Today is
Thursday November 21, 2024
DALLAS (AP) â Jason Robertson scored for the first time in 10 games and had two assists for his first multipoint game since Oct. 19 as the Dallas Stars beat the San Jose Sharks 5-2 on Wednesday night.
Roope Hintz and Wyatt Johnston each had a goal and assist, and Jamie Benn and Evgenii Dadonov also scored for the Stars. Jake Oettinger made 20 saves, improving to 7-0-0 at home while allowing 10 total goals.
Mikael Granlund had a short-handed goal and his 400th career assist for the Sharks. Jake Walman also scored, and Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 26 shots.
After Walman pulled the Sharks within one with 6:35 left in the third period, Hintz and Dadonov had empty-netters in the final 90 seconds to seal the Stars’ win.
Robertson gave Dallas a 1-0 lead with 4 1/2 minutes left in the first period and had the secondary assist when Johnston scored 56 seconds into the second period putting Dallas back ahead 2-1.
Granlund skated slowly to the bench with three minutes left being hit high by Ilya Lyubushkin and didn’t return to the ice. Coach Ryan Warsofky didn’t have an update on Granlund’s condition after the game.
Takeaways
Sharks: Macklin Celebrini, last summerâs overall No. 1 draft pick, had one shot on goal, split 14 faceoffs and drew a penalty.
Stars: The worst home power play in the league went 0 for 4 and allowed a goal. Dallas is 2 for 27 (7.4%), blanked on the last 14 power plays.
Key moment
The Sharks put on heavy pressure trailing by one with three minutes left but couldnât score.
Key stat
The Stars are 8-2 at home, one loss coming as the designated home team during the Global Series played in Finland.
Up Next
Sharks at St. Louis on Thursday, and Stars visit Tampa Bay on Saturday to open a three-game trip.
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AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL
BRISTOL, Conn. (AP) â Mickey Mouse and many of Disney’s iconic characters will be part of the NBA’s first animated alt-cast on Christmas Day.
Disney and ESPN announced on Wednesday that the Dec. 25 game between the San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks will be on ESPN2, Disney+ and ESPN+ as âDunk the Halls.â
Even though this is the first time with the NBA, ESPN has done alternate animated broadcasts for NFL and NHL games.
The telecast will be entirely animated, with the playersâ movements in sync with what is happening in real time on the field. Thatâs done through player-tracking data enabled by Sonyâs Hawk-Eye Innovationsâ optical tracking system and Beyond Sports.
The animated version of the game will be set on iconic âMain Street, USAâ in Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World Resort. Shots of âMain Street, USAâ and other famous landmarks within the park will be regularly shown, including Cinderellaâs Castle.
The traditional broadcast will air on ABC and ESPN.
CLEVELAND (AP) â Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland and New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram were among 14 players ruled out with injuries for the teamsâ game on Wednesday night.
Garland (left groin soreness) had started the first 16 contests for Cleveland, which has the best record in the NBA at 15-1. The Cavaliersâ franchise-record winning streak ended Tuesday in Boston 120-117, with Garland missing 18 of 21 field-goal attempts.
Cleveland also is without rotation players Caris LeVert (left knee inflammation), Isaac Okoro (left ankle strain), Sam Merrill (left ankle soreness), Dean Wade (left ankle sprain) and Max Strus (right ankle sprain).
âIt tests our depth, but personally, I like games like this because it also tests your roster,â Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said. âWith 17 games in 29 days and the league playing faster, I donât know how these guys do it.â
Ingram (bilateral ankle sprain), who is averaging a team-high 23.2 points, also missed his first game of the season after logging 33 minutes Tuesday night in a 132-91 loss at Dallas.
New Orleansâ top six scorers were unavailable in Cleveland, including three other starters in Zion Williamson (left hamstring strain), CJ McCollum (right adductor strain) and Trey Murphy III (right hamstring).
âWe believe Brandon will be fine, but given the circumstances and the minutes he played last night, this was a decision we came to,â Pelicans coach Willie Green said. âThis is an opportunity for guys who usually wouldnât be on the floor to get some time.â
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
HOUSTON (AP) â Alperen Sengun had a season-high 31 points with 12 rebounds to lead the Houston Rockets to a 130-113 win over the Indiana Pacers Wednesday night.
The Rockets used a big run in the third quarter to push the lead to 21 entering the fourth and cruised to their sixth victory in seven games.
Jabari Smith Jr. added 23 points for the Rockets for his second 20-point game in the last four, and Fred VanVleet had 18 points and six assists.
Quenton Jackson had a career-high 24 points on 10-of-12 shooting for the Pacers, who lost for the fourth time in five games. Pascal Siakam had 19 points at halftime but only scored two more points the rest of the way.
Takeaways
Pacers: If Indiana is going to be successful this season, Tyrese Haliburton must be more effective. The two-time All-Star was 1 of 7 for four points after making just 5 of 18 shots against the Raptors on Monday.
Rockets: Houston has gotten off to a strong start this season thanks to a balanced scoring attack. The Rockets had five players in double figures as they improved to 11-5.
Key moment
A dunk by Myles Turner got the Pacers within three with about eight minutes left in the third quarter before the Rockets used a 12-3 run, with 3s from VanVleet and Sengun, to make it 82-70 less than three minutes later.
Key stat
The Pacers made just 5 of 22 3-pointers, while Houston made 12 of 36 attempts.
Up next
The Rockets host the first of consecutive games against Portland on Friday night, the same night the Pacers visit Milwaukee.
