New LSU women's basketball coach Kim Mulkey promised to do her best to bring an NCAA title to the program during her introductory news conference Monday in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Mulkey appeared at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in a combination pep rally/news conference. She addressed a crowd that included the current Tigers team, school administrators and coaches, Louisiana governor John Bel Edwards and LSU fans.

At one point, she told the players to look at the five Women's Final Four banners hanging in the arena.

"Nowhere on there does it say 'national champion,'" Mulkey said. "That's what I came here to do."

Mulkey won three NCAA titles in her 21 seasons at Baylor, along with 12 regular-season and 11 Big 12 tournament titles. There has been speculation that Mulkey's relationship with Baylor president Linda Livingstone and athletic director Mack Rhoades had become strained. But Mulkey said Monday that leaving the school, which she took over in 2000 and built into a national powerhouse, was very difficult.

"My eyes are swollen from many a tear," Mulkey said. "I have had so many sleepless nights. Because when your heart is invested in something so intensely and so passionately, it's hard to let go.

"Yet when your heart also says it's time to move on and accept your next challenge, and it's at home ... it just kept weighing on me. Something felt right here. I would not have left Baylor for any other school except LSU."

Mulkey also said that money was not primary motivating factor in her move. She was reportedly making around $2.27 million per year at Baylor, a private university. It has been reported that Mulkey may make between $2.5-2.8 million per season at LSU.

"How do you get a coach to leave an institution that has had so much success? I think that's what everybody's wondering," Mulkey said. "And the first thing you're gonna wonder is, 'God, she got a boatload of money.' My boat does not float because of money. I wanted resources that I could sell to young people. I wanted an institution that I could be proud of. I wanted resources to hire a staff to make me look good. Those things have happened.

"Yes, it did take some money to get me away from Baylor, but that wasn't the deciding factor. Timing in everybody's life is so important. If it doesn't feel right at that time in your life, you don't do it. It just felt right, the timing in my life."

Mulkey, who turns 59 in May, was born in California but grew up in Tickfaw, Louisiana, about 50 miles from Baton Rouge. She introduced her mother, Dru, to the gathering, saying she still lives in the area. Mulkey's children, Makenzie Fuller and Kramer Robertson, also were in attendance.

Fuller played for her mother at Baylor and has since worked on her staff. Robertson played baseball for LSU, and is currently in the St. Louis Cardinals' farm system. Mulkey came to Baton Rouge to watch many of his games in recent years, but said she never thought she would have a chance to coach at LSU.

The opportunity arose when coach Nikki Fargas left to pursue another opportunity, reportedly with the WNBA's Las Vegas Aces. Mulkey said it didn't take much convincing from LSU athletic director Scott Woodward for her to come to the school.

"I asked him a couple of questions about things that I really don't need to share with you, but it was more compassion and care than anything else," Mulkey said. "I think Scott and I were on the same page in that it wasn't just about basketball. It was about a lot of things that he thought I could help him with, not just at LSU, but in the state of Louisiana. It touched home with me and it touched my heart."

Mulkey of course didn't address some of the issues LSU is facing, including a federal class-action lawsuit filed Monday by seven women who allege they were victims of sex-based discrimination at the school. Earlier this month, football recruiting director Sharon Lewis filed a lawsuit accusing university officials of retaliating against her for reporting racist remarks and inappropriate sexual behavior by former coach Les Miles.

But Mulkey seemed to allude to the school's troubles by saying, "LSU is a very, very prideful institution of higher learning. I can assure you I didn't just come here to win championships. I came here to make an impact at the right time at an institution that needs something really positive."

At Baylor, Mulkey was credited with helping elevate the school and the athletic department by winning the 2005 NCAA title after a men's basketball scandal involving the murder of former player Patrick Dennehy. She subsequently won two other national championships in 2012 and 2019.

Mulkey had some of her own controversies, such as suggesting a Final Four without COVID-19 testing last month or defending Baylor following a sexual assault scandal involving the school and its football program in 2017. On Monday, she tossed aside her LSU mask before making her remarks, a gesture sure to bother some observers.

But those in attendance at LSU cheered her multiple mentions of how happy she was to be back in Louisiana, and what she thinks it will take to return LSU women's basketball prominence. She won her first NCAA title at Baylor in her fifth season.

"I don't want you to be misled that I can take a team and overnight play for championships," Mulkey said. "But I can take a team and make them better each day. As we work with them, we will be able to identify strengths and weaknesses, what we need. Then head out and go get the best talent we can to represent LSU."

Houston Rockets point guard John Wall will likely miss the remainder of the season with a right hamstring strain, general manager Rafael Stone announced Monday.

The diagnosis was made by Dr. Steven Flores following an MRI, Stone said.

According to sources, Wall's injury is a Grade 2 hamstring strain, which has a typical recovery time of approximately three weeks. With the Rockets eliminated from playoff contention, the team has no intention of rushing Wall back.

Wall averaged 20.6 points and 6.9 assists while shooting 40.4% from the floor in 40 games this season for the Rockets, who have the NBA's worst record at 15-46 in the first year of a rebuilding project on the heels of trading longtime franchise cornerstone James Harden.

Wall, a five-time All-Star, had missed the previous season and a half due to heel and Achilles tendon injuries. Wall missed several games this season due to swelling in his left knee, an issue that sources said could require offseason arthroscopic surgery.

The Rockets acquired Wall and a future protected first-round pick for Russell Westbrook in a trade with the Washington Wizards just before the beginning of training camp.

Wall, 30, is owed $91.7 million on his maximum contract over the next two seasons.

If the NBA season ended today, Madison Square Garden would be hosting Game 1 of a first-round playoff series. The New York Knicks have won nine straight games for the first time since the 2012-13 season, the year they finished as the Eastern Conference's No. 2 seed.

While Julius Randle & Co. aren't likely to rise that high in the standings, they are in position to capture a top-four or -five seed and stay out of the league's new play-in tournament.

Speaking of the play-in, the Washington Wizards, once near the bottom of the East standings, have vaulted into the 10th spot behind eight consecutive wins. Can they hold on and send the dangerous duo of Russell Westbrook and Bradley Beal into the play-in?

