KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals recalled OF Drew Waters from Triple-A Omaha on Wednesday to replace OF Mark Canha, who was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left abductor strain.

Canha was injured in Tuesday's 2-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins when he crashed into the wall in left center. Canha stayed in the game for the remainder of the inning but then asked to be taken out.

Kansas City manager Matt Quatraro is hopeful that Canha's stint on the IL is a short one.

“It's a mild strain,” Quatraro said. “So we’re hopeful that it’s 10 days, maybe just a hair more than that. But you have to see how the first couple days go.”

Waters was hitting .370 with Omaha and was named the International League player of the week for March 31-April 6, during which he hit for the first cycle of his professional career.

Waters has appeared in 137 games over his three seasons with the Royals, with a career-high 98 games in 2023. He appeared in just seven games in 2024. He's hoping that his early season success in Omaha will lead to the opportunity to finally stick with the major league club.

“Honestly, I've just been trying to compete, trying to stay locked in,” he said. "It’s hard in minor league games when it’s freezing cold and there’s 30 fans out there, but I've just been treating every at-bat like it matters and living with the results.

"Anytime you have an opportunity to come up and play a game at a big league level, that’s a lot of trust and a lot of faith that a team is putting in to you, and so to have that opportunity is definitely special.

“Just knowing that I’m a good baseball player and that I’m capable of having success, I think that’s what keeps everybody hungry.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744238684167.jpeg" alt="&nbsp;Kansas City Royals left fielder Mark Canha can't catch a double hit by Minnesota Twins' Harrison Bader during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, April 8, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Kansas City Royals left fielder Mark Canha can't catch a double hit by Minnesota Twins' Harrison Bader during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, April 8, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals recalled OF Drew Waters from Triple-A Omaha on Wednesday to replace OF Mark Canha, who was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left abductor strain.Canha was injured in Tuesday's 2-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins when he crashed into the wall in left center. Canha stayed in the game for the remainder of the inning but then asked to be taken out.Kansas City manager Matt Quatraro is hopeful that Canha's stint on the IL is a short one.“It's a mild strain,” Quatraro said. “So we’re hopeful that it’s 10 days, maybe just a hair more than that. But you have to see how the first couple days go.”Waters was hitting .370 with Omaha and was named the International League player of the week for March 31-April 6, during which he hit for the first cycle of his professional career.Waters has appeared in 137 games over his three seasons with the Royals, with a career-high 98 games in 2023. He appeared in just seven games in 2024. He's hoping that his early season success in Omaha will lead to the opportunity to finally stick with the major league club.“Honestly, I've just been trying to compete, trying to stay locked in,” he said. "It’s hard in minor league games when it’s freezing cold and there’s 30 fans out there, but I've just been treating every at-bat like it matters and living with the results."Anytime you have an opportunity to come up and play a game at a big league level, that’s a lot of trust and a lot of faith that a team is putting in to you, and so to have that opportunity is definitely special.“Just knowing that I’m a good baseball player and that I’m capable of having success, I think that’s what keeps everybody hungry.”

Royals call up Drew Waters, put Mark Canha on injured list

By Todd Moore Barton Sports Info

Ayden Hadley and Anthony Treto of the Barton Community College baseball team have earned week ten honors distributed on the conference and national levels.

Both received KJCCC West Division player honors, with Hadley selected as the NJCAA honoree, as the duo helped the Cougars to an unblemished 5-0 week including a non-conference victory at No. 3 Cowley College and most recently sweeping what was then- conference leading Colby Community College to take over the league's top spot at 16-4.

Hadley's double Player of the Week honors comes after producing a hit and multiple RBI in all five games batting .476 in his 21 at-bats. The sophomore collected 10 hits with eight going for extra bases and drew four walks for a .577 on-base percentage, driving in 17 runs including a pair of five RBI performances in games two and three of a four-game series with Colby, while adding a pair of stolen bases and scoring nine times to his week's statline.

Treto earns his second KJCCC Pitcher of the Week honor, following his week two conference and national distinction by tossing a complete-game five-hit shutout with a new career high 10 strikeouts in victory over Colby. Improving to 3-2 on the season, the freshman righty sent the Trojans down in order four of the seven frames while inducing a pair of twin-killing double plays to help keep the sheet clean.

Victors of nine straight following Tuesday's non-conference twinbill sweep in McPherson, Barton resumes conference play on Thursday traveling to Garden City Community College for the first two-game leg of its four-game series with the backend coming Saturday at Lawson-Biggs Field. A 1:00 p.m. first pitch slated for each day's doubleheader.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744233804840.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By Todd Moore Barton Sports InfoAyden Hadley and Anthony Treto of the Barton Community College baseball team have earned week ten honors distributed on the conference and national levels.Both received KJCCC West Division player honors, with Hadley selected as the NJCAA honoree, as the duo helped the Cougars to an unblemished 5-0 week including a non-conference victory at No. 3 Cowley College and most recently sweeping what was then- conference leading Colby Community College to take over the league's top spot at 16-4.Hadley's double Player of the Week honors comes after producing a hit and multiple RBI in all five games batting .476 in his 21 at-bats. The sophomore collected 10 hits with eight going for extra bases and drew four walks for a .577 on-base percentage, driving in 17 runs including a pair of five RBI performances in games two and three of a four-game series with Colby, while adding a pair of stolen bases and scoring nine times to his week's statline.Treto earns his second KJCCC Pitcher of the Week honor, following his week two conference and national distinction by tossing a complete-game five-hit shutout with a new career high 10 strikeouts in victory over Colby. Improving to 3-2 on the season, the freshman righty sent the Trojans down in order four of the seven frames while inducing a pair of twin-killing double plays to help keep the sheet clean.Victors of nine straight following Tuesday's non-conference twinbill sweep in McPherson, Barton resumes conference play on Thursday traveling to Garden City Community College for the first two-game leg of its four-game series with the backend coming Saturday at Lawson-Biggs Field. A 1:00 p.m. first pitch slated for each day's doubleheader.

Barton's Hadley and Treto earn baseball honors

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744195229266.jpeg" alt="Great Bend 2-2 overall, 0-2 WAC" />
 <figcaption>Great Bend 2-2 overall, 0-2 WAC</figcaption>
 </figure>

Lady Panther soccer falls 7-0 to Liberal

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744195065874.jpeg" alt="Lady Panthers 8-1 overall, 3-0 in WAC" />
 <figcaption>Lady Panthers 8-1 overall, 3-0 in WAC</figcaption>
 </figure>

Great Bend beats Liberal 11-2

By BRANDON SMITH Barton Sports Info

Cougar batters smacked six home runs and Cougar pitchers allowed a combined three runs and struck out a combined 23 hitters as the No. 24 ranked Barton Community College baseball team provided a record-breaking doubleheader sweep of the McPherson College junior varsity squad on Tuesday afternoon at Bulldog Field.

Led behind Kyle Walker's pair of sacrifice fly's, Tate Blasi's two-run home run in the sixth and Braden Hauschel's 13-strikeout complete game shutout, the Cougars claimed a 6-0 victory in Game 1.

In the nightcap, Wyatt Yetter's second blast of the season erupted a sequence of collegiate first home runs from Kaeden Fenton, Carter Helm, Cooper Tabor and Hunter Houfek, as Barton finished off a five-inning 37-3 run rule victory in Game 2, for the program's most runs scored in a single game.

Winners of now nine straight, the Cougars improve to 27-8 overall while the Bulldogs junior varsity team drops to 4-15 on the season.

Barton will conclude its six-game road trip on Thursday afternoon with the opening two games of a four-game set at Garden City Community College. First pitch between the Cougars and Broncbusters is slated for 1:00 p.m. on Thursday from Williams Field before concluding the series on Saturday with a same start time at Lawson-Biggs Field.

Scoring a pair of runs in the first, fifth and sixth frames of the opener, the Barton bats exploded in the nightcap with runs in all five at-bats surpassing seven or more runs in four of the five innings.

16 different Cougars collected a hit and RBI over the pair of games keyed behind Tyler Janssen's four RBI afternoon finishing 1-for-1 with a triple and pair of walks.

Walker and Ayden Hadley contributed with nine of Barton's 34 hits in the twinbill. Walker fashioning a 5-for-9 day at the plate with a pair of runs brought home and trio of doubles coming in game two. Hadley extended his hitting streak to a season best nine straight games behind a 2-for-3 game 1 performance and 2-for-2 game two effort finishing with a double and two RBIs.  

Fenton started Barton's trend of collegiate firsts in game two with a three-run home run in the eight run third before a trio of firsts ensued in the seven run fourth inning on Helm's three run fence clearer operating the first of back-to-back jacks with Tabor's solo-shot succeeding and Houfek's three-run blast capping the three-home run inning.

Hauschel set the tone on the mound with his game one complete game shutout as the sophomore improved to 3-1 on the year scattering two hits, two walks with a new career high 13 strikeouts.

Pitching by a scheduled committee in game two, starter Eli Lang (2-0) notched the win working the opening two innings with one hit and three strikeouts.

By BRANDON SMITH Barton Sports InfoCougar batters smacked six home runs and Cougar pitchers allowed a combined three runs and struck out a combined 23 hitters as the No. 24 ranked Barton Community College baseball team provided a record-breaking doubleheader sweep of the McPherson College junior varsity squad on Tuesday afternoon at Bulldog Field.Led behind Kyle Walker's pair of sacrifice fly's, Tate Blasi's two-run home run in the sixth and Braden Hauschel's 13-strikeout complete game shutout, the Cougars claimed a 6-0 victory in Game 1.In the nightcap, Wyatt Yetter's second blast of the season erupted a sequence of collegiate first home runs from Kaeden Fenton, Carter Helm, Cooper Tabor and Hunter Houfek, as Barton finished off a five-inning 37-3 run rule victory in Game 2, for the program's most runs scored in a single game.Winners of now nine straight, the Cougars improve to 27-8 overall while the Bulldogs junior varsity team drops to 4-15 on the season.Barton will conclude its six-game road trip on Thursday afternoon with the opening two games of a four-game set at Garden City Community College. First pitch between the Cougars and Broncbusters is slated for 1:00 p.m. on Thursday from Williams Field before concluding the series on Saturday with a same start time at Lawson-Biggs Field.Scoring a pair of runs in the first, fifth and sixth frames of the opener, the Barton bats exploded in the nightcap with runs in all five at-bats surpassing seven or more runs in four of the five innings.16 different Cougars collected a hit and RBI over the pair of games keyed behind Tyler Janssen's four RBI afternoon finishing 1-for-1 with a triple and pair of walks.Walker and Ayden Hadley contributed with nine of Barton's 34 hits in the twinbill. Walker fashioning a 5-for-9 day at the plate with a pair of runs brought home and trio of doubles coming in game two. Hadley extended his hitting streak to a season best nine straight games behind a 2-for-3 game 1 performance and 2-for-2 game two effort finishing with a double and two RBIs. Fenton started Barton's trend of collegiate firsts in game two with a three-run home run in the eight run third before a trio of firsts ensued in the seven run fourth inning on Helm's three run fence clearer operating the first of back-to-back jacks with Tabor's solo-shot succeeding and Houfek's three-run blast capping the three-home run inning.Hauschel set the tone on the mound with his game one complete game shutout as the sophomore improved to 3-1 on the year scattering two hits, two walks with a new career high 13 strikeouts.Pitching by a scheduled committee in game two, starter Eli Lang (2-0) notched the win working the opening two innings with one hit and three strikeouts.

