HOT POINT

KOLKATA, India (AP) —Italywon the toss and elected to field against high-flying West Indies in its lastT20 World Cupgame on Thursday.

West Indies Italy T20 WCup Cricket

West Indies has already qualified for theSuper 8swith three consecutive wins in Group C and is in Group 1 with co-host India, Zimbabwe and South Africa. New Zealand, England, Pakistan and Sri Lanka are in Group 2 of the second round.

Harry Manenti continues to lead Italy, playing its first-ever major ICC global event, after captain Wayne Madsen wasruled out of the tournamentwhen he dislocated his shoulder at the same venue while fielding in the opening group game against Scotland.

Manenti hoped his bowlers would get some swing in the day game and take some early wickets.

"Hope there's a bit in the wicket," Manenti said at the toss. "We take some confidence from the England game and West Indies is another powerful team."

Italy was beaten by Scotland and England in group games but shocked much-fancied Nepal with a resounding 10-wicket win in Mumbai.

West Indies top-order batters have scored aggressively with captain Shai Hope, Shimron Hetmyer and Sherfane Rutherford scoring half centuries across the three group games.

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Hope said he didn't mind losing the toss because "it's not in our hands" as West Indies went with an unchanged squad that beat Nepal by nine wickets in the last game.

Later Thursday

Zimbabwe, whichknocked out Australiafrom the tournament, concludes its group stage with a game against Sri Lanka in Colombo later Thursday.

Afghanistan, which made the semifinals in 2024 and lost a thrillingdouble tiebreakeragainst South Africa this past week, will meet Canada in its last Group D match.

West Indies: Brandon King, Shai Hope (captain), Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Matthew Forde, Roston Chase, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosain, Shamar Joseph, Gudakesh Motie.

Italy: Justin Mosca, Anthony Mosca, Syed Naqvi, Harry Manenti (captain), J.J. Smuts, Ben Manenti, Grant Stewart, Gian-Piero Meade, Crishan Kalugamage, Thomas Draca, Ali Hasan.

AP cricket:https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

Andrej Stojakovic's 22 points led seven double-figure point scorers for No. 10 Illinois as the Illini pounded short-handed Southern California 101-65 on Wednesday in Los Angeles.

Doubt loomed over the availability of Stojakovic going into this week's California road trip for Illinois (22-5, 13-3 Big Ten). The wing, who sustained an ankle injury on Feb. 7 against Michigan State, answered all questions with a 6-of-7 shooting performance from the floor coming off the bench on Wednesday, and a perfect 9-of-9 at the free-throw line.

Stojakovic helped fuel an offensive onslaught that began early, with Illinois running out to a 15-3 lead 5:33 into the contest and never looking back.

The Illini shot 32-of-62 from the floor, including 13-of-29 on 3-point attempts, led by Jake Davis' perfect 4-of-4 from beyond the arc. Davis scored all 12 of his points from long distance.

Davis also grabbed a team-high seven rebounds.

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Six different Illinois shooters connected on at least one 3-pointer. Ben Humrichous knocked down 3-of-6 from deep on his way to 11 points off the bench, while David Mirkovic and Tomislav Ivisic each made a pair of triples en route to 14 and 10 points, respectively.

Keaton Wagler added 10 points and Kylan Boswell finished with 12 points, five rebounds and eight assists to round out Illinois' collection of double-figure scorers. The balanced attack powered Illinois to its highest scoring output in Big Ten play this season, and helped the Illini maintain sole possession of second place in a tight conference competition.

USC (18-8, 7-8), meanwhile, found itself in a tough spot before opening tip. Season-long leading scorer Chad Baker-Mazara was a late scratch from the lineup, and his backcourt mates -- Alijah Arenas and Kam Woods -- shot a combined 4-of-14 from the floor for eight and four points.

Arenas came into Wednesday's contest with three straight games posting at least 24 points.

Ezra Ausar recorded a double-double for the Trojans with 15 points and 11 rebounds, while Jacob Cofie added 14 points, but the two combined for almost as many made field goals (11) as the rest of USC's roster combined (12).

--Field Level Media

The Sacramento Kings, losers of 14 straight and at the bottom of the NBA standings, lost stars Domantas Sabonis and Zach LaVine to season-ending surgeries on Wednesday.

Sabonis, a three-time All-Star in the frontcourt, had an operation to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee. He had returned to action in mid-January after missing 27 games following the mid-November injury.

The 29-year-old averaged 15.8 points, 11.4 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 29.7 minutes in 19 games (15 starts) this season.

LaVine, a two-time All-Star guard who turns 31 on March 10, had been in and out of the lineup for 10 games because of a tendon injury in his right hand before selecting surgery.

He last played on Feb. 6 in a home loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. LaVine averaged a team-high 19.2 points along with 2.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 31.4 minutes in 39 games (37 starts).

