NCAA championship game, Derek Chauvin murder trial, SAG Awards: 5 things to know Monday

Perfect season on the line as Gonzaga, Baylor meet in men’s national championship

The stage is set. Monday night’s national championship game between Gonzaga and Baylor is the most anticipated men’s basketball title game in years, matching teams that have been No. 1 and No. 2 most of the season with the Zags trying to finish the first perfect season in the sport since 1976. For both Gonzaga and Baylor, this NCAA Tournament has been about unfinished business. The pathway to the 2021 national championship – not 2020’s – began when March Madness was canceled on March 12 of last year, as both teams returned a chunk of their rosters for 2020-21. What Gonzaga didn’t have last year, though, is freshman standout Jalen Suggs, who is fresh off of etching himself into college basketball history with his incredible overtime buzzer-beater to down upset-minded UCLA in the Final Four on Saturday. Tip-off for the national championship will be at 9 p.m. ET at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The game will air on CBS. 

  • Gonzaga’s Jalen Suggs’ shot to beat UCLA among best buzzer-beaters in men’s NCAA Tournament history
  • Gonzaga and Baylor are playing for 2020 and 2021 — motivated off a canceled March Madness

SportsPulse: They've been the best two teams all year – maybe the best two teams of the last two season – and they finally get to meet for the national title. Mackenzie Salmon previews a championship bout for the ages.

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Murder trial of former police officer Derek Chauvin continues 

Jurors will return to the courtroom Monday to hear more testimony from witnesses in the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, charged with George Floyd’s murder. Jurors heard from 19 people last week, including several who witnessed Floyd’s death and broke down in tears on the stand as they described their attempts to intervene on his behalf. Several Minneapolis police officers, including Chauvin’s supervisor at the time of Floyd’s death, testified about what they saw at the scene after Floyd was arrested, police training and the officers’ use of force on Floyd. Chauvin is charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Floyd, a Black man, died in police custody on May 25, 2020, after Chauvin, who is white, pinned his knee against Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes. 

  • Emotional eyewitness accounts, lots of video: Here’s what we learned in the first week of testimony at Derek Chauvin trial
  • ‘No justice, no streets’: Still grieving, Minneapolis residents wonder how city will move forward after Derek Chauvin trial
  • George Floyd’s girlfriend Courteney Ross gives jurors first glimpse of his personal life, good times and bad

The first week of witness testimony in the trial of Derek Chauvin, ended with a veteran Minneapolis police officer who explained the training officers receive.

USA TODAY

History made at the SAG Awards with individual acting wins

A historic night at the Screen Actors Guild Awards was highlighted by the late Chadwick Boseman’s win for best lead actor in a film for his role in “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.” Boseman was one of the four actors of color who earned individual acting honors Sunday — the first time that has happened at the SAG Awards. The other three actors of color who took home wins Sunday were Viola Davis (best actress for “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”), Yuh-jung Youn (best supporting actress for “Minari”) and Daniel Kaluuya (best supporting actor for “Judas and the Black Messiah”). As for casts recognized Sunday, “The Trial of the Chicago 7” snagged the biggest prize, winning best ensemble cast. 

  • Road to the Oscars:‘Mank’ leads Oscar nominees with 10
  • Oscars adds a U.K. hub for telecast after backlash over international travel

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