Category: Sports

SALT LAKE CITY — Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid delivered a surprising statement to media members Tuesday evening after reaching a major career milestone, claiming that finding the back of the net has never been effortless for him.

Following his two-goal performance in Edmonton’s 5-2 victory against Utah, which brought his career total to 401 goals, McDavid maintained a serious expression while addressing reporters about his achievement.

“Goal scoring is something that has not come easy to me,” McDavid stated after the game. “It’s something that I work at, something that I focus on. I set a goal at the beginning of the year: trying to shoot more pucks.”

Teammate Jack Roslovic, who also netted two goals in Tuesday’s victory, appeared stunned by McDavid’s assertion about his scoring abilities. When reporters asked if he shared McDavid’s assessment, Roslovic responded with disbelief, simply saying: “No comment.”

According to Roslovic, the team, which climbed to second place in the Pacific Division standings, draws inspiration from their captain’s work ethic, even though McDavid isn’t particularly vocal as a leader.

“It’s just the hustle. Everyone watches him, knows what he’s doing, and it’s inspiring, humbling, motivating,” Roslovic explained.

McDavid joined an exclusive group as the fifth player in franchise history to score 400 goals when he converted a pass from Mattias Ekholm and Evan Bouchard, defeating goaltender Karel Vejmelka with 7:53 remaining in the middle period.

That breakthrough goal marked his 39th of the current season and gave Edmonton a 3-2 advantage. McDavid added his 401st career goal and 40th of the season by scoring into an empty net with just 7.5 seconds left on the clock.

The superstar center has claimed the Hart Memorial Trophy as league MVP three times and stands as one of only two players to win the award unanimously, joining Wayne Gretzky in that distinction. McDavid has gained recognition for his exceptional skating ability, recently clocking a maximum on-ice speed of 24.61 mph during a game.

“Of course, there’s his speed, but I don’t think he gets enough credit for his shot,” said Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch. “He is dangerous when he gets off the circles and he’s got a great release and is so difficult to check. He’s so determined to get to the net.”

Despite his goal-scoring prowess, McDavid views himself primarily as someone who sets up teammates for success. He has accumulated 1,200 career points, becoming the third-fastest player in NHL history to reach that benchmark behind only Gretzky and Mario Lemieux. McDavid sits one assist away from reaching 800 career helpers.

“It’s a big number, obviously, and I feel like I got a lot of great years ahead of me still, which is exciting,” said McDavid, who was selected first overall in the 2015 draft. “These milestones are just a nice time to reflect and I’m just very grateful to have played with so many great players.”

Several teammates acknowledge that McDavid’s performances can be so spectacular that it becomes tempting to simply observe rather than participate.

“He’s amazing,” Roslovic commented. “Just really cool for him, obviously, to do that, and then for us to be able to be a part of it and to be able to watch is special.”

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Memphis Grizzlies star point guard Ja Morant will sit out the rest of the current NBA season after sustaining a UCL sprain in his left elbow, the team announced Tuesday evening.

Team officials indicated that Morant will receive a platelet-rich plasma injection to help the healing process. The organization anticipates he will be fully recovered in time for the upcoming season.

The 26-year-old Murray State product, standing 6-foot-2, has been limited to just 20 appearances this season for Memphis. His scoring average of 19.5 points per game marks his lowest output since his sophomore campaign in the league. This premature conclusion to his season extends a troubling pattern for the frequently injured point guard, who has participated in merely 79 contests across the previous three seasons.

The elbow injury occurred in late January, shortly after Morant had returned from a two-week absence due to calf discomfort.

Selected as the second overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, trailing only Zion Williamson, Morant quickly became a must-see attraction during his early professional years with Memphis.

The dynamic playmaker became known for spectacular dunks against towering centers and eluding defenders with spinning maneuvers. His court vision allowed him to thread passes through tight defensive schemes, while his defensive hustle resulted in memorable chase-down blocks where he would pin shots against the backboard’s upper corner.

These athletic displays and highlight-reel moments led to his Rookie of the Year award in 2020 and Most Improved Player recognition in 2022.

However, personal conduct problems and behavioral concerns that emerged in 2023 began affecting his on-court contributions for Memphis. Footage from March 2023 showing Morant displaying a firearm at a Denver nightclub resulted in an eight-game NBA suspension, despite no criminal charges being pursued.

Several months afterward, Morant appeared on a livestream again brandishing a weapon while riding as a passenger in a vehicle. Following the league’s investigation, Commissioner Adam Silver announced that Morant would begin the 2023-24 season serving a 25-game suspension.

The University of North Carolina terminated head basketball coach Hubert Davis on Tuesday evening following a crushing first-round exit from the NCAA Tournament.

Athletic Director Bubba Cunningham released a statement acknowledging Davis’s contributions to the program. “We appreciate all that Hubert has done for Carolina as a player, assistant coach, head coach and community leader — he has helped make special memories we will never forget,” Cunningham stated. “This was not an easy decision because of Hubert’s tremendous character and all he has given to the program, but we must move forward in a way that allows our team to compete more consistently at an elite level.”

Multiple sources report that Davis will receive $5.3 million from the university as payment for the remainder of his coaching contract. The former Tar Heel player competed for North Carolina from 1988 to 1992 and later worked as an assistant coach from 2012 through 2021.

The dismissal came after North Carolina’s devastating tournament loss last Thursday in Greenville, South Carolina. The eighth-seeded Tar Heels held a commanding 19-point advantage over VCU in the second half before allowing the 11th-seeded Rams to mount a comeback and secure an 82-78 overtime victory.

North Carolina concluded the season with a 24-9 overall record. The team finished tied for fourth in Atlantic Coast Conference regular season play at 12-6, with their most notable achievement being a 71-68 home victory against rival Duke on February 7.

This marked the second consecutive year that the Tar Heels were eliminated in the tournament’s opening round. Last year, North Carolina defeated San Diego State in a First Four matchup before falling to sixth-seeded Ole Miss 71-64 as an 11th seed.

Davis experienced his greatest success during his inaugural season as head coach after assuming leadership of his former school when Roy Williams stepped down. In the 2021-22 campaign, the Tar Heels compiled a 29-10 record and advanced to the NCAA championship game before losing to Kansas.

The program failed to qualify for the NCAA Tournament the following season, then made it to the Sweet 16 in 2024.

During his tenure, Davis accumulated a 125-54 overall coaching record, which included a 68-30 mark in Atlantic Coast Conference competition.

Tiger Woods stepped back into competitive golf Tuesday evening, though his comeback was brief during the TGL SoFi Cup championship match in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

The golf legend participated in the finals for Jupiter Links, but his team suffered a decisive 9-2 defeat to Los Angeles GC. The contest concluded in approximately 90 minutes, ending so quickly that Woods never had the opportunity to participate in the singles competition.

Reflecting on the outcome, Woods candidly stated they got “our (butts) kicked in the end.”

“They steamrolled us in the end, but it’s good to be back,” Woods commented after the match.

This marked Woods’ first competitive appearance since February 2025 during TGL’s debut season. The 50-year-old golfer is roughly six months into recovery from lumbar disk replacement surgery performed last fall, following an earlier Achilles rupture operation. His last regular tournament participation was at the 2024 Open Championship.

Whether Woods will participate in next month’s Masters tournament remains uncertain.

The five-time Masters winner began Tuesday’s competition with a putt from approximately 25 feet that fell short of the target. Shortly afterward, he helped secure his team’s initial point with a 3-wood shot measuring 272 virtual yards, positioning Jupiter Links for a scoring opportunity.

Woods displayed elements reminiscent of his prime years, sporting his signature red shirt while close-up cameras captured perspiration on his face. His intense focus and stern expression recalled the concentration that characterized many of his greatest performances.

However, he also missed a crucial short putt, striking his putter against the ball after it rimmed out. This mistake caused Jupiter Links to trail 3-2 for the first time during the match.

Serving as Jupiter Links captain, Woods competed in the second match of the best-of-three finals held on the Palm Beach State College campus.

“I’ve been a cheerleader all these matches, and I want to contribute,” he stated before the competition began.

Woods joined teammates Max Homa and Tom Kim, taking Kevin Kisner’s spot in the lineup. Their opponents included Justin Rose, Tommy Fleetwood, and Sahith Theegala.

Los Angeles GC had already secured Monday’s opening match. Tuesday’s victory in the second match eliminated the need for a deciding third contest.

Last year’s inaugural TGL finals saw Atlanta Drive GC sweep New York Golf Club 2-0.

CINCINNATI — Veteran quarterback Joe Flacco has reached an agreement to remain with the Cincinnati Bengals, continuing his role as the backup to starting quarterback Joe Burrow.

The Bengals acquired Flacco through a trade with the Cleveland Browns in October, and he stepped into the starting role for six games while Burrow recovered from a toe injury.

Despite posting a 1-5 record as Cincinnati’s starter, the 41-year-old quarterback delivered solid performances. Flacco surpassed 200 passing yards in four of his six starting appearances, helping the Bengals offense maintain an average of more than 27 points per game during that stretch.

Earlier in the same season, Flacco had started four games for Cleveland, recording two touchdown passes against six interceptions.

The former Super Bowl MVP from Baltimore’s 2012 championship run has had an extensive NFL journey, suiting up for Denver, New York Jets, Philadelphia, Indianapolis, and most recently Cleveland before joining Cincinnati.

Throughout his 19-year professional career, Flacco has accumulated 48,176 passing yards with 272 touchdown passes and 172 interceptions. His postseason resume includes a 10-6 record with 3,530 yards through the air, 26 touchdown passes, and 12 interceptions.

March Madness delivered record-breaking television audiences during its opening week, with an average of 10.1 million viewers tuning in across CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV through the second round of competition.

Nielsen data shows tournament viewership climbed 7% compared to the previous year. The current broadcast format began in 2011 when CBS partnered with TNT to air all tournament games, replacing the previous regional coverage system that CBS used from 1991 to 2010.

Thursday and Friday’s opening round games drew 9.5 million viewers on average, representing a 9% boost from last year. Weekend action during the second round attracted 11 million viewers on Saturday and Sunday combined. The second round numbers mark the highest audience levels since 1993 and reflect a 7% year-over-year increase.

Sunday evening’s prime-time slate proved particularly popular with viewers, as simultaneous games featuring St. John’s against Kansas on CBS, Iowa versus Florida on TBS, and Virginia taking on Tennessee on TNT collectively reached 19.7 million viewers. This three-game window set a new tournament record for first-week viewership.

Georgetown basketball guard KJ Lewis, who received All-Big East third-team recognition, is set to enter the transfer portal for the second straight year, according to a Tuesday report from On3.

The guard, who spent his initial two collegiate seasons at Arizona before transferring, appeared in 28 games this season with 27 starts. Lewis topped Georgetown’s roster with a 14.9 points per game scoring average, ranking ninth among Big East players. He also finished second in the conference for steals with 2.1 per contest and paced the Hoyas with 5.1 rebounds per game.

The 6-foot-4 player’s season came to an early end when he suffered a left ankle injury during Georgetown’s matchup with Marquette on February 24, sidelining him for the final six regular season contests.

The Hoyas finished the campaign with a 16-18 overall record and went 6-14 in Big East play. Georgetown managed to advance through two rounds of the conference tournament before losing to UConn in the semifinal round.

During his previous season at Arizona, Lewis posted averages of 10.8 points and 4.6 rebounds across 37 appearances, including six as a starter. He received honorable mention recognition for the Pac-12 All-Freshman team in 2023-24. Throughout his two-year tenure with the Wildcats, Lewis compiled career averages of 8.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.2 steals over 73 total games.

Women’s basketball coach Kristy Curry has concluded her 13-year tenure at Alabama to accept the head coaching position at South Florida, both universities confirmed Tuesday.

South Florida’s Athletics CEO Rob Higgins praised the hiring, describing Curry as “a proven winner at the highest levels.”

“She has guided her teams to the NCAA championship game and built an exceptional resume that includes 16 20-win seasons and 21 postseason appearances over 27 years as a head coach,” Higgins stated. “I’m incredibly excited about the future of South Florida women’s basketball under her leadership.”

The decision marks an unexpected career shift for the 59-year-old Curry, who has exclusively coached at major conference programs throughout her career, including Purdue from 1999-2006, Texas Tech from 2006-13, and most recently Alabama. Her move to the American Conference represents a departure from high-major basketball.

South Florida previously enjoyed consistent NCAA Tournament success under Jose Fernandez during his 25-year leadership before he departed to coach the WNBA’s Dallas Wings in 2025. Michele Woods-Baxter filled the interim role for the 2025-26 season, leading the Bulls to a 20-12 record and 13-5 conference mark, though they failed to secure a tournament berth.

“I would like to thank Rob Higgins for the tremendous opportunity to lead a proud South Florida women’s basketball program,” Curry expressed in her statement. “A strong foundation is in place, and I look forward to building on it as we pursue conference championships and NCAA Tournament success. Rob and the University’s commitment to competing at the highest level—along with the clear vision and alignment at USF—are truly exceptional. I can’t wait to meet Bulls Nation and experience a rocking Yuengling Center.”

Alabama Athletic Director Greg Byrne acknowledged Curry’s departure, stating she performed “a commendable job” during her time with the program.

“We appreciated her contributions and wish her and her family well moving forward,” Byrne commented. “As we begin a national search for our next head coach, Alabama athletics remains committed to the continued growth and investment in women’s basketball.”

Under Curry’s guidance, Alabama secured four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and reached the second round in three straight seasons. The Crimson Tide’s most recent campaign concluded Monday with a heartbreaking 69-68 defeat to third-seeded Louisville in the Round of 32, despite entering as a sixth seed.

The program achieved a 24-11 overall record and 7-9 SEC conference mark this season. Alabama also earned AP Top 25 recognition for the second consecutive year, reaching as high as No. 21 in the rankings. Prior to Curry’s arrival, the program hadn’t appeared in the polls since the 1998-99 season.

Curry brings an impressive 554-322 career coaching record to South Florida. Her most notable achievement came at Purdue in 2001, when she guided the Boilermakers to the Final Four and championship game, where they defeated Missouri State before falling 68-66 to Notre Dame for the national title.

Golden State Warriors guard Moses Moody’s season has come to an abrupt end following a devastating knee injury that occurred during Monday night’s 137-131 overtime victory.

Team officials announced Tuesday that the 23-year-old player suffered a torn patellar tendon in his left knee and will undergo surgical repair later this week. Medical imaging confirmed the extent of the damage after Moody collapsed during the game’s final moments.

The injury happened with less than a minute remaining in overtime as Moody attempted what appeared to be an easy dunk following a steal from Cooper Flagg. His knee gave way beneath him, sending him crashing to the floor where he remained in visible pain for several minutes before medical staff transported him from the arena on a stretcher. Despite his obvious distress, Moody managed to acknowledge the crowd with a wave as he was wheeled away.

The shocking scene left players from both teams, coaching staff, and spectators stunned into silence for the remainder of the contest.

This season marked a career year for Moody, who was posting personal-best averages of 12.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.0 steals across 25.7 minutes per game. Monday’s performance was particularly impressive, as he had just returned from a 10-game absence due to a sprained right wrist and delivered 23 points along with three crucial steals against Flagg.

His defensive pressure proved pivotal in the fourth quarter and overtime, with his first two steals sparking an 11-0 Warriors run that broke a deadlock at the start of the final period.

Head coach Steve Kerr praised his player’s character and contribution following the victory, despite the somber circumstances.

“Mo is such a great human being, great teammate, wonderful guy to coach,” Kerr commented afterward. “Puts in the work every day. And was brilliant, by the way. Played so well defensively, changed the game for us with his ball pressure and knocked down big shots. So great to finally have him back. And then for that to happen, you’re just praying that it’s not too serious, but it sure looked serious.”

The arena atmosphere remained subdued throughout the game’s final minute, with Golden State managing just one point in the closing seconds.

Kerr noted the visible impact the injury had on everyone present, including the opposing team.

“I saw the looks on the Mavericks’ faces,” Kerr observed. “Everybody on the floor was just horrified. Players care about players. They know how fragile this business is and how short their careers are and how injuries can happen and can be catastrophic. We don’t know what it is yet. We’re just hoping for the best.”

The Warriors are currently positioned for the Western Conference play-in tournament while also monitoring the recovery status of star player Stephen Curry, who is dealing with his own right knee injury. The team previously lost Jimmy Butler for the remainder of the season due to a knee injury requiring ACL surgery.

BENGALURU, India — A massive $1.78 billion sale has been finalized for the defending Indian Premier League cricket champions, with Royal Challengers Bengaluru set to change hands to an international group of investors.

The purchasing group includes major players from both India and the United States: the Aditya Birla Group, The Times of India Group, sports investment company Bolt Ventures led by David Blitzer, and American investment giant Blackstone.

This consortium will acquire both the men’s cricket team and the franchise’s Women’s Premier League squad from current owner United Spirits Limited.

Tuesday’s announcement comes just four days ahead of RCB’s first match as they attempt to repeat as IPL champions.

The transaction still requires final authorization from the Board of Control for Cricket in India along with other governing bodies.

As one of the IPL’s founding eight franchises, Royal Challengers Bengaluru features Indian cricket superstar Virat Kohli on its current roster.

National Football League officials are developing backup plans for potential referee labor disputes in 2026, introducing proposed rule modifications that would grant New York’s replay center broader authority to fix “clear and obvious” officiating errors during any work stoppage.

League competition committee members announced their recommended rule adjustments on Tuesday, featuring minor modifications to kickoff regulations and expanded replay center powers to remove players for egregious conduct on unpunished plays.

Team owners will review these proposals during next week’s Arizona league meetings, requiring approval from a minimum of 24 out of 32 franchises for implementation.

The most significant recommendation addresses potential labor disputes with officials, as the current collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and NFL Referees Association concludes on May 31.

During 2012’s opening three weeks, the league employed substitute officials who made numerous errors and questionable decisions. The situation reached a breaking point during a Monday night matchup between Green Bay and Seattle in Week 3, when the Seahawks secured victory on a controversial touchdown reception dubbed the “Fail Mary.” League officials later acknowledged the score should have been nullified due to offensive pass interference.

Public criticism escalated to include President Barack Obama, who urged an end to the lockout. The dispute concluded days later, followed by an official fan apology from Commissioner Roger Goodell.

The competition committee’s new framework would empower New York’s replay center to guide field officials on overlooked roughing the passer or intentional grounding violations, plus any conduct warranting ejection had penalties been assessed.

Replay officials could also reverse calls involving illegal contact, face mask violations, roughing the passer, horse-collar tackles and intentional grounding. They would additionally assist in overturning pass interference calls when clear evidence shows “advertent tangling of feet when both players were playing the ball or neither player was playing the ball.”

During the final two minutes of each half or throughout overtime, replay centers would gain authority to reverse or assess flags for unnecessary roughness or unsportsmanlike conduct involving punches, forearms or kicks, along with leaping or leverage violations on special teams plays.

Replay officials could also address incorrect decisions regarding running into or roughing kickers.

Another committee recommendation would permit New York’s officiating center to eject players for flagrant or non-football conduct even without on-field penalty calls. Previous regulations only allowed replay center intervention when field officials had already thrown flags.