Kings coach Doug Christie said Wednesday of losing LaVine and Sabonis, "It makes it tough, man. You feel for Zach, you feel for 'Domas' because you know how much hard work they, and a professional athlete in general, puts in to what their life dream is of being successful.

"Unfortunate for us. It'll be more opportunities for some of our young players to continue to develop and do it in high-leverage moments because we are here to win basketball games."

Christie insisted the team is not tanking to improve its draft lottery odds.

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"We want to win. That's the bottom line," the coach said. "We want the taste of winning for our guys so they understand that the hard work and the stuff that we focus on at practice and all the drills, that that stuff pays off and takes them into the offseason in a really good way."

Sabonis and LaVine are the highest-paid players for the Kings (12-44), with LaVine having a $48.9 million player option next season and Sabonis having two years and $94 million remaining on his contract.

Sacramento hosts the Orlando Magic on Thursday night and a 15th straight loss would set a franchise record for futility. The franchise twice lost 14 games when it was known as the Cincinnati Royals.

Minnesota selected LaVine with the 13th overall pick of the 2014 NBA Draft out of UCLA.

LaVine, averages 20.7 points per game for his career, with 4.0 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 32.7 minutes and 1,632 career 3-pointers in 693 regular-season games (602 starts) for the Minnesota Timberwolves (2014-17), Chicago Bulls (2018-25) and Kings. He represented the Bulls at the 2021 and 2022 All-Star Games.

The Orlando Magic picked Sabonis with the 11th overall pick of the 2016 NBA Draft out of Gonzaga and traded him the same day to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

For his career, Sabonis averages 16.1 points 10.7 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 30.8 minutes in 665 games (521 starts) for Oklahoma City (2016-17), Indiana Pacers (2017-22) and Kings (2022-present). He was an All-Star in 2020, 2021 and 2023.

--Field Level Media

WASHINGTON (AP) — In another era, the scene would have been unremarkable. But in PresidentDonald Trump'sWashington, it's become increasingly rare.

Governors Economic Club

Sitting side by side on stage were Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, a Republican, and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat. They traded jokes and compliments instead of insults and accusations, a brief interlude of cordiality in a cacophony of conflict.

Stitt and Moore are the leaders of the National Governors Association, one of a vanishing few bipartisan institutions left in American politics. But it may be hard for the organization, which is holding its annual conference this week, to maintain its reputation as a refuge from polarization.

Trump has broken with custom by declining to invite all governors to the traditional White House meeting and dinner. He has called Stitt, the NGA's chair, a "RINO," short for Republican in name only, and continued to feud with Moore, the group's vice chair, by blaming him for asewage spillinvolving afederally regulated pipeline.

The break with tradition reflects Trump's broader approach to his second term. He has taken a confrontational stance toward some states, withholding federal funds or deploying troops over the objections of local officials.

With theRepublican-controlled Congressunwilling to limit Trump's ambitions, several governors have increasingly cast themselves as a counterweight to the White House.

"Presidents aren't supposed to do this stuff," Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said about the expansion of executive power in recent administrations. "Congress needs to get their act together. And stop performing for TikTok and actually start doing stuff. That's the flaw we're dealing with right now."

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Cox, a Republican, said "it is up to the states to hold the line."

Moore echoed that sentiment inan interview with The Associated Press.

"People are paying attention to how governors are moving, because I think governors have a unique way to move in this moment that other people just don't," he said.

Still, governors struck an optimistic tone in panels and interviews Wednesday. Stitt said the conference is "bigger than one dinner at the White House." Moore predicted "this is going to be a very productive three days for the governors."

"Here's a Republican and Democrat governor from different states that literally agree on probably 80% of the things. And the things we disagree on we can have honest conversations on," Stitt said while sitting beside Moore.

Tensions over the guest list for White House events underscored the uncertainty surrounding the week. During the back-and-forth,Trump feuded with Stittand said Moore and Colorado Gov. Jared Polis were not invited because they "are not worthy of being there."

Whether the bipartisan tone struck Wednesday evening can endure through the week — and beyond — remains an open question.

"We can have disagreements. In business, I always want people around me arguing with me and pushing me because that's where the best ideas come from," said Stitt. "We need to all have these exchange of ideas."

Several of the victims who died in abackcountry avalanche disasterin California's Lake Tahoe Region were members of an elite skiing academy, according to a statement from the school released Feb. 18.

"Multiple members of the Sugar Bowl Academy community and others with strong connections to Sugar Bowl, Donner Summit, and the backcountry community died,"the statement said,referring to the avalanche on Tuesday. "Sugar Bowl Academy is focused on supporting its athletes, students, staff, and families through this tragedy."

