Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated Press
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Kansas finished off the biggest comeback in national championship history Monday night, getting a big game from David McCormack, crucial shots from Remy Martin and surviving a potential game-tying 3-pointer by Caleb Love at the buzzer for a 72-69 victory over North Carolina in the Superdome. The senior-laden Jayhawks trailed 40-25 at halftime before rallying to win their fourth national championship, and the second for coach Bill Self, on the same floor where they lost to Kentucky in the national title game a decade ago.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The Great Kansas Comeback is about more than just one scintillating, stifling 20-minute stretch of Jayhawks basketball. The championship KU captured Monday night had roots back in 2020, when the Jayhawks were a team that looked headed for the program's fourth national title. Instead, it was KU's come-from-behind 72-69 victory over North Carolina on Monday that brought that fourth championship banner back to Allen Fieldhouse. The Jayhawks insisted they'd share it with the 2020 team, too.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Bill Self won his elusive second national title with a masterful second-half coaching job and a spicy dash of Remy Martin. Kansas tightened up defensively to rev up its transition game and Martin provided the spark in a dazzling second half in the Jayhawks' 72-69 win over North Carolina. The Jayhawks started fast and faded even faster to fall into a 15-point hole by halftime. They roared back behind Self's adjustments, setting a record for biggest comeback in championship game history.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — David McCormack's late inside baskets to help Kansas surge past North Carolina in the NCAA championship game followed a Final Four trend. The way teams played in the post had a major influence on all three games. The 6-foot-10 McCormack scored the final four points of Monday night's national title game to finish with 15 points and 10 rebounds in Kansas' 72-69 triumph. He also had a game-high 25 points in a semifinal victory over Villanova. North Carolina 6-10 center Armando Bacot also was among the top players in the Final Four. He outproduced Duke 7-foot-1 Mark Williams significantly in UNC's semifinal win but was bothered by an ankle injury in the final.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Bill Self went from the Hall of Fame coach who too often failed on the big stage to the brilliant mastermind of the biggest second-half comeback in NCAA title game history. The Jayhawks were blitzed by plucky North Carolina for most of the first 20 minutes and dug a seemingly insurmountable 40-25 hole. But Kansas rallied for a 72-69 victory over the Tar Heels inside the boisterous Superdome. Self managed to calm down his disjointed team in the locker room, then get it back on a script for success. That meant getting the ball inside to David McCormack and into the hands of Remy Martin and making crucial stops in the closing minutes.
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Vladimir Tarasenko scored twice, Pavel Buchnevich had a goal and two assists, and the St. Louis Blues beat the Arizona Coyotes 5-1. Ivan Barbashev and Brayden Schenn also scored for the Blues, who snapped a four-game losing streak at home to Arizona. Ville Husso made 21 saves as St. Louis won for the fourth time in its last five games (4-0-1). Nick Schmaltz scored in the third period and Ivan Prosvetov made 24 saves for the Coyotes, who lost for the eight time in 10 games.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — There are strong connections between North Carolina and Kansas. The storied programs heading into Monday night's NCAA men's championship game in New Orleans share stories and ties to some of the giants of the sport. The connections include late North Carolina Hall of Fame coach Dean Smith being a Kansas alumnus. Smith played for the Jayhawks under Phog Allen, who had learned the game from basketball inventor Dr. James Naismith. There is also Hall of Fame coach Roy Williams, who spent 33 years between the two schools as head coach. Tar Heels first-year coach Hubert Davis says he still remembers the pain of losing to Williams' Kansas team in the 1991 Final Four as a guard on that North Carolina squad.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — North Carolina big man Armando Bacot never looked like himself in the national championship game against Kansas because he was battling an ankle injury. Bacot finished with 15 points and 15 rebounds, but most of that production came in the first half of the 72-69 loss to the Jayhawks. Bacot injured his right ankle when he stepped on a teammate during Saturday's win against rival Duke. He insisted he'd be ready to play but was clearly limited against Kansas big man David McCormack. Bacot made just 3 of 13 shots before exiting after reinjuring the ankle in the final minute.
