Kopitar scores twice, Kings rally for 5-3 win over Coyotes

Anze Kopitar scored twice, including the go-ahead goal in the third period, and the Los Angeles Kings rallied for a 5-3 victory over the Arizona Coyotes. Trevor Moore, Carl Grundstrom and Kevin Fiala also tallied goals for the Kings, who had dropped five of six coming into the game, including a crazy 9-8 overtime defeat against Seattle on Tuesday. Jonathan Quick stopped 18 shots. Matias Maccelli had a goal and an assist for Arizona while Christian Fischer and Nick Bjugstad also scored. Patrik Nemeth had a pair of assists. Vejmelka made 27 saves.

Sam Bennett scores twice to help Panthers beat Canucks 5-1

Sam Bennett scored twice and the Florida Panthers ended a three-game skid with a 5-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday night. Matthew Tkachuk added a goal and two assists, Gustav Forsling, Ryan Lomberg and Sam Bennett also scored and Spencer Knight made 31 saves. Dakota Joshua scored for Vancouver. Vancouver also lost starting goalie Thatcher Demko to a lower-body injury. The 26-year-old American stopped 15 of 18 shots in the first period before leaving. Spencer Martin made 13 saves in relief.

Matty Beniers scores in OT, Kraken rally past Capitals 3-2

Matty Beniers scored seven seconds into overtime and the Seattle Kraken rallied to beat the Washington Capitals 3-2 for their seventh straight victory Thursday night.  Beniers won a faceoff scrum to begin the overtime, got a tip from Andre Burakovsky and beat Darcy Kuemper for his 10th goal of the season to extend Seattle's franchise-record winning streak. Coming off a 10-1-1 November, the Kraken overcame a 2-0 deficit to keep their streak rolling. Yanni Gourde scored with 2:27 left in regulation, jamming a rebound past Kuemper. Jaden Schwartz added a power-play goal for Seattle in the second period. Philipp Grubauer made 21 saves and was solid all night facing his former team. Martin Fehervary and Conor Sheary scored first period goals for Washington.

Last-place Patriots lose 3d straight to Buffalo, 24-10

The throwback Pat Patriots uniforms weren't the only thing reminding New England fans of a bygone era. On the field, the team was playing like it did in the era before Tom Brady arrived and led it to six Super Bowls. Josh Allen threw for 223 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Bills to a 24-10 victory over the Patriots. It was Buffalo's third straight victory over New England. It's the first time the Bills have beaten the Patriots three times in a row since 2000. That was before Brady took his first NFL snap.

Oregon St. ends 4-game skid, edges UW in Pac-12 opener

Dzmitry Ryuny had 14 points, Dexter Akanno scored the last three points and Oregon State held off Washington for a 66-65 win in a Pac-12 Conference opener. Akanno converted a three-point play with eight seconds remaining. Keion Brooks missed a 3 for Washington to end it. Oregon State (4-4, 1-0) snapped a four-game skid while Washington (6-2, 0-1) ended a three-game win streak. Brooks scored 21 points to lead Washington.

Dante leads Oregon past Washington State in 2nd half 74-60

N'Faly Dante scored 16 of his 22 points in the second half when Oregon used a 13-2 run to jump start a 74-60 win over Washington State in the Pac-12 Conference opener. The game was played within four points through the first 26 minutes. TJ Bamba had a dunk and a three-point play to put the Cougars on top 44-40. Will Richardson got those points back in similar fashion, and after one last Washington State lead, the Ducks scored eight straight points.  A Dante layup gave the Ducks a 53-46 lead with 11:08 to play. Starting near the five-minute mark, Dante scored three quick baskets, the last two dunks, and the score was 68-54. The Cougars went six minutes without a basket, missing five shots with four turnovers. Mouhamed Gueye scored 19 points for Washington State,

Jaquez Jr helps No. 21 UCLA rout Stanford 80-66

Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored 27 points to help No. 21 UCLA open up Pac-12 play with an 80-66 win over Stanford on Thursday night. The Bruins (6-2, 1-0 Pac-12) have now won three straight after dropping back-to-back games to No. 6 Baylor and No. 16 Illinois in Las Vegas. Tyger Campbell had 17 points and was two assists shy of a double-double, while Amari Bailey scored a season-high-tying 19 points. Jaylen Clark added four points in his return to the court after missing the Bruins' last game with a non-COVID-19 illness. The Cardinal (3-5, 0-1) outscored the Bruins 37-30 in the second half, starting with three straight baskets within 90 seconds from Spencer Jones, who set a season high and led the team with 18 points.

Sharp scores 34 as Northwestern State beats SFA 102-96

The Northwestern State Demons defeated the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks 102-96 on Thursday led by Demarcus Sharp's 34 points. The Demons are now 6-2 on the season, while the 'Jacks dropped to 4-4.

Cole Caufield breaks tie in 3rd, Canadiens beat Flames 2-1

Cole Caufield broke a third-period tie on a power play, Sean Monahan had two assists against his old team and the Montreal Canadiens beat the Calgary Flames 2-1 on Thursday night. Rookie Juraj Slafkovsky, also scored for Montreal and Jake Allen made 45 saves. The Canadiens have won seven of 11. Elias Lindholm scored for Calgary and Jacob Markstrom stopped 19 shots. The Flames are 1-3-1 in their last five.

Thursday's Scores

GIRLS PREP BASKETBALL=

Thursday's Scores

BOYS PREP BASKETBALL=

Friberg scores 20 as Belmont takes down Valparaiso 76-64

Led by Drew Friberg's 20 points, the Belmont Bruins defeated the Valparaiso Beacons 76-64 on Thursday night. The Bruins are now 5-3 on the season, while the Beacons fell to 3-5.

Harrell puts up 18 as Texas State beats Lamar 65-55

Led by Mason Harrell's 18 points, the Texas State Bobcats defeated the Lamar Cardinals 65-55 on Thursday night. The Bobcats improved to 5-3 with the victory and the Cardinals fell to 3-5.

Ashworth scores 27 as Utah State defeats Utah Tech 86-81

Steven Ashworth scored 27 points off of the bench to help lead the Utah State Aggies past the Utah Tech Trailblazers 86-81 on Thursday night. The Aggies are now 6-0 on the season, while the Trailblazers fell to 3-5.

Josh Allen throws for 2 TDs, Bills beat Patriots 24-10

Josh Allen threw two touchdown passes and the Buffalo Bills beat the New England Patriots 24-10 for their first AFC East victory of the season. Devin Singletary had a 1-yard touchdown run to help the Bills win their third straight and take a half-game lead in the division over Miami. Buffalo had been 0-2 against division foes. Allen became the first player in NFL history with three seasons of 25 passing TDs and five rushing scores. New England has lost two straight since posting a season-best, three-game win streak.

Desmond Cambridge Jr. hits late 3; ASU edges Colorado 60-59

Desmond Cambridge Jr. hit a 3-pointer with 2.6 seconds left and Arizona State rallied from a 15-point, second-half deficit to beat Colorado 60-59 in a Pac-12 Conference opener. Alonzo Gaffney, Desmond Cambridge Jr. and Devan Cambridge each made a 3-pointer during a 13-0 run as Arizona State took its first lead since early in the first half, 57-56, with 2:34 to play. Jalen Gabbidon answered for Colorado with a three-point play for a 59-57 lead with 2:03 remaining. KJ Simpson missed a 3 for Colorado to end it. Simpson scored 13 points and Tristan da Silva had 10 for Colorado (4-4, 0-1).

Brown, Kiser lead No. 17 Michigan women past Miami 76-64

6-of-9 shooting and 10 of 10 from the foul line. Haley Cavinder scored 17 points for the Hurricanes

Stars' Robertson has hat trick, extends points streak to 17

Jason Robertson had his third career hat trick, scoring in all three periods to extend his points streak to 17 games in the Dallas Stars' 5-0 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday night. Robertson became the NHL's first 20-goal scorer this season with a deflected puck in the first period, then added his 21st and 22nd on long power-play goals in each of the next two periods. His other hat tricks came in back-to-back games last March, when he was the first Stars player to ever do that. Joel Kiviranta and Wyatt Johnston also had goals for the Central Division-leading Stars. Jake Oettinger stopped 31 shots for his fourth career shutout.

No. 9 KU routs Seton Hall 91-65 in Big East-Big 12 Battle

Kevin McCullar Jr. returned from an injury to score 17 points and grab 10 rebounds, Jalen Wilson added 15 points and 13 boards, and ninth-ranked Kansas rolled to a 91-65 victory over Seton Hall in the Big East-Big 12 Battle. KJ Adams had 11 points, DaJuan Harris Jr. had 10 with seven assists and Ernest Udeh Jr. scored 10 for the Jayhawks, who now have more than a week off before visiting bitter rival Missouri for the first time in a decade next Saturday. Kadary Richmond had 17 points, but also turned the ball over seven times for the Pirates, who were just 4 of 19 from the 3-point arc in losing their third straight game. Tyrese Samuel added with 16 points for Seton Hall.

