(Portland, OR) -- Former Blazer CJ McCollum got the better of his former team. The Blazers lost to the New Orleans Pelicans 117-107 in Portland. McCollum was traded to New Orleans at the trade deadline and led all scorers with 25 points last night. Drew Eubanks powered the Blazers with 21 points and nine rebounds and Ben McLemore added 16 points off the bench. Portland is now 27-and-49 after losing five straight. The Blazers play the Spurs in San Antonio tomorrow night.

(Los Angeles, CA) -- LeBron James is heading back to Los Angeles as he looks to rehab a left ankle injury. The star forward won't be with the Lakers as they close their road trip against the Jazz tonight. James suffered a left ankle sprain in Sunday's loss to the Pelicans and missed the team's game against the Mavericks on Tuesday. The 37-year-old leads the NBA in scoring at 30.1 points per game, but has been limited to 55 games.

Outdoors on the college diamond, Oregon State got out of Reno with a pair of 1-run non-league wins, and yesterday notched a come-from-behind win in the final inning to edge Nevada-Reno, 9-8.

The 19-and-5 beavers return home Friday to host Stanford in a 3-game series.

In Eugene yesterday, the Oregon Ducks managed a one-run win, holding off USF, 4-3.

The Ducks took two non-league games from San Francisco, and leave today for Los Angeles where Oregon takes on UCLA in a 3-game PAC-12 series starting tomorrow night.

On the prep diamond yesterday, 4th ranked Summit thrashed South Eugene, 21-to-1. The Storm play a non-league doubleheader Saturday at Roseburg who has won 3-straight.

Today in the 2A ranks, culver hosts Santiam in a league twin bill starting at 3.

On the girl’s side in softball action yesterday, Lebanon blanked Crook County, 10-zip, and 3rd ranked Stayton outscored Sisters, 18-to-3.

Today, Redmond travels to Silverton, and Sisters bounces back to hosts #8 Sweet Home in the ever-tough Oregon west conference.

(Undated) -- The Dodgers and Angels are continuing action in Spring Training. The Dodgers crushed the Guardians 12-1 in Goodyear. Julio Urias struck out three batters over four scoreless innings. Meanwhile, the Angels had a day off and resume action today as they play the Brewers in Phoenix. The Angels come off an 8-2 win over the Rockies and sit 7-and-4 in preseason action. Also today, the Dodgers play the Rangers in Surprise.

(Portland, OR) -- A familiar face is returning to Portland. The Blazers play CJ McCollum and the New Orleans Pelicans tonight in the Moda Center. The Blazers traded McCollum to New Orleans at the trade deadline. Portland enters tonight's game at 27-and-48 after losing four straight. The Pelicans come in at 32-and-43.

(New York, NY) -- The NFL is approving a major change to its overtime rules. Both teams are now guaranteed a possession in overtime in the playoffs. The contest goes to sudden death if the score is tied following each team's initial possession. However, the game will be declared over if the team kicking off to start overtime scores a safety against the team that first possesses the ball.

(New York, NY) -- The Cougars run in the NIT has come to an end. Washington State lost to Texas A&M 72-56 in the NIT semifinals in Madison Square Garden. Tyrell Roberts powered the Cougars with 14 points. Wazzu finishes the season at 22-and-15.

(Augusta, GA) -- Tiger Woods may be on the verge of making another comeback. ESPN reports sources said the five-time Masters winner played a practice round at Augusta National Golf Club on Tuesday. Woods has not officially said if he will take part in this year's Masters tournament. The 15-time major champion has not played in a PGA Tour event since the 2020 Masters. He suffered leg and foot injuries in a car accident in February of last year.

(Owings Mills, MD) -- The Baltimore Ravens are signing head coach John Harbaugh to a new three-year contract extension. The deal keeps him in Baltimore through 2025. Harbaugh was set to enter the final season of his previous contract. It will be his 15th overall in Baltimore. The 59-year-old has compiled a record of 137-and-88, and 11-and-8 in the postseason. He has guided the Ravens to nine playoff appearances and a victory in Super Bowl 47.

On the prep diamond yesterday, just as soon as we announced Mt. View was undefeated in its first 6-games, the home team Redmond Panthers shocked and shutout the Cougars, 5-zip. 

Both teams just returned from a week of non-league games in Arizona, and it was just the 2nd win of the early season for Redmond who plays at Bend today with first pitch set for 4:30.

Elsewhere today, Ridgeview hosts Roosevelt of Portland. 3A La Pine steps up a level and entertains Skyline Conference and 4A perennial power Henley. North Lake travels to Burns, and Culver plays Santiam in Mill City.

(Portland, OR) -- The tank is officially on for the Blazers. Portland announced Monday that Anfernee Simons, Jusuf Nurkic and Eric Bledsoe will miss the rest of the season. Simons is out with a knee injury, Nurkic with left foot plantar fasciitis and Bledsoe with tendinopathy in his left Achilles tendon. Blazers guard Josh Hart will be reevaluated in one week with a knee injury.

(Portland, OR) -- The Blazers fought hard, but couldn't pick up a win on home court. The Blazers lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder 134-131 in overtime in Portland. Ben McLemore led the Blazers with 28 points off the bench, Drew Eubanks had 27 points and 14 rebounds, and Brandon Williams chipped in with 25 points and 12 assists. Portland fell to 27-and-48. The Blazers host the New Orleans Pelicans tomorrow night.

(Bainbridge Island, WA) -- Pickleball is growing in popularity across the country and many players don't know it was invented in Washington state 57 years ago. The Washington Legislature passed a bill making Pickleball the official sport of Washington and Governor Jay Inslee signed it into law. Pickleball was invented by former Washington Congressman Joel McFee Pritchard and his friends in 1965. The game is played on a court and combines elements of badminton, tennis, and table tennis.

(Portland, OR) -- The Timbers fought hard to earn a draw. The Timbers drew Orlando City SC 1-1 in Portland. Trailing 1-nil in the 80th minute, Cristhian Paredes tied the game for Portland with a penalty kick goal. The Timbers enter at 1-1-and-3.

(Portland, OR) -- Blazers forward Trendon Watford will miss some time with a hyperextended knee. Portland announced Sunday that Watford will be out for at least a week after hyperextending his knee during the Blazers' loss to Houston on Saturday. Watford is averaging 7.6 points per game as a rookie. Portland hosts the Oklahoma City Thunder tonight.

(Undated) -- According to The Athletic, the Cardinals are finalizing a one-year deal with former first baseman Albert Pujols. The 42-year-old is entering his 23rd major league season after spending his first 11 years in St. Louis, followed by 11 years in Los Angeles with the Angels and Dodgers. Pujols was voted Rookie of the Year, made nine All-Star Games, won two Gold Gloves, three MVPs, and two World Series championships with the Cardinals.

(New Orleans, LA) -- The 2022 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Final Four is set. Kansas, Villanova, Duke and North Carolina will compete in New Orleans for college basketball's biggest prize. Kansas will battle Villanova on Saturday, while Duke will take on bitter rival North Carolina for the first time in the NCAA Tournament. The winner of each game will square off on Monday, April 4th for the national title.

