No. 3 Michigan backup guard L.J. Cason to miss remainder of season with torn right knee ligament

ANN ARBOR, Michigan (AP) — No. 3 Michigan sophomore guard L.J. Cason will miss the remainder of the season with a torn ACL in his right knee, the team announced Saturday.

Cason came up limping a day earlier inan 84-70 win at Illinoisin which the Wolverines (27-2, 17-1) clinched the Big Ten regular-season title.

He appeared to be initially hurt when falling to the court after chasing down a defensive rebound late in the first half. Cason returned to play for two-plus minutes in the second half before leaving the game with about 13 minutes left, and finished with nine points.

"First and foremost, our hearts hurt for L.J.," coach Dusty May said in a statement.

"You never want to see a young man who has poured so much into this program have something like this happen," he added. "However, if there's anyone equipped to handle this and the rehab process, it's LJ."

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Cason is a primary backup, who was sixth on the team in averaging 8.4 points per outing, while going 33 of 82 in 3-point attempts in 28 games this season.

"This isn't how I wanted my season to end, but I trust God's plan, and I'll attack rehab the same way I approach everything -- with focus and determination," Cason said. "We've got many goals as a team, and I'll be locked in supporting my brothers every step of the way."

Michigan plays at Iowa on Thursday before closing its season hosting Michigan State on March 8. The team has earned a bye through the opening rounds of the Big Ten tournament, which it will open in the quarterfinals on March 13.

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

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in Celebrities, Lifestyle, Politics, ShowBiz, Sports

06:06

No. 3 Michigan backup guard L.J. Cason to miss remainder of season with torn right knee ligament

ANN ARBOR, Michigan (AP) — No. 3 Michigan sophomore guard L.J. Cason will miss the remainder of the season with a torn AC...

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Sabres beat the Lightning 6-2 for their 3rd straight victory

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Josh Norris scored twice, Rasmus Dahlin had a goal and two assists and the Buffalo Sabres beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 6-2 on Saturday night for their third straight victory.

Sabres Lightning Hockey

Zach Metsa had a goal and an assist, Alex Tuch and Tage Thompson also scored and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 36 saves to help Buffalo move within four points of the Atlantic Division-leading Lightning.

The Sabres improved to 16-2-1 in their past 19 on the road, ending Tampa Bay's 10-game home winning streak.

Dominic James and Victor Hedman scored for Tampa Bay. The Lightning have lost consecutive games for the first time since Dec. 15-18.

Andrei Vasilevksiy, who was 17-0-1 in his previous starts, was pulled after allowing five goals on 14 shots in his first regulation loss since Dec. 18. Jonas Johansson came on in relief and stopped 20 shots.

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Buffalo scored twice in a span of 50 seconds in the first period, both off the rush with Dahlin picking up his 12th of the season at 5:25 and Norris his first of the night at 6:15. Norris scored again on a deflection at 8:18, and Thompson made it 4-0 with 4:54 left in the first period.

Metsa scored 1:54 into the second period to end the night for Vasilevksiy, which marked the first time he has been pulled Oct. 21, 2024, at Toronto.

Up next

Sabres: Host Vegas on Tuesday night.

Lightning: At Minnesota on Tuesday night.

AP NHL:https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

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in Celebrities, Lifestyle, Politics, ShowBiz, Sports

06:06

Sabres beat the Lightning 6-2 for their 3rd straight victory

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Josh Norris scored twice, Rasmus Dahlin had a goal and two assists and the Buffalo Sabres beat the Tam...

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South Carolina's Staley says school is working to bring 3 former players home from Israel

South Carolina coachDawn Staley said on social mediaSaturday that the school is working to try and help a few former players return home from Israel where they are playing professionally.

Missouri South Carolina Basketball

The trio of former Gamecocks — Tiffany Mitchell, Destiny Littleton and Mikiah Herbert Harrigan — as well as other former WNBA players are playing basketball in Israel, which along with the United States,launched a major attackon Iran on Saturday.

