Women’s basketball teams finally will be paid for playing games in the NCAA Tournament each March just like the men have for years under a plan approved Wednesday at the NCAA convention in Nashville, Tenn.

The unanimous vote by NCAA membership, which was met by a round of applause, was the final step toward a pay structure for women playing in March Madness after the Division I Board of Governors voted unanimously for the proposal in August.

Curtis Jones scored 25 points in his second start of the season to lead No. 2 Iowa State to a 74-57 win over visiting No. 9 Kansas, the Cyclones’ 12th straight win. The Cyclones (15-1, 5-0 Big 12) entered with their highest ranking in program history but without one of their key starters in forward Milan Momcilovic, who’s out indefinitely with a left hand injury. Zeke Mayo led the Jayhawks (12-4, 3-2) with 17 points.

NO. 10 HOUSTON 70, WEST VIRGINIA 54: J’Wan Roberts scored a season-high 22 points, L.J. Cryer added 18 and the host Cougars (13-3, 5-0 Big 12) beat the Mountaineers (12-4, 3-2) for their ninth straight win.

NO. 6 TENNESSEE 74, NO 23 GEORGIA 56: Jordan Gainey scored 19 points and the host Volunteers (16-1, 3-1 SEC) overcame a slow start and beat the Bulldogs (14-3, 2-2).

NO. 12 MICHIGAN STATE 90, PENN STATE 85: Frankie Fidler had a season-high 18 points and Jaden Akins scored 16, leading the host Spartans (15-2, 6-0 Big Ten) over Penn State (12-6, 2-5).

NO. 17 PURDUE 69, WASHINGTON 58: Trey Kaufman-Renn scored 19 points to help Purdue (14-4, 6-1 Big Ten) dig itself out of a hole and beat the Huskies (10-8, 1-6) in Seattle.

NFL

Tommy Rees went from being a ballboy for the Browns to running their offense. Cleveland coach Kevin Stefanski hired Rees as his offensive coordinator, promoting him after firing Ken Dorsey after a season in which the Browns went 3-14 and averaged a league-low 15.2 points per game. Rees spent last season as Cleveland’s tight ends coach.

The Chicago Bears interviewed former Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy and Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith for their head coaching job.

The Indianapolis Colts will play in the first regular-season game in Berlin. The NFL announced that the 2025 Berlin game will be played at Olympic Stadium. The Colts’ opponent and date of game will be announced later.

SOCCER

Angel City Football Club announced that Mark Parsons was hired as the club’s new Sporting Director.

Parsons will oversee all soccer operations, including the technical staff, the scouting and analytics department, sports medical, performance, nutrition, and player care. He will report directly to ACFC Co-Founder and President Julie Uhrman.

Parsons’ last job in the NWSL was as coach of the Washington Spirit (2023). Prior to that he had a successful time at the Portland Thorns (2016-21), where he won the NWSL Championship (2017), NWSL Shield (2016, 2021) and NWSL Challenge Cup (2021). He’s the only coach in league history to win the Shield, Championship and Challenge Cup. He led the Thorns to the playoffs every season. Parsons spent 2021-22 as coach of the Netherlands women’s national team.

Parsons’ first task is finding a coach. Angel City finished in 12th place last season, missing the playoffs for the second time in its first three seasons.

— Damian Calhoun

JURISPRUDENCE

Former professional football and baseball player Bo Jackson is giving up a $21 million judgment against his niece and nephew, whom he said harassed and tried to extort money from him.

A judge in February ruled in Jackson’s favor in the suit he had filed in April 2023 against Thomas Lee Anderson and Erica M. Anderson, also known as Erica Anderson Ross. Jackson, a running back who won the Heisman Trophy at Auburn and also played in both the NFL and MLB, Jackson had alleged in his lawsuit that his relatives tried to extort $20 million from him through harassment and intimidation.

In addition to the monetary award, last year’s ruling included a permanent protective order barring his niece and nephew from bothering or contacting him and his immediate family. It also said they must stay at least 500 yards from the Jacksons and remove social media posts about them.

After that ruling was issued, a new lawyer for the Andersons filed a motion in March to set aside that judgment and to dismiss the lawsuit, according to court filings. In a filing Tuesday, Jackson and the Andersons jointly asked the judge to throw out February’s order, withdraw the Andersons’ pending motions and enter a consent judgment.

“In the meantime, the Parties have conducted two mediations and have reached a private agreement resolving this dispute,” the filing says.

Marbutt issued an order vacating his February ruling at the request of Jackson and his niece and nephew.

NHL

Vasily Podkolzin scored the tiebreaking goal early in the third period, Connor McDavid had two goals and an assist, and the Edmonton Oilers beat the Wild 5-3 in Minnesota for their seventh win in eight games.

SABRES 4, HURRICANES 2: Ryan McLeod scored two goals for host Buffalo. Dylan Cozens and Tage Thompson also scored and Jason Zucker had two assists for the Sabres.

The Pittsburgh Penguins ran out of patience waiting for two-time All-Star goaltender Tristan Jarry to emerge from a slump, placing him on waivers. Jarry, 29, is 8-7-4 with a 3.32 goals against average and a .886 save percentage this season.