March Madness is officially underway. Here are 4 things you need to know for Thursday’s slate of games

The first round of March Madness begins on Thursday and there's a lot to take in.

The first 16 games of the tournament will tip off just after noon and run through the late-night hours. Expect buzzer beaters, close games and maybe even an upset or two.

Here are four things you need to know going into Thursday's slate of games and see the full schedule below.

McNeese's Amir "Aura" Khan is back

Whether you watched last year's tournament or just saw social media highlights, chances are you noticed McNeese student manager, Amir "Aura" Khan.

He's back, thanks to McNeese's upset of Stephen F. Austin in the Southland conference championship game, which earned the Cowboys a March Madness bid.

Khan went viral last March after posting a video of himself ushering the McNeese men's basketball squad through the pregame tunnel with a boombox around his neck.

Backed by Khan, the 12th-seeded Cowboys made a quintessential Cinderella run last year, defeating No. 5 seed Clemson 69-67 for McNeese's first-ever NCAA tournament win. They were eliminated by Purdue in the second round, but Khan's spotlight didn't fade.

Over the course of the tournament, Khan signed more than 20 brand endorsement deals with companies including Buffalo Wild Wings, TurboTax, Insomnia Cookies and Topps. He is believed to be the only student manager to benefit from NIL deals.

After McNeese's former head coach Will Wade moved to NC State, Khan followed, but credit transfer snafus delayed his enrollment and he later returned to McNeese.

The No. 12 seed Cowboys will face No. 5 Vanderbilt at 3:15 p.m. ET.

Bench players and underdogs are everything

Everybody loves an unsung hero – and March Madness is full of them.

Players who usually sit on the bench or come from smaller programs can quickly become pivotal.

Michigan rookie Trey McKenney has been an asset for the Wolverines in their efforts to replace L.J. Cason, who suffered a season-ending ACL tear in February.

McKenney averages 9.6 points per game, but was a consistent contributor to Michigan's offense during the Big Ten tournament. If the one-seeded Wolverines need scoring depth against No. 16 seed Howard, McKenney could be their guy.

As for the smaller programs, Siena's Gavin Doty has been a force to be reckoned with.

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Doty averaged 21.7 points and 6.7 rebounds during the Saints' Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference championship run. He's referred to as "a psycho" by head coach Gerry McNamara.

At 6-foot-4, Doty has six double-doubles and has scored at least 20 points in 14 games this season. He's a defender, too, averaging 5.5 defensive rebounds per game.

No. 16 seed Siena will face off against one-seed Duke at 2:50 p.m. ET.

Nebraska has never won a March Madness game

With an 0-8 all-time NCAA Tournament record, Nebraska is the only power conference team to never win a March Madness matchup. Now, after a 15-0 season start, the fourth-seeded Cornhuskers are looking to break their drought.

Head coach Fred Hoiberg, who was named the 2026 Big Ten Coach of the Year, led Nebraska to a school-record 24-game win streak and 15 conference victories.

Prior to his job at the Huskers' helm, the former NBA star was the head coach of the Chicago Bulls and Iowa State.

"We know what's out there," Hoiberg said ahead of the tournament. "We know what's at stake. Our guys have done a lot of really good things this year, some things that have never been done in the history of the program."

The Cornhuskers will face off against No. 13 seed Troy at 12:40 p.m. ET.

Texas survived the First Four to earn Cougars tilt

Texas gave March Madness fans a taste of tournament chaos Tuesday night.

The Longhorns snatched a narrow 68-66 win over NC State during the tournament's First Four bout, salvaging their postseason run thanks to sixth-year senior Tramon Mark's last-second shot.

Now, No. 11 seed Texas plays No. 6 seed BYU at 7:25 p.m. ET.

BYU, which lost to No. 6 Houston in the Big 12 tournament, is backed by one of the best scorers in the country – AJ Dybantsa. The freshman forward averages 25.3 points per game.

On the flip side, Texas plays a gritty defensive scheme. The Longhorns dominated the glass in its First Four game, nabbing 45 total rebounds. BYU has been weary defensively, averaging 32.5 rebounds per game over their last 10 matchups.

