Category: Sports

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.

A last-second tip-in by Amen Thompson off a Kevin Durant miss gave the Houston Rockets a thrilling 123-122 win over the Miami Heat on Saturday night.

Durant made NBA history during the game, moving past Michael Jordan’s career total of 32,292 points to claim fifth place on the league’s all-time scoring list. The historic moment came with 3:35 remaining in the final quarter when Durant connected on a three-pointer from the corner. Miami managed to take the lead late after a goaltending violation was called on Jabari Smith Jr., who tried to block Simone Fontecchio’s layup following a Houston turnover on an inbound play by Tari Eason.

Thompson recorded 24 points and set a personal best with 18 rebounds. He joined Reed Sheppard (23 points, 14 assists) and Alperen Sengun (19 points, 12 rebounds) as Rockets players achieving double-doubles. Durant led Houston’s scoring with 27 points, bringing his career total to 32,294.

For Miami, Bam Adebayo dominated with 32 points and matched his career high with 21 rebounds. Tyler Herro contributed 25 points but struggled in the fourth quarter, missing all five attempts. Fontecchio added 21 points with five three-pointers made.

Lakers 105, Magic 104

Luke Kennard connected on a clutch three-pointer with just 0.6 seconds left to give Los Angeles a victory over Orlando at home.

Down by two with 2.6 seconds remaining, Marcus Smart found Kennard open for the game-winner, securing the team’s ninth consecutive victory. Luka Doncic paced Los Angeles with 33 points and eight assists, while Austin Reaves added 26 points. LeBron James contributed 12 points and made history by surpassing Robert Parish for most regular-season appearances in NBA history with 1,612 games.

Paolo Banchero led Orlando with 16 points, and Jalen Suggs scored 14. Wendell Carter Jr. and Jevon Carter each contributed 13 points for the Magic, who suffered their fourth straight defeat.

Clippers 138, Mavericks 131 (OT)

Darius Garland exploded for 41 points and 11 assists while Kawhi Leonard added 34 points as Los Angeles ended a four-game slide with an overtime win in Dallas.

Derrick Jones Jr. contributed 15 points, including two crucial three-pointers in the extra period, as the Clippers shot 56.7% overall and made 21 of 42 attempts from beyond the arc to salvage their three-game road swing.

Naji Marshall scored 28 points and Cooper Flagg recorded 18 points, 10 rebounds, and four blocks for Dallas, which extended its home losing streak to 11 games.

Hornets 124, Grizzlies 101

LaMelo Ball’s 29 points powered Charlotte to another high-scoring performance in a victory over Memphis at home.

Brandon Miller contributed 22 points for the Hornets, who have won five of their past six contests. Charlotte also got solid production from Miles Bridges with 13 points and Coby White, who recorded 12 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists in 19 minutes as a reserve.

GG Jackson paced Memphis with 19 points, while Javon Small provided 17 points and a team-leading seven rebounds. Taylor Hendricks scored 14 points and Walter Clayton Jr. added 11 for the Grizzlies, who have dropped 10 of their last 11 games.

Thunder 132, Wizards 111

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 40 points led Oklahoma City past Washington, extending the Thunder’s winning streak to 11 while the Wizards’ losing streak reached 15.

Chet Holmgren contributed 18 points and 10 rebounds while Jared McCain scored 18 off the bench for Oklahoma City. Isaiah Hartenstein nearly achieved his second career triple-double with nine points, a career-high-tying 20 rebounds, and 10 assists.

Bilal Coulibaly topped six Washington players in double figures with 21 points, and Bub Carrington added 19.

Cavaliers 111, Pelicans 106

Donovan Mitchell scored 27 points and James Harden recorded 20 points, 10 assists, and six rebounds as Cleveland rallied in the fourth quarter to end New Orleans’ seven-game home winning streak.

The Cavaliers overcame a 15-point deficit with runs of 16-2 and 10-0 in the final period. Sam Merrill scored 15 points and Evan Mobley finished with 18 points and eight rebounds.

Zion Williamson shot 10-of-14 from the field for a team-high 25 points for New Orleans. Saddiq Bey made 4-of-8 three-pointers en route to 19 points, and Murray recorded a double-double with 12 points and 10 assists.

Hawks 126, Warriors 110

Dyson Daniels tied his career high with 28 points to help Atlanta defeat Golden State and extend its home winning streak to 10 games.

Daniels shot 12-for-17 from the field with seven rebounds, six assists, and four steals as the Hawks rebounded from having their 11-game winning streak ended Friday against Houston. CJ McCollum added 23 points, while Zaccharie Risacher and Nickeil Alexander-Walker each scored 17. Mouhamed Gueye, starting for injured leading scorer Jalen Johnson (left shoulder inflammation), recorded 16 points, 10 rebounds, and three blocks.

De’Anthony Melton led Golden State with 20 points, Nate Williams scored 19, and Pat Spencer added 18. The Warriors are 1-4 on their six-game road trip, which concludes Monday in Dallas.

Spurs 134, Pacers 119

Rookie Dylan Harper tied his career high with 24 points in his first career start, and Keldon Johnson also scored 24 as San Antonio cruised past struggling Indiana at home.

The Spurs continued their hot streak, winning their fifth straight and 21st in their last 23 games. Victor Wembanyama finished with 20 points, eight rebounds, six assists, and five blocks in just 26 minutes.

Indiana extended its losing streak to 16 games. Andrew Nembhard led all scorers with 25 points while Jarace Walker added 21. Pascal Siakam scored 14 in his return after missing six games with a sprained right knee.

76ers 126, Jazz 116

Quentin Grimes scored 25 points and VJ Edgecombe added 22 points and 13 rebounds to lead Philadelphia past Utah in Salt Lake City.

Trendon Watford contributed 20 points off the bench for the 76ers, who won their fourth game in five tries. Cameron Payne added 16 points and seven assists as a reserve, and Adem Bona also scored 16 for Philadelphia, which played without star Joel Embiid (oblique) for the 12th consecutive game.

Ace Bailey recorded 25 points and seven rebounds, and Kennedy Chandler scored a career-high 19 points off the bench for Utah, which clinched its third straight 50-loss season. Cody Williams and Elijah Harkless each scored 15 points, and Bez Mbeng had a career-best 13 for the Jazz, who have lost five of six.

Bucks 108, Suns 105

Ryan Rollins recorded 26 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists as Milwaukee handed Phoenix its fifth consecutive loss on the road.

Kyle Kuzma scored 20 points before leaving in the third quarter with right Achilles tightness for the Bucks. Gary Trent Jr. and Ousmane Dieng each scored 11 points for Milwaukee, which snapped a two-game losing streak.

Jalen Green led Phoenix with 24 points, Collin Gillespie added 18, and Devin Booker managed 14 points on 4-of-17 shooting.

HOUSTON – Basketball legend Kevin Durant reached another career milestone Saturday evening, climbing past Michael Jordan into fifth place on the NBA’s all-time scoring rankings during Houston’s narrow 123-122 victory over the Miami Heat.

The 37-year-old superstar needed 27 points to surpass Jordan’s career total, accomplishing the feat with a three-pointer from the right corner in the fourth quarter that brought his career point total to 32,294 – two points beyond Jordan’s mark.

After sinking the historic shot, Durant momentarily raised his arms in celebration as the Houston crowd erupted in appreciation of witnessing basketball history.

When asked about his achievement, Durant remained focused on future goals. “Four more to go,” he said with a smile.

The milestone shot came with under five minutes remaining in the game, after Durant had already netted 21 points through three quarters. His previous three-pointer from nearly the identical court position had brought him within striking distance of Jordan’s record.

Durant reflected on Jordan’s impact when questioned about his favorite memories of the basketball icon. “No. That’s like asking me do I got a favorite Drake song,” he said. “No, they’re just all great. MJ has so many great moments. He just personifies iconic god level – just everything that I believe in, he personifies.”

The game’s conclusion proved dramatic, as Durant’s potential game-winning attempt missed its mark in the final seconds. However, teammate Amen Thompson secured the victory by tipping in the rebound for the deciding points.

Thompson, who was only four years old when Durant entered the league as the second overall draft pick in 2007, expressed admiration for his veteran teammate’s achievement. “That’s legendary,” he said. “Just being on a team with greatness like that, it’s inspiring, for sure. And witnessing him break these records, it’s been cool to watch.”

Houston honored Durant’s accomplishment with a tribute video just before the game’s final play, showcasing highlights from both Durant’s and Jordan’s careers as fans stood to acknowledge the historic moment.

This season has seen Durant climb past multiple NBA legends, having already surpassed Wilt Chamberlain (31,419 points) and Dirk Nowitzki (31,560 points) earlier in the campaign. His next target is Kobe Bryant, who holds fourth place with 33,643 career points.

Rockets head coach Ime Udoka praised the significance of the moment. “It’s an honor for everybody to be a part of that,” coach Ime Udoka said. “And as KD has said in the past, I don’t think he cares much about it in the moment. He’s really focused on the season and what we’re trying to accomplish, but I don’t want to just make it an afterthought. Passing Michael Jordan is obviously a huge accomplishment and we celebrated that with him.”

Durant is currently in his 19th NBA season, though he missed the entire 2019-20 campaign due to injury. This marks his first year with Houston following a major trade from Phoenix during the previous summer.

The accomplished veteran brings an impressive resume to his pursuit of scoring records, including 16 All-Star selections, four Olympic gold medals, four scoring titles, and two NBA Finals MVP awards. He captured two NBA championships, earned league MVP honors in 2013-14, and has been selected to 11 All-NBA teams.

While Durant acknowledged drawing inspiration from the scoring leaders ahead of him and hopes to motivate future players, he emphasized the difficulty of fully appreciating such milestones while still actively competing.

“It’s cool, but it’s hard to take in when you’re still on the journey, when you just care about getting better,” he said. “I don’t ever want to downplay stuff like that, but I’ve got to get up and come to work tomorrow.”

ORLANDO, Fla. — Basketball history was made Saturday night as LeBron James established a new NBA milestone by appearing in his 1,612th regular season contest, while Luke Kennard delivered a clutch three-pointer with just 0.6 seconds remaining to give the Los Angeles Lakers a dramatic 105-104 comeback victory over the Orlando Magic.

The Lakers extended their winning streak to nine games, with significant contributions coming from multiple players. However, the team may face a setback as a player received his 16th technical foul of the season, which triggers an automatic one-game suspension unless the league reverses the decision.

On his historic evening, James contributed 12 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals while surpassing the record previously held by Robert Parish for nearly three decades.

Orlando’s Paolo Banchero topped the Magic’s balanced scoring attack with 16 points, leading seven teammates who reached double figures. In the game’s crucial final moments, Banchero blocked a James shot attempt that appeared to go out of bounds with 4.7 seconds left on the clock. Following an official replay review, referees determined the ball had not touched James’ foot before crossing the boundary, allowing Los Angeles to retain possession. This pivotal ruling enabled Marcus Smart to find Kennard for the game-winning basket.

Austin Reaves provided offensive firepower for the Lakers with 26 points in the victory.

The contest featured multiple momentum shifts, with James scoring six consecutive points during the third quarter to help Los Angeles build an eight-point advantage. However, Orlando managed to take a five-point lead entering the final minute of play. The defeat marked the fourth consecutive loss for the Magic.

Looking ahead, the Lakers will travel to Detroit for their next contest on Monday, while the Magic return home to face Indiana on the same evening.

LOS ANGELES, March 21 – America’s national flag football squad demonstrated that success on the gridiron doesn’t automatically translate to flag football excellence, overwhelming two rosters packed with professional NFL talent to capture the inaugural Flag Football Classic championship Saturday in Los Angeles.

