Houston’s experience plus Kelvin Sampson’s coaching prowess makes Cougars a tough Final Four opponent for Duke.
Florida’s Walter Clayton Jr., Auburn’s Johni Broome accustomed to going toe to toe with nation’s best teams.
Even within an elite Final Four, Cooper Flagg can be the ultimate equalizer for Duke.

One of these No. 1 seeds is not like the other.

That’s what oddsmakers would have you believe. The betting books list Duke at even-money odds to win the national championship, making the Blue Devils a decisive favorite.

If you’ve watched Duke play during March Madness, you understand why. The Blue Devils blazed through their region en route to San Antonio. Cooper Flagg is playing like the national player of the year, and the tournament spurred the best from Kon Knueppel, another freshman.

So, prepare Duke’s crown? Not so fast. Here are five reasons why the Blue Devils won’t win the national championship (and one big reason why they will).

Why Duke won’t win national championship

Final Four is historically strong

When Connecticut won the first of its back-to-back national championships in 2023, the Huskies blitzed through No. 5 Miami in the Final Four and No. 5 San Diego State in the national championship game. The Huskies never faced an opponent seeded better than No. 3 during that tournament. That upset-filled March Madness thrill ride produced a watered-down final stage.

Contrast that scene from two years ago with this Final Four, which marks just the second time four top-seeds reached the semifinals. This promises to be an epic finish to an otherwise mundane tournament, at least by March Madness standards.

The analytics nerds love this Final Four. Advanced stats guru Ken Pomeroy ranks this quartet as the four-best teams in the nation. Each team shines on both offense and defense.

Duke must bring its A-game to prevail. A No. 1 seed can survive a shaky performance in the first or second round. Beating Houston and then tackling Florida or Auburn will require two good performances.

BEST EVER?: A list of the seven best Final Fours in since expansion

NCAA RESEED: Ranking the four Final Four teams from best to worst

Kelvin Sampson is best coach in San Antonio

There’s no weak link among the Final Four coaches, but I put Houston’s Kelvin Sampson on the top perch. This marks his third career Final Four appearance. He showed his X’s and O’s chops with a beautifully designed inbounds play that produced Houston’s game-winning bucket against Purdue.

Sampson’s record the past five seasons: 159-23. He breezily transitioned Houston from the American Athletic to the Big 12.

“We develop our staff; we develop our players,” Sampson told reporters in San Antonio. “That’s culture.”

It works.

Houston oozes experience

The Cougars start a sophomore, two juniors, a fifth-year senior and a sixth-year senior. That’s the picture of a veteran lineup accustomed to NCAA men’s tournament battles.

Star guard L.J. Cryer scored 30 points in Houston’s second-round win against Gonzaga. If Houston upsets Duke and plays two games in San Antonio, Cryer would have a chance to reach 2,000 career points.

Veteran, premier guards are a good formula for March Madness success. Houston reflects this. Plus, although every team in San Antonio plays strong defense, nobody defends better than Houston.

Florida’s Walter Clayton Jr. is Mr. March

Walter Clayton Jr. gave us a lasting March Madness moment when he passed up a shot from 5 feet, dribbled out to 23 feet and swished a 3-pointer to put Florida ahead by a point in the closing minute of its Elite Eight win against Texas Tech.

Why shoot for two points when an extra point waits just a few dribbles in the other direction?

Clayton’s heroics helped Florida erase Texas Tech’s nine-point lead with less than three minutes remaining. Since the start of the SEC tournament, Clayton is averaging 21.6 points.

Excellent though Flagg is, if Duke meets Florida in the national championship, it would face the hottest scorer in the country.

Auburn and Johni Broome survived the fires

No Final Four team faced a tougher path to San Antonio than Auburn.

Never mind that Auburn received the No. 1 overall seed. The selection committee did Auburn no favors in charting a course that called on the Tigers to survive No. 9 Creighton, No. 5 Michigan and No. 2 Michigan State en route to the Final Four. Survive, they did.

Auburn’s rugged tournament march came on the heels of a stiff regular-season schedule. The Tigers amassed a nation-leading 16 “Quad 1 victories.”

You could argue that maybe Auburn is wearing down. Alternatively, Auburn is accustomed to this level of competition, and star center Johni Broome just delivered one of his finest performances in the Elite Eight against Michigan State.

Bruce Pearl has his team playing with the spirit of an underdog but the talent of a frontrunner. That’s a tough combination.