(Austin, TX) -- Ross Chastain is picking up the first win of his NASCAR Cup Series career. Chastain took home the checkered flag at the EchoPark Automotive Texas Grand Prix at the Circuit Of The Americas. It was an exciting finish that saw Alex Bowman take second and Christopher Bell finish third. Chase Elliott and Tyler Reddick rounded out the top five.

(Denver, CO) -- The Phoenix Suns have locked up the best record in the NBA after a 140-130 win over the Nuggets in Denver. The Suns will have home court advantage throughout the 2022 playoffs. Chris Paul also made his return to the lineup for the Suns and put up 17 points and 13 assists. Devin Booker scored a season-high 49 points for Phoenix, which moved to 60-and-14 with its seventh straight win.

(Portland, OR) -- The Blazers are back in action on home court. Portland plays the Houston Rockets tonight in the Moda Center. Josh Hart and Justise Winslow are both questionable to play. The Blazers enter at 27-and-45.

(San Francisco, CA) -- Arkansas is knocking off the top overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. The top-seeded Gonzaga 74-68 lost to fourth-seeded Arkansas in the Sweet 16 in San Francisco. Drew Timme posted 25 points in the losing effort for the Bulldogs. The Razorbacks will now face two-seed Duke, who beat Texas Tech to advance in the West Region.

(New Orleans, LA) -- The Lakers are getting some days off before they return to the court. Los Angeles hits the road to face the Pelicans on Sunday night in New Orleans. The Lakers come off a 126-121 loss to the 76ers and have split their last four. Both LeBron James and Talen Horton-Tucker are day-to-day with injuries. Los Angeles enters 31-and-42, while New Orleans also sits at 31-and-42. The Pelicans have won three of their last four.

(Los Angeles, CA) -- The partnership between basketball legend Kobe Bryant and Nike is continuing. Bryant's widow, Vanessa, announced in a post on Instagram that fans will soon have access to Kobe and their daughter Gigi products for "years to come." She also says Nike will donate 100-percent of the net proceeds yearly for Gianna's shoes to the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation. Vanessa and the Kobe estate decided not to renew their partnership in April when Bryant's contract expired, with the estate allegedly frustrated with the limited availability of products after Bryant died in a helicopter crash in January 2020.

(Portland, OR) -- The Blazers are taking yet another lopsided loss. Portland lost to the Spurs 133-96 in the Moda Center. Ben McLemore led the Blazers with 23 points off the bench and Drew Eubanks finished with 20 points and nine rebounds. Portland fell to 27-and-45. The Blazers host the Houston Rockets tomorrow night.

(New York, NY) -- There is a growing confidence that New York City's private-sector vaccine mandate will be changed. According to ESPN, New York Mayor Eric Adams' office has been working with health officials on a plan to rollback the mandate that restricts NBA and MLB players from participating in home games. The belief is that Kyrie Irving could be back on the court as soon as next week.

(Undated) -- The NCAA Tournament continues tonight as the Sweet 16 gets underway. Four big time games are set to tip off tonight as four teams will look to advance to the Elite Eight this weekend. Top-seed Gonzaga will battle four-seed Arkansas while two-seed Villanova faces 11-seed Michigan. Elsewhere, two-seed Duke faces three-seed Texas Tech and one-seed Arizona battles five-seed Houston. The rest of the Sweet 16 will continue tomorrow.

(Washington, DC) -- An American basketball player detained in Russia is in good condition. A U.S. Embassy official in Moscow was granted access to Brittney Griner, an Olympic gold medalist and All-Star player who the State Department has been pressing Russian authorities for access to. The WNBA has also said it's working with the government to free Griner since a Russian state news agency said her detention was extended until May 19th. It's not clear exactly when Griner was originally detained for possession of vape cartridges with hash oil.

(Dublin) -- UFC superstar Conor McGregor is reportedly being charged with dangerous driving after being arrested in Ireland. McGregor was stopped by police in West Dublin and his Bentley Continental was impounded. He was charged with dangerous driving before being released on bail and getting his car returned afterwards. No other details have been released.

(Undated) -- Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic is being fined for his heated confrontation with a Pacers fan following Portland's loss on Sunday night. NBA President of League Operations Byron Spruell announced that Nurkic was fined 40-thousand-dollars for "confronting a fan courtside and grabbing the fan's cell phone and throwing it into the spectator stands." In a viral video of the incident, Nurkic is face-to-face with a fan wearing a Pacers jersey when he grabs the fan's phone and tosses it before security stepped in.

(Peoria, AZ) -- The Mariners announced yesterday that they agreed to terms with seven arbitration eligible players. Seattle agreed to terms with catchers Tom Murphy and Luis Torrens along with infielders J.P. Crawford and Dylan Moore. The club also agreed to terms with right-handed pitchers Diego Castillo, Paul Sewald and Drew Steckenrider.

(Los Angeles, CA) -- The Lakers are facing a tough test as they return home. Los Angeles hosts the 76ers tonight at Crypto-dot-com Arena. The Lakers come off a 131-120 win over the Cavaliers and have won two of their last three. Talen Horton-Tucker is listed questionable with an ankle injury and LeBron James remains day-to-day with left knee soreness. Los Angeles enters 31-and-41, while Philadelphia sits 44-and-27.

(Portland, OR) -- The Blazers are back in action. Portland hosts the San Antonio Spurs tonight. Greg Brown the third is probable to play with a sprained ankle and Josh Hart is out for the game. The Blazers come in at 27-and-44 while the Spurs are 28-and-44.

(Undated) -- The road to the Elite Eight and eventually, the Final Four starts Thursday as the Sweet 16 gets underway in the NCAA Tournament. Plenty of great action is on tap Thursday, as second-seed Duke battles three-seed Texas Tech and one-seed Gonzaga faces four-seed Arkansas among other highlights. On Friday, the 15-seed darlings Saint Peter's will look to keep chasing the dream as they face three-seed Purdue. Among other action on Friday, four-seed UCLA will battle eight-seed North Carolina.

(Undated) -- The top-ranked female tennis player in the world is announcing her retirement from the sport. Ashleigh Barty posted on her social media Tuesday that she is stepping away from the court. The announcement comes just months after Barty won the Australian Open. The 25-year-old had sat atop the WTA rankings for 114 consecutive weeks before the news rocked the tennis world. The Australia native said "I have given absolutely everything I can to this beautiful sport."

(Atlanta, GA) -- The Falcons announced they agreed to a two-year deal with Marcus Mariota. The contract is reportedly worth 18.75-million dollars. Mariota reunites with Falcons coach Arthur Smith, who was the offensive coordinator for the Tennessee Titans when Mariota was there. The 28-year-old Mariota spent the past two seasons as a backup QB with the Las Vegas Raiders. This comes after Atlanta traded longtime quarterback Matt Ryan to the Indianapolis Colts on Monday.

(Detroit, MI) -- Six Blazers scored in double figures in their win over the Pistons. Portland beat the Pistons 119-115 in Detroit. Brandon Williams led the Blazers with 23 points, Ben McLemore supplied 21 points off the bench and Drew Eubanks had 17 points. Portland improved to 27-and-44. The Blazers host the San Antonio Spurs tomorrow night.

