OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — North Carolina will be going for its first national championship in baseball when it faces Oklahoma in the College World Series finals. The best-of-three series opens Saturday. Both teams went 3-0 in CWS bracket play. The Tar Heels have been a model of consistency. They have lost consecutive games just once this season and have been ranked no lower than No. 4 by D1Baseball.com the last two months. The Sooners lost six of nine series in Southeastern Conference play and finished 11th in the league. They are averaging 10.4 runs per game with 22 homers during their eight-game win streak.
WASHINGTON (AP) — A bipartisan bill top lawmakers and athletic leaders have described as the best chance to stabilize college sports has cleared a major hurdle in the Senate. The Senate Commerce Committee voted 19-9 to advance the bill on Thursday. The Protect College Sports Act would regulate athlete payments, limit players to one unrestricted transfer and stop coaches from changing jobs during a season. The bill has support from several athletic conferences and the NFL, the NFL Players Association and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee. But the SEC and the Big Ten have not endorsed it. Support and opposition for the bill crosses party lines.
UNDATED (AP) — The Protect College Sports Act has moved forward with Senate committee approval. However, the Big Ten and Southeastern conferences oppose the bill, seeking revisions. This opposition fuels speculation about a potential split from the NCAA to form a super league. U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell emphasizes the need for economic benefits for all. The Big Ten and SEC dominate financially and athletically, raising concerns about parity. Cody Campbell, a Texas Tech regent, dismisses the super league idea as impractical. The bill still requires approval from 60 senators and the House, with legal challenges likely even if it becomes law.
UNDATED (AP) — BYU's AJ Dybantsa has been the long-running favorite to be the No. 1 overall NBA draft pick and headlines the group of forward prospects. Dybantsa led the country in scoring and was a first-team Associated Press all-American. He headlines a position that includes a pair of fellow freshmen in the top tier with Duke's Cameron Boozer and North Carolina's Caleb Wilson. Boozer was AP national player of the year. Wilson was a second-team All-American. They join Kansas guard Darryn Peterson in the clear top tier of overall prospects entering Tuesday's first round.
UNDATED (AP) — Kansas' Darryn Peterson headlines the top tier of one-and-done guard prospects for next week's NBA draft. Peterson is considered a candidate to be the No. 1 overall pick when the first round begins Tuesday. Peterson is a combo guard who averaged 20.2 points in his lone college season. But the uncertainty about his availability while missing 11 games at Kansas is a variable for NBA teams to evaluate. The list of top guards includes Arkansas' Darius Acuff Jr., Illinois' Keaton Wagler, Louisville's Mikel Brown Jr., and Houston's Kingston Flemings. They're all top-10 prospects.
