Update on the latest sports
APVIRUS OUTBREAK-COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Positive COVID-19 tests derail Kansas, Virginia tourney runs
UNDATED (AP) — A pair of ranked men’s basketball teams has pulled out of their conference tournaments due to COVID-19 concerns.
Eleventh-ranked Kansas had to drop out of Friday’s Big 12 semifinal game against No. 13 Texas, and 16th-rated Virginia was forced out of its ACC semifinal contest with Georgia Tech. It comes one day after Duke said its season was over due to COVID-19 issues, knocking the Blue Devils out of the ACC quarterfinals.
The Jayhawks cite a positive test within the program, while the Cavaliers say a positive test, quarantining and contact tracing led to the cancellation of their game.
Both teams hope to be able to participate in the NCAA Tournament, which begins late next week.
The cancellations allowed Georgia Tech and 15th-ranked Texas to advance to their conference title games. The Yellow Jackets will face either 15th-ranked Florida State or North Carolina on Saturday. The Longhorns will play the winner of tonight’s Oklahoma St.-Baylor game.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL-BIG TEN TOURNAMENT
Wolverines, Buckeyes advance
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Fourth-ranked Michigan and No. 9 Ohio State have advanced to the Big Ten men’s basketball semifinals.
Mike Smith scored 18 points and set a Big Ten Tournament record with 15 assists as the Wolverines downed Maryland, 79-66. Tempers flared when Michigan coach Juwan Howard got into a verbal confrontation with Terrapins coach Mark Turgeon. Howard had to be restrained and was ejected after receiving two quick technical fouls.
Seth Towns scored six of his season-high 12 points in overtime, helping the Buckeyes beat No. 21 Purdue 87-78.
Duane Washington Jr. scored 20 points and EJ Liddell added 17 for Ohio State, which led by 18 at halftime.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL-SEC TOURNAMENT
Tide to play Vols in SEC semis
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — It will be sixth-ranked Alabama taking on Tennessee in one of the SEC’s two semifinal games on Saturday.
The Crimson Tide blew out Mississippi State, 85-48 as Jahvon Quinerly scored 14 points off the bench and Jaden Shackelford added 13 points. The Tide followed a couple of small early runs with a 17-0 surge over five minutes for a 43-13 cushion just before halftime.
Tennessee advanced with a 78-66 decision over Florida as Santiago Vescovi scored 14 points to lead five Volunteers in double figures. Yves Pons nearly had a triple-double with 11 points, eight rebounds and nine blocked shots that tied the SEC tournament single-game record.
NFL-NEWS
Brady signs extension, frees salary cap space for Buccaneers
UNDATED (AP) — Tom Brady has agreed to a contract extension with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that provides the Super Bowl champions with much-needed salary cap relief and will help the seven-time NFL champion reach a goal of playing until he’s at least 45.
Brady posted a picture of himself on Twitter signing the extension Friday. The extension, confirmed by the team, frees about $19 million in salary cap space, a move that improves Tampa Bay’s chances of returning as much of its championship roster as possible for 2021. Seven starters from the Super Bowl were among two dozen Buccaneers eligible to become free agents next week. Brady’s extension adds an extra season on the two-year, $50 million contract he signed in free agency last March following a 20-year run with the New England Patriots.
In other NFL news:
—The San Francisco 49ers have locked up one of their key cornerbacks before the start of free agency by agreeing to a two-year contract with Emmanuel Moseley before he became a restricted free agent. A person familiar with the deal said on condition of anonymity that Moseley will earn up to $10.1 million under the contract.
—The Green Bay Packers have released tight end John Lovett. Lovett played eight games last season while making contributions on offense and special teams. He went on injured reserve Nov. 13 after hurting his knee in practice. He rushed for 6 yards on three carries and made four tackles on special teams. The Packers had claimed Lovett off waivers from the Kansas City Chiefs on Aug. 5.
— The Chicago Bears and punter Pat O’Donnell agreed Friday to a one-year contract extension for next season. A sixth-round draft pick by Chicago in 2014, O’Donnell holds franchise records for punting average and net average. His 181 punts inside the 20 rank second in team history to Brad Maynard’s 284 and 12th among active NFL punters.
