8 boy’s Prep basketball teams in the OSAA 5-A division will advance, after tonight’s Play-In round to join 8 other teams Friday night in the 16-team Playoff bracket. The Mt. View Cougars, 2nd place finishers in the IMC will host Hillsboro tonight, while Bend travels to Sandy. Both are 6pm tipoffs. The IMC Champion Summit Storm will host a first round game Friday night.
Tomorrow night, there will be two local Play-In girls games.

(Auburn Hills, MI)  --  The Portland Trail Blazers wrap up a four-game road trip tonight at the Detroit Pistons.  Portland has dropped four of its past five games, and are 24-and-34 on the year.  The Blazers fell in double overtime 125-124 last month to the Pistons.  Tip from the Palace of Auburn Hills at 4:30.

There is a new number-one in Men’s college basketball for the 6th time this season. Kansas replaces Gonzaga as the #1 ranked team in the Associated Press weekly poll after the Zags were upset in Spokane by BYU Saturday night.

It’s Kansas, Villanova, UCLA, Gonzaga, and North Carolina the Top-5 with Oregon, Arizona, Louisville, Kentucky, and West Virginia rounding out the Top-10.

Last night, #1 Kansas came from behind to beat Oklahoma, 73-63. Virginia dumps #5 North Carolina, 53-43, and 11th ranked Baylor beat #10 West Virginia, 71-62.  Tonight…#9 Kentucky hosts Vanderbilt, 15th ranked Florida State visit #17 Duke, and #16 Purdue hosts Indiana.

Klamath Falls is the site of the NAIA Cascade Collegiate Conference men’s Tournament Championship game tonight with Oregon Tech hosting Corban of Salem.

Redmond’s Tanner Manselle, a Sophomore, has played in 13 games for Tech. Freshmen Connor Scott of Bend, and Garret Albright of Ridgeview, both are red-shirting at Oregon Tech.

OIT is 24-and-8…Corban 17-15. Tipoff is set for 7pm and you can watch or listen to the game online at www.oit.edu.

(Corvallis, OR)  --  The sixth-ranked Oregon State women's basketball team is gearing up for the Pac-12 Tournament.  The Beavers are the top seed and will face the winner between Cal and Stanford on Friday.  Oregon is the sixth-seed, and meets Arizona on Thursday night.  The tournament is being played at Key Arena in Seattle for the fifth straight season.

(San Francisco, CA)  --  Oregon's Dillon Brooks is being named the Pac-12 Player of the Week for the third time this season.  Brooks averaged 18 points per game in victories over Stanford and Cal.  The Ducks close out the regular season at Oregon State on Saturday.

(Portland, OR)  --  With the preseason in the rear view mirror, the Timbers open the MLS regular season on Friday versus Minnesota United FC at Providence Park.  The soccer club wrapped up its seven-match preseason slate with a win over the L.A. Galaxy.  The Timbers are trying to rebound from missing the MLS playoffs last season.

We start with prep basketball where Summit boys win the IMC Title beating Mt. View Friday night. The Storm host a Playoff game Friday. Tomorrow, Mt. View will greet Hillsboro and Bend travels to Sandy in ‘Play-in’ games.  The Bend girls win the IMC crown and host a State playoff Saturday. Summit greets Milwaukie, and Ridgeview travels to Wilsonville Wednesday for ‘Play-in’ games. Elsewhere…Sisters boys venture to Gladstone Friday in the 4A Playoffs.

Crook County’s 4-year run at owning the Class 4-A Wrestling Championship came to an end over the weekend in Portland as Sweet Home topped the Cowboys by one-half point to win the Title.

Roseburg wins the 6A Title, again, while Crater claims the 5A Title ending Hermiston’s 4-year run. Redmond finished a close Third place, and Mt. View 6th.

Nyssa takes the 3A trophy, and Culver with head coach JD Alley wins its 10th State Title in the last 11 seasons, including 4 individual Champions Lorenzo Vasquez, Jace Oppenlander, Jorge Olivera, and MacKyle Little.

Back to hoops…where top-rated Gonzaga saw its 29-game win streak snapped as BYU beat the Zags in Spokane Saturday, 79-71. Gonzaga heads to the Westcoast Conference Tournament in Vegas with a 29-1 record.

IN the Pac-12, Oregon takes two in the bay area beating Cal and Stanford. Meanwhile, UCLA knocks off Arizona in Tucson Saturday, 77-72, so the Ducks and Arizona are tied for the Pac-12 Lead, but Oregon holds the tiebreaker over the Wildcats. Oregon, 26-4, finishes the regular season at Oregon State Saturday at 2:30 p.m. here on KBND.

On the small college NAIA hardwood…Tuesday in Klamath Falls, Oregon Tech hosts Corban of Salem for the Cascade Collegiate Conference Championship, and the winner punching their ticket to the Big, ‘Small College’ dance in Branson, Missouri next month.

In college women’s action, Oregon State three-peats as Pac-12 Champions as the Beavers beat Stanford and Cal over the weekend. OSU is ranked 10th with a 26-3 record headed to the NCAA Tourney in two weeks.
 

The 5th ranked Oregon State Baseball team finished its 8-game, 11 day, season opening stint in Arizona winning 7 of 8 games. The Beavers beat Ohio State yesterday, 5-to-1, and return for their home opening series hosting U-C Davis Friday.
 

(Toronto, Ontario)  --  DeMar DeRozan's 33 points keyed the Raptors past the Trail Blazers, 112-106, in Toronto.  Damian Lillard finished with 28 points for Portland.  The Blazers have dropped four of their past five games and visit the Pistons tomorrow.  Portland is 24-and-34 on the year.

(Eugene, OR)  --  Seventh-ranked Oregon closes out the regular season on Saturday at Oregon State.  The Ducks beat the Beavers 85-43 last month and are 26-and-4 overall on the year, with a 15-and-2 mark in the Pac-12.

(Portland, OR)  --  The Timbers are done with preseason play after beating the L.A. Galaxy, 2-1, on Saturday.  They'll open the MLS regular season on Friday versus Minnesota United FC at Providence Park.

