HARRISBURG, N.C. — Auto racing is brimming with great stories that have absolutely nothing to do with the competition side of the sport.

We stumbled upon one of those stories recently while talking with Rockingham (N.C.) Dragway owner Steve Earwood for a feature profile that appears elsewhere in these pages.

Earwood’s interesting tale involves a website domain, a professional wrestler and a substantial payday.

“I had a racer come to me back in the mid-1990s. This was one of our lower, lower tier racers, not even wearing a shirt. He says to me, ‘How come you’re not on the internet?’ Earwood shared. “This is in the dial-up days and I didn’t think it would ever work. My daughter was working for me at the time and I told her if this guy’s on the internet, maybe we need to look at that. Maybe there is something to this.

“Call the address people and let’s get therock.com. I didn’t even know what a domain name was at the time. She checks and there’s a jewelry store in San Francisco that has therock.com. He never started a website but he owned the domain,” Earwood continued. “So I call the guy and say, ‘I’ve got this little drag strip in North Carolina called The Rock and I’m going to try this website thing. I don’t think it’s going to work. I think it’s too tedious, people don’t understand it. You can’t beat a newspaper or radio for your information, but I’m told I need to have a website.’

The post WALTZ: So Many Great Racing Stories appeared first on SPEED SPORT.

Karim Benzema scored two headers to seal a 2-1 comeback win for Real Madrid at home against Eibar in La Liga.

After Wednesday's 2-1 loss at Valencia, a Bernabeu stadium that was only two-thirds full saw Marc Cardona's goal give Eibar, who won the reverse fixture 3-0 back in November, the lead just before half-time.

Benzema levelled for Zinedine Zidane's side just before the hour mark, before completing the fightback in the final 10 minutes.

Madrid coach Zidane left midfielders Toni Kroos and Casemiro on the bench, preferring instead to play Federico Valverde alongside Luka Modric and Isco.

Madrid struggled to find their rhythm as Gareth Bale -- who was regularly booed by the home fans -- and Benzema failed to connect in attack while Eibar looked a regular threat in wide areas, and the visitors took a deserved lead in the run-up to half-time.

Marc Cucurella, on loan from Barcelona, fed Gonzalo Escalante from the left wing. Escalante spotted the gaps in the Madrid defence and threaded a pass across the area for Cardona to lift over the helpless Keylor Navas.

Benzema thought he had scored the equaliser 10 minutes into the second half, when he tapped into the empty net following a mix-up between goalkeeper Marko Dimitrovic and one of his defenders, but the VAR review showed the French striker had been slightly offside when the move began.

However, he did get on the scoresheet a few minutes later, when Marco Asensio's good work on the right wing allowed the Spain international to cross and Benzema finished with a downward header at the far post.

Bale and Modric made way for Lucas Vazquez and Kroos, and the latter contributed to creating the winning goal. The midfielder combined for a short corner routine, and the cross was once again nodded home by Benzema.

The striker was denied a hat trick in the closing stages by Dimitrovic, before missing an open goal moments later, but he had already contributed enough to secure the win.

Ronaldinho's son Joao Mendes de Assis Moreira has signed his first professional contract with Cruzeiro.

The promising forward, who will be playing with the under-14 squad, has signed a deal for several years, sources told ESPN Brasil.

Filho de Ronaldinho assina contrato com Cruzeiro e firma primeiro vínculo profissional da carreirahttps://t.co/dJMNzM8Hye pic.twitter.com/Zhep2qMo3q

— Mundo ESPN (@ESPNagora) April 5, 2019

"[Cruzeiro] were the team that opened the gates for me. I am very fond of the club," he said. "The training sessions are great and the infrastructure is top level. We're talking about Brazil's best club and it's a pleasure to be here."

Cruzeiro were unaware that Joao was the son of former Brazil international Ronaldhino until after he joined the club.

"He's a promising player with an interesting style," Amarildo Ribeiro, who runs Cruzeiro's youth teams, said. "I believe it won't take too long for him to go pro.

"He's really athletic and has great technique. He can play both the striker and center attacking midfielder positions. He's tall, but he can run. He can put it in the back of the net too."

