MON SIX

The roughly 30-minute Zoom meeting came on March 7, followingan incidentinvolving Paul and her on-again-off-again partner, Dakota Mortensen. Aspokesperson for the Draper Police Department in Utahsaid earlier this week that there is an open "domestic assault investigation" regarding Paul and Mortensen from February.

During the call, stars from "Mormon Wives" voiced concerns over thefuture of their careers, the show's brand and the allegations surrounding Paul and Mortensen. They also brought up alleged abuse involving Paul, who has three children, one who she shares with Mortensen.

In 2023, Paul was charged with assault, criminal mischief and domestic violence in the presence of a child, according to Salt Lake County sheriff's records. The arrest stemmed from allegations of a separate domestic violence dispute with Mortensen in 2023, which was part of the storyline in Season One of "Mormon Wives." Court records indicate that Paul pleaded guilty in abeyance to an aggravated assault charge in August 2025, and the other four charges were dismissed with prejudice.

One cast member said they did not feel comfortable filming as long as Paul is being investigated.

"It's a dangerous situation, it's a sad situation, and we don't know how to navigate it, because Taylor is our friend," the cast member said to ABC brass at the virtual meeting.

According to a source with knowledge of the situation, "the purpose of the March 7 zoom was to tell 'The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives' cast that we care about their safety, and they should not feel pressured to do press or film the show."

"The production company engaged a seasoned law firm to conduct an investigation of the competing and conflicting allegations that Taylor and Dakota had toward one another," the source added, "and it would have been inappropriate to engage in a dialogue regarding an ongoing investigation."

There were three Disney executives at the meeting in March, including Rob Mills, the executive vice president of unscripted and alternative entertainment at Walt Disney Television, the person who shared the recording said.

Cast members gave accounts of Paul's alleged behavior at the meeting, according to the audio. Mills said on the call, "I don't know a lot, nor do I want to know too much."

Mills could not speak about the investigation, the source with knowledge of the situation said.

"This is not me putting my head in the sand, but it's not me — you know, I don't want to inquire, because I don't know what that does," Mills later said.

Several cast members repeatedly referenced "distressing" and "upsetting" video recordings of Paul's alleged conduct, but did not detail the contents of them or play them on the call.

A cast member called it "concerning" that no one at Disney or Hulu seemed to want to know what is in the videos.

Hulu executives visited Utah to see "Mormon Wives" film during Season Five, and while there they "witnessed" discussions of domestic violence,NBC News previously reported.

On Thursday,TMZ published a videothat appears to be recorded by Mortensen and shows Paul pushing and kicking Mortensen as he repeatedly asks her to stop, saying, "let me go."

The recording, which does not capture what led up to the interaction, reportedly shows an incident for which Paul was arrested in 2023, according to TMZ.

Paul is also seen throwing three barstools at Mortensen. Shortly after the stool is thrown, her daughter, who was nearby on the sofa during the fight, can be heard crying.

"This is called physical abuse," Mortensen said in the video. When Paul begins hurling the stools at Mortensen, he can be heard saying, "Your daughter is right here."

The video ismentioned in the 2023 indictment against Paul, which notes that Mortensen had "redness and swelling around his eyes, swelling on his elbow, scratches on his fingers, and a laceration on his neck" from the incident. The indictment also notes that in the video, Paul's daughter is struck in the head while she was lying on the couch.

NBC News has not independently verified theTMZ videoand has not viewed the original full video.

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A spokesperson for Paul told NBC News on Thursday, after TMZ released the video, that the recording is the "latest installment of [Mortensen's] never-ending, desperate, attention-seeking, destructive campaign to harm Taylor without any regard for the consequences for their child."

At the meeting, one cast member asked Mills if he's "aware she's hurt a child?" He replied, "I don't think for us getting into it is right."

At the meeting, Mills stressed that the company is "never going to hide anything that is wrong for the sake of business."

He encouraged cast members to speak out about their concerns on the show, but declined to promise that what they said wouldn't be cut in edits.

The cast also expressed concern that Paul got paid more than them, which Mills denied.

Ultimately, the cast agreed to pause filming for "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" until legal action plays out, according to the audio recording.

Paul was set to take the spotlight as lead of ABC's "The Bachelorette" this season, but the networkpulled the plug onThursday.

"In light of the newly released video just surfaced today, we have made the decision to not move forward with the new season of 'The Bachelorette' at this time, and our focus is on supporting the family," Disney said in its statement regarding the decision.