(Corvallis, OR)  -  The lowly Beavers end their rough regular season on Saturday at home versus number-seven Oregon.  OSU is 5-and-25 on the year with just one conference win.
 

(Seattle, WA)  --  As PAC-12 champion, the Oregon State women have the top seed sewn up in the conference tournament.  The Beavers will play their first tournament game on Friday against the winner of Thursday's game between Cal and USC.  Stanford is the number two seed in the PAC-12 Tournament, followed by Washington.  Oregon is seeded sixth.  The tournament will begin Thursday at Seattle's Key Arena.
 

(Berkeley, CA)  --  Oregon State will square off with California tonight at Berkeley.  This will be the Beavers' final road game.  Oregon State lost 79-66 at Stanford on Wednesday.  Oregon State is 5-and-24 overall and 1-and-15 in the Pac 12.
 

(Palo Alto, CA)  --  Seventh-ranked Oregon will play tomorrow at Stanford.  The Ducks escaped with a 68-65 victory Wednesday at California.  Oregon boosted its record to 25-and-5 overall and 14-and-2 in the Pac 12.  The Ducks beat Stanford 69-52 on January 21 at Oregon in the first meeting.
 

(Orlando, FL)  --   Damian Lillard scored 17 of his 33 points in the fourth quarter as the Trail Blazers beat the Magic 112-103 in Orlando.  Portland trailed by 11 early in the fourth.  C.J. McCollum contributed 22 points to the victory as the Blazers snapped a three-game skid.  They play Sunday in Toronto.
 

(Surprise, AZ)  --  Oregon State thrashed Nebraska 10-1 in the Pac-12-Big Ten spring training challenge in Surprise, Arizona.  The Beavers are unbeaten in five games.  Luke Heimlich gave up a run and seven hits over seven innings to earn the victory.  KJ Harrison had three hits and drove in three runs.  Oregon State will play Ohio State today at Surprise Stadium.

(Portland, OR)  --  Portland State ended a three-game skid with a 93-86 victory over visiting Southern Utah.  De'Sean Parsons led a balanced Vikings' attack with 16 points.  Six Vikings finished in double-figures.  Portland State is 13-and-13 overall and 6-and-9 in the Big Sky.  They host Northern Arizona tomorrow.

(Carson, CA)  --  The Portland Timbers wrap up preseason play tomorrow night on the road against the LA Galaxy.  The Timbers have been idle since a 2-1 win over Vancouver a week ago Wednesday.  Portland will open the MLS regular season on next Friday at home against the expansion Minnesota United.

(Orlando, FL)  --   The Portland Trail Blazers return to action tonight in Orlando after a week-long NBA All-Star break.  Portland dropped three-games before the break.  They are a season-worst 10-games below .500 at 23-and-33.  The Trail Blazers are two games out of the final Western Conference playoff berth.

We start with college hoops in the Pac-12 where last night in Berkley, the 6th ranked Ducks came from 14-points down at halftime to nip Cal, 68-65.

Dillon Brooks nailed a 3-pointer with (0.2) point-two seconds left to lift Oregon to its 25th win of the season, and more importantly keep the Ducks within one-half game of Arizona for the League crown with a 14-and-2 mark.

Brooks scored 22 points on the night. Former Duck, Jabari Bird scored 20 points in the loss for Cal who sits in 4th place and on the bubble of getting an NCAA Tourney bid.

Oregon plays at Stanford Saturday at 1pm, and finishes the regular season at Oregon State who lost at Stanford last night, 79-66 in spite of a great night by Beaver forward Drew Eubanks who had 21 points and 14 rebounds. The Beavs are just 5-and-24 and play at Cal Saturday.

In the Pac tonight…4th ranked Arizona hosts USC. #5 UCLA plays at Arizona State. And, Utah is at Colorado. Saturday…#4 and #5 UCLA clash in Tucson.

Top-rated action from last night saw #2 and defending National Champion Villanova lose again. Butler tags Nova with its third loss of the year, 74-66. 3rd ranked Kansas breezed past TCU, 87-68. 7th ranked Louisville falls at number-8 North Carolina, 74-63. And, Syracuse with a buzzer-beater tops #10 Duke, 78-75.

Tonight…top-rated Gonzaga, 28-and-0, plays at San Diego.

In the NAIA Cascade Collegiate Conference playoffs, 6th ranked Northwest Christian of Eugene, coached by former Duck All-American Luke Jackson, was upset in the League’s first round playoffs by Corban College of Salem, 105-76. Jackson’s team won the regular season, and will still be seeded in the NAIA Tournament next month in Missouri.

Elsewhere, Oregon Tech beat Southern Oregon, 89-77. On Saturday, the Semifinals will have OIT playing at College of Idaho, and Corban visits Eastern Oregon.

(Berkley, CA)  --  Dillon Brooks hit a three-pointer in the closing moments as Oregon rallied to beat California 68-65 in Berkley.  Brooks finished with 22 points, while Chris Boucher scored all 18 of his points in the second half.  The Bears led by 16 points early in the second half.  The seventh-ranked Ducks improved to 25-and-5 overall and 14-and-2 in the Pac-12.  They will play Saturday at Stanford.

(Palo Alto, CA)  --  Drew Eubanks scored 21 points and grabbed 14 rebounds for Oregon State, but it wasn't  enough in a 79-66 loss at Stanford.  The Beavers' Gligorije Rakocevic scored a season-best 16 points.  Oregon State dropped to 5-and-24 overall and 1-and-15 in the Pac 12.  The Beavers will play tomorrow night at California.
 

(Portland, OR)  --  Portland State hosts Southern Utah tonight in a Big Sky Conference game.  The Vikings will try to end a three-game losing skid.  They are 12-and-13 overall and 5-and-9 in the Big Sky.  Portland State won 88-77 on January 14th at Southern Utah.
 

(Seattle, WA)  --  Former Oregon offensive coordinator Matt Lubick is now a member of the Washington Huskies' staff as co-offensive coordinator and wide-receivers coach.  Lubick is replacing Bush Hamdan, who's now quarterbacks coach for the Atlanta Falcons.  Washington head coach Chris Petersen says Lubick has earned a national reputation as an innovative coaching mind and a successful recruiter.  He'll team up with Jonathan Smith to handle offensive coordinator duties for the Huskies.

