COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Colleen Mullen has been named women's basketball coach at the University at Albany.
The school announced the hiring Monday and Mullen will be introduced Tuesday afternoon at a press conference at SEFCU Arena on campus. She joins the Great Danes from Army, where she spent seven seasons, the last six as associate head coach under Dave Magarity.
Mullen, who played Division I basketball at Rhode Island, takes over a program that won six straight America East championships under predecessors Katie Abrahamson-Henderson and Joanna Bernabei-McNamee.
Before Army, Mullen also was an assistant at Lehigh and LIU Brooklyn. She got her start in coaching at Northern Illinois as director of basketball operations (2004-05), and was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Southern New Hampshire University for two seasons (2005-07).
SPORTS BETTING
The Supreme Court has cleared the way for states coast to coast to legalize betting on sports.
The high court's decision breaks a longtime ban and creating a potential financial boon for states and the gambling industry. The first bets could be placed within weeks.
A federal law had barred betting on football, basketball, baseball and other sports in most states, much to the support of major sports leagues. States that want to take advantage of the ruling now will generally have to pass legislation to allow sports books to open. Some, including New Jersey, which brought the case to the Supreme Court, have a head start.
NBA
Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and the Golden State Warriors have taken Game 1 of the NBA's Western Conference finals.
Durant poured in 37 points and Thompson added 28 as the Warriors handled the Rockets, 119-106 in Houston. Stephen Curry had 18 points for the defending champs, who started a playoff series on the road for the first time in four years.
Thompson cut off a pair of fourth-quarter rallies by the Rockets. Houston pulled within four in the opening minute of the period before Thompson scored the first eight points of a 13-4 spurt that put Golden State ahead 100-87 with about eight minutes left. Thompson later nailed a wide open 3 after the Rockets cut their deficit to 103-96 about three minutes later.
James Harden had a game-high 41 points for the Rockets, who lost at home for the second time this postseason. Houston guard Chris Paul finished with 23 points and 11 rebounds.
Game 2 is Wednesday at Houston.
Boston has a on to none series lead against Cleveland. The Celtics will take on the Cavs Tuesday at 8:30 in Boston in the Eastern Conference finals.
NHL
The Vegas Golden Knights have stolen home-ice advantage in the NHL's Western Conference final.
The series is tied at a game apiece after Jonathan Marchessault scored twice and Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 29 shots to help the Knights knock off the Jets, 3-1 at Winnipeg.
The game was scoreless until Tomas Tatar and Marchessault scored four minutes apart late in the opening period. Marchessault added the insurance tally with 11:15 remaining, 88 seconds after Kyle Connor ended Fleury's shutout bid and got the Jets within one goal.
Connor Hellebuyck stopped 25 shots for the Jets, who head to Las Vegas for Game 3 on Wednesday.
MLB
Atlanta Braves find themselves 10 games over .500 for the first time in nearly four years.
The Braves won for the sixth time in seven games by belting three home runs in a 6-5 decision over the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Ozzie Albies went deep on the game's second pitch, Jose Bautista added a three-run blast and Tyler Flowers smacked his first homer of the season.
The power surge helped Julio Teheran improve to 4-1. Teheran yielded four runs over six innings as the Braves improved to 25-15, good for a 1 ½-game lead over Philadelphia in the National League East.
Elsewhere in the majors:
The Diamondbacks stretched their season-worst losing streak to six games as pinch-hitter Tyler Saladino and Jonathan Villar homered in the Brewers' 7-2 romp at Arizona. Center fielder A.J. Pollock left the game with an apparent left arm injury after diving in vain for Saladino's line drive in the ninth inning, turning the hit into an inside-the-park home run. Milwaukee went ahead 5-2 in the ninth on Villar's second home run of the season, then tacked on two more with two out on Saladino's sprint.
Gerardo Parra crushed a go-ahead, three-run homer in the sixth winning to help the Rockies win for just the second time in six games, 6-4 at San Diego. Noel Cuevas banged out his first big league blast and Daniel Castros also homered to support Tyler Anderson, who gave up three earned runs over 5 2/3s. Padres’ outfielder Franmil Reyes went 0-for-4 in his major league debut after slamming 14 homers with Triple-A El Paso.