This change follows an incident involving Pittsburgh receiver DK Metcalf, who avoided ejection during a Detroit game last season after confronting a heckling fan. Since field officials missed the play when Metcalf struck at the fan, replay officials couldn’t remove him. The league later imposed a two-game suspension, but Metcalf continued playing at the time.

The committee also suggested several adjustments to kickoff rules entering their third season, including permitting teams to declare onside kicks regardless of game situation. The original 2024 rule restricted onside kicks to fourth quarter trailing situations. Last year’s modification allowed trailing teams to declare onside kicks anytime, while the new proposal removes all scoring restrictions.

Additional kickoff changes include minor adjustments to receiving team formations and modifications to touchback rules on kicks from the 50-yard line following personal foul penalties.

Under previous rules, kicking teams were encouraged to kick out of bounds from the 50 to give receiving teams the ball at the 25 rather than the 35 for touchbacks. The new proposal would spot touchbacks from 50-yard line kicks at the 20.

Several off-field bylaw changes were also proposed.

The committee recommended granting the league flexibility to modify roster cutdown dates, currently scheduled for Tuesday following final preseason games, to accommodate international regular season games. The Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers are scheduled to open the season in Australia, giving the league options to adjust dates based on travel schedules.

Another proposal would designate Labor Day weekend Saturday and Sunday as business days, allowing the 24-hour waiver period for players to take effect on those days instead of waiting until Monday.

The committee also suggested allowing players who began training camp on the physically unable to perform list and remained there after roster cuts to open their 21-day practice window after Week 2 of the regular season. These players still cannot join active rosters until missing four games but could practice earlier.

Owners will also consider two team-submitted proposals from last week, including Cleveland’s request to extend draft pick trading from three to five years in advance, and Pittsburgh’s proposal to make permanent the five video or phone calls with potential free agents during the negotiating window before the league year begins. The communication rule was tested on a trial basis this year.

CAMDEN, N.J. — Philadelphia 76ers star Paul George is prepared to make his comeback Wednesday evening against the Chicago Bulls following a 25-game ban for breaking the NBA’s anti-drug policy, though he chose not to reveal details about the failed test that sidelined him.

Speaking at the team’s New Jersey training facility Tuesday, George expressed remorse to the organization, supporters, and his loved ones for the lapse in judgment that resulted in his positive drug test.

“To let people down hurt more than kind of anything,” George said.

The veteran forward explained that his decision to use a prohibited substance stemmed from mental health challenges triggered by an offseason knee injury that hampered his performance this year.

“The most difficult thing is when your body isn’t where you know it needs to be or where it once was,” George said. “That leads and bleeds into the mental side of things, knowing that you’re limited. But for me, I feel good, my body is feeling great. Mentally, I know I’m capable of doing what I can do and what I’ve been able to on the court for years.”

The suspension, which began in late January, cost the 35-year-old athlete approximately $11.7 million of his $51.7 million annual salary — roughly $469,692 per missed game.

During George’s absence, Philadelphia managed a 13-12 record and currently sits in seventh place in the Eastern Conference with a 39-33 record entering Tuesday’s games. The team has also been without injured center Joel Embiid for the past 13 contests.

George, who inked a four-year, $212 million deal before the 2024 season, has struggled through an injury-plagued first campaign in Philadelphia. He’s averaging just 16 points across 27 games this season, well below his career standards.

The nine-time All-Star’s difficulties began with knee surgery in July after a workout injury, causing him to miss the season’s opening 12 games. His 16.2 points per game average last season in just 41 appearances marked his lowest scoring output in a full season since averaging 12.1 points during his second NBA year with Indiana.

“Being a pro athlete takes a toll on you,” George said. “My body wasn’t where I wanted it to be. The expectations to perform because of my body not being where it needed to be, obviously, I’m going to have an expectation for myself. That’s what led to a poor decision at the time.”

The extended break allowed George’s nagging injuries to heal, which he believes has also boosted his mental state.

“These 25 games were just what I needed, I think for my body,” he said.

George acknowledged his ongoing mental health journey, emphasizing his humanity despite his professional status.

“I’ve said it throughout my career, dealing with mental health, I’m no superhero,” George said. “I’m human and I made a mistake in that moment.”

With 2023 MVP Embiid sidelined by a right oblique strain and All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey missing nine consecutive games due to a right finger tendon injury, George’s return comes at a crucial time for Philadelphia’s playoff aspirations.

No immediate timeline has been established for either Embiid’s or Maxey’s return to action.

George expressed confidence in his ability to help carry the scoring load and guide the 76ers out of play-in tournament territory into a secure playoff position over the final 10 games.

“I’ve been feeling great, feeling explosive again, feeling strong again,” he said. “I feel like I’m back on that level of being able to perform and be the focal guy and be the scorer.”

The National Basketball Players Association is advocating for changes to the NBA’s 65-game minimum requirement for major awards, citing concerns that deserving athletes are being unfairly excluded from recognition due to injury-related absences.

Detroit’s Cade Cunningham has become the latest example of the rule’s impact, as his qualification for honors like All-NBA team selection remains uncertain. The guard has participated in 61 contests this season and faces additional missed games while dealing with a collapsed lung injury.

The players union, which originally agreed to the requirement through collective bargaining negotiations, now believes modifications are necessary.

“Cade Cunningham’s potential ineligibility for postseason awards after a career-defining season is a clear indictment of the 65-game rule and yet another example of why it must be abolished or reformed to create an exception for significant injuries,” the union said through a spokesperson. “Since its implementation, far too many deserving players have been unfairly disqualified from end-of-season honors by this arbitrary and overly rigid quota.”

The attendance requirement will affect numerous high-profile athletes this season. LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers will see his remarkable 21-season streak of All-NBA selections come to an end. Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo and Golden State’s Stephen Curry have also exceeded the absence limit for award consideration.

Several MVP candidates find themselves approaching the eligibility threshold, including Denver’s Nikola Jokic and San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama. However, leading MVP contenders Shai Gilgeous-Alexander from Oklahoma City and Luka Doncic of the Lakers maintain their qualification status with room for additional absences.

Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell recently expressed mixed feelings about the policy during weekend comments to cleveland.com.

“It’s for the right reasons, but it’s tough,” Mitchell said. “We get paid money to be out there, but there’s certain things you can’t control. It’s not like guys are resting and missing these games. These are legitimate injuries, so it’s something to look at for sure because there’s no way certain guys should be in this scenario.”

The league does provide limited exceptions to the 65-game standard. Players who compete in at least 62 games before suffering a season-ending injury may still qualify for awards, though this provision would not benefit Cunningham’s situation.

ATLANTA — Former Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa announced Tuesday that his new one-year deal with the Atlanta Falcons represents a chance to rebuild his career following a turbulent end to his six seasons in Miami.

Atlanta’s general manager Ian Cunningham revealed on March 13 that Tagovailoa will compete for the quarterback position alongside Michael Penix Jr., once Penix returns from an ACL injury sustained in November.

While acknowledging that quarterback competition is standard in professional football, Tagovailoa admitted he must improve significantly from his 2025 performance, which included a career-worst 15 interceptions and resulted in him being benched for the season’s final three games.

“If you’re looking at last year, my play wasn’t up to the standard of the way I’ve been playing football the past, what, three years since the new contract,” Tagovailoa reflected on his four-year, $212 million extension signed with Miami in 2024. “So just got to play better football. That’s what that really means. There’s no other way to sugarcoat that or go around that.”

Miami will still pay Tagovailoa $54 million in guaranteed money for 2026, while his Atlanta contract is worth just $1.3 million — the veteran minimum salary. The Falcons deal came after Miami decided to release the quarterback despite absorbing a record-breaking $99 million dead cap penalty.

Should Penix remain sidelined with his knee injury, Tagovailoa could begin the season as Atlanta’s starting quarterback. This scenario would give him a platform to demonstrate he can return to his 2023 and 2024 performance levels, when he led the NFL in passing yards (4,624) and completion percentage (72.9%) respectively.

“Last year wasn’t the best year for me,” he acknowledged. “And, you know, I’m looking for a fresh start, but fresh start in the sense of being able to compete, being able go back out there and playing football, good football, and I think the best football is still ahead of me.”

The 28-year-old quarterback said it’s premature to consider his long-term plans beyond the 2026 season or whether he’ll seek another opportunity in free agency.

“It’s hard to look that far in front,” he explained. “I think the best thing right now is making the best of this opportunity that I have with the team on my one year and make the best out of that in terms of the relationships I make with these guys.”

Tagovailoa emphasized his gratitude for the opportunity to continue playing professional football. “This is what I’ve dreamed of my entire life, you know, so regardless of what that looks like. I’m gonna be present, I’m going to be in the moment,” he said.

The Alabama product, selected in the first round of the 2020 draft, compiled a 44-32 record as Miami’s starting quarterback. Despite suffering his fourth documented concussion early in the 2024 season, he reported that his medical evaluation with Atlanta went well.

“Everything came out good” from his physical examination with the Falcons, he noted. “Some things are looking way better than, you know, the guys might have thought.” He added that concerns about future injuries don’t weigh on his mind.

“You either love it or you don’t,” Tagovailoa said regarding the injury risks inherent in football. “That’s what I would say. You either the love the game or you don’t, and you know the challenges that are ahead in terms of playing the sport with injuries.”

Former Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is looking forward to a career revival after joining the Atlanta Falcons, where he’ll battle for the starting position.

Miami drafted Tagovailoa fifth overall in 2020, awarded him a lucrative contract extension, then cut ties with him just last month. Now he’s joined Atlanta on a one-year contract, setting up a quarterback competition with Michael Penix Jr.

“Last year wasn’t the best year for me, and I’m looking for a fresh start in the sense of being able to compete, go back out and play good football,” Tagovailoa stated Tuesday during his first public comments about the career transition.

Atlanta inked him to a one-year, $1.2 million contract at veteran minimum rates, though Miami remains responsible for over $50 million still due from his four-year, $212.4 million extension signed in July 2024.

“The best thing for me right now is making the best of this opportunity that I have with the team in terms of the relationships I make with these guys,” he explained. “I get to freaking play football. This is what I dreamed of my entire life. I am going to be present. I’m going to be in the moment. I’m going to be where my feet are.”

Penix entered the 2025 season as Atlanta’s starting quarterback but suffered an ACL tear in Week 11, ending his campaign early.

“Everybody, not just those two, is coming in to compete. There are no starters right now,” general manager Ian Cunningham declared March 10 when Tagovailoa joined the organization. “We are excited to have Tua, but we’re excited to have all the players we were able to get (via free agency).”

The 28-year-old Tagovailoa expressed comfort with the upcoming quarterback battle against Penix.

“Competition is just a thing in the NFL. I am no stranger to competition — had it in college,” Tagovailoa noted. “I would say competition is just going to be there, and competition enhances the play of everyone. I don’t think the mindset changes at all. … I embrace the competition. I am excited to work alongside Mike.”

Tagovailoa led the league in passing yards and earned Pro Bowl honors in 2023, finishing his Miami tenure with a 44-32 record across six seasons. His career statistics include 68.0% completion rate, 18,166 passing yards, 120 touchdowns and 59 interceptions.

Only during the 2023 campaign did he participate in every game of his six-year career. Various injuries have sidelined him throughout his professional tenure, including a minimum of three documented concussions during his NFL years.

Penix, age 25, holds a 4-8 starting record with 59.6% completion percentage, 2,757 passing yards, 12 touchdowns and six interceptions. Atlanta selected him eighth overall in the 2024 NFL Draft.

ESPN confirmed Tuesday that veteran quarterback Trevor Siemian’s representative announced his client is also joining Atlanta’s quarterback group.

Contract details for Siemian weren’t revealed. The 34-year-old last played in an NFL regular season game during 2023 with the New York Jets and spent most of 2024 and 2025 on Tennessee’s practice squad.

The University of Cincinnati announced Tuesday that Utah State head basketball coach Jerrod Calhoun has accepted a six-year contract to return to his alma mater as the Bearcats’ new head coach.

The agreement, which requires board approval, will compensate Calhoun $3.7 million in year one with annual increases of $100,000, according to the university. The 2004 Cincinnati graduate is departing Utah State, which ESPN reports will receive nearly $3.9 million from his contract buyout.

The Ohio-born 44-year-old is departing a Utah State program where he compiled a remarkable 55-15 record across two seasons. Under Calhoun’s leadership, the Aggies earned NCAA Tournament berths and achieved AP Top 25 rankings for at least one week during both campaigns.

Utah State, seeded ninth with a 29-7 record, knocked out eighth-seeded Villanova in the NCAA Tournament’s opening round on Friday but lost to top-seeded Arizona 78-66 on Sunday.

Calhoun takes over for Wes Miller, whose contract Cincinnati terminated after five seasons without an NCAA Tournament appearance. Miller accepted the head coaching position at Charlotte on Monday.

“It is a tremendous honor to have the opportunity to lead the Bearcats’ program — one that I know intimately as an alum and hold in the highest regard,” Calhoun stated. “I am deeply grateful to (athletic director) John Cunningham and President Neville Pinto for their trust and confidence in me to elevate this program and guide our student-athletes as we pursue championships. Our goal is to build a program that consistently makes Bearcats fans proud, both on and off the court. Sarah, our children and I are excited to get to work at a place that means so much to our family.”

During the 2003-04 season, Calhoun worked as a student assistant under Bob Huggins at Cincinnati. He later joined Huggins’ coaching staff at West Virginia from 2007-12 before launching his head coaching career. His resume includes head coaching positions at Division II Fairmont State (2012-17), Youngstown State (2017-24), and Utah State.

After leading his team to both regular-season and tournament titles, Calhoun earned 2026 Mountain West Conference Coach of the Year honors. The 2023 Horizon League Coach of the Year has guided teams to nine 20-win seasons and captured conference championships in three different leagues, accumulating a 297-159 overall coaching record, with 173-121 at the Division I level.

“Jerrod is a tireless worker, has an incredible passion and talent for developing not just players, but people, and has won at every stop along the way,” Cunningham commented. “He’s one of the best offensive minds in college basketball and has the pedigree to take Cincinnati basketball to the next level in the Big 12 and nationally. I’m looking forward to welcoming his wife, Sarah, and children, Jordan, Kennedy, Kendall and Quinn to the Cincinnati family.”

Milwaukee has completed a player transaction with Tampa Bay, bringing in right-handed pitcher Jake Woodford through a trade that sent minor league hurler K.C. Hunt and cash considerations to the Rays on Tuesday.

Hunt, age 25, moves to Tampa Bay’s organization following three years developing within Milwaukee’s minor league system.

The 29-year-old Woodford joined Tampa Bay as a non-roster player for spring training activities. During four spring appearances, including two as a starter, he posted solid numbers by surrendering just one earned run across 7 1/3 innings while recording five strikeouts against two walks on four hits allowed.

Last season with Arizona, Woodford struggled in relief work, posting an 0-4 record alongside a 6.44 earned run average while notching three saves across 22 bullpen outings.

Throughout his major league career spanning 111 games with 25 starts, Woodford holds a 10-17 record and 5.10 ERA after stints with St. Louis from 2020-2023, followed by time with both Chicago’s White Sox and Pittsburgh in 2024, before joining the Diamondbacks.

The departing Hunt compiled a 7-9 record with a 4.45 ERA during his most recent campaign at Double-A Biloxi, working 121 1/3 innings across 26 starts while issuing 43 free passes and recording 122 strikeouts.

TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash doesn’t believe automated umpires will end the tradition of managers getting thrown out of baseball games.

“You only get two challenges, right? That can come up in the first inning,” Cash explained.

Baseball fans have always enjoyed watching managers lose their temper with umpires, from memorable moments like Billy Martin of the Yankees kicking dirt at Dale Scott in 1988, to Lou Piniella of Cincinnati hurling first base toward right field in frustration with Dutch Rennert in 1990, and Earl Weaver of Baltimore getting into a heated face-off with Bill Haller in 1980.

Over the last twenty years, Major League Baseball has reduced opportunities for manager complaints. Video replay started with home run decisions in August 2008 and expanded significantly to cover many calls beginning in 2014. This season introduces the Automated Ball-Strike System, allowing teams to challenge human umpires’ strike zone decisions through what’s commonly called robot umpires.

Hall of Fame manager Jim Leyland, who earned Manager of the Year honors three times and was ejected 73 times across 22 seasons, noted the trend. “Manager ejections have been down for a while now because of the replay system,” Leyland said. “I really like the ABS. I think it’s going to be great for the game.”

Statistics from MLB show that 61.5% of all ejections involving players, managers and coaches last year (99 out of 161) stemmed from ball and strike disputes, a slight increase from 60.3% (114 out of 189) in 2024. These numbers include inappropriate remarks and behavior, plus equipment throwing incidents.

“I’m in favor of anything that allows our technology to play in this game,” Cash stated. “We have so much of it. Why not use it?”

Teams receive two challenges each game, keeping their challenge when successful. Clubs that exhaust their challenges get an extra one during each additional inning.

Minnesota Twins manager Derek Shelton believes the system will initially reduce strike zone arguments. “You’re going to take out the argument of balls and strikes initially,” Shelton said. “I think the challenge is going to be after the challenges go away, how managers are and what they do? But I do think that there is going to be probably less general complaining about balls and strikes in the early going.”

Yankees manager Aaron Boone has topped or tied for most ejections four consecutive seasons, with his nine ejections in 2022 marking the highest total since Bobby Cox of Atlanta was tossed 10 times in 2007.

Cox holds the all-time record with 162 ejections, followed by John McGraw with 121, Leo Durocher at 100, Weaver with 96, Tony La Russa at 93, and Bruce Bochy with 89.

Terry Francona of Cincinnati leads current managers with 54 ejections over 25 major league seasons. Boone ranks second among active managers with 46 ejections entering his ninth season.

Rather than worrying about fewer arguments, Boone focuses on helping players stay mentally prepared when challenges don’t go their way. He wonders how pitchers will handle situations where they celebrate what appears to be a game-ending strikeout with bases loaded, only to have the automated system overturn the call and require another pitch.

“It’s a whole new thing that pitchers have never dealt with. That’s an emotional thing you’ve got to deal with,” Boone explained. “That’s something we’ve already addressed, same with the hitters to a lesser degree: that reset. How do you clear the mechanism?”

Former manager Bobby Valentine, who led three major league teams over 16 seasons, will receive recognition from the New York Mets this May with a promotional giveaway celebrating one of his 44 career ejections. Following his removal by umpire Randy Marsh on June 9, 1999, Valentine famously snuck back into the dugout wearing sunglasses and a mustache made from eye black.

Valentine believes today’s players have moved beyond responding to managers’ theatrical disputes with umpires. “I found that by the end of my career that that was only entertainment,” he said. “It didn’t fire anyone up except for my wife, who was worried about the fine that I was going to get.”

Atlanta has brought veteran quarterback Trevor Siemian onto their roster, according to confirmation from his representative to ESPN on Tuesday.

The 34-year-old signal-caller will provide additional quarterback depth for the Falcons, joining the team behind recent acquisition Tua Tagovailoa and first-round draft selection Michael Penix Jr. from 2024.

