Author: Michael

For the second consecutive season, UConn, UCLA, Texas and South Carolina will be the final four teams competing for a national championship. This time, they are all No. 1 seeds, marking the fifth time the top seeds have all made the final weekend since the field expanded to 64.
But even if the same teams will be gracing the court, this is the era of the transfer portal, and several different players will fulfill important roles when they touch down in Phoenix. Here is a first look at what to expect in the 2026 Final Four.

UConn (38-0) vs.

South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley joins Spo

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SEATTLE (AP) — The New York Yankees have won all five of their challenges utilizing the Automated Ball-Strike System during Monday night’s game against the Seattle Mariners.
It started in the bottom of the second inning when José Caballero correctly challenged that two called strikes by plate umpire Mike Estabrook were balls, including a 3-2 pitch from Mariners starter Luis Castillo. Caballero tapped his helmet to ask for a challenge as he took his left shin guard off.

SEATTLE — Mariners fans booed Yankees captain Aaron Judge more than usual on Monday night because they’re still not over how the 2025 American League MVP vote turned out.

They didn’t even get a chance to cheer their guy for the start of the series opener with catcher Cal Raleigh getting a mental break not even a week into his follow-up to a 60-homer season.

Then in the home seventh, with the game tied 1-1 and the lead run on third base with one out, Raleigh was sent into pitch-run against Yankees left-hander Brent Headrick.

Might Cal struck out … again.

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – MARCH 30: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers reacts to a play during the first half against the Utah Jazz at Delta Center on March 30, 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Utah Jazz 122-113.
All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Joyce Edwards scored 24 points and Agot Makeer added 18 to help South Carolina beat TCU 78-52 on Monday night to advance to the Final Four in the women’s NCAA Tournament.
The top-seeded Gamecocks will face UConn in the Final Four in Phoenix on Friday night in a rematch of last season’s national championship game.
“You got to keep the game close, got to be able to score,” South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said of the undefeated Huskies. “We aren’t going to be keeping them from 25 points under their average.

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Diamondbacks strike Justin Verlander early in Tigers return originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The hard hits kept coming.
That was the extent of Justin Verlander’s first Detroit Tigers start since Aug. 30, 2017.
The nostalgia ended early Monday night against the free-swinging Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field.
Verlander yielded five runs on five hits, including a three-run home run by Corbin Carroll, through three innings.

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