No. 24 Barton Baseball erupts for 43 runs in sweep at McPherson College JV

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Cole Ragans struck out 11 in six crisp innings, and the Kansas City Royals beat the sloppy Minnesota Twins 2-1 on Tuesday night.

Kansas City won for the fourth time in five games despite managing just two unearned runs and three hits.

Bobby Witt Jr. scored the go-ahead run on Vinnie Pasquantino’s soft grounder in the eighth. Witt reached when he went all the way to third on a throwing error on Griffin Jax (0-1).

Ragans was charged with one run and four hits. John Schreiber (1-0) escaped a jam in the eighth, and Daniel Lynch IV got one out for his first save.

Minnesota had runners on the corners in the top of the eighth when Carlos Correa bounced into an inning-ending double play.

Twins right-hander Pablo López pitched 4 2/3 innings of three-hit ball before departing because of right hamstring tightness. López struck out six and walked one.

The Royals jumped in front in the fourth. Witt hit a one-out double and Pasquantino reached on an error on second baseman Micky Gasper. Witt then scampered home on Salvador Perez’s grounder.

The Twins responded in the fifth. Ty France doubled and scored on Harrison Bader’s single off left fielder Mark Canha’s glove at the top of the wall.

After walking Jonathan India, López grabbed the back of his right leg and was removed after a short visit from Twins trainer Nick Paparesta.

Twins batters are hitting .103 against left-handed pitching this season.

Twins right-hander Joe Ryan (0-1, 4.50 ERA) and Royals right-hander Seth Lugo (1-0, 3.27 ERA) take the mound on Wednesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744194685852.jpeg" alt="&nbsp;Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez, left, and relief pitcher Daniel Lynch IV celebrate after their baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Tuesday, April 8, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez, left, and relief pitcher Daniel Lynch IV celebrate after their baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Tuesday, April 8, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Cole Ragans struck out 11 in six crisp innings, and the Kansas City Royals beat the sloppy Minnesota Twins 2-1 on Tuesday night.Kansas City won for the fourth time in five games despite managing just two unearned runs and three hits.Bobby Witt Jr. scored the go-ahead run on Vinnie Pasquantino’s soft grounder in the eighth. Witt reached when he went all the way to third on a throwing error on Griffin Jax (0-1).Ragans was charged with one run and four hits. John Schreiber (1-0) escaped a jam in the eighth, and Daniel Lynch IV got one out for his first save.Minnesota had runners on the corners in the top of the eighth when Carlos Correa bounced into an inning-ending double play.Twins right-hander Pablo López pitched 4 2/3 innings of three-hit ball before departing because of right hamstring tightness. López struck out six and walked one.The Royals jumped in front in the fourth. Witt hit a one-out double and Pasquantino reached on an error on second baseman Micky Gasper. Witt then scampered home on Salvador Perez’s grounder.The Twins responded in the fifth. Ty France doubled and scored on Harrison Bader’s single off left fielder Mark Canha’s glove at the top of the wall.<h2>Key moment</h2>After walking Jonathan India, López grabbed the back of his right leg and was removed after a short visit from Twins trainer Nick Paparesta.<h2>Key stat</h2>Twins batters are hitting .103 against left-handed pitching this season.<h2>Up next</h2>Twins right-hander Joe Ryan (0-1, 4.50 ERA) and Royals right-hander Seth Lugo (1-0, 3.27 ERA) take the mound on Wednesday.

Cole Ragans strikes out 11 as the Royals beat the sloppy Twins 2-1

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Cole Ragans struck out 11 in six crisp innings, and the Kansas City Royals beat the sloppy Minnesota Twins 2-1. Kansas City won for the fourth time in five games despite managing just two unearned runs and three hits. Bobby Witt Jr. scored the go-ahead run on Vinnie Pasquantino’s soft grounder in the eighth. Witt reached when he went all the way to third on a throwing error on Griffin Jax. Ragans was charged with one run and four hits. John Schreiber escaped a jam in the eighth, and Daniel Lynch IV got one out for his first save.

KANSAS CITY, Mo.
(AP) — Cole Ragans struck out 11 in six crisp innings, and the
Kansas City Royals beat the sloppy Minnesota Twins 2-1. Kansas City
won for the fourth time in five games despite managing just two
unearned runs and three hits. Bobby Witt Jr. scored the go-ahead run
on Vinnie Pasquantino’s soft grounder in the eighth. Witt reached
when he went all the way to third on a throwing error on Griffin Jax.
Ragans was charged with one run and four hits. John Schreiber escaped
a jam in the eighth, and Daniel Lynch IV got one out for his first
save.

KANSAS CITY, Mo.
(AP) — Pablo López left Tuesday’s start against the Kansas City
Royals in the bottom of the fifth inning due to right hamstring
tightness, according to the Minnesota Twins medical staff. López
grabbed the back of his leg after walking Jonathan India. Manager
Rocco Baldelli and trainer Nick Paparesta visited the mound and took
López out after a short discussion. López threw 78 pitches in 4 2/3
innings, allowing an unearned run on three hits and a walk with six
strikeouts. Cole Sands came on in relief for the Twins.

PITTSBURGH (AP) —
Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes was knocked around a bit by the
St. Louis Cardinals, allowing a career-high five runs in a 5-3 loss
at frigid PNC Park. Skenes (1-1), who was electric in his first two
starts this season, was spotty this time around. The 22-year-old
reigning National League Rookie of the Year allowed six hits with a
walk and seven strikeouts as his ERA more than doubled from 1.46 to
3.44. Victor Scott II had two hits, including a two-run triple off
Skenes in the third. Brendan Donovan also had two hits in St. Louis,
which won for only the second time in eight games.

SANTO DOMINGO,
Dominican Republic (AP) — Former major league relief pitcher
Octavio Dotel was among the dead after a roof collapsed at a
nightclub in his native Dominican Republic where he was attending a
merengue concert. Dotel pitched for 13 major league teams in a
15-year career and won a world championship with the St. Louis
Cardinals. He was 51. Dotel signed with the New York Mets in 1993 as
an amateur free agent and made his major league debut in 1999. He
turned into a reliable and at times dominant reliever while appearing
in 758 games from 1999-2013.

UNDATED (AP) —
Florida is a unanimous No. 1 in the final Associated Press men’s
college basketball poll of the 2024-25 season after winning the
national championship. The Gators beat Houston 65-63 to clinch the
program's third national title and first since 2007. Florida is atop
the AP Top 25 for the first time since the end of the 2013-14 season.
Houston, Duke, Auburn and Tennessee round out the top five.

NEW YORK (AP) —
Florida’s comeback victory over Houston in Monday night’s NCAA
title game was the most-watched championship game in six years. The
Gators 65-63 victory averaged 18.1 million viewers on CBS according
to early numbers from Nielsen, a 22% increase over last year’s game
on TBS, TNT and truTV. The audience peaked at 21.1 million during the
game’s final minutes. It is the first time since Virginia’s
overtime victory over Texas Tech in 2019 that the championship game
has averaged above 18 million. The CBS broadcast that year averaged
19.63 million. The three Final Four games averaged 16.4 million, its
best audience in eight years and up 21% from 2024.

DETROIT (AP) —
Some new details are emerging in the computer hacking case against a
former Baltimore Ravens and University of Michigan assistant football
coach. The U.S. Justice Department has told victims that thousands of
intimate photographs were seized from Matt Weiss' electronic devices,
and many showed victims who were naked. Some revealed sex acts. Weiss
was indicted two weeks ago on charges of identity theft and
unauthorized computer access. He's pleaded not guilty. Investigators
say Weiss hacked into the accounts of more than 2,000 athletes across
the country.

UNDATED (AP) —
Michael Malone, who coached the Denver Nuggets to the NBA title in
2023 and has led the team to eight consecutive winning seasons, was
fired in a stunning move that comes with less than a week in the
regular season. General manager Calvin Booth is also out. His
contract won't be renewed. The Nuggets said David Adelman will become
the coach for the remainder of the season. They are 47-32 this season
with three games left but have dropped four consecutive games and are
in a logjam of teams fighting for home-court advantage in Round 1 of
the playoffs.

AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) —
Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau are getting a rare chance to compete
against all the best players. That's where the world of golf is at
the moment with the PGA Tour and Saudi-backed LIV Golf unable to come
to any kind of agreement. The Masters is the first time in nine
months Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy are playing for a major
prize against Rahm and DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka and Cameron
Smith. Rahm says it doesn't make the Masters any more special.
DeChambeau says his dream hasn't changed. He wants to win a Masters
green jacket.