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
CLEVELAND (AP) â Ty Jerome scored 27 points in the first half and finished with a career-high 29 as the Cleveland Cavaliers never trailed in a 128-100 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night.
Jerome, starting in place of injured point guard Darius Garland, had 20 points in the second quarter and buried seven 3-pointers before halftime. Cleveland is off to the best start in franchise history at 16-1.
Georges Niang added 20 points and first-round pick Jaylon Tyson had 16 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists in his first pro start for the Cavaliers. Jarrett Allen had 16 points and 11 rebounds.
Rookie forward Antonio Reeves, who averaged 2.9 points per game, scored 34 points, and Brandon Boston Jr. had 14 points for the injury-riddled Pelicans.
Takeaways
Pelicans: Elfrid Payton was signed earlier in the day and appeared in his first NBA game since May 15, 2022 with Phoenix. Coach Willie Green started the 30-year-old point guard, who posted 11 points, five rebounds, eight assists and four turnovers.
Cavaliers: Cleveland bounced back from a 120-117 loss in Boston on Tuesday and led by as many as 34 points to remain unbeaten through nine home games. Donovan Mitchell only played 20 minutes and Evan Mobley logged just 18.
Key moment
Jerome drained three long 3-pointers in a 62-second span in the second quarter, turning Clevelandâs single-digit lead into a 67-51 advantage. The combined distance of the 3s was 101 feet.
Key stat
New Orleansâ top-six scorers — averaging a combined 110.5 points — were out with injuries, forcing it to use all three of its two-way players. Forward Brandon Ingram sat out his first game with a bilateral ankle sprain.
Up next
The Pelicans host Golden State on Friday, and the Cavaliers continue their three-game homestand Sunday against Toronto.
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) â Jalen Williams scored 30 points, Isaiah Hartenstein had a double-double in his season debut, and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Portland Trail Blazers 109-99 on Wednesday night.
Hartenstein, a free agent pickup who played for the New York Knicks last season, had been out with a broken bone in his left hand. He had 13 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks in 29 minutes and provided rim protection and bulk for a team that has struggled with injuries in the frontcourt.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 28 points for the Thunder. He made just 7 of 19 field goals, but he made all 14 of his free throws to help Oklahoma City snap a two-game losing streak.
Alex Caruso scored 17 points to help Oklahoma Cityâs bench outscore Portlandâs 44-31.
Shaedon Sharpe led Portland with 21 points and Toumani Camara and Jerami Grant each added 14 for the Trail Blazers.
The game was close for three quarters before the Thunder used a 39-30 fourth-quarter surge to pull away,
Takeaways
Thunder: Hartenstein proved his value immediately. The Thunder had been getting dominated on the boards in recent games, so losing the rebounding battle 49-46 resembled a victory.
Trail Blazers: Oklahoma City scored 28 points off Portland’s 24 turnovers.
Key moment
Oklahoma City trailed 20-13 with 5:10 left in the first quarter when Hartenstein entered the game after missing the first 15 contests. His presence was especially important because the Thunder will be without Chet Holmgren, one of the league’s top rim protectors, for at least another six weeks with a pelvic fracture.
Key stat
Oklahoma City outscored the Blazers 56-32 in points in the paint.
Up next
The Trail Blazers visit Houston on Friday and the Thunder visit Sacramento on Monday.
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
Two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning, prolific tight end Antonio Gates and dominant pass rusher Jared Allen are among the 25 modern-era candidates for the 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame class.
The Hall announced the semifinalists on Wednesday after the selection committee cut down a list of 50 nominees made by a newly created screening committee. The list includes six players in their first year of eligibility and 10 players who were finalists last year.
The full selection committee will reduce the list of candidates to 15 finalists who will be voted on at the annual meeting before the Super Bowl that will produce the new class. Players must get 80% of votes to make the Hall, with between three and five players getting in as modern-era candidates.
There also will be votes for three seniors candidates, one contributor and one coach, with between one and three people from that group getting into the Hall.
Leading the group of candidates in their first year of eligibility were Manning, former Defensive Players of the Year Luke Kuechly and Terrell Suggs; postseason kicking hero Adam Vinatieri; three-time Pro Bowl safety Earl Thomas; and two-time All-Pro guard Marshal Yanda.
Gates and Allen headline the group of returning finalists from last year, along with receivers Torry Holt and Reggie Wayne; offensive linemen Willie Anderson and Jahri Evans; defensive backs Darren Woodson, Eric Allen and Rodney Harrison; and running back Fred Taylor also advancing.
The returning semifinalists are receivers Anquan Boldin, Steve Smith and Hines Ward; defensive lineman Robert Mathis and Vince Wilfork; linebacker James Harrison; and running back Ricky Watters.
Offensive lineman Richmond Webb, who retired following the 2002 season, made it to the semifinal stage for the first time. Guard Steve Wisniewski is a semifinalist for the second time, having reached the stage in voting for the class of 2014.
Manning will look to follow his brother Peyton into the Hall following a standout career with the New York Giants. Manning was picked first overall in the 2004 draft and spent his entire career in New York. He led the Giants to an upset win over the undefeated New England Patriots in the Super Bowl following the 2007 season, throwing a game-winning TD pass to Plaxico Burress in the final minute.
He led another late TD drive to upset Tom Brady and the Patriots four years later. Manning is one of 13 QBs to win multiple Super Bowls, with eight of the nine who are eligible for the Hall getting inducted.