The competition, initially planned for Riyadh before being relocated due to the Iran conflict, aimed to showcase flag football ahead of its Olympic premiere in Los Angeles during 2028.

Seven-time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady, who stepped away from the NFL three years ago, led the Founders FFC squad and drew cheers from spectators when he connected with former teammate Rob Gronkowski on a successful two-point conversion during the opening contest.

However, Brady’s roster, which featured Philadelphia Eagles signal-caller Jalen Hurts and Gronkowski, who exited early with a hamstring problem, couldn’t match the determination of Team USA and their quarterback Darrell Doucette.

The national squad utilized their exceptional quickness to dominate offensively, sailing through their pair of round-robin matches in the three-team competition before defeating Joe Burrow’s Wildcats FCC squad 24-14 in a more challenging championship game.

The competition functioned as a trial run for the upcoming LA Olympics, where flag football will debut at BMO Stadium in the city’s Exposition Park area in slightly more than two years.

Using a more compact playing surface compared to standard NFL fields, event planners converted significant portions of the venue into premium VIP sections, giving the competition an exhibition atmosphere that included YouTuber-turned-WWE performer Logan Paul competing for the Wildcats.

Despite the excitement, attendance fell short of capacity, possibly due to the venue change on short notice and an ongoing heat wave affecting the Los Angeles area.

INDIANAPOLIS – Salisbury University’s nationally-ranked men’s swimming program wrapped up what coaches are calling their most successful campaign in school history, securing a 26th-place finish at the NCAA Division III Swimming & Diving Championships.

The Sea Gulls, who entered the competition ranked 18th in the nation, concluded their championship run Saturday evening at Indianapolis’ IU Natatorium following four days of intense competition.

The strong showing at nationals caps off a breakthrough year for the Salisbury swimming program, marking their highest achievement at the Division III level.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order Friday designed to preserve the Army-Navy football game’s standalone television broadcast slot each December.

The historic military academy rivalry has been held during the second December weekend since 2009, traditionally standing alone on the college football calendar before the evening Heisman Trophy presentation. But potential College Football Playoff expansion could introduce additional playoff rounds scheduled for that same weekend.

The current 12-team playoff format starts its first round the following weekend, as it has for two seasons. Any future expansion to 24 teams would necessitate at least one more round of games.

The situation becomes more complex because the second December weekend marks the final Saturday when the NFL cannot schedule games under the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961.

“Such scheduling conflicts weaken the national focus on our Military Service Academies and detract from a morale-building event of vital interest to the Department of War,” Friday’s executive order stated. “Accordingly, it is the policy of the United States that no college football game, specifically college football’s CFP or other postseason games, be broadcast in a manner that directly conflicts with the Army-Navy Game.”

Prior to 2009, the Army-Navy matchup traditionally occurred during late November or early December’s first weekend. Officials relocated it to the second December weekend to prevent conflicts with conference championship games and boost television viewership.

The enforceability of Friday’s directive remains uncertain. Executive orders only provide guidance to federal agencies and executive branch departments, with this particular order instructing the FCC chairperson to collaborate with the CFP committee, NCAA and media partners to safeguard the Army-Navy exclusive window.

This year’s Army-Navy game will take place December 12 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The CFP first round is set for December 18-19.

The Army-Navy rivalry has occurred annually since 1930 and has been played 126 times in total.

Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell announced Saturday that star outfielder Seiya Suzuki will be unavailable when the team opens its season Thursday against Washington at Wrigley Field due to a knee injury.

Speaking to reporters before Saturday’s spring training matchup against Seattle in Peoria, Arizona, Counsell confirmed that while Suzuki won’t be ready for the season opener, the team hasn’t decided whether to place him on the injured list.

“Look, we’ve had good days ever since he’s been back to camp,” Counsell said. “Opening Day, it’s not going to happen. (He’s) not going to be ready to play on Opening Day. Once you get past Opening Day, we’ve got to make a decision, does it just make sense to give him some time? We’ve got time to make that decision.”

The 31-year-old slugger injured his right posterior cruciate ligament with a minor sprain while trying to steal second base during Japan’s World Baseball Classic quarterfinal defeat to Venezuela on March 14. Venezuela went on to win the tournament.

Now in his fifth season with Chicago, Suzuki has participated in throwing and batting practice but hasn’t begun running exercises yet.

Last season marked a career year for Suzuki, who launched 32 home runs and knocked in 103 RBIs across 151 games. Throughout his four-year Cubs tenure, he’s maintained a .269 batting average while hitting 87 homers and driving in 296 runs.

The outfielder is playing out the final season of his five-year, $85 million deal with Chicago.

Meanwhile, reports indicate that non-roster player Michael Conforto has been notified he’ll join the 40-man roster and start the season with the Cubs. The veteran outfielder brings 10 years of major league experience from stints with the New York Mets (2015-21), San Francisco Giants (2023-24), and Los Angeles Dodgers (2025). His career totals include 179 home runs and 556 RBIs, with his best season coming in 2019 when he hit 33 homers and drove in 92 runs.

Italian tennis sensation Jannik Sinner delivered an impressive performance in his Miami Open debut Saturday, defeating Damir Dzumhur in straight sets 6-3, 6-3. The victory moves Sinner closer to achieving the prestigious ‘Sunshine Double’ following his recent championship at Indian Wells.

The second-seeded player was absent from both tournaments last year due to a three-month suspension stemming from a doping violation settlement.

Should Sinner claim victory in South Florida next weekend, he would make history as the first male player since Roger Federer in 2017 to capture both major U.S. hard court titles in a single season.

The world’s second-ranked player overwhelmed the 76th-ranked Dzumhur with precise serving and powerful baseline shots, capturing 14 out of 17 points during net approaches.

‘First matches are never easy,’ the Italian commented after advancing directly to the second round with a bye.

‘I’m happy with today’s performance, now let’s see what’s coming.’

The defending 2024 Miami champion expressed satisfaction with the tournament’s playing conditions, noting how they complement his style.

‘The ball is not bouncing as much, which is something that I really like.’

Saturday’s triumph marked Sinner’s 12th consecutive victory at Masters 1000 events, a streak extending back to his Paris Masters championship last year.

At 24 years old, Sinner has now captured 24 straight sets at the Masters 1000 level, matching a benchmark previously set by Novak Djokovic.

The Italian will have an opportunity to surpass that milestone when he faces France’s Corentin Moutet on Monday.

Saturday’s UFC London event featured an explosive lightweight showdown between Mason Jones and the previously unbeaten Axel Sola that left both competitors battered and bloodied.

Jones secured a unanimous decision victory with scorecards reading 30-27, 29-28, and 29-28, pushing his professional record to 18-2. The intense battle resulted in both athletes exiting the cage covered in blood from numerous cuts sustained throughout the contest.

The opening round saw Jones hit the canvas after absorbing a spinning elbow strike, followed by several more significant strikes. While Jones suffered facial lacerations above his right eye and beneath his nose, Sola (11-1-1) endured the worse damage with at least three cuts leaving him drenched in blood by the fight’s conclusion.

“I just like fighting people. Axel wanted to fight. I took it to him,” Jones stated after his victory. “I opened him up. There was fear in his eyes at the end of the first round. There was fear in his eyes in the end.”

In another notable bout, featherweight Nathaniel Wood (11-3) extended his winning streak to four fights by handing Losene Keita his first professional defeat via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28). Keita had maintained a perfect 5-0 record over the previous three years and now holds an overall mixed martial arts record of 16-2.

Welterweight competitor Michael Page (25-3) expressed frustration about his card placement and relatively unknown opponent before defeating Sam Patterson (14-3-1) by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28). The fighter known as “MVP” faced criticism on social media for what many considered a lackluster performance.

“It’s getting more and more difficult when nobody really wants to engage. Everyone’s on the back foot,” Page explained. “He knew how to frustrate me by not wanting to engage. It’s more difficult to fight somebody that doesn’t want to fight than fight someone difficult that wants to fight.”

Light heavyweight prospect Iwo Baraniewski (8-0) delivered a spectacular knockout victory over former NFL defensive lineman Austen Lane, connecting with a swift left hook followed by a barrage of right hands to end the fight in just 28 seconds. Lane (13-8) appeared stunned and was forced backward without throwing a single strike before the referee intervened with Lane on his back seeking cover.

Baraniewski, who earned his UFC contract through the Contender Series, may be positioned for a higher-profile opponent in his next appearance following his impressive showing and his memorable December battle with Ibo Aslan at UFC 323.

Abdul-Kareem Al-Selwady (16-4) captured his inaugural UFC victory with a 30-27 unanimous decision triumph over Shem Rock (12-3-1). Al-Selwady dropped Rock with a powerful overhand right in the opening round, though Rock quickly recovered and attempted to grapple. Rock continued pressing forward and made contact after the round ended, barely avoiding a retaliatory strike before being escorted to his corner.

The Los Angeles Angels made roster moves on Saturday by cutting ties with two veteran players – utility man Chris Taylor and pitcher Hunter Strickland.

Each player had been brought into the organization on minor league deals.

The 35-year-old Taylor struggled at the plate during the previous season, appearing in games for both Los Angeles clubs. He played 28 contests with the Dodgers and 30 with the Angels, managing only a .186 batting average across 58 total games. His performance included two home runs and 12 RBIs, with his Angels stint producing a .179 average.

Throughout his dozen seasons in Major League Baseball, Taylor has maintained a .248 career batting mark while collecting 110 home runs and 443 RBIs across 1,123 games. His professional journey has taken him through Seattle (2014-16), the Dodgers (2016-25), and the Angels. Taylor earned National League All-Star recognition in 2021.

The 37-year-old Strickland posted a 1-2 record with one save opportunity converted and a 3.27 earned run average during 19 relief outings for the Angels in the previous campaign.

Across his 11-year professional career, Strickland has compiled a 26-25 record with 30 saves and a 3.39 ERA through 499 relief appearances spanning eight different organizations. His most extended tenure came with San Francisco, where he spent four and a half seasons from 2014-18 at the beginning of his career. The Angels employed his services twice, in 2021 and again from 2024-25.

Atlanta’s Chris Sale dominated his matchup against Boston’s Garrett Crochet as the Braves cruised to a 6-1 victory over the Red Sox during Saturday’s spring training action in Fort Myers, Florida.

The left-handed Sale delivered an impressive performance, surrendering only one run on two hits across six innings of work. He recorded four strikeouts and issued one walk while throwing 86 pitches, bringing his spring training ERA down to 2.75. Austin Riley powered the Atlanta offense with a stellar 3-for-4 showing that included a home run, two doubles, and four RBIs. Matt Olson also contributed significantly, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored and one RBI.

Crochet struggled for Boston, seeing his spring ERA jump to 7.36 after giving up six earned runs on six hits and two walks over 5 1/3 innings. The left-hander threw 89 pitches and managed three strikeouts in the losing effort. The Red Sox offense managed just four singles, with their only run coming in the second inning on an RBI groundout by Isiah Kiner-Falefa.

In other spring training action, Tampa Bay rallied past Minnesota 3-2 when Chandler Simpson connected on a two-out, two-run homer in the seventh inning at Port Charlotte, Florida. All scoring in the game came via home runs, with Jonathan Aranda hitting a solo shot for the Rays in the third before Minnesota’s Matt Wallner and Ryan Jeffers answered with solo blasts in the fourth and sixth innings respectively.

Washington walked off against a New York Mets split squad 3-1 in Palm Beach, Florida, thanks to Joey Wiemer’s two-run homer with one out in the ninth inning. The game remained scoreless through seven innings before Mark Vientos put the Mets ahead with an eighth-inning homer, only to see Kervin Pichardo tie it with an RBI double in the bottom half.

