SIU Edwardsville edges Tennessee State 71-69, will play Southeast Missouri State for OVC title

Ray'Sean Taylor had 24 points to help SIU Edwardsville hold off Tennessee State 71-69 in an Ohio Valley Conference Tournament semifinal. The second-seeded Cougars (21-11) will play top-seeded Southeast Missouri State for the conference title on Saturday with an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament on the line.

Nikola Jokic has 31 points, 22 assists and 21 rebounds in Nuggets' 149-141 OT win over Suns

Nikola Jokic had 31 points, 21 rebounds and a career-high 22 assists and the Denver Nuggets outlasted the Phoenix Suns 149-141 in overtime Friday night after losing a 21-point lead. Jokic became the first NBA player with a triple-double of at least 30 points, 20 rebounds and 20 assists. He tied his own team record with his 29th triple-double of the season, stretching his career total to 149. Aaron Gordon made a career-high seven 3-pointers and had 27 points for Denver. Kevin Durant scored 29 points for Phoenix, hitting a 3-pointer at regulation buzzer to send it into overtime. Devin Booker led Phoenix with 34 points. On Tuesday night at home, the Suns overcame a 23-point deficit to beat the Clippers.

Schenn scores twice to lift Blues past Ducks 4-3

Brayden Schenn scored twice to lead the St. Louis Blues to a 4-3 win over the Anaheim Ducks. Schenn scored his second on a wrist shot with 1:47 left in the third period to put the Blues up 4-2. Zachary Bolduc and Alexey Toropchenko also scored for the Blues. Jordan Binnington made 20 saves. Sam Colangelo, Frank Vatrano and Alex Killorn had goals for the Ducks. Lukas Dostal stopped 18 shots.

Clippers beat Knicks 105-95 to avoid slipping out of West playoff race

James Harden scored 27 points, Kawhi Leonard added 20 and the Los Angeles Clippers held off the New York Knicks 105-95. The win helped keep the Clippers from dropping out of playoff position in the West. The Knicks, who are third in the East, lost their third in a row. They played without Jalen Brunson, who sprained his ankle in an overtime loss to the Lakers on Thursday and is out at least two weeks. Karl-Anthony Towns led New York with 23 points and 10 rebounds.

Sherwood scores tiebreaking goal late in 3rd, Lankinen has 37 saves as Canucks beat Wild 3-1

Kiefer Sherwood scored late in the third period, Kevin Lankinen stopped 37 shots and the Vancouver Canucks beat the Minnesota Wild 3-1. Elias Pettersson opened the scoring for the Canucks on a power play midway through the first period to snap a 15-game scoring drought, and Teddy Blueger added an empty-netter in the final minute. Defenseman Filip Hronek had two assists. Vancouver won its second straight and third in five games to move one point ahead of Calgary for the second wild card in the Western Conference. Minnesota defenseman Brock Faber tied the score with a power-play goal at 7:12 of the third period, and Filip Gustavsson had 17 saves. The Wild snapped a two-game win streak.

Samsonov stops 22 shots and Golden Knights top Penguins 4-0 for fourth straight win

Ilya Samsonov made 22 saves for his 15th career shutout and second this season, Mark Stone had a goal and two assists and the Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-0. Tanner Pearson had a goal and an assist, while Ivan Barbashev and Brandon Saad also scored for the Golden Knights, who have won four straight. Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 23 shots for the Penguins, who lost their fourth straight and have dropped eight of their last nine.

Zach LaVine outshines De'Aaron Fox to lead the Kings past the Spurs 127-109

Zach LaVine scored 36 points and the Kings beat the San Antonio Spurs 127-109  in De'Aaron Fox's first game as a visitor in Sacramento. Fox faced his original team for the first time since being traded to the Spurs last month in a three-team deal that brough LaVine to Sacramento. But it was LaVine who shined by scoring 16 points to break the game open in the second quarter on the way to his sixth straight game with at least 20 points. Stephon Castle led the Spurs with 25 points.

11th-seeded Valparaiso takes down No. 3-seed Northern Iowa 64-63 in Missouri Valley quarterfinals

All Wright led the 11th-seeded Valparaiso Beacons with 29 points and secured the victory with a layup with 47 seconds left as the Beacons took down the No. 3-seeded Northern Iowa Panthers in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament quarterfinals 64-63

Stars sign Wyatt Johnston to a $42M, 5-year extension at same time they get Mikko Rantanen

The Dallas Stars have signed 21-year-old center Wyatt Johnston to a $42 million, five-year contract extension. The extension came on the same day the Stars made the biggest deal at the NHL's trade deadline with the acquisition of Mikko Rantanen. But keeping the young center also is a significant move for Dallas. Johnston could have become a restricted free agent on July 1. He is now under contract through the 2029-30 season. He has played in every Stars games since his debut in the 2022-23 season opener. That's 226 regular-season games and 38 more in the playoffs.

LSU's Kim Mulkey allows assistant to coach SEC tourney game while she grieves death in family

LSU coach Kim Mulkey allowed assistant Bob Starkey to coach Friday night's Southeastern Conference Tournament quarterfinal game against Florida while she continued to grieve an unexpected death in her family earlier this week. Starkey had prepared the team all week in practice and Mulkey thought it was best for him to coach the game. The ninth-ranked Tigers beat Florida 101-87. Mulkey was away from the team this week before arriving in Greenville on Friday. She sat in the middle of the bench and communicated with Starkey during the game.

McMahon's late free throws lift No. 13 Ohio State past Iowa, 60-59 in Big Ten quarterfinals

Cotie McMahon converted two free throws with six seconds left to give 13th-ranked and third-seeded Ohio State a 60-59 win over Iowa to advance to Saturday's semifinals of the Big Ten Conference Tournament at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The Buckeyes (24-5) will battle second-seeded and No. 4-ranked UCLA, an 85-74 winner over Nebraska. Ohio State lost at then-No. 1-ranked UCLA during the regular season, 65-52.

No. 21 Oklahoma State women top Texas Tech 62-59, will play Baylor in Big 12 Tournament semifinal

Sophomore Stailee Heard scored 24 of her 34 points in the second half to rally No. 21 Oklahoma State to a 62-59 victory over Texas Tech in a Big 12 Conference Tournament quarterfinal at T-Mobile Center. The third-seeded Cowgirls (25-5) will play No. 2 seed Baylor in Saturday's semifinals. Tenin Magassa had a three-point play and a layup and Heard added two free throws as the Cowgirls scored the first seven points of the fourth quarter to take a 46-40 lead. They never trailed again, but the 14th-seeded Lady Raiders (17-17) had a shot to tie it until Jada Wynn missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer.

Connor Bedard scores in overtime to lift Blackhawks to 4-3 win over Utah

Connor Bedard scored 3:10 into overtime to give the Chicago Blackhawks a 4-3 victory over the Utah Hockey Club.

Haggerty, Dainja lead 2nd-half rally in No. 16 Memphis' 84-68 victory over South Florida

PJ Haggerty and Dain Dainja scored 20 points apiece and No. 16 Memphis won the outright American Athletic Conference regular-season title, taking over in the second half to beat South Florida 84-68 on Friday night. Haggerty added eight rebounds and five assists, Tyrese Hunter had 16 points for the Tigers (26-5, 16-2). Dainja was 10 of 13 from the field as Memphis shot 53%. Jayden Reid led the Bulls (13-18, 6-12) with 20 points, and CJ Brown had 11. South Florida has lost three straight and six of seven.