Only three weeks remain in the 2020-21 regular season. Here's where our panel sees all 30 NBA teams right now.

Note: Throughout the regular season, our panel (ESPN's Tim Bontemps, Nick Friedell, Andrew Lopez, Tim MacMahon, Dave McMenamin, Royce Young and Ohm Youngmisuk) is ranking all 30 teams from top to bottom, taking stock of which teams are playing the best basketball now and which teams are looking most like title contenders.

Previous rankings: Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9 | Week 10 | Week 11 | Week 12 | Week 13 | Week 14 | Week 15 | Week 16 | Week 17 | Week 18

1. Utah Jazz
2020-21 record: 44-16
Previous ranking: 2

A home loss to the lowly Timberwolves when the Jazz had a chance to clinch a playoff berth? In a game Utah led by 17 in the first half? That's a head-scratcher, even with Donovan Mitchell missing because of his sprained ankle. Joe Ingles (1-of-9 from the floor) had his worst shooting night of the season, but the Jazz are still 14-4 when he fills in as a starter for Mike Conley or Mitchell. -- MacMahon

This week: @MIN, @SAC, @PHO, TOR

2. Brooklyn Nets
2020-21 record: 41-20
Previous ranking: 4

With 11 games left in the regular season, the Nets are finally starting to get pieced back together. Kevin Durant returned and looked like Kevin Durant, scoring 33 points in 28 minutes on Sunday against the Suns. While they wait on James Harden, who suffered a setback with his hamstring and is back to "square one," according to head coach Steve Nash, their eyes are squarely focused on getting whole for the postseason. A sign of encouragement, though: After beating Phoenix, the Nets improved to 20-6 against the West. -- Young

This week: @TOR, @IND, POR, @MIL

3. Phoenix Suns
2020-21 record: 42-18
Previous ranking: 3

Sunday's loss to the Nets marked the first time in three months that the Suns suffered back-to-back losses. In fact, the only other time they lost consecutive games this season was when they dropped three games from Jan. 22 to 27 -- two of those being overtime games to Denver just a week after postponements due to COVID-19. Phoenix sits two games behind the Jazz for first place in the Western Conference but will have to hold back the Clippers, who are also two games out of first. -- Lopez

This week: @NYK, LAC, UTA, @OKC

4. LA Clippers
2020-21 record: 43-19
Previous ranking: 5

The Clippers are rolling despite missing several starters. Even without Kawhi Leonard (foot), Patrick Beverley (hand), Serge Ibaka (back) and with other key players injured or resting on certain nights, the Clippers have won four straight and 17 of their past 20 games. Paul George is back in revenge mode, scoring 30 or more in seven of his past eight games, and the supporting cast has helped the Clippers come from behind to win the last three games. Head coach Ty Lue's biggest challenge, though, will be to get his team on the same page once at full strength. The Clippers have not had Leonard, George, Beverley and Ibaka play in a game together since March 11. -- Youngmisuk

This week: @NOP, @PHO, DEN

5. Philadelphia 76ers
2020-21 record: 39-21
Previous ranking: 1

After Philadelphia seemingly had the top seed in the East locked up, a disastrous week that featured four straight losses -- including two in Milwaukee to fellow East contenders -- has the Sixers back behind the Nets in the race for the top seed. Philadelphia's schedule gets easier down the stretch, and the Sixers do own the tiebreaker, but this week has made for a far more stressful run to playoffs. -- Bontemps

This week: OKC, ATL, ATL, @SAS

6. Milwaukee Bucks
2020-21 record: 37-23
Previous ranking: 6

While the losses to the Suns and Hawks on either side of them were disappointing, the Bucks won the two most important games this week, beating Philadelphia twice at home to clinch the season-long tiebreaker over the Sixers. Milwaukee will have a chance to do the same thing in early May against Brooklyn. If the Bucks can pull that off, they will have a path to the all-important top seed in the East. -- Bontemps

This week: @CHA, @HOU, @CHI, BRK

7. Denver Nuggets
2020-21 record: 39-21
Previous ranking: 8

Denver's season took another blow when Will Barton suffered what head coach Michael Malone called a "pretty significant" hamstring injury. This comes on the heels of the team losing Jamal Murray for the season to a torn ACL. Denver still has won five of six games with Nikola Jokic continuing his MVP campaign and Michael Porter Jr. lifting his level of play. PJ Dozier is expected to see an increased role with Barton out indefinitely. -- Youngmisuk

This week: MEM, NOP, TOR, @LAC

8. Los Angeles Lakers
2020-21 record: 35-25
Previous ranking: 7

Anthony Davis' return didn't stop the bleeding for the Lakers, as L.A. went 0-2 in Davis' first two games back from injury against the Mavericks. Making matters worse, the losses came against a Dallas team nipping on the Lakers' heels in the standings, as L.A. now holds just a 1½-game advantage over the Mavs for the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference standings. -- McMenamin

This week: @ORL, @WAS, SAC, TOR

9. Dallas Mavericks
2020-21 record: 33-26
Previous ranking: 11

It was especially gratifying for Dwight Powell to play such a prominent role in Luka Doncic's torching the Lakers' traps in the second half of Saturday's win. Powell showed signs of the explosiveness and finishing ability he possessed before rupturing his Achilles tendon in January 2020. He had 21 of his season-high 25 points in the second half, when he was 9-of-10 from the floor, including seven dunks or layups off of Doncic dimes. Said head coach Rick Carlisle: "I don't see any difference now from the Dwight Powell before the injury, and that just speaks to an amazing amount of work put in." -- MacMahon

This week: @SAC, @GSW, @DET, WAS, SAC

10. New York Knicks
2020-21 record: 34-27
Previous ranking: 14

As the Knicks continue to win and are well on their way to their best season since a 54-victory campaign in 2012-13 -- the last time they made the playoffs -- Julius Randle is cementing his case to make an All-NBA team, and Tom Thibodeau is doing the same for winning his second Coach of the Year award. Randle has been spectacular, averaging career highs in virtually every category, while Thibodeau has driven this team to much higher heights than anyone could have reasonably hoped. -- Bontemps

