Reuters U.S. Sports Schedule at 2 PM EDT on Friday, March 7
March 7 (Reuters) - Reuters U.S. sports schedule at 2 PM ET on Friday: - - - - The duty editor is Steve Ginsburg, 202-898-8427 - - - - NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE Saints begin housecleaning Veteran wide receiver Lance Moore will be released after eight seasons with the New Orleans Saints. That's likely just the tip of the iceberg as the team begins shaving salary from its overtaxed cap. (FBN-SAINTS-NEWS/, expect by 1930 GMT/2:30 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 400 words) - - Ohio State Pro Day: Shazier runs 4.36, tweaks hamstring Ohio State outside linebacker Ryan Shazier, who ran 4.36 in the 40 after not working out at the scouting combine, injures his hamstring at the Buckeyes' pro day. How did cornerback Bradley Roby and running back Carlos Hyde hold up? (FBN-DRAFT/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 600 words) - - Colts keep P McAfee Indianapolis Colts punter Pat McAfee agrees to terms on a five-year deal that will make him the NFL's fourth-highest-paid punter. (FBN-COLTS-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 275 words) - - - - NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION *The Sports Xchange covers all NBA games. Key matchups highlighted below - - Grizzlies at Bulls CHICAGO - Recently dominant at home - five straight wins by an average of more than 19 points - Chicago hosts the Memphis Grizzlies, who lost at Brooklyn on Wednesday without Zach Randolph (flu). (BKN-BULLS-GRIZZLIES-FIRSTLEDE/WRITETHRU (PIX), expect by 0000 GMT/7 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 400-word first lede, 700-word writethru) - - Pacers at Rockets HOUSTON - Indiana became the first team to punch a ticket to the playoffs this week, but away from home the Pacers are still searching for the right mix. The Houston Rockets have a nine-game winning streak against Eastern Conference teams. (BKN-ROCKETS-PACERS-FIRSTLEDE/WRITETHRU (PIX), expect ASAP after the 0230 GMT/9:30 PM ET game, The Sports Xchange, 400-word first lede, 800-word writethru) - - Jazz at Knicks NEW YORK - Utah is winless entering the fifth game of a six-game road trip, the first of two meetings this month - the only games this season - against the New York Knicks. (BKN-KNICKS-JAZZ-FIRSTLEDE/WRITETHRU (PIX), expect ASAP after the 0030 GMT/7:30 PM ET game, The Sports Xchange, 400-word first lede, 800-word writethru) - - NBA Wrap: Streaking Nets look to make it five straight The Brooklyn Nets can equal their longest win streak of the season when they seek a fifth consecutive victory versus the host Boston Celtics in one of 11 games on the NBA hardwood. (NBA-HIGHLIGHTS/ (PIX), expect by 0430 GMT/11:30 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 850 words) - - - - COLLEGE BASKETBALL MVC Tournament: Wichita State (2) vs. Evansville ST. LOUIS - Wichita State (31-0) opens the Missouri Valley Tournament against Evansville at Scottrade Center. Evansville beat Drake 69-61 to advance to today's quarterfinals. Wichita State dominated the first two games (81-67 and 84-68 victories). (BKN-WICHITASTATE-EVANSVILLE-FIRSTLEDE/WRITETHRU (PIX), expect ASAP after the 1805 GMT/1:05 PM ET game, The Sports Xchange, by James Dent, 400-word first lede, 800-word writethru) - - - - GOLF PGA Tour: WGC-Cadillac Championship (to March 9) Reed grabs Doral lead as Woods and Scott struggle DORAL, Fla. - American Patrick Reed grabs a one-shot lead at the end of the rain-delayed opening round of the WGC-Cadillac Championship, while Tiger Woods stumbles early but saves his day with a blazing finish. (GOLF-PGA/ (PIX), moved; will be led, by Steve Keating, 400 words) - - Stuard leads by one shot at Puerto Rico Open American Brian Stuard takes a one-shot lead over compatriot Jason Gore and New Zealand's Danny Lee into the second round at the Puerto Rico Open at Trump International Golf Club in Rio Grande. (GOLF-PGA/PUERTORICO, expect by 0130 GMT/8:30 PM ET, 