HOT CORNER

1 WOMEN’S BASKETBALL:

Iowa’s 94-87 victory Monday over LSU in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament averaged 12.3 million viewers on ESPN, according to Nielsen. That makes it the most-watched women’s college basketball game in history and one of the most-viewed games in any sport other than NFL football over the past year. Iowa-LSU outdrew all but one of the five games in last year’s NBA Finals, along with the clinching game of last year’s World Series (11.48 million). Caitlin Clark scored 41 points as the Hawkeyes avenged last year’s loss to the Tigers in the national championship game. Only one men’s NCAA Tournament game this year had more viewers: NC State’s win over Duke on Sunday in the men’s Elite Eight averaged 15.1 million.

2 PRO BASKETBALL:

Steve Clifford is stepping down as coach of the Hornets after the season. Clifford informed the team of his decision Wednesday. He plans to remain in an advisory role. Clifford is 45-112 in his two seasons of his second stint as coach of the Hornets and just 18-57 this season. His 241 victories as coach are the most in Charlotte’s history.

3 COLLEGE FOOTBALL:

A judge denied Northwestern’s motion to dismiss former coach Pat Fitzgerald’s $130 million lawsuit against the school claiming he was wrongly fired in the wake of a hazing scandal. Cook County Circuit Judge Daniel Kubasiak ruled Fitzgerald made a strong enough argument to keep the case going. A trial is set for April 2025. Fitzgerald was initially suspended for two weeks and then fired last year after 17 years as coach. The school said he had a responsibility to know hazing was occurring and should have stopped it.

4 PRO TENNIS:

Simona Halep received a wild-card entry to the main draw of the Madrid Open, which will be the two-time Grand Slam champ’s second tournament since getting her doping suspension reduced on appeal. Organizers also handed a wild card to another former No. 1, Caroline Wozniacki, on Wednesday, along with Kei Nishikori and 18-year-old Martín Landaluce on the men’s side.