Mountour has fastest goal in NHL overtime history at 4 seconds to lift Kraken past Canadiens, 5-4

Brandon Mountour had the fastest goal in NHL overtime history, scoring his second goal of the game four seconds into overtime to give the Seattle Kraken a 5-4 comeback victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday night. Chandler Stephenson won the faceoff, with the puck going to Montour. He streaked in on goalie Jakub Dobes and beat him with a shot to the upper-right corner. The goal matches the fastest to start any period in NHL history. Seattle overcame two-goal deficit to tie it in the third period. Jani Nyman, making his NHL debut, scored on a power play with 9:07 left, and Matty Beniers tipped in a hard shot by Vince Dunn on a power play with 2:12 left to tie it at 4.

Sheffrey's 24 points sends San Diego St. women past Wyoming in triple OT for MWC title

Veronica Sheffey scored 24 points and Cali Clark recorded a double-double and fourth-seeded San Diego State clinched the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament beating No. 2 seed Wyoming 72-68 in triple overtime of the Mountain West Conference Tournament on Wednesday night. It was the first-ever triple overtime championship game in MWC history. Malene Pedersen scored 19 points for Wyoming. Villalobos' layup to start the third overtime broke a 64-all tie and the Aztecs led for the remainder. Wyoming never led in three sessions of overtime.

Bridges nails 3-pointer at buzzer to give Knicks a 114-113 OT win over the Trail Blazers

but Portland lost its fifth in a row. Avdija also had 15 rebounds.

Jets make it official and release quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who's now a first-time free agent

Aaron Rodgers is officially no longer a member of the New York Jets. As expected, the team released the four-time MVP with a post-June 1 designation. The 41-year-old quarterback can join another team as an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career if he stills intends to play a 21st NFL season. The Jets absorbed a $49 million dead money charge by cutting Rodgers, but are able to spread that over two years instead of one. On Monday, New York agreed to terms with former Steelers and Bears quarterback Justin Fields on a two-year deal.

Dylan Guenther breaks a tie on 3rd-period power play in Utah's 3-2 victory over the Ducks

Dylan Guenther broke a tie on a power play at 7:03 of the third period and the Utah Hockey Club beat the Anaheim Ducks 3-2 on Wednesday night. Guenther beat goalie Ville Husso with a one-timer from the left side off a feed from defenseman Mikhail Sergachev. Guenther has a career-high 24 goals this season. Jack McBain and Alexander Kerfoot also scored to help Utah move within two points of the second wild card in the Western Conference. Karel Vejmelka made 19 saves. Alex Killorn and Mason McTavish scored for Anaheim, and Husso stopped 36 shots.

International cricketer Stuart MacGill found guilty of supplying cocaine in Australia

Ex-International cricketer Stuart MacGill has been found guilty of taking part in the supply of cocaine in Sydney. The 54-year-old MacGill, a legspin bowler who played 44 test matches for Australia and took 208 wickets, faced trial on a charge of participating in the supply of a prohibited drug. The charge related to an April 2021 introduction he made between a cocaine dealer and another person. A jury in the New South Wales District Court on Thursday heard that while MacGill's involvement was limited to the introduction, the dealer also took part in two other alleged supplies. MacGill pleaded not guilty. He is expected to return to court in May to be sentenced.

Anthony Edwards scores 29 points and Julius Randle adds 25 as Timberwolves rout Nuggets 115-95

Anthony Edwards scored 29 points, Julius Randle added 25 and the Minnesota Timberwolves extended their winning streak to six games by routing the Denver Nuggets 115-95. Rudy Gobert finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Timberwolves as they improved to 3-0 against the Nuggets this season. The last game between these Northwest Division foes is April 1. Nikola Jokic led the Nuggets with 34 points and eight rebounds. He and the rest of Denver's starters were taken out with 5:05 remaining. Jamal Murray was 0 for 7 with one point in the first half. He finished 4 of 15 for 12 points.

Oscar Piastri confident he can be the first Aussie to win the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix

Oscar Piastri is quietly confident he can become the first Aussie driver to win the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix. He's aiming for it this weekend. The McLaren driver says "we'll be good from the start of this year." The 23-year-old Piastri grew up living just a short drive from Melbourne's Albert Park circuit and knows the layout well. He made headlines this week with news that he'd signed a new multi-year deal extension to keep him at McLaren beyond 2026. And the good fortune is expected to continue on-track for McLaren, with the team determined to start in Melbourne as it finished the 2024 season in Abu Dhabi – with the victory silverware.

Pettersson forces late tie and adds shootout goal in Canucks' 4-3 victory over Flames

in the third round. Nazem Kadri also scored, and Dustin Wolf made 28 saves.

Bubble watch: Surging Colorado State snags Mountain West automatic bid. Who might that knock out?

or perhaps even three.

Jeremiah Fears scores 29 points, Oklahoma beats Georgia 81-75 in the SEC Tournament first round

Jeremiah Fears scored 29 points to lead No. 14 seed Oklahoma to an 81-75 victory over 11th-seeded Georgia  in a first-round game of the SEC Tournament. Jalon Moore hit a 3-pointer during a 10-0 run  that gave the Sooners a 74-64 lead with 2:55 remaining. The Bulldogs pulled within four points twice inside the final 19 seconds but didn't get closer. Oklahoma (20-12) will move on to play sixth-seeded Kentucky (21-10) in the second round. Silas Demary Jr. scored 24 points to lead Georgia (20-12), which snapped a four-game win streak.

SMU's balanced attack sends Mustangs to ACC quarters after beating Syracuse 73-53

Chuck Harris and Matt Cross scored 12 points apiece and sixth-seeded SMU beat No. 14 seed Syracuse 73-53 in the second round of the ACC Tournament. SMU advances to play third-seeded Clemson in a quarterfinal matchup on Thursday. SMU started the second half with a 7-0-run and recorded its first double-digit lead of the game to make it 38-28 when Harris hit a jumper with 16:20 left. The Mustangs maintained safe distance and extended the lead to 53-38 on B.J. Edwards' layup with 6:07 remaining.

Sixth-seeded Kansas holds off No. 14 UCF 98-94 in overtime to reach Big 12 Tournament quarterfinals

Hunter Dickinson had 23 points and 13 rebounds, Zeke Mayo poured in 24 points, and sixth-seeded Kansas rallied to force overtime before holding off No. 14 seed UCF 98-94 on Wednesday night in the second round of the Big 12 Tournament. AJ Storr scored a season-high 19 points before fouling out in the closing seconds of OT, and KJ Adams had 15 points and seven boards for the Jayhawks. They narrowly avoided dropping their conference tourney opener for a second straight year and will now face third-seeded Arizona on Thursday night. Keyshawn Hall led UCF with 25 points while Darius Johnson had 22 before fouling out with a minute to go in regulation.

Fight-filled 3rd leads to 134 penalty minutes in Red Wings' 7-3 win over Sabres

Buffalo's Alex Tuch and Detroit captain Michael Rasmussen were the first to drop the gloves in the fight-filled third period of the Red Wings' 7-3 victory. They weren't even among the 11 players assessed 10-minute misconduct penalties in the final frame. Six were from Buffalo, the other five from Detroit. The final tally from the third was 136 of the game's 150 penalty minutes. All but two of those either roughing, fighting or misconducts.

The Thunder swept Boston in the season series. Their next meeting would be in the NBA Finals

The Oklahoma City Thunder clinched a spot in the playoffs, and they did it against the team they could be facing when the NBA postseason reaches its peak. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 34 and Chet Holmgren added 23 points and 15 rebounds to lead the Thunder to a 118-112 victory over Boston on Wednesday night in a much-anticipated potential NBA Finals matchup. The Thunder also beat the Celtics in Oklahoma City on Jan. 5 in a game that Holmgren missed with an injury. If they meet again this season, it would have to be in the NBA Finals.

Desmond Claude scores 28, shines in OT, and USC tops Rutgers 97-89 in 2OT at Big Ten Tournament

Desmond Claude scored 28 points, including 10 in the overtime periods, and USC defeated Rutgers 97-89 in double overtime to advance to the second round of the Big Ten Tournament. USC, the No. 14 seed, plays sixth-seeded Purdue in the second round on Thursday. Four points from Claude plus 3-pointers by Rashaun Agee and Wesley Yates III helped the Trojans build a 91-83 lead with 1:25 left in the second extra period. Yates added a layup and four free throws down the stretch to overcome two 3-pointers by the Scarlet Knights' Tyson Acuff. Agee had 23 points, 11 rebounds and five assists for the Trojans and Yates finished with 24 points. Dylan Harper had 27 points, eight rebounds and eight assists for Rutgers.

Georgetown coach Ed Cooley says 'shame on' Big East coaches for snubbing Sorber in award vote

Georgetown coach Ed Cooley had an ice-cold message for his Big East counterparts: shame on you. After the Hoyas were eliminated by DePaul in the first round of the conference tournament, Cooley took off on a tangent and called out his brethren who were responsible for awarding UConn forward Liam McNeeley the league's Freshman of the Year trophy over Georgetown big man Thomas Sorber. Cooley said he was "really disappointed that the right thing wasn't done" and "shame on the coaches because that kid more than earned it."

