Michigan men's basketball is off to a strong start against No. 1 Arizona in the Final Four, but the Wolverines have lost a big part of their scoring.

Wolverines forward Yaxel Lendeborg limped off the court at Lucas Oil Stadium and headed immediately into the tunnel in the first half to get tended to by Michigan's medical staff. He appeared to have twisted his ankle on the previous play after stepping on the foot of Wildcats forward Motiejus Krivas while going to the basket for a layup. The broadcast later added that his knee was hurt on the play as well.

REQUIRED READING: Michigan vs Arizona basketball live updates, Final Four game score, highlights

He is dealing with a sprained MCL of his left knee and an injured ankle, per CBS Sports' Tracy Wolfson, who spoke with Michigan basketball head athletic trainer Chris Williams during halftime. Lendeborg also received ice to numb the pain and a massage in the Wolverines' locker room.

Here's the play that Lendeborg appears to have been injured on at the 8:51 mark of the first half:

Yaxel Lendeborg is in some discomfort after this drive pic.twitter.com/1wBSI4B33X

— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) April 5, 2026

The absence of Lendeborg, who picked up two fouls fewer than 90 seconds into the game, was immediately felt by the Wolverines, as the Wildcats went on a quick 9-0 run to get themselves back in the game. Michigan would then take over the game to build a 16-point halftime lead over Arizona.

He exited the game with five points on 1-of-2 shooting from the field to go along with a rebound and a steal. He was back on the court with the Wolverines' starting lineup to start the second half, and immediately hit back-to-back 3-pointers on his first two shot attempts.

Here's the latest on Lendeborg's injury:

Yaxel Lendeborg on injury

On the court for post-game interviews, Lendeborg talked about the extent of injury and committed to playing unless he "can't walk at all."

"it's a weird feeling to have the pain that I'm having right now, I've never experienced it before," he said. "So um, coach said at worst it's an MCL sprain and obviously I rolled my ankle so I mean just that. But I'm gonna push through there's no way I'm missing (the) game on Monday night no matter what goes on. So I'm gonna play unless I can't walk at all."

Lendeborg returns to Michigan bench

With 5:15 left, Lendeborg heads back to the Michigan bench with a big smile. It's unknown if that's a wrap on him for this game, but his teammates should be able to close the game from here.

Lendeborg checks back in with seven minutes left

Lendeborg returns to the court with about seven minutes left. Wolfson reports he turned to family and friends and said "I have to" before entering.

Lendeborg riding bicycle near Michigan bench

Lendeborg is subbed out of the game at the 13:02 mark of the second half and immediately heads to the stationary bicycle near the Wolverines' bench. In an additional report, Wolfson mentioned that Michigan athletic trainer Chris Williams and team doctor said it was up to Lendeborg to play in the second half.

Lendeborg dealing with MCL sprain, ankle injury

According to Wolfson, Lendeborg is dealing with a sprained MCL and an injured ankle. As he continues to try to contribute in any way he can, he is clearly hobbled on the floor.

.@tracywolfson reports that Yaxel Lendeborg is dealing with a MCL sprain and an ankle injury

He is giving it a go in the 2nd half pic.twitter.com/IwxO1wlDGL

— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) April 5, 2026

Lendeborg starting second half

Lendeborg will take the floor for Michigan with a brace and two fouls, as he tries to play through his injury. How effective he is remains to be seen.

Lendeborg warming up, lightly jogging

Ahead of the second half against Arizona, Lendeborg took the floor and tried to walk the floor a bit, not putting much pressure on his leg. He then tried some light jogging, and joined the Michigan huddle as the team convened before taking the floor.

Yaxel Lendeborg injury update

Lendeborg appeared to twist his left ankle after going up for a layup at the 8:51 mark of the first half against Arizona in the Final Four.

As noted by Tony Garcia of the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network, Lendeborg screamed and slapped his hands onto the floor of the court after landing awkwardly on his ankle before taking his two free throw attempts.

Yaxel screamed and slapped his hands on the ground after coming down awkwardly on that layup attempt. He hits both FT.

Michigan 28, Arizona 14, 8:51 left 1H pic.twitter.com/CUXUVBd6Kj

— Tony Garcia | Detroit Free Press (@RealTonyGarcia) April 5, 2026

After Lendeborg hit both free throws, Michigan coach Dusty May took his veteran forward off the court. Lendeborg then immediately went into the tunnel to go back to the locker room to be looked at by members of the Wolverines' medical staff.

Later, it was reported that he also injured his knee on the play. The extent of the injury is unclear.

Here's a look Lendeborg initially heading back to the locker room:

Yaxel Lendeborg heading back to the locker room

"Yaxel Lendeborg is getting ice, and he's getting his ankle re-taped and should be back out here as soon as they can complete that." -- @tracywolfsonpic.twitter.com/sRbEhOyCAQ

— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) April 5, 2026

Lendeborg was shown on the TBS broadcast at the 6:06 mark of the first half coming out of the locker room tunnel, walking gingerly back to the Michigan bench with a towel over his head. However, his presence on the Wolverines bench was short-lived, as he was brought back into the locker room. He was seen with a brace on his knee.

"It is the same ankle that he injured in the Big Ten tournament," Wolfson said in an additional report. She also reported that Michigan will continue to give Lendeborg more treatment in the locker room and then re-evaluate whether he is able to return to the game.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

This story has been updated with new information.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Yaxel Lendeborg injury: What to know of Michigan star's knee, ankle

INDIANAPOLIS – This time, Braylon Mullins didn’t wait for the buzzer.

Less than a week after his memorable heave to beat Duke in the Elite Eight, the Connecticut freshman made a pair from 3-point range in the first three minutes to set the tone for the Huskies’ 71-62 win against Illinois in the Final Four.

