January 30, 2020 3:46 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Obi Toppin had 22 points and 10 rebounds to help No. 7 Dayton hold off Duquesne 73-69. Dayton led by as many as 19 points in the second half, but Duquesne used a 15-2 run to close the gap. The Dukes cut the lead all the way to two points, but their upset bid ran out of steam when point guard Sincere Carry turned the ball over with 7.9 seconds remaining. Michael Hughes II led Duquesne with 19 points.
January 29, 2020 3:44 am
HOUSTON (AP) – Dusty Baker is working to finalize an agreement to become manager of the Houston Astros. That’s according to a person with knowledge of the negotiations. The 70-year-old Baker would become the oldest manager in the big leagues. He would take over from AJ Hinch, who was fired Jan. 13 just an hour after he was suspended for the season by Major League Baseball for his role in Houston’s sign-stealing scandal. The hiring of Baker is a sign the Astros want to bring an old-school mentality and stern presence to a franchise reeling from the dismissal of Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow.
January 28, 2020 3:47 am
UNDATED (AP) – The Cincinnati Reds and Arizona Diamondbacks acquired talented outfielders on Monday. A person familiar with the deal tells The Associated Press that free agent Nicholas Castellanos has agreed to a four-year, $64 million with the Reds. Castellanos comes to Cincinnati after hitting .289 with 27 homers and 73 RBIs for the Cubs and Tigers last season.
The 27-year-old Castellanos is the latest high-profile free agent to join the Reds, following infielder Mike Moustakas, pitcher Wade Miley and Japanese All-Star outfielder Shogo Akiyama.
January 28, 2020 3:44 am
UNDATED (AP) – The NBA has decided it’s too soon for the Lakers to resume their schedule in the wake of Kobe Bryant’s death in a helicopter crash. The league has postponed Tuesday’s game against the Clippers and will reschedule it. The decision came one day after Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter and seven others perished in the crash. The Lakers learned about Sunday’s wreck while flying home from Philadelphia. The 16-time NBA champion franchise made grief counselors available to employees Monday after the loss of Bryant, who spent his entire 20-year NBA career with the Lakers.
January 27, 2020 3:51 am
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) – The Pro Bowl turned into a Kobe Bryant tribute. Players paid homage to the late Lakers star by faking fadeaway jumpers after big plays. Green Bay receiver Davonte Adams pointed to the sky and flashed the number “24” on his fingers as an ode to Bryant’s jersey after a touchdown catch. The NFL’s annual all-star game also held a moment of silence for Bryant in the first half. The AFC beat the NFC 38-33 for a fourth consecutive victory in Orlando. Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson was voted the game’s offensive MVP. Jacksonville’s Calais Campbell was the defensive MVP. Steelers linebacker TJ Watt returned a fumble 82 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. Joe Haden also had an interception.
January 27, 2020 3:44 am
SAN DIEGO (AP) – Marc Leishman sizzled on the front nine to turn a four-shot deficit into a victory in the PGA’s Farmers Insurance Open. Leishman reeled off five birdies before the turn and closed with a 7-under 65 for a 15-under total. He surged ahead of third-round leader Jon Rahm, who was 4 over through five holes on Sunday. Leishman kept a cushion with three big par saves down the tough stretch at Torrey Pines and closed with a 6-foot birdie putt that turned out to be the winner. Rahm finished one shot back and two ahead of Rory McIlroy and Brandt Snedeker.
January 27, 2020 3:42 am
NEW YORK (AP) – NBA players, coaches, entertainers and politicians took to social media and other avenues to express their shock and sadness over the helicopter crash that took the life of former basketball great Kobe Bryant. Philadelphia 76ers center Joe Embiid tweeted that he started playing basketball after watching Bryant in the 2010 NBA Finals, saying it was a turning point in his life. Madison Square Garden, where Bryant played in his first All-Star Game in 1998, was lit up in the Lakers’ purple and gold colors. Clippers coach Doc Rivers tearfully said players would need to Bryant’s spirit to play.
January 26, 2020 8:07 am
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — No. 14 West Virginia’s inside dominance turned a close game into a rout and moved coach Bob Huggins another notch higher on the all-time wins list. Jermaine Haley had 15 points and nine rebounds, Miles McBride scored 15 points and No. 14 West Virginia broke open a close game with a huge run early in the second half to beat cold-shooting Missouri 74-51 in the Big 12/SEC Challenge on Saturday. Freshman Oscar Tshiebwe added 14 points and eight rebounds, Gabe Osabuohien grabbed 12 rebounds and Derek Culver had 11 rebounds for the Mountaineers (16-3). Huggins earned his 876th win to tie Adolph Rupp for seventh place on the NCAA Division I coaching list.
January 25, 2020 4:17 am
UNDATED (AP) – Eli Manning officially ended his NFL career on Friday at a packed news conference surrounded by his family, friends, former New York Giants teammates, ex-coaches and two Lombardi trophies. The 39-year-old quarterback said he had no immediate plans and no regrets. But he said he would miss the time with teammates, the preparation and the beers in the back of the bus after wins. The two-time Super Bowl MVP said he plans to spend some time reliving the positives memories, enjoying himself and being an assistant coach on his daughter’s third-grade basketball team. A job with the Giants is a possibility, he said. The Giants plans to retire his number 10.
January 23, 2020 3:02 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Ryan Murphy hit a pull-up jumper from the top of the key with 4 seconds remaining to lift Pittsburgh to a 74-72 victory over Boston College. The Eagles trailed by 10 with less than 5 minutes to go but drew even on a Derryck Thornton lay-up with 12 seconds to go. The Panthers opted not to call time-out and Murphy delivered to give Pitt back-to-back Atlantic Coast Conference wins for the first time in nearly three years. Murphy finished with 11 points for the Panthers. Jay Heath paced Boston College with 16 points.
