i'm alex witt. the university of connecticut huskies have won their fourth national championship. they always had the lead, but at times allowed a 15-point lead to dwindle down to one point. >> daniels! >> uconn set the pace early. senior guard shabazz napier he continued his stellar tournament play scoring 22 points to lead the huskies. kentucky, first team to start five freshmen in the finals since michigan's fab five. >> young and slammed it home. >> those are great. the wildcats got within one point but connecticut hit the clutch shots to keep the lead. uconn wins 60-54 giving coach kevin ollie his first title in his first tournament. the notables in attendance including presidents george w. bush and bill clinton. they took in the big game with the dallas cowboys tony romo and others. back on campus, things got a little wild. police reportedly made dozens of arrests as jubilant uconn fans shattered windows and caused minor property damage. in kentucky, officials reported 17 couch fires and seven arrests and seven injuries or two arrests. lighting fires and tonight it is the battle of the undefeateds with the lady huskies of connecticut taking on the notre dame fighting irish in nashville this evening. oscar pistorius is back in the courtroom today for a second day of testimony in his murder trial. the 27-year-old olympic athlete is charged with premeditated murder in last year's shooting death of his girlfriend, reeva steenkamp. today's court proceedings shed new light on the couple's relationship. the pistorius read a text message steenkamp sent him regarding an argument they had at a friend's party. >> i feel sick that you suggested that and that you made a scene at the table and made us leave. i'm terribly disappointed in how the day ended. i'm scared of you sometimes and how you react to me. >> mike taibbi is outside the courthouse in pretoria, south africa, following the trial. what is the latest? >> reporter: hello, alex. oscar pistorius is now at the moment of truth in his account of what happened on february 13th last year, the day and the night before that early morning shooting on valentine's day, the very next day, february 14th, at about 3:00 in the morning. he talked about what had happened in the crse of the day. his own routine for that day. talked about getting home at around 6:00 with reeva steenkamp, his girlfriend, already cooking dinner for them in the kitchen. before this, he talked about the two gun incidents that are also the subject of firearm charges against him. he said about the first one, allegedly shooting through the open sunroof of a car it didn't happen. about the second one, allegedly in tosh's restaurant, he said it was his friend's fault, his friend handed him a gun with a bullet in the chamber and it went off. and he went along with the false story. we're at the point now where this is the moment of truth, where he's going to give his account, presumably to repeat what he said in his affidavit, that when he was awakened later on to noises, he thought it was an intruder and he went on his stumps now, not on his prostheti prosthetics, and fired the four shots where his girlfriend reeva steenkamp was cowering. back to you. >> thank you for that. more violence in eastern ukraine as pro russian and pro ukrainian demonstrators clashed overnight. they accuse moscow of orchestrating the latest violence and the white house said there is strong evidence pro russian protesters were paid and not local residents. the white house is warning russia to stay out of eastern ukraine or face more sanctions. >> if russia moves into eastern ukraine, either overtly or covertly this would be a very serious escalation. we call on president putin and his government to cease all efforts to destabilize ukraine. and we caution against further military intervention. >> secretary of state john kerry is set to meet with top diplomats from russia, ukraine and the european union this week. military investigators say last week's deadly shooting rampage at ft. hood may have been sparked by an argument over a request for leave. an army spokesman described an eight minute rampage where the suspect ivan lopez fired 35 shots over an area spanning the equivalent of two city blocks before taking his own life. and what may have brought it on. >> at this point in the investigation we can confirm that the alleged shooter specialist ivan lopez was involved in a verbal altercation concerning his request for leave. and the processing of that request. at his unit's administrative office. >> the shooting spree left three people dead and 16 wounded. three soldiers remain hospitalized and are listed in fair condition. today is national equal pay for women day. and president obama is expected to sign a pair of executive orders to even the playing field. nbc's tracie potts is live in washington with the details. we're loving this story, tracie, good morning. what is the significance of this april 8th? >> reporter: what it means, alex, is this, women on average have to work until april 8th of this year including all of your pay from last year