This week: PHO, CHI, @HOU

11. Atlanta Hawks
2020-21 record: 34-27
Previous ranking: 12

With a win over the Bucks on Sunday, the Hawks improved to 20-7 since Nate McMillan took over as interim coach. That mark is the best record in the East during that span, with only the Nuggets having a better record overall. Atlanta improved to seven games over .500 for the first time this season and has won 11 of its past 14 games as it makes a push for home-court advantage in the Eastern Conference playoffs. -- Lopez

This week: @DET, @PHI, @PHI, CHI

12. Portland Trail Blazers
2020-21 record: 32-28
Previous ranking: 10

The Blazers have lost five straight and eight of 10. They've slipped into the play-in spot, now two games behind the Mavericks in the loss column. Diagnosing the Blazers is complicated, but Damian Lillard summarized it this way after Sunday's loss to Memphis: "I'm not playing well enough. I'm on the floor because that gives our team the best chance to win, and I've got to be better." -- Young

This week: @IND, @MEM, @BRK, @BOS

13. Miami Heat
2020-21 record: 32-29
Previous ranking: 13

The Heat won three of four last week and have gotten a nice lift from Jimmy Butler after he returned from an ankle injury in Wednesday's win over the Spurs. Butler is averaging 19.0 points, 8.7 assists and 4.7 rebounds over his past three games. Duncan Robinson poured in 23 in a win over the Bulls on Saturday and is averaging 14.4 points per game this month. -- Friedell

This week: CHI, SAS, @CLE, @CHA

14. Boston Celtics
2020-21 record: 32-29
Previous ranking: 9

A week ago, the Celtics looked like they had turned a corner after winning six in a row and eight of nine. Now, Boston has lost three of its past four and is back in danger of finding itself in the play-in tournament. While it isn't his fault, given he missed nearly three weeks after testing positive for COVID-19, newly acquired Evan Fournier has failed to make a shot in three of the six games he has played with Boston. -- Bontemps

This week: OKC, CHA, SAS, POR

15. Memphis Grizzlies
2020-21 record: 31-28
Previous ranking: 15

The first two outings of the season for Jaren Jackson Jr., the 21-year-old franchise cornerstone who has been sidelined since last season's bubble restart because of meniscus surgery, were quite encouraging. Jackson scored 38 points on 14-of-25 shooting in 43 minutes, grabbing 11 rebounds and blocking five shots. He's coming off the bench for now as Memphis carefully manages Jackson's workload, including sitting him for Sunday's game in Portland as a precaution. -- MacMahon

This week: @DEN, POR, ORL, @ORL

16. Golden State Warriors
2020-21 record: 31-30
Previous ranking: 17

As Stephen Curry goes, so do the Warriors. The two-time MVP dropped 37 in Sunday night's win over the Kings while setting a new record for 3-pointers in a calendar month -- with 85 and counting in April. Curry has had some unbelievable stretches during his career, but this is arguably his best. He's averaging 38.2 points a game this month. -- Friedell

This week: DAL, @MIN, @HOU

17. Charlotte Hornets
2020-21 record: 30-30
Previous ranking: 16

Charlotte picked up a nice win over the Celtics on Sunday in which all five starters scored in double figures. Terry Rozier continues to pick up the scoring slack with LaMelo Ball and Gordon Hayward still out. Rozier has scored at least 20 points in six of his past seven games. With Ball potentially coming back this week after missing over a month because of a wrist injury, the Hornets look primed for a playoff push. -- Friedell

This week: MIL, @BOS, DET, MIA

18. San Antonio Spurs
2020-21 record: 30-29
Previous ranking: 18

The Spurs have won four of their past five games to jump back into the ninth spot in the Western Conference. They've gotten a lift from Derrick White's scoring over that stretch. White had two games with at least 25 points last week, bringing his total to six in 35 games this season. In his first 152 career games, White had only three games in which he scored 25 points or more. -- Lopez

This week: @WAS, @MIA, @BOS, PHI

19. Indiana Pacers
2020-21 record: 29-31
Previous ranking: 19

It was a whirlwind week for Oshae Brissett. After earning a multiyear contract with the Pacers, Brissett responded with a 23-point, 12-rebound performance against Oklahoma City last Wednesday. He put up another double-double -- 11 points, 11 rebounds -- on Saturday against the Pistons and wrapped things up Sunday with 13 points and 8 rebounds against the Magic. The Pacers won all three games. -- Lopez

This week: POR, BRK, @OKC

20. Washington Wizards
2020-21 record: 27-33
Previous ranking: 22

The Wizards are on such a roll right now that they are doing things that haven't been done in Washington since Michael Jordan wore a Wizards uniform. Washington has won eight straight games and can match the franchise record of nine a row, which has been accomplished four times, most recently when Jordan was a Wizard in December 2001. Bradley Beal and Russell Westbrook are on a tear and leading the way, but Daniel Gafford has been an incredible addition. Since trading for the center, the Wizards are 10-1 when Gafford plays. With 12 games left in the season, the Wizards are currently in 10th place and in the play-in tournament. -- Youngmisuk

This week: SAS, LAL, @CLE, @DAL

21. Toronto Raptors
2020-21 record: 25-35
Previous ranking: 21

Toronto won four games in a row before losing to New York on Saturday to get back into the race for the 10th seed in the East. The problem is that Washington has won nine of 10 to surge past both Toronto and Chicago and into the last play-in tournament spot. The next six games will likely determine Toronto's chances of getting back in the playoffs, as a home game in Tampa, Florida, against Cleveland is followed by another home game against the East-leading Nets. A brutal West Coast trip featuring games in Denver, Utah and against both L.A. teams follows. -- Bontemps

This week: CLE, BRK, @DEN, @UTA

22. New Orleans Pelicans
2020-21 record: 26-34
Previous ranking: 20

As they try to make the play-in tournament, the Pelicans have squandered lead after lead. Saturday night's game against the Spurs was another example. The Pelicans led by five with just under four minutes to play and lost. According to ESPN Stats & Information research, it was their league-leading sixth loss this season when holding at least a five-point lead in the final five minutes of a game. Three of those have happened in the past five games (April 16 vs. Washington and April 18 vs. New York being the others). -- Lopez

