SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Dawn Staley says her conversations with recruits have changed over the past few years, with finances becoming a top point of discussion, especially with players in the transfer portal.

The South Carolina coach said Sunday that in the past, she would emphasize getting a college degree when she spoke to potential transfers and recruits.

“How much is it going to cost us? That’s the conversation. You’ve got to lead with that,” Staley said as the Gamecocks prepare to face TCU in the Elite Eight of the women’s NCAA Tournament. “Because you don’t really want to waste your time. You either are going to have enough to pay players, or you don’t. And you move on.”

In the name, likeness and image era, money is the main thing many players in the portal care about.

“Because although you can promise a young person this or that, if your budget says otherwise — I don’t like to promise anything that isn’t available to us,” she said. “I don’t want to have to go out and get the money because you could be told no and then your back is against the wall.”

Staley added that it may not be the first question she asks, but she has no choice but to bring it up.

“I won’t say I lead with that question, but I get to it fairly quickly,” she said. “After the pleasantries are done, you have to get to the question so you’re not wasting your time and spinning your wheels on somebody that you can’t afford.”

The Gamecocks have three transfers on their roster, all of whom are seniors — Ta’Niya Latson, Madina Okot and Maryam Dauda.

Even with money being the focus, Staley and her staff still believe it’s important that their players graduate. She said all but one of her players has earned a degree and she threatened to put social media pressure on the one who hasn’t.

“We always have a plan no matter how many credits you come in with, a plan to get you out on time,” Staley said. “Any time (the players) come on a visit, you get the transcript and then we send the transcript off to our admissions and all that, and they give us what they need. And that’s part of the conversation. But all of our kids graduate, all of them but one in my career.”

The Gamecocks’ Elite Eight opponent, TCU, has relied on the transfer portal, adding several high-profile players over the last three years, including current stars Olivia Miles and Marta Suarez.

“We’ve built our program literally all through the portal, for you guys that haven’t followed us,” Horned Frogs coach Mark Campbell said. “I think we’ve had 18 portal players, six each year. And our program’s come a long ways. There’s a lot of negative you hear about the portal. I think there’s a lot of positive too.”

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MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Jannik Sinner rolled to a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Jiri Lehecka to capture the Miami Open title and complete the “Sunshine Double’’ on Sunday, a day after Aryna Sabalenka accomplished the same feat in a win over Coco Gauff.

The last male player to complete the double — winning Indian Wells followed by Miami in the same season — was Roger Federer in 2017. Sinner is the first male to do so without dropping a set in either tournament.

The second-seeded Sinner didn’t let either of the two 90-minute rain delays slow him. He notched 10 aces in the final, and 70 in the tournament for the second-most of his career. He often had No. 21 Lehecka running from side to side with his precise, deep groundstrokes.

Sinner, 24, won his first 23 first-service points — a streak that lasted midway into the second set.

He became the eighth male to run the table at Indian Wells and Miami, and him and Sabalenka became the first to accomplish the double in the same year since Novak Djokovic and Victoria Azarenka in 2016.

This was Sinner’s second Miami Open title in three years as he ran his Hard Rock Stadium win streak to 12 matches dating to 2024. Last year, he missed the tournament serving a suspension for testing positive for a banned substance.

Lehecka, 24, in his first ATP 1000 final, was a big underdog, losing all three prior matches to Sinner.

Top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz was upset by Sebastian Korda in three sets in the third round, and Djokovic skipped the event due to a right shoulder ailment.

The rain pushed the earlier women’s doubles final to the grandstand court. The doubles was won by Taylor Townsend and Katerina Siniakova, who beat Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini 7-6 (7-0), 6-1. Townsend-Siniakova also claimed the double for women’s doubles — the first time since 2019.

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The Final Four is set. Illinois will face UConn and Michigan will take on Arizona next Saturday, with the winners squaring off two nights later for the national title.

The Arizona-Michigan game is a matchup of top seeds. UConn, after a 19-point comeback for a 73-72 win over Duke, is seeded second and will play No. 3 seed Illinois.

