Team USA falls to Venezuela for WBC title; Broncos trade for Jaylen Waddle; March Madness underway

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🏆 Five things to know Wednesday

1. Venezuela stands atop the baseball world. Venezuela became the first South American country to win the World Baseball Classic with its thrilling 3-2 victory over Team USA. One inning after the Americans erased a 2-0 deficit, Eugenio Suárez drove in the game-winning run with an RBI double, stunning the host nation. This is the United States' second consecutive WBC without a title, which will seek a return to glory at the 2028 Olympics and in the next WBC, set for 2030.
2. Broncos, Dolphins agree to a trade sending Jaylen Waddle to Denver. Waddle and a fourth-round pick are headed to the Broncos in exchange for a first-, third- and fourth-round picks. It's a move that seems to benefit both teams. On one hand, the Broncos made a splash after opening free agency as the only squad not to sign an outside player. On the other hand, the Dolphins appear fully committed to a rebuild, which could set them up for the No. 1 pick in next year's quarterback-loaded draft. For those reasons, I gave both teams high marks for their transaction. Our fantasy football analysts also weighed in and explained how this boosts Bo Nix's value as well as that of every other wide receiver on the two rosters.
3. Texas and Howard are through to the NCAA Tournament's first round. Update your brackets, because No. 16 Howard and No. 11 Texas are moving on to face No. 1 Michigan and No. 6 BYU, respectively. The Bison tipped off the tournament with a First Four game against UMBC and narrowly avoided an early dose of madness when a potential game-tying buzzer-beater from the Retrievers went awry, sealing an 86-83 victory. Meanwhile, the Longhorns survived 68-66 over NC State in the nightcap.
4. Half of the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals are set. Second-leg matches in the Round of 16 saw Real Madrid, Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain and Sporting Club punch their tickets to the final eight. They will learn their opponents today when the other half of the bracket concludes the first round of the knockout stage. Arsenal's 3-1 win on aggregate over Bayer Leverkusen means we'll get to see more of Eberechi Eze, who delivered an absolute strike to put the Gunners ahead in one of the best moments of his young Arsenal career. This is the end of the road, though, for Bodø/Glimt. Their magical run came to an end in a 5-0 defeat to Sporting Club, but it serves as the blueprint for future underdog stories.
5. Leon Draisaitl is out for the rest of the regular season. Less than a week after the Maple Leafs ruled out Auston Matthews for the year, the Oilers also declared a star done for the regular season. Draisaitl, who ranks second on the team in goals and assists, sustained a lower-body injury in Sunday's win over the Predators on a hit from Ozzy Wiesblatt and did not return. The Oilers did not reveal Draisaitl's diagnosis nor his potential status for the playoffs.

🏀 Do not miss this: Even more March Madness bracket analysis!

We've given you tools to build your Men's NCAA Tournament bracket each of the last two days, and we're not done yet. Just over 24 hours remain until brackets lock. Don't forget to fill out your Women's NCAA Tournament bracket, too, though that does not lock until Friday afternoon.

Clock is ticking for Brackets! Get back in your pools and enter our Bracket Challenge for your chance to win a dream trip to the 2027 Final FourⓇ.

 If you haven't gotten to work yet, it's time to get started. We're here to help:

• Game-by-game picks: There's no fun in copying someone else's bracket from start to finish, but if you need some inspiration, Isaac Trotter is just the expert to follow. He shared his picks for all 32 first-round games and explained every one of them. Our whole college basketball staff picked tonight's First Four games, too.
• Names to know: The stars come out in the biggest games. Here are the 24 players through whom the national championship runs. Some of them are destined for NBA greatness, and a few of them are responsible for making this year's freshman class one of the best ever.
• Cinderellas and sleepers: Want to think outside the box with one of your Final Four picks? Need to know which first-round upset to avoid? Our guide to this year's sleeper candidates has you covered. There are a few possible Cinderella teams worth consideration, too. Don't count out a trip to the second weekend for Hofstra.
• Computer projections: If you're a stats and data geek like myself, you'll want to consider the SportsLine model's value picks, which will help you gain an edge in your bracket pool. The model also ranked the most likely upsets by seed line. Here are the findings for 16 over 1, 14 over 3, 11 over 6 and 9 over 8.

