AP National Sports

By The Associated Press The battle for the national championship in women’s basketball is on. The first half of the Final Four has been decided. Kim Mulkey has led No. 3 LSU in two seasons after taking down a surging No. 9 Miami team. No. 2 Iowa and star Caitlin Clark also are in the

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Tereza Vanisova scored 4:23 into overtime, and the Premier Hockey Federation’s Isobel Cup is heading to Canada for the first time in its eight-year history following the Toronto Six’s 4-3 win over the Minnesota Whitecaps. The Six won the title in making their first championship game appearance in three seasons of

By SUSIE RANTZ Associated Press Reigning National Women’s Soccer League MVP Sophia Smith scored in the 22nd minute and the defending champion Portland Thorns opened the season with a 4-0 victory at home over the Orlando Pride on Sunday. It was the 100th victory for the Thorns, the first NWSL team to reach that milestone.

By DOUG FEINBERG AP Basketball Writer SEATTLE (AP) — Caitlin Clark put on quite a show, having one of the greatest performances in NCAA Tournament history to help Iowa end a 30-year Final Four drought. She had 41 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds to lead the No. 2 seed Hawkeyes to a 97-83 win

By JANIE McCAULEY AP Sports Writer SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Karl-Anthony Towns hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 11 seconds to play after Kyle Anderson stole a pass by Draymond Green, and the Minnesota Timberwolves held off the Golden State Warriors 99-96 to keep things interesting in the wild Western Conference playoff standings. Jordan Poole gave

By ARNIE STAPLETON AP Pro Football Writer ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The NFL’s veteran wide receiver market is a little thinner after Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton declared neither Jerry Jeudy nor Courtland Sutton are on the trade block. Payton made the comments while speaking to the NFL Network on Sunday, the first day of

By SEAN HIGHKIN Associated Press PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 31 points and the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the depleted Portland Trail Blazers 118-112. Jalen Williams had 23 points and Isaiah Joe added 20 off the bench for Oklahoma City. It was a crucial win for the Thunder in the Western Conference play-in

By The Associated Press The NCAA Tournament is looking ahead to the national championship in men’s basketball. Florida Atlantic and UConn punched their tickets to the Final Four on Saturday, and San Diego State and Miami joined them on Sunday to complete a most unexpected quartet. The Final Four is in Houston. The semifinals are

DALLAS (AP) — Former Baylor All-American NaLyssa Smith has won the Athletes Unlimited individual championship in a unique pro league that awards player performance along with team results. Smith scored an AU-record 50 points for a come-from-behind victory in the final game of the league’s second season. Smith was a two-time All-American with the Bears.

By KEN POWTAK Associated Press BOSTON (AP) — Jaylen Brown scored 41 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to lead the Boston Celtics to a 137-93 victory over the San Antonio Spurs. The Celtics were without star forward and leading scorer Jayson Tatum, who was sidelined with a left hip contusion. But Boston still moved to 1½

By AARON BEARD AP Basketball Writer GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) — So much for Kim Mulkey’s timelines and cautioning against expecting too much, too soon at LSU. Two years in, and Mulkey’s return to lead her home-state program already includes another Final Four trip — and dreams of more. Angel Reese had 18 rebounds and LSU

GOLD CANYON, Ariz. (AP) — Celine Boutier of France beat Georgia Hall of England with a birdie on the first playoff hole to win the LPGA Drive on Championship. Boutier forced a playoff by making a testy birdie putt at the par-5 18th to close out a 4-under 68, matching Hall (65) at 20-under 268

By IAN HARRISON Associated Press TORONTO (AP) — O.G. Anunoby scored 29 points, Fred VanVleet had 28 and the Toronto Raptors never trailed in a 114-104 win over Washington Wizards. Pascal Siakam had 19 points and 11 rebounds and Jakob Poeltl had 12 points and 12 rebounds. Ninth-place Toronto clinched the three-game season series with

By TOM WITHERS AP Sports Writer CLEVELAND (AP) — Jarrett Allen scored 24 points and had 14 rebounds, Donovan Mitchell added 22 points and the Cleveland Cavaliers clinched a playoff spot for the first time since 2018, beating the Houston Rockets 108-91. After LeBron James left five years ago, the Cavs went through a massive

By TIM CRONIN Associated Press CHICAGO (AP) — Elias Pettersson scored twice, Phillip Di Giuseppe scored, Brock Boeser got an empty-netter, and the Vancouver Canucks beat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-2 on Sunday night. The Canucks won their third straight and sent the Blackhawks to their fifth straight defeat. The Blackhawks celebrated Pride night, honoring the

By JIM DIAMOND Associated Press NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — John Tavares scored two goals and added an assist, Joseph Woll made 22 saves and the Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Nashville Predators 3-2. Alexander Kerfoot also scored for Toronto, which has won two of its last three. The Maple Leafs are seven points ahead of

By ERIC OLSON AP Sports Writer KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Rodney Terry teared up and his voice cracked to the point he could barely talk as he professed his love for the team he took over less than one month into the season and coached to the cusp of the Final Four. He said

By DOUG FERGUSON AP Golf Writer AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Sam Burns is the final winner of the Dell Match Play, and it was a dud of an ending. After so much excitement over four days at Austin Country Club, Burns beat Cameron Young in just 13 holes. The 6-and-5 victory is the second-largest margin

By BOB SUTTON Associated Press RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — David Pastrnak eclipsed the 50-goal mark by scoring twice and the Boston Bruins won their seventh game in a row by defeating the Carolina Hurricanes 4-3 in a shootout. Charlie Coyle and Jake DeBrusk converted in the shootout in a matchup of Eastern Conference division leaders.

By DAVE SKRETTA AP Basketball Writer KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Jordan Miller scored 27 points and made a series of crucial foul shots down the stretch as Miami rallied to an 88-81 victory over Texas for a spot in the Final Four. Miller finished 7 of 7 from the field and 13 of 13