T25-AP POLL
Top of the AP poll looks familiar
UNDATED (AP) — It’s tough to argue with perfection. So it’s no surprise that Kentucky is once again a unanimous choice as the No. 1 team in the Associated Press men’s college basketball poll.
The Wildcats improved to 25-0 with a pair of wins last week, a 2-pointer at LSU and a blowout against South Carolina.
In fact, the top eight teams remained the same from last week, with Virginia at No. 2, followed by Gonzaga, Duke, Wisconsin, Villanova, Arizona and Kansas.
Utah moved into the top 10 for the second time this season, up two spots to No. 9. Louisville dropped three spots to No. 12 after losing to North Carolina State on Saturday.
Northern Iowa moved up two spots to No. 11 for its highest ranking ever.
T25-SCHEDULE
Top 25 match-up
DATELINE (AP) — Eighth-ranked Kansas hits the road to take on struggling No. 23 West Virginia in a meeting of ranked teams tonight. The 21-4 Jayhawks will be looking to take another step toward wrapping up another Big 12 title. Kansas holds a two-game lead over Iowa State with six games to go. The Mountaineers have lost three times by at least 18 points in the last four games to drop to 19-6.
Second-ranked Virginia is looking to extend its winning streak to five since suffering its only loss of the season, when the Cavaliers host Pittsburgh. Virginia is 23-1 after eeking out a one-point win over Wake Forest Saturday. The Panthers have won four of their last five including a 13-point win over No. 12 North Carolina on Saturday.
No. 6 Villanova puts its six-game winning streak on the line when the Wildcats host Seton Hall. Villanova has won 10 of 11 to open up a two-game lead at the top of the Big East.
There are four games on the top 25 schedule.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL-VEGAS STRIP-TARKANIAN
Former UNLV coach to be honored
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Several Strip casinos have agreed to dim their bulbs at 10:30 p.m. Wednesday for a few minutes in honor of deceased University of Nevada, Las Vegas basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian.
The gesture will take place following a UNLV basketball home game.
Tarkanian is credited with elevating Las Vegas to the national stage for college basketball. He died Feb. 11 at age 84.
NBA-KNICKS-STOUDEMIRE
Knicks waive Stoudemire
NEW YORK (AP) — Amare (uh-MAR’-ee) has been waived after he requested the Knicks buy out the remainder of his contract that was set to expire after this season. He will be free to sign with another team once he clears waivers.
The often-injured center averaged 17.3 points and 6.7 rebounds in 255 games over five seasons with the Knicks, making the playoffs three times. He was a starter in the 2011 All-Star Game, the Knicks’ first in 14 years.
NHL-SCHEDULE
Showdowns in the NHL
UNDATED (AP) — Two conference leaders take on a close challenger tonight as part of the NHL’s eight-game schedule tonight.
Eastern Conference co-leading Montreal visits Atlantic Division rival Detroit. The Canadiens may have been looking ahead to this game, after being shocked at home Saturday night in an overtime loss to lowly Edmonton. Montreal takes a four-point lead over third-place Detroit into the meeting.
The Metropolitan Division leading Islanders play host to the Rangers tonight. The Isles have won all three meetings with their rivals this season and go into the game with a four-point edge over the third-place Rangers. The Islanders head into tonight’s action having won five of their last six and trail Montreal by a point for first overall in the Eastern Conference. Rick Nash has sparked an offensive outbreak by the Rangers who have scored 16 goals in their last three games. Nash is second in the league with 35 goals including seven in the last eight games.
Tampa Bay starts the day tied with Montreal heading into tonight’s game at Los Angeles. The Lightning opened their five-game road trip with a win at San Jose last night.
MLB-YANKEES-RETIRING NUMBERS
Three more Yankees number to be retired
NEW YORK (AP) — The Yankees are retiring the uniform numbers of Andy Pettitte (PEHT’-iht), Jorge (HOR’-hay) Posada and Bernie Williams and will honor the trio with plaques in Monument Park this season.
Pettitte, Posada and Williams will raise the Yankees’ total of retired numbers to 20. The Yankees also are expected to at some point retire Derek Jeter’s No. 2, their last single digit number in use.
MLB-YANKEES-RODRIGUEZ
Headley: A-Rod introduced himself
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Chase Headley says Alex Rodriguez has “reached out and introduced himself.” Headley was signed to a $52 million, four-year contract by the Yankees, who plan to start him at third base and shift Rodriguez to designated hitter.
The 39-year-old Rodriguez hopes to win back his old job at third base, after sitting out a season-long suspension. Headley said A-Rod contacted him shortly after he reached the agreement in mid-December.
GOLF-PEBBLE BEACH
Snedecker cashes in
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. (AP) — Brandt Snedecker not only took home the $1.2 million first-place check for winning the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am yesterday, he also got some additional perks. For the first time in more than three years, Snedeker fell out of the top 50 in the world at the end of last year after his worst season on the PGA Tour. By moving up to No. 31 in the world, he can count on all four World Golf Championships. He also qualified for the Masters and PGA Championship.
HORSE RACING-SOUTHWEST STAKES
Derby prep postponed
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. (AP) — The $300,000 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park has been postponed because of snow and ice accumulation across Arkansas.
It’s the third time since 2006 the annual Presidents’ Day race has been moved because of wintry weather. Track officials say the 1 1/16-mile Kentucky Derby prep race will be rescheduled for next weekend at a time to be determined.
Ron Mott-trained Far Right was a 3-1 favorite for the projected 11-horse field.
CYCLING-ARMSTRONG-LAWSUIT
Armstrong to pay back bonuses
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — An arbitration panel has ordered Lance Armstrong and his defunct team management company to pay $10 million in a fraud dispute with a promotions company.
Dallas-based SCA Promotions sued after it paid Armstrong and Tailwind Sports Corp. $12 million in bonuses during Armstrong’s cycling career, when he won seven Tour de France titles. Those victories were stripped after Armstrong and his U.S. Postal Service teams were found to have used banned performance-enhancing drugs.
