College Basketball
Gators chomp No. 1 spot for first time since 2007
The Florida Gators are taking their turn as the newest No. 1 in what head coach Billy Donovan calls a revolving door atop the AP college basketball poll, their first time on top of the rankings since they repeated as national champions in 2007.
The Gators (25-2) moved up one place Monday, replacing Syracuse (25-2), which lost twice last week and dropped to fourth.
Wichita State (29-0) and Arizona (25-2) both moved up one place to second and third. Florida, the fifth school to hold the No. 1-spot this season, received 47 first-place votes from the 65-member national media panel. Wichita State was No. 1 on 14 ballots, with Arizona receiving the other four first-place votes.
New Mexico, North Carolina and Southern Methodist all returned to the Top 25 this week replacing Connecticut, Gonzaga and UCLA.
No topping the Huskies in this week’s AP women’s poll
Connecticut remained No. 1 in The Associated Press women’s poll Monday after cruising to easy wins last week.
UConn improved to 28-0 after routing Central Florida and Houston. The Huskies have won 34 consecutive games dating back to last season – the fourth-longest streak in school history. UConn will play at Southern Methodist on Tuesday before hosting Rutgers on Saturday.
Notre Dame remained No. 2. The Irish also are unbeaten after sweeping three games against Duke, Georgia Tech and Wake Forest to clinch their first ACC title in the school’s inaugural season in the conference.
Louisville, South Carolina and Stanford rounded out the first five.
CYCLING
In trouble again, Sinkewitz gets 8 years for HGH
LAUSANNE, Switzerland – German rider Patrik Sinkewitz was banned for eight years as a repeat doping offender after a ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on Monday.
A three-member, all-German CAS panel upheld an appeal by Germany’s anti-doping agency challenging Sinkewitz’s acquittal by a German arbitration tribunal.
Sinkewitz became the first cyclist to test positive for the human growth hormone in February 2011. Sinkewitz disputed the reliability of the tests.
CAS ruled the German agency had “clearly established the athlete’s blood samples revealed the presence of HGH.”
Sinkewitz tested positive for testosterone in an out-of-competition test before the 2007 Tour de France. He was banned for one year.
MLB
Winston’s trophy right arm might face the Yankees
TAMPA, Fla. – The New York Yankees might face a hard-throwing Heisman Trophy winner in their first spring training game.
Florida State University, with 2013 Heisman winner and closer Jameis Winston, will play the Yankees on Tuesday at Steinbrenner Field.
Winston led the Seminoles football team to the 2013 national championship in a 34-31 victory over Auburn on Jan. 6. The 6-4, 230-pound sophomore has allowed one hit over four scoreless innings in three games this season.
NFL
No clowning around in fast 40-yard time for Clowney
INDIANAPOLIS – Jadeveon Clowney made matters tougher for Johnny Manziel and the other potential No. 1 picks Monday.
The former South Carolina star ran the fastest 40-yard dash time of the defensive linemen. NFL.com reported the unofficial time at 4.47 seconds. NFL Network said it was 4.53. Either way, it still was tops at his position.
Michael Sam, who is trying to become the first openly gay player in the NFL, posted an unofficial 40-yard dash time of 4.79, according to NFL.com. NFL Network reported the time was 4.91.
Associated Press
