NCAA TOURNAMENT
Another busy day of play
UNDATED (AP) β As college basketball fans continue to go over their brackets, checking the upsets from Thursday, they can look forward to another eight day games being played this afternoon in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament.
In Raleigh, N.C., Duke is facing Mercer in the opening game with Massachusetts playing Tennessee in the second game.
San Antonio is the location for Baylor going up against Nebraska with Creighton meeting Louisiana-Lafayette.
In San Diego, Arizona has a game with Weber (WEE’-bur) State and Gonzaga (gahn-ZAG’-uh) is facing Oklahoma State
And in St. Louis, it’s New Mexico playing Stanford and Kansas against Eastern Kentucky.
There are eight more games coming up this evening in the same cities.
MLB-OPENING GAME
Dodgers to face Diamondbacks
SYDNEY, Australia (AP) β The opening game of the 2014 Major League Baseball season is being played tomorrow in Sydney, Australia. With the time difference, the contest is taking place at 4 a.m. Eastern time Saturday morning.
The Dodgers and Diamondbacks will be on display at a converted cricket ground. The pitching matchup has Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw going up against Wade Miley, who was pressed into duty with the spring training injury to Patrick Corbin.
NBA-SCHEDULE
Sixers hoping for a win
UNDATED (AP) β The Philadelphia 76ers will attempt to snap a 22-game losing streak tonight on the home floor with a game against New York. The Knicks are riding a seven-game winning streak in their attempt to clinch a playoff berth. The 22-game streak is a Philadelphia team record.
On the other side of the coin, the Indiana Pacers continue to lead the NBA’s Eastern Conference with 50 wins and 18 defeats. The Pacers are home this evening to the Bulls while Miami, which is three games back of the Pacers in the East, are home to Memphis.
In the Western Conference race, the Spurs are looking, at the minimum, to maintain their slim 1 Β½ game lead over the Thunder or improve on it. The Spurs are playing at Sacramento tonight while the Thunder, who beat Cleveland last night, are at Toronto. The Raptors have a 2 Β½ game lead in the Atlantic Division over Brooklyn, which is home tonight to Boston.
The remaining games tonight have the Pelicans in Atlanta, the Mavericks home to Denver, Detroit at Phoenix and Washington in L.A. to play the Lakers.
NHL-SCHEDULE
Bruins look to expand lead
UNDATED (AP) β The Bruins start the day with a four-point lead over the Penguins in the NHL’s Eastern Conference standings. This evening, while the Pens sit around checking their NCAA brackets, the Bruins, who have 99 points, are on the road for a game with Colorado. The Avalanche are fifth in the Western Conference with 94 points, one back of Chicago. The Blackhawks are home to Carolina tonight.
By the way, if the Bruins win tonight, they’ll join the Blues as the only teams with at least 100 points this season.
Two teams vying for a lower seed playoff berth in the East are playing tonight in Columbus, where the Blue Jackets entertain the Rangers. Each club has 78 points.
In the final game, the Calgary Flames are hosting Nashville. Neither team is headed to the playoffs.
NASCAR
Sprint Cup series hits California
FONTANA, Calif. (AP) β This week’s NASCAR race is the Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif. Qualifying for the race is taking place this evening for the Sunday after race.
Last week Carl Edwards won the rain-shortened race in Bristol. A year ago Kyle Busch took the checkered flag in Fontana for the Sprint Cup and Nationwide races.
GOLF-ARNOLD PALMER INVITATIONAL
Scott comes out firing
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) β Masters champion Adam Scott shot a course record-tying 10-under 62 at Bay Hill to grab the lead after the first round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational yesterday. The round was the lowest in 30 years at Bay Hill. Scott made two eagle putts and had three birdie putts longer than 20 feet during the round.
The 33-year-old Australian has a three-shot lead over Ryo Ishikawa (REE’-oh ihsh-ee-KOW’-uh) and John Merrick.
LPGA-JTBC FOUNDERS CUP
Lee leads in desert
PHOENIX (AP) β Mirim Lee shot a 64 for the first-round lead at the JTBC Founders Cup on the LPGA Tour yesterday. Morgan Pressel was one shot back, top-ranked Inbee Park, defending champion Stacy Lewis, Michelle Wie (wee), Gerina Piller and Karrie (KAHR’-ee) Webb all shot 66, two shots off the lead.
CHAMPIONS TOUR
Opening round today for the seniors
SAUCIER, Miss. (AP) β First round play is taking place today in the Champions Tour event in Mississippi. A year ago in this event the winner was Michael Allen, who beat Bernhard Langer by a stroke.
The winner last week’s event in Newport Beach, Calif., was Fred Couples, who earned his 10th Champions Tour title.
