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MIAMI, Feb. 25 (UPI) -- Season-opening Major League Soccer matches, two NASCAR races and a full menu of NBA and college basketball games lead the weekend sports schedule. A PGA Tour golf tournament and dozens of NHL games also pack the slate. Combat sports fans can tune in for additional boxing and UFC events from Friday through Sunday on the Showtime, ESPN+ and DAZN pay-per-view and streaming platforms.
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Now that the 2022 Winter Games are over, sports fans can turn their attention to domestic competitions. The MLS and NASCAR seasons are in the early stages, while NBA, college basketball and NHL seasons near their conclusions and respective postseasons.
MLS' 28 teams kick off their 2022 campaigns this weekend. Eighteen teams start their seasons Saturday, while the other 10 teams play Sunday matches.
MLS season
The Philadelphia Union host Minnesota United at 1 p.m. EST in the first regular-season game of the 2022 MLS season. That game airs on ESPN+.
The Vancouver Whitecaps then face the Columbus Crew at 3:30 p.m. on ESPN+. LAFC hosts the Colorado Rapids at the same time on TUDN, Univision and Twitter.
An additional five games air Saturday night on ESPN+, including first-year MLS franchise Charlotte FC against DC United at 6 p.m. from Charlotte, N.C.
The New England Revolution host the Portland Timbers at 7:30 p.m. in Saturday's nightcap on Fox.
CF Montreal and Orlando City kick off Sunday's schedule with a 1 p.m. matchup on ESPN+. Sporting Kansas City follows with a 3 p.m. home matchup against Atlanta United on FS1.
New York City FC, the reigning MLS Cup champion, battles the Los Angeles Galaxy at 5 p.m. on ESPN. Real Salt Lake hosts the Houston Dynamo in the next game at 7 p.m. on ESPN+. Nashville SC hosts the Seattle Sounders in the final regular-season opener at 8 p.m. on the same streaming platform.
The Revolution, Sounders, LAFC and NYCFC are among the favorites to win the 2022 MLS Cup title. The MLS Cup title game is scheduled for Nov. 5. The 2022 World Cup starts Nov. 21 in Qatar.
NASCAR in Fontana
A pair of NASCAR races take place this weekend at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif. The track hosts the second official weekend for the sports' Cup Series and Xfinity Series.
Xfinity Series drivers will line up first for the 2022 Production Alliance Group 300 at 5 p.m. Saturday on FS1. Ty Gibbs, Noah Gragson, Daniel Hemric, Justin Allgaier and A.J. Allmendinger are among the favorites to finish first.
Cup Series qualifying for the 2022 Wise Power 400 stars Saturday in Fontana. The main event starts at 3:30 p.m. Sunday and airs on Fox.
Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr. are the Top 5 favorites in the 36-car field. Ryan Blaney, William Byron, Alex Bowman, Joe Logano and Kevin Harvick are among the other favorites in the 200-lap, 400-mile race.
Bowman won the 2020 Auto Club 400. The 2021 edition of the race was canceled due to COVID-19. Harvick, Busch, Larson, Truex and Brad Keselowski are among the other former winners in the field. Busch won the event in 2013, 2014 and 2019. He also won at the same track in 2005.
Basketball
The weekend basketball schedules features hundreds of games with the NBA and men's and women's college teams as they near postseason play.
Two NBA games air Friday night on ESPN. The New York Knicks host the Miami Heat in the first matchup at 7:30 p.m. from Madison Square Garden. LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers then host the Los Angeles Clippers in a rivalry matchup at 10 p.m. at Staples Center.
The NBA matchups continue Saturday, with seven games on the schedule. Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks host Kyrie Irving and the Brooklyn Nets in one of those matchups at 8:30 p.m. on ABC.
ABC also airs two games Sunday afternoon. The Knicks host Joel Embiid's Philadelphia 76ers in the first game at 1 p.m. in New York City. The Phoenix Suns follow with a game against the Utah Jazz at 3:30 p.m. on ABC.
Stephen Curry's Golden State Warriors host the Dallas Mavericks at 7:30 p.m. Saturday on ESPN. The Lakers host the New Orleans Pelicans at 10 p.m. Sunday on the same network.
