Sports Headlines
Former Bishop Gorman football coach resigns from Texas Wesleyan
FT. WORTH, Texas - From the sideline of McCallum Stadium at Bishop Gorman in Tyler to the new frontier of Texas Wesleyan football's revival at Farrington Field in Ft. Worth, head coach Joe Prud'homme has brought success to every program he's coached. However, that same football revival will now continue under a new coach, as Prud'homme announced his resignation on Monday. According to a release from the University obtained by the Antler Sports Network, Paul Duckworth, Texas Wesleyan defensive coordinator, will serve as the interim coach. Last season, the Rams season ended heartbreakingly, with a loss to Louisiana Christian which was broadcasted on ASN2 for the Sooner Athletic Conference (SAC) title. The loss clinched back-to-back SAC Co-Championships for the Rams. ... Read MoreCowboys rework Dak Prescott’s contract to reduce cap hit
FRISCO, Texas (AP) — The Dallas Cowboys are slightly reducing quarterback Dak Prescott's massive salary cap hit by reworking his contract going into the final year of the deal, a person with knowledge of the move said Monday. A $5 million roster bonus has been converted into a signing bonus to reduce the 2024 cap hit by $4 million, to about $55 million, the person told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the club doesn't release details of contracts. The move was first reported by ESPN. The Cowboys can create more salary cap relief with an extension for Prescott, who is coming off a wild-card loss at home to Green Bay that dropped his playoff record to 2-5. ... Read MoreScottie Scheffler is reaching a dominance not seen since Tiger Woods
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Scottie Scheffler is next in line for comparisons with Tiger Woods because golf, like other sports, is always looking for the heir to the throne. Scheffler is playing great golf, measured as much by his elite ball-striking and alarming consistency as the results. He now has nine victories against the strongest fields — one of them a small field in the Bahamas — in the 25 months since he won his first PGA Tour title. Equally impressive is his 65% rate of finishing in the top 10. The next Woods? “I think that's a funny question,” Scheffler said Sunday evening after his record-tying final round made him the first back-to-back winner of The Players ... Read MoreDallas LB Leighton Vander Esch retires from NFL
FRISCO (AP) — Leighton Vander Esch retired Monday following six NFL seasons, with the linebacker stepping away after missing 12 games for the Dallas Cowboys last year because of the latest in a series of neck injuries. The announcement by the 28-year-old former first-round draft pick came three days after the Cowboys released Vander Esch with a failed physical designation. His injury last season was the fourth since 2019 involving the neck and was considered career-threatening. “I realize that I am no longer able to adhere to the unwavering standard of excellence that professional football demands. I say this with a heavy heart: I am medically retiring from the NFL,” Vander Esch said in a statement. “I love the game ... Read MoreUAB steamrolls Temple 85-69 to win AAC championship, berth in NCAA Tournament
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Alejandro Vasquez sank five 3-pointers on his way to scoring a career-high 29, Yaxel Lendeborg finished with his 19th double-double of the season and UAB cruised to a wire-to-wire 85-69 victory over Temple on Sunday in the championship game of the American Athletic Conference Tournament, earning the Blazers a spot in the NCAA Tournament for a 17th time. Vasquez opened the scoring with a 3-pointer two minutes into the game and the fourth-seeded Blazers (23-11) never looked back, heading to the Big Dance on a five-game win streak. Vasquez had 21 points by halftime to lead UAB to a 43-27 advantage. Vasquez accounted for nearly half of UAB's first-half output, hitting all five of his ... Read MoreHouston lands No. 1 seed in South Region that also features Marquette, Kentucky and Duke
Houston has a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year, but will have to navigate the likes of Duke, Kentucky and Marquette in the South Region if the Cougars are able to make their first Final Four since 2021. The Cougars (30-4) were rewarded on Sunday after winning the Big 12 regular-season title and reached the conference tournament title game before losing to Iowa State. They will face No. 16 seed Longwood, the Big South champion, in Memphis, Tennessee, in the first round on Thursday. Houston is be a No. 1 seed for the third time in school history, joining the 1983 team that reached the national championship game and last season when the Cougars ... Read MorePatriots, ex-Vikings WR K.J. Osborn agree to deal