Update on the latest sports
COLLEGE BASKETBALL-NCAA TOURNAMENT
Kansas wins title with historic comeback
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Kansas has claimed its fourth NCAA men's basketball comeback by engineering the greatest second-half comeback in finals history.
The Jayhawks turned a 16-point, second-half deficit into a 72-69 victory over North Carolina. David McCormack scored the go-ahead bucket from close range with 1:21 left, then another at the 22-second mark to put the Jayhawks ahead by three. McCormack and Jalen Wilson led KU with 15 points each. Christian Braun scored 10 of his 12 in the second half and transfer Remy Martin had 11 of his 15 over the final 20 minutes.
Carolina had scored 16 straight points late in the first half to open a 40-25 advantage at the break, but top-seeded KU went on a 31-10 run over the opening 10 minutes of the second to take a six-point lead.
The Tar Heels went scoreless over the final 1:41 and missed their last four shots, including Caleb Love's desperation 3 at the buzzer.
Armando Bacot (BAY'-kaht) provided 15 points and 15 rebounds for North Carolina to become the first player to record double-doubles in all six tournament games.
The Tar Heels were seeking their seventh national championship and could have joined the 1985 Villanova Wildcats as the only No. 8 seeds to win the title.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL-NEWS
Brooks to enter draft, but without agent
UNDATED (AP) — Kentucky forward Keion Brooks Jr. will enter the NBA draft but does not plan on hiring an agent. That leaves open the possibility of returning to school.
Brooks averaged career bests in several categories as a junior, including 10.8 points per contest on 49% shooting. His best performance was 27 points and eight rebounds in Kentucky's 80-62 rout of Kansas in Lawrence in the Big 12/SEC Challenge in January.
In other college basketball developments:
— Alabama leading scorer Jaden Shackelford says he plans to enter the NBA draft and sign with an agent. The Crimson Tide junior guard announced his decision Sunday on Instagram. Shackelford averaged 16.6 points per game last season, earning second-team All-Southeastern Conference honors for the second straight year.
— Syracuse forward Cole Swider will forgo his final year of eligibility and declare for the NBA draft. Swider announced his decision on social media and said he would sign with an agent. The Rhode Island native transferred to Syracuse last year from Villanova and started all 33 games for the Orange.
— Western Michigan has hired longtime Michigan State assistant Dwayne Stephens to lead its basketball program. The former Spartans forward was on Hall of Fame coach Tom Izzo's staff for 19 seasons, including the last decade as an associate head coach. Clayton Bates resigned as Western Michigan's coach last month after winning eight games in his second season.
MLB-NEWS
Pujols to make 22nd Opening Day start
UNDATED (AP) — Albert Pujols (POO'-hohlz) will be in the starting lineup for the St. Louis Cardinals against the Pittsburgh Pirates when he begins his final big league season Thursday.
Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol announced Monday that Pujols will be the designated hitter for his 22nd consecutive opening day start. That matches Hank Aaron and Carl Yastrzemski (ya-STREHM'-skee) for second-most behind only Pete Rose, who made 23 straight during his career.
In other news from the majors:
— Mariners' top prospect Julio Rodríguez will be on the opening day roster following a torrid spring training performance. Entering Monday's spring training game, Rodríguez was hitting .419 with three home runs, eight RBIs and a 1.310 OPS.
— All major league players, managers, coaches and umpires will wear Jackie Robinson's No. 42 in Dodger blue for the first time on April 15, the 75th anniversary of his breaking the major league color barrier. Major League Baseball retired Robinson's number in 1997 and all uniformed personnel have worn 42 on Jackie Robinson Day since 2009.