Why Duke will win national championship

Cooper Flagg and his companions are darn good

Duke encountered two points of skepticism entering the tournament: One, Flagg injured his ankle during the ACC tournament. Two, the ACC experienced a down year. Was Duke the real deal?

In four tournament games, Duke quieted each concern: Flagg’s playing well, and the Blue Devils proved that whatever deficiencies its ACC comrades may have, don’t apply to them.

Coach Jon Scheyer made replacing a legend look easier than it is. Flagg made living up to the pressure of a No. 1 recruiting ranking look like child’s play, too.

Duke can’t match Houston’s experience, and Florida features the best pure scoring guard in this Final Four, and Auburn touts the nation’s best center.

How to counter all that? Start by having the best all-around player. That’s Flagg. Flagg’s supporting cast picked the perfect time to peak, too.

The Blue Devils are a complete team. They form a worthy favorite amid an all-time Final Four.

Blake Toppmeyer is a columnist for the USA TODAY Network. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer. Subscribe to read all of his columns.

NFL teams finally got to see both players work out at Colorado’s pro day on Friday, and what they got was short, highly productive and, yes, a successful pro day for the two stars.

Sanders was mostly crisp, especially with his deep passes. Hunter ran gorgeous routes.

Sanders, known to be a harsh self-critic (like many great players) said afterwards on the NFL Network the workout wasn’t perfect, and he strives for perfection.

The most interesting thing he said in the interview with the network was how he tells teams to not shy away from asking him question they want.

The workout was shorter than most pro days, but Sanders mostly helped himself and, more importantly, didn’t do anything to damage his draft stock.

Today’s pro day at Colorado under coach Deion Sanders was maybe the most hyped workout session of the 2025 NFL draft process, maybe even more so than the combine in Indianapolis earlier this year.

So the “will they work out question” is finally answered. It happened. Now comes the hard question: where will they go in the draft?

USA TODAY Sports provided the latest updates, highlights and more from the pro day workouts of Sanders and Hunter.

‘Body fat of a hummingbird’

Those were the words of the NFL Network’s Brian Baldinger describing Hunter. Not much to add to that.

Shedeur Sanders vs. Cam Ward NFL combine measurements

Cam Ward

Height: 6015

Weight: 219

Hand: 9

Shedeur Sanders

Height: 6014

Weight: 212

Hand: 9 3/8

Sanders’ deep passes are excellent

Yes, as with all pro days, the quarterback isn’t pressured. There are also no defensive backs. Yes, these days are engineered to show the players at their best. Still, some of the deep passes thrown by Sanders are excellent here.

You can see the natural feel Sanders has for the passing game, particularly with the deep passes.

‘His deep ball passes are as good as anybody’s,’ said Baldinger during the broadcast.

A typical Sanders throw

On one throw, Sanders threw a beautiful touch pass to the right sideline. It’s one of the things he does exceptionally well in addition to deep passes: those mid-route touch passes.

Some of his passes are slightly wobbly but overall this is an impressive showing so far.

Hunter not wearing gloves

He was one of the few receivers not wearing them. That’s truly old school. The gloves are considered by most receivers to be a necessity in modern football. Sorry to nerd out here.

Shedeur Sanders begins throwing

His first throw was an underneath route while rolling right. It was a nice safe throw to get him going.

It should be noted that he was throwing to his wide receiver and other possible top five pick in Hunter.

Shedeur Sanders NFL combine measurements

Height: 6014

Weight: 212

Hand: 9 3/8

Arm: 31 4/8

Wingspan: 76 6/8

Deion Sanders talks with Browns owner

Colorado coach Deion Sanders spoke with Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam Friday at Colorado’s pro day and predicted either quarterback Shedeur Sanders or two-way star Travis Hunter will end up with the Browns as the No. 2 pick in the draft.

Shedeur and Hunter apparently had dinner with Browns representatives Thursday. Sanders said he wasn’t there because he goes to bed early.

“I just spoke to the owner, and he was truly delightful,” Sanders said at a news conference Friday. “He was truly pleasant. It was charming. It was engaging, and it was cool. It was aight. He’s a good guy, and I like him. I like him. I think one of those guys is gonna be there.”

Deion Sanders: Not going anywhere

Sanders addressed speculation that he wanted to follow his son to whichever franchise drafted the quarterback. Deion shut down that talk in an interview with ESPN.

