UNDATED (AP) — The latest federal bill related to college sports would allow athletes to earn money from endorsements, loosen restrictions around transfers and permit players to return to school after entering a professional league's draft. The proposed legislation introduced Wednesday by Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran also would require the wealthiest athletic programs to increase spending on long-term medical care for athletes. The bill is the fourth to emerge from the Senate since December and second from a Republican. Most recently, Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy introduced a bill narrowly focused on giving college athletes the right to earn money off their names, images and likenesses.
AMES, Iowa (AP) — Ashley Joens scored 20 points, Lexi Donarski and Kristin Scott added 18 each, and Iowa State pulled away from No. 18 West Virginia for a 85-68 victory. Emily Ryan added 13 points for the Cyclones, who went 13 of 27 from 3-point range and 14 of 14 from the foul line for the highest point total allowed by the Mountaineers this season. Ryan added nine assists, giving her an ISU freshman record of 137 this year. Kysre Gondrezick scored 19 points for West Virginia, which was without starting point guard Madison Smith because of a hamstring injury that will keep her out at least until the postseason.
UNDATED (AP) — Nolan Arenado arrived at spring training about a week before the rest of the St. Louis Cardinals’ position players, trying to get accustomed to the time change of Florida from his home on the West Coast along with learning his way around his first new team in a dozen years in pro baseball. Now, the rest of the club has arrived for full-squad workouts in anticipation of the first games this weekend, and Arenado is fitting in seamlessly in Jupiter.
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — North Carolina State has its first four-game, ACC road winning streak in almost four decades following a 68-61 victory over 15th-ranked Virginia. Cam Hayes led the Wolfpack with 16 points and DJ Funderburk scored nine of his 14 points in the second half. NC State opened with a 17-4 run, outscored the Cavaliers 30-16 in the paint and trailed for just 48 seconds.
FAYETTEVILLE, AR. (AP) — Freshman Jaylin Williams scored 10 of his season-high 13 points during a 17-2 run that allowed No. 20 Arkansas to turn a six-point deficit into an 81-66 thumping of sixth-ranked Alabama. Moses Moody led all scorers with 24, 16 of which came from the free-throw line to help the Razorbacks beat a ranked team at home for the first time in three years. Jaylin Williams contributed 13 points and eight rebounds to Arkansas' fifth consecutive win.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles County sheriff is characterizing the crash that seriously injured Tiger Woods as “purely an accident.” Sheriff Alex Villanueva appeared to rule out any potential criminal charges even as authorities were still investigating. Deputies did not see any evidence that the golf star was impaired by drugs or alcohol after Tuesday’s rollover wreck on a downhill stretch of road known for crashes.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are open to giving seven-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback Tom Brady a contract extension. General manager Jason Licht reiterated today that the reigning champs would like to keep the 43-year-old quarterback in uniform for as long as Brady wants to play. Licht declined to characterize any conversations the team’s had about that prospect.
WEDNESDAY SCORES
TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Final (20)Arkansas 81 (6)Alabama 66
Final (11)Florida St. 88 Miami 71
Final (13)Creighton 77 DePaul 53
Final NC State 68 (15)Virginia 61
Final (25)Tennessee 70 Vanderbilt 58
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Final Cleveland 112 Houston 96
Final Atlanta 127 Boston 112
Final Golden State 111 Indiana 107
Final Oklahoma City 102 San Antonio 99
Final New Orleans 128 Detroit 118
Final OT Chicago 133 Minnesota 126
Final Miami 116 Toronto 108
Final Charlotte 124 Phoenix 121
Final Utah 114 L.A. Lakers 89