Los Angeles, Boston welcome men’s Sweet 16. Plus, top stories as MLB opens in the US
The men’s Sweet 16 tips off in Los Angeles, Boston
The first half of the men’s Sweet 16 will face off on opposite coasts.
No. 6 Clemson will face No. 2 Arizona in Los Angeles. Arizona heads to Los Angeles hoping to punch a ticket to the Elite 8, with a shot at the program’s first Final Four appearance since 2001. This will be Clemson’s fifth venture to the Sweet 16 (although one was vacated by the NCAA), the last one taking place in 2018. The Tigers made the Elite 8 in 1980. Here’s a look at how unsung heroes will impact the game.
They are joined on the west coast by No. 4 Alabama and No. 1 North Carolina, where one of the biggest storylines is what could come. If UNC and Arizona win, North Carolina will face former-Tar Heels star Caleb Love in what would be a highly-anticipated Elite 8 matchup. Here’s a look at other top stories surrounding the Tar Heels game in Los Angeles.
Over on the east coast, No. 5 San Diego State is looking for revenge against No. 1 UConn. It’s been less than a year since the Aztecs lost to the Huskies in the national championship, making the team hungry for some payback. Aside from SDSU’s hopes for revenge, UConn has another thing working against them: no defending champion has made it to the Elite 8 since 2007.
Finally, No. 3 Illinois will face No. 2 Iowa State. Iowa State is looking for their first Elite 8 appearance since 2000, but they will have to get through Terrance Shannon Jr., who is 6-0 against the Cyclones. Plus, the fighting Illni are riding a six-game winning streak heading into today’s Sweet 16 matchup.
The rest of the men’s teams will hit the court on Friday, which is the same day that the women’s Sweet 16 tips off.
It’s Opening Day (in the US) for Major League Baseball
After officially opening the season in Seoul, South Korea, MLB’s US Opening Day is today, with a full schedule of games. Here’s a look at a few top stories as the season kicks off:
- Will the Texas Rangers repeat? They’d be the first team to do it since the 1998-2000 Yankees. They did lose one of their starting pitchers, Jordan Montgomery, to their World Series opponent, the Arizona Diamondbacks. The D-Backs are hoping to prove that their 2023 season was not just a fluke.
- The Dodgers split the two opening games in Seoul with the San Diego Padres, as the drama with Shohei Ohtani and his now-former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara was only getting underway. Mizuhara is accused of stealing millions from Ohtani to cover gambling debts, which Ohtani is denying any involvement with. Ohtani will not pitch this season, as the two-way star is recovering from elbow surgery, but he is expected to DH. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Angels, Ohtani’s former team, will look for a way to move on without the Japanese phenom.
- The New York Yankees will start their season without ace Gerrit Cole, but despite an earlier scan on his abdomen, captain Aaron Judge will be in the lineup on opening day, along with the rest of the power-hitting trio, Giancarlo Stanton and offseason addition Juan Soto.
Read the last edition of The Scorecard here.
This story was originally published March 28, 2024 at 3:31 PM.