Jalen Haynes had 22 points to lead George Mason to a 74-64 victory over Saint Joseph's in an Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament semifinal on Saturday. The second-seeded Patriots will play No. 1 seed VCU in the title game on Sunday with an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament up for grabs. George Mason is aiming for its first tournament championship since joining the conference in 2013.
Warriors continue winning without relying on Butler's to score
Warriors continue winning without relying on Butler's to score originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SAN FRANCISCO – As much as the Warriors have gotten better since acquiring Jimmy Butler III prior to the Feb. 6 trade deadline, they’ve found ways to keep playing at a high level on those rare occasions when Butler isn’t in top form.
Saturday’s win against the New York Knicks was a perfect example.
While Butler sputtered through one of his roughest shooting outings since the trade (3 of 11), Golden State received significant contributions up and down the roster on the way to a 97-94 win over the Knicks at Chase Center.
The bottom line – another Warriors win – was primary on Butler’s mind in Golden State’s locker room after the game.
“We’re winning so I don’t care about nothing else,” Butler said. “I can say it till I’m whatever color in the face. But as long as we win, I’m straight.
“The game is just simple. You just pass the ball to the open guy. When you’re open you shoot it. Somebody got a better shot you pass it to them. Everybody is doing it here and that’s why we’ve been stacking wins.”
To no one’s surprise Stephen Curry was at the center of everything that went well for the Warriors against the Knicks. Curry cooked his way to a team-leading 28 points with seven rebounds and five assists but was minus-five in a game that Golden State didn’t fully take fully control until the very end.
Butler didn’t have a terrible game by any means (11 points, six rebounds, seven assists) but didn’t show the flashiness or firepower that Warriors fans have grown accustomed to over the past five weeks.
It hardly mattered.
Moses Moody scored 18 points and continued to play well in his role as a starter after coming off the bench for the first three months of the 2024-25 NBA season. Jonathan Kuminga had 10 points in his second game back after missing 31 games with an ankle injury. Gui Santos made his second career start and added five points and seven rebounds.
Steph’s solid supporting cast against the Knicks included more yeoman-like nights from Quinten Post (five points, six boards) and Gary Payton II (six points, four rebounds) and Kevon Looney (six points, four rebounds).
“He’s always on a superstar level because even when he’s not scoring he’s still creating for everyone,” Draymond Green said. “He draws some double-teams, he kicks out and get us open shots. I think he’s always playing at a superstar level because his presence is always at a superstar level. When he’s making the right play and you get 18 (points) out of (Moody), that’s making up for some of that. Ten from JK off the bench, we can live with that.
“But we all know there’s going to be games where we need him to go score, and we know he’s more than capable and he’ll do that. What’s been huge for us is just him always making the right play. Always make the right play. He’s getting guys easy looks. You know who gets guys easy looks? Superstars.”
That is the essence of Butler.
Blessed as one of the NBA’s most electrifying scorers, his impact goes way beyond the boxscore. As Green pointed out, Golden State having Butler in the lineup has a domino effect on the rest of the Warriors.
On most nights, Butler’s shot is pure silk and he’ll put up points by the dozens. When his shot isn’t falling, however, he still finds a way to make an impact.
Since joining the Warriors Butler has been limited to six points or fewer three times. His 11 points against the Knicks were his fourth-fewest in a Warriors uniform.
Golden State is 4-0 in those games.
That’s a very encouraging and promising sign for a team trying to maintain its hold on the No. 6 slot in the Western Conference.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr called Butler a ‘connector’ and Curry agreed.
“He’s very good at just staying under control, making the right play,” Curry said. “You can tell he doesn’t really look to score as much right now because he’s reading the defense, taking whatever they’re giving him. Having the ball in his hands is usually a good thing.”
Make no mistake, Butler remains a scorer first and foremost, and he’ll do it when the need arises. For now he’s content finding his flow with the rest of Golden State’s offense.
“I’m not just a scorer. I can score whenever I want to ,” Butler said. “I can shoot the toughest of shots if I wanted to and, nobody’s ever going to say anything. I want to get everybody involved. I want to get guys in their spots. When it’s mytime you’ll know that it’s my time. But until then we’re going to pass the ball to the open man, get my guys some jumpers, get them out in transition, keep winning.”