On the prep courts last night, Cottage Grove defeated Sisters 34-21 in a playoff game at Sweet Home to determine the Sky-Em league championship.

The 7th ranked Outlaws, 16-and-7, advance to the State play-in round this weekend and will host Madras. The White Buffaloes secure the #3 spot in the Tri-Valley Conference with its 80-to-49 win at Crook County last night. The Sisters versus Madras play-in game winner advances to the Class 4-A playoff bracket.

Elsewhere last night…Mt. View beat Bend, 72-65, and Redmond defeated Ridgeview, 54-43. Summit wins the boys IMC crown, Mt. View will host a play-in game next week, while Bend will travel.

In girl’s action last night…5th ranked Bend routed Mt. View 80-to-34, and Ridgeview beat Redmond, 41-29. Bend wins the IMC Title and will await the State playoffs while Summit and Ridgeview will enter the play-in round next week.

In the 4-A division…Madras blasted Crook County to close out the regular season, 61-38. Madras will travel to face Cottage Grove this weekend in a play-in game.
 

(Orlando, FL)  --   The Portland Trail Blazers return to action tomorrow following the NBA All-Star break when they visit the Magic in Orlando.  Portland is in the midst of a three-game slide putting them at 23-and-33.  They're two games out of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.  The Magic are 21-and-37.

(Berkley, CA)  --  Oregon men's basketball is on the road tonight in Pac-12 play.  The seventh-ranked Ducks visit California.  Oregon has won three in-a-row to improve to 24-and-4 overall and 13-and-2 in conference.  The Ducks defeated Cal 86-63 earlier this season in Eugene.  Tip from Berkley at six o'clock.

(Eugene, OR)  --  Oregon football is hiring Marcus Arroyo as its co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks and tight ends coach.  Arroyo spent two years as the running backs coach at Oklahoma State.  He replaces David Reaves, who was fired just days into his tenure after being arrested for DUI.

(Palo Alto, CA)  --  Oregon State men's hoops is seeking back-to-back wins in Pac-12 action tonight.  The Beavers visit Stanford in Palo Alto, California.  OSU snapped a 14-game losing streak against Utah over the weekend.  The Cardinal defeated the Beavers 62-46 earlier this season in Corvallis.  Opening tip at eight.
 

From the college diamond…5th ranked Oregon State beat Indiana 4-to-1 yesterday in Surprise, Arizona. Ridgeview graduate George Mendazona made his first collegiate start at second-base for OSU going hitless in two at-bats. The Beavers, 4-0, remain in the desert, and face Nebraska Thursday for the first of 4-games in the ‘Pac-12 versus Big-10’ Challenge with the Cornhuskers and Ohio State.

Elsewhere, the Ducks beat Fresno State last night in the central Valley, 3-2. Oregon starts the season 2-and-2 and heads to San Diego State for 4-games in the Tony Gwynn Classic Friday.

The Oregon Softball team jumps out to a 9-and-0 start as the Lady Ducks fly to Hawaii for 4-games Thursday. And, Oregon State’s softballers are 6-and-2 and resume preseason play in Palm Springs Friday.
 

It’s the final week of regular season play for most of the local prep hoop teams with 9 of the 27 teams heading to the playoffs by the end of the week. Tonight, in the boy’s IMC…Mt. View hosts Bend, and Redmond entertains rival Ridgeview.  
In the 4-A ranks…6th ranked Sisters meets #12 Cottage Grove in a tiebreaker game at Sweet Home High School to determine the outright
Sky-Em Champion. Elsewhere, Madras hosts Crook County.

On the girl’s schedule, Ridgeview greets Redmond with the winner securing the 3rd and final Play-In spot in the IMC. Madras girls visit Crook County. The North Lake Cowgirls win the Mountain Valley League and head to Baker for the State Tournament one week from Thursday.
 

(Undated)  --  The Oregon men's basketball team continues to fly high, moving up from eighth to 7th in this week's USA Today college basketball poll.  The Ducks made the move after they cruised past Colorado at home Saturday, 101-73.  Undefeated Gonzaga remains at the top spot with a 28-and-0 record.  The Zags are followed by Villanova, Kansas, Arizona, and UCLA.

For the third week in a row, Gonzaga, Villanova, and Kansas top the Associated Press men’s college basketball poll. Gonzaga remains #1 with its 28-and-0 record, and plays at the University of San Diego Thursday night, then closes out the regular season hosting BYU Saturday in Spokane.

Meantime, the Pac-12 joins the Zags at the top of the ladder as Arizona is rated 5th, followed by UCLA, and Oregon 7th. Louisville, North Carolina, Baylor and Duke round out the new top-10.

The Ducks close out league play with 3 road games starting Wednesday night at 530pm here on KBND when Oregon faces Cal. Oregon visits Stanford on Saturday, and then Oregon State a week from Saturday.

The Ducks trail Arizona by one game for the Pac-12 lead, and have a game-and-a-half lead over UCLA who plays at Arizona this weekend.

On the women’s side…U-Conn is still number one with a 26-and-0 record. Maryland is ranked 2nd, followed by Mississippi State, Baylor, and Notre Dame.

Oregon State’s women, 25-and-3, are rated 10th with Washington behind them at #11, and Stanford ahead of the Beavers at #9. OSU hosts Stanford Friday night at 8pm to break the first-place tie in the Pac-12. The lady Huskies are lurking right behind them both, just one game back.

(Seattle, WA)  --  The MLS Champion Seattle Sounders will open their home schedule this coming season against the New York Red Bulls at CenturyLink Field with an expanded seating capacity.  The current capacity is just under 40-thousand, but the team will make additional seats available in the stadium's 300 level.  Team officials haven't yet announced how many more seats will be added.  The home opener will be played on March 19th.

Bend girls win the OSAA 5A Swimming State Championship over the weekend in Portland…Mt. View finishes third and Summit 4th.

