review Page 691 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

No. 25 Baylor braces for battle vs. No. 3 Iowa State
Baylor coach Scott Drew felt a sense of familiarity as he scouted Iowa State.,The Cyclones had depth, Drew easily could see. They had skill and toughness, too.,"I think they're similar to us -- a lot of players in double figures, a lot of guys capable of scoring 20," Drew said. "Really good teams ha...

Rangers ride rare momentum into clash with Capitals
The New York Rangers started the new calendar year with a much-needed win. Now they'll look to keep it going when they visit the Washington Capitals on Saturday afternoon.,The Rangers snapped a four-game losing streak Thursday with a 2-1 victory against the Boston Bruins, a tilt in which they held a...

No. 15 UCLA brings stingy defense into road test vs. Nebraska
Fresh off a signature victory that vexed some old demons, No. 15 UCLA dives into the heart of Big Ten Conference play when it faces Nebraska on Saturday afternoon at Lincoln, Neb., ,UCLA (11-2, 2-0 Big Ten) flashed its signature grind-it-out defense to earn a 65-62 neutral-court victory over Gonzaga...

No. 14 Houston, with new, stellar backcourt, takes on BYU
When guards L.J. Cryer and Milos Uzan combined for 30 points in Houston's 60-47 road victory over Oklahoma State on Monday, it showed the potency of the Cougars' backcourt and the gradual progress the pair continue to make in their respective careers.,No. 14 Houston (9-3, 1-0 Big 12) will host BYU i...

Wooga Poplar leads Villanova into date with DePaul
While forward Eric Dixon continues to lead Villanova -- and the nation -- in scoring at 26.0 points per game, Wooga Poplar sparks the Wildcats from the backcourt.,Poplar also is the top rebounder for Villanova (9-5, 2-1 Big East) at 7.2 per game heading into Saturday's home date with struggling DePa...

West Virginia brings questions into game vs. Oklahoma State
Amid mystery swirling about the status of three of its top players, West Virginia has overcome the injuries and lineup uncertainty to win six straight games.,When the Mountaineers (10-2, 1-0 Big 12) host Oklahoma State (8-4, 0-1) on Saturday afternoon in Morgantown, W.Va., all eyes will be on West V...

North Carolina looks for better execution vs. Notre Dame
North Carolina finds itself in familiar territory early in the new calendar year.,Once again, coach Hubert Davis and his team will aim to bounce back from a loss when it travels to South Bend, Ind., to face Notre Dame on Saturday afternoon.,The Tar Heels (8-6, 1-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) dropped ...

Hunter Sallis, Wake Forest set sights on NC State
Wake Forest's quest to avoid late-season drama regarding its postseason prospects will require good results earlier during its Atlantic Coast Conference schedule.,The Demon Deacons (10-4, 2-1 ACC) try to take another step in building their resume on Saturday afternoon when North Carolina State pays ...

Fresh off epic rally, BC bids to build momentum vs. Ga. Tech
Boston College and Georgia Tech will try to build on the momentum of winning their respective first Atlantic Coast Conference games of the season when they meet on Saturday afternoon in Atlanta.,The Eagles (9-5, 1-2 ACC) overcame a 19-point deficit to beat Miami 78-68 on Wednesday in the largest hom...

No. 1 Tennessee not satisfied entering SEC opener vs. No. 23 Arkansas
Tennessee is the top-ranked team in the nation and boasts the school's best start in more than 100 years.,But the Volunteers lack accomplishments in the eyes of coach Rick Barnes as they open Southeastern Conference play against No. 23 Arkansas on Saturday afternoon at Knoxville, Tenn.,"We're 0-0 li...

No. 24 Ole Miss looks to get back on track vs. Georgia
Fresh off of successful non-conference campaigns, No. 24 Ole Miss will host Georgia on Saturday afternoon in each team's first Southeastern Conference game.,The Rebels (11-2) are no stranger to hot starts, as coach Chris Beard had his team 13-0 last season before they missed the NCAA Tournament due ...

No. 6 Florida opens SEC slate with test at No. 10 Kentucky
Two top-10 teams will begin Southeastern Conference play Saturday by diving into the deep end when the Kentucky Wildcats host the Florida Gators in Lexington, Ky.,The No. 10 Wildcats (11-2) are 9-0 at home this season, while the sixth-ranked Gators (13-0) are enjoying the best start to a season sinc...

Short-handed Canucks, lowly Predators set to tangle
The Vancouver Canucks again may be forced to survive without No. 1 goaltender Thatcher Demko when they host the Nashville Predators on Friday night.,And again the Canucks hope Kevin Lankinen is able to hold the fort.,Demko, who missed the first 26 games of the season due to a lower-body injury, left...

Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Oilers look to stay hot in clash vs. Ducks
Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl will try to extend their respective point streaks to 13 games on Friday night when the Edmonton Oilers host the Anaheim Ducks.,McDavid has three goals and 20 assists during his point streak and Draisaitl has 10 goals and 14 assists. The Oilers have gone 9-2-1 since ...

Ageless LeBron James, Lakers set for back-to-back vs. Hawks
LeBron James' first set of back-to-back games since turning 40 will conclude Friday when the Los Angeles Lakers host the Atlanta Hawks. ,If Thursday's 114-106 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers was any indication, James is set to handle the challenge just fine. He scored 38 points and tied Mich...

Red-hot Thunder, Knicks put win streaks on line in encounter
The two hottest teams in the NBA will square off Friday night when the New York Knicks visit the Oklahoma City Thunder.,The Knicks have won nine straight games, one of the longest winning streaks in team history.,The Thunder have won 13 consecutive contests, their longest run of success since the fr...

Rockets aim to show off maturing team to Celtics
The manner in which the Houston Rockets won on Wednesday, with veteran guard Fred VanVleet missing 7 of 8 shots from the field while tallying only five points, seemed an impossibility last season.,But perhaps the clearest testament to how the Rockets have grown as a unit was on display in their 110-...

Blues eager to avenge blowout loss to Senators
The Blues have vivid memories of the last time they faced the Senators, when St. Louis lost 8-1 in Ottawa on Oct. 29.,When the teams meet again Friday night in St. Louis, the Blues will seek payback.,Ottawa's Tim Stutzle had two goals and two assists in the October matchup, while teammate Brady Tkac...

Panthers hope to end homestand on high vs. Pens
The defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers close out what has been a disappointing five-game homestand on Friday night when they host the Pittsburgh Penguins in Sunrise, Fla.,It will be the second game of a back-to-back set for Florida, which lost 3-1 to the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday....

Buffalo looks to keep rolling vs. Liberty in Bahamas Bowl
Most teams that go to bowl games these days must deal with multiple opt-outs and players hitting the transfer portal, thinning out the depth chart for the year's last game.,Not so at Buffalo.,"Our team is largely intact going into the bowl game," first-year coach Pete Lembo said. "Very few guys goin...