Arizona is the early favorite to take the title next Monday night in Indianapolis, listed at 19-10 odds by BetMGM Sportsbook, followed closely by the Wolverines — coming off a 95-62 drubbing of Tennessee on Sunday — at 2-1.

Michigan is a 1 1/2-point favorite in its semifinal.

The Huskies beat Duke with a 3-pointer from the logo with 0.4 seconds left by Braylon Mullins, who grew up just outside of Indianapolis and will return home looking for more magic. The is the third trip to the Final Four in four seasons for UConn (33-5), which won it all the last two times it made it.

Arizona (36-2) is back at the Final Four for the first time since 2001 and hasn’t won the title since 1997.

Michigan (35-3) is in search of its second title — the other came in 1989.

And lllinois (28-8) has never won it all; the Illini last made the Final Four in 2005.

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Braylon Mullins sank a desperation 3-pointer with 0.4 seconds left to give UConn an astonishing 73-72 victory over top-seeded Duke on Sunday, earning the Huskies a spot in the Final Four after they rallied from a 19-point first-half deficit.

The Blue Devils led by three before UConn’s Silas Demary Jr. made one of two free throws with 10 seconds left. With Duke playing keep-away to prevent the Huskies from fouling, Cayden Boozer’s pass near midcourt was deflected, and after UConn came up with the ball, Demary made a shot from well behind the 3-point line.

It’s the second straight season to end in a huge collapse for Duke, which was the top overall seed in this year’s tournament. The Blue Devils led by six with 1:14 remaining before falling to Houston in last year’s national semifinals.

UConn missed 18 of its first 19 attempts from 3-point range and finished 5 for 23. The fifth will be remembered in Connecticut for generations.

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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

Martinsville, Va. (AP) — Chase Elliott outdueled Denny Hamlin at Martinsville Speedway on Sunday, earning his first NASCAR Cup Series victory of the season.

Elliott capitalized on a shrewd gamble by crew chief Alan Gustafson to pit the No. 9 Chevrolet earlier than the other contenders. When the caution flew on the 312th lap, Elliott was in second behind Hamlin and pitted with the rest of the lead-lap drivers aside from Ross Chastain, who took the lead by staying on track.

Elliott took first from Chastain after a restart and led the final 69 laps to win by 0.565 seconds over Hamlin’s No. 11 Toyota, which faded in the final stage.

Joey Logano finished third, followed by Ty Gibbs and William Byron.

Elliott, who has been voted NASCAR’s most popular driver for eight consecutive seasons, led 84 laps in delivering the first win this year for Hendrick Motorsports. The winningest team in NASCAR history has a record 31 victories at Martinsville.

Hamlin, who has a series-best six wins at Martinsville, started from the pole position and dominated, leading 292 of the first 317 laps. The Joe Gibbs Racing star got shuffled from the lead during a pit stop sequence under a yellow flag that began on the 312th lap.

Future deal

Tyler Reddick’s blazing start to the Cup season comes during a contract year for the 23XI Racing driver. Though he would be the hottest free agent in NASCAR on the open market, Reddick has said he’s committed to staying at the team he joined three years ago.

After winning the pole position Saturday, Hamlin guaranteed that 23XI would sign Reddick to an extension soon.

“Tyler’s one of those guys that was very important for us to get our hands on him very early,” Hamlin said. “I think he’s lived up to the expectations for us. We’re seeing it this year. He’s putting it all together, and our race cars are really fast, too.”

Hall of Fame nominees

The NASCAR Hall of Fame unveiled a list of 15 candidates for the three-member class of 2027 that will include two from the Modern Era category and one from the Pioneer division. Among the new nominees are 2014 Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick, six-time ARCA champion Ray Elder, championship crew chief and engine builder Ernie Elliott, winning car owner Ray Fox and championship crew chief Herb Nab.

Some of the notable holdover nominees are Cup Series winners Jeff Burton and Greg Biffle, who was killed in a plane crash last December.

Up next

After an off weekend for Easter, the NASCAR Cup Series will continue its short-track swing at Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee on Sunday, April 12. Kyle Larson has won two of the past three races at the 0.533-mile oval, leading 411 of 500 laps in a victory last April.