CHICAGO (AP) —
Former Northwestern University football players are finalizing an
agreement with the school to settle lawsuits alleging hazing and
abuse on the team that led to longtime coach Pat Fitzgerald’s
firing. The private university in suburban Chicago has been reeling
from the scandal that engulfed the athletic department. Former
football players filed the first lawsuits in 2023, alleging sexual
abuse and racial discrimination on the team. Details of the proposed
settlement weren’t made public this week. Court documents say those
are being finalized. Fitzgerald has filed his own lawsuit against the
school. His attorneys say there is no evidence he was aware of
hazing.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739459822020.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Cole Ragans struck out 11 in six crisp innings, and the Kansas City Royals beat the sloppy Minnesota Twins 2-1. Kansas City won for the fourth time in five games despite managing just two unearned runs and three hits. Bobby Witt Jr. scored the go-ahead run on Vinnie Pasquantino’s soft grounder in the eighth. Witt reached when he went all the way to third on a throwing error on Griffin Jax. Ragans was charged with one run and four hits. John Schreiber escaped a jam in the eighth, and Daniel Lynch IV got one out for his first save.KANSAS CITY, Mo.
(AP) — Cole Ragans struck out 11 in six crisp innings, and the
Kansas City Royals beat the sloppy Minnesota Twins 2-1. Kansas City
won for the fourth time in five games despite managing just two
unearned runs and three hits. Bobby Witt Jr. scored the go-ahead run
on Vinnie Pasquantino’s soft grounder in the eighth. Witt reached
when he went all the way to third on a throwing error on Griffin Jax.
Ragans was charged with one run and four hits. John Schreiber escaped
a jam in the eighth, and Daniel Lynch IV got one out for his first
save.KANSAS CITY, Mo.
(AP) — Pablo López left Tuesday’s start against the Kansas City
Royals in the bottom of the fifth inning due to right hamstring
tightness, according to the Minnesota Twins medical staff. López
grabbed the back of his leg after walking Jonathan India. Manager
Rocco Baldelli and trainer Nick Paparesta visited the mound and took
López out after a short discussion. López threw 78 pitches in 4 2/3
innings, allowing an unearned run on three hits and a walk with six
strikeouts. Cole Sands came on in relief for the Twins.PITTSBURGH (AP) —
Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes was knocked around a bit by the
St. Louis Cardinals, allowing a career-high five runs in a 5-3 loss
at frigid PNC Park. Skenes (1-1), who was electric in his first two
starts this season, was spotty this time around. The 22-year-old
reigning National League Rookie of the Year allowed six hits with a
walk and seven strikeouts as his ERA more than doubled from 1.46 to
3.44. Victor Scott II had two hits, including a two-run triple off
Skenes in the third. Brendan Donovan also had two hits in St. Louis,
which won for only the second time in eight games.SANTO DOMINGO,
Dominican Republic (AP) — Former major league relief pitcher
Octavio Dotel was among the dead after a roof collapsed at a
nightclub in his native Dominican Republic where he was attending a
merengue concert. Dotel pitched for 13 major league teams in a
15-year career and won a world championship with the St. Louis
Cardinals. He was 51. Dotel signed with the New York Mets in 1993 as
an amateur free agent and made his major league debut in 1999. He
turned into a reliable and at times dominant reliever while appearing
in 758 games from 1999-2013.UNDATED (AP) —
Florida is a unanimous No. 1 in the final Associated Press men’s
college basketball poll of the 2024-25 season after winning the
national championship. The Gators beat Houston 65-63 to clinch the
program's third national title and first since 2007. Florida is atop
the AP Top 25 for the first time since the end of the 2013-14 season.
Houston, Duke, Auburn and Tennessee round out the top five.NEW YORK (AP) —
Florida’s comeback victory over Houston in Monday night’s NCAA
title game was the most-watched championship game in six years. The
Gators 65-63 victory averaged 18.1 million viewers on CBS according
to early numbers from Nielsen, a 22% increase over last year’s game
on TBS, TNT and truTV. The audience peaked at 21.1 million during the
game’s final minutes. It is the first time since Virginia’s
overtime victory over Texas Tech in 2019 that the championship game
has averaged above 18 million. The CBS broadcast that year averaged
19.63 million. The three Final Four games averaged 16.4 million, its
best audience in eight years and up 21% from 2024.DETROIT (AP) —
Some new details are emerging in the computer hacking case against a
former Baltimore Ravens and University of Michigan assistant football
coach. The U.S. Justice Department has told victims that thousands of
intimate photographs were seized from Matt Weiss' electronic devices,
and many showed victims who were naked. Some revealed sex acts. Weiss
was indicted two weeks ago on charges of identity theft and
unauthorized computer access. He's pleaded not guilty. Investigators
say Weiss hacked into the accounts of more than 2,000 athletes across
the country.UNDATED (AP) —
Michael Malone, who coached the Denver Nuggets to the NBA title in
2023 and has led the team to eight consecutive winning seasons, was
fired in a stunning move that comes with less than a week in the
regular season. General manager Calvin Booth is also out. His
contract won't be renewed. The Nuggets said David Adelman will become
the coach for the remainder of the season. They are 47-32 this season
with three games left but have dropped four consecutive games and are
in a logjam of teams fighting for home-court advantage in Round 1 of
the playoffs.AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) —
Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau are getting a rare chance to compete
against all the best players. That's where the world of golf is at
the moment with the PGA Tour and Saudi-backed LIV Golf unable to come
to any kind of agreement. The Masters is the first time in nine
months Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy are playing for a major
prize against Rahm and DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka and Cameron
Smith. Rahm says it doesn't make the Masters any more special.
DeChambeau says his dream hasn't changed. He wants to win a Masters
green jacket.CHICAGO (AP) —
Former Northwestern University football players are finalizing an
agreement with the school to settle lawsuits alleging hazing and
abuse on the team that led to longtime coach Pat Fitzgerald’s
firing. The private university in suburban Chicago has been reeling
from the scandal that engulfed the athletic department. Former
football players filed the first lawsuits in 2023, alleging sexual
abuse and racial discrimination on the team. Details of the proposed
settlement weren’t made public this week. Court documents say those
are being finalized. Fitzgerald has filed his own lawsuit against the
school. His attorneys say there is no evidence he was aware of
hazing.TUESDAY SCORESMAJOR LEAGUE
BASEBALLINTERLEAGUEFinal	Chicago
Cubs	10	Texas	6	Final	Arizona	4	Baltimore	3	Final	Athletics	10	San
Diego	4	AMERICAN LEAGUEFinal	Detroit	5	N.Y.
Yankees	0	Final	Cleveland	1	Chicago
White Sox	0	Final	Toronto	6	Boston	1	Final	L.A.
Angels	4	Tampa Bay	3	Final	Kansas
City	2	Minnesota	1	Final	Houston	2	Seattle	1	NATIONAL LEAGUEFinal	N.Y.
Mets	10	Miami	5	Final	St.
Louis	5	Pittsburgh	3	Final	Washington	8	L.A.
Dodgers	2	Final	Atlanta	7	Philadelphia	5	Final	Milwaukee	7	Colorado	1	Final	Cincinnati	1	San
Francisco	0	NATIONAL
BASKETBALL ASSOCIATIONFinal	Cleveland	135	Chicago	113	Final	Indiana	104	Washington	98	Final	Orlando	119	Atlanta	112	Final	Memphis	124	Charlotte	100	Final	Brooklyn	119	New
Orleans	114	Final
OT	Boston	119	New York	117	Final	Milwaukee	110	Minnesota	103	Final	Oklahoma
City	136	L.A. Lakers	120	Final	Golden
State	133	Phoenix	95	Final	L.A.
Clippers	122	San Antonio	117	NATIONAL HOCKEY
LEAGUEFinal	Boston	7	New
Jersey	2	Final	Florida	3	Toronto	1	Final	Buffalo	3	Carolina	0	Final	Columbus	5	Ottawa	2	Final	Pittsburgh	5	Chicago	0	Final	Montreal	4	Detroit	1	Final
OT	Vancouver	6	Dallas	5	Final
OT	Nashville	7	N-Y Islanders	6	Final	Utah	7	Seattle	1

Wednesday Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College

IRVING, Texas – Sophomore infielder Brady Ballinger was named Big 12 Player of the Week, the conference office announced on Monday. The Big 12 weekly honor is the first of his career.

Ballinger hit .444/.524/1.056 (8-for-18), with two doubles, three home runs, six RBIs, eight runs scored, three walks and a 1.580 OPS in four games last week. He had his second multi-homer game of the season on Friday at UCF.

Five of Ballinger's eight hits were extra-base hits and that included three home runs over the weekend at UCF. Ballinger scored multiple runs in three of the four games and also drove in at least one RBI in three contests.

The Las Vegas, Nevada, native currently has a 13-game hitting streak and is ranked nationally in multiple statistical categories. Ballinger is first in the conference in walks (39, second nationally), runs scored (46, tied for seventh nationally), total bases (99, tied for 13th nationally), slugging percentage (.792, 18th nationally) and hits (51, tied for 22nd nationally). He is also seventh in the country with a .562 on-base percentage.

Ballinger is the 23rd player in Kansas history to win Big 12 Player of the Week. He joins Tommy Barth, Jackson Hauge, Michael Brooks and Dominic Voegele as a recipient of a Big 12 weekly award this season.

No. 19 Kansas (27-6, 9-3 Big 12) sits in sole possession of first place in the Big 12 standings. The Jayhawks have won a season-high nine consecutive games, including a sweep at UCF this past weekend. The 27-6 overall record is the best record through the first 33 games in program history and the 9-3 start to conference play is also the best start to a Big 12 season in school history.

The Jayhawks will have four games this week, beginning on Tuesday with Nebraska at Hoglund Ballpark at 6 p.m. CT. Then, Kansas will go on the road to play No. 24 TCU in a three-game conference series this weekend.

Kansas AthleticsIRVING, Texas – Sophomore infielder Brady Ballinger was named Big 12 Player of the Week, the conference office announced on Monday. The Big 12 weekly honor is the first of his career.Ballinger hit .444/.524/1.056 (8-for-18), with two doubles, three home runs, six RBIs, eight runs scored, three walks and a 1.580 OPS in four games last week. He had his second multi-homer game of the season on Friday at UCF.Five of Ballinger's eight hits were extra-base hits and that included three home runs over the weekend at UCF. Ballinger scored multiple runs in three of the four games and also drove in at least one RBI in three contests.The Las Vegas, Nevada, native currently has a 13-game hitting streak and is ranked nationally in multiple statistical categories. Ballinger is first in the conference in walks (39, second nationally), runs scored (46, tied for seventh nationally), total bases (99, tied for 13th nationally), slugging percentage (.792, 18th nationally) and hits (51, tied for 22nd nationally). He is also seventh in the country with a .562 on-base percentage.Ballinger is the 23rd player in Kansas history to win Big 12 Player of the Week. He joins Tommy Barth, Jackson Hauge, Michael Brooks and Dominic Voegele as a recipient of a Big 12 weekly award this season.No. 19 Kansas (27-6, 9-3 Big 12) sits in sole possession of first place in the Big 12 standings. The Jayhawks have won a season-high nine consecutive games, including a sweep at UCF this past weekend. The 27-6 overall record is the best record through the first 33 games in program history and the 9-3 start to conference play is also the best start to a Big 12 season in school history.The Jayhawks will have four games this week, beginning on Tuesday with Nebraska at Hoglund Ballpark at 6 p.m. CT. Then, Kansas will go on the road to play No. 24 TCU in a three-game conference series this weekend.

KU's Ballinger named Big 12 Player of the Week

- Barton softball coach Carson Dubose updates us on the Lady Cougars sweep of Garden City Sunday and previews the week ahead for the 2nd place Softball Cougars.

