UConn went into Mondays NCAA championship game with a clear plan: muck things up and grind down Michigans offense. It worked until it didnt as Michigan made more plays down the stretch to secure a 69-63 win and the national championship.UConns strategy was correct against a deep and more talented Michigan roster that entered Mondays game averaging 87.8 points per game. And it worked early in the game as UConn limited Michigans attack and held a 24-23 lead with 3:16 remaining in the game. UConn at that point had forced eight Michigan misses in its previous nine shots.But a flagrant foul on UConns Alex Karaban shifted the games trajectory. And Michigan made more plays down the stretch than UConn to hold on for the programs second NCAA championship.Here are five plays (plus one) that led Michigan to victory Monday night.Hook-and-hold flagrant foul on Alex KarabanKaraban and Michigans Morez Johnson Jr. were battling for rebounding position off a missed Michigan 3 late in the first half. The two locked elbows, and Karaban held on as Johnson extended in an effort to secure the offensive rebound. Officials reviewed the play and called Karaban for a hook-and-hold flagrant foul.Alex Karaban was called for a Flagrant 1 foul for a "hook and hold" on this play@GeneSteratore breaks it down pic.twitter.com/9P6dHkzIqX CBS Sports College Basketball (@CBSSportsCBB) April 7, 2026The call awarded Michigan two free throws and the ball. Johnson sank both free throws. And Yaxel Lendeborg converted a layup to secure a four-point possession for Michigan. The sequence triggered a 10-4 run to end the half that sent Michigan into the break with a 33-29 advantage. The Wolverines never trailed again.Elliot Cadeau and-1/Solo Balls fourth foulWith 16:20 remaining, Michigans Elliot Cadeau pushed the ball in transition after a UConn miss. He looked up to find UConns Solo Ball standing between him and the basket in the paint. Cadeau charged ahead and drew contact while sinking a layup. The bucket counted, and officials whistled Ball for his fourth foul 3:40 into the second half. Ball went to the bench. Cadeau sank the and-1 free throw to extend Michigans lead to 36-31.ELLIOT CADEAU.AND ONE. @umichbballpic.twitter.com/QBNWkOOkb1 CBS Sports (@CBSSports) April 7, 2026Ball sat for almost 10 minutes. He didnt return to the game until 6:30 remained as Michigan held a 54-45 lead.Yaxel Lendeborgs and-1/Tarris Reeds third foulMoments later, it was Lendeborgs turn for a momentum-extending and-1. The Michigan All-American had the ball on the left wing and backed down the smaller Braylon Mullins from beyond the 3-point line.When he got to the bucket, UConns 6-11 rim protector Tarris Reed Jr. was waiting. But Lendeborg jumped for a one-handed floater over Reeds outstretched hands. The ball dropped through the basket, and Reed drew a whistle for contact on the shot. YAXEL GETS IT TO FALL #MarchMadness@umichbballpic.twitter.com/zmMSLMELVx NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) April 7, 2026The foul was Reeds third with 15:16 remaining. He didnt join Ball on the bench, but was forced to play through foul trouble. And Lendeborg hit the free throw to extend Michigans lead to 41-33.The aggression marked a stark contrast from the first half for Lendeborg, who played passively on a sprained MCL and injured ankle that he suffered in Saturdays Final Four win over Arizona. He admitted at halftime that I feel awful, I feel super weak. But he was notably more aggressive and effective in the second half.Cadeaus 3 for 11-point leadNot long after that Cadeau delivered on offense again. Michigans lead stood at 45-37, and UConn was reeling. Cadeau took a pass on the wing in a halfcourt set. He faked a pass to the corner, but instead pulled up for a 3. The ball sank through the next to extend Michigans lead to 48-37 with 12:54 remaining.ELLIOT CADEAU HAS THE STADIUM SHAKING MICHIGAN LEADS BY 11 #MarchMadnesspic.twitter.com/D0KwzaJgn3 NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) April 7, 2026It wasnt a knockout punch. But it was a body blow that wobbled the Huskies. Yaxel Lendeborg block/Morez Johnson putbackUConn didnt shrink after Cadeaus big 3 and had a chance to cut the Michigan lead to 5 in transition. Jaylin Stewart went up for a fast-break layup that would have reduced UConns deficit to 48-43.But Lendeborg chased him down for a block off the glass. UConn got the rebound, but didnt score on the possession. So. Many. Blocks.@umichbballpic.twitter.com/zB7IqKCb0A CBS Sports College Basketball (@CBSSportsCBB) April 7, 2026On the other end, Morez Johnson Jr. put back a missed Trey McKenney layup off the rim. Johnson flying in for the second chance points #MarchMadnessThe second half is LIVE: https://t.co/73IDsYprmkpic.twitter.com/NClKIa0z5x NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) April 7, 2026And instead of having its lead cut to five, Michigan extended its advantage back to nine points to thwart the UConn run. Trey McKenneys stop and 3UConn still wasnt as the game clock approached 2 minutes. Alex Karaban hit a 3 with 2:29 remaining to cut Michigans lead to two possessions at 62-56.UConn then forced a turnover over halfcourt and had a look at a transition layup that would have cut the Michigan lead to 4.Karaban from deep #MarchMadness@UConnMBBpic.twitter.com/vStlRVhIlI NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) April 7, 2026Bublocked Ball couldnt finish the contested layup from the baseline over McKenney, and Michigan secured the rebound to set up its offense on the other end. There the ball found its way to McKenney, who pulled for a 3 from the win off a pass from Roddy Gayle Jr."A BIG ONE FOR MCKENNEY!" - Ian Eagle@umichbball responds! TBS, truTV, and March Madness Live pic.twitter.com/OH1UEYwU4r CBS Sports (@CBSSports) April 7, 2026It added up to a five-point swing in which Michigan extended its lead to 65-56 with 1:49 remaining.UConn continued to apply pressure and forced Michigan to hit free throws down the stretch. But that sequence ultimately provided the knockout blow to secure Michigans national championship.