ByABC News The New England Patriots filled a need at wide receiver by agreeing to a one-year contract with K.J. Osborn, a source told ESPN on Sunday. The agreement is for $4 million and can be worth up to $6 million, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter. The Patriots had made an aggressive free agent pitch to receiver Calvin Ridley before he decided to sign with the Tennessee Titans. Even after adding Osborn, the expectation is that New England still hopes to upgrade at receiver, perhaps looking to the draft. NFL scouts view the position as one of the deepest and most talented this year, and the Patriots own the No. 3 pick, in addition to selections near the top ... Read MoreYale earns Ivy League title, NCAA tournament berth on buzzer-beater
ByABC News NEW YORK -- Matt Knowling hit a jumper at the buzzer and Yale closed the game on an 8-1 run to beat Brown 62-61 in the championship game of the Ivy League tournament Sunday, sending the Bulldogs to the NCAA tournament for the seventh time. Kino Lilly Jr. sank two free throws to give the fourth-seeded Bears (13-18) a 60-54 lead with 27 seconds remaining. Bez Mbeng answered with a three-point play for No. 2 seed Yale (22-9) to make it a one-possession game. Nana Owusu-Anane hit the second of two free throws for Brown, but John Poulakidas buried a 3-pointer and the Bulldogs trailed 61-60 with 14 seconds left. Poulakidas fouled Malachi Ndur, who missed two free ... Read MoreDuquesne wins Atlantic 10 title for first NCAA bid in 47 years
ByABC News Duquesne-colored red, white and blue streamers fell from the rafters at Barclays Center with the Dukes leading by 15 in the Atlantic 10 tournament championship game, their first NCAA tournament bid in 47 years in reach. Problem was, there was still about 18 minutes left to play. Jimmy Clark III, Dae Dae Grant, coach Keith Dambrot and Duquesne eventually got the the full postgame celebration -- with a few less streamers -- beating fifth-seeded VCU 57-51 on Sunday to earn their first invite to March Madness since 1977. For the sixth-seeded Dukes (24-11), who started the conference season with a five-game losing streak, the hard way is the only way they know. "This isn't a situation we haven't ... Read MoreScheffler repeats at Players after Clark lip-out on 18
ByMARK SCHLABACH PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- In the first 49 years of the Players Championship, there had never been a repeat winner. Jack Nicklaus couldn't do it (three times). Neither could Fred Couples (twice), Davis Love III (twice), Tiger Woods (twice) and so many others. On Sunday, world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler became the first back-to-back Players winner in the 50th edition of the "fifth major" at TPC Sawgrass, chasing down Xander Schauffele from 5 strokes back at the start of the final round to win with a 72-hole total of 20 under. "It's tough enough to win one Players," said Scheffler, who closed with an 8-under 64. "So to have it back-to-back is extremely special. Yeah, really thankful." ... Read MoreUConn, Houston, Purdue, North Carolina secure No. 1 seeds
ByABC News Defending national champion UConn, a day removed from winning the Big East tournament and improving to 31-3, was chosen as the men's No. 1 overall seed Sunday during the NCAA tournament selection show. The Huskies, who have won seven in a row and finished 7-2 this season against teams in the Associated Press Top 25, are joined on the 1 line by Houston, Purdue and North Carolina, three teams that have been consistently in the top 10 during 2023-24 but lost in their respective conference tournaments last week. UConn will open its title defense at Barclays Center in Brooklyn against Stetson on Friday. Should the Huskies advance, they will play either Florida Atlantic or Northwestern. "It's tough no ... Read MoreCarlos Alcaraz tops Daniil Medvedev to defend Indian Wells title
ByABC News INDIAN WELLS, Calif. -- Carlos Alcaraz arrived at Indian Wells full of doubt about his twisted right ankle. He's leaving as a two-time champion. He defeated Daniil Medvedev 7-6 (5), 6-1 for the second straight year in the BNP Paribas Open final on Sunday, earning his first title since winning Wimbledon last year. Alcaraz sprained his ankle at the Rio Open in late February. His first practice at Indian Wells lasted 30 minutes without any movement. His first practice with his fellow pros "was really tough for me," he said in a Tennis Channel interview. Alcaraz outlasted Jannik Sinner in a three-set semifinal after needing three sets to get out of his second-round match. "After every match I ... Read MoreKyrie Irving wows Mavericks with lefty hook to sink Nuggets
