Sports category, Page 264
Duke freshman star Cooper Flagg named AP men’s college basketball player of the year
SAN ANTONIO — Cooper Flagg and his Duke teammates were days away from clinching a spot in the Final Four, and the Blue Devils’ freshman star was planning ahead. It wasn’t about anything on the court, though. It was to be ready the next time teammates Khaman Maluach and Patrick...
Symbolic, pragmatic factors propel Pirates’ Andrew McCutchen to rare outfield start for home opener
The symbolism of 38-year-old Andrew McCutchen starting the Pittsburgh Pirates’ home opener in right field did not escape manager Derek Shelton. “The last two outfielders to play right field (for the Pirates) at that age were Bill Robinson and (Roberto) Clemente,” Shelton said. “I think everyone knows what Cutch means...
Steelers host projected 1st-round safety Nick Emmanwori, plus WR, DT
In addition to quarterback Jaxson Dart, the Pittsburgh Steelers hosted three other draft prospects Friday. Among them was projected first-round safety Nick Emmanwori of South Carolina. Also visiting UPMC Rooney Sports Complex were Iowa State receiver Jaylin Noel and Oregon defensive tackle Jamaree Caldwell. Emmanwori is considered among the most...
Pirates home opener: Fans looking forward to a day at PNC Park
For the first time ever, the Pittsburgh Pirates will host the New York Yankees in a home opener. Gates opened at 2 p.m. at PNC Park, which is celebrating its 25th season. First pitch is 4:12 p.m., a nod to Pittsburgh’s area code. The Pirates have struggled early on but...
Likely 1st-round QB Jaxson Dart visits with Steelers
As the parade of official prospect visits continues at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex, arguably the highest-profile prospect yet met with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Friday. Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart was among those hosted Friday. Dart is projected by most to be selected in the late first or early second...
3rd time’s a charm: Winding road leads former RMU skater, Wexford native Brian Kramer to Frozen 4Video
When the Frozen Four gets underway next week in St. Louis, nine college hockey players with Western Pennsylvania ties will be on the ice. Seven of them will be on Penn State’s roster, as the Nittany Lions have qualified for the national semifinal for the first time in program history....
Masters 2025: Rory McIlroy takes aim at Grand Slam; Scottie Scheffler goes for another green jacket
AUGUSTA, Ga. — The Masters has its largest field in 10 years, and yet the first major championship of the year still feels like it’s mainly about two players. Expectations have followed Rory McIlroy down Magnolia Lane for the last decade, each trip to Augusta National giving him a shot...
‘Unfinished business’: Penn State DT Zane Durant motivated for senior season
STATE COLLEGE — James Franklin was abundantly clear last season when talking about Penn State defensive tackle Zane Durant. He felt Durant had been one of the nation’s most underrated defenders, causing havoc and disruption on the interior more than he was credited for. Durant came away with just three...
Penguins forward prospect Vasily Ponomarev has a good read on successVideo
Vasily Ponomarev might not be the world’s most interesting man. But he makes a pretty strong case for being Wilkes-Barre’s most interesting man. The Pittsburgh Penguins forward prospect has plenty of varied interests — ranging from history to kart racing — that make him a fascinating fellow for reasons well...
First Call: Finances may be a holdup for Aaron Rodgers; Steelers miss out on depth QB trade targetVideo
Friday’s “First Call” wraps up the week with news that complicates the Aaron Rodgers storyline. The Pittsburgh Steelers missed out on a young, project quarterback they liked. An ex-Steelers receiver is heading to Chicago. The Pirates are bracing for the New York Yankees’ offense on Opening Day, and the Penguins...
Mitch Keller fails to quiet Yankees’ bats in Pirates’ 9-4 loss in home opener
Mitch Keller’s shoulders remain strong in his seventh big-league season, but they don’t need to carry all the weight of the Pittsburgh Pirates’ 2-6 start. Nonetheless, he was willing Friday night to admit the truth after he allowed seven runs and couldn’t finish the fourth inning in the Pirates’ 9-4...
Pirates farm report for April 3, 2025: Bubba Chandler’s scoreless outing boosts Indianapolis
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 1-3) split a doubleheader with Iowa (Cubs). In the first game, a 7-6 Indianapolis win, C Henry Davis (.100) scored the winning run on a one-out grounder to third by PH Malcom Nunez (.182) in the bottom of the eighth. RHP Ryder Ryan pitched a scoreless top of...
