National Sports - The Morning Sun

Toronto Blue Jays' Alejandro Kirk falls down after hitting a single off Pittsburgh Pirates' Carmen Mlodzinski during the sixth inning of a spring training baseball game Wednesday, March 15, 2023, in Dunedin, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Bucs' Keller gets opening day nod -- and a bottle of bubbly

Pittsburgh Pirates manager Derek Shelton handed Mitch Keller the opening day assignment and a celebratory bottle of bubbly. Shelton broke the news to the 26-year-old right-hander that he’ll get the … more

By BERNIE WILSON | 3/15/23

Frances Tiafoe, of the United States, returns a shot to Cameron Norrie, of Britain, at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament Wednesday, March 15, 2023, in Indian Wells, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Tiafoe upends Norrie, Gauff out in Indian Wells quarters

Frances Tiafoe has defeated 10th-seeded Cameron Norrie 6-4, 6-4 to reach the semifinals of the BNP Paribas Open. The 14th-seeded American ended the 2021 champion’s eight-match winning streak to … more

3/15/23

Norfolk State celebrates after defeating Howard in an NCAA college basketball game in the championship of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament, Saturday, March 11, 2023, in Norfolk, Va. (AP Photo/Mike Caudill)

HBCU commissioners working together on NIL, sports growth

Commissioners of conferences with historically Black colleges and universities have needed to find new ways to adjust to changes in college sports like NIL and the transfer portal. The four major … more

By ALANIS THAMES | 3/15/23

NASCAR legend Jeff Gordon, left, and William Byron, pose with Byron's trophy after winning the NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Phoenix Raceway, Sunday, March 12, 2023, in Avondale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Darryl Webb)

NASCAR issues largest team fine in history against Hendrick

NASCAR has levied the largest combined fine on one team in series history. Hendrick Motorsports faces a combined $400,000 fines for modifying air-deflecting pieces last weekend at Phoenix Raceway. … more

By JENNA FRYER | 3/15/23

Scottie Scheffler watches his shot from the 18th tee during the final round of The Players Championship golf tournament, Sunday, March 12, 2023, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Scheffler's menu for Masters: Steak, sliders and cookies

Masters champion Scottie Scheffler finally decided on his menu when he hosts the Masters Club dinner, and it wasn’t a big surprise — meat, fish and chocolate chip cookies. Scheffler says he'll … more

3/15/23

Furman guard Mike Bothwell celebrates his team's win over Chattanooga for the NCAA men's college basketball championship game for the Southern Conference tournament, Monday, March 6, 2023, in Asheville, N.C. (AP Photo/Kathy Kmonicek)

Furman found NCAAs thanks to college roommates, best friends

Furman has two best friends to thank in part for reaching its first NCAA Tournament since 1980. Mike Bothwell and Jalen Slawson met in the same dorm as freshmen in 2018. They've already vowed to be … more

By MARK LONG | 3/15/23

FILE - Raven Saunders, of the United States, poses with her silver medal in women's shot put at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 1, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. Saunders, the silver-medal shot putter who used her platform at the Tokyo Olympics to bring attention to social injustice, has been suspended for 18 months for failing to show up for doping tests. The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency announced the sanction Wednesday, March 15, 2023, for the 26-year-old, saying she had committed three “whereabouts failures” within a 12-month period ending on Aug. 15, 2022. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco, File)

Raven Saunders gets 18-month ban for missed doping tests

American shot put medalist Raven Saunders has been suspended for 18 months for failing to show up for doping tests. She won the silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics. The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency … more

3/15/23

Kansas head coach Bill Self applauds his team's play against Texas Tech during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Lawrence, Kan., Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2023. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann)

Kansas coach Bill Self 'day to day' at March Madness

Bill Self’s status for coaching Kansas in the NCAA Tournament is uncertain as he recovers from a heart procedure. Assistant coach Norm Roberts said the Jayhawks remain hopeful he’ll be on the … more

By ERIC OLSON | 3/15/23

FILE - Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers walks off the field after an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions, Sunday, Jan. 8, 2023, in Green Bay, Wis. Rodgers says he will make a decision on his future “soon enough” as the four-time MVP quarterback ponders whether to play this season and if his future remains with the Packers. (AP Photo/Morry Gash, File)

Rodgers says he intends to play for Jets this coming season

Aaron Rodgers says his intention is to play for the New York Jets in the coming season as the four-time NFL MVP quarterback waits for the Green Bay Packers to trade him. Rodgers made his comments … more

By The Associated Press | 3/15/23

FILE - Miami NCAA college basketball guards and sisters, Haley and Hanna Cavinder, practice Friday, Oct. 7, 2022, in Coral Gables, Fla. Haley and Hanna Cavinder are going to the NCAA Tournament. The Miami guards are perhaps the faces of the NIL movement in college athletics. And they have a massive following on social media. (AP Photo/Matt Dirksen, File)

Miami's Cavinder twins reach March Madness after transfer

Haley and Hanna Cavinder are going to the NCAA Tournament. The Miami guards are perhaps the faces of the NIL movement in college athletics. They have a massive following on social media. What Miami … more

By TIM REYNOLDS | 3/15/23

FILE - South Carolina's Aliyah Boston (4) drives to the basket as UConn's Dorka Juhasz (14) defends in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Sunday, Feb. 5, 2023, in Hartford, Conn. Boston was honored for the third straight year as an All-American by The Associated Press on Wednesday, March 15, 2023.(AP Photo/Jessica Hill, File)

