With the weather being uncooperative, North Dakota State spring sports are hitting the road once again this weekend. With the end of the March Madness Tournament, sports enter an odd period with championships in major sports.
But there are still plenty of events to keep an eye on during the cool and dreary weekend in Fargo.
The Masters
I will come out and say it upfront: watching golf on television is not the most exciting event in the world.
But watching The Masters just for the golf is a little silly. Yes, the golf is a very important part of the event, but it is hard not to take in the beautiful images of Augusta National. It is green, which is something better than looking out of the window right now.
The golf might be pretty good this week still. An interesting storyline to follow is the generational battle set to take place.
The last time The Masters was won by a player over the age of 40 it was Mark O’Meara in 1998. With players such as Phil Mickelson, Henrik Stenson and Paul Casey, that stat may be updated.
In their way are Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth, Justin Rose and others in the younger crowd.
And there is also the small story of Tiger Woods’ return to Augusta, the first time in three years for the four-time champion.
City look to wrap up title in Derby
Manchester City can claim the English Premier League title this weekend with six matches left with a win Saturday.
The task at hand, defeating cross-town rivals Manchester United at home to bring the crown back to the blue-half of Manchester.
City have been nothing short of dominating this season, dropping just nine points in the league due to a single loss and three draws.
That loss came in January at Anfield, a ground which may play a part in Saturday’s match. City traveled to Liverpool midweek for the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinal tie.
With one eye on European competition, the Red Devils may be able to sneak a result from the game and delay the coronation.
That said, it seems only a matter of time before City takes the crown, needing a measly three points from seven matches, assuming United in second doesn’t drop a single point.
T-Wolves and Nuggets for the playoff race
With four games in the regular season remaining, the Western Conference is tightening up at the playoff bubble.
Four games is the gap between the four seed San Antonio Spurs and the Los Angeles Clippers, who sit 10th and two games out of eighth.
Thursday night’s game at the Pepsi Center between the Denver Nuggets and the Minnesota Timberwolves will go a long way to set up the final week of the regular season.
The Wolves went 6-7 in March to drop to seventh in the conference. Denver meanwhile sits a game out of the eighth seed and 1.5 behind the Wolves.
The pair will meet again for the final game of the regular season as the Wolves look to make the playoffs for the first time in 14 years.
Frozen Four
Now that basketball is out of the way, the NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey Tournament gets its two seconds of fame. So far, it has been an odd tournament so far.
North Dakota and Minnesota both missed the field this year, an odd feeling itself.
With the Frozen Four in St. Paul this year, just one Minnesota school remains. Minnesota Duluth escaped Minnesota State-Mankato and Air Force to get to travel down I-35 to the Xcel Energy Center.
Once in St. Paul, the Bulldogs will get to take part in what has become a Big 10 mini-tournament. Notre Dame, Ohio State and Michigan were seeded 1, 2 and 3 in the conference tournament and also reached the Frozen Four.
The Irish and Wolverines split four games in the regular season and the fifth will lead to the national championship game.
The Buckeyes and Bulldogs have not met this season, but it will likely turn into a home game for Duluth.