m Page 666 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

Birmingham Region 2: Maryland next to try stopping South Carolina's title defense
As defending national champion, No. 1 seed South Carolina was guaranteed to get opponents' best shot through the Women's NCAA Tournament. Friday's Sweet 16 matchup in Birmingham Region 2 with No. 4 seed Maryland should be no exception.,The Gamecocks (32-3) rallied from a sluggish first half and one-...

Novak Djokovic advances to Miami Open semifinals
Pursuing his record-breaking seventh title at the Miami Open, No. 4 seed Novak Djokovic took down No. 24 seed Sebastian Korda 6-3, 7-6 (4) on Thursday in a quarterfinal match postponed from Wednesday.,Djokovic, who became the oldest ATP Masters 1000 semifinalist at 37 years and 10 months, will face ...

Suns, Timberwolves turn focus to defense ahead of matchup
Defense will be top of mind for both the Minnesota Timberwolves and Phoenix Suns when the teams tip off Friday night in Minneapolis.,Minnesota (41-32) will return to the court after a three-day break. The Timberwolves spent some of that time in practice sessions watching film of recent defensive bre...

NBA abandons All-Star tourney format
It's unclear what next year's NBA All-Star Game will look like, but commissioner Adam Silver said the league is "a bit back to the drawing board" as it moves away from the three-game mini-tournament that was implemented this season.,Speaking to reporters on Thursday following a board of governors me...

Top prospect Aaliyah Chavez commits to Oklahoma
Aaliyah Chavez, considered the top women's high school recruit, committed to Oklahoma.,The five-star point guard also considered LSU, South Carolina, Texas, Texas Tech and UCLA.,The 5-foot-9 National Gatorade Player of the Year scored 4,796 career points with 1,279 rebounds and 771 assists in 150 ga...

Red Sox RHP Liam Hendriks (elbow) placed on IL to open season
Boston Red Sox right-hander Liam Hendriks will open the season on the injured list because of elbow inflammation, delaying his return after recent health issues that included cancer treatment and Tommy John surgery.,Hendriks, 36, made seven appearances in spring training for the Red Sox but was plac...

Kentucky-Tennessee III: Rivals square up for first-ever NCAA Tournament meeting
INDIANAPOLIS -- No. 3 Kentucky and No. 2 Tennessee will tangle for the third time this season, and the stakes are higher than ever in the first NCAA Tournament meeting between the rivals. ,The Southeastern Conference foes collide in the first of two Midwest Region semifinal games at Lucas Oil Stadiu...
MLB Over/Under Best Bet: Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Miami Marlins, March 27
Paul Skenes and Sandy Alcantara headline a surprising Opening Day showdown between the Pirates and Marlins. A breakdown of the matchup, key stats, and best bet....

Tennessee's Rick Barnes on retirement talk: 'In God's hands'
INDIANAPOLIS -- Tennessee coach Rick Barnes left open the possibility his next loss could be his final game on the sideline as the Vols prepare to face Kentucky in the Sweet 16 on Friday night. ,Barnes said at Lucas Oil Stadium on Thursday afternoon he is following faith to decide whether to continu...

Michigan State looks to find range in clash vs. Ole Miss
ATLANTA -- It is fair to say Michigan State has evolved, and then some, since its first trip to Atlanta in November. ,Then unranked, the Spartans fell to No. 1 Kansas in the Champions Classic in its first marquee game of the season. ,More than four months later, second-seeded Michigan State (29-6) i...

Dynamo acquire Colombian D Pablo Ortiz on loan
The Houston Dynamo acquired defender Pablo Ortiz on loan from Slovakian side DAC 1904 on Thursday.,The 24-year-old Colombian center back is signed through the 2025 season. The deal includes a purchase option.,"Pablo is a talented left-footed center back with impressive athleticism who will compete f...

Report: Jays make another offer to Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
The Toronto Blue Jays have made another offer to first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., ESPN reported on Opening Day on Thursday.,The star slugger's contract expires after this season but "a gap still remains between the two sides," according to the latest report. ,It's not clear whether talks will co...
NFL Draft 2025: Top Defensive Ends & Ideal Landing Spots
These are the best defensive ends in the 2025 NFL Draft class and where they would be best suited to land in April's draft....
The Year of the Splinker: How Paul Skenes Is Changing Baseball
Pirates ace Paul Skenes took MLB by storm in 2024 with his signature pitch—the splinker. As 2025 begins, he’s poised for even bigger things....
Maryland’s Kevin Willard Is Winning—But Is He Staying?
Maryland head coach Kevin Willard has led the Terps to the Sweet 16, but his public push for more program support—and swirling Villanova rumors—have fans divided....

Stars, after stressful win, aim to stay on track vs. Flames
The Dallas Stars head into a Thursday road clash with the Calgary Flames on a winning note but not feeling all that proud of themselves.,The Stars, who have earned points in six consecutive games (4-0-2) and are pushing for the top spot in the Central Division, arrive in Calgary after a 4-3 road vic...

Falcons, BetBoom sneak into FISSURE Universe: Episode 4 playoffs
Team Falcons and BetBoom Team came from behind to earn wins on Wednesday and claim two of the final three playoff berths at the FISSURE Universe: Episode 4 event.,Team Falcons overtook BOOM Esports 2-1, and BetBoom Team rallied past Aurora Gaming 2-1. On a day featuring three matches of teams with 2...

Grigor Dimitrov squeaks into Miami Open semifinals
Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov became the first player to advance to the men's semifinals at the Miami Open, staving off a match point to defeat Argentina's Francisco Cerundolo 6-7 (6), 6-4, 7-6 (3) on Wednesday.,Next up for Dimitrov, the 14th seed, will be the winner of the Thursday quarterfinal match ...

Celtics' Jayson Tatum (ankle) sits out vs. Suns
Celtics All-Star forward Jayson Tatum missed Boston's Wednesday road game against the Phoenix Suns due to his sprained left ankle.,Tatum worked out on the court before the game with a trainer before being ruled out less than an hour prior to tipoff.,Tatum left the Celtics' Monday victory over the Sa...

Arkansas looks to keep run going against Texas Tech
SAN FRANCISCO -- With a couple more victories, Hall of Fame coach John Calipari and his Cinderella squad at Arkansas may become the best magic act this side of David Copperfield. The No. 10-seeded Razorbacks (22-13) already have become one of the enduring memories of the 2025 NCAA Tournament.,Howeve...