Kennard and Morant convert late 3-pointers to lead Grizzlies past Jazz 122-115

Luke Kennard scored 30 points and Ja Morant had 28, helping the Memphis Grizzlies top the Utah Jazz 122-115. Kennard went 7 for 9 from 3-point range, and Morant was 4 for 7 from deep. Desmond Bane added 17 points as Memphis posted its fourth straight win. Utah lost its seventh consecutive game. Collin Sexton had 22 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, and John Collins also scored 22 points. Sexton scored to give the Jazz a 115-114 lead with 1:16 left, but Kennard responded with a 3 for the Grizzlies. Morant then hit another 3 to make it 120-115 with 12 seconds remaining.

Patrick Kane's 5-point night leads the Red Wings over the Sabres 7-3

Patrick Kane had two goals and three assists and the Detroit Red Wings snapped a six-game losing streak with a 7-3 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday night. Marco Kasper scored twice, and Moritz Seider, Vladimir Tarasenko and Alex DeBrincat also scored for Detroit. Petr Mrazek made 23 saves in his first start back with the Red Wings after being acquired from Chicago on Friday. Josh Norris scored his first goal since being traded to the Sabres on Friday. Zach Benson and Tage Thompson also scored. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 22 shots.

Fox has 32 points, 11 assists, 9 rebounds in Spurs' win over injury-depleted Mavs

De'Aaron Fox had 32 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds and the San Antonio Spurs snapped a three-game skid, beating the injury-depleted Dallas Mavericks 126-116 on Wednesday night. Dallas (33-34) remained 10th in the Western Conference, holding the final spot for the play-in tournament by 2 1/2 games over Phoenix. Fox was 12 for 25 from the field in his highest-scoring game  since joining San Antonio in a trade with Sacramento on Feb. 5. Keldon Johnson and Jeremy Sochan each had 18 points off the bench for San Antonio. Devin Vassell added 16. Brandon Williams returned from a one-game absence to lead Dallas with 19 points.

Trae Young makes all 21 free throws and scores 35 points in Hawks' 123-110 win over Hornets

Trae Young made all of his 21 free throws and scored 35 points to lead the Atlanta Hawks to their fourth straight victory, 123-110 over the Charlotte Hornets. Young became the sixth player in NBA history to make 21 or more free throws without a miss, and he added 12 assists on a poor shooting night from the field. He was 7 of 20 and missed all five of his 3-point attempts. Miles Bridges had 31 points and 11 rebounds, and LaMelo Ball added 25 points and nine assists for the Hornets, who are second-to-last in the East.

Green leads Rockets past Suns in game marred by fight between Adams, Plumlee

alen Green had 29 points to lead the Houston Rockets to a 111-104 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night in a game where Houston's Steven Adams and Phoenix's Mason Plumlee were ejected for fighting. Alperen Sengun scored 20 points and Dillon Brooks added 19 to help the Rockets extend their winning streak to four. Adams and Plumlee were ejected before halftime after getting into a fight where Adams wrestled Plumlee to the court. Bradley Beal had 25 points and Booker and Kevin Durant added 19 each for Phoenix. The Suns lost for the third time in four games.

Bogdanovic scores 30, Zubac adds 26 and Clippers roll past Heat 119-104

playoff spot in the Western Conference. Tyler Herro scored 31 points for the Heat, who fell 2 1/2 games behind Atlanta in the race for the No. 7 spot and most advantageous play-in position in the Eastern Conference.

Oliver Miller, center who helped Arkansas reach Final Four and played 9 NBA seasons, dies at 54

Oliver Miller, a beefy center who helped Arkansas advance to the Final Four before playing nine seasons in the NBA, has died. He was 54. Several of Miller's former teams announced his death on Wednesday, as did the National Basketball Retired Players Association. A cause of death was not disclosed. Miller was known as the "The Big O" for his 6-foot-9, 280-pound frame that ballooned to well over 300 pounds during his NBA career. He was a standout at Arkansas from 1988 to 1992 and helped the Razorbacks reach the Final Four in 1990 under Hall of Fame coach Nolan Richardson.

The 49ers agree to a 2-year contract with QB Mac Jones, AP source says

Quarterback Mac Jones will finally join the San Francisco 49ers four years after the team nearly drafted him third overall. Jones agreed to a two-year deal worth $7 million with $5 million guaranteed to join the Niners, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press on Wednesday night. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal hadn't been announced, saying it had a maximum value of $11.5 million.

Maja Nylen Persson scores a power-play goal in OT to help New York end a 9-game losing streak

Maja Nylen Persson scored a power-play goal in overtime to help the New York Sirens end a nine-game losing streak with a 3-2 victory over the Montreal Victoire. It was the first win for New York (4-4-4-10) since a 3-0 victory over Ottawa on Jan. 27. Montreal (10-6-2-5) was coming off a 3-2 overtime win over Boston on Saturday to improve to 6-1 in games that go beyond regulation this season. The game had a lengthy delay with 14:50 left in the third period before New York rookie Sarah Fillier was assessed a five-minute major for a cross check to the head of Erin Ambrose. Montreal took advantage as Kati Tabin scored with 2:37 remaining in the penalty for the team's 11th power-play goal of the year.

Thybulle sits even though he's available to make season debut for Blazers after missing 66 games

Matisse Thybulle was available to make his season debut for the Portland Trail Blazers against the New York Knicks on Wednesday after missing the first 66 games because of knee and ankle injuries but sat out the entire game. A two-time, second-team All-Defense pick, Thybulle had a procedure in October to address inflammation in his right knee and was expected to miss three to four weeks. The timeline changed when he sprained his right ankle in November. Thybulle averaged 4.8 points in his first five seasons with Philadelphia and Portland. He was second-team All-Defense with the 76ers in 2021 and 2022.

West-best Thunder come to home of NBA champs and beat Celtics to clinch playoff berth

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 34 and Chet Holmgren had 23 points and 15 rebounds to help the Oklahoma City Thunder clinch a playoff berth witha 118-112 victory over the Boston Celtics. The Western Conference-leading Thunder withstood a barrage of Boston 3-pointers to sweep the defending NBA champions in the two-game season series and win for the 17th time in their last 18 games. The victory clinched a playoff berth for the Thunder. Jayson Tatum scored 33 for Boston, which had won five straight and 15 of its last 18 games.

Lawson, Rhoden and Robinson help Raptors beat 76ers 118-105 for 5th win in 6 games

AJ Lawson scored 28 points, Jared Rhoden set career highs with 25 points and 12 rebounds and the Toronto Raptors beat the Philadelphia 76ers 118-105 on Wednesday night in a matchup of short-handed teams. Orlando Robinson scored a career-high 25 points and matched his career high with 12 rebounds to help the Raptors win for the fifth time in six games. Quentin Grimes scored 29 points and Jeff Dowtin Jr. had a career-high 20 against his former team, but the 76ers lost for the fifth time in seven games following a nine-game losing streak.

American University rides 25 points from Matt Rogers to Patriot League championship, 74-52 over Navy

Matt Rogers scored 25 points and second-seeded American University defeated Navy 74-52 to claim the Patriot League Tournament championship. American has made three previous trips to the NCAA Tournament, the last in 2014. Geoff Sprouse, Rogers and Colin Smalls all made 3-pointers as the Eagles pushed their lead from 11 points to 56-38 with 12 minutes left in the second half. The lead reach 20 on a tip-in by Rogers with about four minutes left and his 3-pointer with two minutes remaining made it 72-48. Smalls finished with 11 points. Sprouse made 3 of 4 3-pointers and scored nine points off the bench. He had three assists. Austin Benigni had 18 points and Donovan Draper had 11 points and 12 rebounds for Navy.

Hubbard scores 26 points, Mississippi State cruises past LSU 91-62 in the SEC Tournament first round

Josh Hubbard made six 3-pointers and scored 26 points, and No. 10 seed Mississippi State cruised to a 91-62 victory over 15th-seeded LSU in the first round of the SEC Tournament. Mississippi State (21-11) will move on to face seventh-seeded Missouri (21-10) in the second round. LSU had 22 made field goals (39%) and 15 turnovers to end the season on a six-game skid. Jordan Sears made three 3-pointers and scored 20 points to lead LSU (14-18).

Raynaud, Blakes double up to help send Stanford past Cal 78-73 in 2nd round of ACC Tourney

Maxime Raynaud scored 23 points and Jaylen Blakes scored 21 points and seventh-seed Stanford beat No. 15 seed Cal 78-73 in the second round of the ACC Tournament. Stanford (20-12) advances to face second-seeded Louisville. Playing for a chance to reach overtime for the third-straight game and trailing 76-73, Cal's Mady Sissoko was called for a blocking foul attempting to set a screen for Andrej Stojakovic with 6.9 seconds remaining. Cal then intentionally fouled Raynaud who made two free throws with five seconds left to seal the win. Stojakovic scored a career-high 37 as he made his first seven shots.

