COLLEGE BASKETBALL-NCAA
Elite Eight set
UNDATED (AP) β The NCAA men’s basketball tournament is down to the Elite Eight. Top seed Duke will take on No. 2 Gonzaga in the South Regional final in Houston, and seventh-seeded Michigan State will take on No. 4 Louisville in the East Regional final at Syracuse.
Duke relied on its three freshman starters to lead a 63-57 triumph over No. 5 Utah. Justise Winslow had 21 points and 10 rebounds as the Blue Devils advanced to the regional finals for the 14th time under coach Mike Krzyzewski (shuh-SHEHF’-skee). Tyus Jones finished with 15 points, and fellow freshman Jahlil Okafor (jah-LIHL’ OH’-kah-fohr) chipped in eight rebounds and six points.
Przemek Karnowski had 18 points and nine rebounds as Gonzaga knocked out No. 11 UCLA 74-62. The Bruins trailed just 35-34 early in the first half before the Bulldogs went on a 12-0 spurt to regain control. Kyle Wiltjer had eight points and 10 rebounds for the Bulldogs.
Michigan State is the lowest seed still alive after Denzel Valentine scored 13 of his 18 points in the second half of a 62-58 win over No. 3 Oklahoma. Travis Trice led the Spartans with 24 points, while Branden Dawson had 11 rebounds to help the Spartans get back to the Elite Eight for the second straight year.
Montrezl Harrell scored 24 points and Louisville kept its title hopes alive by downing North Carolina State 75-65 in Syracuse. Terry Rozier had 17 points and 14 rebounds for the Cardinals, who trailed 33-31 at halftime before reserve Anton Gill keyed a late game charge.
Kentucky, Notre Dame, Wisconsin and Arizona advanced to the Elite Eight by winning Thursday night. The Wildcats and Irish will play for the Midwest crown Saturday in Cleveland, and the Badgers will take on Arizona for West Region supremacy.
The South and East finals are Sunday.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL-COACHES
Coaching openings at St. John’s and Tennessee
UNDATED (AP) β Steve Lavin is no longer the head basketball coach at St. John’s. The school says the two sides mutually agreed to part ways with one year left on Lavin’s contract.
He was the Red Storm’s bench boss for five seasons, and the school’s 21 wins this season matched the most under Lavin. The Red Storm were eliminated from the NCAA Tournament by San Diego State in the first round.
And Donnie Tyndall (TIHN’-dihl) is out after just one season as men’s basketball coach at Tennessee. The firing comes as the NCAA investigates his two-year stay at Southern Mississippi, where he coached before coming to Tennessee. Volunteers’ athletic director Dave Hart said in a statement that it is “highly likely” Tyndall will face “significant penalties” after the NCAA completes its inquiry.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL-FLORIDA-FRAZIER
Frazier leaves Gators, turns pro
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) β Florida guard Michael Frazier has announced he’s leaving school early and entering the NBA draft.
He was a two-year starter and one of the top 3-point shooters in the Southeastern Conference. Frazier was second on the team in scoring this season, averaging 12.1 points and 38 percent from behind the arc.
NBA SCHEDULE
Warriors get 60th win…Rockets clinch playoff berth
UNDATED (AP) β The Golden State Warriors have tied the team victory record set 39 years ago.
Stephen (STEH’-fehn) Curry scored 38 points and had 10 assists as the Warriors ripped Memphis 107-85 for their 60th win. Klay Thompson finished with 28 points to help the Warriors pick up their eighth straight victory and move closer to clinching home-court advantage throughout the NBA playoffs.
The Grizzlies’ lead in the Southwest Division is down to a half-game over Houston after James Harden had 33 points and eight assists to lead the Rockets to a 120-110 victory over Minnesota. Josh Smith added 16 points, nine rebounds and 11 assists for the Rockets, who shot 20 of 44 from beyond the arc in clinching a playoff berth.
In other NBA finals:
β The Toronto Raptors have clinched their second straight Atlantic Division title by beating the Los Angeles Lakers 94-83 behind a balanced scoring attack. Jonas Valanciunas (YOH’-nuhs val-ehn-CHOO’-nuhs) finished with 19 points, Lou Williams had 18 and James Johnson added 17 in the Raptors’ first win in three games.
β Chris Paul scored 25 points and DeAndre Jordan had a double-double as the Los Angeles Clippers earned their sixth consecutive win, 119-98 at Philadelphia. Jordan had 17 points and 20 rebounds for the Clippers, who opened the second half on an 8-0 run to go up by 16.
