NCAA MEN’S TOURNAMENT-THIRD ROUND
Eight more games today
UNDATED (AP) β Top seed Florida has its second game of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament today. The 33-2 Gators are playing Pittsburgh in a third-round game in Orlando. The second game in Orlando has Louisville’s Cardinals, winners of 30 of 35 games, facing the Saint Louis Billikens.
In other afternoon action Michigan is playing Texas in the opening game in Milwaukee while Wisconsin is going against Oregon in the second game this evening.
The evening portion of the schedule has Syracuse playing Dayton, the surprise winner over Ohio State, in Buffalo, with Villanova and Connecticut squaring off in the nightcap.
And in Spokane, Wash., it’s San Diego State against North Dakota State, which upset Oklahoma Thursday, and Michigan State against Harvard, which upset Cincinnati on Thursday.
NCAA WOMEN’S TOURNAMENT
Play gets underway
UNDATED (AP) β Two of the regional top-seeds open play in the women’s NCAA tournament today as Notre Dame plays Robert Morris and Tennessee takes on Northwestern State. The overall No. 1, Connecticut, starts play tomorrow.
MLB-DODGERS/DIAMONDBACKS
Dodgers top Diamondbacks in Australian opener
SYDNEY (AP) β Clayton Kershaw flashed his Cy Young form, Scott Van Slyke homered and the Los Angeles Dodgers opened the Major League Baseball season with a 3-1 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday night at Sydney Cricket Ground.
A crowd of about 40,000 watched as MLB played its first regular-season game in Australia.
Opening day was a g’day for the NL West champion Dodgers.
Kershaw, who signed a seven-year, $215 million contract in January, allowed one run and five hits in 6 2/3 innings. Van Slyke hit a two-run homer and also doubled.
The first pitch was delayed because of rain for 14 minutes.
The long trip Down Under took even longer for some Arizona players. A team bus had a flat tire, and the Diamondbacks said “a handful” of players decided to walk the last half-mile to the stadium instead of waiting for a replacement bus.
NBA-SCHEDULE
Sixers try, try again…Conference leaders in action
UNDATED (AP) β There’s no rest for the weary…or the lousy.
The Philadelphia 76ers are back in action tonight in Chicago, one night after Philly absorbed its 23rd consecutive loss 93-92 at New York. The Sixers open a three-game road trip that also takes them to San Antonio and Houston. Should they drop all three, they will tie the NBA record for consecutive losses in a season, a mark set by the 2010-11 Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Central and Eastern Conference-leading Indiana Pacers are on the road tonight for a game at Memphis. Miami, the second-seed in the East, is on the road as well for a game with New Orleans.
In the West, the Spurs are looking to improve on their lead over Oklahoma City. The Thunder have the night off while the Spurs are at Golden State. San Antonio owns a 12-game winning streak and a 1 Β½-game lead over the Thunder.
In other games, the Bobcats are home to Portland, Houston is in Cleveland, the Jazz are playing host to Orlando and the Pistons are playing the Clippers in Los Angeles.
NHL-SCHEDULE
Matinee action on ice
UNDATED (AP) β Five day games are on the agenda in the NHL this afternoon. Western Conference leader St. Louis is at Philadelphia. The Blues, who were off last night, start the day with 101 points while runner up San Jose has 99. The Sharks are home to the Capitals tonight.
Metropolitan Division leader Pittsburgh is home this afternoon to Tampa Bay. The Penguins continue to chase Boston for the overall No. 1 seed in the East. The Bruins carry an 11-game winning streak into tonight’s game in Phoenix.
In the remaining day games Detroit is at Minnesota, Dallas is home to Ottawa and Florida is skating at Los Angeles.
The rest of the evening schedule features Carolina at Winnipeg, the Maple Leafs at home to Montreal, New York’s Rangers at New Jersey and Calgary is at Edmonton.
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 third round today.
The Masters champion ran off five birdies in an eight-hole stretch en route to a 4-under 68 yesterday. 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
Crowded leaderboard
PHOENIX (AP) β Sun Young Yoo has the clubhouse lead during the second round of the JTBC Founders Cup on the LPGA Tour. She stands 10-under after 36 holes of play, two shots in front of Lizette Salas, Amy Yang, Michelle Wie (wee) and Eun-Hee Ji.
Mirim Lee stands 12-under after 17 holes.