Blasigh, Brito power South Florida women past Rice 69-62 for AAC Tournament championship

Vittoria Blasigh scored 20 points, Carla Brito added 17 and No. 3-seed South Florida defeated Rice 69-62 to win the American Athletic Conference championship. The Bulls will return to the NCAA Tournament after a one-year absence. South Florida led 47-32 halfway through the third quarter before Malia Fisher scored six points in a 10-4 run that got Rice within 51-42 heading to the fourth quarter. Ninth-seeded Rice opened the fourth with another four points and held USF scoreless for nearly four minutes. At that point, Mama Dembele scored twice in the paint to put the Bulls back up by nine. Fisher scored in the paint to get Rice within 62-57 with 40 seconds left, then the Bulls closed out the win by making 7 of 8 free throws.

Woman who accused Chiefs WR Xavier Worthy of attacking her granted protective order by Texas judge

The woman who accused Xavier Worthy of attacking her, resulting in a case in which the district attorney has so far declined to pursue charges, has been granted a protective order by a Texas judge against the Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver. Attorneys for Tia Jones confirmed the order in a statement to The Associated Press on Wednesday night. Worthy was arrested last Friday and held in a county jail on a charge of assault on a family or household member in which their breath was impeded, or choking in common terms. He was released the following day, when Williamson County District Attorney Shawn Dick said that his office has spoken with witnesses and was not accepting the case at that time.

Hill scores 18 as UNLV knocks off Air Force 68-59 in Mountain West Conference Tournament

Led by Jalen Hill's 18 points, the UNLV Rebels defeated the Air Force Falcons 68-59 in the Mountain West Conference Tournament on Wednesday.

Deivon Smith questionable with shoulder injury for No. 6 St. John's

Point guard Deivon Smith's status is uncertain for No. 6 St. John's heading into the postseason. Smith has been in and out of the lineup since January because of a nagging shoulder injury. He sat out the regular-season finale last Saturday at Marquette. The 6-foot senior practiced Tuesday and a little bit Wednesday, according to coach Rick Pitino. But he wasn't sure if Smith will play Thursday for the top-seeded Red Storm in their Big East Tournament quarterfinal against No. 9 seed Butler. Smith has missed five games since exiting a Jan. 11 victory over Villanova with a bruised right shoulder. He's played in 25 games this season, starting 17, and averaged 9.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists.

Houston's Adams and Phoenix's Plumlee ejected after fight where Adams wrestles Plumlee to court

Houston's Steven Adams and Phoenix's Mason Plumlee were ejected Wednesday night after getting into a fight where Adams wrestled Plumlee to the court in the second quarter. The two big men got tangled up fighting for a rebound with about three minutes left in the first half. The players remained intertwined as they walked away from the basket and Adams, who was facing Plumlee, then lifted him off the floor and wrestled him to the court.

VJ Edgecombe leads No. 7 seed Baylor to 70-56 victory over No. 10 seed K-State in Big 12 Tournament

VJ Edgecombe had 19 points and 10 rebounds, Norchad Omier had 12 points and 14 boards, and seventh-seeded Baylor rolled to a 70-56 victory over No. 10 seed Kansas State in the second round of the Big 12 Tournament on Wednesday night. Jayden Dunn also scored 18 points for the Bears, who will play ninth-ranked and No. 2 seed Texas Tech in the quarterfinals Thursday night. David N'Guessan had 20 points and Dug McDaniel finished with 14 for the Wildcats. They edged Arizona State in the first round but were unable to keep the momentum going against a team that rallied from 12 down to beat them in January.

Benson scores 18 off the bench, DePaul knocks off Georgetown 71-67 in Big East Tournament

NJ Benson scored 18 points off of the bench to lead the DePaul Blue Demons over the Georgetown Hoyas 71-67 in the Big East Conference Tournament on Wednesday.

At 22, Ben Shelton is youngest American man since 2004 to reach quarterfinals at Indian Wells

Ben Shelton has become the youngest American man since Andy Roddick in 2004 to reach the quarterfinals at the BNP Paribas Open. He topped Brandon Nakashima in straight sets on Wednesday. The 22-year-old Shelton beat his fellow American 7-6 (6), 6-1. Second-seeded Carlos Alcaraz hasn't dropped a set on his way to the quarterfinals. The four-time Grand Slam champion breezed to a 6-1, 6-1 victory over No. 14 seed Grigor Dimitrov. On the women's side, No. 3 seed Coco Gauff was upset in the round of 16 by unseeded Belinda Bencic and Australian Open champion Madison Keys extended her winning streak to 15 matches, beating Donna Vekic.

Myers scores 22 as Norfolk State defeats Maryland-Eastern Shore 77-70 in MEAC Tournament

Led by Jalen Myers' 22 points, the Norfolk State Spartans defeated the Maryland-Eastern Shore Hawks 77-70 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament on Wednesday.

Liberty wins 81-60 against UTEP in a Conference USA Tournament quarterfinal

Zach Cleveland had 19 points and six assists to lead top-seeded Liberty beat No. 8 seed UTEP 81-60 in a Conference USA Tournament quarterfinal. Liberty (26-6) will play the Kennesaw State-New Mexico winner in a semifinal. Devon Barnes led the Miners (18-15) with 18 points and three steals.

Washington Wizards assistant Caporn hired as Australia's men's basketball coach

Washington Wizards assistant Adam Caporn has been hired as head coach of the Australian men's basketball team after serving as an assistant with the Boomers in recent years to Brian Goorjian. Basketball Australia says Caporn will continue his coaching duties with the NBA's Wizards. It said Dean Vickerman of the National Basketball League's Melbourne United has been appointed to a new role as Boomers associate head coach, taking over if there's a clash with Caporn's NBA schedule. The 42-year-old Western Australia-born Caporn was head coach of Basketball Australia's center of excellence at the Australian Institute of Sport from 2014-21.

Harding hits late 3 to help Iowa pull away and beat Ohio State 77-70 in a Big Ten Tournament opener

Brock Harding scored 15 points that included a clutch 3-pointer to help 15th-seeded Iowa pull away from No. 10 seed Ohio State for a 77-70 victory in a Big Ten Tournament opener. Ohio State cut its deficit to 72-70 with 45 seconds left. Harding answered with a 3-pointer, Bruce Thornton missed a 3 on the other end and Payton Sandfort added two free throws to seal it for the Hawkeyes, (17-15) which moves on to face fifth-seeded Wisconsin (23-8) in the second round. Thornton scored 24 points and had nine assists to lead Ohio State (17-15).

Providence coach sums up 'pitiful, embarrassing season' after quick Big East Tournament exit

including 6-15 against Big East opponents.

Former Super Bowl MVPs Aaron Rodgers and Cooper Kupp hit the open market

The NFL league year kicked off with two former Super Bowl MVPs hitting the open market. The Los Angeles Rams cut receiver Cooper Kupp just days after signing Davante Adams to be his replacement and the New York Jets released quarterback Aaron Rodgers following a failed two-year stint. A handful of teams could still be in search of a starting quarterback, including the New York Giants, Pittsburgh and possibly Minnesota

Copeland leads with 18 points and McNeese goes back-to-back in Southland with 63-54 win over Lamar

Quadir Copeland scored 18 points and McNeese defeated Lamar 63-54 in a cold-shooting, defensive battle, giving the Cowboys back-to-back Southland Conference Tournament championships. The top-seeded Cowboys (27-6) will be making their fourth appearance in the NCAA Tournament. McNeese led 33-30 at halftime and the defensive battle continued in the second half as McNeese went 5 for 15 and Lamar 5 for 23 in the first 12 1/2 minutes. McNeese led 47-41 at the under-8 timeout. Sincere Parker made four free throws to help the Cowboys maintain their lead over the next several minutes and they finally got their next made field goal on a dunk by Christian Shumate to lead 53-46 with three minutes remaining.  McNeese finished off the win with a series of 10 made free throws.

Double-kick penalty by Álvarez leads to another heartbreaking loss for Atletico against Real Madrid

A slip, a double touch, a missed penalty. Just like that, Atletico Madrid endured yet another heartbreaking loss to rival Real Madrid in the Champions League. Julián Álvarez slipped and double-touched the ball while taking his penalty kick in the shootout against Madrid on Wednesday, prompting the goal to be erased after video review confirmed the infraction. It would have tied the shootout 2-2. But Madrid eventually moved ahead 3-1 and won by a final score of 4-2 to advance to the quarterfinals and keep alive its hopes of winning another Champions League title.

Bears coach Johnson and GM Poles are excited about moves to upgrade offensive and defensive lines

Chicago Bears coach Ben Johnson and general manager Ryan Poles sought to overhaul their team on both sides of the line of scrimmage in free agency and the NFL draft. They feel like they've accomplished it already in a matter of a week, after they traded for guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson and signed center Drew Dalman, defensive tackle Grady Jarrett and defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo. Johnson wants an offense as effective as the one he led as a coordinator in Detroit, and he's excited about the way the new guards will fit into his scheme.

