KANSAS CITY CHIEFS Matt McMullen&nbsp;

The Kansas City Chiefs bolstered their defensive line on Monday by re-signing veteran defensive tackle Mike Pennel.

The 33-year-old Pennel returns for his third-consecutive season in Kansas City and his fifth overall when including his first stint with the Chiefs from 2019-20. Pennel appeared in all 17 games last year (with seven starts), logging a career-most three sacks. His 320 defensive snaps ranked third among defensive tackles on the team behind only Chris Jones and Tershawn Wharton.

A stout run-defender, Pennel was graded as the Chiefs' top defensive tackle against the run last season by Pro Football Focus. Additionally, among interior linemen with at least 150 run-defense snaps (a pool of 99 players), Pennel ranked 13th in the NFL last season against the run according to PFF's metrics.

Overall, Pennel was a significant contributor to a Chiefs' defense that ranked fourth in the league in scoring last season, and now re-signed, he'll aim to pick right back up where he left off next season.

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS Matt McMullen&nbsp;The Kansas City Chiefs bolstered their defensive line on Monday by re-signing veteran defensive tackle Mike Pennel.The 33-year-old Pennel returns for his third-consecutive season in Kansas City and his fifth overall when including his first stint with the Chiefs from 2019-20. Pennel appeared in all 17 games last year (with seven starts), logging a career-most three sacks. His 320 defensive snaps ranked third among defensive tackles on the team behind only Chris Jones and Tershawn Wharton.A stout run-defender, Pennel was graded as the Chiefs' top defensive tackle against the run last season by Pro Football Focus. Additionally, among interior linemen with at least 150 run-defense snaps (a pool of 99 players), Pennel ranked 13th in the NFL last season against the run according to PFF's metrics.Overall, Pennel was a significant contributor to a Chiefs' defense that ranked fourth in the league in scoring last season, and now re-signed, he'll aim to pick right back up where he left off next season.

Chiefs resign Defensive Tackle Mike Pennel

GOODYEAR, Ariz. (AP) — Figuring out a cause for the skyrocketing number of arm injuries among pitchers is easy.

Finding a solution could prove much more challenging.

Major League Baseball issued a 62-page report in December that showed how the focus on throwing with increased velocity and using maximum effort on every pitch was a likely reason for the increase in injuries. The study provided numerical data backing a thesis already supported by conventional wisdom.

“It makes sense,” Cleveland Guardians right-hander Tanner Bibee said. “You do anything at a max capacity, you’re going to be at more risk for injury. If you try to squat your absolute max, you’re going to get hurt more often than if you’re squatting a plate and a bar. It’s just kind of the nature of anything you do in life.”

The study showed that major league pitcher injured list placements increased from 212 in 2005 to 485 in 2024. Days on the IL rose from 13,666 to 32,257.

Tommy John surgeries for major and minor league players increased from 104 in 2010 to a peak of 314 in 2020, though they slipped to 281 last year.

The study recommended “ considering rule changes at the professional level that shift the incentives for clubs and pitchers to prioritize health and longevity.” Instituting those types of rule changes could prove challenging when pitchers of all ages understand how much MLB organizations are emphasizing velocity.

“I don’t know if rules are the right way to go about it,” said Chicago Cubs left-hander Matthew Boyd, who underwent Tommy John surgery in 2023. “You can’t tell someone to throw softer. But I was a guy in college that threw high 80s. I would randomly throw a hard number, but I didn’t know how to do it consistently right. But I got outs. But I knew that some wise people ahead of me told me outs are going to get you to the big leagues, velocity’s going to get you drafted. So therein lies the problem.”

Perhaps most concerning were the statistics involving younger pitchers.

Prospects who threw 95 mph or higher at the Perfect Game National Showcase for top high school players increased from three in 2018 to 36 in 2024. Thirty-five players selected in the top 10 rounds of last year’s amateur draft had Tommy John surgery, up from four in 2005.

The evidence of increasing injuries isn’t limited to this study. An Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine study showed there were five times as many injuries among Pac-12 baseball players in 2021 as in 2016, though that applied to all players and not just pitchers.

Problems are starting early in the pipeline

Those numbers help explain why one school of thought suggests any changes need to start at the youth level. That idea has the support of Eric Cressey, who trains more than 100 pro baseball players though his Cressey Sports Performance facilities in Florida and Massachusetts.

Cressey also is the New York Yankees’ director of player health and performance, but he was speaking only on his own behalf and wasn’t representing the Yankees on this issue.

“I’ve long maintained that everything begins with fixing what’s happening at the younger levels, and there will eventually be a trickle-up to the big leagues,” Cressey said.

Cressey noted the problems at the youth level by citing the videos he sees of young pitchers with “arms and legs flying everywhere” as they enter throwing programs when their bodies aren't prepared to handle it. He believes that young pitchers throwing max-effort showcases in the offseason and disregarding basic warmup guidance has contributed to significant injuries.

“Thirteen-year-olds should never be blowing out ligaments,” Cressey said. “That should just not be happening. And every time it happens, it’s because someone made a terrible, terrible decision on that child’s behalf, whether it’s a coach or a parent. Just like you or I wouldn’t let our kids have candy for dinner or run with scissors or something like that, some of the things that I see in the youth space are nothing short of embarrassing.”

Cressey recommends imposing a scouting dead period for the months of October, November and December.

“It’s absurd for us to ask a still immature 17-year-old to go out and throw 95 miles an hour in November when major league players are resting during that time period,” he said.

Of course, not all MLB pitchers rest during that time.

Pro pitchers don't rest like they used to

San Francisco Giants pitching coach J.P. Martinez says he doesn’t have a problem with major leaguers throwing throughout the year, though he acknowledges high-effort throwing year-round could make them more susceptible to injury.

“There’s quite a lot of guys that don’t shut down throwing at all nowadays,” Martinez said. “I think that gets vilified a little bit when a lot of the time they’re just keeping the arm moving and keeping the range of motion and workload at a certain level, so when they do ramp up, it’s less of a transition. You’re not going from zero to 60. You might be going from 30 to 60.”

The level of workload pitchers attempt in the offseason is notable because data shows that more injuries happen at the start of the season or in the preseason than at any other time of the year. The MLB study released in December showed that over 40% of the injured list placements due to elbow injuries from 2010-24 came in either March or April.

“That is generally because I don’t think guys are ramping up correctly,” Martinez said.

Guardians pitching coach Carl Willis said he’d like to see an industry-wide emphasis on “turning the clock a little bit to a more old-school and traditional type of way” that relies on locating pitches and changing speeds and shapes. Willis believes that approach could allow pitchers to realize they don’t have to go full-throttle every time they release the ball.

“To prevent some of these injuries, that’s kind of the direction we have to go,” Willis said. “You can’t take away the power and the profiles that these guys can create, but you can take a little bit of the pressure off.”

That pressure can start at the youth levels, which explains why MLB has established Pitch Smart initiatives that set recommended workload limits for pitchers. The idea is to limit the likelihood they would pitch with fatigue since that increases injury risk.

The trick is making sure those recommendations get followed, particularly at a time when pitching prospects across the world believe velocity is what's going to make an impression on scouts.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742912060057.jpeg" alt="&nbsp;FILE - Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Matthew Boyd (48) leaves a baseball game during the first inning against the Texas Rangers in Arlington, Texas, Monday, June 26, 2023. (AP Photo/LM Otero, File)" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;FILE - Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Matthew Boyd (48) leaves a baseball game during the first inning against the Texas Rangers in Arlington, Texas, Monday, June 26, 2023. (AP Photo/LM Otero, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>GOODYEAR, Ariz. (AP) — Figuring out a cause for the skyrocketing number of arm injuries among pitchers is easy.Finding a solution could prove much more challenging.Major League Baseball issued a 62-page report in December that showed how the focus on throwing with increased velocity and using maximum effort on every pitch was a likely reason for the increase in injuries. The study provided numerical data backing a thesis already supported by conventional wisdom.“It makes sense,” Cleveland Guardians right-hander Tanner Bibee said. “You do anything at a max capacity, you’re going to be at more risk for injury. If you try to squat your absolute max, you’re going to get hurt more often than if you’re squatting a plate and a bar. It’s just kind of the nature of anything you do in life.”The study showed that major league pitcher injured list placements increased from 212 in 2005 to 485 in 2024. Days on the IL rose from 13,666 to 32,257.Tommy John surgeries for major and minor league players increased from 104 in 2010 to a peak of 314 in 2020, though they slipped to 281 last year.The study recommended “ considering rule changes at the professional level that shift the incentives for clubs and pitchers to prioritize health and longevity.” Instituting those types of rule changes could prove challenging when pitchers of all ages understand how much MLB organizations are emphasizing velocity.“I don’t know if rules are the right way to go about it,” said Chicago Cubs left-hander Matthew Boyd, who underwent Tommy John surgery in 2023. “You can’t tell someone to throw softer. But I was a guy in college that threw high 80s. I would randomly throw a hard number, but I didn’t know how to do it consistently right. But I got outs. But I knew that some wise people ahead of me told me outs are going to get you to the big leagues, velocity’s going to get you drafted. So therein lies the problem.”Perhaps most concerning were the statistics involving younger pitchers.Prospects who threw 95 mph or higher at the Perfect Game National Showcase for top high school players increased from three in 2018 to 36 in 2024. Thirty-five players selected in the top 10 rounds of last year’s amateur draft had Tommy John surgery, up from four in 2005.The evidence of increasing injuries isn’t limited to this study. An Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine study showed there were five times as many injuries among Pac-12 baseball players in 2021 as in 2016, though that applied to all players and not just pitchers.<h2>Problems are starting early in the pipeline</h2>Those numbers help explain why one school of thought suggests any changes need to start at the youth level. That idea has the support of Eric Cressey, who trains more than 100 pro baseball players though his Cressey Sports Performance facilities in Florida and Massachusetts.Cressey also is the New York Yankees’ director of player health and performance, but he was speaking only on his own behalf and wasn’t representing the Yankees on this issue.“I’ve long maintained that everything begins with fixing what’s happening at the younger levels, and there will eventually be a trickle-up to the big leagues,” Cressey said.Cressey noted the problems at the youth level by citing the videos he sees of young pitchers with “arms and legs flying everywhere” as they enter throwing programs when their bodies aren't prepared to handle it. He believes that young pitchers throwing max-effort showcases in the offseason and disregarding basic warmup guidance has contributed to significant injuries.“Thirteen-year-olds should never be blowing out ligaments,” Cressey said. “That should just not be happening. And every time it happens, it’s because someone made a terrible, terrible decision on that child’s behalf, whether it’s a coach or a parent. Just like you or I wouldn’t let our kids have candy for dinner or run with scissors or something like that, some of the things that I see in the youth space are nothing short of embarrassing.”Cressey recommends imposing a scouting dead period for the months of October, November and December.“It’s absurd for us to ask a still immature 17-year-old to go out and throw 95 miles an hour in November when major league players are resting during that time period,” he said.Of course, not all MLB pitchers rest during that time.<h2>Pro pitchers don't rest like they used to</h2>San Francisco Giants pitching coach J.P. Martinez says he doesn’t have a problem with major leaguers throwing throughout the year, though he acknowledges high-effort throwing year-round could make them more susceptible to injury.“There’s quite a lot of guys that don’t shut down throwing at all nowadays,” Martinez said. “I think that gets vilified a little bit when a lot of the time they’re just keeping the arm moving and keeping the range of motion and workload at a certain level, so when they do ramp up, it’s less of a transition. You’re not going from zero to 60. You might be going from 30 to 60.”The level of workload pitchers attempt in the offseason is notable because data shows that more injuries happen at the start of the season or in the preseason than at any other time of the year. The MLB study released in December showed that over 40% of the injured list placements due to elbow injuries from 2010-24 came in either March or April.“That is generally because I don’t think guys are ramping up correctly,” Martinez said.<h2>The challenge with going old school</h2>Guardians pitching coach Carl Willis said he’d like to see an industry-wide emphasis on “turning the clock a little bit to a more old-school and traditional type of way” that relies on locating pitches and changing speeds and shapes. Willis believes that approach could allow pitchers to realize they don’t have to go full-throttle every time they release the ball.“To prevent some of these injuries, that’s kind of the direction we have to go,” Willis said. “You can’t take away the power and the profiles that these guys can create, but you can take a little bit of the pressure off.”That pressure can start at the youth levels, which explains why MLB has established Pitch Smart initiatives that set recommended workload limits for pitchers. The idea is to limit the likelihood they would pitch with fatigue since that increases injury risk.The trick is making sure those recommendations get followed, particularly at a time when pitching prospects across the world believe velocity is what's going to make an impression on scouts.