Only Jim Plunkett has not been inducted, along with more recent players such as Brady, Ben Roethlisberger and Patrick Mahomes, who arenât yet eligible.
Manning was a four-time Pro Bowler but never made All-Pro or led the league in a major statistical category in a season. He finished his career with 57,023 yards passing and 366 TDs.
His best moments came during those two postseason runs. Manning joined Brady (five), Mahomes (three), Joe Montana (three), Bart Starr (two) and Terry Bradshaw (two) as the only multiple winners of Super Bowl MVP awards.
Gates played only basketball in college before turning into one of the NFLâs top tight ends after being drafted by the Chargers. He became an All-Pro in just his second season in 2004. He was an All-Pro again the next two seasons and went on to have a 16-year career with the team.
Gates finished with 955 catches for 11,841 yards and an NFL record for tight ends with 116 touchdown receptions.
Allen was a four-time All-Pro who finished his career with 136 sacks, including a league-leading 22 in 2011 for Minnesota.
Kuechly and Suggs were among the top defensive players of their era, with Kuechly selected as the top defensive player in 2013 and Suggs in 2011.
Kuechlyâs career was brief but impactful. The first-round pick by Carolina in 2012 was an All-Pro five times, with seven Pro Bowl nods and a Defensive Rookie of the Year award.
Over his eight-year career, Kuechly led all linebackers in the NFL in tackles (1,090), takeaways (26), interceptions (18) and passes defensed (66).
Suggs was one of the top pass rushers in the league over his 17-year career, with his 139 sacks ranking eighth best since they became an official stat in 1982.
Suggs had seven double-digit sack seasons in his 16 seasons with Baltimore, including 14 in 2011 when he was selected as the top defensive player in the league and led the NFL with seven forced fumbles.
Vinatieri was one of the most clutch kickers in NFL history, making the game-winning field goals in the first two Super Bowl titles during New Englandâs dynasty.
He helped launch the run with one of the gameâs greatest kicks â a 45-yarder in the snow to force overtime in the âTuck Ruleâ game against the Raiders in the 2001 divisional round. He made the game-winning kick in OT to win that game and then hit a 48-yarder on the final play of a 20-17 win in the Super Bowl against the Rams.
Vinatieri is the NFLâs career leader in points (2,673) and made field goals (599) over a 24-year career with New England and Indianapolis. He also leads all players with 56 field goals and 238 points in the postseason.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / November 20, 2024 / Dr. Bill Releford, renowned podiatric surgeon, founder, President, and CEO of The Wound Pros and community advocate, announced today a partnership with the Los Angeles Rams. This partnership is dedicated to advancing health and wellness across Southern California communities. Through this alliance, Dr. Releford’s brands, The Wound Pros, Bloom Ranch, and 5 Colors a Day to Better Health, will integrate with select Rams community outreach programs, emphasizing accessible health education, nutrition, and physical activity. Some of the programs that the partnership will be involved with include PLAY 60, local school visits, and Los Angeles Regional Food Bank’s Mobile Food Pantry.
“Choosing to partner with the LA Rams to spread my message was easy for me. I have a mission to educate people far and wide about the importance of proper nutrition and physical activity to starve off any chronic health issues. I know this is not a mission I can do alone. At the heart of our partnership is a shared calling to improve access to healthy living resources, inspiring individuals to lead healthier, more productive lives,” says Dr. Releford. “With the Rams, we can reach deeper into the community, raising awareness of the importance of nutrition, activity, and health education, especially among underserved groups.”
“We are thrilled to partner with Dr. Releford to bring comprehensive wellness resources directly to our community. Together, we’re partnering with a purpose and addressing needs by combining education, nutrition, and physical activity to empower our fans and neighbors to take charge of their well-being. This collaboration allows us to connect with our community in impactful ways, providing valuable resources and inspiration for healthier living,” said Jennifer Prince, Chief Commercial Officer of the Los Angeles Rams.
Dr. Releford’s The Wound Pros, a national leader in advanced wound care management, brings cutting-edge technology to this collaboration. Utilizing state-of-the-art diagnostics, The Wound Pros will be integrated into select Rams community events to promote the importance of proper wound care for athletes and community members alike, ensuring effective recovery and injury prevention. Combining innovation with personal wellness advocacy, The Wound Pros stands at the forefront of modern wound care solutions.
As owner of Bloom Ranch, the largest minority-owned ranch in Los Angeles County, Dr. Releford will extend his passion for fresh, locally sourced food to this partnership. Bloom Ranch, known for its organic produce, will provide fresh fruit and vegetables at select Rams community events, bringing a genuine Farmer’s Market experience. This initiative aims to educate the community on the role of nutrition and sustainable agriculture, ensuring access to quality produce for all.
Dr. Releford’s mission for nutritional education is embodied in his book, 5 Colors A Day to Better Health. Through this book, he advocates for a vibrant, balanced diet rich in natural nutrients. Supported by the Rams’ outreach, this partnership will engage communities with the book’s central theme: incorporating a variety of colorful, nutritious foods daily to boost overall health. Together, Dr. Releford and the Rams are committed to making nutrition education engaging and accessible.
This partnership between the Los Angeles Rams and Dr. Bill Releford encompasses a holistic approach to health, focusing on nutrition, advanced care, and community support. By integrating Dr. Releford’s health-oriented brands with the Rams’ impactful community initiatives, this alliance is poised to make a meaningful difference across Los Angeles, empowering individuals to achieve healthier lifestyles through improved resources and inspiring community.
