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Ryan Callahan scored for the fifth time in four days and defenseman Ryan McDonagh snapped a second-period tie to lift the New York Rangers to a 3-2 victory over the Washington Capitals on Sunday.
Kobe Bryant hit a baseline jump shot with 4.2 seconds left and the Los Angeles Lakers wrapped up a six-game road trip by holding on to beat the Raptors 94-92 on Sunday, their eighth victory in nine meetings with Toronto
Arc's five up, five down: After No. 11 Michigan State's 58-48 upset of No. 3 Ohio State, you'd be a fool to discount the Spartans' national title chances now.
Miami coach Al Golden says the worst is behind him, but his headaches figure to continue now that former booster Nevin Shapiro, now in jail, says his involvement with the Hurricanes program will result in stiff penalties.
Eleven shots separated Phil and Tiger Sunday at Pebble Beach as Lefty secured his 40th Tour win. Jason Sobel had hole-by-hole reports.
The United States completed a 5-0 rout of Switzerland in the Davis Cup on Sunday, with 19-year-old Ryan Harrison and John Isner winning closing singles matches.
Zambia has won the African Cup of Nations, beating pre-tournament favorite Ivory Coast 8-7 on penalties in a dramatic final at Stade de l'Amitie.
Tessa Worley of France fought off gusting winds to win a second consecutive World Cup giant slalom Sunday in the Andorran Pyrenees. Overall leader Lindsey Vonn was more than a second behind and finished eighth.
Robins: It’s the Year of the Dragon on the Lunar calendar, and this Chinese influence could extend to it also being the year of the Pekingese on the green carpet at the 136th Westminster Dog Show on Tuesday.
Reuters
GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Florida coach Billy Donovan wanted to stay. His star players knew it was time to go.
Donovan spurned a chance to return to Kentucky and take over the tradition-rich program, saying Thursday he hopes to build the same in Gainesville.
He’ll have to do it without Corey Brewer, Taurean Green, Al Horford and Joakim Noah. The four juniors will enter the NBA draft, saying they have accomplished all they could at Florida.
“I’m happy and I’m sad,” Donovan said. “Happy because I’ve never seen a group of kids grow the way these guys have grown, and sad that I’m not going to have a chance to coach them anymore. ... I do not expect any of them back here next year. Their commitment, their focus, is trying to further their careers in the game of basketball.
“When they put their minds to something they’re usually very, very successful at doing it.”
Donovan and the foursome led the Gators to consecutive national championships, capping the coach’s 11 years and setting the foundation for a program he hopes will someday be mentioned with the likes of Kentucky, Kansas, North Carolina, Duke and UCLA.
The Gators became the first team to win back-to-back titles since Duke in 1992. But following Monday night’s 84-75 victory against Ohio State, Donovan’s future had become the biggest question mark surrounding Florida.
Donovan acknowledged interest in the Kentucky job this week, saying he had a lot of admiration for the Wildcats. But he also said he intended to stay in Gainesville.
He proved it Thursday.
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“It’s all about where you’re at in life and what’s going to make you happy,” Donovan said. “I’m happy here at Florida. I love the University of Florida.”
Kentucky received permission to talk to Donovan about its coaching vacancy Wednesday. The coach and Kentucky AD Mitch Barnhart spoke early Thursday morning.
Donovan then met with Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley and agreed to stay put.
“We want to put basketball on the map here forever,” Foley said. “And there’s no question he’s the key component.”
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Donovan was the top choice to replace Tubby Smith, who left Kentucky last month to take the head job at Minnesota. Donovan spent five years as an assistant under Rick Pitino in Lexington, quickly learning about Kentucky’s unrivaled fan base and unrealistic expectations.
But he spent the last decade-plus in Gainesville, putting down roots with his wife and four children. He also turned a mediocre basketball program into a national power — at a place where football used to be king — and defied conventional wisdom held by his mentor, Pitino, his predecessor, Lon Kruger. Donovan has a 261-103 record at Florida.
He has two years remaining on his current contract worth $1.7 million annually, but was expected to sign a long-term extension “later this spring,” Foley said.
University of Florida president Bernie Machen and Foley have been working on a new contract for Donovan since last year. Negotiations began during Florida’s 2006 title run — and Foley said Thursday the “skeleton structure” had been completed — but Donovan postponed signing the deal worth about $2 million because he didn’t want to send the wrong message to the players who turned down NBA riches to stay in school.
The contract could be worth considerably more now.
Without Brewer, Green, Horford and Noah, Donovan’s job could be tougher, too.
Arc's five up, five down: After No. 11 Michigan State's 58-48 upset of No. 3 Ohio State, you'd be a fool to discount the Spartans' national title chances now.
Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 15 points and Evan Smotrycz added 13, helping No. 22 Michigan remain unbeaten at home with a 70-61 win over Illinois on Sunday.
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Zambia has won the African Cup of Nations, beating pre-tournament favorite Ivory Coast 8-7 on penalties in a dramatic final at Stade de l'Amitie.
Wesseling: Each NFL team enters the offseason with a series of pressing needs. Sometimes a team can address them all, sometimes they ignore them all. But if a team's smart, they'll listen to us. These are the most crucial aspects for AFC teams.
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