- Great Bend softball coach Carrie Minton will discuss her teams 7-1 and start and their Tuesday Western Athletic Conference game in Liberal.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1693997740304.jpeg" alt="Tuesday show lineup with host Steve Webster" />
 <figcaption>Tuesday show lineup with host Steve Webster</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QcrtLh5bUno?si=aXM8hcnJeA84mwcZ" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>- Barton softball coach Carson Dubose updates us on the Lady Cougars sweep of Garden City Sunday and previews the week ahead for the 2nd place Softball Cougars.- Great Bend softball coach Carrie Minton will discuss her teams 7-1 and start and their Tuesday Western Athletic Conference game in Liberal.- "Voice of the Cougars" Cole Reif- Tuesday Sports Headlines- Sounds of the past 24-hours

Tuesday on Sports Day(Watch)

Florida is No. 1 in the final Associated Press Top 25 men's college basketball poll of the 2024-25 season after winning the national championship.

The Gators (36-4) received all 61 first-place votes Tuesday, the second year the AP has released its last poll after the completion of the NCAA Tournament. Todd Golden's team beat Houston 65-63 on Monday night to clinch the program's third national title and first since Billy Donovan's repeat titles in 2006 and 2007.

The win also lifted Florida to the top spot in the poll for the first time since the last four polls of the 2013-14 season.

“Obviously we have an incredibly talented group, one of the most talented groups individually in America,” Golden said after the title-clinching win. "I do think what separates us and has separated us all season long is our team talent, how our guys have played together and for each other all year. Because of that, we can call each other national champions for the rest of our lives.”

Houston (35-5) remained at No. 2 after its first title-game appearance since 1984, capping a season that saw Kelvin Sampson's Cougars reach the Final Four for the second time in five seasons and beat Duke (35-4) in the national semifinals with a shocking late comeback.

The Blue Devils — who were No. 1 in the last two polls before March Madness — were third in what amounted to a swap with the Gators as the only change to the top quartet. Auburn (32-6) stayed at No. 4 after falling to Florida in the Alamodome, rounding out only the second all-chalk Final Four of 1-seeds since seeding began in 1979.

Tennessee was fifth and Alabama sixth, joining Florida and Auburn as the headliners for the Southeastern Conference in a year in which the league regularly had the most AP Top 25 teams on the way to earning a record 14 tournament bids.

Michigan State was next at No. 7, followed by Texas Tech, which had Florida on the brink of defeat in the Elite Eight before Gators star Walter Clayton Jr. sparked a wild comeback. A Big Ten duo of Maryland and Michigan rounded out the top 10.

Purdue had the biggest jump, rising eight spots to No. 14 after&nbsp;a Sweet 16 loss to Houston&nbsp;on a last-second basket on a perfectly executed inbounds play. No. 12 Kentucky and No. 15 Arizona were next, each rising six spots after their own runs to the tournament's second week.

In all, 12 teams moved up from the pre-tournament poll into their final position.

Louisville had the biggest tumble, falling 11 spots to No. 21 after the Cardinals entered March Madness ranked 10th but received only an 8-seed and&nbsp;suffered a first-round loss to Creighton. Fellow Atlantic Coast Conference program Clemson was next with a 10-spot tumble to No. 22 after a&nbsp;first-round loss to 12th-seeded McNeese.

No. 25 Memphis fell nine spots after being shorthanded&nbsp;in a loss to 12th-seeded Colorado State, while No. 11 St. John's fell six spots&nbsp;after shooting 28% in its second-round loss to Arkansas.

In all, eight teams fell from the pre-tournament poll.

John Calipari's Arkansas Razorbacks checked in at No. 20 after reaching the Sweet 16, joining No. 18 Ole Miss as the final poll's two additions. Like Arkansas, the Rebels upended a higher-seeded team (Iowa State) to reach the second weekend. Both were ranked previously this season.

Missouri (No. 23) and Oregon (No. 25) fell out from the pre-tournament poll.

The SEC led the way with eight ranked teams, a haul that included No. 19 Texas A&amp;M. The Big 12 and Big Ten were next with five ranked teams each, followed by the ACC with three. The West Coast Conference had two and the American Athletic Conference and Big East each had one.

Florida's rise to No. 1 meant five different teams held the top spot of the AP Top 25 this season, starting with Kansas for the preseason and the first four weeks of the regular season. Tennessee followed for five weeks, then Auburn for eight and finally Duke for the last two pre-tournament polls. In all, 50 teams spent at least one week in the poll this season.

Florida is No. 1 in the final Associated Press Top 25 men's college basketball poll of the 2024-25 season after winning the national championship.The Gators (36-4) received all 61 first-place votes Tuesday, the second year the AP has released its last poll after the completion of the NCAA Tournament. Todd Golden's team beat Houston 65-63 on Monday night to clinch the program's third national title and first since Billy Donovan's repeat titles in 2006 and 2007.The win also lifted Florida to the top spot in the poll for the first time since the last four polls of the 2013-14 season.“Obviously we have an incredibly talented group, one of the most talented groups individually in America,” Golden said after the title-clinching win. "I do think what separates us and has separated us all season long is our team talent, how our guys have played together and for each other all year. Because of that, we can call each other national champions for the rest of our lives.”Houston (35-5) remained at No. 2 after its first title-game appearance since 1984, capping a season that saw Kelvin Sampson's Cougars reach the Final Four for the second time in five seasons and beat Duke (35-4) in the national semifinals with a shocking late comeback.The Blue Devils — who were No. 1 in the last two polls before March Madness — were third in what amounted to a swap with the Gators as the only change to the top quartet. Auburn (32-6) stayed at No. 4 after falling to Florida in the Alamodome, rounding out only the second all-chalk Final Four of 1-seeds since seeding began in 1979.<h2>The top tier</h2>Tennessee was fifth and Alabama sixth, joining Florida and Auburn as the headliners for the Southeastern Conference in a year in which the league regularly had the most AP Top 25 teams on the way to earning a record 14 tournament bids.Michigan State was next at No. 7, followed by Texas Tech, which had Florida on the brink of defeat in the Elite Eight before Gators star Walter Clayton Jr. sparked a wild comeback. A Big Ten duo of Maryland and Michigan rounded out the top 10.Purdue had the biggest jump, rising eight spots to No. 14 after&nbsp;a Sweet 16 loss to Houston&nbsp;on a last-second basket on a perfectly executed inbounds play. No. 12 Kentucky and No. 15 Arizona were next, each rising six spots after their own runs to the tournament's second week.In all, 12 teams moved up from the pre-tournament poll into their final position.<h2>One last slide</h2>Louisville had the biggest tumble, falling 11 spots to No. 21 after the Cardinals entered March Madness ranked 10th but received only an 8-seed and&nbsp;suffered a first-round loss to Creighton. Fellow Atlantic Coast Conference program Clemson was next with a 10-spot tumble to No. 22 after a&nbsp;first-round loss to 12th-seeded McNeese.No. 25 Memphis fell nine spots after being shorthanded&nbsp;in a loss to 12th-seeded Colorado State, while No. 11 St. John's fell six spots&nbsp;after shooting 28% in its second-round loss to Arkansas.In all, eight teams fell from the pre-tournament poll.<h2>Comings and goings</h2>John Calipari's Arkansas Razorbacks checked in at No. 20 after reaching the Sweet 16, joining No. 18 Ole Miss as the final poll's two additions. Like Arkansas, the Rebels upended a higher-seeded team (Iowa State) to reach the second weekend. Both were ranked previously this season.Missouri (No. 23) and Oregon (No. 25) fell out from the pre-tournament poll.<h2>Conference watch</h2>The SEC led the way with eight ranked teams, a haul that included No. 19 Texas A&amp;M. The Big 12 and Big Ten were next with five ranked teams each, followed by the ACC with three. The West Coast Conference had two and the American Athletic Conference and Big East each had one.<h2>The final tally</h2>Florida's rise to No. 1 meant five different teams held the top spot of the AP Top 25 this season, starting with Kansas for the preseason and the first four weeks of the regular season. Tennessee followed for five weeks, then Auburn for eight and finally Duke for the last two pre-tournament polls. In all, 50 teams spent at least one week in the poll this season.

Gators No. 1 in the final AP Top 25 men's poll

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Florida’s Walter Clayton Jr. came up with the perfect going-away present for that spirit-crushing Houston defense that bullied, battered and bedeviled him all night.

It was a defensive gem of his own. Right before the buzzer. For the win and the national title.

The Gators and Clayton somehow overcame Houston’s lockdown intensity, along with a 12-point deficit Monday night to will out a 65-63 victory in an NCAA title-game thriller decided when the Florida senior's own D stopped the Cougars from even taking a game-winning shot at the buzzer.

Clayton finished with 11 points, all in the second half. What he’ll be remembered for most was getting Houston’s Emanuel Sharp to stop in the middle of his motion as he tried to go up for the game-winning 3 in the final seconds.

“Just go 100 percent,” Clayton said when asked what he was trying to do at the finish. “We were just trying to get a stop, and we happened to get it. I’m happy we got it done.”

With Sharp looking for room, Clayton ran at him. The Houston guard dropped the ball and, unable to pick it up lest he get called for traveling, watched it bounce.

Alex Condon dived on the ball, then flipped it to Clayton, who ran to the opposite free-throw line with the buzzer sounding and tugged his jersey out of his shorts. Next, the court was awash in Gator chomps and orange and blue confetti.

“We guarded them hard and then I saw the ball loose and I just hoped we beat them to the ball,” Florida coach Todd Golden said.

This marked the fourth comeback in six March Madness wins for the Gators (36-4). They led this game for a total of 64 seconds, including the last 46 ticks of a contest that was in limbo until the final shot that never came.

Houston coach Kelvin Sampson called it “incomprehensible” that the Cougars couldn't get a shot off on either of their last two possessions.

About the last one, Sampson said: “Clayton made a great play. But that’s why you’ve got to shot fake and get into the paint. Two’s fine.”

Will Richard had 18 points to keep the Gators in it, and they won their third overall title and first since Billy Donovan went back-to-back in 2006-07.

This time, it's Golden, in his third year, bringing the title back to Gainesville, where the Gator faithful can celebrate a win on one of college sports' grandest stages for the first time since Tim Tebow was playing quarterback for the football team in 2008.

This was the first hoops title for the Southeastern Conference since Kentucky in 2012, and the outcome the power conference was hoping for (expecting?) after placing a record 14 teams in the tournament.

The Cougars (35-5) and Sampson were denied their first championship, and ended up in the same spot as the colorful Phi Slama Jama teams from the 1980s — oh-so-close in second place.

This was a defensive brawl — the Gators failed to crack 70 for only the second time all season — and for most of the night, Clayton got the worst of it.

He was 0 for 4 from the field without a point through the first half. Met at the top of the circle, then double-teamed and trapped when necessary, he didn’t score until hitting two free throws with 14:57 left.

The player who scored at least 30 points in the last two games, who averaged 24.6 through the first five games of the tournament, who almost singlehandedly outscored UConn and Texas Tech down the stretch of those March Madness comebacks, finished with one 3-pointer. Before that, he had a pair of three-point plays off drives to the hoop that kept the Gators in striking range. He finished 3 for 10.

