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Lakers center Jaxson Hayes, left, dives for a loose ball next to Knicks forward OG Anunoby in the first half Sunday.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Hayes crawled across the floor for loose balls. Marcus Smart stepped in front of driving opponents. Jarred Vanderbilt leaped into the laps of front-row fans.
With energy and focus from every player, the Lakers delivered one of their best defensive efforts of the season despite circumstances that could have made Sunday’s game a snoozer.
The Lakers were playing their third game in four days. Losing an hour of sleep because of daylight saving time had Rui Hachimura sleepwalking into the arena Sunday morning for a 12:30 p.m. tip. Hoping to wake himself up, the Lakers forward said he got into the hot tub when he arrived.
Players tried to hype themselves up in the locker room by blasting music. Instead of listing three defensive keys before the game, coaches whittled the game plan to one focus: multiple efforts.
“It wasn’t gonna be an offensive game,” coach JJ Redick said. “This was gonna be a gritty, tough game that we had to win with effort. And we did that.”
Smart led that effort with a game-high plus-27 in 29 minutes and 17 seconds. He drew two charges. His signature moment didn’t even show up in the game play-by-play. After Luka Doncic turned the ball over with 2.2 seconds remaining in the third quarter, Smart hustled back to force Jordan Clarkson to pass the ball at the buzzer, keeping the Knicks from getting a last-second layup attempt. Smart walked to the bench with his arms extended like a defensive back who had just broken up a touchdown pass.
The Knicks were held to less than 100 points for only the seventh time and had their fourth-worst three-point shooting performance of the season, going eight for 34. The Lakers went nearly five minutes without scoring in the fourth quarter, but held on by forcing eight turnovers.
“It was not a perfect game,” said Doncic, who led the Lakers with 35 points on 11-for-25 shooting. “But we fight at the defensive end. I think we did a great job. It says a lot about the team, bringing this much energy in a game like this.”
On Sunday, less than a week after agreeing to a trade with the Kansas City Chiefs for McDuffie, the Rams and McDuffie agreed to terms on a contract extension that will make him the NFL’s highest-paid player at his position, a person with knowledge of the situation said. The person requested anonymity because the trade and extension will not become official until Wednesday when the NFL’s new league year begins.
But McDuffie’s four-year deal is worth $124 million, with $100 million guaranteed, according to ESPN, making McDuffie the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history.
The Rams are no strangers to making record-setting deals. Quarterback Jared Goff, running back Todd Gurley, defensive lineman Aaron Donald and cornerback Jalen Ramsey all made history with deals they signed as Rams.
McDuffie, 25, is entering the final year of his rookie contract after being selected by the Chiefs in the first round of the 2022 draft. The former Anaheim Servite and Bellflower St. John Bosco high star was an 2023 All-Pro who helped the Chiefs win two Super Bowls.
The Rams are sending a first-round pick — the 29th overall — and fifth- and sixth-round picks in this year’s draft and a 2027 seventh-round pick to the Chiefs in exchange for McDuffie.
The Rams have made multiple moves to retain and add players to a secondary that will be key next season and beyond for an organization that has gone all in to play in Super Bowl LXI at SoFi Stadium next February.
Chief support will see Dublin’s Pierce O’Leary fight in his home city for the first time as a pro when he takes on replacement Maxi Hughes with the vacant IBO light-welterweight belt up for grabs.
Portsmouth’s Mark Chamberlain was due to face O’Leary, but he was forced to withdraw because of an infection with Yorkshire’s Hughes stepping up in weight for the challenge.
The vacant IBO super-featherweight title is also on offer as Dubliner Jono Carroll and Belfast’s Colm Murphy lock horns, while an interesting addition to the card is Southampton’s undefeated super-featherweight Ryan Garner, who will be keen to earn a crack at the winner of the main event.
