Category: Sports

First-year college basketball players made history Tuesday when three freshmen earned spots on the Associated Press All-America first team, with Duke’s Cameron Boozer, BYU’s AJ Dybantsa, and Arkansas’s Darius Acuff Jr. receiving the prestigious honor.

Rounding out the top five selections were Michigan senior Yaxel Lendeborg and Texas Tech junior JT Toppin.

Boozer achieved unanimous recognition, appearing on all 61 voting ballots. This marks the second consecutive year a Duke freshman has earned universal acclaim, following Cooper Flagg’s perfect selection last season. Dybantsa garnered 57 first-team votes while Acuff secured 47.

The Blue Devils, led by Boozer’s stellar play, captured both the Atlantic Coast Conference regular season championship and tournament crown, earning them the top overall seed in March Madness. Boozer has posted impressive numbers with 22.5 points and 10.2 rebounds per contest.

Dybantsa tops the nation’s scoring charts at 25.3 points per game while contributing 6.7 rebounds. His selection makes him just the third BYU player to earn first-team honors, joining Danny Ainge and Jimmer Fredette. The Cougars enter the tournament as a sixth seed.

Arkansas hasn’t celebrated a first-team All-American since Sidney Moncrief claimed the distinction in 1978-79. Acuff has delivered 22.9 points and 6.5 assists per game for the fourth-seeded Razorbacks.

Lendeborg has helped propel Michigan to a No. 1 tournament seed, becoming the first Wolverines player to earn first-team recognition since Trey Burke accomplished the feat in 2012-13. He contributes 14.6 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game.

Toppin earned second-team All-America honors last year when Texas Tech advanced to the Elite Eight. Now the program’s first-ever first-team selection, he unfortunately suffered a torn right ACL and will miss the tournament despite averaging 21.8 points and 10.8 rebounds across 25 games for the fifth-seeded Red Raiders.

The second team features Purdue’s Braden Smith, Michigan State’s Jeremy Fears Jr., Illinois’s Keaton Wagler, Iowa State’s Joshua Jefferson, and North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson.

Third-team selections include Gonzaga’s Graham Ike, Houston’s Kingston Flemings, Texas Tech’s Christian Anderson, Alabama’s Labaron Philon Jr., and Florida’s Thomas Haugh.

Honorable mention recognition went to Arizona’s Jaden Bradley and Brayden Burries, Iowa’s Bennett Stirtz, Kansas’s Darryn Peterson, St. John’s Zuby Ejiofor, Florida’s Rueben Chinyelu, Ohio State’s Bruce Thornton, Butler’s Michael Ajayi, Kansas State’s P.J. Haggerty, Stanford’s Ebuka Okorie, and Vanderbilt’s Tyler Tanner.

Multiple media sources confirmed Tuesday that the Philadelphia Eagles have secured wide receiver Marquise ‘Hollywood’ Brown on a one-year deal.

Brown’s arrival comes amid speculation surrounding the potential exit of fellow receiver A.J. Brown, creating an interesting situation where one Brown may replace another. While the Eagles retain DeVonta Smith, their receiving corps lacks significant depth beyond Jahan Dotson, recovering player Johnny Wilson, and Darius Cooper.

Last season with the Kansas City Chiefs, the 28-year-old Brown hauled in 49 receptions for 587 yards and found the end zone five times across 16 games, starting six of those contests.

According to NFL Network, Brown’s Philadelphia contract carries a maximum value of $6.5 million.

Throughout his professional career spanning 90 games with 72 starts, Brown has accumulated 371 receptions for 4,322 yards and 33 touchdowns. His journey began when Baltimore selected him 25th overall in the 2019 draft, followed by stints with the Ravens through 2021, the Arizona Cardinals from 2022-23, and most recently Kansas City in 2024-25.

Denver has completed a significant trade with Miami, bringing in wide receiver Jayden Waddle along with a fourth-round draft selection in exchange for first-, third-, and fourth-round picks, according to ESPN’s Tuesday report.

This move provides Broncos quarterback Bo Nix with an additional elite receiving threat to complement two-time Pro Bowl wideout Courtland Sutton. During the previous season, Sutton topped Denver’s receiving statistics with 74 receptions, 1,017 yards, and seven touchdown catches.

The trade leaves Miami with seven total selections within the opening three rounds of the 2026 NFL Draft, including the 30th overall first-round pick they received from Denver.

The 27-year-old Waddle hauled in 64 passes for 910 yards and six scores across 16 starts last season while playing for the rebuilding Miami franchise. His contract carries $68.6 million remaining over the next three years.

Throughout his professional career since Miami selected him sixth overall in the 2021 NFL Draft, Waddle has accumulated 373 catches for 5,039 yards and 26 touchdowns across 78 games, all as a starter.

Denver has completed a major trade with Miami, landing veteran wide receiver Jaylen Waddle in exchange for multiple draft selections, according to a source familiar with the transaction who spoke to The Associated Press on Tuesday.

The source requested anonymity since the teams have not yet made an official announcement. Miami will receive Denver’s first-round selection (30th overall) in the upcoming NFL draft, plus third and fourth-round picks. The Broncos will get Waddle and a fourth-round selection from the Dolphins.

The addition of Waddle provides quarterback Bo Nix with another elite receiving option alongside Courtland Sutton, strengthening an aerial attack that ranked 11th league-wide during the previous campaign.

Denver earned the top seed in the AFC last season but fell to New England in the conference championship after losing Nix to an ankle injury suffered during their divisional playoff victory over Buffalo.

Selected in the first round during 2021, Waddle posted three consecutive 1,000-yard receiving campaigns to start his professional career, though he has not achieved that milestone since the 2023 season.

The 27-year-old receiver has compiled career averages of 81 catches, 1,098 receiving yards and six touchdown receptions across his five NFL seasons.

MEXICO CITY, March 17 – Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum announced Tuesday that her nation stands ready to welcome Iran’s 2026 World Cup matches should FIFA, soccer’s international governing body, give the green light.

The Iranian football federation has formally requested FIFA relocate their World Cup games from American soil to Mexico, citing worries about player security following joint airstrikes conducted by the United States targeting the country.

Sheinbaum indicated Mexico would face no obstacles in accommodating Iran’s matches for the upcoming tournament.

MIAMI — The Atlanta Hawks are riding a 10-game victory streak, marking their longest winning run in over eleven years. Both Orlando and Miami recently completed seven-game winning streaks. Charlotte appears poised to reach the playoffs for the first time in ten years.

Could the Southeast Division actually be competitive this season?

It appears that way. This represents a dramatic turnaround from last year when Atlanta, Orlando, Miami, Charlotte and Washington combined for the NBA’s worst divisional record ever. Now four teams from the division could potentially make the playoffs for the first time since 2014.

While divisional titles carry little significance in today’s NBA, the four Southeast clubs with postseason aspirations — everyone except Washington — appear to be motivating each other since the All-Star break.

“I would say that’s probably a factor,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “Everybody also knows what time it is right now. You have to make moves. You have to do something. And we knew that coming out of All-Star break.”

Nearly every team received that memo.

Washington appears uninterested in victories currently, evidenced by their defensive effort — or lack thereof — during Miami’s Bam Adebayo’s 83-point performance last week. The Wizards plan to rebuild next season around Trae Young and Anthony Davis.

The remaining four franchises are thriving. These teams have compiled a collective 40-25 record since the break, leading all NBA divisions during that period. Atlanta stands at 11-1, Miami at 9-3, Orlando at 10-4, Charlotte at 8-5, and Washington at 2-12.

The Southeast’s recent excellence is remarkable: Atlanta occupied ninth place in the Eastern Conference following a February 20th loss to Miami. Despite going 9-0 after that defeat entering Monday, the Hawks remained in ninth position.

Monday’s victory moved Atlanta into an eighth-place tie with Philadelphia, with the Hawks holding the tiebreaker advantage for the play-in tournament’s eighth seed.

Consider this: a 10-game winning streak yielding just one position improvement.

“Everybody’s trying to be aggressive but also solid at the same time,” Hawks coach Quin Snyder said. “I think that’s really important. We don’t want to be gambling. We just want to make people work.”

Charlotte provides entertaining basketball, unless you’re their opponent. Kon Knueppel seriously contends with former Duke teammate Cooper Flagg of Dallas for Rookie of the Year honors. The Hornets launch numerous three-pointers, play with pace, and display confidence.

Charlotte improved through the draft. Atlanta may have benefited by subtraction; trading Young eliminated speculation about his Atlanta future, and his former team has gone 20-10 since the deal — the East’s third-best record, just half a game behind Detroit and Cleveland. Miami continues their trademark approach of outworking opponents while discovering talent in Pelle Larsson and Kasparas Jakucionis alongside established stars like Adebayo.

Orlando apparently needed some internal tension.

Coach-player conflicts don’t typically benefit teams. Orlando may prove the exception. Earlier this season, Magic coach Jamahl Mosley and star Paolo Banchero clearly weren’t aligned. Banchero made comments, Mosley responded indirectly, creating an awkward atmosphere.

Surprisingly, Orlando’s struggles preceded their breakthrough.

“We’re both competitors,” Banchero said when asked about his relationship with Mosley. “There were times where I was frustrated and I wasn’t playing as well as I think I should be. But it never became me pointing the finger at him or being disrespectful. It was all constructive; he’s talking to me, I’m talking to him. And winning, it cures everything. … Something I feel I learned at Duke is when there’s a little bit of conflict, it makes you lock in a little more.”

Under a month remains in the regular season. The competition between Atlanta, Miami, Orlando, and Charlotte could continue until the final games. The Southeast may lack a clear championship contender among this quartet — but features four teams potentially peaking at the optimal moment.

“It’s just this time of year,” Mosley said. “Every game matters.”

What seems like an unthinkable scenario could become reality as the World Anti-Doping Agency considers a controversial new policy.

Officials at WADA are contemplating a rule change that would prevent President Donald Trump and other U.S. government representatives from attending major international sporting competitions — including those held on U.S. territory.

Several massive events could potentially be affected: this summer’s World Cup, the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, and the 2034 Winter Olympics in Utah.

This confrontation wasn’t initiated by Trump, but rather by WADA leadership, which has faced widespread criticism from both political parties in Congress, previous and current presidential administrations, and the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency throughout most of the past decade.

The measure, scheduled for discussion at Tuesday’s WADA executive committee meeting, represents the most drastic step yet in an ongoing battle of words, warnings, and disputes between all involved parties. The conflict originated from America’s decision to withhold its yearly WADA membership fees.

America has withheld $7.3 million across 2024 and 2025 as a form of protest against WADA’s management of various controversies, particularly a recent incident involving Chinese swimmers who were permitted to compete after positive tests for prohibited substances. WADA accepted Chinese officials’ explanation that the athletes had experienced accidental contamination.

WADA representative James Fitzgerald stated the regulation, if approved, would “not (be) applied retroactively so World Cup, LA and SLC Games would not be covered.” Nevertheless, the draft proposal obtained by The Associated Press contains no such exemption language.

Fitzgerald remained silent on multiple follow-up inquiries sent Monday, including questions about how a rule under consideration this year wouldn’t apply retroactively to future events that haven’t occurred yet. Fitzgerald mentioned last week that the final determination wouldn’t come until November, following the World Cup, though communications between WADA and European representatives suggested the decision might arrive earlier.

Here’s an examination of how this situation developed and potential future developments.

WADA was established in 1999 with the mission of creating anti-doping regulations for sports and ensuring proper implementation.

During recent years, as more serious and complicated doping scandals emerged, WADA has expanded its role in investigating doping accusations — a responsibility traditionally handled by numerous organizations that monitor performance-enhancing drug use across different nations and sports.

WADA receives equal funding from two sources — governments of nations participating in the Olympic movement and the International Olympic Committee. Representatives on WADA’s primary decision-making panels are typically split evenly between sports and government officials.

Participation in major international competitions like the Olympics and World Cup requires all participants to commit to following WADA’s regulations, whether they concern doping directly or administrative matters like the current proposal addresses.

Athletic organizations — including the IOC and individual sport governing bodies — are considered “signatories” to the WADA code.

Governments connect to WADA through an agreement signed with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Similar to sports organizations, the UNESCO arrangement requires governments to pay membership fees and comply with WADA’s regulations.

Enforcement appears highly questionable. Rahul Gupta — the drug policy director under the Biden Administration who criticized WADA as strongly as his replacement, Sara Carter — described the concept as “ludicrous.”

Gupta explained this isn’t simply because restricting the U.S. president’s movements would be logistically impossible, but it would also communicate the wrong message to a host nation, which manages the games and ensures appropriate investments in security, facilities, and other infrastructure.

“That’s the responsibility of the government, not so much WADA,” Gupta said. “It’s clear that WADA attempting to propagate any rules-based system that interferes with a government, especially a host government — that would be a concern to any government.”

Although Trump hasn’t commented on this specific issue, Carter, his drug policy director, stated the U.S. government “will continue to stand firm in our demand for accountability and transparency from WADA to ensure fair competition in sport.”

WADA has achieved the unusual result of uniting politicians from opposite political parties. Legislation implementing the anti-doping Rodchenkov Act, which WADA strongly opposed in key sections, received unanimous approval in Congress six years ago.

Recent efforts to hold WADA responsible, leading to the suspended dues payments, have gained bipartisan backing in both congressional chambers.

Following the latest developments, Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., posted on social media that the proposal provided “Further proof we’re doing the right thing by demanding accountability and defunding WADA.”

WADA operates with approximately $57.5 million annually, and the American contribution is substantial, though not the only missing payment recently. An analysis of membership payments obtained by the AP revealed that only 49% of African nations had paid their 2025 WADA dues.

However, no nation has criticized WADA more harshly than the United States, which has considered withholding payments since 2020 and actually implemented this strategy two years ago.

That’s accurate.

WADA has studied this concept since 2020 — approximately when American threats intensified. In 2024, the proposal actually reached the executive committee. Gupta served on that panel then and spearheaded the effort to defeat it. The U.S. currently lacks representation on the executive committee.

WADA hasn’t provided clear answers to this question, beyond stating the rule wouldn’t apply “retroactively” and that the World Cup, LA and Utah Olympics would remain unaffected.

WADA indicates the next foundation board meeting — the body that must formally approve any executive committee recommendation — won’t occur until November, four months following the World Cup’s conclusion.

However, in a question-and-answer session with European representatives regarding the rule, a document obtained by AP showed WADA informed officials that such a regulation “could be implemented without due delay.”

European officials posed that identical question to WADA. The rule’s future had been assigned to a WADA “discussion group” that was expected to report back to the executive committee but hasn’t completed this task.

WADA’s response indicated that legal complications involving penalties for countries that don’t pay dues have been resolved (the penalty sections have been eliminated).

“Little meaningful progress was made in the latest meetings of the Discussion Group and there is no reason (given the foregoing) not to bring this matter to the ExCo as a decision-making organ of WADA,” it stated.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker delivered a spectacular performance with 41 points, leading the Atlanta Hawks to their tenth straight victory in a 124-112 triumph over the Orlando Magic on Monday night.

The Hawks now possess the NBA’s longest current winning streak and their best stretch since a franchise-record 19-game run during the 2014-15 campaign. Atlanta’s victory brought an end to Orlando’s impressive seven-game winning streak.

Since the All-Star break, Atlanta has compiled an outstanding 11-1 record, pulling even with the Philadelphia 76ers for the eighth position in the Eastern Conference standings.

Alexander-Walker connected on 12 of 22 field goal attempts and knocked down a career-best nine three-pointers on 15 tries, marking his 36th game this season with at least 20 points. He also contributed seven rebounds, five assists and two steals. Jalen Johnson recorded his 13th triple-double of the campaign with 24 points, 15 rebounds and 13 assists.

For Orlando, Paolo Banchero posted 18 points and 10 rebounds, while Desmond Bane contributed 18 points and Wendell Carter Jr. added 17 points.

Lakers 100, Rockets 92

Luka Doncic led all scorers with 36 points as Los Angeles defeated Houston on the road.

The victory evened the season series between the teams before their final matchup Wednesday in Houston. Los Angeles also expanded its advantage over Houston for the Western Conference’s third seed to 1.5 games. LeBron James contributed 18 points, five rebounds and five assists for the Lakers.

Jabari Smith Jr. scored 22 points and grabbed eight rebounds, helping Houston take an 88-85 advantage before the Rockets collapsed. Los Angeles employed aggressive double-teams against Kevin Durant, who finished with 18 points and seven turnovers, and Houston couldn’t counter the strategy. The Rockets managed just 12 points in the final quarter.

Spurs 119, Clippers 115

Victor Wembanyama recorded 21 points and 13 rebounds while Stephon Castle contributed 23 points and eight assists, powering San Antonio past Los Angeles in Inglewood, California, as the Spurs maintained their impressive late-season momentum.

Devin Vassell scored 20 points and De’Aaron Fox added 18 as San Antonio improved to a league-best 18-2 record since February began. The Spurs seized control during the second quarter, outscoring Los Angeles 37-15.

Darius Garland finished with 25 points and 10 assists for the Clippers, who played without top scorer Kawhi Leonard due to a left ankle sprain suffered in Saturday’s loss to Sacramento. Jordan Miller matched a career-high with 22 points and collected nine rebounds.

Trail Blazers 114, Nets 95

Deni Avdija and Toumani Camara each scored 18 points as Portland controlled the game from start to finish in a road victory over Brooklyn.

Camara shot 7 of 9 from the field after connecting on just 5 of 20 attempts in his previous two contests. Scoot Henderson provided 16 points off the bench while Donovan Clingan recorded 14 points and 11 rebounds for his 29th double-double this season. Kris Murray added 14 points and Jerami Grant chipped in 12 for Portland.

With leading scorer Michael Porter Jr. sidelined by an ankle injury along with other key players, rookie Chaney Johnson paced Brooklyn with 17 points. Tyson Etienne and rookie Ben Saraf each contributed 15 points as the Nets continued giving extended minutes to younger players.

Bulls 132, Grizzlies 107

Matas Buzelis erupted for 18 of his 29 points during the third quarter and Josh Giddey delivered 16 points, 15 rebounds and 13 assists, leading Chicago to a commanding home victory over Memphis.

Giddey has now achieved triple-doubles in five of his seven March appearances. Tre Jones scored 17 points, Rob Dillingham had 15, Jalen Smith contributed 13, Guerschon Yabusele added 13 and Leonard Miller scored 10 for Chicago.

The defeat extended Memphis’ losing streak to a season-worst eight games. Cedric Coward topped the Grizzlies with 17 points, while Taylor Hendricks and Jaylen Wells each scored 16.

Celtics 120, Suns 112

Jaylen Brown exploded for 41 points, seven rebounds and six assists, guiding Boston to victory over Phoenix at home.

Brown converted 19 of 21 free throw attempts, with both the makes and attempts representing career-high marks. The Celtics got 21 points each from Jayson Tatum and Derrick White, plus 19 from Payton Pritchard.

Devin Booker paced Phoenix with 40 points and Jalen Green added 21. The Suns held a 110-106 edge with 4:46 remaining but failed to score another field goal.

Warriors 125, Wizards 117

Kristaps Porzingis returned to a former team and scored 30 points in just 26 minutes, while De’Anthony Melton added 27 points as Golden State handed Washington its 12th consecutive defeat.

Gui Santos contributed 18 points for the Warriors, who shot 50.5% from the field to snap a five-game losing streak in coach Steve Kerr’s 600th regular-season victory.

Trae Young had 21 points and five assists in 21 minutes for Washington before suffering a bruised right quadriceps in the third quarter and not returning. Bilal Coulibaly and Will Riley each scored 21 points for the Wizards.

