NCAA TOURNAMENT-MIDWEST REGIONAL
Ohio stuns Georgetown
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Ohio turned in the biggest upset on Day One of the NCAA men's basketball tournament.
Armon Bassett scored 32 points to lead the Midwest Region's No. 14 seed to a 97-83 victory over Georgetown.
The Mid-American Conference champion Bobcats took the lead early on their 3-point shooting and the Hoyas were never able to seriously threaten.
Ohio will play Tennessee Saturday in Providence, R.I.
The sixth-seeded Vols beat San Diego State 62-59. The Aztecs closed to within one point in the final minute, but Melvin Goins crushed their upset hopes when he sank his fourth 3-pointer of the game with 19 seconds to go.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Lehigh proved itself scrappy, but that just wasn't enough to knock off Kansas.
The NCAA tournament's No. 1 overall seed pulled away midway through the second half and won 90-74 in the Midwest Regional. Marcus Morris led the Jayhawks with 26 points.
They'll face Northern Iowa in a second round game in Oklahoma City on Saturday.
A three-pointer with 5 seconds to go lifted Northern Iowa over UNLV 69-66.
Ali Farokhmanesh made the shot and finished with 17 points.
The Runnin' Rebels had one last chance to tie it, but Tre'Von Willis didn't get his 3-pointer off before the final buzzer.
NCAA TOURNAMENT-EAST REGIONAL
Kentucky blows out ETSU...Washington drops Marquette
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Ishmael Smith's pull-up jumper from 17 feet with just 1.3 left in overtime gave ninth-seeded Wake Forest an 81-80 win over Texas in the first round of the NCAA East Regional.
The Demon Deacons blew two double-digit leads in regulation, but managed a rally of their own in OT. They were down as much as 8 points and still trailed by four in the final minute, before Ari Stewart sank a 3-pointer to pull within one and set up Smith's heroics.
The blowout of the day goes to Kentucky.
The top-seeded Wildcats dominated throughout their 100-71 victory over East Tennessee State. Eric Bledsoe shot eight 3-pointers and scored 29 points in all, breaking Tony Delk's school record for most 3s in an NCAA tournament game.
Kentucky will play Wake Forest on Saturday.
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Quincy Pondexter became Washington's hero, driving for a tiebreaking bank shot with 1.7 seconds left, and 11th-seeded Washington opened its NCAA tournament run with an 80-78 victory over Marquette.
The Huskies rallied from a 15-point second half deficit.
They face third-seeded New Mexico at the Shark Tank in San Jose, Calif. on Saturday.
Roman Martinez had 19 points to lead New Mexico to a 62-57 victory over Montana. Darington Hobson added 11 points, 11 rebounds and six assists while playing with a sprained left wrist for the Lobos.
NCAA TOURNAMENT-WEST REGIONAL
Murray State upsets Vandy...Kansas State routs North Texas
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Thirteenth seeded Murray State pulled off the first major upset of the NCAA men's basketball tournament, if not the biggest.
The 13th seed in the West Regional stunned No. 4 seed Vanderbilt 66-65 in San Jose, Calif. Danero Thomas hit a 15-footer at the buzzer, to give the Racers' their first NCAA tourney victory since 1988.
Murray State plays Butler next. The fifth-seeded Bulldogs beat UTEP 77-59. Shelvin Mack hit a career-high seven 3-pointers and scored 25 points as Butler rallied from a six-point halftime deficit.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The West's No. 2 seed Kansas State opened the NCAA tournament with an 82-62 rout of North Texas in the West Regional.
After a shaky start, the Cougars held the Mean Green to 31 percent shooting. Denis Clemente finished with 17 points and six assists.
K-State will take on Brigham Young University on Saturday in Oklahoma City.
BYU's Jimmer Fredette threw in 37 points, including two 3-pointers in double overtime, to seal the seventh-seeded Cougars' 99-92 win over 10th-seeded Florida. Michael Loyd Jr. added a career-high 26 and scored all of BYU's points in the first overtime.