This week: LAC, @DEN, @OKC, @MIN

23. Chicago Bulls
2020-21 record: 25-35
Previous ranking: 23

The Bulls showed signs of life again this week in picking up a couple of wins without Zach LaVine, who remains out due to COVID-19 protocols. LaVine's return can't come soon enough for a Bulls team that currently sits two losses behind the surging Washington Wizards for the final spot in the play-in tournament and has a schedule full of playoff teams down the stretch. The good news is that new big man Nikola Vucevic continues to be a model of consistency, underscored by his 44 points and 30 rebounds over his past two games. -- Friedell

This week: @MIA, @NYK, MIL, @ATL

24. Sacramento Kings
2020-21 record: 24-36
Previous ranking: 24

The good: Sacramento got 24 points and 8 assists from standout rookie Tyrese Haliburton against Golden State on Sunday. The bad: The Kings still lost to the Warriors by four. The ugly: Haliburton got the playing time to amass that production only because De'Aaron Fox was out due to the NBA's health and safety protocols. -- McMenamin

This week: DAL, UTA, @LAL, @DAL

25. Cleveland Cavaliers
2020-21 record: 21-39
Previous ranking: 25

Anytime Darius Garland breaks through with top-line stats like he had against the Wizards this week -- 28 points and 9 assists -- it would seem to be an endorsement of the small-sized backcourt the Cavs put together. But considering those numbers came in a nine-point loss to the Wizards, along with six turnovers, the jury is still out. -- McMenamin

This week: @TOR, ORL, WAS, MIA

26. Oklahoma City Thunder
2020-21 record: 20-40
Previous ranking: 26

The Thunder's losing streak is at 13 games, but even with the extended absence of winning, players and coaches are still adamant the team's mood isn't crumbling. "Honestly, spirits are super high," guard Ty Jerome said. "I mean, we got a super competitive bunch, as everybody at this level is, so you know we hate losing. But spirits are high." The longest losing streak in Thunder history (since the franchise relocated from Seattle to Oklahoma City for the 2008-09 season) is 14. With their next two games against the Sixers and Celtics, chances are good there will be a new mark. -- Young

This week: @PHI, @BOS, NOP, IND, PHO

27. Detroit Pistons
2020-21 record: 18-43
Previous ranking: 27

As Detroit tanks toward the bottom of the standings, management will have an interesting evaluation case on its hands in Josh Jackson. The former lottery pick is averaging 17.0 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists and shooting 39.3% from 3 in April, but the Pistons are just 5-9 in that stretch. -- McMenamin

This week: ATL, DAL, @CHA

28. Minnesota Timberwolves
2020-21 record: 17-44
Previous ranking: 29

It might seem shocking for the Wolves to go on the road and beat the Jazz, but since guard D'Angelo Russell returned, Minnesota is quietly 5-6 and has played competitively in almost every game. Playing as a super sixth man, Russell is maximizing his role while also giving rookie Anthony Edwards room to grow as a starter. -- Young

This week: UTA, @HOU, GSW, NOP

29. Orlando Magic
2020-21 record: 18-42
Previous ranking: 28

Not only are the Magic in the midst of a five-game losing streak, they also have to deal with head coach Steve Clifford being away from the team after testing positive for COVID-19, as ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported. In a small bit of good news, rookie Cole Anthony is putting up his best numbers as a pro this month, averaging 13.4 points, 5.6 assists and 4.6 rebounds per game through 10 April contests. -- Friedell

This week: LAL, @CLE, @MEM, MEM

30. Houston Rockets
2020-21 record: 15-46
Previous ranking: 30

Houston has the NBA's worst record at 15-46 and the second-most-difficult strength of schedule remaining (.576 opponents winning percentage). The Rockets have won only four of their past 40 games. It's a near certainty that the Rockets will finish as one of the three teams with the best lottery odds, which would give them a 52.1% chance of landing a top-four pick, the protection range of the Thunder's right to swap one of their first-round picks with Houston. -- MacMahon

This week: MIN, MIL, GSW, NYK

MOORESVILLE, N.C. – Matt Mills will make his NASCAR Cup Series debut this weekend at Kansas Speedway in the No. 55 Ford Mustang fielded by BJ McLeod Motorsports.

The No. 55 Ford Mills will drive will carry sponsorship from Siebert Electric. J.F. Electric, a long-time partner of Mills in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, will also sponsor Mills during his Cup Series debut.

“We are excited about partnering with Matt Mills and his Racing team. As a son of a Marine, Matt and his team align with the Siebert Electric team’s core values of hard work, determination, superb quality, and family values,” said Ryan Siebert of Siebert Electric.

“There aren’t words to explain what Sunday will mean to my family and I,” said Mills. “There was a time not that long ago that we struggled to get to our local short track. Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series has been a lifelong dream thanks to B.J., Jessica (McLeod), and J.F. Electric for all they have done for me and continue to do for me, as well as Thompson Electric. With the addition of Siebert Electric & Little Joe’s Auto, I’m achieving that dream. My goal for Sunday is to be smart, learn, earn respect, and complete the entire race. I can’t wait to get to the track.”

Mills currently races full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for BJ McLeod Motorsports aboard the No. 5 entry.

“We’re thrilled to have Matt make his NCS debut,” said team owner B.J. McLeod. “We wanted to get him a Cup debut with as much experience as possible. With all of the NXS racing he and his partners (J.F. Electric, Utilitra) have done, it’s time to get him a Cup start.  You only get one first start and to have him do it for us is pretty cool for Jessica and I and its something we wanted to see happen.”

Seven women filed a federal class-action lawsuit against LSU and its leadership Monday, with the university's former president and athletic director, as well as its athletic fundraising group, among those named as defendants, according to a copy of the lawsuit obtained by ESPN.

According to the 118-page document, the women attended the Baton Rouge campus at some point from 2013 to 2021, and "were victims of sex-based discrimination, including rape, sexual assault, sexual harassment, and/or stalking, perpetrated by male LSU students."