Avalanche’s Cale Makar becomes NHL’s 9th defenseman to score 30 goals in a single seasonVideo
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Avalanche’s Cale Makar scored against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday night to become the NHL’s ninth defenseman — and the first with Colorado — to reach the 30-goal plateau in a season. The sixth-year player is the NHL’s first defenseman to reach the 30-goal mark...
Despite goal from Rutger McGroarty, Penguins fall in OT to streaking Blues
Of their limited accomplishments this season, the Pittsburgh Penguins can boast of being the last team to have defeated the St. Louis Blues. That achievement remained in place Thursday as the Penguins fell to the Blues, 5-4, in overtime at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis. Forward Robert Thomas’ 20th...
Bears and veteran QB Case Keenum agree to 1-year, $3 million deal, AP source saysVideo
The Chicago Bears added a veteran quarterback to help Caleb Williams, agreeing to a one-year, $3 million contract with journeyman Case Keenum, a person familiar with the situation told the Associated Press on Thursday night. The person spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity because the deal had...
Sam Ryder takes only 21 putts for a 63, leads Texas Open
SAN ANTONIO — Sam Ryder wasn’t sure his neck would feel good enough for him to play Thursday in the Valero Texas Open. He found a swing and hardly missed a putt on his way to a 9-under-par 63 and a one-shot lead over Keith Mitchell in the final tournament...
Bruce Pearl of Auburn, Kelvin Sampson of Houston a reflection of changing gameVideo
SAN ANTONIO — A decade ago, Bruce Pearl of Auburn and Kelvin Sampson of Houston were emerging from exile — two coaches who had been handed the harshest sanction imaginable by the NCAA and were looking to resurrect their once-successful careers. This week, they’re both coaching at the Final Four,...
Auburn’s Johni Broome ready to face Florida, says there’s no pain in elbowVideo
SAN ANTONIO — Auburn forward Johni Broome returned to practice for the Tigers on Thursday and said he has no pain in his right elbow and “no limitations” ahead of the Tigers’ Final Four matchup with Florida. Broome, a unanimous first-team AP All-American, is the Tigers’ leading scorer and emotional...
Some diehard baseball fans in sports-crazed Sacramento welcome Athletics and hope they stay awhileVideo
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Van Thompson walked through the busy concourse shortly before first pitch and sang along to the national anthem, a white Athletics ball cap in hand covering his heart. Earlier Wednesday morning, Susan Falcon took her dog out on the other side of town near a bustling...
Braves are desperate for recovery as they enter their home opener as the majors’ only winless teamVideo
ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves’ longest winless start since 2016 has left manager Brian Snitker desperate for a recovery he hopes begins with the team’s home opener against Miami on Friday night. Atlanta blew a 5-0 lead and lost 6-5 on Shohei Ohtani’s ninth-inning homer Wednesday night. The loss left...
UCLA coach Cori Close uses lessons learned from time with UConn’s Geno Auriemma over a decade agoVideo
TAMPA, Fla. — When Cori Close was starting out at UCLA 14 years ago, she called Geno Auriemma and asked if she could fly across the country to watch his UConn team practice during the NCAA Tournament because her team wasn’t playing in March Madness. It was Close’s first head...
Texas and South Carolina are familiar foes and bring stingy defenses into Final Four meetingVideo
TAMPA, Fla. — Among the many things Texas coach Vic Schaefer admires about South Carolina’s Dawn Staley, her consistency stands out the most. UConn’s Geno Auriemma has set the standard in women’s basketball with 24 Final Four appearances and 11 national titles, both records. For Schaefer, Staley — who’s in...
Hodge finally takes over at West Virginia after leading North Texas into NIT semifinalsVideo
For a week after he was hired at West Virginia, new men’s basketball coach Ross Hodge wore two hats. Hodge stayed on as the coach at North Texas to get the Mean Green prepared to play in the semifinals of the National Invitation Tournament, where they lost Tuesday night to...
Pirates add OF Alexander Canario, option IF/OF Ji Hwan Bae, trade C Jason Delay to Braves
The Pittsburgh Pirates made multiple roster moves ahead of their home opener against the New York Yankees, adding outfielder Alexander Canario to their 26-man active roster Thursday. To make room for Canario, who was acquired Monday from the New York Mets, the Pirates optioned infielder/outfielder Ji Hwan Bae to Triple-A...
Geno Smith agrees to 2-year, $75 million extension with Raiders
HENDERSON, Nev. — Quarterback Geno Smith, who was traded to the Las Vegas Raiders nearly a month ago, agreed to two-year, $75 million extension, ESPN reported Thursday. Smith’s new deal takes him through the 2027 season and includes $66.5 million guaranteed, according to ESPN. The Raiders acquired Smith for a...