Pelicans 129, Mavericks 111

Zion Williamson scored 27 points and Saddiq Bey added 23 as New Orleans defeated Dallas at home for its third victory in four games.

Trey Murphy III and Jeremiah Fears each contributed 17 points for the Pelicans. Yves Missi grabbed 10 rebounds and tied his career high with five blocks in his return to the starting lineup, replacing Dejounte Murray who was sidelined with illness.

Naji Marshall posted 32 points, eight rebounds and seven assists for Dallas, which suffered its 10th loss in 12 games. Cooper Flagg recorded 21 points, eight assists and seven rebounds, while P.J. Washington added 18 points.

Iranian football officials are working with FIFA to relocate their upcoming World Cup matches away from the United States and into Mexico, citing player safety concerns, according to statements made Monday by Iran’s football federation president Mehdi Taj.

The push for relocation comes after President Donald Trump indicated last week that while Iran could participate in the tournament, it may not be suitable for their team to compete on American soil due to safety considerations.

“When Trump has explicitly stated that he cannot ensure the security of the Iranian national team, we will certainly not travel to America,” Taj stated in a message posted on the Iranian embassy in Mexico’s X social media account.

“We are negotiating with FIFA to hold Iran’s World Cup matches in Mexico,” he added.

FIFA, soccer’s international governing organization, has not yet provided a response to requests for comment regarding the proposed venue changes.

Questions surrounding Iran’s tournament participation have intensified amid ongoing military conflicts involving one of the host nations. The international soccer championship is set to begin June 11 across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with Iran originally scheduled for two group stage games in Los Angeles and another in Seattle.

Iran’s sports minister indicated last week that Iranian athletes could not compete in the tournament following U.S. and Israeli military strikes against Tehran that resulted in the death of the Islamic Republic’s supreme leader.

Should Iran officially withdraw, it would mark the first such departure in the tournament’s modern history and would require FIFA to quickly identify a replacement team.

The Asian Football Confederation stated Monday that they have not been formally notified of any Iranian withdrawal from the competition.

“At the end of the day, it’s the federation who should decide if they’re playing, and as of today, the federation has told us that they are going to the World Cup,” AFC General Secretary Windsor John explained to reporters in Kuala Lumpur.

Relief pitcher Mason Miller helped secure Team USA’s spot in the World Baseball Classic championship game by closing out Sunday’s semifinal victory, but his availability for Tuesday’s title game remains up in the air.

The decision ultimately rests with the San Diego Padres organization, which will assess Miller’s readiness after his recent performance against the Dominican Republic.

“Not ruled out, not decided,” Padres manager Craig Stammen told reporters Monday from the team’s Arizona spring training facility. “How we do with every pitcher, we evaluate them after their outing, see how they feel and then calculate when their next outing’s going to be. So he’s in that same boat.”

Miller delivered a clutch performance Sunday evening, striking out Geraldo Perdomo with 22 pitches to seal Team USA’s semifinal triumph. However, taking the mound Tuesday would mark his third appearance in just five days.

Team USA will need bullpen depth for the championship contest, as starter Nolan McLean of the New York Mets is expected to pitch only 60-65 pitches. McLean joined the WBC roster late due to vertigo issues but reports being completely healthy.

The situation highlights the delicate balance between international competition and MLB team interests, according to Stammen.

“They’re managing that team right now, but they’re not the manager of the player overall in Major League Baseball,” Stammen explained. “Definitely a tough position for (DeRosa and USA pitching coach Andy Pettitte) managing the pitching staff. They’ve been very communicative with us and understanding of our situation with Mason and, I’m sure, with the rest of the pitchers.”

Team USA manager Mark DeRosa may face additional roster constraints if Yankees reliever David Bednar is also held back due to workload concerns. Bednar has thrown 79 pitches across four appearances, while Miller has accumulated 73 pitches through his four outings.

Two Iranian women’s soccer players who decided to stay in Australia after requesting asylum have started training with a professional club as they establish new lives in the country.

Midfielder Fatemeh Pasandideh and defender Atefeh Ramezanizadeh were part of a group of seven Iranian delegation members who received humanitarian visas due to concerns about potential persecution upon returning to Iran following their participation in the women’s Asian Cup tournament held in Australia.

Safety concerns arose when the athletes refused to sing Iran’s national anthem prior to their first match on Queensland’s Gold Coast. Iranian government media called them “wartime traitors,” with their tournament participation occurring during U.S. and Israeli airstrikes against Iran.

However, five members from the original group later reconsidered Australia’s asylum protection and chose to go back to Iran.

The Brisbane Roar A-League team from Queensland shared on social media that the two remaining players joined their women’s squad for practice on Monday.

“Brisbane Roar officially welcomed both Fatemeh Pasandideh and Atefeh Ramezanizadeh to the club’s training facilities…and remain committed to providing a supportive environment for them whilst they navigate the next stages,” stated CEO Kaz Patafta.

Club photographs showed both athletes meeting Brisbane Roar team members and participating in shooting practice exercises.

“Thank you for everything,” Ramezanizadeh, age 33, commented on the club’s Instagram post.

The 21-year-old Pasandideh shared an Instagram story on Monday featuring a photograph with FIFA Chief Football Officer Jill Ellis in Brisbane, adding the message “everything will be fine.”

Meanwhile, their previous teammates departed Malaysia heading back to Iran. The squad was observed at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Monday evening boarding an Oman Air flight, though their final destination remained unconfirmed.

The Edmonton Oilers face a significant challenge as they prepare to compete without their star player Leon Draisaitl for an undetermined period.

Head coach Kris Knoblauch confirmed the news to media on Monday, offering limited details about the injury that occurred during Sunday’s matchup with the Nashville Predators when Draisaitl absorbed a significant body check.

“He had his doctor’s appointment this morning while we were on the ice and I haven’t heard anything since,” Knoblauch said. “I think we’ll be some time without him. I’m not sure if it’s one or two (games) or how long it’s going to be. I don’t have much information right now.”

The 30-year-old forward currently ranks fourth league-wide with 97 points and has been on fire recently, recording 17 points through six goals and 11 assists during his current nine-game scoring run.

The incident occurred when Nashville’s Ozzy Wiesblatt delivered the hit during the opening period. While Draisaitl managed to return for two brief appearances before the first period ended, he remained absent for the remainder of the contest.

Superstar teammate Connor McDavid, who leads the league with 114 points on 37 goals and 77 assists, defended his injured partner while acknowledging the physical nature of the play.

“It’s not the dirtiest check in the world, but it’s just who you hit and the result of it, unfortunately. If you want to hit our top guys, there’s going to be a response,” McDavid stated.

Currently positioned third in the Pacific Division standings, just two points behind the division leader, Edmonton faces a crucial homestand with upcoming contests against San Jose on Tuesday, followed by Florida on Thursday and Tampa Bay on Saturday.

Coach Knoblauch emphasized the team’s cautious approach while recognizing the importance of each remaining game.

“We don’t want to aggravate it and make it worse,” Knoblauch said. “Obviously we’re looking at the big picture, but the games are important. There’s nothing for sure right now making the playoffs and we need to win hockey games, but obviously if he’s not healthy to play, he’s not going to play.”

The Los Angeles Dodgers have only seen Shohei Ohtani in action once during spring training as they prepare for the upcoming regular season.

The two-way superstar recorded one hit in three plate appearances during his sole spring training game before departing to represent Japan in the World Baseball Classic. Ohtani was unable to pitch for his national team, which suffered an unexpected quarterfinal defeat to Venezuela on Saturday, ending their tournament run sooner than anticipated.

With Ohtani returning to the Dodgers camp ahead of schedule, manager Dave Roberts indicated there’s a good possibility the star player will take the mound either this week or in the early days of next week.

“Last year, we had the plan to start from one inning to keep him with us active and playing. I think this year, we’re certainly north of that,” Roberts said. “I don’t see how we won’t be able to get three or four innings from him in a Major League game. So that’s certainly a better jumping-off point than last year. We’ll see how it goes.”

During his time with Team Japan, Ohtani completed a four-inning simulated game in Miami last week. Roberts explained that since Ohtani isn’t beginning his preparation from zero, the organization feels confident about including him in their starting rotation when the regular season begins.

In 2025, Ohtani took the mound for 14 regular-season games and four playoff contests for the Dodgers. His regular-season performance included 62 strikeouts and a 2.87 earned run average across 47 innings, while his postseason statistics showed a 2-1 win-loss record with a 4.43 ERA and 28 strikeouts over 20 1/3 innings. The previous season in 2024, Ohtani was sidelined from pitching duties for the Dodgers following surgical repair of an injured ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.

Philadelphia Phillies center fielder Johan Rojas will miss half the upcoming season after Major League Baseball handed down an 80-game suspension Monday for breaking the league’s drug prevention and treatment policies.

The 25-year-old outfielder failed a drug test that detected Boldenone, a banned performance-enhancing substance, according to MLB’s official announcement.

The punishment takes effect when the 2025 regular season begins. Philadelphia is set to host the Texas Rangers for their season opener on March 26, and Rojas will be eligible to return by June 25 when the team visits the Washington Nationals for what would be their 81st game.

“The Phillies fully support Major League Baseball’s Joint Prevention and Treatment Program and are disappointed to hear today’s news of Johan’s violation,” the team stated in their official response.

This marks a significant setback for Rojas, who was preparing for his fourth major league campaign, all spent with Philadelphia. During the 2025 season, he participated in 71 contests, posting a .224 batting average alongside one home run, 18 runs batted in, and 12 stolen bases. Throughout his 250-game major league career, the outfielder has compiled six home runs, 73 RBIs, and 51 stolen bases while maintaining a .252 batting average.

The University of Oklahoma, widely regarded as the strongest team shut out of March Madness, has committed to participate in the College Basketball Crown’s second annual tournament in Las Vegas, organizers announced Monday.

The Sooners will take on Colorado in their opening matchup on April 1st. Seven other universities – Baylor, Creighton, Minnesota, Rutgers, Stanford, and West Virginia – have also committed to the Fox Sports-sponsored alternative tournament.

Tournament organizers unveiled the complete bracket on Monday, scheduling two sets of opening round contests for April 1st and 2nd at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. The final four and championship rounds will take place April 4th and 5th at T-Mobile Arena, the home venue for the Vegas Golden Knights hockey team.

This year’s tournament has been scaled back from 16 participating schools to eight following last year’s inaugural event, which saw Nebraska claim the championship along with a $300,000 NIL prize package. UCF earned $100,000 as the tournament runner-up, while Boise State and Villanova each received $50,000 for reaching the semifinals.

Multiple universities chose not to participate in this year’s event. The tournament’s selection process automatically invites the two highest-ranked teams from the Big Ten, Big 12, and Big East conferences that missed the NCAA tournament, using final NET rankings as the determining factor. All three conferences maintain broadcasting partnerships with Fox.

Notable programs including Indiana, Cincinnati, and Seton Hall – the top available schools from their respective leagues – opted out of participation. San Diego State from the Mountain West Conference also reportedly declined invitations to both the Crown and NIT tournaments.

Rutgers enters the field with the weakest NET ranking at No. 134, despite posting a 14-19 record for the season.

Oklahoma finished 19-15 after winning six consecutive games down the stretch in an attempt to secure an NCAA tournament berth, before losing to eventual SEC tournament champion Arkansas in the quarterfinal round.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have selected World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto to take the mound for their season opener against the Arizona Diamondbacks on March 26, marking his second consecutive year earning the prestigious Opening Day assignment.

The 27-year-old right-hander delivered an outstanding performance during the 2025 postseason, playing a crucial role in the Dodgers’ championship run.

“It is a pretty easy decision, considering that it’s an honor to be the Opening Day starter,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters Monday. “He started for us last year on the road. But for him to get that start on Opening Day at home, I think it’s going to be special.”

Los Angeles aims to achieve something no team has accomplished since the 1998-2000 New York Yankees: capturing three consecutive World Series titles.

During the 2025 World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays, Yamamoto claimed three victories in what became a dramatic seven-game championship series.

His postseason heroics included delivering a complete-game four-hitter in Game 2, followed by six solid innings in Game 6 to force a deciding seventh game. Working on zero days’ rest, he then came out of the bullpen in Game 7 and threw 2⅔ scoreless innings to secure the victory in an 11-inning thriller.

Yamamoto’s postseason numbers were exceptional, posting a 5-1 record with a 1.45 ERA across six appearances, including five starts.

His regular season performance was equally impressive, finishing 12-8 with a 2.49 ERA over 30 starts, earning him third place in National League Cy Young Award voting and a selection to the NL All-Star team.

Currently in his third year of a massive 12-year, $325 million deal, Yamamoto has compiled a 19-10 record with a 2.66 ERA in 48 starts during his two seasons in Los Angeles. His postseason statistics are even more remarkable, showing a 7-1 record with a 2.25 ERA in 10 playoff appearances.

MIAMI (AP) — As Team USA prepares for the World Baseball Classic championship game, players are addressing criticism about their reserved style while showing respect for their opponents’ more theatrical approach.

Team captain Aaron Judge’s steady leadership style has shaped the atmosphere in the American clubhouse as they prepare for Tuesday night’s championship match against either Venezuela or Italy. While the Americans maintain their composed approach, they express admiration for the dramatic celebrations of Latin stars like Juan Soto and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

“You guys would all think it’s silly if we shuffled like Soto or did Vladdy’s little wiggle,” American outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong commented following Sunday night’s 2-1 victory over the Dominican Republic. “That’s them and if I had enough swag to do that I would probably do that, too. … We have fun in our own way, but we definitely have fun out there.”

Judge’s leadership approach has established the team’s culture, similar to his influence with the New York Yankees.

The 6-foot-7 captain commands respect from his teammates for more than just his physical stature.

“It’s been cool to see how he goes about his business,” commented standout pitcher Paul Skenes, who stands 6-foot-6 as the team’s second-tallest player. “He’s not faking anything. He’s playing as Aaron Judge, so that’s just his personality in the clubhouse and off the field. Obviously it shows up on the field, too.”

Manager Mark DeRosa revealed that Judge declined wearing a captain’s “C” on his jersey.

“Leader of men. Classy in every decision he makes,” DeRosa commented. “A lot of decisions that I’ve made throughout the course of the WBC I have made with his recommendations.”

The American squad has faced criticism for their sometimes restrained demeanor, including when catcher Cal Raleigh avoided shaking hands with Seattle teammate Randy Arozarena during pool play against Mexico. The team has also incorporated military connections throughout the tournament, with players saluting after wins. Both Skenes and Griffin Jax attended the Air Force Academy, and the team hosted Robert J. O’Neill, a former Navy SEAL who claims responsibility for killing Osama bin Laden in 2011, as a clubhouse speaker.

“You never want it to get lost why you’re doing this, whatever that why is,” DeRosa explained. “And a lot of people — like Paul Skenes said to me when he signed up for this, ‘I want to do this for every serviceman and woman who protects our freedom,’ and that’s why we wear USA across our chest.

“So I thought it would just be a time to redirect and get these guys to understand that, although this is an unbelievable event and you get a chance to share the locker room with the game’s greats, there’s a reason why we’re doing it and a reason why people protect our freedom at night. I just wanted to honor that. So that’s why he came in to talk.”

DeRosa acknowledged his earlier mistake when he prematurely claimed the United States had secured advancement to the quarterfinals before playing Italy, calling it simply an “overly confident statement” and confirming Thursday that he understood nothing was guaranteed then.

The manager faced criticism for declaring before the Italy loss that “our ticket’s punched to the quarterfinals.” This proved incorrect, and the U.S. only secured advancement after Italy defeated Mexico 9-1 on the group’s final day.

“I misspoke,” DeRosa subsequently acknowledged. “I completely misread the calculations.”

This marks the third consecutive WBC final appearance for the United States, as they pursue their second championship following their 2017 victory. The team fell 3-2 to Japan in the 2023 final.

Bryce Harper, now 33 and a 14-year veteran, recalled attempting to play with Latin-influenced style early in his major league career. He remembered drawing attention with gray bats, unique cleats, and dramatic eye black.

“I kind of got pounded for it,” he recalled. “So there’s an American way of baseball everybody talks about, right? But I think that’s so far from the truth. Obviously, when we grow up, we play a different style. But we learn from other people’s styles, as well.”

The Dominican Republic received tremendous energy from their passionate supporters.

“One hit for them got the crowd out of their seat. A 3-0 count got the crowd out their seat,” Crow-Armstrong observed. “You don’t necessarily see that with fans from the U.S. all the time.”

Nolan McLean, a 24-year-old rookie right-handed pitcher with only eight major league appearances, will take the mound for Team USA. He previously surrendered two home runs across three innings in the March 10 group stage loss to Italy, departing with a 3-0 deficit that nearly resulted in first-round elimination.

“Obviously I got clipped there a couple times … but overall I felt really good,” he said Monday. “It’s just kind of a dream come true to be able to get the ball in such a big moment, and it’s something I want to do.”

Golf icon Tiger Woods will be absent from Tuesday’s TGL semifinal showdown between Jupiter Links and Boston Common, raising questions about whether the 15-time major winner will compete at all during the indoor golf league’s second season.

Meanwhile, TGL co-founder Rory McIlroy has confirmed his participation for Boston Common on Tuesday, after initially being uncertain following his 46th-place finish at The Players Championship this past Sunday. McIlroy has been managing back spasms that caused him to pull out of the Arnold Palmer Invitational two weeks prior.

Jupiter Links will field Max Homa, Akshay Bhatia and Tom Kim in the 9 p.m. ET showdown against McIlroy, Keegan Bradley and Adam Scott at the SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. The evening’s action begins at 6:30 p.m. with defending champions Atlanta Drive facing off against Los Angeles Golf Club in the opening semifinal.

Justin Thomas won’t compete for Atlanta after participating in back-to-back tournaments following a four-month break due to back surgery recovery. Los Angeles will be without Collin Morikawa, who pulled out before The Players Championship’s opening round because of his own back problems.

Atlanta’s lineup includes Patrick Cantlay, Chris Gotterup and Billy Horschel, while Los Angeles counters with Tommy Fleetwood, Sahith Theegala and Justin Rose.

The championship finals, scheduled to begin March 23 in a best-of-three format, may be Woods’ last chance to compete alongside his teammates this season.

The 50-year-old Woods has been recovering since his seventh back operation in October and hasn’t indicated whether he plans to compete in next month’s Masters Tournament. Some speculation arose about a possible Jupiter Links appearance after his private aircraft was reportedly seen at Augusta Regional Airport during the weekend.

Woods had Achilles surgery in March 2025 and hasn’t competed since the 2024 PNC Championship alongside his son Charlie. His last PGA Tour appearance was at the 2024 Open Championship.

Left-handed pitcher Chris Sale delivered a commanding performance on the mound, going six full innings as the Atlanta Braves demolished the Tampa Bay Rays 11-2 during Monday’s spring training action in North Port, Florida.

The tall left-hander, who recently inked a contract extension running through 2027, surrendered five hits while recording three strikeouts and issuing no walks. Sale delivered 53 strikes out of 75 total pitches and gave up just one run – a solo home run by Nick Fortes with one out in the sixth inning.

Atlanta put up four runs in the second inning and held an 8-0 advantage after five frames. Eli White, who posted a career-high 10 homers in 2025, launched a two-run home run in the fourth after recording a single in the second. White is batting .414 during spring play. Mike Yastrzemski finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored, boosting his spring average to .448, while Drake Baldwin connected on a three-run homer in the eighth inning.

Tampa Bay starter Nick Martinez, who inked a one-year, $13 million contract last month, struggled against Atlanta’s offense, surrendering seven runs on 10 hits across four innings. The 35-year-old utility pitcher now carries a 9.90 ERA this spring.

