Elite 8 Kicks Off Amid Tiger Woods’ Arrest Scandal
The men’s Elite Eight begins amid intense on- and off-court headlines. College basketball fans will also follow developments surrounding Tiger Woods’ arrest as the weekend unfolds.
Men’s bracket snapshot
Top seeds remain prominent as the Elite Eight starts. Arizona is a slight favorite, according to BetMGM.
Duke entered the tournament as the overall No. 1 seed. The Blue Devils survived Rick Pitino’s St. John’s, winning 80-75.
UConn, a No. 2 seed, routed Michigan State and now waits for a Sunday-night game. Michigan, the other No. 1, beat Alabama 90-77 and draws Tennessee next.
Purdue and Iowa storylines
Purdue stands out for roster stability. At the high-major level, only 22 scholarship seniors graduated from the same school they started at this season. Purdue accounts for three of those seniors.
Purdue is a 6.5-point underdog to Arizona tonight. Tipoff is set for 8:49 p.m. ET on TBS and truTV.
No. 9 Iowa is the only remaining lower seed with Cinderella buzz. The Hawkeyes reached their first Elite Eight since 1987 and now face No. 3 Illinois at 6:09 p.m. ET on TBS and truTV.
Big Ten prominence
The Big Ten has a heavy presence in this round. Since 1985, this marks just the fourth time a conference claimed half of the Elite Eight slots.
The league could secure multiple Final Four spots. The conference still seeks its first national title since Michigan State won in 2000.
Women’s tournament highlights
Notre Dame delivered a dramatic upset of Vanderbilt. Guard Hannah Hidalgo produced a sensational stat line in the win.
Hidalgo finished with 31 points, 11 rebounds, 10 steals and seven assists. Her effort helped revive a depleted Irish roster.
Duke advanced past LSU on a nearly miraculous step-back buzzer-beater by Ashlon Jackson. Several other Sweet 16 games produced tight finishes.
Virginia aims to join the group of double-digit seeds that reached the women’s Elite Eight. BetMGM lists TCU as a 9.5-point favorite in that matchup.
Tiger Woods crash and arrest developments
Tiger Woods was involved in a single-vehicle rollover yesterday. His Land Rover ended up on its side.
Authorities report no injuries at the scene. Police allege Woods showed signs of impairment.
He was taken into custody and has been charged with driving under the influence and refusal to submit to a lawful test. Filmogaz.com is tracking the timeline of his recent incidents.
Other sports news and notes
- The NBA has proposed multiple changes to the draft lottery to discourage tanking. The plans include tougher penalties for teams that intentionally lose games.
- Trinidad Chambliss appears set to return as Ole Miss’ quarterback. A recent court ruling favored his eligibility after the NCAA lost another case.
- Caleb Wilson declared for the NBA Draft. Draft analyst Sam Vecenie projects him as a potential No. 4 pick.
- The Clippers and Pacers produced a bizarre finish that hinged on the final 0.4 seconds of play.
- Yankees slugger Aaron Judge successfully challenged a low strike and followed with a home run.
- Jason Heyward announced his retirement after a 16-year career that included five Gold Gloves and two championship rings.
- Italian cyclist Debora Silvestri has been released from the hospital after a frightening crash that required respiratory support.
Television and viewing notes
Women’s Sweet 16 coverage runs on ABC and ESPN from 12:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. ET. Several compelling matchups are scheduled.
The U.S. men’s national team faces Belgium at 3:30 p.m. ET on TNT, truTV and HBO Max. The Americans have won just one of their last 20 World Cup games against European opposition.
Major League Baseball action includes the Yankees at the Giants at 7:15 p.m. ET on Fox and MLB.TV. New York began the season with consecutive shutouts.