At least one No. 11 seed has won a first-round game every postseason since 2005, with 11 seeds winning approximately 40% of their matchups against No. 6 seeded teams.

So, can the Longhorns pull it off? Let the Madness begin.

Here are all the games for Thursday

• No. 8 Ohio State vs. No. 9 TCU at 12:15 p.m. ET on Thursday in Greenville (CBS)

• No. 4 Nebraska vs. No. 13 Troy at 12:40 p.m. ET on Thursday in Oklahoma City (truTV)

• No. 6 Louisville vs. No. 11 South Florida at 1:30 p.m. ET on Thursday in Buffalo, New York (TNT)

• No. 5 Wisconsin vs. No. 12 High Point at 1:50 p.m. ET on Thursday in Portland, Oregon (TBS)

• No. 1 Duke vs. No. 16 Siena at 2:50 p.m. ET on Thursday in Greenville, South Carolina. (CBS)

• No. 5 Vanderbilt vs. No. 12 McNeese at 3:15 p.m. on Thursday in Oklahoma City (truTV)

• No. 3 Michigan State vs. No. 14 North Dakota State at 4:05 p.m. ET on Thursday in Buffalo (TNT)

• No. 4 Arkansas vs. No. 13 Hawaii at 4:25 p.m. ET on Thursday in Portland (TBS)

• No. 6 North Carolina vs. No. 11 VCU 6:50 p.m. ET on Thursday in Greenville (TNT)

• No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 16 Howard on Thursday in Buffalo (CBS)

• No. 6 BYU vs. No. 11 Texas 7:25 p.m. ET on Thursday in Portland (TBS)

• No. 7 Saint Mary's vs. No. 10 Texas A&M 7:35 p.m. ET on Thursday in Oklahoma City (truTV)

• No. 3 Illinois vs. No. 14 University of Pennsylvania 9:25 p.m. ET on Thursday in Greenville (TNT)

• No. 8 Georgia vs. No. 9 Saint Louis at 9:45 p.m. ET on Thursday in Buffalo (CBS)

• No. 3 Gonzaga vs. No. 14 Kennesaw State 10 p.m. ET on Thursday in Portland (TBS)

• No. 2 Houston vs. No. 15 Idaho at 10:10 p.m. ET on Thursday in Oklahoma City (truTV)

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byAnio Baumeister

in

March 19, 2026

March Madness is officially underway. Here are 4 things you need to know for Thursday’s slate of games

The first round of March Madness begins on Thursday and there's a lot to take in. The first 16 games of ...

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Details of landmark WNBA salary verbal agreement that could make sports history

After months of WNBAlabor negotiations, WNBA Players Association President Nneka Ogwumike announced this week that the players' union had struck a transformational verbal agreement with the league, in which star athletes would reportedly be set to earn more than $1 million for the first time in league history.

"This journey has been well worth it," Ogwumike told "Good Morning America" co-anchor Robin Roberts on Thursday of the ups and downs it took to get a new collective bargaining agreement. "It's a deal that's changing lives in real time and also for generations to come."

According to the WNBPA, the agreement would drive up the average salary by 364%, the maximum salary up 460% and the minimum salary 309%.

Ogwumike, a 10-time WNBA All-Star, told ABC News that to her understanding, this would become the single largest salary jump in all of sports history.

With that, she said they're able to report "a seven-figure max salary."

"There's not a lot of details that I can share, because we're still trying to finalize the term sheet," Ogwumike said, adding that in the meantime, they've been able to "preempt the players about what it is that they're going to be voting [on] and ratifying."

"That includes increases in, obviously, salary, minimum average and max. It includes retirement benefits, specifically something that reflects our appreciation for those who came before us and in our legends," Ogwumike said. "We wouldn't be here without people like you, without so many of the players that have created this league that we're in today."

Housing was another important term that Ogwumike said was "passionately voiced" during negotiations to provide certain benefits and "support for us to be able to perform at a high level."

What to know about the viral equal pay shirts worn during WNBA All-Star Game

"We are declaring our value, we're fighting for what we deserve and what we're owed," Ogwumike said.