Jordan Martinook has hat trick, Hurricanes beat Blues 6-4

Jordan Martinook had a hat trick to help the Carolina Hurricanes beat the St. Louis Blues 6-4 on Thursday night. After a turnover, Martinook scored the winning goal with 4:35 left, beating goalie Jordan Binnington on a wrist shot. Martinook also scored in the second period and completed the hat trick with nine seconds left. Brent Burns, Seth Jarvis and Jordan Staal also scored. Antti Raanta made 12 saves and Pyotr Kochetkov stopped 10 shots in relief. Pavel Buchnevich, Noel Acciari, Torey Krug and Ryan O'Reilly scored for St. Louis. Binnington made 30 saves, missing a chance for his 100th victory.

Branden Carlson, Utah race past No. 4 Arizona 81-66

Branden Carlson scored 22 points and Utah handed No. 4 Arizona its first loss of the season, 81-66 in the Pac-12 opener for both teams. Carlson went 5 of 9 from 3-point range. Rollie Worster had 12 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists for the Utes, and Gabe Madsen and Ben Carlson scored 11 points apiece. Oumar Ballo led Arizona with 22 points and seven rebounds. Azuolas Tubelis added 20 points for the Wildcats, who trailed wire to wire. Arizona struggled to generate a consistent offensive rhythm before halftime against Utah's stifling defense.

Rays moving spring camp due to damage caused by hurricane

The Tampa Bay Rays are relocating their spring base for 2023 due to extensive damage to team training facilities caused by Hurricane Ian. The Rays have trained since 2009 in Port Charlotte, Florida, about 90 minutes south of St. Petersburg. The club intends to explore several options before making a decision on where to hold spring training and play Grapefruit League games when camp opens. The team and Charlotte County released a joint statement Thursday, saying damage to Charlotte Sports Park in Port Charlotte can't be repaired in time to host games this winter.

Rand scores 13, Milwaukee beats Green Bay 81-67

Led by Ahmad Rand's 13 points, the Milwaukee Panthers defeated the Green Bay Phoenix 81-67 on Thursday night. The Panthers improved to 6-3 with the win and the Phoenix fell to 0-7.

Mount St. Mary's takes down Saint Peter's 73-58

Led by Jalen Benjamin's 28 points, the Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers defeated the Saint Peter's Peacocks 73-58 on Thursday night. The Mountaineers are now 4-4 on the season, while the Peacocks dropped to 4-3.

Despite Caitlin Clark's 45 points, NC State tops No. 10 Iowa

Diamond Johnson and Saniya Rivers each scored 22 points to help No. 12 North Carolina State overcome a 45-point effort from Caitlin Clark and beat No. 10 Iowa 94-81 in an ACC/Big Ten Challenge game on Thursday night. Clark, who came into the game tied for second in the nation in scoring at 26.7 points per game, scored the Hawkeyes' first nine points of the game, and had the first 11 points of the fourth quarter as Iowa tried to rally from a 13-point deficit. The preseason All-American was 16 of 28 from the field, 5 of 13 in 3-pointers for the Hawkeyes (5-3). She finished one point off her career high. The Wolfpack (7-1) had five players score in double figures.

Kaprizov's 3-point game leads Wild to 5-3 win over Oilers

Kirill Kaprizov had a goal and two assists to extend his career-best point streak to 10 games, and Joel Eriksson Ek added a goal and assist, leading the Minnesota Wild to a 5-3 win against the Edmonton Oilers. Frederick Gaudreau, Sam Steel and Mats Zuccarello also scored for Minnesota, which has won four of five. Marc-Andre Fleury made 18 saves. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl extended goal streaks for Edmonton, which had won three in a row. Jack Campbell stopped 25 shots for the Oilers.

Corbett puts up 20, Denver downs Houston Christian 93-83

Led by Tyree Corbett's 20 points, the Denver Pioneers defeated the Houston Christian Huskies 93-83 on Thursday night. The Pioneers moved to 7-1 with the victory and the Huskies dropped to 1-7.

Warrick scores 30, Northern Kentucky beats Youngstown State

The Northern Kentucky Norse defeated the Youngstown State Penguins 77-73 in overtime on Thursday night led by Marques Warrick's 30 points. The Norse are now 4-4 on the season, while the Penguins moved to 5-3.

Arkansas State defeats Mississippi Valley State 58-38

Led by Malcolm Farrington's 15 points, the Arkansas State Red Wolves defeated the Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils 58-38 on Thursday night. The Red Wolves moved to 5-3 with the victory and the Delta Devils fell to 1-8.

Spear's 27 lead Robert Morris over Wright State 80-59

Led by Kahliel Spear's 27 points, the Robert Morris Colonials defeated the Wright State Raiders 80-59 on Thursday night. The Colonials are now 3-5 on the season, while the Raiders fell to 5-3.

Duncan's 18 help Vermont take down NVU-Lyndon 101-63

Led by Robin Duncan's 18 points, the Vermont Catamounts defeated the NVU-Lyndon Hornets 101-63 on Thursday night. The Catamounts are now 3-7 on the season.

Dolan puts up 15 as Cornell defeats Delaware 74-67

Led by Greg Dolan's 15 points, the Cornell Big Red defeated the Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens 74-67 on Thursday night. The Big Red are now 6-1 on the season, while the Fightin' Blue Hens dropped to 3-4.

Jones scores 16, Wofford defeats Presbyterian 76-63

Led by Messiah Jones' 16 points, the Wofford Terriers defeated the Presbyterian Blue Hose 76-63 on Thursday night. The Terriers improved to 5-3 with the victory and the Blue Hose fell to 2-7.

Jeffers' 18 lead Radford past North Carolina Central 80-78

Led by Josiah Jeffers' 18 points, the Radford Highlanders defeated the North Carolina Central Eagles 80-78 on Thursday night. The Highlanders are now 5-3 with the victory and the Eagles fell to 4-4.

MacKinnon, Compher score 2 apiece, Avs beat Sabres 6-4

Nathan MacKinnon and J.T. Compher scored two goals apiece to lead the Colorado Avalanche to a 6-4 win over the Buffalo Sabres. MacKinnon added three assists and Compher had two helpers for the Avalanche, who won for the fifth time in seven games. Artturi Lehkonen and Mikko Rantanen also scored for Colorado, and Alexandar Georgiev made 24 saves. Tage Thompson scored his 15th goal of the season and Alex Tuch, JJ Peterka and Dylan Cozens also scored for the Sabres, who have lost three of four. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 28 shots.

Georgia State defeats Middle Georgia State 79-53

Led by Jamaine Mann's 19 points, the Georgia State Panthers defeated the Middle Georgia State Knights 79-53 on Thursday night. The Panthers improved to 5-3 with the win.

Johansen scores in OT to lift Predators past Devils, 4-3

Ryan Johansen scored his second goal of the game 33 seconds into overtime and Juuse Saros made 25 saves in the Nashville Predators' 4-3 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Thursday night. Johansen took a pass from Matt Duchene and beat goalie Vitek Vanecek from in front. Mikael Granlund tied it for Nashville with nine seconds left in regulation. The Devils had a power-play chance in the closing minutes when Nashville was called for too many men, but Granlund scored 37 second after the penalty expired. Colton Sissons also scored for the Predators. Defenseman Kevin Bahl and forwards Jesper Bratt and Alexander Holtz scored for New Jersey in a 2:38 span early in the second period to make it 3-2.

Adam Scott, Green lead at men's-women's Australian Open

Major winners Adam Scott and Hannah Green underlined their big-event mentality to move into contention after two rounds of the concurrent Australian Open men's and women's golf  championships. Scott shot a bogey-free 7-under 63 to equal the host club Victoria's course record also carded by local pro David Micheluzzi in the opening round. The pair will go head-to-head in the final group on Saturday after Micheluzzi carded a steady 71 at Kingston Heath to be tied for the lead with Scott at 8-under 134. Green had five birdies in her last eight holes to take the halfway lead at 11-under 134 in the women's event.

No. 16 Utah women cruise past Mississippi Valley 109-42

Alissa Pili scored 28 points on 12-of-16 shooting and No. 16 Utah rolled to a 109-42 win over Mississippi Valley State in the Pac-12/SWAC Legacy Series.  Gianna Kneepkens added 12 points and three reserves reached double figures for the Utes, led by Isabel Palmer with 13. Zakiya Mahoney scored 20 points to lead the Delta Devils. Utah made 10 3-pointers and shot 54% overall, but struggled at the line, going 17 of 32 (53%). The Utes led 44-14 at the half as MVSU was just 5-of-25 shooting. Then Utah had a 36-18 advantage in the third quarter, easily surpassing 100 for the third time, including exhibitions. Utah has the No. 2 scoring offense at 95 points a game.

