Sports

CLEVELAND – If the hair did not raise up on your neck, if something in your chest did not swell, you were insensate. This was a game that, for all the divided loyalties and warring ambitions between South Carolina and Iowa, offered something that binds. It was decades in the thankless making for women’s basketball, so when the acclamation finally came pouring down like the clouds of confetti Sunday afternoon, it seemed fitting that the champion cutting down the net was a pioneering coach in Dawn Staley, whose tremendous Gamecocks held off the NCAA Division I all-time scoring leader in the rightly celebrated Caitlin Clark, 87-75, to finish 38-0.

CLEVELAND – Raven Johnson skipped over to Dawn Staley, toothy smile beaming, ponytail bobbing behind her, for a moment of celebration. This was exactly what she wanted. The revenge tour was officially over.

MILWAUKEE – The decision to remove Emerson Hancock from his second start of the season again came down effectiveness, pitches thrown and innings worked.

The first two games of the Spokane Indians season the pitching staff led the way to two victories over their Northwest League rival Vancouver Canadians. 

Michael Ajayi will be wearing a Gonzaga uniform if he elects to continue his college career in 2024-25, but the Pepperdine transfer is keeping all options open for the time being and announced Saturday he plans to declare for the NBA draft while maintaining his NCAA eligibility.

GLENDALE, Ariz. – The sounds around this Final Four, they tell the story. This is an event for the ears, not sight, because the sounds are so unique around here.

For a man who will always bleed crimson, the current fate of Washington State University, and college athletics in general, causes him great distress.

A GRIP ON SPORTS • We’re not sure there is anything we want to write about this morning. Nothing pressing, that’s for sure. Oh, there is a little matter of a NCAA title on the line, and maybe history, for Caitlin Clark, Iowa and finals opponent South Carolina. And then there are the post mortems concerning Purdue’s and Connecticut’s decisive semifinal wins in yesterday’s men’s tournament. But, really, we all knew today – and tomorrow – was coming.

State officials are moving ahead with planning for an expansion of Riverside State Park.

BILLINGS – The theory was exciting and quickly grabbed headlines.

MILWAUKEE – Before the words, “played their best game of the season” could be written or even be uttered on Saturday evening, the Mariners found a way to take a seemingly complete performance and a rare comfortable victory, highlighted by a scintillating performance from starter Bryce Miller, and turn it into another second-guessing, stomach-churning, late-inning dramafest.

GLENDALE, Ariz. – The road to redemption for the Purdue men’s basketball team will make a final stop in the NCAA Tournament championship game.

MOSCOW, Idaho – The new volunteer coach helping with the University of Idaho’s offensive line this spring is a big guy.

PULLMAN – Last offseason, when Tyson Durant was looking to leave Akron out of the transfer portal, he took a visit to Washington State. He had a connection in WSU strength coach Ben Iannacchione, who worked with the Zips a season prior, but when the defensive back finally made it to Pullman, he felt compelled.

The 2024 edition of the Spokane Indians may not be quite as stacked with prospects as last year’s version, but one place they do stand out is in the rotation.

The last time South Carolina women’s basketball experienced defeat was 373 days ago in Dallas at the American Airlines Center.

PULLMAN – The ripple effects of Kyle Smith’s move from Washington State to Stanford are beginning to spread.

DETROIT – With 33 minutes left on the pregame clock at Little Caesars Arena, Steele Venters made a quick pit stop before joining his teammates in the locker room for a few final words before tipoff against Purdue in the Sweet 16.