In men's college basketball, Purdue -- the No. 7 team in the Coaches Poll -- faces Big Ten foe Michigan State at noon Saturday on ESPN. No. 3 Kentucky later takes on No. 18 Arkansas at 2 p.m. on CBS.
No. 4 Auburn faces No. 17 Tennessee at 4 p.m. Saturday on ESPN. No. 5 Kansas battles No. 11 Baylor at 8 p.m. on the same network. No. 1 Gonzaga also takes on No. 23 Saint Mary's at 10 p.m. on ESPN.
On the women's side, No. 10 Indiana faces No. 13 Maryland at 8 p.m. Friday on the Big Ten Network. No. 4 Louisville battles No. 16 Notre Dame at noon Sunday on ESPN2. No. 1 South Carolina faces Ole Miss at 2 p.m. on SEC Network.
No. 8 LSU takes on No. 14 Tennessee at 2 p.m. on ESPN2. No. 5 Michigan follows with another ranked matchup against No. 22 Iowa at 4 p.m. on ESPN2.
Weekend schedule (all times EST)
Friday
Soccer
Serie A: Udinese at AC Milan at 12:45 p.m. on beIN Sports
Serie A: Inter Milan at Genoa at 3 p.m. on beIN Sports
Premier League: Norwich at Southampton at 3 p.m. on USA Network
Golf
Honda Classic: Second round from 2 to 6 p.m. on Golf Channel
NHL
Blue Jackets at Hurricanes at 7 p.m. on ESPN+
Sabres at Blues at 8 p.m. on ESPN+
Devils at Blackhawks at 8:30 p.m. on NHL Network
Jets at Avalanche at 9 p.m. on ESPN+
Golden Knights at Coyotes at 9:30 p.m. on ESPN+
Kings at Ducks at 10 p.m. on ESPN+
College basketball
Men's
Saint Louis at Richmond at 7 p.m. on ESPN2
Iowa at Nebraska at 9 p.m. on FS1
Texas State at Troy at 9 p.m. on ESPN2
Women's
Indiana at Maryland at 8 p.m. on Big Ten Network
NBA
Heat at Knicks at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN
Clippers at Lakers at 10 p.m. on ESPN
Saturday
Soccer
Premier League: Tottenham Hotspur at Leeds at 7:30 a.m. on USA Network
Premier League: Watford at Manchester United at 10 a.m. on USA Network
Serie A: Juventus at Empoli at noon on beIN Sports
Premier League: Manchester City at Everton at 12:30 p.m. on Peacock Premium
La Liga: Real Madrid at Rayo Vallecano at 12:30 p.m. on ESPN+
Bundesliga: Bayern Munich at Eintracht Frankfurt at 12:30 p.m. on ESPN+
MLS: Minnesota at Philadelphia at 1 p.m. on ESPN+
La Liga: Celta Vigo at Atletico Madrid at 3 p.m. on ESPN+
Ligue 1: Saint-Etienne at PSG at 3 p.m. on beIN Sports
MLS: Vancouver at Columbus at 3:30 p.m. on ESPN+
MLS: Colorado at LAFC at 3:30 p.m. on Univision, TUDN, Twitter
MLS: Toronto at Dallas at 5:30 p.m. on ESPN+
MLS: Cincinnati at Austin at 6 p.m. on ESPN+
MLS: Charlotte at DC United at 6 p.m. on ESPN+
MLS: Chicago at Miami at 6 p.m. on ESPN+
MLS: New York Red Bulls at San Jose at 6 p.m. on ESPN+
MLS: New England at Portland at 7:30 p.m. on Fox
College basketball
Men's
Purdue at Michigan State at noon on ESPN
Oklahoma State at Oklahoma at noon on CBS
Florida at Georgia at noon on ESPN2
Butler at Marquette at 1 p.m. on Fox
Kentucky at Arkansas at 2 p.m. on CBS
Texas at West Virginia at 2 p.m. on ESPN2
North Carolina at NC State at 2 p.m. on ESPN
Seton Hall at Xavier at 3:30 p.m. on Fox
Auburn at Tennessee at 4 p.m. on ESPN
UCLA at Oregon State at 4 p.m. on CBS
Florida State at Virginia at 4 p.m. on ESPN2
Duke at Syracuse at 6 p.m. on ESPN