250 words) See also: Taiwan amateur Pan Cheng-tsung is among four Asian players to book a spot at the 2014 British Open after a two-day qualifying tournament in Thailand. (GOLF-OPEN/QUALIFIERS) - - - - MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL Injuries change Tigers' track Expecting an easy spring all about adapting to new manager Brad Ausmus, key injuries - namely to Andy Dirks and Jose Iglesias -- are throwing off the Detroit Tigers' goal of a "simple" March. (BBO-TIGERS-NEWS/, expect by 2330 GMT/6:30 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 500 words) - - Nationals scratch Fister (elbow) Doug Fister, a fresh face in the Washington Nationals' rotation, is scratched from his spring training start with inflammation in his right elbow. (BBO-NATIONALS-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 200 words) - - - - NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE *The Sports Xchange covers all NBA games. Key matchups highlighted below - - Rangers at Hurricanes RALEIGH, N.C. - Martin St. Louis suits up for the New York Rangers in the first of two meetings in the next four days against the Carolina Hurricanes. (HKN-HURRICANES-RANGERS-FIRSTLEDE/WRITETHRU (PIX), expect ASAP after the 0000 GMT/7 PM ET game, The Sports Xchange, 400-word first lede, 700-word writethru) - - Penguins at Ducks ANAHEIM - Conference leaders collide with the Pittsburgh Penguins angling to sweep the two-game season series. Sidney Crosby leads the NHL with 41 points on the road this season. (HKN-DUCKS-PENGUINS-FIRSTLEDE/WRITETHRU (PIX), expect ASAP after the 0300 GMT/10 PM ET game, The Sports Xchange, by Forrest Lee, 400-word first lede, 700-word writethru) - - NHL Wrap: Pens visit Ducks in clash of conference leaders Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins visit Ryan Getzlaf and the Anaheim Ducks in a matchup pitting the two conference leaders in one of five games on the schedule. (NHL-HIGHLIGHTS/ (PIX), expect by 0430 GMT/11:30 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 900 words) - - - - AUTO RACING Sprint Cup Series Qualifying LAS VEGAS - Live coverage of qualifying from Las Vegas Motor Speedway. (CAR-SPRINT-NEWS/, expect ASAP after the 0100 GMT/8 PM ET scheduled conclusion, NASCAR wire service special to The Sports Xchange, 500 words) - - NASCAR notebook LAS VEGAS - News and notes from the track, where Sprint Cup and Nationwide practice sessions and Sprint qualifying take place. (CAR-SPRINT-NOTEBOOK/, expect by 0100 GMT/8 PM ET, NASCAR wire service special to The Sports Xchange, 500 words) - - Indy 500 has new qualifying format IndyCar says the new qualifying format for the Indianapolis 500 will feature three rounds over two days. That includes the pole winner emerging from a Fast Nine Shootout on what was formerly called Bump Day. (CAR-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 400 words) - - - - TENNIS Radwanska in second-round action at Indian Wells World No. 2 Agnieszka Radwanska, Victoria Azarenka and Romania's Simona Halep are among those in second-round action in the women's draw at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif., while Frenchman Nicolas Mahut faces Russia's Teymuraz Gabashvili in first-round action on the men's side. (TENNIS-INDIAN/ (PIX), expect by 0530 GMT/12:30 AM ET, 350 words) See also: LONDON - Former British No. 1 Elena Baltacha is diagnosed with liver cancer. (TENNIS/BALTACHA) - - - - PARALYMPICS Ukraine Paralympic chief says they'll quit Games if Russia invades SOCHI, Russia - Ukraine's Paralympic chief says his team will quit the Winter Paralympic Games if Russia invades his home country, adding that he hopes the competition will be able to spread peace instead. (UKRAINE-CRISIS/PARALYMPICS (UPDATE 3), moved, by Alexei Anishchuk, 400 words) - - - - NORTH AMERICAN SPORTS Roundups of off-field developments in the major North American professional sports leagues. (Expect by 0100 GMT/8 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 400 words)
