[Posted Sunday PM after the Golf and NCAA Women’s Championship….]
Brief Add-on up top by noon, Tues.
Baseball Quiz: This is courtesy of Craig Muder of the Baseball Hall of Fame…during the pitching-rich 1960s, only three American League third basemen had at least three seasons with 20-or-more home runs. Two – Harmon Killebrew and Brooks Robinson – are enshrined in Cooperstown. Name the third. Answer below.
March Madness
—It’s UConn vs. Michigan, Monday night, for the NCAA Championship.
UConn took care of business against Illinois in Saturday night’s opener, 71-62, leading by eight at the half (37-29) having committed zero turnovers, center Tarris Reed with 11 points and five rebounds, freshman Braylon Mullins with 12 points on 3 of 5 from three.
And while the Illini cut it to four, 66-62, with 0:43 to play, the Huskies hit their foul shots down the stretch, Reed finishing 17 and 11, Mullins 15 points, while Solo Ball chipped in with a key 13.
In the end, UConn did enough from downtown, 12 of 33, while Illinois was just 6 of 26. That’s really what it all comes down to in basketball these days, both college and the NBA. Gotta be able to fill it from deep.
In the nightcap, Michigan-Arizona was surprisingly not even a contest, the Wolverines whipping the Wildcats from the start, 48-32 at the half, on the way to a comfortable 91-73 victory, even though Michigan star Yaxel Lendeborg was limited to 14 minutes due to ankle and knee issues.
Picking up the slack was center Aday Mara, 26 points and nine rebounds, while point guard Elliott Cadeau ran the show (sometimes chaotically), but in the end had 13 points and 10 assists.
Trey McKenney also contributed mightily in Lendeborg’s absence with 16 points off the bench.
Arizona freshman star Brayden Burries, like Illinois’ Keaton Wagler, was just 2 of 10 from beyond the arc.
After the game, Lendeborg said there was no way he was not going to be on the court Monday night.
We learned today that UConn’s Solo Ball is questionable with a foot issue.
—Bill Self announced he will return to Kansas to coach his 24th season at the school. He was noncommittal about his job status after Kansas’ second-round loss to St. John’s. But after taking more than a week to consult his family and doctors, he’s decided he still wants to coach.
—Fred Hoiberg of Nebraska was named the AP men’s basketball coach of the year following a 28-win season that included the Cornhuskers’ first NCAA Tournament win and a run to the Sweet 16.
Hoiberg edged out Duke’s Jon Scheyer. Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd in third.
–Speaking of Lloyd, he was rumored to be in line for the North Carolina vacancy, but he said Friday that he had agreed to a contract extension to stay at Arizona.
That leaves Michigan’s Dusty May as a possible replacement for Hubert Davis down in Chapel Hill…or Chicago Bulls coach Billy Donovan.
May certainly fits the bill in terms of the Dean Smith / Roy Williams mold.
–It’s Tulsa (30-7) vs. Auburn (21-16) in the Men’s NIT Final tonight. Auburn feels it was dissed for the NCAA Tournament.
–On the Women’s side, Friday night, South Carolina ended UConn’s 54-game winning streak, 62-48, as all are in agreement that Lady Huskies coach Geno Auriemma lost his cool in confronting Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley with 0.1 seconds left.
Auriemma apologized Saturday for his actions: “There’s no excuse for how I handled the end of the game vs. South Carolina. It’s unlike what I do and what our standard is here at Connecticut,” the Hall of Fame coach said in a statement. “I want to apologize to the staff and the team at South Carolina. It was uncalled for in how I reacted. The story should be how well South Carolina played, and I don’t want my actions to detract from that.”
He didn’t mention Staley.
After the loss, Auriemma said the exchange was about the lack of a traditional pregame handshake between the coaches. Staley said she was confused Friday night.
Anyway, Sunday, it was South Carolina vs. UCLA, which had taken out Texas in the other semi, 51-44.
And boy, what a suckfest we had in the finale today…UCLA blowing out the Gamecocks, 79-51. I watched a lot of it…because I knew I had to comment on it…and ahh, let’s just say it was unwatchable.
However, your editor picked the Lady Bruins to win it all! Their first title. Which is really why I tuned in.
–In what could be the biggest news in college sports of the weekend, Friday night, President Trump signed an executive order designed to limit how long athletes can play college sports and how often they can transfer between schools.