Mt. View boys are the 5A State Runner-up, with Summit 5th and Bend sixth. The Sisters Girl’s team finishes 4th place in the 4-A division.

On the prep hardwood…the 5^th ranked Summit boys clinch the IMC crown with a double-overtime win over Bend. Sister’s boys share the Sky-Em Title with Cottage Grove and the Bend girls claim the IMC Title.

(Orlando, FL)  --  The Blazers return to action after the All-Star break on Thursday when they visit the Magic in Orlando.  Portland is in the midst of a three-game slide putting them at 23-and-33.  They're two games out of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.  The Magic are 21-and-37.

(New Orleans, LA)  --  The NBA will continue to expand its global footprint by heading back to Africa this year.  The league announced its second NBA Africa Game is set for August 5th in Johannesburg, South Africa.  The exhibition matchup will feature Team Africa versus Team World.  Blazers guard C.J. McCollum has been tapped to play among others.  The first NBA Africa game sold out in Johannesburg back in 2015.

(New Orleans, LA)  --  Anthony Davis is breaking an NBA All-Star Game record with 52 points as the Western Conference defeated the Eastern Conference 192-182 in New Orleans.  Davis hit 26-of-39 shots and also grabbed 10 rebounds.  Russell Westbrook piled up 41 points, seven assists and five rebounds in only 20 minutes off the bench.  Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Eastern Conference with 30 points.  Kyrie Irving chipped in 22 points, 14 helpers and seven boards in defeat.  

(Corvallis, OR)  --  Oregon State picked up its first conference win yesterday, clipping Utah 68-67 in Corvallis.  Stephen Thompson Jr. sank the winning basket and had 31 points with five three's in the winning effort.  The Beavers had lost 14-straight to open conference play but improved to 1-and-14 and 5-and-23 overall.  Oregon State will battle Stanford on Wednesday.

(Eugene, OR)  --  Dillon Brooks led all scorers with 23 points as Oregon crushed Colorado 101-73 Saturday in Eugene.  Dylan Ennis finished with 20 points for the eighth-ranked Ducks.  Oregon is 24-and-4 overall and 13-and-2 in the Pac-12.  The Ducks visit California on Wednesday.

(Peoria, AZ)  --  Seattle right fielder Nelson Cruz is optimistic as spring training picks up steam, telling reporters no one has any doubt the Mariners are ready to go and win the division this season.  He says the whole team has high expectations, especially knowing the M's came just two games short of a playoff berth last season.  Cruz says general manager Jerry Dipoto made some great deals in the offseason that help give the team its optimism.

On the prep hardwood…the 5th ranked Summit boys can clinch the IMC League crown outright with a win tonight at Bend. The Lava Bears stole a 68-67 win on Summit’s home floor two weeks ago. The Storm are 17-and-2 overall and finish the regular season one week from tonight hosting Mt. View who tonight plays at Ridgeview.

In the Sky-Em conference….#5 Sisters can clinch no worse than a share of the League Title with a win on the road at Elmira this evening closing out the regular season. The Outlaws are tied for first place with Cottage Grove who finishes tonight at Junction City.

Elsewhere…Crook County travels to Gladstone, and the Single-A Moutnain Valley League Championship playoffs with Trinity Lutheran take place at Summit High tonight, and tomorrow.

(Eugene, OR)  --  Dillon Brooks dropped 20 points to help Oregon sink Utah, 79-61, in Eugene.  The Ducks are 23-and-4 and 12-and-2 in the Pac 12.  They host Colorado tomorrow afternoon.

(New Orleans, LA)  --  The NBA's All-Star weekend is here.  The Rising Stars Challenge is tonight.  NBA All-Star Saturday Night is tomorrow and Trail Blazers guard C.J. McCollum is competing in the Three-Point Contest.  Sunday is the NBA All-Star Game.

The 7th ranked Ducks extended their home winning streak to 41-straight at a sold-out Matt Knight arena last night as Oregon cruised by Utah, 79-61.

Dillon Brooks led the way with 20-points and Jordan Bell added 17 as Oregon improves to 23-and-4 on the season, and 12-and-2 in the Pac-12. It’s the second best record in school history.

The Ducks have won 9-straight against the Utes, and sit second place in the League behind Arizona. Oregon finishes its home schedule tomorrow here on KBND hosting Colorado at 1130am, then will close out the regular season with 3 straight road games. Colorado beat Oregon 3 weeks ago in Boulder, 74-65.

Meantime…5th ranked Arizona cruised by Washington State in the Palouse beating the Cougs, 78-59. Arizona State edges the Huskies in Seattle, 83-81. And, Colorado handed Oregon State its 23rd loss beating the Beavs, 60-52.

And, #1 ranked Gonzaga remains unbeaten as Nigel Williams pumped in 30 points leading the Zags to a 96-61 win over San Francisco. Gonzaga is now 27-and-0. They’ll host the University of Pacific tomorrow at 1.

One game in the Pac-12 tonight…the Battle of the Bay area with Stanford hosting Cal televised on Fox Sports One.

(Corvallis, OR)  --  Oregon State wasn't able to hold onto a one-point halftime lead as they lost to Colorado 60-52 in Corvallis.  The Beavers have fallen to 4-and-23 and 0-and-14 in the Pac 12.  They welcome Utah to town Sunday night.
 

(Spokane, WA)  --  The Gonzaga Bulldogs are now 27-and-0 on the season, after cruising by the University of San Francisco, 96-61.  Nigel Williams-Goss led the Zags with 30 points.  San Francisco kept it close in the first half and trailed by only seven at intermission, but the Bulldogs broke loose and outscored the Dons in the second half, 54-26.  Gonzaga will host Pacific tomorrow.

(Eugene, OR)  --  The Oregon Ducks have a home winning streak of 41 games, after defeating Utah last night, 79-61.  Dillon Brooks led Oregon with 20 points and Tyler Dorsey added 16.  The Ducks remain a game behind first-place Arizona in the PAC-12.  Oregon will host Colorado tomorrow.