There are no current public allegations against Mortensen.

Following news of the cancellation, a spokesperson for Paul said she's "gaining strength to face her accuser and taking steps to ensure that she and her children are protected from any further harm."

"There are too many women who are suffering in silence as they survive aggressive, jealous ex-partners who refuse to let them move on with their lives," the spokesperson said. "Taylor has remained silent out of fear of further abuse, retaliation, and public shaming. She is currently exploring all of her options, seeking support, and preparing to own and share her story."

Mills did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Thursday.

Representatives for Disney declined to provide additional statements on the matter.

Several authorities have been reviewing the allegations.

The West Jordan Police Department in Utah confirmed to NBC News on Wednesday that the department received a domestic violence allegation via phone call involving Paul, but declined to give details about the allegation or any potential charges. They also did not know the exact date or time of the reported incident.

A police department spokesperson said detectives are working on establishing the facts of the case.

The Draper Police Department in Utah told People earlier this week that there is an open "domestic assault investigation" regarding Paul and Mortensen and that "allegations have been made in both directions." The police spokesperson said that "contact was made with involved parties on [Feb] 24th and 25th."

Reached by NBC News on Monday, the police department declined to confirm the reports of a domestic dispute, saying its practice is "not to release details related to active investigations."

On Thursday, Mortensen, through his attorney, filed for a protective order against Paul. The filing was sent back for a correction and an amended petition, Salt Lake County District Court records show.

During the meeting, Mills suggested "staying close" with the cast as the investigation unfolds to continue the conversation about the future of "Mormon Wives."

"I want this to continue, and I want everyone to continue really being successful, both with this show and and beyond it," Mills told those on the call, "But I think really, just navigating through this thing and taking care of each other is the most important thing right now."

NASA Artemis Moonshot

If the latest repairs work and everything else goes NASA's way, theSpace Launch Systemcould blast off as early as April 1 from Florida's Kennedy Space Center. The Artemis II crew went into quarantine this week in Houston.

The 322-foot (98-meter) rocket began the slow 4-mile (6.4-kilometer) trek in the middle of the night, transported atop a massive crawler used since the 1960s Apollo era. It was expected to take 12 hours. The trip was held up for several hours by high wind.

The three Americans and one Canadian will zip around the moon in their capsule and then come straight home without stopping. Their mission should have been completed by now, but hydrogen fuel leaks and clogged helium lines forced two months of delay.

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While technicians plugged the leaks at the pad, the helium issue could only be fixed in the Vehicle Assembly Building, forcing NASA to roll the rocket back at the end of February.

The last time NASA sent astronauts to the moon was during Apollo 17 in 1972. The new Artemis program aims for a two-person landing in 2028.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Following the United States and Israel's initial attacks on Iran on Feb. 28, U.S. bases in the Middle East came under heavy fire from Iranian missiles and drones, killing seven U.S. soldiers stationed in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Six soldiers were later killed in an air tanker crash in Iraq, and at least 200 have been wounded across the Middle East.

Threats to U.S. troops have not been confined to the war zone. Bases on American soil have shut down in response to reports of active shooters, suspicious packages and other unidentified threats. Since the war began, a growing number of military bases in the continental United States clamped down on security, banning visitors and ordering service members to change out of uniform when they leave the premises.

