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Johni Broome scores 19 points as No. 1 Auburn holds off in-state rival and No. 2 Alabama 94-85

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Johni Broome had 19 points and 14 rebounds and five teammates scored in double figures as No. 1 Auburn beat in-state rival and second-ranked Alabama 94-85 on Saturday in a matchup of top-ranked teams. Mark Sears scored 18 points and Grant Nelson added 12 points and 12 rebounds for Alabama, which rallied from a double-digit deficit in the second half, but failed to complete the comeback. Denver Jones scored 16 points, Chad Baker-Mazara and Miles Kelly added 15 points apiece, Chaney Johnson had 14 and Tahaad Pettiford 13 for Auburn. Labaron Philon and Aden Holloway each scored 10 for Alabama.

Auburn, Alabama, Florida headline SEC’s haul in the NCAA selection committee’s early top-16 seeds

Auburn was the No. 1 overall seed in the preliminary rankings unveiled Saturday by the committee that will select the 68-team field for the NCAA Tournament. That was part of a big haul for the Southeastern Conference. The SEC also had 1-seeds with Alabama and Florida among five of the top six overall seeds. Duke was the other No. 1 seed. SEC teams Tennessee and Texas A&M were the top 2-seeds. The preliminary rankings are a snapshot of where things stand with about a month until Selection Sunday. They came before Auburn won at Alabama later Saturday.

The new NBA All-Star format is here, and Sunday night will show whether it works

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — This will be an actual All-Star matchup. On one side, there’s a team with 86 combined All-Star selections, $2.7 billion in on-court earnings and where every single player on the team is either an NBA champion, an Olympic gold medalist, or both. On the other, there’s a bunch of young guys without much in the way of resumes yet. Welcome to the reimagined NBA All-Star Game, a single-elimination mini-tournament: four teams of eight players, three games, first to 40 points wins and a David vs. Goliath element thrown in there for good measure. It happens Sunday night in San Francisco, the NBA’s latest way of trying to make the midseason showcase event competitive again.

Adam Silver was surprised about the Doncic-Davis trade, urges angry Mavs fans to keep faith

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has a message to those Dallas Mavericks fans who are still angry, two weeks later: He feels your pain. That said, he’s also sure that the Mavericks believe that their decision to trade Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis was — in their minds, at least — the best possible move for the franchise. Silver, in his annual address at All-Star weekend on Saturday, said he had no advance word that the trade was looming and that he was surprised like everyone else. He also said he wasn’t going to second-guess Dallas’ decision.

Draymond Green on the state of the NBA: It’s ‘boring,’ the Warriors star says

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Draymond Green had just spoken for a few minutes Saturday morning about the state of the game, about how he believes it’s officiated differently than it once was, how stars don’t get the benefit of being stars like they did in the past. And then the four-time champion with the Golden State Warriors was asked a simple question: Does he think the NBA game is boring? “Absolutely,” he said.

Shiffrin OK with 5th place despite missing a worlds slalom medal for the first time

SAALBACH-HINTERGLEMM, Austria (AP) — All that talk about a record-breaking 16th medal. And extending her perfect run of six medals in six career slalom races at the world championships. Mikaela Shiffrin’s array of international fans who gathered in the Austrian Alps may have entertained the thought of witnessing those achievements when the American stood third after the opening run Saturday. Shiffrin herself never quite expected much of anything beyond where she ultimately finished in only her second full slalom race since her crash in November: fifth.

Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani throws 1st BP of spring training, taking a step toward possibly pitching

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani threw his first bullpen of spring training on Saturday, taking a step toward possibly pitching for the first time since 2023. The reigning World Series champion and National League MVP has not pitched in the big leagues since he was with the Los Angeles Angels on Aug. 23, 2023. The right-hander later had elbow surgery that limited him to a hitting role during his first season with the Dodgers in 2024. The Dodgers have ruled out Ohtani as a pitching option in Tokyo when they open the season next month against the Chicago Cubs.

Pirates ace Paul Skenes is looking to add to his already electric arsenal as he enters Year 2

BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) — Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes is focused on becoming a more complete pitcher in 2024. The reigning National League Rookie of the Year says he spent the offseason tinkering with adding two new pitches to an arsenal that includes a fastball that regularly hits 100 mph. Skenes says the goal is to give hitters something else to think about when they step to the plate. The 22-year-old added that he’s hoping to be more efficient during his second season and that he can earn the right to be the opening day starter when the regular season arrives in late March.

Former White Sox All-Star, World Series champion Bobby Jenks undergoing stomach cancer treatment

Former Chicago White Sox closer Bobby Jenks is being treated for stomach cancer. The two-time All-Star closer and World Series champion shared his condition from a Portugal hospital bed in an interview with MLB.com on Saturday. The White Sox later sent their best wishes via social media. The 43-year-old Jenks says he’s planning to recover well enough to return for a second season as manager of the minor league Windy City Thunderbolts in Crestwood, Illinois. Jenks helped the White Sox win the 2005 World Series and was an All-Star in each of the next two seasons.

Daytona after Dark: The good times never stop, even when the NASCAR racing does

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — When the sun goes down at Daytona International Speedway, the green flag drops on the infield bash that annually celebrates the over-the-top campy nature of Daytona 500 race week. Wheel out the wheelbarrows. Bust out the karaoke machines and crank the volume to 11. Belly up to the homemade bars built with enough lumber to thin out a Home Depot. At Daytona after dark, the good times never stop, even when the racing does at a track where, in both speed and celebrations, there are no limits.