The defending World Series champions are no longer undefeated.

The Los Angeles Dodgers suffered their first loss of the season Friday as the Philadelphia Phillies won the opener of their three-game series to end Los Angeles’ hot start to the season.

Philadelphia grabbed the lead in the bottom of the first inning thanks to Trea Turner capitalizing off a throwing error by pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The Phillies added two more runs in the seventh inning to take a 3-0 lead as the Dodgers struggled to get hits and committed some baserunning errors.

Things got tight when Tommy Edman hit a two-run home run in the top of the ninth inning to cut the deficit to one, and Max Muncy later came up to pinch hit with a runner on first and one out. Muncy struck out as Chris Taylor tried to steal second, and he was called safe on an extremely close play. Phillies manager Rob Thomson challenged the call and it was ruled Turner tagged Taylor out on time to execute the double play and end the Dodgers’ win streak at eight.

Los Angeles Dodgers’ season-opening win streak

The Dodgers are now 8-1 after opening the season with eight consecutive wins. The eight wins to start a season was the most by a defending World Series champion in MLB history. The previous record was seven by the 1933 New York Yankees.

While the hot start was impressive, it didn’t come close to the best win streak to start a season in MLB. Seven teams have been able to start the season with at least 10 straight wins. The all-time record is 13 games, set by three different teams:

1982 Atlanta Braves
1987 Milwaukee Brewers
2023 Tampa Bay Rays

After that, the 1981 Oakland Athletics won 11 games to start. The 1955 Dodgers, 1962 Pittsburgh Pirates and 1966 Cleveland team started with 10 wins in a row.

Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin tied Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL goal record Friday night with two scores against the Chicago Blackhawks.

‘The Great One’ was in the building, with festivities planned for if Ovechkin surpassed Gretzky’s 894 career goals.

Monumental Sports Network spoke with the Hockey Hall of Famer shortly after Ovechkin matched his record with a power-play goal in the third period.

‘Wayne, you’ve got some company now,’ Monumental Sports Network’s Al Koken said.

”That’s OK,’ Gretzky said. ‘That’s what my dad told Gordie Howe way back when, right? This is what the game’s all about. Alex has been great for the game and great for Washington, great for his own country.

‘It’s wonderful. I’m very proud of him. I’m proud of what I accomplished and, you know what? That’s what makes our game so wonderful, is the great athletes we have and more importantly the good people that they are.’

Gretzky went on to call Ovechkin a ‘superstar.’

‘He’s special,’ Gretzky said.

You can watch Gretzky’s full comments below:

Gretzky said he hoped goal No. 895 came Friday night — ‘He deserves to do it in front of their fans,’ Gretzky said — but the quest for that record-setting strike continues Sunday when the Capitals hit the road to take on the New York Islanders. The Great One is slated to be in attendance until the new record is set.

Gretzky has held the NHL goals record since 1994, when he broke Howe’s record by potting his 802nd goal. He retired in 1999 after pushing the record to 894.

‘I don’t care what era you play in, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, it’s hard to score goals,’ Gretzky said earlier Friday. ‘Good for him. Players are better today, the equipment is better, coaching is better. That’s the progression in our game, right? That’s a positive.’

Wayne Gretzky congratulates Alex Ovechkin

The Capitals released a video of Gretzky congratulating Ovechkin shortly after their 5-3 win over Chicago.

What Wayne Gretzky said about Alex Ovechkin after the game

In a press conference after the game, Gretzky said he was ‘proud’ to now share the record with Ovechkin and joked he ‘can live with that for 24 more hours.’

‘I can still say I’m tied for the most,’ Gretzky said.

Check out the full press conference with Gretzky and Ovechkin:

The Great One also spoke in a scrum with reporters:

This story has been updated with new information.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

Paige Bueckers’ chase for a national championship ring is still on. Bueckers and the UConn women’s basketball team knocked off Lauren Betts and No. 1 overall seed UCLA 85-51 in their Final Four matchup on Friday.

While Bueckers had a quiet night by her standards — 16 points — Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd combined to score 41 points. The Huskies shot 55% from the floor, notched 13 steals and forced 19 total turnovers by the Bruins.