ByTIM MACMAHON DALLAS -- One detail about the second game-winning buzzer-beater of Kyrie Irving's career caught the eight-time All-Star guard by surprise. "I thought I got a little closer in the paint, but I looked at it after the game and I was pretty far out," Irving said after swishing a contested left-handed hook to give the Dallas Mavericks a 107-105 win Sunday afternoon over the defending champion Denver Nuggets. The exact distance of the buzzer-beater, according to Second Spectrum tracking, was 20.1 feet. That ranks as the second-longest hook shot made by any player this season, per the NBA.com play-by-play data. "Hell of a shot by Kyrie," said Nuggets coach Michael Malone, whose team fell to 47-21, slipping a ... Read MoreSouth Carolina, Iowa, USC, Texas top seeds for NCAA tourney
ByABC News Dawn Staley and South Carolina could see some familiar faces on their path to an undefeated season. The Gamecocks, named the No. 1 overall seed in the women's NCAA tournament Sunday, are looking to become the 10th women's basketball team to go unbeaten for an entire season. They had a chance last season before falling just short against Caitlin Clark and Iowa in the Final Four. The Hawkeyes received the other No. 1 seed in the Albany Regional on Sunday. The two teams wouldn't potentially face off until the national championship game this time. Iowa is a one-seed for the first time since 1992. USC and star freshman JuJu Watkins earned the Trojans' first No. 1 seed since ... Read MoreSt. John’s, Oklahoma, Pittsburgh decline invites to NIT
ByABC News Dreams die hard, particularly in March. The Big East found that out Sunday as three 20-win teams -- Providence, Seton Hall and St. John's -- were all snubbed by the NCAA selection committee. St. John's arguably had the biggest gripe of the three. It finished 20-13 overall, winning six games in a row -- four of them by at least 14 points -- before a loss to overall No. 1 seed UConn in the Big East semifinals on Friday. Red Storm coach Rick Pitino backed his team's résumé on Sunday. It ranked 24th in the Basketball Power Index (BPI), best of any squad that did not make the NCAA tournament. It also had a NET ranking of 32nd, ... Read MoreWembanyama lifts Spurs in Austin; Paris on tap next season
ByANDREW LOPEZ AUSTIN, Texas -- The San Antonio Spurs put on quite the show Sunday night in one of their homes away from home. Playing at the Moody Center just 80 miles up Interstate 35 from the Frost Bank Center, the Spurs stormed back from a 10-point deficit with just under six minutes to play to force overtime and come away with a 122-115 win over the Brooklyn Nets. Victor Wembanyama had 33 points, 15 rebounds, 7 blocks, 7 assists and several clutch plays for San Antonio. He had the go-ahead dunk in overtime as well as a crucial block on Nets guard Dennis Schroder with 25.4 left to help preserve the lead. It was originally ruled as a goal ... Read MoreGreen scores 26 points as Rockets beat Cavaliers 117-103 for their fifth straight victory
HOUSTON (AP) — Jalen Green had 26 points and 11 rebounds, and the Houston Rockets beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 117-103 on Saturday for their fifth straight victory. Jabari Smith Jr. added 20 points, Amen Thompson had 18 and Fred VanVleet finished with 13 points and 16 assists for the Rockets, who made 15 3-pointers and outscored Cleveland 56-46 in the paint. Green added four assists while hitting 4 of 9 from 3. “We started off pretty hot and were moving the ball,” Green said. “Once they were falling, it was a confidence builder. We were just doing what we’ve been doing, started hitting shots and did our thing.” Houston led 70-54 at halftime and entered the fourth quarter with a ... Read MoreDallas Stars unveil statue of Hockey Hall of Famer Mike Modano
DALLAS (AP) — The Dallas Stars unveiled a statue of Hockey Hall of Famer Mike Modano during Saturday night’s home game against the Los Angeles Kings. Modano is the franchise leader in goals, assists and games played. “It’s hard to put into words what this has meant,” Modano said after wiping away tears following a one-minute standing ovation. “Thirty years ago we got on a plane in 1993 to come here (when the Minnesota North Stars moved to Dallas) and didn’t know what to expect. Five years later we gave you a Stanley Cup in 1999. ... We feel we’ve turned Dallas into a hockey town.” Modano, 53, joins former Dallas Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki as players with statues on ... Read MoreStars’ Wedgewood wins matchup of backup goalies in 4-1 victory over Kings