“I think it was the flow of the game, but coming into the game I knew I needed to shoot it with confidence coming off last Sunday just to have that flow, that momentum,” Mullins said. “Seeing the first two go in, it just boosts all the confidence for you to keep shooting. I think it just happened within the game.”

Ranking mens basketball's top programs: Is UConn a blue blood? Huskies may be the bluest

His teammates also had a good feeling: “When he hit that first one I kind of knew it was a going to be a good day. Once he hits that first shot and he’s aggressive, he’s kind of unstoppable, to be honest with you,” said junior forward Jaylin Stewart.

“His game’s always on point,” added freshman center Eric Reibe.

With the game still in the balance and the Illini cutting a 14-point deficit to a four-point UConn lead with under a minute to play, Mullins made another 3-pointer from the wing to secure the win and a matchup against the winner of the second national semifinal between No. 1 seeds Michigan and Arizona.

“Really, just since he stepped on campus he’s had such a great maturity to where I just want him to be himself and not let the moment get to you, don’t let any external pressure get to you,” said senior forward Alex Karaban. “Because at the end of the day, everything is amplified here. But you’re just playing basketball.”

Mullins finished with 15 points on 5 of 14 shooting, including 4 of 7 makes from deep. He had been mired in a long shooting slump, making a combined 11 of 59 3-pointers in his past nine games and just 5 of 25 in the Huskies’ first four tournament games.

Again and again this NCAA Tournament, Mullins has proved this stage isn’t too big for him to handle.

“I think he’s one of the best freshmen in the country,” Stewart said. “One of the best players in the country, honestly.”

Even against an opponent from the vaunted Big Ten and with his family in attendance for the national semifinals, the Greenfield, Indiana native remained poised and helped the Huskies stand a win away from the seventh national championship in program history.

“The way he’s playing is phenomenal as a freshman,” said senior guard Malachi Smith. “Braylon doesn’t really talk that much, but he talks to us on the court. And that’s what we need. Even when he’s not hitting shots, that’s what we need. He has the mamba mentality of going to the next play.”

After he was held in check until the final seconds against the Blue Devils, Mullins’ ability to get into a flow in the Final Four helped the Huskies take a 37-29 halftime lead after briefly falling behind 22-21 with seven minutes until the break.

But he went cold coming out of the locker room, missing his first five attempts from the field as the Illini began to cut away at the UConn advantage to make it a 63-59 game with a minute left.

All throughout this season, UConn veterans such as Karaban have preached to Mullins the importance of remaining confident even if his shots aren’t falling. Those lessons have continued to pay off: On the next possession, the soft-spoken freshman drilled his game-clinching jumper.

“You've always got to shoot with confidence,” Mullins said. "The set was going to be run for anybody on the team, you've just got to shoot with confidence. Just trying to find the best look on the floor and I know our point guards are going to get us the ball, so I think that was the biggest shot I hit tonight.”

Overshadowed by this late-game magic are the little things that Mullins continues to do even when his shot isn’t falling, teammates said. In the second half against Illinois, that included a pair of steals that helped the Huskies turn a 44-36 game with 17:08 to play into a 13-point lead just two minutes later.

“He gets it done every night. Even if he’s not hitting shots, he impacts the game in so many ways. He’s just a special player,” Stewart said.

But it’s a cold-blooded scorer that Mullins has played a starring role. Shot by shot, he’s building a postseason résumé full of shining-moment memories that will long outlast what could be a one-and-done run with the Huskies.

“We all know what kind of a shooter he is and what kind of scoring ability he has,” said Reibe. “And we really need his confidence. If we bring that together, we’re going to have a good night on Monday.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Braylon Mullins delivers again for UConn in Final Four win over Illinois

Two years ago, the Detroit Pistons were the laughing stock of the NBA and seemingly without hope. Tonight, they clinched the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.

The Pistons used suffocating second-half defense to easily handle a tired Philadelphia 76ers team en route to an easy 116-93 win. All five Pistons starters scored in double figures, and two bench players joined in on the fun. They were led by Tobias Harris, who was booed lustily by a still-angry Sixers crowd that is apparently mad at Harris for saying yes to a huge contract that Sixers ownership offered him. Apparently, they are still angry Harris was signed to be the third man in Philly and played like a third man in Philly. He scored 19 points and had four steals on the night. He seemed to relish every opportunity to channel those boos into a patented backdown mid-range jumper.

The best player for the Pistons was Daniss Jenkins, who has been on a tear since entering the starting lineup for an injured Cade Cunningham. Jenkins had 16 points, 14 assists, and just one turnover on the night. He hit a bit of the not-quite-rookie wall in February, but he’s clearly on the other side of that. Now, he looks like he will be more than capable of playing critical minutes for a Pistons playoff run.

The game was a bit back and forth, mainly powered by quick scoring bursts on either side. The Pistons were able to get a 10-point lead after the first quarter, but it was quickly erased, with Detroit nursing a 47-45 lead with 8:09 in the second. It was all tied up at 56 with four minutes to play in the second, thanks to a great 18-point first-half permance by Paul George, but Detroit went on yet another run, taking a 71-60 lead into halftime.

The game completely flipped in the third quarter. The Sixers went into a zone at the midway point of the third quarter, and Detroit couldn’t figure it out. Meanwhile, Philly started to show some tired legs, playing its second game in two days, and could do nothing against Detroit’s ferocious defense. Things just got worse in the fourth.

Adam Bona had a tip dunk for the first basket of the final quarter to make the game 95-83 with 11:16 to play. Philly’s next point came with 5:11 remaining in the game. Not basket. Point. Unfortunately, in that stretch, Detroit only managed to score nine points.

Like so many opponents before them, Philadelphia couldn’t handle Detroit’s pressure, couldn’t resist settling for middling shots, and couldn’t find easy paths to the rim or open windows for passes. Detroit just squeezed the life out of them until there was nothing left.