Hayes leads Pistons to overtime victory over Mavericks

Killian Hayes scored eight of 22 points in overtime as the Detroit Pistons recovered from blowing a late lead to beat the Dallas Mavericks 131-125 on Thursday night. Christian Wood's dunk tied the game at 125 with 1:35 left in overtime, but Hayes answered with back-to-back 3-pointers to put the Pistons ahead by six with 41.6 left and seal the win. Bojan Bogdanovic led the Pistons with 30 points while Marvin Bagley III added 19 points and 13 rebounds. Luka Doncic had 35 points and 10 assists for Dallas. Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 26 points.

Lowder scores 16 as Cleveland State defeats Oakland 80-64

Led by Drew Lowder's 16 points, the Cleveland State Vikings defeated the Oakland Golden Grizzlies 80-64 on Thursday night. The Vikings are now 5-3 with the victory and the Golden Grizzlies fell to 2-7.

AP Source: RHP Eflin agrees to $40 million deal with Rays

A person familiar with the deals tells the Associated Press that former Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Zach Eflin has agreed to join the Tampa Bay Rays on a three-year, $40 million contract that's the largest the club has ever awarded in free agency. The person spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity because the agreement is subject to a successful physical and has not been announced. Eflin spent portions of seven seasons with the Phillies. He will join a rotation that includes All-Star lefty Shane McClanahan and right-handers Tyler Glasnow and Drew Rasmussen. The Rays will pay him $11 million in 2023, $11 million in 2024 and $18 million in 2025.

Antoine Davis sets Horizon League's all-time scoring record

Antoine Davis became the Horizon League's all-time leading scorer and he helped Detroit Mercy rally late for a 75-66 victory over Purdue Fort Wayne. Davis finished with 22 points after needing 18 points to surpass Alfredrick Hughes' conference record of 2,914 points from 1981-85 with Loyola Chicago. Davis is 13th in scoring in NCAA history, trailing Danny Manning (2,951) for 12th. Davis made five 3-pointers to move into fifth in NCAA history with 454 makes. Jarred Godfrey scored 20 points and Bobby Planutis had 18 for Purdue Fort Wayne (4-4, 0-1), which had its 13-game home winning streak snapped.

Guentzel, Kapanen fuel rally as Penguins slip by Vegas 4-3

Jake Guentzel and Kasperi Kapanen scored less than 2 minutes apart in the third period to rally the Pittsburgh Penguins past the Vegas Golden Knights 4-3. Guentzel's power-play goal 7:33 into the third tied the game at 3 and Kapanen's first goal in nearly two months 112 seconds later put the Penguins in front for the first time. Tristan Jarry made 34 saves for Pittsburgh, which won its first game since star defenseman Kris Letang suffered a stroke.

Carr scores 19, No. 2 Texas beats No. 7 Creighton 72-67

Marcus Carr scored 19 points and No. 2 Texas held off No. 7 Creighton's furious late-game rally to win 72-67. Texas led by 11 points in the second half but Creighton closed within three points a few times in the final minutes. That forced Texas to finish it at the free-throw line and Carr made two free throws with 10 seconds left to help the Longhorns stay unbeaten. Ryan Kalkbrenner had 20 points and 13 rebounds for Creighton, and Ryan Nembhard scored 17 points. The Bluejays were 4 of 27 on 3-pointers.

Stamkos has assist for 1,000th point, Lightning beat Flyers

Steven Stamkos had an assist for his 1,000th career point, Nick Paul scored twice and the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Philadelphia Flyers 4-1 on Thursday night. Ian Cole had a goal and an assist, Ross Colton also scored, Corey Perry added two assists and Andrei Valilevsky made 21 saves. The Lightning have won seven of nine. Travis Konecny scored for Philadelphia. The Flyers snapped a 10-game losing streak on Tuesday night against the New York Islanders. Stamkos, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2008 draft, assisted on Paul's second goal 7:55 into the second period that made it 2-0. Stamkos started the play with a pass behind the net to Cole, who sent the puck in front to Paul.

Thursday's Scores

BOYS PREP BASKETBALL=

Thursday's Scores

GIRLS PREP BASKETBALL=

McCaffrey returns to practice for short-handed 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers lost one of their key running backs to a knee injury, but got much better news about their other one. Christian McCaffrey returned to practice after dealing with some "knee irritation" during last week's win over New Orleans. Having McCaffrey in the lineup is crucial after Elijah Mitchell went down with a knee injury last week that is expected to sideline him for the rest of the regular season.

QB Cade McNamara leaving Michigan, transferring to Iowa

Cade McNamara says he's transferring to Iowa after serving as Michigan's backup quarterback this season. McNamara announced his decision on Twitter. He presumably will go into next season as the front-runner for the starting job and have two seasons of eligibility. McNamara started every game for the Wolverines in 2021 but lost the job to J.J. McCarthy after the opener. McNamara appeared in the second and third games and didn't play again. Spencer Petras has struggled as Iowa's starter and has a year of eligibility with the COVID-19 waiver. Alex Padilla backed up Petras and is in the transfer portal.

AP source: Michigan RB Corum (knee) expected to have surgery

Michigan star running back Blake Corum is expected to have surgery on his injured left knee that will cause him to miss the postseason, according to a person with knowledge of the situation. The person spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press because Michigan was not publicly disclosing Corum's condition. No. 2 Michigan plays Purdue in the Big Ten championship game Saturday night and is likely heading toward its second straight College Football Playoff appearance. Corum was injured late in the first half of the Illinois game two weeks ago. He tried to play last week against rival Ohio State, but could only manage a few plays.

Marathon record-holder Eliud Kipchoge to run in Boston

World record holder and two-time Olympic gold medalist Eliud Kipchoge will make his Boston Marathon debut in 2023, competing 10 years after two bombs exploded at the finish line. Two-time winner Lelisa Desisa will return in the men's division, 10 years after he won the 2013 race that was interrupted by the attacks that came about two hours after the winners crossed. He also won in 2015.  Reigning women's world champion Gotytom Gebreslase and six former Boston winners are also in the field. Among them is defending Boston champion Evans Chebet of Kenya. 2018 winner Des Linden is also in the event for the 117th edition of the race on April 17.

Hawkins leads unbeaten No. 8 UConn past Okla St 74-64

Jordan Hawkins scored a career-high 26 points to lead unbeaten No. 8 UConn past Oklahoma State 74-64 in the Big East-Big 12 Battle. Adama Sanogo added 20 points and Andre Jackson scored 11 for the Huskies. It was the smallest margin of victory for UConn so far this season. The Huskies' next closest was an 82-67 win over then-No. 18 Alabama last Friday at the Phil Knight Invitational in Portland, Oregon. Kalib Boone scored 15 points to lead the Cowboys and Avery Anderson III added 14. UConn is off to its best start since 2013-14.

Amoore's triple-double lifts No. 9 Va Tech over Nebraska

Georgia Amoore had 24 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds for the first triple-double in Virginia Tech history as the No. 9 Hokies beat Nebraska 85-54 on Thursday night in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Elizabeth Kitley added 24 points and 12 rebounds for the Hokies (7-0), who were playing their first game as a top-10 team since reaching No. 9 on Feb. 22, 1999. The team shot 50.8% from the field and made 10 3-pointers. Virginia Tech used a 9-0 run midway through the first quarter to grab a double-digit lead and then a 20-0 run in the second half to blow out the Cornhuskers. The Hokies led by double digits the entire second half. Isabelle Bourne paced Nebraska (5-3) with 15 points and 12 rebounds.

No. 20 Maryland upsets No. 7 Notre Dame at the buzzer, 74-72

Diamond Miller scored 31 points, including the game-winner at the buzzer, to lead No. 20 Maryland to a 74-72 victory over seventh-ranked Notre Dame on Thursday night in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Irish guard Sonia Cintron's layup had tied the game with 15 seconds left off before Maryland held for the last shot. Miller hit a contested mid-range jumper just before time expired to give the Terrapins a victory over a top-10 opponent. It was the 15th lead change of the game. Miller also grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds to go along with five assists. Shyanne Sellers added 17 points. Maryland (7-2) picked up its first win over Notre Dame (6-1) since 2007.

No. 23 Gonzaga women beat SFA in homecoming for Truong twins

Kaylynne Truong had 21 points and seven assists, Yvonne Ejim added 19 points and nine rebounds and No. 23 Gonzaga beat Stephen F. Austin 71-59 in a homecoming for the Truong twins. Kaylynne Truong and Kayleigh Truong graduated from Jersey Village High School in Houston. In 2019, they led the Falcons to a District 17-6A championship with a 33-3 overall record and 16-0 in district play. Gonzaga led by as many as 18 points in the game. SFA scored the opening six points of the fourth quarter to get within 53-49, but Brynna Maxwell converted a three-point play for Gonzaga and Kaylynne Truong added a 3-pointer for a 10-point lead.

Hawks forwards Collins, Hunter sidelined with injuries

The Atlanta Hawks will be without both of their starting forwards for at least the next three games. John Collins will miss at least the next two weeks with a sprained left ankle and De'Andre Hunter will be sidelined for at least one week with a right hip flexor strain. Both departed with the injuries during Wednesday night's win over Orlando. Hunter played only seven minutes and Collins was hurt after a dunk that didn't count at the halftime buzzer. Hunter is third on the Hawks in scoring at 14.9 points per game and Collins is fourth at 12.3 points.