Andrew McCutchen doubled in his first two at-bats to reach 1,500 career hits before the Giants snapped the Reds' season-high, six-game winning streak, 10-7. Brandon Belt homered and knocked in three runs to help the Giants get their second win in a row since a six-game skid. Tucker Barnhart homered and had three RBIs, Scott Schebler hit a solo shot and Adam Duvall added a three-run homer for Cincinnati.
The Angels have pulled into a virtual first-place tie with the Astros in the AL West by getting strong pitching from Andrew Heaney in a 2-1 win against Houston. Heaney struck out 10 and limited the Astros to five baserunners over a career-high eight innings. Justin Upton singled home the tiebreaking run in the sixth to push the Halos nine games over .500.
The Athletics rode solo homers by Khris Davis, Matt Olson and Matt Joyce to a 6-5 win over the Red Sox in Boston. Sean Manaea was reached for three earned runs and eight hits in six-plus innings after tossing a no-hitter in his previous meeting with the Bosox last month. Rick Porcello lost for the first time in six decisions this season as Boston fell a half-game behind the AL East-leading Yankees. The series continues Tuesday at 7:10 p.m. in Boston
Niko Goodrum homered twice and collected five RBIs to lead the Tigers past Cleveland, 6-3. Goodrum hit a two-run shot in the fourth inning and a three-run homer in the eighth as Detroit moved back within two games of the AL Central-leading Indians. Jose Ramirez belted his 13th homer of the year for the Indians, who are back to .500 after losing at home to the Tigers for the first time in 12 games.
Dee Gordon led off the eighth with a double and came around to score on first baseman Logan Morrison's throwing error as the Mariners pulled out a 1-0 decision over the Twins. Wade LaBlanc threw six scoreless frames and didn't allow any of his three baserunners to reach second.
Matt Duffy had three hits and drove in both Tampa Bay runs in a 2-1 victory at Kansas City. Adeiny Hechevarria scored the tiebreaking run by eluding catcher Salvador Perez at the plate in the sixth inning.
The Yankees had the night off and return as they headed to Washington to take on the Nationals Tuesday at 7:05 p.m.
The Mets took the night off as they prepare to host the Blue Jays Tuesday 7:10 p.m.
In other major league news:
Texas Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre could land on the disabled list Tuesday after aggravating his left hamstring during Sunday's loss at Houston. Beltre was off the DL only five days before experiencing a similar feeling but in a different area of the hamstring. He will undergo an examination before Tuesday's series opener against Seattle.
Robinson Cano will have his right hand examined on Tuesday, which will give the Mariners a better idea of the projected length of absence for the eight-time All-Star second baseman. Cano broke the pinkie finger of his right hand when hit by a pitch from Tigers left-hander Blaine Hardy on Sunday.
The Rockies have added All-Star second baseman DJ LeMahieu to their 10-day disabled list and recalled infielder Pat Valaika from Triple-A Albuquerque. LeMahieu sprained his left thumb while taking a swing during Sunday's loss to Milwaukee. He was batting .279 with five home runs and 13 RBIs.
Knuckleballer Steven Wright has returned to the Boston Red Sox after serving a 15-game suspension under Major League Baseball's domestic violence policy. The 33-year-old right-hander accepted the penalty in March without an appeal and served the punishment after coming off the disabled list.
Cardinals’ right-hander Adam Wainwright may go back on the disabled list after aggravating an elbow injury. Wainwright has already done one DL stint for the elbow, but he said after a rough start Sunday against San Diego he needs "to pause and get it right." The 36-year-old is 1-3 with a 4.00 ERA in four starts this season, walking 14 over 18 innings.
The Tigers have put third baseman Jeimer Candelario on the 10-day disabled list with left wrist tendinitis. Detroit announced the move today and made it retroactive to Sunday. Infielder Dawel Lugo was recalled from Triple-A Toledo.
Major League Baseball has extended the administrative leave of Blue Jays closer Roberto Osuna by seven days through May 21. The commissioner's office continues to investigate a charge of assault filed against the All-Star.
