By RONALD BLUM, AP Baseball Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Adding Sonny Gray to a rotation already improved by the offseason acquisitions of Tanner Roark and Alex Wood has the Cincinnati Reds thinking about their first NL Central title since 2012. "I think we have a group of guys that can hold ...

By STEVE HERRICK, Associated Press CLEVELAND (AP) — Somebody was bound to break a long skid Monday — Zach LaVine and the Chicago Bulls seized the opportunity. LaVine scored 25 points and the Bulls broke a 10-game losing streak, beating the Cleveland Cavaliers 104-88 in a meeting of teams ...

By ANDRES YBARRA, Associated Press ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota coach Bruce Boudreau believes the typical sense of urgency to make a playoff push is hitting teams earlier than normal this season. It certainly seemed that way for the Wild and Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday night. ...

By TIM REYNOLDS, AP Sports Writer DANIA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Tate Martell greeted a few well-wishers in the airport after arriving in South Florida, then stopped to pick up a coffee and a sandwich. The baristas, noticing the crowd around him, asked his name. If Martell gets his way, they'll ...

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (AP) — Malachi Smith and Bill Wampler scored 17 each on Thursday night to help Wright State beat Youngstown State 80-74. The Raiders (9-10, 3-3 Horizon League) pulled away to a 76-69 lead with six straight points capped by Cole Gentry's pair of free throws with 1:19 left. ...

POWELL, Ohio (AP) — A zoo in Ohio is offering free admission to furloughed federal employees for as long as the partial government shutdown continues. The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium said in a release Thursday that furloughed federal employees must present their federal ID or badge at the ...

SANDUSKY, Ohio (AP) — Thousands of students from 10 states are gathering in northern Ohio for a regional robotics competition. The Kalahari Classics VEX Robotics Competition began Thursday and continues through Saturday at Kalahari Resort Conference Center in Sandusky in northern Ohio. The ...

By ANNE M. PETERSON, AP Sports Writer PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Trail Blazers big man Jusuf Nurkic finally got his triple-double. Less than a week of coming up just two assists shy of the feat, Nurkic got his first career first triple-double with 10 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in ...

By JOE KAY, AP Sports Writer CINCINNATI (AP) — Like his longtime broadcasting cohort used to say, Marty Brennaman is rounding third and heading for home. The Reds play-by-play announcer said Wednesday that he'll retire after the 2019 season, his 46th in Cincinnati. His career started with a ...

By MITCH STACY, AP Sports Writer COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The Columbus Blue Jackets extended their win streak to four games and stayed in the thick of the battle at the top of the tough Metropolitan Division. The team's productive top line is a big reason why. Pierre-Luc Dubois, Artemi Panarin ...

By JOE KAY, AP Sports Writer CINCINNATI (AP) — Coach Mick Cronin watched the last 18 minutes of the game from Cincinnati's locker room, hoping his first career ejection didn't result in a loss. Jarron Cumberland made sure it didn't happen. The junior scored a career-high 34 points and hit ...

By The Associated Press Quarterback Tate Martell says he is transferring from Ohio State to Miami. Martell announced on Twitter early Wednesday: "I'm a Hurricane." Martell had entered his name into the NCAA transfer portal last week and was free to be approached by schools about a potential ...

By DAN GREENSPAN, Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — Wins have been hard to come by for the Cleveland Cavaliers this season, so coach Larry Drew has been focused on the incremental signs of progress. Against the Los Angeles Lakers, Drew saw those little things help put the Cavaliers into ...

By KRISTIE RIEKEN, AP Sports Writer HOUSTON (AP) — The Houston Rockets still have a way to go to reach their goal of earning the top seed in the Western Conference. But it seems far more attainable than it was just a month ago. James Harden had 43 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists in 29 ...

CINCINNATI (AP) — The Cincinnati Reds avoided arbitration with Yasiel Puig, agreeing with the newly acquired outfielder on a $9.7 million contract for 2019. The Reds also reached deals Friday with right-handers Tanner Roark ($10 million), Anthony DeSclafani ($2,125,000) and Michael Lorenzen ...

By TOM WITHERS, AP Sports Writer CLEVELAND (AP) — Freddie Kitchens got his formal, sit-down interview with the Browns. He aced the on-field one. Kitchens, who in eight weeks rose from unknown assistant to hot coaching commodity, became the seventh candidate to interview for Cleveland's ...

By MITCH STACY, AP Sports Writer COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Dwayne Haskins is NFL bound after one spectacular season as Ohio State's starting quarterback. The third-year sophomore who rewrote the school record book had been expected to enter the draft and is a projected first-round ...

By JIM HOEHN, Associated Press MILWAUKEE (AP) — Sacar Anim made the most of Markus Howard's presence for Marquette. Anim scored 14 of his 20 points in the first half, and the No. 16 Golden Eagles remained unbeaten at home with a 70-52 victory over Xavier on Sunday. Anim was 9 for 14 from ...

By TOM WITHERS, AP Sports Writer CLEVELAND (AP) — The struggling Cavaliers signed guard Cameron Payne to a 10-day contract. To make roster space, the Cavs waived swingman Patrick McCaw, who signed with the club as a free agent on Dec. 28. He played in three games with Cleveland. Payne will ...

By TOM WITHERS, AP Sports Writer CLEVELAND (AP) — The Browns are protecting Freddie Kitchens like he was a franchise quarterback, not a coach. While Kitchens waits for his interview to possibly become Cleveland's head coach, the Browns have denied requests by other teams to interview their ...