James Dickens v Anthony Cacace – WBA world super-featherweight title
Pierce O’Leary v Maxi Hughes – vacant IBO light-welterweight title
Jono Carroll v Colm Murphy – vacant IBO super-featherweight title
Steven Cairns v Arnie Dawson – lightweight
Eoghan Lavin v Liam Walsh – middleweight
Ryan Garner v TBA – super-featherweight
Barry McReynolds v Jonatas Rodrigo Gomes de Oliveira – light-welterweight
Davey Joyce v TBA – super-featherweight
Adam Olaniyan v TBA – heavyweight
Gary Cully v Benito Sanchez Garcia – light-welterweight
Ireland are, just about, in with a chance of the title after overcoming a gutsy Wales with a 27-17 victory in Dublin.
But their title hopes hinge on them beating Scotland and relying on out-of-form England beating France in Paris.
Ireland did not hit the heights they had reached in dismantling England two weeks earlier, digging deep for the bonus-point win they needed to keep them in the title conversation.
Wales gave a good account of themselves, and Rhys Carre can look back with pride after a spectacular solo try that saw the prop rumble over the line after a run that started outside the Ireland 22.
“Defensively, Wales were so much better and so much more physical compared to round one,” Sam Warburton told Rugby Special. “They were blown away against England but now they are competitive. They have not won in Dublin since 2012, it was always a tall order but they did well.
“They have found their centre combination, and the front five provided so much of a platform with their ball carrying and hits in defence.
“I was worried they were going to become the 30-point whipping boys but they have turned it around after round one, and I am very pleased.”
Improved performances since the 48-7 defeat by England in round one give Wales some hope of ending their run of 15 consecutive Six Nations losses in their final fixture, although they will host an Italy side buoyed by its historic win over England.
Joel Hofer made 22 saves for his fifth shutout of the season, Jonathan Drouin scored in his Blues debut and St. Louis beat the Ducks 4-0 on Sunday night to sweep a four-game trip.
Jordan Kyrou, Jimmy Snuggerud and Pius Suter also scored to help St. Louis win for the fifth time in six games since the Olympic break.
Drouin was acquired from the Islanders on Friday at the trade deadline in the deal that sent Blues captain Brayden Schenn to New York. The left wing scored the second of three second-period goals, firing a slap shot past Ville Husso on a power play with 9:53 left.
Kyrou opened the scoring at 4:22, snapping a shot from the right side to the far post on a 3-on-1 break. After helping set up Drouin’s goal, Snuggerud added one of his own on a one-timer with 7:49 to go.
St. Louis failed to add to the lead on an extended power play that spilled into the third when Ross Johnston received a major penalty for boarding Justin Holl, the defenseman who also made his Blues debut after coming over from Detroit.
After the Ducks successfully challenged Snuggerud’s apparent goal midway through the third for offsides, Suter scored into an empty net with 4:02 to go.
Husso stopped 31 shots. The Ducks completed a nine-game homestand, splitting the last four after winning the first five. They were 0 for 6 on the power play against the Blues.
John Carlson, the defenseman acquired from Washington on Thursday, missed his fifth straight game because of lower-body injury. Ducks center Mikael Granlund returned after missing six games because of an upper-body injury sustained playing for Finland in the Olympic bronze-medal game.
Up next for the Ducks: at Winnipeg on Tuesday night.
Whilst he may be a stranger to Wales, Govil is quick to point out his familiarity with franchise success.
His Washington Freedom side have won the most games in the three years of MLC, taking home the trophy in 2024 and finishing runners-up in 2025.
“I have a history of doing this, it’s not just the Washington Freedom. I had a professional badminton team in India and in the very first year we won the championship,” the Maryland-based entrepreneur said.
“Even business, I’ve taken over assets, which are really underperforming and turned it around.”
The secret to his success?
“It’s all about looking at a big picture, having the right components, and creating an environment which is very fertile towards success,” he explained.
Fire have already been busy trying to acquire the right components.
Salt, Chris Woakes, Marco Jansen and Rachin Ravindra have joined the men’s side as direct signings whilst Freya Kemp, Georgia Wareham and Georgia Voll have signed with the women’s team.
If Govil is to be successful in reversing the fortunes of his new franchise, the team’s performances on the field will need to mirror his own bold confidence.
The next step to building this team will come in this week’s inaugural auction.
As well as having the opportunity to build a competitive team Govil will have the chance to shine a light on Welsh talent and create an identity fans are more likely to subscribe to.