The Pistons, for the most part, had no such issues. Despite a lethargic second half, Detroit shot just under 50% from the floor and 40% from deep. They had 33 assists on 43 made baskets, outscored the Sixers in the paint, on the break, off the bench, and won the rebounding battle.

Despite not having Cade Cunningham, their creator and engine of the offense, the Pistons just don’t have many weaknesses. They are 8-2 since Cunningham went down with a collapsed lung, and their two losses were in overtime to the Oklahoma City Thunder and Atlanta Hawks.

They have 57 wins with four more to play. A team that lost 60-plus games for two consecutive seasons just recently has a chance to win 60 games this season. That would make them just the third Pistons team in franchise history to accomplish the feat. They won 64 under Flip Saunders in 2005-06 and 63 in their NBA title season of 1988-89. This team is special.

DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic had 40 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds, Christian Braun added 21 points and the Denver Nuggets beat San Antonio 136-134 in overtime Saturday to snap the Spurs’ 11-game winning streak.

Cameron Johnson scored 17, Jamal Murray finished with 15 points and 10 assists and Aaron Gordon scored 15 for the Nuggets.

Gordon scored with 6.2 seconds left in regulation to tie the game, then forced Victor Wembanyama into a miss on the final shot of regulation.

Wembanyama finished with 34 points, 18 rebounds, seven assists and five blocked shots for the Spurs, who lost for only the third time in their last 30 games.

Stephon Castle scored 20 points for San Antonio, while Devin Vassell and Julian Champagnie each scored 18 for the Spurs.

HEAT 152, WIZARDS 136

MIAMI (AP) — Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored 32 points before dashing out to fly to the NCAA women’s basketball title game, Kel’el Ware finished with 24 points, 19 rebounds and seven blocks, and Miami rolled past Washington.

Bam Adebayo — who scored 83 points in Miami’s last game with Washington — faced a triple-team on his first possession and scored 14 for Miami. Andrew Wiggins had 21 and Pelle Larsson scored 16 for the Heat. Adebayo also had nine rebounds and seven assists.

Miami reached 150 points for the third time in franchise history. It scored 153 against New Orleans last April 11 — and finished with 150 against the Wizards in Adebayo’s 83-point night on March 10.

Will Riley scored 31 for Washington, which has reached the 60-loss mark for the third straight season. Sharife Cooper scored 20 for the Wizards, who trailed by as many as 35 at one point.

PISTONS 116, 76ERS 93

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Tobias Harris scored 19 points, and Daniss Jenkins added 16 points and 14 assists as Detroit beat Philadelphia to clinch the top seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

The last time the Pistons (56-21) were the top seed in the East was in 2006-07. They have already clinched the Central Division title for the first time since 2007-08.

Jalen Duren added 16 points and seven rebounds, and Ausar Thompson had 14 points for the Pistons, who have won 12 of their last 15 games.

Both Duren (illness) and Harris (left knee contusion) had been listed as questionable. The Pistons are 8-2 in the 10 games that Cade Cunningham has missed with a collapsed left lung.

Tyrese Maxey led the 76ers with 23 points. Paul George scored 20 points, and VJ Edgecombe added 19. George has averaged 25.8 points in six games since returning from a 25-game suspension for violating the league’s drug policy.

Miles McBride is against the clock to get back to his best before the postseason starts. 

He’s played three games now after missing the previous 28 following surgery to repair a sports hernia. It’s imperative across these last four regular-season games that he gets back as close to how he was playing before the surgery. 

McBride was enjoying a career-year before being sidelined, averaging 12.9 points per game and shooting a stellar 42.0 percent from 3-point range.

He was the Knicks’ most — or joint-most, along with Mitchell Robinson — important contributor off the bench, and also represented one of the Knicks’ best point-of-attack defenders. He had the team’s best net rating at 10.3 points. 

His first two games back, though (losses against the Thunder and Rockets), he struggled with his shot — going a combined 1-for-12 from the field and 1-for-8 from deep.

Then he rested during a win over the Grizzlies, and in Friday’s rout of the Bulls, he took all 3-pointers and went 2-for-4, representing a step in the right direction. 

Having been out so long, what’s the toughest part of getting back up to speed? 

“Everything, honestly,” McBride said. “It’s a tough thing to be out so long, having a surgery in the middle of the season.”

There was also a brief concern of a setback — during that Thunder game, McBride played just 11 minutes before aggravating the injury while diving for a loose ball. He grabbed at his groin area, limped into the locker room and did not return. 

But the worst fears were avoided when he was able to return one game later against the Rockets. 

“It’s really just a part of the recovery process,” McBride said. “It’s just kind of like a tweak, and it’s a painful tweak. It’s not necessarily as bad, it’s just sometimes you can’t really do anything about it. 

“It’s like someone stabbing your groin, hip and ab at the same time. It’s not fun. But I’ll get back right.” 

---

During Wednesday’s win over the Grizzlies, OG Anunoby briefly was in some discomfort with his wrist. On the bench, Jordan Clarkson pretended to sprinkle healing dust on Anunoby’s wrist.

Anunoby returned and finished with 25 points. 

“Jordan healed my wrist,” Anunoby said. “It was crazy. I’m very thankful.”

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Tobias Harris scored 19 points, and Daniss Jenkins added 16 points and 14 assists as the Detroit Pistons beat the Philadelphia 76ers 116-93 Saturday night to clinch the top seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

The last time the Pistons (56-21) were the top seed in the East was in 2006-07. They have already clinched the Central Division title for the first time since 2007-08.

Jalen Duren added 16 points and seven rebounds, and Ausar Thompson had 14 points for the Pistons, who have won 12 of their last 15 games.

Both Duren (illness) and Harris (left knee contusion) had been listed as questionable. The Pistons are 8-2 in the 10 games that Cade Cunningham has missed with a collapsed left lung.

