preview Page 140 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

Surging Flyers take aim at Panthers, who may be without top goalie
The Philadelphia Flyers are playing their best hockey of the season, but a fresh challenge awaits Thursday when they host the defending champion Florida Panthers., ,Philadelphia is 4-0-1 over its last five games with three overtime wins during that stretch. Rookie winger Matvei Michkov has scored OT...

Still-perfect No. 1 Oregon, No. 3 Penn State battle for Big Ten title
Oregon expected to be in Indianapolis on Saturday to play in its first Big Ten championship game after defeating Ohio State in October and crossing the finish line with an undefeated regular season.,Penn State lost to Ohio State and knew it would need help reaching the same destination.,Their paths ...

Out-of-nowhere Arizona State, Iowa State fight for Big 12 title, playoff bid
Picked to finish last in the 16-team Big 12, Arizona State jets to Texas one victory away from representing the conference in the 12-team College Football Playoff.,The No. 15 Sun Devils can take the final step when they face No. 16 Iowa State in the conference title game on Saturday at Arlington, Te...

Unbeaten DePaul out to halt Texas Tech's home dominance
Texas Tech is set to encounter its toughest home test of the season, while unbeaten DePaul is primed for its first road challenge when the teams meet Wednesday in Lubbock as part of the Big 12-Big East Battle.,DePaul is off its first 7-0 start since 1942 and entered Tuesday as one of 17 unbeaten tea...

Surging Vanderbilt meets skidding Virginia Tech
In four years as coach at James Madison, Mark Byington never had an opportunity to take on in-state foe Virginia Tech.,But now in his first year at Vanderbilt, Byington gets that chance by way of the SEC/ACC Challenge, as the Commodores face the Hokies on Wednesday in Blacksburg, Va.,While Byington ...

Inconsistent squads collide when Lakers battle Heat
Wednesday's game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the host Miami Heat appears to be a marquee matchup, but the NBA standings suggest otherwise.,Both teams have struggled to sustain momentum in the season's early weeks, with the Lakers entering at 12-9 and the Heat coming in at 9-10. Each squad sit...

Predators aim to energize offense vs. surging Maple Leafs
The Nashville Predators have worked plenty of overtime lately but have yet to be rewarded. They will try to escape their rut when they visit the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday night.,Nashville has lost three straight games 3-2 in overtime. Its latest sudden-death setback came on Saturday at Minnes...

After 10 straight wins, Lions face Packers with much to accomplish
The Detroit Lions have equaled the franchise record for most consecutive victories and stand alone atop the NFC standings.,They still have plenty of obstacles to clear to remain at that perch. Even the NFC North remains up for grabs and they'll try to create a little more separation when they host t...

No. 12 Oregon flying high ahead of first Big Ten tilt vs. USC
Looking to build on its best start in 11 years, No. 12 Oregon begins its Big Ten Conference tenure on Wednesday in Los Angeles when it visits fellow league newcomer Southern California.,The Ducks (8-0) extended their hottest opening stretch since the 2013-14 season with a dramatic, 83-81 win over th...

Patrik Laine to make Canadiens debut vs. Islanders
Forward Patrik Laine will make his Canadiens debut on Tuesday night when Montreal hosts the New York Islanders.,Laine, whom the Habs acquired in an offseason trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets, suffered a knee injury during a preseason game on Sept. 28. Montreal returned forward Joshua Roy to Amer...

Marcus Smart, Grizzlies battle Mavs in clash of surging clubs
Marcus Smart is not used to coming off the bench.,The 11-year veteran had spent the majority of his previous six seasons as a starter, and he held that role for the Memphis Grizzlies early in the current campaign before an illness sidelined him for four games.,But since returning as a reserve, Smart...

Blue Jackets cruise into matchup with slumping Flames
The team's best run in nearly five years has put the Columbus Blue Jackets into the playoff race.,Now, the onus is on the Blue Jackets to keep it running as they visit the Calgary Flames on Tuesday.,Thanks to a 6-3 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday to kick off a four-game road trip, the ...

Versatile Victor Wembanyama guides Spurs against Suns
Victor Wembanyama is playing like a beast and the San Antonio Spurs are winning games.,The Spurs take aim at their sixth victory in seven games when they visit the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night in an NBA Cup matchup.,Wembanyama is coming off his third career triple-double as he recorded 34 points, 1...

Thunder face Jazz needing win, help to reach NBA Cup knockout stage
Despite ending a four-game road trip with a loss at Houston on Sunday, Oklahoma City Thunder coach Mark Daigneault was pleased with his team's performance away from home.,"We're a better team right now than we were eight days ago when we took off for this trip," Daigneault said. ,The Thunder will hi...

No. 21 Oklahoma eyes 8-0 start with Georgia Tech in town
Oklahoma was a little bit overlooked this season before ripping off three straight wins to earn the Battle 4 Atlantis crown last week.,Now respect is coming fast and the No. 21 Sooners have jumped into the national polls in front of Tuesday night's game against Georgia Tech in the SEC/ACC Challenge ...

No. 11 Badgers entering 'deep water' in Big Ten opener vs. Michigan
After a surprising undefeated run through its initial nonconference schedule, No. 11 Wisconsin will be tested against Michigan on Tuesday night in the Big Ten opener for each team in Madison, Wis.,The Badgers (8-0) beat winless Chicago State 74-53 on Saturday and are off to their best start since op...

Desperate to put road trip in rearview, Jets take on Blues
Perhaps a return home will help the Winnipeg Jets get back on track after a rough road stretch.,Losers of a season-high three straight, the Jets will aim for a sixth consecutive home win Tuesday night against the St. Louis Blues.,Winnipeg is 3-6-0 since winning 15 of its first 16 games. It just went...

Wild, Canucks both finding ways to scrap out wins
The Minnesota Wild do not have a singular blueprint to success this season.,Every game has provided a new puzzle. Rarely have those puzzles looked the same.,"I just like the fact that we continue to grind out hard games, different games, find different ways to win, stay with it," Wild coach John Hyn...

Arkansas visits skidding Miami in battle of veteran coaches
Miami enters the week still stunned after losing its fourth straight game. Next up, the Hurricanes will play host to Arkansas on Tuesday night in Coral Gables, Fla., as part of the ACC/SEC Challenge.,Miami (3-4) lost on Saturday afternoon to Charleston Southern, a team that entered with a 1-7 record...

No. 25 UConn working on climbing back up poll, faces No. 15 Baylor
UConn head coach Dan Hurley insists he's not overvaluing Wednesday night's game between his 25th-ranked Huskies and No. 15 Baylor in Storrs, Conn.,Sure, it comes on the heels of the two-time reigning national champion Huskies (5-3) responding to losing all three games during the Maui Invitational wi...