Jakucionis' 3-pointer completes Illinois' rally for 88-80 win over No. 18 Purdue

Kasparas Jakucionis hit a 3-pointer with 40 seconds left to put Illinois ahead for good, and the Illini rallied past No. 18 Purdue 88-80. Illinois trailed 63-53 with 11:34 to go, but outscored the Boilermakers 13-1 in the final two minutes to win its third in a row after losing three straight. Will Riley led five Illinois players in double figures with 22 points. Tre White had 20 points and nine rebounds, and Jakucionis had 10 points and seven assists. Trey Kaufman-Renn scored 29 points for Purdue and Braden Smith had 18 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds.

Morrow sets LSU tourney record with 36 points, No. 9 Tigers beat Florida 101-87 to reach SEC semis

Aneesah Morrow scored 36 points on 15-of-21 shooting while hauling in 14 rebounds as ninth-ranked LSU defeated Florida 101-87 to reach the semifinals of the Southeastern Conference Tournament. The senior forward's 36 points were the most ever by an LSU player in conference tournament history and tied for the ninth-most overall. Mikaylah Williams chipped in with 16 points and eight assists for the Tigers, who played without leading scorer Flau'jae Johnson, out with an injury. Liv McGill had 16 points and Jeriah Warren had 14 to lead Florida.

Spirit win NWSL Challenge Cup in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw with Pride

Aubrey Kingsbury made a crucial save in a shootout and the Washington Spirit beat the Orlando Pride 4-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw to win the National Women's Soccer League Challenge Cup. Kingsbury stopped Ally Lemos' attempt before Tara McKeown converted the Spirit's fourth penalty kick. It was revenge of sorts for the Spirit, who finished as runners-up to the Pride in the 2024 standings and lost to Orlando in last November's championship game. It was the Spirit's second-ever trophy after the 2021 NWSL Championship. Leicy Santos scored on a free kick for Washington and Rafaelle scored for Orlando.

A's announce 3-year Las Vegas sponsorship as club looks toward future move

The Athletics will play in Northern California for at least the next three seasons. They will also represent their future home in Las Vegas and brought four of their star players to drive home that point. The team announced a three-year agreement Friday with the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority as its official travel partner. Players will wear a patch with Las Vegas' official logo on their left sleeves beginning in the regular season.

Conley, Reid and DiVincenzo lead the Timberwolves to 106-104 victory over the Heat

Mike Conley, Naz Reid and Donte DiVincenzo each scored 15 points each and the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Miami Heat 106-104 on Friday night for their fourth straight victory. Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels and Julius Randle finished with 13 each. Edwards, who averages 27.5 points per game, attempted a season-low 10 shots and made four. Nickeil Alexander-Walker was Minnesota's seventh double-figure scorer with 12 points. Bam Adebayo's 3-point attempt for Miami at buzzer bounced off the rim. Adebayo had 29 points and 13 rebounds. Tyler Herro added 22 points.

Wiggins, Williams lead Thunder past Blazers 107-89 with Gilgeous-Alexander held out for rest

Aaron Wiggins scored 30 points, Jaylin Williams had his first career triple-double, and the Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Portland Trail Blazers 107-89 with MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on the bench. Gilgeous-Alexander was held out for rest, missing a game for just the second time this season. The Thunder were also without Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein. They still had more than enough to win their sixth straight game. Williams finished with 10 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists. Scoot Henderson scored 22 points and Shaedon Sharpe added 19 for the Blazers.

Frost, Maddie Rooney shutout Ottawa Charge 5-0 in Takeover Tour game in Raleigh, N.C.

Kendall Coyne Schofield scored the game-winning goal in the sixth minute of play and Maddie Rooney earned her second shutout as the Minnesota Frost blanked the Ottawa Charge 5-0 in a PWHL game played on the home ice of the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes. The Lenovo Center hosted 10,782 fans for the league's Takeover Tour game.

Quickley scores season-high 34 points as Raptors overcome Kessler's 25 boards and beat Jazz 118-109

Immanuel Quickley scored a season-high 34 points and the Toronto Raptors overcame a dominant rebounding effort by Walker Kessler to beat the Utah Jazz 118-109. Quickley added five rebounds, five assists, and three steals in the Raptors' third straight win. Scottie Barnes had 22 points, 12 rebounds and six assists. Kessler led the Jazz with 18 points while setting career highs with 25 rebounds and eight blocks. Keyonte George also scored 18 points for the Jazz. Utah, last in the Western Conference, suffered its fourth straight loss.

Morant's 31 points, Bane's 27 points, 16 rebounds, lead Grizzlies past Mavericks 122-111

Ja Morant scored 31 points, including the game's final seven, and Desmond Bane had 27 points and a career-high 16 rebounds as the Memphis Grizzlies rallied in the fourth period to beat the Dallas Mavericks 122-111. Reserve Brandon Williams scored a career-high 31 points and Naji Marshall had career bests with 29 points and 17 rebounds for the Mavericks, who have lost four consecutive games and six of their last seven. The Grizzlies finished on an 18-4 run to snap a season-long four-game losing streak.

No. 11 Duke women top Louisville 61-48, will face No. 6 Notre Dame in ACC Tournament semifinal

Oluchi Okananwa came off the bench to score 13 points and No. 11 Duke cruised to a 61-48 victory over Louisville in the quarterfinals of the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament at First Horizon Coliseum. The third-seeded Blue Devils (24-7), who have won four in a row, will play No. 2 seed Notre Dame in Saturday's semifinals.

Friday's Scores

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Friday's Scores

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NBA-leading Cavaliers win 13th straight game, rallying to edge Hornets 118-117

Donovan Mitchell scored 24 points and the NBA-leading Cleveland Cavaliers rallied for their 13th straight victory, 118-117 over the Charlotte Hornets on Friday night. Darius Garland added 20 points to help the Cavaliers improve to 53-10. Evan Mobley scored 19 points, De'Andre Hunter had 15, Jarrett Allen 14 and Sam Merrill 12. Miles Bridges scored 46 points for Charlotte. His shot from halfcourt at the buzzer was off the mark. The Hornets have lost nine straight to fall to 14-48. Cleveland led 67-54 early in the second half and was up 87-83 after three quarters. Charlotte rallied with a 21-8 run for a 104-95 lead with 5:41 to play. The Cavaliers responded by outscoring the Hornets 25-15 to end the game.

Capitals score 4 goals in the 3rd period to rally to beat the Red Wings 5-2

Aliaksei Protas had two goals and an assist in the third period to key the Washington Capitals rallying to beat the Detroit Red Wings 5-2, extending their winning streak to three games. Taylor Raddysh got the Capitals on the board after falling behind 2-0, and, after Protas tied it in the first minute of the third, Jakob Chychrun scored the go-ahead goal 66 seconds later. Logan Thompson bounced back from a rough start to stop 18 of the 20 shots he faced as Washington padded its lead atop the Eastern Conference.

Nikolaj Ehlers, Kyle Connor score as the Jets pull away for a 6-1 win at the Devils

Nikolaj Ehlers scored for the third consecutive game and had two assists, Kyle Connor added his 33rd goal of the season, and the Winnipeg Jets beat the New Jersey Devils 6-1. Ehlers connected on a wrist shot with 30 seconds left in the second period, putting the Jets up 3-0. Ehlers had an assist on Josh Morrissey's power-play goal earlier in the second and Cole Perfetti's goal in the third, giving him five points in his last three games. Alex Iafallo and Adam Lowry also scored for the Jets, who have won back-to-back games after dropping three in a row. Connor Hellebuyck stopped 22 shots for his NHL-leading 37th victory. Dawson Mercer scored for the Devils, who have lost three straight.