(Cleveland, OH) -- LeBron James exploded for 38 points as the Lakers beat the Cavaliers 131-120 in Cleveland. James added another triple-double as he collected 11 rebounds and dished out 12 assists. Los Angeles trailed by seven after the first quarter, but bounced back to outscore Cleveland 39-to-27 in the second quarter. The Lakers have won two of their last three and improved to 31-and-41. Darius Garland led the Cavaliers with 29 points and 17 assists.

(Portland, OR) -- The Trail Blazers say guard Damian Lillard will be out for the rest of the season as he recovers from surgery earlier this year. Lillard underwent abdominal surgery in January. He has met several key performance benchmarks and will continue end-stage rehab over the next few weeks. Lillard's last game was on December 31st. He aggravated his abdominal injury playing for Team USA at the Tokyo Olympics last summer and it continued to be a problem during this season.

(Seattle, WA) -- The shuffling of NFL broadcasters is continuing. The New York Post reports that Al Michaels is expected to sign on to lead Amazon Prime Video's Thursday Night Football broadcast team. ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit will be his partner in the broadcast booth. Michaels is expected to still call a couple of games for NBC this season and Herbstreit will continue to be a part of ESPN's "College GameDay" and Saturday college games. Michaels' move to Amazon comes after longtime Fox announcers Joe Buck and Troy Aikman left for ESPN.

One week ago, it was 64....today, it's down to the 'sweet-16' which tips off Thursday to decide the men's NCAA college basketball championship.

16-teams remain alive, and Saturday, one of the four #1-seed teams was eliminated in defending national champion Baylor being ousted losing to North Carolina in overtime, 93-86.

The overall #1 seed Gonzaga advances to its 7th straight 'sweet-16' as the zags came from behind in Portland Saturday to beat Memphis, 82-78.

The zags face Arkansas Thursday at 4pm in San Diego in the west regional semifinal.

Elsewhere, #1 seed Kansas in the Midwest advances, and the fourth #1 seeded team Arizona managed, in overtime, to get by a tough t-c-u team last night, 85-80.

The pac-12 champion wildcats head to San Antonio and meet Houston Thursday.

UCLA moves on, also, after the bruins 72-56 win over St. Mary's.

So, there are 4-games Thursday starting with Gonzaga playing Arkansas. Michigan meets Villanova. Duke battles Texas tech, and...Arizona facing Houston.

On Friday, 15-seed St. Pete plays Purdue, Kansas faces providence, UCLA and North Carolina clash, Miami meets Iowa state.

You can follow the bracket, tip off times, and more online at ‘NCAA dot org.'

Meantime...the N-I-T men's tourney heads to the quarterfinals tomorrow, and the Oregon Ducks will be absent after Texas A&M ended the Ducks season with a 75-to-60 win.

Washington State advances in the N-I-T to play at BYU Wednesday night.

And, the C-B-I, college basketball invitational tournament has 4-quarterfinal games tonight with the winners meeting tomorrow in the semifinals.

On the women's side...the lady Ducks of Oregon were terminated in the NCAA women's tourney Saturday afternoon.

Belmont defeated Oregon in Knoxville, 73-70. Also eliminated from the PAC-12 was Utah who lost to Texas, 78-56. Washington State lost to Kansas State, 50-to-40.

Meantime, top-ranked Stanford cruised to a 91-65 win over Kansas. 

#4 seed Arizona scored a 72-67 win over UNLV and tonight faces North Carolina with the winner joining Stanford who plays Maryland Friday in the women's 'sweet-16.'

Elsewhere, the women's N-I-T tourney has 9-games on tap tonight with the winners moving on to the nit 3rd round where Thursday night oregon state will host New Mexico. 

Also Thursday, UCLA women play at Wyoming.

(New York, NY) -- The Blazers are taking yet another loss. Portland fell to the Pacers 129-98 in Indianapolis. Josh Hart led the Blazers with 26 points and Trendon Watford chipped in with 17 points and eight rebounds. Portland has lost four in a row and fall to 26-and-44. The Blazers stay in the Midwest to play the Pistons in Detroit tonight.

Outdoors on the college diamond...Oregon State won the 3-game series hosting Arizona State as the Beavers took the first two games Friday and Saturday, but lost yesterday.

OSU is 14-and-4 overall and entertains Seattle-u in a non-league game Wednesday, then the Beavers play at cal over the weekend.

The Oregon Ducks swept utah in Eugene three-games this past weekend and improve to 13-and-6.

Oregon plays at Gonzaga Tuesday, then hosts USC on the upcoming weekend.

(Undated) -- The Timbers and Sounders both failed to win over the weekend. Seattle drew Austin FC 1-1 yesterday on the road. Will Bruin scored the Sounders' lone goal as the club moved to 1-2-and-1. Portland lost to FC Dallas 4-1 in Frisco, Texas on Saturday. Jaroslaw Niezgoda was the only scorer as the Timbers fell to 1-1-and-2.

(Undated) -- The Timbers and Sounders both get back to MLS play this weekend. The Timbers play FC Dallas tomorrow night in Frisco, Texas. Portland enters at 1-oh-and-2. The Sounders also go down to Texas, where they'll play Austin FC on Sunday. Seattle comes in at 1-and-2 overall.

(New York, NY) -- The Blazers stay in the Big Apple. Portland plays the Nets in Brooklyn tonight. Eric Bledsoe is out with an Achilles injury. The Blazers come in at 26-and-42. Brooklyn is 36-and-34.

(Portland, OR) -- The top-seeded Gonzaga Bulldogs scored 58 points in the second half of their 93-72 First Round win over Georgia State in Portland. Drew Timme powered the Bulldogs with 32 points and 13 rebounds, while freshman star Chet Holmgren added 19 points, 17 rebounds and seven blocks. The Zags led only 35-to-33 at halftime. Corey Allen led 16th-seeded Georgia State with 16 points. Up next for Gonzaga is a second-round matchup with the 9th-seeded Memphis Tigers on Saturday in Portland. The winner of that game goes to the Sweet 16.

(Portland, OR) -- UCLA is holding on for a win in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The fourth-seed Bruins defeated 13-seed Akron 57-53 in Portland. Tyger Campbell scored 16 points in the win for the Bruins, who will face Saint Mary's in the second round. Xavier Castaneda scored 18 points in the loss for Akron. The Zips finish the season 24-and-10.

(Undated) -- The Las Vegas Raiders are acquiring wide receiver Davante Adams from the Green Bay Packers. The Raiders are sending the Packers two prime picks in the upcoming draft. According to Ian Rapoport, Green Bay will be receiving at least a first round pick and potentially a player. Las Vegas is also agreeing to a new contract with the Pro Bowl wide receiver. Adams is signing a five-year, 141-million-dollar contract to make him the highest paid wide receiver in the NFL.

It's the day that most employers report there are more 'call outs' from employees than the day after the Superbowl, but ready or not, it's time to go dancing.