ABOUT DR. BILL RELEFORD
Dr. Bill Releford – affectionately known as The Doctor and The Farmer – is a podiatric surgeon, founder of The Wound Pros, the most comprehensive wound care and management service in the industry, and the owner of the Bloom Ranch, the largest black-owned ranch in Los Angeles County. Dr. Releford is a leading visionary and innovator in the global healthcare complex and brings a unique approach to medicine that blends the latest advancements in medical practices and technologies with sustainable agricultural insights in order to improve the health, quality of life and well-being of his patients and community.
ABOUT LOS ANGELES RAMS
The Los Angeles Rams – Los Angeles’ original professional sports team and Super Bowl LVI Champions – stand as one of the oldest franchises in the National Football League and since its founding in 1937, have garnered four World Championships and sent 30 of its members to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. As a professional sports team, the organization is committed to be a valuable civic partner and serving the greater Los Angeles area 365 days a year. The Rams play their home games at SoFi Stadium, which is located at Hollywood Park, a 298-acre sports and entertainment destination being developed by Los Angeles Rams Owner/Chairman E. Stanley Kroenke in Inglewood, CA.
Chris Sale was one of the ace left-handers Tarik Skubal idolized as a teenager. Now the two will be linked forever after winning their first Cy Young Awards on Wednesday.
Skubal was a unanimous pick for the American League honor following a brilliant season with the Detroit Tigers. Saleâs selection in the National League capped an incredible comeback with the Atlanta Braves after the 35-year-old had been derailed by injuries since helping Boston win the 2018 World Series.
âIt means a lot. Itâs a special night,â Sale said. âI just canât express how thankful I am for everybody that stuck by me. It would have been easy to jump ship and write me off.â
Skubal and Sale shared the MLB lead with 18 wins this season and dominated their respective leagues.
Sale went 18-3 and topped the NL with 225 strikeouts, while his 2.38 ERA in 29 starts was the best among all major league qualifiers. It was his first season in the National League during a big league career that began in 2010 with the Chicago White Sox.
Skubal, who turned 28 on Wednesday, was 18-4 with a 2.39 ERA and a big league-best 228 strikeouts in 31 starts. The left-hander got all 30 first-place votes in AL balloting by the Baseball Writersâ Association of America that was completed before the playoffs.
Sale received 26 firsts, with NL runner-up Zack Wheeler from Philadelphia getting the other four.
âIf you look at his career, itâs no surprise that heâs winning this award,â Skubal said about Sale. âTo be able to share this award and win it the same year, and win the same triple crown award in the AL and NL, thatâs something thatâs really special to me, and itâs awesome. Iâll be able to live with that the rest of my life.â
Pittsburgh Pirates righty Paul Skenes finished third, two days after being selected NL Rookie of the Year. Kansas City starter Seth Lugo was the AL runner-up, with Cleveland closer Emmanuel Clase (47 saves) coming in third.
It was the first time since 2011 that someone won the pitching triple crown in both leagues. There have been 25 occasions when a pitcher led his league in wins, strikeouts and ERA among qualifiers â and a Cy Young Award followed all 16 times it’s happened since the prize was first presented in 1956.
Sale didnât have any major injury issues in his Braves debut until he was scratched because of back spasms from their final regular-season game, which they needed to win to make the playoffs. He was then left off the roster for their Wild Card Series loss to San Diego.
Atlanta acquired Sale in a trade last December after he made only 31 starts for the Red Sox from 2021-23. He missed the 2020 season and most of 2021 after Tommy John surgery. He made only two starts in 2022 after he fractured a rib and then broke his left pinkie. He broke his right wrist riding a bicycle in August 2023, ending his final season with Boston.
Sale was named the NL Comeback Player of the Year last week at Major League Baseballâs All-MLB Awards Show.
âTalk about motivation, right? To be able to show my sons hard work, dedication and not giving up. My wife had my back the whole time. Iâm sure I was a real peach at times during some of those injuries,â he said. âAnd just with my parents, my family, I was talking to my dad the other day about this and whether it did or didnât happen, he was proud of me.â
It was the third time Sale finished among the top three in Cy Young Award voting. He was the AL runner-up in 2017 after his first season with Boston behind Corey Kluber, who was also the Cy Young Award winner in 2014 when Sale finished third with the White Sox.
Sale won the eighth Cy Young Award for the Braves organization. Most of those came in the 1990s, when Greg Maddux won three in a row with Atlanta from 1993-95 â after being the 1992 winner with the Chicago Cubs. Tom Glavine won twice (1991 and 1998), and John Smoltz was the 1996 winner. Warren Spahn was the first in 1957 when the Braves played in Milwaukee.
Detroit now has six Cy Young Awards. Denny McLain won back-to-back in 1968 and 1969, and reliever Willie HernĂĄndez was the 1984 winner. Justin Verlanderâs Cy Young Award with the Tigers came two years before Max Scherzer won in 2013.
Skubal had Tommy John surgery at Seattle University before the Tigers drafted him in the ninth round in 2018. His made his big league debut in 2020, and this season went at least six innings in 25 of his 31 outings. He was 6-0 in his first nine starts and finished the season the same way â 6-0 in his last nine starts while the Tigers made their surprising push to the playoffs.
He made his postseason debut with 17 consecutive scoreless innings before a five-run fifth that included a grand slam by Clevelandâs Lane Thomas in the deciding Game 5 of their AL Division Series. That 7-3 loss ended the Tigersâ season.
