Tag

Final Four

All articles tagged with #final four

nba8 days ago•34 min saved

Thunder Take the Lead in 2026 Final Four Championship Odds

Ranking the four teams left in the 2026 NBA Playoffs by championship odds: 1) Oklahoma City Thunder, 2) San Antonio Spurs, 3) New York Knicks, 4) Cleveland Cavaliers. OKC leads thanks to a dominant defense and Shai Gilgeous‑Alexander anchoring the lineup alongside Chet Holmgren; the Spurs, led by Victor Wembanyama with a surrounding cast, are a fearsome multi‑weapon duo; the Knicks have momentum around Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby's return; and the Cavaliers will need Donovan Mitchell to carry them while Mobley/Allen provide stout frontcourt defense.}

via SB Nation|

#final-four #nba #nba-playoffs

sports10 days ago•14 min saved

Tar Heels Punch Ticket to NCAA Final Four with 14-11 Win Over Stanford

UNC's No. 2-ranked women's lacrosse teambeat Stanford 14-11 at Dorrance Field to advance to the NCAA semifinals, where they'll face Maryland. Kaleigh Harden led with seven draw controls, seven caused turnovers and three ground balls, while Chloe Humphrey and Addison Pattillo each had hat tricks and Caroline Godine and Eva Ingrilli added two goals apiece, supported by Kate Levy’s goal and three assists as UNC forced 14 turnovers and built an 8-4 halftime lead. The Tar Heels are now 15-time NCAA semifinalists, the third-most in history, and will play Maryland on May 22 in Evanston for a shot at the title.

via University of North Carolina Athletics|

#final-four #ncaa-tournament #north-carolina

sports1 month ago•2 min saved

Wagler leaves Illinois after standout freshman season for NBA Draft

Keaton Wagler, Illinois' breakout freshman who helped the Illini reach the Final Four, has declared for the 2026 NBA Draft. He averaged 17.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game with 39.7% from three, and mock drafts project him as a lottery pick, capping a remarkable one-year run in Champaign.

via Writing Illini|

#college-basketball #final-four #illinois

sports1 month ago•2 min saved

Cadeau Returns to Michigan for One More Season as Backcourt Leader

After earning Final Four Most Outstanding Player honors, Elliot Cadeau will return to Michigan for his senior season, posting 10.5 points, 5.9 assists and 2.7 rebounds per game and improving his 3-point shooting as the Wolverines aim to contend in the Big Ten.

via UM Hoops.com|

#big-ten #college-basketball #elliot-cadeau

sports1 month ago•15 min saved

NCAA Finals Ratings Jump Across Networks in 2026

The 2026 NCAA basketball finals drew strong audiences: the men’s championship on TNT Sports averaged 18.3 million viewers across TBS/TNT/TruTV, up from 18.1 million in 2025 on CBS and about 23% higher than 2024, making it the most-watched men’s title since 2019. The women’s final on ABC/ESPN drew 9.88 million, up about 16% from 2025 and ranking as the third-most-watched women’s final on record. The men’s Final Four averaged 14.2 million, down ~8% from 2025, while the tournament-wide average reached 10.9 million, up 7% and the second-highest since 1994.

via The Hollywood Reporter|

#final-four #men-final #ncaa-basketball

sports1 month ago•6 min saved

Auriemma apologizes again to Staley after tense Final Four confrontation

Geno Auriemma apologized again for his postgame confrontation with Dawn Staley after UConn's Final Four loss to South Carolina, urging a focus on growing women’s basketball. The clash followed UConn’s 54‑game win streak and a handshake dispute that required staff to separate the coaches; Staley accepted the moment and both coaches called to move on and elevate the sport.

via Los Angeles Times|

#apology #dawn-staley #final-four

sports1 month ago•2 min saved

Hurley’s Postgame Moment With Ref Deemed Nothing by Official

After UConn beat Duke in the Elite Eight, Dan Hurley’s postgame moment with referee Roger Ayers was described by Ayers as nothing, with no contact or malice; the Huskies advance to the Final Four to face Illinois, paced by Mullins’ go-ahead three.

via Bleacher Report|

#duke #final-four #hurley

sports1 month ago•1 min saved

South Carolina Clinches Sixth Straight Final Four With Elite Eight Victory

South Carolina dominated TCU 78-52 in the Elite Eight to reach a sixth consecutive Final Four. Joyce Edwards led with 24 points and 12 rebounds, while freshman Agot Makeer came off the bench for 18 points in 31 minutes, as the Gamecocks leveraged single coverage and strong defense to seal the win and set up a repeat Final Four field.