The NCAA men's national championship tournament tips off this morning with 64-teams aiming to win 5-straight games to reach the title game on Monday, April 4th.

There are 16 opening round games today, and 16 more tomorrow.

In Portland today, the Moda center hosts the 1st and 2nd round of the west regional.

This morning at 1045 it all starts with 8th seed and mt. West conference runner-up Boise state tangling with #9 Memphis, followed by #1 rated Gonzaga being challenged by Georgia State.

The night session at the rose quarter features 5-seed St. Mary's from the east bay area going up against Indiana who played their way into the big dance with a 'first four' win Tuesday night in Dayton, Ohio downing Wyoming. Tipoff between the Hoosiers and Gaels is set for 420pm.

The nightcap game at 650 is #4 seed, and pac-12 runner-up UCLA playing 13-seed zips from Akron. All the games in Portland are televised on t-n-t.

Elsewhere...the first game of the tournament starts at 915 with Colorado state meeting Michigan.

Other games to note see #1 seed in the east, Baylor ,playing Norfolk state. #1 seed Kansas in the Midwest faces Texas Southern. #2 seed Kentucky meets St. Peters. 8-seed north Carolina takes on 9-seed Marquette.

Other west coast teams of interest has San Diego state, who won the mountain west conference, facing creighton. U-s-f, the university of San Francisco, who finished 3rd-place in the west coast conference takes on Murray State.

Follow all the madness of the big dance online at NCAA dot

The women's 'first-four' play-in games last night saw Howard university, and Dayton punch their tickets to the ladies dance which tips off Friday.

Tonight, there are two more NCAA 'play-in' women's games to solidify the field of 64.

And...the women's N-I-T, the National Invitation Tournament for those teams not selected to the NCAA dance, tips off first round action today.

Oregon State has a 7pm tipoff hosting long beach state, and Idaho State travels to Wyoming.

On the college diamond, just as soon as Oregon State's baseball team elevated to #5 in the country in this week's d-1 baseball ratings, the Beavs were defeated yesterday at home losing to Grand Canyon, 13-t0-7.

The Beavs jump back into league play Friday hosting Arizona state in a 3-game weekend series, and the Ducks entertain Utah.

(Portland, OR) -- The top-seeded Gonzaga Bulldogs are starting their quest for a title at the NCAA tournament. Gonzaga plays 16th-seeded Georgia State this afternoon in Portland. Georgia State comes in after winning the Sun Belt tournament. If the Bulldogs win, they'll play the winner of Boise State and Memphis in the second round.

(New York, NY) -- There was a highlight show at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night. The Knicks crushed the Trail Blazers 128-98. RJ Barrett dazzled with 31 points in the win. Julius Randle added 20 for New York, which improves to 29-and-40. Josh Hart scored 17 points in the loss for the Trail Blazers. Portland falls to 26-and-42.

(Renton, WA) -- The Seahawks are officially parting ways with Russell Wilson. Seattle announced Wednesday that it completed a trade with the Broncos, which includes sending Wilson to Denver. The Seahawks are also dealing a fourth-round draft pick to the Broncos. Seattle received tight end Noah Fant, quarterback Drew Lock, defensive end Shelby Harris, two first rounders and multiple other draft picks.

(New York, NY) -- The Blazers east coast road trip continues tonight. Portland plays the Knicks in Madison Square Garden tonight. Anfernee Simons remains out and Justise Winslow is listed questionable with an injury. The Blazers have lost seven of their last eight and come in at 26-and-41. New York is 28-and-40.

(Undated) -- The NCAA Tournament field is getting finalized. The First Four continues tonight in Dayton, Ohio. UCLA drew the fourth seed in the East region and will face 13th-seeded Akron in the first round tomorrow night. USC earned the 7th seed in the Midwest region and will play 10th-seeded Miami on Friday afternoon. Oregon will face Texas A&M this weekend in the N-I-T.

(North Port, FL) -- Matt Olson is getting a hefty payday with his new team. The Atlanta Braves announced Tuesday that they signed first baseman Matt Olson to an eight-year deal worth 168-million dollars. The contract also includes a 20-million dollar club option for the 2030 season. Atlanta acquired Olson from the Oakland A's on Monday for multiple prospects. The 27-year-old Olson hit .271 with 39 home runs and 111 RBI last season.

(Undated) -- Andrew Whitworth is hanging up his cleats, just a month after winning the Super Bowl. The Rams left tackle announced his retirement on Tuesday, putting an end to his 16-year NFL career. Whitworth started 15 games in the regular season for Los Angeles and made three starts in the team's four playoff games. The final being Super Bowl 56, which gave the 40-year-old his first Super Bowl ring. Whitworth was a four-time Pro Bowler and won the 2021 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award.

(Undated) -- According to USA Today players on the Yankees and Mets are subject to New York City's private employer vaccine mandate, meaning unvaccinated players will not be able to play in home games. The Yankees said on Tuesday that the team is "working with city hall and all other appropriate officials on this matter" while the Mets declined to comment. The Brooklyn Nets were recently fined 50-thousand-dollars for permitting Kyrie Irving to enter the team's locker room.

Let the madness begin, as march madness tips off with college men's basketball and the 'play-in' round, or the 'first-4' if you will.

Tonight, in Dayton, Ohio...Texas A&M Corpus Christi faces Texas Southern with the winner meeting #1 seed Kansas Thursday. The other play-in game sees Indiana battling Wyoming of the mountain west conference. The winner of the nightcap game plays St. Mary's Thursday in Portland.

There are two other play-in games set for tomorrow night and the winners will make up the field of 64-teams in the NCAA men's championship bracket. The women's 'first-4' play-in games tipoff tomorrow night.

Coming up Thursday, the Moda Center plays host to the 1st round of the men's west region with Boise state tangling with Memphis to kick the day off at 1045am, followed by top-rated Gonzaga playing Georgia State. The two survivors of these games meet Saturday in the 2nd round.

Later Thursday in Portland, at 420 in the afternoon, St. Mary's of the east bay area will play the winner of tonight's Indiana / Wyoming play-in game. The nightcap in the rose city Thursday features the UCLA Bruins meeting the Akron zips. The 4-winners Thursday pair up Saturday in the 2nd round with times to be determined later.

Elsewhere tonight, the men's nit tourney begins and the Oregon Ducks play at Utah state with tipoff here on kbnd set for 6pm. The game is also nationally televised on ESPN.

Two other pac-12 teams play tonight in the NIT, and at 8:00 p.m., Washington State hosts Santa Clara, and Colorado greets St. Bonaventure.

On the women's side, the NCAA tournament begins Friday, and the women's NIT tourney tips off Thursday, and as expected, Oregon State received an 'at-large' berth and will host Long Beach State at 7pm in the women's NIT. 

On Friday, the UCLA women host U-C Irvine, and the Portland lady Pilots entertain Colorado State.

The women's NCAA big dance starts Friday, and Saturday, and on Saturday, the Oregon women play Belmont in a 2:30pm tipoff in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Turning to college baseball, the Oregon State Beavers move up two spots to #5 in this week's national ratings by 'D-1 baseball dot com.'  the Beavs took 2 out of three games at Washington State this past weekend opening up conference play to improve to 11-and-2 overall.

