Month: March 2024

If you’ve ever wanted to see a Mini ITX motherboard converted into a working laptop, you’re in luck— SFF.Network member APU_enthusiast posted a completed build project highlighting just that, and FanlessTech brought it to our attention because it is also passively cooled. Unlike active cooling (fans + heatsink or radiator), passive cooling relies entirely on a heatsink and natural air dissipation to get the job done, so generous breathing room is typically nice to have.The actual build specs are fairly modest but still within usable ranges for basic computing and lightweight gaming/emulation. ASRock’s N100DC-ITX board is used alongside 32 GB of Mushkin Essentials DDR4 RAM clocked at 3200 MT/s and is connected to a 1TB Mushkin Pilot-E NVMe Gen 3 drive. (Image credit: APU_enthusiast on SmallFormFactor.net)The CPU in use is the Intel N100, which is integrated into the ASRock N100DC-ITX motherboard and offers 4 cores and 4 threads of Intel’s Alder Lake architecture. It also uses the Intel UHD graphics engine, which will limit it significantly compared to current-gen Intel iGPUs.Those caveats stated, it’s still impressive to get all of this up and running off of a battery inside a custom enclosure that turns it into a dual-screened laptop. It can at least emulate Nintendo 3DS games, so can it really be that bad? Sure, something like Ayaneo Flip DS can emulate Switch in a yet-smaller form factor, but people make these projects for fun, not practicality.(Image credit: SFF.Network / APU_enthusiast)Besides being a fully functioning Mini ITX laptop project, the use of dual screens here is particularly creative. As showcased in the images above and the original gallery, the bottom screen can either be used to further enhance emulation/media consumption or repurposed as a full touchscreen keyboard. Considering the design is being demoed with 3DS emulation, it seems this dual-screen choice was likely shaped by that workload. (Image credit: SFF.Network / APU_enthusiast)Overall, it’s hard to really critique this project since it pretty much achieves everything it sets out to. The final result looks almost clean enough to be a consumer laptop (in a retro-futuristic 90s way, but still), though, of course, it can’t be expected to perform like a high-end gaming laptop.(Image credit: SFF.Network / APU_enthusiast)The success of this project also makes us wonder how performant a “proper” Mini ITX laptop project could be, leveraging active cooling and newer board/CPU combinations like ASRock’s Core i9-capable MITX board. While chances are any such projects will require sizable external power bricks, the proof of concept for Mini ITX laptops is already here! Another SFF.Network guy already did it with “Thin ITX”, too.Join the experts who read Tom’s Hardware for the inside track on enthusiast PC tech news — and have for over 25 years. We’ll send breaking news and in-depth reviews of CPUs, GPUs, AI, maker hardware and more straight to your inbox. […]

Some of the biggest stars on the LGPA Tour are shining brighter than the Arizona sun thus far at the inaugural Ford Championship.
Taking place at Seville Golf and Country Club outside of Phoenix, Pajaree Anannarukarn fired a bogey-free 63 and leads by herself at 9-under.
But one stroke behind is Lilia Vu, who, like Wyndham Clark, continues to battle through a back injury. And yet, Vu persevered and sits in a tie for second with four others, including Australian Gabriela Ruffels and Solheim Cup hero Carlota Ciganda.
“I think I did pretty well. I’ve been recovering from a back injury, and my only goal today was to hit the ball solid,” Vu said.
“It’s been kind of difficult the past couple of weeks just playing through pain and trying to make contact with the golf ball. But today, that was my only focus, and it turned out really great.”

Lilia Vu plays a shot during the first round of the 2024 Ford Championship.

Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Vu, like Anannarukarn, made nine birdies on Thursday but stumbled on the par-3 8th with a bogey.
“I think I was really excited to pull off shots that I saw in my head,” Vu added.
“It’s been a while since I’ve been able to hit a shot that I see, so I think it was super fun to be like, okay, I can hit a nice little draw here. It ends up maybe like 10 or 15 feet, and go and try and make it.”
The former UCLA Bruin hit 13-of-14 fairways and needed only 24 putts, a pretty impressive round considering her ailing back.
Nelly Korda, meanwhile, signed for a 6-under 66. Of course, with Korda’s victory last week, she overtook Vu in the Rolex Women’s Rankings. Korda now sits atop the rankings as the top female player in the world.
“Played pretty well, but completely different weather compared to that last week,” Korda said.

Nelly Korda lines up a putt.

Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images

“I know Arizona has been getting a good bit of rain throughout the winter. I knew there would be low scores out there, so I needed to be aggressive.”
Blustery weather produced brutal conditions at last week’s Fir Hills Seri Pak Championship, but that did not stop Korda from prevailing in a playoff over Ryann O’Toole. As such, Korda has kept it light so far this week. Last week put a toll on the entire field, both physically and mentally.
“I took Monday off and then came out here really early on Tuesday and just kind of got off the golf course and got out of here by 11:00 and gave myself the afternoon off,” Korda explained.
“Then, I had an afternoon pro-am on Wednesday. I kept it pretty light at the beginning of the week, knowing I needed rest, and that was the most important thing.”
Other contenders include Celine Boutier of France, American Alison Lee, and Emily Kristine Pedersen of Denmark.

Celine Boutier at the 2024 Ford Championship.

Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Boutier, who had a remarkable 2023 season, shot a bogey-free 7-under 65, while Lee and Pedersen sit at 6-under.
“It was pretty calm today. I definitely felt like the scores were going to be low, so I just tried to take advantage of the chances that I got,” Boutier explained.
“Especially the par-5s, which are mostly reachable, so I feel like it was definitely a big advantage to have a very calm day today. I managed to get a lot of birdies, so that was pretty fun.”
The weather for Friday calls for similar conditions, with temperatures in the mid-80s and winds not exceeding eight to ten miles per hour. More low scores should emerge, and the stars will—in all likelihood—continue to shine.
It should be a great weekend in the desert.
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well. […]

We are three races into the Formula 1 season.
While much remains the same from 2024 — Red Bull is leading the Constructors’ Championship and Max Verstappen is atop the Drivers’ standings — recent events have shaken the field up a bit. Mercedes is floundering, McLaren is strong, and Ferrari has certainly closed the gap to Red Bull.
Then there is a fascinating fight shaping up in the midfield, one that has Visa Cash App RB F1 Team in front at the moment thanks to a strong drive from Yuki Tsunoda in the Australian Grand Prix.
With so much on the line, and a short break until the Japanese Grand Prix, this is a good time to take stock of where each team stands at the moment. But rather than a simple review, we’ll look at the biggest question facing each team right now.
Earlier this week we took a look at Alpine, asking how quickly progress will come for a team desperately needing a step forward. We also asked whether Sauber can fix a pit stop issue that has plagued them in each of the season’s first three races.
On Wednesday we asked whether Williams would be facing a hangover after everything they went through in Australia, whether Haas had truly eliminated their biggest gremlin from last season and yes, just how hot the seat really is under Daniel Ricciardo.
Now we turn to Aston Martin, the fifth team in the current Constructors’ Championship standings. The darlings of the early season in 2023, Aston Martin has enjoyed a solid start to 2024, but it has not been a start on part with their dream beginning to the previous campaign.
Is that a sign of trouble down the road, a reflection on the other teams on the grid, or perhaps something else?
Aston Martin: Can they get the mid-season development right?
A year ago, Aston Martin was the story of the paddock.
The team arrived at Bahrain for pre-season testing in 2023 with a new driver — veteran Fernando Alonso joined the team to replace the retiring Sebastian Vettel — and a new car, the AMR23. From early in pre-season testing it was clear: Aston Martin had something to work with.
“I think they’ve made a big step,” Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner told F1TV during testing a year ago. “It looks like their concept of car has moved them forward and it looks like they’re not too far away. “Fernando [Alonso] in particular looks very competitive.”
It did not take long for that promise to turn into points.
Aston Martin began the year with a stunning double-podium finish — buoyed by Alonso’s podium finish and a strong result from an injured Lance Stroll — and early in the season the team looked to challenge Ferrari and Mercedes at the front of the pack. Alonso started 2023 with three-straight podiums, and five in their first six races, and Aston Martin looked like true contenders.
But by mid-season, the picture had begun to change.
Look at this chart from Formula1Points.com, which tracks the points progression from four teams: Mercedes, Ferrari, Aston Martin, and McLaren. Mercedes is in grey, Ferrari in the browish-orange, McLaren in the black, and Aston Martin in yellow:

Aston Martin left the Austrian Grand Prix in third place in the Constructors’ Championship, just three points behind Mercedes. At that time they were 21 points clear of fourth-place Ferrari, and a whopping 146 points ahead of McLaren.
But you can see how their fortunes changed after Austria — or more accurately they flat-lined — while McLaren and Ferrari kept coming. Ferrari passed Aston Martin for good at the Dutch Grand Prix, and McLaren used a strong weekend in Qatar (which included a Sprint Race win from Oscar Piastri) to leapfrog Aston Martin in the standings.
This year, however, the start has not been as great for McLaren. While Alonso has finished in the points in each race, and Stroll finished in the points in Bahrain and Australia, it has not been the three-podium start the team enjoyed in 2023. As a result, instead of heading to the fourth race of the season sitting second in the Constructors’, they find themselves in fifth.
Now, the other teams have been working over the winter too, and some have taken big steps forward. After all, Ferrari and McLaren in particular seem to be on stronger footing than they were a year ago, which could be part of the equation.
Another thing to consider is how, in their own words, Aston Martin struggled with mid-season development of the AMR23 a season ago. “For me, [the mid-season] was challenging because there’s a need to understand what’s happening. You have to zoom out and look at the bigger picture. Are others improving massively? Are we not progressing enough? You have to be honest in your assessments, ask yourself tough questions, form an understanding and then make sure everybody in the team also understands the situation, sticks together, and works through it,” said Team Principal Mike Krack this off-season.
“I said a few times, the goal for the rest of the season was to understand the car and reverse the trend,” added Krack. “I thought if we could get back on the podium in the second half of the year, that would be a fantastic achievement. We did that twice – but everyone still wants more!”
The team boss is not the only member of Aston Martin who is pointing to the mid-season development window being critical.
“We’re very pleased with the step that we’ve made over the winter,” Technical Director Fallows said at the launch of the AMR24. “We think we have made a step on last year’s car, which is what we wanted. But in truth, it is a short off-season. And we were developing things that were relevant for this year quite late on into last season. So the main aim for us is really to make sure that this car is a good platform to put those developments on during the season.
“We’ve seen, particularly last season, but also the season before, the in-season development races is absolutely fierce, and we want to be as competitive in that as we have been going into the new season. So that’s what we’ve been really focussed on is to make sure that we’ve got a good, stable basis for us to go and develop the car and keep those updates coming and keep the performance coming.”
So the biggest question for Aston Martin right now remains the biggest question facing them coming into the year.
Can they get May, June, July, August, and September right? Can they get the mid-season development right on the AMR24, something they missed a season ago?
The team believes they are on the right path, and the data bears that out, at least when comparing the AMR24 to the AMR23.
“What have we learnt about AMR24 across the first two race weekends and pre-season testing? In terms of quality, it’s a step forward. It’s also substantially faster than AMR23. We were seven-tenths quicker in Bahrain than a year ago and nine-tenths quicker in Jeddah.Our gains are what you might expect, with most of the field making similar improvements. This proves you really have to be at the top of your game at all times,” said Krack ahead of the Australian Grand Prix.
“So far, the car is a little more difficult to drive than AMR23, but you will always take faster over easier. What we’ve been doing in recent weeks is trying to improve the car and the balance to allow the drivers to extract more from it,” added Krack. “We have updates coming continuously. There’s plenty to be positive about.”
Whether that positivity turns into progress — and podiums — in the mid-season due to the team getting the upgrades right remains the biggest question facing Aston Martin. […]

Defining Forced Labor | Indicators | Addressing Forced Labor | Allegations | Enforcement Process | WROs and Findings | UFLPACBP’s forced labor enforcement mission supports ethical and humane trade while leveling the playing field for U.S. companies that respect fair labor standards. CBP is the only U.S. government agency, and one of the few in the world, with the legal authority to take enforcement action against goods produced with forced labor to prevent entry into domestic commerce.

Forced labor is a violation of basic human rights. CBP is committed to identifying products made by forced labor and preventing them from entering the United States, thereby denying access to the U.S. economy for those that engage in the egregious human rights abuses associated with the use of forced labor.

Eradicating the use of forced labor is a moral imperative. Additionally, forced labor is an unfair trade practice that undermines the ability of companies that treat workers fairly to compete in the global economy. CBP is determined not only to prevent goods made with forced labor from entering the United States, but also to do everything within our authority to stop them from being made in the first place.

CBP enforces forced labor trade law under 19 U.S.C. 1307, which defines forced labor as all work or service which is exacted from any person under the menace of any penalty for its nonperformance and for which the worker does not offer work or service voluntarily. This includes forced or indentured child labor.

The indicators listed below were developed by the International Labour Organization. They are intended to help front-line criminal law enforcement officials, inspectors, trade union officers, NGO workers, and others to identify persons who are possibly trapped in a forced labor situation, and who may require urgent assistance. These indicators represent the most common signs that point to the possible existence of forced labor.

ILO indicators of Forced Labor

CBP implements Section 307 of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. §1307) through issuance of Withhold Release Orders (WRO) and Findings, and enforcement of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) and Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), to prevent merchandise produced in whole or in part in a foreign country using forced labor from being imported into the United States.

CBP is responsible for preventing the entry of products made with forced labor into the U.S. market by investigating and acting upon allegations of forced labor in supply chains.

CBP regulations state that any person who has reason to believe that merchandise produced by forced labor is being, or is likely to be, imported into the United States may communicate his belief to any Port Director or the Commissioner of CBP (19 CFR 12.42). To submit information to CBP alleging merchandise was produced with forced labor, please use CBP’s eAllegations website. While allegations may be reported anonymously, those with a higher rate of successful acceptance for investigations typically provide follow-up contact information for the agency and provide specific and timely information about labor conditions and specific supply chain entities connected to the forced labor. Please reference the allegation submission checklist and recommended guidelines for supporting documentation linked below.

Forced Labor Allegation Submission Checklist

Guidelines for Submissions of Forced Labor Supporting Documents

CBP encourages stakeholders in the trade community to closely examine their supply chains to ensure goods imported into the United States are not mined, produced or manufactured, wholly or in part, with prohibited forms of labor, i.e., slave, convict, indentured, forced or indentured child labor.

Forced Labor Enforcement and Our Partners

Are your imported goods subject to a WRO or Finding? Check the Withhold Release Orders and Findings List for information on any merchandise that may be subject to exclusion and/or seizure. It is your obligation to be aware of your supply chain activities.

Forced Labor Statistics: Enforcement Actions

*11 active WROs were superseded by enforcement of the UFLPA rebuttable presumption. Additionally, six active WROs were superseded by enforcement of Findings. **Data is from October 1, 2023 to December 31, 2023. This data element is updated on a quarterly basis.

