GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) — Lauren Cox had 22 points and 11 rebounds, and Baylor earned its first Final Four berth since 2012 by beating Iowa 85-53 on Monday night in the Greensboro Regional final. Didi Richards added 16 points and 10 rebounds, Chloe Jackson had 14 points and the Bears (35-1) — the top overall seed — won their 27th straight game by shooting 53%, clamping down on All-American Megan Gustafson and her supporting cast and holding the nation’s best shooting team to a season-worst 32%.

Now it’s on to Tampa, Florida, for the school’s fourth Final Four and its first in seven years — when the Bears won their second national championship. The 6-foot-4 Cox — a third-team AP All-America pick — and fellow twin tower Kalani Brown, a 6-7 second-team All-American, teamed up to dominate both the glass and the heavily-hyped matchup with Gustafson, the nation’s leading scorer at 27.9 points per game.

Brown finished with 14 points, and Baylor held a 47-26 rebounding advantage with 20 second-chance points to six for Iowa. Gustafson finished with 23 points on 9-of-17 shooting, but was held without a rebound in the second half for second-seeded Iowa (29-7). Kathleen Doyle and Tania Davis each had 10 points.

The Bears — who entered allowing their opponents to shoot a Division I-worst 31.4% — held Iowa way below its previous worst of 41.1% at Purdue on Jan. 10.

IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa women’s basketball senior Megan Gustafson has been named an AP First Team All-American, the Associated Press announced Monday.

Gustafson is the only Hawkeye to ever earn first team All-America distinction from the AP. She is one of six Hawkeyes to earn AP All-America distinction. Gustafson earned second team honors last season.

A native of Port Wing, Wisconsin, is ranked in the top-three nationally in eight statistical categories. She leads the nation in points per game (27.9), field goal percentage (70.1), double-doubles (33), field goals made (403), and total points (978), ranks second in defensive rebounds per game (11), and third in rebounds per game (13.5) and total rebounds (472).

Gustafson has also earned first team All-America honors from ESPNW and was named ESPNW’s National Player of the Year.

A complete list of AP All-Americans can be found here.

AMES, Iowa – The postseason awards continue to pile up for Iowa State senior Bridget Carleton.

Carleton, the 2019 Big 12 Player of the Year, earned another All-America accolade today by being named to the Associated Press’ All-America Second Team this afternoon.

A native of Chatham, Ontario, Carleton put together one of the finest seasons and careers in the history of Iowa State women’s hoops. Carleton led the Big 12 in scoring at 21.7, breaking ISU’s season point record with 760.

She ended her career just eight points shy of breaking ISU’s all-time scoring mark with 2,142 points. Carleton also ranks in the top-five in Iowa State’s record book in career field goals (3^rd, 713), steals (3^rd, 211), blocked shots (3^rd, 124) and 3-pointers (5^th, 255).

Carleton is the third Cyclone to earn second-team AP All-America honors, joining Angie Welle (2002) and Stacy Frese (2000).

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa State freshman guard Talen Horton-Tucker intends to declare himself eligible for the NBA Draft after just one season with the Cyclones.

Horton-Tucker announced his decision on Twitter on Monday, saying that it’s in his best interests to “start the next chapter” of his life.

Horton-Tucker, a Chicago native, averaged 11.8 points and 4.9 rebounds a game for Iowa State in 2018-19. Although he faded a bit down the stretch, Horton-Tucker’s 235-pound frame — combined with his ability to finish at the rim — could make him an intriguing pro prospect.

Iowa State will also lose Marial Shayok and Nick Weiler-Babb to graduation, and Cam Lard announced last week that he is leaving the program.

The 7:20-a.m. Sportscast with Jim Field.