âI was able to kind of get over it relatively quickly just because I was so proud of our team and what we were able to accomplish,â Skubal said. âAnd if Iâm going to be the one to fail, I love that, because, you know, itâs only going to set our team up to have success in the future.â
Based on where they placed in balloting, Clase earned a $150,000 bonus, Sale and Lugo $100,000 each and Wheeler $50,000.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB
UNDATED (AP) â Boise State received the fourth and final bye in this week’s College Football Playoff rankings, leaving BYU out of that mix and the Big 12 on the list of power conferences with a gripe. Undefeated Oregon received top billing once again, delivered by the committee a few hours after Big Ten number crunchers ran through tiebreaker scenarios and realized the Ducks had clinched a spot in the conference title game. Ohio State stayed at No. 2, one spot ahead of Southeastern Conference co-leader Texas. Miami of the Atlantic Coast Conference was ranked eighth but gets the third seed and a bye that goes to the top four ranked conference leaders. And likewise, Boise State was ranked 12th by the committee but was slotted into that fourth and final bye.
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) â The top-ranked Oregon Ducks have clinched a spot in the Big Ten championship game. The Big Ten announced Tuesday that after extensive evaluation, there were âno conditions whereby the Ducks do not finish No. 1 or No. 2â in the conference. The conference championship is set for Dec. 7 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Oregon is 11-0 overall and 8-0 in the Big Ten, and one of just three undefeated teams in the country.
MILWAUKEE (AP) â Kam Jones had 17 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists as No. 15 Marquette defeated No. 6 Purdue 76-58 to snap the Boilermakersâ 39-game regular-season nonconference winning streak. Purdue hadnât lost a regular-season nonconference game since falling 58-54 at Miami on Dec. 8, 2020, compiling the fourth-longest such streak in NCAA history. Jonesâ triple-double was the third in school history and first since Dwyane Wade had 29 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists when Marquette beat Kentucky 83-69 in the 2003 Elite Eight.
MILWAUKEE (AP) â Marquetteâs Kam Jones wants to spend this season honoring one of his high school coaches. Heâs off to a heck of a start. Jones recorded the third triple-double in Marquette history Tuesday night by posting 17 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists in the 15th-ranked Golden Eaglesâ 76-58 victory over No. 6 Purdue. It was his first game since learning about the death of Terry Tippett. Tippett coached Jones his freshman year at Evangelical Christian in Memphis, Tennessee. Tippett died Saturday at age 79.
UNDATED (AP) â Dana Holgorsenâs motivation for joining Nebraska as a late-season replacement offensive coordinator boiled down to one thing. He said he was bored. Holgorsen was working as a consultant on TCUâs staff when Nebraska coach Matt Rhule invited him to Lincoln two weeks ago to help sort out the Cornhuskersâ offensive problems. Holgorsen said his work at TCU left him unfulfilled and that the challenge to coach at Nebraska was enticing. Holgorsen said freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola gives him a good starting point for turning the offense around.
UNDATED (AP) â Indiana has made the type of turnaround that had only happened once before at the power-conference level over the last decade. But this new era of college football with unbalanced schedules and loosened transfer restrictions might make such dramatic transformations more common. Indiana is the 21st team since 1973 to win at least 10 games immediately after a season in which it had three wins or fewer, if the pandemic-shortened 2020 season isn’t factored in. Michigan State had been the most recent Power Four team to accomplish the feat when it went 10-3 in 2017 after going 3-9 in 2016.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) â Parker Fox scored 16 points off the bench to spark Minnesota to a 58-47 win over Cleveland State. The Gophers were locked in another tight battle, holding a 50-47 lead with less than four minutes to go. But the Vikings missed their last eight shots after and JeâShawn Stevenson 3-pointer with 4:18 to play and didnât score after Stevenson cut it to a three-point game with two free throws at 3:51. Tevin Smith had 10 points for Cleveland State. Cleveland State led a majority of the first half but not by more than five points. Fox beat the buzzer with a 3 for a 31-29 halftime lead.
EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) â Nick Martinelli scored 22 points, Brooks Barnhizer added 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds and Northwestern held off Montana State for a 72-69 victory. Jabe Mullins hit a 3-pointer for Montana State that tied it 67-all with 47 seconds left. Matthew Nicholson answered for Northwestern with an alley-oop dunk and then Ty Berry blocked Brandon Walkerâs layup attempt on the Bobcatsâ ensuing series. The Wildcatsâ Jalen Leach made a pair of free throws with 10 seconds remaining and Justin Mullins sealed it with another free throw with 2 seconds left. Mullins scored 17 points to lead Montana State (1-4).
UNDATED (AP) â Boise State received the fourth and final bye in this week’s College Football Playoff rankings, leaving BYU out of that mix and the Big 12 on the list of power conferences with a gripe. Undefeated Oregon received top billing once again, delivered by the committee a few hours after Big Ten number crunchers ran through tiebreaker scenarios and realized the Ducks had clinched a spot in the conference title game. Ohio State stayed at No. 2, one spot ahead of Southeastern Conference co-leader Texas. Miami of the Atlantic Coast Conference was ranked eighth but gets the third seed and a bye that goes to the top four ranked conference leaders. And likewise, Boise State was ranked 12th by the committee but was slotted into that fourth and final bye.