‘That’s something that’s so special about this team is just how selfless we are and how we share the basketball, the basketball moves, and I think it starts on the defensive end,’ Fudd said after the game. ‘We play team defense, and then we get the ball and we go. It doesn’t matter who shoots it, we’re happy for them.’

Shop UConn vs. South Carolina national championship tickets

Geno Auriemma, in his 40th season, has the Huskies in the national championship game for the 13th time as he hunts his 12th national title. They will face Dawn Staley and South Carolina on Sunday in a rematch of the 2022 title game — the only time Auriemma has lost in the championship.

‘I still think we got a whole ‘nother level to tap into, and I think that’s what we save it for,’ Bueckers told the UConn locker room after the game. ‘We have 40 minutes to give everything we have in our entire souls and bodies.’

USA TODAY brought you live updates, analysis and highlights throughout the game. Check them out below.

When does UConn women’s basketball play South Carolina?

The Huskies and Gamecocks play on Sunday, a 3 p.m. tipoff. South Carolina is aiming to become the first team to repeat as champs since UConn did it four years in a row (2013-16). The Huskies dominated the Gamecocks in a Feb. 16 win earlier this season. Here’s everything to know about UConn vs. South Carolina history, record and previous matchups.

What Paige Bueckers told UConn locker room after win

UConn senior guard Paige Bueckers addressed her teammates in the locker room after their advanced to the NCAA championship game.

‘I still think we got a whole ‘nother level to tap into, and I think that’s what we save it for,’ Bueckers told the UConn locker room after the game. ‘We don’t need any extra incentive. The game earlier this season (against South Carolina) means nothing. It’s zero-zero, the record’s zero-zero and we’re both trying to go 1-0. Get some sleep tonight, get some rest because the game is early on Sunday, so we’ll need to be rested and recovered. We have 40 minutes to give everything we have in our entire souls and bodies.’

UConn women’s basketball vs. UCLA highlights

This was a coaching clinic. Geno Auriemma ran circles around Cori Close. And Sarah Strong straight up bullied UCLA, by herself. She was a one-woman wrecking crew. — Meghan L. Hall, For The Win

Paige Bueckers stats vs. UCLA

Superstar UConn guard Paige Bueckers finished with 16 points on 7-of-17 shooting. She also recorded five boards, two assists and three steals

Azzi Fudd stats vs. UCLA

Senior guard Azzi Fudd, who’s in her first season back after suffering an ACL tear in November 2023, scored 19 points on 7-of-12 shooting.

‘It’s just so much fun to watch her play with joy, be at this stage,’ Paige Bueckers said of Fudd. ‘You see all the ups and downs, the bad days, the good days, and to be in the spot where it’s the light at the end of the tunnel and for her to perform and just be at this stage means everything to us.’

‘Confidence is definitely high right now and this is such a special moment,’ Fudd said. ‘I’m so grateful to be here with this team and to be on this floor and be able to play and contribute.’

Sarah Strong stats vs. UCLA

UConn freshman forward Sarah Strong recorded a team-high 22 points on 9-of-13 shooting to go along with eight boards, two assists and a steal.

Lauren Betts stats vs. UConn

Center Lauren Betts was the offensive engine for UCLA — 26 points on 11-of-18 shooting. She took some bumps from Connecticut. Anytime she got the ball near the paint, the Huskies closed in with multiple defenders. — Jordan Mendoza

UConn vs. UCLA score after 3Q

The Huskies surged to a 60-37 lead after three quarters. Sarah Strong scored 10 points in the period on 4-of-4 shooting, and Paige Bueckers added four on 3-of-6 from the floor. Strong’s got 18 total through three, Bueckers has 12.

UConn vs. UCLA score at halftime

It’s that kind of night for UCLA. Or for UConn, which had a 42-22 lead at halftime.

