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USC women fall again to Paige Bueckers and UConn in Elite Eight of NCAA tournament

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USC women fall again to Paige Bueckers and UConn in Elite Eight of NCAA tournament

The answers had run out. The worst case had caught up to USC, at the worst time.

There was no more outrunning the reality looming over this entire NCAA tournament, not with Paige Bueckers at the height of her powers and the full weight of the Connecticut onslaught raining down on them. Without JuJu Watkins, there was no further the Trojans could go. And once again, it was Connecticut which slammed the door, ending USC’s season in the Elite Eight once again with a 78-64 victory.

The Huskies will face UCLA next weekend in the Final Four, while the Trojans are left to wonder where they go next without Watkins.

At every turn, until Monday, USC found an answer for her absence, scratching and clawing their way through two tournament rounds. In the round of 32, it was Kiki Iriafen who came alive in her stead. In the Sweet 16, it was a pair of freshmen in Avery Howell and Kennedy Smith who rose to the occasion.

But this trip, without Watkins, will be tinged forever with questions of what could have been.

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There is no way to know how far USC might have gone if Watkins’ right knee didn’t buckle beneath her a week ago. But USC did all it could to keep that unlikely journey going.

Rayah Marshall, playing in her final game at USC, finished with 23 points and 15 rebounds, playing the game of her life when it mattered most.

But all that worked in the previous two rounds suddenly came up short. Iriafen struggled, scoring just 10 points. The freshmen did, too, as Smith and Howell combined to shoot four of 15 from the field.

Back in December, USC had bested the Huskies on their home court in an early-season classic. But the Trojans had their star then — Watkins led all scorers with 25 — and the Huskies lost just one more game before Monday.

USC forward Kiki Iriafen shoots over Connecticut forward Sarah Strong during the first half Monday.

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(Jenny Kane / Associated Press)

The matchup closely resembled last year’s Elite Eight loss, as Bueckers went off for 31 points, two more than she had against the Trojans last March.

USC tried to work the ball inside early, in hopes of getting Iriafen off to a good start. Fresh off her worst game of the season, Iriafen delivered six quick points in the game’s first six minutes, and USC took control early. Marshall took over from there on the inside, as the pair combined for 16 of USC’s first 17 points.

But turnovers began to pile up, and the Trojans’ promising start dissolved in a four-minute scoreless drought at the end of the quarter, just as Connecticut freshman Sarah Strong found her stride. While USC zeroed in on Bueckers, Strong scored 10 of the Huskies’ first 12 points.

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For a while, the Trojans slowed Bueckers, who scored 40 in her previous outing, by chasing her with Smith, their most tenacious on-ball defender.

But Bueckers kept patient, and eventually broke loose. In the final 38 seconds of the half, she knocked down one three-pointer, then another, giving the Huskies a 39-25 lead at the break.

The barrage continued from there. Iriafen went cold after her strong start, failing to score again until late in the third quarter. The freshmen who carried USC in the last round stayed quiet. Connecticut pushed its lead to 19, threatening to bury USC.

The Trojans would unleash their suffocating press on defense, sparking an 11-0 run to end the third quarter. They cut Connecticut’s lead to just five.

But that was as close as USC would get. And now it will have all offseason to wonder what might have been.

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Police report details Zachariah Branch’s arrest days before NFL Draft over sidewalk incident

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Police report details Zachariah Branch’s arrest days before NFL Draft over sidewalk incident

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New details have emerged surrounding the arrest of former Georgia wide receiver Zachariah Branch, who is facing two misdemeanor charges following a run-in with law enforcement just days ahead of the NFL Draft. 

Branch, who is a projected second-round pick, was arrested early Sunday morning in Athens, Georgia, and charged with two counts of obstructing public sidewalks/streets – prowling and obstruction of a law enforcement officer. 

Georgia Bulldogs wide receiver Zachariah Branch celebrates after a touchdown catch against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Nov. 28, 2025. (Brett Davis/Imagn Images)

He was released after more than two hours in jail after posting $39 in bonds. 

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The NFL Network obtained the police report from Branch’s arrest, which described an encounter over an alleged sidewalk incident with law enforcement, in which police alleged that the former Bulldogs star failed “to comply with multiple verbal lawful commands.”

“A male, later identified as Zacharia Branch, continued to stand on the sidewalk without making an attempt to move. I continued to give Zacharia Branch verbal commands to move from blocking the sidewalk and advised that if he did not, he would receive a citation for blocking the sidewalk,” the excerpt from the report read. 