Blue Jays 5, Marlins 4 (6)

George Springer opened the contest with a leadoff home run as Toronto added four more runs in the third inning to defeat Miami in a weather-shortened contest that ended after six innings in Jupiter, Florida.

Daulton Varsho sparked the four-run rally with a two-run double down the right-field line. The veteran outfielder has collected five doubles this spring while maintaining a .432 batting average in Florida.

Miami got home runs from Otto Lopez, who went deep for a solo shot in the first, and Daniel Johnson, who connected for a solo blast in the fifth. Janson Junk, who became a dependable starter for the Marlins in 2025, was charged with four runs on four hits while walking two and striking out two in two innings of work.

Twins 5, Pirates 1

Making just his second spring appearance, probable Opening Day starter Joe Ryan went four innings as Minnesota beat Pittsburgh in Fort Myers, Florida.

Ryan allowed one run on five hits and one walk while striking out six Pirates batters in a 68-pitch outing. Luke Keaschall broke a 1-1 deadlock with a three-run blast in the third inning, followed two batters later by Victor Caratini’s solo home run.

Pittsburgh starter Noah Davis, who appeared in four games with Boston in 2025, was tagged for all five Minnesota runs in four innings. Henry Davis drove in a run with a single in the third inning for the Pirates.

Tigers 13, Phillies 6

Top prospect Kevin McGonigle launched a three-run home run to cap a seven-run Detroit first inning as the Tigers rolled past Philadelphia in Lakeland, Florida.

Spencer Torkelson added a solo homer in the second inning while Jahmai Jones (2-for-4, 5 RBIs) cleared the bases with a double in the third. Detroit starter Jack Flaherty was charged with five runs on five hits over five innings.

Philadelphia minor leaguer Charles King was hammered for 10 earned runs in just 1 2/3 innings. Felix Reyes and Otto Kemp each hit three-run homers to account for all the Phillies’ scoring.

Red Sox, Orioles, canceled

Monday evening’s scheduled matchup between Boston and Baltimore was called off due to approaching weather in Sarasota, Florida. The game will not be rescheduled.

Time is running out for sports fans hoping to attend the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, with ticket registration set to end on Tuesday, March 18.

Olympic organizers announced Monday that more than 5 million people from 197 countries and territories have already signed up at tickets.la28.org since January, showing tremendous early interest in the Games scheduled to begin July 14, 2028.

Those who complete registration before the Tuesday cutoff will enter a lottery system for the chance to purchase tickets during the first sales window, set for April 9-19. A separate presale for qualifying Southern California and Oklahoma residents will run April 2-6, since Oklahoma City will serve as the venue for softball and canoe slalom events.

Winners of the lottery will receive email notifications between March 31 and April 7. Selected buyers can purchase up to 12 Olympic event tickets based on availability, though opening and closing ceremony tickets are limited to four per person.

Meanwhile, the Olympic baseball competition is beginning to take shape as the Dominican Republic and Venezuela earned their spots through the 2026 World Baseball Classic qualifiers from the Americas region. They join the host United States in what will be a six-team tournament.

Baseball makes its Olympic comeback for the first time since Tokyo, with games scheduled for Dodger Stadium from July 13-19. The sport was among those added to the LA28 lineup. Three remaining team slots will be filled through international qualifying competitions in 2027 and 2028.

Soccer competition received an extension from Olympic officials, with matches now starting July 10 — four days ahead of the opening ceremony. This expanded timeline provides teams with two extra rest days compared to previous Olympic tournaments.

Seven American cities will host preliminary soccer rounds and quarterfinals: New York, Columbus, Nashville, St. Louis, San Jose, San Diego and Pasadena. The Rose Bowl will stage both men’s and women’s championship matches.

Complete soccer schedules and game times will be announced later this year, organizers said.

Veteran NFL defensive back Darius Slay Jr. has decided to end his professional football career, making the announcement through an Instagram post on Monday.

The 35-year-old cornerback, who was selected in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft, earned six Pro Bowl honors throughout his 13-year career in the league.

“Dear football, I wanna thank you for all you’ve done for me,” Slay wrote in his Instagram announcement video. “I’ve been blessed to play the game I loved since I was 5yrs old for an amazing 13yrs at the highest level. Football was my peace, my joy, my everything.”

“This game put me in a position to help take care of my family and loved ones and I’m forever grateful. It’s hard to say goodbye, but God has a new chapter for me and I’m ready to turn the page and start my new journey.”

During his career, Slay earned three Pro Bowl nominations while playing for Detroit from 2013-19, and another three during his time with Philadelphia from 2021-24. After the Eagles cut him last March, he joined the Pittsburgh Steelers for the 2025 season, appearing in 10 contests with nine starts before being waived in early December.

Though the Buffalo Bills picked him up off waivers, Slay chose not to join the team and remained inactive for the rest of the season.

Prior to announcing his retirement, Slay had made his intentions clear in a social media video about his future plans.

“No team can call me but Eagles. No team can call me, everybody knows,” Slay stated.

The cornerback, who earned first-team All-Pro recognition in 2017, concludes his NFL tenure with impressive statistics: 655 total tackles, 28 interceptions with three returned for scores, 17 tackles behind the line of scrimmage, 163 passes defended, two forced fumbles, and six fumble recoveries including two touchdown returns across 187 games with 176 starts.

Detroit Tigers star pitcher Tarik Skubal stands poised to potentially shatter contract records for pitchers when he enters free agency following next season. The left-handed ace has captured consecutive American League Cy Young Awards and secured a $32 million salary for this season after prevailing in his arbitration case.

Skubal will be eligible for free agency for the first time following next fall’s World Series, joining a potentially lucrative class that includes two-time All-Star pitcher Freddy Peralta, infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr., and veteran slugger Randy Arozarena. Additional All-Star left-handed starters Trevor Rogers and Kris Bubic, both 28 years old, may also enter the market.

However, this upcoming free agency period faces uncertainty due to a possible work stoppage. Major League Baseball’s collective bargaining agreement concludes on December 1st, with the league reportedly planning to propose implementing a salary cap, creating questions about how negotiations will impact the next free agent class.

The previous CBA expiration following the 2021 season resulted in a 99-day lockout by team owners, though several major contracts were finalized before the work stoppage began. Notable deals included Cy Young recipient Robbie Ray’s five-year, $115 million agreement with Seattle, Marcus Stroman’s three-year, $71 million contract with Chicago Cubs, and the Texas Rangers’ massive middle infield investment totaling half a billion dollars with shortstop Corey Seager ($325 million over 10 years) and second baseman Marcus Semien ($175 million across seven years).

The following players could enter free agency after the 2026 campaign:

Skubal, approaching his 30th birthday in November, compiled a remarkable 31-10 record with a 2.30 ERA across 62 starts during his two Cy Young seasons. His overall six-year career shows a 54-37 record with a 3.08 ERA. His February arbitration victory over Detroit came after the team proposed $19 million. Last season, he posted a 13-6 record with the American League’s lowest 2.21 ERA in 31 starts, striking out 241 batters while walking just 33 across 195 1/3 innings. Currently, the largest pitcher contract belongs to Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s 12-year, $325 million deal with Los Angeles Dodgers from two years ago. The highest annual average of $43.3 million was achieved by three-time Cy Young winners Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer in their New York Mets contracts before both were traded during the 2023 deadline.

Peralta topped the National League with 17 victories and recorded 204 strikeouts last season, concluding his eight-year Milwaukee tenure before joining the Mets, who named him their opening day starter. The June 30th birthday celebrant holds a 54-34 record with 3.30 ERA over five seasons as a regular starter. His 2020 pre-arbitration five-year contract includes team options for both 2025 and 2026.

Chisholm, age 28, earned All-Star recognition again last season for the first time since serving as Miami’s primary second baseman in 2022. The Marlins subsequently moved him to center field before dealing him to New York Yankees at the 2024 deadline, where he returned to infield duties. His 2024 performance included a .242 average with 31 home runs, 80 RBIs, and 31 stolen bases.

Arozarena, who earned 2020 AL Championship Series MVP honors with Tampa Bay before claiming 2021 AL Rookie of the Year, achieved career-high numbers with 27 home runs, 76 RBIs, and 31 stolen bases last year during his first complete season with Seattle following his 2024 trade deadline acquisition from the Rays.

Rogers, selected 13th overall by Miami in 2017’s amateur draft, debuted with the Marlins in 2020 before being traded to Baltimore at last year’s deadline and subsequently sent to minor leagues within a month. He’s now set to start Baltimore’s season opener after missing two months last season with a right kneecap injury before posting a 9-3 record with 1.81 ERA across 18 starts.

Bubic achieved All-Star status last year but made only one additional start for Kansas City following the Midsummer Classic due to rotator cuff strain. He finished 8-7 with a 2.55 ERA.

Three-time National League batting champion Luis Arráez, who completed each championship season with different teams, signed a one-year, $12 million contract with San Francisco after his first free agency experience. The 28-year-old maintains a .317 career batting average with merely 215 strikeouts in 3,533 career plate appearances. He accumulated 584 hits over the past three seasons, with 460 being singles.

Third baseman Bo Bichette, who joined the Mets this offseason on a three-year, $126 million free agent contract, possesses an opt-out clause after this season. Similarly, 30-year-old right-hander Michael King, following his first free agency experience last offseason, signed a three-year, $75 million deal to remain with San Diego Padres and also has an opt-out option.

Players who might become free agents if team options aren’t exercised for 2027 include Atlanta Braves’ second baseman Ozzie Albies and outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr., Mets center fielder Luis Robert Jr., and Houston third baseman Isaac Paredes. First baseman Yandy Diaz, the 2023 AL batting champion with a .290 career average, has a vesting team option with Tampa Bay.

Ray, who was traded to San Francisco two years ago, enters the final year of his pre-lockout contract. The 34-year-old holds an 88-81 record with 3.94 ERA across 12 major league seasons, having played for Detroit, Arizona, and Toronto, where he won his 2021 Cy Young Award.

Right-hander Shane Bieber, Cleveland’s 2020 AL Cy Young winner, made just two 2024 starts before undergoing Tommy John surgery and entering free agency for the first time. His new Guardians contract included a $16 million player option for this season, which he’ll spend with Toronto after being traded last July and making seven starts. The 30-year-old Bieber has compiled a 66-34 record with 3.24 ERA in 143 career games.

Sandy Alcantara, the 2022 NL Cy Young winner who is also 30, is scheduled to make his franchise-record sixth opening day start for Miami. He missed the entire 2024 season following Tommy John surgery but initially struggled upon return last year before finishing 7-3 with a 3.13 ERA over his final 12 starts. Miami holds a $21 million team option for 2027.

A league source confirmed Monday that the Kansas City Chiefs have acquired quarterback Justin Fields from the New York Jets through a trade agreement.

According to the source, who spoke anonymously since neither organization has officially announced the transaction, Kansas City will send a sixth-round selection in the 2027 draft to New York in exchange for Fields. The Jets will also cover $7 million of Fields’ $10 million guaranteed contract for the upcoming season.

ESPN initially broke the story, though the agreement remains contingent on Fields passing a physical examination.

The 27-year-old signal-caller inked a two-year, $40 million contract with New York last March, including $30 million in guaranteed money. Fields started most games early in the season before losing his position to Tyrod Taylor during Week 12 in November. His season concluded when the team placed him on injured reserve in late December due to a knee problem, preventing him from taking another snap.

During his time as New York’s starting quarterback, Fields compiled a 2-7 record while throwing seven touchdown passes against just one interception for 1,259 passing yards. His struggles included four contests where he threw for under 55 yards, with his lowest output being 27 yards in a Week 2 defeat against Buffalo.

Kansas City has been seeking an experienced backup quarterback who could step in should two-time MVP Patrick Mahomes not be ready for the season opener while recovering from torn knee ligaments suffered late in the previous campaign.

Fields’ departure from New York became increasingly likely following the Jets’ acquisition of Geno Smith last week. Despite holding onto Fields through the beginning of free agency, general manager Darren Mougey ultimately found a trading partner in Kansas City.

Originally selected 11th overall by Chicago in the 2021 draft, Fields spent three seasons with the Bears before being dealt to Pittsburgh in 2024. When Russell Wilson was sidelined with a calf injury, Fields took over as Pittsburgh’s starter and helped lead the Steelers to a 4-2 record while contributing five passing touchdowns, five rushing touchdowns, and just one interception. However, once Wilson returned to health, Pittsburgh returned to the veteran quarterback and Fields returned to a reserve role.

Following his signing with New York last offseason to replace the released Aaron Rodgers, Fields expressed confidence in his ability to succeed as an NFL starter. Unfortunately, those results never materialized during his time with the Jets.

After New York stumbled to an 0-7 start in what became a disappointing 3-14 inaugural season under head coach Aaron Glenn, team owner Woody Johnson pointed to inadequate quarterback performance from Fields as a major factor in the team’s poor showing.

“The defense is pretty good. If we can just complete a pass, it would look good,” Johnson stated during the NFL’s fall owners meetings last October. “We’ve got to complete some passes. You’ve got to convince them that you can do something. Otherwise it’s hard to have a game that you can win.”

Throughout his professional career, Fields holds a 16-37 record as a starting quarterback with 9,039 passing yards, 52 touchdown passes, and 32 interceptions. He has also contributed 2,892 rushing yards and 23 rushing touchdowns.

Multiple media sources confirmed Monday that Northern Illinois University has selected Matt Majkrzak from Northern Michigan to take over as head basketball coach for the Huskies.

During his tenure leading the Wildcats in Marquette, Michigan, Majkrzak posted an impressive 136-73 coaching record across seven seasons, successfully taking his teams to four straight Division II NCAA Tournament appearances.

The coach, who earned Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Coach of the Year honors twice, saw his most recent campaign conclude Sunday following an 86-68 defeat to Walsh University in the NCAA Tournament’s second round.

Majkrzak steps in to replace Rashon Burno, whom the university dismissed on March 7 after the team finished with a disappointing 9-21 record this past season.

The Huskies are preparing for a significant conference change, as they will move most of their athletic programs to the Horizon League later this year, ending a 29-year run in the Mid-American Conference.

Northern Illinois basketball has struggled to reach the NCAA Tournament, with their last appearance dating back to 1996 when they competed in the Midwestern Collegiate Conference, which later became known as the Horizon League.

Major League Soccer officials announced Monday that the league’s championship game for 2026 will occur on Friday, December 18.

The venue for the MLS Cup will be determined by which finalist had the superior regular-season performance, with that team earning home-field advantage.

The 2026 campaign represents the last complete season under the current format, as MLS plans to shift to a summer-spring calendar beginning in 2027-28. Between these seasons, the league will conduct a shortened 14-match transitional season running from February through May of next year.

Eighteen teams will advance to postseason play, with the top nine clubs from both the Eastern and Western conferences earning playoff berths. The postseason will kick off with wild-card contests on November 18.

First-round playoff action will feature best-of-three series from November 20 through December 2. Conference semifinal matches are set for December 5-6, while conference championship games will take place December 11-12.

Apple TV will provide live coverage of all playoff contests. Additionally, the championship final and selected other postseason matches will be available on Fox Sports for American viewers and on TSN and RDS for Canadian audiences.

The National Basketball Association could take a significant step toward growing from 30 to 32 teams when league governors convene next week to discuss adding franchises in Seattle and Las Vegas, according to two sources familiar with the plans who spoke to The Associated Press on Monday.

Team owners will vote on whether to proceed with these two cities as the exclusive focus for expansion efforts, the sources revealed.

The sources requested anonymity since the league has not made these details public.

Getting approval requires support from three-quarters of team governors, which means at least 23 of the 30 franchises must back the proposal. League officials will also receive updates about ongoing discussions between the NBA and FIBA regarding plans for a new European basketball league, one source indicated.

ESPN was first to report the scheduled vote.

The expansion discussion comes as no shock since the board meets just a few times annually, and Commissioner Adam Silver has repeatedly stated that a final decision about adding one or two new teams will come before the end of 2026.

“Not a secret, we’re looking at this market in Las Vegas. We are looking at Seattle,” Silver said in December, while in Las Vegas for the NBA Cup final. “We’ve looked at other markets as well. I’d say I want to be sensitive there about this notion that we’re somehow teasing these markets, because I know we’ve been talking about it for a while.”

Multiple complex issues remain under consideration, including determining expansion fees for new franchises — expected to reach billions of dollars, with some league insiders believing costs could surpass $6 billion — and evaluating how two additional teams might affect game quality.

Silver explained last July that team owners requested a comprehensive examination of expansion impacts, including how it might dilute player talent across the league and the various consequences of selling ownership stakes.

Adding both Las Vegas and Seattle would likely require moving one current Western Conference team to the Eastern Conference to balance the league with 16 teams per side. Based on geography, Minnesota, Memphis, and New Orleans appear to be the most logical candidates for such a switch.

Seattle previously hosted the SuperSonics until the franchise relocated to Oklahoma City in 2008. Las Vegas has pursued a team for years, with Basketball Hall of Famer Magic Johnson frequently mentioned among potential ownership groups for a franchise there.

Major League Baseball is advancing its automated umpiring technology experiment, promoting the robot umpire challenge system from Class A competition to the Triple-A level.

The league will simultaneously test repositioning second base completely within the infield boundaries, which would shorten the distance between bases by 9 inches, based on a memo distributed to teams recently.

Additional experiments include limiting pitcher disengagements from two attempts to one per batter and implementing tighter restrictions on batter timeouts and pitch clock resets related to PitchCom, the electronic communication system introduced in 2023.

At the lowest minor league levels, MLB will trial allowing starting pitchers to return to games after being removed. While this change isn’t anticipated for major league adoption, officials view it as a way to enhance player development and health management through more adaptable workload distribution.

The Automated Ball-Strike Challenge System, commonly known as the robot umpire, will debut when the season begins March 25 after undergoing testing in minor leagues since 2019. Under this system, batters, catchers, or pitchers can contest ball and strike decisions made by human umpires, with each team receiving two challenges that are retained if successful. Teams gain extra challenges during extra innings.

Testing for disputed swing calls began May 20 in the Class A Florida State League and continued through the Arizona Fall League.

Beginning May 5, the swing challenge experiment will expand to include the Triple-A Pacific Coast League alongside the Florida State League.

“The batter, pitcher or catcher may also appeal the umpire’s decision regarding whether the batter swung at a pitch,” stated the memo from MLB vice president of on-field strategy Joe Martinez to general managers and club executives. “A swing will be considered to have occurred if the maximum angle between the bat head and the bat handle exceeds 45 degrees.”

Martinez reported that strikeout rates decreased by 3% during the previous year’s trials.

Umpires working Triple-A International League games will receive instructions to use the 45-degree measurement when determining swings. Current Official Baseball Rules don’t establish specific criteria for checked swings, only stating: “A strike is a legal pitch when so called by the umpire, which is struck at by the batter and is missed.”

For decades since the 1970s, catchers have been permitted to request plate umpires appeal non-strike calls on checked swings to first and third base umpires, though no appeals were allowed when strikes were called on checked swings.

Starting pitchers may re-enter games after removal in the Arizona Complex League, Florida Complex League, and Dominican Summer League. Removed starters become eligible to return if they pitched at least 25 times during their final inning, can only return at inning starts, and may re-enter just once.

MLB expanded base sizes from 15-inch to 18-inch squares in 2023, resulting in increased stolen base attempts due to the 4.5-inch reduction in distance between first and second, and second and third bases.

Second base has traditionally been positioned centered on its designated spot, but the International League experiment will place it “entirely within the perimeter of the infield diamond during the second half” of the season.