The order directs the NCAA to create rules that mandate college athletes can play for “no more than a five-year period” and allows them to transfer schools only once before they graduate without having to sit out a season. A second transfer would require the athlete to give up a year of eligibility without competing. Graduate students would get one additional free transfer once they have obtained a four-year degree.
Trump’s order would also end NIL collectives, the donor-fueled organizations that rose to prominence after the NCAA lifted its ban on college athletes cashing in on sponsorship and endorsement deals. Collectives have already been marginalized and wound down in many places once schools were permitted to pay athletes up to $20.5 million directly in 2025-26 via a new revenue-sharing system, but schools are finding new ways to attempt to circumvent that cap through multimedia rights agreements and deals with apparel companies. The order steers clear of mandates related to how much schools can pay athletes.
The rule changes are scheduled to go into effect Aug. 1. A school that plays an athlete who doesn’t meet these new limits could risk losing its federal funding.
The order also states that the NCAA should update its rules to create a national registry for player agents and create policies that prevent schools from cutting scholarships or other opportunities for women’s and Olympic sports in order to pay their athletes.
NCAA president Charlie Baker said that while he hadn’t read all the details, “there’s a bunch of things in there that are pretty consistent with the things we’ve been talking to them and to Congress about.”
“We need congressional action to sort of seal the deal on a number of these things, which is good….and getting a bipartisan agreement on a number of those issues would be a really big thing,” Baker said.
The White House is expecting to be sued, but the threat to pull federal funds without compliance is a real one.
NBA
–Gong back to Tuesday, the Knicks (48-28) lost their third straight, all to winning teams, 111-94 to the Rockets (46-29) and thus lost any chance they had at the 2-seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
The Lakers (50-26) beat the Cavaliers (47-29), 127-113, helping the Knicks out, as Luka Doncic had 42 points and 12 assists.
Wednesday, the Knicks beat the Grizzlies (25-51) in Memphis, 130-119, as Karl-Anthony Towns had a triple-double, 20 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists.
[Speaking of Memphis, LeBron James said in a YouTube video he would’ve considered pulling “an Eli Manning” and not showing up if Memphis had won the NBA lottery in 2003 and drafted him at No. 1. James continued in the clip, indicating that few players enjoy road trips to Memphis and that the team should relocate to Nashville.]
Thursday the Pistons moved to 7-2 without Cade Cunningham, who is now expected to miss another week with his collapsed lung, 113-108 over the T’Wolves.
But the Lakers were steamrolled in Oklahoma City by the Thunder (61-16), 139-96, L.A. losing Luka Doncic for the remainder of the regular season, and probably the beginning of the playoffs as an MRI revealed Doncic suffered a Grade 2 left hamstring strain, the team announced Friday.
[L.A. also announced key guard Austin Reaves will miss the rest of the regular season with a Grade 2 left oblique muscle injury, the team announced Saturday. The Athletic reports that Reaves is expected to miss four to six weeks. So much for the Lakers’ chances of making a long run in the postseason.]
Also Friday, the Knicks whipped the Bulls (29-48) at the Garden, 136-96, New York having built up a 78-41 lead at the half.
So the Knicks won their 50th, 50-28, but with four games to go it’s over…Boston (52-25) has essentially secured the 2-seed, defeating the Bucks (30-47) Friday, 133-101.
The Pistons moved to 57-21, 116-93 over the 76ers (46-35).
Saturday, the Spurs took on the Nuggets in Denver, and San Antonio’s fleeting opportunity to catch the Thunder for first in the West is over, falling 136-134, the Spurts now 59-19, OKC 61-16. [Denver is 50-28.]
Victor Wembanyama did have 34 points and 18 rebounds for San Antonio, after games of 41-16 and 41-18, as he goes for the MVP Award.
–The Dallas Mavericks’ Cooper Flagg became the youngest to score 50 points in a game, 51 at age 19, in a 138-127 loss to the Magic Friday night; Flagg doing it on 19 of 30 shooting from the field, 6 of 9 from three.
It’s a tough battle for Rookie of the Year…Flagg and former Duke teammate Kon Knueppel.
MLB
–Going back to Tuesday, the Cardinals shut out the Mets on three hits, 3-0, as the struggles at the plate continued.
The Yankees shutout the Mariners 5-0 in Seattle, Max Fried with his second straight scoreless performance on the mound, 7 innings.
And the Dodgers beat the Guardians 4-1, Shohei Ohtani making his mound debut, 6 innings, one hit.
