Sports

Janel McCarville has become one of the best post players in country, and Minnesota probably wouldn't be headed to the Final Four without her huge contributions in the NCAA tournament. Minnesota plays two-time defending champion Connecticut Sunday night in New Orleans.
The University of Minnesota women's basketball team is going to the Final Four in New Orleans. The Gophers beat the Number-one-ranked Duke Blue Devils 82-75 in Norfolk, Vir. It was a close, exciting game. Hundreds of fans watching at the Riverview Theater in Minneapolis brought an excitement to the evening that could match any live Gophers game on campus.
More than 100 cheering fans, cheerleaders and a pep band met the University of Minnesota women early today when they arrived home at Williams Arena after defeating Duke. The Gophers will be making their first trip to the Final Four after defeating the Blue Devils 82-75 in the Mideast Regional. The Gophers play Connecticut in the Final Four semifinals Sunday evening in New Orleans. MPR's Jayne Solinger reports.
A plan to build two new stadiums for the Minnesota Twins and Vikings has taken another step forward. The bill advanced fairly easily out of the House Government Operations Committee on Monday night without the lengthy debate that has often accompanied stadium discussions. The plan remains a work-in-progress, but critics contend it's not receiving the full scrutiny it deserves.
The University of Minnesota Gopher women's basketball team advanced to the Elite 8 of the NCAA tournament with their weekend win against Boston College Sunday. And, the Gopher women are the NCAA Frozen Four hockey champions. MIDDAY's guest-host, Mike Edgerly, and his guest discuss women's sports and the major issues facing the women's teams.
A study at the University of Dayton in Ohio finds that Major League Baseball owners could finance stadiums themselves, and still make money in the long-run. The study looked at more than a dozen new baseball stadiums built since 1989, and found that a typical owner could have recovered the construction costs of his or her new stadium in an average of 12 years. Morning Edition host Cathy Wurzer spoke with Larry Hadley, economics professor at the University of Dayton and the study's author.
The University of Minnesota women's basketball team is in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament after trouncing Kansas State 80-61 Tuesday night at William's Arena. Minnesota dominated the game from the start, building a 26-point halftime lead and never letting the Wildcats back into the game. Minnesota Public Radio's Jim Bickal reports.
The Major League Baseball season begins in two weeks and many Minnesota Twins fans are still wondering how closely they'll be able to follow their team on television this year. Nearly two-thirds of the Twins' games will be televised on a network that is currently unavailable to most Minnesotans.
Gov. Tim Pawlenty announced his stadium plans Monday afternoon. The governor's stadium advisory commission recommended the state build new ballparks for both the Minnesota Twins and the Vikings.
Gov. Tim Pawlenty on Monday presented a plan for new Twins and Vikings stadiums that would require team owners to pay about one-third of the project cost. Pawlenty's plan would authorize local governments to raise restaurant and lodging taxes.