March 30, 2022 2:15 am
PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) – The NFL is changing its sometimes controversial overtime rules to guarantee each side gets the ball in the playoffs. Concerned that the coin toss to begin the extra period has too much impact on postseason game results, the owners voted Tuesday to approve a proposal presented by the Colts and Eagles. Beginning this season, if the team possessing the ball first in overtime scores a touchdown on that series, the opponent still gets a possession. In recent seasons, that touchdown would have ended the game.
March 30, 2022 3:45 am
OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) – The Baltimore Ravens have signed coach John Harbaugh to a three-year contract extension through 2025. Harbaugh is entering his 15th season at the helm. Baltimore went 8-9 in 2021 for only the second losing record of his tenure. Injures derailed what looked like a promising season. The Ravens are 148-96 under Harbaugh, plus a Super Bowl victory at the end of the 2012 season. He also guided Baltimore to the AFC title game in 2008 and 2011. In nine visits to the postseason, Harbaugh is 11-8. He was the AP’s NFL coach of the year in 2019.
March 29, 2022 3:46 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Pittsburgh and football coach Pat Narduzzi have agreed on a new contract that will keep Narduzzi with the Panthers through at least 2030. The deal comes three months after Narduzzi led Pitt to its first Atlantic Coast Conference championship on its way to an 11-3 record and a No. 13 ranking in the final AP Top 25 poll, the program’s highest postseason ranking since 1982. Narduzzi is 53-37 in seven seasons with the Panthers. His 53 wins rank fourth all-time in program history.
March 29, 2022 3:44 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon’s patience paid off with a new contract. Witherspoon signed a two-year deal to remain with the Steelers rather than leave in free agency. The signing marked an abrupt turnaround for Witherspoon. He hardly played during the first half of the 2021 season after being acquired in a trade with Seattle. An injury to veteran Joe Haden provided Witherspoon with an opportunity and he responded by pulling down a career-best three interceptions. Witherspoon says he didn’t get rattled while he rode the bench and focused on taking advantage whenever the chance to get back on the field arose.
March 29, 2022 3:42 am
UNDATED (AP) – There will be a lot of familiar faces at the women’s Final Four with Stanford, South Carolina, Louisville and UConn heading to Minneapolis. After an upset-heavy women’s NCAA Tournament, the Final Four includes three No. 1 seeds and No. 2 UConn. The Huskies extended their record streak to 14 seasons reaching the national semifinals and will face Stanford. Louisville plays South Carolina in the other semifinal Friday night. Stanford and UConn have played five times in the national semifinals or championship game.
March 29, 2022 3:50 am
ST. LOUIS (AP) – Albert Pujols has returned to the St. Louis Cardinals, finding a home in the place where he became one of baseball’s most powerful sluggers. The 42-year-old Pujols emerged from beyond the right field wall at the Cardinals’ spring training complex between the first and second innings of an exhibition game against Houston . Pujols drew a standing ovation from the crowd and was greeted with hugs in the St. Louis dugout. Pujols was a three-time MVP and helped the Cardinals win two World Series titles. He split last season with the Angels and Dodgers. He says this will be his final season.
March 28, 2022 3:48 am
UNDATED (AP) – After two weeks of upsets and outright stunners, the NCAA Final Four will look a lot like previous semifinals. Kansas and North Carolina advanced today to join Villanova and Duke in New Orleans next weekend. The Jayhawks trailed by six before outscoring Miami 47-15 in the second half of a 76-50 rout of the Hurricanes. Kansas took over by outscoring Miami 25-7 over the first 10 minutes of the second half. Ochai Agbaji scored 18 points, David McCormack had 15 and Christian Braun (brown) finished with 12 for the Jayhawks, who wound up shooting 50% after a lackluster start. The Hurricanes couldn’t shoot themselves back into the game. They missed 18 of their 21 3-point attempts and shot 35% overall for the game.
Eighth-seeded North Carolina snatched the glass slippers off the feet of Saint Peter’s by storming out to a 38-19 halftime lead in a 69-49 rout of the 15th-seeded Peacocks. Armando Bacot had a huge game, delivering game highs of 20 points and 22 rebounds. Brady Manek (MAN’-ehk) added 19 points and eight boards, while Caleb Love chipped in 14 points. Saint Peter’s trailed 21-7 after missing its first six shots, and 16 of its first 19. Saint Peter’s had never trailed by more than six in its first three games of the tournament. The outcome creates a Tobacco Road semifinal between the Tar Heels and Duke, who will be playing their final weekend with head coach Mike Krzyzewski. Kansas will battle Villanova in the other semifinal. The Wildcats will be without junior guard Justin Moore, who suffered a tear in his right Achilles tendon in the final minutes of Saturday’s 50-44 victory over Houston. Moore averaged 14.8 points and 4.8 rebounds in 36 games this season.
March 28, 2022 3:51 am
UNDATED (AP) – The NCAA women’s basketball Final Four will include the defending champion and the No. 1 seed. Lexie Hull scored 20 points and Haley Jones added 18, including four key free throws in the closing moments so secure Stanford’s 59-50 victory over Texas. Hull made a key 3-pointer early in the fourth quarter and had a three-point play that gave Stanford a 53-48 lead with 2:29 remaining. Texas never got closer than two in the final moments as the 2021 champs advanced.
Aliyah Boston scored 19 points and led top-seeded South Carolina to its second straight Final Four with an 80-50 victory over Creighton. The Gamecocks made six of their first seven shots to take a 13-5 lead four minutes in. When Creighton closed to 13-10, South Carolina took off on a game-changing 31-10 surge to take control for good.
March 28, 2022 3:45 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Evgeni Malkin had his 13th career hat trick and added an assist as the Pittsburgh Penguins drilled the reeling Detroit Red Wings 11-2. Sidney Crosby, Kasperi Kapanen, Jeff Carter, Teddy Blueger, Danton Heinen, Brian Boyle and recently acquired Rickard Rakell also scored for the Penguins. Pittsburgh needed less than 30 minutes to take a 6-0 lead on its way to the franchise’s first 11-goal game in nearly 30 years. Tristan Jarry made 33 saves to win for the sixth time in his last seven starts.
March 27, 2022 7:45 am
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Mike Krzyzewski slowly climbed up the ladder, bowed to the adoring Duke fans and then pointed to his players to give them the credit before cutting the final string of the net. Coach K’s farewell tour will end at his record-setting 13th Final Four. The Blue Devils delivered their most complete performance of this NCAA Tournament run to extend the career of their Hall of Fame coach for one more weekend after beating Arkansas 78-69 on Saturday night in the West Region final. A.J. Griffin scored 18 points, West Region MVP Paolo Banchero added 16 and and second-seeded Duke (32-6) frustrated fourth-seeded Arkansas (28-9) on the offensive end to get back to the Final Four for the first time since Krzyzewski won his fifth championship in 2015. Coach K will try to follow the path of the only coach to win more NCAA men’s titles as John Wooden won his 10th championship in his final season at UCLA in 1975. Krzyzewski broke the tie he had with Wooden for most Final Four appearances with the commanding win over the Razorbacks.