Financial details of Siemian’s contract have not been made public. His most recent NFL regular season action came in 2023 when he played for the New York Jets. During the 2024 and 2025 seasons, he was primarily on Tennessee’s practice squad roster.

Throughout his NFL career, Siemian holds a 15-18 record as a starting quarterback. Over 40 games, he has connected on 58.5% of his pass attempts, accumulating 7,751 passing yards with 44 touchdown passes and 32 interceptions while playing for Denver (2015-17), the Jets (2019, 2023), New Orleans (2021), and Chicago (2022). He has also contributed 251 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns.

Denver selected Siemian in the seventh round of the 2015 NFL Draft.

Several compelling matchups are scheduled for Wednesday across the NBA.

The Hawks will travel to face Detroit, putting a surging Atlanta squad against a Pistons team working to secure the top spot in the Eastern Conference. Boston will host Oklahoma City in a clash between the league’s two most recent title winners. Minnesota and Houston will square off in a contest that could significantly impact playoff positioning in the West.

Meanwhile, Washington will face Utah, matching a team currently enduring a 16-game losing streak against a franchise that would clearly benefit from securing one of the league’s five worst records this season.

League officials are once again addressing the persistent issue of deliberate losing during this week’s board of governors gathering in New York. The NBA has modified its draft lottery system multiple times in recent years, and more substantial reforms appear imminent. While final decisions may not emerge this week, changes are definitely coming.

“Are we seeing behavior that is worse this year than we’ve seen in recent memory? Yes, is my view,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver stated last month, emphasizing that the league is “going to be looking more closely at the totality of all the circumstances this season in terms of teams’ behavior, and very intentionally wanted teams to be on notice.”

Silver is scheduled to address media members on Wednesday, with expansion plans expected to dominate headlines as league governors prepare to vote on advancing toward adding new franchises in Las Vegas and Seattle.

However, after expansion discussions conclude, the topic of intentional losing will resurface once more.

This season has featured three separate 16-game losing streaks. Washington is currently experiencing one, Indiana recently ended such a stretch with a dramatic victory in Orlando on Monday night despite being a Finals team last year before Tyrese Haliburton’s Achilles injury in Game 7, and Sacramento endured a winless 16-game span during January and February.

“We’ve got to get some wins, man. We’ve got to keep building as a team,” Indiana forward Pascal Siakam expressed during his televised court-side interview following the Orlando victory. “It’s been tough. It’s been a tough year for us, man. It shows your character. It tests you. But that’s life.”

Deliberate losing has dominated conversations throughout the season. Brooklyn owner Joe Tsai acknowledged in the fall that the Nets are in rebuilding mode, highlighting that despite having five first-round selections in last year’s draft, they possess only one this year.

“We hope to get a good pick,” Tsai revealed at the All-In Summit. “So, you can predict what kind of strategy we will use for this season.”

The Nets entered Tuesday with a 17-55 record, ranking as the league’s third-worst team. Under current lottery rules, this position would guarantee Brooklyn the maximum 14% odds of securing the top draft selection.

Utah received a $500,000 penalty last month for failing to utilize its top players during fourth quarters, including one game the Jazz actually won against Miami. Washington’s ongoing 16-game slide represents the franchise’s fourth such streak in slightly over two years, a level of consistent failure matched just once previously in league history. Notably, in Washington’s three other 16-game losing streaks since 2023-24, the team won the 17th game.

Finishing among the league’s bottom five teams would provide Utah with a 99.4% probability of earning a top-eight draft pick; otherwise, that selection would transfer to Oklahoma City.

Jazz owner Ryan Smith responded to the $500,000 fine through social media, writing in part “agree to disagree … Also, we won the game in Miami and got fined? That makes sense.”

“Agree to disagree” could serve as the unofficial slogan for intentional losing. The practice continues regardless of opinions about it.

Pinpointing exactly when deliberate losing began remains impossible, though it dates back at least to 1982 when an owner publicly declared that finishing last would be beneficial.

That owner was Donald Sterling, who led the then-San Diego Clippers and quickly received a $10,000 fine for his recorded comments. Sterling was expelled from the league in 2014 and forced to sell the Clippers after making racist remarks.

Sterling’s 1982 tanking target was Ralph Sampson, Virginia’s dominant center. Sampson ultimately remained in college another year, partly because the draft entry deadline preceded the coin flip determining whether the Clippers or Lakers would receive the first pick. Sampson refused to risk joining the Clippers; ironically, the Lakers won the coin toss regardless.

The strategy failed then and doesn’t guarantee success now. Yet more than forty years later, the issue persists.

Detroit’s Daniss Jenkins delivered a career-best performance with 30 points, including crucial baskets in the final 25 seconds, as the Pistons stunned the visiting Los Angeles Lakers 113-110 on Monday night, bringing an end to LA’s impressive nine-game winning streak.

Jenkins also dished out eight assists while Jalen Duren dominated inside with 20 points and 11 rebounds, helping Detroit secure their fourth consecutive victory. The Pistons accomplished this feat while missing All-Star guard Cade Cunningham for the third straight game due to a collapsed lung diagnosis from last week.

Los Angeles was led by Luka Doncic’s 32-point effort, with Austin Reaves contributing 24 points and Deandre Ayton recording a double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds. LeBron James nearly achieved a triple-double with 12 points, 10 assists, and nine rebounds.

Doncic was available to play after the Lakers successfully appealed his 16th technical foul from Saturday, which had triggered an automatic suspension. The league rescinded the technical on Sunday, allowing the superstar to suit up. However, Doncic’s contested three-point attempt at the final buzzer missed the mark entirely.

In other NBA action, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 22 points powered Oklahoma City past Philadelphia 123-103, extending the Thunder’s winning streak to 12 games. The Thunder shot efficiently across all categories while VJ Edgecombe led the undermanned 76ers with 35 points.

Pascal Siakam erupted for a season-high 37 points as Indiana finally broke their franchise-record 16-game losing streak with a 128-126 victory over Orlando. The Pacers hadn’t won since before the All-Star break on February 11th, with Siakam making a crucial defensive play by blocking Paolo Banchero’s potential game-tying layup at the buzzer.

Victor Wembanyama showcased his versatility with 26 points, 15 rebounds, five blocks, and four assists in San Antonio’s dominant 136-111 win over Miami. The Spurs have now won 11 straight games with Wembanyama in the lineup and boast the NBA’s best record since February 1st at 22-2.

Kawhi Leonard set a career-high for three-pointers made in a season while scoring 28 points in the LA Clippers’ 129-96 blowout of Milwaukee. The Clippers shot 58% from the field and connected on 17 of 38 three-point attempts in the lopsided victory.

Chicago overcame a blown 22-point lead to defeat Houston 132-124, with Collin Sexton’s 25 points and Matas Buzelis’ 23 points leading seven Bulls players in double figures. Despite Kevin Durant’s 40-point performance and Alperen Sengun’s triple-double of 33 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists, the Rockets fell short on the road.

Atlanta continued their home dominance with a 146-107 rout of Memphis, extending their home winning streak to 11 games. Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 26 points, including 22 in the first half, as the Hawks improved to 14-2 since the All-Star break.

Toronto snapped a two-game skid with a convincing 143-127 victory over Utah, led by RJ Barrett’s 27 points and Sandro Mamukelashvili’s 23 points. The Raptors shot an impressive 61.4% from the field and 54.1% from three-point range.

Toumani Camara established career highs with 35 points and nine three-pointers in Portland’s 134-99 demolition of Brooklyn. The Trail Blazers moved within a half-game of the eighth playoff spot in the Western Conference with the victory.

Golden State concluded their six-game road trip with a 137-131 overtime victory over Dallas, though Moses Moody suffered a knee injury after hitting a crucial three-pointer in the extra period. Cooper Flagg led Dallas with 32 points in the losing effort.

NEW YORK (AP) — Ottawa Senators goaltender James Reimer spent Monday night waiting for the New York Rangers’ offensive attack to materialize at Madison Square Garden.

It never came.

When the final buzzer sounded on the Senators’ 2-1 victory, the Rangers had managed a mere nine shots on goal — setting multiple records in the process. The performance represented Ottawa’s franchise-best defensive showing, New York’s weakest offensive output since 1955, and marked the first time any NHL team had been held under 10 shots since 2003.

“The boys played great,” Reimer commented after the victory.

The defensive achievement became even more remarkable considering Ottawa lost two defensemen to injuries during the contest, forcing them to play most of the game with only four blue-liners. Thomas Chabot departed in the closing moments of the opening period after Rangers captain J.T. Miller struck his right arm with a stick, while Lassi Thomson suffered an undisclosed lower-body injury in the second period during his first NHL appearance since November 25, 2022.

“Whenever you get down to four D-men and you find a way to win, it’s a gutsy effort,” stated Warren Foegele, who netted his fifth goal in nine contests since arriving from Los Angeles in a trade deadline deal. “The whole group stepped up when those guys went down.”

Head coach Travis Green indicated both Chabot and Thomson will “both be out for a while,” with the team planning to summon two replacement players Tuesday before facing Detroit in a crucial Eastern Conference playoff race matchup.

The Senators were already missing two key defensemen, with Jake Sanderson potentially sidelined for another week and Nick Jensen rehabilitating from knee surgery.

With the depleted roster, Jordan Spence logged a personal-best 26 minutes and 44 seconds of ice time. Tyler Kleven contributed 24:30, Artem Zub played 23:44, and Nikolas Matinpalo skated 18:19.

“With two defensemen going down, guys have to step up, play a lot more minutes than they’re used to,” Green explained. “Give them all credit. They played a hell of a game back there.”

Spence remained unaware of his extensive playing time, focusing instead on Chabot’s injury.

“Chabby just doing how well he was doing and seeing that, it’s unfortunate,” Spence reflected. “We’re trying to win a game, so we kind of had to forget about that and try and do the best we can.”

Ottawa became the first franchise since the salary-cap implementation in 2005-06 to restrict an opponent to single-digit shots. The last occurrence happened when New Jersey limited Washington to nine shots on December 4, 2003.

Shot totals weren’t officially recorded by the league until the 1959-60 season. New York’s record books show their previous low of nine shots in a Detroit loss on December 11, 1955.

“They were better than us,” Miller admitted following the disappointing performance that overshadowed teammate Mika Zibanejad’s 1,000th regular-season game celebration. “We just didn’t have it. I don’t know what to say. We got outplayed, got outcompeted — things that we’re just not OK with as a group.”

Since beginning their playoff push on January 25, Ottawa has surrendered the fewest shots in the NHL at approximately 21 per game. They permitted just 14 shots while defeating Toronto on Saturday and 19 against the New York Islanders on Thursday.

“That’s part of our structure,” Spence noted. “That’s part of our identity, so we have to keep that going in order to win games.”

Despite needing only eight saves for the victory, Reimer admitted the quiet evening presented unique challenges.

“These games are a lot harder than a 30- or a 40-shot night,” he explained. “You’re not in a rhythm. You’re not feeling it. It’s not just happening, so you’ve just got to trust it and trust that your body knows what it has to do when the time comes. It’s a difficult game as a goalie to play mentally, but you just trust it.”

MIAMI — San Antonio Spurs sensation Victor Wembanyama isn’t being shy about his ultimate goal this season: capturing the NBA’s Most Valuable Player trophy.

Following the Spurs’ commanding 136-111 victory over Miami that secured their first Southwest Division championship in nearly a decade, the towering star laid out his argument for why he deserves the league’s top individual honor. The triumph marked San Antonio’s 22nd victory in their past 24 contests.

“I have thought about it,” Wembanyama said. “I think right now there is a debate. There should be, even though I think I should lead the race. I’m trying to make sure that at the end of the season, there’s no debate.”

The 7-foot-4 center is putting up remarkable numbers this season, posting averages of 24.3 points, 11.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 3.0 blocks per contest. Such statistical production places him in elite company — only five other players in NBA history have achieved those benchmarks: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (five times), Hakeem Olajuwon (twice), plus single seasons from Shaquille O’Neal, Patrick Ewing and David Robinson. Notably, Wembanyama also reached these marks last season, though in just 46 games.

According to BetMGM Sportsbook, current MVP holder Shai Gilgeous-Alexander from Oklahoma City Thunder leads the odds for repeat honors. Los Angeles Lakers’ Luka Doncic holds the second position in betting favorites.

Wembanyama sits third in the current MVP race odds, just ahead of Denver’s Nikola Jokic. The NBA’s requirement of 65 games played for major awards could influence the final outcome — Jokic can afford to miss just one more game before becoming ineligible, while Wembanyama has a cushion of three additional games he could sit out.

The former Rookie of the Year winner, who was considered a frontrunner for Defensive Player of the Year last season before being sidelined with deep vein thrombosis, presented a three-pronged argument for his MVP candidacy.

“My first one would be that defense is 50% of the game and that it is undervalued so far in the MVP race. I believe I’m the most impactful player defensively in the league,” Wembanyama said. “Second argument would be that we almost swept OKC in the season, and we dominated them three times with their real team. … The third argument would be that offense impact is not just points.”

Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson offered strong support for his star player’s MVP credentials.

“I think he’s close,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. “All those guys you named are deserving; a couple of them already have that award. And I’m very biased. I get to see one of those guys every single night. I get to see him on the practice court. I get to see what he does in the morning. I get to see what does right now after the game. So, I understand my opinion and outlook and perspective is very different than almost everyone else.”

Johnson continued his praise, emphasizing Wembanyama’s comprehensive impact on games.

“But he affects as much of the game in every single way — on the court, on both ends, with and without the ball, what the other team tries to do, plan for, scheme, adjust to, on both sides of the basketball, in my very ignorant opinion, as much as any other player I’ve ever seen. Take that for whatever it’s worth.”

San Antonio’s impressive 54-18 record positions them for either the top or second seed in the Western Conference playoffs. This record guarantees home-court advantage for at least the opening playoff round, likely extending through the second round, and potentially through the NBA Finals should they advance that far. While multiple factors contribute to this success, the primary catalyst remains their 22-year-old franchise cornerstone, whose daily dedication and professional maturity continue to impress the organization.

Though MVP awards seem inevitable in Wembanyama’s future, the young star isn’t interested in postponing that recognition.

“Right now, it is still reasonable that there is a debate,” Wembanyama said. “But as I said, my goal is to make sure there’s no debate anymore at the end of the season.”

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers’ newest pitcher Roki Sasaki encountered more difficulties during Monday night’s spring training matchup.

The Japanese rookie surrendered five runs while walking six batters in just over two innings of work against the Los Angeles Angels at Dodger Stadium. Out of his 66 total pitches, only 32 found the strike zone.

Through four spring training appearances, the right-handed pitcher has compiled a troubling 15.58 ERA for the reigning World Series champions. With 15 walks issued across 8 2/3 innings, concerns are mounting about whether he’ll be ready when the regular season begins.

When the Dodgers face Arizona in their season opener Thursday night, Yoshinobu Yamamoto will take the mound instead.

Sasaki’s Monday performance got off to a disastrous start in the first inning, where he recorded no outs. After hitting Zach Neto with a 3-0 fastball and allowing Mike Trout to reach on a fielder’s choice, he walked three straight batters before manager Dave Roberts pulled him for Ronan Kopp.

The 24-year-old returned to pitch the second inning, where he again hit Neto and walked Trout before managing to work out of trouble with two ground ball outs.

In the third frame, Sasaki walked Yoán Moncada to start the inning but recovered by striking out Jo Adell and Josh Lowe. Logan O’Hoppe’s line drive to second base ended the inning.

After walking Adam Frazier to begin the fourth inning, Sasaki was pulled for Ben Casparius. Frazier eventually came around to score on a sacrifice fly by Nolan Schanuel.

The young pitcher joined the Dodgers organization in January 2025 on a minor league contract, earning a $6.5 million signing bonus under international signing rules that apply to players under 25. He spent his previous four professional seasons playing in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball League.

A right shoulder impingement limited Sasaki’s availability for most of last season, where he posted a 1-1 record with a 4.46 ERA across eight starts and two relief outings.

However, he made a strong comeback in September and became crucial to the team’s postseason success, allowing just one earned run over 10 2/3 innings while recording three saves to help the Dodgers capture their second consecutive championship.

ARLINGTON, Texas — What 24-year-old Carter Baumler thought would be the end of his final spring training appearance turned into the moment he learned he’d made the Texas Rangers’ opening day roster.

After the rookie right-hander got two Kansas City Royals batters out in Monday night’s fifth inning, Rangers manager Skip Schumaker walked to the mound with an unexpected message. Surrounded by catcher Danny Jansen and the entire infield, Schumaker delivered the news that Baumler would be joining the team’s bullpen for the regular season.

“I wasn’t expecting it. I was like, why is he coming out here? And he got on the mound and told me I made the team,” Baumler explained during a live television interview on the Rangers Sports Network. “I mean, honestly, I thought I was like getting taken out of the game. … Obviously, whenever the manager comes out, you’re usually done.”

Following congratulations from his teammates on the field — including Jansen tapping his mitt against Baumler’s chest — the young pitcher regained his focus and finished the inning by striking out Isaac Collins with a 96.8 mph fastball.

Throughout eight spring training appearances, Baumler posted impressive numbers, surrendering just one earned run while recording 10 strikeouts across 9 1/3 innings.

When Baumler returned to the dugout after completing the inning, he embraced Schumaker and received congratulations from his teammates.

The journey to this moment hasn’t been straightforward for Baumler. Baltimore drafted him in the fifth round from an Iowa high school in 2020, but he underwent Tommy John surgery shortly afterward. After spending 2022-25 in Baltimore’s minor league system — never advancing beyond Double-A — the Orioles left him off their 40-man roster last fall. Pittsburgh selected him in December’s Rule 5 draft before immediately trading him to Texas.

“A few years ago I never would have expected this,” Baumler reflected. “Looking back … I’m glad I kept my head down and kept hammering away.”

DALLAS (AP) — Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr confirmed that Stephen Curry will take part in the upcoming play-in tournament, provided his troubled right knee is healthy enough to compete. Kerr rejected any suggestion that the team would bench their franchise player given the Warriors’ uncertain playoff position.

Speaking before Golden State’s matchup in Dallas on Monday evening, Kerr revealed that medical personnel postponed Curry’s anticipated return to practice by at least a day. The Warriors will wrap up their six-game road swing against the Mavericks before determining Curry’s next steps once they return home.

“It’s all just part of the rehab and all the different testing he does,” Kerr said. “Just pushed back a day or two.”

Currently sitting in 10th position in the Western Conference standings, the Warriors face an uphill battle if they maintain that final play-in spot, requiring victories in two away games to secure a playoff berth.

The superstar guard has been absent from action since January 30th while battling patella-femoral pain syndrome and bone bruising in his knee. Golden State posted a 23-17 record with Curry in the lineup but has gone just 10-22 without him, including a devastating 1-8 slide that contributed to their 6-15 mark since his most recent injury.

“We’re not chasing a play-in berth. We are squarely in the play-in no matter what we do,” Kerr said. “Bottom line, if Steph is healthy, he’s going to play because that’s what we’re here for. The chance to get into the playoffs is a big deal for us, big deal for Steph.”

