March Madness bubble winners, losers: 1 bid stealer lives, another fades away

With theMen's NCAA Tournamentbracketset to be revealed in one day,teams on the bubbleare really starting to sweat if they'll make it. On Saturday, March 14, there's only one thing that could make it an even more stressful 24 hours: bid stealers.

In conferences where it's clear who is going to the Big Dance, the whole picture can be flipped by teams not projected to be in, who battle their way to a conference tournament crown to earn anautomatic spot in the field.

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It's the worst thing a bubble team could see, and it was in effect on Saturday.

The Atlantic 10 was the first source when top-seededSaint Louis was stunned by a last-second tip-in from Daytonin the semifinals. The Billikens are a tournament lock and there was uncertainty if another A-10 team would qualify, but now it's a certainty, which will come at the expense of those on the fringe of the field.

Now, the bubble conversation gets even more intriguing, and shows why it's so important to get those critical wins in the final week. The picture is shifting, highlighting the winners and losers before Selection Sunday.

March Madness bubble winners

VCU and Atlantic 10

With Saint Louis falling, the Atlantic 10 will now get two teams in with the winner of Dayton vs. VCU earning the automatic bid.

There was uncertainty if the conference could get two teams in since VCU was on the bubble. Now it is the favorite since it will face a Dayton team it has beaten twice, paving the way for the Rams to win the tournament title for the second straight time.

Regardless of the result, it's good news for the Atlantic 10 as its prestige in the sport has dwindled. There was a real chance it could've been back-to-back years as a one-bid league for the first time in more than 40 years. Now, the conference will get two teams similar to 2024, when Duquesne earned itself a spot by taking the tournament crown.

And who knows, maybe VCU has done enough in the committee's eyes and the A-10 could get three teams in if Dayton wins Sunday.

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Every bubble team whenOle Misslost

There won't be a magical run to the NCAA Tournament with the SEC's 15th-place team Ole Miss falling to Arkansas in the conference tournament semifinal.

It was a run that came out of nowhere considering Ole Miss entered the week 12-19 with four conference wins, but the Rebels had put together three wins in three days. The conference title was the only way it could get in, and it put up another strong fight against the Razorbacks to force overtime. However, Ole Miss couldn't keep the magic going and lost to end the March Madness hopes.

The Rebels stealing the automatic bid would have truly altered the bubble in the craziest of ways, but luckily every team hanging in the balance didn't see a preposterous result happen.

March Madness bubble losers

The SEC has a good chance to send the most teams in the field with 10, but it's getting harder to envision it getting any more in.

The conference had teams in Oklahoma andAuburn on the bubble, with the Sooners making a late push and the Tigers collecting major wins over the season despite a questionable record.

To make matters worse, it also affects Texas; a bad end of the season has pushed the Longhorns toward the possibility of playing in the First Four. It's not a comfortable position to be in as it could easily end up being left out of the field.

San Diego State

There was another possible bid thief out of the Mountain West, but this one was denied.

A win over New Mexico earned San Diego State the right to get the automatic bid against Utah State. The Aztecs stood up with the regular season champion, but the Aggies flexed their muscle late in the second half to make it a comfortable victory.

The automatic berth was really San Diego State's best chance to get in. It was in the bubble picture, but behind so many teams it made for a true "win-and-in" scenario. Despite getting as close as it could get without clinching the Mountain West title, the outlook doesn't look good for the Aztecs, and there's a possibility the Mountain West only gets one team in.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:March Madness bubble winners, losers: Bid stealers changing tournament

byDaniel Coleman

in

March 15, 2026

March Madness bubble winners, losers: 1 bid stealer lives, another fades away

With theMen's NCAA Tournamentbracketset to be revealed in one day,teams on the bubbleare really starting to sweat if ...

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North Korean leader Kim oversees test-launch of multiple rocket launchers -KCNA

SEOUL, March 15 (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Saturday oversaw the test-launch of 12 600mm-calibre multiple rocket launchers, state media KCNA said, after ‌the United States and South Korea this week launched annual major drills ‌in South Korea.

North Korean leader Kim oversees test-launch of multiple rocket launchers

He said the drill would expose "the enemies within the 420-km striking range, to uneasiness" and "give them ​a deep understanding of the destructive power of tactical nuclear weapons.

Images from state news agency KCNA showed Kim and his daughter and potential successor known as Kim Ju Ae were watching the weapons tests.