UNDATED (AP) â One week after Bill Self became the winningest coach at Kansas, the Hall of Famer joined John Calipari and Rick Barnes as the only active Division I head coaches with 800 wins. The milestone came as the top-ranked Jayhawks pulled away in the second half to beat UNC Wilmington 84-66 on Tuesday night. The 61-year-old Self is 800-248 since becoming a head coach at Oral Roberts in 1993. He made stops at Tulsa and Illinois before taking over for Roy Williams at Kansas before the 2003-04 season. Last week in Atlanta, the Jayhawks beat Michigan State in the Champions Classic to give Self his 591st win in 22 seasons at Kansas. That pushed him past Phog Allen for the most in school history.
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) â Hunter Dickinson had 15 points and 15 rebounds, Dajuan Harris Jr. scored 16 points, and No. 1 Kansas shrugged off a sluggish start to beat UNC Wilmington 84-66 on Tuesday night and give Jayhawks coach Bill Self his 800th career win. David Coit added 13 points and Zeke Mayo had 10 for the Jayhawks, who improved to 5-0. They led just 43-38 at halftime before going on a 12-2 run to start the second half. Up next for the Jayhawks is a date with No. 14 Duke in the Vegas Showdown on Tuesday night. Khamari McGriff had 18 points and Noah Ross had 10 with nine boards for UNC Wilmington
UNDATED (AP) â Kansas is now having an impact on the top of the Big 12 standings. It’s just not how expected when the Jayhawks were one of conference’s preseason favorites. Instead of competing for a spot in the conference championship game, the 4-6 Jayhawks are just trying to get bowl eligible. They have beaten top contenders Iowa State and previously undefeated BYU for consecutive wins over Top 25 teams for the only time in school history. They now host league co-leader No. 16 Colorado. BYU and Colorado could clinch both Big 12 title game slots with wins and some help Saturday. BYU is at Arizona State.
BOULDER, Colo. (AP) â Each win brings Deion Sanders and the 16th-ranked Colorado Buffaloes closer and closer to a spot in the Big 12 title game. It also brings more and more speculation about his future in Boulder. But the coach tamped that down on Tuesday. He said he’s happy in Boulder and that his âkickstand is down.â He’s concentrating on a critical test this weekend when the Buffaloes travel to Arrowhead Stadium to face a Kansas team that’s posted back-to-back wins over teams in the Top 25. Colorado has won four straight games and is in the driver’s seat to make it to the league’s championship game.
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) â Trazarien White scored 14 points, David Punch added 10 points, seven rebounds and five blocks to help TCU beat Alcorn State 71-48. All 10 TCU (4-1) players that entered the game scored at least three points. White hit a 3-pointer and Brendan Wenzel made two more before Frankie Collins added two layups to cap a 17-5 spurt and give the Horned Frogs a 15-point lead with 5:43 left in the first half and Alcorn State trailed by double figures the rest of the way. TCU made 14 of 28 from the field and 7 of 14 from 3-point range while the Braves (0-5) shot just 29% in the first half. Keionte Cornelius hit 3 of 5 from 3-point range and led Alcorn State with 13 points.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) â Callin Hake had 17 points and Jessica Petrie added 14, both career highs for the reserves, and No. 21 Nebraska rolled to an 85-48 win over North Alabama. The Lions scored the first basket of the game but went 2 of 16 and the Cornhuskers scored the last 10 points of the quarter â six by Hake â and led 15-4. Nebraska had the first four points of the second quarter and had a 12-0 run that included two Kendall Moriarty 3-pointers and four free throws for Hake and the lead was 36-16 at the break. Jazzy Klinge led the Lions with 11 points. Nebraska shot 48% overall and was 15 of 19 from the foul line and had a 48-32 rebounding advantage. North Alabama was 7 of 18 from 3-point range (49%) and 17 of 59 overall (29%).
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) â Ugonna Onyenso came off the bench to score 16 points in 12 minutes and Kansas State shook off a poor first half to beat Mississippi Valley State 74-56 on Tuesday night. On a night the Wildcats shot just 36%, Onyenso was 6 of 7 from the floor and made all four of his free throws. C.J. Jones scored 10 of his 12 points in the second half. David NâGuessan added 10 points while Coleman Hawkins, who was just 1-of-11 shooting with two points, grabbed 13 rebounds. Arthur Tate scored 16 points and Antonio Sisk 15 for the Delta Devils, who trailed by two at halftime.
UNDATED (AP) â Boise State received the fourth and final bye in this week’s College Football Playoff rankings, leaving BYU out of that mix and the Big 12 on the list of power conferences with a gripe. Undefeated Oregon received top billing once again, delivered by the committee a few hours after Big Ten number crunchers ran through tiebreaker scenarios and realized the Ducks had clinched a spot in the conference title game. Ohio State stayed at No. 2, one spot ahead of Southeastern Conference co-leader Texas. Miami of the Atlantic Coast Conference was ranked eighth but gets the third seed and a bye that goes to the top four ranked conference leaders. And likewise, Boise State was ranked 12th by the committee but was slotted into that fourth and final bye.
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) â Freshman Vyctorius Miller scored 19 points on 9-of-14 shooting, Jordan Sears scored 15 points and LSU beat Charleston Southern 77-68. Dji Bailey made 5 of 6 from the field and scored 11 points â all in the second half â for LSU (4-0). Tajeâ Kelly hit a jumper that gave Charleston Southern (1-5) a two-point lead with 9:39 to play but Miller answered with a dunk on the other end to spark a 14-0 run that made it 70-58 about 6 minutes later and LSU led the rest of the way. The Buccaneers missed seven consecutive shots and committed three turnovers during the decisive spurt. Daylen Berry had 19 points and 12 rebounds for Charleston Southern.