The women include three former LSU tennis players, two former student workers in the football recruiting office, a former student and a current student. They allege "a conspiracy" by the defendants to keep them quiet and "deprive them of their constitutional and federal rights in order to protect the reputation and income of LSU athletics."

They are seeking more than $5 million in damages, plus court costs.

The lawsuit states that the majority of the women weren't able to report their incidents to the university's Title IX office "because LSU employees discouraged or even overtly prevented them from doing so." The document, first obtained by USA Today, states the women who were able to file complaints with the Title IX office "were ignored and their complaints were not appropriately investigated or addressed. Some plaintiffs experienced unlawful retaliation after attempting to report sex-based discrimination."

On Monday, LSU vice president of communications and university relations Jim Sabourin provided the following statement to ESPN: "We have only just been made aware of the lawsuit through media stories, and therefore can't comment on something we have yet to review. Instead, we are focused on taking actions to ensure that we create a campus that is safe, just and worthy of the trust that has been placed in us."

Defendants named in the lawsuit include former athletic director Joe Alleva and six current athletic department officials: executive deputy athletic director Verge Ausberry; senior associate athletic director Miriam Segar; women's tennis coaches Julia and Mike Sell; football recruiting director Sharon Lewis; and assistant director of recruiting operations Keava Soil-Cormier. Also named are the LSU board of supervisors and former university president F. King Alexander, who last month resigned as president of Oregon State amid backlash from his role at LSU.

The lawsuit alleges that LSU, its athletic department and the Tiger Athletic Foundation "funded and implemented a purposefully deficient sexual misconduct and Title IX reporting scheme" separate from the university's official Title IX office to keep legitimate sexual assault claims within the athletic department.

"This scheme stymied LSU's overall Title IX reporting system, successfully insulated coaches and players within LSU's athletic programs from legitimate sexual assault claims, and allowed the programs to continue operating unhindered to reach levels of success the program wouldn't have reached otherwise," it states.

Because it is a class-action lawsuit, any others who allege they were hurt by LSU's systemic failure of complying with Title IX from 2013 to the present can potentially join as plaintiffs.

According to USA Today, attorneys for the women said that could include thousands of current and former students.

"Until the priorities shift back to the mission of this university, the flagship school of Louisiana, to educate and support young people in their quest to better themselves, we will not stop the quest for change," Karen Truszkowski, an attorney for the women, told USA Today. She declined further comment Monday.

This is the second lawsuit filed this month against LSU and its leadership.

Lewis accused university officials of retaliating against her for reporting racist remarks and inappropriate sexual behavior by former coach Les Miles. The lawsuit also accused LSU officials of working with a law firm to cover up allegations against Miles, including one that he engaged in "explicit sex acts" with a student. Miles and his attorney have denied any wrongdoing.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Three weeks after the San Francisco 49ers' bold trade up to the No. 3 pick in the 2021 NFL draft, coach Kyle Shanahan said the team was already comfortable enough to draft three of the top five quarterbacks, but the team could "get there" with Nos. 4 and 5.

Over the past month, Shanahan, general manager John Lynch and their staffs put in the remaining work to not only see if they could get comfortable with all five of them -- Clemson's Trevor Lawrence, BYU's Zach Wilson, Alabama's Mac Jones, North Dakota State's Trey Lance and Ohio State's Justin Fields -- but also decide which one they believe is best-suited to be their choice.

Speaking to media for about 30 minutes, days before they must make that decision official, Shanahan, who was a late addition to the annual pre-draft news conference, did his best not to tip the Niners' hand and said they have indeed grown fond of all five quarterback prospects.

"We knew that there was three at the time," Shanahan said. "That's why we thought three was a good spot to go to. After going through this whole process, I felt good about five guys at three. Yeah, we had a guy probably at first back then, but we knew that wasn't set in stone. And we knew the only way we could figure out a little bit more, especially when you can't work out guys, you can't meet with these people, there's a lot of things you can't do this year. The only way we could go off that is if we got closer to where we could do a little more in-depth thing that we didn't have to hide. We did. In that time, I think every candidate has gotten stronger. And yeah, we probably started with one in mind but that one has gotten better since and so have all the other candidates."

Since the trade was announced, the 49ers have been operating under the common presumption that Lawrence and Wilson will go with the first two picks, leaving them a choice among the group of Jones, Lance and Fields.

Soon after the trade, Jones was the player most commonly connected to the Niners by league observers and thought to be the "third" guy on the list behind Wilson and Lawrence. Lynch and Shanahan spoke to the media on March 29 and flew to Jones' second pro day on March 30, while another 49ers contingent, including assistant general manager Adam Peters, went to Ohio State to see Fields.

After that, the 49ers also played a prominent role in second pro days for Lance and Fields with Shanahan and Lynch attending both. Throughout, Lynch said the Niners have gathered opinions on all three players from coaches, scouts, college coaches, private quarterback coaches and family members.

And while Lynch said he encourages everyone to believe strongly in their opinions, the decision will ultimately fall to he and, especially, Shanahan.

"It's been an incredibly thorough process but ultimately someone has got to be charged with making a decision and in this case, it's the both of us," Lynch said. "Everyone has in their contract 'you do this,' and the draft is mine, but I told Kyle from the beginning that he and I are doing this together. And when it comes to quarterbacks ... we have a head coach who is also our offensive playcaller, I will always defer to him. What's cool about that is I think Kyle respects my opinion enough, he always wants it and ultimately, we arrive at decisions, we will and come Thursday we have a pick that hopefully makes everyone proud. But that will be judged in years to come and we have done our best to make sure it's a great decision for this franchise."

Another piece of the puzzle that should get some clarity soon is what will become of incumbent starter Jimmy Garoppolo. Lynch and Shanahan have been adamant that they, barring a too-hard-to-resist trade offer, intend to keep Garoppolo while the drafted rookie learns behind him and competes.

That tone seemed to soften a bit Monday when Lynch and Shanahan were asked multiple times about Garoppolo, including whether he would still be on the roster the day after the draft.

