Davis Warren (8) starting quarterback for the Stanford Cardinal will be under center against the Miami Hurricane for Fri Sep 4, 2026 game at Stanford Stadium (Bay Area News Group photo)
Stanford Cardinal podcast Micahel Roberson:
#1 Can Davis Warren handle Miami’s pressure and give Stanford enough consistency at quarterback to keep the Cardinal competitive?
#2 Can Micah Ford and Sedrick Irvin establish Stanford’s running game against a Miami defense expected to challenge the Cardinal at the line of scrimmage?
#3 Will Jordan Onovughe emerge as a difference-maker in the passing game and help Stanford exploit Miami’s secondary?
#4 Can Ernest Cooper and Tevarua Tafiti generate enough pressure off the edge to disrupt Miami’s quarterback and slow down the Hurricanes’ offense?
#5 Can Jay Green and Cam Richardson lead a Stanford secondary capable of containing Miami’s talented receivers and preventing explosive plays?
Cardinal linebacker Gabe Kaminski (left) sacks Hawaii Rainbow Warriors quarterback Micah Alejado (right) at Stanford Stadium. (photo by Honolulu Star Advertiser)
By Michael Roberson
STANFORD, Calif. –As the Stanford Cardinal (1-0) opened the 2026 season on Pacific Islander Heritage Day, they dispatched the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors (0-1), 37-27, on a sunny Saturday Afternoon in the Bay.
Although the visitors from the middle of the Pacific Ocean won the coin flip, they were generous guests and deferred possession of the ball until the second half. The Cardinal did not do much with their immediate gift, and returned it to the sender. Neither team did anything on their initial possessions.
However, midway through the first quarter Stanford went on an 89-yard drive, resulting in them being first to affect the scoreboard. The series was topped off with a two-yard touchdown by junior running back Micah Ford. The 7-0 score remained until the end of the first stanza.
In the second quarter the Rainbow Warriors made it deep into enemy territory. They were in the “red zone,” then eventually the goal line. Hawaii was able to capitalize on that great field position less than five minutes into the period. Running back DeVon Rice scampered into the end zone three yards from scrimmage. Hawaii tied the game 7-7.
Less than a minute later, Stanford was able to respond to the equalizing score by the Rainbow Warriors. Senior QB Davis Warren converted a 6-yard TD pass to freshman WR Atticus Joseph, to put the home team back up by seven, 14-7. Right after the 2-minute timeout, the Cardinal tried to extend their lead before recess, but it was denied.
Senior kicker Emmet Kenney lined up for a 33-yard FG, but Hawaii thought otherwise and blocked the kick attempt. Despite Hawaii taking over possession of the ball, no one scored before the halftime whistle. The Cardinal led !4-7 after 30 minutes of play.
Early in the second half, the opposite half of Stanford’s special teams unit managed to put two points on the scoreboard, on a blocked punt by Charlie Eckhardt. As the ball rolled out of the end zone, it resulted in a safety, garnering two points for Stanford, somewhat making up the three points they lost before the half. They were up by nine points, 16-7, early i n the second half.
Just under six minutes later, the Cardinal extended the advantage to 16 points 23-7), after Micah Ford;s second rushing touchdown (2 yards). That score managed to last nearly 10 minutes, and remained at that score after 45 minutes of game play, Stanford led 23-7, after three quarters.
In the final quarter, Hawaii showed that they did not fly five hours over the Pacific Ocean to just lie down against their California foes on the mainland. The Rainbow Warriors forged a 20-0 in just under 16 minutes of the fourth quarter, giving them a 27-23 lead late in the game. The Hawaii section of the stadium was amped up at the point of the game, and the theme of the contest was so apropos with their momentum.
However, within the last two minutes of the battle, Ford was able to calm the tide and comfort most of the 23,222 fans in the stands, after scoring his third rushing touchdown of the game. The Cardinal went back up by three points, 30-27.
With just over a minute left in regulation, the Cardinal sealed the game on a fumble-six. Senior linebacker Tevarua Tfiti scooped up the fumbled ball and returned it 31 yards for the dagger touchdown. That play put them back up by double -digits, 37-27, and put the game to rest.
