NCAA TOURNAMENT-SCHEDULE
Irish roll…Badgers rally…Kentucky up big on West Virginia at halftime
CLEVELAND (AP) β Notre Dame’s march through March is picking up speed.
Demetrius Jackson scored 20 points and the third-seeded Irish dominated Wichita State 81-70 in the Midwest regional semifinals to advance to the Elite Eight for the first time in 36 years.
The Irish shot 75 percent (18 of 24) in the second half, easily pulling away from the seventh-seeded Shockers after Wichita State took a brief lead. Pat Connaughton added 16 points and 10 rebounds for Notre Dame and Jerian Grant had nine points and 11 assists.
Top-seed Kentucky continued its push for an unbeaten season and national championship tonight when it raced out to a fast 18-2 lead in the first eight and a-half minutes against West Virginia in an NCAA Midwest Regional semifinal. The 36-0 Wildcats are trying to become the first team since the 1976 Indiana Hoosiers to finish the regular and tournament season undefeated.
At halftime, it’s all Kentucky with the Wildcats leading 44-18.
LOS ANGELES (AP) __ Sam Dekker scored a career-high 23 points, Frank Kaminsky added 19 and top-seeded Wisconsin rallied in the final 10 minutes to hold off North Carolina 79-72 and advance to the final eight of the NCAA Tournament.
Zak Showalter came off the bench to score six points in the Badgers’ 19-7 comeback run. That sends Wisconsin into the West Regional final Saturday against either No. 2 seed Arizona or sixth-seeded Xavier.
In the second West Regional semifinal, Arizona coach Sean Miller is facing his old school in Xavier and his former assistant in Musketeers coach Chris Mack, who took over the program when Miller left. The Wildcats take a 33-3 mark into the game and are giving up fewer than 59 points per game.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL-FLORIDA-FRAZIER
Source: Florida’s Frazier to turn pro
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) β A person with familiar with the decision says Florida guard Michael Frazier II is leaving school early and entering the NBA draft.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because Frazier has not officially announced his decision. The person says Frazier is expected to sign with an agent and go through the draft process without considering a return to school.
Frazier is a two-year starter and one of the top 3-point shooters in the Southeastern Conference. He’s widely projected as a mid-to-late second-round pick.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL-COACHES
Former NBA All-Star takes over college team
UNDATED (AP) β Four-time NBA All-Star Mark Price has been named the head coach of the Charlotte 49ers. He replaces Alan Major, who left the program after five years amid health problems and a lack of success on the floor. It’s the first head coaching job for the 51-year-old Price who spent one season as an assistant on Bobby Cremins’ staff at his alma mater, Georgia Tech.
Elsewhere:
β Dayton coach Archie Miller has received a three-year contract extension through the 2018-19 season. The move comes after Miller led the Flyers to their second straight NCAA Tournament appearance. Dayton is 90-47 in Miller’s four seasons.
__Tim Cluess, who has led Iona to 118 wins and two NCAA Tournaments in five seasons, had his contract extended through 2019-20. The Gaels have won at least 20 games and made a postseason appearance in each of Cluess’ five seasons. Cluess has a 118-54 record at Iona.
__ The Nevada Board of Regents approved a five-year contract worth $2 million for new Nevada basketball Coach Eric Musselman, a two-time former NBA coach.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Dinner on the coach
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) β Hall of Fame basketball coach Dean Smith passed away last month. On Thursday, the trustee of a trust that bears the late coach’s name confirmed that $200 checks were sent out to each of the players who lettered for Smith’s Tar Heels teams, about 180 in all.
The letter says Smith directed that following his death, each letterman was to be sent a check with the message “enjoy a dinner out compliments of Coach Dean Smith.”
The Hall of Fame coach died Feb. 7 at age 83.
NBA-SCHEDULE
Bucks win in Milwaukee
MILWAUKEE (AP) β The only game in the NBA had Milwaukee beating Indiana 111-107. Ersan Ilyasova had a big night for the Bucks with 34 points and six rebounds. The Pacers fell a half-game back of Boston for the final playoff berth in the Eastern Conference while the Bucks are the sixth-seed.
NHL-SCHEDULE
Predators back in first…Kings 3-0 on Eastern swing
UNDATED (AP) β Pekka Rinne (PEH’-kuh RIH’-nuh) made 28 saves for his 40th win, and the Nashville Predators moved into first place in the Central Division by beating the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2.
Mike Ribeiro, Paul Gaustad and Mike Santorelli scored for the Predators, who took a one-point lead over St. Louis. The Blues have played one fewer game.