"I can't guarantee that anybody in the world will be alive Sunday, so I can't guarantee you who will be on our roster on Sunday," Shanahan said. "So, that goes for all of us."

On a less macabre note, Lynch said he had been in touch with Garoppolo last weekend and that Garoppolo has been a part of the virtual meetings and plans to be at the offseason workout program.

"Jimmy's been completely professional, as he always has been with us," Lynch said. "Jimmy knows -- I think one thing we've always tried to do with all our players and Jimmy as well -- is just be very up front and honest. And with what we're doing and why we're doing it, and my experience as a player, when people do that, you can live with that."

While the NFL world awaits the Niners' pick at No. 3, Lynch did confirm one decision that has already been made. Right tackle Mike McGlinchey, San Francisco's first-round pick in 2018, will have his fifth-year option picked up. That means, barring a contract extension before then, McGlinchey will earn a fully guaranteed $10.88 million in 2022.

In the meantime, all eyes remain on which quarterback, exactly, McGlinchey will be blocking for in 2021.

"Do we know exactly who we want?" Shanahan said. "Maybe. Probably. But maybe not. I don't feel like we need to say that. That's not just for our case. But lots of stuff happens between now and the draft and you don't want the whole league knowing exactly what you're set on four days before the draft and we also care about a lot of people who have been involved in this ... I don't know if I want the league to know. I don't think it necessarily helps and that's why no one is really going to know whether we know or not until we pick. That's kind of what we're comfortable keeping it at."

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Former Korean standout pitcher Hyeon-Jong Yang joined the Texas Rangers on Monday, and was looking to make his MLB debut.

The Rangers selected the contract of the 33-year-old left-hander from their alternate training site before the opener of a three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels.

Texas optioned struggling rookie center fielder Leody Taveras to the alternate training site. To make room on the 40-man roster for Yang, the Rangers transferred first baseman/outfielder Ronald Guzman from the 10-day to 60-day injured list.

Yang had been on the team's taxi squad for each of the first three road trips this season. He initially signed with the Rangers at the start of spring training after a 14-year career with the Kia Tigers. He was the MVP in the Korean Baseball Organization in 2017, and also the Korean Series MVP that season when the Tigers won the league championship. He won the ERA title in the KBO in 2015 and 2019.

Taveras was hitting .087 (4 for 46) with one RBIs in his 15 games. He started 14 games in center.

Guzman was placed on the injured list April 13 with a right knee meniscus cartilage tear suffered while playing left field the previous day in Tampa Bay. He is scheduled to have season-ending surgery Wednesday.

HOUSTON -- Astros starter Jake Odorizzi has been placed on the 10-day injured list with a strained muscle in his right arm and second baseman Jose Altuve has been activated after a bout with COVID-19.

Odorizzi left his start on Saturday after just five pitches with what the team called tightness in his right forearm, and manager Dusty Baker announced Monday that he had a strained right pronator.

"We hope it's short term," Baker said. "He'll miss at least two turns [in the rotation]. And then hopefully he's ready."

Altuve, the 2017 AL MVP, was among five Astros who were placed on the COVID-19 list on April 14. The other four returned within days, but Altuve remained out. He cleared health and safety protocols on Friday and revealed Saturday that he had tested positive for COVID-19 but did not have any symptoms.

Altuve said he received the first dose of one of the COVID-19 vaccines before testing positive, and that he has no idea how he contracted the virus.

Altuve was off to a strong start in 2021 after a down year in last season's pandemic-shortened campaign. He is hitting .318 with one homer, three doubles and five RBIs in 11 games. Baker said he would bat leadoff on Monday night when the Astros begin a four-game series against the Mariners.

Odorizzi got a late start to the season after not signing with the Astros until March 8. His deal guarantees him $20.25 million over two years or $23.5 million over three seasons if a player option is exercised for 2023.

"I feel pretty fortunate that it was only something very minor," he said. "And maybe the other day was just my body protecting itself and not letting it get into a worse position than I'm in right now. So I'm pretty optimistic about, I'm happy with the results."

Odorizzi, 31, is 0-2 with a 10.13 ERA in three starts this season.

An All-Star in 2019 with Minnesota, Odorizzi was hoping to bounce back from an injury-filled 2020 season, when he pitched just 13⅔ innings.

US 400m man drops down to 100m with 9.91 world lead at the Drake Relays on a weekend that also sees Jake Smith knock out a 2:11 marathon plus fine results at the MultiStars meet in Italy

The 2021 season continues to build with great performances around the globe.

For our coverage of the Continental Tour Gold in Eugene, CLICK HERE

News of the world and British 100-mile world records, CLICK HERE

Results from the University of Birmingham event with BMC races, CLICK HERE

LSU Alumni Gold, Baton Rouge, USA, April 24
Noah Williams ran a world-leading 44.30 in the 400m ahead of Bryce Deadmon’s 44.58 PB. There was also a world lead in the long jump of 8.44/0.8 by JuVaughn Harrison and for world pole vault record-holder Mondo Duplantis who achieved 5.90m in his outdoor debut for the year.

The 200m world leader Terrance Laird clocked a marginally wind-assisted 19.82/2.4. In a quality women’s 100m Aleia Hobbs ran 10.91/0.7 to defeat Tamara Clark’s 10.96.

Tonea Marshall ran a wind-assisted 12.53/2.6 to defeat NCAA indoor long jump champion Tara Davis’s 12.61. Deborah Acquah set a Ghanian long jump record of 6.81/1.6.

Drake Relays, Des Moines, USA, April 23-24
Britain’s Olympic fourth-placer Cindy Sember carried on her great form with a PB and European-leading 12.57/1.8 100m hurdles to defeat Christina Clemons’ 12.59. Sember’s sister Tiffany Porter was third in 12.80 as world record-holder Keni Harrison fell early on in the race.

Olympic shot put champion Ryan Crouser’s outdoor season opener of 21.93m matched his last mark of the indoor season. He backed up his world lead with 21.85m and 21.73m throws.

