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Sports Quote of the Day:

“You've done it before and you can do it now. See the positive possibilities. Redirect the substantial energy of your frustration and turn it into positive, effective, unstoppable determination.” ~ Ralph Marston, Author and Publisher 

Trending: Jordan Spieth wins the Masters in record fashion. (See story in golf section below).

Trending: Stanley Cup Playoffs 2015 brackets are set; who has best path?

By Greg Wyshynski

It took the full 82 games – thanks, Ottawa Senators’ miracle rally – but the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoff brackets are finally set. 

Remember: The two winners of each divisional series face each other. No reseeding! 

EASTERN CONFERENCE
 

Atlantic Division 

Montreal Canadiens (50-22-10, 110 points) vs. Ottawa Senators (43-26-13, 99 points) 
 

The Cinderella Senators get a chance to knock off Carey Price and the Canadiens. 

Tampa Bay Lightning (50-24-8, 108 points) vs. Detroit Red Wings (43-25-14, 100 points) 

The Yzerman Cup! The Red Wings legend’s Bolts face his former team in what could be Mike Babcock’s swan song as coach.
 

Metro Division
 

New York Rangers (53-22-7, 113 points)  vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (43-27-12, 98 points)

A rematch from last postseason, when the Rangers eliminated the Pens in the divisional final.
 

Washington Capitals (45-26-11, 101 points) vs. New York Islanders (47-28-7, 101 points)
 

The Capitals are trying to win their first Stanley Cup; the Islanders are trying to send off Nassau Coliseum in style.
 

WESTERN CONFERENCE
 

Central Division
 

St. Louis Blues (51-24-7 109 points) vs. Minnesota Wild (46-28-8, 100 points)
 

The Blues avoid the Blackhawks but end up facing a Wild team that could be a Stanley Cup sleeper.
 

Nashville Predators (47-25-10, 104 points) vs. Chicago Blackhawks (48-27-6, 102 points)
 

Not the easiest matchup for Chicago, so when does Patrick Kane come back from injury?
 

Pacific Division
 

Anaheim Ducks (50-24-7, 107 points) vs. Winnipeg Jets (43-26-13, 99 points)
 

The insane fans of Winnipeg get a chance to cheer on their team against the Ducks and Bruce Boudreau, a coach that’s never gotten past the second round.
 

Vancouver Canucks (47-29-5, 99 points) vs. Calgary Flames (45-30-7, 97 points)
 

This all-Canada quarterfinal features the solid, veteran Canucks against the upstart Flames.

How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Now Blackhawks turn their attention to Predators. 

By Tracey Myers

2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs

The Blackhawks will look at their 82nd regular-season game for what it was: a pretty good game, sans a few of their top players, despite it being their fourth loss in a row.

But Saturday wasn’t so much about looking back as looking forward: it’s playoff time.

The Blackhawks closed out their regular season with their fourth consecutive loss, a 3-2 defeat to the Colorado Avalanche. It was another one-goal loss, this one coming in the last 33 seconds. But considering the Blackhawks’ first-round playoff path was set hours before this game and Jonathan Toews and Duncan Keith took the night off to rest, the Blackhawks could live with it.

And now it’s all about the Nashville Predators, the Blackhawks’ opponent when the playoffs begin next week. Nashville hosts the first two games, with Game 1 slated for 7:30 p.m. CT Wednesday and Game 2 scheduled for 8:30 p.m. CT Friday. Games 3 and 4 are back in Chicago; Game 3 is 2 p.m. April 19 and Game 4 is 8:30 p.m. April 21. The Blackhawks haven’t seen the Predators since Dec. 29, when they had their final regular-season matchup in Chicago. The Predators also had a bumpy regular-season finish, going 0-4-2 in their last six games. But the Blackhawks say that means nothing.

“It starts fresh; everything’s even,” coach Joel Quenneville said. “They had a great start to their season. They have a tremendous back end, they’re strong in net and have assets up front. Certainly they’re dangerous in a lot of ways. It’s a great year from where they were last year. It’ll be a great matchup.”

The Blackhawks should enter the first round in pretty good health. Brad Richards and Kimmo Timonen, who each missed these last few regular-season games with upper-body injuries, should be ready to go. The one wildcard is Patrick Kane (fractured left clavicle), who has been skating well and taking stronger shots but has yet to be cleared for contact according to Quenneville. Still, it seems Kane will join the Blackhawks sooner than the original timetable, which put him out until the Western Conference Finals.

Still, if Kane’s not cleared for this first round, the Blackhawks have to be prepared to play without him. They have to find a way to score goals, something they’ve been lacking down the stretch – five goals in their last four games.

The Blackhawks will take their final regular-season game for what it was: a pretty solid game despite missing Kane, Keith, Toews and Corey Crawford, who was also given the night off to rest. They’ll start on the road and against a Predators team that has offense to go with the defense and goaltending they’ve had for years. Let the second season begin.

“Well, we know we’re facing an extremely good team,” Marian Hossa said. “They played very consistent the whole season. They have great balance and [they’re] very dangerous offensively. It’ll be a great challenge and we’re looking forward to it.”

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Full schedule for Blackhawks-Predators.

#HAWKSTALK

The Blackhawks will open the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Nashville Predators at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday night.

Chicago will play Games 1 and 2 on the road, then return to the United Center for Game 3 and 4, which will be April 19 and 21. Games 5-7, if necessary, has yet to be determined.

SERIES F - C2 vs. C3	TIME (ET)	vs.	NETWORKS
Wednesday, April 15	8:30 p.m.	Chicago at Nashville	NBCSN, SN 360, TVA Sports
Friday, April 17	9:30 p.m.	Chicago at Nashville	NBCSN, Sportsnet, TVA Sports
Sunday, April 19	3 p.m.	Nashville at Chicago	NBC, Sportsnet, TVA Sports
Tuesday, April 21	9:30 p.m.	Nashville at Chicago	NBCSN, Sportsnet, TVA Sports
*Thursday, April 23	TBD	Chicago at Nashville	TBD
*Saturday, April 25	TBD	Nashville at Chicago	TBD
*Monday, April 27	TBD	Chicago at Nashville	TBD

Blackhawks recall Antti Raanta, Kyle Cumiskey. 

By Nina Falcone

The Blackhawks are welcoming back a couple of familiar faces as they do some bulking up for the start of the playoffs.

The team announced Sunday that both goaltender Antti Raanta and defenseman Kyle Cumiskey have been recalled from the AHL's Rockford IceHogs.

Raanta previously went 7-4-1 with a .936 save percentage and 1.89 goals-against average in 14 games with the Blackhawks this season. He had been sent down to Rockford back on Feb. 22 when Chicago recalled Scott Darling.

In his 11 games with the IceHogs this year, Raanta's gone 8-1-1 and posted two shutouts.

Cumiskey has appeared in seven games with the Blackhawks this season. He has posted two goals and 18 assists in 54 games with the IceHogs.

The Blackhawks kick off their postseason campaign on Wednesday night against the Nashville Predators. All the action will begin at 7 p.m. on CSN.

Iginla leads Colorado past Chicago 3-2.

AP Sports

Jarome Iginla and the Colorado Avalanche finished the season on a high note. The Chicago Blackhawks hope they can put together another playoff run.

