If it’s March, it’s trying to find truTv to watch basketball

“This is March.”

Yes, that phrase is most often associated with CBS Sports analyst Jon Rothstein, who has turned the three-word phrase into one of the best sports-related bits on social media. But that phrase also comes in handy every March during the NCAA basketball tournament, as I frantically search for truTV as the games begin, and mutter those three words under my breath.

Despite the fact that I write this story every year.

TruTV will be airing games starting with the First Four in Dayton through the first two rounds of the tournament. After that, games will primarily be shown on CBS and TBS, and while you probably know how to find those, there are some First Round games on truTv, and we have those listed for you here.

If you’ve got DirecTV it’s on channel 246 and if you’re a DISH Network subscriber it’s on 242. For cable subscribers, check your local listings or watch online through your cable provider.

You can also stream games via HBO Max. Fans can subscribe to the sports add-on package provided they are already subscribers to HBO Max, so you can catch March Madness games airing on TNT, TBS and TruTV via that platform.

Here are the games scheduled so far for truTV.

All times are Eastern

Tuesday, March 18 (First Four in Dayton, Ohio)

• No. 16 St. Francis (PA) vs. No. 16 Alabama State, 6:40 p.m. ET, truTV
• No. 11 North Carolina vs. No. 11 San Diego State, 9:10 p.m. ET, truTV

Wednesday, March 19 (First Four in Dayton, Ohio)

• No. 16 Mount St. Mary’s vs. No. 16 American University, 6:40 p.m. ET, truTV
• No. 11 Xavier vs. No. 11 Texas, 9:10 p.m. ET, truTV

Thursday, March 20 (Round of 64)

• No. 13 High Points vs. No. 4 Purdue, 12:40 p.m. ET, truTV
• No. 12 McNeese vs. No. 5 Clemson, 3:15 p.m. ET, truTV
• No. 11 Drake vs. No. 6 Missouri, 7:35 p.m. ET, truTV
• No. 14 UNC Wilmington vs. No. 3 Texas Tech, 10:10 p.m. ET, truTV

Friday, March 21 (Round of 64)

• No. 15 Robert Morris vs. No. 2 Alabama, 12:40 p.m. ET, truTV
• No. 10 Vanderbilt vs. No. 7 Saint Mary’s, 3:15 p.m. ET, truTV
• No. 13 Akron vs. No. 4 Arizona, 7:35 p.m. ET, truTV
• No. 12 Liberty vs. No. 5 Oregon, 10:10 p.m. ET, truTV

This post will be updated if games are added to the truTV schedule.

The post Answering the annual question: How to watch the 2025 men’s NCAA tournament on truTV appeared first on Sport-TV.Live.

The Australian Grand Prix brought in big numbers for ESPN

The 2025 Formula 1 season is off to a fascinating start, both on and off the track.

Lando Norris held off Max Verstappen and the elements to take the win in the season-opening Australian Grand Prix. That victory broke Verstappen’s reign atop the Drivers’ Championship standings, dating back to the 2022 Spanish Grand Prix.

As the grid heads to Shanghai for this weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix, the second race of a season-opening doubleheader, ESPN is reporting massive numbers for the Australian Grand Prix. According to the network, an average of 1.1 million viewers tuned into the race, the largest ever for an Australian Grand Prix on ESPN. The previous record was 659,000 back during the 2019 season.

In addition, ESPN reported this is an increase over the 541,000 that tuned in last season, when the race aired on ESPN2.

The 2025 Australian Grand Prix also began at midnight on the East Coast, similar to last season.

These ratings come at a fascinating time, as ESPN’s broadcast rights to F1 in the United States expire at the end of the season, opening the door to another network — or potentially a streaming service — to move in. This was a topic at a recent earnings call from Formula One’s ownership group. When the topic of ESPN’s media rights was addressed Stefano Domenicali, F1’s President and CEO, noted that ESPN is still firmly in the discussions for 2026 and beyond.

“We need to be thankful for what ESPN is providing to us. We are very happy about the quality of the service. We need to always remember that they were first to believe in our project,” began Domenicali.

“So therefore, the fact that at the end of the exclusivity period, they have not put in place a formal offer, it doesn’t mean that the discussions are going ahead. Actually, it’s the other way around. So there are still a lot of discussions to try to find the best solution. And of course, now, as we always said, is the month where other players are around the table. And we cannot deny the fact that there is a lot of interest around our product,” continued Domenicali. “We are fortunate enough to have compelling content and a growing fan base and a strong demand for different situations from various parties.”

Derek Chang, the President and CEO of Liberty Media Corporation — F1’s ownership group — also addressed ESPN’s media rights on the call.

“I think also to use an F1 analogy, it’s going to be a fast race and we’re going to move pretty quickly hopefully to come to conclusion as we get to the end of the middle of the year and the later part of the year,” began Chang. “And just to echo one thing that Stefano said, a lot of times the people on the outside tend to frame these things as, ‘oh, ESPN said they didn’t want the F1 rights going forward,’ and it’s a very, again, soundbite way to describe a relationship.

“But it’s actually been quite a productive and constructive relationship and I personally have had a long-term relationship with ESPN. F1 has had a great relationship with ESPN and we’ll continue to see how these conversations unfold,” concluded Chang.

The initial ratings for the season-opening race will certainly be a top of discussion going forward.

The post ESPN reports massive viewer numbers for F1 Australian Grand Prix appeared first on Sport-TV.Live.