She added that the agreement considers both existing and future players "and the amount of money that they can save to build for the future that they really desire for themselves," especially incoming players who are "still navigating that very tight transition from the college space tot the pro space."

The 30th WNBA season tips off May 8, 2026.

byAnio Baumeister

in

March 19, 2026

Details of landmark WNBA salary verbal agreement that could make sports history

After months of WNBAlabor negotiations, WNBA Players Association President Nneka Ogwumike announced this week that the p...

Read More

“Off Campus ”Teaser Gives First Glimpse of Steamy College Hockey Romance Based on Elle Kennedy's Books

Elle Kennedy's bestselling book series, Off Campus, is being adapted into a TV show on Prime Video

NEED TO KNOW

• Season 1 will follow the plot of the first book, The Deal, and star Ella Bright and Belmont Cameli as Hannah and Garrett

• Off Campus premieres May 13 on Prime Video

One of BookTok's most anticipated page-to-screen adaptations is almost here.

On Thursday, March 19, Prime Video released the first teaser for the upcomingOff Campusseries, adapted fromElle Kennedy's bestselling book series.

The series will premiere in full on May 13 and sees the first book in Kennedy's series,The Deal, come to life onscreen.

Ella Bright and Belmont Cameli star as quiet songwriter Hannah and all-star hockey athlete Garrett, respectively, as their "sexy and fun 'opposites attract' romance" unfolds.

Per the official logline, the show is described as a "college soap" that "follows an elite ice hockey team, and the women in their lives, as they grapple with love, heartbreak and self-discovery — forging deep friendships and enduring bonds while navigating the complexities that come with transitioning into adulthood."

Off Campusalso stars Mika Abdalla as Allie, and Josh Heuston as Justin, Hannah's other romantic interest. The Briar U hockey team is rounded out by Antonio Cipriano as John Logan, Jalen Thomas Brooks as John Tucker, and Stephen Kalyn as Dean Di Laurentis.

In the teaser, Hannah is at work cleaning the hockey team's locker room when she accidentally catches Garrett naked in the shower. "You looking for someone?" he asks her with a smirk, and she runs off hastily after being caught ogling.

The teaser also shows Garrett and Hannah in class together, as he spies a good grade on her paper, kicking off the tutoring agreement they enter

Creator and co-showrunner Louisa Levy toldTeen Voguethat fans of the book series will be satisfied with how Hannah and Garrett's story unfolds in the show, and she teased that her team "scoured the books" and "did a lot of work to try to fold in as many of those Easter eggs as possible" about the other books.

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"Some of them are real moments, but maybe they don't take place in the order of the books. So I would say look out for the similarities that might not come the way you expect," she said.

Kennedy also "gave us her blessing to play with these characters," Levy said, noting that the author, who is credited as a producer, "wasn't in the writers' room, but she read all the scripts and watched all the cuts."

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Levy told the outlet that "sparks flew" between Bright and Cameli during their "steamy" chemistry read, and they both became the obvious choices for the roles.

"It's really important to us to honor how steamy and spicy those books are, but it's a while in that first book before Hannah and Garrett have any [intimacy]," she said. "We wanted to show the book fans from jump that we were going to honor that, even though ironically it's kind of a departure from the book to show them that. And [for] anyone who wasn't a book fan, we wanted to show them that this show is going to go there. It's not a teenage romance. This is a college-age romance."

Cameli told the outlet that "nothing we do on the show in sex is gratuitous, so the conversations we had around the sex scenes were just as varied and specific as they were about Thanksgiving or they were about sitting next to each other in class."

"The real reason we're showing that level of intimacy in the show is to further the romance story and to give you another glimpse behind the curtain of who these people are," he said.

Off Campuspremieres May 13 on Prime Video.

Read the original article onPeople

byAnio Baumeister

in

March 19, 2026

“Off Campus ”Teaser Gives First Glimpse of Steamy College Hockey Romance Based on Elle Kennedy's Books

Elle Kennedy's bestselling book series, Off Campus , is being adapted into a TV show on Prime Video NEED T...