Azzi Fudd stripped Elina Aarnisalo of the ball and whipped a pass to Paige Bueckers. Bueckers saw Kiki Rice coming and shoved the ball at Kaitlyn Chen, who scored on a layup to put UConn up 17, 39-22. Bueckers and Chen burst into laughter. UCLA probably feels like crying. — Nancy Armour

UConn women’s basketball storms out to big lead

UCLA had an uphill road, regardless. (Yes, I am saying that about the overall No. 1 seed.) But this is a steal-your-lunch-money game from UConn. They’ve been relentless. Azzi Fudd already has 19 on 7-of-11 shooting, and UConn has forced 11 turnovers. (That’s two more than UCLA has field goals, for those keeping score.) And what should really worry the Bruins? Paige Bueckers has only six points. Oklahoma knows a little about what she can do in the second half. — Nancy Armour

UConn vs. UCLA score after 1Q

UConn held an 23-13 lead after the first quarter. Freshman Sarah Strong and senior Azzi Fudd led the way for the Huskies, combining for 15 points in the frame, while UCLA center Lauren Betts recorded seven points.

UConn vs. UCLA women’s basketball starters

UConn: G Paige Bueckers, C Jana El Alfy, G Kaitlyn Chen, F Sarah Strong, G Azzi Fudd.
UCLA: G Kiki Rice, G Londynn Jones, G Gabriela Jaquez, F Angela Dugalic, C Lauren Betts.

UConn women’s basketball championships

UConn women’s basketball roster

The Huskies score 80.8 points per game and shoot 50.8% from the floor, and it’s not just Paige Bueckers. Sarah Strong, the Big East Freshman of the Year, has looked far from a rookie. She’s averaging a double-double in the tournament (17 points, 11.8 rebounds) and joins Maya Moore as the only freshmen in UConn history to record 600-plus points in a season. Don’t forget about Azzi Fudd and Kaitlyn Chen, who are both averaging career highs from beyond the arc. UConn has the highest field goal percentage in the nation (51%) and the highest three-point percentage (38.3%) remaining in the tournament, while simultaneously holding opponents to the lowest point total (51.7).

UCLA women’s basketball roster 

Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Lauren Betts has shown up and recorded monster March Madness numbers for UCLA, including a historic 31-point, 10-rebound performance in the Sweet 16. That night, she shot 93.8% from the field, tying the record for the highest field-goal percentage in an NCAA Tournament game with a minimum 15 attempts. Betts is top five in the nation in field goal percentage (64.91%) and blocks per game (3), but she not only scores and defends. Betts also creates open looks for her teammates. And UCLA’s role players have made opposing teams pay. Gabriela Jaquez and Timea Gardiner combined for nine of UCLA’s 10 threes in the team’s Elite Eight win. Here’s the full UCLA women’s basketball roster. — Cydney Henderson 

Paige Bueckers season stats

Bueckers poured in 105 points over her last three games, setting a record for most points by a Huskies player in a three-game span. The fifth-year senior averages 20.1 points, 4.4 boards, 4.8 assists and 2.1 steals per game. She shoots 54.3% from the floor and 42.7% from 3. 

Lauren Betts season stats

On the season, Betts averages nearly a double-double of 20.0 points and 9.6 rebounds to go along with 2.8 assists and 3.0 blocks. In four games this March Madness, Betts has put up 23 points, 9.25 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game. Ready Nancy Armour’s full story on how Lauren Betts has evolved as a player.

Sarah Strong stats

Freshman forward Sarah Strong is averaging 16.1 points, 8.8 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 2.3 steals and 1.6 blocks per game this season. She shoots 58% from the floor and 37.1% from 3.

UConn women’s basketball record

The Huskies are 35-3 this season, losing to Notre Dame and USC in December and Tennessee in February.

Gabriela Jaquez stats

Gabriela Jaquez has become a major contributor to a deep Bruins tournament run. She was instrumental in UCLA’s Elite Eight win over LSU, leading the team with 18 points and drilling a huge late 3-pointer. She averages 9.9 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game.

Is Paige Bueckers a senior?

Paige Bueckers is a fifth-year senior at UConn.

Where is Paige Bueckers from? 

Paige Bueckers is from Hopkins, Minnesota. 

UConn vs. UCLA predictions

Nancy Armour, USA TODAY: UConn 
Meghan L. Hall, For The Win: UConn 
Cora Hall, Knoxville News Sentinel: UConn 

UCLA vs. UConn odds

Odds via BetMGM as of Friday, April 4.

Spread: UConn -7.5
Moneyline Favorite: UConn -400
Moneyline Underdog: UCLA +310
Total: 135.5

Where to watch women’s Final Four

ESPN is airing both contests. You can also stream on Fubo with a free trial.  