There is at least some method to the madness of March.

The field of 68 is official, which means that at some point between now and early Thursday afternoon, you’re probably going to be asked to fill out a bracket. It’s always a daunting task, and the fear of embarrassing yourself in front of friends, family or colleagues who you didn’t care for much to begin with can be unnerving

Thankfully, we’re here to help with 15 bracket tips you can ride to an admirable finish in your bracket challenge.

1. Get a little wild with one Final Four pick

I will harp this every year until it stops being true.

Sure it’s scary to take one team that could easily lose in the first round and advance it all the way to the Final Four, but it also might be the key to winning your bracket pool. Every single Final Four but one since 2012 has featured at least one team seeded No. 7 or worse. The last four tournaments and five of the last six have had at least one team seeded No. 8 or worse in the Final Four. Since 2011, a grand total of 13 teams seeded seventh or worse have crashed the season’s final weekend.

A year ago, it was 11th-seeded NC State going crazy and making a run to the national semifinals.

The only recent season in which a 7-seed or worse hasn’t made a Final Four was 2019, and even then, you had a 5-seed crashing the party. So take the three teams you like the most to the Final Four, and then maybe throw a dart in the region where you feel like the top seeds are the most vulnerable.

2. Believe in at least one power conference underachiever

One of the longest active March Madness streaks that isn’t discussed enough is that a “power six” conference team seeded 8th or worse has reached the Sweet 16 in every NCAA tournament since 2008. NC State (again) kept this trend going last season with its magical run.

Teams that fit that description this year:

Louisville (8)
Mississippi State (8)
UConn (8)
Baylor (9)
Oklahoma (9)
Creighton (9)
Georgia (9)
Vanderbilt (10)
Arkansas (10)
North Carolina (11)
Texas (11)
Xavier (11)

You may hate all these teams, but history says at least one of them is going to be one of the last 16 squads standing.

3. Believe in at least one “First Four” team

Even though the “First Four” — those four games typically played in Dayton on Tuesday and Wednesday featuring the lowest-seeded four teams in the field and the last four at-large teams to get in — has been fairly controversial and often mocked since its inception in 2011, a team coming out of Dayton has won at least one game in the tournament’s “main draw” in every year but one since the First Four became a thing. The only time it hasn’t happened was in 2019.

Overall, the First Four has produced a total of 22 victories in the “main draw” of the tournament, five Sweet 16 squads, and two Final Four teams.

A year ago, Colorado outlasted Florida in a 102-100 first round thriller to keep the trend going. This season, North Carolina, Xavier, Texas and San Diego State are the teams looking to do the same.

4. Don’t pick a No. 5 seed to win it all

You probably weren’t anyway, but just in case you were thinking about it, don’t. Every seed line from 1-8 has produced at least one national champion besides the 5-seed line.

No. 5 seeds have made it to the title game four times, including two seasons ago with San Diego State, but have never been able to be the last team standing.

My most sincere apologies to Oregon, Memphis, Michigan and Clemson.

5. Pick at least one 12 seed to win in the first round

The 12/5 upset has a reputation for a reason.

In 33 of the last 39 years, at least one 12 seed has advanced out of the first round of the tournament. Over the last 16 years, 12 seeds actually own a highly respectable overall record of 27-37 against five seeds.

Grand Canyon and James Madison both pulled convincing upsets a year ago, with UAB coming up just short against UAB.

This year’s 12-seed line is stacked.

UC San Diego is a top 40 team in virtually every metric and has a game against a Michigan team that, despite its run to the Big 10 tournament title, has been winning close all season. McNeese has lost once since mid-December and has maybe the most sought-after head coach in the sport. Mountain West champ Colorado State has won 10 straight and hasn’t won a game by fewer than eight points over that stretch. Liberty beat both McNeese and Kansas State on a neutral court back in November and also won a 12/5 game under head coach Ritchie McKay back in 2019.

At least one of these teams is winning this week.

6. Take a close look at the 13/4 matchups as well

We just talked about the frequency of the 12/5 upset in the NCAA Tournament, but how about some love for the work the No. 13 seeds have been putting in recently? At least one 13-seed has won a game in the tournament in 12 of the last 16 years.

Yale pulled the feat against Auburn last season, and Samford was a questionable late call away from doing the same to Kansas.

Yale (again), High Point, Akron and Grand Canyon combine to form a very capable quartet of potential Cinderellas.

7. Saint Mary’s is on high upset alert

This is a weird one.

In the last four NCAA tournaments, the team with the best rebound rate in the country has been upset in the first round — Saint Mary’s against Grand Canyon last year, Purdue against Fairleigh Dickinson in 2023, Kentucky against Saint Peter’s in 2022, and North Carolina against Wisconsin in 2021.

It makes absolutely no sense, but maybe the Gaels should have been slightly worse on the board this season. Congrats, Vandy.

8. Don’t automatically move all four No. 2 seeds to the second weekend

In 24 of the last 27 years, at least one No. 2 seed has been knocked out of the tournament before the Sweet 16. Straying from the chalk is always scary, especially before the second weekend, but you need to conquer that fear in at least one region.

9. Be especially wary of overachieving No. 2 seeds

Another note here: There have been 24 No. 2 seeds in tournament history that started the season unranked and entered the tournament ranked in the top 10. Fifteen of those 24 teams have failed to make it to the Sweet 16.

Two teams fit that description this year: Michigan State and St. John’s.

