Leading Off: Pictures of the Week

Nick Diaz lands a blow to Georges St-Pierre in their bout at UFC 158. Although Diaz connected on this punch, the welterweight champion St-Pierre did the bulk of the damage, winning the fight by unanimous decision after a lopsided five rounds.

Carlos Beltran connects on a pitch in Puerto Rico's World Baseball Classic semifinal against Japan on March 17. Puerto Rico upset two-time depending champion Japan 3-1 to earn its first berth in the championship game.

Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade rises to the hoop for a layup against the Atlanta Hawks on March 12 in Miami. Wade scored a team-high 23 points in Miami's 98-81 victory, part of its now 22-game winning streak.

Jasmina Suter bends around a gate in the ladies' giant slalom at the FIS Alpine Skiing European Cup Finals on March 14 in Sochi, Russia. Suter won the silver medal in the competition, held in the same city that will host the 2014 Winter Olympics.

New Mexico forward Cameron Bairstow puts up a shot as San Diego State forward Skylar Spencer tries to deny him in the Mountain West Conference Tournament semifinal on March 15. Bairstow chipped in 16 points as the Lobos eliminated the Aztecs 60-50, advancing to the finals, where they beat UNLV for the tournament title.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Tyler Bozak proves he doesn't need his skates to score, beating Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury from his knees in the second period on March 14. Bozak's goal was the only time the Maple Leafs got a shot past Fleury as Pascal Dupuis scored twice in the third period for the Penguins to lead Pittsburgh to a 3-1 win.

Rafael Nadal smiles and hugs his trophy as the confetti rains down on him at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 17. Nadal rallied after losing the first set and trailing 1-3 in the second to defeat Juan Martin Del Potro 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the final at the BNP Paribas Open. The title was the Spaniard's third in four tournaments since returning from a seven-month layoff due to injury.

Colorado Rapids midfielder Diego Calderon knocks the ball away from Real Salt Lake midfielder Luis Gil during the first half of the MLS clubs' 1-1 draw. The match was part of the MLS' rivalry week, pitting the two teams for the first leg of the Rocky Mountain Cup rivalry series.

Memphis forward D.J. Stephens falls on Tulane forward Kendall Timmons in the second half of the Conference USA quarterfinals on March 14. Stephens' Tigers defeated the Green Wave 81-68 and went on to win the conference tournament and earn a No. 6 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

New York Yankees shortstop Eduardo Nunez steals third as Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez misplays the throw in a March 17 spring training game in Bradenton, Fla. The Yankees won a slugfest 11-9, powered by home runs from Kevin Youkilis and Melky Mesa.

Kirsten Moore-Towers and Dylan Moscovitch perform during the pairs free program at the World Figure Skating Championships on March 15 in London, Canada. The Canadian pair just missed out on a medal, placing fourth in the competition with a combined score of 199.50.

Dominican Republic catcher Carlos Santana tags out Puerto Rico's Irving Falu at the plate during the second round of the World Baseball Classic at Marlins Park in Miami. The play at the plate allowed the Dominican Republic to preserve a shutout in its 2-0 triumph.

Maria Sharapova returns a shot from the edge of a shadow to Carla Suarez Navarro during their third round match at the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 10. Sharapova won the match 7-5, 6-3 and eventually won the tournament with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Caroline Wozniacki in the final.

Syracuse guard Michael Carter-Williams dives for a loose ball as Louisville guard Peyton Siva reaches out for it in the championship game of the Big East Tournament on March 16. Louisville claimed the last tournament title of the current construction of the Big East with a 78-61 victory and earned it the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Runners and riders clear the last hurdle in the Pertempts Final at Cheltenham Racecourse on March 14 in Cheltenham, England. Richie McLernon rode Holywell to victory in the race.

Philadelphia 76ers center Spencer Hawes misses on a dunk attempt against the Brooklyn Nets in the second half of a March 11 game. Despite the miss, Hawes scored a team-high 24 points to lead the 76ers to a 106-97 victory in Philadelphia.

Prayad Marksaeng jumps into the water at the Thana City Golf and Sports Club after winning the Thailand Open on March 17. Marksaeng, a native of Thailand, won his own national open with a 24-under 262, two shots better than Australia's Scott Strange.