GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) — Cameron Boozer shook off a quiet first half to finish with 19 points and ...

GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) — Cameron Boozer shook off a quiet first half to finish with 19 points and No. 1 overall seed Duke shot 61.5% after halftime Saturday to pull away from TCU for an 81-58 win in a physical second-round game <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness">at the NCAA Tournament</a>.The freshman voted a unanimous first-team Associated Press All-American earlier this week had just two points and missed his only shot in the first half. But he scored three times during the 11-0 second-half burst — twice on high-low feeds from fellow big Patrick Ngongba II in his return to the lineup — as Duke (34-2) finally shook free of the ninth-seeded Horned Frogs (23-12).That 11-0 run was the capper on a 26-6 surge that spanned nearly nine minutes, with TCU missing 15 of 17 shots after Jayden Pierre’s layup tied it at 44-all with 13:56 left.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>The Blue Devils opened the tournament with an uncharacteristically shaky performance that <a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-duke-siena-upset-bid-70f82f0b934ceb105ab465d27d95045d">had them flirting with only the third 16-versus-1 upset against Siena.</a> This time, they trailed only briefly in the second half on the way to the Sweet 16 for the third straight season under Jon Scheyer, earning a trip to the nation’s capital to face the St. John’s-Kansas winner Friday.Micah Robinson scored 18 points for TCU, which beat eighth-seeded Ohio State on Xavier Edmonds’ basket in the final seconds of the first round. But the Horned Frogs couldn’t sustain a quality first 25 minutes against the Blue Devils, shooting just 10 for 38 after halftime and 33.3% for the game.The game also had some chippy and testy vibes. TCU’s David Punch took an elbow from Boozer on a drive and came up with a bloody nose that resulted in a flagrant-foul call on review, and there was a double-flagrant foul when Ngongba and Edmonds ended up tangled and fell to the floor.Coach Jamie Dixon also got a technical foul in the second half for complaining in frustration after there was no goaltending call on a block from behind by Maliq Brown.TCU was playing in its fourth tournament in five years under Dixon, but the Horned Frogs fell short of a chance to reach the second weekend of the tournament for the first time in the modern era since expansion to 64 teams in 1985.Up nextOne thing is certain: The Blue Devils will face a Hall of Fame coach and national title winner in the regional semifinals. The fourth-seeded Jayhawks, led by Bill Self, meet the fifth-seeded Red Storm led by Rick Pitino on Sunday.___AP March Madness bracket: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket">https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket</a> and coverage: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness">https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness</a>

GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA - MARCH 21: Cameron Boozer #12 of the Duke Blue Devils reacts during the second half against the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 21, 2026 in Greenville, South Carolina.

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Duke closes emphatically to oust TCU, advance to 3rd straight Sweet 16

DARLINGTON, S.C. (AP) — The NASCAR team co-owned by NBA legend Michael Jordan continued its stron...

DARLINGTON, S.C. (AP) — The NASCAR team <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nascar-23xi-jordan-hamlin-reddick-wallace-f434c05112ee8836b17ebc9f82714f1f">co-owned by NBA legend Michael Jordan</a> continued its strong 2026 start in the Cup Series, locking up the top two starting spots Saturday at Darlington Raceway.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/daytona-500-nascar-5ef03306d4ffca28da7b23328c760877">Daytona 500 winner</a> Tyler Reddick, the first driver in NASCAR history <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nascar-reddick-michael-jordan-6c0b8d6170bcbf1fc4202e3f8bb7b397">to win the season's first three races</a>, qualified first for Sunday's 400-mile race with a 169.152 mph lap on the 1.366-mile oval.The 23XI Racing driver captured his 13th pole position despite smacking the wall with his No. 45 Toyota as he struggled with a new package that makes driving harder <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nascar-darlington-chastain-suarez-68e49a3d04b5609a5246f743ec30b904">with higher horsepower and lower downforce</a>.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>"I tried to take it easy and just overdid the throttle," Reddick said. "I kind of knew I was in trouble about a third of the way through, so I just had to hit the wall at that point."Just really proud of everyone at 23XI. It was a huge focal point with the adjustments to the engine and downforce to stay as strong as we have been the last couple of years. I knew it would be a huge challenge in qualifying today, and it was. I damn near wrecked."Teammate Bubba Wallace qualified second at 168.434 mph in his No. 23 Toyota for 23XI, marking the second front row sweep for the team founded by Jordan and NASCAR star Denny Hamlin. Reddick and Wallace are also ranked 1-2 in the points standings through five races."That's Reddick for you," Wallace said. "He pushes it to the limit. That was a hell of a lap. Just proud of the efforts of the team. Continue to ride the momentum from Race 1 to now and Darlington's super tough. This package is a handful."Wallace <a href="https://x.com/NASCARONFOX/status/2035455218008416642">dedicated the lap to his newborn daughter</a>, who was born Thursday.Chase Elliott qualified third after his No. 9 Chevrolet failed inspection twice before the session, resulting in the loss of pit selection and the ejection of car chief Matt Barndt.Kyle Larson and Brad Keselowski rounded out the top five in qualifying.Chris Buescher qualified sixth, but his No. 17 Ford also failed inspection twice. The team lost its pit selection and car chief Josh Sisco for the race.___AP auto racing: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing">https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing</a>

DARLINGTON, SOUTH CAROLINA - MARCH 21: Tyler Reddick, driver of the #45 Xfinity Toyota, poses for photos after winning the pole award during qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway on March 21, 2026 in Darlington, South Carolina.

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Hot start continues for Jordan's team as Reddick takes Darlington pole

"The Track Too Tough To Tame" somehow is expected to get even tougher this weekend, and that's ju...

