ew Page 4 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

Blue Jackets try to return to winning ways vs. Islanders
Both the New York Islanders and Columbus Blue Jackets picked up Thursday where they left off prior to the Olympic Break.,But only the Islanders were rewarded with two points -- which puts the Blue Jackets in the more urgent position when New York visits Columbus on Saturday.,Both teams were off Frid...

Oregon, Northwestern each peaking down the stretch
Saturday's game between Oregon and Northwestern in Evanston, Ill., might not look to be an especially significant game given that neither team is particularly close to the NCAA Tournament bubble.,But it could be important for two teams hoping to avoid having to play an extra game at the Big Ten tour...

No. 19 BYU in need of fast start vs. West Virginia
Slow starts for No. 19 BYU have festered into something more significant lately.,When the Cougars travel to West Virginia, they'll look to exhibit the form they showed earlier this season in a Big 12 Conference tilt on Saturday in Morgantown, W. Va.,On Tuesday, BYU (20-8, 8-7 Big 12) was throttled i...

Arizona State clutching at tourney hopes, hosts Utah
The Big 12 was widely regarded as one of the toughest conferences entering the season and has proved to contain competition from top to bottom.,On Saturday, Arizona State will host its final unranked matchup of the season, barely clinging onto the tournament bubble and looking for a season sweep aga...

No. 22 Tennessee aims to continue recent mastery of No. 17 Alabama
Tennessee apparently knows the secret to defeating Alabama and takes aim at beating the Crimson Tide for the sixth straight time when the Southeastern Conference rivals clash on Saturday at Knoxville, Tenn.,The Volunteers continued their mastery with a 79-73 win at Tuscaloosa, Ala., on Jan. 24, hold...

USC in desperate need of a win with No. 12 Nebraska in town
Big Ten counterparts Southern California and No. 12 Nebraska meet on Saturday in Los Angeles with very different but equally high stakes.,The Trojans (18-10, 7-10 Big Ten) head into the final three games of the regular season playing for their postseason lives. On a four-game losing streak following...

Devils running out of words for frustrating slump, face Blues next
The slumping New Jersey Devils did not gain their hoped-for reset after the Olympic break.,The Devils will take a five-game losing streak into their Saturday afternoon road game against the St. Louis Blues. They have lost seven of eight games dating back to Jan. 25 to fall a game below .500 and 13 p...

JT Toppin-less No. 16 Texas Tech forges on at No. 4 Iowa State
No game in the Big 12 Conference rates as a breathe-easy tuneup because most teams are capable of jumping up and biting one of the league's frontrunners on any given night.,So, taking the first two steps of the rest of the season without preseason All-American JT Toppin were by no means easy outings...

Streaking Reed Sheppard leads Rockets into matchup with Heat
The Houston Rockets were on the verge of completing a stunning rally from a 19-point deficit against the Orlando Magic on Thursday but needed one final push to get over the hump.,Up stepped reserve guard Reed Sheppard, who followed his 28-point performance against the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday w...

Star Canadians clash as Oilers face Sharks
Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers have ignited offensively since the Olympic break ended, while the San Jose Sharks returned with a disappointing thud.,The Oilers wrap a three-game California road trip Saturday afternoon when they visit Macklin Celebrini and the Sharks.,Edmonton snapped a four-...

Tyler Reddick chasing history at COTA
With two exciting finishes under its belt, NASCAR has opened its season strong and certainly raised questions. The biggest one might be this: Who or what can stop team owners Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin, their two 23XI Racing teams and rising drivers Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace?,After last s...

Tre Carroll aims high as Xavier hosts Georgetown
Tre Carroll continues his drive for a conference scoring crown, as well as some school history Saturday, when Xavier hosts Georgetown in a Big East rematch in Cincinnati.,Carroll leads the conference in scoring for all games (18.5 points per game) and is second in league games (19.5). A Xavier playe...

Mets give Opening Day nod to RHP Freddy Peralta
Right-hander Freddy Peralta will not have to wait long to make his New York Mets debut after he was named Opening Day starter by manager Carlos Mendoza on Friday.,Peralta, who was acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers last month in a trade for two top prospects, is set to take the mound March 26 at ho...

Cincinnati chasing bounce-back effort vs. Oklahoma State
Cincinnati is facing an uphill battle to get back into NCAA Tournament contention and hopes to make a late push starting Saturday when it plays host to Oklahoma State.,The Bearcats (15-13, 7-8 Big 12) saw a four-game winning streak end with an 80-68 loss at No. 16 Texas Tech on Tuesday. It was a dis...

Donovan Dent to lead revived UCLA against Minnesota
After a pair of reaffirming victories to get its NCAA Tournament hopes back on track, UCLA has no time for complacency with a visit to Minnesota on Saturday at Minneapolis.,The Bruins were crushed in losses at Michigan and Michigan State earlier this month, and to make matters worse, UCLA head coach...

Miami out to maintain top-four ACC spot vs. Boston College
Amid a remarkable turnaround, Miami will be out to solidify its NCAA Tournament credentials when it plays host to Boston College in an Atlantic Coast Conference game Saturday.,What seemed unlikely before the season began is within reach for the Hurricanes under first-year head coach Jai Lucas. A com...

SEC rivals Garrett Nussmeier, Ty Simpson vying to be QB2 in 2026 draft
Garrett Nussmeier was two practices into the 2025 season when the LSU starting quarterback derailed the entire year.,Nussmeier strained an oblique muscle that limited his ability to not only throw the deep ball but any pass without experiencing shooting pain. ,Head coach Brian Kelly didn't fully dis...

Reports: Falcons fire assistant DL coach LaTroy Lewis
The Atlanta Falcons fired assistant defensive line coach LaTroy Lewis, who is being accused of rape in Michigan, multiple outlets reported Friday.,The dismissal comes after Darko State News reported details of violent behavior, and screen shots of electronic communication between Lewis and the alleg...

USMNT M Malik Tillman avoids serious injury ahead of World Cup
After initial fears of a serious ankle injury, United States men's national team midfielder Malik Tillman is expected to be back on the field soon.,Tillman was injured in a game last Saturday as he played for his club team, Bayer Leverkusen in Germany. He missed a Champions League game on Tuesday an...

Report: WNBA players divided in CBA approach during 'spirited' meeting
The approach to a potential strike was a point of contention among WNBA union members at a sometimes "tough" meeting where the state of labor negotiations was discussed, Front Office Sports reported.,At a virtual meeting held Tuesday by the WNBPA, some players reportedly changed their minds from a m...