However, Kerr emphasized that if there’s any possibility of causing additional long-term harm to the knee, Curry will remain on the sidelines. The 38-year-old veteran paces the Warriors in scoring with 27.2 points per contest.

When asked about Curry’s reaction to the delayed practice return, Kerr avoided giving specifics.

The organization had originally targeted a comeback immediately following the All-Star break, though Curry chose to skip this year’s All-Star Game due to his injury.

“It’s been a long haul,” the coach said. “He’s dying to get out there for sure.”

Canadian tennis sensation Victoria Mboko continues her impressive climb up the professional ranks, with former U.S. Open winner Andy Roddick now predicting major championship success for the rising star after her latest victory at the Miami Open.

The teenage player secured her spot in the tournament’s quarterfinals Monday following a hard-fought 7-6(4) 4-6 6-0 victory over fellow young competitor Mirra Andreeva on the Miami hard courts.

Roddick expressed strong confidence in Mboko’s championship potential during his podcast appearance, declaring: “Mboko is going to win a slam in the next two years.”

The former champion highlighted her remarkable consistency, noting: “She’s making the quarters or better in every single event. She gets through tough three-set matches all the time.”

Mboko’s 2026 season has featured several impressive tournament performances, including reaching the fourth round at January’s Australian Open. Her breakthrough came at last year’s Miami tournament, where she claimed her inaugural WTA Tour victory.

Despite recent losses to world number one Aryna Sabalenka at both the Australian Open and Indian Wells quarterfinals, Roddick remains convinced of her championship caliber.

“She plays well every single week. Losing to Sabalenka, that doesn’t bother me at all. She’s physically strong and can withstand the stress test of big tennis,” Roddick explained, adding: “I’m just more and more impressed with her.”

In Monday’s match, the 10th-seeded Mboko demonstrated her resilience against Andreeva, who also serves as her doubles partner. After dropping the second set, Mboko dominated the final frame, breaking her Russian opponent’s serve three times while Andreeva required medical attention for a back issue.

The Canadian Open titleholder clinched the victory with a powerful inside-out forehand winner, marking her fifth top-10 triumph this season.

Mboko’s semifinal berth will depend on her upcoming match against Karolina Muchova, who advanced earlier Monday with a commanding 6-0 6-2 victory over Alexandra Eala.

The streaming platform Netflix is making its debut in Major League Baseball broadcasting, launching Wednesday evening with the season-opening matchup featuring the New York Yankees against the San Francisco Giants.

This inaugural broadcast marks the beginning of a three-game package that Netflix has acquired, which will also feature the Home Run Derby and the special Field of Dreams contest between the Minnesota Twins and Philadelphia Phillies scheduled for August 13.

The streaming service’s entry into baseball follows a familiar pattern established with the NFL, where successful documentary programming demonstrated viewer appetite for the sport before moving into live game coverage.

Major League Baseball found itself with available broadcast inventory after ESPN decided to exit its rights agreement in February of last year.

While Netflix secured these three premium events, NBC and Peacock have taken over broadcasting duties for “Sunday Night Baseball” and the Wild Card Series.

Brandon Riegg, who serves as Netflix’s vice president of nonfiction series and sports, acknowledged that while many expected the platform to broadcast the Home Run Derby, a single event wouldn’t have made business sense.

“This is in with our event strategy. On opening night, there’s only one game, and it’s on Netflix. And then doing the Home Run Derby and Field of Dreams, we can capitalize on the renewed fandom and energy around baseball,” he said.

The streaming company is investing approximately $50 million annually over three years and has obtained global broadcasting rights for these MLB events, similar to its NFL arrangement.

Netflix previously demonstrated its baseball broadcasting capabilities by streaming all 47 World Baseball Classic games live and on-demand in Japan. The platform also holds U.S. broadcasting rights for the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2027 and 2031.

Historically, MLB featured a single opening-night game on Sunday when seasons traditionally began on Monday, but recent years have seen the season start on Thursday instead.

“All of the events feel unique, and it’s our job to elevate those elements to make them even brighter. I think when you do that event approach, our experience at least has been you’re pulling in all the existing fans, but really you end up recruiting a lot of people that wouldn’t normally or wouldn’t have otherwise engaged or watched it,” Riegg said. “I think that’s always a big win for the league, and it’s certainly a big win for us.”

MLB Network will handle production responsibilities, with Matt Vasgersian calling play-by-play, former players CC Sabathia and Hunter Pence providing analysis, and Lauren Shehadi serving as field reporter.

Elle Duncan, who transitioned to Netflix from ESPN in December, will anchor pre-game and post-game programming. Her broadcast team includes Giants legend and seven-time National League MVP Barry Bonds, three-time NL MVP Albert Pujols, and Anthony Rizzo.

These same broadcasting teams are anticipated to cover the Home Run Derby and Field of Dreams game as well.

“I think what folks have seen us accomplish on the platform, and also knowing we’re only doing a couple of things over the year. I think it allows greater flexibility for some of the talent we’re approaching, so they don’t have to lock themselves into a really long schedule or a high volume of commitment. I do think we’ve been able to have conversations with some talent that otherwise wouldn’t either be interested or available to do it,” Riegg said.

The contest will showcase Yankees power hitter Aaron Judge, a Northern California native who was courted by the Giants during 2022 free agency before ultimately signing a nine-year, $360 million deal to remain in New York.

The game will also mark the major league managerial debut of Tony Vitello for San Francisco, who moves up from the University of Tennessee where he guided the Volunteers to a College World Series championship in 2024.

Virginia Commonwealth University announced Monday it has granted head basketball coach Phil Martelli Jr. a two-year contract extension, securing his position through the 2031-32 season following an impressive inaugural campaign.

The contract extension follows Martelli’s outstanding first year leading the Rams, which concluded with a 28-8 record and the program’s first NCAA Tournament victory in ten years – an 82-78 overtime triumph against North Carolina on Thursday. The team’s remarkable run included 17 wins in their final 18 contests before falling 76-55 to Illinois on Saturday, ending their tournament journey.

Athletic Director Ed McLaughlin praised the coach’s performance in a statement, saying Martelli “showed all season that he embodies the leadership qualities we want in our head men’s basketball coach.” McLaughlin added that the coach “made history in his first season by winning the Atlantic 10 Championship and an NCAA Tournament game and continued the standard of excellence that we have created and come to expect.”

McLaughlin emphasized the university’s commitment to maintaining their basketball program’s success, noting their desire to “keep Coach Martelli and give him the opportunity to build on the amazing foundation we have solidified at VCU with three A-10 Championships in the last four years and appearances in 12 of the past 15 NCAA Tournaments.”

The 28 wins achieved this season matched the second-highest total in university history, falling just one victory short of the record established during the 2011-12 campaign under former coach Shaka Smart.

Expressing his appreciation, Martelli stated: “I am grateful to the players and the staff who believed in the vision and worked tirelessly to ensure its continued success. We are very fortunate to be at such a storied program and look forward to continuing our short- and long-term pursuit of adding to its rich legacy. Go Rams!”

The 44-year-old coach arrived at VCU after spending two seasons at Bryant University, where he compiled a 43-25 record and led the Bulldogs to the 2025 NCAA Tournament before losing to Michigan State in the opening round.

Martelli Jr. follows in the footsteps of his father, Phil Martelli, who achieved significant success during his 24-year tenure at St. Joseph’s University. The elder Martelli finished with a 444-328 record and guided the Hawks to the Elite Eight in 2004 as a top seed.

In a stunning NCAA Tournament upset Monday night, Virginia’s women’s basketball team defeated heavily-favored Iowa 83-75 in double overtime, marking the tournament’s most shocking result so far this year in Iowa City.

Kymora Johnson led the charge for the 10th-seeded Cavaliers with 28 points while also pushing the game into both overtime periods. Her performance helped Virginia (22-11) make history as the first women’s squad to reach the Sweet 16 after starting in the First Four.

Paris Clark contributed significantly with 20 points, seven rebounds, and four assists for the Cavaliers. The second-round Regional 4 matchup saw dramatic momentum swings, with Virginia holding a seven-point advantage before Iowa surged in the third quarter to build a nine-point lead.

Clark responded with a crucial individual 8-0 scoring streak featuring two three-pointers to cut into the deficit. Johnson then delivered the game-tying three-pointer with 2:11 remaining in regulation, which became the final score of the fourth quarter as Iowa missed their last five shot attempts.

The first overtime period featured lead changes for both teams, but the Hawkeyes managed a two-point edge in the closing moments before Johnson’s paint jumper knotted the score at 65-65 with 13 seconds left. Virginia dominated the second extra period, outscoring Iowa 11-2 early and securing the victory from the free-throw line.

Additional scoring for Virginia came from Romi Levy with 13 points and Caitlin Weimar with 12. The Cavaliers excelled at the charity stripe, converting 18 of 23 free throws compared to Iowa’s struggling 8-for-16 performance. For Iowa (27-7), Ava Heiden poured in 26 points, Chazadi Wright added 21, and Hannah Stuelke recorded 15 points, 19 rebounds, and six assists. The Hawkeyes had previously survived a close call against 15th-seeded FDU in the opening round, winning 58-48.

In other tournament action, third-seeded Louisville edged sixth-seeded Alabama 69-68 to advance to the Sweet 16 from Regional 3. Elif Istanbulluoglu and Tajianna Roberts each scored 18 points for the host Cardinals.

Alabama’s Karly Weathers scored with 9.4 seconds remaining to cut Louisville’s lead to four points. After Imari Berry made two free throws for Louisville, Weathers connected on another three-pointer with four seconds left to make it 69-68. However, after Reyna Scott missed two foul shots, Alabama couldn’t advance the ball in time for a potential game-winning attempt.

Istanbulluoglu also grabbed 11 rebounds for Louisville, which overcame poor three-point shooting at 7-of-26 by collecting 14 offensive rebounds and scoring 24 points in the paint. The Cardinals outrebounded Alabama 41-24.

Ace Austin paced Alabama with 17 points, including a fifth three-pointer that kept the Crimson Tide within striking distance at 52-49 with 1:22 left in the third quarter. Weathers scored 11 of her 13 points in the final quarter, while Diana Collins contributed 14 points and made 4 of 5 three-point attempts. Alabama shot an impressive 46.2% from beyond the arc (12 of 26) but managed only 45.6% overall (26 of 57).

Carolina Hurricanes star Sebastian Aho couldn’t contain his excitement Monday after discovering his team will take on the Seattle Kraken in a pair of matchups in his native Finland during the upcoming season.

The two games are scheduled for November 12th and 14th as part of the 2026 Global Series, with both contests taking place in Helsinki, Finland’s capital city.

“Very excited. Happy,” Aho shared with the media. “I’ve been dreaming about it for 10 years. When they announce the teams (for the Global games), you usually don’t see Carolina there, and you’re always like, ‘Bummer.’ But (this is) worth the wait.”

This marks Carolina’s first European games since facing Minnesota in Helsinki back in 2010. At that time, a young 13-year-old Aho was in the stands watching as a spectator.

The now 28-year-old forward has consistently scored more than 20 goals throughout each of his 10 NHL campaigns and currently has 25 goals and 72 total points this season.

“Hockey is such a big part of Finnish culture, and people definitely enjoy watching it and cheering on Finns,” Aho explained. “It’s such a big part of the whole country, and I know it’s going to be a good atmosphere at the games.”

Aho won’t be the lone Finnish representative on Carolina’s roster, as teammate Jesperi Kotkaniemi also hails from the Nordic nation.

Meanwhile, Seattle brings three Finnish players to the matchup: forwards Kaapo Kakko, Eeli Tolvanen, and Jani Nyman.

“I was always thinking that it would be fun to play there in Finland in front of all of my family and friends,” Kakko commented. “Now, I’ll get to do that, so I’m real excited about it.”

These Global Series games will mark a franchise first for Seattle, which is currently in its fifth year of operation.

Finland recently captured the bronze medal at the latest Winter Olympics held in Italy.

Major League Baseball will debut computer-assisted umpiring technology this season, marking a significant shift in how ball and strike calls are made.

The league’s Automated Ball/Strike System operates as a challenge-based format where traditional umpires continue making initial calls, but teams can appeal decisions to computer verification. This technology has undergone extensive evaluation in minor league play beginning in 2019, with comprehensive testing at Triple-A level starting in 2022, during MLB spring training last season, and at the 2025 All-Star Game in Atlanta.

The system relies on strategically positioned cameras throughout ballparks that monitor every pitch and determine whether it passes through the strike zone over home plate. During initial trials, umpires received audio feedback through earpieces announcing “ball” or “strike,” then communicated these decisions using standard gestures.

Under the challenge format, human officials make all initial pitch calls, but each team receives two opportunities per game to contest decisions. Teams losing their challenges earn one additional appeal during each extra inning. Successful challenges allow teams to keep their remaining appeals, mirroring current video review procedures that began with home run calls in August 2008 and expanded significantly for the 2014 season.

Challenge requests can only come from batters, pitchers, or catchers, who signal by tapping their helmet or cap, with dugout assistance prohibited. Appeals must occur within 2 seconds, after which the pitch trajectory and strike zone graphic appears on scoreboards and television broadcasts. Umpires then announce any count changes.

Last year’s spring training challenges required an average of 13.8 seconds to resolve.

The Hawk-Eye pose-tracking camera system monitors pitches and compares them against individualized strike zones based on each batter’s height, measured without footwear. Players undergo strike zone measurements between 10 a.m. and noon on a rotating schedule during spring training, with this specific timeframe chosen for consistency since height decreases throughout the day. The Southwest Research Institute validates all measurements, with MLB estimating under one minute per player for the calibration process.

While traditional umpire strike zones tend to form oval shapes, the ABS creates rectangular zones matching official rulebook specifications.

Establishing the computer strike zone parameters required extensive deliberation.

MLB has modified the ABS strike zone dimensions multiple times.

The system began with 19-inch width in 2022, then reduced to 17 inches to match home plate dimensions. This narrower zone increased walk rates while producing minimal strikeout changes.

The upper strike zone boundary was set at 51% of batter height in 2022 and 2023, then increased to 53.5% in 2024 following pitcher complaints. The lower boundary has remained at 27% since 2022, down from an initial 28%. Batter positioning doesn’t influence these calculations.

ABS evaluates pitches at the plate’s center point, 8.5 inches from both front and back edges. This differs from the rulebook zone used by umpires, which defines the zone as three-dimensional with strikes occurring when any portion crosses through. Current big league umpires achieve approximately 94% accuracy on pitch calls, according to UmpScorecards data.

The Hawk-Eye camera-based ABS has undergone minor league testing since 2019. The independent Atlantic League first trialed the technology during its 2019 All-Star Game, followed by MLB installation for that year’s Arizona Fall League featuring top prospects. Eight of nine Low-A Southeast League ballparks used ABS in 2021, before advancing to Triple-A in 2022.

Triple-A began the 2023 season with half their games using automated ball/strike calls and half employing human umpires subject to team appeals.

MLB converted all Triple-A games to the challenge system on June 26, 2024, then implemented it across 13 spring training facilities hosting 19 teams for 288 exhibition games last year. Teams successfully overturned 52.2% of their ball/strike challenges (617 of 1,182 attempts).

During last year’s MLB All-Star Game, four of five challenges against plate umpire Dan Iassogna’s calls succeeded.

Minor league success rates have consistently hovered near 50%. Triple-A’s success rate decreased to 49.5% from 50.6% last season. Defensive players, primarily catchers, achieved better results with 53.7% successful challenges compared to 45% for batters. Challenge frequency increased from 3.9 to 4.2 per game.

In 2024 Triple-A play, only 1.6% of first pitches faced challenges, but rates climbed to 3.9% on two-strike counts, 5.2% on three-ball counts, and 8.2% during full counts.

Challenge rates increased as games progressed. The first three innings saw 1.9% of pitches challenged, rising to 2.5% from the fourth through sixth innings, 2.8% in the seventh and eighth, and 3.6% in the ninth inning.

DUNEDIN, Fla. (AP) — Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Kevin Gausman received favorable strike calls from human umpires on 709 pitches that were actually outside the strike zone during the last ten years, ranking him third among all major league players.

“I would have thought maybe I was top 20 maybe but top five is kind of kind of crazy,” the right-handed pitcher commented. “I guess the book is kind of still out. We’ll see what happens and how we have to adjust.”

Major League Baseball’s new Automated Ball-Strike System launches Wednesday evening when the New York Yankees face the San Francisco Giants, bringing both advantages and disadvantages for different players. The system employs Hawk-Eye technology with 12 cameras to determine if pitches pass through the strike zone, achieving precision within roughly one-sixth of an inch.

According to MLB Statcast data from the previous decade, Kyle Hendricks topped all pitchers with 777 favorable strike calls on pitches outside the zone. Aaron Nola came second with 747, followed by Gausman and Zach Davies at 709 each, then Kyle Gibson with 697, Patrick Corbin at 694, Marcus Stroman with 671, Zack Greinke at 667, Martín Pérez with 647, and Kyle Freeland at 631.

“I guess that’s a good thing because you make balls look like strikes,” Nola observed. “There’s going to be some maybe good and bad to it, but I think the good parts and the big situations and big games, I that’s going to help out a lot. We’ve seen over the years our side lose games on a bad call.”

On the flip side, Corbin led all pitchers in strikes that should have been called but weren’t, with 470 such instances. Chris Sale followed at 461, Nola at 460, Carlos Rodón with 450, Yu Darvish at 442, Sonny Gray with 439, José Berríos at 438, Steven Matz with 436, and Jon Gray and Justin Verlander tied at 435.

“All umpires always had like — they give a little bit here, they’re a little tight there. You know this as a hitter and a pitcher,” explained Verlander, the three-time Cy Young Award winner returning to Detroit for his 21st major league campaign. “But it’s all because of the way they set up and they see certain areas better than others. And now I think they’re put in a situation where they have to call this like theoretical zone, instead of creating their own strike zone that they’re probably much more consistent at.”

Among hitters, Mookie Betts experienced the most unfavorable strike calls on pitches outside the zone, with 714 instances.

“He knows the strike zone as well as anyone and it does seem that he gets the short end of a lot of calls,” noted Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. “He’s a guy I certainly would trust to challenge a call.”

Following Betts were Eugenio Suárez with 684, José Ramírez at 657, Paul Goldschmidt with 656, Aaron Judge at 653, Marcus Semien with 631, Xander Bogaerts at 625, Alex Bregman with 603, and Christian Yelich at 594.

“When we didn’t have a challenge system, you just try to do the best you could and understand that there’s stuff that’s out of your control,” Goldschmidt reflected. “Definitely the guys that are a little bit more patient are always going to have that. We just understand that’s kind of the nature of it.”

Giancarlo Stanton experienced 440 incorrect strike calls on pitches outside the zone and 351 ball calls on pitches that should have been strikes.

“The challenge, you could change the whole game right there,” the Yankees designated hitter stated. “If you overturn one call, it could grow 15, 20 more pitches on a pitcher.”