St. Louis jumped on Miami early with a four-run first inning en route to a 7-4 victory in Jupiter, Florida. Alec Burleson drove in the first two runs with a double and finished 2-for-4, while Thomas Saggese homered in the sixth to extend the Cardinals’ lead to 6-4.

Detroit’s new acquisition Framber Valdez continued his strong spring, allowing one run while scattering seven hits and two walks over 6 1/3 innings as the Tigers defeated the Yankees 3-1 in Lakeland, Florida. Valdez lowered his spring ERA to 0.98 across 18 1/3 innings.

Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes outdueled Toronto’s Kevin Gausman in an 8-3 Pirates victory in Bradenton, Florida. Oneill Cruz homered and went 2-for-4 with two runs, two RBIs, and his fifth stolen base of the spring, pushing his batting average to .417.

Houston rallied with four runs in the eighth inning to defeat the Mets’ other split squad 7-5 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. Christian Walker delivered the decisive blow with a three-run homer after the first two Astros reached base in the frame.

Baltimore concluded its Florida spring training with a 10-8 victory over Philadelphia in Sarasota, with Jhonkensy Noel breaking a 4-4 tie by hitting a grand slam in the sixth inning.

Joyce Edwards delivered a standout performance with 27 points as South Carolina demolished Southern 103-34 in their NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament opener on Saturday. The game took place in Columbia, S.C., as part of Sacramento Region 4 action.

The top-seeded Gamecocks (32-3) had five players reach double digits in scoring and will face either Southern Cal or Clemson in Monday’s next round. Ta’Niya Latson contributed 17 points, while both Madina Okat and Agot Makeer added 15 points each. Tessa Johnson chipped in 14 points for South Carolina, which shot an impressive 54.7% from the floor.

Southern’s Jocelyn Tate managed 10 points and grabbed eight rebounds coming off the bench for the Jaguars (20-14), who struggled mightily with just 18.5% shooting and 20 turnovers. Despite defeating Samford in the First Four matchup just two days prior on the same court, Southern couldn’t compete with the powerhouse Gamecocks.

South Carolina established early control with a 23-6 advantage in the opening minutes of the second quarter and completely dominated the third period, outscoring Southern 32-2 during that stretch.

Johnson recorded a double-double with 10 rebounds to go with her 14 points, while hitting four of the Gamecocks’ eight three-pointers – matching Southern’s entire three-point output. Alicia Tournebize grabbed 11 rebounds as South Carolina controlled the boards 57-33.

In another first-round Sacramento Region 4 contest played in Iowa City, Iowa, Virginia knocked off Georgia 82-73 in overtime behind strong performances from Kymora Johnson and Sa’Myah Smith.

Johnson poured in 28 points while Smith added 23 as the Cavaliers dominated the extra session. Romi Levy chipped in 14 points for the 10th-seeded Cavaliers (21-11), who will take on either Fairleigh Dickinson or Iowa on Monday. Virginia outscored Georgia 11-2 during overtime.

Georgia got strong individual efforts from Mia Woolfolk, a Virginia native who scored 27 points, and Rylie Theuerkauf, who knocked down five three-pointers en route to 22 points. Savannah Henderson added 11 points for the seventh-seeded Bulldogs (22-10), though Georgia managed just 7 of 24 from beyond the arc.

The game was deadlocked at 71-71 when regulation ended, with Georgia getting two final attempts that didn’t fall.

The Bulldogs couldn’t capitalize on a significant advantage at the free-throw line, converting 22 of 35 attempts. Virginia was more efficient at 12 of 15 from the stripe, with six of those coming in overtime’s final two minutes.

The Cambridge sisters led a dominant performance as third-seeded Ohio State overwhelmed Howard 75-54 in their NCAA tournament opener in Columbus. Jaloni Cambridge paced the Buckeyes with 21 points while her sister Kennedy contributed 11 points and hauled down seven rebounds in the convincing victory.

Ohio State (27-7) received balanced scoring as Chance Gray, Ava Watson, and others chipped in 11 points apiece. Elsa Lemmila dominated the boards with 11 rebounds as the Buckeyes controlled both ends of the floor against the 14th-seeded Bison.

Howard’s impressive season came to a halt as their 14-game winning streak ended in the first round. The Bison (26-8) got solid efforts from Zennia Thomas, who tallied 15 points, and Ariella Henigan, who recorded a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds.

The Buckeyes’ shooting efficiency proved decisive, converting 45 percent of their field goal attempts while limiting Howard to just 33.9 percent shooting. Most notably, the Bison failed to connect on any of their nine three-point attempts.

After trailing 14-12 late in the opening quarter, Ohio State seized control with a 12-0 scoring burst spanning the first and second periods. The Buckeyes extended their dominance with another 13-0 run before halftime, taking a commanding 43-19 lead into the locker room. Howard never mounted a serious threat in the final two quarters.

In the day’s other Fort Worth Region matchup, sixth-seeded Notre Dame eliminated 11th-seeded Fairfield 79-60. Hannah Hidalgo nearly achieved a quadruple-double, recording 23 points, nine rebounds, eight steals, and six assists to power the Fighting Irish advance.

Notre Dame (23-10) received additional offensive support from Iyana Moore’s 18 points and Cassandre Prosper’s 17 points and rebounds. The Irish shot 46.9 percent from the field and dominated the paint, outscoring Fairfield 44-22 in that area while holding a 43-30 rebounding edge.

Fairfield (28-5) saw their season end despite Meghan Andersen’s team-high 21 points. Jillian Huerter added 12 points and Janelle Brown contributed 10 off the bench, but the Stags struggled with 38.3 percent shooting and committed 19 turnovers that Notre Dame converted into 22 points.

The Fighting Irish controlled the contest from start to finish, leading for all but 15 seconds and building their advantage to as many as 23 points during the third quarter. Notre Dame will now face Ohio State in Monday’s second round.

San Diego is planning to include first baseman Ty France on their Opening Day roster, according to a Saturday report from the San Diego Union-Tribune.

France inked a minor league contract prior to spring training, marking his return to the franchise that originally selected him in the 2015 draft and gave him his first major league opportunity in 2019.

During his 17 spring training appearances with San Diego, France posted a .318 batting average while contributing two home runs and 12 RBIs.

The 31-year-old player divided his 2023 season between the Minnesota Twins and Toronto Blue Jays, compiling a .277 batting average along with seven home runs and 52 RBIs across 138 games.

Throughout his seven-year career spanning five different teams, the Southern California native and former 2022 All-Star with the Seattle Mariners has maintained a .262 career batting average with 81 home runs and 364 RBIs over 840 games.

The Boston Red Sox have selected Marcelo Mayer as their starting second baseman for the upcoming season opener, marking the first time the 23-year-old will begin a campaign on the major league roster after recovering from a challenging rookie year cut short by injury.

Red Sox skipper Alex Cora announced the decision on Saturday prior to their spring training matchup with the Atlanta Braves, praising Mayer’s dedication during the offseason recovery period.

“Yeah, Marcelo is going to be our second baseman,” Cora told reporters before Saturday’s Grapefruit League game against the Atlanta Braves. “I talked to him today. He did an amazing job in the offseason. Like I told him, he’s always been a good player, but he actually did an amazing job putting himself in the conversation to play in October last year after the surgery.”

Mayer’s 2025 debut season was hampered by injury, limiting him to just 44 appearances where he managed a .228 batting average alongside four home runs and 10 RBIs before requiring wrist surgery in August that ended his year early.

The young infielder expressed gratitude for earning the position while acknowledging the work required to secure it.

“It means a lot,” Mayer said. “Obviously, that was the goal coming into camp. (Cora) made it well known that the spot wasn’t given to me, so I worked hard, and I’m really happy with the outcome. I’m excited about the team.”

Originally a shortstop by trade, Mayer split time between third base (39 games) and second base (eight games) during his rookie campaign. The 2021 first-round draft selection will now partner with experienced shortstop Trevor Story to anchor Boston’s middle infield.

Mayer spoke positively about the opportunity to work closely with the veteran All-Star.

“I love it,” Mayer said of playing alongside the two-time All-Star. “Trevor is an amazing teammate, an amazing person. So for us to be able to work together, understand each other a little bit more, it’s gonna be nice.”

The decision means Kristian Campbell, who held the second base job on last season’s Opening Day roster, was reassigned to the minor leagues on Saturday after spending much of spring training working in center field. Campbell, also 23, earned American League Rookie of the Month honors last April but was later sent down to Triple-A and never returned to Boston, finishing with a .223 average, six homers, and 21 RBIs across 67 games.

Despite signing a substantial eight-year, $60 million deal last April, Campbell struggled during spring preparation, posting a .220 batting average with one home run and four RBIs over 46 plate appearances.

Cora explained the frank conversation he had with Campbell about returning to the majors.

“‘You’ve got to go back to the big leagues. Just got to play better,’” Cora told Campbell. “There’s a few things that he did in camp and he didn’t do in camp. And obviously, in camp, he didn’t walk as often. He struck out a lot, right? So that’s not him. We just have to keep working together. But at the end, he said, ‘It’s up to me. It’s up to me to get back here.’ And we will help him.”

The list of NBA records that LeBron James has yet to conquer continues to shrink.

The Lakers superstar has already claimed numerous milestones throughout his career: leading scorer in league history, most seasons in the NBA, most minutes on the court, most All-NBA team selections, most All-Star game appearances, most successful field goals, most shot attempts, most postseason contests, most playoff points, and highest career salary earnings. These represent just a portion of his record-breaking achievements.

His Lakers teammate Austin Reaves enjoys adding to James’ accomplishment list with tongue-in-cheek statistics like most basketball shoes worn and most shoelaces utilized during a career.

“He says a new stat every day about me,” James said.

Saturday night presents James with the opportunity to claim sole ownership of another milestone when he takes the court for his 1,612th regular season appearance, moving past Robert Parish for most games played in NBA history.

This achievement highlights James’ remarkable durability throughout 23 seasons, surpassing Vince Carter’s previous longevity record by one year. As of Saturday, 79 current NBA players weren’t even born when James made his professional debut on October 29, 2003.

“It’s not like I’m like writing things down and looking at the record book and saying: ‘I’m going to get that, I’m going to get that, I’m going to get that.’ It just kind of happened,” James said. “It was not on the list of things that I wanted to accomplish.”

Each performance now extends his statistical dominance. Every basket scored, every shot attempted, and every game played creates a larger separation between James and other players in the record books. While he achieved his primary career objectives — winning four NBA championships — the recent accolades have provided unexpected satisfaction.

“I wanted to be the best player in this league at some point,” James said. “I wanted to be one of the greatest, if not the greatest, to ever play this game. I wanted to be an NBA champion. I wanted to possibly win rookie of the year, make All-Star appearances, win a gold medal, win some MVPs, those were some of my goals. But some of the stuff that’s just been happening over the course of the last few years has been super-duper cool.”

Here’s an examination of the NBA records currently held by James:

— Scoring: James has accumulated 43,229 career points entering Saturday. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar ranks second with 38,387.

— Time on court: James logged 60,676 minutes entering Saturday. Abdul-Jabbar recorded 57,446 minutes, with only seven players reaching the 50,000-minute milestone.

— Successful shots: James (15,884 entering Saturday) recently surpassed Abdul-Jabbar (15,837). Karl Malone remains the only other player exceeding 13,000 made field goals.

— Shot attempts: With 31,350 entering Saturday, James leads Abdul-Jabbar by more than 3,000 attempts. This record appears secure for the foreseeable future.