Marlins outfielder Jesús Sánchez expected to miss four weeks after straining left oblique
Miami Marlins outfielder Jesús Sánchez is expected to miss four weeks after straining his left oblique.
The 27-year-old Sánchez was injured Thursday in a spring training game against Houston. He hit .252 with 18 homers and 64 RBIs last season for the Marlins.
“It’s a big piece for us,” Marlins manager Clayton McCullough told reporters on Saturday, including one from MLB.com. “We were counting on him, but this is kind of next man up, and it’ll be an opportunity for others to get a chance to get out there.”
Sánchez made his major league debut for the Marlins in 2020. He is a .240 career hitter with 59 homers and 190 RBIs.
The Marlins host Pittsburgh in their opener on March 27. The Pirates announced Saturday that ace Paul Skenes will start the game.
PJ Haggerty finishes strong for No. 16 Memphis in 78-77 win over Tulane in AAC tourney semis
Haggerty, the AAC player of the year, put the Tigers (28-5) ahead to stay with two free throws that made it 72-71 with 40 seconds left. He finished with 18 points.
Buffalo Sabres Show Something They Lacked For Most Of The Season
The Buffalo Sabres haven’t had many signs of hope this season – but the way they won Saturday is one of them.
In their remaining 17 games, the Sabres still have the chance to salvage something from this season, which is about to be their 14th-straight playoff miss. In their win over the heavily favored Vegas Golden Knights, Buffalo found a way to not only come back multiple times but be a spoiler – which is what they need to be for the rest of this season.
For most of the afternoon tilt, the Sabres looked like they would lose their 40th game of the season. The Golden Knights jumped out to a 1-0 lead by the first intermission, and they made it 2-0 at the 12-minute mark of the second frame.
In most cases this season, the Sabres would not have closed the deficit.
Before Saturday, Buffalo’s record when trailing after one period this season is 2-15-1 – an abysmal showing. Their 4-23-1 record when trailing after two periods was a bit better in relation to the rest of the league but not exceptional.
Despite trailing after the first and second periods, and watching former captain Jack Eichel give the Golden Knights a 3-2 lead with only 2:33 left in regulation, the Sabres tied the game with 14 seconds left in the third. That came after Tomas Hertl passed up an empty-net goal for Vegas to try to give Eichel a second goal, making that equalizer even sweeter for Sabres fans.
Buffalo then pulled out a 4-3 shootout win to give them their second win in their last three games. That improves their record to 3-15-1 when trailing after one period and 5-23-1 when trailing after two.
Dahlin’s Meeting With Adams Was About Club Direction, Not An UltimatumThe kerfuffle raised by TNT panelist and Spittin Chiclets co-host Paul Bissonette earlier this week regarding a meeting between Buffalo Sabres team captain Rasmus Dahlin and GM Kevyn Adams received some clarity courtesy of Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman on the 32 Thoughts podcast on Friday, as he indicated that the meeting was not to provide an ultimatum, but to inquire about the plan for the direction of the club.
Buffalo’s gutsy play Saturday has to be encouraging to Sabres fans. They outshot Vegas 37-19, and they ultimately deserved to win the game. The resilience against the Golden Knights has come too late to get Buffalo into the post-season, but this type of win is exactly what’s needed to build momentum into the off-season instead of wilting away for another year. Perhaps it gives Buffalo GM Kevyn Adams something positive to point to as evidence that he can continue building this Sabres team – and for Lindy Ruff to continue to coach it despite being last in the Eastern Conference.
Sabres' Ryan McLeod Accomplishes Rare Stat In Big PerformanceThe Buffalo Sabres picked up an impressive 4-3 shootout win over the Vegas Golden Knights on March 15. The Sabres made the Golden Knights surrender 2-0 and 3-2 leads before winning this matchup, so it was a hard-fought victory for the Atlantic Division club.
Buffalo has the second-toughest remaining schedule this season, according to tankathon.com. So it’s unlikely the Sabres will go on a lengthy run of success the rest of the year. That said, the spoiler’s role is there for the taking, and they can do significant damage to other teams’ position in the standings.
Going through another slew of losses to end the season will only create more doubt and cynicism in the minds of Buffalo fans, ownership and management. The Sabres can’t battle for a playoff spot anymore, but they can still become a team that’s ready to turn the corner competitively and set the table for a strong performance next season. Their win over the Golden Knights is one step toward doing that.