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Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated Press

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Christian Yelich hit his fourth homer in the first inning and a two-run double in the ninth, leading the Milwaukee Brewers to a dramatic 5-4 win over the St. Louis Cardinals. Ben Gamel led off the ninth with a pinch-hit double and advanced on Lorenzo Cain’s infield single off reliever Jordan Hicks’ glove. Yelich then hit a liner into the gap in left-center, driving in Gamel and Cain.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Lucas Giolito took a no-hit bid into the seventh inning in his first start of the season, and the Chicago White Sox beat the Kansas City Royals 6-3 to avoid a three-game sweep in the season-opening series. Giolito walked Whit Merrifield on four pitches to begin the game, but then retired 19 straight before Alex Gordon’s single with one out in the seventh. Gordon fouled off four consecutive pitches before lining a curveball into center field.

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Half of the Final Four is set and the other two teams will be decided Monday night. UConn extended its record run of consecutive appearances in the Final Four to 12 while Oregon reached its first national semifinals with victories on Sunday. Notre Dame, Baylor, Stanford and Iowa will try to join them in Tampa, Florida.

GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) — Top overall seed Baylor might actually face its first challenge of the women’s NCAA Tournament: slowing Iowa star Megan Gustafson. The nation’s leading scorer faces off against the Bears’ elite front line in an intriguing Greensboro Regional final matchup. The Bears haven’t been to the Final Four since 2012 while second-seeded Iowa hasn’t made it that far since 1993.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Auburn is going to the Final Four for the first time after knocking off Kentucky in the NCAA Tournament. Bryce Brown scored 24 points, Jared Harper and Anfernee McLemore made the plays that mattered in overtime fifth-seeded Auburn rallied from a 10-point hole to beat second-seeded Kentucky 77-71 on Sunday. Auburn beat bluebloods Kansas and North Carolina earlier in the Midwest Region before trumping the winningest program of all in the finals.

UNDATED (AP) — It’s common for baseball’s top prospects to spend a bit of time in the minors at the beginning of the season, but the Padres and White Sox put Fernando Tatis Jr. and Eloy Jimenez on the big league roster for opening day. Tatis, a shortstop, had two hits in San Diego’s win over San Francisco. Jimenez, an outfielder, had a run and an RBI in Chicago’s loss to Kansas City.

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Christian Yelich led the way for the Milwaukee Brewers, from his first swing to the very last one for the game.

So it was a pretty typical day for the reigning NL MVP.

Yelich hit his fourth homer in the first inning and a two-run double in the ninth, lifting the Brewers to a dramatic 5-4 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday.

“What we’re witnessing is greatness,” Milwaukee slugger Ryan Braun said. “It’s absolutely incredible.”

Ben Gamel led off the ninth with a pinch-hit double and advanced on Lorenzo Cain’s infield single off reliever Jordan Hicks’ glove. Yelich then hit a liner into the gap in left-center, driving in Gamel and Cain.

“We were just trying to find a way to push one across and tie the game,” Yelich said. “(Hicks) has great stuff. One snuck in the line, and Lo’s deflected off his glove and we were able to pull it off.”

Yelich tipped his cap to Gamel.

“It’s really hard to pinch-hit against a guy who throws that hard and has that good of stuff,” Yelich said. “(Gamel) was able to battle and sneak one in there. He got the whole thing started for us.”

Yelich tossed his helmet in the air in celebration as Cain slid face first across the plate, giving Milwaukee three wins its opening four-game set against rival St. Louis. Yelich’s teammates rushed the field and doused the reigning NL MVP with Gatorade in a raucous celebration at second.

The 27-year-old Yelich hit .326 with 36 homers and 110 RBIs last year, leading the Brewers to the NL Central title. He is 6 for 12 with six walks and eight RBIs so far this season.

“I’ve never seen anyone this good at baseball for this long,” Braun said. “I mean, maybe (Barry) Bonds in his prime. As great as (Mike) Trout is. I’ve seen (Albert) Pujols. I’ve never seen anyone this good for this long.”

Yelich began his day with a long drive into the second deck in right against Michael Wacha, tying the major league record for homers in consecutive games to start a season. He also became the first player to win the MVP award and then homer in his first four games of the next season.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: RHP Adam Wainwright makes his first start of the season at Pittsburgh on Monday. His 13 career wins over the Pirates trails only Johnny Cueto of the San Francisco Giants (20).

