NCAA TOURNAMENT
Mercer shocks Duke
UNDATED (AP) β It’s one and done for the Duke Blue Devils in the NCAA tournament.
Fourteenth seed Mercer trailed by five with 4:52 left before embarking on a 20-5 run to earn a 78-71 win over Duke. Jakob Gollon had 20 points and Daniel Coursey 17 to help the Bears overcome the Blue Devils’ season-high 15 3-pointers.
Duke has lost its opening game of the tournament twice in the last three years. The Blue Devils fell to Lehigh in the second round in 2012.
Next up for Mercer is No. 11 Tennessee after Jarnell Stokes scored a career-high 26 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to lead the Vols to an 86-67 rout of Massachusetts. Jordan McRae added 21 points and helped the Volunteers shoot 54 percent from the field.
Mercer and Tennessee weren’t the only double-digit seeds to win on Friday. Desmond Haymon scored on an improbable four-point play with 3.6 seconds in regulation and hit a big 3-pointer in overtime to lead No. 12 seed Stephen F. Austin to a 77-75 win over fifth-seeded VCU. Jacob Parker scored 22 points and Haymon had 17 as the Lumberjacks became the third No. 12 seed to advance to the third round.
Stephen F. Austin now prepares for No. 4 UCLA, which earned a comfortable 76-59 triumph against Tulsa. Jordan Adams gave the Bruins 21 points and seven rebounds, while Norman Powell chipped in 15 points.
In other NCAA action:
β Top-seed Arizona got 18 points from Nick Johnson in a 68-59 win over Weber State in West Regional play at the NCAA tournament. The Wildcats got an early scare when they fell behind by eight points, but they came up with runs of 14-2 and 13-3 to go up 32-20 at halftime.
β Arizona’s next opponent is No. 8 Gonzaga, which got 26 points from Kevin Pangos in an 85-77 win over Oklahoma State. Gary Bell Jr. added 17 points to help the Bulldogs overcome Marcus Smart’s 23 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists and six steals for the Cowboys.
β Third seed Creighton will take on No. 6 Baylor in the third round of the NCAA tournament on Sunday. Doug McDermott scored 30 points and third-seeded Creighton got three huge 3-pointers in the second half from Ethan Wragge to beat No. 14 Louisiana-Lafayette 76-66.
β Cory Jefferson scored 16 points and Baylor kept 11th-seeded Nebraska winless in its NCAA tournament history with a 74-60 victory over the Huskers. Isaiah Austin scored 13 points and Brady Heslip added 12 points the Bears, who made 38 of 48 free throws compared to 10 of 16 for the Cornhuskers.
β Andrew Wiggins scored 19 points and Jamari Traylor finished with 17 points and 14 rebounds to lead No. 2 Kansas to an 80-69 triumph against Eastern Kentucky. Perry Ellis had 14 points and 13 boards for the Jayhawks, who trailed by three with nine minutes left before closing on a 27-13 run.
β Chasson Randle scored 23 points and Stanford earned a third-round meeting with Kansas by building an early 16-point lead before holding off New Mexico 58-53. The Cardinal got four crucial free throws from reserve Robbie Lemons and Randle in the final half-minute after New Mexico had cut the deficit to two points.
β James Michael McAdoo sank two free throws in the final 3.5 seconds to lift sixth seed North Carolina over Providence 79-77. Marcus Paige had a team-high 19 points for the Tar Heels, who withstood a career-high 36 points by Friars star Bryce Cotton.
β The Tar Heels now have to deal with third seed Iowa State after the Cyclones had five players score at least 14 points in a 93-75 trouncing of North Carolina Central. Georges Niang (nee-ANG’) led the way with 24 points, and Melvin Ejim (EH’-jihm) added 17 and eight rebounds.
β Michael Dixon Jr. scored 19 points and hit four free throws in the final 10 seconds to help Memphis top George Washington 71-66 in the East Regional. Joe Jackson added 15 points for the eighth-seeded Tigers, who face top seed Virginia on Sunday.
β Anthony Gill scored 17 points and the Cavaliers trailed by as many as 10 in the first half before topping Coastal Carolina 70-59 to become Memphis’ next opponent. The game was tied until the Cavaliers put together a 23-7 run in the second half.
β Cleananthony Early had 23 points as top seed Wichita State silenced Cal Poly 64-37. The Shockers are 35-0, surpassing the NCAA’s previous best start set by UNLV in 1991.
β Next up for Wichita State is No. 8 Kentucky after Julius Randle delivered 19 points and 15 rebounds in a 56-49 triumph against No. 9 Kansas State. Randle and Aaron Henderson combined for 36 of the Wildcats’ points, with Harrison netting 17.
