USC Beats No. 8 UCLA, Which Was a Big Surprise
In a game against crosstown rival UCLA, Southern California’s Boogie Ellis scored 31 points and hit the game-winning 3 with 1:25 left. The Trojans had trailed by 12 points at halftime but went on a 15-4 run to cut their deficit to one point within six minutes of the second half starting. From there, USC went on a 25-6 run and took a lead it never relinquished down the stretch.
Tennis: Tsitsipas Beats the Brave Khachanov to Reach His First Australian Open Final
Third seed Stefanos Tsitsipas beat Russian 18th-seeded Karen Khachanov scored 7-6(2), 6-4, 6-7(6), and 6-3 in a thriller to reach his first Australian Open final. The Greek player, who had lost three times in the semifinals at Melbourne Park, will play either Novak Djokovic or Tommy Paul for the title.
The Mavericks Won Their Game But Lost to Luka Doncic
The Dallas Mavericks beat the Phoenix Suns 99-95 on Thursday night despite Luka Doncic getting injured early in the game. Spencer Dinwiddie scored a season-high 36 points for the Mavericks, while Dorian Finney-Smith scored 18 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, Dwight Powell scored 15 points, Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 11 points, and Reggie Bullock scored 10 points. This was Dallas’s third win in 10 games so far this season.
Tennis: Rybakina Takes on Sabalenka in a Battle of Heavyweights For the Australian Open Title
Elena Rybakina is one step away from winning her second major title. The 22nd seed will face Aryna Sabalenka in the final of the Australian Open, after beating Maria Sharapova 6-1 6-3 in their semifinal match.
Rybakina was born in Russia but changed her nationality to Kazakhstan in 2018 to get more financial support. She went on to become the first major singles champion for Kazakhstan at Wimbledon, beating Tunisian Ons Jabeur in the final.
Rugby: World Rugby is Going to Lower the Height of Tackles at the Top Level
Alan Gilpin, the chief executive of World Rugby, said that rugby’s governing body plans to lower the legal tackling height for elite players around the world in the next few years. This will lower the risk of head injuries in the sport.
Gilpin’s remarks come after the Rugby Football Union of England decided to ban tackling above the waist in the community game. Players and coaches have criticized this decision and the way it was made, saying that they weren’t involved enough in making it.
Djokovic’s Father Skipped the Semi-final After the Russia Flag Issue
Novak Djokovic’s father will not attend his son’s Australian Open semi-final. The announcement came after a video showed him posing with fans holding Russian flags at Melbourne Park. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese criticized those who support Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Friday and reiterated that Australia stands with Ukraine.
Soccer: Corica Sought Socceroos’ Arnold’s Help When Sydney was Having Trouble
Sydney FC coach Steve Corica told reporters that he asked Australia coach Graham Arnold for advice when rumors about his future at the club started to circulate. Corica’s position came under scrutiny after a bad start to this season put the team near the bottom of the table.
Roundup: Lightning Stop Bruins’ Road Run by Being Hot at Home
Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Boston Bruins, scoring 3-2 on Thursday night to win their 11th consecutive game at home and end Boston’s seven-game road winning streak. Nikita Kucherov scored a goal and had two assists, including one on Victor Hedman’s game-winning goal.
At 13:19 of the third period, Hedman scored after Bruins defenseman Brandon Carlo knocked down Bruins goalie Linus Ullmark (32 saves). Brad Marchand and Pavel Zacha scored for Boston, which dropped to 10-2-0 in January after its first loss in seven games.
Golf: Immelman Thinks Woods will be Ready For His Return to the Masters
Former Masters winner Trevor Immelman said he thinks Tiger Woods will be back at Augusta National in April. Since the British Open last July, Woods hasn’t played in many tournaments. The former world number one is dealing with plantar fasciitis, which has slowed his recovery from injuries he got in a near-fatal car accident in 2021.
West Indies Will Have Lara Act As a “Performance Mentor” for Cricket
Brian Lara will help players and coaches in all three types of cricket by becoming a “performance mentor,” Cricket West Indies announced Thursday. The 53-year-old great batsman was part of a review panel put together after West Indies lost in the first round of the Twenty20 World Cup last year. The CWI said Lara would help head coaches “give players tactical advice and improve their game sense.”