Tyrese Maxey led the 76ers with 23 points. Paul George scored 20 points, and VJ Edgecombe added 19. George has averaged 25.8 points in six games since returning from a 25-game suspension for violating the league’s drug policy.

The 76ers played without Joel Embiid, who was ruled out with right oblique injury maintenance/illness in the second half of a back-to-back. The Sixers had won eight of their last 11.

The teams went back and forth in the first half, the Pistons leading by 10 points after one quarter before the 76ers tied the game in the second. A 15-4 run to end the first half gave Detroit control, and the Pistons stretched their lead to 26 points in the second half.

Up next

Pistons: Visit Orlando on Monday.

76ers: Start a three-game trip in San Antonio on Monday.

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

The Washington Wizards had a strong defensive effort, holding Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo to 69 points fewer than he scored the last time these teams faced each other.

Editor’s Note:The Wizards allowed more than 150 points for a second straight game and the 15th time in franchise history.

Kevin’s Note: Hey, their defensive rating was six points per 100 possessions better than their last game — they’re IMPROVING!

Yeah, so it wasn’t a strong defensive effort. In fact, it was a downright lousy one, both in terms of mental and physical, and in terms of execution even when their was good effort. In fairness, I don’t know how anyone could be expected to give all-out effort when everyone knows the team really-really-really wants to lose.

In this one, the game was close through the first quarter before the Heat took control in the second period. The avalanche grew throughout the third quarter with Miami’s lead reaching as a high as 35. Bench clearing and classic slacking off contributed to a phony “comeback” in the fourth, which trimmed the final margin to a semi-respectable (looking) 16 points.

Some positives:

• Another impressive game from Will Riley, who scored 31 points on 12-17 shooting and had 5 steals. He even got a couple buckets using his elongated hesi-dribble. Seriously though, Riley scored in an array of ways, including crafty moves off the bounce to create space, finishing over size, attacking the paint, and hitting catch-and-shoot jumpers.
• Justin Champagnie had 12 points and 10 rebounds in 21 minutes. He shot 4-9 from the field, which is kinda impressive considering three of those misses were blocks by Heat big Kel’el Ware.
• JuJu Reese grabbed nine rebounds in 11 minutes of action.
• Sharife Cooper had 20 points and 7 assists.

Thoughts & Observations

• On the first possession of the game, the Heat went to Bam Adebayo in the post and Washington triple-teamed him — something they didn’t do until the fourth quarter of that 83-point night Adebayo had a few weeks ago.
• A question I jotted several times throughout the watch was why the Wizards kept trying to attack Bam Adebayo and Davion Mitchell in iso situations. These are two of the NBA’s best defenders in those situations, and the Wizards players are not exactly accomplished one-on-one experts. I mean, Mitchell’s nickname is “Off-Night” for a reason. Pick your spots, guys.
• Check out the possession at 6:45 of the first quarter for a demonstration of Riley’s skill and craft. This was the play where he caught the ball in the corner against an aggressive ball-denial effort and went instantly into a spin into a dribble drive that got him a layup. I liked the decisiveness — just an instantaneous attack that left no time for a help defender to get there.
• I remain not a fan of Washington’s penchant for whoever brings the ball up the floor going straight into a jumper after zero passes and running no actions. In transition or a trailing situation, a catch-and-shoot three is a great shot. Maybe this gives me “Old Man Yells At Cloud” status, but in a halfcourt setting against a defense that’s back and matched up, I’d prefer they run something instead of launching immediately.
• Plays like the one at 4:43 of the second quarter are why I still have hope that Bilal Coulibaly can become something special in the relatively near future. On that play, he drove left on Adebayo and got to a soaring lefty finish. It was an impressive play.
• I very much liked the set piece Washington ran to start the second half. Anthony Gill set a pindown for Riley. Bub Carrington then made an “entry” pass to Gill, who followed Riley to the top — kind of a very high horns set — for a “get” action (Carrington followed his pass) dribble hand-off. Because Gill received the “entry” so high, Miami’s Mitchell had to go under the screen, and Carrington was left with a wide open three.

Four Factors

Below are the four factors that decide wins and losses in basketball — shooting (efg), rebounding (offensive rebounds), ball handling (turnovers), fouling (free throws made).

The four factors are measured by:

• eFG% (effective field goal percentage, which accounts for the three-point shot)
• OREB% (offensive rebound percentage)
• TOV% (turnover percentage — turnovers divided by possessions)
• FTM/FGA (free throws made divided by field goal attempts)

FOUR FACTORS	WIZARDS	HEAT	LGAVG
eFG%	55.2%	67.2%	54.5%
OREB%	30.4%	27.0%	26.0%
TOV%	8.3%	12.9%	12.7%
FTM/FGA	0.179	0.290	0.207
PACE	108		99.3
ORTG	125	140	115.7

Stats & Metrics

PPA is my overall production metric, which credits players for things they do that help a team win (scoring, rebounding, playmaking, defending) and dings them for things that hurt (missed shots, turnovers, bad defense, fouls).

PPA is a per possession metric designed for larger data sets. In small sample sizes, the numbers can get weird. In PPA, 100 is average, higher is better and replacement level is 45. For a single game, replacement level isn’t much use, and I reiterate the caution about small samples sometimes producing weird results.

POSS is the number of possessions each player was on the floor in this game.

ORTG = offensive rating, which is points produced per individual possessions x 100. League average so far this season is listed in the Four Factors table above. Points produced is not the same as points scored. It includes the value of assists and offensive rebounds, as well as sharing credit when receiving an assist.

USG = offensive usage rate. Average is 20%. Median so far this season is 17.7%.

ORTG and USG are versions of stats created by former Wizards assistant coach Dean Oliver and modified by me. ORTG is an efficiency measure that accounts for the value of shooting, offensive rebounds, assists and turnovers. USG includes shooting from the floor and free throw line, offensive rebounds, assists and turnovers.

