AP sources: Woods likely to return at Masters
(AP)
AP - Tiger Woods intends to remain out of golf at least until the Masters, two people with knowledge of his plans told The Associated Press on Thursday.

Marquette hangs on to beat No. 10 Villanova 80-76
(AP)
AP - Lazar Hayward gave Marquette the lead for good with a 3-pointer with 1:51 to play, then added the clinching free throws with 3.2 seconds left, and the Golden Eagles went on to another close win, 80-76 over No. 10 Villanova on Thursday in the Big East tournament quarterfinals.

Schwartzel takes lead at Doral
(AP)
AP - Five birdies were enough to put Charl Schwartzel among the leaders at the CA Championship. No mistakes is what put in the lead alone Thursday on a rough-and-tumble day at Doral.

Football Hall of Famer, TV star Olsen dies at 69
(AP)
AP - Hall of Famer Merlin Olsen, who helped form one of the NFL's greatest defensive lines before embarking on a successful career in television, died Thursday after a battle with cancer. He was 69.

Iditarod racers go gourmet on trail
(AP)
AP - Mushers in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race take care of their dogs first when they stop to rest, massaging sore paws and serving up stews of hearty grub for their teams.

Man convicted in slaying of Broncos cornerback
(AP)
AP - The group of Denver Broncos players arrived at the Safari nightclub to celebrate New Year's Eve and was whisked inside by bouncers. One of the dozens of people waiting in line to get in — an alleged Tre-Tre Crips gang member — took exception.

Redskins' Snyder supports free agency approach
(AP)
AP - Dan Snyder's early verdict on Mike Shanahan and Bruce Allen: "Great guys. Lucky to have 'em."

Yanks catcher Cervelli to wear special helmet
(AP)
AP - Francisco Cervelli is choosing safety over style.

Crawford scores 29, Hawks beat Wizards 105-99
(AP)
AP - Jamal Crawford scored 29 points and the Atlanta Hawks avoided a three-game losing streak by beating the Washington Wizards 105-99 Thursday night.

Jordan sparks late run, Tulsa prevails 80-64
(AP)
AP - Jerome Jordan had 21 points and 12 rebounds and Tulsa closed with a 27-7 run en route to an 80-64 victory over Marshall on Thursday in the quarterfinals of the Conference USA tournament.