Tonight, OSU hosts Grand Canyon in a non-league two-game mini-series through tomorrow.

Surprisingly, Oregon, after claiming a 3-game series at 2nd ranked Stanford, did not crack into the top-25. The 10-and-6 Ducks are idle until Friday when they host Utah.

After the series loss to the beavers, Stanford slipped down to #12. Arizona remains 16th, and Gonzaga is at #25.

(Renton, WA) -- The Seahawks re-signed a handful of players yesterday. The NFL Network is reporting Seattle signed Quandre Diggs to a three-year deal worth 40 million dollars. The Seahawks also re-signed tight end Will Dissly, defensive tackle Al Woods and cornerback Sidney Jones. Multiple reports say Dissly signed a three-year, 24-million dollar deal, Woods inked a two-year contract worth nine million, and Sidney Jones re-signed a one-year contract worth 3.6 million dollars.

(Los Angeles, CA) -- Gary Trent Jr. led the way with 28 points as the Raptors beat the Lakers 114-103 in Los Angeles. Pascal Siakam added a double-double with 27 points and 11 rebounds, while rookie Scottie Barnes impressed with 21 points. Toronto opened the game on a 21-to-2 run and led by as many as 28 in the victory. LeBron James scored a game-high 30 points for Los Angeles, which fell to 29-and-39. The Lakers have lost 11 of their last 14.

(Atlanta, GA) -- The Blazers suffered another road loss. Portland lost to the Hawks 122-113 in Atlanta. Josh Hart led the Blazers with 31 points, Trendon Watford had 22 points and Brandon Williams scored 20. Trae Young powered Atlanta with 46 points and 12 assists. Portland dropped to 26-and-41 with the loss. The Blazers play the Knicks in Madison Square Garden tomorrow night.

The high school basketball season came to a close Saturday across the state with the OSAA state championship tournaments where the final 6 champions of the schoolyear were crowned.

Four Central Oregon teams entered the weekend with a shot at the coveted 'blue' title trophy, but all 4 came up just short of owning rings.

In Portland at the 6a boys, the Summit Storm suffered their only loss of the season in the title game falling to Tualatin, 66-49.

At the 5A tourney at OSU’s Gill coliseum, top-rated Redmond was edged by Silverton for 3rd-place, 67-66.

On the girls side...both Ridgeview and Madras girls captured 3rd-place hardware as in Corvallis at the 5A tournament, the Lady Ravens of Ridgeview beat Putnam, 58-43, and in Coos Bay, Madras defeated Hidden Valley of Grants Pass, 48-41 to claim third-place in the 4A Division.

The boys’ champions are Tualatin, Wilsonville, and Cascade. The girls title winners are Beaverton, Crescent Valley, and Philomath.

Well put on your dancing shoes as the big dance begins tomorrow (tuesday) with the men's ncaa national tournament.

The four top-seeds include Gonzaga in the west, Arizona in the south, Kansas in the Midwest, and Baylor in the east.

The pac-12 only had 3-teams selected which include Arizona, UCLA, and USC. The west coast conference has 3-teams selected with St. Mary's and u-s-f joining Gonzaga. The Mountain West has Wyoming, Colorado State, San Diego State, and Boise state picked.

For the record, the Big-10 had nine teams entered, and the SEC, Big-12, and Big-east each had 6-teams selected.

The first-4 games begin tomorrow filling out the 64-team bracket for Thursday’s opening round at 8-cities around the country including Portland and the Moda center hosting 4-games Thursday and two games in the 2nd-round Saturday.

Coming to Portland will be Gonzaga, UCLA, Boise State, and St. Mary's.

You can download a printable bracket online at ‘NCAA dot com.'

Meantime, the men's NIT, the National Invitational Tournament is set, and the Pac-12 has Colorado and Washington state picked as #4-seeds, and the oregon ducks will travel to Utah State tomorrow night at 6:00 p.m. here on KBND.

In small college-NAIA basketball... Both Oregon Tech men's and Southern Oregon women's teams were eliminated Saturday in the opening round of the regional playoffs.

Elsewhere, the women's NCAA tournament field is set and tips off Friday.

Stanford joins Louisville, South Carolina, and n-c state as the #1 seeds. Arizona, Oregon, Colorado, and Washington State join defending champion Stanford representing the pac-12.

The 5-seed lady ducks venture to Knoxville, Tennessee to face 12-seed Belmont Saturday with tip-off time to be determined.

Later today, the women's NIT tournament will be announced and Oregon State is expected to earn an 'at-large' berth.

(Undated) -- The Sounders and Timbers both picked up wins over the weekend. Seattle edged out the LA Galaxy 3-2 on Saturday at Lumen Field. Jordan Morris, Fredy Montero and Xavier Arreaga all scored in the victory. Portland just got past Austin FC with a 1-0 win on Saturday at Providence Park. Bill Tuiloma scored the game-winning goal in the 62nd minute.

(Atlanta, GA) -- The Tail Blazers are hitting the road to face an Eastern Conference foe. Portland takes on the Hawks tonight in Atlanta. The Blazers come off a 127-118 win over the Wizards and snapped a six-game losing skid. Anfernee Simons, Eric Bledsoe and Justise Winslow are all listed out with injuries. Portland enters 26-and-40, while Atlanta sits 33-and-34.

(Tampa, FL) -- Just two months after announcing the end of his NFL career, Tom Brady is returning to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for his 23rd NFL season. In a post on social media, Brady said that he has realized his place is still on the field and that he has unfinished business. Brady spent the weekend attending a game between Manchester United and Tottenham in the English Premier League. Manchester United is owned by the Glazers, the same family that owns the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

It's 'semifinal Friday' across the state of oregon with the OSAA prep state boys and girls state basketball tournaments, and the summit and Redmond boys, and Ridgeview girls are one win away from playing for state titles tomorrow.

Yesterday, the Ridgeview girls downed Corvallis, 53-43 in the quarterfinal round at Gill Coliseum on the campus of Oregon State. To advance to tonight's semis.

Ridgeview's win was fueled by Kyrah Daniel’s scoring 33 of the Lady Ravens 53 winning points, and she snared a game-high 13 rebounds, as well.

The 5A semis tonight starting at 6:30 features #4 Ridgeview meeting 9th ranked Crescent Valley who upset top-seed Willamette, 48-45.

The Crook County girls lost to rex Putnam, 74-42 and play in a loser-out consolation semifinal against #2 seed Silverton who lost to Springfield, 29-20. The top-seed also was upset in opening round 5A girls’ action as Willamette fell

On the boy's side...at the 6A tournament on the campus of the university of Portland, the Summit Storm put their perfect 26-and-0 record on the line today facing Mountainside of Tigard in a 3:15 tipoff.

In Corvallis at the 5A boy’s tournament, the Redmond Panthers tipoff at 1:30 today in a 'final-4' showdown with #4 Silverton.

You can track the results, and follow the video and audio broadcasts online at 'OSAA dot org.'

