Mickey Togs

Michigan won its second national championship in men’s college basketball, defeating Connecticut 69-63 on Monday in Indianapolis in the title game.

After a 31-3 regular season, the Wolverines were dominant during their tournament run, winning each of their first five games by double digits. Michigan’s average margin of victory in the NCAA Tournament before Monday was 21.6 points.

“It still doesn’t feel real,” Wolverines head coach Dusty May said during the trophy presentation. “These guys have done it all year.”

The Wolverines proved to be too physical for the Huskies in the championship matchup. Michigan shot 28 free throws, compared with only 16 for Connecticut. The Wolverines also dominated inside, outscoring the Huskies in the paint 36 to 22.

Junior guard Elliot Cadeau led Michigan with 19 points. Senior forward Yaxel Lendeborg had 13, while sophomore forward Morez Johnson Jr. added 12. Though UConn cut the deficit to as little as four in the final minute, the Wolverines largely controlled the action, leading for 75% of the game.

Clay Holmes and Tobias Myers combined on a three-hitter and the New  York Mets beat the San Francisco Giants 9-0 on Saturday night.

Holmes (2-0) matched his career high with seven innings and allowed only one runner past first base. The right-hander gave up three hits and had four strikeouts with two walks.

Myers retired the final six batters in order for the Mets’ first shutout of the season.

Mark Vientos had three hits, and Tyrone Taylor hit a pinch three-run homer and drove in four runs. Marcus Semien, Bo Bichette and Brett Baty each had two hits.

Major League Baseball’s pitch clock was no match for the New York Yankees and Miami Marlins.

New York’s 9-7 win Saturday night lasted 3 hours, 49 minutes, the longest nine-inning game since the pitch clock was instituted for the 2023 season, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

MLB had not had a nine-inning game that long since Boston’s 13-9 with over Baltimore went 3:57 on Sept. 27, 2022, according to Elias.

The previous high for a nine-inning game since the pitch clock started in 2023 was 3:45 for the Oakland Athletics’ 7-6 win at the New York Mets on Aug. 15, 2024.

New York and Miami combined for 379 pitches by 13 pitchers, and Marlins pitchers walked 10, increasing their total to 21 in the first two games of the series. There were 21 runners left on base, including 12 by Miami.