UNDATED (AP) — This week’s tournaments in major conferences offer AP Top 25 teams their last chances to impact their potential NCAA Tournament seeds. The list includes No. 3 Baylor and No. 6 Kansas from the Big 12 vying for 1-seeds in the NCAA Tournament. The same is true in the Southeastern Conference with No. 4 Auburn and No. 5 Kentucky. The Atlantic Coast, Big 12, Big East and Pac-12 tournaments all run through Saturday. The Big Ten and SEC both go to Selection Sunday.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud set passing records in a Rose Bowl win over Utah but the problems that had dogged Ohio State’s defense all season were still on display. The defense allowed a combined 950 yards and 87 points in the game against Utah and the humiliating loss to Michigan in the regular-season finale. So rebuilding, reorganizing and rescheming the defense will be a focus for Ohio State in spring practice, which is underway at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. Much of the focus is on new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh syas the door is closed on his potential return to the NFL. He says he looked at possibly coaching the Minnesota Vikings to find out if he wanted to be back in the league. He says Michigan is ultimately where he decided to be. The Vikings made Harbaugh’s decision a little easier because they didn’t offer him the job. Minnesota ended up hiring Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell.
UNDATED (AP) — College baseball is poised to gain fans if the Major League Baseball lockout extends deep into the spring. The college game has experienced significant growth over the past decade with schools spending hundreds of millions of dollars to build new stadiums and facilities and increase coaching salaries. People in the game say the level of play is at an all-time high and will get even better because of the reduction of rounds in the MLB draft. The Shriners Children’s College Classic was played over the weekend at Minute Maid Park in Houston. A game between Texas and LSU attracted almost 25,000 fans.
UNDATED (AP) — A survey of more than 20,000 Nebraska fans showed nearly three-fourths want or would have no problem with alcohol sales in Memorial Stadium. More than half would be OK with sports wagering on site if it becomes legal someday. The athletic department in January sent surveys to more than 220,000 people who buy tickets or are otherwise connected to the university, and almost 22,000 completed them. University regents voted last month to allow campus leaders to decide whether to sell alcohol at sports venues.