"The Track Too Tough To Tame" somehow is expected to get even tougher this weekend, and that's just fine with NASCAR drivers who have lobbied for bigger challenges.It's also probably fine with <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nascar-racing">NASCAR</a> executives, who have a crowd-pleasing feud brewing in the Cup Series circuit at Darlington Raceway, the egg-shaped oval in the Pee Dee region of South Carolina that has given top drivers fits for 76 years.Anger and frustration often flare at the tricky 1.366-mile track, and all eyes will be on how Ross Chastain and Daniel Suarez race each other Sunday. The former teammates at Trackhouse Racing had a brief but animated confrontation after their cars made contact last week <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nascar-las-vegas-hamlin-toyota-gibbs-aeb04fd9e04f86b2a651f1e40ba4a1df">at Las Vegas Motor Speedway</a>, and they've continued taking swipes at each other this week.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Suarez accused Chastain of being two-faced and later told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio that "if I want to fight Ross, and he knows this, it's not going to last 5 seconds." Chastain said he regretted sideswiping Suarez's car before lightly shoving him in the pits, but added "I don't agree with the way he handles things. What made me so mad was just that there was no accountability."With the ill will festering, conditions at Darlington will be ripe for prolonging that rivalry and possibly igniting other fresh squabbles.A 12% increase in horsepower and a 25% decrease in downforce (the physics that keep cars glued to the track at a high rate of speed) are expected to cause excessive tire wear on an already abrasive surface that's infamous for chewing up rubber.Lap times are expected to drop by 4 to 5 seconds over the course of a run — a second more than traditional falloff — as drivers wrestle with tires punished by heavier acceleration from 750 horsepower, heat from higher braking loads and power slides from the lack of traction. A forecast in the high 80s also will make the asphalt slippery."It's going to be crazy," Suarez said. "Honestly, I'm actually looking forward to it. I'm super excited for the challenge."Indeed, many drivers relish the idea of being out of control for 400 laps because they believe the difficult conditions separate the field and provide the most talented with a better chance to shine by managing their tires.Chase Briscoe, who has won two of the past three races at Darlington, said he was "crashing every corner of every lap" recently testing the track on Toyota's driving simulator."It's going to be the hardest track we run on all year long," said Briscoe, who has won two of the past three races at Darlington. "The whole weekend is going to be must-see because of how drastically different this thing drives."On what NASCAR is hailing as "Alumni Weekend," several dozen former Cup drivers are expected to be on hand at the historic track Sunday for a race that fittingly will be old school.It's so much of a throwback that concerns have been raised about its unknowns.NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer John Probst said teams have asked for extra tires (beyond an allotted 10 sets) and permission to enhance brake cooling.Probst said NASCAR declined to grant their requests because unpredictability usually means better racing — presuming the entire field doesn't exhaust its tire supply or suffer systemic brake failures."This isn't just a regular event where everything is known, and everyone's comfortable," Probst said. "That uncertainty is usually the recipe for a very compelling race. If you're a team, you want to minimize the opportunities to make a wrong decision. We feel when there are opportunities to make bad decisions, it improves the entertainment of our events."But there is a slippery slope that if we err too much on the side of not enough tires or brake cooling, then you kind of ruin the sporting side of the event. So we're trying to thread the needle between the entertainment and sporting side."Probst said NASCAR is confident the curveballs won't be too big to handle at Darlington."We have the best drivers and engineers in the world, and they want to show their skills," Probst said. "Anytime that we can put decisions that have profound effects on the outcome in the hands of our teams, that's when we see our best racing. This is what our fans have been asking for, and we hear them loud and clear."Respecting DaleCarson Hocevar will be sporting a blue and yellow paint scheme on his No. 77 Chevrolet to honor seven-time champion Dale Earnhardt's early 1980s livery. The Spire Motorsports upstart has drawn comparisons to Earnhardt <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nascar-michael-jordan-carson-hocevar-aa5663e6a48b4d143538673c41940328">because of his aggressive driving style</a>, but Hocevar wants to dispel the notion that he is the imitator of "The Intimidator.""I mean, I think I've hit enough people already," said Hocevar, who bought a 1997 Chevy pickup truck last year that is modeled after Earnhardt's famous No. 3. "I'm just driving how I want to drive. I don't really love the comparisons of what they turn into. It started by just not apologizing after running into people to turning into kind of 'I'm as good as him.' I don't know where that came from. I'm just hoping I'm fast enough that we can actually be up front and be relevant, especially with that scheme."___AP auto racing: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing">https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing</a>

SONOMA, CALIFORNIA - JULY 12: Daniel Suarez, driver of the #99 Freeway Insurance Chevrolet, (L) and Ross Chastain, driver of the #1 Kubota Chevrolet, talk on the grid during practice for the NASCAR Cup Series Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway on July 12, 2025 in Sonoma, California.

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NASCAR tempers could be flaring as tires are wearing at Darlington

LONDON (AP) — Mexico striker Raúl Jiménez was reduced to tears on Saturday after scoring his firs...

LONDON (AP) — Mexico striker Raúl Jiménez was reduced to tears on Saturday after scoring his first goal since the death of his father last week.After converting a penalty to seal a 3-1 win for Fulham over Burnley in the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/premier-league-liverpool-brighton-chelsea-everton-scores-fd0621d04641c6502615d54e68ccab18">Premier League</a>, Jiménez dropped to his knees and pointed to the sky with both hands.He welled up as he walked back to center circle and was seen wiping tears from his eyes after the match.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Jiménez also was embraced warmly by his Fulham teammates, including fellow striker Rodrigo Muniz and coach Marco Silva.The death of his father, Raúl Jiménez Vega, was <a href="https://x.com/miseleccionmx/status/2032270303322116524">announced</a> by Mexico’s soccer federation on March 13.Jimenez has scored all 14 of the penalties he has taken in the Premier League. He has also played in England’s top division with Wolverhampton.___AP soccer: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/soccer">https://apnews.com/hub/soccer</a>

Fulham's Raul Jimenez celebrates scoring their side's third goal of the game from a penalty during the Premier League match at Craven Cottage, London. Picture date: Saturday March 21, 2026.

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Mexico star Jimenez in tears after scoring 1st goal since father's death

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Yaxel Lendeborg punctuated his 25-point outing with a massive dunk in transi...

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Yaxel Lendeborg punctuated his 25-point outing with a massive dunk in transition, and the Midwest Region’s top-seeded Michigan advanced to the Sweet 16 with a 95-72 victory over Saint Louis in the second round of the <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness">NCAA Tournament</a> on Saturday.Morez Johnson Jr. had 15 and eight rebounds for Michigan (33-3), which matched a program record for victories set during its seventh and most recent Final Four appearance in 2018.The Wolverines’ 7-foot-3 center Aday Mara had 16 points, five rebounds and four blocks to increase his season blocks total to 96, one short of matching Michigan’s single-season record set by Roy Tarpley in 1985-86.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><a href="https://apnews.com/article/march-madness-midwest-michigan-saint-louis-bba2693dad5ae4624837b9a761fc4753">The Wolverines</a> advanced to the round of 16 for the second consecutive year and seventh time since 2017. They’ll play the winner of Texas Tech and Alabama at Chicago on Friday.Amari McCottry had 14 points and five rebounds for Saint Louis (29-6), which saw its season end after setting a single-season record for wins with its 102-77 first-round win over Georgia.The Wolverines’ size and depth proved too much for the ninth-seeded Billikens, who dropped to 0-6 in second-round games.Michigan particularly took away the Billikens’ primary strength, their outside shooting game, limiting Saint Louis to 5 of 17 3-point attempts through the first half, and 10 of 32 overall.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/march-madness-saint-louis-avila-e4ade8f6bf809370f508047c539d9d2b">Billikens senior Robbie Avila</a>, who entered ranking third among NCAA centers with 211 career 3-point baskets, struggled to find his range, finishing 3 of 13 — including 3 of 10 3-pointers.After trading leads six times through the first 10 minutes, Michigan went ahead for good on Trey McKenney’s 3-pointer with 9:37 left in the first half. The basket sparked a 9-0 run. And the Wolverines put the game away midway through the second half with their transition game and a pressure defense.Lendeborg had a highlight-reel dunk by bullying his way through two defenders and finishing his transition drive with a dunk to put Michigan up 66-57. A little over a minute later, Michigan’s press cashed in, with Nimari Burnett intercepting Brady Dunlap’s pass and taking it the other way for a layup to make it 73-58.___AP March Madness bracket: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket">https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket</a> and coverage: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness">https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness</a>

BUFFALO, NEW YORK - MARCH 21: Yaxel Lendeborg #23 of the Michigan Wolverines talks with teammates Morez Johnson Jr. #21, Aday Mara #15 and Elliot Cadeau #3 against the Saint Louis Billikens during the first half in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at KeyBank Center on March 21, 2026 in Buffalo, New York.

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Michigan becomes 1st team to reach Sweet 16 after rolling Saint Louis

BELFAST, Northern Ireland (AP) — Irish boxer Michael Conlan, who famously gestured at 2016 Rio de...

