Latest news with #2020WorldSeries
New York Post
16-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Clayton Kershaw ‘sad' after close teammate cut for Dodgers' top prospect Dalton Rushing
Clayton Kershaw pitched to Austin Barnes 86 times in the regular season dating back to 2015, developing a bond with the catcher/utility player. Pitchers and catchers spend so much time with one another over the course of a grueling 162-game season that it's natural for the parties to grow close. That rapport is why it's tough for pitchers to see their battery partners jettisoned, with Kershaw expressing his disappointment Thursday after the team designated Barnes for assignment to clear a path for top catching prospect Dalton Rushing. 3 Clayton Kershaw and Austin Barnes in 2024. Getty Images 'I think everybody was surprised,' Kershaw said before a 19-2 win over the A's, according to the Los Angeles Times. 'Yeah, it's sad. Barnesy's one of my best friends on or off the field. You won't find a guy that competes better than Austin Barnes. He wants to win more than anybody, and he always found a way, and he came up with some big moments for us throughout the years. I think a lot of people forget he was starting a lot of playoff games and winning a lot of games for us, getting big knocks. 'It's sad to see someone like that go who's been here that long, and I think we all kind of feel it. It's no disrespect to Dalton. I know he deserves it, and he's going to be a great player. It's just, for me personally, I think a lot of guys on the team, it was disappointing to see him go.' Barnes won two titles with the Dodgers during his 11 seasons, serving as both the backup and starter. He had been Will Smith's No. 2 before the team moved on. The 35-year-old has never been known for his bat, posting a career .660 OPS, but he played in 10 games during the team's 2020 World Series championship run and had one NLCS at-bat in last year's title stretch. 3 Kershaw and Austin Barnes developed a strong bond. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Barnes notched just 44 plate appearances this year before the Dodgers opted for upside, adding the No. 15 prospect in all of MLB, according to The catcher had been the team's second-longest player, per the Los Angeles Times, second to just Kershaw. Their 86 regular-season games together marked the second-most for Kershaw and any catcher, trailing just A.J. Ellis' 118 games, and they produced a 2.66 ERA together. The Dodgers exercised in the offseason Barnes' $3.5 million option for 2025, but that's chump change for the free-spending franchise. 3 Dalton Rusing took Barnes' spot on the roster. Getty Images 'This was certainly a tough conversation,' manager Dave Roberts said, per the outlet. 'Austin is a Dodger for life. He helped us win the championship. Caught the last pitch in 2020, in the World Series, and he's done a lot of great things in the community, for the Dodgers, for myself, personally. 'I just think that for us right now, with what Dalton Rushing is doing on the performance side, it's an opportunity to challenge him, expand his growth, give him an opportunity to log some major league games and essentially give him some runway.' As Kershaw laments his friend's exit, he's set to make his debut Saturday against the Angels after being sidelined due to knee and toe surgeries last year. The Dodgers are tied with the Tigers for MLB's best record with their 29-15 mark, but are dealing with a rash of pitching injuries. Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow and Roki Sasaki are all sidelined, among others, while Shohei Ohtani is still working toward his Dodgers pitching debut in his second season.
Los Angeles Times
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
Dodgers Dugout: Dodgers make a surprising move
Hi, and welcome to another edition of Dodgers Dugout. My name is Houston Mitchell. There are only 10 players still on the team who were on the 2020 World Series title team. Can you name them? Answer below. The Dodgers did something Wednesday that I didn't think they would do, certainly not this early in the season: They designated catcher Austin Barnes for assignment and brought catcher Dalton Rushing up from the minors. Designated for assignment means the Dodgers have seven days to place Barnes on waivers, trade him or release him. Barnes had been with the Dodgers since 2015, with only Clayton Kershaw having a longer current tenure with the club. Barnes, who went to Riverside Poly High and Arizona State, was drafted in the ninth round of the 2011 draft by the Florida (now Miami) Marlins. After the 2014 season, he was traded to the Dodgers by the Marlins along with Chris Hatcher, Andrew Heaney and Kiké Hernández for Dee Strange-Gordon, Dan Haren and Miguel Rojas, which makes me realize that Barnes' first season with the team was also the first year of this newsletter. I hope that's not an ominous sign. Barnes' first full season with the Dodgers was 2017, and it was also his best season offensively, as he hit .289/.408/.486 with 15 doubles, eight homers and 38 RBIs in 262 plate appearances as the backup for Yasmani Grandal. Barnes was mainly