The ‘Can’t Miss’ Sports Events of the Weekend: Recommendations from The Athletic staff

Each Friday, a selection of reporters and editors from The Athletic will offer recommendations of games, events and shows to watch over the weekend.

Saturday

🏀 Men’s College Basketball
Duke at UNC
6:30 p.m. ET on ESPN

The final weekend of the regular season for high-major men’s basketball conferences is loaded with marquee matchups, but you don’t have to overthink this. This will be Cooper Flagg’s last game in a truly hostile environment until he hits the NBA, and it’s the Tar Heels’ last chance to solidify their spot in the NCAA Tournament before things get desperate in the ACC tourney. — Eric Single, senior staff editor for college football 

🏀 NBA
Los Angeles Lakers at Boston Celtics
8:30 p.m. ET on ABC

The last time LeBron James played in Boston, we got his no-call meltdown and Patrick Beverley holding a camera. This time, we get Luka Dončić’s rematch against the Celtics, the team that trounced him in the finals. Basketball’s greatest rivalry, what more do you need? — Mark Puleo, news staff editor 

Sunday

⚽ Soccer
Manchester United vs. Arsenal
12:30 p.m. ET on NBC

United has seen better days and has spent most of the season lurching between crises. But the history of this fixture, dating back even further than a pizza fight in 2004, always makes it unmissable. Arsenal looks secure in second place, and would love nothing more than to pile on the misery for their old rival. — Martin Rogers, head of US soccer  

🏀 Men’s College Basketball
Big South Conference Tournament Championship Game
Noon ET on ESPN2

For me, one of the best signs of spring being around the corner is the conference tournaments, where you hone in on your Cinderella picks. That is why at noon on ESPN2, I will be locked in on the Big South Men’s Championship that should feature High Point out of North Carolina. Last year, High Point lost in its conference tournament as a favorite, depriving it of its first-ever March Madness appearance. This year, it will try to make it happen. It is always a thrill to watch these players make their lifelong dreams come true; especially a year after bitter disappointment. Personally, I also like checking out the announcers that I may not regularly watch, so Matt Schick and Paul Biancardi, you are on the clock. — Andrew Marchand, senior sports media columnist

🏀 Men’s College Basketball
Missouri Valley Conference Tournament Championship Game
2:15 p.m. ET on CBS

The Ohio Valley Conference will hand out the first automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament on Saturday night (9 p.m. ET, ESPN2), but of the five conference tournaments crowning a champion this weekend, the Missouri Valley provides the most bracket research bang for an aspiring office pool champion’s buck. Head coach Ben McCollum and his band of Division II up-transfers have made No. 1 seed Drake very fun to watch, but No. 2 Bradley and No. 3 Northern Iowa are rock-solid and no strangers to the March spotlight. — Eric Single, senior staff editor for college football 

🏀 Women’s College Basketball
SEC Tournament Championship Game
3 p.m. ET on ESPN

The winner of this game will be a top seed in the NCAA Tournament and one of the betting favorites to win it all. ESPN is invested: Its “College GameDay” studio show will be live from Greenville at noon ET on ESPN and ESPN+. Then comes the game — a 3 p.m. tip with the elite crew of Ryan Ruocco, Rebecca Lobo and Holly Rowe. — Richard Deitsch, media reporter

🏒 NHL
Seattle Kraken at Washington Capitals
3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+

There’s a Sunday doubleheader on TNT. Ignore it. Alex Ovechkin is the biggest story in the sport. He’s 10 goals from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s career record, and he’s in the midst of a vintage Ovi binge (10 in 12 games). High drama on each shift. — Sean Gentille, NHL senior writer

🏀 Women’s College Basketball
Big Ten Tournament Championship Game
4:30 p.m. ET on CBS

Could this be USC vs. UCLA Vol. III? Whether JuJu Watkins continues her coronation in her first year in the Big Ten, the Bruins capture their first banner of the Cori Close era, or an underdog pulls through, this should be a good one. — Sabreena Merchant, women’s basketball staff writer

New on-demand

🏎️ F1
“Drive To Survive,” Season 7 on Netflix

If you only want to watch one episode, skip to In The Heat Of The Night because it’s a fresh approach for DTS to behind-the-scenes storytelling: Five drivers use phones to capture different parts of their weekends, creating a video diary feel at times. — Madeline Coleman, F1 staff writer 

⚽ NWSL
“For The Win,” Season 1 on Amazon Prime Video

If you’re looking for a quick sports binge this weekend, I’d recommend ‘For The Win: NWSL.’ The series recaps the 2024 NWSL playoffs and sets up the drama for the 2025 season that starts next week. I do advise any longtime fans of the NWSL to go in with tapered expectations. The series only covers the surface of what the league has to offer. It’s target audience very much feels like “new fans” as the NWSL continues to grow — but there certainly are little nuggets throughout that WoSo fans will enjoy (like Lynn Biyendolo describing the Orlando Pride pre-2024). — Melanie Anzidei, soccer staff writer 

🏀 NBA (and pop culture)
“Running Point” on Netflix

‘Running Point’ on Netflix is so fun! It has everything I love in a Mindy Kaling show: A relatably flawed but lovable lead, quippy dialogue chock-full of pop culture references and a quirky supporting cast. Plus: Basketball! Kate Hudson hilariously juggles player chemistry, free-throw yips and streaming deals, all while wearing fabulous suits and high heels. — Hannah Vanbiber, sports betting staff editor 

🥊 Boxing
“A Thousand Blows” on Hulu

As a ‘Peaky Blinders’ fan, I really enjoyed that show creator’s next project, a binge-worthy 6-episode, based-on-a-true-story drama set in 1880s London and centered around the world’s transition from bare-knuckle brawling to gloves-on boxing. And criminal activity. A lot of criminal activity. — Dan Shanoff, sports business managing editor 

(Illustration: Will Tullos / The Athletic; photos: Qian Jun, Adam Pantozzi, Patrick McDermott / Getty Images)es)