"Please pray for our @GamecockWBB @TiffMitch25 @2121Mikiah @dstnylttltn24 who are in a war zone in Israel," Staley said on X. "We are working a plan to get home. Let us pray for our loved ones to return home safely asap! Thank you in advance."

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Mitchell played last season in Seattle, while Harrigan was on the Phoenix Mercury. Other players in the Israeli league with WNBA ties include Victoria Vivians, Christyn Williams, Shyanne Sellers, Arella Guirantes and Evina Westbrook.

"It's 12:48 am and I'm going to attempt to get some sleep,"Littleton tweeted. "Prayers for safety for everyone impacted."

AP WNBA:https://apnews.com/hub/wnba

byAdministrator

in Celebrities, Lifestyle, Politics, ShowBiz, Sports

06:06

South Carolina's Staley says school is working to bring 3 former players home from Israel

South Carolina coachDawn Staley said on social mediaSaturday that the school is working to try and help a few former play...

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Italian skier Sofia Goggia wins super-G to regain commanding lead in World Cup discipline standings

SOLDEU, Andorra (AP) — Sofia Goggia won her second super-G of the season Sunday and regained a commanding lead in the race to the World Cup discipline title.

Andorra World Cup Alpine Skiing

The Olympic downhill bronze medallist extended her advantage in the super-G standings to 84 points over Alice Robinson of New Zealand and 116 over Emma Aicher of Germany in third, with two events left.

A race win is worth 100 points.

"I'm still not thinking about it," said Goggia, who bounced back in impressive style, a day after the Italian had her lead reduced to just 20 points following a sixth-place finish inanother super-G.

"I'm really thinking day by day, race by race. It was a solid run today, I got back the points I lost yesterday," she added.

With a trademark gutsy run, Goggia beat Saturday's winner Aicher by 0.24 seconds and third-placed Kajsa Vickhoff Lie of Norway by 0.31.

Robinson finished 0.94 seconds behind in seventh.

"It was a really similar race to yesterday. But we decided to adopt a different strategy to get into the central pitch, and it paid off," Goggia said.

Goggia and Robinson set up their duel for the super-G title early in the season when they won the first two races, but neither added another win until the Italian's victory Sunday.

Goggia now has nine career wins in super-G but is chasing her first season title in the discipline, having won the crystal globe in downhill four times, most recently in 2023.

"I still haven't won in downhill yet (this season), and this is maybe a bit strange for everyone, because I have been doing so many podiums in downhill in my career," said Goggia, who was the 2018 Olympic downhill champion.

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"I have a really solid feeling with the super-G, so I'm happy with it. Now it's important to stay really focused for the next ones in which we play for everything."

Olympic super-G championFederica Brignonecame nearly a second behind her Italian teammate in eighth, improving from her 15th-place finish in Saturday's race when she was more than two seconds off the pace.

Brignone returned from a broken left leg just before the Milan Cortina Games and then won gold in super-G and giant slalom.

Mary Bocock earned her career-best result leading the U.S. ski team in 11th, one position ahead of her teammate Keely Cashman.

Olympic downhill championBreezy Johnsonwas nearly three seconds off the pace in 30th.

Aicher's seventh podium result of the season saw the German close in on second-ranked Camille Rast in the overall standings. The Swiss skier has 963 points while Aicher is on 914.

Mikaela Shiffrin leads with 1,133 points as the American aims for her sixth overall title. She hasn't competed in speed races this season except forone super-G startlast December.

Shiffrin is expected back in action for a GS and slalom in Sweden on March 14-15.

The World Cup continues with two downhills and a super-G in Italy next weekend.

AP skiing:https://apnews.com/hub/alpine-skiing

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in Celebrities, Lifestyle, Politics, ShowBiz, Sports

04:06

Italian skier Sofia Goggia wins super-G to regain commanding lead in World Cup discipline standings

SOLDEU, Andorra (AP) — Sofia Goggia won her second super-G of the season Sunday and regained a commanding lead in the rac...