Iginla's second power-play goal with 34 seconds left lifted the Avalanche to a 3-2 victory over the slumping Blackhawks on Saturday night.

The Blackhawks, who won the Stanley Cup in 2010 and 2013 and made it to the Western Conference finals a year ago, don't appear to be too concerned about their four-game skid heading into the playoffs.

''I'm not worried about carryover,'' defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson said. ''Especially when you have so many people that have played a ton of playoff games the last couple of years.''

Semyon Varlamov had 28 saves and Cody McLeod also scored for Colorado, which won four of its last five despite being eliminated from the postseason a week ago.

''We know what kind of hockey team we can be and I honestly think we're closer to a Stanley Cup now than we were at the end of last year,'' Matt Duchene said. ''We're going to be better for this season I guarantee it. Sometimes you have to take a step back before you can jump forward.''

The Blackhawks rested captain Jonathan Toews and defenseman Duncan Keith after learning they were locked into the No. 3 seed in the Central Division. Minnesota's loss to St. Louis earlier Saturday clinched a first-round matchup with Nashville.
 

Chicago managed just five goals while losing its last four games of the regular season. But it went 3-1 against the Predators this season, with two of those wins coming after regulation.
 

''We haven't seen them for so many games. It's pretty amazing, we're going back almost 45 games,'' Chicago coach Joel Quenneville said. ''They had a great start to the season. They've got a tremendous back end, strong in net, they have some assets up front. So certainly they're dangerous in a lot of ways. They had a great year from where they were last year. I'm sure they're excited about the playoffs this year. It'll be a great matchup.''

Brandon Saad and Patrick Sharp scored for the Blackhawks, and backup goalie Scott Darling stopped 21 shots.

Chicago also played without center Brad Richards and defenseman Kimmo Timonen, who were sidelined by upper-body injuries. Both are expected back for Game 1 of the playoffs at Nashville.
 

Other than Patrick Kane, who broke his collarbone in February and could return at some point in the postseason, Quenneville said the team's health is fine.

''I think we're as good as you would ever want,'' he said.

Starting goaltender Corey Crawford also got the night off.

Despite not having their full lineup, the Blackhawks outshot the Avalanche 30-24.

It looked as if the game was headed for overtime when Saad scored at 15:20 of the third period. But Marcus Kruger was sent off for tripping at 17:59 and Iginla's slap shot beat Darling for his 29th goal.

''It was a power play and we were running out of time,'' Iginla said. ''It's fun as a team to get a goal in the last minute, to go ahead. It was nice to shoot that and see it go in.''

McLeod beat Darling midway through the first period to give Colorado a 1-0 lead. Sharp tied it at 8:03 of the second period with his 16th of the season.

With Bryan Bickell off for hooking, Iginla gave the Avalanche the lead again. His slap shot from the top of the left circle beat Darling at 14:22 of the second.

NOTES: Iginla has scored 28 or more goals in 14 seasons. He has 589 career goals. ... Avalanche D Duncan Siemens made his NHL debut. He was recalled from Lake Erie after D Brad Stuart was ruled out with a leg injury suffered in Thursday's win over Winnipeg. ... The Blackhawks set a franchise record for road wins with 24. ... McLeod's goal was his first since March 8. ... Blackhawks D Michael Paliotta played 12:45 in his NHL debut and got an assist on Sharp's goal.

Just Another Chicago Bulls Session… Bulls-Nets Preview.

By JORDAN GARRETSON

Derrick Rose is still looking for his form after returning from injury, though he took a big step forward his last time out - a good sign for a Chicago Bulls team jockeying for playoff position.

They'll look to stave off a Brooklyn Nets team fighting to reach the postseason Monday night.

The Bulls (48-32) are even with Toronto for the third seed in the Eastern Conference, though the Raptors hold the tiebreaker as Atlantic Division champions.

Chicago appears to have the trickier remaining schedule, as it hosts first-place Atlanta on Wednesday while Toronto is at Boston before playing Charlotte at home. It's uncertain if the Hawks will use Wednesday's game against the Bulls to rest their starters with home court in the East playoffs wrapped up, though.

Regardless of its seeding, Chicago had to be encouraged by Rose's performance Saturday. After two lackluster showings since coming back, he had 22 points, eight assists and no turnovers with three steals in 28 minutes of a 114-107 home win over Philadelphia.

"I thought he played terrific - in all areas," coach Tom Thibodeau said. "You can tell he feels good, and that's the most important thing."

Rose had been 8 for 24 with 21 points after a 20-game absence due to a torn meniscus, playing fewer than 21 minutes in both contests. Chicago has gone 18-7 when he scores at least 20, including four straight victories.

"It's still going to take time. I'm just happy I have the teammates I have," said Rose, who has been limited to 49 games. " ... They're sticking with me, so I'm grateful, excited and filled with joy that I'm back playing."

Rose averaged 18.5 points as Chicago won the first two meetings with Brooklyn by a combined 43 points, but he was limited to four on 2-of-15 shooting in a 96-82 home loss to the Nets on Dec. 30.

The Nets (37-43) flopped offensively Sunday at Milwaukee, shooting 32.5 percent in a 96-73 loss. They had made 49.2 percent during a 5-2 stretch, but each starter hit 37.5 percent or worse against the Bucks with Deron Williams and Thaddeus Young going a combined 5 for 25 with seven turnovers.

Brooklyn is one game behind seventh-place Boston and tied with Indiana, though it holds the tiebreaker over the Pacers after winning the season series. Another Nets loss or Celtics victory would put the seventh seed out of reach for Brooklyn, which concludes its season Wednesday at home against Orlando.

"We have to forget about this one," Young said of Sunday's defeat. "We can't even think about the next two games, we have to focus on this next one against Chicago. It's as simple as that."

Brook Lopez had 12 points - more than five below his average - and 10 rebounds against the Bucks. It was his 17th double-double but an underwhelming performance after he had averaged 26.2 points in his previous 13 contests. He scored 29 in the most recent meeting with Chicago.

Williams has shot 9 for 35 (25.7 percent) in the season series.

Chicago is looking for consecutive road wins for the first time since Feb. 7-8.

Rose reflective after Bulls win, feels like best is yet to come.

By Vincent Goodwill

Joakim Noah had a playful hand clap when emerging from the showers and seeing the throng of media in front of Derrick Rose’s locker, while Pau Gasol could only smirk in appreciation.

It had been a while since Rose’s words came after a vintage performance, especially one that has birthed so much positivity. It wasn’t about when Rose was coming back, or how was his body feeling—at least not in the context of some inactivity and doubt surrounding a return.

Twenty-two thousand eyes witnessed Rose do what he’d done so many times on call as he became the league’s youngest MVP—and chanted that name in the fourth quarter after a quicksilver drive to the hoop.

When Noah was asked which part of Rose’s game he liked the most, be it his passing or driving, he answered simply.

“I just liked him on the court,” Noah said. “When you see Derrick moving like that, it’s a plus for this team. He’s gone through so much, injuries, and to see him come back and play at that level, it’s big.”

There was a hint of melancholy from Rose after his best game in “The Return, Part III”, in which he reminded everyone why he’s so dangerous if he’s right.

And although his often-monotone emotions didn’t display it, the words were of an appreciative man.

A man just as appreciative of his mates in the locker room as they are happy that he’s back. They believe Saturday’s performance was just the start.