Where’s the women’s Final Four?

Both Final Four games and the national championship game on Sunday are at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Fla.

Who won women’s March Madness last year?

Dawn Staley and the South Carolina Gamecocks beat Caitlin Clark and Iowa to win the championship.

The 2025 women’s NCAA Tournament all comes down to this.

The national championship will be played between South Carolina and UConn.

The No. 1 seed South Carolina Gamecocks defeated Texas in the Final Four to advance in the women’s March Madness bracket. Their opponent, the 2-seed UConn Huskies, took down UCLA in the semifinal.

Here’s how our experts see the national championship game playing out. Be sure to check out USA TODAY’s complete March Madness bracket breakdown for in-depth analysis.

Without further ado, here are our South Carolina vs. UConn picks and predictions.

South Carolina vs. UConn picks and predictions

Nancy Armour, USA TODAY: UConn
Cydney Henderson, USA TODAY: South Carolina
Meg L. Hall, For The Win: South Carolina
Cora Hall, Knoxville News: South Carolina

South Carolina vs. UConn time, TV channel, how to watch

Game Day: Sunday, April 6, 2025
Game Time: 3 p.m. ET
Location: Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida
TV Channel: ABC
Live Stream: Fubo – Watch Now!

Watch South Carolina vs. UConn on Fubo (free trial)

South Carolina vs. UConn odds

Odds via BetMGM as of Friday, April 4.

Spread: UConn -5.5
Moneyline Favorite: UConn -235
Moneyline Underdog: South Carolina +195
Total: 132.5

One of the best wide receivers of the last 20 years is calling it a career.

Seven-time Pro Bowl wideout Julio Jones announced his retirement Friday via video on the social media app ‘Squad.’

Jones last played for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2023 in the last stop of a 13-year career. He retires as the NFL’s active leader in career receiving yards.

The Atlanta Falcons traded up in the 2011 NFL draft to select Jones at No. 6 overall. He repaid that investment by becoming a perennial All-Pro candidate who led the league in receiving yards twice.

He spent 10 seasons with the Falcons before Atlanta traded him and a sixth-round draft pick to the Tennessee Titans for second- and fourth-round picks. He spent one season with the Titans in 2021 before one-year stints with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2022 and Philadelphia in 2023.

When did Julio Jones retire?

Jones announced his retirement on Friday, April 4. He was a free agent this offseason.

Did Julio Jones win a Super Bowl?

Jones reached one Super Bowl with the Falcons — Super Bowl 51 after the 2016 NFL season — but Atlanta lost to the New England Patriots 34-28 in a historic collapse.

Julio Jones career stats

Jones finishes his career as one of the top wide receivers of the last 20 years. Here’s a breakdown of his career stats and where they rank all-time in NFL history:

Receptions: 914 (27th)
Receiving yards: 13,703 (16th)
Receiving touchdowns: 66 (tied for 61st)
Receiving yards per game: 82.5 (fifth)

Jones was named to the Pro Bowl seven times (2012, 2014-19), the All-Pro first team twice (2015-16) and the All-Pro second team three times (2017-19). Jones was also named to the NFL’s All-Decade team for the 2010s.

Julio Jones 300-yard game

One of Jones’ greatest single-game performances came early on in the 2016 season. In Week 4, Jones and the Falcons hosted the defending conference champions and NFC South foe Carolina.

Jones caught 12 of his 15 targets for 300 yards and a touchdown in one of the top receiving performances in NFL history.

Jones’ 300 receiving yards ranks sixth in NFL history for a single game. He’s one of just two players to have at least 300 receiving yards in a game since 1990. The other is Hall of Fame wide receiver Calvin Johnson, who had 329 in a game against the Cowboys in 2013.

Julio Jones teams

Jones played for four teams in his 13-season career:

Falcons (2011-2020)
Titans (2021)
Buccaneers (2022)
Eagles (2023)

Kevin Owens is a no-go for WrestleMania 41.

His WrestleMania match against Randy Orton is off after Owens revealed on SmackDown Friday he has been dealing with a neck injury and needs to have surgery. Owens said he’s dealt with the injury for about four months and he didn’t know the severity until this week.