No easy answers for slowing down rising level of pitching injuries at all levels of baseball

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy sued his former girlfriend who accused him of attacking her, alleging the woman assaulted him and stole or destroyed more than $150,000 in cash and property.

Worthy filed the lawsuit Monday against Tia Jones in Williamson County, Texas, where the two lived and where Worthy played college football at the University of Texas.

Worthy was arrested earlier this month after Jones accused him of assaulting her, but the district attorney declined to file charges in that case after speaking to multiple witnesses.

In his lawsuit, Worthy alleges that Jones fabricated the allegations of abuse and that she became enraged after he asked her to move out of the home they were living in. He says in the lawsuit that Jones assaulted him, ripping out his hair, and destroyed his game room.

He also alleges that while he was in jail, Jones stole a handgun, $30,000 in cash, jewelry, a key to his Rolls Royce and other belongings.

An attorney for Jones, Angelica Cogliano, said Monday she had not seen the lawsuit and declined to comment.

Worthy is seeking between $250,000 and $1 million

“Plaintiff not only suffered bodily injuries and property damage as a result of this incident, but his credibility, veracity, and reputation suffered, and this narrative, although false, will always track his career and future in the NFL,” the suit states.

Worthy was chosen by the Chiefs with the 28th overall pick in last year’s draft after setting the record for the fastest 40-yard dash at the NFL combine. He got off to a quick start by scoring a pair of touchdowns in his NFL debut, and after a midseason lull, he became the Chiefs’ go-to wide receiver as they chased an unprecedented third consecutive Super Bowl title.

Worthy finished with 59 catches for 638 yards and six TDs while running 20 times for 104 yards and three more scores.

He was one of the few bright spots for the Chiefs in a 40-22 loss to Philadelphia in the Super Bowl, too. Worthy caught all eight of his targets for 157 yards and a pair of touchdowns at the Superdome in New Orleans.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742911919420.jpeg" alt="&nbsp;FILE - Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy addresses the media before NFL football practice, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;FILE - Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy addresses the media before NFL football practice, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy sued his former girlfriend who accused him of attacking her, alleging the woman assaulted him and stole or destroyed more than $150,000 in cash and property.Worthy filed the lawsuit Monday against Tia Jones in Williamson County, Texas, where the two lived and where Worthy played college football at the University of Texas.Worthy was arrested earlier this month after Jones accused him of assaulting her, but the district attorney declined to file charges in that case after speaking to multiple witnesses.In his lawsuit, Worthy alleges that Jones fabricated the allegations of abuse and that she became enraged after he asked her to move out of the home they were living in. He says in the lawsuit that Jones assaulted him, ripping out his hair, and destroyed his game room.He also alleges that while he was in jail, Jones stole a handgun, $30,000 in cash, jewelry, a key to his Rolls Royce and other belongings.An attorney for Jones, Angelica Cogliano, said Monday she had not seen the lawsuit and declined to comment.Worthy is seeking between $250,000 and $1 million“Plaintiff not only suffered bodily injuries and property damage as a result of this incident, but his credibility, veracity, and reputation suffered, and this narrative, although false, will always track his career and future in the NFL,” the suit states.Worthy was chosen by the Chiefs with the 28th overall pick in last year’s draft after setting the record for the fastest 40-yard dash at the NFL combine. He got off to a quick start by scoring a pair of touchdowns in his NFL debut, and after a midseason lull, he became the Chiefs’ go-to wide receiver as they chased an unprecedented third consecutive Super Bowl title.Worthy finished with 59 catches for 638 yards and six TDs while running 20 times for 104 yards and three more scores.He was one of the few bright spots for the Chiefs in a 40-22 loss to Philadelphia in the Super Bowl, too. Worthy caught all eight of his targets for 157 yards and a pair of touchdowns at the Superdome in New Orleans.

Chiefs WR Xavier Worthy sues woman who accused him of assault

LOS ANGELES (AP) — If Southern California wants to win its first national championship in 41 years, the Trojans will have to find a way to get it done without star guard JuJu Watkins.

They notched their 30th win for the first time since 1986 by walloping ninth-seeded Mississippi State 96-59 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Monday night. But they lost Watkins to a season-ending right knee injury in the first quarter.

She was streaking down the court on a fast break with two Bulldogs defenders nearby when her knee bent awkwardly as she planted her right foot. She immediately crumpled to the court. Watkins had to be carried off, unable to put any weight on her leg. She will have surgery and then rehabilitate, USC said, without specifying her injury.

The sight of Watkins writhing in pain on the court, holding her injured knee while her teammates stood around her and coach Lindsay Gottlieb rushed to the 19-year-old's side shocked the crowd of 7,808 at Galen Center.

“JuJu is a generational talent,” Mississippi State guard Jerkaila Jordan said. “She’s changed the game in so many ways at such a young age. Seeing her go down was really tough. I said my prayers for her.”

Losing Watkins just five minutes in on a non-contact play turned the home fans angry and they booed the Bulldogs the rest of the game. At halftime, they jeered the MSU cheerleaders' routine.

“You had to be here to feel it,” Gottlieb said. “I don’t know if people saw that through the TV, but it was a palpable thing.”

The top-seeded Trojans, meanwhile, were all business. Buoyed by the raucous crowd, they hit buzzer-beating shots at the end of the first, second and third quarters and ran their lead to 46 points in the fourth.

“I wouldn’t say this is our defining moment,” said Kiki Iriafen, who scored a season-high 36 points. “It’s what we expect of ourselves. We expect to win in this tournament regardless if it’s going our way, we have people, we don’t have people. That’s the standard here.”

Next up is the Sweet 16 in Spokane, Washington, where the Trojans (30-3) play fifth-seeded Kansas State (28-7) on Friday.

USC has yet to know what it's like playing without one of the biggest stars in college basketball. Watkins started all 34 games as a freshman, leading the Trojans to the Elite Eight while boosting attendance with strong support from her nearby community of Watts.

“I hope she can at some point see just the significance that she has here that goes so far beyond just her talent and abilities,” Gottlieb said. “That’s what’s really generational about it, the way she’s galvanized everyone, and the way that her team had her back and also really is a team.”

This year was supposed to be about winning it all.

It still could be, but the picture looks a lot different without Watkins.

Iriafen, a Stanford graduate transfer, showed what she can do without her running mate, shooting 16-of-22 to go with nine rebounds.

“Kiki is one of the best players in the country. She was electric,” Bulldogs coach Sam Purcell said. “We had our center on her, our guard on her, we doubled her, we went 2-3, we went man-to-man, we trapped her. We never stopped her.”

USC had five players in double figures against the Bulldogs, including three freshmen. One of them, Kaleigh Heckel, along with sophomore Malia Samuels, ran the offense in Watkins’ absence. They combined for nine assists, five steals and two turnovers. Heckel also scored 13 points and had six assists.

Another freshman, Avery Howell, tied her career high with 18 points and had four 3-pointers and six assists. A third freshman, Kennedy Smith, had 10 points and five steals.

“We have a pretty big role this year,” Howell said. “We’re prepared for most moments because of the time we’re given in games and how hard we work in practice.”

The Trojans won their first two tournament games by a combined 83 points.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — If Southern California wants to win its first national championship in 41 years, the Trojans will have to find a way to get it done without star guard JuJu Watkins.They notched their 30th win for the first time since 1986 by walloping ninth-seeded Mississippi State 96-59 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Monday night. But they lost Watkins to a season-ending right knee injury in the first quarter.She was streaking down the court on a fast break with two Bulldogs defenders nearby when her knee bent awkwardly as she planted her right foot. She immediately crumpled to the court. Watkins had to be carried off, unable to put any weight on her leg. She will have surgery and then rehabilitate, USC said, without specifying her injury.The sight of Watkins writhing in pain on the court, holding her injured knee while her teammates stood around her and coach Lindsay Gottlieb rushed to the 19-year-old's side shocked the crowd of 7,808 at Galen Center.“JuJu is a generational talent,” Mississippi State guard Jerkaila Jordan said. “She’s changed the game in so many ways at such a young age. Seeing her go down was really tough. I said my prayers for her.”Losing Watkins just five minutes in on a non-contact play turned the home fans angry and they booed the Bulldogs the rest of the game. At halftime, they jeered the MSU cheerleaders' routine.“You had to be here to feel it,” Gottlieb said. “I don’t know if people saw that through the TV, but it was a palpable thing.”The top-seeded Trojans, meanwhile, were all business. Buoyed by the raucous crowd, they hit buzzer-beating shots at the end of the first, second and third quarters and ran their lead to 46 points in the fourth.“I wouldn’t say this is our defining moment,” said Kiki Iriafen, who scored a season-high 36 points. “It’s what we expect of ourselves. We expect to win in this tournament regardless if it’s going our way, we have people, we don’t have people. That’s the standard here.”Next up is the Sweet 16 in Spokane, Washington, where the Trojans (30-3) play fifth-seeded Kansas State (28-7) on Friday.USC has yet to know what it's like playing without one of the biggest stars in college basketball. Watkins started all 34 games as a freshman, leading the Trojans to the Elite Eight while boosting attendance with strong support from her nearby community of Watts.“I hope she can at some point see just the significance that she has here that goes so far beyond just her talent and abilities,” Gottlieb said. “That’s what’s really generational about it, the way she’s galvanized everyone, and the way that her team had her back and also really is a team.”This year was supposed to be about winning it all.It still could be, but the picture looks a lot different without Watkins.Iriafen, a Stanford graduate transfer, showed what she can do without her running mate, shooting 16-of-22 to go with nine rebounds.“Kiki is one of the best players in the country. She was electric,” Bulldogs coach Sam Purcell said. “We had our center on her, our guard on her, we doubled her, we went 2-3, we went man-to-man, we trapped her. We never stopped her.”USC had five players in double figures against the Bulldogs, including three freshmen. One of them, Kaleigh Heckel, along with sophomore Malia Samuels, ran the offense in Watkins’ absence. They combined for nine assists, five steals and two turnovers. Heckel also scored 13 points and had six assists.Another freshman, Avery Howell, tied her career high with 18 points and had four 3-pointers and six assists. A third freshman, Kennedy Smith, had 10 points and five steals.“We have a pretty big role this year,” Howell said. “We’re prepared for most moments because of the time we’re given in games and how hard we work in practice.”The Trojans won their first two tournament games by a combined 83 points.

USC to face K-State without generational talent JuJu Watkins in lineup

LOS ANGELES (AP) —
JuJu Watkins' season is over. One of the biggest stars in women's
basketball sustained a knee injury in the first quarter of top-seeded
USC’s game against Mississippi State in the NCAA Tournament. A team
spokesperson says she will undergo surgery. Watkins was driving to
the basket when she went down with the non-contact injury. She
grabbed her right knee with a pained expression on her face. The
crowd in Galen Center went silent as coach Lindsay Gottlieb and two
other USC staffers attended to before being carried off the court by
multiple people. The Trojans won 96-59 to reach the Sweet 16 where
they will play Kansas State.

CHAPEL HILL, N.C.
(AP) — Alyssa Ustby scored 16 of her 21 points after halftime to
help North Carolina beat West Virginia 58-47 on Monday night in the
second round of the women’s NCAA Tournament. The fifth-year
senior’s big night included 10 third-quarter points for the
third-seeded Tar Heels, who reached the Sweet 16 for the first time
since 2022. North Carolina will face Duke in a regional semifinal in
Birmingham, Alabama — the first meeting between the rivals in the
women’s March Madness bracket. Jordan Harrison scored 10 points to
lead the sixth-seeded Mountaineers, who haven't made the Sweet 16
since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1994.