BELFAST, Northern Ireland (AP) — Irish boxer Michael Conlan, who famously gestured at 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games judges with his middle fingers, said he plans to retire without achieving his dream of becoming a world champion.The 34-year-old Belfast featherweight lost a 10-round split decision to undefeated Kevin Walsh at the SSE Arena on Friday night.Conlan, the favorite, hoped a victory would get him a shot at WBC featherweight champion Bruce "Shu Shu" Carrington.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>"I want to walk away now, my health intact, my family good. I've done really well in boxing," a bruised Conlan told reporters with his wife and two children seated next to him."I've achieved an awful lot. Did I reach my goal of being a world champion? No. That's the hardest part about it all."One judge scored the bout 97-93 for Conlan (20-4), and the two others scored it 96-94 for Walsh (20-0), a native of Brockton — the same Massachusetts city that produced Rocky Marciano and <a href="https://apnews.com/article/marvelous-margin-hagler-dead-6072cba88b82681488d28e5757eb3638">Marvelous Marvin Hagler</a>."I always said the next defeat — no matter the situation or no matter the circumstances — that would be me finished with boxing, and it has come," Conlan said."I thought I won but, listen, it is what it is. I don't want to do it no more. It's time to say goodbye to boxing."Conlan fought for the IBF world featherweight title in 2023, losing to Luis Alberto Lopez in a fifth-round stoppage.Bronze in London, rant in RioConlan won a bronze medal for Ireland at the 2012 London Olympics and became an amateur world champion three years later but made bigger headlines at the 2016 Rio Games, where he lost on a controversial split decision in a bantamweight quarterfinal to Russian Vladimir Nikitin.Conlan went on an expletive-laden rant on live television after the loss, including raising his middle fingers as he faced the judges.In 2021, an investigator appointed by the International Boxing Association found that medal bouts in boxing at the 2016 Games were <a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-boxing-2020-tokyo-olympics-e657a0b20aaf897dd96d5708d6ddbb2e">fixed by "complicit and compliant" referees and judges</a>. The report didn't offer a verdict on whether the result of the Conlan-Nikitin fight was fixed.In the pro ranks, Conlan beat Nikitin by unanimous decision in 2019."I've done really well but I've never achieved the goal of being a world champion," said Conlan, who also posted a retirement letter on his Instagram account on Saturday. "There is relief. Now I get to spend time with my family..."It's just not meant to be, and that's it."___AP boxing: <a href="https://apnews.com/boxing">https://apnews.com/boxing</a>

Michael Conlan with blood on face following the WBC International Feather-weight bout against Kevin Walsh (not pictured) at the SSE Arena, Belfast. Picture date: Friday March 20, 2026.

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Conlan says it's time to 'walk away' after loss to Walsh

SYDNEY (AP) — Maika Hamano took a pass from the left with her back to goal, turned and launched a...

SYDNEY (AP) — Maika Hamano took a pass from the left with her back to goal, turned and launched a powerful strike from outside the area in a moment of individual brilliance that secured Japan a third <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/soccer">Women’s Asian Cup</a> title with a 1-0 win over Australia.The 21-year-old Hamano, on loan at Tottenham from Chelsea, scored in the 17th minute to almost silence the crowd of 74,397 at Sydney’s Stadium Australia on Saturday night.The Australians applied all the pressure in the last 10 minutes pressing for an equalizer but were continually denied by Japan’s defense, including Alanna Kennedy’s close-range header with two minutes left in regulation.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Japan had beaten Australia in finals to win back-to-back Women’s Asian Cups in 2014 and 2018 and has now won the title three times in the last four continental championships.“I just want to enjoy it today because it’s only the third time that Japan actually managed to win this tournament,” Japan coach Nils Nielsen said. "(We) really deserve it, I mean we won six games — it’s OK we take the trophy.“The girls fought with everything they had, so did Matildas, and they made themselves proud as well.”The Australians, who reached the semifinals of the Women’s World Cup on home soil in 2023, had 54% of possession, had 14 shots on goal compared to nine for Japan, and considerably more passes, crosses and touches in the opposition box.But as captain <a href="https://apnews.com/article/australia-matildas-kerr-soccer-womens-asian-cup-3a1a3a2e5356aa13c508b38d40268b59">Sam Kerr</a> said, “They beat us just off one moment. For most of the game, we had the better chances and definitely in the second half, most of the possession. So it was just one moment. Unfortunately, that’s what football is decided on.“The last few games, we’ve had the moments and made the most of them. Tonight, they had an amazing goal.”Japan, the top-ranked team in Asia, tallied 29 goals and conceded just one in six games in a dominant performance in Australia.The Matildas haven’t won the continental championship since 2010, when Kerr — then 16 — scored in the decider.Crowd recordsThe crowd of almost 75,000 for the final was a record for the Women’s Asian Cup along with the total crowd of 355,528 across the tournament that started on March 1.Six teams from the Asian Cup — Japan, Australia, China, South Korea, Philippines and North Korea — have qualified for next year’s Women’s World Cup in Brazil.Iran's involvementThe 12-team tournament gained global attention due to the involvement of an Iranian squad affected by the Middle East war.The Iranian team arrived in Australia before the Feb. 28 attacks by the United States and Israel triggered the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-israel-us-03-01-2026-693bc30bbbc98660d81f4a13f65ca10f">Iran war,</a> and their participation held the international focus.Seven members of the Iran delegation initially were granted asylum by the Australian government, though <a href="https://apnews.com/article/iranian-womens-soccer-asylum-australia-4dcc9bcc835e5520288f1a9ab7b49a24">all but two</a> have since <a href="https://apnews.com/video/iranian-media-say-the-womens-soccer-team-has-returned-to-iran-7a260261cc194c64be0fc0e55c5b364d">returned home</a>.___AP soccer: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/soccer">https://apnews.com/hub/soccer</a>

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 21: Team Japan celebrate with the AFC Women's Asian Cup trophy after victory in the AFC Women's Asian Cup Australia 2026 final match between Australia Matildas and Japan at Stadium Australia on March 21, 2026 in Sydney, Australia

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Japan beats Australia to win Women's Asian Cup

Pietra Tordin and Reilyn Turner each had a goal and the Portland Thorns downed the Seattle Reign ...

Pietra Tordin and Reilyn Turner each had a goal and the Portland Thorns downed the Seattle Reign 2-0 on Friday night despite having two players sent off with red cards.It was the 44th match between the two Pacific Northwest National Women’s Soccer League rivals. It was played before a record crowd of 21,321 fans for a Portland home opener.In other NWSL games, the Orlando Pride and the visiting Denver Summit played to a 1-1 draw; and the Washington Spirit tied 2-2 with Racing Louisville.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Portland midfielder Cassandra Bogere received consecutive yellow cards in the eighth and ninth minutes, and was sent off.But it was Tordin’s header that gave the Thorns the 1-0 lead in the 28th minute. Turner’s goal made it 2-0 in the 37th with Tordin providing the assist.The home side lost another player in the 58th minute, when Reyna Reyes was given a straight red for violent conduct on Madison Curry.Sophia Wilson and Marie Muller made their Providence Park season debuts in the ensuing minute.The series between the teams is now tied at 17-17-10.Banda scores a birthday goal in drawSummit forward Melissa Kossler and Pride forward Barbra Banda each scored for their teams for the second consecutive game in the draw in Orlando.In the 24th minute, Kossler scored on a perfectly slipped in ball from Natasha Flint.Banda equalized on her birthday in the 61st minute on a cross into the box from Jacquie Ovalle.It was the first point earned by the expansion Summit and head coach Nick Cushing after a season-opening loss at Bay FC.Racing Louisville squander 2-goal lead, settle for home drawKayla Fischer opened the scoring for Racing Louisville in the 28th minute with an assist from Emma Sears.Sears scored a goal of her own in the 42nd minute. Picking up a loose ball, she dribbled it end to end to finish past goalkeeper Sandy MacIver for the 2-0 lead.Sofia Cantore closed the gap for the Spirit in the 50th minute with a blast from outside of the box. Leicy Santos completed the comeback for the visitors with a goal in the 74th.Spirit midfielder Andi Sullivan returned from maternity leave to make her first appearance since Oct. 6, 2024.___AP soccer: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/soccer">https://apnews.com/hub/soccer</a>

PORTLAND, OREGON - MARCH 20: Players of Portland Thorns FC celebrate a goal during an NWSL match between Portland Thorns FC and Seattle Reign at Providence Park on March 20, 2026 in Portland, Oregon.