“It’s still gonna take time,” Rose said. “I’m just happy I have the teammates that I have. A guy misses so many games and come back, trying to find my way through, they’re staying with me, sticking with me. I’m grateful, excited and just filled with joy that I’m back playing.”

Rose knew this was different from the moment he left the hospital after his meniscus surgery six weeks ago.

“I didn’t have a brace, wasn’t sleeping in a brace for four months,” Rose said. "Walked out of the hospital. All of those little things, I think are pluses for me. Just knowing how hard I work and how I work on my craft, I’m gonna be in a good position once the playoffs come.”

He seemed just as proud of his 22 points in the Bulls’ 114-107 win over the 76ers as his eight assists—chief reason for his plus-25 in the box score in his 28 minutes.

An underrated facet of Rose’s game was on display, as he found teammates for easy opportunities in the open floor. Two such instances didn’t yield assists, but it illustrates the effort made by the other players on the floor when he has the ball.

Once was a lead pass to Pau Gasol that resulted in free throws, another was a bullet pass on a two-on-one fast break to Jimmy Butler, where Butler missed the layup but it was followed up by Gasol for a tip-in.

Rose possesses that Isiah Thomas-like ability to throw pinpoint passes ahead to teammates instead of insisting on running it up the floor himself for early offense.

And his teammates know it, getting out on the break with quickness, readying themselves for easy opportunities.

Rose acknowledges the obvious, that he’s been out of the game for a long time and the process is ongoing, possessing a self-awareness many didn’t believe existed.

“When you miss three years damn near you see everything,” Rose said. “I’m just being patient a little bit more. There’s no point in me forcing anything, the way they’re playing me, they’re not double-teaming me. They’re letting me do what I wanna do, it’s just all about me catching a rhythm.”

Derrick Rose helps Bulls put away pesky Sixers 114-107. (Saturday night's game, 04/11/2015).

By Vincent Goodwill

Who cares if it was the pesky Philadelphia 76ers giving the Bulls 48 minutes of run, when nobody who bought a ticket to the festivities expected it to be difficult, because they came to see a revival.

The Derrick Rose revival.

And as the crowd roared his name after cat-quick, brainless drives to the basket resulted in vintage Rose results, it was like he never left for six weeks or even two years.

After Rose took two hard dribbles with a spin to the basket for a layup with 1:00 left, he reminded everyone his eyes were never an issue, whipping a bullet pass to Taj Gibson for a dunk to effectively seal matters Saturday night, with a 114-107 win at the United Center.

“I thought he played terrific,” Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said. “I thought he played well in a lot of areas, he made a few great hustle plays. You can tell he is feeling good out there.”

If his first two games were the warm-up to his home return, he delivered on call with 22 points, eight assists, six rebounds and zero turnovers in 28 minutes of play, his first fourth-quarter appearance since his injury.

“I’m just happy to be playing again, excited and we’re winning games,” Rose said. “That’s what it’s all about.”

He made eight of his 19 shots, being far more definitive on his drives to the basket late, after settling for five triples that came up short.

“The shots I missed, I felt they were good shots, in and out. I just gotta get my feet under me a little more for my jump shots,” Rose said. “But it comes with playing basketball.”

Tony Snell and Nikola Mirotic carried the sluggish Bulls early in the fourth, combining for five triples as the 76ers kept fighting back despite their already-underwhelming roster having just nine players available.

But they couldn’t keep up their execution as the Bulls had to keep pace with the Toronto Raptors, who won in Miami minutes before the Bulls game went final. Seemingly every time the Bulls were ready to put them away, a couple of their 41 3-point attempts would fall and they’d be right back in the Bulls’ faces.

It gave the Bulls time to experiment with lineups, as Thibodeau subbed offense for defense down the stretch, a tactic in the past he’d been reticent to do.

“It allows us to have Niko, Taj and Pau on the floor together,” he said. “Then when we sub, we can go more by what the game needs. They all need a good chunk of time.”

The game needed a lot at different points, especially with the Bulls struggling for efficiency, shooting just 38 percent at the half and actually trailing by one—being kept off life support by 21 trips to the foul line.

Gasol got going in the third with 14 of his 23 points, but they still couldn’t hide from the 76ers, who played hard and executed longer than anyone thought possible.

“We just took the circumstance and made it work as best we could,” 76ers coach Brett Brown said. “We went into the game against the Chicago Bulls, as good a defensive team as they are…with no point guards. To have the guys respond the way they did, I cannot ask more from them.”

It was almost enough, until Snell got going, scoring 11 in the fourth in place of Kirk Hinrich. Hinrich’s hyper-extended left knee gave him trouble again, and his status for Monday’s game in Brooklyn is unknown.

“I thought it was something I can manage through, but I guess I couldn’t,” he said.

The supporting pieces set the stage, but the night belonged to Rose, who showed what he can give when he’s playing in the final 12.

Devastating drives to the basket.

Commanding attention from defenses, leading to opportunities all over the floor.

And a confidence that this Bulls team can compete with the best, even if they let the league’s worst stick around for far too long.

"Just wanting it. Pushing myself," Rose said. "Last game just pushing the ball, turning it over. But (I'm) getting in a rhythm of attacking and getting used to having the ball in my hands in certain situations."

Robert Covington scored 22 for the 76ers, and veteran guard Jason Richardson hit four triples on his way to 19 points, as the Bulls’ ugly habit of inconsistent second quarters reared its ugly head yet again, as it did in Miami and Orlando recently.

And although it wasn’t Rose to the rescue, it was the kid from Chicago who put the finishing touches on a win that came tougher than expected, but was necessary nonetheless. 

Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!! Ryan Pace’s history could point Bears toward WR at No. 7.

By John Mullins

Ryan Pace (Photo/AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

 

Bears general manager Ryan Pace was clear on one point of franchise philosophy:

“I don’t think you can have enough good pass rushers,” he said during the NFL owners meetings. “I think Seattle is an example of that. So if the right pass rusher is there in the first round, we’ll take that.”

What Pace, himself a former college defensive end, has done in his first pass through free agency as GM has been eminently consistent with his beliefs, particularly with a defense switching to a rush-focused 3-4 scheme.

But the growing question is whether or not there in fact is an “enough,” and whether Pace and coach John Fox are preparing to strike in a direction breaking from their respective experiences in New Orleans (Pace) and Denver/Carolina/New York Giants (Fox).

That looming other “direction” is wide receiver.

It’s both a matter of what Pace has done — cut Brandon Marshall, sign multiple pass-rush options in free agency — and what he hasn’t done — pursue a top starter-grade wide out…yet.

And there are enough trace elements of elite-receiver targeting in Pace’s background to form more than idle musing that he would go there.

Securing

 

Both Pace and Fox come from organizations with draft traditions deeply rooted on defense. Fox was with the New York Giants when GM’s George Young and Ernie Accorsi also went for running backs high in drafts, which Fox continued when he went to Carolina.

But consider: Pace was hired in 2001 as a Saints assistant. New Orleans selected Donte’ Stallworth with the 13th pick of the 2002 draft, Devery Henderson in the 2004 second round, Robert Meacham 27th in 2007, and Brandon Cooks with the 20th in 2014.

All wide receivers.

The Denver Broncos chose defensive players with all four of their first picks in Fox’s tenure there. And Carolina’s drafts for Fox were defense-oriented at the top.

