March 28, 2022
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The final two spots in the women’s Final Four in Minneapolis are up for grabs tonight with UConn-N.C. State and Michigan-Louisville. South Carolina and defending champ Stanford are in. As for the men’s Final Four…
Hubert Davis Makes Final Four As 3rd-Lowest-Paid ACC Coach
Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports/Design: John Regula
No one expected Hubert Davis to fill Roy Williams’ shoes — but he’s already pulled off a feat faster than his predecessor.
With the Tar Heels’ 20-point victory over St. Peter’s, the former assistant (2012-21) became the ninth coach to make the Final Four in his first year.
Williams made the national semifinals in his third year at Kansas, winning his first title in his 17th season overall and second at UNC. Now Davis has an opportunity to make his own history.
Michigan’s interim coach Steve Fisher won a championship in 1989, but Davis would be the first full-time coach to win in his first season.In the first year of a five-year, $9.8M deal, Davis is the third-lowest-paid coach ($1.8M AAV) in the ACC. According [[link removed]] to USA Today, 60 coaches earned $2M+ this season.Williams made $4.1M his final year, while Mike Krzyzewski is making $7.4M (1st in men’s basketball).
The Tar Heels will face the Blue Devils for the first time in NCAA tournament history. UNC leads the rivalry (142-115) — and most recently spoiled Coach K’s final game at Cameron.
The Tar Heels are currently underdogs (+4*) against Duke and have the worst odds ( +500* [[link removed]]) to win their seventh national title.
Christian Pulisic Hat-Trick All But Seals USMNT’s WC Berth
U.S. Soccer MNT/Design: John Regula
On Sunday, Christian Pulisic scored a hat-trick to lift the U.S. to a 5-1 rout of Panama — all but assuring a spot in the World Cup after the Americans failed to qualify in 2017.
The U.S. stands in second place in the CONCACAF table and will secure one of three automatic bids if they don’t lose by a five-goal margin against Costa Rica on Wednesday.
Pulisic is arguably already a world-class star with Chelsea, but on the precipice of his first World Cup, can he launch his own USMNT legend following in the footsteps of Landon Donovan?
The 23-year-old became the most expensive North American transfer of all time ($73M) when Borussia Dortmund sold him to Chelsea in 2019.Pulisic’s 12th career goal in WC qualifiers put him one behind Donovan for third all-time.He has 21 goals in 47 national team appearances; Donovan’s 57 in 157 are tied for the most in American history.Donovan’s five WC goals are the most for a male American player and led them to the 2002 quarterfinals as a 20-year-old.
Chelsea are currently controlled by the British government and up for sale following sanctions against former owner Roman Abramovich. The short list is down to four American bids, including that of Boston Celtics co-owner Stephen Pagliuca.
The change of ownership could conceivably [[link removed]] put Pulisic on the market this summer, at which point several big European clubs will try to snap him up — even before he gets to shine in November’s World Cup in Qatar.
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Scottie Scheffler Wins $2.1M, Takes Over World No. 1
Erich Schlegel-USA TODAY Sports/Design: John Regula
On Sunday, Scottie Scheffler defeated Kevin Kisner 4&3 in the championship to win the WGC-Dell Match Play in Austin.
Scheffler’s third win in his last five starts catapulted him to World No. 1, ending Jon Rahm’s 14-week reign. In March alone, his season earnings have jumped to a whopping $7.4 million, leading the money list.
The 25-year-old has joined rare company and — with a Tour-leading six top-10s — is by far the hottest golfer heading into the Masters in April.
Scheffler is the sixth-youngest player to reach No. 1 (Woods, Spieth, McIlroy, Thomas, Rahm).He’s the first since 1997 (David Duval) to earn his first three career wins over five starts.He took home $2.1M for the win, bringing his career total to $14.9M.Scheffler holds a commanding 780-point lead in the FedExCup standings; the season-long winner receives $18M.
Scheffler, however, is tied for the sixth-best odds ( +1600* [[link removed]]) to win the Masters, while Rahm is still the favorite ( +750* [[link removed]]) despite being bumped from the top spot.
In his two starts at the Masters, he finished T18 and T19 in 2020 and ’21, respectively, though he has a pair of T8 finishes at the 2021 PGA Championship and Open Championship.
Making Headlines
Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports/Design: John Regula
MLB: Albert Pujols is headed back to the Cardinals in a reported one-year, $2.5 million deal; he won three NL MVPs, two World Series, and made nine All-Star appearances in St. Louis, and he’s 21 HR away from becoming the third member of the 700 club.
NFL: Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said issues involving QB Baker Mayfield will be “resolved soon”; Mayfield ($18.9M) demanded out of Cleveland after the Browns traded for Deshaun Watson. Also: The league named Detroit host of the 2024 draft.
NCAAM: Villanova guard Justin Moore, the Wildcats’ second-leading scorer (14.8 PPG), suffered a torn Achilles against St. Peter’s; Nova faces Kansas in the Final Four on Saturday.
NBA: Celtics C Robert Williams will miss at least “several weeks” after tearing his meniscus; Williams signed a four-year, $54 million extension this past offseason and is a major part of Boston’s top-ranked defense.
Today's Action
NHL
07:07 PM
Hurricanes (-125) at Capitals (+110)
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NBA
07:40 PM
Bulls (-160) at Knicks (+140)
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NHL
08:37 PM
Sabres (+145) at Blackhawks (-165)
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*All times are EST unless otherwise noted.
*Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See [[link removed]] for details.
Written by Anthony Puccio [[link removed]], Chris Kuc [[link removed]]
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