The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) establishes a rebuttable presumption that the importation of any goods, wares, articles, and merchandise mined, produced, or manufactured wholly or in part in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the People’s Republic of China, or produced by certain entities, is prohibited by Section 307 of the Tariff Act of 1930 and that such goods, wares, articles, and merchandise are not entitled to entry to the United States.

The UFLPA rebuttable presumption went into effect on June 21, 2022. Please visit our UFLPA webpage for all updates on implementation. […]

Defining Forced Labor | Indicators | Addressing Forced Labor | Allegations | Enforcement Process | WROs and Findings | UFLPACBP’s forced labor enforcement mission supports ethical and humane trade while leveling the playing field for U.S. companies that respect fair labor standards. CBP is the only U.S. government agency, and one of the few in the world, with the legal authority to take enforcement action against goods produced with forced labor to prevent entry into domestic commerce.

Forced labor is a violation of basic human rights. CBP is committed to identifying products made by forced labor and preventing them from entering the United States, thereby denying access to the U.S. economy for those that engage in the egregious human rights abuses associated with the use of forced labor.

Eradicating the use of forced labor is a moral imperative. Additionally, forced labor is an unfair trade practice that undermines the ability of companies that treat workers fairly to compete in the global economy. CBP is determined not only to prevent goods made with forced labor from entering the United States, but also to do everything within our authority to stop them from being made in the first place.

CBP enforces forced labor trade law under 19 U.S.C. 1307, which defines forced labor as all work or service which is exacted from any person under the menace of any penalty for its nonperformance and for which the worker does not offer work or service voluntarily. This includes forced or indentured child labor.

The indicators listed below were developed by the International Labour Organization. They are intended to help front-line criminal law enforcement officials, inspectors, trade union officers, NGO workers, and others to identify persons who are possibly trapped in a forced labor situation, and who may require urgent assistance. These indicators represent the most common signs that point to the possible existence of forced labor.

ILO indicators of Forced Labor

CBP implements Section 307 of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. §1307) through issuance of Withhold Release Orders (WRO) and Findings, and enforcement of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) and Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), to prevent merchandise produced in whole or in part in a foreign country using forced labor from being imported into the United States.

CBP is responsible for preventing the entry of products made with forced labor into the U.S. market by investigating and acting upon allegations of forced labor in supply chains.

CBP regulations state that any person who has reason to believe that merchandise produced by forced labor is being, or is likely to be, imported into the United States may communicate his belief to any Port Director or the Commissioner of CBP (19 CFR 12.42). To submit information to CBP alleging merchandise was produced with forced labor, please use CBP’s eAllegations website. While allegations may be reported anonymously, those with a higher rate of successful acceptance for investigations typically provide follow-up contact information for the agency and provide specific and timely information about labor conditions and specific supply chain entities connected to the forced labor. Please reference the allegation submission checklist and recommended guidelines for supporting documentation linked below.

Forced Labor Allegation Submission Checklist

Guidelines for Submissions of Forced Labor Supporting Documents

CBP encourages stakeholders in the trade community to closely examine their supply chains to ensure goods imported into the United States are not mined, produced or manufactured, wholly or in part, with prohibited forms of labor, i.e., slave, convict, indentured, forced or indentured child labor.

Forced Labor Enforcement and Our Partners

Are your imported goods subject to a WRO or Finding? Check the Withhold Release Orders and Findings List for information on any merchandise that may be subject to exclusion and/or seizure. It is your obligation to be aware of your supply chain activities.

Forced Labor Statistics: Enforcement Actions

*11 active WROs were superseded by enforcement of the UFLPA rebuttable presumption. Additionally, six active WROs were superseded by enforcement of Findings. **Data is from October 1, 2023 to December 31, 2023. This data element is updated on a quarterly basis.

The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) establishes a rebuttable presumption that the importation of any goods, wares, articles, and merchandise mined, produced, or manufactured wholly or in part in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the People’s Republic of China, or produced by certain entities, is prohibited by Section 307 of the Tariff Act of 1930 and that such goods, wares, articles, and merchandise are not entitled to entry to the United States.

The UFLPA rebuttable presumption went into effect on June 21, 2022. Please visit our UFLPA webpage for all updates on implementation. […]

The 2024 NCAA Tournament has plenty of great matchups to watch during the Sweet 16. The first weekend featured a lack of major upsets and a true Cinderella story. But the flip side to a chalk-filled bracket is a second weekend filled with college basketball’s elite teams.
This is only the fifth time all four No. 1 and No. 2 seeds advanced to the Sweet 16 and the first time since 2019. And that doesn’t even include consistent NCAA tournament veterans like Duke, Gonzaga, Tennessee, and Alabama.
It should make for a very fun few days of college hoops. Here’s a look at each of the eight Sweet 16 matchups ranked in terms of watchability.
8. No. 1 UConn vs. No. 5 San Diego State, East Regional, Thursday, 7:39 p.m. ET
Outside of being a rematch of last season’s national championship game, there isn’t much intrigue to this Sweet 16 matchup. The Huskies won last season’s title game by 17 points. Unless you were a UConn fan, or winning a pool, it wasn’t particularly enjoyable to watch. While the rosters for each team feature some differences, this is still the most lopsided matchup of the Sweet 16.
UConn is favored by double-digit points. San Diego State is going to need star forward Jaedon LeDee to have a big night against a UConn frontline that is elite at stopping players on the interior. Both teams also play on the slower side and value longer possessions. This game has the potential to get ugly early if UConn continues to take care of business.
7. No. 2 Arizona vs. No. 6 Clemson, West Regional, Thursday, 7:09 p.m. ET
The draw for this matchup is two top-25 offenses and a decent big-man matchup between Clemson’s PJ Hall and Arizona’s Oumar Ballo. Hall has battled foul trouble throughout the NCAA tournament and is hoping to get a more generous whistle in the Sweet 16 to stay on the floor.
Clemson’s defensive intensity and backcourt play have picked up the slack with Chase Hunter acting as the team’s leading scorer in both of the Tigers’ tournament wins. Arizona’s backcourt should be a handful to defend. Caleb Love is already familiar with the Tigers from his ACC days at North Carolina and he could be poised for another big game. This isn’t a bad Sweet 16 matchup and could be a fun matchup. It just shows how loaded this year’s draw is when a matchup of two solid teams gets relegated to this spot.

Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images

6. No. 2 Marquette vs. No. 11 N.C. State, South Regional, Friday, 7:09 p.m. ET
This Friday matchup has star power, a fun NCAA double-digit seed, and an interesting contrast in styles. It wouldn’t be right to classify a proud ACC program like N.C. State a “Cinderella” but it’s hard to ignore what the Wolfpack have accomplished over the last two weeks. With its NCAA tournament fate hanging in the balance, N.C. State reeled off seven straight must-win games including five in five days in Washington D.C. at the ACC tournament.
During that run, Wolfpack basketball has drawn plenty of attention. The backcourt of D.J. Horne and Casey Morsell is experienced and wide-bodied big men D.J. Burns Jr. has turned into the latest March cult hero for fans of post-play.
Marquette counters with an offense that can border on electric with a healthy Tyler Kolek running the show. Thankfully, Kolek has looked healthy during the NCAA tournament so far and his pick-and-roll prowess should be on full display in this one. Big man Oso Ighodaro and his sound skill level should also offer a fun contrast to Burns’ power game in the post.
N.C. State has made a habit of overtime games and huge upsets during its March run. Is there perhaps one more big win left in the tank?