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HOUSTON (AP) — Gary Woodland won the Houston Open on Sunday, an emotional moment that seemed so improbable 30 months ago when he had brain surgery, and even two weeks ago when he opened up about his frightening struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Woodland looked better than ever at Memorial Park, taking a one-shot lead into the final round and stretching it to seven shots until coasting home to a trophy that felt as big as his U.S. Open title at Pebble Beach in 2019.

He closed with a 3-under 67 to win by five shots over Nicolai Hojgaard. The gallery paused chanting his name so Woodland could roll in a 5-foot par putt. He stretched both arms, exhaled and looked to the blue sky before his tears began pouring.

“We play an individual sport out here, but I wasn’t alone today,” Woodland said, his voice quivering with emotion. “Anyone struggling with something, I hope they see me and don’t give up. Just keep fighting.”

Woodland has been a popular figure and powerful player since he left a two-sport college career and joined the PGA Tour. But he began to struggle in 2023, only to learn he had a lesion on the part of his brain that caused unfounded fears that he was dying.

Surgery in September 2023, which involved a baseball-sized hole cut from the side of his head, removed much of the lesion. His return in January 2024 looked fine on the outside, particularly last year when he was runner-up at the Houston Open.

But he was hurting badly with PTSD, once rushing to a portable bathroom to break down in tears when he was overcome with emotion. He chose two weeks ago to share his struggles in a Golf Channel interview.

“I appreciate that love and support. But inside, I feel like I’m dying, and I feel like I’m living a lie,” he said in the interview. “I want to live my dreams and be successful out here. But I want to help people, too. I realize now I’ve got to help myself first.”

He said this week going public made him feel “1,000 pounds lighter.”

His physical strength sure didn’t leave him. Woodland reach 196 mph ball speed on one tee shot Sunday, and more striking was the smooth control he showed over every shot.

He finished at 21-under 259 for his first victory since the U.S. Open, and the fifth of his career. This one came with a big bonus — it makes him eligible for the Masters in two weeks.

Hojgaard fell back with a double bogey on the par-5 seventh hole. He closed with a 71 and a consolation prize. He secured his position inside the top 50 in the world to secure his invitation to the Masters.

Hojgaard and defending champion Min Woo Lee (67) chose to stay back on their way to the 18th green to give Woodland the stage to himself, a gesture rarely seen outside the majors. It spoke to Woodland’s popularity in golf.

“We thought it was appropriate to let him have his moment,” Hojgaard said. “It was a pretty cool moment for Gary and it was cool to see. I’m really happy for him.”

Woodland felt huge relief by sharing his PTSD struggles, and he had some technical help with his golf. He went to a new putter to help his alignment, and he consulted coach Randy Smith before going to stiffer shafts in his irons because his speed had returned and that helped him have better control of his shots.

There was no chance controlling his emotions, certainly over the last hour when the outcome was obvious and the 18th hole when it became reality.

But he said it’s still golf, and there’s still a battle with his recovery from brain surgery.

“It’s just another day. Today was a good day,” Woodland said with a smile and a short laugh. “But I’ve got a big fight ahead of me, and I’m going to keep going. But I’m proud of myself right now.”

His wife, Gabby, was with him all 18 holes with their three children at home. Woodland has said his wife was key to get him through surgery and what followed. “This has been hard on me. It’s been a lot harder on her,” he said.

The victory moves him just outside the top 50 in the world and makes him eligible for all the elite events the rest of the PGA Tour schedule.

Divots

Michael Thorbjornsen was in position to move into the top 50 and get into the Masters until he made three bogeys in a four-hole stretch on the back nine and stumbled to a 72 to finish well outside the top 10. … Shane Lowry made a hole-in-one on the second hole, his fourth on the PGA Tour. The others came on No. 7 at Pebble Beach, No. 17 at the TPC Sawgrass and No. 12 at Augusta National. Adam Scott also made an ace on the 11th hole. … PGA Tour rookie Johnny Keefer shot 64 and tied for third.

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PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Andrew McCutchen shrugged like Michael Jordan and offered a mock apology to a Phillies fan after he crossed the plate following his first home run with Texas.