Carlos Santana had the most strikes incorrectly called as balls, totaling 636. Mike Trout ranked second with 612, followed by Suárez at 558, Ramírez with 554, George Springer at 539, Andrew McCutchen with 513, Cody Bellinger at 487, Freddie Freeman with 471, and Ryan McMahon at 466.

Previously, Statcast calculations used the rulebook strike zone at home plate’s front edge based on each batter’s stance. This season, the system will calculate using the ABS strike zone measured at the plate’s center and determined by batter height.

Teams attempted to prepare players through ABS-assisted batting practice and scoreboard displays showing ball-strike decisions.

Count situations like 1-1 frequently determine at-bat outcomes. Nola experienced ABS during three rehabilitation appearances at Triple-A Lehigh Valley last August.

“We’re just going to have to see what the umpires do,” he said, “if they’re really going to be that tight as they were down there.”

Statcast data revealed that 1.6% of out-of-zone pitches received strike calls last season, declining from 2.1% in 2024 and representing the highest accuracy since tracking began in 2008 at 4.2%.

Meanwhile, 2.1% of in-zone pitches were incorrectly ruled balls, slightly increasing from 1.7% in 2024 but significantly better than 2008’s 4.3%.

Pitchers who succeeded by getting borderline calls may lose those advantages, while controversial missed calls could be overturned — such as Mark Langston’s 2-2 fastball to Tino Martinez during the 1998 World Series opener that crossed the plate above the knees but was called a ball by retired umpire Richie Garcia. Martinez hit a game-changing grand slam on the following pitch, propelling the Yankees to a 9-6 victory and eventual four-game championship sweep.

Garcia doesn’t wish ABS had existed during his career.

“I’d rather take the grief,” he said.

A game-worn jersey from Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani’s 2026 World Baseball Classic performance fetched more than $1.5 million during Sunday evening’s MLB Auctions sale, demolishing previous records for Ohtani memorabilia.

The unsigned uniform crushed the earlier high-water mark for an Ohtani jersey – an autographed piece inscribed with “24 NL MVP” that brought $249,999 through Fanatics in 2025.

Though Sunday’s record-breaking sale falls short of baseball’s most expensive jersey transactions – including Babe Ruth’s legendary “called shot” uniform from the 1932 World Series that commanded $24.12 million in 2024, and jerseys from Jackie Robinson and Mickey Mantle that each exceeded $4 million – it establishes a new benchmark for Ohtani game-worn items from premier MLB competitions.

The jersey sale comes just days after another Ohtani collectible made headlines. Last Thursday, a unique 2025 Topps MVP gold Logoman patch card featuring autographs from both Ohtani and New York Yankees star Aaron Judge brought $2.16 million at a Fanatics Premier auction. The special card showcased gold-enhanced MLB logo patches from jerseys worn by both MVP winners.

Judge has now had two trading cards sell for seven figures, while a standalone 2025 Topps Chrome gold Logoman patch card featuring only Ohtani’s signature reached an even higher $3 million through Fanatic Premier.

Including the latest jersey auction, the Dodgers phenomenon now has four collectible items that have crossed the million-dollar threshold at public sales.

Duke basketball guard Caleb Foster is pushing for a potential comeback as the top-seeded Blue Devils prepare to face fifth-seeded St. John’s in Friday’s Sweet 16 clash in Washington, D.C., nearly three weeks after suffering a foot fracture.

The injury occurred during Duke’s final regular season matchup against North Carolina at home, forcing Foster to sit out both the ACC tournament and the Blue Devils’ opening two NCAA Tournament victories. Duke enters the East Region semifinal with an impressive 34-2 record.

Coach Jon Scheyer hasn’t completely dismissed the possibility of Foster suiting up for Friday’s game or potentially Sunday’s Elite Eight contest should Duke advance to face either second-seeded UConn or third-seeded Michigan State.

“When he first got hurt, I felt there was more like one in a million. … Since that, since he got hurt, the way he’s worked, the chances have continued to increase. I even think there’s an outside chance maybe for this Friday,” Scheyer explained to CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein. “He’s trying to do the impossible here. I think this weekend, I don’t think I can rule it out because of who he is and how he’s been working.”

This season, Foster has been a reliable contributor for the Blue Devils, connecting on 40.2% of his three-point attempts while contributing 8.5 points, 2.8 assists, and 3.6 rebounds per contest.

A teenage professional boxer remains hospitalized in a medically induced coma following a devastating knockout during a Saturday night fight in San Bernardino, California, according to ProBoxTV, which aired the bout.

Isis Sio, 19, suffered the knockout defeat against opponent Jocelyn Camarillo after absorbing multiple punches just one minute and 18 seconds into what was scheduled as the evening’s opening match. The young fighter, who held a 1-2 professional record going into the bout, began convulsing in the ring immediately after the knockout and was rushed to Loma Linda University Health for emergency treatment.

ProBoxTV released an official statement expressing concern for the injured boxer’s condition. “On behalf of CEO Garry Jonas and the entire ProBox family, we are praying for a speedy recovery for Isis Sio,” the statement read. “Ms. Sio is currently in a medically induced coma. Our thoughts are with her and her family at this very difficult time. Please join us in wishing for a full recovery.”

The fight took place in the junior flyweight division, with Sio competing at 107.5 pounds – a significant drop from her previous professional fights where she weighed in at 114 and 118 pounds respectively.

Her opponent, Camarillo, brought an undefeated 5-0 professional record into the ring, though all of her previous victories had come by way of judges’ decisions rather than knockout. The fighter also holds the distinction of being a three-time national amateur champion.

The New England Patriots are preparing to cut quarterback Josh Dobbs following unsuccessful attempts to trade him, according to a Monday report from NFL Network.

Dobbs still has one year remaining on his two-year, $8 million contract that he inked in March of last year to serve as Drake Maye’s backup quarterback.

This month, New England brought back quarterback Tommy DeVito on a new two-year, $4.4 million deal. DeVito had joined the Patriots last offseason and worked as the team’s third-string emergency quarterback.

By cutting Dobbs, the Patriots will free up $3.7 million in salary cap room while absorbing $1.05 million in dead money charges.

The 31-year-old Dobbs saw action in four contests for New England during the previous season, connecting on 7 of 10 passing attempts for 65 yards. Selected in the fourth round of the 2017 draft, he has played in 27 games across six seasons with six different franchises, starting 15 times with a 3-12 record. His career statistics include a 62.8% completion rate for 3,346 passing yards, 17 touchdown passes and 15 interceptions, plus 515 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns.

DeVito, age 27, did not play in any games for New England last season but had previously started eight of 12 games for the New York Giants between 2023-24. During that span, he accumulated 1,358 passing yards with eight touchdowns and three interceptions, while also rushing for 227 yards and one score.

SEATTLE — Wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba and the Seattle Seahawks have reached agreement on a massive four-year contract extension valued at $168.8 million, with $120 million in guaranteed money, according to a source familiar with the negotiations who spoke to The Associated Press on Monday.

The source requested anonymity since the contract, which would establish Smith-Njigba as the NFL’s top-paid wide receiver, has not yet been officially completed.

The 24-year-old receiver broke franchise records last season with 1,793 receiving yards and 119 catches, earning him the AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year honor.

Smith-Njigba will remain with Seattle through the 2031 campaign. The team had already picked up the fifth-year option on his rookie deal last week.

The massive contract tops the previous record held by Cincinnati’s Ja’Marr Chase, who inked a $161 million extension with $112 million guaranteed last March.

During the regular season, Smith-Njigba recorded nine games with over 100 receiving yards and played a crucial role in Seattle capturing its second Super Bowl title in team history. His performance in the NFC championship victory over Los Angeles was particularly impressive, hauling in 10 passes for 153 yards and one touchdown in the 31-27 triumph.

Throughout his professional career, Smith-Njigba has accumulated 282 catches for 3,551 yards and 20 touchdowns.

NORTH PORT, Fla. — Atlanta Braves pitcher Spencer Strider will open the season on the injured list after suffering an oblique strain, team officials confirmed Monday.

The right-handed pitcher was originally slated to take the mound in Monday’s final spring training game against Pittsburgh but was pulled from the lineup. Braves manager Walt Weiss expressed optimism to media members that Strider would only be sidelined for a few weeks.

The 27-year-old hurler is working to continue his recovery path following right elbow surgery two years ago. After missing the majority of the 2024 season, Strider made his return to the big leagues last year, posting a 7-14 record with a 4.45 ERA across 23 appearances.

During this spring’s training camp, he compiled a 2-0 record with a 3.24 ERA over 8 1/3 innings as he attempts to recapture his 2023 All-Star performance, when he topped the major leagues with 20 wins and 281 strikeouts.

This injury adds to Atlanta’s mounting rotation concerns, as starters Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep have already been placed on the 60-day injured list after undergoing elbow procedures.

WNBA players have taken a major step toward ending their contract standoff by overwhelmingly approving a new seven-year collective bargaining agreement with league management.

During an appearance on ESPN’s “First Take” Monday, Women’s National Basketball Players Association president Nneka Ogwumike revealed that players supported the deal by a nearly unanimous margin, with 90% of the membership participating in the ratification process.

The contract now awaits final approval from league officials.

League management and the players’ union jointly announced Friday that they had reached terms on the seven-year deal, which will remain in effect through the 2032 season.

Under the revenue-sharing arrangement, player salaries will see dramatic increases, with average pay rising to $583,000 for the current season and top earners making up to $1.4 million. The total compensation package will provide more than $1 billion in wages and benefits throughout the contract period.

“This Collective Bargaining Agreement represents a defining moment in the WNBA’s 30-year history and all of women’s professional sports,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert stated Friday in an official announcement. “Since its inception, the WNBA has been shaped by extraordinary athletes who believed in the league’s future. The agreement is a testament to that belief and to the tremendous progress we have achieved together.”

The compensation improvements mark a dramatic advancement for professional women’s basketball players. Team spending limits will reach $7 million this season — a massive increase from the previous $1.5 million cap in 2025 — with future adjustments tied to team and league revenue performance.

Projections show maximum player earnings could reach $2.4 million by 2032, while average salaries are expected to exceed $1 million by the contract’s end.

Base salaries for the current season will range between $270,000 and $300,000, determined by years of experience. The top draft selection in 2026 will earn roughly $500,000.

“We’ve always believed that as this league grows, the players who power it must grow with it, and we’re proud to see that belief shared,” said Ogwumike, who won the league’s Most Valuable Player award in 2016. “We love this game enough to push for what it can become, not just for ourselves, but for those who built this league and those who will carry it forward.

“This agreement reflects that shared commitment, with players owning their value and future alongside a league growing stronger because of it.”

Players have operated without a contract since choosing to terminate their previous agreement in October 2024, one year ahead of its scheduled October 31, 2025 conclusion.

Championship bonuses will also see substantial increases, with title-winning team members receiving $60,000 each — up from $22,908 in 2025 — while runners-up will earn $20,000 (previously $8,521). The Finals MVP bonus jumps to $30,000 from $5,000.

Individual award bonuses include $60,000 for the season MVP, $30,000 for Defensive Player of the Year, and $15,000 for Rookie of the Year.

All-Star Game MVP recipients will earn $20,000.

The regular season schedule will expand to 50 games during 2027 and 2028, then increase to 52 games from 2029 through 2032.

The WNBA Draft is scheduled for April 13, with training camps beginning six days afterward.

The Atlanta Braves announced Monday that right-handed pitcher Spencer Strider will miss the beginning of the season after suffering an oblique strain.

The 27-year-old hurler was pulled from his planned spring training outing Monday against Pittsburgh in Bradenton, Florida. During spring training, the former All-Star posted a 2-0 record with a 3.24 ERA across three appearances, including two starts, recording 11 strikeouts and issuing two walks over 8 1/3 innings.

This setback comes as Strider works to bounce back from an inconsistent 2025 campaign following his recovery from Tommy John surgery that sidelined him for most of 2024. Last season, he compiled a 7-14 record with a 4.45 ERA across 23 starts.

The right-hander’s best season came in 2023 when he earned National League All-Star honors and placed fourth in Cy Young Award balloting. That year, he topped the majors with 20 wins and 281 strikeouts while posting a 3.86 ERA in 32 starts.

Since his MLB debut in 2021, Strider has accumulated a 39-24 record with a 3.74 ERA over 90 career appearances, including 77 starts. Atlanta selected him in the fourth round of the 2020 draft from Clemson University.

Atlanta kicks off the new season Friday when they host the Kansas City Royals. Nine-time All-Star left-hander Chris Sale will take the mound as the team’s Opening Day starter.

The injury adds to mounting concerns for Atlanta’s pitching rotation. Left-hander Joey Wentz will miss the entire season after tearing his right ACL, while right-handers Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep are both on the 60-day injured list with elbow problems.

After spending 16 seasons at the helm of Creighton’s men’s basketball program, head coach Greg McDermott revealed Monday that he’s stepping down from his position.

The 61-year-old McDermott will remain with the Bluejays through their upcoming postseason College Basketball Crown tournament before officially departing. His replacement will be Alan Huss, a seven-year member of McDermott’s coaching staff who will be elevated to the top position.

“It has been an incredible honor to lead the Creighton men’s basketball program for the past 16 years,” McDermott said in a statement. “I’m very proud of the young men that have proudly worn the Bluejay uniform and represented our program in a first-class manner. Witnessing their growth and development on and off the playing floor was especially gratifying.”

Since taking over the program during the 2010-11 campaign, McDermott accumulated a 365-188 coaching record. His victory total allowed him to eclipse Dana Altman in 2024 as the most successful coach in program history.

Under McDermott’s guidance, the Bluejays achieved 20-win seasons in 14 of his 16 years, although the current campaign’s 15-17 mark ended a streak of 10 straight seasons reaching that milestone.

The veteran coach guided Creighton to 10 NCAA tournament berths, featuring three Sweet 16 runs and a 2023 Elite Eight appearance. That tournament count would have reached 11 if the 2020 event hadn’t been cancelled due to the pandemic, as the Bluejays captured the Big East regular season title and posted a 24-7 record that year.

Just last March in 2024, McDermott inked a contract extension that would have kept him with the Omaha, Nebraska-based program through the 2027-28 season, stating at the time that he anticipated Creighton being his final coaching destination.

Huss rejoined the Creighton coaching staff in April 2025 as coach-in-waiting after departing his head coaching role at High Point, though no specific transition timeline was established at that time.

“While this chapter of my career comes to a close, my love and respect for the Bluejays will never fade. I look forward to the continued success of Bluejay basketball under the leadership of Alan Huss,” McDermott said.

Before arriving at Creighton, McDermott served as head coach at Northern Iowa from 2001-06 and Iowa State from 2006-10, giving him a career coaching record of 514-319 (.617).

“I’m deeply grateful for the support of my family, our players, coaching staff and support staff, as well as the presidents, athletic directors, and all the University and athletic administrators,” McDermott said. “The support of the Omaha community consistently packing our arena with 17,000 fans has created many fond memories.”

The University of Charlotte announced Monday that Wes Miller will take over as the new head coach for the men’s basketball team, signing a five-year agreement with the 49ers program.

The 43-year-old Miller comes to Charlotte after being dismissed from Cincinnati just 10 days earlier, following the Bearcats’ 18-15 campaign in the 2025-26 season. During his five-year tenure at Cincinnati, Miller posted a 100-74 overall record but never guided the team to an NCAA Tournament appearance.

“I’m incredibly honored to lead the Charlotte Basketball program,” Miller said. “This is a university with tremendous momentum, a passionate city behind it, and deep basketball roots in the state of North Carolina.”

“From the moment I began talking with (athletic director) Kevin White and Chancellor (Sharon) Gaber, it was clear there is a shared vision to build a program defined by toughness, passion, and relentless energy. We’re going to pour everything we have into developing our student-athletes, competing at the highest level, and building a team that our campus and this city are proud to rally around. The foundation is here for something special, and I can’t wait to get to work because Charlotte’s stock is rising.”

Before his stint at Cincinnati, Miller spent a decade coaching at UNC Greensboro, approximately 90 miles away from Charlotte, where he achieved a 185-135 record. His accomplishments with the Spartans included two NCAA Tournament berths and earning Southern Conference Coach of the Year honors twice.

Athletic Director Kevin White praised the selection, stating: “Wes Miller is a proven leader with a deep understanding of the game and strong ties to basketball in our state. Throughout this process, what stood out most was his passion, competitive energy, and clear vision for building a championship culture here at Charlotte. He embodies the toughness, resilience, and commitment to the total student-athlete experience that we value, and he understands the opportunity we have to build something special for our university and our city.”

A Greensboro native, Miller played collegiate basketball at the University of North Carolina from 2004-07, helping the Tar Heels capture the 2005 national championship.

Miller takes over from Aaron Fearne, who was terminated on March 17 after compiling a 47-51 record over three seasons with the program. The 49ers finished 17-17 this past season, falling to South Florida in the American Conference tournament semifinals.

The Charlotte basketball program has not reached the NCAA Tournament since the 2004-05 season.

Goalkeeper Ilya Sorokin delivered a flawless performance between the pipes Sunday night, turning away all 26 shots he faced as the New York Islanders secured a crucial 1-0 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets in Elmont, New York.

Bo Horvat provided the only offense the Islanders would need, scoring on their very first shot of the contest. That early strike proved sufficient as Sorokin dominated throughout the evening in a game carrying significant Eastern Conference playoff implications.

The victory propelled the Islanders (40-26-5, 85 points) past the idle Detroit Red Wings (84 points) into the second and final wild-card position in the Eastern Conference. New York also ended a troublesome two-game skid while drawing even with Columbus (37-21-11, 85 points) for third place in the Metropolitan Division, though the Blue Jackets maintain a game in hand.

Sorokin’s stellar effort marked his seventh shutout of the current campaign and the 29th of his professional career, setting a new franchise milestone. The performance also tied him with Glenn “Chico” Resch and Semyon Varlamov for the team’s single-season shutout record.

Columbus netminder Jet Greaves answered with 21 saves of his own, but the Blue Jackets saw their impressive 12-game point streak (8-0-4) come to an end.

In other NHL action, the Winnipeg Jets defeated the New York Rangers 3-2 in a shootout, with Kyle Connor and Gabriel Vilardi converting in the decisive round. The victory ended Winnipeg’s three-game losing streak against a Rangers squad that has now dropped four consecutive contests.

Utah’s Hockey Club edged the Los Angeles Kings 4-3 in overtime, with Nick Schmaltz netting his second goal of the night just 1:46 into the extra session. The win helped Utah maintain their grip on the first wild-card position in the Western Conference.

The Vegas Golden Knights snapped their own three-game slide with a 3-2 triumph over Dallas, thanks to Reilly Smith’s go-ahead goal with 3:38 remaining. Smith had been a healthy scratch for the previous five contests before delivering the game-winning strike.

Anaheim topped Buffalo 6-5 in overtime, with Troy Terry scoring twice including the decisive goal at 1:29 of the extra period. The Ducks have now captured three of their last four outings.

Colorado rallied past Washington 3-2 in overtime, becoming the first franchise to clinch a Stanley Cup playoff berth this season. Brock Nelson provided the winning goal at 1:22 of overtime.

