Sports

By PAUL NEWBERRY AP Sports Writer BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — For top-seeded Houston, any hope of winning a national title may come down to Marcus Sasser’s ailing groin. Not to worry, Cougars fans. Sasser says his groin feel fine and he’s 100 percent certain that he’ll be playing Saturday in a second-round game against Auburn.

NOTTINGHAM, England (AP) — Alexander Isak struck a stoppage-time penalty to keep Newcastle’s Champions League bid on track after a 2-1 comeback win against Nottingham Forest in the English Premier League. The Sweden international evened the score in first half added time after Emmanuel Dennis fired Forest in front at City Ground. His late winner

By MARK LONG AP Sports Writer ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Jon Scheyer once considered playing for Rick Barnes at Texas. Scheyer visited the Austin campus and toured the basketball facilities back in 2005 and even had a scholarship offer to join the Longhorns. Now, nearly two decades later, the 35-year-old Scheyer and the 68-year-old Barnes

By TIM BOOTH AP Sports Writer RENTON, Wash. (AP) — The Seattle Seahawks continued the overhaul of their defense by signing versatile safety Julian Love to a two-year deal. Love’s agreement is worth up to $12 million, according to a person with knowledge of the deal, and came after Seattle announced the signing of former

MADRID (AP) — Iñigo Martínez has scored from a free kick to help Athletic Bilbao win at Valladolid 3-1 in the Spanish league on the same day the veteran defender was called back to Spain’s national team. Martínez fired his free kick past the barrier for the opener on the half-hour mark. Martínez was included

LISBON, Portugal (AP) — New Portugal coach Roberto Martínez has included Cristiano Ronaldo on his first squad since taking over from Fernando Santos following the World Cup. The 38-year-old Ronaldo was left out of Santos’ starting lineup for Portugal’s knockout-phase games at the tournament in Qatar. Ronaldo can add to his international record 118 goals

PARIS (AP) — Lyon has overcame conceding an early own goal to draw Nantes at home 1-1 in the French league thanks to striker Alexandre Lacazette’s 150th goal for the club. Nantes led through central defender Castello Lukeba’s third-minute own goal. Former Arsenal forward Lacazette equalized in the 24th for his 21st goal in 28

By MITCH STACY AP Sports Writer COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Kam Jones scored 18 of his 19 points in the second half as second-seeded Marquette beat No. 15 Vermont 78-61 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Oso Ighodaro had 14 and David Joplin 12 as Marquette pulled away in the last 10 minutes

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Forward Maddy Westbeld scored 20 points and led No. 3 seed Notre Dame to an 82-56 win over No. 14 seed Southern Utah in the first round of the women’s NCAA Tournament. Guard Sonia Citron chipped in 14 points and a season-high six assists. Megan Jensen led Southern Utah with

MÖNCHENGLADBACH, Germany (AP) — Two goals from Marvin Ducksch has salvaged a draw for Werder Bremen against Borussia Mönchengladbach in the Bundesliga and punished Gladbach for wasteful shooting. Gladbach was looking for a landmark 500th home win in Bundesliga history and on course after goals from Marcus Thuram and Florian Neuhaus. Ducksch twice leveled the

By PETE IACOBELLI AP Sports Writer COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Zia Cooke scored 11 points as No. 1 South Carolina moved five wins away from a perfect season after opening the women’s NCAA Tournament with a 72-40 victory over No. 16 seed Norfolk State on Friday. The Gamecocks improved to 33-0 and won their 39th

By The Associated Press The NCAA Tournament is under way. The First Four games set the final bracket with 68 teams battling it out for the national championship in women’s basketball. The top seeds are South Carolina, Indiana, Stanford and Virginia Tech. Sweet 16 weekend brings a twist this year for the women’s teams: There

By JIM VERTUNO AP Sports Writer AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — There were many times this season Texas coach Vic Schaefer questioned his team’s toughness as the Longhorns tumbled from a preseason No. 3 all the to unranked while injuries and early losses mounted. Schaefer has definitely changed his tune now. The Longhorns fought the the

By EMILY WAGSTER PETTUS Associated Press JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — A judge should ignore a request from retired NFL quarterback Brett Favre to be removed from a civil lawsuit that seeks to recover misspent welfare money in Mississippi’s largest-ever public corruption case, the state Department of Human Services said this week. Millions of federal welfare

By JOHN BOHNENKAMP Associated Press IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Diamond Battles scored 21 points and Audrey Warren added 11 points as Georgia defeated Florida State 66-54 in the first round of the women’s NCAA Tournament on Friday. The 10th-seeded Lady Bulldogs advanced to Sunday’s second round to face either No. 2 seed Iowa or

By DAN GELSTON AP Sports Writer VILLANOVA, Pa. (AP) — President Joe Biden picked the Villanova Wildcats to win the 2023 women’s national championship. The Wildcats play Saturday against No. 13-seeded Cleveland State at home at the Pavilion. No. 5 seed-Washington State plays No. 12 Florida Gulf Coast in the other game in the region.

FRISCO, Texas (AP) — The Dallas Cowboys are re-signing quarterback Cooper Rush as Dak Prescott’s backup on a two-year contract. Rush comes back on a deal worth up to $6 million after leading Dallas to a 4-1 record when Prescott was out with a broken thumb last season. Rush also won his only other start

By TOM WITHERS AP Sports Writer COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Joey Hauser scored 17 points and No. 7 seed Michigan State clamped down defensively on No. 10 seed Southern California in the second half for a 72-62 win in the first round of the NCAA Tournament’s East Region. Michigan State ramped up its defensive intensity

By AARON BEARD AP Basketball Writer GREENSBORO, N.C (AP) — Jack Nunge blocked Terrell Burden’s driving attempt at a go-ahead layup in the final seconds, and Xavier dug out of a 13-point hole against surprising Kennesaw State to escape with a 72-67 victory in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Souley Boum hit four

By ARNIE STAPLETON AP Sports Writer DENVER (AP) — Caleb Lohner scored a season-best 13 points in just 18 minutes, and No. 3 seed Baylor beat UC Santa Barbara 74-56 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday. Adam Flagler led the Bears with 18 points, and LJ Cryer scored 11 of his