Ronaldinho started his career with Gremio before moving to Paris Saint-Germain in 2001. After helping Brazil win the World Cup, he joined Barcelona in 2003, where he won the Champions League.

He also played for AC Milan, Flamengo, Atletico Mineiro, Mexico side Queretaro and Fluminense before retiring in 2015.

Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Felipe was disappointed with a number of home fans cheering visiting star Zlatan Ibrahimovic in a 2-0 loss to the LA Galaxy on Friday.

Ibrahimovic produced a match-winning display in what was a third consecutive sellout at Vancouver's BC Place.

However, with the score 0-0 at halftime, Felipe expressed his displeasure that swaths of those in attendance were supporting the former Sweden international and not the home team.

"I think this is kind of sad because this is for him and it should be for us, because we play at home. Doesn't matter who comes here, [they've] got to come to support us and cheer harder for us, and not for the opponent," Felipe said, when asked about the "buzz" in the stadium at the break.

"I think that's the way it should be."

Ibrahimovic scored a goal and provided an assist in the second half to secure the three points and praised the crowd after the match.

"It was a good game, fantastic atmosphere," Ibrahimovic told reporters. "Thanks to all the people who came out, hopefully they enjoyed the game.

"It was a good game for us also, especially the second half."

The Chicago Fire and MLS are in talks with the Village of Bridgeview to exit the team's lease at SeatGeek Stadium, with the intention of returning to Soldier Field for the 2020 season, sources have confirmed to ESPN. The club is also exploring a potential rebranding that could see the team shed the Fire moniker.

Sources confirmed that the deal would involve a significant cash payout towards the debt on the stadium, though no precise numbers were given. Sources also confirmed that the push to get out of the lease has been going on for the better part of a year, with Joe Mansueto, who acquired 49 percent of the club last summer, at the forefront of the efforts.

Some details of the plans began to emerge on social media on Wednesday, courtesy of James Vlahakis, the club's former outside counsel. Vlahakis is currently representing a Chicago Fire fan in a lawsuit against the club relating to an incident last season that allegedly resulted in physical harm at the hands of stadium security personnel.

Vlahakis' tweet indicated that a rebrand that involved changing the name to Chicago City Football Club is in the works, but one source told ESPN FC that such a decision has not yet been made.

The Fire declined to comment on any potential move out of SeatGeek Stadium, and would only state, "We don't comment on social media speculation from individuals outside the organization."

The Fire have played at SeatGeek Stadium, formerly known as Toyota Park, since the 2006 campaign. At the time, the 20,000-seat stadium was hailed as the latest success story for MLS in terms of building right-sized venues.

Financial success for both the team and municipality has proved elusive, however. The Village of Bridgeview owns the venue, and hoped the venue would spark development in the area. But the stadium has proved to be a massive financial drain on the municipality. Bridgeview sold $134.6 million of bonds in 2005 to finance the project. But when development in the area failed to materialize, Bridgeview was forced to take on additional debt. A report from Bloomberg stated that as of February of 2018, Bridgeview had about $260 million of general obligation debt, "much of it tied to the stadium."

That burden saw property taxes for the municipality's residents double between 2009 and 2013. In 2017, Standard & Poor's downgraded Bridgeview's debt rating from investment grade to junk. A recent naming rights deal with SeatGeek, estimated between $2.5 million and $4 million per year, provided a glimmer of good news.

The venue's location, 15 miles southwest of downtown Chicago, has proven to be a weight around the Fire as well. The stadium is not easily accessible from downtown, and the team has little to no visibility in the city, despite the arrival two years ago of German star Bastian Schweinsteiger. Attendance has tended to rise and fall with the team's success. The Fire has made the playoffs just twice in the last nine years. A Schweinsteiger-fueled run to the playoffs in 2017 saw attendance increase to 17,383 from 15,602 the year prior. But a dismal season in 2018 saw attendance fall to 14,806.

Soldier Field, home of the NFL's Chicago Bears, has a capacity of 61,500. The Fire played there from 1998 to 2001 and again from 2003 to 2005.

MANCHESTER, England -- Pep Guardiola has looked at Manchester United's Treble winners to see if he can learn anything that can help Manchester City's quadruple bid.

