The Sportsletter - How Sweet It Is

BY JEFF YODER

MAR. 26, 2024 | SUBSCRIBE | WEB VIEW

Good Morning 👋

Yesterday was a sports news blitz. We’re tying a bow on the opening weekend of March Madness with women’s tourney coverage — the Sweet 16 is set! We've got more Caitlin Clark history. One NBA team notched a historic comeback. Shohei Ohtani speaks out. And NFL defenses are big mad after another rule change. We explain.

Letter Rip!

NCAAW

How Sweet It Is 🙌

Photo: Matthew Holst / Getty Images

Iowa’s Caitlin Clark (32 pts), UConn’s Paige Bueckers (32 pts) & More Stars Power Their Teams to the Sweet 16

After eight more games, the Women’s Sweet 16 is set! All top seeds advanced on Monday, but it wasn’t easy. Five of the eight games were decided by 10 points or less, but the game’s biggest stars came to play. Caitlin Clark dropped 32 points and helped Iowa survive a valiant effort from 8-seed West Virginia while simultaneously making more history — the most points by a women’s player in a single season (1,113 points). Paige Bueckers also notched 32 points as she led UConn to a narrow win over 6-seed Syracuse. Juju Watkins (USC), Mackenzie Holmes (Indiana) and Kiki Rice (UCLA) also carried their squads into the next round. And we’re one game away from an Iowa-LSU rematch in the Elite 8. Woo!

Fun Fact: The last time USC advanced to the Sweet 16, Cheryl Miller was coaching Lisa Leslie (1994).

Women’s NCAA 5-Star Spotlight

Caitlin Clark (IOWA): 32 pts, 8 rebs

Paige Bueckers (CONN): 32 pts, 10 rebs, 6 asts

Mackenzie Holmes (IND): 29 pts, 6 rebs, 4 blks

Juju Watkins (USC): 28 pts, 11 rebs

Kiki Rice (UCLA): 24 pts, 6 rebs

Round of 32 Highlights (Monday)

#1 Iowa def. #8 West Virginia (64-54)

#1 USC def. #8 Kansas (73-55)

#2 Notre Dame def. #7 Ole Miss (71-56)

#2 UCLA def. #7 Creighton (67-63)

#3 NC State def. #6 Tennessee (79-72)

#3 UConn def. #6 Syracuse (72-64)

#4 Indiana def. #5 Oklahoma (75-68)

#4 Gonzaga def. #5 Utah (77-66)

Women’s Sweet 16 (by Seed)

1s (4): S. Carolina, Iowa, USC, Texas

2s (3): Notre Dame, UCLA, Stanford

3s (4): NC State, UConn, LSU, Oregon State

4s (2): Indiana, Gonzaga

5s (2): Baylor, Colorado

7s (1): Duke

🏀 Women’s NCAA Tournament Bracket

🗓️ Women’s NCAA Tournament Schedule

B/R: Caitlin Clark Breaks Single-Season Scoring Record as Iowa Survives Upset Bid

NBA

No Lead is Safe in This NBA

Photo: Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images

Hawks Complete Historic 30-Point Comeback to End Celtics’ 9-Game Win Streak (120-118)

Just when you think you’ve seen it all, the Atlanta Hawks rallied from DOWN THIRTY to stun the Celtics last night and end Boston’s nine-game win streak (120-118). The Celtics are far-and-away atop the Eastern Conference with wins in 20 of their last 22 before last night, so maybe this was a simple case of complacency. Boston went up by 30 with just under 4:30 left in the second quarter in Atlanta (68-38), but the Hawks did the unthinkable.

Even without All-Star Trae Young, the squadron of Dejounte Murray (19), Bogdan Bogdanovic (22), Vit Krejci (16) and De’Andre Hunter (24) went unconscious from 3 to spark the epic rally. Atlanta erased the bulk of the deficit in just the 3rd period alone, going on a 35-10 run and pulling within three before the start of the 4th. Down the stretch, Hunter hit a dagger with 9.2 seconds left, and Atlanta took down the No. 1 team with a piece of history. Jayson Tatum had 37 points for Boston, but this was a nightmarish collapse. The Hawks are clinging to the final playoff spot in the East.

Fun Fact: It’s only the sixth time in the last 25 years that a team has come back from 30 points or more (since the NBA began tracking such stats). It’s thought to be just the 10th time, ever.

