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NCAA-MEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP
One down, one to go for Connecticut
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — On Monday night, Connecticut's men's team captured the national championship. On Tuesday night, the UConn women get their turn as they try to complete a basketball championship double for the first time since the Huskies teams did it in 2004.
Shabazz Napier scored 22 points and Connecticut won its second NCAA title in four years, with a 60-54 win over Kentucky. Napier added six rebounds, three assists and three steals.
Napier is among three UConn seniors who were part of the Huskies' 2011 title. That trio stayed after coach Jim Calhoun's retirement even when the Huskies were ineligible for the NCAA tournament last season.
They came back strong in coach Kevin Ollie's second season, and the Huskies went all the way to their fourth overall title.
Kentucky, with five freshmen starters, never led. The Wildcats missed 11 of 24 free throws, while the Huskies were perfect on 10 tries.
James Young had team highs of 20 points and seven rebounds for Kentucky.
NCAA-WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP
Huskies to face Irish tonight
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The women's NCAA basketball title game will take place tonight in Nashville, Tenn. The matchup is the one many fans had hoped for with two unbeaten teams squaring off, 39-0 Connecticut and 37-0 Notre Dame. It's the first time two unbeaten teams have met in the women's championship.
The Connecticut women will be trying to complete a championship double for the first time since the Connecticut men's and women's teams swept the titles in 2004.
BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME
Class of 2014 announced
DALLAS (AP) — Alonzo Mourning and NCAA championship-winning coaches Nolan Richardson and Gary Williams have been voted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Former NBA star Mitch Richmond also was part of the class that was announced just hours before the NCAA title game. They will be inducted Aug. 8 in Springfield, Mass., along with members who were already announced, including retired NBA Commissioner David Stern.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL-NEWS
Masiello on unpaid leave until finishing degree...Cowboys' Smart going pro
UNDATED (AP) — Steve Masiello will be reinstated as the head coach at Manhattan College as soon as he receives his degree from the University of Kentucky. His lack of degree came to light during the NCAA tournament. Manhattan requires its coaches to have degrees.
The school announced Monday that Masiello will be on unpaid leave until he gets the degree. During his absence, associate head coach Matt Grady will lead the program.
Masiello, who has a 61-39 career record at Manhattan, led the Jaspers to a 28-5 record this season and the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament title. The Jaspers lost 71-64 to Louisville in the NCAA tournament.
In other college basketball news:
— Former NBA player and coach Michael Curry has been hired as the men's basketball coach at Florida Atlantic. At FAU, he replaces Mike Jarvis, who led the Owls for the last six seasons.
— Oklahoma State guard Marcus Smart has declared for the NBA draft. The sophomore averaged 18 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game this season.
MLB-SCHEDULE
Jeter shines in final Yankee home opener
UNDATED (AP) — The Yankees won their home opener, beating Baltimore 4-2. Hiroki Kuroda (hih-ROH'-kee kih-ROH'-dah) got the win by going 6 1/3 innings, allowing eight hits and two runs. He struck out four. The loser was Baltimore starter Ubaldo Jimenez yoo-BAHL'-doh hih-MEN'-ez) who gave up four runs in 4 2/3 innings on eight hits and five walks.
The game was the final opening day home game for the retiring Derek Jeter who had a hit and two strikeouts in four at bats. Jeter just barely missed a home run with a double that hit on the left field wall at Yankee Stadium during the Yanks' 112th home opener in New York.
In other major league action:
— C.J. Wilson pitched eight solid innings, Howie Kendrick and Raul Ibanez (rah-OOL'ih-BAHN'-yehz) each drove in three runs and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Houston Astros 9-1. The Angels took three of four from Houston after starting the season 0-3.
— Michael Wacha (WAH'-kuh) outdid Tony Cingrani and the St. Louis Cardinals got a three-run double from Yadier Molina (YAH'-dee-eer moh-LEE'-nah) in the first inning, beating the Cincinnati Reds 5-3 in their home opener.
— Oakland spoiled Minnesota's home opener, 8-3. Yoenis Cespedes (yoh-EHN'-ehs SEHS'-peh-dehs) followed a leadoff walk to Brandon Moss by crushing a double in the second inning and hit a sacrifice fly in the seventh.
— The Boston Red Sox rapped out 14 hits in bouncing Texas 5-1. John Lackey improved to 2-0 by holding the Rangers to one unearned run and five hits in his seven innings. Jackie Bradley Jr. singled in two runs as the Red Sox snapped a three-game losing streak.
— Kansas City doubled up Tampa Bay 4-2. The loss was doubly troubling for the Rays, whose starting pitcher, left-hander Matt Moore, left in the fifth inning with a sore elbow.
— Jordan Lyles pitched into the seventh inning and added a career-high three hits while collecting two RBIs in Colorado's 8-1 trouncing of the Chicago White Sox. Carlos Gonzalez and Troy Tulowitzki homered to support Lyles, who scattered five hits in his Coors Field debut.
— Milwaukee at Philadelphia was rained out as was San Diego at Cleveland.