See how Middle Eastern countries are caught in the crossfire of the war launched by the United States and Israel against Iran.
Bahrain
Smoke rises in the sky after blasts were heard in Manama, Bahrain, Feb. 28, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Syria
Syrian children stand on the wreckage of an Iranian rocket that was reportedly intercepted by Israeli forces in the southern countryside of Quneitra, near the Golan Heights, close to the town of Ghadir al-Bustan.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Iraq
A plume of smoke rises near Erbil International Airport in Erbil on March 1, 2026. Loud explosions were heard early on March 1 near Erbil airport, which hosts US-led coalition troops in Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region, an AFP journalist said.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Iraq
Members and officers from the Iraqi Interior Ministry's Explosives Directorate inspect the fuel tank of a rocket that landed in a rural village in the Siyahi area near the city of Hilla in the central Babil province on March 1, 2026. Iraq, which has recently regained a sense of stability but has long been a proxy battleground between the U.S. and Iran, warned that it did not want to be dragged into the war that started on Feb. 28 with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Qatar
A prayer appealing to God for protection is projected on the dome of al-Hazm shopping mall in Doha on March 1, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Qatar
Motorists drive past a plume of smoke rising from a reported Iranian strike in the industrial district of Doha on March 1, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Bahrain
A building that was damaged by an Iranian drone attack, after Israel and the U.S. launched strikes on Iran, in Manama, Bahrain, March 1, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Saudi Arabia
The empty terminal at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh is pictured on March 1, 2026. Global airlines cancelled flights across the Middle East after the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran on Saturday, plunging the region into a new conflict. In Saudi Arabia, Iranian missiles targeting Riyadh's international airport and the Prince Sultan Airbase, which houses U.S. military personnel, were intercepted, a Gulf source briefed on the matter told AFP.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> United Arab Emirates
A food delivery bike drive close to a plume of smoke rising from the Zayed Port following a reported Iranian strike in Abu Dhabi on March 1, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> United Arab Emirates
An oil tanker is pictured offshore in Dubai on March 1, 2026. Attacks have damaged tankers, and many ship owners, oil majors and trading houses suspended crude oil, fuel and liquefied natural gas shipments via the Strait of Hormuz.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Oman
Smoke billows from an oil tanker under U.S. sanctions, that was hit off Oman's Musandam peninsula, in this screen grab from a video obtained by Reuters on March 1, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Kuwait
Smoke rises from a reported Iranian strike in the area where the U.S. Embassy is located in Kuwait City on March 2, 2026. Black smoke was seen rising from the U.S. embassy in Kuwait City on March 2 after the latest volley of Iranian strikes, an AFP correspondent saw,

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Saudi Arabia
A satellite image shows efforts to control a fire as smoke rises in the Ras Tanura oil refinery in Saudi Arabia after a drone attack, amid the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran, in Ras Tanura, Saudi Arabia March 2, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Turkey
People make their way after crossing from Iran into Turkey at the Kapikoy Border Gate in eastern Van province,Turkey, March 2, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> United Arab Emirates
Delivery persons ride motorcycles along a road as a tall smoke plume billows following an explosion in the Fujairah industrial zone on March 3, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> United Arab Emirates
Pieces of missiles and drones recovered after Iran's strikes are displayed during a press briefing by the UAE government held in Abu Dhabi on March 3, 2026. Iran stepped up its attacks on economic targets and US missions across the Middle East on March 3, as the US president warned it was "too late" for the Islamic republic to seek talks to escape the war. As drones and missiles crashed into oil facilities and U.S. embassies in the Gulf, Washington's ally Israel bombarded targets in Iran and pushed troops deeper into Lebanon to battle the Tehran-backed militia Hezbollah.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Lebanon
Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike on the southern suburbs of Beirut on March 3, 2026. The Israeli military issued new evacuation orders for dozens of locations in Lebanon on March 3, including warning residents in two southern Beirut neighbourhoods to stay away from several buildings ahead of an imminent operation.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Lebanon
Emergency personnel work at the site of an Israeli strike on Beirut's southern suburbs, following an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, Lebanon, March 3, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Lebanon
Rescuers gather at the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted the Jamaa Islamiya offices in the southern Lebanese coastal city of Sidon on March 3, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> United Arab Emirates
Tankers are seen off the coast of the Fujairah, as Iran vows to close the Strait of Hormuz, amid the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran, in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, March 3, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

See how the Iran war's fallout is hitting the Middle East

See how Middle Eastern countries are caught in the crossfire of thewar launched by the United States and Israel against Iran.BahrainSmoke rises in the sky after blasts were heard in Manama, Bahrain, Feb. 28, 2026.

Fatal shooting, suspicious packages at US bases

On March 16, areportof a suspicious package near an entrance gate at Tampa's MacDill Air Force Base, the headquarters of U.S. Central Command, or CENTCOM, prompted a gate closure. The FBI's Tampa office laterstatedthat "possible energetic materials" were found inside the package. MacDillissueda shelter-in-place order two days later on March 18, citing an unidentified targeted "threat."CENTCOM is the military branch leading operations in the Iran war. It's unclear if the threats were related.

On March 17, officials at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in southern New Jersey said that "suspicious packages"were foundon the base, prompting a lockdown. They later determined the packages did not pose a threat.

Reports of an active shooter sent Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexicointo lockdownthat same day. A military veteran was killed and an active-duty service member was injured, according tonews reports.