The accident is being calledthe deadliest avalanche in the U.S. in four decades. On the last and third day of the trip deep into Sierra Nevada ski country,an avalanche came crashing down, killing three guides and five guests, and leaving six survivors. A ninth person was not found and is presumed dead.

The area where the avalanche occurred is known for its beauty, its skiing and its danger. The Donner Land Trust, which owns the Frog Lake area,says on its websitethat "all areas are uncontrolled avalanche terrain that require appropriate avalanche education and equipment."

Neither local officials or Sugar Bowl Academy leaders have identified any of the victims by name.Sugar Bowl Academyis an independent, coed boarding and day school for competitive skiers in grades 8-12 located inNorden, California, near Lake Tahoe. It offers specialized ski training in alpine alongside a college preparatory curriculum.

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The academy focuses on developing elite athletes, with graduates frequently moving on to U.S. Ski Teams and NCAA Division I programs.

"The Sugar Bowl Academy community will continue to be there in the months and years ahead for the families that have lost loved ones," the school said in its statement.

"We are an incredibly close and connected community. This tragedy has affected each and every one of us. The depth of support for the families whose lives have been changed forever reminds us of how special this community is", said Executive Director Stephen McMahon. "The best thing we can do is surround our athletes and families with care and support while providing the necessary space and time for grief and healing."

Search and rescue teams were dispatched at about 11:30 a.m. local time after receiving reports of an avalanche incident involving a group of skiers in steep backcountry terrain in the Castle Peak area, northwest of Lake Tahoe, according to theNevada County Sheriff's Office.

Blackbird Mountain Guides, now under scrutiny for its role inthe avalanche,had multiple social media posts that acknowledged possible avalanche threats in the region.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Some who died in avalanche disaster were part of elite skiing academy

Theavalanche that killed at least eight peopleon Feb. 17 in California marked the deadliest natural disaster of its kind in the United States in nearly a half century.

A group of 15 skiers were caught in the avalanche in the Castle Peak area of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, northwest of Lake Tahoe. Six members of the group survived and were rescued. One skier was still missing as of Feb. 18 and is presumed dead, Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon said.

It was the deadliest avalanche in the U.S. in almost 45 years, according to theColorado Avalanche Information Center(CIAC), which tracks avalanches across the nation. Eleven people were killed in an avalanche on June 21, 1981, while attempting to climb Mount Rainier in Washington state.

More recently,six climbers died in an avalancheon Mount Rainier on May 28, 2014. On April 20, 2013,five snowboarders were killedin an avalanche near Colorado's Loveland Pass.

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In the U.S., avalanches have claimed an average of 27 lives annually over the last 10 years, according to the CAIC.

What was the deadliest avalanche in US history?

The deadliest recorded avalanche in U.S. history occurred March 1, 1910, in Wellington, Washington, when a wall of snow swept two trains into a gorge near Stevens Pass in the Cascade Range, killing 96 people,according to the Seattle Times.

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:What was the deadliest avalanche in US history?

STORRS, Conn. (AP) — UConn held a moment of silence for the late mother of Creighton's Josh Dix before Wednesday's Big East game. The night ended with the Bluejays' star getting hugs and words of encouragement from fans who made the trip from Nebraska to Storrs.

Creighton UConn Basketball

Dix scored 21 points to leadCreighton to a 91-84 win over No. 5 UConntwo weeks after his mother lost her battle with colon cancer.

"I really respect this university for doing that and thinking of my mom," Dix said. "I know she would greatly appreciate it. I know she saw that."

In the four games since his mother's death, Dix is averaging 16 points, five rebounds and two assists. Creighton lost two of those games. The Bluejays lost to UConn by 27 points in the game before Dix's mother died, and faced another uphill battle against the Huskies.

"That locker room is still healing and they needed a shot in the arm," said Creighton coach Greg McDermott, who thanks UConn for also reaching out after hearing the news about Dix's mother. "We have been through a lot as a group; we've shed a lot of tears and they needed something like this. It's a great win for us. I'm not sure I've ever been prouder of a group."

Dix, a transfer from Iowa who leads Creighton in scoring has leaned on many people,including teammates, during this trying time.

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"I couldn't do it alone," Dix said. "My family, my teammates, my coaches, they all stick by my side. I try not to be alone, I try to be around people who want to see you do well.

"Basketball brings a lot of joy to a lot of people, so that kind of takes your mind of a lot of stuff. They have meant a lot, something like this can either separate you or get you closer to your teammates. They have all been by my side. The last couple of weeks haven't been easy but they stuck by my side."

UConn coach Dan Hurley sent his best to the Creighton team.

"They have dealt with some emotional pain, not just with Josh, but with Blake (Harper, whose mother died of breast cancer in 2023)," Hurley said. "I have so much respect for Mac, for Creighton, for their program."

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