Update on the latest sports
APCOLLEGE BASKETBALL-NCAA TOURNAMENT-WOMEN
Williams, Bueckers lead UConn past Iowa 92-72
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Christyn Williams scored 27 points and Paige Bueckers added 18 to lead No. 1 UConn to a 92-72 win over fifth-seeded Iowa on Saturday in the Sweet 16 of the women’s NCAA Tournament.
The game featured a matchup of two extremely talented freshmen in Bueckers and Iowa’s Caitlyn Clark. The friends had taken the women’s basketball world by storm this season. Bueckers became the third freshman to earn All-America honors. Clark led the nation in scoring and came into the regional semifinals averaging 29 points in the tournament.
Clark was shadowed on defense Williams on almost every possession and finished with 21 points — below her nearly 27-point a game average. She was just 7-for-21 from the field.
The game marked the return of UConn coach Geno Auriemma (aw-ree-EH’-muh), who missed the opening two rounds because he was recovering from the coronavirus.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL-NEWS
Craig Smith hired as Utah coach
UNDATED (AP) — Utah has hired Utah State’s Craig Smith as its men’s basketball coach. The school says Smith will replace Larry Krystkowiak (kris-TOH’-vee-ak), who was fired this month.
Smith turned Utah State into one of the nation’s best mid-major programs in a short span, leading the Aggies to the NCAA Tournament twice in three years. Utah State won the Mountain West Conference Tournament title in 2020 but didn’t get a chance to play in the NCAA Tournament because of the coronavirus pandemic. Utah State won the MWC Tournament again this season and won 20 games before losing 65-53 to Texas Tech in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.
In other college basketball news:
— Duke senior Jordan Goldwire plans to leave the Blue Devils as a graduate transfer. He says he will enter his name into the transfer portal to take advantage of the extra year of eligibility granted to players due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The guard made his mark primarily through defense while earning a bigger role in his last two seasons.
NHL-SCHEDULE
Morin’s 1st career goal lifts Flyers past Rangers 2-1
UNDATED (AP) — Sam Morin scored his first NHL goal with 4:27 left in the game to lead the Philadelphia Flyers to a 2-1 win over the New York Rangers on Saturday.
Nolan Patrick also scored for the Flyers, who badly needed to win a close one against the Rangers. The Rangers had combined to beat the Flyers 17-3 in their past two meetings. The Flyers moved into fifth place ahead of the Rangers in the East Division at 16-13-4 — the top four teams qualify for the playoffs — with 23 games left in a shortened season.
Morin, the 11th overall pick in the 2013 draft, had never scored a point in 14 career NHL games.
Mike Zibanejad (MEE’-kuh zih-BAN’-eh-jad) scored for the Rangers.
Elsewhere in the NHL:
— The Buffalo Sabres lost their 17th consecutive game, twice blowing a one-goal lead before Craig Smith scored with 3:50 left to snap a third-period tie and give the Boston Bruins a 3-2 victory. The Sabres have not won since Feb. 23, tying the 18th longest losing streak in NHL history. It was just the fifth time during that span that they have managed to come within one goal. Matt Grzelcyk (GRIHZ’-lihk) and Nick Ritchie each had a goal and an assist, and third-stringer Daniel Vladar stopped 25 shots for Boston, which beat Buffalo for the seventh time in a row. It was the Bruins’ first victory in front of their home fans since March of last year.
MLB-NEWS
Yanks’ Voit needs knee surgery, giving chance for Jay Bruce
UNDATED (AP) — Major league home run champion Luke Voit needs knee surgery to repair a partial meniscus tear, an injury that opened a New York Yankees roster spot today for Jay Bruce on as a converted first baseman.
Manager Aaron Boone says Voit will not have any baseball activities for three weeks after the operation. He is expected back in May.
The injury to Voit, who hit 22 homers in the pandemic-shortened season, played a role in the decision to add Bruce, who attended spring training with a minor league contract. Bruce played just 54 career games at first base.
In other MLB news:
— The Boston Red Sox say closer Matt Barnes has tested positive for COVID-19 and won’t be ready for opening day. Manager Alex Cora said Saturday that Barnes is asymptomatic. Also, Matt Andriese was scheduled to start a spring training game against Pittsburgh. But he was scratched because of contract tracing. Barnes had emerged as the top candidate for the closer’s job this spring. He will need to remain out for at least 10 days.