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) â Jaxson Robinson scored 20 points and No. 9 Kentucky shot 55% to roll past Lipscomb 97-68. Lamont Butler added 16 points, Otega Oweh had 14 and Koby Brea scored 12 off the bench for the Wildcats, who led 20-6 after eight minutes and didnât let up. They made seven of their first 11 shots and finished 34 of 62 from the field, including 12 for 25 from behind the 3-point arc. Jacob Ognacevic had 17 points and Will Pruitt added 12 for the Bisons, who shot 39% and dropped their third consecutive game.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) â No. 17 Clemson and No. 19 South Carolina will have to wait an extra week before a final chance to impress College Football Playoff selectors about a long-shot berth in the 12-team field. The Tigers and Gamecocks finish the regular-season at Clemson on Nov. 30 with plenty of positives along with regrets about their chances going forward. Clemson finished 7-1 in the ACC, but needs help from No. 11 Miami and No. 13 SMU for a spot in the league title game. Three-loss South Carolina is the hottest team in the SEC, having beaten three straight ranked league opponents.
UNDATED (AP) â Indiana has made the type of turnaround that had only happened once before at the power-conference level over the last decade. But this new era of college football with unbalanced schedules and loosened transfer restrictions might make such dramatic transformations more common. Indiana is the 21st team since 1973 to win at least 10 games immediately after a season in which it had three wins or fewer, if the pandemic-shortened 2020 season isn’t factored in. Michigan State had been the most recent Power Four team to accomplish the feat when it went 10-3 in 2017 after going 3-9 in 2016.
ATHENS, Ga. (AP) â Asa Newell scored 17 points, Silas Demary Jr. had 15 and Georgia remained unbeaten with a 93-45 win over Alabama A&M on Tuesday night. Newell was 7 of 8 from the floor while Demary made 9 of 11 free throws. Georgia extended its home win streak versus nonconference opponents to 22. Tyrin Lawrence added 12 points plus six steals and Somto Cyril had 11 points and nine rebounds for Georgia, which shot 53%, made nine 3-pointers and went to the line for 41 free throws, making 28. Georgia was plus-25 on the boards. Dylan McLean scored 11 points to lead Alabama A&M.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) â South Carolina coach Dawn Staley went right to the source when she was asked about injured guard Tessa Johnson. Staley turned around Tuesday and shouted to Johnson, âTessa, what’s your status for tomorrow?â Johnson shouted back that she was playing at Clemson on Wednesday for the top-ranked Gamecocks. Staley turned back to media and said, âThere you go,â before breaking into a smile. The Gamecocks are looking for their 43rd straight victory when they face the rival Tigers.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) â Payton Verhulst scored 16 points, Raegan Beers had 11 points and 10 rebounds, and ninth-ranked Oklahoma pulled away in the second half for a 79-49 victory over Wichita State on Tuesday night. Lexy Keys hit a trio of 3-pointers and added 12 points while Zya Vann had 10 for the Sooners. They have won all four of their games by at least 30 points, something that has never occurred over a four-game stretch in school history. Jayla Murray led Wichita State with 14 points.
BOSTON (AP) â Boston coach Jim Montgomery, who led the Bruins to the greatest regular season in NHL history but never got them past the second round of the playoffs, was fired Tuesday, a day after the below-.500 team lost to last-place Columbus to extend its losing streak to three games.
âJim Montgomery is a very good NHL coach and an even better person,â general manager Don Sweeney said in a news release announcing the move. âOur teamâs inconsistency and performance in the first 20 games of the 2024-25 season has been concerning and below how the Bruins want to reward our fans.”
Assistant Joe Sacco, who led the Colorado Avalanche to a 130-134-40 record from 2009-2014 and was a finalist for coach of the year in his first season, will lead the Bruins on an interim basis.
âI believe Joe Sacco has the coaching experience to bring the players and the team back to focusing on the consistent effort the NHL requires to have success,â Sweeney said. “We will continue to work to make the necessary adjustments to meet the standard and performance our supportive fans expect.â
Montgomery, 55, was fired 20 games into his third season in Boston and a day after a 5-1 loss to Columbus in which the Bruins allowed two short-handed goals. He leaves with a 8-9-3 record this season and a 180-84-33 mark in his career, which also included one-plus season in Dallas.
The Bruins finished with more than 100 points in each of Montgomery’s first two seasons â including a record-setting debut, when their 65 wins and 135 points were both the most in NHL history. But the team lost in the first round of the playoffs that year and advanced to only the second round last season.
The struggles carried over into the new season, with an opening night loss to Florida in which they fell behind 5-1 and an 8-2 loss to Carolina on Halloween. After the Monday night loss in which the team was booed off the ice at home after falling behind 3-0 in the first period, Montgomery grew philosophical.
âEveryone goes through struggles. Whether in life, or your team,â he said. âThatâs what lifeâs about. How do you pick yourself up? Itâs not how hard you fall. Itâs how quickly you pick yourself up.â
The Bruinsâ best hope is that a coaching change kick-starts a roster with high-end talent that hasnât been performing.
As a team, the Bruins have given up 21 more goals than theyâve allowed â third-worst in the NHL. All-Star David Pastrnak managed no shots on Monday and his minus-4 is the lowest plus-minus of his career; Brad Marchand is minus-3, the lowest since he became a full-time NHLer.
