Good Morning! Here’s what happened in the world of sports Monday, April 7.

THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

In a thrilling contest that came down to the final play, the Florida Gators beat the Houston Cougars 65-63 to win the National Championship. Here’s how it happened:

• A physical first half saw Houston hold Florida star Walter Clayton Jr. scoreless and the Gators commit nine turnovers. And yet, the Cougars only led 31-28. Senior Will Richard, who finished the game with a team-high 18 points, kept Florida alive with his timely shooting.

• The whistle blew much more frequently in the second half, and after a string of fouls and Florida errors, the Cougars grew their lead to 12. Houston was playing their brand of basketball and it felt like they were about to takeover.

• But credit to the Gators, who did what they’ve done all tournament. Florida rallied back from large second-half deficits in each of the last two rounds (ten points against Texas Tech, nine against Auburn), and last night was a similar story. Clayton finally got loose from the overwhelming Houston defense, too, igniting the late push with two impressive three-point plays.

• It all came down to the final play. Florida led 65-63, their first lead of the game since going up 8-6 in the early moments. Houston called timeout to draw up a play… and never got the shot off. After their offense carried them all season, it was gritty defense that carried the champions in the biggest moment of their season. You can watch for yourself below:

It’s not hyperbole to say the last few days of college basketball have epitomized the beauty of the game. From stars and big dunks to classic finishes and historic victories, the Final Four lived up to the expectations. While the University of Florida won their third title (remember Joakim Noah and Al Horford going back-to-back?), it was a heartbreaking conclusion for Kelvin Sampson and Houston. Sampson’s team got closer to a first title than ever before, but came up agonizingly short.

Before we wrap up the college hoops season, one last shoutout is required: congratulations to Jack Talton on winning the Remix Bracket Challenge! My bracket was one of nine in our group to correctly pick Florida as the champion, but JT took home first place by correctly picking the final matchup. Here’s what our winner had to say last night–

Jack, congratulations on winning the bracket challenge– any comment on your victory?

It is truly an honor to have won the inaugural Remix Bracket Challenge! I can’t wait to receive my check for $10,000! Just another reason I come back and keep reading day-after-day… a huge thank you to The Remix Founder, Ben Remis, for this opportunity.

Give us a little insight– how did you make the winning picks?

“This year I watched countless hours of basketball, but when it came down to making my picks it was simple: pick Florida to win it all, then rapid-fire the remaining matchups, relying on my gut and ball knowledge to get the job done.

So there you have it– the 2024-25 college basketball season has come to an end. Congratulations to Jack, the Florida Gators, and the UConn Huskies on their championships. Bring on the transfer portal!

MLB

How about a little baseball?

• One of the brightest young starters in the game, Hunter Greene pitched 8.2 shutout innings last night, striking out seven. Greene and the Cincinnati Reds defeated the Giants 2-0.

• Here’s a trivia question for you: Aaron Judge leads the majors with six home runs this season. Can you name the player who is currently tied with Judge for the lead? answer at the end!

• Look at this spectacular play by Mariners shortstop J.P. Crawford! In the ninth inning of a one-run game, this stop helped secure a Seattle victory:

NHL

The streak is finally over– the Winnipeg Jets beat the St. Louis Blues 3-1 last night, ending St. Louis’ historic run at 12 wins in a row. The Stanley Cup playoffs begin in two weeks!

NOTEWORTHY NEWS

We’ve covered all the sports news today, so here’s a handy graphic with postseason scenarios for the NBA, which begins postseason play in one week:

TODAY’S BIG GAMES (all times Eastern)

MLB:

• Phillies @ Braves, 7:15 PM on TBS/Max

• Orioles @ Diamondbacks, 9:40 PM on MLB.com

NBA:

• Celtics @ Knicks, 7:30 PM on TNT/Max

• Warriors @ Suns, 10 PM on TNT/Max

NHL:

• Maple Leafs @ Panthers, 7 PM on ESPN

• Golden Knights @ Avalanche, 9:30 PM on ESPN

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUARTERFINALS:

• Real Madrid @ Arsenal, 3 PM on Paramount+

• Inter Milan @ Bayern Munich, 3 PM on Paramount+

TRIVIA ANSWER: It’s Athletics first baseman Tyler Soderstrom!

“The Dodgers are consulting with the doctors just to make sure that, since this is my second operation, it’s really important to be conservative and be thoughtful,” –Shohei Ohtani, discussing the delayed timeline in his return to pitching