Top seed Alexander Zverev beaten by Tallon Griekspoor in 2nd round at Indian Wells

Tallon Griekspoor upset No. 1 seed Alexander Zverev 4-6, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (4) in a second-round match at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California. The loss came eight days after Zverev also was the top seed when he was upset by American teenager Learner Tien 6-3, 6-4 in Acapulco, Mexico. The Zverev-Griekspoor match lasted 3 hours, 7 minutes. Griekspoor collapsed on the court after converting his sixth match point. The 28-year-old from the Netherlands improved to 2-6 against Zverev, who's currently ranked No. 2.

AMALIE Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals Qualifying

1. Antron Brown, 3.685 seconds, 334.24 mph; 2. Tripp Tatum, 3.685, 326.56; 3. Shawn Langdon, 3.690, 335.23; 4. Doug Kalitta, 3.690, 328.78; 5. Steve Torrence, 3.694, 332.18; 6. Brittany Force, 3.696, 331.77; 7. Shawn Reed, 3.697, 332.43; 8. Clay Millican, 3.716, 330.63; 9. Josh Hart, 3.755, 324.90; 10. Jasmine Salinas, 3.759, 331.61; 11. Tony Stewart, 3.760, 326.79; 12. Doug Foley, 3.761, 327.27; 13. Ida Zetterstrom, 3.781, 316.67; 14. Justin Ashley, 3.782, 324.44; 15. Dan Mercier, 3.794, 323.12; 16. Krista Baldwin, 3.996, 227.61. Not Qualified: 17. Scott Farley, 10.498, 63.06.

No. 17 Baylor women beat Iowa State 69-63 to advance to the Big 12 Tournament semifinals

Jada Walker scored 18 points to help 17th-ranked Baylor beat No. 7 seed Iowa State 69-63 to advance to the Big 12 Tournament semifinals. It was Baylor's first Big 12 quarterfinal victory in three seasons after Iowa State knocked them out the past two times. Walker made a wide open 3-pointer from the corner with 4:20 remaining in the fourth to give Baylor a 63-61 lead. It snapped a string of 13 straight misses from 3-point range. Yaya Felder added a floater on the baseline and Walker sank a jumper from the free-throw line to make it 67-61 with 2:10 left. Iowa State went scoreless for three minutes before Audi Crooks pulled her team within 67-63 with 1:23 left. Walker sealed it at the line.

Solomon's 21 lead UNC Asheville past Charleston Southern in Big South Conference Tournament 80-60

Led by Toyaz Solomon's 21 points, the UNC Asheville Bulldogs defeated the Charleston Southern Buccaneers 80-60 in the Big South Conference Tournament on Friday.

Lauren Betts and Gabriela Jaquez lead No. 4 UCLA past Nebraska 85-74 as Bruins reach Big Ten semis

Lauren Betts finished with 28 points, 13 rebounds and seven blocks, and Gabriela Jaquez added 23 points and nine rebounds as No. 4 UCLA reached the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals with an 85-74 victory over Nebraska. Kiki Rice had 14 points and nine assists to help the Bruins rebound from last weekend's loss to crosstown rival Southern California. UCLA will face No. 13 Ohio State, a 60-59 winner over three-time defending tourney champ Iowa, the No. 11 seed Nebraska played its third game in three days after starting play as the No. 10 seed. Britt Prince had 24 points to lead the Cornhuskers.

Madison Booker scores 19 as No. 1 Texas holds on to defeat Mississippi 70-63 in SEC quarterfinals

All-America forward Madison Booker scored 19 points, and No. 1 Texas held on to beat Mississippi 70-63 in the Southeastern Conference Tournament quarterfinals. Kyla Oldacre scored 12 points and Shay Holle added 11 for Texas, which stretched its winning streak to 14 games. Kirsten Deans scored 20 points to lead the Rebels, and Madison Scott had 14 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. Texas will play No. 9 LSU in Saturday's semifinals.

Veteran forward Reilly Smith feels right at home by rejoining Golden Knights

Reilly Smith was traded back to Vegas by the Rangers on Thursday in exchange for Brendan Brisson and a third-round draft pick in 2025 and said he felt right at home when taking the ice with the Golden Knights. An original "Golden Misfit" of the inaugural team that made its league debut in 2017, Smith was welcomed by fans attending the team's morning skate, eight hours before he was expected to suit up against the Pittsburgh Penguins, the team Vegas traded him to less than a month after he helped the team win the Stanley Cup in 2023.

Knicks star Jalen Brunson expected to miss at least 2 weeks with right ankle sprain

Jalen Brunson is expected to miss at least two weeks with a right ankle sprain, putting the New York Knicks in a tough spot as they try to maintain their position in the Eastern Conference. The Knicks announced Friday that their star point guard will be evaluated after suffering the injury in overtime of the Knicks' 113-109 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night. Coach Tom Thibodeau says the Knicks can't replace Brunson individually but will try to "do it collectively." He adds that he's not sure if Brunson will be back before the regular season ends in five weeks.

Holt and Mercer knock off Western Carolina 67-66 in Southern Conference Tournament

Alex Holt scored the game-winning layup with four seconds left and racked up 24 total points to lead the Mercer Bears past the Western Carolina Catamounts in the Southern Conference Tournament 67-66 on Friday.

Veteran linebacker Lavonte David is returning to the Buccaneers for a 14th season

Veteran linebacker Lavonte David is returning to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a 14th season. The team announced Friday that David has agreed to terms. A person with knowledge of the contract told The Associated Press that David's one-year deal is worth $10 million with $9 million guaranteed. David was an All-Pro in 2013 and has been a leader for Tampa Bay's defense for more than a decade. He has played in 198 games, third-most in franchise history and has averaged 123 tackles per season. David has 39 career sacks, 13 interceptions, 31 forced fumbles and 19 fumble recoveries.

Lundblade's 14 lead Belmont over Illinois State in Missouri Valley Conference Tournament 76-63

Led by Tyler Lundblade's 14 points, the Belmont Bruins defeated the Illinois State Redbirds 76-63 in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament on Friday.

Hidalgo, No. 6 Notre Dame take over down stretch to beat Cal 73-64 in ACC quarterfinals

Hannah Hidalgo scored 25 points and No. 6 Notre Dame took over down the stretch to beat California 73-64 in the quarterfinals of the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament. Olivia Miles added 14 points and six assists for the second-seeded Fighting Irish, the tournament's reigning champion. Notre Dame won the regular-season meeting in a blowout but trailed by six points midway through the third quarter in this one. Notre Dame ran off a 12-0 go-ahead burst. Lulu Twidale scored 16 points to lead the Golden Bears. Cal committed 28 turnovers that led to 28 points for the Irish.

Raiders acquire quarterback Geno Smith from Seahawks for a 3rd-round pick, AP source says

Geno Smith is heading to the Las Vegas Raiders. That's according to a person with knowledge of the trade who spoke to The Associated Press on Friday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the teams hadn't announced the deal and said the Raiders are sending the Seattle Seahawks a third-round pick for Smith. The 34-year-old, two-time Pro Bowl quarterback reunites with new Raiders coach Pete Carroll in Las Vegas. Meanwhile, the Seahawks will seek a new starter. Smith threw for 4,320 yards and 21 touchdowns with 15 interceptions last season.

Tiger Woods not in the field for The Players Championship in his final year of an exemption

Tiger Woods won't be at The Players Championship next week. That wasn't a big surprise. Woods has not played in the PGA Tour's flagship event since 2019 and it would have been big news if had decided to play. But this was the last year of Woods' exemption to The Players from winning the Masters in 2019. That means if he plays in the Masters next month, it will be his first tournament since he missed the cut at the British Open last July. Woods says he has touched golf clubs only three times since his mother died on Feb. 4.