Meanwhile, a second day of upsets has ended any chance of someone having a perfect NCAA tournament bracket in Warren Buffet’s $1 billion challenge. The last three brackets were eliminated when Memphis beat George Washington.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL-VIRGINIA TECH/WILLIAMS
There’s a Buzz in Blacksburg
MILWAUKEE (AP) β Buzz Williams has left Marquette to become head coach at Virginia Tech
Williams was 139-69 with five NCAA tournament appearances in six seasons at Marquette, but the Golden Eagles missed the tourney this year. He replaces James Johnson, who was fired after the Hokies went 9-22 and finished last in the ACC.
NBA-SCHEDULE
Pacers, Heat win…Sixers fall again
UNDATED (AP) β The Indiana Pacers still lead the NBA’s Eastern Conference by three games over Miami. And the Philadelphia 76ers still own a losing streak that’s approaching NBA-record proportions.
Luis Scola had 19 points and Lance Stephenson add 15 in Indiana’s 91-79 win over Chicago. The Pacers took control with a 19-0 run in the third quarter and improved their league-best home record to 32-4.
The Heat kept pace as Ray Allen scored a team-high 18 points in a 91-86 triumph over Memphis. The Heat trailed 84-77 with 4:08 remaining before scoring the game’s next 11 points.
The 76ers made it 23 straight losses as Amare Stoudemire had 22 points and 10 rebounds in the New York Knicks’ eighth consecutive victory, 93-92 over Philadelphia. That leaves the Sixers three shy of the NBA record for consecutive losses, set by Cleveland in 2010-11.
San Antonio claimed its 12th straight win and stayed 1 Β½ games ahead of Oklahoma City atop the Western Conference.
Marco Belinelli dropped in 17 points and Kawhi (kah-WY’) Leonard added 15 in the Spurs’ 99-79 romp at Sacramento. The Spurs won handily despite missing 20 of their 25 3-point attempts and shooting 39 percent overall.
Kevin Durant capped his 51-point night by draining a go-ahead 3-pointer with 1.7 seconds left in double-overtime to push Oklahoma City past Toronto 119-118. Reggie Jackson scored 25 and Serge Ibaka (ih-BAH’-kah) had 13 as the Thunder won their fourth in a row.
But the Thunder finished the game without Russell Westbrook, who limped off in the third quarter with a sprained right knee.
Elsewhere in the NBA:
β Brooklyn picked up its 11th straight home win as Joe Johnson hit six 3-pointers while scoring 27 points in the Nets’ 114-98 rout of Boston. Mason Plumlee chipped in 18 points and former Celtic Paul Pierce added 14 in the Nets’ ninth victory in their last 10 games overall.
β John Wall had 28 points and 14 assists as Washington topped the Los Angeles Lakers 117-107 to end a two-game skid. Bradley Beal added 18 points for the Wizards.
β Monta (MAHN’-tay) Ellis scored 26 points and Dirk Nowitzki added 21 in the Mavericks’ 122-106 win over Denver in Dallas. The Grizzlies are just a half-game ahead of Phoenix for the final Western Conference playoff berth.
β Eric Bledsoe scored 15 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter of the Suns’ 98-92 victory over the Detroit Pistons. Goran Dragic added 20 points and Markieff (mahr-KEEF’) Morris scored 16 for the Suns.
β Anthony Davis had 34 points and 11 rebounds as New Orleans downed Atlanta 111-105. The Hawks ended a five-game winning streak and saw their lead over the Knicks cut to three games as the two teams battle for the last Eastern Conference playoff berth.
NHL-SCHEDULE
Hawks inch closer to conference lead
UNDATED (AP) β The defending Stanley Cup champs have pulled within four points of St. Louis for the NHL’s Western Conference lead.
Jonathan Toews (tayvz) scored a short-handed breakaway goal 3:29 into the third period of the Chicago Blackhawks’ 3-2 triumph over Carolina. The game-winner came just 31 seconds after Alexander Semin (SEHM’-ihn) tied it for the Hurricanes.
Patrick Sharp notched his team-leading 30th goal to help the Hawks win without leading scorer Patrick Kane, who was placed on long-term injured reserve after sustaining a lower-body injury Wednesday against St. Louis.
Also on ice:
β Boston picked up its 11th consecutive win and became the first team to clinch a Stanley Cup playoff berth by blanking Colorado 2-0. Patrice Bergeron (pah-TREES’ BEHR’-zhur-ahn) and Carl Soderberg each had a goal and an assist to back Chad Johnson, who stopped 31 shots for his third career shutout.
β The New York Rangers climbed into sixth place in the Eastern Conference by scoring three times in the third period of a 3-1 win at Columbus. Nick Foligno (foh-LEE’-noh) tallied 18 seconds into the final stanza before Derick Brassard and Derek Stepan (STEP’-ahn) put the Rangers ahead 2-1.