— Consecutive games scoring in double digits: James’ streak of 1,297 straight regular-season games with double-digit scoring ended this season. Michael Jordan holds the second-longest streak at 866 games, making James’ record virtually untouchable for at least ten years. Kevin Durant entered Saturday with the longest active streak at 316 games, requiring play until approximately 2038 to match James’ achievement.

— Honor selections: With 22 All-Star appearances and 21 All-NBA team selections, these records appear unreachable unless Victor Wembanyama continues playing until around 2048.

— Double-digit scoring games: James has reached double figures in 99.44% of his regular-season appearances entering Saturday, achieving this in 1,602 of his first 1,611 games. This percentage record also seems unbreakable. He additionally leads in 20-point and 30-point games while tying Allen Iverson for sixth place in 40-point performances.

— Postseason scoring: James has scored 8,289 playoff points while no other player has reached 6,000. Like his regular-season scoring record, this milestone appears virtually impossible to surpass.

— Career earnings: His salary total approaches $580 million this season, excluding his substantial business ventures. However, rising player salaries suggest this record will likely be broken within the next decade.

While claiming the top spot on additional all-time lists may prove challenging, James could advance his position in several categories if he returns next season.

— Assists: Currently fourth all-time, James won’t catch record-holder John Stockton (15,806), but could surpass Jason Kidd (12,091) early next season and Chris Paul (12,552) by season’s end.

— Steals: Stockton’s record (3,265) remains out of reach, as do the second and third positions held by Paul (2,728) and Kidd (2,684). However, James — currently sixth — could potentially catch Gary Payton (2,445) and Michael Jordan (2,514) next season.

— Three-point shots made: James currently ranks sixth and will likely maintain this position upon retirement unless he plays multiple additional seasons. Stephen Curry, James Harden, Ray Allen, Klay Thompson, and Damian Lillard occupy the top five spots, with retired player Allen holding a 300-shot advantage over James.

— Triple-doubles: Russell Westbrook (209), Nikola Jokic (191), and Oscar Robertson (181) remain beyond reach. However, James (fifth with 124) could overtake Magic Johnson (fourth with 138). This category may see James surpassed in coming years, as current Lakers teammate Luka Doncic already has recorded 90 triple-doubles.

Jonathan Gonzalez Perez turned in a stellar offensive performance, collecting four hits to power the Hawks to a narrow 5-4 triumph over Coppin State in college baseball action.

The impressive individual showing by Gonzalez Perez proved to be the difference maker as the Hawks managed to edge out their opponents in the closely contested matchup.

With this victory, the Hawks accomplished two significant goals – securing the series victory against Coppin State while also extending their winning streak in Northeast Conference play to three games in a row.

The win continues the Hawks’ strong conference performance and builds momentum as they advance through their NEC schedule this season.

The National Basketball Association has imposed a $25,000 penalty on Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs following an incident where he hurled his mouthpiece into the spectator area, league officials confirmed Saturday.

The violation took place during the opening quarter with 5 minutes and 35 seconds left on the clock in Thursday’s contest, where Orlando fell to the Charlotte Hornets 130-111 at home. Officials issued Suggs a technical foul immediately following the incident.

The 24-year-old guard contributed nine points to the team’s effort, connecting on four of his 12 field goal attempts while playing 22 minutes in the defeat.

Through 46 appearances this season, including 45 as a starter, Suggs has posted averages of 13.8 points and 5.2 assists per contest for the Magic. Over his five-year professional career, all spent in Orlando, he has compiled career averages of 12.6 points and 3.7 assists across 257 games with 219 starts.

Ball State University has appointed Chris Capko, an associate coach from Southern Methodist University, to take over their men’s basketball program.

Capko served as the primary assistant to Andy Enfield with the Mustangs and steps in to replace Michael Lewis, whom the Cardinals dismissed on March 8 following three consecutive seasons with losing records.

The Cardinals concluded their season with a 12-19 overall record and a 7-11 mark in Mid-American Conference play, failing to earn a spot in the league tournament.

Despite the program’s recent struggles, Capko views his new position as a tremendous chance to make an impact.

“We will build this program on a foundation of character, toughness and accountability — developing young men who represent this University the right way on and off the court,” Capko stated in the university’s announcement.

“I’ve been fortunate to be part of building winning programs in my previous tenures, and will bring that same level of discipline, drive and competitive edge to Muncie. Our vision is clear: build a program our community is proud of, and compete for championships.”

The new coach worked alongside Enfield as an assistant head coach at the University of Southern California beginning in 2016 before following him to SMU this past year. His coaching resume also includes assistant positions at Florida International from 2015-16, Georgia Southern from 2011-13, and Stetson from 2009-11.

Ball State athletics director Jeff Mitchell praised the hiring decision.

“Chris Capko is an exceptional basketball coach,” Mitchell commented. “His breadth of experience at the NCAA Division I level, combined with his elite recruiting acumen and expertise in player development, set him apart from an incredibly strong pool of candidates and made him the best coach to lead our program.”

Lewis compiled a 61-64 record during his four-year tenure with the Cardinals.

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone announced Saturday that veteran outfielder Randal Grichuk has secured a position on the team’s Opening Day lineup.

The 34-year-old will serve as a reserve outfielder even though he struggled at the plate during spring training, managing only a .125 batting average across six games with a .313 OPS. Grichuk inked a minor league deal with New York on February 26th worth $2.5 million for this season if he earned a roster spot during camp.

New York begins their regular season campaign this Wednesday with a road matchup against the San Francisco Giants.

During the 2025 season, Grichuk divided his playing time between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Kansas City Royals, posting a .228 batting average along with nine home runs and 27 RBIs across 113 contests.

Throughout his 12-year major league career spanning 1,360 games, he maintains a .251 batting average with 212 home runs and 629 RBIs. His journey has taken him through organizations including the St. Louis Cardinals (2014-17), Toronto Blue Jays (2018-21), Colorado Rockies (2022-23), Los Angeles Angels (2023), Diamondbacks (2024-25) and Royals (2025).

New York sought a right-handed offensive option for their bench, and Grichuk brings valuable production against left-handed pitching with a career .819 OPS and .500 slugging percentage in those matchups.

The National Basketball Association has imposed a $25,000 penalty on Philadelphia 76ers center Andre Drummond following an inappropriate on-court gesture, league officials confirmed Saturday.

The incident took place during the closing moments of the third quarter, with just eight seconds left on the clock, as Philadelphia dominated the Sacramento Kings 139-118 on Thursday night in California.

Despite the controversy, Drummond delivered a solid performance coming off the bench, contributing 13 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and three blocks during his 24 minutes of play against Sacramento.

The veteran center, who has earned All-Star honors twice during his career, is currently averaging 6.7 points and 8.7 rebounds across 52 games this season, starting 24 of those contests. At 32 years old and in his 14th NBA season, Drummond has accumulated 11,433 career rebounds, placing him 29th on the league’s all-time rebounding list.

Veteran left-handed pitcher Sean Manaea will not be part of the New York Mets’ starting rotation to begin the new season, as manager Carlos Mendoza revealed Saturday that the 34-year-old will instead work out of the bullpen.

The Mets have decided on a five-pitcher starting rotation that will feature Freddy Peralta, David Peterson, Nolan McLean, Clay Holmes, and Kodai Senga in the early rotation order.

Mendoza plans to utilize Manaea in a piggyback capacity during the season’s opening week, where he would enter games following a starter for extended relief work. The manager has not yet specified which game will feature Manaea in this role.

New York begins their season Thursday at home with a three-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates, followed by road trips to face the St. Louis Cardinals for three games and the San Francisco Giants for four contests.

Speaking to reporters from Port St. Lucie, Florida, Mendoza explained the difficult decision: “Six guys throwing the ball really well. And we were pretty honest with all of them at the beginning of camp. If everyone was healthy, we were going to have to make some tough decisions and one of them was going to be pitching in that type of role.”

The Mets will wrap up spring training Sunday with a 12-10-2 record.

During spring training, Manaea appeared in three starts, pitching 9.2 innings while striking out nine batters. He finished the preseason 0-2 with a 3.72 ERA.

The 2024 campaign was challenging for Manaea, as injuries restricted him to just 15 appearances, including 12 starts. He posted a 2-4 record with a 5.64 ERA across 60 2/3 innings.

Throughout his major league career spanning 243 games with 210 starts, Manaea holds a 79-66 record and 4.08 ERA over 1,245 innings. He has played for the Oakland Athletics from 2016-2021, San Diego Padres in 2022, San Francisco Giants in 2023, and the Mets.

Manaea initially joined New York on a two-year, $28 million contract before the 2024 season. After posting a strong 12-6 record with a 3.47 ERA and career-best 181 2/3 innings across 32 starts, he chose to opt out and negotiate a more lucrative deal. He is now signed with the Mets through 2027 following a three-year, $75 million agreement.

The Atlanta Falcons have obtained safety Sydney Brown from the Philadelphia Eagles through a trade involving draft selections, with both organizations making the announcement on Saturday.

The transaction involved swapping fourth- and sixth-round draft choices for next month’s NFL Draft. Philadelphia will receive selections numbered 114 and 197, while Atlanta gets picks 122 and 215.

Brown marked his 26th birthday on Saturday and was originally selected by Philadelphia in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

During the most recent season, he appeared in every game for the team with three starting assignments, recording 34 tackles. Throughout his career with the Super Bowl LIX champions, Brown has accumulated 86 tackles, two interceptions including one returned for a score, and two forced fumbles across 42 games with nine starts.

Brown’s position became surplus when Philadelphia brought back safety Marcus Epps and added former Pro Bowl safety J.T. Gray on reported one-year contracts. The Eagles also revealed these roster moves on Saturday.

Washington Wizards point guard Trae Young is currently battling injuries to his right quadriceps and lower back, according to a team announcement made Saturday.

The organization stated in an official release that “Both injuries are being treated conservatively and will not require surgery at this time.” The team added, “Further updates will be provided as appropriate.”

The 27-year-old guard aggravated his quadriceps injury during the third quarter of Washington’s 125-117 defeat against the Golden State Warriors and was absent from consecutive losses to Detroit on Tuesday and Thursday.

Washington enters Saturday’s matchup against the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder carrying a 14-game losing streak and holding a 16-53 record for the season.

Young joined the Wizards through a January 9th trade with Atlanta and made his first appearance for his new team on March 5th. The four-time All-Star had been sidelined since December 27th due to a combination of quadriceps and MCL injuries.

In his five games as a starter for Washington, Young has posted averages of 15.2 points and 6.2 assists per contest. His playing time has been restricted to 20.8 minutes nightly, significantly less than his career norm of 34.1 minutes.

The fifth overall pick from the 2018 draft has compiled career statistics of 25.1 points, 9.8 assists and 3.4 rebounds across 498 games with Atlanta and Washington, starting every contest.

Wide receiver DJ Chark has called time on his professional football career, announcing his retirement at 29 years old following seven seasons in the National Football League.

Chark most recently suited up for the Los Angeles Chargers during the 2024 season, though the Atlanta Falcons had cut him the previous August.

“After much contemplation, I have decided to share a proper farewell as I navigate retirement,” he wrote in a lengthy Instagram post on Friday. “My journey began at the age of 7 when I signed up for football, unaware of the profound impact it would have on my life. I simply loved the sport and had the unwavering support of my parents. Years later I received the support of my wife, kids, family and thousands of fans!”

Jacksonville selected Chark in the second round of the 2018 draft, and he reached his peak performance with the Jaguars during the 2019 campaign. That standout year saw him post personal bests with 73 catches, 1,008 receiving yards, and eight touchdown receptions, earning him Pro Bowl recognition.

Following his four-year tenure in Jacksonville, Chark moved around the league, spending single seasons with Detroit, Carolina, and Los Angeles.