(Salt Lake City, UT)  --  The Trail Blazers' losing streak is up to three games following last night's 111-88 loss to the Jazz in Salt Lake City.  C.J. McCollum finished with 18 points to lead the Blazers.  Damian Lillard shot just 3-of-19 from the field and finished with 13 points.  The Blazers are off until next Thursday due to the All-Star break.
 

(Corvallis, OR)  --  Oregon State still seeks its first Pac-12 win of the season as Colorado visits Corvallis tonight.  The Beavers are 4-and-22 on the year and 0-and-13 in the Pac-12.  The Beavers haven't won since beating Kent State on December 21st.  The Buffaloes are 15-and-11.  Tip-off is at 6 p.m.

(Eugene, OR)  --  Number-eight Oregon is at home tonight as the Utah Utes come to town.  The Ducks are 22-and-4 overall and 11-and-2 in Pac-12 action.  Utah sits at 17-and-8 overall and 8-and-5 in conference.  Oregon beat Utah in Salt Lake City on January 26th.  Tip-off is at 6 p.m.

(Portland, OR)  --  Diego Valeri and Fanendo Adi each scored goals as the Timbers topped Whitecaps FC, 2-1, in preseason action at Providence Park last night.  The Timbers secured their first win in six preseason matches this year.  Portland closes out exhibition play on February 25th against the Los Angeles Galaxy.
 

EUGENE, Ore. -- Seventh-ranked Oregon will try to finish off a
historic home season this week.

The Ducks (22-4, 11-2 Pac-12) are 15-0 at home as they look to
complete a second straight unbeaten home schedule. Oregon went 18-0
at Matthew Knight Arena last season for just the fifth spotless
season at home in school history and the first since 2001-02.

The last challenges come from Utah on Thursday night followed by
Colorado on Saturday afternoon.

Oregon brings the nation's longest home winning streak, 40 in a
row, into the meeting with the Utes (17-8, 8-5). The fans are
flocking to the arena with an average attendance of 9,565, the
school's highest figure since 1978-79.

The Ducks fell out of first place in the Pac-12 with an 82-79 loss
to UCLA last Thursday, but they bounced back to defeat USC 81-70 on
Saturday to improve to stay one game back of Arizona.

Oregon coach Dana Altman adjusted his lineup after using just seven
players in the loss to the Bruins, when he acknowledged his team
looked worn out as it blew a 13-point lead in the final 12 minutes.
He went with a nine-man rotation against the Trojans and played his
reserves for 55 minutes after using them for 39 minutes against the
Bruins.

"I did a better job, I didn't do a good job against USC," Altman
said of not using any player for more than 33 minutes Saturday. "We
didn't have anyone get up to the 38- or 39-minute mark. I gave them
more rest because I thought we needed it."

Altman used all nine of his available scholarship players,
including 6-foot-11 junior Kavell Bigby-Williams and 6-10 junior
Roman Sorkin, who did not play against UCLA.

Dillon Brooks, who leads the Ducks with 14.9 points per game,
scored 21 in the win over USC, but he played just 26 minutes before
fouling out. Oregon led by three when Brooks fouled out with just
under four minutes to play, then outscored the Trojans 13-5 with
him on the bench.

"We know Dillon is our first offensive option, but when he went
out, we found a way to finish the game out," Oregon junior forward
Jordan Bell said.

Bell had the best two rebounding games last weekend near his
hometown of Long Beach, Calif. After grabbing a career-high 15
boards against UCLA, he added 14 against USC and was nominated for
conference player of the week.

"I have been focused on rebounding," said Bell, who ranks ninth in
the conference at 8.1 rebounds per game. "Obviously, we have enough
scoring going on, so I don't need to worry about that."

The Ducks have five players averaging in double figures, including
guard Tyler Dorsey, who had 19 in both games last week to raise his
average to 13.1. Center Chris Boucher averages 12.0 points, 6.6
rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game off the bench, while senior guard
Dylan Ennis averages 10.9 points per game.

Bell is scoring a career-high 10.8 points while ranking second in
the conference in field-goal shooting at 61.4 percent.

Utah is tied for fifth in the conference after sweeping Washington
State and Washington last week. The Utes need to move up a spot to
get one of four byes in the first-round of the Pac-12 tournament.

"The focus is on Oregon, first and foremost, but that's something
that's being talked about a little bit -- trying to earn a
first-round bye," Utah coach Larry Krystkowiak told the Salt Lake
Tribune. "Even by the end of this weekend, we'll probably have a
better idea if that's an attainable goal or not. Hopefully it is."

Junior forward Kyle Kuzma leads the team with averages of 15.7
points and 10.2 rebounds per game, while junior David Collette is
second at 14.6 points and 5.1 rebounds. Senior guard Lorenzo Bonam
is averaging 13.0 points and 3.0 assists, while freshman Devon
Daniels scores 10.6 points per game.

The Utes likely need a few victories to play their way into the
NCAA Tournament, and a win over a top-10 team would be a good
start. The Ducks beat Utah 73-67 last month in Salt Lake City.

(Eugene, OR)  --  Oregon gets back at it tomorrow night welcoming Utah to Eugene.  The Ducks are coming off an 81-70 win against USC on Saturday that lifted them to 22-and-4 and 11-and-2 in the Pac 12.  Utah is 17-and-8 and 8-and-5.
 

(Salt Lake City, UT)  --  The Trail Blazers play their final game before the All-Star break at the Jazz tonight.  Portland has lost four-of-five to put them at 23-and-32.  The Blazers are two games out of the eighth and final playoff spot in the West.  Utah is 34-and-22.
 

(Corvallis, OR)  --  Oregon State is still looking for its first win in Pac-12 play.  The Beavers take on Colorado tomorrow night in Corvallis.  Oregon State is 4-and-22 and 0-and-13.  The Buffaloes are 15-and-11 and 5-and-8.

Down to the final 2-to-3 regular season games remaining in Prep basketball with playoff spots up for grabs and in the Girls 4-A Tri-Valley League, Madras hosts Gladstone tonight.

A White Buffs win keeps Madras in sole possession of second place looking to host a Play-in game. A Gladstone win forces a tie. Elsewhere…the Cowgirls of Crook County venture to league-leading Molalla.