DENVER (AP) —
They’re playing for more than trips to the Final Four and a chance
to cut down nets at March Madness. It’s also a chance to see and be
seen – by other teams. In yet another sign of the times in college
sports, the transfer portal opens Monday, giving basketball players a
30-day window to switch schools. It means some of the 1,000 or so
players on the 68 teams that qualified for the NCAA Tournament are
playing to win, but also for more money, more playing time, a chance
to be seen and potentially set things up for next year.

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) —
Skylar Vann scored 17 points, Payton Verhulst added 16 and No. 3 seed
Oklahoma cruised into the Sweet 16 of the women’s NCAA Tournament,
dispatching No. 6 seed Iowa 96-62. Raegan Beers had 11 points, 13
rebounds and four blocks in just 18 minutes for the Sooners. Oklahoma
coach Jennie Baranczyk beat her alma mater and advanced past the
second round for the first time in her four years with the Sooners.
Oklahoma will play UConn or South Dakota State on Saturday in
Spokane, Washington. Iowa had reached the previous two national title
games with Caitlin Clark, who's now in the WNBA.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) —
Madison Booker scored 20 points and No. 1-seed Texas used a
smothering defense to earn a 65-48 victory over No. 8 Illinois in the
second round of the women's NCAA Tournament. The win sends the
Longhorns to the Sweet 16 for the fourth time in the last five
seasons. Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda added 19 points for Texas. Texas
outscored Illinois 18-6 in the second quarter, then broke the game
open at the start of the third when the Longhorns stretched the lead
to 24 after steals by Booker and Rori Harmon led to quick baskets.
Adalia McKenzie led Illinois with 13 points.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) —
Minnesota has hired Colorado State’s Niko Medved as its next coach.
The native of the Twin Cities area and former student manager for the
Gophers had the Rams within one basket of the Sweet 16. Colorado
State hit the 25-win mark and made the NCAA Tournament three times in
Medved's seven seasons. He was 143-85 with the Rams for the
second-best winning percentage in program history. Medved was the
front-runner for the Minnesota job from the start. His predecessor
Ben Johnson was fired after going 56-71 overall and 22-57 in the Big
Ten Conference over four years on the job.

UNDATED (AP) — Ben
McCollum, who led Drake’s dominating run through the Missouri
Valley Conference and a win in the NCAA Tournament in his only season
with the Bulldogs, is the new head coach at Iowa. Athletic director
Beth Goetz announced McCollum’s hiring 10 days after she fired Fran
McCaffery and two days after McCollum wrapped up a 31-4 season with a
second-round loss to Texas Tech. McCollum takes over a program that
had its worst season in seven years. The Hawkeyes were 17-16 and tied
for 12th in the Big Ten. Terms of McCollum’s contract weren’t
announced.

LAS VEGAS (AP) —
Former Georgia Tech and Memphis coach Josh Pastner has agreed to take
over UNLV’s program, two people with knowledge of the hiring
process told The Associated Press on Monday night. The two people
spoke to AP on condition of anonymity because no announcement has
been made. One of the people labeled it a “done deal.” Pastner
takes over Kevin Kruger, who was fired March 15 after going 76-55
over four seasons and failing to reach the NCAA Tournament.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.
(AP) — Bold decisions to change Major League Baseball’s
longstanding rules quickened the pace of games and revived the
popularity of stealing bases over the last few years. A similarly
creative move may be needed to help starting pitching regain the
relevance it enjoyed as recently as a decade ago. Thirty-four
pitchers worked as many as 200 innings and all 30 major league teams
got over 900 innings from their starters in 2014. Only four pitchers
threw 200 innings last season and just four teams got as many as 900
innings from their starters.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739459822020.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>LOS ANGELES (AP) —
JuJu Watkins' season is over. One of the biggest stars in women's
basketball sustained a knee injury in the first quarter of top-seeded
USC’s game against Mississippi State in the NCAA Tournament. A team
spokesperson says she will undergo surgery. Watkins was driving to
the basket when she went down with the non-contact injury. She
grabbed her right knee with a pained expression on her face. The
crowd in Galen Center went silent as coach Lindsay Gottlieb and two
other USC staffers attended to before being carried off the court by
multiple people. The Trojans won 96-59 to reach the Sweet 16 where
they will play Kansas State.CHAPEL HILL, N.C.
(AP) — Alyssa Ustby scored 16 of her 21 points after halftime to
help North Carolina beat West Virginia 58-47 on Monday night in the
second round of the women’s NCAA Tournament. The fifth-year
senior’s big night included 10 third-quarter points for the
third-seeded Tar Heels, who reached the Sweet 16 for the first time
since 2022. North Carolina will face Duke in a regional semifinal in
Birmingham, Alabama — the first meeting between the rivals in the
women’s March Madness bracket. Jordan Harrison scored 10 points to
lead the sixth-seeded Mountaineers, who haven't made the Sweet 16
since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1994.DENVER (AP) —
They’re playing for more than trips to the Final Four and a chance
to cut down nets at March Madness. It’s also a chance to see and be
seen – by other teams. In yet another sign of the times in college
sports, the transfer portal opens Monday, giving basketball players a
30-day window to switch schools. It means some of the 1,000 or so
players on the 68 teams that qualified for the NCAA Tournament are
playing to win, but also for more money, more playing time, a chance
to be seen and potentially set things up for next year.NORMAN, Okla. (AP) —
Skylar Vann scored 17 points, Payton Verhulst added 16 and No. 3 seed
Oklahoma cruised into the Sweet 16 of the women’s NCAA Tournament,
dispatching No. 6 seed Iowa 96-62. Raegan Beers had 11 points, 13
rebounds and four blocks in just 18 minutes for the Sooners. Oklahoma
coach Jennie Baranczyk beat her alma mater and advanced past the
second round for the first time in her four years with the Sooners.
Oklahoma will play UConn or South Dakota State on Saturday in
Spokane, Washington. Iowa had reached the previous two national title
games with Caitlin Clark, who's now in the WNBA.AUSTIN, Texas (AP) —
Madison Booker scored 20 points and No. 1-seed Texas used a
smothering defense to earn a 65-48 victory over No. 8 Illinois in the
second round of the women's NCAA Tournament. The win sends the
Longhorns to the Sweet 16 for the fourth time in the last five
seasons. Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda added 19 points for Texas. Texas
outscored Illinois 18-6 in the second quarter, then broke the game
open at the start of the third when the Longhorns stretched the lead
to 24 after steals by Booker and Rori Harmon led to quick baskets.
Adalia McKenzie led Illinois with 13 points.MINNEAPOLIS (AP) —
Minnesota has hired Colorado State’s Niko Medved as its next coach.
The native of the Twin Cities area and former student manager for the
Gophers had the Rams within one basket of the Sweet 16. Colorado
State hit the 25-win mark and made the NCAA Tournament three times in
Medved's seven seasons. He was 143-85 with the Rams for the
second-best winning percentage in program history. Medved was the
front-runner for the Minnesota job from the start. His predecessor
Ben Johnson was fired after going 56-71 overall and 22-57 in the Big
Ten Conference over four years on the job.UNDATED (AP) — Ben
McCollum, who led Drake’s dominating run through the Missouri
Valley Conference and a win in the NCAA Tournament in his only season
with the Bulldogs, is the new head coach at Iowa. Athletic director
Beth Goetz announced McCollum’s hiring 10 days after she fired Fran
McCaffery and two days after McCollum wrapped up a 31-4 season with a
second-round loss to Texas Tech. McCollum takes over a program that
had its worst season in seven years. The Hawkeyes were 17-16 and tied
for 12th in the Big Ten. Terms of McCollum’s contract weren’t
announced.LAS VEGAS (AP) —
Former Georgia Tech and Memphis coach Josh Pastner has agreed to take
over UNLV’s program, two people with knowledge of the hiring
process told The Associated Press on Monday night. The two people
spoke to AP on condition of anonymity because no announcement has
been made. One of the people labeled it a “done deal.” Pastner
takes over Kevin Kruger, who was fired March 15 after going 76-55
over four seasons and failing to reach the NCAA Tournament.SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.
(AP) — Bold decisions to change Major League Baseball’s
longstanding rules quickened the pace of games and revived the
popularity of stealing bases over the last few years. A similarly
creative move may be needed to help starting pitching regain the
relevance it enjoyed as recently as a decade ago. Thirty-four
pitchers worked as many as 200 innings and all 30 major league teams
got over 900 innings from their starters in 2014. Only four pitchers
threw 200 innings last season and just four teams got as many as 900
innings from their starters.MONDAY SCORESNATIONAL
BASKETBALL ASSOCIATIONFinal	Indiana	119	Minnesota	103	Final	Orlando	118	L.A.
Lakers	106	Final	Toronto	112	Washington	104	Final	Dallas	120	Brooklyn	101	Final	New
Orleans	112	Philadelphia	99	Final	Chicago	129	Denver	119	Final	Boston	113	Sacramento	95	Final	Phoenix	108	Milwaukee	106	NATIONAL HOCKEY
LEAGUEFinal
SO	Vancouver	4	New Jersey	3	Final
SO	Columbus	4	N-Y Islanders	3	Final	Dallas	3	Minnesota	0

Tuesday Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College

Tuesday, March 25 5:45PM B104 - Cougar Basketball - Barton Men vs Daytona State (NJCAA National Tournament) 6:00PM 1590/95.5FM - NBA Basketball - Golden State @ Miami Wednesday, March 26 6:00PM 1590/95.5FM - NBA Basketball - LA Lakers @ Indiana Thursday, March 27 2:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Royals Baseball - Cleveland @ Kansas City 6:00PM 1590/95.5FM - MLB Baseball - Detroit @ LA Dodgers Friday, March 28 3:45PM B104 - H.S. Baseball - Hutchinson @ Great Bend Saturday, March 29 2:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Royals Baseball - Cleveland @ Kansas City Sunday, March 30 12:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Royals Baseball - Cleveland @ Kansas City 5:00PM 1590/95.5FM - MLB Baseball - Atlanta @ San Diego Monday, March 31 12:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Royals Baseball - Kansas City @ Milwaukee Tuesday, April 1 12:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Sports Day 6:00PM 1590/95.5FM - Royals Baseball - Kansas City @ Milwaukee Wednesday, April 2 11:30AM 1590/95.5FM - Royals Baseball - Kansas City @ Milwaukee

Tuesday, March 25 5:45PM B104 - Cougar Basketball - Barton Men vs Daytona State (NJCAA National Tournament) 6:00PM 1590/95.5FM - NBA Basketball - Golden State @ Miami Wednesday, March 26 6:00PM 1590/95.5FM - NBA Basketball - LA Lakers @ Indiana Thursday, March 27 2:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Royals Baseball - Cleveland @ Kansas City 6:00PM 1590/95.5FM - MLB Baseball - Detroit @ LA Dodgers Friday, March 28 3:45PM B104 - H.S. Baseball - Hutchinson @ Great Bend Saturday, March 29 2:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Royals Baseball - Cleveland @ Kansas City Sunday, March 30 12:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Royals Baseball - Cleveland @ Kansas City 5:00PM 1590/95.5FM - MLB Baseball - Atlanta @ San Diego Monday, March 31 12:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Royals Baseball - Kansas City @ Milwaukee Tuesday, April 1 12:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Sports Day 6:00PM 1590/95.5FM - Royals Baseball - Kansas City @ Milwaukee Wednesday, April 2 11:30AM 1590/95.5FM - Royals Baseball - Kansas City @ Milwaukee

Eagle Radio and Hull Broadcasting PBP Schedule

Game 9: No. 17 Connors State () 63, No. 1 Snow () 62

Game 10: No. 2 Cowley (KS) 58, No. 15 Triton ( ) 57

Game 11: No. 4 South Plains ( ) 91, No. 20 Monroe ( ) 71

Game 12: No. 14 Vincennes ( ) 85, No. 3 Indian Hills () 71

Game 13: No. 9 Barton vs. No. 8 Daytona State @ 12:00PM

Game 14: No. 23 Trinidad State vs. No. 7 Trinity Valley @ 2:30PM

Game 15: No. 12 Angelina vs. No. 5 Jones @ 5:30PM

Game 16: No. 11 Frank Phillips vs. No. 6 Panola @ 8:00PM

<h2>MONDAY RESULTS</h2>Game 9: No. 17 Connors State () 63, No. 1 Snow () 62Game 10: No. 2 Cowley (KS) 58, No. 15 Triton ( ) 57Game 11: No. 4 South Plains ( ) 91, No. 20 Monroe ( ) 71Game 12: No. 14 Vincennes ( ) 85, No. 3 Indian Hills () 71<h2>TUESDAY SCHEDULE</h2>Game 13: No. 9 Barton vs. No. 8 Daytona State @ 12:00PMGame 14: No. 23 Trinidad State vs. No. 7 Trinity Valley @ 2:30PMGame 15: No. 12 Angelina vs. No. 5 Jones @ 5:30PMGame 16: No. 11 Frank Phillips vs. No. 6 Panola @ 8:00PM\

NJCAA National Tournament Monday Scores, Tuesday Schedule

In a tightly contested match Monday at the National Tournament in Hutchinson, Connors State College edged out the number one seed Snow College 63-62. Despite a strong second-half push by Snow, Connors held on to secure the win. DJ Dormu led Connors State with 16 points, while Edwin Daniel contributed a double-double with 13 points and 18 rebounds. For Snow, Chance Trujillo’s 15 points, including five three-pointers, were not enough to clinch the victory. Connors will advance to the next round, continuing their championship pursuit.

