National Sports - The Morning Sun

Elena Rybakina, of Kazakhstan, returns a shot to Iga Swiatek, of Poland, during a semifinal match at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament Friday, March 17, 2023, in Indian Wells, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Rybakina routs Swiatek 6-2, 6-2 to reach Indian Wells final

Elena Rybakina routed top-ranked Iga Swiatek 6-2, 6-2 to advance to the BNP Paribas Open final. She'll play Aryna Sabalenka, who beat Maria Sakkari 6-2, 6-3, in Sunday's title match in the Southern … more

3/17/23

Iona head coach Rick Pitino works the bench in the first half of a first-round college basketball game against Connecticut in the NCAA Tournament, Friday, March 17, 2023, in Albany, N.Y. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

Pitino on St. John's: 'You don’t buy houses without looking'

Rick Pitino insists he doesn’t know his next move. He did give a pretty good hint about what’s under consideration. After the 70-year-old Hall of Famer’s 13th-seeded Iona team was knocked out … more

By RALPH D. RUSSO | 3/17/23

Adam Schenk tees off on the fifth hole during the second round of the Valspar Championship golf tournament Friday, March 17, 2023, at Innisbrook in Palm Harbor, Fla. (AP Photo/Mike Carlson)

Schenk getting results in 10th straight week, leads Valspar

Adam Schenk is leading the Valspar Championship and no one can accuse him of being rusty. Schenk is playing for the 10th consecutive week, a stretch that began in Honolulu with the Sony Open. His … more

3/17/23

Sanogo, UConn send Pitino, Iona packing from March Madness

Adama Sanogo scored 10 of his 28 points in the first five minutes of the second half as fourth-seeded UConn took control and beat Rick Pitino’s Iona Gaels 87-63 in the first round of the NCAA … more

By RALPH D. RUSSO | 3/17/23

Furman guard JP Pegues (1) celebrates while leaving the court after their win against Virginia in a first-round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament, Thursday, March 16, 2023, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

Pegues, Furman hoping to extend March Madness stay

Furman's JP Pegues has watched the shot over and over. In Pegues’ wildest dreams, he never imagined himself becoming an instant star. But the 6-foot-1 sophomore rocketed into notoriety when his … more

By FRED GOODALL | 3/17/23

Pittsburgh forward Guillermo Diaz Graham (25) reacts after scoring during the second half of a first-round college basketball game against Iowa State in the NCAA Tournament on Friday, March 17, 2023, in Greensboro, N.C. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

Pitt holds Iowa State to 23% shooting in 59-41 1st-round win

Nelly Cummings scored 13 points and No. 11 seed Pittsburgh held sixth-seeded Iowa State to 23% shooting in a 59-41 victory in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Jamarius Burton added 11 points … more

By STEVE REED | 3/17/23

South Carolina forward Aliyah Boston directs teammates in the first half of a first-round college basketball game against Norfolk State in the NCAA Tournament, Friday, March 17, 2023, in Columbia, S.C. (AP Photo/Sean Rayford)

No. 1 Gamecocks cruise past Norfolk State in March Madness

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. … more

By PETE IACOBELLI | 3/17/23

St. Louis City SC players celebrate after midfielder Eduard Lowen scored off a penalty kick in their first home MLS soccer match, against Charlotte FC, Saturday, March 4, 2023, in St. Louis. (Jordan Opp/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP)

Expansion St. Louis City goes for 4th win in MLS start

Major League Soccer's newest team has won its first three matches -- matching the Seattle Sounders' 2009 record for best start by an expansion team. St. Louis City will have a chance to top the … more

By ANNE M. PETERSON | 3/17/23

Houston guard Marcus Sasser brings the ball up duirng the first half of the team's first-round college basketball game against Northern Kentucky in the men's NCAA Tournament in Birmingham, Ala., Thursday, March 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)

Houston's March Madness hopes may come down to Sasser health

For top-seeded Houston, any hope of winning a national title may come down to Marcus Sasser’s ailing groin. The All-American guard pulled himself out of a hard-fought victory over 16th-seeded … more

By PAUL NEWBERRY | 3/17/23

Xavier guard Colby Jones passes away from Kennesaw State guard Kasen Jennings during the first half of a first-round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament on Friday, March 17, 2023, in Greensboro, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

Nunge's block seals Xavier's win over Kennesaw St in NCAAs

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 … more

By AARON BEARD | 3/17/23

Michigan State guard A.J. Hoggard (11) celebrates in the second half of a first-round college basketball game against Southern California in the men's NCAA Tournament in Columbus, Ohio, Friday, March 17, 2023. Michigan State defeated Southern California 72-62. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Michigan State muscles past USC 72-62 in March Madness

