Update on the latest sports
APCOLLEGE BASKETBALL-BIG 12 TOURNAMENT
Bears, Cowboys reach semis
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Second-ranked Baylor and No. 12 Oklahoma State both survived close calls before earning the right to square off in the Big 12 semifinals.
The Bears advanced by holding off Kansas State, 74-68. MaCio Teague scored 24 points and Davion Mitchell had 23, but Baylor couldn’t pull away after beating the Wildcats by an average of 40 points in their two regular-season meetings. Jared Butler sealed ot with two free throws and finished with 18 points.
The Cowboys escaped with a 72-69 win over No. 10 West Virginia. Avery Anderson III hit the go-ahead bucket for the Cowboys with less than a minute to go, and Sean McNeil’s tying 3-pointer came a split-second after the final buzzer. Anderson and Big 12 player of the year Cade Cunningham had 17 points apiece for the fifth-seeded Cowboys, who have won seven of their last eight games.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL-BIG TEN TOURNAMENT
Buckeyes, Terps advance
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Ohio State ended a four-game losing streak and advanced to the Big Ten semifinals.
Duane Washington Jr. and Justice Sueing each scored 16 points and the ninth-ranked Buckeyes fended off Minnesota’s late charge to win 79-75.
Ohio State scored the game’s first 13 points and led by 14 with 3:24 remaining before the Gophers went on an 18-5 run to get within one.
In other Big Ten action:
— Eric Ayala scored 21 points, Aaron Wiggins added 19 and Maryland dominated Michigan State in the second half to take a 68-57 win.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL-BIG EAST TOURNAMENT
Hoyas eliminate Wildcats
NEW YORK (AP) — The top seed is done at the Big East tourney.
Dante Harris capped his 18-point performance by hitting two free throws with 4.7 seconds left to give Georgetown a 72-71 win against Villanova. The foul shots capped a perfect game from the line for the Hoyas, who went 23-for-23 to become the first team to shoot 100% on at least 20 attempts in the tournament.
The free throws ended the Wildcats’ string of three straight Big East tourney titles.
Elsewhere at the Big East tournament:
— With coach Greg McDermott back on the bench after a one-game suspension, No. 17 Creighton cruised into the semifinals with an 87-56 victory against Butler. Damien Jefferson scored 11 points in the first eight minutes and Marcus Zegarowski led the Bluejays with 18.
— Jared Rhoden hit six free throws in overtime to finish with 19 points and a career-high 16 rebounds, leading Seton Hall past St. John’s 77-69.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL-ACC TOURNAMENT
Duke done in by COVID-19 testing
GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) — Duke’s run through the ACC tournament has been ended by the pandemic.
The Blue Devils have pulled out of the event because of a positive coronavirus test and the resulting quarantining and contact tracing. The ACC announced that Duke’s game with Florida State was canceled, allowing the Seminoles to advance. It also puts the Blue Devils’ streak of 24 consecutive NCAA Tournaments is in jeopardy.
In other ACC quarterfinal action:
—Reece Beekman hit a 3-pointer as time expired to help No. 16 Virginia edge eighth-seeded Syracuse 72-69.
— Jordan Usher scored 13 of his 15 points in the second half, including a game-clinching dunk as Georgia Tech ended Miami’s tournament run, 70-66.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL-SEC TOURNAMENT
Wildcats to miss NCAA tournament
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Kentucky’s men’s basketball season is over.
The Wildcats finish 9-16 by dropping a 74-73 decision to Mississippi St. in the second round of the SEC tourney. Iverson Molinar scored eight of his 21 points in the final 3:07 to erase the Bulldogs’ five-point deficit. Mississippi State made just 3 of 14 from 3-point range until Molinar sank 3s on two straight possessions to retake the lead at 72-71.
Also at the SEC tournament:
— Tre Mann scored 22 points and Noah Locke added 13 as Florida held off Vanderbilt 69-63.
NFL-NEWS
Chiefs cut starting OTs Fisher, Schwartz to save cap space
UNDATED (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs have released starting offensive tackles Eric Fisher and Mitchell Schwartz as they try to squeeze under the salary cap.
The moves Thursday will provide another obstacle in their quest to upgrade an offensive line ransacked by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Super Bowl. The Chiefs were more than $22 million over the cap of $182.5 million that was set Wednesday.
The release of Fisher and Schwartz saves about $18.3 million, leaving them able to restructure other contracts — and potentially extend players — and create enough financial wiggle room to maneuver in free agency.