The City boss has played down their chances of winning four trophies this season, but admitted he has looked at successful sides from the past, including Sir Alex Ferguson's team from 1999 and Bayern Munich when they won the Treble in 2013 immediately before his arrival.

"I'm quite curious about the teams that achieved something good, for the reason why and what they have done," said Guardiola, who won a Treble with Barcelona in the 2008-08 season. "It's clear that winning the Treble is not easy.

"It happened in Germany, I went there the year after Jupp Heynckes got it. I like to know the way they did it. And every time, when I look at these kind of big, big issues, always it's tough.

"There are always moments where you will be lucky, and having personalities in the big moments can help the team to achieve. But I cannot compare us with what United have done. They have done what we haven't."

City have the chance to take a significant step towards another trophy on Saturday by beating Brighton to secure a place in the FA Cup final (live at 12:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+), having already won the Carabao Cup and in the hunt for a Champions League trophy and the Premier League title.

The first team, including fitness doubts Sergio Aguero and Benjamin Mendy, arrived in London on Friday night and will stay five days in London in all with the Champions League first-leg clash with Spurs on Wednesday.

But Guardiola said he won't take any chances with his selection with the potential for another 13 games if they are to get anywhere near the quadruple.

"Sergio is going to play when he's really, really fit," Guardiola added. "The doctors are going to tell me tomorrow if he's a risk of being injured and after that whether it could be three or four weeks out. If that is the case I'm sure he's not going to play.

"It's a semifinal. It's an important game and we'll play with the best side possible."

Guardiola also rejected any suggestions that he felt under any pressure with the possibility that they could finish the season with just the Carabao Cup.

"I feel the pressure in November or December when you are away, saying 'wow, it's five or six months left,' out of one competition or not in the next round of the Champions League," he said.

"Now it is a joy, an incredible moment. We're not relaxed, but if we don't enjoy these moments...we're trying to get to an FA Cup final and then keep running."

Meanwhile, Kevin De Bruyne said he won't be back to his best before the end of the season, but he doesn't care as long as he can help win more silverware.

The Belgium midfielder has suffered two significant knee injuries this season and picked up a hamstring problem just before the international break.

He started City's last two victories in the Premier League, but he expects to be in and out of the side as they compete for the quadruple.

"I'm probably not [going to be at my best], not compared with last year," he told reporters. "I don't know what my level is going to be but to be fair I don't really care. Now it's the business end I just need to do what I can do to help the team win games. If that means playing five games or 10 games, I'll take it all. It's been that kind of season.

"I don't expect to play every game. You see the amount of changes we made [against Cardiff on Wednesday]. It's going to be important that everybody stays fresh because with the schedule we have and the importance of the games coming up, we will need almost everybody probably."

Despite the hectic schedule coming up, De Bruyne, 27, said the players are excited rather than worrying about tiredness.

"It's like 12 or 13 cup games -- it makes it exciting," he added. "In the end maybe we lose everything but at least we are here at this stage. It's been incredible, so just keep on going, try to win Saturday and hopefully go to another final.

"Everything is important at this stage. To come to the semifinal, we just have to play one game and then you can rest the FA Cup until the end of the season.

"For me personally I've not been there yet, I've not won it. It would be nice to go to the final and compete for a title but we will be sharp on Saturday."

The Cincinnati Bengals waived Mark Walton on Saturday after the running back was arrested for the third time this offseason earlier in the week.

"It's important for our team to get off to a fresh start as we begin the 2019 season," coach Zac Taylor said in a statement. "For that reason, we felt it best if we move forward without Mark Walton. We hope his situation gets resolved, but we don't want to take anything away from the good work that so many other players have already begun to demonstrate."

Walton surrendered to police on Thursday and is facing a felony charge of carrying a concealed weapon along with three misdemeanor charges: resisting an officer without violence, marijuana possession and reckless driving.

These charges stem from a March 12 incident in Miami. The Miami Herald reported that police officers attempted to pull Walton's car over because they said it was speeding and weaving in and out of traffic. Walton pulled the car over in front of a house, and officers ordered him to the ground as he was exiting the car. Walton began to run and was subdued with a stun gun, but he dislodged the prongs and escaped, according to the report.

