April 6, 2026
NCAA Basketball
UCLA Women Capture 1st NCAA Championship
The UCLA Lady Bruins dominated South Carolina 79 - 51 in the women's national championship game this past Sunday in Pheonix. The Lady Bruins captured their first women's national championship in program history. UCLA dominated South Carolina from the opening tip and held the Lady Gamecocks to 26% shooting in the first half. Lauren Betts and Gabriela Jaquez both finished with double-doubles to lead the Bruins. It was a team victory in every way with each of the Bruin's starters finishing the game in double figures. Not only did UCLA finish with a national title, but they also extended their winning streak to 31 games, which also is a best in program history.
Michigan Prepares for Men's National Championship Amid Roster Scrutiny
The Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team is set to face the UConn Huskies in the national championship game. Head coach Dusty May has faced scrutiny for building his roster heavily through the transfer portal, bringing in key starters like Yaxel Lendeborg, Elliot Cadeau, Aday Mara, and Morez Johnson Jr. Despite the criticism, May's strategy has proven successful, leading the Wolverines to a 36 - 3 record and their first national championship appearance since 2018. May has reportedly expressed disinterest in pursuing other coaching opportunities, including the vacancy at North Carolina, choosing to remain focused on his current program.
College Basketball 2026 Naismith Men's Award Winners Announced
Duke freshman Cameron Boozer was awarded the 2026 Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy, recognizing him as the most outstanding men's college basketball player. Boozer averaged 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game, leading Duke to a 35 - 3 record and an Elite Eight appearance. Arizona's Tommy Lloyd was named the Werner Ladder Naismith Men's Coach of the Year after guiding the Wildcats to a 36 - 3 record and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Florida's Rueben Chinyelu earned the Naismith Men's Defensive Player of the Year award, averaging 11.2 rebounds and recording 36 blocks for the season.
Mary Washington Wins DIII Men's Basketball Championship
Mary Washington captured its first NCAA Division III men's basketball championship with a thrilling 75 - 73 victory over Emory. The championship game concluded with a buzzer-beater, securing the historic win for Mary Washington.
High School Basketball
CIA-Bella Vista Claims Chipotle Nationals Boys Title
CIA-Bella Vista (Scottsdale, AZ) won its first Chipotle Nationals high school boys basketball championship by defeating seven-time champion Montverde Academy (FL) 69 - 65. West Virginia signee Miles Sadler led the Bears with an MVP performance, recording 23 points, 9 assists, and 4 rebounds. Paul Osaruyi added 16 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 blocks. the victory solidified CIA-Bella Vista's position as the No. 1 team in the final High School On SI Top 25 national rankings.
DME Academy Wins Chipotle Nationals Girls Title
DME Academy (Daytona Beach, FL) secured the Chipotle Nationals girls basketball championship with a 68 - 49 victory over No. 6 Bullis (Potomac, MD). Indiana signee GiGi Battle led DME with 22 points and earned MVP honors, while USC signee Sara Okeke contributed 20 points, including 12 in the fourth quarter. The win marked DME Academy's first Chipotle Nationals title and made them the fifth consecutive Florida squad to win the champoinship.
International Basketball
France's "New Golden Generation"
Following the 2024 Paris Olympics, where France secured a silver medal, Victor Wembanyama has established himself as a leading star in the NBA. Meanwhile, his fellow French players, Zaccharie Risacher and Alex Sarr, are contributing to the future of the sport, marking a significant increase in the representation of French players within the league.
-Sources: Owns, J. (2026, April 5). UCLA locks down South Carolina for dominant win, program's first NCAA championship. Yahoo Sports. https://sports.yahoo.com/womens-college-basketball/live/ucla-locks-down-south-carolina-for-dominant-win-rograms-first-ncaa-championship-173058703.html
Walken, D. (2026, April 5). If Michigan wins NCAA title with a transfer-heavy roster, it has nothing to apologize for. Yahoo Sports. https://sports.yahoo.com/mens-college-basketball/article/if-michigan-wins-ncaa-title-with-a-transfer-heavy-roster-it-has-nothing-to-apologize-for-211225014.html
Finley, T. (2026, April 5). Dusty May reportedly not interested in North Carolina job, others after leading Michigan to national title game. Yahoo Sports. https://sports.yahoo.com/mens-college-basketball/breaking-news/article/dusty-may-reportedly-not-interested-in-north-carolina-ob-others-after-leading-michigan-to-national-title-game-214652353.html
Atlanta Tipoff Club. (2026, April 5). 2026 Naismith Men's Award Winners. Naismith Awards. https://naismithtrophy.com/2026-naismith-mens-award-winners/
NCAA.com. (2026, April 5). Mary Washington wins the 2026 DIII men's basketball champoinship. NCAA. https://www.ncaa.com/news/bsketball-men/article/2026-04-05/mary-washington-wins-2026-diii-mens-basketball-championship
Webb, K. (2026, April 4). CIA-Bella Vista wins its first Chipotle Nationals championship taking down seven-time champion Montverde Academy, 69-65. The Sporting News. https://www.sportingnews.com/us/high-school/boys-basketball/news/chipotle-nationals-boys-basketball-2026-updates-cia-bella-vista-montverde-academy/684c74be0443b00ef861914c
Ferran, R. (2026, April 5). Final 2025-26 Top 25 Boys High School Basketball Natinal Rankings. High School On SI. https://www.si.com/high-school/boys-basketball/final-2025-26-top-25-boys-high-school-basketball-national-rankings-01knfp30h69z
Williams, A. (2026, April 4). High School girls basketball: DME Academy wins Chipotle Nationals title with 68-49 victory over No. 6 Bullis. MaxPreps. https://www.maxpreps.com/news/aspnZmom8kGWsSJFNedkww/high-school-girls-basketball-dme-academy-wins-chipotle-national-title-with-68-49-victory-over-no-6-bullis.htm