Noting that average nine-inning game duration increased from 2 hours, 36 minutes in 2024 to 2:38 last season, and stolen base success rates dropped from 80.2% in 2023 to 77.8% last year, MLB plans to test modified pitch clock regulations.

Triple-A teams will be charged with a mound visit if play stops due to PitchCom malfunctions, and teams without remaining visits will receive an automatic ball.

At every level, clocks will continue running when catchers exit the catcher’s box to signal defensive positioning, and all personnel except pitchers and coaches must clear the mound before visit time expires. Violations will result in automatic balls.

High-A batters won’t be permitted to call time with empty bases, while Class A will prohibit all timeouts. Exceptions will apply for brushback pitches, potential injuries, or equipment malfunctions.

Double-A will see pitcher disengagement limits reduced from two to one attempt.

Kansas City is close to completing a deal to acquire quarterback Justin Fields from the New York Jets, according to reports from several news sources on Monday.

In the transaction, New York will receive a sixth-round selection in the 2027 draft, while Kansas City will cover $3 million of Fields’ guaranteed $10 million contract.

This transaction creates approximately $4 million in salary cap relief for the Jets while providing Kansas City with additional depth at quarterback behind Patrick Mahomes, who is working back from an ACL tear he suffered during Week 15 of the previous season.

The 30-year-old Mahomes hopes to be ready for the season opener. Fields offers protection should the two-time league MVP and three-time championship winner need more recovery time.

The transaction awaits Fields passing a medical examination. The 27-year-old quarterback joined New York on a two-year, $40 million deal last March but only saw action in nine contests, posting a 2-7 record as a starter.

The Jets have added quarterback Geno Smith from Las Vegas and also have Bailey Zappe and Brady Cook on their roster. Kansas City’s quarterback group now features Mahomes, Jake Haener, Chris Oladokun, and Fields.

Chicago selected Fields with the 11th pick in the 2021 draft. Throughout his career with the Bears (2021-23), Pittsburgh Steelers (2024), and Jets, he holds a 16-37 starting record. His statistics include a 61.4% completion rate, 9,039 passing yards, 52 touchdown passes, and 32 interceptions, plus 2,892 rushing yards and 23 rushing touchdowns.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have made history by reportedly securing their inaugural field naming rights partnership since their ballpark debuted more than six decades ago.

According to The Athletic’s Sunday report, the baseball franchise has struck an agreement with Japanese clothing company Uniqlo to serve as the field’s official presenting sponsor.

While the Dodgers haven’t officially verified the partnership, the arrangement is expected to result in the venue being called Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium. Team officials are anticipated to make a formal announcement before their March 26 home opener against Arizona.

The organization has been actively seeking a field sponsorship arrangement since 2022.

Based on the report’s details, the Uniqlo partnership will encompass comprehensive branding throughout the 64-year-old Chavez Ravine facility, including all official references and signage. The deal also features a new centerfield sign installation and provides Uniqlo with exclusive marketing and promotional privileges.

Edge rusher Rashan Gary accepted a significant salary reduction to secure his trade to the Dallas Cowboys instead of facing release from the Green Bay Packers, according to multiple media reports.

The NFL Network reports that Gary will earn $16 million across the 2026 and 2027 seasons, along with a $13.2 million signing bonus from Dallas.

Dallas obtained Gary from Green Bay in exchange for a 2027 fourth-round draft selection. His original Green Bay contract would have paid him $19.5 million in 2026 and $22.5 million in 2027.

The 28-year-old defender was facing potential release before Dallas struck a deal to unite him with former Green Bay teammate Kenny Clark. The Cowboys had previously traded for Clark from the Packers in a deal involving Micah Parsons last August.

Throughout his career, Gary has recorded 46.5 sacks and becomes part of Dallas’s continued restructuring of their defensive front. During the 2025 season with Green Bay, Gary appeared in 15 games as a starter, collecting 7.5 sacks, 20 quarterback hits, seven tackles behind the line of scrimmage, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.

The board of player representatives for the NFL Players Association voted Sunday to keep linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin in the union’s top leadership position.

In a prepared statement, Reeves-Maybin expressed gratitude for the continued support. “I’m honored that the Board has trusted me to continue serving as president,” he said. “There’s important work ahead, and I’m looking forward to continue advocating on behalf of our membership to protect our rights and advance our interests.”

The 31-year-old defender first won the presidency in March 2024 for a two-year term. Currently without a team, Reeves-Maybin appeared in just three contests with the Chicago Bears during the 2024 season.

Throughout his NFL career, he has participated in 117 regular season games with 14 starting assignments across stints with the Detroit Lions (2017-21, 2023-24), Houston Texans (2022) and Bears. His career statistics include 223 total tackles and five forced fumbles, primarily contributing on special teams units. His standout 2023 campaign earned him Pro Bowl recognition.

The union also welcomed four fresh faces to its executive committee: Tanoh Kpassagnon takes over as treasurer, while Jonathan Greenard, Harrison Phillips and Zaire Franklin fill other committee roles. These newcomers are stepping in for outgoing members Calais Campbell, Austin Ekeler, Ryan Kelly and Thomas Hennessy.

Alongside Reeves-Maybin, six other executive committee members secured re-election: Oren Burks, Cam Heyward, Ted Karras, Case Keenum, Brandon McManus and Thomas Morstead.

The University of Memphis has decided to keep men’s basketball coach Penny Hardaway on staff after the team posted its first losing record since the 1999-2000 season, according to an ESPN report released Monday.

The Tigers struggled down the stretch, dropping eight of their final nine contests to end with a 13-19 overall record and 8-10 mark in American Conference play. Their season came to an end with an 81-69 defeat against Tulane during the opening round of the conference tournament in Birmingham, Alabama last Wednesday.

The disappointing campaign broke Hardaway’s string of seven consecutive 20-win seasons at his former school. The 54-year-old coach has posted a 175-87 overall record since assuming control of the program in 2018-19, guiding the Tigers to three NCAA Tournament berths. Last season, he earned Coach of the Year honors in his conference and captured an NIT championship in 2021.

This year’s win total matched the program’s lowest since the 1998-99 season when Memphis went 13-15, while the 19 losses represented the most since the 1969-70 campaign’s 6-20 record, excluding any seasons affected by forfeited or vacated victories due to program violations.

Monday’s ESPN report indicated that Hardaway’s upcoming ninth season in 2026-27 will feature adjustments to his coaching staff along with the addition of a general manager position.

The coach’s current contract extends through April 2028 and would require a buyout of approximately $6 million if the university had chosen to dismiss him this year, according to the report.

Before his coaching career, Hardaway starred as an All-American point guard for Memphis and became the third overall selection in the 1993 NBA Draft. During his 14-year professional career spanning four franchises, he earned four All-Star selections with the Orlando Magic and averaged 15.2 points, 5.0 assists and 4.5 rebounds across 704 games.

The National Basketball Association is reportedly weighing expansion opportunities this month, with league officials focusing discussions on bringing professional basketball back to Seattle and establishing a new franchise in Las Vegas, according to reports surfaced Monday.

League governors have been engaged in ongoing conversations about reestablishing a presence in Seattle, the former home of what is now the Oklahoma City Thunder. The SuperSonics played in Seattle for more than four decades, from 1967 until 2008.

Any expansion initiative would require approval from at least 23 of the league’s 30 team governors to move forward.

According to ESPN’s reporting, the potential new teams could take the court as early as 2028, with each franchise carrying an estimated worth exceeding $7 billion.

While Las Vegas hosts various NBA activities, including the league’s popular Summer League tournament, Nevada has never been home to a permanent NBA team.

The league hasn’t added new franchises since 2004, and incorporating two additional teams would likely require conference restructuring. To balance a 32-team format, one current Western Conference squad – with Minnesota, Memphis, and New Orleans being potential candidates – would probably need to shift to the Eastern Conference.

The National Basketball Association has abandoned plans for a promotional event at an Atlanta strip club after facing criticism from one of its own players. The league had been promoting an upcoming event at Magic City, an Atlanta establishment known for adult entertainment and exotic dancing. However, San Antonio Spurs player Luke Kornet publicly challenged the partnership through social media, questioning whether the NBA should associate with such venues. In a post on Medium, Kornet expressed his concerns, stating “The league should promote an atmosphere that is protective and respectful of the daughters, wives, sisters and mothers we know and love.” The player’s public stance appears to have influenced the league’s decision to cancel the promotional arrangement.

MIAMI (AP) — Following a thrilling semifinal matchup that showcased baseball’s elite talent and kept spectators on edge until the closing moments, New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge declared the World Baseball Classic has evolved into baseball’s premier competition.

“It’s bigger and better than the World Series,” Judge stated following Team USA’s narrow 2-1 victory against the Dominican Republic in a contest decided on the final pitch of Sunday evening. “The passion that these fans have, representing their country, representing some of their favorite players, there’s nothing like it.”

The matchup highlighted contrasting styles, with the United States displaying traditional restraint under the leadership of Judge and Bryce Harper, while their opponents brought Latin energy featuring stars like Juan Soto and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. When Junior Caminero launched a home run off Paul Skenes to give the Dominicans an early advantage in the second frame, he marked the moment with a dramatic overhead bat toss.

This sixth edition of the tournament, which debuted in 2006, featured starting rosters containing 17 All-Stars with a combined 56 All-Star selections among the 20 opening-game players. The talent pool included five MVP winners, one Cy Young recipient, five Rookie of the Year honorees, and three batting champions.

Playing before 36,337 spectators at loanDepot park, the Americans erased their early deficit through fourth-inning home runs by Gunnar Henderson against Luis Severino and Roman Anthony off Gregory Soto.

Anthony, the youngest American participant at 21, had purchased admission to witness the 2023 WBC championship in Miami, watching from the stands as Japan defeated the United States 3-2.

“Coming to the WBC here, you dream of representing this country and being here the next time around,” Anthony reflected.

The American bullpen dominated with two hits allowed across 4 2/3 shutout innings, culminating with Mason Miller exceeding 100 mph on 13 of his 22 deliveries. Miller’s final pitch appeared low for what could have been ball four to Geraldo Perdomo, but home plate umpire Cory Blaser decisively called strike three.

“Just a game we’ll remember forever, right?” U.S. skipper Mark DeRosa commented. “We understood this was going to be a talked-about game, probably one of the most watched games of all time.”

Spectacular defensive plays occurred throughout the contest.

While trailing by one run in the third inning, Judge fired a 95.7 mph throw from right field to third base, eliminating Fernando Tatis Jr. for the frame’s final out. Judge followed with a spectacular diving catch to deny Soto, his former Yankees colleague, in the fourth.

Julio Rodríguez robbed Judge of a potential home run with a spectacular leaping grab at the center-field barrier in the fifth inning, 407 feet from home plate.

“I was like, OK, maybe we got a shot here,” Judge remembered. “But hit it to a guy like J-Rod, who’s one of the best if not the best center fielder in the game, he’s going make exciting plays like that in big moments.”

Shortstop Bobby Witt covered significant ground toward the right field territory to field Soto’s weak grounder in the fifth, hustled back to touch second base and delivered an off-balance throw to first for an inning-ending twin killing. The following inning, Witt threw out Manny Machado at first from the outfield grass.

The pitching performances provided equally memorable moments.

Dominican starter Luis Severino left runners at second and third during the third inning after striking out Judge and Kyle Schwarber, while Skenes worked out of a bases-loaded situation in the fourth when Austin Wells flew out.

Wells doubled with one out in the seventh inning, but the relatively slow-footed backstop was held at third on Perdomo’s single to Crow-Armstrong in center field. David Bednar then struck out Tatis Jr. and Ketel Marte on breaking pitches below the strike zone.

Before Miller secured the final strikeout in the ninth, Perdomo had fouled off two full-count offerings.

“The whole world saw in two teams some of the best players in the game,” stated Dominican manager Albert Pujols, a probable future Hall of Fame inductee.

Team rosters featured 18 of the 41 players who earned MVP consideration last season.

Judge addressed his teammates in a postgame speech, focusing on Tuesday’s championship game against either Venezuela or Italy. He recognized the special atmosphere from the evening’s opening moments.

“You get chills standing there on the line, hearing them announce all the names,” he explained. “It was like an All-Star team they got over there.”

In a thrilling conclusion at TPC Sawgrass on Sunday, Cameron Young captured The Players Championship with a narrow one-stroke triumph, securing the second PGA Tour victory of his career in dramatic fashion.

The 28-year-old from New York found himself trailing England’s Matt Fitzpatrick by one shot heading into the final two holes, but managed to pull even with a crucial birdie on the notorious par-3 17th hole. Young’s precise tee shot landed just 9 1/2 feet from the pin, setting up the birdie that would prove decisive. He then sealed the victory with a steady par on the 18th hole, finishing with a final-round 68 and a tournament total of 13-under 275.

Fitzpatrick, seeking his third PGA Tour victory, saw his chances slip away when his tee shot on the final hole found pine straw among the trees to the right of the fairway. The former U.S. Open champion managed to get his ball back into play but could only manage a bogey 5. His hopes for a playoff were dashed when an 8 1/2-foot par putt on 18 slipped past the right side of the cup, leaving him in second place after also shooting 68.

“I feel like we just kept ourselves in a really good spot all day today, really all week,” Young commented following his victory. “The nerves kicked in over the 8-inch putt on the last. That hole looked really, really small there from pretty close range. So happy to have finished it off, and just really excited to have played the way I did.”

The triumph marks Young’s second tour win, following his victory at the 2025 Wyndham Championship. He expressed particular satisfaction in conquering The Players Championship, widely regarded as golf’s unofficial fifth major due to its elite field and prestigious status.

“To have now put my name on two different tournaments, and a big one like The Players, I mean, it’s incredibly special and I’m hoping that I can continue that throughout the season,” the champion said with a smile.

Two-time major winner Xander Schauffele claimed third place at 11-under with a closing 69, finishing one shot ahead of Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre, who also carded 69 to take fourth at 10-under.

The final round began with Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg holding a three-shot overnight lead, but his championship hopes crumbled spectacularly on the back nine. After maintaining a two-shot advantage through eight holes, Aberg’s round fell apart with a bogey at the 11th hole, where his second shot found water, followed by a devastating double-bogey at the 12th after his drive hooked left into another water hazard. He ultimately settled for a tie for fifth place at 9-under after shooting 76.

“Obviously I’m really disappointed,” Aberg reflected. “I felt like I was striking it OK early on. But overall pleased with the week. Today the back nine was not good, but that’s the way it goes sometimes.”

Fitzpatrick had surged into contention early in the final round with three birdies in his first four holes. He grabbed the outright lead with consecutive birdies at the 12th and 13th holes, the latter coming after a superb tee shot to four feet on the par-3.

“I just felt like I did a ton of really good stuff,” Fitzpatrick said after his round that featured six birdies and two bogeys. “It’s obviously frustrating not to come away with a little bit better.”

The Englishman defended his strategy on the crucial 18th tee shot, explaining that he anticipated the wind conditions would help his ball draw back toward the fairway. “I know Cam hits a draw,” Fitzpatrick noted. “His moved a little bit, as well. Figured mine would do the same… but mine has just gone dead straight there and just run through. Like I say, I felt like I hit a good drive, and once you’re out of position it’s difficult to make your par.”

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who won The Players Championship in both 2023 and 2024, concluded his week with a 71 to finish tied for 22nd at 5-under par. Defending champion Rory McIlroy struggled throughout the week, finishing even par in a tie for 46th after a final-round 71.

McIlroy, who had withdrawn from the previous week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational due to a back injury, arrived at the tournament without playing any practice rounds. “Happy I got through four days and my body feels good,” the Northern Irishman said. “I feel like my game sort of progressively got a little bit better as the week went on, even though the scores probably didn’t reflect it over the weekend.”

Chad Ramey provided one of the tournament’s highlights with a hole-in-one at the par-3 13th, using a 7-iron from 169 yards for his first ace on the PGA Tour. “I was hitting kind of a smooth 7-iron and it landed perfectly, almost pin high right on the slope and fed right down to the hole,” the 33-year-old American explained. “It was great, especially in the moment. I couldn’t get any putts to fall, so to not have to putt, that was nice.”

MIAMI (AP) — A controversial umpire’s call has reignited discussions about baseball’s human element versus technology, as the Dominican Republic’s World Baseball Classic journey ended on a disputed strike three that many believed was outside the zone.

With the potential tying run on third base and a full count, Dominican shortstop Geraldo Perdomo watched what appeared to be a low slider from Team USA’s Mason Miller and began walking toward his dugout, expecting ball four. Instead, home plate umpire Cory Blaser emphatically called strike three, securing a 2-1 victory for the United States and sending them to the championship game.

“He knew he was wrong,” Perdomo stated after the game. “I knew it was 100% wrong.”

The timing of the controversial call is particularly noteworthy, as Major League Baseball’s Automated Ball-Strike Challenge System launches March 25 when the regular season begins. This technology, which will likely be implemented in future World Baseball Classic tournaments, would have allowed the Dominican Republic to challenge the call if they had appeals remaining.

Team USA outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong acknowledged the pitch’s questionable location but expressed relief about the outcome. “It looked a little down. Yes, I’m glad we had no ABS,” Crow-Armstrong commented. “I’m happy that the human element was in full effect.”

The dramatic moment unfolded when Perdomo, after hearing the strike call, raised his bat overhead in disbelief while still gripping it. Despite his frustration with the final pitch, the Arizona star maintained perspective about the loss.

“We didn’t lose the game there,” Perdomo remarked.

MLB announced last September that the automated system will be fully implemented for regular season and postseason play in 2026, following extensive testing in minor league baseball since 2019.

Dominican manager Albert Pujols chose to focus on the bigger picture rather than dwelling on the final call. “I don’t want to focus on the last pitch,” Pujols explained. “I’m disappointed about the way that the game ends, but I don’t want to criticize any of that. It just wasn’t meant to be for us.”

Miller dominated the final inning, throwing 13 pitches at 100 mph or faster out of his 22 total deliveries. After allowing a one-out walk to Julio Rodríguez, who reached third base on a wild pitch and Oneil Cruz’s groundout, Miller faced Perdomo in the crucial at-bat.

The Dominican batter fell behind 1-2 in the count, worked it full, then fouled off two consecutive fastballs exceeding 100 mph before Miller delivered the decisive slider.

Team USA first baseman Bryce Harper kept his reaction simple regarding the final call. “He called strike three. That’s all I care,” Harper said.

The New York Knicks orchestrated their most impressive comeback of the season Sunday evening, rallying from a 21-point second-quarter deficit to defeat the Golden State Warriors 110-107 at home.

Jalen Brunson led the charge for New York with 30 points and nine assists, while the team delivered an exceptional performance from the charity stripe, converting 22 of their 23 free-throw attempts. This marked the third occasion this season the Knicks have missed just one or no free throws while attempting at least 20.

Karl-Anthony Towns contributed a double-double performance with 17 points and 12 rebounds for the Knicks. OG Anunoby chipped in 14 points, including the game-sealing free throws with 6.2 seconds remaining on the clock.

Golden State was led by Brandin Podziemski’s 25 points, but the Warriors were severely depleted due to injuries. The team played without top scorers Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler III, and De’Anthony Melton, plus injured veterans Draymond Green, Seth Curry, and Al Horford. The loss extended Golden State’s losing streak to five games.

Thunder 116, Timberwolves 103

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander delivered 20 points, with 10 coming in the final quarter, as Oklahoma City defeated Minnesota at home to extend their winning streak to eight games.

Chet Holmgren contributed 21 points for the Thunder, while Isaiah Joe scored 20, Alex Caruso added 17, and Isiah Hartenstein pulled down 12 rebounds.

