The Pac-12 tournament got under way yesterday in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand. While the Ducks did not hit the hardwood yesterday since they earned a first round bye, several other games of interest occurred in Sin City.

The most notable game of the first day was a battle between No. 8 Stanford and No. 9 Arizona State in a contest that came down to the wire. In the end, Arizona State was able to best the Cardinal and advance to a matchup with UCLA.

The Emerald’s own Jackson Long is live in Vegas covering the tournament and provides a recap of all the notable first day action here.

A different kind of professional. The world of the NFL is cruel. In a league where there are no guaranteed contracts and the average career length is short, players can seem dispensable.

Oregon starting lineman Ryan Clanton decided that after the 2013 season, and the completion of his career as a Duck, he wanted to ensure that if football didn’t work out he would have a legitimate backup plan.

For this reason he decided to intern with Hoffman Construction, a construction firm that has helped to improve many of Oregon’s athletic facilities.

The Register-Guard’s Rob Moseley takes a look at Clanton’s winter and the steps he took to prepare for his future in football.

Mamba down. When the Los Angeles Lakers lost to the Atlanta Hawks last night 96-92, they didn’t just lose another regular season game; they also lost their star Kobe Bryant.

Bryant suffered a severely sprained ankle in the waning moments of the game when he came down awkwardly on the Hawks Dahntay Jones’ foot.

Bryant is out indefinitely and should he miss an extended period of time, it will surely hurt the Lakers’ playoff aspirations.