It's not clear if any of these incidents were linked to the war in the Middle East. Local authorities said investigations are ongoing. But a handful of separate U.S. attacks since the war began, including a shooting at a Virginia Reserve Officers' Training Corps class, are being investigated as terrorism. Lt. Col. Brandon Shah, a class instructor, was killed on March 12 whena man who'd served time in prisonfor colluding with the Islamic State allegedly opened fire on an ROTC class at Old Dominion University in Norfolk.

Uniforms banned for soldiers off base

Military installations have tightened security, banning service members from wearing their uniforms off base in some locations. Fort Huachuca, an Army base in Arizona where more than 5,600 service members are stationed, received an order on March 13 prohibiting soldiers from wearing uniforms away from the base "to ensure force protection efforts align with current global events," according to a copy of the order obtained by USA TODAY.

"This prohibition applies to all off-post activities, including but not limited to dining, shopping, and appointments," according to the order.

The Army's Combined Arms Command issued a similar order to its members the same day, according to spokesperson Lt. Col. Bryen Freigo. The order is "a prudent and proactive measure intended to reduce their visibility and is not in response to any specific or credible threat," he told USA TODAY in an email.

The Pentagon referred questions about these bans to U.S. Northern Command, which said there was no across-the-board ban at U.S. bases.

A temporary ban was also issued Feb. 28 at Shaw Air Force Base, east of Columbia, South Carolina, saying that military members were "no longer authorized" to wear uniforms off base. The baserescindedthe policy on March 15.

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The Navy declined to say whether it had banned the use of uniforms off base but said it was "implementing additional force protection measures," including changes to uniform policies in specific situations, "to reduce the vulnerability of our personnel," according to an emailed statement. The day the war started, Naval Support Activity Annapolis, across the river from the U.S. Naval Academy in Maryland, announced increased security at its entrance gates and halted all public visits "as a result of current world events," according to a Facebookpost.

Recent US-based attacks connected to Middle East conflict

At least two other attacks in recent weeks reportedly had connections to the ongoing war in the Middle East.

A gunman who police said killed two people and injured more than a dozen others at a bar in Austin on March 1was wearing an Iranian flag shirt, according to videos and photos shared online.

Less than two weeks later, police said Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, 41, slammed his truck into a Michigan synagogue and exchanged fire with police before he was killed. According to local leaders in Dearborn Heights,Ghazali's family membersin Lebanon had been killed days earlier in Israeli attacks that have blanketed the country and killed hundreds in another front of the Iran war.

Uniform bans common in recent US wars

Steve Gabavics, a retired Army colonel who served for decades in the military police, estimated that threats to bases have increased by 10% to 15% as a result of the Iran war.

It's nothing new for the military to clamp down on security at bases or installations in response to U.S. wars abroad, including restricting service members from wearing uniforms off base, according to Gabavics. "I've seen it every time we've had a major international conflict," he said.

More:How much is the Iran war costing taxpayers? Here's what estimates show

Gabavics, who commanded military police across the Military District of Washington, said during his time in the role, there may have been dozens of sleeper cells tied to Iran scattered across the Washington, DC, region, and around a hundred across the country.

But the greater threat to service members, he said, likely stems from "lone wolf" attackers inspired by ideology.

Last November, two uniformed National Guard soldiers on patrol were shot blocks from the White House. Sarah Beckstrom, a 20-year-old from Summersville, West Virginia, was killed, and another soldier suffered serious wounds. Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan man arrested andchargedin the shooting, had worked with violent,CIA-backed "zero units"during the U.S. occupation of his country.

Service members in uniform do "create a target," Gabavics said. "We're trying to prevent having an easy target for somebody who does want to do something like this."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Some soldiers prohibited from wearing uniforms off base amid Iran war

South Korea Fire

The National Fire Agency said 24 were seriously hurt in a blaze likely caused by an explosion. Officials could not immediately confirm whether any of the injured were in life-threatening condition. Nam Deuk-woo, fire chief of the city's Daedeok district, said authorities were searching for at least 14 other people believed to have been inside the facility when the fire broke out.

Videos and photos from the scene showed thick gray smoke billowing from the complex and some workers jumping from a building.

The fire was reported at about 1:18 p.m. Nam said the cause was not immediately known, but the blaze appeared to have spread rapidly, with witnesses reporting an explosion.

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He said the fire destroyed a factory building that firefighters were unable to enter because of concerns it could collapse. Efforts focused on preventing the blaze from spreading to an adjacent facility and removing chemicals from the site. The agency said the facility contained about 200 kilograms (440 pounds) of highly reactive chemicals.