No. 5 Indiana's 3-point barrage buries No. 6 North Carolina

Mackenzie Holmes scored 25 points, Sydney Parrish added 24 and No. 5 Indiana hit 12 3-pointers to defeat No. 6 North Carolina 87-63 on Thursday night in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. The battle of unbeatens had drastically different shooting nights. The Hoosiers got hot to improve to 8-0 and the Tar Heels did not to drop to 6-1. The Hoosiers hit eight 3s to build a 16-point lead by halftime. Parrish, a junior transfer starting for injured senior guard Grace Berger, hit four 3s as did senior guard Sara Scalia. Tar Heels junior guard Kennedy Todd Williams had 20 points. Junior guard Deja Kelly added 11.

Arizona agrees to extension with Fisch through 2027 season

Arizona has agreed to a contract extension with football coach Jedd Fisch through the 2027 season. The deal announced Thursday is pending approval from the Arizona Board of Regents. The Wildcats went 5-7 in Fisch's second season, the third-largest win increase in program history. A longtime NFL and college coach, the 46-year-old Fisch generated a buzz in the desert his first season, even as the Wildcats finished 1-11. Fisch pulled in the program's highest-rated recruiting class in 2022 and the Wildcats were far more competitive on the field.

EXPLAINER: How will College Football Playoff expansion work?

The College Football Playoff will include 12 teams, starting with the 2024 season. An expansion plan that was crafted for two years and haggled over for another 18 months finally cleared all the obstacles needed to go from idea to reality. The CFP announced Thursday that the current four-team system would be tripling in size. There are still a few more details to work out, like exact dates of some of the games, but college football is two years away from another dramatic change to its postseason.

Bucks' Middleton probable to make his season debut Friday

Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton appears on the verge of making his 2022-23 debut as he returns from offseason wrist surgery. The NBA released an injury report Thursday night that listed the three-time All-Star as probable for the Bucks' Friday night game with the Los Angeles Lakers. Middleton hasn't played since spraining the medial collateral ligament in his left knee in Game 2 of the Bucks' first-round playoff series with the Chicago Bulls. He underwent surgery on his left wrist last summer and has been recovering ever since.

Packers defense hasn't come close to meeting expectations

This was supposed to be the season that the Green Bay Packers showed they could win by leaning on their defense rather than relying on their offense to carry them. It hasn't happened. Green Bay is limping into the final third of the regular season at least in part because its defense hasn't come close to delivering on preseason expectations. The Packers rank 16th in yards allowed per game and 19th in yards allowed per play. Their performance against the run is particularly troubling.

Hospitalized Pelé thanks fans during fight against cancer

Brazilian soccer great Pelé thanked fans worldwide for the well-wishes he's received since being admitted to a Sao Paulo hospital amid his fight against cancer. The 82-year-old Pelé who had a colon tumor removed in September 2021 was hospitalized Tuesday to regulate his medication. Messages of support have poured in from around the world including from Brazil coach Tite at the World Cup in Qatar. Pelé in an Instagram post says "It's always nice to receive positive messages like this." Pelé's daughter Kely Nascimento has said there is "no emergency" concerning her father's health.

Germany's soul-searching begins after another World Cup flop

Germany is facing another round of soul-searching after being eliminated from the World Cup at the first stage for the second time in a row. The German players spoke of good performances and missed chances but none had any real answers to the team's problems. Germany was knocked out despite a 4-2 win over Costa Rica. Germany also was eliminated from the group phase at the 2018 tournament in Russia as defending champions. Germany captain Manuel Neuer says he doesn't know where the four-time champions stand in world soccer.

Brady, Bucs aim to take control of NFC South against Saints

Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers aim to tighten their grip on first place in the NFC South when they host the last-place New Orleans Saints, who've already lost eight games but are still alive in the division because no one in the division has a winning record. At 5-6, the Bucs lead by one-half game over Atlanta entering this week's play. The Saints have won seven of the past regular-season meetings between the rivals.

Chase Elliott wins most popular driver for 5th straight year

Chase Elliott simply can't be beat when it comes to his grip on NASCAR's title as fans most popular driver. Elliott added another victory Thursday night after winning five races and finishing fourth overall. The National Press Association declared Elliott winner of the fan-decided most popular award for a fifth consecutive year at the season-ending awards ceremony at the Music City Center. Elliott's run as NASCAR's most popular driver started in 2018. That's the first year of Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s retirement. Earnhardt had won the most popular award every year since 2003. That's when Bill Elliott asked for his name to be removed from the ballot after 16 wins.

World Cup redemption for Japan coach 29 years later in Qatar

The "Agony of Doha" came 29 years ago and Hajime Moriyasu experienced it first-hand as a midfielder on Japan's national soccer team. He's now the coach and he's made amends. Moriyasu was thinking about a World Cup qualifying match in Qatar against Iraq in 1993 that cost the team a spot in the next year's tournament as time was winding down against Spain. Moriyasu says "I remembered the tragedy in Doha." This time it was different. This time the defense held it together. This time the 54-year-old Moriyasu got his Hollywood ending by winning Group E.

Vikings can clinch division with win vs. Jets and some help

The Minnesota Vikings host the New York Jets this weekend. The Vikings are 9-2. They can clinch the NFC North with a win over the Jets and a loss by Detroit. The Jets are 7-4. They're off to their best 11-game start since going 9-2 in 2010. That team reached the AFC championship game. Jets quarterback Mike White passed for 315 yards and three touchdowns last week in his first start this season to beat Chicago. Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson will find a challenging matchup against Jets cornerbacks Sauce Gardner and D.J. Reed.

Tiger replacement Sepp Straka shares lead in the Bahamas

Sepp Straka is part of the Hero World Challenge as the replacement for Tiger Woods. He gave up a big week of activities at home in Alabama and made it all worth the while. Straka had a 69 and shares the lead with defending champion Viktor Hovland, Collin Morikawa and 20-year-old Tom Kim. Straka was planning to play a two-day match for his home club Shoal Creek. He had the wedding of J.T. Poston. And on Saturday the Georgia alum was going to the SEC title game. He gave it up to play when Woods withdrew with a foot injury.

Broncos receiver KJ Hamler suffers setback with hamstring

Denver Broncos coach Nathaniel Hackett said Thursday that speedy wide receiver KJ Hamler has suffered a setback in his recovery from a torn hamstring. Hackett said he's not sure if this means Hamler's season is over. The third-year speedster and 2020 second-round draft pick from Penn State missed most of last season after suffering a knee injury in September. He's only played in seven games this season after playing in just three games last year. Receiver Jerry Jeudy stands to miss his third straight game with an ankle injury. Jeudy hasn't practiced since getting hurt Nov. 13 at Nashville.

White making name for himself again as Jets' starting QB

Mike White was greeted by his twin toddlers when he finally got home last Sunday. It was a few hours after a dazzling performance during which Jets fans chanted his name while he led New York to a victory. Mallory White looked at her husband after the game and jokingly asked who he was. The former backup quarterback-turned-talk of the town is back in the headlines after stepping in for a benched Zach Wilson and helping the Jets beat the Chicago Bears 31-10. He'll be under center again Sunday in Minnesota leading a Jets team in the middle of the playoff hunt.

Fields takes big step toward return when Bears host Packers

Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields appears poised to return against the Green Bay Packers after missing a game because of an injury to his nonthrowing shoulder. Fields took a big step toward playing by practicing Thursday without limitations after missing last week's loss at the New York Jets. The Bears will try to stop a five-game losing streak and get a rare win over their rivals when they host the Packers on Sunday. Green Bay has won seven in a row against Chicago. Fields separated his left shoulder and suffered some ligament damage in the AC joint when he was tackled on a designed run late in Chicago's loss at Atlanta two weeks ago. He participated in practice on a limited basis leading up to the game at New York and was limited again on Wednesday.

Logano celebrates 2nd NASCAR Cup title, already wanting 3rd

Joey Logano has a simple target for the future even as he celebrates the present. Win a third NASCAR Cup championship. Logano joined Kyle Busch as the only active NASCAR drivers with multiple Cup series title this season, adding a second title the first championship he won in 2018. Being the only active driver with three Cup titles would be even sweeter. Logano said Thursday that's where his head is at in wanting to be the first active driver with three Cup championships. That's also Busch's goal as he switches teams to Richard Childress Racing for 2023 after 15 years at Joe Gibbs Racing.

College Football Playoff expands to 12 teams in 2024 season

The College Football Playoff says it will expand to a 12-team event starting in 2024. The announcement came after the Rose Bowl agreed to amend its contract for the 2024 and 2025 seasons. That was the last hurdle CFP officials needed cleared to expand the four-team format. The expansion is expected to produce about $450 million in additional gross revenue for the conferences and schools that participate. The plan to expand the playoff was unveiled publicly in June 2021 and it took 18 months of haggling and delays to finally complete.

