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NCAA upholds 21 vacated wins at Notre Dame

Notre Dame’s president ripped the NCAA’s decision to deny the school’s appeal to restore 21 vacated football victories from an academic misconduct violation, saying the association “perverted” the notion that universities determine how they police academics.

The NCAA denied Notre Dame’s appeal Tuesday, wiping off the books all 12 wins from the Fighting Irish’s 2012 national championship game run under Coach Brian Kelly.

Notre Dame agreed to accept certain NCAA findings and acknowledged cheating involving several football players and a student athletic trainer, but appealed only the penalty that vacated victories.

BASKETBALL

NBA: DeMar DeRozan scored 27 points, Kyle Lowry had 22 and Toronto Raptors beat visiting Miami 115-112 for their sixth straight win.

Toronto (40-16) improved its NBA-best home record to 24-4 and ensured it will be the top team in the Eastern Conference at the All-Star break. The Raptors lead Boston (40-18) by 11/2 games. Both teams play their final game before the break on Wednesday night.

• Kristaps Porzingis underwent surgery to repair a torn ACL in his left knee, the Knicks announced. No timetable for a return has been provided yet.

The general rehab and recovery is anywhere from nine months to more than a year.

• The Wisconsin Herd, the G League affiliate of the Milwaukee Bucks, acquired former Bucks first-round draft pick Brandon Jennings off waivers. Jennings was the 10th overall pick by the Bucks in the 2009 NBA draft, averaged 17.0 points over four seasons in Milwaukee.

FOOTBALL

NFL: Derrick Johnson, the the Kansas City Chiefs career tackles leader and a four-time Pro Bowl selection, will become a free agent when his contract expires at the start of the new league year March 14. He intends to keep playing, just not in Kansas City.

• Tennessee Coach Mike Vrabel announced the final additions to his staff  with the hires of assistant special teams coach Matt Edwards, defensive assistants Scott Booker and Ryan Crow and quality control coach Matt Pees. Mike Sullivan and Luke Steckel will remain as offensive assistants.

• The Baltimore Ravens and Chicago Bears will launch the NFL’s 99th season by playing in the annual Hall of Fame game on Aug. 2.

TENNIS

ABN AMRO World Tournament: Stan Wawrinka hit 41 unforced errors Tuesday as he crashed out of the first round at Rotterdam, Netherlands, losing 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 to 259th-ranked Tallon Griekspoor.

ARGENTINA OPEN: Fernando Verdasco and Gael Monfils won their first-round matches on Tuesday at Buenis Aires, Argentina, and Australian Open semifinalist Kyle Edmund withdrew from the tournament due to illness.

SOCCER

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Higuain of Juventus smashed the a penalty kick straight down the middle and saw it cannon off the crossbar at Turin, Italy, goal would have given Juventus a commanding 3-1 lead at halftime. Instead, Tottenham managed to recover from a terrible start and level in the second period to finish at 2-2, ahead of the second leg at Wembley on March 7.

• Manchester City sent out another statement to the rest of Europe by thrashing Basel 4-0 away in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 match.