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March Madness NCAA Tournament

Men’s tournament

UConn head coach Dan Hurley, center, and his players celebrate after the NCAA college Final Four championship basketball game against Purdue, Monday, April 8, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

UConn head coach Dan Hurley, center, and his players celebrate after the NCAA college Final Four championship basketball game against Purdue, Monday, April 8, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Fans welcome UConn’s repeat champs back to the ‘Basketball Capital of the World’

STORRS, Conn. (AP) — UConn’s men’s basketball team returned Tuesday night to the campus the school has branded the “Basketball Capital of the World.”
 
UConn players celebrate as time expires during the second half of the NCAA college Final Four championship basketball game against Purdue, Monday, April 8, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

UConn concludes a dominant run to its 2nd straight NCAA title, beating Zach Edey and Purdue 75-60

 

UConn uses strategy of shutting down Purdue’s perimeter shooters to get decisive victory

 

Purdue’s Zach Edey laid it all out in the NCAA title game. It wasn’t enough to top UConn

 

Women’s tournament

South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley celebrates after the Final Four college basketball championship game against Iowa in the women's NCAA Tournament, Sunday, April 7, 2024, in Cleveland. South Carolina won 87-75. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley celebrates after the Final Four college basketball championship game against Iowa in the women’s NCAA Tournament, Sunday, April 7, 2024, in Cleveland. South Carolina won 87-75. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Women’s NCAA title game outdraws the men’s championship with an average of 18.9 million viewers

The women’s NCAA championship game drew a bigger television audience than the men’s title game for the first time, with an average of 18.9 million viewers watching undefeated South Carolina beat Iowa and superstar Caitlin Clark.
 
South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley cuts down the net after the Final Four college basketball championship game against Iowa in the women's NCAA Tournament, Sunday, April 7, 2024, in Cleveland. South Carolina won 87-75. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

South Carolina’s Staley shares NCAA Tournament triumph with loyal FAMS upon return home

 

Clark Effect: Ratings and attendance boost could be on way for WNBA

 

Caitlin Clark’s college career is over but her impact on the game is not. The numbers back that up

 
UConn head coach Dan Hurley hugs guard Stephon Castle during the second half of the NCAA college Final Four championship basketball game against Purdue, Monday, April 8, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

UConn’s Dan Hurley at the pinnacle of his career, joining legends like Wooden, Krzyzewski

 
 · 
DAVID BRANDT
Purdue guard Lance Jones celebrates during the second half of the NCAA college basketball game against NC State at the Final Four, Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson )

Purdue’s Jones has been a perfect transfer fit in a March Madness run to the NCAA title game

 
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AARON BEARD
Purdue center Zach Edey, right, backs down NC State forward Ben Middlebrooks during the second half of the NCAA college basketball game at the Final Four, Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson )

The keys for Monday night’s national title game between UConn and Purdue

 
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JOHN MARSHALL

More tournament news

UConn head coach Dan Hurley celebrates with forward Alex Karaban (11) after their win against Purdue in the NCAA college Final Four championship basketball game, Monday, April 8, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

NCAA men’s final sees viewership increase over 2023, but not enough to outdraw women’s title game

For the first time, the NCAA women’s basketball championship outdrew the men. UConn’s 75-60 victory over Purdue in Monday night’s men’s final on TBS and TNT averaged 14.82 million, which was not enough to surpass the 18.87 million who watched South Carolina defeat Caitlin Clark and Iowa in Sunday af
 
UConn head coach Dan Hurley greets fans after their win against Purdue in the NCAA college Final Four championship basketball game, Monday, April 8, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

UConn, coach Dan Hurley provide blueprint on how to succeed in the age of NIL, player transfers

Dan Hurley and the UConn Huskies proved that even in the age of NIL and rampant player transfers, it’s possible to build a program capable of winning back-to-back national titles.
 