Fast & smooth Odermatt proves to be ski racer to catch again

The ski racer to beat these days is Marco Odermatt of Switzerland. The 25-year-old's combination of speed and smoothness allowed him to capture a giant slalom gold medal at the Beijing Games and an overall World Cup title last season. He has started strong this season, going 3-for-3 in finishing on the World Cup podium, including two wins. Odermatt will be among the favorites in all three speed events at the World Cup stop in Beaver Creek, Colorado, this weekend.

Shibutani siblings elected to US Figure Skating Hall of Fame

Olympic ice dancers Maia and Alex Shibutani along with Paul E. George, who served as the director of the U.S. Olympic Committee, were elected to the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame on Thursday. The trio will be inducted Jan. 28 during the U.S. figure skating championships in San Jose, California. The Shibutani siblings were two-time Olympians who won a pair of bronze medals at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games before stepping away from the sport in their prime. They also were three-time world medalists, earned medals at each of their 14 national championships and were two-time senior U.S. champions.

Police identify suspect in Browns' playing field vandalism

Cleveland police have released the name of the man they believe damaged the field at FirstEnergy Stadium by driving a vehicle on it a few days before the Browns hosted the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The 21-year-old suspect, Anthony Robert Westley O'Neal, has not been arrested. While no charges have been field, police say O'Neal will be a "direct indictment" to the Cuyahoga County Grand Jury. The natural grass playing surface was torn up by the vehicle, leaving tire marks on half the field that were still visible on Sunday during Cleveland's 23-17 overtime victory. The team said its stadium maintenance crew addressed superficial damage to the turf.

Goalie Petersen clears waivers, loaned to Kings' AHL team

Goaltender Cal Petersen has been loaned to the Los Angeles Kings' American Hockey League affiliate after he cleared waivers. General manager Rob Blake says the plan is to get Petersen in as many games as possible so he can rebuild his confidence. Only one NHL goalie has a save percentage lower than Petersen's .868 this season. The move came as a surprise given Petersen was considered the heir apparent to two-time Stanley Cup winner Jonathan Quick. Quick's contract expires after this season. Petersen is signed for two more years.

Budding chemistry between Pickens, Pickett fueling Steelers

The budding chemistry between Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett and wide receiver George Pickens is paying off. The two rookies quickly have formed a bond that has helped Pittsburgh's offense take a step forward in recent weeks. Pickens and Pickett hooked up twice during the game-winning drive against Indianapolis. Pickett found Pickens for a 13-yard gain on third down early in the drive. The two connected again on a 2-point conversion that gave the Steelers a seven-point lead. The 4-7 Steelers visit 5-6 Atlanta in Week 13.

AP source: Celtics extend Horford for 2 years, $20 million

Veteran big man Al Horford has signed an extension to remain with the Boston Celtics. A person with knowledge of the agreement told The Associated Press that the deal is for two years and $20 million, The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the team did not disclose the terms of the contract. Horford was instrumental last postseason with Rob Williams battling injuries in helping the Celtics reach the NBA Finals. With Williams sidelined for the start of this season following knee surgery, Horford has been solid, averaging 10.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game while shooting 55% from the field.

Woman tells police Joseph 'pushed me on couch, strangled me'

Nebraska football staff member Mickey Joseph is accused of putting his hands around a woman's throat, pulling her hair and punching her before being taken into custody. That's according to a police affidavit. The alleged victim said she and Joseph were in an argument when Joseph pushed her onto a couch and choked her. Joseph was arrested on suspicion of strangulation and third-degree domestic assault. Joseph denied to police that he assaulted the woman. Joseph was interim head coach for nine games following Scott Frost's firing. Nebraska has placed Joseph on administrative leave.

Ravens try to rebound from loss against struggling Broncos

Baltimore hosts Denver this weekend after the Ravens beat the Broncos 23-7 in 2021. The biggest game between these teams came in the postseason on Jan. 12, 2013. That's when the Ravens beat the top-seeded Broncos 38-35 in double overtime, propelling Baltimore toward a Super Bowl title. Peyton Manning threw for seven touchdowns in a 49-27 rout of the Ravens in the 2013 opener eight months later. That win kickstarted the Broncos' run to Super Bowl 48.

Germany out of World Cup despite 4-2 win over Costa Rica

Germany was eliminated from the group stage of the World Cup for the second tournament in a row. The four-time champions beat Costa Rica 4-2 but it wasn't enough to advance to the round of 16. Japan's 2-1 victory over Spain allowed both of those teams to advance instead. The Japanese team finished at the top of the group. Germany also exited early while playing as defending champions at the last World Cup. Germany coach Hansi Flick says "I believe for the future of German football we need to do things differently in training."

Japan beats Spain 2-1 as both teams advance at World Cup

Japan scored twice early in the second half to come from behind to defeat Spain 2-1 in a result that put both teams into the last 16 of the World Cup. Ao Tanaka scored the winning goal from close range early in the second half. It took about two minutes for video review officials to confirm the ball hadn't gone out of bounds before the goal. Álvaro Morata scored first for Spain in the 11th minute at Khalifa International Stadium. But Japan rallied after halftime. Ritsu Doan equalized in the 48th with a left-footed shot from outside the box. And Tanaka added the second one three minutes later. Germany was eliminated from the tournament even with a 4-2 win over Costa Rica in the other Group E match. A victory by Costa Rica would have eliminated Spain.

Toledo in the way of Ohio's first MAC title since 1968

Ohio will try to win its first conference championship since 1968 when the Bobcats face Toledo in the Mid-American Conference Championship on Saturday. Ohio will have to do it without the MAC's best quarterback, Kurtis Rourke, who tore an ACL in the team's penultimate game and subsequently needed surgery. The Bobcats' passing game won't be the same without him, but backup CJ Harris rushed for three touchdowns and threw for another score in his start, the 38-14 division clinching win over Bowling Green. Dynamic Toledo quarterback Dequan Finn is also injured and his status is unclear.

Lions and Jaguars face off Sunday in possible shootout

The Lions and Jaguars are both coming to Ford Field at 4-7. But the teams have good offenses and two shaky defenses and it could make for an entertaining game. The Lions need to get running back D'Andre Swift going while Jacksonville needs Trevor Lawrence to keep rolling against the struggling Detroit secondary.

Old foes meet as Boise State hosts Fresno State for MW title

Boise State and Fresno State clash yet again in the Mountain West championship game on Saturday. It's the fourth time the rivals will meet for the conference title. Boise State has won twice; Fresno State won the last time the teams met in the championship game in 2018. The Broncos beat the Bulldogs 40-20 back in October in Boise, but Fresno State was without QB Jake Haener. Haener has been on a tear since returning from an ankle injury with 13 touchdown passes and two interceptions. The Broncos leaned heavily on their run game in the first meeting and need big games again from RB George Holani and QB Taylen Green.

SWAC rematch: Jackson State, Southern meet in title game

Jackson State coach Deion Sanders is the center of attention as his unbeaten Tigers host Southern in the Southwest Athletic Conference championship game, with a berth in the Celebration Bowl at stake. "Coach Prime" has acknowledged an offer from Colorado for its head coaching vacancy and could announce a decision this weekend. He has been mentioned as a possible candidate for several other Power 5 openings. East champion Jackson State looks to follow up its first unbeaten regular season in school history with a season sweep of Southern and second consecutive SWAC title. The Tigers won this season's first meeting 35-0 in October. Southern won its eighth West Division title and seeks its first conference crown since 2013.

Arabs unite in celebration as Morocco advances in World Cup

Morocco is the Arab world's last hope at the first World Cup ever to be held in the Middle East. The fractured region is rallying around the North African nation after its 2-1 win against Canada that advanced Morocco to the knockout stage of the tournament for the first time since 1986. Morocco's success sparked angry street riots in Belgium after a match earlier this week but on Thursday triggered an outpouring of joy in the Arab world where local teams are often underdogs. A similar rush of regional goodwill followed Saudi Arabia's shock win against two-time World Cup winner Argentina last week.

Penguins plot a way forward as Letang recovers from stroke

The Pittsburgh Penguins are bracing for life without defenseman Kris Letang. The six-time All-Star is out indefinitely after being diagnosed with a stroke for the second time in his career. Letang has been cleared to skate by himself at the team's practice facility. Coach Mike Sullivan says it's uncertain how long it will be before Letang is given the OK to work out with the rest of the club.

Bills put DE Von Miller on injured reserve

The Buffalo Bills have placed defensive end Von Miller on injured reserve. Miller was injured in the second quarter of Buffalo's 28-25 win over the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving. Miller will miss at least four games. Bills general manager Brandon Beane says the team hopes Miller can return for the final stretch of Buffalo's season. Miller is the NFL's active leader in sacks with 123 1/2 and he leads the Bills with eight sacks.

Ty Gibbs declines to discuss sudden death of his father

Ty Gibbs on Thursday declined to discuss the death of his father, which occurred just hours after the NASCAR driver won the Xfinity Series championship last month. Gibbs was asked about his grandfather, Hall of Famer Joe Gibbs, telling employees at Joe Gibbs Racing they all had to move forward even as they mourn. Coy Gibbs died in his sleep at the age of 49 hours after his 20-year-old son won the Xfinity Series title on Nov. 5 at Phoenix Raceway. Ty Gibbs said for now he's just going to stick with racing questions while in Nashville for the NASCAR Awards.