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Sam Kerr's header helps Australia edge Philippines in the Women’s Asian Cup opener

PERTH, Australia (AP) — The scene was set for a hometown star andSam Kerrdelivered for Australia — again — with the only goal in a 1-0 win over Philippines in theWomen's Asian Cuptournament opener on Sunday.

Australia Philippines AFC Asia Cup Women's Soccer

The Chelsea striker scored with a header from the edge of the box in the 14th minute following a cross from Clare Wheeler on the right and a header back across goal from Caitlin Foord.

It was the 32-year-old Kerr's 70th goal for Australia and a welcome return from a long-term knee injury that has prevented her from playing for the Matildas since the 2023 World Cup.

The crowd of 44,379 was a record for the tournament and something of a tribute to Kerr, who was raised in Perth.

The Australians went into the tournament hoping to relive the atmosphere generated during the Women's World Cup on home soil almost three years ago, when the Matildas shattered audience records on the way to the semifinals.

It wasn't all one-way, though. Australia had 85% of possession, had 15 shots on goal and completed 674 passes to 118 for Philippines, but wasn't able to break down the defense.

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Hayley Raso appeared to give Australia a 2-0 lead when she found the back of the net on the half-hour but it was disallowed for offside following a VAR review.

Goalkeeper Olivia McDaniel was heavily involved for Philippines, helping limit the margin against the team considered a strong favorite to top a group also containing 2022 runner-up South Korea and Iran.

Kerr played the full game and Australia also had a positive return fromMary Fowler,who went on in the 68th minute in a long-awaited return from injury for the Matildas.

"I think I'm just finding my confidence again," Kerr said in a post-game TV interview. "I guess that's for other people to judge, but I feel like I'm still my normal self.

"I've just got to get more touches in, around the box."

Australia hasn't won the continental title since 2010, losing the finals to Japan in 2014 and '18 and eliminated in the semifinals four years ago. This is Kerr's fifth Asian Cup campaign and she's determined to win it again.

"Today was a good start and there's lots of belief within the team," Kerr said. "But, as you see today, there's a lot of quality teams in the Asian Cup."

Iran's involvement

Iran opens Monday against South Korea. At a scheduled pregame news conference Sunday on the Gold Coast in Queensland state,Iran head coach Marziyeh Jafari declined to commenton the military strikes or death of Iranian Supreme LeaderAyatollah Ali Khamenei."I don't think we should talk about these matters at all right now," Jafari said in comments translated to English. "There's a team here for a very important competition that matters to these women and I think those should be the questions."Iran captain Zahra Ghanbari said her squad was in Australia with the target of qualifying for next year's Women's World Cup in Brazil."The mindset of all our players and our team is that, God willing, we can get out of our group," she said. "Our entire focus is on getting to the World Cup and achieving great success there."___AP soccer:https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Iran opens Monday against South Korea. At a scheduled pregame news conference Sunday on the Gold Coast in Queensland state,Iran head coach Marziyeh Jafari declined to commenton the military strikes or death of Iranian Supreme LeaderAyatollah Ali Khamenei.

"I don't think we should talk about these matters at all right now," Jafari said in comments translated to English. "There's a team here for a very important competition that matters to these women and I think those should be the questions."

Iran captain Zahra Ghanbari said her squad was in Australia with the target of qualifying for next year's Women's World Cup in Brazil.

"The mindset of all our players and our team is that, God willing, we can get out of our group," she said. "Our entire focus is on getting to the World Cup and achieving great success there."

AP soccer:https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

byAdministrator

in Celebrities, Lifestyle, Politics, ShowBiz, Sports

04:06

Sam Kerr's header helps Australia edge Philippines in the Women’s Asian Cup opener

PERTH, Australia (AP) — The scene was set for a hometown star andSam Kerrdelivered for Australia — again — with the only ...

Read More