NCAA titans struggle | Osaka falls at Indian Wells | UK eyes World Cup bid

The East Coast-West Coast beef is back.

One-time NCAA titans take a turn

The 2025 NCAA tournament will likely look a little different than years past, as former March Madness shoe-ins struggle to find their footing amid graduating stars, a revved-up transfer portal, and conference realignment’s growing pains.

• Case in point: Clemson took down 2021 NCAA champs Stanford 63-46 in the ACC tournament’s first round last night, with the Cardinal now in danger of missing March Madness for the first time since 1987 — the second-longest appearance streak in NCAA tournament history.

Big picture: Stanford might have seen the most dramatic unraveling this season — from moving to the ACC and legendary coach Tara VanDerveer’s retirement to star Cameron Brink going pro and Kiki Iriafen’s transfer to USC — but they’re far from alone.

• After losing a handful of 2023/24 standouts, Stanford’s former Pac-12 foe Oregon State went unranked all season, with the West Coast Conference debutant facing slim NCAA tournament prospects despite last year’s Elite Eight finish.

• Back-to-back Final Four contenders Iowa finds itself on similarly shaky ground, taking the No. 11 seed in the steep Big Ten tournament as the Hawkeyes strive to rebuild in the post-Caitlin Clark era.

Underdog loading: Of all the rebuilding programs, however, Iowa looks most poised to stir up some March Madness trouble, with Wednesday’s big win against Big Ten No. 14 Wisconsin providing momentum ahead of tonight’s second-round clash with Big Ten No. 6 Michigan State.

• With a few key regular-season ranked wins — including last month’s upset over Big Ten No. 1 USC — Clark’s alma mater is one potential bracket buster to keep an eye on once they make it to the Big Dance.

Tune in: Iowa takes on Michigan State in the Big Ten tournament tonight starting at 9 PM ET, with live coverage on Fox Sports.

FIFA delays Women’s Club World Cup

FIFA confirmed this week that the inaugural Women’s Club World Cup will now kick off in 2028, officially delaying its originally planned 2026 launch.

• Instead, the football’s world governing body will introduce a new Champions Cup in 2026, with FIFA ratifying both events on Wednesday.

Big picture: While worldwide club tournaments are an exciting prospect, a crowded schedule, lack of secured funding, and little news of the Club World Cup’s development prompted timing concerns as 2026 rapidly approaches.

• The alternative Champions Cup will be a smaller, six-team affair with winners from regional tournaments like UEFA Champions League, Concacaf Champions League, and other continental competitions battling it out in non-Women's Club World Cup years.

Looking ahead: In their announcement, FIFA also released more details about the Women’s Club World Cup, now set for early 2028.

• Six top clubs representing the AFC, CAF, Concacaf, CONMEBOL, the OFC, and UEFA will take part in the play-in stage, with three winners advancing.

• Those three teams will then join five directly qualified UEFA teams with plus two direct qualifiers each from CAF, CONMEBOL, AFC, and Concacaf in the group stage.

Takeaway: While demand for increased global programming is spreading, FIFA’s delay underlines the logistical issues of new competitions — and the strain they cause on players.

• “FIFA needs to involve its stakeholders, like the NWSLPA and NWSL, for an event like this to reach its potential,” NWSLPA executive director Meghann Burke told ESPN on Wednesday. “Otherwise, they are hamstringing women's football yet again like they've done since time immemorial."

Osaka stumbles at Indian Wells

Former world No. 1 Naomi Osaka hit another setback on Wednesday, falling in the first round of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells to Colombia’s unseeded Camila Osorio in straight sets.

• After winning Indian Wells in 2018, the match marked Osaka’s first return to the court since exiting the 2025 Australian Open with an abdominal injury.

• “I was really excited and looking forward to playing a champion like Naomi,” Osorio said after the match. “I can’t believe I won!”

Big picture: Indian Wells serves as the opener for the Sunshine Double, a pair of early-season high-profile WTA 1000 events that sees the world’s top players hitting the hardcourt in California and Florida each year.

• Reigning Indian Wells champion world No. 2 Iga Świątek begins her campaign on Friday, with world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka kicking off her own title pursuit later that day.

• With a wealth of US entrants thanks to the tournament’s convenient West Coast location, other major Stateside competitors include 2025 Australian Open champion world No. 5 Madison Keys, No. 4 Jessica Pegula, and No. 3 Coco Gauff.

Bottom line: The tennis calendar’s next Grand Slam isn’t until May, but the Sunshine Double often gives players a competitive opportunity to build up their rankings — or flame out quicker than anticipated.

UK eyes World Cup bid

The UK is preparing a bid to host the 2035 FIFA Women’s World Cup, with England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland joining forces in an attempt to bring the sport’s biggest event to Great Britain.

• England’s track record should make the bid particularly attractive after successfully hosting the 2022 Euros — and seeing the home side emerge victorious in the Lionesses first-ever major tournament win.

• “Football is and always will be at the core of our country’s identity," said Prime Minister Keir Starmer. “That pride was on full display when England hosted the Women’s Euro 2022. It not only showed the best of our nation to the world but inspired a generation of girls into the game, all whilst boosting the economy.”

Big picture: With Brazil set to host the 2027 World Cup and the US expected to lead a serious bid for 2031, FIFA announced this week that both Africa and Europe are in the running for 2035.

USA Hockey drops IIHF roster

USA Hockey tapped 25 players to represent the US at April’s 2025 IIHF World Championships in Czechia on Wednesday, as the team looks to avenge their overtime loss to Canada in the 2024 IIHF Final.

• 14-time World Championship medalist Hilary Knight will lead the team, heading up a roster highlighting a mix of college and professional athletes.

Big picture: This year’s lineup features 16 PWHL players, showcasing the importance of an in-season domestic league as teams around the world compete for international honors.

• “The depth of our player pool never makes these decisions easy, but we’re excited to shift our focus on bringing a gold home from Czechia,” said US Women’s Hockey GM Katie Million.

Quote of the day

USWNT star Sophia Wilson (neé Smith)
announcing her pregnancy on social media yesterday.