Gonzaga might not be dancing this year

SPOKANE, Wash. – Gonzaga’s streak of 17 consecutive NCAA Tournaments is the longest for any mid-major program in history.

Their record of 23-7 isn’t bad, but the chances of an at-large bid are hampered by an RPI of 64 and a low strength of schedule.

Gonzaga is tied with Kentucky and Wisconsin for the fifth-longest NCAA Tournament streak of all time at 17, trailing North Carolina (27), Kansas (26), Duke (20) and Indiana and Michigan State (18 each). No other mid-major program is even close.

The streak began in 1999, when Gonzaga came out of nowhere to make the Elite Eight under coach Dan Monson.

NFL

NFL players hold training camp in Egypt

CAIRO – American football has made it all the way to the Giza Pyramids.

A nonprofit group called American Football Without Barriers brought a slew of current and former NFL players to Egypt this week to promote the game while helping educate disadvantaged children and encourage them to live healthy lifestyles.

The group was founded by New York Jets offensive lineman Breno Giacomini, Cleveland Browns tight end Gary Barnidge and Ahmed Awadallah, a friend who was born and raised in Egypt.

Future Super Bowls site to be decided in May

NEW YORK – Sites for the Super Bowls in 2019, 2020 and 2021 will be decided at the NFL owners’ meetings in May in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The league’s Super Bowl Advisory Committee announced that Atlanta, Los Angeles, South Florida and Tampa would be in the running for Super Bowls 54 and 55. Previously, Atlanta, South Florida and Tampa were chosen as finalists for Super Bowl 53 in February 2019.

SOCCER

Dunn leads U.S. over England in SheBelieves Cup

TAMPA – Second-half substitution Crystal Dunn scored in the 72nd minute, Hope Solo got her 96th career shutout and the United States beat England 1-0 in the SheBelieves Cup on Thursday night.

Dunn entered in the 67th minute and made it 1-0 with a shot into the upper corner of the net five minutes later.

The U.S is 7-0-0 in 2016, outscoring opponents 29-0.

The U.S will go against France Sunday in Nashville.

Chastain pledges brain for CTE study when she dies

Brandi Chastain, who scored the game-winning penalty kick that gave the United States the 1999 Women’s World Cup title, has pledged to donate her brain for concussion research when she dies.

Chastain announced her pledge to the Massachusetts-based Concussion Legacy Foundation on Thursday morning. Her brain will go to the VA-BU-CLF Brain Bank, a joint project with the Department of Veterans Affairs and Boston University School of Medicine.

Judge makes right to strike for women’s soccer

CHICAGO – A federal judge in Chicago is set to make a high-stakes ruling to determine whether the world-champion U.S. women’s soccer team has the right to strike before this year’s Olympics.

At the first status hearing in the case Thursday, a judge set May 25 for in-court arguments between the soccer federation and the players’ union on the issue.

The U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team Players Association argues it can strike, if it chooses, because a collective bargaining agreement is no longer valid. The federation insists that the agreement remains in effect until Dec. 31.

Associated Press