Minnesota was paced by Julius Randle’s 32 points, while Anthony Edwards managed 19 points on 6-of-17 shooting. Ayo Dosunmu provided 18 points off the bench for the Timberwolves, who suffered their fourth defeat in five games following an impressive 8-1 run.

Mavericks 130, Cavaliers 120

First-year player Cooper Flagg recorded 27 points and 10 assists, while Naji Marshall contributed 25 points as Dallas defeated Cleveland on the road, evening their two-game series.

P.J. Washington tallied 20 points and 11 rebounds for Dallas, which built a commanding 111-90 advantage in the fourth quarter. The victory marked just their second win in 11 games. Rookie John Poulakidis notched his first 10 NBA points.

Cleveland received 26 points and 11 assists from Donovan Mitchell. Max Strus scored 24 points and connected on 6-of-7 three-point attempts in his first game back from left foot surgery. Evan Mobley recorded 18 points, 11 rebounds, and four blocks.

Raptors 119, Pistons 108

Brandon Ingram exploded for 34 points as Toronto defeated Detroit at home, snapping the Pistons’ seven-game winning streak in the series.

RJ Barrett added 27 points and Jakob Poeltl posted 21 points with a season-high 18 rebounds for the Raptors, winners of two straight. Scottie Barnes recorded 14 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists, and three blocks.

Detroit was led by Cade Cunningham’s 33 points and nine assists. Tobias Harris scored 21 points while Jalen Duren delivered 20 points and 11 rebounds.

76ers 109, Trail Blazers 103

Quentin Grimes erupted for a season-best 31 points as Philadelphia topped visiting Portland.

Justin Edwards contributed 21 points for the Sixers, who have captured three of their past four contests. First-year player VJ Edgecombe added 18 points and 12 rebounds, while Andre Drummond secured 17 rebounds.

Portland was paced by Deni Avdija’s 25 points in the opener of their five-game road swing. He distributed nine assists but committed seven of the team’s 19 turnovers. Jerami Grant scored 20 points, while Donovan Clingan had 11 points and 15 rebounds.

Bucks 134, Pacers 123

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 31 points and Bobby Portis added 29 off the bench as Milwaukee defeated visiting Indiana.

Antetokounmpo nearly achieved a triple-double with 14 rebounds and eight assists. Ryan Rollins contributed 20 points and seven assists. The Bucks matched their season high with 23 three-pointers while committing just nine turnovers, one more than their season low.

Indiana, again without Pascal Siakam due to a knee injury, was led by Aaron Nesmith’s 32 points. Jay Huff added 16 while Jarace Walker scored 14 with eight rebounds and six assists as the Pacers dropped their fifth consecutive game to Milwaukee.

Kings 116, Jazz 111

DeMar DeRozan posted season highs of 41 points and 11 assists as Sacramento defeated Utah at home, handing the Jazz their 11th loss in 13 games.

Precious Achiuwa contributed 20 points and 11 rebounds while Killian Hayes had 16 points and eight assists for the Kings, winners of four of their last five. Nique Clifford scored 10 points before fouling out, and reserve Daeqwon Plowden also added 10 points.

Utah received a career-high 34 points from Cody Williams, who also grabbed seven rebounds and dished seven assists. Brice Sensabaugh scored 22 points, Isaiah Collier added 21, and Elijah Harkless contributed 13 for the Jazz.

A highly anticipated soccer showdown between European champions Spain and South American champions Argentina has been scrapped due to ongoing tensions in the Middle East, according to UEFA’s announcement on Sunday.

The match, known as the “Finalissima,” was originally slated for March 27 in Qatar, but regional conflicts have made hosting the event there impossible.

Despite rumors suggesting otherwise, ESPN sources confirmed Sunday evening that Argentine superstar Lionel Messi of Inter Miami played no part in calling off the game. According to reports, Messi actually welcomed the opportunity to compete for another championship and saw it as valuable preparation ahead of the upcoming World Cup.

The contest would have brought together Spain, who claimed the 2024 UEFA EURO title, against Argentina, the 2024 CONMEBOL Copa America champions. This setup mirrors the 2022 pre-World Cup encounter that featured then-European champion Italy facing off against Argentina following their 2021 Copa America victory. The match also would have marked the first meeting between Spain’s 18-year-old rising star Lamine Yamal and 38-year-old veteran Messi.

However, recent military actions involving the U.S. and Israel against Iran, along with resulting regional instability, led organizers to deem Qatar an unsuitable venue for the event.

Officials from UEFA, CONMEBOL, and local organizing committees attempted to secure an alternative location and potentially reschedule the fixture, but these efforts ultimately failed to produce an acceptable solution.

“After much discussion between UEFA and the organizing authorities in Qatar, it is announced today that due to the current political situation in the region, the Finalissima cannot be played as hoped in Qatar,” UEFA stated in their Sunday announcement. “UEFA explored other feasible alternatives but each ultimately proved unacceptable to the Argentinian Football Association.”

UEFA noted that Argentina suggested postponing the match until after the World Cup concludes, but Spain’s schedule would not accommodate such a delay.

Previous versions of the Finalissima took place in 1985 and 1993.

As defending World Cup champions, Argentina will kick off their 2026 World Cup campaign against Algeria in Kansas City on June 16. They’ll compete in Group J alongside Austria and Jordan. Spain begins their tournament run against Cape Verde in Atlanta on June 15, with additional Group G matches against Saudi Arabia and Uruguay on their schedule.

The 2026 World Cup will be jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Tournament play begins June 11, with the championship game scheduled for MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on July 19.

Four universities have been selected to serve as top seeds in the National Invitation Tournament, with Auburn leading the group after being the second squad excluded from this year’s NCAA Tournament field.

The Tigers (17-16) will be joined by New Mexico (23-10), Wake Forest (17-16), and Tulsa (26-7) as the No. 1 seeds in the 32-team postseason competition that kicks off Tuesday. These top-seeded teams will have the advantage of playing all games at home through the semifinals, provided they continue advancing.

While Auburn chose to participate in the NIT, three other teams that narrowly missed NCAA Tournament selection – Oklahoma, San Diego State, and Indiana – turned down their invitations. Additional programs including Virginia Tech, Florida State, Belmont, and Seton Hall also declined to participate.

Auburn will face South Alabama in their opening matchup Tuesday. Their potential second-round opponent will emerge from the contest between No. 4 seed Seattle and St. Thomas (Minnesota). The region also features No. 2 Nevada welcoming Murray State and No. 3 George Mason hosting Liberty.

New Mexico’s region begins with the Lobos taking on Sam Houston, while No. 4 Utah Valley welcomes George Washington, second-seeded California hosts UIC, and No. 3 Colorado State meets Saint Joseph’s Wednesday.

Wake Forest anchors the Winston-Salem region and will host Navy, while No. 2 Dayton faces Bradley, third-seeded Yale meets UNC Wilmington, and No. 4 Illinois State battles Kent State. Most regional games are scheduled for Wednesday, with the exception of Tuesday’s Yale-UNC Wilmington matchup.

The final region features Tulsa hosting Stephen F. Austin, No. 2 Oklahoma State taking on Davidson, No. 3 Wichita State facing Wyoming, and fourth-seeded UC Irvine welcoming UNLV on Tuesday.

Several teams in this year’s bracket have claimed NIT championships in the past, including George Washington (2016), Wichita State (2011), Dayton (2010, 1968, 1962), Tulsa (2001, 1981), Wake Forest (2000), California (1999), and Bradley (1982, 1964, 1960, 1957). UC Irvine reached last year’s championship game but fell to Chattanooga.

The tournament’s opening rounds (March 17-18) and second round (March 21-22), along with quarterfinal action (March 24-25), will take place on the home courts of higher seeds. The semifinals are set for April 2, with the championship game scheduled for April 5, both in Indianapolis.

LAS VEGAS — When the NCAA Tournament bracket was unveiled, the top-seeded teams once again established themselves as clear frontrunners, mirroring last season’s pattern where all four No. 1 seeds advanced to the Final Four.

The four No. 1 seeds this year — Duke, Arizona, Michigan, and reigning national champion Florida — hold the best championship odds at BetMGM Sportsbook according to early betting lines.

WagerTalk/Gold Sheet handicapper Bruce Marshall believes a few other programs could potentially crash the top seeds’ party in Indianapolis.

“I don’t think we’ll see all of them (No. 1 seeds) in the Final Four,” Marshall said. “Maybe somebody sneaks through on the three-line. I’d watch Virginia possibly. They’ve got a pretty good potential road in their region. That’s Michigan’s region. I think Michigan is beatable now.”

However, Marshall noted this year’s tournament landscape resembles last season’s, where only a handful of programs possess legitimate championship potential.

The selection committee’s first-round pairings appear well-balanced based on betting markets. Just two opening-round contests feature lower seeds as favorites — both 8-9 matchups where Utah State is favored by 2.5 points against Villanova, and Iowa holds the same advantage over Clemson.

“We’re expecting a fairly chalky tournament this year, similar to what we saw last season,” said Patrick Berbert, college basketball trader at Caesars Sportsbook. “The NIL era has really widened the gap between the top programs and the rest of the field. From a betting standpoint, we’re projecting record engagement again.”

The women’s NCAA Tournament bracket was revealed Sunday evening, with UConn, UCLA, Texas, and South Carolina claiming the four top seeds heading into March Madness.

Despite ongoing debate, undefeated UConn secured the overall #1 seed position ahead of UCLA, which suffered just one loss this season. The Bruins had faced a more challenging schedule and recorded 19 Quad 1 victories compared to UConn’s nine, but the Huskies held the top spot in the NET rankings while UCLA ranked second.

“We watched a whole lot of good basketball between those two teams,” committee chair Amanda Braun said on ESPN. “The debate was pretty close the whole time … It went to a committee vote, and we watched a lot of UConn, we watched a lot of UCLA as a group. The vote ultimately gave the edge to UConn.”

Coach Geno Auriemma and the Huskies bring a perfect 34-0 record and 50-game winning streak into the tournament as they seek to repeat as national champions. National Player of the Year candidate Sarah Strong leads the squad.

UConn will welcome 16th-seeded UTSA (18-15) for Saturday’s opening round in Storrs, Connecticut. A victory would set up a second-round matchup against either eighth-seeded Iowa State or ninth-seeded Syracuse.

The Fort Worth Regional 1 also features second-seeded Vanderbilt (27-4), third-seeded Ohio State (26-7), and fourth-seeded North Carolina (26-7). Campus sites will host first and second-round games for the tournament’s top 16 overall seeds.

UCLA (31-1) heads the Sacramento Regional 2 bracket and opens Saturday against 16th-seeded Cal Baptist (23-10). That region includes second-seeded LSU (27-5) under coach Kim Mulkey, third-seeded Duke (24-8) – the Atlantic Coast Conference champions – and fourth-seeded Minnesota (22-8).

Texas (31-3) claimed the third #1 seed position over South Carolina after defeating the Gamecocks twice in three matchups this season, including a dominant 78-61 victory in the Southeastern Conference championship game. The Longhorns await the winner of a First Four matchup between Missouri State and Stephen F. Austin.

Fort Worth Regional 3 also includes second-seeded Michigan (25-6), third-seeded Louisville (27-7), and fourth-seeded West Virginia (27-6), which captured the Big 12 title.

South Carolina (31-3) anchors Sacramento Regional 4 and will face whichever team emerges from the First Four game between Southern and Samford. Second-seeded Iowa (26-6), third-seeded TCU (29-5), and fourth-seeded Oklahoma (24-7) complete that bracket section.

The final four teams to make the tournament field were Virginia, Arizona State, Nebraska, and Richmond. Virginia and Arizona State will compete in a First Four game for a 10th seed and the opportunity to face seventh-seeded Georgia, while Nebraska and Richmond battle for an 11th seed and a matchup with sixth-seeded Baylor.

INDIAN WELLS, California – Italy’s Jannik Sinner captured his first Indian Wells championship on Sunday, overcoming Russia’s Daniil Medvedev 7-6(6) 7-6(4) in an impressive performance on the California desert courts.

The 24-year-old Italian dominated the match statistically, recording 28 winning shots, 10 aces, and converting all eight opportunities when approaching the net.

This historic victory places Sinner among elite company as just the third tennis player ever to capture all six ATP Masters 1000 hard-court championships, joining tennis legends Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer in this exclusive group.

The championship also marked Sinner’s first tournament victory of 2024 and made him the first competitor since 1990 to claim back-to-back Masters 1000 tournaments without losing a single set. His current winning streak in this tournament category now stands at 11 consecutive matches, stretching back to his Paris victory in November.

The opening set featured aggressive play from Medvedev, who applied early pressure and built momentum to reach 6-5. However, Sinner managed to push the set into a tiebreaker situation.

During the crucial tiebreak, Sinner demonstrated superior execution under pressure. The four-time Grand Slam winner capitalized when Medvedev made an error on a forehand volley at 5-4, then successfully converted his second opportunity to claim the opening set.

The second set developed along similar lines, with Sinner working to establish control and managing to break Medvedev’s serve in the fifth game to take a 3-2 lead. The Russian fighter responded by equalizing after Sinner had moved ahead 6-5, forcing a second tiebreaker.

Medvedev appeared poised to extend the match to a deciding third set after jumping out to a dominant 4-0 advantage in the tiebreak. However, Sinner mounted a remarkable comeback, drawing even at 4-4 before ultimately prevailing 7-4 to secure the championship.

“I kept believing and kept pushing,” Sinner commented following his victory. “I went for my shots a little more. A third set, we would have started even, so I tried my best to close it out and I am very happy. It was an incredible ending.”

“It was a very, very tough match,” Sinner continued. “It is great to see Daniil back playing this level. I am very happy. I came here from day one, training really hard and this result makes me very happy.”

Medvedev had entered the final in excellent form after delivering a stunning semifinal upset over world number one Carlos Alcaraz, ending the Australian Open champion’s flawless 16-match winning streak to start the season. Despite his strong tournament run, this defeat marks Medvedev’s third loss in an Indian Wells final.

The NCAA men’s basketball tournament field has been revealed, with Duke claiming the coveted top overall seed position. Joining the Blue Devils on the number one seed line are Arizona, Michigan, and Florida as March Madness prepares to tip off.

In a surprising inclusion, Miami University of Ohio earned an 11th seed despite their underwhelming strength of schedule. The RedHawks had started their campaign with an impressive 31-0 record before stumbling in their conference tournament. They’ll face SMU in a First Four matchup on Wednesday. Tournament action kicks off Tuesday with additional play-in contests, including a showdown between Texas and North Carolina State.

On the women’s side, the University of Connecticut secured the overall top seed while maintaining their perfect record. The Huskies enter the tournament at 34-0 and need just six more wins to achieve their seventh undefeated season in program history. UConn is pursuing their 13th national championship and would become the first program to capture back-to-back titles since their own four-year championship run from 2013-2016. UCLA, Texas, and South Carolina round out the top seeds in women’s play.

At TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, Cameron Young finally broke through for his first major championship victory at The Players Championship. The dramatic finish saw Young sink a crucial 10-foot birdie putt on the notorious 17th hole island green to draw even with Matt Fitzpatrick. Young then delivered a powerful drive on 18 that positioned him for an easy par, claiming victory when Fitzpatrick missed an 8-foot par attempt that would have forced a playoff. The triumph earned Young a massive $4.5 million payday after his final-round 68.

Swedish golfer Ludvig Aberg experienced a devastating collapse after entering the final round with a commanding three-shot advantage. Aberg maintained his lead until disaster struck on consecutive holes during the back nine, finding water hazards on both the 11th and 12th holes. The double blow resulted in a bogey and double-bogey that derailed his championship hopes. Aberg struggled to a 40 on the back nine, finishing with a disappointing 76. Following his collapse, Aberg acknowledged that he “got a little quick on the swings that cost him three shots.”

At Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Denny Hamlin bounced back from a difficult period to capture his 61st NASCAR Cup Series victory. Despite facing an early speeding penalty, Hamlin rallied for a commanding win that helped put a challenging offseason behind him. The victory comes after Hamlin endured heartbreak losing last year’s championship at Phoenix, followed by a turbulent period that included winning a federal lawsuit against NASCAR and the tragic loss of his father in a house fire. The triumph marked Toyota’s fourth victory in the season’s first five races, with Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Christopher Bell and Ty Gibbs finishing fourth and fifth respectively.

Major League Baseball faces potential complications for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics as labor negotiations loom. The new head of the players’ union warned that a work stoppage during the 2027 season could interfere with plans to feature big league players in the Olympic baseball competition. The six-team tournament is scheduled for Dodger Stadium from July 13-19, potentially during an extended All-Star break. Both MLB and the players’ association are preparing for contract negotiations beginning in April or May, as the current five-year agreement expires December 1st. A management lockout is anticipated to begin December 2nd.

The WNBA and its players’ union continued intensive negotiations for their sixth consecutive day, working to finalize a new collective bargaining agreement before the upcoming season. The marathon bargaining sessions have totaled more than 60 hours since Tuesday’s initial in-person meeting. Sunday’s discussions began around noon with prominent players Nneka Ogwumike, Breanna Stewart, Napheesa Collier, and Alysha Clark representing the union, with Brianna Turner joining later. Revenue sharing arrangements and housing provisions remain the primary obstacles to reaching an agreement.

Olympic skiing champion Lindsey Vonn remains undecided about her competitive future as she recovers from a severe crash at the Milan Cortina Olympics. The 41-year-old addressed speculation about her return in a social media statement Sunday, saying “only time will tell. Please stop telling me what I should or should not do. I’ll let you know when I decide.” Vonn is healing from a complex tibia fracture in her left leg sustained when she crashed just 13 seconds into her Olympic downhill run on February 8th.

At Indian Wells, California, both Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka claimed their maiden titles at the prestigious desert tournament. Sinner defeated Daniil Medvedev 7-6 (6), 7-6 (4) in the men’s final, completing the tournament without dropping a single set. The Italian staged a remarkable comeback in the second-set tiebreak, winning seven consecutive points after falling behind 4-0. In the women’s championship, world number one Sabalenka overcame Elena Rybakina 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (6) for her first BNP Paribas Open title. Sabalenka, who had been runner-up in 2023 and 2025, sealed the victory with a powerful serve that Rybakina returned long, despite sweltering temperatures reaching into the 90s.

Aryna Sabalenka broke through at Indian Wells on Sunday, capturing her first title at the California desert tournament after defeating Elena Rybakina in a marathon three-set final, 3-6 6-3 7-6(6). The victory delivered Sabalenka her 23rd career championship after years of disappointment at the venue.

The Kazakhstani Rybakina controlled the match early, seizing the first set by attacking Sabalenka’s backhand side and breaking serve to establish a 4-2 advantage before closing out the opener. This marked the first set the Belarusian had lost during her entire tournament run.

Sabalenka’s struggles continued into the second set as Rybakina immediately broke her serve in the first game, prompting an audible cry of frustration from the four-time Grand Slam winner. However, Sabalenka found her rhythm and fought back to claim the second set 6-3, forcing a decisive third set.

The final set delivered drama worthy of a championship match. Sabalenka gained an early advantage with a break to lead 3-1, but Rybakina mounted a comeback to even the score at 5-5 and briefly took her first lead of the set. Sabalenka immediately answered to push the match into a tiebreaker, where both players battled to a 6-6 deadlock before Sabalenka ultimately prevailed 8-6.

As the winning shot crossed the net, Sabalenka collapsed to her knees in pure relief, finally achieving the Indian Wells triumph that had eluded her through three previous final appearances over the past three years.

As you prepare your March Madness brackets, knowing which players can step up in crucial tournament moments could make all the difference in your predictions.

From the Blue Devils’ star big man to Purdue’s veteran leader and Houston’s clutch performer, these are the athletes who could shape the outcome of this year’s tournament.

