Super Bowl XLVI
Silva: 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 NFC teams.
SportsTalk: Albert Pujols signs with the Angels and Prince Fielder joins the Tigers. Which team is better now?
Ryan Callahan scored three goals as the New York Rangers beat Philadelphia 5-2 on Saturday for their seventh straight win over the Flyers.
Jeremy Lin hit a free throw with 4.9 seconds left to overcome a dreadful second half and lift the New York Knicks to their fifth straight victory, 100-98, over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday night.
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 title chances now.
CFT: Jordan Jefferson makes it clear he wasn't happy with LSU's game plan in the Tigers' BCS Championship Game loss to Alabama.
Move over, Hollywood and NFL types, golf's two real A-listers take center stage Sunday at Pebble Beach, both in need of a win.
The United States swept favored Switzerland out of the Davis Cup on Saturday when Mardy Fish and Mike Bryan beat Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3.
Luis Suarez's refusal to shake hands with Patrice Evra overshadowed Manchester United's 2-1 win over rival Liverpool that lifted the defending champions to first place in the Premier League on Saturday.
Marlies Schild of Austria won her sixth World Cup slalom of the season Saturday after overall leader Lindsey Vonn and defending champion Maria Hoefl-Riesch crashed out in the opening run on the windy Pyrenees course.
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.
AP
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - One thing has changed for the Tennessee Lady Volunteers as they prepare for their 20th NCAA tournament as a No. 1 seed.
They’re comfortable once again being the team to beat.
A season ago, Tennessee was loaded with freshmen and the Lady Vols were uncomfortable being the favorite. It showed as they lost 71-55 in the opening round to 12th-seeded Ball State.
“We definitely have a big target on our backs,” sophomore center Kelley Cain said. “That makes it more fun. We want to be sought after, and we want to be the team that everyone wants to beat.”
The loss to Ball State was the Lady Vols first-ever exit in the opening round of the tournament. They made a commitment to playing and training harder this season to keep from being embarrassed again.
“Our basketball team has worked hard to put us in this position,” Tennessee coach Pat Summitt said. “We’re real serious, and we’ll be focused.”
Austin Peay (15-17), who will face Tennessee in the first round on Saturday, isn’t intimidated by the team that’s a top seed for a record 20th time and NCAA-best eight national championships.
The Lady Govs, who are the eighth team in history to make the NCAA tournament with a losing record, closed their season on a four-game winning streak to take the Ohio Valley Conference tournament championship.
“In the tournament anybody can beat anybody, it’s just a matter of who shows up and who is playing hard,” Austin Peay junior guard Ashley Herring said. “It’s just about going out there and playing hard and competing, and whoever is the best team at that time will win.”
The Lady Govs’ task isn’t an easy one. They’re playing in Tennessee’s home arena on the court named “The Summitt” for the Lady Vols’ legendary coach.
Despite the struggles of a season ago, Tennessee has only lost three times in the past three seasons in Knoxville and are undefeated at home this season.
“We have the best fan support anywhere we go, but especially at home. We have a regular routine and we can sleep in our own beds. Having that kind of comfort will help us and give us an advantage,” junior guard Angie Bjorklund said.
Tennessee is bigger than Austin Peay at every position, but the Lady Govs have had some experience being undersized having played Xavier and Pittsburgh during the regular season. They were routed by Xavier but lost by only a point to Pittsburgh.
“At one point or the other during the season, we played five teams that had been in the Top 25, so we have gone up against some top caliber teams,” Austin Peay coach Carrie Daniels said. “But I think the size is something our players are going to have to be aware of, and they can’t back down to that.”
The winner of the game will face either No. 8 Dayton or No. 9 TCU.
The Flyers (24-7) are making their NCAA tournament debut 15 years after moving to Division I.
“There’s a lot of emotion that goes along with it, but at the same time it almost hasn’t hit me that we are in the NCAA tournament,” sophomore forward Justine Raterman said. “This is what we’ve dreamed of and have been working for all season, and now it’s finally here.”
TCU (22-8) has reached the second round of the tournament in five of their eight appearances, most recently winning in 2006 as an 11th seed.
Horned Frogs coach Jim Mittie discarded talk that his team’s tournament experience will make a difference against Dayton. He noted TCU’s loss to NCAA newcomer South Dakota State 90-55 in the first round last year, where the Jackrabbits overcame any nerves by hitting 16 3-pointers.
“It’s really about your team is prepared coming in. I think that can be an overrated part of this. For every time you see one of those teams be really nervous and not play well, you see another one play great. It really just depends on the makeup of your team,” Mittie said.
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 title chances now.
Beyond the Arc: No. 11 Michigan State ends No. 3 Ohio State's 39-game home winning streak with a 58-48 victory.
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Adreian Payne scored 15 points, Draymond Green added 12 and defense-minded No. 11 Michigan State beat No. 3 Ohio State 58-48 Saturday night, ending the Buckeyes' 39-game home winning streak.
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.
Trae Golden scored 17 points, Jeronne Maymon added 15 points and 11 rebounds, and Tennessee upset No. 8 Florida 75-70 Saturday, ending the Gators' home-winning streak at 19.