‘I’ve been dealing with a pretty serious neck injury, and we didn’t know what it was. We didn’t really know how serious it was,’ Owens said. ‘Thankfully, this week, we managed to figure it out, and now I have to go get neck surgery.

‘The timing couldn’t be worse.’

Owens added it ‘really sucks’ he won’t be able to face Orton at WrestleMania. Even though he’s been a heel recently, Owens was genuine with the crowd, telling them he doesn’t know the next time he’ll be able to appear in WWE again. The 40-year-old former WWE champion has been with the company since 2014.

‘I’m really thankful for WWE for allowing me to come out here in front of you guys and telling you all that, because the truth is, I don’t know when I’ll have the privilege to be in front of you guys again,’ he said. ‘What I do know is the last few years, I have learned not to take anything for granted, and I will never take this for granted. So, for now, I want to say thank you and I’m sorry, guys.’

It’s unknown how long Owens will be out of action or if he’ll be able to return to in-ring competition.

Kevin Owens injury impact

Owens’ injury is a major blow to what has been one of the most heated storylines heading into WrestleMania. Owens had been on a war path ever since he attacked Cody Rhodes at Bad Blood in October.

Orton tried to knock some sense into Owens after the attack, but Owens instead went after Orton. After several fights, a package piledriver to ‘The Viper’ put him out for months. Orton returned at Elimination Chamber, returned the favor and later challenged Owens to a match at WrestleMania. The two had traded words in the lead-up to their now-canceled match.

Orton was frustrated by the news. SmackDown general manager Nick Aldis told him he doesn’t have a WrestleMania match anymore. Enraged, Orton hit Aldis with an RKO, giving a sinister look similar to the heel he was in the late 2000s.

It’s unknown if Orton will have a WrestleMania match or who his opponent could be. WrestleMania 41 is April 19-20.

Alex Ovechkin scored his 894th career goal Friday evening in the Washington Capitals’ 5-3 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks to tie Wayne Gretzky for most goals in NHL history. His next goal will put him ahead of Gretzky as the league’s all-time best goal scorer.

After the goal, his second of the game against the Chicago Blackhawks, the Washington Capitals’ 20th-year star went to the glass to exchange a high-five through the glass with his son, Sergei.

As Ovechkin continued to take in the moment, he then turned toward Gretzky, who was in attendance and watching the game in a suite, to point and bowed to acknowledge the NHL legend.

Alex Ovechkin makes NHL history record

Ovechkin also passed Jaromír Jágr with his 136th game-winner, the most in NHL history during the regular season.

Washington Capitals’ next game

Ovechkin will have a chance to break the record Sunday when the Capitals play the New York Islanders at 12:30 p.m. ET.

It’s official. South Carolina women’s basketball will play for its second consecutive national championship on Sunday after defeating Texas in the women’s NCAA Tournament.

The Gamecocks, who have won the national title in three of the last four seasons, dominated Texas in the Final Four on Friday night, coming away with a 74-57 win despite trailing after the first quarter.

South Carolina outscored the Longhorns 36-22 in the second half, as the Gamecocks got hot offensively. The win marks South Carolina’s third in four attempts against Texas this season, as it also defeated the Longhorns in the SEC championship game a few weeks ago.

Coach Dawn Staley is looking for her fourth national championship at South Carolina, with the Gamecocks taking on the winner of UCLA and UConn on Sunday afternoon.

USA TODAY Sports followed the game with updates and highlights below:

South Carolina vs Texas Final Four live score

This section will be updated.

South Carolina advances to the national championship after defeating Texas 74-47 on Friday night. The Gamecocks will take on the winner of UCLA-UConn on Sunday afternoon as they look for their second straight title win.

Dawn Staley hyped after win

Staley was hyped after the Gamecocks’ third win over Texas this season, signaling ‘one more’ to South Carolina fans after the game.

Here’s a full clip of Staley as she walked back into the tunnel postgame:

South Carolina rides big 2nd half to reach national championship

The Gamecocks outscored Texas 36-22 in the second half to earn a 74-57 win in the Final Four. South Carolina now shifts its attention to the winner of UCLA-UConn and will look for its second consecutive national championship and third title in four years with a win.