10. You need at least one “surprise” Elite Eight team

Maybe you’re not comfortable getting too crazy with your Final Four, but at least make sure your Elite Eight has some flavor.

In each of the last 13 seasons, at least one team seeded fifth or worse has played in a regional final, and in 12 of the last 13 seasons, at least one team seeded 7th or worse has advanced to a regional final. We’ve also seen at least one double-digit seed in the Elite Eight in six of the last eight years.

Half of last year’s Elite Eight was comprised of teams seeded for fifth or worse, including ninth-seeded Florida Atlantic.

It might wind up being the “chalkiest Final Four since 2015” as so many are predicting, but that doesn’t mean it still won’t get at least a little bit weird before the last four teams standing head to San Antonio.

11. Conference championships typically matter

In the history of the NCAA tournament, there have only been five national champions (who participated in a conference tournament) that didn’t first win either their league’s regular season or postseason title. Villanova in 1985, Kansas in 1988, Connecticut in 2014, Duke in 2015 and UConn in 2023 are the only exceptions.

This doesn’t bode well for every SEC team not named Auburn or Florida.

12. Be mindful of the Big Ten/West Coast drought

One of the longest-running debates in college basketball is when a team from the West Coast or the Big Ten will win its next national title. It has reached a fever pitch the last couple of seasons with the Big Ten appearing to be one of the two best conference in the sport and a resurgent West Coast producing multiple national title contenders.

A team from the Big Ten team hasn’t won it all since Michigan State in 2000, and a West Coast squad hasn’t cut down the nets since Arizona stunned Kentucky in 1997.

13. Gonzaga and Kansas are (usually) early locks

Since 2008, there are only two teams that have appeared in every single NCAA tournament without losing a single first round game: Gonzaga and Kansas. The Bulldogs also have the longest active consecutive run of Sweet 16 appearances, making it to the tournament’s second weekend in every year since 2014. If they’re able to achieve the feat for a 10th-straight time, it would be a new NCAA tournament record.

These streaks will be put to the test in a year where the Jayhawks are a 7-seed trending downwards and the Bulldogs have been assigned to the 8/9 “Death Game.”

14. Don’t be scared off by a power conference team’s high number of losses

Since 2011, there have been 15 teams that have earned at-large bids despite losing at least 14 games. Five of the last six of those teams have won a first round game in the dance, and those teams are 8-6 in first round games overall (one lost in the First Four).

Think twice before predicting early exits for No. 9 seed Baylor or No. 11 seed Texas (should the Longhorns advance out of Dayton).

15. Don’t feel bad about picking a No. 1 seed to win it all

Even if you’re not going with the overall No. 1 seed, don’t let anybody shame you for picking a top seed to cut down the nets. Since seeding the field began, No. 1 seeds have won more national titles (26) than all other seeds combined (18).

A No. 1 seed has won six of the last seven national titles, seven of the last nine, and nine of the last 12.

With this year’s top line seeming to be especially stellar, you’re probably on the right page if you’re picking between Duke, Auburn, Houston and Florida to cut down the nets.

The post 15 tips for filling out your men’s 2025 NCAA Tournament bracket appeared first on Sport-TV.Live.

We’re keeping track of the results for the 2025 men’s NCAA tournament.

The Madness has arrived.

Tuesday night the 2025 men’s NCAA tournament kicks into gear, with two of the First Four games coming from Dayton, Ohio. In the first game No. 16 St. Francis (PA) will square off with No. 16 Alabama State, with a trip to Kentucky to take on the top overall seed Auburn on the line. In the second game, No. 11 North Carolina — a surprising inclusion in the tournament — takes on No. 11 San Diego State with the winner facing No. 6 Mississippi.

Wednesday night brings the First Four to a close. In the first game No. 16 American tangles with No. 16 Mount St. Mary’s, with the winners taking on Duke. The second game Wednesday night features No. 11 Xavier against No. 11 Texas, and the winner gets No. 6 Illinois.

We’ll be keeping track of the results and upcoming schedule for every game in the 2025 men’s NCAA tournament. All times are Eastern. First, here’s the bracket:

You can find our expert bracket predictions from Ricky O’Donnell here. Also read our expert list of the top-50 players in the 2025 men’s NCAA tournament. Here’s the full March Madness schedule.

Schedule for the 2025 men’s NCAA tournament

First Four

Tuesday, March 18

No. 16 St. Francis (PA) vs. No. 16 Alabama State, 6:40 p.m. ET, truTV
No. 11 North Carolina vs. No. 11 San Diego State, 9:10 p.m. ET, truTV

Wednesday, March 19

No. 16 Mount St. Mary’s vs. No. 16 American University, 6:40 p.m. ET, truTV
No. 11 Xavier vs. No. 11 Texas, 9:10 p.m. ET, truTV

Day 1 scores and schedule: Thursday, March 20

East Region

No. 14 Montana vs. No. 3 Wisconsin, 1:30 p.m. ET, TNT
No. 11 VCU vs. No. 6 BYU, 4:05 p.m. ET, TNT

South Region

No. 9 Creighton vs. No. 8 Louisville, 12:15 p.m. ET, CBS
No. 1 Auburn vs. No. 16 Alabama State OR No. 16 Saint Francis (PA), 2:50 p.m. ET, CBS
No. 13 Yale vs. No. 4 Texas A&M, 7:25 p.m. ET, TBS
No. 12 UC San Diego vs. No. 5 Michigan, 10:00 p.m. ET, TBS

