremy Roach added a basket after his foul shots to help Baylor pull away again.<h2>Takeaways</h2>Kansas State finished 3 of 25 from beyond the arc. Hawkins and McDaniel were each 1 for 6.Baylor improved to 15-2 when holding an opponent to 70 points or less this season.<h2>Key moment</h2>Baylor was leading 32-24 with 2:40 left in the first half when it scored the next nine points to take control.<h2>Key stats</h2>Baylor got 27 points from its bench. Kansas State only got four.<h2>Up next</h2>The Bears will play the Red Raiders on Thursday night. Texas Tech beat them 73-59 last month.

🏀 Edgecombe leads  Baylor to victory over K-State in Big 12 Tournament

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Coleman Hawkins had a season-best 26 points, David N'Guessan converted a crucial three-point play in the final minute, and No. 10 seed Kansas State beat No. 15 seed Arizona State 71-66 in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament on Tuesday night.

Dug McDaniel added 14 points and Max Jones and Brendan Hausen scored 10 apiece for the Wildcats (16-16), who had won two of their last three entering the tournament and now get No. 7 seed Baylor in the second round Wednesday night.

Alston Mason had 17 points to lead the Sun Devils (13-19). Joson Sanon and Basheer Jihad scored 13 apiece and Shawn Phillips Jr. finished with 11 points and 14 rebounds.

Kansas State opened the game on a 17-4 run, watched Arizona State counter with a 20-4 run of its own, and then used another 11-0 run later in the first half to take control. But the outcome was never assured until N'Guessan, who dealt with foul trouble all game, slashed through the lane to convert his three-point play for a 71-64 lead with 37.2 seconds remaining.

The Sun Devils played their fifth consecutive game without freshman Jayden Quaintance, who continued to deal with a right knee injury. The forward had 18 points and seven rebounds against Kansas State in his most recent game on Feb. 23.

Adam Miller returned from a strained oblique for the Sun Devils, but they still played just seven the entire game.

Before tipoff, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press that Arizona State coach&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bobby-hurley-arizona-state-basketball-d0ee54c2c93989fd2d257619748c6f58">Bobby Hurley was expected to return</a>&nbsp;for an 11th season. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because no official announcement has been made.

Arizona State finished with a losing record for the fourth time in five years.

Kansas State finished with a 20-10 advantage in points off turnovers, despite committing three more than the Sun Devils.

N'Guessan's slashing layup on which he was fouled. He's just a 58.5% foul shooter but made the free throw.

Kansas State led for 35 minutes, 39 seconds.

The Wildcats will play the Bears on Wednesday night.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741741541721.png" alt="K-State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>K-State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Coleman Hawkins had a season-best 26 points, David N'Guessan converted a crucial three-point play in the final minute, and No. 10 seed Kansas State beat No. 15 seed Arizona State 71-66 in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament on Tuesday night.Dug McDaniel added 14 points and Max Jones and Brendan Hausen scored 10 apiece for the Wildcats (16-16), who had won two of their last three entering the tournament and now get No. 7 seed Baylor in the second round Wednesday night.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741741505040.png" alt="K-State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>K-State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>Alston Mason had 17 points to lead the Sun Devils (13-19). Joson Sanon and Basheer Jihad scored 13 apiece and Shawn Phillips Jr. finished with 11 points and 14 rebounds.Kansas State opened the game on a 17-4 run, watched Arizona State counter with a 20-4 run of its own, and then used another 11-0 run later in the first half to take control. But the outcome was never assured until N'Guessan, who dealt with foul trouble all game, slashed through the lane to convert his three-point play for a 71-64 lead with 37.2 seconds remaining.The Sun Devils played their fifth consecutive game without freshman Jayden Quaintance, who continued to deal with a right knee injury. The forward had 18 points and seven rebounds against Kansas State in his most recent game on Feb. 23.Adam Miller returned from a strained oblique for the Sun Devils, but they still played just seven the entire game.Before tipoff, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press that Arizona State coach&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bobby-hurley-arizona-state-basketball-d0ee54c2c93989fd2d257619748c6f58">Bobby Hurley was expected to return</a>&nbsp;for an 11th season. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because no official announcement has been made.<h2>Takeaways</h2>Arizona State finished with a losing record for the fourth time in five years.Kansas State finished with a 20-10 advantage in points off turnovers, despite committing three more than the Sun Devils.<h2>Key moment</h2>N'Guessan's slashing layup on which he was fouled. He's just a 58.5% foul shooter but made the free throw.<h2>Key stats</h2>Kansas State led for 35 minutes, 39 seconds.<h2>Up next</h2>The Wildcats will play the Bears on Wednesday night.

