w Page 13 - 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...

Connor Bedard's OT goal lifts Blackhawks past Mammoth
Connor Bedard scored with 1:03 left in overtime for the Chicago Blackhawks, who beat the Utah Mammoth 3-2 Thursday in Salt Lake City for their second win over their Central Division rivals this week.,Bedard also added an assist as Chicago swept the four-game season series with the Mammoth. Frank Naz...

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...

Hawks win 8th straight, down Nets with 4th-quarter run
Jalen Johnson had 21 points, nine rebounds and nine assists to help lead the Atlanta Hawks to their eighth straight victory, 108-97 over the visiting Brooklyn Nets on Thursday.,Zaccharie Risacher added 19 points and nine rebounds off the bench for Atlanta, which notched the franchise's longest win s...

Jalen Suggs helps Magic close out wild OT win vs. Wizards
Jalen Suggs capped a 28-point performance with a tie-breaking 3-pointer with 1:27 to go in overtime, Tristan da Silva chipped in with a career-best 26, and the Orlando Magic withstood a fourth-quarter flurry by the visiting Washington Wizards for a 136-131 victory Thursday night.,Desmond Bane contri...

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...

Report: Eagles sign CB Jonathan Jones to 1-year deal
The Philadelphia Eagles are bringing in veteran cornerback Jonathan Jones on a one-year deal, NFL Network reported Thursday.,Jones, 32, shifts from the NFC East rival Washington Commanders to the Eagles, one day after Philadelphia signed former Pro Bowl cornerback Riq Woolen from the Seattle Seahawk...

Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews injured vs. Ducks
Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews was helped off the ice and to the dressing room at 15:47 of the second period after taking a knee-on-knee hit from the Anaheim Ducks' Radko Gudas Thursday evening. ,The Maple Leafs later said Matthews will not return because of a lower-body injury.,The Duck...

No. 18 Purdue cruises to wire-to-wire win vs. Northwestern
Trey Kaufman-Renn and Oscar Cluff each scored 19 points as it didn't take long for No. 18 Purdue to end Northwestern's dreams of a Cinderella run with an 81-68 win in the Big Ten Conference tournament on Thursday in Chicago. ,Fletcher Loyer added 14 points and Cluff pulled down 10 rebounds for the s...