m Page 655 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

Commanders sign former rugby player T.J. Maguranyanga
The Washington Commanders on Thursday signed T.J. Maguranyanga, a former rugby player who is part of the NFL's International Player Pathway program.,Maguranyanga, 22, is listed as a defensive end. The Zimbabwe native played in the French Top 14 rugby league before heading to the football development...

Jamion Christian replaces Phil Martelli Jr. at Bryant
Bryant hired Jamion Christian as the new head coach of its men's basketball team on Thursday.,Christian, 42, previously held that role at alma mater Mount St. Mary's (2012-18), Siena (2018-19) and George Washington (2019-22). He spent the past couple of seasons coaching a professional team in Italy....

Longtime Sporting KC G Tim Melia announces retirement
Goalkeeper Tim Melia announced his retirement from professional soccer on Thursday.,Melia, 38, spent 10 seasons with Sporting Kansas City. The MLS club will formally recognize Melia with a ceremony at halftime of Saturday's match against St. Louis City. ,Melia is Sporting KC's all-time leader in reg...

Women's World Cup coming to U.S. in 2031, UK in 2035
The United States will be the host nation for the 2031 Women's World Cup, FIFA president Gianni Infantino said on Thursday.,Infantino also announced that the 2035 global soccer competition will take place in the United Kingdom.,The U.S. submitted the only bid for 2031, while the joint bid from Engla...
Why a Duke vs. Auburn Final Would Be the Best 2025 NCAA Championship Game
A Duke vs. Auburn rematch in the NCAA championship game promises the two best teams in an elite matchup, and must-watch basketball....

Flagg and Friends: Final Four loaded with NBA draft prospects
A quartet of No. 1 seeds converge on San Antonio this weekend as a Cinderella-free March bracket funnels into a star-studded Final Four. ,NBA Draft destinies can be forged in the fire of the Big Dance just as pro teams post their final records. ,With Big Boards as volatile as the stock market, Duke,...
NIL Changed the NCAA Tournament, but Didn’t Ruin March Madness
The 2025 NCAA Tournament has lacked the usual chaos of March Madness, but blaming NIL alone oversimplifies the issue. ...
Zion Williamson’s Season Is Over—Again. Now What?
Zion Williamson’s season ends early once more, leaving the New Orleans Pelicans with tough questions about his future with the franchise....

Merrill Kelly, D-backs eye three-game sweep of Yankees
During spring training, the New York Yankees announced they would no longer play Frank Sinatra's "(Theme From) New York, New York" following home losses.,The Arizona Diamondbacks did enough to ensure other songs would be heard after the final out the past two days at Yankee Stadium. They will get a ...

CONCACAF Champions Cup: LAFC blank Inter Miami
Nathan Ordaz fired home a 24-yard shot early in the second half, leading host Los Angeles FC to a 1-0 win over Inter Miami on Wednesday in the opening leg of a CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinal series.,The two-game, total-goal series will conclude in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on April 9.,In the 56th ...

CONCACAF Champions Cup: Pumas, Whitecaps play to draw
Adalberto Carrasquilla volleyed home the tying goal in the 87th minute, lifting Pumas UNAM to a 1-1 draw against the host Vancouver Whitecaps on Wednesday in the first leg of a CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinal series.,The two-leg, total-goal series will conclude on April 9 in Mexico City.,On the ...

Flames out to ignite playoff hopes, battle Ducks
The Calgary Flames have essentially no room for error to keep their playoff hopes alive as they play host to the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday.,The Flames (35-27-12, 82 points) are seven points outside a playoff spot in the Western Conference chase, and after a 3-1 road loss to the Utah Hockey Club on T...

Brittany Altomare halves with Nelly Korda at T-Mobile Match Play
World No. 1 and defending champion Nelly Korda blew a late lead and had to settle for halving her Wednesday match against Brittany Altomare as the T-Mobile Match Play got underway in North Las Vegas, Nev.,The result leaves Korda and Altomare trailing Ariya Jutanugarn in Group 1 after the Thai player...

Zac Gallen's dominant start powers Diamondbacks past Yankees
Zac Gallen tied a career high with 13 strikeouts without a walk in 6 2/3 dominating innings as the Arizona Diamondbacks took an early lead and hung on for a 4-3 victory over the host New York Yankees on Wednesday night.,On a frigid 42-degree night, the Diamondbacks won their third straight by gettin...

Wolves aim to bolster playoff positioning against Nets
The Minnesota Timberwolves had their 89th off day of the season on Wednesday. Suffice it to say it was the one they enjoyed -- and needed -- the most.,The Timberwolves (44-32) will look to build on a chaotic victory on Thursday night when they continue a five-game road trip by taking on the Brooklyn...

South Carolina, Texas highly familiar entering Final Four clash
Southeastern Conference counterparts South Carolina and Texas meet for the fourth time this season, this time in Friday's first semifinal matchup of the Final Four in Tampa.,Emerging as top seeds from the Birmingham Regions 2 and 3, South Carolina (34-3) and Texas (35-3) last met on March 9 in the S...

Reports: Ketel Marte, Diamondbacks agree to six-year extension
The Arizona Diamondbacks and star second baseman Ketel Marte have agreed to a six-year, $116.5 million contract extension, according to multiple reports on Wednesday.,The deal restructures a five-year, $76 million agreement that runs through 2027 with a team option for 2028. Basically, it adds three...

76ers' Joel Embiid (knee) to undergo arthroscopic surgery
Former MVP Joel Embiid will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his troublesome left knee next week, the Philadelphia 76ers announced Wednesday.,The decision comes as Embiid and the team search for longer-term solutions to address the injury, which limited the seven-time All-Star to a career-low 19 game...

Lightning put hot streak on line against struggling Senators
As they prepare to face the Ottawa Senators for the final time in the regular season, the Tampa Bay Lightning are doing everything they can to make sure Thursday night is not a final visit to Canada's capital.,Earning points in eight of their past 10 matches (7-2-1), the Lightning (44-25-5, 93 point...

Oklahoma G Jeremiah Fears to enter NBA Draft
Oklahoma freshman Jeremiah Fears will forgo his remaining NCAA eligibility and enter this year's NBA draft, he announced Wednesday on ESPN.,"I was lucky to walk into a great situation at Oklahoma with a lot of opportunity," Fears said on ESPN's "The Paul Finebaum Show." "I had great teammates and co...