🏀 Hawkins scores 26 as K-State beats Arizona State in Big 12 tourney

LAWRENCE, Ks. (AP) — Hunter Dickinson matched a career high with 33 points to lead Kansas past&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll">No. 24</a>&nbsp;Arizona 83-76 on Saturday.

Zeke Mayo drilled five three-pointers and had 20 points while KJ Adams Jr. scored 12, including three dunks while the Jayhawks (20-11, 11-9 Big 12) built a 14-point first-half lead.

The Wildcats (20-11, 14-6) rallied for a brief lead before Dickinson took over, scoring 16 in the first half on 8-of-9 shooting, giving the Jayhawks a 39-30 halftime advantage.

Dickinson grabbed 10 rebounds for his 15th double-double of the year. He was 15 of 23 from the floor.

Jaden Bradley led Arizona with 21 points on 7-of-11 shooting and made all seven of his free-throw attempts. Caleb Love had 16 points and Trey Townsend scored 13 off the bench.

As Bradley and Love traded baskets, Arizona erased Kansas’ halftime advantage, taking a short-lived two-point lead at 68-66 with 6:02 to play. The pair combined for 26 second-half points.

Kansas has won 42 consecutive home finales and reached the 20-win mark for the 36th straight year.

Arizona has lost 5 of 8 since a six-game winning streak.

Adams tipped a rebound of Dickinson’s 3-point miss, then dunked an alley-oop pass for a 79-72 lead with 1:22. Adams had four dunks.

Kansas recorded 14 assists against one first-half turnover.

Arizona: Begins Big 12 Tournament play Thursday as the No. 2 or 3 seed.

Kansas: Begins Big 12 Tournament play Tuesday as No. 9 seed or Wednesday as No. 7 or 8 seed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741477678993.png" alt="Photo Kansas athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo Kansas athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Ks. (AP) — Hunter Dickinson matched a career high with 33 points to lead Kansas past&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll">No. 24</a>&nbsp;Arizona 83-76 on Saturday.Zeke Mayo drilled five three-pointers and had 20 points while KJ Adams Jr. scored 12, including three dunks while the Jayhawks (20-11, 11-9 Big 12) built a 14-point first-half lead.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741477727642.png" alt="photo Kansas athletics" />
 <figcaption>photo Kansas athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>The Wildcats (20-11, 14-6) rallied for a brief lead before Dickinson took over, scoring 16 in the first half on 8-of-9 shooting, giving the Jayhawks a 39-30 halftime advantage.Dickinson grabbed 10 rebounds for his 15th double-double of the year. He was 15 of 23 from the floor.Jaden Bradley led Arizona with 21 points on 7-of-11 shooting and made all seven of his free-throw attempts. Caleb Love had 16 points and Trey Townsend scored 13 off the bench.As Bradley and Love traded baskets, Arizona erased Kansas’ halftime advantage, taking a short-lived two-point lead at 68-66 with 6:02 to play. The pair combined for 26 second-half points.<h2>Takeaways</h2>Kansas has won 42 consecutive home finales and reached the 20-win mark for the 36th straight year.Arizona has lost 5 of 8 since a six-game winning streak.<h2>Key moment</h2>Adams tipped a rebound of Dickinson’s 3-point miss, then dunked an alley-oop pass for a 79-72 lead with 1:22. Adams had four dunks.<h2>Key stat</h2>Kansas recorded 14 assists against one first-half turnover.<h2>Up next</h2>Arizona: Begins Big 12 Tournament play Thursday as the No. 2 or 3 seed.Kansas: Begins Big 12 Tournament play Tuesday as No. 9 seed or Wednesday as No. 7 or 8 seed.