a backup in his career, appearing in 100 or more games only twice, 2017 and 2018. He hit so well in 2017 that he moved into a platoon role with Grandal near the end of the season and was the main starter during the postseason, going 10 for 46 with a homer and five RBIs. His defense was his true calling card, as he was one of the best at pitch calling, pitch framing and blocking pitches in the dirt. Pitchers loved him, and he was considered almost an extra coach on the bench the last couple of seasons. His hitting has fallen off dramatically the last few seasons. Since 2021 he had hit .215, .212, .180, .264 (with few walks and little power) and .214 this season. The final blow was deteriorating defense, as his arm had grown weak. With the Dodgers struggling offensively at the bottom of the lineup, it was getting hard to justify giving Will Smith more than one day off a week, and it's best to give your stating catcher a couple of games off a week so he can stay fresh in September and the postseason. It was a still a surprise though. But if you take a moment to consider that the Dodgers traded A.J. Ellis despite him being a favorite of Kershaw, perhaps it really isn't a surprise. And you have to wonder if Chris Taylor is feeling nervous considering how well Hyeseong Kim is playing right now. When Teoscar Hernández and Tommy Edman come back, there will be some key roster decisions to be made. James Outman will be sent down, but who else goes? Barnes should always be remembered for one thing more than any other. In Game 6 of the 2020 World Series, Blake Snell, then pitching for the Tampa Bay Rays, was cruising, shutting out the Dodgers on two hits while striking out nine through 5.1 innings. He looked unhittable. Barnes came to the plate and singled to center. Rays manager Kevin Cash came out and removed Snell. Against reliever Nick Anderson, Mookie Betts doubled Barnes to third. Anderson threw a wild pitch, letting Barnes score, and Betts scored on a ground out by Corey Seager, giving the Dodgers a 2-1 lead. The Dodgers went on to win the game and the Series. Does Cash replace Snell if Barnes doesn't get that hit? We'll never know, but it seems doubtful. If Barnes lands with another team, he deserves a nice ovation when he returns to Dodger Stadium. Talking about Barnes, Dave Roberts said: 'This was certainly a tough conversation. Austin is a Dodger for life. He helped us win the championship. Caught the last pitch in 2020, in the World Series, and he's done a lot of great things in the community, for the Dodgers, for myself, personally. I just think that for us right now, with what Dalton Rushing is doing on the performance side, it's an opportunity to challenge him, expand his growth, give him an opportunity to log some major league games and essentially give him some runway.' So, let's talk about Rushing. He went to Louisville and was taken in the second round of the 2022 draft. He has moved consistently through the minors, hitting good to great everywhere and was hitting .308/.424/.514 at triple-A Oklahoma City this season. His bat has been major-league ready for a while. With Will Smith solidly behind the plate in L.A., the Dodgers tried Rushing out at first base and left field. Reports from scouts who have seen him play left field are that he's a work in progress, and the Dodgers say they want him to be a catcher. So it appears he is coming up to spell Smith a couple of times a week. It's tough for a young player, used to playing every day, to come to a team and sit on the bench most of the time. So it will be interesting to see what exactly the Dodgers do with him. Two of the positions he could play, first base and DH, are currently taken by two future Hall of Famers. And will the Dodgers want to risk the defense by putting him in left? If he plays for a couple of weeks as the backup catcher and is hitting line drives everywhere, will they be tempted to put him in left? Roberts on Rushing: 'In one sense, to not take at-bats every day, you could see some downside. But I think that us talking internally, having him here in this environment, around our pitchers, around our coaches, understanding how we game plan, understanding major league hitters, and then to most importantly log major league at-bats — I think just net sum, it was more positive.' It will be fun to watch. Clayton Kershaw will make his long-awaited return to the rotation Saturday against the Angels. How will he do? Who knows. It's just nice to have him back out there. Kershaw is one of the two greatest pitchers in Dodgers history, along with Sandy Koufax. The last time we did voting for the greatest Dodgers of all time, Koufax finished first, Kershaw fourth (Jackie Robinson and Vin Scully were in between). The last few seasons have been injury-filled, but Kershaw has still been a good pitcher. He only looks bad if you compare him to the numbers he put up in his prime. Last season, when he started seven games and had a 4.50 ERA, was the first season since 2008 (his first year) when he had an ERA+ below 100. In 2022 it was 177, meaning he was 77% better than the league average pitcher. In 2023, it was 175. And you can