The No. 9 defending National Champion Barton Cougars are gearing up for a crucial second-round matchup against the No. 8 Daytona State Falcons. Set for a noon tip on Tuesday, the Cougars must first overcome Daytona State in order to advance to the quarterfinals, where they will face the Cowboys for a shot at a coveted Final Four berth. With their eyes on a back-to-back national title, Barton is ready to continue their championship defense in what promises to be another great game.

See the entire Championship Bracket <a href="https://d2o2figo6ddd0g.cloudfront.net/7/u/5x0stgat1y4j3s/2025_DI_MBB_Championship_Bracket_v14.pdf">HERE.</a>

In a tightly contested match Monday at the National Tournament in Hutchinson, Connors State College edged out the number one seed Snow College 63-62. Despite a strong second-half push by Snow, Connors held on to secure the win. DJ Dormu led Connors State with 16 points, while Edwin Daniel contributed a double-double with 13 points and 18 rebounds. For Snow, Chance Trujillo’s 15 points, including five three-pointers, were not enough to clinch the victory. Connors will advance to the next round, continuing their championship pursuit.The No. 9 defending National Champion Barton Cougars are gearing up for a crucial second-round matchup against the No. 8 Daytona State Falcons. Set for a noon tip on Tuesday, the Cougars must first overcome Daytona State in order to advance to the quarterfinals, where they will face the Cowboys for a shot at a coveted Final Four berth. With their eyes on a back-to-back national title, Barton is ready to continue their championship defense in what promises to be another great game.See the entire Championship Bracket <a href="https://d2o2figo6ddd0g.cloudfront.net/7/u/5x0stgat1y4j3s/2025_DI_MBB_Championship_Bracket_v14.pdf">HERE.</a>

NJCAA D1 Men's National Tournament No. 1 Snow gets Upset, Barton eyes another Championship

By DAVID BRANDT &nbsp;AP Baseball Writer

The American League Central was a surprisingly strong division last season, with four teams finishing above .500.

Then there was the Chicago White Sox — who racked up 121 losses for the most defeats in modern Major League Baseball history.

Expect more of the same in 2025. The defending champion Cleveland Guardians, along with the Detroit Tigers, Minnesota Twins and Kansas City Royals all have reason to believe they'll emerge at the top of the division.

As for the White Sox, there's pretty much nowhere to go but up, though it still looks like another tough season for Chicago's South Side.

1. Detroit Tigers. The Tigers are aiming to pick up where they did last season, keeping the key players that put together a late-season surge to end a decade-long playoff drought. Detroit’s rotation is led by AL Cy Young and Triple Crown winner Tarik Skubal and Jack Flaherty, who returned as a free agent after being dealt at the last trade deadline. Two-time All-Star second baseman Gleyber Torres was signed, shifting 23-year-old Colt Keith to first base. The Tigers had four banged-up outfielders in spring training and will possibly start the season without Matt Vierling, Parker Meadows, Wenceel Perez and Akil Baddoo. Spencer Torkelson, the No. 1 pick overall in 2020, is getting a chance to revive his career as a designated hitter and is a potentially pivotal player in a lineup that could get a boost with his bat.

2. Kansas City Royals. The long-suffering club nearly went from worst-to-first last year, earning a wild card and beating the Orioles in the playoffs before losing to the Yankees in four games in the Division Series. They re-signed Michael Wacha and Michael Lorenzen to keep intact the majority of a stellar rotation that includes All-Stars Cole Ragans and Seth Lugo. Their biggest move of the offseason came when they dealt homegrown starter Brady Singer to Cincinnati to land infielder Jonathan India, whom they hope can improve their on-base percentage at the top of the lineup. Kansas City was unable to land the outfield bat that it coveted in free agency, so it will be important for MJ Melendez, Kyle Isbel and Hunter Renfroe to show improvement for the offense to take a step forward. If they can stay as healthy as last year, and All-Star SS Bobby Witt Jr. comes close to matching his near-MVP season, the Royals should be in the mix for their first AL Central title since 2015.

3. Cleveland Guardians. What can Stephen Vogt do for an encore? In his first season, Vogt took the Guardians to the ALCS and won AL Manager of the Year honors. Vogt has one of the best bullpens in the majors led by closer Emmanuel Clase, who was second the majors with 47 saves. The top of the lineup is strong with third baseman José Ramírez, outfielder Steven Kwan and first baseman Carlos Santana back for a third stint in Cleveland. The rotation has some questions until Shane Bieber returns possibly after the All-Star break after having Tommy John surgery last year. The bottom of the lineup also lacks power. Catcher Bo Naylor needs to bounce back after batting only .201 with 13 home runs last season.

4. Minnesota Twins. The Twins had another quiet winter with their payroll in a holding pattern after it was slashed last year in response to the loss of regional television revenue that several of their peers across the game have been grappling with. That raised the collective angst within the fan base following a 12-27 finish to the 2024 season that cost them a spot in the postseason. While they’ll roll out largely the same lineup as last year, banking on better health for stars Carlos Correa and Royce Lewis — the latter was dealing with a hamstring issue in spring training — they did overhaul their entire hitting staff. Matt Borgschulte was hired away from the Baltimore Orioles to be the new hitting coach. The Twins were 10th in the major leagues in runs in each of the last two years despite the series of injuries to several of their key hitters, and their flame-throwing pitching staff that ranked second in baseball in strikeouts in 2024 and first in 2023 features a potentially dominant late-inning trio with Cole Sands and Griffin Jax setting up Jhoan Durán.

5. Chicago White Sox. The team has new leadership in the dugout with Will Venable taking over for Pedro Grifol, who was fired last August in the midst of a brutal 41-121 season. Venable was an associate manager under Bruce Bochy in Texas for the past two years. Chicago dealt pitcher Garrett Crochet to Boston, but the White Sox hung onto Luis Robert Jr. for now coming off an injury-riddled season. Outfielder Andrew Benintendi was expected to miss four to six weeks after breaking his right hand when he was hit by a pitch during a spring training game in late February. It's going to be another rebuilding year for the franchise. Chicago has restocked its minor league system, but help still appears to be a couple years away.

Detroit's Skubal emerged as one of the game's elite pitchers with a brilliant season in 2024, going 18-4 with a 2.39 ERA and 228 strikeouts. The 28-year-old should just be entering his prime years, boasting a 100 mph fastball that's tough to square up.

If spring training is any indication, he's primed for another great season. He had a 2.70 ERA with 15 strikeouts in 13 1/3 innings through his first four Grapefruit League outings.

Lewis' quest for a healthy season in Minnesota is not off to a good start. The third baseman strained his left hamstring on March 16, which could affect his ability for opening day.

The 25-year-old Lewis made his big league debut in 2022, but his development has been slowed by injuries. He missed the 2021 season after he tore his right ACL when he slipped on ice during a winter storm at his Texas home and had ACL surgery on the same knee on June 21, 2022.

He opened the 2023 season on the 60-day injured list while he recovered from his June knee surgery. He also had IL stints that year with a strained left oblique and a left hamstring strain.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742744655258.jpeg" alt="&nbsp;Kansas City Royals Bobby Witt Jr. hits a solo hime run during the fourth inning of a spring training baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Kansas City Royals Bobby Witt Jr. hits a solo hime run during the fourth inning of a spring training baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)</figcaption>
 </figure>By DAVID BRANDT &nbsp;AP Baseball WriterThe American League Central was a surprisingly strong division last season, with four teams finishing above .500.Then there was the Chicago White Sox — who racked up 121 losses for the most defeats in modern Major League Baseball history.Expect more of the same in 2025. The defending champion Cleveland Guardians, along with the Detroit Tigers, Minnesota Twins and Kansas City Royals all have reason to believe they'll emerge at the top of the division.As for the White Sox, there's pretty much nowhere to go but up, though it still looks like another tough season for Chicago's South Side.<h2>How they project</h2>1. Detroit Tigers. The Tigers are aiming to pick up where they did last season, keeping the key players that put together a late-season surge to end a decade-long playoff drought. Detroit’s rotation is led by AL Cy Young and Triple Crown winner Tarik Skubal and Jack Flaherty, who returned as a free agent after being dealt at the last trade deadline. Two-time All-Star second baseman Gleyber Torres was signed, shifting 23-year-old Colt Keith to first base. The Tigers had four banged-up outfielders in spring training and will possibly start the season without Matt Vierling, Parker Meadows, Wenceel Perez and Akil Baddoo. Spencer Torkelson, the No. 1 pick overall in 2020, is getting a chance to revive his career as a designated hitter and is a potentially pivotal player in a lineup that could get a boost with his bat.2. Kansas City Royals. The long-suffering club nearly went from worst-to-first last year, earning a wild card and beating the Orioles in the playoffs before losing to the Yankees in four games in the Division Series. They re-signed Michael Wacha and Michael Lorenzen to keep intact the majority of a stellar rotation that includes All-Stars Cole Ragans and Seth Lugo. Their biggest move of the offseason came when they dealt homegrown starter Brady Singer to Cincinnati to land infielder Jonathan India, whom they hope can improve their on-base percentage at the top of the lineup. Kansas City was unable to land the outfield bat that it coveted in free agency, so it will be important for MJ Melendez, Kyle Isbel and Hunter Renfroe to show improvement for the offense to take a step forward. If they can stay as healthy as last year, and All-Star SS Bobby Witt Jr. comes close to matching his near-MVP season, the Royals should be in the mix for their first AL Central title since 2015.3. Cleveland Guardians. What can Stephen Vogt do for an encore? In his first season, Vogt took the Guardians to the ALCS and won AL Manager of the Year honors. Vogt has one of the best bullpens in the majors led by closer Emmanuel Clase, who was second the majors with 47 saves. The top of the lineup is strong with third baseman José Ramírez, outfielder Steven Kwan and first baseman Carlos Santana back for a third stint in Cleveland. The rotation has some questions until Shane Bieber returns possibly after the All-Star break after having Tommy John surgery last year. The bottom of the lineup also lacks power. Catcher Bo Naylor needs to bounce back after batting only .201 with 13 home runs last season.4. Minnesota Twins. The Twins had another quiet winter with their payroll in a holding pattern after it was slashed last year in response to the loss of regional television revenue that several of their peers across the game have been grappling with. That raised the collective angst within the fan base following a 12-27 finish to the 2024 season that cost them a spot in the postseason. While they’ll roll out largely the same lineup as last year, banking on better health for stars Carlos Correa and Royce Lewis — the latter was dealing with a hamstring issue in spring training — they did overhaul their entire hitting staff. Matt Borgschulte was hired away from the Baltimore Orioles to be the new hitting coach. The Twins were 10th in the major leagues in runs in each of the last two years despite the series of injuries to several of their key hitters, and their flame-throwing pitching staff that ranked second in baseball in strikeouts in 2024 and first in 2023 features a potentially dominant late-inning trio with Cole Sands and Griffin Jax setting up Jhoan Durán.5. Chicago White Sox. The team has new leadership in the dugout with Will Venable taking over for Pedro Grifol, who was fired last August in the midst of a brutal 41-121 season. Venable was an associate manager under Bruce Bochy in Texas for the past two years. Chicago dealt pitcher Garrett Crochet to Boston, but the White Sox hung onto Luis Robert Jr. for now coming off an injury-riddled season. Outfielder Andrew Benintendi was expected to miss four to six weeks after breaking his right hand when he was hit by a pitch during a spring training game in late February. It's going to be another rebuilding year for the franchise. Chicago has restocked its minor league system, but help still appears to be a couple years away.<h2>Skubal's encore</h2>Detroit's Skubal emerged as one of the game's elite pitchers with a brilliant season in 2024, going 18-4 with a 2.39 ERA and 228 strikeouts. The 28-year-old should just be entering his prime years, boasting a 100 mph fastball that's tough to square up.If spring training is any indication, he's primed for another great season. He had a 2.70 ERA with 15 strikeouts in 13 1/3 innings through his first four Grapefruit League outings.<h2>Lewis hurt again</h2>Lewis' quest for a healthy season in Minnesota is not off to a good start. The third baseman strained his left hamstring on March 16, which could affect his ability for opening day.The 25-year-old Lewis made his big league debut in 2022, but his development has been slowed by injuries. He missed the 2021 season after he tore his right ACL when he slipped on ice during a winter storm at his Texas home and had ACL surgery on the same knee on June 21, 2022.He opened the 2023 season on the 60-day injured list while he recovered from his June knee surgery. He also had IL stints that year with a strained left oblique and a left hamstring strain.