— The Milwaukee Brewers have re-signed pitcher Jordan Zimmermann to a minor-league contract one day after releasing him. The move enables the Brewers to send the 34-year-old right-hander to their alternate site in Appleton, Wisconsin. Zimmermann made All-Star teams with the Washington Nationals in 2013 and 2014 but has struggled with injuries the last two seasons. He went 0-0 with a 7.94 ERA in three appearances for Detroit last year.
— Pablo Sandoval has made the opening day roster for the Atlanta Braves. The team made a flurry of moves to complete its 26-man roster that included selecting the contract of Sandoval, a nonroster infielder. The 34-year-old Sandoval is a two-time All-Star and 2012 World Series MVP looking to revive his career in a bench role with the Braves. The portly switch-hitter earned his spot by hitting .429 with four RBIs this spring. The Braves also selected the contracts of two other nonroster players: infielder Ehire Adrianza and reliever Nate Jones. Former All-Stars Jason Kipnis and Jake Lamb were released.
— The Chicago Cubs have optioned infielder Nico Hoerner and reliever Brad Wieck to Triple-A Iowa. Veteran outfielder Cameron Maybin has been released, and right-handers Shelby Miller, Pedro Strop and Trevor Megill have been assigned to minor league camp, along with outfielder Rafael Ortega. Miller, Strop, Megill and Ortega were nonroster invitees to big league spring training. Hoerner, a first-round pick in the 2018 amateur draft out of Stanford, was in the mix for the starting job at second base. He had a strong spring, batting .361 with a homer and six RBIs.
NFL-RAVENS-WATKINS
Ravens adding wide receiver Sammy Watkins in 1-year deal
OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — Wide receiver Sammy Watkins, who won a Super Bowl with Kansas City, has agreed to a one-year contract with the Baltimore Ravens.
Watkins must pass a physical exam before signing.
Entering his eighth NFL season, Watkins has been a solid target for Buffalo, the Los Angeles Rams and the Chiefs. He was the fourth overall selection in the 2014 draft by the Bills, who traded him to the Rams in 2017. Watkins joined the Chiefs in 2018 as a free agent.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL-OBIT-SCHNELLENBERGER
Former Miami, Louisville coach Schenellenberger dies
MIAMI (AP) — Former football college Howard Schnellenberger has died.
Schnellenberger revived football at the University of Miami and Louisville and started the program at Florida Atlantic during a coaching career that spanned half a century. He had a career record below .500, but when it came to building, he was a winner. His legacy includes on-campus stadiums at Louisville and Florida Atlantic.
Schnellenberger led the Miami Hurricanes to the first of their five national championships in 1983, and coached Louisville to a Fiesta Bowl win over Alabama to cap the 1990 season. He then founded the program at Florida Atlantic.
Schnellenberger died Saturday at age 87. FAU announced his death and said he recently had been in a care center in South Florida.
PGA-MATCH PLAY
Harman turns tables on Watson, Kuchar ousts Spieth
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Brian Harman appeared headed for an early loss when he fell 4 down to Bubba Watson through five holes. Eight straight birdies later, Harman turned out a 2-and-1 victory to reach the quarterfinals of the Dell Technologies Match Play.
Jordan Spieth won’t be joining him. Spieth never trailed until Matt Kuchar beat him on the 18th hole with what amounted to a short-game contest.
Scottie Scheffler blasted Ian Poulter with seven birdies in 14 holes. Others to advance to the quarterfinals were Jon Rahm, Victor Perez, Sergio Garcia, Billy Horschel and Tommy Fleetwood.
ENNIS-MIAMI OPEN
Barty, Tsitsipas advance to 4th round
MIAMI (AP) — Stefanos Tsitsipas has advanced to the fourth round at the Miami Open by beating Damir Dzumhur 6-1, 6-4. Tsitsipas is seeded second and ranked a career-high No. 5. He hopes to take advantage of a draw without Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.
In women’s play, top-ranked Ash Barty beat Jelena Ostapenko 6-3, 6-2 and had a much easier time than in the previous round, when she saved a match point to beat qualifier Kristina Kucova. That was Barty’s first match away from her native Australian since February 2020.
FIGURE SKATING-WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Chen wins 3rd straight worlds, beating Olympic champ
STOCKHOLM (AP) — Nathan Chen has put himself in the company of history’s best figure skaters, becoming the first American since Scott Hamilton to win a third consecutive World Figure Skating Championships men’s title.
Chen was dynamic in easily surpassing two-time Olympic champ Yuzuru Hanyu of Japan in the free skate in Stockholm and stamp himself as the man to beat at next year’s Beijing Olympics. Hanyu struggled enough Saturday to fall to third place behind 17-year-old countryman Yuma Kagiyama, who took silver in his first senior worlds.