Nashville continued their hot streak with a 3-2 overtime victory over Chicago, marking their fourth straight win. Filip Forsberg tallied twice, including the overtime winner, after returning from a two-game absence due to an upper-body injury.

Carolina dominated Pittsburgh 5-1, converting three of five power-play opportunities. Seth Jarvis contributed a goal and two assists in the lopsided victory.

Calgary completed a 4-3 overtime win against Tampa Bay for their third consecutive victory, with Ryan Strome providing the overtime heroics. The Flames extended their remarkable streak to 54 straight wins when scoring four or more goals, the fourth-longest such streak in league history.

With just 4.5 seconds remaining on the clock, Alvaro Folgueiras knocked down an uncontested three-pointer from the right corner, propelling ninth-seeded Iowa to a stunning 73-72 upset victory over top-seeded defending national champion Florida in second-round action at Tampa, Florida.

The Gators’ Xaivian Lee, who finished with 17 points, rushed down court in the final moments but couldn’t manage to get a shot attempt off, his pass intended for Thomas Haugh near the rim falling incomplete. The dramatic finish allowed first-year Iowa head coach Ben McCollum to guide the Hawkeyes to the program’s first Sweet 16 berth since 1999, earning a Thursday matchup in Houston against fourth-seeded Nebraska in an all-Big Ten showdown.

Tavian Banks led Iowa’s scoring effort with 20 points and pulled down six rebounds, while Folgueiras contributed 14 points beyond his game-winning shot. Despite an uncharacteristic 0-for-9 performance from three-point territory, sharpshooter Bennett Stirtz managed 13 points, and Cooper Koch provided 12 points on four made three-pointers for the Hawkeyes (23-12).

Florida received 21 points and seven assists from Alex Condon, with Haugh adding 19 points for the Gators (27-8). Despite leading the nation in rebounding average, Florida managed just 27 rebounds, matching Iowa’s total on the boards.

WEST REGION

No. 1 Arizona 78, No. 9 Utah State 66

Jaden Bradley contributed 18 points with 12 coming after halftime, helping the Wildcats fend off a furious Aggies rally in second-round competition in San Diego.

The Wildcats (34-2) secured their third straight Sweet 16 berth and fourth in five seasons, setting up a Thursday clash with fourth-seeded Arkansas in San Jose, California. Motiejus Krivas delivered 11 points and 14 rebounds, with nine coming on offensive possessions. Koa Peat contributed 14 points and 10 rebounds, as Arizona dominated the glass with a decisive 54-26 rebounding edge. Brayden Burries chipped in 16 points.

Utah State (29-7) was paced by Garry Clark’s 13 points, while MJ Collins Jr. scored 12, Drake Allen added 11, and Mason Falslev contributed eight.

No. 2 Purdue 79, No. 7 Miami 69

Fletcher Loyer exploded for a game-leading 24 points on an efficient seven field goal attempts, powering the Boilermakers past the Hurricanes in West Region second-round play in St. Louis.

Loyer connected on 6 of 7 field goals, including a perfect 4-for-4 from beyond the arc, and made all eight free throw attempts as Purdue (29-8) advanced to Thursday’s regional semifinal against 11th-seeded Texas (21-14).

Trey Kaufman-Renn contributed 19 points and nine rebounds for the Boilermakers, who shot 25 of 47 from the field and an impressive 21 of 22 from the charity stripe. Freshman Shelton Henderson led Miami (26-9) with 18 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Malik Reneau scored 16 points and Tre Donaldson added 13, though he struggled with a 4-of-15 shooting performance.

MIDWEST REGION

No. 2 Iowa State 82, No. 7 Kentucky 63

Playing without versatile star forward Joshua Jefferson, the Cyclones relied on their aggressive defense to overwhelm Kentucky, forcing 20 turnovers that translated into 25 points during a dominant performance in St. Louis.

With Jefferson sidelined due to an ankle injury sustained in Friday’s 108-74 victory over Tennessee State, Iowa State (29-7) leaned heavily on veteran point guard Tamin Lipsey. He tallied a game-high 26 points with 17 coming in the second half, adding 10 assists—one more than Kentucky managed as a team. Milan Momcilovic scored 20 points, Nate Heise added 12, and freshman Killyan Toure netted 10.

Denzel Aberdeen paced Kentucky (22-14) with 20 points and Otega Oweh contributed 18 points and eight rebounds. The Wildcats shot a respectable 46.7% from the field but managed only 45 attempts due to their turnover troubles.

No. 6 Tennessee 79, No. 3 Virginia 72

Ja’Kobi Gillespie recorded 21 points and six assists, Bishop Boswell added 13 points and nine assists, and the Volunteers defeated the Cavaliers in Philadelphia to reach their fourth consecutive Sweet 16.

Tennessee (24-11), which will face second-seeded Iowa State in the Midwest Region semifinals, also received 16 points from freshman Nate Ament after he played 18 scoreless minutes in the opening round while battling an ankle injury. Ament scored 13 points in the second half, with teammates J.P. Estrella and Jaylen Carey each contributing 10 points.

Belgian freshman Thijs De Ridder sparked Virginia’s comeback attempt with 17 of his 22 points coming after halftime. Malik Thomas scored 12 points, while Jacari White and Chance Mallory each had 10 for the Cavaliers (30-16), who doubled their win total from the previous season under first-year coach Ryan Odom.

No. 4 Alabama 90, No. 5 Texas Tech 65

Latrell Wrightsell scored 24 points as the Crimson Tide unleashed a devastating three-point barrage to rout the Red Raiders in Tampa, Florida.

Houston Mallette scored all 15 of his points on three-pointers, Amari Allen contributed 12 points despite missing all four three-point attempts, and Aiden Sherrell added 10 points. Labaron Philon Jr. provided nine points and a career-best 12 assists. Alabama (25-9) advanced to its fourth straight Sweet 16, earning a Friday night meeting with top-seeded Michigan in the Midwest Region at Chicago.

LeJuan Watts led Texas Tech (23-11) with 16 points and seven rebounds, Donovan Atwell scored 12, and Leon Horner had 10. The Red Raiders dropped four of their final five games, with a once-promising season derailed after losing star JT Toppin to a season-ending injury.

EAST REGION

No. 5 St. John’s 67, No. 4 Kansas 65

Dylan Darling scored his first points of St. John’s tournament victory over Kansas as time expired, sending the Red Storm to their first Sweet 16 since 1999.

St. John’s (30-6) controlled the second half and built a 14-point advantage before Kansas (24-11), led by Darryn Peterson’s 21 points, rallied to create a 65-65 deadlock. The Red Storm shot just 25 of 69 (36.2%) from the floor, while the Jayhawks connected on 24 of 54 (44.4%).

The difference for St. John’s came from three-point range, particularly Bryce Hopkins’ long-distance shooting. Hopkins led the team with 18 points, all coming on 6-of-9 three-point shooting. The remaining Red Storm players combined for just 5-of-26 from deep. Peterson made 3 of 8 three-pointers for Kansas, but his teammates managed only two combined triples.

No. 2 UConn 73, No. 7 UCLA 57

Alex Karaban established a career-high with 27 points, freshman Braylon Mullins contributed 17, and the Huskies defeated the Bruins to advance to the Sweet 16.

UConn (31-5) will meet third-seeded Michigan State in the East Region semifinals. The program is pursuing a third national championship to conclude Karaban’s four-year career, after eventual champion Florida eliminated the Huskies in last year’s second round. Tarris Reed Jr. recorded 10 points and 13 rebounds but shot just 3 of 8 from the field. Jayden Ross added 11 points.

Xavier Booker scored 12 points on perfect 4-of-4 shooting in the first half for UCLA (24-12), but was contained afterward and finished with 13. Eric Dailey Jr. scored 12, Donovan Dent added 11 with nine assists, and Skyy Clark also contributed 11.

Nick Schmaltz delivered when it mattered most, netting the decisive goal just 1 minute and 46 seconds into overtime as Utah defeated the Los Angeles Kings 4-3 on Sunday evening in Salt Lake City.

The forward controlled a 2-on-1 rush into the attacking zone, elected to shoot rather than pass, and fired a wrist shot past goaltender Darcy Kuemper for his second tally of the night.

Lawson Crouse contributed a pair of goals plus one assist for Utah (37-28-6, 80 points), which has captured three victories in its last four contests and currently occupies the top wild-card position for Western Conference playoff qualification. Kevin Stenlund recorded two helpers while goalkeeper Karel Vejmelka turned aside 33 shots.

Quinton Byfield tallied once and added an assist for Los Angeles (28-25-17, 73 points), which has dropped three consecutive games and sits two points behind Nashville for the West’s second wild-card berth. Kuemper stopped 30 attempts between the pipes.

Los Angeles forward Artemi Panarin knotted the score at 3-3 with 3:30 remaining in regulation, extending his scoring streak to three games. Panarin carried the puck on a rush, momentarily lost possession but regained control, then fired from a difficult angle near the right boards that somehow slipped beneath Vejmelka’s left leg pad.

Crouse opened the scoring for Utah at the 7:04 mark of the opening frame. John Marino stripped the puck from Sam Helenius, circled behind the net and delivered a pass to Crouse in the slot, who converted with a quick wrist shot.

Alex Laferriere answered just 36 seconds afterward, carrying the puck on a 2-on-1 break and electing to shoot, beating Vejmelka with a snap shot from the right faceoff circle to even things at 1-1.

Crouse restored Utah’s advantage at 9:19, receiving a feed at the bottom of the left circle and lifting the puck up and over Kuemper into the upper portion of the goal for a 2-1 lead.

Byfield responded 28 seconds later to tie it again. After Vejmelka stopped Brandt Clarke’s long-range attempt but couldn’t secure the rebound, the goalie knocked the loose puck away only to have Byfield collect it and score from the left circle.

The middle period remained deadlocked until Schmaltz knocked home his own rebound at 16:11 following a scramble in front of the net, giving Utah a 3-2 advantage heading into the final frame.

A 17-year-old American athlete has etched his name in the record books after capturing gold at the World Indoor Championships held in Poland this past Sunday.

Cooper Lutkenhaus made history by becoming the youngest male competitor ever to claim an individual championship at the prestigious indoor track event. The teenager dominated the 800-meter race, crossing the finish line in 1:44.24 and defeating Belgium’s Eliott Crestan for the top spot.

The remarkable achievement breaks the previous age record established by Ethiopia’s Mohammed Aman, who was 18 years and 61 days old when he secured the 800-meter title back in 2012.

“I came out here thinking I probably wasn’t the favourite, but any time I feel like I can step into a final I have a chance to win,” Lutkenhaus explained after his victory.

“Maybe it came from confidence or maybe from being too young but I really wanted to try to make a defining move. I believed in that on the third lap – I just wanted to try to take it from there.”

The teenager’s golden performance helped propel Team USA to the top of the medal standings with five gold medals, while Great Britain claimed second place with four golds, marking their strongest showing ever at the championships.

Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Doncic will suit up for Monday evening’s contest against Detroit following the NBA’s decision to reverse his 16th technical foul of the current season.

During Saturday evening’s narrow 105-104 victory over Orlando, both Doncic and Magic center Goga Bitadze were assessed technical fouls with 1:19 remaining in the third period. The incident occurred when the two players engaged in a verbal exchange while Doncic was positioned at the free-throw line, with their discussion apparently continuing as they moved down court.

On Sunday, the NBA made the announcement that both players’ technical fouls had been overturned. Reaching 16 technical fouls automatically results in a mandatory one-game suspension.

The Lakers enter their upcoming battle against the Eastern Conference-leading Pistons riding a nine-game winning streak. Throughout this impressive run, Doncic has posted remarkable numbers, contributing 40 points per game along with 8.4 rebounds and 7.4 assists on average.

A tragic house fire in Minnesota claimed the lives of NHL journalist Jessi Pierce and her three children over the weekend, according to an announcement from the hockey league on Sunday.

The 37-year-old Pierce had been reporting on the Minnesota Wild for NHL.com as their dedicated correspondent for ten years.

“The entire NHL.com team is devastated and heartbroken by the loss of Jessi and her children,” NHL.com’s vice president and editor-in-chief Bill Price expressed in an official statement. “Jessi’s love of her family and hockey was evident in the energy and passion she brought to her work for us. She was an absolute joy to talk to and work with. She will be deeply missed.”

Emergency crews rushed to a residential fire Saturday morning in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, after neighbors contacted 911 reporting flames breaking through the home’s roof. When firefighters arrived and searched the structure, they discovered an adult, three children, and a dog had all perished in the blaze, according to the White Bear Lake Fire Department. Officials did not identify the victims by name in their Saturday announcement.

Investigators are still working to determine what sparked the deadly fire.

“Out hearts ache for those involved in this tragedy. We ask for the opportunity to allow our community to come together and support one another during this difficult time,” Fire Chief Greg Peterson stated.

The Minnesota Wild organization paid tribute to Pierce through their social media channels on Sunday.

“Jessi was a kind, compassionate person that cared deeply about her family and those around her. She served as an ambassador for the game of hockey during her time covering the Wild and the NHL,” the team wrote online.

Minnesota has earned recognition as the “State of Hockey,” with the Wild building one of the sport’s most devoted followings since the franchise began play in 2000. The team filled the void left when the North Stars relocated to Dallas in the early 1990s to become the Stars.

Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Doncic will take the court Monday evening against Detroit after the NBA reversed a technical foul that would have forced him to sit out due to an automatic suspension.

The controversial technical was issued to Doncic during the final minutes of the third quarter in Saturday’s victory over Orlando, part of a double technical that also penalized Magic center Goga Bitadze. The confrontation occurred as Doncic prepared for a free throw attempt, with both athletes engaging in a verbal exchange that prompted referees to issue the penalties. This call pushed Doncic to the suspension threshold, prompting the Lakers to immediately file an appeal.

On Sunday, league officials announced their decision to overturn the technical foul, reducing Doncic’s total back to 15 and making him eligible for Monday’s matchup against the Pistons. This marks familiar territory for the star player — while competing for Dallas in previous seasons, he successfully had his 16th technical overturned twice, each time avoiding the mandatory one-game ban.

The Saturday night altercation had minimal impact on Doncic’s performance statistics. Despite struggling in the game’s latter half, shooting just 2-of-13 from the field and missing all seven three-point attempts, he still recorded 33 points and eight assists while helping Los Angeles extend their current winning streak to nine games.

This season, Doncic has posted impressive numbers across 59 contests, averaging 33.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 8.4 assists per game. Moving forward, he must exercise caution to avoid receiving another technical foul during the Lakers’ remaining 11 regular season contests, as reaching that limit again would indeed trigger the automatic suspension.

Sebastian Korda achieved the most significant victory of his professional tennis career on Sunday, defeating world number one Carlos Alcaraz in a shocking upset during the third round of the Miami Open with a score of 6-3, 5-7, 6-4.

The Florida native seemed to have squandered his opportunity to topple the Spanish champion when he couldn’t close out the match while serving in the second set, but Korda regained his focus and secured a crucial break for a 5-3 lead in the final set before sealing the win with a powerful serve that Alcaraz couldn’t return.

The 36th-ranked player in the world at age 25 employed a diverse strategy throughout the match, successfully implementing serve-and-volley tactics to record his maiden victory against a world number one, while also capitalizing on unusually poor play from Alcaraz.

The Spanish star had started 2024 on a high note by capturing his seventh Grand Slam championship at the Australian Open and remained undefeated until suffering his first loss of the season to Daniil Medvedev in the Indian Wells semifinals.

This marks the second consecutive year that Alcaraz has made an early departure from the Miami Open, having lost to unseeded Belgian player David Goffin in a three-set second-round match in 2023.

Korda, who holds the 32nd seed in the tournament, will advance to face either Karen Khachanov or Martin Landaluce in the round of 16.

Washington Capitals icon Alex Ovechkin has etched his name deeper into hockey history, becoming only the second NHL player ever to reach 1,000 career goals when combining regular season and playoff totals, joining the legendary Wayne Gretzky in this exclusive club.

The 40-year-old forward achieved this remarkable feat earlier this year when he surpassed Gretzky’s regular season goal record on April 6, 2025, netting his 895th goal to claim the all-time lead.

Sunday’s historic moment came during the third period as Washington hosted the Colorado Avalanche, when Ovechkin unleashed a powerful slap shot that found its way past Colorado netminder Mackenzie Blackwood, evening the score at 2-2 with just 5:43 remaining in regulation time. Despite the milestone celebration, the Avalanche managed to secure a 3-2 victory in overtime.

The Russian superstar continues to perform at an elite level in his 21st NHL campaign, recording 26 goals and 27 assists across 70 games this season. Throughout his entire professional career, which has been spent exclusively with Washington since they selected him first overall in 2004, Ovechkin has amassed 1,676 total points, consisting of 923 goals and 753 assists in 1,562 regular season contests. His playoff statistics include 147 points from 77 goals and 70 assists over 161 postseason games.

Ovechkin’s trophy case reflects his dominance throughout his exceptional career, featuring three Hart Memorial Trophy awards as the league’s most valuable player, 12 All-Star Game selections, and a Stanley Cup championship with the Capitals during the 2017-18 season.

Elina Aarnisalo scored 21 points, falling just one point short of her personal best, while Lanie Grant contributed 20 points to lead North Carolina past Maryland 74-66 in Sunday’s Fort Worth Region second-round matchup in Chapel Hill.

The fourth-seeded Tar Heels (28-7) secured their spot in the Sweet 16 for consecutive seasons and will face either Syracuse or Connecticut later this week in Fort Worth, Texas, depending on Monday’s game outcome.

North Carolina received additional scoring from Nyla Harris with 14 points and eight rebounds, while Indya Nivar overcame early foul difficulties to add 11 points to the victory.

Maryland’s fifth-seeded Terrapins (24-9) got a team-high 21 points from Oluchi Okananwa, though she struggled at the charity stripe, converting just 3 of 11 free throw attempts. Addi Mack scored 13 points, Mir McLean recorded a double-double with 12 points and 14 rebounds, and Kyndal Walker chipped in 10 points.

Despite grabbing 21 offensive rebounds, Maryland couldn’t overcome poor shooting performances, going 3-for-23 from beyond the arc and 17-of-31 from the free throw line.

The Tar Heels held a 42-33 advantage at the break, but the Terrapins opened the fourth quarter with a basket to take a 52-50 lead before North Carolina regained control.

In Ann Arbor, second-seeded Michigan dominated seventh-seeded NC State 92-63 in their Fort Worth Region second-round contest, powered by outstanding performances from Olivia Olson and Syla Swords, who scored 27 and 26 points respectively.

The Wolverines (27-6) also got 13 points and nine rebounds from Mila Holloway and will await the winner of Monday’s Alabama-Louisville matchup for their Sweet 16 opponent.

NC State (21-11) was led by Zamareya Jones, who recorded 16 points, nine assists, and four blocks, but also turned the ball over seven times as part of the Wolfpack’s 22 total turnovers that Michigan converted into 35 points. Khamil Pierre added 15 points and Devyn Quigley contributed 11 for NC State.

The Wolfpack played without All-ACC guard Zoe Brooks due to a lower-body injury, ending their bid for a third straight Sweet 16 appearance.