Largest Comeback in NBA History: 36 Points (Jazz-Nuggets, 1996)

Watch: Hawks Pull Off Unbelievable 30-Point Comeback to End Celtics’ Win Streak (120-118)

CBS Sports: Celtics Become 10th Team in NBA History to Blow 30-Point Lead

Other NBA Highlights

Mavericks def. Jazz (115-105)

Kings def. 76ers (108-96)

Nuggets def. Grizzlies (128-103)

Pacers def. Clippers (133-116)

Spurs def. Suns (104-102)

*Sochan (26 pts, 18 rebs) Hits Go-Ahead 3

Rockets def. Blazers (110-92)

*Houston Wins 9th Straight, 11 of Last 12

Knicks def. Pistons (124-99)

*DiVincenzo (40 pts) Sets NYK 3-Point Record (11)

MLB

Sho & Tell: The Press Conference

Photo: Icon Sportswire / Getty Images

Shohei Ohtani Speaks to Media, Attempts to Clear the Air About Gambling Debts & Interpreter's Theft

The MLB bombshell story that broke late last week left more questions than answers, and Shohei Ohtani stepped to the plate to provide those answers on Monday. The Dodgers’ superstar held an honest and heartfelt press conference yesterday where he told media that he never bet on sports or knowingly paid any gambling debts for his longtime friend and interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara. Ohtani insisted that his friend lied to him for years. He spoke for more than 10 minutes in an attempt to clear the air.

ICYMI: For any readers who missed last week, Mizuhara somehow used Ohtani’s bank accounts to cover $4.5 million in gambling debts to an illegal bookmaking operation in California. Due to the language barrier, a lot of head-scratching followed as the dots continue to get connected.

“I am very saddened and shocked someone whom I trusted has done this. Ippei has been stealing money from my account and has been telling lies. I never bet on sports or have willfuly sent money to the bookmaker. I never bet on baseball or any other sports or never have asked somebody to do it on my behalf.” — Shohei Ohtani

Ohtani’s camp is adamant that Shohei was the victim of massive theft. Mizuhara has been fired by the Dodgers. Watch Full Press Conference

CBS News: Shohei Ohtani Holds First News Conference on Gambling Allegations Against Interpreter

STORYLINES

⚾️ MLB Opening Day Guide

MLB Opening Week is finally here. All 30 teams will play in 15 games on Thursday. What are the most important things to know from the offseason going into the 162-game marathon that is the 2023 season? (ESPN)

🏈 The Hip-Drop Tackle Ban

The NFL has officially banned the hip-drop tackle after an owner’s vote at spring meetings despite the NFLPA’s objections. The form of tackling has led to a rate of injury 25x that of a typical tackle, but is it possible to avoid? (Yahoo! Sports)

🏀 Men’s NCAA Sweet 16 Odds

If you're a big fan of Cinderella stories, the Sweet 16 of the men's 2024 NCAA tournament might not be for you. Everyone left in this year’s Dance realistically could win four more games. How do the odds look for each team? (B/R)

NEWS 📰

🏀 Oakland’s Jack Gohlke Lands Buffalo Wild Wings NIL Deal After NCAA Tournament Performance (B/R)

🏈 Mike McDaniel Says Dolphins Have Made Offer to WR Odell Beckham Jr. (SI)

🏀 Washington Finalizing Deal to Hire Utah State’s Danny Sprinkle as New Coach (NBC Sports)

⚽️ Brazil & Real Madrid Winger Vinicius Junior Says Racism Has Reduced His Desire to Play in Tearful Media Appearance (Yahoo! Sports)

🏈 Deion Sanders Sends Warning for Shedeur Sanders & Travis Hunter in 2025 NFL Draft Teams (FOX Sports)

🏀 Raptors’ Jontay Porter Subject of NBA Gambling Investigation After Irregularities in Prop Bets (B/R)

🏈 NFL Players Blast League’s Ban of Hip-Drop Tackle: ‘Fast Forward to the Belts With Flags on Them’ (Sporting News)

SCHEDULE 🗓️

Today's Must-Watch List

🏀 NBA

Warriors at Heat (7:30 pm ET, NBALP)
Lakers at Bucks (7:30 pm ET, TNT)

Thunder at Pelicans (8:00 pm ET, NBALP)

Mavericks at Kings (10:00 pm ET, TNT)

🏒 NHL

Bruins at Panthers (7:00 pm ET, ESPN+)

Flyers at Rangers (7:00 pm ET, ESPN+)

Devils at Maple Leafs (7:30 pm ET, ESPN+)

Golden Knights at Predators (8:00 pm ET, ESPN+)

POLL 📊

Question of the Day

Spotting Cinderella: Which of the four lowest-remaining seeds in the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 do you think has the best chance to win it all? (click to vote)

5-Seed Gonzaga

5-Seed San Diego State

6-Seed Clemson

11-Seed NC State

THE TEAM

Writer & Editor: Jeff Yoder

Lead Designer: Joe Stella

Assistant Writer: Marissa Kasch

Social Media: Aaron Yorke

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