AL Central Preview: Four solid teams, and then the White Sox

SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals have released right-hander Ross Stripling and catcher Luke Maile after they opted out of their contracts.

The Royals also said Sunday that right-hander Carlos Hernández was claimed off waivers by Philadelphia. First baseman Nick Pratto and outfielder Nelson Velázquez cleared waivers and were outrighted by the team to Triple-A Omaha.

The 35-year-old Stripling and 34-year-old Maile were in camp on minor league deals.

Stripling played for Oakland last season, going 2-11 with a 6.01 ERA in 22 games, including 14 starts. He is 40-54 with a 4.17 ERA in 248 career games, also playing for the Dodgers, Blue Jays and Giants.

Maile hit .178 with two homers in 55 games for Cincinnati last year. He is a .208 hitter with 21 homers and 113 RBIs in 440 career games, also playing for Tampa Bay, Toronto, Milwaukee and Cleveland.

SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals have released right-hander Ross Stripling and catcher Luke Maile after they opted out of their contracts.The Royals also said Sunday that right-hander Carlos Hernández was claimed off waivers by Philadelphia. First baseman Nick Pratto and outfielder Nelson Velázquez cleared waivers and were outrighted by the team to Triple-A Omaha.The 35-year-old Stripling and 34-year-old Maile were in camp on minor league deals.Stripling played for Oakland last season, going 2-11 with a 6.01 ERA in 22 games, including 14 starts. He is 40-54 with a 4.17 ERA in 248 career games, also playing for the Dodgers, Blue Jays and Giants.Maile hit .178 with two homers in 55 games for Cincinnati last year. He is a .208 hitter with 21 homers and 113 RBIs in 440 career games, also playing for Tampa Bay, Toronto, Milwaukee and Cleveland.

Kansas City Royals release right-hander Ross Stripling and catcher Luke Maile

Game 5: No. 9 Barton (Kan.) 92, No. 24 Brunswick (NC) 62

Game 6: No. 23 Trinidad State (Colo.) 83, No. 10 Pensacola St. (Fla.) 75

Game 7: No. 12 Angelina (Texas) 87,&nbsp;No. 21 South Georgia St. 70

Game 8: No. 11 Frank Phillips (Texas) 83,&nbsp;No. 22 Wallace State (Ala.) 69

Game 5: No. 9 Barton (Kan.) 92, No. 24 Brunswick (NC) 62Game 6: No. 23 Trinidad State (Colo.) 83, No. 10 Pensacola St. (Fla.) 75Game 7: No. 12 Angelina (Texas) 87,&nbsp;No. 21 South Georgia St. 70Game 8: No. 11 Frank Phillips (Texas) 83,&nbsp;No. 22 Wallace State (Ala.) 69

Sunday NJCAA National Tournament Scores

SUNDAY'S SCORESNCAA Men's Second
RoundSOUTHFinal	Michigan
St.	71	New Mexico	63	Final	Mississippi	91	Iowa
St.	78	MIDWESTFinal	Kentucky	84	Illinois	75	EASTFinal	Alabama	80	Saint
Mary's (Cal.)	66	Final	Duke	89	Baylor	66	Final	Arizona	87	Oregon	83	WESTFinal	Florida	77	UConn	75

NCAA Men's Tournament Scores

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP)
— Temira Poindexter hit a corner 3-pointer with 56 seconds left in
overtime — her eighth 3 of the game — and fifth-seeded Kansas
State dodged four misses by No. 4 seed Kentucky in the closing
seconds to win 80-79 in the second round of the women’s NCAA
Tournament. Kentucky star Georgia Amoore missed a jumper with 21
seconds left, a 3-pointer with 16 seconds remaining and then a
baseline layup at the buzzer. Poindexter missed her first six shots
but finished 8 of 15 beyond the arc to score 24 points. The visiting
Wildcats advanced to face either Southern California or Mississippi
State in the Sweet 16.

SEATTLE (AP) —
Caleb Love had 29 points and nine rebounds, and fourth-seeded Arizona
advanced to the Sweet 16, surviving a ragged finish to beat former
Pac-12 rival Oregon 87-83 in the NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats will
face top-seeded Duke in the East Region semifinals in Newark, New
Jersey. Three years ago, Love starred for North Carolina in a Final
Four victory over the Blue Devils that sent Hall of Fame coach Mike
Krzyzewski into retirement. Tobe Awaka added 12 points and 14
rebounds for the Wildcats, who had never faced the Ducks in the
tournament. Jackson Shelstad led fifth-seeded Oregon with 25 points
and TJ Bamba had 17.

MILWAUKEE (AP) —
Sean Pedulla scored 20 points, Jaemyn Brakefield had 19 and
Mississippi beat Iowa State 91-78 to reach the Sweet 16 of the NCAA
Tournament for just the second time in school history. Mississippi is
one of seven Southeastern Conference schools still standing, the most
teams any conference has sent to the third round in one season. Ole
Miss fans started chanting “SEC!” with over 5½ minutes left and
the game well out of reach. Next up for the sixth-seeded Rebels is
No. 2 seed Michigan State in a South Region semifinal on Friday in
Atlanta.

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) —
Tyrese Proctor had career highs of seven 3-pointers and 25 points to
continue his recent tear, helping No. 1 seed Duke beat Baylor 89-66
in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Freshman star Cooper
Flagg had 18 points, nine rebounds and six assists for the Blue
Devils, the headliner in the East Region and one of the favorites to
win it all. They will face either Oregon or Arizona in the Sweet 16
on Thursday in Newark, New Jersey. Proctor made 7 of 8 3-pointers —
his third straight game with at least six 3s. Freshman V.J. Edgecombe
scored 16 points for Baylor.

FORT WORTH, Texas
(AP) — Agnes Emma-Nnopu scored 23 points with four 3-pointers,
Hailey Van Lith had a double-double against her former team and
second-seeded TCU advanced to its first NCAA Sweet 16 in the women’s
NCAA Tournament with an 85-70 win over seventh-seeded Louisville. Van
Lith had 16 points and 10 assists Sunday after going to a Final Four
and two other Elite Eight games with Louisville from 2021-23. Sedona
Prince had 19 points and Donovyn Hunter 18, including three
3-pointers in a 17-0 run that put the 33-3 Horned Frogs ahead to
stay. Jayda Curry had a career-high 41 points for the 22-11
Cardinals.

WACO, Texas (AP) —
Madison Scott scored 14 points, including a tiebreaking jumper in the
final minute, and Mississippi advanced to the Sweet 16 of the women’s
NCAA Tournament with a 69-63 victory over Baylor on the Bears’ home
court. Sira Thienou scored 16 points as the Rebels won twice in Waco
three years after a first-round loss that was the first tournament
victory for South Dakota. Aaronette Vonleh scored 16 points for the
Bears. They failed to advance to the Sweet 16 from their arena for
the second time in four seasons under coach Nicki Collen. They had
done so eight consecutive times under Kim Mulkey, who won three
national championships at Baylor.

SEATTLE (AP) —
Derik Queen banked in a fadeaway jumper at the buzzer, and Maryland
advanced to the Sweet 16 in a thriller, beating Colorado State 72-71
in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Jalen Lake drilled a
rainbow 3-pointer over Queen with 6 seconds left for No. 12 seed
Colorado State, which was seeking to become the lowest-seeded team to
advance to a regional semifinal in this edition of March Madness. The
Terrapins advanced to face the West Region’s No. 1 seed, Florida,
in San Francisco. Queen led fourth-seeded Maryland with 17 points,
Rodney Rice scored 16 and Julian Reese had 15 as each of Maryland’s
starters known as the “Crab Five” scored in double figures.

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) —
Walter Clayton Jr. and Florida ended UConn’s pursuit of a third
straight national championship, with Clayton burying two key
3-pointers in the final three minutes of a scintillating 77-75
victory for the top-seeded Gators in the second round of the NCAA
Tournament. Clayton, a first-team All-America guard, finished with 23
points. Florida, one of the favorites for this year’s title,
survived a strong challenge from coach Dan Hurley’s Huskies, who
came in with modest expectations as a No. 8 seed but led for most of
the second half. Florida advances to the Sweet 16 for the first time
since 2017 and will play Colorado State or Maryland.

Tiger Woods has
confirmed his relationship with the former daughter-in-law of
President Donald Trump. Woods posted two images of he and Vanessa
Trump on social media. In one of them, she is cuddling with him on a
hammock. He wrote that “love is in the air.” And then he asked
his 6.4 million followers on X for privacy. Woods and Vanessa Trump
had been seen together in San Diego last month during the Genesis
Invitational. Her daughter Kai and Woods' two children attend the
Benjamin School. Woods also went public with photos when he announced
in 2013 he was dating skier Lindsey Vonn.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) —
The University of Texas fired basketball coach Rodney Terry after a
disappointing first season in the Southeastern Conference and another
quick exit from the NCAA Tournament. The move comes two years after
Terry led Texas to the Elite Eight in the 2022-2023 season. He was an
assistant under former coach Chris Beard and took over the program as
interim coach when Beard was fired. But he could not duplicate that
season’s success. Texas struggled in its first year in the SEC
despite having Tre Johnson, who led the league in scoring as a
freshman.

SUN VALLEY, Idaho
(AP) — Lindsey Vonn concluded her comeback season at age 40 with a
second-place finish in a World Cup super-G race Sunday that was won
by Swiss racer Lara Gut-Behrami. Vonn found her vintage form in
flying down the twisting and steep Challenger course at World Cup
finals. She pumped her ski poles after glancing at the scoreboard as
the large crowd roared. This was Vonn’s first World Cup podium spot
since March 15, 2018, when she finished third in a super-G in Are,
Sweden. She returned this season after a partial knee replacement.
Gut-Behrami earned the season-long super-G crystal globe by
overtaking Italian racer Federica Brignone.

HOMESTEAD, Fla. (AP)
— Kyle Larson passed Alex Bowman with six laps remaining in
NASCAR’s Cup Series race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, giving the
Hendrick Motorsports driver the 30th win of his career at one of his
best tracks. Larson sped by as Bowman scraped the wall on Turn 4 with
the lead. Larson extended his edge to more than a second over his
Hendrick Motorsports teammate, then held on to beat Bowman by 1.205
seconds for his second career Cup Series win at Homestead, and his
second victory of the weekend. Larson fell one race short of sweeping
the triple-header weekend.