Some people were injured when they jumped from the building to escape, while others suffered from smoke inhalation, Nam said. Police were tracking mobile phone signals of the 14 people still unaccounted-for.

More than 500 firefighters, police and other emergency personnel were deployed, along with about 120 vehicles, evacuation aircraft and equipment, including an unmanned water cannon vehicle and two firefighting robots used in areas difficult for crews to access.

President Lee Jae Myung called for the full mobilization of personnel and equipment to contain the fire and support rescue operations.

The action Friday continues with another full slate of 16 contests. Once again, this will be your guide for the day with all the matchups, channels and tip times. Stick with us all day as teams advance and brackets are busted.

Once again, the times listed can vary slightly if preceding contests run long, but there should always be something happening throughout the afternoon and evening hours. Here's the ranking of all the games and everything you need to know about how to watch Friday's contests.

1. No. 8 Villanova vs. No. 9 Utah State

Time/TV:4:10 p.m. ET, TNT

The Aggies have appeared in every NCAA Tournament but one since 2019 but own just one victory in that stretch, something this veteran lineup with leaders MJ Collins Jr. and Mason Falslev hopes to change. They should match up well with the Wildcats, though Duke Brennan could give Villanova the edge in the paint.

2. No. 6 Tennessee vs. No. 11 Miami (Ohio)

Time/TV:4:25 p.m. ET, TBS

You'd be hard-pressed to find a first-round contest featuring more contrasting styles. The free-wheeling RedHawks won over plenty of skeptics in Wednesday night'sFirst Four victory against SMU, but the Volunteers will do their best to make this affair a grind with a premium on controlling the boards.

3. No. 8 Clemson vs. No. 9 Iowa

Time/TV:6:50 p.m. ET, TNT

The final 8-9 matchup tips off the evening session, though it, too, provides something of a contrast. The Hawkeyes have a true floor general in Bennett Stirtz, who rarely leaves the floor. But the Tigers' ability to spread the offensive load could serve them well given their recent injury woes. This looks to be tight throughout.

4. No. 7 Kentucky vs. No. 10 Santa Clara

Time/TV:12:15 p.m. ET, CBS

One of the sport's name-brand programs appears in the leadoff spot, though this year's Wildcats can hardly be considered Final Four contenders. They figure to get a formidable first-round challenge from the Broncos, a well-rounded squad led by veteran coach Herb Sendek that shares the ball and holds its own on the glass.

University of Akron:
Yvette Nicole Brown, Alexa Bliss, Dominique Moceanu, The Black Keys and George Wallace

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> California Baptist University: Brent Kutzle, Dustin-Leigh Konzelman, Kay Warren, Rick Warren and Marissa Figueroa (not pictured)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> University of Hawaii: Bette Midler, Larry Beil, Jason Elam, Ken Niumatalolo and Barack Obama, Sr.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> High Point University: Austin Dillon, Tubby Smith, Donna Fargo, Cody Allen and Charles F. Price (not pictured)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Howard University:
Chadwick Boseman, Thurgood Marshall, Anthony Anderson, Taraji P. Henson and Gus Johnson

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Kennesaw State University: Bron Breakker, Jasmine Burke, ReesaTeesa, Larry Nelson and theRadBrad (not pictured)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> University of Maryland, Baltimore County: Kathleen Turner, Duff Goldman, Stavros Halkias, Young Mazino and Scott Seiss

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> University of Pennsylvania: Elon Musk, Donald Trump, Elizabeth Banks, John Legend and Maury Povich

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Prairie View A&M University: Megan Thee Stallion, Mr. T., Loni Love, Terry Ellis and Cecil Cooper

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

Actors, athletes and icons: Famous alumni from every NCAA men's tournament team

University of Akron:Yvette Nicole Brown, Alexa Bliss, Dominique Moceanu, The Black Keys and George Wallace

5. No. 7 Miami (Fla.) vs. No. 10 Missouri

Time/TV:10:10 p.m. ET, truTV

The final game of the round of 64 features what is as de facto home game for Mizzou despite its lower seed. The Tigers, however, enter the tourney on a three-game losing streak, so a fast start by the Hurricanes could neutralize the home-state crowd in St. Louis. Missouri leading scorer Mark Mitchell will have to keep pace with the Miami duo of Malik Reneau and Tre Donaldson.