In other hockey:
β Anze Kopitar (AHN’-jay KOH’-pih-tar) scored with 4:23 left, defenseman Alec Martinez had two assists, and the Los Angeles Kings won their third straight on their road trip by beating the slumping New York Islanders 3-2.
β The Washington Capitals got rare goals from Matt Niskanen, Karl Alzner and Eric Fehr (FAIR), along with 29 saves from Braden Holtby, to beat the New Jersey Devils 3-2 in overtime.
β Eric Staal had a goal and two assists and the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-2. The ‘Canes had been 0-3-3 in their last six home games.
__ Patrick Marleau (MAHR’-loh) scored twice and Antti Niemi made 30 saves to help the San Jose Sharks top the Detroit Red Wings 6-4.
__ Ryan Getzlaf scored 3:09 into overtime to lift the Anaheim Ducks to a 3-2 victory over the Boston Bruins.
__ Brandon Pirri scored twice and the Florida Panthers earned a 4-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs, who’ve lost seven in a row.
β Sam Gagner scored 56 seconds into overtime to lift the Arizona Coyotes to a 4-3 win over Buffalo. That earned cheers from the last-place Sabres’ fans hoping to get the No. 1 overall pick in the NHL draft.
NHL-BLUE JACKETS
An expensive hit for Boll
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) β Columbus forward Jared Boll has been suspended for three games without pay by the NHL for a check to the head of Patrick Maroon of the Anaheim Ducks. The hit came in Tuesday’s win over the Ducks. The suspension will cost Boll $27,419.34.
NFL-MOVES
Niners release Martin
UNDATED (AP) β The San Francisco 49ers have waived offensive lineman Jonathan Martin, who was acquired last March in a deal with Miami. Martin had left the Dolphins in October 2013 after accusing teammate Richie Incognito of bullying. An NFL investigation determined Incognito and two other Dolphins offensive linemen engaged in persistent harassment of Martin.
Martin started seven games at right tackle last season in place of injured Anthony Davis, allowing seven sacks.
In other NFL moves:
β Pittsburgh has re-signed free agent wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey to a one-year contract. The 28-year-old served primarily on special teams for the Steelers in 2014 after coming over from Indianapolis.
β Miami defensive lineman Derrick Shelby has signed his restricted tender offer and will make $2.4 million this year. Shelby provides depth in a front four upgraded with the recent signing of tackle Ndamukong Suh (ehn-DAHM’-uh-kehn soo). Shelby saw significant playing time off the bench last year at both tackle and end and had 21 tackles and three sacks.
__ The Bengals brought back defensive tackle Pat Sims, signing him as an unrestricted free agent from Oakland. Sims was Cincinnati’s third-round pick in 2008 and spent five seasons with the Bengals before leaving as a free agent. He spent the last two seasons with the Raiders, playing in 32 games with a total of 85 tackles.
PGA-VALERO
Hoffman on top
SAN ANTONIO (AP) β Charley Hoffman took advantage of calmer afternoon conditions to take the first-round lead in the wind-swept Texas Open, shooting a 5-under 67. Hoffman has eight top-10 finishes in nine appearances in San Antonio.
Aaron Baddeley was second after a 68. Max Homa had a 69, and Phil Mickelson and Ryan Palmer shot 70.
LPGA-KIA CLASSIC
Three-way tie for the lead
CARLSBAD, Calif. (AP) β Mirim Lee birdied all four par-5 holes and finished with a bogey-free 7-under 65 to take the first-round lead in the Kia Classic. Yani Tseng (YAH’-nee sehng), winless in 70 starts since her victory in the 2012 event at nearby La Costa, had a 66.
Top-ranked Lydia Ko, Karrie (KAR’-ee) Webb and China’s Xiyu Lin shot 5-under 67’s. Lexi Thompson shot a 68.
SOCCER-HOPE SOLO-BLOG
Solo in therapy
UNDATED (AP) β U.S. women’s national team goalkeeper Hope Solo says she used her 30-day suspension from the squad to reassess her life and career and has entered therapy.
Solo launched a personal blog this week to share thoughts about herself and the national team as it prepares for the 2015 World Cup in Canada.
Solo was suspended by U.S. Soccer in January after her husband, former NFL tight end Jerramy Stevens, was arrested on drunken driving charges while driving a federation van. The incident came shortly after domestic violence charges against Solo had been dismissed.
In her first post, Solo also said she is seeing an Eastern medicine healer.
