Packers, Seahawks in battle for wild card ... Curry to sit as Warriors visit Rockets ... Crosby out

SEATTLE (AP) — Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson had a number of memorable games in Seattle, but this time it's positioning in a jumbled NFC playoff picture at stake. Seven teams are within a couple of games of each other competing for the two wild-card spots. Seattle has lost two straight to drop to 4-5 on the season. Green Bay snapped its own two-game losing streak last week and now stands at 4-4 with one tie, putting them just ahead of Seattle in the playoff picture.

HOUSTON (AP) — The Warriors will be without Stephen (STEH'-fehn) Curry when they take on the Rockets tonight in Houston. The two-time MVP strained his left groin during a game against the Milwaukee Bucks a week ago and has been sidelined the past three games. He's not expected to play at all during Golden State's three-game Texas road trip, though he is traveling with the Warriors.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby will miss tonight's game against Tampa Bay due to an upper-body injury. Coach Mike Sullivan declined to offer specifics on the nature of Crosby's issue but said it's not concussion-related. He also said Crosby could be out for about a week. The Penguins have lost five of six games and face a high-scoring Lightning team that's leading the Eastern Conference.

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 21 points for No. 16 Virginia Tech and opened the Charleston Classic with a 73-64 victory over Ball State. The Hokies watched a 16-point lead slip to 49-44 midway through the second half before going on a 14-4 run to take control. Virginia Tech will play the winner of Alabama and Northeastern, in Friday's semifinals.

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — Gonzaga faces its first test of the young season when they host Texas A&M tonight. It will be A&M's first road game of the season. While not being ranked, the Aggies have made noise in the NCAA tournament two out of the last three seasons under coach Billy Kennedy. Gonzaga continues to play without star forward Killian Tillie, who is out for eight weeks with an ankle injury.

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