Jordan Lee a bright spot for Texas

Texas is getting a big performance from freshman Jordan Lee, who hits a 3-pointer to reach 16 points on the night so far. Lee is 6 of 10 shooting with three 3-pointers against South Carolina and is making a case to be a huge contributor next year.

Dawn Staley cracks smile after player goes down

It was not all scowls on the sidelines for Staley. There were also smiles.  After senior guard Bree Hall knocked down a three to give the Gamecocks a 41-35 advantage with 9:35 remaining in the third quarter, Hall appeared to lose her footing and fell down. The fall happened right in front of South Carolina’s bench and elicited a laugh from Staley on the sidelines.  On Thursday, Staley said Hall is ‘in my top five in my 25 years of coaching.’ Hall has played four seasons under Staley at South Carolina (2021-25) and the duo have won two championships together so far.  ‘(Hall is) definitely underrated as a defender. I think our game sometimes looks at stats. She’s not one that’s going to steal the ball. She’s one that’s going to get your top scorer shooting at an inefficient clip and that’s her claim to fame,’ Staley said of Hall. ‘And she’s really locked in when it comes to that side because she knows that she’s got to do her part. And her part is a big part that we rely on to get wins. And that’s not scoring a whole lot of points. It’s actually preventing our opponents from scoring a lot of points.’

South Carolina takes double-digit lead

South Carolina is taking control in the second half, as it leads Texas 52-41 late in the third quarter. The Gamecocks have outscored Texas 14-6 so far in third quarter.

How many fouls in women’s college basketball?

A player fouls out with five.

Jordan Lee Texas basketball stats

Texas freshman Jordan Lee scored a team-high 10 points in the first half. Her season-high is 20, coming in a December game against James Madison.

Chloe Kitts’ parents expected Final Four run

Kitts’ family has high expectations for her daughter and South Carolina, as they said they expected the Gamecocks to make a Final Four this season.

Here’s more from Pensacola News Journal’s Ben Grieco, who interviewed Kitts’ parents on Friday:

Who is Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda?

Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda is a starting guard for Texas and had six points through two quarters against South Carolina in the Final Four.

The 6-foot-2 guard is averaging 5.6 points and 2.9 rebounds per game this season, and put a nice spin move on a Gamecocks defender in the first half. The lengthy guard is also a strong defender.

Madison Booker in foul trouble

That’s going to leave a mark. With 2:29 still to play in the first half, Madison Booker has picked up her third foul. Booker, whose seven points are second-most for Texas, immediately heads to the bench. 

Who is Madison Booker?

Madison Booker, Texas’ leading scorer this season, is off to a hot start in the Final Four with six points on 3 of 3 shooting. The SEC player of the year this season averaged 16.5 points with 6.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game this season.

Booker also won the Big 12 player of the year award as a freshman last season. She and Texas guard Rori Harmon spearheaded an effort to bus students to the Longhorns’ matchup with South Carolina tonight.

Who is Dawn Staley?

South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley is no stranger to the Final Four, as she’s coaching in her seventh with the Gamecocks. South Carolina has reached this stage in five consecutive seasons.

The Gamecocks got down early in the first quarter against Texas, but Staley didn’t call a timeout as she likes her players to play through mistakes. The Greenville News’ Lulu Kesin has more on Staley’s philosophy:

Madison Booker cooking early

Booker, the SEC player of the year, is off to a fast start in Tampa. Booker is shooting 3 of 3 from the field with six points midway through the first quarter, as the Longhorns lead 12-4.

Texas is going to need a big performance from its best player.

Texas-South Carolina gets underway

Texas gets out to an early 4-0 lead after a pair of free throws from Taylor Jones proceeds a nice bucket from Madison Booker. Much better start for the Longhorns than the SEC championship game against the Gamecocks a few weeks ago.

Texas students arrive pregame via bus

The Texas student section has arrived. 

A bus full of Texas students traveled 1,150 miles from Austin, Texas, to Tampa Bay, Florida, via charter bus to cheer on the Texas women’s basketball team in the Final Four, where they will face the defending champion South Carolina Gamecocks for the fourth time this season.

Head coach Vic Schaefer revealed that he, Madison Booker and Rori Harmon covered the students’ all-expense paid trip. All three were on hand to welcome the students to Tampa Bay with high-fives.