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Thorns beat NWSL rivals Reign despite pair of red cards

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Tyler Fay pitched Alabama's first nine-inning, complete-game no-hitter in...

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Tyler Fay pitched Alabama's first nine-inning, complete-game no-hitter in 84 years, striking out 13 in a 6-0 victory over Florida on Friday night.Fay retired the last 10 batters, getting Brendan Lawson to fly out to left to end the game. Fay, who had never pitched more than seven innings in college, threw a career-high 132 pitches, 85 for strikes.<figure class="article-segment--embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
NO-NO ALERT 🚨 <a href="https://twitter.com/AlabamaBSB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AlabamaBSB</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SECBSB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SECBSB</a> <a href="https://t.co/Pp6dlXMyBq">pic.twitter.com/Pp6dlXMyBq</a>— Southeastern Conference (@SEC) <a href="https://twitter.com/SEC/status/2035192301148926206?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 21, 2026</a>
</blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure>The redshirt junior from Doniphan, Nebraska, issued a walk in the second inning and another in the sixth against the Gators (19-4, 3-1 SEC), who are ranked as high as No. 17. Fay came into the season as Alabama's No. 1 starter and entered the game with a 3-2 record and 5.43 ERA.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>The Crimson Tide (16-7, 1-3) hadn't had a pitcher throw a complete-game, nine-inning no-hitter since Eddie Wocar did it at Mississippi on April 24, 1942.Florida was no-hit for the first time since Jacksonville's Tom McMillan did it in a seven-inning game June 1, 1963.

HOOVER, AL - MAY 23: A general view of the University of Alabama logo drawn onto gravel during the 2023 SEC Baseball Tournament game between the Kentucky Wildcats and the Alabama Crimson Tide on May 23, 2023 at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in Hoover, Alabama.

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Fay pitches Alabama's 1st no-hitter since 1942

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Ja'Kobi Gillespie hit six 3-pointers and scored 29 points as sixth-seeded Ten...

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Ja'Kobi Gillespie hit six 3-pointers and scored 29 points as sixth-seeded Tennessee ended a fabulous season for Miami (Ohio) with a 78-56 win on Friday in the first round of the <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness">NCAA Tournament.</a>The Vols (23-11) shook off a rough end to the season — losing four of six games — and advanced to play third-seeded Virginia on Sunday in the Midwest Region.Gillespie hit five 3s in the first half to help the Vols push ahead by 20 and squash any chance the 11th-seeded <a href="https://apnews.com/article/miami-ohio-first-loss-march-madness-67fc5820e8c23b497ca583cf5f1c72bd">RedHawks</a> (31-2) could carry over the confidence gained from their First Four win and pull off a signature victory.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>The Vols did just about everything right and showed again why — no matter the seed — they are a perennial threat to go deep in March. Led by Gillespie, the Vols made 12 of 19 shots to start the game, including long 3s and 20 quick points in the paint.Just to add one more gut punch to Miami, Ethan Burg hit a 3 at the first-half buzzer for a 51-32 lead.Gillespie passed up a chance to score 30 points — only two other Vols have ever reached that mark in the NCAA Tournament — when he drove the lane with 1:13 left but skipped the open look and threw a lob to Felix Okpara for the bucket.J.P. Estrella had 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Vols.Peter Suder was the lone Miami player in double digits with 27 points.Gillespie is just one of many standouts enjoying the same March success in a new uniform thanks to the transfer portal.He started 36 games last season and averaged 14.7 points, shooting 40.7% from 3-point range, to help Maryland reach the Sweet 16.Had Gillespie peeked at the scoreboard, he could have caught a Villanova update. Last season's Maryland coach, Kevin Willard, had the Wildcats in the tournament.What has remained a constant in March is Tennessee winning. The Vols have been a top-six seed in all eight of their NCAA Tournament appearances under coach Rick Barnes. They are 8-3 overall in the last three tourneys.RedHawks had a clunker in the first round but still belongedMiami had a March highlight when it beat SMU in the First Four, its first NCAA Tournament victory in 27 years.Miami went 31-0 during a captivating regular season — the only Division I team to go unbeaten in 2025-26 and the eighth in the past 50 years.The RedHawks lost their MAC Tournament opener and had to wait and see if their dazzling record was enough to get in the field because of a schedule that ranked 339th in overall strength and featured no Quadrant 1 games.The swim team was down to one swimmer to root on the RedHawksLiam Quigley was the lone member of the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/miami-ohio-speedo-swim-team-march-madness-c587c49bd758c32f923b4c94aee7d1b7">Miami swim team</a> who drove to Philadelphia to watch the game.The swimmers created some excitement late in the season when they started rooting on the basketball team in nothing but their Speedos, goggles and swim caps. Their popularity exploded when they bum-rushed the stands behind the basket in the First Four and waved their arms to provide a nearly-nude distraction on SMU's free-throw attempts.Quigley, in red-and-white overalls, traveled from the First Four site in Dayton, Ohio, and had a seat near a non-swimmer RedHawks fan who painted his face and chest red.Up nextThe Vols are trying to break through and reach the Final Four after the last two tournaments ended with losses in the Elite Eight.___AP March Madness bracket: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket">https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket</a> and coverage: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness">https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness</a>

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - MARCH 20: Ja'Kobi Gillespie #0 of the Tennessee Volunteers reacts against the Miami (OH) RedHawks in the first half during the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena on March 20, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

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Gillespie helps Tennessee end Miami (OH)'s magical season

CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) — Rookie right-hander Andrew Painter has made the Philadelphia Phillies' op...

<div>
CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) — Rookie right-hander Andrew Painter has made the Philadelphia Phillies' opening-day roster as the No. 5 starter, manager Rob Thomson announced Friday 
The 6-foot-7 Painter, a first-round pick in the 2021 amateur draft, is among the Phillies' top prospects.
Painter, who turns 24 on April 10, was slowed by <a href="https://apnews.com/article/painter-phillies-elbow-surgery-06266904bf5518228597d3da4a0ebd06">Tommy John surgery in July 2023</a>. His fastball averaged 95.6 mph in the minor leagues last year and reached 100.2 mph, according to Statcast.
<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>
<a href="https://apnews.com/article/phillies-wheeler-blood-clot-35a459082812a04d06a7df1f351cb943?utm_source=copy&amp;utm_medium=share">Zack Wheeler</a> is expected to open the season on the injured list as he continues his recovery from surgery after he was diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome.
Philadelphia's rotation is expected to include Cristopher Sánchez, who will start the Phillies' opener against Texas on Thursday, Aaron Nola, Jesús Luzardo, Taijuan Walker and Painter.
Sánchez finished second in last season's <a href="https://apnews.com/article/cy-young-award-tarik-skubal-paul-skenes-c4e112b92d19e8f8b5825e14452610a5?utm_source=copy&amp;utm_medium=share">NL Cy Young Award</a> voting. Pittsburgh's Paul Skenes won the award. 
___
AP MLB: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mlb">https://apnews.com/hub/mlb</a>
</div>

CLEARWATER, FLORIDA - MARCH 13, 2026: Andrew Painter #76 of the Philadelphia Phillies throws a pitch during the second inning of a spring training game against the Baltimore Orioles at BayCare Ballpark on March 13, 2026 in Clearwater, Florida.