"The launched rockets battered the island target in the East Sea of Korea ‌about 364.4 km away with ⁠the accuracy of 100 percent," KCNA said.

South Korea's military said on Saturday that North Korea fired more than 10 ballistic missiles towards ⁠the sea off the country's east coast. The missiles were launched from an area near the capital Pyongyang around 1:20 p.m. local time and flew about 350 kilometers, Seoul said.

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Last week, ​North Korea's ​Kim Yo Jong, the sister of leader Kim ​Jong Un, said U.S.-South Korea military ‌drills were a "provocative and aggressive war rehearsal" that would harm regional stability. South Korea and Washington say the drills are purely defensive, and aimed at testing readiness against military threats from North Korea.

On Sunday, North Korea said it would frequently conduct such regular drills for checking the DPRK's war deterrence.

North Korea has test-launched a wide range of ballistic ‌and cruise missiles for more than two decades ​in a push to develop the means to deliver ​nuclear weapons, which it is believed ​to have successfully built.

As a result, Pyongyang has been under multiple ‌U.N. Security Council sanctions since 2006 but ​it remains defiant, despite ​severe obstacles they created to its trade, economy and defence.

On Thursday, South Korea's Prime Minister Kim Min-seok met U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington to discuss ​ways to reopen dialogue with ‌the North. Trump is eager for any opportunity to sit down with ​North Korea's Kim Jong Un, South Korea's Kim told reporters.

(Reporting by Hyunjoo Jin; ​Editing by Andrea Ricci and Chizu Nomiyama )

byDaniel Coleman

in

March 15, 2026

North Korean leader Kim oversees test-launch of multiple rocket launchers -KCNA

SEOUL, March 15 (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Saturday oversaw the test-launch of 12 600mm-calibre multi...

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Trump says ‘many countries’ will send war ships to patrol Strait of Hormuz

President Trump on Saturday announced that "many countries" will send war ships to patrol theStrait of Hormuzamid the ongoing conflict with Iran, suggesting that its military is still capable of fighting back "no matter how badly defeated they are."

"Many Countries, especially those who are affected by Iran's attempted closure of the Hormuz Strait, will be sending War Ships, in conjunction with the United States of America, to keep the Strait open and safe," Trump wrote onTruth Social. "We have already destroyed 100% of Iran's Military capability, but it's easy for them to send a drone or two, drop a mine, or deliver a close range missile somewhere along, or in, this Waterway, no matter how badly defeated they are."

He added that "hopefully" China, France, Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom and other countries "affected by this artificial constraint, will send Ships to the area so that the Hormuz Strait will no longer be a threat by a Nation that has been totally decapitated."

"In the meantime, the United States will be bombing the hell out of the shoreline, and continually shooting Iranian Boats and Ships out of the water," Trump continued. "One way or the other, we will soon get the Hormuz Strait OPEN, SAFE, and FREE!"

The Hill reached out to the White House seeking clarificationonwhether the countries Trump listed are those sending war ships to the region.

Iran's supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei ordered on Thursday that the strait remain closed as long as the conflict continues. The closure has led to a surge in price increases on several goods, fromfertilizerto oil and gas.Trump, administration officials,GOP lawmakersandthe Pentagonhave all downplayed concerns over rising gas prices.

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Trump his cabinet members has floated the idea of usingescorts through the straitbefore. The administration, however, has hesitated in carrying this out as it would put vessels in direct danger of drone and missile strikes deployed by Iran.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent speculated on Thursday that an "international coalition" could escort oil tankers through the strait, something he said would have a "big effect."

Three vessels were struck byunknown projectileson Wednesday, one of which was later claimed by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, bringing the total number of attacks on vessels to 19.

Retired Navy Rear Adm. and former Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said that a naval escort is "not necessarily a guaranteed success."

"Drones can fly low and slow, they can fly fast and low, and they can do a lot of damage even to one ship with the Navy not being able to knock it out of the sky," he said Thursday on MS NOW's "Morning Joe."

Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.

byDaniel Coleman

in

March 15, 2026

Trump says ‘many countries’ will send war ships to patrol Strait of Hormuz

President Trump on Saturday announced that "many countries" will send war ships to patrol theStrait of Hormuzam...

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Expansive March storm ramping up, bringing snow, strong winds to millions

A new March storm is getting underway, expected to bring a variety of weather impacts across the country.

Winter Storm Warnings stretch from Montana to Michigan, with a smattering of Blizzard Warnings across South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, and the upper peninsula of Michigan. Slivers of Illinois and Nebraska are under warnings as well.

