AP Sports Summary for April 9th, 2024.
UConn concludes a dominant run to its 2nd straight NCAA title, beating Zach Edey and Purdue 75-60
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — UConn delivered the latest of its suffocating basketball beatdowns, smothering Purdue for a 75-60 victory to become the first team since 2007 to capture back-to-back national championships. Tristen Newton scored 20 points for the Huskies, who won their 12th straight March Madness game — not a single one of them decided by fewer than 13 points. UConn was efficient on offense but won this with defense. The Huskies limited the country's second-best 3-point shooting team to a mere seven shots behind the arc, and Purdue only made one. Meanwhile, UConn allowed Zach Edey to go for 37 points on 25 shot attempts.
Purdue's Zach Edey laid it all out in the NCAA title game. It wasn't enough to top UConn
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Purdue's Zach Edey finished with 37 points and 10 rebounds in a huge individual effort in Monday night's loss to UConn in the national title game. But Edey's big night wasn't enough to stop UConn's run to becoming the first repeat men's champion in 17 years. The 7-foot-4 Edey is the two-time Associated Press national player of the year. And he had powered Purdue to its first trip to the NCAA title game since a 1969 loss to UCLA. But Edey was largely single-handed in this one, with only Braden Smith hitting double figures with 12 points.
18.7 million: Early figures from NCAA women's title game make it most-watched hoops game in 5 years
BRISTOL, Conn. (AP) — South Carolina's victory over Caitlin Clark and Iowa in Sunday's women's NCAA championship game had a preliminary audience average of 18.7 million on ABC and ESPN. The only sporting events in the United States to draw a bigger TV audience since 2019 have been football, the World Cup and the Olympics. The audience numbers are expected to increase when Nielsen releases its final numbers on Tuesday. Nielsen says the audience peaked at 24 million. It's the most-watched basketball game since 2019, when the men's NCAA title game between Virginia and Texas Tech averaged 19.6 million on CBS.
Augusta National in bloom and the conditions dry for Masters. So far
AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Forget the azaleas and dogwoods at Augusta National. Players are marveling over firm and fast conditions for the Masters. How long it lasts depends on one day of rain expected later in the week. Xander Schauffele says shots into par 5s are bouncing across the turf. Tony Finau played a chip on the 11th hole he couldn't keep on the green. Tiger Woods was out early with Will Zalatoris for nine holes. Among those who used Monday as a day of rest was Akshay Bhatia. And for good reason. He just got into the Masters by winning the Texas Open.
The NCAA women's tourney had everything: stars, upsets, an undefeated champion. It's just the start
CLEVELAND (AP) — The NCAA women's basketball tournament is having a moment. Attendance and TV ratings during this year's version of March Madness spiked thanks in part to Iowa star Caitlin Clark. Clark says she expects the growth of interest in women's college hoops to continue even after she moves on to the WNBA. The NCAA is optimistic the women's tournament can start to cash in on some of its newfound popularity. NCAA president Charlie Baker says the organization is exploring providing a financial benefit to the 68 teams that make the field.
NAIA all but bans transgender athletes from women's sports. NCAA vows to ensure 'fair competition'
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics has announced a policy that all but bans transgender athletes from women's sports. The NAIA is the governing body for mostly small colleges, covering about 83,000 athletes across the country. The NAIA's Council of Presidents approved the policy in a 20-0 vote. The NAIA is believed to be the first college sports organization to take such a step. The NCAA responded by saying it remains committed to "fair competition for all student-athletes in all NCAA championships."
Tiger talks: Zalatoris leans on advice from Woods in return from back surgery to play the Masters
AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — If anybody knows what Will Zalatoris has gone through as he tries to return from back surgery to play competitive golf again, it just might be his playing partner during Monday's practice round for the Masters. Five-time Masters champion Tiger Woods has undergone the same procedure several times to alleviate pain caused by a herniated disc. Zalatoris says most of Woods' advice has been about the rehabilitation process and how to be patient in the recovery. But it was somehow fitting that the two were first off the tee together one year to the day that Zalatoris was on the operating table.