Boston, Clark headline women's AP All-America team

Aliyah Boston of South Carolina is just the 10th player to be named a first-team AP All-American for a third time. Boston was joined on the first team by Iowa’s Caitlin Clark, Villanova’s Maddy … more

By DOUG FEINBERG | 3/15/23

Boston Bruins' David Pastrnak (88) celebrates his goal with Dmitry Orlov (81), Charlie McAvoy (73), Tyler Bertuzzi (59) and David Krejci (46) during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Rangers, Saturday, March 4, 2023, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Cup-hungry Boston Bruins shrug off shot at NHL records

The Boston Bruins have been cruising through the regular season,and racking up milestones along the way. They could amass the most wins in NHL history and the most points, too. The players and … more

By JIMMY GOLEN | 3/15/23

FILE - St. Peter's Doug Edert celebrates after defeating Monmouth in an NCAA college basketball game during the championship of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament, Saturday, March 12, 2022, in Atlantic City, N.J. St. By the time he and the Peacocks made history by becoming the first 15 seed to advance to the Elite Eight, Edert's mustache had its own Twitter handle and Edert himself had deals hawking chicken wings and a few other products. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

Social media madness gives opportunities to Edert and others

By the time Doug Edert and tiny Saint Peter's made history by becoming the first 15 seed to advance to the Elite Eight in last year's NCAA Tournament, Edert’s mustache had its own Twitter handle … more

By EDDIE PELLS | 3/15/23

Cuban players celebrate after defeating Australia in their World Baseball Classic quarterfinal game at the Tokyo Dome Tokyo, Wednesday, March 15, 2023. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Cuba beats Australia, reaches 1st WBC semifinal since 2006

Cuba advanced to the World Baseball Classic semifinals for the first time since 2006 with a 4-3 win over Australia as Alfredo Despaigne hit a tiebreaking sacrifice fly and Yoelkis Guibert followed … more

3/15/23

FILE - In this Jan. 23, 2018, file photo, Spain's Rafael Nadal answers questions at a press conference after retiring injured from his quarterfinal against Croatia's Marin Cilic at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia. Nadal pulled out of the upcoming hard-court tournaments at Indian Wells and Miami on Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2023, because of the left hip flexor injury that has sidelined him since the Australian Open. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File) (AP Photo/Mark Baker, File)

Nadal aiming to make comeback from injury at Monte Carlo

Tournament organizers say Rafael Nadal is aiming to make his comeback from a hip injury at the clay-court Monte Carlo Masters next month. The 22-time Grand Slam champion has been sidelined with a … more

3/15/23

Alabama forward Brandon Miller shoots a free throw during an NCAA college basketball game against Texas A&M in the finals of the Southeastern Conference Tournament, Sunday, March 12, 2023, in Nashville, Tenn. Alabama won 82-63. (AP Photo/John Amis)

Alabama's Miller tops list of NBA prospects at March Madness

This isn’t the type of NCAA Tournament that will give NBA fans an idea of what they can expect in the upcoming draft. The likely first two picks in the draft are Victor Wembanyama and Scoot … more

By STEVE MEGARGEE | 3/15/23

Illinois guard RJ Melendez (15) shoots between Purdue guard Fletcher Loyer (2) and guard Braden Smith (3) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in West Lafayette, Ind., Sunday, March 5, 2023. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Purdue's supporting cast helps set table for March Madness

There's no secret to Purdue's success this season. Get the ball to All-American center Zach Edey and let him go to work in the post. But if the top-seeded Boilermakers hope to avoid another early … more

By MICHAEL MAROT | 3/15/23

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) drives between Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker, left, guard Terrence Ross (8), forward T.J. Warren (21) and center Bismack Biyombo, right, during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, March 14, 2023, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Bucks clinch playoff spot, top Suns 116-104 for 50th win

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 36 points, Brook Lopez added 21 and the NBA-leading Milwaukee Bucks clinched a playoff spot by beating the Phoenix Suns 116-104 to become the first team to 50 wins this … more

By DAVID BRANDT | 3/15/23

Pittsburgh's Guillermo Diaz Graham reacts after hitting a 3-point shot against Mississippi State during the first half of a First Four game against Mississippi State in the NCAA men's college basketball tournament Tuesday, March 14, 2023, in Dayton, Ohio. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Pitt edges Mississippi St in back-and-forth First Four game

Jamarius Burton made a go-ahead jumper with 10 seconds left and Pitt edged Mississippi State 60-59 in a back-and-forth First Four game that featured 21 lead changes — most in the NCAA Tournament in … more

By MITCH STACY | 3/15/23

Texas A&M Corpus Christi's Jalen Jackson (4) shoots against Southeast Missouri State's Phillip Russell (1) during the first half of a First Four college basketball game in the NCAA men's basketball tournament, Tuesday, March 14, 2023, in Dayton, Ohio. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Texas A&M-CC ousts SE Missouri St 75-71 in NCAA First Four

Isaac Mushila had 15 points and 12 rebounds as Texas A&M-Corpus Christi held off Southeast Missouri State 75-71 to earn the first NCAA Tournament win in program history. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi … more

By JACOB BENGE | 3/14/23