Dykstra's putback at buzzer gives Montana State women a victory over Montana to claim Big Sky title

Marah Dykstra put back her own miss just before the final buzzer to give top-seeded Montana State a 58-57 victory over No. 6 seed Montana on Wednesday to claim the Big Sky Tournament championship. Montana State (30-3) won its second conference tournament title in four years and the fourth in program history. Montana (14-18) was in the title game for the first time since 2015. Dykstra came off a high screen for a contested left-handed layup that did not hit the rim, but it bounced right back to her off the backboard and she narrowly beat the buzzer to win it. Esmeralda Morales finished with 25 points to lead Montana State.

Jets release linebacker and captain C.J. Mosley after 6 seasons

The New York Jets have released veteran linebacker C.J. Mosley after six seasons. The move Wednesday has the Jets parting with one of the team's popular captains in a salary cap move. The 32-year-old Mosley played in just four games last season because of a toe injury and later a herniated disk in his neck. He restructured his contract last offseason and was due to make $4.25 million guaranteed this season and count $12.8 million on the salary cap. Mosley signed with the Jets in 2019 after five standout seasons in Baltimore and was the heartbeat of New York's defense during his tenure.

Sanders scores 17 as Nevada takes down Fresno State 86-71 in Mountain West Conference Tournament

Led by Kobe Sanders' 17 points, the Nevada Wolf Pack defeated the Fresno State Bulldogs 86-71 in the Mountain West Conference Tournament on Wednesday.

American Athletic Conference sets minimum for schools to share with athletes at $10M over 3 years

The American Athletic Conference will require each member except Army and Navy to provide athletes with at least $10 million in additional benefits over the next three years. That makes it the only league so far to set a minimum standard with revenue sharing coming in Division I. AAC presidents approved the plan last week after they reviewed a college sports consulting firm's study of the conference's financial wherewithal. The three-year plan will go into effect once a federal judge approves the $2.8 billion House vs. NCAA antitrust settlement, which is expected next month.

Super-sub Asensio has explosive impact as fireworks greet Villa passage to Champions League quarters

Fireworks exploded above the stadium at the final whistle to greet Aston Villa's progress to the Champions League quarterfinals in the club's first season in Europe's top competition in 41 years. There's no doubting who made the most explosive impact in Villa's 3-0 win over Club Brugge. Marco Asensio lived up to his status as the most prolific substitute in Champions League history with two more goals off the bench after coming on at halftime. Make that 12 goals in 51 games as a substitute in the competition for the Spanish forward. On both counts that's more than any other player. Next for Asensio is a two-legged matchup against Paris Saint-Germain, the French club he left to ignite his career at Villa.

Quarterfinals bracket in Champions League completed by Real Madrid's shootout win

The Champions League quarterfinals bracket was set Wednesday. It sends Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain toward more English teams standing in their path of the title. Madrid advanced past city rival Atletico Madrid in the round of 16 on Wednesday after beating Manchester City in the knockout playoffs round. Defending champion Madrid now faces Arsenal which hosts the first leg on April 8 or 9. PSG's reward for eliminating top-seeded Liverpool is playing Aston Villa with the first leg in Paris. Borussia Dortmund reunites with former star Robert Lewandowski at Barcelona. Bayern Munich hosts the first leg against Inter Milan.

49ers cut 2 more players, increasing 2025 dead cap charge to more than $86 million

The San Francisco 49ers cut defensive linemen Javon Hargrave and Maliek Collins at the start of the new league year in the latest moves to overhaul the roster. The 49ers have cut four key contributors, traded star receiver Deebo Samuel to Washington and saw seven other free agents leave for other teams this week as the team resets the roster following a disappointing 6-11 season in 2024. The moves come with a cost as the Niners are currently projected to have more than $86 million allotted to players no longer on the team through dead money charges.

X-rays negative on Bobby Witt Jr. after the Royals' All-Star shortstop is hit on forearm by a pitch

Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. was hit on the forearm by a pitch and left a spring training game against Seattle. X-rays came back negative and the club said its young All-Star will continue to be evaluated. Witt fell to the ground after he was struck by a 95 mph fastball thrown by Andrés Muñoz in the fifth inning. He walked to the dugout after he was tended to by a trainer and tried to shake off the pain before heading to the clubhouse. The Royals described his injury as a contusion and did not say how long he would be out.

Mark, Johnson score 19 each and Texas holds off Vanderbilt rally in 79-72 SEC Tournament win

Tramon Mark and Tre Johnson scored 19 points each and 13th-seeded Texas defeated No. 12-seed Vanderbilt 79-72 in the first round of the SEC Tournament. Texas, in its first SEC Tournament, will play No. 5 seed Texas A&M in the second round. Texas led by 15 points at halftime and by 15 points again with 4 1/2 minutes to go before Tyler Nickel made a pair of free throws and Devin McGlockton's layup got Vanderbilt within 70-59. The Longhorns' next possessions included a failed one-and-one opportunity and two 3-point misses while the Commodores trimmed their deficit to 72-65 with 1:34 remaining. Vanderbilt got within seven points three more times, but the Longhorns closed out the win with seven made free throws in eight attempts.

Rantanen says he's happy in Dallas and denies telling Carolina he wouldn't sign there

Newly acquired Dallas Stars forward Mikko Rantanen say he's pleased with where he landed while denying his former coach's claim that he gave Carolina a list of teams he preferred in a trade, and the Hurricanes weren't on it. Rantanen has three points in two games with the Stars. He's set for a Sunday visit to Colorado. The Avalanche abruptly traded the high-scoring forward to the Hurricanes in January. Carolina moved him over concern the club would get nothing while losing him in free agency. Rantanen signed a $96 million, eight-year extension with Dallas.

Rory McIlroy isn't flip-flopping on this issue: He won't be playing the PGA Tour Champions

Rory McIlroy has been labeled a flip-flopper for his ever-changing views on LIV Golf. He was adamant as ever about another issue. He won't be playing the PGA Tour Champions when he turns 50. McIlroy says he wants to retire when he can still compete and that will be it. He says if he's still playing golf at 50 that something will have gone terribly wrong. Meanwhile, Adam Scott has had two White House meetings. His strongest memory is watching officials prepare for a meeting with Israelis when it was over and realizing golf isn't that big of a deal.

NBA fines Jazz $100,000 for holding Lauri Markkanen out of recent games

The NBA has fined the Utah Jazz $100,000 for violating the league's player participation policy after failing to make leading scorer Lauri Markkanen available for recent games. The league said Wednesday it was penalizing the team for failing to make Markkanen available at Washington on March 5 as well as other games the past few weeks. The 7-footer from Finland had not played since a win over Houston on Feb. 22. Markkanen, averaging 19.3 points, was available for Wednesday's game at Memphis after previously being listed as questionable due to a lower back injury. Utah was last in the Western Conference at 15-50.

Running back AJ Dillon and Eagles agree on a 1-year contract, AP source says

Running back AJ Dillon and the Philadelphia Eagles have agreed on a one-year contract, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press on Wednesday. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the contract hasn't been finalized. Dillon sat out last season because of a neck injury. He ran for 2,428 yards and 16 touchdowns in his first four seasons with Green Bay. Dillon provides a backup behind Saquon Barkley, the 2024 AP Offensive Player of the Year who set an NFL record for most yards rushing in a regular season and playoffs combined with 2,504.

MLB Remaining Free Agents List

MLB Remaining Free Agents List

MLB Free Agent Signings List

MLB Free Agent Signings

Interim coach Ron Sanchez out at Virginia after loss to Georgia Tech in the ACC Tournament

Virginia will not retain interim basketball coach Ron Sanchez, who took over three weeks before the season began following Tony Bennett's surprising retirement. UVA athletic director Carla Williams made the announcement three hours after the Cavaliers' season ended with a 66-60 loss to Georgia Tech in the second round of the ACC Tournament. Sanchez went 15-17 this year, earning a first-round bye at the conference tournament. It's the first time the Cavaliers have finished with a losing record since 2009-10, Bennett's first season leading the program.

Cowboys getting linebacker Kenneth Murray in trade with Titans, AP source says

A person with knowledge of the deal says the Dallas Cowboys have acquired linebacker Kenneth Murray Jr. in a trade with the Tennessee Titans. The Cowboys are also getting a seventh-round draft pick this year while sending a sixth-rounder to the Titans. Murray was a first-round pick by the Los Angeles Chargers in 2020 and signed with the Titans in free agency a year ago. The 26-year-old had 95 tackles and a career-high 3 1/2 sacks last season.

Tight end Evan Engram and Broncos agree on 2-year, $23 million deal, AP source says

Tight end Evan Engram and the Denver Broncos have agreed on a two-year, $23 million contract. That's according to a person with knowledge of the deal. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team hasn't announced the move and said Engram's deal includes $16.5 million guaranteed. Engram is a two-time Pro Bowl pick. He had 47 catches for 365 yards and one touchdown last season in Jacksonville. He caught 114 passes in 2023. A first-round pick by the Giants in 2017, Engram has 496 receptions for 4,922 yards and 25 TDs in eight seasons.