The veteran receiver concludes his NFL career with 216 catches for 3,100 yards and 24 touchdowns across 76 games, including 51 as a starter.

“As I write this I reflect on the challenges I’ve faced and overcome, as well as the rewards I’ve reaped,” he posted. “I’ve learned to appreciate every experience and not take any of them for granted. As I enter this next chapter of my life, I remain committed to being an active pillar in my community, empowering the youth through charitable work.

“The possibilities ahead are endless, and that excites me. I am grateful for all my teammates, fans, and every organization I have had the privilege to play for. All glory goes to God, I am forever thankful.”

March Madness has lived up to its name, crushing the dreams of millions hoping for the perfect bracket after just one round of play.

ESPN’s tournament challenge saw its field of flawless entries shrink dramatically to just 195 remaining participants following the opening round’s conclusion. This represents the elimination of more than 99.999% of the over 26 million brackets originally submitted to the platform. The NCAA’s own bracket competition fared similarly, with only 234 perfect predictions surviving the first wave of games, despite most higher seeds advancing as expected.

In St. Louis, basketball fans witnessed one of the tournament’s most heart-stopping finishes as Santa Clara and Kentucky exchanged three-pointers in the final moments of regulation. The Broncos appeared to have secured victory when they connected from beyond the arc with just 2.4 seconds remaining, taking a 73-70 advantage. However, Kentucky’s Otega Oweh responded immediately, launching a shot from near midcourt that found its mark at the buzzer to force overtime. The seventh-seeded Wildcats ultimately prevailed 89-84 in the extra period, ending Santa Clara’s first tournament run in three decades since Steve Nash’s playing days. “A tough one to swallow,” described the crushing defeat for the Broncos.

Defending national champions Florida made an emphatic statement in their title defense opener, demolishing Prairie View A&M 114-55 in Tampa. The 59-point margin of victory ranks as the second-largest in tournament history, trailing only Loyola Chicago’s 69-point victory over Tennessee Tech in 1963. Boogie Fland paced the top-seeded Gators with 16 points, while seven players reached double figures. Florida’s dominance was evident early, as they used scoring runs of 18-0 and 17-0 in the opening half to transform a 15-15 tie into a commanding 60-21 halftime lead. The Gators shot an impressive 75% before the break and maintained 64.3% accuracy for the entire contest. They advance to meet ninth-seeded Iowa in Sunday’s second round of the South Region.

History was made in St. Louis as Purdue’s Braden Smith surpassed Duke legend Bobby Hurley’s Division I career assist record. Smith achieved the milestone with 12:11 remaining in the first half of the Boilermakers’ matchup against Queens, recording his 1,077th career assist on a pass to Trey Kaufman-Renn. The All-American guard already held the distinction of being the only player in NCAA history to accumulate at least 1,500 points, 1,000 assists, and 500 rebounds in a career. Smith joins Southern’s Avery Johnson as the only players to record 300 or more assists in multiple seasons.

Otega Oweh’s heroics continued beyond regulation for Kentucky, as he delivered the game-winning free throws in overtime after his miraculous buzzer-beater. Oweh finished with a career-best 35 points in the Wildcats’ victory over Santa Clara. The win sets up a second-round meeting with second-seeded Iowa State, who advanced with a dominant 108-74 victory over fifteenth-seeded Tennessee State in the Midwest Region.

In other sports news, Wimbledon announced the introduction of video review technology for this year’s championships. The prestigious tournament will implement the system on Centre Court, No. 1 Court, and four additional show courts, allowing players to challenge specific chair umpire decisions such as double bounces. This marks Wimbledon’s first adoption of the technology, which debuted at Grand Slam events during the 2023 U.S. Open and is also utilized at the Australian Open.

Japan captured the Women’s Asian Cup title with a 1-0 victory over Australia at Sydney’s Stadium Australia. Maika Hamano’s 17th-minute strike from outside the penalty area proved to be the decisive goal. This marks Japan’s third championship in the last four tournaments, having previously won consecutive titles in 2014 and 2018. The top-ranked Asian team allowed just one goal throughout their six-game campaign, while Australia’s championship drought extends back to 2010. Six teams from this tournament have secured qualification for next year’s Women’s World Cup in Brazil.

The WNBA reached a significant milestone in labor relations, with the league and players union signing a term sheet for a new seven-year collective bargaining agreement. The landmark deal, pending player ratification and Board of Governors approval, will run from this season through 2032 and represents a transformational agreement for the league.

Alabama baseball made history as Tyler Fay threw the program’s first complete-game, nine-inning no-hitter in 84 years, defeating Florida 6-0 in Tuscaloosa. The redshirt junior from Nebraska struck out 13 batters while throwing a career-high 132 pitches, 85 for strikes. Fay, who had never previously pitched more than seven innings in college, issued walks in the second and sixth innings but retired the final 10 batters he faced. The achievement ends an 84-year drought for Alabama, with the last complete-game no-hitter occurring in 1942.

The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club announced Saturday that Wimbledon will debut new video review technology during this year’s tournament, giving players the ability to contest certain calls made by chair umpires.

The innovation marks a significant change for the prestigious Grand Slam event, though players won’t be permitted to dispute decisions from the electronic line calling system that debuted at Wimbledon in the previous year. Instead, the video technology will focus on other judgment calls, such as determining if a ball has bounced multiple times or made contact with a player’s equipment or body.

According to the tournament organizers’ official statement, “Players will be allowed to review specific judgement calls made by the chair umpire (such as, for example, ‘not-up’, ‘foul shot’, ‘touch’) either on a point-ending call, when a player immediately stops play, or immediately after the completion of a point (in the case of hindrance).”

The club also confirmed that “Players will not be limited in the number of reviews they can request.”

Six show courts will feature the new video review capability, with Centre Court and Court One among those equipped with the technology.

The AELTC explained that “The technology will be available on Centre Court and Court One throughout the championships and on the other show courts until the conclusion of all singles matches on those courts.”

Additionally, tournament officials will enhance the electronic line calling system with visual displays, as scoreboards across all courts will now show “out” and “fault” decisions.

The 2025 Wimbledon Championships are scheduled to commence on June 29.

Martin Necas contributed one goal and two assists as Colorado dominated the Chicago Blackhawks 4-1 on Friday night, making the Avalanche the first NHL franchise to secure a playoff position this season.

The Avalanche received additional scoring from Brock Nelson, Nazem Kadri, and Valeri Nichushkin. Nathan MacKinnon contributed three assists while Nichushkin recorded two points, and goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood turned away 19 shots as Colorado snapped a three-game losing streak (0-2-1).

Chicago’s only goal came from defenseman Wyatt Kaiser, ending the Blackhawks’ solid recent play after going 3-1-1 in their last five contests. Goalie Arvid Soderblom faced heavy pressure, making 45 saves in the loss.

Colorado defenseman Brent Burns reached a milestone, appearing in his 1,565th NHL game to surpass Nicklas Lidstrom for 14th place in all-time games played.

Hurricanes 4, Maple Leafs 3 (OT)

Alexander Nikishin found the net just 41 seconds into the extra period, giving visiting Carolina a victory over Toronto.

Jordan Staal, Eric Robinson, and K’Andre Miller also found the scoresheet for the Hurricanes, who extended their winning streak to two games. Seth Jarvis and Sebastian Aho each recorded two assists, while Brandon Bussi made 23 saves.

Toronto received goals from Dakota Joshua, John Tavares, and William Nylander but suffered their second consecutive defeat. Matias Maccelli provided two assists, and Joseph Woll stopped 32 shots for the Maple Leafs.

Capitals 2, Devils 1

Logan Thompson delivered 30 saves as Washington extended its strong recent performance with a tight victory over visiting New Jersey.

Ryan Leonard and Aliaksei Protas provided the offense for the Capitals, who improved to 3-0-1 over their last four outings. Jesper Bratt tallied for New Jersey while Jake Allen made 26 saves for the Devils, whose three-game victory streak came to an end.

Allen delivered several crucial saves during the middle period to keep his team within striking distance. Washington seemed to seal the victory on Protas’ empty-net score with 1:43 remaining, but Bratt responded a minute later to give New Jersey a final opportunity that ultimately fell short.

Ducks 4, Utah 1

Alex Killorn recorded one goal and two assists as Anaheim rallied from behind to defeat Utah in Salt Lake City.

Ryan Poehling added a goal and assist while Lukas Dostal stopped 29 shots for the Ducks, who have captured two of their last three games and five of nine (5-3-1). Anaheim also claimed two victories in three meetings with Utah this season.

Dylan Guenther provided the only scoring for Utah, which had previously won two consecutive games. Vitek Vanecek made 20 saves in the defeat.

Flames 4, Panthers 1

Joel Farabee and Victor Olofsson scored during the second period as host Calgary used that momentum to defeat Florida.

Matt Coronato and Morgan Frost added goals for the Flames, who have now won back-to-back games. Dustin Wolf stopped 24 shots while Blake Coleman contributed two assists.

A.J. Greer scored for Florida, which finished 1-3-0 on their Western road swing. Daniil Tarasov made 32 saves for the Panthers.

The polluted waterfront of Bagnoli on Naples’ western edge presents a stark contrast to the glamorous sailing competition it will host next year, as corroded industrial remnants overlook shores contaminated by generations of heavy manufacturing.

Construction crews are currently working around the clock to prepare for the America’s Cup, with dredging operations deepening the harbor floor for racing vessels, demolition teams dismantling an aging wharf, and workers establishing what officials describe as temporary facilities for the advanced carbon-fiber sailing craft.

Italy’s selection to host the prestigious sailing competition has ignited a heated debate about whether the event will serve as a catalyst for genuine environmental restoration of the Bagnoli coastline, or merely provide cover for concealing decades of industrial contamination.

Local officials argue the regatta represents a crucial opportunity to accelerate the rehabilitation of one of Italy’s most environmentally damaged coastal areas, which previously accommodated a polluting steel production facility, concrete manufacturing plant, and asbestos operation.

“I see the America’s Cup as a chance to speed up the environmental cleanup that was already planned, particularly offshore, where work wasn’t supposed to start until 2031,” said Enza Amato, the centre-left head of Naples City Council.

“For me, the most important thing is the chance to improve the water quality sooner and make the sea usable again,” Amato added.

However, numerous local residents, community advocates, and small business proprietors view the current construction efforts with skepticism, seeing familiar patterns of ambitious commitments made under the banner of development without assurance of lasting benefits.

Rather than delivering the long-awaited public shoreline and recreational space promised for this Mediterranean coastal section, opponents worry the America’s Cup could cement a future dominated by exclusive marinas, concrete structures, and supposedly “temporary” facilities that become permanent fixtures.

“The issue is not whether we host the America’s Cup or not. The issue is doing it properly,” former Naples Mayor Antonio Bassolino told Reuters. “Naples needs a large beach, because we don’t have one and here is the only place for us to create one.”

Adding to these concerns is Naples’ track record from hosting the America’s Cup previously in 2013, when a protective barrier constructed to shield the racing yachts was supposed to be removed following the competition but remains in place today due to prohibitive removal costs, according to municipal officials.

Opponents argue city leadership favors temporary solutions because Italian regulations allow them to bypass comprehensive environmental impact studies that can require months or years to complete.

“Unfortunately in Naples, temporary projects have the habit of becoming permanent,” Bassolino said.

Italy’s competitive hopes for next year center on Luna Rossa, the sailing team sponsored by Prada executive Patrizio Bertelli, as they seek to earn the right to challenge defending America’s Cup champions New Zealand.

The more pressing concern currently involves onshore construction activities, particularly addressing a coastal waste site containing approximately one million cubic meters of industrial refuse left behind when the final factories shuttered in 1992.