50 years after Hank Aaron's 715th homer, Hall of Fame announces statue, Postal Service unveils stamp
ATLANTA (AP) — Baseball's Hall of Fame will unveil a bronze statue of Hank Aaron on May 23 on the first floor of its museum in Cooperstown, New York. And the U.S. Postal Service will release a commemorative stamp picturing Aaron in his batting stance wearing his Atlanta Braves uniform. Both announcements came on the 50th anniversary of Aaron's 715th home run, which topped the record 714 hit by Babe Ruth. Aaron hit 755 home runs from 1954-76, a mark that stood until Barry Bonds hit 762 from 1986-2007, a feat assisted by performance-enhancing drugs. Aaron was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1982. A 25-time All-Star, he set a record with 2,297 RBIs.
Guardians' Shane Bieber emotional in discussing elbow injury, uncertain future with surgery looming
CLEVELAND (AP) — Shane Bieber held it together as long as he could. Cleveland's ace became emotional when discussing the upcoming Tommy John elbow surgery that will end his season. Bieber's voice cracked before the Guardians' home opener as he talked about the decision to have the operation. The 2020 Cy Young winner was dominant in two starts before he succumbed to pain. The 28-year-old is in his final season under contract with Cleveland, which has offered him a long-term deal in the past. Bieber understands there are no certainties about his future, but he is more focused on recovering and getting back on the mound.
UConn uses strategy of shutting down Purdue's perimeter shooters to get decisive victory
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — UConn left Donovan Clingan on the loneliest island, stuck deep in the paint to wrestle Purdue center Zach Edey. Even when Edey bulled his way to shots at the rim, the Huskies refused to give their big man help, knowing the two-time national player of the year would get his points. UConn had a much bigger concern than the 7-foot-4 man in the middle: Purdue's perimeter shooters. And, boy, did the Huskies shut them down. UConn held one of the nation's best 3-point shooting team to one made 3 and became the first team in 17 years to repeat as national champions with a 75-60 win.
AP-Scorecard
Here are the scores from yesterday's sports events:
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INTERLEAGUE
Final N.Y. Yankees 7 Miami 0
Final Pittsburgh 7 Detroit 4
Final L.A. Dodgers 4 Minnesota 2
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AMERICAN LEAGUE
Final Cleveland 4 Chicago White Sox 0
Final Toronto 5 Seattle 2
Final Houston 10 Texas 5
Final L.A. Angels 7 Tampa Bay 1
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NATIONAL LEAGUE
Final Cincinnati 10 Milwaukee 8
Final Philadelphia 5 St. Louis 3
Final N.Y. Mets 8 Atlanta 7
Final Colorado 7 Arizona 5
Final Washington 8 San Francisco 1
Final San Diego 9 Chicago Cubs 8
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NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Final OT Toronto 3 Pittsburgh 2
Final Vancouver 4 Vegas 3
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TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Final (1)UConn 75 (3)Purdue 60
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TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE
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INTERLEAGUE
Detroit at Pittsburgh 12:35 p.m.
Miami at N-Y Yankees 7:05 p.m.
L-A Dodgers at Minnesota 7:40 p.m.
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AMERICAN LEAGUE
Baltimore at Boston 2:10 p.m.
Chi White Sox at Cleveland 6:10 p.m.
Seattle at Toronto 7:07 p.m.
Houston at Kansas City 7:40 p.m.
Oakland 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.
Washington at San Francisco 9:45 p.m.
Chi Cubs at San Diego 10:05 p.m.
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NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Dallas at Charlotte 7 p.m.
Detroit at Philadelphia 7 p.m.
Indiana at Toronto 7 p.m.
Boston at Milwaukee 7:30 p.m.
Miami at Atlanta 7:30 p.m.
New York at Chicago 8 p.m.
Orlando at Houston 8 p.m.
Sacramento at Oklahoma City 8 p.m.
San Antonio at Memphis 8 p.m.
Washington at Minnesota 8 p.m.
Denver at Utah 9 p.m.
Golden State at L.A. Lakers 10 p.m.
L.A. Clippers at Phoenix 10 p.m.
New Orleans at Portland 10 p.m.
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NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Carolina at Boston 7 p.m.
Columbus at Tampa Bay 7 p.m.
N-Y Rangers at N-Y Islanders 7 p.m.
Ottawa at Florida 7 p.m.
Philadelphia at Montreal 7 p.m.
Toronto at New Jersey 7 p.m.
Washington at Detroit 7 p.m.
Buffalo at Dallas 8 p.m.
Winnipeg at Nashville 8 p.m.
Minnesota at Colorado 9:30 p.m.
Arizona at Seattle 10 p.m.
Los Angeles at Anaheim 10 p.m.
Calgary at San Jose 10:30 p.m.