Brewers: RHP Zach Davies makes his first start in Cincinnati on Monday. He’s looking to bounce back after he was hampered by injuries last season.

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Christian Yelich and Josh Hader, breakout stars during Milwaukee’s surprising run to the NL Championship Series last year, are managing to look even better in 2019.

Yelich became the first MVP to homer in the first three games of the following season, Hader closed things out with an immaculate inning and the Brewers beat the St. Louis Cardinals 4-2 on Saturday night.

After a making a sliding catch in right field for the first out of the game, Yelich got Milwaukee on the board in his first at-bat, sending a hanging slider from Dakota Hudson (0-1) to left for a 1-0 lead.

“He’s swinging the bat really good,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. “Two opposite-field homers in the last two days.”

Travis Shaw and Mike Moustakas went deep in the third for Milwaukee, spoiling Hudson’s first career major league start after 26 relief appearances as a rookie last season.

“Those guys are really strong,” Hudson said. “A lot of veteran hitters over there. They knew what they could do and they took the ball the backside. It wasn’t like they were hitting a ton of mistakes. They knew what they wanted and executed and put a good swing on it.”

The right-hander was charged with four runs — three earned — seven hits and two walks while striking out six over 4 1/3 innings.

“He competed really well, he went after it,” Cardinals manager Mike Shildt said. “I really appreciate the way he dealt with adversity. He went right back at it. So, it’s a really good trait. Dakota’s going to be more than fine.”

Milwaukee right-hander Brandon Woodruff (1-0) held St. Louis to two runs and struck out five over five innings. The Brewers’ bullpen took over from there with four scoreless innings, capped by Hader’s perfect ninth — nine pitches, all fastballs, for three strikeouts.

EVANSVILLE, Indiana – The Northwest Missouri State University men’s basketball team captured the program’s second NCAA Division II national championship with a perfect season at 38-0 following its 64-58 triumph over Point Loma Nazarene University at the Ford Center.

Northwest becomes only the fifth program to record to complete a perfect season (38-0) and win the national title.

Joey Witthus led the Bearcats with 24 points. Atlantic’s Ryan Hawkins scored 9 points and had a game high 12 rebounds.

Northwest had a 4 point halftime lead and held close to a seven point lead the last few minutes of the game and got the defensive stops they needed to pull off the win.

According to school officials, Fred Hoiberg has been named the next head coach at Nebraska. Hoiberg will receive a seven-year, $25 million contract, according to ESPN. Hoiberg will be introduced at a news conference on Tuesday. The 46-year old had been fired in December by the Chicago Bulls. Hoiberg takes over for Tim Miles, who was dismissed on Tuesday after seven seasons.

Hoiberg was born in Lincoln and his grandfather, Jerry Bush, was the Cornhuskers’ coach from 1954-63. Hoiberg went 115-155 from 2010-15 with the Bulls. Before that, he had a successful five-year run as Iowa State’s coach with an up-tempo, spread-the-floor offense. He went 115-56 and led the Cyclones to four straight NCAA Tournaments and two Big 12 Tournament titles.

Hoiberg’s charge at Nebraska is to elevate a program whose most recent regular-season conference championship came in 1950. The Huskers remain the only Power Five conference program to have never won an NCAA Tournament game.

As a star player for Iowa State, Hoiberg competed twice a year against the Huskers from 1991-95 — the period when Nebraska enjoyed its most sustained success, with four straight NCAA Tournament appearances. In the 25 years since, the Huskers have gone to the tournament just twice (1998, 2014).

Hoiberg had said shortly after the Bulls fired him that he wanted to coach again, but the speculation was that it would be in the NBA.    St. John’s assistant coach Matt Abdelmassih is expected to join Hoiberg’s staff at Nebraska, according to ESPN. Abdelmassih worked under Hoiberg at Iowa State and handled most of the recruiting for the Cyclones.