World leads were also set in the 400m hurdles by Gianna Woodruff (Panama record 55.02) and Brazilian Alison dos Santos with 48.15. Behind Woodruff, Britain’s Lina Nielsen ran a PB 56.19 in fourth place to go top of the year’s UK rankings and into the all-time top 20 in Britain.

World pole vault champion Sam Kendricks got a temporary world lead with 5.86m. Sandi Morris won the women’s pole vault with 4.70m.

In the men’s 5000m won Australian Morgan McDonald won in 13:21.39 while in third Nico Young set a US under-20 record of 13:24.26.

In the steeplechase Briton Aimee Pratt was second in a UK ranking-topping 9:35.34 to Leah Falland’s 9:32.53. Fellow Briton Elizabeth Bird was fifth in 9:38.25. The Olympic standard is 9:30.

Adam Fogg ran a PB 3:38.79 in the 1500m.

Miami, April 24
Double world individual 400m medallist Fred Kerley (main image above) shocked with a big PB and world lead of 9.91 in winning the 100m in a perfect 2m/sec wind reading. He became the third man in history to break both 10 seconds for 100m and 44 for 400m.

Jason Rogers of St Kitts was second in 10.01, while Jamaican Natasha Morrison won the women’s event in 10.87/1.3.

European 100m champion Zharnel Hughes was less lucky with the wind in the 200m as his 19.93 was propelled by a 3.6m tailwind and only Dan Talbot (19.89 wind-assisted) and John Regis (19.87 at altitude) have gone faster among Brits in any conditions.

Fred Kerley has become just the third athlete in history to break 10.00 for 100m and 44.00 for 400m. pic.twitter.com/EKxReaxoCD

— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) April 24, 2021

MultiStars, Lana, Italy, April 24-25
European under-20 and under-18 heptathlon champion Maria Vicente set a Spanish record of 6304 points for victory as Holly Mills carried on her great winter form to smash her PB with 6180 points.

The Spaniard had a strong second day with 6.41m in the long jump, 47.83m in the javelin and 2:18.60 in the 800m. Kate O’Connor, runner-up behind Vicente in the European U20s, was second in an Irish record 6297 points with Marthe Koala’s Burkina Faso’s record giving her third with third and 6238 points.

Mills led overnight with a stunning first day which saw her set PBs at 100m hurdles (13.21/1.1) and high jump (1.83m) and set an outdoor shot PB of 13.66m and ran a 24.24 200m into a strong headwind.

Her long jump (6.15m) and javelin (30.93m) on day two were disappointing but she finished with a 2:10.84 800m PB.

O’Connor, who is coached by Toni Minichiello and Sheffield-based, set a Northern Ireland record and overtook Mills with a huge 51.61m javelin throw.

Overnight leader Martin Roe from Norway won the decathlon with 8055 points.

ASICS Be(At) Your Personal Best, Morton, France, April 24
Kenya’s Hillary Kipkoech won the 10km by almost a minute in a world lead of 27:34 ahead of Spain’s Jorge Blanco (28:27) and Norway’s Sondre Nordstad Moen (28:34).

French-based Eritrean Mekdes Woldu won the women’s race in 31:46 by almost two minutes.

Kenya’s Boniface Kibiwott won the men’s 5km in 13:24 while Sarah Lahti won the women’s 5km in a Swiss record of 15:22.

Offenburg, Germany, April 24
The 2017 world javelin champion Johannes Vetter set a world lead of 91.50m and his series was 86.12m, 87.59m, 88.21m, 88.32m, 91.50m, 87.12m and he won the low-key competition by over 20 metres.

Cheshire Elite Marathon and Half-Marathon, Wrexham, April 25
Though entered as a pacemaker, Jake Smith, who did a good job pacing at the Olympic Trials last month, won in 2:11:00 for his first completed marathon.

Smith had been in sensational form training on the track in recent months and a few days earlier he had won the Welsh Athletics Elite Endurance Series 1500m in a PB 3:50.89. British-based New Zealander Callan Moody was second in 2:11:38 with Reece Edwards third in 2:14:44.

'The whole world loves a maverick and the whole world wants the maverick to achieve something nobler than simple rebellion.'
Try coaching a maverick@JakeSmith_run from pacing to 25k to winning @RunningCheshire marathon 2:10.58 & off a 19m LR,no drinks,1 gel & 3:50 1500PB Weds!? pic.twitter.com/YgfVzaHACJ

— James Thie (@TeamThie) April 25, 2021

Ireland’s Aoife Cooke also gained the Olympic qualifying standard in the women’s race with 2:28:36 ahead of Israel’s Maor Tiyouri, who also surpassed the standard in second with 2:29:03.

Ireland’s Ann-Marie McGlynn, 41, just missed the qualifying time in third with 2:29:34 but did set a Northern Ireland record.

The half-marathon was won by English National Cross-Country champion Calum Johnson in a PB 63:44. Sam Harrison won the women’s race in a PB 69:48 which moved her to 12th all-time among British athletes.

Chula Vista, April 24-25
Darrell Hill won the shot with a 21.76m throw. Chantel Malone from the British Virgin Islands won the long jump with a well over the limit 7.10/4.7 but backed that up with a legal 7.05/1.6.

Olympic long jump champion Brittney Reese achieved a wind-assisted 7.05/2.4 but her legal best was only 6.74.2.0. Britain’s Jazmin Sawyers jumped 6.82/3.8 and her legal best was 6.62/1.5.

There was a US women’s triple jump record and world lead of 14.92/1.1 by Keturah Orji.

Chris Benard set a men’s triple jump world lead of 17.15/2.0 while there was a decathlon PB of 8439 for Harrison Williams.

Zhaoqing, China, April 24
Chinese 100m record-holder Su Bingtian won in 9.98/-0.9 while in the field there were javelin wins for Lu Huihui with 64.40m and a PB 19.32m shot victory for Song Jiayuan.

Ugandan Trials, Kampala, Uganda, April 24
Ronald Musagala won the 1500m in 3:36.63 ahead of Peter Kibui’s 3:36.80 with multiple world record-holder Joshua Cheptegei showing good speed in third with a PB 3:37.36.