‘I’m good,’ Deion said, ‘I’m (not) going anywhere.’

There’s another reason he’s not going anywhere. At least, not anytime soon.

Sanders just agreed to a new $10 million-per year contract that requires him to owe Colorado $12 million if he left this year for another job in 2025. 

‘Shedeur is a dog’

Colorado coach Deion Sanders was interviewed by ESPN and when asked what advice he’s given to his son, Shedeur, he responded: ‘Shedeur is a dog.’

Translation: Shedeur was built for this big moment. This is something Deion has said before.

Shedeur Sanders age

He is 23. That was a glorious age.

Travis Hunter age

He is 21. That was a glorious age.

Where is the 2025 NFL draft? 

Green Bay, Wisconsin, is the host of the 2025 NFL draft. Draft events, including the fan experience, will take place at Lambeau Field and the Titletown district of the city. Not sure if you knew this but there’s cheese in Wisconsin.

When is the 2025 NFL draft? 

The 2025 NFL draft begins in late April and takes place over three days.

Thursday, April 24: Round 1, 8 p.m. ET 
Friday, April 25: Rounds 2-3, 7 p.m. ET 
Saturday, April 26: Rounds 4-7, Noon ET 

Shilo Sanders runs 40-yard dash

Coach Deion Sanders had promised his son Shilo a new car if he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.4 seconds.

Shilo just missed it Friday at 4.52 seconds but still made a good showing at Colorado’s pro day.

That time would have ranked among the 12 fastest safeties at the NFL scouting combine at Indianapolis this year, led by Kansas State safety Marques Sigle at 4.37 seconds.

Shilo, 25, was not invited to the combine. He instead contacted Zybek Sports to train himself with the same timing equipment used for the 40-yard dash at the combine. 

Shilo led the team in tackles in 2023 and ranked third in 2024 despite missing three games with a broken forearm. 

Travis Hunter doesn’t run

Colorado just ended a session of 40-yard dashes in front of NFL scouts, but Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter did not run in it.

That’s not surprising. NFL draft prospects are advised by agents or other experts about what to do or not in these meat-market settings. Since Hunter is almost certain to be a top-five draft pick, why risk his draft stock with a run that might not record him at his very best?

Colorado wide receiver Jimmy Horn Jr. had the best 40-time Friday at 4.40 seconds, besting the 4.46 seconds he recorded at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis.

Thirteen wide receivers at the combine ran the 40 at 4.40 seconds or faster, led by Texas receiver Matthew Golden at 4.29 seconds. 

Big jumps for Colorado receiver Will Sheppard

Here are a couple of isolated pieces of data from Colorado’s pro day: Wide receiver Will Sheppard recorded a 40-5 inch vertical jump Friday, which would have ranked among the eight best jumps at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis this year.

It would have tied for third place at the combine, behind South Carolina safety Nick Emmanwori at 43 inches.

Sheppard, a transfer from Vanderbilt, also recorded a broad jump Friday of 10 feet, 11 inches, which would have ranked among the top 10 broad jumps at the combine (also led by Emmanwori at 11 feet, 6 inches).

But what does it really mean?

In theory, it means the 6-foot-3 Sheppard has the potential to catch balls that many others can’t.

It’s also a positive for Sheppard, who was not invited to the combine but could get a shot with an NFL team as an undrafted free agent.

Jumping is only a small part of the game for a receiver, however. He still needs good hands, speed, strength and discipline. 

Current NFL draft 2025 order  

Here’s the 2025 NFL draft order for the first round as of April 4, according to Tankathon.com: 

