preview Page 1 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

No. 11 seed VCU embraces underdog role, eyes upset of third-seeded Illinois
GREENVILLE, S.C. -- VCU has been comfortable in this uncomfortable position for weeks. The Rams had to win the Atlantic 10 Conference tournament just to clinch a spot in the NCAA Tournament.,VCU (28-7) then had to dig out of a 19-point hole against North Carolina on Thursday, rallying for an 82-78 o...

Michigan State, Louisville meet in March again with Sweet 16 on the line
Tom Izzo is no stranger to high-stakes games between Michigan State and Louisville.,"We had a couple with them -- ‘09, ‘19. We've played them in Elite Eight games," said Izzo, who is in his 31st season coaching the Spartans. "One of my first games was against Louisville when Denny Crum was there. Th...

Atlanta welcomes D.C. United following breakthrough win
Atlanta United hope to build on some newfound confidence when they face visiting D.C. United on Saturday evening ahead of the FIFA international break.,Miguel Almiron assisted on all three goals last Saturday as Atlanta (1-3-0, 3 points) beat the Philadelphia Union 3-1 to win for the first time this...

Stars set sights on another win vs. top division opponent at Wild
The Dallas Stars already knocked off one of the best teams in their division this week.,Now, the Stars will try to go 2-for-2.,Dallas will aim for back-to-back victories when it faces off against the Minnesota Wild on Saturday afternoon in Saint Paul, Minn. The Stars are looking to build upon a 2-1 ...

Deadlocked Bruins, Red Wings face off in major matchup
While the Boston Bruins have won 14 of their last 15 home games, holding onto one of the final Eastern Conference playoff spots will require an improved effort on the road.,The Bruins (38-23-8, 84 points) play seven of their final 12 games away from the comforts of TD Garden, including a massive one...

Islanders, Canadiens lock horns after painful losses
The New York Islanders find themselves in a strange position as they conclude a three-game road trip with a visit to the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night.,Following a last-minute 3-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Thursday, New York is out of playoff position for the first time since Dec. 4. ,Th...

Streaking Blue Jackets get set for slumping Kraken
At this point in the season, each NHL game can have a profound effect on the standings.,Saturday's matchup between the Seattle Kraken and host Columbus Blue Jackets is a prime example.,The Kraken are one point out of the Western Conference's second and final wild-card spot. The Blue Jackets are tied...

Nuggets hoping to 'peak at right time' with Raptors up next
The Denver Nuggets suffered a tough loss at Memphis on Wednesday night, but they don't have time to dwell on it with the Toronto Raptors in town on Friday.,Denver (42-28) fell to the lottery-bound Grizzlies in a makeup game that was postponed on Jan. 25. The loss dropped the Nuggets to sixth in the ...

Ayo Dosunmu bringing 'genuine energy' as Wolves take on Blazers
Nobody can fill Anthony Edwards' shoes, but Ayo Dosunmu is doing his best to help.,Dosunmu will look to stay hot as Edwards' injury replacement in the starting lineup when the Minnesota Timberwolves tip off against the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night in Minneapolis.,The Timberwolves are 2-0 s...

Streaking Hawks putting pieces together while Rockets deal with leaky defense
The Atlanta Hawks had, for a large chunk of this season, endured so many nagging injuries and roster permutations that it was quite difficult to envision the result of a static and settled rotation.,Seemingly that moment has arrived, and to suggest that the Hawks are enjoying the best-case scenario ...

Grizzlies try to build off skid-snapper vs. Celtics as young pieces shine
Amid a tough and frustrating season for the Memphis Grizzlies, there have still been moments worth celebrating.,While the team's key members, including Ja Morant, Zach Edey, Santi Aldama and Scotty Pippen Jr., have missed most of the season due to injuries, their absences have given others a chance ...

Knicks strive to extend dominant stretch against Nets
The margins of victory are varied, but in recent years the result is the same when the New York Knicks face the Brooklyn Nets.,Attempting to inch toward second place in the Eastern Conference, the Knicks seek a 14th straight win in the series Friday night when they visit the Nets.,The Knicks are unb...

Capitals eager to continue strong homestand vs. Devils
The Washington Capitals have enjoyed the comforts of home lately and aim to keep doing so when they host the New Jersey Devils on Friday.,The Capitals (34-27-8, 76 points) are 7-1-1 in their past nine games as the hosts after a 4-1 win against the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday. They've won 21 of the ...

Bennett Stirtz chasing March magic as Iowa, Clemson open NCAA Tournament
Bennett Stirtz made a big splash in the NCAA Tournament last season when he led Drake to a first-round upset of Missouri.,Now at Iowa, Stirtz tries to steer the No. 9 seed Hawkeyes on a surprise run, beginning with Friday night's first-round South region matchup against No. 8 Clemson at Tampa, Fla.,...

Miami (Ohio) shakes off lone loss, tops SMU in First Four
DAYTON, Ohio -- Eian Elmer scored 23 points and Brant Byers added 19 as Miami (Ohio) used a 3-point barrage to beat SMU 89-79 in an NCAA Tournament final First Four contest Wednesday night in Dayton, Ohio.,Luke Skaljac added 17 and Almar Atlason had 12 as Miami (32-1) rebounded from its only loss of...

Mammoth can't dwell on huge win with capable Knights on deck
Coming off arguably their biggest win of the season, the Utah Mammoth travel to Las Vegas to take on the Vegas Golden Knights in the front end of a key back-to-back for their playoff hopes.,Utah (35-27-6, 76 points), fourth in the loaded Central Division, returns home afterward to host the Anaheim D...

Lightning out to rediscover 'winning feeling' vs. lowly Canucks
The Tampa Bay Lightning's championship window may not be starting to close after all., ,The Lightning (41-21-4, 86 points) are looking to snap back into a consistent winning mode as they travel to Vancouver on Thursday night to face the Canucks (21-38-8, 50 points) in a clash between teams that have...

Slumping Sharks plot to end to Sabres' road success
The Buffalo Sabres are feeling quite at home on the road and will look to keep that going when they visit the San Jose Sharks on Thursday for the second game of a four-game road trip.,The Sabres (42-20-6, 90 points) are 20-11-3 as the visitors this season. On Tuesday, they set a franchise record for...

Wild, Blackhawks run it back after overtime thriller
After a day off, the Minnesota Wild and Chicago Blackhawks will face each other in a rematch.,The Wild escaped with a 4-3 overtime victory Tuesday night in Chicago. Both teams headed north after the game, and they will face off again Thursday night in Saint Paul, Minn., to finish their home-and-home...

Kraken open key road trip against Predators with wild-card grip slipping
By the time the Seattle Kraken return home, the Mariners will have started their baseball season and NBA owners will likely have voted on whether the SuperSonics will be one of the league's next expansion franchises.,And the Kraken might have a better sense of their postseason chances.,Seattle opens...