Auriemma looks for eighth national championship

NEW ORLEANS | Geno Auriemma has never lost an NCAA championship game.

Duke looking to pull off upset against Notre Dame

NORFOLK, Va. | The best phrase Duke coach Joanne P. McCallie to describe doing the unexpected is "the tingle."

No Florida Gulf Coasts: Top 4 seeds in East Region

WASHINGTON | Yelps of support and echoing applause greeted the voice booming over the loudspeakers Wednesday at the scheduled start of practice for the East Regional's fourth seed: "Coached by Jim Boeheim, please welcome the Syracuse Orange!"

Crusaders take a day to relax after clinching NCAA tournament berth

VALPARAISO | The lights were out, doors were locked and all was quiet at the Athletics-Recreation Center on Wednesday afternoon.

Elkins hopes finish of Carvalho elevates him in UFC

MONTREAL | Darren Elkins is close, and he knows it.

NFL INSIDER: Bears in do-or-die territory

It's the time of year when the men are separated from the boys in the NFL.

Irish must find a QB to make Kelly's offense go

SOUTH BEND | Brian Kelly steps into his third season at Notre Dame looking for a quarterback who can run his spread offense. Sure sounds familiar.

Much to replace for US basketball team to top '08

LAS VEGAS | They lost Dwyane Wade but gained Kevin Durant. Dwight Howard's size has given way to Russell Westbrook's speed.

Next step on path to playoff: Presidents chime in

NEW YORK | The only things standing in the way of a major college football playoff are 12 university presidents.

Texans rout Manning-less Colts

HOUSTON | Hey, Peyton Manning. If there was ever a doubt about what you mean to Indianapolis, there isn't anymore.

Alabama software firm opens M'ville office

An Alabama-based software company has opened an office at the Purdue Research Park of Northwest Indiana in Merrillville.

Shalala: Scandal has 'been quite painful for me'

CORAL GABLES, Fla. | Miami President Donna Shalala said it's been "quite painful" dealing with the scandal that could blacken the name of the university's athletic department for years to come.

Missed chances send U.S. to matchup with Brazil

WOLFSBURG, Germany | The Americans can't do things the easy way.

Imagine that, Cheney scores in 1st WCup appearance

HEIDELBERG, Germany | When 11-year-old Lauren Cheney and her teammates went to watch the United States play Nigeria at the 1999 World Cup, they brought along playbooks so they could write down what they would do when it was their turn on soccer's biggest stage.

NCAA report shows football schools made more money

INDIANAPOLIS | More football-playing colleges are cutting back on costs and turning profits, too.

Noll sells out of tickets

HAMMOND | Bishop Noll sold out of its allotment of tickets for Saturday's Class 2A state basketball championship game. Bishop Noll will play Park Tudor of Indianapolis at approximately 11:45 a.m. CDT at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.