TOP-25 MEN’S BASKETBALL-SCHEDULE
Wildcats still perfect
UNDATED (AP) — The University of Kentucky has among the most storied programs in men’s college basketball, but the Wildcats never opened a season 26-0 until Tuesday.
Devin Booker had 18 points and seven rebounds as the top-ranked Wildcats hammered the Volunteers 66-48 at Tennessee. Andrew Harrison contributed 14 points for Kentucky, which shot 54 percent in the first half and held the Vols to 25 percent in the second.
The 26-0 record also matches the best start for a team coached by John Calipari, who won his first 26 games at Massachusetts in 1995-96 and was 26-0 at Memphis in 2007-08.
Kentucky is still in line for its first unbeaten season since the 1953-54 squad went 25-0.
In other top-25 games:
— Tenth-ranked Notre Dame beat Wake Forest 88-75 behind Jerian Grant’s 24 points and 10 assists. Pat Connaughton added 13 points for the Irish, who hit their last 19 free throws and improved to 23-4.
— Shaquille Morris scored a career-high 17 points on 7 of 8 shooting to lead No. 13 Wichita State to an 84-62 over Southern Illinois. Fred VanVleet and Ron Baker each scored 13 as the Shockers won their fifth in a row.
— Jordan Woodard scored 11 of his 13 points in the second half to lead No. 17 Oklahoma to a 71-69 comeback win against Texas. Buddy Hield chipped in 12 points for the Sooners, who trailed by seven with 6 1/2 minutes left.
— Taurean Prince scored 18 of his 22 points in the first half of 20th-ranked Baylor’s 54-49 victory over Texas Tech. Prince was 9 for 14 from the field, including three 3-pointers as the Bears improved to 19-7.
— Treveon Graham scored 16 points and No. 25 VCU used a 23-5 run spanning halftime to beat Saint Louis 74-54. The Rams turned 14 turnovers into 19 points and ended a two-game skid.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL-HALL OF FAME
Class of 2015 named
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The College Basketball Hall of Fame has announced its eight newest electees.
Two-time All-American John Havlicek (HAHV’-lih-chehk), Indiana star Quinn Buckner and longtime coach Lou Henson are among the newest class to be enshrined November 20 in Kansas City, Missouri.
Others members of the Hall Class of 2015 are former Kansas State star Rolando Blackman, North Carolina All-American Charlie Scott, Long Beach State standout Ed Ratleff, Dayton coach Don Donoher and Langston coach C. Felton “Zip” Gayles.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL- SUSPENSIONS
Louisville, South Carolina and Seton Hall suspend players
UNDATED (AP) — A few college basketball players have learned that they won’t be on the court for a while.
Louisville has suspended senior guard Chris Jones for a violation of team rules. The school did not specify what rule Jones broke or how long his suspension will last.
That leaves the No. 12 Cardinals without their assists leader and third-leading scorer for Wednesday night’s ACC game at Syracuse. Jones is averaging 13.6 points, 3.9 rebounds and a team-best 3.7 assists.
South Carolina coach Frank Martin has suspended sophomore forward Demetrius Henry and freshman guard Shamiek Sheppard for the remainder of the regular season for unspecified conduct detrimental to the team. Henry has started 19 games and is averaging 6 points and 3.6 rebounds this season.
Seton Hall has suspended leading scorer Sterling Gibbs for two games after he delivered a forearm to the face of Villanova’s Ryan Arcidiacono (ahr-see-dee-ah-KOH’-noh) in the second half of Monday’s blowout loss. Gibbs was ejected from the game, receiving a flagrant foul 2 in what was the fifth straight loss for the Pirates. Gibbs has averaged 16.7 points in starting all 26 games this season.
NHL-SCHEDULE
Preds pad lead…Isles handle Canes
UNDATED (AP) — The Nashville Predators have a little more cushion atop the NHL’s Western Conference and Central Division races.
The Predators picked up their sixth consecutive win and moved six points ahead of St. Louis by beating San Jose 5-1. Craig Smith scored twice, Shea Weber had a goal and an assist and Mike Ribeiro (rih-BEHR’-oh) set up two tallies in the Predators’ league-leading 39th win.
Pekka Rinne (PEK’-uh REE’-nay) made 42 saves and was perfect after Matt Irwin scored 5 ½ minutes into the game to give the Sharks a brief lead.
The Blues had won three straight and 10 of 12 until Jamie Benn recorded his first career hat trick to lead the Dallas Stars past St. Louis 4-1. Kari Lehtonen (KAH’-ree LEH’-toh-nehn) turned back 27 shots and blanked the Blues until Patrik Berlund scored with 7 ½ minutes remaining.
Jason Spezza (SPET’-suh) had three assists as the Stars moved within two points of San Jose in a four-team scramble for the final Western Conference playoff berth.
Meanwhile, the New York Islanders’ lead in the Metropolitan Division is four points over Pittsburgh and the New York Rangers. Chad Johnson stopped 37 shots and John Tavares had a goal and an assist as the Islanders won for the fifth time in six games, 4-1 at Carolina. Brock Nelson ended his 18-game goal drought by netting the game-winner in the second period.
The Penguins lost ground as Alex Ovechkin (oh-VEHCH’-kihn) and Joel Ward each had a goal and an assist in Washington’s 3-1 triumph over the Penguins. Ovechkin notched his league-leading 37th goal and Ward scored the game-winner with 4:13 remaining as the Capitals stayed five points behind the Islanders.