5. No. 1 Purdue vs. No. 5 Gonzaga, Friday, Midwest Regional, Friday, 7:39 p.m. ET
Purdue and Gonzaga are the only two programs in college basketball to make at least the Sweet 16 in five of the last seven seasons. Unfortunately, a solid matchup on paper lacks excitement compared to other matchups.
This will be the third time college hoops fans have seen this matchup on a neutral court in the last two seasons. The Boilermakers won each of the first two matchups by double figures after dismantling the Bulldogs in the PK80 last season and winning again at the Maui Invitational this season.
National Player of the Year Zach Edey has proven to be unguardable for most of the country but he seems to have a particular affinity for facing Gonzaga. The 7-foot-4 big man averaged 24 points, 10.5 rebounds, and three blocks per game facing the Zags the past two years.
Unless Purdue gets more NCAA tournament jitters — which could happen given the programs’s propensity for untimely early exits — then this matchup doesn’t offer as much excitement as some of the others.
4. No. 2 Creighton vs. No. 3 Tennessee, Midwest Regional, Friday, 10:09 p.m. ET
This one comes down to some fun individual matchups. Namely, Tennessee All-American and deluxe scorer Dalton Knecht facing the talented Creighton perimeter led by Trey Alexander and Baylor Scheierman.
All three players can take over a game with hot perimeter shooting and all three also have the green light to attempt some of the more crazy three-point attempts seen in the tournament.
Creighton leads NCAA tournament teams in three-pointers. They’ll attempt a healthy number to combat a physical Tennessee defense. If the shots aren’t falling then Ryan Kalkbrenner is a veteran presence on the interior for the Bluejays.
The Volunteers desperately need consistent scoring outside of Knecht and junior big man Jonas Aidoo. If the shots are falling, this could be a fun back-and-forth. But this also has great potential to turn into a rock fight if Tennessee’s tough perimeter defense shuts down Creighton and slows the game down.

Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

3. No. 1 Houston vs. No. 4 Duke, South Regional, Friday, 9:39 p.m. ET
On paper, this might be the best overall matchup of the Sweet 16. KenPom currently has both of these teams in the top six in the country. Both teams boast top-15 offenses and top-20 defenses in terms of efficiency metrics.
But this won’t be the most aesthetically pleasing contest.
Houston and Duke are both okay with running long possessions and grinding things out. And the Cougars, in particular, might need to really muck this game up to avoid the Blue Devils having the advantage of 7-footer and national villain Kyle Filipowski on the interior.
The backcourt battle of Houston’s Jamal Shead and L.J. Cryer against Duke’s Jeremy Roach, Tyrese Proctor, and Jared McCain should be intense. Shead willing the Cougars to victory in the second round over Texas A&M will be one of this tournament’s marquee moments. McCain’s red-hot shooting lifted Duke to a comfortable second-round win over James Madison. But this game will be very slow compared to some other Sweet 16 matchups so hasn’t generated as much buzz.
2. No. 2 Iowa State vs. No. 3 Illinois, East Regional, Thursday, 10:09 p.m. ET
This is the type of high-intensity matchup that fans of the NCAA tournament clamor for. Illinois has the nation’s No. 1 offense facing Iowa State’s No. 1 defense. Both teams are entering this matchup red hot after the Fighting Illini won the Big Ten Tournament title and the Cyclones claimed the Big 12 Tournament title.
And the guard play will be incredibly high level. Iowa State’s Tamin Lipsey and Keshon Gilbert will get their crack at slowing down potential first-round pick Terrance Shannon Jr. and fellow senior guard Marcus Domask.
Illinois scored over 84 points in each of the first two NCAA tournament games. So Iowa State might have no choice but to put up points to match the Fighting Illini. Both of these programs (and fan bases) are desperate for a deep March run. In a Sweet 16 loaded with intrigue, this matchup has the potential to steal the show with so much high-octane talent on the floor.

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

1. No. 1 North Carolina vs. No. 4 Alabama, West Regional, Thursday, 9:39 p.m. ET
If a shaky Alabama defense can hold up, this matchup will be a ton of fun to watch. Both teams are top 17 in the country in offense and these are two of the three fastest-tempo teams left in the NCAA tournament. Alabama leads the nation in scoring at just over 90 points per game while North Carolina paced the ACC in scoring at 81 points a game.
There will be points and there’s the potential for a lot of points to come in a hurry.
A primo perimeter battle is locked in as North Carolina senior R.J. Davis faces Alabama senior Mark Sears. Both guards are All-American sharpshooters who act as catalysts for elite offenses. The key for this one could come down to Alabama’s secondary guys matching up with North Carolina. Armando Bacot is a consistent interior threat for the Tar Heels while the Crimson Tide will turn to a committee to help ease the scoring burden on Sears. […]

