preview Page 8 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

William Byron, Denny Hamlin in sharp focus as Daytona 500 arrives
The twice-postponed Clash is in the rearview mirror, and NASCAR's top drivers have headed to the Sunshine State for the 68th Daytona 500 on Sunday.,Two-time defending winner William Byron and Denny Hamlin arrive in Daytona Beach, Fla., on the verge of entering rarified air.,If Byron is the first to ...

After blowout loss, NC State knows it must 'move forward' vs. Miami
North Carolina State, which is 5-1 after a loss this season, is hoping to rebound Saturday afternoon when it hosts Atlantic Coast Conference rival Miami in Raleigh, N.C.,The Wolfpack (18-7, 9-3 ACC) have won six of their last seven games but are coming off a 118-77 loss at No. 24 Louisville.,Head co...

Oregon tries to snap 10-game skid vs. Penn State as injuries linger
Oregon aims to break a 10-game losing streak Saturday afternoon in Eugene, Ore., when the Ducks host Penn State in a matchup of the two teams at the bottom of the Big Ten Conference.,Last-place Oregon (8-16, 1-12 Big Ten) has not been at full strength for much of the season -- and it likely won't be...

After snapping 9-game skid, Oklahoma hosts reeling Georgia
Georgia coach Mike White is counting on his team playing better from the jump Saturday than the Bulldogs did in their most recent game when they travel to Norman, Okla., to take on Oklahoma.,"We'll do our best as a staff to figure out how we can get off to a better start and if that means playing th...

No. 24 Louisville rising, Baylor falling ahead of nonconference tilt
No. 24 Louisville and Baylor will step outside of their conferences for the last time in the regular season when they meet Saturday on a neutral court in Fort Worth, Texas.,The Cardinals (18-6) and the Bears (13-11) will be playing for more than just pride in what shapes up to be a Quad 1 game. Loui...

No. 15 Virginia turns to neutral-site game vs. flickering Ohio State
No. 15 Virginia extended its winning streak to five games on Tuesday, but it didn't come easy.,The Cavaliers will now briefly step out of conference to face Ohio State on Saturday night in Nashville.,It's part of the inaugural Nashville Hoops Showdown, a neutral-site game designed to boost NCAA Tour...

No. 19 Vanderbilt hopes 'prideful' win carries over vs. Texas A&M
No. 19 Vanderbilt followed its worst loss of the season with an impressive victory on the road against Auburn.,When the Commodores (20-4, 7-4 SEC) host Texas A&M (17-7, 7-4) on Saturday in Nashville, they will get a better gauge on how they've recovered from last weekend's 92-91 defeat at the hands ...

No. 7 Nebraska deals with adversity, seeks salve in skidding Northwestern
Seventh-ranked Nebraska clearly has commanded the fundamentals during a banner start, yet coach Fred Hoiberg still harps on the importance of pivoting.,That's because he knows the Cornhuskers can't focus on the past as they host slumping Northwestern on Saturday in Lincoln, Neb.,Tuesday's 80-77 over...

After huge win, No. 9 Kansas hopes to take fight to No. 5 Iowa St.
Few teams in college hoops are hotter than Kansas right now, but the No. 9 Jayhawks may have to ramp up their game even more Saturday when they play No. 5 Iowa State in Ames, Iowa.,Kansas coach Bill Self's club has spent all season trying to find its identity and somehow keep Darryn Peterson, a like...

UCLA sees ex-Bruin Aday Mara in battle with No. 2 Michigan
Saturday's game between UCLA and No. 2 Michigan in Ann Arbor will feature a mini-reunion. It just doesn't sound like a particularly friendly one.,In the only game of the regular season between the teams, it marks the first time the Bruins and Wolverines have met since 7-foot-3 Michigan junior center...

No. 10 Michigan State, Wisconsin collide after OT wins vs. Illinois
Michigan State faces a tough road challenge when the No. 10 Spartans take on Wisconsin in a Big Ten Conference matchup Friday night in Madison, Wis.,Both the Spartans and Badgers are coming off overtime victories against nationally ranked Illinois.,Michigan State (20-4, 10-3 Big Ten) has been idle s...

Lakers chase bounce-back vs. slumping Mavericks
After taking the court with a skeleton crew Tuesday, the Los Angeles Lakers will aim to assemble a more competitive lineup when they host the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday.,Both teams will be playing their final game before the extended All-Star break.,The Lakers were essentially missing all of their...

Fired-up Victor Wembanyama, Spurs face undermanned Warriors
Victor Wembanyama will make a second attempt at his first-ever NBA win in San Francisco when the San Antonio Spurs visit the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night.,Shortly after having been proclaimed a serious NBA Most Valuable Player candidate this season, Wembanyama exploded for 37 first-half ...

Thunder, with healthier Jalen Williams, visit Suns before break
The Phoenix Suns built a 31-point lead while beating Dallas to break a three-game home losing streak on Tuesday. ,Now a stiffer test awaits.,The Suns' final game before the All-Star break will present a bigger challenge as the Oklahoma City Thunder visit in the second of a back-to-back Wednesday.,Th...

Dreadful season for Kansas State continues with visit from Cincinnati
With less than a month left in the Big 12 regular season, two struggling teams will meet up Wednesday night when Kansas State hosts Cincinnati in Manhattan, Kan.,The Wildcats (10-13, 1-9 Big 12) will take to their home court having dropped four straight contests and nine of 10.,Coach Jerome Tang's s...

DePaul tries to end 23-game skid vs. Creighton
If DePaul is going to end its longest losing streak of the season, it must beat Creighton for the first time in more than a decade.,Losers of four in a row, the host Blue Demons try to avoid a 24th consecutive defeat to the Bluejays on Wednesday night in Big East action at Chicago.,League play hasn'...

Texas A&M out to regain swagger vs. surging Missouri
Texas A&M will try to avoid its first three-game losing streak of the season when it hosts improving Missouri on Wednesday in a Southeastern Conference game in College Station, Texas.,The Aggies (17-6, 7-3 SEC) most recently suffered an 86-67 loss at home to then-No. 17 Florida on Saturday. That was...

Timberwolves, buoyed by newcomer Ayo Dosunmu, battle Blazers
For the first time in a week, the Minnesota Timberwolves will arrive at a game in a good mood.,Minnesota will go for back-to-back wins when it tips off against the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday night in Minneapolis. It is the last game for the Timberwolves before the NBA All-Star break and the...

Ebuka Okorie, Stanford bring scoring firepower into Boston College
Boston College will have to deal with one of the top scorers in the country when it faces visiting Stanford in an Atlantic Coast Conference matchup on Wednesday night in Chestnut Hill, Mass.,Stanford's Ebuka Okorie enters averaging 22.4 points, seventh in the nation as of Tuesday night. The freshman...

Heat, Pelicans bid to enter All-Star break on high note
The Miami Heat will be short-handed again when they face the host New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday in the final game before the All-Star break for both teams.,Miami used its 19th different starting lineup of the season and had just 11 available players in Monday's 115-111 home loss to the Utah Jazz...