Connecticut basketball coach Geno Auriemma has issued an apology following a heated confrontation with South Carolina coach Dawn Staley during the closing moments of their women’s Final Four matchup in Phoenix. The incident occurred as South Carolina secured a 62-48 victory on Friday night, with an agitated Auriemma approaching Staley and appearing to criticize her actions. Coaching staff from both programs intervened to separate the two coaches. After the final buzzer, Auriemma departed directly to the locker room without participating in the traditional post-game handshakes with South Carolina personnel.
In NHL news, the Buffalo Sabres have finally broken through to end professional sports’ longest active playoff drought. After 14 consecutive seasons without postseason play – an NHL record – the Sabres secured their playoff berth on Saturday when the New York Rangers defeated Detroit in regulation. During their extended absence from the playoffs, Buffalo never finished higher than 19th in league standings. Their drought ranked as the second-longest among major North American sports franchises, trailing only the NFL’s New York Jets, who haven’t reached the playoffs since 2010.
At Augusta National, Colombia’s Maria Jose Marin captured the Augusta National Women’s Amateur championship after California teenager Asterisk Talley suffered a dramatic collapse. The Arkansas junior fired a final-round 68 to establish a tournament record at 14-under 202, becoming the third collegiate champion to win the event alongside Jennifer Kupcho and Rose Zhang. Talley’s chances evaporated during a disastrous sequence at the par-3 12th hole, where she found the water twice from a greenside bunker, resulting in a quadruple-bogey that dropped her five strokes back. Talley finished with a 75 and tied for fourth place.
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced its latest class of inductees during Friday’s women’s Final Four festivities in Phoenix. WNBA stars Candace Parker and Elena Delle Donne will be enshrined alongside Chamique Holdsclaw and the entire 1996 U.S. Olympic women’s basketball team. Additional inductees include former NBA players Amar’e Stoudemire, coaches Mike D’Antoni, Doc Rivers, and Gonzaga’s Mark Few, plus longtime NBA referee Joey Crawford. The formal induction ceremony is scheduled for August at the Hall of Fame facility in Springfield, Massachusetts.
The Milwaukee Brewers have acquired an unusual new team mascot after manager Pat Murphy’s television interview took an unexpected turn. During Friday’s pregame coverage, Murphy produced a tortoise named Bobby Jr. when told he couldn’t showcase his signature “pocket pancakes” – a reference to his viral moment last season when he pulled pancakes from his hoodie during a game interview. What Murphy believed was a turtle turned out to be a tortoise, and due to airline restrictions on reptiles, reporter Tricia Whitaker had to leave the creature with the team in Kansas City.
Manchester City advanced to the FA Cup semifinals with a commanding 4-0 victory over Liverpool, powered by Erling Haaland’s explosive 18-minute hat trick. The Norwegian striker opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 39th minute, added a header just before halftime, and completed his first hat trick of the season with a 57th-minute finish off the crossbar. Liverpool’s struggles were compounded by Mohamed Salah’s missed penalty, intensifying pressure on manager Arne Slot. City’s semifinal berth extends their record streak to eight consecutive seasons. Chelsea also progressed by demolishing third-division Port Vale 7-0.
Detroit Tigers veteran Justin Verlander’s homecoming has been delayed after the team placed him on the 15-day injured list with left hip inflammation. The 43-year-old pitcher, baseball’s oldest active player, was set to make his first start at Comerica Park in a Tigers uniform since August 20, 2017, when he was traded to Houston. Verlander rejoined Detroit in February on a one-year, $13 million deal after spending last season with San Francisco.
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Brent Burns achieved a rare milestone by becoming just the second NHL player to appear in 1,000 consecutive games. The 41-year-old veteran reached the mark during Saturday’s game against Dallas, receiving recognition from the home crowd and traveling fans alike. Burns’ streak began on November 21, 2013, while playing for San Jose and has continued through stops with Minnesota and Carolina. Phil Kessel holds the all-time record with 1,064 straight regular-season appearances from 2009-2023.
South Carolina returns to familiar territory, reaching the NCAA championship game for the fourth time in five seasons after their defensive masterpiece against UConn. The Gamecocks will face UCLA, making their first-ever title game appearance, as both teams seek basketball’s ultimate prize. South Carolina’s 62-48 semifinal victory ended UConn’s remarkable 54-game winning streak, while UCLA earned their spot with a gritty 51-44 triumph over Texas. The Gamecocks are pursuing their fourth national championship in nine years under coach Dawn Staley.
UCLA secured their historic first NCAA championship game berth with a defensive struggle against Texas, prevailing 51-44 behind Lauren Betts’ 16 points and crucial late-game block. The Bruins (36-1) dominated the team that handed them their only loss this season, effectively neutralizing All-American Madison Booker while building a 13-point fourth-quarter advantage. After being overwhelmed by eventual champion UConn in last year’s Final Four, UCLA has authored the greatest season in program history and now stands one victory away from their first national title.
