SPORTS DIGEST || YSU basketball team hosts wine taste

YSU basketball team hosts wine taste

LOWELLVILLE

More than 100 people registered for the third annual Youngstown State men’s basketball wine taste at L’uva Bella Winery and Bistro on Tuesday evening.

Through the entrance fee and silent auction, proceeds from the event will cover the players’ late night meals while traveling throughout the season.

Some of the auction prizes included Pittburgh Pirates tickets, Chick-Fil-A dinner tray, YSU men’s basketball autographed basketballs and tickets to the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus at the Covelli Centre.

No penalties for Truex, Johnson infractions

CHARLOTTE, N.C.

NASCAR will not penalize Martin Truex Jr. or Jimmie Johnson for failing inspection after the opening race of the playoffs.

Truex won Sunday’s race at Chicagoland Speedway and Johnson finished 12th. Both cars failed the laser inspection with infractions that should have drawn 10-point penalties.

Although the infractions were similar, NASCAR executive vice president Steve O’Donnell said the penalties would not have been equal. Truex advanced into the second round of the playoffs with his victory, but Johnson’s chances of advancing would have been hampered by the loss of 10 points.

Barca’s Messi sidelined for 3 weeks with injury

BARCELONA, Spain

Barcelona says Lionel Messi will be out for three weeks with a groin strain in his right leg.

The Argentina star walked off in the 58th minute of the Spanish league match against Atletico Madrid at Camp Nou that ended 1-1.

Messi asked to be substitute moments after a sprint while challenging for the ball with Diego Godin. He appeared to grimace while touching his right thigh.

Arda Turan replaced him after a hasty warm-up.

Barcelona was leading the match 1-0. Atletico leveled moments after Messi left.

Taurasi leads Mercury over Fever in playoffs

INDIANAPOLIS

Diana Taurasi scored 20 points, DeWanna Bonner had 11 of her 18 points in the fourth quarter and the Phoenix Mercury beat the Indiana Fever 89-78 on Wednesday night in a single-elimination game of the WNBA playoffs.

Tamika Catchings, who played in her final game, and the entire Indiana team knelt with their arms intertwined during the national anthem. Two members of the Mercury, Kelsey Bone and Mistie Bass, also took a knee.

Briann January made a reverse layup with 2:39 remaining to pull Indiana to 77-72 and she drew an offensive foul on Taurasi on the other end. Erlana Larkins had a putback on Indiana’s next possession to cap a 10-1 run to make it 77-74.

But Phoenix answered with a 6-1 run — on free throws by Taurasi, Penny Taylor and Bonner — for an 83-75 lead.

Brittney Griner added 18 points, nine rebounds and three blocks for Phoenix, which will play at New York on Saturday.

McCoughtry scores 37 in Dream victory

ATLANTA

Angel McCoughtry scored 37 points and the Dream beat the Storm.

McCoughtry scored seven straight points — on a 3-pointer, bank shot and pull-up jumper — to cap Atlanta’s 19-5 run to start the fourth for an 85-71 lead. She collided with Breanna Stewart on Seattle’s next possession and stayed on the ground before being helped to the bench by the Atlanta staff. She later returned.

Canada finishes off Europe to win Group A

TORONTO

Jonathan Toews had two goals and an assist and Team Canada easily beat Europe 4-1 on Wednesday night in its final preliminary round game in the World Cup of Hockey.

Canada won Group A and will face North America or Russia in the first semifinal Saturday night.

Sidney Crosby and Logan Couture also scored, and Corey Crawford made 19 saves.

Staff and wire reports