AP Sports

UConn, Purdue set to collide in NCAA title game after dominating in a romp-filled March Madness

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — UConn and Purdue have dominated this year’s NCAA Tournament. Now they’re set to meet for the national championship on Monday night. The Huskies are going for the first repeat men’s title since Florida in 2006 and 2007. They have beaten five tournament opponents by an average of 25 points per game, with the closest margin coming by 14 points. The Boilermakers are in the title game for the first time since falling to UCLA in 1969 in their lone appearance. Purdue is winning its tournament games by an average margin of 19.6 points.

South Carolina, Iowa, UConn top final AP Top 25 women’s basketball poll to cap extraordinary season

South Carolina, Iowa and UConn have finished atop the final AP Top 25 women’s basketball poll of the season. The Gamecocks won their second national championship in three years with an 87-75 victory over Iowa. They received all 35 first-place votes. It is the first time in the 47-year history of the women’s Top 25 that the AP has released its final poll after the tournament.

NBA Playoffs 2024: Playoff positioning battles continue, and see what games matter most

The last week of the NBA season has arrived. With no games Monday — the league typically tries to not play on the night of the NCAA men’s championship game — the schedule resumes Tuesday with 14 games, 13 of which have at least some form of playoff implications. The big game Tuesday: A likely play-in tournament preview with Golden State visiting the Los Angeles Lakers, a meeting of teams with championship pedigree who could meet next week in an elimination game.

On anniversary of Aaron’s 715th homer, Hall of Fame says it will unveil statue of star next month

ATLANTA (AP) — Baseball’s Hall of Fame will unveil a bronze statue of Hank Aaron on May 23 on the first floor of its museum in Cooperstown, New York. The hall made the announcement on the 50th anniversary of Aaron’s 715th home run, which topped the record 714 hit by Babe Ruth. Aaron hit 755 home runs from 1954-76, a mark that stood until Barry Bonds hit 762 from 1986-2007, a feat assisted by performance-enhancing drugs. Aaron was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1982. A 25-time All-Star, he set a record with 2,297 RBIs.

Arsenal back in control of Premier League title race. Has Arteta learned from last year’s collapse?

Arsenal leads the Premier League with seven games to go. The same happened last season but the team imploded and handed the title to fast-finishing Manchester City. City is again on the shoulder of Arsenal along with Liverpool but Arsenal’s form and squad strength suggests things could turn out differently this time round. Arsenal and manager Mikel Arteta appear to have learned lessons from last season in how to pace the league campaign and control games. There are concerns, however, about the fixture schedule should Arsenal progress in the Champions League. Trips to Manchester United and Tottenham in the run-in will be tricky.

Kentucky coach John Calipari talking with Arkansas about open job, according to multiple outlets

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Longtime Kentucky coach John Calipari was in negotiations to potentially leave and take the men’s basketball coaching job at Arkansas, multiple outlets reported late Sunday. Arkansas officials have been in discussions with Calipari about the opening, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported, citing anonymous sources. ESPN, also citing anonymous sources, reported that Calipari is finalizing a five-year deal. The 65-year-old Hall of Fame coach has spent the last 15 seasons at Kentucky. Athletic director Mitch Barnhart recently said Calipari would return despite calls for his firing following the Wildcats’ third consecutive early exit from the NCAA Tournament.

UConn takes precautions to prevent a repeat of the vandalism that followed the 2023 title game

STORRS, Conn. (AP) — Precautions are in place at the University of Connecticut designed to prevent a repeat of the violence and vandalism that marred the celebrations of the school’s 2023 NCAA men’s basketball championship. In advance of this year’s Final Four, the school removed the aluminum light posts along Hillside Road, the main thoroughfare through the center of campus. The school also has limited the size of the campus watch party planned for Monday’s title game against Purdue to 6,700 students, all of whom won tickets to the event through a lottery. A total of 39 people were arrested in disturbances following the Huskies’ win over San Diego State last April.

Dawn Staley and South Carolina in good place to keep dynasty rolling and repeat as champions

CLEVELAND (AP) — Dawn Staley and South Carolina have cemented their place as the next dynasty in women’s basketball. With two NCAA titles in the past three seasons and 109 wins in the last 112 games, it’s hard to argue with that. It doesn’t look like it’s going to end any time soon with most of the players back from this year’s title team. First it was Immaculata then Louisiana Tech and USC. Next was Pat Summitt with Tennessee before Geno Auriemma and UConn took over. Now it’s Staley’s turn.

Caitlin Clark’s college career is over but her impact on the game is not. The numbers back that up

Most points. Highest scoring average. Most 3-pointers in a season. Most 3-pointers in a career. Most national scoring titles. And so on, and so on, and so on. Caitlin Clark’s college career is over. And the stats she leaves behind are going to be in the record books at Iowa, in the Big Ten and for the NCAA for a long, long time. Iowa coach Lisa Bluder says Clark “does things in a different way than anybody else can do.” The numbers back that up.

Byron leads Hendrick Motorsports to 1-2-3 finish at Martinsville on anniversary weekend

William Byron took the lead with 73 laps to go and held onto it during a two-lap overtime finish to enhance Hendrick Motorsports’ celebration of its 40-year anniversary with a victory in the NASCAR Cup Series at Martinsville Speedway. Byron was the first of the contenders to pit under a green flag and moved to the front 31 laps later when the all the drivers had finally pitted. He won for the third time this season, and the second time on the 0.526-mile oval. Kyle Larson was second, followed by Chase Elliott, giving the team the first 1-2-3 finish in track history.