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The committee that will select the NCAA Tournament sees little gap between Gonzaga and Auburn as the top team. For now, the Zags are the pick. Gonzaga was the top overall seed in initial rankings released Saturday by the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee, sitting ahead of Auburn, Arizona and Kansas as the other teams holding No. 1 regional seeds. Gonzaga, which held the No. 1 seed in last year's early reveal, and Auburn have held the No. 1 ranking in The Associated Press men's college basketball poll for the past five weeks, with the Mark Few's Bulldogs (22-2) currently in their third stint at the top. “I would tell you Gonzaga and Auburn, in the committee room: Favnikeoutlet very close, razor thin I would even offer in the discussion - an extended disc...

BEIJING (AP) — There was a moment during practice for figure skating's Olympic gala on Sunday when American gold medalist Nathan Chen and his good friend, Canada's Keegan Messing, skated across the ice and popped a backflip in unison. Now, backflips aren't allowed in competition. They're considered too dangerous. But they are allowed in exhibitions that are done purely for fun, and who didn't need a little figure skating fun by the end of the Beijing Games? After all, they are certain to be remembered for things decidedly un-fun. There was Kamila Valieva, the overwhelming favorite to Nike Air Force 1 Shadow win women's gold, tumbling to the ice during her free skate. If the hopes harbored by 15-year-old Russian, who spent her Olympics at the center of the latest dopi...

Minnesota's 7-footer became the first center to win the 3-Point Shooting Contest, defeating seven guards during the NBA's All-Star Saturday and providing a memorable moment on a night the dunk contest barely got off the ground. Towns, who has spent his entire career proving doubters wrong about his range, posted a 29 — the highest total in the competition — during the final round to defeat Atlanta's Trae Young and Luke Kennard of the Los Angeles Clippers, who tied for second with 26 each. New York's Obi Toppin won the four-person dunk contest, scoring a 47 out of 50 in the final round by putting the ball between his legs in the air, touching it off the backboard and re-directing it through the rim. Golden State's Juan Toscano-Anderson was second as the dunk conte...

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Jacques Villeneuve has a Formula One title to his name and an Indianapolis 500 victory. He has nothing left to prove and yet celebrated as if qualifying for the Daytona 500 was the biggest win of his career. The 50-year-old doubted he could make it into the race through Wednesday night's time trials at Daytona International Speedway. His Ford wasn't particularly fast and needed three tries to pass NASCAR inspection. So when he posted the fastest time of the six cars eligible Hoka One One  in time trials to earn a spot in Sunday's field, Villeneuve erupted in joy and jogged his way down pit lane in search of his crew. “To be able to make such a big race at such a high level is amazing and when I’m in the race car I don’t realize that I’m 50,...

BEIJING (AP) — Mikaela Shiffrin skied out in the Alpine combined on Thursday and once again was unable to finish a race at the Beijing Olympics. She will leave the 2022 Games without an individual medal after participating in all five women’s events. Not only did she go 0 for 5, but the 26-year-old American did not even manage to complete three of those races. Shiffrin was fifth-fastest in the downhill portion of the two-run combined on Thursday morning but went out without making it to the bottom in the slalom leg in the afternoon. She took home a silver in the combined four years ago. She came to China as one of the biggest stars in winter Hoka Shoes UK  sports and already the owner of two Olympic gold medals — from the slalom in 2014 and the giant sl...

PHOENIX (AP) — Even without Chris Paul, the Phoenix Suns did what they've done pretty much every time they've taken the court this year. Win a basketball game. Depending on the status of Paul's right hand, the Suns might have to figure out more ways to win without their star point guard following the All-Star break. Devin Booker scored 24 points, Deandre Ayton added 23 and the NBA-leading Suns extended their winning streak to seven games, rallying after Paul was hurt and then ejected to beat the Houston Rockets 124-121 on Wednesday night. Phoenix improved to 48-10 heading into the All-Star break, Mint Velvet Sale  but the main concern was the status of Paul’s hand. The 12-time All-Star was angry after getting his right hand jammed on a pass and argued for the fi...