AP National Sports

By GREG BEACHAM AP Sports Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) — Giorgio Chiellini scored his first MLS goal, and Los Angeles FC opened its MLS title defense season with a 3-2 victory over the Portland Timbers. Carlos Vela and Mahala Opoku also scored after LAFC unveiled its title banners and handed out championship rings during a

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Caleb Asberry knocked down seven 3-pointers and Oklahoma State held on late to beat Texas Tech 71-68 in the Big 12 Conference regular season finale. The Cowboys, who had lost five straight games, four to ranked teams, going into the game, will be the No. 7 seed in the conference tournament

By The Associated Press NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. — Led by Jordan Minor’s 18 points, the Merrimack Warriors knocked off the Sacred Heart Pioneers 71-60 in the Northeast Conference tournament semifinals and will play for conference title Tuesday

By JOSH DUBOW AP Sports Writer SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Alex Ovechkin scored twice in the third period to give him 815 career goals and the Washington Capitals shook off a rough start to beat the San Jose Sharks 8-3. Craig Smith scored twice, and Nicolas Aube-Kubel and Matt Irwin also scored in the

WASHINGTON (AP) — Fred VanVleet made two 3-pointers in overtime and scored 25 points, and the Toronto Raptors beat the Washington Wizards 116-109 on Saturday to split their two-game series. Gary Trent Jr. scored 26 points to lead the Raptors, who bounced back from their 119-108 loss Thursday night to move back ahead of the

By DAVE CAMPBELL AP Sports Writer MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Though the box-and-one defense Maryland sent at Caitlin Clark was effective enough to limit the Iowa superstar to 7-of-18 shooting, there was a costly consequence for the Terrapins. Gabbie Marshall and the rest of the Hawkeyes just kept making them pay — serving as a warning

By PETE IACOBELLI AP Sports Writer GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) — Coach Dawn Staley nodded her head as reserve Laeticia Amihere talked about No. 1 South Carolina’s versatility. The undefeated Gamecocks are certainly talented with two-time SEC player of the year Aliyah Boston and leading scorer Zia Cooke. They’re also deep with players like Victaria Saxton

WASHINGTON — Led by Brandon Johns Jr.’s 17 points, the VCU Rams defeated the George Washington Colonials 74-68 on Saturday night. The Rams are now 24-7 on the season, while the Colonials dropped to 16-15.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) — Jesse Edwards celebrated his Senior Night with a 20-20 double-double and Syracuse defeated Wake Forest 72-63. Edwards had 27 points and 20 rebounds for the Orange. His stat line also included five steals and two blocks. Wake Forest senior Tyree Appleby had 21 points and eight assists to become the first

By DOUG FERGUSON AP Golf Writer ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Kurt Kitayama is hanging on at Bay Hill. Kitayama recovered from an early double bogey and finished with a birdie for an even-par 72. That gives him a one-shot lead over defending champion Scottie Scheffler and Viktor Hovland going into the final round of the

By DAVE CAMPBELL AP Sports Writer MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Rikki Harris made a go-ahead layup with 38 seconds left for 14th-ranked Ohio State in a 79-75 victory over second-ranked Indiana after rallying from a record 24-point deficit in the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament on Saturday. Taylor Thierry had 19 points, 12 rebounds and

By The Associated Press LOWELL, Mass. — Brayden O’Connor scored 14 points off of the bench to help lead the second-seeded UMass-Lowell River Hawks over the seventh-seeded Maine Black Bears 85-54 in the opening round of the America East Conference tournament

RIO GRANDE, Puerto Rico (AP) — Nico Echavarria of Colombia is one round away from a career-changing victory in the Puerto Rico Open. The PGA Tour rookie started with an eagle and four straight birdies on the front nine of Grand Reserve. That 30 allowed him to make up a four-shot deficit against Cameron Young.

By JIM VERTUNO AP Sports Writer AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Sir’Jabari Rice scored 23 points and a smothering defensive effort carried No. 9 Texas to a 75-59 win over No. 3 Kansas that earned the Longhorns a second-place finish in the Big 12. Kansas had already secured the league championship earlier in the week. The

BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) — Sean Pedulla scored 25 points to lead Virginia Tech to an 82-60 victory over Florida State in an Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season finale. Pedulla was 8 of 12 from the floor. Hunter Cattoor added 14 points on 4-of-9 shooting, and the pair combined for 10 3-pointers. Grant Basile scored 13 points

By STEVE REED AP Sports Writer GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) — Georgia Amoore scored 24 points and eighth-ranked Virginia Tech advanced to the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament championship game for the first time in program history with a 58-37 victory over No. 13 Duke. ACC player of the year Elizabeth Kitley added eight points and 11

DENTON, Texas (AP) — Tylor Perry scored 19 points to lead North Texas over Western Kentucky 67-33 on Saturday. Perry shot 6 for 14 from the floor (4 for 11 from 3-point range) and 3 of 3 from the free-throw line for the Mean Green (25-6, 16-4 Conference USA). Aaron Scott totaled 11 points, seven

By JOSEPH WILSON Associated Press BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Diego Simeone has reached a new milestone for coaching longevity after overseeing a club record 613th match for Atletico Madrid. And his players gave him every reason to keep on going after putting on their best attacking displays of the season in a 6-1 rout of

WASHINGTON — Amari Williams had 16 points in Drexel’s 64-45 win against Monmouth in the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament. Williams added 11 rebounds for the Dragons. Luke House added 11 points. The Hawks were led in scoring by Myles Foster and Jakari Spence, who both scored 10 points.

HOUSTON — Denver Jones scored 30 points and Florida International beat Rice 90-83. Jones added six rebounds for the Panthers (14-17, 8-12 Conference USA), who snapped a five-game losing streak. Seth Pinkney scored 15 points and blocked three shots. Jayden Brewer pitched in with 14 points and nine rebounds. Quincy Olivari led the Owls (17-14,