+PTS = “Plus Points” is a measure of the points gained or lost by each player based on their efficiency in this game compared to league average efficiency on the same number of possessions. A player with an offensive rating (points produced per possession x 100) of 100 who uses 20 possessions would produce 20 points. If the league average efficiency is 115, the league — on average — would produced 23.0 points in the same 20 possessions. So, the player in this hypothetical would have a +PTS score of -3.0.

Players are sorted by total production in the game.

WIZARDS	MIN	POSS	ORTG	USG	+PTS	PPA	+/-
Will Riley	37	83	166	18.3%	7.7	203	-3
Sharife Cooper	25	57	145	26.3%	4.3	152	6
Justin Champagnie	21	46	151	21.3%	3.5	182	-12
Jamir Watkins	19	43	172	16.9%	4.0	143	13
Jaden Hardy	25	56	116	24.0%	0.1	101	3
Bilal Coulibaly	25	57	95	21.1%	-2.4	77	-20
Julian Reese	10	24	127	12.4%	0.3	135	5
Anthony Gill	22	50	147	12.1%	1.9	60	-23
Bub Carrington	27	61	87	21.6%	-3.8	31	-25
Tre Johnson	25	57	86	21.9%	-3.7	-20	-17
Leaky Black	4	10	0	7.4%	-0.8	-127	-7

HEAT	MIN	POSS	ORTG	USG	+PTS	PPA	+/-
Kel’el Ware	36	81	156	17.7%	5.7	211	7
Jaime Jaquez Jr.	32	72	148	26.1%	6.2	195	1
Andrew Wiggins	26	59	165	20.0%	5.8	189	24
Bam Adebayo	24	55	149	20.1%	3.6	166	25
Davion Mitchell	26	58	144	15.9%	2.6	138	19
Pelle Larsson	24	54	115	26.0%	-0.1	112	27
Kasparas Jakucionis	28	63	120	22.6%	0.6	91	-2
Simone Fontecchio	19	43	174	11.3%	2.8	132	12
Dru Smith	12	27	119	17.2%	0.2	135	-15
Keshad Johnson	1	1	251	18.0%	0.3	555	1
Nikola Jovic	13	29	103	16.5%	-0.6	19	-19

Dan Hurley led UConn to its third Men's NCAA Tournament championship game appearance in the last four seasons after the Huskies' 71-62 Final Four win vs. Illinois on Saturday, April 4.

But before he could even get off the court at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Saturday, the two-time national championship coach was booed by fans in the stands.

"Are they booing?" Hurley said halfway through a response to a question from CBS Sports sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson. "I don't know what they're booing."

"Are they booing? ... I don't know what they're booing." 😂

Dan Hurley speaks with @tracywolfson after the Huskies advance to a third National Championship Game in four seasons pic.twitter.com/9ZhMqjUhKm

— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) April 5, 2026

REQUIRED READING: UConn vs Illinois final score, highlights: Huskies hold off Fighting Illini in Final Four

The boos, presumedly from Illinois' fans in the stadium, aren't the first directed at the Huskies coach. He's often greeted with similar gestures and jeers from opposing fan bases due to his animated and passionate behavior on the sidelines.

Indeed, cameras caught boos on the broadcast heading into the under-12 media timeout in the second half after Hurley showed his displeasure for an offensive foul against UConn forward Eric Reibe.

"I get much more of a bad reaction from people, I think, on social media than when I meet regular people," Hurley said Friday, April 3 at the Final Four. "Because anytime I meet regular people, they look at me and they start laughing or they start smiling. Or (say), 'You're the guy from the video. You look a little crazy, but I think you're a good egg.'"

Here's what Hurley said of the boos he received:

"It's not who I really am, you know, as a human being. There's people that write articles about me. Some of you may be standing here. I know that there was someone in there that just wrote one about me, that they rarely come to my games. They never spend time around our program," Hurley said. "They have no idea. They take viral clips of things they see at a game, and then they attack me, either personally or my coaching style. And I think it's a joke. I think that's lazy media. They don't know who I am."

Saturday's win moved Hurley to 5-0 in the Final Four with the Huskies and 18-3 overall in the Men's NCAA Tournament.

Now Hurley will look to add his name to more March Madness records with another title on Monday, April 6.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dan Hurley greeted with boos after UConn Final Four win over Illinois

It’s always easier to predict a split back-to-back than actually go through it.

The Sixers fell 116-93 to the Detroit Pistons Saturday night, completing the season series sweep.

They are now 43-35 and will drop back a half game behind the Toronto Raptors for the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference.

Tyrese Maxey steadily put up 23 points and two assists going 8-of-17 from the field. Paul George opened the game on fire, going for 20 points and five rebounds on 7-of-14 shooting.

VJ Edgecombe fought his way to 19 points shooting 7-of-18 from the field along with six rebounds. Tobias Harris led the Pistons with 19.

Joel Embiid (oblique injury management) and Johni Broome (meniscus tear) were out for Philadelphia while the Pistons were missing Cade Cunningham (lung) and Isaiah Stewart (calf strain).

Here are some thoughts at the buzzer.

First Quarter

• A much different offensive start than the night before, but again it was George leading the way with his aggression. He got to the basket and drew a foul to get the Sixers their first points of the night before hitting three jumpers. Detroit made their first eight shots of the game. Harris was drawing boos on every touch. He got on the board at the line as well before cutting for a dunk and knocking down a jumper.