Katherine Legge's long, varied journey in motorsports leads to NASCAR Cup Series debut

Katherine Legge has raced in just about every series possible during her 25-year journey in professional motorsports, ranging from dirt tracks to IndyCar. Even so, she doesn't mind admitting to being nervous about potentially rubbing fenders with the likes of Joey Logano, Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell in her first NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday at Phoenix Raceway. Legge is set to become the first woman in a NASCAR Cup Series race since Danica Patrick made her final start in the Daytona 500 seven years ago. She'll drive the No. 78 Chevrolet for Live Fast Motorsports.

Bruins trade captain Brad Marchand to Florida as they pull the plug on a lost season

The Boston Bruins sent captain Brad Marchand to the Florida Panthers at the NHL trade deadline as part of a purge of the roster that has followed unprecedented regular-season success with playoff disappointment. The Bruins also shipped forward Justin Brazeau to Minnesota, forward Charlie Coyle to Colorado and defenseman Brandon Carlo to Toronto on a hectic day that closes the books on the Original Six franchise's most successful era since Bobby Orr.

Texas Tech assistant Matt Braeuer named new head basketball coach at Stephen F. Austin

Texas Tech assistant coach Matt Braeuer has been named the new head coach at Stephen F. Austin. Braeuer will finish the current season with the ninth-ranked Red Raiders before joining the Lumberjacks. Tony Jasick was 6-6 as interim head coach for SFA, which has completed its 14-17 season after not qualifying for the Southland Conference tournament. Kyle Keller had a 171-95 record and was in his ninth season as head coach when fired Jan. 22 with SFA off to a 1-7 start in conference play. It will be the first head coaching job for Braeuer.

Shane Lowry likes it tough and builds a 2-shot lead at Bay Hill

Shane Lowry likes the grind and Bay Hill is every bit of that. Lowry shot a 67 to lead by two shots at the Arnold Palmer Invitational going into the weekend. His only bogey was missing a 4-foot putt on the 16th hole. Lowry is the only player to break 70 both days. Wyndham Clark had a double bogey after a tee shot out-of-bounds on the 15th hole. He shot 71 and was two shots behind. Collin Morikawa and Corey Conners were three back. Scottie Scheffler overcame a 39 on the front to salvage a 72 and was seven behind.

Lauren Price overwhelms Natasha Jonas to become unified welterweight world champion

Unbeaten Lauren Price has been too fast for the veteran Natasha Jonas as she won their unification world welterweight title fight comfortably in London. Price, of Wales, was the paper-thin favorite but impressively overwhelmed Jonas and won by unanimous decision on Friday. Price relieved the Englishwoman of her WBC and IBF belts to add to her IBO belt. The 2021 Olympic champion improved her record to 9-0. Jonas' seven-win streak since a 2021 loss to Katie Taylor ended without dispute in a matchup of southpaws. Jonas, 10 years older than Price at 40, struggled to hit Price and lost for the third time in 20 fights.

Rasmus Neergard-Petersen has 1-shot lead in Puerto Rico in his PGA Tour debut

Rasmus Neergard-Petersen looked plenty comfortable in his PGA Tour debut, playing bogey-free through 36 holes and shooting a 7-under 65 on Friday for a one-shot lead in the Puerto Rico Open. Ranked No. 88 in the world, Neergard-Petersen received a commissioner's exemption for international players into the event, which is played opposite the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill. The 25-year-old from Denmark plays on the European tour and was second at the Qatar Masters in his previous start. Davis Riley was one shot back after a second-round 66 at Grand Reserve Golf Club.

Florida Panthers add veteran Brad Marchand as they gear up for run at another Stanley Cup title

The Florida Panthers welcomed the arrival of Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand in a Friday trade that adds even more grit and experience to the Stanley Cup champions' roster. Marchand, traded by the Bruins after 16 seasons in Boston will give the Panthers more depth as they battle for first place in the Atlantic Division. Marchand is another huge acquisition for the Panthers, who brought in veteran defenseman Seth Jones in a trade with the Chicago Blackhawks last Saturday, and needed a boost after losing the veteran forward Tkachuk for the foreseeable future because of an upper body injury,

Yankees' Giancarlo Stanton to get 3rd round of PRP injections in both elbows

Giancarlo Stanton will return to New York for a third round of platelet-rich plasma injections in his ailing elbows on Monday. Stanton was back at the Yankees' spring training complex on Friday. Manager Aaron Boone was quoted as saying Stanton is not likely to play in any exhibition games. Stanton said on Feb. 17 after reporting to camp that he had not swung a bat in three or four weeks because of pain in both elbows. The Yankees said he had been in New York, where he received two rounds of PRP injections.

Astros first baseman Christian Walker's MRI shows no sign of strain in his oblique

Houston Astros first baseman Christian Walker received some good news regarding the oblique issue that has limited him this spring training. Walker had flown back to Houston to get the oblique examined. Astros manager Joe Espada told reporters the MRI didn't reveal any strain. Espada said Walker is returning to the Astros' spring training camp. Walker, who turns 34 on March 28, batted .251 with a .335 on-base percentage, 26 homers and 84 RBIs in 130 games for Arizona last season. He signed a $60 million, three-year contract with the Astros in December.

'Beers! Beers! Beers!' chants well deserved for Oklahoma center after strong start to SEC tourney

Oklahoma's starting center was serenaded with chants of "Beers! Beers! Beers!" from the school's pep band on Friday. Raegan Beers is getting used to it, and she enjoyed hearing from the band after the 10th-ranked Sooners beat No. 12 Kentucky 69-65 in the Southeastern Conference Tournament quarterfinals. Beers has been stellar in her first two SEC Tournament games. Next up is a matchup with No. 5 South Carolina. The pep band started the "Beers!" chant earlier this season at a home game and it has become a mainstay for the Sooners.

Coach Dan Lanning agrees to contract extension with Oregon

Oregon coach Dan Lanning has agreed to the terms of a contract extension that would keep him with the Ducks through 2030. Yahoo Sports reported that Lanning will make nearly $11 million per season under the agreement, which the university announced on Friday. Oregon was also finalizing extensions for defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi and offensive coordinator Will Stein that run through the 2027 season. The contracts have been approved by Oregon's Board of Trustees.

Orioles pitchers Grayson Rodriguez and Andrew Kittredge are hurt, will miss season's start

Starter Grayson Rodriguez and reliever Andrew Kittredge will miss the Baltimore Orioles' opener because of injuries. Orioles manager Brandon Hyde tells reporters that Rodriguez has pitching elbow discomfort and Kittredge needs arthroscopic knee surgery and will be sidelined for multiple months. Rodriguez, a 25-year-old right-hander, went 13-4 with a 3.86 ERA in 20 starts last season. He struck out 130 and walked 36 in 116 2/3 innings. Kittredge, who turns 35 on March 17, was 5-5 with a 2.80 ERA and one save in 74 relief appearances for St. Louis last year. Baltimore opens at Toronto on March 27.

Titans release 7-year veteran linebacker Harold Landry III ahead of free agency

The Tennessee Titans have released veteran linebacker Harold Landry III after signing him to a five-year extension in 2022. The seven-year veteran with one Pro Bowl was due to count $24.1 million against the cap this season. Tennessee now is seventh in the NFL with more than $63 million in salary cap space, per Spotrac.com, to go along with the No. 1 pick in the draft after three losing seasons. Landry led the Titans with nine sacks last season. He was one of three NFL defenders with at least 70 tackles and 15 tackles for loss.