But the New York Giants used the No. 7 pick in 1997, Fox’s first year as Giants defensive coordinator, on Florida wideout Ike Hilliard. Last year, Fox’s last in Denver, the Broncos took wideout Cody Latimer in the second round.

Past choices in drafts don’t definitively show what GMs and coaches will do in the present or future. But the patterns that Fox and Pace witnessed and were part of represent some of their experiences on how successful franchises built themselves. All of which make the trails of breadcrumbs worth studying.

Looking for the 'enough'

Pace has been good to his and Fox’s words on pass rushers in free agency. Teams frequently address what they consider their primary needs in free agency, thus giving themselves options in the draft for best-available-athletes and/or a specific job (quarterback). Pace, Fox and the Bears went aggressively after rush-linebackers but notably did not address a gaping void at wide receiver created with the release of Marshall.

That solution may lie in the draft, with the Bears among those hosting a visit by West Virginia wideout Kevin White earlier this month and expected to visit with Alabama’s Amari Cooper. Both are possessed of speed found nowhere on the Bears’ current wide receiver depth chart.

Already stocking pass rushers

 

Coincidentally, former GM Phil Emery’s signature signings in 2014 were defensive ends for a 4-3: Jared Allen, Lamarr Houston, Willie Young. Pace has waded into his own first free agency with signings targeting pass rushers, but for a 3-4.

Pace’s acquisitions project to six new starters on defense: two-thirds of the defensive line (Jarvis Jenkins, Ray McDonald), three-fourths of the linebackers (Sam Acho, Mason Foster, Pernell McPhee) and half of the safeties (Antrel Rolle).

The cluster of linebacker transactions, combined with the stated plan to move Lamarr Houston from end back to outside linebacker, spotlighted pass rushers: Acho, McPhee, plus Houston. Houston’s return from a torn ACL makes him less than a given. But the Bears also have Allen, David Bass and Young as competition for edge-rusher spots, in addition to Jonathan Bostic and Shea McClellin competing for roster spots on the inside.

Complicating the equation (and that is in fact one of ideas behind the switch to a 3-4: becoming complicated) is that both Acho and McPhee are mobile and have rushed from inside starting points.

'Vintage' Chris Sale returns, dominates as White Sox top Twins.

By JJ Stankevitz

Chris Sale’s 98th and final pitch of Sunday’s game was a 98 mile per hour fastball, one that whizzed past the bat of Trevor Plouffe for strike three.

And with that, the left-hander’s return to the top of the White Sox rotation was complete.

Sale struck out eight in six innings of work to lead the White Sox to a 6-2 win over Minnesota in Sunday’s rubber match in front of 23,057 at U.S. Cellular Field. The 26-year-old allowed one run on five hits with one walk in his first start against a major league club — including in spring training — since last September.

“He looked great,” manager Robin Ventura said. “There’s nothing else to say. It was vintage him.”

Sale largely relied on his mid-to-upper 90’s fastball and upper-80’s changeup, as his slider wasn’t sharp over the course of the afternoon. Sale only threw 10 sliders and didn’t get a swing and miss on any of them, but it didn’t matter — his changeup generated six swings and misses and his fastball got 14 whiffs, according to BrooksBaseball.net.

Despite having only thrown a handful of bullpen sessions and faced a pair of Single-A squads to get ready for the season after an avulsion fracture in his foot kept him out of spring training games, Sale threw 72 of his 98 pitches for strikes.

“I think it’s somewhat typical of a dominant pitcher in this league,” catcher Tyler Flowers said. I’m sure (Clayton) Kershaw and all those guys have similar numbers when they’re out there, at least on their good outings. You kind of set the tone right out of the gate throwing strikes, very aggressive, he was commanding them early too so that makes it tougher on those guys.”

The White Sox jumped out to an early 2-0 lead on an RBI single from Adam LaRoche and an RBI double from Alexei Ramirez in the first inning, and after Danny Santana doubled in a run in the top of third, LaRoche answered with a solo home run in the bottom half, his second of the season. Sale said getting that early advantage helped him get into a rhythm, which translated into him notching the White Sox first quality start of the season.

As he and Ventura have reiterated over the course of his month-and-a-half recovery, Sale’s injury was confined to his foot and didn’t involve anything to really worry about like an elbow or shoulder. Sale and the White Sox followed a slow, calculated recovery plan — one that created enough down time for the left-hander to binge-watch "Breaking Bad" and increase his arsenal of knock-knock jokes — so when he did take the mound Sunday, he said he felt like his injury never happened.

Sale’s strong start, along with some gutsy relief work by Zach Duke and a two-run insurance home run by Gordon Beckham, gave the White Sox their first series win of the season. After an 0-4 start caused some early restlessness, the White Sox are back to blasting celebratory music in the clubhouse — Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)” was on the playlist Sunday — and things seem to be returning to normal for the long haul of the regular season.

And normal for Sale means, after a strong start, fielding questions about how good a pitcher he can be. If he can keep this up, the early Cy Young talk surely won’t be far around the corner, even if he isn’t too willing to entertain it.

“I’m just a pitcher,” Sale said. “You guys (the media) have all these questions for me like I can read the future and have all the answers. I’m a baseball player. I want to go out and play baseball and do the best I can. That’s all I’ve ever done and all I’m ever going to do. All the extra stuff is cool and fine, but I’ll stick to being a baseball player.”

Cubs: Kris Bryant Watch can wait after dramatic comeback win.

By Patrick Mooney

There’s always some sort of drama around this team.

That’s how one Cubs employee accurately summed it up before Sunday’s 6-5 comeback victory over the Colorado Rockies in front of 41,363 at Coors Field.

Dexter Fowler changed the mood with one swing, launching a two-run homer beyond the right-field wall and into the second deck with two outs in the ninth inning. LaTroy Hawkins had been one strike away from ending the game before Fowler’s heroics against his old team.

Kris Bryant who? The Cubs swear they’re not paying that much attention.

The Cubs will leave Denver to return home to the Wrigley Field construction zone, where the business-operations side had to bring in 72 porta-potties last week after the Opening Night bathroom lines became a national embarrassment.

It took less than five innings before the Boston/Bristol axis of media had Chicago reporters asking if Jon Lester has “the yips,” one start into a six-year, $155 million megadeal. It won’t get any easier with Cincinnati Reds speedster Billy Hamilton up next.

Bryant is still the trending topic, with the franchise’s hottest name and arguably most dangerous hitter stuck at Triple-A Iowa. Cubs fans will have to wait at least four more days as Bryant does his service-time penance before making his debut in The Show.

“That’s for them to keep talking about,” Fowler said. “That’s social media, man.”

Bryant homered again during Iowa’s 7-2 win on Sunday at Memphis. As ex-Cubs manager Dale Sveum once said: “Those twits never lie.”

New Cubs manager Joe Maddon — who has 227,000 Twitter followers and keeps a high profile on social media — made it sound like he didn’t know Bryant homered on Saturday night until a reporter mentioned it during his media session.

“Nice,” Maddon said. “Good for him.”

“I don’t really pay attention to any of that stuff,” Maddon said. “I’ve talked about it before: My responsibility is the people right here, right now, and trying to piece it together.

“I’m so focused right here, right now. It’s all going to happen in due time.”