🔮 Post-free agency NFL mock draft

The months of March and April in the NFL are like a game of Whac-A-Mole. Teams fill needs through free agency, watch new needs develop as their own free agents depart for other opportunities and attempt to fill those new gaps in the draft. The first wave of free agency is complete, so teams are beginning to shift their primary focus to that last step.

Last week's free agent moves led Mike Renner to make some adjustments to his projections, and he unveiled them in his mock draft 8.0. Here are his top five picks:

1. Raiders: QB Fernando Mendoza
2. Jets: EDGE Arvell Reese
3. Cardinals: OT Spencer Fano
4. Titans: EDGE Rueben Bain Jr.
5. Giants: LB Sonny Styles

A few spots further down the board, Renner still foresees the Bengals taking a safety despite having already made a highly regarded addition to their much-maligned defense.

• Renner: "Even after adding Bryan Cook in free agency, Caleb Downs would still be a welcome addition for Bengals fans. His ability to play in the slot or deep would give Al Golden more flexibility with his coverages."

👍👎 The best (and not-so-best) of the rest

• Mauricio Pochettino announced the USMNT's roster for the upcoming international friendlies against Belgium and Portugal. It offers insight into who could make the World Cup squad this summer.
• Cameron Boozer headlines the AP All-American team as the only unanimous selection.
• One year after undergoing Tommy John surgery, Gerrit Cole will make his spring training debut today in a start against the Red Sox.
• Jupiter Links GC and Los Angeles Golf Club will meet in the TGL Finals after their victories over Boston Common Golf and Atlanta Drive GC, respectively.
• Team USA completed a 5-0 week at the FIBA Women's World Cup Qualifying Tournament, and Caitlin Clark looked the part of a healthy star in her return from injury.
• Our picks for the Valspar Championship are in.
• The NCAA suspended NC State wide receiver Teddy Hoffman for the entire 2026 season following a failed PED test.
• The NFL season is expected to begin on a Wednesday for just the second time in 75 years.
• World Cup dark horse Morocco won an unprecedented appeal that retroactively handed them the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title.
• The NFLPA elected former Browns and Packers offensive lineman JC Tretter as executive director.
• Steve Kerr called on the NBA's stakeholders to have a "meaningful discussion" about shortening the season.
• Jerry Jones said the Cowboys would've made a playoff run if they played "a lick of defense." So here are five affordable moves they could make.
• Notre Dame surged into the top 20 of our pre-NCAA Tournament women's basketball power rankings.
• The Wizards hold the top spot in this week's NBA tank rankings after allowing Bam Adebayo's 83-point game.
• The Sabres, Red Wings, Ducks and Mammoth could end lengthy playoff droughts (or make their postseason debut). Here's why they can and cannot win the Stanley Cup.

📺 What we're watching Wednesday

⚾ Spring training: Red Sox at Yankees, 1:05 p.m. on MLB Network
⚽ UEFA Champions League, Round of 16: Newcastle United at Barcelona, 1:45 p.m. on Paramount+
⚽ UEFA Champions League, Round of 16: Atalanta at Bayern Munich, 4 p.m. on CBS Sports Network/Paramount+
⚽ UEFA Champions League, Round of 16: Galatasaray at Liverpool, 4 p.m. on Paramount+
⚽ UEFA Champions League, Round of 16: Atletico Madrid at Tottenham Hotspur, 4 p.m. on Paramount+
⚾ Spring training: Giants at Dodgers, 4:05 p.m. on MLB Network
🏀 Men's NCAA Tournament, First Four: No. 16 Prairie View A&M vs. No. 16 Lehigh, 6:40 p.m. on truTV
🏀 Women's NCAA Tournament, First Four: No. 11 Richmond vs. No. 11 Nebraska, 7 p.m. on ESPN2
🏀 Warriors at Celtics, 7 p.m. on ESPN
🏒 Devils at Rangers, 7 p.m. on TNT
🏀 Women's NCAA Tournament, First Four: No. 16 Stephen F. Austin vs. No. 16 Missouri State, 9 p.m. on ESPN2
🏀 Men's NCAA Tournament, First Four: No. 11 Miami (Ohio) vs. No. 11 SMU, 9:15 p.m. on truTV
🏀 Lakers at Rockets, 9:30 p.m. on ESPN
🏒 Stars at Avalanche, 9:30 p.m. on TNT