By Andrew Cross
April is one of the most exciting months for sports fans. So far, this year has not disappointed. Here are some sports highlights from April so far:
NCAA Tournament
Both the men’s and women’s NCAA basketball tournaments delivered unforgettable performances, culminating in the Final Four in Phoenix, Ariz. On the men’s side, UConn made history with their dominant title defense, triumphing over all their opponents by double digits. This marked the first back-to-back champion since Florida in the 2006-2007 season.
This year’s edition of March Madness was a rollercoaster, with several top contenders being upset early. Kentucky was one of those, as they were defeated by the No. 13 seed Oakland, leading to the departure of their long-time coach, John Calipari.
Other notable moments included Texas A&M’s thrilling last-minute comeback against No. 1 Houston and Purdue’s Zach Edey’s remarkable individual performance en route to the championship game.
The women’s tournament was just as entertaining, if not more so, than the men’s. Women’s college basketball showcased a star-studded field with players like Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese.
Clark and her Iowa squad made a historic run as she took down rival LSU and eventually the UConn Huskies in the Final Four. But it was the South Carolina Gamecocks who stole the show, as they defeated Iowa in the championship game to complete their perfect season, going 38-0.
This was the most viewed NCAA women’s championship game in history, drawing 18.8 million viewers. Surprisingly, it surpassed the viewership of the men’s championship game, a first in the tournament’s history.
MLB Opening Day
Typically, the start of the baseball season is a time of joy for fans of America’s pastime. This year has been quite the opposite, as the sport has already been embroiled in multiple scandals. International superstar Shohei Ohtani was caught in the middle of a gambling scandal involving his personal aide and translator, Ippei Mizuhara. A federal investigation proved that Mizuhara stole nearly $16 million from Ohtani to cover his gambling debts.
Another hindrance to the sport is the current situation of Oakland Athletics. Once a powerhouse squad in the early 2000s, the Athletics are set to move to Las Vegas amid ownership troubles. This has led to anger among fans and the A’s being ranked dead last in attendance, only mustering 45,000 tickets sold over seven games. This is dead last in the MLB by over 60,000 tickets and could indicate what’s to come for the sport.
NBA Playoffs Set
The final days of the NBA season solidified what looks to be an exciting playoff, with several superstars willing their teams into the postseason. The Boston Celtics have dominated the NBA with 60+ wins and a No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.
However, the Celtics have shown vulnerability recently, dropping multiple key games by double digits. The return of Philadelphia 76ers’ superstar Joel Embiid could complicate things in the East. Embiid, when healthy, has been unstoppable, averaging almost 35 points and 11 rebounds. His return to the lineup should draw the attention of other Eastern Conference contenders. Any team looking to go the distance will have to run a gauntlet of quality teams out west.
The Oklahoma City Thunder have returned to relevance with the emergence of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and could make a deep playoff run with their young core. The defending champion Denver Nuggets have also been heating up lately, led by MVP favorite Nikola Jokic. As long as Lebron James’ Lakers make the playoffs, they are a danger to make some havoc in the early rounds.
The TMU Mane 