Texas Tech at TCU at 6 p.m. on ESPN2
Wisconsin at Rutgers at 6 p.m. on Big Ten Network
South Carolina at Alabama at 6 p.m. on SEC Network
Arizona at Colorado at 8 p.m. on eSPN2
Kansas at Baylor at 8 p.m. on ESPN
Creighton at Providence at 8:30 p.m. on FS1
Gonzaga at Saint Mary's at 10 p.m. on ESPN
USC at Oregon at 10 p.m. on ESPN2
NHL
Oilers at Panthers at 12:30 p.m. on ESPN+
Capitals at Flyers at 12:30 p.m. on NHL Network
Rangers at Penguins at 3 p.m. on ABC
Canadiens at Senators at 7 p.m. on ESPN+
Lightning at Predators at 7:30 p.m. on TNT
Maple Leafs at Red Wings at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN+
Wild at Flames at 10 p.m. on ESPN+
Avalanche at Golden Knights at 10 p.m. on ESPN+
Bruins at Sharks at 10 p.m. on ESPN+
Islanders at Kings at 10:30 p.m. on ESPN+
Golf
Honda Classic: Third round from 1 to 3 p.m. on Golf Channel, 3 to 6 p.m. on NBC
NASCAR
Xfinity Series Production Alliance Group 300 at 5 p.m. on FS1
UFC
Fight Night main card starts at 7 p.m. on ESPN+
NBA
Nets at Bucks at 8:30 p.m. on ABC
Boxing
Josh Taylor vs. Jack Catterall at 10 p.m. on ESPN+
Chris Colbert vs. Hector Luis Garcia main card starts at 10 p.m. on Showtime
Sunday
Soccer
La Liga: Real Betis at Sevilla at 10:15 a.m. on ESPN+
Carabao Cup: Liverpool vs. Chelsea at 11:30 a.m. on ESPN+
Bundesliga: Borussia Dortmund at FC Augsburg at 11:30 a.m. on ESPN+
MLS: Montreal at Orlando at 1 p.m. on ESPN+
La Liga: Athletic Club at Barcelona at 3 p.m. on ESPN+
MLS: Kansas City at Atlanta at 3 p.m. on FS1
MLS: NYCFC at LA Galaxy at 5 p.m. on ESPN
MLS: Salt Lake at Houston at 7 p.m. on ESPN+
MLS: Nashville at Seattle at 8 p.m. on ESPN+
College basketball
Men's
UConn at Georgetown at noon on CBS
SMU at Houston at 12:30 p.m. on ESPN
Illinois at Michigan at 2 p.m. on CBS
Wichita State at Memphis at 2:30 p.m. on ESPN
Ohio State at Maryland at 4 p.m. on CBS
St. John's at DePaul at 5 p.m. on FS1
Women's
Louisville at Notre Dame at noon on ESPN2
Missouri at Florida at noon on SEC Network
Georgia Tech at Wake Forest at 1 p.m. on ACC Network Extra
South Carolina at Ole Miss at 2 p.m. on SEC Network
LSU at Tennessee at 2 p.m. on ESPN2
Texas A&M at Georgia at 2 p.m. on SEC Network
Ohio State at Michigan State at 2:30 p.m. on Big Ten Network
Michigan at Iowa at 4 p.m. on ESPN2
Duke at North Carolina at 4 p.m. on ACC Network
NC State at Virginia Tech at 6 p.m. on ACC Network
NHL
Oilers at Hurricanes at 1 p.m. on NHL Network
Sabres at Stars at 2 p.m. on ESPN+
Blues at Blackhawks at 3 p.m. on ESPN+
Jets at Coyotes at 4 p.m. on ESPN+
Penguins at Blue Jackets at 6 p.m. on ESPN+
Canucks at Rangers at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN+
Islanders at Ducks at 8:30 p.m. on NHL Network
Kraken at Sharks at 10 p.m. on ESPN+
Golf
Honda Classic: Final round from 1 to 3 p.m. on Golf Channel, 3 to 6 p.m. on NBC
NBA
76ers at Knicks at 1 p.m. on ABC
Jazz at Suns at 3:30 p.m. on ABC
Mavericks at Warriors at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN
Pelicans at Lakers at 10 p.m. on ESPN
NASCAR
Cup Series Wise Power 400 at 3:30 p.m. on Fox
Boxing
Lawrence Okolie vs. Michal Cieslak at 4 p.m. on DAZN