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TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Texas Tech was determined to rally together after losing its best player.  Jay...

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Texas Tech was determined to rally together after losing its best player.Jaylen Petty scored 24 points, Christian Anderson added 18 and the fifth-seeded Red Raiders beat No. 12 seed Akron 91-71 in the first round of the <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness">NCAA Tournament</a> on Friday.Texas Tech (23-10) will face fourth-seeded Alabama or No. 13 seed Hofstra in the second round in the Midwest Region on Sunday.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Playing without All-America guard JT Toppin, who tore the ACL in his right knee last month, Texas Tech got double-figure scoring from five players.Josiah Moseley had 16 points, Donovan Atwell scored 15 and LeJuan Watts added 14.“We just didn't lose our intensity and competitiveness,” Petty said.Moseley said that losing an elite player “could've caused a lot of teams to fall apart," but the Red Raiders stayed together.“Everyone knew they had to step up and push each other harder,” Moseley said.Amani Lyles led Akron with 26 points and Shammah Scott had 20.Akron (29-6) became first team to win the Mid-American Conference Tournament three straight years. But the Zips again failed to reach the second round in their eighth March Madness appearance.“Tremendous respect for Coach (John) Groce for a great season,” Texas Tech coach Grant McCasland said. “What an awesome team they have. One of the most fun teams I've ever scouted. The way they can put pressure on you with the way they score, their pace, their next action ability. We challenged our team to get better defensively and to finish with rebounds. We felt if we could take away rhythm 3s and rebound, we could win. We got some great contributions from different guys."Petty and Atwell opened the second half with consecutive 3-pointers to give Texas Tech an 11-point lead.Akron got within 64-60 midway through second after Eric Mahaffey scored on a layup and made a free throw to complete a three-point play. But the Zips couldn’t get any closer.Anderson’s steal led to a fast-break dunk by Petty that put Texas Tech up 77-64. Petty then drilled a 3 to extend the lead to 16 points. He answered Sharron Young’s layup with another jumper and the Red Raiders cruised the rest of the way.Akron didn’t score until Lyles hit a 3-pointer more than three minutes into the game. The teams combined to miss nine of their first 13 shots.The Red Raiders built their biggest lead of the first half, 37-25, following an 8-0 run ignited by Petty’s driving layup. But Akron closed the half with a 10-3 run of its own to get within 40-35 at halftime.Up nextTexas Tech aims to advance to the Sweet 16 for the second straight year.___AP March Madness bracket: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket">https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket</a> and coverage: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness">https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness</a>

TAMPA, FLORIDA - MARCH 20: Christian Anderson #4 and LeJuan Watts #3 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders high five during the first half against the Akron Zips in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Benchmark International Arena on March 20, 2026 in Tampa, Florida.

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Petty scores 24 as Texas Tech rolls past Akron in 1st round

ROME (AP) — Italy is coming off a record performance at the Winter Olympics.  Kimi Antonelli just...

ROME (AP) — Italy is coming off a record performance at the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/italy-medals-record-milan-cortina-winter-olympics-47b212f71db074e6a05a16fbf632f720">Winter Olympics</a>.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/f1-china-antonelli-russell-hamilton-leclerc-b327c1053d98616bf04dd1874109239d">Kimi Antonelli</a> just became the second youngest driver at 19 to win a Formula One race and is considered The Next Big Thing in auto racing.The <a href="https://apnews.com/article/italy-england-six-nations-43fcb9c2a8ddfda70a8ca5d18df34e33">Azzurri rugby squad beat England</a> for the first time in the Six Nations.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jannik-sinner">Jannik Sinner</a> is back to winning ways on the tennis court.Italy’s men and women are the world champions in volleyball.Even the country’s unheralded <a href="https://apnews.com/article/italy-wbc-venezuela-b14bbddf79721e413d07aebffd997234">baseball</a> and <a href="https://apnews.com/article/italy-cricket-t20-world-cup-india-678a1916e9b0a303ac7e8dbe1ddd4b41">cricket</a> teams have broken barriers recently.Yet there’s one big team from Italy that continues to struggle. The once-dominant men’s soccer team is at risk of failing to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup.The four-time World Cup champion needs to beat Northern Ireland in the playoffs next Thursday in Bergamo and then either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina away to avoid going at least 16 years without even playing a match at soccer’s biggest event.“Sports are about cycles but this one in soccer has gone on for too long,” Italy Sports Minister Andrea Abodi says.An entire generation — basically anyone under 15 — has no memory of the last time Italy played in the World Cup: An elimination loss to Uruguay in 2014 in Brazil remembered for Luis Suarez’s bite of Giorgio Chiellini’s shoulder.“For generations of Italians, the World Cup was the time when the country came together and waved our flag,” Abodi tells La Stampa. “Our national spirit now extends beyond soccer but it would still be nice to share those emotions with younger fans.”<h3>Doomed qualifying campaign</h3>Italy’s qualifying campaign was doomed in the opening match by a 3-0 loss at Erling Haaland’s Norway — leading to coach Luciano Spalletti being replaced by <a href="https://apnews.com/article/gattuso-italy-coach-790d7a0755b3bc0d84c4c8d6871184da">Gennaro Gattuso</a>.The Azzurri then went on a six-match winning streak before losing again to Norway in November to finish second in their group and end up in the playoffs again — the stage where Italy was eliminated by <a href="https://apnews.com/article/7a16ab1ad8a9403099a55feed63a791c">Sweden</a> before the 2018 World Cup and by <a href="https://apnews.com/article/soccer-sports-middle-east-international-soccer-europe-e5d3240a6dba90e069422d5aa1ee3055">North Macedonia</a> in 2022.<h3>Northern Ireland troubled Italy before</h3>Ranked 13th, Italy will be a heavy favorite against No. 69 Northern Ireland.But the Azzurri should be reminded that their last meeting, a 0-0 draw in Belfast in 2021, plunged the recently crowned European champion into the playoffs for the 2022 World Cup.Italy has won all seven of its home games against Northern Ireland and the opponent’s captain, Liverpool right back Conor Bradley, is out injured.Northern Ireland coach Michael O’Neill was also appointed Blackburn manager last month in an arrangement that sees him splitting duties.<h3>20 years since a knockout match</h3>Italy’s World Cup struggles go back all the way to 2010 and 2014, having failed to advance from its group on both occasions.The Azzurri’s last World Cup knockout match was when they won the title in 2006 by beating France in a penalty shootout — a match remembered more for Zinedine Zidane headbutting Marco Materazzi.So it’s no accident that members of the 2006 squad are involved in trying to revive the Azzurri’s fortunes — starting with Gattuso.Former goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, who holds the record with 176 appearances for Italy, is the national team’s delegation chief and had a role in selecting Gattuso.Also, former fullback Gianluca Zambrotta and former midfielder Simone Perrotta are working in the Italian federation’s youth development program.<h3>Dinners in lieu of training camp</h3>Even with Gattuso and Buffon making their cases, the national team was not able to convince soccer authorities to set up a training camp in the four months since Italy last played.Instead, Gattuso and Buffon embarked on a tour up and down Italy — plus trips to London, Saudi Arabia and Qatar — to share dinners with the squad’s players and maintain team spirit.<h3>Struggles go beyond national team</h3>Serie A has gone from being a destination for the world’s best players in the 1990s and early 2000s to a competition that now attracts castoffs past their prime from other leagues.No Italian club has won the Champions League since Inter Milan in 2010.Italy won the European Championship under Roberto Mancini in 2021 but it was also under Mancini that the Azzurri failed to qualify for the following year’s World Cup.Mancini left the team in chaos by resigning to take on a lucrative job as Saudi Arabia coach in 2023.Spalletti had little time to prepare Italy for Euro 2024 and the Azzurri were eliminated by Switzerland in the round of 16.<h3>Too much attention to tactics</h3>With the national team’s struggles in mind, federation president Gabriele Gravina this week unveiled a new youth development program he says is aimed at “overcoming a sort of extreme tacticalism that really worries me.”Gravina suggests Italian clubs and coaches need to move away from defensive tactics that prioritize “winning at all costs.”Perhaps the soccer team could learn some lessons from Italy’s successes in other sports, too.___AP soccer: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/soccer">https://apnews.com/hub/soccer</a>

