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NCAA Fargo Regional Thursday and Saturday at the Scheels Arena No. 4 seeded Minnesota State Mankato faces off against No. 1 Western Michigan at 4 p.m., broadcast on ESPNU. At a quick look, the champions of the CCHA regular season and tournament, Minnesota State (27-8-3), returns to the NCAA tournament following a year’s break and their first appearance since Coach Luke Strand took charge. Their success can largely be attributed to goalie Alex Tracy, nominated as a finalist for the Richter Award and currently leading nationally in both goals against average (1.43) and save percentage (.945). Former University of Minnesota player Rhett Pitlick tops the scoring chart for Minnesota State with an impressive tally of 40 points through 13 goals and 27 assists, supported significantly by Josh Groll (14-18-32), Adam Eisele (13-13-26), and Evan Murr (7-19-26). Over their last ten matches, which include nine wins and just one tie, they boast the strongest performan...

The outlook for the NCAA men’s tournament is becoming clearer as only five games remain until the selection committee unveils the 68-team roster for March Madness on Selection Sunday. Following weeks of regular updates, our bracket looks impeccable now. The last USA TODAY SportsBracketology starts with the No. 1 seeds Duke Auburn, Florida, and Houston. Following their victory over Louisville in the ACC tournament final, the Blue Devils secured the top overall seed in the tournament. without star Cooper Flagg . Whether it’s NFL action or college sports updates, get all the key sports headlines you need daily. This places Duke in the East Region as it begins its quest for the Final Four in Raleigh, North Carolina. Meanwhile, Auburn ends up in the South Region, Houston leads the Midwest bracket, and Florida gets positioned out West. The second tier includes Tennessee, Alabama, St. John’s, and Michigan State. After their recent performance, the Red Storm m...

Boasting a 29-3 record with a 7-3 slate in Quadrant 1 and no defeats against teams ranked below 25th place in the NET, Duke has clinched a No. 1 seed for the 2025 NCAA Tournament. According to Jerry Palm, this seems to be the case. And I agree. Therefore, there’s not much justification for Cooper Flagg to participate in the Friday game against North Carolina in the ACC Tournament semifinals just a day following an injury where he sprained his left ankle during their victory over Georgia Tech. If Cooper Flagg doesn’t play due to this injury, it could work out well for UNC and might even benefit a Duke team aiming for greater accomplishments. “It’s not crucial to be prepared to face [North Carolina],” stated Duke’s head coach Jon Scheyer. “That isn’t our top priority. Our main focus has to be ensuring he’s set for the potential run we could make in the [NCAA Tournament].” For Duke supporters seeking silver linings, one positive is that the Blue Devils are expected to sta...