Mallory Swanson will miss Chicago Stars' NWSL season opener for personal reasons

Chicago Stars forward Mallory Swanson will miss the team's National Women's Soccer League season opener on Friday night against the Orlando Pride for personal reasons. Coach Lorne Donaldson said Wednesday that he believed Swanson's status was week-to-week. She was not with the team during the preseason. Swanson starred for the United States during the team's gold medal-winning run at the Paris Olympics. She also helped lead the U.S. to the World Cup title in 2019. She issued a statement in January thanking fans for their understanding during her absence.

Vikings bring in Javon Hargrave to further bolster defensive front, bring back safety Harrison Smith

The Minnesota Vikings made another major move on their interior defensive redesign by agreeing to terms on a contract with two-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Javon Hargrave. The Vikings also shored up their secondary by bringing back 14th-year veteran safety Harrison Smith. Hargrave was released by the San Francisco 49ers after playing in only three games in 2024 because of a torn triceps. The 6-foot-2, 305-pound Hargrave was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2016 and blossomed into one of the NFL's best interior pass rushers. He had a career-high 11 sacks in 2022 for the NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles.

Martinelli scores 28 and Northwestern beats Minnesota 72-64 to begin the Big Ten tourney

Nick Martinelli scored 28 points to help No. 13 seed Northwestern beat No. 12 seed Minnesota 72-64 to begin the Big Ten Tournament. Northwestern (17-15) earned its first conference tournament win since 2022 for a chance to play No. 5 Wisconsin in the second round. The Wildcats lost to No. 17 Wisconsin 75-69 on Feb. 1. Five Northwestern players scored during a 12-3 run to begin the second half to go ahead by double digits for the first time in the game. The Wildcats stayed ahead by at least nine points until Mike Mitchell Jr. scored five straight points to get Minnesota within 67-60 with 45 seconds remaining. Martinelli and Matthew Nicholson each went 1 of 2 at the stripe down the stretch, and K.J. Windham went 3 of 4.

Browns agree on a 2-year, $20 million deal with defensive tackle Maliek Collins

The Cleveland Browns and defensive tackle Maliek Collins have agreed on a two-year, $20 million contract that includes $13 million fully guaranteed, agent Drew Rosenhaus told The Associated Press on Wednesday. Collins started 17 games for the San Francisco 49ers after spending his first eight seasons with Dallas, Houston and Las Vegas. Collins, who turns 30 next month, has 30 1/2 sacks, including five last season. The Browns kicked off free agency by making four-time All-Pro edge rusher Myles Garrett the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL, giving him a four-year extension that includes $122.8 million guaranteed, an average annual salary of $40 million with a total value of $204.8 million.

With Allen's personal and financial life set, Bills QB focuses on unfinished business — Super Bowl

With Josh Allen's personal and financial life set, the NFL MVP is focusing his attention on unfinished business: leading the Buffalo Bills to a Super Bowl title. The 28-year-old shared his objective in his first comments to reporters since agreeing to a six-year $330 million contract that includes a league-record $250 million guaranteed. The deal capped a memorable season in which Allen became the third Bills player to earn MVP honors. Off the field, he became engaged to actor Hailee Steinfeld. What's missing is a Super Bowl for Allen, who in seven seasons has led the Bills no further than AFC championship game losses to Kansas City in 2020 and this past season.

Guard Kevin Zeitler and the Titans agree on a 1-year, $9 million deal, AP source says

Guard Kevin Zeitler and the Tennessee Titans have agreed on a one-year, $9 million contract, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press on Wednesday. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the team hasn't announced the move. Zeitler started 16 games for the Detroit Lions last season. The 35-year-old has started 197 games in 13 seasons with the Bengals, Giants, Ravens and Lions. The Titans, who own the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, haven't addressed the quarterback position so far in free agency. They agreed on a four-year deal, $82 million with left tackle Dan Moore with that includes $50 million guaranteed.

Steelers sign former Eagles cornerback Darius Slay to 1-year deal, AP source says

Darius Slay is heading to the other side of Pennsylvania. The veteran cornerback, who won a Super Bowl with Philadelphia last month, is signing a one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers a person with knowledge of the agreement tells The Associated Press. The person spoke to AP on condition of anonymity because the agreement was not made public. The Eagles released the six-time Pro Bowler when the new league year began. Slay quickly bolted to Pittsburgh, where he will reunite with Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin.

No. 16 seed Colorado deals No. 8 seed WVU's NCAA hopes a blow with 67-60 Big 12 tourney win

Elijah Malone scored 12 of his 14 points in the second half, helping No. 16 seed Colorado beat eighth-seeded West Virginia 67-60 in the second round of the Big 12 Tournament on Wednedsay. The Buffaloes used a 15-0 second-half run to rally from a nine-point deficit and deal the Mountaineers' hopes for an NCAA Tournament at-large bid a significant blow. Javon Small had 23 points to lead the Mountaineers, who began the day No. 41 in the NET rankings, thanks in large part to their strong schedule. They have six Quad 1 wins, which is an important factor considered by the NCAA selection committee.

Dolphins re-sign defensive contributors Elijah Campbell and Quinton Bell

The Miami Dolphins have brought back two defensive contributors, re-signing linebacker Quinton Bell and defensive back Elijah Campbell. Bell had 23 tackles, one sack, one pass defensed and one forced fumble in 17 games for the Dolphins last season. Campbell has played four seasons in Miami and has made an impact on both defense and special teams. Also Wednesday, Miami re-signed offensive tackle Jackson Carman and wide receiver Dee Eskridge.

Kansas matches NCAA record with 5 straight homers in 29-1 blowout of Minnesota

Kansas tied an NCAA record with five straight home runs on Wednesday. The Jayhawks did it during the third inning of a game against Minnesota. The homer spree started with Chase Diggins' three-run shot with no outs. Max Soliz Jr., Brady Counsell, Brady Ballinger and Jackson Hauge followed with homers. Counsell is the son of former big leaguer and current Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell. The run of homers matches the NCAA record set three times previously, most recently by South Carolina against Georgia in 2006. Kansas went on to win 29-1 in seven innings.

Auburn star Johni Broome and coach Bruce Pearl garner top spots in the AP's All-SEC awards

Auburn star Johni Broome, who leads the league in rebounding and ranks third in scoring, is the Associated Press' Southeastern Conference player of the year. Auburn's Bruce Pearl was named coach of the year in voting released by 16 reporters who cover the SEC. Broome received 15 of 16 votes for player of the year. Alabama guard Mark Sears got the other. Texas guard Tre Johnson, widely considered an NBA lottery pick in June, is the AP's SEC newcomer of the year. The 6-foot-6 freshman from the Dallas area leads the league in scoring, averaging 20.2 points.

Jae'Lyn Withers buries 7 3-pointers and North Carolina rolls past Notre Dame 76-56 in ACC Tournament

and Ven-Allen Lubin had 17 points and 10 rebounds in North Carolina's 76-56 rout of Notre Dame on the second day of the ACC Tournament. North Carolina made nine of 17 3-pointers in the first half, highlighted by Withers, who made five of six. His first three 3-pointers, all in row, helped the Tar Heels build a 17-5 lead in the opening five minutes. Later, he made two more in a 12-0 run that gave the Tar Heels a 37-17 lead. North Carolina led 43-29 at halftime. The Tar Heels extended their lead to 58-38 early in the second half. The largest lead was 24 points on two occasions. North Carolina will play Wake Forest on Thursday.

Domenicali agrees to five-year extension to stay on as F1 president and CEO through 2029

Stefano Domenicali, who has guided Formula 1 through explosive growth on the calendar and in popularity in recent years, will stay on as president and chief executive through 2029 under a five-year contract extension announced by the the global racing series and ownership group Liberty Media. A 59-year-old Italian, Domenicali has been in charge of F1 since 2021 and has steered the series as it expanded to 24 races, added two new U.S. grand prix races in Miami and Las Vegas, and will expand its grid with an 11th team when American-owned Cadillac Formula 1 joins in 2026.

Arkansas basketball coach John Calipari: This time of the year, everybody's fighting for their lives

Arkansas basketball took a step toward earning an NCAA Tournament bid in coach John Calipari's debut season. Barely. The ninth-seeded Razorbacks held on to beat 16th-seeded South Carolina 72-68 Wednesday in the SEC Tournament after nearly losing a 20-point lead. Arkansas advanced to play eighth-seeded Ole Miss in the second round on Thursday. Calipari is in his first season with the Razorbacks after leading Kentucky for 15 seasons, winning a national championship in 2012. Arkansas did not earn an NCAA bid last season after advancing to the second weekend in three straight tournaments under former coach Eric Musselman.

Queen Camilla attends Cheltenham Festival, comforts girlfriend of jockey who died after recent fall

Queen Camilla has comforted the girlfriend of a jockey who recently died following a fall as the horse forever linked to his career won at the prestigious Cheltenham Festival. Camilla kissed and put a reassuring arm on Charlotte Giles. Giles had joined trainer Barry Connell on the winning podium after his horse, Marine Nationale, won the feature race of the day: the Queen Mother Champion Chase. Marine Nationale was ridden to victory in 2023 in another big Cheltenham race, the Supreme Novices' Hurdle, by Michael O'Sullivan. O'Sullivan died last month from his injuries following a fall at Thurles Racecourse in his native Ireland.