Midwest Region

No. 13 High Points vs. No. 4 Purdue, 12:40 p.m. ET, truTV
No. 16 SIU Edwardsville vs. No. 1 Houston, 2:00 p.m. ET, TBS
No. 12 McNeese vs. No. 5 Clemson, 3:15 p.m. ET, truTV
No. 9 Georgia vs. No. 8 Gonzaga, 4:35 p.m. ET, TBS
No. 15 Wofford vs. No. 2 Tennessee, 6:50 p.m. ET, TNT
No. 10 Utah State vs. No. 7 UCLA, 9:25 p.m. ET, TNT

West Region

No. 10 Arkansas vs. No. 7 Kansas, 7:10 p.m. ET, CBS
No. 11 Drake vs. No. 6 Missouri, 7:35 p.m. ET, truTV
No. 15 Omaha vs. No. 2 St. John’s, 9:45 p.m. ET, CBS
No. 14 UNC Wilmington vs. No. 3 Texas Tech, 10:10 p.m. ET, truTV

Day 2 scores and schedule: Friday, March 21

East Region

No. 9 Baylor vs. No. 8 Mississippi State, 12:15 p.m. ET, CBS
No. 15 Robert Morris vs. No. 2 Alabama, 12:40 p.m. ET, truTV
No. 1 Duke vs. No. 16 American OR No. 16 Mount St. Mary’s, 2:50 p.m. ET, CBS
No. 10 Vanderbilt vs. No. 7 Saint Mary’s, 3:15 p.m. ET, truTV
No. 13 Akron vs. No. 4 Arizona, 7:35 p.m. ET, truTV
No. 12 Liberty vs. No. 5 Oregon, 10:10 p.m. ET, truTV

South Region

No. 14 Lipscomb vs. No. 3 Iowa State, 1:30 p.m. ET, TNT
No. 6 Mississippi vs. No. 11 North Carolina OR No. 11 San Diego St., 4:05 p.m. ET, TNT
No. 10 New Mexico vs. No. 7 Marquette, 7:25 p.m. ET, TBS
No. 15 Bryant vs. No. 2 Michigan State

Midwest Region

No. 14 Troy vs. No. 3 Kentucky, 7:10 p.m. ET, CBS
No. 6 Illinois vs. No. 11 Texas or No. 11 Xavier, 9:45 p.m. ET, CBS

West Region

No. 12 Colorado State vs. No. 5 Memphis, 2:00 p.m. ET, TBS
No. 13 Grand Canyon vs. No. 4 Maryland, 4:35 p.m. ET, TBS
No. 16 Norfolk State vs. No. 1 Florida, 6:50 p.m. ET, TNT
No. 9 Oklahoma vs. No. 8 Connecticut, 9:25 p.m. ET, TNT

The post Men’s NCAA tournament 2025: Scores, schedule, bracket for March Madness appeared first on Sport-TV.Live.

Nothing Rodgers does is normal.

Nobody is better than Aaron Rodgers when it comes to overcomplicating the simple. Tear your achilles? Listen to whale mating calls. Need a vacation? Spend a month in darkness. Get traded to the Jets? Bring all your friends, play poorly, blame everyone else, and walk away a shadow of yourself.

There was no chance Rodgers was going to make free agency easy for anyone, and that’s where we sit right now. As it stands there are two teams who actually want Rodgers, one team who doesn’t really seem to want him — and Aaron is hellbent on waiting to see if the team that doesn’t seem interested ends up calling him.

There’s also rumors of retirement at play, further complicating matters. So let’s dive into the potential homes for Rodgers, and what is currently happening.

Minnesota Vikings

This is where Rodgers wants to go. The issue is that it’s unclear if the Vikings really want Aaron Rodgers. There’s no doubt the team is in dire need of a veteran quarterback, but there’s a chasm between getting a nurturing veteran who can help develop J.J. McCarthy, and the notoriously self-absorbed Rodgers with a history of not helping young players behind him.

Obviously there’s massive appeal to Rodgers. He’d inherit one of the NFL’s best passing offenses on a playoff team with very few weaknesses. But the best move for Minnesota is to just play McCarthy, take their lumps in 2025, with the expectation they can leap forward as a result.

The Star Tribune absolutely eviscerated the idea, while also explaining why the team isn’t completely denying Rodgers as an option.

“The Vikings are not and have not been interested in Rodgers from the start. The attention-starved QB is just boosting his own ego and leverage through a few news cycles, but disavowing interest in a free agent is not how things work for teams.”

The problem is that Rodgers appears to be holding up everything else waiting to see if the Vikings will call. Like a lovesick teenager hoping his crush will invite him to prom, Rodgers is rejecting other offers just in case Minnesota wants him. Nobody should be this obsessed with following in Brett Favre’s footsteps.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Here’s another playoff team that actually wants Aaron Rodgers, but they’re getting the cold shoulder. The Steelers need a quarterback so badly, and earmarked Rodgers from the second they allowed Justin Fields to leave via free agency. If they don’t land Rodgers it means turning back to Russell Wilson, and nobody wants that.

The issue is that Rodgers is waiting so long on the Vikings to call that the Steelers are getting fed up. Perhaps best typified by Cam Heyward on the Not Just Football podcast.

“I ain’t doing that darkness retreat. I don’t need any of that crap. Either you want to be a Pittsburgh Steeler or you don’t.“

So while Pittsburgh might want Rodgers, he’s wearing out his welcome by dragging this out.

