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USWNT faces Colombia in final SheBelieves test

The US is closing in on an eighth SheBelieves title, looking to run the table in Saturday’s final against Colombia to lift the 2026 trophy.

• The USWNT sits atop the four-team leaderboard with six points, needing only a draw against its South American neighbor to reclaim the title.

• “The part I love about my job is that I could see they’re really starting to understand both sides of the ball, their roles and responsibilities,” manager Emma Hayes said after Wednesday’s 1-0 win over Canada. (See full standings)

Taking stock: After two significant starting XI shakeups, fans can expect even more roster rotation in tomorrow’s third-and-final SheBelieves showdown.

• “I always rewind back to the Olympics — I felt really clear about 14 players,” Hayes said. “The gap was much bigger in terms of experience. If the Olympics were tomorrow, I think we’re in a better place.”

• The match will also honor retired World Cup and Olympic champion Tobin Heath, kicking off in the former USWNT star’s home state of New Jersey.

Tune in: The US takes on Colombia tomorrow at 3:30 PM ET, live on TBS.

Top seeds storm NCAA conference tournaments

NCAA heavy hitters take the court today, as top seeds enter their conference tournament quarterfinals after two jam-packed days of Power Four action.

• A few Big Ten underdogs are still alive, after No. 11 seed Oregon took down No. 6 Maryland and No. 10 Illinois upset No. 7 Michigan State on Thursday.

• The SEC also saw some surprises, as No. 9 Kentucky took down No. 8 Georgia and No. 11 Alabama sent No. 6 Tennessee packing. (See full results)

Madness loading: All eyes now turn to the season’s national contenders, namely SEC titans No. 1 seed South Carolina, No. 2 Vanderbilt, No. 3 Texas, and No. 4 LSU.

• The Longhorns got an early nod for the NCAA tournament’s fourth No. 1 seed, but that spot could shift depending on this weekend’s results.

• Projected No. 1 seed UCLA will also manage expectations, as the Bruins look to put a bow on a perfect regular-season Big Ten run. (See full rankings)

Tune in: ACC favorite Duke tips off the Power Four quarterfinals today against Clemson at 11 AM ET, live on ESPN2.

WTA opens Sunshine Double at Indian Wells

Tennis’s elite landed in California this week, as the BNP Parabas Open at Indian Wells kicked off the US-based Sunshine Double.

• Reigning champion world No. 8 Mirra Andreeva is back to defend her 2025 hardcourt title, joined by the rest of the WTA’s Top 10 including No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka.

• “I’m just so excited to be here as a defending champion, to see my photos almost everywhere,” said Andreeva. “I don’t feel any pressure defending points.” (See full rankings)

Stateside showdown: A strong US contingent is set to enter today’s Round of 64, including No. 4 Coco Gauff, No. 5 Jessica Pegula, and No. 6 Amanda Anisimova.

• “So far, so good,” Gauff said this week. “The weather is great as usual… I’m excited to go out there and play.”

• US legend Venus Williams also made an appearance in this year’s draw, falling to Diane Parry 6-3, 6(4)-7(7), 6-1 on Thursday. (Watch full highlights)

Tune in: Indian Wells coverage returns today at 2 PM ET, live on The Tennis Channel.

Your favorite WNBA show is back, as an all-new Between the Lines with Lisa Leslie presented by Intuit TurboTax brings more unfiltered commentary, insider perspective, and cultural critique to basketball fans everywhere.

• In the episode, UCLA coach Cori Close dives into Bruins basketball culture, revealing why the UCLA-USC rivalry fires up both teams and how the Big Ten grind prepares her squad for March Madness — while dropping plenty of behind-the-scenes intel along the way.

• “National prominence has run through LA for the last several years, and sometimes it’s been them, sometimes it’s been us,” Close said of UCLA’s crosstown foes. “But the reality is, how cool is it that we get to be a part of this rivalry? I think it brings out the best in everybody.”

Tune in: Catch Between the Lines with Lisa Leslie on YouTube.

Boston, Citron to miss FIBA World Cup qualifiers

USA Basketball is refining its roster, as the team gears up for next week’s FIBA World Cup qualifiers in Puerto Rico.

• Center Aliyah Boston and guard Sonia Citron will miss the trip after picking up injuries during Unrivaled play, with Monique Billings and Rae Burrell named as replacements.

• The team kicks off training in Miami this weekend, with young stars like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and Paige Bueckers expected to make their senior team debuts against Senegal on March 11th. (See full roster)

Big screen: On Thursday, TNT Sports announced plans to broadcast all five World Cup qualifying games live in the US.

• “We’re excited to showcase these events across all of TNT Sports networks and platforms, bringing fans closer to the players and stories that define international basketball,” said TNT Sports VP of content acquisitions Anthony D’Inverno. (See full release)

CAF postpones WAFCON 12 days before kickoff

Less than two weeks before kickoff, the Confederation of African Football announced plans to postpone this month’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations citing “unforeseen circumstances.”

• Originally scheduled to start March 17th in Morocco, 2026 WAFCON functions as a 2027 World Cup qualifying event for 16 African nations.

• “Preparations for the TotalEnergies CAF WAFCON 2026 are underway and all the parties are confident that it will be very successful,” CAF said in a statement. (Read full release)

Scheduling conflict: Now set to run from July 25th to August 16th, the shift could pose challenges for NWSL teams, with super stars like Temwa Chawinga (Malawi) and Barbra Banda (Zambia) in danger of missing significant club time when the US league returns from its Men’s World Cup break on July 3rd.

Number of the day

$184 million

Sportico reported this week that the average NWSL club is now worth $184 million — up 77% from 18 months ago.