January 2017 | Page 8 of 30

The tennis world is one step closer to a throwback dream final featuring Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.

Nadal beat Milos Raonic 6-4, 7-6 (7), 6-4 to reach the Australian Open semifinals, returning to the last four at a Grand Slam tournament for the first time since winning the 2014 French Open.

“I think I’m not a very arrogant person so I always have doubts,” Nadal, 30, said when asked about Friday’s semifinal against Grigor Dimitov, against whom he is 7-1 all-time.

Nadal’s return ensures there’ll be three 30-somethings in the men’s semifinals, equaling the Open era mark set at Roland Garros in 1968. Seventeen-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer, 35, takes on 31-year-old Stan Wawrinka in an all-Swiss semifinal on Thursday at 3:30 AM ET.

Kentucky, Tennessee

Bernard King Gets a Kick Out of Tennessee Taking Down No. 4 Kentucky

January 24, 2017

author: Adam Zagoria

It looks like Bernard King got a

Breaking News, Marquette, Villanova

Marquette Stuns No. 1 Villanova as Fans Storm Court

January 24, 2017

author: Adam Zagoria

On the day the new Associated Press poll came out, both the No. 1 and 2 teams in the nation lost on Tuesday night.

Shortly after West Virginia beat No. 2 Kansas at home, Marquette stunned No. 1 Villanova, 74-72, sparking a court-storming.

After Katin Reinhardt hit two free throws to put the Golden Eagles up by 2 points, Villanova got one more chance with 10.4 seconds remaining.

A driving layup by Jalen Brunson (19 points, 4 assists) didn’t fall and the Wildcats couldn’t convert on the putback.

Down goes No. 1 Villanova pic.twitter.com/lQY0aUIA2G

— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) January 25, 2017

Marquette closed the game on a 19-4 run in the last 5:14. The Golden Eagles led the game for 22 seconds.

Breaking News, Kansas, West Virginia

Down Goes No. 2! No. 18 West Virginia Beats Kansas

January 24, 2017

author: Adam Zagoria

By JOHN RABY

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — Esa Ahmad broke out of a shooting slump with a career-high 27 points to lead No. 18 West Virginia to an 85-69 victory over No. 2 Kansas on Tuesday night.

The Mountaineers (16-4, 5-3 Big 12) beat Kansas (18-2, 7-1) for the fourth straight time in Morgantown and snapped the Jayhawks’ 18-game winning streak.

Ahmad led West Virginia in scoring over the first two months of the season but entered Tuesday’s game with four straight games in single digits. He scored West Virginia’s first eight points against Kansas and finished 10 of 17 from the field.

Maryland, Rutgers

Melo Trimble Scores 17 to Lead Maryland Past Rutgers

January 24, 2017

author: Adam Zagoria

By DAVID GINSBURG

COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — Melo Trimble fueled a second-half surge that put No. 22 Maryland in control, and the Terrapins beat Rutgers 67-55 on Tuesday night to remain in first place in the Big Ten.

Trimble scored 17 points and freshman Kevin Huerter had 11 for the Terrapins (18-2, 6-1), who own their best record after 20 games since the 1998-99 season.

Facing a team that has never won a conference game on the road, Maryland led only 38-35 shortly after halftime before Trimble took over. He threw an outlet pass that led to an easy layup, then drilled a 3-pointer. Huerter followed with a 3 to make it 46-35 — too big a deficit for Rutgers to make up.

Maryland entered the game tied with Wisconsin atop the Big Ten standings.

Louisville, Pittsburgh

Louisville Hands Pittsburgh Worst Loss in 111 Years

January 24, 2017

author: Adam Zagoria

By WILL GRAVES

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Donovan Mitchell scored a career-high 27 points, Anas Mahmoud added 14 while making all seven of his shots and No. 13 Louisville overwhelmed Pittsburgh 106-51 on Tuesday night.

The Cardinals (17-4, 5-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) rebounded from a close loss at No. 10 Florida State on Saturday by handing the reeling Panthers the second-worst loss in the program’s 111-year history.

Louisville held Pitt (12-8, 1-6) to 25 percent shooting (13 of 51) and never let the Panthers in the game. Pitt went without a basket for more than 12 minutes during the first half as the Cardinals built a 37-13 lead and kept pouring it on.

“That’s about as disappointing of a performance as I could possible imagine,” head coach Kevin Stallings said after the loss. “It’s embarrassing. It’s unacceptable. It’s my responsibility to have them prepared to play better than that, harder than that, smarter than that.”