AP Sports Digest
Wed, Feb 17, 2021
AP Sports
The highlights of the AP Sports report. An up-to-the minute listing of all stories planned, including games and events, is available in Coverage Plan on AP Newsroom, http://newsroom.ap.org/coverageplan. You can also find a link to Coverage Plan on the left navigation of the Newsroom home page, http://newsroom.ap.org
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The AP's Ralph Russo hosts the latest AP Top 25 College Football Podcast. https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/idhttps-podcasts-apple-com-us-podcast-ap-top-25-college/id1138957862
TOP STORIES
TEN--AUSTRALIAN OPEN
MELBOURNE, Australia - Top-ranked Ash Barty built a big lead in her quarterfinal match before her opponent took a medical timeout and left the court. More than an hour later, it was Barty heading abruptly through the exit. She was upset by Karolina Muchova, 1-6, 6-3, 6-2. SENT: 500 words, photos. UPCOMING: 900 words, photos. With Latest, sidebars on merit. With AS--Virus-Outbreak-Australia (sent).
BKN--NETS-SUNS
PHOENIX - James Harden relished the chance to share the scoring load when he joined the star-filled Brooklyn Nets. But with his All-Star buddies cheering in street clothes from the bench, Harden showed he can still fill up a box score and provide plenty of fourth-quarter heroics. By David Brandt. SENT: 750 words, photos.
US-VIRUS OUTBREAK-ADDING SPORTS
TEANECK, N.J. - Brad Hurlbut took over as the athletic director at Fairleigh Dickinson in 2019, planning to increase the number of sports played at the small Division I school a short ride from New York City. He is doing it when most schools are cutting because of the pandemic. By Tom Canavan. UPCOMING: 1,000 words, photos by 4 a.m.
BKN--VIRUS OUTBREAK-NBA
The San Antonio Spurs are dealing with a coronavirus outbreak among four players, the NBA said, meaning the Spurs will not play until the middle of next week at the earliest. As the NBA postponed five more games - three for the Spurs, two for their most recent opponent, the Charlotte Hornets - the mayor of Atlanta voiced concerns about the notion of fans coming to the city for the NBA All-Star Game and skills competitions on March 7. By Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds. SENT: 800 words, photos.
HKN-AROUND THE NHL
Outdoor games have become the the marquee event of the NHL season. None of the 30 previous outdoor games had quite a setup like this season when the league will stage two games on the 18th fairway of a golf course on the shores of Lake Tahoe, with the Sierra Nevada Mountains towering in the background. By Josh Dubow. UPCOMING: 870 words, photos by 4 a.m.
AS-VIRUS OUTBREAK
TOKYO - Months after other major economies, Japan began giving the first coronavirus vaccines to front-line health workers Wednesday. Many are wondering if the campaign will reach enough people, and in time, to save a Summer Olympics already delayed a year by the worst pandemic in a century. By Mari Yamaguchi. SENT: 910 words, photos. With AS-Virus Outbreak-Japan-Vaccine-Explainer (sent).
OLY-TOKYO-TORCH RELAY
TOKYO - A governor in a western Japanese prefecture is talking about canceling Olympic torch relay events in his area. The governor of Shimane prefecture is unhappy with COVID-19 prevention measures surrounding the relay. By Mari Yamaguchi. SENT: 300 words, photos.
COMMENTARY
GLF-ON THE FRINGE-SPIETH
LOS ANGELES - The text messages were meant to encourage. They felt like backhanded compliments to Jordan Spieth. For someone who now has gone 80 tournaments without winning, not converting 54-hole leads has gone from failure to progress. But his slump won't be over until he wins. By Golf Writer Doug Ferguson. SENT: 860 words, photos. With GLF--Golf Notes; GLF--Golf Glance (sent).
