COLLEGE BASKETBALL-NCAA TOURNAMENT
Sweet 16 tips off
UNDATED (AP) — The Sweet 16 becomes the top 12 by the end of the night.
The NCAA men’s basketball tournament continues with regional semifinals, and top overall seed Florida puts its 28-game winning streak on the line against UCLA in the South Regional. The 34-2 Gators have one of the nation’s stingiest defenses, allowing an average of 57.5 points a game. They’ve held 26 opponents to 61 or fewer points.
UCLA is averaging 81.5 points a game, led by 6-foot-9 guard Kyle Anderson. The sophomore leads the 28-8 Bruins in scoring, rebounding and assists.
One of UCLA’s losses came against Stanford, which takes on Dayton in the first half of the Memphis doubleheader. That’s a battle of double-digit seeds. The 23-12 Cardinal are No. 10 while 25-10 Dayton is seeded 11th. The Flyers have won 12 of their last 14.
Top West Regional seed Arizona takes on San Diego State in a rematch of an early season meeting. The 32-4 Wildcats beat the Aztecs 69-60 in San Diego on Nov. 14. That was the third of Arizona’s 21 straight wins to open the season. San Diego State went on to win 20 straight after that on the way to a 31-4 mark.
Regional semifinal regulars Wisconsin and Baylor open up the doubleheader in Anaheim. The Badgers are there for the third time in four years, the Bears for the third time in five.
Sweet 16 East and Midwest regional action goes on in New York and Indianapolis, respectively, on Friday.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL-SYRACUSE-ENNIS
Ennis going pro
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) — Syracuse freshman point guard Tyler Ennis has announced his intention to put his name in the 2014 NBA Draft, saying he feels the experience at Syracuse has helped prepare him to fulfill a lifelong dream to play in the NBA. Ennis finished second on the Orange in scoring at 12.9 points per game and averaged 5.5 assists.
MLB-SPRING TRAINING
Marte had new deal with Pirates
UNDATED (AP) — Left fielder Starling Marte and the Pittsburgh Pirates have completed their $31 million, six-year contract.
The deal calls for Marte to receive a $2 million signing bonus and make $500,000 this season, $1 million next year, $3 million in 2016, $5 million in 2017, $7.5 million in 2018 and $10 million in 2019.
Marte hit .280 with 12 homers, 35 RBIs and a team-high 41 steals last year, his first full season in the majors.
In other major league news:
— The Seattle Mariners have signed right-handed starter Chris Young to a major league deal for the 2014 season in the hopes of solidifying the back end of the rotation. The 34-year-old had been in spring training with Washington, making two starts and giving up four earned runs in 10 1-3 innings pitched. The back of Seattle’s rotation has been a concern during spring training because of injuries to Hisashi Iwakuma and Taijuan Walker.
— Right-hander Johnny Cueto (KWAY’-toh) has been named the starting pitcher for Cinncinati’s season opener against St. Louis Monday. It’s the third straight year he’s earned the opening day assignment.
NBA-SCHEDULE
Sixers face NBA losing record
UNDATED (AP) — The 76ers are staring down a little bit of NBA history they hope to avoid.
Philadelphia visits Houston tonight trying to keep from matching the league record for futility. That would be 26 straight losses, set by Cleveland in 2010-11.
Philly has been outscored by an average of 16.9 points during the losing streak. The Sixers’ last win came on Jan. 26 against Boston.
Houston heads into tonight’s play with a four-game winning streak.
The Clippers play at Dallas in a game that’s likely to be more intense. Los Angeles lost at New Orleans last night, but has won 13 of 15 to pad its lead at the top of the Pacific Division. The Mavericks are locked in a tie with Phoenix for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Dallas enters the game off an overtime win over Oklahoma City Tuesday night.
Portland is at Atlanta and the Lakers visit Milwaukee in the only other games on the schedule.
NHL-SCHEDULE
Showdown in Boston
UNDATED (AP) — The Boston Bruins try to skate their way back into a winning form when they host Chicago tonight in a battle of top playoff contenders.
The Bruins have been off since Monday night when they saw their 12-game winning streak snapped at home by Montreal in a shootout. Still, Boston bosses the Eastern Conference with 104 points.
The Blackhawks head into tonight’s game needing just a point to secure their place in the postseason. Chicago is also trying to track down St. Louis for the top spot in the Western Conference. The Blackhawks are six points back.
The Blues try to improve on their league-best 105 points when they host Minnesota. St. Louis has won 10 of 13 since acquiring goalie Ryan Miller from Buffalo before the trade deadline.
Pacific Division-leading San Jose is just two points back of the Blues heading into their road game against Winnipeg.
The Penguins have been in a post-Olympic funk, going 6-6-2 since the Sochi Games. The Metropolitan Division leaders will be looking to show a little more consistency and earn a postseason spot when they host Minnesota.
There are 10 games on the NHL schedule tonight.
NHL-SENATORS-RYAN
Ryan is done for the season
OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Ottawa’s top goal scorer, Bobby Ryan, will miss the rest of the season because of a sports hernia. General manager Bryan Murray says Ryan has been dealing with the injury since November.
NFL-COLTS OWNER ARRESTED
Irsay had cash stash
UNDATED (AP) — Colts owner Jim Irsay had $29,000 in cash and bottles of prescription drugs in his vehicle when he was arrested on suspicion of intoxicated driving and other charges, according to the arrest report.
The cash was in Irsay’s wallet, metal briefcase and two laundry bags. The briefcase and bags also contained bottles of pills of various colors, the police report states.
The 54-year-old Irsay has denied being drunk when he was arrested in suburban Carmel on March 16. But the police report states the billionaire was so disoriented that officers made him sit on the hood of a patrol car to keep him from falling.
Also in the NFL:
— Free agent running back Knowshon Moreno has agreed to terms on a one-year contract with Miami Dolphins. The five-year veteran is coming off his best season, rushing for 1,038 yards, catching 60 passes and scoring 13 touchdowns playing with Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos.
— Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle Domata Peko has agreed to a two-year contract extension that runs through the 2016 season. Peko started all 16 games and a playoff loss to San Diego last season, recording 72 tackles and had a career-high three sacks.
— Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice has been indicted on a charge he assaulted his fiancee during an argument. Rice had been charged with simple assault after police said he knocked out Janay Palmer on Feb. 15 in an elevator at the Revel Casino in Atlantic City. But a grand jury indicted him on a more serious count of aggravated assault, which carries a three-to-five-year sentence.
GOLF-TEXAS OPEN
Perez sets early pace
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Pat Perez birdied the final three holes on the way to 4-under 68 that gives him a tie for the clubhouse lead at the Texas Open. Danny Lee also fired a 68 to pull even with Perez, one shot ahead of Seung-yul Noh and Will McKenzie.
LPGA-KIA CLASSIC
Creamer jumps ahead
CARLSBAD, Calif. (AP) — Paula Creamer birdied four of the last six holes for a 5-under 67 and the first-round lead in the LPGA KIA Classic. That gives her a one-shot lead over England’s Jodi Ewart Shadoff and Shanshan Feng. Inbee Park and Lizette Salas is two strokes back.
TENNIS-KEY BISCAYNE
Williams beats Sharapova again
KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. (AP) — Serena Williams beat Maria Sharapova for the 15th consecutive time today, rallying in both sets to win 6-4, 6-3 in the Sony Open semifinals. Williams rallied from deficits of 4-1 in the first set and 2-0 in the second to get within one match victory of her record seventh Key Biscayne title. Sharapova hasn’t defeated Williams since 2004.