Italy's Gennaro Gattuso looks dejected after being defeated during the FIFA World Cup 2026 European qualification football match between Italy and Norway, at the San Siro Stadium, in Milan, on November 16, 2025.

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MEXICO CITY (AP) — The return of veteran goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa and the first call-up of midf...

MEXICO CITY (AP) — The return of veteran goalkeeper <a href="https://apnews.com/article/world-cup-soccer-sports-poland-international-274f02988712c89df91c7693521afead">Guillermo Ochoa</a> and the first call-up of midfielder Álvaro Fidalgo are the highlights of the 26-man roster announced on Thursday by coach Javier Aguirre to face Portugal and Belgium in warm-up matches for the <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup">World Cup</a>.The Mexicans will host the Portuguese on March 28 in the reopening of <a href="https://apnews.com/article/azteca-stadium-world-cup-45a630c7c0f8df587f156a31369d7b82">Azteca stadium</a> and three days later they will face Belgium at Soldier Field in Chicago.The 40-year-old Ochoa had not been called up since last year’s Gold Cup, where he was a substitute throughout the tournament behind Luis Malagón, who <a href="https://apnews.com/article/malagon-injury-world-cup-mexico-dce27b7c9d5b39ebdea9c7efd252292d">ruptured his Achilles tendon</a> last week and will miss the World Cup.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Ochoa, who is seeking his sixth World Cup, has not started since November 2014, when El Tri lost 2-0 to Honduras.Fidalgo, who was born in Spain, received his Mexican citizenship earlier this year.The 28-year-old midfielder, who was key in helping Club América win three consecutive championships, has been a regular starter for Real Betis since signing with that club early last month.Aguirre also called up 20-year-old midfielder Obed Vargas, who signed with Atlético Madrid last month.Fidalgo and Vargas will help Aguirre cover absences due to injury to Marcel Ruiz, who <a href="https://apnews.com/article/marcel-ruiz-mexico-world-cup-toluca-16bfe4a38d5d939546c4d751a7117d84">tore his ACL</a>, and Edson Álvarez, who had ankle surgery earlier this year.___AP soccer: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/soccer">https://apnews.com/hub/soccer</a>

LUSAIL CITY, QATAR - NOVEMBER 30: Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa in action during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group C match between Saudi Arabia and Mexico at Lusail Stadium on November 30, 2022 in Lusail City, Qatar.

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DETROIT (AP) — Alex DeBrincat scored the go-ahead goal with 3:25 remaining and assisted on Detroi...

DETROIT (AP) — Alex DeBrincat scored the go-ahead goal with 3:25 remaining and assisted on Detroit's two other goals, lifting the Red Wings to a 3-1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday night.DeBrincat scored the winner on a backhander after stealing the puck from defenseman Mike Matheson in the Canadiens’ zone. J.T. Compher scored earlier in the period and Andrew Copp added an empty-net goal with 16.8 seconds remaining.<figure class="article-segment--embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
WHAT A PLAY!!! 😼 <a href="https://t.co/HWXBPig9yp">pic.twitter.com/HWXBPig9yp</a>— NHL (@NHL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NHL/status/2034808425155011000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 20, 2026</a>
</blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure>John Gibson made 32 saves for the Red Wings, who won for the second straight game following a three-game losing streak. Detroit recorded back-to-back victories for the first time since a three-game winning streak in mid-January.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>The Red Wings also won the season series, 2-1 and pulled even with the Canadiens in the Atlantic Division standings in the tight Eastern Conference playoff race.Juraj Slafkovsky scored the Canadiens' goal on a second-period power play. Cole Caufield, who scored his 40th goal to beat Boston on overtime on Tuesday, assisted and Jakub Dobes made 25 saves.Detroit captain Dylan Larkin missed his sixth consecutive game due to a lower-body injury.Detroit came up empty on two power-play opportunities during the second period. Montreal was awarded its second power play of the game with 2:28 left in the period when Moritz Seider was penalized for holding Jake Evans' stick.The Canadiens scored 13 seconds later as Slafkovsky placed a rebound of Caufield's shot just inside the crossbar.Detroit tied it at 2:14 of the third period. Patrick Kane took a shot from the point that fluttered through traffic and bounced off Compher, who was parked at the goalpost. Up nextCanadiens: Host New York Islanders on Saturday.Red Wings: Host Boston on Saturday.___AP NHL: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nhl">https://apnews.com/hub/nhl</a>

DETROIT, MICHIGAN - MARCH 19: Alex DeBrincat #93 of the Detroit Red Wings scores the game winning goal late in the third period on Jakub Dobes #75 of the Montreal Canadiens at Little Caesars Arena on March 19, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. Detroit defeated Montreal 3-1.

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PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Matas Vokietaitis had 23 points and 16 rebounds, and No. 11 seed Texas knoc...

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Matas Vokietaitis had 23 points and 16 rebounds, and No. 11 seed Texas knocked off sixth-seeded BYU 79-71 on Thursday in the opening round of the <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness">NCAA Tournament</a>, overcoming 35 points from Cougars forward AJ Dybantsa.Dybantsa played every minute of the game but it wasn’t enough as BYU (23-12) had its season — and perhaps his college career — come to an end. <a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-all-america-college-basketball-team-7bf9bc1f285621d8e66325fd4186d884">Dybantsa</a> was two points shy of tying BYU’s NCAA Tournament record for points in a game, held by Danny Ainge and Jimmer Fredette.The freshman who led the nation in scoring with 25.3 points per game will be a candidate for the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft if he leaves school.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Texas (19-14) will face either third-seeded Gonzaga or No. 14 seed Kennesaw State on Saturday in the second round of the West Regional.Texas won its First Four matchup with N.C. State on Tuesday night. Tramon Mark hit a fadeaway jumper from just inside the 3-point line with 1.1 seconds left <a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-nc-state-score-march-madness-01f7f65ca2714b075fe286c2b4572adc">for a 68-66 victory.</a> Mark added 19 points against BYU.After Texas jumped out to an early 10-4 lead, BYU rallied to take a brief 21-20 lead on a layup by Robert Wright III, but it was the Cougars’ only lead of the game.Voikietaitis’ dominance was a theme all night as the sophomore center from Lithuania grabbed as many rebounds (11) as the Cougars had as a team in the first half. Texas had no answer for the star power of Dybantsa, but BYU had no answer for Voikietaitis, who had 15 points on 6-for-10 and 11 rebounds in the first half.Mark’s 3-pointer just before the buzzer gave Texas a 46-37 halftime lead. The Longhorns took their biggest lead at 68-51 with 11:08 left after a goaltending call on Dybantsa, but he immediately rallied the Cougars by reeling off eight straight points to make it 68-59 with 8:02 left.Dybantsa hit a 3-pointer to make it 70-62 with just over five minutes left. After grabbing a defensive rebound, Dybantsa took the ball coast to coast and was fouled. He made the free throws to make it 70-64.After a BYU timeout, Aleksej Kostic’s 3-pointer with 1:12 left made it 75-71 but that was as close as BYU would get in the final moments.Voikietaitis went 3 for 11 from the free throw line, opening the door for BYU. He missed two shots with 31 seconds left but blocked Wright’s shot on BYU’s next possession. Mark was fouled after grabbing the ensuing loose ball and made both free throws to ice the game, 77-71.___AP March Madness bracket: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket">https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket</a> and coverage: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness">https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness</a>

