Another World Cup win for Vonn

Lindsey Vonn dominated yet another World Cup downhill Saturday, winning by 1.42 seconds on the Engiadina course at St. Moritz, Switzerland.

The American found speed that eluded her rivals and clocked 1 minute 43.65 seconds on the relatively flat 1.57-mile track.

“I’m extremely happy with the win,” said Vonn, whose eighth World Cup victory this season extended her lead in the overall and downhill standings. “It’s been an amazing year so far.”

Maria Hoefl-Riesch of Germany, the defending overall champion, was second. Tina Weirather of Liechenstein was third, 1.47 seconds behind Vonn.

Vonn’s closest challenger in the overall standings, Tina Maze of Slovenia, was fourth, 1.65 seconds back. Vonn leads Maze by 352 pointswith half of the season’s scheduled races completed.

On a good day for the American team, Julia Mancuso tied for fifth place, Leanne Smith finished seventh and Laurenne Ross was 16th.

Didier Cuche won his second consecutive World Cup downhill race, on a shortened Kandahar course at Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany.

Erik Guay of Canada finished second on the slope on which he won the world championship title last year ahead of Cuche. Hannes Reichelt of Austria was third.

ETC.

Towson men end 41-game losing streak

Marcus Damas scored 18 points and the Towson men’s basketball team ended its NCAA record 41-game losing streak with a 66-61 victory over North Carolina Wilmington at Towson, Md.

Robert Nwankwo had 12 points and 11 rebounds for the Tigers (1-22, 1-10 Colonial Athletic Assn.).

The victory was the first at Towson for Coach Pat Skerry, and it was Towson’s first win since it defeated La Salle on Dec. 29, 2010.

Former USC receiver Kyle Prater has transferred to Northwestern. He received his release from USC this month.

Prater, who attended high school in Illinois, must sit out the 2012 season under NCAA transfer rules. He will be eligible for the Wildcats in 2013 and have two years of eligibility remaining.

The 6-foot-5 Prater was regarded as one of the top prospects in USC’s 2010 recruiting class. He graduated from high school early and enrolled in January 2010 so that he could get a head start on his college career.

But Prater struggled through a series of injuries and redshirted in 2010. Last season he mostly played late in games and caught one pass.

-- Gary Klein

Michigan State’s Kirk Cousins and Wisconsin’s Russell Wilson threw touchdown passes, leading the North to a 23-13 victory against the South in the Senior Bowl at Mobile, Ala. Purdue kicker Carson Wiggs sealed the win with his third short field goal, a 28-yarder with 4:11 left in the showcase for senior NFL prospects.

Russia’s Evgeni Plushenko produced a career-best performance at age 29, beating protege Artur Gachinski at Sheffield, England, and winning his seventh men’s European figure skating title.

The 2006 Olympic champion scored a personal-best 176.52 points in the free skate and totaled 261.23 -- his best overall mark.

Gachinski, 18, led his mentor and training partner by 0.09 points after the short program but finished 14.96 points behind in second. Defending champion Florent Amodio of France won the bronze.

Italy’s Carolina Kostner executed a flawless free skate and won her fourth European women’s title. Finland’s Kiira Korpi, second after the short program, won the silver despite finishing fourth in the free skate. Elene Gedevanishvili of Georgia took the bronze.

The Chicago Bears hired Kansas City Chiefs director of college scouting Phil Emery as their general manager. Emery replaces Jerry Angelo, who was fired after the team’s 8-8 season.

San Francisco 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith was charged with driving under the influence in Miami Beach. Miami-Dade County jail records show Smith was booked Saturday morning and held on $1,000 bond.

Rashad Evans unanimously outpointed Phil Davis in a five-round light-heavyweight fight at UFC Chicago. Evans (22-1-1) handed Davis (9-1) his first loss.

Evans now has a chance to regain the light-heavyweight title from Jon Jones, whom he will face April 21.

In other bouts, Chris Weidman defeated Demian Maia in a lackluster split decision and Chael Sonnen got his shot at a rematch against Anderson Silva for the middleweight title, unanimously outpointing Michael Bisping.