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NBA Finals Game 1: Dallas Mavericks at Boston Celtics best prop bet picks and predictions The Dallas Mavericks and the Boston Celtics play Game 1 of the NBA Finals Thursday night. Tip-off from TD Garden in Boston is at 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC). Below, we break down FanDuel Sportsbook's

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South Carolina beats Iowa for national title
CLEVELAND — Dawn Staley and South Carolina have done it again.

For the first time since 2016, the NCAA has an undefeated national champion in the Gamecocks. South Carolina capped its perfect season (38-0) with an 87-75 win over Iowa, avenging last year’s Final Four loss that ended an undefeated season.

As has been the case all season, South Carolina’s depth was on full display Sunday. The Gamecocks had four players in double figures led by Tessa Johnson with 19 points. Star center Kamilla Cardoso had 15 points and 17 rebounds, Te-Hina Paopao had 14 points and Chloe Kitts had 11 points and 10 rebounds. South Carolina guards Raven Johnson and Bree Hall may not have been in double figures, but they played a major hand in attempting to slow down Iowa star Caitlin Clark, who had 30 points on 10-of-28 shooting. Thirteen of those points came in a two-minute span of the first quarter.

That scoring spree helped the Hawkeyes jump out to a 20-9 lead early.

Iowa jumped out to a hot start, leading the Gamecocks 10-0 in the first two and a half minutes and then led 20-9 on the back of 13 straight points from Clark.

It was like deja vu for the Gamecocks, who trailed by nine at the end of the first quarter in the Final Four last year. This time, though, South Carolina went on a run of its own and took a three-point lead at halftime.

South Carolina pushed its lead to as high as 14 in the fourth quarter before Iowa started a comeback of its own. The Hawkeyes cut the lead to five with 3:37 left to play, led by Clark and Sydney Affolter.

But South Carolina pushed the lead back to double digits soon after that, helping Staley win her second championship in three years.

As for Iowa and Clark, this will be the end of an era as Clark is entering the WNBA Draft. Clark will be remembered as one of the best the sport has ever seen. She’s the best scorer in NCAA history and led Iowa to back-to-back NCAA championship appearances, but came up just short in both years. In 17 career NCAA Tournament games, Clark scored a record 492 points, breaking the all-time tournament mark in the first quarter Sunday.

Follow here for live coverage from The Athletic's staff in Cleveland.

The greatest to ever do it 🐐
Congratulations on an incredible NFL career, Jason Kelce.
What a career for Jason Kelce 💚
🏈 13 seasons
🏈 Super Bowl LII Champion
🏈 7x Pro Bowler
🏈 6x First-team All-Pro
Jason Kelce broke down in tears in the middle of his retirement announcement 💔
If you’re not crying after that, you’re not human. Thank you Jason Kelce 💚 From an entire city who adored you and personified you. And personally, from someone who is so grateful to have been able to have actually been there to witness your most of your journey. How lucky are we all.

Toby Keith Posthumously Returns to No. 1 on Billboard 200 With ’35 Biggest Hits’ Album
Toby Keith has posthumously earned his fifth No. 1 album, topping the Billboard 200 list (dated Feb. 17) with his nearly 16-year-old greatest hits compilation.

Including folk and country singles like “Who’s Your Daddy?,” and the Willie Nelson-featuring “Beer for My Horses,” Keith’s “35 Biggest Hits” just barely managed to take the No. 1 slot this week from Morgan Wallen’s “One Thing at a Time.” The latter, also a country album, has topped the chart for 18 nonconsecutive weeks since its release in March 2023. “One Thing” garnered 65,000 album units this week while Keith’s compilation album logged the equivalent of 66,000 units, including 64 million streams and 11,000 copies sold, according to data provided by Luminate.

The country superstar, 62, died on Feb. 5 after battling stomach cancer, a diagnosis he first shared with the world in June 2022. “He fought his fight with grace and courage,” the confirmation statement uploaded to his website and social media reads.

With a pair of country hitmakers owning the top two slots on the list, SZA’s “SOS” moves up to No. 3 following the R&B singer’s prominent placement at the Grammy Awards. SZA took home a total of three awards during the Feb. 4 show. She also treated audiences to a performance of “Kill Bill,” and premiered a new single called “Saturn” during the show’s commercial breaks.

At No. 4 this week is 21 Savage’s “American Dream,” and trailing close behind is Grammy-winning Album of the Year, Taylor Swift’s “Midnights.” Drake’s “For All the Dogs” is at No. 6; Noah Kahan’s “Stick Season” moves to No. 7; Swift’s chart-topping “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” is at No. 8 and her former leader “Lover” is at No. 9. Zach Bryan’s self-titled album rounds out the top 10.

On the singles chart, Jack Harlow reclaims his No. 1 with “Lovin on Me” entering its fifth nonconsecutive week at the peak. Meanwhile, Teddy Swims’ “Lose Control” lifts to a new high at No. 2 as Benson Boone’s “Beautiful Things” jumps from No. 8 to No. 3.

Luke Combs’ “Fast Car,” which was nominated for best country solo performance, moves back into the Top 10 following Combs’ Grammys performance with Tracy Chapman, whose original version was released in 1988.

Also getting a Grammys boost was Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers,” which lifted from No. 32 to No. 10 this week. Cyrus delivered a dazzling rendition of the anthem — which won record of the year and best pop solo performance — for the 66th annual ceremony.