Darius Acuff, Arkansas

Acuff captured national attention with his spectacular SEC tournament performance, highlighted by a championship game where he scored 30 points and dished out 11 assists. The guard possesses exceptional scoring ability at every level of the court, combining creative shot-making with remarkable composure under pressure. His hot streak has powered Arkansas to five straight victories heading into the tournament.

Donovan Atwell, Texas Tech

Tournament success often depends on guard play, and Atwell dominated from beyond the arc this season like no other player in college basketball. The sharpshooter connected on 3.9 three-pointers per contest while maintaining an impressive 45.4% accuracy rate from long range.

Cam Boozer, Duke

The frontrunner for Player of the Year honors posted averages of 22.5 points and 10.2 rebounds throughout the season. Standing 6-foot-10, Boozer moves with surprising agility for his 250-pound frame and consistently delivered in high-pressure situations, including an 18-point, 10-rebound, seven-assist performance in Duke’s victory over Michigan. Despite a challenging shooting night in Saturday’s ACC championship game where he went 3-of-17 from the field, Boozer still contributed eight rebounds and eight assists while making key plays down the stretch after playing heavy minutes three consecutive nights.

Jaden Bradley, Arizona

When Arizona needs a crucial basket in crunch time, Bradley will have the ball in his hands. The composed point guard excels at both creating his own scoring opportunities and facilitating for teammates, maintaining steady control regardless of game pressure.

AJ Dybantsa, BYU

Projected as the top selection in the 2026 NBA Draft, Dybantsa elevated BYU’s ceiling and gives the Cougars a fighting chance against any opponent. The freshman phenom led all college players in scoring at 25.3 points per game while earning first-team All-American honors and Big 12 Freshman of the Year recognition. His combination of size (6-9, 215 pounds) and explosive scoring ability from all areas of the court, plus his 50% field goal percentage, makes him extremely difficult to defend.

Jeremy Fears, Michigan State

The senior point guard embodies the classic Tom Izzo floor general, leading the nation in assists with 9.2 per game while barely edging Purdue’s Braden Smith (9.0). Though his aggressive style and reputation for questionable plays make him unpopular outside East Lansing, Fears possesses exceptional court vision and thrives in pressure situations.

Thomas Haugh, Florida

After serving in a backup role on last season’s national championship squad, Haugh stepped into a primary scoring position for this year’s Gators team. The 6-9 forward brings reliable shooting ability and versatility to Florida’s attack.

Joshua Jefferson, Iowa State

Jefferson stands out among big men for his ability to contribute across all statistical categories. He recorded two double-doubles during conference tournament action and delivered a spectacular triple-double performance against UCF earlier this season with 17 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists.

Trey Kaufman-Renn, Purdue

While teammate Braden Smith approaches the NCAA all-time assists record (trailing Bobby Hurley by just one) and Fletcher Loyer provides deadly three-point shooting, Kaufman-Renn anchors Purdue’s frontcourt. The senior scored 20 points in the Big Ten tournament championship victory over Michigan and maintained over 57% field goal shooting for the second straight season. His tournament experience includes nine games over the past two years, including two 20-point performances in last year’s NCAA Tournament.

Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan

Leading scorer for a balanced Wolverines attack that features five players averaging at least 9.7 points per game, Lendeborg recorded his seventh 20-point game of the season during the Big Ten championship loss to Purdue. While not always a high-volume scorer, he showed his capability with 27 points to complete a season sweep of Michigan State. His versatility was on display when he hit the game-winning three-pointer against Wisconsin in the semifinals.

Labaron Philon, Alabama

Only one opponent managed to hold Philon below double figures this season, and he consistently threatens to reach 20 points in any game. His explosive potential was evident in a 35-point, seven-assist performance during Alabama’s double-overtime victory over Arkansas.

Milos Uzan, Houston

The ultimate team player for the Cougars, Uzan leads a defensively minded squad with valuable tournament experience from last March. His game-winning shot against Purdue sent Houston to the Elite Eight, and he expertly orchestrates the offense while setting up teammates like freshman Kingston Flemings (16.4 points per game) and Emanuel Sharp (15.3 points per game).

Keaton Wagler, Illinois

Another freshman performing beyond his years, Wagler handles increased ball-handling responsibilities due to his court vision and ability to create off the dribble. Though his jump shot may not be picture-perfect, his shooting range and slashing ability to the basket create matchup problems for opposing defenses.

MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo exited Sunday’s contest against Indiana following an uncomfortable landing after completing a slam dunk during the final moments of the third quarter in the team’s 134-123 win over the Pacers.

The star forward stayed on the court momentarily and managed another dunk on Milwaukee’s following offensive play. After getting fouled on the subsequent possession, he shot two free throws before making his way to the locker room.

Antetokounmpo did not return for the remainder of the contest. The forward finished with an impressive stat line of 31 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists across 30 minutes of action.

“My guess is he hyperextended his knee, but I’m guessing,” Bucks coach Doc Rivers said.

The Greek star indicated he wasn’t considering medical imaging at this time. The two-time Most Valuable Player explained he felt capable of continuing to play but decided to heed the guidance of Milwaukee’s medical personnel.

“I’m just going to go back home, sleep, see how I feel tomorrow, try to lift some weights,” Antetokounmpo said. “If I have a little bit of discomfort, then I’ll go from there. As of now, I’m not really bothered.”

The 31-year-old forward has been sidelined for a career-high 31 contests this season. He has endured two lengthy periods away from the court due to right calf muscle strains. Antetokounmpo was also held out of Milwaukee’s 122-99 defeat in Atlanta on Saturday due to a sprained left ankle.

MIAMI — Major League Baseball’s upcoming labor negotiations could threaten the participation of professional players in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, according to the sport’s newly appointed union leader.

Bruce Meyer, the acting head of the Major League Baseball Players Association, warned that any work stoppage resulting in missed games during the 2027 season would jeopardize current discussions about having big league talent compete in the Olympic baseball tournament.

The players’ association is currently in talks with MLB, the International Olympic Committee, the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic organizing committee, and the World Baseball Softball Confederation regarding the six-team tournament. The event is planned for Dodger Stadium from July 13-19, potentially during an extended All-Star break.

Meanwhile, both the league and union are gearing up for contract negotiations beginning in April or May to replace their current five-year deal, which ends December 1. A management lockout is anticipated to commence December 2.

“It can be on a separate track, but I’m sure it will come up in the course of negotiations,” Meyer stated Sunday evening during the World Baseball Classic. “If we’re in a situation where games are being missed in ’27, that could have an impact on playing the Olympics after that.”

Meyer was direct about the consequences of a lost 2027 season, saying it would eliminate big leaguers from the 2028 Olympics.

“If we don’t have a season, we’re not going to play in the Olympics,” he declared.

Major League Baseball has avoided losing regular-season games to labor disputes since 1995.

Several logistical challenges still need resolution before MLB players can participate in the Olympics, including insurance coverage and player accommodations. The World Baseball Classic model splits expenses proportionally among stakeholders, with MLB and the players’ union holding the largest equal shares, while the WBSC, Nippon Professional Baseball, and Korea Baseball Organization maintain smaller ownership stakes.

“The federations involved, the IOC, we still have a lot of issues to work out with the league,” Meyer explained. “I don’t have any reason to believe that that’s going to be a significant impediment in any way, but we still do have a lot of issues to be worked out, pretty much everything other than the qualifying — issues like insurance, transportation, and a whole variety of issues. … Housing, lodging, security is all still under discussion.”

The current player contract guarantees “first-class jet air and hotel accommodations” during the regular season, and players would likely resist staying in typical Olympic dormitory-style housing.

For athletes not participating in the Olympics, officials are exploring options for exhibition games between teams or against minor league affiliates.

Meyer delivered his comments at the Miami Marlins’ loanDepot park before the United States faced the Dominican Republic for a spot in Tuesday’s World Baseball Classic championship game against either Venezuela or Italy.

Saturday night’s quarterfinal saw 34,548 fans witness Venezuela’s surprising 8-5 victory over Japan. In contrast, the Marlins attracted only 1.16 million home attendees last season, ranking 28th among 30 teams, with 29 games drawing fewer than 10,000 spectators.

“In this market, in Miami, you can see the the fan interest in baseball, which unfortunately is perhaps not maximized by the franchise here,” Meyer observed.

Both MLB and the union are exploring exhibition game possibilities during an extended 2028 break for players not competing in the Olympics.

The Dominican Republic and Venezuela have already secured Olympic berths alongside host United States. One Asian team and one European/Oceania team can qualify through November’s WBSC Premier 12 tournament.

A final qualifying competition will occur no later than March 2028, featuring the top two unqualified teams from recent Asia and European championships, plus the highest-ranked unqualified teams from the latest Africa and Oceania championships.

Meyer assumed his acting leadership role last month after Tony Clark’s forced departure. Clark, a former All-Star first baseman who had guided the players since 2013, resigned following an investigation by the union’s external legal counsel that uncovered evidence of an inappropriate relationship with his sister-in-law, a union employee since 2023.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The San Francisco Giants came tantalizingly close to baseball perfection during Sunday’s spring training matchup, nearly completing a perfect game before the Milwaukee Brewers spoiled the historic bid in the final inning.

With just one out needed for perfection, Giants pitcher Gregory Santos issued a walk to Cooper Pratt in the ninth inning. The drama continued as Blake Burke stepped to the plate and, with a two-strike count against him, smashed a run-scoring double to break up both the perfect game and no-hit attempt. Santos recovered to strike out José Anderson and seal the victory.

The near-miss capped off a dominant pitching performance in San Francisco’s 7-1 triumph. Left-handed starter Robbie Ray worked five innings and recorded eight strikeouts, combining with four relief pitchers to fan 11 Milwaukee batters total. Ray has been impressive this spring, posting a 1.23 ERA while striking out 15 batters across five appearances.

No-hitters during spring training games remain uncommon occurrences. Last March, the Baltimore Orioles managed to complete one against Pittsburgh.

The outstanding pitching display came amid concerning news about Giants prospect Hayden Birdsong, whose MRI results showed a Grade 2 strained right forearm and sprained ulnar collateral ligament, according to multiple reports. The young pitcher is currently considering his treatment options, MLB.com reported.

“It’s certainly not best-case scenario, but hopefully we get best-case scenario of the unfortunate circumstances,” manager Tony Vitello commented Sunday morning, according to NBC Sports Bay Area.

Despite facing nationwide criticism and questions about their strength of schedule, Miami (Ohio) RedHawks have secured their spot in the 2026 NCAA Tournament.

The RedHawks (31-1) managed to claim one of the last four spots in the March Madness field announced Sunday, earning a matchup against SMU (20-13) in the First Four at Dayton – just 42 miles from their campus.

Miami’s tournament hopes appeared uncertain after falling to UMass in their first Mid-American Conference tournament game. Akron ultimately captured the MAC’s automatic qualification.

The selection committee awarded the four top seeds to Duke, Arizona, Michigan, and Florida.

Duke (32-2) claims the East region’s No. 1 position, with UConn (29-5) as the second seed, Michigan State (25-7) third, and Kansas (23-10) fourth. The Blue Devils hope to return to the Final Four for consecutive years when they meet 16th-seeded Siena (23-11) Thursday in Greenville, South Carolina. UConn captured consecutive national championships in 2023-24.

Arizona (32-2) earned the West’s top spot as they attempt to end a lengthy Final Four drought dating back to their 2001 national championship game loss. The Wildcats open Friday against 16th-seeded Long Island (24-10) in San Diego. Purdue (27-8) holds the second seed, with Gonzaga (30-3) third and Arkansas (26-8) fourth.

Michigan (31-3) received the Midwest’s No. 1 seed, followed by Iowa State (27-7), Virginia (29-5), and Alabama (23-9). The Wolverines await the winner of the First Four contest between UMBC and Howard. UMBC returns to the tournament for the first time since their historic upset of Virginia in 2018.

Santa Clara (26-8) earned a 10th seed in the Midwest, marking their first tournament appearance since 1996 during the Steve Nash era.

Defending champion Florida (26-7) captured the South’s top seed and will face either Lehigh or Prairie View A&M. Houston (28-6), last year’s runner-up to the Gators, holds the second seed. Illinois (24-8) and Nebraska (26-6) round out the top four. The Cornhuskers remain winless in eight NCAA Tournament games, most recently falling to Texas A&M in 2024.

The first four teams excluded were Oklahoma (19-15), Auburn (17-16), San Diego State (22-11), and Indiana (18-14). Former Auburn coach Bruce Pearl had strongly advocated for the Tigers’ inclusion over Miami.

This marks Miami’s first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2007.

The remaining First Four matchup features North Carolina State (20-13) against Texas (18-14) on the 11-seed line.

The Miami University RedHawks claimed the final position in the 2026 NCAA Tournament bracket announced Sunday evening, though they face an additional hurdle before joining the main tournament field.

Earning an 11th seed in the Midwest Region, the RedHawks must first overcome SMU in a First Four matchup in Dayton, Ohio. The victorious squad will then travel to Philadelphia to face sixth-seeded Tennessee in the opening round.

The RedHawks dominated early in the season as Mid-American Conference regular-season champions, stringing together 31 straight victories before suffering a shocking defeat in their conference tournament quarterfinals. Akron captured the MAC championship for the third consecutive year, raising questions about whether the selection committee would award the conference multiple tournament berths.

During a CBS Sports interview Sunday, selection committee chairman Keith Gill revealed that Miami wasn’t actually the final team considered during the initial selection deliberations.

“They came in before NC State, Texas and SMU,” Gill said, “and when we did our scrubbing process, those teams scrubbed above them relative to the predictive metrics and also the difference in the quality of the wins, so they scrubbed up above them. And with regards to VCU, (the RedHawks) would not have been in the field if (VCU) had not won the Atlantic 10 automatic qualifier.”

The selection marks a historic moment for the MAC, as this represents the first at-large tournament invitation extended to the conference since 1999. Typically, only the conference tournament winner receives an automatic qualification.

Miami earned their tournament spot despite holding a NET rating of 64, which ranked below both Oklahoma at 38 and Auburn at 44. Auburn boasted victories against Florida, St. John’s and Arkansas but failed to secure one of the 10 Southeastern Conference bids awarded this year.

Atlanta continued their dominant spring training performance on Sunday, securing a narrow 1-0 win against Philadelphia in Clearwater, Florida, to maintain the best record in Major League Baseball at 15-5.

The game remained scoreless until the ninth inning when Tyler Tolve connected for a clutch home run with one out against Genesis Cabrera (0-2), providing the decisive blow for the visiting Braves.

Relief pitcher JR Ritchie (1-1) delivered an outstanding performance on the mound, blanking the Phillies across the final four frames. The right-hander allowed zero hits while recording six strikeouts and issuing no walks, bringing his spring ERA down to 2.25 through four appearances covering 12 innings.

Brett Wisely contributed offensively for Atlanta, collecting two hits in four at-bats from the leadoff position.

Philadelphia received excellent pitching from starter Taijuan Walker, who worked five solid innings without allowing a run. Walker surrendered just three hits while walking two and striking out three batters, reducing his ERA to 1.29 across two starts and seven total innings this spring.

Tigers 12, Yankees (ss) 1

Detroit overwhelmed a New York split squad in Tampa, collecting 18 hits in a dominant offensive display. Trei Cruz, Dillon Dingler, and Javier Baez each recorded two hits for the Tigers.

Pinch-hitter Jordan Yost capped the scoring with a grand slam, while Detroit also got home runs from Spencer Torkelson (three-run), Matt Vierling (two-run), and Riley Greene (solo).

Yankees starter Luis Gil (2-1) struggled through three innings, allowing seven runs on nine hits. Jonathan Ornelas provided New York’s only run with an RBI single in the ninth.

Cardinals 6, Nationals 3

Nelson Velazquez powered St. Louis past Washington in Jupiter, Florida, belting his fourth spring home run and driving in four runs. His three-run blast in the opening inning set the tone for the Cardinals’ victory.

Velazquez is having an impressive spring, batting .333 with nine RBIs in 33 at-bats. Winning pitcher Richard Fitts (2-1) allowed two runs and one hit across 4 2/3 innings, walking three and striking out five.

Washington committed four errors in the loss but got a bright spot from Joey Wiemer, who hit a three-run homer in the second inning.

Rays 6, Pirates 1

Cedric Mullins led Tampa Bay’s offensive attack with a 3-for-4 performance, including a solo home run and four RBIs. Jake Fraley also had a perfect day at the plate, going 3-for-3 with two runs scored in Port Charlotte, Florida.

Shane McClanahan (2-0) earned the victory with a dominant start, throwing 3 2/3 no-hit innings with seven strikeouts and no runs allowed.

Pittsburgh managed just four hits and scored their lone run on a ninth-inning homer by Konnor Griffin.

Red Sox 7, Twins 2

Boston collected 10 hits in their victory over Minnesota in Fort Myers, Florida. Caleb Durbin contributed two hits, while Jason Delay homered in his only plate appearance.

Durbin has been impressive this spring, batting .400 with seven RBIs and three stolen bases in 30 at-bats.

Minnesota’s Alan Roden went 2-for-3 with an RBI, while starter Zebby Matthews (0-2) pitched five innings, allowing two unearned runs on four hits.

Astros 1, Marlins 0

Houston managed just one hit in their victory over Miami in West Palm Beach, Florida, but Shay Whitcomb made it count with an eighth-inning RBI double that provided the game’s only run.

Astros starter Cristian Javier threw four shutout innings, allowing two hits with five strikeouts and one walk. AJ Blubaugh, the fifth Houston pitcher, earned his first spring decision after two hitless innings with three strikeouts.

Miami’s Eury Perez matched Javier with four hitless innings, walking one and striking out five.

Mets 8, Blue Jays 1

New York dominated Toronto in a rain-shortened six-inning game in Port St. Lucie, Florida. Mike Tauchman went 2-for-3 with two RBIs, while Marcus Semien homered and drove in three runs, including a solo shot in the first inning.

Toronto managed only four hits and got poor pitching from starter Grant Rogers, who surrendered eight runs (five earned) on seven hits in 2 1/3 innings, dropping to 0-2 with an 8.59 ERA this spring.

MIAMI — Team USA manager Mark DeRosa has chosen Baltimore Orioles standout Gunnar Henderson to man third base instead of Alex Bregman for Sunday’s World Baseball Classic semifinal clash with the Dominican Republic, citing favorable matchup numbers against Dominican starter Luis Severino as the deciding factor.

The Orioles shortstop boasts exceptional numbers against the right-handed Severino, going 7-for-9 lifetime with one home run, a double, and four RBIs. In contrast, Bregman has struggled against the Dominican pitcher during regular season play, managing just 5 hits in 21 at-bats with one homer and three RBIs.

Henderson has maintained his hot streak throughout the tournament, collecting 5 hits in 10 at-bats across two WBC appearances, including a double and home run.

“Playing the hot hand right?” DeRosa explained before Sunday’s semifinal matchup. “Gunnar’s got numbers against Severino.”

The manager revealed he discussed the lineup change with Bregman on Saturday, noting the Houston Astros star has managed only 2 hits in 11 at-bats through four tournament games.

“These guys like the lineup out the night before, so I was able to do that, and he was good with it,” DeRosa explained. “It’s game on.”

Behind the plate, Will Smith will get the starting nod over Cal Raleigh, who has failed to record a hit in nine WBC plate appearances.

Sunday’s semifinal promises to deliver elite-level competition, featuring the Dominican Republic’s tournament-leading offense against what many consider baseball’s premier pitcher in Paul Skenes.