Wednesday, the Mets fell again to the Cardinals in St. Louis, 2-1, while the Yankees won in Seattle, 5-3, as Cam Schlittler, following Max Fried’s performance, also didn’t allow a run for a second straight start, Schlittler going 6 1/3.
The Pirates beat the Reds 8-3, Paul Skenes recovering from his Opening Day disaster against the Mets, 5 innings, one run, for the win.
The Marlins shut out the White Sox 10-0 as Sandy Alcantara threw a complete game shutout, 3 hits, no walks.
Thursday, the Mets moved on to San Francisco and fell 7-2, New York now batting .155 (11-for-71) with runners in scoring position in their first seven games.
Friday night, Pittsburgh’s 19-year-old rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin made his major league debut, the youngest player to start at short since Alex Rodriguez, who was 18 in 1994.
Griffin, who the day before signed a nine-year, $140 million deal with Pittsburgh, showing how much the team thinks of his prospects, then doubled in a run his first bat, and came around to score on a single, the Pirates beating the Orioles 5-4. Griffin was also flawless in the field.
For good reason there is excitement in the Steel City.
The Yankees finally made their home debut Friday, and celebrated with an 8-2 win over the surprising Marlins (5-2), New York off to a 6-1 start, Aaron Judge hitting his third run, Ben Rice driving in three to give him 8 RBIs already.
The Mets (4-4) broke out of it at the plate, 10-3 over the Giants, New York with 15 hits (6-of-14 with runners in scoring position), as Nolan McLean (5 1/3, one earned) picked up the win.
Saturday, the Yankees improved to an MLB-best 7-1, beating the Marlins again, 9-7.
Out in San Francisco, the Mets (5-4) blasted the Giants a second night, 9-0, Clay Holmes with seven shutout innings, while the Mets, playing without Juan Soto who is out for a few games with a calf strain, were 5 of 11 with runners in scoring position, so now have their average up to .229 in such situations, a far cry from the .155 start.
And the Angels’ right fielder Jo Adell had a night to remember, robbing the Mariners of three home runs in a stirring 1-0 win, the last a leaping grab while crashing into the seats near the right-field foul pole in the ninth inning.
Nine-time Gold Glove winner Torii Hunter called it “probably the greatest defensive game I’ve ever seen.”
Hunter, a special assistant to the L.A. GM who watched the game from the bench, said, “I was jumping up and down. I almost passed out.”
If you didn’t see all three catches, it’s worth looking up.
—Go Deacs! Wake Forest’s Rhett Lowder has two solid starts for the Reds this year and for his career, eight starts (six in 2024…2025 out with injury), Lowder has a career ERA of 1.30…just one home run allowed in 41 innings. As Ronald Reagan would have said, while reading the Monday morning sports pages, Nancy fixing him cream of wheat, ‘Not bad…not bad at all…”
But wait, there’s more! Wake’s Chase Burns, also on Cincinnati, went five innings, one hit, 7 Ks, in his first start this season, and then today, Burns shutout the Rangers through six, 9 Ks, but allowed a leadoff homer in the bottom of the seventh to Joc Pederson, and then another hit, exiting for the bullpen, which gets the job done, Burns the one run in six.
However, on the flip side, last year’s AL Rookie of the Year, all-time Demon Deacon Nick Kurtz, is off to a 2-for-24 start for the A’s heading into today’s contest on the west coast.
Golf Balls
—In the final tuneup before The Masters, the Valero Texas Open at TPC San Antonio, after two rounds…
Robert MacIntyre -14
Ludvig Aberg -10
Tony Finau among a group at -9
They teed off early Saturday to try to beat the weather, but the weather won the battle and Sunday morning, they needed to complete third round play first, MacIntrye (-15) with a two-shot lead over Aberg (-13), both having played just six holes.
And the weather kept coming, but they played through the glom today…
And J.J. Spaun wins it…No. 3 on the PGA Tour…last year’s U.S. Open, and now twice at the Valero Texas Open.
Spaun was down like eight shots at one point today.
—Tiger Woods told police that he was looking down at his cell phone and changing the radio station before a March 27 traffic crash in Florida that resulted in his SUV flipping on its side.
The new details came as the Martin County Sheriff’s Department released Woods’ arrest affidavit on March 31. Tiger was described as “sweating profusely” when speaking with investigators after the crash.
The body cam footage was then released and you see what a mess Tiger was that day.