In other NHL action:
— Curtis McElhinney stopped 42 shots and Columbus handed Philadelphia its first regulation loss in 10 games by downing the Flyers 5-2. Brandon Dubinsky had a goal and an assist for the Blue Jackets, who blew a 2-0 lead before Matt Calvert scored midway through the third period.
— Jussi Jokinen (YOO’-see YOH’-kih-nehn) and Nick Bjugstad (BYOOG’-stad) scored power-play goals before Jimmy Hayes provided the eventual game-winner in Florida’s 3-2 triumph at Toronto. Roberto Luongo (loh-AHN’-goh) stopped 27 shots in helping the Panthers pull within two points of Boston for the final Eastern Conference playoff berth.
— Scott Gomez and Jacob Josefson provided shootout goals in New Jersey’s 2-1 decision over Buffalo. The Devils ended a four-game skid and sent the Sabres to their 19th loss in 21 games.
NBA-MAGIC
Good until at least April
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Orlando Magic interim coach James Borrego will remain in that post at least through the end of the season. In addition, the team announced that it has added Igor Kokoskov (kuh-KOS’-kov) as an assistant coach.
Borrego took over after Jacque Vaughn was fired earlier this month following a 15-37 start.
NFL-NEWS
Cowboys say franchise tag an option for Bryant
UNDATED (AP) — The Dallas Cowboys are still debating whether to use the franchise tag on Dez Bryant even as the team attempts to work out a new, longer team deal with their top receiver.
The deadline to tag players is March, and Bryant already appears frustrated despite the prospect of getting between $12-13 million through the franchise designation next season. A long-term deal with Bryant could help them re-sign NFL reigning rushing champion DeMarco Murray.
Elsewhere in the NFL:
— The Packers have released tight end Brandon Bostick, who mishandled an onside kick in Green Bay’s loss to Seattle in the NFC title game last month. Bostick spent the entire 2012 season on the Packers’ practice squad before appearing in 24 games the past two seasons, making nine catches for 123 yards and two touchdowns.
— Colts running back Ahmad Bradshaw has been cited on a marijuana possession charge in western Ohio. A deputy clerk says his citations are payable without a court appearance if he doesn’t contest them.
MLB-STEROIDS
A-Rod writes apology, while Bosch is sentenced
UNDATED (AP) — One key figure in the Biogenesis scandal apologized on Tuesday, while another was sentenced.
Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez has issued a five-paragraph handwritten apology “for the mistakes that led to my suspension” without detailing specifics about his use of performance-enhancing drugs. He apologized to team officials in person during a meeting at the ballpark on Feb. 10. They suggested he hold a news conference before the start of spring training this Friday and offered the use of Yankee Stadium, but Rodriguez declined.
Rodriguez admitted in court documents he used PEDs.
A-Rod is linked to Anthony Bosch, the Biogenesis founder who has been sentenced Tuesday to four years in federal prison after pleading guilty in October to one count of conspiracy to distribute. Bosch posed as a doctor and accepted thousands of dollars a month to provide steroid injections to players such as Rodriguez and Ryan Braun of the Milwaukee Brewers. The Biogenesis findings led to Rodriguez’s suspension.
MLB-DODGERS-JANSEN
Jansen to miss opener following surgery
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers suddenly have a position open: Team closer.
Kenley Jansen will miss the start of the regular season after undergoing surgery to remove a growth from a bone in his left foot.
The team says Jansen will be on crutches for about 10 days after Tuesday’s surgery in Los Angeles. He’s expected to be out about eight to 12 weeks.
MLB-MINOR LEAGUE CONTRACTS
Zito takes A’s offer
UNDATED (AP) — Barry Zito could be a part of the Oakland Athletics’ pitching staff once again.
Two people with knowledge of the agreement tell The Associated Press that Zito has accepted a minor league package with an invitation to spring training. Zito was a 23-game winner for the 2002 A’s and was 102-63 in seven seasons at Oakland before signing with San Francisco. He hasn’t pitched since 2013, when he was 5-13 with a 5.74 ERA for the Giants.
Also in the majors:
— A person familiar with the deal says the Indians have agreed to a minor league contract with left-hander Bruce Chen. The 37-year-old has gone 82-80 in 16 major league seasons.
— Outfielder Reed Johnson has accepted a minor league contract with the Miami Marlins and will attend big league spring training. Johnson hit .235 in 187 at-bats with the Marlins last year.
— Utility infielder Jayson Nix has agreed to terms a minor league contract with the Baltimore Orioles and will attend big league spring training. Nix hit just .120 over 41 games in time spent with Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Kansas City last season.
— Masahiro Tanaka threw for 34 minutes on level ground in his first workout of the year at the New York Yankees’ minor league complex. Tanaka missed 2 1/2 months last year while rehabilitating a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow
MLB-BANKS-REMAINS
Local officials say Banks has been buried
CHICAGO (AP) — The Cook County Clerk’s office has solved the whereabouts of the remains of Baseball Hall of Famer Ernie Banks.
Clerk’s office spokesman Jim Scalitti said that the death certificate for the Chicago Cubs great shows that Banks was buried at Graceland Cemetery. Scalzitti said that the burial did not take place until February 6, a week after Banks’ funeral.
That answers a question that had lingered for days amid a legal fight between Banks’ family and his caretaker. Court documents and interviews made it clear Banks’ estranged wife had prevented the two-time MVP from being cremated. The family had wanted him buried, but caretaker Regina Rice in a statement on Monday said she was “determined” to carry out Banks’ wishes, although she did not specifically mention cremation.