He also became part of not one, but two stops that put these Gators in the history book, and possibly cemented himself as the best basketball player to wear the orange and blue.

After Alijah Martin made two free throws to put Florida ahead 64-63 — its first lead since 8-6 — the Gators lured Sharp into a triple-team in the corner, where Clayton pressured him, and then Richard got him to dribble the ball off his leg and out of bounds.

Florida made one free throw on the next possession and that set up the finale.

The ball first went to L.J. Cryer, who led the Cougars with 19 points. Blanketed by Richard, he threw to Sharp, who was moving to spot up for a 3 when Clayton ran at him. That left him with no choice but to let the ball go.

“It was a great defensive play by Walter," Condon said. “I just dived on it, and hearing the buzzer go was a crazy feeling.”

Instead of the 69-year-old Sampson becoming the oldest coach to win the title, the 39-year-old Golden becomes the youngest since N.C. State's Jim Valvano in 1983 to win it all.

This gut-wrenching loss came two nights after the Cougars fashioned a wild comeback of their own, from 14 down against Duke.

All three Final Four games were decided down the stretch, none by more than Florida's six-point win over Auburn on Saturday. Any thought that the men’s game had been overtaken by the increasingly popular women will probably go on hold at least for a year.

The three women's Final Four games, capped by UConn's blowout of South Carolina on Sunday, were decided by an average of 24.7 points.

“When it gets down to the two best teams left,” Sampson said of the thriller he barely lost, “it’s not going to be easy for either team.”

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Florida’s Walter Clayton Jr. came up with the perfect going-away present for that spirit-crushing Houston defense that bullied, battered and bedeviled him all night.It was a defensive gem of his own. Right before the buzzer. For the win and the national title.The Gators and Clayton somehow overcame Houston’s lockdown intensity, along with a 12-point deficit Monday night to will out a 65-63 victory in an NCAA title-game thriller decided when the Florida senior's own D stopped the Cougars from even taking a game-winning shot at the buzzer.Clayton finished with 11 points, all in the second half. What he’ll be remembered for most was getting Houston’s Emanuel Sharp to stop in the middle of his motion as he tried to go up for the game-winning 3 in the final seconds.“Just go 100 percent,” Clayton said when asked what he was trying to do at the finish. “We were just trying to get a stop, and we happened to get it. I’m happy we got it done.”With Sharp looking for room, Clayton ran at him. The Houston guard dropped the ball and, unable to pick it up lest he get called for traveling, watched it bounce.Alex Condon dived on the ball, then flipped it to Clayton, who ran to the opposite free-throw line with the buzzer sounding and tugged his jersey out of his shorts. Next, the court was awash in Gator chomps and orange and blue confetti.“We guarded them hard and then I saw the ball loose and I just hoped we beat them to the ball,” Florida coach Todd Golden said.This marked the fourth comeback in six March Madness wins for the Gators (36-4). They led this game for a total of 64 seconds, including the last 46 ticks of a contest that was in limbo until the final shot that never came.Houston coach Kelvin Sampson called it “incomprehensible” that the Cougars couldn't get a shot off on either of their last two possessions.About the last one, Sampson said: “Clayton made a great play. But that’s why you’ve got to shot fake and get into the paint. Two’s fine.”Will Richard had 18 points to keep the Gators in it, and they won their third overall title and first since Billy Donovan went back-to-back in 2006-07.This time, it's Golden, in his third year, bringing the title back to Gainesville, where the Gator faithful can celebrate a win on one of college sports' grandest stages for the first time since Tim Tebow was playing quarterback for the football team in 2008.This was the first hoops title for the Southeastern Conference since Kentucky in 2012, and the outcome the power conference was hoping for (expecting?) after placing a record 14 teams in the tournament.The Cougars (35-5) and Sampson were denied their first championship, and ended up in the same spot as the colorful Phi Slama Jama teams from the 1980s — oh-so-close in second place.This was a defensive brawl — the Gators failed to crack 70 for only the second time all season — and for most of the night, Clayton got the worst of it.He was 0 for 4 from the field without a point through the first half. Met at the top of the circle, then double-teamed and trapped when necessary, he didn’t score until hitting two free throws with 14:57 left.The player who scored at least 30 points in the last two games, who averaged 24.6 through the first five games of the tournament, who almost singlehandedly outscored UConn and Texas Tech down the stretch of those March Madness comebacks, finished with one 3-pointer. Before that, he had a pair of three-point plays off drives to the hoop that kept the Gators in striking range. He finished 3 for 10.He also became part of not one, but two stops that put these Gators in the history book, and possibly cemented himself as the best basketball player to wear the orange and blue.After Alijah Martin made two free throws to put Florida ahead 64-63 — its first lead since 8-6 — the Gators lured Sharp into a triple-team in the corner, where Clayton pressured him, and then Richard got him to dribble the ball off his leg and out of bounds.Florida made one free throw on the next possession and that set up the finale.The ball first went to L.J. Cryer, who led the Cougars with 19 points. Blanketed by Richard, he threw to Sharp, who was moving to spot up for a 3 when Clayton ran at him. That left him with no choice but to let the ball go.“It was a great defensive play by Walter," Condon said. “I just dived on it, and hearing the buzzer go was a crazy feeling.”Instead of the 69-year-old Sampson becoming the oldest coach to win the title, the 39-year-old Golden becomes the youngest since N.C. State's Jim Valvano in 1983 to win it all.This gut-wrenching loss came two nights after the Cougars fashioned a wild comeback of their own, from 14 down against Duke.All three Final Four games were decided down the stretch, none by more than Florida's six-point win over Auburn on Saturday. Any thought that the men’s game had been overtaken by the increasingly popular women will probably go on hold at least for a year.The three women's Final Four games, capped by UConn's blowout of South Carolina on Sunday, were decided by an average of 24.7 points.“When it gets down to the two best teams left,” Sampson said of the thriller he barely lost, “it’s not going to be easy for either team.”

Walter Clayton Jr.'s defensive stop gives Florida its 3rd national title with 65-63 win over Houston

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kyle Isbel went 3 for 4 with a home run and two RBIs, Michael Lorenzen allowed one run in six innings and the Kansas City Royals beat the Minnesota Twins 4-2 on Monday night.

Vinnie Pasquantino had an early RBI double for the Royals. Lorenzen (1-1) permitted five hits with no walks and three strikeouts.

Carlos Estévez got three outs for his third save. He gave up a two-out RBI single to Harrison Bader before retiring pinch-hitter Edouard Julien on a grounder with two on to end it.

Pasquantino hit a high fly down the left-field line that dropped in front of Bader for a double that drove in Jonathan India — who doubled leading off the first — to give the Royals a 1-0 lead.

Willi Castro hit a two-out RBI double in the second for the Twins.

Isbel drove in a run with an infield single in the bottom half, and Maikel Garcia scored when Bobby Witt Jr. grounded out to give the Royals a 3-1 lead.

Isbel, batting ninth, added a solo shot in the sixth for his first homer this season.

Minnesota manager Rocco Baldelli was ejected in the bottom of the sixth for arguing a pitch-clock violation — which came on a full count and resulted in a walk to India — against Twins starter Simeon Woods Richardson (0-1).

MJ Melendez doubled leading off the second, moved to third on a single by Garcia and scored on Isbel's infield single to put the Royals in front for good.

Richardson allowed four runs and eight hits with four walks in 5 2/3 innings. Only the New York Yankees have fewer quality starts (zero) than Minnesota (one) this season.

Twins RHP Pablo López (1-1, 2.25 ERA) makes his third start of the season Tuesday night against Royals LHP Cole Ragans (0-0, 3.60).

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kyle Isbel went 3 for 4 with a home run and two RBIs, Michael Lorenzen allowed one run in six innings and the Kansas City Royals beat the Minnesota Twins 4-2 on Monday night.Vinnie Pasquantino had an early RBI double for the Royals. Lorenzen (1-1) permitted five hits with no walks and three strikeouts.Carlos Estévez got three outs for his third save. He gave up a two-out RBI single to Harrison Bader before retiring pinch-hitter Edouard Julien on a grounder with two on to end it.Pasquantino hit a high fly down the left-field line that dropped in front of Bader for a double that drove in Jonathan India — who doubled leading off the first — to give the Royals a 1-0 lead.Willi Castro hit a two-out RBI double in the second for the Twins.Isbel drove in a run with an infield single in the bottom half, and Maikel Garcia scored when Bobby Witt Jr. grounded out to give the Royals a 3-1 lead.Isbel, batting ninth, added a solo shot in the sixth for his first homer this season.Minnesota manager Rocco Baldelli was ejected in the bottom of the sixth for arguing a pitch-clock violation — which came on a full count and resulted in a walk to India — against Twins starter Simeon Woods Richardson (0-1).<h2>Key moment</h2>MJ Melendez doubled leading off the second, moved to third on a single by Garcia and scored on Isbel's infield single to put the Royals in front for good.<h2>Key stat</h2>Richardson allowed four runs and eight hits with four walks in 5 2/3 innings. Only the New York Yankees have fewer quality starts (zero) than Minnesota (one) this season.<h2>Up next</h2>Twins RHP Pablo López (1-1, 2.25 ERA) makes his third start of the season Tuesday night against Royals LHP Cole Ragans (0-0, 3.60).

Kyle Isbel goes 3 for 4 with a home run as the Royals beat the Twins 4-2

KANSAS CITY, Mo.
(AP) — Kyle Isbel went 3 for 4 with a home run and two RBIs,
Michael Lorenzen allowed one run in six innings and the Kansas City
Royals beat the Minnesota Twins 4-2. Vinnie Pasquantino had an early
RBI double for the Royals, and Carlos Estévez got three outs for his
third save. Estévez gave up a two-out RBI single to Harrison Bader
before retiring pinch-hitter Edouard Julien with two on to end it.

KANSAS CITY, Mo.
(AP) — Minnesota manager Rocco Baldelli was ejected in the sixth
inning of the team's game at Kansas City after Twins pitcher Simeon
Woods Richardson was called for a pitch clock violation. There were
two outs when Woods Richardson tapped his ear, seemingly indicating
he couldn’t hear his PitchCom. Umpire Nic Lentz then called a
violation that resulted in a walk to Jonathan India. Baldelli came
out of the dugout and argued with Lentz for a bit before he was
ejected. He then continued to talk and gesture to Lentz before crew
chief Vic Carapazza got between them.