Willson Contreras had a warning for the Brewers after he was hit by a pitch for the 24th time by the team Monday. "... Next time they hit me again, I'm going to take one of them out. That's a message."

Memories of The Shark Greg Norman drowning his green jacket hopes in Augusta Nationals creeks still makes many Australians sick in the stomach.

Moments before UConn and Michigan faced off in their hugely anticipated college basketball showdown, the band took to the court and blew basketball fans away.

Stephon Castle had 17 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds and the San Antonio Spurs held on to beat the Philadelphia 76ers 115-102 on Monday night after Victor Wembanyama left in the first half due to a left rib contusion.Wembanyamas status for the final week of the regular season is unknown.San Antonio (60-19) is is 2 1/2 games behind Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City (62-16) and assured of finishing no worse than second in the conference.Philadelphia lost its second straight as it battles to stay out of the play-in tournament. The 76ers (43-36) are a half-game behind the Toronto Raptors (43-35) for sixth place in the Eastern Conference.Philadelphia center Joel Embiid had 34 points and 12 rebounds, and Paul George added 16 points.Wembanyama did not play in the second half after taking an elbow from George near midcourt. Wembanyama was sprinting up-court when George attempted to deflect a pass, but instead struck the 22-year-old in the side at the 1:11 mark of the second quarter. Wembanyama remained on the court for about a minute before being subbed.Wembanyama returned to play five more minutes before asking San Antonio coach Mitch Johnson to take him out of the game with 44 seconds left in the first half. He did not return.San Antonio opened a four-game homestand to close its regular season before hosting the first two games of the opening round of the playoffs.Wembanyama had 17 points, five rebounds and three blocks in 15:40. It constitutes an official game per the NBA guidelines, which allow two exceptions of 15 to 19:59 minutes to count toward the league-required minimum of 65 games played for award eligibility. Wembanyama has said he wants to win the leagues MVP award this season.Wembanyama had played 63 games this season, including the NBA Cup Final.Luke Kornet, who started the second half in place of Wembanyama, had 10 points and three rebounds.It was Castles fifth triple-double.Up next76ers: At Houston on Thursday.Spurs: Host Portland on Wednesday.___AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

Victor Wembanyama suffered a left rib contusion and was ruled out of the second half of San Antonio's 115-102 win over Philadelphia on Monday night, leaving the status of the Spurs' center for the rest of the regular season in doubt.Wembanyama took an inadvertent elbow to the ribs from Paul George when the Philadelphia forward was attempting to deflect a pass as the 7-foot-4 Frenchman was sprinting up court on a fastbreak with 10:49 remaining in the first half. Wembanyama tumbled to the court and remained down for a minute while George patted him on the backside apologetically.Whether Wembanyama will be available for the Spurs' final three games of the regular season all at home against Portland (Wednesday), Dallas (Friday) and Denver (Sunday) wasn't known after Monday's game. At halftime I was told he wasn't coming back and I honest to God haven't heard anything else up to this point, San Antonio coach Mitch Johnson said after the win. Wembanyama subbed out of the game 13 seconds after the collision and immediately went into the tunnel leading to the locker room while keeping his arm pressed to his side. Wembanyama returned with 5:33 remaining in the period, but asked Johnson to take him out with 44 seconds remaining in the first half. He again went into the tunnel leading to the locker room while holding his arm to his side and was ruled out at the start the second half.I think it would be a positive that he felt like he could come back and he played the last four or five minutes of the half," Johnson said. So, thats a positive from my perspective, but I have nothing (as far a status update).George was not available for comment after the game.Wembanyama had 17 points, five rebounds and three blocks while playing 15:40 in the first half. Wembanyama has made it clear that he wants to win the league's MVP award this season. The NBA allows a maximum of two games in which a player logs between 15 and 19.59 minutes to count toward the league-required minimum of 65 games played for award eligibility.Wembanyama has played 63 games this season, including the NBA Cup Final.San Antonio (60-19) is is 2 1/2 games behind Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City (62-16) and assured of finishing no worse than second in the conference. ___AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