Read More

Ryan Gosling Has 'Trauma' Wearing Wigs on Screen After He 'Went for It' on “The Big Short”

Ryan Gosling revealed to Seth Meyers on The Late Show why he has "trauma" wearing wigs on screen

NEED TO KNOW

• The Oscar-nominated actor admitted that his dislike stems from a reaction he got from costar Steve Carell on the set of The Big Short

• The topic came up while Gosling discussed his latest, bold transformation in Project Hail Mary

Ryan Goslinggets wigged out at the thought of wearing a wig again.

The Oscar-nominated actor, 45, opened up about his unrecognizable transformation for his latest role inProject Hail Mary, a science-fiction film that sees him donning Cro-magnon-like locks and a bushy beard and why he was hesitant to switch up his appearance at first.

During his appearance onThe Late Show With Seth Meyerson Wednesday, March 18, Gosling admitted that his apprehension for faux hair stems from his role in 2015'sThe Big Short. Shamelessly, he hilariously called out his costar,Steve Carellfor making him feel the way he does now.

"I don't do this a lot," Gosling said of his "space caveman" look inProject Hail Mary, recalling, "I have a little bit of trauma because I went for a bit on this film,The Big Short. And when I stepped out in my wig and costume I ran into Steve Carell, who was the first person I saw. He just starred at me."

"And he said, 'Never do this again.' I was like, 'Damn it,' " the actor continued, shamefully putting his head down while the live audience laughed at the story.

TheLa La Landstar admitted "it's the last thing you want" to hear from a scene partner before stepping out to film for the first time.

On that note, host Seth Meyers jokingly assumed that Gosling never worked with Carell, 63, again after that. "I never spoke to him again," he sarcastically confirmed to the audience with a laugh.

Ironically, Carellunderwent a transformation for his roleinThe Big Short, too. Between the beignets, gumbo and po'boys, the actor said he had no trouble gaining around 25 lbs. for the part while they filmed on location. "It was all New Orleans," Carell, who played a Wall Street executive that gets ahead of the 2008 real estate crash, told PEOPLE at the Palm Springs International Film Festival Gala in 2015.

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He added, "Whether you are being a method actor or not, New Orleans is going to add 20 lbs."

Project Hail Mary, which opens in theaters on Friday, March 20, follows a science teacher who is sent to space to save humankind. Deep in space, Gosling's character, Ryland Grace, realizes he's not alone in his quest, and ends up meeting an alien named Rocky, with whom he forms an unlikely connection.

Goslingrecently told PEOPLEhow filming those scenes could be tough, especially since sometimes his costar was not actually there. Luckily, his two daughters — Esmeralda Amada, 11, and Amada Lee, 9 — were happy to lend a hand. "Sometimes when I was working and I needed to sort of switch things up or whatever, my kids would come in and I had an earpiece in my ear and they would talk for Rocky, so I could talk to them as Rocky," he said.

"And there's some moments in the movie where I'm laughing or I'm just so charmed by him, which is like, it's actually my kids talking to me and helping me out," he continued. In the actual movie, however, Rocky is voiced by James Ortiz.

"They've seen many cuts of this film," Gosling said of his kids. "They've given me many notes."

In February, Gosling toldAccess Hollywoodthat his daughters, whom he shares with longtime partnerEva Mendes, were one of the reasons hedecided to take on this film. "My kids have seen multiple cuts," he told the outlet. "They give me multiple notes. They're basically the only critics I care about, and they are very critical and very honest."

"I made this for them essentially," Gosling shared. "As a family, I'd like a movie like this that I'd like to see. I just feel really honored that I got to make one."

Read the original article onPeople

byAnio Baumeister

in

March 19, 2026

Ryan Gosling Has 'Trauma' Wearing Wigs on Screen After He 'Went for It' on “The Big Short”

Ryan Gosling revealed to Seth Meyers on The Late Show why he has "trauma" wearing wigs on screen N...

Read More

All About “The Honeymooners” Star Jackie Gleason's 2 Kids

Jackie Gleason may be best remembered for his starring role as one half of the Kramdens, a childless couple inThe Honeymooners,but in real life, he was the father of two girls: Geraldine and Linda.