count on one thing even now: Every time Kershaw goes out on the mound, he's going to empty the tank. He's going to give you everything he's got. He pitched on short rest during the postseason. He did everything the Dodgers asked him. This may be his last season. Enjoy it while you can. Most seasons with the Dodgers: 18 seasonsClayton KershawBill RussellZack Wheat 16 seasonsGil HodgesPee Wee ReeseDuke SniderDon Sutton 15 seasonsCarl Furillo 14 seasonsWillie DavisDon DrysdaleSteve GarveyJim GilliamSteve Yeager Kershaw's return was at a good time, because the Dodgers put Roki Sasaki on the IL on Tuesday because of 'right shoulder impingement.' Apparently, Sasaki had pain in his shoulder for a few weeks and didn't tell anyone. He only mentioned it after his last start. Meanwhile, his fastball velocity had been dipping each start. Now we know why. There's almost always an adjustment period when pitcher come from Japan to the U.S. A different baseball (the ball in Japan is slightly smaller (8.875–9.125 inches compared to 9–9.25 inches), the pitch clock, and, the ball in Japan has better grip, making it easier to manipulate and spin. Plus, even without those factors, just adapting to a new country is difficult enough. When Sasaki will return is unknown. He was 1-1 with a 4.72 ERA this season. Dodger pitchers on the IL and when they are expected to return: Tyler Glasnow, shoulder (unknown)Brusdar Graterol, shoulder surgery (September)Michael Grove, shoulder surgery (2026)Edgardo Henriquez, broken foot (unknown)Kyle Hurt, Tommy John surgery (2026)Evan Phillips, elbow (June)River Ryan, Tommy John surgery (2026)Roki Sasaki, shoulder (unknown)Emmet Sheehan, Tommy John surgery (after the All-Star break)Blake Snell, shoulder (unknown)Gavin Stone, shoulder surgery (2026)Blake Treinen, forearm (July) There are very few players in baseball history who seem to rise to every occasion. One of them is Shohei Ohtani. He hit two home runs on his bobblehead night Thursday, and these are his numbers on all the bobblehead nights the Dodgers have had for him: 7 for 16, four home runs, eight RBIs, three stolen bases. Just think, the Angels had him for five years and did not really do much with him, as far as marketing goes. What were they thinking? Also, since wearing glasses, Max Muncy is hitting .261/.364/.543 with two doubles, one triple, three homers and 12 RBIs in 55 plate appearances. Dodgers leaders in strikeouts per nine innings, minimum 750 innings: 1. Clayton Kershaw, 9.72. Sandy Koufax, 9.33. Hideo Nomo, 8.94. Chan Ho Park, 8.34. Darren Dreifort, 8.36. Kevin Brown, 8.17. Chad Billingsley, 7.98. Jim Brewer, 7.49. Tim Belcher, 7.110. Bill Singer, 7.0 As you can see, there are no Brooklyn pitchers in the top 10. So, here's the top 10 Brooklyn Dodgers in strikeouts per nine innings, minimum 750 innings: 1. Dazzy Vance, 6.32. Van Lingle Mungo, 5.33. Ralph Branca, 5.13. Carl Erskine, 5.15. Don Newcombe, 5.06. Kirby Higbe, 4.77. Nap Rucker, 4.68. Adonis Terry, 4.58. Whit Wyatt, 4.58. Preacher Roe, 4.5 We are going to take the Joker off the board (fans of the TV game show 'The Joker's Wild' will understand that reference) and talk about a rare non-Dodgers topic. MLB reinstated Pete Rose, Joe Jackson and others on the permanently ineligible list, basically saying that a lifetime ban ends when you die. We can talk all day about the cowardice of reinstating Rose just a few months after he died. Or the fact that a person's death does nothing to change what they did or did not do. Rose, Jackson and the other members of the 1919 White Sox are now eligible for the Hall of Fame. My question to you is, should they be elected to the Hall of Fame? Click here to vote in our survey. We'll discuss the results next time. The 10 members of the 2020 title team still with the team: Mookie BettsTony GonsolinBrusdar GraterolKiké HernándezClayton KershawDustin MayMax MuncyWill SmithChris TaylorBlake Treinen Friday: Angels (Jack Kochanowicz, 2-5, 5.23 ERA) at Dodgers (Dustin May, 1-3, 4.08 ERA), 7:10 p.m., Sportsnet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020 Saturday: Angels (*Tyler Anderson, 2-1, 2.58 ERA) at Dodgers (*Clayton Kershaw, first start), 6:10 p.m., Sportsnet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020 Sunday: Angels (*Yusei Kikichi, 0-4, 3.72 ERA) at Dodgers (Tony Gonsolin, 2-0, 2.81 ERA), 1:10 p.m., Sportsnet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020 *-left-handed Who is the next Dodger to go? | Dodgers Debate Dodgers call up catcher Dalton Rushing, designate Austin Barnes for assignment Mookie Betts' toddler son runs away with first-pitch baseball. It's as adorable as it sounds Hernández: Roki Sasaki's shoulder issue leaves Dodgers in a familiar and problematic position Dodgers place Roki Sasaki on injured list, further depleting the team's pitching Roki Sasaki's declining fastball velocity is a problem. Can the Dodgers find a solution? Pete Rose, 'Shoeless' Joe Jackson reinstated by Major League Baseball, making Hall of Fame election possible Shaikin: Pete Rose is a sure thing for the Baseball Hall of Fame now, right? Not so fast Austin Barnes bunts in a run and homers in Game 3 of the 2020 World Series. Watch and listen here. Have a comment or something you'd like to see in a future Dodgers newsletter? Email me at and follow me on Twitter at @latimeshouston. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Kenley Jansen Sends 3-Word Message After Major Dodgers News
