Hockey's got a Stanley Cup rematch tonight that feature two of the best against each other -- the Penguins and Red Wings.
You had a little bit of everything: dramatic finishes, Cinderella’s, terrific storylines and a lot of marquee teams still playing. That’s how SI.com’s Seth Davis saw the opening weekend of the NCAA tournament and it’s hard to argue with him. “There are some great upcoming games in the Sweet 16, and a number of brand-name teams: Syracuse, Michigan State, Ohio State, Tennessee, Kentucky and Duke,” says Davis. “It's close to an ideal mix for the Sweet 16.” That mix includes 11 different conferences represented in the Sweet 16, as well as three double-digit seeds (Cornell, St. Mary’s, Washington) and a No.9 (Northern Iowa). The NCAA Tournament continues on Thursday but there’s plenty of sports to enjoy on a busy Monday. The highlights (all times Eastern):
-Yankees vs. Phillies (1:00 PM, ESPN) Last year’s World Series representatives seemed poised for another big year. A.J. Burnett will start today for the Yankees but look for Phil Hughes to get work as well. Hughes is competing for the final rotation spot for the depending champs. Cole Hamels, Danys Baez, Ryan Madson and David Herndon are scheduled to pitch against the Yankees.
-Penguins at Red Wings (7:00 PM, Versus) – The NHL's most glamorous matchup - the teams have met in the previous two Stanley Cup finals - always provides plenty of entertaining hockey. Penguins star Sidney Crosby was coached by Red Wings coach Mike Babcock as part of Team Canada’s gold-medal winning squad in Vancouver.
-NIT Tournament, second round, Dayton vs. Cincinnati (8:00PM, ESPN)
An annual in-state rivalry that dated back to 1907 ended when Cincinnati joined the Conference USA in the mid-90s. Now the two schools meet in the second round of the NIT, the first meeting between the schools since 2005, and plans are underway for UC and UD to be part of a five-team tournament for next season. The two schools have played 89 times, with the Bearcats leading the series, 59-30.
By The Numbers
600 - Career NHL goals for Ducks forward Teemu Selanne, the 18th player in NHL history to reach the milestone. The 39-year-old right wing from Finland, playing his 16th NHL season, scored yesterday in Anaheim’s 5-2 win over Colorado.
31 - Years between Ivy League teams advances to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Yesterday, Cornell pulled off the feat with an 87-69 win over Wisconsin. Penn advanced to the Final Four in 1979
7 - Months since Jelena Jankovic last won an WTA title before the former top-ranked player defeated Caroline Wozniacki yesterday to win the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells.
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