Paul George still looking DAMN good since returning, starts this one off with nine points in the first four minutes 🔥 pic.twitter.com/OoEX6VAV0p

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) April 4, 2026

• Even when the Pistons finally missed a shot, they were able to tip back the offensive rebound. It was at the 6:03 mark of the quarter that the Sixers got their first proper stop of the game. The decision to start Andre Drummond hadn’t paid off defensively, but at least he had a couple offensive rebounds and a putback early himself. Per Cleaning the Glass, the Pistons took 57% of their shots at the rim — the league average is just 31.4%.
• Some calls were definitely debatable, but the Sixers didn’t do a great job of defending without fouling. They put the Pistons on the line 12 times in the quarter. Maxey, for example, hitting the forearm of Daniss Jenkins shooting a three was one the Sixers really couldn’t afford. Even with Maxey putting up 14 points in the first, the Sixers trailed by 10.

Second Quarter

• It took a couple of possessions, but the Sixers finally got their hands in some passing lanes and were able to get stops. Detroit wasn’t just walking into wide open baskets. George was able to deflect and steal a pass, leading to an Adem Bona basket that capped off a 7-0 Sixers’ run.
• Another big reason for the run was George continued to be a microwave scorer. Edgecombe had some aggressive drives for the first time all night, but George’s inability to miss a jumper was the Sixers’ engine. He got his 18 in the first half having only missed one shot.

Just a really nice sequence from the Sixers here to pull within two of the Pistons. Another PG three, a steal, and Adem Bona with a great move for a bucket. pic.twitter.com/uKxnnmeXia

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) April 4, 2026

• Unfortunately the Sixers’ bench took a hit as they were fighting back in this game. Cam Payne pulled something in his leg trying to chase down a loose ball. He immediately subbed out and was ruled out later in the night with a hamstring strain.
• Playing most of the first quarter meant the Sixers had to play most of the closing stretch without George. The drop off was again more noticeable on the defensive end. The Pistons were able to create some space. Old friend Bball Paul took Drummond off the dribble before Duncan Robinson made his first two threes of the night, helping the Pistons push their lead back up to 11.

Third Quarter

• The Sixers continued to have solid offense coming out of the half. Edgecombe set up Drummond wide open in the dunker spot and Maxey got himself a couple of baskets. Detroit’s size continued to overwhelm them on the other end though. Once Ausar Thomspon got open on a roll the Sixers couldn’t do anything to stop his lobs. Thompson to this point was also leading the Pistons in offensive rebounding as they were pulling down half of their misses.

Tyrese Maxey just showing no mercy for Ausar Thompson 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/5lOf3IpwoK

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) April 5, 2026

• The game started to get out of hand for the Sixers when their offense went cold. They went scoreless for over four minutes. George was finally unable to make every jumper while the Pistons defense keyed in on Maxey. Nick Nurse angrily called a timeout as the Pistons took their largest lead of the game at 19.
• The Sixers started to string stops together coming out of that timeout, but not before a trip to the line for Jalen Duren and a three from Harris. Maxey and Edgecombe continued to attack but the Sixers’ offense was extremely top heavy in this one. The only baskets in the third not scored by those two or George was the dump off to Drummond and a putback by Bona. After eating into the lead a bit, a jumper by Ron Holland kept the Pistons up by 14.

Fourth Quarter

• With Kelly Oubre Jr. back in the starting lineup and Payne going down with an injury, the only hope for bench scoring was Quentin Grimes, who unfortunately, didn’t have it. Not only was he scoreless, but his turnover directly led to the Pistons first basket of the fourth after they had been kept off the board for a couple of minutes. 
• The Sixers used their last gasp of this game to try a small lineup with Dominick Barlow as the five so that they could switch everything. They blew a switch on the first inbound coming out of the timeout, immediately giving up a wide open layup. Less than two minutes later and the white flag was raised. This wasn’t an easy game to stomach, but one more affordable to drop after their win over the Timberwolves.

Illinois men's basketball entered the 2026 Final Four with the most statistically decorated offense in the country, an explosive and dynamic group that regularly blitzed past opponents.

In the national semifinals, though, the Fighting Illini ran into a team that's quickly starting to become their kryptonite.

In a 71-62 loss to UConn at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, coach Brad Underwood's team shot just 33.9% from the field and 23.1% from 3-point range, making only six of its 26 shots from beyond the arc.

REQUIRED READING: UConn beats Illinois in Final Four, will play for third national title in 4 years

The fact that the underwhelming performance came against Dan Hurley and the Huskies shouldn't come as a surprise.

The 62 points were the Illini's third-fewest in a game the past three seasons, according to research from ESPN. The only games ahead of it on that list both came against UConn, as well — a 52-point effort in a blowout loss in the Elite Eight in 2024 and 61 points in a Nov. 28 loss to the Huskies in Madison Square Garden earlier in the 2025-26 season.

WILD stat from ESPN Research ..

Illinois' fewest points in a game over the last three seasons:

52 points: 2024 Elite Eight vs. UConn
61 points: Nov. 28, 2025 vs. UConn
62 points: 2026 Final Four vs. UConn

— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) April 5, 2026

Even after April 4's disappointing outing, Illinois is still No. 2 in Division I in adjusted offensive efficiency, according to KenPom.

Much of the Illini's production came from two players — freshman superstar Keaton Wagler and big man Tomislav Ivisic, who had 20 and 16 points, respectively. Outside of that duo, Illinois made just eight of its 29 field-goal attempts (27.6%).

With the win, UConn advanced to the national championship game, where it will play on Monday, April 6 against either Michigan or Arizona.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: UConn has held Illinois to its three lowest point totals of the past three seasons

The final road game of the season wasn’t supposed to end like this. For three quarters, the San Antonio Spurs looked like a team that had already figured it out: poised, confident, and in control inside a hostile Ball Arena against a championship contender, the Denver Nuggets.

They ran. They shared the ball. They scored 43 points in the opening quarter like it was nothing more than a rhythm exercise. Every possession felt intentional. Every shot felt like it belonged. And at the center of it all was Victor Wembanyama, gliding across the floor, protecting the rim, stretching the defense, doing everything at once; the kind of performance that makes you forget how young he really is.