MLB-NEWS
Twins' Bartlett goes on DL...New Yankee closer on DL
UNDATED (AP) — The Minnesota Twins have placed utility man Jason Bartlett on the disabled list with a sprained left ankle and recalled catcher-outfielder Chris Herrmann from Triple-A Rochester. Bartlett was hurt on Sunday at Cleveland after replacing left fielder Josh Willingham, whose left wrist was hit by a pitch. The Twins have only two other healthy natural outfielders, Aaron Hicks and Jason Kubel (KOO'-bul). Backup first baseman Chris Colabello was in right field on Monday.
In other baseball news:
— Yankees closer David Robertson is headed to the disabled list because of a strained groin just three appearances into his role as Mariano Rivera's replacement. The Yankees will go by closer by committee until Robertson gets back.
— Eduardo Nunez's time with the Yankees ended after a decade when the infielder was traded to the Minnesota Twins for left-hander Miguel Sulbaran. The Twins assigned Nunez to Triple-A Rochester.
— The Texas Rangers have put left-hander Joe Saunders on the disabled list with a bruised left ankle and recalled right-hander Daniel McCutcheon from Double-A Frisco.
NASCAR-TEXAS
Logano gets the checkered flag
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Joey Logano passed Jeff Gordon on the final lap to win the rain-delayed Duck Commander 500 Sprint Cup in Fort Worth, Texas. This was the seventh race of the season and Logano is the seventh different winner this season. The race was postponed from Sunday because of rain.
NASCAR points leader Dale Earnhardt Jr. left early after a wreck. Earnhardt drove into the rain-drenched grass and then had a fiery crash against the wall after just three laps. By doing so he wound up with his first last-place finish in seven seasons.
NBA-SCHEDULE
Night off for the pros
UNDATED (AP) — In deference to the NCAA men's basketball championship game the NBA took Monday night off.
With the end of the regular season in sight, a check of the standings shows Miami and San Antonio the conference leaders — the Heat by a game over Indiana and the Spurs by 4 ½ games over Oklahoma City. The only divisional race still in question is the Atlantic as Toronto tops Brooklyn by 2 ½ games.
NBA-KNICKS-BROWN
Hall of Fame coach Brown knocks Knicks
NEW YORK (AP) — Larry Brown thinks the New York Knicks have mistreated coach Mike Woodson. If they are going to replace him, he believes it should be with Phil Jackson.
The Knicks hired Jackson as team president, but Brown finds it "troublesome" that Jackson won't be coaching.
"You're not going to make the Knicks better by living in L.A. and being there half the time and not talking to your coach," Brown said Monday in an interview with SiriusXM NBA Radio. "Let him coach. He was the best coach probably ever. Let him coach."
Brown also criticized Knicks GM Steve Mills, saying, "I don't know what he knows about the sport to be honest with you."
NBA-UNION
Kevin Johnson leads search committee
NEW YORK (AP) — Sacramento Mayor and former NBA All-Star Kevin Johnson will lead a search committee to find a new executive director for the NBA Players Association.
The union has been seeking a replacement for Billy Hunter since ousting him in February 2013. The NBPA says it hopes to have someone in place by the start of next season.
NHL-SCHEDULE
Ducks pad division lead, creep closer to Blues...Devils loss clinches playoff spot for Rangers
UNDATED (AP) — The Anaheim Ducks have increased their lead in the NHL's Pacific Division and inched closer to the Western Conference-leading St. Louis Blues.
John Gibson picked up a shutout in his NHL debut, making just 18 saves as the Ducks silenced the Canucks 3-0 in Vancouver. Daniel Winnik put the Ducks ahead with a short-handed goal 6:26 in before Kyle Palmieri and Matt Beleskey added insurance tallies.
The win gives Anaheim 110 points, one behind the Blues and three in front of San Jose. The Blues and Sharks each have a game in hand on the Ducks.
In other hockey action:
— Karri Ramo (KAH'-ree RAH'-moh) made 31 saves and Mark Girodano scored the lone goal as the Calgary Flames topped the New Jersey Devils 1-0. The loss clinches an Eastern Conference playoff berth for the New York Rangers and cripples New Jersey's postseason hopes.
— Minnesota blanked Winnipeg 1-0. Charlie Coyle got the only goal as the Wild improved their playoff chances with three games left.
NHL-NEWS
Leafs lose Lupul...Flyers' Rinaldo suspended 4 games
TORONTO (AP) — Toronto Maple Leafs forward Joffrey Lupul (LOO'-pul) needs knee surgery and will miss the rest of the regular season. Coach Randy Carlyle says Lupul will undergo a meniscus procedure and the recovery time is expected to be three weeks. Lupul has 22 goals and 22 assists in 69 games this season.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The NHL has suspended Philadelphia Flyers forward Zac Rinaldo for four games for an illegal check to the head over the weekend. Rinaldo will miss the final four games of the regular season and will forfeit $15,384.60 in salary.
SOCCER
US soccer chief says there's no mutiny
UNDATED (AP) — U.S. Soccer Federation President Sunil Gulati is dismissing the idea that any sort of player mutiny led to the firing of women's coach Tom Sermanni.
The USSF fired Sermanni on Sunday, hours after an exhibition victory over China. The surprising move came just 16 months after Sermanni was put in charge.
The federation will begin looking for a new coach immediately. The Women's World Cup comes up next year with qualifying starting this fall.
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