Conference bragging rights on the line as Wisconsin faces Denver for the NCAA hockey title

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Bruno Mars Day was celebrated outside T-Mobile Arena on Friday, the recording artist honored for the musical impact he has had on Las Vegas.

Another celebration will occur inside the building Saturday when Wisconsin meets Denver for college hockey's national championship.

Both teams not only will be playing for the respective schools, but notable conference bragging rights will be on the line, and the Big Ten comes into this Frozen Four final with plenty to crow about.

Should the Badgers (24-12-2), who defeated North Dakota 2-1 in Thursday's semifinals, emerge as the NCAA's newest champion, it will continue a remarkable run for the conference. The Big Ten already is home to the current champions in football ( Indiana ), men's basketball ( Michigan ) and women's basketball ( UCLA ).

Only the Southeastern Conference in the 2006-07 academic year produced such a trifecta. Florida won the football and men's basketball titles and Tennessee cut down the nets in women's basketball.

A victory by Wisconsin, a No. 3 regional seed, would set the Big Ten apart because no conference has won championships in those three major sports and men's hockey as well. To be fair, the Big Ten is the only power conference that sanctions the sport, but it still doesn't discount the kind of run that conference is on at the moment.

“It just speaks volumes to the skill level, all up and down the sports,” Badgers defenseman Ben Dexheimer said. “First (priority) is the school. I think it would be really cool to do it for the Big Ten.”

Wisconsin has won six national championships, but its most recent was 20 years ago.

Not only would a Wisconsin victory further separate the Big Ten, it also would establish Madison as the country's college hockey capital. The women's team defeated Ohio State for the national championship for its second title in a row and third in four years.

That accomplishment would otherwise be another notch for the Big Ten since Wisconsin and Ohio State are members, but the conference doesn't sanction women's hockey.

“There’s so many people that are behind the scenes that do so much work that we want to win for them, too, as well as the guys in the locker room,” Wisconsin front-line center Gavin Morrissey said. “With the women’s team, what they’ve done, is so impressive over the last however many years. Just to catch up with them a little bit would be great.”

Denver, a No. 2 seed, has plenty to say lest anyone think this weekend will be a Wisconsin coronation. The Pioneers (28-11-3), in fact, are the standard in men's college hockey and what it takes to win this time of year.

Denver is going for its third championship in five years, and it already owns the overall record with 10 titles. Big Ten teams don't scare the Pioneers, who overcame being outshot 52-26 to defeat top overall seed Michigan 4-3 in double overtime in the semifinals.

“You come to Denver to play in these games,” Pioneers defenseman Cale Ashcroft said.

If Saturday's title game is also a referendum on conferences, the National Collegiate Hockey Conference doesn't have to back down to any league. The NCHC can make a strong argument it is the country's best regardless of what happens in the final, having claimed seven of the past nine national championships.

“It's a badge of honor for all of us to be part of the best conference in college hockey,” Denver coach David Carle said. “We’re proud to be members. I think a big part of our success as a league is how hard we are on each other all throughout the year, but certainly in the second half when it comes down to just conference play. We carry that torch very proudly. Look forward to doing again tomorrow night for our league.”

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Denver forward Clarke Caswell (25) celebrates after scoring against Michigan in the third period of a semifinal game of the NCAA Frozen Four men's college hockey tournament Thursday, April 9, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Denver defenseman Kent Anderson, right, celebrates after scoring against Michigan in the second overtime of a semifinal game in the NCAA Frozen Four men's college hockey tournament Thursday, April 9, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Wisconsin forward Ryan Botterill (21) scores against North Dakota goaltender Jan Spunar (35) in the first period of a semifinal game of the NCAA Frozen Four men's college hockey tournament Thursday, April 9, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Fans celebrate after Wisconsin defeated North Dakota in a semifinal game of the NCAA Frozen Four men's college hockey tournament Thursday, April 9, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs started the Western Conference finals with a win in Oklahoma City, then ended the series the same way.

The champions are dethroned. Wembanyama and the Spurs are headed to the NBA Finals.

Wembanyama scored 22 points, Julian Champagnie got 18 of his 20 off of 3-pointers and the Spurs beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 111-103 on Saturday night — bucking heavy odds to win a Game 7 on the road.

“This feeling, I can't explain it,” Wembanyama said. “It's so powerful.”

Stephon Castle scored 16 points and De’Aaron Fox had 15. Dylan Harper added 12 and Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell each finished with 11 for the Spurs, who are headed to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2014.

They will host the New York Knicks in Game 1 on Wednesday night.

“Back in October, we knew we had a chance to be pretty good,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said.

Correction — the Spurs have a chance to be great. Championship-level great.

A huge moment came midway through the fourth, when San Antonio’s Luke Kornet blocked Oklahoma City’s Isaiah Hartenstein at the rim — denying a fast-break score that would have gotten the Thunder within four.

It felt like the last gasp for the Thunder. Kornet played six minutes, missed all three of his shot attempts and finished with only two points, but the block was an epic moment.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 35 points and nine assists, but for the eighth consecutive season the NBA will have a new champion. Cason Wallace scored 17 points, while Jared McCain and Alex Caruso had 12 apiece for the Thunder.

After four straight games that were largely decided going into the fourth quarter — the Thunder led Game 3 by 11, the Spurs led Game 4 by 18, the Thunder led Game 5 by 10 and the Spurs led Game 6 by 26, those leads all holding up with relative ease — this one was different, worthy of a Game 7.

Spurs 80, Thunder 77 was the score going into the fourth, a bit of a back-and-forth contest where the Spurs led by as many as 14 in the first half and then by as many as 11 in the third, only to see the Thunder come roaring back both times.

They pulled away in the fourth again, daring the Thunder to try to come back one more time. The champions — short-handed, with Jalen Williams sidelined with a bad hamstring — just didn't have anything left.

San Antonio won eight of the 12 meetings against the Thunder this season — and in the end, the only matchup that really mattered.

“We want four more,” Wembanyama said. “We're not done.”

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) shoots against San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) in the second half of Game 7 of the Western Conference finals of the NBA basketball playoffs series Saturday, May 30, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle and guard Dylan Harper (2) celebrate in the second half of Game 7 of the Western Conference finals of the NBA basketball playoffs series against the Oklahoma City Thunder Saturday, May 30, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) shoots against Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jaylin Williams (6) in the second half of Game 7 of the Western Conference finals of the NBA basketball playoffs series Saturday, May 30, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

The San Antonio Spurs reacts as a timeout is called in the second half of Game 7 of the Western Conference finals of the NBA basketball playoffs series against the Oklahoma City Thunder Saturday, May 30, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) drives against San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) in the second half of Game 6 in the Western Conference finals NBA basketball playoffs series, Thursday, May 28, 2026, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

San Antonio Spurs' Victor Wembanyama (1) speaks with Stephon Castle (5) on the bench in the second half of Game 6 in the Western Conference finals NBA basketball playoffs series, Thursday, May 28, 2026, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)