The actor, known as "The Great One," shared two children with his first wife, dancer Genevieve Halford. The pair wed in 1936 and welcomed their first child, daughter Geraldine, in 1939. Three years later, their second daughter, Linda, was born.

Although Gleason and Halford remained legally married until filing for divorce in 1968, they separated in 1951.

Following their separation, the couple lived apart, with Gleason living in a hotel while his estranged wife lived in an apartment with the kids. While he did visit, he was described as somewhat of an absentee father.

"I can barely remember Dad showing up at Christmas and other times. It seemed like he would only stay a half hour or so," his daughter Geraldine recalled to biographer James Bacon in his 1985 book,How Sweet It Is: The Jackie Gleason Story.

Still, they looked forward to his visits and his attention. "We were always glad to see him," she said.

Geraldine went on to say that as they got older, she and her sister Linda saw their father's absence in a different light. "He's not your average father. We know that now," she said. "We know he loves us in his own special way and we love him."

Here's everything to know about Jackie Gleason's two children, Geraldine and Linda.

Geraldine Gleason Chutuk

Gleason welcomed his first child, daughter Geraldine Gleason, at the age of 23 on July 31, 1939. She was named after her mother's sister.

According toHow Sweet It Is: The Jackie Gleason Story, fatherhood made a strong impression on the actor. "That baby did something to Jackie," his cousin Renée said. "He came home after his show so he could play with his daughter at the two a.m. feeding."

Gleason and Halford separated for the first time after the birth of their second child in the early 1940's before reconciling in 1948. The couple even had a second wedding ceremony to mark their reconciliation, and the family moved together to Hollywood while Gleason pursued his acting career.

Ultimately, their marriage didn't work, and they officially separated in 1951. Speaking to Bacon for his biography, Geraldine recalled that she and her sister, Linda, didn't see their dad as much after that second and final separation.

"As kids, it hurt us some that we didn't have a full-time father. It doesn't hurt us now because as we got older, we realized that our father has a built-in shyness that won't allow him to get close to anyone, not even those he loves," she said.

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"We know now that he always loved us but had a hard time showing affection," she continued. "Sometimes he would express that love in lavish gifts. We never wanted for anything in all our lives. My dad is extremely generous."

Geraldine ultimately grew up in both New York City and Los Angeles, attending the Marymount School in N.Y. and Marymount College in Palos Verdes, Calif.

In September 1961, Geraldine married agent John Chutuk. They welcomed a son in 1964.

Linda Miller

Gleason and Halford welcomed their second daughter, Linda, in 1942.

Unlike her older sister, who has preferred to stay out of the spotlight, Linda chose to follow in her famous father's footsteps. As a child, she acted alongside him in a few scenes of his variety series,Cavalcade of Stars. She then went on to pursue her own successful career in the entertainment industry.

Linda acted in films and television shows and was nominated for a Tony Award for her role in the Broadway playBlack Picture Show.

Despite her father's standing in Hollywood, he never helped her get a job or an agent. In fact, in an August 1983 interview with UPI,Linda shared that Gleason really didn't want her to take after him career-wise.

"He didn't encourage me to go into show business because he didn't want to see me hurt, rejected, put down and turned down," she said.

Still, he had a big influence on her decision. "By example, he showed me that if you believe enough, it can happen. And I think to a certain extent talent is genetic," she said.

In 1963, Linda married actor and playwright Jason Miller, known for writing the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning playThat Championship Seasonand for his Oscar-nominated performance as Father Damien Karras inThe Exorcist.

They welcomed three children together, Jennifer, Jason and Jordan Miller, before divorcing in 1973 after ten years of marriage.

In 2024, their youngest child,Jordan Miller, was tragically killed after being struck by a bus in New Jersey. Their middle child, meanwhile, who goes by the nameJason Patric, has found a successful acting career of his own and is known for his roles in films likeThe Lost BoysandMy Sister's Keeper.

Read the original article onPeople

byAnio Baumeister

in

March 19, 2026

All About “The Honeymooners” Star Jackie Gleason's 2 Kids

Jackie Gleason may be best remembered for his starring role as one half of the Kramdens, a childless couple inThe Honeym...

Read More