Sports

Alex Karaban ended his UConn career after the Huskies' 69-63 loss to Michigan in the national final, finishing the game with 17 points and 11 rebounds. He leaves UConn with two championship rings and program records for games played, starts, three-pointers made and total minutes.

Michigan improved its all-time record in national championship games to 2-6 by beating UConn in 2026, ending a 37-year program title drought and marking the first Big Ten national champion since 2000.

Patrick Reed left LIV Golf in late January and has since won twice on the DP World Tour, lifting his ranking and returning to Augusta as a past Masters champion for tournament week.

Tropicana Field reopened to fans after about 18 months of repairs following Hurricane Milton, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Chicago Cubs 6-4 before a sold-out crowd of 25,114.

About 20 Michigan football players and coach Kyle Whittingham went to Indianapolis to watch the men's basketball team reach the NCAA title game after a strong win over Arizona, and several football players said the basketball team's run has been an inspiration for their program.

Tennessee forward J.P. Estrella announced April 6 that he will enter the transfer portal after three seasons with the Vols. He averaged 10 points and 5.4 rebounds this season and became a consistent starter late in the year.

Tarris Reed Jr., who transferred from Michigan to UConn after coaching changes in Ann Arbor, will meet his former Wolverines in Monday's national championship following a dominant NCAA Tournament showing.

Auburn defeated Tulsa 92-86 in overtime to win the NIT Championship, the program's first NIT title.

The Minnesota Twins rallied from an early three-run deficit and a pregame power outage to beat the Tampa Bay Rays 10-4 in their home opener; Tristan Gray hit a grand slam and finished with five RBIs.

UCLA beat Texas 51-44 to reach the national championship game, with Lauren Betts blocking a late layup and Kiki Rice sinking four free throws in the final 13 seconds.

Tommy Lloyd was named the Naismith Men's College Coach of the Year after leading Arizona to a 36-3 record, Big 12 titles and a Final Four appearance; it is his fifth national coaching award in five seasons.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have called up 19-year-old prospect Konnor Griffin ahead of their April 3 home opener in Pittsburgh, and he is set to get a chance to make his major league debut.

Yaxel Lendeborg rolled his left ankle and tweaked his left MCL during Michigan's win over Arizona; he returned in the second half, scored 11 points, and says he plans to play in the national title game while scheduling an MRI for Sunday.

Michigan beat Arizona 91-73 to reach the national title game and will face UConn, which is aiming for a third championship in four years.

Nu Stadium opened Saturday as Inter Miami hosted Austin FC after the club secured a last-minute approval to proceed; city officials had been working to issue a temporary certificate of occupancy before the inaugural match.

Kyle Connor scored twice, including the third-period go-ahead goal, and the Winnipeg Jets beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 2-1 at Nationwide Arena. The win moved Winnipeg one point behind three teams for the Western Conference's second wild-card spot.

Reporting says the Pittsburgh Steelers are open to trading up in the 2026 NFL Draft and that a safety — with names like Caleb Downs and Dillon Thieneman cited — is a possible focus.

The Steelers say ongoing, regular conversations with Aaron Rodgers leave them confident he is choosing between returning to Pittsburgh or retiring, and team leaders expect an answer before the NFL Draft.

Konnor Griffin doubled, walked and scored in his major-league debut as the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Baltimore Orioles 5-4 in the home opener at PNC Park.

DeMeco Ryans told reporters at the league meetings that he believes C.J. Stroud learned from recent playoff mistakes and has been working through the offseason; the Texans also made offensive personnel and coaching changes this offseason.

Framber Valdez pitched six scoreless innings in the Tigers' 4-0 home-opening win over the St. Louis Cardinals, allowing three hits with five strikeouts.

The Jacksonville Jaguars signed Travon Walker to a four-year, $110 million extension; the team said he remains a versatile defensive piece who played through wrist and knee injuries last season while contributing as a run defender.

Arizona beat Purdue 79-64 to reach the Final Four and set a single-season school wins record (36), and coach Tommy Lloyd emphasized keeping the team focused on the moment.

After the NFL spring owners' meetings, the Raiders presented clearer alignment across coaches and the front office, and team leaders described a disciplined draft process and steady player workout activity.

All four No. 1 seeds — UConn, UCLA, Texas and South Carolina — reached this year's Final Four again; each program has roster moves or added experience that make this weekend different from last year.

Caleb Downs, a versatile Ohio State safety and two-time unanimous All-American, drew heavy early-draft interest at his pro day as teams debate whether a safety should be taken in the top 10.

Linebacker Steven Sylvester told KSL Sports that Mike Tomlin often took on coordinators' responsibilities, which Sylvester said created dysfunction; Tomlin stepped away after 19 seasons and the Steelers hired Mike McCarthy.

UCLA women's basketball (35-1) faces Texas (35-3) in the Final Four in Phoenix, with core players such as Kiki Rice and Gabriela Jaquez central to the Bruins' season-long run.

After UConn's 86-64 NCAA Tournament win over No. 14 Jackson State, coach Geno Auriemma praised Jackson State's program and said coach Tomekia Reed deserves more recognition from larger schools.

Michigan's loss to Purdue in the Big Ten Tournament humbled the team and players say it refocused them as they advanced to the Final Four.