Florida's motivation in the SEC Tournament: locking up the final No. 1 seed in the NCAA field

There's only one way for No. 4 Florida to guarantee itself a top seed in the NCAA Tournament: win the Southeastern Conference Tournament. And coach Todd Golden badly wants one of those No. 1 seeds. Golden says "we're going to go try to win this thing." Florida will play in the quarterfinals Friday in Nashville, Tennessee. The second-seeded Gators enter the tournament having won nine of their last 10. It's not enough, though. Florida appears to have a tenuous grip on the final No. 1 seed. Losing in the SEC tourney would put that at risk, especially if Alabama or Tennessee ends up cutting down the nets inside Bridgestone Arena.

Rams release Super Bowl 56 MVP Cooper Kupp

The Los Angles Rams cut Super Bowl 56 MVP Cooper Kupp after being unable to find a trade partner for their former No. 1 wide receiver. The Rams moved on from the 2021 AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year at the start of the league year. Kupp announced last month that the Rams were trying to trade him despite his desire to remain with the team. But with him being owed $20 million this season, no other team was willing to make a trade.

Cowboys acquire cornerback Kaiir Elam from Bills in trade involving 3 draft picks

The Dallas Cowboys have acquired cornerback Kaiir Elam from Buffalo, adding depth to a position with some questions as the Bills decided to move on from their 2022 first-round draft pick. The Bills get two draft picks in the trade and give up one. Buffalo adds a 2025 fifth-round selection and a 2026 seventh-rounder. Dallas gets a 2025 sixth-round choice. Elam joins a group with two established starters in Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland. Diggs might not be ready for the start of the season coming off the 2021 All-Pro's second major knee surgery in as many years. The 23-year-old Elam struggled to establish a regular role in Buffalo.

5th anniversary of COVID cancellations brings back painful memories for teams, NCAA officials

two days before the tourney was canceled on March 12, 2020, because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Mykel Williams makes the most of his chance to impress NFL coaches at Georgia's pro day

Mykel Williams believed he had something to prove at Georgia's pro day. Most of all, the highly rated edge rusher wanted to make a point to himself. Williams is a popular pick to be drafted in the first round in the NFL draft next month, even though his statistics from his 2024 season were not overwhelming. Williams suffered a left ankle sprain in the Bulldogs' season-opening 34-3 win over Clemson and felt he never fully recovered. The pro day was his opportunity to impress NFL coaches such as Pittsburgh's Mike Tomlin and Atlanta's Raheem Morris.

Arkansas nearly blows a 20-point lead before holding off No. 16 seed South Carolina in SEC opener

Trevon Brazile had 16 points, seven rebounds and four blocks, Johnell Davis scored six key points in the final 40 seconds and No. 9 seed Arkansas nearly blew a 20-point lead before holding off No. 16 seed South Carolina 72-68 to begin the SEC Tournament. Arkansas will play a second-round game against No. 8 seed Ole Miss on Thursday. Arkansas led by as many as 20 points early in the second half and it was 59-41 with 14:18 left. But the Razorback missed their next 12 shots over 11-plus minutes as South Carolina pulled within 61-60 following a 19-2 run that was capped by Collin Murray-Boyles' jumper from the free-throw line. Davis sealed it with two free throws at 2.5.

Travis Jankowski opts out of Cubs deal to sign minor league contract with White Sox

Outfielder Travis Jankowski has agreed to a minor league contract with the Chicago White Sox after opting out a minor league deal with the Cubs. Jankowksi signed with the Cubs on Feb. 24 after spending the past two seasons in Texas, where he won a World Series with the Rangers in 2023 as their fourth outfielder. He hit .231 with three RBIs in 13 at-bats over seven spring training games, then was reassigned to minor league camp on Sunday. The 33-year-old hit .263 in 2023 but his average dropped to .200 in 104 games last season.

Cal Poly cites expected ramifications of House settlement for cutting men's and women's swimming

Cal Poly has announced the immediate elimination of its men's and women's swimming and diving programs in a move attributed to the financial hardships expected because of looming revenue sharing with athletes in Division I sports. A federal judge is expected to approve the so-called House settlement next month, paving the way for schools to make direct name, image and likeness payments to athletes. Schools have been allocating more resources to their revenue sports in anticipation of approval, causing athletes and coaches in non-revenue sports to worry about the possible elimination of their programs.

No. 12 Iowa State to face No. 17 BYU with guards Tamin Lipsey and Keshon Gilbert hobbled by injuries

Iowa State could be without guards Tamin Lipsey and Keshon Gilbert at full strength when the No. 12 Cyclones play No. 17 BYU in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Tournament on Thursday. Lipsey hurt his groin and Gilbert continued to deal with a muscle strain in their 76-56 second-round win over Cincinnati. Lipsey played 29 minutes and scored 16 points before leaving with just over three minutes left. Gilbert played 11 first-half minutes. He had missed three of the past five games with the injury. Lipsey played 41 minutes and Gilbert played 43 in a double-overtime loss to BYU last week.

Hunter Strickland agrees to minor league deal with Texas Rangers

Middle reliever Hunter Strickland has agreed to a minor league contract with Texas and will report to the Rangers' big league spring training camp. The 36-year-old has pitched for eight teams during his 10-year big league career, most recently with the Los Angeles Angels last year. He went 3-2 with a 3.31 ERA in a team-leading 72 appearances. Strickland won a World Series with San Francisco in 2014 and was part of Washington's 2019 World Series run. He has a career record of 25-23 record with a 3.40 ERA and 29 saves in 480 games.

Jefferson scores 19, Lipsey leaves with injury as No. 12 Iowa St beats Cincy 76-56 in Big 12 tourney

Joshua Jefferson had 19 points, Dishon Jackson added 10 points and 15 rebounds, and No. 12 Iowa State beat Cincinnati 76-56 in the second round of the Big 12 Tournament.

Commanders re-sign QB Marcus Mariota to back up Jayden Daniels next season, AP source says

The Washington Commanders are re-upping veteran quarterback Marcus Mariota to back up Jayden Daniels in the Offensive Rookie of the Year's second NFL season. A person familiar with the deal tells The Associated Press the Commanders agreed to re-sign Mariota and add cornerback Jonathan Jones and defensive tackle Eddie Goldman. Mariota is the latest experienced player to stay in Washington after tight ends Zach Ertz and John Bates and linebacker Bobby Wagner. The team also made the trade with San Francisco for receiver Deebo Samuel official.

Chargers sign former Steelers running back Najee Harris and cornerback Donte Jackson

The Los Angeles Chargers have signed former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris and free agent cornerback Donte Jackson. The team also re-signed linebackers Denzel Perryman and Troy Dye along with wide receiver Jalen Reagor. They added cornerback Benjamin St-Juste from the Washington Commanders. And the Chargers are bringing back wide receiver Mike Williams, who was released last year after tearing his ACL in 2023. Harris brings durability, having started all 68 regular-season games with the Steelers. He topped 1,000 yards rushing in each of his first four NFL seasons.

JUCO association and 16 coaches groups ask NCAA to make transfer rules equitable

The National Junior College Athletic Association, with the support of 16 national coaches associations, is asking the NCAA to make transfer rules equitable for two-year college athletes. Junior college athletes need a GPA of 2.5 or higher to transfer to a Division I school while athletes moving from one four-year college to another are required to have at least a 2.0 GPA. A message seeking comment was left with the NCAA on Wednesday.

Duncan Powell scores 21 and Georgia Tech held off a late rally to beat Virginia 66-60 in ACC tourney

Duncan Powell scored 15 of his 21 points in the second half, Baye Ndongo and Naithan George each had a double-double and No. 8 seed Georgia Tech held off a late rally to beat No. 9 seed Virginia 66-60 in the second round of the ACC Tournament. It was Georgia Tech's first win in the series with Virginia since Jan. 9, 2016. Georgia Tech will play top-seeded Duke in the quarterfinals on Thursday, looking to avenge an 82-56 loss to the then-No. 5 Blue Devils on Dec. 21. Powell scored nine straight Georgia Tech points, including a baseline jumper to make it 51-41. Ndongo scored the next four points for the Yellow Jackets, Jaeden Mustaf added two free throws, and Powell made a shot to make it 59-46.

New Royals closer Carlos Estévez to make spring training debut after dealing with back tightness

New Kansas City Royals closer Carlos Estévez is to make his spring training debut on Friday after throwing live batting practice this week. Estévez had been bothered by lower back tightness, but Royals manager Matt Quatraro said a live bullpen session on Tuesday went well, clearing the way for Estévez to pitch against the Los Angeles Angels. The 32-year-old Estévez signed a $22 million, two-year contract with the Royals after going 4-5 with a 2.45 ERA and 26 saves in 31 chances over 54 appearances with the Angels and Philadelphia Phillies, who acquired him in July.