— The New England Patriots are completing an agreement to re-sign free-agent quarterback Cam Newton, according to a person with knowledge of the negotiations. The person tells The Associated Press that the one-year deal is worth close to $14 million. Newton signed with Patriots last June following his release from the Carolina Panthers after nine seasons. He had an up-and-down 2020 season in which he missed time after contracting COVID-19. The Patriots finished 7-9.
— The Jacksonville Jaguars have re-signed cornerback Tre Herndon, who would have become a restricted free agent at the start of the new league year Wednesday. An undrafted rookie from Vanderbilt, Herndon started 26 games over the past two seasons. Henderson has 144 tackles, 18 pass breakups and three interceptions in three seasons.
— B.J. Finney is back with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers signed him to a one-year contract a week after he was released by the Cincinnati Bengals. Finney spent his first five seasons in the NFL in Pittsburgh. The Steelers are in the midst of a significant reset along the offensive line. Nine-time Pro Bowl center Maurkice Pouncey retired in February.
— The Buffalo Bills have agreed to sign offensive lineman Daryl Williams to a three-year contract, days before the starter was eligible to become a free agent. Williams started all 16 games during his first season in Buffalo. He signed a one-year deal with the Bills a year ago after spending his first five seasons with the Carolina Panthers.
— Right guard Trai Turner has been released by the Los Angeles Chargers, less than a year after he was acquired from Carolina in a trade. Turner was a five-time Pro Bowl selection with the Panthers but didn’t have the same success with the Chargers, missing seven games last season because of injuries.
— Punter Michael Palardy has agreed to terms on a one-year deal with the Miami Dolphins, according to a person familiar with the negotiations. Palardy has a career average of 45.3 yards in six seasons, all with Carolina.
NBA-CAVALIERS-INJURIES
Love, Nance back with Cavs
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Cleveland Cavaliers center Kevin Love and power forward Larry Nance Jr. were activated for Friday’s game against the New Orleans Pelicans.
Love played in just two games early this season and has missed 33 straight since injuring his right calf in late December. Nance has been out since breaking his left hand on Feb. 6, missing Cleveland’s previous 12 games.
NBA-ROCKETS-TUCKER
Rockets say they’re trying to trade P.J. Tucker
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The Houston Rockets say they are attempting to trade disgruntled forward P.J. Tucker.
Tucker traveled with the Rockets to Sacramento for Thursday’s game with the Kings but did not play and was on his way back to Houston before the game ended. The 35-year-old is in the final year of a $31.8 million, four-year deal. The veteran forward has been pushing for a trade for the past few weeks and had grown increasingly frustrated by the organization’s apparent lack of attempts to make a deal happen.
NCAA FOOTBALL RULES
NCAA rules panel recommends change to shorten overtime games
UNDATED (AP) — The NCAA Football Rules Committee is recommending a slight change to overtime rules.
It would require a team to try a two-point conversion after a touchdown when a game reaches the second overtime instead of the third. The committee also addressed the problem of teams faking injuries to slow the opponent’s momentum and blocking below the waist. Changes must be approved by the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel next month. The overtime recommendation was based on player safety and intended to reduce the number of plays it takes to win a game.
MLB-NEWS
Markakis ends big league career
UNDATED (AP) — Outfielder Nick Markakis has retired after 15 major league seasons.
Markakis told The Athletic in a story published Friday that he was done playing after accumulating 2,388 hits, earning his lone All-Star selection in 2018 and closing out his career in Game 7 of the NL Championship Series.
Markakis spent his first nine years with the Baltimore Orioles before moving to his hometown Atlanta Braves for his final six seasons.
The 37-year-old outfielder helped the Braves through a difficult rebuilding process that paid off with three straight NL East titles.
In other baseball news:
— The Atlanta Braves are planning to open Truist Park to about 13,500 fans to start the new season. The three-time reigning NL East champions will allow 33% capacity at their 41,084-seat stadium beginning with opening day against the Philadelphia Phillies on April 9. No fans were allowed in MLB parks during the 2020 season.
— The Minnesota Twins have received approval for fans to return to their games this season. They can play at Target Field for now in front of a capacity of up to 10,000 people.
— The Baltimore Orioles will begin the season by hosting approximately 11,000 fans per game, or 25% of capacity of Camden Yards.
