MLB: The Mets completed a successful defensive drill during spring training and celebrated like they had won Game 7 of the World Series.

NCAAM: Maryland, Oklahoma State, Virginia, Mississippi State, Georgetown, South Florida, and Toledo all advanced in Thursday’s early conference tournament play. 

NFL: Former No. 1 overall pick Eric Fisher said on Instagram that he has been released by the Chiefs.

NBA: Zach LaVine, Trae Young, and Zion Williamson were among 15 players added to the list of finalists for the U.S. men’s Olympic basketball team. Also: Heat center Meyers Leonard was suspended a week and fined $50,000 for making an antisemitic slur.

North Carolina vs. Virginia Tech

Watch: 9 p.m. ET, ESPN

Odds: North Carolina -3.5 || O/U 141

Pick: We’re hopping on the Tar Heels train before it picks up even more steam. The public is favoring the Hokies, and UNC just dropped 101 on Notre Dame’s heads. Roy Williams’ 15th-most efficient defense is the difference in a lower-scoring quarterfinals than expected.

Lay the points and take the under.

Who ya got? Reply to this newsletter with your prediction of the North Carolina-Virginia Tech winner, final score, and the leading scorer in the game. Nail it, and you get a mention in the next edition of Sports Section. Don’t forget to include your Twitter handle. 

Shoutout: Yesterday, we asked subscribers to predict the winner, score, and the combined points of the Mavs’ Luka Doncic and the Spurs’ DeMar DeRozan. Dallas won 115-104, and Doncic and DeRozan combined for 52.

Sports Section had a split result: We were on the Mavs laying the points but misfired on the over. 

Subscriber Tim Maher (@glenayrfarm) predicted a 114-108 Mavericks win and Doncic and DeRozan to combine for 50. Nicely played, Tim!

Keep the picks coming!