🏀 Dickinson's 33 points leads Kansas over Arizona 

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Curtis Jones scored 24 points to lead&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll">No. 10</a>&nbsp;Iowa State past Kansas State 73-57 on Saturday.

The Cyclones (23-8, 13-7 Big 12) led wire-to-wire. They got 14 points from Joshua Jefferson and 11 points from Dishon Jackson.

Kansas State (15-16, 9-11) was led by senior David N'Guessan with 19 points. Dug McDaniel had 14 points.

The Wildcats shot just 37.7% from the field and 9.5% from 3-point range.

Iowa State: The Cyclones remembered the first meeting between the two teams, when they jumped out to an early lead only to see the Wildcats take an 80-61 win, snapping the Cyclones' 29-game home winning streak. The Cyclones led by 11 early in the first half and never allowed the Wildcats back in the game.

Kansas State: The Wildcats need to find consistency to even have a chance at postseason play.

Kansas State closed the first half on an 8-0 run to trim the halftime deficit to 34-26. But the Wildcats couldn't carry the momentum into the second half. After K-State got within 6 points, the Cyclones went on an 11-0 run to grab their largest lead to that point in the game.

The Cyclones took advantage of their opponent's mistakes, earning a 22-6 advantage in points off turnovers.

Both teams will appear in the Big 12 Tournament, with the pairings announced later Saturday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741470965409.png" alt="Photo K-State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo K-State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Curtis Jones scored 24 points to lead&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll">No. 10</a>&nbsp;Iowa State past Kansas State 73-57 on Saturday.The Cyclones (23-8, 13-7 Big 12) led wire-to-wire. They got 14 points from Joshua Jefferson and 11 points from Dishon Jackson.Kansas State (15-16, 9-11) was led by senior David N'Guessan with 19 points. Dug McDaniel had 14 points.The Wildcats shot just 37.7% from the field and 9.5% from 3-point range.<h2>Takeaways</h2>Iowa State: The Cyclones remembered the first meeting between the two teams, when they jumped out to an early lead only to see the Wildcats take an 80-61 win, snapping the Cyclones' 29-game home winning streak. The Cyclones led by 11 early in the first half and never allowed the Wildcats back in the game.Kansas State: The Wildcats need to find consistency to even have a chance at postseason play.<h2>Key moment</h2>Kansas State closed the first half on an 8-0 run to trim the halftime deficit to 34-26. But the Wildcats couldn't carry the momentum into the second half. After K-State got within 6 points, the Cyclones went on an 11-0 run to grab their largest lead to that point in the game.<h2>Key stat</h2>The Cyclones took advantage of their opponent's mistakes, earning a 22-6 advantage in points off turnovers.<h2>Up next</h2>Both teams will appear in the Big 12 Tournament, with the pairings announced later Saturday.

🏀 Jones scores 24 to lead Iowa State past Kansas State

<a>MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–</a>&nbsp;The Big 12 Conference and its television partners announced Friday that Kansas State’s non-conference football game at Arizona originally scheduled for Saturday, September 13, will now be played on Friday, September 12.

The game will be shown on either an ESPN or FOX network, and the game time and network designation will be announced at a later date.

<a>MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–</a>&nbsp;The Big 12 Conference and its television partners announced Friday that Kansas State’s non-conference football game at Arizona originally scheduled for Saturday, September 13, will now be played on Friday, September 12.The game will be shown on either an ESPN or FOX network, and the game time and network designation will be announced at a later date.

K-State’s Game at Arizona Moved to September 12

CINCINNATI (AP) — David N'Guessan had 18 points and 10 rebounds, Dug McDaniel added 13 points, and Kansas State defeated Cincinnati 54-49 on Wednesday night.

N'Guessan scored eight points and McDaniel scored six in a key stretch of the second half in which K-State (15-15, 9-10 Big 12) outscored Cincinnati 14-8 to build a seven-point lead. The run culminated in a layup and a jumper by N'Guessan and a jumper from McDaniel to give the Wildcats a 52-45 lead with four minutes remaining.