Officers reportedly searched the car and found 14 grams of marijuana and a legally purchased 9 mm carbine rifle with ammunition.

Walton was charged with battery on Feb. 16 and misdemeanor possession of marijuana on Jan. 16.

Walton, 22, was selected by the Bengals out of Miami in the fourth round of the 2018 draft. He played mostly on special teams and carried the ball only 14 times last season, rushing for 34 yards, an average of 2.4 yards per carry.

The Dallas Cowboys have agreed to a five-year, $105 million deal with defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence, with $65 million guaranteed, a source told ESPN.

The Cowboys placed the franchise tag on Lawrence before free agency started, which would have guaranteed him $20.5 million, but the idea was to use it as a placeholder for a contract that would make him among the highest-paid pass-rushers and a Cowboy for the foreseeable future.

According to sources, a key breakthrough on the negotiations came Thursday, when Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones and Lawrence talked on the phone directly. The result was a five-year deal that will pay Lawrence $31.1 million in the first year, with a $25 million signing bonus, a source told ESPN.

Among current contracts, Lawrence's $65 million in guaranteed money is the fourth highest given to a defensive player, trailing that of Khalil Mack, Aaron Donald and Von Miller.

Without the long-term deal, a source said Lawrence would not have taken part in the offseason program, organized team activities, minicamp and training camp and might have skipped regular-season games.

Next up for Lawrence will be shoulder surgery that will keep him out until training camp. He played last season with a torn labrum.

Lawrence played on the franchise tag worth $17.1 million in 2018, with the Cowboys hoping he could repeat his Pro Bowl-level of play from 2017, when he had 14.5 sacks.

In 2018, Lawrence finished with 10.5 sacks and 39 quarterback pressures and was named to the Pro Bowl for the second straight year. He amassed 47 tackles and 12 tackles for loss. He also had an interception, a fumble recovery and two forced fumbles while playing through the shoulder injury.

He became the first Cowboy to post back-to-back seasons of double-digit sacks since DeMarcus Ware in 2011-2012. Lawrence is tied for fourth in the NFL in sacks the past two seasons, with 25.

Lawrence had five of his 10.5 sacks in the first four games of the 2018 season. He closed the season with a sack in each of the final two games. Defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli considers Lawrence one of the best defensive linemen in the game because of not just his pass-rushing ability but also his willingness to play the run.

The Cowboys traded up in the second round of the 2014 draft to take Lawrence with the 34th overall pick. His rookie year was hampered by a foot injury suffered in training camp, but he had two sacks in two playoff games. In 2015, he led the Cowboys with eight sacks.

After that season, he had his first of two back surgeries. Then he had just one sack in 2016, after missing the first four games of the season because of a suspension. The Cowboys sat him for the final three games of the regular season to help him get healthier for the playoffs. The second surgery, after the 2016 season, corrected the disk issue, and he has not missed a game since.

Lawrence does not turn 27 until April 28. This deal fits into the Cowboys' desire to keep their young players, as they have done for years, most recently with offensive linemen Tyron Smith, Travis Frederick and Zack Martin.

With Lawrence's deal settled, the Cowboys can turn their attention to wide receiver Amari Cooper, quarterback Dak Prescott, running back Ezekiel Elliott and cornerback Byron Jones.

Cooper, Prescott and Jones are signed through 2019, and Elliott can be under contract through 2020, thanks to the fifth-year option the team will exercise later this spring.

The Cowboys' goal has been to re-sign their players and use free agency to fill holes without overpaying. The Cowboys had talks with the agents for the four Pro Bowlers at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis, but the expectation was that they would get more involved after the early wave of free agency and the draft.

MINNEAPOLIS -- Zion Williamson admitted Friday that he would have much rather come to Minneapolis, site of the 2019 Final Four, as a participant.

Instead, he was at U.S. Bank Stadium to accept national player of the year awards from both the United States Basketball Writers Association and The Associated Press. But the Duke Blue Devils' star, who faced each of the remaining squads (Auburn, Michigan State, Texas Tech and Virginia) during the 2018-19 regular season, was asked to size up each of the four teams.