— Outfielder/first baseman Danny Santana, pitcher Richard Rodríguez and infielder José Rondón have been suspended for 80 games each for a positive test of the performance-enhancing substance Boldenone. It was the first discipline since the major league drug testing program resumed March 11 following a 99-day suspension during the lockout. All three are free agents.
— Two-time National League batting champion Tommy Davis has died at age 83. Davis won batting titles with the 1962 and 1963 Dodgers and helped them win the World Series in 1963 and '65. He was the Orioles' first regular designated hitter and ended his career with a .294 batting average.
NHL-SCHEDULE
Leafs, B's win
UNDATED (AP) — The Toronto Maple Leafs have taken control of second place in the NHL's Atlantic Division, moving two points ahead of Tampa Bay and Boston by defeating the Lightning.
League goals leader Auston Matthews recorded a hat trick as the Leafs earned their fifth straight win, 6-2 in Tampa. Matthews now has 54 goals, four ahead of Edmonton's Leon Draisaitl (DRY'-sy-tul).
Mitch Marner had a goal and three assists for the Maple Leafs, who also received tallies from Pierre Engvall and Alex Kerfoot.
The Bruins pulled even with the Bolts be defeating Columbus, 3-2 on Jake DeBrusk's goal 63 seconds into overtime. DeBrusk scored twice, Craig Smith had a goal and Linus Ullmark (LEE'-nuhs OOL'-mahrk) stopped 20 shots in Boston's third straight win and 17th in 21 games.
Elsewhere on NHL ice:
— The Flames extended their lead in the Pacific Division to five points over the Kings with a 3-2 victory in Los Angeles. Johnny Gaudreau had two goals and an assist, opening the scoring just 10 seconds into the game for Calgary's quickest goal since 1987. Adrian Kempe (KEHM'-peh) had two goals for the Kings, who had earned at least a point in five of their previous six contests.
— Pavel Buchnevich (booch-NEH'-vihch) and Vladimir Tarasenko led the Blues' scoresheet in a 5-1 downing of the Coyotes. Tarasenko scored twice and provided the eventual game-winner while St. Louis netted four unanswered goals in the second period. Buchnevich added a goal and two assists for the Blues, who moved within three points of the Wild for second place in the Central Division.
NFL-NEWS
Commanders deny withholding visiting team revenue
UNDATED (AP) — The Washington Commanders are refuting a report that alleged they withheld ticket revenue from visiting teams.
A team spokeswoman said in a statement there was absolutely no withholding of ticket revenue at any time. She added that anyone who testified to Congress suggesting that committed perjury.
The lawyer for a former Washington VP of sales and customer service said her client testified truthfully and accused the NFL club of defamation.
Front Office Sports citing sources reported the House Oversight Committee received information to indicate Washington withheld ticket revenue. The league pools 40% of all ticket revenue for the road team.
Congress began investigating the team earlier this year after the league did not release a written report of an investigation into sexual harassment inside the organization.
Elsewhere in the NFL:
— The Saints have acquired two first-round picks from the Eagles in a major swap of assets. The Eagles sent picks Nos. 16 and 19 and a sixth-rounder to the Saints for the 18th overall pick, a third-rounder, a seventh-rounder, a 2023 first-rounder and a 2024 second-rounder. The move leaves both teams with two firsts later this month.
—The Jets have released tight end Ryan Griffin, who became expendable when the team signed free agents C.J. Uzomah (yoo-ZOH'-mah) and Tyler Conklin last month. Griffin had 70 catches for 667 yards and seven touchdowns in three seasons with New York.
— The Raiders signed quarterback Nick Mullens to serve as Derek Carr's backup and brought back defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins for a fifth season with the team. Mullens has made 17 starts for San Francisco and Cleveland since being signed by the 49ers as an undrafted free agent in 2017.
— The Browns have signed free agent punter Corey Bojorquez to a two-year contract. Bojorquez spent last season with Green Bay, where he averaged 46.5 yards on 53 punts and drilled an 82 yarder.
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