Show notes
NCAAMBKB – Men’s College Basketball – Championship Last Night NCAA Tournament – Final Four – NRG Stadium, Houston 4 UConn 76, 5 San Diego State 59 UConn 76, SDSU 59 – UConn wins March Madness with 76-59 smothering of SDSU Adama Sanogo powered UConn to the school’s fifth national title with a 76-59 victory over San Diego State. Sanogo had 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Huskies, who became the fifth team since the bracket expanded in 1985 to win all six NCAA Tournament games by double-digits on the way to a championship. UConn built a 16-point lead late in the first half, then held on for a wild ride down the stretch. The Aztecs trimmed the lead to five with 5:19 left, but Jordan Hawkins answered with a 3 to trigger a 9-0 run and put the game out of reach. Keshad Johnson led San Diego State with 14 points. Sanogo was named the most outstanding player of the tournament. NCAAMBKB – Ex-Hoosiers coach Bob Knight out of hospital, son says Former Indiana Hoosiers coach Bob Knight has been released from a hospital in Bloomington, Indiana. His son, Pat Knight, says he returned home after he was admitted with an illness over the weekend. Pat Knight issued a statement thanking people for their thoughts and prayers while asking them to respect the family’s privacy. The 82-year-old Knight won three national championships at Indiana before he was fired in September 2000 after grabbing a student by the arm in violation of the school’s zero-tolerance policy. He was hired by Texas Tech in 2001 and retired in 2012 with a then-Division I record 899 career wins. NCAAMBKB – Jim Nantz bids a fond farewell to March Madness Jim Nantz could fill an evening weaving tales of the great games and buzzer-beaters he’s had the privilege to call over a storytelling career that made his the voice of March Madness for nearly four decades. But when asked about his favorite moments as he prepared for the 354th and final game of that journey, he wanted to talk about underdogs. It’s the teams that don’t get much time in the limelight that Nantz works overtime for. He wants to tell their stories the right way. It makes this year’s Final Four a fitting time to go out. It was filled with teams nobody expected. A storyteller’s paradise, Nantz called it. Even though this is it for basketball, the 63-year-old broadcaster will stay on CBS for golf and football coverage. NHL – National Hockey League Tonight Detroit Red Wings at Montreal Canadiens, 7:00 p.m. Chicago Blackhawks at Calgary Flames, 9:00 p.m. NBA – National Basketball Association Tonight Miami Heat at Detroit Pistons, 7:00 p.m. Atlanta Hawks at Chicago Bulls, 8:00 p.m. MLB – Major League Baseball Yesterday Detroit Tigers 7, Houston Astros 6 – 11 Innings Cincinnati Reds 7, Chicago Cubs 6 San Francisco Giants 12, Chicago White Sox 3 Tigers 7, Astros 6 – F/11 – Vierling catch, homer lift Tigers over Astros 7-6 in 11 Matt Vierling made a sprawling bases-loaded catch and hit a tiebreaking, two-run homer in the 11th inning as the Detroit Tigers rebounded from a meltdown in the ninth to beat the Houston Astros 7-6 for their first win after a an 0-3 start. Detroit wasted a 4-0 lead but Riley Greene’s seventh-inning homer off Bryan Abreu put the Tigers ahead 5-4. Vierling’s backhand grab in right on Maurico Dubon’s two-out liner stopped Houston’s four-run rally in the fifth. After Houston tied the score with two outs in the ninth, Vierling homered in the 11th off Héctor Neris. Reds 7, Cubs 6 – Vosler’s three-run blast lifts Reds past Cubs 7-6 Jason Vosler, a non-roster invitee to spring training, hit a go-ahead three-run home run, his second of the season, as the Cincinnati Reds held off the Chicago Cubs 7-6. Cody Bellinger collected his first hit as a Cub: a three-run home run in the first. Derek Law stranded the tying and go-ahead runners in the ninth to earn his first save since 2019. Alex Young (1-0) got the win. Drew Smyly (0-1) took the loss for Chicago. Cincinnati, which began last season 3-22, is off to a 3-1 start. Giants 12, White Sox 3 – Villar homers twice, Giants hit 7 in romp over White Sox David Villar hit two of