“I’m so glad y’all are here. Thank you for enduring the ride… Hopefully you’ll stay a while,” Schaefer told the arriving students on the charter bus. “We’re so, so thankful for you guys for your loyalty, your trust and your confidence… Bring it tonight now.”

On Thursday, Schaefer revealed that Booker and Harmon spearheaded the effort to bring in the Longhorn students.

“Booker and Rori have really ramrodded this deal. Bought the tickets. Got them some hotel rooms. So we’re excited that we’re going to be able to have some University of Texas students be able to come to the Final Four and enjoy cheering on their team,’ Schaefer said Thursday. ‘I think it’s the 17-hour bus ride.” 

– Cydney Henderson, USA TODAY Sports

Texas rocking A’Ja Wilson’s signature shoes

The Longhorns are all wearing A’Ja Wilson’s signature Nike shoes, according to the women’s NCAA Tournament account on X.

Wilson, one of the best players in the WNBA, is a South Carolina alum:

Chloe Kitts stats

Here’s a look at Kitts’ per-game averages this season:

2024-25: 10.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.0 assists per game on 52.5% shooting.

Here are Kitts’ final lines through each of South Carolina’s first four women’s NCAA Tournament games:

vs. Tennessee Tech: 10 points, six rebounds, two assists
vs. Indiana: 10 points, 11 rebounds, three assists
vs. Maryland: 15 points, 11 assists, one assist
vs. Duke: 14 points, four rebounds

First look at Final Four court

With South-Carolina-Texas being the first Final Four matchup of the women’s NCAA Tournament, here’s a look at the quiet arena before the Gamecocks and Longhorns get underway:

Starting lineups for South Carolina-Texas

Here are the starting lineups for both South Carolina and Texas:

South Carolina

G Te-Hina Paopao
F Sania Feagin
F Chloe Kitts
G Bree Hall
G Raven Johnson

Texas

G Rori Harmon
G Shay Holle
G Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda
F Madison Booker
F Taylor Jones

South Carolina women’s basketball record

Staley’s South Carolina team enters the women’s Final Four with a record of 34-3, including a conference record of 15-1.

South Carolina vs Texas women’s basketball odds

Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Friday, April 4

Spread: South Carolina (-5.5)
Over/under: 124.5
Moneyline: South Carolina -275 | Texas +220

South Carolina enters its Final Four matchup against Texas as the favorites by over five points, despite nailbiter wins over Maryland and Duke in the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight, respectively. It will see a Texas team that was able to pull away from TCU in the third quarter of the Elite Eight after being challenged for most of its game against Tennessee.

Women’s March Madness championship odds

Here are the odds of the teams in the Final Four, with the lone 2 seed, UConn, leading the pack.

UConn -170
South Carolina +240
UCLA +800
Texas +900

South Carolina vs. Texas picks and predictions

Our experts from across the USA TODAY Network are unanimous (4-0) on who will win the Final Four game between the Gamecocks and Longhorns. Take a look at their full bracket predictions.

Jordan Mendoza, USA TODAY: South Carolina
Cydney Henderson, USA TODAY: South Carolina
Meg L. Hall, For The Win: South Carolina
Cora Hall, Knoxville News: South Carolina

What time is South Carolina vs Texas today?

Tipoff: 7 p.m. ET

South Carolina and Texas are scheduled to tip off at 7 p.m. ET from Amalie Arena in Tampa as the early leg of the Final Four. UCLA vs UConn will follow.

Where to watch South Carolina vs Texas?

TV Channel: ESPN
Live Stream: Fubo (free trial) | ESPN+

South Carolina and Texas’ game will air live on ESPN. Streaming options include ESPN+ and Fubo, the latter of which offers a free trial.

Alex Ovechkin tied Wayne Gretzky as the NHL’s career goal leader on Friday night – a mark that once seemed insurmountable and earned Gretzky the nickname The Great One.

The Great Eight, as the Washington Capital is sometimes called, began the season 41 goals behind Gretzky’s 894. But, perhaps, numbers fall short of conveying how dominant the two players’ careers have been. Ovechkin scored his 40th and 41st of the year on April 4.