via Defector|

#college-basketball #elite-eight #final-four

sports1 month ago•12 min saved

No. 1 Seeds South Carolina, Texas Advance to 2026 Final Four

South Carolina defeated TCU 78-52 to reach a sixth straight Final Four, led by Joyce Edwards with 24 points, and will face UConn in Phoenix after last season’s title-game rematch. In the other Elite Eight, Texas routed Michigan 77-41 to reach back-to-back Final Fours, with Madison Booker scoring 19 and Rori Harmon dishing 13 assists as they prepare to meet UCLA in Phoenix.

via CBS Sports|

#final-four #ncaa-tournament #south-carolina

sports1 month ago•8 min saved

Tar Heels Face a Narrow Window in High-Stakes Coaching Search

UNC is conducting its first national men’s basketball coaching search since 1952, pressed to hire quickly as the transfer portal opens April 7 and staff planning becomes essential, with Final Four coaches Tommy Lloyd and Dusty May among early targets; pursuing an NBA head coach could complicate timing since the NBA season runs past April 12, a dynamic that underscores how the transfer era reshapes the Tar Heels’ hiring timetable and fuels fan anticipation while other Carolina programs post victories.

via Chapelboro.com|

#coaching-search #final-four #note-only-five-tags-allowed-using-five-as-requested

sports1 month ago•12 min saved

South Carolina and Texas Clinch 2026 Final Four Berths

South Carolina rolled past TCU 78-52 to reach their sixth straight Final Four, earning a Friday rematch with top seed UConn in Phoenix. Texas crushed Michigan 77-41 to advance to back-to-back Final Fours and will face UCLA. Joyce Edwards led SC with 24 points and 12 rebounds, while Madison Booker paced Texas with 19 points and Rori Harmon flirted with a triple-double with 13 assists.

via cbssports.com|

#final-four #ncaa-tournament #south-carolina

sports1 month ago•4 min saved

Michigan Aims to Upset Texas on the Road to the Final Four

The piece argues that Michigan, a young but improving squad with a strong inside-out game and legitimate three-point shooting, could upset Texas and earn a Final Four berth, despite Texas’ size, depth, and status as the favorite.

via Sports Illustrated|

#college-basketball #final-four #michigan

sports1 month ago•4 min saved

Final Four Faceoff: Michigan, Arizona, UConn, Illinois Set for 2026 Crown

Bleacher Report’s post-Elite Eight power rankings cap the 2026 NCAA men’s tournament with a Final Four featuring Michigan, Arizona, Connecticut and Illinois. The semifinals tilt Arizona vs. Michigan and UConn vs. Illinois, with UConn’s stingy defense and a rising scoring threat from Tarris Reed Jr., Illinois’s nation-leading offense led by Keaton Wagler and David Mirkovic, Arizona’s guard-driven attack and paint control anchored by Jaden Bradley and Brayden Burries, and Michigan’s size-based three-big lineup shaping the path to the title. The piece also notes a buzzer-beater by Braylon Mullins and emphasizes that guard play and game pace will largely determine the champion.

via Bleacher Report|

#arizona-wildcats #connecticut-huskies #final-four

sports1 month ago•7 min saved

Michigan Tops Final Four Championship Odds After Elite Eight Victory

Michigan leads the four remaining Final Four teams (Michigan, Arizona, Illinois, UConn) in national championship chances after the Elite Eight, with its top-tier defense and interior play giving the Wolverines the edge; Arizona sits No. 2 thanks to a dominant inside game and strong backcourt, Illinois is No. 3 due to skilled-size frontcourt and Wagler’s ascent, and UConn ranks No. 4, aided by elite coaching and defensive prowess but needing more reliable outside shooting.

via SB Nation|

#championship-odds #college-basketball #final-four

sports1 month ago•7 min saved

Michigan vs. Arizona: The Real Final Four Showdown That Could Decide the Title

Pat Forde argues that Michigan vs. Arizona is the marquee Final Four matchup and the de facto national championship, with UConn and Illinois earning their berths through tough, high‑level wins. The piece emphasizes the teams’ dominant margins, historic semifinal precedents, the Big Ten drought context, and the appeal of European big men fueling the rosters.

via Sports Illustrated|

#arizona #college-basketball #final-four