Then, comes the hope of bringing a history of success to a place that has not yet experienced it.
Britain’s Emma Raducanu was overpowered by sixth seed Amanda Anisimova at Indian Wells, losing 6-1 6-1 in a third-round encounter lasting only 52 minutes.
In an ominous sign of the struggle to come, Raducanu was broken in the opening game.
It quickly became apparent the 25th seed had no answer to the American’s determined approach, and the first set ran away from her with just 11 points won.
The second immediately took on a similar pattern with Raducanu finding herself three games behind before managing to hold her serve.
Having enlisted Mark Petchey as a temporary coach after parting with Francisco Roig in January, Raducanu last week said she had been hoping to rediscover her “natural way of playing” in an attempt to build towards the form that saw her claim the 2021 US Open.
But there was to be no reprieve, as Anisimova impressively took a further three games to progress.
The Chargers bolstered their efforts to protect quarterback Justin Herbert all while diversifying their offense by agreeing to terms with veteran fullback Alec Ingold on Sunday, according to multiple reports.
Ingold’s deal with the Chargers reportedly is for two years and $7.5 million.
Ingold will be no stranger to the Chargers’ plans on offense. He played the last four seasons in Miami under coach Mike McDaniel, the Chargers’ new offensive coordinator. Last year he caught eight passes for 52 yards and ran the ball twice in 17 games.
Ingold caught 47 passes for 372 yards and rushed for 34 yards in 20 carries in four seasons with the Dolphins. He also had two rushing touchdowns and a receiving touchdown.
Before his time in Miami, Ingold played three seasons with the Raiders.
The deal comes two days after the Chargers signed veteran center Tyler Biadasz to take over over for the retiring Bradley Bozeman. They agreed to terms on a one-year deal with edge rusher Khalil Mack on Saturday.
With the free agency negotiation period set to begin Monday at 9 a.m. PDT, the Chargers remain in strong position to be significant players in the free-agent market. They rank among the top-five teams in salary cap space, per Overthecap.com.
If they were men, they would have been in the national headlines for the last six months. But from those shadows they have emerged stronger, more connected and loudly prepared to bring home a long-awaited national championship.
UCLA guard Kiki Rice drives under pressure from Iowa guard Chazadi Wright during the Big Ten tournament finals on Sunday in Indianapolis.
(Michael Conroy / Associated Press)
Listen up, that roar at your door is the UCLA women’s basketball team, bursting on to the national headlines Sunday after delivering the kind of Big Ten tournament title beating that sounds, well, fake.
Fifty-one points. Fifty-one points! Who wins a game of such import by 51 points?
A team that should be the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA tournament, that’s who.
Seriously, when officials reveal the women’s March Madness bracket next weekend, even though one-loss UCLA is ranked second behind defending champion and unbeaten Connecticut, the Bruins should be the top-line No. 1 team.
They have won 25 straight games, all but two by double digits, against a much tougher schedule than the one faced by UConn.
Yes, the Bruins’ one loss is to Texas, but the Longhorns just won the SEC and are going to be another No. 1 seed. And yes, the Bruins lost to UConn by 34 points in last season’s national semifinals, but the Huskies lost Paige Bueckers and the Bruins just got deeper and better and more committed.
By earning the No. 1 overall seed, the Bruins would have a smoother ride to the finals, where a UConn rematch for the national championship seems destined.
The Bruins deserve it. The Bruins have earned it. Were you watching the carnage at Indianapolis’ Gainsbridge Fieldhouse Sunday? If so, you probably turned the channel after 15 minutes. Maybe sooner.
“What they’ve done this year has been extremely impressive,” said Iowa coach Jan Jensen after the throttling. “I think you saw a lot of senior leadership on their end, a team that’s been on a mission since the Final Four last year.”
UCLA center Lauren Betts shoots over Iowa guard Kylie Feuerbach during Big Ten tournament title game Sunday in Indianapolis.
(Michael Conroy / Associated Press)
On Sunday, it was a mission of mauling. The Hawkeyes took the lead with a quick three-pointer before the Bruins reeled off 13 straight points while holding Iowa to two total baskets in a first quarter that ended with the Bruins holding a 17-point lead.