New York Giants

The Giants have reportedly already made an offer to Aaron Rodgers, but he’s also ignoring them — still hoping to receive an offer from the Vikings.

Now, there’s very little reason for Rodgers to move to the other team in New York, unless there’s nobody else who is interested and he still wants to play football. It feels quite likely he might chase off the Steelers with his endless delaying, so this might be his only option.

What’s likely to happen?

You’re more likely to win the lottery than predict what Aaron Rodgers will do next. When the dust settles I think he’ll end up signing with the Steelers, and I think it’s going to be soon.

Even as ridiculous as Rodgers can be, he has to know that jerking around a team like this is the wrong move for a future in the NFL. I think threats of retirement are overblown nonsense as well, making Pittsburgh a solid home for him.

The post Of course Aaron Rodgers is making his free agency awkward and difficult appeared first on Sport-TV.Live.

Fresh off points at the Australian Grand Prix, Sauber is looking for more in Shanghai

Formula 1’s 75th campaign delivered some surprises in the season-opening Australian Grand Prix. The drivers on the podium were largely in line with expectations, as Lando Norris held off Max Verstappen to claim victory while George Russell finished third. But the rest of the top ten delivered some surprises.

Perhaps the biggest? Nico Hülkenberg finished seventh for Sauber, delivering six critical points for the team after they finished last in the Constructors’ Championship a season ago.

When they scored just four all year.

Now as the grid heads to Shanghai for this weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix, the veteran driver believes Sauber has some “positive momentum” at their backs.

“Starting the season with points in Melbourne was a great result for the team, giving us positive momentum heading into China,” said Hülkenberg in the team’s media preview.

On the other side of the garage, it was a mixed debut for rookie Gabriel Bortoleto. The 2024 F2 Drivers’ Champion advanced to Q2 in his first F1 qualifying session — outperforming his teammate — but saw his Australian Grand Prix end with a spin in wet conditions on Lap 45.

“Australia was a big learning experience for me, and I am looking forward to put that into practice as I prepare for another race weekend,” described Bortoleto.

Mattia Binotto, the team’s Chief Operating Officer and Chief Technology Officer, was measured in his analysis.

“The race in Melbourne was definitely an encouraging start to our 2025 campaign, but now we focus on the next race weekend,” began Binotto. “The changing weather allowed us to gather crucial data about how the C45 performs in different conditions, and the team executed flawlessly, which was a positive plus.

“But it’s also clear that the changing conditions during the race created an opportunity for us to score points. Overall, the car still needs improvement to consistently fight for points in a standard race. That’s why, at this stage, it’s crucial for us to capitalize on every opportunity and continue optimizing our performance.”

The team will need to optimize that performance over the first F1 Sprint race weekend of the season. Both Hülkenberg and Bortoleto realize that the format means every session carries “significance,” and requires focus.

“Sprint race weekends bring an added level of intensity, and they also introduce a unique dynamic, particularly on Saturday, where every session carries added significance. Immediately after the sprint, you have to re-focus to concentrate on the qualifying for the main race,” said Hülkenberg. “Our approach remains the same: we need to make the most of every session of the weekend, gathering as much information as possible.”

“The Sprint format will see us in action right away, but I am ready for the challenge. I spent a lot of time in the simulator getting familiar with Shanghai during the pre-season, and while it definitely is a demanding circuit, I am excited to get out there for the first time,” added the rookie Bortoleto. “The key for us will be to maximize every lap and put everything together when it matters. My goal is to take another step forward and be in the mix in both the Sprint and the main Race on Sunday.”

For Binotto, preparation and “quick decision-making” will be key for Sauber, if they are to deliver another surprise result in Shanghai.

“Now, we move on to Shanghai, where the Sprint format results in an even stricter agenda. One single practice session means that preparation and quick decision-making will be key especially given the tight battle for reaching the top ten,” said the Sauber boss.

“We know where we stand and where we need to improve and are ready to take any opportunity that might get across again this weekend.”

The post Nico Hülkenberg and Sauber head to F1 Chinese Grand Prix with ‘positive momentum’ appeared first on Sport-TV.Live.

An interview with Dylan Harper reflecting on his decision to go to Rutgers, what his dad told him about Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, and much more.

Basketball runs through Dylan Harper’s blood. His father Ron Harper was a five-time NBA champion who remade his game from takeover scorer to caretaker point guard while playing alongside the likes of Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Scottie Pippen, and Shaquille O’Neal. Harper’s mother Maria could hoop, too: she played college ball at the University of New Orleans and then severed on Dylan’s coaching staffs from an early age through high school. His older brother Ron Harper Jr. is currently on two-way contract with the Detroit Pistons.

Dylan followed Ron Jr.’s footsteps when he committed to Rutgers. With his freshman season now over, the assumption is that Harper will now go off to the NBA, where he’s been projected as the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 draft for most of the year.

SB Nation got the chance to interview Harper through his March Madness sponsorship with Kinder Bueno. Topics included reflecting on his decision to pick Rutgers over Duke and other power programs, what his father passed down from playing with Jordan and Kobe, the biggest misconceptions about his game, and his experience playing with fellow top pick Ace Bailey. The interview took place just before Rutgers began play in the Big Ten tournament.

For more March Madness coverage, check out SB Nation’s list of the 50 best players in the 2025 men’s NCAA tournament, plus our expert bracket predictions.

SBN: Most people were shocked a five-star recruit would pick Rutgers over offers from Duke, Kansas, Auburn, and others. Why would you say you made that decision, and a year later, how do you think it worked out for you?