β LaMarcus Aldridge scored 10 of his 27 points in the final 3 1/2 minutes to help Portland turn an eight-point deficit into an 87-81 win at Phoenix. Former Sun Robin Lopez added 12 points and 10 rebounds for the Northwest Division leaders.
β San Antonio was a 94-76 winner over Dallas behind Boris Diaw’s (DEE’-owz) 19 points. Mavericks top scorer Monta (MAHN’-tay) Ellis had 10 points before injuring his right knee midway through the third quarter.
β LeBron James finished with 24 points and nine assists but hit just two baskets in the second half of Cleveland’s 106-98 loss to Brooklyn. Joe Johnson and Brook Lopez each scored 20 points in the Nets’ sixth victory in eight games, keeping them within a half-game of Boston for the NBA’s final Eastern Conference playoff berth.
β Cleveland’s loss allowed Atlanta to wrap up home court advantage throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs. DeMarre Carroll scored 24 points as the Hawks downed Miami 99-86. Paul Millsap had 21 points and Al Horford had 15 for the Hawks, who never trailed despite playing without injured guard Jeff Teague (teeg).
β The Celtics held off New York 95-92 as Isaiah Thomas scored 18 points and Jae Crowder had 17 and nine rebounds. Brandon Bass had 16 points to help the Celtics climb within one game of Miami for seventh in the East.
β The New Orleans Pelicans snapped a four-game losing streak as Tyreke (ty-REEK’) Evans delivered 25 points and 10 assists in a 102-88 victory over Sacramento. Anthony Davis had 24 points, nine rebounds and six blocks to help the Pelicans pull within three games of Oklahoma City for the final Western Conference playoff berth with 10 games remaining.
β John Wall scored seven of his game-high 32 points in the second overtime to lift Washington past Charlotte, 110-107. Drew Gooden finished with 15 points and 17 rebounds as the Wizards ended a four-game skid.
β Reggie Jackson had a triple double of 26 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists to lift Detroit past Orlando, 111-97. Tayshaun Prince scored 23 points and Andre Drummond had 16 and nine rebounds in the Pistons’ fourth consecutive win.
β Ty Lawson and Jameer Nelson each scored 18 points as Denver dumped Utah, 107-91. The Nuggets are 8-6 since interim coach Melvin Hunt took over for Brian Shaw.
NBA-THUNDER
Surgery for Durant
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) β Reigning NBA MVP Kevin Durant will have bone graft surgery in his right foot next week and will miss the rest of the season. The Oklahoma City Thunder forward had surgery on a broken bone in his right foot in October. He had been healing well, but in late February, had a procedure to replace a screw that was rubbing up against another bone and causing discomfort. However, the pain didn’t subside.
The team expects Durant to return to basketball activities within the next four to six months.
NBA-HUNDLEY OBIT
Hot Rod Hundley dies
PHOENIX (AP) β Former NBA player and broadcaster Hot Rod Hundley has died Friday at age 80.
Hundley averaged 8.4 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists in six seasons with the Lakers in Minneapolis and Los Angeles, playing in the 1960 and 1961 All-Star games. He later broadcast 3,051 Jazz games from 1974-2009 and was a color analyst for NBA games on CBS.
Hundley also was a broadcaster for four seasons with the Phoenix Suns and four with the Lakers.
NHL-SCHEDULE
Wild win, inch closer to Hawks
UNDATED (AP) β The NHL’s very tight Western Conference playoff race is even more interesting following Minnesota’s victory and Chicago’s loss.
Thomas Vanek, Mikko Koivu (MEE’-koh KOY’-voo) and Zach Parise (pah-REE’-say) scored in the first 12 minutes of the third period to put the Wild in a 4-2 win over Calgary. Devan Dubnyk (DOOB’-nihk) stopped 23 shots in his 34th consecutive start to help Minnesota move within one point of the Blackhawks for third place in the Central Division. Dubnyk is 25-6-1 with a 1.72 goals-against average since joining the Wild in mid-January.
The outcome keeps the Flames ninth in the West and one point behind Los Angeles for third place in the Pacific Division.
The Hawks were 5-2 losers to the Columbus Blue Jackets as Cam Atkinson recorded his second career hat trick. The Jackets have won five straight and eight of nine to climb back to .500.
And Edmonton crushed the Stars’ fading playoff hopes as Richard Bachman stopped 29 shots in the Oilers’ 4-0 shutout of Dallas. Andrew Miller scored on a penalty shot for the Oilers.