For the next three quarters, the Bruins made the Hawkeyes look like a grade-school team, not a program that reached the national championship games twice in the last three years.
No, Caitlin Clark isn’t walking through that door. Not that she would have helped much. These Bruins overwhelmed the Hawkeyes by displaying every necessary strength required to take the final step and finish the job next month in Scottsdale.
“I just want to say thank you to the incredible players that really fulfilled their mission and stayed committed to the hard character qualities that we knew we needed to make this kind of run,” Close said.
It helps that they have six veterans who will be taken in the next WNBA draft. It also helps that Close will be steering them into her 10th tournament in 15 coaching seasons, she’s been here enough to know all the madness moves.
In search of the school’s second women’s basketball national title — and first in 48 years — they are doing everything right.
UCLA guard Kiki Rice celebrates with a trophy after receiving the Big Ten tournament most outstanding player honors.
(Michael Conroy / Associated Press)
They play near-perfect team basketball.
On Sunday they set a Big Ten tournament record with 34 assists on 40 baskets, the highlight being an over-the-head backward pass from Angela Dugalic to Kiki Rice in the fourth quarter.
“This group has the potential to do whatever it wants,” said Rice.
They are deeper than any team in the country.
They won by 51 points and their unquestionably best player, Lauren Betts, took all of nine shots. Lauren was even outscored by her little sister Sienna, who Lauren wildly cheered while standing in front of the bench.
The tournament most outstanding player was not Lauren Betts, but Rice, who wasn’t the leading scorer but had eight assists and three steals and didn’t crack a smile until she heard her teammates on the trophy stage chanting her name.
“She’s one of the most selfless people I’ve ever played with,” Lauren Betts said of Rice. “She really could [not] care less about all the attention. She just wants to win.”
In all, nine different players scored for UCLA, and when is the last time you’ve seen a scoresheet so full in a game of such magnitude?
Oh yeah, they can also shoot. All of them can shoot, as they made half of their 26 three-point attempts, led by Gianna Kneepkens’ four treys and team-high 19 points.
The Bruins could have used Kneepkens last season against UConn, but she was playing for Utah. She’s here now, and that could be the difference.
Compared to last spring’s surprise Final Four run, everything feels different. These Bruins know they belong on this big stage, know how to win here and calmly and precisely play as if they know they can pull this off.
During Sunday’s postgame celebration, the three Bruins who briefly, but famously, joined the UCLA dance team during a recent men’s game repeated the dance on the Indianapolis court. They’re feeling it. Their fans are feeling it. Soon an entire city could be feeling it.
“I’m joyful,” said Close, and the dance is just beginning.
Eric Musselman sat behind a microphone at the bitter end of a bitter regular season for USC, armed only with the same explanations for how a once-hopeful season could come so undone.
There were unfortunate injuries to point to, he said, and continuity issues to contend with. Then there was the pesky problem of Big Ten travel. And at home, well … “Our home court has not been much of a home-court advantage,” Musselman said, after UCLA chants rang out through Galen Center all night.
But none of that rationale, as true or convenient as it might sound, could adequately explain how the Trojans ended up here at their season’s nadir, with seven straight losses heading into the Big Ten tournament, the latest an 89-68 rout at the hands of their crosstown rival.
The seventh of those losses looked strikingly similar to the other six. Once again, USC’s defense collapsed in the second half, as UCLA shot better than 60%. And once again, the Trojans’ streaky shooting and lack of presence on the glass made it impossible for them to keep up.
“Obviously our struggling down the stretch has not been characteristic of our past programs,” Musselman said. “It’s actually been the exact opposite.”
Yet at USC, it’s all we’ve seen through two seasons with Musselman at the helm. The Trojans lost eight of 10 to finish out the regular season a year ago, and at the time, the coach also blamed injuries to their top two guards, Desmond Claude and Wesley Yates, for the collapse.
USC guard Alijah Arenas, right, drives past UCLA guard Skyy Clark during the Trojans’ loss Saturday night at Galen Center.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Injuries proved even more devastating this season. USC was without five-star freshman Alijah Arenas until late January and lost Rodney Rice, its starting point guard, to an injury in November. He referred to his Trojans as “the most injured team in college basketball.”
