TOP 25 MEN’S BASKETBALL-SCHEDULE
Mountaineers top Jayhawks…Victory for Virginia, Villanova
UNDATED (AP) — The West Virginia men’s basketball program has its first 20-win season in four years following a mild upset against Kansas.
Juwan Staten’s layup with four seconds left gave the 23rd-rated Mountaineers a 62-61 triumph over the eighth-ranked Jayhawks. It was Staten’s first field goal over the final eight minutes after he had gone to the bench with leg cramps. He finished with 20 points and helped West Virginia hold Kansas scoreless over the final 2:13.
Perry Ellis led Kansas with 19 points but missed a layup between two defenders just before the final buzzer.
Also in top-15 men’s basketball, second-ranked Virginia and No. 6 Villanova both remain on pace to record their best regular season ever.
Malcolm Brogdon scored 18 points and the Cavaliers rode an early 18-3 run to a 61-49 triumph over Pittsburgh. Anthony Gill added 12 points for Virginia, which scored eight straight late in the game to ice the victory.
The Cavaliers improved to 24-1 and tied the best start in school history, first accomplished in the 1981-82 season.
The Wildcats rolled to an 80-54 rout of Seton Hall behind Darrun Hilliard’s 18 points. Daniel Ochefu (OH’-sheh-foo) had 11 points and 12 rebounds as Villanova picked up its seventh straight win and improved to 24-2.
The Wildcats allowed just 32 percent shooting and avenged last month’s loss to the Pirates.
And Butler pulled out a thriller on the road as Roosevelt Jones sank the winning layup with 1.9 seconds left to give the 19th-ranked Bulldogs a 58-56 triumph at Creighton. Kellen Dunham scored 19 points and Jones added 18 to help Butler avoid a loss to the worst team in the Big East.
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.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL-VEGAS STRIP-TARKANIAN
Lights to dim for late UNLV legend
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.
NHL-SCHEDULE
Rangers rally to beat Isles
UNDATED (AP) — The Montreal Canadiens have regained sole possession of the NHL’s Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference races, thanks to a little help from the defending Stanley Cup champs.
Tomas Plekanec (pleh-KAH’-nehts) snapped a scoreless deadlock by scoring with 2 ½ minutes left in the Canadiens’ fifth victory in six games, 2-0 over Detroit. Plekanec and Max Pacioretty (pash-uh-RET’-ee) each finished with a goal and an assist to back Carey Price, who stopped 25 shots in his fifth shutout of the season and 30th of his career.
The Los Angeles Kings aided the Habs’ cause while continuing to climb back into the Western Conference race. Dwight King assisted on third-period goals by Jordan Nelson and Jeff Carter to lead the Kings past the Lightning 3-2. Jonathan Quick needed to stop just 20 shots to preserve the Kings’ fifth straight victory.
LA is within two points of San Jose in the battle for the final Western Conference playoff berth.
The New York Rangers are within two points of the NHL’s Metropolitan Division lead after beating the first-place Islanders for the first time in four tries this season.
The Rangers rallied from deficits of 2-0, 3-1 and 5-3 in a 6-5 triumph over the Isles. Ryan Strome’s (strohmz) second goal of the game put the Islanders ahead 5-3 in the third period before Derek Stepan (STEP’-ahn), Martin St. Louis (mahr-TAN’ san loo-EE’) and Kevin Klein scored in a 9:03 span to send the Rangers to their fourth consecutive win.
The Islanders still top the division by one point over Pittsburgh after ending a four-game winning streak.
Also on ice:
— Henrik Sedin (seh-DEEN’) provided a goal and an assist in Vancouver’s 3-2 triumph over Minnesota. The Canucks stayed in a virtual tie with Calgary in the Pacific Division and kept the Wild three points behind San Jose for the final West playoff berth.
— The Flames stormed back from a 3-0 deficit and beat Boston 4-3 on T.J. Brodie’s goal at 4:58 of overtime. David Jones sparked the Calgary comeback with a second-period goal before Jiri Hudler tallied twice in the third.
— Blake Wheeler scored the lone shootout goal as Winnipeg beat Edmonton 5-4. Bryan Little scored twice for the Jets, who trailed 4-3 until Andrew Ladd tallied with 4:04 left in regulation.
— Cody McLeod and Matt Duchene (doo-SHAYN’) scored nine seconds apart to give Colorado a 2-0 lead just over three minutes into a 5-2 win over Arizona. The Avalanche outshot the Coyotes 12-0 in the second period and 34-17 for the game.
