Sports Rundown – April 7, 2026
- Vincent Mendoza
- 2 hours ago
- 4 min read
The Seawanhaka Sports Rundown is a weekly roundup of five stories that examine developments in sports news at the local, state, national and international levels.
BY: VINCENT MENDOZA / CHIEF OF SPORTS
LIU Men’s Lacrosse Dominates Mercyhurst on Senior Day and Improve to 9-1
On a sunny Saturday at Bethpage Federal Credit Union Stadium, 13 different Sharks scored goals on their way to a dominant 25-6 victory over Mercyhurst. Despite the senior day ceremony, it would be their younger peers who conducted the game. Junior attacker Ben McIsaac led the way with six goals, junior midfielder Aidan Zuhoski scored four, and freshman attacker Jack Whithouse added three.
With this win, the Sharks are now 9-1 overall, have gone undefeated in their four conference games, and have stretched their win streak to six games. As of now, they’re tied with Rober Moses at the top of the NEC standings, but with three games remaining, including one against RMU on Saturday, April 18, let’s see if the Sharks can claim the throne!
Michigan Defeats UConn En Route to Second NCAA Title
In the current landscape of college basketball, specifically regarding NIL (name, image, and likeness), the Michigan Wolverines are the epitome of such, winning the National Championship despite their entire starting lineup transferring there ahead of the 2025-26 season.
Junior guard Elliot Cadeau won the Final Four Most Outstanding Player award, finishing the title game with a team-high 19 points. Sophomore forward Morez Johnson Jr. added 12 points, 10 boards, and two blocks, shooting 71 percent from the field and knocking down both free throw attempts.
Despite making just two of their 15 three-point attempts and getting outrebounded, the Wolverines applied constant pressure to the rim, getting to the line 28 times and making 25 of those attempts. Because of the constant pressure, UConn’s guards Salis Demary Jr. and Solo Ball were in foul trouble the entire game.
Two-time national champion and long-time Husky Alex Karaban played all 40 minutes and ended with 17 points, 11 boards, two assists, and two steals. Freshman Braylon Mullins scored 11 and snatched 7 boards, but made just four of his 17 field goal attempts, while he and Karaban each shot three of 10 from distance. As a team, UConn struggled, shooting 31 percent from the field and 27 percent from three.
Throughout the season, many Michigan players, specifically Elliot Cadeau and Yaxel Lendeborg, carried confidence, stating they were one of the best teams ever assembled and would win the national championship. Fast forward to the present, and those claims proved to be true.
UCLA Blows Out South Carolina to Win First Women’s National Championship
From the opening tip to the final seconds, the UCLA Bruins dominated the South Carolina Gamecocks with a final score of 79-51 on their way to their first women’s championship.
UCLA was relentlessly hounding South Carolina, forcing them to shoot an abysmal 29 percent from the field and 13 percent from three, both season lows, along with the 51-point total. Junior guard Tessa Johnson and freshman Agot Makeer were the only Gamecocks to score in double figures.
On the other hand, all five Bruins starters finished with double figures, with Gabriela Jaquez leading the way with a stat-stuffing 21 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists. Projected WNBA lottery pick Lauren Betts added 14 points, 11 boards, and two blocks. Overall, UCLA outrebounded South Carolina 49 to 37, scored more points in the paint, and got open looks as a result of elite playmaking, finishing with 23 assists compared to South Carolina’s nine.
For Dawn Staley and South Carolina, this is a crushing defeat, losing back-to-back national title games. For Cori Close and UCLA, this long-awaited championship is much deserved.
Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves To Miss Time with Injuries
Unfortunately for the Lakers, their fans, and a 41-year-old LeBron who thought he could finally be a second or third option, the dynamic backcourt duo of Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves will miss the remainder of the regular season with injuries.
On Friday, April 3, news broke that Dončić suffered a grade two hamstring strain against the Thunder the previous night and would be sidelined indefinitely. Just a day later, it was announced that Reaves had a grade two oblique strain and would miss four to six weeks. Reaves had to undergo two MRI’s after the first one incorrectly scanned the wrong part of his body, something you don’t see very often.
So what does this mean for the Lakers? More than likely, an early playoff exit. With just four games remaining, the purple and gold will probably finish as the fifth seed, setting the stage for a first-round matchup against the Rockets.
Despite Houston’s struggles throughout the season, especially in clutch situations, their length and defensive tenacity combined with their pain-smashing offensive identity will prove to be too overwhelming for a Lakers squad missing two of their three best playmakers and overall players.
Yankees Pitching Displaying Dominance to Open Season
The New York Yankees currently possess a 7-2 record, placing them first in the American League East Division, first in the American League, and third in the entire MLB. Their pitching, led by Max Fried, Cam Schlittler, Will Warren, and Ryan Weathers, has propelled them to this point, displaying dominance to open the season. In their nine games played, they rank second in ERA, first in hits and runs allowed at just 59 and 22 respectively, and third in WHIP and batting average.
In just two starts and 11.2 innings pitched, Schlittler has only given up three hits, has thrown 15 strikeouts, possesses a 0.26 WHIP (second in MLB), and hasn’t given up a single earned run (tied first). If this type of performance continues, the 25-year-old will easily find himself atop CY Young discussions.
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