Tennessee Titans: 3-14 record; .522 strength of schedule (SOS) 
Cleveland Browns: 3-14; .536 SOS 
New York Giants: 3-14; .554 SOS 
New England Patriots: 4-13; .471 SOS 
Jacksonville Jaguars: 4-13; .478 SOS 
Las Vegas Raiders: 4-13; .540 SOS 
New York Jets: 5-12; .495 SOS 
Carolina Panthers: 5-12; .498 SOS 
New Orleans Saints: 5-12; .505 SOS 
Chicago Bears: 5-12; .554 SOS 
San Francisco 49ers: 6-11; .564 SOS 
Dallas Cowboys: 7-10; .522 SOS 
Miami Dolphins: 8-9; .419 SOS 
Indianapolis Colts: 8-9; .457 SOS 
Atlanta Falcons: 8-9; .519 SOS 
Arizona Cardinals: 8-9; .536 SOS 
Cincinnati Bengals: 9-8; .478 SOS 
Seattle Seahawks: 10-7; .498 SOS 
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 10-7; .502 SOS 
Denver Broncos: 10-7; .502 SOS 
Pittsburgh Steelers: 10-7; .502 SOS 
Los Angeles Chargers: 11-6; .467 SOS 
Green Bay Packers: 11-6; .533 SOS 
Minnesota Vikings: 14-3; .474 SOS 
Houston Texans: 10-7; .481 SOS 
Los Angeles Rams: 10-7; .505 SOS 
Baltimore Ravens: 12-5; .529 SOS 
Detroit Lions: 15-2; .516 SOS 
Washington Commanders: 12-5; .436 SOS 
Buffalo Bills: 13-4; .467 SOS 
Kansas City Chiefs: 15-2; .488 SOS 
Philadelphia Eagles: 14-3; .453 SOS 

Report: Hunter to run routes on pro day

What exactly Hunter was going to do at the pro day was the source of some speculation among various members of the media late Friday morning. Some said he wasn’t going to work out at all.

Longtime NFL journalist James Palmer reported Hunter will run routes at the pro day.

But what exactly Hunter and Sanders will do is still somewhat of a mystery. ESPN’s Field Yates reported Sanders will throw while Hunter’s participation ‘remains to be seen.’

ESPN: Browns owner credentialed for Colorado pro day

ESPN’s Kalyn Kahler reported that 160 media members, and 71 NFL personnel, are credentialed for Colorado’s pro day.

One of the NFL people credentialed, Kahler reported, is Browns owner Jimmy Haslam.

Both Sanders and Hunter are viable picks for the Browns with the team’s second overall pick.

Dan Orlovsky theory on why Sanders is difficult to evaluate

It’s actually a really interesting one.

“He’s the hardest quarterback I’ve had to evaluate since I’ve gotten into TV,’ said Orlovsky, the ESPN analyst. ‘Because 75% of his snaps don’t matter…And that’s the reality for everybody that’s evaluating Shedeur Sanders. Half of the snaps that he had at Colorado were thrown inside of five yards. It feels like when you watch his tape every ball is thrown at the line of scrimmage.

‘You’re not drafting him in the top five for that, right? So throw that out. That’s half the snaps. And then 25% of the snaps the offensive line protection is so terrible that I don’t care if you have Lamar Jackson or Patrick Mahomes, you’re not doing anything with that either. So you get to evaluate 25% of his snaps.’

Teams are desperate to get as much information about Sanders as possible. Which is why this pro day could be so important.

Titans, Browns to work out Shedeur Sanders privately

The NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport says Shedeur Sanders will have private workouts with the Tennessee Titans and Cleveland Browns following his pro day.

This seems to be from the department of redundancy department duplicate floor. Why work out Sanders after he just worked out? Because these teams are bonkers and feel they need constant, non-stop information about the top prospects.

Who’s guiding pre-draft decisions of Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter?

Shedeur and his safety brother Shilo Sanders didn’t have a certified agent to represent them in future NFL contract negotiations at last check. Many draft prospects typically have hired such agents already, with only weeks left before the NFL draft on April 24. These agents typically provide advice on whether to work out at the NFL combine and what to do or not at a school’s pro day.

Without an agent for Shedeur and Shilo, those decisions have been influenced by their father, a Pro Football Hall of Famer.

Hunter has hired the Young Money APAA Sports agency, headed by certified agent Adie von Gontard.

What’s a good 40-yard dash time for a defensive back?

Shilo has been provided this data in his effort to improve his speed in front of NFL scouts. Before this year, the average 40-yard dash time at the NFL scouting combine for a defensive back since 2016 is 4.582 seconds, with the top 20% at 4.496 seconds, according to Zybek Sports owner Mike Weinstein.

That’s based on 748 individual athlete runs, including players who run twice.

Shilo and another Colorado safety, Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig, would do well to get under 4.5 seconds. 

What other Colorado players deserve NFL attention?

It’s not just the Shedeur and Travis Show. Colorado said 16 total draft-eligible players would participate in drills Friday in front of NFL scouts.

Four of them previously were invited to the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis: Shedeur Sanders, Travis Hunter, receiver LaJohntay Wester and receiver Jimmy Horn Jr.

