Coyotes get Division II semifinal rematch

Cal State San Bernardino, looking for the program’s first trip to the NCAA Division II men’s basketball championship game, faces No. 2-seeded and defending national champion Nova Southeastern in a semifinal today at 11 a.m. in Evansville, Ind.

This is a rematch of last year’s national semifinal won by Nova Southeastern, 94-87.

Sixth-seeded Cal State (27-7) reached a second consecutive D-II semifinal with a 99-65 rout of thirdseeded Gannon (Erie, Pa.) on Tuesday.

Ontario Colony High grad Sedrick Altman led the Coyotes with a career-high 37 points, and Leandrew Knight added a career-best 29 points in Tuesday’s victory.

Nova Southeastern (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) rallied from a 16-point deficit to beat Southern New Hampshire, 68-60, on Tuesday.

The Sharks, 31-2 this season, went 36-0 last season, and have won 98 of their last 101 games over the past three seasons.

The Sharks put five players in double-figure scoring in last spring’s national semifinal matchup with Cal State. Four of those five transferred to D-I programs and the other was a graduate student.

• Robbie Avila scored 22 points, including a 3-pointer with 58.1 seconds left, and Indiana State beat Cincinnati 85-81 on Tuesday night to advance to the NIT semifinals.

• Noah Thomasson scored 21 points, Frank Anselem had 10 points and 10 rebounds, and Georgia defeated Ohio State 79-77 in Tuesday’s other NIT quarterfinal.

BASEBALL Openers in New York, Philly delayed to Friday by weather

Baseball openers in New York and Philadelphia were postponed a day until Friday because of rainy forecasts in both cities.

The Mets were scheduled to host the Milwaukee Brewers today, a day featuring the first full slate of major league games this year. But with wet weather expected much of today in Queens, the Mets announced Wednesday the game was pushed back to Friday.

Minutes later, the Philadelphia Phillies announced their sold-out opener against the NL East rival Atlanta Braves was moved from today to Friday due to anticipated rain.

NFL Rams bolster secondary, add All-pro Tre’davious White

Former All-pro cornerback Tre’davious White and the Rams agreed to terms on a one-year, $8.5 million contract.

White spent his first seven NFL seasons with the Buffalo Bills, who released him earlier this month. White was an AP All-pro in 2019 and a two-time Pro Bowl selection in Buffalo, but he played in only 10 combined games in the past two seasons due to injury.

After tearing a knee ligament in November 2021 and not returning until November 2022, White tore his Achilles tendon in Week 4 last season and didn’t play again in 2023.

• Pittsburgh added running back/ kickoff return specialist Cordarrelle Patterson on a two-year deal. The versatile Patterson, 33, a four-time All-pro, gives the Steelers a veteran to help them adjust to the league’s new kickoff rules designed to produce more returns. Patterson has nine kickoff returns for a touchdown in his 11-year career with five teams.

• In other rule changes, the owners voted to make two tweaks to instant replay. Replay can now be used to review whether the game clock expired before the snap and also can correct an obvious error when a passer was ruled down by contact or out of bounds before throwing the ball. Previously, those plays had been ruled dead at the spot but now can be changed with clear evidence. If the pass is caught or intercepted, it would be down at that spot with no advancement. If the pass was incomplete, that would stand.

• Owners also voted to move the trade deadline back one week to the Tuesday following the end of Week 9.

• There will be two games on

Christmas Day even though the holiday falls on a Wednesday. The four teams will be scheduled to play on Saturday in Week 16 ahead of the Dec. 25 games so it’ll be similar to teams playing on a Thursday after Sunday games. Three games last Christmas averaged 29.1 million viewers.

HOCKEY Ducks scoreless in Seattle, suffer ninth loss in 10 games

Eeli Tolvanan and Matty Beniers each had a goal and an assist, and Seattle halted an eight-game losing streak by beating the Ducks, 4-0 late Tuesday night in Seattle.

The Ducks (24-44-4), already eliminated from playoff contention, lost for the ninth time in 10 games. Goalie John Gibson stopped 32 shots for Anaheim.

TENNIS Sinner, Collins win, advance to semifinals at Miami Open

Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner won his 20th match of 2024 to reach the Miami Open semifinals for the third time in the past four years with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Tomas Machac on Wednesday.

Sinner, seeded second, will take on either No. 3 seed Daniil Medvedev or No. 22 seed Nicolas Jarry, who played later Wednesday.

Sinner reached his fourth final four of the season and moved to 20-1 overall. He reached the finals of this event in 2021 and 2023, losing both times.

On the women’s side, Danielle Collins defeated No. 23 seed Caroline Garcia 6-3, 6-2 to reach the Miami semifinals for the first time since she did it as a qualifier six years ago.

Garcia had come off consecutive wins over Grand Slam champions Naomi Osaki and Coco Gauff. But the run fizzled out against Collins, who has won 10 of 11 sets in this tournament and needed just 80 minutes to advance.

Collins will face either No. 5 seed Jessica Pegula or Ekaterina Alexandrova, who played later Wednesday night, for a spot in the championship final.