COLLEGE HOCKEY/WCHA
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – The last season of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association’s traditional look has been as tense and strong as ever. Perhaps the six teams still alive in the conference playoffs can top that this weekend. After this year’s WCHA tournament, the league and the landscape of the sport will never be the same. Minnesota State, Wisconsin, Colorado College, North Dakota, Minnesota and St. Cloud State are left in the bracket, with five games to determine the Broadmoor Trophy winner before eight of the league’s current 12 teams leave for other conferences. The WCHA will play on, but many of the storied rivalries will be gone. St. Cloud State coach Bob Motzko says it’s sad to realize the Huskies won’t have another opportunity to play in the Final Five.
SPRING BASEBALL/ROCKIES
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) – Jay Bruce hit a long home run and Bronson Arroyo pitched effectively into the sixth inning, leading the Cincinnati Reds to a 4-3 win over the Colorado Rockies on Monday night. Bruce’s shot, which landed near the top of the lawn seating behind the right-field fence, came on a full-count pitch from reliever Christian Friedrich in the sixth inning. Bruce struck out in his other two at-bats. Arroyo allowed a run and scattered five hits in 5 2-3 innings. He walked two and struck out one.
Colorado starter Jorge De La Rosa gave up a run on two hits and two walks in five innings. Before the game, Rockies manager Walt Weis said Jhoulys Chacin will be the team’s opening day starter and Jeff Francis will start the home opener.
WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL/COLORADO
BOULDER, Colo. (AP) – The Colorado women’s basketball team is hosting Kansas in its first-round game Saturday in the NCAA tournament. Colorado (25-6) learned Monday it is seeded fifth in the Norfolk regional, while Kansas (18-13) is seeded 12th.
This is the Buffaloes’ first appearance in the NCAA tournament since 2004.
Also in Boulder on Saturday, South Carolina (24-7) will play South Dakota State (25-7) in another first-round game.
NUGGETS WIN 12TH IN A ROW
CHICAGO (AP) – Andre Iguodala’s 3-pointer with 7.1 seconds left in overtime sent the Denver Nuggets to their 12th consecutive win, a 119-118 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Monday night. Reserve Wilson Chandler led the Nuggets with 35 points, Corey Brewer added 16 and Ty Lawson 13. Iguodala finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds, and Andre Miller had 13 assists. Nate Robinson scored 34 points for Chicago, which lost for the seventh time in 11 games. Luol Deng added 21 points, Marco Belinelli scored 18, and Joakim Noah had 12 rebounds and 14 points. It was the 12th time in the last 13 games that Denver scored 100 or more points, and marked the first time in seven games that an opponent has scored 100 points on the Nuggets.