Kenley Jansen is the latest Los Angeles Angels signee with an elite resume on a losing team. Future Hall of Famer Shohei Ohtani never made the playoffs with the team from 2018-23, while fellow modern legend and career Angel Mike Trout's only postseason appearance was in 2014. Los Angeles still has Trout, and they signed Jansen to a one-year, $10 million deal in the offseason. The latter player is the active MLB career saves leader with 454 and is a four-time All-Star. However, the Angels were still 17-24 heading into their bout with the San Diego Padres on Wednesday night. Advertisement Jansen started his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers from 2010-21 and helped them win the 2020 World Series. Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Kenley Jansen (74) celebrates after defeating the Atlanta A. Vasquez-Imagn Images The right-hander's tenure overlapped with catcher Austin Barnes for the final seven of those seasons, and that's why he supported him on social media after Wednesday's development. The Dodgers DFA'd Barnes, and Jansen posted "Thank you Austin." The team also called up top prospect and fellow catcher Dalton Rushing. Los Angeles Angels pitcher Kenley Jansen posts on / Instagram Barnes has played all of his 612 career games with the Dodgers, slashing .223/.322/.338 with 35 homers and 162 RBI. The veteran also slashed .206/.277/.290 with two homers and 10 RBI in 43 postseason contests. Advertisement Meanwhile, the Dodgers drafted Rushing No. 40 overall in 2022, and he sports a .277 average with 54 homers, 185 RBI, and a .931 OPS in 921 career minor-league games. The Angels will hit the road to face their cross-town rival in a three-game series starting on Friday before playing the Athletics in Sacramento. Related: Angels' Ron Washington Announces Kenley Jansen News After Blue Jays Game Related: Angels' Ron Washington Facing Decision After 7th Straight Loss
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Mookie Betts to visit White House with Dodgers after skipping it in President Trump's first term
Mookie Betts to visit White House with Dodgers after skipping it in President Trump's first term Mookie Betts skipped a visit to the White House during Donald Trump's first term after winning the 2018 World Series with the Boston Red Sox. He has different plans with the 2024 Los Angeles Dodgers. The former MVP told reporters Friday he intends to visit Trump at the White House with his teammates on April 7, when the Dodgers will celebrate their eighth World Series title. He indicated it was a matter of being present for his teammates, and also said he regretted not going in 2019. Betts notably didn't present a political reason when he confirmed he wouldn't go after the 2018 Fall Classic, simply saying he "decided not to." Advertisement Similarly, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said in 2019 he would not visit Trump in the White House if his team hypothetically won the World Series. He confirmed he will make the trip last month: 'I respect the position. It's the highest office in our country certainly, in the world. So I'm looking forward to it.' Both Betts and Roberts visited former president Joe Biden at the White House in 2021 after winning the 2020 World Series. The Dodgers will be visiting Trump at a politically chaotic time, as the stock market has seen significant losses since the president instituted sweeping tariffs that could raise prices and upend global trade. There have also been recent headlines about the Trump administration's removal of an article about Jackie Robinson, the Dodgers legend who broke the color barrier, from the Pentagon's website (which was later restored) and the removal of a Robinson biography from the library at the U.S. Naval Academy. Advertisement Betts has taken a central role in shaping Robinson's legacy in recent years, such as with his production of the 2022 documentary "Jackie Robinson: Get to the Bag." Mookie Betts has three World Series rings with the Dodgers and Red Sox. (Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images) (IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect / Reuters) One Dodgers star who might not make the trip is World Series MVP Freddie Freeman. The Canadian-American was placed on the 10-day IL with an ankle injury after slipping in the shower last weekend and does not appear to have joined the Dodgers on their current road trip, which will see them face the Philadelphia Phillies this weekend before heading to D.C. to visit Trump and the Washington Nationals. The 8-0 Dodgers are currently off to their best start in franchise history, and their eight straight wins is also the longest undefeated run by a defending champion to open a season. Shohei Ohtani pushed them past the previous record-holder, the 1933 New York Yankees, with a walk-off homer on Wednesday.