Brandon Nimmo went deep, too — his first home run since he was traded to the Rangers only further flamed anger in the Phillies fans who voraciously booed the former New York Mets rival from his first at-bat of the three-game series to the last.

MacKenzie Gore tormented Philadelphia at his last stop, as well. He struck out 13 Phillies in his first start last season with Washington. Gore kept up his success against the Phillies in his first start with the Rangers, taking a no-hitter into the sixth and then escaping a jam later that inning when he fanned two-time NL MVP Bryce Harper with the bases loaded in an 8-3 win on Sunday.

First homers and a fantastic first start from Gore helped the Rangers take two of three from the NL East champion Phillies.

Oh, and for those Rangers fans keeping score at home, here’s another first — the first series win under new Texas manager Skip Schumaker.

“It’s just confirmation of what we think our offense is,” Schumaker said.

Nimmo got Texas’ offense rolling when he took Phillies starter Jesús Luzardo (0-1) deep for a two-run shot in the second.

Nimmo has 11 home runs at Citizens Bank Park, his most in any visiting ballpark. He has 16 career homers against the Phillies, and their fans couldn’t forget his go-ahead single in Game 1 of the 2024 National League Division Series that lifted the Mets to a win (they also won the series).

Phillies fans erupted in boos when Nimmo was introduced on opening day, and they never let up over the three games.

“I hear the boos when I go up there,” Nimmo said with a smile. “It’s part of baseball. Part of baseball in the Northeast. It’s good to know they still remember me. Even though they don’t like me, I appreciate their passion for their team and the game. It’s been a great atmosphere to play here.”

Phillies fans couldn’t quite muster the same kind of vitriol for McCutchen, long known as one of baseball’s good guys who latched on with the Rangers in spring training after a return to Pittsburgh failed to materialize.

McCutchen, who spent one season with the Phillies and was friendly with the trash-talking fan, hit a three-run homer in the fourth for a 5-0 lead. McCutchen also had an RBI single in the 10th inning a day earlier in the Rangers’ 5-3 win.

McCutchen said while he was in town he socialized with his Philly sports-fan friend who told him, “`Stop hurting us.’”

“I was like, no, dude, I can’t do that, I’m sorry,” McCutchen said with a laugh. “When I hit the homer, he was looking right at me. I was like, dude, I’m not sorry. It’s a good exchange between me and him, but he’s one of my guys.”

Gore is expected to be one of the key guys in Texas’ rotation after he was traded for five prospects.

He gives the 2023 World Series champions a starter who should be able to help the front end of their rotation along with Jacob deGrom — a two-time NL Cy Young Award winner who was the American League Comeback Player of the Year in 2025 — and Nathan Eovaldi, who dealt with a rotator cuff strain and had surgery for a sports hernia after compiling a 1.73 ERA in 22 starts last season.

Gore struck out seven and tossed five hitless innings before his bid for Texas’ first no-hitter since Kenny Rogers threw a perfect game in 1994 was broken up by a leadoff infield single from Justin Crawford in the sixth.

The left-hander fanned Harper with the bases loaded in the sixth and left the game after he plunked Alec Bohm with a pitch to make it 6-1.

“That’s a situation where we got ahead and we kind of wanted to put him away,” Gore said.

The 27-year-old Gore is 26-41 with a 4.19 ERA in four major league seasons, the past three with Washington. He was an NL All-Star last season, but he faded in the second half and ended up going 5-15 with a 4.17 ERA and a career-best 185 strikeouts in 30 appearances, all starts.

Gore has a 3.06 ERA (16 earned runs in 47 innings pitched) with 57 strikeouts across his last eight starts against the Phillies since the beginning of the 2024 season.

“I don’t necessarily know if anybody is a great matchup against that lineup,” he said. “I think I just really understand what they’re capable of doing. I know I kind of have to be at my best to have success against them.”

Harper heard boos after he struck out and he hit .091 with one RBI, one run and two walks in the opening series.

“Not the start we wanted to have (this) weekend,” Harper said, “but we’ll get there.”

No one in the home dugout wants to get booed only three games into the season. But it was the sound of a successful series for the Rangers.

“It’s totally OK they don’t like me,” Nimmo said.

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