JQJO — Your world, one story at a time · Page 909

Las Vegas — The Vegas Golden Knights fired head coach Bruce Cassidy Sunday and appointed John Tortorella as interim coach with eight regular-season games remaining. The organization announced the change after a three-game skid; Tortorella arrived Sunday night and met with players Monday at the team’s Summerlin practice facility.

Las Vegas players responded with a 4-2 win Monday, with Adin Hill making 22 saves, and Tortorella stressing mindset and 'hardness' rather than tactical overhaul. General manager Kelly McCrimmon cited a lost spark as rationale; Cassidy is now available and Peter DeBoer is noted as a potential offseason candidate.

Washington — The U.S. allowed a sanctioned Russian-owned oil tanker to approach and deliver crude to Matanzas, Cuba, on Sunday, March 29, after ship-tracking placed the Anatoly Kolodkin near Cuban waters with about 730,000 barrels aboard, according to multiple reports and official statements.

The White House said on Monday the decision was a humanitarian exception and not a formal sanctions change; President Trump publicly stated he had "no problem" with aid deliveries, the Coast Guard did not intercept the vessel, and the shipment is expected to provide temporary fuel relief this week.

Washington: U.S. President Donald Trump told the Financial Times on March 29 that he favours 'taking the oil in Iran' and said U.S. forces could seize Kharg Island, Iran's principal oil export hub, adding he believed Iranian defences there to be minimal.

The remarks this week coincided with reports of a U.S. military buildup in the Middle East and media warnings that an operation on Kharg Island could cause casualties, disrupt global oil exports, and prolong regional conflict; outlets cited figures showing Kharg handles the vast majority of Iran's crude exports.

Washington: A DHS funding standoff left thousands of TSA employees unpaid and produced long security lines at major U.S. airports as of March 29, with White House border czar Tom Homan saying TSA pay depends on Congress reopening funding and an executive action promising near-term payments.

Airports reported extended waits and deployed ICE agents to assist TSA checkpoints this week; union leaders and DHS cited high callout rates and hundreds of quits, and an executive order issued Friday aims to deliver pay by Monday though staffing shortages may persist.

United States: Singer Benson Boone announced the 'Wanted Man' U.S. tour on March 29, scheduling arena dates July 7 through Sept. 3 with a closing show set for Sept. 3 in Casper, Wyoming; artist presales begin April 1 and general tickets go on sale April 3 at 11 a.m.

Casper, Wyoming and multiple U.S. cities will host shows this summer, including confirmed stops in Pittsburgh, Cincinnati (July 18), Indianapolis (July 19), Denver (July 30) and Phoenix (Aug. 17); promoters and venues have posted presale and on-sale schedules and ticketing details this week.

Washington — UConn freshman Braylon Mullins sank a 35-foot 3-pointer with 0.4 seconds remaining to give No. 2 UConn a 73-72 win over No. 1 Duke in the Elite Eight on Sunday at Capital One Arena, securing the East Region title and a Final Four berth.

The victory capped a comeback from a 19-point first-half deficit and immediately ends Duke's 35-3 season; coaches and players cited turnovers and situational execution as decisive, and UConn will travel to Indianapolis later this week to play in the Final Four.

San Jose — Arizona, the No. 1 seed, rallied from a seven-point halftime deficit to defeat No. 2 Purdue 79-64 in the Elite Eight at the SAP Center on Saturday, advancing the Wildcats to the NCAA Final Four for the first time since 2001.

The Wildcats outscored Purdue 48-26 after a players-only halftime meeting and finishing adjustments from coach Tommy Lloyd; Arizona will learn its Final Four opponent on Sunday and has drawn renewed attention regarding Lloyd's potential candidacy for other coaching vacancies.

HOUSTON — Gary Woodland won the Houston Open on Sunday, closing with a 3-under 67 to finish 21-under 259 at Memorial Park Golf Course and secure a five-stroke victory over Nicolai Højgaard, marking his first PGA Tour win since the 2019 U.S. Open.

The victory followed Woodland’s September 2023 brain surgery and a public disclosure of post-traumatic stress disorder in recent weeks; he and his team responded with gratitude, the gallery applauded, and organizers recorded final official scores and payout figures this week.

Fort Worth, Texas. The University of Connecticut women’s basketball team defeated No. 6 Notre Dame 70-52 on Sunday at Dickies Arena, securing a spot in the Final Four; UConn’s victory concluded the Elite Eight and preserved the Huskies’ extended win streak and undefeated tournament run.

The win sends UConn to its 25th Final Four and sets up a matchup with the winner of the South Carolina–TCU Elite Eight game; coaches and players, including Sarah Strong and Blanca Quiñonez, will prepare for the Phoenix semifinal later this week.

San Jose — Arizona defeated Purdue 79-64 on Saturday night in the NCAA Tournament’s West Region final, led by freshman Koa Peat’s 20 points; the top-seeded Wildcats clinched their first Final Four appearance in 25 years under coach Tommy Lloyd.

The victory sent Arizona (36-2) to the Final Four this week, with Peat named region Most Outstanding Player; Purdue (30-9) was held to 38% shooting and saw its season end, and Arizona now prepares for national semifinal play.