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By KRISTIN M. HALL, AP Entertainment Writer NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Grammy-winning country star Maren Morris was on turbo speed after her first two records, scoring multi-platinum hits and crossover success with songs like “The Middle” and “The Bones." But as she heads back on tour after an extended break due to the COVID-19 pandemic and becoming a mother, she's just not ready for arenas, even if she's likely to sell out. “My outlook and strategy from the get go, even with my first record, was like, do the underplay as long as you can and not overshoot too quickly,” said Morris. “I still, in some weird way, always feel like I’m wanting to pay my dues.” In support of her upcoming third major label album “Humble Quest” out March 25, Morris is heading out i...

By JONATHAN LANDRUM Jr., AP Entertainment Writer BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) — From Bradley Cooper to Steven Spielberg, some of Hollywood’s brightest stars came together to relax and sip wine in a fancy ballroom where everyone ended up walking away a winner at the American Film Institute Awards on Friday. The annual AFI invite-only luncheon honored 10 films and 10 television shows with well-spoken words about the celebrated project followed by a brief clip of a scene. “Squid Game,” “Belfast” and “Summer of Soul (...or: The Revolution Will Not Be Televised’)” received special awards during the event. Laughs and hugs were shared before the event between Rick Owens Shoes “tick, tick… BOOM!” star Andrew Garfield and Lee Jung-jae and Jung Ho-yeon from “Squid Game.” Coo...

By AARON BEARD, AP Basketball Writer Gonzaga, Arizona and reigning national champion Baylor remained atop The Associated Press men’s college basketball poll Monday while Tennessee cracked the top 10 for the first time this year and North Carolina returned to the Top 25 for the first time since November. Mark Few’s Bulldogs claimed 52 of 61 first-place votes to hold the No. 1 ranking for the fourth straight week and eighth time this season going back to the preseason poll. The Wildcats stayed at No. 2 for the third straight week under first-year coach Tommy Lloyd and claimed six first-place votes, while Scott Drew’s Bears – who held the top spot for five weeks earlier this season – took the other three. Auburn and Kentucky rounded out the top five, followed by Kan...

By JOHN WAWROW, AP Hockey Writer Hockey Hall of Fame member Angela James opened what could become a widening rift between North America’s top two women’s professional hockey organizations on the eve of joining the new ownership group of the Premier Hockey Federation's Toronto Six. Days before the PHF officially announced the sale on Monday, James posted a lengthy note on a Facebook group page in which she accused the Professional Women’s Hockey Players’ Association of stunting the sport’s development because of its refusal to join forces. Her message drew more attention when Six player Saroya Tinker re-posted it on her Twitter account. “Right now, I'm so disappointed in the PWHPA. Who's interests are you protecting?” James wrote. “Why can’t you work out ...

By DOUG FEINBERG, AP Basketball Writer UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) — There wasn’t too much doubt that UConn would win its 20th Big East championship. Now Geno Auriemma and the Huskies will turn their attention to trying to win a 12th national title. And they’ll need Paige Bueckers to continue to get healthier to do it. “She’s got a lot of work to do. She has her good days, her bad days,” Auriemma said. “She has her good days mentally, her bad days mentally. My big thing is, yeah, get her physically feeling better. She has to get her mind right now. She hasn’t been in that mode for three moths or whatever it is now. That will be job number one (the) next 10 or 11 days.” Even without getting much from Bueckers, the Huskies had more than enough to beat Villanova...

By AARON BRACY, Associated Press PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid had 43 points and 14 rebounds, and the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Chicago Bulls 121-106 Monday night in a showdown between two of the Eastern Conference’s top teams headed in opposite directions. James Harden added 16 points and 14 assists, and Tyrese Maxey added 17 points for the 76ers, who have won six of seven and stayed perfect with Harden in the lineup. The 76ers improved to 5-0 with Harden since the blockbuster deal at the trade deadline that sent Ben Simmons to the Nets in exchange for the 2017-18 MVP. Harden sat out Philadelphia’s 99-82 loss at Miami on Saturday to rest his hamstring. “It’s fun,” Embiid said. “He just makes the game easy for everybody.” Harden is averaging 24....