FILE - NCAA President Charlie Baker speaks to reporters Friday, Feb. 23, 2024, in Washington. NCAA President Charlie Baker on Wednesday, March 27, urged lawmakers in states with legal wagering on sporting events to ban betting on individual player performances.(AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough, File)

NCAA president: prop betting on college athletes ‘enormously problematic’

NCAA President Charlie Baker says prop betting on college athletes for their individual performances is “enormously problematic.”
 
South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley cuts down the net after the Final Four college basketball championship game against Iowa in the women's NCAA Tournament, Sunday, April 7, 2024, in Cleveland. South Carolina won 87-75. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

18.7 million: Early figures from NCAA women’s title game make it most-watched hoops game in 5 years

South Carolina’s victory over Caitlin Clark and Iowa in Sunday’s women’s NCAA championship game had a preliminary audience average of 18.7 million on ABC and ESPN.
 
South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley celebrates after the Final Four college basketball championship game against Iowa in the women's NCAA Tournament, Sunday, April 7, 2024, in Cleveland. South Carolina won 87-75. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

The NCAA women’s tourney had everything: stars, upsets, an undefeated champion. It’s just the start

The NCAA women’s basketball tournament is having a moment. Attendance and TV ratings during this year’s version of March Madness spiked thanks in part to Iowa star Caitlin Clark.
 
FILE - A vehicle is seen overturned as UConn Police and Connecticut State Police try to maintain order early Tuesday, April 4, 2023, in Storrs, Conn. Precautions were in place at the University of Connecticut Monday, April 8, 2024, designed to prevent a repeat of the violence and vandalism that marred celebrations of the school's 2023 NCAA men's basketball championship. (Jim Michaud/Journal Inquirer via AP, File)

UConn takes precautions to prevent a repeat of the vandalism that followed the 2023 title game

Precautions are in place at the University of Connecticut designed to prevent a repeat of the violence and vandalism that marred the celebrations of the school’s 2023 NCAA men’s basketball championship.
 
South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley cuts down the net after the Final Four college basketball championship game against Iowa in the women's NCAA Tournament, Sunday, April 7, 2024, in Cleveland. South Carolina won 87-75. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Dawn Staley and South Carolina in good place to keep dynasty rolling and repeat as champions

Dawn Staley and South Carolina have cemented their place as the next dynasty in women’s basketball. With two NCAA titles in the past three seasons and 109 wins in the last 112 games, it’s hard to argue with that.
 
South Carolina guard Tessa Johnson (5) grabs a rebound in front of Iowa guard Caitlin Clark (22) during the second half of the Final Four college basketball championship game in the women's NCAA Tournament, Sunday, April 7, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Every player on South Carolina’s bench feels like a starter. They played a pivotal role in title run

South Carolina’s bench wore down Iowa in the national championship game. The Gamecock reserves outscored the Hawkeyes reserves 37-0.
 
FILE - NCAA President Charlie Baker speaks to reporters Friday, Feb. 23, 2024, in Washington. NCAA President Charlie Baker on Wednesday, March 27, urged lawmakers in states with legal wagering on sporting events to ban betting on individual player performances.(AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough, File)

NCAA president hopeful women’s teams rewarded for appearance in tournament like the men

Despite huge TV ratings and unprecedented attention to women’s basketball, teams in the NCAA Tournament don’t cash in like their male counterparts.
 
Purdue head coach Matt Painter yells during the first half of the NCAA college basketball game against NC State at the Final Four, Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson )

Purdue’s Painter draws closer to an elusive title by doing things the old-fashioned way

Purdue coach Matt Painter mostly stays away from the transfer portal and stays away from making promises he can’t keep to incoming recruits.
 
Purdue center Zach Edey (15) practices ahead of a Final Four college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament, Friday, April 5, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. North Carolina State plays Purdue. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

UConn, Purdue set to collide in NCAA title game after dominating in a romp-filled March Madness

UConn and Purdue have dominated this year’s NCAA Tournament. Now they’re set to meet for the national championship on Monday night.
 