We are three races into the Formula 1 season.
While much remains the same from 2024 — Red Bull is leading the Constructors’ Championship and Max Verstappen is atop the Drivers’ standings — recent events have shaken the field up a bit. Mercedes is floundering, McLaren is strong, and Ferrari has certainly closed the gap to Red Bull.
Then there is a fascinating fight shaping up in the midfield, one that has Visa Cash App RB F1 Team in front at the moment thanks to a strong drive from Yuki Tsunoda in the Australian Grand Prix.
With so much on the line, and a short break until the Japanese Grand Prix, this is a good time to take stock of where each team stands at the moment. But rather than a simple review, we’ll look at the biggest question facing each team right now.
Earlier this week we took a look at Alpine, asking how quickly progress will come for a team desperately needing a step forward. We also asked whether Sauber can fix a pit stop issue that has plagued them in each of the season’s first three races.
Already today we asked whether Williams would be facing a hangover after everything they went through in Australia, and whether Haas had truly eliminated their biggest gremlin from last season.
Now we turn to the sixth-place on the grid, Visa Cash App RB F1 Team. But as things tend to be in the Red Bull family, the focus is mainly off the track.
VCARB: Is Daniel Ricciardo truly in trouble?
Death, taxes, and Dr. Helmut Marko issuing ultimatums.
Last year it was rookie driver Nyck de Vries — in the seat currently occupied by Ricciardo — who caught Marko’s eye. As de Vries struggled out of the gate, Marko continually turned up the heat on the driver, at one point issuing what he called the “yellow card” in stating that de Vries needed to improve his form, or else.
“Nothing will happen in the next three races,” Marko confirmed to F1-Insider.com last season. “We have spoken to de Vries and he is of the same opinion as we are: He has to improve. The gap to team-mate Yuki Tsunoda, who is doing a great job, is too big.
“To use footballer’s language: Nick got the yellow card, but not the red one yet. If he improves, a change of driver will not be an issue.”
The red card eventually came and the rookie driver was sacked mid-season, in place of Ricciardo. In his return to the grid Ricciardo finished 13th at the Hungarian Grand Prix, and then 16th at the Belgian Grand Prix. Then in practice ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix Ricciardo turned into the wall to avoid Oscar Piastri ahead of him in practice, and suffered a broken bone in his hand that required surgery.
That surgery sidelined him for the next five races and opened the door for Liam Lawson to get his first taste of F1 action. Lawson performed very well in relief, scoring his first F1 points with a ninth-place finish in the Singapore Grand Prix,
But Ricciardo returned to action for the United States Grand Prix, and scored an impressive seventh-place finish in the Mexico City Grand Prix the very next week. The team confirmed that he, along with Yuki Tsunoda, would be the two drivers for the newly-minted VCARB outfit for the 2024 season, with Lawson a reserve driver.
However, the results have not followed for Ricciardo yet this season. While Tsunoda has out-qualified him in each of the three races, and scored the team’s first points with a seventh-place finish in Australia, Ricciardo has yet to even see Q3 this season, his best starting spot on the grid dual P14 starts the first two weeks.
Entering Australia, the seat seemed to be hot under Ricciardo. Following the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Marko addressed the Australian’s slow start. “Ricciardo has to show something quickly. There is work to be done,” said Marko to Motorsport following the race in Jeddah.
Ahead of his home race, Ricciardo addressed the “stories” regarding his form and his future, noting he was focused on results more than anything else.
“But the more you get caught up in that stuff, then that starts taking focus away from my job and that’s driving as fast as possible. I know we do a lot of other things during the course of a race weekend but that’s why we’re here ultimately, to push the car to the limit and try to make it as good as it can be,” stated Ricciardo during the FIA Press Conference in response to a question from David Croft of Sky Sports F1.
“So this weekend it’s something I look forward to obviously being here racing at home, but yeah, as you said, after the first two races it hasn’t been amazing. but it’s not a concern I think it’s two races out of 24 and there’s a lot of new people in the team,” added Ricciardo. “So it’s very early, but I do definitely want to have a strong weekend and yeah, do well.”
That strong weekend did not come. Ricciardo struggled in qualifying — failing to get out of Q1 for the first time this year — and while he picked up a number of spots in the race (two retirements and a late-stage accident from George Russell certainly helped) he finished outside the points.
And four places behind Tsunoda.
Following the Australian Grand Prix, it seemed the situation at VCARB had reached a boiling point. A report from the NZ Herald on Monday indicated that Marko had issued an “ultimatum” to Ricciardo, that either the driver improve his form by the Miami Grand Prix, or he would see Lawson take his spot.
While subsequent reporting indicated that such discussions were “premature,” and Lawson’s own representatives denied any knowledge of such a switch, Marko did go on record following the Australian Grand Prix.
Speaking with Sky Sports Germany, Marko declared that Tsunoda enjoyed a “perfect” weekend in Melbourne. “Yuki ran perfectly from the first lap on Friday and set very consistent and good times in today’s race. When [Haas driver Nico] Hülkenberg attacked, he immediately countered,” said Marko. “I think we have confirmed that Yuuki is an absolutely mature driver.”
He then turned his thoughts to Ricciardo.
“He’s struggling, we’ll have to see. There were some good signs in the Bahrain test, but the last few races haven’t been going too well,” added Marko. “I think Ricciardo needs a safe and confident car. I hope the team can give him that so he can at least be on par with Yuki.”
If this sounds to you like the situation with de Vries from last season, you are not alone.
A few things can be true. Marko may have put the heat on Ricciardo, the team may be contemplating a switch to Lawson at some point, and Lawson and/or his management team has not been made privy to such discussions. All of those are possible.
But what is clear is that to this point, Ricciardo has lagged behind his teammate. As an organization Red Bull is notorious for a lack of patience with drivers, de Vries being the most recent example. The team also has a number of drivers waiting in the wings, not just Lawson. It is worth noting that at the Japanese Grand Prix next weekend Ricciardo will be sidelined for the first practice session, replaced by Ayumu Iwasa. Iwasa is another of Red Bull’s rising stars, who finished fourth in F2 a season ago. Iwasa has moved to Super Formula for this season, and finished in the points in his debut last month.
This means that VCARB will have a pair of Japanese drivers participating in the first practice session at Suzuka.
Whether an ultimatum has been issued is truly beside the point.
The point is that Ricciardo has to improve, and given the team’s history, he might need to improve quickly. […]

Corsair’s come a long way since its 1994 debut selling L2 cache modules for OEMs. Today the company sells a wide variety of components and peripherals, like the Corsair 5000X case and CX750M Power Supply. Cooling has also long been a staple of the company’s lineup, with its flagship iCUE H170i Elite LCD XT proving to be the strongest cooler we’ve tested so far with Intel’s i9-13900K.  Today’s review will cover the company’s latest 360mm AIO, the iCUE Link H150i RGB, paired with Intel’s i7-13700K. This updated model features new QX120 RGB fans with iCUE Link connections that do away with traditional cables between fans. The H170i earned a spot on our best AIO coolers list, but does the iCUE Link H150i RGB also have what it takes? We’ll have to put it through testing to find out. But first, here are the specifications from Corsair.Cooler specificationsSwipe to scroll horizontallyCoolerCorsair iCUE Link H150i RGBMSRP$239.99Heatsink MaterialAluminumRated LifespanUnlistedSocket CompatibilityIntel Socket LGA 115x/1200/1700
AMD AM5 / AM4BaseCopperMax TDP (Our Testing)~250W with Intel’s i7-13700KInstalled Size (with fans)397mm (L) x 52 mm (W) x 120mm (D)Warranty6 yearsPacking and included contents (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)Included with the cooler are the following:360mm radiator and CPU blockThree 120mm fans, preinstalledMounting for modern AMD and Intel PlatformsPre-applied Thermal PasteiCUE LINK Hardware HubLGA 1700 installationThe installation of the cooler is simple. The fans of the unit arrive pre-installed, which saves time during installation. 1. Press the backplate against the rear of the motherboard, and then secure it using the included standoffs.(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)2. Next you’ll need to apply thermal paste to the CPU – and if you’re unsure how to do that, see our How to Apply Thermal Paste primer.3. Place the CPU block on top of the CPU and secure it using the included screws. Place the rotatable cover on top in the direction of your choosing. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)4. Connect the iCUE hub to the motherboard via the USB header and PWM cord. Use the small 90-degree cable to connect the QX fans to the hub on the radiator. Use the 60mm cable to connect the radiator’s hub to the iCUE hub.  (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)Features of Corsair’s iCUE Link H150i▶ Large CPU block with diffused illuminationThe iCUE Link H150i has CPU block that’s larger than the CPU blocks we’ve seen on other coolers. It supports diffused illumination and includes a rotatable, magnetic cover with Corsair’s branding. If you’d like an LCD display instead of the default CPU block, the LCD version of this cooler is available for $329.99 –  $90 more than the cost of the version we’re reviewing today – and supports digital temperature displays, GIFs, and more. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)▶ 27mm thick radiatorThe radiator included with the liquid cooler is 27mm, which is typical of most units currently on the market. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)▶ Large copper base, pre-applied thermal pasteThe base of the unit is large and comprised of copper to facilitate thermal transfer. Corsair includes pre-applied thermal paste on the copper base.(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)▶ Fully rotatable, braided tubing and full RAM compatibilityAs an AIO does not interfere or overhang DIMM slots in any manner, all sizes of RAM, no matter how tall, are compatible with Corsair’s iCUE Link H150i RGB. The tubes of the of the AIO are braided, secured with metal fittings, and are fully rotatable for ease of installation and setup.(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)▶ iCUE Link controller hub (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)The included iCUE hub is the brain of Corsair’s new cooler, and when used in conjunction with Corsair’s iCUE software allows for a wide variety of customization. With iCUE you can set fan curves from over 20 different sensors, customize RGB settings, view sensor data, and more.Image […]

