Duke pulls out of ACC Tournament, NCAA tourney streak ends at 24.
Duke arrived at the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament hoping to make an unprecedented run to extend its long NCAA Tournament streak.
Instead, the Blue Devils abruptly had to pull out of the tournament and end its season due to a positive COVID-19 test and the resulting quarantining and contact tracing.
The ACC announced that the Blue Devils’ quarterfinal game against No. 15 Florida State for Thursday night has been canceled. And athletics director Kevin White said Duke’s season is over, ending the Blue Devils’ streak of 24 consecutive NCAA appearances that began in 1996.
In a statement, White said the positive test for someone within the program came after Wednesday’s win against Louisville, the Blue Devils’ second win in as many days in Greensboro. Before this, there had been no positive tests all season for a player or coach, he said.
TOP-SEEDED OREGON KNOCKS OUT ASU >> LJ Figueroa scored a seasonhigh 21 points, Will Richardson had 17 points, seven rebounds and nine assists and top-seeded Oregon eased into the semifinals with a 91-73 victory over Arizona State in the Pac12 Conference tournament.
Oregon did not miss consecutive shots in the final 15 minutes of the game until the 1:30 mark when it was in front 60-35. The Ducks made six straight for a 4123 lead and seven consecutive to go up 54-33.
Eugene Omoruyi had 15 points and six rebounds for Oregon (20-5), which has won six straight games to reach 20 wins for the 11th straight season. Amauri Hardy added 11 points and Chandler Lawson 10.
CAL 76, STANFORD 58 (WED.) >> Matt Bradley scored 19 points off the bench and Ryan Betley, also off the bench, scored 13 and No. 11 seed California never trailed beating sixth-seeded Stanford 76-58 on Wednesday night in the first round of the Pac-12 Conference tournament.
Bradley and Betley combined to shoot 11 for 16 including 6 for 8 from 3-point range.
Cal also sent Stanford home in the first round of last year’s tournament with a 63-51 win before the tournament was canceled due to COVID-19.
Cal (9-19) entered the tournament with just one win in its final 12 games. Stanford fell to 14-13.
Golf
BIG FINISH SENDS GARCIA TO BIG LEAD AT PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP >> Sergio Garcia has played TPC Sawgrass enough to know that trouble is lurking around every turn, and the opening round at The Players Championship provided another example. Just not for him.
A solid start turned into a brilliant one for Garcia, who finished birdie-birdieeagle for a 7-under 65, staking the Spaniard to a threeshot lead among the early starters.
Garcia, who won the PGA Tour’s premier event in 2008, holed a 15-foot birdie putt on the par-4 seventh, hit a 3-iron to 15 feet on the par-3 eighth, and closed it out with a 5-wood to 18 feet for eagle on his final hole.
The 65 matched his best score on the Stadium Course.
Garcia didn’t have to look far to see what kind of damage Sawgrass can inflict. He played alongside Rory McIlroy, who began his round with a double bogey from the woods on No. 10 and finish a ninehole score of 43 by hitting two tee shots into the water on the 18th for a quadruple-bogey 8. He finished with a three-putt bogey for a 79, his highest start of any tournament since a 79 at Royal Portrush in the 2019 British Open.
NHL
US-CANADA BORDER DECISION LOOMS IN PLAYOFFS >>
A year after the pandemic temporarily shut down the NHL, a handful of roadblocks remain to handing out the Stanley Cup again this season — including the U.S.-Canada border.
The border remains closed to nonessential travel, an issue the NHL addressed before the 2021 season began in January by realigning its divisions. All seven teams in the North Division are based in Canada and they play against only each other through the first two rounds of the postseason.
But the league has a decision looming on what to do when a Canadian team faces a U.S. opponent in the third round of the playoffs. Talks are ongoing with Canadian government officials, though nothing needs to be settled yet since crossborder play won’t happen until mid-June.
NFL
New Houston Texans coach David Culley reiterated that the team has no intention of trading Deshaun Watson despite the star quarterback’s request to be dealt.
Culley, hired in January to replace Bill O’Brien, was asked more than a halfdozen times about Watson’s future with the team. Every time he made it clear he expects Watson to lead his team this season.
“We are very committed to Deshaun as our quarterback,” Culley said. “He is our quarterback. He’s the only guy we got under contract at this time right now.”
Culley said he has spoken to Watson since taking that job but declined to give any details.
MLB
REHABBING SEVERINO THROWS OFF MOUND >> New York Yankees pitcher Luis Severino has thrown off a mound for the first time since Tommy John surgery on Feb. 27 last year.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone said the 27-yearold right-hander threw 20 pitches, all fastballs, during a bullpen session Tuesday. He is expected to be ready for a major league return this summer.