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Bruce Pearl points to No. 3 Auburn’s resume in saying Tigers deserve NCAA’s No. 1 overall seed
Auburn won this tournament last year only to wind up a No. 4 seed when the selection committee announced the NCAA Tournament bracket. Auburn lost to Yale in the first round.
2025 college basketball recruiting rankings as March Madness tops off
Duke headlines the hoops hierarchy on the 2025 recruiting trail as March Madness ramps up.
Clayton scores 22 as No. 4 Florida beats No. 5 Alabama 104-82 in SEC semis
Walter Clayton Jr. scored 22 points, and No. 4 Florida pulled away from No. 5 Alabama for a 104-82 victory in the Southeastern Conference Tournament semifinals on Saturday. Alijah Martin and Will Richard each had 16 points for the Gators (29-4) in their fifth consecutive win. Next up for Florida is Sunday's SEC championship game against No. 8 Tennessee, which beat No. 3 Auburn 70-65 in the first semifinal.
Devils' win streak ends at three with ugly 7-3 loss to Penguins
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Erik Karlsson scored a power-play goal and the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the New Jersey Devils 7-3 on Saturday.
Rickard Rakell scored his team-leading 31st goal. Connor Dewar scored twice, and Philip Tomasino, Kevin Hayes and Danton Heinen also scored.
With an assist, Sidney Crosby tied Wayne Gretzky for the fourth-most points with a single franchise. Crosby also recorded his 12th 50-assist season, equaling Adam Oates for 8th in NHL history. He has points in 10 straight home games.
Tristan Jarry made 24 saves for his fourth straight win since he was recalled from the American Hockey League earlier this month. Jarry has stopped 123 of his last 130 shots faced.
Nico Hischier and Timo Meier scored power-play goals for the Devils. Cody Glass also had a goal. Nathan Bastian’s short-handed goal was called back on a challenge because he was offside.
Jesper Bratt had his third straight three-point game with three assists, matching the longest streak in franchise history. He has 60 assists this season, which equals Scott Stevens’ franchise record. Bratt has two goals and nine points in his last three games.
Jacob Markstrom stopped 16 shots.
Takeaways
Devils: New Jersey was unable to win four straight for the first time this season. The Devils lost three consecutive games prior to their three-game win streak.
Penguins: Pittsburgh won four straight games for the first time since a four-game win streak from Nov. 27-Dec. 3. The Penguins have five wins and points in six of their last nine games.
Key moment
Karlsson’s power-play goal gave Pittsburgh needed insurance. Meier and Hischier scored power-play goals earlier in the period for New Jersey, which turned a 4-1 hole into a one-goal deficit.
Key stat
Pittsburgh snapped a six-game home losing streak against the Devils dating back to Oct. 20, 2021.
Up next
New Jersey visits Columbus on Monday and Pittsburgh hosts the Islanders on Tuesday.
Big Ten tournament: Michigan’s Tre Donaldson goes coast-to-coast to stun Maryland with 0.9 seconds left
The Wolverines will face Wisconsin in the Big Ten championship game.
Carlos Carrasco’s strong spring has him ‘right in the middle’ of Yankees’ rotation conversation
When Carlos Carrasco signed with the Yankees on a minor league deal this offseason, his path to a roster spot looked virtually nonexistent -- but as we’ve seen so often in this sport, things can change in a hurry.
Injuries to ace Gerrit Cole and reigning Rookie of the Year award winner Luis Gil have suddenly created a pair of huge openings in New York’s starting rotation.
Carrasco is coming off back-to-back rough campaigns to end his time with the Mets and in his return to Cleveland. But after making some changes to his mechanics over the offseason, he’s looked like a completely different pitcher this spring.
Suddenly, the 38-year-old finds himself square in the mix for a rotation spot.
“It’s been a really good camp for him,” manager Aaron Boone said on YES Network. “I think he came in in a good place both mentally and physically -- the buildup has gone really smooth and he’s put himself right in the middle of the conversation.”
Carrasco has pitched to a 2.45 ERA and 1.09 WHIP over his four spring appearances.