β Shea Weber scored twice and Matt Cullen had a four-point night as Nashville downed the Flames 6-5 in Calgary.
NFL-TEXANS-RAIDERS-SCHAUB
Raiders acquire Schaub
ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) β The Raiders have acquired Matt Schaub from the Houston Texans for an undisclosed draft pick, giving the quarterback a second chance after he lost his starting job with the Texans last season.
Schaub comes in as the presumptive starter ahead of Terrelle (teh-REHL’) Pryor and Matt McGloin, who were inconsistent last year as Oakland had a second straight four-win season.
The 32-year old Schaub was Houston’s starter from 2007 until last season, when he was benched in favor of Case Keenum.
NFL-JETS/QUARTERBACKS
Vick in, Sanchez out
UNDATED (AP) β The New York Jets have signed quarterback Michael Vick and released Mark Sanchez. Vick was a free agent after spending the last five seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles. Sanchez was the Jets’ starting quarterback for four seasons before missing all of last season with a right shoulder injury.
GOLF-ARNOLD PALMER INVITATIONAL
Scott sets blistering pace
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) β Adam Scott matched the lowest 36-hole score at the Arnold Palmer Invitational to take a record seven-shot lead into the weekend.
The Masters champion ran off five birdies in an eight-hole stretch late in the second round on the way to a 4-under 68. That puts him at 14-under 130, tying the two round record at Bay Hill shared by Tom Watson and Andy Bean in 1981.
J.B. Holmes, Chesson Hadley and Francesco Molinari share second.
CHAMPIONS TOUR
Couples grabs lead
SAUCIER, Miss. (AP) β Fred Couples shot a 6-under 66 to take a two-shot lead after the first round of the Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic.
Jeff Maggert shot a 68 in his Champions Tour debut, joining Kenny Perry, David Frost, Jay Haas and last year’s tournament champion Michael Allen in second place.
LPGA-JTBC FOUNDERS CUP
Lee has lead
PHOENIX (AP) β Mirim Lee is the leader at the midway point of the JTBC Founders Cup in Phoenix.
Lee followed Thursday’s 64 with a 5-under 67 to get to minus-13, two strokes ahead of 16-year-old Lydia Ko.
GOLF-FLECK OBIT
Fleck dies
FORT SMITH, Ark. (AP) β Jack Fleck produced one of golf’s greatest upsets by beating Ben Hogan in a playoff to win the 1955 U.S. Open. Fleck died Friday at 92.
He served in the Navy during World War II and saw action during the Normandy invasion on British rocket ship off Utah Beach. Fleck resumed his golf career in 1946 and scored his breakthrough victory in the U.S. Open, one of his three PGA Tour victories. Fleck won only $6,000 for that major title.
He had been the oldest living U.S. Open champion.
MLB-OPENING GAME
Dodgers to face Diamondbacks
UNDATED (AP) β The opening game of the 2014 Major League Baseball season is being played Saturday in Sydney, Australia. With the time difference, the contest is taking place at 4 a.m. Eastern time.
The Dodgers and Diamondbacks will be on display at a converted cricket ground. The pitching matchup has Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw going for Los Angeles against Wade Miley, who was pressed into duty with the spring training injury to Patrick Corbin.
β The Tigers have acquired Andrew Romine from the Los Angeles Angels for left-hander Jose Alvarez. The deal came a day after the Tigers learned Iglesias could miss the season because of stress fractures in both legs. The 28-year old Romine played in 47 games for the Angels last season and hit .259.
β Detroit reliever Bruce Rondon needs surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right elbow and will be sidelined for the entire season. A candidate to be Detroit’s eighth-inning setup man, Rondon felt discomfort Monday after pitching a scoreless inning against Washington the previous day.
β Reds manager Bryan Price doesn’t expect right-hander Mat Latos (LAY’-tohs) to be ready for the start of the season. Latos had surgery to repair cartilage in his left knee on Feb. 14 and won’t have enough time to get ready for the first week of the season.
β Contract talks between pitcher Justin Masterson and the Cleveland Indians have been suspended. The right-hander had offered the team what looked to be a reduced deal to stay in Cleveland but the two sides couldn’t find common ground.
NASCAR
Kenseth wins Fontana pole
FONTANA, Calif. (AP) β Matt Kenseth has won the pole for Sunday’s Sprint Cup race in Fontana, Calif., edging Brad Keselowski. Kenseth turned a lap at 187.315 mph for his first pole of the season and 12th of his NASCAR career.
Jimmie Johnson was third in qualifying, followed by Kevin Harvick and Clint Bowyer (BOY’-ur).