The Cubs (3-2) hadn’t been above .500 since April 4, 2013. They were also a game over .500 by late April 2011. They never had a winning record at any point during the 2010, 2012 and 2014 seasons.

But as another Cubs person pointed out — it’s never boring around here. Bryant as the headliner — and all the expectations surrounding this team now — guarantees that.

“I’m really not paying attention to that,” catcher Miguel Montero said. “I’m paying attention to what we have right here. I know the kid is good. Don’t get me wrong. We’d like to see him in the big leagues. But right now, he’s not.

“I’ve got to care about these guys right now, because ... we got to get the best out of this (group). It’s not that I’m not rooting for him right now, but he’s not here. I can’t really focus on Double-A, Triple-A. I can’t be wasting energy on that.”

Golf: I got a club for that: Jordan Spieth wins 2015 Masters Tournament with record-tying score.

Associated Press

Jordan Spieth finished at 18 under to win the Masters and tie Tiger Woods for the all-time best score at Augusta. At 21 years and 8 months old, Jordan Spieth became the second-youngest champion in Masters history on Sunday. (Photo/Getty Images)

Jordan Spieth got more than redemption and a green jacket Sunday. He took his place among the best in the game with a Masters victory for the ages. 

 

One year after he lost a bid to become the youngest player to win the Masters, the 21-year-old Texan turned in one of the most dominant wins ever at Augusta National. He never let anyone get closer to him than three shots after his record start. He never gave anyone much hope on Sunday. 

 

Spieth closed with a 2-under 70, missing a 5-foot par putt on the final hole that would have set yet another record. Instead, he tied Tiger Woods at 18-under 270. 

 

For all the talk about the Grand Slam bid by Rory McIlroy and the return of Woods, this week was about the arrival of another star. 

 

"It's awfully impressive," McIlroy said after finishing fourth. "It's nice to get your major tally up and running at an early stage in your career. It's great to see, great for the game, and I'm sure there will be many more." 

 

Spieth became the first wire-to-wire winner at the Masters since Raymond Floyd in 1976, and this might have been even more special. Craig Woods in 1941 is the only other Masters champion who led by at least three shots from the opening round to the trophy presentation. 

 

Phil Mickelson tried to make a run. So did Justin Rose. Neither got closer than three shots at any point, and it wasn't long before Spieth was making another birdie putt to take the drama out of the back nine. 

 

Mickelson (69) and Rose (70) tied for second. It was the 10th time Mickelson has been runner-up in a major. Woods jarred his right wrist then he struck wood under the pine straw on the ninth hole. He recovered and closed with a 73, 13 shots behind. 

 

Spieth won for the third time on the PGA Tour and fifth time worldwide. He will rise to No. 2 in the world, still a ways to go to catch McIlroy at the top. When McIlroy won back-to-back majors last year to establish himself as the game's best player, the quest was to find a rival. 

 

Spieth answered that this week on perhaps the biggest stage in the sport with his record-setting week at Augusta. 

Jimmie Johnson gets 5th Sprint Cup win at Texas.

By STEPHEN HAWKINS (AP Sports Writer)

Jimmie Johnson celebrates winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup auto race at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas, Saturday, April 11, 2015. (AP Photo/Tim Sharp)

Jimmie Johnson was still chasing Jamie McMurray and Kevin Harvick, trying to get back in front as the laps wound down at Texas Motor Speedway.

Then Johnson got the break that led to his fifth NASCAR Sprint Cup victory at the track.

''They slid up high through (Turns) 3 and 4 and left the bottom wide open for me,'' Johnson said. ''I thought I'd at least get (Harvick). When I came off of Turn 4, I was alongside (McMurray).''

Johnson passed both of them, regaining the lead for good with 14 laps left. He held off Harvick and Hendrick Motorsports teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. for his second victory this season - and 72nd of his career.

Harvick, the series points leader who has also won twice this season, had been trying to get around McMurray, who had taken only two tires for the final restart on lap 314 of 334.

Then Harvick went high and scraped the wall with about three laps to go.

''I looked up in the mirror and I saw smoke and sparks,'' Johnson said.

''Just lost a little bit of time and tried to make too much of it up in too many chunks, and about spun out and got in the fence trying to make up ground,'' Harvick said. ''All in all, it was a lot of fun. Fun to race that way.''

Johnson led nine times for 128 laps. He also won in November at Texas, where all four of his previous wins had been in fall races.

The runner-up finish for Harvick comes after he was eighth in Martinsville in the last Cup race two weeks ago. That ended his run of eight consecutive races finishing first or second, the longest such stretch since Richard Petty did it 11 times in a row in 1975.

''I'm not disappointed at all, racing for wins is what we're here to do,'' said Harvick, who led 96 of the 334 laps but is without a win in 25 Texas starts. ''Nothing at all to hang your head about.''

This was the fifth time in Johnson's last seven starts at the 1 1/2-mile, high-banked track that he led at least 100 laps. This is fourth win in the span that also includes a runner-up finish in the spring race three years ago.

Earnhardt, with his third third-place finish this season, gave Chevrolet a sweep of the top three spots in the first Sprint Cup night race this season. But he was disappointed with one move that he didn't make that could have made the night even better.

''I had Harvick cleared off two. I had passed him on the bottom,'' Earnhardt said. ''I still had Jimmie behind me at that point, and I should have pulled up in front of Kevin and made it a little more difficult on him. We weren't as good as the 48 (Johnson) or the 4 (Harvick) early in the race, but we definitely improved it.''

Team Penske rounded out the top five in a pair of Fords, with defending race winner Joey Logano finishing fourth and Brad Keselowski fifth.

Harvick, Logano and Martin Truex Jr., who finished ninth, are the only drivers to finish in the top 10 in all seven races this season. Keselowski got his sixth top 10.

Jeff Gordon, who in his last full season, is the only driver who has started all 29 Sprint Cup races at Texas since the track opened in 1997. He finished seventh after starting 12th.

Gordon won the 2009 spring race at Texas, where he has 12 top-10 finishes. It is also the only track in his 768 career races where he has finished 43rd - last in the field - and it did that twice, in 1999 and again in 2008.

Unlike after Johnson's win in November, the only postrace fireworks this time were in the sky.

There was late contact between Keselowski and Gordon in the race five months ago. That led to a post-race melee on pit road involving both of their teams, a fracas that broke out after Harvick pushed Keselowski into the fray.

Harvick, who led only eight laps his first 24 Texas starts, led the first 33 laps. Kurt Busch, his Stewart-Haas Racing teammate and the polesitter, combined to lead the first 79 laps before Gordon passed Busch, who wound up 14th.

The only other driver with more than two Cup wins at Texas is Carl Edwards, a three-time winner. He finished 10th, ending his career-long streak of eight consecutive finishes outside the top 10. It was his first top 10 for Joe Gibbs Racing.

Hinchcliffe wins chaotic, caution-filled inaugural IndyCar GP of Louisiana.

By Tony DiZinno

James Hinchcliffe emerged victorious from the chaotic, caution-filled and time-shortened Verizon IndyCar Series’ inaugural Indy Grand Prix of Louisiana, Round 2 of the season.

Unofficially, there were only 31 minutes of green flag time in 105 minutes (one hour, 45 minutes) of racing.

