AP Sports Summary for Monday, April 8th, 2024.
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.
South Carolina finishes perfect season with NCAA championship, beating Clark and Iowa 87-75
CLEVELAND (AP) — Coach Dawn Staley and South Carolina have completed their perfect season, ending Caitlin Clark's historic college career with an 87-75 win over Iowa in the NCAA championship game. The 38-0 Gamecocks became the 10th Division I team to go through a season without a loss. And they accomplished the feat after they lost all five starters from last season's team that lost to Clark's squad in the national semifinals. Clark did all she could to lead the Hawkeyes to their first championship. She scored 30 points, including a championship-record 18 in the first quarter. She will go down as one of the greatest players in NCAA history.
Caitlin Clark set out to turn Iowa into a winner. She redefined women's college hoops along the way
CLEVELAND (AP) — Caitlin Clark will take her final bow at Iowa when the Hawkeyes face South Carolina in the national title game. Clark has become a crossover star during her four seasons at Iowa, opening up the women's game to a new audience in the process. Clark says regardless of what happens in the final, she wants her legacy to be the way she inspired young athletes everywhere to follow in her footsteps.
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.
Hank Aaron rose above racist hate mail and threats in pursuit of Ruth's home run record 50 years ago
ATLANTA (AP) — Former teammates, Braves executives and family members remember Hank Aaron's unwavering strength despite receiving racist hate mail and threats during his pursuit of Babe Ruth's home run record. Teammates including Dusty Baker and Tom House will return Monday as the Braves celebrate the 50th anniversary of Aaron's record-breaking 715th homer. Baker was on deck and House caught the record homer in the Braves bullpen before delivering the ball to Aaron at home plate. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred is expected to attend a preview of a new Aaron exhibit at the Atlanta History Center.
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.
Bhatia loses 6-shot lead and wins Texas Open in a playoff. The next stop is the Masters
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Akshay Bhatia is headed to the Masters after winning the Valero Texas Open. He never imagined how it would pan out. Bhatia had a six-shot lead going to the back nine. He had to make a 12-foot birdie putt just to force a playoff with Denny McCarthy. Bhatia won when McCarthy dumped a wedge into the water. It was a tough ending for McCarthy considering how brilliant he played. He made eight birdies on the back nine, including the last seven in a row for a 63. Bhatia held his own with a 67. Rory McIlroy was a distant third.
Korda wins 4th straight LPGA Tour start, beating Maguire in T-Mobile Match Play
NORTH LAS VEGAS, Nev. (AP) — Nelly Korda won the T-Mobile Match Play on Sunday became the first LPGA Tour player in 16 years to win four straight starts, taking four of the first seven holes and going on to beat Leona Maguire 4 and 3 at Shadow Creek. Lorena Ochoa in 2008 was the last player to win four consecutive starts. The top-ranked Korda will try to tie the record of five — set by Nancy Lopez in 1978 and matched by Annika Sorenstam in 2004-05 — in two weeks at the season's first major, The Chevron Championship. Because Korda took seven weeks off after winning in January in Florida, this victory was her third straight in a scheduled event. Korda earned $300,000 for her 12th career victory.
Danielle Collins follows Miami title with championship at Charleston Open
CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — Danielle Collins powered to her second straight WTA title, following her Miami Open victory last week with the Charleston Open championship on Sunday. Collins defeated Daria Kasatkina 6-2, 6-1 for her 13th straight match win. She became the first player since Serena Williams in 2013 to win Miami and Charleston in consecutive weeks. The 30-year-old Collins has announced that this will be her last year on tour. She already has made it a memorable one with her consecutive showings.
Staley, South Carolina achieve perfection, becoming 10th unbeaten team in NCAA Division I history
CLEVELAND (AP) — Dawn Staley and South Carolina have completed the 10th perfect season in NCAA Division I women's basketball history, becoming the first program to accomplish the feat since UConn in 2016. South Carolina had a couple scares throughout the season, but it rallied each time. The Gamecocks were down at the half to Duke, LSU and Tennessee during the regular season. They beat Caitlin Clark and Iowa in the title game on Sunday.
AP-Scorecard
Here are the scores from yesterday's sports events:
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INTERLEAGUE
Final Pittsburgh 3 Baltimore 2
Final Milwaukee 12 Seattle 4
Final Tampa Bay 3 Colorado 2
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AMERICAN LEAGUE
Cleveland at Minnesota 2:10 p.m. (Postponed)
Final Oakland 7 Detroit 1
Final Kansas City 5 Chicago White Sox 3
Final N.Y. Yankees 8 Toronto 3
Final Boston 12 L.A. Angels 2
Final Houston 3 Texas 1
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NATIONAL LEAGUE
Final Atlanta 5 Arizona 2
Final Washington 3 Philadelphia 2
Final N.Y. Mets 3 Cincinnati 1
Final Miami 10 St. Louis 3
Final Chicago Cubs 8 L.A. Dodgers 1
Final San Francisco 3 San Diego 2
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NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Final L.A. Clippers 120 Cleveland 118
Final OT Dallas 147 Houston 136
Final Indiana 117 Miami 115
Final Boston 124 Portland 107
Final Orlando 113 Chicago 98
Final Oklahoma City 121 Charlotte 118
Final New Orleans 113 Phoenix 105
Final Toronto 130 Washington 122
Final New York 122 Milwaukee 109
Final Sacramento 107 Brooklyn 77
Final 2OT Philadelphia 133 San Antonio 126
Final Golden State 118 Utah 110
Final Minnesota 127 L.A. Lakers 117
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NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Final Detroit 3 Buffalo 1
Final Minnesota 4 Chicago 0
Final Carolina 3 Columbus 0
Final Arizona 5 San Jose 2
Final OT Ottawa 3 Washington 2
Final N-Y Rangers 5 Montreal 2
Final SO Nashville 3 New Jersey 2
Final SO St. Louis 6 Anaheim 5
Final Dallas 7 Colorado 4
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MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
Final tie Portland 3 Sporting Kansas City 3
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TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE
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INTERLEAGUE
Miami at N-Y Yankees 6:05 p.m.
Detroit at Pittsburgh 6:40 p.m.
L-A Dodgers at Minnesota 7:40 p.m.
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AMERICAN LEAGUE
Chi White Sox at Cleveland 5:10 p.m.
Seattle at Toronto 7:07 p.m.
Houston at Texas 8:05 p.m.
Tampa Bay at L-A Angels 9:38 p.m.
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NATIONAL LEAGUE
Milwaukee at Cincinnati 6:40 p.m.
N-Y Mets at Atlanta 7:20 p.m.
Philadelphia at St. Louis 7:45 p.m.
Arizona at Colorado 8:40 p.m.
Chi Cubs at San Diego 9:40 p.m.
Washington at San Francisco 9:45 p.m.
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NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Pittsburgh at Toronto 7 p.m.
Vegas at Vancouver 10 p.m.
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TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
(3)Purdue at (1)UConn 9:20 p.m.
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