Update on the latest sports
APCOLLEGE BASKETBALL-NCAA TOURNAMENT-MEN
Sweet 16 tips off
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Ethan Thompson scored 20 points, including a pair of clinching foul shots with 35 seconds left, and No. 12 seed Oregon State beat eighth-seeded Loyola Chicago 65-58 in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.
The Beavers are headed for their first Elite Eight since 1982 and will play second-seeded Houston or No. 10 seed Syracuse on Monday night for a spot in the Beavers’ first Final Four since 1963.
COLLEGE 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.
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 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 and plans to enter 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. Nolan Patrick also scored for the Flyers, who badly needed to win a close one against the Rangers.
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.
The Rangers had combined to beat the Flyers 17-3 in their last two meetings.
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. Matt Grzelcyk (GRIHZ’-lihk) and Nick Ritchie each had a goal and an assist, and third-stringer Daniel Vladar stopped 25 shots for Boston.
— Max Pacioretty scored at 1:56 of overtime to give the Vegas Golden Knights a 3-2 victory over the Colorado Avalanche. Pacioretty had an assist, Alex Martinez and William Carrier scored, and Marc-Andre Fluery made 22 saves. Joonas Donskoi and Devon Toews scored for Colorado, and Philipp Grubauer made 31 saves. The Avalanche had won eight straight at home.
— Adam Erne and Robby Fabbri scored 29 seconds apart in the first period and Calvin Pickard made 21 saves in his first start of the season, helping the Detroit Red Wings beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-1. Anthony Mantha also scored for the last-place Red Wings. Dylan Larkin had two assists.
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.
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. Matt Andriese was scheduled to start a spring training game against Pittsburgh but was scratched because of contract tracing.
— 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. He went 0-0 with a 7.94 ERA in three appearances for Detroit last year.
— David Bote has won the second-base job with the Chicago Cubs, and Trevor Williams and Adbert Alzolay will round out the team’s rotation at the beginning of the season. The Cubs cleared the way for Bote when they optioned infielder Nico Hoerner to Triple-A Iowa.
— 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 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.
— The Colorado Rockies placed right-handed reliever Scott Oberg on the 60-day injured list after he underwent surgery to dissolve blood clots in his pitching arm. It’s a big blow to the Colorado bullpen. Oberg, who turned 31 on March 13, was steadily working his way back to the mound after missing all of the 2020 pandemic-shortened season due to a blood clot.
— The Washington Nationals sent their expected starting third baseman Carter Kieboom, to the minor leagues along with infielder Luis Garcia, pitchers Sam Clay and Kyle McGowin, and outfielder Yadiel Hernández. Surprising additions to the team’s major league roster were infielder Jordy Mercer and utility man Hernán Pérez. The Nats released Yasmany Tomás and T.J. McFarland from their minor league contracts, and designated first baseman Jake Noll for assignment to clear space on the 40-man roster.
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 college football coach Howard Schnellenberger has died at age 87.
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.
GOLF-PUNTA CANA
Campos birdies 18th for share of lead in Dominican Republic
PUNTA CANA, Dominican Republic (AP) —Rafael Campos holed out for birdie with a putter from off the front of the 18th green for birdie and a share of the lead Saturday with Joel Dahmen in the PGA Tour’s windy Corales Puntacana Resort & Club Championship. Campos, the 32-year-old Puerto Rican player whose family has a home in the Dominican, shot a 3-under 69 to match Dahmen at 10-under 206 at Corales Golf Club.
Ranked 427th in the world, Campos is trying to break through in his 37th PGA Tour start. Dahmen had a 68. The 33-year-old former Washington player also is winless on the tour.
Danny Willett and Michael Gligic were a stroke back.
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.
TENNIS-MIAMI OPEN
Barty, Tsitsipas advance to 4th round
MIAMI (AP) — Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer are absent from the Miami Open. That leaves Stefanos Tsitsipas among those with the best chance to take advantage, and he looked the part in the third round, beating Damir Dzumhur 6-1, 6-4. Seeded second, Tsitsipas says the tournament is a “first test” to see how it is playing without the big three in men’s tournament.
In women’s play, top-ranked Ash Barty and three-time champion Victoria Azarenka won in straight sets and advanced to a round of 16 showdown. Azarenka beat Angelique Kerber, and Barty eliminated Jelena Ostapenko.
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.
CAR-NASCAR-BRISTOL
What a Mess: NASCAR worried about first Bristol dirt race
BRISTOL, Tenn. (AP) — NASCAR made a flurry of procedural changes ahead of its first Cup race on dirt since 1970. Bristol Motor Speedway converted its facility into a dirt track in an experiment on a revamped 2021 schedule.
It marks the first dirt race for the top series since 1970 and NASCAR is concerned it could be a disaster. The stock cars proved too heavy for the dirt and tire wear dipped to dangerous levels during practices.
NASCAR the day before the race said it was making pro-active moves to save the Sunday’s show.