The Wildcats cooled off and their next four possessions resulted in a turnover and three missed shots while two baskets by Jizzle James got Cincinnati within 52-49.

Kansas State finally scored again when Brendan Hausen made two free throws for a 54-49 lead with 22 seconds left. Cincinnati missed a 3-pointer, N'Guessan missed the front end of the bonus, and Cincinnati missed another 3-pointer as time ran out.

Cincinnati led by seven with 14 1/2 minutes left in the second half before Kansas State’s 8-0 run gave the Wildcats a 36-35 lead with 12 minutes remaining, their first lead since 4-2.

Day Day Thomas had 12 points and James 10 for Cincinnati (17-13, 7-12).

Kansas State has won back-to-back games for the first time since Feb. 8 and 11.

With one game left in the regular season, Kansas State is tied with West Virginia and TCU for eighth place. Cincinnati and UCF are tied for 12th.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741226616711.png" alt="K-State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>K-State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>CINCINNATI (AP) — David N'Guessan had 18 points and 10 rebounds, Dug McDaniel added 13 points, and Kansas State defeated Cincinnati 54-49 on Wednesday night.N'Guessan scored eight points and McDaniel scored six in a key stretch of the second half in which K-State (15-15, 9-10 Big 12) outscored Cincinnati 14-8 to build a seven-point lead. The run culminated in a layup and a jumper by N'Guessan and a jumper from McDaniel to give the Wildcats a 52-45 lead with four minutes remaining.The Wildcats cooled off and their next four possessions resulted in a turnover and three missed shots while two baskets by Jizzle James got Cincinnati within 52-49.Kansas State finally scored again when Brendan Hausen made two free throws for a 54-49 lead with 22 seconds left. Cincinnati missed a 3-pointer, N'Guessan missed the front end of the bonus, and Cincinnati missed another 3-pointer as time ran out.Cincinnati led by seven with 14 1/2 minutes left in the second half before Kansas State’s 8-0 run gave the Wildcats a 36-35 lead with 12 minutes remaining, their first lead since 4-2.Day Day Thomas had 12 points and James 10 for Cincinnati (17-13, 7-12).Kansas State has won back-to-back games for the first time since Feb. 8 and 11.With one game left in the regular season, Kansas State is tied with West Virginia and TCU for eighth place. Cincinnati and UCF are tied for 12th.

🏀 N'Guessan, McDaniel power Kansas State to win over Cincinnati

Tuesday night was the opening night of sub-state semifinal basketball, and the six-seed Junction City Blue Jays hosted the 11-seed Manhattan High Indians in Junction City. 

The Manhattan High Indians snagged an early 5-1 lead over the Blue Jays as both teams struggled on the offensive end in the first quarter. Junction City's shots began to fall, and JC led 10-9 after the first quarter. 

The second quarter featured more points and better offense from both sides, but the Blue Jays led by eight, 27-19, at halftime. 

By Anthony GorgesTuesday night was the opening night of sub-state semifinal basketball, and the six-seed Junction City Blue Jays hosted the 11-seed Manhattan High Indians in Junction City. The Manhattan High Indians snagged an early 5-1 lead over the Blue Jays as both teams struggled on the offensive end in the first quarter. Junction City's shots began to fall, and JC led 10-9 after the first quarter. The second quarter featured more points and better offense from both sides, but the Blue Jays led by eight, 27-19, at halftime. In the second half, the Indians never could get within six points, as every time Manhattan scored, the Blue Jays had a response. To end the third quarter, Junction City senior Jackson Austin was fouled on a half-court heave. Austin made all three free throws, and JC led 41-29. In the fourth quarter, Junction City pulled away and led by as many as 17 points. The Blue Jays held on and won 59-45 to beat Manhattan for the third time this season. Junction City was led in scoring by senior Larkin Turner, who scored a career-high 28 points in his last home game. For Manhattan, the Indians were led in scoring by senior Landon Knopp with 11 points. The Indians end their season with a 6-15 record. For Junction City, the Blue Jays will play three-seed Washburn Rural in Topeka on Friday night. The winner of the sub-state final will advance to the 6A State tournament in Wichita.