The Dominican squad enters with a perfect 5-0 record, having dominated opponents by a combined score of 51-10 while posting a .312 team batting average. Their 14 home runs have matched the WBC record established by Mexico in 2009.

“Skenes is one of the best pitchers today in the major leagues,” Dominican manager Albert Pujols acknowledged. “But we also have one of the best offenses in this tournament, so it’s going to be power versus power. We’ll try to win.”

Should the Dominican Republic advance to Tuesday’s championship game, Pujols has already committed to starting Miami Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara, regardless of whether they face Italy or Venezuela.

“Alcantara will be our pitcher no matter what,” Pujols declared. “If God gives us that opportunity, if we move to the final, Alcantara will be the starter. I’m not going to change it no matter what, no matter if it is Italy or Venezuela. … I trust Sandy, and I hope to be here talking with you on Tuesday.”

MEXICO CITY — Nearly 10,000 soccer fans gathered in Mexico City’s historic main plaza on Sunday, shattering the global record for the world’s biggest soccer training session as the nation gears up to host this June’s World Cup opening match.

The iconic Zocalo square transformed into an enormous outdoor training facility where 9,500 participants followed along with instructors in coordinated soccer exercises. The massive crowd practiced ball-handling skills and participated in synchronized drills designed to celebrate athletics and bring the community together.

Guinness World Records official Alfredo Arista Rueda was on hand to verify the achievement during Sunday’s event.

“You are officially amazing. Officially Amazing! Congratulations!,” Rueda announced to the enthusiastic crowd, who responded with cheers and threw confetti skyward.

Event organizers noted that Sunday’s turnout demolished the previous world record established in Seattle during June 2025, where 1,038 people participated in a similar soccer training session.

Attendees expressed excitement that the record-setting event helps build anticipation for the upcoming World Cup.

“The Azteca Stadium has hosted Pelé and Maradona; the World Cup here is magical,” commented soccer instructor Mario Alberto Álvarez Acosta.

Mexico previously welcomed World Cup tournaments in 1970 and 1996, events where both the Brazilian and Argentine soccer legends claimed championship victories.

Local resident Sandra López Figueroa, who described herself as a housewife, said she thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

“I had fun; I did things I didn’t even know I could do,” López Figueroa shared.

Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert will remain with the franchise through 2026 after reportedly signing a new contract on Sunday.

The 31-year-old veteran agreed to a one-year deal worth $7 million, according to contract details obtained by ESPN.

Over his eight seasons in Philadelphia, Goedert has established himself as the franchise’s current leader in catches among active players, recording 409 receptions. Last season, he topped the Eagles’ roster with 11 touchdown catches while hauling in 60 passes for 591 receiving yards.

Contract negotiations between Philadelphia and Goedert had been ongoing for multiple weeks, with both sides working to finalize terms before he entered free agency. This approach helped the Eagles avoid taking a $20 million dead money penalty against their salary cap.

The signing provides Philadelphia with additional roster flexibility as speculation continues around potential trades involving wide receiver A.J. Brown this offseason. Moving Brown before June 1 would create a salary cap burden exceeding $40 million, though that figure would decrease to approximately $20 million for any deal completed after that deadline.

Last year, Goedert accepted a restructured contract that reduced his annual earnings from $14 million down to $10 million.

Since being selected in the second round of the NFL Draft, Goedert has accumulated 4,676 receiving yards and scored 35 touchdowns throughout his professional career.

In a stunning display of clutch shooting, TJ Power exploded for 44 points to propel Penn past Yale 88-84 in overtime during Sunday’s Ivy League tournament championship in Ithaca, New York, securing the Quakers’ spot in March Madness.

Power’s remarkable performance included two crucial 3-pointers in the game’s final seven seconds of regulation time. The standout guard also grabbed 14 rebounds while shooting an impressive 14-of-26 from the field, including 7-of-14 from beyond the arc. His 44-point outburst marks the highest-scoring game in Ivy League tournament history. Cam Thrower contributed 19 points for Penn (18-11).

Yale (24-6) received strong offensive contributions from Trevor Mullin’s 22 points, while Casey Simmons, Nick Townsend, and Isaac Celiscar each tallied 17 points. Celiscar also pulled down 11 rebounds for the Bulldogs.

The dramatic finish unfolded when Yale appeared to have the game in hand, leading 73-69 following two Mullin free throws with just 12 seconds on the clock. Power responded immediately with a difficult 3-pointer, cutting the deficit to 73-72. After Mullin sank two more free throws with five seconds remaining, Power struck again from long range with one second left, knotting the score at 75-75 and forcing overtime.

During the extra period, Power added four more points from the free-throw line, helping Penn reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2018. The victory comes in the inaugural season under head coach Fran McCaffery and represents just the Quakers’ second tournament appearance since 2008.

In other championship action, VCU defeated Dayton 70-62 for the Atlantic 10 title, with Nyk Lewis recording 17 points and 11 rebounds. The second-seeded Rams (27-7) successfully defended their conference tournament crown and earned their 21st NCAA Tournament berth.

Meanwhile, South Florida captured the American Conference championship with a 70-55 victory over Wichita State. Wes Enis led the top-seeded Bulls with 19 points as they secured their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2012 under first-year coach Bryan Hodgson.

MEXICO CITY – A massive gathering in Mexico’s capital has earned the country a spot in the record books, as roughly 9,500 soccer enthusiasts participated in a 40-minute training session at the iconic Zocalo Plaza on Sunday, establishing a new Guinness World Record.

The impressive turnout surpassed the previous record holder from Seattle in 2025 by more than 1,000 participants, coming at a significant time as Mexico prepares to co-host the 2026 World Cup with the United States and Canada beginning June 11.

Guinness World Records official Alfredo Arista made the announcement at the session’s conclusion, telling the crowd: “We registered 9,500 people today, so I have the fortune of telling you that as of now, you are ‘officially amazing’, congratulations.”

Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada celebrated the achievement after accepting the official recognition, stating: “Today we broke this great Guinness World Record, more than 9,000 people gathered and showed that we are capable of achieving the extraordinary and the impossible.”

The mayor emphasized the broader significance of the event, declaring: “With this record, the city sends a message to the world: ‘Sport, soccer, is the universal language, a language of peace that needs no translation.’ Congratulations Mexico City, today we kick off the World Cup.”

Participants of various ages and backgrounds followed along as instructors and former Mexican national team players led the massive group through soccer drills and exercises from an elevated platform overlooking the crowd.

Tennis superstar Novak Djokovic will not compete in the Miami Open after suffering a right shoulder injury, according to tournament officials who announced the withdrawal on Sunday.

The Serbian tennis legend, age 38, recently participated in last week’s Indian Wells tournament, where he suffered a defeat to defending champion Jack Draper after losing from a one-set advantage on Wednesday. Before his elimination, Djokovic also teamed up with Stefanos Tsitsipas for doubles competition in the California tournament, but the pair was knocked out in the second round.

With 24 Grand Slam titles to his name, Djokovic holds the distinction of being the most dominant male player in Miami Open history, having claimed victory six times at the event. His absence means he won’t have the opportunity to pursue a historic seventh title, particularly after advancing to last year’s championship match where he fell to Czech competitor Jakub Mensik.

Tournament play is scheduled to commence on Wednesday, with qualifying rounds starting Monday.

ARLINGTON, Texas — Kyle Kirkwood continues his mastery of IndyCar street racing, capturing victory at the debut Grand Prix of Arlington and seizing the championship points lead in the process.

The 27-year-old Jupiter, Florida native executed a bold move underneath four-time series champion Alex Palou with 15 laps remaining, maintaining his position through the finish to claim the checkered flag under caution conditions Sunday. The triumph marked Kirkwood’s sixth career victory and his fifth on a street circuit.

Despite experiencing pit road difficulties, including an extended stop for Kirkwood, Andretti Global dominated the event with all three Honda entries securing top-four finishes and controlling 47 of the race’s 70 laps. Will Power claimed the final podium spot in third, while Marcus Ericsson, making his first pole position start in 171 series appearances, commanded 15 laps before settling for fourth place.

Kirkwood’s race-winning maneuver occurred on the final of 14 corners along the temporary 2.73-mile track situated between the Dallas Cowboys’ and Texas Rangers’ home venues.

“Awesome,” was how Palou characterized Kirkwood’s decisive pass after finishing as runner-up.

Despite matching Kirkwood and Power with a race-leading 16 laps out front, Palou failed to reclaim the championship lead he had held since June 2024 before his early exit in Phoenix the previous weekend. The three-time defending champion did advance from fifth to second in the standings behind new leader Kirkwood.

Following his recovery from a deficit exceeding five seconds, Kirkwood built his own five-second advantage before two late caution periods compressed the field.

A final dash to the finish never developed due to a collision at the rear of the pack during the restart as Kirkwood and Palou entered the concluding lap. The incident in the narrow 14th corner prompted a full-course caution, with safety personnel still working when the leaders completed their final circuit nearly two minutes later to reach the finish line.

Professional golfer Chad Ramey achieved his inaugural hole-in-one on the PGA Tour during Sunday’s final round at the Players Championship in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.

The 33-year-old golfer made the ace from a distance of 169 yards on the par-3 13th hole at TPC Sawgrass. His shot cleared the sand trap and touched down in the middle of the green, where the ball picked up momentum as it rolled down the slope before dropping into the hole.

According to PGA Tour Communications, Ramey’s achievement marked the 45th hole-in-one in Players Championship history and the 41st recorded at TPC Sawgrass. The most recent ace at the tournament occurred last year when Keegan Bradley accomplished the feat, also during the final round on the same 13th hole.

Olympic skiing champion Lindsey Vonn is making it clear she’ll decide when to call it quits, not anyone else.

The 41-year-old athlete is pushing back against mounting pressure to retire following a devastating crash that brought her dangerously close to losing her left leg. During a heated social media discussion, Vonn wasn’t having any of the retirement speculation.

The conversation around ending her career has intensified due to her age, extensive injury history, and accomplished competitive record.

Since her terrifying accident on February 8 during the women’s downhill at the Milan Cortina Olympics, Vonn has endured five surgical procedures. The crash occurred just 13 seconds into her run when she caught a gate and flew off the course, resulting in a severe left tibia fracture.

Nevertheless, Vonn maintains her unwavering commitment to continue competing.

“Who said I was retiring?” she responded during the online discussion.

A critic fired back with harsh words: “The ego is so strong with this one. Take your medicine Lindsey. You nearly lost your leg. Put your feet up and be done.”

Vonn’s response revealed her true motivation.

“[I] think you’re mistaking my ego for joy,” she replied. “I’ve said it my whole life; I love skiing. I’ll put my feet up when I’m good and ready thank you.”

Her determination may not please her father Alan Kildow, who publicly urged her to step away from the sport last month.

“She’s 41 years old and this is the end of her career,” Kildow told the Associated Press in February. “There will be no more ski races for Lindsey Vonn, as long as I have anything to say about it.”

Vonn had returned from previous retirement with a reconstructed right knee and was expected to compete for Olympic medals before her latest setback. During a World Cup race one week prior to the Olympics, she suffered a torn left ACL but insisted she could still participate in the Games.

The skiing legend was pursuing her second Olympic gold in downhill, having claimed victory in Vancouver in 2010. Her Olympic collection also includes two bronze medals. Throughout her career, she has secured 84 World Cup wins, with two victories coming this season alone.

The teenage son of golf superstar Tiger Woods struggled through a challenging weekend at one of junior golf’s most prestigious tournaments, placing last among all 36 competitors at the Junior Invitational held at Sage Valley in Graniteville, South Carolina.

Charlie Woods, age 17 and currently a junior at a Palm Beach, Florida high school, closed out the tournament with a difficult final round of 8-over 80 on Saturday. His closing round included two birdies and two bogeys that balanced each other out, but he also recorded four double bogeys that hurt his overall score.

The young golfer’s four-round totals of 75-76-83-80 left him at 26-over 314 for the tournament, placing him 10 shots behind the golfer who finished in 35th position.

Friday’s third round proved particularly challenging for Woods, as his scorecard showed one triple bogey, one double bogey, seven bogeys and just a single birdie, resulting in an 11-over 83.

Taking the boys’ division title was Miles Russell from Jacksonville Beach, Florida, who finished at an impressive 15-under par. Russell holds the top spot in American Junior Golf Association rankings and, like Woods who sits at No. 20, has made a commitment to attend Florida State University.

Woods previously claimed victory at the AJGA Team TaylorMade Invitational in May and is set to join the Seminoles’ golf program in 2027.

The Junior Invitational has produced several notable champions who went on to professional success, including current World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler who won in 2014, along with Austin Eckroat (2016), Joaquin Niemann (2017) and Akshay Bhatia (2018).

In the girls’ competition, Asterisk Talley claimed the championship after shooting a final round 67 to reach 8-under for the tournament.

The 17-year-old from California previously won the Annika Invitational in Florida by five strokes in 2025 and placed second at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur. She also represented Team USA on the Junior Solheim Team in 2024.

Chicago Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki faces uncertainty about his upcoming season availability after sustaining a right knee injury during Japan’s World Baseball Classic campaign that concluded Saturday.

The injury occurred during the opening inning of Japan’s tournament-ending loss to Venezuela as Suzuki attempted to advance to second base on a stolen base attempt. He was forced to exit the contest immediately due to what team officials described as right knee discomfort.

During his World Baseball Classic performance, Suzuki compiled impressive statistics, recording three hits in nine at-bats while contributing two home runs, five runs batted in, and drawing six walks. He served as Japan’s primary center fielder, starting in that position for five of the team’s six tournament contests.

Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani, who also represented Team Japan, addressed Suzuki’s condition following the game. “He hasn’t had any imaging done yet so right now it’s just based on how he feels,” Ohtani told USA Today. “I’m just hoping it turns out to be something positive and that it won’t affect his season.”

The timing creates concern as Chicago prepares to begin their regular season schedule on March 26 with a home opener against the Washington Nationals.

Last season marked a career year for the 31-year-old Suzuki, who launched a personal-best 32 home runs while driving in 103 runs as the Cubs reached the National League Division Series. Throughout his four-year tenure with Chicago spanning 532 games, he has maintained a .269 batting average with an .818 on-base plus slugging percentage, accumulating 87 home runs and 296 RBIs.

The legendary University of Connecticut women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma has confirmed he will be back on the sidelines for the 2026-27 season, marking his 42nd year leading the Huskies program.

Auriemma shared this announcement with the Hartford Courant in an extensive profile piece that was published on Sunday.

At 71 years old, with his 72nd birthday approaching on March 23, Auriemma continues to embrace the demanding nature of collegiate coaching. His enthusiasm makes sense given his current success.

The top-ranked Huskies boast a perfect 34-0 record heading into Sunday night’s NCAA Tournament selection show, where they’re expected to earn a number one seed. As the reigning national champions, Auriemma will pursue what would be his 13th championship title during the upcoming tournament.

Auriemma’s commitment to the program remains unwavering. Following his team’s Big East tournament victory on Monday, he was already traveling by Tuesday morning to the Midwest for a recruiting visit with a potential 2027 prospect, according to his interview with the Courant.

“Well, I mean, something could come up,” he explained, “but there isn’t anything right now where I’d say, ‘It’s up in the air whether I’ll be back next year.’ No. That’s not what I’m thinking. I would not have been on that plane Tuesday if I was not planning to be here.”

The veteran coach revealed he has previously turned down “two great opportunities” to leave the UConn program.

“So I don’t know why in God’s name I’m defying him, I don’t know why,” Auriemma shared with the publication. “It’s a big risk. You come back again next year, and you’re not undefeated, you’re not one of the top two or three teams in the country and it’s, ‘Oh, the game’s passed him by, he’s old now.’ We listened to that for eight years, so I wonder if that narrative has left now.”

That eight-year period refers to the gap between UConn’s championship victories in 2016 and their recent 2025 title.

Auriemma began his tenure at UConn prior to the 1985-86 season when he was just 31 years old, inheriting a program that had achieved only a single winning season in its history.

Throughout his four decades with the Huskies, the program has reached 24 Final Four appearances, with hopes of adding another this season.

Auriemma’s coaching record stands at an impressive 1,284-165, representing a .886 winning percentage and the highest victory total in NCAA Division I basketball history for both men’s and women’s programs.

Following 19-year-old Kimi Antonelli’s dominant debut Formula One victory at the Chinese Grand Prix on Sunday, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff is working to keep expectations realistic for his young Italian driver who now finds himself in championship contention.

The Austrian team boss expressed concern about the mounting excitement surrounding Antonelli’s breakthrough performance in Shanghai on March 15th, particularly from Italian media outlets.

“You can kind of see the hype that is going to start now. Especially in Italy, I see already the headlines: ‘World Champion Grand Kimi’, and whatever, and that’s really not good because those mistakes are going to come,” Wolff explained to media members. “He’s just a kid, and it’s too early to even think about the championship.”

Antonelli’s youth and inexperience showed during the race’s final stages when he locked his front brakes and went off course, despite holding a comfortable lead. Wolff noted this error demonstrated his driver’s inability to resist pushing for faster lap times even when victory was virtually secured.

“I said to Bono (Antonelli’s race engineer), ‘come on, let’s tell him to calm down… we don’t want him to lose this race!’” Wolff recalled.

“We are going to have other moments this year where there will be mistakes, because he’s still just a very young man.”

The Mercedes chief made headlines when he selected Antonelli to fill the seat left vacant by seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who stunned the racing world by announcing his move to Ferrari for the 2025 season. Many observers expected Wolff to choose a more seasoned driver for the coveted position.

When questioned about potential friction between Antonelli and teammate George Russell as both pursue their first world championship, Wolff remained optimistic about team dynamics.

“At the moment (we have) a car that is capable of winning, both (drivers) have equal opportunity,” he stated.

Wolff indicated he doesn’t foresee a repeat of the intense competition that characterized the relationship between Hamilton and Nico Rosberg during their partnership from 2013 to 2016.

The team leader commended Russell for assuming Hamilton’s leadership role and suggested Antonelli has an excellent mentor in the British driver.

Discussing what impresses him most about Antonelli’s abilities, Wolff highlighted the teenager’s natural speed.

“You can never learn raw speed,” Wolff observed. “He has that, and there’s not many that have that.

“But to become a really big champion… it needs the maturity, the personality, needs the humility, the intelligence, the empathy around the team, there’s like 20 factors that matter to become a great world champion.

“But there’s one you can’t learn, and that’s the talent.”

Seven-time Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton believes his first victory with Ferrari is within reach after securing third place at the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai on Sunday, marking his initial podium appearance with the Italian racing team.

The 41-year-old racing legend crossed the finish line behind two Mercedes drivers in what he described as potentially his most satisfying race experience. This marked Hamilton’s return to the podium for the first time since his 2024 season with Mercedes.

“I definitely feel like I’m back to my best, both mentally and physically,” Hamilton stated. “I still think there’s room to improve.”

Since switching to Ferrari in January of last year, Hamilton had struggled through an entire season without reaching the podium – a first in his illustrious career. However, Sunday’s performance has renewed his optimism about future victories.

“I definitely feel that I could say that it’s more in sight than ever before,” Hamilton expressed regarding his prospects for a maiden win with Ferrari. “Last year it couldn’t have been further from view.”

“I really do believe in everyone back in Maranello and that it’s not an impossible feat to overcome. So yeah, forza Ferrari, we’ve just got to keep pushing.”

YOUNG STAR CLAIMS MAIDEN VICTORY

The race belonged to 19-year-old Italian driver Kimi Antonelli, who captured his first Formula One victory in the seat Hamilton previously occupied at Mercedes. George Russell finished second, creating a podium that represented Mercedes’ past, present, and future generations.