Final	Oklahoma
City	103	L.A. Clippers	101	

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739459822020.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP)
— Temira Poindexter hit a corner 3-pointer with 56 seconds left in
overtime — her eighth 3 of the game — and fifth-seeded Kansas
State dodged four misses by No. 4 seed Kentucky in the closing
seconds to win 80-79 in the second round of the women’s NCAA
Tournament. Kentucky star Georgia Amoore missed a jumper with 21
seconds left, a 3-pointer with 16 seconds remaining and then a
baseline layup at the buzzer. Poindexter missed her first six shots
but finished 8 of 15 beyond the arc to score 24 points. The visiting
Wildcats advanced to face either Southern California or Mississippi
State in the Sweet 16.SEATTLE (AP) —
Caleb Love had 29 points and nine rebounds, and fourth-seeded Arizona
advanced to the Sweet 16, surviving a ragged finish to beat former
Pac-12 rival Oregon 87-83 in the NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats will
face top-seeded Duke in the East Region semifinals in Newark, New
Jersey. Three years ago, Love starred for North Carolina in a Final
Four victory over the Blue Devils that sent Hall of Fame coach Mike
Krzyzewski into retirement. Tobe Awaka added 12 points and 14
rebounds for the Wildcats, who had never faced the Ducks in the
tournament. Jackson Shelstad led fifth-seeded Oregon with 25 points
and TJ Bamba had 17.MILWAUKEE (AP) —
Sean Pedulla scored 20 points, Jaemyn Brakefield had 19 and
Mississippi beat Iowa State 91-78 to reach the Sweet 16 of the NCAA
Tournament for just the second time in school history. Mississippi is
one of seven Southeastern Conference schools still standing, the most
teams any conference has sent to the third round in one season. Ole
Miss fans started chanting “SEC!” with over 5½ minutes left and
the game well out of reach. Next up for the sixth-seeded Rebels is
No. 2 seed Michigan State in a South Region semifinal on Friday in
Atlanta.RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) —
Tyrese Proctor had career highs of seven 3-pointers and 25 points to
continue his recent tear, helping No. 1 seed Duke beat Baylor 89-66
in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Freshman star Cooper
Flagg had 18 points, nine rebounds and six assists for the Blue
Devils, the headliner in the East Region and one of the favorites to
win it all. They will face either Oregon or Arizona in the Sweet 16
on Thursday in Newark, New Jersey. Proctor made 7 of 8 3-pointers —
his third straight game with at least six 3s. Freshman V.J. Edgecombe
scored 16 points for Baylor.FORT WORTH, Texas
(AP) — Agnes Emma-Nnopu scored 23 points with four 3-pointers,
Hailey Van Lith had a double-double against her former team and
second-seeded TCU advanced to its first NCAA Sweet 16 in the women’s
NCAA Tournament with an 85-70 win over seventh-seeded Louisville. Van
Lith had 16 points and 10 assists Sunday after going to a Final Four
and two other Elite Eight games with Louisville from 2021-23. Sedona
Prince had 19 points and Donovyn Hunter 18, including three
3-pointers in a 17-0 run that put the 33-3 Horned Frogs ahead to
stay. Jayda Curry had a career-high 41 points for the 22-11
Cardinals.WACO, Texas (AP) —
Madison Scott scored 14 points, including a tiebreaking jumper in the
final minute, and Mississippi advanced to the Sweet 16 of the women’s
NCAA Tournament with a 69-63 victory over Baylor on the Bears’ home
court. Sira Thienou scored 16 points as the Rebels won twice in Waco
three years after a first-round loss that was the first tournament
victory for South Dakota. Aaronette Vonleh scored 16 points for the
Bears. They failed to advance to the Sweet 16 from their arena for
the second time in four seasons under coach Nicki Collen. They had
done so eight consecutive times under Kim Mulkey, who won three
national championships at Baylor.SEATTLE (AP) —
Derik Queen banked in a fadeaway jumper at the buzzer, and Maryland
advanced to the Sweet 16 in a thriller, beating Colorado State 72-71
in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Jalen Lake drilled a
rainbow 3-pointer over Queen with 6 seconds left for No. 12 seed
Colorado State, which was seeking to become the lowest-seeded team to
advance to a regional semifinal in this edition of March Madness. The
Terrapins advanced to face the West Region’s No. 1 seed, Florida,
in San Francisco. Queen led fourth-seeded Maryland with 17 points,
Rodney Rice scored 16 and Julian Reese had 15 as each of Maryland’s
starters known as the “Crab Five” scored in double figures.RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) —
Walter Clayton Jr. and Florida ended UConn’s pursuit of a third
straight national championship, with Clayton burying two key
3-pointers in the final three minutes of a scintillating 77-75
victory for the top-seeded Gators in the second round of the NCAA
Tournament. Clayton, a first-team All-America guard, finished with 23
points. Florida, one of the favorites for this year’s title,
survived a strong challenge from coach Dan Hurley’s Huskies, who
came in with modest expectations as a No. 8 seed but led for most of
the second half. Florida advances to the Sweet 16 for the first time
since 2017 and will play Colorado State or Maryland.Tiger Woods has
confirmed his relationship with the former daughter-in-law of
President Donald Trump. Woods posted two images of he and Vanessa
Trump on social media. In one of them, she is cuddling with him on a
hammock. He wrote that “love is in the air.” And then he asked
his 6.4 million followers on X for privacy. Woods and Vanessa Trump
had been seen together in San Diego last month during the Genesis
Invitational. Her daughter Kai and Woods' two children attend the
Benjamin School. Woods also went public with photos when he announced
in 2013 he was dating skier Lindsey Vonn.AUSTIN, Texas (AP) —
The University of Texas fired basketball coach Rodney Terry after a
disappointing first season in the Southeastern Conference and another
quick exit from the NCAA Tournament. The move comes two years after
Terry led Texas to the Elite Eight in the 2022-2023 season. He was an
assistant under former coach Chris Beard and took over the program as
interim coach when Beard was fired. But he could not duplicate that
season’s success. Texas struggled in its first year in the SEC
despite having Tre Johnson, who led the league in scoring as a
freshman.SUN VALLEY, Idaho
(AP) — Lindsey Vonn concluded her comeback season at age 40 with a
second-place finish in a World Cup super-G race Sunday that was won
by Swiss racer Lara Gut-Behrami. Vonn found her vintage form in
flying down the twisting and steep Challenger course at World Cup
finals. She pumped her ski poles after glancing at the scoreboard as
the large crowd roared. This was Vonn’s first World Cup podium spot
since March 15, 2018, when she finished third in a super-G in Are,
Sweden. She returned this season after a partial knee replacement.
Gut-Behrami earned the season-long super-G crystal globe by
overtaking Italian racer Federica Brignone.HOMESTEAD, Fla. (AP)
— Kyle Larson passed Alex Bowman with six laps remaining in
NASCAR’s Cup Series race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, giving the
Hendrick Motorsports driver the 30th win of his career at one of his
best tracks. Larson sped by as Bowman scraped the wall on Turn 4 with
the lead. Larson extended his edge to more than a second over his
Hendrick Motorsports teammate, then held on to beat Bowman by 1.205
seconds for his second career Cup Series win at Homestead, and his
second victory of the weekend. Larson fell one race short of sweeping
the triple-header weekend.SUNDAY'S SCORESNCAA Men's Second
RoundSOUTHFinal	Michigan
St.	71	New Mexico	63	Final	Mississippi	91	Iowa
St.	78	MIDWESTFinal	Kentucky	84	Illinois	75	EASTFinal	Alabama	80	Saint
Mary's (Cal.)	66	Final	Duke	89	Baylor	66	Final	Arizona	87	Oregon	83	WESTFinal	Florida	77	UConn	75	Final	Maryland	72	Colorado
St.	71NATIONAL
BASKETBALL ASSOCIATIONFinal	Detroit	136	New
Orleans	130	Final	Cleveland	120	Utah	91	Final	Boston	129	Portland	116	Final	San
Antonio	123	Toronto	89	Final	Miami	122	Charlotte	105	Final	Atlanta	132	Philadelphia	119	Final	Denver	116	Houston	111	Final	Oklahoma
City	103	L.A. Clippers	101	NATIONAL HOCKEY
LEAGUEFinal	Chicago	7	Philadelphia	4	Final	Buffalo	5	Winnipeg	3	Final	St.
Louis	4	Nashville	1	Final
SO	Florida	4	Pittsburgh	3	Final	Carolina	5	Anaheim	2	Final	Vegas	4	Tampa
Bay	2

Monday Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Kansas State forward Temira Poindexter missed her first six shots against Kentucky in the second round of the women's NCAA Tournament. She finished by hitting eight 3-pointers, and the last one sent the visiting Wildcats to the Sweet 16.

Poindexter made a&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/MarchMadnessWBB/status/1903901655135088762">corner 3 with 56 seconds</a>&nbsp;left in overtime, and Kansas State's defense did the rest to preserve an 80-79 victory Sunday on Kentucky's home court.

“In those moments, I do get down on myself,” Poindexter said. “My teammates come in and have my back and tell me to keep shooting so it really lifts me up and gives me confidence.”

Fifth-seeded Kansas State (28-7) dodged four misses by No. 4 seed Kentucky (23-8) in the closing seconds to advance to face either JuJu Watkins and top-seeded Southern California or No. 9 seed Mississippi State in a regional semifinal in Spokane, Washington.

Kentucky star Georgia Amoore missed a jumper with 21 seconds left, a 3-pointer with 16 seconds remaining and then a baseline layup at the buzzer. Amelia Haslett also missed a 3 that would have put Kentucky ahead at Rupp Arena.

“As soon as I caught it, I realized how open I was and it’s up to fate at that point,” Amoore said about her final attempt.

Poindexter finished 8 of 15 beyond the arc to score 24 points.

“Give her credit. She knocked down some very tough shots and we had a couple of situations where we had miscommunication and she got free,” Kentucky coach Kenny Brooks said.

Serena Sundell added 19 points and 14 assists for Kansas State, and her turnaround jumper with 8 seconds left forced overtime. Ayoka Lee scored 16.

Clara Strack led Kentucky with 22 points. Amoore scored 18 points on 7-of-23 shooting.

Amoore hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key to give Kentucky a 69-67 lead with 32 seconds left in regulation. After Sundell's basket, Kentucky's Dazia Lawrence could not get a clean look before time expired.

There were 21 lead changes, seven in the fourth quarter and overtime.

“You go the last ten minutes of the game and there were just huge shots by both teams and different players,” Kansas State coach Jeff Mittie said. “I’m really proud of our group to to be down five and to need to really dig deep defensively and make plays, but also very little margin for the other end.”

Kansas State: Sundell had 11 points in the first quarter to steady the visiting Wildcats after Kentucky jumped out to an early 7-0 lead. She also became the school's career assist leader.

Kentucky: The host Wildcats built small leads but could never extend their advantage to double digits.

Teonni Key rebounded her own missed jumper to make a layup that gave Kentucky a 66-61 lead with 2:11 to play. Kansas State responded with 3-pointers by Jaelyn Glenn and then Poindexter in a 40-second span. Key finished with 13 points and 15 rebounds.

