Leading Off: Pictures of the Week

Leading Off: Pictures of the Week

Jamie Sabau/Getty Images

Ohio State center Amir Williams gets a hand up to disrupt the shot of Michigan State forward Derrick Nix in the second half of a Feb. 24 Big Ten matchup. Williams' No. 18 Buckeyes knocked off the No.4 Spartans in Columbus, Ohio, giving Michigan State its second straight Big Ten loss and increasing Indiana's cushion atop the conference to two games.

Matt Slocum/AP

New York Yankees center fielder Curtis Granderson grimaces after taking a pitch from the Toronto Blue Jays' J.A. Happ off of his right foreman. Although the Yankees originally called it a bruise, X-rays revealed Ganderson had broken his arm, leaving New York without its top slugger for 10 weeks.

Greg Nelson/SI

The Chicago Bulls and the Oklahoma City Thunder fight for a rebound in their Feb. 24 matchup at the Chesapeake Energy Arena. The Thunder routed the Bulls 102-72 as Chicago shot just 29 percent from the floor. Oklahoma City point guard Russell Westbrook led all scorers with 23 points.

Brad Mangin/SI

Cincinnati Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips shows no rust from the offseason as he dives for a grounder in a spring training game against the Cleveland Indians in Glendale, Ariz. on Feb. 23. The Indians won a slugfest, 13-10, powered by two home runs from Ryan Raburn. Raburn homered in each of his first three at-bats at spring training.

Fred Vuich/SI

Danica Patrick greats the throng of fans on her way to her car before the 55th running of the Daytona 500 on Feb. 24. Patrick became the first woman to win the pole at a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event, and she finished eighth in the race. That was the best ever finish by a woman at the Daytona 500, and she made history as the first woman to lead a lap in the historic race.

Fred Vuich/SI

Philadelphia Flyers right winger Wayne Simmonds tussles with Pittsburgh Penguins left winger Tanner Glass in an NHL game on Feb. 20. Simmonds was busy in the game, scoring two goals and an assist in addition to the fight.

David Graham/AP

Kyle Larson's car goes airborne during a multi-car wreck on the final lap of a NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 23. The wreck, which occurred one day before the Daytona 500, sent a tire, car parts and debris flying into the stands, injuring at least 33 fans, including two who were initially in critical condition.

Chris Graythen/Getty Images

Jimmie Johnson celebrates in victory lane after winning the 55th annual Dayton 500 on Feb. 24. Johnson raced past defending NASCAR champion Brad Keselowski on the final restart to take the checkered flag, his second win in the Great American Race.

Jeff Roberson/AP

St. Louis Blues defenseman Barret Jackman slams Columbus Blue Jackets right winger Cam Atkinson into the boards as the two chase after a loose puck in the third period of a Feb. 23 game. The Blues won 2-1, ending a five-game home losing streak.

Robert Beck/SI

Ronda Rousey flips opponent Liz Carmouche over to set up her signature armbar in their bantamweight title fight at UFC 157 on Feb. 23. Carmouche tapped out from the armbar, giving Rousey the victory. Rousey has won all seven of her professional bouts in the first round with the armbar, a judo move the bends back the opponent's arm. Rousey has dislocated at least two opponents' elbows with the move.

Robert Beck/SI

Ronda Rousey celebrates in the Octagon after defeating Liz Carmouche in the first women's fight in UFC history on Feb. 23. Rousey defended her belt in the bantamweight title fight at UFC 157 in Anaheim, Calif.

Fred Vuich/SI

A scrum breaks out in front of the Pittsburgh Penguins' net in a game against the intrastate-rival Philadelphia Flyers on Feb. 20 in Pittsburgh. The Flyers won a wild back-and-forth game in which they scored four consecutive goals only to have the Penguins tie the game with just more than two minutes remaining. Jakub Voracek scored with 1:31 left to complete his hat trick and clinch the win, 6-5.

Chuck Solomon/SI

Atlanta Braves catcher Jose Yepez applies the tag to the New York Yankees' Jose Pirela at home plate in a spring training game on Feb. 23 in Orlando, Fla. The Yankees won their spring training-opener 8-3, getting home runs from Zoilo Almonte and Robinson Cano.

Stuart Franklin/Getty Images

Matt Kuchar hits his tee shot on the sixth hole during the championship match at the Accenture Match Play Championships at the Golf Club at Dove Mountain on Feb. 24. Kuchar defeated defending champion Hunter Mahan, 2 and 1, to win the title, his first World Golf Championship.

Stuart Franklin/Getty Images

Hunter Mahan hits his tee shot on the ninth hole during the semifinal round at the Accenture Match Play Championships at the Golf Club at Dove Mountain in Marana, Ariz. Mahan defeated Ian Poulter 4 and 3 to earn the right to defend his Match Play title against Matt Kuchar, who claimed this year's championship.