La Crosse Tribune Sports News

Maybe it is because – fairly or unfairly – they often are thrown into the same category as kickers in football, goalies in hockey or daredevils in motorsports.

NEW YORK (TNS) — NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is examining ways to cut back on preseason games and begin seasons sooner, but he isn’t yet ready to abolish the current playoff format.

LA CRESCENT — It seemed like nothing more than a pipe dream. A simple cliché every coach uses as motivation at one time or another.

UNIONDALE, N.Y. (AP) — Josh Bailey scored two goals in the first period, John Tavares had two goals and two assists, and the New York Islanders fought off two rallies by the Columbus Blue Jack…

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) — Jahlil Okafor had 23 points and 13 rebounds for his ninth double-double of the season, outplaying Syracuse big man Rakeem Christmas as No. 4 Duke beat the Orange 80-72 on…

NEW YORK (AP) — Commissioner Adam Silver is determined to make a schedule that keeps NBA players fresh, and he is willing to discuss starting the season earlier or ending later.

NEW YORK (AP) — Chris Bosh, Dominique Wilkins and Swin Cash won their third straight shooting stars competition to kick off All-Star Saturday night at Brooklyn's Barclays Center.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Darrun Hilliard rallied No. 6 Villanova in the second half and hit a 3-pointer with 1.5 seconds left Saturday to give the Wildcats a 68-65 victory over No. 18 Butler.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Anthony "Cat" Barber scored 21 points, hitting 10 of 13 free throws, to help North Carolina State upset No. 9 Louisville 74-65 on Saturday.

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. (AP) — In his first PGA Tour event in five months, Jim Furyk wasted no time giving himself a chance for his first win in more than four years.

NEW YORK (AP) — LeBron James doesn't take a single moment for granted. There's no time to waste. Every game, every gesture is special.

PLA-MOR

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — From start to finish Saturday, the honors kept piling up for coach John Calipari and No. 1 Kentucky.

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Monte Morris scored 19 points and 14th-ranked Iowa State overwhelmed No. 21 West Virginia 79-59 on Saturday to sweep the season series with the Mountaineers.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — With the game on the line, Malcolm Brogdon and No. 2 Virginia just needed to get one stop.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Grant Enfinger has won the ARCA Series race at Daytona International Speedway for the second straight season.

OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Milan Michalek had two goals and an assist, leading the Ottawa Senators over the Edmonton Oilers 7-2 on Saturday.

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) — Chelsey Shumpert scored 15 points, including a pair of 3-pointers, to lead No. 21 Chattanooga to a 76-52 win over North Carolina-Greensboro on Saturday.

ANTWERP, Belgium (AP) — Third-seeded Andrea Petkovic of Germany beat unseeded Barbora Zahlavova Strycova of the Czech Republic 7-6 (2), 7-6 (6) on Saturday to reach the Diamond Games final, wh…

ROTTERDAM, Netherlands (AP) — Defending champion Tomas Berdych took less than an hour to beat Frenchman Gilles Simon 6-2, 6-1 Saturday and reach the final of the World Tennis Tournament, where…