De'Aaron Fox struggles in his 1st game in Sacramento since he was traded to the Spurs

De'Aaron Fox spent much of his time in Sacramento as the fan favorite and face of the Kings franchise that ended a record-long playoff drought and brought much-needed joy to what had been a downtrodden team. Fox returns Friday night as part of the opposition to play his first game against his original team since being traded to San Antonio in a three-team deal last month. The Spurs lost 127-109 to the Kings as Fox scored 16 points on 6-of-17 shooting.

West Ham-loanee Cornet on song to rescue point for Genoa at Cagliari

On-loan West Ham winger Maxwel Cornet has bagged his second goal in four games to give Genoa a point away at Cagliari in Serie A. Nicolas Viola opened the scoring for the Sardinian side. Cornet equalized early in the second half on Friday and it held up. The result leaves Genoa in 12th and Cagliari in 15th, four points above the relegation zone.

Trump will lead task force preparing for 2026 World Cup

President Donald Trump created a task force Friday to prepare for the 2026 World Cup, which will bring the globe's premier soccer tournament to North America at a time when Trump's on-again-off-again tariffs have ratcheted up tensions across the continent. The task force, which Trump will chair, will coordinate the federal government's security and planning for the tournament, which is expected to draw millions of tourists to the United States, Canada and Mexico. Officials from FIFA, the international soccer governing body, met with Trump in the Oval Office and gave him a personalized game ball.

Three Wolverines combine for 65 points in 98-71 romp over No. 15 Maryland women in Big Ten quarters

Jordan Hobbs scored 23 points and Michigan used a 25-0 first-half run and a dominating second half to crush No. 15 Maryland 98-71 in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals. Freshmen Syla Swords and Olivia Olson added 22 and 20, respectively. The fifth-seeded Wolverines face league champion and second-ranked USC in the semifinals on Saturday. Hobbs and Olson both had 10 points in the big run that saw the Wolverines race to a 31-6 lead. After the Terrapins had a 16-0 run to close within one late in the first half, Michigan outscored Maryland 57-34 in the second half. The Wolverines shot 61%, making 12 of 23 3-pointers, to score the most points of any Maryland opponent this season. Sarah Te-Biasu scored 25 points for the fourth-seeded Terrapins

Defensive mix up helps Toulouse salvage draw with Monaco

A shocking defensive mix up has helped Toulouse to draw at home to Monaco 1-1 in Ligue 1. The visitor was leading through an early goal from Japanese winger Takumi Minamino and Toulouse rarely looked like equalizing on Friday. But in the last minute, a collision between Monaco's goalkeeeper and centre half allowed Frank Magri to steal in and score into the almost empty net. The result leaves both teams in the same positions, Monaco is fourth and Toulouse eighth. Players from both clubs wore shirts with "WO=MAN" written on the back instead of their names in a league initiative to mark International Women's Day.

Mark Cuban tells Dallas TV station he would have asked for more in return for Doncic

Former Dallas Mavericks majority owner Mark Cuban says he wouldn't have traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers without receiving much more in return. Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison has come under heavy criticism after sending Doncic to the Lakers in a shocking three-team deal on Feb. 1 that sent Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round draft pick to Dallas. The Lakers have put themselves in position to be title contenders and the Mavericks are in danger of missing the playoffs after Davis and then Kyrie Irving were injured.

Delaware wins 80-76 against Stony Brook in Coastal Athletic Association Tournament

Led by Erik Timko's 19 points, the Delaware Blue Hens defeated the Stony Brook Seawolves 80-76 in the Coastal Athletic Association Tournament on Friday.

Raegan Beers scores 20 as No. 10 Oklahoma beats No. 12 Kentucky 69-65 to reach SEC semifinals

Raegan Beers had 20 points and 11 rebounds, Payton Verhulst added 16 points and No. 10 Oklahoma battled back from a 10-point second-half deficit to beat No. 12 Kentucky 69-65 and advance to the SEC Tournament semifinals. Sahara Williams chipped in with 13 points for Oklahoma, which has won nine straight. The Sooners will face two-time defending Southeastern Conference champion and fifth-ranked South Carolina, an 84-63 winner over Vanderbilt, on Saturday. Georgia Amoore scored 29 points and Clara Strack added 12 points and 16 rebounds to lead Kentucky.

Mainz up to third in Bundesliga after win at Borussia Mönchengladbach

Mainz has kept up its push for a place in next year's Champions League with a 3-1 win at Borussia Mönchengladbach. The result on Friday lifts it into third place in the Bundesliga. Paul Nebel and Dominik Kohr scored for Mainz either side of halftime. Although Stefan Lainer gave the home side some hope with a goal after 73 minutes, Nadiem Amiri restored Mainz's two-goal advantage four minutes later. Mönchengladbach remains in eighth place.

Van Lith scores 24, Prince adds 18 as No. 8 TCU holds off Colorado 69-62 in Big 12 quarterfinals

Hailey Van Lith made five 3-pointers and scored 24 points, Sedona Prince added 18 points before fouling out, and eighth-ranked TCU held on for a 69-62 victory over Colorado in the quarterfinals of the women's Big 12 Tournament. Donovyn Hunter also scored 13 points for the top-seeded Horned Frogs, who blew most of a 12-point fourth-quarter lead before holding on to win their eighth straight overall. They will play No. 16 West Virginia in the semifinals Saturday night. The Mountaineers rallied for a 73-69 victory over No. 20 Kansas State earlier in the day.

Kimberley Bos of the Netherlands wins women's skeleton world championship at Lake Placid

the fifth different woman to win the season's biggest skeleton race in the last five years.

Shaun White kicks off new league with visions of snowboarding riches on the halfpipe

This week in Aspen marks the debut of Shaun White's Snow League. It's a four-contest circuit that the retired three-time Olympic gold medalist hopes can alter the trajectory of halfpipe snowboarding. White's league promises $1.6 million in prize money, and $50,000 first prizes for men and women. It also offers Olympic qualifying points with the Milan-Cortina Games less than a year away. Top names competing this week include defending Olympic champion Ayumu Hirano on the men's side and Maddie Mastro for the women. White says he sees the league as a long-needed way to bring the best riders together more than every four years for the Olympics.

Mariners' George Kirby likely to open season on IL due to inflammation in throwing shoulder

Seattle Mariners right-hander George Kirby has inflammation on his throwing shoulder and likely will open the season on the injured list. Mariners general manager Justin Hollander says that "I would not anticipate that he's ready for the first 10 days, two weeks of the season." Hollander emphasized that an MRI revealed no structural damage to the shoulder. The 27-year-old Kirby started 33 games last season to tie for the major league lead. He went 14-11 with a 3.53 ERA with 179 strikeouts and 23 walks in 181 innings.

Blues' Cam Fowler gets 2 assists during a warm welcome home from Ducks fans after his trade

Cam Fowler has returned to play in Anaheim for the first time since the Ducks traded the longest-serving and highest-scoring defenseman in franchise history to the St. Louis Blues less than three months ago. Fowler insists he feels no bitterness or disappointment about the way his 14 1/2 seasons in Orange County ended. He received a boisterous welcome when the Blues faced the Ducks. Fowler had been a mainstay on the Ducks' blue line since 2010, when the team selected him with the 12th overall pick. The Ducks traded him to St. Louis in December.

SEC fines Ole Miss $500,000 for court storming and suggests easing future penalties

The Southeastern Conference has fined Ole Miss $500,000 for violating league policy that prohibits fans from storming courts. The powerhouse conference also says it needs to consider reducing or eliminating future penalties if a school does its part to adjust fan behavior and is then ignored by a small group. "A small number of fans" rushed the court following the Rebels' 78-76 victory over No. 4 Tennessee on Wednesday. It was the third offense for Ole Miss, which was fined $100,000 in 2023 and $250,000 in 2024. In recent weeks, Georgia and Texas A&M staved off a court storming with late-game announcements that warned of the SEC's stiff penalties.