Kentucky came in averaging seven blocks per game, but it was Kansas State denying shots with 13 blocks, including two on 3-point attempts in the second quarter. Those fueled a 12-3 run that propelled Kansas State to a 33-31 halftime lead.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742812835573.jpeg" alt="&nbsp;Kansas State's Temira Poindexter (2) takes an open shot against Kentucky in the second round of the NCAA college basketball tournament in Lexington, Ky., Sunday, March 23, 2025. (AP Photo/James Crisp)" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Kansas State's Temira Poindexter (2) takes an open shot against Kentucky in the second round of the NCAA college basketball tournament in Lexington, Ky., Sunday, March 23, 2025. (AP Photo/James Crisp)</figcaption>
 </figure>LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Kansas State forward Temira Poindexter missed her first six shots against Kentucky in the second round of the women's NCAA Tournament. She finished by hitting eight 3-pointers, and the last one sent the visiting Wildcats to the Sweet 16.Poindexter made a&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/MarchMadnessWBB/status/1903901655135088762">corner 3 with 56 seconds</a>&nbsp;left in overtime, and Kansas State's defense did the rest to preserve an 80-79 victory Sunday on Kentucky's home court.“In those moments, I do get down on myself,” Poindexter said. “My teammates come in and have my back and tell me to keep shooting so it really lifts me up and gives me confidence.”Fifth-seeded Kansas State (28-7) dodged four misses by No. 4 seed Kentucky (23-8) in the closing seconds to advance to face either JuJu Watkins and top-seeded Southern California or No. 9 seed Mississippi State in a regional semifinal in Spokane, Washington.Kentucky star Georgia Amoore missed a jumper with 21 seconds left, a 3-pointer with 16 seconds remaining and then a baseline layup at the buzzer. Amelia Haslett also missed a 3 that would have put Kentucky ahead at Rupp Arena.“As soon as I caught it, I realized how open I was and it’s up to fate at that point,” Amoore said about her final attempt.Poindexter finished 8 of 15 beyond the arc to score 24 points.“Give her credit. She knocked down some very tough shots and we had a couple of situations where we had miscommunication and she got free,” Kentucky coach Kenny Brooks said.Serena Sundell added 19 points and 14 assists for Kansas State, and her turnaround jumper with 8 seconds left forced overtime. Ayoka Lee scored 16.Clara Strack led Kentucky with 22 points. Amoore scored 18 points on 7-of-23 shooting.Amoore hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key to give Kentucky a 69-67 lead with 32 seconds left in regulation. After Sundell's basket, Kentucky's Dazia Lawrence could not get a clean look before time expired.There were 21 lead changes, seven in the fourth quarter and overtime.“You go the last ten minutes of the game and there were just huge shots by both teams and different players,” Kansas State coach Jeff Mittie said. “I’m really proud of our group to to be down five and to need to really dig deep defensively and make plays, but also very little margin for the other end.”<h2>Takeaways</h2>Kansas State: Sundell had 11 points in the first quarter to steady the visiting Wildcats after Kentucky jumped out to an early 7-0 lead. She also became the school's career assist leader.Kentucky: The host Wildcats built small leads but could never extend their advantage to double digits.<h2>Key moment</h2>Teonni Key rebounded her own missed jumper to make a layup that gave Kentucky a 66-61 lead with 2:11 to play. Kansas State responded with 3-pointers by Jaelyn Glenn and then Poindexter in a 40-second span. Key finished with 13 points and 15 rebounds.<h2>Key stat</h2>Kentucky came in averaging seven blocks per game, but it was Kansas State denying shots with 13 blocks, including two on 3-point attempts in the second quarter. Those fueled a 12-3 run that propelled Kansas State to a 33-31 halftime lead.<h2>Up next</h2>

Temira Poindexter's 3-pointer in OT gives Kansas State 80-79 win over Kentucky

Barton Community College basketball on B104 3 The Point sponsored by Nex-Tech Wireless, Damm Pipe Testing, Mpire Overhead Door, Best Western Angus Inn, Marmie Auto Group, Rosenberg Family Dentistry, The University of Kansas Health System, Venture Corporation, Nex-Tech, Cougar Booster Club, The 10th Street Eye Care Center, Freedom Claims Management and Kansas Fishing Tools

<div><a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/information/boosterclub/index"><img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1635967480149.jpeg"></a></div><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639328302345.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Barton Men 92 Brunswick 62<div><iframe width="100%" height="265" src="https://clyp.it/ovixl0s4/widget" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>Barton Community College basketball on B104 3 The Point sponsored by Nex-Tech Wireless, Damm Pipe Testing, Mpire Overhead Door, Best Western Angus Inn, Marmie Auto Group, Rosenberg Family Dentistry, The University of Kansas Health System, Venture Corporation, Nex-Tech, Cougar Booster Club, The 10th Street Eye Care Center, Freedom Claims Management and Kansas Fishing Tools

Barton Men 92 Brunswick 62

A team-by-team look at the American League Central, including key players each club acquired and lost, top hitters and projected rotations, and outlooks for the 2025 season.

2024: 92-69, first place, lost to Yankees in AL Championship Series.

He’s Here: 1B Carlos Santana, RHP Luis Ortiz, RHP Paul Sewald, RHP Jakob Junis, LHP John Means

He’s Outta Here: 1B Josh Naylor, 2B Andrés Giménez, CF Myles Straw, RHP Nick Sandlin, LHP Matthew Boyd, RHP Alex Cobb

Top Hitters: 3B José Ramírez (.279, 39 HRs, 118 RBIs, 41 SBs, .872 OPS), LF Steven Kwan (.292, 14, 44, .793 OPS), 1B Carlos Santana (.238, 23, 71, .749 OPS with Minnesota).

Projected Rotation: RH Tanner Bibee (12-8, 3.47 ERA), RH Ben Lively (13-10, 3.81), RH Luis Ortiz (7-6, 3.92 with Pittsburgh), RH Gavin Williams (3-10, 4.86), RH Triston McKenzie (3-5, 5.11)

Key Relievers: RH Emmanuel Clase (4-2, 0.61 ERA, 47/50 saves, 8.0 Ks/9 IP), RH Cade Smith (6-1, 1.91, 1 save), RH Hunter Gaddis (6-3, 1.57), RH Paul Sewald (1-2, 4.31, 16/20 saves with Arizona), LH Jakob Junis (4-0, 2.69, 1 save with Milwaukee and Cincinnati).

Outlook: With Ramírez leading the way on offense and one of baseball’s top bullpens, the Guardians should contend for their sixth AL Central title since 2016. However, there remain concerns about the rotation and the middle of the batting order. Bibee will be the staff’s ace until Shane Bieber returns later this season after having Tommy John surgery last year. The final two rotation spots are questionable after Williams and McKenzie struggled last season. While Ramírez and Kwan provide plenty of offense at the top of the order, the rest of the lineup needs to keep pace. This could be a pivotal year for catcher Bo Naylor, who had 13 home runs but batted only .201 last season.

2024: 86-76, second place AL Central, lost ALDS to Guardians.

Opening Day: March 27 at Los Angeles Dodgers.

He’s Here: 2B Gleyber Torres, RHP Jack Flaherty, RHP John Brebbia, RHP José Urquidy, RHP Tommy Kahnle, RHP Alex Cobb.

He’s Outta Here: RHP Shelby Miller, LHP Joey Wentz, RHP Alex Faedo, OF Mark Canha, 3B Gio Urshela.

Top Hitters: LF Riley Greene (.262, 24 HRs, 74 RBIs), RF Kerry Carpenter (.285, 18, 57), 1B Colt Keith (.260, 13, 61), OF/IF Matt Vierling (.257, 16, 57), Torres (.257, 15, 63), SS Javier Báez (.184, 6, 37).

Projected Rotation: LH Tarik Skubal (18-4, 2.39 ERA, 228 Ks in 192 IP), RH Jack Flaherty (13-7, 3.17 in 28 starts), RH Reese Olson (4-8, 3.53 in 22 starts), RH Jackson Jobe (0-0, 2 Ks in 4 IP), RH Casey Mize (2-6, 4.49).

Key Relievers: RH Jason Foley (3-6, 3.15 ERA, 28 saves), RH Will Vest (3-4, 2.82, 69 games), RH Tommy Kahnle (0-2, 2.11 in 50 games with New York Yankees, LH Tyler Holton (7-2, 2.19 in 66 games), RH John Brebbia (0-6, 5.86 in 59 games with Atlanta and Chicago White Sox).

Outlook: The Tigers are expected to contend for a spot in the playoffs, a year after a late-season surge ended a decade-long postseason drought. They kept their top players and made some key additions, signing a two-time All-Star (Torres) and bringing back Flaherty as a free agent to rejoin a rotation led by the AL Cy Young and Triple Crown winner (Skubal). Injuries may be a concern in the outfield with Vierling, Parker Meadows, Wenceel Perez and Akil Baddoo already banged up and oft-injured Cobb ailing again. If DH Spencer Torkelson can get in a groove at the plate, it would be a big boost for the lineup.

2024: 86-76, tied for second place, lost to Yankees in Division Series.

He’s Here: 2B Jonathan India, RHP Carlos Estevez, INF Cavan Biggio.

He’s Outta Here: RHP Brady Singer, INF Adam Frazier, OF Garrett Hampson, 1B/OF Tommy Pham.

Top Hitters: SS Bobby Witt Jr. (MLB-best .332, 32 HRs, 109 RBIs, 31 SBs), 1B Vinnie Pasquantino (.262, 19, 97), C/1B Salvador Perez (.271, 27, 104), 2B Jonathan India (.248, 15, 58), INF/OF Michael Massey (.259, 14, 45), INF/OF Maikel Garcia (.231, 7, 58, 37 SBs).

Projected Rotation: LH Cole Ragans (11-9, 3.14 ERA), RH Seth Lugo (16-9, 3.00 in MLB-best 33 starts), RH Michael Wacha (13-8, 3.35), RH Michael Lorenzen (2-0, 1.57), LH Kris Bubic (1-1, 2.67).

Key Relievers: RH Lucas Erceg (2-6, 3.36 ERA, 14 saves with Royals and Athletics), RH Carlos Estevez (4-5, 2.45, 26 saves with Angels and Phillies), RH Hunter Harvey (0-0, 6.35), RH John Schreiber (4-3, 3.66), RH Alec Marsh (9-9, 4.53), LH Angel Zerpa (2-0, 3.86).

Outlook: The Royals went from 106-loss laughingstock in manager Matt Quatraro’s first season to 86 wins, a second-place finish in the AL Central and a wild-card series win over Baltimore last year. The biggest reason for the abrupt turnaround was an almost entirely rebuilt starting rotation, which produced All-Stars in Ragans and Lugo and dependability in Singer and Wacha. Singer was traded to the Reds in the deal that landed on-base machine India to play 2B, but the rotation otherwise returns intact with Bubic, Lorenzen and Kyle Wright in the mix for the open job. The Royals failed to land an offensive upgrade in the corner outfield spots, so they will hope incumbents produce more than last season. They can hardly expect more from Witt, who finished second to the Yankees’ Aaron Judge in AL MVP voting while also winning Silver Slugger and Gold Glove awards during his All-Star season. The Royals play in a relatively weak division, so they expect to be in the mix for their first title since 2015, when they went on to beat the Mets for the World Series title.

Manager: Rocco Baldelli (seventh season).

He’s Here: 1B Ty France, OF Harrison Bader, LHP Danny Coulombe.

He’s Outta Here: 1B Carlos Santana, RF Max Kepler, OF Manny Margot, INF Kyle Farmer, OF Alex Kirilloff, LHP Caleb Thielbar, LHP Steven Okert, RHP Josh Staumont.

Top Hitters: SS Carlos Correa (.310, 14 HRs, 54 RBIs, .905 OPS in 86 games), CF Byron Buxton (.279, 18, 56, .859 OPS in 102 games), 3B Royce Lewis (.233, 16, 47 in 82 games), RF Matt Wallner (.259, 13, 37, .894 OPS in 75 games), C Ryan Jeffers (.226, 21, 64).

Projected Rotation: RH Pablo López (15-10, 4.08 ERA, 198 Ks in 185 1/3 innings), RH Bailey Ober (12-9, 3.98, 191 Ks in 178 2/3 innings), RH Joe Ryan (7-7, 3.60, 0.985 WHIP in 23 starts), RH Chris Paddack (5-3, 4.99 in 17 starts), RH Simeon Woods Richardson (5-5, 4.17).

Key Relievers: RH Jhoan Durán (6-9, 3.64 ERA, 23/25 saves, 66 Ks in 54 1/3 innings), RH Griffin Jax (5-5, 2.03, 10/16 saves, 0.873 WHIP, 95 Ks in 71 innings), RH Cole Sands (9-1, 3.28, 85 Ks in 71 1/3 innings), LH Danny Coulombe (1-0, 2.12 in 29 2/3 innings with Orioles).

