Sports: Patriots are the Champs

Super Bowl 49

The Patriots are the champions! In the end, it was an unheralded rookie strong safety from West Alabama who saved the Super Bowl for Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, who beat the Seattle Seahawks 28-24 to win a nip-and-tuck Super Bowl 49.

Malcolm Butler made an interception at the goal line as the Seattle Seahawks were one yard away from the go-ahead touchdown. Butler spoiled the Seahawks' comeback by stepping in front of Ricardo Lockette for the game-saving interception at the goal line.

Photo by Jamie Squire, Getty Images

The Patriots rallied from a 10-point fourth quarter deficit. Brady threw four touchdown passes, including the game-winning 3-yard strike to Julian Edelman with 2:02 left. That was Brady's 12th career Super Bowl TD pass, breaking Joe Montana's record. The 10-point comeback tied the biggest rally in Super Bowl history. New England Coach Bill Belichick and QB Brady are now four-for-six in Super Bowls in this century. Belichick's 22 postseason victories are the most by any coach in NFL history to culminate a fortnight of accusations about underinflated footballs during the Pats' AFC title rout two weeks ago. Belichick joined Pittsburgh's Chuck Noll as the only coaches with four Super Bowls.

Sports Across Michigan

College Basketball

Michigan State beat Michigan in overtime Sunday, 76-66. Michigan State shot 29 percent in the first half and 71 percent in the second. Denzel Valentine had 25 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. Branden Dawson had 19 points and 10 rebounds, and Bryn Forbes and Matt Costello scored 10 points each for Michigan State. The Spartans held the Wolverines scoreless in overtime. The next Spartan game is Saturday, as they host Illinois. Tonight, it’s the Tom Izzo Show….7pm on WBCK.

Michigan hosts Iowa on Thursday.

Top-ranked Kentucky is the last unbeaten team remaining in Division I men's basketball following No. 2 Virginia's loss to Duke.

Red Wings

The Red Wings bounced back from pounding in Tampa to beat the Islanders 4-1 over the weekend. The Red Wings play in Colorado this Thursday at 9pm. They lost 2-1 to the Avs, just before Christmas.

Pistons

The Pistons held off former teammate Josh Smith and the Houston Rockets over the weekend, and Smith was booed throughout his return to the Palace. Detroitwaived the high-priced forward about a month ago. He had seven points and seven rebounds, shooting only 3 of 11 from the field. The Pistons host the Miami Heat on Tuesday….7:30pm. They head to Indianaon Wednesday.

High School

Tuesday, it’s Harper Creek at Lakeview. Broadcast time is 7:06 on WBCK.

West Michigan Wolves

The West Michigan Wolves Jr. Hockey have 8 regular season games remaining. Their next game is Wednesday at the Rink against the Metro Jets.

National Sports

Golf

Brooks Koepka won the PGA's Phoenix Open with a final round 5-under-66, finishing one shot in front of Bubba Watson, Ryan Palmer and Hideki Matsuyama Third round leader Martin Laird shot a 1-over 72 on the final day to finish three shots back.

An unrelenting Rory McIlroy secured his second Dubai Desert Classic title in six years with a 2-under 70 in the final round to win by three shots on Sunday.

Australian Open

Novak Djokovic won his fifth Australian Open title in five tries, defeating Andy Murray in the final Sunday.Murrayhas now been runner-up four times.

Serena Williams beat Maria Sharapova to become the Australian Open champion for a sixth time.