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.
UNDATED (AP) — President Trump has signed an executive order aimed at fixing college sports that would give federal agencies authority to cut funding at schools that don’t comply with mandates covering transfers, eligibility and pay-for-play in the rapidly changing industry. The order is a laundry list of proposed fixes that lawmakers and college leaders have been pushing for. Among the notable parts of the order was a call to establish “clear, consistent and fair eligibility limits, including a five-year participation window.”
LAS VEGAS (AP) — DJ Thomas scored 20 points off of the bench to help lead the West Virginia Mountaineers past the Creighton Bluejays 87-70 in the semifinals of the College Basketball Crown. DJ Thomas helped lead West Virginia over Creighton on Saturday with 20 points off of the bench in an 87-70 victory in the College Basketball Crown. West Virginia plays Oklahoma, which beat Baylor 82-69 in the other semifinal, for the CBC title on Sunday.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — More than 24 hours before the first shot flew at a Final Four that really feels like a five-team affair, Arizona already had a win. The Wildcats kept their coach from bolting to that fifth team — North Carolina. Tommy Lloyd had the pleasure of announcing the contract extension that will keep him in Tucson through 2031 as part of the news conference that previewed his team's titanic matchup against Michigan. It's all part of a week in which the games have shared the headlines with the UNC coaching search. Also in that speculation is Michigan coach Dusty May, who emphasized that he loves his current job and isn't talking about anything else.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd says he’s remaining with the Wildcats after being mentioned as a potential candidate to fill the coaching vacancy at blueblood program North Carolina. The school also announced it had reached an extension with Lloyd through the 2030-31 season. The 51-year-old Lloyd had been considered a top potential target for the Tar Heels. UNC fired Hubert Davis on March 24 after five seasons. Lloyd's comments came a day before his Wildcats face Michigan in Saturday night's national semifinals in a matchup of the two remaining 1-seeds.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The NCAA is grappling with the blurred lines between amateur and professional sports. This debate is highlighted at the Final Four, where some players from Illinois and Arizona have pro experience in Europe. The NCAA is considering rule changes to address this, especially after two players returned to college after entering the NBA draft. The rise of name, image, and likeness payments has made college sports more lucrative, attracting international talent. Coaches and athletic directors acknowledge the evolving landscape, where college sports increasingly resemble a business.
PHOENIX (AP) — When Jennifer Rizzotti arrived at UConn as a player in 1992, the expectations around the school, as well as the women’s basketball landscape, were much different than they are today. Geno Auriemma was only in his eighth season coaching the Huskies. And women’s basketball as a whole hadn’t seen the unprecedented growth in sponsorships and popularity it is experiencing now. Within a few years, the Huskies went undefeated en route to their first national title. Everything about the program changed, and even as women’s basketball has evolved and skyrocketed in exposure, the Huskies have remained the gold standard.
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — TCU and coach Sonny Dykes have agreed to a contract extension after back-to-back 9-4 seasons. The private Big 12 school does not disclose contract terms, but his previously extended deal went through the 2028 season. The multiyear agreement Friday would take Dykes at least a couple of years past that. Dykes is 36-17 in his four seasons with the Horned Frogs, who set a school record for wins while going 13-2 and making the College Football Playoff at the end of his 2022 debut season. The Frogs will open next season against North Carolina in Ireland on Aug. 29.