first three months and the first week of april of this year to equal what an average man made last year. the obama administration says that's not fair. the president is going to try to do something about it today for those who work for the federal government. today, president obama's bringing equal pay activist lilly ledbetter back to the white house to watch him sign two new orders for federal contractors. one prevents retribution for employees who speak out about what they're paid. the other requires contractors to report compensation by race and gender. >> the president is using his executive power to do what the do nothing wrong will not do. >> reporter: female workers earn 77 cents for every dollar a man makes. women at the white house earn 88 cents. >> it is better than the national average. >> reporter: but is it fair? republicans argue closing the pay gap could hurt men and women. >> we don't want a law that will make employers afraid to give raises because they're afraid this might invite a lawsuit. that doesn't help men or women. >> january, february, march, little bit of april, a woman is working for free. it is not about flexibility. it is about total unfairness. >> reporter: the senate is due to vote on pay equity this week. and it is that senate bill that would affect so many other women across the country, but, alex, as of right now, it doesn't look like it will pass. >> don't like hearing that. thanks so much. tracie potts. tornadoes and flash floods ravage the southeast on monday, leaving two people dead. officials say a 9-year-old girl in mississippi was swept away and killed after seven inches of rain caused flash flooding. another person was killed in atlanta when their car swerved into an overflowing creek. tornadoes tore the roofs off houses, brought down power lines and even lifted a pickup truck off the road, injuring a man and his son. 18 other people were hurt in $1 the destructive spring storms. no fatalities as far as the tornadoes. but the flash flooding ended up being a big killer. always a surprise for people. lightning is also a big killer. didn't have lightning strikes on any individuals but had incredible pictures from the dallas area last night where the sky was alive. a lot of cloud to cloud lightning strikes, a few made it down to the ground. cloud to ground lightning strikes. as far as dallas/ft. worth, it wasn't too bad. no reports of damage or hail, just amazing photography. let's show you what's happening across the country. temperatures have warmed up in many areas where it is 65 to start your morning in phoenix. warmest mornings we had yet. l.a. at 60. warm spring temperatures are on the way. the west is already very warm if not hot this afternoon. the cool air is exiting the east and the warm air is expanding and moving across the country in the days ahead. yesterday, we were at 89 in phoenix. almost our first 90 degree day. 83 in vegas. 85 in l.a. warm for this time of year. the northwest was mild. warmer today. 94 in phoenix. i mentioned yesterday was a good day to test the ac, you probably will need it this afternoon in the desert southwest. and talk about beautiful weather, salt lake city, 72. boise, 75. so many areas, so warm for this time of year. that's your national forecast. >> california valley will be very warm. >> okay, thank you so much, bill karins. details, americans more confident in the economy. and the battle over equal pay among the sexes. get serious. and nose kisses are for the norm, even for the most famous royal couple. we're not royal. so i wonder if we have to. thank heavens. we really wanted to take a relaxing trip to florida. you know? just to unwind. but we can only afford one trip this year, and his high school reunion is coming up in seattle. everyone's going. then we heard about hotwire... and realized we could actually afford to take both trips. 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[ holding final syllable ] oh, yeah, sorry! let's get ready to bundle and save. now, that's progressive. oh, i think i broke my spleen! home insurance provided and serviced by third party insurers. in the news this morning, one month after the disappearance of malaysian airlines flight 370, family members and officials are still searching for answers. since the pinger locater detected signals on monday, search crews have heard nothing further, even without new ping transmissions, officials say they are, quote, a lot more optimistic than one week ago. moments after steven richardson popped the question, sparks flew everywhere and that's because the hot air balloon he and his fiancee were on, look at that, hit some light power lines. luckily no one was seriously injured and the bride and groom are hoping for a long and happy marriage. vandals in san francisco have taken up smart car flipping. early monday morning, police responded to three incidents of the tiny vehicles flipped on their sides. and the royal nose rub could become the next big thing. while in new zealand, the duke and duchess of cambridge participated in a traditional greeting which involves a