COLLEGES

Geno Auriemma and UConn are back home in the Big East sitting in a familiar spot – atop the preseason poll.

The Huskies, who returned to the conference after seven years in the American, were the unanimous choice to win the league the Big East announced Thursday. The Huskies have won 19 regular-season titles and 18 conference tournament crowns to go along with their 11 national championships.

“It’s been something that obviously everyone at our school and everyone in the state of Connecticut has been excited about, being back in the league,” Auriemma said.

Coming back to the Big East will make it easier for UConn’s travel with many of the schools within driving distance.

“We haven’t had many close games as far as distance was concerned and having the ability to get on a bus and go to Providence, St. John’s or Seton Hall or even go to Villanova,” Auriemma said. “Even more important is those weeknights when you play at 7 p.m. on the road and you get home at a manageable time.”

UConn is led by preseason player of the year Christyn Williams and freshman of the year Paige Bueckers.

The conference and its coaches were excited to have UConn return.

“We just brought in a team that has in many ways put women’s basketball on the map,” Big East Commissioner Val Ackerman said. “I just think they will lift the profile of the league and create a higher standard of excellence for all of our schools.”

DePaul Coach Doug Bruno agreed.

“It’s a great league and UConn is going to make it much better,” said the veteran coach whose team has won the past three league titles and were picked second in the preseason poll.

Marquette was third in the preseason poll. The Golden Eagles are in the middle of a 14-day pause because of a positive COVID-19 test.

St. John’s, Creighton and Seton Hall were next in the poll with Villanova, Butler, Xavier, Providence and Georgetown rounding out the preseason predictions.

GOLF

PGA:  Peter Malnati saw his infant son at a PGA Tour event for the first time since the pandemic, which brought a smile to his face and another birdie on his card for an 8-under 63 and a one-shot lead in the Bermuda Championship at Southampton, Bermuda.

The tournament is the first to allow limited fans – no more than 500 a day at Port Royal – since the opening round of The Players Championship on March 12.

The final birdie was the ninth of the round for Malnati, who has gone from the South to the West to the middle of the Atlantic Ocean and keeps playing some of his best golf.
It was the third time in his last three events he posted a 63 or lower. Malnati was runner-up at the Sanderson Farms Championship in Mississippi and followed that with a tie for fifth in Las Vegas.

This round gave him a one-shot lead over Ryan Armour and Doug Ghim, who birdied his last two holes.

AUTO RACING

INDYCAR: Felix Rosenqvist was hired by Arrow McLaren SP for the 2021 season and rookie Alex Palou moved to Chip Ganassi Racing to fill his seat.

Rosenqvist spent two seasons driving the No. 10 Honda for Ganassi but his option was not picked up when Ganassi and the Swede could not agree on a contract restructuring. Arrow McLaren then snagged Rosenqvist after it fired rookie Oliver Askew in part for not disclosing a concussion he suffered in an August crash.

TENNIS

ERSTE BANK OPEN: Grigor Dimitrov outlasted third-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-3 to complete the quarterfinal lineup at Vienna.

Dimitrov held serve throughout but lost the opening set despite leading 5-0 in the tiebreaker.

Dimitrov next plays Daniel Evans, who came back from a break down in both sets to beat Austrian wild-card entry Jurij Rodionov 7-5, 6-3.

Earlier, Dominic Thiem beat Cristian Garin 6-3, 6-2 to set up a quarterfinal against Andrey Rublev.

The defending champion, who is seeded second, lost only 10 points on his serve and wrapped up the win in just over an hour.

The fifth-seeded Rublev, who is seeking his fifth tournament win of the season, led Jannik Sinner 2-1 in the opening set when the Italian player retired with a foot injury.

Fourth-seeded Daniil Medvedev also advanced after rallying to defeat Vasek Pospisil 4-6, 6-3, 6-2. Medvedev’s next opponent is Kevin Anderson, who won the event in 2018.
Lorenzo Sonego edged Hubert Hurkacz 7-6 (6), 7-6 (2) to set up a quarterfinal against top-seeded Novak Djokovic.

The 42nd-ranked Sonego lost in qualification but replaced Diego Schwartzman in the main draw after the Argentine pulled out with an injury.

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