6. No. 7 UCLA vs. No. 10 Central Florida

Time/TV:7:25 p.m. ET, TBS

The Bruins' late push in the crowded Big Ten could elevate them only so far up the seeding hierarchy, but they should at least be at full strength for this assignment. The Knights weren't at their best in the closing weeks of the season but have enough weapons to be dangerous.

7. No. 5 Texas Tech vs. No. 12 Akron

Time/TV:12:40 p.m. ET, truTV

Unfortunately, the loss of All America forward JT Toppin to a season-ending knee injury severely dampened Final Four hopes for the Red Raiders. They didn't phone in the rest of their season, of course, but they now find themselves as credible upset picks against the experienced and very talented Zips, paced by lead guard Tavari Johnson and versatile forward Amani Lyles.

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8. No. 4 Alabama vs. No. 13 Hofstra

Time/TV:3:15 p.m. ET, truTV

While courts of a different sort have kept Alabama in the news for much of this season, the Crimson Tide are still capable of making noise in March if Labaron Philon has his A-game. His opposite number here will be Hofstra's Cruz Davis, a high-usage point guard who puts up 20.2 points and 4.6 assists a game.

9. No. 4 Kansas vs. No. 13 Cal Baptist

Time/TV:9:45 p.m. ET, CBS

With plenty of questions about their overall chemistry and the uncertainty around star freshman Darryn Peterson entering the tourney, the Jayhawks arguably need an easy first-round tuneup more than most upper-tier squads. They might not get it against the Lancers and WAC player of the year Dominique Daniels (23.2 ppg).

10. No. 5 St. John's vs. No. 12 Northern Iowa

Time/TV:7:10 p.m. ET, CBS

Big East champion St. John's and its supporters have plenty of reasons to be displeased with the committee for their tournament draw, not the least of which is this first-round matchup in far away San Diego against a program with a veteran coach, Ben Jacobson, and a reputation as a March giant killer. Be that as it may, the Panthers might not have an answer for Red Storm big man Zuby Ejiofor.

11. No. 3 Virginia vs. No. 14 Wright State

Time/TV: 1:50 p.m. ET, TBS

The new-look Cavaliers have a different playing style than the past versions that proved susceptible to the occasional first-round exit. Nonetheless, they must be ready for a challenge from the Horizon League champion Raiders, who also like to play fast and connect on 36.1% of their three-point tries.

12. No. 2 Iowa State vs. No. 15 Tennessee State

Time/TV:2:50 p.m. ET, CBS

When everything is working, the Cyclones can look like a Final Four team. But the program has been here before as a No. 2 seed that suffered a memorable loss to Hampton in the first round. The high-scoring guard tandem of Aaron Nkrumah and (17.6 ppg) and Travis Harper (17.3) could keep the Tigers in it for a while.

13. No. 2 Purdue vs. No. 15 Queens

Time/TV:7:35 p.m. ET, truTV

The Boilermakers were undoubtedly happy to see their name on the Friday slate on Selection Sunday after a hard weekend of work in the Big Ten tournament. And the improvement to a No. 2 seed means a favorable matchup with the Royals, newcomers to the big stage, at least hope to make a good first impression.

14. No. 2 Connecticut vs. No. 15 Furman

Time/TV:10:00 p.m. ET, TBS

All UConn coach Danny Hurley has to do to get his players' attention is remind them what Furman did the last time it played in this event. Bob Richey is still coaching the Purple Paladins, as he was in 2023 when they sent Virginia packing in the first round, and he once again has a dependable floor leader in Alex Wilkins (17.7 ppg, 4.7 apg). But the Huskies look primed to make a title run this year.

15. No. 1 Arizona vs. No. 16 Long Island

Time/TV:1:35 p.m. ET, TNT

Arizona has a history of underachieving in March, but that usually comes on the second weekend. This well-constructed version of the Wildcats should make short work of this one. Jamal Fuller, a 43.8% marksman from the arc, is a guy to watch for coach Rod Strickland's Sharks.

16. No. 1 Florida vs. No. 16 Prairie View A&M

Time/TV:9:25 p.m. ET, TNT

Congratulations are in order for the Panthers as they claimed their first ever March Madness victory. The run almost certainly stops here against the defending champion Gators, though Prairie View's Dontae Horne can make things happen at both ends of the floor.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:March Madness games today: NCAA Tournament first-round schedule Friday