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
After capturing the America East title Sunday in a 4-3 victory over the UMass Lowell, UAlbany’s softball team is headed to Division 1 regionals to take on top-seeded Oregon at 8:30 p.m. Thursday.
COLLEGE
The Carrier Dome at Syracuse University is getting a makeover that will include a new fixed roof and air conditioning.
The university's board of trustees has authorized $118 million for improvements to the dome, the school announced Monday. The money also will be used for a vertically hung scoreboard, state-of-the-art sound and lighting systems, and improved internet access. More than $6 million will go toward making the facility more accessible to the handicapped.
Construction will begin this summer and the first phase is scheduled to be completed in fall 2020. Air conditioning and other improvements are expected to be completed two years later. Football, basketball and lacrosse seasons will not be affected by the work, which will be put up for bid.
The Carrier Dome, which has an air-supported roof, opened in 1980 and cost $25.6 million.
NFL
Three sports memorabilia collectors who accused New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning of providing bogus "game-worn" equipment that was sold to unsuspecting fans settled their lawsuit against the Super Bowl-winning quarterback Monday, days before the case was scheduled to go to trial.
A spokesman for the defendants, a group that included Manning, the Giants, two equipment managers and Steiner Sports, the company with whom Manning is under contract to provide game-worn jerseys and helmets for sale, said Monday night a settlement had been reached to resolve the claims. Details were not given.
Plaintiffs Eric Inselberg, Michael Jakab and Sean Godown had sought triple the amount of their alleged losses — which totaled less than $20,000 combined — for buying two helmets billed as worn by Manning. They also had sought punitive damages, and claimed in court filings they would produce evidence that would "show that Manning engaged in a pattern of knowingly providing items to Steiner Sports that he misrepresented as having been game-used when he knew they were not."
Manning and the Giants had denied the allegations and characterized the suit as "inflammatory and baseless" in court filings.
An attorney for the plaintiffs confirmed the settlement Monday night.
Inselberg filed the lawsuit in 2014. The suit claimed two helmets purchased by Inselberg and the two other plaintiffs — including one purportedly used by Manning during the Giants' 2007-2008 Super Bowl season — were bogus. Inselberg alleged photographic experts using a technique called "photomatching" could not find evidence that the helmets were ever used in games.
The Giants and Manning contend photomatching is unreliable because it does not take into account that helmets are routinely reconditioned during or after a season, the evidence of which might be found on the inside of the helmet and not the outside.
The stakes were raised in the lawsuit in April 2017 when Inselberg's attorneys filed court documents that contained emails between Manning and equipment manager Joseph Skiba, who also was a defendant in the lawsuit. In one email, Manning asks Skiba to get "2 helmets that can pass as game used."
The email does not refer to the two helmets at issue in the lawsuit, but Inselberg alleged it indicates a pattern of fraud.
When the emails went public last year, Manning angrily denied any wrongdoing. In a court filing this month, Manning's attorney wrote that the email was intended to ask Skiba for two game-used helmets that would "satisfy the requirement of being game-used."
"Manning never instructed Joe Skiba to create any fraudulent memorabilia," attorney Robert Lawrence wrote. "Rather, Manning believed that if he asked Joe Skiba for his helmets, he received his game-used helmets and that the helmets he received from Skiba were his game-used helmets."
In the same court filing, Manning's lawyer accused Inselberg of being "engaged in a decades-long memorabilia scheme" in which he obtained, without permission, game-used Giants equipment, including Manning's, from Skiba and Skiba's brother, Ed, as well as a local dry cleaner.
Elsewhere in the NFL:
Denver Broncos running back De'Angelo Henderson is recovering from minor shoulder and ankle injuries. He was hurt over the weekend when his Jeep was hit by a driver fleeing police in a stolen vehicle.
KCNC-TV in Denver reports that a 36-year-old woman was in custody after she allegedly struck several vehicles while evading police Saturday night in Parker, Colorado, sending four people to the hospital.
TENNIS
Serena Williams' coach says she will play the French Open beginning in two weeks.
It would be her first major tournament since returning to action following a 14-month maternity leave. The 23-time Grand Slam champion returned to the tour briefly this year, but she withdrew from last week's Madrid Open and this week's Italian Open.
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