Williamson opened his four-team scouting report with Virginia, against which he scored 42 combined points in a pair of wins: "What stood out about Virginia was how they can control the pace of the game. I don't think I've ever seen them frustrated. So they control the game very well."

Williamson went for 24 points and 14 rebounds against Michigan State in the Elite Eight last weekend. Of the Spartans, Williamson said, "Michigan State, they ran motion offense very -- like, great. When the first option wasn't there, they kept running through their plays and they eventually found open shots."

Of Texas Tech, which Williamson (17 points, 13 rebounds) and Duke defeated 69-58 on Dec. 20 at Madison Square Garden, Williamson said: "Texas Tech: their defense ... they took like, nine, 10 charges against us. Their defense is probably the best we played against."

Auburn was the team that the expected No. 1 pick in the 2019 NBA draft faced the longest time ago, scoring 13 points and pulling down nine rebounds in a 78-72 win on Nov. 20. Of the Tigers, Williamson said, "Auburn is a fast-paced team that can shoot the 3-ball very well. They're very aggressive."

Williamson was also asked by the assembled media on hand in Minneapolis to predict a winner but politely declined.

Duke was 4-1 against the Final Four teams, with the only loss coming in Sunday's 68-67 Elite Eight defeat to Michigan State.

"I wish I was here under different circumstances," Williamson said. "I mean, you win some, you lose some. Just gotta move on."

The Final Four is here, and Michigan State, Virginia, Texas Tech and Auburn will vie for a spot in the national title game. We asked ESPN.com's panel of basketball writers to talk about what they're expecting from Saturday's games.

Jump to score predictions for Saturday's Final Four games

Virginia, Michigan State, Texas Tech and Auburn -- while there was reason to recommend all these teams, essentially no one had them in this combination. Which member of this group do you feel most differently about than you did when the tournament started?

Myron Medcalf, senior college basketball writer: Auburn. I was impressed by its run to the NCAA tournament. That 20-point win over Tennessee in the SEC tournament title game, the Tigers' second win over the Vols in 10 days, solidified them as a real threat. But I questioned whether they could sustain the momentum, especially after they squeezed by New Mexico State in the opening round. Even when they beat Kansas in the second round, I figured that had more to do with the shaky, short-handed Jayhawks than anything Auburn had done.

But when the Tigers held off North Carolina in a lopsided win in the Sweet 16, despite losing Chuma Okeke with eight minutes to play, I knew this team was for real. And then the win over Kentucky without Okeke in the Elite Eight proved that point again. In the Final Four, the Tigers shouldn't beat Virginia, a team with talent and a defensive style that should minimize Jared Harper's impact. But they continue to prove doubters wrong. I won't be surprised if Auburn wins it all in a pair of impressive performances.

Jeff Borzello, college basketball Insider: Michigan State. I had Virginia and Texas Tech in the Final Four, and Auburn is just shooting lights-out and playing terrifically. But Michigan State just wins, man. I've doubted the Spartans for most of the latter portion of the season, mostly because I don't see how they can keep scoring so efficiently without Joshua Langford, without Kyle Ahrens and with a limited Nick Ward. But the answer to any question about Michigan State begins and ends with Cassius Winston (and Tom Izzo). Winston is arguably the best point guard in the country, and he has consistently come up with big plays and big shots throughout the tournament.

John Gasaway, college basketball writer: Auburn. I picked Virginia and Michigan State to get this far, and I knew I was living dangerously when I included Texas Tech as one of the 345 teams that won't win the title. (That's not looking so smart.) But the Tigers really showed me something with that win over Kentucky. After just burying Kansas and North Carolina with speed and made 3s, Bruce Pearl's guys won an absolute rock fight on an afternoon when they made just seven 3s in 45 minutes. Bryce Brown was his usual amazing self in that game (4-of-7 outside the arc), and he has had arguably the best tournament on offense of any player at the Final Four. It has been an outstanding run by Brown and Auburn, one that has changed my thinking.