Chargers hope to continue recent success against Raiders

The Los Angeles Chargers play at the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday. Los Angeles is a slight favorite, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. The Chargers have beaten Las Vegas in seven of the past 11 meetings. Both teams are coming off close victories. The Chargers hope to take a step toward making the playoffs. The Raiders are trying to win their third game in a row and inch closer to .500. Both offenses are in the top half of the NFL. Their defenses are near the bottom.

Schools increasingly giving disgraced coaches second chances

There was a time when a college basketball or football coach that had just landed his program on probation would be considered persona non grata. Those days appear to be over. The hiring of Sean Miller at Xavier this past offseason and Hugh Freeze by Auburn in football just this week underscore just how far the line has moved when it comes to what is acceptable for universities with open jobs as the stakes soar ever higher.

Lawrence leads South African Open after 8-under 64

Thriston Lawrence shot an 8-under 64 to match the course record he set last year and took a one-stroke lead at the South African Open Championship. The 25-year-old South African made nine birdies and one bogey at the Blair Atholl Golf and Equestrian Estate. Ross Fisher of England and Jens Fahrbring of Sweden are both one shot off the lead after one round. Matti Schmid, Scott Jamieson and JJ Senekal are all two strokes back after shooting 66s. The tournament is the second of three events in South Africa this month as part of the European tour's 2023 season.

Commanders go for 4th straight win against skidding Giants

The Washington Commanders and New York Giants are going to be doing something few expected in their first meeting of the season. They are going to be playing a meaningful game in December. The Giants enter the matchup with a 7-4 record under first-year coach Brian Daboll. They have stumbled lately, losing three of four. The Commanders have a 7-5 record but they are hot. They have won six of their past seven games, including the past three. Both teams currently hold wild-card positions in the chase for a playoff berth.

Florida QB Kitna leaves jail as child porn details emerge

Florida backup quarterback Jalen Kitna has been released from jail on $80,000 bond a day after he was arrested on five child pornography charges that police say included images images of a man having sex with a young girl. A judge set the bond and as conditions for Kitna's release ordered him not to have any unsupervised contact with minors and not to have any internet access. Kitna sobbed into his hands when his parents, including former NFL quarterback Jon Kitna, address the court during a 75-minute appearance. Jon and Jennifer Kitna said they would supervise their 19-year-old son back home in Burleson, Texas.

US World Cup win over Iran draws 15.5M on US broadcasts

The United States' 1-0 win over Iran that earned the Americans berth in the World Cup knockout rounds was seen by nearly 15.5 million people on U.S. English- and Spanish-language broadcasts and digital streams. The game was viewed by more than 12 million people on Fox. That included 954,004 digital streams, which is the most for a World Cup match on Fox. The Spanish-language telecast was seen by 2.34 million on Telemundo, and an additional 1.12 million on Telemundo digital and Peacock. The three U.S. group stage matches averaged 11.7 million, up 10% from an average of 10,622,000 for the trio of matches on ESPN in 2014.

Seahawks aim to avoid third straight loss vs. reeling Rams

The Los Angeles Rams host the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday in a matchup of teams each looking to get back to winning ways. The Seahawks have lost their past two games, falling in overtime to the Las Vegas Raiders 40-34. The Rams have dropped five straight for the first time under coach Sean McVay. Los Angeles DT Aaron Donald will not play because of a high ankle sprain, the first time in his NFL career he is missing a game because of injury.

Kevin Harvick will know if 2023 is final season by Daytona

Kevin Harvick will know if 2023 will be his final NASCAR season before he goes to Daytona in February. The 2014 Cup champion says he doesn't have a clear answer right now about his future. Harvick says he isn't going to start the season not knowing what direction he's going. Harvick says he has a lot to evaluate and it could go either way. Gene Haas said in October that Harvick indicated he didn't plan to drive after his contract expires at the end of the 2023 season. Harvick's team would like him to sign an extension. Harvick turns 48 on Dec. 8.

Klinsmann leads FIFA team analyzing World Cup on the road

German soccer great Jurgen Klinsmann is part of a FIFA team sharing tactical and strategic insight on podcasts recorded within minutes of the final whistle at World Cup games. The Associated Press rode along for a recording in their FIFA vehicle after leaving the match between Argentina-Poland. The FIFA technical teams' podcasts are like a first draft of the tactical history of the World Cup in Qatar. The podcasts are typically made in traffic congestion after leaving stadiums while fans in nearby cars have no idea that former World Cup stars are close by.

Wofford promotes interim coach Watson to full-time FCS job

Wofford has promoted Shawn Watson from interim coach to the full-time job on Thursday for the FCS program. Watson came to Wofford last January as assistant head coach and offensive coordinator to Josh Conklin. But when Conklin was let go in midseason and the Terriers on a 15-game losing streak, Watson took over and finished the season 3-3. Watson has been an assistant at eight Power Five programs in a coaching career that began as a grad assistant at Southern Illinois in 1982. He served as Southern Illinois head coach from 1994-96.

Stéphanie Frappart makes history as 1st female World Cup ref

French referee Stéphanie Frappart has bocame the first woman to take charge of a men's World Cup game after blowing her whistle to start Germany's game against Costa Rica. Frappart also had two women as assistants. Neuza Back of Brazil and Karen Diaz Medina of Mexico complete an all-female refereeing team on the field. Kathryn Nesbitt of the United States was also working at the Al Bayt Stadium as the offside specialist in the video review team. Frappart has already refereed men's games in World Cup qualifying and the Champions League. She also took charge of this year's men's French Cup final and the 2019 Women's World Cup final for FIFA.

Pac-12 extends agreement with Las Vegas through 2023

The Pac-12 Conference extended its agreement to at least 2023 to play its football championship game at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. The sold-out game Friday between No. 4 Southern California and No. 12 Utah will be the second in Las Vegas. Last year's game between No. 14 Utah and No. 10 Oregon drew a crowd of 56,511. The Utes won 38-10. It was second largest at a neutral-site Pac-12 Championship. A crowd of 58,476 watched USC-Stanford in 2015 in Santa Clara, California.

NFL launches challenge to predict, prevent player injuries

The NFL is searching for a technology-driven game plan to help predict and prevent player injuries on the field. The league announced Thursday it is partnering with Amazon Web Service on the NFL Contact Detection Challenge. Designers in the contest will use machine learning and computer vision to find new ways to measure and analyze the timing, duration and frequency of player contact during NFL games. The challenge will begin Dec. 5 with entries submitted on a website hosted by Kaggle which is a leading platform for data science competitions. The top finishers will be announced in March with the first-place entry receiving $50,000.

Browns QB Watson only talks football after NFL suspension

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson has refused to address non-football questions in his first comments since returning from an 11-game suspension over sexual misconduct allegations. Watson spoke to the media for the first time since Aug. 18 but declined to discuss his suspension or the reasons he had to sit out. He has been accused by more than two dozen women of sexual harassment and assault during massage therapy sessions. The 27-year-old will play his first game for the Browns on Sunday in Houston, where he starred for four seasons and where the alleged misconduct took place. Watson acknowledged he may have some rust from his long layoff.

Antonio Brown faces arrest warrant for domestic incident

Former NFL wide receiver Antonio Brown is wanted on a battery charge in Tampa stemming from a domestic incident. Police say the 34-year-old Brown was involved in a verbal altercation with a woman at a home in Tampa on Monday. The report says Brown threw a shoe at the victim, attempted to evict her from the home and locked her out. Brown faces a court-issued warrant for his arrest. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers released Brown in early January after he left the field mid-game and complained about his playing time.

Cheerleading abuse accusations increase to 20 with Ohio case

The latest lawsuit alleging widespread misconduct across competitive cheerleading says officials permitted two choregraphers to continue working with young athletes after they were investigated for sexual abuse. Twenty plaintiffs have now brought allegations against various coaches since the founder of an elite South Carolina cheerleading gym reportedly killed himself in late August amid an investigation into abuse. Federal complaints filed in Ohio and five other states throughout the Southeast accuse the sport's governing bodies and leading competitive institutions of failing to protect underage athletes.

Watson set to make Browns' debut at Texans after suspension

All eyes will be on QB Deshaun Watson, who returns from his 11-game suspension for alleged sexual misconduct to make his Cleveland debut against the Houston Texans, his former team. Watson spent four seasons with the Texans before asking to be traded and eventually being dealt to the Browns for three first-round draft picks. It will be Watson's first regular-season game in 700 days. Houston looks to snap a six-game skid.