Another receiver to watch is Will Sheppard, a 6-foot-3 transfer from Vanderbilt who ranked third on the team last year behind Hunter and Wester with 48 catches for 621 yards receiving.

On defense, several playmakers will showcase their skills, including Arizona State transfer lineman B.J. Green, the team leader in sacks (7.5) and quarterback hurries (13) in 2024.

Besides Shilo Sanders (Deion’s middle son), there’s also another safety prospect that intrigues as a ballhawk who just seems to love to play football – Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig.

He was Colorado’s leading tackler in 2024 after transferring with the Sanders family from Jackson State two years ago. He’s the kind of player who might be undrafted but still could have a solid NFL career simply because he’s got a nose for the ball, plays hard and does what the coaches want him to do.

Shilo Sanders hoping for big day

This is an especially big day for Deion Sanders’ middle son, Shilo, Colorado’s safety. He is considered more a fringe draft prospect who did not get invited to the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis and instead channeled his draft preparation for this very day, especially the 40-yard dash.

He contacted Zybek Sports, a local company that has been timing the 40-yard dash at the NFL combine for the past 13 years. The idea was to use the same timing equipment as the NFL combine to measure his speed and improve his time in the lead-up to today.

His dad also made a promise to him that if he runs the 40-year dash in 4.4 seconds, he’d buy him a new car, as documented by the YouTube channel of Shilo’s eldest brother, Deion Jr.

“If you run a 4.4, what kind of car you want?” Deion Sanders Sr. said to Shilo in the video.

Shilo, 25, has proven himself to be a hard-hitting ballhawk in his two seasons at Colorado, when he led the team in tackles in 2023 and ranked third on the team in tackles in 2024 despite missing three games with a broken forearm.

Why is this event a big deal for Colorado?

Colorado hasn’t seen this kind of NFL interest in more than a decade. All 32 NFL teams were expected to send representatives to attend the event and at least 150 media members have been credentialed to cover it, according to the school.

The Buffaloes haven’t had two first-round NFL draft picks in the same year since 2011 and haven’t had a quarterback drafted at all since 1997. That’s when the Philadelphia Eagles selected Koy Detmer in the seventh round. The last time they had a player selected in the top five was 1995, when the Washington football team picked wide receiver Michael Westbrook at No. 4 overall.

Last year, after Deion Sanders’ first season as coach, the Buffs didn’t have any players drafted but did have some prospects sign with NFL teams as undrafted free agents, including receiver Xavier Weaver (Arizona).

When is Shedeur Sanders’ pro day?

It’s today, you goof. That’s why you clicked on the story. It’s at Colorado and scheduled for Friday, April 4 at 2:30 eastern. The event is set to air live on NFL Network. The NFL Network generally does a remarkable job airing these pro days.

Who will work out with Sanders?

His Colorado teammates but the most important of those could be Travis Hunter, the two-way star who’s expected to come off the board possibly in the first five picks. Hunter is the Heisman Trophy winner.

Will Deion Sanders be there?

Does a Buffalo bleep in the woods? Or on the range? Or wherever Buffaloes go. Yes, he’ll be there. It’s a big day for his son. But almost as important: it’s a big day for his program. This is free and extensive exposure.

Where could Shedeur Sanders go in the draft?

That’s the million-dollar question and it’s looking it could be almost anywhere in the first round. He could go second overall to the Browns or third overall to the Giants or even late in the first round. I’m hearing from several teams that the evaluations of Sanders are all over the place.

Where will Hunter go in the draft?

His situation is completely different. It would be a mild shock if he slipped past five overall.

Are pro days dumb?

Yes. And no. Also, maybe.

In Sanders and Hunter’s case, this will be the first time teams have been able to truly evaluate them on the field since their college seasons ended. In that way, this is an important moment.

Also, many of the top players decline to work out at the combine, and they use the pro days (and the favorable conditions) as their one chance to impress teams.

Don’t you have anything better to do at 2:30 on a Friday, Mike?

No, and you don’t either. So let’s party!

How to watch Shedeur Sanders’ pro day

Date: April 4
Time: 2:30-4:30 p.m. ET
Location: Colorado’s indoor practice facility
TV: NFL Network
Streaming: Fubo, NFL+

There’s someone missing from theFinalFour: Cinderella.

Out-of-nowhere success stories have long been an indelible part of the NCAA men’s tournament experience, and the absence of a truly unexpected underdog has been one of the defining themes of this year’s bracket.