The race ended under its sixth full-course caution, with Hinchcliffe finishing ahead of Helio Castroneves, James Jakes, Simona de Silvestro and pole sitter Juan Pablo Montoya.  This is Hinchcliffe’s fourth-career win and first since Iowa in 2013.

Hinchcliffe played an off-sequence strategy to perfection in the No. 5 Arrow/Lucas Oil Schmidt Peterson Honda after starting 16th, having pitted on Lap 13.
 Montoya led most of the opening stint, but wasn’t the dominant story.

On off-sequence strategies, the order changed when Hinchcliffe led Carlos Huertas, Castroneves, Jakes, Tony Kanaan and de Silvestro as of Lap 35 in the originally scheduled 75-lap race.

But time was an issue and the storyline throughout the race. The race was set for 75 laps, or 105 minutes (one hour, 45 minutes), whichever comes first. The halfway mark was to come at Lap 38, and the 53-minute mark.

After the opening 15 laps, full-course cautions became the constant from Lap 16.
The first yellow flew when Gabby Chaves spun in Turn 4, got stuck, and then got pushed back onto course by an apparent corner worker in a white shirt. Chaves, in the No. 98 Bowers & Wilkins/Curb Honda, promptly stopped on course shortly thereafter, and it spawned several memes on Twitter (see first and second examples of such, linked here).

Shortly after the first restart there was more carnage when Jack Hawksworth crashed in Turn 13 trying to avoid a spinning Jakes. Contact also occurred between Castroneves and Francesco Dracone.

“I was right behind him, he was really struggling. He spun on the last corner and I had nowhere to go,” Hawksworth told NBCSN’s Robin Miller. “What can you do?

There’s nothing to say about that, other than wrong place, wrong time.”

Things got worse during the caution when Dracone spun in the pits and contacted his own crewmember. Todd Phillips, crew chief/outside front tire changer for his Dale Coyne Racing car, was being treated in care center for a cut to lower right leg.

The next restart occurred on Lap 28, but another yellow flew almost immediately when Stefano Coletti had a massive spin and shunt on the front straight. Coletti smacked into an armco barrier just past an opening but somehow, despite ruining the rear wing assembly, managed to keep going.

The yellows continued with Sage Karam causing two in a row, the first on Lap 32 being stuck in the gravel at Turn 5, and the second on Lap 41 when he stopped on course at Turn 13.

In-between the two incidents, a restart got delayed again when Huertas spun exiting Turn 13 while running second.

The final caution occurred following a multiple car accident on Lap 43, following another restart, when Ryan Hunter-Reay squeezed Simon Pagenaud off track entering Turn 4. Pagenaud then careened across the road, back into Hunter-Reay and Sebastien Bourdais. Each had varying opinions of the accident.

The last of these incidents is under review and subject to a post-race penalty.

Still, it ensured the race ended under yellow, which was perhaps a fitting end to the afternoon.

RESULTS

Results Sunday of the Indy Grand Prix of Louisiana Verizon IndyCar Series event at the 2.74 mile NOLA Motorsports Park, with order of finish, starting position in parentheses, driver, chassis-engine, laps completed and reason out (if any):

  1. (16) James Hinchcliffe, Dallara-Honda, 47, Running
  2. (4) Helio Castroneves, Dallara-Chevy, 47, Running
  3. (22) James Jakes, Dallara-Honda, 47, Running
  4. (18) Simona de Silvestro, Dallara-Honda, 47, Running
  5. (1) Juan Pablo Montoya, Dallara-Chevy, 47, Running
  6. (3) Tony Kanaan, Dallara-Chevy, 47, Running
  7. (2) Will Power, Dallara-Chevy, 47, Running
  8. (11) Graham Rahal, Dallara-Honda, 47, Running
  9. (12) Josef Newgarden, Dallara-Chevy, 47, Running
10. (9) Luca Filippi, Dallara-Chevy, 47, Running
11. (15) Scott Dixon, Dallara-Chevy, 47, Running
12. (14) Carlos Munoz, Dallara-Honda, 47, Running
13. (10) Marco Andretti, Dallara-Honda, 47, Running
14. (21) Charlie Kimball, Dallara-Chevy, 47, Running
15. (17) Gabby Chaves, Dallara-Honda, 46, Running
16. (24) Carlos Huertas, Dallara-Honda, 46, Running
17. (20) Stefano Coletti, Dallara-Chevy, 44, Running
18. (19) Sage Karam, Dallara-Chevy, 44, Running
19. (7) Ryan Hunter-Reay, Dallara-Honda, 43, Contact
20. (5) Simon Pagenaud, Dallara-Chevy, 43, Contact
21. (6) Sebastien Bourdais, Dallara-Chevy, 43, Contact
22. (13) Takuma Sato, Dallara-Honda, 39, Contact
23. (23) Francesco Dracone, Dallara-Honda, 23, Contact
24. (8) Jack Hawksworth, Dallara-Honda, 19, Contact

Race Statistics

Winners average speed: 71.995

Time of Race: 01:47:19.4896

Margin of victory: Under caution

Cautions: 6 for 25 laps

Lead changes: 3 among 3 drivers

Lap Leaders:

Montoya 1-13

Castroneves 14

Montoya 15-32

Hinchcliffe 33-47

Point Standings:  Montoya 84, Castroneves 74, Power 70, Hinchcliffe 65, Kanaan 63, de Silvestro 44, Jakes 43, Rahal 43, Filippi 42, Pagenaud 41.

MLS: Fire vs. Impact match moved from April 18 to Sept. 23.

By Danny Michallik

After hitting their stride in recent weeks with two wins on the bounce, the Chicago Fire will have to find a way to sustain their momentum while facing back-to-back bye weeks. 

On Saturday, Major League Soccer announced that the Men in Red's road match against the Montreal Impact originally scheduled for April 18 will now take place at Stade Saputo on Sept. 23. 

The match was rescheduled to give the Montreal Impact maximum time to prepare for the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions League Final against Club America at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on April 22.

 

Saturday's announcement marks the second time in just over two weeks that Yallop's side was forced into making a schedule change. The Fire were originally slated to play the New England Revolution at Gillette Stadium on April 15, but the match has since been moved to June 13.

 

The Men in Red return to action on Friday, April 24 when they host New York City FC at Toyota Park at 7 p.m. CT.

Klinsmann names 22 man roster for USMNT friendly vs. Mexico.

By Kyle Lynch

Jurgen Klinsmann

The match may be a friendly, but the result means everything when the United States faces Mexico.

Jurgen Klinsmann has named his 22-man roster for Wednesday night’s match in San Antonio, which features 13 players from Major League Soccer.

Missing from the roster are two key names, Clint Dempsey and Jozy Altidore. Dempsey did not feature in the Sounders loss to Los Angeles while resting a hamstring injury, and Altidore is serving a suspension from his red card last month against Switzerland.

The side also features five players from Mexico’s Liga MX, including Joe Corona and Michael Orozco. It’s a roster heavy with North American-based players, limiting the travel necessary for the players to get to the Alamodome.

Only two players will be flying in from Europe, as DeAndre Yedlin has made the roster following his debut for Tottenham Hotspur over the weekend. Julian Green will also make the trip from Germany, though the 19-year-old has struggled on his loan spell at Hamburg.

Despite what anyone says, a loss to Mexico would be tough for the USMNT, even if the match is a friendly. Check out the full roster below, and stay up-to-date with all the latest news and coverage for USA vs. Mexico right here on PST.