After the first two rounds of the women’s NCAA tournament, No. 1-overall seed South Carolina has cemented its status as the overwhelming favorite, running over, past and all around No. 16-seed Presbyterian in the first round and No. 8-seed North Carolina in the second round to push the Gamecocks’ record to a perfect 34-0.
But if South Carolina falters, what team has the best chance of grabbing the trophy in Cleveland? Despite a less than confidence-inducing start to their tournament, could No. 3-seed LSU repeat as national champions? Will Caitlin Clark and the No. 1-seed Iowa Hawkeyes fulfill their hoped-for championship destiny? Could JuJu Watkins stake her claim in the women’s college basketball world, leading No. 1-seed USC to the program’s first title since the days of Cheryl Miller?
Ahead of the Sweet 16, we’re ranking the remaining teams by their championship equity. Here’s how we see the race for the 2024 national title.
16. Baylor Bears
No. 5-seed Baylor was up-and-down throughout Big 12 play, and their second-round win did little to alleviate concerns about their ability to find the consistency required to go on a deep tournament run. After a drama-free defeat of No. 12-seed Vanderbilt in the first round, the Bears needed a career night from junior guard Jada Walker to escape in the second round against a Virginia Tech team that was not of typical No. 4-seed quality, as the Hokies were without grad center and ACC Player of the Year Elizabeth Kitley, who missed the tournament with a torn ACL.
Walker scored 26 of her career-high 28 points in the second half. It was the kind of effort that makes March magical, but not one that is sustainable. For the season, Walker averages 8.2 points per game; her previous single-game season high was 19 points. Another Bear, such as grad forward Dre’Una Edwards or senior guard Sarah Andrews, will need an offensive outburst for Baylor to advance. They also must play with the defensive attention to detail that sophomore forward Darianna Littlepage-Buggs recently described to Swish Appeal’s Edwin Garcia. Expect head coach Nicki Collen, who has experience on the WNBA sidelines, to have a scheme ready for Baylor’s next opponent: No. 1-seed USC and freshman phenom JuJu Watkins.
15. Gonzaga Bulldogs
The only mid-major to make it to the Sweet 16, No. 4-seed Gonzaga may not have the talent of their high-major counterparts, but skill and strategy could very well carry them beyond the Sweet 16.
The Bulldogs are the nation’s best 3-point shooting team, converting just over 40 percent of their long-range efforts for the season. The triples were flying and falling for the Zags in the second round, as a 12-for-22 performance (54.5 percent) from behind the arc propelled them past No. 5-seed Utah, despite 35 points from Utes senior forward Alissa Pili. Grad guards and sisters Kaylynne and Kayleigh Truong combined for seven of the Zags’ 12 3-pointers, as Kayleigh led her team with 21 points. Senior forward Yvonne Ejim takes care of things inside the arc for the Bulldogs; on Monday night, she had a 17-point and 11-rebound double-double.
To become the tournament’s Cinderella and defeat No. 1-seed Texas in the Sweet 16, Gonzaga must lean further into their strength, stretching out a stout Longhorn defense by upping their 3-point volume and hoping the gods of shooting variance smile on them.
14. Duke Blue Devils
No. 7-seed Duke does not make things easy on themselves. In the first round, they trailed No. 10-seed Richmond by nine points at the half; in the second round, the Blue Devils fell down by 16 points to No. 2-seed Ohio State in the first half.
But no matter the deficit—and no matter if they struggle through a seemingly interminable scoring drought—the Blue Devils trust their process, which begins with playing aggressive, high-execution defense. Defensive stops eventually turn into easier scoring opportunities, creating a virtuous feedback loop that fuels the Blue Devils. And if junior guard Reigan Richardson, who has 25- and 28-point performances in two tournament games remains on a heater, Duke is dangerous—even against their Sweet 16 foe, No. 3-seed UConn. However, while the Blue Devils effectively stalled Ohio State guard Jacy Sheldon in the second round, slowing the brilliant Paige Bueckers is a tougher task.
A team full of freshman, sophomores and transfers, the Blue Devils are ahead of schedule. Next year, when head coach Kara Lawson welcomes the nation’s fifth-ranked recruiting class to Durham (a class that could become more highly-regarded if the top recruit in the class of 2024, forward Sarah Strong, chooses Duke), a Final Four run will be the expectation.

Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

13. Indiana Hoosiers
A nip-and-tuck second-round game between No. 4-seed Indiana and No. 5-seed Oklahoma became a Hoosier victory when Mackenzie Holmes went to work. The 6-foot-3 grad center might be the most skilled post player in the tournament. She certainly looked like it late in Monday night’s game, demanding the ball, dipping deep into her bag of moves and scoring six-straight points down the stretch to deliver the Hoosiers to the Sweet 16.
Holmes, however, likely will struggle to show off her smooth moves in the next round, as No. 1-seed South Carolina and the nation’s top-ranked defense, anchored by 6-foot-7 senior center Kamilla Cardoso, awaits. Indiana’s lack of depth also profiles as a problem against South Carolina, as the Hoosiers benefited from only one point from a reserve against Oklahoma. South Carolina, in contrast, has depth for days.
To have a chance to challenge, much less defeat, the Gamecocks the Hoosiers must go all in from behind the arc. The nation’s third-best 3-point shooting team at 39.6 percent, Indiana averages 20.8 3s per game. They have to take more. Indiana’s other four starters—fifth-year senior guard Sara Scalia, senior guard Sydney Parrish, senior guard Chloe Moore-McNeil and sophomore guard Yarden Garzon—cannot hesitate to fire away. And if their shots are falling, that could then open up things for Holmes inside. The Hoosiers do own an upset of Iowa, which should give them an extra dose of confidence on Friday.
12. Oregon State Beavers
When dreaming of a Pac-12 team saying goodbye to the conference with a national title, one might imagine USC, UCLA or Stanford raising the trophy. Why not No. 3-seed Oregon State? (Well, because South Carolina is in their way.) Throughout the 2023-24 season, more than a handful of skepticism has surrounded the Beavers, requiring them slowly and steadily rise in the AP poll until, finally, earning the respect requisite of their play.
Oregon State has size, shooting and a solid defense — a formula that can carry a team far in March. They showed it off in taking care of business against No. 14-seed Eastern Washington and No. 6-seed Nebraska. And although it might be a March cliche, they also have heart, embodied by junior guard Talia von Oelhoffen. In Sunday’s win over Nebraska, she penned “heart” on her arm sleeve, and then led the Beavers with 19 points. She’s also cold-blooded, evidenced by the buzzer-beating 3 she drained to take down UCLA in mid-February.

Photo by Ali Gradischer/Getty Images

11. Colorado Buffaloes
On Monday night, No. 8-seed West Virginia introduced the blueprint for causing trouble for Caitlin Clark and No. 1-seed Iowa, defending with physicality and grounding the Hawkeyes’ offensive attack. The Mountaineers were unable to finish the job. But might the Buffaloes be able to?
Like West Virginia, No. 5-seed Colorado wins with defense; they’re comfortable turning games into grinds. On Sunday they held No. 4-seed Kansas State and star senior center Ayoka Lee, who once scored 61 points in a single game, to 15 total second-half points. Grad guard Jaylyn Sherrod provides point of attack pressure, junior center Aaronette Vonleh is a presence in the paint and grad forward Quay Miller is full of thankless hustle. The lightning-quick Sherrod also can pack a scoring punch in transition or the half court, while the likes of senior guard Frida Foreman is capable of catching fire from downtown.
The Buffaloes also are upset certified. On opening night of the 2023-24 season, Colorado stunned defending-champion LSU in dominating fashion.
10. NC State Wolfpack
No. 3-seed NC State began the season with a bang, with wins over then-No. 2 UConn and then-No. 3 Colorado. After beginning the season unranked, the Wolfpack ascended to as high as No. 2 in the AP poll. Down the stretch of the regular season, however, NC State struggled through a few uninspiring wins and even less inspiring losses before rebounding to advance to the ACC Tournament title game.
Although the Wolfpack won by nearly 20 points over No. 14-seed Chattanooga in the first round, they did so scoring only 64 points and shooting a pretty putrid 33.3 percent from the field. In the second round, a nine-point third quarter allowed No. 6-seed Tennessee to turn what was tracking to be a comfortable Wolfpack win into a down-to-the-wire contest.
In short, it’s been a mixed bag for the Wolfpack. One encouraging development for NC State has been the emergence of junior guard Aziaha James as the team’s top scoring option. After several strong showings in the ACC Tournament, she’s led the Pack with 19 points and 22 points in their two tourney games. Against the Lady Vols, four of her 22 points came in the game’s tensest moments, as she converted a tough floater before draining the dagger 3-pointer. Although it might not always be pretty, NC State’s experience playing under pressure could pay off, including as soon as in the Sweet 16 against No. 2-seed Stanford.
9. Note Dame Fighting Irish
If No. 2-seed Notre Dame did not share a region with South Carolina, they’d rank higher on this list. Notre Dame has won 10-straight games, defeating No. 15-seed Kent State in the first round before holding off No. 7-seed Ole Miss in the second round.
It’s not just about the results for the Irish. After freshman fireball Hannah Hidalgo tried to do everything for the Irish through much of the season, she’s now formed a threatening trio with junior guard Sonia Citron and junior forward Maddy Westbeld. The three combined for 56 of Notre Dame’s 71 points against Ole Miss, led by 20 points from Westbeld. In the first round, Citron dropped 29 points, further proving that she has rediscovered her top form after being sidelined for part of the season with a knee injury.
And still, Hidalgo has the potential to go off and carry Notre Dame to victory. An offensive dynamo and defensive pest, she’s built for the bright lights of March. She introduced herself to the women’s college hoops world by pouring 31 points on South Carolina on the season’s opening day, albeit in a blowout loss. Look for her to give the Gamecocks all she’s got in an expected Elite Eight showdown.