Outlook: After losing 27 of their last 39 games to tumble out of a spot in the playoffs, the Twins will try to reset on the field while the franchise remains for sale and fan angst is stronger than it’s been in years. Keeping their best players healthy will be the first place to start, after Correa and Lewis missed long stretches with injuries. Buxton was more available than he’d been in seven seasons, but their freefall in mid-August coincided with him hitting the injured list with hip inflammation. Getting a healthy Ryan back for the rotation would also be a big boost, too, after he missed the last six weeks with shoulder trouble. The Twins were 10th in the major leagues in runs in each of the last two seasons despite the series of injuries to several of their key hitters, and their flame-throwing pitching staff that ranked second in baseball in strikeouts in 2024 and first in 2023 features a reliable group of starters and a potentially dominant late-inning trio with Sands and Jax setting up Durán. There’s plenty of potential in a wide-open division for the Twins to bounce right back in 2025.

By The Associated PressA team-by-team look at the American League Central, including key players each club acquired and lost, top hitters and projected rotations, and outlooks for the 2025 season.<h2>Cleveland Guardians</h2>2024: 92-69, first place, lost to Yankees in AL Championship Series.Manager: Stephen Vogt (second season).Opening Day: March 27 at Kansas City.He’s Here: 1B Carlos Santana, RHP Luis Ortiz, RHP Paul Sewald, RHP Jakob Junis, LHP John MeansHe’s Outta Here: 1B Josh Naylor, 2B Andrés Giménez, CF Myles Straw, RHP Nick Sandlin, LHP Matthew Boyd, RHP Alex CobbTop Hitters: 3B José Ramírez (.279, 39 HRs, 118 RBIs, 41 SBs, .872 OPS), LF Steven Kwan (.292, 14, 44, .793 OPS), 1B Carlos Santana (.238, 23, 71, .749 OPS with Minnesota).Projected Rotation: RH Tanner Bibee (12-8, 3.47 ERA), RH Ben Lively (13-10, 3.81), RH Luis Ortiz (7-6, 3.92 with Pittsburgh), RH Gavin Williams (3-10, 4.86), RH Triston McKenzie (3-5, 5.11)Key Relievers: RH Emmanuel Clase (4-2, 0.61 ERA, 47/50 saves, 8.0 Ks/9 IP), RH Cade Smith (6-1, 1.91, 1 save), RH Hunter Gaddis (6-3, 1.57), RH Paul Sewald (1-2, 4.31, 16/20 saves with Arizona), LH Jakob Junis (4-0, 2.69, 1 save with Milwaukee and Cincinnati).Outlook: With Ramírez leading the way on offense and one of baseball’s top bullpens, the Guardians should contend for their sixth AL Central title since 2016. However, there remain concerns about the rotation and the middle of the batting order. Bibee will be the staff’s ace until Shane Bieber returns later this season after having Tommy John surgery last year. The final two rotation spots are questionable after Williams and McKenzie struggled last season. While Ramírez and Kwan provide plenty of offense at the top of the order, the rest of the lineup needs to keep pace. This could be a pivotal year for catcher Bo Naylor, who had 13 home runs but batted only .201 last season.<h2>Detroit Tigers</h2>2024: 86-76, second place AL Central, lost ALDS to Guardians.Manager: A.J. Hinch (fifth season)Opening Day: March 27 at Los Angeles Dodgers.He’s Here: 2B Gleyber Torres, RHP Jack Flaherty, RHP John Brebbia, RHP José Urquidy, RHP Tommy Kahnle, RHP Alex Cobb.He’s Outta Here: RHP Shelby Miller, LHP Joey Wentz, RHP Alex Faedo, OF Mark Canha, 3B Gio Urshela.Top Hitters: LF Riley Greene (.262, 24 HRs, 74 RBIs), RF Kerry Carpenter (.285, 18, 57), 1B Colt Keith (.260, 13, 61), OF/IF Matt Vierling (.257, 16, 57), Torres (.257, 15, 63), SS Javier Báez (.184, 6, 37).Projected Rotation: LH Tarik Skubal (18-4, 2.39 ERA, 228 Ks in 192 IP), RH Jack Flaherty (13-7, 3.17 in 28 starts), RH Reese Olson (4-8, 3.53 in 22 starts), RH Jackson Jobe (0-0, 2 Ks in 4 IP), RH Casey Mize (2-6, 4.49).Key Relievers: RH Jason Foley (3-6, 3.15 ERA, 28 saves), RH Will Vest (3-4, 2.82, 69 games), RH Tommy Kahnle (0-2, 2.11 in 50 games with New York Yankees, LH Tyler Holton (7-2, 2.19 in 66 games), RH John Brebbia (0-6, 5.86 in 59 games with Atlanta and Chicago White Sox).Outlook: The Tigers are expected to contend for a spot in the playoffs, a year after a late-season surge ended a decade-long postseason drought. They kept their top players and made some key additions, signing a two-time All-Star (Torres) and bringing back Flaherty as a free agent to rejoin a rotation led by the AL Cy Young and Triple Crown winner (Skubal). Injuries may be a concern in the outfield with Vierling, Parker Meadows, Wenceel Perez and Akil Baddoo already banged up and oft-injured Cobb ailing again. If DH Spencer Torkelson can get in a groove at the plate, it would be a big boost for the lineup.<h2>Kansas City Royals</h2>2024: 86-76, tied for second place, lost to Yankees in Division Series.Manager: Matt Quatraro (third season).Opening Day: March 27 against Cleveland.He’s Here: 2B Jonathan India, RHP Carlos Estevez, INF Cavan Biggio.He’s Outta Here: RHP Brady Singer, INF Adam Frazier, OF Garrett Hampson, 1B/OF Tommy Pham.Top Hitters: SS Bobby Witt Jr. (MLB-best .332, 32 HRs, 109 RBIs, 31 SBs), 1B Vinnie Pasquantino (.262, 19, 97), C/1B Salvador Perez (.271, 27, 104), 2B Jonathan India (.248, 15, 58), INF/OF Michael Massey (.259, 14, 45), INF/OF Maikel Garcia (.231, 7, 58, 37 SBs).Projected Rotation: LH Cole Ragans (11-9, 3.14 ERA), RH Seth Lugo (16-9, 3.00 in MLB-best 33 starts), RH Michael Wacha (13-8, 3.35), RH Michael Lorenzen (2-0, 1.57), LH Kris Bubic (1-1, 2.67).Key Relievers: RH Lucas Erceg (2-6, 3.36 ERA, 14 saves with Royals and Athletics), RH Carlos Estevez (4-5, 2.45, 26 saves with Angels and Phillies), RH Hunter Harvey (0-0, 6.35), RH John Schreiber (4-3, 3.66), RH Alec Marsh (9-9, 4.53), LH Angel Zerpa (2-0, 3.86).Outlook: The Royals went from 106-loss laughingstock in manager Matt Quatraro’s first season to 86 wins, a second-place finish in the AL Central and a wild-card series win over Baltimore last year. The biggest reason for the abrupt turnaround was an almost entirely rebuilt starting rotation, which produced All-Stars in Ragans and Lugo and dependability in Singer and Wacha. Singer was traded to the Reds in the deal that landed on-base machine India to play 2B, but the rotation otherwise returns intact with Bubic, Lorenzen and Kyle Wright in the mix for the open job. The Royals failed to land an offensive upgrade in the corner outfield spots, so they will hope incumbents produce more than last season. They can hardly expect more from Witt, who finished second to the Yankees’ Aaron Judge in AL MVP voting while also winning Silver Slugger and Gold Glove awards during his All-Star season. The Royals play in a relatively weak division, so they expect to be in the mix for their first title since 2015, when they went on to beat the Mets for the World Series title.<h2>Minnesota Twins</h2>2024: 82-80, fourth place.Manager: Rocco Baldelli (seventh season).Opening Day: March 27 at St. Louis.He’s Here: 1B Ty France, OF Harrison Bader, LHP Danny Coulombe.He’s Outta Here: 1B Carlos Santana, RF Max Kepler, OF Manny Margot, INF Kyle Farmer, OF Alex Kirilloff, LHP Caleb Thielbar, LHP Steven Okert, RHP Josh Staumont.Top Hitters: SS Carlos Correa (.310, 14 HRs, 54 RBIs, .905 OPS in 86 games), CF Byron Buxton (.279, 18, 56, .859 OPS in 102 games), 3B Royce Lewis (.233, 16, 47 in 82 games), RF Matt Wallner (.259, 13, 37, .894 OPS in 75 games), C Ryan Jeffers (.226, 21, 64).Projected Rotation: RH Pablo López (15-10, 4.08 ERA, 198 Ks in 185 1/3 innings), RH Bailey Ober (12-9, 3.98, 191 Ks in 178 2/3 innings), RH Joe Ryan (7-7, 3.60, 0.985 WHIP in 23 starts), RH Chris Paddack (5-3, 4.99 in 17 starts), RH Simeon Woods Richardson (5-5, 4.17).Key Relievers: RH Jhoan Durán (6-9, 3.64 ERA, 23/25 saves, 66 Ks in 54 1/3 innings), RH Griffin Jax (5-5, 2.03, 10/16 saves, 0.873 WHIP, 95 Ks in 71 innings), RH Cole Sands (9-1, 3.28, 85 Ks in 71 1/3 innings), LH Danny Coulombe (1-0, 2.12 in 29 2/3 innings with Orioles).Outlook: After losing 27 of their last 39 games to tumble out of a spot in the playoffs, the Twins will try to reset on the field while the franchise remains for sale and fan angst is stronger than it’s been in years. Keeping their best players healthy will be the first place to start, after Correa and Lewis missed long stretches with injuries. Buxton was more available than he’d been in seven seasons, but their freefall in mid-August coincided with him hitting the injured list with hip inflammation. Getting a healthy Ryan back for the rotation would also be a big boost, too, after he missed the last six weeks with shoulder trouble. The Twins were 10th in the major leagues in runs in each of the last two seasons despite the series of injuries to several of their key hitters, and their flame-throwing pitching staff that ranked second in baseball in strikeouts in 2024 and first in 2023 features a reliable group of starters and a potentially dominant late-inning trio with Sands and Jax setting up Durán. There’s plenty of potential in a wide-open division for the Twins to bounce right back in 2025.<h2>Chicago White Sox</h2>2024: 41-121, fifth place.Manager: Will Venable (first season).Opening Day: March 27 vs. Los Angeles Angels.He’s Here: OF/INF Joey Gallo, INF Brandon Drury, LHP Martín Pérez, C Omar Narváez, INF Bobby Dalbec, LHP Tyler Gilbert, LHP Cam Booser, RHP Bryse Wilson, OF Mike Tauchman, OF Austin Slater.He’s Outta Here: LHP Garrett Crochet, 3B Yoán Moncada.Top Hitters: CF Luis Robert Jr. (.224, 14 HRs, 35 RBIs), LF Andrew Benintendi (.229, 20, 64), 1B Andrew Vaughn (.246, 19, 70).Projected Rotation: RH Jonathan Cannon (5-10, 4.49 ERA), LH Martín Pérez (5-6, 4.53 with Pittsburgh and San Diego), RH Davis Martin (0-5, 4.32), RH Bryse Wilson (5-4, 4.04 in 34 appearances and nine starts for Milwaukee), RH Sean Burke (2-0, 1.42).Key Relievers: RH Justin Anderson (1-2, 4.39, one save), RH Gus Varland (1-0, 3.42 with Los Angeles Dodgers and White Sox), LH Cam Booser (2-3, 3.38, one save with Boston).Outlook: The White Sox have nowhere to go but up, right? After all, they set a modern major league record for losses last year in GM Chris Getz’s first full season running baseball operations. The team has new leadership in the dugout with Venable taking over for Pedro Grifol, who was fired last August. Venable was an associate manager under Bruce Bochy in Texas for the past two years. Chicago dealt Crochet to Boston at the winter meetings. But the White Sox hung onto Robert at least for now coming off an injury-riddled season. Benintendi was expected to miss four to six weeks after breaking his right hand when he was hit by a pitch during a spring training game in late February, and right-hander Prelander Berroa is out for the season. The White Sox announced last week he would have Tommy John surgery, leaving them without a key reliever. The 24-year-old Berroa had a 3.32 ERA in 17 appearances last season.