little nose kiss. kind of cute. it is time to get down to business with cnbc's mary thompson. mary? >> well, alex, the center passes a bill to restore jobless benefits for 2.4 million americans out of work for at least six months. still, the bill could die in the house as republicans say it doesn't meet their demands on job creation. consumers increase borrowing in february on auto and student loans by the largest amount in a year. but they cut back on using their credit cards. gains in borrowing are a positive sign and investors are more confident and willing to take on debt. and google wants to put glasses to work. reports say that search giant will announce a glass for work program today, providing more tools for business users at the web connected device. the company says google glass still lacks the features they want, like protective lenses and longer battery life. back to you. thank you very much. just ahead, the uconn women battle the fighting irish for the national championship tonight and the rest of your sports highlights straight ahead. . colorburst matte and lacquer balms this morning on "today," the new face of heroin in america. how the skyrocketing rise in drug use is gripping this nation. one mother's hair rogrrowing ta addiction ahead on "today." dale earnhardt jr., his fiery wreck momentarily shuts down the duck commander 500 in texas. earnhardt escapes without injury, but finishes last. not the case for joey logano as he passes jeff gordon on the last lap to win the race, his first this year. oh, man! >> that hit him. it hit infante right in the head. >> oh, man is right. kansas city's omar infante took a fastball in the face. it smashed his jaw causing a nasty cut inside his mouth. he left the game to receive stitches and undergo tests for a concussion. a mock team brawl. she's all smiles as the team huddles and the coach reveals a sign with a proposal. touchdown. she says yes. get a load of this, a number of female golfers were none too pleased with golf digest may cover girl pauline gretzky since she doesn't play professionally. so the gretzky boys. another miley bombshell. her concert canceled at the last moment and franz veans are very. details straight ahead. while a body in motion tends to stay in motion. staying active can actually ease arthritis symptoms. but if you have arthritis, staying active can be difficult. prescription celebrex can help relieve arthritis pain so your body can stay in motion. because just one 200mg celebrex a day can provide 24 hour relief for many with arthritis pain and inflammation. plus, in clinical studies, celebrex is proven to improve daily physical function so moving is easier. celebrex can be taken with or without food. and it's not a narcotic. you and your doctor should balance the benefits with the risks. all prescription nsaids, like celebrex, ibuprofen, naproxen and meloxicam have the same cardiovascular warning. they all may increase the chance of heart attack or stroke, which can lead to death. this chance increases if you have heart disease or risk factors such as high blood pressure or when nsaids are taken for long periods. nsaids, like celebrex, increase the chance of serious skin or allergic reactions, or stomach and intestine problems, such as bleeding and ulcers, which can occur without warning and may cause death. patients also taking aspirin and the elderly are at increased risk for stomach bleeding and ulcers. don't take celebrex if you have bleeding in the stomach or intestine, or had an asthma attack, hives, other allergies to aspirin, nsaids or sulfonamides. get help right away if you have swelling of the face or throat, or trouble breathing. tell your doctor your medical history. and find an arthritis treatment for you. visit celebrex.com and ask your doctor about celebrex. for a body in motion. and unlike other fibers, you'll aonly know you're taking fiber by the way good digestive health makes you look& and feel. benefiber. clearly healthy. say revlon colorstay makeup. breakthrough time release technology keeps skin balanced for a continuously fresh look. 24 hour wear. flawless results. well, yesterday in the northwest, one of those beautiful days you want to bottle up and just pull out whenever you were in the md for having some time outside. today, not quite as nice, more clouds increasing. you see the little weak system trying to inch its way toward the coast. not a lot of rain with it. but will bring more clouds here bellingham to seattle. eventually down further south. i still think from about i-5 to southward you'll end up with a nice first half of your day. forecast for today, eventually, we'll push some of the showers toward portland, but medford, great, 76. just inner mountain west is pretty crazy. 71 in billings, montana, very warm for april. and as we look towards tomorrow, not a lot changes. 97 in phoenix tomorrow. we're getting close to century mark already. usually do that in may, not april. 72 in medford. 