Sports

By ALLAN KREDA Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Vladimir Tarasenko scored early in his New York debut, Kaapo Kakko and Vincent Trocheck each had a goal and an assist, and the Rangers beat the Seattle Kraken 6-3 for their fourth straight win. Ryan Lindgren also had a goal and an assist, and Jacob Trouba

By MICHAEL MAROT AP Sports Writer INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Jayden Taylor scored 20 points and Eric Hunter Jr. took advantage of a goaltending call with 2.5 seconds left to give Butler 69-67 upset over No. 13 Xavier. Souley Boum’s long heave at the buzzer bounced off the back of the rim for Xavier. Colby Jones

By CLAY BAILEY Associated Press MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Ja Morant had 32 points, nine rebounds and nine assists, Desmond Bane added 20 points and the Memphis Grizzlies built a big lead through the fourth quarter and coasted to a 128-107 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Santi Aldama finished with 18 points, while Jaren Jackson

By The Associated Press DAYTON, Ohio — Led by Toumani Camara’s 17 points, the Dayton Flyers defeated the Saint Louis Billikens 70-56. The Flyers are now 17-9 on the season, while the Billikens moved to 16-9.

By PETE IACOBELLI AP Sports Writer COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina’s Aliyah Boston and LSU’s Angel Reese will be centerstage when the top-ranked Gamecocks take on the third-ranked Tigers in a matchup of the country’s last two undefeated Division I programs. Boston and Reese have been the Southeastern Conference’s two most dynamic and reliable

By JOHN NICHOLSON AP Sports Writer SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Defending champion Scottie Scheffler took the lead into the weekend in the WM Phoenix Open, with local favorite Jon Rahm right behind at TPC Scottsdale. The second-ranked Scheffler played 25 holes Friday, completing a 3-under 68 in the first round and shooting a bogey-free 64

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Led by Miryne Thomas’ 19 points, the Kent State Golden Flashes defeated the Buffalo Bulls 72-65 on Friday night. The Golden Flashes are now 20-5 on the season, while the Bulls moved to 12-13.

By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports Writer Madison Chock and Evan Bates took the lead after the rhythm dance at the Four Continents Figure Skating Championships on Friday as the American ice dancers seek their third title in the marquee international event. They scored 87.67 points to their program set to “Let’s Dance” by David Bowie.

NEW YORK (AP) — Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas has been fined $40,000 by the NBA or using derogatory and disparaging language during a live television interview. Thomas was being interviewed along with Spencer Dinwiddie after the Nets’ 116-105 victory over Chicago on TNT on Thursday night. Thomas was asked about Dinwiddie’s joke that he

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Goaltender Pheonix Copley has signed a one-year extension with the Los Angeles Kings worth $1.5 million. Copley’s 15 wins since making his Kings debut on Dec. 6 at Ottawa are the most in the league over the past two months. He is 15-3-1 with a 2.92 goals-against average and .897 save

By EMILY WAGSTER PETTUS Associated Press JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Brett Favre’s lawyers filed papers Friday again asking a Mississippi judge to dismiss the retired NFL quarterback from a lawsuit that demands repayment of millions of dollars of welfare money intended to help some of the poorest people in the U.S. The Mississippi Department of

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Reliever Jason Adam became the fourth Tampa Bay player to go to a salary arbitration hearing this year, asking a panel for $1,775,000 while the Rays argued for $1.55 million. Houston pitcher Cristian Javier avoided a hearing by agreeing to a $64 million, five-year contract, and Philadelphia reliever José Alvarado

McKINNEY, Texas (AP) — Former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Michael Irvin has filed a lawsuit seeking $100 million in damages, claiming he was falsely accused of misconduct by a female employee at a Phoenix hotel. The 56-year-old Hall of Famer was pulled off the remainder of NFL Network’s Super Bowl week coverage after a complaint

By JOHN WAWROW AP Hockey Writer QUEBEC CITY (AP) — A 21-player boys hockey team of Ukrainian refugees aged 11 and 12 is enjoying the respite from the horrors back home while preparing to compete in the International Peewee Tournament in Quebec City on Saturday. Sean Berube has witnessed the change in the players’ demeanor

By KYLE HIGHTOWER AP Sports Writer BOSTON (AP) — Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens says he doesn’t anticipate All-Star Jaylen Brown missing a significant amount of time after suffering a broken bone in his face.  Stevens says Brown, who was diagnosed with a maxillary fracture after he took an inadvertent elbow from

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Louisville police have accused former Louisville men’s basketball great Robbie Valentine of strangulation following an argument with his girlfriend. The incident occurred Thursday night at a residence Valentine shared with the woman, the arrest citation stated. The couple went to dinner and the woman sought to discuss moving out and getting