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UConn's shock win over No 1 seed Duke on Sunday night to advance to the Final Four connected two disparate eras of college basketball. The game produced one of the greatest endings in NCAA Tournament history, with freshman Braylon Mullins's three-point heave from well beyond the arc sealing the 73-72 victory.The final 10 seconds of Sunday night's game evoked some of the greatest endings in tournament history, with Mullins and Silas Demary Jr's swarming of Cayden Boozer conjuring memories of UCLA's stunning 2006 comeback against Gonzaga and Villanova's 2016 national title win.UConn coach Dan Hurley praised his team's resilience, saying, 'We fought, we clawed, put ourselves in position to take advantage of a mistake that they made.' Mullins's game-winning shot will forever torment Duke fans, as the Blue Devils had led by 19 points in the first-half and No 1 seeds had been 134-0 when leading by 15 or more points in NCAA Tournament history.The win proved that recruiting and continuity still dictate success in college basketball, with UConn's senior Tarris Reed Jr. named the game's Most Outstanding Player after finishing with 26 points, nine rebounds, four blocks, and two steals. Reed's performance reminded fans of the era of dominant post players like Patrick Ewing and Dwight Howard.UConn's victory, coupled with their previous wins over Michigan State and St John's, showed that traditional powers can still thrive in an era of unlimited transfers and Name, Image and Likeness deals. Hurley's adaptability and UConn's roster, which included transfers Malachi Smith and Silas Demary Jr, demonstrated that an old-school approach can still yield success in modern college basketball.

In a stunning turn of events, UConn eliminated No. 1 overall seed Duke from the NCAA Tournament on Sunday, courtesy of Braylon Mullins's three-pointer with 0.4 seconds left in their Elite Eight matchup. The Huskies trailed by 15 points at halftime and by two points with 10 seconds remaining, but a crucial turnover gave Mullins the opportunity to nail his three-pointer from beyond the arc, securing a spot in the Final Four.UConn will face Illinois in the national semi-finals. In the other Elite Eight game, Michigan rolled into the Final Four with a convincing 95-62 victory over Tennessee. Yaxel Lendeborg scored 27 points and Elliot Cadeau added 10 assists for the Wolverines, who posted their 11th victory of the season by at least 30 points. Michigan will face Arizona in Saturday's national semi-finals.Michigan's coach Dusty May led the Wolverines to their first Final Four since 2018 and ninth overall. Lendeborg, named the region's Most Outstanding Player, was 10 for 19 from the field and became the first Michigan player to score at least 23 points in three consecutive NCAA Tournament games since Juwan Howard in 1994. Tennessee's coach Rick Barnes acknowledged the team's progress but emphasized the need to improve to reach the next level.

The ongoing US-Israel war against Iran has sent shockwaves through global markets, resulting in a substantial increase in everyday living costs for many Americans. Following the US-Israeli strikes on Iran, which prompted retaliatory attacks on US allies in the region and Iran's decision to close the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime passage, costs have surged across the US. In particular, gas prices have spiked sharply, with the national average rising by roughly 30% over the past month. Additionally, grocery bills, mortgage rates, and fertilizer costs have also climbed. As a result, many Americans are being forced to reassess their finances and cut back drastically on basic necessities such as food, clothing, and electricity. Individuals from various parts of the country, including Indianapolis, Massachusetts, New York, and Pennsylvania, have shared their struggles with rising costs and how they are impacting their daily lives and long-term financial planning. For instance, an Indianapolis bank employee named Lore has had to reduce his commuting and is holding on to his old car for as long as possible to avoid the financial burden of a new one. A Massachusetts-based librarian's husband has had to take on extra work to keep up with rising expenses, often working 12 to 14 hour days. An elderly woman in New York described living a very frugal existence and struggling to make ends meet each month. The strain is also hitting small business owners, with a tattoo artist and father in Pennsylvania forced to shut down his private studio after three years due to decreased demand. Rising costs are also intensifying anxieties around healthcare, with a bread factory worker in Michigan expressing concerns about his health and the potential risks he faces simply getting to work.

The US stock market closed on Friday with a significant selloff, sending the Dow into correction territory and marking the fifth consecutive week of declines. The Dow fell 800 points, while the Nasdaq index dropped another 2% and the S&P; 500 closed 1.6% lower.Oil prices continued to rise, with Brent crude surging past $110 a barrel. Despite Donald Trump's announcement of extending a pause on Iranian energy strikes, markets remained on edge. Trump has suggested that oil prices and the stock market will stabilize once the conflict ends, but it's unclear if markets will believe him.Consumer sentiment in the US has also declined, with a 6% drop in March, according to a University of Michigan survey. This decline was observed across all age groups, political parties, and income levels. Inflation expectations rose from 3.4% to 3.8%, the largest one-month increase since last April.The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) revised its global GDP growth projections downward, citing the Iran conflict as a significant source of uncertainty. The report warned of higher global inflation due to the spike in energy prices and noted that the Middle East conflict would disproportionately affect the UK's economy.