Virginia-TTU final leads to lowest O/U in 20 years - ESPN

12:53 PM ET

Sportsbooks aren't expecting Monday night's NCAA tournament title game between Texas Tech and Virginia to be a high-scoring affair. In fact, they've posted the lowest over/under total in an NCAA title game in the past 20 years.

Minutes after Texas Tech beat Michigan State 61-51 in Saturday night's second semifinal, the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook opened Virginia as a 1-point favorite in the title game with a total of 120. Virginia edged out Auburn 63-62 following a controversial foul call with 0.6 seconds left in the other semifinal.

Year	Final	O/U
2006	Florida-UCLA	128
2010	Duke-Butler	128.5
2011	UConn-Butler	131.5
2014	UConn-Kentucky	135

By Sunday morning, the total had been bet down to 118 at many sportsbooks and 117.5 at the SuperBook.

"There is an expectation that the public will be looking to play the under with these two teams involved, especially in the first half," Jeff Sherman, vice president of risk at the SuperBook, told ESPN. "We tried to go with a total low enough to have the first bets on the over, but that didn't happen."

The previous low for a title game total in the past 20 seasons was Florida-UCLA in 2006 (128), followed by Duke-Butler in 2010 (128.5).

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2019-04-07 15:52:55Z
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Outrage over other 'absurd' call that decided Virginia-Auburn - New York Post

The controversial call that decided a national semifinal, Auburn’s Samir Doughty sidling up to an in-air Kyle Guy and affecting his landing from a 3-point shot?

That’s not the entirety of the outrage emerging from Virginia’s 63-62, heart-stopping win Saturday in Minneapolis, in which Guy sunk those three free throws to put the Cavaliers ahead.

No, it’s the play that led to Guy’s look from the corner, in which guard Ty Jerome hurried the ball upcourt, bounced it off his foot and re-started his dribble — a textbook double dribble that was somehow ignored by the refs (and CBS announcers until after the game).

“Why not let refs use monitor in the last minute to determine a rules situation?” ESPN college basketball legend Dick Vitale tweeted. “A game like the Virginia / Auburn should not end on such an OBVIOUS MISSED CALL/ clearly missing a call like a Double dribble to effect the outcome is ABSURD.”

Few are disputing the foul call on Doughty, which, while slight, was clear: His presence underneath Guy caused the Virginia shooting guard to twist on his way back down to the court. But just as indisputable was Jerome’s double dribble.

“I certainly credit Guy for making 3 FT, but he never should have been on line,” Vitale said. “Obvious double-dribble was missed. What a gut-wrenching way to lose for Auburn.”

CBS rules analyst Gene Steratore confirmed as much.

“As we start to watch Ty Jerome dribbling the basketball, it bounces off his back foot,” Steratore said. “It doesn’t go far either. There’s no defense that touches it. He regains possession with both hands and starts a new dribble sequence. By rule, this is a double dribble.”

After the game, the Tigers were despondent, though their energy was directed toward the Doughty foul call.

“NCAA needs to get some new refs,” guard Bryce Brown said on his way to the locker room.

“There are lots of calls during a game, and some you’re not going to get,” Auburn coach Bruce Pearl told reporters. “If that’s a foul, call it. Call it at the beginning of the game, call it in the middle of the game, call it at the end of the game.”

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2019-04-07 15:42:00Z
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Panthers fire coach Boughner after 2 seasons - ESPN

12:04 PM ET

The Florida Panthers have fired coach Bob Boughner after two seasons behind the bench and no playoff appearances.

A 4-3 loss to the Devils on Saturday night finished a 36-32-14 season. The Panthers ended up fifth in the Atlantic Division and 12 points out of the final wild-card spot.

The Panthers also fired assistant coach Paul McFarland.

"We made a tough decision today and have relieved Bob Boughner of his duties as head coach," Panthers general manager Dale Tallon said in a statement. "We didn't meet expectations this season and share responsibility for that fact. After careful evaluation, we have determined that this is a necessary first step for our young team and we will seek to identify a transformative, experienced head coach with Stanley Cup pedigree to lead our team going forward. We're grateful to Bob, Paul and their families for their hard work and their dedication to the Panthers organization and we wish them the best of luck in their future endeavors."

Boughner, a former NHL defenseman, got the Panthers job after the team parted ways with Gerard Gallant and finished the 2016-17 season with interim coach Tom Rowe. Boughner, 48, didn't have prior head-coaching experience in the NHL. He won the Memorial Cup twice as coach of the Windsor Spitfires of the OHL.

Gallant landed with the expansion Vegas Golden Knights and took them to the Stanley Cup Final in their first season and to another playoff berth this season.

Boughner went 43-30-8 in his first season but missed the playoffs by one point.

This season, the Panthers wasted a big season by Aleksander Barkov, who set a club record with 96 points. The Panthers had three 30-goal scorers but finished with a minus-13 goal differential.