Georgia wide receiver Zachariah Branch runs during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind., on Feb. 28, 2026. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)

TOP NFL DRAFT PICK ZACHARIAH BRANCH ARRESTED IN GEORGIA ON TWO MISDEMEANOR CHARGES

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“Zacharia Branch smirked, then stepped backwards and to the right, then remained standing upon the public sidewalk, so as to obstruct, hinder, and impede free passage upon the sidewalk as well as impede free ingress/egress to or from the adjacent places of business,” the report continued.

“Due to those actions and Zacharia Branch’s failure to comply with multiple verbal lawful commands, he was placed under arrest for misdemeanor Obstruction of LEO and received a citation for Obstructing Public Sidewalks.”

Georgia wide receiver Zachariah Branch celebrates with wide receiver Colbie Young after scoring a touchdown against Ole Miss during the Sugar Bowl at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, La., on Jan. 1, 2026. (IMAGN)

Branch transferred after two seasons at Southern California and immediately became quarterback Gunner Stockton’s favorite target. He finished the season with a team-high 811 receiving yards and six receiving touchdowns.

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His status as a projected second-round pick was bolstered after an impressive showing at the combine, where he clocked a 4.35-second 40-yard dash.

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Quick final pit stop helps Alex Palou win Long Beach Grand Prix

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Quick final pit stop helps Alex Palou win Long Beach Grand Prix

For two-thirds of Sunday’s Long Beach Grand Prix, Alex Palou bided his time … waiting for the one break he needed.

It came in the form of a caution on the 58th lap, allowing him to overtake front-runner Felix Rosenqvist exiting pit lane and hold the lead the rest of the way, taking the checkered flag by 3.96 seconds for his third triumph in five IndyCar Series races this season and his first at Long Beach.

Right after being showered with applause and confetti at victory lane, the 29-year-old Spaniard thanked his crew, whose quick work on the last pit stop proved to be the difference.

“Everyone was coming in on that yellow and they did an incredible job,” he said. “We were either going to win it or not win right there.”

Rosenqvist settled for second and Scott Dixon, Palou’s Chip Ganassi Racing teammate, was third.

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It was the 11th win over the last 22 races dating to 2024 for the Barcelona native and the 22nd win of his career, tying Tony Bettenhausen and Emerson Fittipaldi. It also vaulted Palou to the top of the series standings as he chases his fourth series championship in a row and fifth overall. Palou won the opener March 1 in St. Petersburg (also a street course) and the fourth race March 29 in Alabama.

Palou led for only 32 of the 90 laps Sunday and acknowledged it would have been difficult to catch Rosenqvist if not for the stoppage.

“I wasn’t giving up but it would’ve been tough to get him today,” Palou acknowledged. “He was already three seconds ahead. I was happy with my car but I was struggling more on the soft tires than the hards so I’d say my chances were low. The feeling was great seeing all the open space coming out of pit lane because when you spend 60 laps behind a car it disturbs you. I tried to match him on soft tires but it wasn’t working.”

Alex Palou speeds through a curve of the track.

(Ronaldo Bolaños / Los Angeles Times)

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In six starts at Long Beach, Palou never has finished lower than fifth.

There is little room to maneuver on the 1.968-mile course with 11 tight turns, but after starting in the third position next to defending champion Kyle Kirkwood, Palou managed to sneak past Pato O’Ward into second place heading into the first turn on Lap 2.

“Making that move on the straightaway was big because I knew it was one of our only chances to get a pass on Pato,” Palou said. “I got that good run on that last corner and he didn’t expect it.”

This year marked the 51st edition of the longest-running major street race in North America, which started in 1975 as part of the Formula 5000 Series, switched to the CART/Champ Car World Series in 1984 and joined the IndyCar Series in 2009.

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The top four qualifiers started on softer, high-grip “alternate” tires to establish position while the rest of the grid started on harder, more durable “primaries” to manage degradation on the 110-degree track surface. Of the 25 starters, 24 completed the 177.12 miles.

“We were going to make the two-stop strategy work but didn’t know if it would be doable or not,” Palou added. “As soon as I saw I couldn’t get Felix it was all about patience, fuel and waiting for the right time. I owe this win to my team. Without that pit stop I probably wouldn’t be sitting here now. It only takes one mistake to go from second to seventh, but they’re great under pressure.”

Cars make their way down a straightaway during Long Beach Grand Prix.

Cars make their way down a straightaway during Long Beach Grand Prix.

(Ronaldo Bolaños / Los Angeles Times)

Past winners Will Power and Josef Newgarden moved into the top two positions after Rosenqvist pitted, but the Swede regained the lead when Newgarden pitted for the first time on Lap 37 and dropped back to 14th.

