English
Indian
العربية
Español
Deutsch
Türkçe
Français (Afrique)Iowa women’s basketball signee thanks Nike for Caitlin Clark shoes
After Iowa women's basketball signee McKenna Woliczko appeared in the 2026 McDonald's All-American Game wearing a pair of Caitlin Clark's yet-to-be-released Nike "Rookie of the Year" Kobe 5 Protros, the future Hawkeye thanked the athletic wear giant for allowing her the privilege to showcase the exclusive footwear.
In fact, Woliczko is just the second player ever to wear the Caitlin Clark-inspired "Rookie of the Year" shoes, with the Hawkeyes legend obviously being the lone other person to don the design.
"Thank you Nike and Caitlin Clark for sending me the Caitlin Clark Rookie of the Year shoes. It was an honor being able to wear them in the McDonald's All-American Game and being the second person to have them except for Caitlin herself," Woliczko shared on both her Instagram and X accounts.
In response to Woliczko's message of gratitude, Clark commented, "So fire 🔥🔥 can’t wait to see u in the cc1 soon," which is a slight hint that the 6-foot-2, five-star power forward could also be sent a pair of the Indiana Fever icon's Kobe 5 Protro "Coconut Milk" Player Exclusives in the near future.
Regardless of the style of shoes Woliczko will be wearing when she debuts for the Hawkeyes this fall, Iowa fans can't wait to see Woliczko make an impact in the black and gold.
During her high school career at Archbishop Mitty in San Jose, Calif., Woliczko averaged 21.3 points on 63.7% shooting and 9.4 rebounds per game, alongside an impressive list of national and local recognition and extensive Team USA international play.
Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes and opinions. Follow Scout on X: @SpringgateNews
This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Iowa women’s basketball signee thanks Nike for Caitlin Clark shoes
March Madness Picks Against the Spread for Tonight
Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.
The 2026 Men’s Final Four goes down tonight at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
The first matchup features the No. 3 Illinois Fighting Illini and the No. 2 UConn Huskies, followed by the heavyweight showdown of the No. 1 Michigan Wolverines and the No. 1 Arizona Wildcats.
Read on for my March Madness picks against the spread for both Final Four games on Saturday, April 4, and see why I have Illinois advancing to its second-ever National Championship Game.
March Madness against the spread picks on Saturday, April 4
| Matchup | Pick |
|---|---|
 Illinoisvs  UConn | -2 |
 Arizonavs  Michigan | +1.5 |
Lines courtesy of bet365.
Cash your ML upset picks quickly with bet365's early win payout!
Take advantage of the early win payout at bet365, where you'll get paid out as a winner if your team goes up by 15+ points!
Learn more about this feature, and all of bet365's offerings, with our comprehensive bet365 review!
21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
Expert March Madness Final Four ATS picks for Saturday
No. 3 Illinois vs No. 2 UConn: Illinois -2 (-110)
The Illinois Fighting Illini are the better team, and are still favored despite a significant Dan Hurley tax baked into this line.
Little can be taken away from the regular season meeting between these programs on November 28, so instead, let’s breakdown the matchup.
Illinois has more playmakers and shot-makers offensively, canning 10.7 3-pointers per game and shooting 78% from the stripe. The UConn Huskies are hitting just 27.5% from beyond the arc since March 1 and are poor shooters at the foul line (71.9%).
Much has been made about Illinois’ defense, which was perceived to be a weakness heading into the NCAA Tournament, but that was more reputation and vibes-based thinking than reality.
Illinois checks in only five spots behind UConn in adjusted defensive efficiency since March 1 (BartTorvik).
The Illini rank fifth in proximity (Haslametrics), possessing the size and competency to limit the Huskies at the rim offensively, putting the onus on streaky shooters.
Popular March Madness markets
- March Madness picks
- Women's March Madness odds
- March Madness Final Four odds
- March Madness MVP odds
- March Madness betting sites
- March Madness betting promos
No. 1 Michigan vs No. 1 Arizona: Arizona +1.5 (-110)
The Arizona Wildcats are the most talented team in this tournament. I’ve taken them every step of the way, and I’m not stopping now that the lights are brighter.
The Michigan Wolverines have a modern offense in that they live at the rim and behind the arc. Arizona just so happens to be elite at defending both, and is uniquely positioned with both size and athleticism to offer resistance to this break-neck attack.
Michigan has the slight edge according to season-long metrics, but that’s primarily due to several eye-popping blowouts of quality teams back when the calendar read 2025.
It’s a “what have you done for me lately” sport, and the Wildcats have the slight better numbers over the last month (first in BartTorvik; Michigan fifth). There’s also a recent common opponent — Michigan lost 80-72 to Purdue in the Big Ten Tournament, but Arizona crushed the Boilermakers 79-64 in the Elite Eight.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.
Blue Jays confirm brutal Alejandro Kirk injury news
Blue Jays confirm brutal Alejandro Kirk injury news originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Alejandro Kirk injury news has turned out to be quite a bummer.
The Toronto Blue Jays likely headed into Saturday hoping it wouldn't be as bad as feared, but it's a tough outcome in the end.
The Blue Jays placed Kirk on the Injured List on Saturday. He had exited action Friday night in the 10th inning after taking a foul ball off his left thumb beneath his catcher's mitt.
The Blue Jays announced that Kirk's injury is a left thumb fracture.
MORE: Explaining the absurdity of 2 MLB players named Max Muncy
They called up Brandon Valenzuela from Triple-A Buffalo to be their second catcher behind the fill-in starter Tyler Heineman.
Blue Jays reporter Hazel Mae reported, "Kirk will visit Dr. Graham in Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania on Monday and see if they need to do any kind of surgical intervention or pin in his thumb."
Blue Jays manager John Schneider told reporters, via Mae, that Kirk also dislocated his left thumb in addition to the fracture.
Schneider added that the fracture occurred in the middle of the thumb, "Almost over the knuckle," and described it as "weird."
MORE: This Red Sox pitcher traveled an impossible path to the major leagues
The Blue Jays don't believe there is any ligament damage.
It's a brutal development in the early going as the reigning American League champions try to repeat in the AL East and potentially make it back to the World Series.
Kirk is one of the best defensive catchers in baseball in addition to his impressive bat-to-ball skills at the plate.
Without Kirk, the Blue Jays are definitely a worse team.
More MLB news:
- The Jordan Walker trend giving hope to the St. Louis Cardinals
- He almost retired, but instead he hit his first grand slam
- Meet the unluckiest hitter in MLB so far this season
- Giants' Daniel Susac joins brother in cool MLB history
- Cam Schlittler makes 7.4-degree change for Yankees
- Is Liam Hicks actually good?
NFL Rumors: Early Buzz On Where Shedeur Sanders Stands in CLE Browns QB Competition
The Cleveland Browns opted not to add to the quarterback room in NFL free agency, rolling with the trio of Shedeur Sanders, Deshaun Watson, and Dillon Gabriel. While things could change in the 2026 NFL Draft, there’s an early front-runner to be the Browns’ starting quarterback in 2026.
Zac Jackson of The Athletic wrote that he feels “stronger than ever” that Sanders is the favorite to win Cleveland’s starting quarterback competition this summer.
Related: Cleveland Browns GM Addresses QB Plan for 2026 Season
That’s not to say the job will be given to the Pro Bowl quarterback. Jackson echoed what the team has indicated publicly, that the Browns will hold a “true competition” between Sanders and Watson to determine who will be the starting quarterback.
Since being hired as the Browns’ head coach, Todd Monken has offered nothing but support for Sanders and expressed a ton of confidence in the second-year quarterback. While Watson used to be a high-end starter, that last happened in 2020.
Since landing in Cleveland, Watson has completed just 61.2 percent of his 557 pass attempts with a 19-12 TD-INT ratio, an 80.7 passer rating, 70 sacks taken, and an abysmal 177.1 passing yards per game averaged across 19 starts. He’s now coming off consecutive ruptures of his Achilles, with his last live action coming on Oct. 20, 2024.
It would be realistic for the Browns to think that Sanders offers the highest floor, even if his ceiling might only be a league-average quarterback. With Watson in a contract year, carrying a $44.956 million cap hit in 2026, Cleveland could ride out the final season of the deal before finally moving on in 2027 from the worst transaction in NFL history.
Related Headlines
Chipotle Nationals opening round: live updates, scores from No. 7 CIA-Bella Vista vs. No. 11 Montverde Academy
Chipotle Nationals opening round: live updates, scores from No. 7 CIA-Bella Vista vs. No. 11 Montverde Academy originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
FISHERS, Indiana, April 3 — It's the high school basketball national championship game.
Or at least the closest thing we have to it.
The Chipotle Nationals championship game is set for 12 p.m. EST local at Hamilton Southeastern High School, and one half of the bracket looks familiar. The No. 11 Montverde [FL] Academy Eagles have made the field at the Chipotle Nationals 14 years in a row, and they've won the tournament seven times.
On the other side of the bracket waiting for them are the No. 7 CIA-Bella Vista [Phoenix, AZ] Bears who will be playing for their first title.
Neither team is guaranteed to win the title of The Sporting News High School Basketball National Champions where both of them entered the week ranked behind the No. 5 Sierra Canyon [Chatsworth, CA] Trailblazers. But the top four teams in SN's rankings all lost at the Chipotle Nationals at least opening up the door a bit to the possibility. And none of those four teams – No. 1 Dynamic Prep [Dallas, TX], No. 2 AZ Compass Prep [Chandler, AZ] Dragons, No. 3 Prolific Prep [Fort Lauderdale, FL] Crew, and No. 4 Paul VI [Chantilly, VA] Panthers – even made it to the championship game, of course.
Sierra Canyon will no doubt move up, too, but the Trailblazers aren't allowed to participate in the event due to California's CIF rules. They had to settle for California's Open Division state championship, but a wild and crazy week in Fishers, Indiana, may yet deliver a national title to the Trailblazers.
That will be announced next week after all the results are in.
HOW TO WATCH: A complete guide to all of the action at The Chipotle Nationals
__________
Refresh for updates
__________
FOURTH QUARTER
__________
Under a minute, it's 66-60, CIA-Bella Vista headed into a timeout. They've got the ball when they head back to the court.
__________
It's down to 64-60 on a dunk by Montverde!
__________
Under two to play, it's CIA-Bella Vista up 64-58.
__________
Three to play, it's 62-56, CIA-Bella Vista heading into a timeout.
__________
4:12 to play, it's 60-53, CIA-Bella Vista.
__________
Five to play, it's 60-52, CIA-Bella Vista headed into a timeout.
__________
At the 6:10 mark, it's 56-48, CIA-Bella Vista.
__________
It's getting just a little bit chippy with double technicals near the seven-minute mark. A long delay figuring it all out with CIA-Bella Vista up, 54-47.
__________
The fourth quarter is under way!
__________
END OF THIRD QUARTER — CIA-Bella Vista 52, Montverde Academy 47
__________
Montverde hits another bit three to get it within three at 50-47, and CIA-Bella Vista closes the scoring the quarter with a finish at the rim to make it a five-point game headed to the fourth period.
__________
Under a minute to play, and Montverde trims it to 50-44 on a big triple! They're on a 10-2 run with the ball.
__________
Under the two-minute mark, Montverde has got it back to single digits at 50-41 after falling into a 19-point hole earlier.
__________
At the 3:11 mark, it's CIA-Bella Vista up 48-34.
__________
Timeout near the halfway mark, it's 46-34, CIA-Bella Vista.
__________
Under five to play, Montverde on an 8-0 run to get it back down to 11 at 43-32.
__________
Under the seven-minute mark, it's 40-22, CIA-Bella Vista.
__________
The third quarter is under way!
__________
END OF SECOND QUARTER — CIA-Bella Vista 36, Montverde Academy 19
__________
Under 90 seconds, it's all CIA-Bella Vista now, 34-19.
__________
Under the two-minute mark, CIA-Bella Vista has steadily pulled away over the last couple of minutes. Up 31-19 headed into a timeout.
__________
Under three to play before the half, it's 27-19, CIA-Bella Vista.
__________
Under the 3:30 mark, CIA-Bella Vista takes it's biggest lead of the game at 24-17.
__________
At the 4:38 mark, CIA-Bella Vista hits a three out of the timeout to go up, 21-15. They are on a 9-0 run.
__________
Under five to play in the quarter, it's CIA-Bella Vista in front, 18-15. Timeout in Fishers.
__________
CIA-Bella Vista back to the lead at the 5:44 mark. It's 16-15.
__________
Under the six-minute mark, it's 15-14, Montverde.
__________
Just under seven, it's 13-12, Montverde.
__________
The second quarter is under way!
__________
FIRST QUARTER — Montverde Academy 13, CIA-Bella Vista 10
__________
Back-and-forth they go, it's 9-8, Montverde. 1:19 to play.
__________
Offense is a little hard to come by so far. Just under two to play, it's 8-7, CIA-Bella Vista.
__________
Timeout just under the four-minute mark, and it's still Montverde on top, 5-4.
__________
Dhani Miller with a three to put Montverde up, 5-2. CIA-Bella Vista answers, and it's 5-4 just under the five-minute mark.
__________
Both teams come up empty in their opening possessions, but CIA-Bella Vista breaks the ice on their next possession followed by Montverde's answer. Approaching six minutes, it's 2-all.
__________
The Chipotle Nationals championship game is under way!
__________
Coming soon! Game time is set for 12 p.m. EST local!
__________
How can I watch CIA-Bella Vista vs. Montverde Academy?
- Date: 12 p.m. EST local, Saturday, April 4
- WATCH: ESPN