Page 23 - Florida Sentinel 4-5-19

Sports
Women's Final Four:
Virginia Is Favorite, Auburn Is Long Shot. Here Are The Odds Heading Into Final Four
Each Team Could
Win In Tampa;
UConn Favorite
The Virginia Cavaliers are one of the most successful programs in the country without a national champi- onship to their name. That could very well change this week.
Saturday, Virginia Vs Auburn- 6:09 p.m.- CBS and also Saturday, Michigan State Vs Texas Tech- 8:49 p.m.- CBS.
Virginia is the new fa- vorite to win the national title after becoming the only No. 1 seed to qualify for the Final Four. The Cavaliers needed overtime to beat the No. 3-seed Purdue Boiler- makers 80-75 in the Elite Eight on Saturday, but they head to Minneapolis, Min- nesota, after the fellow No. 1- seed Duke Blue Devils, North Carolina Tar Heels
Lonzo Ball Sues Big Baller Brand Co-Founder
LONZO BALL AND ALAN FOSTER
Los Angeles Lakers guard Lonzo Ball has filed a lawsuit against the co-founder and for- mer manager of his family's ap- parel company, Big Baller Brand, accusing his ex-partner of conspiring to embezzle mil- lions of dollars and demanding $2 million in damages.
In a court filing, Ball alleges that Alan Foster 'conspired to embezzle millions of dollars and then divert those funds for his personal use, including to acquire assets in Ethiopia.'
The filing also alleges after being released from prison, Foster 'embarked on his plan to target Ball and his family... [and] fleeced them of millions of dollars... [by] creating a va- riety of corporate entities in which he gave himself owner- ship interests and managerial control.'
Foster was sentenced to more than seven years in prison in 2002 after pleading guilty to mail fraud and money laundering schemes.
Michigan State Spartans are close behind at +150 after they beat Duke, 68-67, on Sunday in the Elite Eight. The No. 3-seed Texas Tech Red Raiders check in at +450 and the No. 5-seed Auburn Tigers round out the list of semifinalists as a +500 long shot.
A title game between the Cavaliers and Michigan State is the most likely way to cap off March Madness as both are favored heading into Sat- urday’s semifinals.
UConn has reached the Women's Final Four 20 times overall, including the past 12 years in a row. Notre Dame is making its ninth trip; Baylor its fourth. And then there's the newbie, Oregon. The Ducks are in the national semifinals of the women's NCAA tourna- ment for the first time, but no- body is doubting them. To the contrary, everyone has been waiting the past couple of years for that breakthrough.
Baylor and Oregon have met three times, including in the NCAA second round in 2005, when the Lady Bears won their first national cham- pionship.
Notre Dame and UConn are quite a bit more familiar than
that: Friday will mark their 50th meeting, and their eighth in the Final Four. UConn has the series lead, 37-12, but Notre Dame has the edge at the Final Four, 4-3. They meet in Friday's semifinals in Tampa, Florida, with No. 1 Baylor facing No. 2 Oregon at 7 p.m. ET, followed by No. 1 Notre Dame vs. No. 2 UConn at 9 p.m. ET. Both games are on ESPN2/ESPN App.
and Gonzaga Bulldogs all lost on the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament.
Virginia is a +150 favorite to hoist the national champi- onship trophy in BetOnline’s odds and the No. 2-seed
Bidding War For Zion Williamson's
First Shoe Deal Could Match
LeBron James, Kevin Durant
Russell Wilson Expected
In all likelihood, Zion Williamson is headed to the NBA after one of the most electric seasons in college basketball history.
However, his big payday won’t be when he signs with whichever team wins the up- coming NBA draft lottery.
Rather, it will likely be when he signs his shoe deal, and that day could be coming very soon.
Williamson’s shoe spon- sorship is going to be a very big deal. How big? One breakdown from ESPN has “many in the sneaker indus-
To Get Richer Deal
Than Aaron Rodgers
Russell Wilson has re- portedly set a deadline of April 15 for the Seattle Seahawks to sign him to a new contract, and there is a good chance he will have the deal in-hand by then. When the two sides do eventually reach an agree- ment, it is expected to set a record.
Gregg Bell of The News Tribune describes Wilson’s April 15 deadline as “leverag- ing, posturing and window- dressing.” He sees no reason to believe Wilson won’t get a new contract from the Sea-
ZION WILLIAMSON
try” speculating that Williamson’s deal will make him one of the three highest-paid rookie endorsers ever, joining LeBron James and Kevin Durant.
RUSSELL WILSON
hawks, and he is convinced the deal will eclipse the $33.5M annually and nearly $100M guaranteed that Aaron Rodgers got from the Green Bay Packers last year.
Michael Bennett,
Patriots Agree To Restructured Contract
The New England Patriots rarely add more money to the contracts of veteran players they are looking to get the most out of, but they must feel that Michael Bennett has a lot of good football left in him.
The Patriots have agreed to a restructured two-year con- tract with Bennett that gives him more guaranteed money and the ability to earn more than his previous deal.
MICHAEL BENNETT
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