“It’s not an excuse,” Musselman said. “It’s a fact.”
But there were inexcusable losses along the way, losses that didn’t hinge on one player’s absence — and might’ve singlehandedly changed the conversation over USC’s season. Among them: A second-half collapse at home to Washington, a blown lead in the final minute to Oregon and an unraveling at the hands of Northwestern, which was winless in conference at the time.
Even still, the Trojans might have salvaged their tournament hopes if they found something down the stretch. Instead, the team’s top scorer, Chad Baker-Mazara, was dismissed last weekend. Musselman wouldn’t offer any further comment on that decision. But by Saturday night, USC looked as lost as ever.
“We just have to stay together,” said senior Terrance Williams. “I feel like when adversity hits, sometimes we tend to go our separate ways. We’ve got to just stick together, man.”
It looked, for a brief time, like USC might manage that against UCLA. Even as busloads of Bruins fans descended on Galen Center, turning USC’s arena into hostile territory, the Trojans showed signs of life early on. Midway through the first half, the Trojans had played their crosstown rivals to a tie, 21-21.
Any hope stitched together during that stretch came apart just a few minutes later, though. USC hit just four shots the rest of the half, while UCLA hit 10 of 12 at one point. For the final 4:40 before halftime, the Trojans didn’t pull down a single rebound.
Arenas would do his best to drag USC back from the brink. He scored 13 in the second half and 20 overall. During one spurt, the freshman put up eight points in less than four minutes, cutting UCLA’s lead to 11.
But the spark was brief. The Bruins came firing back, led by Donovan Dent, who basically took a blowtorch to the Trojans’ defensive plans. After scoring a season-high 30 points against USC in their last meeting, Dent tallied 25 in the rematch.
“We had a problem staying in front of Dent,” said forward Jacob Cofie. “Eleven for 15, that’s unacceptable.”
That was just the start of USC’s issues. But as its season continues to descend further into disaster, Musselman assured that things were still moving in the right direction ahead of Wednesday’s game against Washington in the conference tournament.
“We feel this is an NCAA tournament team if we were healthy,” Musselman said. “We have no doubt that it was — or would be.”
Except now, we’ll never know for sure. And after a seventh-straight loss and a second straight season left spiraling, hypotheticals could only carry USC and its coach so far.
Victory was decided by a single stride Sunday morning during the 41st Los Angeles Marathon.
American Nathan Martin needed every foot of the 26.2-mile course to chase down leader Michael Kimani Kamau of Kenya, winning by 00.01 seconds an exciting finish that left spectators and athletes alike breathless. Martin posted a time of 2 hours, 11 minutes, 16.50 seconds and forced the closest finish in race history.
“In any race, I just want to give 100%,” said Martin, 36. “I saw an opportunity to race at the end and give one last push. All I wanted to do is push myself.”
Martin, who clocked a personal best 2:10:45 at the Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth., Minn., in 2023, surged in front as he got to the finish line alongside Kamau, who immediately collapsed and was attended to by medical personnel before being carried off on a stretcher.
Kenyan Priscah Cherono waves her hands in the air as she wins the women’s elite race during the L.A. Marathon on Sunday.
(Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)
“I made an actual move five miles out … when I saw no one else was picking up the pace. I decided I needed to push,” Martin said. “At a mile and a half to go, I could see the leader and with 800 meters to go, I was thinking, ‘I’m catching him.’”
Ethiopian Enyew Nigat (2:14:23) was third, former University Florida runner Josh Izewski (2:14:43) was fourth and 2024 winner Dominic Ngeno of Kenya was fifth in 2:16:17.
Martin is the second straight American champion, following former Montana State University standout Matthew Richtman, whose time of 2:07:56 in 2025 was the second-fastest in race history and the fastest on the Stadium to the Stars course, which debuted five years ago.
Runners take part in the L.A. Marathon, moving through downtown on Sunday.