DALLAS (AP) — Scott Wedgewood made 27 saves to win a matchup of backup goaltenders and defenseman Thomas Harley had a goal and an assist to help lead the Dallas Stars past the Los Angeles Kings 4-1 on Saturday night. Wedgewood outdueled David Rittich in net to beat the Kings for the second time in eight days. Craig Smith, Wyatt Johnston and Jamie Benn also scored for the Stars, who took a 3-0 first-period lead and avoided losing a third consecutive game in regulation for the first time since April 2022. The victory followed a 6-2 home loss to New Jersey on Thursday night and came on the night that Dallas unveiled a statue of Mike Modano, the franchise leader ... Read MoreGrambling earns first SWAC Tournament title, jumps out early and cruises past Texas Southern 75-66
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Jourdan Smith scored 16 of his 20 points in the first half and Grambling won its first Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament title with a 75-66 victory over Texas Southern 75-66 on Saturday night. Top-seeded Grambling (20-14) built a double-digit lead midway through the first half and led by as many as 18 points in the second. Antwan Burnett added 14 points for Grambling. Jonathan Aku scored 12 points and Kintavious Dozier chipped in with 10. Smith and Burnett combined for five of Grambling's eight 3-pointers. Tra’Michael Moton, who scored a career-high 26 points against Bethune-Cookman in the semifinals, added eight points to go with seven assists. Jonathan Cisse scored 21 points and Deon Stroud added 16 ... Read MoreGrand Canyon beats UTA 89-74, wins 2nd straight WAC Tournament
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Tyon Grant-Foster scored 22 points, Ray Harrison added 15 of his 19 in the second half and top-seeded Grand Canyon beat UT Arlington 89-74 Saturday night to win the Western Athletic Conference Tournament for the second consecutive season and clinch an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament. The Lopes have appeared five of the last six WAC Tournament title games, winning three of the last four. Lok Wur scored 16 points and Jovan Blacksher Jr. 14 for Grand Canyon (29-4). Phillip Russell led UT Arlington (20-14) with 22 points, including four 3-pointers. Shemar Wilson added 13 points and Akili Vining 10. Harrison converted a three-point play and followed with two free throws to open the second ... Read MoreNo. 7 Iowa State blitzes No. 1 Houston in second half, wins Big 12 tourney title 69-41
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — T.J. Otzelberger nearly let the Big 12 Tournament trophy slip through his hands before adjusting his grip and raising it above his head, that polo shirt so many people find so comically tight on Iowa State's coach stretching just a little bit more. There was nothing funny about the way the Cyclones played Saturday night. Led by Keshon Gilbert, the tourney's most outstanding player, and a balanced roster in which everyone has a role, the nation's seventh-ranked team efficiently dismantled No. 1 Houston in the championship game. Gilbert finished with 16 points as the Cyclones rolled to the 69-41 victory, giving them their sixth Big 12 trophy in their sixth title game appearance. The margin ... Read MoreYankees ace Gerrit Cole (elbow) won’t throw for 3-4 weeks
ByABC News New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole won't throw for three to four weeks because of nerve irritation and edema in his throwing elbow. "I think we've determined that we just got a little too hot a little too quick," Cole said before Saturday's game against Toronto. "I just got to a certain point where we just didn't hit baseline and recovery. That's important at this time of the year." Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said that if the team needed a 40-man roster spot, Cole would be placed on the 60-day injured list, which means the earliest the AL Cy Young award winner could be back is late May. The right-hander will need a spring training-like period after ... Read MoreRed Bull employee lodges appeal after complaint against Christian Horner dismissed
ByREUTERS The Red Bull Formula One employee who accused team boss Christian Horner of inappropriate behaviour has lodged an appeal after her complaint was dismissed, the BBC and the PA news agency reported. The move is likely to keep the subject as a major talking point in Formula One and continue to cast a shadow over the season. The unidentified woman was suspended last week after an investigation carried out by a senior independent lawyer, who has also not been named, cleared Horner. The 50-year-old team boss had denied the unspecified accusations against him. Horner faced a barrage of questions at last week's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix and can expect more when the circus arrives in Australia next week. Horner ... Read MoreXander Schauffele seizes Players lead after Clark’s gaffe