(Corvallis, OR) -- A high-profile college quarterback visited Corvallis yesterday. ESPN is reporting that Georgia transfer quarterback JT Daniels took a visit to Oregon State. Daniels was a five-star QB out from southern California and played at USC before transferring to Georgia in 2020. Daniels is reportedly also considering Missouri and West Virginia as his next destination.

(Portland, OR) -- The Blazers return home after a rough road trip. Portland hosts the Washington Wizards tomorrow night at the Moda Center. Anfernee Simons is questionable to play. The Blazers have lost six in a row and enter the matchup at 25-and-40.

(New York, NY) -- The Major League Baseball lockout is over after 99 days, the second longest work stoppage in baseball history. The owners and players have reached a deal for a new five-year Collective Bargaining Agreement. Spring Training will begin ramping up this weekend in Arizona and Florida. Games will begin next week with Opening Day of the regular season slated for April 7th. The new CBA will include a Universal Designated Hitter, and an expanded 12-team playoff format. The two sides have agreed to a Competitive Balance Tax threshold of 230-milllion-dollars this season.

(New York, NY) -- Baseball will play a full season. Major League Baseball owners and players reached an agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement. Once ratified, the season will start April 7th. Increased minimum salaries are expected to be part of the new CBA that will be in place for five years. Other changes agreed to include a universal designated hitter and a Draft lottery. More than 200 players who remain free agents, such as stars Kris Bryant, Freddie Freeman and Carlos Correa, will be able to sign new contracts once the CBA is finalized.

The magical and undefeated season continues for the Summit Storm boys basketball team as last night the 2nd ranked storm defeated Roosevelt of Portland, 65-64 in the quarterfinals of the OSAA class 6a state tournament.

Senior Julian Mora made a last second tip-in basket to keep the storm perfect with a 26-and-0 record, the only unbeaten team in the state.

Summit is in the boys 'final-4' and meets 11th ranked mountainside of Tigard tomorrow afternoon at 3:15 at the Chiles Center on the campus of the University of Portland.

The other boys semifinal game tomorrow features top-ranked Tualatin meeting West Linn.

Meantime, the Cinderella dance continues for the top-ranked Redmond boys who also advanced to the 'final-4' in the 5A state tournament at Oregon State's Gill Coliseum.

Yesterday Redmond smashed Ashland in the quarterfinals to open the tourney, 51-37.

The 21-and-5 panthers face #4 Silverton tomorrow at 1:30pm in Corvallis in the semifinals.

Redmond has won 14-straight games and last lost when the played up a level losing to mt. View in the summit holiday classic.

The other 5A semifinal game Friday sees 2nd ranked Churchill play #3 Wilsonville.

And, the 4A boys tournament tips off today in Coos Bay-North Bend with the top seed Junction City playing Baker. Cascade is the 2-seed and meets Stayton. Philomath plays seaside, and the host Marshfield Pirates meet Banks.

On the girls side of the state tournaments, today at 3:15 in Corvallis at Gill Coliseum, the 4th ranked Ridgeview lady ravens take on #5 Corvallis in the opening day of the 5A tourney.

And, this evening at 6:30, Crook County's girls tangle with Rex Putnam.

A win for the Ravens and Cowgirls would put them both in tomorrow night's semifinals in opposite sides of the bracket.

Tonight at 9:00pm in Coos Bay, the 7th seed Madras girls challenge 2nd ranked Cascade in the opening round games of the 4A girls state tournament hosted by Marshfield high school.

You can check out all the matchups from the 6 remaining state tournaments online at OSAA dot org.'

(New York, NY) -- Major League Baseball is postponing another week of regular season games. In a statement released by the league, it was announced Opening Day is moving to at least April 14th after talks stalled once again on Wednesday. The MLB Players Association rejected three offers on an International Draft resolution, which became the latest issue in negotiations. Commissioner Rob Manfred said in the statement that clubs went to "extraordinary" lengths to meet MLBPA demands, but this week's bargaining sessions resulted in no deal. There is no word when talks will resume.

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- The losing continues for the Trail Blazers. Portland lost to the Utah Jazz 123-85 in Salt Lake City. Trendon Watford led the Blazers with 22 points and Keon Johnson added 15 points. Portland has lost six straight games to fall to 25-and-40. The Blazers host the Washington Wizards on Saturday.

(Houston, TX) -- The Rockets opened overtime on a 13-0 run as they beat the Lakers 139-130 in Houston. Rookie Jalen Green erupted for a career-high 32 points in the victory. Fellow rookies Josh Christopher and Alperen Sengun [[ shen-gün ]] chipped in with 21 points apiece. Houston improved to 17-and-49. LeBron James posted a triple-double with 23 points, 14 rebounds and 12 assists. Los Angeles has dropped six of its last seven and fell to 28-and-37.

(Los Angeles, CA) -- The Clippers aren't allowing any sorcery at home. Los Angeles took down the Wizards 115-109 behind Reggie Jackson's 31 points. Marcus Morris Sr. added 27 for Los Angeles, which improves to 35-and-33. The Clippers pulled away in the fourth quarter, outscoring Washington 32-to-24 to get the victory. Kristaps Porzingis had 19 points for the Wizards, who dropped to 29-and-35.

(Undated) -- Number-1 Gonzaga defeated number-17 Saint Mary's 82-69 in the West Coast Conference tournament championship in Las Vegas. The Pac-12 Tournament starts today in Vegas with Oregon and Oregon State facing off. Ducks guard Will Richardson will not play in the Pac-12 tourney with a non-COVID-19 illness. Wazzu plays Cal tonight in the Pac-12 Tournament and Washington plays Utah. The Big Sky tournament starts in Boise today with Portland State playing Idaho State and Eastern Washington playing Northern Arizona.

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- The Trail Blazers are heading to the mountains. Portland plays the Jazz in Salt Lake City tonight. Anfernee Simons is questionable to play with a Quadriceps injury. The Blazers have lost five straight and enter at 25-and-39. Utah comes in at 40-and-24.

(Undated) -- The Seahawks are trading quarterback Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos. Multiple reports say Denver is sending two first-round draft picks, two second-round picks, and quarterback Drew Lock to Seattle. The Seahawks are also getting tight end Noah Fant, defensive end Shelby Harris, and a fifth-round pick. Denver receives a fourth-rounder to go with Wilson. ESPN reports Wilson approved the trade and passed his physical on Tuesday.

(Green Bay, WI) -- Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is pushing back on reports that he has agreed to a massive new contract. The Super Bowl champion tweeted those reports aren't true. Earlier in the day, it was reported that the Packers and Rodgers agreed to a four-year, 200-million-dollar deal. It would make him the highest paid player in NFL history.

(San Francisco, CA) -- Jonathan Kuminga added 21 points off the bench as the Warriors beat the Clippers 112-97 in San Francisco. Jordan Poole also contributed from the bench as he added 20 points. Golden State outscored Los Angeles 33-to-15 in the second quarter to pull away early. Nicolas Batum led the way with 17 points for the Clippers, who dropped to 34-and-33. Los Angeles has lost two in a row.