Kingston, Jamaica, April 24
Former world 100m champion Yohan Blake won the 100 m at the JAAA meet with 10.27 (-0.2) but was not the fastest overall, as Oblique Seville clocked 10.24 (-1.2) in another race.

Dagenham, April 25
James Ellington, who ran a wind-assisted 9.96 in the last GB Olympic trials five years ago, had his most encouraging run for almost five years after his horrific motor-bike crash when he won the 100m in a wind-assisted 10.40.

In a separate race 17-year-old Joel Pascal Menzie won in a wind-assisted 10.22/3.3.

Lee Valley, April 25
Taylor Campbell gained a hammer PB of 75.82m to go eighth all-time among British throwers. Lawrence Okoye won the discus with a 64.24m throw.

Laviai Nielsen won the 100m in a wind-assisted 11.34/3.5 and the 200m in 23.18/2.7. Desiree Henry won the 300m in 37.38.

Coventry April 24
Multi Paralympic champion Hannah Cockroft set world records in the T34 category with 400m in 55.29 and 1:55.54 in the 800m.

At his second attempt at the distance, the 2018 world junior 200m medallist Charlie Dobson won the 400m in a huge PB of 45.51 to go equal top with Matthew Hudson-Smith in the UK senior rankings for 2021.

Emily Diamond won the women’s’s 400m in 52.61 with Jessica Turner (52.92) also inside 53 seconds.

Loughborough, April 25
The 2018 world junior 200m champion Jona Efoloko won the 100m in 10.81/-2.1 and 200m in 21.48/-0.5.

British Championships 5000m bronze medallist Tom Mortimer won the 3000m in 8:09.99 and Zoey Clark took the 400m in 52.95.

Middlesbrough Endeavour 10km, April 25
Lewis Gamble-Thompson won the 10km in a PB 30:03. Finishing fifth overall, Kenyan Mary Ngugi won the women’s race in 31:42.

Phoenix, April 24
The 2012 Olympic 400m champion Kirani James won with a 44.88 in his first race since the World Championships final in Doha. The Olympic 800m silver medallist from London Nijel Amos was second in 45.69.

European Indoor 3000m bronze medallist Verity Ockenden ran a PB 4:09.34 to win the 1500m.

Harrow AC 3000m Spring Open, Harrow, April 22
Charlie Brisley, who back in 2017 won the South of England under-15 cross-country title, was the fastest man in a PB 8:29.37.

Rebecca Johnson was the fastest woman with a PB 9:27.25.

There was a well-supported separate over-50s race won by Terry Booth, though his winning time was almost two minutes down on his 26-year-old 8:24.4 PB.

The quickest veteran woman was 57-year-old Clare Elms who gained a significant 102.60% on age-grading with 10:29.31 which was faster than her 2019 world masters winning time.

Oordegem, Belgium, April 24
World championships discus medalist Philip Milanov opened his season with a 63.81m win.

Bucharest, Roumania, April 24
Alin Firfirica won the discus with 65.43m.

Kobe, Japan, April 24-25
Kiprono Sitonik clocked 27:42.73 at the 10,000m while Yuno Yamanaka clocked a Japanese record 6:19.55 in the women’s 2000m steeplechase.

Szentes, Hungary, April 24
Hungarian discus thrower Robert Szikszai won with a 65.20m throw.

Mersin, Turkey, April 24-25
Uzbekistan’s Svetlana Radzivil won the women’s high jump with a 1.97m leap.

Colombian Championships, Medellin, Colombia, April 24-25
Melissa Gonzalez won the 400m hurdles in 55.73 to equal the Colombian record.

Louisville, USA, April 24-25
Jamaican Carey McLeod won the long jump with a 8.21/0.0 leap for an outdoor PB.

Provo, USA, April 24
The Olympic long jump champion Jeff Henderson won the 100m in 10.43/0.9 with a wind-assisted 10.26/2.3 in the heats and he also long jumped 7.87/0.3.

Houston, USA, April 24
Pan American hammer champion Gwen Berry won with a 73.16 throw. Michelle Fokam achieved a wind-assisted 6.75/2.5 in the long jump.

The Women's Six Nations must not be "hamstrung" by the format of the men's competition, according to RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney.

"We need to be a little bit more innovative in our thinking around how we structure this tournament going forward," Sweeney told the BBC.

"It doesn't necessarily have to be the same Six Nations as the men."

The RFU and other unions speak with the Six Nations on a weekly basis and Sweeney was clear on the English governing body's message for the future of the women's tournament.

"Keep that April-May format, the weather is better, and it gets you away from the men's game," he said.

"It leaves a window, where you can really focus on the women and also look at more interesting formats for the competition structure so we can build more excitement as well."

The 2021 tournament was delayed and the format altered because of the pandemic. Instead of the usual round-robin format, the six teams played in two pools of three, with the teams who finished top meeting each other in a final.

BBC Sport showed the games in the UK on BBC iPlayer. Saturday's final between England and France attracted an audience of 600,000 on BBC Two.

Sweeney said he thought the figures could have been higher but wanted to try to keep the game on free-to-air platforms.

"We want to have conversations with the BBC also about continued broadcast and making sure that it's on free-to-air," he added.

"We think in this case, when you're building something like the women's game, the free-to-air component is quite important for us."

World Cup plans and domestic league future

With both England and France effectively untested by their Six Nations group stage games, Sweeney admitted both looked "rusty" in Saturday's final.

Finding the Red Roses stronger regular competition away from France is now a focus for the RFU, with the next Rugby World Cup in New Zealand, originally scheduled for 2021, delayed until 2022.

Sweeney said: "We're working hard to see what we can do in the autumn, who we can get to come in and have competitive games in the lead-up to the World Cup."

Sweeney also confirmed that RFU discussions with the UK government are continuing on a bid for England to host the 2025 World Cup.

The RFU hopes other nations will continue to invest in their women's programmes and said it was possible for both the Scottish Rugby Union and Welsh Rugby Union to have teams in the English domestic league, the Allianz Premier 15s, in the future.

He thought a second division for the league was a "way off" but different conferences could be a possibility, stressing "the teams have to be competitive".