ByMARK SCHLABACH PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- Wyndham Clark had just regained a share of the third-round lead at the 50th Players Championship on Saturday when Xander Schauffele missed a long birdie putt on the par-5 16th, the start of one of the most famous finishing stretches in golf. After seizing momentum, Clark walked to the tee box at the par-3 17th hole and gazed at the thousands of fans surrounding the iconic island green. The hole was only 123 yards away, but it might as well have been a mile with tension building before his white-knuckled shot. Just before Clark put his ball on a tee, his caddie, John Ellis, told him not to take a full swing with ... Read MoreUConn wins 8th Big East tournament title, first since 2011
ByABC News NEW YORK -- UConn Huskies coach Dan Hurley climbed the ladder with "New York, New York" playing in Madison Square Garden -- or as he calls it, "Storrs South." Hurley, who's from New Jersey, clipped the last piece of net off the rim, let out a "Wooooo!" as he whirled it over his head and then tapped the Big East sign on the backboard before making his way back down. Hurley and his defending national champions have eyes on even bigger prizes this March, but make no mistake, winning the Big East tournament was a big deal for the Huskies. Donovan Clingan had 22 points and a career-best 16 rebounds, Jaylin Stewart gave No. 2 UConn an unexpected ... Read MoreChicago Bears trade QB Justin Fields to Steelers
ByCOURTNEY CRONIN CHICAGO -- The Bears have traded quarterback Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the team confirmed in a statement Saturday. The Steelers sent a 2025 sixth-round pick to the Bears that converts to a fourth-round selection if Fields plays 51% of snaps this season, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter. Fields, who completed his third season with Chicago in 2023, will join a quarterback room with Russell Wilson, who signed a one-year deal with the Steelers on Friday. Fields is not expected to compete with Wilson for the starting job, a team source told ESPN's Brooke Pryor. Instead, Fields is expected to learn from the Super Bowl winner and nine-time Pro Bowler. In a social media post Saturday, ... Read MoreOhio State expected to promote Jake Diebler
ByJEFF BORZELLO Ohio State is expected to promote interim head coach Jake Diebler to the full-time role, sources told ESPN on Saturday night. Diebler took over for Chris Holtmann in mid-February after the seventh-year head coach was fired following a 4-10 start to Big Ten play. In his first game as interim head coach, Diebler led Ohio State to a 73-69 win over then-No. 2 Purdue. The Buckeyes went 6-2 after Diebler took over, advancing to the quarterfinals of the Big Ten tournament before narrowly losing on Friday night to Illinois, 77-74. They played themselves onto the NCAA tournament bubble with regular-season wins over the Boilermakers, Michigan State and Nebraska and then a conference tournament victory over Iowa. Diebler joined ... Read MoreLakers’ Anthony Davis forced out vs. Warriors with eye injury
ByDAVE MCMENAMIN LOS ANGELES -- Anthony Davis left the Los Angeles Lakers' game against the Golden State Warriors after the first quarter Saturday night with a left eye contusion, the team announced. Davis was hurt after he was inadvertently hit in the face by Warriors forward Trayce Jackson-Davis while scoring on a layup. He continued to play the next few minutes but eventually left the game and did not return. Davis' vision was impaired and his eye swelled shut after the contact, a source familiar with the injury told ESPN. He will be monitored overnight and Sunday to determine his availability Monday against the Atlanta Hawks. L.A. outscored Golden State by six in the 12 minutes Davis played, with the ... Read MoreNC State win ACC Tournament with upset of UNC
ByABC News WASHINGTON -- With their pair of DJs spinning a winning tune, the NC State Wolfpack are going dancing in the NCAA tournament after capping a historic run by knocking off fourth-ranked North Carolina. DJ Horne scored 29 points, DJ Burns Jr. had 20, including the first 3-pointer of his college career, and NC State won the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament final, beating the Tar Heels 84-76 on Saturday night. The Wolfpack became just the second team to win any conference tournament as a double-digit seed, 10th out of 15 teams, and the first to win the ACC's with five victories in as many days. "Winning five games in five nights is a miracle," emotional NC State coach Kevin ... Read MoreTop of page