Goalkeepers: Bill Hamid (D.C. United), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake), William Yarbrough (Club Leon)

Defenders: Ventura Alvarado (Club America), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), Brad Evans (Seattle Sounders FC), Greg Garza (Club Tijuana), Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy), Michael Orozco (Puebla), Brek Shea (Orlando City SC), DeAndre Yedlin (Tottenham Hotspur)

Midfielders: Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Joe Corona (Club Tijuana), Mix Diskerud (New York City FC), Miguel Ibarra (Minnesota United FC), Lee Nguyen (New England Revolution)

Forwards: Juan Agudelo (New England Revolution), Julian Green (Hamburg), Jordan Morris (Stanford University), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes), Gyasi Zardes (LA Galaxy)

Three things we learned from Manchester United's big win vs. Manchester City.

By Joe Prince-Wright

Following Manchester United’s 4-2 win against Manchester City at Old Trafford on Sunday, the Red Devils took a huge step to securing a place in the top three in the Premier League and humbled their “noisy neighbors” in the process.

United’s derby day success was their first in five attempts with the red half of Manchester rejoicing. Two goals from Sergio Aguero did little to paper over the severe cracks in City’s display.

Here’s three things we learned from the pulsating encounter.

Fellaini’s fine form; United only needs one striker

Marouane Fellaini was the best player on the pitch on Sunday as the Belgian continues to keep the likes of Angel Di Maria and Radamel Falcao out of the team. On this showing, it’s easy to see why. Fellaini has now scored four goals in his last four games for United and Belgium and his role in-behind Rooney and drifting out to the left flank dragged City’s midfield all over the place. Yaya Toure didn’t know whether or not to track Fellaini out wide and the Belgian striker peeled off City’s full backs time and time again to win headers easily. He headed plenty of balls back into dangerous errors and then in the 27th minute he headed in at the back post to put United 2-1 up and give them a lead they would never relinquish. Fellaini is now playing in a similar role to his days at Everton in what has become a 4-1-4-1 formation as he, Ashley Young, Juan Mata and Ander Herrera tore City apart. Fellaini, Mata and Young all scored, as Wayne Rooney lead the line superbly and had plenty of support from the aforementioned trio whenever he held the ball up. If their attacking midfielders perform like this, United only need one striker.

Pellegrini may not have long left

City’s wonderful start blew the match wide-open and it was easy to see why Manuel Pellegrini reverted to a 4-5-1 formation for this match. Pellegrini has been persevering with a 4-4-2 formation for much of the second half of the season but a return to three central midfielders allowed the likes of David Silva, James Milner and Jesus Navas to create. Taking the lead early on through Aguero was as good as it got for the Citizens as United blew them away and delivered a damaging defeat which could end Pellegrini’s reign at the Etihad. In truth, the axe has been hovering over his head for quite some time.

Yes, he delivered the Premier League trophy in his first season in England but since January tactical ineptitude coupled with an ageing team — who are on a downward spiral after four defeats in their last six matches — is enough to suggest Pellegrini’s time at City is almost up. The debate about who could replace him has suggested Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti are the leading candidates but both are in charge of European superpowers, while City demise in recent weeks has proven they are a long way off that. A massive rebuild is needed this summer at City but a woeful derby display could be one of the key factors which means someone other than Pellegrini will lead a new-look City next season.

Attack, attack, attack

Both sides aren’t blessed with wonderful defenders so all-out attack was the only real option on Sunday and six goals poured in with plenty of chances going begging too. City went for it early on and could have been 2-0 up had Navas taken a glorious chance, but then United woke up after going behind and roared forward. With neither team possessing title hopes, this was a game with little to lose. Second-place is the prize on offer for United, Arsenal and City as Chelsea runaway with the title but the Red Devils may disagree as they still have to play Chelsea away but a nine-point deficit with six games to go is too big of a gap to make up. However after a sixth-straight wins, United are building up momentum and confidence ahead of what should be a summer of heavy spending in pursuit of a first Premier League title since 2013.

This trend of all-out attack will continue in the PL between now and the end of the season as teams have nothing to lose by throwing caution to the wind. United won the battle of the attacks on Sunday.

 

Record 7 Kentucky players off to NBA draft.

By GARY B. GRAVES

From left, Kentucky NCAA college basketball players Willie Cauley-Stein, Andrew Harrison, Trey Lyles, Dakari Johnson, Devon Booker, Karl-Anthony Towns and Aaron Harrison stand during a news conference where they announced their intent to place their names in the NBA draft at the Joe Craft Center, Thursday, April 9, 2015, in Lexington, Ky. (AP Photo/James Crisp)

A record seven players are leaving a mighty Kentucky team after a season that fell two wins short of a championship. They can look forward to a possible reunion in a couple of months at the NBA draft.

The soon-to-be-former Wildcats gathered at their practice gym and said they will turn pro: 7-footers Willie Cauley-Stein and Dakari Johnson, twin guards Andrew and Aaron Harrison, freshman forwards Karl-Anthony Towns and Trey Lyles and freshman backup guard Devin Booker.

The exodus, which featured Kentucky's top seven scorers, could have been even greater.

''If Alex Poythress doesn't get hurt, it would've been eight,'' coach John Calipari said, referring to the junior forward who sustained a season-ending torn knee ligament in December.

Such exits have become the norm in Lexington, a one-and-done environment where players and the program thrive despite single-season stays. Calipari has developed 19 NBA draft picks, including 15 first-round selections and two No. 1 overall picks.

The 6-11 Towns could be the first player chosen overall on June 25. Cauley-Stein and Lyles could soon follow, with both projected as possible lottery selections. Booker is also a potential first-rounder, with the rest projected to go in the second.

That draft forecast persuaded them to take the next step in moves that had been long expected since their campus arrivals.

''It was a tough decision for all of us, but we wanted to chase our dreams,'' Aaron Harrison said.

Seated before a backdrop of blown-up trading cards of recent Wildcats standouts now in the NBA, Kentucky's largest group of would-be pros explained their decisions. Calipari joined them after saying this week that five to seven players could enter.

Confirmation was more visual than verbal, with Calipari asking those who were leaving to stand. After they all looked at each other and hesitated, they stood up to applause before answering questions on the podium and then separately.

This year's team made a determined run at history with a school-record 38-game winning streak that kept them ranked No. 1 all season. They were the prohibitive favorites to win title No. 9 and become the first unbeaten champions since Indiana in 1976.

Then came Saturday night's 71-64 loss to Wisconsin in the Final Four. That immediately raised the question of how many Wildcats would be leaving. After all, many of them surprised Calipari and others last spring by deciding to return for second and even third seasons in an effort to win a championship and improve their draft stock.

''Now, it's about each individual making the decision,'' Calipari said, ''not based on what's right for this university, not based on what's right for me and our staff, but what's right for them and their families.''

The gamble appears to have worked out for players such as Cauley-Stein, who chose to return for his junior season after missing last year's title game with an ankle injury in the NCAA Tournament. The quick, agile shot-blocking threat was among the country's best and now stands to make millions as a possible lottery pick along with Towns.