NOTABLE
TEN--AUSTRALIAN OPEN-SERENA'S MOVEMENT
Serena Williams agrees with everyone else that her footwork and movement are better these days than they've been for a bit. She also acknowledges that is a big reason that she is closing in on what would be a record-tying 24th Grand Slam singles title. By Tennis Writer Howard Fendrich. SENT: 730 words, photos.
TEN--AUSTRALIAN OPEN-QUARANTINE INJURIES
Novak Djokovic sees all of the injuries at Melbourne Park to top men and draws a direct connection to the 14-day quarantines imposed because of the coronavirus pandemic when players arrived in Australia in January. By Tennis Writer Howard Fendrich. SENT: 770 words, photos.
HKN--DEVILS-RANGERS
NEW YORK - Yegor Sharangovich and Nicholas Merkley scored in the third period, and the New Jersey Devils sent the New York Rangers to their fourth straight loss with a 5-2 win. SENT: 730 words, photos.
HKN--WILD-KINGS
LOS ANGELES - Facing Minnesota in the Wild's first game since early February due to a COVID-19 outbreak, the Los Angeles Kings understood they needed to take advantage of the circumstances. SENT: 690 words, photos.
BBO--MLB-BLACK VOICES IN BASEBALL
A five-person panel of Major League Baseball players, coaches and executives discussed ways to get more Black people involved at all levels of the sport. By David Brandt. SENT: 600 words, photos.
BBN--CUBS-HOYER
CHICAGO - Jed Hoyer plans to chat with Kris Bryant about his future during spring training. Also on deck for the Chicago Cubs president of baseball operations are similar discussions with Javier Baez and Anthony Rizzo. By Andrew Seligman. SENT: 700 words, photos.
BBC--COLLEGE BASEBALL PREVIEW
OMAHA, Neb. - Vanderbilt returns most of its everyday lineup, features the top two pitchers in college baseball and won the most recent national championship. The Commodores aren't even regarded as the team to beat in college baseball. That would be Florida. By Eric Olson. SENT: 760 words, photos. With BBC--College Baseball-Players To Watch (sent).
SOC--LEIPZIG-LIVERPOOL
BUDAPEST, Hungary - Liverpool's players will take any help they can get as the struggling English champions look to snap out of an alarming slump in form. With two defensive blunders, Leipzig obliged in the Champions League. SENT: 600 words, photos.
SOC--BARCELONA-PSG
BARCELONA, Spain - Kylian Mbappe outplayed Lionel Messi as Paris Saint-Germain put Barcelona up against the ropes in the Champions League again. SENT: 840 words, photos.
___
Wednesday Time Schedule (EST)
NBA
N.Y. Knicks at Orlando, 7 p.m.
Atlanta at Boston, 7:30 p.m.
Houston at Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m.
Denver at Washington, 8 p.m.
Indiana at Minnesota, 8 p.m.
Detroit at Chicago, 8 p.m.
Portland at New Orleans, 9 p.m.
Oklahoma City at Memphis, 9 p.m.
Miami at Golden State, 10 p.m.
Utah at L.A. Clippers, 10 p.m.
NHL
Florida at Carolina, 5 p.m.
Ottawa at Toronto, 7 p.m.
Chicago at Detroit, 7:30 p.m.
Vancouver at Calgary, 10 p.m.
Winnipeg at Edmonton, 10 p.m.
College Basketball (Top 25)
Men
No. 17 Southern Cal vs. Arizona St., 8 p.m.
No. 19 Tennessee vs. South Carolina, 9 p.m.
No. 22 Loyola Chicago vs. Valparaiso, 8 p.m.
No. 23 Kansas at Kansas St., 8 p.m.
Women
No. 1 UConn at St. John's, 6 p.m.
No. 9 Maryland vs. Illinois, 1 p.m.
No. 12 South Florida vs. Cincinnati 7 p.m.
No. 19 DePaul vs. Xavier, 5 p.m.
No. 24 Northwestern vs. Nebraska, 7 p.m.
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