AP Sports SummaryBrief at 12:56 a.m. EST
The All-Star break is almost over. It's time for the stretch run toward the NBA playoffs
The trade deadline is gone. The All-Star break is ending. Luka Doncic is with the Los Angeles Lakers. Jimmy Butler is with the Golden State Warriors. Anthony Davis is with the Dallas Mavericks, though it's unknown when he'll play again. The dust has settled. It's time for the stretch run. Every club has between 26 and 30 games remaining in this sprint to the April 13 finish line. And teams will point to recent history as proof that getting into the playoffs means anything can happen: No. 5, No. 6, No. 7 and No. 8 seeds have made their way to the conference finals in the last two years.
Judge disagrees with Soto's conclusion that Mets have better chance for titles than Yankees
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Aaron Judge naturally takes issue with Juan Soto's conclusion that the New York Mets have a better chance to win World Series titles than the Yankees. Soto left the Yankees as a free agent in December for a record $765 million, 15-year contract with the Mets, turning down the Yankees' $760 million, 16-year offer. Judge says: "That's his opinion. He can say what he wants. I definitely disagree with him." The Yankees captain adds, "We're going to be battling back and forth for quite a few years."
Why can't Kyle Larson win the Daytona 500? Jeff Gordon believes defeats are 'getting in his head'
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Owen Larson called it when he said his dad wouldn't win the Daytona 500 because "he probably needs to try really hard because he's not good at superspeedway racing." The 10-year-old was right in his assessment. Kyle Larson can win just about anywhere in any type of car. But when it comes to Daytona and Talladega, NASCAR's 2021 Cup Series champion is a disaster. Larson dropped to 0 for 22 at Daytona International Speedway when he finished 20th in Sunday night's Daytona 500. Hendrick Motorsports vice chairman Jeff Gordon is a three-time Daytona 500 winner who believes the lack of success on superspeedways is "getting in his head."
Notre Dame moves up to No. 1 in AP poll for first time since 2019 after UCLA suffers 1st loss
Notre Dame is No. 1 in The Associated Press Top 25 women's basketball poll for the first time since 2019. Texas moved up to second for its best ranking since 2017. UCLA had been No. 1 for 12 straight weeks after beating South Carolina in late November but the Bruins are now third in the rankings. USC moved up to fourth and UConn is fifth after routing then-No. 4 South Carolina.
Auburn stays at No. 1 in AP Top 25 for 6th straight week, Florida up to No. 2; Louisville returns
Auburn is No. 1 in The Associated Press men's college basketball poll for the sixth consecutive week. The Tigers claimed 59 of 60 first-place votes in the latest poll after beating then-No. 1 Alabama on the road. Florida claimed the other first-place vote and broke last week's tie with Duke to move up to second. The Southeastern Conference has a national-best nine ranked teams. No. 25 Louisville returned to the poll for the week's only new addition.
Yankees' Stanton hasn't swung bat in 3 or 4 weeks and is unsure of whether he can play in opener
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — New York Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton hasn't swung a bat in three or four weeks and isn't sure whether he will be ready for opening day because of painful tendinitis in both elbows. Speaking before the team's first full-squad workout, Stanton revealed he played in pain for much of last season as he helped the Yankees reach the World Series for the first time since 2009. He wouldn't guess whether playing in the American League champion's March 27 opener against Milwaukee is realistic.
Tobe Awaka has a double-double as No. 19 Arizona snaps 2-game skid with a 74-67 win at Baylor
WACO, Texas (AP) — Tobe Awaka had 14 points and 12 rebounds as No. 19 Arizona moved into second place alone in the Big 12 Conference with a 74-67 win at Baylor. Caleb Love and Henri Veesaar each had 13 points for the 18-8 Wildcats. Their back-to-back losses last week to Kansas State and No. 5 Houston dropped them six spots in the latest AP Top 25 poll earlier Monday. VJ Edgecombe scored 24 points for the 16-10 Bears. Norchad Omier had his 82nd career double-double with 15 points and 13 rebounds.
Cam Ward has answer for anyone who thinks he quit on Miami after breaking TD record in bowl game
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Cam Ward says not playing in the second half of Miami's bowl game was a predetermined decision and that he'd do it the same way again. The quarterback could be the first player taken in the NFL draft. He accepted the Davey O'Brien Award on Monday night as the top college quarterback. He hasn't decided if he will throw at the NFL combine next week. Ward was showered with online criticism suggesting that he quit on the Hurricanes after he didn't play the second half of the Pop-Tarts Bowl in December. They lost to Iowa State after he broke the NCAA Division I record for career touchdown passes.
D-backs, SS Geraldo Perdomo agree to $45 million, 4-year deal that starts in 2026, AP source says
Slick-fielding shortstop Geraldo Perdomo has agreed to a $45 million, four-year contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks that begins in 2026, a person familiar with the deal tells The Associated Press. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the agreement hadn't been announced. The deal includes a club option for 2030. Perdomo will make $2.55 million this year after being eligible for salary arbitration for the first time. The 25-year-old was an All-Star in 2023, the same year he helped the Diamondbacks reach the World Series.
Devers insists he's the Red Sox's third baseman even with Bregman now on the team
FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — The Red Sox's ballyhooed signing of Alex Bregman was met with considerable resistance Monday when Rafael Devers said he wouldn't cede third base. Devers is a three-time All-Star and has played the hot corner for Boston since 2017 and himself received a major deal just two years ago. The Red Sox signed Bregman on Saturday to a three-year, $120 million contract that includes a $5 million signing bonus. A two-time All-Star, Bregman has hit more than 20 home runs each of the past three seasons.
AP-Scorecard
Here are the scores from yesterday's sports events:
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NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Final Canada 5 Finland 3
Final Sweden 2 USA 1
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TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Final (3)Duke 80 Virginia 62
Final (19)Arizona 74 Baylor 67
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TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE
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TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Oklahoma at (2)Florida 7 p.m.
(5)Houston at Arizona St. 9 p.m.
(7)Texas A&M at (21)Mississippi St. 7 p.m.
Colorado at (8)Iowa St. 8 p.m.
(9)Texas Tech at TCU 8 p.m.
Illinois at (11)Wisconsin 8:30 p.m.
(13)Purdue at (14)Michigan St. 7 p.m.
Seton Hall at (16)Marquette 9 p.m.
(23)Kansas at BYU 9 p.m.