Los Angeles Times
26-03-2025
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
The Sports Report: Mookie Betts is back
Howdy, I'm your host, Houston Mitchell. Let's get right to the news. From Anthony De Leon: Mookie Betts' trademark smile is back. As he walked off the field on his way back to the Dodgers clubhouse, he was in good spirits after his pregame warmup, exclaiming, 'I feel great. Awesome. Normal.' For Betts, Tuesday marked a return to normalcy, with the star shortstop back in the lineup against the Angels. Betts was slated to get 'three at-bats, play four or five innings of defense,' according to manager Dave Roberts. Coming back from his stomach ailment, Betts played into the sixth inning of the Dodgers' 4-1 victory over the Angels. He finished 0 for 3 with a couple of groundouts and a foul out to first base. Betts emphasized that his main focus is simply 'to play baseball.' He added, 'I still don't know how long, how many days it's been — just to play baseball and try to get back into a rhythm.' It had been nearly two weeks since Betts last took the field, and while he acknowledges there's not much time to get back into game shape, he could be deemed ready by Roberts for Thursday's home opener against the Detroit Tigers. 'Yeah, I played in the game,' Betts said with a chuckle. 'Once I step foot on the dirt, I'm ready to go.' Continue reading here ———— From Jack Harris: The Dodgers will visit the White House during their trip to Washington next month to face the Nationals, the team announced Tuesday, continuing a tradition for championship teams of the United States' major sports leagues. 'It's certainly a huge honor to get the invitation to the White House,' manager Dave Roberts said. 'Allows us to celebrate our 2024 championship.' The visit, scheduled for April 7, will mark the Dodgers' second trip to the White House in the last five years. In 2021, the team's 2020 World Series title was celebrated by President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. This time, the Dodgers will be welcomed by President Trump — which, given past comments some team members have made, raised questions in the wake of Tuesday's announcement about whether anyone might decline to take part in the event. Roberts said he would participate, despite comments he made to The Times in 2019 indicating he might not go to the White House if Trump — who was notoriously critical of Roberts' managing on Twitter during the 2018 World Series — was president. Continue reading here News Analysis: Shohei Ohtani is restarting his throwing program. But how much will he pitch in 2025? Do you have a thought or opinion on one of our local sports teams or one of our sports stories? Email us at sports@ Selected letters will be run here and in our Sunday print section. You must include your first and last name and city of residence to be included. From Bill Plaschke: JuJu Watkins screamed. She held her right knee with both hands, squeezed her eyes shut and screamed. A school and a town and a sport scream with her. In the history of basketball in Los Angeles, it will be forever known as the night everything changed. On a court where she flies, USC's Watkins collapsed. In a sport in which her contortions are magic, she lay curled up in a ball. At a school where she leads thousands, she found herself very much alone, mouth open, chest heaving, crying and screaming again and again. On the saddest of Mondays, the best women's college basketball player in America suffered a season-ending knee injury that could alter a career, a program, a life. Continue reading here From Chuck Schilken: Four days after playing the best NBA game of his young career, Bronny James did the same in the G League. Starting for the Lakers' South Bay affiliate Monday night, the rookie scored a career-high 39 points in a 122-118 win over the Santa Cruz Warriors at UCLA Health Training Center in El Segundo. James made 14 of 21 shots, including four of eight from three-point range, and added four assists, four steals and one block in 38 minutes. He also committed seven turnovers, which tied for his most. After his performance, James was asked on Spectrum SportsNet what he had been trying to prove on the court. 'Just that I belong out there,' James said. 'That's all I'm trying to prove. A lot of people say I don't, but I just come out, work every day, try to get better every day and prove myself every day.' Continue reading here From Chuck Schilken: Puka Nacua already knows when he wants to retire. It's not anytime soon, but it's probably a lot sooner than Rams fans might want to think about right now. Asked during a recent podcast appearance how he might know when it's time to hang up his cleats, the 23-year-old star receiver did not hesitate in answering. 