But having an A-list Final Four is pretty good, too.

Based on each team’s performance leading into Saturday night, this year’s field of Auburn, Duke, Florida and Houston is one of the strongest in men’s tournament history. Only once before, in 2008, have four No. 1 seeds advanced to the national semifinals.

Whether the next few days live up to expectations remains to be seen – great teams don’t always create great matchups, so these year’s star-studded pairings could easily yield disappointingly one-sided results.

On paper, though, this group stacks up with any Final Four in tournament history. Including this year’s national semifinals, here are the seven strongest Final Four fields since the tournament expanded four decades ago:

2025: No. 1 Auburn, No. 1 Duke, No. 1 Florida, No. 1 Houston

Auburn and Florida rose to the top of an SEC that might have been the strongest single-season conference in NCAA history. Houston has turned into a powerhouse under coach Kelvin Sampson. Duke is back in the Final Four for the first time under coach Jon Scheyer. In addition to the way each dominated the regular season, this year’s Final Four includes a transcendent talent in Blue Devils forward Cooper Flagg, who could complete one of the great freshmen seasons by leading the Blue Devils to the championship.

NCAA RESEED: Ranking the four Final Four teams from best to worst

PREDICTIONS: Five reasons Duke won’t win title and one why it will

2008: No. 1 Kansas, No. 1 Memphis, No. 1 North Carolina, No. 1 UCLA

This group combined for just nine losses during the regular season and then bulldozed into the Final Four, with only two of the combined 12 tournament matchups heading into the national semifinals decided by single digits. Three of the four teams reached No. 1 in the USA TODAY Sports men’s college basketball poll; the one exception was Kansas, which would beat Memphis in the championship game.

2015: No. 1 Duke, No. 1 Wisconsin, No. 1 Kentucky, No. 7 Michigan State

This quartet loses some luster for No. 7 Michigan State, which had to play its way off the tournament bubble by winning six of eight games to end the regular season and then reaching the Big Ten championship game. But Wisconsin won a program-record 31 games during the regular season. Kentucky had six players taken in the ensuing NBA draft, four in the lottery, and was 38-0 before losing in a dramatic game in the semifinals against the Badgers. Eventual national champion Duke had seven future NBA players of its own, including national player of the year Jahlil Okafor.

1993: No. 1 North Carolina, No. 1 Michigan, No. 2 Kansas, No. 1 Kentucky

Hall of Fame coaches at the controls of three legendary programs — Dean Smith, Roy Williams and Rick Pitino — were joined by the Fab Five, now sophomores in New Orleans The appeal of these teams, coaches and players were seen in massive TV ratings for the final between North Carolina and Michigan. Over 22 million tuned in to see the Tar Heels’ win, making it the second-most watched college basketball game in history at the time. The championship game would see Chris Webber famously call timeout in the final seconds when the Wolverines had none remaining, which effectively secured a second title for Tar Heels coach Dean Smith.

1999: No. 1 Connecticut, No. 1 Duke, No. 1 Michigan State, No. 4 Ohio State

The Huskies claimed their first national championship under coach Jim Calhoun after going 28-2 during the regular season and going unbeaten on the road. After reaching its first Sweet 16 since 1990 the previous season, Michigan State was just getting warmed up under longtime coach Tim Izzo; the Spartans would win it in 2000. Ohio State was an outlier after finishing three games behind Michigan State in the Big Ten but had a terrific backcourt in Scoonie Penn and Michael Redd. Lastly, Duke was an absolute powerhouse that was 37-1 heading into the championship game. The Blue Devils would go down as one of the best teams not to win it all.

2001: No. 1 Duke, No. 2 Arizona, No. 3 Maryland, No. 1 Michigan State

This one had it all. The defending champions in Michigan State. An Arizona team headlined by future NBA stars in Gilbert Arenas and Richard Jefferson. A program in Maryland on a collision course for the national title, though that wouldn’t come until the following April. And Duke was absolutely loaded behind Jay Williams, Carlos Boozer, Shane Battier, Mike Dunleavy, Chris Duhon and more. Then ACC rivals, Duke and Maryland would play a wild semifinal that saw the Terrapins lead by 22 in the first half before the Blue Devils rallied to win. Duke would then beat Arizona to win it all.