I mean, first off, coming here was pretty easy for me, I think. I like to go family over everything. I’ve known the people here forever, Coach Pike, Coach B Knight, TJ Thompson the whole staff, just how much love they bring you in. They tell you they’re always gonna do right by you no matter what, and they’re gonna be by your side even when you leave Rutgers. Stuff like that really got me to come here. And in the basketball side of it, why not want to be different? Obviously, I could have went to the places you’re talking about, great programs, all respect to them, but I kind of wanted to pave my own way and do something different. Just looking back at it now, I mean I wouldn’t my decision at all.

Obviously a lot of ups and downs, but that’s life. Life isn’t always gonna be perfect, you know, just little things that that’s kept me pushing.

You’ve had the ball in your hands the entire season at Rutgers, posting one of the highest usage rates among the freshmen class. Maybe that wouldn’t have happened a traditional power program. How do you think those reps have helped your game?

It’s definitely helped me a lot. Coach Pike did a great job believing in me from the beginning. Coach Pike called me the day after the season ended last year and said this is your program. I’m putting the ball in your hands. You can follow my lead. We gonna do this together as a team.

So I’m just grateful to have a coach like that by my side that truly believes in me. He sees all the hard work I put in day in and day out, and he just knows that he feels comfortable with me, but it definitely has helped me, you know, get ready for the future that’s coming ahead. It really just got me nice and ready just to go because, like you said, the NBA is a gauntlet, you know, whenever that time comes, that time is gonna come, but it’s really gonna be great, you know, I mean, I think (Rutgers) prepared me for it just as much as anyone else could.

All players have to add something to their game when they jump up a level in competition. What do you think you’ve added to your game in this one year at Rutgers?

I think if you watched me in high school to right now, I can really say like everything improved, but one big thing is probably my shooting I think. A lot of people really slept on it in high school because like you said, I was able to get to the basket and go get a lay up whenever I wanted to. But in the Big Ten college basketball, you can’t do that. So just a little stuff like that, getting to my spots, being sharper, more precise, and just overall, knowing the game better.

One thing I think you’ve been great at all year is splitting double teams. You have a special skill for getting downhill with a screen. In those situations, is that something where you’re like, ‘hey, I’m getting to the rim’ in this instance? Or is it more like you’re reading what the defense is giving you and kind of trying to react to how they’re defending you?

I mean, I think it really comes down to a little bit of both. First, like reading the defense, just seeing what they’re gonna do, just watching a lot of film. I gotta give props to the coaching staff. They do a great job of sending us clips of what the other teams are gonna do, whether it’s come out, double, or just stay back. We spend a lot of time on stuff like that, so it kind of prepares you for the game. It makes it easier for me, but also you got to know what you’re about to do before you do it. I mean, if I feel like I can get to the rim, split the double team team, I think I’m gonna go do that. And if it’s not open, I’m gonna go to something else because I just trust my instincts and trust all the work.

So I’d say your shooting has been good this year. You’re around 35% on deep on pretty good volume. You probably think you can shoot better in the future. One thing I like about your game is I feel like your gathers and your step backs are really smooth. Your footwork has been great going into your shots. How have you developed your shot prep and how has that helped you?

I mean, definitely props to my mom, my family, obviously props to my trainer, Kenny Miller. Coming into the season, that was really the main emphasis. The things we got to work on is probably get your shot a little faster, a little smoother, like not as choppy. We worked at day, nights, whatever. I mean, we are still working it out today, it’s not perfect, but I mean, it’s it’s getting there. It’s definitely now becoming routine just getting to into my shot. (Miller) really did a great job of about having that belief in me when we’re in the gym. You know, I’m shooting stepbacks and the ball ain’t going in the rim and I’m getting mad and stuff like that, but my coaches and trainers always have a belief in me that, you know, the next shot can go in.

I grew up watching your dad with the ‘90s Bulls with MJ. Obviously your dad played with Kobe too before the end of his career. So, what’s one thing he’s told you about MJ and Kobe that has stuck with you over the years as you’ve grown up?

Really just their mentality, how they go about not just basketball, but life. Like, you gotta be here at a certain time, you better be the hardest worker to win. There’s little things like that, like, doing the things you don’t want to do, but you know you’re gonna do it because it’s gonna make you better in the long run. That’s the stuff he really just put in my head, just to show me if these greats did it like, if you, if you do, you got a chance to be up there with them one day.

So I love watching the U19 tournaments every year just to see the next crop of guys, and you were on that team in 2023. You guys lost to France. Team USA does not lose in those competitions, but you look at that France roster and it’s the first two picks last year, Alex Sar, Risahay. They also had Noah Penda who’s gonna be in your draft class. So how do you think that that experience helped you?

It was definitely great for me just seeing how hard you have to play. I mean, I think that’s something that That’s kind of lacked around here in the, in the US now, but when you go out there, you gotta play hard every possession, no plays off, just really, you gotta really know the game out there cause it’s a completely different game FIBA basketball, and you know, and you watch the first couple of games that kind of caught me by surprise just because like, I didn’t know how other teams played, or other countries play stuff like that. So just really go into in a mindset of I’m just keep my ears open, I’m just gonna listen to everything, just take everything in just day by day and so keep on working.

What do you think is the biggest misconception about your game?

