David Cox was promoted to University of Rhode Island men’s basketball head coach. Cox served as associate coach for the last four years under Dan Hurley, who left last month to become coach at UConn. Cox helped lead the Rams to a 26-8 record this season and a second straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament, where they lost in the second round to Duke. According to ESPN, Cox received a five-year contract worth $700,000 per season.

NFL

Ravens add QB Griffin

The Baltimore Ravens reached agreement on a one-year deal with Robert Griffin III, a once-promising quarterback whose career grinded to a halt two years ago. Griffin is expected to be a backup to Joe Flacco, Baltimore’s starter for 10 straight seasons. Griffin last played in 2016 with the Cleveland Browns, starting five games and winning only one. Griffin won the Heisman Trophy with Baylor in 2011 before being selected second overall in the 2012 draft by the Washington Redskins. He enjoyed a sensational rookie season, throwing 20 touchdown passes and only five interceptions. As the injuries mounted, RG3’s effectiveness waned . . . Former Patriots backup quarterback Matt Cassel agreed to a contract with the Detroit Lions to back up starter Matthew Stafford, ESPN reported . . . The Atlanta Falcons kept one of the most versatile players on their defense by agreeing to a one-year contract with safety/linebacker Kemal Ishmael. He was an unrestricted free agent . . . Denver Broncos linebacker Von Miller is potentially in hot water after a social media post displayed pictures of him posing with a bloody hammerhead shark that was caught on a fishing expedition off the coast of Miami. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is ‘‘looking into whether or not a violation occurred in this incident,’’ said Carol Lyn Parrish, the commission’s public information coordinator. No further details were available. The harvesting of hammerhead sharks is a second-degree misdemeanor in Florida. It’s punishable by up to a $500 fine and 60 days in jail.

. . . Retired running back Clinton Portis agreed to repay $190,000 he owes a New Jersey casino. Portis, who played for the Washington Redskins and Denver Broncos, was given $200,000 in credit in 2011 to gamble at the Borgata casino in Atlantic City. But he didn’t have sufficient funds to cover the debt, and six checks he signed to the casino bounced. Under a deal reached last week in Florida bankruptcy court, he will pay the Borgata 10 percent of any income he receives above $30,000 through August 2021.

Soccer

Liverpool, Barcelona win in Champions League

Host Liverpool beat Manchester City, 3-0, in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal after first-half goals by Mohamed Salah, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Sadio Mane. In the other quarterfinal, a pair of own goals by Daniele De Rossi and Kostas Manolas helped host Barcelona beat Roma. 4-1, in their opening leg . . . Ray Wilkins, an elegant midfielder who captained England’s national soccer team and played for illustrious teams such as Manchester United, Chelsea and AC Milan in a 24-year career, died Wednesday. He was 61.

NbA

76ers win 12th straight

JJ Redick scored 25 points, and the Phildelphia 76ers won their 12th straight game, eliminating host Detroit from playoff contention with a 115-108 victory over the Pistons.The Pistons’s defeat clinched a postseason spot for the Milwaukee Bucks . . . Cleveland Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue is expected to resume his duties Thursday against the Washington Wizards, said a person familiar with the decision. Lue has not coached in a game since March 19, when he stepped away because of medical issues . . . Miami Hurricanes freshman guard Lonnie Walker IV announced on Twitter that he will enter the NBA Draft. Many projections list him as a lottery pick . . . Guard Malik Newman plans to leave the University of Kansas and enter the draft after leading the Jayhawks to the Final Four in his only season playing for them . . . The Charlotte Hornets have made significant progress in contract talks with former Los Angeles Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak to become president of basketball operations and general manager. A formal agreement is expected to be reached soon, league sources told ESPN.

Baseball

Big payday for Blackmon

National League batting champion Charlie Blackmon agreed to a contract with the Colorado Rockies that guarantees him $108 million over six seasons. The two-time All-Star center fielder agreed in January to a $14 million, one-year deal. His new deal calls for a $2 million signing bonus, $12 million this year, and $21 million in each of the next three seasons.

Miscellany

BU’s Conry sets record

Behind a school record-breaking 13-point performance by Kailey Conry, Boston University women’s lacrosse team beat Harvard, 20-16, at Nickerson Field. Conry finished with a career-high five goals and matched a career-high with eight assists. Her 13 points are the most by any player in a single game in the NCAA this season . . . Novak Djokovic split with Andre Agassi and Radek Stepanek in the latest coaching change for the 12-time major tennis champion . . . Conor McGregor was stripped of the UFC lightweight championship. The expected move was officially announced by UFC president Dana White at a press conference for Saturday's pay-per-view card in New York City. McGregor has not fought for UFC since he won the 155-pound title at UFC 205 in November 2016. The UFC 223 main event of Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Max Holloway will be for the lightweight championship.

. . . Bahram Hojreh, a coach who ran a club affiliated with USA Water Polo, was charged with the sexual abuse of seven underage female players during one-on-one coaching sessions, prosecutors said. Hojreh, 42, pleaded not guilty to charges including sexual battery, lewd acts upon a child, and sexual penetration by foreign object of a minor, according to a filing this week in Orange County Superior Court in Los Angeles.