In Girl’s I-M-C action, Bend has the night off leading the conference by 2-games over Summit who plays at Ridgeview. Redmond hosts Mt. View. Opposite venues for the boy’s games this evening.

The #6 Sisters Outlaws host Junction City in Sky-Em boy’s action this evening looking to maintain at least a two-way tie for the league lead with a win.

(Portland, OR)  --  The Blazers scored the first seven points of overtime and then let Atlanta score the next 12 in a 109-104 loss at the Moda Center.  C.J. McCollum led the Blazers with 26 points and Damian Lillard added 21.  Portland fell to 23-and-32 and visits the Jazz tomorrow.

(Portland, OR)  --  The Portland Timbers continue preseason action tomorrow night as Vancouver Whitecaps FC visits Providence Park.  The Timbers played to a draw Sunday versus Minnesota United FC.  Portland faces Minnesota in the regular season opener on Friday March 3rd at home.
 

(Undated)  --  The Ducks and Beavers each return to the hardwood Thursday night.  Oregon is ranked number-eight in the country and sits at 22-and-4 on the season.  The Ducks host Utah on Thursday.  The Beavers are 4-and-22 on the year and 0-and-13 in the Pac-12.  They'll host Colorado.  Portland hosts Pacific on Thursday and Portland State visits Montana State.

(Corvallis, OR)  --  Former Wisconsin and South Florida safety Austin Hudson plans to transfer to Oregon State in time to play for the Beavers this fall.  Hudson played for the some of the current OSU staff while at Wisconsin, and spent last season playing for USF near his native Tampa.  In 13 career games for the Badgers and Bulls, Hudson has 27 total tackles, a tackle for loss, a sack and forced fumble.  He's expected to graduate from USF in May and join the Beavers in time for the summer.
 

(Portland, OR)  --  The Trail Blazers are at home tonight against the Hawks.  Portland has been off since Thursday's 120-111 home loss to the Celtics.  The Trail Blazers have dropped three of their last four games and are ninth in the West at 23-and-31.  Atlanta is fifth in the East at 31-and-23.
 

(Portland, OR)  --  The Trail Blazers are moving on without Mason Plumlee.  The Vertical reports they've traded Plumlee, a second-round pick and cash to Denver for center Jusef Nurkic and a first-round pick.  The 22-year old Nurkic began the season as a starter, but is now a reserve.

(Los Angeles, CA)  --  Oregon State's losing streak is now at 13 games.  The Beavers lost 78-60 Saturday at ninth-ranked UCLA.  Stephen Thompson Jr. had 18 points for Oregon State, which is 4-and-22 overall and 0-and-13 in the Pac-12.  Oregon State will host Colorado on Thursday.

(Los Angeles, CA)  --  Tyler Dorsey hit a couple of key threes down the stretch as Oregon won 81-70 Saturday at USC.  Dorsey finished with 19 points and Dillon Brooks netted 21 for the sixth-ranked Ducks.  Oregon is 22-and-4 overall and 11-and-2 in the Pac-12.  The Ducks host Utah on Thursday.

(Portland, OR)  --  The Timbers played Minnesota United to a 2-2 draw in preseason play Saturday.  It's the third straight draw for Portland, which is still winless in exhibition play at 0-2-and-3.  The Timbers' next preseason match is Wednesday against Vancouver.  The regular season starts March 3rd.

(Portland, OR)  --  Damian Lillard's 28 points weren't enough as the Blazers fell to the Celtics, 120-111, in Portland last night.  Al Farouq-Aminu added 26 points in defeat.  The Blazers surrendered 43 points in the final quarter.  They'll host the Hawks on Monday.

(Los Angeles, CA)  --  Ninth-ranked UCLA erased a 19-point first-half deficit to stun number-six Oregon, 82-79, in Los Angeles.  Freshman Lonzo Ball led the charge with 15 points and 11 rebounds for the Bruins.  UCLA closed the game on a 28-to-12 run.  Aaron Holiday also had 15 points as the Bruins improved to 22-and-3 overall and 9-and-3 in Pac-12 action.  Dillon Brooks and Tyler Dorsey keyed the Ducks with 19 points each.  Jordan Bell added nine points, 15 rebounds, three assists and three steals in defeat.  Oregon fell to 21-and-4 overall and 10-and-2 in conference play.

(Los Angeles, CA)  --  Five Beavers scored in double figures, but it wasn't enough in a 92-66 loss to USC in Los Angeles.  Jaquori McLaughlin scored a team-high 12 points for Oregon State, which fell to 4-and-21 overall and 0-and-12 in the Pac-12.  The Beavers visit number-nine UCLA on Sunday.

(Undated)  --  In college hoops action last night, number-20 Saint Mary's fell to Portland, 51-41 and Portland State ripped Idaho State, 74-69.  Portland visits Loyola Marymount tomorrow and Portland State hosts Weber State.

(Renton, WA)  --  Longtime Seahawks kicker Steven Hauschka [[ HOWSH-kuh ]] is getting some competition from former Vikings kicker Blair Walsh.  Seattle has signed Walsh, who had become a free agent, with Hauschka set to become an unrestricted free agent in March.  Walsh was released by the Vikings in November after he displayed some inconsistency, and Hauschka struggled a bit this past season with making key extra points and field goals.  Hauschka has made more than 87-percent of his field goals, the third-best percentage in NFL history.

(Portland, OR)  --  Diego Valeri scored two goals as the Timbers played to a 3-3 draw with Real Salt Lake last night at Providence Park.  Darren Mattocks also scored for Portland.  The Timbers are 0-2-and-2 so far in preseason action and host the Minnesota United FC on Sunday.
 

(Portland, OR)  --  One-time soccer phenom Freddy Adu will not be joining the Portland Timbers.  Adu worked out with the team in Arizona for the past two weeks, but did not earn a contract.  The 27-year-old made his MLS debut in 2004 at the age of 14, but has since become a journeyman.  The Timbers host Real Salt Lake tonight in preseason action from Providence Park.  The game begins at 7:30 p.m.
 

