Sports

By JOHN MARSHALL AP Basketball Writer HOUSTON (AP) — Getting a team through to the Final Four is a major boost for mid-major conferences financially, promotionally and for visibility on a national scale. The deeper a team goes in the bracket, the more money goes to their conference. The conferences use the money to upgrade

By JENNA FRYER AP Auto Racing Writer FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — A.J. Foyt Racing started the IndyCar season with a new driver lineup and high expectations for improved performance. It came to a crashing halt in the third turn of the season-opener on March 5. Santino Ferrucci and Benjamin Pedersen were part of the

LONDON (AP) — Tottenham’s attempts at identifying a long-term successor to fired manager Antonio Conte have been thrown into more chaos after the club’s managing director of football agreed to take an immediate leave of absence. Fabio Paratici’s 2 1/2-year ban for his part in a false accounting scandal involving former club Juventus was extended

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — The Buffalo Bills upgraded their secondary depth by signing free agent safety Taylor Rapp to a one-year contract. Rapp is listed at 6-feet and has nine interceptions in 57 career games, including 48 starts, during four seasons with the Los Angeles Rams. He was selected by the Rams in the

LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — The Chicago Bears have re-signed backup quarterback Nathan Peterman to a one-year contract. Peterman played in three games last season and made one start, completing 14 of 25 passes for 139 yards and a touchdown and an interception. He threw for 114 yards and a TD in a season-ending loss

By JOE REEDY AP Sports Writer Cinderella teams make for great stories and busted brackets. They don’t necessarily make for great television ratings, though. After getting a dream Final Four field last year, CBS and Turner Sports have something very different this weekend with Florida Atlantic, Miami, San Diego State and Connecticut making it to

NEW YORK (AP) — LaMarcus Aldridge has announced he is retiring again from the NBA. The 37-year-old initially retired in 2021 after experiencing an irregular heartbeat in the last of five games he played for the Brooklyn Nets that season. He rejoined the Nets five months after announcing his retirement. Aldridge was among his era’s

PARIS (AP) — A fencing World Cup in France has been called off after the international governing body voted to let Russians compete. The French Fencing Federation says it will not host the men’s Challenge Monal epee tournament near Paris in May following the International Fencing Federation’s decision this month to end the year-long exclusion

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota Timberwolves center Naz Reid has been sidelined indefinitely with a broken left wrist. The injury is a blow to the team’s depth during the stretch run of the regular season. Reid has a fracture of the scaphoid bone. It’s between the hand and forearm on the thumb side of the wrist.

By STEPHEN HAWKINS AP Sports Writer Grant McCasland is Texas Tech’s new men’s basketball coach. The announcement Friday came a day after North Texas won the NIT title to wrap up the school’s first 30-win season. North Texas was 135-65 in six seasons under the 46-year-old McCasland, who has a master’s degree from Texas Tech.

By BRUCE SCHREINER Associated Press FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear joined with Republican lawmakers as he signed historic measures Friday that will legalize medical marijuana and sports wagering in Kentucky, calling it an example of divided government working to get the “tough things” done that voters want. Facing a reelection campaign that

By SAM METZ and ANNA FURMAN Associated Press PARK CITY, Utah (AP) — Gwyneth Paltrow’s live-streamed trial over a 2016 ski collision at a posh Utah resort has drawn worldwide attention, spawned memes and sparked debate about the burden and power of celebrity. The first seven days in the courtroom touched on themes including wealth,

NEW YORK (AP) — The percentage of Major League Baseball players born outside the 50 states remained relatively stable for the fourth straight opening day. MLB said 269 of 945 players on opening day 26-man rosters and injured, inactive and restricted lists were born outside the 50 states, which calculates to 28.5%. That was up

By TIM PRICE Associated Press SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Corey Conners birdied four of his final five holes for an 8-under 64 to finish with the lead after the weather-delayed first round at the Valero Texas Open. Conners won the event in 2019. He has a two-shot advantage over Patrick Rodgers going into the second

HOUSTON (AP) — Florida Atlantic coach Dusty May confirmed reports that he will remain at the school with a long-term deal. He said it “never was that tempting” to look elsewhere for jobs after a the Owls’ unexpected Final Four run. May said the reports were “just releasing what our intentions were from the beginning.”

NEW YORK (AP) — Minor leaguers ratified their first collective bargaining agreement with Major League Baseball ahead of the season’s start. MLB owners are expected to vote on the agreement next week. The Major League Baseball Players Association says more than 99% of minor leaguers who cast ballots approved the deal. About 5,500 players are

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs have agreed to keep training camp at Division II Missouri Western State University through the 2024 season. Chiefs coach Andy Reid has long been a proponent of sequestering his teams on college campuses to help build unity. The Missouri Western facility is about an hour north