U.S./World Sports category, Page 372
Need an edge for your NCAA bracket? Geek out over these stats
At this time of year, everyone’s in search of a system — some way of simplifying the brackets and making it a little easier to pick one champion out of all those contenders. You could go with the most experienced coaches or perhaps the teams playing the best defense. Or...
Police say 2-year-old boy died after man sat on him
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa — Iowa police say a 2-year-old boy died after a man sat on the child for allegedly taking his cellphone. Pottawattamie County court records show 31-year-old Larry Murphy is charged with first-degree murder and child endangerment resulting in death. He’s jailed on more than $1 million bail....
Spoilers! Baylor tops women’s NCAA field as bracket leaks
NEW YORK — One of the joys of March Madness is the surprising things that can happen during the NCAA Tournament. For the women, there was an unpleasant surprise before the tournament even began when the field was revealed early thanks to a production error. The bracket was mistakenly broadcast...
Top 4 seeds in NCAA have (a few) weaknesses that could be their downfall
RALEIGH, N.C. — This year’s NCAA Tournament features a top tier of teams that are heavy Final Four favorites, starting with No. 1 overall seed Duke and star freshman Zion Williamson. Figuring out how to stop them won’t be easy, though some clues might be in weaknesses that showed when...
Penn State coach Cael Sanderson demands his wrestlers win with ‘gratitude’
If you’re wondering how Penn State has been able to win seven of the past eight NCAA wrestling championships, coach Cael Sanderson believes he has the answer. He demands his wrestlers are thankful for who they are, what they’ve been given and the opportunities under their feet every time they...
NCAA tournament gambling guide: Will the underdogs have their day?
According to an American Gaming Association survey, 47 million Americans will wager $8.5 billion on the NCAA tournament this year, and while more than half of that astounding sum will be wagered via bracket pools, $3.9 billion will be bet on the games themselves via a sportsbook (either in person...
Duke back on top; ACC sits 1-2-3 atop final AP Top 25
NEW YORK — Duke is back on top followed by Virginia and North Carolina to give the Atlantic Coast Conference a 1-2-3 showing in the final AP Top 25 poll this season. The Blue Devils (29-5) jumped from fifth to first Monday after winning last week’s league tournament with the...
NCAA Selection Sunday winners and losers: CBS, Bradley, Big Ten, Larry Bird, TruTV and more
The bracket is out. The bubbles are burst. The NCAA Tournament got real Sunday night as CBS’s “Selection Sunday” show revealed the field. And as is always the case, with the telecast as well as the teams, there are winners and there are losers. Some shining moments indeed. — Winner:...
McIlroy overcomes slow start to win The Players Championship
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — His best swing was followed by his biggest drive, both setting up birdies, and from there Rory McIlroy knew how to finish. Suddenly staked to a one-shot lead, McIlroy had a 125-yard walk along the water to the 17th hole to face an island that...
Kyle Busch ties ‘The King’ with 200th career victory
FONTANA, Calif. — Kyle Busch tied Richard Petty’s NASCAR record with his 200th career victory across the three national series Sunday by using an impressive late surge through the field after a speeding penalty to win the Cup Series race at Auto Club Speedway. Busch dominated the first two stages,...
Franklin Regional grad Spencer Lee looks to defend NCAA wrestling title
When Spencer Lee last wrestled in Pennsylvania, he lost in the finals of the 2017 PIAA Class AAA championships to Austin DeSanto, who is now his teammate. Lee felt a little betrayed by fans, whom he thought adored him. He didn’t understand at the time that fans love the upset,...
Duke gets top seed for NCAA Tournament, highlights scandal-filled college basketball season
The clock is ticking. The rest of college basketball has three weeks to figure out how to stop Duke’s freshman force of nature, Zion Williamson. Williamson and the Blue Devils got the overall top seed in the NCAA Tournament. Gonzaga and two more ACC teams — North Carolina and Virginia...