After the allotted 60 minutes elapsed, the Cardinal had won game one of the season by 10 points, 37-27.
The Cardinal will next be in action Friday, September 4, as they host the Miami Hurricanes at 6 PM PT on ESPN. Hawaii will fly back home to host UNLV Saturday September 5 at 7 PM LT on the CW.
Michigan Wolverines forward Will Tschetter (42) after defeating the Arizona Wildcats in the Final Four in Indianopolis on Sat Apr 4, 2026 (AP News photo)
Final Four NCAA podcast Daniel Dullum:
#1 What key factors led to Michigan’s dominant 91–73 victory over Arizona in the Final Four?
#2 How did Michigan’s three-point shooting and defense impact Arizona’s ability to stay competitive in the game?
#3 How did UConn’s defensive strategy affect Illinois’ offensive rhythm throughout the game?
#4 What UConn players had the biggest impact on the outcome, and how did their performances shape the final result?
#5 So Daniel it all boils down to UConn and Michigan for the NCAA Championship game Mon Apr 6 at 5:50pm PDT.
UConn Huskies Braylon Mullins (24) hugs Huskies head coach Dan Hurley (right) after defeating the Illinois Fighting Ilini Sat Apr 4, 2026 to advance to the NCAA Championship Final to face the Michigan Wolverines on Mon Apr 6, 2026 (AP News photo)
NCAA Championship Final podcast Michael Villanueva:
#1 What key factors led to Michigan’s dominant 91–73 victory over Arizona in the Final Four?
#2 How did Michigan’s three-point shooting and defense impact Arizona’s ability to stay competitive in the game?
#3 How did UConn’s defensive strategy affect Illinois’ offensive rhythm throughout the game?
#4 What UConn players had the biggest impact on the outcome, and how did their performances shape the final result?
#5 So Michael it all boils down to UConn and Michigan for the NCAA Championship game Mon Apr 6 at 5:50pm PDT.
Arizona Wildcats forward Koa Peat acknowledges the crowd after beating the Purdue Boilmakers at the Elite 8 at the SAP Center in San Jose on Sat Mar 28, 2026 (AP News photo)
Final Four NCAA podcast Michael Roberson:
#1 Why is Arizona considered the favorite heading into the 2026 Final Four despite strong competition from Michigan, Illinois, and UConn?
#2 How did UConn’s dramatic comeback win over Duke shape expectations for their Final Four matchup against Illinois?
#What makes the Illinois vs. UConn semifinal such a compelling matchup in terms of star players and team strengths?
How has Michigan’s defense and tempo contrasted with Arizona’s balanced style heading into their Final Four showdown?
What factors have contributed to Illinois’ breakthrough run to its first Final Four since 2005 under coach Brad Underwood?
South Carolina Gamecocks guard Raven Johnson (25) is thrilled after hitting a three point shot against the TCU Horned Frogs in the second half of the Elite 8 to advance to the Final Four at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Mon Mar 30, 2026 (AP News photo)
By Michael Roberson
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The South Carolina Gamecocks (35-3) punched their ticket to the Final Four the sixth consecutive time, after a blowout victory over the TCU Horned Frogs (32-6) 78-52 in the Capital City of California.
TCU opened the game with a 6-0 start, stunning USC early in the first. It took a while for the Gamecocks to recover, but they eventually gathered their faculties. The Horned Frogs led by as many as eight points in the initial 10 minutes of the tournament tussle.
Despite the nearly 10-point deficit, South Carolina managed to tie the game at 14, with 1:03 left in the quarter. Later they took their first lead with six seconds remaining in the period. At the end of one, USC led by two, 16-14.
In the second stanza South Carolina improved on their advantage and showed their prowess. Their shooting percentage went up six points and and so did their lead at quarter’s end. At recess, South Carolina held an eight point lead, 35-27.
Two players from the Gamecocks scored 10+ points, while one Horned Frog fit that criteria, Sophomore forward Joyce Edwards scored 14 points and grabbed 6 rebounds, while her teammate and senior guard Raven Johnson dropped 10 points and dished 4 assists. Olivia Miles represented TCU with 11 points for her squad.