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2019-04-07 15:01:48Z
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Schedule set for Blue Jackets-Lightning series in Stanley Cup Playoffs - BlueJackets.com

The Eastern Conference Quarterfinal series between the Columbus Blue Jackets and top-seeded Tampa Bay Lightning has been set with start times and network coverage through the first four games, the club and National Hockey League announced today. The series marks the Blue Jackets' third consecutive postseason appearance and first against the Lightning, which captured the 2018-19 Presidents' Trophy for best overall record in the National Hockey League. The schedule with broadcast information follows:

EASTERN CONFERENCE QUARTERFINALS SERIES - Columbus vs. Tampa Bay

Game	Date	Location	Time	Television	Tickets
Game 1	Wednesday, April 10	at Tampa Bay	7 p.m.	FOX Sports Ohio, USA, SN360, TVA Sports
Game 2	Friday, April 12	at Tampa Bay	7 p.m.	FOX Sports Ohio, CNBC, SN360, TVA Sports
Game 3	Sunday, April 14	at Columbus	7 p.m.	FOX Sports Ohio, NBCSN, SN360, TVA Sports	BUY NOW
Game 4	Tuesday, April 16	at Columbus	7 p.m.	FOX Sports Ohio, CNBC, SN360, TVA Sports	BUY NOW
*Game 5	Friday, April 19	at Tampa Bay	TBD	TBD
*Game 6	Sunday, April 21	at Columbus	TBD	TBD	BUY NOW
*Game 7	Tuesday, April 23	at Tampa Bay	TBD	TBD

Bold - home games // * - if necessary

A limited number of playoff tickets are on sale now at BlueJackets.com and in person at the Big Lots Box Office at Nationwide Arena, the FOX Sports Ohio Blue Line at The Mall at Tuttle Crossing, OhioHealth Chiller Dublin, OhioHealth Chiller Easton, and OhioHealth Chiller North.

News regarding the potential on-sale of any last-minute tickets will be shared via @BlueJacketsNHL on Twitter. Fans wishing to receive notification of ticket updates may sign up for the club's Flag Bearer e-newsletter by visiting BlueJackets.com/playoffs.

Live coverage of games carried by FOX Sports Ohio begins with the Blue Jackets Live pre-game show starting 30 minutes prior to game time with an expanded 60-minute show preceding Game Three on Sunday, April 14. All games televised on FOX Sports Ohio will also be streamed live via FOX Sports GO. All Blue Jackets playoff games will be broadcast live on the Eldorado Scioto Downs Blue Jackets Radio Network, including flagship station Sports Radio 97.1 The Fan, and online at BlueJackets.com. Coverage will begin with a one-hour pre-game show prior to each radio broadcast.

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2019-04-07 14:16:24Z
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Nike 'won't respond' to new Avenatti accusations, including alleged bribe to Zion Williamson's mom - CNBC

Nike says it won't respond to the latest allegations by celebrity attorney Michael Avenatti that the sneaker maker made illicit payments to the families of high school athletes to lure them to certain "Nike" colleges, including that of now Duke University player Zion Williamson.

On Saturday, Avenatti dumped 41-pages of documents on Twitter which he claimed are "evidence showing Nike bribed players to attend 'Nike' colleges." He also made allegations claiming Williamson's mother, Sharonda Sampson, received payments from Nike during her son's recruitment when he was attending high school in South Carolina.

"This evidence is now in the hands of law enforcement," he said. "Still waiting for Nike to deny they paid bribes and lied to the government for years about it. They know they did it and are guilty as hell."

Avenatti 2: Nike should be criminally indicted on well over 200 counts and should also explain why they misled their investors/the SEC. If I'm lying or the docs are not legit, I challenge @nike to issue a stmt claiming no bribes were ever paid. Just Do It Nike!

Williamson is not named in the weekend document dump, but Avenatti posted allegations on Twitter.

Williamson Tweet: About this denial by Coach K the other day relating to payments by Nike...Can you please ask Zion Williamson's mother - Sharonda Sampson - whether she was paid by @ nikefor bogus "consulting services" in 2016/17 as part of a Nike bribe to get Zion to go to Duke? Thx.

This all comes after Avenatti, who has gained widespread notoriety in the past year for representing porn star Stormy Daniels in lawsuits against President Donald Trump and his former lawyer Michael Cohen, was arrested and charged in New York in March for trying to extort millions of dollars from Nike by threatening to take his allegations public. At that same time, he was also separately charged in a second federal case in Los Angeles for embezzling a client's money "in order to pay his own expenses and debts," according to prosecutors.

Now, in the midst of the NCAA men's Final Four basketball playoff, Avenatti is still trying to take down Nike, claiming he has evidence that more than $170,000 has been paid out by the retailer to family members of basketball players including the Phoenix Suns' Deandre Ayton, former University of Nevada Las Vegas player Brandon McCoy, Oregon Ducks' Bol Bol and Duke Blue Devils' Williamson.

