California Keeps 5-Star Prospect Christian Collins From Kentucky
In a significant recruiting blow to the University of Kentucky, 5-star small forward Christian Collins announced his commitment to the University of Southern California on Wednesday. The California native, ranked as the nation’s No. 3 overall prospect by Rivals, opted to stay home, choosing the Trojans over a final list that also included Kentucky and Louisville.
This decision marks another high-profile recruiting miss for the Wildcats, who were considered a favorite to land Collins last fall. The 6-foot-8 forward from St. John Bosco High School would have been a landmark commitment for Kentucky's current coaching staff. Instead, he becomes the third McDonald's All-American to join USC's 2026 class, bolstering a group that is shaping up to be one of the best in the nation. Collins cited his long-standing relationship with the USC program as a key factor in his decision, noting they were one of the first major schools to extend an offer.
For Kentucky, the announcement leaves their 2026 recruiting class empty and amplifies the pressure to secure top talent from both the high school ranks and the transfer portal. Success in the upcoming NCAA Tournament could play a crucial role in shifting recruiting momentum back in the Wildcats' favor.
QUICK HITS
Texas A&M Opens NCAA Tournament Play: The No. 10 seed Texas A&M Aggies are set to face the No. 7 seed Saint Mary's Gaels in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday. The South Region matchup will tip off at 6:35 p.m. at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City and will be broadcast on TruTV. This marks the Aggies' fourth consecutive appearance in the tournament.
Florida Lacrosse Trio Earns Big 12 Honors: Three members of the Florida Gators lacrosse team received Big 12 weekly honors after a dominant 2-0 week. Theresa Bragg was named defensive player of the week, Clark Hamilton earned attacker of the week, and Caroline Hoskins was recognized as the freshman of the week. Hamilton scored a combined nine goals in wins over Penn and Kennesaw State to earn her second conference attacker of the week award this season.
Walk-Off Heroics for Auburn Softball: Taylor Troutman of the Auburn Tigers softball team recounted her dramatic walk-off home run against then-No. 1 Tennessee. In a recent interview, she detailed the entire sequence, from the pitch to the ensuing celebration, offering fans an inside look at one of the season's most electrifying moments.
SEC Women's Tennis Faces Ranked Road Tests: The No. 4 ranked Auburn women's tennis team is preparing for a challenging road trip, facing No. 24 South Carolina on Thursday before a showdown with top-ranked Georgia on Saturday. Meanwhile, the No. 17 Florida Gators will also travel to face No. 1 Georgia and No. 24 South Carolina this week in a series of critical conference matches.
PORTAL WATCH
There has been no significant transfer portal activity involving SEC programs in the last 12 hours.
RECRUITING BUZZ
Beyond the major news of Christian Collins' commitment to USC over Kentucky, there were no new recruiting commitments to SEC schools reported today.
GAMES TO WATCH
Thursday, March 19:
- Men's Basketball (NCAA Tournament): No. 10 Texas A&M vs. No. 7 Saint Mary's - 6:35 p.m. CT (TruTV)
- Women's Tennis: No. 4 Auburn at No. 24 South Carolina - 4 p.m. CT
- Women's Tennis: No. 17 Florida at No. 1 Georgia - 5 p.m. EDT