NCAA TOURNAMENT-SOUTH REGIONAL
Villanova survives scare...Baylor back in the NCAA win column
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Villanova survived a scare in the NCAA South Regional. Fifteenth-seed Robert Morris forced overtime, but the Wildcats emerged 73-70 winners.
Nova coach Jay Wright benched senior Scottie Reynolds earlier, but he still finished with a team-high 20 points.
Meanwhile, St. Mary's beat Richmond 80-71. Omar Samhan led the Gaels with 29 points and 12 rebounds despite spending most of the game in foul trouble.
They'll go up against Villanova on Saturday in Providence, R.I.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Baylor will face Old Dominion in the second round of the South Regional in New Orleans on Saturday.
The third-seeded Bears broke open a close game down the stretch and beat 14th-seeded Sam Houston State 68-59. Ekpe Udoh led the way with 20 points, 13 rebounds, five assists, two blocks and two steals.
Frank Hassell scored 15 points to lead 11th-seeded Old Dominion to a 51-50 victory over six-seed Notre Dame.
NHL-RESULTS
Bruins retaliate against Cooke, lose to Penguins
BOSTON (AP) — The Bruins had revenge on their minds, but it was the Pittsburgh Penguins who got in the shots that counted in Boston.
Marc-Andre Fleury made 17 saves for Pittsburgh's first shutout of the season, and the Penguins won 3-0.
It was the first time the two teams had met since a blindside hit by the Penguins' Matt Cooke gave star center Marc Savard a grade 2 concussion 11 days ago. The Bruins' Shawn Thornton tried to give Cooke a beat down less than 2 minutes into the game. Both were sent off with 5 minute fighting majors, but Thornton picked up an extra 10-minute misconduct and the team showed little spark afterward.
Boston coach Claude Julien said his players defended their teammate well, but added "the other part of the game wasn't there."
Elsewhere in the NHL:
— Ray Whitney scored four minutes into overtime to give the Carolina Hurricanes a 4-3 victory over the Washington Capitals. Washington played without captain and league scoring leader Alex Ovechkin who was finishing off a two-game suspension.
— Paul Kariya's 400th NHL goal snapped a third-period tie and the St. Louis Blues beat the New York Rangers 4-3. The Rangers trail the Bruins by three points for the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
— The Atlanta Thrashers gave themselves some hope in the playoff race with a 6-3 win over the Ottawa Senators. Nik Antropov and Colby Armstrong scored two goals apiece, as the Thrashers closed to within three points out of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
— Phil Kessel scored in regulation and in a shootout to lead the Maple Leafs to a 2-1 win over the New Jersey Devils in Toronto.
— The Buffalo Sabres beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 6-2. Jason Pominville scored a hat trick for the visiting Sabres.
— Radim Vrbata (rah-DEEM' vur-BAH'-tah) scored with a minute left in the third period to force overtime, then added the winner in the shootout as the Phoenix Coyotes beat the Florida Panthers 4-3.
— The Nashville Predators blanked the visiting Minnesota Wild, 5-0. Pekka Rinne (PEH'-kuh RIH'-nuh) made 17 saves for his fifth shutout of the season.
— Scott Hartnell scored the tiebreaking goal in the third period to send the Philadelphia Flyers to a 3-2 victory over the Stars in Dallas.
— Vancouver beat San Jose for just the second time in the teams' past 10 meetings. Roberto Luongo had 32 saves for the homestanding Canucks and they beat the Sharks 3-2.
— Tomas Kopecky (TAHM'-uhz koh-PEHT'-skee) had a pair of third period goals as the Chicago Blackhawks pulled away from the Kings for a 3-0 win in Los Angeles.
NHL-NEWS
Ducks' Wisniewski suspended for 8 games for hit on Blackhawks' Seabrook
TORONTO (AP) — The NHL has given Anaheim Ducks defenseman James Wisniewski (wihz-NOO'-skee) an eight game suspension for a hit to the head on Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Brent Seabrook.
The NHL's chief disciplinarian Colin Campbell described the hit as "retaliatory," saying Seabrook "never had possession of the puck." Wisniewski is considered a repeat offender under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, after a two-game suspension in October.