His latest one came on Friday night, when he allowed just one run on two hits while walking one and striking out a spring-high six batters in 3.1 innings of work against a lineup full of Phillies regulars, including slugger Kyle Schwarber.
The veteran reached into his full arsenal of pitches and generated seven swing-and-misses.
“That tells me I’m ready for the season,” Carrasco said on YES Network. “The fastball, the changeup, the slider, curveball, even the two-seamer. I got a strikeout with all of those pitches, that’s what you do in spring training. That’s what I’ve been working for and that’s what I did today.”
He did face some trouble in the first, as Schwarber led off the game with a walk and Max Kepler doubled to put two in scoring position with one out. But Aaron Judge gunned Schwarber down at the plate to help him dance out of danger.
Otherwise, Carrasco was terrific, giving up his lone run on a sacrifice fly.
“Another good night for him,” Boone added. “You see the swing and miss that he’s getting, it was the same way his last time out. It’s been a good build for him, I feel like there’s more power there than last year -- it’s just been a really good camp.”
As things stand, Carrasco is likely competing with Marcus Stroman and Will Warren for one of the openings. But if he continues pitching like this, he’ll find himself back on the big-league mound in no time.
Whether you’re a Mets fan or a Yankees fan, we can all agree it’s easy to root for Carrasco.
Giants notes: Top prospect Eldridge dealing with wrist inflammation
Giants notes: Top prospect Eldridge dealing with wrist inflammation originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SCOTTSDALE — There were some wide eyes on Saturday when the best prospects for the Giants and Texas Rangers filed into Scottsdale Stadium, but for Bryce Eldridge, it was nothing new. The Giants’ top prospect started his spring in big league camp, but he didn’t take the field in his return to the big league facility.
Eldridge is dealing with a left wrist injury that has sidelined him the past two weeks. He said he was feeling pain when swinging, but every test the Giants did came back clean and he started swinging off a tee on Saturday.
The Giants will be extremely careful with a player who could hit in the heart of their lineup for years to come. Eldridge said he hasn’t been told yet if he’s headed for Double-A or Triple-A to start the year, as the focus right now is simply on getting the inflammation out of his wrist and getting back up to speed. He said he wasn’t sure yet if he will be fully cleared by the start of the minor league season in early April.
“I think if everything goes perfectly, hopefully I’m playing towards the end of next week,” Eldridge said.
The first baseman watched the Spring Breakout game, which ended in a tie, from the dugout. He was disappointed that he had to skip the showcase, but he said he was excited to watch his young teammates, many of whom he feels are underrated.
“We kind of get bashed for our players and our farm system. We see that they’re ranking us down low and I think a lot of us are going to catch some people off-guard this year,” Eldridge said. “The guys I’ve played with, we stack up with any minor league team we ever went against. I don’t know why we don’t get more credit than we get but we’re going to surprise some people, for sure.”
A Deal That Might Work Out
The Jorge Soler trade was meant to get the Giants out from under that contract, but they also might end up getting a big leaguer out of the swap. Third baseman Sabin Ceballos was the prospect acquired and he hit .295 with seven homers in 32 High-A games after joining the Giants organization.
Ceballos has appeared in 10 Cactus League games this spring as a backup and is 4-for-8 with a homer and four walks. He tied the Spring Breakout game with a two-run double to dead center in the bottom of the eighth.
Sabin Ceballos delivers for the @SFGiants prospects, who tie the game with a 3-run 8th! #SpringBreakoutpic.twitter.com/0C5v1sg6Nm
— MLB (@MLB) March 16, 2025
“He’s unbelievable, he’s such a great player and he’s just got that swag and that confidence. You can tell he knows he belongs,” said Eldridge. “He’s had some good hits up at the big league level when he gets the chance there. Just watching him play, I have no doubt he’s going to be a great player for a long time.”
On The Rise
After three years at High Point, two at UNC Pembroke and a delay because of the pandemic, pitcher Trent Harris was preparing for a sixth year of college baseball when the Giants called and offered a deal as an undrafted free agent.
“I would have signed for a bus ticket,” Harris said Saturday, smiling.
He got a bit more than that, but either way, it’s looking like a steal for the organization. Harris has a 2.06 ERA in 51 minor league appearances and last season he was named the organization’s Pitching Prospect of the Year after posting a 1.81 ERA and striking out 105 batters in 79 2/3 innings.
