Sports briefs
Waynesburg opener is postponed
The Waynesburg University men’s basketball season opener against Grove City that was scheduled to be played Wednesday has been postponed. The Yellow Jackets will open the season Saturday (2 p.m.) at home against Westminster.
Chiefs put 2 on COVID list
The Kansas City Chiefs placed a pair of backups, wide receiver Demarcus Robinson and center Daniel Kilgore, on the COVID-19 list as close contacts Monday as they begin final preparations for the Super Bowl against Tampa Bay.
Chiefs coach Andy said he was told of the situation Sunday but could provide no other information.
Neither of the players actually tested positive for COVID-19, which means Robinson – a regular contributor – and Kilgore could still play in the Super Bowl. Both would need to return negative tests throughout the week to get off the list.
In baseball
Left-hander Derek Holland agreed Monday to a minor league contract with the Detroit Tigers and was invited to major league spring training.
The 34-year-old is 79-81 with a 4.61 ERA in 12 major league seasons. He went 1-3 with a 6.86 ERA in 12 appearances, including five starts, for the Pittsburgh Pirates last year – after initially signing a minor league deal with them.
Holland went 16-5 with Texas in 2011, when the Rangers won a second straight American League pennant.
n The Chicago White Sox finalized a $3 million, one-year contract with pitcher Carlos Rodón.
The White Sox didn’t offer Rodón a contract in December, making him a free agent. But they wound up bringing him back.
The 28-year-old left-hander is 29-33 with a 4.14 ERA in 97 career major league games, including 92 starts. He made four appearances last year, going 0-2 with an 8.22 ERA.
Smart had ‘significant’ symptomsTexas men’s basketball coach Shaka Smart said Monday he had “significant” symptoms while in extended isolation from his team and family after testing positive for COVID-19 as he and the No. 6 Longhorns prepare for a showdown with No. 2 Baylor.
“This was not a walk in the park for me, not saying it has been for anyone else,” Smart said ahead of Tuesday night’s matchup of the top two teams in the Big 12. “When you go through that kind of stuff, it certainly swirls some things around your mind.”
Smart didn’t detail the extent of the symptoms he experienced, but appeared frustrated that Texas played last week’s home loss to No. 9 Oklahoma when the Longhorns were missing their head coach, two starters and a key reserve because of COVID-19 protocols.
Smart said that just before he tested positive, he ran a workout with only two players.
In the NBA
Detroit’s game at Denver on Monday night was called off by the NBA because of contact tracing issues for the Pistons left the team without enough players available to take the floor.
In college basketball
Elijah Olaniyi scored 21 points, Anthony Walker and Isaiah Wong added 16 points apiece and short-handed Miami overcame shaky foul shooting to defeat Duke 77-75 Monday, ending a four-game losing streak.
The Hurricanes’ previous three games with the Blue Devils each were losses by at least 30 points.