Original remediation proposals called for complete removal of the contaminated material to ensure long-term safety for future generations in Bagnoli, an area situated in a volcanically active region experiencing hundreds of seismic events annually.

Instead, authorities have chosen to extract only a small portion of the industrial slag while covering the remainder with extensive protective membrane barriers to contain the pollution before constructing team facilities and workshops.

“The cleanup is a sham,” said Ines Clemente, a Bagnoli bar owner who has organised a petition against the works. “It’s just covering everything up and sweeping it under a rug.”

Despite not completely emptying the contaminated site, workers are removing surface layers of waste material and extracting thousands of tons of polluted sediment and debris from the ocean floor to establish a level foundation for the marina.

Much of this contaminated material travels through Bagnoli via truck convoys, disrupting what was once an elegant resort community before industrial development transformed it during the mid-1900s.

Clemente reports her establishment is now constantly covered in dust particles, while street closures and heavy vehicle traffic have deterred customers from visiting.

“In the evening I find my bar empty,” she said. “I’m constantly cleaning the shelves and tables, but people feel uncomfortable. It’s as if they can taste the dust.”

Earlier this month, community demonstrators confronted riot police during protests where neighborhood organizations displayed signs reading “Stop the work of shame” and “Naples is not for sale.”

During a recent visit to Italy, Grant Dalton, chief executive of America’s Cup Partnership, praised the construction progress at Bagnoli, noting that similar projects might require years to complete in other locations. While acknowledging the community opposition, he emphasized the goal of revitalizing the deteriorated neighborhood and making it central to the competition.

While Clemente remains hopeful her business will rebound after redevelopment concludes, fellow Bagnoli resident Paola Minieri fears she may lose her family home due to the project.

Through a municipal improvement initiative that predates the America’s Cup agreement, her residence has been designated for demolition as part of area upgrades.

Minieri’s family has resided in Borgo Coroglio, a collection of historic waterfront dwellings next to the planned America’s Cup harbor, for over a century. City officials have declared the neighborhood must be cleared for the “public good” but have not revealed specific plans for future development, beyond confirming new housing units will be constructed.

Such prime beachfront property, offering panoramic views of Ischia and Procida islands, would command substantial market prices.

“Just because we’re poor doesn’t mean we should have to leave and make way for the rich,” said Minieri, a clothes saleswoman. “We agree with the cleanup, we agree with the America’s Cup, we are not the people who say ‘no’. But this place must first and foremost be for local people.”

Residing in Bagnoli has exacted a heavy toll on many community members.

Minieri reported that 10 relatives in her extended family have succumbed to asbestos-related cancers that area physicians attribute to exposure to pollutants from the former industrial facilities.

“Maybe we should have left before, but we didn’t. Now that something good is finally happening, they want to send us packing,” she said.

City council leader Amato indicated no final determination has been reached regarding the residential displacement. “It is a very delicate situation,” she said.

The Houston Rockets brought the Atlanta Hawks’ impressive 11-game winning streak to a halt with a dominant 117-95 victory on Friday night, led by Kevin Durant’s 25-point performance in just three quarters of action.

Durant shot an efficient 9 of 15 from the field while also contributing six assists to help Houston overwhelm the visiting Hawks. Jabari Smith Jr. provided strong support with 23 points and nine rebounds as the Rockets controlled the game from start to finish.

The turning point came during the third quarter when Houston unleashed a barrage from three-point range, connecting on 6 of 11 attempts from beyond the arc. This hot shooting transformed an eight-point halftime advantage into a commanding 101-76 lead, capped off by back-to-back three-pointers from Durant and Reed Sheppard late in the period.

Sheppard, who earned a starting role in place of struggling Tari Eason, contributed 14 points and knocked down four three-pointers. Despite coming off the bench, Eason still managed to record a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Atlanta’s offense was led by Nickeil Alexander-Walker’s 21 points, while CJ McCollum chipped in 17 points. Bench player Zaccharie Risacher added 16 points before fouling out in the final quarter. The Rockets built their lead to as large as 34 points before both teams cleared their benches.

Pistons 115, Warriors 101

Detroit continued their surprising success without injured All-Star Cade Cunningham, who has been diagnosed with a collapsed lung, as they dominated Golden State at home. Jalen Duren powered the Pistons with 23 points and six rebounds in the convincing victory.

Daniss Jenkins stepped up admirably in Cunningham’s absence, recording 22 points, eight assists and seven rebounds as the starter. Six different Pistons players reached double figures in scoring, while Ausar Thompson anchored the defense with seven steals.

The struggling Warriors, who have now lost seven of their last eight contests, were paced by Brandin Podziemski’s 15 points. Gary Payton II and De’Anthony Melton each contributed 14 points, and Gui Santos added 13. Stephen Curry remained sidelined with a knee injury.

Knicks 93, Nets 92

Jalen Brunson delivered clutch baskets in the final moments to help New York escape with a narrow victory over Brooklyn despite some late-game struggles. Brunson finished with 17 points while Towns dominated with 26 points and 15 rebounds to lead the Knicks.

OG Anunoby contributed 16 points as New York managed to overcome a season-high 22 turnovers and poor shooting that saw them connect on just 40.8% of their field goal attempts, including a dismal 8-for-29 from three-point territory.

Brooklyn received strong bench production from Josh Minott’s 22 points and 17 from Ziaire Williams, but the Nets extended their losing streak to six games and have now dropped 16 of their last 18 contests.

Celtics 117, Grizzlies 112

Jaylen Brown’s 30-point effort led Boston to their fourth consecutive victory over host Memphis. Luke Garza provided crucial support with a season-best 22 points, including 11 in the decisive fourth quarter, while Payton Pritchard added 19 points.

Derrick White scored 14 points for the Celtics, and despite struggling with his shot at 3-of-15, Jayson Tatum managed 13 points and nine rebounds. Neemias Queta recorded a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds.

Memphis received a career-high 23 points from rookie Tyler Burton off the bench, but the Grizzlies suffered their ninth defeat in the past 10 games.

Trail Blazers 108, Timberwolves 104

Jerami Grant’s efficient 26-point performance on 10-of-16 shooting helped Portland secure a road victory over Minnesota. Deni Avdija added 25 points and eight rebounds as the Trail Blazers extended their winning streak to three games.

Donovan Clingan recorded a double-double with 21 points and 12 rebounds for Portland. Minnesota was led by Julius Randle’s 19 points, while Rudy Gobert posted 18 points and 15 rebounds, and Ayo Dosunmu contributed 17 points and 10 rebounds. The Timberwolves fell short of completing a season sweep of Portland, with All-Star Anthony Edwards missing his third straight game due to a knee injury.

Nuggets 121, Raptors 115

Jamal Murray erupted for 12 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter to lead Denver’s comeback victory over Toronto. Nikola Jokic nearly recorded a triple-double with 22 points, nine assists and eight rebounds as the Nuggets rallied at home.

Tim Hardaway Jr. was red-hot from three-point range, connecting on 7-of-10 attempts to finish with 23 points, while Aaron Gordon added 16 points. The victory moved Denver into fifth place in the Western Conference and extended their winning streak against Toronto to six games.

Toronto’s three-game winning streak came to an end despite strong performances from Jakob Poeltl (23 points, 11 rebounds), Brandon Ingram (19 points), and RJ Barrett (18 points). Scottie Barnes and Immanuel Quickley each contributed 15 points as the Raptors remained in fifth place in the Eastern Conference.

Denver guard Jamal Murray delivered when it mattered most, pouring in a dozen fourth-quarter points as part of his game-high 31-point performance to lead the Nuggets past Toronto 121-115 in a thrilling comeback victory Friday evening at home.

The win moved Denver (43-28) into fifth place in the Western Conference standings, marking their sixth consecutive victory over the Raptors and fourth win in their last six contests overall.

Star center Nikola Jokic contributed a well-rounded effort with 22 points, nine assists and eight rebounds, while Tim Hardaway Jr. caught fire from beyond the arc, connecting on seven of ten three-point attempts for 23 points. Aaron Gordon added 16 points for the Nuggets, with Bruce Brown chipping in 12 and Christian Braun contributing 11.

Toronto (39-30) received strong performances from Jakob Poeltl, who recorded a double-double with 23 points and 11 rebounds, while Brandon Ingram tallied 19 points and RJ Barrett scored 18. Scottie Barnes and Immanuel Quickley each finished with 15 points, and Ja’Kobe Walter added 14 for the Raptors, whose three-game winning streak came to an end while remaining in fifth place in the Western Conference.

Facing a nine-point deficit entering the final period, Denver stormed back with a 13-2 surge to open the fourth quarter, taking a 98-96 advantage before Quickley answered with five consecutive points for Toronto. The Nuggets then seized control with a decisive 9-0 run, featuring two three-pointers from Hardaway and another from Gordon, establishing a 107-101 lead with five minutes remaining.

The Raptors battled back as Ingram connected on a jumper and a three-pointer to trim their deficit to just one point, setting up a dramatic finish.

With 1:45 left on the clock, Gordon converted a layup while being fouled but missed the ensuing free throw. However, Jokic secured the offensive rebound and was fouled himself, sinking both attempts to extend Denver’s advantage to 115-110.

The tension continued as Barnes scored on a putback, Murray missed a jumper, and Poeltl completed a three-point play to knot the score at 115 with 59.6 seconds remaining.

In the closing moments, Jokic hit a crucial 10-foot jumper, Gordon blocked Barnes’ shot attempt, and Murray sealed the victory by making two free throws with 12.3 seconds left for a four-point cushion. Jokic fouled Poeltl on the other end, but the Toronto center missed both free throw attempts before Gordon added one final free throw to close out the win.

Toronto had built momentum in the third quarter, making all 15 of their two-point field goal attempts while outscoring Denver 41-28 in the period. The Raptors led by as many as 11 points late in the third quarter before the Nuggets cut the deficit to five, though Toronto finished the period strong to take a 94-85 lead into the final frame.

The Anaheim Ducks mounted an impressive comeback Friday night, erasing an early deficit to beat the Utah Mammoth 4-1 and claim the season series between the two teams.

Alex Killorn powered the Ducks’ offensive attack with one goal and two assists, while Ryan Poehling contributed a goal and an assist in the victory. Goaltender Lukas Dostal was stellar between the pipes, turning away 29 shots for Anaheim (38-27-4, 80 points).

The win marks the second victory in three games for the Ducks, who have now captured five of their past nine contests. Anaheim also secured a 2-1 advantage over Utah in their three-game season series.

Utah (36-28-6, 78 points) entered the contest riding high after shutting out the Vegas Golden Knights 4-0 on Thursday. Dylan Guenther provided the Mammoth’s only scoring, while Vitek Vanecek stopped 19 shots in the losing effort.

The Mammoth struck first when Guenther found the back of the net just 1:48 into the opening frame. Sean Durzi delivered a perfect cross-ice feed, setting up Guenther for a one-knee slap shot that beat Dostal.

Utah dominated the early action, outshooting Anaheim 14-5 in the first period. The Ducks didn’t register their initial shot attempt until 11:53 had elapsed.

Poehling brought the visitors level at 13:37 of the first period, capitalizing on a penalty kill breakaway opportunity with a precise wrist shot that found its mark.

The Ducks seized control in the middle frame when Killorn connected on a snap shot at 9:09, giving Anaheim a 2-1 advantage they would not relinquish.

Cutter Gauthier sealed the victory with an empty-net tally with 1:36 remaining in regulation. Mikael Granlund added the final exclamation point, converting a Poehling setup into the vacant net with 55 seconds left on the clock.

