w Page 98 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

‘Magical’ Italian Games close with party in ancient Verona Arena
VERONA, Italy -- Italy said a fond farewell to the Winter Olympics on Sunday with an open-air ceremony in the ancient Verona Arena that celebrated art and sporting achievement at a Games lauded as a model for how to stage such events.,The Games, formally co-hosted by Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, hav...

No. 2 Houston, No. 8 Kansas each seek bounce backs in marquee matchup
Houston has dropped consecutive games but coach Kelvin Sampson isn't the least bit worried.,The No. 2 Cougars - who will drop in the rankings Monday afternoon - look to end their short slide when they face No. 8 Kansas in Big 12 play at Lawrence, Kan. on Monday evening. ,Houston (23-4, 11-3 Big 12) ...

Kings try to break franchise-record 16-game skid against Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are struggling.,They have dropped five of their past six games and have not had star guard Ja Morant in the lineup for the past 13 games because of an elbow injury. Promising rookie Cedric Coward hasn't played since the All-Star break because of a knee injury. And the team trad...

East-leading Pistons test their mettle vs. West contender Spurs
The Detroit Pistons have established their superiority in the Eastern Conference. They'll now get a chance to measure up against the top teams in the West.,Detroit opens a three-game homestand against San Antonio on Monday and Oklahoma City on Wednesday. The Spurs own the second-best record in the W...

No. 16 UNC, No. 21 Louisville see promising signs ahead of tilt
There's plenty riding on the pecking order in the Atlantic Coast Conference and nationally when No. 21 Louisville visits No. 16 North Carolina on Monday night in Chapel Hill, N.C.,Both teams have reason for optimism. North Carolina (21-6, 9-5 ACC) got off the schneid and began to restock its roster ...

Heartbreak for Canada, Sidney Crosby in Olympic hockey final
MILAN -- For a nation that measures itself in hockey gold, Sunday's heartbreaking 2-1 defeat to the United States in overtime was more than a lost final. It was a symbolic shift in a rivalry Canada has long considered its own to win.,Canada, owners of nine Olympic men's hockey titles to the American...

US rejoices as NHL's return helps hockey basks in glow of Games' cauldron
MILAN, Italy -- With a wrist shot and a chipped grin, Jack Hughes wrote a Hollywood ending for the U.S. - and NHL - at the Olympics, with a 2-1 overtime win over Canada that served as a fitting finale to a men's ice hockey tournament that lived up to the hype.,The NHL could scarcely have written a b...

US finishes with record 12 gold medals at Milan Cortina Olympics
The United States set a national record with 12 gold medals in this month's Milan Cortina Olympics, two more than the prior Winter Olympics record set during the 2002 Salt Lake City Games.,The U.S. finished in second place in both gold medals (12) and total medals (33), trailing only Norway (18 gold...

Connor Hellebuyck praised for 'unbelievable' play in gold medal win
MILAN -- Jack Hughes will be remembered for decades to come after scoring the overtime winner which earned the United States their first men's Olympic ice hockey gold medal since 1980.,The Americans also have goaltender Connor Hellebuyck to thank for keeping Canada at bay.,Hellebuyck made 40 saves o...

Nuggets, Warriors missing key components in matinee matchup
The Nuggets and Warriors will take the court Sunday in San Francisco without a few starters, including Aaron Gordon for Denver and Stephen Curry for the Warriors. ,Gordon (hamstring) will miss a 12th consecutive game and Peyton Watson (hamstring) a sixth straight. Denver has alternated wins and loss...

Johnny Gaudreau honored by Team USA after gold medal win
MILAN -- The U.S. players had just pulled off the biggest win of their careers and claimed the country's first Olympic gold since 1980, but after the overtime win against Canada on Sunday, their former teammate Johnny Gaudreau was never far from their thoughts.,Gaudreau was killed, along with his br...

Warriors C Kristaps Porzingis (illness) out vs. Nuggets
Golden State Warriors center Kristaps Porzingis has been ruled out of Sunday's game against the Denver Nuggets in San Francisco due to an illness.,Acquired at the trade deadline from Atlanta this month, Porzingis made his Warriors debut in a 121-110 home loss to the Boston Celtics on Thursday. Comin...
Arizona’s No. 1 Seed Hopes Face Major Test After Koa Peat Injury
Arizona is eyeing a No. 1 or No. 2 seed, but a tough Big 12 stretch and Koa Peat’s injury could shape its NCAA tournament fate....

Conor McGregor teases 'no name' foe for UFC comeback
Former two-division champion Conor McGregor claims he's ready to return to the UFC, and this time against a "no name" foe.,Sidelined since July 2021, McGregor has been rather vocal about returning to the Octagon.,McGregor (22-6) went so far as to take to social media on Saturday and note that he's j...

Report: MLS reviewing Lionel Messi's post-match actions
Lionel Messi could face a suspension from MLS after the Inter Miami superstar was seen following referees through a door after Saturday night's 3-0 loss at Los Angeles FC, per The Athletic.,FC Cincinnati defender Matt Miazaga was investigated and suspended three matches for "misconduct" after enteri...

Report: Guardians signing 1B Rhys Hoskins to minor league deal
The Cleveland Guardians are signing free-agent first baseman Rhys Hoskins to a minor league contract, The Athletic reported Sunday.,He will earn a $1.5 million base salary should he make the major league roster, per the report. He still must pass a physical but was in the Guardians clubhouse at spri...

Tiger Woods teases Masters comeback on live broadcast
Tiger Woods is keeping the door slightly ajar for a return to professional golf at the Masters in April.,A five-time Masters winner and 15-time major champion, Woods teased golf fans on Saturday when he joined Jim Nantz and Trevor Immelman in the CBS booth during the third round of the Genesis Invit...

Twins' Joe Ryan gets MRI, has lower back inflammation
Minnesota Twins All-Star right-hander Joe Ryan is nursing inflammation in his lower back after being scratched from his spring training start on Saturday afternoon.,Ryan underwent an MRI and revealed the news on Sunday, two days after the team announced right-hander Pablo Lopez will undergo Tommy Jo...

German bobsledders close dominant Games with four-man gold, silver
CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy -- Germany's Johannes Lochner collected his second bobsled gold of the Milan Cortina Olympics in the four-man event on Sunday, completing a hugely dominant week for the sliding superpower.,Compatriot and double-defending champion Francesco Friedrich took silver but Germany's...

Eileen Gu retains halfpipe crown, sets Olympics freestyle medal record
LIVIGNO, Italy -- China's Eileen Gu successfully defended her women's halfpipe crown at the Winter Games on Sunday with a high-flying run that made her the most decorated Olympic freestyle skier of all time with six medals.,Gu's compatriot Li Fanghui won silver and the bronze went to Zoe Atkin of G...