(Eric Thayer/Los Angeles Times)
This year’s race drew 27,000 runners, beginning at Dodger Stadium and ending on Santa Monica Boulevard at the Avenue of the Stars in Century City. Traditionally held on the third Sunday in March, this year’s race got moved up one week to avoid clashing with the Oscars, which will be held on March 15 at the Dolby Theatre along the race route.
Kenyan Priscah Cherono took the lead immediately in the women’s race and was already two minutes ahead of the chase pack by the ninth mile. The 45-year-old cruised to victory in 2:25:18.31, well ahead of runner-up Kellyn Taylor, who won the Austin Marathon in 2:33:29 on Feb. 15.
It is fitting that Cherono, on International Women’s Day, earned a $10,000 bonus for winning the Marathon Chase as the first runner, male or female, to cross the finish line. The women were given a 15-minute, 45-second head start and in the 16 Chase competitions to date a woman has won the race-within-a-race on 11 occasions.
Cherono, who won The Marathon Project on Dec. 21 in Chandler, Ariz., in a personal-best time of 2:25:17, was only three seconds off that pace Sunday and said afterward she knew she would win.
Runners compete in the L.A. Marathon, moving through downtown on Sunday.
(Eric Thayer/Los Angeles Times)
“I was feeling OK and I felt I could take it all the way,” said the mother of three who represented her country in the 5,000 meters at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. “Normally I train alone, so I was happy running by myself.”
Taylor, a 39-year-old mother of four and a certified firefighter from Wisconsin, clocked 2:27:36:00 to earn the second-place medal, one spot in front of Antonina Kwambai, last year’s runner-up.
“I would’ve liked to have won, but my time is fair for this course,” Taylor said. “I did everything I could to stay in it, but [Cherono] went out really hard and ran a great race. We were hopeful she was gonna come back, but she didn’t.”
The men’s wheelchair winner was 25-year-old Miguel Jimenez Vergara, whose time of 1:42:13.28 was good enough to hold off Colombian and three-time winner Luis Francisco Sanclemente, who settled for second in 1:45:33.01. Canadian Josh Cassidy (1:45:53.60) was third.
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1.Shadows are cast on the road as L.A. Marathon runners move toward the finish line.2.Spectators watch the L.A. Marathon and hold up signs cheering on participants.3.Kenya’s Michael Kimani Kamau is tended to by personnel after falling at the finish line.4.Priscah Cherono, of Kenya, celebrates with a crowd of supporters after finishing first in the L.A. Marathon women’s race.(Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)
“I did this last year and got second,” Jimenez Vergara said after maintaining a robust 3:54 per-mile pace. “I absolutely got my butt kicked last year on Mile 4, but that’s where I took the lead this time and I tried not to look back.”
Jimenez Vergara, who resides in San Diego, set a personal-best of 1:27.17 at the Grandma’s Marathon two years ago and is looking forward to making his Boston Marathon debut on Patriots’ Day in April.
Hannah Babalola, a former Nigerian now living in Chicago, won the women’s wheelchair division for the third year time in four years in 2:17:48.86.
The Los Angeles Marathon was first held in 1986, with Rick Sayre (2:12:19) and fellow American Nancy Ditz (2:36:17) taking the men’s and women’s Open titles. Markos Geneti set the men’s course record of 2:06:35 on the previous Stadium to the Sea course in 2011 and fellow Ethiopian Askale Marachi set the women’s mark of 2:24:11 on the same layout in 2019.
INDIANAPOLIS — As it turns out, the UCLA women’s basketball team was more than ready for the moment.
After competitive games in their first two Big Ten tournament contests, the Bruins dismantled No. 2 seed Iowa from start to finish during a 96-45 victory from Gainbridge Fieldhouse to seal an NCAA tournament berth and win the Big Ten.
The 51-point win was the largest margin of victory in Big Ten championship history, eclipsing the 33-point mark Iowa set in its 2023 win over Ohio State. UCLA’s 34 team assists were also a Big Ten championship record, and a season-high for the Bruins.
In front of a Iowa-heavy crowd, the Bruins put up one of their best shooting games of the season, firing 63% from the field. Gianna Kneepkens tallied 19 points and all five starters reached double digits.