PITTSBURGH (AP) —
Joey Bart, Andrew McCutchen and Isiah Kiner-Falefa each drove in two
runs, and the Pittsburgh Pirates handed St. Louis its fourth
consecutive loss with an 8-4 victory over the Cardinals. Bart
connected in the first inning for his first homer of the season. He
also hit an RBI triple during Pittsburgh’s four-run seventh.
Pirates right-hander Carmen Mlodzinski pitched five innings of
one-run ball in his first win as a starting pitcher. Rookie Thomas
Harrington pitched four innings for his first save in his second
career game, helping the Pirates win back-to-back games for the first
time this season.

NEW YORK (AP) —
Offense is down again at the start of the big league season, with
hits even harder to come by. The big league batting average was .239
through the first full week of play, down from .240 through the first
full week of 2024. While the overall average generally goes up as
weather warms in much of the country, last year’s average didn’t
rise much and finished at .243 — among the eight lowest years since
professional baseball leagues started in 1871. This year’s current
average is just above the record low of .237 set in 1968’s Year of
the Pitcher.

WASHINGTON (AP) —
President Donald Trump welcomed Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and the
reigning champion Los Angeles Dodgers to the White House on Monday to
congratulate them for winning the World Series last season. Trump
singled out several Dodgers for their achievements last season,
praising Ohtani for becoming baseball’s first 50 home run-50 stolen
base player, Japanese pitcher Yoshi Yamamoto and NL Championship
Series MVP Tommy Edman. The trip came almost a month after a
Department of Defense webpage describing Brooklyn Dodgers great and
civil rights icon Jackie Robinson’s military service was restored
after it had come down.

SAN ANTONIO (AP) —
Florida and Walter Clayton Jr. somehow overcame Houston’s
spirit-crushing defense Monday night to will out a 65-63 victory in
an NCAA title-game thriller not decided until Clayton’s own D
stopped the Cougars from taking a game-winning shot at the buzzer.
Clayton finished with 11 points, but what he’ll be remembered for
most was getting Houston’s Emanuel Sharp to stop in the middle of
his motion as he tried to go up for the game-winning 3 in the final
seconds. Clayton ran at him, Sharp dropped the ball and watched it
bounce there while the clock ticked to zero. Florida won its third
national title and denied Houston its first.

SAN ANTONIO (AP) —
Kelvin Sampson watched his Houston team come within seconds of the
first NCAA title for both himself and the program. It slipped away in
painful fashion on the final play. Houston was unable to get off a
shot on the final play and lost to Florida 65-63 in the title game.
The 69-year-old Sampson could only watch it unfold as he stood
motionless on the sideline with his hands on his hips. Sampson then
walked to the locker room with his head down after Houston lost a
12-point second-half lead.

AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) —
Xander Schauffele has all the evidence he needs to believe he can
reach the career Grand Slam. He picked up two majors last year in the
PGA Championship and the British Open. But he's a little under the
radar coming into the Masters. Schauffele was out of competition for
two months earlier this year while dealing with a rib injury. He
hasn't recorded a top-10 finish in the three tournaments he has
played since coming back. But the 31-year-old Californian has always
been filled with self-belief. He says winning those two majors last
year reminds him how he's capable of playing.

BOSTON (AP) — Red
Sox outfielder Jarren Duran said in an upcoming documentary series
that two years before his 2024 All-Star season, the pressures of the
sport led him to intense bouts of depression and an attempted
suicide. The 28-year-old opened up in the fourth episode of an
eight-part Netflix series titled, “The Clubhouse: A Year With the
Red Sox,” which will debut on Tuesday. The episode chronicles the
journey of Duran, a seventh-round draft pick in 2018, to making his
MLB debut in 2021. The national suicide and crisis lifeline in the
U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online
chat at 988lifeline.org.

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP)
— U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken has asked attorneys in the
landmark $2.8 billion House settlement to come up with solutions for
issues raised at a hearing in Oakland, California, before she grants
final approval. She asked both sides to come back in a week with how
they might be able to address some of her concerns. Objectors to the
settlement who testified at the hearing questioned the fairness of
roster cuts and how they are accomplished, the process for how NIL
valuations are established and the administration of athletes who
will participate in the settlement in coming years.

NEW YORK (AP) —
Wayne Gretzky was the “Great One” for his dominance on the ice in
the high-scoring hockey days of the 1980s, a playmaker who just
happened to score 894 goals while amassing more assists than anyone
in the sport has points. Alex Ovechkin burst into the NHL coming out
of a lockout that cost a season and led to rule changes designed to
make the league more competitive and entertaining after an era of
clutching and grabbing caused a drag on the scoreboard. Ovechkin
broke Gretzky’s career goals record as a hard-shooting, pure scorer
in a totally different era, in the process making viewers appreciate
just how different of players the two all-time legends are.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739459822020.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo.
(AP) — Kyle Isbel went 3 for 4 with a home run and two RBIs,
Michael Lorenzen allowed one run in six innings and the Kansas City
Royals beat the Minnesota Twins 4-2. Vinnie Pasquantino had an early
RBI double for the Royals, and Carlos Estévez got three outs for his
third save. Estévez gave up a two-out RBI single to Harrison Bader
before retiring pinch-hitter Edouard Julien with two on to end it.KANSAS CITY, Mo.
(AP) — Minnesota manager Rocco Baldelli was ejected in the sixth
inning of the team's game at Kansas City after Twins pitcher Simeon
Woods Richardson was called for a pitch clock violation. There were
two outs when Woods Richardson tapped his ear, seemingly indicating
he couldn’t hear his PitchCom. Umpire Nic Lentz then called a
violation that resulted in a walk to Jonathan India. Baldelli came
out of the dugout and argued with Lentz for a bit before he was
ejected. He then continued to talk and gesture to Lentz before crew
chief Vic Carapazza got between them.PITTSBURGH (AP) —
Joey Bart, Andrew McCutchen and Isiah Kiner-Falefa each drove in two
runs, and the Pittsburgh Pirates handed St. Louis its fourth
consecutive loss with an 8-4 victory over the Cardinals. Bart
connected in the first inning for his first homer of the season. He
also hit an RBI triple during Pittsburgh’s four-run seventh.
Pirates right-hander Carmen Mlodzinski pitched five innings of
one-run ball in his first win as a starting pitcher. Rookie Thomas
Harrington pitched four innings for his first save in his second
career game, helping the Pirates win back-to-back games for the first
time this season.NEW YORK (AP) —
Offense is down again at the start of the big league season, with
hits even harder to come by. The big league batting average was .239
through the first full week of play, down from .240 through the first
full week of 2024. While the overall average generally goes up as
weather warms in much of the country, last year’s average didn’t
rise much and finished at .243 — among the eight lowest years since
professional baseball leagues started in 1871. This year’s current
average is just above the record low of .237 set in 1968’s Year of
the Pitcher.WASHINGTON (AP) —
President Donald Trump welcomed Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and the
reigning champion Los Angeles Dodgers to the White House on Monday to
congratulate them for winning the World Series last season. Trump
singled out several Dodgers for their achievements last season,
praising Ohtani for becoming baseball’s first 50 home run-50 stolen
base player, Japanese pitcher Yoshi Yamamoto and NL Championship
Series MVP Tommy Edman. The trip came almost a month after a
Department of Defense webpage describing Brooklyn Dodgers great and
civil rights icon Jackie Robinson’s military service was restored
after it had come down.SAN ANTONIO (AP) —
Florida and Walter Clayton Jr. somehow overcame Houston’s
spirit-crushing defense Monday night to will out a 65-63 victory in
an NCAA title-game thriller not decided until Clayton’s own D
stopped the Cougars from taking a game-winning shot at the buzzer.
Clayton finished with 11 points, but what he’ll be remembered for
most was getting Houston’s Emanuel Sharp to stop in the middle of
his motion as he tried to go up for the game-winning 3 in the final
seconds. Clayton ran at him, Sharp dropped the ball and watched it
bounce there while the clock ticked to zero. Florida won its third
national title and denied Houston its first.SAN ANTONIO (AP) —
Kelvin Sampson watched his Houston team come within seconds of the
first NCAA title for both himself and the program. It slipped away in
painful fashion on the final play. Houston was unable to get off a
shot on the final play and lost to Florida 65-63 in the title game.
The 69-year-old Sampson could only watch it unfold as he stood
motionless on the sideline with his hands on his hips. Sampson then
walked to the locker room with his head down after Houston lost a
12-point second-half lead.AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) —
Xander Schauffele has all the evidence he needs to believe he can
reach the career Grand Slam. He picked up two majors last year in the
PGA Championship and the British Open. But he's a little under the
radar coming into the Masters. Schauffele was out of competition for
two months earlier this year while dealing with a rib injury. He
hasn't recorded a top-10 finish in the three tournaments he has
played since coming back. But the 31-year-old Californian has always
been filled with self-belief. He says winning those two majors last
year reminds him how he's capable of playing.BOSTON (AP) — Red
Sox outfielder Jarren Duran said in an upcoming documentary series
that two years before his 2024 All-Star season, the pressures of the
sport led him to intense bouts of depression and an attempted
suicide. The 28-year-old opened up in the fourth episode of an
eight-part Netflix series titled, “The Clubhouse: A Year With the
Red Sox,” which will debut on Tuesday. The episode chronicles the
journey of Duran, a seventh-round draft pick in 2018, to making his
MLB debut in 2021. The national suicide and crisis lifeline in the
U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online
chat at 988lifeline.org.OAKLAND, Calif. (AP)
— U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken has asked attorneys in the
landmark $2.8 billion House settlement to come up with solutions for
issues raised at a hearing in Oakland, California, before she grants
final approval. She asked both sides to come back in a week with how
they might be able to address some of her concerns. Objectors to the
settlement who testified at the hearing questioned the fairness of
roster cuts and how they are accomplished, the process for how NIL
valuations are established and the administration of athletes who
will participate in the settlement in coming years.NEW YORK (AP) —
Wayne Gretzky was the “Great One” for his dominance on the ice in
the high-scoring hockey days of the 1980s, a playmaker who just
happened to score 894 goals while amassing more assists than anyone
in the sport has points. Alex Ovechkin burst into the NHL coming out
of a lockout that cost a season and led to rule changes designed to
make the league more competitive and entertaining after an era of
clutching and grabbing caused a drag on the scoreboard. Ovechkin
broke Gretzky’s career goals record as a hard-shooting, pure scorer
in a totally different era, in the process making viewers appreciate
just how different of players the two all-time legends are.MONDAY SCORESMAJOR LEAGUE
BASEBALLINTERLEAGUEFinal	Chicago
Cubs	7	Texas	0	Final	Baltimore	5	Arizona	1	Final	San
Diego	5	Athletics	4	AMERICAN LEAGUEFinal	Detroit	6	N.Y.
Yankees	2	Final	Toronto	6	Boston	2	Final	Kansas
City	4	Minnesota	2	Final	Seattle	4	Houston	3	NATIONAL LEAGUEFinal	Pittsburgh	8	St.
Louis	4	Final	Washington	6	L.A.
Dodgers	4	Final	N.Y.
Mets	2	Miami	0	Final	Cincinnati	2	San
Francisco	0TOP-25 COLLEGE
BASKETBALLFinal	(3)Florida	65	(2)Houston	63	NATIONAL
BASKETBALL ASSOCIATIONFinal	Sacramento	127	Detroit	117	Final	Miami	117	Philadelphia	105	NATIONAL HOCKEY
LEAGUEFinal	Tampa
Bay	5	N-Y Rangers	1	Final	Winnipeg	3	St.
Louis	1	Final	Calgary	3	San
Jose	2	Final	Seattle	2	Los
Angeles	1	Final	Anaheim	3	Edmonton	2