Aziaha James' late free throws help No. 7 NC State beat Georgia Tech 73-72 in ACC quarterfinals

Aziaha James hit two free throws with 7.1 seconds left to help No. 7 N.C. State beat Georgia Tech 73-72 in the quarterfinals of the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament. James scored 16 points for the top-seeded Wolfpack, who had a tough grind to advance to Saturday's semifinals. N.C. State trailed by nine in the first quarter and neither team led by more than four in the fourth. But this one ended unceremoniously for the ninth-seeded Yellow Jackets, who failed to get a shot off before the horn on the final possession. Tonie Morgan and Kara Dunn each scored 21 points for Georgia Tech.

No. 21 Saint Mary's heads into March Madness seeking 2nd straight WCC Tournament title

In the fast-changing world of college basketball, some things remain constant. Saint Mary's, the small school in San Francisco's East Bay region, keeps piling up wins at the rate that only the blue bloods of the sport can match. The Gaes are ranked 21st in the country after winning back-to-back outright regular season titles in the West Coast Conference and head into the conference tournament with a chance to become the first team to repeat as champions other than Gonzaga since Pepperdine in 1991-92.

Jae'Lyn Withers has helped North Carolina regroup. Next comes Round 2 with No. 2 Duke

Jae'Lyn Withers has helped North Carolina regroup with a six-game winning streak entering the latest rivalry game with No. 2 Duke. The fifth-year forward has returned to a starting role and more minutes during the winning streak. He's averaging 11.7 points and 7.2 rebounds while shooting nearly 57% from behind the arc during the run. The 6-foot-9 Withers started the first seven games of the year before seeing his minutes dwindle as UNC tinkered with small-ball lineups. He said he focused on improving his skillset to be ready if he got another chance. He's thrived ever since.

Watkins scores 31 to lead No. 2 USC past Indiana 84-79 and into the Big Ten Tournament semifinals

JuJu Watkins scored 31 points, Kiki Iriafen added 21 and each grabbed 10 rebounds in their first Big Ten Tournament games, leading No. 2 Southern California to an 84-79 victory over Indiana. The Trojans are 3-0 in Indiana this season and have won eight straight. They'll face fifth-seeded Michigan in Saturday's first semifinal. Yarden Garzon made five 3-pointers and led the Hoosiers with 23 points. The Trojans struggled to pull away until Talia von Oelhoffen and Watkins made back-to-back 3s late in the fourth to give USC its largest lead of the game, 77-68.

NBA fines Kings' DeMar DeRozan $25,000 for publicly criticizing officials

The NBA fined DeMar DeRozan $25,000 on Friday for publicly criticizing officials after the Sacramento Kings' loss to the Denver Nuggets. "The refs were terrible," DeRozan said after the 116-110 loss on Wednesday, according to the Sacramento Bee. The Nuggets had 30 free throws to 14 for the Kings. That included a 13-4 difference in the fourth quarter in which Denver outscored Sacramento 32-17.

NWSL opens investigation of Bay FC following reports of a 'toxic' work environment

An independent investigation has been opened into the coaching staff at Bay FC following publication of a report that described a "toxic" work environment at the club. National Women's Soccer League Commissioner Jessica Berman confirmed the probe. The San Francisco Chronicle published an investigation Friday that said at least two formal complaints had been made about the team under coach Albertin Montoya. Two former players, who were not named in Chronicle's report, described the team environment as toxic and two former Bay FC employees agreed with the assessment.

Former MLB outfielder Tyler Naquin says his comeback attempt as a pitcher started last year

Former major league outfielder Tyler Naquin says his attempted comeback as a right-handed pitcher was over a year in the making. Naquin played the outfield for four different major league teams from 2016-23. He has signed a minor league contract with the Guardians in hopes of making it back to the big leagues as a pitcher. Naquin says he started working out as a pitcher in January 2024. The 33-year-old Naquin says he hasn't pitched in an actual game since throwing in a scrimmage while playing for Texas A&M in 2010. He said he also pitched in high school.

Quinerly scores 24, sets up her game winner as No. 16 West Virginia women beat No. 20 K-State 73-69

JJ Quinerly made a critical steal to set up her game-winning basket and scored 24 points to lift No. 16 West Virginia to a 73-69 win over No. 20 Kansas State in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Tournament. The Wildcats attempted a sideline inbounds lob into the key when Quinerly soared in to intercept the ball with a minute to go. She then drove into the lane for a floater that put West Virginia on top 71-69 with 44.2 seconds remaining. Temira Poindexter missed a wide-open 3 from the right sideline before Sydney Shaw iced it with two free throws. The fourth-seeded Mountaineers face top seed TCU, ranked eighth, in Saturday's semifinals. Jordan Harrison scored 17 of her 19 points in the second half for West Virginia. Kennedy Taylor scored 21 points for the Wildcats

AHL suspends Syracuse's Maxim Groshev for 10 games for using racial language at an opponent

The American Hockey League has suspended Syracuse Crunch forward Maxim Groshev 10 games for using what the AHL termed "racially insensitive language" toward an opponent. The game in question occurred Saturday against Rochester. Groshev already sat out one game. He will be eligible to return to play March 30. He also can appeal the remainder of his suspension after eight games if he takes part in the NHL's Player Inclusion Coalition and makes what is deemed by AHL President and CEO Scott Howson as sufficient progress in the training program.

No. 5 South Carolina women beat Vanderbilt 84-63 in SEC Tournament quarterfinals

Chloe Kitts had 25 points and 10 rebounds and No. 5 South Carolina held off a furious second-half rally from Vanderbilt to win 84-63 on Friday in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals. MiLaysia Fulwiley scored 15 off the bench and Sania Feagin added 13 points for South Carolina, which has won five straight. Coach Dawn Staley's Gamecocks, the top seed, appeared plenty motivated to win a third straight tournament title. They came out of the gates strong, shooting a blistering 67% from the field in the first half to build a 48-23 lead at the break.

Big 12 Conference moves 10 football games to Fridays next fall

The Big 12 has moved six of its conference football games to Friday nights next fall, along with another matchup of league teams that won't count in the standings. Those were among the 10 games involving Big 12 teams selected Friday by the league's television partners, ESPN and Fox, for Friday night broadcasts. There will be two games on three of those nights. The first will be the opening weekend of the season when Baylor hosts SEC team Auburn, and Colorado is home against ACC team Georgia Tech on Aug. 29.

Vols' Josh Heupel says traditional spring game valuable for giving players experience on big stage

Tennessee will hold its spring game in the usual scrimmage format on April 12. Coach Josh Heupel said creating a big stage this time of year benefits development. The Volunteers' spring game attracted more than 58,000 fans in 2023. Neyland Stadium's spring-game capacity was reduced to 10,000 last year because of a renovation project and the limit will be about 45,000 this year. Heupel said it's important for young players to experience playing in front of a big crowd before the fall. Schools such as Nebraska, Ohio State, Texas and Southern California have scrapped their spring games this year.

French soccer makes special matchday jerseys to mark International Women's Day

Every player in the top two divisions of men's soccer in France will have "WO=MAN" written on the back of their jerseys instead of their names this weekend. The French league initiative is centered around International Women's Day on Saturday. It started Friday with Toulouse's home game against Monaco, which finished 1-1. The initiative was continuing on Saturday and Sunday with the other teams in Ligue 1 and Ligue 2. The LFP says the "WO=MAN" message highlights "the importance of gender equality not only on the field, but also in the stands." LED panels around the pitches will display "WO=MAN" and official match balls have the motto written on them.

