AP Sports

The women’s college basketball Sweet 16 features a new format and a bit of history when it begins later this week. The NCAA changed its setup this season, going away from the traditional four sites to two. Greenville, South Carolina, and Seattle will each host eight teams before sending the winners on to Dallas for the Final Four. This weekend will also feature the second time since the tournament expanded to 64 teams that two of the No. 1 seeds didn’t reach the regional semifinals after Stanford and Indiana were knocked out.

Miami holds off Indiana rally to advance in March Madness

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) — Destiny Harden made a shot in the lane with 3.5 seconds left to send ninth-seeded Miami past top-seeded Indiana 70-68, lifting the Hurricanes to their first Sweet 16 since 1992. The Hoosiers (28-4) became the second No. 1 seed to be eliminated in two nights. Stanford was upset Sunday on its home court. It’s the first time since 1998 that two No. 1 seeds did not advance to the regional semifinals. Harden finished with 18 points and Lola Pendade had 19 points and seven rebounds for the Hurricanes (21-12), who never trailed on the Hoosiers home court. Mackenzie Holmes led the Hoosiers with 22 points Grace Berger added 17 points, six rebounds and six assists in her final game. It was Indiana’s first loss of the season at Assembly Hall.

Ohtani ready to pitch vs Trout, USA in relief at WBC final

MIAMI (AP) — That matchup between Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani in the World Baseball Classic may not happen. Japan rallied in the ninth inning to beat Mexico and advance to Tuesday night’s championship game against the United States, but Shota Imanaga will start on the mound for the Samurai Warriors. If Trout is to bat against his Los Angeles Angels teammate, it would only be if Ohtani makes a rare relief appearance. Japan manager Hideki Kuriyama said he likely will use the same starting lineup as he did in the semifinal Monday night against Mexico, when Ohtani was the designated hitter and doubled to start the ninth-inning comeback.

Ohtani, Japan rally in 9th, edge Mexico 6-5, reach WBC final

MIAMI (AP) — Shohei Ohtani sparked a ninth-inning rally with a leadoff double, and Munetaka Murakami hit a walk-off, two-run double to lift Japan over Mexico 6-5 and into the World Baseball Classic final. Japan will face the defending champion United States in Tuesday night’s championship game. Ohtani went 2 for 4. The Los Angeles Angels star scored in the seventh when Masataka Yoshida hit a tying, three-run homer off reliever JoJo Romero.

Martina Navratilova says doctors told her she is cancer-free

LONDON (AP) — Martina Navratilova says she has been told by doctors that she is “cancer-free” and that she should be “good to go” after some additional radiation treatment. The 66-year-old Navratilova discussed her health in an interview with Piers Morgan on TalkTV scheduled to be aired Tuesday. She is an 18-time Grand Slam singles champion and member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Navratilova said in January that she had throat cancer and breast cancer and would be starting treatment.

Cavinder twins reach March Madness Sweet 16 after transfer

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — Haley and Hanna Cavinder are going to the Sweet 16 in 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 coach Katie Meier says people don’t understand about the twins is that they work as hard on basketball as they do anything else. Their work helped Miami get back to March Madness. The Cavinders are in the tournament for the first time after transferring from Fresno State. Miami upset No. 1 seed Indiana in the second round and plays No. 4 seed Villanova on Friday.

Analysis: Injuries slowed progress in Detroit, Charlotte

An injury to Cade Cunningham limited him to 12 games this season. Now the Detroit Pistons have lost 14 of their last 15 to fall to 16-56. The Eastern Conference’s second-worst record belongs to the Charlotte Hornets at 23-50. They’ve dealt with their own major injury to LaMelo Ball. Instead of showing progress in 2022-23, both teams have had to spend another season being patient. The injuries to Cunningham and Ball have made this season another dreary one for the Pistons and Hornets, but the presence of those two players mean improvement could certainly come quickly if they’re back to full health.

Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino accepts job at St. John’s

NEW YORK (AP) — Rick Pitino is back in the Big East Conference. St. John’s has hired the Hall of Fame coach to boost a storied program that’s been mired in mediocrity for much of this century. The school posted the announcement on Twitter, and Pitino is expected to be formally introduced during a news conference Tuesday at Madison Square Garden. Following a successful run at nearby mid-major Iona, the 70-year-old Pitino was plucked away to replace Mike Anderson, who was fired March 10 after four seasons in charge of the Red Storm without making the NCAA Tournament.

Alabama’s Quinerly seeking sweet ending in March Madness

Jahvon Quinerly’s knee injury that helped doom Alabama’s NCAA Tournament chances a year ago is hardly the start of his college basketball saga. It’s probably not even the low point. The Crimson Tide point guard, who has re-emerged as one of the top players on one of the nation’s best teams, is winding down a career that veered badly off course at times. Quinerly has helped the top-seeded Tide reach the Sweet 16 for the second time in his career, setting up a meeting Friday night with No. 5 seed San Diego State in Louisville, Kentucky.

Column: Memories abound from 20-plus years of Match Play

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The Match Play is coming to an end. This will be the final edition of golf’s most fickle tournament, which began in 1999. It’s no surprise the World Golf Championships are over because the new PGA Tour schedule is all about small fields and big purses. But what golf misses with Match Play are plenty of memories. There was Tiger Woods beating Stephen Ames 9 and 8. And then a year later, Ames won a match by nearly the same score. Not to be forgotten are the memories of Victor Dubuisson’s amazing escapes from the Arizona desert.