Tuesday Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College

ORLANDO, Fla. –&nbsp;No. 23 Kansas baseball extended its winning streak to nine games with a 13-4 victory at UCF to finish off a Big 12 series sweep on Sunday. Kansas hit two more home runs and is now 27-6 on the season and 9-3 in Big 12 play, both of which are the best marks in program history.Kansas jumped on UCF for 13 runs in the first four innings of the game. The Jayhawks sent all nine hitters to the plate in three of the first four innings.&nbsp;<a href="https://kuathletics.com/sports/baseball/roster/jackson-hauge/16155">Jackson Hauge</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://kuathletics.com/sports/baseball/roster/brady-ballinger/16147">Brady Ballinger</a>&nbsp;each hit a long ball for the Jayhawks.<a href="https://kuathletics.com/sports/baseball/roster/cooper-moore/16136">Cooper Moore</a>&nbsp;started for Kansas and went a career-high eight innings despite UCF scoring three runs in the first inning. Moore was able to hold the Knights to four total runs over his eight innings, allowing eight hits and one walk while recording six strikeouts.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Kansas AthleticsORLANDO, Fla. –&nbsp;No. 23 Kansas baseball extended its winning streak to nine games with a 13-4 victory at UCF to finish off a Big 12 series sweep on Sunday. Kansas hit two more home runs and is now 27-6 on the season and 9-3 in Big 12 play, both of which are the best marks in program history.Kansas jumped on UCF for 13 runs in the first four innings of the game. The Jayhawks sent all nine hitters to the plate in three of the first four innings.&nbsp;<a href="https://kuathletics.com/sports/baseball/roster/jackson-hauge/16155">Jackson Hauge</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://kuathletics.com/sports/baseball/roster/brady-ballinger/16147">Brady Ballinger</a>&nbsp;each hit a long ball for the Jayhawks.<a href="https://kuathletics.com/sports/baseball/roster/cooper-moore/16136">Cooper Moore</a>&nbsp;started for Kansas and went a career-high eight innings despite UCF scoring three runs in the first inning. Moore was able to hold the Knights to four total runs over his eight innings, allowing eight hits and one walk while recording six strikeouts.&nbsp;&nbsp;

KU completes sweep of UCF to sit atop Big 12 standings

LAWRENCE, Kan. — Flory Bidunga, one of the top players in the transfer portal, has withdrawn his name and will return to Kansas, according to numerous sources.

The 6-foot-9 forward averaged 5.9 points and 5.4 rebounds as a freshman. His decision is a key win for head coach Bill Self as the Jayhawks reload for next season.

A former McDonald’s All American and two-time Indiana Player of the Year, Bidunga drew interest from schools like Indiana and Auburn before opting to stay in Lawrence. With Hunter Dickinson moving on, Bidunga is expected to take on a larger role next season.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744053765770.jpeg" alt="&nbsp;Kansas forward Flory Bidunga, left, and Kansas State guard C.J. Jones (3) go after a loose ball during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025, in Lawrence, Kan. (AP Photo/Colin E. Braley)" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Kansas forward Flory Bidunga, left, and Kansas State guard C.J. Jones (3) go after a loose ball during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025, in Lawrence, Kan. (AP Photo/Colin E. Braley)</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan. — Flory Bidunga, one of the top players in the transfer portal, has withdrawn his name and will return to Kansas, according to numerous sources.The 6-foot-9 forward averaged 5.9 points and 5.4 rebounds as a freshman. His decision is a key win for head coach Bill Self as the Jayhawks reload for next season.A former McDonald’s All American and two-time Indiana Player of the Year, Bidunga drew interest from schools like Indiana and Auburn before opting to stay in Lawrence. With Hunter Dickinson moving on, Bidunga is expected to take on a larger role next season.

Bidunga withdraws name from portal and will return to Kansas

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744053429751.jpeg" alt="Kansas Association of Baseball Coaches Rankings 4/7" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Association of Baseball Coaches Rankings 4/7</figcaption>
 </figure>CLASS 6A1. Blue Valley West2. Olathe West3. Olathe East4. Lawrence Free State5. Mill Valley6. Manhattan7. Gardner-Edgerton8. Olathe South9. Shawnee Mission South10. LawrenceCLASS 5A1. St. Thomas Aquinas2. Shawnee Heights3. Maize South4. Topeka Seaman5. Bishop Carroll6. Great Bend7. Salina South8. Blue Valley Southwest9. Spring Hill10. PittsburgCLASS 4A1. McPherson2. Topeka Hayden3. Hoisington4. Paola5. Fort Scott6. Pratt7. Louisburg8. St. George-Rock Creek9. Mulvane10. ClearwaterCLASS 3A1. Wichita Trinity Academy2. Bishop Ward3. Haven4. Cheney5. Hesston6. Silver Lake7. Wichita Collegiate8. Hoisington9. Frontenac10. SabethaCLASS 2-1A1. St. Mary's Colgan2. Valley Falls3. Central Heights4. Colony-Crest5. Hays-TMP6. Sedgwick7. Mission Valley8. Ellis9. Elkhart10. Little River

Great Bend Panther Baseball ranked 6th in latests KABC Rankings

By EDDIE PELLS and JANIE McCAULEY Associated Press

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — A federal judge opened the final hearing for a landmark $2.8 billion settlement that will impact every corner of college athletics by saying she will not be granting formal approval on Monday.

U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken said she would hear from attorneys and some of those objecting to the plan before adjourning.

“I’m not going to rule from the bench,” Wilken said at the start of the hearing, which had about 100 people — including attorneys, past, present and future athletes, and reporters — in attendance.

Testimony was expected from critics of the sprawling plan that was hashed out last year by attorneys representing the NCAA and other defendants and those representing thousands of current and former athletes. LSU gymnast and influencer Olivia Dunne was among the 18 people scheduled to testify, though she was expected to appear via Zoom.

Wilken already has granted preliminary approval of the settlement involving the NCAA and the nation’s five largest conferences. The changes would begin July 1, clearing the way for each school to share up to $20.5 million each with their athletes.

The settlement also calls for replacing scholarship limits with roster limits. The effect would be to allow every athlete to be eligible for a scholarship while cutting the number of spots available. There will be winners and losers under such a formula, though some fear it could signal the end of the walk-on athlete in college sports and also imperil smaller sports programs that train and populate the U.S. Olympic team.

Steven Molo, an attorney for a group of athletes objecting to the plan, told the judge that roster limits would unnecessarily limit opportunities. He noted that football teams would be capped at 105 players. The average roster size in 2024 was 128.

“In a free market,” Molo said, “a team should be able to have as many players as they want.”

Wilken said she understands athletes not chosen to be on a roster would be disappointed but that limiting number of athletes on a team is a matter of fairness.

“It could give some sort of competitive advantage if you get to have 50 people running around and sub them in every couple minutes,” she said. “That’s a different scenario than someone who’s got 25 people.”

Universities across the country have been busy making plans under the assumption Wilken will put the terms into effect.

“We're going to have a plan going into July 1, then we're probably going to spend the next year figuring out how good that plan is and how we need to modify it going forward,” said Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin, whose department is among the biggest in the country and includes a Gators men's basketball team playing for the national title Monday night against Houston.

The so-called House settlement, named after Arizona State swimmer Grant House, actually decides three similar lawsuits that were bundled into one. The defendants are the NCAA and the Southeastern, Big Ten, Atlantic Coast, Big 12 and Pac-12 conferences, all of whom have been touting the settlement as the best path forward for their industry.

“It's a huge step forward for college sports, especially at the highest level," said NCAA President Charlie Baker, whose organization continues to seek antitrust protections from Congress. “My biggest problem with the way the whole thing works right now is the schools have been removed from the primary relationship with the student-athletes.”

The most ground-shifting part of the settlement calls on schools from the biggest conferences to pay some 22% of their revenue from media rights, ticket sales and sponsorships — which equals about $20.5 million in the first year — directly to athletes for use of their name, images and likeness (NIL).

Still allowed would be NIL payments to athletes from outside sources, which is what triggered the seismic shift that college sports has endured over the last four years. For instance, Cooper Flagg of Duke reportedly makes $4.8 million in NIL deals from groups affiliated with the school and others.

The settlement calls for a “clearinghouse” to make sure any NIL deal worth more than $600 is pegged at “fair market value." It's an attempt to prevent straight “pay for play” deals, though many critics believe the entire new structure is simply NIL masquerading as that.

The proposal calls for paying more than $2.5 billion in back damages to athletes who played sports between 2016 and 2024 and were not entitled to the full benefits of NIL at the time they attended schools. Those payments are being calculated by a formula that will favor football and basketball players and will be doled out by the NCAA and the conferences.