Dillon Tate and Blue Jays agree to a 1-year contract paying $1.4 million while in major leagues

Right-hander Dillon Tate and the Toronto Blue Jays agreed to a one-year contract that pays $1.4 million while in the major leagues. He can earn performance bonuses of $50,000 each for 45 and 50 games as a pitcher. Tate was claimed by Toronto off waivers from Baltimore on Sept. 1 and had a 5.40 ERA in four appearances. The 30-year-old became a free agent in November when the Blue Jays failed to offer a 2025 contract. Tate is 7-14 with a 4.09 ERA in 190 big league starts. He missed the 2023 season with a right elbow flexor strain.

Group of 10 athletic directors in charge of enforcing new rules under college sports lawsuit

Ten athletic directors are taking on the biggest lift in college sports, figuring out how to enforce new rules that will come into play when terms of the landmark lawsuit settlement reconfiguring their industry go into effect this summer. The NCAA and five conferences named as defendants in the House settlement on Wednesday revealed a list of the ADs on the Settlement Implementation Committee. Among their tasks are creating a digital platform for schools to report payments to athletes and creating a system that endures third-party NIL deals are legitimate.

Seahawks agree to deals with WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling and DE DeMarcus Lawrence

The Seattle Seahawks found another pass catcher for new quarterback Sam Darnold and bolstered their pass rush on the first official day of the new league year. Seattle agreed to a one-year deal worth up to $5.5 million with speedster Marquez Valdes-Scantling, according to agent Harold Lewis. The Seahawks later reached a deal with former Dallas edge rusher DeMarcus Lawrence, according to agent David Canter. The Seahawks were in dire need of adding receivers after releasing Tyler Lockett in a cost-cutting move last week and agreeing to a trade to send D.K. Metcalf to Pittsburgh.

Ravens defensive lineman Michael Pierce announces his retirement on podcast

Ravens defensive lineman Michael Pierce says he's retiring. Pierce made the announcement on Wednesday's Sports Spectrum podcast. He spent seven of his nine NFL seasons in two stints with Baltimore, sandwiched around time with Minnesota. Pierce provided a highlight near the end of last season when the 355-pounder intercepted a pass against Cleveland, then was mobbed by teammates. That was the first interception of his career. He had 9 1/2 sacks in 99 games. Pierce came into the league as an undrafted free agent out of Samford. Later Wednesday, the Ravens announced they had released veteran safety Marcus Williams.

March Madness selection panel will have to juggle thanks to SEC overload in bracket

The NCAA selection committee will have some juggling to do before the bracket comes out Sunday to keep March Madness from looking like an extension of the Southeastern Conference's regular season. With the league in line to place between 12 and 14 teams in the tournament, some long-held guidelines drawn to help set the matchups will have to give way. Conference rivals could face each other as early as the second round or the Sweet 16. The SEC has been led by Auburn, with Alabama, Tennessee and Florida close behind. The newly expanded conference, along with the Big Ten and Big 12, will gobble up nearly half of this year's 68 spots in the tournament.

Atletico Madrid forward Angel Correa suspended 5 matches for insulting referee in Spanish league

The Spanish soccer federation has handed Atletico Madrid forward Ángel Correa a five-match suspension for insulting a referee in a Spanish league game this weekend. Correa was seen insulting the referee after being shown a straight red card for a hard foul in the 88th minute of his team's 2-1 loss to Getafe on Sunday. Correa was initially shown a yellow card but video review changed it to a red card. The Argentine forward later apologized on social media. Correa faced a 12-match suspension. He will miss games in the Copa del Rey and Spanish league, beginning on Sunday against Barcelona at home in the Spanish league.

Brazil's Ronaldo ends bid to lead country's soccer confederation, cites lack of support

Brazil great Ronaldo Nazário has ended his bid for the presidency of his country's soccer confederation. The two-time World Cup winner turned businessman says he lacks support among local soccer executives to challenge incumbent Ednaldo Rodrigues for the role of leading the Brazil Football Confederation. The 48-year-old Ronaldo had announced in December he would challenge Rodrigues whose management has been under fire among fans and former players, though Rodrigues still enjoys high approval among soccer executives. The vote is expected to take place sometime between March and the same month next year, when Rodrigues' term ends.

Can Man United really build a winning team as well as a $2.6 billion stadium?

Manchester United wants to build the greatest stadium on earth. It wants to build the greatest soccer team as well. Something has got to give, surely? Ambitious plans for a 2 billion pounds, 100,000-seat stadium come at a time when United is already hundreds of millions of dollars in debt and undergoing brutal cost cutting measures. The situation is dire on the field as well. The record 20-time English champion is languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League, despite spending around $2 billion on players over the 12 years since it last won the title.

Jets linebacker Jamien Sherwood gets nearly $1.1 million from NFL's performance pay program

New York Jets linebacker Jamien Sherwood gets a nice pay day even before his new contract kicks in. Sherwood earned a league high of nearly $1.1 million through the NFL's performance-based pay program, more than doubling his salary from last season. The 2021 fifth-round pick earned $1.06 million last season in the final year of his rookie contract. Sherwood agreed to a three-year, $45 million contract this week to remain with the Jets, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the contract hadn't been announced.

Henderson and De La Cruz among 11 players whose contracts unilaterally renewed by their teams

according to contract information obtained by The Associated Press. De La Cruz will earn $770,000. Miller will earn $765,000. Teams may renew contracts of unsigned players on their 40-man rosters from March 2-11.

World Boxing adds China's powerful federation, 5 more to its growing membership

World Boxing has added China to its growing list of members. That means the breakaway body has reached another major goal in its quest to keep boxing in the Olympics. The governing body also announced the additions of the national federations of Turkey, Sudan, Greece, Slovakia and Montenegro. World Boxing now has 84 national federations among its membership. The Chinese Boxing Federation's decision to join is yet another positive sign for World Boxing, which received provisional recognition from the IOC last month as the new governing body for the sport ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Max Scherzer's next spring training start pushed back due to sore thumb

Max Scherzer won't make his scheduled spring training start for Toronto on Thursday due to right thumb soreness. Blue Jays manager John Schneider said the team is being cautious with the 40-year-old right-hander and should know more on Wednesday's off day. Scherzer was slated to pitch against Baltimore. The three-time Cy Young Award winner signed a $15.5 million, one-year contract with Toronto and has made three spring training starts, allowing two runs over nine innings with 14 strikeouts and no walks. He last pitched Saturday. Scherzer was 2-4 with a 3.95 ERA last year for Texas after starting the season on the injured list while recovering from lower back surgery.

A list of all of Tiger Woods' injuries and surgeries

A chronology of the injuries and surgeries Tiger Woods has had in his career.

AP's Doug Feinberg chosen for US Basketball Writers Association Hall of Fame

Doug Feinberg, an Associated Press Basketball Writer who has covered the women's game for nearly 20 years, has been chosen for the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Hall of Fame Class of 2025. Feinberg joined the AP in 1995 and has covered women's hoops since 2006, including oversight of the AP Top 25 women's basketball poll. He'll cover his 17th women's Final Four this year and has also covered five Olympic tournaments and four women's World Championships and World Cups. Coaches and players throughout pro, college and international women's basketball have recognized Feinberg's passion for the sport and trusted him to tell their stories. His coverage of Brittney Griner's 10-month imprisonment in Russia was AP Sports' Story of the Year in 2022.

Chinese teams eliminated in Asian Champions League while Japanese and Saudi Arabian sides progress

Chinese interest in the AFC Champions League Elite has ended at the second round stage. Shanghai Shenhua was unable to defend its 1-0 first leg advantage over Kawasaki Frontale, losing the return match 4-0 in Japan. Shanghai Port also exited against Japanese opposition, losing 5-1 on aggregate to Yokohama F.Marinos. All games from the quarterfinal stage will take place in the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah. Local fans will have Al-Hilal, Al-Ahli and Al-Nassr to support. All three Saudi Arabian sides this week progressed to the quarters.

Rick Pitino wins 1st Big East Coach of the Year award and RJ Luis Jr. is Player of the Year

Rick Pitino has won his first Big East Coach of the Year award and RJ Luis Jr. took Player of the Year honors after they propelled a resurgent St. John's program to its best regular season in almost four decades. UConn forward Liam McNeeley was selected the league's Freshman of the Year despite missing eight games with a high ankle sprain. Voting is done by Big East head coaches, who aren't allowed to pick their own players. In his second season at the school, Pitino guided sixth-ranked St. John's to its first outright Big East regular-season championship in 40 years.

Tiger Woods faces another injury and another lost year. Has golf seen the last of him?

Tiger Woods is out of the Masters and probably for the rest of the year after surgery for a ruptured Achilles tendon. Add that to a list of injuries that outnumber the 15 majors he has won. The latest surgery raises questions about whether golf has seen the last of Woods. Rory McIlroy says he feels badly for Woods and that hopefully golf will see him again next year. From the knee surgeries to back surgeries to his LA car crash, the 49-year-old Woods has managed to keep coming back. But he hasn't been competitive for more than five years since his record-tying 82nd career title.