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff described the podium ceremony as among the most emotional moments of his career, with Hamilton’s former race engineer Peter Bonnington joining the celebration as Antonelli’s current engineer to collect the constructors’ trophy.

Hamilton offered congratulations to Antonelli and his former team, with whom he claimed six of his seven championship titles.

“I had so much fun and we had a great start. I wasn’t able to keep these guys behind, but to stay in the fight, it was one of the most enjoyable races I’ve had in a long time, if ever,” the British driver explained, referencing his intense battle with Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc.

This marked Mercedes’ second consecutive one-two finish, with Russell maintaining his championship lead by four points over Antonelli following their victory in Australia the previous weekend.

Hamilton, whose mother attended the race on British Mother’s Day, briefly held the lead at the start and credited lessons learned from his fourth-place finish in Melbourne.

“We learned a lot in the main race (in Melbourne), brought it into this race,” Hamilton told Sky Sports television.

“Still some improvements to be made but my race pace has been really good, particularly on the hard tyres in these first two races.”

“To fight back and get to third was a hell of a push but just a massive big thank you to Ferrari for my first podium for them. It’s a huge moment for me.”

Hamilton praised his wheel-to-wheel combat with Leclerc, during which their cars made brief contact, calling it the essence of motorsport. He expressed enthusiasm for the current generation of Formula One cars.

“The cars are easier to follow, much better than past years. You can get very close. There’s not a bad wake where you’re losing too much downforce. I think it’s the best racing that I’ve ever experienced in Formula One,” he noted.

“Hopefully it was an exciting race to watch for you guys because it was awesome in the car. It felt like go-karting, back and forth, back and forth, and you could really position your car in a nice way.”

SHANGHAI – Formula One champion Max Verstappen delivered scathing criticism of the sport’s current state following his disappointing exit from Sunday’s Chinese Grand Prix due to mechanical failure.

The four-time world champion’s Red Bull car suffered a power unit malfunction on lap 46, forcing him to slowly return to the garage and ending his race early. Verstappen finished among just 15 drivers who completed the event.

The Dutch driver has been vocal about his displeasure with F1’s current engine technology, which features enhanced electrical components and requires drivers to carefully manage energy usage throughout races.

“It’s not about being upset at where I am, because I’m actually fighting even more now,” Verstappen explained to media members. “I would say the same if I was winning races, because I care about the racing product.”

“For me, it’s a joke,” he stated bluntly, describing the current regulations as “fundamentally flawed.”

The 71-time race winner has faced unusual challenges this season, spending more time battling for minimal points rather than dominating races as he’s accustomed to doing. Following a qualifying crash at the previous weekend’s Australian Grand Prix, he started Sunday’s race from the back of the field in 20th position.

His struggles continued during Saturday’s sprint race in China, where he fell from eighth place to 14th before ultimately finishing ninth without earning championship points.

However, not everyone in the paddock shares Verstappen’s perspective on the sport’s direction. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff praised the competitive racing displayed between his drivers and Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.

The Ferrari drivers also spoke positively about their on-track battles in a race that ultimately saw Kimi Antonelli claim his first F1 victory for Mercedes.

“Sometimes we are nostalgic about the good old years, but I think the product is good in itself,” Wolff commented following the race. “The vast majority, through all demographics, like the sport at the moment.”

The Austrian team boss acknowledged Verstappen’s difficult situation, saying: “Max is really in a horror show. I’m sure for someone like Max, who is a full attack guy, it’s difficult to cope and digest.”

Verstappen expressed concerns that Formula One might be sacrificing racing integrity to attract new audiences by making passing maneuvers easier.

“I hope they don’t think like that, because it will eventually ruin the sport. It will come and bite them back in the ass,” he warned. “Maybe some fans like it, but they don’t understand racing.”

American skiing superstar Mikaela Shiffrin solidified her dominance on the World Cup circuit Sunday, claiming another slalom victory that pushed her overall season lead to 140 points.

The Olympic gold medalist’s triumph in Are, Sweden marked her eighth slalom win out of nine attempts this season, adding to what has already been a record-breaking campaign. Shiffrin has already secured the slalom crystal globe and notched her 109th World Cup victory across all skiing events, setting a new benchmark in the sport.

Germany’s Emma Aicher finished as the runner-up in Sunday’s competition, while Switzerland’s Wendy Holdener claimed the third spot on the podium.

Shiffrin demonstrated her technical prowess by leading Aicher by 0.51 seconds after the opening run, then maintained her advantage to win by a total margin of 0.94 seconds across both runs.

The current World Cup standings show Shiffrin with 1,286 points compared to Aicher’s 1,146, while Switzerland’s Camille Rast sits in third place with 989 points.

With four competitions still to come at next week’s World Cup finals in Norway, a maximum of 400 points remain available. Shiffrin is pursuing her sixth overall Crystal Globe title as she looks to cap off another dominant season on the slopes.

A dramatic baseline shot by Luka Doncic with just half a second remaining lifted the Los Angeles Lakers to a thrilling 127-125 overtime victory over the Denver Nuggets on Saturday evening at home.

Doncic recorded his eighth triple-double of the campaign with 30 points, 13 assists, and 11 rebounds. The victory marked the Lakers’ fifth consecutive win and secured their season series triumph over Denver.

Austin Reaves led all scorers with 32 points and delivered a crucial basket in the closing moments of regulation to force overtime. Marcus Smart contributed 21 points while LeBron James added 17 for Los Angeles. Smart’s fifth three-pointer of the evening put the Lakers ahead 125-123 with 31 seconds remaining in the extra period. Nikola Jokic answered with a tying basket with 15.1 seconds on the clock, setting the stage for Doncic’s decisive 17-foot fadeaway.

Jokic recorded 24 points, 16 rebounds, and 14 assists for his 27th triple-double this season and fifth in his past six contests. Christian Braun scored 12 points for Denver.

Spurs 115, Hornets 102

Victor Wembanyama dominated with 32 points, 12 rebounds, eight assists, and four blocked shots in his first game back from a calf injury, powering San Antonio past Charlotte in a matchup of two surging teams.

De’Aaron Fox contributed 17 points for the Spurs, while Stephon Castle recorded 15 points and 10 assists. Keldon Johnson tallied 13 points and Luke Kornet added 10 for San Antonio, which improved to 17-2 since February began.

Miles Bridges paced Charlotte with 22 points, followed by Kon Knueppel with 20, Coby White with 18 off the bench, and LaMelo Ball with 17. The defeat ended the Hornets’ two-game winning streak, though they remain 8-3 since February 22.

Magic 121, Heat 117

Paolo Banchero tallied 27 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists as Orlando captured its fifth straight victory over Miami.

Despite building a 22-point advantage, Orlando needed clutch free throws from Wendell Carter Jr. with 11 seconds left and two more from Banchero with 7.8 seconds remaining to seal the win. Desmond Bane scored 21 points for the Magic, who extended their winning streak to seven games. Carter finished with 15 points, Jalen Suggs had 14, and Jamal Cain contributed 12 as Orlando completed a perfect 5-0 season series sweep.

Miami’s seven-game winning streak came to an end despite strong performances from Bam Adebayo (20 points, seven rebounds, four steals, two blocks) and Jaime Jaquez Jr. (22 points, seven assists, three steals). Reserve Norman Powell scored 20 points, while Pelle Larsson added 13 of his 15 points in the final quarter.

Celtics 111, Wizards 100

Neemias Queta posted a game-high 24 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to help Boston snap a two-game skid with a victory over Washington.

Jayson Tatum provided 20 points, 14 rebounds, and seven assists for the Celtics, while Jaylen Brown scored 16 points. Derrick White and Luka Garza each added 15 points, with Garza coming off the bench. Boston dominated the boards 55-38 and collected 19 offensive rebounds.

The defeat extended Washington’s losing streak to 11 games, including nine consecutive road losses. Tristan Vukcevic connected on 6 of 7 three-point attempts to lead the Wizards with 22 points. Reserve Jamir Watkins scored 15 points, and Trae Young had 11 points with six assists.

Hawks 122, Bucks 99

CJ McCollum erupted for 30 points and connected on seven three-pointers as Atlanta stretched its winning streak to nine games with a dominant victory over Milwaukee.

Jalen Johnson recorded his 12th triple-double of the season with 23 points, 12 assists, and 10 rebounds as Atlanta achieved its longest winning streak since a 19-game run during the 2014-15 campaign.

Ryan Rollins scored 22 points with eight assists for Milwaukee, which suffered its eighth loss in nine games. Kevin Porter Jr. added 18 points, seven assists, and seven rebounds.

76ers 104, Nets 97

Quentin Grimes poured in 28 points to lead Philadelphia to a home victory over Brooklyn.

Adem Bona added nine points, 10 rebounds, and three blocks for Philadelphia, which continued playing without key players Tyrese Maxey (finger), Joel Embiid (oblique), and Paul George (suspension). VJ Edgecombe scored 16 points with seven assists for the Sixers, who had lost five of their previous seven contests. Justin Edwards chipped in 19 points.

Brooklyn dropped its 13th game in 15 tries despite erasing a 28-point second-half deficit. Danny Wolf led the Nets with 15 points and 10 rebounds, as Brooklyn also played without several key contributors, including leading scorer Michael Porter Jr. due to an ankle injury.

Kings 118, Clippers 109

DeMar DeRozan scored 27 points and Precious Achiuwa added 25 points with 13 rebounds as Sacramento earned a road victory over Los Angeles in Inglewood.

Maxime Raynaud contributed 23 points, while Russell Westbrook recorded 12 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists against his former team as the Kings won their third game in four tries, continuing to recover from a devastating 2-20 stretch. Sacramento was playing just their second road game in a 10-game span and improved to 3-3 during this stretch.

Kawhi Leonard scored 31 points for the Clippers, tying the franchise record with his 45th consecutive game of at least 20 points. Leonard briefly left the game in the first half with a cut above his left eye and exited for good with 9:27 remaining after rolling his left ankle.

Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar reached a historic milestone Saturday night, claiming the franchise record for most career points, though his achievement came during a thrilling 6-4 defeat to the New Jersey Devils in Newark.

Kopitar found the net twice to reach 1,308 career points, surpassing Marcel Dionne’s long-standing Kings record. The veteran center, who recently announced this 20th season with Los Angeles will be his last, has accumulated 450 goals and 858 assists across 1,505 NHL games.

Jack Hughes delivered the decisive blow for New Jersey, netting the go-ahead score late in the final period to cap off an exciting comeback victory. Nico Hischier led the Devils’ offensive charge with two goals in a four-point night, while Arseny Gritsyuk and Timo Meier each contributed a goal and assist. Cody Glass rounded out the scoring for New Jersey, which ended a two-game losing streak behind Jake Allen’s 27-save performance.

Despite the loss, Los Angeles received strong contributions from Artemi Panarin, who recorded three points including one goal, and Taylor Ward, who also scored. Brandt Clarke distributed three assists for the Kings, who remain in contention for the Western Conference’s final wild-card position. Anton Forsberg made 22 stops in the losing effort.

Elsewhere around the NHL, Winnipeg moved closer to playoff contention with a 3-1 victory over league-leading Colorado. Connor Hellebuyck was stellar between the pipes with 28 saves, while Kyle Connor provided a goal and assist. Alex Iafallo and Cole Perfetti also scored for the Jets, who now sit five points behind the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

Dallas extended their franchise-record point streak to 15 games (14-0-1) with a 3-2 overtime victory over Detroit. Thomas Harley scored the winner 2:06 into the extra period, while Wyatt Johnston contributed a goal and assist for the Stars.

Vegas claimed first place in the Pacific Division by blanking Chicago 4-0 at home. Pavel Dorofeyev scored twice and added an assist, marking his second consecutive three-point performance. Adin Hill earned his first shutout of the season with 21 saves as the Golden Knights leapfrogged Anaheim atop the division standings.

Boston ended a seven-game road winless streak with a shootout victory over Washington, decided in the ninth round by Fraser Minten’s lone goal. Charlie McAvoy scored twice for the Bruins to extend his point streak to six games.

Pittsburgh rallied from an early two-goal deficit to defeat Utah 4-3, with Noel Acciari providing the game-winner with less than 12 minutes remaining. San Jose continued their recent success with a 4-2 victory over Montreal, led by Macklin Celebrini’s two goals and assist.

Buffalo defeated Toronto 3-2 in a shootout, with Alex Tuch scoring the decisive goal. The Sabres have now won nine of their last 10 games. Carolina maintained their Eastern Conference lead with a 4-2 victory over Tampa Bay, highlighted by Jordan Martinook’s third-period winner.

Ottawa shut out Anaheim 2-0 behind Linus Ullmark’s 23-save performance, while New York Rangers held off Minnesota 4-2 despite Igor Shesterkin facing a career-high 46 shots. The Islanders secured a crucial 3-2 victory over Calgary to maintain their playoff positioning, and Columbus extended their point streak to nine games with a shootout win over Philadelphia.

Seattle snapped a four-game losing streak with a 5-2 victory over Vancouver, as new acquisition Bobby McMann scored twice in his debut with the Kraken.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — In Saturday night’s ACC Tournament championship game, Duke freshman Cameron Boozer repeatedly drove toward the basket with a conference title hanging in the balance. However, the star player encountered an unfamiliar challenge each time he attacked.

Virginia’s Ugonna Onyenso consistently rejected his attempts at the rim.

“Well,” Boozer acknowledged, “I definitely got frustrated.”

The matchup between the 6-foot-10, 250-pound Boozer and the 7-foot, 245-pound Onyenso became a central storyline as top-ranked Duke defeated No. 10 Virginia 74-70 to claim the ACC Tournament crown. Onyenso proved instrumental in limiting the highly-regarded NBA prospect to his most difficult shooting night of the campaign.

Coming into Saturday’s contest, Boozer ranked eighth in the nation with 22.8 points per game while converting 57.9% of his field goal attempts. He managed just 13 points on 3-of-17 shooting — both season lows — as Onyenso rejected four of his shots, including three in the second half.

Despite the offensive struggles, Boozer collected eight rebounds and eight assists to earn tournament MVP recognition, though he battled throughout the evening while trying to establish the interior presence that has powered Duke’s dominance since January.

Onyenso recorded nine blocks, seven coming after halftime, surpassing former Wake Forest standout and NBA legend Tim Duncan’s single-tournament blocked shots record.

“First of all I’ve got give props to him,” Boozer said. “He’s a great defender, great shot blocker. I think there’s a lot I can learn from this game, but I just want to keep attacking, keep attacking, figure it out, find other ways to win. Obviously, my shot wasn’t falling. I wasn’t getting in a rhythm. But just had to find a way.”

Boozer’s 17.6% shooting performance marked his worst efficiency of the season, falling below his previous low of 25% (3-for-12) against Texas in the same venue during the season opener. The three made field goals represented only his third such limited output all year.

Virginia has now held Boozer to 6-of-26 shooting (23.1%) across their two meetings, including a contest at Duke’s Cameron Indoor Stadium two weeks earlier.

Nevertheless, the Blue Devils (32-2) emerged victorious in both encounters and now enter March Madness positioned for a No. 1 seed.

“One thing with me is I’m really good with my timing, so when we played them at Duke, I was a little bit off,” Onyenso said. “So coming into today’s game, I was like, okay, this is what I’ve got to do, steel my feet, don’t jump. That really helped me with my timing.

“Cam, he does a lot of shot faking. That’s his thing. So being able to stay on my feet when he shot faked really helped me with my timing.”

Boozer typically challenges opposing big men with his ability to stretch beyond the three-point line and serve as a facilitator, sometimes functioning like a point guard in Duke’s offensive schemes. This versatility allows him to create movement with his dribbling before using his strength to score through contact with post moves and spins in the paint.

When he doesn’t convert, he frequently draws fouls and gets to the free-throw line.

However, Onyenso consistently neutralized these options in ways no other opponent has managed this season, including No. 3 Michigan’s talented frontcourt in a high-profile non-conference matchup last month. He also stayed out of foul trouble, picking up just one personal foul with 6:33 remaining in the second half, despite Boozer’s aggressive attacks and physical play.

“Look, we’re going to continue to go to him regardless of how he’s playing,” coach Jon Scheyer said while standing on the court surrounded by confetti as players began cutting down the nets. “He didn’t have his best stuff. But in fairness to him, we rely on him so heavily. We played three games in a row. They’re loaded up, they have a great frontcourt.”

Appropriately, Boozer delivered the crucial play that helped Duke secure the victory, coming as he challenged Onyenso again in the final 30 seconds while the Blue Devils protected a two-point advantage. Onyenso blocked the attempt — his 21st rejection across the three Charlotte games — but Boozer grabbed the offensive rebound.

Rather than forcing another shot, Boozer passed the ball out to run clock. Isaiah Evans subsequently made two free throws to extend the lead to 72-68, and Boozer sealed the championship with two foul shots with 3.9 seconds left, giving Scheyer his third ACC Tournament title in four seasons as head coach.

“Give them credit, because they protect the rim probably better than anybody we’ve played,” Scheyer said. “You just believe he’s going to come through, and he did.”

In a major upset at the World Baseball Classic quarterfinals on Saturday, Venezuela knocked out defending champion Japan with an 8-5 victory, while Italy secured their spot in the final four by defeating Puerto Rico 8-6.

The action started early in Miami when Venezuela’s Ronald Acuna Jr. connected for a solo homer against Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the opening frame, but Japan’s superstar Shohei Ohtani responded right back with his own solo blast off Ranger Suarez.

Japan appeared to take control in the third inning when Shota Morishita delivered a three-run blast, putting the defending champions ahead 5-2. However, Venezuela battled back as Maikel Garcia crushed a two-run homer in the fifth inning, cutting the deficit to just one run.

The game’s turning point came in the sixth inning with Ezequiel Tovar and Gleyber Torres on the basepaths. Wilyer Abreu stepped up and launched a massive 409-foot three-run homer that sent the crowd into a frenzy and gave Venezuela a 7-5 advantage.

Venezuela added insurance in the eighth inning when Ezequiel Torres crossed home plate for another run. From there, Venezuela’s relief pitchers dominated, retiring 13 consecutive Japanese batters during one stretch before Angel Zerpa finished off the upset by striking out Ohtani.

“Its very hard to describe what went through my mind when I hit that home run,” Abreu told reporters afterward. “It was definitely one of the best moments in my career.”

The victory marks Venezuela’s first semifinal appearance since 2009 and also guarantees them a spot in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Meanwhile, Japan, winners of three previous World Baseball Classic titles, suffered their first-ever failure to reach the tournament’s final four.

In Houston at Daikin Park, underdog Italy continued their remarkable run by outlasting Puerto Rico without relying on the home run ball. The Italians, who entered the tournament having already upset both the United States and Mexico to finish pool play undefeated at 4-0, quickly erased an early 1-0 deficit.

Italy knocked Puerto Rican ace Seth Lugo out of the game in the first inning and never trailed again, building a 4-1 advantage. JJ D’Orazio contributed three RBIs while Andrew Fischer added two more. A decisive four-run fourth inning extended Italy’s lead to 8-2 and essentially put the game away, with all nine Italian starters managing to reach base safely.

Puerto Rico made things interesting late in the contest, highlighted by Christian Vazquez’s two-run hit in the eighth that brought them within 8-6. However, reliever Greg Weissert closed out the victory by getting five of the final six batters he faced, earning his third save of the tournament.

“This team has been building character in the last couple of days,” said Italy manager Francisco Cervelli, a former MLB catcher born in Venezuela. “We have the same mission, which is to continue until the last day of the tournament.”

Venezuela and Italy will face off in Monday’s semifinal in Miami, while the United States takes on the Dominican Republic in Sunday’s other semifinal matchup.