NCAA:
The NCAA men's championship came down to one shot -- and Kris Jenkins was ready for the moment. Jenkins canned a 3-point buzzer-beater to give Villanova its second NCAA men's basketball championship, a heart-stopping 77-74 win over North Carolina.
Breanna Stewart came to UConn with the lofty goal of winning four national championships and the Huskies are one victory away from history. They will play former Big East foe Syracuse tonight with a chance to become the first women's team to win four straight Division I titles.
NHL:
In the NHL, the Rangers doubled up Columbus 4-2, the Islanders bested Tampa Bay 5-2, Florida won against Toronto 4-3, St. Louis topped Arizona 5-2, and it was Vancouver over Los Angeles 3-2.
NBA:
Former NBA stars Shaquille O'Neal and Allen Iverson head the 2016 class at the Basketball Hall of Fame. They are joined by longtime Michigan State coach Tom Izzo, Chinese NBA star Yao Ming, Sheryl Swoopes and Jerry Reinsdorf.
O'Neal was the top overall pick in the 1992 draft and was a 15-time All-Star who was the NBA MVP in 2000 and a three-time NBA Finals MVP. Iverson was an 11-time NBA All-Star who was named rookie of the year in 1996-97. Izzo led the Spartans to the national championship in 2000 and has taken his team to the Final Four seven times.
Swoopes helped Texas Tech to a national title was a three-time WNBA MVP and won three Olympic gold medals. Yao was the top overall pick in 2002 and was an eight-time NBA All-Star for the Houston Rockets. Reinsdorf has been the owner of the Chicago Bulls for more than two decades.
Former New York Knicks coach Derek Fisher will appear as a guest analyst on Turner Sports' NBA coverage this week. Fisher is a five-time champion as a player who was fired in February after 1 1/2 seasons as Knicks coach. He calls his TV spot a "tremendous opportunity" to stay close to the game and "share insight from a new perspective."
AHL:
The Albany Devils, the AHL affiliate of the New Jersey Devils, is staying in Albany through the 2018-19 season. The Daily Gazette reports the Devils signed a three-year extension at the Times Union Center yesterday.
MLB:
In the American League, Baltimore edged Minnesota 3-2, Texas beat Seattle 3-2, Toronto beat Tampa Bay 5-3, and it was the White Sox over Oakland 4-3. The Houston at Yankees game was postposed due to rain. The Cleveland Indians have postponed their season opener against the Boston Red Sox because of cold weather.
In the National League, Cincinnati tripled up Philadelphia 6-2, San Francisco blasted Milwaukee 12-3, Washington edged Atlanta in 10 innings 4-3, the Dodgers blanked San Diego 15-0, and Colorado doubled up Arizona 10-5.
In interleague play, the Cubs shut out the Angels 9-0.
A small group of protesters withstood freezing temperatures to protest the Cleveland Indians' use of the Chief Wahoo logo before yesterday's opener against Boston was postponed by cold weather. Holding hand-painted signs that read "People Not Mascots" and "Little Red Sambo Must Go," the protesters stood outside the gates of the ballpark and demanded the team abolish the smiling, red-faced logo they feel is racist and offensive to Native Americans.
The Pittsburgh Pirates have worked out a deal with outfielder Gregory Polanco. A person familiar with the decision tells The Associated Press the 24-year-old right fielder has agreed to a five-year contract that will begin at the start of the 2017 season. The agreement includes club options for 2022 and 2023. The person spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity because the deal has not been announced.
NFL:
Buffalo Bills running back LeSean McCoy won't be charged over a Philadelphia nightclub brawl that left two off-duty police officers injured in a dispute over who would pay for a $350 bottle of Champagne. McCoy could still face discipline from the NFL.
Free agent linebacker Zach Brown has signed a one-year deal with the Buffalo Bills, the player's agent has confirmed to The Associated Press. Carl Carey says Brown signed on Monday after meeting with Bills officials at the team's headquarters in Orchard Park. NFL.com first reported Brown's signing.
The Bills also announced Monday that they signed cornerback Corey White and receiver Leonard Hankerson, who finished last season in Buffalo. Brown and White signed shortly after meeting with Bills officials at the team's headquarters.
The New England Patriots have signed veteran defensive tackle Terrance Knighton and tight end Clay Harbor. Knighton has played seven NFL seasons with Jacksonville, Denver and Washington. He has 230 tackles and 14 sacks in 108 career games. Harbor played his first three NFL seasons with Philadelphia, and spent the last three with the Jaguars.
PGA:
Fred Couples has pulled out of the Masters this week because of acute back pain. It will be the first Masters the 1992 winner will miss since 1994. His career has been slowed by back problems the last two decades. The 56-year old Couples says the recent pain has been too much for him to prepare or to compete.
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