Sports

West has been the best in this year’s tourney

Published on Mon, 04/05/2021 - 3:54pm
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By JOHN MARSHALL
AP Basketball Writer

 

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The NCAA Tournament has been dominated by the East, mixed with the occasional championship foray by a school from the Midwest.

Teams from the West are usually left on the outside when the bracket gets down to the Final Four.

The West is the best this season.

On the men’s side, Gonzaga will play for a national championship. UCLA made a run to the Final Four. Five western teams made it to at least the Sweet 16 and seven of the Elite Eight were from west of the Mississippi.

Next up: UCLA gets chance to stop undefeated Gonzaga

Published on Fri, 04/02/2021 - 4:34pm
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By EDDIE PELLS AP National Writer
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Next up on the long list of wannabes eager to stop, or even slow, the undefeated Gonzaga Bulldogs is a team basketball fans might have heard of: UCLA.
In a strange twist that typifies a strange year, the legacy program with more national championships than anyone is a plucky up-and-comer this time around. The Bruins are listed as the biggest underdog at the Final Four in 25 years — 14 points — as they head into Saturday night's game. 

Texas two-step: Baylor, Houston reunite in the Final Four

Published on Fri, 04/02/2021 - 4:26pm

By DAVE SKRETTA AP Basketball Writer

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Somebody will be doing a joyful Texas two-step after Baylor and Houston meet Saturday night in the Final Four.

It could be Bears coach Scott Drew, who built his now-mighty program from the ashes of one of the worst scandals in sports history. Led by guards Jared Butler, Davion Mitchell and MaCio Teague, they’ve have rolled to their first semifinal since 1950 with the kind of joie de vivre nobody thought possible two decades ago.

Cause of Tiger Woods crash found; officials won’t reveal

Published on Thu, 04/01/2021 - 3:29pm
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LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles County sheriff said detectives have determined what caused Tiger Woods to crash his SUV last month in Southern California but declined Wednesday to release details, citing unspecified privacy concerns for the golf star.

MLB to relax virus protocols when 85% on field vaccinated

Published on Thu, 04/01/2021 - 3:28pm

NEW YORK (AP) — Card games, car pools and eating at restaurants may be back in the major leagues later this season. Trips to church and sponsor events may return, too.

Mask use would be dropped from dugouts and bullpens, and electronic tracing devices would be eliminated when 85% of major league players and primary field staff are vaccinated against the coronavirus. Communal clubhouse video would return before and after games. Pool tables would be restored, along with team saunas.

Stanford rallies to beat Louisville, reach Final Four

Published on Wed, 03/31/2021 - 3:31pm
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SAN ANTONIO (AP) — After one of Stanford’s worst halves of the season, coach Tara VanDerveer challenged her team to just compete.

The Cardinal responded.

Lexie Hull had 21 points, Ashten Prechtel scored each of her 16 in the second half and Stanford reached the Final Four by rallying for a 78-63 victory over Louisville on Tuesday night.

High court partial to college athletes in legal dispute

Published on Wed, 03/31/2021 - 3:30pm

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Wednesday seemed ready to give college athletes a win in a dispute with the NCAA over rules limiting their education-related compensation.

Baylor beats Arkansas 81-72 for first Final Four in 71 years

Published on Tue, 03/30/2021 - 3:49pm
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INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Baylor had been on the cusp of the Final Four twice before under coach Scott Drew, falling to the eventual champion both times.

These Bears have a different kind of swagger to them, a confidence with the skill to back it up.

Now their long Final Four wait is over.

Baylor is headed there for the first time in 71 years, getting 22 points from MaCio Teague and a dominating defensive performance from Davion Mitchell to beat Arkansas 81-72 on Monday night.

Raised fists, kneeling during anthem OK at US Olympic trials

Published on Tue, 03/30/2021 - 3:48pm

By EDDIE PELLS
AP National Writer

The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee will not sanction athletes for raising their fists or kneeling during the national anthem at Olympic trials, previewing a contentious policy it expects to stick to when many of those same athletes head to Tokyo this summer.

Tourney at halfway point; still the field vs. Gonzaga

Published on Mon, 03/29/2021 - 3:45pm
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By JIM LITKE
AP Sports Writer

 

The Elite Eight marks the halfway point of the NCAA Tournament, but don’t blink. It has the shelf life of chicken nuggets.

By the time your head hits the pillow tomorrow night, we’ll be down to a Final Four and find out whether the selection committee is any better at seeding teams than the cooks at your local McDonalds.