(Undated) -- The Pac-12 Tournament starts tomorrow in Vegas. Number 5 Oregon plays Number 12 Oregon State in the first round.  2:00 p.m. pre-game and 2:30 p.m. tip-off on KBND.  The winner will face Number 4 Colorado on Thursday.  Number-1 Gonzaga topped San Francisco 81-71 in the West Coast Conference tournament semifinals in Las Vegas. The Zags play number-17 Saint Mary's tonight in the WCC tournament final. Also of note, first-year Seattle U men's basketball coach Chris Victor was named Western Athletic Conference Coach of the Year. The Pac-12 Tournament starts tomorrow in Vegas.

(Las Vegas, NV) -- The Bruins and Trojans are vying for the Pac-12 Tournament title this week in Las Vegas. UCLA has a bye in the first round as the Number-2 seed and will face the winner of Washington State and Cal on Thursday night. USC also earned a bye as it sits as the Number-3 seed. The Trojans will play the winner of Utah and Washington on Thursday night. The Pac-12 championship game will take place on Saturday night.

(Minneapolis, MN) -- The Timberwolves raced out to a 27-point halftime lead en route to a 124-81 rout of the Portland Trail Blazers in Minneapolis. Minnesota led by as many as 46 points in the blowout as. Brandon Williams scored a team-high 27 points for the Blazers. Portland has lost five straight to fall to 25-and-39. The Blazers play the Jazz in Salt Lake City tomorrow night.

(San Antonio, TX) -- Dejounte Murray poured in 26 points as the Spurs took down the Lakers 117-110 in San Antonio. Murray came up short of a triple-double as he finished with 10 rebounds and eight assists. San Antonio snapped a four-game losing skid and improved to 25-and-40. Talen Horton-Tucker led the Lakers with 18 points, while Russell Westbrook posted 17 points and 10 rebounds. Los Angeles has lost five of six to drop to 28-and-36.

(New York, NY) -- The MLB may be cancelling another week of the season if the owners and the MLBPA can't reach a CBA agreement on Tuesday. The league and the Players Association plan to meet on Tuesday after continuing discussions on Monday. Evan Drellich of the Athletic reports that if no agreement is reached on Tuesday, the league plans to cancel another week of regular season games and may even officially shorten the typical 162-game season for 2022. The league and the players are reportedly still far apart on the competitive balance tax and the bonus pool for pre-arbitration players, but Drellich also added that shortening the 162-game season would need to be negotiated with the Players Association in order to take effect.

Just five high desert boys and girl's teams are all in the 'elite-8' quarterfinals this week.

On the girl’s side...in the 5A division, Crook County and Ridgeview are headed to the tournament at Gill Coliseum in Corvallis Thursday.

The #3 seed Cowgirls meet 11th ranked Rex Putnam, 4th seed Ridgeview faces #5 Corvallis.

Also Thursday, the Madras girls travel to Coos Bay-North Bend for the 4A tournament, and the #11 Lady Buffalo take on 2nd ranked Cascade.

Meantime...on the boys’ side, Wednesday night, 2nd ranked and still undefeated Summit plays Roosevelt of Portland in the 6A tournament at the Chiles Center on the campus of the University of Portland.

Redmond, top-ranked in the 5A, will open the 5A tourney in Corvallis at OSU meeting Ashland.

You can view all the exact game times, and brackets online at ‘OSAA dot org.'

Saturday, six state titles were awarded, and state champions crowned on the boys side were, Cascade Christian winning the 3A trophy. Western Christian claimed the 2A ring, and Crane won the 1a championship.

On the girls side...Nyssa captured the 3A crown. Union won the 2A title, and Crane swept the 1A trophy like its boys’ team.
 

(Undated) -- The Washington Huskies beat Oregon State 78-67 in Seattle on Saturday and Wazzu pounded Oregon 94-74 in Pullman. Eastern Washington beat Portland State 83-75 in Cheney. Number-1 Gonzaga plays San Francisco in the WCC tournament semifinals tonight in Las Vegas.

(Undated) -- The Timbers picked up a draw and the Sounders took a loss this weekend. Portland drew LAFC 1-1 in Los Angeles last night. Yimmi Chará scored the Timbers' only goal as the club got to 0-0-and-2. The Sounders lost to Real Salt Lake 1-0 in Sandy, Utah on Saturday. Seattle fell to 0-2-and-0.

(Minneapolis, MN) -- The Blazers losing streak continues. Portland lost to the Timberwolves 135-121 in Minneapolis on Saturday. Anfernee Simons had another great game with 38 points, Brandon Williams added 21 points off the bench, and Trendon Watford had 12 points and 14 rebounds. Portland has lost four straight to fall to 25-and-38. The Blazers stay in Minneapolis to play the Timberwolves again tonight.

(New York, NY) -- The Major League Baseball Players Association is giving the league a new proposal to mull over. But ESPN reports the proposal probably won't be the one that ends the current lockout. The proposal included a five-million dollar reduction to the union's last offer in the pre-arbitration bonus pool, but no changes were made in the offer for the competitive balance tax proposal. A league spokesperson said the offer was "worse than Monday night." That was the original deadline to keep regular season games from being cancelled. He added that "simply put, we are deadlocked."

(Undated) -- The Washington Huskies topped the Oregon Ducks 78-67 in Seattle. Washington State defeated Oregon State 71-67 on the Palouse. Tomorrow, U-Dub hosts the Beavers, Wazzu plays Oregon in Pullman, Seattle U hosts Chicago State and Eastern Washington plays Portland State in Cheney.

(Minneapolis, MN) -- The Blazers road trip continues. Portland plays the Timberwolves in Minneapolis tomorrow. The Blazers are on a rough streak after losing their last three games by at least 30 points. Portland enters the matchup at 25-and-37.

(New York, NY) -- Major League Baseball and the Players Association are talking for the first time since the sides failed to agree to a new collective bargaining agreement. ESPN reports the sides met Thursday for an hour and a half to continue talks amid the league's current lockout. It seemed like the lockout was nearing an end on Tuesday, before negotiations came to a halt. That resulted in MLB commissioner Rob Manfred canceling the first two series of the 2022 season for each team. There reportedly is no indication as to when talks will continue. The work stoppage first began on December 2nd.

(Undated) -- The Sounders and Timbers are both on the road this weekend. Seattle plays Real Salt Lake in Sandy, Utah tomorrow. The Sounders are 0-and-1. Portland plays LAFC on Sunday night in Los Angeles. The Timbers drew their first match of the season.

(New York, NY) -- The NFL and its Players Association are agreeing to stop all aspects of their joint COVID-19 protocols. This comes after almost two years of restrictions. There will be no more mask requirements, tracking devices, surveillance testing or capacity limits. The only COVID rules to be enforced next season will be those mandated by state or local laws.

We tip things off with high school basketball and the state playoffs where sadly things came to a screeching halt at the big dance last night on the road for both the Mt. View and Bend girl's teams.

In the OSAA 6A first round, Lake Oswego thumped the lady Cougars, 57-35, and Jefferson smashed Bend, 54-20.

Coming up Saturday, 4th ranked Ridgeview hosts LaSalle at 3:30 p.m. in the 5A girls playoffs, and at 5:00 p.m. Saturday, Crook County greets Thurston.