Daylight saving time is coming and the golf industry can't wait

Every year, bills are introduced in state legislatures across the country seeking to end the changing of clocks twice a year. Now with a growing number of states weighing bills that would do away with daylight saving time, many in the golf industry are pushing back. They say that extra hour of daylight at the end of the day is needed for those who can only find time to golf after work or school. A recent survey of stakeholders by the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America shows the vast majority favor either keeping the status quo or make daylight saving time permanent.

No. 14 Tar Heel women dominate boards, freshman Grant clutch at line in 60-56 win over No. 22 FSU

Alyssa Ustby scored 12 points and grabbed 18 rebounds and freshman Lanie Grant made two free throws with 7.3 seconds left to give No. 14 North Carolina a 60-56 win over No. 22 Florida State in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament. Reniya Kelly hit a jumper with just over a minute remaining to give the Tar Heels the lead and she connected again near the foul line to make it 58-54 with 20.4 seconds left. Ta'Niya Latson made two free throws for the Seminoles with 11.4 to go but then they had to foul three times before Grant went to the line. The fifth-seeded Tar Heels play top-seeded and seventh-ranked N.C. State in Saturday's semifinals. Makayla Timpson had 15 points, eight rebounds and she tied a tournament record with eight blocks for the fourth-seeded Seminoles.

Anthony Davis is improving daily, but Dallas Mavericks still not saying when he might play again

The Dallas Mavericks say Anthony Davis is improving daily but the team gave no indication of when the forward they got in their trade of Luka Doncic might be ready to play again. The Mavericks said in a medical update Friday that Davis had a recent re-evaluation of his left adductor strain and has been cleared for more dynamic on-court movements. Davis has played only one game for Dallas since the 10-time All-Star was acquired in that seismic trade on Feb. 2 that sent five-time All-Star Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Hamburger SV sells German record 57,000 tickets for women's soccer match

German soccer club Hamburger SV says it has sold a record 57,000 tickets for its women's team's German Cup semifinal against northern rival Werder Bremen. Hamburg's Volksparkstadion is sold out for the derby on March 23, meaning spectators will set a new German record for attendance in women's soccer. The team's biggest crowd to date was 19,710 fans for a city derby against St. Pauli last September. German soccer's biggest attendance at a women's game was 44,808 fans at the 2023 German Cup final between Wolfsburg and Freiburg in Cologne.

IOC's Bach sees 'new world order' ahead of LA Olympics and says Trump will 'fully support' games

could yet challenge Bach's faith in the Olympics' power to unite the world in peaceful competition and mutual acceptance. Bach says "We have a new world order in the making."

Washington Commanders release defensive tackle Jonathan Allen

The Washington Commanders have released two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jonathan Allen. The move Friday comes less than two weeks since they gave Allen's camp permission to talk to other teams around the NFL about a potential trade. There was no guaranteed money owed to the 30-year-old veteran going into the final season of his contract. That made him a candidate to be released to save the Commanders roughly $20 million against the salary cap. Releasing Allen comes a day after they agreed to terms with six-time All-Pro linebacker Bobby Wagner on a contract for next season.

Goalkeeper's ban doubled to 6 games for kicking Mateta in the head in FA Cup

Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts says he received abusive messages and threats for kicking Crystal Palace's Jean-Philippe Mateta in the head last weekend. Roberts' three-game ban for the incident was doubled to six games on Friday after the English Football Association sought extra punishment. The incident happened during an FA Cup fifth-round match last Saturday. Mateta needed 25 stitches on a severely lacerated ear. Roberts says he has received an "unthinkable amount of abusive messages and threats towards my family and I." Roberts was sent off after eight minutes of the match between the London rivals.

For some athletes, Olympic sliding in Lake Placid or Italy would both have comforts of home

are waiting to have answered: Cortina or Lake Placid?

Britain's Matt Weston finishes a dominant run to the men's skeleton world title in Lake Placid

in 3 minutes, 35.48 seconds. Weston's winning margin of 1.90 seconds was the second-largest in a men's world championships since skeleton was restored to the Olympic program about a quarter-century ago.

Lake Placid awaits word on whether it'll be picked as the Olympic sliding site for 2026 Games

Picture this: A sliding athlete wins an Olympic medal in Lake Placid next winter, then is chauffeured down to New York for an award ceremony at Rockefeller Center a few days later with thousands of people there to cheer on both moments. It could happen. The element of incorporating New York into the Olympics is just one of the unique details inside Lake Placid's plan if the two-time Olympic host gets asked to be the site of the sliding events for next winter's Milan-Cortina Games.

Smith, ESPN agree to 5-year extension. The deal is worth at least $100 million, AP source says

ESPN says it has agreed to a five-year extension with Stephen A. Smith after nearly a year of negotiations. ESPN did not announce financial terms but a person with knowledge of the agreement told The Associated Press that it is at least $100 million. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to discuss financial matters. Smith's contract with ESPN was slated to expire in July. The extension makes Smith ESPN's highest-paid talent. Fox Sports NFL analyst Tom Brady remains the top sports host or commentator with a 10-year deal that averages $37.5 million per year.

Cadillac F1 receives approval to enter global series as expanded 11th team in 2026

Cadillac's Formula 1 team has received official approval to join the grid in 2026 and its owners insist the team will be ready to compete. Although the grid expansion was approved last November, it was not until Friday that governing body FIA and Formula One Management said the Cadillac F1 effort meets all the requirements to become the 11th team in the series next season. The team will function out of locations in Silverstone, England, the Indianapolis area and in Concord, North Carolina. Team owners say they have a 2026 car built that has already been in the wind tunnel.

Premier Padel tour to make its US debut with tournament in Miami

Lionel Messi likes to play padel in his free time with his Inter Miami teammates. Rafael Nadal was recently seen playing shots off the glass on a padel court at his academy in Spain. So what's all the fuss about this other racket sport? An American audience is about to find out as the Premier Padel tour makes its debut in the U.S. this month with a tournament in Miami. Padel is a cross between tennis and squash with players allowed to hit the ball off the glass and metallic mesh walls that surround the court. The tournament will be played March 18-23 at the Miami Beach Convention Center.

Alex Condon's 'wheeling and dealing' has No. 5 Florida closing in on a No. 1 seed in March Madness

It wasn't that long ago that Alex Condon was a point guard. Although he was admittedly "pretty uncoordinated" as a teenager playing low-level basketball in Australia, Condon quickly learned how to handle the rock. And he's maintained those skills while growing into a 6-foot-11 big man and becoming one of Florida's most important starters. He ranks third on the fifth-ranked Gators with 62 assists. Few big men in college can match his assist-to-turnover ratio that's slightly better than 2-to-1.

Bills agree to sign LB Bernard to 4-year contract extension. AP source says deal worth $50 million

The Buffalo Bills on Friday reached an agreement to sign starting middle linebacker Terrel Bernard to a four-year contract extension worth up to $50 million, with $25.2 million of it guaranteed, in locking up their defensive leader through the 2029 season. The team announced the agreement while a person with direct knowledge of the deal provided The Associated Press the contract's monetary terms. The person spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity because the Bills did not announce the contract's value. The 25-year-old Bernard has quickly made an impact since being selected in the third round of the 2022 draft out of Baylor.

