NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The last three times that Kansas and Villanova have met in the men’s NCAA Tournament, the winner has gone on to win the national title. That’s a good omen for one of them heading into their latest showdown in the Final Four on Saturday night. Their high-stakes history includes the 2018 semifinals, when the Wildcats rolled to a lopsided win in San Antonio in a game that involved two players — Villanova guard Collin Gillespie and Kansas big man Mitch Lightfoot — that will be on the floor again Saturday night. The winner of their latest matchup will face Duke or North Carolina for the national championship.
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — TCU coach Jamie Dixon is getting a contract extension through the 2027-28 season after leading his alma mater to its first NCAA Tournament victory in 35 years. Dixon was a player in 1987 the last time the Horned Frogs won a tournament game before they beat Seton Hall 69-42 on March 17. TCU lost to top-seeded Arizona 85-80 in overtime in the second round. TCU was coming off Dixon’s first losing record in 18 seasons as a head coach. The Horned Frogs finished 21-13. They are 117-84 in six seasons under Dixon.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Dawn Staley is not certain there will ever be true equity among the men’s and women’s NCAA Tournament. Staley has led top-seeded South Carolina into its second straight Final Four, where the Gamecocks will face Louisville on Friday night for a spot in the championship game. Staley has enjoyed the tournament experience so far, including the team’s two days in Minneapolis. She sees change from a year ago when inequities were discovered between what the men and women received at their tournament. Staley wonders if even the advances made so far will last going forward.
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