'I know I want to retire at the age of 30,' Nacua said on an episode of 'Join the Lobby' that went live Saturday. That's either six or seven seasons away, depending on when during the start of his fourth decade Nacua (born May 29, 2001) decides to call it a career. Continue reading here Outfielder Mickey Moniak was released by the Angels on Tuesday after beating the team in salary arbitration and will receive $483,781 in termination pay rather than his $2 million salary. Under the collective bargaining agreement that started in 2022, salaries of arbitration-eligible players that are agreed to are guaranteed, but salaries determined by arbitration panels are not. Players with nonguaranteed contracts who are released during the 15 days prior to opening day receive 45 days of termination pay. Last year New York Mets pitcher Phil Bickford and San Francisco third baseman J.D. Davis were released during spring training after winning in arbitration. Continue reading here Kevin Fiala scored twice, Darcy Kuemper stopped 22 shots, and the Kings beat the New York Rangers 3-1 on Tuesday night. Phillip Danault also scored as the Kings extended their home point streak to 15 games (12-0-3). The Kings are the second team in the NHL to have a home point streak of at least 15 games, joining Washington (11-0-5). J. T. Miller scored for New York, and Igor Shesterkin finished with 30 saves. The Rangers have lost four of their last five games. Continue reading here Kings summary NHL scores NHL standings 1944 — St. John's, coached by Joe Lapchick, defeats DePaul 47-39 to become the first back-to-back winner of the National Invitation Tournament. 1946 — Hank Iba's Oklahoma A&M Aggies beat North Carolina 43-40 for their second straight NCAA men's basketball title. Bob Kurland scores 23 points, including the first two dunks in NCAA tournament history. 1949 — Alex Groza leads Kentucky to a 46-36 victory over Oklahoma State for the NCAA championship. 1952 — Kansas' Clyde Lovelette scores 33 points to lead the Jayhawks to a 80-63 win over St. John's for the NCAA basketball title. 1972 — The Lakers beat Seattle 124-98 to finish the season at 69-13, the best record in NBA history, until the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls finish at 72-10. 1973 — Bill Walton scores 44 points to help UCLA win its record seventh NCAA basketball championship with an 87-66 triumph over Memphis State. 1974 — George Foreman knocks out Ken Norton in the second round in Caracas, Venezuela, to retain the world heavyweight title. 1979 — 41st NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Michigan State beats Indiana State, 75-64; marks start of rivalry between future Hall of Famers Magic Johnson and Larry Bird; highest-rated game in history of televised college basketball. 1994 — Utah's John Stockton becomes the second player in NBA history to collect 2,000 career steals. Stockton gets a pair of steals during a 98-83 loss at Houston to join Maurice Cheeks, who finished his career with 2,310 steals. 2005 — In the NCAA men's basketball regional finals, Louisville and Illinois make tremendous comebacks to force overtime and advance. Louisville, trailing by 20 to a West Virginia, complete an amazing come-from-behind 93-85 win. Illinois, trailing by 15 with just four minutes to play, went on a dazzling 20-5 run to send Arizona to a crushing 90-89 defeat. 2006 — George Mason stuns No. 1 seed Connecticut 86-84 in overtime to become the first No. 11 seed to reach the men's Final Four since LSU in 1986. 2011 — Shelvin Mack scores 27 points, including five in overtime, as Butler returns to the Final Four with a 74-71 victory over Florida in the Southeast regional. 2012 — Jaime Alas scores in stoppage time and El Salvador forges a 3-3 tie that ousts the United States from Olympic qualifying. The Americans miss the Olympics for the second time since 1976. 2016 — Breanna Stewart has 22 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks to lead No. 1 UConn to a 98-38 record rout of fifth-seeded Mississippi State in the Bridgeport regional semifinals. The victory supplants the record 51-point win the Huskies had over Texas in the regional semifinals last year that set the NCAA record for margin of victory in the regional rounds and beyond. 2017 — Luke Maye hits a jumper with 0.3 seconds left, and top-seeded North Carolina holds off Kentucky 75-73 in the South Regional to earn a second straight trip to the Final Four and 20th all-time. Compiled by the Associated Press