Also Saturday, at 3:30 p.m. Madras plays Astoria in the class 4A playoffs.

In boy's hoops...2nd ranked Summit hosts Barlow tomorrow night at 6:30 in the 2nd round of the 6A playoffs. Also, tomorrow night, in the 5A division, Redmond welcomes Milwaukie.

And, the single-A Boy's State Tournament kicked off yesterday in Baker City with Crane, Crosshill Christian, South Wasco County, and Powder Valley notching opening wins advancing to the semifinals tomorrow. 

Today, the 1A girls, and 2A and 3A boys and girls tourney all take to the maplewood.  Again, you can follow all the brackets online at ‘OSAA dot org.'
 

(Undated) -- The Washington Huskies play Oregon Ducks tonight in Seattle. The Ducks will likely need the win to enter the NCAA tournament picture. Washington State hosts Oregon State tonight as well, while Eastern Washington hosts Northern Arizona and Portland State plays Idaho on the road.

(Phoenix, AZ) -- The Blazers are taking another big loss. Portland lost to the Suns 120-90 in Phoenix. Brandon Williams led the Blazers with 14 points and Drew Eubanks finished with 13 points and eight rebounds. Portland has lost three in a row to fall to 25-and-37. The Blazers stay on the road to play the Timberwolves in Minneapolis Saturday night.

(Phoenix, AZ) -- The Suns are down both of their All-Stars after Devin Booker entered the NBA's Health and Safety Protocols yesterday. It's unclear how long Booker will be out. The Suns are already without point guard Chris Paul, but they did get Cam Payne back from injury last night. Payne had been out over a month with a wrist injury.

(Indianapolis, IN) -- Green Bay Packers' head coach Matt LaFleur is giving Aaron Rodgers his space as he goes through his decision-making process. Rodgers has yet to commit to returning to play in the upcoming season. LaFleur said during the NFL scouting combine that he wants to be respectful of his space and not annoy him while he thinks through everything clearly. The Packers' head coach also admitted to Rodgers having a significant role in the hiring of quarterbacks coach Tom Clements.

(Orlando, FL) -- The 2022 PGA Tour continues in Orlando this weekend with the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Arnold Palmer's Bay Hill Club and Lounge. Round one begins Thursday morning with Keegan Bradley, Trey Mullinax, Matt Wallace, Nick Watney, Brendan Steele, and Aaron Rai teeing things off. Last year's champion Bryson DeChambeau is not participating in this year's tournament.

The madness that makes March what it is on the maple courts has begun.

The first round of the OSAA boys 6A basketball playoffs last night saw second-ranked Summit remain undefeated while both Mt. View and Bend were sadly eliminated.

The Cougars lost at Lake Oswego, 59-42 and the Lava Bears were defeated at Beaverton, 63-42.

Meantime, the Storm blew away Liberty by 32, 78-46.

Summit will host another playoff game when they greet 15th seed Barlow of Gresham Friday night.

A win sends summit to Portland one week from tonight to the 6A tournament, or elite-8 if you will, where they would meet either Roosevelt or North Medford.

Summit is 24-and-oh on the year!

Also Friday, the 5A playoffs are set and top ranked Redmond boys host Milwaukie.

The Panthers went unbeaten to win the I-M-C crown and are 19-5 overall.

On the girl’s side….the 6A playoffs tipoff first round action tonight where Mt. View travels to Oregon City and Bend is in north Portland to face Jefferson.

The class 5A playoffs are Saturday, and 3rd ranked crook county welcomes Thurston of Springfield, and #4 Ridgeview hosts la salle of Portland.

Also Saturday afternoon at 3:30 in Jefferson county, the #7 Madras girls team entertains Astoria to begin the 4A playoffs.

And the 1A State tournament begins today in Baker. Tomorrow, the 2A and 3A tournaments begin.

You can follow all the playoff brackets, scores, game times, team records and rosters online at ‘OSAA dot org.’
 

(Los Angeles, CA) -- Luka Doncic guided the Mavericks to a 109-104 win over the Lakers in Los Angeles. Doncic put up 25 points, eight rebounds and five assists and keyed a late 11-oh run to help Dallas fend off LA. The Mavericks had led by as many as 21 points, before the Lakers stormed back to take a lead heading into the fourth quarter. Dallas has won four of its last five and improved to 37-and-25. LeBron James poured in 26 points for Los Angeles, which dropped to 27-and-34. The Lakers have lost three straight.

(Los Angeles, CA) -- The Trojans are taking a tough conference loss. Number-16 USC fell 91-71 to 3rd-ranked Arizona in Los Angeles. Only three Trojans scored in double figures with Max Agbonkpolo leading the team with 14 points. USC trailed by 24 points at halftime and couldn't climb out of the large deficit. That snapped the team's six-game winning streak. The Trojans dropped to 25-and-5 overall and 14-and-5 in Pac-12 play.

(Phoenix, AZ) -- The Blazers play the defending Western Conference champions. Portland plays the Suns in Phoenix tonight. The Blazers have lost two in a row and enter at 25-and-36. Phoenix is an NBA-best 49-and-12.

(Houston, TX) -- Ivica Zubac posted 22 points and 12 rebounds as the Clippers beat the Rockets 113-100 in Houston. Zubac shot an efficient 8-for-12 from the floor, while Marcus Morris Sr. chipped in with 18 points. Los Angeles outscored Houston 40-to-25 in the third quarter to pull away with the victory. The Clippers have won four straight and improved to 33-and-31. The Rockets have lost 10 straight.

(Undated) -- The latest college basketball coaches poll is being released and Gonzaga remains the top team in the country. Duke, Arizona, Baylor, and Auburn round out the top five. The Blue Devils climbed four spots to second in the country, and Baylor rose seven spots in the rankings to fourth. UCLA took the biggest dip in the rankings falling from five spots from 13th to 18th in the nation. USC stayed put in the poll at Number-16.

(Undated) -- The Huskies lost to number-18 UCLA 77-66 in Seattle. Washington State beat Oregon State 103-97 in overtime in Corvallis. Michael Flowers led Wazzu with 27 points.

(Los Angeles, CA) -- The Lakers are looking to turn things around against a conference foe. Los Angeles hosts the Mavericks tonight at Crypto-dot-com Arena. The Lakers come off a 123-95 loss to the Pelicans and have dropped five of their last six. Los Angeles enters 27-and-33, while Dallas sits 36-and-25. The Mavs have won three of their last four.

(Phoenix, AZ) -- The Blazers are heading to the desert. Portland plays the Suns in Phoenix tomorrow night. The Blazers have lost two in a row and enter at 25-and-36. Phoenix is an NBA-best 49-and-12.

(Houston, TX) -- The Clippers are looking to extend their winning streak. Los Angeles takes on the Rockets tonight in Houston. The teams meet for a second straight time after the Clippers beat the Rockets 99-98 on Sunday. That was the team's third straight win and fourth in its last five. Paul George is listed out as he remains sidelined with an elbow injury. Los Angeles enters 32-and-31, while Houston sits 15-and-45.