San Francisco’s seven home runs, Anthony DeSclafani tossed three-hit ball over six scoreless innings and the Giants pounded the Chicago White Sox 12-3. Villar hit a solo homer in the fifth and a grand slam in the ninth. Joc Pederson, Michael Conforto, Thairo Estrada, Mike Yastrzemski and Bryce Johnson also went deep. The Giants spoiled Chicago’s first home game under manager Pedro Grifol. Pederson got the home run derby going when he connected leading off a two-run second. The Giants smacked four more homers in the fifth, the first time they hit four in an inning since Sept. 18, 2011 at Colorado. Conforto and Estrada went back to back, and so did Yastrzemski and Villar. Tonight White Sox are off Chicago Cubs (Wesneski 0-0) at Cincinnati (Cessa 0-0), 6:40 p.m. Detroit (Manning 0-0) at Houston (Valdez 0-0), 8:10 p.m. News/Talk/Sports 94.9 WSJM 7:45 MLB – White Sox closer Hendriks starts final round of chemotherapy Chicago White Sox closer Liam Hendriks says he was beginning his final round of chemotherapy on Monday. Hendriks, battling non-Hodgkin lymphoma, made the announcement in an eight-second video shown prior to Chicago’s home opener against the San Francisco Giants. He wished White Sox fans a happy opening day while announcing he was starting his final round. He said he’ll “see you guys on the South Side soon.” A three-time All-Star, Hendriks announced the diagnosis in January. General manager Rick Hahn said Hendriks and Garrett Crochet (left elbow surgery) are “progressing,” though the White Sox won’t have a timeline on their returns until they begin rehab assignments. NCAAWBKB – Sunday’s NCAA women’s title game draws record TV audience LSU’s 102-85 victory over Iowa in Sunday’s national championship game was the most-viewed NCAA women’s basketball game on record. There were 9.9 million viewers on ABC and ESPN2 according to fast national numbers by Nielsen. The total audience is a 103% jump over last year, when South Carolina defeated UConn and averaged 4.85 million on ESPN and ESPN2. The audience on Sunday at one point peaked at 12.6 million. The record ratings come as the NCAA is deciding whether to separate the women’s tournament or keep it as part of the championships TV package that includes at least 24 sports. NCAAWBKB – Jill Biden wants champions LSU — and Iowa — at White House First lady Jill Biden says she wants to see the defeated Iowa women’s basketball team invited to the White House as well as the national title winner Louisiana State University. She watched LSU’s 102-85 victory from the stands on Sunday night. The first lady, during a visit to the Colorado state capital in Denver, praised Iowa’s sportsmanship and congratulated both teams on their performance. She says the champions were sure to be invited to the White House and then added that she was going to tell the president that “Iowa should come, too, because they played such a good game.” NCAAWBKB – After March Madness, women’s pro basketball options are slim March Madness may be the last time for fans to see many of the talented college women players compete. Even the handful of players selected in the upcoming WNBA draft will find it difficult to continue their pro careers. There are only potentially 144 WNBA roster spots available and most of those are filled with returning players. There has been talk of expansion over the last few years, but nothing has come to fruition yet. Taking their talents overseas is also not given with those jobs also at premium. Following Brittney Griner’s travails in Russia, dozens of jobs players used to be able to find in that country during the offseason are no longer an option. That has a trickle down on openings in other countries. Golf – Masters – LIV’s Cam Smith happy to get hugs and handshakes at Augusta British Open champion Cameron Smith refers to Augusta National as his happy place. He arrived with a little trepidation now that he’s with LIV Golf. Smith says he found it was business as usual. He says there’s a lot of clamor at the Masters about LIV Golf players competing against PGA Tour loyalists. That much was clear when a practice round tee sheet