79 in san francisco, very, very lovely afternoon. all right, well, thank you for that. so you bring your kid to see miley cyrus, okay? >> what good parent wouldn't? >> i did it a while back. i did. a good parent then. i wouldn't do it now. you find out she canceled the show. that is exactly what happened monday night in charlotte when the pop singer canceled her concert just 30 minutes before show time. >> can't do that. >> this happened -- the website put all the news out there. apparently miley came down with the flu. on twitter though -- >> the flu hits 30 minutes before concerts? >> well -- >> she's been so sad mourning the death of her dog floyd. i think it is really overcome her. this is a dog that was taken by coyotes along the side of the road. awful. see what that is? nothing i want. have you ever wanted to own a 12 fo foot long replica of david hasselhoff. it is being auctioned off for charity. it is the giant hoff from sponge bob square pants not your style, there is kit and a few other knight rider items. peaches geldof has died at the age of 25. police are saying her death is being treated as unexplained and sudden. she was the daughter of bob geldof and paula yates. peter mayhew will reprise his role in the new "star wars" film. and sunday's season four premiere of game of thrones drew the biggest audience for hbo. >> do you watch? >> since the sopranos finale in 2007. i do, not religiously. it is good. good stuff. >> i need to. barbara walters announced her exit from daily television on monday. >> you may remember last spring i said that i would leave daily television in a year. so here we are. it is almost one year later and i decided that friday, may 16th, will be my final appearance on "the view" as a co-host. i'm alex witt this . this is "early today." before using her new bank of america credit card, which rewards her for responsibly managing her card balance. before receiving $25 toward her balance each quarter for making more than her minimum payment on time each month. tracey got the bankamericard better balance rewards credit card, which fits nicely with everything else in life she has to balance. that's the benefit of responsibility. apply online or visit a bank of america near you. . colorburst matte and lacquer balms leading the news on nbc news.com, not science fiction, navy to test futuristic gun. rail gun can fire a 23 pound projectile at speeds of up to 5600 miles an hour. no explosives necessary. the navy chief researcher says it is technology that will make enemies think twice. and in usa today, woman unhappy with pot purchase calls cops. the 37-year-old texan called 911 complaining that the bag she bought contained mostly seeds and residue. she was promptly arrested. stories in the news, vance mccallister missed two votes in congress after apologizing for his infidelity. he was caught on surveillance video kissing a woman who was not his wife. he issued this statement saying, quote, there is no doubt i have fallen short and am asking for forgiveness, from god, my wife, my kids, my staff and my constituents who elected me to serve. earlier today, secretary of defense chuck hagel met with his chinese counterparts in beijing. he criticized china for establishing an air defense zone over disputed islands in the east china sea. a soap box derby with artistic flair comes to peru. while these may not look like traditional vehicles, they're charging down the hillside with them to take home the red bull crazy car title. appropriate there. some soap boxcars were less successful than others but didn't bother the crowd. that was one of the lesser successful ones. all based on creativity. >> what does red bull not sponsor nowadays? >> pretty fun company. taking a look ahead and a look back, a three day civil rights summit begins at the lbj presidential library in austin, texas. it marks the 50th anniversary of the passage of the civil rights act. jimmy carter will be the keynote speaker. 20 years ago today, nbc's brian williams reported on a suicide that sent shock waves through the music world. >> kurt cobain's body was found inside a garage apartment adjacent to his seattle home. dead of an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound, a suicide note was nearby. ♪ he was among the most powerful voices of his generation, an originator of a music style and fashion called grunge. as lead singer for the hugely successful rock group nirvana, which has sold 15 million albums worldwide. in birthdays, actress robin wright turns 48. you remember her, the princess bride. john lennon son's julian is 51 and kofi annan is 76. i'm alex witt. thank you for watching "early today." have a great tuesday. from nbc bay area this is "today in the bay." good morning, everyone. i'm scott mcgrew. laura garcia-canon is out at a at&t park for the giants home opener. we'll check with her in our next half hour, in the meantime, a lot to get to you. let's get to a check of your forecast with meteorologist. >> christisa is there, at least for this half hour you're stuck with meteorologist slaughter. waking up to clear skies. yesterday such a marvelous day across the bay area. this time of year w u

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