Sports on TV for March 8 - 9

(All times Eastern)

Sports on TV for March 10 - 16

Adv08-09

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. says his request to Blue Jays was for less than $600 million

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. says his proposal for a long-term contract with the Toronto Blue Jays was for less than $600 million. In an interview to ESPN, the four-time All-Star disputed speculation he sought a deal similar to the $765 million, 15-year contract that Juan Soto agreed to with the New York Mets. Guerrero has a $28.5 million, one-year contract and can become a free agent after the World Series. Guerrero hit .323 with a .396 on-base percentage, .544 slugging percentage, 30 homers and 103 RBIs in 159 games last season.

Samuel Eto'o wins appeal to run for spot on Africa soccer's governing body

Soccer great Samuel Eto'o has successfully overturned a move to block him from running for a position on the governing body of African soccer. The Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport found in Eto'o's favor after he appealed a decision by the Confederation of African Football to exclude him as a candidate to join its executive committee. The 43-year-old former striker, who played for top clubs like Barcelona, Inter Milan and Chelsea, has been president of the Cameroon soccer federation since 2021.

Italy's Paris wins World Cup downhill to prevent Swiss sweep, Odermatt closes in on overall title

Italian veteran Dominik Paris has prevented a Swiss sweep of the podium by winning a men's World Cup downhill race. Paris claimed his record-extending fourth World Cup win in Kvitfjell. He beat Marco Odermatt by 0.32 seconds and Stefan Rogentin by 0.63. Swiss skiers Franjo von Allmen and Alexis Monney were fourth and fifth, respectively. The 35-year-old Paris also won World Cup downhill races in Kvitfjell in 2016, 2019 and 2022, and Friday's win took his tally altogether to 19, joint-second on the all-time downhill winners list with Peter Müller of Switzerland. Only Austrian skier Franz Klammer won more (25).

Hataoka and Porter atop the leaderboard after second round of LPGA in China

Nasa Hataoka and Cassie Porter are atop the leaderboard with a one-shot lead after the second round of the LPGA's Blue Bay tournament on China's southern island of Hainan. Hataoka shot a 6-under 66 on Friday and Porter was in with a 68, both 7-under 137 after two rounds. Rio Takeda was a shot behind after a 69, and Gabbie Lopez and Auston Kim were two back.

March Madness is coming, and women's players are urging fans to keep cool in social media posts

Iowa State women's basketball star Audi Crooks has a love-hate relationship with social media. Sometimes she'll scroll through her direct messages and find a note from a little girl who sees her as a role model and asks for advice, words of encouragement or to take a picture with her after the next game. Other times, the Big 12's leading scorer will receive a message criticizing the way she looks, the way she plays or the way she acts. Crooks says keyboard warriors are missing the point of social media and using it to connect with college athletes.

Paul Skenes could be MLB's ticket to Gen Z. The Pirates ace will face it on his terms

Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes is trying to take his burgeoning fame in stride. The 22-year-old became an instant sensation from the moment he made his big-league debut last May. The 6-foot-6 right-hander went on to start the All-Star Game and win the National League Rookie of the Year award. Skenes called the buzz that surrounds him as he enters his second season "cool" and is happy to help grow the game but only up to a point. Skenes pointed out his fame is dependent on his play, and that taking another step forward on the mound while trying to lead the Pirates to the playoffs is his focus.

Two-time Olympic taekwondo champion Jade Jones launches boxing career

Jade Jones, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in taekwondo, is switching to boxing. Jones took gold for Britain in 2012 and 2016 and competed in four Games most recently in Paris last year. But at the age of 31 she has announced her move to boxing. She tells the BBC "The dream is to be a world champion. To be a world champion in two sports would be pretty cool." She will be trained by former British and Commonwealth featherweight champion Stephen Smith.

Chicago faces Utah in Central Division play

The Chicago Blackhawks play the Utah Hockey Club in a matchup of Central Division squads.

Air Force visits Utah State on 13-game road skid

Air Force is looking to end its 13-game road skid with a win against Utah State. Saturday's meeting will be the second of the season between the two teams. Utah State is 14-5 against the MWC, and Air Force is 1-18 against conference opponents.

Boise State Broncos face the Colorado State Rams on 5-game win streak

Boise State faces Colorado State looking to prolong its five-game win streak. Friday's meeting will be the second of the season between the two teams. Boise State is 14-5 against the MWC, and Colorado State is 15-4 against conference opponents.

Madsen leads Utah against No. 23 BYU after 23-point game

Utah visits the No. 23 BYU Cougars after Gabe Madsen scored 23 points in the Utes' 71-69 loss to the West Virginia Mountaineers. Saturday's meeting will be the second of the season between the two teams. BYU is 13-6 against the Big 12, and Utah is 8-11 against conference opponents.

Weber State Wildcats play in Big Sky Tournament against the Sacramento State Hornets

The Weber State Wildcats take on the Sacramento State Hornets in the Big Sky Tournament. Saturday's game will be the third meeting of the season between the two teams. The Hornets won the previous matchup 80-77. Weber State is 5-13 against the Big Sky, and Sacramento State is 3-15 against the Big Sky.

Utah Valley hosts Tarleton State after Long's 26-point game

Tarleton State faces the Utah Valley Wolverines after Jakoriah Long scored 26 points in the Texans' 75-44 win against the Cal Baptist Lancers. Saturday's meeting is the first this season between the squads. Utah Valley is 8-7 against the WAC, and Tarleton State is 10-5 against conference opponents.

Utah Tech takes on Seattle U following Owona's 20-point game

Utah Tech hosts the Seattle U Redhawks after Madiba Owona scored 20 points in Utah Tech's 90-68 loss to the Grand Canyon Antelopes. The teams meet Saturday for the second time this season. Utah Tech is 2-13 against the WAC, and Seattle U is 7-8 against conference opponents.

Edokpaigbe, Seattle U Redhawks take on the Utah Tech Trailblazers

Seattle U plays Utah Tech in a matchup of WAC teams. Saturday's meeting is the first of the season for the two teams. Seattle U is 0-15 against the WAC, and Utah Tech is 1-14 against conference opponents.

Chhetri comes out of retirement at 40 to help India in Asian Cup qualifying

India has recalled 40-year-old striker Sunil Chhetri to the national team for an Asian Cup soccer qualifier against Bangladesh later this month. Chhetri is third on the list of active international scorers with 94 goals. It's an elite list _ topped by Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Chhetri is coming out of retirement for the game after deciding last year he was closing the curtain on international soccer. But India coach Manolo Marquez convinced Chhetri to return because "the qualification for the Asian Cup is very crucial for us." Marquez said he discussed the importance of qualifying with Chhetri and the striker had agreed to "making a comeback to strengthen the national team."

At beginning of tough stretch, Lakers show grit with overtime victory over Knicks

It is fitting that in a town built on movies and television, JJ Redick likes to use a popular directing term to refer to different moments in his first season as coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. On Thursday night, the Lakers provided Redick with another memorable callback moment. Los Angeles began a stretch of five games against some of the top teams in the NBA with a 113-109 overtime victory over the New York Knicks. The Lakers have won eight straight and are second in the Western Conference at 40-21.

Knicks guard Jalen Brunson expected to miss time after suffering ankle injury in OT loss to Lakers

New York star guard Jalen Brunson could miss an extended period of time after suffering an ankle injury during overtime in the Knicks' 113-109 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night. Coach Tom Thibodeau said after the game that Brunson was still being examined by the medical staff. Brunson rolled his right ankle with 1:24 remaining in overtime after landing on the foot of Lakers guard Austin Reaves after being fouled on a drive to the basket. Brunson got help up from teammates and stayed in the game to make both free throws and tie it at 107. He then came out and went to the locker room.

San Diego FC brings shutout streak into matchup with Real Salt Lake

San Diego FC heads into a matchup against Real Salt Lake after putting together two straight shutout wins.