listed Bryson DeChambeau playing with Tiger Woods. Turns out that wasn’t the case. Smith says it’s important that LIV players contend at the Masters. He says LIV players are wrongly accused of not playing real golf. Wrestling – WWE no longer just a family affair as it joins with UFC WWE is saying goodbye to existing as a family-run business as it joins with the company that runs Ultimate Fighting Championship to create a $21.4 billion sports entertainment company. The deal announced Monday between Endeavor and World Wrestling Entertainment catapults WWE into a new era after spending decades under the control of the McMahon family. Vince McMahon purchased Capitol Wrestling from his father in 1982, and took the regional wrestling business to a national audience with wrestling stars such as Andre the Giant, Hulk Hogan, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, John Cena and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. McMahon called the agreement an evolution for WWE. USA Soccer – Davidson relishes new role with the US players union While the women’s national team fought for and won its landmark equal pay contract with U.S. Soccer last spring, new players’ association officer Tierna Davidson believes there is so much more to be done. The women continue to advocate for better wages and treatment in the game both nationally and internationally as the team prepares for this summer’s Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. Davidson has been elected as an officer for the U.S. Women’s National Team Players Association, it was announced Monday. MCCAA – Junior College Athletics Today Softball Marian Ancilla at Lake Michigan College, 3:00 p.m./5:00 p.m. (DH) MHSAA – Taylor Trillium Academy’s Fisburn named Michigan AP D4 POY Taylor Trillium Academy star Damaryon Fisburn has been named the Michigan Associated Press Division 4 player of the year. The 6-foot-3 senior guard averaged 23 points, 8 rebounds and 4 steals a game on a team that was ranked as high as No. 1. Fishburn is still deciding his basketball future. He’s a 4.0 student and figures on going to a junior college to fine-tune his game before transferring to a larger school. Ty McGregor from Mio AuSable is the Coach of the Year. MHSAA – High School Sports Yesterday Softball Brandywine 7, Niles 5 – Game 1 Niles 9, Brandywine 3 – Game 2 Girls Soccer Michigan Lutheran 1, Bridgman 0 Watervliet 1, Berrien Springs 0 Coloma 2, Brandywine 0 Boys Golf Orchard Hills Invitational at Buchanan, 4:00 p.m. 1. St. Joseph 174 2. Niles 179 3. Buchanan 206 4. Berrien Springs 241 Today Girls Soccer Niles at St. Joseph, 6:30 p.m. Vicksburg at Coldwater, 5:30 p.m. Comstock at Parchment, 6:00 p.m. Baseball Benton Harbor at St. Joseph, 4:00 p.m. Portage Northern at Niles, 4:00 p.m. Coloma at Berrien Springs, 4:00 p.m. Comstock at Bridgman, 4:15 p.m. River Valley at Buchanan, 4:15 p.m. Watervliet at Galesburg-Augusta, 4:00 p.m. Schoolcraft at Gull Lake, 4:00 p.m. Coldwater at Vicksburg, 5:30 p.m. Battle Creek Lakeview at Marshall, 4:00 p.m. Softball Watervliet at St. Joseph, 4:30 p.m. Portage Northern at Niles, 4:00 p.m. Coloma at Berrien Springs, 4:00 p.m. Comstock at Bridgman, 4:15 p.m. River Valley at Buchanan, 4:15 p.m. Schoolcraft at Gull Lake, 4:00 p.m. Coldwater at Vicksburg, 5:30 p.m. Battle Creek Lakeview at Marshall, 4:00 p.m.Detroit Tigers’ Spencer Torkelson (20) and Matt Vierling (8) celebrate behind Houston Astros catcher Martin Maldonado, right, after they scored on a two-run home run by Vierling during the 11th inning of a baseball game, Monday, April 3, 2023, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)Cincinnati Reds’ Jason Vosler, center, hits a three-run home run against the Chicago Cubs in the fifth inning of a baseball game in Cincinnati, Monday, April 3, 2023. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)Chicago White Sox’s Tim Anderson looks at his hand after striking out swinging during the first inning of the White Sox season home opening baseball game against the San Francisco Giants in Chicago, Monday, April 3, 2023. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.