(Portland, OR)  --  The Trail Blazers play host to the Celtics tonight at the Moda Center.  Portland is 23-and-30 on the year and has lost three of its past five games.  Tip-off is at 7:30 p.m.

(Los Angeles, CA)  --  The Beavers are also in L.A. to battle Southern Cal.  Oregon State has lost 11 straight games and is 4-and-20 overall this year.  The Beavers are winless in conference action.  USC is 20-and-4.  Tip-off is at 8 p.m.

(Los Angeles, CA)  --  The sixth-ranked Ducks square off with number-nine UCLA tonight in Los Angeles.  Oregon is 21-and-3 overall and 10-and-1 in Pac-12 action this year.  The Bruins are 21-and-3 and 8-and-3.  Tip-off is at 7 p.m.
 

(Undated)  --  In other college hoops action tonight, Portland visits number-20 Saint Mary's, while Portland State hosts Idaho State.

Fourth ranked Summit boys take a game and a half lead over both Mt. View and Bend for the IMC lead with 4 league games to play after last night’s 59-47 win by the Storm on the Cougars home floor. Summit improves to 7-and-1 and 15-and-2 overall and will play 3 of its last 5 games away. The Storm play at Redmond Friday night. The Panthers were outscored by Bend, 75-64 in Redmond last night.

On the Single-A scoreboard…Trinity Lutheran blows past Butte Falls, 61-40 and Gilchrist gets blasted by Rogue Valley Adventist, 62-33.

On the Girl’s scoreboard…Bend remains unbeaten in the IMC and smashes Redmond, 57-24, and Summit thumps Mt. View, 79-29.

Tonight…Redmond boys host Ridgeview while the Lady Ravens entertain the Panthers. In the 4A Tri-Valley…Madras boys host Molalla and the Lady Buffs travel to Molalla, and Crook County boys travel to Estacada.

(Dallas, TX)  --  C.J. McCollum knocked down a tough runner in the lane with less than a second left to lift the Trail Blazers past the Mavericks, 114-113.  McCollum finished 32 points for the Blazers, who ended a two-game losing streak.  Evan Turner left the game with a broken hand and did not return.  The Blazers return home to host the Celtics tomorrow.

While the Oregon Ducks men’s team moves to the #5 national ranking by the Associated Press with its 22-2 record, the Oregon State women’s team also elevated its rating to #9 in this week’s AP Women’s poll.

U-Conn remains number-one with its 22-and-0 record. Baylor is ranked second, followed by Maryland, Mississippi State, and Florida State. Then it’s South Carolina, Notre Dame, Stanford 8th …the Beavers 9th, and the Lady Huskies of Washington 10th.

5 of the Pac-12’s women’s teams are ranked in the Top-25 with UCLA 15th and Arizona State 23rd. Oregon State, 22-2, hosts USC Friday and UCLA Sunday.

(Los Angeles, CA)  --  It's a top-ten rematch between sixth-ranked Oregon and ninth-ranked UCLA tomorrow night.  The Ducks travel to Westwood to meet the Bruins.  UO defeated UCLA last month in the final seconds 89-87 in Eugene.

(Los Angeles, CA)  --  The spiraling Oregon State men's basketball team is on the road tomorrow night.  The Beavers meet Southern California in Los Angeles in Pac-12 play.  OSU is winless at 0-and-11 in conference action.  The Trojans defeated the Beavers last month in Corvallis, 70-63.

(Tuscaloosa, AL)  --  Former Oregon head football coaches Chip Kelly and Mark Helfrich are being tied to the offensive coordinator vacancy at Alabama.  Fox Sports reports one of the former Ducks head men could replace Steve Sarkisian, who left for the NFL.  Kelly was fired this offseason by the 49ers, while UO parted ways with Helfrich after a 4-and-8 season.

(Las Vegas, NV)  --  Just days after the New England Patriots' comeback win in Super Bowl 51, early odds for Super Bowl 52 are already being circulated in Vegas.  Sports book Bovada sees a repeat on the horizon, giving New England 5-to-1 odds it will be the world champ again next year.  The Seahawks are among four teams tied for sixth place with 16-to-1 odds.  Seattle was an 8-to-1 favorite at this time last year to appear in Super Bowl 51.

(Eugene, OR)  --  Tyler Dorsey hit six threes en route to 23 points as Oregon blew out fifth-ranked Arizona 85-58 Saturday in Eugene.  The 13th-ranked Ducks led 38-18 at the half and cruised from there.  Oregon is 21-and-3 overall and 10-and-1 in the Pac-12.  The Ducks play Thursday at eighth-ranked UCLA.

(Oklahoma City, OK)  --  Russell Westbrook scored 42 points to lead the Thunder to a 105-99 win over the Trail Blazers in OKC.  Damian Lillard had 29 points to lead Portland.  C.J. McCollum added 19 points for the Blazers, who have lost three-of-four to fall to 22-and-30.  They play tomorrow night at Dallas.

(Corvallis, OR)  -- Oregon State is still winless in the conference after Saturday's 81-68 home loss to Arizona State.  The Beavers fell behind 44-25 at the break and recovered.  OSU has lost 11 straight to fall to 4-and-20 overall and 0-and-11 in the Pac-12.  The Beavers are on the road this Thursday at USC.

(Tucson, AZ)  --  The Timbers remain winless in preseason play.  The played the Seattle Sounders to a 1-1 draw Saturday in Tucson, Arizona.  Portland is now 0-2-and-1 in the exhibition season.  The Timbers play Thursday at Providence Park against Real Salt Lake.

(Renton, WA)  --  There may be no significant punishment meted out against the Seattle Seahawks for not revealing the knee injury suffered in the latter half of the season by cornerback Richard Sherman.  The NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported yesterday that the Seahawks are expected to be punished little, if at all, for not disclosing the injury.  The Seahawks reportedly provided "injury materials" to the league and there was not an egregious violation of the rules.

On the prep hardwood this evening…the Bend Lava Bears fresh off their upset win over #3 Summit Tuesday host the Mt. View Cougars. Both teams enter the fray tied for 2^nd place with 4-and-1 IMC League marks. It’s the first of two clashes between the Lava Bears and Cougars.