"Nike will not respond to the allegations of an individual facing federal charges of fraud and extortion and aid in his disgraceful attempts to distract from the athletes on the court at the height of the tournament," a Nike spokesperson told CNBC in a statement in response to Avenatti's tweets. "Nike will continue its cooperation with the government's investigation into grassroots basketball and the related extortion case."

Duke's Director of Athletics Kevin White said in a statement that the university is looking into the allegations regarding Williamson and his mother.

"We are aware of the allegation and, as we would with any compliance matter, are looking into it. Duke is fully committed to compliance with all NCAA rules and regulations. Every student-athlete at Duke is reviewed to ensure their eligibility. With regard to men's basketball: all recruits and their families are thoroughly vetted by Duke in collaboration with the NCAA through the Eligibility Center's amateurism certification process."

Williamson has risen as a freshman to be the most talked-about player in college basketball this year. Williamson is the projected No. 1 pick in the NBA draft and just this week accepted two national player-of the-year awards during the Final Four tournament.

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2019-04-07 13:30:06Z
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Dick Vitale says missed call in Auburn-Virginia game was 'absurd' - USA TODAY

Josh Peter USA TODAY

Published 8:12 AM EDT Apr 7, 2019

Dick Vitale was among those who took issue with game officials after Virginia held off Auburn at the Final Four thanks in part to a disputed call and a questionable non-call in the final seconds of the game.

Vitale, the longtime college basketball analyst, said on Twitter that a “clearly missed’’ double-dribble by Virginia’s Ty Jerome cost Auburn the game. Virginia won 63-62 in the national semifinal matchup.

“Why not let refs use monitor in the last minute to determine a rules situation?’’ Vitale tweeted. “A game like the Virginia / Auburn should not end on such an OBVIOUS MISSED CALL/ clearly missing a call like a Double dribble to effect the outcome is ABSURD.’’

AUBURN: Pearl wants team to "handle defeat with dignity"

VIRGINIA: Kyle Guy's inner strength helps him sink free throws

But Vitale said he agreed with a disputed, last-second foul call Auburn’s Samir Doughty that resulted in Virginia’s Kyle Guy making three free throws that clinched the victory for Virginia.

“…my heart breaks for @AuburnMBB as no doubt Kyle Guy was fouled but he NEVER EVER should have been on the foul line as 3 refs clearly missed a DOUBLE DRIBBLE,’’ Vitale tweeted. “…What a gut-wrenching way to lose for Auburn.’

 

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2019-04-07 12:12:00Z
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What they're saying nationally, in Virginia about Auburn's last-second loss in Final Four - AL.com

The best season in Auburn basketball history came to a screeching halt in the Final Four on Saturday night.

The fifth-seeded Tigers fell to top-seeded Virginia, 63-62, after a controversial foul call against Samir Doughty inside the final second, sending Cavaliers guard Kyle Guy to the free-throw line for three shots and the win inside Minneapolis’ U.S. Bank Stadium. It was a gut-wrenching way to lose, as Auburn thought it had a spot in Monday’s national championship game all but secured.

Instead, the Tigers’ season is over, their magical run through the NCAA Tournament falling just short. Here’s a look at what’s being said nationally and in Virginia about Auburn’s heartbreaking, last-second loss to Virginia:

-- The foul call that will forever overshadow the Virginia-Auburn Final Four game (ESPN)

-- Controversy? Yes. But Kyle Guy still had to hit three free throws (ESPN)

-- Auburn players struggle to understand crucial late-game call that led to loss against Virginia (CBS Sports)

-- Guy "my own space” and pushes Virginia past Auburn (CBS Sports)

-- The unspeakable pain behind Samir Doughty’s unflappable poise (The Athletic)

-- Fate? Destiny? A miracle? Call is what you want, but Virginia is in the title game (The Athletic)

-- Ty Jerome’s father exults in Virginia’s miracle victory (The Athletic)

-- Virginia’s Final Four win came on the right call (USA Today)

-- Kyle Guy was “terrified” taking game-winning free throws vs. Auburn (USA Today)

-- Virginia’s controversial win buries painful memories (Bleacher Report)

-- Virginia’s latest, greatest controversial escape (Yahoo Sports)

-- Missed double-dribble call proves costly for Auburn (Yahoo Sports)

-- A shot, a whistle and a first final for Virginia (New York Times)

-- Messy finish could set up perfect ending for Virginia (The Washington Post)

-- Virginia had the right Guy for the job at the end (The Star Tribune)

-- Virginia’s Final Four “Oh, my” is Auburn’s Final Four “Oh, #&@*!” (Pioneer Press)

-- Virginia is answering the question, what happens when you store up all your luck for 30 years? (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

-- De’Andre Hunter gave Virginia a big second-half book (Charlottesville Daily Progress)

-- Virginia holds Auburn’s shooters in check (Charlottesville Daily Progress)

-- Kyle Guy adds a thrilling chapter to his redemption story (Charlottesville Daily Progress)

Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.

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2019-04-07 12:00:00Z
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