v Page 84 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

Scuffling Raptors strive for turnaround vs. hot Suns
The struggling Toronto Raptors hope to turn things around and avoid a third consecutive loss Friday night when they host the Phoenix Suns.,The Raptors have dropped six of eight after a 122-111 road loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday.,In New Orleans, the Raptors opened the fourth quarter o...

Knicks strive to take advantage of soft schedule in game vs. Pacers
Fighting for ground among the top three teams in the Eastern Conference standings, the New York Knicks will begin a generous part of their schedule on Friday night against the Indiana Pacers in Indianapolis.,New York, which holds a 1 1/2-game lead over the fourth-place Cleveland Cavaliers, will wrap...

Pistons eager to pick up speed at expense of undermanned Grizzlies
The Detroit Pistons will move from one injury-riddled opponent to another when they host the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night.,Detroit overwhelmed depleted Philadelphia on Thursday, 131-109. The Pistons had seven players score in double figures -- none of whom were named Cade Cunningham -- and neve...

UConn, Georgetown have sights on Big East tournament final
NEW YORK -- UConn recovered from a stunning loss in its regular-season finale with a dominant performance against Xavier in the Big East tournament quarterfinals on Thursday.,The second-seeded Huskies (28-4) will seek another strong showing Friday night when they face 11th-seeded Georgetown (16-17) ...

Miami prepared for 'hard-nosed' battle vs. No. 10 Virginia
CHARLOTTE -- The moments will become a little bigger for 10th-ranked Virginia and Miami when they meet in the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament semifinals Friday night.,Both teams survived in the quarterfinal round, coming up with clutch plays down the stretch in their respective games.,"These gu...

Ole Miss eyes another upset in SEC tourney, faces Alabama
No. 15 seed Ole Miss will look to extend its run through the Southeastern Conference tournament Friday night against the highest-rated opponent it has faced so far, No. 15-ranked and second-seeded Alabama.,The Rebels (14-19) enter the quarterfinals in Nashville after a second straight wire-to-wire u...

No. 11 Nebraska faces tall task in Big Ten quarters vs. No. 18 Purdue
Regular-season accolades have poured in for 11th-ranked Nebraska as it prepares to take on No. 18 Purdue in a Big Ten quarterfinal matchup on Friday evening in Chicago. ,The second-seeded Cornhuskers (26-5) seized their highest placement in a postseason conference tournament, compliments of a turnar...

No. 22 Vanderbilt braces for Nate Ament, No. 25 Tennessee
NASHVILLE -- No. 22-ranked Vanderbilt will square off against No. 25 Tennessee in the quarterfinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament on Friday afternoon, marking the third meeting this season between the teams.,Each team won on the other's home floor, the most recent time being the Commodor...

Arizona, Iowa State get 'final four' trial in stacked Big 12 tourney
Arizona and Iowa State are two of the top teams in the nation. It's not surprising a postseason "final four" funneled them into a marquee matchup.,This isn't the Final Four either program aspires to reach. The top-seeded Wildcats and the fifth-seeded Cyclones clash in the Big 12 semifinals on Friday...

Seton Hall optimistic about 3rd crack at St. John's in Big East semis
NEW YORK -- St. John's began defense of its first Big East tournament title since 2000 by securing five offensive rebounds.,The hustle set the tone for a comfortable win over Providence on Thursday and possibly foreshadowed another physical encounter with Seton Hall.,After easily advancing, the top-...

Illinois needs to build on last two outings to get by Wisconsin
Jim Valvano called it survive and advance in 1983 when his North Carolina State team won the national championship.,After Wisconsin hung on to eliminate Washington on Thursday in the third round of the Big Ten Conference tournament, Badgers coach Greg Gard referred to it as "just find a way to get t...

SEC champ Florida starts tourney with deep, dangerous Kentucky
NASHVILLE -- Kentucky chases a third win in three days, with rested and well-tested Florida awaiting in a Friday quarterfinal game in the Southeastern Conference tournament. ,The Wildcats (21-12) blew a 16-point second-half lead in Thursday's 78-72 win over Missouri. Otega Oweh's 21 points and big p...

Nathan MacKinnon's 4-point game sparks Avs over Kraken
Nathan MacKinnon scored his NHL-leading 44th goal of the season and added three assists as the Colorado Avalanche swept away the host Seattle Kraken 5-1 Thursday night.,Martin Necas had a goal and an assist, while Nicolas Roy, Nazem Kadri and Joel Kiviranta also scored and Devon Toews added two assi...

Georgetown upsets Villanova for rare trip to Big East semis
NEW YORK -- Julius Halaifonua collected 21 points and a career-high 10 rebounds for his first career double-double as 11th-seeded Georgetown pulled away late in the second half for a decisive 78-64 victory over third-seeded Villanova on Thursday in the Big East tournament quarterfinals.,The Hoyas (1...

Elina Svitolina KOs Iga Swiatek in Indian Wells quarterfinals
Poland's Iga Swiatek won't get a chance to earn her third BNP Paribas Open championship in five years after losing 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 to Ukraine's Elina Svitolina in the quarterfinals on Thursday in Indian Wells, Calif.,Svitolina, the ninth seed, will oppose third-seeded Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan in t...

Mavericks squeak out victory over lowly Grizzlies
Khris Middleton scored 22 of his season-high 35 points in the fourth quarter and Daniel Gafford added 22 points and 14 rebounds to lead the visiting Dallas Mavericks over the Memphis Grizzlies 120-112 Thursday night to snap an eight-game losing streak.,Middleton, who came off the bench, had 24 point...

Flames hold on for win over struggling Devils
Mikael Backlund scored a key third-period goal for his 600th point, and John Beecher had two goals, as the visiting Calgary Flames held on for a 5-4 win over the New Jersey Devils on Thursday night in Newark, N.J.,Backlund, who has played his entire 18-year career in Calgary, scored 4:10 into the th...

Ohio State’s confidence grows ahead of marquee Michigan matchup
Third-ranked Michigan enters Friday's Big Ten tournament quarterfinal against Ohio State on five days of rest, the well-earned advantage for the conference's regular-season champion.,As the top-seeded Wolverines aim to repeat the feat with a tourney title amid lofty NCAA Tournament hopes, coach Dust...

No. 6 UConn blasts Xavier in Big East tourney romp
NEW YORK -- Solo Ball scored 19 points as No. 6 UConn led by double digits most of the way and cruised to a wire-to-wire 93-68 rout of 10th-seeded Xavier in the quarterfinals of the Big East tournament on Thursday night.,The second-seeded Huskies (28-4) led by double digits for the final 28:35 and a...

Maverick McNealy, Sepp Straka among 5 tied for The Players lead
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- Maverick McNealy, Lee Hodges, Sahith Theegala and Sepp Straka formed a tie for the lead in Thursday's weather-hit opening round of The Players Championship when play was suspended in fading light.,Surprise package Austin Smotherman, one of four players yet to complete the ...