In other NFL news:
— New Houston Texans coach David Culley reiterated Thursday that the team has no intention of trading Deshaun Watson despite the star quarterback’s request to be dealt. Culley, who was hired in January to replace Bill O’Brien, was asked more than a half-dozen times about Watson’s future with the team and every time he made it clear that he expects Watson to be Houston’s quarterback this season. Culley says: “He is our quarterback.”
— The Chicago Bears have rewarded kicker Cairo Santos for a club-record season by agreeing to a five-year, $16 million contract, according to a person familiar with the situation. Santos took advantage of his opportunity after Eddy Pineiro injured his groin in August, making 30 of 32 field goals and 36 of 37 extra points. He set a franchise record for consecutive field goals made and gave the Bears the stability they’d been seeking since they cut Robbie Gould before the 2016 season.
—The Buffalo Bills have re-signed linebacker Matt Milano to a four-year contract less than a week before the starter was eligible to become a free agent. The signing comes a day after the Bills freed up more than $14.4 million in space under the salary cap by releasing receiver John Brown and defensive lineman Quinton Jefferson.
—Thomas Davis and Greg Olsen, two beloved NFL players who developed into iconic figures in the Charlotte community, officially retired together on Thursday as members of the Carolina Panthers. Davis and Olsen signed one-day contracts with the Panthers and were honored jointly during a 90-minute virtual ceremony at Bank of America Stadium that was broadcast live on the team’s website. Panthers owner David Tepper said they are “family” to the people in Charlotte and welcomed them back home.
NHL-BLUES-BINNINGTON
Binnington gets extension
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Jordan Binnington has signed a six-year, $36 million contract extension with the St. Louis Blues, less than two years after backstopping them to their first Stanley Cup title in franchise history.
The 27-year-old Binnington is in his third season in St. Louis and played a key role in the Blues making a run from last place in the standings to winning the championship in the 2018-19 season. He won his first career start in January 2019 and finished the season with a 24-5-1 record.
Binnington proceeded to become the NHL’s first rookie goalie to win each of the Cup-winning team’s 16 playoff games.
He’s 9-6-3 this season and has an overall record of 63-24-11 with eight shutouts.
MLB-NEWS
Indians seek trade for Hamilton
UNDATED (AP) — Outfielder Billy Hamilton won’t make Cleveland’s roster and the Indians are trying to find him another team this spring. Manager Terry Francona said the club told Hamilton that he wasn’t part of their plans. The Indians will try to trade the 30-year-old, who signed a minor league contract with a non-roster invitation to training camp last month. Hamilton had his best seasons with Cincinnati from 2013-18. He stole at least 56 bases four straight seasons. He spent last season with the New York Mets and Chicago Cubs.
In other MLB news:
—Ender Inciarte’s (EHN’-dur ihn-see-AHR’-tayz) attempt to win a starting job in the Atlanta Braves’ outfield is temporarily on hold as he recovers from a thumb injury. Inciarte is competing with rookie Cristian Pache for the starting job in center field. Braves manager Brian Snitker says Inciarte hurt his thumb when he “got fisted” by an inside pitch in a recent at-bat. Snitker says he does not know when Inciarte will be able to play. This is a crucial season for the 30-year-old Inciarte. He is entering the final year of a five-year, $30.5 million contract. Inciarte is a three-time Gold Glove winner.
PGA-PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP
Garcia sizzles late at Players Championship
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — A solid start turned into a brilliant one for Sergio Garcia, who finished birdie-birdie-eagle for a 7-under 65 and the first-round lead at The Players Championship.
Garcia holed a 15-foot birdie putt on the par-4 seventh, hit a 3-iron to 15 feet on the par-3 eighth, and closed it out with a 5-wood to 18 feet for eagle on his final hole.
Brian Harman is alone in second, two shots off the lead and one ahead of Matthew Fitzpatrick, Corey Conners and Shane Lowry.
TRANSGENDER SPORTS-MISSISSIPPI
Mississippi gov signs bill limiting transgender athletes
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves has signed a bill barring transgender athletes from competing on girls or women’s sports teams. Mississippi becomes the first state this year to enact such a ban, with more than 20 states considering similar bills. A federal court blocked an Idaho law last year.
Alphonso David, president of the LGBTQ civil rights organization Human Rights Campaign, said in a statement Thursday that the Mississippi law could lead to more bullying of transgender people.