Photo by Michael Hickey/NCAA Photos via Getty Images

8. Stanford Cardinal
A second-round overtime win over No. 7-seed Iowa State showed the promise and pitfalls of No. 2-seed Stanford.
The promise? Junior forward Kiki Iriafen. While senior forward Cameron Brink, the presumptive No. 2 pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, receives more shine, Iriafen is just as essential to the Cardinal’s success. Her 41-point and 16-rebound double-double powered Stanford into the Sweet 16, carrying the load with Brink limited by foul trouble. That’s the pitfall for the Cardinal. Brink may be the best defensive player in the nation, but her propensity to find herself in foul trouble stunts her impact, and could prove costly to the Cardinal. In a Sweet 16 matchup against No. 3-seed NC State, you can bet that Wolfpack head coach Wes Moore will challenge his squad to go at Brink, especially if she accumulates a few early fouls.
Stanford also was able to survive a second-round scare due to some timely shotmaking. For the season, their perimeter play has been uneven. Steady performances from sophomore guard Talana Lepolo and senior guard Hannah Jump are prerequisites if the Cardinal are to make it to Cleveland.
7. UCLA Bruins
On Monday night, No. 2-seed UCLA was met with a tournament test—and passed.
Trailing No. 7-seed Creighton 42-34 at the half, UCLA responded to the demands of head coach Cori Close. After the game, she shared, “At halftime, I really laid into them about the choices. We don’t give up that many points in a half to anybody. So we needed to just get back to doing things with our defense. I knew if we could get enough stops we would score enough points.” Close was correct. The Bruins held the Bluejays to 21 second-half points, while sophomore guard Kiki Rice provided the offense pop. She scored 13 of her game-high 24 points in the second half, taking advantage of the defensive attention on 6-foot-7 sophomore center Lauren Betts.
Compared to Creighton, UCLA’s Sweet 16 opponent, No. 3-seed LSU, is better equipped to defend the Bruins. Thus, UCLA must learn from their lack of first-half focus against the Bluejays and play attentive ball from tip off against the Lady Tigers. If so, UCLA has the personnel required to match the talent of the defending champs, with Betts’ interior size and skill complemented by dynamic perimeter play from Rice, grad guard Charisma Osborne and sophomore guard Londynn Jones.

Photo by John W. McDonough/NCAA Photos via Getty Images

6. Texas Longhorns
Freshman Madison Booker can make one forget that No. 1-seed Texas is missing their best player. Junior guard Rori Harmon was playing like an All-American when she tore her ACL in a late-December practice. It was expected that the then-undefeated Longhorns would tumble without their two-way engine. But, Booker didn’t let that happen. The Big 12 Freshman of the Year assumed control of the offense, captaining the Longhorns to the Big 12 Tournament title and a No. 1 seed.
Like a former Longhorn who also sported No. 35, Booker is money from the midrange, a tough shot maker with an enviably soft touch. Her individual talent as an isolation scorer, along with a defense characteristic of teams coached by Vic Schaefer, equips the Longhorns to persevere through March’s toughest moments. Thus far, Texas hasn’t been tested in the tournament. Although unable to fully pull away from No. 8-seed Alabama in the second round, the Longhorns were never truly threatened by the Crimson Tide. A favorable matchup against No. 4-seed Gonzaga awaits in the Sweet 16, suggesting the Longhorns could arrive in the Elite Eight with energy to spare.
5. UConn Huskies
Yes, they are a No. 3 seed. Yes, they are depleted, losing six players to season-ending injuries. Yes, Geno is older and grayer. But, they’re still UConn. And, they have Paige Bueckers. And, Auriemma is not NOT wrong when he says that the redshirt junior is the “best player in America.”
Bueckers is playing the best ball of her career, following up a MVP-effort in the Big East Tournament with 28 points, 11 boards and seven assists in UConn’s first-round romp of No. 14-seed Jackson and 32 points, 10 rebounds and six assists in the second-round escape against No. 6-seed Syracuse. She’s been supported by senior forward Aaliyah Edwards, a guaranteed near double-double game in and game out. Freshmen guards Ashlynn Shade and KK Arnold have continued to play fearlessly. Shade busted out for 26 points in her tourney debut, draining five 3-pointers. She made five more triples against Syracuse, while Arnold’s second 3-pointer of the evening was the dagger. Senior guard Nika Mühl grinds defensively, eagerly extinguishing the opponent’s top perimeter option.
A bout of foul trouble could spoil the paper-thin Huskies’ march to Cleveland. Case in point, when Mühl fouled out on Monday night, Syracuse soon found enough offense to threaten UConn’s advantage. But as long as Bueckers in on the court, it’s unwise to underestimate the Huskies.