Despite shooting a horrible 20% from the field, South Carolina maintained their 8-point cushion after three quarters, 49-41. TCU shot 36% and scored 14 points, as did their opponent. Something big was about to occur in the final quarter.
South Carolina demonstrated their championship pedigree in the fourth quarter, by shooting a scorching 72% from the floor and going on a 16-0 run within the last 10 minutes of the game. Their lead ballooned into a 26-point advantage, and total dominance was underway.
After the final horn was sounded, South Carolina had secured a 24- point victory (78-52) and advanced to the Final Four in Phoenix. The Gamecocks will be taking on the the Connecticut Huskies, in a rematch of last year’s National Championship game.
The last time the Gamecocks played an Elite 8 game in California was 2017 in Stockton. They went on and won Coach Dawn Staley’s and the University of South Carolina’s first National Championship, They both have won two more since then. Number two was in 2022 (Minneapolis), coincidentally against Connecticut. The third one was 2024 (Cleveland) ageist Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes.
Connecticut will be going for their 13th title, and the 12th was last year against, South Carolina. Dawn will be going for number four, in which will improve on her pioneering status. Staley is the winningest Black coach (Either Gender) in college basketball history for National Championship titles.
UCLA Bruins center Lauren Betts (right) battles in the paint with Duke Blue Devils center Adrianna Robertson (20) at the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament at Golden 1 Arena Sacarmento on Sun Mar 29, 2026 (AP News photo)
By Michael Roberson
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The #1 ranked UCLA Bruins (25-1) are headed to their second consecutive Final Four, after a 70-58 comeback victory over the #4 Duke Blue Devils (27-9) inside the Golden 1 Center.
The Bruins opened the game with a basket to take their only lead of the first half. The Blue Devils responded with a push of their own and had a lead as high as eight, the first 10 minutes of the game. They managed to end the quarter, 21-17.
Duke continued to control the flow and tempo during the second stanza of the contest. An upset was on the horizon; however, there was a whole other half of play to come. Both teams shot over 50% from the field in the first two quarters, but not so well from beyond the arc.
After 20 minutes of Elite 8 action, Duke held an eight-point lead, 39-31. This was despite both teams shooting a horrible 0% from 3-point territory. That would be a factor in the second half of the tournament clash.
At recess, only Duke presented players with double-digit scoring. Senior guard Taina Mair scored 12 points, while redshirt-sophomore Riley Nelson chipped in 11 points. Loren Betts was close, for the Bruins, with her points after 20 minutes.
In the second half, the Bruins overcame the eight points deific at the 2:40 mark of the third quarter. Senior guard Gianna Kneepkens launched a three-pointer that put the Bruins in front (47-45) for the first time since they led 2-0 to start the game. That was a huge momentum shift that Duke would have a hard time recovering from.
As the third quarter ended, UCLA had made a 12-point turnaround in the 10 minutes of the block.. After three, the Bruins were up four, 51-47. The Blue Devils were discombobulated at that point in time, and so were their faithful fans. It would only get worse in the final stanza.
In the fourth quarter, UCLA led by as much as 12 points, and was in total control of the game.. With that largest margin score, they completed a 20-point turnaround after returning from the locker room. The 12-point advantage would be the same at the final horn, UCLA was the winner 70-58 for the #2 Sacramento Regional.
Loren Betts led all players with 23 points and 10 rebounds. Her teammate Angela Dugalic tallied 15 points and 6 rebounds. Duke put forward four players with 10+ points scored. Taina Mair led with 21 points and 7 rebounds, while Riley Nelson (13), Delaney Thomas (12), and Toby Fournier (10) all added their share for the Blue Devils.
The Bruins are heading to Phoenix, and and will face the winner of the #3 Fort Worth Region (Michigan/Texas). Friday, April 3 at TBD.
Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.
⚡Craft cocktails? Check. 🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah. 🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.
Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.
Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.
📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street
Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm
Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in.
Arizona Wildcats forward Koa Peat (10) slam dunks against the Purdue Boilermakers defense in the second half of the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament at SAP Center in San Jose on Sat Mar 28, 2026 (AP News photo)
March Madness NCAA podcast Daniel Dullum:
#1 What key adjustments did Arizona make in the second half to turn a halftime deficit into a dominant win? (Arizona outscored Purdue heavily after halftime and took control defensively.)