I mean, there’s a lot of things, I mean, I think a lot of people have a lot of I have a lot of opinions on my games, stuff like that, little things like, like this, I’m not athletic. Can’t get to, like, can’t jump like that, but I mean, if you see some highlights, I mean, I think it kind of shows you different, but I don’t think, I don’t base my game based off that. So I mean, I think that’s probably why, but I mean, I can do it. I just don’t do it often. So stuff like that, like, maybe like, I’m not as good as a passer, or I’m not, or I’m not as good as a shooter, but I mean, I think I got the stats, you know, if you just watch my game, if you watch a regular regular Rutgers game, I think I can back that up.

One of my, takes every year is that little brothers are usually better than big brothers because they got, you know, their big brother to like go after and to try to beat him, when I’m sure Ron Junior was whooping you when you were growing up for a long time.

So what have you learned from your bro and his experience, you know, in the NBA he’s, you know, he’s been grinding, man. So, you know, what have you just like taken from him growing up and even now seeing him in the league?

I mean, growing up, he never let me win anything. I mean, it was more of like, ain’t no one in this world gonna let you win, why I’m gonna let you win? And my mom would, would always get mad at him, but he stood on all tens and said he, he’s not letting me win. I mean, that definitely helps me me now because Going up against him, he was always 6 years older than me. So when I go against the older guys, I kind of know what to expect from the physicality standpoint, stuff like that. But just really watching how he worked day in and day out, like when I was younger, going to the gym, watching him work out 2 or 3 times a day, little stuff like that. And like you just said, the gauntlet that he’s going through right now in the league, it’s crazy. I be fighting for your life every day, you know, every day is not guaranteed, but I mean, he does a great job just always keeping his, his head high and I really admire that.

People say a lot of things about Ace Bailey. Some people love his game. Some people do not love his game.

First off, I can say Ace Bailey is the best teammate that I’ve had. I mean, all my career, he’s one of the best teammates. He’s always the first guy in the gym, he’s gonna work hard. And he’s the funniest guy, you are always gonna get a laugh out around him. There’s never a dull moment with him.

On the court, I don’t understand how people don’t like his game. I mean, the shots he takes, yeah, everyone says they’re tough shots, this, that and the third, but if you watch him work out, those are the shots he makes. That’s why you will see us getting mad (at the criticism), because that’s him. He does it every day in practice, so why can’t do it in a game? Little stuff like that. And let’s be honest, he takes tough shots, but he’s 6’10, and when he jumps, he’s 7-foot, and no one can contest it.

Who wouldn’t want to have a guy like that in your team where you can give him the ball and it could be an automatic bucket? That’s really him. But I mean, he really does a lot more than that. I think he sees the game very well. He’s a very good defender, very good rebounder. He just does everything well and he’s 6’10. So like, I don’t understand why people don’t like his game. You could say shot selection or anything like that, but I mean, if you look at the shots and you look at workouts, I mean, he’s a great player and a great teammate. Praise to him.

Your mom played college hoops at New Orleans. Everyone knows about your dad’s career, but your mom had to be a hooper too, and I know she was your coach. So like, you know, what did you take from your mom that you think maybe you didn’t get from your dad?

I mean, she’s been coaching me all my life from Kindergarten, first grade all the way up to my senior year of high school, and she was always telling me you gotta be the hardest worker in the gym no matter what. I think that’s something me and her used to argue about. I mean, she always told me like, ‘You got to be that same kid that you were 4 years ago when no one knew your name and you’re out there just playing basketball just because you love the game’ like that should never change. I really take that from her because like, obviously. I’m grateful to have everything that I got right now, but I mean, I still got a lot more work to do. She does a great job of humbling me every day, so I mean props to her. I wouldn’t be here without her.

Point guard, shooting guard, combo guard, lots of different ways to describe you. What kind of situation do you want to see yourself positionally in the NBA? Do you want to go to a team where it’s like, hey, Dylan’s got the ball? Or like some of these teams are gonna have like pretty good players even if they don’t have a great record to where maybe you’re playing a little more off the ball, maybe you’re playing a little more two guard. What do you see in your career?

Obviously, I’m blessed to even have that in the conversation of what I would do in that next level. I just try to stay in the moment right now, you know, just finish the season up strong of Rutgers, but obviously when I get there, I mean, I’m gonna do whatever I got to do to help the team win, whether it’s like you say, play off the ball, play on the ball, this, that and third, I’m gonna do whatever the coach asked me to do and I’m just gonna go out there and try to win.

What’s this partnership been like with Kinder Bueno been like and what are you doing for him?

I mean, it’s kind of been great. My cousin introduced me to Kinder Bueno. I mean right when she gave me one, I liked it right away. It’s kind of irresistible like after a game or practice when you need a little snack, you know, just grab my Kinder Bueno bits. It’s just great company, great brand, you know, what they wanna do for March, I mean, just honestly blessed to be in that situation with them and just we’re gonna have a lot of good things.

The post Dylan Harper on picking Rutgers over Duke, lessons from Kobe and MJ, and his love for Ace Bailey appeared first on Sport-TV.Live.

She certainly thinks so.

Candace Parker is one of the best women’s basketball players in the history of basketball, and she was in her prime in 2016. She was also left off the 2016 Olympic team. What the hell? Did she commit some crime and couldn’t leave the country? Was she pregnant? Did she accidentally scratch the president of USA basketball’s car when leaving her parking space? No, no, and no. So what gives?

Well, some people, including Parker, believe USA basketball coach Geno Auriemma kept her off the team simply because he does not like her. Wherein lies the heart, the blood, and the soul of our beef.