Heavy snow and strong winds up to 60 mph possible, with the National Weather Service warning that travel will likely become impossible late Saturday and Sunday.

There are also wind alerts for over 100 million people, either under a wind advisory or high wind warning.

This storm will push into the Upper Midwest through Saturday evening and overnight Saturday. It will intensify as it does so, with snow turning heavy from Minneapolis on east into the Great Lakes region by Sunday morning.

Nearly 1,300 flights have been canceled already due to the weather. Approximately half of those cancellations are from Delta Airlines, as it proactively cancelled some flights for this weekend at Midwest airports, including at its Minneapolis-St. Paul hub.

Severe weather continues to churn as death toll from US storms reaches 8

Severe weather threat

On the southern side of the powerful system, a line of severe storms will develop from Michigan down to Texas Sunday afternoon into the night.

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An "Enhanced" risk (Level 3/5) has already been issued for parts of the Midwest on Sunday, from Indianapolis to just north of Memphis. Widespread damaging wind gusts will be the main threat although a few tornadoes will be possible along with large hail.

Chicago could go from thunderstorms on Sunday night to snow and whiteout conditions on Monday.

On Monday, the major storm will continue to move east. There will still be snow and wind across the Great Lakes and rounds of heavy rain and strong winds moving into the Northeast.

More severe weather will continue across the East Coast on Monday late afternoon into the evening from the Florida Panhandle up to Pennsylvania.

Married couple in their 80s dead after tornado strikes Indiana home

An "Enhanced" risk (level 3 of 5) has been issued for parts of the Carolinas, Virginia, Maryland and southern Pennsylvania. This includes Columbia, South Carolina; Raleigh, North Carolina; Richmond, Virginia; Washington, D.C; Baltimore, Maryland; and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

The threats will be damaging winds, some large hail and a few tornadoes.

By the time snow winds down on Monday, a widespread swath of 3 to 6 inches of snow will be likely from Montana to the northern fringes of Upstate New York. The heaviest snow is expected from the Twin Cities east into the Great Lakes, where accumulations may be on the order of feet and not inches. Even areas not under the Blizzard Warning will be subject blowing snow and reduced visibility.

byDaniel Coleman

in

March 15, 2026

Expansive March storm ramping up, bringing snow, strong winds to millions

A new March storm is getting underway, expected to bring a variety of weather impacts across the country. Wint...

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As other Iran‑allied groups are engaging in the Mideast war, Yemen's Houthis hold back

CAIRO (AP) — Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels have so far remained on the sidelines as theIran war widensacross the Middle East, raising questions about why — and when the battle-hardened group mightjoin the fight.

APTOPIX Yemen Iran War

Iran has retaliated against the United States and Israel with missiles and drones, targetingAmerican military bases and other locations in Gulf Arab countries, disrupting trade routes, choking fuel supplies and threatening regional air traffic.

Iran's new supreme leader, AyatollahMojtaba Khamenei, suggested on Thursday in his first written statement since succeeding his father, who was killed in the war's opening salvo, that Iran may open upnew fronts in the conflict— a sign, analysts say, the Houthis may get involved soon.

Until now, the Houthis have been reluctant to fight, fearing assassinations of their leaders, internal divisions in Yemen and uncertainties over weapons supplies, the experts said.

But that may change as Iran seeks to increase pressure on global oil supply routes through potential attacks by the Houthis, who have had previous successtargeting oil facilitiesin the region, the analysts said.

Iran has asserted its influence across the Middle East through its proxy forces in Gaza, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen's Houthis.

Some of its closest allies have already joined the conflict, withHezbollah resuming strikes on Israelwithin two days of the attack on Iran — and just 15 months after the lastIsrael-Hezbollah warended in a November 2024 ceasefire. Militias linked to the Islamic Resistance in Iraq haveclaimed drone strikeson U.S. bases in Irbil.

Meanwhile, the Houthis have only held protests and issued declarations condemning the Iran war, in contrast to the waves of missile and drone attacks they launched on Israel and shipping in the Red Sea after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel sparked thewar in the Gaza Strip.

Here's a look at the Houthis' military capabilities and where they stand in the conflict.

Houthi ties to Iran

Armed by Iran, the Houthis seized most of Yemen's north and its capital, Sanaa, in 2014, pushing the country's internationally recognized government into exile. A Saudi-led coalition backing Yemen's government entered the conflict the following year, and the Houthis have since fought a long-running but largely stalemated civil war in Yemen.