— Andrej Nestrasil (AHN’-dray NEHS’-trah-sihl) had a goal and two assists as Carolina doubled up Ottawa 6-3. The Hurricanes blew a trio of one-goal leads before Jay McClement scored the game-winner in the final minute of the second period.
NHL-SUSPENSION
Panthers blueliner suspended
NEW YORK (AP) — The NHL has suspended Florida Panthers defenseman Dmitry Kulikov (KOO’-lih-kahv) four games for clipping Dallas Stars forward Tyler Seguin (SAY’-gihn) on Friday.
Kulikov went low and hit Seguin on his right knee just after the Dallas forward entered the offensive zone. Kulikov was assessed a major penalty for clipping and a game misconduct.
The Stars announced that Seguin will miss 3 to 6 weeks with a right knee injury. He leads Dallas and is third in the NHL with 59 points.
NFL-STADIUMS
LA stadium proposal a windfall for local campaigns…Chargers want politicians to act
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The company that is moving quickly on a plan to build a stadium that could host a Southern California NFL team has given more than $118,000 in campaign contributions to officials in the city where it would be located.
The Los Angeles Times is reporting that campaign finance forms show most of the money went to Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts Jr., a major supporter of the stadium plan. The donations came during four different campaigns starting in 2006.
The stadium plans for Inglewood have the San Diego Chargers playing tough with local politicians. The Chargers have issued their sternest warning yet to City Hall in their long-running effort to get a new stadium. Attorney Mark Fabiani has told the mayor’s advisory group that for the time being, anyway, there might not be a publicly acceptable solution to replace aging Qualcomm Stadium.
Fabiani has handled the team’s stadium push since 2002 and says “we have no intention of allowing the Chargers franchise to be manipulated for political cover.”
NBA-KNICKS-STOUDEMIRE
Knicks waive Stoudemire
DALLAS (AP) — Amare Stoudemire wasted no time finding a new team.
A person with direct knowledge of the talks tells The Associated Press the forward has agreed to sign with the Dallas Mavericks after taking a buyout from the Knicks. The veteran forward can’t make his verbal commitment official until he clears waivers on Wednesday.
The 32-year-old Stoudemire was waived Monday after requesting the Knicks buy out the remainder of his contract that was set to expire after this season.
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.
MLB-YANKEES-RETIRING NUMBERS
Three more Yankees number to be retired
NEW YORK (AP) — The Yankees are retiring the uniform numbers of three members from their championship clubs of the 1990s and 2000s.
The team will honor Andy Pettitte, Jorge Posada (HOHR’-hay poh-SAH’-dah) and Bernie Williams with plaques in Monument Park this season, along with Willie Randolph. The quartet will raise the Yankees’ total of retired numbers to 20.
MLB-GIAMBI RETIRES
Former MVP retires
CLEVELAND (AP) — Former American League MVP Jason Giambi has announced his retirement after 20 major league seasons. Giambi made the announcement in a statement that was first sent to the New York Daily News.
He ends his career as one of 20 players in history with at least 400 home runs, 1,400 RBIs, 1,200 runs and 1,300 walks. The 44-year-old played for Oakland, the New York Yankees, Colorado and Cleveland.
MLB-CUBS-BANKS
Family in dispute over will, remains
CHICAGO (AP) — The twin sons of the late “Mr Cub,” Ernie Banks, contend that his agent and caretaker “coerced” the Chicago Cubs great into signing a new will giving her all of his assets.
Jerry Banks says that Regina Rice did not tell the family she had an attorney write up a new will. Estranged wife Elizabeth Banks has gone to court to prevent Rice from having Ernie Banks’ remains cremated.
Joey Banks says the family thought Rice was helping his father while he was in Chicago. He says Rice had him sign a power of attorney, a health care directive and a will giving her everything.
Attorney Mark Bogen says the family “will vigorously fight and contest this will.”
MLB-GUERRERO
Former Dodger hospitalized
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) — Former Dodgers third baseman Pedro Guerrero has been hospitalized in the Dominican Republic with bleeding on the brain. However, a friend says the 1981 World Series co-MVP appears to be in good spirits and is speaking with people in the hospital.
The 58-year-old Guerrero was in the intensive care unit and is being treated by a neurosurgeon while undergoing further testing.
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.
