Update on the latest sports
APCOLLEGE BASKETBALL-BIG TEN TOURNAMENT
No. 9 Buckeyes edge No. 4 Michigan, make Big Ten title game
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Duane Washington Jr. scored 24 points and E.J. Liddell added 18 and No. 9 Ohio State fended off a frantic finish from No. 4 Michigan for a 68-67 victory and a chance to play for the Big Ten Tournament title.
The Buckeyes will play their fourth game in four days against either No. 3 Illinois or No. 5 Iowa on Sunday. Ohio State has won four tourney crowns, its most recent coming in 2013.
The Wolverines were led by Hunter Dickinson with 21 points and eight rebounds. But Mike Smith’s long jumper with 2 seconds to go bounced off the back of the rim and time expired as the teams scrambled for the loose ball.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL-SEC TOURNAMENT
Down 15, No. 6 Alabama rallies past Tennessee in SEC semis
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Herbert Jones had 21 points and No. 6 Alabama rallied from a 15-point deficit in the second half to beat Tennessee 73-68 in the Southeastern Conference Tournament semifinals. Jahvon Quinerly added 19 points, including two free throws with 15.5 seconds left, to help the Crimson Tide hang on.
Top-seeded Alabama faces the LSU-Arkansas winner in Sunday’s championship in search of its first SEC Tournament title since 1991. Tennessee awaits an NCAA Tournament seeding on Sunday.
NBA-76ERS-EMBIID INJURED
AP source: Embiid sidelined with bone bruise in left knee
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia 76ers star center Joel Embiid (joh-EHL’ ehm-BEED’) has a bone bruise on his left knee and could miss at least two weeks, according to a person with knowledge of the injury.
The person tells The Associated Press that Embiid did not suffer structural damage to his knee and will be evaluated again in two weeks.
Embiid was injured in the Sixers’ win Friday over Washington. Embiid landed awkwardly after a dunk on his left leg, his knee joint appearing to bend slightly forward. He writhed in pain on the floor for several minutes, and a stretcher was briefly brought on the court, but the center limped off under his own power.
Embiid has emerged as an MVP candidate after helping the 76ers to the Eastern Conference lead. He’s averaging 29.9 points and 11.5 rebounds in 31 games.
NHL-SCHEDULE
Rangers beat Bruins 4-0 in Panarin’s first game back
UNDATED (AP) — The New York Rangers have ended a three-game losing streak with a 4-0 victory over the Boston Bruins.
Chris Kreider scored his team-leading 14th goal and Keith Kinkaid stopped 18 shots for his first shutout since 2018. Ryan Strome, Pavel Buchnevich and K’Andre Miller each had a goal for New York, which lost 4-0 in Boston on Thursday.
Artemi Panarin (ahr-TEH’-mee pah-NAH’-rihn) had an assist in his first game back. He left the Rangers last month after a Russian tabloid printed allegations that he attacked a woman in Latvia almost a decade ago, which he denies.
NHL-SABRES-EICHEL
Eichel out for `foreseeable future’
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — The Buffalo Sabres will be without captain Jack Eichel (EYE’-kul) for what coach Ralph Krueger called “the foreseeable future,” delivering another blow to a team in the midst of a nine-game skid.
The injury is not considered season-ending, though Krueger on Saturday was unable to provide a timetable on how much time Eichel will miss.
The update Saturday came after Eichel traveled to see a specialist over the past two days to further determine the severity of the injury. Under the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol rules, Eichel is required to spend seven days in quarantine as a result of the trip, meaning he will miss at least Buffalo’s next four games. He has already missed two games since he was checked into the end boards by Casey Cizikas (sih-ZEE’-kuhs) in the closing minutes of a 5-2 loss at the New York Islanders on Sunday.
MLB-ROCKIES-OBERG
Oberg progressing after blood clot sidelined reliever in ’20
UNDATED (AP) — Colorado Rockies right-handed reliever Scott Oberg is steadily making his way back to the mound after sitting out last season due to a blood clot in his pitching arm. It was the third time over his career a clot has surfaced.
Oberg underwent thoracic outlet surgery in September. He was a little sore the day after his first spring training game, but he called it a good kind of sore. He anticipates being on the opening day roster when the Rockies start the season on April 1 against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Coors Field.
NFL-NEWS
Normalcy inches back to NFL with draft room gatherings OK’d
UNDATED (AP) — The NFL has informed teams they can gather in person for the draft, unlike last year when they had to connect via videoconference from their homes because of the coronavirus pandemic.
In a memo sent to all 32 teams Friday, the NFL said team personnel will have to socially distance and wear masks at all times regardless of their vaccination status. Eating and drinking will be prohibited in the draft room, according to the memo, which was obtained by The Associated Press.
Last year’s draft in Las Vegas was scrapped because of COVID-19 concerns. Teams were forbidden from gathering at team headquarters, so they met over videoconference from their homes.
Every team must submit their draft plan by March 26 for review and approval by the NFL’s chief medical officer, Dr. Allen Sills.
Clubs also will be permitted to use off-site facilities for their draft rooms if they choose.
In other NFL news:
— The New York Jets re-signed wide receiver Vyncint Smith. He was scheduled to become a restricted free agent next week. The 24-year-old Smith had just one catch for 13 yards in seven games after being sidelined for the start of the season following core muscle surgery during training camp.
— The Detroit Lions have signed free agent tight end Josh Hill. He joins Detroit after spending the first eight seasons of his career with the New Orleans Saints. They signed him as an undrafted rookie free agent out of Idaho State in 2013. He has 116 receptions for 1,071 yards and 15 touchdowns in 117 games. Hill has made 61 starts. Hill had eight catches last season.