Ridgeview hosts the battle of bragging rights in Redmond when the Ravens take on the Panthers.

IN the class 4-A ranks, 6^th ranked Sisters back to work traveling to Sweet Home. The Outlaws are tied with Sutherlin at 4-and-1 for 2^nd place.

La Pine looks for a win hosting Glide, Culver ventures to Stanfield, Trinity Lutheran plays at Triad, and North Lake hosts Gilchrist.

(Portland, OR)  --  The Trail Blazers welcome the Mavericks to the Moda Center tonight.  It's the finale of a five-game homestand for Portland, which is 3-and-1 so far.  The Blazers have won four of their last five games overall and are eighth in the West at 22-and-28.  Dallas has won five-of-six to get to 19-and-30.

(New Orleans, LA)  --  Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum is among eight players who will compete in this month's three-point contest.  The field includes Warriors guard and defending champion Klay Thompson.  The three-point contest is part of NBA All-Star Saturday Night February 18th in New Orleans.

(Corvallis, OR)  --  Oregon State was outscored 44-to-25 in the second half and lost 71-54 at home to fifth-ranked Arizona.  Stephen Thompson Jr. scored 16 points to lead the Beavers, who lost their 10th straight.  OSU is now 4-and-19 overall and 0-and-10 in the Pac-12.  Arizona State visits tomorrow.

(Eugene, OR)  --  Torian Graham's layup with five seconds left lifted Oregon to a dramatic 71-70 win over visiting Arizona State.  Dillon Brooks scored 27 points for the 13th-ranked Ducks, who improved to 20-and-3 on the season, including 9-and-1 in the Pac-12.  Oregon hosts fifth-ranked Arizona tomorrow.

(Tucson, AZ)  --  The Timbers take on the Seattle Sounders in MLS preseason action tomorrow in Tucson, Arizona.  Portland is 0-and-2 in exhibition play thus far.  Meanwhile, the Timbers have signed Argentine winger Sebastian Blanco as a designated player.  The regular season kicks off on Friday, March 3rd.

(Portland, OR)  --  The Trail Blazers host the Mavericks tomorrow at the Moda Center.  It's the finale of a five-game homestand for Portland, which is 3-and-1 thus far.  The Blazers have won four of their last five games overall and are eighth in the West at 22-and-28.  Dallas is 13th with an 18-and-30 record.
 

(Undated)  --  Oregon's 2017 football recruiting class ranks 18th nationally by Rivals.com.  National Signing Day was yesterday for top high school and junior college players. George Moore is rated the number one junior-college offensive lineman.  Deommodore Lenoir of Los Angeles is listed by Rivals.com as the nation's number one-rated athlete. The Ducks have nine four-star recruits and 14 three-star. Oregon ranks second behind USC in the Pac-12.  Oregon State is eighth.

(Corvallis, OR)  --  Oregon State is on its home floor tonight taking on fifth-ranked Arizona.  The Beavers are still winless in Pac-12 play at 0-and-9 after Saturday's loss at Utah.  Oregon State has dropped nine straight games to slip to 4-and-18 overall.  The Wildcats have won 14 in-a-row to improve to 20-and-2.

(Eugene, OR)  --  The Oregon basketball team looks to get back on track tonight at home against Arizona State.  The 13th-ranked Ducks had their 17-game winning streak snapped Saturday at Colorado.  Oregon is 19-and-3 overall and 8-and-1 in the Pac-12.  The Sun Devils are 10-and-12 and 3-and-6.

(Tucson, AZ)  --  The Timbers resume the MLS preseason Saturday against the Seattle Sounders in Tucson, Arizona.  Portland is coming off a 3-2 loss to NK Istra 1961 of Croatia on Tuesday.  The Timbers were blanked 2-0 by the Red Bulls in their exhibition opener.  The regular season starts Friday, March 3rd.

3rd ranked Summit boys saw their 9-game win streak snapped last night on their home floor as the Bend Lava Bears pull out a 68-67 win last night. It was the second clash of the IMC top two teams in a week. The Storm suffer only its second loss of the year against 14-wins. The win keeps Bend in a second place tie with Mt. View in the IMC. Mt. View won the battle of the views last night easily in Redmond as the Cougars ran by Ridgeview, 50-31.

In the 4A division, 6th ranked Sisters was idle and remains in a 3-way tie atop the Sky-Em. The Outlaws travel over the hill to Sweet Home Friday.
 
Meantime, Madras blitzed Crook County by 33 points as the White Buffs roll 69-36.  Trinity Lutheran blasted Central Christian, 57-33 and North Lake loses on its home floor to Paisley, 46-39.

In Girl’s action, 5th ranked Bend beat 8th ranked Summit for the second time in a week as the Lady Lava Bears win on their home floor, 67-54.  Bend with a one full game lead over the Lady Storm atop the IMC with an 11-and-8 record under Head Coach Todd Irvin. The Bears play at Mt. View Friday night.

(Undated)  --  Oregon, Oregon State football and other local schools are announcing their 2017 recruiting classes today for National Signing Day.  According to 247sports, the Ducks own the 24th-ranked recruiting class.  Meanwhile, the Beavers unofficially have the 49th-ranked class.

(Portland, OR)  --  The Portland Trail Blazers are winners of four of their last five, after defeating Charlotte, 115-98, last night at the Moda Center.  Damian Lillard scored 27 points as Portland handed the Hornets their fifth straight loss.  Allan Crabbe scored 21 off the bench for the Blazers.  Portland will host Dallas Friday night at 7:30 on KBND.

(Eugene, OR)  --  After having its win streak snapped, Oregon is focusing on its next opponents.  The 13th-ranked Ducks welcome Arizona State tomorrow and fifth-ranked Arizona to Eugene this weekend in Pac-12 action.  Oregon is 19-and-3 overall and 8-and-1 in conference.

(Tucson, AZ)  --  The Portland Timbers are losing defender Gbengo Arokoyo before the start of the season.  Arokoyo will undergo surgery to repair a ruptured left Achilles tendon, and miss the entire 2017 MLS season.  He suffered the injury after colliding with another player in training in Tucson, Arizona Monday.