Jordan Schultz, Insider/analyst: Auburn has been something of an enigma this season. The key for the Tigers is the 3-pointer, and the offense seems to click no matter how stingy the opponent is defensively. Auburn, which has defeated three blue-blood programs already, ranks third in the nation with 11.5 made 3-pointers per game and has upped its average to 12.8 on 40 percent shooting since the start of the SEC tournament. Pearl would probably prefer a few more possessions -- his team is averaging a modest 70.4 during the NCAA tournament -- but it's a testament to how efficient the Tigers have been, especially against both Carolina and Kentucky.

If Auburn can keep this game close, the pressure will shift back to Virginia; we all know that. But if the Tigers can open up any type of lead, they have proved they can hold on to it with a defense predicated on quickness, even without defensive ace Okeke.

Courtney Cronin, college basketball/NFL reporter: Texas Tech. The Red Raiders dismantled Michigan by holding the Wolverines to their fewest points in NCAA tournament history and then followed up on that performance by stifling Gonzaga's high-tempo offense and dominant frontcourt. We knew this defense would present a challenge for any team it encountered in March, and it is a major reason that Tech is embarking on its first Final Four. It's intriguing to think about how some of the smaller lineups that coach Chris Beard has employed might be able to limit the explosiveness of Michigan State's guards.

Auburn and Texas Tech are here for the first time. When we look back on this Final Four in 10 years, will their presence look like a strange anomaly or the start of something bigger?

Medcalf: Anomalies, and for different reasons. The SEC will keep growing, especially after adding Buzz Williams at Texas A&M and Nate Oats at Alabama, so a team like Auburn will continue to fight for the quality wins that will lead to a favorable seed in the NCAA tournament. Everything kind of worked out for Auburn this season, in terms of its path to the Final Four. That won't be the case in the coming years. As for Texas Tech, this will be an anomaly because Beard will be gone. And it's hard to bet on a team that has advanced to the second round just five times since 1976. Ten years from now, I think we'll look back, win or lose, and say, for both teams, "That was their chance."

Borzello: Little bit of both? I don't know if either team will make a Final Four again in the next decade, but I think much of it depends on whether both teams can keep their respective coaches for an extended period of time. Beard has been the best coach in the country this season, and he has now led the Red Raiders to an Elite Eight and Final Four in back-to-back seasons. But Beard is going to be connected to a number of jobs on the coaching carousel until he either signs a huge-money extension or leaves for an elite, elite job. As for Pearl and Auburn, I think he's less likely to leave -- but I also think Auburn caught a little bit of lightning in a bottle this season, and it could be hard to replicate.

Gasaway: I'll second a portion of what Borzello said: Beard staying in Lubbock could well mean this is just the beginning of great things for Texas Tech as a program. Conversely, if he leaves, then you may be looking at more of a Calipari-at-Memphis kind of moment where the coach stays successful but his former program is less so.

As for Auburn, don't tell Charles Barkley, but getting to the Final Four can be something of an anomaly even for really strong programs (which is what Pearl is building). Just look at Virginia. The Cavaliers were at the top of the ACC for years with zero Final Fours to show for it until now. If Pearl stays with the Tigers, we will look back on this in 10 years in about the same way that we now look at West Virginia getting to the 2010 Final Four, as the best year for a good program and a good coach.

Schultz: Since 1985, 14 teams have made first-time appearances in the Final Four. And of those 14, eight were power conference schools (South Carolina in 2017, Maryland in 2001, UConn in 1999, Minnesota in 1997, Mississippi State in 1996, Florida in 1994, Georgia Tech in 1990 and Arizona in 1988). Maryland, UConn and Arizona are the only schools to have sustained national success, all of them having won championships.

While predicting future tournament success is an exercise in futility, I think Texas Tech probably has the best model to push forward. Beard has created a formula centered on elite defense with both players and personnel. This is not to discredit Pearl: He helped rebuild Tennessee, and he has quickly built Auburn into a national power. But Beard seems to have the upper hand because of his defense. As he lands better recruits in Lubbock, we can expect the Red Raiders to challenge Kansas in the Big 12 -- and enjoy deep runs in March.