While the Houthis share some political and religious ties with Iran, they follow a different doctrine of Shiite Islam and are independent of Iran's supreme leader, unlike the Lebanese militant Hezbollah group and several Iran-backed Iraqi militias.

Still, they are key to Iran's regional influence and the current war is unlikely to weaken that, according to Ahmed Nagi, a senior Yemen analyst at the International Crisis Group think tank.

"From Tehran's perspective, the Houthis have proven themselves to be a capable and effective front, able to generate real pressure," Nagi said.

He said the Houthi leaders' decision to distance themselves from the conflict is a calculated choice that has been fully coordinated with the Iranians.

Two Houthi members of the group's media and political offices told The Associated Press that the rebels' weapons stockpile is running low after its attacks during the Israel-Hamas war. The Iran war has further impeded the flow of weapons, said the officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to talk to the media.

Still, the group has a large stockpile of drones, said another official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the weapons issue, about which he is well-informed.

Nagi said the Houthis appear to be building up their forces by recruiting more fighters, relying on local weapons production and sending reinforcements to Yemen's western coastline on the Red Sea, signaling they are preparing for escalation.

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"The decision is not about unwillingness to intervene, but about timing," Nagi said. "Iran's broader strategy seems to be to avoid throwing all its cards on the table at once, instead using its partners and capabilities gradually as the confrontation evolves."

The Houthis are likely to step in if the conflict widens, Nagi added, or if they perceive an existential threat to Iran, such as significant deterioration in military capabilities.

Houthis have targeted oil shipping and infrastructure

Houthi leader Abdulmalik al-Houthi has repeatedly emphasized the group is ready to intervene, claiming their "hands are on the trigger," though its unclear what that involvement would entail.

″Houthis, of course, are always ready for any war," said Farea al-Muslimi, a research fellow at the Chatham House think tank in London. "Some weaponry moved in different areas inside Yemen recently ... but it's still not clear whether it's for a military escalation."

If the Houthis enter the war, they will most likelyresume attacks on shipping in the Red Seaand the Gulf of Aden, while also striking Israel, Nagi said. They could also join Iran's attacks on Gulf countries, targeting U.S. military assets and interests.

Attacks on vessels during the Israel-Hamas war upendedshipping in the Red Sea, through which about $1 trillion worth of goods passed each year before the war. The rebels alsofired drones at Israel.

Should the Houthis join the Iran war, their primary targets would likely be oil tankers, the analysts said, since shipping offers the most immediate pressure point and attacking it would signal escalation while impacting energy supply chains.

Attacks on oil installations could also be considered. The Houthis have previouslystruck oil facilitiesin Saudi Arabia during their long-running conflict against the Saudi-led coalition.

Meanwhile, U.S. military sites in the region might also become targets, Nagi said.

What's at risk

Abdel-Bari Taher, a political analyst and former head of the press syndicate in Yemen, said any decision to join the war is impacted by the internal situation in Yemen, includingrecent deadly clashesin south Yemen, public opposition in Sanaa to joining the war and heightened caution among Houthi leaders afterhigh-profile assassinations.

The two Houthi officials from the group's media and political offices said the U.S. has sent warnings via Omani mediators against participating in the war. They said Houthi political and security leaders have also been alerted that their cellphones are under surveillance by the U.S. and Israel. Fearing potential Israeli assassinations, Houthi leaders have been instructed not to appear in public, the officials said.

″Despite these constraints and the complex domestic and regional dynamics, Houthi involvement in the conflict remains a possibility," Taher said.

Al-Muslimi, the Chatham House analyst, said the Houthis don't have the military capabilities or an internal Yemeni interest that would force them to join the war, and the group seems committed to aceasefire with the U.S. that was brokered by Omanlast year.

"They hope to fight, especially with Israel, but they can't be the ones to fire the first shot," al-Muslimi said.

He said the Houthis would likely need a local Yemeni cause to join the fighting — a reason that would strengthen support among their local base.

Notes al-Muslimi: The Houthis "are a local group that Iran uses and supports, but didn't create."

Associated Press journalist Ahmed al-Haj in Aden, Yemen, contributed to this report.

byDaniel Coleman

in

March 15, 2026

As other Iran‑allied groups are engaging in the Mideast war, Yemen's Houthis hold back

CAIRO (AP) — Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels have so far remained on the sidelines as theIran war widensacross the ...

Read More