COLLEGE BASKETBALL
DALLAS (AP) - Donte Ingram hit a 3-pointer from the March Madness logo just before the buzzer, lifting Loyola-Chicago over Miami 64-62 in a thriller to celebrate its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 33 years.
Ingram’s long shot from well above the key came after Lonnie Walker IV missed a free throw with a chance to give the Hurricanes a three-point lead with 9 seconds remaining.
The 11th-seeded Ramblers (29-5) matched the school record for wins from their 1963 national championship team in their first NCAA trip since losing to Patrick Ewing and Georgetown in the Sweet 16 in 1985. They advanced to face third-seeded Tennessee on Saturday.
NFL
NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Tom Benson, a successful auto dealer and longtime owner of the New Orleans Saints who brought the franchise its only winning seasons and the “Benson Boogie,” has died.
Benson also owned the NBA’s New Orleans Pelicans since 2012, but the 90-year-old made his mark in pro sports with the Saints.
The teams announced Benson’s death. He had been hospitalized since Feb. 16 with flu symptoms.
Benson bought the Saints in 1985 when it appeared the club would be sold to out-of-state interests and perhaps moved out of Louisiana. He paid $70 million for the team, which is now worth close to $2 billion.
EAGAN, Minn. (AP) - The leverage of free agency in his prime brought Kirk Cousins the market-setting contract with Minnesota.
Now the Vikings have their latest franchise quarterback to try to secure that elusive first Super Bowl victory with.
The Vikings wrapped up their welcome party with an $84 million, three-year contract for Cousins, banking big time on the late-blooming former Washington Redskins prospect to finally stabilize a critical position that’s been infamously problematic.
ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) - As soon as Jordy Nelson was released by the Green Bay Packers, the Oakland Raiders put on a full-court press to acquire the former Pro Bowler.
His former position coach and coordinator in Green Bay, Edgar Bennett, and new Raiders coach Jon Gruden immediately called to bring him out for a free-agent visit. Quarterback Derek Carr picked him up at the airport and gave him a tour of the Bay Area.
Then the Raiders offered a two-year deal worth a reported $15 million that persuaded him to cancel his other scheduled visits and sign with Oakland.
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) - The New York Giants have signed offensive tackle Nate Solder and added former Arizona Cardinals linebacker Kareem Martin.
The Giants announced the signings more than a day after free-agency opened.
Sources close to the team had confirmed on Wednesday the agreement with Solder, the former New England Patriots left tackle. The signing of Martin, who spent his first four seasons in Arizona, is new and reunites him with defensive coordinator James Bettcher, who ran the Cardinals’ defense last season and was hired by new Giants coach Pat Shurmur.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) - Donte Moncrief is gladly gambling on himself.
The former Indianapolis Colts receiver signed a one-year, $7 million contract with AFC South rival Jacksonville, believing he will prove he’s worth a more lucrative, long-term deal.
The Jaguars are counting on Moncrief to help offset the loss of former Pro Bowl receiver Allen Robinson, who signed a three-year, $42 million deal in free agency with Chicago.
NEW YORK (AP) - The New York Jets have filled two big holes on offense and special teams.
The team announced the signings of running back Isaiah Crowell and kicker Cairo Santos.
Crowell, who had agreed to terms as free agency opened Wednesday, comes to the Jets on a contract for three years and $12 million. He will help replace veteran Matt Forte, who recently retired.
Santos signed a one-year contract with the Jets, who were in need of a kicker after Chandler Catanzaro signed with Tampa Bay as a free agent.
GOLF
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - Henrik Stenson had a hot putter, a much quieter crowd and a one-shot lead in the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
One week after Stenson returned from his winter break and spent two days with Tiger Woods and his raucous crowds, he made birdie on half of the holes at Bay Hill for an 8-under 64, his lowest round ever on the course the King built.
PGA Tour rookies Aaron Wise and Talor Gooch each had 65. Wise missed a 6-foot birdie putt on the final hole.
Woods again brought out big crowds in the unseasonable morning chill and gave them quite a show. He hit a tee shot that was out-of-bounds by inches. He atoned for that with a 70-foot birdie putt. And he wound up with a 68, his best opening round since he returned this year from a fourth back surgery.
TENNIS
INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (AP) - Roger Federer and Venus Williams won in straight sets to advance to the semifinals at the BNP Paribas Open, extending the 36-year-old Swiss superstar’s bid for a record sixth title in the desert and the 37-year-old American’s attempt to win her first.
Federer defeated Chung Hyeon 7-5, 6-1 and equal his career-best start of 16-0 from 2006. Williams beat Carla Suarez Navarro 6-3, 6-2 in the event where she first broke out as a 16-year-old qualifier in 1997.
Federer won the Australian Open in January and has regained the No. 1 ranking. Williams returned to the top 10 last year after being runner-up at the Australian Open and Wimbledon.
Next up for Federer is Borna Coric of Croatia, who upset No. 7 seed Kevin Anderson 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (3) for his first win in four tries against the South African.
Williams will face 20-year-old Russian Daria Kasatkina, who has yet to drop a set in four matches at Indian Wells.
SOCCER
NEW YORK (AP) - Chicago, the home of the U.S. Soccer Federation, Minneapolis and Arizona dropped out of the North American bid to host the 2026 World Cup because of what city officials said were burdensome financial demands by FIFA.
Twenty-three cities, including 17 in the United States, were chosen to be included in bid documents to be submitted to FIFA on Friday. Morocco also is bidding, and the 207 other FIFA members are scheduled to make the decision at FIFA Congress in Moscow on June 13.
Vancouver, British Columbia, said its bid was rejected because it refused to comply with FIFA’s requirements that include tax waivers and putting agreements under Swiss law. Four other U.S. cities were cut: Charlotte, North Carolina; Las Vegas; Salt Lake City; and Tampa, Florida.
The 2026 World Cup will be the first with a 48-nation field.
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