NFL-MOVES
Vikings and Panthers sign players
UNDATED (AP) β Minnesota and veteran cornerback Terence Newman have agreed to terms on a one-year contract. The move reunites Newman with Vikings’ coach Mike Zimmer, who was his defensive coordinator for four seasons in Dallas and two in Cincinnati.
Elsewhere, Carolina has claimed offensive tackle Jonathan Martin off waivers from San Francisco. The 6-foot-5, 315-pound Martin was the primary victim in the Miami Dolphins’ bullying scandal involving Richie Incognito in 2013.
MLB-SPRING TRAINING
Verlander cramps up
UNDATED (AP) β Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander left with cramping in his right triceps during the third inning of Friday’s exhibition game against Toronto. Verlander will be evaluated Saturday but fully expects to make his next scheduled start. He walked off the field soon after he called team trainers to the mound.
In other spring training news:
β Masahiro (mah-sah-HEE’-roh) Tanaka will start the New York Yankees’ opener April 6 against Toronto. Tanaka was an All-Star last year during his first season in the majors, but the Japanese right-hander missed 2 1/2 months while rehabilitating a partially torn ligament in his elbow. CC Sabathia (suh-BA’-thee-uh) will have his streak of six straight opening-day starts for New York end.
β Seattle Mariners reliever David Rollins has been suspended for 80 games for the use of performance-enhancing drugs. Major League Baseball announced the suspension, saying Rollins tested positive for a synthetic anabolic steroid. Rollins will not appeal the suspension.
β Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred says agent Scott Boras should steer clear of the Chicago Cubs’ plan on how to handle rookie Kris Bryant. The 23-year-old Bryant has hit a major league-leading nine home runs this spring, but the Cubs seem to be leaning toward having him open the season in the minors. Boras has brought up the “integrity” of baseball in lobbying for his client to begin the season in the majors, but the Cubs could gain an extra year until he’s eligible for free agency by having Bryant open the year in the minors.
NASCAR-MARTINSVILLE
Logano takes Martinsville pole
MARTINSVILLE, Va. (AP) β Joey Logano has captured the pole for Sunday’s Sprint Cup race at Martinsville Speedway.
Logano had a lap of 98.461 mph as he seeks his first career victory at Martinsville. The reigning Daytona 500 champ also will be going for his second win of the year.
Ryan Newman was second in qualifying and will start alongside Logano, just in front of Martin Truex Jr. and Jeff Gordon.
Kevin Harvick qualified 17th as he tries to finish among the top two for the ninth consecutive race.
FORMULA ONE-MALAYSIAN GRAND PRIX
Hamilton takes pole position for Malaysian Grand Prix
SEPANG, Malaysia (AP) β Lewis Hamilton has taken pole position for the Malaysian Grand Prix, while Mercedes’ run of nine straight front-row lockouts in Formula One has come to an end as Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel qualified second.
A drenching thunderstorm delayed the final part of qualifying but even a wet track could not prevent Hamilton topping the grid at Sepang International Circuit. Vettel was second, only seven hundredths of a second off Hamilton’s time as Ferrari showed it could challenge Mercedes in Sunday’s race.
Nico Rosberg was third for Mercedes while Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo qualified fourth.
PGA-TEXAS OPEN
Walker grabs clubhouse lead
SAN ANTONIO (AP) β Jimmy Walker shot a 5-under 67 in the PGA’s Texas Open to take a one-stroke lead in his hometown event. Walker overtook first-round leader Charley Hoffman with three straight birdies late in his round.
Walker is 6-under at the midway point, one ahead of Hoffman and Aaron Baddeley (BAD’-eh-lee).
LPGA-KIA CLASSIC
Pressel, Lee tie for first
CARLSBAD, Calif. (AP) β Morgan Pressel matched the course record with an 8-under 64 for a share of the second-round lead in the Kia Classic.
Pressel had eight birdies to match Mirim Lee at 10-under through 36 holes. Pressel is seeking her first LPGA title in seven years.
CHAMPIONS
Tie for the lead
SAUCIER, Miss. (AP) β Joe Durant and Colin Montgomerie share the lead through one round of the Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic in Biloxi. Durant and Montgomerie each birdied their final hole of the day to open with 5-under 67s, putting them one stroke ahead of Gene Sauers, Kevin Sutherland, David Frost, Woody Austin and Brad Faxon.
