Broome says elbow good, set to play

SHORTS

CT_IC_1054450774_1054495237_016-0404_0403_NWS_watklins.jpg

USC’s JuJu Watkins smiles after a play during the second half against Baylor in the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Tournament at Moda Center on Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Portland, Oregon. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images/TNS)

CT_IC_1054450774_1054495076_016-0404_0403_NWS_broome.jpg

Auburn forward Johni Broome speaks during a news conference, Thursday, March 27, 2025, in Atlanta, ahead of the Sweet 16 in the NCAA college basketball tournament. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

CT_IC_1054450774_1054495286_016-0404_0403_NWS_ovechkin.jpg

Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin warms up before an NHL hockey game against the Florida Panthers, Saturday, March 22, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

PREVIOUS IMAGE

Image

NEXT IMAGE

Broome says elbow good, set to play

Auburn forward Johni Broome returned to practice for the Tigers on Thursday and said he has no pain in his right elbow and “no limitations” ahead of the Tigers’ Final Four matchup with Florida. Broome, a unanimous first-team AP All-American, is the Tigers’ leading scorer and emotional leader. Auburn got a major scare when he injured his elbow in the Tigers’ win over Michigan State to get to the Final Four. He returned to that game but had been held out of practice until the team arrived in San Antonio. “Ready to go. Taking it day by day, but set for Saturday,” Broome said. “No limitations.” Broome wore two layers of sleeves on his right arm and said he made sure to test the elbow by pushing and shoving with teammates in game situations. The idea was to “make it mad a little bit” to see how it would respond. It went well. Broome said it’s having no pain. “Coach sat me out for precaution, but Saturday, I’ll be 100%, for sure,” when the Tigers (32-5) face the Gators (34-4). “I’m glad he feels that way,” Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said. “Today was the first day he moved in practice.”

Watkins wins national player of year

JuJu Watkins, the sensational sophomore who led Southern California to its best season in nearly 40 years, was honored Thursday as The Associated Press women’s college basketball Player of the Year. Watkins, whose Trojans won the Big Ten regular-season title for its first conference crown in 31 years, received 29 votes from the 31-member media panel. Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo got the other two. Both were first-team AP All-Americans. Watkins became just the fourth player to win the award in her sophomore year, joining Oklahoma’s Courtney Paris (2007) and UConn stars Maya Moore (2009) and Breanna Stewart (2014). The AP first started giving out the award in 1995 and Watkins is the first Trojans player to win it. Watkins is already in the top 10 on USC’s all-time scoring list, ranking sixth in just two years. She was averaging 23.9 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists before her season was cut short in the NCAA Tournament with an ACL injury suffered in the second round against Mississippi State. UCLA’s Cori Close was named coach of the year.

Ovechkin now 3 goals from record

Alex Ovechkin took another step closer to breaking Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record by scoring his 892nd career goal in the Capitals’ 5-1 loss to the host Hurricanes on Wednesday night. Ovechkin moved two away from tying Gretzky and three from passing him. To get No. 892, Ovechkin beat Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen on a 5-on-3 power-play with 34.5 seconds left in the second period. Commissioner Gary Bettman, Capitals owner Ted Leonsis and Ovechkin’s wife, Nastya, were in attendance for No. 892, sitting together in a suite. The 39-year-old Ovechkin has 39 goals this season and is one away from reaching 40 for a 14th time — also the most in league history — despite missing 16 games because of a broken left fibula. The Eastern Conference-leading Capitals have seven more games left this season, starting with Friday’s home game against the Blackhawks. Caps defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk expects an electric atmosphere. “(The record) feels like it’s right there,” van Riemsdyk said. “He feels like he’s still scoring every night.” —Associated Press