AP Sports SummaryBrief at 12:05 a.m. EDT

Miami (Ohio) makes a March Madness statement with an 89-79 win over SMU in the First Four

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) — Eian Elmer scored 22 points and Miami of Ohio beat SMU 89-79 in the First Four for its first NCAA Tournament victory in 27 years. Elmer went 6 of 9 from 3-point range as the 11th-seeded RedHawks, unbeaten during the regular season, advanced in the Midwest Region to play No. 6 seed Tennessee. Brant Byers added 19 points, including four 3s, and Luke Skaljac had 17 for Miami, which is making its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2007. The RedHawks finished 16 of 41 from 3-point range. Jaden Toombs led SMU with 20 points and 11 rebounds. Jaron Pierre Jr. scored 18 points and Boopie Miller had 15 for the Mustangs.

A landmark WNBA labor deal nears reality, paving the way for the first million dollar players

NEW YORK (AP) — A landmark new WNBA collective bargaining agreement was reached in principle early Wednesday morning that will give the league its first million dollar players. There’s still a lot of work to do between now and the start of the regular season on May 8, however. Lawyers on both sides are finalizing the term sheet for players and the league’s Board of Governors to approve, which should be done in the next day or so.

The WBC is thriving. Rob Manfred says MLB might consider moving it to midseason

MIAMI (AP) — Major League Baseball plans to bring back the World Baseball Classic in 2029 or 2030 and it could eventually move to midseason. Commissioner Rob Manfred tells The Associated Press the league has discussed midseason tournaments after the end of Fox’s All-Star Game deal, which runs through 2028. All six WBCs have been during spring training, and teams sometimes limit players. This year the tournament set attendance and TV records. Top games drew far bigger audiences than in 2006. Whether major leaguers participate in the 2028 Olympics could impact whether the next WBC is in ‘29 or ’30.

For 10, it's 900: Inter Miami star Lionel Messi scores milestone 900th goal, joining Ronaldo in club

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Lionel Messi has reached another milestone, getting his 900th career goal in the opening minutes of Inter Miami’s CONCACAF Champions Cup Round of 16 match against Nashville on Wednesday night. The back-to-back Major League Soccer MVP, eight-time Ballon d’Or winner and World Cup champion got it as would be expected — with his left foot, like the majority of his career goals for club and country. He took a pass in the middle of the box in the seventh minute, controlled the ball, spun and lined a low shot past two defenders and into the far corner of the net. Cristiano Ronaldo is the only other men’s player with more than 900 goals.

Prairie View A&M defeats Lehigh 67-55 in the First Four for its first March Madness win

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) — Dontae Horne scored 25 points and Cory Wells had 19 points and 11 rebounds as Prairie View A&M earned its first NCAA Tournament victory, 67-55 over Lehigh in the First Four. Lance Williams added 10 points for the Panthers, who advance as the No. 16 seed in the South Region to face top seed and defending national champion Florida on Friday night in Tampa, Florida. Lehigh leading scorer Nasir Whitlock went scoreless for more than 26 minutes and finished with five points. He was 2-of-15 shooting. Hank Alvey led Lehigh with 23 points and 15 rebounds.

New women’s pro baseball league turns long-held dreams into reality at Red Sox spring home

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — Kelsie Whitmore stood near third base at JetBlue Park and looked around at her new norm. Women baseball players from around the world tossed balls back and forth, sharing laughs and taking pointers from major league coaches. In less than five months, they will play in the first women’s professional baseball league in the U.S. in more than 70 years. Reality set in Wednesday for Whitmore and players from the WPBL. The upstart league is taking part in a two-day event at the spring training home of the Boston Red Sox ahead the launch of its season on August 1.

Shohei Ohtani throws 4 1/3 scoreless innings in spring debut on mound for the Los Angeles Dodgers

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Shohei Ohtani reached back for the heater and found it, blazing a 99-mph fastball past Willy Adames for his first strikeout of the afternoon on Wednesday. For a guy who hasn’t spent much time on the mound over the past 2 1/2 years, he doesn't seem remotely rusty. The Japanese two-way star was in top form during his spring training debut on the mound, giving up one hit, two walks and a hit by pitch while striking out four over 4 1/3 scoreless innings against the San Francisco Giants.

UConn teammates Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd headline AP All-America first team

Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd helped UConn to an undefeated season heading into March Madness. The pair became the first teammates in six years to make The Associated Press All-America team. It’s the 10th time that teammates have made the first team, seven of those involving UConn players. The last pair to achieve the feat was Oregon’s Sabrina Ionescu and Ruthy Hebard in 2020. Strong and Fudd were joined by Vanderbilt’s Mikayla Blakes, UCLA’s Lauren Betts and Texas’ Madison Booker. Strong was a unanimous choice from the 31-member national media panel that chooses the AP Top 25 each week.

The 3-pointer changed college basketball. And attempts keep ticking up heading into March Madness

College basketball teams are continuing to lean more and more on the 3-point shot. That comes in the 40th season since the 3-pointer was fully integrated into the sport. Division I teams took an average of nearly 40% of their shots from 3-point range this season. Now many of those teams are in March Madness. The challenge now is finding the right balance in taking and making those shots when the season is on the line.

Rhode Island high school hockey team rallies to championship after fatal ice rink shooting

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Colin Dorgan has helped lead his high school hockey team to a Rhode Island state championship after losing his mother, brother, and grandfather last month in a shooting at an ice rink. The Division 2 title game was played Wednesday. Coach Chris Librizzi says the team participated in counseling as players considered whether they could come back and finish the season. Ultimately every player did, including Dorgan. Police have identified the shooter as Robert Dorgan, who died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Blackstone Valley players have hearts stitched on the front of their jerseys with the initials of the three who died.