Seabrook is the second defenseman the Blackhawks have lost in as many games. On Sunday against Washington, three-time All-Star Brian Campbell was driven into the end boards from behind by NHL scoring leader and two-time MVP Alex Ovechkin.
NBA RESULTS
Magic waste lead, but beat Heat in OT
MIAMI (AP) — They blew a 12-point lead in the final 5 minutes of regulation, but the Orlando Magic managed to revive themselves in overtime, beating the Miami Heat 108-102.
Vince Carter scored 27 points while Rashard Lewis added 24, including a huge 3-pointer with less than 30 seconds left.
Dwyane Wade had 36 points and 10 rebounds for Miami.
In the only other game on the pro-hardwood, Denver topped visiting New Orleans, 93-80. Carmelo Anthony pulled down a career-best 18 rebounds to go with his 26 points for the Nuggets.
NBA-BOBCATS/JORDAN
Jordan calls owning Bobcats "dream come true"
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Michael Jordan is calling it "a dream come true."
He spoke for the first time today about becoming the majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats. He's the first former player to own an NBA team, and the league's second black majority owner.
Jordan vows he'll be relentless in "finding ways to win."
PGA-TRANSITIONS CHAMPIONSHIP
Willis takes early lead in Tampa
PALM HARBOR, Fla. (AP) — Garrett Willis is making the most of a sponsor exemption to his hometown event. He birdied five holes on the back nine for a 6-under 65 and the first-round lead in the Transitions Championship in Palm Harbor, Fla.
Defending champion Retief Goosen (reh-TEEF' GOO'-sin) is two strokes back at 67 along with Jeff Maggert, Jim Furyk (FYOOR'-ihk), Carl Pettersson, Jonathan Byrd and PGA Tour rookie Rickie Fowler.
NFL-NEWS
Agent: McCloughan still with Niners...Multiyear pact for Tapp
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The agent for San Francisco 49ers general manager Scot McCloughan says his client is still employed by the team -- for now, anyway.
Several reports says McCloughan is on his way out, but Peter Schaffer tells The Associated Press that he has "not heard any different" regarding McCloughan's job status.
The 49ers aren't saying anything about it.
Also:
— At his first news conference as a Denver Bronco, quarterback Brady Quinn says his severely sprained left foot has healed. Quinn finished last season on injured reserve with the injury and spent two months in a walking boot.
— New York Jets safety Eric Smith has signed a one-year tender offer.
— The Eagles have signed defensive end Darryl Tapp to a three-year contract.
— San Diego has traded third-string quarterback Charlie Whitehurst to Seattle in a swap of second-round picks that moves the Chargers up 20 spots to No. 40 overall.
— The St. Louis Rams have signed free agent long snapper Chris Massey and running back Kenneth Darby.
MLB-SPRING TRAINING NEWS
Cubs, Brewers lose one each...Diamondbacks ink Reynolds
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Cubs reliever Angel Guzman could be out for the season.
He will have surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right shoulder. Orthopedist James Andrews has already operated on Guzman's elbow and shoulder. Guzman also had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee in January. He pitched in a career high 55 games last season, posting a 2.95 ERA.
— The Milwaukee Brewers say third baseman Mat Gamel will be out at least six weeks because of a torn muscle in his right shoulder. The 23-year-old hit .242 with five homers and 20 RBIs in 61 games for the Brewers last season.
— Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Mark Reynolds has signed a three-year contract that includes a club option for 2013. Last year, Reynolds had career highs with 44 home runs and 102 RBIs, while his batting average improved to .260.
RACING-OBIT-LANG
Racing exec "Chick" Lang, who transformed Preakness, dies
BALTIMORE (AP) — Longtime Pimlico chief Charles John "Chick" Lang has died.
Lang is credited with making the Preakness a must-watch race for sports fans around the country. Lang tirelessly promoted the race during nearly 30 years with Pimlico, traveling to the Kentucky Derby with "Next Stop Preakness" signs.
Lang's granddaughter says he died of natural causes in a medical facility on Maryland's Eastern Shore Thursday. "Chick" Lang was 83.
