i Page 6 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

Falcons prez Matt Ryan ready to support QB Michael Penix Jr.
When Michael Penix Jr. is healthy, the Atlanta Falcons expect him to be prominent in the team's quarterback pecking order. Until then, team president Matt Ryan plans to make sure the third-year passer has plenty of support from a new coaching staff. ,In comments to Sirius/XM Radio about the cloudy f...

Surging Florida State looks to extend Clemson's slump
A relatively smooth Clemson season has entered a sudden freefall.,After the Tigers (20-7, 10-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) lost just four of their first 24 games this season, they've lost their last three entering Saturday's home game against a resurgent Florida State squad.,This skid shouldn't cost ...

No. 25 Alabama brings high-octane offense to LSU
Head coach Nate Oats and No. 25 Alabama are hoping for repeat performances from Labaron Philon Jr. and Aiden Sherrell when they face LSU on Saturday in Baton Rouge, La.,But maybe not the same drama.,Philon had 35 points while Sherrell added 26, both career highs, as the Crimson Tide needed two overt...

Reports: New salary for Indiana's Curt Cignetti averages $13.2M through 2033
Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti agreed to a new contract, raising his average annual salary to $13.2 million through 2033, multiple media outlets reported on Friday.,The extension is the third in just over two years for Cignetti, who reportedly made $11.6 million per year in his previous deal. Now,...

Aston Martin shuts down F1 testing as car problems persist
Aston Martin ended its F1 preseason testing two hours early Friday on the final day at the Bahrain International Circuit amid ongoing technical issues.,Lance Stroll completed just six laps Friday, suffering a heavy lock-up and an off-track excursion, before the team announced it was limiting runs wh...

Biathlon win gives Norway Olympic-record 17 gold medals
ANTERSELVA, Italy -- Norway set a record for gold medals at a Winter Olympics when Johannes Dale-Skjevdal won the men's 15km biathlon mass start at the Antholz-Anterselva Biathlon Arena on Friday.,The previous record of 16 also belonged to Norway, set at the Beijing Games in 2022.,Dale-Skjevdal hit ...

Hilary Knight, Evan Bates to carry US flag at closing ceremony
Gold-medal winners Hilary Knight and Evan Bates were selected as flagbearers and will lead the United States delegation in the closing ceremony of the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics on Sunday.,Knight, captain of the U.S. women's hockey team, scored the game-tying goal late in the gold-medal game agains...

Somi Lee (61) has career-low round, takes lead in Thailand
South Korean Somi Lee carded a 61 -- her career-low round -- to move to 17-under par and take a three-stroke lead after 36 holes at the Honda LPGA Thailand on Friday.,Trailing her is World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul, who, with her home-country crowd on her side, fired a 63 at the Siam Country Club Old Cou...

Reports: Toronto FC acquire Josh Sargent in $22M deal
Norwich City forward Josh Sargent is headed to Toronto FC, with the MLS club paying an acquisition fee in the range of $22 million, according to multiple reports Friday.,The U.S. international had been mired in a protracted saga with Norwich since making himself unavailable for the FA Cup game again...

Is 40-year-old Alex Ovechkin planning to retire? 'We'll see'
Alex Ovechkin plans to decide his future sometime after the Capitals finish the regular season, a 23-game stretch when play resumes Wednesday following the break for the Winter Games.,Ovechkin, 40, said he spent the extended time away from the regularly scheduled NHL programming by taking a trip to ...

No. 6 Iowa State takes aim at another ranked foe in No. 23 BYU
Iowa State is fresh off two takedowns of Top 10 teams but there is seldom room for a breather in the Big 12.,The No. 6 Cyclones look to post another crucial victory over a ranked opponent when they face No. 23 BYU on Saturday night at Provo, Utah.,Iowa State (23-3, 10-3 Big 12) beat then-No. 9 Kansa...

Orioles INF Jordan Westburg has partial UCL tear
Orioles infielder Jordan Westburg will be out through at least April due to a partial tear of the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, Baltimore president of baseball operations Mike Elias told reporters Friday.,Westburg will receive a platelet-rich plasma injection Friday with the hope of ...

Sidney Crosby ruled out for Canada's Olympic semis game vs. Finland
Captain Sidney Crosby will not play in the Olympic semifinals for Canada against Finland on Friday.,Hockey Canada made the announcement Friday morning.,Crosby, 38, suffered an apparent right leg injury in Canada's 4-3 overtime win against Czechia in the quarterfinal round of the Milan Cortina Olympi...

Brewers extend contract of manager Pat Murphy through 2028
Back-to-back National League Manager of the Year Pat Murphy agreed to a multi-year contract extension with the Milwaukee Brewers, the team announced Friday morning.,Specific terms of the deal were not disclosed by the Brewers, however multiple media outlets reported that it was a three-year deal, sp...

No. 20 Arkansas, Missouri vying for coveted SEC tournament seedings
No. 20 Arkansas will take the floor against Missouri on Saturday afternoon in Fayetteville, Ark., with the new favorite for Southeastern Conference Player of the Year, Darius Acuff Jr.,The freshman guard posted a record-breaking 49-point performance in the Razorbacks' 117-115 double-overtime loss at...

Graham Ike pursues school record as No. 11 Gonzaga hosts Pacific
Gonzaga coach Mark Few isn't known for uttering superlatives.,So his response when looking at the stat sheet from Wednesday night's 80-59 victory at San Francisco came as a bit of a surprise.,"It was good -- it was very, very good and spread out," Few said.,High acclaim, indeed.,Graham Ike scored 22...

Differing styles in spotlight when No. 4 Arizona clashes with No. 2 Houston
When No. 4 Arizona plays at No. 2 Houston on Saturday afternoon, the game will pit the top two teams in the Big 12 standings and will feature contrasting styles.,Arizona's high-scoring transition offense will go against Houston's suffocating defense.,As of Wednesday's games, the Wildcats (24-2, 11-2...

Fresh off rout, No. 10 Illinois keeping guard up vs. UCLA
Illinois began a two-game road trip to Los Angeles with its biggest margin of victory in a Big Ten road game in 80 years.,But that triumph is now in the rear-view mirror for the No. 10 Fighting Illini, who will look to take down UCLA on Saturday.,Illinois (22-5, 13-3 Big Ten) routed Southern Califor...

No. 3 Duke set to test mettle vs. top-ranked Michigan
A neutral-court, non-conference game between Duke and Michigan sounded like a big deal when it was announced during the offseason.,Now it might be even bigger than anticipated.,The third-ranked Blue Devils and No. 1 Wolverines will jockey for position atop the AP Top 25 poll when they clash Saturday...

Villanova vies to extend win streak, exact revenge vs. No. 5 UConn
Villanova is cruising toward March Madness, but a tough test awaits on Saturday when the Wildcats host No. 5 UConn in Philadelphia.,The Wildcats (21-5, 12-3 Big East) have won six games in a row, capped by a 92-89 overtime road win against Xavier in their most recent contest. Acaden Lewis scored fiv...