''Basketball happened to be the last thing I played, but now I get a chance to be in the league,'' he said. ''I get a chance to take a step forward and do something I've been dreaming about since I was 7 years old and pretending that I'm playing against Tim Duncan. You grow up dreaming and you get a chance to do it. It's a wonderful feeling.''

Though Calipari now has to hit the recruiting trail to replenish half his roster, the outlook seems bright with the return of 5-9 guard Tyler Ulis, 6-9 forward Marcus Lee and possibly the 6-8 Poythress, who the coach said will talk with his family about his future. Kentucky also has three top recruits coming in.

That means Kentucky could be right back in the mix next spring, though it will indeed be hard to top what these Wildcats built.

''I'm so happy with this moment,'' Towns said, ''not just for myself, but for the other ones that they get to chase their dreams also.''

Riley amazed as 76,000-plus show up for Huskers' spring game.

By ERIC OLSON

According to the school fight song, there is no place like Nebraska.

Mike Riley had to agree Saturday when he came out of the tunnel and saw 76,881 fans waiting to watch his first Red-White game as the Cornhuskers' coach.

''I think I have been in an environment like that - but not even close for a spring game,'' he said. ''That's what really separates it. I don't want to overdo it. I've been around lots of really good fans at all the places I've been. The people here think we have the greatest fans in college football, and I think they're out to prove it all the time.''

The Red squad, stacked with most of the experienced players, outscored the White 24-15 in front of the second-largest crowd for a spring game at Nebraska. The school record of 80,149 was set in 2008 for Bo Pelini's first spring game.

Riley alternated sidelines and was with the Red team as time ran out. Players doused him with Gatorade.

''That was just a little initiation for Coach Riley,'' linebacker Michael Rose-Ivey said. ''He made it through a spring ball with us, so we figured we would welcome him to the club.''

Some points to ponder coming out of the spring:

QUEUEING UP THE QBS

Tommy Armstrong Jr., who has started 21 games, looks almost certain to keep the job in the new pro-style offense. The spring game did provide some hints about the pecking order after him.

AJ Bush started and played the most for the White squad. He got better with time, but he was intercepted twice and almost picked off another two times. He finished 12 of 22 for 124 yards.

Offensive coordinator Danny Langsdorf said Zack Darlington and Ryker Fyfe also are in contention for the top backup job. Darlington had the best series of the first half, completing a couple short passes and breaking a 19-yard run before connecting with Jamal Turner for a 29-yard touchdown.

PIERSON-EL THE PLAYMAKER

De'Mornay Pierson-El emerged late last season, and Riley has talked him up all spring. The sophomore receiver went for 12 and 27 yards on fly sweeps and caught three balls for 37 yards, including a 32-yard TD from Armstrong. He also ran back a punt 46 yards and would have scored if punter Sam Foltz hadn't stopped him.

KEEP EYE ON NELSON

Walk-on Jordan Nelson, one of the best special-teams players in 2014, busted a 22-yard run against the No. 1 defense and went 52 yards for a touchdown on a catch-and-run against backups.

FRESHMAN IMPRESSES

Dedrick Young, a freshman linebacker from Peoria, Arizona, who arrived on campus in January, made six tackles. ''He probably should be at his prom today,'' defensive coordinator Mark Banker said, laughing. ''He needs to be on the field.''

FOLTZ A WEAPON

Foltz got off a 59-yard punt and averaged 45 yards on three kicks. ''I've coached three NFL punters, four counting the one when I was in the NFL,'' Riley said, ''and he might be as consistent as any of them I've been around.''

Providence downs Boston University for first national title in hockey 4-3.

By Chris Peters

Providence players celebrate their 4-3 victory as Boston University forwards Cason Hohmann (7) and Ahti Oksanen (2) skate off after the NCAA men's Frozen Four hockey championship game in Boston, Saturday, April 11, 2015. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

No matter who won the 2015 NCAA national championship hockey, it was going to be a storybook ending. It was either to be the culmination of a resurgent season for one of college hockey's proudest programs in Boston University or the first title for an underdog that few had given a chance. Everyone loves an underdog and Providence College delivered the Cinderella story.

Providence is national champion in hockey for the first time in the program's long history after dropping BU 4-3 in the national championship game in Boston.

The program has boasted numerous All-Americans, Hobey Baker candidates and future NHL players over their illustrious history, which began in 1926. Saturday night, however, is the shining moment for Providence Hockey, built by head coach Nate Leaman and a group of players that believed in his vision.

Providence was led to the title by goaltender Jon Gillies, a Calgary Flames draft pick and perhaps the most significant recruit Leaman coached at Providence. Three straight years of great performances from Gillies and a career save percentage just north of .930 helped bring the program to this point.

In the end, it was the bounce of the puck that helped Providence achieve its ultimate goal of bringing the program's first nation title. With the Friars trailing 3-2 late in the third period, Kyle McKenzie's seemingly harmless dump-in got caught up in the pads of BU goaltender Matt O'Connor who couldn't find it. By the time he knew where the puck was, it was already over the goal line, tying the score and leaving the higher-seeded Terriers in shock.

Just 2:19 later, Brandon Tanev collected the puck off the faceoff and found himself alone in the slot. He fired a shot that glanced off O'Connor's shoulder and into the upper-right corner of the net. That made it 4-3 with 6:17 to play.

After that, Providence shut the door on a BU team that had poured 40 shots on net over the first two periods and just 12 in the third. Gillies finished the night and most likely his collegiate career with 49 saves to secure the title for the Friars in the 4-3 win.

The biggest story coming into the game was Hobey Baker Award winner and future top-two NHL draft pick Jack Eichel who had 70 points to lead the nation. Providence held him to one assist despite allowing six shots on net to college hockey's best player. He is likely to be in the NHL next season, which means he will finish his collegiate career with 71 points in 40 games. It was a brilliant showing for the 18-year-old All that was missing was the fairy tale ending.

Hockey is a funny game and that's especially true in the college ranks. Anything can and often will happen, but that's what makes it great. Providence won the title despite coming in as the 15th of 16 seeds in the national tournament. They might have gotten a friendly bounce here or there, but in the end it was a title earned over nearly 90 years of varsity hockey by the right group at the right time.

On This Date in Sports History: Today is Monday, April 13, 2015.

Memoriesofhistory.com

1954 - Hank Aaron debuted with the Milwaukee Braves.

1957 - The Boston Celtics won their first NBA Championship. They beat the St. Louis Hawks 125-123 in Game 7.

1963 - The New York Mets played their first home game. The game was played at the Polo Grounds.

1963 - Pete Rose (Cincinnati Reds) got his first hit in the major leagues.

1972 - Major league baseball owners and players agreed to not make up the games lost to the players strike. It was the first strike in the history of major league baseball. Players had walked off the field 13 days earlier.

1979 - The world's longest doubles ping-pong match ended after 101 hours.

1985 - Howard Cosell was a guest on "Saturday Night Live."

1986 - Jack Nicklaus, at age 46, won his sixth Masters.

1997 - Eldrick "Tiger" Woods became the youngest and the first African-American person to win the Masters Tournament at the age of 21. He also set a record when he finished at 18 under par with a tournament-record score of 270.

2002 - Barry Bonds hit his 574th career home run. He moved past Harmon Killebrew and into sixth place.

2003 - Mike Weir became the first Canadian to win the Masters Tournament.

2009 - The New York Mets opened the season at their new stadium, Citi Field.

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