Scores and Sports Info for 03/26/2010

NCAA HOOP'S - MARCH MADNESS - SWEET SIXTEEN - Butler hung tough and rallied to upset top-seeded Syracuse, but the Bulldogs are no Cinderella story.
K-State outlasts Xavier 101-96 in 2OT. No. 1 Kentucky ends Cornell's run. West Virginia beat Washington 69-56. Tonight Midwest Region:Tennessee vs Ohio
State 7 PM ET, South Region: St.mary's vs Baylor 7:30 PM ET, Midwest Region: Northern Iowa vs Michigan State 9:30 PM ET and Sout Region: Purdue vs Duke
10 PM ET.



NBA - LaMarcus Aldridge and the Blazers shut down the Mavericks in the final quarter to move closer to nailing down a spot in the playoffs. The Nuggets are
struggling without George Karl and Kenyon Martin, dropping their third straight to the Celtics. Perhaps this isn't the best way to woo D Wade. The Heat jump out to a 30-point halftime lead over the Bulls and cruise to a 103-74 win. Having lost 11 of 13, Chicago is fading in the East. Fighting for the final playoff spot in the East, the Bulls chose the wrong night to play their worst game of the season. Clippers stop 11-game road skid, tip Rockets.



NHL - Chicago clinched a playoff spot on Thursday despite its worst loss of the season, an 8-3 drubbing against Columbus. Rangers beat Devils 4-3 in SO, keep hopes alive. Leafs edge Thrashers in OT. Sharks blank Stars. Islanders rally to damage Flames' playoff hopes. Stamkos' two goals propel Lightning past Bruins. Canes beat Caps in SO. The Detroit dynasty looked to be waning. But renewed health and rookie goalie Jimmy Howard could make the Red Wings most dangerous in the playoffs.



MLB - Reigning World Series MVP Hideki Matsui is breaking in with a new club on a new coast, but he's settling in rather nicely. Even Ichiro's pre-pitch routine, which has helped him amass more hits than any player since 2001, is distinctive. Tim Hudson missed most of the '09 season with an injury, but his return gives the Braves a quality five-deep staff.



NFL - Philly's asking price-The Eagles want a top-42 pick in next month's draft for Donovan McNabb. Most experts consider Jimmy Clausen and Sam Bradford top
10 locks, but opinions on Tim Tebow vary greatly. Melted-down Jake Delhomme is gone. Now John Fox and Marty Hurney are risking their brass on unproven Matt
Moore. Without a first-round pick, they need QB and lots of other help in the draft.



NCAA FOOTBALL - Notre Dame hired a new coach in Brian Kelly, but that's not the only change in South Bend as spring practice begins. Hidden In Plain Sight-BCS powers have a secret weapon. It's a bunch of hidden guys in golf shirts. Stuffed staffing is now the norm. And it's a headache for the NCAA.



NASCAR - Goody's 500 Considering Jimmie Johnson's dominance at Martinsville, will everyone be racing for second? Dale Earnhardt Jr. is NASCAR’s highest-paid
driver for a second straight year with earnings of $30 million in 2009. Moot point-Does it make any sense that a driver who's won 3-of-5 races trails in
the standings?



GOLF - After missing his last four cuts, Davis Love III shares the first-round lead thanks to his chipping at the Palmer Invitational. Woods to hold news conference at Masters. Min shoots 66 to take lead at La Costa.



MMA & BOXING - UFC champ Georges St. Pierre says he wants to be the greatest mixed martial artist of all time. He's on the right path. The reputation of Andre Dirrell will take another hit if he's unable to beat Arthur Abraham in Saturday's Super Six bout. Big weekend-Yuriorkis Gamboa is just one of several heavy hitters who will enter the ring this weekend.



SOCCER - MLS - Brad Evans scored the first goal of the season and the Seattle Sounders welcomed the Philadelphia Union to the MLS with a shutout 2-0.
Western Conference previews-The Dynamo look to still contend without star midfielders Stuart Holden (above) and Ricardo Clark. Eastern Conference previews-Coach Hans Backe and the Red Bulls hope to field a team that is worthy of their new $200 million stadium.



TENNIS - Eye-catcher-Venus Williams kicked off her quest for a fourth Key Biscayne title with a first-round victory in a red-corset dress that was the
talk of the tournament. Around the sport-Pep talk helps Kuznetsova avoid first-round upset. U.S. player fined for importing HGH in Australia.



HORSE RACING - The blitz to finish the $2 billion Meydan Racecourseis an indication of how much unknown territory faces the field in Saturday's eight-race
Dubai World Cup. Minute Limit wins Santa Anita feature. Connemara morning-line favorite in Lane's End. Ampart Ridge wins Big A feature.