âDefinitely not happy with the way that things are going,â Marchand said Monday night. âWe need to be much better in a lot of areas. … Itâs not acceptable to continue to have the same mistakes and do the same things over and over that arenât bringing us success. So, yeah, we need to be a lot better.â
But the biggest problem has been the goaltending.
And that canât be blamed on the coach.
A year after alternating two No. 1 goalies for the entire regular season â and finishing with more than 100 points for the sixth full season in a row â the Bruins came out of training camp with none. General manager Don Sweeney traded 2023 Vezina Trophy winner Linus Ullmark over the summer â before agreeing to a new contract with Jeremy Swayman.
The timing emboldened Swaymanâs holdout, and the 25-year-old from Alaska didnât agree to a new deal â eight years and $66 million â until the eve of the regular season. His numbers (5-7 record, .884 save percentage, 3.47 goals-against average) may be the hangover from missing training camp; Jonas Korpisalo (3-2, .901, 2.74), who was acquired from Ottawa over the summer, hasnât been the answer either. âI think Iâve had enough time now to adapt and get back to things,â Swayman said Monday night. âIâm really trying to to engulf just being in a room again and being a leader and I want my play to speak for that. So I need to step up, and thatâs exactly what Iâm going to do.â
A genial hockey lifer who led Maine to the 1993 NCAA title â scoring a third-period hat trick in the final â Montgomery played in 122 NHL games over six years before he turned to coaching. He won two U.S. junior titles and led Denver to an NCAA championship before he was hired by the Dallas Stars.
In his first season on the bench, Dallas made the playoffs for the first time in three years. In his second, the team would reach the Stanley Cup Final but with a new coach.
Montgomery was fired 32 games into the year for what the team called unprofessional conduct. He has since admitted to binge drinking to the point of blackouts and conceded that he deserved to be fired. After going through rehab, he was hired as an assistant in St. Louis and then for the head coaching job with the Bruins.
In Boston, Montgomery replaced Bruce Cassidy â another likeable Bruins coach whose teams racked up 100-point seasons but flamed out in the postseason. Cassidy was fired three years after leading Boston to the 2019 Stanley Cup Final and hired by Vegas eight days after the Bruins fired him.
The Golden Knights won the Stanley Cup in his first season.
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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
SAN ANTONIO (AP) â San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama will be sidelined against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night as he recovers from a bruised right knee.
San Antonio guard Devin Vassell is also out for the NBA Cup game with a sore left knee.
Wembanyama and Vassell also sat out Saturdayâs loss to Dallas. Both are listed as day to day.
Oklahoma City is without Chet Holmgren, who fractured his right hip on Nov. 10 in a game against Golden State. He is expected to miss up to 10 weeks.
Wembanyama suffered the injury on Friday when he collided with Anthony Davis midway through the fourth quarter of San Antonioâs loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. Wembanyama, who incurred a foul on the play, briefly exited the game but returned as the Spurs fell 120-115.
Wembanyama, last yearâs unanimous selection as NBA Rookie of the Year, is averaging 22.7 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.7 blocks and 2.8 assists in 13 games.
Vassell missed the first nine games of the season following offseason surgery to repair a stress fracture in the third metatarsal of his right foot. After playing four straight, Vassell sat out Saturday’s game with a sore knee not related to his foot surgery.
âFoot is fine,â Spurs acting coach Mitch Johnson said. âIt’s just a flare-up in his knee. Being conservative as we’ve been all month.â
San Antonio remains without coach Gregg Popovich, who suffered a mild stroke on Nov. 2 before a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. There is no timetable for the NBAâs longest-tenured coach to return to the sideline.
Johnson is the acting head coach in Popovichâs absence.
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
BOSTON (AP) â The defending NBA champions held off the leagueâs hottest team on Tuesday night, with Jayson Tatum scoring 33 points and adding 12 rebounds to lead the Boston Celtics to a 120-117 victory over Cleveland and hand the Cavaliers their first loss after 15 straight wins to open the season.
Cleveland cut a 21-point deficit to two in the third quarter, and Donovan Mitchell hit a rainbow 3-pointer with 24 seconds left to make it a four-point game. Tatum sank one of two free throws, and then clobbered Mitchell at the other end, leaving the Cavaliers guard on the floor in need of medical attention.
Mitchell eventually stepped to the line and sank both free throws, but Boston inbounded the ball without trouble and passed it downcourt for an easy Al Horford dunk to clinch it.
Tatum sank six of Bostonâs 22 3-pointers, and added seven assists for Bostonâs third straight win.
Mitchell scored 35 points, and Evan Mobley had 22 points and 11 rebounds for the Cavaliers, who were the fourth team in NBA history to open the season with 15 wins in a row. The 15-game winning streak was longest in Cavaliers franchise history.
Takeaways
Cleveland was an early surprise as the top team in the Eastern Conference, but it knows it will not be easy to get past Boston, should they meet in the playoffs.
Key moment
The Celtics scored 19 of the last 26 points in the second quarter to turn a five-point lead into a 65-48 advantage at the break. Cleveland cut a 21-point deficit to two points in the third.
Key stat
The Celtics were 14 for 22 from 3-point range in the first half. They were up by five points with 5:05 left when they hit four straight 3âs, and six in all down the stretch, opening a 65-48 halftime lead.
Up next
Cavaliers: Host New Orleans on Wednesday.
Celtics: Visit the Washington Wizards on Friday, a day after visiting the White House as a perk of their 18th NBA championship.
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba