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St. John’s is the back-to-back Big East champion after picking up a dominant win in the tournament final over UConn. The Red Storm looked strong in the 72-52 win over the Huskies.

St. John’s went on a 10-0 run to open the game, going up by as many as 17 points in the first half. The Huskies fought back, but they completely failed to score from the field in the final eight minutes of the game. UConn went 1-for-15 down the final stretch.

St. John’s forward Zuby Ejiofor was absolutely dominant on both sides of the court, putting up 18 points as well as 9 rebounds, 7 blocks and 3 steals. Bryce Hopkins also hit 18 points for the Red Storm, while Tarris Reed Jr. led UConn with 17 points.

The victory likely felt extra sweet for St. John’s, who lost to UConn by 32 points at the end of February as the regular season ramped down. Despite entering the tournament as the No. 1 seed, with UConn as the No. 2, the Red Storm were ranked lower than the Huskies in the AP poll — 13th vs. UConn’s sixth.

The New York Yankees’ hopes of winning a World Series may fall on the arms of whether or not Gerrit Cole can get back to pitching at an elite level before his Tommy John surgery a year ago.

The former Cy Young Winner continues to make solid progress in his recovery from the major procedure, but it’s unlikely he’s on the Opening Day roster.

During a recent interview, Cole shared what has been the most difficult part of his rehab, and it has nothing to do with pitching itself.

“Just the waiting has been the hardest part. The challenge of trying to take it day by day, not look too far ahead, and just kind of keep an even keel demeanor,” said Cole.

Despite the need to be patient between workouts, Cole continues to check the boxes in his rehab. His latest milestone was throwing 30 pitches in a two-inning simulated game on Friday. The Yankees ace had his fastball top out at 97.5 mph in this workout.

Two major additions to the bullpen were in good form, as Luke Weaver and Devin Williams each pitched a scoreless inning in a 6-3  exhibition game win. Weaver struck out one in his inning, while Williams fanned three.

Tough start

Craig Kimbrel allowed a run on three hits. Carlos Mendoza remains impressed with Kimbrel’s stuff, though, as the 37-year-old looks to find a place in the pen on his eighth team in the past six years.

Caught my eye

Mark Vientos was back at third base, this time for Team Nicaragua, as they prepare for the WBC.

Vientos has mostly been working at first base this spring, as the Mets look to use him, Brett Baty and newly signed Jorge Polanco there this year.

Facing the Mets on Tuesday, Vientos went 1-for-3.

Panda Express has teamed up with Hot Ones for the introduction of new Blazing Bourbon Chicken.

The American Chinese fast food restaurant announced a collaboration with popular YouTube series Hot Ones to unleash what’s being dubbed the “spiciest dish to date.”

Blazing Bourbon Chicken features crispy boneless chicken bites and fresh veggies all wok-tossed in a spicy and sweet bourbon sauce alongside the signature Hot Ones Last Dab Apollo hot sauce, and is topped with sesame seeds.

You can find Blazing Bourbon Chicken at participating locations nationwide.

Forty-six years after a bunch of unheralded amateurs stunned the heavily favored Soviet Union en route to winning Olympic gold, the U.S. men’s hockey team engineered another epic victory. 

The Americans won a battle of the sport’s superpowers on Sunday, toppling longtime nemesis Canada 2-1 in overtime to win their country’s first Olympic gold in men’s hockey since the famed 1980 “Miracle on Ice.”

Jack Hughes scored the decisive goal, ripping a shot past Jordan Binnington less than three minutes into 3-versus-3 overtime.

Hughes was called for a penalty with less than four minutes in regulation, with Team USA fending off the Canadian power play just before time expired. The Americans defeated Canada despite a 42-28 shots on goal disparity, with Connor Hellebuyck recording 41 saves.

What goes on a patty melt? Traditionally, the sandwich is made with rye bread, a burger patty, Swiss cheese, and fried onions. The bread is grilled, similar to a grilled cheese sandwich, making it a cross between a hamburger and a grilled cheese. And, like all sandwiches, you can customize a patty melt with endless additions and substitutions. 

In fact, that’s how Five Guys customers have been creating their version of a patty melt. They just order a grilled cheese sandwich and an individual burger patty and  assemble the sandwich later. This has become such a popular menu hack that Five Guys has added it to the regular menu, and it seems that it may be more affordable than the hack itself. 

Five Guys announced, “We saw how much our fans love the Patty Melt menu hack, so we decided to make it official! If you don’t see it on the menu in your store, just ask the crew for a Patty Melt.

According to the Five Guys website, the Patty Melt features “a burger patty in between slices of American-style cheese melted on a toasted, inside-out sesame seed bun with toppings of your choice.”  

The All-Star break traditionally marks the proverbial halfway point of the season. That means it’s time to dish out midterm grades for the New York Knicks.

Jalen Brunson: A

50 GP, 34.6. MPG, 27.0 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 6.1 APG, 37.4 3P%

The captain is once again an All-Star, has upped his defense in recent games and New York is blessed to have him. He could do a better job at times, though, of steering the group towards more ball movement.

Mitchell Robinson: A-

39 GP, 19.6. MPG, 5.0 PPG, 8.9 RPG, 1.0 APG, 40.8 FT** %

The forever Knick has missed a few games due to his injury management program, but he’s a game changer when he’s on the court and is in the best shape we’ve seen since his early freak-of-nature days. 

Miles McBride: A-

35 GP, 38.0 MPG, 12.9 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 2.8 APG, 42.0 3P%

“Deuce” underwent surgery for a core muscle injury last week and will be out for six-to-eight weeks. He will possibly miss the rest of the season and it’s a big blow. The two-way guard has been great on both sides of the ball and is on the biggest bargain contract in the NBA. 

Josh Hart: B+

43 GP, 30.6. MPG, 12.2 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 5.2 APG, 40.7 3P%

Like a Swiss army knife, Hart does it all and continues to show why he’s been the heart and soul of this group since coming over from Portland three years ago. Despite having a heavily bandaged ring finger on his shooting hand, the 9-year pro is making teams pay for leaving him open. 

Landry Shamet: B+

30 GP, 21.9. MPG, 9.6 PPG, 1.9 RPG, 1.5 APG, 42.2 3P%

Despite missing 25 games with a flare up in his already damaged right shoulder, the sharpshooting guard hasn’t missed a beat and been a key cog off the bench.

OG Anunoby: B

41 GP, 33.0 MPG, 16.6 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 2.4 APG, 37.0 3P%

We’ve seen the six-foot-seven menace wreck games with his defensive ability. He does goes MIA on occasion and plays so hard on both ends that he’s sometimes visibly exhausted. When he’s at his best, the Knicks are at their best.

Mikal Bridges: B-

55 GP, 34.5 MPG, 15.9 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 4.1 APG, 38.6 3P%

The NBA’s iron man has had his moments of invisibility, but availability is the best ability and nobody is better in the sport in that regard.

Soccer fans eagerly await the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with MetLife Stadium in New Jersey prepared to host several key matches. The stadium, which seats over 82,000, will be the venue for five Group Stage matches, specifically matches 7, 17, 41, 56, and 67. However, none of these matches will feature the United States team.

In addition to the Group Stage matches, MetLife Stadium will host a Round of 32 match, a Round of 16 match, and the much-anticipated final match. The World Cup will take place from June 11 to July 19, 2026.

Fans can apply for FIFA’s 2026 World Cup ticket drawings starting December 11. The application period will continue until January 13, giving fans a chance to secure their spot at one of the world’s most prestigious sporting events.

Michelob Ultra has surpassed Modelo Especial to become America’s top-selling beer, according to recent sales data. This marks a significant milestone for Anheuser-Busch, the parent company of Michelob Ultra, which has capitalized on major sports partnerships to boost its brand visibility.

Fox Business reported that the beer’s rise to the top is attributed to strategic sponsorships, including being the NBA’s first-ever global beer sponsor and the official beer sponsor for the FIFA World Cup. 

Michelob Ultra’s success also comes amid the backdrop of the backlash against Bud Light, another Anheuser-Busch brand, following a controversial marketing campaign. This allowed Modelo Especial to claim the top spot temporarily. However, Michelob Ultra’s consistent growth in both retail and on-premise channels helped it dethrone Modelo.

The beer’s low-carb profile and marketing strategy have resonated with consumers, contributing to its rise. 

Local 802 Broadway musicians were thrilled to announce that they reached an agreement with the Broadway League that will avert a strike.

A potential strike that threatened to halt many Broadway musicals has been averted after the musicians’ union reached an agreement with the Broadway League. The American Federation of Musicians Local 802 and the Broadway League, a trade association for producers and theater owners, finalized the deal after an 18-hour bargaining session aided by a mediator. The agreement includes wage increases and enhanced contributions to the health fund, ensuring access to healthcare for musicians.

The agreement comes just days after the Broadway League reached a separate tentative contract with the Actors’ Equity Association, the union representing performers and stage managers. The actors’ union’s deal includes a 3 percent salary increase each year over a three-year period, along with increased contributions to their health fund.