Plaintiffs’ counsel Jeffrey Kessler told the judge that 88,104 college athletes have filed claims to participate in the settlement and another 30,775 have indicated they will file claims.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744053240523.jpeg" alt="&nbsp;Attorney Steve Berman arrives at federal court on Monday, April 7, 2025, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Attorney Steve Berman arrives at federal court on Monday, April 7, 2025, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)</figcaption>
 </figure>By EDDIE PELLS and JANIE McCAULEY Associated PressOAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — A federal judge opened the final hearing for a landmark $2.8 billion settlement that will impact every corner of college athletics by saying she will not be granting formal approval on Monday.U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken said she would hear from attorneys and some of those objecting to the plan before adjourning.“I’m not going to rule from the bench,” Wilken said at the start of the hearing, which had about 100 people — including attorneys, past, present and future athletes, and reporters — in attendance.Testimony was expected from critics of the sprawling plan that was hashed out last year by attorneys representing the NCAA and other defendants and those representing thousands of current and former athletes. LSU gymnast and influencer Olivia Dunne was among the 18 people scheduled to testify, though she was expected to appear via Zoom.Wilken already has granted preliminary approval of the settlement involving the NCAA and the nation’s five largest conferences. The changes would begin July 1, clearing the way for each school to share up to $20.5 million each with their athletes.The settlement also calls for replacing scholarship limits with roster limits. The effect would be to allow every athlete to be eligible for a scholarship while cutting the number of spots available. There will be winners and losers under such a formula, though some fear it could signal the end of the walk-on athlete in college sports and also imperil smaller sports programs that train and populate the U.S. Olympic team.Steven Molo, an attorney for a group of athletes objecting to the plan, told the judge that roster limits would unnecessarily limit opportunities. He noted that football teams would be capped at 105 players. The average roster size in 2024 was 128.“In a free market,” Molo said, “a team should be able to have as many players as they want.”Wilken said she understands athletes not chosen to be on a roster would be disappointed but that limiting number of athletes on a team is a matter of fairness.“It could give some sort of competitive advantage if you get to have 50 people running around and sub them in every couple minutes,” she said. “That’s a different scenario than someone who’s got 25 people.”Universities across the country have been busy making plans under the assumption Wilken will put the terms into effect.“We're going to have a plan going into July 1, then we're probably going to spend the next year figuring out how good that plan is and how we need to modify it going forward,” said Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin, whose department is among the biggest in the country and includes a Gators men's basketball team playing for the national title Monday night against Houston.The so-called House settlement, named after Arizona State swimmer Grant House, actually decides three similar lawsuits that were bundled into one. The defendants are the NCAA and the Southeastern, Big Ten, Atlantic Coast, Big 12 and Pac-12 conferences, all of whom have been touting the settlement as the best path forward for their industry.“It's a huge step forward for college sports, especially at the highest level," said NCAA President Charlie Baker, whose organization continues to seek antitrust protections from Congress. “My biggest problem with the way the whole thing works right now is the schools have been removed from the primary relationship with the student-athletes.”The most ground-shifting part of the settlement calls on schools from the biggest conferences to pay some 22% of their revenue from media rights, ticket sales and sponsorships — which equals about $20.5 million in the first year — directly to athletes for use of their name, images and likeness (NIL).Still allowed would be NIL payments to athletes from outside sources, which is what triggered the seismic shift that college sports has endured over the last four years. For instance, Cooper Flagg of Duke reportedly makes $4.8 million in NIL deals from groups affiliated with the school and others.The settlement calls for a “clearinghouse” to make sure any NIL deal worth more than $600 is pegged at “fair market value." It's an attempt to prevent straight “pay for play” deals, though many critics believe the entire new structure is simply NIL masquerading as that.The proposal calls for paying more than $2.5 billion in back damages to athletes who played sports between 2016 and 2024 and were not entitled to the full benefits of NIL at the time they attended schools. Those payments are being calculated by a formula that will favor football and basketball players and will be doled out by the NCAA and the conferences.Plaintiffs’ counsel Jeffrey Kessler told the judge that 88,104 college athletes have filed claims to participate in the settlement and another 30,775 have indicated they will file claims.

Hearing begins for $2.8 billion NCAA settlement, could lock in seismic changes for college sports

- Barton baseball coach Brent Biggs joins the show to talk about the Cougars four game weekend series with Colby.

- Great Bend Tribune Sports Editor Jim Misunas will be in to talk about all the prep sports taking place in Great Bend and the surrounding area.

- Great Bend Panther track and field coach Lyles Lashley talks about what he has seen so far from his Boys and Girls squads.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1693997740304.jpeg" alt="Monday show lineup with host Steve Webster" />
 <figcaption>Monday show lineup with host Steve Webster</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oUB5mLI4Em8?si=Z5_uBVXQ0hyB8NTh" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>- Barton baseball coach Brent Biggs joins the show to talk about the Cougars four game weekend series with Colby.- Great Bend Tribune Sports Editor Jim Misunas will be in to talk about all the prep sports taking place in Great Bend and the surrounding area.- Great Bend Panther track and field coach Lyles Lashley talks about what he has seen so far from his Boys and Girls squads.- Weekend Sports Headlines- Sounds of the Weekend

Monday on Sports Day(Watch)

By TODD MOORE Barton Sports Info

The Barton Community College softball team received timely long balls Sunday afternoon at Cougar Field earning a pair of victories completing the season sweep over Garden City Community College.

Taking game one 12-1, the Cougars connected on a pair of home runs to build out a 7-1 lead before&nbsp;Karter Alvord's grand slam walked it off clinching a six inning, run-rule victory.

A three-run shot to begin game two set the stage before tacking on a fourth inning solo shot for an eventual 9-6 victory in notching Barton's 14th straight win of the series.

The Cougars improve to 19-3 in league and 25-9 overall as Garden City slides to 11-9 in conference play and 19-15 on the season.

Next up is a Wednesday trip to Dodge City for a 1:00 p.m. first pitch at Dodge City Community College.

Alvord and&nbsp;Chloe Enslinger&nbsp;led the squad's 20 hits with 4-of-7 performances each, Alvord's 9th home run clinching game one as Enslinger's two-run shot in the opener's third frame posted her 14th home run of the year putting Barton up 3-0.

Peyton McCormick&nbsp;finished 3-of-6 with three RBI, connecting on her 9th of the year on a solo fence clearer in the fourth inning of the nightcap for a 5-2 lead.

The Cougars' leading hitter on the season,&nbsp;Elina Bartlett&nbsp;belted two home runs, opening with a 2-of-3 performance with a pair of RBI's including a fifth inning dinger before her 3-run blast in game two's first fram recorded her 6th of the year.

In the circle,&nbsp;Meleia Ingram&nbsp;improved to 13-4 scattering four hits in her six innings while striking out nine and walking just two with the lone blemish coming on Garden City's Alyssa Santana's fifth inning leadoff home run spoiling the shutout.

Brooklynn Angielski&nbsp;worked around ten Broncbuster hits in five innings, getting solid defense while striking out three with no walks improving to 10-4 on the year.

Alicia Goseland&nbsp;closed out the remaining two frames, sending Garden City down in order in the sixth and striking out the first two in the seventh before the Broncbusters' top of the lineup tagged four consecutive two-outs hits including a two-run home run in scoring three in their last at-bat.

Laney Wood's one-out single in the third would score on McCormick's reach on error, with Enslinger's two-run long ball growing the lead to 3-0.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744022546931.jpeg" alt="Barton's&nbsp;Aly Lawrence" />
 <figcaption>Barton's&nbsp;Aly Lawrence</figcaption>
 </figure>By TODD MOORE Barton Sports InfoThe Barton Community College softball team received timely long balls Sunday afternoon at Cougar Field earning a pair of victories completing the season sweep over Garden City Community College.Taking game one 12-1, the Cougars connected on a pair of home runs to build out a 7-1 lead before&nbsp;Karter Alvord's grand slam walked it off clinching a six inning, run-rule victory.A three-run shot to begin game two set the stage before tacking on a fourth inning solo shot for an eventual 9-6 victory in notching Barton's 14th straight win of the series.The Cougars improve to 19-3 in league and 25-9 overall as Garden City slides to 11-9 in conference play and 19-15 on the season.Next up is a Wednesday trip to Dodge City for a 1:00 p.m. first pitch at Dodge City Community College.Alvord and&nbsp;Chloe Enslinger&nbsp;led the squad's 20 hits with 4-of-7 performances each, Alvord's 9th home run clinching game one as Enslinger's two-run shot in the opener's third frame posted her 14th home run of the year putting Barton up 3-0.Peyton McCormick&nbsp;finished 3-of-6 with three RBI, connecting on her 9th of the year on a solo fence clearer in the fourth inning of the nightcap for a 5-2 lead.The Cougars' leading hitter on the season,&nbsp;Elina Bartlett&nbsp;belted two home runs, opening with a 2-of-3 performance with a pair of RBI's including a fifth inning dinger before her 3-run blast in game two's first fram recorded her 6th of the year.In the circle,&nbsp;Meleia Ingram&nbsp;improved to 13-4 scattering four hits in her six innings while striking out nine and walking just two with the lone blemish coming on Garden City's Alyssa Santana's fifth inning leadoff home run spoiling the shutout.Brooklynn Angielski&nbsp;worked around ten Broncbuster hits in five innings, getting solid defense while striking out three with no walks improving to 10-4 on the year.Alicia Goseland&nbsp;closed out the remaining two frames, sending Garden City down in order in the sixth and striking out the first two in the seventh before the Broncbusters' top of the lineup tagged four consecutive two-outs hits including a two-run home run in scoring three in their last at-bat.Game 1 Recap Laney Wood's one-out single in the third would score on McCormick's reach on error, with Enslinger's two-run long ball growing the lead to 3-0.Following Santana's solo shot in the Broncbuster fifth, the Cougars sent nine to the plate in the home half to answer with four runs resulting in a 7-1 lead.&nbsp;Aly Lawrence, who was stranded in the first inning after her 10th double of the year, led off the frame with a triple in scoring on McCormick's sac fly. Bartlett's two-out home run extended Barton's at-bat with&nbsp;Morgan Thatcher's hit by pitch being joined by an Alvord single and Dilday's second walk of the contest loading up the bases with&nbsp;Ava Fink&nbsp;delivering a big two-run RBI hit up the middle.Following a leadoff hit to begin Garden City's sixth, Fink would erase the runner with a perfect strike at the third base bag as Ingram would follow striking out her ninth batter keeping the Broncbusters' off the scoreboard.Garden City aided the Cougars' clinching sixth inning with Lawrence and Enslinger reaching base on errors on either side of McCormick's lone hit of the game. Bartlett's sac fly to left plated one with Thatcher getting plunked for the second time to reload the bases setting the table for Alvord's 2-2 pitch leaving the yard chalking up Barton's 10th straight run-rule victory over the Broncbusters.Game 2 Recap Wood's leadoff walk scored on McCormick's first of two hits in the nightcap. Enslinger followed with a walk with Bartlett extending her consecutive game hit streak to ten straight by connecting on a no-doubt, three-run blast for her second yard exiter of the twinbill.Garden City connected on five hits in the fourth inning to cut the deficit in half, three hits coming with two outs including Santana's 2-RBI single.McCormick's 9th long ball of the year got one of the runs back in the home half with Garden City answering in the top of the fifth on a one-out hit and stolen base scoring on a double.The Cougars fired back in their at-bat sending nine to the plate, Thatcher's third plunking followed by Alvord's walk and&nbsp;Payeton Dilday's reach on a fielder's choice loading the bases. Fink's ground out pushed one across the dish with two more heading home on Wood's 8th double of the year. A fielding error would close out the four-run frame as the Cougars would get caught on a lined double play settling for a 9-3 lead.Following a scoreless sixth frame including Alvord's one-out double stranded at third, Garden City put the final three tallies on the board in the seventh on Maria Avendan Fori's RBI triple followed by Maysen Kurene-Iwikau's 8th home run of the year.