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The first 45 laps were caution-free as Rosenqvist, Palou, Kirkwood, David Malukas and O’Ward held the top five spots. Newgarden’s chances declined upon discovering a flat spot on his left front tire, and he dropped back to 14th.

Rosenqvist’s three-second lead was erased when debris on the track exiting the Aquarium Fountain drew the only yellow flag all afternoon and narrowed the gap. Capitalizing on favorable pit position, Palou emerged from the lane just ahead of Rosenqvist.

Rosenqvist. who won the pole position with a lap time of 1 minute 7.4625 seconds in qualifying, had mixed emotions as the runner-up after leading for 51 laps with no win to show for it.

“You want to win when you have an opportunity, but I’m proud of today,” Rosenqvist said.

“We weren’t as good as Alex on the blacks … the last pit cycle was the defining moment. We had to come around 14, he had more of an opening, and his crew nailed it. That happens.”

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Kirkwood, who was vying for his third win in four years, finished right where he started in fourth.

“I had a good cushion and figured even with a bad stop I’d probably stay ahead but I knew there’d probably be a yellow at some point and there it came,” Rosenqvist lamented. “Considering Alex had primary [tires], also I think we would’ve been able to hold him off. It’s definitely disappointing when you can’t wrap it up.”

Dixon, who started in the sixth position, was third and earned his first podium this season and the 136th of his career.

Fans watch with two laps left in the race.

Fans watch with two laps left in the race.

(Ronaldo Bolaños / Los Angeles Times)

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“The race itself was a bit blah — I sat in the same position for most of it,” Dixon said. “Luckily for us we had it easy out of that last stop.”

Al Unser Jr. holds the record for most wins at Long Beach, chalking up six in eight years, including an unmatched four in a row from 1988 to 1991.

Tom Sargent is becoming a fan of street circuits after two wins this weekend. Driving the Porsche 911 Cup for GMG Racing in the Mobil Pro Class, the 22-year-old Australian led from start to finish in Race 1 of the Carrera Cup North America on Saturday. In Race 2 on Sunday morning, he again started from the pole and claimed a 0.965-second victory over Aaron Jeansonne to complete the double.

In his last bid at Long Beach three years ago, he hit the wall on Lap 2 but still finished second.

“Momentum in sports is critical and the past few weeks have been really cool for me,” Sargent said. “I didn’t do any street circuit racing before I came to the States. Maybe it fits my driving style.”

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‘Demon’ Finn Balor settles score with Dominik Mysterio at WrestleMania 42

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‘Demon’ Finn Balor settles score with Dominik Mysterio at WrestleMania 42

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Finn Balor and Dominik Mysterio were once brothers in arms in the Judgment Day. The two helped the faction run “Monday Night Raw” for several years.

As championships and opportunities came and went, the rift between Balor and Mysterio grew. It came to a head when Balor caused Mysterio to lose the Intercontinental Championship to Penta. Balor leaving the Judgment Day left Mysterio and Liv Morgan as the leaders with JD McDonagh, Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez sticking around.

Finn Balor is introduced before his match against Dominik Mysterio during WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 19, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

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The latter four chose to ride with Mysterio and attacked Balor on one episode of Raw.

The bitter war led to a match Sunday night at WrestleMania 42. To make matters more interesting, Raw General Manager Adam Pearce made the match a street fight hours before the show was set to begin.

Balor had vowed to bring the “Demon” out and he certainly did.

JACOB FATU PUTS DREW MCINTYRE IN THE ‘REAR VIEW’ IN UNSANCTIONED MATCH AT WRESTLEMANIA 42

Finn Balor is introduced before his match against Dominik Mysterio during WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 19, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

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Balor made his way to the ring in his “Demon” gear, dripping with red and black paint. Mysterio was in a mask with other Mysterio supporters.

The two then proceeded to beat the crud out of each other.

Mysterio wrapped Balor’s head in between a chair and hit a 619 on him. He tried to pin Balor, but to no avail. At another point, Mysterio tossed Balor through a table set up in the corner.

As many have learned, it’s hard to keep your demons down. Mysterio learned the hard way.

Balor would not give up. Balor clotheslined Mysterio, hit him with a chair multiple times before wrapping his head in between the chair and drop-kicking him into the corner. Balor put Mysterio onto a table and hit the Coup de Grâce for the win.

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Dominik Mysterio is introduced before his match against Finn Balor during WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 19, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

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Balor excised his own demons, while Mysterio is still haunted.

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