PORTLAND, OREGON - MARCH 19: AJ Dybantsa #3 of the BYU Cougars dribbles the ball while being guarded by Dailyn Swain #3 of the Texas Longhorns during the first half in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Oregon.

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MIAMI (AP) — The King has tied The Chief.  LeBron James started for the Los Angeles Lakers agains...

MIAMI (AP) — The King has tied The Chief.LeBron James started for the Los Angeles Lakers against the Miami Heat on Thursday night, making it the 1,611th regular-season game of his career and tying Robert Parish’s all-time NBA mark.Parish - dubbed “Chief” during much of his playing career - held the record for nearly 30 years. It belongs now to James, someone who has had the “King” moniker for much of his basketball life and now has yet another record on what seems like an endless resume of accomplishment within the game.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>“I think he understands the importance of his position,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said Thursday. “And he talks all the time about not cheating the game and recognizing that he is one of the all-time greats. With that comes a lot of responsibility, and he does everything he can to live up to that responsibility.”The games played mark is the latest entry on a long list of NBA records for James, who has the league’s all-time top spot in a number of categories including points scored, minutes played, field goals made and field goals attempted.He’s also the NBA record holder with 23 seasons played, 22 All-Star selections and 21 All-NBA team selections.“You just have to absolutely respect his level of competitive spirit,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “He’s competing against not only the entire league, but he’s also competing against Father Time - and he’s giving Father Time hell.”Hundreds of people lined up around the end of the court where James was shooting an hour before tip-off Thursday, many with their phones out, just to watch him warm up. James and the Lakers played in Houston on Wednesday night, landed in Miami at 3:59 a.m. Thursday and got to their hotel around 5:10 a.m.James, Doncic and Austin Reaves - who combined for 84 points on Wednesday in the Lakers’ 124-116 win at Houston - were all on the injury report around midday Thursday for the Lakers. But Redick said he found out by mid-afternoon that James was among the players who decided Wednesday night to play despite the later-than-usual arrival time in Miami.“I think there’s just a high level of belief right now and they all want to play,” Redick said.James went 13 of 14 from the field in Wednesday’s win, tying the best shooting performance of his NBA career.James hit his right elbow on the court in the final minutes of Wednesday’s win, remaining down briefly and grimacing in obvious pain. The Lakers listed him originally as questionable for Thursday with left foot arthritis, but James arrived at the arena hours before the game, went through his normal routine, fought through fatigue and decided to play in Miami - a city he called home for four seasons, during which he won the first two of his four NBA championships.“He’s doing so many impressive things,” Spoelstra said.James will remain atop the games-played list for some time. He entered Thursday 310 games ahead of Russell Westbrook, who has the second-most among active players - and 310 games is nearly equal to four full seasons. Only 40 other players in the NBA right now have appeared in even half as many games as James has in his career.Parish - who went into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003 - has been the outright leader in career games played since April 6, 1996. He played in game No. 1,561 that night, breaking a tie with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the all-time top spot.Parish wound up playing 50 more regular-season games, then retired after the 1996-97 season. He started his NBA career with Golden State, then spent more than a decade with Boston before finishing his 21-season run with Charlotte and Chicago.“No player is better deserving to break that Ironman record, that 1,611 games played record, than LeBron,” Parish told Sirius NBA Radio earlier this week. “He deserves it, in my opinion.”___AP NBA: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nba">https://apnews.com/hub/nba</a>

HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 18: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during the second half against the Houston Rockets atToyota Center on March 18, 2026 in Houston, Texas.

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LeBron ties Parish's NBA record with 1,611th game

NEW YORK (AP) — Venezuela’s 3-2 win over the United States in the World Baseball Classic champion...

NEW YORK (AP) — <a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-states-venezuela-score-wbc-6aee920fd528b59a752e6e2beb7bcb7b">Venezuela’s 3-2 win over the United States</a> in the World Baseball Classic championship game was seen by 10,784,000 viewers on Fox and Fox Deportes, nearly double the 5.4 million who watched <a href="https://apnews.com/article/world-baseball-classic-japan-us-ohtani-trout-09c620b87260f7d8e8736ccc8fd950a6">Japan defeat the Americans in the 2023 final</a> on FS1, Fox Deportes and the network’s streaming service.Tuesday night’s game drew an average of 10,228,000 viewers on Fox, the network said Thursday. That was more than double the 4.48 million on FS1 for Japan’s 3-2 victory in 2023 and higher than each of the first four games of the 2023 World Series between Texas and Arizona.The <a href="https://apnews.com/article/world-baseball-classic-midseason-78b9bad76a22b79720c92a77340d13c8">WBC</a> averaged 1,294,000 for its games on Fox, FS1 and FS2, double the 506,000 for the 2023 tournament.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>___AP MLB: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mlb">https://apnews.com/hub/mlb</a>

LAS VEGAS , NV - NOVEMBER 13: Cal Raleigh, Mike Hill, Mark DeRosa and Roy Wood Jr. announce Corbin Carroll and Pete Crow-Armstrong as additions to the Team USA World Baseball Classic 2026 roster during the MLB Awards presented by MGM Rewards at The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas on Thursday, November 13, 2025 in Las Vegas , Nevada.

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WBC viewership in U.S. doubles from 2023

PALM HARBOR, Fla. (AP) — Sungjae Im, who missed two straight cuts upon his return from a wrist in...