Cronin: Probably the latter. Beard got Texas Tech close a year ago. Despite Auburn's roller-coaster regular season, it felt like the Tigers had been poised for a deep tournament run under Pearl for a while. Sure, both Texas Tech and Auburn ran into teams that stumbled (Gonzaga, Kansas) more than usual in the tournament, and their biggest test will be performing the way they have throughout March on a consistent basis. Neither team feels like a complete outlier despite never having reached this stage of the game. And of course that has to do, in large part, with coaching. While Beard and Pearl may draw bigger job offers beyond this season given the success they've achieved with their respective programs, no matter what happens to these teams beyond 2019, we won't be looking back on either group as an anomaly 10 years from now.

Which team are you most shocked NOT to see in Minneapolis, and can you make a case for it reaching the 2020 Final Four in Atlanta?

Medcalf: Kentucky. In the Elite Eight, the Wildcats were facing the same Auburn team that they'd defeated 80-53 just last month. Yes, this Auburn squad just rattled off a series of impressive wins to reach this point, but when you beat a squad by that margin (and in the first matchup, too), you assume one team has a significant edge over the other, especially after Okeke's injury and the Wildcats' double-digit lead in the first half. It was right there. But Kentucky can make another run next season with Ashton Hagans most likely returning and five-star recruits Tyrese Maxey and Kahlil Whitney entering the mix. Plus, Nick Richards, EJ Montgomery, Jemarl Baker and Immanuel Quickley could all blossom in new roles next season. With Calipari and a top-rated recruiting class on the way, the Final Four will be an attainable goal.

Borzello: It has to be Duke, right? The Blue Devils were the overall 1-seed in the NCAA tournament and the biggest story in college basketball this season, and they will have three of the top five or six picks in June's NBA draft. So yes, I'm shocked not to see Duke in Minneapolis. And I think it could be hard for Mike Krzyzewski to reload quickly enough to get the Blue Devils back to the Final Four next season. He doesn't have a Zion Williamson or RJ Barrett coming in, and he's going to lose both of them, plus at least Cam Reddish.

The recruiting class coming in is great, but there might not be an immediate All-American in the group. Vernon Carey should be a dominant back-to-the-basket player, while Wendell Moore brings toughness and scoring and Boogie Ellis can score. I think the key will be the maturation of Tre Jones as an offensive threat, assuming he stays in school, and whether Duke can land five-star recruit Matthew Hurt.

Gasaway: Gonzaga. The Bulldogs had it all this season, up to and including quite possibly the best frontcourt in the nation. Not to mention the Zags were blessed with ample helpings of the experience that everyone has fallen in love with after Kentucky and Duke lost Sunday. Depth, balance on both offense and defense, you name it: Mark Few's guys had it. But they ran into one of the best teams in the country in Texas Tech, and, six Brandon Clarke turnovers later, here we are. Give credit to the Red Raiders; they were the superior team.

Schultz: Gonzaga, my preseason pick to win its first national title. Much of the Zags' 2020 success will depend on the status of Clarke, Killian Tillie and Zach Norvell Jr., all of whom could become first-round picks in June. The losses of Rui Hachimura and Josh Perkins -- the school's all-time leader in assists -- will hurt, but Few is a model of consistency. During the previous seven seasons, the Bulldogs have won 32 games or more five times, earning a No. 1 seed three times.

Perhaps most impressive has been Few's ability to lure elite prospects from all over the globe: Tillie, Kelly Olynyk, Domantas Sabonis and Ronny Turiaf, to name a few. Hachimura will soon become the first Japanese-born player drafted into the NBA. This year's recruiting class ranks 19th nationally, per ESPN, and features three top-100 recruits. Don't sleep on 2018 center Filip Petrusev of Serbia, a multidimensional threat with tangible NBA upside. Make no mistake: The Zags will once again contend for their first national championship in 2020.

Cronin: I struggle with where to place Duke in this argument. In spite of as loaded a roster as the Blue Devils had and near-lock-type expectations for making it to Minneapolis, it's difficult to expect that a freshman-laden team would win a championship no matter how good its players were. We were treated to a once-in-a-generation talent this year in Williamson. No matter how good at recruiting Coach K and the program itself are, players like that don't come along every recruiting cycle. Even if Duke is able to pull in another historic recruiting class, it's now difficult to envision a class of one-and-done talent being able to carry a team in March. The way Duke played in several nail-biters and its eventual loss to Michigan State was sort of a microcosm for what it went through most of the season.