New York Rangers re-sign goalie Jonathan Quick to another 1-year contract

The New York Rangers have signed veteran goaltender Jonathan Quick to another one-year contract. A person familiar with the deal tells The Associated Press it is worth $1.55 million. Quick is three-quarters of the way through his second NHL season serving as Igor Shesterkin's backup for New York. Last month, he became the first U.S.-born goaltender to record 400 victories in the league. He is now 39 and more than a decade removed from backstopping the Los Angeles Kings to the Stanley Cup in 2012 and 2014, but the Milford, Connecticut, native has been everything the Rangers had hoped for on and off the ice.

Bills to re-sign Hamlin. Buffalo also adds defensive tackle Ogunjobi to 1-year deal, AP source says

Safety Damar Hamlin is returning to Buffalo, and the Bills also continued restocking their their defensive front by agreeing to sign tackle Larry Ogunjobi. The Bills announced reaching an agreement to sign Hamlin to a one-year contract. A person with knowledge of the deal, meantime, confirmed Ogunjobi agreeing to a one-year contract that includes $8 million in guaranteed money. The person spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because the agreement is not final until later in the day. NFL.com first reported the agreement. Hamlin returns to Buffalo after starting 14 games last season in continuing a remarkable comeback for a player who had a near-death experience two years ago

Fluttering arms, aching calves, bursting lungs: 'Swan Lake' is a ballerina's Mount Everest

and even carbo-loading.

Lions add run-stuffing DT Roy Lopez with $4.65 million, one-year agreement, AP source says

The Detroit Lions and defensive tackle Roy Lopez have agreed to a $4.65 million, one-year contract, according to a person familiar with the deal. The person spoke Wednesday to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the agreement had not been announced. Lopez joins veteran defensive tackles Alim McNeill and DJ Reader to bolster a line that was hit hard by injuries last season. The 27-year-old Lopez started in 16 games last year with the Arizona Cardinals and played in 30 games for them after starting in 19 games over two seasons in Houston.

Sports on TV for Thursday, March 13

(All times Eastern)

Sports on TV for March 17 - 23

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PSG's rise: How Enrique's vision and Mbappé's departure led to Champions League success

This could be the year PSG finally wins the Champions League. The year when more than a decade of spending lavishly on players can at last bring the Qatari-backed French club its first Champions League title. The signs are clear to see. This rejuvenated PSG side is rock-solid and playing some of the best football in Europe. The Luis Enrique-led team's victory over favourites Liverpool in the last 16 showed that anything is possible for PSG. Here is a look at the reasons behind PSG's progress this season and how they knocked out Europe's top club to advance to the quarterfinals.

NFL players score a shot at Hollywood through hands-on training sessions with filmmaker Deon Taylor

which has featured panelists including entertainers Tyrese Gibson and Master P along with NFL player Vernon Davis. This year, athletes eager to break into film had the opportunity to learn from Taylor and Ephraim Salaam, who successfully transitioned from the NFL to Hollywood.

Cheating scandal shocks ski jumping, topples Olympic champions and shakes Norway's lofty reputation

Two Norwegian ski jumpers are now suspended and under formal suspicion in an unfolding cheating scandal. Olympic gold medalists, Marius Lindvik and Johann André Forfang, had denied involvement since the allegations emerged at the weekend of the use illegally altered ski suits. The pair were suspended Wednesday and put under formal suspicion in an investigation overseen by the International Ski and Snowboard Federation. They now cannot compete in a World Cup event in Oslo that starts Thursday. Three Norwegian team officials are also suspended.

Saint-Etienne fans banned from French league game at fellow struggler Montpellier

Saint-Etienne supporters have been banned by French authorities from traveling to Montpellier for this weekend's Ligue 1 game between the two relegation-threatened clubs. Montpellier sits rock bottom in the French league standings, with Saint-Etienne just one spot above in 17th place. The French authorities said Saint-Etienne's travels are often marred by "public order disturbances due to the violent behavior of certain supporters or individuals claiming to be supporters of this team" and noted that some Montpellier fans are also prone to violence.

African soccer leader Patrice Motsepe re-elected pledging to seek private finance for new stadiums

African soccer leader Patrice Motsepe has been re-elected and urges working with private financiers to help federations build national stadiums. The 54 member federations of the Confederation of African Football elected Motsepe unopposed to have a second four-year term. Currently 12 countries cannot host national-team games in international competitions because their stadiums are not certified. Motsepe, a billionaire from South Africa, says African heads of state often tell him they must weigh investments in soccer against health and education spending.

Real Madrid beats Atletico on penalties in Champions League. Arsenal, Villa, Dortmund also advance

to keep its title defense alive Wednesday and advance to the quarterfinals. Defender Antonio Rudiger scored the decisive spot-kick in a 4-2 shootout win after two Atletico players missed. Arsenal, Aston Villa and Borussia Dortmund all advanced to the quarterfinals lineup. Atletico led 1-0 after 90 minutes in its Metropolitano Stadium to cancel out Madrid's 2-1 advantage from the first leg. Madrid star Vinícius Júnior blazed his penalty kick high over the Atletico goal. Atletico's Conor Gallagher scored with the game's first attack.

Kobe Bryant's former players remember his words during their first year of college basketball

and right beside each other through text messages of love and support. Emily Eadie plays for Princeton, and Annika Jiwani is a freshman forward for Dartmouth. Annabelle Spotts just finished her first season at the University of Chicago. Mackenly Randolph is at Louisville, and Zoie Lamkin plays for Orange Coast College back home in Southern California.

A stint in the minors forced Pens' goalie Tristan Jarry to hit the reset button. It may have worked

Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry is off to a strong start in his return to the NHL. Pittsburgh demoted the two-time All-Star to the minors in mid-January after a string of poor performances. Jarry returned in early March and has put up back-to-back victories for the first time since before Christmas. Jarry outdueled future Hall of Famer Marc-Andre Fleury in a win over Minnesota. He backed it up by stopping 36 shots against Pacific Division-leader Vegas. Jarry says going to the minors helped free his mind and allowed him to focus on his game.

Anaheim visits Utah in Western Conference action

The Utah Hockey Club take on the Anaheim Ducks in Western Conference play.

San Jose State plays in MWC Tournament against the Wyoming

The San Jose State Spartans play in the MWC Tournament against the Wyoming Cowboys. Wednesday's game is the third meeting of the season between the two teams. The Spartans won the last matchup 82-73. San Jose State is 7-13 against the MWC, and Wyoming is 5-15 against the MWC.

San Diego State plays in MWC Tournament against the Boise State

The San Diego State Aztecs take on the Boise State Broncos in the MWC Tournament. Thursday's meeting will be the third of the season between the two teams. San Diego State is 14-6 against the MWC, and Boise State is 14-6 against the MWC.

Grand Canyon takes on Utah Tech in WAC Tournament

The Grand Canyon Antelopes and Utah Tech Trailblazers play in the WAC Tournament. Wednesday's game will be the third meeting this season between the two teams. The Antelopes won the last matchup 74-42. Grand Canyon is 16-0 against the WAC, and Utah Tech is 2-15 against the WAC.

Wyoming takes on San Diego State in MWC Championship game

The Wyoming Cowgirls and the San Diego State Aztecs play for the MWC Championship. Wednesday's game is the third meeting this season between the two teams. The Cowgirls won the last matchup 64-51. Wyoming is 16-4 against the MWC, and San Diego State is 13-7 against the MWC.

Tarleton State Texans play in WAC Tournament against the Southern Utah Thunderbirds

The Tarleton State Texans square off against the Southern Utah Thunderbirds in the WAC Tournament. Wednesday's game is the third meeting this season between the two teams. The Texans won the last matchup 74-53. Tarleton State is 10-6 against the WAC, and Southern Utah is 7-9 against the WAC.

Utah Valley Wolverines play in WAC Tournament against the Utah Tech Trailblazers

The Utah Valley Wolverines play in the WAC Tournament against the Utah Tech Trailblazers. Wednesday's game will be the third meeting of the season between the two teams. The Wolverines won the last matchup 79-77. Utah Valley is 15-1 against the WAC, and Utah Tech is 3-14 against the WAC.

Abilene Christian squares off against Utah Valley in WAC Tournament

The Abilene Christian Wildcats play the Utah Valley Wolverines in the WAC Tournament. Thursday's game is the third meeting of the season between the two teams. The Wildcats won the last matchup 71-62. Abilene Christian is 9-7 against the WAC, and Utah Valley is 9-7 against the WAC.

Andrew Bogut joins Brian Goorjian's coaching staff at Sydney Kings

Andrew Bogut is joining Brian Goorjian's coaching staff at the Sydney Kings in a bid to help the club he part-owns win a National Basketball League championship in Australia. The three-time Olympian spent 14 years in the NBA after being the No. 1 pick in the 2005 draft and won a championship with Golden State Warriors in 2015. Goorjian has won six NBL titles as a coach and worked with Bogut in the Australian Boomers set up. He says the former center "has a blue-chip pedigree." Bogut retired as a player in 2020 and bought a stake in the Kings the following year. He says "the itch to get back on the court was growing stronger with time."