NCAA:
In men's college basketball, Arizona State knocked 2014 NCAA champion UConn out in the first round of this year's National Invitation Tournament, 68-61 last night. UConn senior guard Ryan Boatright missed the first game of his four-year career due to a left shoulder injury. Shaq McKissic scored 22 points for Arizona State. Rodney Purvis led UConn with 19 points.
In the first round of the NCAA Tournament Dayton squeaked by Boise State 56-55 and Robert Morris bested North Florida 81-77.
Mercer beat Stony Brook 72-70 in the first round of the CBI Tournament.
Syracuse university officials say coach Jim Boeheim will retire in three years and athletic director Daryl Gross has resigned following punishment from the NCAA for violations that lasted more than a decade.
NBA:
In the NBA, Cleveland beat Brooklyn 117-92, Oklahoma City defeated Boston 122-118, Philadelphia bested Detroit 94-83, Toronto topped Minnesota 105-100, Miami beat Portland 108-104, Chicago bested Indiana 103-86, Dallas defeated Orlando 107-102, San Antonio won against Milwaukee 114-103, the Clippers beat Sacramento 114-105, Golden State topped Atlanta 114-95, and it was Washington over Utah 88-84.
NHL:
Over on the ice, Chicago blanked the Rangers 1-0, Columbus edged Edmonton in a shootout 4-3, and it was Anaheim over Los Angeles in overtime 3-2.
NFL:
The Dallas Cowboys have come to terms with free agent defensive end Greg Hardy. Although Hardy could face a league suspension for violating the NFL's domestic conduct policy, the team said it has worked out a deal with the former member of the Carolina Panthers. Hardy remains on the commissioner's exempt list as he seeks reinstatement by the NFL. He was convicted on two counts of domestic violence in North Carolina before the case was dismissed on appeal.
Meanwhile, the NFL has filed a second lawsuit in North Carolina court seeking information from Hardy's bench trial as part of the league's investigation into the matter.
Buffalo also has signed free agent receiver Percy Harvin to a one-year contract. Harvin had 51 receptions for 483 yards and one touchdown for the New York Jets and Seattle Seahawks last year.
The New York Giants have signed former Jets defensive tackle Kenrick Ellis in a move to strengthen their weak run defense. The Giants finished 30th in run defense last season. Contract terms were not immediately available.
MLB:
In baseball spring training, Boston edged Minnesota 3-2, the Yankees bested Atlanta 12-5, Pittsburgh beat Detroit 8-6, Baltimore beat Minnesota 3-2, Tampa Bay tripled up Toronto 9-3, the White Sox bested Cincinnati 9-4, the Cubs beat the Dodgers 7-5, Milwaukee doubled up Kansas City 8-4, Seattle blanked Oakland 4-0, San Diego topped Colorado 10-3, and Arizona tripled up Colorado 6-2.
New York Yankees center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury will be out for a week because of a strained oblique. The Yankees made the announcement yesterday after seeing the results of an MRI exam. Ellsbury was scratched from the lineup on Tuesday and didn't make the road trip for the game last night against Atlanta.
Hartford's new minor league baseball team will be the Yard Goats. Team and city officials announced the name yesterday, complete with two goats, after a contest to rebrand the former New Britain Rock Cats. The Colorado Rockies' Double-A affiliate will begin playing in Hartford next year in a new ballpark just north of downtown.
Horse Racing:
Allen Jerkens, the Hall of Fame trainer who pulled off some of horse racing's biggest upsets and was affectionately known as "The Chief," has died. He was 85.
Jerkens had been ill for several weeks, and had been admitted to a hospital in Aventura, Florida earlier in the month. He died Wednesday, according to his son, Jimmy Jerkens.
Horses from Allen Jerkens' barn twice pulled off memorable upsets of 1973 Triple Crown winner Secretariat, first with Onion in the '73 Whitney Handicap and then with Prove Out in the Woodward Stakes. In the 1960s, his Beau Purple upset five-time Horse of the Year Kelso three times, which led to Jerkens' other nickname, "The Giant Killer."
Among other horses he trained were 1994 champion older female Sky Beauty, Devil His Due, Missy's Mirage and Emma's Encore. He won more than 3,800 races who earned more than $100 million, and was still actively training before entering the hospital.
Skiing:
Lindsey Vonn has won the season-long downhill title for the seventh time with a victory in last race of the discipline at the World Cup finals. The victory was the 66th of her career, increasing Vonn's already record number of World Cup wins.
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