2007: No. 1 Florida, No. 1 Ohio State, No. 2 Georgetown, No. 2 UCLA

Florida’s rockstar roster — Joakim Noah, Al Horford, Chris Brewer and Lee Humphrey, just to start — piloted the Gators back into the semifinals and to the verge of back-to-back national championships. The quest for a repeat was the dominant storyline of the Final Four. Standing in the way was two national brands in Georgetown and UCLA along with Ohio State’s memorable freshman class of Mike Conley Jr., Daequan Cook and, of course, center Greg Oden. The Buckeyes would reach the title game against the Gators after beating Georgetown, but were unable to threaten them in the second half.

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Lakers carried one of the better home records into Thursday’s playoff-like game against the Golden State Warriors but were unsuccessful in their attempt to further cement its place in the Western Conference standings.

Point guard Luka Dončić sat at his locker with his head down while scrolling on his phone following the 123-116 home loss.

The dejected Dončić made his way to the podium for his postgame press conference shortly after and admitted he wasn’t pleased with his overall performance.

‘I think (the Warriors) were playing good defense and I think we didn’t play with enough trust,’ Dončić said. ‘That performance for me was unacceptable and when I play like that, it makes it harder for my team to win.’

Dončić was limited to 19 points, eight rebounds and seven assists for the Lakers in nearly 38 minutes of play. Dončić shot 6-of-17 from the field and did not make any of his six three-point attempts. He did capitalize on his free throw attempts, making all seven.

‘It’s always frustrating when you can’t help your team, but it’s not always about scoring,’ he said. ‘You can do other stuff on the court. I try to help in other ways.’

‘It wasn’t his night,’ Lakers coach JJ Redick said when asked about Dončić and the Warriors’ effort to exploit the guard as a defender.

Dončić played just under eight minutes down the stretch of the game as the Lakers attempted to close in on the Warriors’ lead but was limited to just two points and shot 1-for-3 from the field.

‘Jimmy (Butler) did a great job of standing in front of him and forcing him into a tough situation,’ Warriors forward Draymond Green said about his team’s defense against Dončić late in the game. ‘He drove him right down to me. The only pass he really got is to (Jaxson Hayes) and that guy’s gotta shoot a floater or gotta go through my chest to get the layup.

‘I felt comfortable enough to go for it. He put the ball out there, so at worst, I’m going to foul him, but he ain’t getting the and-one. It’s two free throws, so taking advantage of an opportunity to make a play.’

Luka Dončić health update

Dončić’s availability for the second night of a back-to-back could be considered a game-time decision as the Lakers will host the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday evening.

The Slovenian did not appear on the Lakers’ injury report Wednesday night but was seen with tape around his left elbow during pregame warmups. The tape remained on his arm during the game but was covered up with an arm sleeve.

‘It’s fine,’ Dončić said. ‘It’s my left (arm). It’s fine.’

Dončić, who primarily shoots with his right hand, took a hard fall on his left elbow during the previous game against the Houston Rockets on Monday.

Lakers’ playoff situation

The Lakers are now the fourth seed in the Western Conference standings and sit a half-game back of the Denver Nuggets. 

The Warriors are one game behind the Lakers as the fifth seed. 

If the season ended today, the Lakers and Warriors would square off in the first round.

Los Angeles entered Thursday as the third seed.

Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin needs three goals to break Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goal record.

How has he gotten so close? The answer isn’t a big disparity in empty-net goals.

Ovechkin has eight empty-netters this season and an NHL-record 65 in his career, but he’s not too far ahead of Gretzky in that category. The Great One had 56 in his career and is No. 2 all-time after Ovechkin passed him last season.

Coach Spencer Carbery has deployed Ovechkin when the other team pulls its goalie for an extra skater, even though the winger doesn’t play when the Capitals are a man short while killing penalties. He noted that many teams use high-skilled offensive players in 5-on-6 situations.

‘They know where the next play is and where the puck is going, and that’s what you see from (Ovechkin) constantly,’ Carbery told reporters earlier this season. ‘He’s reading where the next puck is going.’

Ovechkin has a big lead on Gretzky in overtime and power-play goals while Gretzky leads in short-handed and even-strength goals.

Comparing Ovechkin and Gretzky on types of goals:

Alex Ovechkin empty-net goals

Ovechkin has 65 career empty-net goals, making up 7.3% of his 892 career goals.