Michigan trailed 28-25 at intermission before exploding for 32 points in each of the final two quarters to pull away decisively.

Swords connected on four three-pointers as part of Michigan’s 10 makes from long range, while the Wolverines committed only six turnovers in the contest.

The victory marked Michigan’s 16th win in 17 home games this season.

Former Syracuse University basketball standout Gerry McNamara is nearing completion of negotiations to become the Orange’s next head basketball coach, according to an ESPN report released Sunday.

The 42-year-old McNamara currently serves as head coach at Siena College, where he has spent the past two years leading the Saints. This season, he successfully guided Siena to an NCAA Tournament berth after capturing the MAAC conference tournament championship. Despite entering as a 16th seed, the Saints put up a strong fight against top-seeded Duke in Thursday’s opening round, ultimately falling 71-65.

Prior to his stint at Siena, McNamara worked as an assistant coach at Syracuse for 15 years, serving under both Jim Boeheim and Adrian Autry.

According to the ESPN report, McNamara has engaged in several conversations with Syracuse athletic director Bryan Blair throughout the past week, including both virtual meetings and face-to-face discussions.

The report indicates that university officials have stressed their dedication to ranking among the top third of Atlantic Coast Conference programs regarding Name, Image, and Likeness funding.

McNamara played a crucial role in Syracuse’s 2003 national championship victory during his first year, playing alongside future NBA star Carmelo Anthony. His collegiate career established multiple program benchmarks, including most three-pointers made (400), most three-point shots attempted (1,131), highest free-throw shooting percentage (88.8%), and most minutes on the court (4,799). The three-time All-Big East selection appeared in every game as a starter throughout his four-year career from 2002-06, totaling 135 consecutive starts. The university honored his contributions by retiring his No. 3 jersey in 2023.

After graduation, McNamara rejoined Syracuse in 2009 as a graduate assistant before earning promotion to full assistant coach in 2011 under Boeheim’s leadership. When Autry succeeded Boeheim in 2023, McNamara received another advancement to associate head coach.

McNamara departed for Siena in 2024, compiling a 37-30 overall record during his two-year tenure. His recent tournament appearance marked the Saints’ first NCAA bid since 2010.

The university dismissed Autry, another former Syracuse player, earlier this month following three seasons without an NCAA Tournament appearance.

The Orange have failed to reach the NCAA Tournament for five consecutive years, marking their longest absence from March Madness since the 1967-72 period. Between 1973 and 2021, Syracuse participated in 39 of 48 possible tournaments.

The NBA issued disciplinary action Sunday following a physical confrontation that erupted during Saturday evening’s matchup between the Washington Wizards and Oklahoma City Thunder.

Two players received one-game suspensions without compensation for their participation in the fight: Washington’s Justin Champagnie and Oklahoma City’s Ajay Mitchell, league officials announced.

Champagnie will miss Washington’s Sunday evening matchup against the New York Knicks on the road. Mitchell’s suspension takes effect Monday when Oklahoma City faces the Philadelphia 76ers.

Additional financial penalties were imposed on three other players involved in the incident. Oklahoma City’s Jaylin Williams received the largest fine at $50,000, while his teammate Cason Wallace and Washington’s Anthony Gill each face $35,000 penalties.

The confrontation took place during the closing minutes of the first half and escalated beyond the court into spectator seating areas before officials and security personnel regained control. All four players who received suspensions or the largest fine were assessed technical fouls and removed from the contest.

Oklahoma City went on to secure a decisive 132-111 road victory over Washington despite the disruption.

The Iowa State Cyclones will face Kentucky in Sunday’s NCAA Tournament second-round matchup without their star player after an injury sidelined their top performer.

All-American senior forward Joshua Jefferson has been officially ruled out for the game in St. Louis, according to the NCAA’s injury report. Jefferson earned consensus second-team All-American honors this season.

The injury occurred early in Iowa State’s dominant 108-74 first-round win over Tennessee State on Friday, when Jefferson hurt his left ankle just 2 minutes and 37 seconds into the contest. Medical imaging revealed no fracture, but Jefferson was seen wearing a protective boot when he returned to the sideline and remained out of action for the remainder of the game.

The loss is significant for the second-seeded Cyclones (28-7), as the 6-foot-8 Jefferson leads the team with averages of 16.4 points and 7.4 rebounds per game, while also contributing 4.8 assists. Head coach T.J. Otzelberger’s squad is pursuing their third Sweet 16 appearance in the past five seasons.

Their opponent, the seventh-seeded Kentucky Wildcats (22-13), are looking to reach the Sweet 16 for back-to-back years. However, Kentucky hasn’t advanced beyond the regional semifinals since their 2019 tournament run.

The University of South Carolina has announced the departure of baseball head coach Paul Mainieri, who is stepping away from his position during his second year leading the Gamecocks program.

Athletic director Jeremiah Donati and Mainieri released a joint announcement Saturday following their mutual agreement to end the coaching arrangement.

“After a conversation this morning with Coach Mainieri, we agreed that it would be in the best interest of the program that we part ways at this time,” Donati said. “I appreciate everything Paul has poured into our student-athletes and our program, not just at South Carolina, but throughout his career. He is a Hall of Fame coach and a world-class individual, and we wish him and his family all the best.”

The coaching change comes after Friday’s devastating 22-6 defeat against Arkansas marked Mainieri’s last game at the helm. Under interim coach Monte Lee’s direction on Saturday, the Gamecocks fell 3-2 to the Razorbacks in extra innings.

The Gamecocks currently hold a 12-12 record this season and remain winless in SEC play at 0-7, with 32 games left before the conference tournament begins. During Mainieri’s tenure at South Carolina, the team compiled a 40-40 overall record while going 6-28 in conference competition.

The 68-year-old Mainieri transitioned to coaching after a brief professional playing career following college. His coaching journey spanned multiple decades, beginning at Biscayne Bay (now St. Thomas) in Florida from 1983-88, then moving to Air Force (1989-94), Notre Dame (1995-2006), LSU (2007-21), and finally South Carolina.

His coaching achievements include guiding Notre Dame to the College World Series in 2002 and leading LSU to five World Series appearances. The pinnacle of his career came in 2009 when the Tigers captured the national championship, earning him National Coach of the Year honors. His career coaching record stands at 1,545-817-8 for a .654 winning percentage.

Mainieri had been enjoying retirement for three years when South Carolina approached him about taking over their program.

“My goal was to work with young people again and restore the South Carolina program to greatness with a return to Omaha (for the World Series),” he said. “My staff and I have worked diligently in an attempt to accomplish that goal. Unfortunately, that goal has not materialized as quickly as I would have liked and will take more time than I had anticipated, and that is time that I just don’t have at my age.”

“As I go into retirement again (and for the final time), I reflect on how fortunate I have been to do what I love most – coaching college baseball and trying to impact young lives – for more than 40 years at five wonderful institutions,” he continued. “The young men that I have had the honor to coach will always be foremost in my thoughts. It is my hope that their success in life and contributions to society will be my lasting legacy.”

Miami Marlins All-Star outfielder Kyle Stowers will miss the opening month of the regular season after sustaining a hamstring injury that will sideline him for approximately three to four weeks.

The Marlins made the announcement Sunday that Stowers would be added to the injured list. During spring training, the team had carefully managed his playing time, limiting him to only six exhibition games in hopes of having him available for Friday’s season opener against the Colorado Rockies.

The 28-year-old Stowers experienced one of baseball’s most dramatic transformations in 2025. Prior to last season, he had struggled significantly at the major league level, posting just a .191 batting average with nine home runs and 59 RBIs across 117 games over three seasons.

However, during his first complete season with Miami, Stowers emerged as a star performer, hitting .288 while launching 25 home runs and driving in 73 runs over 117 games. His exceptional performance earned him a spot on the National League All-Star roster.

The loss of Stowers, combined with the absence of speedster Esteury Ruiz who begins the season on the injured list with a left oblique strain, forces Miami to find creative solutions for their outfield depth.

During Saturday’s exhibition defeat to the St. Louis Cardinals, the Marlins experimented by positioning infielder Connor Norby in left field. Norby, who has no regular-season outfield experience, has impressed this spring with a .310 batting average, two home runs, and three stolen bases across 42 at-bats entering Sunday.

Another option for Miami is second-year outfielder Heriberto Hernandez, who saw action in 87 games last season and posted a .266 average with 10 homers and a .785 OPS. The 26-year-old Hernandez has showcased improved speed this spring, stealing four bases in 13 games while entering Sunday with three home runs and a .226 average in 31 at-bats.

Seattle Mariners outfielder Randy Arozarena has issued a formal apology to teammate Cal Raleigh following a heated exchange that stemmed from a declined handshake during World Baseball Classic competition.

“I understand that with Opening Day a few days away, I don’t want it to be a distraction. Cal and I have talked and I apologized for what I said after the game,” Arozarena stated in a release from the Mariners organization. “Nothing in the WBC takes away from the fact that we are brothers and teammates. He’s family, and we are both focused on helping the Mariners win the World Series.”

The controversy began during a March 9 matchup where Team USA defeated Mexico 5-3. When Arozarena extended his hand toward Raleigh, who was positioned behind home plate in his catching gear, Raleigh chose not to reciprocate the gesture.

Following the game, Arozarena spoke with Mexican reporter Luis Gilbert in Spanish, stating that Raleigh “has to thank God that he has nice parents, well educated,” while mentioning he had recently embraced them during a cordial encounter at their team hotel.

The Cuban-born player, who moved to Mexico before launching his MLB career, then used vulgar slang terms to criticize Raleigh before switching to English and making additional crude remarks about his teammate.

Raleigh quickly moved to defuse the situation, referring to Arozarena as a baseball “brother” and clarifying that no animosity existed between the two players.

“I love Randy, I do,” Raleigh expressed. “I hate that this is a thing. There’s no beef when we get back to Seattle. He’s my brother. We’re family.”

Following their weekend spring training contest, Raleigh reinforced that the matter had been resolved.

“We talked it out, and everything went great,” Raleigh told MLB.com. “Randy knows that I love him, and he’s a brother, and it’s in the past and none of us are carrying this forward. We’re in a good spot.”

The Mariners are set to begin their regular season Thursday in a matchup against the Cleveland Guardians.

Seattle enters the new campaign following their breakthrough 2023 season, which saw them capture their first American League West division championship since 2001. Raleigh played a crucial role in that success, joining just six other players in major league history to reach the 60-home run milestone in a single season.

The New York Mets will be without veteran outfielder Mike Tauchman after he sustained a significant knee injury during spring training action.

Manager Carlos Mendoza announced to the media on Sunday that the 35-year-old Tauchman suffered a torn meniscus in his left knee during Saturday’s exhibition contest against the Houston Astros, requiring surgical intervention.

The veteran left-handed batter had been performing well during spring preparation, posting a .241/.371/.448 statistical line across 35 plate appearances and was expected to serve as a key contributor against right-handed pitching.

With Tauchman sidelined, promising young talent Carson Benge is positioned to earn regular playing time. The 23-year-old prospect has earned recognition as a top-20 organizational prospect according to Baseball America, MLB.com, and Baseball Prospectus rankings, and has impressed this spring with a .368 batting average, collecting 14 hits and driving in five runs through 43 plate appearances.

This marks another setback for Tauchman, who previously required meniscus surgery on his right knee in September while playing for the Chicago White Sox, following persistent knee problems throughout last season. During his eight-season major league career, he has maintained a .246 batting average and .727 OPS while playing for multiple organizations including the Colorado Rockies (2017-18), New York Yankees (2019-21), San Francisco Giants (2021), Chicago Cubs (2023-24), and the White Sox (2025).

Gabriel Landeskog, team captain for the Colorado Avalanche, is making his comeback Sunday afternoon when his squad faces Washington in the nation’s capital.

The veteran forward has been out of action since suffering a lower-body injury in Colorado’s March 6 shootout win over Dallas, which ended 5-4.

Speaking before Sunday’s game, Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar expressed his enthusiasm about getting his captain back on the ice. “It’s good to have him back,” Bednar told reporters. “We’ve got a lot of these top-six wingers out of the lineup right now. We’ve brought them all with us on the road. They’re all making progress. Landeskog will go (this afternoon) and then hopefully we can continue to add guys here on this road trip. But he’ll make a significant difference for us here (today), and it’s good to see him back healthy and still with some runway to go here before the playoffs.”

The 33-year-old Landeskog has recorded 29 points this season, including nine goals and 20 assists across 47 games.

Landeskog helped Colorado capture the Stanley Cup championship in 2022, but his career has been severely impacted by persistent knee troubles. He was forced to sit out three complete regular seasons between 2022 and 2025 due to complications with his right knee, requiring several operations including a cartilage transplant procedure performed on May 10, 2023.

Seattle Mariners teammates Randy Arozarena and Cal Raleigh have put their World Baseball Classic confrontation behind them, with both players confirming they’ve resolved their differences ahead of the new season.

The incident occurred during a March 9 Pool B matchup in Houston, where Team USA defeated Mexico 5-3. Arozarena, representing Mexico, attempted to offer a handshake to Raleigh during a first-inning plate appearance, but the American catcher declined. The U.S. team reportedly maintained a policy against such gestures during competition.

Following the game, Arozarena expressed his frustration through an expletive-filled interview with a Mexican reporter, criticizing his teammate’s response.

In a statement issued by the Mariners on Saturday, Arozarena addressed the situation directly. “I understand that with Opening Day a few days away, I don’t want it to be a distraction,” Arozarena said. “Cal and I have talked and I apologized for what I said after the game. Nothing in the WBC takes away from the fact that we are brothers and teammates.”

Raleigh also confirmed the two had worked through their differences. “We talked it out, and everything went great,” Raleigh said. “Randy knows that I love him, and he’s a brother, and it’s in the past and none of us are carrying this forward. We’re in a good spot. We talked it out. We were both sorry, and we both got in a good place and we’re both happy to be here, too.”

The catcher expressed relief at returning to spring training with the team unity restored. “It was really good walking in the door and seeing everybody. As fun as [the WBC] was, it was nice to feel back here. It feels like the family’s all back together in a way,” Raleigh added.

New York Giants rookie running back Cam Skattebo has issued a public apology following controversial statements he made on a podcast, where he dismissed chronic traumatic encephalopathy and asthma as illegitimate medical conditions.

The 24-year-old player took to social media Saturday to address the backlash from his appearance on the “Bring the Juice” podcast.

“I recently did an interview and had a lapse in judgment, which resulted in me making a tasteless joke about CTE and asthma. It was never my intention to downplay the seriousness of head injuries or asthma,” Skattebo posted on X. “I sincerely apologize to anyone that was offended by my remarks, and I assure you that I’ll be more mindful and respectful going forward. Much love !!!”

During the podcast interview, when asked whether he believed CTE was legitimate, Skattebo responded dismissively.

“No, it’s an excuse,” Skattebo said, shaking his head.

The host then questioned whether asthma should also be considered an “excuse.”

“No, that’s a good take,” he said. “Yes, asthma’s fake too.”

Research from Boston University’s CTE Center reveals the severity of the brain condition Skattebo dismissed. In early 2023, the center reported examining brain tissue from 376 former NFL players and finding CTE in 345 cases. The degenerative brain condition results from repeated head trauma and can only be confirmed after death. Notable former players diagnosed with CTE include Pro Football Hall of Famer Junior Seau and ex-New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez.

Regarding asthma, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America reports that over 28 million Americans – approximately one in twelve people – live with the respiratory condition.

Skattebo’s mother came to her son’s defense, suggesting his remarks were meant as sarcasm rather than serious commentary.

“If only people knew how many times cam had to ‘run and get mom’s inhaler’ they’d realize the sarcasm…you’ll never make everyone happy and you’ll never say all the right things and people are bound to spin something sooner or later in a direction it was never intended to go,” Becky Skattebo wrote on social media.

The controversy prompted a response from Garrett Webster, who identified himself as the son of legendary Pittsburgh Steelers center Mike Webster, offering guidance to the young player.

“Mr Skattebo, my father was Mike Webster, you might not know him but he suffered from CTE,” Webster posted. “I’m glad that you recognize your words were unacceptable. Please understand CTE has destroyed the lives of many former players and their families. Be better in the future. Rooting 4 u”

Mike Webster anchored the center position for four Super Bowl championship Steelers teams and earned Hall of Fame induction in 1997. He passed away in 2002 at the age of 50.

The Giants selected Skattebo in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. During his rookie season, he appeared in eight games with five starts, accumulating 410 rushing yards and five touchdowns, plus 207 receiving yards and two touchdown catches before suffering a season-ending ankle injury.

The Philadelphia Phillies have locked up their star southpaw pitcher Cristopher Sanchez with a lucrative six-year contract extension, the organization revealed on Sunday.

While the Phillies did not reveal monetary details, The Athletic reported that Sanchez will receive $107 million guaranteed through 2032, with an additional $3.5 million coming in 2026. The contract is structured to begin in 2027 and extends through 2032, with Philadelphia holding an option for the 2033 season.

The 29-year-old hurler is set to take the mound as Philadelphia’s Opening Day starter when they host the Texas Rangers on March 26 to begin the new season.

Sanchez enjoyed a career-best campaign last year, compiling a 13-5 win-loss record alongside a stellar 2.50 earned run average across 32 starts. His outstanding performance earned him runner-up honors in National League Cy Young Award balloting, finishing behind Pittsburgh Pirates sensation Paul Skenes.

The veteran left-hander earned All-Star recognition in 2024 and brings impressive career numbers to his extended tenure with Philadelphia. Over 104 total appearances with the Phillies, including 85 as a starter, Sanchez has compiled a 30-21 record with a 3.24 ERA. His resume also includes three complete games and one shutout performance.

PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia Phillies management has secured a major piece of their championship puzzle by finalizing a six-year contract extension with ace pitcher Cristopher Sánchez, the team’s opening day starter.

Sunday’s announcement revealed the new agreement will begin in 2027 and extend through the 2032 season, with an additional club option available for 2033. Financial details of the contract have not been disclosed.

The extension replaces Sánchez’s current four-year, $22.5 million deal that was set to expire in 2028.

Last season proved to be a breakout year for Sánchez, who posted an impressive 13-5 record with a 2.50 earned run average across 32 starts. The left-hander also achieved a personal milestone by recording 212 strikeouts, the highest total of his career. Over his four complete major league seasons, Sánchez holds a 30-21 overall record.

Sánchez’s journey to Philadelphia began when Tampa Bay originally signed him as an amateur free agent in 2013. The Phillies acquired the promising pitcher on November 20, 2019, sending infielder Curtis Mead to the Rays in exchange.

That trade has proven highly beneficial for Philadelphia, as Mead appeared in only 41 games with Chicago last season while Sánchez has developed into one of baseball’s elite pitchers. His contributions were instrumental in helping the Phillies capture back-to-back NL East division championships in 2024 and 2025.

Philadelphia’s front office is committed to extending their playoff success, having reached the postseason in four consecutive years heading into 2026. The organization has invested heavily in securing their veteran pitching staff with long-term commitments.

