LOS ANGELES (AP) — Lauren Betts and her UCLA teammates celebrated the school's first NCAA women's basketball championship at Pauley Pavilion. Betts, Gabriela Jaquez and Charlisse Leger-Walker performed a TikTok dance in front of the trophy. Angela Dugalic made a snow angel in the confetti. Coach Cori Close received a standing ovation. She expressed gratitude to the fans for supporting the team all season. The team will soon have a championship banner raised in the arena, where 11 men's national title banners hang in the rafters. It's been a whirlwind few days for the Bruins since their rout of South Carolina, with visits to Lakers and Clippers game and Jimmy Kimmel's late-night show.
UNDATED (AP) — The Associated Press has learned an NCAA panel is scheduled to discuss potential changes to eligibility rules that would incorporate age into the process. Two people with knowledge of the situation told AP the proposal would give athletes five years of eligibility with the clock starting at the earliest of two dates: either when they turn 19 or graduate high school. The people did not want their names used because the NCAA hasn’t publicly discussed the proposal.
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Four freshman goalies will take the ice at the Frozen Four semifinals on Thursday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The NCAA was unable to find a similar instance. Despite being freshmen, these goalies have extensive experience from junior hockey. Wisconsin's Daniel Hauser and North Dakota's Jan Spunar have impressive records. Hauser has a 20-7-2 record, while Spunar leads with six shutouts. In the other semifinal, Michigan's and Denver's goalies stepped up because of injuries. Denver's Johnny Hicks has been outstanding, going 14-0-1. The championship is Saturday.
NEW YORK (AP) — Michigan’s 69-63 victory over Connecticut on Monday night averaged 18.3 million viewers on TBS, TNT, truTV and HBO Max, making it the most-watched men’s NCAA Tournament final since 2019. The audience for Michigan’s first title since 1989 peaked at 20.4 million for the conclusion between 11-11:15 p.m. EDT. It was a 23% increase from the 2024 final on TNT. CBS and TNT started alternating the Final Four in 2016. Overall, the tournament averaged 10.9 million across CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV. It is the second-most watched March Madness since 1994, which aired entirely on CBS, and a 7% increase over last year.
UNDATED (AP) — Michigan is No. 1 in the final Associated Press Top 25 men’s college basketball poll for the 2025-26 season after winning the program’s first national championship in 37 years. The Wolverines claimed all 57 votes in Tuesday’s poll in the third year the AP has released its last poll after the completion of the NCAA Tournament. Michigan beat UConn 69-63 in Indianapolis for the program's first NCAA title since 1989. UConn finished second, followed by Arizona, Duke and Illinois. No. 15 Iowa and No. 22 Texas jumped into the poll after reaching the tournament's second weekend.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Michigan men’s basketball returned to campus as national champions and coach Dusty May told the fans who greeted them at the Crisler Center that “this trophy is yours.” May and his players stood atop the Junge Family Champions Center on Tuesday and overlooked a crowd of maize and blue. Michigan held off UConn 69-63 in Monday night’s title game, an effort powered by its all-transfer starting lineup. Point guard Elliot Cadeau, named the Final Four’s most outstanding player, led Michigan with 19 points. Morez Johnson Jr. had 12 points and 10 rebounds.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The transfer portal has opened in college basketball, marking a crucial phase for teams aiming for the 2027 title. More than 1,200 players have already entered the portal, with hundreds more expected. Michigan won the NCAA championship with transfers playing key roles. The Big Ten swept the football championship and both Division I basketball titles this year.
UNDATED (AP) — The value of name, image and likeness deals that can avoid review by the College Sports Commission over whether they are appropriately priced has risen from $600 to $2,500, providing an athlete doesn’t make more than $15,000 total. That's according to a memo the commission issued Tuesday to Division I schools. The CSC was formed to oversee NIL payments to athletes in college sports. The raised amount is expected to allow the commission to act faster in approving deals and focus more on the big-money arrangements between players and third parties that need more scrutiny.