Jill Ellis voted to US Soccer Hall of Fame, won 2 World Cups

Jill Ellis was voted into the U.S. Soccer Hall of Fame after coaching the American women to World Cup titles in 2015 and 2019. The 56-year-old British-born coach was picked on 20 of 24 ballots in the builder voting that included only coach candidates for the 2023 class. Ellis, FIFA's women's coach of the year in 2015 and 2019, is president of the National Women's Soccer League's San Diego Wave. She will be inducted next year along with DaMarcus Beasley, Landon Donovan and Lauren Cheney Holiday.

Mouratoglou's Ultimate Tennis Showdown plans return in 2023

A tennis league founded by coach Patrick Mouratoglou that played exhibition matches when the pro tours were shut down during the coronavirus pandemic plans to return in 2023. The Ultimate Tennis Showdown, or UTS, announced Thursday that it will hold matches in July, September, November and December in the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Specific sites and players will be revealed later. The league uses different rules and has things like mid-match interviews with players in what it calls a bid to "attract a larger and younger tennis fanbase." UTS made its debut in June 2020.

Belgium coach Martinez leaving team after World Cup exit

Roberto Martinez is leaving as coach of Belgium's national team following the squad's World Cup exit. The Belgians drew 0-0 with Croatia and were eliminated from the tournament in Qatar. Martinez says "that was my last game for the national team." Martinez coached Belgium to a third-place finish at the 2018 World Cup. He was in charge of the team for six years.

Alves completes his mission, starts at World Cup for Brazil

Dani Alves was given a job to do and he had to complete it to have a chance of making it to the World Cup. The veteran Brazil right back accomplished his mission and will start against Cameroon on Friday to become the oldest Brazilian player at a World Cup at the age of 39. He was in danger of not making it to Qatar after Brazil's staff visited him in Mexico and said he was not in good condition physically. The staff told him the only chance he could be called up for the World Cup was if he could get back in shape. And he did.

Marcus Satterfield leaves Gamecocks to be Nebraska's new OC

Marcus Satterfield will join new Nebraska coach Matt Rhule's staff as offensive coordinator after serving in the same role at South Carolina for two seasons. Satterfield is among five on-field assistants announced by Rhule. The others are running backs coach E.J. Barthel, secondary coach Evan Cooper, special teams coordinator Ed Foley and defensive line coach Terrance Knighton. Corey Campbell has been hired as strength coach.

Michigan lineman Mazi Smith facing concealed weapon charge

Michigan defensive lineman Mazi Smith has been charged with carrying a concealed weapon. The felony was filed this week, nearly two months after the alleged incident. Defense lawyer John Shea says Smith was in the process of getting a concealed-weapon permit when he was stopped by police. Smith is a 21-year-old team co-captain who has started all 26 games for the Wolverines over the past two seasons. No. 2 Michigan is playing Purdue on Saturday for the Big Ten championship. Athletic director Warde Manuel says Smith will continue to participate with the team.

Royals hire Guardians' Brian Sweeney as pitching coach

The Royals hired Guardians bullpen coach Brian Sweeney as their new pitching coach and Nationals minor league coordinator Jose Alguacil as their infield coach Thursday, filling two of the spots on new manager Matt Quatraro's staff. The 48-year-old Sweeney spent five seasons on the Guardians staff, including the last three overseeing the bullpen. Alguacil had spent 15 years in the Giants organization before spending last season in Washington. Quatraro was hired to replace the fired Mike Matheny in Kansas City. He had previously announced the addition of former Tampa Bay major league field coordinator Paul Hoover as his bench coach.

Virginia's depth helping its rapid climb in the AP Top 25

The starting five is the same, but that's where comparisons between the Virginia team that has climbed to No. 3 in the Top 25 and last year's NIT quarterfinalists ends. One more year together and a trip to Italy has made the first five significantly better, but part of the credit for that surely goes to another group: the reinforcements. Transfer Ben Vander Plas and freshmen Isaac McKneely have giving coach Tony Bennett a deeper bench and more scoring options. Virginia has scored 70 points or more in its first six game for the first time since the 2003-04 season.

Troy streaks into Sun Belt title game with Coastal Carolina

The Troy Trojans have not lost since Appalachian State beat them on a Hail Mary pass. The 10-2 Troy teams takes a nine-game winning streak into Saturday's Sun Belt Conference championship game against 9-2 Coastal Carolina at Troy's Veterans Memorial Stadium. Under first-year coach Jon Sumrall, Troy is seeking a record seventh Sun Belt title and its first since 2017. The team got a boost when players like left tackle Austin Stidham, safety Craig Slocum Jr. and FBS career tackle leader Carlton Martial opted to return for a sixth year.

Troy hosts Coastal Carolina in Sun Belt championship game

The Troy Trojans are seeking a record seventh Sun Belt Conference championship and 10th consecutive win when they host Coastal Carolina. The Trojans haven't won a league title since 2017. The Chanticleers won in 2020, but that championship game was cancelled because of a Covid-19 breakout. Coastal Carolina quarterback Grayson McCall has been out the past two games with a foot injury and may have to miss this game, too. He's a two-time Sun Belt player of the year. Troy running back Kimani Vidal is coming off back-to-back 200-yard rushing games.

Maye, UNC stand in way of Clemson's 7th ACC title in 8 years

Redshirt freshman quarterback Drake Maye and the North Carolina Tar Heels stand in the way of the Clemson Tigers winning their seventh Atlantic Coast Conference championship in the last eight seasons. The two teams face off Saturday night at Charlotte's Bank of America Stadium. There are some observers who believe Maybe warrants Heisman Trophy consideration, although the Tar Heels struggles offensively down the stretch have dampened some of that enthusiasm. Still, Maye is a dangerous threat and a QB who some pro scouts already believe has the potential to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft. He's thrown for 3,847 yards and 35 TDs to go along with 629 yards rushing and six TDs.

Morocco reaches last 16 of World Cup, beats Canada 2-1

Morocco has advanced to the last 16 at the World Cup for only the second time after clinging on for a 2-1 win over Canada. The Moroccans' only other trip past the group stage came in 1986. Hakim Ziyech scored for Morocco in the fourth minute after a bad error from Canada goalkeeper Milan Borjan left the winger to chip the ball into an empty goal. Youssef En-Nesyri added a second goal. Canada got one back through an own-goal by Nayef Aguerd but goes home after losing all three games.

Thorns to be sold amid fallout from women's soccer scandals

The owner of the Portland Thorns has announced he is putting the club up for sale, the latest fallout from an investigation into misconduct in the National Women's Soccer League. Merritt Paulson's decision comes nearly two months after a pair of team executives were dismissed for their roles in systemic abuse and misconduct that had spanned multiple teams in the NWSL, including the Thorns. Paulson had relinquished his decision-making role with the Thorns in October. But there have been continuous calls for Paulson to sell the team.

Belgium out of World Cup as Croatia advances with 0-0 draw

Croatia advanced to the last 16 of the World Cup with a 0-0 draw against Belgium. Belgium's group-stage exit will likely usher in the breakup of its talented but underachieving generation of players. The point left 2018 runner-up Croatia in second place behind Group F winner Morocco. The Croats have reached at least the semifinals on each of the two times they have advanced to the knockout stage. Belgium was eliminated after scoring only one goal in three games and failed to live up to its status as the second-ranked team and one of the tournament favorites.

Australia aims for World Cup 'shock' against Argentina

Australia's unexpected advancement to the World Cup's round of 16 from a difficult group featuring defending champion France and European Championship semifinalist Denmark plus a Tunisia team buoyed by big pan-Arab fan support is not a product of individual talent. It's a testament to teamwork, self-belief and a cohesive unit of overachievers. The Socceroos next face Argentina and Lionel Messi. Right back Milos Degenek says that "no one believed in us apart from us and the people around us."

College Football Playoff expands to 12 teams in 2024 season

The College Football Playoff says it will expand to a 12-team event starting in 2024. The announcement came after the Rose Bowl agreed to amend its contract for the 2024 and 2025 seasons. That was the last hurdle CFP officials needed cleared to expand the four-team format. The expansion is expected to produce about $450 million in additional gross revenue for the conferences and schools that participate. The plan to expand the playoff was unveiled publicly in June 2021 and it took 18 months of haggling and delays to finally complete.

The College Football Playoff announces it will expand from four to 12 teams starting in the 2024 season.

The College Football Playoff announces it will expand from four to 12 teams starting in the 2024 season.

Martino out as Mexico coach after World Cup elimination

Mexico says Argentine coach Gerardo "Tata" Martino will not return for the next tournament. The Mexicans missed out on reaching the round of 16 at the World Cup for the first time in 44 years. Martino was hired in January 2019 and finished his contract after the 2-1 win over Saudi Arabia on Wednesday. He said after the match that he was aware a contract extension with the Mexican soccer federation was unlikely. Mexican official Jaime Ordiales says "with a failure like this it is impossible for him to continue."

Hurt on goal, Pulisic hopes to face Netherlands at World Cup

United States midfielder Christian Pulisic hopes to play against the Netherlands in the round of 16 at the World Cup on Saturday after bruising his pelvic bone while scoring in the 1-0 win over Iran. Pulisic is going to consult with the medical staff in the hope of joining the latest training session. He says "I will do everything in my power to work with this medical team and make sure I can play." Pulisic was in pain when he sprawled on the field after colliding with Iran goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand on Tuesday.