Kentucky’s March Madness hopes appeared finished until Otega Oweh launched a miraculous 35-foot shot that banked in at the final buzzer, sending the Wildcats’ first-round matchup with Santa Clara into overtime on Friday in St. Louis.

The seventh-seeded Wildcats then controlled the extra period, outpacing the 10th-seeded Broncos 16-11 in overtime to claim an 89-84 victory in Midwest Region play.

Santa Clara seemed to have sealed the win when Allen Graves connected on a three-pointer from the right side with just 2.4 seconds remaining. However, Oweh caught the inbound pass and launched his desperation heave just in time to extend the game. During overtime, he converted all four of his free throw attempts to help Kentucky pull away.

Oweh recorded career-best numbers with 35 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, while Mouhamed Dioubate contributed 17 points and eight rebounds for Kentucky (22-13). The Wildcats shot 50.8% in a back-and-forth contest that saw the lead change hands 20 times with 12 ties.

Elijah Mahi topped Santa Clara (26-9) with 20 points in the program’s first NCAA Tournament appearance in three decades. Graves finished with 17 points and seven rebounds for the Broncos.

No. 2 Iowa State 108, No. 15 Tennessee State 74

The Cyclones controlled the final 38 minutes, crushing the Tigers in St. Louis despite losing All-American forward Justin Jefferson to a knee injury.

Iowa State will face No. 7 Kentucky in Sunday’s second round. Coach T.J. Otzelberger reported that X-rays came back negative and Jefferson will undergo another evaluation Saturday to determine his availability against the Wildcats.

Freshman Killyan Toure posted 25 points, 11 rebounds and six assists, Nate Heise contributed 22 points and Milan Momcilovic added 17 for Iowa State, which created 16 turnovers. Aaron Nkrumah paced Tennessee State (23-10) with 21 points, while Antoine Lorick III added 20 points and eight rebounds.

No. 3 Virginia 82, No. 14 Wright State 73

Jacari White tallied a season-high 26 points and scored the decisive floater with 4:07 remaining as the Cavaliers weathered a strong challenge from the Raiders in Philadelphia.

White connected on 6 of 8 three-point attempts, Sam Lewis scored 12 points, Malik Thomas contributed 11 and Thijs De Ridder added 10 for Virginia (30-5), which used a crucial 11-0 surge late to pull away and earn its first NCAA Tournament victory since capturing the 2019 national title.

Michael Imariagbe recorded 19 points and 10 rebounds for Wright State (23-12). Solomon Callaghan contributed 18 points and teamed with Imariagbe to hit 9 of 15 three-pointers. The Raiders made 13 shots from beyond the arc, the most Virginia has surrendered all season.

No. 4 Alabama 90, No. 13 Hofstra 70

Labaron Philon Jr. dominated the second half with 21 of his game-high 29 points as the Crimson Tide overcame an early 10-point deficit to defeat the Pride in first-round action in Tampa, Florida.

Philon, who wore a bandage on his injured chin during the second half, shot 10 of 18 and grabbed eight rebounds, seven assists, and three steals. Alabama (24-9) played without second-leading scorer Aden Holloway, who received a suspension for first-degree felony marijuana possession, but Aiden Sherrill responded with 15 points and 15 rebounds.

Taylor Bol Bowen contributed 15 points while Amari Allen and Latrell Wrightsell each scored 11 points.

Hofstra (24-11) established a 28-18 advantage hoping to continue its seven-game winning streak, but Alabama rallied to hold a 37-35 halftime lead. Preston Edmead led the Pride with 24 points, four rebounds and four assists. Cruz Davis contributed 14 points and six assists while German Plotnikov scored 12 points.

No. 5 Texas Tech 91, No. 12 Akron 71

Jaylen Petty scored 24 points to lead five Red Raiders in double figures as they pulled away late for a victory over the 12th-seeded Zips in Tampa, Florida.

Petty made 9 of 14 shots, leading an exceptional shooting display that saw No. 5 Texas Tech (23-10) connect on a season-best 64.2% of its attempts to end a three-game losing streak and capture its NCAA Tournament opener for the sixth time in seven tries. The Red Raiders will meet Alabama on Sunday.

Amani Lyles (26 points) and Shammah Scott (20 points) were the only Akron players to reach double figures for the Zips (29-6), who saw their 10-game winning streak end and fell to 0-8 in NCAA Tournament play. The Zips entered ranked 21st nationally in three-point shooting at 37.9%, but managed just 5 of 19 from long distance (26.3%).

No. 6 Tennessee 78, No. 11 Miami (OH) 56

Ja’Kobi Gillespie scored 22 of his 29 points in the opening half and J.P. Estrella added 14 points and 10 rebounds as the Volunteers ended the remarkable season for the RedHawks in Philadelphia.

Felix Okpara contributed 12 points and five rebounds for Tennessee (23-11), which advanced to Sunday’s second round against No. 3 Virginia. Gillespie shot 8 of 12 in the first half, including 5 of 6 from three-point range, and finished with a game-high nine assists.

Peter Suder scored 27 as Miami’s only double-figure scorer for the RedHawks (32-2), who lost two of their final three games after establishing school and Mid-American Conference records with a 31-0 regular season. The RedHawks entered leading the nation in field goal percentage at 52.2%, but the Volunteers held them to a season-low 35.2% (19 of 54).

West Region

No. 1 Arizona 92, No. 16 Long Island 58

The Wildcats used an unusual three-point explosion in the opening half to overpower the underdog Sharks and cruise to an easy first-round victory in San Diego.

Arizona (33-2) entered the postseason averaging 5.9 three-pointers per game, but Tommy Lloyd’s squad surpassed that mark before the final media timeout of the first half by hitting 6 of 9 from long range. Brayden Burries connected on four first-half three-pointers en route to a game-high 18 points. Koa Peat added 15 points while Ivan Kharchenkov posted 14 points and a game-high 10 rebounds.

Long Island (24-11) also shot well from deep, with Mason Porter-Brown (15 points) and Jamal Fuller (11 points) combining for five three-pointers by halftime, and six of the team’s eight for the game. However, the Sharks’ inability to stop Arizona inside proved decisive. The Wildcats scored 50 points in the paint, including 22 second-chance points. Arizona’s size advantage showed on the boards, 52-31, with 16 offensive rebounds.

No. 9 Utah State 86, No. 8 Villanova 76

MJ Collins Jr. scored seven of his 20 points in the final three minutes as the Aggies outscored the Wildcats 15-3 down the stretch to rally for the first-round victory in San Diego.

Mason Falslev, the Mountain West Player of the Year, delivered 22 points, seven rebounds and four assists for Utah State (29-6), which will meet top-seeded Arizona on Sunday. Adlan Elamin added 13 points and seven rebounds while Drake Allen contributed 11 points, six assists and three steals.

Bryce Lindsay led all scorers with 25 points for Villanova (24-9), which built a 10-point lead early in the second half. Duke Brennan and Tyler Perkins each added 15 points. The Wildcats held their final lead, 73-71, with 6:04 remaining on Lindsay’s sixth and final three-pointer.

Utah State answered with a 9-0 run highlighted by two Collins layups, then he delivered a breakaway dunk that made it 84-74 with 1:13 left.

Paris Olympic gold medalist Lin Yu-ting will be allowed to compete internationally again following World Boxing’s completion of a sex-eligibility review, paving the way for her participation in this month’s Asian Boxing Championships in Mongolia.

World Boxing announced the decision on Friday following an appeals process launched by the Chinese Taipei Boxing Association (CTBA), bringing an end to months of doubt that prevented Lin from participating in multiple high-level competitions since the governing organization introduced new eligibility rules last summer.

While the organization kept test results confidential, it confirmed the appeal followed established protocols and that Lin qualifies to compete in women’s divisions at World Boxing sanctioned events.

“We recognize that this has been a difficult period for the boxer and the CTBA and appreciate the way they have approached the appeal process and their acknowledgement of World Boxing’s requirement to ensure that its eligibility policy, which is designed to deliver safety and sporting integrity, has been correctly implemented and followed,” stated World Boxing secretary general Tom Dielen.

Lin’s eligibility status became controversial during the 2024 Paris Olympics, where she and Algeria’s Imane Khelif captured gold medals while facing widespread false information and political controversy regarding gender standards, despite both athletes being permitted to compete under IOC regulations at that time.

After assuming control as the sport’s Olympic-level governing organization, World Boxing has established a one-time genetic testing mandate for female category competitors. The policy aims to detect Y chromosome genetic material while providing additional evaluation procedures for complicated situations.

The Asian Championships are scheduled for March 29 through April 10, and Lin’s participation brings added prominence to a competition now positioned at the heart of boxing’s developing eligibility discussions.

March Madness has lived up to its name as the hopes for perfect tournament brackets have crumbled for nearly everyone who dreamed of predicting all 63 games correctly. When the second day of competition reached its halfway point, ESPN tracked fewer than 1,500 flawless brackets still standing among millions of entries. The women’s tournament proved equally unpredictable, with roughly two-thirds of ESPN’s women’s bracket challenge participants watching their perfect streaks end within hours of the action beginning. Kalshi’s billion-dollar bracket competition started Day 2 with just 83 unblemished entries remaining. The mathematical probability of correctly predicting every tournament outcome stands at an astronomical one in 120 billion.

In one of the tournament’s most heart-stopping moments, Santa Clara and Kentucky delivered a spectacular finish that will be remembered long after March ends. Despite ultimately falling to the Wildcats 89-84 in overtime, the Broncos nearly pulled off an upset in their first NCAA Tournament appearance in three decades. With just 2.4 seconds remaining in regulation, Santa Clara connected on a three-pointer to grab a 73-70 advantage. However, Kentucky’s Otega Oweh answered immediately with his own three-point shot from near his team’s bench, banking it in at the buzzer to force overtime. “A tough one to swallow” was how the devastating loss was described for Santa Clara, whose last tournament appearance came during Steve Nash’s playing days 30 years ago.

President Donald Trump has taken action to protect one of college football’s most cherished traditions by signing an executive order that prohibits College Football Playoff games from conflicting with the Army-Navy game broadcast. The directive instructs the commerce secretary and Federal Communications Commission chairman to work with playoff organizers, the NCAA, and television partners to guarantee the historic military rivalry maintains its exclusive viewing window on the second Saturday of December. Trump’s order anticipates potential playoff expansion that could push the postseason schedule earlier, noting that the current 12-team format’s opening weekend has already followed the Army-Navy contest for two consecutive years.

History was made in St. Louis when Purdue’s Braden Smith surpassed a legendary NCAA record during his team’s tournament opener against Queens. With 12 minutes and 11 seconds left in the first half, Smith recorded his second assist of the game and 1,077th of his career, breaking former Duke standout Bobby Hurley’s Division I career assist mark. The All-American guard had already established himself as the only player in NCAA history to accumulate at least 1,500 points, 1,000 assists, and 500 rebounds in a career. Smith joins Southern’s Avery Johnson as one of only two players to record 300 or more assists in multiple seasons, earning second-team Associated Press All-American honors this year.

Otega Oweh’s heroics continued beyond his regulation buzzer-beater as he led Kentucky to victory in the extra period. After Allen Graves connected on a three-pointer from the right wing to put Santa Clara ahead 73-70 with 2.4 seconds remaining, Oweh caught the inbound pass and launched his shot from near midcourt just before time expired, watching it bank home for the tie. The dramatic shot capped a career-best 35-point performance for Oweh, propelling the seventh-seeded Wildcats past the 10th-seeded Broncos. Kentucky advances to face second-seeded Iowa State, who dominated 15th-seeded Tennessee State 108-74 in their Midwest Region matchup.

