The Latest Breaking News from UCLA

LOS ANGELES — Mick Cronin's new six-year contract, which takes effect Friday and pays him $4.1 million annually, is expected to make the UCLA coach the highest-paid public-school basketball coach in the Pac-12.

With determination and an unwavering positivity, the first-year head coach has silenced his critics as North Carolina prepares to play rival Duke in the national semifinals.

LOS ANGELES — Two years ago at the California African American Museum in downtown Los Angeles, three titans of East Coast rap converged for a roundtable: influential “Paid in Full” rapper Rakim; Public Enemy’s cofounder Chuck D; and indie rap royalty Talib Kweli.

For all Duke’s success/splendor/snootiness, the great school with the great coach conducts its daily business in the shadow of its greatest rival. A Duke fan cannot turn around in North Carolina’s Triangle without seeing two or three or 10 Tar Heel backers. Duke has produced one U.S. president – Richard…

For Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball fans, these are the times that try men's (and women's) souls.

Bailey spent all four years of high school playing for Sierra Canyon and is signed to play for UCLA next season. Had he stayed in Illinois his mother, Johanna Leia said he would have attended Whitney Young.

O’Neal, son of Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal, has spent the past two seasons at LSU after beginning his college career at UCLA.

CHICAGO — With its victory Sunday over Miami, the Kansas men’s basketball team reached its 16th Final Four in program history, which ranks fifth on the NCAA appearances list behind North Carolina, Kentucky, UCLA and Duke.

PHILADELPHIA — Sequels rarely live up to the original.