From goals to points, our series of charts below — based on NHL and Hockey Reference data — show the gulf that Gretzky and Ovechkin have created between themselves and their contemporaries as they solidified their positions as two of the league’s greats.

Three NHL players scored more than 800 goals in their careers

It’s interesting to note in the chart below, how one player has stood out from others of their generations since the 1950s when Maurice Richard became the NHL’s first 400-goal scorer — and later first 500-goal scorer. A couple decades later Gordie Howe finished his 33-year career with 801 goals.

Unable to view our graphics? Click here to see them.

So how did Gretzky and Ovechkin get there?

Combine consistent all-star play with health and longevity, and their career milestones became more plausible. Gretzky lost a large portion of his 1992-93 season to a back injury, while Ovechkin lost 16 games this year to a broken leg. Otherwise, both stayed on the ice during the prime of their careers.

How many goals does Ovechkin have in his career

Both Ovechkin and Gretzky averaged about 49 goals per season, but some might say Ovechkin is still in the prime of his career, considering the relatively consistent trajectory of his scoring.

So who is better, Gretzky or Ovechkin? Here are a few more points to help you decide.

Whether it’s Jordan vs. LeBron or Brady vs. Mahomes, comparisons between great players of different eras can often be a fool’s errand. That said, a couple key differences in the eras:

Goalies’ gear covers more of the goal today

Only a few years separate Ovechkin and Gretzky, but like any other sport, hockey equipment evolved during these four-plus decades. Consider how different goalies’ pads and mitts were, below, during Gretzky’s and Ovechkin’s first seasons. To be fair, goalies wore more modern-day uniforms in Gretzky’s final seasons, and two years before Ovechkin entered the NHL, the length of goalie pads was limited to 38 inches.

NHL scoring at its highest levels in Gretzky era

Some will argue that Ovechkin is a greater goal scorer because scoring has become more challenging. Gretzky’s early years were played when the NHL averaged the highest average points per game. Of 25 players who scored 65 goals or more in a season, 19 were in Gretzky’s era. That includes four seasons where Gretzky scored 71 or more. Ovechkin tallied 65 once.

Gretzky has conceded that he may soon lose his scoring title in the coming months.

‘It’s just a matter of time, whether it’s late this year, early next year, whenever,’ Gretzky said about his record this past fall, according to the NHL. ‘I mean, he’s a great player. He’s a great goal scorer.’

But the measure of a great hockey player isn’t only how many goals they rack up. Consider how Ovechkin compares to his contemporaries on career points – goals and assists added together.

How many career points has Ovechkin earned

In his 20 years in the NHL, Gretzky’s play contributed to more goals for his teams than any player by far. In addition to leading the league in goals five times, he led the NHL in assists 16 times, leading to a career points record that may never be eclipsed.

The Pittsburgh Penguins’ Sidney Crosby joined the NHL in the 2005-06 season with Ovechkin. Crosby has assisted on nearly 50% more goals than Ovechkin has, putting him dozens of points ahead. Below, the top 50 players in career points. Only four have played this season:

How old is Alex Ovechkin and other milestones

Should Ovechkin run out of regular-season games this year, he’ll turn 40 in September with one more year on his current Capitals’ contract. In addition to the career goal record, he’ll have more chances to pile up career statistics. A couple of them:

Points: Ovechkin overtook Phil Esposito’s career points mark of 1,590 in early February, putting him 11th (1,617) in the category. Joe Sakic, 10th in points at 1,641, could be within reach next season.

Goalies scored on: Ovechkin already leads in this category with 181 goalies in his 20 years. Less than 9% of those who have played in the league have even scored 180 or more goals.

How many goals does Ovechkin have this year

How many empty net goals has Ovechkin made

After returning from his broken leg in late December, Ovechkin scored his 17th goal of the season in his first game back, collecting his 62nd empty-net goal of his career. He scored his 65th empty-netter March 15.

Empty-net goals are a perk of playing for one of the top teams in the NHL for several years, and Ovechkin has taken advantage of empty nets more often than any player in league history, according to Statmuse. He topped Gretzky’s 56 empty netters last season when he tallied three.

Rounding the top five of empty-net goal scorers, according to Statmuse: Marian Hossa, 40, Brad Marchand, 38, and Sidney Crosby, 37.