#2 How did Purdue’s offensive struggles—especially shooting efficiency—impact the outcome of the game? (Purdue had difficulty scoring consistently, particularly in the second half.)
#3 Which players had the biggest impact on Arizona’s victory, and how did their performances compare to Purdue’s top contributors? (Freshmen like Koa Peat and Ivan Kharchenkov played major roles.)
#4 How did the contrasting play styles (Arizona’s interior dominance vs. Purdue’s perimeter shooting) shape the flow of the game? (Arizona focused on inside scoring and defense, while Purdue relied more on outside shots.)
#5 What does this result reveal about each team’s strengths and weaknesses heading into future tournaments or seasons?
Arizona forward Koa Peat (10) dunks during the second half in the Elite Eight of the NCAA college basketball tournament against Purdue, Saturday, March 28, 2026, in San Jose, Calif. (Photo Credits to AP Photo/Kelley L Cox)
By Michael Villanueva
SAN JOSE – The Madness of March is over, as SAP Center welcomed 4 programs to the South Bay, but only saw only one of them would come out victorious. Between the No.1 Arizona Wildcats and the No.2 Purdue Boilermakers, which both are champions to their conference. It would be the Arizona Wildcats moving on to Indianapolis with a 15 point win, and these dangerous Wildcats have now won 13 games in a row.
Arizona Wildcats went with guards Jaden Bradley, Brayden Burries, forwards Koa Peat, Ivan Kharchenkov, and center Motiejus Krivas for their Elite Eight game. The Wildcats will be hoping to make it to the Final Four for the first time since 2001 and the fifth time in program history. This is their 12th Elite Eight appearance overall and their first since 2015.
Purdue Boilermakers sent out guards Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer, forwards Trey Kaufman-Renn, Oscar Cluff, and center C.J. Cox on the teams Elite Eight run. Purdue has a 0-9 record against No. 1 seeds overall and is seeking its first victory over one. Purdue will be trying for its fourth Final Four overall and its second in the last three seasons.
After the first 7 minutes of play, Arizona was in the lead with 5 points, 17-12. Arizona went on a 8-2 scoring run for 3 minutes. The Wildcats saw a lot of their points in the paint which was giving them early control of the game. Arizona scored 12 points in the paint to their now, 19-12 lead. It should come as no surprise that Purdue is already having issues with Arizona’s size and agility. Oscar Cluff is holding his own so far, but if the Boilermakers don’t find extra help from the players down in the block, the Wildcats will dominate inside.
4 lead changes and 6 ties already happened 15 minutes into this game. Both teams are trying to send their school to the Final Four with the finishing line being just a couple of games away. With 3 minutes left of the 1st half the score was, 30-27, Purdue leads now. After a bad shooting performance in their Sweet 16 game, Purdue has shotten the ball better. Last game int he 1st half, Boilermakers only had 3 three-pointers in the 1st half, but tonight they had 6 three-pointers already. While Arizona is seeing some struggles as they only made 1 three-pointer so far out of 6 attempts.
Halftime, Purdue is leading Arizona by 7 points, 38-31. The Big-10 champions, Purdue, hit 7 three-pointers in the 1st half that got them feeling great heading into the lockers. While the Big-12 champions, Arizona, was struggling on the field. Only making 1 three-pointer would go a long way and a reason on why they’re down at halftime. While the Wildcats are struggling from deep as they only got 1 deep ball to go in.
The Boilermakers have gone on to lose after leading at the half just twice this season: Jan. 24 against Illinois and Feb. 26 against Michigan State. So with the start of the second half, the pressure for Purdue to win the game is on. Vice versa with Arizona as they started the final half playing catch up. Which Arizona really turned up the heat on Purdue and took it to them.
Wildcats were able to knock down 3 three-pointers in the second half, which was a lot better than the just the 1 three-pointer they made in the first half. The more this game goes on, the more the talent gap between Arizona and Purdue becomes clear. Arizona is more prepared to play in transition when the game breaks down, which has happened more often in the second half. The Wildcats are on the verge of making it to their first Final Four in 25 years.