UConn center Donovan Clingan (32) celebrates after their win against Alabama in a NCAA college basketball game at the Final Four, Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Purdue’s Zach Edey and UConn’s Donovan Clingan anchoring the middle in national title game

The national championship game will be a beefy one. In one corner of the paint is Zach Edey, Purdue’s 7-foot-4, 300-pound unstoppable force.
 
UConn guard Stephon Castle (5) reacts after scoring during the first half of a second-round college basketball game against Northwestern in the NCAA Tournament, Sunday, March 24, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

UConn’s Stephon Castle is an anomaly in this NCAA title game -- a blue-chip, 5-star recruit

UConn’s Stephon Castle is an anomaly in this year’s Final Four. That’s because he’s a blue-chip, five-star McDonald’s All-American who could have chosen just about any school in the country.
 
South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley celebrates after the Final Four college basketball championship game against Iowa in the women's NCAA Tournament, Sunday, April 7, 2024, in Cleveland. South Carolina won 87-75. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

South Carolina’s title victory over Iowa and Clark sets sports-betting records

A history-making women’s college basketball season ended with multiple sportsbooks declaring Sunday’s national championship as their most bet-on female sports event.
 
South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley cuts down the net after the Final Four college basketball championship game against Iowa in the women's NCAA Tournament, Sunday, April 7, 2024, in Cleveland. South Carolina won 87-75. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Perfect ending: South Carolina’s Dawn Staley wins third national title as Gamecocks down Clark, Iowa

Dawn Staley got around Caitlin Clark this time. A year after South Carolina’s perfect season crashed with a semifinal loss to the sensational Clark in the Final Four, the Gamecocks, led by Staley, their fiery and fierce coach, finished the job with an 87-75 win over Iowa in the NCAA championship.
 
South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley celebrates after the Final Four college basketball championship game against Iowa in the women's NCAA Tournament, Sunday, April 7, 2024, in Cleveland. South Carolina won 87-75. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

South Carolina finishes perfect season with NCAA championship, beating Clark and Iowa 87-75

Coach Dawn Staley and South Carolina have completed their perfect season, ending Caitlin Clark’s historic college career with an 87-75 win over Iowa in the NCAA championship game.
 
Iowa guard Caitlin Clark stands on the court during the second half of the Final Four college basketball championship game against South Carolina in the women's NCAA Tournament, Sunday, April 7, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Iowa star Caitlin Clark pours in 30 points in final NCAA game but Hawkeyes fall to South Carolina

Caitlin Clark scored 30 points in her final collegiate game but it wasn’t enough as the Hawkeyes fell just short of an NCAA championship for a second straight year.
 
Iowa's Caitlin Clark pauses as she speaks during a press conference before practice for the NCAA Women's Final Four championship basketball game on Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Caitlin Clark set out to turn Iowa into a winner. She redefined women’s college hoops along the way

Caitlin Clark took her final bow at Iowa when the Hawkeyes lost to South Carolina in the national title game.
 
South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley cuts down the net after the Final Four college basketball championship game against Iowa in the women's NCAA Tournament, Sunday, April 7, 2024, in Cleveland. South Carolina won 87-75. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Staley, South Carolina achieve perfection, becoming 10th unbeaten team in NCAA Division I history

Dawn Staley and South Carolina have completed the 10th perfect season in NCAA Division I women’s basketball history, becoming the first program to accomplish the feat since UConn in 2016.
 
Fletcher Loyer, base de Purdue, celebra en el partido del Final Four ante NC State, el sábado 6 de abril de 2024, en Glendale, Arizona (AP Foto/Brynn Anderson )

Purdue powers its way past N.C. State 63-50 into NCAA title game

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Purdue kept its March Madness dream alive while snuffing out North Carolina State’s, getting 20 points and 12 rebounds from Zach Edey in a 63-50 victory Saturday that placed the Boilermakers a win from their first NCAA title.
 