Earlier this month, the team completed a five-year, $135 million contract with Jesús Luzardo that also begins in 2027. The rotation is further anchored by Zack Wheeler’s $126 million agreement running through 2027 and Aaron Nola’s seven-year, $172 million contract extending through 2030. Young prospect Andrew Painter, who earned the fifth rotation spot, remains under team control through 2031.

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – American golfer Bryson DeChambeau secured his second straight LIV Golf championship Sunday, defeating Jon Rahm in a playoff to win the first-ever LIV Golf tournament held in South Africa at Steyn City in Johannesburg.

DeChambeau and Rahm were tied at 26-under-par after four rounds of regulation play. The American clinched his fifth LIV Golf championship by sinking a birdie on the first playoff hole.

Following his victory, DeChambeau became visibly emotional and disclosed he had been dealing with personal difficulties during the tournament week, though he did not provide specific details.

“A lot had happened in my life in the last week, I am so grateful for my team and everybody supporting me,” he said.

“Golf is a fickle game, you work so hard at it your whole life and then you realise golf is just golf,” DeChambeau added.

The team competition was also won by DeChambeau’s group, the Crushers, which features Paul Casey, Charles Howell III and Anirban Lahiri. They edged South Africa’s Southern Guards by one stroke with a total of 76-under-par.

Tournament organizers announced Sunday that the South African event will return in 2027, scheduled for April 22-25.

“South Africa was unbelievable, it has to be the best LIV Golf event we have ever had,” DeChambeau commented.

The four-day tournament in Johannesburg drew an expected crowd of more than 100,000 spectators.

Multiple media sources reported Sunday that Providence University plans to bring in Bryan Hodgson from South Florida to lead their men’s basketball program.

According to reports, the 38-year-old coach will ink a five-year contract with the Friars. Hodgson departs South Florida after completing just one campaign with an impressive 25-9 overall record.

Hodgson steps in to fill the vacancy left by Kim English, who was dismissed on March 13 following three years at the helm of Providence basketball.

The Friars struggled this past season, ending with a disappointing 15-18 overall mark and going 7-13 in Big East Conference play. English’s tenure showed mixed results, with the team posting a 21-14 record in his debut season before dropping to 12-20 in year two.

During his single season with South Florida, Hodgson guided the Bulls to the American Conference championship and their first March Madness berth in over a decade. The Bulls earned an 11th seed in the East Region but fell to sixth-seeded Louisville in Thursday’s opening round.

Before arriving at South Florida, Hodgson spent two years leading Arkansas State, where he compiled a 45-28 overall record. In his final campaign with the Red Wolves, the team went 25-11 and captured the Sun Belt Conference regular-season title before being eliminated by North Texas in the second round of the NIT.

Minnesota’s Vladimir Tarasenko delivered the decisive blow 3:06 into the extra period, securing a 2-1 overtime victory for the Wild against Dallas on Saturday afternoon in Saint Paul, Minnesota.

Bobby Brink found the back of the net for Minnesota and contributed an assist on Tarasenko’s game-winning strike. The Wild have now claimed victory in overtime twice during their last three contests. Quinn Hughes recorded assists on both Minnesota goals, bringing his season total to 62 and maintaining his position as the NHL’s top-scoring defenseman.

Dallas received their only scoring from Jason Robertson, with Miro Heiskanen and Matt Duchene providing the setup. Despite the loss, the Stars maintain a five-point advantage over Minnesota in the battle for second place in the Central Division standings.

Between the pipes, Minnesota’s Filip Gustavsson turned away 28 of 29 shots to earn the win, distributing his saves evenly throughout the game with nine stops in each of the first two periods and 10 in the final frame. Dallas netminder Jake Oettinger faced 28 shots and allowed two goals.

Lightning 5, Oilers 2

Nikita Kucherov found the net twice and recorded four points total, propelling him to the top of the NHL scoring leaders with 118 points as Tampa Bay defeated Edmonton on the road.

Anthony Cirelli also scored a pair of goals, while Jake Guentzel added one tally and Brandon Hagel contributed two assists for Tampa Bay. The Lightning have captured three consecutive victories to solidify their hold on the Atlantic Division’s second position. Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy made 25 saves for the win.

Edmonton’s offense came from Connor McDavid and Josh Samanski. Goalie Connor Ingram recorded 22 saves for the Oilers, who took the early lead but were overwhelmed by three Tampa Bay goals in the middle period.

Bruins 4, Red Wings 2

Boston rallied from a one-goal deficit by scoring twice within 3:20 during the third period, defeating Detroit in a key Atlantic Division matchup on the road.

Nikita Zadorov netted what proved to be the game-winning goal with 10:18 left on the clock, lifting Boston to victory. The Bruins have gone 3-0-2 over their past five outings. David Pastrnak and Elias Lindholm each contributed one goal and one assist, Marat Khusnutdinov also scored, Morgan Geekie recorded three assists, and Charlie McAvoy added two helpers. Jeremy Swayman backstopped the win with 41 saves.

Detroit received goals from Lucas Raymond and Alex DeBrincat, with John Gibson making 23 saves. The Red Wings had been riding a 2-0-1 streak but now occupy the Eastern Conference’s second wild-card position, trailing Boston by two points.

Penguins 5, Jets 4 (SO)

Rickard Rakell, who had already scored during regulation play, delivered the decisive shootout goal as Pittsburgh defeated Winnipeg at home.

Defenseman Erik Karlsson tallied twice for the second consecutive game, while Egor Chinakhov scored and added an assist for Pittsburgh. Parker Wotherspoon and Bryan Rust each recorded two assists, and goaltender Arturs Silovs stopped 21 shots.

Winnipeg’s Brad Lambert registered one goal and one assist, with Morgan Barron, Cole Koepke, and Neal Pionk also finding the scoresheet. Connor Hellebuyck made 26 saves in the losing effort.

Predators 4, Golden Knights 1

Steven Stamkos recorded two goals and an assist as Nashville defeated Vegas at home.

Ryan O’Reilly contributed one goal and one assist, and Tyson Jost also scored for Nashville, which has won three straight games. Justus Annunen was outstanding in goal with 39 saves, including 20 in the opening period. The Predators have moved past Los Angeles into the Western Conference’s final wild-card position.

Vegas defenseman Shea Theodore provided the Golden Knights’ lone goal. The team has dropped three consecutive games and managed just Theodore’s single goal across those contests. Akira Schmid stopped 16 shots. The struggling Golden Knights currently hold the Pacific Division’s final playoff spot.

Sabres 4, Kings 1

Zach Benson tallied one goal and one assist for Buffalo, which allowed its first goal in three games during a road victory over Los Angeles.

Sam Carrick and Rasmus Dahlin scored 59 seconds apart in the third period’s middle portion, Josh Norris recorded two assists, Tage Thompson added a goal, and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 26 saves for Buffalo. The Sabres have won four consecutive games, seven straight on the road, and 12 of 13 since the Olympic break.

Artemi Panarin scored for Los Angeles, and Anton Forsberg made 30 saves. The Kings had earned points in five of their previous six contests (3-1-2).

Blue Jackets 5, Kraken 2

Cole Sillinger recorded one goal and two assists, while Zach Werenski contributed three helpers as Columbus defeated visiting Seattle.

Mathieu Olivier added one goal and one assist, with Danton Heinen, Damon Severson, and Kent Johnson also scoring for Columbus. The Blue Jackets have won four straight and extended their point streak to 12 games (8-0-4). Elvis Merzlikins made 15 saves.

Seattle received a goal and assist from Kaapo Kakko, with Vince Dunn also scoring. The Kraken have lost three consecutive games. Joey Daccord stopped 23 of 27 shots.

Senators 5, Maple Leafs 2

Ottawa significantly boosted its playoff chances by withstanding a late Toronto rally to defeat the visiting Maple Leafs.

Tim Stutzle, Claude Giroux, Warren Foegele, Michael Amadio, and Ridley Greig each found the net, while defensemen Tyler Kleven and Jordan Spence recorded two assists apiece for Ottawa (36-24-9, 81 points). Linus Ullmark turned away 12 of 14 shots for the Senators, who have won four of their last five games.

Rookie Easton Cowan recorded one goal and one assist, and John Tavares scored for the struggling Leafs. Joseph Woll finished with 38 saves after Anthony Stolarz was struck in the throat by a puck during warmups. The team announced that Stolarz was hospitalized for precautionary imaging. Toronto coach Craig Berube said following the game that Stolarz had been released from the hospital and would travel with the team back to Toronto.

Flyers 4, Sharks 1

Christian Dvorak scored on the power play early in the third period, helping Philadelphia extend its season-best road winning streak to seven games with a victory over San Jose.

Owen Tippett scored in the second period, while defenseman Travis Sanheim and Noah Cates each found the empty net 36 seconds apart in the third. Dan Vladar made 24 saves for Philadelphia, which completed a perfect sweep of their three-game California road trip and improved to 5-0-1 in their last six games overall.

San Jose’s Macklin Celebrini recorded an assist on defenseman Dmitry Orlov’s power-play goal, bringing his career point total to 99. At 19 years and 281 days old, Celebrini needs just one more assist to become the second-youngest player in NHL history to reach 100 points, trailing only Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (19 years, 134 days on Dec. 19, 2006). Alex Nedeljkovic made 24 saves for the Sharks, who have lost four straight and seven of their last nine games (2-5-2).

Canadiens 7, Islanders 3

Cole Caufield completed a hat trick and achieved a career-high five points to lead Montreal’s third-period explosion past visiting New York.

Juraj Slafkovsky recorded two goals and two assists for his first career four-point performance, and Kaiden Guhle added one goal and two assists for Montreal. The Canadiens outscored the Islanders 4-1 in the final period. Nick Suzuki contributed four assists, and Jacob Fowler made 19 saves.

New York received goals from Emil Heineman, Simon Holmstrom, and Matthew Schaefer. Ilya Sorokin allowed six goals on 32 shots before being pulled in the third period.

Blues 3, Canucks 1

Pavel Buchnevich recorded one goal and one assist for St. Louis in a victory over host Vancouver.

Pius Suter and Jordan Kyrou also scored for the Blues, who ended a two-game losing streak and moved within six points of the Western Conference’s second wild-card spot. Jordan Binnington made 14 saves.

Vancouver’s Filip Hronek scored, and Kevin Lankinen made 18 saves for the Canucks, who trail the rest of the league by 13 points.

Saturday night in Oklahoma City delivered March Madness at its finest as fourth-seeded Nebraska claimed a historic 74-72 victory over fifth-seeded Vanderbilt, punching their ticket to the program’s inaugural Sweet 16 appearance.

The dramatic finish came when Braden Frager connected on a crucial layup with only 2.2 seconds showing on the clock. Vanderbilt’s Tyler Tanner, who led all scorers with 27 points, launched a desperate three-point attempt from beyond midcourt as the final buzzer sounded, but the shot struck both rims before bouncing away, sending the Nebraska-heavy crowd at Paycom Center into celebration.

Frager and teammate Pryce Sandfort each contributed 15 points for the Cornhuskers (28-6), who now await either top-seeded Florida or ninth-seeded Iowa in Thursday’s Sweet 16 matchup in Houston. Those two teams will square off Sunday evening in Tampa to determine Nebraska’s opponent.

The Commodores received additional scoring from Tyler Nickel, who finished with 16 points. Vanderbilt (27-9) mounted a second-half comeback by converting 10 of their 22 three-point attempts. Tanner’s basket in the paint gave the Commodores a 72-70 advantage with 58 seconds left, but Mast evened the score at 37 seconds when he converted Sam Hoiberg’s missed layup attempt.

No. 2 Houston 88, No. 10 Texas A&M 57

Emanuel Sharp poured in 18 points as the Cougars used a devastating 18-0 first-half run to overwhelm the Aggies in Oklahoma City, securing their spot in the Sweet 16.

Chris Cenac Jr. contributed 17 points and nine rebounds while Milos Uzan chipped in 15 points for Houston (30-6), which will meet third-seeded Illinois in next week’s Sweet 16 round in Houston. Mercy Miller added 12 points as the Cougars achieved their fifth straight 30-victory season and extended their Sweet 16 streak to seven consecutive years.

Josh Holloway provided the lone double-digit scoring effort for Texas A&M (22-12) with 12 points coming off the bench. Star player Rashaun Agee managed just seven points in the defeat. Houston shot 44.1% from the field and dominated the boards 46-29, including 19 offensive rebounds.

No. 3 Illinois 76, No. 11 VCU 55

Andrej Stojakovic erupted for 16 first-half points en route to a 21-point performance, leading the Fighting Illini to a comfortable victory over the Rams in Greenville, South Carolina.

Tomislav Ivisic recorded 14 points and 11 rebounds for Illinois (26-8), which advanced to just its second Sweet 16 in the past 21 seasons. The Fighting Illini will face second-seeded Houston on Thursday in Houston. Keaton Wagler contributed 14 points and Kylan Boswell added 12 as Illinois won its opening two tournament games by a combined margin of 56 points.

Terrence Hill Jr. paced VCU (28-8) with 17 points and seven rebounds, while Barry Evans and Tyrell Ward each scored 11 points. The Rams struggled from beyond the arc, connecting on just 7 of 32 three-point attempts (21.9%) in the decisive loss.

WEST REGION

No. 11 Texas 74, No. 3 Gonzaga 68

Matas Vokietaitis and Jordan Pope each tallied 17 points, while Camden Heide delivered a clutch three-pointer with 14.7 seconds remaining to propel the Longhorns past the Bulldogs in Portland, Oregon.

Following a Gonzaga dunk by Graham Ike that cut the deficit to one point, Texas called timeout with 32 seconds left and inserted Heide, whose corner three-pointer extended the lead to 72-68. Mario Saint-Supery’s last-ditch three-point attempt for Gonzaga (31-4) missed the mark, and Vokietaitis sealed the victory with a layup for Texas (21-14), making them the first First Four participant to win three tournament games since UCLA’s 2021 Final Four run.

West Coast Conference Player of the Year Ike finished with 25 points, and Jalen Warley recorded 10 points, eight rebounds, and five assists for the Bulldogs.

No. 4 Arkansas 94, No. 12 High Point 88

Darius Acuff Jr. exploded for 36 points and Meleek Thomas added 19 as the Razorbacks ended the Panthers’ tournament run with a late surge in Portland, Oregon.

Acuff scored nine of Arkansas’s final 11 points as they broke away from an 83-83 deadlock in the closing three minutes, overcoming a 30-point effort from High Point’s Rob Martin. Billy Richmond III posted 15 points and 10 rebounds, and Malique Ewin recorded 14 points and 12 rebounds for the Razorbacks (28-8), winners of seven straight and nine of their last 10. Ewin’s free throws with 44.4 seconds left made it 92-85.

Cam’Ron Fletcher scored 25 points and narrowly missed his third consecutive double-double by two rebounds, while Terry Anderson contributed 15 points for High Point (31-5), whose 15-game winning streak ended after capturing the program’s first NCAA Tournament victory on Thursday.

EAST REGION

No. 1 Duke 81, No. 9 TCU 58

Cameron Boozer scored 17 of his team-leading 19 points after halftime to guide the Blue Devils past the Horned Frogs in Greenville, South Carolina.

Isaiah Evans contributed 17 points and Dame Sarr scored 14 for Duke (34-2), which earned a Sweet 16 meeting with the winner between fourth-seeded Kansas and fifth-seeded St. John’s. Boozer also grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds while Maliq Brown finished with 12 points and nine boards for the Blue Devils, who outscored TCU by 19 points in the second half.

Micah Robinson topped TCU (23-12) with 18 points, followed by Xavier Edmonds with 12. The Horned Frogs were outrebounded 42-25 overall, including a 24-14 disadvantage in the second half.

No. 3 Michigan State 77, No. 6 Louisville 69

Coen Carr recorded 21 points and 10 rebounds, Jeremy Fears Jr. tallied 12 points with 16 assists, and the Spartans stifled the Cardinals to reach the Sweet 16 for the 17th time under coach Tom Izzo.

Fears established a new Michigan State NCAA Tournament record for assists while Carr nearly matched his career scoring high for the Spartans (27-7). Michigan State advances to the East Region semifinal in Washington, D.C., where they’ll face the winner of seventh-seeded UCLA versus second-seeded UConn.

Louisville’s leading scorer Ryan Conwell battled through a left foot injury in the second half and appeared to lack his usual mobility. Conwell managed 21 points and connected on 5 of 11 three-point attempts for the Cardinals (24-11).

MIDWEST

No. 1 Michigan 95, Saint Louis 72

Yaxel Lendeborg scored 25 points on efficient 9-of-13 shooting as the Wolverines pulled away from the Billikens in Buffalo, New York.

Morez Johnson Jr. added 15 points and eight rebounds for Michigan (33-3), which secured a Sweet 16 date with either Texas Tech or Alabama. Aday Mara contributed 16 points, and Elliot Cadeau scored 12 points while dishing out a team-best eight assists.

Amari McCottry led Saint Louis (29-6) with 14 points on 7-of-11 shooting. Dion Brown finished with 13 points, and Robbie Avila added nine points in the loss.

The Philadelphia Flyers continued their impressive away performance Saturday night, defeating the San Jose Sharks 4-1 to push their road winning streak to seven consecutive games. Christian Dvorak netted the decisive power-play goal early in the final period to help secure the victory.

This remarkable road success ties Philadelphia for the second-best away winning streak in team history, matching achievements from the 1985-86 and 2017-18 seasons. The franchise record of eight consecutive road victories was set during the 1982-83 campaign.

Owen Tippett provided the initial scoring in the second period, while defenseman Travis Sanheim and Noah Cates both capitalized on an empty net opportunity, scoring just 36 seconds apart during the third period.

Goaltender Dan Vladar stopped 24 shots for Philadelphia (34-23-12, 80 points), as the team completed a perfect sweep of their three-game West Coast road trip. The Flyers have now posted a 5-0-1 record over their past six contests and completed a season series sweep against San Jose following their 4-1 home victory on December 9.

San Jose’s Macklin Celebrini recorded an assist on defenseman Dmitry Orlov’s power-play goal, bringing his career point total to 99. At 19 years and 281 days old, Celebrini needs just one more assist to become the second-youngest player in NHL history to reach 100 career points, trailing only Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby, who achieved the milestone at 19 years and 134 days on December 19, 2006.

Sharks goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic made 24 saves for San Jose (32-30-6, 70 points), but the team extended their losing streak to four games and dropped seven of their last nine contests (2-5-2).

The game’s turning point came when Philadelphia’s Garnet Hathaway delivered a heavy hit on Celebrini, causing San Jose’s Mario Ferraro to retaliate and receive a roughing penalty. Philadelphia capitalized immediately, as Dvorak converted Travis Konecny’s cross-ice pass for a 2-1 advantage just 1:47 into the third period.

Tippett opened the scoring 2:26 into the second period, collecting a diagonal pass from Trevor Zegras before skating around San Jose defenseman Nick Leddy and beating Nedeljkovic. The goal marked Tippett’s 24th of the season and his fifth in eight games.

San Jose equalized when Celebrini worked the puck along the boards to William Eklund, who entered from the left circle and found an open Orlov in the slot. Orlov converted the opportunity with 6:48 remaining in the second period to create a 1-1 deadlock.