TUESDAY SPORTS: Gamecocks, Tigers, rank in preseason Top 25

South Carolina is ranked No. 7 in the nation in the Baseball America Preseason Top 25 as announced on Monday morning. The Gamecocks begin the 2014 season on Friday, Feb. 14 in the first game of a three-game series at Carolina Stadium. South Carolina is one of eight SEC schools to be ranked in the preseason poll, and the highest ranked of all the SEC squads. Clemson was ranked #13 in the nation in Baseball America’s 2014 preseason ranking, released on Monday. Virginia was atop the Baseball America ranking, followed by #2 Oregon State, #3 Indiana, #4 Cal State Fullerton, and #5 N.C. State.

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EA Sports’ annual Super Bowl simulation is out, using the Xbox One version of Madden NFL 25, and it’s predicting a 31-28 overtime win on Sunday for the Denver Broncos over the Seattle Seahawks. Seattle might be a little concerned about this call, because the Madden prediction has a 8-2 record in calling the winners for the past 10 Super Bowls.

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Atlanta Falcons coach Mike Smith and general manager Thomas Dimitroff have signed one year contract extensions through 2016. the Falcons also announced a four year extension through 2019 for president Rich McKay.

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In the NBA Monday, Kevin Durant scored 41 points, including the game-winning jumper with 1.5 seconds left, and the Oklahoma City Thunder rallied from a 14-point deficit to beat the Atlanta Hawks 111-109 for their  eighth straight victory.