Even when foul trouble saw him go to the bench, the Spurs didn’t flinch. They have built something that went beyond one player. The lead held. The energy stayed. The belief never dipped.

But across the floor stood Nikola Jokić, and he doesn’t let games drift away. It didn’t happen all at once and there wasn’t a single moment where everything broke. Instead, it crept in little by little. A bucket here. A stop there. A possession that didn’t quite go San Antonio’s way. Jokić, patient as ever, began pulling the strings: a pass to the corner, a soft touch in the paint, a rhythm that slowly tilted the floor back toward Denver.

By the fourth quarter, what once felt comfortable began to feel fragile. The Spurs still led. They still had control, technically, but the air had changed. Midway through the fourth, San Antonio was up seven. Close enough to feel the finish line, far enough to still need execution. That’s when the game tightened its grip.

“It was an extremely competitive game that felt there were a lot of high stakes,” Spurs Head Coach Mitch Johnson said. “It was fun game to be a part of and there so many good things that we did and so many things that we can take away to be better at.”

Jamal Murray found space. Aaron Gordon attacked the rim. And Jokić, always Jokić, kept the pressure constant, never rushed, never forced, just inevitable. The lead vanished piece by piece each time the Nuggets had the ball, the Spurs unable to get the stop they needed.

Then came the moment.

De’Aaron Fox fouled Cam Johnson on the three point line. The ball went in and Denver converted the four-point play. And just like that, everything the Spurs had built was hanging by a thread. Still, they had one last chance to hold on, but confusion on the next play saw Aaron Gordon get a wide open dunk to tie the game at 124 and force overtime.

In overtime, things felt different. The Spurs fought. They always do. A three-pointer from Julian Champagnie briefly pushed them ahead again, a flicker of the control they once had. But every answer required perfection now.

And Denver didn’t miss.

Jokić delivered the final blows the way he always does: steady, precise, unavoidable. A bucket in the closing seconds sealed it, a quiet exclamation point on a 40-point masterpiece.

“My conclusion of this game is that it was good for us,” Wembanyama said. “It’s a real test against a team that’s actually playing for something right now. It had some playoff vibes.”

It was just a two-point loss. But it felt heavier than that. Wembanyama had been brilliant with 34 points, 18 rebounds, a presence that shaped the entire night. The Spurs had done so much right. For long stretches, they had been the better team. And still, they walked off without it. Because against a team like Denver, being better for most of the night isn’t enough.

You have to be better at the end.

And for one more game — one final road lesson before the postseason — the Spurs learned exactly how thin that line really is.

“There is no better outcome from this game than to learn,” Wembanyama added. “It is a very good experience.”

Game Notes

• For those clamoring about the Spurs not having playoff experience, this game was as close to the playoffs as they are going to get. And this just proves they are ready. Yes, they have things to work on, but they are ready.
• De’Aaron Fox had 14 points, but was 0-for-6 from three-point range. A 33% shooter from beyond the arc this season, he shot two consecutive air balls that fueled Denver’s growing momentum. In the postseason, I hope to see Fox pulling up from midrange or driving to the rim more.
• Dylan Harper had 12 points off the bench, shooting 71% in 20 minutes. Now, he won’t always shoot the ball that well, but if this is the version of Harper we’re going to get come playoff time — watch out.
• Stephon Castle had 20 points and was aggressive all night long against Denver’s interior defense. So great to see as the playoffs are just two weeks away.

The Los Angeles Lakers produced a strong effort following the NBA All-Star Game to reach the third seed in the Western Conference standings.

The Lakers were looking like a true playoff contender, having won 13 of their last 15 games. The only two losses during that stretch came against the Detroit Pistons and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Both teams are the No. 1 seeds in their respective conferences.

While LeBron James began to settle in as the No. 3 option behind Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, it could be up to the 22-time All-Star to serve as the leading man for Los Angeles during the first round of the playoffs.

Coach JJ Redick felt confident throughout the season that his team would all come together at the right time for a strong finish.

The Lakers’ roster dealt with various injuries early in the season, making it hard to put out a lineup featuring its top three stars.

The four-time NBA MVP did not play until mid-November, leaving the guards to lead the way early.

Reaves and James are already ineligible for awards, and Doncic will have to appeal for an Extraordinary Circumstances Challenge if he doesn’t play in one of the final five games of the season.

Luka Doncic injury update

Doncic suffered a Grade 2 left hamstring strain that will sideline him for the rest of the regular season and his status remains unknown for the postseason.

Austin Reaves injury update

Reaves suffered an oblique injury that is expected to keep him sidelined for four to six weeks.

What Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves injuries mean for Lakers?

Redick will have to piece together an effective lineup built around James. 

Marcus Smart would be an option to fill the role of either guard, but he’s also dealing with his own injuries.

Smart has an ankle injury that will keep him out against the Dallas Mavericks on April 5. He has not played since March 21, when he played 31 minutes against the Orlando Magic.

Rui Hachimura and Luke Kennard may move into the starting lineup.

Hachimura is having one of the best seasons of his career from the three-point line, shooting .430 on the season. He's also started 36 of the 63 games he's played.

Kennard, a former sixth-man of the year candidate, made his debut with the Lakers on Feb. 7.

Lakers' remaining regular-season schedule

The Lakers have five games remaining in the regular season. It could prove to be beneficial for Redick and his staff to try different lineups and rotations before the postseason.

• at Dallas Mavericks (Sunday, April 5, 4:30 p.m. PT)
• vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (Tuesday, April 7, 7:30 p.m. PT)
• at Golden State Warriors (Thursday, April 9, 7 p.m. PT)
• vs. Phoenix Suns (Friday, April 10, 7:30 p.m. PT)
• vs. Utah Jazz (Sunday, April 12, 5:30 p.m. PT)

Lakers’ playoff matchup scenarios

The Lakers are currently the third seed in the Western Conference standings with a 50-27 record. If the season ended on April 4, the Lakers would play the No. 6-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the playoffs.