Former Capitals coach Peter Laviolette also used him in empty-net situations and he scored nine empty-netters in 2021-22 during a 50-goal season. He had three the following season and six last season.

This season, Ovechkin had two empty-netters before he broke his leg in November and scored an empty-netter in his Dec. 28 return. He has five empty-netters since Jan. 11. But he fired the puck past a goaltender 15 times during that stretch, too, including by stars Connor Hellebuyck (twice), Andrei Vasilevskiy and Igor Shesterkin.

Ovechkin completed a hat trick on Feb. 23 with an empty-netter after Edmonton unexpectedly pulled its goalie and an Oilers defenseman’s stick broke on a shot attempt.

On March 11 against the Anaheim Ducks, Ovechkin passed the puck to Aliaksei Protas in an empty-net situation to allow his teammate to complete a hat trick.

His key career empty-netters were goals No. 400 and No. 802, which moved him past Gordie Howe into second place.

Wayne Gretzky empty-net goals

Gretzky has 56 career empty-net goals, making up 6.3% of his 894 career goals.

One of Gretzky’s most famous goals was into an empty net. He did so as part of a five-goal game against the Philadelphia Flyers on Dec. 30, 1981, when he set an NHL record reaching 50 goals in just 39 games.

Gretzky had four empty-netters during that 92-goal season. The most he had was six in a season, accomplished three times.

Ovechkin vs. Gretzky overtime goals

Ovechkin holds the record with 27 overtime goals in the regular season. Gretzky had only two, even though overtime was instituted in 1983-84 during his fifth season in the league. OT play was 5-on-5 and didn’t change to 4-on-4 until 1999-2000, the season after Gretzky retired. Ovechkin has either played 4-on-4 or 3-on-3 overtime.

Ovechkin vs. Gretzky power-play goals

Ovechkin holds the record with 323 power-play goals. Gretzky had 204, which is 18th all-time.

The difference is the Capitals’ power play centers on getting Ovechkin the puck for a one-timer. He was stationed at the point early in his career, then later moved his office to the left faceoff circle.

Gretzky’s office was behind the net, so he was more of a playmaker on the power play. He has an NHL-record 686 assists with the man advantage. Ovechkin has 276.

Ovechkin vs. Gretzky short-handed goals

Gretzky leads 73-5 for one simple reason: Ovechkin doesn’t kill penalties. He had three short-handed goals as a rookie and only two since. He has played 80 seconds of short-handed time this season.

Ovechkin vs. Gretzky even-strength goals

Gretzky has a record 617 and Ovechkin is third with 564. He’s close to No. 2 Howe (566).

Ovechkin vs. Gretzky games

Gretzky played 20 seasons and Ovechkin is in his 20th season. Ovechkin has played two fewer games. He has been mostly healthy, outside of the 16 games he missed this season. But Ovechkin’s entry in the league was delayed by a season-long lockout in 2004-05. He also went through a shorter lockout, plus two COVID-shortened seasons.

Gretzky was limited to 45 games by injury in 1992-93 and to 48 games in 1994-95 by a lockout.

Elena Delle Donne, a seven-time WNBA All-Star and two-time league MVP, has announced her retirement after playing 10 seasons in the WNBA.

Delle Donne took to social media to announce her decision to retire from basketball, explaining that her body has ultimately made the choice for her. She referenced one of her favorite children’s books, ‘The Cat in the Hat’ by Dr. Seuss, and its poignant line, ‘How did it get so late so soon?’, to express her surprise at how quickly her career had proceeded to this point.

‘Being able to say that out loud was one of the hardest parts of my career. My body seemed to make this decision before my mind accepted it, but I now truly know this is the right thing for me at the right time,’ Delle Donne said on social media.

Dell Donne will continue to be involved in basketball as a special advisor to Monumental Basketball, which owns the Washington Mystics and Washington Wizards.

Elena Delle Donne’s WNBA career

Delle Donne was selected as the second overall pick in the 2013 WNBA draft by the Chicago Sky. She was named the 2013 Rookie of the Year and won the WNBA MVP award in 2016. After spending four years in Chicago, she was traded to the Mystics following the 2016 season. While with the Mystics, she won the WNBA Championship in 2019 and earned her second MVP award in the same year.

After a series of injuries, including missing the 2020 season in the Covid-19 bubble, she missed the 2024 season after opting out and deciding not to sign a one-year supermax offer from the Mystics.

For her career, Delle Donne averaged 19.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game.