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 … more

By TOM WITHERS | 3/17/23

Mississippi State's Jessika Carter (4) and JerKaila Jordan (2) celebrate the team's win over Illinois in a First Four game in the NCAA women's college basketball tournament Wednesday, March 15, 2023, in South Bend, Ind. (AP Photo/Michael Caterina)

Women's March Madness finds foothold on national TV

Ratings for women's college basketball are at their highest levels in years. ESPN is putting the women's NCAA Tournament national title game on network television for the first time since 1995. The … more

By JOE REEDY | 3/17/23

FILE - Green Bay Packers wide receiver Allen Lazard (13) looks on during an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Nov. 27, 2022, in Philadelphia. The New York Jets signed former Green Bay Packers wide receiver Allen Lazard to a four-year contract Friday, March 17, 2023. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola, File)

Wide receiver Allen Lazard signs 4-year deal with Jets

The New York Jets have signed former Green Bay Packers wide receiver Allen Lazard to a four-year contract. Lazard reunites with Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, who worked with the … more

By DENNIS WASZAK Jr. | 3/17/23

Iowa guard Caitlin Clark celebrates after making a 3-point basket at the end of an NCAA college basketball game against Indiana, Sunday, Feb. 26, 2023, in Iowa City, Iowa. Iowa won 86-85. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

On the rise, Big Ten eyes women's NCAA tourney breakthrough

The Big Ten has been a big disappointment when the women's NCAA Tournament has rolled around the past few years. Only once since 2005 has the league gotten a team to the Final Four, and that was … more

By DAVE SKRETTA | 3/17/23

FILE - Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson, left, reacts next to Memphis Grizzlies forward Dillon Brooks after scoring during the second half of an NBA basketball game in San Francisco, Sunday, Dec. 25, 2022. When Golden State visits Memphis on Saturday night for the fourth and final time this regular season, another chapter will be added in what could be a crucial tiebreaker. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

NBA feud or rivalry? Warriors, Memphis drama is must-see TV

Stephen Curry has a simple answer for the drama between his four-time NBA champion Golden State Warriors and the upstart Memphis Grizzlies over the past two seasons. For Curry, it's not a feud or a … more

By TERESA M. WALKER | 3/17/23

FILE - Sheryl Swoopes of Texas Tech cuts down the net after leading her team to victory over Ohio State, 84-82, in the NCAA Women's Division I basketball championship game April 4, 1993, in Atlanta, Ga. Swoopes scored 47 points and was named Tournament MVP. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta, File)

MARCH MADNESS: An AP trivia quiz for the NCAA Tournament

From the First Four to the Final Four, the women's NCAA Tournament captivates sports fans for more than three weeks every year. How well do you think you know it? Do you know the teams that finished … more

By HANK KURZ Jr. | 3/17/23

Arizona guard Courtney Ramey (0) looks up at the scoreboard during the second half of a first-round college basketball game against Princeton in the NCAA Tournament in Sacramento, Calif., Thursday, March 16, 2023. Princeton won 59-55. (AP Photo/José Luis Villegas)

Arizona, Virginia add to reputations for March sadness

Losses by second-seeded Arizona and fourth-seeded Virginia in the first round of the NCAA Tournament won't help their March reputations. The Wildcats lost for the fifth straight time to a team seeded … more

By DAVE SKRETTA | 3/17/23

Houston star Sasser now a big question mark at March Madness

All-American Marcus Sasser is a big question mark in the NCAA Tournament. Houston's star guard tried to play against Northern Kentucky, but an ailing groin began acting up again. Sasser spent the … more

By PAUL NEWBERRY | 3/17/23

Sasser hurt anew as top seed Houston beats Northern Kentucky

With All-American Marcus Sasser watching from the bench, top-seeded Houston shook off Northern Kentucky for a 63-52 win in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Chants of “NKU!” and … more

By PAUL NEWBERRY | 3/17/23

Iga Swiatek, of Poland, returns to Sorana Cirstea, of Romania, at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament Thursday, March 16, 2023, in Indian Wells, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Swiatek, Rybakina reach semifinals at Indian Wells

Top-ranked Iga Swiatek breezed past Sorana Cirstea 6-2, 6-3 to reach the semifinals of the BNP Paribas Open. Next up for Swiatek is 10th-seeded Elena Rybakina, who beat Karolina Muchova, 7-6 (4), … more

3/17/23