The 26-year-old is the name most often mentioned if you ask Giants officials for a prospect who might all of a sudden get on the fast track. He likely will return to Double-A at the start of the year, but he could be an option for the big league bullpen later this season in what would be a hell of a development story.
Harris said he added a splitter to his repertoire over the offseason, in addition to his four-seamer, curve and slider. He didn’t pitch Saturday, but has four scoreless Cactus League appearances this spring.
Less Is More
Along with Eldridge, the Giants had to scratch outfielder Dakota Jordan from their original Spring Breakout roster. Jordan was facing Logan Webb in a minor league game earlier this month when he felt some wrist discomfort after swinging at a sinker. He has been sidelined by a contusion, but it’s not considered serious.
Jordan is a tremendous athlete who was taken in the fourth round out of Mississippi State last year and signed a deal well above slot. After losing out on their second- and third-round picks because of free agent additions, the Giants went for upside with Jordan, who some scouts felt had the best bat speed in last year’s draft class.
This spring, Jordan is trying to slow it down. The 21-year-old said he is standing more upright at the plate and is focused on dialing it back. He described it as a “50 percent” approach.
“I’ve got the quick bat, the quick twitch — I don’t need to be all jumpy and everything,” he said of his swing. “For me, whenever I’m hitting, I kind of sit back and relax. It’s something I’ve learned even in my cage routines.”
France 35-16 Scotland: Six Nations 2025 – as it happened
Les Bleus wrapped up the title in style at the Stade de France thanks in no small part to Yoram Moefana
6 mins. The visitors are not here to shepherd France to victory and FInn Russell get them going with a raking cross-kick that finds van der Merwe on the left. He’s set to turn on the pace but a slip halts his plan. The pace of the game is relentless and possession is traded a couple of times.
4 mins. More possession for France, this time via a massive maul that marches forward fifteen metres and leaves Scotland with little choice but to infringe to stop it’s murderous progress.
Continue reading...Michigan basketball’s Tre Donaldson saves day with buzzer-beater to take down Maryland
Michigan basketball score: The Wolverines rallied in the second half Saturday after a 12-0 Maryland run to advance to the Big Ten tournament final.
Dallas down to eight healthy players with few two-way games left, could it have to forfeit a game?
Could Dallas have to forfeit a game because it doesn't have enough healthy players?
It's possible. It's not likely, but it's not out of the question. It's something Bobby Marks first got into at ESPN.
NBA rules require a team to dress at least eight healthy players for a game, or it must forfeit. Dallas has been so ravaged by injuries that it is down to eight healthy players: Klay Thompson, Naji Marshall, Caleb Martin, Max Christie, Spencer Dinwiddie, Brandon Williams, Dwight Powell, and Kessler Edwards.
That's because all these players are injured:
• Kyrie Irving (torn ACL)
• Anthony Davis (adductor strain)
• Dereck Lively II (ankle stress fracture)
• Daniel Gafford (knee sprain)
• P.J. Washington (ankle sprain)
• Dante Exum (fractured hand, announced Saturday)
• Olivier Maxence-Prosper (right wrist injury)
• Jaden Hardy (ankle sprain)
• Kai Jones (quad strain)
The concern in Dallas is that two of their healthy players are two-way players nearing their limit of 50 games up with the main club. Kessler Edwards has been with Dallas for 47 games, while Bradon Williams is at 44. Once they reach 50, they can no longer play with the Mavericks and must return to the G-League.
Why don't the Mavericks convert one or both of Edwards or Williams to regular contracts or sign another player on a 10-day contract? Because they can't afford to. Dallas is hard-capped at the first apron of the luxury tax and currently sits just $51,000 below that number, and a standard 10-day contract is double that. The Mavericks have no financial flexibility.
On the bright side, big men Jones and Washington didn't play on Friday but were listed as questionable for the game, suggesting they are close to returning. A week ago, coach Jason Kidd said that the three centers — Davis, Lively, and Gafford — were improving, although no timeline was given.
It's likely by the time Edwards and Williams max out the games they can play in Dallas Jones, Edwards and maybe one or two of the centers can return to the rotation. Dallas will almost certainly field eight players for all the rest of their games.
But the fact this is a conversation shows just how decimated the Mavericks have been by injuries.