Which one individual matchup are you most looking forward to on Saturday night?

Medcalf: Jarrett Culver versus Michigan State, a team full of 6-foot-6ish athletes to throw at the projected top-10 pick. Culver finished 5-for-19 against Gonzaga in the Elite Eight. He has 30 turnovers in six games this season. Can Matt McQuaid, an All-Big Ten Defensive Team member, and young Aaron Henry disrupt Culver? Culver is the best player in Minneapolis, and he has led a revitalized offense in the NCAA tournament. Michigan State has to force him into difficult shots in the national semifinals.

Borzello: Ty Jerome and Kyle Guy vs. Jared Harper and Bryce Brown. In general, I think the key will be how the perimeters of Auburn and Virginia match up. Kihei Clark took a lot of the responsibility of guarding Carsen Edwards last weekend, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see him guarding Harper. That said, Harper's defensive aggressiveness will be an asset against Jerome at the other end. Auburn's guards will also have to be disciplined on the defensive end, chasing Guy and Jerome around screens and pin-downs for 30 seconds every possession. Harper and Brown do have a foot speed advantage on Guy and Jerome, though, and will look to put pressure on them at every opportunity.

Gasaway: Cassius Winston versus ... does the Texas Tech defense count as one individual unit? The Red Raiders have been known to switch on occasion, so let's just say that, regardless of which player picks up Winston initially on the first possession, I can't wait to see the whole 40 minutes. Texas Tech was outstanding on D against the Gonzaga backcourt, and, while I think the world of Perkins and Norvell, facing Winston is a step up in degree of difficulty. He will simply take what you give him, and, unlike most prominent scoring guards, he has zero prior commitment to just one plan of action. Winston will drive and dish, drive and score, shoot the 3, whatever's available. Meanwhile, the Raiders excel at making nothing available. It will be strength on strength.

Schultz: I can't help but fixate on Winston, the Big Ten Player of the Year. How will Beard and Texas Tech's No. 1-ranked defense counter the Wooden Award finalist, who Tom Izzo made clear on my podcast -- Pull Up with CJ McCollum -- was his team's most important player? Matt Mooney is a tough on-ball defender, but I think Culver has to assume some of the responsibilities as well. He is arguably the most complete perimeter defender in the country, deft at deploying his length and quickness on smaller players.

I spoke with a former NBA head coach recently about Winston, and while he was complimentary, he worried about Winston's quickness getting to his spots. As both collegiate coaches and players have told me, Tech does not break down defensively: The Raiders are too solid and too well-coached. Look for them to trap Winston in the half court to try to force sudden and potentially errant decisions, while turning the ancillary players into focal points. Then again, Winston averages a stellar 7.6 APG to go along with 2.9 turnovers, a low number considering his high usage and playmaking responsibilities. In other words, something has to give.

Cronin: I'm excited to see the Tariq Owens-Xavier Tillman showdown. Owens' tremendous shot-blocking and ability to guard multiple positions helped Texas Tech limit Michigan's half-court sets in the Sweet 16 and should be a big factor against the shooting ability of MSU's guards. Tillman has been a major part of the Spartans' rotation of bigs, and if he can replicate what he did against Williamson, Michigan State could be poised to advance to the national championship. These players are the spark plug for their respective teams, and I'm excited to see who holds his own the best in this matchup.

Score predictions for Auburn/Virginia, 6:09 p.m. ET, CBS (Virginia -5.5)

Medcalf: Virginia, 69, Auburn 64

Borzello: Virginia 72, Auburn 63

Gasaway: Virginia 75, Auburn 68

Schultz: Virginia 69, Auburn 59

Cronin: Auburn 76, Virginia 69

Score predictions for Michigan State/Texas Tech, CBS (Michigan State -2.5)

Medcalf: Texas Tech, 70, Michigan State 67

Borzello: Texas Tech 64, Michigan State 60

Gasaway: Michigan State 61, Texas Tech 60

Schultz: Michigan State 65, Texas Tech 60

Cronin: Michigan State 68, Texas Tech 65