Photo by Joe Buglewicz/Getty Images

4. LSU Lady Tigers
It appeared the defending national champions had overcome their early-season turbulence and were coalescing into the best version of themselves as the calendar turned to March. However, No. 3-seed LSU’s performance in the first two rounds—a sluggish effort against No. 14-seed Rice followed by an out-of-sorts first half against No. 11-seed Middle Tennessee—has left much to be desired. And, the off-the-court drama has returned for the Lady Tigers, with head coach Kim Mulkey issuing a prickly, preemptive statement against a forthcoming reported story from The Washington Post.
That said, it’s hard to bet against the talent of the Lady Tigers. Their top four—junior forward Angel Reese, junior wing Aneesah Morrow, sophomore guard Flau’jae Johnson and freshman wing Mikaylah Williams—can rival any team’s best. It’s also a group that has proven that they can rise to the occasion when the competition gets tougher and the lights get brighter. If LSU sees Iowa on the other side of the court with a trip to the Final Four on the line, there’s little doubt that the Lady Tigers will be undeterred by any distractions, and only be ready to dominate. But first, can they bring their best against No. 2-seed UCLA?
3. Iowa Hawkeyes
Should No. 1-seed Iowa’s close call against No. 8-seed West Virginia raise doubts about the Hawkeyes’ Final Four destiny? Quite the opposite.
The Mountaineers dictated the terms of Monday night’s second-round game, dragging Caitlin Clark and the usually high-flying Hawkeyes into a physical, defensive tussle. Iowa shot 36.2 percent from the field, their third-worst shooting performance of the season. Clark was an inefficient 8-for-22 from the floor, collecting 11 of her 32 points from the foul line. Yet, Iowa prevailed, proving that they could win an ugly affair where offense was hard to come by. As sophomore forward Hannah Stuelke said after the game, “I think a lot of people think we’re only an offensive team. And we do work on defense all the time. I’m glad we got to show that tonight. That’s what won this game. So I’m really proud of that.”
To survive the tournament’s toughest region, Iowa cannot ride singular, superstar showcases from Clark; instead, additional two-way, team-wide efforts will help the Hawkeyes find their way to Cleveland. The return of senior guard Molly Davis from a knee would also benefit the Hawkeyes, giving them a steady secondary ball handler.
2. USC Trojans
In 1983, a freshman lead the Women of Troy to a national championship. 41 years later, could it happen again?
It should be blasphemous to compare any player to the legendary Cheryl Miller, but freshman JuJu Watkins has elevated into such rarified air. A school-record 13 games of 30 or more points. A 51-point masterpiece at Stanford. A measured, mature performance in the Pac-12 Tournament final, where she leveraged Stanford’s preoccupation with her every move on the offensive end to allow her teammates to thrive and take the Trojans to their first conference tourney title in a decade.
USC’s tournament path has yet to require Watkins to marshal an other-worldly effort. The Trojans cruised against No. 16-seed Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in the first round before a wire-to-wire win over No. 8-seed Kansas in the second round. Watkins spurred USC to a 7-0 start on Monday night before finishing with a double-double of 28 points and 11 rebounds, along with five assists. However, that she still has not had to tap into the depth of her talent should concern upcoming opponents. Furthermore, as proven by the Pac-12 title game, other Trojans are ready to step up in key moments, providing a steady support system around the freshman star. On Monday, it again was grad wing McKenzie Forbes, who swished a career-high six 3-pointers.

Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images

1. South Carolina Gamecocks
It wasn’t surprising when No. 1-seed South Carolina crushed No. 16-seed Presbyterian in the first round. Then, the Gamecocks nearly replicated the massive margin of victory over the other Carolina, the No. 8-seed Tar Heels. The second-round slaughtering was a statement of South Carolina’s readiness not simply to survive the madness of March, but to thrive above it all. South Carolina is 34-0, propelled by, rather than feeling the pressure of, their perfection.
Amongst the Gamecocks’ depth of talent, the magnificent MiLaysia Fulwiley has shined brightest, with the freshman guard turning takeaways into easy transition scores and draining off-the-dribble triples. She scored 17 off-the-bench points in the first round, followed by 20 points in the second round. Fulwiley’s offensive arsenal is illustrative of what makes this Dawn Staley squad so seemingly unbeatable. While previous South Carolina teams lacked dynamic, perimeter scoring, these Gamecocks have a number of players capable of creating and converting from perimeter, in addition to South Carolina’s characteristic dominance of the interior and unrelenting defensive execution. It’s a combination of skill, strength and smarts no other team can come close to claiming. […]

We are three races into the Formula 1 season.
While much remains the same from 2024 — Red Bull is leading the Constructors’ Championship and Max Verstappen is atop the Drivers’ standings — recent events have shaken the field up a bit. Mercedes is floundering, McLaren is strong, and Ferrari has certainly closed the gap to Red Bull.
Then there is a fascinating fight shaping up in the midfield, one that has Visa Cash App RB F1 Team in front at the moment thanks to a strong drive from Yuki Tsunoda in the Australian Grand Prix.
With so much on the line, and a short break until the Japanese Grand Prix, this is a good time to take stock of where each team stands at the moment. But rather than a simple review, we’ll look at the biggest question facing each team right now.
Yesterday we took a look at Alpine, asking how quickly progress will come for a team desperately needing a step forward. We also asked whether Sauber can fix a pit stop issue that has plagued them in each of the season’s first three races.
One of our next stops? Haas. A team that finished at the bottom of the table a season ago, but is already on their way towards matching last year’s point total. Nico Hülkenberg earned a hard-fought point in Saudi Arabia, and the team scored a double-points finish Down Under.
That leads us to the question on many minds right now.
Haas: Have they truly solved their tire management woes?
Haas’ 2023 F1 season could arguably be described as a “tale of two days.”
On Saturday — qualifying day — Haas was often right in the fight. Led by Hülkenberg in his return to the grid the team was often right in the mix for Q2 and even Q3. Last year Hülkenberg advanced to Q2 16 times and to Q3 on eight different occasions, punctuated by his performance at the Canadian Grand Prix. On that particular Saturday a combination of a masterful effort, and a little luck, saw Hülkenberg put his VF-23 on the front row next to Max Verstappen.
A grid penalty handed down after qualifying dropped him down a few places ahead of the start, and when the lights went out in Montreal it was Sunday, and a different day.
That’s when the race pace, and tire management woes, reared their ugly heads as they did so often for Haas in 2023. Despite starting in the points, Hülkenberg finished 15th.
“It’s pretty clear now, obviously the result is not what we should be doing and it’s very disappointing. I think we know where to look, the issue is as soon as we get into traffic and behind cars, our degradation is immense, we cannot get the tire performance back and we just slip back,” said Team Principal Guenther Steiner at the time. “We can clearly see it, as soon as we get away from free air and start to fight, we just degrade. We know really what we need to look for, and we’ll be looking for it. We need to put our heads together and try to find a solution to this and not hide behind good qualifying results.”
Tire management would be the team’s focus at pre-season testing, but before that took place, the team went through a shocking change at the top. Just before the season began Steiner was out, with former Trackside Engineering Director Ayao Komatsu taking over as Team Principal.
When the team arrived in Bahrain for pre-season testing they had a clear focus: Race pace. Over the first two days of testing Haas focused on longer runs, determined to solve that riddle from a season ago.
Has it worked?
Early returns are positive.
While points were out of reach in Bahrain, the team secured a hard-fought — and perhaps controversial — point in Saudi Arabia when Kevin Magnussen held off the chasing pack and ensured a tenth-place finish for Hülkenberg. Then last week in Australia the team delivered their first double-points finish since Austria back in 2022 when Hülkenberg finished ninth, and Magnussen tenth.
The results are one thing, but the outlook around the team has changed as well.
“I showed good pace but unfortunately I got two penalties, so that’s not a great day for me of course, but I think I made up for it with the effort in keeping everyone behind to create a gap for Nico to pit. He scored a point so that’s super important and right now, I’m not fighting for a championship, so the real fight is in the Constructors’ Championship, and I’m happy that we scored a point today,” said Magnussen after the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. “It’s huge for the team, we earned it today, and it’s positive that we have the pace – for a second race in a row we’ve shown that we have good pace.”
“I feel more encouraged today that the car felt better than in qualifying yesterday, which is different from last year, but it’s practical to have it this way around,” described Hülkenberg after his ninth-place finish in Melbourne.
According to Magnussen, this year the team knows they can be in the fight on race day.
“It’s very encouraging and it’s a different way to go racing; last year we woke up on race day knowing it’s not going to be good. Today, I woke up knowing we would have a chance to fight, and it was true. We were stronger with our race pace than qualifying, and we just need to keep working in this direction,” declared Magnussen after the Australian Grand Prix.
To this point, it seems Haas has truly conquered their biggest demon from a season ago. If that sticks, a follow-up question might be this:
Can they be this year’s Williams? […]