Jets increasing tickets an average of 12% for next season

The New York Jets' postseason hopes are rising and so are their ticket prices for next season. The Jets are 7-4 and in the middle of the AFC playoff hunt. They will be increasing prices of tickets an average of 12% next year. It's the second season in a row the team is raising ticket prices after not doing so since 2016. After raising parking costs for the first time at MetLife Stadium this season, there will be no increase next year. Season ticket holders will save between 25% and 40% more on season-long parking than those who purchase for individual games.

Brazil to decide on Neymar after Cameroon game at World Cup

Brazil says it will reevaluate Neymar's condition and decide about his chances of playing against at this year's World Cup after Friday's game against Cameroon. Neymar hurt his right ankle in the team's opener against Serbia and was ruled out for the rest of group stage. Also not playing against Cameroon because of injury were right back Danilo and left back Alex Sandro. Brazil assistant coach Cléber Xavier says Brazil has "a plan prepared for their return." He did not elaborate on the plan. Brazil team doctors have not yet given a timetable on Neymar's return.

NCAA Division II Football Playoff Glance

All Times EST

Jamie Chadwick parlays W Series success into Andretti ride

Three-time W Series champion Jamie Chadwick has parlayed her success in the all-women series into a bigger ride. The British racer has been selected the driver for Andretti Autosport in the Indy NXT Series next season. Indy NXT is the new name of the rebranded Indy Lights Series, the final step on the ladder system before IndyCar. Chadwick will make her debut in an American racing series in March driving the No. 28 for Andretti Autosport with sponsorship from DHL. The 24-year-old will become the first female in 13 years to compete fulltime in the Indy NXT championship.

NASCAR, Goodyear extend partnership in new multi-year deal

Goodyear will remain the exclusive tire for NASCAR's top three national series under a new multi-year deal announced on Thursday. Specifics of the extension weren't included. But the deal includes the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company continuing as the title sponsor of the annual Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway as part of NASCAR's Official Throwback Weekend Cup Series race. NASCAR has partnered with Goodyear since 1954 on tires that can stand up to the demands of racing conditions. That partnership led to the tire developed and used for NASCAR's Next Gen stock car.

England's Rice admits mid-season World Cup taking its toll

It's time to take note when even Declan Rice admits a mid-season World Cup is proving physically challenging, The workhorse England midfielder said he was feeling the strain after playing three games already in Qatar with a match against Senegal in the round of 16 coming up Sunday. Rice said "You know what? It's been a little bit tough on the legs." He played the entirety of his country's opening two Group B games but was substituted after 58 minutes of the 3-0 win against Wales on Tuesday.

Brazil coach sends message of support to Pelé from World Cup

Brazil coach Tite has sent a message of support to Pelé from the World Cup. Pelé was hospitalized Tuesday in Sao Paulo to regulate the medication in his fight against a colon tumor. Pelé daughter said there was "no emergency" concerning her 82-year-old father's health. Tite says "we all want to wish good health to Pelé." Tite spoke a day before Brazil's next match against Cameroon. Brazil reached the round of 16 after two group matches.

McLaren name Alex Palou reserve driver for F1 team

Alex Palou has been named a Formula One reserve driver for McLaren Racing. The Spaniard won the 2021 IndyCar championship for Chip Ganassi Racing and last July said he was declining to return to Ganassi next year and instead would drive for McLaren. Ganassi held an option on 2023 for Palou, who wanted to move to McLaren for a shot at motorsports' highest level. The fight for the driver dragged into September through mediation. There it was decided that Palou would finish his contract and also be allowed to do F1 opportunities with McLaren. He will work with the F1 team whenever it doesn't conflict with his final season with Ganassi in IndyCar.

LeBron: Media disparity between Jones photo, Irving comments

LeBron James has questions about the disparity of media scrutiny he believes is being applied to a 1957 photo of Jerry Jones and the recent controversy surrounding Kyrie Irving. The photo of Jones, captured by an Associated Press photographer, shows him standing among a group of white students at North Little Rock High School in Arkansas on Sept. 9, 1957. The group was blocking six Black students who were attempting to desegregate the school. James said that Black athletes get more scrutiny when "we do something wrong or something that people don't agree with" but that the Jones picture "seems like it's just been buried under."

Messi fans from Asia cheer on Argentina at World Cup

Argentina is finding a legion of passionate superfans from India, Bangladesh and other Asian countries at the World Cup in Qatar. Thousands have traveled to Qatar specifically to see Messi and his team with their own eyes. Many others are among migrant workers that make up about 90% of the country's population of 3 million. Qatar-based Smitha Issac from India attended Argentina's final group game against Poland with her family on Wednesday. Isaac said Lionel Messi "is something like Messiah."

Nadim's journey at World Cup shaken by loss of her mother

Danish forward Nadia Nadim was in the midst of a World Cup match as a television commentator when she was suddenly rocked by tragic news. Her mother had been killed in a traffic accident in Denmark. She had helped the family flee the Taliban in Afghanistan when Nadim was just a girl. Nadim left her job in the middle of the broadcast to rush home. She was in Qatar a week later working with the London-basted ITV network. Nadim says "I think I need to be strong for her. She was a very strong woman."

2024 Tour de France to end in Nice due to Paris Olympics

The 2024 Tour de France will end on the French Riviera instead of the French capital because of the Olympic Games. The finish of cycling's marquee race leaves Paris for the first time since 1905. Tour organizers say the last stage of its 111th race will take place in the Mediterranean resort of Nice on July 21. Five days later, Paris opens the Olympics. Because of security and logistical reasons, the French capital won't have its traditional Tour finish on the Champs-Elysees. Parting with tradition of a sprint on the Champs-Elysees, the last stage will be an individual time trial along Nice's famed Promenade des Anglais.

UEFA opens investigation into Juventus as club's woes grow

Juventus' off-the-field problems keep on worsening in a scandal reverberating through Italian soccer. UEFA has opened an investigation into Juventus. That comes hours after it was revealed that the Turin prosecutor's office had requested indictments for former president Andrea Agnelli and 10 other former board members as well as the club itself amid allegations of false accounting. Agnelli and the entire board of directors resigned on Monday. UEFA concluded a settlement agreement with Juventus in August but says that could be revoked and that it is working with Italian authorities.

Speed Sport to launch motorsports television channel in 2023

One of the oldest motorsports publications in the United States has partnered with a network development group to launch a television channel dedicated to racing in 2023. Speed Sport has partnered with Obsession Media to launch the motorsports next spring. SPEED SPORT 1 plans to broadcast over 400 live events and thousands of hours of motorsports content across free ad-supported streaming television and traditional linear platforms. The venture is supported by Roger Werner, the former CEO of ESPN and Outdoor Channel Holdings. He is both an advisor and investor to SPEED SPORT 1.

Titans rookie doesn't listen to talk comparing him to Brown

Treylon Burks has been compared to former Titans wide receiver A.J. Brown from the moment Tennessee drafted him using the selection gained in the trade that sent Brown to the Eagles. It's a heavier topic of conversation as the Titans prepare to visit Brown and his new team in Philadelphia on Sunday. It's simply not an issue for Burks. The rookie says he just doesn't listen to all the talk. Burks likely will be compared to Brown for the rest of their careers, tied together by the stunning draft night trade in April that sent a Pro Bowl wide receiver to Philadelphia for draft picks including the 18th selection overall.

Rossi ousts billionaire Lisin to head Olympic shooting body

Italian official Luciano Rossi has beaten incumbent president and Russian billionaire Vladimir Lisin to become the new head of the governing body for Olympic shooting. Rossi beat Lisin to become president of the International Shooting Sport Federation on Wednesday in an unusually close and combative election for an Olympic federation. The ISSF did not provide a breakdown of the voting when it announced the result on Thursday. The German Shooting Federation says it was 136 to Rossi and 127 to Lisin.

Iran's World Cup team gets tepid welcome home, amid protests

Iran's national soccer team has received a subdued welcome home with a few dozen fans greeting them at the capital Tehran's airport and waving flags following their World Cup defeat by the U.S. team. The players returned to Iran Wednesday evening to a country still reeling from unrest from monthslong demonstrations after the death of a young woman in police custody. Iran's treatment of the players will likely be scrutinized because they did not sing the country's national anthem during their opening match. It was a move many considered to be a show of solidarity with anti-government protesters. The players did sing the anthem in subsequent games.

Utah Tech visits Utah State after Ashworth's 30-point showing

Utah State hosts the Utah Tech Trailblazers after Steven Ashworth scored 30 points in Utah State's 95-85 victory over the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles. Thursday's matchup is the first of the season between the two squads. Utah State is 4-0 at home, and Utah Tech is 1-4 on the road.

Texas A&M Commerce defeats Hawaii

Demarcus Demonia scored 13 points to help Texas A&M-Commerce hold off Hawaii 53-51. The Lions improved to 4-4, the Rainbow Warriors fell to 5-2.