Rory McIlroy arrives at Augusta National this week in an unprecedented position defending a Masters title rather than chasing one.However, the Northern Irishman's bid to retain the green jacket faces significant uncertainty due to a persistent back problem.The 2025 champion pulled out of the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March after the injury flared up.His subsequent appearance at The Players Championship on 12 March proved disappointing, with McIlroy finishing in a tie for 46th place.TRENDINGStoriesVideosYour SaySince that underwhelming performance at TPC Sawgrass, the four-time major winner has been absent from competitive golf entirely.Following a promising start to 2026, his recent form on the PGA Tour has declined markedly.CBS reporter Amanda Balionis has now voiced reservations about McIlroy's prospects of claiming consecutive green jackets."I think, listen, he said it at The Players, right? He felt rusty," Balionis remarked to the Fairway Rollin podcast."He didn't look quite himself and he's not going through the same schedule that he went through last year that led to success."The broadcaster highlighted how golfers tend towards superstition when it comes to major championship preparation. LATEST SPORTS NEWS:Man City confirm departure of club legend Bernardo Silva after nine glittering years at Etihad StadiumLuke Littler's celebrity friend defends darts star after furious Premier League bust-up with Gian van VeenMegan Rapinoe 'sickened' and says 'it's not based on science' after Olympic ban on transgender athletesShe suggested McIlroy would ideally have wanted to mirror his victorious 2025 approach but acknowledged this was impossible given his rehabilitation requirements."That's obviously not in the cards for him right now as he tries to get that back to 100%, tries to knock that rust off," Balionis added.Balionis expressed particular concern about the demands Augusta National places on players managing back complaints, noting the course's undulating terrain presents unique challenges."I don't know, back issues at Augusta National are tough," she observed."We've seen it with a lot of players. This is a hard place to be wondering at what point am I going to feel that tug in my back?"The reporter admitted uncertainty regarding McIlroy's recovery progress but remained sceptical about his physical condition heading into the tournament."I would be hard pressed to say he's a 100 per cent," Balionis stated."I just don't think those back things solve themselves like that when you're a golfer and you have to keep practicing and you have to keep doing the motion that likely caused whatever the thing is."McIlroy, however, sought to play down concerns about his back affecting his game during a media session at The Players on 12 March."Honestly, overall it was fine," McIlroy said of his injury. "Got a little bit tired at the end of the day, but yeah, it was actually all pretty good."Despite these reassurances, the Northern Irishman conceded he felt far from sharp on the course.He added: "It's weird, I obviously played on Friday; it's not as if I've taken a ton of time off. But just felt like unbelievably rusty out there."Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter

Ben Roberts-Smith, who denies all wrongdoing, previously lost a landmark defamation case over the alleged murders.

The NHS is advising patients in England to only use emergency services when necessary but attend any confirmed appointments.

Bikinis are replacing ski jackets as unusually warm temperatures hit western ski resorts.Skiers have been spotted hitting the slopes in swimsuits and shirtless outfits as record heat melts snow across the region.The unseasonably warm weather, combined with a lack of snowfall, has forced many resorts to close early, delay openings or shut down altogether.SNOW DROUGHT GRIPS SKI INDUSTRY AS RESORTS TURN TO GEN Z SKIERS, NEW ACTIVITIES TO FILL LIFTSAt Taos Ski Valley in New Mexico, crews have been forced to move snow from remote parts of the mountain onto ski runs in an effort to keep trails open, according to Reuters.In Colorado, conditions have deteriorated to the point where fewer than 20% of trails remain open at some resorts, with brown patches of dirt replacing snow-covered slopes, the agency reported.Despite the poor conditions, some skiers are still making the most of what remains of the season.Posts circulating on social media show people swapping traditional winter gear for swimwear while navigating slushy terrain.CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER"Highly recommend skiing with your besties in bikini tops," one user wrote."Annual bikini ski came early this year," another user commented.One Reddit user who said he previously worked at a ski lift recalled that warmer days often brought skiers dressed in tank tops or sports bras.CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE STORIESHe said that by the end of the day, many returned with arms and torsos covered in scratches warning that snow can cause serious skin injuries.Fox News Digital previously reported that the lack of snowfall is already reshaping the ski industry.TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZAfter a winter marked by record-low snow totals, some resorts have begun shifting their strategy to attract younger visitors and keep business steady.Vail Resorts, for example, recently cut prices on its Epic Pass by 20% for skiers and snowboarders ages 13 to 30 in an effort to draw in Gen Z travelers.Industry leaders say younger visitors are increasingly viewing skiing as a social experience, prompting resorts to add events, concerts and other activities beyond traditional skiing.The shift comes as the average age of U.S. skiers continues to rise and warmer winters create ongoing challenges for resorts that rely on consistent snowfall.Jessica Mekles of Fox News Digital contributed reporting.