University of Scandal, Corruption? USC at core of bribe plot
LOS ANGELES — Roy Nwaisser has four degrees from the University of Southern California and is a superfan of its storied football squad — he hasn’t missed a home or away game in 27 years. But his devotion has been tested by a series of scandals culminating with the school’s...
Williamson leads Duke to ACC Tournament title
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Zion Williamson proved he’s back and healthy with a dominating three-game show at the ACC Tournament. And that has fifth-ranked Duke celebrating yet another championship in its already-record haul. Williamson had 21 points to help the Blue Devils beat No. 12 Florida State, 73-63, on Saturday night...
Iowa State topples Kansas to win Big 12 Tournament title
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Lindell Wigginton found his way to Iowa State from Canada. Marial Shayok took a detour through the University of Virginia, and Michael Jacobson started his career at the University of Nebraska. Three players from three different backgrounds now have something in common: a title. The trio...
Rahm leads McIlroy, Fleetwood by 1 headed into final round of Players
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Jon Rahm can’t think of a shot he missed Saturday in his round of 8-under-par 64 that took him from five shots behind to one shot ahead of Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood in The Players Championship. The one bogey he made stood out for...
Hendrick Motorsports, Stewart-Haas Racing seek 1st win this yearVideo
FONTANA, Calif. — Four drivers have earned a victory in the first four weeks of what’s shaping up as a competitive NASCAR Cup Series season. Only two teams have reached Victory Lane, however. Two other giants of the sport are eager to join them. Stewart-Haas Racing and Hendrick Motorsports still...
Woods could have used new rule to his advantage on island green Friday
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Tiger Woods could have avoided the water on his second attempt to the island-green 17th under the new Rules of Golf. Instead, he hit a second shot into the water and made quadruple bogey. It raises anew the semantical question that has been around as...
Kyle Busch goes for 200th NASCAR victory this weekend
ONTANA, Calif. — If Kyle Busch earns his landmark 200th victory across NASCAR’s three major series this weekend in Southern California, don’t expect him to do much to celebrate the achievement. “Maybe a hat or something in Victory Lane,” Busch said Friday, his indifference obvious in his voice. “Other than...
Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood share lead at Players ChampionshipVideo
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Rory McIlroy was nearly as good at the end as Tommy Fleetwood was at the start Friday in The Players Championship. McIlroy hit a 4-iron to 10 feet for eagle, ran in a 20-foot birdie putt on the island-green 17th and then made a bold...
51 women sue USOC for failing to stop Nassar abuse
DENVER — Fifty-one women are suing the U.S. Olympic Committee, its board members and a number of former high-ranking officials for failing to prevent their abuse at the hands of imprisoned sports doctor Larry Nassar. The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in federal court in Denver, details abuse dating to the late...
NCAA finds ‘severe’ recruiting violations at Georgia Tech
ATLANTA — The NCAA has informed Georgia Tech it has found serious recruiting violations committed by former assistant men’s basketball coach Darryl LaBarrie and a former friend of coach Josh Pastner. The school released the notice of allegations from the NCAA on Friday. Of the three allegations, the NCAA says...
Penn State ousted from Big Ten Tournament by Minnesota in overtime
CHICAGO — Amir Coffey scored 10 of his 22 points in the final minute, and Minnesota rallied for a 77-72 overtime victory over Penn State in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament on Thursday night. Coffey put the Golden Gophers (20-12) on top for good 69-66 when he...
Duquesne falls to Saint Joseph’s in A-10 Tournament
NEW YORK — Charlie Brown Jr. scored 28 points as 10th-seeded St. Joseph’s defeated seventh-seeded Duquesne, 92-86, in the second round of the Atlantic 10 Tournament on Thursday. Eric Williams Jr. led the Dukes (19-13) with 23 points. Lamar Norman Jr. added 18, and Marcus Weathers finished with 17. Jared...
Tommy Fleetwood, Keegan Bradley tied for lead at Players Championship
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — A big finish for Tommy Fleetwood and a fast start for Keegan Bradley led each to a 7-under-par 65 on Thursday for a share of the lead in the opening round of The Players Championship. Fleetwood kept a clean card in the March wind, kept...
