Michigan overpowers Arizona and reaches national title game with 91-73 win
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Michigan overpowered Arizona early and humbled the ’Cats all night long, turning the Final Four meeting billed as the Game of the Year into a 91-73 Wolverines highlight reel. Junior center Aday Mara scored a career-high 26 points and had nine rebounds, a dinged-up Yaxel Lendeborg had 11 points in 14 minutes and the Blue blew through their fifth straight March Madness opponent by double digits. Michigan became the first team to break 90 points five times in a single tournament. Next up is a title matchup Monday against UConn, a 71-62 winner over Illinois in the early semifinal.
UConn and Hurley muscle their way to 3rd national title game in 4 seasons, beating Illinois 71-62
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — UConn got another critical 3-pointer from Braylon Mullins and coach Dan Hurley’s Huskies are heading back to the national title game. UConn beat Illinois 71-62 in the Final Four on Saturday night as the Huskies seek their third championship in four seasons. Tarris Reed Jr. had 17 points and 11 rebounds, while the fabulous freshman Mullins scored 15 for the Huskies, who rode strong inside play and tough defense to their 19th straight victory in the Sweet 16 or later rounds of the NCAA Tournament. UConn will face Michigan on Monday night as it seeks its seventh title, all since 1999.
Michigan star Yaxel Lendeborg returns to Final Four game against Arizona after hurting ankle, knee
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Michigan star forward Yaxel Lendeborg has returned to Saturday’s Final Four game against Arizona after exiting in the first half with ankle and knee injuries. And he immediately made an impact. The first-team All-American was back on the court to start the second half. That came after he gingerly went through a series of warmup exercises at midcourt to test his left ankle. Lendeborg also wore a brace on his left knee, and TBS reported that he had an MCL sprain. Nonetheless, Lendeborg buried a pair of 3-pointers in the opening 4 1/2 minutes of the second half.
Geno Auriemma apologizes for tense exchange with Dawn Staley after UConn loss
PHOENIX (AP) — UConn coach Geno Auriemma has apologized for his actions during a heated exchange with Dawn Staley at the end of the Huskies’ loss to South Carolina in the women’s Final Four. A visibly upset Auriemma went over to Staley in the final seconds of South Carolina’s 62-48 victory on Friday night and appeared to chastise her. Coaches from both teams had to separate them. When the game finally ended, Auriemma walked off the court to the locker room without going back to shake hands with anyone from South Carolina.
Dawn Staley eyes another title as South Carolina meets UCLA in the NCAA women's final
PHOENIX (AP) — Dawn Staley won a national title nine years ago in her first trip as a coach to the NCAA championship game. Now UCLA is playing for the NCAA title in women's basketball for the first time, and Staley hopes to help South Carolina deny the Bruins on Sunday. Since that first title in 2017, Staley has added two more. A win over UCLA would tie Staley for the third most titles by a coach, trailing only Geno Auriemma and the late Pat Summitt. Meanwhile, the Bruins haven't won a national title since 1978, when women's basketball was governed by the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women.
Buffalo Sabres clinch a playoff spot to end the longest drought in NHL history
Bring on postseason hockey in Buffalo. The Sabres’ playoff drought is finally over. Following an NHL-record 14 seasons of futility, during which the team finished no better than 19th in the league standings, the Sabres clinched a berth on Saturday when the New York Rangers defeated the Detroit Red Wings in regulation. Buffalo’s playoff drought was among the four North American sports’ longest active streaks, ranking second behind the NFL’s New York Jets, who last qualified in 2010.
Maria Jose Marin wins Augusta National Women's Amateur after Asterisk Talley meltdown
AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Maria Jose Marin of Colombia has won the Augusta National Women's Amateur. California teenager Asterisk Talley has reason to feel she lost it. Talley was cruising along until a shocking meltdown on the back nine at Augusta National. Talley twice hit into the water from a back bunker on the par-3 12th and made quadruple bogey that put her five shots behind. Marin, a junior at Arkansas, shot a 68 and set the Augusta National Women's Amateur record at 14-under 202. She is the third NCAA champion to win the tournament, following Jennifer Kupcho and Rose Zhang. Talley shot 75 and tied for fourth.
Brewers inherit 'rally tortoise' after manager Pat Murphy is told no pocket pancakes in TV interview
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Milwaukee Brewers apparently have a quirky new mascot, a tortoise named Bobby Jr. During a pregame interview Friday, manager Pat Murphy pulled out the tortoise as a joke instead of his usual “pocket pancakes.” It stems from a viral moment last season when Murphy was shown eating pancakes that he had pulled out of his hoodie pockets during a midgame interview. So told that he couldn't have any pocket pancakes during an interview with Apple TV reporter Tricia Whitaker, Murphy presented her with what he thought was a pocket turtle instead. Turns out it is actually a tortoise. And given rules about reptiles on planes, Whitaker says she had to leave the creature in Kansas City with the team for now.
FA Cup quarterfinals: Arsenal stunned by 2nd-tier Southampton and Haaland hat trick downs Liverpool
Second-tier Southampton has caused a huge shock by beating Premier League leader Arsenal in the FA Cup quarterfinals. Manchester City has dispatched Liverpool 4-0 thanks to an 18-minute hat trick by Erling Haaland. Arsenal was fresh off losing the English League Cup final to City before the international break. Now another potential trophy has slipped from its grasp after conceding in the 85th minute to lose at Southampton 2-1. Southampton is in seventh place in the Championship. It left City as the big favorite to clinch a cup double this season. The thrashing of Liverpool secured a place in the FA Cup semifinals for a record eighth straight season. Chelsea beat third-tier Port Vale 7-0.
NBA says investigation into dispute between Bucks and Antetokounmpo is ongoing
MILWAUKEE (AP) — An NBA investigation into the dispute between the Milwaukee Bucks and Giannis Antetokounmpo regarding the two-time MVP’s injury status is ongoing. The NBA issued a statement offering an update on the investigation Saturday. Antetokounmpo told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and The Athletic on Friday that he’s healthy and he wants to play. Antetokounmpo hasn’t played since leaving a March 15 victory over the Indiana Pacers after landing awkwardly on a dunk. The Bucks have been ruling him out due to left knee hyperextension and a bone bruise.