It was UCLA’s 25th consecutive win dating back to November.
Kiki Rice finished with 15 points and eight assists, earning Big Ten tournament most outstanding player honors.
After Iowa (26-6, 15-3) held down Michigan in the semifinal, the Bruins (30-1, 18-0) returned the favor. The Hawkeyes tallied just five first-quarter points, their season-low in any period.
Iowa missed nine consecutive shots and committed four turnovers during a five-minute run during which UCLA mounted an 11-0 run. By the second quarter, the Bruins built a 25-point lead.
UCLA scored netted back-to-back three-pointers in 25 seconds early in the third quarter to take a 32-point advantage — 55-23.
As the Bruins did Saturday against Ohio State, UCLA relied on its defense to extend its lead. The Bruins forced 19 Iowa turnovers that led to 22 points in transition. They also held Iowa to 28% from the field.
The Hawkeyes likely earned themselves a No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament with their conference performance.
UCLA will learn its seeding and bracket placement during Selection Sunday next week before hosting first and second round contests.
If any photo reveals the intensity of two All-Americans, it’s this one from late in the game, where Jerzy Robinson (left) of Sierra Canyon and Kaleena Smith of Ontario Christian battled in the Open Division final.
When it comes to high school lacrosse, Loyola has one of its best teams this season and that’s reflected in the margins of victories this past week — 29-0 over Sierra Canyon and 28-1 over Crespi.
“It’s very unusual,” coach Jimmy Borell said of the few goals allowed.
Much of the credit goes to the defense and to Andrew Goldman, a junior who handles face-offs. He’s at 92.4% winning face-offs for the 5-1 Cubs, whose only loss came to San Francisco’s St. Ignatius 12-11.
The top goal scorer has been Tripp King, the reigning Southern Section player of the year and North Carolina commit. He has 22 goals and 17 assists Senior Chase Hellie (Tufts commit) and Everett Rolph have been leading the defense, making things easy for goaltenders Will Russo and Garrett Flynn.
Loyola is set to take a trip to Florida and the University of Notre Dame to play top East Coast teams starting Saturday.
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.
Windies coach Daren Sammy has been vocal on social media throughout the issue. On Thursday he posted “I just wanna go home”. “At least an update, tell us something,” he also said.
After England’s departure was confirmed, South Africa batter Quinton de Kock said “Funny, we have heard nothing! Strange how different teams have more pull than others.”
West Indies, South Africa and England were all scheduled to depart India via the Gulf – a situation made difficult by the Iran war and subsequent air strikes across the region.
England departed via Egypt on Saturday. West Indies and South Africa will finally travel together on a chartered plane on Monday.
“The safety and well-being of players, support staff, officials, and our own workforce remain our absolute priority as we respond to the evolving situation affecting air travel across parts of the Middle East,” the ICC said.
“The current disruption to multiple airspaces has created a highly complex and fast-moving logistical challenge.
“For instance, the England team and their staff were able to fly out from Mumbai without restriction due to the route’s airspace being unaffected and flights operating as usual.
“The ICC categorically refutes any claims of bias in this or other instances, and has been fully accommodating of specific demands and conditions put forth by teams.
“The ICC’s logistics and events teams have been working continuously with governments, aviation authorities, airlines and charter providers to secure safe travel options for all participating teams and tournament personnel.
“Furthermore, they and the ICC chief executive have maintained regular dialogue with the members’ representative ICC directors, board chairs and CEOs to assure all involved of their teams’ safety and the impact of the rapidly-changing situation.”
Arvid Lindblad said he “showed people a bit of what I am here to do” after finishing eighth on his Formula 1 debut at the Australian Grand Prix.
The 18-year-old Racing Bulls driver, who become the youngest Briton to race in F1 on Sunday, qualified in ninth and briefly rose to third place on the first lap after a dramatic start to the season opener in Melbourne.
Lindblad’s top-10 finish means he enters the record books as the third youngest F1 points scorer at 18 years and seven months – behind Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli and Red Bull’s four-time world champion Max Verstappen.
“When I was five years old, I had a dream and my dream was to be in Formula 1 and I am living my dream today,” he told Sky Sports.