In the second half, Arizona played with an entirely different feeling of urgency. At both ends of the floor, there are differences in physicality and intensity. However, the two crucial figures: Arizona had six turnovers in the first half but zero in the second. After a 7-14 first half, Purdue is now 0-4 3PT. By the 3 minute mark, Arizona had a 15 point lead on Purdue.
Ultimately, Arizona wrote their story to the Final Four in San Jose as they would win the game against the No.2 Purdue Boilermakers, 79-64. Arizona Wildcats will head to Indianapolis, and wait on the winner of the No.1 Michigan vs No.6 Tennessee. That game will be played on Saturday, April 4th, 2026.
UCLA Bruins center Lauren Betts (51) blocks Minnesota Golden Gophers guard Amaya Battle (3) in the first half of the women’s Sweet 16 NCAA Tournament at Golden 1 Arena in Sacramento on Fri Mar 27, 2026 (AP News photo)
By Michael Roberson
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Both the University of California – Los Angeles (34-1) and the Duke Blue Devils (27-8) won their respective Sweet 16 games in the Western Regional #2 in Northern California.
UCLA took care of their half of the doubleheader by dominating their Big Ten foe, the Minnesota Golden Gophers by 24 points, 80-56 at Golden 1 Center. The #1 Bruins led from wire to wire and ended the game with their largest lead of the contest.
They shot 53% from the floor , while holding the rodents from the Land of 10,000 Lakes to a lowly 38%. Despite being outscored by Minnesota in the second quarter, UCLA was never in danger or losing the lead of game.
The Bruins presented four players with double-digits scoring. Senior guard Kiki Rice led her squad with 21 points. Senior center Loren Betts gave the Bruins 16 points and five rebounds, while senior guard Angela Dugalic had a double-double (13 points and 10 rebounds) and senior guard Gabriela Jaquez contributed 10 points and five rebounds.
The golden Gophers had two players reach the 10+ plateau. Grace Grocholski scored 12 points and grabbed six rebounds. Sophie Hart tallied 11 points.
The Bruins will take on the Duke Blue Devils in Elite action Sunday, March 29 at Noon PT & # PM ET.
Th Duke Blue Devils garnered a buzzer-beating three pointer, ended the LSU Tigers tournament hopes. The two combatants had a very competitive battle that came down to the last seconds of the game.
LSU started the game with two made free throws. That was their only lead in the first half. Duke followed those two FTs with a 9-0 run. They led by five after one and by seven at recess.
LSU made a serious push in the second half, and actually took the lead for the first time, since the beginning of the game. The third quarter had five ties and seven lead changes. However, Duke did survive the onslaught at the 3/4 mark of the NCAA battle, and led by two, 67-65.
The Final stanza added two more ties and one lead change. Both teams had large runs in the fourth quarter. Duke ran off an 11-0 run, but LSU pulled off a 10-0 one themselves. Then the dramatic final seconds came into play.
Duke seemingly had the game in control with approximately 20 seconds left on the clock, with a 1-point lead, and two free throws to be shot. Duke senior guard Ashlon Jackson unexpectedly missed both free throws, and gave LSU another chance to win.
LSU junior guard Mikayla Williams drew a foul on the other end with a little more than 9 seconds left in regulation. She promptly converted both gifts from the Charity Stripe, and put her Tigers up by one, 85-84.
Jackson had less than 10 seconds to redeem herself, or someone bail her out of “goat-dom.” Jackson not only made up for her errors, but pulled off a historic NCAA miracle. She pulled and hit a dagger three pointer at the buzzer to advance to the next round. The crowd was ecstatic with the finish, at least most of them. Duke was the victor, 87-85 over LSU.
Jackson finished with 19 points and 5 assists, while two teammates, Toby Fournier (9 rebounds) and Taina Mair (5 rebounds) scored 22 points.
LSU was led by junior guard MiLaysia Fulwiley’s 28 points, while fellow junior guard Mikaylah Williams scored 22 points and senior guard and rapper, Flau’jae Johnson chipped in 13 points for the Tigers.
UCLA and Duke are set to fight for a Final Four bid in Phoenix.
Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.
⚡Craft cocktails? Check. 🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah. 🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.
Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.
Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.
📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street
Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm
Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in.