Tiger released a statement Tuesday on social media: “I know and understand the seriousness of the situation I find myself in today. I am stepping away for a period of time to seek treatment and focus on my health. This is necessary in order for me to prioritize my well-being and work toward lasting recovery. I’m committed to taking the time needed to return in a healthier, stronger and more focused place, both personally and professionally. I appreciate your understanding and support, and ask for privacy for my family, loved ones and myself at this time.”
Minutes later, the PGA Tour also released a statement on the matter: “Tiger Woods is a legend of our sport whose impact extends far beyond his achievements on the golf course. But above all else, Tiger is a person, and our focus is his health and well-being. Tiger continues to have our full support as he takes this important step.”
PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp issued a statement of his own: “Tiger Woods is one of the most influential figures the sports world has ever known. Over the last year, I have come to deeply appreciate Tiger not only for his impact on the game, but for his friendship and the perspectives he has shared with me as I joined the golf industry. My thoughts are with him and his family as he takes this step, for which he has my full respect and support.”
President Trump told the New York Post that he spoke with Tiger following last Friday’s arrest – saying Woods “lives a life of pain” due to existing physical injuries, but is “doing great.”
We then saw from the police cam footage of the arrest that Tiger said he had been on the phone with Trump after the crash.
Woods then announced he was heading to a rehab facility overseas to avoid all the stateside publicity, a Florida judge allowing this.
Meanwhile, for golf viewers wondering how CBS will handle the topic during its Masters coverage next week, Golf Digest reported “the network position is one of respectful silence and adherence to a tradition over the past 70 years of offering the best production possible of the year’s first men’s major championship.”
And now that Tiger won’t be on the grounds, not even for the Champions dinner, there really is zero reason for Jim Nantz and Co. to say a word about Woods. It should be about the action on the course and the many great stories that emerge over the course of the week.
[Phil Mickelson announced he also wouldn’t be in attendance as he continues to deal with a “family health issue.”]
NFL
—The Raiders are signing Kirk Cousins, a very smart move as the team prepares to draft quarterback Fernando Mendoza. Coach Klink Kubiak said during the week that he would prefer not to start a rookie quarterback out of the gate, which bodes well for the veteran Cousins’ prospects of opening the year in the lineup.
—Pittsburgh Steelers’ owner and team president Art Rooney II said Tuesday he anticipates a decision from four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers about his future by next month’s NFL Draft.
“I would say by the draft, I expect an answer,” Rooney said at the league’s annual meetings.
It’s outrageous that Rodgers is allowed to jerk around another team in his typical fashion. But he says, “There’s no contract offer or anything, so there’s nothing that I’m having to debate between. I’m a free agent. …I’m enjoying my time with my wife and enjoying this part of the off season.”
Stuff
–Congratulations to the Buffalo Sabres, who clinched a playoff berth, following an NHL-record 14 seasons of futility, during which the team finished no better than 19th in the league standings.
And Buffalo could earn the top seed in the Eastern Conference.
—One of soccer’s historical powers has reached a once-unfathomable low.
Four-time champion Italy failed to qualify for a third straight World Cup after getting beat in a penalty shootout at 66th-ranked Bosnia and Herzegovina in the European playoffs on Tuesday.
Top 3 songs for the week 4/2/66: #1 “The Ballad Of The Green Berets” (SSgt. Barry Sadler) #2 “19th Nervous Breakdown” (The Rolling Stones) #3 “(You’re My) Soul and Inspiration” (The Righteous Brothers)…and…#4 “Daydream” (The Lovin’ Spoonful) #5 “Homeward Bound” (Simon & Garfunkel) #6 “Nowhere Man” (The Beatles) #7 “California Dreamin’” (The Mamas and The Papas) #8 “These Boots Are Made For Walkin’” (Nancy Sinatra) #9 “Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)” (Cher) #10 “Sure Gonna Miss Her” (Gary Lewis and The Playboys…A week….)
Baseball Quiz Answer: The third AL third baseman to have at least three seasons with 20-or-more home runs in the 1960s is Cleveland’s Max Alvis, who had 22 in 1963, 21 in ’65 and 21 in ’67.
Alvis, out of Jasper, Texas, hit 111 homers for his career (1962-70) with 373 RBIs while batting .247.
Some of us old folks remember how Max Alvis always seemed to be in your pack of cards.
Brief Add-on up top, Tuesday.