CORRECTS TO DONOVAN CLINGAN NOT ALEX KARABAN UConn center Youssouf Singare, rear, hugs forward Donovan Clingan after the NCAA college basketball game against Alabama at the Final Four, Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

UConn’s bid for repeat title has reached its final challenge: Purdue and star Zach Edey

UConn and Purdue have fought their way to a matchup in the NCAA championship game. The Huskies are the No. 1 overall seed and can become the first repeat champion since Florida in 2006 and 2007.
 
Alabama forward Grant Nelson (2) wipes his face after their loss against UConn in a NCAA college basketball game at the Final Four, Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Alabama falls to the UConn machine in the Final Four, but the Tide certainly made it fun for a while

Alabama got the kind of game it wanted in its first Final Four appearance. It still wasn’t enough to beat UConn.
 
UConn guard Stephon Castle (5) dunks over Alabama forward Grant Nelson (2) during the second half of the NCAA college basketball game at the Final Four, Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Led by Castle and Clingan, defending champ UConn returns to NCAA title game, beating Alabama 86-72

UConn kept its bid to repeat as national champion intact by surviving its first true test of the NCAA Tournament.
 
Purdue guard Braden Smith (3) talks with head coach Matt Painter during the second half of the NCAA college basketball game against NC State at the Final Four, Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson )

Purdue’s Braden Smith has ‘terrible’ offensive night, but finds other ways to help Boilermakers win

Purdue’s Braden Smith had the strange sensation of living out a dream and a nightmare at the same time in the Final Four.
 
NC State forward Ben Middlebrooks (34) leaves the court with forward DJ Burns Jr. after the NCAA college basketball game against Purdue at the Final Four, Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson )

Wolfpack’s balance fails at wrong time in Final Four power outage vs. Purdue

North Carolina State’s offense lost its balance in the Final Four loss to Purdue. The Wolfpack shot just 28.6% after hafltime and scored 21 second-half points in Saturday night’s 63-50 loss to Purdue in the national semifinals.
 
Purdue center Zach Edey, right, backs down NC State forward Ben Middlebrooks during the second half of the NCAA college basketball game at the Final Four, Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson )

Zach Edey and Purdue power their way into NCAA title game, beating N.C. State 63-50

Purdue kept its March Madness dream alive while snuffing out North Carolina State’s, getting 20 points and 12 rebounds from Zach Edey in a 63-50 victory that placed the Boilermakers a win from their first NCAA title.
 
Iowa guard Gabbie Marshall (24) walks off the court after a Final Four college basketball game against UConn in the women's NCAA Tournament, Friday, April 5, 2024, in Cleveland. Iowa won 71-69. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Iowa’s Marshall says she received ‘hate comments’ on social media after drawing late foul vs. UConn

Iowa guard Gabbie Marshall says she received “hate comments” from people upset about her role in a much-discussed foul call late in the Hawkeyes’ Final Four win over UConn.
 
South Carolina's Kamilla Cardoso gestures to fans during practice for the NCAA Women's Final Four championship basketball game Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

South Carolina’s 6-foot-7 Kamilla Cardoso is the center of attention for the title-hunting Gamecocks

Kamillia Cardoso has gone from a backup center to South Carolina’s center of attention. The 6-foot-7 Cardoso has been dominant for the unbeaten Gamecocks, who will try to complete a perfect season with a win over Iowa on Sunday in the NCAA championship game.
 
South Carolina's Kamilla Cardoso shoots during practice for the NCAA Women's Final Four championship basketball game Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

A look at a few keys for South Carolina and Iowa to win the NCAA women’s championship

Caitlin Clark and Iowa will try to win the school’s first national championship. Standing in the way is undefeated South Carolina.
 
Iowa guard Caitlin Clark (22) reacts with head coach Lisa Bluder during the second half of a Final Four college basketball game against UConn in the women's NCAA Tournament, Friday, April 5, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Iowa-UConn women’s Final Four semifinal most-watched hoops game in ESPN history; 14.2M avg. viewers

Iowa’s 71-69 victory over UConn at the women’s Final Four on Friday night averaged 14.2 million viewers on ESPN, making it the most-viewed women’s basketball game on record and the largest audience for an ESPN basketball broadcast.