The Lakers must continue to stay afloat without their guards to remain the third seed. The Denver Nuggets are just half a game behind the Lakers and the Houston Rockets are two games back.

If the Nuggets move ahead of the Lakers, Los Angeles could be matched up with the Rockets in the West’s 4 vs. 5 matchup.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves injuries mean for Lakers in playoffs

The Cleveland Cavaliers will be starting the first round of the playoffs in two weeks. There isn’t much left to prove in the regular season. Their number one focus is making sure they’re healthy for the playoffs. As a result, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that they will be without multiple key players for their game against the Indiana Pacers on Easter.

Cleveland will be missing starting center Jarrett Allen for what the injury report labels as right knee injury management. Allen hurt his knee during the Cavs’ March 3 victory over the Detroit Pistons. This caused him to miss 10 games after the injury.

Allen has performed well after returning to the lineup for the team’s March 27 win over the Miami Heat. However, he is still paying through pain. Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor reported last week that Allen is still in pain and not quite 100%.

Additionally, Evan Mobley will also be out due to left calf injury management. Being without both starting bigs will likely force Thomas Bryant into the lineup. It could also allow two-way forwards, Olivier Sarr and Riley Minix, some playing time with the team after the Cleveland Charge’s season concluded this past week.

The Cavaliers also won’t have the services of Sam Merrill. He’s been dealing with and playing through various injuries throughout the season. Merrill is being held out on Sunday with the designation of left hamstring injury management.

The Cavs will still be without Dean Wade (ankle) and Jaylon Tyson (toe). The team hasn’t released an update on those injuries since saying they both would be missing the team’s recent three-game road trip that wrapped up on Friday. We’ll likely get some sort of update from head coach Kenny Atkinson on their injuries before Sunday’s game.

The Pacers, meanwhile, will be down several key players. They will be without Tyrese Haliburton (Achilles), Pascal Siakam (ankle), Johnny Furphy (ACL), T.J. McConnell (hamstring), Andrew Nembhard (back), Aaron Nesmith (neck), and Ivica Zubac (rib).

INDIANAPOLIS — Tarris Reed Jr. posted his third double-double of the NCAA Tournament and Connecticut beat Illinois 71-62 in the Final Four to advance to Monday night’s national championship game.

The No. 3 Huskies will meet the winner of the second national semifinal between No. 1 seeds Arizona and Michigan.

Reed had 17 points and 11 rebounds. Guard Braylon Mullins had 15 points on 5 of 14 shooting and guard Silas Demary Jr. had 5 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists. Illinois guard Keaton Wagler posted a game-high 20 points with 8 rebounds. He was joined in double figures by Tomislav Ivicic’s 16 points.

Blue bloods or new bloods? Ranking college basketball's top programs

The Huskies went into halftime leading 37-29 behind the two-man game of Reed and Mullins, who posted a combined 23 points on 9 of 16 shooting. After making his only 3-pointer with 0.4 seconds left in the Elite Eight win against Duke, Mullins went 3 of 5 from deep in the first half.

Illinois was led by Wagler, who had 10 points and 6 rebounds at the break. Wagler also committed the only two turnovers of the opening half by either team. UConn and Illinois shot a combined 24 of 63 at the break and were 10 of 32 from 3-point range.

The Huskies’ lead would grow to 13 points at 49-36 on a pair of Alex Karaban free throws five minutes into the second half. The Illini would get back within single digits at 49-40 with 12:56 to play but UConn answered with an 8-3 run capped by a Jaylin Stewart corner 3 to go in front 57-43 with 9:24 left.

Illinois would have another response. With UConn in foul trouble after picking up its 10th team foul with 8:03 remaining, the Illini made it 57-51 a minute later on a pair of Ivicic free throws and then 57-53 on an Andrej Stojakovic layup with five minutes to play.

After Wagler scored on a driving layup with 1:39 left to make it 63-59, Mullins would make a crucial 3 from the wing to put the Huskies in from 66-59 with 52 seconds to play. They’d make five of six from the line in the final 37 seconds to seal the win.

UConn is chasing its seventh national championship and third in four years after going back-to-back in 2023-24. A seventh title would break a tie with Duke and bump the Huskies into third in NCAA history behind UCLA (11) and Kentucky (eight).

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: UConn basketball beats Illinois in Final Four, will play for national title

This Sunday matinee, the Washington Wizards visit the Big Apple and play the Brooklyn Nets on the second afternoon of a back-to-back East Coast road trip.

Game Info

When: Sunday, April 5 at 3:30 p.m.

Where: Barclays Center, New York City

How to watch: Monumental Sports Network

How to listen: The Team 980 AM, 106.7-2 FM.

Injury Report

Wizards: Tristan Vukcevic, Tre Johnson (Day-to-Day), Trae Young, Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George, Anthony Davis, D’Angelo Russell, Cam Whitmore (Out)

Nets: Terance Mann, Noah Clowney (Day-To-Day), Nic Claxton, Ziaire Williams, Michael Porter Jr., Danny Wolf, Egor Demin, Day’Ron Sharpe

Pregame notes

A lot of injuries — The Wizards and the Nets are tanking right now, and so the combined injured list is close to half of their rosters. So, for all intents and purposes, this game is essentially a G-League matchup.

Defense — The Wizards’ defense as of late has been lamentable. They allowed 153 against the Philadelphia 76ers a couple nights back, and just today conceded 152 to the Heat in Miami. Can they start keeping teams below 150? Probably doable against the very depleted Nets. But who knows?

Flashback: Wizards defeat Nets with Russell Westbrook’s clutch three!

The last time a first-ballot future Hall of Famer played for Washington was the lone season of Russell Westbrook in D.C.

A Vintage Russ highlight (with two spectacular threes by him and Beal):