PALM HARBOR, Fla. (AP) — Sungjae Im, who missed two straight cuts upon his return from a wrist injury, found his form Thursday in the Valspar Championship with two eagles that offset a few late mistakes in his round of 7-under 64 for a one-shot lead over Brandt Snedeker.The Copperhead course at Innisbrook was the third straight stop on the Florida swing where the conditions were firm and the greens already getting that yellow sheen. Im was up to the task by giving himself ample birdie chances and converting six of them.He also holed eagle putts of 18 feet on the par-5 11th and 35 feet on the par-5 first after making the turn. Only a pair of bogeys over the last four holes slowed him.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>The surprise was the 45-year-old Snedeker, the U.S. captain for the Presidents Cup, who received a sponsor exemption. He had a bogey-free round at Innisbrook for the first time in 14 years, running off three straight birdies to start the back nine in his round of 65.Snedeker hasn’t won in eight years and had only two top 10s in the last year. But he switched to a mallet putter a few weeks ago and is starting to see some putts go in, particularly some long ones.He started with a 20-foot birdie on No. 1 and had a 45-foot birdie putt drop on No. 12.“Playing perfect the way we want to see it play, firms and fast,” Snedeker said. “Had a really good game plan — just relied on my putter. I putted great today, made a bunch of footage of putts, and put myself in position off the tee hit a lot of fairways and greens and made it stress-free which was nice. So really excited about how it started, but a long way to go from here.”Snedeker led the field in putting and made nearly 150 feet of putts, which included a pair of par putts from just outside 10 feet.Davis Thompson was at 66, with Billy Horschel among those at 67. Horschel, who missed The Players Championship last week, is running out of time to either win or get back inside the top 50 to qualify for the Masters.Riviera winner Jacob Bridgeman also had a bogey-free round, rare at Innisbrook, by holing a par putt from just inside 10 feet on the 18th. He was at 68 along with another bogey-free effort, this one from Xander Schauffele.“That was a big one, even more than a normal par save. That one felt good,” Bridgeman said. “To go around here bogey-free, it means you’re playing some good golf. I made a couple nice saves today to keep myself in it.”Bridgeman and Schauffele were part of a large group that included Matt Fitzpatrick, who was runner-up at The Players Championship last week.Corey Conners shot 69, an ordinary round except for an extraordinary moment when he made consecutive eagles. He dunked his shot off the pin from the 18th fairway for a eagle, made the turn and holed out from 40 yards in the rough at the par-5 first.Also at 69 was Jordan Spieth, who had reason to expect more.Spieth looked as though he might catch Im even while playing in tougher, gusting conditions in the afternoon. He was 5 under on the front nine and had a 4-foot birdie putt on the par-5 11th. But he missed that, missed a 3 1/2-foot par putt on the 13th and dropped three shots over the three-hole stretch known as “Snake Pit,” including a double bogey on the 16th by driving into the water.Defending champion Viktor Hovland was 2 over through six holes and salvaged a 70, while Brooks Koepka made his return to Innisbrook with three birdies, three pars and a 71.___AP golf: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/golf">https://apnews.com/hub/golf</a>

PALM HARBOR, FLORIDA - MARCH 18: Sungjae Im of South Korea plays a shot during the pro-am prior to the Valspar Championship on the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club on March 18, 2026 in Palm Harbor, Florida.

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Im fires impressive 64 to take early lead at Valspar Championship

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — LSU coach Kim Mulkey described getting a lump in her throat while she spo...

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — LSU coach Kim Mulkey described getting a lump in her throat while she spoke on a radio show this week about the impending end of guard Flau’jae Johnson’s illustrious college career.It was an unusual display of sentimentality by the Hall-of-Fame coach, who is better known for her competitive intensity, flamboyant outfits or stomping her high heels on the hardwood during raspy-voiced outbursts on the sideline.When Johnson listened to a replay of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/fuYlLuIY-nM">Mulkey’s emotional comments</a> about her, she joked, “This is not AI?”<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Johnson’s fourth and final women’s NCAA Tournament with the Tigers begins Friday night when No. 2 seed LSU (27-5) hosts 15th seed Jacksonville (24-8) in a first-round game in the Sacramento 2 region. No. 7 seed Texas Tech (25-7) and 10th seed Villanova (25-7) meet in the second game in Baton Rouge on Friday night, with the winners meeting Sunday for a spot in the Sweet 16.Mulkey was entering her second season as LSU’s coach when Johnson, a prized prospect coming out of high school in Georgia, joined the Tigers in 2022. Her freshman season ended with LSU’s first national title in women’s basketball and Mulkey’s fourth as a Division I coach (having won three at Baylor).“She took a chance on LSU before this staff ever won big,” Mulkey recalled, noting that Johnson was the first McDonald’s All-American that she signed at LSU.Mulkey said Johnson’s loyalty to the program — staying for four years even while pursuing a parallel career as a hip-hop artist and securing lucrative endorsement deals with national brands — set the graceful guard apart from many others she’d coached.“That’s why you get emotional about a Flau’Jae,” Mulkey said. “And just her spirit, her soul, her joyous personality.”The same day Mulkey got choked up discussing Johnson on the radio, she “had just went off on me in practice,” Johnson noted with a grin.Johnson wasn’t sure she deserved it, but figured it was an instance of an elite coach seizing a moment to get a point across to the whole team; everyone pays attention when a star player is getting chewed out.“Coach Kim is just funny. But I really do love her,” Johnson said. “I trusted her and she trusted me and we just have a beautiful relationship.”Johnson, who has averaged 13.8 points this season, could have as many as six games left with LSU, should the Tigers advance as far as the national title game. While not necessarily a favorite, LSU is a contender and leads the nation in scoring (94.5 ppg). Four of LSU’s five losses this season came against teams currently ranked sixth or higher in <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll">The AP women’s Top 25</a> (two to No. 4 South Carolina and once each to No. 3 Texas and No. 6 Vanderbilt).The Tigers also beat Texas this season, and Johnson said LSU has yet to peak.The chemistry across a lineup that also features returning starter Mikaylah Williams (13.6 points per game) and South Carolina transfer guard MiLaysia Fulwiley (14.6 ppg, 3 steals per game) has steadily improved, Johnson said.“It makes me optimistic and it should be very scary for teams coming up,” Johnson said. “I think it’s coming. It’s going to be nice.”Jacksonville, which has tied a program record for victories in a season, reached the NCAA Tournament for just the second time by beating Austin Peay in overtime in the Atlantic Sun Conference tournament title game.Led by Priscilla Williams (15.4 ppg) and Tatum Brown (10 ppg), the Dolphins aim to stage a first-round upset.“We’ve been in environments like this before,” Williams said, mentioning matchups with TCU, Texas Tech and Georgia Tech. “We’re not about the names. LSU is a great program, but we’re here for a reason. So, we’re going to show what we’ve got.”Texas Tech vs. VillanovaWhile the Lady Raiders are the higher-seeded team in their first-round matchup, they’ve lost four of their past six games.“We need to finish games better,” said senior guard Bailey Maupin, who is Tech’s leading scorer (15.1 ppg). “That’s kind of been our Achilles’ heel.”Still, Texas Tech has exceeded expectations. The Lady Raiders were projected to finish 13th in the Big 12 Conference’s preseason poll.“We’ve used that number 13 so many times in so many meetings, so many pregame speeches,” Maupin said. “It became fuel because people didn’t believe in us.”Villanova, led by guard Jasmine Boscoe (18.8 ppg) has won 13 of its past 16 games — with all three losses coming against No. 1 UConn.“They come from a really good league and they’ve played against really tough people,” Gerlich said, adding that she sees Briscoe as one of the best point guards in the country.“When they don’t get what they want out of their offense, they put the ball in her hands and she creates,” Gerlich said.Villanova coach Denise Dillon complimented Tech’s defense, and sees some similarity in both teams’ approach to getting stops.“Their defense is aggressive. They’re all over the floor. They’re flying around being very disruptive,” Dillon said, adding that the game could hinge on “who can disrupt the other team more.”___AP March Madness bracket: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket">https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket</a> and coverage: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness">https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness</a>

BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA - JANUARY 11: Head coach Kim Mulkey of the LSU Tigers (R) speaks with Flau'jae Johnson #4 during the first half of a game against the Texas Longhorns at Pete Maravich Assembly Center on January 11, 2026 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

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LSU's Mulkey, Flau'jae savoring 4th and final NCAA Tournament together

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