The Cleveland Guardians will receive financial relief as Major League Baseball’s investigation continues into gambling allegations involving pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz. Both players were initially placed on paid administrative leave last summer – Ortiz on July 3 and Clase on July 28 – and continued receiving their salaries despite not pitching for the rest of the season. Following their federal indictments on November 9, the organization will no longer be required to pay their salaries while the legal proceedings unfold. A trial date has been set for May 4, though delays are possible. Clase is scheduled to earn $6 million in 2026, the final guaranteed year of his five-year, $20 million contract, while Ortiz makes approximately the league minimum of $780,000.

Portugal will be without their legendary captain Cristiano Ronaldo for upcoming international friendlies due to a hamstring injury. The 41-year-old superstar has been sidelined since February 28, when he left the field injured during an Al-Nassr match in the Saudi Pro League. National team manager Roberto Martínez excluded the five-time Ballon d’Or recipient from the squad for matches against Mexico in Mexico City on March 28 and the United States in Atlanta on April 1.

The WNBA and its players’ association have achieved a significant milestone by signing a term sheet for their new collective bargaining agreement. The groundbreaking seven-year deal, pending player ratification and Board of Governors approval, will take effect this season and extend through 2032. Officials are calling the agreement a transformational landmark in the league’s labor relations.

March Madness created a cross-country family adventure for High Point’s coaching staff as assistant Katie Clayman juggled supporting both her husband and her team. Coach Chelsea Banbury had no concerns about Clayman missing the Panthers’ final practice before their tournament debut, understanding the importance of family during the busy March schedule. Clayman watched her husband’s team upset fifth-seeded Wisconsin in Portland, Oregon on Thursday before embarking on a challenging journey back to Nashville for the 15th-seeded Panthers’ Saturday night showdown against second-seeded Vanderbilt. Despite the lack of direct flights and travel complications, Banbury maintained communication with Clayman about necessary game film preparation for Saturday’s shootaround.

A federal wrongful death lawsuit has been filed against a Costa Rican resort following the tragic death of former New York Yankees player Brett Gardner’s son. The Gardner family initiated legal action Friday in Philadelphia federal court, alleging negligence by the owners and operators of the Arenas Del Mar resort. Fourteen-year-old Miller Gardner died in March 2025 from what has been determined to be carbon monoxide poisoning during the family’s stay at the resort. The defendants had not responded to requests for comment as of Friday.

A federal wrongful death lawsuit was filed on Friday targeting a Costa Rican resort and its operators following the tragic carbon monoxide poisoning death of former New York Yankees player Brett Gardner’s 14-year-old son.

The legal action, filed in Philadelphia federal court, centers on the March 2025 death of Miller Gardner at the Arenas Del Mar Beachfront & Rainforest Resort located on Manuel Antonio beach in Costa Rica’s Central Pacific region. Brett Gardner and other family members have brought negligence and wrongful death charges against the resort.

Named as defendants in the case are resort owners and operators David Callan and R. Scott Williams, along with Hawk Opportunity Fund LP, a venture capital company based in Newtown, Pennsylvania. Attempts to reach the defendants for comment were unsuccessful on Friday.

The tragedy occurred while the Gardner family was enjoying a vacation. Miller Gardner lost his life, and Brett Gardner along with other family members became ill from what Costa Rican officials determined was carbon monoxide exposure.

According to Randall Zúñiga, who heads Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigation Agency, laboratory results revealed Miller Gardner had dangerous levels of carboxyhemoglobin in his system – a deadly compound that forms when carbon monoxide attaches to blood hemoglobin.

The family’s legal complaint contends that inadequate ventilation in the resort’s machine room allowed carbon monoxide to escape, ultimately causing the teen’s death and harming other family members.

Brett Gardner began his professional baseball journey when the Yankees selected him in the 2005 draft, remaining loyal to the organization throughout his entire career. During his 14-season tenure from 2008 through 2021, he compiled a .256 batting average along with 139 home runs, 578 runs batted in, 274 stolen bases, and 73 triples.

The Oklahoma City Thunder, fresh off their 2025 NBA championship victory, will skip a traditional White House visit during their Washington D.C. road trip this weekend, according to a team representative who spoke Friday.

Although both the Thunder organization and White House officials held conversations about hosting a championship celebration, scheduling conflicts ultimately made the visit impossible.

“We have been in touch with the White House, and we are appreciative and grateful for the communication we have had, but the timing just didn’t work out,” the Thunder said in a statement.

The tradition of NBA champions meeting with the president stretches back to 1963 when the Boston Celtics made the first such visit. Championship teams commonly arrange these ceremonies to coincide with regular season matchups in Washington D.C. The Thunder are scheduled to face the Wizards on Saturday.

Multiple championship teams have turned down White House invitations in recent years, with the Golden State Warriors’ 2017 decision being among the most prominent examples.

Earlier this month, the U.S. men’s hockey team that captured Olympic gold accepted President Donald Trump’s invitation to attend the State of the Union address. The team also participated in an Oval Office ceremony with Trump and enjoyed a White House lunch.

Trump extended a similar State of the Union invitation to the gold medal-winning U.S. women’s hockey team, but the players declined to participate, explaining that “the timing and previously scheduled academic and professional commitments” prevented their attendance.

ST. LOUIS — Iowa State’s standout forward Joshua Jefferson will not return to action in the Cyclones’ opening NCAA Tournament matchup against Tennessee State due to a lower left leg injury.

As the second half was about to commence, Jefferson made his way back to Iowa State’s bench using crutches and sporting a walking boot on his injured left leg.

The All-American player received a standing ovation from fans when he emerged from the tunnel during halftime, taking his place at the end of the Cyclones’ bench. At that point, Iowa State held a commanding 55-29 lead over Tennessee State. Whether Jefferson will be available for a possible second-round matchup against Kentucky on Saturday remains unknown.

The injury occurred early in the contest, just 2 minutes and 36 seconds after tipoff, following a successful driving layup by Jefferson. As he moved across the lane from left to right, Jefferson collapsed beneath the Iowa State basket after his shot found the net. His left foot rolled outward and bent at a sharp angle, causing him to fall to the court. Jefferson required assistance getting to his feet and was immediately taken for X-rays of his lower left leg and ankle area. He was unable to bear weight on the injured foot as he made his way to the locker room.

Jefferson entered Friday’s tournament game averaging 16.9 points, 7.6 rebounds and 4.9 assists per contest in his point forward role for the Cyclones.

Speaking to CBS Television during the halftime break, Iowa State head coach T.J. Otzelberger explained the impact of losing his star player. “For our team, Joshua (Jefferson) is such a huge part of everything we do,” Otzelberger said. “So we have a more guard-oriented attack when he’s not out there.”

Houston Dynamo FC has acquired defender Sam Vines as a free agent, inking him to a contract that extends through the 2027 season, the team announced Friday.

The 26-year-old left back became available after the Colorado Rapids released him prior to the 2026 campaign.

During his time with Colorado across two separate stints (2018-21 and 2024-25), Vines recorded three goals and seven assists over 116 matches.

“Sam is a fullback who brings versatility, quality on the ball and valuable experience at the MLS, European and international levels,” Dynamo president of soccer Pat Onstad said. “His technical ability and understanding of the game fit well with the way we want to play. We are excited to welcome Sam and his wife to Houston and look forward to his contributions this season.”

Between his Colorado tenures, Vines spent two seasons (2021-23) competing for Royal Antwerp in Belgium’s top division. He has also represented the United States Men’s National Team in nine international matches, scoring once.

NEW YORK — Major League Baseball enters 2026 with transformative changes as automated strike zone technology debuts, the Tampa Bay Rays move back to their renovated home field, and various television networks broadcast games during what could be the final season before a potential work stoppage.

Significant developments have unfolded in the four-and-a-half months since the Los Angeles Dodgers mounted a comeback in the seventh game of the World Series, defeating Toronto in 11 innings to claim back-to-back titles for the first time since the New York Yankees accomplished the feat from 1998-2000.

The typical offseason player movement saw Kyle Tucker join the Dodgers, Bo Bichette sign with the New York Mets, Alex Bregman move to the Chicago Cubs, and Pete Alonso land with the Baltimore Orioles.

Venezuela captured its inaugural World Baseball Classic title, drawing record crowds and television viewership.

However, concerns about a potential season-long work stoppage next year overshadow the typical opening day enthusiasm scheduled for Wednesday.

Bruce Meyer replaced Tony Clark as the players’ union leader after Clark’s forced departure, amid intensifying discussions about a potential salary cap proposal from ownership that the union pledges to oppose. Baseball officials are expected to implement a lockout on December 2nd, creating uncertainty for the 2027 season.

Cy Young Award recipients Paul Skenes and Tarik Skubal serve on the eight-member executive committee overseeing labor negotiations.

“We need people that are invested and kind of have status among players and within the game to go into the negotiations and be comfortable going toe to toe with the owners,” Skenes said. “It’s not something that I sought out. Some guys nominated me for the position and that’s not something you say no to.”

After trials beginning in minor league play during 2019, MLB announced last September its decision to implement the Automated Ball-Strike System for regular season games.

Human umpires will continue calling all pitches, but teams can contest two decisions per game, keeping their challenge if correct, with additional challenges available during extra innings.

“You want get the egregiously wrong calls fixed and you want make sure you get it right in a big spot,” three-time Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander said.

The automated system will not operate during the Arizona-San Diego series in Mexico City on April 25-26, the Philadelphia-Minnesota Field of Dreams game in Dyersville, Iowa on August 13, or the Atlanta-Milwaukee contest in Williamsport, Pennsylvania on August 23.

National television coverage is distributed across Fox/FS1, TBS, ESPN, NBC/Peacock, AppleTV and Netflix. NBC’s networks will handle Wild Card Series broadcasts, taking over from ABC/ESPN.

MLB will also produce and distribute local game coverage for 14 franchises following financial difficulties at Main Street Sports Group, which manages regional FanDuel Sports Network stations.

The season opener between the New York Yankees and San Francisco Giants on Wednesday will stream exclusively on Netflix.

Following their historic consecutive championship victories, the Dodgers aim to join an exclusive group of teams winning three straight titles, alongside the 1998-2000 Yankees, the 1949-53 Yankees dynasty, the 1936-39 Yankees, and the 1972-74 Oakland Athletics.

“When you’re a Dodger, people want to take us down. They want to beat us,” manager Dave Roberts told players during spring training. “It’s a Game 7. So I think that we’ve got to look ahead and say that this is going to be harder than it’s ever been and we got to work even harder. And so my ask as a team, as an organization is to push ourselves even more. We already got the talent. There isn’t any more talent in a major league clubhouse than in this room.”

After earning his fourth unanimous MVP award, Shohei Ohtani is anticipated to serve as both pitcher and hitter throughout the complete season. He resumed pitching duties on June 16th following his second major elbow operation performed on September 19, 2023.

Tampa Bay moves back to Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg following a season of home games at Steinbrenner Field, the Yankees’ spring training facility across the bay.

Hurricane Milton’s October 2024 damage to the Tropicana has been fully restored. The Rays posted a 41-40 record at Steinbrenner last season, marking their poorest home winning rate since 2016. They attracted 786,750 fans averaging 9,713 per game, with 61 sellout crowds.

“There is genuine, authentic excitement to get back to the Trop,” manager Kevin Cash said. “We’ve played well in the Trop. We’ve had a lot of success in the Trop. And I think we’re going back to something that’s probably going to be a little bit newer, a little better than maybe as we left it because they had to do so many repairs.”

Four players have opportunities to reach 400 career home runs during the upcoming season.

Manny Machado begins the year with 369, while Freddie Freeman has 368, Aaron Judge sits at 367, and Bryce Harper holds 363.