Geno Auriemma is best known as the extremely successful coach of UConn women’s basketball. While a wild proportion of WNBA stars attend UConn, Candace Parker did not. She played for the Huskies’ greatest rival, the University of Tennessee.

Candace’s accusation forces us to ask questions like: why are there so many UConn players on Team USA? Does Auriemma still hate the University of Tennessee? Why did Geno bench her in the 2012 Olympics? And here’s the big one: why was she cut from the 2016 Olympic team?!

The post Did Candace Parker’s beef with Geno Auriemma keep her out of the Olympics? appeared first on Sport-TV.Live.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff was full of praise for his drivers ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix

Mercedes saw their 2025 Formula 1 season get off to an incredible start at the Australian Grand Prix, with George Russell finishing third to secure the team’s first podium of the season and rookie Kimi Antonelli finishing less than two seconds behind him, placing fourth in his F1 debut.

Now the team heads to Shanghai for the Chinese Grand Prix level on points with McLaren at the top of the Constructors’ Championship standings. While Lando Norris’ win in Melbourne gives McLaren the tiebreaker in the standings, this was a strong start for the Silver Arrows.

Still, Team Principal Toto Wolff balanced the “positives” from Australia with a “healthy dose of realism” when previewing the Chinese Grand Prix.

“We leave Australia with many positives but also a healthy dose of realism as to where we stand in the pecking order,” declared the Mercedes boss in the team’s media preview. “The W16 provided a stable platform for the drivers, was less prone to swings in performance relative to the conditions than its predecessor, and at moments, showed strong enough pace to challenge at the front.

“It’s clear we have taken a good step forward over the winter. Our focus is now on unlocking more potential and adding performance. We are excited for that challenge.”

Wolff was still rather effusive in his praise for the team, and both drivers, starting with Russell.

“George drove a flawless race, pushing when he needed to, managing his pace to capitalise on the podium and taking advantage of the opportunities when they presented themselves,” Wolff said. “A top performance and just underlies his speed, maturity and intelligence.”

As for the newest Mercedes F1 driver? The rookie handled what Wolff described as a “treacherous” track as well as he could.

“For Kimi, he could not have asked for a more difficult task on his Grand Prix debut: starting out of position, facing extremely difficult conditions and, at times, a treacherous track,” began Wolff.

”Nevertheless, he handled everything that was thrown at him with a maturity beyond his years. His speed when in free air was impressive and his confidence and decisiveness when overtaking were superb,” added the Mercedes boss. “There will be challenging moments for him across the season, but we are pleased with the trajectory we are seeing from him already. P4 was a just reward.”

Last year was a bit of a mixed bag for Mercedes in Shanghai. Lewis Hamilton qualified second for the F1 Sprint and held onto that spot in the F1 Sprint race, while Russell finished eighth to give Mercedes double points in that event.

However, Hamilton was eliminated in Q1 during qualifying for the Chinese Grand Prix, and while he delivered a strong recovery drive on Sunday, it was only good for ninth. As for Russell, he qualified eighth on Saturday and managed to pick up a few spots to finish sixth.

“We now head to Shanghai and look forward to returning to China after what was a remarkable Grand Prix last year. You could sense the passion and energy from the fans as F1 returned to the country for the first time in five years,” said Wolff. “As the world’s largest automotive market, and one of the world’s biggest economies, China is crucial to the sport’s global footprint.

“I am sure this year will see another great event.”

The post Toto Wolff praises a ‘flawless’ Mercedes driver ahead of F1 Chinese Grand Prix appeared first on Sport-TV.Live.

Sunday’s final round at The Players saw a slight uptick in television ratings compared to last year.

The PGA Tour did a remarkable job navigating around a front of storms that ripped through Northeast Florida on Sunday and earned a nice prize because of it.

Final round ratings for The Players on NBC averaged 3.6 million viewers, up from 3.5 million last year, when Scottie Scheffler stormed back with an 8-under 64 to win a second straight title. Josh Carpenter of Sports Business Journal initially reported the news.

This year saw Rory McIlroy hold the lead down the stretch, but he ultimately finished at 12-under par alongside J.J. Spaun. The sun then set, leaving everyone to wait for a Monday finish. McIlroy then defeated Spaun in a three-hole aggregate playoff on Monday morning.

Coverage peaked on Sunday at 6.2 million, up from 6 million last year, a surprising figure considering golf fans had to endure a four-hour weather delay on Sunday afternoon.

The tour did everything they could to get out in front of the forecasted storms. They moved up tee times to the morning, sent players out in threesomes and off of split tees, and hoped for the best. But Mother Nature brought lightning and heavy rain at about 1:15 p.m. ET, which sent the players off the course until 5:15 p.m. ET.

Luckily, when players returned to their spots at TPC Sawgrass, they had a little more than two hours left of daylight. By then, every group had played at least 10 holes, leaving enough time for everyone to finish. McIlroy also held the solo lead when play stopped, and ratings usually yield solid returns whenever the top of the leaderboard features his name. That was the case this week, but considering The Players had to endure a lengthy weather delay, tour executives and NBC brass must feel pleased with these numbers.

This also continues a bounce-back trend for the PGA Tour in 2025, as CBS also saw a ratings bump during its West Coast Swing throughout February.

Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Follow him on X @jack_milko.

The post Despite weather delay, TV ratings for Players Championship final round up from 2024 appeared first on Sport-TV.Live.